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Disclaimer: we're in the fanfiction Endgame now.
Chapter 34
Mewni Civil War:
Crisis on Middle Mewni
XxXxXxXxX
Higgs eyed King River, Queen Moon and Princess Star.
Regarding which of them was the most threatening.
River with his battle-axe.
Moon with her magical made swords.
Star with the Royal Wand.
Or Darcy, the Fiend, the Scrounge of Mewni...who broke out of her ice prison and aimed the Misery Rose at her,
"Aw. Fuck."
"Apt words~"
Higgs spun the sword weaving fire and ice, deflecting blows and erecting thin ice screens that proved little more than nuisances for the three royals.
Higgs blocked a blow to the neck only to be throttled by Moon and Star leaving her sprawling on the floor, hacking up blood, her visions going blurry and her limbs going cold and numb.
"I can't wait to pry MY sword out of your cold dead hands~!" Darcy taunted, Higgs's ragged breath only echoed her disdain for the clone, she numbly brought herself to her feet, unwilling to die on her knees before the Fiend.
"You'll get this sword alright...right through your twisted heart!" Higgs roared as she raised FrostFlame for battle once more, Darcy laughed at the declaration and charged for the hurt Higgs.
"Then you'll die braver than—!"
Darcy's black heart shot up to her mouth as the Traitor's Sword came whizzing at her side, the glistening hungry sheen of the sword forced her to twist painfully to dodge the razor sharp edge.
Darcy felt blood rush to her mouth as something incredibly powerful slammed on her back and sent her flying into a pillar. Higgs eyes widen as the wielder of the Traitor's Sword spun around and held it aloft before fire erupted all over, eyes full of fury and wrath,
"..."
"!"
Darcy snarled and pushed herself up as Moon, River and Star stood there, unblinking. The Fiend lifted up her visor and shot blood out of her nose, she eyed the idiot who would so much as attack her.
"Ah...Darcy."
"..."
Higgs's vision wasn't the best but she recognized the hoodie anywhere.
"Marco? What took you so long..."
"Apologies, I came as quick as I could."
Higgs blinked.
The knight dimly questioned if the beating she had taken from the four of them had finally made her hallucinate.
But when she wiped the sweat, blood and grime from her face did she see who it was standing before her.
It wasn't Marco.
It was a young girl in a red hoodie wielding amazingly the Traitor's Sword, Marco's personal blade.
"H-how...? Only Marco..."
"Please, take heart: he is fine."
"Oh, but you won't be I'll—!?"
The youth ignored the rant Darcy was building up as she merely stuck the Traitor's Sword into the floor and fished out a phone with one hand and the other raising a finger; telling the clone to 'pause'.
Darcy felt an artery pop around her temple at the blatant sign of disrespect from the unknown girl.
"Mhmmm, yep, I'm at the right place," the youth mumbled to herself, oblivious to the danger she was in, she put her phone back before eyeing up her opponent, "And you—must be Darcy."
An ugly smirk spread across the clone's face,
"I see my—"
"I'LL BE KILLING YOU NOW."
"!?"
Without warning Darcy found her body instinctually moving away.
The Traitor's Sword skittering on the floor at the miss blade stroke.
Darcy's eyes widen meeting the deep orange eyes, they looked just liked—
Breath of the Sun: Unbelievably Fast Body Flicker!
A roar escaped the youth as she seemingly tore herself from the Traitor's Sword and suddenly slammed Darcy into the wall, who felt her entire spinal column snap. Darcy's senses screamed at her to act, to do anything to keep her away and she did just that, desperately swinging a spiked fist at her.
She hit nothing but air.
Just as quick as she struck Darcy, she was back on her sword catching it before it even hit the ground.
The youth glanced at the trio royals closing on Higgs, she spun the sword out of her hand before she leapt and kick off it sending it flying at Darcy who immediately ducked to avoid it.
Cartwheeling through the air, coming between the royals and the knight, Higgs stumbled back at the sudden appearance as she quickly contended with them.
Breath of the Sun: Twin Flame Halo!
She feint a low kick before she performed a blazing windmill to flare to windmill again, fire dancing around her heels as she spun faster and faster, making it even thicker.
Higgs stared at the foreign fighting style she was seeing before she saw her seemingly throw the two flaming halos at the royals forcing them to scatter. Darcy looked ready to rumble but the youth was not having that and sent a fireball at her; Darcy arrogant over her abilities and armor stood there ready to take the heat.
Imagine her surprise when she sent tumbling back through several walls.
"That's enough of you! Stay down!"
"WHO ARE YOU?"
The youth backed up keeping Higgs behind her, "Name's Hestia! Time to take care of these!"
Without backward glance, Hestia yanked out the spikes, Higgs readied to shriek but somehow Hestia pulled it out with little discomfort to her, the knight blinked before several will-o-wisps freed itself from Hestia's bushy red hair and circled her, warming her.
"W-what?"
"Don't hit them, they hate that." Hestia raised the sword, keeping her guard up, "They'll excite your blood and in theory that should let your body recover quicker—at the very least you'll stop bleeding."
Higgs patted her cuts and gashes she received feeling extremely warm before she pulled FrostFlame into guard, hoping Hestia was right.
"What's wrong with these three?"
"..." Hestia fished out her phone again and read from it before stashing it away, "They have been enthralled by Darcy...she's gotten stronger in the magick department; that's not good. Among other things..."
River, Star and Moon gazed upon them, unblinking.
"How—is it permanent?" Higgs asked as the trio began to stalk closer, Hestia frown at the question, she shook her head.
"If he doesn't arrive soon—we'll be in a whole slew of trouble." Hestia muttered, she looked sadly at the three royals; to think I'll look upon these familiar faces I've seen so many times as a child, forced to fight them…Fate you are too cruel sometimes...
Star darted forward making a morning star, Hestia slammed the Traitor's Sword down before inhaling and spewing out a wall of fire forcing her to backstep, Hestia spun around Higgs forming a ring of fire before taking back the sword.
"...oh great now we're trapped."
"...then just jump out of the ring if you're so heckin' fresh about fighting them then."
"...no. I don't think so."
"...you never change." Hestia muttered under her breath.
The royals watched them for a moment before they began to circle them; Higgs lit FrostFlame with the ring of fire and held it forward just as the three decided to attack.
"Here they come!"
"!?"
Despite being outnumbered the two defended back to back, blocking axe swings, magic swords and the odd assortments of spells. Higgs blinked as Hestia naturally bended to her movements despite seeing none of her at all, snaking around her footwork and blade strokes, twice Higgs was sure she was about to be skewered only to be moved a fraction of an inch away.
Hestia felt sweat forming on her as she continuously kept the flames lit and weaving around the attacks; mentally counting down...
...3
Hestia swayed from blade's reach.
...2
Higgs threw off an axe swing.
...1
Hestia grabbed Higgs and yanked her to the floor.
The fire extinguished as a portal shrieked to life as the Traitor's Sword tore it open, Hestia and Higgs's breath hitched seeing Marco armor-clad leapt out of it, his face contorted with crimson fury.
"DARCY!"
"She's not the problem right now! It's the three royals!" Hestia yelled.
Marco looked at her quizzically before she jabbed a finger forward, "You better watch your head if you don't want to lose it! River has a very sharp axe!"
Marco narrowed his eyes at her, Hestia and Higgs's breath hitched as River suddenly appeared at his side, his arms cocked back for a brutal axe swing. The Dark Knight gave him an unconcerned glance as the blade raced for his vulnerable ribs
Just as iron sand exploded from his red hoodie and protectively wrapped around him; stopping the blade dead in its tracks, River's bewitched face didn't betray an emotion as he quickly retreated just as the sand tried to pin him down via massive clawed hands.
Marco dusted the black sand away from himself as it hovered around him,
"When doesn't he."
Marco faced off with the Butterfly royals, they stared unblinking at the newcomer but still kept their weapons poised on them. Without a backward glance Marco questioned the two,
"Is this Darcy's doing? What did she do to them."
"They're under a spell!" Hestia answered, Marco tilted his head to the side while Higgs gave her a glance; feeling the questioning and prodding from the two, the youth pulled out a phone and quickly waved it, "Duh? Justfollowtheplotdotedu?"
"That's not a real thing." Marco said flatly.
"I say it's a real thing." Hestia hissed.
Marco scoffed just as the royals flew at him, the floating sand froze in midair before shooting forward forcing the royals to scatter. Marco watched them for a moment as they dodged the striking sand before they gave it the slip and homed in on him, he pulled the Traitor's Sword into guard as the three rained blows on him.
Marco didn't entertain the three.
With devastating chops, Marco broke apart River's axe, Moon and Star's magical weapons before the iron sand caught the three and harden, clanging hard into the floor.
"That's enough." Marco growled, "You three are enough a problem without being 'enchanted'."
Hestia and Higgs stared at the quick work he made out of the three, he gave Hestia an impatient look,
"How do I break the spell?" Marco ignored the three as they rocked their prison slightly.
Hestia scrolled through her phone, Higgs tried to peek but Hestia flipped it over so she couldn't see it, "The spell is based on emotion—you can override it with something stronger than what she used."
"Fine, then my Fury—"
"YOU CAN'T USE YOUR NEGATIVE EMOTIONS! HER OWN IS COLLECTIVE OF ALL WHO SHE HAS EATEN AND ABSORBED!" Hestia insisted.
"Bet." Marco deadpan.
"USE A HAPPY MEMORY." Hestia insisted forcefully before she conjured a handful of gold fire and ran it over Higgs's injuries, "I mean it!"
"Hmph, fine." Marco muttered, he wasn't all that convinced as he faced the king first: he half expecting River to be huffing and frothing like a madman since he was contained but his dead fish eyes and impassive face was unexpected.
Marco placed his hand on River's bald spot and immediately he pulled away, the Dark Knight frowned at king's action,
"Stay still damnit!" Marco's hand slipping from the man's head, in that instant River's lunged and nearly bit off Marco's fingers. No longer interested in making it painless, Marco immediately punched the Mewman across the face. Despite his action his thoughts were far from the satisfaction of what he had done but rather the loss of a mentor, someone akin to a father figure even...someone River could have been but wasn't...
An elderly StudMuffin smirked at him, "Hey, kid...good to see you."
Marco stared at him, first he was shocked seeing his advance age—but also glad the old merc managed to live to a ripe old age despite all the things he had done counter to it: gunfights, smoking heavily and bitches.
Marco's lips tugged to a full-blown smile.
He hugged the old merc, Stud loudly complained but—he couldn't care less...
But—
This was the last time he would see StudMuffin before the bombs fell on them...
River's head lulled to the side from the blow, Hestia and Higgs gave him a certain look but he ignored them and proceeded to Moon, the queen was very much the same as her husband: blank staring.
Marco wasn't fooled at all.
And not entirely surprised when Dunes and Automata yelped as the iron cladding exploded as Moon unleashed magic to escape alongside Star.
Marco quickly reformat the black sand around him as Star and Moon decided to unleash a barrage of magic upon the three. The sand quickly shot above the three and shielded them from the arcing volley, Marco slammed his hand on the floor before it became slick with ice, causing the two to slip.
Marco frowned when the two quickly recover by changing to their Butterfly forms avoiding the slippery ice, he ran out of the cover and shot lightning from his fingertip, Hestia and Higgs followed unleashing their own attacks to ground the airborne royals. The two immediately zoomed around the throne room, dodging the attacks before retaliating, their six arms shining with magic.
"Look out!" Marco rolled out of the way as Star and Moon did a magic bombardment run on the three of them, Hestia grabbed Higgs and hid behind a pillar avoiding the blasts. Marco snarled as they looped for another one, Hestia and Higgs readying their swords, but he beat them to it, lest their combined attacks became fatal to the bewitched Butterflys.
Marco touched the icy floor before a massive tree suddenly grew to the ceiling entrapping both Star and Moon who both tried to avoid it.
Marco threw the sword high into the tree before warping himself to it and quickly reached for Star, intending to end the farce quickly; surely with Star's magic it would undo Darcy's blasted magick.
Marco grunted when Moon broke free and throttled him, breaking branches with his back as the two plummeted for the ground, Hestia's arm was already flung back, ready to warp to her father when Yuki burst from the tree's snowy base and caught him and Moon.
"Who is she?!" Higgs exclaimed.
"...a friend." Hestia replied quietly as her hand faltered.
FREEZE!
Marco managed to hold down Moon long enough for the ice to race up and imprison her, Star thrashed overhead sending down leaves and sticks on the three. He glanced to the princess before Moon cracked the icy prison with magic; dealing with the immediate problem Marco placed on Moon's head and recalled a better memory.
.
"C'mon, this place is comin' down!"
"N-no! Scary!"
Marco looked at the scared child, she huddled herself against the corner, just from arm's reach. Marco ducked as gunfire almost found his back, he pulled out his FN57 and fired at the mooks, making corpses before he tuck his pistol away and held out a hand again.
The little girl stared at his soot and gore covered hand.
Marco looked at his hand and hastily wiped it.
"StudMuffin! We need to get out of here!"
"IN A MINUTE!"
Marco looked at the child again, she started crying, rocking herself.
"C'mon kid!"
"S-scared!"
Marco frowned, feeling more and more impatient, "There's no more bad guys! They're all gone!"
She cried and shook her head, pointing at him.
"Scary! Monster!"
Marco blinked. The realization hitting him like a gunshot wound.
He pulled the mask free from his face, wiping his sweaty bangs from his face and he looked at the child again.
"See, no monster? I'm not scary." Marco said soothingly.
The girl stared at him.
Her dirty face concealing a blush rushing to her cheeks.
Marco held out his hand again before he backpedals as the child shot out of her hiding place and hugged him. Marco held her close as they escaped the place, the girl watched him with big innocent eyes as he directed his hired guns, "Alright, let's get you somewhere safe. What's your name sweety?"
"...Vixen."
"Vixen, eh?" Marco chuckled, the girl puffed up her cheeks.
"...StudMuffy?"
"StudMuffin." He corrected her.
"StudMuffy."
"Mhmmm," Marco smirked, "Maybe that's a bit too hard—just call me, Marco."
"Marco?" Vixen asked, he nodded, she smiled and pressed her chubby round face against his cheek, "Marco!"
Marco smiled, stroking her hair, not seeing her smile.
Carrying little Vixen home...
.
Moon's eyes rolled back as the magick was expunged from her.
Marco turned his eyes back on
Star came crashing at him feet first.
Yuki grabbed Marco by the hood and yanked him away even as Hestia and Higgs burst from their hiding spot.
Yuki summoned a wall of ice only to have Star point the wand at it and made it into Swiss cheese, the iron sand snaked around the wall and tried to capture the princess but in unnatural speed Star evaded the lunging mass.
She spun away from the snatching sand and sealing ice, Higgs sent Fire Darts dancing after her; Hestia brought her sword forth, sending a whirling gale. Marco's eyes flicked to her sword, thankfully since his arrival Hestia fashioned the sword into a rather elegant form, it scarcely looked like his own.
Marco, Higgs and Hestia faced off against the bewitched Star, even under the spell the princess knew she was outnumbered and outmatched against the three. Marco dropped to a stance and lunged forward, leading the other two against the Mewman princess, Higgs flanked his left and Hestia ran on his right.
Until she hopped back as something tried to clip her legs, Hestia's saw it was a massive crow, its eyes locked on her, imagine her surprise when it screeched at her,
"ATTACK LIQUID!"
"!?"
Hestia's hair stood on ends, she spun the Parallel Traitor's Sword behind and blunt the blow intended for the back of her head. She still found herself falling forward, with a single handspring, the Time Cop faced off with the new assailant.
Marco foamed at the mouth at the sight of her.
Hestia blinked, somewhere Higgs yelled about some bloody crow.
"What madness is this!" Hestia spat, she dodged the mad rush at her, only to be thrown into a nearby pillar to her utmost surprised, "HOW?!"
Hestia leapt to her feet, unsure how she could have been thrown until she felt her hoodie, feeling where the claws hooked—claws!?
She saw indeed the 'Marco' had claws, he revealed his maw and saw it lined with razor sharp canines, "This isn't right...something is afoul here!"
Hestia crouched and rolled to her back, tucking her knees to her chest as this 'Marco' lunged at her, at the key time she straighten, kicking her feet upwards so hard that she bodily left the floor.
And the snarling 'Marco' through the ceiling.
Hestia rolled back to her feet before the crow slammed into her midsection as it shrieked,
"YOU HARLOT!"
"SHUT UP YOU!"
Hestia summoned her sword and readied to bisect it just as it exploded with lightning; the two exiting through a window with the two wailing.
Higgs picked herself up, feeling a surge run down her arm, her entanglement with that massive crow was beyond bizarre but she needed to get her head back in the fight. Marco had the black sand wrapped around his arm as he used it to stave off Star's magical blasts, Higgs rubbed the bruises she received from being rammed into the walls by the crow as she haggardly made her way to Marco, if she could just put Star in a block of ice then
Higgs yelled when a corpse fell right in front of her.
Then it stood up.
Higgs held the sword up to see it was Marco, battered and bloody.
Her eyes darted to the one with Star and she paid for it, for the split second her eyes were off this Marco, it lunged at her with sharp claws and teeth to match. FrostFlame found flesh as Higgs desperately held the sword as the monstrous 'Marco' put her in a backbreaking bear hug, feeling claws dig into her just as the sword was sandwiched between the two.
"Gragh!" Higgs cried as the FrostFlame sawed against her and the other body, she inhaled deeply before she commanded the sword to unleash frigid ice spikes but the 'Marco' did not slump dead from having its organs skewered.
In fact it tried to bite her face off.
She swayed her head out of the way.
And again.
Hearing the jaws of death clatter so close.
Higgs's actions enraged the beast and she found her feet no longer touching the ground, herself leaning forward as a wide maw greeted her hungrily, ready to devour her whole...
WINTER WISH!
Marco roared as he skidded back from Star's barrage of magic, sparing a glance at the Mewman knight, the sword flashed blue and Higgs felt cold pierce her insides, the beast froze.
Literally.
Higgs flexed her muscles, her face turning purple before an audible sound of cracking ice reached her ears. She fell on her butt before she scampered away, feeling her tunic stick to her skin, feeling the cut underneath; Higgs looked back at the beast seeing the missing arms.
It looked so much like Marco.
But Higgs knew better: it was just some sick imitation. Something Darcy made.
Higgs broke into a forced jog, wanting to repay Marco for the assist that saved her life, she could see his frustration trying to restrain the bewitched princess, his attire much more tattered than earlier.
"Marco—aaargh!"
Higgs screamed as she skidded face first into the floor, she rolled to her side as something tried to trample her a moment later; the sound of her sword skittering away somewhere.
Whipping her disheveled bangs aside, the Mewman knight looked up and saw the beast had returned.
Both arms flexed and bulging with muscle.
Claws even longer and sharper.
The beast was on fours, hunching on its hind legs before lunging at her, Higgs's hand reached for her dagger, no matter how puny it was it was better than fighting it barehanded. Higgs could see the beast's wild gleam in its eyes, she could even see her own reflection, her face drained of color as it got closer, claws ready to rend her to bloody pieces...
Breath of the Sun: Sunset Cleaver!
Hestia appeared above the beast, her sword racing for its neck.
Higgs heard Hestia curse as she landed in front of her.
"...tsk! I don't believe I missed!"
"Missed?"
Hestia helped her up, revealing a puddle of blood and a severed forearm.
The beast nowhere to be seen.
"What happened to the rest of it?!"
"Forget about it—Marco needs help!"
Higgs couldn't hide her haggard pants as she followed Hestia, she looked as if she was ran through a barn and she herself wasn't looking too hot either. Marco had most of his armor blown off him already, the black sand acting as a pseudo armor against Star's magic, but
"Why haven't you beaten her yet!?" Hestia yelled
Marco ignored her.
"Stay behind me."
"If we do, princess over there is going to blow more of your clothes off."
"...she wont."
Star's blank eyes bore into the three of them.
Again she was outnumbered.
Higgs not trusting the familiar situation glanced around and blocked a spike aimed at her side.
"YOU!"
"Me~"
Darcy was leaning against the throne room's doorframe watching the spectacle, the Misery Rose in one hand.
Veins riddled Marco's temple at the sight of his abomination of a clone, Hestia's hair bristle and Higgs found a scowl on her lips.
"Oh, don't ogle me! Star is just as a spicy treat~!"
Marco brought his sword down just as Star pointed the Wand at the three and unleashed her golden death ray on the trio, splitting the blast and blowing holes out of the castle. Darcy laughed at their predicament before she came charging in, making cracks on the floor with each lumbering step. Her maniacal smile shown, her helm lost somewhere in the castle after challenging Hestia.
Marco held his ground but the daunting steps of Darcy made his blood boil; he wanted nothing more than to lop her head from her shoulders.
Higgs and Hestia's eyes laser focused on the clone and without a second thought
Ditched Marco for Darcy.
"Don't die Marco!" Higgs yelled as she ran full force at the clone, Hestia easily beating her.
"God, I'd hate to be their parents."
Hestia sneezed.
The moment the death ray stopped Marco surged forward, the black sand wrapping him instinctively as Star reverted back to her normal form. Marco always knew that magic wasn't a good match up to the Elementals: it defies the natural ways of the world; twisting in all it touches.
"Come out and fight!"
"..." Star merely gazed on.
Marco tried to hide Automata and Dunes within him, but they refused, buffing the magical blows Star dealt to him knowing they were getting hurt by shielding him. And knowing his refusal on turning the Traitor's Sword on her.
The black sand wrapped around his arm and shoulder forming a pauldron and bracer, he took the frontal blast as the other Elementals leapt out of his back and flanked the princess. Star unfurled her wings and shot into the air, Moku and Jewel unleashed pillars of crystal and trees to stop her, Moku managed a glancing blow sending Star crashing against a column.
"Don't let her recover!" Marco threw the sword and warped, hoping to grab her but she managed to kick him in the face and tried to stay airborne. The Elementals seeing Marco plummet to the ground were enraged, Primal even.
Automata and Dunes bended the black sand to buffer the crash leaving Raigu, Golem, Moku, Jewel and Yuki to give chase, relentlessly. Star grew out her extra arms and magically bombarded the chasing Elementals, they cried and howled as the magic bolts struck them but instead of being slowed down—they were embolden by the pain, a familiar hate growing within them...
Higgs and Hestia didn't hear the sounds of nature running amok or the shaking of the castle.
Not when Darcy smiled at them arrogantly.
"You two had a lot of fun with my puppets—but what you did to Prince Craven and Liquid Lizard: IS UNFORGIVABLE! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!"
"RIGHT BACK YA!"
Higgs made a path of ice before using it to accelerate at Darcy, Hestia let out a vicious fireball at her.
The clone clenched her left gauntlet before slamming it into the floor sending a rippling shockwave, Higgs conjured an ice pillar shooting her airborne while Hestia jettison herself via flames to avoid the attack.
Without an upward glance, Darcy pointed the Misery Rose at them and roared,
AGONY THORN!
Higgs snapped the FrostFlame unleashing her Fire Darts.
Hestia inhaled and spewed out miniature fireballs,
Breath of the Sun: Prideful Sunflower Volley!
Fireballs versus thorn spikes.
Darcy endured the fire before she launched herself at the two, Hestia thrust the Traitor's Sword forward while Higgs did the same with her own sword, but Darcy just bared her teeth.
And grin.
Hestia heard something above her break and she kicked Higgs and herself away just as part of the ceiling came a hairbreadth from crushing them. Darcy in an unnatural display of athleticism rebounded off the chuck of ceiling and crashed into Higgs sending her flat against the wall cracking it, blood shooting out of her mouth and nose.
Not a moment later Darcy was in front of her, grinning.
"I'll be taking that—ack!"
"BITCH."
Higgs shoved the sword into Darcy's throat.
Darcy glared at her before she swung her sword.
Black thorn spikes raced for Hestia forcing her swerve out of the way.
Darcy had dislocated her arm to allow for the ridiculous back swing.
Higgs saw her chance and ignited the sword.
Darcy backhanded her.
Higgs spat blood on the floor, unable to feel the right side of her face.
"Know your place~" the sound of bones and tendons snapped back into place.
"KNOW YOURS!"
Higgs numbly rolled to her side.
Feeling incredibly tired.
She knew she was in pain, she had to be.
But all she could register was the girl was fighting on her own against Darcy...
Pity...she was so awe-inspring...she could hardly keep her eyes...open…
"STAR, NOOO!"
Higgs's heavy eyelids shot open.
Her heart lodged in her throat when the princess struck the girl in the back with her golden death ray before Darcy savagely brought the Misery Thorn down on her.
Or would have if not for Marco warping and nearly beheading her.
Darcy, damnit, how can she move so quickly in the Hell Crusader Armor…
Looking arrogant as ever…
"Typical Marco~! Always saving the damsel! PREDICTABLE!"
Darcy tore off her left gauntlet and revealed her fist proudly.
And the gems that were crudely hammered into it.
Bloodily encrusted were the Unicorn of PonyHead, the Horn of Hekapoo, Rhombulus Nipple Gem and King River's Scepter Jewel. Darcy had grind down the Unicorn and Horn and compressed them into gems, stole the Gem from Star's collection and ripped the Jewel from the Scepter to augment her powers.
Marco's eyes harden at the stolen relics, especially the one that she had taken from Hekapoo; his sword began to drool. Hestia mumbled an apology as Marco held her protectively, feeling this particular magic hurt her deeply.
Darcy smiled.
Marco's hand tightens around his sword.
"DRAW~!"
Marco flung the sword with all his might.
Darcy sidestep the whirling sword of death.
Darcy smiled wider. Even as he warped to it, his form perfect.
Higgs gave a strangled cry.
Marco's eyes darted back.
Star fired her death ray again.
At Hestia.
For the briefest second Darcy's and Marco's eyes met: she looked proud. And right.
Marco gritted his teeth bitterly and found himself in front of the magical blast, severing down the middle, the split beam making even more holes in the castle. Darcy wasted no time blasting Marco with his back turned.
Darcy screamed when Marco instead of taking a rear blast as well, he threw his one lifeline at Darcy, the clone feeling her flesh writhe in agony. Marco's gambit however did not stop his other predicament and took the full brunt of Star's golden magic blast.
Marco's yell was loud, but Hestia's scream was even louder as he shielded her from it.
Higgs stared pale face as both Marco and Hestia were crumpled against a column.
Even after being smoked, Marco still had Hestia in his arms.
Darcy sneered.
Even as blood drip inside of her armor.
"I've been watching you, Marco—sooo predictable! That stupid sword of yours, your weakness to magic and your desire to protect! HA!" she pointed a finger at Star, "She's all of that wrapped in one, isn't she?"
Darcy cackled as Marco stirred, even battered the Dark Knight gave her a resolute glare.
And that was enough for the clone to come stomping at him.
"The thing is—I wonder why you protected her though." Darcy's murderous eyes fell the unconscious Hestia.
"I don't know who she is, but..." Marco looked at her, his finger gently brushing her red bangs revealing her young face, "You're never going to lay a hand on her."
Darcy laughed at his promise.
"Oh, Marco: there's nothing you have I cannot rip away from your grasp~!"
Marco snarled summoning his sword and threw it at Darcy, but she easily deflect the weak throw,
"Nice try—!?"
Darcy's taunting was cut short when Higgs came swinging in with a bar of fire, her eyes hard on the clone, Darcy blocked the blow before the Mewman knight followed up with another vicious swing.
Darcy easily parried the hit.
Her eyebrows shot to her hairline when she staggered back from the sheer force alone, her face purely conveyed 'did...did that just happen?'.
Higgs's face is contorted with nothing but fury for the clone before her.
Taking a knightly stance, Higgs charges Darcy, anyone could see what her intention was: breaking Darcy to pieces.
"So the Mewman finally shows her worth~! Adorable!"
"RAAAAAH!"
Darcy's misguided mirth was replaced with disbelief as each swing she parried forced her back.
Every strike Higgs was lashing out used nothing less than every ounce of strength she could muster, further staggering the clone.
Darcy recovered from her surprise and met Higgs, blow for blow, realizing that Higgs was matching her in strength. Even more that she was quick never staying in one place as she and Star tried to blast her with magic. Her single-minded focus, her onslaught completely overwhelmed her; Darcy gasped feeling exposed skin bleeding from the knight's consecutive slashes.
Trying to control the flow of combat, Darcy tried to spike her with her sword only to have Higgs parry the would be attack and stabbed the FrostFlame between the plating, painfully into her armpit. She screeched when ice exploded inside her flesh and armor, having only minute exits to escape from, rendering the arm useless.
Star tried to blast her again but Higgs managed to fling a hailstone at the princess knocking her off her feet.
Darcy foolishly changed sword hand, only to have Higgs punish her once more, this time driving the sword into her kneecap and freezing it solid. Working through the pain, Darcy thrust at her, knowing the sword is lodged—
With a savage twist and an unpleasant crack, Darcy screamed as she is brought to her knees.
Higgs ripped the sword out, hopping away from her reach and brought the sword high, it exploded with a pillar of fire and ice, arcing in the air before twisting and hurtling straight for her.
"HAMMER OF HIGGS!"
Darcy raised her left hand too late as the attack smashed her down through the floor down to the very base of the castle.
Higgs roared almost animalistic.
She smiled victorious at what she had done, her eyes dilated, her face pale, her breathing turning faint, she gave Marco a look of elation as he had watched in pure shock at her fight.
He crawls to his feet and ran with arms forward as she fell sideways, Star appeared with her wand pointed at Higgs, Marco roared,
"THAT'S ENOUGH STAR!"
Hearing Marco's command, the Elementals that were subdued by Star's magic rose to their feet. They were determined to restrain Star, knowing Marco's affection for the princess, but after being humiliated by the very force that ran opposite to their existence—they were murderous.
Golem, Yuki, Moku, Raiju and Jewel flew at the princess as she quickly took off.
Their Primal forms surfacing, Marco quickly set Higgs with Hestia and ran after the Elementals before they killed Star, Automata and Dunes not being particularly helpful when Marco willed them to help restrain their sisters.
"…" Marco looked at the passive black sand, "HEY."
Can't help it. We're tired.
And hurt.
"...no more K-Pop."
Bet.
HEY.
Marco summons and throws his sword as Star tried to outrun the Elementals each holding their weapon of choice, already suffering from repeated glancing hits.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Marco roared, the Elementals snarled but stalked back to him as Star pressed herself against the wall, her eyes on him.
He made himself a shield with the black sand and held his sword in guard,
"Star. If you don't—"
Star shot a magic bolt at him.
Marco brought his sword down, destroying it before he flash-step and pinned her to the wall with the shield as it quickly encased her.
"Finally!" Marco watched as the black sand hardens, "This farce is over."
Good. Now crush her.
Yes~
"HEY."
Marco pushed the haughty Elementals away as he placed a hand on Star's forehead and purged Darcy's control over her...
.
Star and I looked at the once ghastly yet proud castle of Ludo, blown to smithereens by Star's Whispering Spell she used on the Royal Butterfly Wand. I stared at the massive crater, my thoughts on how close Star and I had nearly bought the farm...
And I was the cause of it.
Star had to decide between me and her birthright...
I already knew what she would choose.
The Fated outcome...
It was so plain to see—even Toffee knew...all according to his plan.
The look on each other's face said it all:
If given the same choice, the outcome would be the same.
A hundred times. A thousand. A million. A billion.
It was Fate.
Without a word, we embraced.
Not like before...and never the same afterwards.
Our hugs…they were full of elation and testament to a job well done…the ones that followed were full of reassurance and comfort for the tragedies that came.
I...wanted nothing more to comfort Star.
Keep her safe.
Know that so long I was around...there would be nothing to fear.
I felt how she bury herself into my arms.
I solemnly promised to protect her.
My heart full of hope to that promise...
Oh, how I wished I could keep that childish promise of mine...
.
Marco pulled back his hand.
Star stared back at him blankly.
Marco felt a building dread within him.
"...shit!" Marco rolled back as the black sand prison exploded as Star escaped, but not unscathed as her clothes were tattered from the explosive magic she had to use.
Marco stared at the princess, unsure why his memory didn't work,
"Hold her down again!"
We tried it your way. Now: she's our prey.
"Damnit, no she is not!"
Marco blocked a bolt to the face before he warped to her.
Blocking a punch for the face, Marco quickly disarm her, knocking the Wand from her.
The black sand wrapped around her before Marco called Yuki and Jewel, they begrudgingly listened as Marco warped them back to the floor as he layered the prison.
"Alright, let's try this again." Marco place his hand on Star's forehead, focusing hard on a happy memory.
.
I ran for where Star fell after her Mewberty episode.
I was so unwilling to let her go—I put so many of my classmates in danger.
Feeling my fingers give...contrary to what I felt...
"Star!" she looked woozy, "You came back!"
I hugged her, feeling her hug back.
Those words though...what did I mean?
What did Star come back to?
...she
She came back to me...
And I couldn't be more glad...and happy.
.
Still Star remained enthralled.
Marco's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Damnit, why isn't this working?!" Marco seethed, he could feel the killer intent from the Elementals, his heart pounding with every failure on his part, "Star why are you—"
Marco stopped in mid sentence at the sight of her.
Star was blankly looking at him.
Tears dripping down her impassive face.
Marco blinked slowly, he knelt closer to the princess,
"Star...?"
"..."
/Marco. Stop wasting our time./
Marco felt the Concept of Music step out of him, she spun him around and had him face her, she grinned at the sight of his distraught face,
/Gonna cry~?/
"What are you doin—!?"
Musica stuffed her first few knuckles into his open mouth, he blinked as she forced herself to smile.
/You're trying too hard, Marco. You're forcing your happy memories into her when you should being using her own. C'mon, dig through that big brain of yours: when did you make Star happy?/
"Mphrgh."
Musica took her fist out and Marco snarled,
"There's too many to count."
/...are there? Mhmmm?/ Musica challenged Marco, he looked back at Star, feeling all eyes on him.
He didn't lie.
There were many happy memories he associated with Star...
But which one would did she treasure the most?
Musica hissed at him.
The Elementals stalked closer forcing Marco scoot closer to Star, the princess continued to stare blankly even as tears continued to fall...
Marco racked his memory, dredging up memories
/Too long,/ Musica rolled her eye and 'playfully' flicked the back of Marco's head,
/Get going lover boy~/
The playful flick was more like a shove.
Marco found himself kissing the princess.
His eyes were wide.
As he stared deep into Star's baby blue eyes.
She did the same, getting lost in Marco's creamy brown ones.
Musica smiled and sang.
Imasara kanashii to sakebu niwa
(No matter how much of sorrow we've had for each other)
Amari ni subete ga ososugita kana
(It's just too late — it was too late to take another step)
Mou ichido hajime kara arukeru nara
(Just once more, only if we could start our days again—)
Surechigau you ni kimi ni aitai
(Passing by on a road—that's enough for you and me)
What memory does Star treasure…?
We have so many...what can I possibly single out?
"This? No..."
"This? No."
"Maybe—yeah, heckin' no."
Marco rifled through his memories, there were just so many—
"No...there isn't. These memories, its about me...I need to go deeper..."
Doredake setake ga kawarou tomo
(No matter how we've grown up by means of age or height—)
Kawaranai nanika ga arimasu you ni
(I wish we could have something else that hasn't changed at all)
Kudaranai omokage ni hagemasare
(Recalling your stupid memories, I feel I'm encouraged)
Ima mo utau, ima mo utau, ima mo utau
(So now I sing, now I sing, now I sing)
Lalala lalala lalala~
Marco watched his memories flood his mind's eye: him and Star, all of them sharing in all sorts of shenanigans. He watched as his memories sped past unsure where it was going...at this rate there would be only...!
Marco's eyes widen when he finally understood what memory Star treasured the most:
It was the day she came to Earth:
the same day she met him.
Focusing on that, Marco deepens the kiss with the princess, feeling her slowly return it.
The prison that held Star peel off her as she hesitantly wrapped her arms around Marco, closing her eyes as she relived the memory alongside Marco.
It was his acceptance of her, a rambunctious magical princess from another dimension, into his normal life.
They even had their first hug to commemorate it—the one that started it all...
The two watched the memory.
It felt so distant.
But it was plain to see how much they cared for one another...
Watching how close the two of them once were, Marco felt a warmth blossom in his chest, the Roman Numeral on his chest flared up considerable, responding to Marco's forgotten happiness as the two walked down memory lane. The vivid heat began to spread throughout his body destroying all vestige of the corruption that plagued him for so long.
Monster Arm awoke from its induced coma from the Pendragon King and roared wildly confused when it realized its body shriveled from the magic Eclipsa had charmed upon Marco. It tried in frighten desperation to stop the magic but came to a gut retching realization Marco would not be denied his salvation this day.
Snarling Monster Arm spewed every curse it knew at Marco from the dark depths of his heart,
MARCO DIAZ! YOU'RE NOT GETTING RID OF ME THAT EASILY!
BE FOREVER MARKED BY MY VISAGE!
LET IT LINGER UPON YOUR FLESH, A REMINDER THAT YOU ARE—!
The rest were lost to the roar of agony that Monster Arm unleashed, reverberating through Marco's skull.
The mercenary paid it no mind.
Even as a painful surged ran through Marco's arm but he wrestled it down.
Hestia woke up startled and grabbed her right arm, black tentacle tendril tattoos appearing from fingertip to her shoulder.
Her bushy red hair turned silky black.
The two were so entranced by their memory that they didn't notice Musica abruptly stopped singing.
Sensing her beloved vaporized by Eclipsa's magic, Musica's face turned somber at its fate.
Knowing her hand in it's demise...
The Elementals moved closer to her, looking at her concerned, unsure what to say as she looked at the two kissing teens.
Her eyes...hard.
Her full lips tighten, her fists even more.
Marco pulled back to see Star, free of the magic that Darcy had set upon her.
She smiled as he gently caressed her cheek.
Star bashfully blushed at the gesture,
"Marco..."
"Star."
The princess held his hand for a moment
and shoved him back.
Just as the Traitor's Sword spilled out of her belly.
"YOU USELESS WENCH!" Darcy screamed from behind the princess, as she covered her mouth, blood pouring between her lips and fingers.
Marco's eyes followed Star when she slid off the blade, her hand trying to stem the flow of blood.
He didn't notice when Darcy was electrified by the sword's mad lightning of red and black, sizzling the Hell Crusader Armor cherry red nor the flames that soon engulfed the Fiend.
Darcy cocked her arm back and flung the sword at him.
Only to have it reappear in his hand.
Darcy blinked in disbelief.
Marco leveled the sword at the Scourge of Mewni.
His eyes hollowed out.
gROVE sTYLE : bUTTERCUP'S gARDEN OF mADNESS
And everyone on Mewni knew his fury.
XxXxXxXxX
...
For y'all late to the party last time.
I had to re-write this chapter.
This hasn't happened since back when I wrote about Naruto fanfics; dark times.
Feedback has always been good.
You can already see where I'm going with this.
I can understand why some avid readers would be disjointed by the Darcy Arc, the Flashbacks, etc.
But I've read gripe over things that didn't even make sense to me.
One of them was Marco's affection for Star.
Perhaps I worded it strangely but it more or less conveyed his past love for her.
What would follow, for those who read the chapter before I tore it down, would close out this arc and book. Sadly, its going to take longer to reach that point. Again.
And for those who I used for the anagrams.
If you dislike the arrangements I made, PM me so I can make revisions.
'cept MRAY.
Songs in the order of appearance:
Haiiro to Ao (+ Masaki Suda) ／ Kenshi Yonezu (Covered by KOBASOLO & Harutya)
Their Internal Default Song as seen by Concept Musica regarding Marco Diaz:
Star Butterfly: Spice Girl – Wannabe
Jackie Lynn Thomas: The Black Eyed Peas – My Humps
Janna Ordonia: Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland - Dilemma
Kelly: Avril Lavigne - Complicated
Higgs: 2NE1 – Hate You
Eclipsa Butterfly: Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
Hekapoo: Eminem ft. Rihanna - Love the Way You Lie
Moon Butterfly: Fountains of Wayne - Stacy's Mom
[Inactive]
Ignis [Fire] A human version of Hekapoo minus horns [The Halo of the Sun]
Undine [Water] Basically long-hair Rem [The Unforgiving Leviathan]
Slyph [Air] Basically Hinata Hyuga with silver hair [The Limitless Zephyr]
Gnome [Earth] Basically 02 but with blonde hair [The Titan of the West]
[Active]
Automata [Metal] Basically 2B but with silvery gray hair [The Silent Lover]
Raiju [Lightning] Basically Sinon with electric blue hair + eyes [The Raging Thunder Goddess]
Jewel [Crystal] Basically Filo from Shield Hero but with teal hair; no wings [The Wealthy Child]
Dunes [Sand] Basically Kurumi Tokisaki but a redhead. [The Timeless Belle Âme]
Yuki [Ice] Basically Esdeath but less S [The Serendipity of Winter]
Moku [Wood] Basically Wendy Corduroy [The Maiden who Speaks for the Trees]
Golem [Lava] Basically Tifa Lockhart with streaks of orange and yellow [The Ineffable Inventor]
[Detained]
Toxin [Poison] Basically Spider-Gwen with lilac hair [The Sinister Delight]
Flask [Glass] Basically Bea from Pokemon Sword/Shield [The Unbreakble Glass Cannon]
Salt [Salt] Basically Aoi Asahina but with ash white hair [The Zest of Life]
Hanabi [Gunpowder] Basically Megumin; yeah this one is a no brainer [The Mellifluous Firework]
Olive [Oil] Basically Erica Blandelli with olive hair [The Willful Chef]
[Detainee's Wardens]
Seraph [Light] Basically Pnuema with golden hair [The Beloved One]
Hallow [Darkness] Basically Tharja from Fire Emblem but a lot less mopey [The Doting Midnight]
Ciao,
I am NRG
END OF TRANSMISSION