I breathed hard. Star sent a lot of good spells at me but I did beat them. 16 worth of fighting thousands of Heckapoos was worth learning. I did learn a lot.
"Okay. Not bad, Diaz." I chuckled a bit putting the sword down.
"Told you!" She lifts up the front of my shirt.
"No, Star, my abs are not back." I wish they were. I worked for those.
"Just checking. Look, just because you can take on my spells doesn't mean you can take on Meteora. I don't know if anyone can." She frowned but I counter saying, "Your mom can. You heard what Eclipsa said. If she hadn't interfered, your mom would have beaten Meteora. I don't have to stop her. I just have to buy you time to find your mom and bring her back."
"Okay." She smiled. "We gotta divide and conquer. You keep Meteora from reaching the castle while I go find my mom."
"How are you gonna do that?"
"My mom is stuck in the magic dimension. I gotta go there to find her."
"But that's where you lost your memory. That's really dangerous."
"I know, but... I don't have a choice. Okay. As acting queen, I order you, my squire Marco Diaz, to do whatever it takes to stop Meteora from reaching Butterfly Castle."
"I accept my orders," I say serious. She turns away.
"Okay, well, then you get started on that order right away." She walks away.
"Hey, Star. You know, you don't have to pretend to be strong around me. I'm your best friend."
"Mmmm! Ugh! I need a hug!" She whimpers. I go and hug her tight.
"I'm really scared."
"Yeah... Me, too." And worried for you. We let go. I hear the door burst open.
"Hello, Queen Butterfly! Dinner is served!"
"I'll go do that. Marco...."
"I know... Good luck Star," I say giving her one last smile.
"You two." She walks out. I pull up my phone and start sending text to everyone I need. They are ones I know they can help. Then I run out the castle to the meeting place I told everyone. Four of them were here. I know the other 2 will show and they'll catch up. I can start now. My message included we are helping Star and we have to buy time for her. I march back and forth.
"I've called you all here because you're the most cunning, the most agile, the most experienced, hardest-hitting wahoos I know. Each of you were hand-picked for your specific set of skills. Hekapoo's basically a one-woman army, and she's also on fire. Talon is... is really big, and I think Hekapoo has a crush on him, but it's probably just because of his body."
"Wait, what?"
"And then Jorby and Kelly..." Kelly was sharpening one of her swords on Jorby's teeth. "They're, um... well... Kelly's got a lot of swords! Anyway, I feel proud to call you my "Marc-nificent Seven".
"Oh, yeah, good point. You're right, Jorby. Yeah, Jorby says, uh, your math is off. Yeah, there's only, uh... There's only four of us here plus you. That's five. Two short of a seven.
"He forgot about me!" Pony Head finally arrives.... with an axe on her horn?
"No, I-I didn't forget about you. I... You're late. And what is that thing on your head?"
"Oh, that's just my battle axe. I'm basically like a cyborg now. I could change into anything I want. Mascara brush. Little tiny Pony Head. Chainsaw!"
"Okay, I get it, Pony Head." I look at Talon having a box of stuff. "Talon! What are you doing?"
"What am I doin'? I'm handing out shades for our group victory photo."
"We're not doing a group photo."
"Dude, every group I've ever run with takes a cool sunglasses group shot." Talon takes out a set of photos. I look at them.
"Are... Are those... Little League teams?"
"Little?! There's nothin' little about them! You don't know what it's like to be alone on the field, your friends covered in boo-boos and ouchies."
"Hey!" I turn Tom appear out of a hole in the ground, his eyes glowing and flames from his palms propelling him upward. "Listen to your commander." I smiled big.
"Ha! See? I told you there were seven of us. Boom. Eat that, Kelly."
"Earth Turd! Are you gonna tell us the plan or what?"
"Oh, yes. The plan is simple. We're gonna build... the Doom Nut!" I felt good that Tom added fire behind me for more dramatic effect. I take out a sword and draw a diagram in the dirt. I start explaining the plan.
"Jorby and Kelly, you're gonna make a huge dugout circle. Talon and Pony will fill it with wood. When Meteora steps inside, Tom's gonna set the wood on fire, trapping her in a flaming prison."
"Ohhhh! "Doom Nut"! Because it looks like a doughnut! Earth Turd, that is very clever. I am into this plan." I put the sword down leaning on it smiling at what I have.
"I'll open up the floor to questions if there's anything you'd like to ask me about the plan or this thing in my hand that I'm holding."
"Oh. Well, I'll just take the bait here. Where did you get that sword, Marco?"
"Oh! This old thing? Funny you should ask. This is "El Choppo". I got this sword from the mists of the Never Zone when I was in my early 30s, and it's still even got some dried blood on it. Any other questions?" I see Kelly's hand up. "Yes, Kelly?"
"Wait, how are we going to convince her to step into what is an obvious trap?"
"You know, I'm no longer into this plan."
"Simple, Kelly. We use the best bait. Me." I say holding the sword at me.
"Aah! Dude."
"Sorry," I tell him. "Okay let's get started. Let's go." I hop on Nachos and everyone follows. I stop when we make it to the spot.
"Okay guys you know what to do." They split off to do their tasks. I help around till I take a break. I pull out the diagram paper I had. I look it over. It looks like it's coming out well.
"Whoo! I'm beat!" I turn seeing Tom grab the carton and drink the water. Too fast.
"Dude! Save some for me."
"Oh, my bad." He spits water back into canteen. "Well, here you go."
"Ugh..." I dump it out.
"Marco, you know, I-I kind of treated you bad sometimes. Like that ping-pong game, or the... the Blood Moon Ball, those Mackie Hand tickets, Naysaya.."
"I-I get it, Tom." I did not want to relieve that.
"The Monster arm."
"That wasn't you." Instinct made me grab my wrist because that made me shiver.
"It wasn't? Anyway, look, the-the point is, I actually think you're a great dude. Whatever happens today, we'll make it through." I give him a smile feeling better. I place a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Tom. I'm really glad you're here." I guess he wanted me to cheer up a bit. Or just wanted to tell me that stuff since I'm kinda spaced out. Or wanted to truly say that stuff again beside from the booth. I'm happy he did. Cause a I was not thinking straight. I mean my mind is a bit distracted right now cause I'm so worried for Star but knowing he did mean the stuff he said at the booth does make me happy.
"YO! Aren't you two gonna help!" I look at Hpoo nodding. I look back at Tom seeing my hand still on his shoulder. I blush and instantly got up.
"Well l-let's go finish!" I walk back to help chop down trees. God I have to stop doing whatever this is. After awhile we finally finished.
"Alright guys time to battle up!" Everyone started getting dressed in armor for the fight that's about to come. I pull out the dress and put it over me. The only way to get her was being Princess Turdina so I shall be her. This was the only way to get her attention. Nachos comes. I hop on her.
"Um, I cannot see! Can everyone else see? 'Cause I cannot!" I put the long hair tie up on.
"All right, Marc-nificent Seven, it's go time." I drove off to find Meteora. Okay I need to bring her out. I find a river. I stop Nachos.
"Okay Girl you ready?" she makes her sounds. Okay. Now to start acting.
"Woe is me! A rebel princess in distress named Turdina! Nachos, my precious steed, what will I do?" I hear loud footsteps. That didn't take long. I hop back on her.
"All right, Nachos, stick to the plan." I look back waiting and when it shows. It wasn't her.
"Are you okay?"
"Uh, sorry. Looking for a different monster." I hop off her.
"I just thought you needed help."
"Yeah... Actually, hey, we could really use your help!" Someone big just in case!
"Huh. Well, now it just kind of feels weird. I don't know. Good luck finding your monst—" the monster glows green. I watch him float up and when I look back at thre trees. It's her.... as a giant monster... I froze.
"I'm right here!"
"Huh?!" I duck to dodge the blast. I hop back on Nachos. She starts approaching me. Nachos wouldn't start!
"Really?!" I do it again and she revives. Nachos moves. She takes to the sky. Meteora blast her beam and it hits Nachos. O no. She took her soul. She turns upside down
"Whoa-ho!" I grip on the handles but lose my grip and start falling. "AHHHH!" I look down and see Kelly with Jorby coming. I land behind Kelly as Jorby keeps running. I sit back on to hold on. Meteora was behind us! Jorby keeps running. Meteora blast her beam and me and Kelly fall off Jorby. Jorby's body floats off into the sky.
"Jorby!" Meteora emerges from the trees.
"Go!" I grab Kelly's arm. "Go-go-go-go-go!" We get out the trap.
"Now, Tom!" Tom sets the wood in the dug trench on fire.
"Hey, "Mete-normous"! Looks like you're trapped!" We got her. She was surround by the fire. I felt sick a bit from how much fire it was but I think it work!
"I think... I think we did it!"
"Graaah!" Meteora used her tail to blow the flames away. She looks at me, Kelly, and Pony Head. We slowly back away.
"Hey, what's the plan now?"
"...Run." We start booking it.
"Go that way!" I push them a different direction as I keep running. I hide behind a rock. As long I keep her away from the others it should be okay. I hear her footsteps.
"Turdina! I know we've had our issues, but it's nothing we can't talk about!" I was breathing hard. Have to keep moving. I move to another rock. I grab my hair.
"Come on, Star! Hurry up!" I heard the noise behind me. I look up. Meteora picks up the rock I was hiding behind and crushes it in her hand. She tries to stomp on me with her foot.
"Aah!" I cover myself. Hekapoo's clones stop Meteora's foot. Hekapoo Clone straining
"Marco! Dude, get up!" I look seeing Hekapoo's Clones stopping the foot. I start running and jump over the big log. I fall face flat. I get up.
"I don't know how much more we can take of this."
"Hey!" I jump. I look back seeing Kelly throwing her swords to Meteora.
"You could've put out someone's eye!" Then Talon and Ponyhead comes. Talon throws Ponyhead. But her soul gets taken and she starts floating up. I watch horrified.
"Where's Star?" I watch Meteora grab Ponyhead. She lays down and starts squishing her like she was a sqeaky toy. This goes on for a couple minutes till she talks.
"Turdina!" She tosses Pony Head away.
"I'm getting bored! Well, I guess I'll just be on my way." She starts heading to the castle.
"All right, we gotta come up with a new plan."
"Oh, I got one. Let's run for it! We could just hang at the tavern, wait for this thing to blow over." Heckapoo suggest.
"I second that." Talons agrees with her.
"Uh, that does sound pretty good."
"Oh, come on, guys! We're on a mission from the acting queen!" I yell.
"Wait! She's not even queen?!"
"Marco. The plan didn't work, man." I fold my arms.
"Well, of course it didn't work! I thought we all knew that when he named it the "Doom Nut"."
"Aw, come on." I was offended.
"Look, we're not following Marco's plans because they're good. We're following them because he's Marco. He is gonna come up with another terrible plan, and when that one doesn't work out, he'll come up with another, and then another. That's why he's our leader, 'cause he's just dumb enough to never give up." I was actually touched by his words.
"Um, yeah, that's true."
"Yeah!"
"Hey, uh, inspirational speech and all, but I ain't gettin' my dang soul sucked out of me!"
"We'll take a group photo," Tom told him.
"I'm in."
"Well, what are we gonna do about those eyes?"
"Um, we could put some shades on her. That'll keep her cool." I look down. I have an idea but it's all we got. "Oh.. Turdina only can come up with ideas." I bit my lip before telling them.
"Guys... I got a plan. This is what we're going to do. Heckapoo your going to make her chase you way over there. Talon you get you bike and take Kelly and drive around those trees. Kelly your gonna try using that harpoon gun that has rope to get the trees together. Tom-"
"I know." he gives me a smirk pulling out an axe. I smile.
"Everyone got it?" They nod. We drive ahead as Heckapoo does her task. I get next to a tree. "Talon come here first."
"Need you to untie one from my dress." I lift it up. He does but couldn't.
"How does this thing work, man?"
"Just unhook the clasp in the back."
"Oop! Oh, there it is."
"Now get in position!"
"Got it, ma'am!" I start climbing up the tree. I climb to the top. I wait till she shows up. I see her portal and she hops out.
"Over here!" I yell. I hide back and wait.
"Hey! Your friends are doing all the fighting for you? Are you afraid, Turdina?" I get ready.
"Turdina... fears... no one!" I leap onto Meteora head and covers her eyes with the bloomers."
"Ohhh!"
"Kelly!" Kelly fires Talon's dragoncycle harpoon and hooks it around a tree branch. Talon drives around. I try keeping the thing on waiting for Kelly.
"Marco! We're good!"
"Tom!" he hold up demonic battle axe, starts chanting in a demonic tongue, covering his axe in heat. He flies around the trees, cutting through the trunks with the axe.
"Talon! Cinch the rope!" Talon drives away from the trees, causing the rope to pull taut, traping Meteora in trees. I smile standing up.
"You're only making things worse for yourself!"
"Whoo!" I jump off of Meteora's head and float gently to the ground using my dress as a parachute. Something I learned from a certain princess. I run to the group. "Hey, nice work, guys."
"I'm impressed. I was pretty sure Talon would mess it up."
"Hey! I'm a professional!" Talon accidentally revs his dragoncycle's engine, causing it to pull away. It was till connected to the harpoon's rope. Meteora falls over and rolls down the hill.
"Whoa!" Panic rose from me.
"Oh no." I run to the edge with everyone.
"I got this!" Tom uses his demonic chant. He opens a fiery fissure in the ground that Meteora falls through. She screams. "And that takes care of that." He claps his hands together, and the fissure closes shut.
"She's gone!" Everyone cheered but I looked down. I didn't want to actually kill her... Just stop her....
"I'll go get everyone." Heckapoo grabs some rope and teleports to grab Jorby, Ponyhead and Nachos. She comes back with them, giving the rope to Talons. I look up at them.
"Are they gonna be okay?"
"I... I don't... I don't know," I said unsure.
"I guess it's time for that group photo." He puts sunglasses on them. he was tearing up but covers his glasses. "Get over here, guys." He takes out a selfie stick. I feel the ground shake. I look at Talon and Meteora emerges from underground behind him. O my god. She blasts him and his dragon cycle.
"Run!" I yell. I start running away from her blast. I dodge her blasts. I look at the others. She got Kelly. Heckapoo tries to portal out, but she gets her before she does. No. Tom grabs my arm and hides behind a rock pulling me down.
"Turdina!" Meteora sings. She passes us.
"Marco, it's over. We're the only ones left. I don't think the Marc-nificent Two is enough to stop her."
"You're right, Tom, but someone needs to go warn Star." I draw out my sword. "I'll stay and buy you both some time."
"Whoa! Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa! I'm not leaving you! You're... You're my best friend." He looks at me frowning. I bit my lip. I jump to him and hug him tight.
"You to Tom. Keep Star safe no matter what. Promise."
"Mar-" I push him back hard and start running to Meteroa. I stand tall.
"Hey!"
"Oh, hello, Turdina. I've been looking for you." I let my sword go.
"Well, I'm right here! Whoa!" She picked me up with her tail.
"What are you doing?"
"You're a smart girl. Figure it out." She grabs me with her hand.
"But aren't you gonna savor this? I'm Princess Turdina!"
"Yes, I know. But I'm looking for a queen." She blasts at me. I shut my eyes. This is it.
"Rah!" I look back seeing him.
"Tom!"
"Huh!"
"What are you doing?"
"Saving you obviously!"
"Let's try that again." She blasts at Tom.
"Tom!" Tom gasps.
"You're... You're back?"
"I have thousands of spirits in here!" She blasts him again. He gasps again.
"This might—" She blasts him again. ".take—" And again. " ...a while." Meteora starts sucking out Tom's souls at a steady rate. I notice her hand growing.
"Huh? She's... She's getting bigger!"
"I may not have—...thought this through." She blasts him again.
"Tom!" I wiggle out of Meteora's hand. I run and jump into the air to her karate kick her face.
"Hiiiiii-YAH!" I kick her in the face, knocking her over. I fall face on the ground. That hurt. I'm getting sleepy....
"Oh, what happened? Marco? Marco!"
"Marco?!" My body jolts.
"Run...!" I tell him. I look back at her.
"TUUUURDIIIINAAAA!" She blasts toward us. I leap forward to move Tom out the way. Suddenly everything went dark. I couldn't feel anything. I was free....