Summary:
Lets have some fun!
Chapter Text
"Check it out, the Lava Lake Beach." Tom showed his friends the location. "Obviously superior to the redundant Beach Creek."
"Well today is already starting off great just going by the name alone." Star leaned on his shoulder as they got out the blankets to sit on. "Again, I love earth, but they have no idea how to name anything there."
"I hate all of you." Marco deadpanned.
"Nah, you love us." Steven patted the boy on the back. "But I'm … how are we gonna swim?"
"Oh, this place isn't really meant for swimming unless you're a demon." Tom shrugged. "I brought us here because it's the perfect place to get the right view of the soul rise."
"Sun rise?" Kelly asked.
"No, Soul Rise. It's a once a year event where all the trapped souls of the underworld get released into the air as the sun sets. It's a lot more magical than you'd expect."
"Freeing trapped people does sound nice to watch…" Steven muttered.
"And it sounds like the perfect spot for a little romance to occur." Kelly smirked as Tom got the fire ready for smores.
"Oh yeah. My parents actually met during a soulrise. You wouldn't believe how many couples come here just to make out."
"Wait, we're on a couples beach?" Marco asked, dejected. "Oh my Corn, I'm the third wheel here, aren't I?"
"What, no." Star waved off. "There's gotta be plenty of other people that came here alone, right?"
"Actually they say it's bad luck to come without a date." Tom pointed out. "Those that do are said to be destined for an eternal life of loneliness."
"Dude, not helping." Steven raised his eyebrow. "I can always call Jana. Pretty sure she'd want at least one date with you, and this soul rise thing sounds like it's up her alley."
"Nu-uh, I may be willing to eat dirt, wear a dress, and skin a manticore alive as it tries to eat me, but I draw the line at dating that crazed banana."
"Well I tried." Steven shrugged. "So what can one do while they wait for the soul rise?"
"We'll sand castles are still a thing. A friend of mine actually lives in that one." He pointed to the three story structure. "Pretty sure he's throwing a soul rise party." Tom suddenly remembered something important. "Oh, quick heads up, people here are pretty territorial, so you're very likely to end up in a fight sometime down the line for seemingly no reason."
"I'm starting to like this place more and more." Kelly smirked as she pounded her fist in her hand. "Let's go fight some demons!"
"Actually I was just hoping to relax in the san-and she's gone." Steven noted, looking at the ground. "I'm gonna follow her footprints."
"You do that bro, you do that." Star smiled cutely as they saw the couple run off. "Aw, don't you remember when we were that young and wild?"
"Whatcha talking about, that's still who we are." Tom smirked right back, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder.
"Aww you scoundrel." She gave him that innocent laugh he longed for.
"You know what, I'm going to look for them, make sure they don't die or anything." Marco awkwardly scuffled away from them, giving them plenty of time and space to get just a little more comfortable.
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Kelly was very mixed on how to feel at the moment. On one hand, Jorby was a good friend and sparring partner, so she had no weird feelings about him personally. However, getting along with Steven … that was weird. "So my main tactic is my Existential War Cry! Where I shout things that make you question your existence before charging into battle." The wolf told her boyfriend.
"That's practically perfect for me! My life is essentially a giant pocket full of existential disasters waiting to be burst open." Steven laughed alongside her ex. "Seriously, the entire time I was happy bonding with my sister apparently was a part of a sinister plan to destroy our family, and that's not even going into me technically being my own mom."
"That's a lot to think about. Are we all our own moms? Born from their dna and carrying it with us until the day we turn to dust? That means we're also our grandmas? Does the cycle of multiple us ever end?" Jorby asked, staring off into the lava beach. "… Existential War Cry!" Before hitting Steven. "Like that, my little sparring fling!"
"Wait, sparing fling?" He asked, brushing off the sand.
"Where he comes from, sparring partners are more sacred than dating." Kelly explained.
"That's not completely true … I'm here with my girlfriend." They all looked at the goose quacking by the umbrella. "Gertrude's not into the fighting thing so much, but we've come to an agreeable compromise."
"I ride with him into battle on his back, and he lets me dress him up all fancy like in whatever I choose for him." The goose said as she applied sunscreen to her feathers.
"Anyway, Kelly used to be my sparring partner … until she went off with somebody to earth." The wolf pouted. "Now we don't even maim each other … all I have is Greg."
"Oh, that's actually my dad's name." Steven noted. "What a small multiverse of coincidences we live in." Her boyfriend shook his hair free of sand. "Anyways, earth is pretty full of dangerous stuff once you wait long enough. About half the time on a weekly basis we always find ourselves fighting something, whether physically or emotionally."
"Maybe I should head to earth then, see who I could fight." The guy smiled.
"Give me a heads up when it's physical." Kelly smiled as she pulled out her blade from her hair. "Steven here gave me a badass new sword for me, and you're sure as hell that I make sure to use it practically everyday."
"Sword and Shield, we're basically unstoppable together." Steven summoned his own weapon and presented it before Jorby to see.
"Nice. Glad to see you can do things without Tad around. Like seriously, I was starting to get worried for you."
"Come on, Rad's not that bad." Steven, with that infinite well of kindness that he somehow always managed to have, defended her other ex.
"Oh, you probably haven't been around him too much to really know. The guy's a deadbeat social parasite." Jorby scoffed. "I still got the bruises from the multiple times Kelly vented to me during their break ups."
"Really?" Steven asked. "You usually just complained about him, never really punched anything." He said to Kelly.
"Well, I didn't really want to hurt him … at least not permanently." She shook the weird feeling from her head. "And when I met you, it was easier to just say everything I was feeling even before we dated, that and gem missions and stuff gave me a lot of things to attack."
"Believe me when I say she looks MUCH happier without that saggy hairball stinking up her hair with moldy slices of vegan pizza." Jorby snickered as he gave her hair a quick sniff. "It's like all the misery was washed right out of it."
"Yeah … it's nice." Steven smiled, pulling her close. Kelly smiled as she leaned into his cushy warmth. She really wished she could stay like this all the time. "You know, knowing Tom and Star's history together, it's pretty much a safe bet to say they'll probably be too occupied to notice us leaving. If you want to, we can find a place for us to spar…as Stelly."
"Really!?" Kelly's heart flared up and started beating faster than a drum solo. "But I thought you didn't like fighting."
"It's always good to get more practice in." Steven held her hands in his soft grasp. "And fighting's not too bad, as long as you're there with me."
"Alright, yeah, sure." She smiled, turning to Jorby. "Get ready for the best sparring partner of your life!" Who cares if her mirror was still missing, she didn't need Pad's messages as long as Steven was around.
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"Log Date One Zero Five Nine, Percy has been observed holding hands with Rodrigo, this could be the absolute devastation of team dynamics." Peridot began writing on the board. "Could there be a possible team switch? Or is this going to be a betrayal of bombastic proportions?" The domino effect of emotional turbulence was going to be massive one way or another, and it could very well affect the future of these strange but engaging characters she's come to be so invested in.
"More data must be observed quickly, however, without access to Marco's phone my ability to gather data is limited. Prototype is functional, if … spotty." She looked at the flaming device playing an image of a blue spiny mammal with apparent eye modifiers on his gravity connectors. "I don't know why that image disturbed me as it did."
"Dude, that's creepy as heck. Yah got to upgrade to a flatscreen or something, or get some decent wifi around here." A familiar irritating voice echoed in the barn, and Peridot was reluctant to show any indication she detected anyone's presence, but curiosity got the better of her.
Sure enough, standing right behind her was the abomination of science known redundantly as Ponyhead, and the well dressed blue gem Lapis Lazuli that sent shivers down her metaphorical spine. "If this is another attempt at abusing my emotional state for your personal enjoyment, just know I'm armed and dangerous this time around." She levitated the archaic but useful disks the zealot Bismuth had provided for her.
"Nah, I'm here to apologize." Ponyhead spoke. "I haze anyone new I meet, but according to my besties I went 'too far' or something." She explained. "I mean, I didn't try and kill you like I did for Q-fly and Earth Turd, so I call that a win."
"Literally anyone that wasn't either of those two wouldn't have forgiven you so easily." Peridot muttered before turning to Lapis. "And why do you occupy my personal abode with your presence?"
"I felt bad. I don't want to feel bad anymore." The Lazuli stated bluntly as she turned her away, not even facing her. "So lets hang out or whatever and stop feeling bad or something."
"Wow, I'm impressed. There was a brief microsecond I thought you'd actually try to be sincere." Peridot rolled her eyes.
"And I thought you were apparently in the mood to forgive and forget." The blue gem grumbled. Peridot had half the mind to attack.
"Hey, what's the mess going on here?" The floating head asked, gesturing to the whiteboard.
"Hey, hey, hey! That's precious research right there! I can't risk my data getting compromised!" Peridot got in front and waved her hands frantically.
"Research on a bunch of people with squiggly lines?" Lapis asked, confused.
"This is no random list of compiled data on mere mortals that walk this planet, these people are the fundamental pillars of Camp Pining Hearts! It's only by their relationships and issues that anything in the world around them seems to progress at all!"
"Ah … so you're a shipper." The horse deadpanned.
"It's a complicated art. You wouldn't understand." Peridot snarked.
"Oh I do, I just upgraded to doing it to real people. Like Star and Tom." Ponyhead snickered and glanced at the board. "Gotta say, I'm impressed. You've put in a lot of work to connect the lines that most people would miss."
"Heheh, why thank you. I don't know why Marco was so worried about me spending twelve hours ranting about one episode and all its implications."
"But did you consider that snide glance Jasmine gave Liza?" She asked..
"What, no, that's not possible, those are purely circumstantial…!"
"It happens every two episodes during the last five minutes, there's clearly something trying to build there, the tension's just getting warmed up and spicy." Ponyhead began making her own lines. "What's either going to happen is that there's a big confrontation that forces the two to acknowledge each other more, or it's a slow burn that'll gradually get bigger and bigger until the end of the fourth or fifth season."
"… OH MY STARS!" How did she not see that coming!? "And by the logic of cliffhangers, there could be a massive explosion of emotion that will shatter the team dynamic entirely, creating a survivor for all scenarios!!" Peridot looked at the abomination of nature in awe. "How have you become so knowledgeable on such an intricate topic!?"
"I'm a teenager. Binge Watching dramas is basically like breathing for me by this point." The Ponyhead chuckled. "Trust me, P-Dot, this is how our society works on a fundamental level."
"All I see are two people doing the lip contact motions Steven and Kelly are constantly doing." Lapis looked at one of the pictures. "What's so special about that?"
"Apparently it's some form of 'intimacy' among organics." Peridot explained. "Like, touching instead of outright fusion… disturbing stuff." And apparently what was shown was apparently 'censored'. She didn't need to know what an uncensored version looked like.
"Girls, we got a lot to work on if either of you are going to fully appreciate quality comfort programming while learning the vital importance of shipping." Ponyhead looked at her flaming monitor, the smoke beginning to get everywhere. "And we'll start by getting you something of quality to watch your shows on. And a couple of bean bags to get comfortable in. OH! And chips, we're going to need a lot of those if we're going to get the science down just right."
"Ah, that salt carved up potato." Peridot noted. "I should have a few, apparently they're the best way to keep the Centipeetle under control."
"Heh, fun little girls." Lapis chuckled fondly. "Alright, fine, I'll give this show, a shot, but I doubt I'll be impressed."
"That's what I said at first." Peridot smiled. It actually felt like something pleasant was going to occur this time around. "Prepare to eat your words, Lazuli!"
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Sadie watched as an old friend walked inside of the Big Donut, resting down on a table. "I'm heading to the back." Lars responded instantly, walking off.
"Huh, actually expected him to say something snarky before walking away. Oh how things change." Marco sighed as he laid his head down. "Everything just had to change so much."
Looks like it was her job to be the emotionally mature one again for other's problems. "Hey Marco, haven't seen you in quite a while. You know, out of all the people to drop out of school, I never expected it to be you." Kevin and Oskar for sure, but never Marco.
"Technically I didn't drop out, I just did the reverse of what Star did. Even had the principal send me off with confetti." Marco said with a hollow laugh.
"He let go of his brightest student with a smile and everything?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not exactly, he was mostly confused on how to handle it. I just told him to not think too deeply about it." Marco shrugged. "So I take it life's treating you well here?"
"As well as it can be working minimum wage at a donut shop." Sadie replied. "We're back to just Amethyst eating out of the dumpster again, and Miss Skullnick really embraced her goblin body. Started bringing a flail to school to scare the students."
Marco snickered. "Hey, if she's having fun at her job for once, I can't complain about that. Her classes are probably a lot more interesting."
"According to Jana they are." Sadie smiled. One guy almost lost a hand for shooting spitballs in class. So how is it for the great squire?" She asked.
"Oh...it's great, real good. I get to fight something almost everyday and Star brings so much unpredictability around her that it's never boring." Marco smiled, before it slowly sank into a frown. "She's also back with her ex, so now I'm the fifth wheel of the group between them, Kelly and Steven.
"Yeowch … can not tell you how many times I heard that one before." She answered.
This just made him groan more. "I really have to apologize to Star if she felt like this the entire time I was with Jackie." He looked at her and winced even more. "I guess I need to apologize to you too, for going to you for advice when.."
"Marco, it's fine. Jackie was a really good friend once we started talking, so it worked out eventually. Though now that she's overseas, it is kind of lonely around here." Sadie felt her head sag down as she rested on the table with him. "Hey…do you ever…feel alone even when you're with other people?"
"More and more lately. Everytime I look at Star with Tom, my stomach feels like it's twisting and tying into a knot." Marco rubbed her temples. "I don't want to feel like that around my best friend, because it sucks, and Tom's become such a nice guy..and, I don't know. I just feel like a terrible person for feeling like this."
"At least you've made progress by actually dating someone and knowing what you want to do with your life." Sadie sighed. "I've waited on Lars for who knows how long by this point, and I'm sick of having these feelings too, just for the sake of wanting something new if anything else."
"Maybe you should try and spread out your interests?" Marco suggested. "See what makes you happy and what doesn't."
They heard the back open, Lars coming in with a candle lit cupcake. "Don't expect a present." He said, placing it in front of Marco with a flustered face before walking back.
"Oh right, I almost forgot. Happy Birthday Marco." Sadie said with a small smile.
"My birthday…?" Marco looked confused before his eyes widened. "Right, I'm fifteen…I've been so busy with everything that I completely forgot about it." Ouch, he forgot his own birthday … He laughed lightly as he blew out the candle. "When you're in another dimension for sixteen years, you come to see that getting older is pretty underwhelming."
"I pretty much figured that out when I turned thirteen. But it was either to grow up or spend more time with mom, so I made an executive decision." Sadie shrugged with a smirk.
"I … haven't seen either of my parents since I left." Marco muttered. "I rarely think about them too. I…despite the Star thing, I feel so much better on Mewni than on Earth."
"I guess that's the trade off for growing up. You make all kinds of weird choices that you don't think you'll ever make."
"Yeah … never thought this was the life I was living … I can't say I wouldn't choose it again." The boy gave a soft smile.
"Living without regret, I wish I knew what that felt like." Maybe…maybe it was time to get started on that. "Hey, if you're not too busy today, then why don't we just…hang? My shift is almost done."
"Yeah … my friends are all hanging out with their dates, so I don't have any plans myself." He smiled. "I can help you and Lars out if you need it." Seems like Marco, for all his experience, had yet to learn how to read the room.
"Nah, let's leave romance out of it." For the moment that is.
"Roma…." He blushed. "Oh, sorry, I wasn't implying, I mean, I didn't try to suggest." Even sixteen years in an alternate dimension, and he was still a dork. Some things never change, and Sadie was oddly grateful for that.
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Marco exited the portal, waving bye to Sadie as he closed it up. It was nice, hanging out with humans again after a while. Steven only counted on technicality, and he was basically Mewman anyways. After all this time, he forgot that there were still some fun parts to his life on earth, even if the ring toss game at funland was rigged as hell.
Also it was his birthday … apparently. It's been so long since he's had one, if he hadn't gone to Steven's he would have forgotten what they were like. The cupcake was nice, Lars was a good guy under all that asshole.
He made his way inside the castle. "Sorry for ditching you guys, I was just swinging by earth and-"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"!" He instantly prepared for an ambush hearing all the yelling, but instead got surprised when he was greeted by confetti, streamers, and everyone wearing karate headbands.
The sight of Star, Kelly, and Steven was expected. Less so was Ponyhead, Tom, Jana, and Peridot. "What's all this?" He asked, still both confused and shocked.
"We threw you a surprise party." Star explained. "I got everyone involved and we planned to keep you out of the castle with the Lava Beach. Even if some people got distracted."
"I couldn't just ignore Jorby. He was literally asking for it." Kelly waved off. "Besides, Stelly was more than happy to heal all those fractures in his arms, so no harm, no foul."
"I went through the honor of recreating birthday games." Peridot smiled. "It took a while to capture him though." She pointed to a living donkey with a giant spiked tail next to it. "It's natural for equine's to forcibly remove their tails for recreation, right?"
"Pretty much." Jana said with a giggle. "I've read your diary at least one hundred times by this point, I know exactly what you like." She tossed him a raggedy torn karate uniform.
"Geez, what will I ever use with a used worn.." He looked at the label and couldn't help but get ecstatic. "Macki Hand's karate gi!?" Marco gave it a good sniff. "And it's unwashed! This is the best!"
"And I got all the cooks to bake a cake." Steven pointed to the tower monstrosity next to them. "… Me and Star have given them a lot of creative freedom with sweets over the years."
"I can tell by the shaking jello stacked atop the pie covered ice cream." Definitely the most interesting desert he's ever laid his eyes on.
"And no party is complete without music! Which is why I made sure to spring for the best!" Tom pulled out his phone. "Alright boys, show time."
A curtain was pulled apart from the back and… "No way, Justin Towers!?" Marco screamed. "You got Love Sentence to be here?!"
"Had to curse a few souls to get in contact, but yes." Tom smirked.
"This one goes out to the birthday boy, Marco Diaz!" They knew his name!
"Thanks guys!" He hugged the whole group tightly. "This is amazing!!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, tone done the affection, Earth Turd, I just came to make sure even a lamo like you actually has a decent party, and not whatever nerd stuff you'd probably do instead." Ponyhead justified herself.
"That's her way of saying she cares just a little bit." Star laughed. Marco highly doubted that was the case. "You're parents practically threw me a party almost every week, this is the least I could do for my best friend. Happy Birthday, Marco." Star hugged him tight, and some small part of him never wanted her to let go.
"Thanks Star … it means a lot to me." He needed something after all the emotional stuff he felt.