Rifts

Part 21~Creating Distractions

"You'll want to keep your fist tight, your thumb on the outside, and your fingers parallel with your target. Try to hit with the flesh of the finger segment- no, like that." Marco laughed as he walked Tom threw fighting styles. "Then bend back your arm and twist as you push. Make sure you finish the punch, follow through like in table tennis."

Tom frowned, trying to follow Marco's instructions as he punched the bag, barely moving it. Marco burst out laughing as Tom glared at him. "This is a lot different from table tennis, okay?!"

Marco held up his hands as Tom sighed.

"I don't understand why I can't just use my magic. It's never failed me before."

"Yeah, big talk from the guy who got one shot by a hundred-year-old soldier with twink arms and pink hair."

Tom gaped. "You lost that fight too!"

"Yes, but I took out her arm as I went. Now, let's try this again. Raise your elbow high and plant your leg back. Dig your feet into the ground when you go for the punch but keep your legs moving when you don't."

Tom frowned, looking at his feet in confusion.

Marco snorted, finally walking over. "No, like this." Marco placed a hand on Tom's hips, pulling him sideways. He took Tom's arm, pulling it back. "Twist your whole body and put all your power in."

Tom coughed, trying to keep his mind on the training. It was not easy.

Boom.

Tom jumped to the side as they looked across the field. Solar was covered head to toe in smoke as Eclipsa chuckled. "I believe your focus might have drifted."

"I noticed."

~~~

Solar sighed as he picked up Glossaryck. The genie jumped out of his hands and ran through the castle. "Marco! Genie on the run!"

Marco blinked, looking up as Glossaryck jumped over him. "On it." Marco spun, rushing off as Tom sighed, collapsing in the dirt.

"Why does he get so close?" Tom covered his face, screaming into them.

Solar tilted his head as he leaned over Tom. "Are you okay?"

Tom uncovered his eyes, gulping as he looked at Solar. The sun beamed behind Solar, making him look like an angel. Shooting up, Tom blushed heavier. "You're both going to kill me."

Solar blinked in confusion. "What?!"

~~~

Star grumbled as she buried herself in the bed, not noticing as a portal opened. Moc jumped in, sneaking around and picking up objects from the ground. They froze, staring at Star before they sighed. "You okay?"

Star screamed, shooting up and hitting Moc with a spell.

"Well, that's the last time I try to help you." Moc coughed, sitting up as Star jumped, her eyes widening in horror.

"Moc! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Star rushed over, holding out her hand as Moc laughed.

"Yeah, you would be surprised by the number of spells I get hit with. This is nothing." Moc jumped up, stretching their arms. "You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

Star sighed, falling back into her bed. "I don't know. I feel so weird. I have so much on my mind, and I can't talk to my parents about it. I don't think I can talk to anyone."

Moc shrugged their shoulders, stretching the back of their neck. "I mean, you can talk to me. We are friends... right?"

Star smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

"Right, I'm all ears." Moc jumped on Star's bed, crossing their legs and tapping their ankles excitedly.

"It's just that-" before Star could begin, the door was slammed open.

"Star!" Marco skidded into the room, almost falling over. "Buff Frog is gone!"

Star jumped up, rushing over. "What?"

Solar stepped in after Marco, holding up the letter. "We found this letter for you in his office."

Star took the letter, reading over it, her expression getting more and more confused. "Wait, this letter is legible! Buff Frog didn't write this note!"

Marco nodded as Moc tilted his head. "Which one is Buff Frog, and why does it matter that you can read the letter?"

"Buff Frog used to work for Ludo, but he was reformed after he became a father. He never learnt to write."

Moc hummed, nodding. "Who's Ludo?" Solar and Tom gave them a look as they coughed. "I'll ask again later... when... someone's not in danger."

"We gotta find him." Star rushed across her room. "I'll get my wand."

Marco paused, looking at Tom. "Well, good luck. I still got to teach this idiot how to fight."

"Seriously?" Star gave Marco an annoyed look as he held up his hands.

"I do have a life."

Solar chuckled. "He lies. He's just keeping his mind off of Hekapoo, and he's distracting himself by teaching someone to fight."

"Says the one who's suddenly gotten really into his magic studies." Marco crossed his arms as Solar coughed.

Moc rolled their eyes, pulling Star aside. "Let's leave the boys to their troubles. I'll join you."

Star smiled as she summoned a cotton candy cloud, jumping atop it and pulling Moc on as well.

~~~

As Star and Moc came up to Buff Frog's house, the candy monster poofed away, dropping them to the floor.

Star gently pushed open the door, stepping inside. "Buff Frog?" She stopped, gasping as she looked around the room. The entire place was a mess. "This doesn't look right. Buff babies? I've got a really bad feeling about this."

"This is weird. Wanna threaten someone into telling us where he went?"

Star went quiet, taking a deep breath. "No. But we will ask politely."

"Yeah, I'm not so good at that."

Star snorted, grabbing Moc and dragging them out of the house and to the village. The place was abandoned too. Star looked around, cupping the side of her mouth. "Hello!"

"Yeah, I don't think anyone's here."

"This just doesn't make any sense."

Moc jumped when they heard something coming from the side. "What was that?"

Star rushed toward the sound, finding it to be only a broken shutter. She sighed, looking into the house. "This is troubling." The house was abandoned too. "C'mon, let's keep looking around. What if someone rounded them up? A rogue band of Mewmans, maybe. Or worse, Mina!"

Moc stared, pulling out their scissors and cutting through the universe. They stepped through, reappearing with Janna. "This is out of my league."

Janna hummed, listening to Star rant. "Oh, no, no, no, no, everywhere I look, things are getting worse and worse!"

"Woah, this is a level 5 melt." Janna walked forward, grabbing Star's shoulders. "Star, calm down. Talk me through this."

Star took a deep breath. "I got a letter from Buff Frog, but it couldn't have been Buff Frog, and his house is destroyed, and this town is destroyed, and everything is going wrong!"

Janna chuckled. "Star, take a breath. Breathe with me. It's going to be okay."

Thud. Janna and Star turned around, looking at Moc, who had collapsed into the ground.

"Well, that's not good."