I Think I'm Gonna Stay A Little While | 2 | SVTFOE

9 // A Kingdom On It's Own

It was March 4th the day Star, herself, walked her way to Marco Diaz's house. A Saturday morning, where the sun came peeking over the horizon line, shyly. Star had brought herself to her feet the next day, finding that she needed to speak to Marco. She knocked on the door, loudly. "Diaz." She shouted as she slammed her fist against the door, her locks of messy black and blonde hair shoveling over her shoulders. There seemed to be a looming eerie silence for around two minutes. Star reached to ring the doorbell, before the door immediately swung open. "Oh!" She jumped in surprise. "S-Sorry." He stammered, running his tan fingers through his messy dark chocolate hair. "It's like... Nine in the morning. On a Saturday. What are you doing here?" He asked, rubbing his weary eyes. "Marco, can we talk? This is important." She stated. Marco hesitated a moment, before peering back inside the house to make sure no one was around. He looked back to Star, and nodded. "Sure. Come on inside." He motioned for her to walk in, holding the door open for her as she took a step inside. Marco closing the door, Star walked to the couch and plopped down. She let out a sigh as he walked over and sat down beside her. "What's up?" He asked, raising a tired eyebrow. "I told Jackie." Star came out calmly. "What's this?" He furrowed his eyebrows, not sure if he'd heard her correctly. "I told Jackie everything. From the studying in the library, to everything I've told Maria." Star explained. "So like... What did she say? Was she understanding?" Marco sat up, a worried expression plastered on his face. "Actually," Star began. "Yeah. I didn't know where to start, but somehow I managed to tell her everything she needed to know." Star awkwardly laughed. "Tha- That's great, Star! I'm really glad for you." He smiled kindly. Star nodded, the gentle smile fading from lips slowly. "Is that...?" He frowned, fading out from his words. "No, that's not all I needed to talk to you about. Marco, there's so much we need to discuss. Unfortunately, I'm kind of on a schedule at this point." Star sighed, looking out the window. "A schedule?" Marco tilted his head, Star turning back to face him. "Yeah, Marco. If you forgot, I kinda have a kingdom to bring back. Just because we're still in school and everything seems okay and less chaotic, doesn't mean I'm giving up. At least, not yet." Star furrowed her eyebrows, growing serious. "Right, right." Marco nodded. "So, um... What exactly is your plan?" Marco inquired, Star standing up. "Remember the other day at the coffee shop when we were talking about that Baisley ghost?" Star raised an eyebrow, picking up a Bobby pin from the coffee table in front of them. "You're not actually doing that, are you?" Marco stood up, protesting against the idea. "What better idea do you have, Marco? These are my parents we're talking about. The wand and the tree will take care of Mewni, but I don't want it to drain all the power out of either of my wand or the tree. Reviving living people is a difficult thing to do, but if I'm able to convince Baisley to revive my parents, my mother might be able to to help me revive Mewni as well as the tree and the wand." She irritatedly explained. Marco shook his head, sighing. "Star, even you know what happens to the people who try to... Y'know... With Baisley." "What, find them? Baisley's little insanity trick is only a thing that happens to bad people, Marco. As the current queen of Mewni, I'll do whatever it takes to bring back my kingdom. Even if it places my sanity at risk." Star raised her eyebrows at him, angrily shoving the Bobby-pin in her hair, pushing it out of her face. Marco grew flustered, and turned away from Star. "Star, I'm not letting you do that. You have to find a better way to do this." Marco sighed, back facing Star. "Marco, you want to know something?" Star's tone was clearly irritated, but she appeared to express an emotion otherwise. She scrunched her eyebrows, awaiting a response. Marco spun around, tilting his head. "What? What do you want to tell me? That you'd put your life on the line for these people? I know that! But you need to make sure that the person who makes sure these people are protected, is safe, too. Otherwise, who would protect them? Definitely not you, because if you're willing to die or go insane to bring back your kingdom, you're not in the most suitable place to be fit as a ruler." Marco spat out, trying to get his point across to the stubborn Star standing only a few feet away. Star marched over to Marco furiously, grabbing him by the collar of his grey shirt. "I do what I MUST for MY kingdom. You have NO idea how stressful and testing my role is right now, especially when I'm going through so much more than just grief and anger. I have lost my mental health, my parents, my friends, my kingdom, and my ability to lead a normal life here. If you think I'm putting myself first before so many more other lives, you're wrong. You're horribly wrong. Yes, I understand what you mean. But I am not risking my kingdom over me, one simple person." Star harshly shouted, Marco watching her intently. Their eyes locked onto each other, as they stood there for a silent moment. She let go of his shirt, sighing and looking away. "Star, I understand what you mean, but these people need someone worthy enough to watch over and protect them, and who will that be if you're not suitable enough? Not only that, but what about your other friends?" Marco calmly explained, placing his hand on her shoulder. Star covered her face with her hands, her shoulder beginning to bounce vigorously. "Star-?" Marco raised an eyebrow. Star turned around, warm tears streaming down her pale face. "I know. I know, Marco. I don't know what else there is to do, though. There's nothing else we can even do, Marco. At least... Not that I know of." She mumbled past hot tears trickling onto her lips. Marco wrapped his arms around her, safely holding her in a warm hug. Star embraced Marco, unfolding her arms and tightly holding onto his torso. Crying into his chest, Star sniffled, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout." She whispered quietly under her breath, still holding onto him. "I know, it's okay." He chuckled, playing with her knotty black and blonde hair. "If we can't find anything else, we'll resort to Baisley. Okay?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as she lifted from the hug. She awkwardly looked away, nodding. He smiled a gentle an assuring smile, Star peering at him once again. She scrunched her nose, before wiping her tears with the sleeve of her dark blue oversized jacket. "Marco, when everything is over, I want to talk. Like... Just us. As friends." She awkwardly stated, brushing her messy hair behind her ear, the Bobbypin falling out of her hair. Marco nodded, giving a honey-sweet smile in return. "Like, discussing what?" Marco raised an eyebrow. "Our, uh... Friendship." She chuckled awkwardly, before gathering herself together and heading toward the door. "I'll look for options." She sighed, peering over her shoulder back to Marco. The morning sun glowed a golden orange pink and yellow sunrise, as the cool winds brushed Star's hair in her face, gracefully. "Thank you." Marco smiled back kindly.

Star sat up from her bed, messy grown out hair puffing up in knots of tangled strings.
"Is someone there?" She quietly whispered, rubbing her heavy eyes. Her crystal blue eyes scanned the scene of the room, carefully inspecting everything her eyes glazed over. There was a tapping on the window, the loud knocking filling up the sharp silence engulfing the room. Star brushed her sheets off of her, tip-toeing over to her window. Cracking it open, she peered out to find Jackie, Marco, and Janna gathered on the roof, all staring back at her with a smile. "Guys? What are you doing?! It's like three in the morning!" She whispered harshly, eyes widened in surprise. "We know." Marco grinned, taking Star's hand and pulling her out onto the roof with them.