Steven Universe: Steven Meets Star

Chapter 5 - Unknown War

A/N: Lil' bit of soundtrack, y'know, for the mood.

Four months of the Mewnian Soldier Academy. 4 grueling, bitter, rage-filled months. A black heart was all that Marco had in him, after his Star was taken away from him. According to the science department, it was nothing but an irregularity in the portal's field. But Marco, being who he was, refused to take that. SOMETHING caused that irregularity. SOMEONE took his girlfriend away. And he would not rest until he found her, and the people who caused the tragedy were eviscerated from the multiverse. He fought long and hard, on several occasions going back to his dorm with fractures, wounds, and bruises alike. However, it can not be said that there is no gain with pain - and Marco proved this the most, no longer being the karate-loving kid he was back on Earth. Said so by the great commanders of the Mewnian Army, the entirety of the Johansen lineage, and even Queen Moon herself, Sir Diaz would prove to be the most lethal warrior of all of Mewni.

There was one problem - it wasn't enough for him. Being the strongest was nothing compared to magic, and in another dimension, his weakness could potentially mean his doom. No, if Marco wanted to truly end his enemies, he would need the help of someone he didn't particularly enjoy, but needed nonetheless. Using the Dimensional Scissors, rightfully earned with the blood, sweat and tears of their owner, Marco went to the one person who would hopefully give him the last remaining bit of strength he needed.

A knock on the door. Usually, unannounced trespassers would be turned away immediately, but this trespasser was known. 

"Yo, Diaz," said that sly voice. "Never thought you'd come to see me, what's new?"

"Spare me the chitchat, Lucitor, I need your help, it's urgent," sneered Marco. He really did not like this creep. Mainly because it was his girlfriend's ex, but also because of the multiple times Tom almost killed him.

"Woah there, no need to get all impatient. I just wanna know what life's doing for you. How's Star?"

"Oh, y'know, I would ask her, except for the fact that 4 months ago, she got sucked into a wormhole, and is lost somewhere in the multiverse. For all anyone knows, she could be dead."

Tom's sly little smile morphed into a face as serious as Death when he heard those words. "You're right, this is urgent. Please, come in," Tom opened the door widely, letting Marco's new large frame enter the door. 

"Hi Mr. Dave and Mrs. Wrathmelior, i hope you guys are well," Marco stated to them before getting dragged by Tom down a long, winding staircase. 

"So, Star's gone, and nobody told me? Really, that's messed up."

"You know about your anger, Tom. I wasn't sure how you would take it, but i had to risk it, and-"

"And here you are, blah blah," Tom retorted, slightly annoyed, but with an unsettling fear in his voice. "Now, the million dollar query is, what do you need from me of all people?"

"Is it not obvious?" Seeing Tom's deadpan face, and realizing he would have to explain himself, he continued. "I've trained myself to peak physical performance. Day and night, i made myself work like a beast. I've forced myself when I was weak and tired, on the verge of collapse, to keep working. But where I'm going, I don't think pure physical strength is going to be enough to tackle what I'll be fighting. Tom, I need magic. Strong magic."

Now the half-demon kid was finally understanding Diaz's play. "I see... How strong are we talking here, man?"

"And here come the REAL questions. Don't you get it? I want the magic within me. I don't want usable spells, I don't want separate charms, i want full integration with my being, with my very soul." Marco, now looking at Tom, saw all three of the demon's eyes. And in them was one emotion - horror.

"Are you sure, Marco? Th-that kind of magic can have dangerous consequences... I  don't know if you'll be you anymore-"

"I DON'T CARE, LUCITOR." Marco was now clenching his fists, his nails breaking his skin and causing him to bleed. But by the deathly glare on his face, he didn't care. "WHOEVER TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME, REGARDLESS OF WHAT PART OF ME TAKES THEM DOWN, I WANT THEM TO SUFFER."

All Tom could do was look at Marco in shock. The bitterness in his voice was something he had never heard, so uncharacteristic, so monstrous, so demonic, at least for a human. Was this what the loss of Star had turned the kid, who Tom admittedly quite enjoyed, into? A shell of the karate-loving goofball that he watched Star fall for, even against his wishes? Of course Tom would love the opportunity to reunite with his lost flame, the one he could just never get over. But not at the expense of the one that he has seen make her so happy. And now this same kid was asking to be turned into a monster. Tom didn't wanna do it. But what if this was the only way to save the dear Princess Butterfly?

"...Fine Marco, to save Star, I'll do it." Marco's tension started to let up a little as Tom guided him towards a ritual circle, and began the proceedings. "Don't move, man, the ritual is very sensitive to ALL of the surroundings." 

"I get it, Tom, let's just get this over with, and fast."

Tom now began the ritual. "Spiritus Nocte, sacramentum ordinis tuam. Et efferes foras vasa tua potestate nequitiae torquentur. Liga cum sua anima et potentiae veri eos gustare."

Marco now felt himself come off the ground, and just seconds later, he was floating within midair.  

Voco super omnes deos negatis! Ares! Hades! Achlys! Chaos! Nemesis! Et mortale deitas, tibi fiet unum!

At the peak of this spell's power, Marco now felt the unimaginable. he looked up, and saw a small light, kind of like a star.

But then everything changed.

The light became a beacon, which hit Marco at full force, wave after wave of energy engulfing him. Burning him. Drowning him. but there was something more. It was something calling out to him, to join with him. What could Marco do but say yes? But as he reached out, he felt himself slipping into an unknown darkness. This was what Tom had warned him of...

Just as it had started, it was over. The beacon left, and Marco was revealed, standing there as he was before, but now, different. His eyes, they glowed with a negative energy. His hands created sparks. And on his cheeks, right where Star's hearts would be, were two crescent moons. 

"Thank you, Tom," Marco said sinisterly, before returning to Mewni.

Once he had returned, he was immediately ushered back to the Science Department, to the room where it happened, with the entirety of the Mewnian Army at the ready.

One scientist finally spoke up. "Sir Diaz, we found the source of the irregularity, a portal not unlike our own technology in another universe. Our portal can be prepped and readied to take you there, at a moment's notice."

Marco's excitement was no longer visible, all of his emotions trapped behind an expression with nothing but murderous intent. One more, the voice, the same one from the beacon, called out to him again. "that is not the true source..." the voice whispered.  "I believe you know where the true source is..." And Marco did. Taking the controls of the portal by storm, he moved the opening location to a beach, right off of a small town. with a final click, the portal rumbled to life, with the same glow as before. But this time, Marco was ready. "Mewnians," Marco roared. "CHARGE!!" And with that, the hundreds of soldiers rushed through the portal.

Upon arriving to the new universe, Marco was the first of his comrades to bear witness to the new foe. Humanoid in figure, they were oddly colored, to say the least. But the most prominent feature, they all had what appeared to be gemstones within their bodies. But it didn't matter.

"Give me back my Star." Marco sneered.

A/N: Once again, bad with timing, good-ish with quality. Man, i should really work on a schedule. It makes no sense, because i honestly finished all of this chapter (outside of the bulk of the first paragraph) within like, 2 hours. Oh well, I guess ill get the hang of it eventually. Anyways, thanks for sticking it out this long on this still-short adventure!!! Much, much more to come! Emerald Out!