Afterwards (Starco)

Chapter 14

Before Moon's eyes was a lake. The water glowed in the dark sky. It looked just like any normal lake. Moon carefully went through the bush she was looking through and stepped onto the sand at the shore of the lake. She remembered what the ancient book read and touched the edge of the water with her finger tip.

As Moon's finger touched the water, the whole lake lit up in a blindingly white light. When the light died down, a sanctuary rumbled up from the middle of the lake, like at the Realm of Magic. Steps rose from the water leading from the sanctuary to the shore where Moon stood. She was mesmerised at that moment, she didn't care or think about anything. One foot touched the water, then another. Slowly, Moon followed the steps to the sanctuary.

Star took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She was sitting on her bed cross-legged, eyes closed. It was what Marco had suggest her doing, "meditating", in his words. Star let out a breath as she slumped down and opened her eyes. 

"Not. Helping." she said. Star jumped down from the bed and went into her bedroom. As soon as she saw her reflection in the mirror, Star let out a scream that probably shattered the mirror itself. 10 minutes later, the gang was sitting at Britta's Tacos together. 

Star was dressed in her usual dress, with a big, puffy jacket over it. She pulled the hood over her head.

Marco took one look at his girlfriend and rolled his eyes.

"What is it now, Star," he asked, taking a bite out of his taco. Star whipped the taco out of Marco's hands and bit at it furiously.

"This is no time for eating, Marco Diaz! We have big problems here!" she spat.

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but then decided not to. Kelly pointed at Star's jacket.

"What's up with that, girl? It's like, I don't know, really hot today!"

Star covered her face in her long golden hair. "This is a serious matter!"

She slowly pulled the hood off and brushed the hair out of her face. Her friends gasped. Marco choked on his drink, Kelly fell off her seat, Kassie gaped and stared, and Pony Head, she...kinda fainted.

On Star's cheeked were two bright pink hearts, just like forever before. Marco coughed and sputtered. 

"S-Star! Your cheek marks are back!" he breathed. Kassie's mouth remained opened as she looked from Marco to Star, then back at Marco.

"Woah, so that's what they're like before," she said. 

Star slumped in her seat and slammed her face onto the table. "Ughhhhh," she groaned.

Kelly climbed back up and took her seat while putting a frozen Pony Head onto the table.

"Why are they back, Star?"

Star looked up at her friends to make sure they weren't being sarcastic. Four honest, innocent faces looked back at her. Well, actually, three honest and innocent faces and one emotionless and still frozen. Star slapped herself.

"It means MAGIC IS BACK!" she whispered, looking cautiously at the people around them. She draped her hair over her face again.

Marco raised an eyebrow. "I mean, your mom really found that 'legend'?"

Star glared at him. "Marco! How else would you explain my cheek marks?! She obviously found the 'legend' THAT WE ALL THOUGHT DIDN'T EXSIST!" she hissed.

"Well what are you gonna do now?" Kassie questioned. Star stopped for a moment. Her friends stared back at her. Suddenly Pony Head gasped for air. Loudly.

"HAGHHHH! So! What did I missed? Oh right, Star's cheek marks! GURRLL,"

Everybody turned to stare at Pony Head instead. She made a face at them all.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! Did I interrupt something cuz you all are looking really annoyed. Annoyed? Agitated? You choose,"

"AGH!" Star wailed. "So now I need to go find my mom before she brings the darn thing back! By darn thing I mean MAGIC," she tapped her cheeks nervously.

Kassie leaned towards her brother. "Is it me or she is sounding really not Star-like?"

"Nope, this is Star-like," Marco whispered back. To Star he said, "Star, let's just calm down or now, okay? I'm sure we can figure this out before the humans get their hands onto magic, right?" there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Eclipsa hummed to herself as she brushed her hair. Meteora had her hands on a crayon and was scribbling away onto the bedroom mirror.

"Oh, darling," Eclipsa scooped the little baby off the floor. Meteora wailed and reached for the crayon as her mother put her into the crib. It was a good day and nothing can ruin it. Ecilpsa wiped the mirror and when she saw her reflection, she gasped.

"Goodness," she exclaimed as she examined her cheeks. Two bright red spades were printed on them.

"I know sooner or later this day would come," Eclipsa sighed as she muttered to herself. Meteora squealed at the discovery of her cheek marks.

Moon touched the smooth stone on the door of the sanctuary. The doors rumbled open and the queen stepped inside like a moth to the flame.

(the quarantine is getting to me, i'll try to post more often. Byee
A_Miyo)