Chapter 87: Being Alone is Fine

Summary:

Just ... be fine alone

Chapter Text

Lion no longer had to deal with the laser puppies, the gremlins shooting at his fur all the time. But he still had to deal with Quartz Jr, the bastard he was. However, he didn't know how to feel about … the Centipeetle. "Hsss." "Grrr." Craw."

Steven Jr was happy with them, ignoring when she was about to be drowned in acid. "Grrr.' He lightly growled as he lifted the innocent girl out of the way. If she didn't require oxygen, Lion would've stashed her away into his mane for safe keeping. Until she grew strong enough to bite off a head, he would act as her guardian and mentor. 

"Mew." Don't give him those eyes, you can't be trusted second.

"Baahhh." And now the goat was just antagonizing them. On the plus side, if he died, no one would miss the asshole. Except maybe the mother of the boy, but Lion was certain he could take her on.

There was a snapping of a branch outside, all creatures in the room tensing. Lion extended claws, bared their teeth for action. The Centipeetles began to secrete acid from their jaws, ready to devour the intruder.

"Eh … eh … almost got it … almost got … it. I'm here!" A vaguely familiar red figure entered through the window with a satisfied grin. "Climbing wasn't that hard."

"HISS!" The corrupted creatures began to lob acid at … Marco …

"The Centipettle! Centipettles!?" The nacho boy cried out in girly terror as they leapt out of the way of the green corrosive substance. "Since when did you come back!? And why are there more of you!?"

"Alright guys, I'm back with trea-MARCO!?" His boy shouted. "Guys, stop attacking!" He ran up, waving his arms frantically.

"Hiss." "Caw." "Shssh."  Yes, it was very tempting to take a bite out of the nacho boy, but they needed to have limits … for the moment that is. If times got desperate, the hoodie would be the first to go.

"Steven, I'm so glad to see you! What the heck is with the multiple Centipettles?"

"Long story, but that's not important." Steven pointed to the intruder. "What the heck are you doing here, sneaking into my sister's room?"

"Longer story I'd rather not say multiple times." He answered back.

"Jackie broke up with you, didn't she?" The boy crossed his arms with a questioning glare.

"Well there was that, but she did it in a way that made me question … if I was happy on earth in the first place." He sighed. "Then I got some advice from Lars of all people about not being a sad sack and doing something about it … so since you said I'm not an actual knight, I thought I'd take the squire job …" He looked away with shame. "If you guys will have me that is."

"Marco, I'd really like to help you right now, but there's a lot of things happening right now, least of which Star finally.." The door opened again where the boy's kin entered with the demon he's made a chew toy of a few times before.

"I'm telling you, if you just pet Lion a few times, he'll warm up to-MARCO!?" Star shouted with confusion. "What are you doing here!?"

"This is what I meant about explaining it multiple times." Marco groaned.

"Fine, I'll explain it." Steven turned to the two. "Marco was a bad boyfriend and decided to channel his frustration into being a knight."

"Okay maybe I should have explained it again."

"Yeah … I dunno." Star said. "We're dealing with a lot of stuff at the moment and …"

"It's fine, I get it." The boy nodded. "I'll um … get out of your hair." He took the scissors, opening a red portal to the bitche's lands.

"Hold on." Steven stopped the guy. "There's literally one squire position left in the castle, and it's the hardest one we have. You want to be a knight, that's how you'll start."

"I'll take you up on it." Marco smiled. "I promise to stick to it, no matter what."

"Um, bro, I really don't think this is a good idea." Star said with a look.

"Why?" Every male asked at the same time.

"Because … because…" Star waved her hands, gesturing to herself, the nacho boy, and the chew toy.

"I don't hate Marco anymore Star, I literally moved past that and everything." The chew toy answered.

"And I've had a lot of experience, I can totally handle myself in case things get messy." The nacho boy smiled.

"..." The girl groaned. "Fine, but I'm coming with you on the boat trip."

"Boat trip?" Marco asked.

"Dad number two rented a boat, so we're taking lapis on a trip to help her out with her violent tendencies."

"... The same ocean she was trapped under for a couple months in a very toxic relationship?"

"You know, your ability to psychoanalyze only makes me hate therapy more." Star grumbled.

"It's not that bad!" Nacho boy and Chew toy spoke simultaneously.

"Say it all you want, it's not going to convince us otherwise." His boy rolled his eyes. "Now you might want to arm yourself with something sharp, the lint monster has surprisingly sharp teeth and claws."

"YES!" The nacho boy laughed. "Let's do this!" He shouted with joy and excitement.

"... He seems a lot more … Star like since I last talked to him." The chew-toy observed.

"You don't spend months around someone like Star and not get a taste for danger somewhat." His boy shrugged.

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"Really, you offer him a place at the castle!?" His sister shouted at him. "The one place I felt like was a safe space, the moment I started dating Tom again!!?"

"The guy quit school and put everything in this one chance to be a knight, I had to do something!" Steven defended. "And without us, he doesn't like being on Earth anymore, so it's either this or he stays in the Neverzone for a whole day and we don't notice he's gone until his grandchildren are born."

"That's not my problem!" Steven glared at his sister for a full thirty seconds before she sighed. "You could've talked to me about it more."

"It was either the laundry knight or you, and I didn't do the latter not just because it's my position."

"You know as prince he could have been your squire, right?" She asked.

"Eh, I'm trying not to wave that title around too much for this kind of stuff. You're not the only one who wants to take their future a little more seriously." Steven explained. Wasn't like being a prince meant that much compared to the title of princess and Queen. "Besides, I just needed to give Marco time to think whether or not this is something he actually wants to do full time."

"Is being the laundry knight that hard?" Kelly asked as they stood against the railing of the boat. "Why would the toughest position be washing everyone's clothes?"

"The Laundry knights are the bravest and toughest knights in Mewni History, bearing the Rose Guard." Steven cleared up. "Since most of the stuff we have is made with magic, it leaks out and creates mindless monsters from whatever it touches."

"They're pretty fun to watch when you have a chance." Spoke Lapis, who was busy holding her jittery self in place, hands clasped together as she stared into the ocean depths with a strange expression in her eyes.

"Hey guys, who wants to blow the horn!?" Dad shouted from the captain seat.

"Oh, you'd love this, Lapis! It's basically the boat's own personal fart noise machine." Steven emphasized his point as he guided the gem to the captain seat, giving it a big tug down.

"Well, I'm glad to see that nearly dying hasn't changed your sense of humor." She giggled, pulling down on it a few times herself. "Hah, I still got it."

"How'd you even get into this stuff?" Star asked, trying to contain her own giggles.

"Six thousand years in a mirror, you just get a new point of view. Pretty sure I hate the color magenta now."

"Don't sweat it. I can't stand veganism no matter how guilty I feel about eating meat." Steven turned to his girlfriend. "No offense."

"None taken. I feel the same half the time." Kelly gave a shrug. 

"Now lets ride full thro-" There was a bang. "... I think the engine exploded …" His dad looked scared to death.

"Don't get so scared, Mr. Universe. I can just snip-snip our way to town again if we need to." Star offered. "Worse comes to worse, we'll have to wait on Lion to come find us."

"No, it's not about being stuck here, it's that I rented this thing from Yellowtail! He's gonna murder me if this thing is lost at sea!"

"Wait, so we're stuck here…in the middle of the ocean." Lapis's eyes began to widen and shake as she began to hold herself tighter.

"No, I just … need to fix the engine." The man amended. "Does anyone have duck tape … or engineering experience?"

"Negatory on that. Magic's our specialty, not machines." Star stated, although that didn't do anything to ease Lapis's nerves. "Hey, hey, there's no need to worry. We're surrounded by water, with you around, we're the safest we'll ever be."

"It's not an enemy I'm worried about." She spoke quietly, almost like a whisper. "It's me…it's her…it's Malachite.." Lapis looked dead, staring out at the ocean around her. "I constantly feel Jasper's presence practically everytime I close my eyes now, forcing her to be chained to be, dragging her down along with me, constantly forcing her to endure all of the ocean's pressure…"

"That's all in the past now." Kelly tried to reiterate what he hoped Lapis would've learned by this point. "Jasper's not around right now, and we're here. You don't need to be Malachite."

"That's the thing … I miss it." Those that had seen the fusion stayed silent, eyes wide. "For the first time in six thousand years I was free, I was in control, I was able to vent my negative emotions." They panted. "I crushed her down and enjoyed the feeling of her hitting me, because I got to hit her back harder and harder. It was an agonizing bliss … that's why I wanted to stay away from the ocean."

That….that was so freaking messed up to hear. "Lapis, Jasper was terrible! You don't need to go back to that!"

"I was terrible! I hurt everyone around me, and I hurt her. And even when she's gone I keep hurting people." They rubbed their arms, water snaking just a tad up their body."I almost drowned all your friends, I stole the earth's ocean, I laughed and enjoyed making Peridot miserable! I'm not a good person!"

"But you can be!" Steven shouted. "Everyone can become a better person if they put in the effort, it just takes time. Look at Tom, a couple of years ago he wanted to set me on fire, now we're sort of buds."

"Yeah, and Eclipsa wanted to rip out his gem, and now she's the doting cool rebel Grandma we've always dreamed of having." Star backed him up. "We're not going to give up on you just because you have a few doubts about yourself."

The gem stared at them for a moment, before pulling them into a hug. "Thank you … thank you … for everything." He could feel her tears. "Thank you for being you Steven."

"No prob, bob." Steven responded.

"...It's Lapis." She responded with a confused but cheerful chuckle. Finally, it looked like they could get somewhere emotional….

BOOM…..CREEEEEEEEEEK!

"Alright!" Steven shouted with rage. "Whoever it is that plans on ruining this moment, you better be a good guy, or DAMN sure of your strength!" He yelled, pulling out his shield.

"Objectively, I am sure that I'm both." The ship tipped downward as something…or rather, someone, used the anchor to climb on top of the deck, their sheet strength being enough to make the ship sink if they'd pulled any harder. "Finally, I found you." The crazed look of an elated and somewhat insane looking Jasper hopped right in front of them. "Lapis." … Oh great corn on the cob.

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Marco struck another tendril with his blade. "How do we beat this guy!?" He shouted as the limb reformed. "Every time we cut off a head another takes its place. And I don't think we can burn it like a hydra!"

"The lint is strong!" Spoke the knight of wash, blocking an attack with his shield. "But its eternal weakness is always the wind! We must turn on the mighty fan and let it dissolve in the air!"

"Is this an everyday thing?! How does anyone get any clean clothes with this beast always in the way!?" Marco called upon all the training he remembered from Garnet to punch away each tendril that came at him as he made his way to the fan.

"It is our duty as knights of the wash to make sure these clothes are clean!" He shouted. "Which means we must carry on, no matter the danger, and do our duty! Now, I'll keep the beast's attention on me, I've kept it's rage going for years. You must set the motors of destiny in motion."

"Got it!" When Marco was thinking of high stakes danger and adventure, he didn't expect it to derive from something so mundane sounding in question. He honestly thought Steven was just trying to trick him when he realized he was put on laundry duty. Marco was kind of expecting this to be more like the old days, where he could just join the three best friends he had on high stake adventures.

As he hopped right on top of the lint monster's head, he wondered if this was the kind of life he wanted to live for now, or whether or not he SHOULD. It was kind of a big leap to just move into another dimension altogether, moving out of his parent's house as well, although that last one felt a little more natural. Mentally speaking, he was only about five to six years younger than them.

He knew Jackie was right about him not liking it on earth anymore … but was he moving too fast? Or was the lint monster treating him like a flail moving him too fast? "Ow, Ow, Ow, okay, the last thing I need to do today is to be beaten up by a giant dust bunny!" Marco cried out as he sent a Karate chop against the cottony limb, which sent him flying right to the on switch of the lint catcher. "AHA! Yes! Enjoy the one way trip to non existence! No refunds!"

"SCAWHAAAAAAAA!" The giant ball of cotton and dunst screeched into the ether in agony as its body was torn to shreds in mid air. Finally, the mighty magic monster was defeated.

"Well done young Diaz." The knight of the wash smiled. "No one had survived that in years. You have a good future ahead of you as a knight of the wash."

"Yeah, risking my life everyday just to make sure everyone has clean and dry socks." Yes, he knew far too well by now about the torture that wet socks provided, but was that really everything that he wanted to dedicate his life to?

"So, how's the first day of Squire duty." Tom asked him as he made his way out of the laundry room

"Exciting, but … existential I guess." Marco sighed. "It's fun but … it's one thing, day in and out. Cleaning clothes."

"Yep, sounds pretty mundane." Tom observed. "Tell me, did you want to become a knight, or did you want to hang out with Star and the others?"

"I want to do both.! That I swear." Marco admitted. "Though…I think I wanted the latter more than the former.

"I get it dude, Star just has that effect on people." Tom smiled fondly. "When she becomes a part of your life, you want to do everything you can to keep her in your life, no matter how small it is."

"Yeah …" Marco tightened his fist. "But I'll probably just get in her way … she had a lot to focus on. Apparently Eclipsa is back and nobody told me."

"It's a stressful time for both her and Steven. They're so dedicated to being a better Princess and knight that they've been trying to solve as many problems as they can find all at once." Tom sighed. "She might act a bit distant, but I'm sure she'll be happy to see you almost everyday now once she has time to process."

"You say that, but she was like that before she went back to Mewni …" Maybe it was better if he just … left. There was nothing else to attach to after all.

"Hey, don't be like that." It was so weird for Tom to be the one to try and cheer him up out of all people. "How about we get a corn shake and you just vent everything you're feeling? Sounds like a plan?"

"Yeah … that sounds good." He smiled. Tom was his best friend right behind Star and Steven … what a weird world they lived in.

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"Stay away from her!" Kelly pulled out Rose's blade. "You aren't going to hurt her!"

"Me, hurt her ?" Jasper laughed. "I may be a freak … but she's a monster. "

"Oh don't you dare even begin to use that word around me!" Star took out the wand as Steven prepared his shield. Jasper wiped the floor with all of them last time, but even if Lapis was too scared to fight back, the fritz was gone, so their other two powerhouses should be able to put up more of a fight this time. "You have no idea what that word really means."

"Oh, I think I do, Mewman. You threaten me with your magic, but you should really be aiming your attacks at her!" The crazed orange gem laughed like a psycho. "I've been in her head, she's more of a bloodthirsty brute than I'll ever be."

"Just stay awa-" Steven ran up, only to get batted away by the gem. Kelly went in for a swing, only to be blocked by the helmet. The gem jumped around as she avoided blade and magic strikes, never retaliating as she avoided them …

Kelly realized that Jasper wasn't trying to fight back, she just wanted to get to Lapis without poofing. "Hey, don't hurt them! Steven!" Lapis cried out to her boyfriend, but the water gem grabbed her by the hands and kneeled down, almost like she was proposing.

"Lapis, please, come back! I want you! I want to be Malachite again!" The boat became dead silent, barring the thunder of a cloud.

"Whaa… no… no, no, no!" Lapis tried to pull back, but Jasper still held on to her vice grip on Lapis. "I was terrible to you, we were both in constant pain!"

"We were in pleasure! We were strong, we were free, for the first time neither of us felt like we didn't belong!" Jasper spoke with insanity. "It was perfect!"

"No, I was just using you as a punching bag, I wanted to hurt you…I needed to, I hated you!"

"It'll be different this time, I promise." Jasper kept looking like a loon, desperate and insisting. "I've changed! We both need this, we need each other!"

Kelly could only stare in mild horror, unable to do anything. "Shut up!" Steven was the only one to speak. "Lapis is getting better without you, she doesn't need you!"

"Shut up, Rose!" Jasper sent a punch into the shield her boyfriend created, sending him flying right into Kelly. "You can't possibly understand what we have together as Malachite! We were strong and unstoppable! It doesn't matter who gets in our way or who gets hurt! As long as we're alone together, everything will always be fine!" Alone … together …

"I told you … time and time again …" Lapis looked furious, water forming into spikes. "HE'S THE ONE THAT MATTERS!!!"

"Lapis, don't do this!" Jasper cried out, trying to do her best to avoid the spikes as she was hit constantly. "Don't you see that everyone else is trying to keep us apart!?"

"No! I hated who I was when I was with you, I never want to be like that again!"

"You tell her girl!" Star shouted. "Show that means gem what for!"

"… Rose …" Jasper turned her head and stared with the eyes of a broken woman filled with nothing but hate. "Everywhere I go you cause me misery … I'll just shatter you and be done with it!"

"NO!" The ocean shook again, and a giant fist formed and shot out of the deck, sending the homeworlder into the far distance. "And stay out of my life you maniac!!"

The butterfly siblings cheered, running up and grabbing the gem as they jumped up and down. "You told her off, you grew!" Steven shouted.

"Just a little. I still want her to suffer, but I don't want to be the one who does it." Lapis let out a deep breath. "I've cut her off from my life, and I no longer have to think about her."

"Then today we get to celebrate with partying and whatever you wanna do Lapis." Star smiled and patted her on the back. "As soon as Mr Universe fixes the boat."

She turned to the man in question, who was sporting a bump from when the ship was going tilted and was currently unconscious. "Or we just scissor our way out of here and hope Mr. Universe has enough money to pay for the damages."

Everyone had a laugh at that, except for her. That entire display was just so…frightening. It was liken someone was holding a twisted funhouse mirror in front of her…except she refused to believe that the image could ever be her.

She refused to believe it was that bad, she refused to believe her and Steven were that bad … she refused to believe Stelly was that bad. "Hey, you alright, Kelly?" Her boyfriend asked. "You're shaking."

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." He was reaching out his hand, but she backed away from it. She wasn't selfish, she cared for Steven, she wanted him to feel just as good as he made her…right?

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Star watched as Marco walked back into the room. "Tom has really changed, we just talked over cornshakes." So her former crush and ex turned current boyfriend we're getting along … great.

"How was squire hood?" Steven asked.

"Good, just … mundane." Marco laid on the floor. "Just need to suck it up for a year, then I get to be a real knight."

"Yeah, sorry Marco. There's just so much that's changed around here ever since Toffee was beaten." Star sighed. "Eclipsa's free and we're trying to prove her innocence, Centipeetle found her friends, I'm dating Tom again." She looked straight down at his too cute face. 

"Nah, I get it … why didn't you guys say anything before?" He asked. "You know I'd be down to help."

"I know, it's just…After everything that happened, I didn't want to bring you back into the messes we tend to get into." Star laughed. "Imagine my surprise when I see you're the one who suddenly pops out of nowhere for a change. That's my job."

"It's … tough." He answered, getting up and looking out of the window. "I was … happy in the Neverzone, it was like a home, I adjusted to the years there. Whenever we had a calm and relaxing day I could hear my heart beat and feel my hands shake, like I knew something wrong was gonna happen … When you and Steven left I took weekends off and spent a couple of months back there because I just needed something … Jackie was right, I really don't belong on earth anymore."

At that, Star picked the boy up and hugged him. "I'm sorry I left you all alone to deal with that. Me leaving Earth shouldn't have been me leaving you behind." She smiled. "Well I'm going to make it up to you! If you're going to stay here full time, then you're not going to spend all of it fighting lint monsters while we do the fun stuff. From now on, you'll be my Squire! Right next Steven of course."

Marco's eyes lit up as he smiled. "That's awesome-wait, he's your squire?"

"Yeah, it's a deal we made back when we were kids. She grows up to be the best Queen ever, and I grow up to be the best knight together side by side." Steven explained. "Technically you'll be my squire, which kind of doesn't work because I'm a squire now too, so we're just simplifying things for everyone."

"Thanks, but can you really do this?"

"Marco, I'm the princess." She smirked at him. "I can do whatever I want….sort of. I just know the commission won't be hammering to arrest me because of this."

"Oh yeah … if you want I can try sweet talking Hekapoo out of it." He offered. "Bring some of the Diaz charm."

"Marco, I don't think flirting with a member of the MHC is going to make her drop her monster prejudice." Steven huffed. "I can see it in their eyes. I know for a fact Omnitrackis wants to put me in a crystal just for all the time shenanigans, which again, aren't my fault!"

"Well there was the time you bounced a crystal beam back in his face." Star pointed out.

"Again, it wasn't on purpose!" Marco laughed at her brother's exclamation … maybe this would work out.

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Jasper punched the rock formation, over and over. She was alone, she was weak and chained to the ground. She could have had it all back if the bitch didn't get in her way, just like she always did.

Vengeance, Rose, she would get it. She would shatter the gem into a million pieces. And before that, she would turn this entire planet to rubble. This entire world was twisted! It ruins everything good and decent!

"Hey! Who's making all this commotion out here!?" A shrill voice called out from a cave right next to the area she was punching. It was a skinny frail looking organic in tattered and mud covered image modifiers.

"Zip it, pint size." She told the human. "Either get out of here or I'll break your bones." She crushed a bit of steel left over from the downed injectors between her hands for emphasis.

"Break my bones, that-... you're a gem aren't you." The girl cracked her neck. "For the glory of Mewni I must erase you!" The shrimp then grew in size matching her height, emanating unnatural power that clearly didn't belong in an organic body.

"Mewni!? You're a Mewman!?" The second bane of all gem existence. "Like I needed another reason to kick your ass!" She generated her helmet, crashing against the Mewman as a shock wave crashed against the land.

"Ahaha! This is going to be sweet!" The Mewman's voice was now deeper and more distorted. "I get to shatter one of Rose's forces before moving on to her!"

"Don't you dare associate me with that vile traitor!" Jasper sent a head butt with her helmet, but it did little to phase her.

"Wait just a moment!" The buff Mewman paused, deflating. "You hate Rose too!?"

"With every fiber of my being!" Jasper shouted proudly. "My very existence was made for the sole reason of extinguishing everything that she stands for!"

They stared at her a couple of moments, before having the audacity to laugh. "When Solaria said that Gems were neutral, I entirely forgot good ones could exist too!" The lady cackled. "My name is Mina Loveberry, Rose killed the person I cared the most for, and I want to see them suffer with every fiber of my being!"

A Mewman…an Organic that understood exactly what she was feeling. "Rose shattered the only one I'd ever swear my loyalty and life for. I will do everything within my power to see that all that she's worked for crumbles to dust before draining every ounce of life in her eyes."

"Well then Gem Lady, I think this is the start of an amazing alliance!" They held out their hand. "Let's kill Rose together." Jasper took it, finally finding someone worth fighting with.