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Disclaimer: these stress levels are way too damn high
Chapter 32
Mewni's Darkest Knight
XxXxXxXxX
"Should I buy life-insurance?"
"…Janna, no."
"What if I died?"
"Oh my—you're not even going to be in the madness, Janna, geez."
Marco tried to leave the school with Kelly in tow, but after Janna and Jackie had gone to the respective teachers at record time, Marco had to deal with a rather clingy Janna and a staring Jackie.
Kelly looked annoyed at the sight.
Marco grunted as Janna practically hanged off him as they trudged through the near empty school hallway, no one but most studious students would stay back so it left the place rather uneventful. That and the janitor who always left a puddle for students to slip on.
"Janna, get off me."
"But you can carry me so easily!"
"Janna you should really get off, Marco." Jackie said quietly.
Kelly's eyes were hard on her.
Janna felt the slight undertone and killer intent and wisely slid off, dusting her front,
"Oh, fine."
Marco gave Jackie a glance and she did her best to look him in the eye, his deep smooth brown eyes that seemed to go on
"Jackie?"
"Eh—what?"
The blond skater mentally shook herself as Marco slid out the Traitor's Sword, the FrostFlame summoned and consequently thrown through a portal to the glade.
"It's going to take too long to walk back home, here stand back I'm ripping open a shortcut." He did an overhead slash and a golden portal showed Jackie's home, he did the same for Janne begrudgingly after she whined about him treating Jackie better than she.
Jackie glanced at Marco as he quickly pushed Janna through her own before she could linger, "…are you okay with us going with you, Marco?" "…not really. Eclipsa is far removed from the war, you'll be safe there, but there is always a chance she could be reached." "…maybe I should stay here then."
Marco looked at her surprised, Kelly paused before she nodded, "I think that's a good idea, same goes with Janna."
Marco blinked, Jackie looked at him meaningfully, her green eyes meeting his brown ones, "…I don't belong in your world anymore, Marco." "…are you afraid of who I have become."
Jackie frowned at the words, not quite understanding.
Kelly looked at him, her eyes reflecting sadness.
"...Marco, I may not understand what you gone through; couldn't fathom with—her…but when you're ready, I'll listen."
Marco glanced at his feet for a moment before he gestured to the portal and she walked through, leaving him and Kelly behind. The blond skater couldn't hold back her sigh and rubbed her arm for a moment, thinking about how ferocious Marco had become and quickly went into her home.
She announced she was home to her relief her parents weren't home and she quickly ran upstairs to her room. She tossed her running attire aside and quickly pulled out her travel luggage from the closet and tossed the contents on her bed before she made it to her shower and washed up, flicking her bangs and reaching for her shampoo and conditioner.
Suds and the smell of tropical fruit and coconuts reached her as she rinsed herself clean and hopped out of her hot shower and wrapped herself with an equally warm fluffy towel. She tossed in her essentials into the luggage as she picked them through her closet before she came across her usual highschool ensemble and Love Sentence shirt.
She looked at the two with bittersweet memories.
She quietly traced the middle figure, a slight gush of her buried feelings.
She folded both and put them into the luggage before she heard the door downstairs opened with a jangle of keys, Jackie put the towel on her chair before she put on some clothes. Jackie thought carefully how to broach the topic with her parents: letting her go to an uncharted dimension with the possibility of war.
"This is going to be a very awkward talk…" Jackie sighed to herself.
.
"Marco, you're really letting those two come aboard with you?"
"MARCO."
"…I am, Kelly."
Kelly frowned at him, "When I wanted to go with you, you said no, why suddenly things are different." "…" Marco avoided her eye, she put her hand on her hips.
"Old flame?"
"No, Kelly."
"Please, Marco, we've been together long enough: it is." The Woolett sighed, she sat down on the school steps and patted on the space beside her, Marco reluctantly sat down.
"Alright, tell me: trying to get back with Jackie?"
"No."
"Marco, I hate to say I'm an expert on this subject: but I am."
"…Jackie's different."
"Star?"
"Yep."
"Mhmmm, you feel like you owe her an explanation."
"Yes."
"Does it need to be on Mewni? Wouldn't Echo Creek be safer?"
"…I don't know."
The Woolett propped her elbow on her knees and rested her chin on her hands.
Marco felt as if his decision was just as foolish as the task he was about to undertake, Mewni was in ruins, by their hands but his involvement no matter how indirect just gnawed at him.
"Marco…you really can't put Mewni behind you, can't you?"
"I know these past years has put you on the brink of ruin, its written all over your face, body, mind and soul; you can't hide it any longer. I don't think you should."
Kelly smiled sadly at the situation to herself and looked over the place where Marco was from, it was peaceful; unlike Mewni and the other dimensions they had explored together.
"It's a bad idea to bring them along…"
"…do you think I should exclude them?"
"I know the right answer is leaving them here on Earth, but if you do, I just know there won't be coming back from that decision."
Marco pulled the Traitor's Sword free and looked at his reflection, a tired 17-year-old Dark Knight Mercenary looked back at him.
"As long as Mewni stands…I will always have a reason to go back…if it falls, though…" his eyes darken for a moment, Kelly glanced at him just as he put the sword down, sighing and closing his eyes, hiding them from view, "…it would be no better, I would surely swoop in and avenge that horrid dimension."
"…are you really going back then?"
"...I am, and as much as it pains me to go back, Darcy and Mewni needs to be dealt with: once and for all. I wont come back to Echo Creek until everything is settled. Even if I must wade through the carnage that they have wrought; this folly will end."
Kelly hugged him for a moment feeling the radiating heat off the Dark Knight, every fiber of his being agreeing with his conviction, his ambition; a solemn pledge to oneself. She bit her lip, knowing that everything he had gone through before, no matter how bleak or bloody it had been, this would tenfold more difficult.
And knowing that, Kelly hugged her close friend all the more tighter, knowing this would be the closest and deepest he would slip into his inner darkness.
Higgs washed her face silently, she glanced back to the line behind her before she walked off so the next squire, knight, page, whatever could use the field sink. Its been a grueling campaign for the freshly minted Mewman knight, she knew times were tough but she had sorely hoped that her knightly promotion would be something she would look back fondly.
She got her ceremony.
A razor sharp sword.
And orders to march into certain doom.
Higgs grimly took them up, the sword sharp and true, but it failed to impress her like it did with her former sword: the FrostFlame. Marco's personal sword.
She clenched her fist at the thought, the memory a bitter one especially since the Fiend of Mewni had stolen it from her and used in reckless abandon against Mewni-kind.
"Higgs!"
The knight turned to see her field commander, she saluted him and he returned it before he pointed off the other end of the camp, "Relieve the detail there, they're going to carry the incoming wounded."
"Wounded are still coming? I thought the last of them came yesterday!"
"There are always causalities, Higgs." He snarled, not to her but rather the situation.
The knight nodded slowly and went to the detail, who looked no better than the last refugees and wounded soldiers that came into the camp. Higgs stood guard, knowing one was not enough but their numbers had to been stretched so thin after the waves of mad Mewmans and Monsters tore across Mewni. Just when the marching army from the North had stopped and looked ready to be reasoned with, the Forest of Certain Death exploded with the last thing Mewni needed.
Droves of desperate Monsters and Mewmans.
Higgs knew somehow it was the Fiend's fault.
There was no better explanation for Mewni's Plight.
She thought of contacting Marco Diaz for the longest time, but before she could act upon it came a slew of very disarming letters and warnings spreading across Mewni.
That if outside help was called upon: death would follow, beyond the likes that had already transpired.
Higgs threw out the notion and readied to argue but when kingdom's bowed to the threat, Higgs felt her tongue lash itself down. She wanted to argue the fact that external help would end the crisis; that they should do it because that was the surefire solution.
"…something is not adding up." Higgs muttered to herself as she stood at the entrance to the camp, her eyes scanning the scorched and barren landscape before her. It used to be a hardy grassland but after all the stampeding and battles, blood soaked soil and fires from torches and arrows, the once lively place was a mere shadow of what it used to be.
Higgs exhaled at the thought, it was the same wherever she went with her unit.
It killed her fellow knights and squires.
And it killed the overall morale as well.
Tending to the sick and wounded did not raise their spirits either, there was always another body to bandage or body to bury; it was wearing all of them out.
"…we're not going to last very long if this keeps up."
"You got that right."
Higgs drew her sword faster than before and pointed it at a red hood figure, a battle axe poised to block it.
"Wha—how!" Higgs eyes bugled.
"Shhh."
Higgs tensed at the command, ready to yell before she recognized the uniform, "You're that lout from before." "Ouch, insults."
Higgs didn't lower her sword, the hood took a step back, still out of view from the rest of the camp, the knight glared at the unwelcome visitor.
"If you keep up that pose, you're going to attract attention."
"Maybe that's what I want."
"You don't need it, there's a drove coming your way."
"!?"
The hood held out a hand, "My fellow knights are rerouting them as we speak, I came here to make sure you didn't send knights and scouts to fight against them, you're not in the best shape to take out 50 desperate and hungry Monsters. And you would just get in the way." "Why are you doing this. Who are you."
The hood gave a brief bow, "Knights of the Hood, the Dark Knight's Elite Guard." "…wow, I think it's the other way around and he's protecting you." "S-shut up."
Higgs felt a smug smile spread across her face, for the first time in weeks.
The hood huffed before glancing to the distances before back to Higgs, "I've left my fellow hoods long enough, keep away from the forest, it is still teeming with monstrosities you wouldn't want to fight on any day. Even on your best."
He turned to leave, Higgs called out above a whisper, "Wait! You're Marco's guard, why haven't y'all contacted him? This place is in ruins." "Why haven't you called him."
Higgs blinked, "I—my leaders forbade contacting the outside dimensions. I think it was pointed at Marco specifically."
"Hmph, then my reason is the same: we got a warning about calling Lord Marco for help as well. This 'Fiend' is well versed in twisting everyone's arm, threatened to hurt a whole lot of people, beyond what we can manage." "So what are we to do? Just let that damn woman slaughter all of us while we do nothing."
The hood's head tilt at words of Higgs, as if the gender was unknown to him, "No, we're not going to take this lying down, one way or another: Lord Marco would have heard of this tragedy, and he will make the Fiend pay for it."
Higgs looked wistfully at the words before she tucked her sword away and cracked her knuckles, "Oh, he's going to have to get in line, because I have so much to repay her for…" "Hmph, you're after me; you can have her sorry carcass afterwards."
The two knights smirked at each other before going their separate ways.
Higgs looked at her sword for a moment before deciding to put it to the whetstone after the details came back, the next time I see the Fiend; I'm going to lop her head clean off…
"You're off to Mewni again?"
"Marco, what about school?"
Marco knew his parent's were not going to take kindly to him leaving for Mewni, he made so many reasons to not go and now he was defeating the point of it all. Still, he kept his wits about him and tried to explain the situation the best he could, hoping to avoid any more confusion he was probably already making.
"Yes, I know I—FIRMLY stated I would not go there again, but…" Marco lifted up his hands for a moment before he let it flop to his sides, "It's like a bad habit: I quit that place but it keeps coming back…and I keep entertaining it."
Angie and Rafael looked distressed at the words of their son, "Mi hijo, when will you ever put Mewni behind you?"
Marco gave them a look between aghast and exhaustion, shaking his head side to side, "I just don't know. I would say the big crater in the middle of town would be reason enough but Chronos got rid of my evidence." "…there's no crater in the middle of town." "Is it on the news? What happened?"
Marco held up his hands, quickly placating his parent's, "There was a big fight but nothing came out of it, but I have to just—I just need to go to Mewni to sort it out. The paperwork is already settled, I'll just pop in, bam bam bam and back here I go."
"Marco…it's never that simple." Angie said quietly, she stood up and hugged her son, "I can already see where this is leading too…and as a parent I should just say no, just stop you from going to Mewni to get hurt again…but I can see in your eyes, you're no longer a child. My son has grown up—and I don't know what I should do…"
Marco could feel the hot tears from his mother, he felt his father's hand on his shoulder, a reassuring squeeze, "You better get going mi hijo, before your mother starts bawling and then you wont leave." "I'M NOT DONE HUGGING HIM!" "Ack! Mom!"
.
Marco packed his belongings with relative ease, having to do prep work for his merc lifestyle took a lot of the guesswork he would otherwise run into.
He looked at his Mewman brigandine, leather belt and concussive gauntlets; gear he had made during his tenure as a Royal Squire. Then his eyes drifted to the gear he personally made as a merc after he got good at making armor, spending some time under a blacksmith: leather spaulder + greaves + vambraces, dragonhide boots and jeans and waist belt with sewn pouches.
He laid out his armaments, he left some on Mewni in a stone coffin he would have to retrieve them for the upcoming battles. He eyed his Runic Warblade, Shadesbane, NightFang and Bandit Terror, weapons forged by the Elementals and Concepts of Prima.
Two of them were premade from eons ago.
The other two he asked for and was delightfully obliged and forged.
They didn't hold a candle to the Traitor's Sword in terms of utility and durability but it did make the forgers exceptionally happy to have their weapons dangling off him. In a way, they were with him in spirit, helping him even though now they are separated.
"…this should be enough." Marco inspected his gear before a red light flood entered his room, he felt his hair stand before he drew his sword, his pulse quicken at the sight of the Blood Moon Goddess.
And she looked awful.
Her usual stunning appearance was marred by the utter exhaustion and despair etched into her face, her hair a mess and the flowing red cloths draped her feebly.
Her crimson eyes fell upon the dark knight and it welled up with tears, a cascade of glistening sliver down her face.
"Marco…"
"…" he tighten his jaw, his grip even more as the goddess sat upon his windowsill.
"I'm so sorry…"
"…too late for sorry." He grunted.
The words seemed to physically strike the goddess, she laughed shakily at the words, "…too true…too true…"
Marco narrowed his eyes, he hadn't seen the goddess for a long while, maybe…not since she blessed his hoodie allowing him to see the blasted list of Impossible Tasks. Despite the vile curse that robbed him of his happiness this past years, curiosity got the best of him as he drew closer as she let tears roll down her cheeks.
"What's wrong with you." Marco said callously.
"…could you forgive a wretched creature?"
Marco didn't understand but he kept his face stoic, the goddess looked at him dead in the eye, her eyes swelling with guilt and sadness.
"Will you go back to Mewni?"
"…" Marco blinked menacingly slow, "…I have business there, but I'm not going because you asked. I'm nipping a problem by the bud. That's all."
The goddess perked up momentarily at first before she hopped off the windowsill, devastated at the reply.
"But you're going back to Mewni, right? Right!?"
Marco stepped back as the goddess shuffled closer to him, her arms reaching for him, he pulled back suddenly very cautious at the disheveled goddess. She looked as she was dying of thirst and he looked as if he was a fountain of spring water,
"What's the matter with you!?"
"Please, please, go back to Mewni, I beg of you!"
"..." Marco glared at her.
"Why should I do as you say." Marco snarled, he held her back with the sword aloft, the goddess fell back, "After what you have done to me? After you let me slaughter my way up that list! After the carnage and tragedies I had wrought in your name! Why should I even entertain your demands!"
The goddess stared at him for a moment, tears spilling profusely before she fell onto herself and wailed in misery.
"Because Marco—let it end! Please, let this end! I can't bear it no longer! How much more are you willing to suffer? Please, I don't what to take anymore from you!"
Marco's nostrils flared at the words.
Rage bursting from each word.
"HOW DARE YOU FEEL GUILTY! WHERE WAS THIS SYMPATHY WHEN I NEARLY DIED FOR THE THOUSANDTH TIME?! WHEN I BLED ON BATTLEFIELDS! WHEN I SLEW THOUSANDS! WHEN I WATCHED STUDMUFFIN DIE! WHEN MY WARBAND WAS TORN TO SHREDS! WHEN VIXEN DIED! HOW DARE YOU, GODDESS!"
The goddess shook her head wildly,
"I've never bear witness any dancer that would go so far after so much misery and loss! To lose so much but the determination to continue on the path of suffering! Who would do such a thing to themselves…"
Marco shook at the words.
He pointed the sword at her throat.
She didn't even register a sword capable of killing her was mere inches away from her vulnerable neck,
"You're—"
"Wasn't Hestia enough?"
The words echoed unnaturally loud in the room, Marco felt…off-balaced.
The name caught in his throat, he swallowed painfully before he croaked,
"H-Hestia? Who is 'Hestia'?"
The goddess looked at him incredulously, she leapt to her feet.
"Your daughter! Your flesh and blood! Your darling baby girl...I...I...took her from you..."
"The heck are you on about? I don't have a daughter..." Marco said confused, only to be even more as his heart ached and hot tears dripped down his face. Surprised, Marco wiped his face furiously. An unfamiliar feeling of loss set on him, as if he should be grieving but could not as his rationale mind was conflicted with the information.
He was in denial.
For reasons he did not know.
"I'm sorry, Marco...I'm so sorry..."
"...I…don't understand." Marco whispered even as he drew Traitor's Sword back, the Goddess looked at the sword tearfully, she pulled her vivid red hair back, exposing her delicate neck.
Marco brought the sword up, ready to lop the Goddess's head, she only wept.
The sword glisten in the red moonlight.
The sword hung in the air and came down.
Hard.
"No."
Marco threw the sword down.
"No. You don't—you don't just get the easy way out of your Binding, goddess. You toiled over my red string for years; you have so much to answer for. For all the lives you've ruined." "…"
Marco glared at the silent goddess.
"Leave my sight, Blood Moon Goddess."
"…please go to Mewni…undo this Binding…"
"I still have Impossible Tasks to bloody my hands with. That was the agreement." Marco spat. A curtain of red blocked Marco from seeing her face.
"…all you have to do is go back to Mewni…"
"...of course I do," Marco eyes darken at the words, "it started with Mewni; and it'll end on it too."
The goddess looked at him as the red flooding light slowly began to fade,
"I am sorry, Marco…my gift, my curse…it was meant to make you happy…at all cost."
"…that's a selfish gift, you have. I'm anything but…"
Marco watched the goddess vanish…grasping his head at the name, he winced when he rolled the words around in his head…
Hestia…my daughter…?
.
"Oh, yeah, let's go! Open that portal Marco!" Janna jumped up and down, excited, Jackie stood nearby with her luggage as Marco stood in front of the school; just like before, even the decoration were there just for them.
Ferguson and Alfonso, Sensei and the three teenager's parents awkwardly watched as Marco held a magnificent but sharp sword aloft. Also the fact that three teenagers were ditching school apparently, Principal Skeeves opened his box and let out three doves.
"Huh. There were four—oh no. Er, ahem! Marco Diaz, Jackie Lynn Thompson and Janna Ordonia we will now commence the Second Inter Dimensional Exchange Program! Thank you friends and family for being present today for this, er, joyous occasion."
"Aw, heck, Marco's back at it again!"
"Do you have a time share in Mewni or something?"
"Quiet you." Marco quipped, Ferguson and Alfonso busted out laughing. Sensei only sagely nodded then bear hugged the three boys, before crying on the three of them, much to their dismay.
"Good bye school!"
"We are coming back." Marco barked pulling free from Sensei.
"You are especially coming back Miss Ordonia" the principal snapped.
"I don't understand, you're letting our daughter leave school? Is this even legal?!" both Ordonia and Lynn Thompson said in unison. The principal shrugged.
Angie and Raphael patted them on the shoulder,
"First time?"
"What is that suppose to mean?"
Jackie avoids eye contact with her parents and urged Marco to make a portal before their parents came back to their senses.
He slashed open a golden portal and hurriedly gestured to them: Janna dived in, Marco frowned and kicked her luggage through, Jackie picked up her luggage but Marco quickly lifted it with his own.
"It's fine, just hop through, I'll be there in a sec." "O-oh alright."
"At least there's a gentleman here." Said Jackie's parents under their breath.
"Bye Mom, Dad, I'll be back soon!" Jackie waved and disappeared through the veil of the portal, Marco waved to all that was present.
He got the 'eyes on you' gesture from Jackie's parents, his parents and friends tearfully waving to him before he followed suit.
Jackie waited for him nervously on the exquisite carpet floor while Janna was already ogling the Knightshade Castle, home of Eclipsa and Meteora Butterfly.
Marco tried to smile comfortingly to Jackie but a slight tremble went through the Traitor's Sword, only made him smile grimly.
"You'll be fine here, Jackie."
"…I know I will: you're here. But…" Jackie didn't need to say more; it was plain on her face.
"…I'll find out." Marco looked down to his sword, knowing what just happened.
The three greeted their gracious host, Queen Eclipsa with a grumbling Meteora not far behind, both decked out in their royal ensemble.
"Welcome to Mewni, and my home Castle Knightshade! Ooh~ you'll have a swell time here!" Eclipsa cheered, Meteora tried to smile at the words of her mother.
The Dark Knight stepping through the golden portal did not go unnoticed.
Not all all.
All around Mewni surviving royals found the rings Marco had left for them falling apart after an audible crack: some adorned upon their finger, others kept elsewhere watched by an attendant, two threw it out a window months ago however later recovered.
Darcy narrowed her eyes as the two rings snapped in twain, rings stolen from the Rich Pigeon royals. She glanced at her Hell Crusader armor and Misery Rose, before she pulled a ledger from a shelf and began to flip through it, running a talon oh so gentle over the parchment looking down contacts, Liquid Lizard stood quietly in the corner.
A sinister smirk on her red lips…
"Marco couldn't resist the hunt~"
.
Star Butterfly sat on her bed, another day of going through stacks of paperwork with her mother, despite the antidote concoction she managed to get from the Spiderbite, her prolong exposure to the toxins had left her weaken, it would take a full year before she could be back in her prime.
Leaving Star to take more and more responsibility in her mother's stead.
And she was floored, and Mom did this at my age…no wonder she grew up to be such a grouch!...I guess that's why I got to be such rambunctious princess when she couldn't.
With all that had gone on recently Star took solace that the Fiend no longer went out on attacks; not like she needed to with the droves of Mad Mewmans and Monsters. Everyday some hapless denizen would come to the kingdom seeking refuge, with communications slowly being repaired the news they received were less than stellar.
But at least now they listened to each other's woes and it was a start to rebuilding each other's trust with one another. Shedding light to what happened for months while each other were in the dark made them realize that the Fiend had truly played them for chumps and their current situation could have been easily avoided had they been a bit more transparent.
And if they heeded the Dark Knight's request.
The dead and damage were tantamount to that.
Star slid her finger across her phone, seeing the songs she had bought throughout her time on Earth, recorded at the Bounce Lounge, Ponyhead's totally legit 100% bought and not illegally downloaded tracks among others. Listening to them gave her some respite from all that was going on, but sometimes it resurface memories she wanted to keep buried.
Still she found herself pulling them up and listening to the song, the lyrics painfully true sometimes…
Lately, I've been, I've been thinking
I want you to be happier, I want you to be happier
"...I, Princess Star Butterfly, order you to stop Marco!"
"What have you done, Marco!? Answer me!"
"…just you and me…so just tell me why Marco."
When the morning comes
When we see what we've become
In the cold light of day we're a flame in the wind
Not the fire that we've begun
Every argument, every word we can't take back
'Cause with the all that has happened
I think that we both know the way that the story ends
"…what could I have done? But no Star, I would have not fought them or you if they just let me be."
Then only for a minute
I want to change my mind
'Cause this just don't feel right to me
I want to raise your spirits
I want to see you smile but
Know that means I'll have to leave
Know that means I'll have to leave
Lately, I've been, I've been thinking
I want you to be happier, I want you to be happier
"Star, I want to make this clear so there is absolutely no doubt: what I did, I did to keep you safe, Star… what I have done, I've done before on Earth and it hasn't changed since I came to Mewni."
When the evening falls
And I'm left there with my thoughts
And the image of you being with someone else
Well, that's eating me up inside
But we run our course, we pretend that we're okay
Now if we jump together at least we can swim
Far away from the wreck we made
"And even if I wasn't your squire, Star, I would still do this because you are my best friend!"
Then only for a minute
I want to change my mind
'Cause this just don't feel right to me
I want to raise your spirits
I want to see you smile but
Know that means I'll have to leave
Know that means I'll have to leave
Lately, I've been, I've been thinking
I want you to be happier, I want you to be happier
"You're really doing this then, Star…"
"Marco…I can't just let you go…"
So I'll go, I'll go
I will go, go, go
So I'll go, I'll go
I will go, go, go
"You are my best friend Star…I love you."
The princess shut her phone close and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing it with fresh hot tears.
She held her hand out, ready to dry it with her bedsheet when her eyes caught sight of the ring Marco left behind, she continued to wear it the other with Queen Moon, River couldn't bear to see it and his thick finger wouldn't fit it either. She straighten her arm and gazed longingly at it: a simple gold band.
Her vision blurred for a moment, Tom hated the fact she wore it—
Her thoughts interrupted as she snapped her head at her hand.
The golden ring glimmered red hot for a moment, Star immediately grabbed it, ready to yank it off.
An audible snap and the ring fell apart.
Turning to nothing more than pieces on the carpet floor.
Star stared at it for a moment, eyes widen.
For a long moment she wondered if it really happened, bringing her hand to her chest, grasped with her other hand.
Fear fell upon her.
Marco.
Marco had come back to Mewni.
Her eyes welled up with tears.
Why would he come back?
Had he heard the tragedy that befell Mewni?
Would he come…to revel in the ruins of Mewni? Gloat that they had it coming—for a long time.
But warmth blossomed in her heart.
Marco.
Marco had come back to Menwi.
Her first Earth friend.
Her best friend.
Tears slid down her face.
Best friend. Soulmate. Squire. Eyesore. Neglected. Dark Knight. Scapegoat. Traitor.
The princess sat upon her bed until her mother came through the door, confirming that the ring indeed broke.
She nodded tearfully.
She wasn't sure if it was out of fear or joy anymore.
.
Buttercup looked up from his book, feeling a sudden chill, he closed his book quietly and stood up, stretching underneath his favorite tree in the grove. He glanced up, seeing past the branches and leaves, the sky had a strange tinge to it, he looked towards the horizon feeling a sense of foreboding but also excitement.
"You can sense can't you?"
"Of course, Oblivion, its time."
The ghost smirked.
The historian chuckled.
"I wonder when the lad will show up."
"Oh, he'll show up when he needs to: the boy never disappoints."
The ghost barked out laughing,
"That he doesn't! I wonder what kind of trouble he stirred up this time!"
XxXxXxXxX
Hey, y'all avid readers
The set up has begun, this conflict should really only last 3 chapters but they'll be long meaning my update will be crapshoot speed.
So typical speed.
As for the latest state of the franchise, I know of the curse being broken but I wonder where they got that idea from?
Eclipsa trying to be a model royal in her own kingdom, Marco putting his sword in a place of ice to hold back a fire demon, etceteras etceteras. I also know the show is slotted to end some time in May and they are cranking out the episodes to make that possible so we are going to see the end of the franchise this year, yays and boos for some of us.
Songs:
Happier: Marshmello ft. Bastille
tu ne me reconnaiss pas?
I AM NRG
END OF TRANSMISSION