The Scarlet Executioner

By: Bubbajack

Beta/Co-author: IcySnowSage

Disclaimer: We do not own Star vs, or ANYTHING else that shows up in this fic.

For continuity of this Story the Episode Princess Turdina has not occured yet.

Ch.3: Crystal Clear Confessions.

Marco woke up in a slight daze the next morning. He looked around the room, nothing seemed familiar, everything was a dull grey. This was neither his room on Earth, at Castle Butterfly, or in the Crucible. Hearing a disgruntled mewling beside him Marco looked over and saw Penny covered by the sheets in the bed next to him. Then, it all came back to him. The kiss that descended into a night of passion. 'Penelope, bless her, she's… trying to help me move on, from Star, and Jackie,' Marco scowled as he thought of the two blondes. It still hurt like a knife to the chest when he thought of either of them, but, the wound didn't feel as fresh now for lack of a better term. Placing a gentle kiss on Penelope's still sleeping brow. Marco got himself ready for today.

He donned his armor again, piece by excruciating piece. Once it was in place he had Zarathos help him slip into his Princess Turdina dress. The now sentient chain and he had a special relationship. They were two beings in one body at one point, and after coming to the Crucible, their arrangement changed but at the same time, became more meaningful, brotherly almost.

"Are you s~sure you want to do this~s Marco?" Zarathos hissed, his voice like the crackling of a fire and the clinking of iron links in concert inside Marco's mind. "You owe them nothing! You could leave right now and none could, would, or s~should blame you."

"It'd just be something else I'd blame myself for Zar, I mean seriously, look at this place, it looks like the USSR's side of Berlin."

"True, it is fairly s~shitty… not Berlin s~shitty, I s~should know, I was there collecting s~soul~s for Old Nick at one point, before the wall came down, but I get what you mean. Like s~seriously, clean up after yours~selves~s you fucking bums~s." Zarathos complained.

"How's my hair?" Marco asked as he adjusted his wig.

The chain came around and gave him a once over like an obedient snake before morphing itself into a hand of black iron and giving Marco a thumbs up. "Looking good. You s~should actually consider fighting in the Crucible as~s Princess~s Turdina. Rake in some extra cash under a new name."

Marco laughed lightly at that, "Yeah, maybe. I mean, I am an inspiration to an entire generation of princesses so… meh, I'll think about it."

"You were damn inspirational last night," Penelope said from the bed having woken up during Marco's conversation. "Who were you talking to anyway?"

"Zarathos," Marco replied.

"Who?"

In response the chains on Marco's arms elongated morphing into a grinning skull before setting itself on fire, and leering at her as it greeted her. "A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Princes~s S~Spiderbite. I am Zarathos, s~soul collector of the nine hells."

"Hello… and you're stuck on Marco's arm in a chain why exactly?" Penelope questioned as she looked around for her dress

The chain on Marco's other arm was quick to gather up all her hastily discarded clothing and present them to her one piece at a time. Penelope flushed as she plucked her green dress from the sentient chain "Thank you?"

"Your welcome, and to answer your question, I owe my… mother a thank you I suppose."

Penelope cocked her head to the side as she got herself dressed. "Your mom?"

Zarathos gave a thoughtful incline of his head. "In a manner of s~speaking, S~Star Butterfly is~s my mother after a fashion. For it was s~she who cast a s~spell upon Marco that s~summoned me through the flesh of his~s right arm."

"Woah, woah hold up!" Penelope, who was now wearing just her dress, threw the sheets off her now modesty covered form. "You mean Star turned your arm into a demonically possessed… thing? No offense Zatharos."

The flaming skull gave his head a shake. "None taken and I was~s a tentacle at the time… I also had the oddest hunger for human bowles~s… which is~ s~strange as I usually eat the s~sin of s~sentient beings~s not their fles~sh."

Penelope held up a finger. "Put a pin in that, we'll talk about it in a moment," Peneolpe turned to Marco arms crossed. "You mean to tell me that Star gave you a demonic tentacle for an arm? How long did this last for?"

"A week, and Star stayed up for days trying to reverse the effects. She only resorted to magic in the first place after I broke my arm when trying to show off to her trying to break three wooden boards at once with a single karate chop, then begged her to fix it in time for a karate tournament."

Putting her hands on her hips, Penelope shook her head. "Well, that was dumb of you. And it was just as dumb of Star to turn your arm into a sentient tentacle… but at least she fixed it."

"Yes," Marco agreed. "It was, and she did…" Marco trailed off.

Penny put a hand on his shoulder. "You still love her, I get it Marco. Something like that isn't going away anytime soon, but I just wanted you to know that… you have options."

"Thank you Penelope, for last night, it… well I won't say it was the first time or the second, I spent sixteen years in Hekapoo's dimension after all, but it was nice all the same," Marco replied as he reached up and overlapped his hand with hers.

"Well it was my first, and I'll remember it… fondly," Penelope said with a blush in her tone.

"And I'll remember this fondly, I never meant to imply I wouldn't," Marco hastily replied, turning to face the Spiderbite Princess.

Penelope pulled Marco into a hug. "I know you will, you big goof. You worry too much. That's your fatal flaw you know? You worry too much, second guess, and then if things go wrong you blame yourself. Not. Everything. Is. Your. Fault," When she spoke the last four words, she tapped him on the nose for emphasis.

Marco gave a wan smile, "Thanks Penny," He then switched to his princess voice. "Ready for this?"

"Nervous?" Penny asked as she finished getting dressed.

Marco or Turdina rather shook his head, "No, not really. I've just decided to adopt this as my princess voice. Whatdaya think?"

As Penelope turned around so Marco could zip her dress up, she replied, "It suits you."

"Teehee. Thanks. So breakfast first, then the big announcement?" Marco asked in his princess voice.

"Agreed, but before that," Penelope turned to Zarathos and quirked an eyebrow. "What's this about you eating sin now?"

"It's~s jus~st as it s~sounds~s Penelope S~Spiderbite," Zarathos replied, "I eat s~sins~s that accumulate in the s~souls~s of s~sentient beings~s. Doing s~so purfiys~s them but also des~stroys~s them in the proces~s."

"And how exactly has Marco been keeping you fed?" Penelope asked, eyebrows raised.

"Via the executions~s in the Crucible of course," Zarathos said as if it were obvious. "Death is~s too good for the ones~s Marco decides~s to kill. I'm s~sure you agree yes~s?"

Penelope clenched her fists as she thought of Elise the Spider Queen how even in death, her soul had been turned into a snack just like she had sacrificed so many, her older brother included to her patron who was now also dead. "Completely Zarathos… Thank you."

"Don't thank me for having the equivalent of breakfas~st Princess. S~Speaking of, I believe the two of you s~should be going now."

Marco who had just finished wrapping his robe of the firerat around his waist and tucking the mask of Santa Muerte behind his back securely within its folds nodded as he placed Leviathan on securely on his back. "Agreed, let's go Penny."

As the two walked down the garbage and graffiti strewn halls of St. O's, Marco kicked the occasional pizza box aside as the two made their way towards the dining hall. As they neared the dining hall the duo found Patty waiting for them pacing anxiously. When she saw them she raced up to them. "Patricia, is everything okay?" Marco asked, concernedly.

"N-No, no it's not," Noticing Patty slurred a bit and how she winced as the light met her eyes, Marco made a quick deduction.

"You're hung over aren't you?" Marco asked. He'd suffered more than one of those in both his time in the Neverzone and more recently during his time on 'night guard duty' for Star. Suffice it to say, he had a high alcohol tolerance. Some of that shit they severed him in the Neverzone should've killed him… but didn't.

"What's wrong?" Penelope asked concerned.

Patty rubbed the back of her head with her topmost right arm. "Well, I hit the bottle a little too hard last night, the stress of keeping this place afloat is really getting to me guys, and… I might've, in my inebriated state, thought it was a good idea to come ask you some questions ma'am."

"And you saw us going at it." Marco surmised.

"What?!" Penny screeched. She did not want her first time being witnessed by anyone.

Patricia looked away shamefaced. "Yes."

Penelope moved forward to slap the other girl silly only for Marco to put a firm hand on her shoulder. "Wait."

Penelope's eyes burned with wrathful fire as she fixed Marco with a glare. "What for?!"

"We don't know how bad this is yet," Marco replied.

That snuffed out a majority of the fire in the wrathful princess's eyes. "How can it be worse exactly?"

"She could have, in her drunken state, recorded us, and then sent the video to everyone on her friends list," Marco fixed Patricia with a tired glare. "You didn't do that did you?"

The multi-armed princess refused to meet his gaze. "I am so sorry."

When he heard that, Marco sighed and let go of Penny's shoulder. "Go ahead."

As Penelope pummeled Patty which basically amounted to a lot of slapping and hair pulling Marco peeked into the dining room. All the girls had their heads buried in some form of newspaper and were blushing heavily, some looked to be breathing deeply too.

He turned back to Penelope who was trying to strangle Patty to death at this point. With a flick of his hand, he separated the two girls with a bit of Will. "Why'd you stop me, she fucking deserves this!" Penelope snapped.

Marco who was acting completely ambivalent to the situation, asked Patty who was rubbing her throat. "I need more information. That paper they're reading in there, what is it?"

"The Pixie Gazette. It's a magical newspaper run by the Pixie Dimension and the widest read newspaper in the multiverse," Patty replied.

"And we made the paper huh?" Hmm, interesting."

"You… aren't angry?" Penelope asked, perplexed at his nonchalance. "Why aren't you angry?"

Marco rubbed his wig and looked away. "This isn't the first time something like this has happened to me actually."

"What?" Both princesses deadpanned.

"Yeah when I was hunting down Hekapoo's in the Neverzone one of them had set themselves up as a high class call girl. She was very… selective on her clientele and wouldn't sleep with just anyone. They had to be… experienced. Very experienced."

"Marco were you a gigolo at one point?" Penelope asked point blank.

"Let's just say I did a lot of things in the Neverzone that I'm not proud of to get my dimensional scissors and leave it at that Penny," Marco said in a tone that closed the subject. "The better question is how did thePixie Gazette get a hold of this video?"

"Pixie Princess goes here…" Patty admitted. "And she's on my friends list."

"Corn, my parents read the Pixie Gazette! Marco, Star and her parents read the Pixie Gazette," Penelope said with mounting terror in her voice.

"Well it's just in the paper, it's not like they can watch the actual video… they can, can't they?" Marco asked, pinching the bridge of his nose."

"They can," Penelope said with a sigh. "It's a magical newspaper. Videos are embedded into it all the time."

"Fuck me!" Marco swore.

"Me doing that is what got us into this situation in the first place," Penelope complained.

"I meant figuratively not literally," Marco said with a sigh. He turned to Patty, "Could you do me a favor and bring us some breakfast to Heinous' chambers? I don't think it would be wise for us to head in there right now."

Patty bowed respectfully. "Of course,"

"Also, bring me a copy of that paper, I need to see how much damage control I need to do… and lastly…" Marco paused to gather his thoughts. "How soon can you have reflectacorp out here when I'm ready to give my speech?"

Patty blinked. "I… I'll need a couple of hours. Nyx can have them out here right quick if I say it's a request from you."

"See to it then," Marco turned on his heel in his dress and walked back down the hallway.

"Did he just… seem like…?" Patty let her question hang.

"A King just then?" Penelope finished for her, a slight smile on her face as she watched Marco depart. "Yeah he did." She then turned and scowled at Patricia. "Marco may be willing to sweep this under the rug, but I. Am. Not. That was my first time. It should have been a special memory shared between just myself and Marco and now everyone, my parents included, know about it!" As Penelope spoke she stalked towards Princess Arms until she was backed into a wall. She then stalked closer and whispered into the girls ear. "So this press announcement better go off without a Corn damned hitch or so help me, you're going to have to watch what you eat for the rest of your days. It only takes a little bit of poison in some food or wine to kill someone after all."

Patty swallowed hard as she watched the Spiderbite Princess stalk down the hall. Only once she had disappeared down the hall did she let out the breath she'd been holding. She had a lot on her mind these days, what with trying to keep 's from sinking, but right now, the only thing on her mind was making damn sure this press conference went nothing short of absolutely perfectly. Her sanity and ability to eat demanded as much. "Now to find Nyxy. Where is that pesky fairy princess? It's her fault I'm in this mess in the first place, she can at least help bail me out."

Star's eyes snapped open and she looked around her. She didn't see any evidence of a nightly jaunt. No discarded Goblin Dog wrappers, or anything else super odd like that. She sighed in relief. "Well that Deep Sleep Draught of Great-Gran-Gran Celena seems to be working wonders." Star looked over to an empty stool where her squire that she hadn't seen in over a week used to sit. A mix of guilt and guilty pleasure twisted in her gut. Guilt for she now knew she had taken full advantage of his kind nature and forced her Best Bestie to stay up for weeks on end, but him being there on that stool was also a guilty pleasure for her. For Marco being the first thing she saw in the morning and the last thing she saw as she drifted off to sleep at night filled her with more warmth than any blanket on her bed ever could. She didn't have a rhyme or a reason for the warmth at the time but now that it wasn't present, the Butterfly knew full well what it was.

'Love. You loved him and you were too damn blind to see it you stupid girl,' Star mentally berated herself, the cheek emblems on her face were just as broken as the heart in her chest. 'You'll do better,' She told herself. 'You'll become a better person, a better friend for Marco. He was your rock… but even rocks can be melted by the heat of the sun.'

So thinking Star got out of bed, and used her Radiant Shadow Transform to get ready for the day. One pink energy blast later and Star was in her newest variant of her princess attire. Instead of the usual blues of her princess dress she had gone for a deep red with white trim. It was a take on her Blood Moon Ball dress. Her most treasured memory with Marco. Doing her hair up in a bun with two small curls framing her face, just like she'd had her hair that night, Star made her way from her room down into the dining hall.

She found her parents and the Diaz' at the table speaking in low hushed tones. "Morning everyone. Any news on Marco?"

Everyone clammed up upon Star's mention of her Best Bestie, Mess Up Twin, and love interest. Star couldn't help but notice and fear the worst. "Is… is Marco okay? He...he hasn't hurt himself has he?" Star's big blue eyes suddenly filled with tears and shock. "He… he isn't d-d-dea…" She couldn't even get the word out.

"No, no Estrella dear Marco is still very, very much alive," Angie said comfortingly, causing Star to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank Corn, Cosmos, and Pegasus Feathers," Star said. "Then if he's okay, what's going on? Why is everyone so quiet?" Star spied the latest issue of the Pixie Gazette spread out on the table. She narrowed her eyes. "What's the morning paper got to do with Marco?"

Moon tried to gather the paper up, saying, "Star dear, you really don't…"

"Levitato!" Star snapped using the one spell Ludo had bothered to master. Firing a beam from her new wand and encasing the paper in pink beam, she pulled the paper to her. She flipped through it and it didn't take her long to find what she was looking for.

"PRINCESS SPIDERBITE BAGS ARENA CHAMPION?!" It was right there on the front page in big, bold letters. On the front page was a picture of Marco and Penelope Spiderbite kissing each other. The sound of someone screaming bloody murder reached Star's ears. It took her a good minute to realize she was the one screaming.

Moon watched with mounting concern as Star's broken cheek emblems turned an acidic green, the same as Ludo's magic, green lightning also arched from her new fixed wand. 'I thought that only happened because the wand was broken… was… was it also due to Star's own mental state?'

"I'll kill her," Star growled borderline demonically. "I'll kill that damn spider bitch! She's dead for thinking she can take my Marco from me!"

"You will do no such thing!" Moon said sharply to her raging daughter. "Star, do you realize how tenuous our position is at the moment with the Spiderbites?"

"What are you talking about, Mother?" Star half growled, she was still entertaining thoughts of various ways she could kill Penelope in her head.

Moon sighed and put her forefinger and thumb to her temples, "Star, you had Marco as your squire… while he had also been made an Earl by the Spiderbites."

Star raised an eyebrow, "So?"

"So… that could be seen as a grave insult by the Spiderbite Kingdom, having one of their nobility being treated as little more than a servant by the princess of another kingdom? They could declare Weregild for such an insult."

"He's not dead!" Star complained.

Moon shook her head. "No he's not, but the Spiderbites could argue you've done damage to his reputation by making him act as your servant when he himself was a noble."

"Grr, more pointless princess political crap! And before breakfast too!" Star complained, crushing today's copy of the Pixie Gazette in her hands in her rage before lighting it on fire.

"You're the one who wanted to be a better princess dear," Moon reminded her daughter.

"Right now Mother, all I want is my best friend back," Star said sadly as she sat down at the table with a thump before stacking a plate high with corncakes and pig-goat bacon. "I'd give anything to fix what I've done, the throne, the wand, none of it matters to me if I don't have Marco in my life."

Angie and Rafael who had silently been watching the scene play out, chose now to speak up. "Estrella dear, have you thought of telling Marco any of this?"

"I would Angie, if I knew where he was," Star said as she slowly munched her way through her corncakes silently wishing she was eating Captain Blanches Sugar Seeds instead.

"If you had actually read the article, you would've known that the video attached came from St. Olga's School for Wayward Princesses," Rafael noted.

Star snapped up at that. "St. O's? Marco's at St. O's? But why would he be… there?" Star asked herself before she started laughing maniacally.

River and moon both shared a concerned glance. "Pumpkin, are you okay?" River asked in concern after a moment.

"Oh, Marco you crazy genius you!" Star said with a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

"What's going on? Why is Mijo at a reform school for princesses?" Angie asked.

Star shot her mother a smirk. "Mother, who is the most popular princess in the multiverse at the moment?"

The Queen was quick to answer. "Princess Turdina, dimension of origin unknown. I use her makeup. Why, what does she have to do with Marco?"

Star laughed upon hearing her own mother bought and used makeup from the Turdina product line. She did too of course, but did so knowing full well she was helping out a friend. "That's because she is a he… and his name is Marco," Star revealed.

Everyone's jaw dropped at that. "M-Marco is… how?" Moon asked after a moment.

Star gave them the short version. About how she convinced Marco to help her break Ponyhead out of St.O's. That Marco having seen just about every jailbreak movie ever had executed a near foolproof plan to get Poneyhead out of the hoosegow, only for Star and the currently mindfucked Ponyhead all but to ruin it. In the end, Marco who Star had disguised as a fellow princess instead of a guard like he requested and he ended up staging a revolution, and toppling the evil regime at St. O's. "The rest is history."

Moon silently digested this information. "And why is he at St. Olga's now exactly?"

"Oh that's easy, you just gotta think like Marco. He probably heard about all this from… her…" Star said that one word with venom and none of the adults had to ask who she was referring to as she continued, "and decided to out himself as a fake princess, cause Marco doesn't like lying, wet socks, or time paradoxes… which is why I've kept that beach day picture from father time a secret," Star muttered that last bit to herself.

"What was that?" Moon asked sharply.

"Nothing," Star said quickly. "Anyway, that's why he's there I'd bet the wand on it." Star slapped said wand into her palm.

"Are we certain Marco isn't a political mastermind?" Moon asked no one in particular. Seeing the odd looks she was getting from both her family and Marco's Moon elaborated, "If Marco, the Arena Singles Matches Champion outs himself as the most popular princess in the multiverse, what do you think will happen to his reputation, and ours by proxy?"

Star was quick to realize the enormousness of the situation. "The people will love him all the more. He's the Arena Champion who's in touch with his feminine side to the point of being secure in his sexuality enough to wear a dress and stage a revolution which inspired an entire generation of princesses…. And he also made it no secret that I'm the reason he wants to die."

Moon's disposition became grave. "Indeed, he could very well turn the entire multiverse against us with this stunt."

Star just chuckled darkly and gave her head a shake. "So what? It's no less than what we, what Mewni, deserves."

"Star?" Moon had never seen her usual chipper daughter in such a dismal state.

Star scowled at her mother, and continued in a tone filled with spite and self-loathing. "Our knights and their squires treated him like something nasty they stepped in, I treated him like a doorstop while dating Tom. In the end, the hopeful boy that came to Mewni to be with me, his supposed best friend is gone. Mewni stripped him bare of his dreams, hopes, and aspirations. All that's left is a husk. So if Mewni has to pay for this, then so be it. It's no less than what it deserves," Seeing her mother look at her agast, Star laughed, "Oh don't worry so much mother! Our precious kingdom will survive. We Butterflies have always been good at that, surviving. I couldn't even die in the Magic, and that's when Toffee was trying to kill me! This won't kill us either." Star pushed herself away from the table having lost her appetite. "We're a family of persistent stubborn insects if nothing else. We should've been called Cockroaches. Now if you'll excuse me, but I have somewhere else I need to be at the moment."

Stomping up to Manfred, Star held out her hand as if waiting for him to give her something. Manfred raised an eyebrow. "Can I assist you with something Princess Star?"

"Yeah you can gimme the royal dimensional scissors Manfred. I got places I need to be today," Star replied while making a 'gimme' motion with her fingers.

The manservant looked to the King and Queen questioningly. Upon seeing the Queen nod Manfred reached behind his belt and drew the royal dimensional scissors out and handed them to Star. The blonde snatched them from his hands swiftly only to turn back looking a little remorseful. 'That isn't what Marco would've done. Or a princess who is trying to better herself.' Star chastised. She gave Manfred a nod. "Thank you Manfred. I'm sorry for my rudeness but… this past week has been… most difficult."

The manservant gave an understanding nod with an accompanying smile. "I understand Princess. Good luck and cosmos speed to you on your quest for the young man."

The Manservants teasing caused Star to flush a bit. She turned away. "A-Anyway I'm off!"

Star cut a portal to St. Olga's and stepped on through.

Jackie and Chloe were boarding down the streets of Echo Creek, their plane had gotten in at 8:15am on Saturday and they left at 12:30pm Friday. 'Man jetlag is a bitch,' Jackie thought to herself, grateful for the wind blowing in her face and waking her up. She grabbed a lampost as she turned a corner and used it to keep her momentum going as she turned. 'Let's see, if I was Janna where would I be on a Saturday morning? The dump,' Jackie decided.

She boarded down the street and skidded to a stop in front of the local dump. Jackie listened for sounds of her best friend since kindergarten. From within the dump and off to her left, Jackie heard the sound of metal striking metal and yells of frustration. 'Janna?' Jackie thought worriedly as she picked up her board and made her way through the maze of rusted metal and ancient appliances.

Like a mouse making its way through the maze looking for the piece of cheese, Jackie followed the shouts and grunts of frustration until she came to a small clearing in all the refuse. There, she found Janna wailing on a half-rusted fridge with a metal baseball bat, much to her surprise, Star's boyfriend of all people was also nearby, setting a piece of sheet metal on fire. Seeing Tom made Jackie's hackles rise.

"Hey Janna!" Jackie called out to her friend, who was trying to slam the fridge into next week, looked around and upon seeing her, blinked in confusion. "Jackie? What're you doing here?"

"Better question, what is the triclops doing here?!" Jackie asked, pointing an accusing finger at Tom. "Shouldn't he be sucking Butterfly's face?"

"Ouch, hurtful," Tom said frowning. "I have a name you know?"

"You wanna go ouch? I'll give you a reason to go ouch!" Jackie said stalking forwards preparing to beat Tom's brains in with her skateboard.

"Woah, woah, woah! Jackie back off," Janna said, getting between her and Tom.

Jackie did stop but only because she felt something bump into her leg. Looking down she saw a pink bunny rabbit headbutting her leg with all the ferocity of a pillow. "Dude, is your bunny headbutting me?"

"No, bad Marshmallow! Bad!" Tom said to his pink rabbit. Marshmallow hopped over to his master seemingly dejected. Tom picked him up and petted him. "Bad boy Marshmallow, you don't headbutt people."

Jackie felt her rage cooling when she saw Tom interact with the cute little ball of fur. 'He can't be a complete jerk,' She reasoned, lowering her board. 'No one who's got a bunny for a pet can be 'totally evil', right?' Jackie decided to swallow her anger for the moment and extend an olive branch. "Is the little guy alright?"

Tom looked at Jackie and gave her a smile. "Marshmallow is fine, he's just protective of me I guess."

"So, uh Jackie, what're you doing here?" Janna asked tentatively.

"Looking for you," Jackie replied, "I was hoping I could borrow those scissors of yours."

Janna reached into her pocket and pulled out the white bone spiked and black handled scissors she'd nicked from a stack of junk on a hunch. Turns out she was right, and they were in fact dimensional scissors. She'd kept them secret until a week ago when she got the Diaz' and herself to the Crucible.

"What do you want them for?" Janna asked, closing her hand around them as Jackie reached out to take them.

"I don't suppose I can just ask you to give them to me, even temporarily as a favor can I?" Jackie said with a sigh.

"Nope," Janna retorted popping the 'p'. "Now spill."

Jackie rolled her eyes. 'Should've known it wouldn't be that easy,' She thought to herself. "I've decided I want Marco back."

Tom who'd just taken a soda out of a cooler and was in the middle of taking a large drink did a perfect spit take. "You timed that perfectly," Janna complimented giving him a high five. "But are you serious about that or were you just messing with Tommy?"

"I'm dead serious," Jackie said crossing her arms and looking Janna in her eyes.

Tom who kept hammering at his chest managed to cough out. "Um… what does… your girlfriend… think about all this?"

"I am fine with it Thomas. It is Thomas, yes?" Chloe asked as she made her way into the clearing.

"I prefer Tom if it's all the same to you… Chloe right?"

The Frenchwoman nodded. "Chloe Delacroix, Ravi de vous rencontrer."

"Enchante, mademoiselle," Tom said sweeping into a low bow. "Thomas Draconius Lucitor à votre service."

"You know French Tom?" Jackie asked, surprised.

Tom straightened and rolled all three of his eyes. "I'm a demon Jackie, I know all tongues."

"Right, well anyway, will you give me the scissors or not?" Jackie asked.

Janna just looked between Tom, Janna, and Chloe. "Okay, okay hold up! I need some context here… Darkness I can't believe I just said that," Janna said, shaking her head. "Usually I'm the one who breaks all the rules," Janna pointed to Jackie, "You want Marco back?"

Jackie nodded. "I do. I loved him enough to let him go the first time," She sent Tom a slight glare before she continued, "But I only did that, because I thought he'd be getting together with Star. It was obvious to everyone he was over the moon for her. So I let him go after her… only to find out she's with you of all people and Star made Marco her squire so he was forced to watch and support her as she moved on with her life."

Tom raised his hands defensively. "Hey, hey, I'm not disagreeing with you… Star… Star and I should've realized something was up when Marco showed up outta the blue like that. I mean I never really thought about it, but he kinda gave up everything to come to Mewni."

Jackie put her hands on her hips and nodded. "Yeah he did, I told Star as much before we even entered the arena. So what's the deal with you and her these days?"

Tom rubbed his head. "We broke up actually, I finally realized that I was trying to be a better person for her, instead of for myself which is why I should've been doing it."

"But back to me for a sec," Janna said, as she pointed at Chloe. "And you're okay with sharing your girlfriend?"

Chloe just smiled. "Janna, I am French. We've dealt with such situations for centuries as I'm sure you're well aware."

Janna, despite her usual cool and collected demeanor, blushed. "Ah, so that's how it is huh? Marco you lucky bastard."

"Indeed, now, will you help?" Chloe asked, smiling warmly while holding a hand out for the dimensional scissors.

Janna gripped her scissors harder. Part of her wanted to say yes, but another, more bitter part wanted to say no. 'After all,' the voice whispered in her head, 'You don't owe Diaz anything, he never even considered you a friend at all, so why should you help him now?'

"I…" Janna didn't know what to do. She was still hurt by Marco's words but all the walloping she'd done on her fridge hadn't helped one iota. 'Maybe if I confront him that'll help?' Janna thought to herself.

Yet before she could come to a decision, she heard Tom call out, "Hey guys, I think you should all come look at this."

Everyone crowded around Tom's pixie compact and saw an image that shocked them.

"Dude, is that Marco rocking a dress?" Janna asked.

"Yes, yes it is," Tom said in a shocked tone.

"I'm Pixie Bob, and I'm reporting live from St. Olga's Reform School for Wayward Princesses where the mysterious princess who started a revolution in this very school, Princess Turdina the mysterious maiden herself has decided to hold a press conference. Let's listen in and see what she has to say."

The camera zoomed in on the princess who was standing behind a podium, his infamous axe strapped to his back. Clearing his voice he spoke in a pitched girly tone. "Ahem, hello ladies and gentleman of the multiverse!"

The crowd that had gathered in the courtyard cheered as Marco began to speak.

Chloe, who'd remained silent up to this point spoke wiping away a bit of blood from her nose. "So Marco can go both ways during foreplay it seems non?"

"Chloe?!" Jackie said flushing.

"What, he is in the dress no?" The Frenchwoman asked.

"I like her," Janna said before Marco continued speaking.

"Thank you, thank you! I really only recently became aware of just how popular I was, and… well, when I found out, it freaked me out a little bit." A round of laughter was had by all present, and the princess continued, "But that said, I have a very important announcement to make today…" Marco took a breath. "I am no princess."

Marco ripped off his dress revealing the spiked black armor he wore beneath, shocking the crowd. Pulling the wig off his head and revealing the stark white hair that lay beneath, Marco gave the back of his head a whack causing his colored contacts to fall out, revealing to all his icy-blue eyes. Then his Will lines began to burn through the magical blush he applied to his face, revealing his true visage he'd been hiding for so long to everyone. He then reached down into the mangled folds of the ruined dress and picked up his red cowl and mask. He placed his cowl over his head, but put his mask off to the side for now.

"L-Ladies and gentlemen of the multiverse…" Pixie Bob said breathlessly, "The Arena Champion Marco Diaz has just come out as also being the enigmatic Princess Turdina shadowy leader of the Princess Revolution! I can't believe it, you can't believe it! If I wasn't here streaming this to you live, I wouldn't believe it! What could the death seeking Champion of the Arena have to say next?"

"If you'd shut the hell up Bob, I'd tell you!" Marco yelled.

"My apologies! Carry on! Your Highness!"

Marco sighed at the podium, "Cheeky fucker… anyway, you probably all wonder why I'm coming out and revealing all of this… that's because a lie, no matter how beautiful, is still a lie!" Marco's voice rose as he continued, "You want to idolize someone? Fine, but idolize someone real, not someone who doesn't exist. Turdina, while I admit she did some good, isn't real, but her ideals are. You want to be good princesses?" He pointed at the princesses of St. Olga's who were sitting gobsmacked in the front row. "Then quit hanging around here trashing this place! If you want to be seen as good princesses to your kingdoms the last place you need to be is here, wrecking shit. You need to be back at your kingdoms, show them, each and every one of them that a princess can still be a princess without becoming an automaton," Marco smiled. "After all, it's not criminal to be an individual. What is criminal is to take that individuality you have and do nothing with it to help those around you. You." He pointed at the princess again, "Each and every single one of you are the future rulers of your respective kingdoms. So, how are you gonna rule it? The boring way? The way everyone else did it before you? Or, are you gonna do it your way!?"

"OUR WAY!" The princesses yelled.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you!" Marco was playing up the princesses now.

"OUR WAY!" They yelled again.

Marco nodded. "Good now, where are you gonna go?"

"THE CRUCIBLE!" They shouted.

"YEAH...Wait what?" Marco questioned.

"Yeah if we go to the Crucible like Turdina… I mean Prince Marco, we can learn to be badass Warrior Princesses!" Patty said.

"No! Nononono! The Crucible is no place for a bunch of Princesses," Marco said.

"I… disagree!" The voice of Wicked K said from right beside Marco.

"The fuck are you doing here Mister Kay?" Marco yelled half jumping out of his armor.

"Marco m'boy I gotta hand it to you, you've come up with two simply capital ideas in just as many days. First, giant monster fights, now Princess Battle Royale. I should pick your brain more often."

"You're really going to let heirs to kingdoms fight and possibly die in the area… the very thought is giving me conniptions," Marco complained.

Wicked K scoffed. "Not right away of course, they need… a proper trainer," "Wicked K snapped his clawed fingers together, "And I know just the girl!"

Wicked K swung his cane, creating a portal and stuck his head through it briefly. Then she came out of the opposite end.

She had long platinum blonde hair that flowed freely behind her, her golden eyes gleamed with barely restrained rage and she wore little in the way of clothing. Just a pale strap over her bust clawed metal gauntlets over her arms, and a red mantle around her waist, with sabatons on her legs. The rest of her body was bare, and it left her pale porcelain skin, that was heavily muscled, on full view to all looking.

"Oh fuck, not Penthesilea," Marco begged.

"Go to Tatarus you bastard!" The now named Penthesilea growled at him.

"My life is Tartarus you crazy bitch, now back off before I use the B Word."

Penthensilea stepped forward threateningly materializing a simply gigantic chained flail as she did so. "You don't have the balls Scarlet!"

"Um didn't you just use the B-Word?" the Pixie Princess asked.

"Different B word," Marco replied calmly. "Pen, are you willing to teach these kids how to… not die in the Crucible?"

Penthesilea all but glared bloody murder out over her would-be charges, causing them all to wince. "What's in it for me?"

"If you do this for me, I'll arrange a fight… with 'that man'," Marco promised her. 'I didn't know seeing a woman smile could be so scary,' Marco thought as he saw the Amazonian Queen grin in bloodthirsty joy.

"Scarlet, if you're fucking with me right now…" Penthesilea said in a dark tone.

Marco shook his head, "I'm not. Train them, Make sure they'll live, and I promise you the fight you want with him."

"Well, alright then. I know one thing you're not is a liar or a turncloak Scarlet. If you give your word… you'll keep it." She turned to the apprehensive looking princesses. "Alright you squishy little bluebloods, listen up! I am starting tomorrow, your trainer, I am Penthesilea daughter of Ares, God of War! When I speak you listen, when I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed immediately. Is that clear?!"

When no answer came from the shellshocked princesses, she yelled out, "WELL?!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" All the princess cried out in fear.

Penthensilea nodded. "We start tomorrow at 0600…" Seeing the clueless looks she was getting, Penthesilea sighed, "That's six am you worms… this… is going to take a lot of work… But it'll be worth it if I can fight him," Penhensilea said as she walked back through the portal which she came from.

"So anything else on the itinerary m'boy?" Wicked K asked, a grin in his tone and on his face.

Marco scoffed. "Not unless you want me to put on a piano recital."

"You play?" Nyx, the Pixie Princess asked sounding giddy at the prospect.

Marco looked away, "I do."

Suddenly the princesses were all begging for him to put on a last minute performance.

"C'mon lad, you're not gonna disappoint the ladies are ya?" Wicked K asked him.

"No… but I don't have a piano," Marco said, hoping to weasel out of this.

It was then that Penelope cleared her throat. "Actually, you do, or you might."

Marco quirked an eyebrow. "Penny?"

"Marco, can I borrow your dimensional scissors for a moment please?" Penny asked sweetly.

Marco pulled his scissors out and after a moment's hesitation he handed them over to her, causing Penelope to jump for joy. "Okay, wait right here, I'll be right back. Finger's crossed everyone."

Penelope cut open a portal and walked through it. She was gone for over a minute before she returned pushing something covered in a sheet ahead of her. Stopping it right in front of Marco she said, "Marco, do you remember when I told you the other day that I had a surprise for you?"

Marco approached the covered thing slowly nodding, "Yeah?"

"Well, feast your eyes on this!" Penny said as she pulled the sheet off.

It was a baby grande piano. Made of a greyish wood, the keys consisting of various woods found deep in the Spiderbite forest. The usual ivory keys looked to be made of wax wood while the dark ebony keys were some form of dark walnut. Marco popped the top, using the pole to keep the curved hood open, showing the strings consisted of taut spidersilk. He looked to Penelope who was just smiling at him.

"Penny this is… wow." Marco stroked the keys one at a time, letting the notes linger in the air. Every note was in key. He looked at the spiderbite princess. "I… why?"

Penelope shrugged, "Why not? You told me you've been learning to play since you were what? Eight and up until last year? I thought this was appropriate."

"I don't even know where to begin." Marco said.

Marco suddenly found himself knocked off his feet when a bench hit him in the legs. He sat down hard. Marco glared behind him at Wicked K who winked at him. "You can start by sittin' down lad. As for the rest, just play from the heart. The rest'll sort itself out."

"From the heart huh?" Marco muttered to himself. He looked out at the waiting crowd and gulped. "Well if I'm gonna do this, I need a bit of liquid courage first. Penny, my scissors."

The Spiderbite princess handed Marco back his dimensional scissors and he cut a small hole, roughly the size of a watermelon. Then he reached through and pulled out a small oaken cask that had a bear up on its hind legs branded into the side.

"That's my Johansen Reserve!" River, who like his wife and the Diaz' were watching the announcement from the dining hall, objected. "I wouldn't have minded if he'd just asked!"

"Mijo has been drinking on top of everything else?" Angie fretted.

Marco then got a shot glass from somewhere before he poured himself a double and threw it back. "Okay, let's do this!"

The Princesses cheered. All but one who was hanging back in the crowd. "Marco," Star mumbled to herself sadly, "It got so bad I drove you to drink?"

["Careless Whisper"- Seether]

Marco began playing a mournful tune which was to be expected, what nobody expected was for the Arena champion to start singing.

'I knew he could sing!' Star thought to herself. Star would (not creepily at all) stand outside the bathroom whenever he was in the shower and listened to him sing whenever he thought he was alone. He had a beautiful singing voice. He'd displayed it only once publically when trying to get rid of the Naysaya curse Tom cast on him.

But the surprises didn't stop there, something a bit hazy and indistinct at first was forming behind Marco. It took it a moment to fully form but once it did, Star gasped, for it was a vision a memory, one of the two of them dancing together at the Blood Moon Ball. Marco's mournful tone combined with his playing showed he felt he would never dance again, with anyone, the way he danced with her that night. Apparently his own innate magic willed what he felt into existance.

'I feel the same way Marco,' Star thought as tears rolled down from her eyes.

When the song ended, the applause began. Marco gave a shy smile… Then, he took another shot.

["Crow and the Butterfly"- Shinedown]

The next song began shortly after. The imagery that accompanied it was enlightening to say the least. Marco felt like he was slowly losing her. To Mewni or to Tom one of the two as he stood there alone the crow who futility chased after the butterfly.

Another shot and another song followed.

["Paint Me A Birmingham"- Tracy Lawrence]

The imiagry that came with this one almost crushed Star's heart to dust. It started with Marco clad in his armor approaching a painter on the beach who looked remarkably like his own father. Then he asked him to paint him a certain picture. That of a grandiose house, the porch going all the way around it, and in the porch swing wearing a blue cotton dress was Star herself. The image changed slightly to include him holding her in his arms in the porch swing when it came about in the chorus the the image didn't change.

'That's all he wants? Me and a nice house in the middle of spring?' Star asked as tears fell from her eyes in a waterfall. 'You… you never were a hard man to please Marco,' Star thought as she wiped at her eyes.

The drinking and the songs continued.

["Killing Time"- Clint Black]

The songs got darker after that. Memories ,not feelings nor dreams were shown in the next song. How Marco had slowly turned to drinking in the wee hours of the night, to not only have something to do as he watched her sleep, but also to dull the mounting pain in his chest.

'You did this, you did this to him Star Butterfly! You were too scared to ask for help, to trust your mother and this, this is the result!' Star berated herself.

["Last to Know"- Three Days Grace]

"Oh, oh ouch," Tom said when this particular song finished. "I think Marco might hold a little bit of resentment towards me."

"You think?" Janna asked as she paused the screen which was frozen on a picture of Tom's headstone.

["Brokenheartsville"- Joe Nicholas]

"Okay firstly, I don't own a cowboy hat… secondly is it wrong that I now want a red Coupe de Ville?" Tom asked having fallen in love with the fire engine red machine shown in Marco's strange vision that the other version of himself had been shown driving away with Star in leaving a heartbroken Marco in his dust. His comment earned him a punch in the arm from Janna in response.

"Now is not the time, Tommy," Janna groused. "But yes, you'd look cool in one."

[Judas- Fozzy]

Marco played his theme song next and with every other song before it, it made even more sense now than before. Marco felt worse than trash. Lower than the lowest pits of the Underworld, and was coping with alcohol.

"Damnit Marco," Star said, all but curled into a ball by now. "Why didn't you ever tell me? I thought you were my messup twin, my Best Bestie on Earth… but you haven't been on Earth in awhile have you? You expected me to look after you just as good if not better than you did for me on Earth and I didn't do any of that," Star said to herself. "Did I ever show you around the castle, teach you anything about my culture, say try this, or do that, or don't do that because it's dangerous?" Star shook her head. "No, I didn't. I should have, but…"

'To change the world, first we must change ourselves,' Wicked K's words resonated within Star's head now more than ever.

Marco took another drink before he spoke into the mic. "Well that's all the songs I have concerning a certain Mewman princess… at the moment. However, it's not all the songs I've got in me at the moment," Marco took a breath before he said, "Jackie, this one's for you."

The blonde tomboy perked up when she heard Marco say her name.

[She Wouldn't be Gone- Blake Shelton]

It was at that moment that Jackie realized that her letting Marco go, hit him harder than she realized. "Marco, it's not your fault. It's not your fault," Jackie kept repeating like it was a mantra. "You were supposed to be happy with Star, not turned into a miserable wreck."

"This next one goes out to Jackie and Star," Marco said, before he gave a little laugh, "Well whaddya know, I become not only more confident, but I think I even play better when I'm drunk."

["Better As a Memory"- Kenny Chesney]

"No," Star growled to herself as she watched images of herself with Tom and Jackie with Chloe walk away into a brilliant sunset as Marco stood there left behind in the growing dark. "No… Star growled again this time taking to her feet and walking steadily forwards as gold began to taint the color of her dress. "Marco will never be… just a fond memory! I won't allow it!"

Golden butterfly wings burst from Stars back and she gained to extra pairs of arms sprouted from her torso as her long golden locks bound themselves into two braids that defied gravity.

"That's enough Princess Butterfly," A voice filled with authority and power spoke as a familiar cane suddenly blocked her path.

Star, her pupils now split into twinkling bursts, glared at Wicked K as he dared impede her from getting to her Marco. "Move." Her voice shook with power, the same power that all but destroyed Toffee.

Wicked K leveled his gaze at her making her freeze at the sure domination behind those eyes. "No child. You don't seem to understand, so lemme tell ya. Marco, he be lettin' his emotions out through song. Long bottled up emotions. Don't stop 'em now girl. Let'em finish. He needs this he does."

"Fine, but once he's done Wicked K… Marco's coming home with me, so I can take care of him! Even if I have to fight my way through every gladiator you've got!" Star both promised and threatened.

Wicked K bowed to the wrathful golden princess. "As you command Princess Butterfly."

"These next three songs go out to a lovely lady you all know of by reputation if nothing else. These are for you Hekapoo… please don't kill me for this."

Hekapoo who had alongside Eclipsa been watching this entire event on Star's full length Pixie Mirror suddenly flushed. "Marco, what're you doing?"

Eclipsa giggled. "I do believe you're about to get an answer on how he feels about you my dear. Snookers bar?"

Hekapoo wordlessly accepted the snookers bar right as Marco started his next tune.

["T-R-O-U-B-L-E" by Travis Tritt]

The song was catchy and it suited Hekapoo to a T as far as she was concerned. She felt her cheeks heating up, which was odd considering she was at least in part a fire elemental. "What's wrong with my face?"

Eclipsa giggled. "You're blushing dear. You should see your cheeks, they're as red as your hair right now."

When the song got to the part about hekapoo's mother being as pretty as she was she flushed even deeper. "I don't even have a mom you idiot… that's sweet of you to say though."

Then the second song began.

[She sets the City on Fire- Gavin DeGraw]

The imagery that showed up behind Marco didn't match the levity of this song at all. It showed an older marco trekking through a burning hellscape of a city, hot on the heels of a Hekapoo clone.

"Oh fuck its Carthus." Hekapoo swore.

"Carthus?" Eclipsa asked.

Hekapoo rubbed the back of her head. "One of my clones was… kinda crazy when it came to Marco. Like, if I can't have you nobody can have you, kinda crazy. She became a warmonger. Marco being Marco tried to stop her, only for her to set her entire conquered city of Carthus on fire hoping to take him with her into the afterlife."

"Oh dear," Eclipsa said as she proceeded to munch on a snookers bar. "Dat suns waffle."

"It was, and don't talk with your mouth full, it's gross." Hekapoo replied with a grimace.

Swallowing Eclipsa apologized. "Sorry."

Then the last of three songs played.

["In Hell I'll be In Good Company"- The Dead South]

The lyrics of this song made Hekapoo hiss through her teeth. This just hammered home how hard the impromptu Quest was on Marco. 'Was it too much? Did I push him too far? I mean, I shouldn't have even done it in the first place. He was just a kid at the time, not his world's greatest warrior, and Earth doesn't have a drop of magic in it, as far as I know… Marco doesn't hate me does he?' The very thought made Hekapoo's heart stop for a split second.

"This next song goes out to Star and Hekapoo. I only got a handful more people don't worry. I don't want to take up all your precious time." Marco assured everyone.

["Monster You Made Me" - Starset]

All of Star's gusto and fire fled her with this song 'Marco feels like I helped make him a monster?' Yet her Mewberty form refused to fade for righteous fury continued to burn like a raging inferno in her chest. 'Well, if that's the case, then he's 'my' monster! Eclipsa won't be the only Queen of Mewni to have a monster lover.'

Hekapoo too, had half a mind to go to St. Olga's and give Marco a new permanent bald spot on the back of his head. 'I knew it! I went too far, giving him the scissor quest. He was just a kid… but he survived and completed it… that puts him in another league compared to most. He, Marco proved to me that lack of magic doesn't mean lack of strength.'

Hekapoo abruptly stood up. Eclipsa turned to her, smiling knowingly. "Going somewhere Hekapoo dear?"

Turning away from the pixie mirror however briefly, Hekapoo replied, "I'm going to Marco…" Hekapoo glanced behind her at Eclipsa. "About your daughter, we don't know what happened to her. We gave her to Shastican and he did something with her before he had me get, and practically raise a Pie Folk baby to inherit the throne."

Eclipsa closed her eyes in pain for a moment before she asked. "Festivia correct?"

Hekapoo turned around fully to face the Queen of Darkness "How did you know?"

Eclipsa smiled, but it didn't mask the pain in her eyes. "Marco bless him, has been very diligent in helping me catch up on the past three hundred years of our history."

Hekapoo let out a rueful laugh. "Yes, of course he has. On top of dealing with the memories from my dimension, being Star's secret keeper, which results in him getting no sleep for a month, sparing with that Kelly girl, and fighting in a multiversal gladiatorial arena, he finds the time to get you up to speed on Mewni's past three hundred years of history."

"He's been spreading himself awfully thin hasn't he?" Eclipsa said thoughtfully fretting over Marco's well being even more than she already was.

"You really love him don't you?" Hekapoo asked.

Eclipsa nodded. "But not in the same fashion you do dear. My love for him is familial, as is his for me. Auntie he calls me," The Queen of Darkness says with genuine warmth in her tone. "Now shouldn't you be going?"

The scissor-crafter nodded. "Right seeya soon Eclipsa… and thanks, for listening."

"Anytime dear."

Hekapoo popped out of her portal just as Marco finished the final chorus to Knocking on Heaven's Door by Guns and Roses.

"Hekapoo," Star greeted, not taking her eyes off Marco.

"Princess… I don't need to say why I'm here, do I?" The lone woman in the High Commission asked.

Star shook her head. "No, but once he's done, I have my own announcement to make. I may float like a butterfly, but people are about to find out I can burn like a dragon if I'm angered."

Hekpoo smirked a bit. She kinda sorta liked Star. It was kind of hard not to at least be somewhat curious about her when Marco went through sixteen years of hell in her dimension all for her sake. So she looked into the girl. She was chaotic, impulsive, reckless, and most assuredly negligent if Song Day had taught her anything. But beneath all of that was a fierce, powerful, and protective Queen in the making. The only problem was that at the moment, Star was being selectively protective. That is to say, Star's friends, family, and loved ones came before the kingdom itself.

'Well, it's not like I don't understand,' Hekapoo thought wryly as she asked Star, "What's the deal with the current song?"

"He dedicated it to his mother." Star replied flatly.

Hekapoo winced at that as she watched Marco, now swaying slightly on his stool due to how much Johansen Reserve he's drank, go into another song.

"Kelly, this one's for you."

["Be My Baby Tonight" John Michael Mongomery]

In the Crucible where all the fighter's had gathered with popcorn and drinks, at Wicked K's command, Jorby turned to the blushing Woolet who was covering her now crimson face with her light green hair. Nudging her with his arm, Jorby said, "Well, I think he likes ya Kel."

"Shut up Jorby," Kelly mumbled before punching him in the arm in retaliation for his ribbing.

Other Gladiators were also commenting on Marco's performance thus far.

A short if buxom blonde in a red dress with billowing sleeves trimmed in lace piped up first. Her arms crossed imperiously in front of her chest. "Umu! Praetor is quite skilled on that over-sized lyre of his. This one considers it almost a crime for him to be a fighter here with the rest of us, umu!"

"Ah, so that's where my bride went, and he has such a lovely singing voice," This strange airy comment came from a tanned woman that had strange silver lines tracing her bronze body. She was petite and lithe looking yet her slight frame contrasted heavily with the strange sword she carried. A rainbow in a solidified state. Her minimalist attire consisted of white and black trimmed cloth that flowed freely from her arms, a white leotard, and a brides veil that all but blended in with her white hair. Her grey eyes seemed almost but not quite emotionless as she gazed at Marco with something like affection.

"Why are there no nachos? Zoe expected Oniichan's nachos!" a small girl who appeared no older than twelve with a long cascade of hair that started out bright red, then faded into deep purple. She had mismatched eyes, one being green the other being blue.

"OPPRESSION?!" A hulking grey skinned brick house of muscle cried out.

"No Spartacus, Marco just isn't here to make them. He's playing piano right now, remember?" A samurai girl with bubblegum pink hair tied behind her in a messy ponytail via a wooden hair clip replied. She was wearing a deep blue kimono with fukusode sleeves, that barely covered her bust. In her obi were four katana, three of which were truly remarkable works of art. The samurai's right eye was glassy green while her left was gone, and covered by a makeshift eyepatch in the form of an iron tsuba.

"Everyone shh," A copper brown haired girl with amber eyes said. She was wearing a blue tunic and arm guards instead of her usual full ninja attire. "Marco-sama is not yet done."

"But… But Kasumi-chan~n! Nachos!" Zoe complained.

Kasumi pulled the complaining Zoe into her lap. "You'll have to make do with popcorn for now little one. Marco is doing something for his own benefit at the moment."

Zoe looked up into Kasumi's face. "Is Oniichan gonna be okay?"

"I'm sure he will be, in time Zoe," Kasumi replied as she stroked Zoe's head.

Marco looked to Penelope who'd taken a chair and been sitting not too far away this whole time. "And last but certainly not least, Penny."

["Dirt on my Boots"- Jon Pardi]

"Love you too Marco," Penelope said as she blew him a kiss.

Star saw the action and seethed a bit. 'I don't really have the right to be angry,' She told herself. 'I was so busy with Tom I didn't even notice Marco was hurting. I should be happy for him… not wanting to force feed Penelope her own teeth,' Star thought with a dark grin, her broken cheek emblems flashing green as eldritch green lightning sparked from her wand.

"Down Butterfly," Hekpoo said, putting her hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Marco isn't yours or mine to be jealous over right now."

"Soon," Star said darkly. "Soon, I intend to make my intentions towards Marco very clear."

"Jealousy thy name is Star Butterfly," Hekapoo quipped.

Star shook her head, "This isn't about jealousy, not completely. This is about getting Marco better, and the only way I can see doing that, is by me sticking to his side as much as possible. He did that for me on Earth. It's about time I returned the favor."

"I've got two more songs in my pocket guys and girls, and then you can go on your merry ways. These… these are for me, and no one else."

["Nobody Praying for Me"- Seether]

The penultimate song felt like a dirge. A death song for a man who kept trying, but was getting tired of even doing that much. He felt like he had no one in his corner, yet he kept trudging on… to what end? Only Marco knew for certain.

Then came the final performance.

["World War Me"- Theory of a Deadman]

'Poor Marco, doesn't even feel he can find peace in his own thoughts… but, it's always been like that for you hasn't it Marco?' Star thought to herself. Whereas Star was extroverted, able to make friends with just about anyone, Marco was her opposite almost. He was an introvert. Until she came along, he was content to just be 'nodding buddies' with Jackie. Till she came along and forced the two together. 'Grr, why the fuck did I do that again?' Star asked herself as she ground her teeth together. 'Oh yeah, I wanted him to be happy. Well he isn't happy now, so look how well that turned out for you Star.'

As Marco hit the last note on his final piece, he tettered back on his bench, about to fall… and fall he did, right into Star's waiting arms. Star placed him down gently on the floor of the makeshift stage before she picked up the microphone and addressed the crowd. "I'm sure you all know who I am, so I'm gonna get right to the damn point. I know that some of you out there, possibly a majority of you, don't like me. Well tough corn kernels."

"Oh corn, what is she doing?" Moon said as she watched her daughter dig her own political grave for both herself and possibly her kingdom.

"You don't have to like me, I don't need a single damn one of you to like me. All I need is you to be willing to do business with myself and my kingdom. You can all do that and still hate my guts," Star continued, "Quite frankly, I'd be more surprised if you didn't hate me after what Marco revealed on the Crucible floor a little over a week ago."

Down in the Underworld, Dave sneezed for reasons he couldn't comprehend.

"But like I said. Hate me if you want, just don't be so petty as to take your anger at me out on my kingdom. I admit it! Is that what you want to hear?! I freely admit, I fucked up royally when I took advantage of Marco. I am going to fix this. So in closing, fuck all of you, this recital is over, and have a nice day!"

Star then turned to Penelope, with a grimace on her face. "Penelope… we'll have to work something out at a later time."

Penelope meekly nodded. She had just been harshly reminded just why the Butterflies were considered the de facto rulers in Mewni. The power casually rolling off of Star right now was akin to a small sun. And her wrath like that of an enraged dragon protecting its treasure hoard. Penelope considered herself fortunate that Star didn't incinerate her with a blast from the Wand right then. Instead she watched as she walked over to Marco, picked him up in all six of her arms, and then with the flick of her wrist opened up a golden portal.

"Coming Hekapoo?" Star asked without looking back.

"I am… should I grab the piano?" Hekapoo asked.

Star was silent for a moment before she nodded, "Yes I'm sure we can find a place for it back at the castle."

Allowing Hekapoo to wheel the piano through the portal first, Star walked through after it still holding Marco bridal style in her arms.

When Star stepped through the portal she was immediately crowded around by both Marco and her own parents. "Is Mijo going to be okay?" Rafael asked tears streaming from his eyes.

"He'll be alright," Star assured Rafael as she walked past him and headed towards the stairs.

"Star, where are you going, the infirmary is not that way," Moon said.

"I'm not going to the infirmary, I'm going to my room," Star replied evenly. "I said I was going to take care of Marco and I meant it. First thing to do is to help him get over his incoming hangover."

"Star dear we know you feel guilty but this is really a job for…" Moon didn't get to finish as Star turned on her eyes and cheek emblems flaring with power, wand crackling like a thunderstorm.

"You have no idea how I'm feeling right now mother, so don't even pretend you do! I am the one who broke Marco, and I shall be the one to fix him. Do not get in my way, or so help me, I will be the youngest queen to ever ascend the throne!"

Star turned on her heel and stomped out of the room with Marco in her arms leaving everyone shocked. Moon backed up until she bumped into the table where her legs suddenly gave out and she sat down hard. "Did… did she just threaten to… over Marco?"

"Love and guilt can make people say and do things they normally wouldn't Moon, I should know."

Moon looked over to see Eclipsa standing in the entryway. For once, she wasn't smiling. She looked as worried as everyone else.

"Eclipsa," Moon said with a sigh. "I've a feeling I'm going to regret asking, but what are you talking about?"

"Star dear, she obviously loves Marco but clearly feels terribly guilty for what's happened to the poor boy; and in what I assume is typical Star fashion, she's going to extremes to fix it. Which, in this case is her looking after him all by her lonesome and not letting anyone else help. While also being as nasty as a hormonal hydra to anyone who tries, does that sound about right?" The Queen of Darkness summed up.

River stroked his beard. "That does sound like our daughter, trying to fix everything by herself, refusing to tell anyone or ask for help. Too headstrong by half."

Eclipsa did manage a smile this time, "Yes, but this time it's far, far more personal I'm afraid. This is Marco we're talking about. The boy who kept her steady and afloat in the tumultuous sea that is her life. Her port in a storm if you will."

"He's her rock," Rafael stated as he hugged his wife to him.

The Queen of Darkness gave her head a bob. "He is, and right now that rock is as fragile as a landslide. In truth, being with Star is probably the last thing Marco needs right now, but good luck telling Star that in her current state of mind."

"What do you mean?" Angie asked.

"Well dearie, how do you think Marco will react to finding out Star and Tom broke up because of him?"

Angie and Rafael shared a worried look, "Oh no."

Eclipsa gave a grim nod. "Indeed, it'll just be another thing he blames himself for. I've no doubt in my mind that despite Star's best intentions, Marco will try to flee as soon as he's able."

"Flee to where?" Rafael and Angie asked at the same time.

Eclipsa let out a tittering laugh. "To someone who owns a pair of dimensional scissors? Anywhere in the multiverse."

Marco awoke with a groan. His head was pounding like it was being used like a bongo drum, and his tongue felt like it had been replaced with sandpaper. He tried to open his eyes only to squint them closed when even the tiniest shafts of light pierced his retina like daggers. Despite the fact he could hear his blood pumping in his ears, Marco could also pick up the sounds of someone walking near him.

"Who the hell is there?" He groaned out, his throat as dry as the Sahara desert.

"Shh, water drink." A familiar soft voice said in Marco's ear as the edge of a glass was pressed to his lips. Marco tried to gulp the water down only for the glass to be pulled away. "Easy Marco, easy. Small sips."

'Is that…?' Marco thought to himself. "Star?" He called out hesitantly praying he was wrong.

"Marco, rest now, we can talk later ok? We have… a lot to discuss," Star said softly as she gently stroked his face with her free hand.

'Okaay something's up with her. Why's she acting so affectionate with me when she has Tom… She's still dating Tom right?' Marco asked himself tiredly. Yet he was too tired to argue he found himself drifting off again.

When he next woke, he could actually open his eyes and not feel like someone was trying to ram a hot scalpel into his eyes. Looking around he found himself in Star's room. What's more, he was in Star's bed. "Okay, this is a little weird."

He was about to throw off the sheets when there was a sudden *BANG* as the door to Star's room was kicked in, by none other than the princess herself. Star came in beaming a million watt smile, and carrying a food tray laiden with two bowls, a small carton of milk, and a box of Captain Blanches Sugar Seeds.

"Hey roomie!" Star said cheerfully.

'Roomie?' Marco thought as Star flopped down on the bed next to him, poured two giant bowls full of cereal, all but drowned them in pig-goat milk and then took a bowl before plopping a wooden spoon into one and pushing it towards Marco and taking the other bowl for herself.

Marco slowly ate the food in front of him. Not out of any real hunger, but so as not to seem rude. His mind was awhirl with thoughts. 'Why am I in Star's bed? How did I get here? Last thing I remembered was playing the piano at St. Olga's,' He glanced sidelong at Star who was chowing down on her Sugar Seeds like him waking up in her bed was a totally normal everyday occurrence. 'What's going on with Star?'

Deciding the only way he was going to get any answers was if he asked questions, Marco cleared his throat, "Um, Star?"

Star locked her eyes to his immediately. "Yes Marco my Best Bestie? Is there anything I can do for you?"

Marco was reminded of the time Star tried to cheer him up. She was now, just like then, trying too hard. "Why am I in your bed… and why are you being so… unusually chipper?"

"What… What do you mean? You're my best friend Marco of course I'm going to look after you when you're not feeling well."

"Then why are your heart emblems broken? And I remember burning through my makeup during the press conference yet you haven't bothered to comment on my cheek emblems or hair, or eye color change?" Marco asked, arms crossed. "Come off it Star."

Star's smiling facade shattered like a porcelain vase. She looked down, frowning tears welling up in her cerulean eyes. "I'm… I'm so sorry Marco," Star said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"For what, being happy with Tom? You don't need to apologize for that, I'm the one with the issues here Star, not you," Marco said with a self-depreciating sigh. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Tom and I… are no longer seeing each other… And before you say this is somehow all your fault let me finish speaking!" Star said sharply as Marco opened his mouth to do just that. It was only when he closed it that Star took a breath and continued. "As I was saying, Tom and I have decided to break up. Tom realized that he was trying to be a better person solely for my sake when he should be doing it for himself and I…" Star trailed off.

"You?" Marco said, prompting her to continue.

Star got up and went to her secret closet. "I think it would be better to show you rather than tell you, hang on."

Marco waited on the bed for the Mewman princess to return. When she did she was holding in both of her hands, her diary. The same diary she dipped down for the very first time to prevent him from reading when he was locked in her closet. Marco raised an eyebrow. 'Why is she letting me read that now?'

Star opened the diary, its pages filled with her most intimate thoughts and turned to a specific page before handing it to him to read.

He accepted the page and read the contents therein.

Dear Diary, I sacrificed my wand to save Marco from Toffee today. Broke the faceplate clean in half… but you know what? I don't regret it one bit. The thought of losing Marco terrified me. Like ice freezing me down to my core. Do you know why Diary? I think… I think I like Marco as more than just a friend. GAH! I can't like Marco as more than a friend! He likes Jackie! What should I do?! Do I roll the dice and tell him? No! I can't do that! What if he says he doesn't feel the same way? I… I don't think I could handle that. No, I'll… I'll just ignore these feelings and hope they go away! Maybe if I try pushing him together with Jackie, that'll help. Wish me luck Diary.

Princess Star Butterfly the Underestimated

Marco read the entry twice just to make sure he hadn't somehow misread what he was reading. Then he flicked his gaze to Star, "Am I correct in assuming your feelings from then are the same now?"

Star nodded timidly. "Yes," Star raised a hand when Marco opened his mouth to speak. "Marco, please let me finish. I know you feel awful. I know you feel bad thinking that every bad thing that happens is your fault… but it's not. It really isn't," Star reached out tentatively and took one of Marco's hands in both of her own. "I also know that right now, if I asked you out, you'd shoot me down in a Minnesota minute."

"New York, it's shoot you down in a New York minute, and you're right," Marco corrected an old habit from Earth that he'd picked up with her that refused to die. Just like his feelings for the blonde princess.

Star frowned a bit when he confirmed her theory but gave a slight bob of her head. "That's why I'm not going to ask you out. I just wanted, needed you to know how things stood. That way, when you're ready, we can try… us."

Marco found himself honestly surprised. He didn't expect this level of maturity from the blonde princess. She wasn't the type to be patient and wait. If she saw something that needed doing or a wrong that needed righting, she was gung-ho to do it ASAP. "Who are you and what have you done with Star Butterfly?"

Star gave a dry laugh. "I'm me Marco, I really am me… I've spent an entire week in my room realizing how shitty I treated you when I was with Tom… now, I can't change the past, but I can be a better me now. I'm not doing too hot myself right now," Star sighed, tears gathering in her eyes.

"What's wrong Star?" Marco may feel horrible just being around her right now, but she wasn't gonna cry, not on his watch.

"Well, like I said, I spent a whole week in my room worried sick about you, thinking of how shitty a friend I was and then I realized not only had you not been sleeping at all, again because of me, but you'd been taking stamina potions. Marco, do you have any idea how bad those are for you?!"

Marco shook his head. "Umm, I didn't actually read the label. I just asked a sloth at Questbuy if there was something that could keep me going after all nighters. He pointed me to the stamina potions… they were also on clearance, which explains a lot."

Star ticked off on her fingers, "Insomnia, depression, mood swings, the jitters, possible hallucinations, and possibly death. Also should never be taken with alcohol… mister binge drinker and stealer of my Papa's special vintage."

"Oh shit… how much trouble am I in?" Marco asked with a sigh.

Star grinned. "Oh your not, Papa was so impressed at the fact you managed to hold down so much of the Reserve they're making a newer stronger batch and naming it in your honor.I think they're calling it Ubaldo Tequila… though I also don't think they know what tequila is."

"Wow… I'm sorry?" Marco apologized.

Star laughed. "You don't need to apologize for lighting a fire under Papa's and the Johansen's asses. They respect you Marco, for all you've accomplished both inside the Crucible and outside of it."

Marco was confused. "Outside of it?"

"Punching a hole through Toffee's chest, kicking a hydra in the nose, saving me from being eaten by said hydra. The Johansens respect feats of strength and of arms above all. I keep getting called by cousin Roc asking when you and I are going to tie the knot."

"You're shitting me," Marco said flatly.

Star shook her head. "I am not, they really, really want us to stop beating around the beehive and admit we like each other already."

"Well, I'm flattered but…" Marco trailed off.

"Right now, you just can't?" Star finished for him in a pained tone looking at her mattress. "Yeah, I get it, it hurts me to admit it Marco, and I wish you would stay, but I get it." She looked at him, "So, what'll you do now?"

Marco pondered for a moment. "I… don't know. I do know I don't feel comfortable staying on Mewni right now and going back to Earth… doesn't appeal to me either." He looked around the room. "Where's my armor?"

"Right here Marco, I've been keeping an eye on it," Zatharos said as he slithered out from underneath the bed bits and pieces of Marco's armor looped within his length.

"The chain, it talks?!" Star said in an awed tone.

"Why of cours~se I do mother, you s~saw to that pers~sonally," Zarathos said

Star blinked pupils becoming pinpricks. "Why did that chain just call me it's momma?"

Forming a skull that caught fire, Zarathos continued. "It's~s true in a manner of s~speaking," Zarathos explained, "It was~s you who cas~st the demonic infes~station s~spell on Marco's~s right arm. Calling me forth through his~s fles~sh."

Star's jaw dropped. "Woah, wait! You're the monster arm?"

"I am," Zarathos bowed his head respectfully towards Star, "I owe you a debt of gratitude S~Star Butterfly for accidental or no, you freed me from the machinations of hell, as their s~soul collector."

"You're welcome. You're totally, totally, totally welcome," Star replied a bit nervously. "Can… Can you promise me just one thing?"

"If it is~s within my power to grant, cons~sider it yours~s Princess~s." Zarathos replied.

"Can you keep protecting Marco like you have been, keep him safe. For me?" Star asked solemnly.

The flaming skull bowed. "Cons~sider it done mother."

Star grimaced a little. "Also, can you also not call me mom?"

"I only s~said I'd agree to one reques~st," Zarathos replied.

"What, when?" Star retorted.

"Jus~st now," the skill said leering at her as skulls were wont to do.

Star scowled for a moment before she grinned and wagged a finger at Zarathos. "Oh you tricky, tricky devil. Fine, be that way." Star saw Marco putting on that black spiked armor over his torso of and cringed slightly. "Why do you wear that thing Marco?"

"Mortification of the Flesh. Marco replied.

Star cocked her head to the side. "Huh?"

"A common thing that used to be done in my religion to purge oneself of sin was flagellation or to beat themselves repeatedly with a whip. That to inflict physical pain can in essence purify one's spirit of sin."

"And you think that loving me is a sin?" Star asked sadly.

Marco looked at her as he finished putting his gauntlets on then twisted the dial on the chest pieces once to the right, causing all the spikes on his armor to bite down into his flesh at once. His body tensed like it always did, if only for a brief moment. "I… still don't feel like I deserve you. Regardless of if you are with Tom or not."

Marco wrapped the robe of the fire rat around his head like a cowl before he reached for his dimensional scissors. His name glowed on the blade at his touch. He opened them ever so slightly so that both his reflection and Star's shined in both blades.

"Where will you go?" Star asked.

"I dunno," Marco admitted, "I just know until I get my head on straight, I can't be here Star… but I promised Mister K to talk to my mom. So I've got one more thing to do before I go." Marco ran a hand through his stark white hair, causing his red cowl to fall around his neck. "This is gonna suck."

"Marco?" Star asked softly.

The Crucible champion glanced at Star, she was everything he wanted, but couldn't bring himself to take. "Yeah?"

Star refused to meet his gaze as she asked. "Do you hate me?"

"No… I hate myself. Why do you ask?" Marco asked.

Star rubbed her arm. "Well it's just that song. The one you dedicated to Hekapoo and me, the one about you becoming a monster."

Marco sighed. "I did a lot of fucked up shit in Hekapoo's dimension Star. A fair majority of it, I regret."

Star nodded slowly. She had never really asked about his time in the Neverzone. Marco had never brought it up so she assumed he didn't want to talk about it. Now? She felt the need to ask about it. "Like what?"

When Marco next spoke it was in a faraway tone and though he was looking at her, the way he was looking made Star think he was looking through her at something off in the far distance. She'd seen such looks on knights before. The Thousand-Yard stare they called it on Earth "I'd do whatever I had to, to get close to another Hekapoo clone. Lie, cheat, steal, kill, betray, backstab, and work myself to the bone. I helped people as much as I hurt them. It wasn't until I met Brunzetta that I truly became what you could call a hero… Before I met her, I was little more than a vagabond doing what I had to do to survive. She reminded me that I'm supposed to have some form of morals."

Marco was lost in a haze of bad memories, his face was twisted into a grimace, and he was pulled out of it by Star wrapping him in a deep powerful hug, her head was tucked under his chin. "I'm sorry you had to go through that for my sake Marco. Please, stay with me."

"I… Don't worry about it," Marco told her gently, running his armored hand through her golden tresses, "It's past… and we both know I can't stay."

Star pulled back and had to look up to look Marco in the eye. 'When did he get so tall?' Star silently wondered. "It isn't past though Marco, because it's still bothering you."

Marco gave a wry smile. "Memories can't hurt you though Star."

"Liar," Star said simply blue eyes flaring with fire as she glared up into Marco's face. "If you really believed that, your hellscape in the arena wouldn't be full of nothing but them."

Marco looked away as he chuckled. "True," he replied before he realized something, "How do you know about the chapel?"

"Wicked K showed us where he sent you after he poofed you away. Your mom almost went apeshit on him… Corn, I was so pissed I tried to physically claw his eyes out," Star said gulping realizing how stupid she'd been in the heat of the moment to try and assault a deity in his own domain.

"My mom's not dead… right?" Marco asked worriedly.

"No she's fine… and I'm just peachy, thanks for asking," Star replied sullenly that he refused to stay by her side..

Marco gave a small grin. "I know you're fine, not even a deity could intimidate Star Butterfly."

Star gave a sheepish laugh. That is where you're dead wrong Diaz," Star looked down at her wand. "Just because I have the wand, doesn't make me invincible. Toffee proved that twice over…"

"Yeah," Marco said letting out a sigh. Before he took out his dimensional scissors and cut open a portal. The mention of the seemingly immortal Septarian seemed to have destroyed whatever unspoken peace treaty she and Marco had going, for Marco was suddenly pushed into action.

"Where are you going, I… I thought you were going to talk to your mom before you…"

"Left?" Marco finished for Star. Upon seeing her nod, Marco continued, "I am, but I packed up all my clothes earlier and left them at St. O's. Gonna go grab em."

He left without another word.

Marco didn't expect to find anyone in the finishing school when he arrived in the courtyard. He expected it to be abandoned. What he found instead was the princesses running an obstacle course that was haphazardly put together from bits and pieces of the school itself. Hulling themselves up over walls with rope, running through tires, crawling through woven rope netting, trapezing across monkey bars, and crawling under barbed wire, all while wearing a backpack that seemed to be loaded with rocks.

Making his way over to Penthesilea Marco said, "Dare I ask what this is?"

The Amazonian Queen glanced his way briefly in acknowledgement of his being there before she replied. "Strength and endurance training. Thank goodness these girls are absolutely pathetic at everything. It means I can mold them from the ground up into the perfect warriors!"

"Yeah good luck with that, just don't kill any of them while you're at it."

"How else am I supposed to weed out the weak?!" Penthesilea asked Marco while giving him an incredulous look.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the Crucible Champion retorted with, "The point of this is for none of the girls to die! Either inside of the arena or outside of it!

"Tch," Penthensilea scoffed. "That is not the Amazonian way, we discard the weak and accept only the strongest into our ranks."

Marco faced the berserker head on. "Let me rephrase it then. Either every girl here survives your training course, or your fight with him will be delayed indefinitely."

Penthesilea grit her teeth in rage as her eyes turned bloodshot and stared at him, "You bastard, you gave me your word!"

Marco nodded calmly. "I did, I said you need to train them all to survive the crucible. If some of them die before even making it there, then you aren't holding up your end, Silea."

The pale woman sighed through her teeth as she crossed her arms. "You're making this a damn near impossible task."

"Clearly you need some extra help. Be right back. While I'm gone, have Patty get my things from Heinous' room will you?" Marco requested as he cut a portal to the Crucible.

Marco stepped out into the Gladiator Registration Office. It was a small place where all the 'fresh meat' for the grinder that was the Crucible went to register on their first day. It also doubled as Mister K's office of sorts. As usual the place was stacked near to the ceiling with folders on new combatants. He couldn't even see Mister K's sweet receptionist.

"Mrs. Tojou… are you here in this mess somewhere?" Marco called out.

The head of a dark-haired japanese woman popped out from under a pile of folders. "Ah, Marco-san, how many times must I tell you to please just call me Ruby?"

"Can't, feels too improper," Marco replied.

Ruby smiled at him. "You are a sweet, polite boy, just like my husband."

"Thank you Mrs. Tojou. Truth is, I need a solid," Marco admitted.

Ruby cocked her head to the side. "Ooh what is it?"

"Well Silea is training those princesses and she's… going full bore with no breaks… I think she needs someone else there to make her go a little easier on them. Do you have some new blood you can spare?"

Ruby pulled herself out of the pile revealing her usual gothic lolita dress, her long dark hair was tied into two long braids by white ribbons. "Oh yes, Mister K mentioned that. You just seemed to be full of good ideas for the Crucible Marco-san."

The Champion resisted the urge to roll his eyes but he couldn't help but quip, "Yeah I'm a regular Elon Musk of murder entertainment. Anyway, you got anyone I could use?"

Ruby tapped her chin, before she held up one slender finger. "I just might! One second." The witch searched around the pile of folders and pulled up the one she was looking for before handing it to Marco.

The title on the front said Major Alex Louis Armstrong. 'Okay so he has military experience, that's good,' Marco thought as he flipped the folder open and read its short contents.

The picture provided was that of a towering giant of a man in a navy blue suit jacket who was almost entirely bald save for the sole curly blonde strand of hair on his head, and the full mustache that took up the entirety of his upper lip.

There was also a small questionnaire.

Q: Your reasons for wanting to join the Crucible?"

A: To see if these wishes are powered by human souls and to show off the glory of the Armstrong family technique, that has been passed down, for generations!"

Q The wishes aren't powered by human souls, but if you could get a wish what would you wish for?"

A: It's not for me! It is for my dear friends Edward and Alphonse Elric! The Elric Brothers, young as they are, have lost limb and body in a desperate bid to bring back their lost mother, and I Alex Louis Armstrong have been moved to assist them in any way possible! The pride and honor of the Armstrong family, passed down for generations, demands no less!"

Marco smiled, he hadn't even met the guy but he liked him already. "Yeah this guy'll do just fine."

Ruby smiled. Though Marco didn't show it much anymore, there were times like just then, when he acted just like her Tsukune. That's why she always went out of her way to help him, if she could. As underneath all that pain he was carrying, was a genuinely sweet boy who just wanted to help people.

Ruby made a small magic circle in the air. "Would Gladiator Number…" she looked at the folder. "556965 report to the Registration office please. Would Gladiator Number 556965 report to the Registration office please. Thank you."

Hearing that made Marco grin a bit. "I'm just happy my number was easy to remember. 555555, so damn simple."

Ruby smiled. "All I had to say was Five's please report to the office and everyone knew it was you."

"Yep those were the days… so how's things at home Rubes?" Marco asked.

The witch smiled. "I can't complain, it's a bit of work being a part of a harem but we all… somehow make it work. Tskune amazingly finds time for each of us. I think Moka-san helps honestly."

Marco nodded. He was used to listening to other people talk about themselves, it was part of why he was so good at Psychology. "Could be, as long as you're all happy with the arrangement then it's all good right?"

"Mmhm," Ruby hummed eyes sparkling happily. "Why just the other night Tskune tied me up with a phone cord and then…" She stopped when she realized she was getting lost in 'not age appropriate memories'. "Ahem, sorry about that Marco-san. Sometimes I forget how young you are."

Marco just rolled his eyes. "You also forget how old I am Rubes. Physically, yes, I'm fifteen," Marco tapped his head and continued, "Mentally, though I'm thirty-one."

"Oh right, I forget sometimes… speaking of, has Marco-san spoken to Star Butterfly at all?"

Marco looked away. "We've talked."

Ruby clapped her hands, "Oh wonderful! Does that mean your wish has…"

"No," Marco said sharply, icy blue eyes narrowing. "It hasn't changed."

Ruby frowned in dismay. "I see…"

There was a sudden knocking at the door and then Alex Louis Armstrong himself entered the room, having to duck down slightly so as not to his head on the doorframe. "Ruby, you wished to see me?"

"Yes, and no Armstrong-san. I called you here, but it is the Scarlet Executioner who needs your assistance," Ruby said, introducing Marco by his fighter title when she saw him hastily don his mask. Ruby knew Marco could be shy and until he warmed up to people he prefered to go by his title.

Armstrong glanced down slightly, and upon seeing the Arena Champion standing there, he offered him his hand. "A pleasure to meet you my fine sir! What can Major Alex Louis Armstrong do for one such as yourself?"

Marco immediately realized Armstrong was just as boisterous and hammy as his transcripted conversation suggested. He clasped the man's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Good to meet you Major Armstrong."

"Alex please, here, you are my superior," The almost bald man insisted. "You needed me for something sir?"

"Yes, I need you to act as a… secondary trainer to a new group of trainee's to the Crucible. They are a bunch of young royals who have seen fit to follow in my footsteps…" Marco rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "For some reason."

"Nonsense!" Armstrong roared flexing his muscles and causing his jacket to be torn to shreds before revealing his statuesque bodybuilder physique. "Even I have heard the tale of your valor and was lucky enough to attend your performance the other day! Tales of your accomplishments, of inspiring generations of princesses to better themselves shall be passed down in the Armstrong family for generations to come!"

"Oh God, please don't," Marco begged, a hand running down his mask.

"Also… my little sister Catherine loves your princess figurines. I sent her back a couple from the gift shop and she's been begging me to get her the rest. Do you think perhaps, if I do you this favor, you could come meet her? It would just make her day, I know it," Armstrong asked, his hands pressed together as if in prayer… his face.. Sparkling for some reason.

"Umm… yeah sure man, just please put a shirt on," Marco asked this weird muscular siscon?

Armstrong smashed his fist into his open palm. "YES! Tales of your generosity shall be passed down the Armstrong family line for generations!"

"Seriously dude, that shirt?!" Marco pleaded. As Ruby watched on amused.

With Armstrong following in his wake, Marco made his way back to St. Olga's. "Well this is what you've got to work with, mostly I just need you to keep Penthesilea from going ham with the training. Think you can do that Major Armstrong… Major Armstrong?"

Marco looked back when he did he saw the built man staring at the Amazon Queen, a blush staining his cheeks. 'Oh, you have 'got' to be kidding me.' Marco thought to himself.

"Such amazing muscles!" Armstrong praised, his shirt tearing to shreds as he flexed.

Penthesilea looked at the muscular man, eyebrow arched, "Is he… hitting on me?"

"I… don't know?" Marco replied honestly shoulders shrugging, "Maybe he likes his women as jacked as he is? If I were you I'd take it as a compliment and be grateful he isn't using the B-word. In any case Silea, this is Major Alex Louis Armstrong, some new meat in the Crucible and he's here to make sure you don't kill anyone during training. Major Armstrong, Penthesilea."

"Ma'am, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you!" Armstrong said saluting Penthesilea his buff form impressing even the Amazoness Queen.

Penthesilea smirked. "He'll do, I suppose."

Armstrong looked out over the field. "Ma'am if I may, I think it's time to call a break, the ladies seem to be on their last legs. Also now that you know their limits we can, over time, work on surpassing them and tailor the training to each individual princess."

Penthesilea blinked. She hadn't thought to do that. 'Maybe Marco had a point bringing him here after all.' she thought before she barked out, "Alright ladies, breaktime!" Every princess dropped where they were and groaned in relief when she said that. Penthesilea was having none of that. "Pick yourselves up you slugs, and haul your asses and your kit over to the back wall!"

Releasing a groan all the princesses did just that, collapsing in a heap. Marco shook his head. 'They asked for this, I tried to dissuade them but they didn't listen… So why do I pity them still?' he asked himself as he watched Armstrong fix his jacket with what he called Alchemy before he addressed his trainees.

"Ladies, I am Major Alex Louis Armstrong, I will be assisting Penthesilea in your training regime," his face then became stone cold serious as he continued, "That said, I'm here to modernize your training, if you fail here, I suppose we can always send you to my dear sister in the arctic base of Briggs. I'm sure Olivera would love to whip you into shape," He finished in a haunted tone, his eyes becoming as small as pinpricks, frightening the girls.

Images of a bulky monster of a woman who ran around in the snow in a polar bear skin loincloth appeared in the girls minds collectively before they cried. "Please NO!"

Alex nodded. "Yes, and if you seek to avoid this terrible fate that I assure you is worse than death, then I suggest you pass the training Penthesilea and I will be preparing for you! Some of which have been passed down in the Armstrong line, for generations!"

The girls were all nodding close to crying, "We will, we promise!"

"Excellent!" Armstrong boomed, "We shall begin properly tomorrow! For now, rest. Soon you shall all have glorious muscles like this!" Armstrong flexed once again destroying his military jacket as he posed like a Greek god his face somehow twinkling for his audience.

"Woah!" The princesses said collectively some of them drooling, a majority snapping pictures on their pixie mirrors.

Seeing they had things well in hand Marco waved goodbye while saying he'd drop in sometime to check on their progress as he created a portal, mentally preparing himself for a long overdue conversation, as he hefted his bag over his shoulder and walked through.

Marco stepped out into the dining hall, and didn't even get a chance to get his bearings before something or rather someone slammed into him. It was the smell of ash and molten metal that tipped him off. There was only one person he knew with a scent like that.

"What's up H-poo?" he asked, the mask of santa muerte still on his face.

Instead of slapping him in the back of his head like she always did, the demigoddess just squeezed him tighter, her head buried in his chest plate as she said. "Don't go."

Marco reached out and ran a hand through her almost crimson tresses. "Sorry, but I gotta."

Hekapoo looked up at him tears of molten lava in her eyes. "Marco I… she looked down as she admitted, "I love you… I love you so please… don't go. I've… I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Hekapoo felt Marco's hands slip around her waist and he gently drew her close. "I'm… Sorry Hekapoo, I never meant for this to happen, but I… can't. Not with you, or Star, or really anyone right now, I'm sorry."

"So what was that with Spiderbite then? Casual sex?" Hekapoo asked.

"No!" Marco denied with a bit of vehmance in his tone before he calmed. "No it wasn't that… she was just trying, in her own way I suppose, to help me."

Hekapoo smirked up at him in her way, "I wouldn't mind helping you out that way, if you need it."

"C'mon H-poo we both know you're better than this," Marco said with a sigh.

Hekapoo nodded, pouting. "So there's nothing I can do, or say, to make you stay?"

Marco chuckled a bit. "Star asked the exact same thing earlier, and my answer to you is the same one I gave her. Right now, I feel like I need to be anywhere but here."

Hekapoo sighed, "Well, at least I can say I tried I suppose."

Marco nodded before he finally took off his mask, "Where is my mother, do you know?"

"Throne room," Hekapoo replied.

"Why?" Marco questioned nervously.

Hekapoo just rolled her eyes. "Well it only seemed proper to make your parents royalty seeing as you're an Earl."

Marco slid a hand down his face. "Is this some form of political entrapment?"

Hekapoo let out a laugh. Marco truly was smarter than anyone gave him credit for. "If it were anyone but Moon I'd say yes, but this is Star's mother we're talking about and she adores you… so no, it's not. This is simply her way of thanking them and you for allowing Star to stay with you for nearly a year."

The two made their way into the throne room where, as they slipped through the front doors, Manfred announced their presences. "Now announcing Arena Champion, Earl of Shimmerloome Keep and Duke of Cornflower, Sir Marco Ubaldo Diaz! Also announcing Lady Hekapoo of the Magic High Commission!"

The Butterfly court turned and looked as Marco and Hekapoo approached. Marco put his mask back on instinctually. He then fixed the manservant with a glare and said, "We were trying to enter incognito, so thanks for fucking that up Manfred!"

"T-Terribly sorry sir!" Manfred replied, a warble of fear in his tone.

Marco ignored him as he stalked forward like a pissed off cat that had just been dunked in bathwater, "And who in the hell made me a Duke of… Manfred, name?"

"Cornflower sir!" Manfred called out.

"Cornflower."

"That would be me, Marco," Moon replied, her tone soft and even.

"Why? What's your angle?" Marco asked, his tone suspicious.

Moon frowned as if hurt. "There is no angle Marco, you've put life and limb on the line on numerous occasions to protect Star both while on Earth and you fought valiantly here against both Ludo and Toffee on Mewni. This is your just reward."

Marco flicked his gaze to Star who was silently pleading with him to accept the position, even River had hope flickering in his eyes.

"To raise a peasant to our esteemed ranks, and as a Duke no less, whatever is Mewni coming to?" A regal voice drawled out scornfully.

Marco didn't even bother to turn around. He just said, "Zarathos… bring him to me."

The black chains around Marco's wrists unwound and shot out like cast fishing line and then there was a sound of choking and gasps by the court as a well dressed nobleman was dragged in front of Marco by both his sword arm, and neck.

He was wearing a blue doublet, with gold buttons, a silken half cloak over his left arm that almost covered the sword on his hip, and brown leather riding boots that went up to his calves. His face was regal and angular and he looked every part the rich blue blood. "And just who the flying fuck are you, asshole?"

The man gasped and pulled at the chain around his throat.

"I do believe he is having trouble s~speaking Marco." Zarathos hissed, his voice fill with dark glee.

"Let him breathe Zar," Marco said flatly.

The chain around the man's throat loosened if only enough for the man to draw a shaky breath. Marco then said, "Name?"

"Duke William Appleton," The man snarled.

"Well Willy, I hate to break it to you, but you done fucked up," Marco said, pacing around the man like a starving wolf does wounded prey. "See, I wasn't even going to accept the position," Marco shook his head, "Hell, I didn't even know the Spiderbites had made me an Earl until after they'd done it." He stopped in front of the man and grinned beneath his mask, "Now? Now I'm gonna take it just to piss you off. Why, I'm sure you're wondering, well, because I'm too sober to put up with assholes like you right now… That, and it doesn't really matter because I'm going to be gone soon."

"Going, going where Mijo?" This question came from his mother, who he now noticed had a slight baby bump and looked to be maybe a month or so pregnant, his father was right next to her a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Mama," Marco said, slipping into briefly Spanish, "Papi… I… We need to talk. I promised Mister Kay I would before I left."

Angie made her way forward and put a hand on her son's shoulder. The black metal was cold to the touch as she looked into his now icy blue eyes, deep within, past all the sadness and the pain, she saw a flicker, just a spark, of who her son used to be. "Let's… let's go talk Mijo. By your leave, Queen Moon?" Angie asked Moon formally.

Moon nodded, a smirk at seeing Duke Appleton laid so low gracing her lips. "Of course Countess Angelia, go right ahead and use the sitting room off the main hall."

Marco turned and walked away showing no respect or formal bow to the Queen, King, or Princess the court muttered at the disrespect, and Marco flipped them all the bird and said, "Fuck all of you! Do you have any idea how bad a hangover I have right now?! Also clean up on aisle seven!" He said gesturing towards Appleton who kept slipping and falling in his own blood.

"Boy drank an entire barrel of Johansen Reserve, if the boy didn't wake up with a hangover, my kinfolk would be howling to make wine out of his blood!" River muttered.

The queen tittered out a laugh at that. "I'm sure… oh Duke Appleton you really are looking a bit peaky. Perhaps you should go lay down?"

The glare the man sent her as she smiled at him spoke volumes. "Yes, he ground out venom in his tone barely concealed. "I think I'll do just that, excuse me your Majesty."

"I really hope his parents can convince him to stay…" Star muttered. "If not…"

Moon glanced at her daughter. "If not?"

Star looked at her lap, where she was clutching the wand. "I'm sorry mom, for snapping at you like I did the other day… I… I didn't mean it. I was just scared, and angry, and I thought for a moment…"

"That you were going to lose Marco to Penelope?" Moon finished for her. Seeing her daughter nod, Moon spoke understandingly. "I understand to a point dear, your father decked Count Mildrew when we danced at a Silver Bell Ball once."

"Papa did that?" Star said looking at her father, who had the decency to look away all while muttering something along the lines of, "My Moonpie."

"He did, it was the stupidest, sweetest, thing ever," Moon said with a sigh, "So yes, I understand why you… said what you said, and I know you only said it in the heat of the moment. Now, about this if not?"

Star looked to her mother, blue eyes burning with determination. "If not, I'm going with him."

Marco eased himself into an overstuffed armchair but only after he pulled one out for his expecting mother. Angie smiled at the action. "That's the Mijo I remember."

Taking off his mask and setting on a side table, Marco sat down himself. "I haven't changed all that much mom."

"Oh really? Angie challenged, her voice harsh, "The boy I knew a year ago wasn't suicidal."

Marco narrowed his blue eyes. "You mean before Star arrived? Don't even think of pinning all of this on her mom! The boy you knew a year ago, was a damn coward!"

Both of Marco's parent's binked, "What do you mean Mijo?" Rafael asked.

Marco took a breath and did his best to explain. "Before Star crashed into my life I was afraid, afraid to try new things, afraid to put myself out there… I went to school, I did karate, I had my music, but I stuck to my routine. I never branched out. I never even had the nerve to ask out the girl I liked since kindergarten! I just nodded to her! It was Star that pushed us together! She was like color suddenly being added to a black and white film… and then, it was taken away. Twice!"

"Mijo," Angie said, reaching out to him only to pull back, "You don't have to go, you don't have to leave Star, that which adds color to your world, behind a third time."

Marco shook his head, "I can't stay. Not anymore, not right now at least. Not after she, after you all, saw everything."

"Depression and needing help is nothing to be ashamed of son," Rafael told him, "I had it,"

Marco blinked, "You did?"

Rafael nodded, "I call it my Blue Period after Leonard da Vinci. It was shortly after I left home after my papi, your abuelo didn't approve of my wanting to become an artist. I struggled with it like a wild horse for a time, but then I met this most amazing waitress who was also going to college to learn to teach poetry." Rafael looked at Angie fondly, "We found solace in one another, helped each other, and I finally broke the wild horse known as depression."

"You and Abeulo seem to get along fine though?" Marco questioned.

Rafael nodded. "We do now, at the time though he was afraid my art wouldn't sell and I would be unable to feed myself or have a place to live. He worried about his son as all parents do, and didn't want to have to worry about me, like he did about him when he ran off to join the Rodeo years ago. He would've much rather I get a job with steady income but he didn't or couldn't express himself properly. It was only when I called him from the hospital on the day you were born years later, that we finally reconciled," Rafael leaned forward and said, "The point I'm trying to make son, is that depression isn't a horse you can break alone, you need help. A support system. You have all of that, both here on Mewni, and on Earth."

Marco leaned back in his chair, "Gotta admit dad, that was the best pitch I've heard so far for me to stay."

Rafael smiled sadly, knowingly, "But you're going to leave aren't you?"

Marco nodded. I am, sorry but I and I'm sorry if this sounds corny, but I feel the need to find myself," He gestured oddly with his hand in a circular motion, "Out there."

"Spoken like a true artist," Rafael said with a hint of pride in his tone."

Marco scoffed. "I'm no artist. The gene clearly skipped my generation."

"On the contrary, you are quite the chef and showman son," Rafael countered, "Now would I prefer you not use an axe as your brush and human bodies as your paint? Of course, but I cannot deny that you are in your element whether in the kitchen or in that arena of yours."

"Thank you?" Marco said unsure how to feel about his father complimenting him on his killing technique.

"Will you at least stay in touch? So as not to worry your poor mother and me?" Rafael asked.

"Of course," Marco promised, I have a pixie mirror, I'll… have to text Star my number so she can give it to you once you get your own compacts… damn it, that means Star'll have my number."

Rafael laughed, "You act as if that is a bad thing Mijo?"

Marco typed out a quick text and sent it to Star's compact. "It will be if she tries calling and texting me like a telemarketer."

Marco stood and his parents did too. He wrapped them both in a hug, and they squeezed him for all he was worth. "Be sure to call us at least once a week, and send us pictures, and brush your teeth. Get plenty of sleep, make sure to eat properly and try to stay out of danger honey," Angie listed off, despite being the less emotional of the two, she had tears gathering in her eyes. "Damn hormones." She said, dabbing at her eyes.

"I won't be gone forever mama, I'll need to stop in from time to time, to defend my title in the Crucible if nothing else. Plus I'll be back in six months or so… probably," Marco hedged as he took out his dimensional scissors and cut open a portal.

"Be safe Mijo. We love you!" Angie and Rafael said at the same time.

Love you too," That was the last thing MArco said before he stepped through the portal and disappeared from their lives for a time.

Words: 19,875 Number of pages: 53 Date Completed: 3/15/2020

AN: Hello one and all and welcome back to Scarlet Executioner! Chapter Three is more alive than Frankenstien and Snowy put together! Speaking of Snowy, here's a world from my favorite new eldritch abomination of an editor!

Okay guys I am currently dying right now from editing so much to make you fans happy. So here is corpse snowy brought back by bubba's eldritch magic to bring you not one but two more story ch.s. One for this story and another story we wrote. See you folks later I need to rest in my grave.

Good man Snowy! Good man, showing that not even death can keep you down!

No thanks to you, you bastard!

Semantics Snowy semantics. Anyway folks, thanks for reading and don't forget to review! It's how I get the human flesh I need to keep Snowy fed these days… Till next time everyone, this has been a Bubbajack and (Zombie) IcySnowSage Production! Peace!

P.S. Huge thank you goes out to lordcornwalis for letting me use a couple of his Oc's. The first of which Duke William Applebottom you've already seen. Also, if you're reading Star vs fanfiction and haven't read "In the Pale Star Light" or "Once and Future Queen" you are doing yourself a disservice. both are simply amazing. The second is a collaboratory work between him and his co-author/beta MrRonald Regan and both are excellent. I can't suggest enough you go read them both.