ACT XIII: Comet, the Underestimated Chapter 30: The Search for Mars
Eclipsine's Castle. The Forest of Certain Death. Mewni.
Being trapped in the crystal, for Globgal, was like living in a perpetual dream. Her body was trapped, but her soul was reawakened one day by the birth of a human girl from the Earth-Realm. Not only that, but she found herself accompanied by eleven more souls of women she'd never met before. Confused and ethereal, all she could do was watch this girl grow up through her eyes until she finally traveled to Mewni.
After that, the other souls agreed that they would aid this girl in her fight against the forces of evil, lending her their strength in times of dire need. But once the girl found herself up against Meteoro, Globgal refused to lend the girl any strength that would harm her child. Even when Meteoro began draining the girl of her soul - and consequently the souls of herself and the other women with her - Globgal would not allow harm to come to her child.
However, after returning to the darkness, she found herself awakened once more by the call of her lover. Despite his title of the 'King of Darkness,' Eclipsine brought nothing but light into her life. And this time, the light not only brought her the sight of her beloved Eclipsine, but also their infant son.
"Eclipsine…?"
"Hello, my love. We're home."
The King of Darkness stepped closer to the size-shifter as she shrank down and reached out to take her baby into her arms.
"... mama?" Meteoro babbled.
"Yeah…" Globgal sniffled, happily. "Yeah, I'm mama."
Globgal hugged her baby closer to her chest and kissed his head, crying softly into his hair. Soon after, her husband joined the embrace and he shared his own kiss with her. "I knew you'd save us, 'Clips. I just knew it."
"Of course, my love." Eclipsine smiled as he enjoyed the embrace. "When souls are meant to be together, nothing can keep them apart… but we cannot stop yet."
"What?" Globgal blinked in confusion as Eclipsine released his hold on her and made his way back upstairs. As she followed close behind him, she watched as he used his scepter to rebuild the damaged walls and clear away the mold. She also noticed the scars around her baby's cheek-marks and tail. "You've got the scepter again? And what happened to Meteoro? 'Clips, what happened while I was under?"
"The Magical High Commission." Eclipsine replied as they arrived in the castle's foyer.
"Of course it's the Magical High Commission." Globgal sneered. "It's always the Magical High Commission! What happened?!"
"Well, long story short, they crystalized you, kidnapped our son, crystalized me, murdered our friends, and then raised our son to be their lapdog. Fortunately, I doubt they'll be a problem for us any longer. It would seem Meteoro was a bit too much for them to handle." Eclipsine smiled and playfully wagged his finger at the giggling infant. "Weren't you, baby buddy? Yes, you were~"
"So, what now?"
Eclipsine conjured up a table and chairs and pulled out his wife's seat for her before sitting across from her. "First of all, how are you feeling, my love? I tried to ensure that we would have a psychic connection once I was imprisoned, but your soul would not respond to mine. Were you hurt by the Commission?"
Globgal rubbed her forehead with her free hand as she tried to remember. "I'm… fine for the most part. It was like living in a dream. I could feel you calling out to me, but something else… someone else pulled me away. And then… I'm not sure."
Eclipsine gently held her hand with his own and smiled, softly, at her. "It's alright. We'll get through this together. But for now, you should rest. I speak from experience when I say that waking up from a three-hundred year sleep can be quite taxing on the body."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to tidy up our castle, gather some friends… and then I need to have a word with my new friend, Mars. But if you need anything from me, don't hesitate to ask."
Globgal leaned forward to kiss Eclipsine before he went off to continue repairing their castle. "Hey." She called out.
Eclipsine halted and turned to face her. "Yes, love?"
"Does the name 'Simon, the Shy' mean anything to you?"
"Um, no. Why?"
"... doesn't matter."
Just then, Indexia hovered in with a familiar object of power. "Your Scythe of Shadows, my liege."
"Ah! I thought I'd misplaced that." Eclipsine graciously took the Scythe and nodded a smile at his teacher. "Thank you, Indexia."
"Always a pleasure, my liege."
The Ruins of Castle Dragonfly. Mewni. One Week Later.
The people of Mewni were in a state of panic.
After Comet gave the scepter back to Eclipsine, the other kingdom leaders seemed determined to make him regret it. The magic monster-proof barrier had dissipated, the corn crops were running out, and the reconstruction process was taking twice as long without the aid of magic. Comet tried to tap into a sliver of lingering Light Magic, but all he had left was the Dark counterpart; and the citizens definitely didn't want any of that.
To make matters worse, the other kingdoms' leaders saw Comet's decision as a sign of weakness and threatened to break their alliance with Castle Dragonfly and go their separate ways. His uncle Etherio was already going out of his way to spread defamation about how Comet and his father had been collaborating with Eclipsine to bring about Mewni's downfall. Even the people he was helping directly would shoot him dirty looks.
Thankfully, he wasn't in this alone. His mother was doing her best to placate her family kingdom. Lady Dama had received word that Meteoro's threat had been stopped via radio and was due back in Fjordville. Kyle, Franklin, Harold, and Vincent were helping the other Solarians assist the injured and search for the missing. Jackson, Pierre, Jonah and Klutzy returned to their respective homes to rest and recover. And all the while, Marcia stuck by Comet's side as he personally assisted the reconstruction crew.
Once they were finished with one building's repair, Aksel Olsen - a Solarian courier and former gold medalist sprinter from Fjordville - raced up to the acting king with several scrolls tucked under his arm. Comet had only met Aksel a handful of times before, but he knew that the young trainee meant well and certainly helped him in the way of carrying out messages. The only problem was that Aksel often talked as fast as he ran.
"Hello, King Comet, nice to see you, King Comet, I have some messages for you, King Comet, most of them rather unpleasant, King Comet, I suggest you sit down while you read them, King Comet, would you like a drink while you read them, King Comet? I can go grab you a glass of water if you want, King Comet, or perhaps you'd prefer something with more flavor, King Comet-?"
"Aksel, slow down." Comet felt exhausted just listening to the rapid fire speech of the courier. "Give me the scrolls, and then get yourself a glass of water. You look tired."
"Why, thank you, King Comet!" Aksel grinned as he handed over the scrolls. "I am a bit parched, King Comet, so I think I will go get a glass of water, King Comet, thanks for looking out for me, King Comet, good luck with the rest of your day, King Comet!"
With that, the courier ran off to the mess hall. Comet opened the first scroll and sighed at the sight of all the complaints from the Misty Mountain alone. "Uuuuuuugh!" Comet groaned. "No wonder my dad was always grumpy. Dealing with this stuff would drive anyone nuts."
"Oh, shut up, you whiny little shit!" One of the construction workers snapped. "Stump, it's bad enough I have to listen to the king who gave away the scepter to a damn monster-fucker, but I have to listen to him bitch about having to do his job?! You're a disgrace to your-!"
The worker was cut off from a powerful right hook from Marcia.
"OW! She punched me in the eye!"
"King Comet has done more for you, your family, and this realm than he will ever admit or take credit for." Marcia angrily sneered at the rude worker. "Show some respect."
Before the rude construction worker could reply, his friends urged him to drop it and dragged him to the next project site. Marcia gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek and a pat on the back, then she left to check up on Lake. Comet shuffled through the collection of scrolls as he sadly made his way back to the ruins of Dragonfly Castle. By the time he arrived at the demolished building, he had read through all twenty scrolls. Much to his ire, they were all basically the same complaints written in different ways.
Once he arrived at the castle, he maneuvered around the rubble until he found his bed. The tower where his bedroom was once located was now at floor level thanks to Meteoro's attack. But much to his surprise, one of the castle's royal guards was standing at attention at the foot of his bed. He was wearing a standard Solarian suit of armor, but he also held a large sword forged from the same metal as inter-dimensional scissors. Comet recognized him almost immediately; this was Sir Hjalmar Augustson, Lady Dama's older brother.
"Sir Hjalmar? What're you-?"
"It is my duty as a Solarian Royal Guard to protect Castle Dragonfly, my liege." Hjalmar explained, respectfully. "I failed to stop Meteoro from destroying your home. The least I can do is guard the reconstruction team."
"Oh… well, do you mind if I sit next to you and silently regret my recent decisions?"
"Not at all, sire."
"Thanks." Comet sighed and sadly slumped down on his dusty bed.
"... has there been any word from my sister?" Sir Hjalmar asked.
Comet opened one eye and glanced back at the guard. "Yes, I spoke to her earlier today. She should be back in Fjordville by tomorrow evening."
Hjalmar grunted in relief. "Is she eating well enough?"
"I guess?" Comet shrugged.
"Good." Hjalmar nodded. "Thank you, my liege."
Comet closed his eyes again and uncomfortably dozed off.
As he slept, he dreamt of the last time he saw his father. Once again, the mysterious silhouette of a figure appeared to slice the roots of the Stump away from the frightened king. Again, the figure turned towards Comet. The only distinguishing features Comet could make out were the white spiral symbols on his cheeks.
"I'm happy to see you again, young one." He declared with a smile in his voice. "Good to see that you survived your battle with the fallen Dragonfly prince."
"Who are you?" Comet asked. "And where did you send my dad? I need his help."
"He is safe. I'll show you…"
Suddenly, the shadowy figure transformed into a swarm of fireflies and spiraled around Comet to lift him into the sky. The fireflies took him to a village he'd never seen before on an island somewhere in the middle of the Mewman sea. It seemed like a simple enough village, there were houses, markets, ships, carriages, and farms. But the most prominent building on the island appeared to be bakeries; there was almost one on every street corner. In fact, almost half of the citizens looked as if they wore aprons and chef hats.
As he continued to dream, the swarm of fireflies drew his attention to one bakery in particular in the center of the island. Inside, a green-haired woman was watching over another chef as he prepared a custard pie. He was wearing blue slacks with a white shirt and a blue apron. He was facing the counter so Comet couldn't see his face, but a leather strap wrapping around the back of his head indicated that he was wearing an eyepatch over his left eye. For a moment, Comet thought there was something familiar about his light blue hair as he watched him spread the crust into the tin and poured the filling.
At last, he placed the pie into the preheated oven and turned to face his companion, showing off the purple diamond-shaped birthmarks on his cheeks. Comet gasped in surprise. "DAD-!"
"-DAD!" Comet bolted upright, startling Hjalmar. "DAD! SHADOW-GUY! ISLAND! SEA! PIE! EYEPATCH! I KNOW WHERE MY DAD IS!"
Hjalmar watched as Comet closed his eyes in concentration and placed his palms against his temples. Dark Magic surged from his hands and into his mind until it focused on the island from his dream. When he opened his eyes again, a pair of dark red beams shot forth and began crafting a nearby stone into a compass. Once he was finished carving, the acting king grabbed the compass and stood up. "Sir Hjalmar, how would you like to do something more productive than guarding a pile of broken stone?"
"What did you have in mind, my king?" The guard asked as he slung his sword over his shoulder.
A few minutes later, Comet summoned Marcia, his mother, the Solarian Trio, and a handful of generals to the castle's remains to explain his plan. Soon enough, Comet made his announcement to the public.
"People of Mewni, I know that you all have been through a lot, but I have a plan!" He declared. Once the murmurs died down, he went on. "I will be leading an expedition soon to search for my father and bring him home! While I'm gone, my mother will continue to lead the reconstruction effort! My generals will also stay behind to ensure your protection!"
"Why should we trust you?!" The rude worker from earlier scoffed.
In response, Marcia cracked her knuckles with a menacing glare.
"We will trust you!" The rude worker declared, quickly.
"Thank you!" Comet nodded. "I will return with my father!"
Once the crowd dispersed, Lake pulled her son aside for a chat. "Are you sure you don't want me to tag along, shooting star?"
"I'll be fine, mom. I already sent Aksel to find a suitable ship for our voyage." Comet explained. "And I'm also taking Marcia, Sir Hjalmar, the Solarian Trio, and Kyle with me. So I'll be well protected. And this is important. I have to bring dad home."
Lake sighed in defeat and kissed her son's forehead. "Alright. Be careful, sweetie."
Comet hugged his mother and set off to meet Aksel at the docks. On the way, Marcia was going over the budget Comet had estimated for how much provisions their crew would need while Kyle and the Solarian Trio sharpened their weapons. Sir Hjalmar remained stoic as he followed the group, but internally he was regretting that he wouldn't be home to welcome back his sister. At last, they arrived at the wharf and Aksel came running up to meet them.
"I found a ship, King Comet! And I think it's a good one, King Comet! Just go down the wharf, turn left at dock thirteen, and ask for Tora Brunhilde of the HMS Worthy! She'll take you to wherever you need to go, King Comet! I wish I could go with you, King Comet! This sounds exciting, King Comet-!"
"Oh, you are coming with us, Aksel." Comet smiled. "I need someone with your speed to help us search. I already spoke with your supervisor and he agreed to let you come. He seemed… insistent that you come with us."
"Really, King Comet?! Awesome, King Comet! I'll meet you there, King Comet!" And the courier raced back to the ship.
The group followed at their own pace. Franklin and Harold groaned in annoyance as Vincent kept stopping to buy food for the voyage. Marcia and Hjalmar stayed beside Comet as he read the signs to find dock thirteen. At last, they found an old, dark wooden ship with purple canvas sails; on the hull, it read HMS Worthy in golden letters. It was clearly an older ship - one Comet suspected was built before the Solarian-Monster War - but it appeared almost brand new.
As the group climbed the steps to board the ship, they heard shouting coming from the deck. Comet instinctively reached for the scepter, only to remember that it was no longer on his belt. Regardless, he rushed forward to confront the source of the commotion. Marcia followed right behind him, as well as the Solarians who drew their weapons in anticipation. But when they arrived on the deck, there was no serious threat.
Aksel was currently being shaken by the scruff of his tunic by a young woman in Solarian trainee armor. The courier desperately tried to speak, but she wouldn't give him a chance. "I told you, it's not funny! No one is coming to this ship! No one ever takes this ship out! There is no one here but me!"
"Excuse me?" Comet cleared his throat. "Are you Tora Brunhilde?"
The blonde sailor looked at the group with wide eyes. And then she exploded with excitement. "Oh, my Stump! This annoying little guy was telling the truth! Y-you're real! You're here! You're other people who aren't me! You're here… and you're not me!"
"Uh… yeah?" Marcia shrugged.
"AWESOME!" The sailor screamed with delight, startling her guests. She let go of Aksel and straightened herself out. "Oh, sorry! Yes, I am Tora Brunhilde! Welcome aboard the HMS Worthy!" She bowed, gracefully. "The very ship Captain Alphys Gibbs captained during the war! I am honored to have you aboard, King Comet!"
"A pleasure to meet you, Captain." Comet nodded with a smile.
"Oh, I'm not a captain." Tora shook her head with a soft laugh. "Yeah, I used to be part of the Solarian navy, but I kept getting reassigned because I'm… so good at everything I do, heh-heh-heh. Yeah, I just spend most of my time making sure this beautiful ship remains sea-worthy!"
"But you can take us to where we need to go?" Harold asked, earning an elbow to the ribs from Marcia.
"Um, how long have you been working here by yourself?" Marcia asked.
"'How long have I been by myself?' Um, somewhere between a long time and… forever." Tora chuckled. "But yeah! I've read all the manuals and I know this ship from top to bottom! I can read the charts and tell you all what I need in order to get us moving! What's our heading?"
Comet stepped forward and presented her with the compass. "This will lead us to our destination, Tora."
"Alrighty then!" Tora smiled and took the helm. "Friends! I need your help! Cast off the ropes! Let loose the sail! Let's go find… uh, what're we looking for?"
"My father."
"Your fa-KING MARS?!" Tora's eyes sparkled with delight. "We're going on a mission to rescue King Mars, himself?! HAHA! Fantastic! Hang on, your majesty! We're coming for you!"
With that, the ship finally cast off. Hjalmar stood at the bow of the ship, stoically keeping watch for any threats that might lay ahead. Marcia tried to keep Comet occupied by playing Go-Fish with him on the deck. Vincent helped himself to a leg of mutton while Franklin decided to catch up on some sleep. Harold quickly grew bored with the voyage. The ship hadn't even been out on the ocean for an hour, but to the Solarian trainee it may as well have been an eternity.
To make matters worse for the grim warrior-to-be, Tora hadn't stopped talking the entire time. She was overjoyed, not only to actually be sailing on the ocean, but also to have so many new people to talk to. And as if that weren't enough, Aksel - who was not used to being on a ship for so long - nervously paced around the entire deck while muttering to himself under his breath.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Tora gushed as she read the compass and steered the ship. "I've never had this much company before! I can't wait to learn everything about you all! And then tell you everything about me! I have so many hopes and dreams that I've been dying to share with one, or two, or seven new best friends-!"
Harold tiredly rubbed his hand over his face.
Twenty minutes later…
"-fun fact; my family actually comes from a long line of ornithologists!" Tora explained to no one in particular. "Which is actually what inspired my true passion: building a flying machine-!"
While the helmswoman rambled, Comet and Marcia had switched from Go-Fish to Crazy Eights. Franklin had awoken from his nap and started to practice with his rapier. Vincent had moved on from his leg of mutton to a large bag of Cornitos. Hjalmar continued to stand watch at the bow. Aksel continued to pace around the deck, chewing on his knuckles and nervously muttering to himself.
And Harold just tried to tune them all out by sharpening the spikes on his mace.
Forty minutes later…
"-this is the coolest day of my entire life! I never would have dreamed that I'd be chauffeuring a king across the Mewman Sea-!"
Tora grew more excited with their quest. Comet and Marcia decided to liven up the journey by playing Slapjack. Vincent had over-eaten and was now napping on a hammock tied between the mast and the side rail. Franklin took a break from training and started reading a romance novel he'd brought along. Hjalmar tirelessly kept watch at the ship's bow. Aksel's muttering was growing louder as he quickened his pace around the deck.
Harold growled to himself and cupped his hands over his ears.
One hour later…
"-not five! ~ Not six! ~ Not seven! ~ But eight! ~" Tora sang, happily. "Eight best friends! ~ Sailing through the gate! ~ There's no gate, so I just add-libbed that last line. Was it good? I thought it was good-"
While she spoke, Aksel had shortened his path to circling around Tora at the helm. He was still moving fast, but he looked as if he were on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"This is fine, it won't be long now, I'm sure we're almost there, I mean, King Comet wouldn't put me in danger, would he? No, of course he wouldn't, that's crazy-talk, I mean, just because he failed to defeat Atrocious himself and gave the scepter to the King of Darkness, that doesn't mean he doesn't care about his own people, right? Everything's fine, it's fine, it's so fine, I can't properly describe how fine it is, it's better than fine, we'll get to some land soon and then I just need to run - I just need to run - I just need to run - I just need to run - I just need to run - I just need to run -"
"Oh, by Festivio's beard!" Harold finally snapped and power-marched towards Marcia. "You! Squire! Either get the chattering helmswoman to shut up, or get that infernal courier to stop pacing around! I'm going inside!"
With that, Harold the Grim stomped into the ship's cabin and slammed the door behind him. Marcia and Comet turned away from their game of Old Maid and finally saw what Aksel was doing; he was pacing so quickly that he was actually starting to wear down the wooden floorboards beneath his feet. At the same time, Tora continued to babble whatever came to her mind, oblivious to the fact that no one was paying attention to her. The acting king and his squire nodded at each other before splitting up to tackle both problems.
Comet packed the cards back into the box, tucked it into his pocket, and made his way towards the helm to speak with Tora. At the same time, Marcia stretched her back before fast-walking to walk alongside the courier.
"You okay, buddy?" Marcia asked, nonchalantly.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, squire Marcia." Aksel nodded, nervously, as he slowed his pace. "I'm just a bit anxious, squire Marcia. I've never been this far away from solid ground before, squire Marcia. I don't like it, squire Marcia-"
"Hey, can we sit down and slow down for just a minute?" Marcia gently led the courier to a bench and sat him down. "Now, close your eyes. Take a deep breath."
Aksel did as he was instructed. A shaky breath slipped through his lips and he shuddered, uncomfortably.
"Okay, now, open your eyes, hold out your hands, and calmly tell me ten things you like." Marcia instructed. "Every time you name something, close a finger."
"Um, o-okay… running…" Aksel slowly began to close his fingers around his palm. "... jumping hurdles… throwing javelins… throwing shot puts… throwing discus… throwing hammers… pole-vaulting… my mother… my father… and apples."
Marcia smiled as Aksel stopped shaking his leg and steadied his breathing.
"Would you like an apple right now?" Marcia asked. When Aksel nodded, she whistled at Vincent and nodded her head towards the barrel of apples. The stout Solarian trainee grabbed a pair of apples and tossed them towards his friends. Marcia offered one to Aksel before taking a bite of her own. "So, you haven't sat down since we got on this boat. Well, until just now. Is there something on your mind?"
Aksel shrugged and rapidly took multiple bites from his apple. "I just… like to move quickly." He declared.
"How come?"
Aksel finished his snack and tossed the apple core into a waste bin near the mast. Then, for the first time since she met him, Aksel spoke slowly and clearly. "When I was ten years old, I went for a run just to see how fast I could run. But my village was having a dispute with a neighboring village. While I was away, a riot broke out between them… and my parents got caught up in the chaos… they… died… when I got back, my uncle made me sit still while he explained what happened. I guess, since then, every time I stay still for too long, or if I'm just not moving… I'll die, too…"
Marcia nodded and listened with a sympathetic ear.
At the same time, Comet had poured two glasses of lemonade and made his way to the helm. Tora was still talking, so she didn't notice when Comet walked up next to her and teasingly tapped the cold glass against her arm. She yelped in surprise and turned to see her acting king holding out the glass for her.
"Oh! Thank you, my liege!" She smiled and accepted the glass.
Comet scanned the deck of the ship with an impressed smile. "I must say, Tora, you've done a great job maintaining this ship all by yourself. You should be proud."
"Oh, I am! Thank you, King Comet! Heh, that's got to be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me! Wow, uh… that sounded way more depressing than I meant it to… sorry, King Comet."
"No need to apologize." Comet sighed and sipped his lemonade again. "If anything, I should be apologizing to you. And everyone else in the kingdom."
"Apologizing? You? Why?" Tora playfully scoffed. "Everyone in the kingdom should be thanking you! You stopped Atrocious and saved all of Mewni!"
"That is not what happened." Comet sighed, sadly. "Eclipsine was the one who stopped Meteoro. I thought that he was actually willing to kill his own son to save lives… that's why I gave him the scepter… but he tricked me. He didn't kill Meteoro, he just turned him into a baby. And I… I let him leave. Now, he has Meteoro, the scepter, his scythe, and Indexia… without the scepter I can't use light magic… and nobody wants me to use dark magic… that's why we need to find my dad… I need his help now more than ever."
"... wow… uh…" Tora bit her lip. "I… am speechless."
Suddenly, the crew found themselves in a thick fog. Comet picked the compass off of the helm and made his way towards the hull next to Hjalmar. "The compass says we should be getting close…" He announced to his friends. "But I can't tell how close we are through this fog."
"Oh! I have an idea!" Tora rushed into the ship's cabin. Franklin hastily made his way up to the helm to take control until she returned with a pair of thin sheets of metal strapped to her arms and a piece of rope tied around her waist. She tied the other end around the ship's mast and pulled it tight. "This is a little side-project I've been working on to keep my mind occupied while on the ship! If I can catch a wind current, these wings will lift me above the fog and I can spot the island!"
"Uh, isn't that dangerous?" Vincent asked in a concerned tone.
"Pfft, nah! It's just a little wind. I'll be fi-" Tora was cut off when a sudden gust of wind propelled her up into the air, pulling the rope taut between her waist and the mast. Fighting against the pain, Tora was indeed carried above the fog and spotted something of interest. "Y-yep! I can see it! Land ho! Land ho! Three klicks to starboard!"
Franklin steered the ship in the correct direction while Comet and Marcia helped pull Tora back down to the deck.
Mysterious Island in the Mewman Sea.
As they drew closer to the island, Tora had taken the helm back from Franklin and steered the ship into an empty dock. Once the ship pulled into the nearest dock, Comet couldn't help but study the other ships and the rest of the dock. Marcia jumped down and whistled for Franklin and Vincent to throw her the ropes so she could tie it off. Aksel was the next person to leave the ship, running as fast as he could towards the beach. Once the knots were tied and the ship was secure, everyone else made their way down.
Comet craned his neck around the area, scanning the docks and the adjacent beach. Several large ships rested in the ports, but there were no signs of any crews maintaining them. A forested area blocked his view of any villages or cities, but he couldn't see or hear any animals. He couldn't even hear any birds. There were no signs of life anywhere.
"Hmm… it's quiet…" Comet remarked as his suspicious gaze scanned the docks. "... too quiet…"
"Well, we're not gonna find your dad by standing around." Marcia remarked. "What's the plan?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Right." Comet nodded and turned back to the makeshift crew. "Sir Hjalmar, you stay with the ship in case we need to make a quick retreat."
"Understood, my liege." Hjalmar nodded and remained at the ship's bow.
"Aksel, can you circle the beach and work your way into the island?" Comet asked, politely. "That way-"
"Yes, King Comet! Right away, King Comet! I'm on it, King Comet!" The courier - happy to finally be back on solid ground - took off towards the beach and disappeared in the distance.
"Okay, uh, Tora, use your wings to get a bird's eye view of the island. See if you can tell us how far it is to the nearest village."
"Yes, King Comet!" Tora saluted and began flapping her artificial wings to slowly rise into the air.
"As for the rest of us…" Comet used his dark magic to create six rings for himself, Marcia, Kyle, and the Solarian Trio. The rings shone with red magic; translucent threads connected the bands and stretched as far as needed. We're going to split up and search the forest. These rings will make sure that none of us get lost. If any of you find something, tug on the string and you can call the rest of us to you."
"Alright, then, what are we waiting for?" Kyle nodded, took out his sword, and began chopping his way through the forest.
The Solarian Trio followed suit, using their own weapons to clear a path for themselves. Comet once again instinctively reached for the scepter, only to pat the empty holster on his belt. With an annoyed sigh, the acting king decided to just use his bare hands to clear away the flora as he entered the forest. Half an hour later, Comet was very much lost. He glanced down at his ring, tempted to call Marcia so he could at least have someone to talk to. However, a distinct rustling noise drew his attention, and Comet aimed his open palm towards the source of the noise to fire a deadly dark spell.
But it turned out to just be a black cat with yellow eyes.
"Oh, hello, little one." Comet smiled as he knelt down to pet the kitten. "I don't suppose you know where to find my-YEE-OUCH!"
The kitten bit Comet's finger and bolted back towards the beach. Despite his desire to find his father, Comet's tribulations with his kingdom the past few days had left him angry and frustrated like never before. He was already facing doubt and disrespect from his own people, and he was not going to let himself be disrespected by a cat. So, against his better judgment, he ran after the cat with every intention of giving it an earful.
The cat led the king back onto the beach and circled around a beach hut Comet hadn't seen earlier. But Comet didn't care; he cast a dark spell to trap the cat in the sand, giving him a chance to catch up. He grabbed the mischievous feline by the scruff of its neck and held it up in front of his angered face.
"Bad kitty!" Comet scolded. "You can't just go around biting people! What if you gave someone rabies?!"
"I'm not rabid!" The cat snapped back. "It's just a prank, bro!"
Comet yelped in shock and dropped the cat to the ground. "You can talk?!"
"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag…" The cat chuckled as its eyes flashed with dark yellow energy.
To Comet's surprise, the cat began to transform into an androgynous mewman teenager. They wore a pair of black slacks, sandals, and a green tunic. Their fingernails were painted the same colors of the non-binary flag, as were their toenails, they also wore green lipstick and matching green eyeshadow. Their long, curly black hair was tied up into a ponytail, their bangs were dyed green, and it was shaved on both sides of their head. But the features that stood out the most were the dark yellow veins spreading from their palms up to their wrists.
"You have dark magic?" Comet asked. "Who are you?
"Hello." They waved with a smile. "Sorry, we got off on the wrong foot. Welcome to Pie Island. My name is Lexi. As in 'Galaxy' but shorter. My pronouns are they/them. My hobbies include playful pranks, unprovoked mayhem, and explosions… loud explosions. And who are you?"
"Oh! Uh, King Comet Galaxius Astro Celestio Cosmo… Dragonfly the Second." Comet briefly glanced downwards in shame; it didn't quite feel right to introduce himself as a Dragonfly anymore. "My pronouns are he/him. Um, what are you doing all the way out here, Lexi?"
Lexi rolled their eyes and scoffed. "Well, apparently the other citizens of this island didn't appreciate my sense of humor. So they 'banished' me to live out the rest of my life in this beach hut."
"Hm, bit the wrong person, eh?" Comet chuckled.
"Ha! Ha ha ha ha! That's a good one!" Lexi's laugh sounded less genuine and more unnerving to Comet. "And to answer your previous question; yes, I do dabble in dark magic. It's run in my family for generations. And it seems you do, too."
Comet instinctively looked down at the dark red veins on his wrists.
"I'd keep that to yourself if I were you." Lexi advised. "The people on this island don't much like the dark arts."
"I'll keep that in mind." Comet nodded as he turned to walk back into the forest. "Now, I'm sorry, but I must be going. I'm a little busy at the moment-"
"You're here for Patchy, aren't you?" Lexi smirked as Comet froze in his tracks.
"What did you say?" Comet hastily made his way back to the prankster. "You've seen a man with an eyepatch? Does he have diamond-shaped marks on his cheeks?"
"And blue hair? Yup, that's him." Lexi nodded. "He's currently in the Pie 'Kingdom' as they call it. It's actually a dismal little village run by the most delusional old crone in all the realm. I'd be happy to take you there. On one condition."
"Anything!" Comet agreed.
"You need to get me off this damned island."
"It's a deal."
"Alright then, follow me."
With that, Lexi led his new friend towards a cobblestone path that led towards a distant village. As they walked, Comet tugged on the energy strings of his ring, alerting Marcia and the others to converge on his location. Ten minutes later, the village finally came into focus for the acting king. He was just about to rush ahead when Lexi grabbed him by the arm to hold him back.
"Oops! Hold on. Don't want to draw attention to ourselves." With a wave of their hands, Lexi cast a spell to disguise the duo as a pair of cloaked beggars before they continued towards the village. "So, who exactly is this guy and why do you care so much?"
"He's my father." Comet replied, plainly. Secretly, he was impressed with how skillfully Lexi had conjured up the disguises.
"Really?" Lexi snorted. "You don't look much like him. I'm guessing you take more after your mother?"
"You might say that." Comet shrugged. "How'd you find him?"
"I'm not entirely sure." Lexi shrugged. "I was just relaxing on the beach a few days ago when I heard a commotion. I looked up and saw him stumble out of some kind of weird black vortex. I'm not exactly sure what he saw in the vortex that prompted him to try gouging out his own eyes, but you'll be happy to know that I was able to restrain him before he could finish the job. Since then, the Pie Queen's been keeping him in the middle of town."
"What for?" Comet wondered aloud.
Lexi just shrugged as they finally entered the village. "Search me, but you'd better keep your voice down from this point onwards. Your father is in the bakery called the Empty Pie Tin."
"Thank you." Comet nodded and set off to find the bakery.
But it was a task easier said than done. Almost every other building in the village was a bakery or some other cooking facility. Luckily, each one proudly displayed their names, so Comet was able to scratch each one off his mental list as he walked. At last, he found the correct bakery and hastily threw the front door open. The only occupant looked up from his stove once he heard the bell ring.
"Hello…?"
"Dad!" Comet moved to hug his father, only to pause in confusion as Mars quickly backed away from him in surprise. "Dad, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, my boy. You must have me confused with someone else." Mars shrugged. "My name is Erik. I have no children."
Comet glanced down at his father's wrists, surprised to see that the dark-blue veins were completely gone. Whispering a spell under his breath, Comet's eyes scanned his father's body for any traces of dark magic, only to find none. He did sense a small trace of light magic still in his system, but it was inactive. He tried to step closer to cast a stronger memory-scanning spell, but again, Mars stepped away.
"Please! Stay back!" Mars insisted.
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Comet promised. "I just need you to come with me."
"I beg your pardon?" Mars crossed his arms, crossly. "Young man, I do not appreciate you barging into my bakery and ordering me about!"
"Listen to me!" Comet pleaded. "Your name is not Erik! It's Mars Dragonfly! You're the king of Mewni and my father! I need you to come back home with me to help the kingdom-!"
"I'm not going anywhere without permission from the Pie Queen!"
"But dad-!"
"He said no!" A voice called out from behind.
Before Comet could turn around, someone hit him in the back of the head with a frying pan.
When Comet woke up, he found himself and his friends surrounded by an army of angry chefs. Their hands were tied behind their backs and they had been forced onto their knees. In front of them was a green-haired lady chef with a chef's hat adorned with a crown.
"Okay… I'm assuming you are the Pie Queen?" Comet surmised.
"Comet!" Marcia called out. "Are you alright? I'm sorry, they jumped us before we could reach you."
"This is so embarrassing." Harold groaned. "Fancy a Solarian troupe being ambushed by a bunch of pastry chefs."
"But you have to admit, their cooking does smell good." Vincent licked his lips. "Uh, would it be too much to ask for a sample of your-"
"Will you stop thinking about your stomach for once?!" Franklin snapped.
"Lemme go! Please, lemme go!" Aksel cried as multiple chefs needed to hold the ropes wrapped around his entire body. "I need to move, I can't move, you gotta let me move, I'm gonna explode if you don't let me move!"
"Mmm-mmm-mmm! Mmm-mmm!" Tora's voice was muffled by a metal band covering her mouth.
"Uh, why is she gagged?" Kyle asked no one in particular.
"She wouldn't stop talking!" One chef declared, irritably.
Kyle blinked in surprise. "Even while she was unconscious?"
"Especially while she was unconscious!"
"Enough!" The green-haired woman snapped, silencing the room. "Your leader is correct; I am the Pie Queen, leader of Pie Island! And right now, you all have two options! One: we slowly chop you all up into itty-bitty little pieces for the community stew and make sure that you feel it! Or two: in exchange for letting you live, you take us back to Mewni and appoint us as the new ruling government!"
"Say what?" Marcia blinked in confusion. "Why the hell would we make you the new ruling government?"
"What right do you have to lead anyone?" Comet added.
"Allow me to explain…" The Pie Queen clapped her hands. Two chefs wheeled a wooden mural into the room. The mural depicted the Magical High Commission coming to the island and taking a baby away from its dead parents and bringing it back to Castle Dragonfly. Then, the mural showed the Commission giving the baby a familiar magic scepter. And the final piece of the mural showed the baby growing up into a hedonistic ruler of Mewni.
"Many, many years ago, the monsters you called the Magical High Commission came to our island and took one of our children!" Pie Queen narrated. "We sent spies to see what they wanted with the infant, only to be surprised that they had chosen him and appointed him as their new ruler and renamed him Festivio! That means you and your father are descended from the Pie Folk! However, since no one knew who the infant's parents were, we do not know which family they stole him from. Therefore, we shall all share leadership of your kingdom!"
A thunderous applause erupted from the crowd of chefs.
"That's not how it works!" Comet snapped. "The Commission were liars and kidnappers! Their actions do not determine who leads Mewni!"
"Then I offer you a choice." The Pie Queen stepped down from her throne to approach Comet. "Accept my demands, or I'll make you watch as we chop up your amnesiac father first!"
"You-!" Comet tried to stand up, but the chefs tugged on his arms and led him away. The other chefs followed close behind, dragging Marcia and the others with them.
Hours later, the Solarian Trio grew restless in their cell while Comet, Marcia, and Kyle seemed completely unfazed.
"So, what's the plan, fearless leader?" Harold scoffed. "You got us into this mess, it's only fair that you get us out!"
"We're thinking, dipshit!" Marcia snapped back.
"Just use your dark magic." Franklin grunted in discomfort. "Cast a spell and blast a hole in this cell and we can get out of here."
"We can't leave my dad behind, Franklin." Comet reasoned. "I think being corrupted by dark and light magic did something to his memories. I have to figure out how to make him remember before I even think about leaving."
"Well, in that case, allow me to help you." A voice called out from nowhere. The group scanned the area for the source of the voice, but found no one. Suddenly, a dark yellow aura appeared from outside the cell bars and Lexi materialized in person. "After all, how else are you going to uphold your end of the bargain?"
"Oh, good." Comet sighed in relief. "I was afraid this was another of your 'pranks.'"
"Uh, Comet? Who's this?" Marcia asked.
"Oh, uh, Marcia, everyone, this is Lexi. They helped me find my dad. Lexi, this is my girlfriend, Marcia. And that's Kyle, Franklin, Vincent, Harold, Aksel, and Tora." Comet introduced his friends to each other before turning back to Lexi. "So, we need a plan."
"Well, I suppose I should have mentioned that I tried a memory-spell on your dad when he showed up… it didn't work quite how it was supposed to, but it did reveal how to give him his memories back." Lexi explained. "Right now, his memories are blocked by a sort of… magic barrier. But if he were introduced to a familiar stimuli, it would shock his memory system back to normal. All you have to do is expose him to a sight, sound, or taste that has a deep emotional connection to him."
After hearing this, Comet's eyes lit up as a smile spread over his lips. "Okay, here's the plan; Lexi, we need a diversion to keep the chefs distracted by sunrise."
"Consider it done, friend." Lexi smirked before disappearing into the shadows.
"Okay." Comet used his own dark magic to dissolve the ropes tied around everyone's wrists. Aksel immediately started jogging in place while Tora ripped the metal band off of her mouth and took a deep breath. Then, Comet began drawing out his plan on the floor. "Aksel and Tora, you guys head back to the ship and tell Sir Hjalmar that we'll be needing a quick exit soon. Marcia, you, Kyle, and the Trio follow me for backup in case things get hairy while I sneak into dad's bakery and give him the stimuli."
"And you're sure this will work?" Harold asked, eyebrow arched.
"Hey, would you question Mars this much?" Marcia snapped, lightly.
"No, it's okay, Marcia." Comet assured his girlfriend before turning to his troops. "Look, guys, I know I haven't exactly been the best king in my family's history. But I'm only asking you to trust me once more until we all get home."
With that, the group split up to carry out the plan. Comet led Marcia, Kyle, and the Trio back to the Empty Pie Tin and ordered them to stay hidden unless he called out to them. While they hid out of sight and kept watch, Comet snuck into the bakery and began quietly opening cupboards for the needed ingredients. He was making a pie that he remembered from the Great Book of Magic. If Lexi was right, then this pie would give Mars the needed jolt to bring back his memories. After he put the pie in the oven, he checked a nearby clock to make sure that they were on schedule. Twenty-five minutes later, Comet heard a pair of footsteps coming from upstairs. "Erik" yawned as he tied his apron around his back and headed straight for the kitchen. Once he saw Comet, he jumped in surprise.
"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay! I'm sorry, I, uh… I just wanted to apologize for my behavior today…" Comet smiled as he took the pie out from the oven and offered it to Mars. "I made this for you."
Mars inspected the pastry with his single eye and inhaled the aroma through his nose. Licking his lips approvingly, he grabbed a nearby knife and cut himself a piece. The crust was light and fluffy and cut easily, the melted cheese stretched as he removed the slice from the pan, and the filling was bright red. Mars grabbed a fork and cut off a smaller piece to take a bite of it.
"Mmmm!" Mars grinned, happily. "This is delicious! It's amazing! It's… it's… what did you say this was?"
"It's a red soleance pie." Comet said, nervously. "It was my grandfather's recipe…"
"Your… grandfather…?" Mars blinked as he glanced back down to the pie. "But… but this was… my father's recipe…"
"Yes…" Comet smiled, hopefully. "Yes, that's right!"
Suddenly, there was an aggressive knock at the door. "Open up!" The Pie Queen shouted. "We know you're in there!"
Mars dropped his plate and Comet stood in front of him, defensively. The chefs broke down the door, armed with silver spatulas and whisks to protect themselves from Comet's dark magic. Mars fearfully stumbled backwards against a wall as he helplessly watched his fellow chefs beat Comet to the floor and hold him down. The Pie Queen entered the room with a silver cleaver in hand and stepped on Comet's neck.
"You should have taken my offer more seriously!"
"Dad!" Comet cried out in pain. "Dad, please!"
Suddenly, something finally clicked inside Mars' mind. He clenched his fist, grit his teeth, and his cheek-marks shone with light magic. "Take your hands… off… my… boy!" He picked up what remained of his son's pie and threw it with all his strength.
The Pie Queen was knocked off of Comet and Mars quickly conjured a blade of light as he fought off the other chefs. Comet smiled and whistled to signal his friends. Marcia elbow-dropped onto Pie Queen's stomach while Kyle and the Trio drew their weapons to fight off the other chefs and clear a path for Comet and Mars.
"Comet, how did we get here? What happened to my eye?" Mars asked as he was led out of the bakery by his son.
"It's a long story, dad! I'll explain later!" Comet shouted back as the group hurried into the woods. "Marcia? Are you still with me?!"
"Yeah, I'm right behind you!" Marcia called out. "Kyle and the boys are on your six! Just get to the ship!"
Suddenly, a giant explosion vaporized the entire village, as well as any chef unfortunate enough to still be in the blast radius. The Pie Queen and the handful of remaining chefs looked back in horror at the mushroom cloud rising to the sky. Even Comet and his allies were perturbed by the sudden development. It was then that Lexi reappeared.
"Oopsie!" They playfully shrugged. "How was I supposed to know that you can't put fifty-three forks in a microwave next to an open gas line?"
"Are you crazy?!" Comet gawked. "You didn't have to kill people!"
"Well, it worked, didn't it?"
"Hey! Run first, bicker later!" Franklin decided as they continued towards the beach.
The Pie Queen and her remaining subjects were more determined than ever now. They were all wielding silver knives and cleavers and shouting as they chased their prey to the beach. At last, Comet and the others arrived at the docks.
"Sir Hjalmar! Open the portal!" Comet ordered.
The royal guard nodded and drew his sword from the sheath on his back. He swung the sword as hard as he could, trying to open up a portal wide enough for the entire ship to get through. However, one of the chefs had gotten ahead of the group and boarded one of the pie ships. He aimed a cannon at the royal guard and fired a cannonball directly at his sword. Comet used his power to propel himself in front of the blast, but the force knocked him into Hjalmar, breaking his concentration.
Mars tried to blast the chef off of the ship with a light beam, but his impaired vision caused him to miss his target. Luckily, Marcia grabbed his wrist and pointed it in the proper direction. The chef fired one last cannonball before being blasted into the water, which struck Vincent's leg. Franklin and Harold saw their friend's plight and ran back to help him. Guarding up the rear, Kyle drew his sword and deflected all of the knives and cleavers the chefs threw at his allies.
Marcia picked up Comet and Mars and hurried them up the ramp onto the ship's deck. Still hopped up on adrenaline, she grabbed Comet by the collar of his shirt and kissed him, deeply, much to his surprise. "I want a sword." She huffed, heavily. "And a raise."
Comet rapidly nodded with a deep blush. "Yeah. Yeah, sure, sweetie. Anything you want. Kyle, Harold, Franklin, Vincent! Guys! C'mon, let's go!"
At last, everyone was aboard the ship and Tora set sail to get them as far away from the island as possible. Unfortunately, the Pie Queen and her chefs boarded their own ship and manned the cannons aimed directly at the intruders. Comet, Mars, and even Lexi stood ready to shield the ship with their magic.
But just as the first cannonball was fired, the HMS Worthy was shrouded in darkness. Everyone nervously looked around in anticipation, wondering what was happening, before all eyes fell on the trio of magic users.
"Hey, don't look at me." Mars held up his hands, defensively.
"Well, it's not me." Comet shrugged.
"I wish I could say I was behind this." Lexi remarked as they surveyed the mysterious black cloud.
A few minutes later. The cloud began to disperse and the HMS Worthy found herself back at the mewman wharf. Tora guided the ship into an empty port and Aksel hurried to jump down and tie it off. Franklin and Harold carried Vincent down the ramp in search of medical aid. Kyle and Hjalmar escorted Mars, Comet, and Marcia off of the ship with Tora following close behind. Comet hurried ahead and used his magic to heal Vincent's leg, despite the stout trainees protests. As for Lexi, they could only smile as they slowly made their way down the ramp and savored their first steps on foreign soil.
"So this is the magnificent kingdom of Mewni…" They took a deep inhale through their nose. "... quaint."
"Okay, can anyone tell me exactly what happened?" Marcia asked.
"I happened!"
Everyone looked up and shuddered. Eclipsine wielded his Scythe of Shadows in his right hand and his family scepter in his left. What little was left of the dark cloud that transported the group away from Pie Island was absorbed back into the Scythe while the scepter had conjured a floating platform for Globgal to stand on as she held her son close to her chest. Meteoro clapped and waved at the people below him as his father gently lowered his family down to the dock.
Eclipsine sheathed his Scythe to the strap on his back and closed the umbrella of his scepter. Globgal cautiously kept her distance and grew a few more feet while defensively baring her teeth at the Solarian trainees. Comet motioned for the others to stay back while he approached Eclipsine. And then, the acting king smiled.
"Well, I guess that's two I owe you." Comet chuckled and shook his friend's hand.
"Who's counting?" Eclipsine snorted before turning back to his monster wife. "Globgal, dear, this is Comet. The friend I told you all about."
Globgal looked Comet up and down before taking a few steps forward. Kyle and the others instinctively raised their weapons at her, but Comet once again motioned for them to stand down. Globgal smiled at the gesture and shrank down to seven-feet-tall so she could shake Comet's hand.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Comet." She purred in a friendly voice. "Thank you for helping my husband. I understand you were the only person who gave him the benefit of the doubt."
"Oh, well…" Comet blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "I just, uh-"
"Ahem." Mars cleared his throat and stepped beside his son. "Why did you save us?"
"I suppose it is rather unexpected, isn't it?" Eclipsine sneered as he approached Mars. "Considering the last time you and I saw one another, you were desperately trying to kill me and my son."
"That option remains very much in play." Mars frowned as he locked his single eye with the King of Darkness.
"I would expect nothing less." Eclipsine's own glare hardened for a moment; a long silence looming over the two kings. At last, Eclipsine shrugged and turned to pace back towards his family. "However, I have a proposal… join me in uniting mewmans and monsters."
Everyone stared in disbelief at the King of Darkness.
"WHAT?!" Tora yelped.
To Be Continued!
Author's notes: Oh, boy! This was a fun chapter to write! And it was a chore to write! So I certainly hope you all enjoyed it. If you did, leave a detailed review and tell me what you liked about it. The next chapter is going to be just as long as this one, so it might take a little longer.
NEW CHARACTERS UNLOCKED:
Aksel Olsen - A Solarian trainee who specializes as a courier of information on the battlefield. He is a gold medal sprinter and talks just as fast as he runs. Even his sentences run together. Basically, his entire mindset is move fast, think fast, be fast. It can get annoying sometimes, but Comet's willing to take whatever help he can get. His weapon of choice is a spear.
Tora Brunhilde - A Solarian navy trainee who was demoted so many times that the only thing she's allowed to do is "captain" Alphys Gibbs' ship. She gets very lonely and is eager to make new friends. She loves sailing the seas, but dreams of one day being able to fly. Her weapon of choice is a sword and shield.
Sir Hjalmar Bjerkeson - Lady Dama's older brother and a Solarian Royal Guard. He loves his sister very much and encourages her to become a Solarian so that he could keep an eye on her. As a Royal Guard, he is tasked with protecting the drawbridge to Castle Dragonfly. He and the other guards earned swords that are forged from the same steel Hekapoe used to create his scissors, as such they can cut open dimensional gateways to any location they think of.
Galaxy "Lexi" - A native of Pie Island. They are a nonbinary teenager around Comet and Marcia's age who enjoys trickery and mischief. They also have a natural connection to dark magic… and perhaps a connection to Comet's true family? They mostly use their powers to shapeshift, cast illusions, and conjure objects. Their weapons of choice are knives.