Star and Marco vs Evil Book 2

XIII

On a lazy Wednesday, Star and Marco were lounging on the sofa in Star's room watching season two of Young Justice, finally getting around to watching the series after so many gushing recommendations by StarcoFan1. Marco had a smile of easy contentment on his face, while Star's had a frown and was streaked with tears, the pair having finished watching the season two finale.

"That's so sad," Star said, sniffling.

"It is," Marco responded. "Ya know, we're basically Kid Flash and Artemis. I think that makes them my favorite cartoon ship, ever."

Star rolled her eyes as she wiped away her tears. "You know I think shipping ruins cartoons."

"And you know I think you're an idiot for thinking that ... but a cute one."

Down the hall, Janna and Tom were lounging on the sofa in Janna's room watching the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Janna had a smile of easy contentment on her face, while Tom's had an annoyed grimace.

"I really wish you'd keep your hands off that," Tom growled.

"Why?" Janna asked. "It's both soft and firm, and oh so long. I love playing with it!" Janna almost purred as she continued her stroking.

"You may love it, but what you're doing actually hurts."

"Awwwww, poor baby."

"I don't know where you got the idea that demons like their tails played with, but we don't."

Janna, who had no intention of stopping, was about to make another quip when Tom suddenly arched his back, a soft glow of blue fire surrounding him, then floated into the air. His eyes were white and pupilless, and his skin was patterned with blue veins. It looked to Janna exactly the way Star had described Tom's demoncism.

Tom groaned softly, then in a hellish voice, said, "A curse. A curse of pain and fire. You must stop your spying ways; remove all your cameras, your listening devices, and your magical spells of espying, lest the Butterflys shall curse the demon for all time!"

"Tom!" Janna cried. "Tom, can you hear me? TOM!"

In his regular voice, Tom said, "Star ... Star and Marco ... must have cursed me ... to make you stop ... spying on them. I can feel it ... the curse can't be broken ... unless you do what they say!" Tom screamed, then cried, "Please, help me! I can't stay like this forever!"

"Hang in there, boo, Janna's on it!"

Janna ran down the hall to Star's room, kicking the door open. The room was in shambles, pieces of destroyed furniture and small fires scattered about the room. Star was on one side of the room while Marco was on the other, their eyes and Magic-pips aglow. Magic swirled around their fists like hellfire. This was not the first time Janna had seen Star and Marco in such a state, so she knew immediately what they were fighting about; it served to add fuel to her rage.

"You two!" Janna yelled. "You cursed him, and now you're fighting about shipping in cartoons, again? How dare you! Remove the curse, NOW!"

Star and Marco powered down, staring at Janna. "Curse? What curse? Who's cursed?" Star asked, as she doused all the fires.

"You know damn well who you cursed, and why."

Star and Marco continued to give Janna blank stares.

"Fine! I'll remove all my spying stuff. But just so you know, I think it sucks that you're doing this to Tom. I did it, you should take it out on me!"

"Tom? What's wrong with Tom?" Marco asked, worry evident in his voice.

"So, you're going to play it that way. Okay, I'll play your game. Tom is cursed, and he says it can't be lifted until my devices, and spells, to spy on people are gone." A scream echoed down the hall. "But you have to help me, or it could take me days. Open a portal to the north-west corner of my bedroom."