chapter 4: A normal day with Star

Narrator's POV

"Hey everyone!"

"Hey, Star!"

It didn't take long for Star to completely integrate into high school. This could be explained by her contagious good mood or simply... because she's Star.

"This place is way more interesting than Mewni. The people here are kind and cool," she declared in a jovial tone.

"You're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. This world is far from perfect," Marco replied, walking towards his locker.

"Don't tell me there are sad people here!" Star exclaimed, the pink hearts on her face shattering into pieces.

"Uh... yeah, like everywhere else, even on Mewni, you know."

Marco preferred to burst her idyllic bubble before she discovered the cruel truth for herself.

'I don't want this idiot to end up destroying magic or doing some other multiversal mess,' Marco thought while grabbing his stuff.

"Hi, Star! Hi, Marco!"

While Star mumbled ideas about helping sad people in the city, Jackie Lynn Thomas, Marco's former crush, passed by on her skateboard.

(Image)

"Hey, Jackie, awesome skateboarding!" Marco called out.

These simple words were enough to stop Jackie, who turned around with her usual smile, visibly surprised by Marco's words.

"What... Marco? Did you just talk to me?"

Since kindergarten, Marco and Jackie had known each other, but only from a distance. The old Marco had never been able to talk to her, paralyzed by his shyness.

'My heart is racing...' the current Marco thought. He still felt strong feelings for Jackie, but Claude's willpower helped him overcome his nervousness.

Despite their lack of experience with girls, Marco and Claude had one thing in common: the desire to change their relationship with Jackie.

"Yes... yes, I'm talking to you," he stammered, sweating slightly.

"I see that," Jackie responded simply.

"Uh... I was thinking it'd be cool to learn skateboarding. In addition to biking, even though, personally, I think biking is better..."

Before he could finish, Jackie placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Repeat?" she asked, suddenly extremely serious.

"The part where I ask you to teach me skateboarding?"

"No. The part where you claim biking is better."

'Damn, I touched a sensitive subject...' Marco thought, quickly looking for a way to defuse the situation.

"Marco Diaz, the art of biking and skateboarding should never be compared," Jackie declared with a serious tone, before suddenly changing her expression.

"Anyway, it's okay to teach you after school, at the park."

Without waiting for a response, she did a quick turn and rode off on her skateboard.

'Wow... I think I understand why Marco fell in love with her. She's just... free.'

Jackie was literally the opposite of Marco and Claude. She did what she wanted, without caring about consequences or others' opinions.

Unlike Marco, obsessed with rules, or Claude, unable to rebel after years of being bullied.

"Oh, oh, looks like someone here is in love!" Star called out, pulling Marco from his reflections about Jackie.

"Me? In love? Nah, not when I have a princess living with me."

Star went from a teasing tone to an intense blush.

"I... I think I forgot something. Bam!"

A rainbow spell shot from her wand like a rocket.

'Was I too fast?' After a moment of reflection, Marco simply shrugged.

He went to his classroom and, contrary to his expectations, Star hadn't come to class.

....

(Mewni, somewhere)

In a dark castle filled with all kinds of monsters, an imposing throne stands.

Unfortunately, it was occupied by a small, humanoid bird-like creature.

(Image)

"So, you're saying... *noise*... Star seems distracted?" the small creature said while enjoying an ice cream.

"Yes, Lord Ludo. She was particularly distracted, mumbling something about a certain 'stupid Marco'," explained the humanoid toad monster, visibly excited.

"Excellent! If she's as distracted as you say, this is the perfect moment to attempt a new move!" Ludo announced, before downing his ice cream in one gulp, as if to underscore his determination.

An ecstatic smile drew across his face. Hideous.

"When I finally get my hands on that damn wand, I'll sculpt dream muscles, and my name will become both feared... and respected!" he said in a villain's monologue.

His servants began to cheer enthusiastically.

Ludo continued his speech with a look of immeasurable ambition and enthusiasm:

"And of course, once I'm sufficiently feared, I'll become a lifeguard and save beautiful women through artificial respiration sessions!"

He nodded, satisfied with his "grandiose plan". His servants, though perplexed, also nodded in approval.

....

(Back to the present, on Earth)

"Stupid Marco... You can't say things like that to a girl..." Star muttered, lying on her bed, her face buried in the sheets.

'If only Pony Head were here, she'd know what to do,' Star thought, even more troubled.

Because of Marco's words, she had been unable to stay at high school and had preferred to return home hastily.

Although Star knew Marco probably hadn't thought much when saying that, she couldn't help but be disconcerted.

'Does he really think I'm better than her?' Star knew Jackie Lynn Thomas was incredibly beautiful, even by multiverse standards.

Marco's words seemed to clearly indicate that he found her even more beautiful...

'Now school must be over... Come on, Star, you're not going to ruin your relationship with Marco over a few words,' she told herself, trying to get a grip.

After giving herself a few slaps on the cheeks to motivate herself, Star decided to go find Marco at high school.

She was also interested in this thing called skateboarding that Marco wants to learn.

*bam* Just as she was about to leave her house, a monster immediately attacked her.

"Finally, the magic wand," Ludo picked up the wand projected into the air after his subordinate's successful attack.

"Nooo the wand!!" Just when Star thought things were taking a turn for the worse, there was a loud thud, and the monster carrying Ludo passed out.

"You should try karate too, Star," Marco declared behind the unconscious monster.

"Marco!!" she said pleasantly surprised.

Seeing him come to her rescue brought Star a feeling of relief, but also a complicated emotion in her heart.

"Looks like I arrived just in time. I was a bit worried about your absence from high school," Marco said, observing his environment.

"What are you waiting for?? Catch these kids!" Ludo shouted to his subordinates.

Star was a bit worried that Marco might have to fight the monsters alone, without her, but surprisingly, he had managed to handle things by himself.

He easily dodged the monsters' attacks and retaliated with higher-than-usual strength.

'Since when is Marco so strong?' she thought, amazed by his performance.

"Useless trash, how can you lose to a teenager without magical powers?" Ludo was starting to become frustrated with the situation.

"Anyway, as long as I run away with the magic wand, I win." After realizing this, Ludo hurried to use his dimensional scissors to try to escape, but he was a bit too late.

"No, no, you're not leaving with that!" Before Ludo could understand the situation, he received a hit that sent him through the portal.

Unfortunately for him, he dropped the magic wand due to the violence of the shock.

"You too, get off my lawn," the monsters hurried to follow their leader.

"Sorry for arriving a bit late..." Marco didn't have time to finish his words before Star exploded with excitement.

"You were so cool, Marco! The monsters couldn't do anything! You were like *bam*, and they were like *help*!" While Star spoke enthusiastically, Marco unknowingly sketched a tender smile.

'This is what having a friend is...' Although he had this thought, he knew he couldn't be content with just that.

Marco wanted more than this friendship with Star.