Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/12832911.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, No
      Archive_Warnings_Apply, Underage
  Category:
      F/M, M/M, Multi
  Fandom:
      Star_vs._The_Forces_Of_Evil
  Relationship:
      Toffee/Marco_Diaz, Star_Butterfly/Tom_Lucitor, Star_Butterfly/Marco_Diaz,
      Tom_Lucitor/Marco_Diaz
  Character:
      Marco_Diaz, Star_Butterfly, Tom_Lucitor, Toffee_(Star_vs._The_Forces_Of
      Evil), Moon_Butterfly, River_Butterfly, Eclipsa_Butterfly, Meteora
      Butterfly, multiple_OCs
  Additional Tags:
      Enemies_to_Lovers, Friends_to_Lovers, mild_body_horror, Nightmares,
      Fingering, Oral, dub-con, Vaginal_Sex, Anal_Sex, idk_ill_add_or_remove
      tags_as_the_story_progresses, Genderqueer_Marco
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-11-26 Updated: 2017-12-03 Chapters: 2/? Words: 7251
****** Across the Divide ******
by MxArtCat
Summary
     Magic burns through his veins like fire, searing marks into his skin.
     Marco is on the search for answers, needing to figure out why these
     strange crescent moon markings appeared on his face and refuse to go
     away, but he doesnt have to do it alone. Just not with Star. An old
     enemy becomes his greatest ally in finding out the truth of his past,
     but what happens when boundaries that should never be crossed, is
     crossed?
Notes
     This is my first time ever writing something like this so please be
     kind with the feedback, and be patient with updates!
***** The Mark *****
Brown eyes stare into brown eyes, searching for something that may not even be
there, then break away as the human boy leans away from the mirror with a sigh.
Marco Diaz, a 17 year old human living in a castle with his best friend who
just so happens to be a magical princess, is confused and concerned and doesn’t
know what to do. It’s been a few weeks since he used Star’s wand to find her
after her escapade through the different portals to some weird dimension of
magic and only a few days since the dance where they found out about Meteora.
Every night since the day he used the wand he’s been having strange and
befuddling dreams that confuse him even more and finding about Queen Eclipsa’s
half monster daughter has made these dreams even worse, to the point they were
so vivid he woke up with cold sweats.
And now here he is, staring at himself in the mirror, trying to see if his eyes
would turn gold like they had in his dreams or if the crescent moon shapes on
his cheeks would rub off. According to Janna, his cheeks glowed with these
marks when he used Star’s wand, but they vanished when the spell ended... until
now it seems. He’s honestly kinda freaking out a little because only
butterflies had these weird cheek marks and if he’s a butterfly then... well,
his relationship with Star is gonna get a lot weirder.
He spends a few more minutes trying to scrub his face before giving up with a
sigh and turning to go shower before Star calls him to start his ‘squire’
duties with her for the day. But while he’s in the shower he can't help but
blank out and think back to his dream from the night before.
It started the day he lost Star. “She’s gone.” That fucking lawyer asshole
lizard says in that snide monotone voice of his. Marco felt like his world had
shattered. He couldn’t see through the tears and black tinting his vision. He
didn’t hear the spell Moon had recited through her own tears. He didn’t hear
Toffee’s reply. All he could feel was pure unbridled rage and despair burning
through his body, fogging his mind and creating a pit in his stomach. The next
thing he knew his fist was through toffee’s chest.
When it actually happened, the lizard just looked at him in disgust and threw
Marco to the side. In his dream, however, Marco’s fist got stuck inside the
disgusting creature. Toffee’s face split into a demonic grin, single golden eye
and slitted pupil staring him down as black ooze coats his hand and up his arm.
Marco’s eyes in turn turned golden and his round pupils became slits that
mirror his.
The next thing he knows, he’s engulfed in light that's a mix of golden and
black with Toffee gone and Star’s wand in his hand, the one dyed black from
Toffee’s tainted magic. His entire body feels like it was on fire, burning acid
in his veins down into his core. His eyes pure white and his cheeks glowing as
the marks are burned into his flesh.
And then he woke up in a cold sweat.
He got up to go shower but when he looked in the mirror, those soft blue
crescent moons were burned into his skin like weird tattoos. Thankfully his arm
didn’t turn out black, though.
 
And now here he is, clean of sweat and staring at himself in the mirror again.
“At least i have concealer...” But as he said it aloud, the statement confused
him. Why would he want to hide it? And then his expression goes deadpan. Of
course. Star would blow this out of proportion and then her parents would find
out and take him to the high commission as a criminal or something for using
Star’s wand. That’s the last thing he needs right now. So here he is, applying
makeup to his cheeks to cover his marks. He can figure this all out by himself
if he has to. He just has to look it up in the library right?
Just as he’s finishing up and putting on his clothes, he hears the telltale
signs of his best friend in the whole universe trying to break down his door to
get in.
“Star! Give me a minute I’m not done getting dressed yet!” The Latino boy
shouts with a huff as he walks out of his bathroom to get his socks and shoes
on, as well as his signature red hoodie. He might change it out for something
else soon, though. He saw a pretty cool looking black Jacket at Quest Buy-
“MARCO DIAZ!!” Comes the all too familiar screech of the blond princess as she
blasts his door off its hinges. “Get downstairs you slowpoke!”
“Star!” Marco yells in shock ducking behind his bed to keep from getting hit by
the projectile that used to be his door. “What the hell?!”
“Tom’s coming over today so get your butt downstairs!!” She’s looking overly
excited today, bouncing up and down around the entrance to my room with her
arms curled up to her face. She’s adorable when she’s excited, but come on!
“I like Tom and all, but did you really have to bust down my door just to tell
me? I have a mirror now, you know.” He says with a glare as he slowly stands up
and brushes debris off his clothes and out of his hair.
She finally stops bouncing around and gets a guilty look on her face. “I know,
and I’m sorry Marco, but I cant help it! It’s been ages since I hung out with
him!”
“You literally just saw him a week ago. At the Ball. Remember?” He raises a
brow as he kicks wood out of the way so he can walk through the mess to his
doorway.
“That doesn’t count. I wasn’t hanging out with just him then.”
“Oh so I’m not allowed to join today? Star, I’m hurt!” He gives her a sad puppy
look.
“Ugh! Marco, you know thats not what I meant!” She takes his arm and leans on
him. “Of course you’ll be joining us!”
“No. It’s already been said.” He fakes a hurt expression before heading out.
Then smirks and nudges her off him. “Besides, I need to do some research in the
library today anyway.”
“Oh? Whatcha lookin’ up in there? Can’t be schoolwork because we don’t have
that here!” She laughs. “I mean, you don’t right? Have school anymore? You did
say when you came here you got your JED thing before arriving.”
“GED. And no, I don’t have any more school for now. I just wanted to learn more
about Mewnie and the royals and stuff.” He shrugs. “I mean, all I know is from
wha you’ve told me. And you don’t say a lot about your history outside the wars
and stuff.”
“Aww, look at you bein’ all smartie and lookin’ up our history and junk!” She
says in a mock proud voice as she pokes his cheek with her wand. “But still.
Why do you want to learn all that stuff?”
“Because if I’m gonna live here and work for you, I have to know about your
history and culture. Just like you had to learn about earth. That way I know
what to expect and so I don’t look like an idiot if something important comes
up.”
“Yeah... I suppose that makes sense.” She’s clearly pouting. Star was hoping to
be able to spend the day with her two best boy friends in the entire universe,
but she understands the importance of his quest. She remembers feeling like
such an outsider her first couple months on earth. Everyone treated her like an
idiot and the last thing she wants is for Marco to feel like that. “Do you need
me to show you where it is after breakfast?”
“Please. Even though I was held captive here for a few days, i learned to get
around just in the air vents. Walking the halls... i feel so lost.” He chuckles
nervously and rubs the back of his neck.
“Okay!” She exclaims excitedly. “And then what, I’ll come drag your butt out at
about lunch time?”
“Try dinner. You guys have a very extensive history.” Marco chuckles as they
walk into the dining hall.
Queen Moon and King River where already at the table, chatting about some sort
of meeting they have planned for the day over their meal of meat and corn. The
latter waves to the pair walking in with a massive drumstick of some creature
Marco really doesn't want to know the name of.
“Good morning you two!” The king says around his mouthful.
“River, please.” The queen sighs before turning to smile at her daughter and
her friend. “Good morning, Star. Marco. Did the two of you sleep well?” She
says in that mom tone thats half genuine half probing.
“Sure did!” Star grins as she skips over to take her seat next to her mom. “I
dreamt I was a literal butterfly from earth and i made friends with a warnicorn
prince!”
“That’s nice dear.” She says slowly. “And you, child?” Moon asks Marco, who
dips his head and tries to stare at his plate of food and try to hide his
nervousness.
“Better than I did back home!” He smiles before shoving a forkful of corn in
his mouth.
Star squints at him but shrugs it off. The two of them are incredibly open. If
something is troubling him, he’d tell at least her.
“Very good!” River says with a chortle. “And what of your day? Anything special
planned?”
“Oh! Tom is coming over after breakfast to hang out for the day!” Star says
with her grin returning and her eyes lighting up with starts. “We have so much
planned and oh my gosh did you hear about the weapons sale at Quest Buy? We
were gonna go check that out then see that rad new movie with Stella Nova as
the main star!” Her smile then turns into a pout and she crosses her arms as
she looks to her friend beside her. “Of course today of all days, Marco decides
to spend the whole day researching the history of Mewnie in the library. Like
the friggin dork he is.”
“Now Star. There’s nothing wrong with learning our history. Especially if he
intends to become your knight someday.” Moon says with a kind smile. “If you
need any help, Marco, I can set you up with a few tutoring lessons from our
librarian. Very few people actually go there anymore since Star finished her
studies, so I’m sure Georgia would love the company.”
“Wow, thanks, your highness. I’d actually love that! But do you think she would
be able to help on such short notice?” He asks with a slight tilt of his head.
Having help would make this so much easier, but he didn’t want to cause a fuss.
“Of course, dear. She used to be a teacher back in her youth so I’m very
certain she could just pull up a few of her old curriculums and she knows every
inch of the library so she could pick out just the books you need.”
“I hope so...” he trails off in thought, a soft smile on his look. That slowly
fades as he remembers exactly why he needs to look all this up.
Star gently nudges him, snapping him out of his daze. “Marco? Are you okay? Or
just contemplating you corn?” She chuckles, but it doesn't really hold any
mirth. She sounds more concerned than anything.
“Oh-oh yeah! I’m fine! Just trying to plan out what I’m hoping to learn first!”
He says with a fake grin.
“Okay...” She’s not buying it. Now she’s really worried about him. But her
worry almost completely vanishes when she hears a bell ringing through the
castle. “Tom!!” She nearly throws herself over the table to get to the door
that leads out of the dining hall, running so fast she slips on the marble
flooring a few times before reaching the front door.
The lilac demon prince was already invited in by the doorkeeper but that only
means Star doesn’t have to stop her momentum as she leaps at her boyfriend, who
grins wide and catches her, twirling her around before stopping to kiss her.
She wraps her arms around his neck and smiles into the kiss, almost bursting at
the seams from her bubbly giggling laugh.
“It’s so good to see you, Starship. I missed you so much!” He smiles warmly,
all three eyes looking at her with love. They truly are in love.
“I missed you too, Tom! Oh, I’m sooo glad we could both clear a day from our
busy schedules to go out for once!” She’s bouncing in his arms slightly,
peppering his cheek in kisses, making the demon snicker.
“So am I. You have no idea.” He grins. Then he looks to the door where Star had
come from to see Marco slowly walking in, raising a hand in greeting. Tom’s
smile can’t help but deepen as he raises a hand as well. He won’t say it first,
but he’s here for Marco as much as he is for Star.
“Yo.” Marco smiles as he walks over.
“Good morning to you, Marco! Please tell me you’ll be joining us today.”
Please?
“Unfortunately not.” The human chuckles. “Today is all you and Star. Consider
it an honest to god date.”
“Then what will you be doing today?” He looks at him in confusion, and slight
disappointment. Ever since he started living with Star, Marco rarely ever left
her side, which he always deemed to be a blessing since he kinda likes him too.
“Marco has decided to start taking Mewman history lessons. Ugh.” Star rolls her
eyes and pouts. She shoots a quick knowing glance between the two, the corner
of her mouth pulling up in a slight smirk. “He’s blowing us off to study.”
“Honestly, I’m not surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised.” Tom says with a
sigh and a shrug. “Such a nerd.”
“Hey! I am not a nerd! Just because I like to learn doesn’t mean I’m some kind
of lame weirdo.” Marco huffs, glaring at the two of them.
“Yeah, sure. Whatever, Marco.” Her smirk deepens. “Fine, if you’re staying
here, do you want us to pick you up anything from Quest Buy?”
“One of those cool retractable staves!” His eyes light up. “One of the cool
looking ones with the rubies! I’ve been meaning to go get one but I’ve been so
busy lately...”
“Tell me about it...” Star sighs. “But, come on Marco, why cant you come
shopping with us then come back and do your studies?”
“Because I know me and I know you. If I go to Quest Buy i will not be be
getting back until after midnight. And I really have to start today!”
“But whyyy?!” Star whines, giving him puppydog eyes.
He has to shut his eyes tight and look away. “Dang it, Star! Because I want to!
Is there really any other reason?”
“I don’t know! It just seems really weird how you wanna read some boring old
books instead of coming to hang out with us!”
“Star...” Tom pipes up, causing her to look up at him with a confused
expression. “Maybe you shouldn’t press him too much? I mean, if he does this he
might actually get to know you a bit better. Or at least your people. And if he
does that he might be a bit more well liked by your parents and the kingdom.
Hell I’m actually kinda tempted to join him if you didn’t look so alluring
today.”
To that she blushes and giggles, looking away for a moment. “Okay... I-I get
it. I guess. Should we get going then?” She asks Tom. “Are you sure you’re
going to be okay here without us?” She asks Marco.
He waves his hand and looks up. “Psh! I’ll be fine! I’m a capable warrior if
anything happens.”
“Nnnn...” She doesn’t look convinced but Tom has starts pulling on her hand.
“Come on Star. Skeleton Horse isn’t gonna stay around all day. He gets bored if
he’s not moving.”
“Okay, okay! Fine. But call if you need us, okay? I’ll have my mirror on me all
day! Bye Marco!!” And she gives in to Tom’s pulling, being led out the front
door to his carriage.
“Bye Star! Bye Tom! Have fun!” He waves after them and they wave back before
the carriage is engulfed in flames and the vanish from this dimension. Marco
deflates a little as he sighs softly before looking back into the castle. He
starts walking in a bit a ways before realizing he doesn’t know where the
library is. Star said shed take him but Tom arrived early. He groans and starts
looking around for one of the staff so he can ask where it is.
After a while of wandering around, he finally finds someone who can direct him
where he needs to go and he heads straight there. The library looks like
something out of a fairy tale. Then again this whole planet looks like a fairy
tale to him so that was kind of a silly thing to think. Either way, the room is
massive and easily four stories high and packed top to bottom in old and new
books alike. It’s the type of place where it feels like a mortal sin to speak.
And Marco absolutely loves it!
“H... hello?” He whispers, breaking the silence of the room. Almost
immediately, he feels the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and out of
the shadows comes two glowing eyes. Marco throws up his hands as if ready for
attack, body tensing at what might come at him, all while hoping this
experience will be nothing like the laundry room.
Out from the shadows comes a tiny old lady with a hard stare framed by cat eye
glasses. “What do you want?” She snaps in a tone barely above a whisper.
Marco blinks a couple times before lowering his hands. “Uh-“
“Come on, I haven’t got all day! I mean i do, but I don’t want to spend it here
talking with you.” She mumbles that last part and hobbles by to the reading
area of the library.
“I-I need too look up the history and lineage of the Mewman royals!” He says in
a bit of a rush as he stumbles to follow her. She just looks back at him with
an even harder stare and curls her lip in distrust.
“Why in the world would you need to look that up? If you’re wanting to find a
loophole to dethrone the current rulers, you won’t find one!” Her shrill voice
rises a few octaves and she points a ruler at him like a sword.
“N-no ma’am! That’s not my intention at all! I-I just... I’m Princess Star’s
squire and her best friend. But even though I live here, I’m from earth. And
because of that, I need to learn all I can to serve her and her family.” The
lie he’s been telling is selling because its a half truth. He does genuinely
want to learn Mewman culture, but the problem at hand has to be solved first.
So he sighs in relief when the old lady seemed to believe him, huffing as she
tells him to sit.
She goes off into the depths of the Library, returning almost an hour later
with a cart full of large books with old, worn covers. “In these books you’ll
find at least most of what you need. I’m afraid the more extensive books on the
royal lineage were lost a good few hundred years ago.”
“How? Did something happen to them?” Marco asks as he starts unloading books
onto the table.
The librarian shrugs. “No one knows for sure. But rumor has it Eclipsa got rid
of them to protect her affair.”
“Ah... Th-thank you, then, I guess. This will help a lot.” He smiles at her and
she walks away as he sits down to crack open one of the many books. Oh boy.
It’s written in fancy calligraphy instead of plain text. He can read it, but at
a much slower pace. Looks like he’ll be here a while...
***** Advice *****
Chapter Summary
     A talk with a certain someone helps him figure a few things out.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Minutes turn into hours and hours into days. As determined as Marco is, it
takes him two weeks and many sleepless nights to shift through half the old
tomes and texts written in old Mewman, and every time he thinks he’s gotten
close to finding something out, the trail goes cold.
But one thing he has learned is that it is possible for a Mewman born without
marks to gain them at some point after being bred away from the immediate royal
line if they are touched with magic. So that means there is a big possibility
he is part of the royal Mewman line, but it's not a guarantee. He’s tried to
read more on it but either pages are missing or it just stops there. Both are
equally infuriating and confusing.
But not as confusing as seeming to read one moment than appear in his bed the
next.
Yes, more than once, Star has found Marco passed out over a book in the library
and has to magically transport him back to his room. She’s started to worry
about him, more than she did before and she doesn’t know what to do. The last
time he acted like this was during exams at school or when they needed to fix
something that her magic fucked up. So she’s decided to confide in a couple of
her human friends on earth.
“Why’s he so desperate to learn about our history? It’s not like he’s going to
be tested on it.” She pouts to the other girls, crossing her arms like an angry
child.
“Maybe he’s looking for something in particular.” Janna says around a mouthful
of burrito. The three of them have decided to hang out at the usual taco joint.
 
“But what? What could he be looking for that's so important that he’d refuse to
hang out with me?! Or with anyone?! This is so not like him!” She pouts, laying
her head on the table.
“Well, did you ask him? Or read the books he was looking through?” Jackie asks
with a raised brow. “He’s a sweet guy, but not the best at hiding his tracks.”
“I did! I asked him but he keeps saying he’s fascinated with our history and
when I look over his shoulder and at his notes he seems to be legit looking up
Mewnie’s history and junk. It just doesn’t make any sense!” The princess whines
and pulls on her bangs.
“Then maybe you should let him be. When he’s gotten all he can get, he’ll drop
it. It’s not like the fate of the world rests on his shoulders or anything.
Poor guy would crack too easily if that were the case.” Janna smirks before
biting into her food.
“You don’t know that! What if he knows something I don’t?! What if he’s
researching some great evil? What if Mewnie is in danger?!!” She grabs Janna’s
jacket and pulls her way too close as she freaks out, panic in her sky blue
eyes.
“Oh please.” The human rolls her eyes. “If he knew something, he’d tell you.
There’s no way that boy can keep a secret from you, it’d eat him up inside.“
“Hmm… Hey, Star... Was Marco bullied by anyone recently?” Jackie says in a
worried tone.
“Huh? What? No... no, I don’t think so.” She looks up in thought. “He rarely
leaves my side and I’d know if someone was messing with him... I mean there was
that thing at Quest Buy where the other squires were ruining his chances to
shop for me, but we got over that and decided to buy a bunch of cool fun junk
instead. And then i guess he did have free reign of the castle while i was in
that weird butterfly mode when i slept.” Her eyes widen and she pulls in a
long, drawn in gasp. “What if someone hurt him during that time?! I wouldn’t
have been there to tell them off!! Oh gods, Marco!”
“But that was weeks ago! Why would he be so strung up about something that
happened so long ago?”
“You’ve never been bullied before, have you Jackie?” Janna says with a smirk.
“I have... but I usually get over it pretty quickly.” She gives the other two a
quizzical look.
“Ahh, hot skater girl privilege.” She snickers, rubbing her arm after said
skater girl punches her in the shoulder. “Ow! What? Most people obsess over
their flaws for weeks to years after being bullied. Usually they don’t just
shrug it off. Unless they can get revenge or something.”
“Oh no... If Marco obsesses over this for years... we might never see him
again!” Star whines even louder than before, jumping up to her feet to start
pacing. “I-I have to do something! I have to find out who’s bullying him!” She
stops abruptly and takes out the scissors she borrowed from Marco earlier that
day. “Bye!!”
And she’s gone through a portal.
“Well... i hope they work whatever is going on over there out. I’m itching to
look through Marco’s wallet again.” Janna says before attempting to bite into
her food again, only to have her chin grabbed and pulled to face Jackie.
“Hey, hey! What have we talked about? You need to stop doing that. Leave the
poor boy alone.”
“Psh, whatever.” Janna rolls her eyes. “Wanna share her nachos?”
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Star is racing through the halls, looking high
and low for her best friend who she thinks is in trouble. “Marco! Marco!!” She
calls out as she searches room after room, starting with the library, his room,
her room, the dining hall, everywhere she could think of to no avail. “God damn
it Marco!!” She growls as she starts pacing the halls.
One of the passing maids stops and gives her an odd look. “Have you checked the
training yard?”
Star stops and gives the woman an odd look. “What? No? Why would I look there?”
“The boy Marco asked me how to get there not long after you left for the day,
miss. If he’s nowhere in the castle, he might still be there.”
“But... Why would marco need to train? No one in Mewnie knows his special type
of hand to hand...” she looks down and presses a finger to her mouth in
thought.
“I wouldn’t know, miss. That’s just where I saw him go last.” She shrugs and
pushes her cart on to clean somewhere else, leaving the princess to wonder in
silence.
Star shakes off her confusion and races off down the hall and out to the arena
where the knights train, hoping Marco is there. And sure enough, the Latino boy
is there, but oddly not training hand to hand. He’s with one of the older
knights, learning to use the retractable stave Star got him a couple weeks
back. He’s... decent at it. Unfortunately the spring is a bit buggy so he keeps
dropping it in surprise when it suddenly retracts or pops out too late.
“Marco!” Star waves at him as she rushes down to the side entrance, causing the
poor kid to drop his stave once again. He kicks it as Star throws herself at
him to hug him tight. “Oh my gosh! You’re outside the library?! We should
celebrate!” She giggles, causing him to smirk and rub her head.
“Oh please. It hasn’t been that long! And a break from studying is no reason
reason to celebrate.” He rolls his eyes.
“Yeah it is if it's been ages since I’ve seen you!” She snorts, then snaps up
and grabs his cheeks, making him go rigid. “Marco. Are you studying Mewman
history and customs because someone bullied you? I know you have insecurities
but I swear on the high council that if someone teased you...”
“What? No! No one’s made fun of me or anything. Well, besides you, Tom,
ponyhead, and basically everyone in our friend group. What makes you think
that?” He says with a hint of playful sarcasm. He almost looks relieved when he
pulls her hands off his face by the wrists and doesn’t see any makeup on them.
“Oh, is that all? I thought it was something serious!” At that Marco facepalms
before looking up into her sad puppydog eyes. “It’s just that... you haven’t
been around at all and I thought someone got to you or something because you
only obsess over learning things when someone makes fun of your lack of
knowledge or something...”
“I do not! Besides... I’m almost done with that anyway.” A lie but hopefully
that sates her for now. “I actually met Sir Galliant while I was at the library
and he agreed to train me to use the staff you got me. So I’ll be taking breaks
now and then to come out here and train so I’m not inside all the time.”
“I saw you training coming in... you really suck.” She snickers, causing him to
glare at her.
“Well I did just start... and the spring is all buggy...” He looks away,
hunching his shoulders in frustration.
“I can fix that for you, if you want. Well, not me, but I know someone who
can.” Star offers with a soft smile.
Marco sighs. “No, no. I want to see if i can somehow use it as it is. If i
can’t, then I’ll fix it.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.” She doubts he can but doesn't want to ruin his hopes.
“So... will you be up to hanging out with me tonight? Please? It’s been weeks
and I really miss you Marco.” She pouts.
He sighs again and shrugs, a soft smile pulls at his lips. “Maybe not tonight,
but possibly this weekend? I’ll make my special Nachos if you wait!” He adds
when he sees her start to pout again. But that lifts her spirits enough for her
to start bouncing around in her adorable expression of excitement.
“Yes!! I’ll make sure to invite tom, and Janna, and Jackie, and Ponyhead, and
Kelly, and starfan13, and...” she stops to think, “who else? Hmm... Is that
everyone?”
“How about we keep it small? Maybe just me, you, and Tom?” He says with a
hopeful smile. He likes the others and all, but until he gets the marks thing
all worked out, he wants as few people as possible to find out. Or have the
possibility to find out.
“Even better~” Her giddy grin turn into a scheming one and she rubs her hands
together.
“Star... What are you planning?” He’s starting to get nervous. He knows that
look and he doesn't like it.
“Oh nothing!” She lies starting to back away. “Just thinking of some fun things
we can do together.”
“Uh-huh. Right.” He doesn’t believe her for one second, but it's not like he
can say anything more because she’s running away and Sir Galliant is calling
for him to do more runs with his staff. Except the old knight is forcing him to
use a proper training bo staff this time. Which he begrudgingly accepts.
Training goes on from then to dusk, leaving Marco sore all over. Especially in
the crotch and face area. Who know training with a staff meant you tend to
smack yourself in the balls so much? Anyway, none of his injuries are too bad
or crippling. It’s actually kinda comforting, seeing as how it reminds him of
his old karate lessons in a way. After a hot shower and smothering of ointment
to soothe his aching muscles, he gets dressed not in his night clothes, but
instead in his usual attire plus a cloak.
Then he heads back to the library, intent on reading up bit more before finally
heading to bed. The castle is quiet this late night since everyone, including
the staff, are usually asleep at this time. The silence makes it easier for him
to study, which he’s grateful for, but it does make him a bit lonely at times.
Sometimes the librarian would stay up with him, but not for much longer than an
hour past bedtime. But for the most part, he’s alone.
Which is why when a hand is placed on his shoulder at a half past midnight, he
nearly jumps out of his skin, a yelp forcing its way out of his mouth as he
whips around to see who’s there. His heart is pounding from the shock, and it
doesn’t slow when he sees who it is. In fact, the sight of the old queen of
Mewnie makes it beat a bit faster as he’s put on edge.
“E-Eclipsa?! What are you doing here?!” His voice cracks a bit, giving away
just how badly she scared him.
The pale noble just giggles softly and smiles, placing a hand over her mouth
before replying in that sweet voice of hers. “I’m sorry, young man. I didn’t
mean to scare you! I was just curious as to why you were here so late, reading
books about…” she leans to the side to read a few lines of his book, “Mewman
heritage?”
“I have my reasons… A-and i don’t exactly have to tell you!” He tries covering
the books but he winds up just looking silly, which of course makes the noble
giggle again.
“Of course. I’m sure it has nothing to do with those strange marks on you
face?” She says in a knowing tone.
Marco covers his cheeks and gasps. “How do you know about that?! Have you been
spying on me?!”
“Oh darling, I spy on everyone. It’s the only fun I get. Along with sneaking
around the castle at night.” She smiles a bit too sweetly. “Do you think you
can pull yourself away from you books long enough to join me for tea? I know a
shortcut from here to the kitchen.”
Marco is understandably apprehensive of the idea of joining her, but he is
curious about what she knows. And, come on, secret passages are really cool!
“Okay…” He slowly agrees and follows her as she weaves her way to the other
side of the library. Of course its one of those book on a bookshelf secret
doors, but that's not gonna stop it from being cool.
She leads his through and down twisting, winding halls and stairs between the
walls, lighting the way with a magic glow from her hands. Eventually, the two
of them ended their trek by entering the kitchen via a cabinet under the sink.
“Okay that was cool.” Marco says as he looks about the kitchen after standing.
“I know, right?” Eclipsa smiles before wandering off to look for a teapot and
tea. “Do you mind helping me look for the tea? Everything’s changed so much
since the last time I was here I can barely find anything.”
“Oh, uh, right.” The teen scans the room for the pantry and wanders over to it
when he spots it. He sans the shelves for the tea and grabs a. Few jars when he
finds it. “Loose leaf. Fancy.” He observes. “Hey, uh, what kind do you like?”
“Rose, or anything floral.” She replies from the stove where she’s working on
boiling the water.
He grabs the rose tea, which he’s guessing is the pink and red one that smells
sweet, and brings it over to the kitchen island, setting it down beside the two
teacups Eclipsa had found.
“Everyone knows I’m the character in Star’s story that, for now, is being used
as someone to vent to and gain wisdom from. So,” she leans against the counter
and crosses her arms, flashing him a knowing smirk, “what’s troubling you?”
“I… I don’t know if I feel comfortable spilling my biggest secret to someone I
barely know, let alone the supposed evil ex-queen of Mewnie.” Marco says a bit
nervously, hiding his hands in his hoodie and slouching over, looking away
nervously as if she could see into his mind if he sat up straight and looked at
her.
“Oh please, I already know about it and I haven’t told a soul yet. You might as
well just spill what’s bothering you about it.” She laughs softly.
The teen hums softly, expression still uncertain. But he can’t help it! He just
has to know! “What does it mean?! Why do I have these marks? I’m not related to
Star in any way that I know of and I used her wand only once like two months
ago! Why did these marks show up a few weeks ago long after I’d used the wand?
Does this mean I’m a royal? What will happen if I am? If I’m part Mewman does
that mean I’ll-”
“I think you can stop there.” The old queen says with a soft smile, as she
comes over to place a blackened hand on his shoulder. “I know this is all so
confusing and strange, and no one has any real answers for all of your
questions, but I can put your mind at ease for at least a few of them.”
She steps away for a moment to grab the kettle off the stove and fix up their
tea, humming softly as she puts her thoughts together. Eclipsa sits across from
Marco as their tea steeps. “I believe that you are the descendant of one of the
royals from very long ago, one that more than likely traveled to your
dimension… Earth was it?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “But I can trace my family back hundreds of years! The only
foreigners in my family line are from spain and the indigenous peoples of the
americas. Other than that it’s just a crap ton of mexicans. Nowhere was there
any hint of someone from another dimension… or at least no europeans, which you
guys are strikingly similar to.”
“Then maybe it goes back farther than that. The Butterfly line spans almost
three thousand years, maybe more. Who knows when your family picked up the
Butterfly gene. I think the only way to know that for certain, is to have the
book of the Butterfly family tree. Which, if no one has taken it nor has it
been destroyed, should be in the castle I resided in when I was married to my
dearly beloved monster husband.”
“You mean the castle where you had Meteora?” He asks with a slight tilt of his
head, nearly causing the old queen to drop the teapot she was holding.
“How d… how do you know about her?!” Her eyes widen, an unreadable expression
of shock mixed with something else on her face.
“She's still alive, but everyone nowadays knows her as Miss Heinous. She grew
to be a tyrant, owning a “reform school” where she basically brainwashed
princesses into being cookiecutter, perfect little mindless dolls. It was
extremely creepy what she did to one of my friends…” he shudders at the memory
of finding Ponyhead in that dark room all brainless and disturbing. “She also
tried to kill me on more than one occasion because apparently I’m the one who
started a riot in her reform school… our relationship is not on the best
terms.” He slowly sips his tea.
“Oh… I’m sorry… Um, that is very distressing to hear.” She looks down at her
cup and sighs. Shes feeling a lot of emotions right now and it’s hard to
process what she was just told. She had assumed, since no one spoke of her,
that her daughter was gone, seeing as how it’s been over three hundred years
since her time. Eclipsa decides it’s best to dwell on that later.
“Anyway… Yes, I do believe you’ll find the books you need to confirm your
heritage in my old castle. As for your other questions that I assume you were
going to ask, I would keep an eye out for any signs of magical disturbances
around you. You may learn to control your magic without a wand or you might
not, but if mewberty hits… I find that may be a little hard to hide from
everyone else so I advise you to work everything out quickly before that
happens.” Se explains with a soft smile. “Usually it’s just the girls in our
family who have the marks and the connections to magic, so I’m not entirely
sure how this will affect you.”
“Well… I gathered that much, but I guess maybe I have them because I’m not one
hundred percent male?” He shrugs. Ever since the first “Princess Marco” fiasco
he has been questioning his gender and sexual identity. And his parents assured
him these feelings are normal so... “I don’t know. I guess from here it’s just
trial and error and waiting to see what happens as far as the physical and
magical stuff goes, huh?”
“Pretty much.” She then smirks and leans against the counter, resting her head
on her hands. “If I may ask, what do they look like? Your markings, I mean. I
saw the glow and you applying makeup to cover them, but I didn’t get a good
look at them before. Same with the wand...”
“Oh, uh, soft blue crescent moons for the markings, and the wand… I don’t know
how to describe it really. It turned a shade of blue-ish green, the gem in the
center was purple, it looked kinda spiky, and had bat wings on the top. I
think...“
“Ohh! Sounds like it looked like a monster wand.” She grins. “Are you evil or
something?”
“No! Of course not! I don’t know why it looked like that! Maybe it was just
because I’m not supposed to wield it it looked all weird. That and I was just
borrowing it to use the spying pell or whatever its called.”
Eclipsa gasps and covers her mouth with a hand. “Why in the world were you
using that spell?!”
“To find Star. Something happened when she was in butterfly form and we lost
her to the realm of magic. I had to use the spell to find her.” He shrugs and
looks at the clock. “I should probably be heading back… It’s getting kinda
late.”
“So it is. And the both of us have a lot of information we have to process.”
She smiles and finishes off her cup of tea. “I hope to speak with you again
someday. If you have any questions at all, you know where to find me.”
“Yeah.” Marco smiles in return as the two of them stand and leave the way they
came, parting ways for the night when they reach the library. At least now
Marco has his next step planned out. Maybe he can get away and check out the
old castle ruins tomorrow night. Yes, that’s what he’ll aim for, but for now
he’s exhausted and his bed is calling.
He’s out like a light before his head hits the pillow.
Chapter End Notes
     Constructive criticism please!
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!