Maybe it was the warm weather, or perhaps the fact that Marco had just bathed, but sleep was beginning to creep over him. The sunlight filtered dimly through his curtains, casting a warm glow over his body. The cool air from the AC hummed softly, making his eyelids feel heavy. Were it not for the gaping hole in his shoulder and the thick scent of blood filling the room, this might have been a perfect time to drift off.

But he knew that if he closed his eyes now, he wouldn't wake up.

"Shit," Marco muttered through clenched teeth as the pain surged—hot, burning, and all-consuming. The laser had torn through his shoulder, knocking him flat on the ground and winding him. Even now, his body refused to move, protesting every effort to rise. Star Butterfly stood over him, her wand still steaming from the attack. Her porcelain face and pale blue gown were stained with crimson, though her expression remained disturbingly serene.

Star tilted her head slightly, her voice calm, almost distant. "I had not expected such extensive bleeding from what should have been a relatively minor wound."

Marco grunted, forcing a weak smile. "It went through my whole shoulder, Star. Kinda does that." He winced, then added with strained effort, "Any chance we can talk this out?"

Star's lips curled into a small, gracious smile as she regarded him, though her eyes remained as cold as ice. "You may certainly try. I bear no ill will toward you, Marco, truly. The pain you feel now, believe me when I say it wounds me far more deeply." Her words were soft, yet hollow, devoid of any genuine warmth.

She took a step closer, her movements measured and deliberate. "I do this only for the greater good of my kingdom. Your recent... association with those creatures cannot be ignored. You must understand, Marco, they are criminals. What lies they have spun to deceive you, I cannot say, but rest assured they have used you for their own gain. The moment you have served your purpose, they will turn against you."

Her smile remained in place as she closed the distance between them, her voice almost affectionate. "You are my dearest friend, Marco, are you not?" She reached down, gently cupping his face with her blood-stained hands. Marco could have sworn he saw a flicker of something genuine in her otherwise emotionless gaze—a glimmer of something softer. "Tell me where they are, and I shall see to it that they never harm you again. You have my word."

Maybe it was the blood loss, but Marco found himself momentarily confused. He shook his head, snapping out of it, pushing her hands away. "They're just kids, Star," he growled, his voice hoarse. "What are you even talking about? They were stealing food because they were starving. You can't be serious. Even if they had money, no one in your kingdom would sell to them!"

Star's expression faltered, her serene mask cracking slightly. "A crime is still a crime, Marco," she said, her tone cooling again. "They knew full well the consequences of their actions. The merchants have the right to choose their customers. They violated the laws of Mewni."

Marco gritted his teeth. "Stealing food doesn't mean they deserve to die!"

Star's smile disappeared, replaced by a frown. She stood taller, her regal posture stiffening as her wand began to glow with an icy blue light. "I have honored the laws of your Earth, Marco, even when they conflicted with my own beliefs. I respected your customs out of deference to you." Her voice grew sharper, each word cutting. "And yet you refuse to do the same within my kingdom."

Her wand's glow intensified, the light blinding as she pointed it at him. "I shall ask you only once more. I do not wish to do this, Marco, but you leave me no alternative."

The light seared his eyes, but Marco could still make out the slight tremble in her hands, the uncertainty lurking beneath her cold facade. Her gaze wavered, betraying a moment of hesitation. "Please, Marco," she whispered, her voice almost pleading. "Where are they?"

Marco blinked against the light, his mind racing as he tried to process everything. Where had it all gone wrong? He had always thought Star understood him—better than anyone else. He had believed she would listen to him, that they shared something real. But now, it seemed like everything had been a lie.

He had been so stupid, thinking she saw him as more than just a tool. He thought she was different—that with her, he had found someone who wouldn't see him as the angry outcast. Someone who wouldn't label him as a problem. But she wasn't his friend. She never had been.

Marco chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. "It's fine, Princess." Star's eyes widened, startled by the sudden change in his voice. "You don't have to pretend anymore. We were never friends." His fingers tightened around the baseball bat he had managed to grab. "And I'm not telling you where they are."

Star's breath caught, her expression faltering as if his words had struck her harder than any blow could have. "Marco..."

Marco narrowed his eyes, bracing himself as he prepared to swing. "Do what you have to do, Princess."

Star's voice broke in a whisper, barely audible over the hum of her wand. "I'm sorry."

Marco smiled grimly, feeling the weight of his exhaustion settling over him. He had trusted her. He had trusted her with everything, and now he was paying the price. "If only," he muttered under his breath, lifting the bat as he prepared for the inevitable. "If only..."

He swung blindly into the blinding light.

Star POV

The scent of blood hung in the air, thick and suffocating, mingling with the stale coolness of the room. Star Butterfly walked forward with deliberate grace, her steps silent against the cold floor. Her pristine blue gown, once a symbol of her royal status, was now splattered with crimson, though her face remained serene, her eyes reflecting the same unwavering calm.

She stared down at Marco Diaz, who lay before her, his shirt soaked in blood, a gaping wound through his shoulder. He had been so confident, so sure of himself. Yet now, as he struggled to rise, his body trembling from the force of the laser that had torn through him, he seemed fragile—helpless.

Star's gaze lingered on the wound, and she tilted her head slightly. "I had not expected such extensive bleeding from what should have been a relatively minor wound."

There was no emotion in her voice—no regret, no satisfaction. It was simply an observation, clinical and detached. She hadn't meant to injure him so grievously, not yet. But she would do what was necessary.

Marco winced, forcing himself to sit up with a grunt of pain. "It went through my whole shoulder, Star. Kinda does that." His tone was casual, strained by the pain, but still carrying the familiarity that once warmed her heart.

He always believed he could talk her out of anything. His voice, usually filled with reason, had a way of cutting through the chaos in her mind, making her see things differently. It was why she had allowed him to remain so close for so long.

But now? Now it felt hollow.

"Any chance we can talk this out?" Marco added, his usual charm slipping into the words, though his body betrayed his struggle.

Star's lips curved into a gracious smile as she gazed down at him, her expression cool but polite, the way she had been taught by her mother. "You may certainly try. I bear no ill will toward you, Marco, truly. The pain you feel now, believe me when I say it wounds me far more deeply." The words were gentle, but empty.

There had been a time when those words might have been sincere. She had cherished him, thought of him as her dearest friend. But now? The kingdom came first. It always had. Her mission was clear.

She stepped forward, her gaze still fixed on him. "I do this only for the greater good of my kingdom. Your recent... association with those creatures cannot be ignored. You must understand, Marco, they are criminals."

Her voice softened as she looked into his eyes, but there was no warmth left in her. "What lies they have spun to deceive you, I cannot say, but rest assured they have used you for their own gain. The moment you have served your purpose, they will turn against you."

She crouched down beside him, her gown pooling like water around her as she gently cupped his face with her hands, her fingers still sticky with blood. "You are my dearest friend, Marco, are you not?" She tilted her head, her cold blue eyes searching his face. "Tell me where they are, and I shall see to it that they never harm you again."

Her fingers tightened slightly against his skin, as though holding him in place, waiting for him to submit. Part of her wanted to believe that he would. That he would see reason, that he would still stand by her side.

But when Marco shook his head, pushing her hands away, something inside her hardened.

"They're just kids, Star," he growled, his voice hoarse but defiant. "What are you even talking about? They were stealing food because they were starving. You can't be serious. Even if they had money, no one in your kingdom would sell to them."

Star blinked, her serene mask wavering for a moment. "A crime is still a crime, Marco," she said, her tone sharpening. "They knew full well the consequences of their actions. The merchants have the right to choose their customers."

Her hands dropped to her sides, fingers twitching as the cold resolve began to return. The law was the law, and order must be maintained. It was the way of Mewni. It was her duty as a princess.

Marco clenched his fists, his anger bleeding into his voice. "Stealing food doesn't mean they deserve to die!"

Star's smile disappeared, replaced by a faint frown as she straightened herself. Her wand began to glow, the light gathering at the tip, casting a cold blue glow across the room. "I have honored the laws of your Earth, Marco, even when they conflicted with my own beliefs. I respected your customs out of deference to you." Her voice grew icy, each word falling like a blade. "And yet you refuse to do the same within my kingdom."

The light from her wand grew brighter, flooding the room in a blinding glow. She pointed it at Marco, her posture rigid, her expression cold. "I shall ask you only once more. I do not wish to do this, Marco, but you leave me no alternative."

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she looked down at him. He was her friend—her only true friend. But he had betrayed her, sided with the enemy. She had given him a chance, but he refused to listen.

"Please, Marco," her voice softened into a whisper, her gaze wavering, her hand trembling ever so slightly as she held the wand pointed at his head. "Where are they?"

Marco's eyes met hers, filled with a sadness she hadn't expected, a sadness that pierced through the cold walls she had built around herself.

When had everything gone so wrong?

Marco looked up at her, and for a moment, Star wished—wished desperately—that he would just give her what she needed. That he would understand.

But instead, he chuckled, shaking his head. "It's fine, Princess," he said, his voice resigned. There was a bitterness there that cut deeper than any weapon. "You don't have to pretend anymore. We were never friends."

Her heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat.

What...?

Marco tightened his grip around the baseball bat, his eyes narrowing with steely determination. "And I'm not telling you where they are."

Star stared at him, her pulse racing in her ears. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to listen. He was supposed to understand. He—

Marco's voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. "Do what you have to do, Princess."

Her hands trembled, and for the briefest of moments, she wanted to drop the wand, to stop the glowing light that now filled the room. She wanted to step back, to go back to how things were before, to find some other way.

But it was too late.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Marco smiled faintly, his body slumping from the weight of his exhaustion. "If only," he muttered under his breath, lifting the bat weakly. "If only..."

He swung blindly into the light.

8 MONTHS AGO

Star stood before the mirror, smoothing out the folds of her gown. "I must admit, I fail to comprehend why we do not simply take Earth by force. This charade of posing as a transfer student seems rather... unnecessary."

Her mother, Queen Moon, approached, her hands deftly adjusting the bow on Star's dress. "You know very well why, Star," she replied with patient authority. "Earth is a world without magic. Conquering it would yield little benefit for us. Their technology is inferior to our power. What we need are recruits—loyalists to our cause—and to locate any monsters or demons hiding there."

Moon placed her hands gently on Star's shoulders, her voice softening. "Do not fret, my dear. The moment those traitorous beasts try to flee, they will lead us straight to them. The portals they use will deliver them right to Butterfly Prison." Her smile was warm, but her eyes held the same cold determination as Star's. "This will be your chance to prove yourself, my darling. To show that you are ready to fight alongside your father and me."

Star longed for battle, to finally join her friends who had already tasted war. But her mother had kept her back, shielded her, even as those close to her had already fought. She hated watching from the sidelines while others like Pony Head and Kelly got to experience the thrill of conquest firsthand.

"Very well, Mother," Star said with quiet determination. "I shall not disappoint you. I will make you proud."

Moon smiled approvingly. "You already have, my princess. Now, go downstairs. The portal awaits."

As they walked together, Moon continued to speak. "You will have a guide on Earth—a human boy, physically capable of protecting you from any monster attacks."

Star raised an eyebrow, her tone sharpening. "Why would I need protection, Mother? Am I not more than capable—"

Moon cut her off. "Your magic, powerful as it is, can be unpredictable. We cannot afford for you to accidentally harm the humans. The guide will handle any minor threats so you won't have to."

"I see," Star said, her tone cooling again. "And who is this guide?"

"A delinquent boy from Earth. Do not concern yourself with him. He poses no threat to you, and if he dares to try... well, you know what to do."

Star grinned. "Understood."

As they approached the portal room, Star's father, King River, stood waiting, barely holding back tears.

"Stay safe, Star!" he sobbed, embracing her tightly. "And remember—eat well, sleep on time, and always clean the blood off after you've killed someone!"

Moon rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "She will be fine, River."

Star hugged him back, a small smile on her lips. "Goodbye, Father. I will return victorious."

Her mother nodded with approval. "You are a Butterfly, the strongest family in all of Mewni. Do not forget who you are."

Star smiled, her heart swelling with a sense of purpose as she stepped through the portal, leaving behind her kingdom and everything she knew. She was ready. Ready to claim her destiny.

So uh...its been a while. I don't really have much of an excuse other than life and college decided to consume my life. But now that everything is relatively stable I want to work on this story again! And as an apology I have written the first chapter again and byt the time this is out chapter 4 should have dropped!

Thank you again for reading and please review and comment, I love reading your comments and thoughts on the story!