"So you're telling me that we actually needed that malevolent reptile??" Tom asked, incredulous.
"Maybe if you hadn't blasted him to pieces Tom!" Star shouted, inexplicable fury flaring in her once more. "You always let your emotions get the better of you! You need to control your anger!"
"Oh, there you go again!" Tom snarled. "Don't you dare make this into my fault- don't you dare blame this on me!"
Star was about to retaliate when Mina stepped between them.
"Maybe you should have your domestic some other time?" She said cooly. "May I revert your attention to the matter at hand?"
Tom and Star glowered at each other, but nodded.
"Good. So, yes. We need some of Toffee himself. Is there any left?" Mina asked.
"There... might be some dusty ashy stuff," Tom said uncertainly. "There usually is then you blow someone up."
"Excellent," said Mina.
"I can get my wand when we go back to the castle!" Star cried, suddenly remembering.
"This sounds like it's gonna be a fun little day trip," Mina smiled.
Suddenly, there was a gasp from the bed and Marco opened his eyes.
They all looked towards him, and a couple of warriors stepped closer, ready to strike.
Marco looked around slowly, unable to raise his head off the bed more than an inch. His eyes were clear and their usual brown, which surprised Star. They were also fearful and this hit Star like a fist to the stomach. They met her own prickling eyes and locked with them at once.
"St-Star?" He asked and even though his voice was strained, it was so good to hear him again.
"...Marco?" Star whispered, stepping closer despite the people around her sucking their teeth nervously. Even Tom reached out to stop her, but thought better of it and let her approach the bed.
"Star..." Marco looked at his bound hands and feet with wide eyes. "What's going on? Why am I tied up?"
Star's eyes filled with tears again.
"It's... a long story. Do you remember anything?"
Those around them were standing in a stunned silence. You could chew on the tension in the air.
"I remember Toffee stabbing me- nothing more," Marco muttered, testing the strength of the ropes steadily. "What's going on?"
Star could hear the panic in his voice. He looked around again.
"Star?" He said again, the volume of his speech and the pitch both rising with fear when she didn't reply. "Who are all these people? Wait... Mina? No- Tom? What are you all doing here? Why am I tied up?" He rattled the chain as he struggled. One of the warriors leaped on him and held him down, snarling,
"That's enough, devil."
"Stop!" Star screamed. "Get off him!"
"Star, for the last time," Mina yelled at her, grabbing her arm and wrenching her around to face her. "This isn't Marco anymore!"
"Yes it is!" Star cried, tears flying off her cheeks as she fought to get back to ...Marco?
There was a horrible, guttural growl from the bed under the warrior.
Star took several steps back.
The other warriors and doctors all piled on too, trying to contain Marco.
Suddenly, a huge, convulsing, pulsating purple tentacle burst free of the ropes and grabbed one of the men holding it down around the neck. It lifted him clean into the air and threw him across the room, where he smashed into the wall, his neck snapped.
Tom and Star screamed in terror.
"It's happening again!" Yelled Mina, transforming into the huge fighter version of herself and running forwards to help.
The fight was horrible.
On one side, the monster arm was extremely powerful and didn't seem to have a problem with slaughtering another man. Mina and the remaining helpers tried their best to contain him while Tom and Star watched from afar, terrified. However, the other side, which made Star's chest ache, was that Marco was conscious. He was screaming in pain and anguish as though his body was on fire, the runes on his chest glowing furiously and blood gushing from his eyes and mouth.
He was fighting it.
He wasn't completely corrupted- but Star remembered when the monster arm had started to take over last time. It hadn't taken long.
She turned to look at Tom, who was standing there with his mouth hanging open, eyes wide. He looked frozen. Rooted to the spot in horror.
"Tom," she said suddenly, grabbing his arm.
He didn't move or show any sign that he knew she had spoken. The others continued to shout and scream as they fought with Marco.
"Star!" Marco screamed, trying to restrain his arm. "Star! Help me!"
Someone shoved a hand in his blood covered face.
Star forced herself to look away, tears swimming in her eyes.
"Tom, we have to hurry!"
He dragged his gaze from the bed. Slowly, he sucked in a huge breath, and said,
"Okay."