Marco at a Crossroads
By: DJ Rodriguez
(Author's Notes: Hello everyone! I know it has been a year since I last updated, and for that I do apologize to the ones that have been waiting faithfully and patiently with me. I will make it up to you with this chapter.
Before I say or do anything else, I wish to give praise and honor to the Lord. Thank you God for once again answering my prayers, and also thank you for helping me with my works. It is not easy to try to juggle several stories like so, but thanks to you, I have managed. I will continue to look to you Jesus Christ for guidance, energy, zeal, strength, courage, confidence and steadfastness in everything, not just my stories!
Well… just saw some news that really broke my heart concerning Disney. If any of you have seen my Profile, you know what it is. I am very much disappointed and sad that Disney is still on that toxic & wrong bandwagon that is WOKE, or should I say STONED, movement and the New Normal that is really, truly killing not just the company, but society and people as well.
I hope and pray for the day when not just Florida and Disney, but any and all places in the entire country of the United States really wakes up and sees that any & all things related and/or linked to the STONED movement & New Normal really need to go for good. And for the people to be helped, to see the Truth and light, so they make the willing choice to reject the symbols that the movement represents.
I hope and pray for that day to come soon. For all things, people, media, businesses, schools and so much more, to get back to Jesus Christ like it used to be in the past. If people and such call me a bigot and other such things, let them. Like my Christian hero and role model Carman stated this, "We are called to be effective, not popular.".
I wish to do this for my Tia Pamela Espurova-Allen. She is working with police and other official groups to locate and bring home a missing girl that is part of a family she works with & has befriended. Her name is Lina Khil, a little girl that was taken on December 20th, 2021. The search is still on for her, but so far… no luck.
Her information is this: She was four years old when she was abducted; hair brown, eyes brown, race Afghan, weight 55 lbs. & height 4'0. If any can help to locate and find her, please do so and notify the proper authorities. Hoping and praying still that she is found alive & returned to her family. They have put up a special about her on TV thanks to the San Antonio Police Department. Any information you wish to seek about her you can search for online, and hopefully it will help to find her and bring her back home safely.
And as a reminder to all, it is this. The story takes place after the episode Lava Lake Beach in the cannon series, but everything else after the episode is ignored with a couple of noticeable exceptions. The series had much potential and promise… but it started to decline greatly during Season Two, and more so in my view.
To let you all know just in case, this story LOOKS to be a Marco/Harem story… but it is not. It is more along the lines of a classic anime series I used to watch as a kid called Tenchi Muyo, where Marco will choose ONE of the ladies at the end of the series. So while many women will be by his side, trying to gain his affection and attention… only ONE will be chosen at the end.
I state this again- I cannot please everyone, nor do I ever wish to do so. I believe in the words of my pastor Rick Godwin from Summit Christian Center at San Antonio and it is this: If you try to please everyone, you lose yourself entirely. So while others may not be pleased at this, it is what it is. My aim is not to please all, but to write a worthwhile story. No more, no less.
So again, just to be sure I am clear… trust in what I do. I may not be a total expert with the Star Vs. series, but I will do my best with what I know and pick up along the way. In addition, I have been seeing a lot of old cartoon & live-action series that I have on VHS & DVD, still working in fine condition. They consist of both Disney & non-Disney series, and thus I have enjoyed & learned much from them to put in here. So this story will also have educational purposes, similar to shows that combined education with entertainment in the 1980s and 1990s.
The action will also take place mostly on Earth, with some taking place in Mewni. The dimension where time is greatly accelerated, Hekapoo's home, will only be shown a minor number of times. After seeing the Diaz's losing their two kids once more to rapid growing up to them not being part of their lives… I will not have anything like that here. I believe that parents should see their kids grow, help them grow and become good adults in the process. So Mariposa nor Marco will return to Hekapoo's home realm.
There will be NO kind of characters or reference to slash or femme-slash of any kind. There will also be no trans characters, gender-neutral, gender-free notions in this story series, nor in any of my other stories. See my Profile bio to see where I firmly stand in and at. In this I am VERY serious about!
So while this is a Marco/Multiple Girls story, there will be NO kind of slash or femme-slash actions, characters or references here at all. I believe that I can bring forth the true and real potential of Jackie and the other ladies here, more so than what was done to them in the series.
And that is my stance on this story, and all others I have made and will make in the future. And again, this story will feature Christian elements and faith! And that I am not sorry at all for!
Also, will be giving my OC names from the website 20000-NAMES, as I have done in my previous stories. Each name is linked to a different nation, and has a different meaning. To see what they mean, go to website to look it up. If any of you wish to create your own OC's for me to use in the story, let me know & I will see what I can do.
I should have done this in the first place, but doing so now for the rest of the story. To give credit where it is due. Ratatusk the Mole man, Silka the Giant Spider, King Khan & Queen Seres belong to Author Darkness Rissing, and the Destroian characters belong to Author LORD DESTYRUK. If I have missed something that belongs to someone, please let me know so that I can rectify notes here and give the person the credit for the character, as it is their right.
Dr. Sky Exten and Nurse Delma belong to Author SKYx10, the Author who has made some impressive Star Vs. stories himself & is what inspired me to write my own story connected to the TV series.
And for the comic to this story, look to DeviantArt website and locate the account of Drjeesh. He is also an Author here, using the same name. In any case, go to that account and you will see the comic pages he has made of this story so far. Please review them and give him the support needed to continue on in making the comic!
I do not own Star vs. the Forces of Evil, it is created by Daron Nefcy & executive producers Daron Nefcy, Dave Wasson and Jordana Arkin. Production is the Disney Television Animation, and aired on network Disney XD and Disney Channel. Originally released January 2015, ending on May 2019.
I Am The Christian The Devil Warned You About is by Mario Murillo, © 1996 by said author and edited by Carol Ann Murillo. Published by the Fresh Fire Communications company in Danville, California in 1996.
Now, on with the story!)
~Intro; Insert favorite song & music here~
The scene opens to where it is nighttime, the stars in the heavens twinkling like diamonds in the sky. The camera zooms out to show the entirety of Butterfly Castle, showcasing it for a few moments before zooming in and going through a window to see Star Butterfly in her regal outfit. And on her left was Thomas Lucitor & on her right was her floating BFF Princess Lilacia Ponyhead, both decked out in their best. All three are smiling and laughing, the two humanoids having a glass of punch in their right hands while the floating bodiless unicorn is using her magic to float a cup of punch near her being. In the background are various knights and squires, who all seem to be enjoying a party.
The camera pans and showcases the various beings inside of it for several moments before the scene quickly transitions to outside. And now the camera shows a thick forest & a lake that is a fair distance from the castle, and a being in a familiar red hoodie jacket that is standing near the waters and looking down at it. The camera changes and zooms in to show the face of the person in the water's reflection. It shows the face of a downtrodden Marco Diaz, nineteen years of age and living in the kingdom of Mewni for about three years.
The water's surface ripple and shift, changing from showing his sad face to his memories now. The audience sees what has occurred to Marco in the past, mainly his humiliation and put downs from certain characters from the show during certain series. After showcasing many scenes, water ripples once more… but instead of showing the face of Marco like before, it now showcases the moon in the sky.
The camera changes to show Marco now standing up straight, who looks directly at the camera for a moment before looking upward. The camera shifts upward to show to all the yellow-colored moon… which changes quickly to red, indicating that it was now the Blood Moon! A beam of concentrated moonlight fires from the moon, the camera changing once again to show the crimson light hitting the spot in front of Marco. A moment later, the light twists and shifts until it shows a woman in her early 20's in Roman Empire garb plus helmet. In her left hand was a spear, on the right was a circular bronze shield that had the image of the moon etched within it. The parts of her skin that was showing was fair and silky smooth, plus a figure that was quite alluring & pleasing to the eyes.
The camera got a close up of the being as she took off her helmet, showing full brown hair and crimson-colored eyes. It was Luna the Roman goddess of the moon itself!
The camera zoomed out a little to show the goddess looking at Marco, sadness and weariness shown on her features. She lifted her spear, gesturing to the moon as the camera panned upwards a little towards the celestial object. A small flash of light appeared, and from the moon came forth a red thread! It was thick like branded rope, and it soon split in half. The camera changed to show the thread attaching itself to Star, though the young princess did not even realize it or see the object. The camera switched to show the thick thread going to Marco, attaching itself to where his heart was at. The camera also caught Marco's face, which showed a mixture of sadness and determination.
The camera than zoomed past Marco, going to some trees that revealed a shadowy silhouette. The figure moved slightly and light came up to reveal the figure to be Kelly the Amazonian, who had also grown up in three years to be a beautiful woman! A white line appears on the right side, changing so that three lines appear. Within each of the boxes appears a new being, who is revealed to also be hiding in the trees! The picture illuminates a little so that the viewer can see clearly the faces of the others. From left to right it is this; Kelly, Hekapoo, Eclipsa and Higgs. Other than Hekapoo, who looks unchanged, Eclipsa and Higgs show that they too have grown up some in the past three years. However, Eclipsa is shown to look more mature and alluring than just old.
The camera shows all four females, looks of concern on their faces as they witness the scene. The screen showcases them for a few moments before transiting back to Marco who nodded to Luna… who had a sad yet determined face on as she lifted her spear and severed the thread!
The thread is shown leaving Star, zipping back through the air and towards Marco! The camera showed the thread from him snapping from his heart area, but hovered just a couple of feet from his person. The other thread came quickly and slammed into it, soon expanding exponentially! The camera shows Luna taking some steps back.
The camera than showed for all to see a large, red-colored transculant bubble that was twenty feet in height with a large diameter! The camera pans to show Luna walking to and next to Marco, pointing towards the sphere.
The young man's face is shown as he sighs, than a look of determination is met. The camera changed to go behind him, showing to all the backside of him… than he rushes into the bubble, the camera following quickly after him!
The whole screen is light-red in color, and words in bold royal-blue color appear on the screen that shows this: MARCO AT A CROSSROADS. The words stay on for some moments before a flash of white light appears, spreading over and washing away everything on the screen.
The blank screen stays there for a moment, than changes to show a hospital room. The camera showcases the interior of the room, and also the occupant lying in a hospital bed wearing only a green hospital gown & covered in bandages all over. It goes in for a close up of the being's face, showing it to be Marco's as his eyes slowly open up.
The camera shifts to show his upper body and face as his upper-back area is elevated slightly. Marco looks to be gazing in the far distance at something, than another flash of light appears to change the entire scene once more.
The blank screen is almost instantly replaced, showcasing the neighborhood that the Diaz family lived in and that it is nighttime. It panned quickly to the left, now displaying for all to see the Diaz household. It stays for a moment or two to display the front side property of the home, than zooms towards the door as it seems to open by itself. The camera soon shows the interior of the home in the living room, the scene showing Angie Diaz & Rafael Diaz on the couch together & Jackie Lynn Thomas and Janna Ordonia in the kitchen as they were making some food.
The camera got a close up of the parents, as they were looking down at a large, thick brown rectangular book that had the words etched on the front cover Álbum de Rocortes Familiar. The camera shift upward a little from the parents, showing the upper-right corner and zooms in when a dimensional tear appears. Coming through the portal first is Hekapoo, followed by a bloody & cut up Marco Diaz on a bed of stars with Eclipsa, Higgs and Kelly.
The camera changes to show the faces of the horrified faces of the father and mother, who get off the couch and go to them. It shifts to the right to show the Jackie and Janna also in the same state, their facial features showing shock, worry and concern for Marco. The camera soon goes to hover directly over the body, showing said being while a ring was formed around him that consisted of the others. The camera than started to white out gradually as it zoomed towards the face of the young man, whose eyes were closed.
The screen is blank for a moment before it fades back to color and scenery, which shows an overhead shot of Marco as he is awake and in the hospital on the bed.
The camera focuses on him for a few moments before shifting quickly to a new scene. The scene now shows the inside of the Diaz residence, where inside in the living room was Marco's parents and little three-year-old sister Mariposa Diaz. All are wearing casual attire, Mariposa wearing a cute shirt/skirt combo as the white shirt has the Monsters and Magic insignia on it & the skirt is blue with pictures of the Toho monsters featured in said series. The family smile and waves to the camera in 4th wall breaking fashion.
The camera stays on them for some moments before shifting to another scene. Coming into view is an underwater area, deep sea-blue with some fishes swimming about plus two orcas in the background! One male, one female as the male one has the slightly longer dorsal fin. Bubbles come up from below, and coming into view is Jackie as she is wearing a modest yet alluring two-piece sea-green colored bikini. She smiles and waves to the camera before swimming upwards, bubbles following in her wake and soon filling the screen.
The camera shows the bubbles on the screen for a moment or two before they all pop quickly. The scene now shows all of space, the celestial heavens as many stars are shown along with the planet Saturn in the upper-right corner. From below the screen pops up Janna, who smirks and waves to everyone before she turns her back to the camera. She is wearing a new outfit; a white shirt with a blue design of the stars, with two certain stars that are quite famous as being the ones from Disney's animated classic Peter Pan, a dark blue skirt that has sparkles on it that shine like stars & also no beanie so her hair is shown as full & long that goes back her shoulders a little.
She seems to be looking around until she finds a star, reaching up and taking a star near the planet. The bright white diamond-like star is between her finger and thumb in her right hand, then turned back to the camera and flung the star at it like a shuriken! The star flew towards the camera and quickly replace everything with a white screen.
The white screen stayed for a moment before something occurred. A blue line of sort appeared, and the camera zoomed away to show a scene that featured a whiteboard, the kind used in classrooms. It also now showed Eclipsa, dressed as a modern-day schoolteacher in dark-purple clothes that showed off her impressive form. In her right hand was a blue washable marker, showing that it was she that made the line from earlier. Eclipsa was drawing the planet Earth, showing great detail in drawing the continents on it. She smiled to the camera, putting her hands together & bringing them apart to reveal a purple pointer that was created by her natural dark magic. She pointed towards Europe, where the camera zoomed in on the continent.
The scene changed to showcase the legendary Colosseum that was in Rome, Italy. The camera showed one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and rising up from the bottom was Higgs! She was dressed in a Roman centurion outfit, the costume looking very much detailed. In her left hand was a shield that bared the Monsters and Magic insignia, and in her right hand was a gladius sword. She smirked at the camera, pounded her sword on her shield three times before slashing at the camera.
The screen seemed to split in two, and a new scene was shown as a building that was similar in size & shape to Macy's Herald Square department store in New York City, New York was shown. It was red and white colored, and on the front of the store were the words in bright bold golden letters- HEKAPOO'S EARTH GOODS & LAW OFFICES. The camera zooms down to show that standing in front of one of the large double-doors was Hekapoo, wearing a business suit that was in her yellow and red colors & that showed off still her ample curves and form. Hekapoo winked and blew a kiss at the camera before she slightly turned and used her right hand to open one of the doors of the establishment.
The camera went inside, and a flash of white light filled the screen. It only lasted for a moment before the scene quickly showed a jungle area. Thick foliage of different kinds of trees and plants are shown, and the camera pans upward a little to show a clearing and in the background is a full view of the Tres Hermanas Falls (Three Sisters Falls) that is located in Peru. On the side of the screens are beautiful flowers… and leaping down to land in the middle of the screen is Kelly! She is wearing a new outfit that is a white shirt with words in bold purple coloring on it DISNEY ANIMAL PRINCESS, and purple jean shorts that showcase her lovely legs.
She smiles and waves at the camera, than appearing around her are animals. Landing on her left shoulder from above is a Pygmy Marmoset, coming on her right shoulder was a bright orange male Cock-Of-The-Rock bird which is the national bird of Peru. And appearing from the right is an Otorongo, which is a spotted jaguar, which sits next to her and Kelly pets him. This stays on the screen for a couple of moments before the camera zooms past them and towards the falls.
The screen is light blue entirely for a few moments, than the camera zooms out to show a map of the entire continents of Earth. And fading into the picture is Marco, all healed and also dressed in new clothes to show that he is no longer bound to his old life. He is wearing a white shirt with a picture of the Eternal Dragon- Shenron from the anime Dragonball Z, black jeans & a black leather jacket. He is transparent, and appearing around him are the ladies who are wearing new clothes well. On his left side was Jackie and Eclipsa, on his right was Hekapoo and Higgs & finally Janna and Kelly behind him.
A red dot appears in California, and soon a line is drawn in as it is similar to how travel was shown in the classic/legendary Indiana Jones movies. It goes from California, past certain states to arrive at Texas. When the line lands in a certain spot in the state, it forms a round dot and continues onward.
The camera shows it going over the Atlantic Ocean from Delaware, and landing to form another dot on a certain spot in the United Kingdom.
It continues on, going downward until it comes to stop and form a dot in a specific part of Africa.
It than continues onward, going through the Middle East & China before stopping to form another dot in a specific place in Japan.
The line goes downward, the camera showing it passing over many islands until it stops and forms a dot in a specific area of Australia.
It continues onward over the Pacific Ocean, passing over the Hawaiian Islands & arriving at South American where it stops to make a dot at a certain location before it goes upward and heading back to California.
Once it lands back on California, the screen flashes and becomes a swirling blue and green portal as shown in the show. A couple of moments later, the camera shows Butterfly Castle once more. The camera zooms through the doors of the abode and goes into the Throne Room, where appearing in the middle of the screen are King River and Queen Moon. The king is in his royal clothes, but Queen Moon is in her Warrior's uniform. The duo smile at the camera; River doing a muscle pose while Queen Moon have a stance of confidence.
They stay on the screen for a couple of moments before the camera zooms to go behind them, through a door and quickly the scene shows the courtyard where the knights would train. Quickly appearing are Sir Scarsguard on the left, Lady Whosits in the middle and Sir Lavabo on the right. All three smirk at the screen before doing a muscle pose at the same time.
This was shown for a couple of moments before the camera panned upward quickly, the scene changing to show a pitch black setting. A shadowy silhouette appeared, the outline being visible for all to see. The figure soon brings up a sword, going into a stance as it removes the sheath. Once it is removed, the sword glows a dull white color and reveals that the person is… Mina Loveberry! Lightning bolts come down from the sky to illuminate the area, her form becoming more visible. She is wearing a new outfit; a silver and black shirt/skirt combo with armor guards on her shoulders and knees. She has a serious look on her face, her eyes flashing along with the lightning bolts as she glares seriously at the camera. A lightning bolt strikes the sword, increasing is illumination greatly & Mina swings it send a crescent slash at the camera.
The screen is white for a few moments, than a black shadow being emerges in the middle of the screen. A hand is lifted, and the white field is changed instantly to show a command ship bridge that is similar to the one shown on the Death Star in the classic movie Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The shadow reveals himself to be Lord Destryuk of the Destorian Empire, and appearing from the sides of the screen are the villains. On the left side emerges Rasticore, his purple gemstone eye glowing malevolently. On the right side is Silka, the matriarch/leader of the Iron Spider Clan in Metal Valley. Both sneer at the camera.
The camera zoom out a little, and appearing from above was Meterora. She drops down from above, rising back up and smirking evilly as she takes a stance. She raises her hands up; the left one forming a fireball in the palm area, the right one forming a small twister of silver wind in the palm area. Meterora smirks and takes a step forward before bringing her hands together. The fireball and twister combine to form a vortex of fire that is shot at the camera.
The whole screen is an orange color which lasts for a few moments, before the middle of the screen is replaced by white followed by lavender in the form of a slash mark. The camera zooms out until it shows the form of King Khan, his family with him. The scene shows a thick forest in the background. King Khan has his arms folded across his chest with a look that is like Shere Khan from the Disney animated series TaleSpin. On the right is his lovely and formidable-looking wife Queen Aikaterina, who is leaning on her beau with her hand placed on his chest in a loving fashion.
In front of them are their children; Prince Loukianos on the left side of his father, and Princess Lysimache on the right side of her mother. The two children and Queen gave off smirks, the young ones doing their own stances while letting out the claws from their hands.
The camera stayed on them for a few moments before the camera zoomed past them and going deeper into the forest. This continued for a moment before the camera stopped, showing a small but well-run village with a modest castle looming over it. The camera zooms towards the font of the castle, where it shows King Justus Acacius & his wife Queen Isadora. The two were dressed in their royal attire; modest-wear but carrying themselves in real royal air with the king on the left, the queen on the right. In front & middle of them is Princess Penelope, also grown-up and her fine form in a dress that is similar to Princess Tiana from the Disney animated movie The Princess And the Frog.
The royal looked to the camera, smiled and waved to the audience. This lasts for a few moments before Penelope reaches into her right pocket and brings out a small bottle that is filled with a deep-blue colored liquid. She than tosses it towards the camera, where it lands in a close-up and breaks. An explosion of blue dust with tiny silver stars within it like a nebula fills the screen.
The screen is filled with the dust-like nebula for a few moments, than changes to show the Cloud Kingdom. The camera showcases the scenery for a few moments before zooming down to show the Cloud Castle, stopping a small distance from the gates. Appearing in a flash of light and sparkles are the rulers of the realm; King Gilad Ponyhead on the left, Queen Rachel Ponyhead on the right. The two nuzzle each other for a few moments, looking at one another before turning to the camera. Gilad smirked while Rachel had a soft smile on. The two soon separated from each other… and in between them came flashes of light, and appearing where their children!
From left to right; Azniss, Angel, Khrysthalle, Jan-Jan, Pamanda, Shonda, Shinda, Hornanne, Teta, Chezna, Whistine and finally Pranciss Ponyhead. The floating female pony heads smirked at the screen for a moment, than those with horns powered up their magic through them! They soon shot their magic at the camera, combining it into one large blast that filled the screen with whiteness combined with dark-blue star sparkles.
The screen displayed this for a few moments before it was taken over by darkness that came from the right. It came in like a tsunami wave, covering the whole screen in blackness. It was completely dark for a few moments until Star Butterfly appeared in the middle of screen, teleported in a flash of light. She looked very down, her posture showing her head down while she was standing straight. The Butterfly Wand was in her hands, clutched tight and held to her chest.
Star was alone for a couple of moments, before two other beings appeared above her, fading into view but also slightly transparent as they were represented as mental images. The one on the upper-left corner of the screen was Thomas Lucitor, who looked up and at the camera with a sinister smirk on his face. Only his upper-body was shown. In the upper-right corner appeared Lilacia Ponyhead, the eldest of the Ponyhead siblings having a dastardly smirk on her face as well.
The scene was shown for a few moments, than the camera zoomed past them and soon everything was black once more. It was only for a moment… as red, pupil-less eyes appeared from the darkness! The eye seemingly multiplied quickly, filling in the entire screen.
In the middle of the screen came forth one of the set of eyes, an outline and form soon appearing to show that walking towards the camera… was Toffee! But he was different. No longer garbed in a business suit, but wearing armor that truly looked more demonic & fearsome than anything in the Underworld realm. He brandished a longsword that was called a zweihänder, a large two-handed sword that was primarily used in the 16th century during the Late Middle Ages period.
The sword was double-edged, straight-bladed but with small triangular protrusions on the edges. The camera showed that Toffee was considerably bulked up in form, but not in Hulk-like proportions. His face had also changed; no longer looking bored or calculating, but now fierce with a hint of savage intelligence.
He smirked evilly at the screen, getting into a stance as he held his sword at the ready. The camera zoomed back a little, to show the many other red eyes in the background coming together in two groups, soon forming a large pair of sinister-looking red eyes… and a faint outline which showed it to be the head of a classic European dragon, which was stationed above Toffee!
The warrior did a spin and brought down his sword in a vertical slash at the camera, seemingly cutting it in two as the vision split apart. The scene was now completely black for a few moments, before stars appeared. The camera zoomed out to show that the scene was in space. Appearing from below was Marco and the ladies. The young lad was in the middle; Jackie on his left side with Hekapoo beside her, Janna on his right side with Kelly beside her & finally Higgs and Eclipsa above him. Eclipsa was on the right, Higgs on the left.
The group had confident smirks on their faces, and the camera zoomed out a bit more. In the background, two planets appeared. On the left was the blue planet known as Earth, and on the right was the purple planet known as Mewmon.
The camera zoomed out a bit more to showcase the beings and the planets, Marco and the others featured below the planets to form a triangle of sort. In the space between the planets and beings appeared the words in bold white letters MARCO AT A CROSSROADS.
~End intro~
Higgs was currently at the Art House, the place where Mr. Diaz worked at. It had been an experience for her as she & Rafael drove to his workplace, the visitor from Mewni amazed to see so many kinds of vehicles that apparently did not require any kind of animal to pull it. Rafael did mention to her that most cars actually were measured in horsepower, saying that it was a term that was used back in the 1700s to measure the power of the first steam engines in comparison to horses that were used to draw carts and such back then.
It seemed that along with being an art craftsman expert, Mr. Diaz was a bit of a car expert. To be more precise, on the Advanced level while close to Expert.
When she asked the father of Marco on why each car looked different, Rafael explained that it was due to a number of things such as convenience, flashiness, power and more. Some even had cars that were specially made to show a sign of status, and others completely custom-made from the ground up! It was all up the preference of the owner.
When they made it to the building, Rafael pointed out some vehicles that were in the parking lot. Higgs saw SUV's, station wagons and mini-vans, Mr. Diaz pointing that they were often utilized by those with large families. He also pointed out some convertibles and compact cars, most often used by either the driver alone or by a few individuals. And finally some pick-up trucks, strong vehicles that were often used by people to load up various objects and move them to another location.
Rafael told her that he would explain more, but it would have to be either at lunch time or after work. Higgs was satisfied with that, even though her curiosity had been piqued at the various vehicles that seemed to be more grand than any kind of carriage she had seen back Mewni.
Higgs saw that Mr. Diaz's work a two-story building, quite long and also looked to be well-maintained. One would say that looked like a replica of the San Antonio Museum of Art building that was stationed in said city in Texas, but this one had the stones painted red with the top bricks colored white with a red star above the doorway & a painting of a large brown bear atop a grassy spot. It was to show the colors of the California flag, which was honestly done well.
The warrioress thought to herself when she saw building, 'While not as grand and big height-wise as some of the buildings back home that house artists and their works, this has a certain… charm, quality to it that makes it feel more better to me.'.
The Mewnian woman kept close to Rafael as he led her into the building, giving her a little tour of the place as they had walked down rooms and corridors. She was then exposed to a wide variety of artworks that came from various artist; paintings hung on the walls, statues of unique construction and size on stands, pictures that date from the earliest days of photography to the latest ones via technology displayed on the walls, and so much more!
Higgs was in awe, and so were some of the men that looked at her. She was dressed in some of the wear that she had bought with Andrea, Chantel and Megan at the Echo Creek Mall. Conservative yes, but it did little to hide the very cut and fine figure of the weapons-lover. While still a bit of a tomboy in clothing taste and action, she did acknowledge that she was a woman in many ways. She kept her figure nice and trim with the training she had as a squire, then a Lady Knight, but she liked the fact that she had some curves on her in the hopes of Marco recognizing her like so.
Many a male, young and old, turned to stare at the little lady from Mewni. And that resulted in getting slapped, either in the back of the head or on the cheek, by their wives or girlfriends. Higgs did not pay attention as her eyes were on the art, and also her ears listening to Rafael's words.
They soon came across a room that was called Imagination Station- Kids 3 to 11 Only, the place that Rafael had often dropped off Mariposa at whenever he brought his precious daughter to his work. Higgs peered in it, and it was truly something that she had never seen before.
The room was fairly large, a little more than half the size of the training area back home. The floor was smooth tile, with three large colorful circular rugs on the ground that were quite soft and plush. Each rug looked to be hand-made, but made with extreme love, quality, care and detail. One rug showed a beautiful blonde fairy with transparent wings, another showed what appeared to be a brown-haired knight with a dark-blue shield with a metallic-silver cross on it & wielding a long double-edged white sword & the final rug had what appeared to be a tiger of sort… but one that looked quite goofy-looking and more like a stuffed animal!
What she was seeing were the pictures of the original classic characters from the Disney company; Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty and finally Tigger from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 1988 TV series!
She also saw building blocks of various shape and sizes; some big, some small, some a light-brown color, some that had colors like blue/red/green/yellow/white/black. There was two boards on one side of the wall; one was a blackboard that had various colored chalk in the shape of crayons tucked into the metal crevice holder at the bottom of it, and the other a whiteboard that had various colored dry-erase markers that were also in a little black plastic holder at the bottom.
The room also several round tables with chairs that were meant for small kids. Each table had Toho monster on it; Heisei-era Godzilla, Showa-era Mothra in her adult form, Showa-era Jet Jaguar, Showa-era Megalon, Heisei-era Rodan, Showa-era Anguirus & finally Showa-era Titanosaurus.
And the chairs, five at each round table, were decorated with various Disney characters on them. What was on all of them was a logo of some sort; the logo being above the Disney character on the chairs, and near the monsters on the tables in different place. The logo was a round circle with two smaller circles on each side at the top, almost resembling ears with the large circle being the face. Within the circle was writing of some kind, Higgs quite puzzled by them as they looked like chicken scratch marks to her. What she was seeing was kanji, a unique kind of writing style done in Japan. China had their own unique writing that was similar, yet also different enough to be considered their own.
What Higgs was seeing was the insignia of a famous movie series called Monsters and Magic, a crossover between two legendary companies Disney and Toho!
The warrioress peered inside a little bit more to see that on the opposite side of the wall were cubby holes, each one having a large, clear plastic containers with light-gray tops on them. Each container was something different; one had pencils of different colors, one had normal pencils, one had crayon sticks, one had crayon markers, on at miniature cans of Play-Doh in it of various colors, etc. At the end were drawing note pads, some quite long vertical-wise & some being long horizontal-wise. These were meant for the young artists to draw on them, and to tear off so they could take it home.
To complete the area was a large wooden desk that looked to be simple yet also quite professional-looking. What Higgs was seeing was a Sauder® Heritage Hill 65"W Double-Pedestal Desk, Classic Cherry desk with a black leather chair with wheels down below behind it. But to the young woman from Mewni, it looked something made for a noble or royalty.
All in all, this room was a marvel to Higgs and called out to Rafael, who stopped and walked back over to her. She pointed to the room and inquired, "Mr. Diaz, what is this marvelous place here? Is it really only for kids?". In her view, only royal children were ever allowed in a place like this. Civilian kids of low class could only even dream of being in such a place.
The muscled husband of Angie smiled with pride and answered, "Yup! This place was made for the little ones who like to release their imagination! Right now, it's empty as the teacher is most likely showing the little ones some of the galleries that are around here.". Indeed, one could hear the faint calls of children in the complex.
Higgs asked on what the monsters were on the table, and who the characters were on the chairs. Rafael answered with mirth in his tone, "Oh, those monsters are from a movie company called Toho. They were actually quite popular back in the day for me, Marco and now my little one Mariposa. The characters on the chairs are from various Disney movies. Perhaps later I can show you. But they were brought together by an amazing writer from San Antonio, Texas in a story of his called Monsters and Magic! Heh, it's that story that became a movie series and also is why Mariposa and many other little ones like all of them now.".
The sword-wielder was amazed, as truly she had not seen monsters like Godzilla and the others. She had seen the toys in Mariposa's room, but only in passing and not really thought on it until right now. Higgs thoughts went like so, 'These monsters… they are truly unlike the ones back in Mewni! I mean, I fought dragons and other such beasts… but these ones… they look to give even S-Class beasts a run for their money!'.
In Mewni, Monsters and certain beasts were ranked in a certain way:
F-Class were extraordinarily weak beings that posed no threat whatsoever.
D-Class were those of annoyances that ranged from mild to severe, ones that often gave headaches of the extreme kind. Tolerant when alone, but becomes unbearable if they increase in numbers or stayed around after some time.
C-Class were those that were considered a threat to people who were unable to defend themselves, like civilians and such. Not much of a problem for trained Adventurers & the like who had moderate training. Not to be taken lightly though, depending.
B-Class were those of significant threat, those that showed advanced intelligence and potent powers/abilities that were very much threatening to civilians. These kinds of beasts would present quite a challenge to novice knights and warriors, not so much for a truly seasoned veteran of battles.
A-Class were rare, but very dangerous beasts that had size, strength, intelligence and powerful abilities that were a serious threat to both civilians and seasoned fighters/warriors. These kinds of Monsters/beasts were extraordinarily tough, and it would take a whole battalion of expertly trained fighters to take down.
S-Class… now those were truly in a league all of their own. Extremely rare to even find, but once found… an order was usually given to keep away at all times, and if spotted to notify THE best of the best. They had extreme size on their side, fierce intelligence that was sharp and savage, powers the likes that only certain royalty with magic could have, toughness & endurance that were right off the scale… and only the very top ranked masters of the fighting arts could even have a chance at taking down!
Higgs made a mental note to learn more about these creatures from Toho, and also more on the Disney characters featured in the room as she was puzzled on how they were linked to these unique beasts.
After lingering around the place a little to see it more, Rafael than guided Higgs away from it and to his own workshop that was within the establishment. They soon arrived, which was an art studio that held all the necessary tools of the trade on making works of art.
The alluring woman from Mewni was impressed to see various easel stands that held canvases that had painted pictures on them, painter's palettes that had drops of colorful paint on them on tables with painter brushes on them, workbenches that had sketches of different pictures that all seemed to be done by hand, and also a base stand that was often used to put statues on.
All in all, it was a well-maintained studio that had its little chaotic parts here and there, but done in a way that made it more real to be an artist's studio.
Rafael gestured to his work place with a big smile, very proud on what he loved to do as a living. He asked her with hope and pride in his voice, "Welcome to Rafael's Art Studio! What do you think?".
Higgs had to giggle as the big man's presentation like such reminded of her a child, but it was in a positive way. She looked around the place and answered, "It looks quite good. Cozy and organized with a touch of chaos here and there. But believe me, much better than the ones I have seen back on Mewni.".
Indeed, the place looked much more well-kept than any art house back in her world. She had only visited a couple of places like what she was seeing now in the Butterfly kingdom & also at another kingdom that was allied with the royal family. She did not care much for it back then, as she was focused more on her training in the physical arts. But she did remember on how chaotic and messy the studios were of the artist, looking like a squadron of children had run amuck in it.
Surprisingly, it was Marco that actually showed her on how art and fighting were more related than one would think!
~Flashback~
Marco was in the back courtyard of the Mewnian Royal Grounds, practicing in peace at the early morning hours. He valued the solitude of the environment; the sun rising slowly over the horizon, the stars slowly fading as the velvet twilight also started to give way to the golden rays of the morning star, the cool dew of the grass on his bare feet, and the air cooling him from the sweat he had worked up in doing his usual morning workout routine.
The young man from Earth was dressed in his usual karate garb, which had been restored thanks to some of the handmaidens who were in charge of sewing. Normally, he would have taken the clothes to Sir Lavabo to have them repaired magically. However… due to his stay on Mewni, and seeing that using magic all the time was not necessarily a good thing, he decided to have it done the old-fashioned way. He did not want his clothes to have wills/minds of their own, as he had seen from his job as a squire to the knight of the wash.
The solitude also provided an escape from the castle, as he did not wish to be around certain people at the moment. Star come back last night from another date with Thomas Lucitor, and most likely would be gushing on how romantic & special the date was. A very pained look came across Marco's face as he remembered the dreamy look she had on her face when she returned home very late at night.
Her parents, as well as himself, had stayed up in the late hours worrying about her. The look on her face made her parents calm down a little… but for him, it brought another sharp jolt of pain in his heart and spirit, thanks to the adverse effects of the Blood Moon. She received a light scolding from her parents, but she didn't seem to mind. What was worse… Star did not even look Marco's way, floating to her room in a dream-like trance that brought more pain.
And now imagining what Star would do when she woke up was more than likely to happen, so he decided to leave in the early morning to spare himself more pain.
He was doing his kata stances when he heard a rustling from one of the bushes, quickly causing him to be on guard. However, he relaxed when he saw emerging from the rose bush was Higgs. The young man could see that she was growing into a right beauty, and that many a brave man would try to woo her in order to win her affection.
But the Diaz lad had learned much about the feisty female fighter, and that it would take something extreme and dangerous to even warrant her attention. And even then, most likely it would be on battles and fighting instead of the traditional romantic ways since she found them not to her tastes/standards.
The young lady smirked as she saw the young man. She too had gone up early to train, but it had been tossed out the window the moment she saw Marco heading off. Using her skills in stealth that she acquired through training, she followed him. Higgs had learned some time ago on where Marco usually went to train by himself when he seemed to be in a funk. She saw what occurred last night, and believed that Marco would come to the place to train.
And it seemed that her assumption was correct.
Higgs spoke with a tone of confidence, "Hey there Earth Boy, getting another early start to the day?". Her arms were folded under her breasts, which did a little bounce that would have caught the attention of any male. But Marco, he focused on her face as any guy who would look at her chest like so would have gotten a punch in the face.
In secret, Higgs was hoping that Marco would look at some of the things that did indeed make her a woman.
He answered back, "Yeah, I am. Just thought I be limber and in shape for the day, in case… Star has some more missions for me to go on with her.". He wouldn't exactly call it missions, as they were more like trips around the realm to try and get the Monsters and Mewnians together with Thomas & Princess Pony Head accompanying them. While it was a noble cause to be sure, Star didn't seem to have the training to handle delicate situations.
Or rather… she had the training, but she preferred to rely more on her own ways, which unfortunately had the side-effects of Marco being forced to utilize his martial arts skills. And the aftermath was Tom and Lilacia making sure Star got the credit while leaving Marco with the scraps.
Higgs frowned at this, seeing Marco still loyal to Star despite all of the things her, her boyfriend Tom & best friend Lilacia had done to him. Instead of going off on a rant, she let out a sigh and then inquired, "Answer me this Marco… why are you doing those moves so slowly? And also, why are you still wanting to train like that even though you have proven useful with a sword?".
Marco turned his head away, focusing back on his katas but he answered her in a voice that spoke of learned wisdom, "I practice slowly so that I learn how to do the moves correctly, then increase the speed so that I can flow into the proper stances and such during a real fight. It is repetitive, but it serves a purpose. And yes, I may be good with weapons, but I never want to forget the basics when it comes to my martial arts of choice, which is karate.".
The ginger-haired beauty had a quizzical look on her face as she asked, "You know, you never told me on what something like that has even the word art in it to begin with. I mean, it should stand for something else than something that involves those wacky painters and sculptures that are here.".
The young man from Earth looked to her, a small smile on her face that caused the look of puzzlement that was on her face to increase a little. After a moment, he answered her in the same tone as before, "My Dad once said that art and martial arts go hand-in-hand, when one thinks about it. He told me that both involve the sharpening of the mind, the focus that both artist and fighter need to have in order to achieve, to visualize what they are doing, and the commitment needed to keep at it.".
He continued talking with also staying true to his katas, "He said that while the art that he does involves painting and drawing, and mine his of fighting, both are similar. His body moves to follow the flow of imagination and creativity, while mine moves to follow the flow of repetition and self-discipline. Martial arts creates styles that are meant to promote self-discipline, peace and protection to others who cannot defend themselves. My Dad's art is for bringing the beauty and deepness from his very soul in a way that calls out to others.".
He finished his kata, taking a deep breath to cleanse his lungs then turned to look at Higgs. He finished his words, "Both are different in many ways, yes. But when it comes to the concept of art, both have several similarities. It really depends on how one both sees it, and also uses it.".
This did surprise Higgs as she never even considered something like that. Marco than smiled and started to do another kata variation, this time involving his legs. The swordswoman said nothing but kept on watching him, the words from the Earth man still echoing in her mind."
~End flashback~
Higgs took the time to look around, then saw a large piece of drawing paper on the table near the statue stand. She looked to see something that really surprised her. The drawing was a picture of Rafael and Angie together, holding their hands together up in victory. Mr. Diaz was holding up Mariposa on his shoulder, the little one showing a face of absolute delight as if she was laughing. With Mrs. Diaz, on the right was Marco in the hoodie/pants outfit that he used to wear in the past. Her free arm was around his shoulder, Marco looking pleased but not an over exaggerated way.
Below the drawing of the family was the forms of certain villains that Higgs knew quite well. On the bottom was Toffee, the very potent and cunning Septarian Monster that gave the royal Butterfly family an extraordinary hard time in the past. The fate of said monster was that he was declared truly deceased, but Higgs was not sure how given how Toffee was seemingly immortal.
The Septarian was sprawled out on the ground, the business suit he wore in tatters. On top of him was the little pipsqueak known as Ludo Avarius, the dwarf Kappa-like Monster that had caused trouble for Star in the past. After everything was said and done concerning Toffee and being possessed, he went on a soul-searching journey & soon came back to live with his brother Dennis at the old Castle Avarius ruins. It had been destroyed, but the two started to rebuild it. It took time, but the duo had managed to rebuild it like it was before Ludo had taken it over.
The small Kappa Monster was put under house arrest by the royal Butterfly family & the High Magic Council, stating that it was his punishment for aiding Toffee in the war… and also being a big pain to Star and Marco multiple times. The house arrest would only last twenty-five years, and considering that the average lifespan of a Kappa was one-hundred years, it was relatively light & lucky considering what had occurred.
He would only be allowed on the Avarius ancestral grounds, and his brother Dennis being his keeper & parole officer all in one. Possibilities of a parole and lifting of the sentence was there, but it would all have to depend on Ludo's behavior.
Ludo had accepted the sentence, and so far he was doing good. Last Higgs learned of Ludo, he was dating a lovely female Tengu Monster and that it was getting serious. She wondered if wedding bells would ring, or have already rung for Ludo and his little lady.
The picture showed Ludo like he had gotten beaten up, his left eye puffed up like a black eye & looking like he had gotten into a fight with a professional boxer.
There were certain items on Ludo that made Higgs be a bit surprised. On Ludo's body was a certain headband and wand with half a star showing. It was the devil headband that Star usually wore, and the wand was the one she had when it was damaged some time ago.
Higgs did not have to be a genius to know what the items represented, which was Star Butterfly… the one that had brought much chaos to Echo Creek, the one who had gotten Marco and some others embroiled in 'magical' adventures that resulted in some very unusual endings. And the one who lured Marco away from them for a good amount of time, and the one who almost killed him.
The young woman looked towards Rafael, pointed to the drawing and asked in awe, "Did you draw this all yourself? And is the statue that you'll be making?".
He nodded his head and answered, "I did, and yes. Usually, most young ones nowadays use computers and such for their drawings. Myself though, I like to make rough drafts, sketches and final drawings the old fashioned way on paper. Gives me more control and also to work my way.".
Higgs had a puzzled look on her face as she inquired, "A computer? What is that?".
Rafael turned and walked away, going to a corner and picking up some metal rods. They would be the skeletal structure for the statue. He answered, "It's a machine that is a useful tool in a lot of ways, but I think nowadays people are depending too much on them. Me, I like to use my head and other tools at my disposal.".
He walked with the rods towards a window at the end of the room, which had a workbench that had a welding mask, blowtorch and other tools that were on said bench. Rafael continued with his words, "Computers like to point out mistakes and such, and do Auto-Correcting like so. But for me, I like to use what God gave me. To exercise my brain, my eyes and more. And also that certain flaws can actually enhance someone or something, as long as it's not too big a flaw.".
Rafael set the metal down near the bench, then looked at another bench that had the same drawing her did but with various notes, measurements and such on it. He studied it carefully and finished his words, "I have come to learn Higgs these things; when it comes to making art, and when it comes to life itself. And it is this…".
He stated four principles that he believed were Truth:
That new didn't always mean better or right
That easy didn't always mean better or right
What is right may not always be popular, but what is popular is not always right
And that old didn't always mean worthless or useless. That it could stand for classic, vintage, timelessness, Truth that had withstood the tests of both time and man
Higgs was stunned on how convicted the words came from Rafael, but at the same time could also see that Marco also followed the principles his father had laid down for him as well. He often did things the right way, even if it meant more hard work or him being embarrassed moderately.
Rafael called out, "Higgs, mind giving me a hand? If you wish, I would like to show you how to weld.". The young lady smiled, going to Mr. Diaz to assist him & also to learn something that perhaps would be useful in the future.
~Meanwhile~
It was now 10:00 a.m., and in the countryside of Mewni a large carriage that was pulled by horses that were similar to the Belgian Draft horses back on Earth, but these horses were a dark purple color & seven feet tall! It made its way towards the western regions towards the Nefarious Mountains. Those that saw the carriage would see that it was well-designed and well-crafted, and that the royal insignia of the Butterfly family was on both doors. And underneath the seal were the words in bold black letters BUFF FROG- ROYAL MONSTER EMISSARY.
Inside the carriage was Yvgeny Bulgolyubov a.k.a. Buff Frog himself, dressed in what appeared to be a mixture of Mewnian and Monster attire. His uniform was dark-green like his old armor when he worked for Ludo and Toffee, but instead of the floating eyeball that used to shown on the front, it was the seal of the Butterfly royal family. On his arms was chainmail, showing that he had protection underneath his armor. The chainmail was enchanted, thanks to Star and Marco some time ago. The young lad had suggested to Mr. Frog to have a bit of extra protection since he was a father. And had asked Star, back before she started to slide downward, to enchant the mail so that it would repel elemental attacks.
She did so, and the enchantment was still functional after the years had passed. The chainmail would repel low to mid-level power elemental attacks such as fire, wind, earth, water and ice. But it would not repel lighting since metal and electricity did mix together.
His shoulder pads no longer had spike on it, but of a wing design that curved upwards. And on his feet were boots that had a special design to them. On mental command, they could actually retract and slide into some compartments until all that was showing were certain ankle bracelets! And of course the reverse, that the boots would come over his feet from the bracelets.
It was Marco who had suggested it, saying that he was taking his cue from certain movies & TV series he watched involving certain technology. Buff Frog had no idea what he was talking about, but was impressed that such a thing was made if it was by magic.
Sitting across from him was one of his adopted children Katrina, now fully grown as a young lady that was a head taller than Star. She had a lithe build like Higgs, slim and strong that was built of much time training & building of her muscles. But she had a more prominent chest area due to her Monster species biology, about D-cup size. And her muscles too that were more prominent than Higgs, but still feminine in a way that made her quite desirable in the eyes of many a male, be they Mewnian or Monster.
Though any male caught looking at her in desire, or trying to approach her, was met with a stern Buff Frog whose physical presence was more than enough to have the boys retreat.
The Monster frog had come far from the former tadpole child she used to be. She was once the smallest of the twelve siblings, with big expressive eyes. Now she was taller than her siblings, who were now scattered to the four corners of Mewni in order to live their lives.
Katrina had decided to stay with her father, to help him and also Star & Marco who had aided her family during the turbulent times. She learned both Mewnian and Monster history; Mewnian from Star, and Monster from her father. However, Star had started to slowly drift from Katrina thanks to Thomas and Lilacia. It was Marco that soon took over, helping the young frog girl in learning more of Mewni.
She had also learned some things from Marco about his world known as Earth, the place where magic was non-existent yet held many wonderful things. And it was Marco and Higgs that taught her fighting techniques in order to better defend herself; Lady Higgs teaching her weapons in which she favored the spear, and Marco teaching her some basic self-defense moves of palm strikes, elbow strikes and knee strikes.
And like many Mewnian and Monster women of various ages, she had a large crush on Marco but had to keep their distance due to his status as a squire & personal guard to Star Butterfly.
Katrina was wearing a uniform had a vest that was dark-blue in color with a light-blue long-sleeve undershirt, the royal insignia seal etched in the middle for all to see. Her pants were also dark blue, going down to just a little past her knees with a slit near the right leg area. Not enough to be indecent, but it was for more mobility when running, doing kicks or jumping. On her feet were feminine dark-blue slippers, that could also retract until dark blue ankle bracelets were shown.
Marco had personally requested Queen Moon to enchant her clothing, even though she no longer had her magic wand & Star was now often busy with her beau and floating female friend. She did so, using a bit of wandless magic to make the clothing resistant to physical damage, though something strong could still harm her. And also to be weather-resistant and worn-resistant, and finally it had an emergency teleport function.
When in danger, all she had to do was touch the crest area and send a mental command, and in a second, she would be teleported back to her home! However, the teleport feature was limited in certain aspects. One was that it could only work within Mewni, the Neverzone & the Underworld. If it was in a different dimension other than those locations, it would not work. Two, if used, it would take at least a day for the teleport magic to recharge in full. And third, the teleport function only returned her home. It would not send her back to the place she teleported from.
Her usual uniform consisted of a dark blue short-sleeved shirt and jean shorts, ones that were designed to be more like Earth wear from Marco's realm. It was comfortable for her, and also showed off her fine figure.
Right now, in her hands was a box that contained the royal wedding ring that Minotaur Chief Alasator. It was fully repaired and ready to be presented to him and the other Mountain Minotaurs.
As they continued on through the countryside, Katrina looked out the window and sighed. Buff Frog inquired in a concerned tone, "Katrina, what is troubling you, sweetheart? You have been in a bit of a depressing mood ever since the trip.".
The young Monster woman looked to her father, answering in a voice that was very similar to the character Sally Acorn from the 1993 cartoon series Sonic the Hedgehog or Sonic SatAM to most fans of the series, "I'm just… a bit depressed Father. Not because of the trip, because I do like to travel but… I dunno, I guess I am a bit restless.".
Katrina did like to travel the realm, wanting to see more of Mewni and other dimensions. Though she did have a problem with magical & interdimensional travel, as they often left her a bit dizzy & queasy in the stomach. So if she had a choice, she would often want to travel either by foot or other means than magical.
Buff Frog had a little patient smile on as he spoke once more, "I see… I have a feeling you restless because of feelings for Marco, don't you?". Seeing his adoptive daughter's face blush from the mention of it, it officially confirmed it for the father.
Yvgeny liked Marco, as he showed to be a man of honor and integrity. He did not have a problem with Monsters, but only certain ones that did give him a hard time for no reason. He had helped his daughter to grow & also adjust to this new period where Monsters and Mewnians were mixing together. It was still a tough trial for some, but fortune smiled on him and his daughter as the Mewnians of the kingdom did not give them much of a hard time.
The only serious problem was Mina Loveberry, as her aversion to Monster/Mewnian relationship was very much apparent in her words and actions.
Marco was also a man of strength, character and dedication. He was proud to see the Earth man grow and develop, which sadly could not be said of Star. While she did grow up, it was more of the physical kind. She had started to regress more into her old persona from the past, and to Buff that was concerning. He dare not voice it though, as Star did much for him and family in the past.
He also had to keep his tongue still concerning Tom and Lilacia, as the words he had for the demon prince and the floating unicorn head… well, it would be words that were NOT meant for young ears.
After some moments, Katrina shook her head to dispel the blush, looking back to her father and answering, "Yeah… and so do a lot of other girls. It also just… frustrates me that some of the royal girls that Star introduce me to some time ago still prefer him that… bleh! That Princess Turdina persona that he used to help Star some time ago. They say that he was promoting on what a real princess should be like, being a role model and such. They can't get through their heads that it was something he made to help Star, not to really be a princess.".
Buff shook his head, indeed like his daughter was wondering why certain women wanted to see the young man dress up like a girl. It made no sense to him, and even Marco declared that it was just to help Star out, no more and no less. But it seemed that his words fell on deaf ears, sad to say.
Katrina than added in, "And also, well… you know what happened some days ago? When I woke up in the middle of the night very antsy and jumpy?".
The muscular frog frowned, remembering indeed what his daughter had just told him. She had felt something happen… something that made her so restless that she couldn't go to bed. Something that made her anxious and worried, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was no matter how hard she tried. It took some moments, and Buff stayed up with her to help her, but she soon finally made it to sleep.
It happened at the exact moment when Marco had taken the plunge into the crimson sphere Luna had made, where he took ALL of the emotional pain that had built up over his three-year stay in Mewni!
The young Frog woman continued in a tone that showed confusion, "Well… I don't know why but… when I woke up, I felt that something… well, changed. Like something major had shifted! But… even now, I can't tell what it is…".
Buff knew what Katrina was feeling now. Monsters were more in tune with nature and the supernatural then Mewnians, they could feel something coming similar to how animals on Earth would feel a disaster coming even before it actually came. A subtle shift in the wind, a feeling that called out to their very souls. It was something that had actually kept certain Monsters alive thanks to this unique sixth sense in order to avoid dangerous areas and places, if one would heed it of course.
He said to himself, 'Daughter must have sensed something major is coming. I did not feel it, but she did. I wonder what she felt, and why? I mean, I feel something too bit it is more like a gentle breeze. What she is feeling must be stronger than that.'.
Buff spoke in a soothing voice to his daughter, "Just relax daughter. It will come to you when time is right. Until then, don't dwell on it too much. Heh, it'll cause you to get winkles and I think Sir Marco would not like that.". He chuckled, than it went into a laugh as he ducked the throw pillow that Katrina chucked at him.
She exclaimed with heat in her cheeks, "Dad! Come on!". Buff liked to tease her by mentioning the human man she had come to admire.
Little did Buff realize that what she felt was a prelude of much trouble that would come to Mewni & to Earth!
~Outro; insert your favorite music & song here~
The camera shows a black screen for a moment, than fading into view is a peaceful grassy clearing. The credits start to show on the screen. It is nighttime, the moon bright and full with the stars coming out. It shows a full view of the scenery; on the grass nearby is a black & silver Protec Q18 Expanding Motorhome vehicle, and hitched to the back of it was a sturdy & large Strongway Steel ATV Trailer. And a short distance from it was a camp ground, with a fire going in a well-built fire pit and a large tent situated a small distance from it.
The tent is a Wenzel Klondike 8-Person Water Resistant Tent with Convertible Screen Room for Family Camping. Parked next to it was Nachos the dragon-cycle, the little lady dragon having her eyes closed & asleep. Nearby is a large lake that is sparkling due to the moonlight and starlight from above.
The camera zoomed in to the camp, which showed the seven campers around the fire. It showed it to be Marco, Jackie, Janna, Higgs, Hekapoo, Kelly and Eclipsa. All of them are dressed in comfortable pajamas, each one unique and according to the wearer's tastes. All are looking up at the star-filled sky.
The camera shows the face of Marco, who is smiling softly and looking peacefully up to the heavens. The camera stays on him for a few moments before switching over the Jackie. The blonde girl has the same expression as Marco, but it appears that she is also night-dreaming. The screen changes to show a semi-transparent viewing on what is in her mind. Her face and expression stay the same, showing her in the lower-left corner of the screen.
The night-dream shows her and Marco together as husband and wife, where the pair are in front of a store near a beach. They look older; Jackie's curves and assets more plentiful, while Marco looks like his older self when traversing Hekapoo's dimension, but clean shaven this time around & wearing casual clothing.
The store is quite moderate in size and the sign above shows in big, bold sea-green colored letters DIAZ SURFING & SKATEBOARD STORE. The two are together, holding each other lovingly while looking into the other's eyes. The scene changes with additions, as coming onto the scene are three kids. Two little girls come in on skateboards from the left to Jackie, wearing safety gear and such. They take their helmets off; one has brown hair, the other has platinum-colored hair with a dark-purple streak on the left side. They look to be around eight years old, both with brown eyes like Marco.
The next one to coming in shortly after them is a young boy who has brown hair, sea-green eyes like Jackie. He is carrying a surfboard that is white and carries the Monsters and Magic insignia on the front of the board. He seems to be around ten years of age.
They are the children of Jackie and Marco, said kids smiling and hugging their parents who return the gesture.
This touching scene stays on for a few moments, before the camera switches over to Janna. She has the same expression of peace on like the others, but also night-dreaming as well. The same night-dreaming sequence from Jackie starts again, this time with Janna's face on the lower-left corner of the screen.
The scene now shows Janna and Marco together, both older and also in front of a building that is quite large. It features a large telescopic feature that is similar to the Hale Telescope in Palomar Mountain, California. The sign above shows in big, bold black letters DIAZ OBSERVATORY & DAYCARE CENTER.
The camera shows two children emerging from the central doorway and going to them. One was a little girl with brown hair with a rose-colored beanie on her head, wearing a shirt and skirt combo that has the planet Jupiter on said shirt & brown eyes. The other is a small boy with black hair, wearing a black shirt that has the white outline picture of Godzilla from Godzilla 1985: The Legend is Reborn. He has dark blue jeans, and his eyes are brown as well. Both of them look to be around the age of nine.
They are Janna and Marco's children, the little girl leaping into the arms of her father while the son is lifted up by his mother. The scene is shown for the next few moments before going to the next young woman, which is Higgs.
As the credits still rolls, the camera shows the night-dream she is having. The scene changes to show a small clearing near a forested area, and it appears to be in Mewni as the Butterfly Castle is in the background. It showcases a modest cottage near the forest, and emerging from it was an older Higgs and Marco. Said Diaz lad had the same build like the others, but this time with a small goatee and dressed up like a noble knight of the realm. And the older Higgs seemed to have filled out in the right area, making her look more womanly, despite the knight outfit she had on.
Said outfit was modified and changed to be different, unique from the male knights.
From the cottage, the camera showed three little ones coming to them. They were also the children of the duo! Two boys were dressed up like little squires; one had brown hair, the other orange hair. Both had green eyes and looked to be healthy and strong. They looked to be around ten years of age.
The little girl was dressed like a knight, though the clothing was all plastic and not real. She had brown hair, brown eyes and looked quite adorable and healthy. She looked to be around eight years of age.
The camera showed the children going to their parents, who had proud and loving smiles on their faces as they held their little ones close. The scene stayed there for a few moments before switching to the next woman, and it was Hekapoo this time.
The night-dreaming scene showed a building that is similar to the New York Stock Exchange building in New York City, New York. The difference is that building is red with yellow pillars, and on the front shows a white billboard-like sign that displays the planet Earth on the left & planet Mewmon on the right. In between the planets were the words in bright, bold red colors INTER-DIMENSIONAL GOODS EXCHANGE.
The camera zoomed in close to the doors, where they opened to reveal Hekapoo and a grown-up Marco. Hekapoo looks like she has not changed at all physically, but is wearing a tight business attire that showcases her fine form. Marco is also wearing a business suit.
A portal appears on the left close to Hekapoo, and coming forth from the orange/red swirling vortex are three children. Two are girls; one having brown hair that is short and in the style of Marco's, another having full flowing red hair but kept in a ponytail. Both are wearing Hekapoo's original dress style, but the one with brown hair is holding a Dimensional tool in the form of safety scissors. Both look to be around ten years old.
The boy with them looks to be a mini-version of Marco, dressed in a white karate gi with a white belt around his waist. He looked to be older than the girls, around eleven years old. All three of them have red eyes though, like Hekapoo.
They are their children, the camera showing the smiles of Hekapoo and Marco as they pat/rub the heads of their kids. The scene stays on the screen for a few moments before it switches to the next girl, which is Kelly.
The scene changes to show the village of Amazonia, the camera showing the village for a couple of moments before zooming in towards the largest hut at the end of the village. Coming from the doorway is an older Kelly and Marco, the Amazonian having filled out nicely in the right areas while Marco is clean shaven this time around. Both are wearing royal clothing, similar to the ones shown from the DreamWorks movie Road to El Dorado.
From the hut emerges four children; two girls, two boys. All have large fluffy hair like Kelly, but in different colors. One of the girls and one of the boys have brown hair, the remaining two have green hair. The little ladies have brown eyes, the little men having black eyes. The girls seem to be around nine years old, the boys seven years of age.
They are the children of Kelly and Marco, and the camera turns slightly to show that coming from the forest behind the house are four wolf pups that are about the size of the kids. Those pups belong to Jorby and his mate. The scene shows the children now playing with the Monster pups, Kelly and Marco looking on in love and pride at their little ones.
The scene continues on for a few moments until it shifts to the final woman, which is Eclipsa.
The camera shows the scene of Butterfly Castle in Mewni, but it has changed. It has been reconstructed to look similar to the Balmoral Castle located in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on Earth. The castle is also decorated in the colors of dark-purple and black, but in a tasteful way. Around the palace grounds are a mixture of Mewnian and Monster citizens, but it seemed to be peaceful and no kind of negative or hostile emotions/actions.
The camera zooms to one of the balcony areas of the castle in the northeast sector, said balcony having an ornate design. There are two people on it as they look towards the rising moon; it is Eclipsa and older Marco, Eclipsa looking like she has not aged much while Marco is clean-shaven and with a bit more muscles on him. Both are wearing royal clothing, indicating that they are King and Queen of the realm.
The two hold each other together, than are soon joined by five children that come in from the door behind them. There are three boys and two girls, all wearing Earth clothes. Two of the boys have green hair like Eclipsa, the other having brown hair in their own styles. The two girls both have green hair, also set in their own unique style. The boys have brown eyes, the girls have mauve-colored eyes. The boys look to be around the age of nine, indicating they are triplets. The girls are twins, looking to be around the age of seven.
They are the children of the couple, the boys gathering around their mother and hugging her while the little ladies are picked up & hugged by their father. The scene lasts for a few moments until the image fades completely and the camera is back to show the present scene.
The camera shows the smiling faces of the ladies, and also of Marco who is looking up still at the sky with a peaceful expression on. The camera keeps on them for a moment, before it changes to show the starry sky above.
The scene shows the young man in the lower middle part of the screen, where a path of white light appears before him. The path goes up, than splits into six lines; two going to the left, four going to the right. On the left side appears Jackie and Janna, the two lines stopping at their feet. On the right side appeared Hekapoo, Higgs, Kelly and Eclipsa. Each of the lines stops at the feet of each of the ladies.
Above Jackie and Janna appears the faint image of the planet Earth, and above Eclipsa and the others is the planet Mewmon.
The credits are at their end, the scene showing that Marco is indeed at a crossroads in many ways.
~End outro~
(Author Notes: And… cut! That is it for this chapter! I am sorry if it is short, but best I could do & trying to get my groove back concerning this story.
Before I say or do anything else, I want to give praise and honor to the Lord. Thank you God for once again helping me tremendously with my works, and also with my personal life as well. It is still tough, and much work to be done, but I will continue to look to you for strength, guidance, insight, energy, determination and courage! I will strive to do my best for you Jesus, no matter what!
I really hope you liked this chapter, despite it being short. I really wanted to show you what Rafael does, and also to promote a little of my Monsters and Magic series in here as well. Heh… I still dream of my series becoming more than just fanfiction, along with my other Disney/Toho works.
So Higgs gets to help Rafael in making the statue, and also we see Buff Frog and his daughter! I apologize if their outfits seemed a bit bland, but best I could do. Fashions and such are not my forte, and the anklets work on the same principle of the Mark VII Iron Man Armor used in the Marvel movie The Avengers. But it uses magic, not technology.
And also, there is something else I wish to explain here concerning Star and why she is being punished like so. After reading many summaries of the series, and also remembering the episodes I did see before getting turned off from it, I have seen this kind of trend that sadly many others are following now.
Star never truly realized the full weight of any of the decisions she has ever made concerning her training, her duty as a princess to her land & also never taking things seriously. Yes, she stepped up during serious threats like Toffee, Mina Loveberry and then some. But even then, it was there was no other way and also that she seemed to rely heavily on her magic.
And after the fighting is done, its like she rarely learned her lesson. Its like the fighting was done, but she never took to learning anything from them. I know that she is a teenager and prone to make mistakes, but it seems she never learned from them. Her character development and growth were either very slow, or that it was ignored just in favor of slice of life stuff for others to see.
So in my view, Star needs to truly learn the depths of her choices. The consequences that both affect her, and others around her for the long-run. And also that while living life as a princess may not be as fun as she wants it to be, its that duty for the people and the land is something that should be taken seriously. And also that magic is not the answer to everything, and that some were considered dark/evil for a really good reason.
And finally this- I believe the writers/creators of the series missed some seriously critical things that could have been shown and taught as lessons for the viewers. I remember when cartoons used to also deliver lessons that can be translated into real life, and Disney USED to do that. Doesn't seem to do that anymore, nor develop characters or plots rightly now.
So that is why in this story, Star will endure the punishments given to her. But she will also seek self-reflection and see that if she really wants to become the princess her family, her people and REAL friends need to be… she needs to learn real humility, self-discipline/restraint/control and honor. Not to be a perfect princess… but the right one that her land needs for the life-run.
And now for the questions! Ahem…
What car do you think Higgs would choose that would match her aspect and taste? And also, if she asked for a custom car, how would you build it?
At seeing the Imagination Station, what would your thoughts on it be? And if it were up to you, how would you decorate it?
What did you think of the ranking class that Higgs described? How would you rank the classes of the Monsters in the Toho universe?
What do you think of Rafael's' final drawing for the statue? And if you helped him and Higgs in making the skeletal framework of the statue, what would you help out with?
What do you think of the introduction of Katrina? Also, what kind of protections would you craft on her clothing and accessories?
And finally this… what would you be thinking after she told on the feeling that she had? On the shift that she is feeling that involves Marco and the royal family?
Optional Bonus Question: What kind of car do you think would suit each of the ladies that is vying for Marco's attention? And why?
R&R, no flames, enjoy and leave LONG reviews!)