Mewni's New Courier

By: Bubbajack

Beta: IcySnowSage

Disclaimer: I don't own Star vs the Forces of Evil or Fallout: New Vegas.

Ch.1: The Return Job.

Marco and Jackie's date was interrupted by Marco's sudden urge, no need to find Star at the graveyard after he'd noticed not only the crimson moon hanging in the sky but the fact she'd tried calling him no less than fifty-seven times. Under the light of the crimson moon, the two skateboarded to the local cemetery to see a battle already in the works. Ludo in the guise of a clown with his giant spider and eagle in tow, were in the midst of battle with Star and Janna only this time, Ludo the little pest, had help, a veritable army of anthropomorphic rats were assisting him now. Marco didn't think, Star was in danger, he didn't have to think. He rushed into battle, kicking, punching, and chopping any beast he could. He kept the minions off of Star so she could deal with Ludo wand to wand as it were. He saw her use the same spell that sucked his room into a black hole once but something went wrong with the spell. It flared green all of the sudden, then it's suction was reversed, turning on Star herself.

Once again, Marco didn't hesitate, he grabbed onto Star's hand as she was being dragged into the swirling vortex. Marco felt himself slipping no matter how hard he tried to fight the pull of the vortex. Then he felt someone grab his other arm. He looked back to see Jackie and Janna forming a human chain and he also saw Ludo escaping with the book of spells laughing like a lunatic.

"Marco!" Star screamed as the four of them were dragged ever closer to whatever oblivion awaited beyond the portal. The Latino boy dug his heels into the earth, he knew he couldn't let Star or the other girls get hurt. His pride as a man and a gentleman wouldn't allow it. So he did the only thing he could think of. He looked into Star's big beautiful blue eyes and told her honestly. "Star?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Marco said honestly shocking the princess before he pivoted on his heel and spun throwing Star into Jackie and Janna and letting the portal take him. The last thing he heard was Star screaming his name.

"MARCCCOO!"

Marco Ubaldo Diaz, better known these days as Courier Six, or just The Courier to the people of the Mojave Wasteland, awoke with a start and a gasp of pain. "Not that fucking dream again." He grumbled to himself as he pulled himself up out of his bed in the Sink, repressing a groan of pain as he did so. "002, lights." He rasped out.

The lights in the room flickered on, Marco winced in pain. Holding a hand up to the light, he grunted at the pain in his knees as he walked over to his shelf and got out his tackle box he kept his medication in. Reaching inside once he undid the clasp on the lid he pulled out three Med-x, a bottle of Buffout, a tab of Mentats, and an inhaler of Jet. Marco was glad he had learned how to craft most of these drugs from the Great Khans or he probably wouldn't be moving around right now.

Shooting three shots of Med-x into his right arm, Marco felt the pain that permeated his body these days fade away to a dull bearable ache. He then inhaled a shot of Jet and popped a pill of Mentats from the tin. He then tapped the screen on his Pip-boy and checked his status.

As always it showed his rad count read three-eight-five, nearing four-hundred. He sighed, "It doesn't matter Marco, it doesn't matter because today. Today your going home."

He made his way towards the back of the Sink towards the shower. It was technically supposed to be used for decontamination but fuck it, he could use it how he saw fit. He padded across the cold metal floor and said hello to the AI's that greeted him, mainly the CUI, and Blind Diode Jefferson. He stopped in front of the mirror and stared at himself.

He looked ghoulish. His face was covered in stubble, his eyes were ringed in black, sunken into his gaunt face, and bloodshot. His hair was missing in patches due to all the radiation he'd absorbed as he wandered the wastes, and he had a thin circular scar going around his head due to the unasked for operation done onto him by the Think Tank along with two gunshots to his temple from Benny which formed a scar in the form of an infinity symbol. His face was windswept, rugged, and rough. Sandblasted and sunburnt, covered in pockmarked scars where the skin had been torn and peeled off, courtesy of the hellish winds of the Divide. Marco also sported a permanent scar around his neck, a parting gift from Father Elija and thanks to the bomb collar he was forced to wear as it rubbed his neck raw as he killed Ghost People and pulled off the heist of the centuries.

Marco winced and held his chest. There was a scar there in the center of his chest, where the now-deceased Think Tank had removed his heart. It hurt to breathe without a gas mask, as the air was filled with dust and it hurt his radiation scarred lungs. He'd wandered the wasteland for thirteen years… ever since he'd been sucked into the portal…

He grimaced. Some folks called him a messiah. Others, those who'd gone and made him their enemy, called him a devil. Truth be told he was neither. He was just a man, a true mortal man just like any other, doing whatever he had to do in order to get by in this hellish world. 'But today, that changes. Today I head home.' Marco thought as he cast aside his tattered sleepwear and stepped into the shower.

Once he was finished bathing, and hawking up god knows how much bloody phlegm, Marco made his way back to his room and changed into his usual attire. Elite Riot Gear only found in the Divide complete with Gasmask and helmet. The lightweight ceramic armor with integrated night vision optics built right into the goggles of the gasmask. The coat, however, was replaced with his own personal duster. A black duster with a large navy blue spade painted on the back which sported a stylized white star with five long crimson stripes running under the spade.

He then started equipping various weapons onto his person. First, he equipped his tactical harness, then crisscross his bandoleers over his chest and a pair of hip holsters as well as a couple of leg holsters.

The Mysterious Magnum a mother of pearl-handled .44 Magnum he got off a drifter once he found him a job at the Tops Casino in Vegas went into the holster on his left hip.

The blued-steel and gold embellished Ranger Sequoia went on his right hip, something he picked up after a NCR traitor took his own life.

Lucky, his black iron .357 magnum embossed golden filigree all throughout its length with a pair of clubs on its ivory grip went into his left underarm holster, while a strange gun he bought off Cliff Brisco in Novac called the Deckard but Cliff just called it 'That Gun from that one movie'.

Thump-Thump was a single-shot grenade launcher he got from the Boomers of Nelis Airforce Base had the image of a pissed off beaver holding a gun near the end of the stock, while the weapons name was painted on the black iron barrel in white paint. It went sideways in a holster behind his back.

Big Boomer a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun he got from Old Lady Gibson from trading her the Dinner Bell that he got from Red Lucy in The Thorn after completing her little hunting challenge. She even offered to sleep with him but he really just needed the caps. Shaking his head for getting lost in thought, Marco placed The sawed-off in his left leg holster.

Sleepytyme was a 10mm SMG that had a silencer integrated into it. That went into his right leg holster. It cost him a small fortune in caps, but it was worth it.

Paciencia was a .308 hunting rifle which he also bought from Cliff at Novac at a significant price, but he couldn't resist, it had the Mexican flag wrapped around the stock as a sort of makeshift cushioning, it made him feel a sort of pride to carry that particular weapon. He crafted a carrying strap for it out of golden gecko hide and hauled the weapon around on his left shoulder.

Hanging horizontally from his right shoulder in a sheath he made himself was Blood-Nap. A beautiful bowie knife with a molded handle that he found in the Divide, impaled into a lampost. Marco applied some Bleak Venom to it before sheathing the weapon. The remaining bottles of poison found their way into his pack.

Marco then threw the Medicine Stick over his right shoulder. The lever-action brush gun was embellished with a dreamcatcher on its leather stock cover and its parts were well maintained shining metal.

On the bandoleer itself, Marco placed three grenades each had a small white cross painted on it. These were his most dangerous pieces of ordinance. The Holy Hand Grenades. Just one of these could take out an entire encampment of soldiers, but they were few, so he used them sparingly.

Penultimately, in his left boot, he placed Figaro, a fancy engraved switchblade he filched off one of the Kings of Freeside on his way into New Vegas.

He carefully strapped several homemade Nuka Grenades to his belt, and gave a few test hops making sure nothing was loose, and ignoring the spike of pain from his arthritis ridden left knee. Satisfied everything was where it needed to be, he began to load his backpack and duffle bags. The backpack was loaded with all the essentials. Food, freshwater, Sunset Sarsaparilla, ammunition for all of his guns, copious amounts of his medication, and many, many cartons of cigarettes he'd rolled himself from coyote tobacco leaf and paper.

One of his duffle bags was filled with the golden bars from the Sierra Madre heist. He hadn't spent a single one, despite the temptation to do so. Gold would be much more useful once he got home he figured.

'Speaking of things being useful back home.' He opened the second duffle bag and looked inside. It was stuffed to bursting with pre-war money. Something considered useless to the people of the wasteland unless you needed something to wipe your ass with after you were done taking a shit. But Marco? He saw an opportunity. He collected every bundle of it he could. If he could take it back home with him, dirty or not, it would be legal tenure, and he'd have a lot of it.

Hefting his backpack on his shoulders, and taking each duffle in hand, Marco left the Sink for the final time making his way towards the ominous-sounding Forbidden Zone to see an old friend of his.

The 'Forbidden Zone' was dark and dreary as it always was, a thick cloud of smog surrounding the place like some sort of castle of doom. Marco rolled his eyes. 'Mobius and his theatrics.' Marco thought as he entered the place. "Mobius?!" He called his voice sounding like a record scratching and two cats hissing at each other at the same time. "You home?"

"I am dear boy, in the back!" Mobius called. "Just putting the finishing touches on our joint project."

Marco made his way to the back of Mobius' lab and he was greeted by an astounding sight. All of the companions he met on his travels were there. Craig Boone the stoic former NCR sniper, Rose of Sharon Cassidy, better known as Cass who used to run a caravan. Veronica Santangelo a former Brotherhood of Steel Scribe, ED-E an eyebot he repaired, the cyber dog Rex, Lillie Bowen the schizophrenic super mutant who kept mistaking him for her grandson 'little Jimmie', Christine Royce whom chose to stay behind in the Sierra Madre, Raul the old ghoul whose guns he promised to carry after he convinced him to become a handyman outside of Vegas, Arcade Gannon the doctor and member of the Followers of the Apocalypse was present. Hell even Dog/God was here though he'd somehow managed to convince the two to fuse into a third stronger personality by talking to them both. He also noted he and Lillie were holding hands.

He honestly… never expected to see any of them ever again.

When Marco… decided to make Vegas independent... he chose to turn his back on all of his companions. Each had a stake an opinion in who should take Hoover Dam and why. Marco decided to betray every faction and forge his own path… well, he didn't want to see the looks of disappointment on his friend's faces. So he walked that path alone. He killed Caesar, House, and President Kimball. All by his own hand. He sent nuclear fire down like a wrathful god along the Long Fifteen and Dry Wells, breaking the supply lines of both the Bull and the Bear before he finally slit both their throats at the Second Battle of Hoover Dam.

"W-What… what are you all doing here?" Marco stuttered out in anxiety and nervousness usually not seen on the stoic Courier.

Marco found the air forced out of his lungs when Veronica crashed into him like a missile before he was summarily lifted a couple of inches off the ground as the girl squeezed him for all he was worth. "The question is, what are you doing you, idiot?! Thinking you could just up and leave without saying goodbye?!"

Looking down, Marco saw the former Scribe and would've-been member of the Followers of the Apocalypse had tears in her eyes. Marco placed his arms around her as best he could and patted her back. One of his weaknesses was seeing a girl he cared about cry. He whispered out through his damaged lungs, "I'm an idiot aren't I?"

"Yes," Veronica replied as she collapsed onto her knees due to his weight but she still did not let go of him and she was still in tears. "A big stupid idiot! One so dumb, that It's amazing you survived this long in the wasteland by yourself."

Marco noted she was wearing the dress he got her from the Ultra-Luxe Casino. He looked to Christine. As far as he knew, the two were an item but the woman was just smiling happily at the scene a few feet away. Marco kept an arm around Veronica and used the other to pat her head as gently as he could. "There, there Veronica, don't cry. I ain't someone who deserves your tears."

"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving Marco?" Veronica swatted his hand off her head and quickly got up, smacking him in the arm at his low self-worth. "Heck, why did you say anything about… about anything?"

"I've been wondering about that myself," Boone said, taking a couple of steps forward, wearing his 1st Recon Assault Armor. "Why'd you do it? Kill both the NCR and the Legion like that?"

Marco's hands subconsciously drifted to the guns at his hips as the sniper closed in. Boone noticed and stopped his advance. "I'm not here to fight you, Courier… Marco. I hate the NCR as much as I do the Legion these days, you know that. I just wanna know why you didn't clue us in… any of us. We could've helped you know?"

Marco gave a heartless laugh. "Helped? Helped me kill President Kimball? Helped me trick the Legion into thinking I was on their side so I could get close enough to Caesar, to earn his trust, his confidence, and then turn around and assassinate him when he was at his most vulnerable? To take House's life?" Marco shook his head, "No, no, no. This was my path. My lonesome road to walk alone… As if there is one thing the Wasteland has taught me, it's that we are all better off with no gods and no masters. When a man enforces his will upon another, whether by so-called law or by force and the other just accepts it, the acceptor is just another slave. I refuse to be a slave to anyone anymore, and I figured it was about time for Vegas to free itself from the yolk of all its old masters."

It was then that Arcade spoke up, "You've become an anarchist. Someone who believes that the only law is the one each man or woman enforces upon his or herself as a moral code."

Marco gave it a moment of thought. "I suppose so," He shrugged. "Can you blame me though? Working under House got me shot twice in the brainpan. I crucified Benny for that and took his gun as a memento. Then I ended up in the Sierra Madre with a bomb collar around my neck." Christine pressed a hand to her own throat, she understood his sentiments. "Enslaved again, this time by…" He stopped recalling that Veronica Santangelo was right there.

"Go on Marco…" Veronica urged, voice soft and eyes downcast. "Christine has told me all about Father Elijah. It's ok, I… I understand."

Marco cleared his throat, removing his gas mask for a moment to hawk bloody phlegm. "I was enslaved by a madman seeking to break into a vault. Only, instead of tech, there was naught but gold. Marco kicked one of the bags at his feet. "I kept the gold since Elijah didn't seem to want it. I guess all that glitters is only gold in the wasteland."

Boone whistled. "That would be worth a pretty cap."

Marco nodded, "It would be worth even more back in my own dimension, but where was I? Ah yes, then I was enslaved again this time by a bunch of brains in jars. Forced to do their bidding because they thought it would be fun to harvest my organs and put mechanical replicas in their place. Well, they're dead now but for the most part, they were correct, the implants do work better than the originals."

Veronica looked at him in awe, "What organs did they take?"

"My brain, spine, and heart." Marco was quick to reply.

Arcade, Veronica, and Boone just stared at him like he was crazy. Cass spoke for the group then. "You're shittin' us right Sixer? There ain't no way you can walk around without your brain and heart. Pretty sure you need your spine too."

Marco thumbed behind him. "I shit you not. In fact, I think Leopold is still here in his brain tank upstairs." Marco noted.

Veronica laughed and shook her head. "Leopold? You named your removed brain… Leopold?"

Marco shrugged. "Well, it would be weird having conversations with him if I just called him 'brain' all the time now wouldn't it?"

"It can talk?" Cass replied before taking a swig of her homebrewed moonshine and passing it to the gesturing Boone. 'I'm too sober for this conversation.' the brunette former caravaneer thought to herself.

"He can, nice guy. He can be a bit snippy at times though."

"I HEARD THAT!" a very posh snooty voice called from the other room. "YOU UNCIVILIZED UNCULTURED SWINE!

Marco cupped his hands and called back. "Love you too Leo! I'm leaving, Likely forever, so lock up after I'm gone ok?"

"GO SOAK YOUR HEAD IN A BARREL OF TOXIC WASTE!" The brain was silent for a moment before it called out in a softer tone that could still be heard. "Marco?"

"Yeah?"

"Take… take care of yourself," The brain said gently before carrying on. "Like really take care of yourself. Without me around to nag you, you could wind up smelling like a sewer, or contracting every disease known to man! And a few that aren't! Probably from butterflies of all things."

Marco tried to cut his now vocal organ off before he revealed any more of his past. "Ok, Leo thank you!"

Yet the now sentient brain carried on. "And remember to eat every day, three square meals damn it! Not that Sunset Sarsaparilla, salient green, and thick red paste you've been living off of either, but real food!"

"Okay, Leo I get it!" Marco barked out.

"Well, excuse me for caring about your sorry ass! And my former one…seriously though, try not to die."

Marco just hugs his head and grinned. "I'll do my best."

Leopold sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of. Your best has nearly gotten you killed on numerous occasions since you arrived here dear Marco."

Marco huffed. "Since I'm technically arguing with myself, does this count as procrastination, dementia, or psychosis?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." The brain, Leopold replied before falling silent.

All of Marco's former companions, who had been listening to the exchange were passing around Cass' moonshine as they were all far too sober for this conversation to be happening right now. Even Lili Bowen knew crazy when she heard it. 'Talking to your own brain? Poor Jimmy has a screw loose.' the nightkin thought to herself as she took a swig of the moonshine.

"Marco," Veronica asked tentatively. "You're really leaving the wasteland? For good?"

Marco nodded. "For keeps," He replied. "I honestly never thought I'd see any of you again so…" He shrugged. "I didn't think to say goodbye. All I did was mess things up for the lot of you anyway."

Veronica punched him in the arm as hard as she could without a powerfist. It still hurt quite a bit.

"Ouch, painful." Marco ground out.

"Mess things up for the lot of us?" Veronica echoed. "Marco, you brought all of us together, you gave us a home, a place to belong… you made us a family! And you were just going to walk away without saying goodbye?" She punched him in the arm again even harder due to her anger. "What gives Marco?!"

Marco patiently explained. "Veronica I've screwed up every attempt I made trying to help all of you. You wanted to join the Followers of the Apocalypse remember?"

The former Brotherhood Scribe bit her bottom lip in consternation. She did indeed remember what happened. The entirety of the Old Mormon Fort was wiped out to the last man by three 'rogue' members of the Brotherhood, for thinking she was sharing Brotherhood secrets with the Followers. "That wasn't your fault! That was the fault of a trio of uppity assholes!"

"I failed you and Arcade that day." Marco sighed.

Arcade crossed his arms, "I respectfully disagree with you and throw my support in with Veronica. It was by no means your fault for what happened at the Fort. While the loss of the Followers there was awful, tragic, and most certainly barbaric, it by no means lands squarely on your shoulders my friend."

"You helped me avenge my wife." Boone pointed out, his voice its usual dark monotone.

Marco agreed with that. "I did, but instead of telling you to let the past go, I convinced you to let it fuel your rage… I shouldn't have done that."

Boone cocked his beret covered head to the side. "Why not? Thanks to you, there are a lot less Legionnaires in the Mojave than there would've been otherwise. Rage and anger isn't a bad thing, as long as they are used constructively. You showed me that."

"What about you Cass?" Marco was starting to grasp at straws. "We turned the Van Graffs and McLafferty over to the NCR, but now, there's no NCR to tax them."

The fiery brunette just laughed. "Oh, you don't need to worry about them Sixer." Cass slapped Boone playfully on the shoulder getting an annoyed grunt from the man. "Me and Boondocks here got it all taken care of."

"I told you before not to call me that… Rosie."

"And I told you not to call me that Boondocks."

Marco watched as two grown adults bickered like siblings.

"Might as well face it, boss." Raul spoke up wearing his armored repairman jumpsuit and throwing his arms out wide, "You brought us all together and now, you're stuck with us. One big ugly dysfunctional family though we may be. We's familia."

Marco smirked under his mask. "What's that make you, the grandpa?"

"Bite me smoothskin, if anyone's the crazy grandpa, it's that Mobius guy. Me? I'm the crazy uncle. Boone the gun-obsessed cousin, Lillie is the grandma you only see once a year at Christmas who can never remember anyone's names-"

"I can remember everyone's names just fine Rodger!" Lilie interrupted.

The ghoul chuckled. "See what I mean?"

Marco decided to go out on a limb and ask. "Oh, and what exactly are Veronica and Christine in this makeshift family of ours?"

"I believe that's what you call 'Arizona cousins' yeah? Or was that in Kentucky?" The ghoul joked receiving a slap on the back of his head from Christine.

Marco looked at Veronica then Christene. "Well, I have a cute pair of cousins then." The two girls blushed and shared a glance, having a moment of silent conversation before nodding.

"And Arcade is the big brother who finally came outta the closet and spends every day looking fab-bul-lous!"

Everyone burst out into laughter at that. Even Arcade who was trying to give Raul the finger and swear at him but it couldn't manage it due to his laughter. Once it cleared up Marco glanced at Cass. "And our resident drunk?"

"Hey, I'm not always drunk… only most of the time." Cass retorted.

"She the mom… guess what that makes you?" Raul joked.

"Oh joy," Marco replied.

Cass put her hands on her hips, fires of indignation burning in her eyes. "What am I not good enough for you? Is that what your sayin'?"

Marco shook his head. "No not at all it's just you said yourself that you're not interested, Cass."

"I said a lot of things you idiot! I say a lot of things when I'm drunk. It doesn't… it doesn't mean I mean every single one of 'em." Cass looked away refusing to meet the Courier's eye out of embarrassment and something else.

Marco was thankful his face was covered because his jaw just dropped. 'Why the hell did she have to admit that now? Right when I'm about to leave the Wasteland?' Marco thought to himself. "Cass I…" Marco couldn't find the right words.

"You are preparing to leave, are you not, my friend?" The nightkin known as Dog/God spoke up sounding very articulate. "To return home to your loved ones and we are making it more difficult for you."

Marco nodded. "How did you all even get here anyway?" That question was never answered.

"It was I! Dr. Mobius who did it!" The mad eccentric doctor exclaimed like a hammy cartoon villain. "I realized that if the Transportalponder could teleport you to and from the Big Mountain then why not try locating your friends and bringing them here to say goodbye?"

"I'm probably going to regret asking this but… How did you do that Doc?" Marco inquired.

The brain in a jar, which he'd personally fixed up polished and replaced the broken eye monitor for spun in place before he happily replied. "I recall after coming down from my latest Mentat high, you mentioning the Archimedes II project some time ago. It was but a sample matter for me to temporarily hijack the satellite and use it to beam your friends here."

"Damn it Doc," Marco swore. "Not that I'm not grateful, but I wish you hadn't done that. I planning to leave remember? This is just making it harder than it has to be."

"You actually found a way to jump dimensions?" Veronica and Arcade said at the same time equally excited.

Mobius did his version of a nod, which was him moving his eye screens up and down. "Indeed we did. It took three years of work and effort on Marco's and my part but we managed to make a working FIDO."

"FIDO?" Arcade questioned.

"Full Inverse Dimensional Overclocker." Mobius exclaimed, "It is a vehicle that, once it reaches eighty-eight miles per hour can tear a hole into the universe itself. Taking its rider wherever he pleases."

"Even back in time?" Veronica questioned.

"No, it can't time travel, that's a kink I haven't figured out… yet." the doctor muttered to himself loud enough for all to hear. "Here let me show you Fido. Fido, here boy!"

The roar of an engine heralded the coming of a trike motorcycle. It was all chrome and brown and there was a brain in a jar sitting near the dashboard.

"Why is that brain there?" Veronica asked.

"Why do you think we named it Fido, it's got a dog brain running this whole thing, isn't that right Fido?" Marco questioned as he patted the braincase.

"Woof, woof!" the trike replied. The antenna in the back wagging like a tail.

Arcade was curious. "You have a running machine? On what, the Great War was fought over resources."

"Vegetable oil believe it or not. It was Marco's idea." Mobius replied happily.

The Courier shrugged. "I got the idea from a friend," Star and her obsession with all things corn had made him think of alternative fuel sources when building Fido like ethanol. "And he comes equipped with all the weapons I don't bother to carry. The CZ57 Avenger minigun."

A minigun popped out on the trikes armored left side.

"The Mercy 20mm grenade machine gun."

On the right flank, a grenade machine gun popped out.

Marco finished. "And last but certainly not least, Esther, my Fatman, loaded up with tiny tot mini-nukes."

A compartment in the back opened up revealing the Fatman in all its destructive glory, leaving the companions speechless.

For but a moment anyway. Veronica was the first to find her voice. "I… I thought you were going home? You always described your dimension as peaceful, idyllic. A place we would all love to be apart of. Why on earth do you need… need all of this!" The scribe motioned to the weapon mounted bike.

"Thirteen years is a long time to be gone Veronica," Marco shrugged. "My world, it might not be so peaceful anymore."

Boone nodded he understood. "If you pray for peace, prepare for war." the veteran said solemnly.

"Amen," Marco replied as loaded his bags into the back of the bike behind his seat. He then swung his leg over the sentient bike and settled into the saddle. Marco looked out over his friends, his makeshift family that he had brought together. "I love you all, and I'll never forget any of you. Please believe that."

Mobius piped up while cackling evilly, "This doesn't have to be goodbye you know?"

"Whatchu talkin' bout Mobius?" Marco asked.

In response, the mad doctor went over to the corner where he had something covered by a sheet. Marco had always wondered what was under there, but he just assumed it was one of the Doc's failed experiments. The ex-Think Tank member pulled the cloth away and revealed a large pad that had a trio of electrode pylons facing above it. "Behold!"

Everyone stared trying to figure out just what they were looking at. After a moment, Raul spoke up. "Ok, old-timer, I'll bite. What is that thing?"

"This my fine young ghoul is my prototype transportalponder! Originally, it was designed to teleport whole groups from one place to another. Eventually, due to becoming a robo-brain, I was forced to downscale the project, to simplify it to a handheld device that could take one to and from this facility." Mobius explained. "However with the help of Miss Santanjello, Mr. Cannon, and some repair work by you Mr. Tejeda, I raisin to believe we can not only bring the Proto-Transportalponder to fruition but use it to teleport all of us across dimensions."

The followers of the Courier were muttering amongst themselves.

"Sounds like one sweet gig baby, how do we start?" Mr. New Vegas said… but the smooth voice came from Eddie of all people.

Marco shook his head and looked at the floating eyebot. "Eddie… did you just talk? And in the voice of Mr. New Vegas no less?"

The eyebot zoomed up to him. "Oh yeah, baby!" Veronica and Arcade, the cool cats that they are integrated Mr. New Vegas' AI with mine. Now I can talk and it feels so good my man!"

Marco patted the eyebot on the head. "Good for you buddy."

"I wouldn't even be moving around if it wasn't for you, the greatest mac-daddy of all." the Eyebot exclaimed.

Marco scratched the back of his neck. "I appreciate that Eddie, but I didn't do much. The repairs were simple really."

"I should warn you all," Mobius continued, "That using the Proto-transportalponder would be a one-way trip. That is to say, there won't be any coming back to the Wasteland."

"And?" Cass commented. "We're failing to see the downside here Doc. I dunno, if you've noticed seeing as you've been cooped up in your lab for goodness knows how long, but the Mojave wasteland… it's a bona fide shithole. We're more than happy to leave."

A general round of assent followed Cass' words.

"Well then," Mobius said brightening, "Whatever are we waiting for? Let's get to work people! Chop chop! No actual chopping will be taking place of course. I need your hands and functional bodes."

The followers of the Courier just shook their heads and got to work. The super mutant Nightkin formerly known as God/Dog approached the Courier as he sat on his bike. "You saved me. We… I… owe you my life."

Marco shook his head, "You don't owe me anything… but I would like to know one thing."

The nightkin grinned. "Name it friend."

Marco cleared his throat. "What do you go by these days?"

The nightkin slammed a fist against his chest in salutations. "This one is known as Bog."

Marco tipped his army helmet in salute. "Pleasure's all mine Bog. Names Marco, nice to meet you." He offered the Super Mutant Nightkin his hand to shake.

Slowly, gently, and fully aware of his own strength the super mutant wrapped his massive hand around Marco's forearm and gave it a gentle shake. "You are so odd for a human," Bog mused. "To bring humans and mutants from all different creeds and walks of life under your banner… there is something special about you, Marco, though I know not what it is."

"The only special thing about me Bog is that I don't know when to just roll over and die." Marco retorted before breaking out into a coughing fit, that caused his whole body to shake and quiver.

His fit caused everyone to stop and stare and Veronica rushed over to his side and begin rubbing gentle circles on his back as Arcade asked him in a worried yet clinical tone. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, its nothing," Marco told them reassuringly.

"I noticed you were hocking up bloody phlegm earlier," Veronica noted. "Whatever this is, it's not nothing Marco." The Scribe grabbed his hand and looked pleadingly into the lenses of his gas mask. "Talk to us, we're family… please?"

Marco sighed, he never could tell Veronica no or any pretty woman really. "I'm not well guys. The rads, their… they're doing a real number on me."

"Radaway and Rad-X have been ineffective in treating the problem I'm assuming?" Arcade was taking notes now, pulling a notepad and pencil from his doctor's coat pocket.

Marco shook his head, " I dunno why but that stuff don't do shit for me. It's like taking placebos and sugar water." Marco sighed there was another reason he didn't want to see any of his companions again and this was it. "I'm dying from radiation poisoning guys."

Veronica let out a gasp. Arcade squeezed his pencil so hard it snapped, Raul dropped the wrench he was holding. It hit the floor with an audible clang. Cass who was in the midst of taking another swig of her moonshine choked on it, and sputtered as she beat herself in the chest. Rex whimpered piteously and walked over and licked his master's hand.

"Bad hand baby, major bad hand," Eddie commented.

"A dead man's hand." Marco chuckled.

Veronica shook her head. "No, this can't be happening. Not to you! It isn't right! Not after everything you've done, all the good you did for the wasteland! You don't deserve to go out like this."

Marco shrugged. "Vera," Marco said calling her by her nickname. "Nobody wants to die, but it comes for us all eventually… I just want to see my mom and dad again to see my home again, before I quietly go into that good night."

"Go quietly?" Cass scoffed as she walked up to him. "Sixer, one thing I know for sure about you, is that when death has ever come a'knockin' for ya, you ain't never went quietly. Not when that suited snake Benny shot you… not when you had a bomb collar wrapped around your neck, and not when some whackjob robots thought that it would be fun to play around with your insides and have you trapeze around their little house of horrors." She poked him in the chest with a finger and glared into his eyes. "You didn't let any of that kill ya. So you sure as hell better not roll over and die to a little bit of radiation. Do you hear me?"

Marco chuckled but it turned into a wracking cough. "Yes, ma'am."

She turned to Raul. "We need to get that hunk of junk running double time," She jabbed a thumb behind her towards everyone's favorite courier. "So we can get this idiot some proper help. No offense Arcade."

"None taken Sharon." The blonde Follower of the Apocalypse replied, "Even I am unsure what to do in this situation if Rad-X and Radaway are having no effect on his condition."

"Yeah, it's some worrisome shit alright," Cass muttered as she took another swig of moonshine. She then motioned to the courier to go sit on the couch. "Go and get comfy, we likely won't be done fixin' that hunk'a'junk for a while yet. No point in you just standin' there."

Marco waved her off. "I'm fine Cass really."

Cass turned and sent him a glare that could frighten off a deathclaw. "I said go sit down!"

Marco sighed but did as she said. Everyone noticed a slight limp in his left leg, it was a souvenir from his final showdown with Ulysses he got stabbed real good at one point with his flagpole. He sat down on the brokedown loveseat Mobius kept here for guest which was basically him until today. He sprawled out on the couch, letting one hand touch the floor Rex came and laid next to him, occasionally licking his fingers and Eddie stationed himself above his partner.

"Santangelo," Cass nodded her head towards where Marco was laying down. "Go over there and make sure he doesn't get up."

Veronica blinked. She'd like nothing better than to spend some one on one time with Marco but… "Shouldn't I be helping getting the teleporter working?"

Cass looked over to where Christine Royce who had long since regrown her brunette locks down to her shoulders, was assisting both Arcade and Raul with repairs. "I think your girlfriend's got it covered just keep that dope from doing anything too strenuous got it?"

Veronica smiled. "Can do." she walked over to where Marco was lying. "Room for one more?"

Marco removed the other arm that was covering his face. "For you, always." He moved to sit all the way up but Veronica had other plans. Once she was situated, she pulled his head into her lap. "Vera, you don't need to."

"I know," she said in a low voice, "But I want to." her hands moved to the clasp that kept his helmet in place. "Can I?"

Marco nodded. "Just the helmet. Too dusty here to take the gas mask off."

Veronica undid the simple clasp and pulled the helmet off Marco's head. Clumps of hair fell to the floor when she did so. Just seeing something so simple made Veronica sniffle. "Oh, Marco your hair! You have such beautiful hair."

"It's ok Vera, it's just hair," Marco reassured her. "I'm honestly thinking about just shaving my head bald at this rate. It would certainly look better dontcha think?"

"I like your hair," Veronica admitted. "I think it would be a shame if you cut it all off."

Though she couldn't see it, Marco smiled at her. "Thanks."

Veronica looked straight ahead unable to look Marco in the face for what she was about to say next. "I always thought your hair was nice and your mole made you look cute. Then I got to know you by traveling with you. You acted… selflessly for the most part. Sure you bargained for more caps and asked for a reward whenever you could. You sometimes stole but this is the wasteland. Who doesn't do that from time to time? I've seen you give caps to kids, and sell energy weapons on the cheap just to buy stimpaks for the needy in Freeside. I watched you rob the Van Graffs blind before turning them into the NCR that was borderline evil of you but so amazing to watch. As you turned around and sold them their own stock to the Gunrunners at a premium price." Veronica let out a little laugh in remembrance before she continued, "I've seen you do all these amazing things for the people of the wasteland from rerouting the power of HELIOS ONE and gave power to the entire region. You could've had a superweapon in your grasp… but you didn't want it. Time and time again you've been tempted with positions of power and power in tangible forms and you turn it down each and every time. And I think that's why… seeing that is what made me… fall in love with you Marco."

For a time there was silence. 'Is he in shock? Is he trying to think of a way to let me down gently?' Veronica couldn't take the silence any longer. "M-Marco, say something anything please!"

The sound of Marco sawing logs on her lap met her ears. Veronica blinked. 'He… he fell asleep?' The scribes face soured and she almost got angry but then she realized why he fell asleep. 'The radiation is probably taking its toll on him.' She leaned over and kissed his brow. "Poor baby." When she pulled away, she whispered. "I'll tell you next time. Sleep well, Marco."

So Veronica sat there with Marco's head on her lap, hand gently going through what remained of his hair as he slept.

It took over two hours but the repairs to the Proto-Transportalponder were finally complete.

"Eureka! We've done it! BWHAHAHAHA-" Mobius stopped cackling and started coughing. Once he stopped he turned to the others. "Would anyone like a celebratory box of mentats?"

"Sssh!" Veronica hissed. "Marco's sleeping!'

The courier sat up and groaned in pain. "Not anymore I'm not."

Veronica shot the mad scientist a glare for waking Marco up and Mobius had the decency to look sheepish at least. "How'd you sleep m'boy?"

"Better than usual." He looked over to see Veronica right next to him, he quickly put two and two together. "I fell asleep on you didn't I?" Upon receiving a bashful nod, Marco swiftly apologized. "I'm so sorry Vera, I'm just so tired these days and…" Veronica held up a hand to silence him.

She then smiled telling him. "It's ok Marco. I know you must be tired a lot, considering… everything."

Marco nodded and limped over to Fido. He started going through his pack until he found his tackle box. Taking out his usual dose of everything he crouched down on the floor and started shooting up. Arcade's brow knitted in worry when he saw how much Med-x he was taking at once on top of everything else. "Your taking three times the recommended dose of Med-x Marco… have you been doing that long?"

"Bout the past three months now." The Courier admitted seeing no point in lying. "Pains been getting harder to deal with."

Veronica helped Marco remove his gas mask, so he could inhale a dose of Jet. When she saw his scar marked face she gently ran her hand over his cheeks. Despite all the hardship he'd endured he still had that cute little mole on his right cheek. Taking the canteen from his waist which automatically filled with freshwater, Marco choked down a couple pills of Buffout and a Mentat before he placed his mask back over his face before rising shakily from his crouched position. "So we all ready to go?"

Cass nodded brow knitting in worry. "We are, are you gonna be okay all by yourself?"

Marco released a snort. "I was by myself long before I met any of you. I'll be fine. I walked all the way to the Capital Wasteland. I helped this bright-eyed girl, fresh outta her vault purify the river basin and give fresh water to the entire Capital Wasteland. I've seen New Reno and the Pitt, the remains of Pittsburg, and even Maryland's Point Lookout National Park. I've been to Vault City. From Fort Abandon to Circle Junction, and I rode in the Brahmin drives at Big Circle."

The companions of the Courier were getting more and more wide-eyed with ever word the Courier spoke, but the biggest revelation was yet to come. "And…" Marco paused as if debating what to say next. In the end, he shook his head and finished. "And if I can do all that, I think I can handle this guys."

The Companions of the Courier had a feeling their friend was keeping something to himself but decided to leave it be. All of them knew the value of either secrets or a painful past, knowing better than to pry. Marco then coughed and spoke again, "But before we go. I've got one last thing to do since your all here." Seeing he had everyone's attention Marco scratched the back of his neck again. "Do think you all could follow me back to my pad real quick? I've got some things for you that would be useful."

The group looked at each other before shrugging and following the Courier out into the Big Empty proper.

The Robo-Scorpions avoided the group like the plague, mostly because they had finally figured out the Courier liked to tear them apart for scrap. While everyone else was marveling at the Big Empty, Marco and Christine kept their wits about them. Both had their fill of this place and knew better than to let the possibilities of this place get to their heads. The two's heads were on swivels and they looked in opposite directions at all times. Keeping eyes peeled for Cazadors, Nightstalkers, and Lobotomites. Thankfully nothing crossed their paths, and they made it to the Sink unmolested.

Once inside all of Marco's friends marveled at the modern amenities he had. Then, Blind Diode Jefferson talked. "C'mon in and shake off the dust. Hehehe!"

"Your things… they talk?" Veronica asked excitedly.

"Yeah just stay away from the toaster… he's crazy and may have plans for world domination, one slice of bread at a time." Marco joked. Before saying seriously. "But really guys, keep any metal objects away from the toaster."

The others nodded before branching out to explore the apartment. Arcade was immediately taken with the Biological Research Station and its ability to convert any plant matter into other matter.

Veronica saw something in Marco's bedroom that caused her to call him over. "Marco?!"

Marco made his way into his bedroom asked, "Yes Vera, what is it?"

Veronica pointed into the corner where a complete set of Enclave Power Armor stood. "What is that?"

"Oh, that old thing? I found that in my travels. But I don't know how to use power armor so…"

Veronica slapped him on the arm. "You were just going to leave that thing here?! To be picked up by some random scavver? Are you insane!"

Marco shrugged. "I guess so? I mean I can't use it, Veronica."

The Scribe sighed through her nostrils. "What if I showed you how to?"

Marco blinked from under his gas mask. "Seriously? You know how to use power armor?"

Veronica gave him a 'Did you forget who you're talking to?' look. "Right, Brotherhood Scribe nevermind… do you want it?" Marco offered after a moment of thought.

Veronica's eyes widened in shock and she held her chest as it skipped a beat. "M-Me?"

"Yeah, why not?" Marco shrugged. "I'm pretty strong even without power armor. With it, I'd be… well, it's too scary to imagine. With all my cybernetic implants and everything."

"Just how strong are you?" Veronica questioned.

In response, Marco lifted Veronica bodily above his head with one hand by her waist, seemingly with no effort at all and while dying from radiation poisoning.

"Good god!" Veronica gasped out once she was put back down. "Your… you're…"

"Inhuman? A freak?" Marco finished for her while looking away.

Veronica put a hand on her shoulder. "Amazing, incredible, and your right. You in power armor? Scary thought. Still wanna learn how to use this thing?"

Arcade popped his head into the bedroom and said, "Was I seeing things or was Marco just bench pressing you Veronica?" He then noticed the power armor and asked, "Where did that come from?"

Veronica playfully punched Marco on the arm. "Mr. Prospector here found it out in the wasteland."

Arcade recently moved reverently towards the armor and ran a hand down the metal surface. "Really now? This is quite a find."

Marco nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's the best suit of power armor I've ever found."

The two looked at him and echoed. "Best suit? You mean there are others?"

Marco nodded. "Oh yeah, I keep them upstairs. I turned the Think Tank into a storage room for all my extra crap."

Arcade and Veronica looked at each other. "Would you mind it if we went and looked through your storage room?"

"Go ahead right after I give you your gifts," Marco replied going to his trunk and coming out holding a rather unique looking ballistic fist that had a single barrel, and recharger pistol that glowed red. Handing the ballistic fist to Veronica that had the words 'Two-step Goodbye' scratched in the side before he tossed the recharger pistol to Arcade, who almost dropped it. He looked at the weapon, "This thing is very advanced, wherever did you find it?"

"Bought it off a trader in Novac for a helluva lot of caps. But it's worth seeing as it almost never runs out of ammo. Ten shots with three seconds to recharge a full clip."

As Arcade looked over the weapon he noticed that in scrawling silver cursive was the words MF Hyperbreeder Alpha. Arcade looked at the weapon then at Marco. "Thank you, Marco, this was very kind of you."

"Sure don't worry about it." Marco started putting together a dessert camo sniper rifle and within a couple of minutes of what looked like a well-practiced routine, he had it fully assembled. He then gave a sharp whistle. "Boone heads up buddy!"

Marco tossed the Gobi Scout Rifle to the career sniper who caught it reflexively and looked over his new piece of ordinance. It was finely oiled and well cared for. He looked through the scope assessing the magnification level. Boone smirked, it wasn't something he did much anymore. "Nice, thanks."

"No problem, Christine, I think you left this behind the last time you were here." He tossed the former Brotherhood knight her former sniper rifle. Christine ran her hand down her old gun as she smiled.

Marco then came out with the All-American, "This puppy needs two hands to use, which isn't really my scene so who wants it?"

Christine and Boone looked at each other.

"I bite," Christine told the sniper honestly.

"Take it then," Boone told her.

Marco called out into the main room. "Oh, I almost forgot I've also got a Bozar here too."

"Mine!" Boone said rushing in to claim the weapon as Christine scowled, but only a little bit.

Soon enough everyone was kitted out with various weapons Marco had 'acquired' in his travels. Boone was now wearing the Survivalists Armor he found in Zion, Christine was wearing the Assassin Suit Mk II, Arcade, and Veronica were both wearing power armor from his inventory. Veronica was wearing his Lyons Pride Power armor that was a gift from the West Coast brotherhood, whereas Arcade opted for Enclave Hellfire Armor, a spoil of war he'd kept from his time in the Capital Wasteland.

After Veronica showed her how Cass wore a suit of standard T51B power armor that he swore up and down to both Veronica and Christine he didn't kill the owner of. Said Brother was already killed by Deathclaws when he acquired it, along with Mercy, his 20mm grenade machinegun. In terms of armaments she was using the Terrible Shotgun, a trinket he'd picked up in the Capital Wasteland, with as much ammo as she could carry for it.

Bog hefted up the Nuka Breaker, an electrified neon sign. Lilly meanwhile was using a rusty yet potent super sledge he'd come across called Oh Baby.

Everyone had backpacks which they'd filled with ammo and stimpaks. In addition to the Two-Step Goodbye, Marco also gave Veronica the Q-35 Matter Modulator. He saw no point in leaving such a fine weapon behind and she could always use a ranged weapon. He handed Pew-Pew a fully automatic laser pistol, to Arcade, citing it as his reward for finding thirty sarsaparilla star bottle caps.

Then once he was shown how power armor worked, he stepped into the Enclave power armor at Veronica's insistence. "We are not leaving such a sweet piece of tech here! Now get in the damn armor, Marco!"

Grumbling something under his breath about 'bossy women', Marco did so. It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, all things considered, as the metallic carapace closed around him from the back, his armaments magnetized to the outer shell at specific points for ease of access. He looked at Veronica through the insectoid like lenses of the helmet. "Happy now?"

Seeing her nod he continued, "Good now can we please get going?"

With everyone stocked up on stimpaks, chems, weapons, and ammo, with both of Marco's super mutant allies carrying large amounts of ammunition and even Rex and Eddy outfitted with bags Marco had completely cleared out his inventory of everything he'd kept here.

"Arcade, we can't take the research station with us." Marco informed the doctor.

The man looked at him in askance. "Why ever not? It's not plugged into anything from what I've seen."

"Can I take Muggy?" Veronica pleaded sweetly holding up the mini-securitron.

A mini-securitron who screamed "FREEDOM! FREEDOM AT LONG LAST! THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

"I'm kinda fond of the toaster myself," Raul commented.

"One day this world will bow before me! Bwahahaha!" The toaster commented from its place in Raul's arms. "When that day comes, I promise your death will be swift for your actions this day in making your future ruler mobile."

"Seriously?" Cass asked dubiously.

Raul shrugged. "He's a riot."

"I like the jukebox," Boone commented.

"Your one cool cat yourself man," Jefferson commented.

Marco tried to think of a solution. Finally, he came up with something. He walked over to the Central Intelligence Unit. "Hey, can you do me a solid?"

"Certainly sir, how might I assist you today?" the CIU asked.

Marco replied. "I need everyone's personality chips removed, along with their upgrade holotapes."

"Finally, some peace and quiet. Right away sir." Every AI in the Sink summarily shut down, and Marco went around collecting each and every one of them. He then returned to the Central Intelligence Unit. "I need your personality chip to buddy. We're all moving on to greener pastures."

"Yes sir, just a moment." The glowing table that represented the Central Intelligence Unit faded to a dim glow before powering down completely and a single red microchip popped out of the side. Marco picked it up and added it to the small leather bag containing all the others. He turned to his friends. "Ok, now we can leave."

And so they did leaving the Sink behind them for the final time.

Marco mounted on Fido while everyone else was standing on the Proto-Transportalponder pad, with both Lillie and Bog taking up a majority of the space due to their size. "Everybody ready?" Mobius called as he used his extendable arms to tap the last few buttons needed to initiate the machine. "Now just so we're clear," Mobius began before he hit the final button, "This is a one-way trip…. And there is also a minor five-percent chance of automatic disintegration on the spot. That said, everybody ready?!"

"Wait what was that last bit?!" Veronica asked worriedly.

"Good! Here we go, folks!" Mobius hit the button the electrodes above them sparked to life, there was a blinding flash of light… and when it cleared all of them were gone.

Marco looked over to Mobius. "Uh, Doc… did you just kill all of them?"

"Goodness, I certainly hope not. They all seemed so nice." Mobius commented in a grandfatherly tone. "Well you'd best be going yourself, lad, remember eighty-eight miles an hour. That's the ticket!"

Marco nodded hoping against hope Mobius just didn't commit mass murder. "Right, seeya soon Doc… I hope."

Marco, clad in Enclave power armor revved Fido's engine, causing him to growl before he took off as fast as he could towards the nearest wall. The speedometer read sixty-nine.

The wall was fifty feet away.

Seventy-two.

The wall was thirty feet away.

Eighty.

The wall was now twenty feet away.

Eighty-eight.

Five feet away from the wall everything began to stretch and warp for Marco, and a blast of flame consumed the spot where he once was. Nothing, neither the rider nor the bike remained. Mobius stared at the spot for a moment and then smiled. "Well, that project was a success… Oh drat! I forgot to give Marco his going away present what with all the hullabaloo going on."

Mobius floated over to a metal case and opened it. Inside lay an ornate katana. But this was no ordinary sword. This weapon was forged from Saturnite steel. It could hold both an edge and heat. "Ah well, I'll give it to him when I see him again."

Mobius turned to the shadows. "My friend, would you mind terribly carrying this? I'm afraid these days I'm all thumbs."

A securitron with a happy-go-lucky white face came out from the darkness. "I'd love to do that. Even if I didn't have a choice, I'd still do it anyway because that's how I was programmed."

"Good, good," Mobius muttered absently. "Now, if you would take this and go wait on the pad over there, that would be very helpful."

"Okay!" Yes, Man said, picking up the metal case in one of his hands and waiting patiently on the Proto-Transportalponder.

"This is my last time here in this place," Mobius said to himself. "Huh, it was fun while it lasted." Mobius sent a countdown timer to go off in thirty seconds and joined Yes Man on the pad. "This is one small step for machine, one giant leap for science!"

There was a flash of light, and for the first time ever, the Big Empty lived up to its name. It was empty of sentient life… for the moment.

There was a blast of light and Marco hit the breaks as fast as he could. Skidding to a halt the power armor clad courier looked around. He found himself in the middle of a field with all manner of strange flowers around him, some were colors he couldn't even name. Looking to his left, he saw a building in this distance and veered Fido towards it.

Pulling up around front he read a hanging sign which read. "Knights of the Post Office."

In the window was a taped piece of paper saying "Help wanted. Preferred Experience in Postal Service if Possible."

Swinging off Fido, and telling him to stay for good measure, Marco made his way inside. The place reminded him of the Courier-Express in Primm there was a counter with all manner of cubby holes behind it, some chairs and tables were scattered about for people to sit and wait. Seeing a small silver bell on the counter, Marco walked over and rang it just once. He knew how annoying it could be when customers did that multiple times.

"I'll be with you in a second!" a rushed breathless but delightfully feminine voice called.

"Take your time, I'm in no hurry ma'am," Marco called politely upon hearing the female voice.

Marco heard a sudden crash, and he rushed to the source of the noise. In a backroom, he found a small hand sticking out a small pile of parcels. Marco gingerly picked up the arm revealing the rest of the figure it was connected to. It was a diminutive female monster, with green hair, a large set of horns and a small tail with a fluffy tuft at the end. She was wearing a blue uniform complete with a cap. She blinked up at him with big bright green eyes as he set her on the ground. He bent down as much as he could in his power armor to ask. "Are you alright Miss?"

"I-I'm fine, thank you… did you come to get a package delivered?" asked the tiny but cute monster girl.

Marco shook his head. "No actually, you see I'm a bit lost and was wondering if you could tell me what dimension I'm currently in?"

The small monster smiled kindly. "Oh well, that's simple enough. You're in the Kingdom of Mewni Dimension 650-M."

"Mewni, he...hehe, hehehehe!" Marco couldn't help himself from laughing. To end up here of all places. Fate must have a very funny sense of humor indeed or a personal grudge against him.

"What's so funny sir?" The post office worker asked worriedly that she may have angered or set off the towering knight in strange but domineering armor. Memories of other "knights" came to her mind. Nothing good came from them.

"Of all the places I could've ended up it was here. In Mewni. Ah, I needed a good laugh." Once Marco had calmed down he made his way around the counter and proceeded to ask questions. "What's Mewni like these days… Miss?"

"Iris sir, Iris Bolvina Knight Commander of the Knights of the Post… as for Mewni…" She looked away, "It's a dangerous place to be right now especially if you're a monster."

"Marco Ubaldo Diaz, Professional Courier, and why is it bad to be a monster these days Miss Bolvina?"

"Diaz… did you just say, Diaz?" She asked while squinting at him.

Marco nodded. "Yes, ma'am why? Do you have business with me?"

"You wouldn't happen to know a Princess Turdina Diaz would you?" The postwoman asked. "I've been trying to deliver royalty checks to her for thirteen years but I can't find her address!"

Marco had never wanted to facepalm himself more now than he had in his entire life. Considering he'd survived thirteen years in an irradiated hell, that was saying something. "I'm her cousin. I can get them to her." Marco said at last.

Iris breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness! That's a load off my plate right there." The small monsterette hopped off the stool she was standing on and retreated into the back, returning carrying a mass of envelopes wrapped in twine. She threw them up on the counter before taking her place back up on the stool. "Can you make sure she gets these?"

"I sure will Iris… Also noticed you were looking for help?"

"You want to apply?" The monster's eyes lit up even brighter. "You said you had courier experience."

"Yes but before that, and we get even further sidetracked why is it not safe to be a monster these days?"

"Ah, my bad." Iris rubbed her head sheepishly and her tail flicked back and forth in her embarrassment. "Ludo one of the Avariuss' stole the Butterfly book of spells years ago and has just recently kidnapped the queen of Mewni. In fact, I just recently got a ransomgram for her return."

"Ransomgram?" Marco questioned.

Iris shrugged. "It's like a telegram, but for ransoms."

Macro was processing all of this as fast as he could. "So Queen Moon has been kidnapped then?"

To his surprise, Iris shook her head. "No, she is now just the Queen Mother. The current queen of Mewni is Star Butterfly."

"You mean to tell me, that not only has Ludo had the Book of Spells for thirteen years, but now he's taken Star hostage?" Marco was beginning to think the so-called knights of Mewni were incompetent.

"Yep, that about sums it up. The people of Mewni at large only learned about the book going missing during Star's Princess Song Day celebration though. That was… almost twelve years ago now?"

"If your willing Iris, I'd like to deliver that ransomgram to the palace," Marco asked.

The woman blinked. "Really?" Seeing him nod resolutely, she sighed in relief. "You are just my knight in shining armor today, aren't you? Pulling me out from under a pile of packages, delivering Turdina's mail, and now going to the palace so I don't have to risk my life and possibly being killed by the guards before I can even deliver the ransomgram? You're hired! We pay three gold cobs a day and we get Sundays off, room and board is free." She handed him a sealed letter, "Here's what you need to say for the Ransomgram."

"Deal, though I would've been happy to work for just the room and board." He threw one final thing out behind his shoulder as he was leaving, "Plus having a hot boss is a bonus too."

The monsterette blushed crimson and grabbed her chest, where her heart was rapidly palpating. "H-Hot?!"

Marco and Fido tore down the dirt roads of Mewni like bats out of hell. Marco was making a bee-line towards Butterfly Castle and was ready, willing and able to run down anyone who got between him and his objective. Which included a corn merchant salesman.

"Not my corn!"

Marco gave no shits as he drove Fido right up the steps leading to the castle doors, where two men with pikes stood waiting barring him entrance. "Halt! State your business!" One of them barked out.

"Knight of the Post, here to deliver a ransomgram to the Queen-Mother of Mewni."

The guards looked at him suspiciously. "I heard they was only monsters in the Post I did?"

The other one nodded along. "Yeah me too… what if this is a plot by that Ludo fella to assass...assin… off the queen-mother?"

The two lowered their pikes towards him threateningly. "You ain't gettin' anywhere near the queen beasty."

Marco sighed. "I don't have time for your prejudiced bullshit. Marco grabbed their pikes by their metal shafts, and squeezed them, they bent like tin foil. He then ripped them out of the guards' hands and tossed them aside before knocking the two men's heads together rendering them unconscious. Marco then dismounted from FIDO and walked up to the doors to the front atrium.

Marco then pushed on the doors lightly, sending them flying open and slamming against the stone walls. 'I'm not used to my own strength in power armor… I hope those men aren't dead.' Marco thought to himself as he approached a terrified looking maid and asked politely. "Miss, I have an urgent message for the Queen-Mother, do you know where I might find her?"

His words soothed the girl and she replied, "Y-Yes sir, she is upstairs in the war room conferring with the M-Magic High Commission. They have been trying to track down Ludo's location all week."

"Which door? Marco asked as he made his way up a nearby staircase.

"Fifth on your left, but they won't like being disturbed!" She called after him in warning.

"Too damn bad!" He called back. Once he found the door he considered knocking. 'Fuck it, they had thirteen years to fix this damn problem, to hell with politeness.' Marco thought before he kicked the door in with one mighty booted heave.

Stepping over the door, and on the poor sap who was leaning on it when he kicked it in, Marco surveyed the room. Maps and charts were pinned down to a long square table by daggers while certain places were circled and others marked off. Knights of Mewni were seated around the table and the oddest group of people? Mutants? Fairies? He'd ever seen were clustered around Moon. The one who caught his eye first and foremost was the hot redhead. She was both literally and figuratively hot. She was beautiful, with long flowing auburn hair and bangs that covered a single amber eye, she had long horns, floating in between the horns was a single flame and was wearing a burnt orange dress that accentuated her womanly figure, and made her pale skin stand out even more.

The others were an orb with a skull face in it, and a buff man with snakes for arms and a geodetic crystal for a head in which a single eye floated. 'How does he breathe?' Marco wondered his gaze passing over a bipedal goat in a robe with demonic bat wings before he fixed his lensed gaze on Moon Butterfly.

Despite thirteen years passing she didn't look like she had aged a day, from what Marco could recall of her. She looked the same as she did all those years ago. River too hadn't changed at all by Marco's reckoning. He was still dwarfishly short and had a long blonde beard.

Before Marco could speak the hot redhead snapped, "Who the heck are you?!"

"Well hot stuff, if you'd give me a second, I'll be happy to give you my name and my number."

The woman in question was dumbstruck and she even blushed a little. She wasn't used to such outright flattery. Marco took this momentary distraction to make his way forwards and finally stepping off the door, Marco spoke. "Knight of the Post here to deliver a ransomgram to Queen-Mother Moon Butterfly."

Moon sighed. "I see proceed Mr.?"

"Courier Six."

"That's a designation, not a name." River noted.

"Well I'm not exactly thrilled with you people at the moment, so Courier Six is all your getting outta me!" Marco snapped back. Before he tore open the ransomgram and read. "To the queen-mother, my dearest Moon, if you ever want to see your precious daughter alive again return my finger to me within the Forest of Certain Death at noon Tuesday. Or else,

Signed Toffee dictated but not read."

River looked at him disappointedly. "You were supposed to sing it."

"That costs extra, plus my dignity," Marco replied flatly. He looked to Moon, "You really screwed the pooch this time didn't you Moon?"

"Hey, just who the hell are you to talk to her like that?" Rhombulus snapped, raising his snake arms preparing to crystalize this person whom he assumed was evil.

"No, no Rhombulus he's quite right… whoever you are." Moon looked at the unfeeling mask as if trying to peer behind its depths.

Marco though was getting tired of all this cloak and dagger crap. Plus it was getting hot in this armor. He needed some fresh air and to cool off a little bit. So, he reached up and took the helmet off. River and Moon gasped.

"Hey Moon, hey River it's been a while huh?" He smiled at them and resisted the urge to sigh at the crisp clean air flowing into his lungs...

"M-Marco?!" Moon asked getting up and going over to get a better look at him. "Is that really you?"

"In the flesh, for the most part," He coughed and shook off the dizzy spell that caused before saying, "Seriously though you guys. Ludo has had that damn book for thirteen years? For fuck's sake, what have you been doing? Sitting around with your thumbs up your collective asses?"

"Hey Marko or whatever your name is!" the redhead snapped at him. "Finding Ludo isn't as easy as it seems!"

"Oh yeah, why's that hot lips?"

Doing her best not to blush, Hekapoo replied, "Because, his little eagle pet can fly, meaning he can be anywhere."

Marco looked over the map. "When he usually shows up, which direction does he come from?"

"It's different each time but he always files off to the southwest towards the mountains." the skull in the orb replied.

Marco traced a finger in that direction a lot of small places were circled on the map. "What are these?"

"Monster temples places monsterkind used to worship at before the rise of mewmanity. We think Ludo and his rat army may be hiding in one of them."

"Ok, so which one of these can only be reached by air, or by a very agile rat?" Marco asked mostly to himself before he noticed something else, one of the nearby temples had a mine close by. "It's this one." He pointed at the one not too far from the Forest of Certain Death if taken by air.

"How can you be so sure?" The redhead asked leaning over the table to get a better look giving a great view of her cleavage.

"Well Red, has a mining tunnel nearby, I'll bet my last cap that's how the rats are getting inside while Ludo or Toffee or whatever the fuck he wants to call himself nowadays flies around."

The girl looked at the map, then groaned. "How the heck did we miss that." She looked at the group of knights. "Seriously people?! How the heck did no one notice this?!" Her flame increased in size with her anger.

"I did notice it hot stuff so cool your jets before you blow your top. Not that I would complain from a free show." Marco told her.

She paused and looked at him with a slightly alluring yet hopeful look, "You know, I got your name, but I never did get your number."

"It's Six, Courier Six," Marco told her honestly. "Right well seeya," Marco said taking a quick picture of the map and logging it, and the location of the mine on his pipboy.

"Wait, you're leaving?" Moon asked as he made for a swift and sudden departure.

Marco nodded before putting his helmet back on. "Yep, I did my job, I delivered the ransomgram. Now it's time for me to head back to base and get paid."

"But we thought you'd… " River began only to be cut off by Marco. "I'd what, want to go out of my way to save Star? Sorry but I've had my fill of messing with magic. I lost thirteen years of my life due to magic! I want…" Marco tried to fight off a coughing fit spraying some blood on the ground. "The only thing I want is…"

His body continued to shake as he coughed and sputtered, spraying more flecks of blood on the floor. "Damn it!" Marco cursed when the fit passed.

"Dear boy, whatever is the matter with you?" Moon asked her motherly instincts kicking in for one of her daughter's closest friends at his clear amounts of pain and blood he was coughing up.

"I'm dying, that's what," Marco replied bluntly a little angered at the reminder of his mortality but accepting it.

Moon covered her mouth in shock. "No!"

"Yes," Marco replied sarcastically, taking his helmet off so he could wipe the blood off the lenses showing all present his sickened and wraggled visage. Then he shrugged. "Then again, saving a hostage can't be that much different than delivering a package right?"

"Marco, you just coughed up blood, your in no condition to…" Moon stopped dead when he shot her a glare that almost stopped her heart and in fact, had stopped hearts before.

"You don't get to dictate to me what I can and cannot do. No one does, not now, not ever again! I will never again be bound in chains be they physical or otherwise, do you understand me?" His voice was warped and raspy due to all the radiation he had absorbed and it had gotten even more dangerous as he spoke, lowering to a deep terrifying octave bringing a presence of menace among the audience in the room.

Moon didn't know what Marco had gone through in his years away, but they had changed him, of that, she had no doubt. The kind boy had a dark, sharp edge to him now, like a sharpened knife. If he wasn't handled carefully, she felt she might end up cut or far worse. "It wasn't my intention to dictate to you Marco dear, I'm just worried about your health."

"I'm well enough for this Moon. Besides, you're going to be paying me for Star's speedy and safe return anyway."

Moon smiled amused. "We are, are we?"

"Yes, you are, after all, it's customary to pay for a successful delivery no?"

Moon sighed, 'So you've become that kind of person have you Marco?' she thought disappointedly before she asked. "What are your demands?"

"Since I'm going it alone to rescue a queen I'd say at least ten thousand gold coins should be sufficient plus expenses."

Moon nodded. "Very well, would you like half now or?"

"I'll collect it all in bulk once you have your daughter back Moon, I'd also like a one way portal to Earth, and for my name to remain unknown to Star if at all possible." Marco finished.

Moon looked saddened by that last request but nodded all the same. "As you wish. You have yourself a deal, Marco."

The Queen and the Courier shook hands. "Then I'll get started right away. He turned to leave only to pause and look back saying, "You should know Moon, that I always fulfill my contracts, even if I have to come back from the dead to do it. So don't worry, I'll bring Star back to you safe and sound. You have my word."

With those last ominous words, Marco left the war room in silence, as he made his way back to Fido he wondered what his friends were up to, provided Doc Mobius hadn't vaporized them of course.

There was a flash of blue-white light, and when it cleared, the Companions of the Courier found themselves in a park. But this wasn't like any park you'd find in the wasteland, surrounded by dead trees, barren soil, and forgotten and rusted play equipment. No, this particular park was green, verdantly green. The boughs of the trees were flush with leaves, and grass, like a plush shag carpet beneath their feet. The only thing which was the same was the sky, which just like in the Mojave was the same blue.

Seeing children happily at play and families having picnics on the grass, Veronica turned to the others. "Guys, it might be a bit early to call it but I think… I think we made it!"

"Maybe." Even Boone who was usually stoic sounded slightly upbeat. "But we won't know for sure until we get the lay of the land. Arcade, go ask someone where we are."

"Why me, dare I ask?" The intellectual inquired.

Boone sighed, "You, unlike myself, Lillie, and Bog, you are better with people. You're a doctor it comes with the territory. Plus their likely to be frightened by Raul, no offense."

"None taken your probably right." the old vaquero said with a shrug.

Cass looked at Boone, "Why can't I go?"

"You can't go because your crasser than a raider three sheets to the wind. I doubt these people would want their children learning any colorful language."

"I… can't argue with that." Cass conceded.

"So," Boone finished, "It's up to you Arcade, go get us that intel soldier."

Arcade sighed. "Fine, but I'm getting out of this power armor first, don't want to frighten the locals."

After a quick change, the doctor approached, a pair of ladies sitting on a blanket. One had a slightly tan complexion with blonde hair that had an aquamarine streak that went down to her waist and flowed in the nice wind while the other was an African-American girl with her hair tied back in a bun. He politely cleared his throat to get their attention, "Pardon me, but my friends and I are a bit lost and were wondering if you could give us directions?"

The blonde smiled kindly, "Sure thing man, where are you trying to get to?"

Arcade smiled kindly in return, "Just to clarify first this is Echo Creek, California yes?"

The blonde nodded, chuckling a bit. "Yep, you're in the right city at least."

Arcade sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. You wouldn't happen to know where to find the Diaz residence would you?"

A film of sadness covered the girl's eyes at the mention of the name but she kept smiling. "Yeah, everybody knows where that place is, just go left out of the park and keep walking till you find the house with the castle turret sticking out of it. You can't miss it."

Arcade nodded. "Yes, I see. Hard to miss indeed. Thank you for your help."

The doctor started to walk away but something about the girl he'd spoken with niggled something in his memory. He turned back and looked at her. She caught his gaze again and asked. "Was there something else you needed?"

Arcade shook his head, "No, no, it's just… you remind me of someone a friend of mine mentioned once, that's all. Sadly, he is not with us today or we wouldn't need to ask for directions. He's a native, though he hasn't been home in… quite a while."

With that, the blonde man turned to leave, and Jackie Lynn Thomas didn't know what made her do it, but she called out to the man a little anxious of his answer, "Wait!" When he turned to her in askance she asked him, "What was the name of this friend of yours?"

"Marco, his name is Marco." The man replied before walking off. Not seeing the stunned look his words had left on the woman.

"Marco?" The other woman on the blanket questioned in French-accented English, "Is that not zee name of zee boy 'ou?"

Jackie nodded in a dumbstruck fashion. "Uh-huh."

Chloe gave her girlfriend of ten years a shake. "Well zen, what are 'ou waiting for? Follow zem!" Chole was pointing to the group of oddly dressed people who were making their way out of the park.

"I'm afraid Chloe," Jackie admitted after a moment of silence.

Chloe cocked her head to the side. "Of what mon cher?"

Jackie could bring herself to look her longtime lover in the eye as she replied, "If Marco really is back, I… I'm honestly not sure what that means for us."

Much to her surprise, Chloe laughed. "Oh, is that all? Jackie mon cher, I think you are forgetting I am French. We invented the phrase ménage à trois."

Jackie stared at her girlfriend for a moment and then blushed when what she'd insinuated hit her. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

Again Chloe laughed. "These days that phrase is slang for a threesome, yes, but I was leaning more towards the traditional meaning, that is to say, three people sharing a home…" Chloe paused a moment in reflection, "Though if he is as kind as you make him out to be then… perhaps the slang term could apply too…" The French woman grinned devilishly at the end.

"Chloe!" Jackie gave her a playful shove as her blush was cranked up to eleven.

"We'll just put that in the maybe pile for now non?" The french girl offered, before saying, "Shouldn't 'ou be going after them?"

Jackie smiled. "There's no rush, I know where Marco's house is."

Chloe pointed at her, "Your stalling mon cher? Are you afraid of what you might find out?" She intertwined her fingers with Jackie's. "I'm not going anywhere, Jackie. We share an apartment."

"We do don't we?" Jackie gave an awkward chuckle.

Chloe nodded and stood up. "Yes, and zat is why we are going after them because come what may, we will always have each other."

Jackie stood up next to her, their hands still interlocked feeling more confident. "Yeah, we do don't we?"

"Yes, now shall we go see what has become of your former amoureux?"

Jackie looked away bashfully. "I wouldn't call him my lover, he was my first kiss but nothing beyond that."

"But if circumstances had allowed?" Chloe asked with her eyebrow raised.

Jackie shrugged, "Who knows?"

Chloe let out a bell-like laugh. "I think we both know the answer to that mon cher." Chloe folded up their blanket and placed it in her backpack. "Come it is time to see what your boyfriend has been up to these past years."

The group of wastelanders quickly found the Diaz residence. Just as the girl Arcade questioned said, the place stood out like a sore thumb, with not one but two turrets sticking out of the side of the house. The group stood in front of the house and just stared at the odd architecture. "You certainly don't see that every day and this is coming from an over two-hundred-year-old ghoul," Raul said as he stared at the spires.

"No, most certainly not," Arcade agreed. "I suppose we should head up to the door and knock."

The group made their way up to the front door and stood there awkwardly, each waiting for one of the others to do the honors. Finally, Boone got tired of waiting and rapt on the door sharply three times."There, was that so hard?"

"If it was so easy, why didn't you do it sooner?" Veronica asked him.

"Shh, someone's coming to the door." Boone replied.

A female voice called out, "Coming just a second!"

The door was promptly opened by a vibrant brunette woman who looked to be in her early fifties who hadn't lost a single spring in her step. Her bright green eyes were vibrant and cheerful and she had a welcoming smile on her face which she greeted everyone at her front door with. Her pink shirt and brown sweats were really eye-catching. "Hello, can I help you?"

"Yes, um this is the Diaz residence right?" Veronica asked having taken her helmet off and stowed it under her arm to come off as less intimidating.

The woman nodded. "Yes it is, I'm Angie can I help you?"

"Might we come in ma'am?" Boone requested formally. "We have news about your son."

"MJ? He should be at school as should his older sister Mariposa." Angie replied.

Boone tried again, "No ma'am not them, your eldest son Marco."

Angie's eyes widened in shock and surprise, and tenuous hope. "Marco?" She hurriedly stepped aside "Please, please come in."

"Would you like us to take our shoes off, ma'am?" Raul asked as he was the only one in the group who knew about social norms in polite society.

Angie shook her head. "No, no need, please have a seat. I'll… I'll fetch you something to drink as soon as I fetch my husband from his studio outback. Give me just a moment please."

Angie disappeared into the kitchen and the sound of a backdoor opening and closing was heard. Raul sat down on the couch with a sigh, "Now this is a couch! Feels so good on my poor joints… So, what we gonna tell em?"

"The truth," Boone said bluntly. "Anything less would be a disservice to the Courier, to who he is and what he's done… for all of us." Boone looked around locking eyes with everyone. "Agreed? We tell them the truth no matter how ugly they might find it?"

"Agreed." Arcade nodded. "They'd find out eventually anyway. He's their son, the chances of him being able to lie to them for long are slim to none."

"Wouldn't know how to sugarcoat it if you asked me," Cass replied before taking a drink.

Raul shrugged. "Like I told the boss numerous times. I'm an open book. I'm an old book who's missing some pages but I don't see no point in lying."

"His exploits should be shared," Christine added in quiet but eloquent voice.

"Agreed, he's a hero in many respects." Veronica praised.

Arcade just had to add. "Yes, but one man's hero could be another's villain."

"Little Jimmy is a good boy!" Lilie almost shouted. "You take that back or I'll give you a spanking." the super mutant threatened.

Arcade raised his hands defensively. "I meant no offense, Lillie. I merely mean they could take some of what he's done the wrong way."

Cass huffed. "Well if they do, then that's on them ain't it?"

The informally trained doctor nodded. "Yes, I suppose it is."

There came a sudden urgent knocking at the front door. The group looked at each other. Boone looked to Raul. "Should we answer it? What's the protocol for this situation?"

Eddie peeked out the window. "It's that classy chick from earlier. The one who was groovy enough to give us the lowdown on this place. Chill guys."

"Answer the door, she's probably a friend of Marco's," Raul said after a moment. "She's gonna wanna hear this."

Arcade nudged Boone, who glared at him. "Your turn to play nice with the natives." the doctor said.

"Fine." Boone got up and answered the door just as Angie and Rafael returned to the living room and answered the door sternly but with a hint of kindness in his tone. "Hello?"

Jackie was taken aback by the man's gruff demeanor. But she quickly took it in stride. "Hi, your one of those people from the park, right? A friend of Marco's?"

Boone nodded, he rather disliked dealing with civilians because they reminded him too much of his time with his wife. "I am."

"Jackie dear is that you?" Angie called, waving from behind the taciturn sniper.

The girl waved happily back, feeling a little awkward. "Hi, Mrs. Diaz sorry for dropping by unannounced like this with Chloe."

Angie just smiled and shook her head. "Nonsense dear, if I've told you once I've told you a million times, your always welcome here, and for goodness sakes, call me Angie already. We've known each other long enough."

Jackie gave an awkward smile, "Right Angie, sorry." Jackie walked in and looked at all the strange people who were taking up space in the Diaz' living room. If she wasn't used to Star's antics since high school, she'd probably be freaking out right about now, wondering why a zombie (or a burn victim) and two blue giants were sitting so casually in their home but she didn't even bat an eyelash. Instead, she raised a hand in greeting and said, "Sup? I see you managed to find the place alright."

Then a dog trotted up to her wagging its tail. This wasn't unusual in the Diaz household, the Laser Puppies loved anyone. But this dog had three of his four legs replaced with mechanical prosthetics and his brain was on full display, encased in a jar of green liquid. Yet he came up to her sat down, and wagged his tail. He was the toughest looking German Shepherd Jackie had ever seen. She bent down and scratched him behind his ears. "Hey boy, what's your name?"

"That there's Rex little lady. Don't let his appearance fool ya. He can sniff out a bomb at fifty yards." The smooth voice came from the floating polished chrome robot that hovered at eye level with her.

She stood and stared at the talking orb a little surprised she missed such an interesting person right in front of her... "Hi there, I'm Jackie what's your name?"

"Folks call me Eddie I'm the smoothest DJ this side of the Rio Grande, but you can call me whatever you like a baby." the robot replied laying it on playfully thick causing Jackie and Chloe to chuckle.

The Eyebot zipped around making hammy introductions for all the foreign guests in the Diaz household. "This is the ghoul with a hand for guns and tools our boy Raul."

He stopped in front of Cass. "She's full of sass and whiskey. Boy does it takes a helluva lot to get her tipsy! We all love her but don't ever try to drink her under the table cause hoo boy will you ever be sorry! It's our own Rose of Sharon Cassidy!"

"Ah piss off you bucket of bolts!" Cass playfully swatted at Eddie before she took a gulp of her homebrew, grinning as she did so.

Arcade came next. "The Doc who can cure what ails ya, either thorough technical skill or his dry wit, cause you know laughter is the best medicine, give it up for Arcade Gannon ya'll."

"Eddie, stop this." Arcade pleaded looking away abashed.

But the machine carried on. "She's savvy with a workbench, can make a bomb outta spare parts, and she packs a mean right hook! She's also quite the looker too if I do say so myself. Let's hear it for Veronica Santangelo!"

Veronica blushed and looked away. "Oh, Eddie you charmer."

"Let's not forget the girl with the voice of an angel these days, but careful folks, she's a crack shot. Christine Royce. Give her a round of applause!" Christine can only nod and giggle a little at Eddie's praise.

"The last thing you'll never see! Tough, strong, silent, and deadly his name is Boone and it rhymes with doom! Which is what you'll be if you happen to be in his crosshairs! Give it up for Craig Boone folks!"

The sniper rolled his eyes but smirked at the eyebot's introduction.

"And last but certainly not least, we've got everyone's favorite old married couple. The dear granny and her buae, their both blue here with me and you… Lillie Bowen and Bog!"

Lillie waved happily and Bog nodded politely.

Jackie was nothing short of impressed by the announcer-like intro. "That was awesome Eddie! You've got a real talent there. You should totally be on the radio."

The eyebot chuckled. "It's funny you say that honey, cause my AI used to run a radio station."

"Sweet." Jackie smiled.

Angie came out of the kitchen carrying a tray laden with glasses of margaritas, which she handed to each of her guests. Raul seeing the drinks, shed a tear and said, "Ma'am if I didn't know you weren't already spoken for, I'd kiss you right now. Do you know how long it has been since I had a real margarita?"

Angie flushed. "I'm guessing awhile Mr. Raul?"

The old ghoul raised his glass in salute. "Raul Tedeja, handyman and desperado at your service ma'am. For the record, it's been about two-hundred years give or take a decade."

"My good fellow, just how are you that old? Is it due to your zombification?" Rafael asked quizzically...

The other followers of the courier winced when the term zombie was mentioned, but Raul just chuckled. "I suppose you could say that, and it's a good place to begin explaining things as any. I'm what's known in the wasteland as a ghoul. One who was mutated by extreme exposure to nuclear radiation." Raul explained what he knew about the Great War because he lived through it. When he talked about his sister Rafaela, he downed his margarita like a shot, and Angie filled his glass again without needing any prompting. "Gracias," Raul replied before he carried on with his tale. How he settled into a small town for a while and met a hooker Claudia, who looked so much like his little sister… how he sold some raiders ammo hoping they'd leave town.

"They left alright, but not before killing everyone in the brothel and taking the girl with them...I… I hadn't been filled with rage like that since my sister died. I dug up my guns and chased after them finding them three days later, the girl already dead. I killed em all then I tossed my guns away. They never did me any good. All they brought me was misery and suffering. And then I ended up wandering the Mojave until I got forcibly abducted by a Super mutant named Tabitha. The Courier came in guns a blazing and busted me outta there." Raul nodded to Veronica. "You were with him by then Veronica in fact if I recall, you were with him the longest out of all of us, sans Boone by maybe a day."

Veronica sipped at her alcoholic drink. "I was, yeah, I watched him do great things. He would shoot down raiders without a second thought strip them of anything worth a damn, then leave them on the roadside to rot. I was with him when he had the option to get his hands on a satellite laser and instead decided to give free power to an entire region. When I asked him why he did that, he told me no man should have that much power over another. Not a god, not a government, and certainly not him. I've watched him haggle with a merchant over the price of a gun and turn right around and give caps and water to a beggar just because he asked for a drink and something to eat. I've seen him heal the sick, kill the greedy, condemn a dying group trapped in a vault to feed the needy, topple the prideful who thought they were invincible and secure in their places of power for the many." Veronica stopped and sipped her drink again before continuing looking at the Diaz's. "He's a lot of things your son, but he is nothing if not fair. He is cruel to the wicked and kind to those in need. Evil begets evil and good deserves good to your son. He did his best to help me find a new home, though it didn't work out the way he'd hoped."

Everyone chipped in stories they had of the Courier. Boone talked about how he found out about the woman who sold his wife and unborn child into slavery and assisted in avenging both of them. Eddie spoke of his repair by Marco's hand and how he was by his side when he freed the town of Primm from powder gangers.

Lillie Bowen spoke of Jacobstown and how thanks to Marco's efforts a cure for Nightkin schizophrenia had been discovered. When it came time to speak of the Sierra Madre, Christine Royce did most of the talking. Bog, a new personality did not remember much of that time. Christine spoke of the Ghost People, the deadly fog, Father Elijah and his maddening quest to get into the vault and the treachery of Dean Domino. How both the slippery ghoul and Father Elijah fell to the Courier's firm hand. One by the gun, and the mad former member of the Brotherhood, locked in the vault and left to rot.

None could speak of New Cannan though. Those months when the Courier took a trip to Zion Canyon, for he took that trip alone, and only Christine could speak with any true depth of the Big Empty though she wasn't there the same time as the Courier, so she couldn't speak of his experiences.

"There was also that time he disappeared for about a month right before the second battle of Hoover Dam. Before he left us all behind." Veronica noted. "I wonder what happened to him then?"

To everyone's surprise, it was Eddie who spoke up except not in an upbeat tone but sad and remorseful. "He walked a final lonesome road, but he didn't walk it alone. I was there with him every tragic step. In the end, we both had to sacrifice something on that lonesome road."

Everyone turned and stared at the robot. Veronica shook her head, "No, Eddie you were at the Lucky Thirty-Eight with us, I'm sure of it."

"You forget Veronica darling, unlike you fleshies, I can be in two places at once." The eyebot retorted.

"Your talking about a data transfer?" Arcade guessed.

"Yeah baby, got it in one. The me that existed in the Divide walked that road with the Courier, all the way to the end… We, the Courier and I saw the impact a single man's choice can make, and when it came time to choose again, the Courier made the choice to free Vegas, by nuking the Long 15 and Dry Wells."

Everyone was stunned into silence. Then there was a cacophony of noise as all were yelling questions at once. Eddie let it happen for a moment before he let out a noise similar to a foghorn.

That shut everyone up.

Seeing he had the floor again, Eddie continued this time the cool voice Mr. Vegas was frim and unrelenting making sure they understood every word he was about to say, "Perhaps I should speak of the history of the Divide and the Courier's part in it before you get all judgemental." Eddie took a moment to collect the relevant data from his memory banks. ""It was a simple courier job, one that paid a lot since the NCR wanted it done. Just deliver this device from Navarro to Hopeville, where a survivalist community had established itself. The Courier had been going there for a while now bringing them supplies for caps. It was easy money. He dropped off some of the usual stuff then left. It was only later that he would hear about the mass of explosions. About the nukes going off in their silos… about all the deaths. The NCR foolishly shot themselves in the foot by having our boy deliver the detonator to Hopeville, they inadvertently allowed the Legion time to lick their wounds," Eddie paused to let his audience digest his words. "The Courier was drawn back there shortly before the Second Battle for Hoover Dam. He and I saw what his actions unintentional or not had wrought. Howling winds that flayed the skin off a man's face. NCR and Legion both driven mad by the winds and radiation killing anyone they come across. And at the center of it all… Ulysses." The name was said with equal parts reverence and hatred in Eddie's tone surprising all the listeners at Eddie's clearly expressed emotions.

"Ulysses? That's a legionnaire name." Arcade noted.

Eddie bobbed up and down, his version of a nod. "It is, it was him and his words who finally convinced the Courier to act. To free Vegas from the yolk of any master. Here, have a listen for yourselves. Hear the message of a broken man on his last trip to perdition. Begin playback, Ulysses final message:"

"Last tape, last message. In case... you best me. If you're hearing this, you have, through blood or word.

This message, and all that lies with it - it is for you,Courier. If you want to know the... why of things.

This world, I've walked a good part of it... I stopped only because of you. What you did - gave me pause.

Long ago, I crossed theColorado, the first among theLegion to seeHoover Dam in all its glory... an Old World wall, yet bridging two sides.

And beyond it, a symbol of atwo-headed Bear, an idea great enough to challenge Caesar himself.

Might kill him, taking it, whether he won or lost.The Bull needs to fight, needs the challenge, without it... it falters, dies in the dust.

Might be a lesson there, in you and me. {"I'll"} Leave the thought behind the message to you.

My message is this - the destruction that has been wrought, at the Divide - or elsewhere,if you couldn't stop me...

It can happen again. It will keep happening.

If war doesn't change, men must change, and so must their symbols. Even if it is nothing at all, know what you follow, Courier...

...just as I followed you, to the end. Whateveryour symbol...

...carry it on your back, and wear it proudly when you stand at Hoover Dam."

"End of Message playback. Now, do you understand? Why he did what he did? Why he is what he is?" Eddie inquired of his audience.

"So, that duster he wears is?" Veronica questioned.

"Is his flag, his chosen symbol," Eddie confirmed.

"Damn," Cass said taking a heavy pull from her jug of moonshine, "Didn't think the guy had it in him to cause a second apocalypse."

"He chose his way, just like he always does, only this time, there was no highway option." Veronica mused. "That is just so… him." Veronica wasn't mad or angry she was just…

Annoyed. Annoyed that Marco kept this all to himself, that he felt the need to keep this bottled up likely tearing him apart instead of confiding in her, or any of them for that matter. 'Does he think dying is some form of penance? That if he dies it'll just magically erase every bad thing he's done intentionally or not? Well newsflash Marco, it doesn't work like that! The choices we make in life, for good or ill, intentional or not, remain… even after we're gone. Dying won't fix that.'

"If you think about it, Marco played an expert game of chess." Arcade mused. "He, in the end, outmaneuvered everyone and secured victory for no one but himself, freeing Vegas in the process." Gannon raised his glass in the air. "Good show old fellow, good show."

Angie and Rafael were holding onto each other and sharing a worried look. Their son, it seems had been changed by his surroundings just as much as he went about changing his surroundings. Was he the same happy boy they remembered? Clearly not. Could he become the same person again?

They could only hope. Wait and hope. And sometimes that is all that is needed.

Jackie too was mulling over everything she'd heard. 'Marco, just how much of hell have you gone through? What constitutes as normal to you now? A gun on your hip and your feet walking to some new unknown destination? Or can you actually come back home, back to me? To your family, to all of us here at Echo Creek?' Jackie looked out the window as the telltale hiss of a school bus coming to a stop was heard and two children got off the bright yellow contraption.

One was a girl of almost thirteen with long wavy brown hair and a mole on her right cheek wearing black jeans and a green blouse, with green and black sneakers.

The other was a smaller boy wearing a red hoodie and blue jeans. The hoodie was several sizes too big for him and he was wearing oval glasses, his nose was stuck in a book as he walked which almost caused him to faceplant into the dirt if his sister hadn't caught him at the last second.

"MJ how many times do I need to tell you not to read and walk at the same time? Your gonna get hurt one of these days!"

"Sorry, sis." The boy replied before placing a bookmark in his book and closing it.

"Your gonna be sorry if you don't start paying attention ya bookworm." The girl shouted.

Jackie coughed getting Angie's attention. "Angie, Mariposa and MJ are home from school."

The Diaz matriarch gave the blonde a smile as she rushed to the front door to greet her children. "Hello, my angels. How was school?"

"Fine," Mariposa sighed uncaringly.

"Nothing out of the ordinary I wish Auntie Star or someone like her would come to school, it would be a lot less tedious then," MJ said wistfully.

The two children then looked around and noticed their second favorite pair of aunts. "Auntie Jackie, Auntie Chloe!" the two said before rushing in to hug them.

Jackie greeted the two with hugs and kisses. "Hey, you two keeping your noses clean and doing your homework?"

"Nope." They joked.

"Rebels, I like it." Jackie grinned.

Chloe shook her head, "You are incorrigible mon cherie. You would do well to take full advantage of your American schooling you two… it doesn't get much easier than this." She stage whispered to the two of them.

"School was hard Chloe," Jackie argued back

Mariposa found her attention wandering as her aunts playfully bickered like they always did. She quickly found her jaw-dropping when she noticed all the other people in the room and started tugging on her little brother's arm calling, "MJ… MJ… MJ…"

"Mariposa what… is… it?" MJ found his eyes widening as he stared at the blue-skinned goliaths sitting across from them in their living room, and all the people in robot armor, then his eyes flickered to the actual floating robot, then the cyber dog, then the zombie in the armored jumpsuit. "Did we fall into one of Auntie Star's portals by mistake?"

"Don't think so," Mariposa replied shaking her head and pinching herself.

"What do you think we should do?" MJ asked.

"How should I know, you're the one with his nose in a book all the time, I have you do my homework half the time!" Mariposa hissed back. "Doesn't one of them cover this kind of situation?"

"I like sci-fi as much as the next person but this is just too surreal," MJ whispered back.

Mariposa nodded, Sci-fi was her guilty pleasure as well. It was hard not to enjoy it knowing the multiverse exists. "So should we run or…?"

"Etiquette usually dictates introducing yourself to guests in your home unless I'm mistaken." A glasses wearing blonde man replied to Mariposa's whispered question, he seemed amused.

"You first old man." Mariposa shot back, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The zombie let out a rough laugh. "I'm the old man here chica."

"Mariposa Angelia Diaz!" Angie scolded, "That is not how we talk to guests." She set her glare on both of her progeny. "Introduce yourselves properly please."

Mariposa sighed before walking into the living room proper. "As you just heard my mom say I'm Mariposa Angelina Diaz." She motioned to her brother to come join her. He did so reluctantly. "This is my brother Marco Junior or MJ for short."

"Hi… are you all gonna shoot us with lasers or something?" He asked before receiving a slap upside his head from his sister.

"Don't ask them that you dork! They might do it and then feed us to the zombie!"

"Nah, your both way too stringy for me," Raul commented amusedly.

"Well aren't you two adorable!" Lilie commented leaning forward to get a better look at them.

Mariposa beamed at the praise while MJ shied away from the giant blue titan. Mariposa always did like getting praised on her looks so she preened, "Thank you… ma'am?"

"Lillie, don't frighten the young ones." The other commented sounding more articulate. He smiled down kindly at the two. "You'll have to forgive my friend Lillie, she is a tad forgetful and is easily excited by children as they remind her of her grandkids."

"That's fine Mr…?" Mariposa began.

"Bog."

"Nice to meet you, Bob," Mariposa said mishearing him.

"Woof!" That was MJ's only warning before something warm and wet assaulted his hand, causing him to burst out into giggles.

Mariposa turned to see the robo-dog licking her brother's face as he laughed all but begging him to stop. The dog then turned to her, tail wagging.

"No, down doggie, stay, stay." She had a bad experience with the laser puppies once which caused most of her hair needing to be cut off and she'd stayed away from dogs ever since. Yet Rex would not be denied a new friend. He just took a gentler approach with her, trotting over and sitting down next to her before offering his lone remaining biological paw to shake. It took her a moment to get over her trepidation, but Mariposa finally smiled and took Rex's paw. "You're a good boy, aren't you?"

"Woof!" Rex affirmed.

She scratched his ears. "Good boy, I don't have to worry from any bad lasers from you do I?"

Rex shook his head in reply as if he could understand her.

"Looks like you and Rex have become fast friends, little lady," Eddie remarked.

"So who are you?" MJ asked with keen interest.

Eddie turned and looked at the others. "Can I do it again, please?"

"God no! Please don't! Not on your artificial life!" the males mainly Arcade and Boone replied.

"Go ahead Eddie, just ignore them," Veronica told the robot mischievously.

Eddie gave a joyful spin in the air and did his introduction routine again. Once he'd finished he added on a more polite introduction for himself. "And I'm your host with the smoothest tones around, you can call me… Eddie."

The children clapped once the eyebot was finished and Mariposa was blushing a little.

"Ok, so we know who you are, but, why are you here?" MJ asked.

Angie answered this question herself. " Nino, hija, do you remember all the stories I told you about your older brother, Marco?" When the two nodded Angie continued. "Well they are friends of his and according to them, he will be coming home very soon."

The two's eyes widened and they sported smiles that threatened to split their faces. "Really?"

Angie smiled tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Yes really."

The two having grown up hearing of their older brother from his adventures from Auntie Star whenever she visited had built him up in their minds as some sort of kung-fu zen master that could defeat any monster with just one hand. Soon, very soon, they were going to be able to meet, the man, the myth, the legend himself. They could hardly wait.

"Should we mention they uhh, you know?" Raul pointed at his own face for emphasis.

Veronica shook her head. "It's not our place to tell them something like that."

"I don't see why not, we told 'em everything else," Cass replied as she took another swig of her moonshine.

"That's different," Veronica argued in hushed tones. "We can tell what we know about him our impressions of him what we experienced with him, but we can't reveal his secret like that. It's just going too far."

"Agreed," Arcade replied after a moment. "It's not our place to bring up his personal health. Besides as his doctor, there is such a thing as Doctor-Patient privilege."

"Fine, we'll keep quiet about it." Cass groused. "Won't matter in the long run if we say anything or not really will it?"

Veronica shook her head, "No and besides," she glanced back at the scene of the Diaz' embracing happily. "Do you really want to be the one to ruin such a happy moment?"

"Nah, I ain't that cruel," Cass commented after a moment. "Hope Marco gets back here soon though from… wherever the heck he is."

Veronica smiled. "I think we can all agree that wherever he is, Marco is fine."

The Companions of the Courier all nodded in agreement, the Courier always could handle himself in or out of a firefight. They had no reason to worry… right?

Marco arrived a mile or two away from the mine entrance near the Forest of Certain Death. He parked FIDO and got off the motorcycle. He did not want to alert the guards at the entrance with his loud vehicle so he stopped far enough away that him slowing down wouldn't be a telltale sign that they were being watched.

Marco unstrapped Paciencia from his back and looked down the sights of his rifle with his riot mask's zoom feature activating and zooming in on the guards at the entrance he was going to try to sneak into. He needed to get into the monster temple and he sure as hell did not want to try climbing a mountain in his condition.

He spotted two rats that came about up to his knees and chuckled a little, "Not as big as some of the rats back in the Mojave, but I think being able to use weapons makes them just a bit more dangerous. You know, now that I think about it, I should've brought Ratslayer with me. Ah well. A hunting rifle will work just as well as a varmint rifle will."

The rats were holding a spear each that would be comical at three times their height if not for the fact Marco saw a helluva a lot more rats around the area and bringing bags of what he assumed to be corn or cornmeal, Mewni's main produce, into the mine. Marco took a deep breath to steady his shot and aimed with the wind to take out his two targets.

The first guard didn't know what hit him as a semi loud bang was and he fell over dead, a spray of blood gushing from his head. The other rat ran to his companion and dropped his spear. He tried to shake his companion awake but noticed the blood dripping from his forehead. Before the rat could yell out to the others Marco sniped him back of the head and dropping the other guard like a cast aside toy that was no longer wanted.

Marco holstered his rifle and made his way back to Fido. He rooted through his saddlebags for some scrap electronics, a sensor module, a bit of scrap metal some duct tape, and a green football shaped missile before he rigged it all together, forming his secret weapon which he clipped to the back of his belt.

Marco started to make a trek through the last mile of the forest before turning back to Fido with whispered instructions. "Cause a distraction about a mile east of my position and get me when I whistle," Marco left his dog-cycle with only a bark in reply and the whirling of a minigun revving up. The loud commotion of squeals and squeaks of agony alerted Marco that Fido was cleaning house of Mewni's vermin problem. He smirks slightly while getting closer and closer to the entrance of the mine.

When the Courier got to the entrance he noticed it's built for people much taller than him with its peak at around ten feet tall. Marco could only shake his head at some of the unknown horrors that may be hiding in Mewni that he and Star never had the chance to see. He stabilizes his breath and prepares to strain his aching muscles and starts running at a brisk pace into the mine careful to aim his now unholstered Sleepytyme at anything that makes a sound or moves.

Marco was a little annoyed at all the cobwebs and dirt inside the mine. 'You would think with all the food and supplies I saw those rats taking in here they would clean up more.' He thought as he trekked deeper inside. The farther Marco got into the mine he never noticed the cobwebs vibrating farther up the mountain and shaking their maker awake.

Marco comes across the ladder that goes further up the mountain. He would have taken the mine lift but it was too bulky and loud for this stealth mission of his. He started to climb the ladder and shakes his hands not holding the rung every once and a while to get off some of the webs and dirt. When Marco reached the to, he saw the doorway out covered head to toe in a thick white viscous substance. Marco grunts to himself in anger and tries to cut through the goop with his combat knife Blood-Nap only to grunt in frustration when his knife couldn't cut through the substance but did pull most of it out of the way. Marco nodded satisfied as he went through the doorway. He didn't notice some of the material left on the ground started to be pulled taut as he started walking nor did he notice the glowing red eyes that were looking at him from above.

When Marco finally got to what looked like architecture and less mine he was worried and pleased. Pleased, because he finally got out of the mine full of god knows how many rats and worried because he so no more guards and all the white gunk everywhere. Right as he was about to move forward he felt a strong pull on his leg and he was dropped to the ground. Marco righted himself and saw something no one in the Mojave had ever seen. A giant-ass spider about the size of an abomination. Thinking fast Marco brought up Sleepytyme and started to fire like there was no tomorrow as the beast pulled him closer and closer to its gaping maw.

A look of horror if it could be seen dawns on his face as the bullets bounce off the thick exoskeleton of the giant spider. Marco starts to hyperventilate as the spider pulls him close enough to be near its giant mandibles. He is taken out of his stupor when the giant spider bites into his torso and right through his chest armor. He grunts in pain and starts to reach for Blood-Nap. The spider with its fangs still in Marco is wondering why this intruder hasn't passed out yet from its venom. Next thing the spider knows all its world becomes is pain as one of its four eyes is blinded as a knife is jabbed into it.

Marco breaks free when the spider drops him and writhes in agony as the knife logged in its middle right eye starts to leak vital fluids. Marco thinking fast stands tall and does what he knows best and pulls Figaro out of his boot and cuts the webbing he then grabs the Mysterious Magnum from his left hip and begins to walk towards the thrashing spider.

The spider keeps shaking in pain as it calms down and begins to get up and bare through the agony of having lost an eye. It feels a slight pressure on the side of its head and sees the intruder staring at him with his glowing red eyes, "I hope you rot in hell you fucking ugly son of a bitch!" is the last thing she hears as the spider of Ludo then only sees darkness and fades into the oblivion of death.

Marco dusts himself off as he leaves the mine and doesn't look back. He does keep some of the webbing to show Mobius later. He grunts in pain a little and feels his torso where some blood trickles out of the twin pierced wounds on his backside and torso respectively. Cursing himself for not bringing stimpacks, he decides to get to the exit of this hole in the ground. He walks outside and takes a nice deep breath. The tightness in his lungs loosens just a little and Marco breathes a sigh of relief for once not having trouble breathing. The Mewman sun shines down on Marco and penetrates through his suit soaking him in its light and letting his wounds heal over ever so slowly.

He takes a survey of the land and temple and notices the oddly Aztec and central American decorations around the temple outside. Wishing he had a camera to take a picture of this magnificent structure Marco just shakes his head in what he is about to do and how nothing left of this place will be pebbles and corpses if he has anything to say about it.

Marco decides to go to one of the many openings of the monster temple but sticks close to the walls and listens for any more guards. Marco hears a commotion up ahead and makes a quiet yet quick sprint down the hallways further into the temple. He sees four rats talking to the little midget that is Ludo. For some reason, he has a crown of bones on his head and his eyes are glowing green for some reason

"I don't care if some lunatique dog is on the loose you will stay at your post and make sure the prisoner doesn't escape her bindings or her room got it?" Ludo talks in a deep and menacing voice that reminds Marco of someone drastically more threatening than Ludo. he just couldn't place it right at this time.

Ludo? walks away from the somewhat scared guard rats and grumbles to himself, " I finally after thirteen blasted years have gotten Moon's bloody daughter under my thumb again. Why that blasted boy of hers had to go off himself I have no idea. It would have been so much easier if I had him as bait again. Then the princess would have come running to me. Oh well, the present is now so I better go get prepared when I get my finger back and become whole once again."

Ludo doesn't notice Marco and walks right past the courier who is hiding in one of the many passages that lead to the prison room he made. Marco contemplates offing Ludo right now but thinks better of it and goes to grab Star. He walks further down the hallway and calmly clears his ragged throat in front of the guard rats who all raise their spears and point them at him. Marco then decides to speak up, "Yeah courier of the post here. I got a delivery for a mister Toffee. It's from my boss Iris and is about his ransomgram delivery."

The rats look at each other and are confused and chatter amongst themselves. One of the guards with a blood-red eye decides to walk up warningly towards Marco and chatters along and shakes its head in a way that means 'okay give it to me.' Marco can only smile as he reaches behind his back to grab the "delivery".

Marco decides to speak up again, " Gee thanks, dude. You would have no idea the amount of trouble I had to get through to deliver this. Now if you could just … eat lead vermin!" Marco yells out as he pulls out the fully loaded Big Boomer and gives the rat a shower of buckshot shampoo blasting his head and torso into crimson mincemeat. Before the other three guards can do anything, Marco draws both the Mysterious Magnum and his Ranger Sequoia and unloads into them all, spraying the doors in scarlet with the blood of the guards. Marco decided to act fast before the bird dude comes back reloads, Big Boomer, and aims for the door.

"Fire in the HOLE!" Marco yells out in warning to the captive on the other side before he blasts holes into the door hinges and kicks it down, before peering into the room.

For all intents and purposes its a nice room in the form of a crocodile mouth with a flowing fountain that makes a small waterfall that he thinks flows into the small lake or pool flowing outside. He stops to catch his breath at the breathtaking sight in front of him. Don't get Marco wrong he has some seen some beautiful women, for example, Cass but the years have done some good things for Star it seems. One main thing about Star that caught his eye was that she seemed to have come to favor the color red quite a bit. In fact, unless the boy's memory was faulty, the shade of red Star seemed to be covered in is the same hue as his hoodies and looked remarkably similar to her Blood Moon Ball gown, but was layered and trimmed with white lace. The form fitting attire accentuating Star's now much larger bust. Now Marco was no expert on bra sizes being a man and all, but if he had to guess, the current queen of Mewni had a modest C-cup bust. He also was no pervert but he couldn't help but notice and the rat guards had tied the poor queen up BDSM-style, with the rope going all over her body.

He notices how her hair has grown longer and now reaches her waist and looks like pale gold in its color. Her face has become more heart shaped and is only accentuated by her crimson heart cheek marks that Marco notices almost look broken. Marco shakes his head at the older Star and decides to get to work. He has a package to deliver after all. Marco can tell the rats tied her very well considering he is watching Star try to eat through her mouth gag and bindings. Just as he walks up to the captive Star she turns and looks at him in surprise and starts trying to scoot away from him. Marco just huffs and goes to grab her.

Star Butterfly was having a miserable day. No, strike that, she'd been having a downright dreadful past thirteen years! Ever since Marco got sucked up by her wayward spell… She tried using the All Seeing Eye spell to find him of course but to no avail. Wherever he was in the multiverse, it was somewhere she was unfamiliar with. His parents' may the cosmos bless them, were distraught of course, yet didn't blame her one bit even though they were well within their right to do so.

Star returned to Mewni within a week of Marco's disappearance. Without him there, she just couldn't bring herself to stay. With St. Olga's being turned into a party palace, and the book of spells lost, Moon was forced to take Star directly under her wing. Teaching her everything she needed to know to run Mewni as it's next queen personally. She sat in on the royal court for years watching as her mother passed judgment on disputes and delegated when and where she could. As time went by she would ask for her input on things, then assign her tasks, little by little over time Star took over her mother's duties. Until it was Star doing and her mother watching, their roles reversed. There was one thing her mother could not help her with, however…

Her cheek marks were breaking. The twin hearts on her face had cracked the night she lost Marco and the book of spells. As time passed the crack only elongated and as it did so, her magic got worse and worse until it became nigh impossible for her to perform even the simplest spell. Star started to do some research when she began having troubles and found that the royal cheek marks were more than just a status symbol of the royal family. They were also heavily connected to their magic. If they were breaking down like Stars were…

She was losing her magic. Naturally, she searched for what could be causing this. She poured over brick thick books on magical theory and rhetoric, and ancient tomes, looking for some semblance of an answer. The most probable answer she found was that she was 'out of alignment' on a spiritual and emotional level. To sum it up, one needed to be of sound mind, body, and soul, to use magic. If your head said one thing and your heart said another, the conflicting thoughts would disrupt her magical ability.

It didn't take Star long to figure out what was causing her imbalance. Marco, it always came back to him somehow. Star missed him something terribly and tried twice as hard to be a good queen due to what her negligence as a princess had cost him. She even had all of her dresses made in the same shade of his hoodie in honor of her friend, and in the fashion of the dress, she wore to the Blood Moon Ball. So she would not and could not forget him, and that dance they shared. At the time it annoyed her, but that dance… the dance was one of her most cherished memories.

His lost combined with the loss of her family's book of spells was what was causing Star's magic to weaken. She couldn't do anything about Marco, no matter how much she wished otherwise, but she could try and retrieve the book of spells. Unfortunately, she couldn't find Ludo for the life of her, no one could. Not even for the sizable bounty, she placed on him.

The guilt ate at her so badly that when her Song Day celebration rolled around, she had the songstrel sent to compose her song reveal the loss of the book of spells to the people of Mewni as she'd intended, but he'd also insinuated she was in love with the missing boy from Earth…

He wasn't wrong either, damn that Ruberiot.

The High Commission wasn't happy of course but Star told them to cram it. She was their Queen-to-be and they would obey and respect her or be dismissed. They all bowed respectfully to her after that. Since the people of Mewni were revolting due to the revelations from the song, Star informed her mother she would be spending a weekend at the Diaz's hoping this would blow over by then.

It was that weekend when she realized Angie and Rafael were pregnant with their second child who would come to be known as Mariposa Diaz. She doted on the girl, going to Questbuy to get all manner of things for Angie's baby shower. Three years later they had yet another child, this one a son whom they named Marco Junior. It was like watching a mini-Marco grow up all over again. It hurt, on so many levels. Knowing she was the reason these two children who called her 'Auntie Star' would grow up without knowing their older brother.

Maybe that's why she told them stories of her and Marco's adventures whenever she came over. So they knew just what kind of man that Marco was, to her at least. To her, Marco was her other half, the hero she told him she didn't want, but she didn't know at the time she needed. Marco was… her everything.

'And I never got to tell him how much he meant to me.' Star thought as a hulking metallic green behemoth made its way towards her. She tried to crawl away, but the restraints the rats had put her in were tied quite tightly. Star squeezed her eyes closed, thinking, 'I'll see you soon Marco. I hope you'll accept my apology and my confession when we meet in the starlit heavens.'

Star expected to feel a giant cold metal hand cover her throat and constrict her breathing…

But that never happened. Instead, she was lifted up and placed in an uncomfortable position. Opening her eyes, Star found herself being carried like a sack of cornmeal over the giant mecha's shoulder.

"Puff me daw dith in tant!" Star said through her gag.

"No, and quit squirming around up there before I drop you on your head…" He for the person in the armor was most certainly male, suddenly and without ceremony dropped her. "Pff, I almost forgot due to you. Wait right here your highness and don't go anywhere now. I'll be right back.

"Roow you!" Star retorted.

"Such foul language coming from royalty. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" The Green Knight she called him in her mind for lack of a better term. Before walking out of the cell.

He was gone for what felt like ten minutes or more, but when he came back he came back in a dead sprint. Hefting her up and over his shoulder, he raced out of the mouth of the crocodile she'd been kept in as a cruel joke by the Toffe-possessed Ludo. 'Wait, he's not going to jump is he?'

"Ro, Ro, Ron't ro it!" Star screamed the gag still in her mouth.

"Relax your highness don't worry your cute giant ass, I got this!" The Green Knight replied as he threw himself out of the mouth of the crocodile at a full sprint.

Gravity quickly took control of the two and they plummeted towards a shallow pool created by the waterfall Star closed her eyes and waited for the sudden stop to end them. There was a metallic bang and a slight vibration, but Star could still feel and if she could feel then that meant…

Star hesitantly opened her eyes. She found herself staring at the bottom of the waterfall the sound of rushing water almost drowning out the cursing of her savior. Well, she guessed he was her savior now.

"Mother fucker! Suit servos or not that hurt my knees like a fucking bitch! I am not doing that again! Sweet Jesus titty cinnamon that hurt! Sugar honey iced tea!" He complained as he made his way to shore.

"An ou talk bout ne," Star said through her gag.

In response, he unnecessary jostled her on his shoulder. "Shut up, I'm not royalty, I'm not the one held to higher standards. So I can swear whenever the fuck I want thank you very fucking much hot tits."

"Rasshole." Star complained.

The Green Knight just chuckled before releasing a shrill whistle. The noise Star was hearing off in the distance suddenly ceased and the roar of some mighty unknown beast was heard.

"C'mon Fido, c'mon we don't have all day buddy." The knight said in an agitated but urgent tone.

The thunderous roar drew closer and Star was beginning to get afraid. Whatever kind of beast this was, she had never heard of its like before and she thought she knew the cries of all the beasts of Mewni. Just as the thunderous growls reached a crescendo a steel behemoth came blasting out of the trees with a trio of pipes flaring out of its back ends like stationary wings and the vehicle spun on its side going up on two of its three wheels before falling to a stop right next to the waiting knight.

"Hey Fido, you have fun playing with the rats in the forest?" The Green Knight said by way of greeting.

The antenna wagged back and forth and a mechanical sounding "Woof, woof, woof!" was heard.

'What… what the heck is that thing?!' Star wondered as she saw the brain encased in green liquid.

"Aroo?" Fido asked when the queen was put, still bound across the saddle.

"Yeah, this is her alright,"

"Roof, woof!" Fido challenged.

The Green Knight shook his head. "No I'm not untying her, we don't have time for that."

"Aroo?"

"Mhat ro ou mean re ront have rime?" Star questioned.

"Things are about to get hot around here and we need to get gone, so punch it Fido!" The Green Knight exclaimed as he revved the engines on his sentient bike.

"Roo, roo, roo!" Fido crowed as he took off. Star could only hope she didn't fall as the machine took off at a breakneck pace. Due to how she was situated she watched as the monster temple was consumed in light, a giant mushroom cloud then blossomed from the explosion rising high to the heavens where the temple once stood…

"Hang on! Here comes the shockwave!" The knight warned.

True to his word a gigantic blast of force knocked into them, sending them flying. The green knight popped a wheelie and managed to keep them from skidding out. He veered to a stop and turned back to look. Where the monster temple once stood there was now nothing, small bits of dirt were falling from the sky raining down from the heavens.

'Fallout,' Marco knew 'Radioactive fallout that, thanks to the yield of that Fat Bomb, will likely make the area around this temple unlivable for the next decade or so. But at least none of it got into the upper atmosphere.'

He was just about to get a move on, he didn't need his package dying on him due to having no radiation suit on when a giant ass crystal impaled the earth not fifty feet from his current position.

"The fuck was that?! Marco swore. "Was that thing in the Temple? If so it's irradiated as all hell so we're avoiding it like the plague."

The man gave it a wide berth. Had he gotten closer he would've seen the giant monster entombed deep beneath the crystal's surface as small cracks formed on the crystal.

Marco was ready for this day to end. 'Just drop off Star, take your money and get home. That's all you gotta do Marco.' He told himself as he stopped Fido near the steps that lead up to the front doors of the Butterfly Castle. Swinging his leg off, he Picked the now Queen Star up and threw her over his shoulder before he began walking the steps.

She didn't bother to complain or anything. He gave her a shake. "You alive your highness? I'm not getting paid to deliver a corpse."

"M 'live." She replied in a quiet subdued tone.

Marco stopped on a landing and flipped Star over so she was facing him. "What's wrong you're about to be reunited with your family. Shouldn't you be… I dunno happier?"

Star just looked him in the eye as best she could and replied. "Uo, wah uou did bak dere, wa insane."

"Honey if you think that was insane, you ain't seen nothing. I've seen people murder others for little more than the change in their pockets and their boots. Yes, their boots." Marco affirmed upon seeing Star's horrified unbelieving stare. "People when pushed to the brink, become no better than monsters trust me on that. Hell, the monsters here are civilized compared to the ones I know."

Marco resumed walking, allowing the Queen to mull over his worlds. She didn't expect him to keep talking. "You know, you should take better care of your symbols."

He reached into a pouch on his side and revealed not only her shattered and useless wand, but also a fragment of the book of spells. It had obviously been burned. The Knight continued. "A symbol can define a person, it gives them something to believe in, to stand by when all else is lost, yet yours… their both broken, you should probably fix that. After all, what is a kingdom without its queen, and what is a sorceress without her wand and book of incantations no?"

Star stared at this enigmatic man who had rescued her even as he didn't bother to return her gaze. She nodded just once, to show she understood and agreed with, his rhetoric. The royal magic wand and book of spells were more than just things of power and knowledge, they were the symbols of both Mewni and its royal family. It took until she lost both to realize that fact.

"Well, here we are." The Green Knight said at last.

The same two guards from earlier stood in his way yet again. "Are you going to move or do I need to move you again?"

The guardsmen shook their heads and promptly moved their poleaxes aside allowing the man to pass into the palace unmolested.

He walked straight ahead towards the throne room.

"Sir," Manfred the Butterfly family steward asked as he approached. "Might I know your name so that I… can announce you? Sir is that Queen Butterfly bound and gagged upon your shoulder?"

"No and yes," Marco replied before he let out a hacking cough. 'Damn it not now.'

"I'm sorry sir? Manfred enquired.

"No, you may not know my name, and yes, this is… this is Queen Butterfly." Marco said between coughs." Marco strode forwards and kicked the massive doors to the throne room in with one mighty front kick.

His entrance did not go unnoticed. Moon and River who were holding court with both nobles and peasantry alike and all turned to look at the sudden and loud interruption. The whispers started up as the hulking green knight approached the throne with the bound and gagged queen on his shoulder. Stopping in front of the stunned royals he dropped their daughter in front of them, before stating. "One queen as promised."

While River was quick to move and untie her Moon raised her eyebrow, cheek marks flaring in displeasure. "You couldn't have at least untied her M-" She was cut off when the man slashed his hand through the air silencing her.

"We had an accord Moon if you'll recall?"

Moon sighed, rubbing her temples and her cheek marks dulled. "Yes, of course. My apologies."

"As for me not untying her, I didn't for two reasons. One, there wasn't really time. Secondly, I couldn't have her squirming around on my bike too much."

Star who was finally unbound and was more than happy to spit the piece of sack out of her mouth, stood up and addressed the man who saved her. "Regardless of your… less than ideal treatment of our person, we are still in your debt sir."

"Well, well, aren't we all hoighty toighty?" The man jested. "We as in I just want what we were promised, and then we again I wanna get outta here."

Star sighed. 'This man is insufferable.' She asked. "Have we done something to offend you personally? You seem to dislike us?"

"You personally? No, not really. I just despise any and all forms of government."

Star blinked. "You do not believe in government? We do not understand."

"I'm an anarchist girl. I believe that the only one who can tell someone what to do is the person in question. That the only thing a government does is oppress people. If you want proof of my words just look around you. You live in a lavish castle eat off silver plates and what of your people? Can you say the same of them?"

"Yet you still have no problem taking our money we see." Star pointed out.

"Of course not. Your rich, I doubt you'll even miss it. Meanwhile what of the farmer who gives you his crop, or the shopkeeper some of his coin? Your wealth comes off the sweat and hard work of others' I see no problem in taking it from you for my own benefit."

"So you think every person should only work for themselves and their own gain? Isn't that selfish?" Moon inquired.

Marco shook his head. "No it's not, because everyone is already doing that," Marco rebutted. "Why do you think the farmer tills his field and goes to market. To make a profit. Same with the shopkeeper, and any other business. They want to make money. Someone somewhere down the line, however, decided they were in charge and would take a percentage of everyone else's hard work and profits without doing any of the work. That someone is your family."

"Hmm, as interesting as this political debate is, we've got your reward lad." River commented. The King snapped his fingers and two men carried in a chest with the top open showing it was laden with gold.

"How much is in there?" Star enquired.

"Ten thousand cobs as we discussed with him earlier," Moon told her daughter.

Star shook her head. "Triple the amount, please. He did more than just rescue me."

This set the court to murmuring more than it already had been when the discussion of politics had started.

Moon raised an eyebrow. "Why, what else did he do?"

"He not only rescued us, but also retrieved the Book of Spells, the Royal Wand, and put a final end to Toffee the Immortal One."

The muttered had turned into outright yelling by the court. To the point that Moon had to send out a blast of magic to call for silence. "Quiet, all of you!" Moon looked to Marco. "Is it true, have you truly killed Toffee?"

"Honey, if he survived me atomizing the monster temple, then he deserves to be called the Immortal One because nothing and no one survives a low yield nuclear bomb to the face."

"A what?" Moon questioned.

"It's a magical disintegration explosion." Marco dumbed down for her, before adding. "It will also poison the area around it for about a decade or so, so you might want to put up signs to keep people away unless you want them dying from magic poisoning."

Moon gripped her wrists when he mentioned magic poisoning and she nodded firmly. "I understand. Yes… yes, that most definitely could finish Toffee off."

"Also here." Marco tossed her the broken lifeless wand and the burnt corner fragment of the Book of Spells. "Dunno what you can do with those but… meh." He shrugged.

"I'll tell you what we can do." Hekapoo who'd just come out of the portal with the rest of the Magic High Commission, along with an anthropomorphic giraffe in a toga. She carried on. "We can bring that useless layabout back and get him back to work."

"Glossaryck?" Moon inquired. "How on Mewni will you do that?"

Hekapoo explained. "He made us we're connected to his magic. With all of us here, and even a fragment of the book we can bring him back."

"Verily it is my Queen what my sister sayeth. Now let us get to work before the sun doth set come what mayeth." The Giraffe rhymed.

"Okay, can I get my money and leave because much more of that and I'm liable to kill him for the sake of my sanity," Marco said in complete honesty.

The Giraffe got down on his knees and begged. "Please, kind sir I beg of thee, spare me thine wrath! A curse, a curse was placed on me, from Butterfly Queen past."

"Calm down Reynaldo, he was just about to leave… even though I'm half tempted to let him off you for all our sakes." Hekapoo muttered under her breath.

The lone female created and reached into a small hand-sized crimson portal when she pulled back she came out with a wooden box. Which she handed to the Queen-Mother. "As requested your highness."

"Thank you for this Hekapoo."

The redhead looked to Marco and sent him a wink. "For him, no problem."

"What's that?" Marco questioned.

Moon smiled. "Something a little extra," Moon mentioned for him to come forward. He did so as Moon opened the box, raising an eyebrow as she did so. "This isn't like your usual work Hekapoo."

The woman shrugged. "Something told me he needed something outside of my ordinary workmanship."

"Young man, for services rendered to the Crown, and People of Mewni, we would like to grant you a pair of Dimensional Scissors," Moon spoke regally.

"You also recovered the Book of Spells and Royal Wand, which I would count as a trial in and of itself. I normally don't make my scissors for just anyone but you not only single-handedly saved the queen, got the book of spells, the wand, and offed a great enemy and his army all in one fell swoop. You've more than earned them." Hekapoo couldn't help but praise the lone courier a little clearly impressed.

Moon cleared her throat. "I do believe the current queen must present the scissors to their new owner in situations like these?"

Star blinked. "Oh right." She moved forwards and took not a pair of scissors but a foot and a half long dagger from the box. The blade was of metal and the handle was made of some kind of yellow bone. She noticed it had a button on the crossguard hilt and pressed it. The moment she did the blade split into thirds, the edges spreading out into a fan shape while the blade in the center possessed a thick arrow-shaped head. It was and wasn't a pair of scissors.

"A main gauche?" The man questioned. "Odd choice but I'm not complaining."

Star didn't know what that was, but apparently, he did. She let go of the button letting the two side blades snap back together to form a single weapon once more. She then flipped it over as it was proper etiquette to address the receiver by the name magically etched onto their new tool. "Use them to do great deeds…" Star stared at the name etched in flaming English and paled.

"Marco?" Star spoke the name like she couldn't believe it. She looked up from the weapon to the man in armor who stood stock still. "Marco Diaz?" When she got no response from him, She almost screamed at him. "Marco Ubaldo Diaz is that you?!"

"No, you got the wrong guy." He finally said, at last, shaking his head like he was dazed.

"Prove it, take off your helmet," Star demanded.

"No." The man retorted.

"Why not, if your not the man I think you are then you should have nothing to hide" Star challenged.

"I have a terrible disease, this suit keeps it contained," Marco replied, just as another cough wracked his body this one doubling him over.

Star frowned. "I don't believe you, not entirely. Besides if you are sick mother can just heal you with magic then…"

She was cut off by the man's shout of "NO! You keep that damned thing away from me!" Raising his voice as he pointed at the wand, which made him cough even more. He managed to get it under control though. "Ordering me around is just proving my point you know? You just prove that there is no such thing as a good government."

Star frowned at that. She disliked this man. "But it can't just be a coincidence, can it?"

The man shrugged. "Why not? I'm not a Mewi native. While I admit to being Spanish Marco is a common enough name."

Star sighed, "You've got a point, we apologize for our rudeness."

"Don't worry about it." The man whistled. Moments later his mount entered the room looking around eagerly, its antenna tail a'wagging. "Calm down Fido." He motioned to the servants, " If ya'll could put the gold in the saddlebags I'd appreciate it."

While the servants were doing that, the Magic High Commission was resurrecting Sir Glossaryck of Terms. Their magic pulsed into the book fragment, It pulsed with energy before there was a small an audible pop and a puff of blue smoke. When it cleared Glossaryck was there floating.

"I… I'm back, and it took much longer than I expected too." Glossaryck noted. He looked over at the older Star. "Much longer."

"No dad, don't thank us for resurrecting you or anything, ungrateful ass," Hekapoo muttered under her breath.

Glossaryck rolled his eyes. "Thank you Hekapoo I'm sorry you need praise to inflate your fragile ego."

A bang was heard and a bullet embedded itself into the wall next to Glossaryck's head. The two-inch tall god noted the being who shot at him was clad in science crafted armor, something that was the antithesis to his very nature. Yet just because that was the case, didn't mean he couldn't find out anything about this person. When he did so, he found his jaw-dropping. 'I honestly never thought I'd see him again. And it seems like he has one foot in the grave already, poor kid. Which begs the question, why'd he shoot at me?' Glossaryck hailed the power-armored figure. "What's the matter, itchy trigger finger Hoss?"

"Speaking that way to a lady, especially your own daughter, is uncalled for. I won't have it, not in my presence, is that understood, Sir Glossaryck of Terms?" Marco growled out.

Hekapoo blushed at the man coming to defend her honor. Glossaryck was amused. "Heh, I read you loud and clear Poncho Villa."

"Pray tell what are we chopped liver?" Star scoffed, she didn't know why but hearing him defend Hekapoo irked her.

"You were a package. It was my job to deliver you safely home not comfortably." Marco noted. "Doing it comfortably wasn't part of the contract."

Star snorted. "Well, your a man of your word at least."

Marco nodded. "For the record, the name is Marco Esteban Tejada."

Star nodded, speaking contritely. "I see, again we apologize for the mix-up."

"Don't worry about it." He reiterated. All the while thinking 'It's for the best, it's for the best, it's for the best.'

"Could I have a moment of your time Courier Six?" Glossaryck asked.

Hearing his old epitaph Marco nodded and nodded over to a corner where they could speak without being overheard. Once the small blue man joined him Marco growled out, "What do you want you Blue Man Group reject?"

Glossaryck held out his hands defensively, not that he needed to, but still. "Relax Mr. Diaz, I just wanted to touch base with you. It's been a while for both of us." He squinted his square sclera at Marco. "You've been put through the wringer haven't you kid? Had to make some tough choices. I can respect that."

Marco snorted. "Respect? No offense but I've never really wanted your respect. From what I recall of you, you were kinda useless."

Glossaryck shook his head. "I was only as useful as Star let me be. How often did she actually practice magic Mr. Diaz? Wasn't she more often than not goofing off going with you to some dimension or another?"

"True, but c'mon man! You made people if you can do that, you can make Star practice magic." Marco argued.

Glossaryck nodded. "I could make her, yes, but as you yourself pointed out forcing someone to do something takes away their free will and I am loath to do such things. If I did everything I was capable of doing, none of the queens of Mewni nor my children would ever have to lift a finger."

"Well be that as it may I don't care one way or the other. I'm fed up with magic."

Glossaryck nodded again like the all-knowing being he was. "Yes, I'm well aware of your Rhabdophobia… fear of magic, it's a thing in your dimension. Although in your case it's the real deal and not stage magic. Which I can in no way blame you for. The things you've seen and done in the wasteland you walked…" Glossaryk shuddered. "It's great… terrible some of it, but great nonetheless."

"I know I can't do anything to force you to uphold this, but I'm gonna ask anyway… will you keep my identity secret from Star please?"

"Alright."

Marco blinked. "Really, you'll just… do it?" Marco asked in surprise.

Glossaryck shrugged. "I admit I don't think it's the best idea from what I've seen by looking at the strings of fate, Star took both of our losses rather hard. Didn't you ever wonder why her cheek marks were broken and what that could've meant?"

Marco did wonder but he was on a timetable himself and didn't have time to find out when he found her. He was on the clock in a lot of ways at the time and time was running out. "Kinda but I'm not really in any position to help Star fix herself when I'm running on borrowed time Glossaryck."

The small god looked genuinely sad. "Yes, you're not doing well are you?"

Marco shrugged. "Shit happens man. I got dealt a hand of Aces and Eights."

"In poker that would be a dead man's hand, but in blackjack though, that would be a pair of nineteens provided you doubled down. So I guess it's all in how you look at it." Glossaryck said with a shrug.

Marco felt like the little blueberry of man was trying to tell him something with that analogy, but at the time, Marco didn't get it. "Yeah, I guess. You need anything else, man?"

"Nah we're cool." He held out his fist. "We are cool, right?"

Marco bumped fists with Glossaryck. "You know if you feel like it come visit me. We can clean up in Vegas one weekend or something."

Glossaryck smiled. "Now that sounds like a plan. Seeya around Courier Six."

"Later much Glossaryck of Terms, and dude, be nicer to your kids, seriously. You don't realize how important family is till their gone." Marco told him before walking back to Fido.

Glossaryck ran a hand through his beard. 'The boy is wiser than his years would suggest. I just hope he gets his act together soon. If the strings of fate weave together like I think they will, he is an integral thread in what is to come.' The imp looked to his created progeny. 'He may also have a point in other aspects too. I suppose it wouldn't kill me to be a little nicer… it's just… I've seen them all die or turn evil in so many different timelines through the eyes of other Glossaryck's." He focused his gaze on Hekapoo in particular. She was older than even himself due to her dimension's time dilation. There were versions of her that snapped due to loneliness and killed everyone they came across. The only ones who ever stayed sane were the ones who took up Marco Diaz's challenge to get dimensional scissors. That sixteen years of bonding with an individual grounded them gave them something they never had before.

A friend. One that showed them not all monsters are bad and not all humans are good. Some Hekapoos and Marco's became more than friends. He knew this Marco flirted with his daughter and she gave as good as she got, but would that be enough? Glossaryck didn't know, but he was optimistic as he watched his daughter and this Marco banter.

"So tin man am I ever gonna get your number? Like for real?" Hekapoo asked as she batted her amber eyes at him.

"I'd give it to ya, but I don't have a phone Red," Marco said feeling hopeless.

Hekapoo held up a finger. "I can fix that." She reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a fistful of gold. "Be right back." She stepped through a crimson portal. True to her word she came back five minutes later holding something small, palm-sized, square, and bound in black leather. "This," She told him, "Is a top of the line magic compact mirror which can call anyone in the multiverse. You just flip it open speak the name of the person you wanna talk to and wallah."

"Magic," Marco said distrustfully.

Hekapoo put her hands on her hips and glared. "Don't be like that, how do you think I made your scissors huh?"

"Marco sighed in annoyance. "I guess as long as it's not used on me it's fine. He took the black leather wallet like thing and flipped it open, it possessed two rectangular mirrors, inside with some buttons on the bottom. "Call Hekapoo, and save the number to contact list."

Seconds later the scissor crafter felt her dress ringing and she answered her own circular compact that was black with a flame job on it. "Yo. Save contact." She smiled at him, "See that wasn't so hard was it stud?"

"No darlin' it was damn near painless."

"Near painless?" Hekapoo asked as she quirked an eyebrow,

Marco nodded, "Yeah, now I'm down who knows how much gold."

The forge mistress snorted flames and shook her head. "Chillax with what little you lost, you got a decade zinthum crystal power core battery, and fifty thousand minutes a year with rollover."

"Wow… ok, no complaints."

Hekapoo nodded. "Reflectacorp does love their big spenders."

"Call Marco," Star spoke into her own red compact. "Huh, your number is 362436-530- 867-5309."

Marco smiled beneath his armor before he answered it. "Yes, Marco Esteban Tejeda speaking?"

Star rolled her eyes. "Save number."

"Save number." Marco echoed. Noticing the servants had finished their job, he gave both Star and Hekapoo a nod. "Well it's been a slice ladies, but I really should be going. But before I do what's with the first six numbers?"

"That," Hekapoo explained. "Would be the Earth dimension area code, combined with your new phone number."

"Ah cool," Marco nodded, coughing some more which caused his head to spin, making him stumble a bit. 'Must be time for my medicine.' He thought.

Star put a hand on him in concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, your highness, but I really need to be going," Marco said hurriedly before he cut open a portal to the Knights of the Post Office and motioned Fido through. "I'll seeya around."

Marco was hit by another round of coughs, doubling him over and causing his back to shake and chest to ache. He stood up once the pain passed and sent a soldier's salute to Moon and River, both of whom were looking at him with almost parental concern. 'Don't worry about me guys there's no point in it.' Marco thought as he straightened his back and walked through the portal.

When Marco arrived at the post office, he knew something was wrong as parcels and letters were flooding all the way out the front door. Jumping off his bike he dug through the veritable sea of mail looking for his new boss. "Iris?! Iris, where are you?! Gimmie a shout if you can hear me!"

"M'over 'ere 'arco!" He heard her muffled voice call from a corner of the room. Marco waded over and started digging. He quickly found the poor little monsterette and pulled her out from under yet another pile of boxes. Holding her up by the back of her collar, he asked. "You okay boss lady?"

"I'm much better now that I'm not buried under several pounds of packages. Thanks for doing that, again." Marco placed her on the counter so she could properly survey the scene. "Solaira, what a mess."

"Solaria. As in Solaria the monster Carver? She's a swear word?"

"To monsterkind, she is," Iris affirmed. "It's like saying shit, or something along those lines." Looking out at the small ocean of post Iris just shook her head. "What the hell caused this?"

"You mean you didn't get a sudden rush of customers?" Marco asked perplexed.

The Knight Commander of the Post shook her head. "I did not. One moment everything was fine, the next I'm getting flooded with mail. Iris picked up a random piece. I've never even heard of some of these places which for me, is unusual."

"Right, let's sort this crap so I can head home… Oh, speaking of, I know this is really bad timing, but I'm not going to be able to officially start work here for another week." Marco informed his boss.

"Ah, do you have affairs you need to get in order?" Iris seemed perfectly fine with that.

Marco took his helmet off, revealing his scarred visage to the monster girl. "You could say that. It's been about thirteen years since I've seen my family and I'd like to take some time to catch up with them if that's ok?"

Iris could tell just by looking at her new employee that he wasn't well, so she nodded. "Of course. Take all the time you need. In fact, you can get going I can handle this."

"No," Marco said simply but firmly. "I'm going to help with this… mess. Any idea what could've caused it?"

Iris shook her head. "No the only thing that comes to mind would be a massive release of energy into Mewni's atmosphere which would mess with magical ley line package transversal travel… in other words, packages from other dimensions ended up here by mistake." She dumbed it down in fear Marco didn't understand her words.

"Oh fuck!" Marco swore before he facepalmed.

"What?" Iris asked seeing him smack himself in the face.

Running his armored hand down his face, Marco replied, "This… might be my fault."

Iris blinked. "How?"

Marco explained how after he delivered the ransomgram he took a second job to rescue the queen, for a large sum of gold.

"That was insane, your insane," Iris said when she heard this.

"Hey, I'll have you know I pulled it off boss lady." He defended. "Which leads us to this," Marco motioned to the mess. "I kinda blew Ludo and his base sky high with a very potent bomb."

Iris pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "So when you say this is all your fault…"

"It's probably all my fault… that's why I'm gonna help you clean this up, as soon as I take my medication." Marco finished. His head had begun to swim as he spun his tale for his boss.

Iris had noticed the man swaying on his feet but chose not to say anything. "Yeah you go do that, I'll get started. The small woman plugged her nose and shouted "Bonzai!" Before she cannonballed into the mess of mail.

Marco went outside and got his tackle box out and took his usual dose of pills. He noticed it wasn't bringing as much relief as it usually did and checked his Pip-boy's rad counter. His eyes bulged out of their sockets when he saw the count 'Five hundred fucking rads?! When the fuck?! The nuke bomb,' he realized. 'But then shouldn't Star have been getting sick?' He thought before he shook his head, dismissing the thought. She only absorbed minor radiation she's probably fine. Me on the other hand….' "Fuck!" He swore.

"Is everything ok?" Iris called out in concern as she used a rake to sweep up the remaining bits of mail.

"Uh, the thing I used to blow up Ludo? It might've worsened my condition a little bit that's all." Marco told her honestly.

"Oh," Iris looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear that. Will you be alright?"

Marco shook her worries away as he stood up. "I'll be fine, let's get that mail put away." Marco walked back into the post office and just stood in the doorway, stunned. The place was immaculate. Like a tidal wave of mail had never hit it in the first place. Marco looked down at his diminutive boss who was rubbing her fingernails on her uniform and leaning against her rake.

"Damn, you work fast boss."

Iris glanced up at him and replied slyly over the rim of her cap. "I've been doing this job longer than you've been alive young blood."

Marco almost committed the taboo of asking a woman her age, but Marco hadn't had all of his commonsense knocked out of him by the wasteland and managed to catch himself before he got smacked in the face with a rake for his stupidity.

"You were about to ask me my age weren't cha?" Iris asked as she smirked.

"I was, but the important thing is, I didn't so don't hit me, please."

Iris just laughed. "I'm not gonna hit you. For the record though, I'm three-hundred and twenty-six years old."

"I… Wow, I would've pegged you for late twenty early thirties maybe."

Iris rung her tail between her hands. "Awe that's sweet of you! But in human terms, I'm about twenty-eight."

"So you age slower then?" Marco felt like he shouldn't be having this conversation with his boss but he couldn't help himself.

"My kind of monster does anyway. Some of us like septarians are very long-lived. Others age slowly, and some have very short childhoods but very long adulthoods take that frog guy who used to work for Ludo for example. Musclefrog I think his name was."

"I think it's Buffrog."

Iris snapped her fingers and pointed at him. "That's him, can't remember his name because he hardly gets any mail."

Marco tucked that piece of information away for later. "Right, speaking of that, Ludo didn't pay me for the ransomgram before I toasted him, so how much did he owe?"

"A ransomgram for the current queen no less goes for at least a hundred cob," Iris commented.

Marco reached into his saddlebag and counted out four times that amount. "Here, keep the change."

He watched in amusement as his boss's eyes widened. "I… Marco I can't accept this."

Marco covered his mouth as he coughed. "The hell you can't. Consider the extra my apology for all the mail we're going to have to mop up."

Iris looked at the gold some of which was falling from her arms, then she looked up to her new employee. "Okay, if you insist, but I was never mad at you. I like my job. It lets me travel around. I will admit it'll be nice to have more company around the place though."

"Same to you boss… oh, do you have a compact?" He asked taking out his and showing it to her.

"That's the Darkly N7! It's top of the line! Wow…" Iris' eyes gleamed in awe. She pulled out her own compact it looked old worn and well used. She flipped it open showing the mirror was cracked. "I'm still using a Snow White V1 haven't had the time or money to get it replaced."

"Well you have Sundays off and I just handed you plenty of cash, so why don't you do that?" Marco questioned.

"You know, I think I will do that. Thank you for everything you've done today Marco I really appreciate it."

"Before I go, could you give me a brief rundown on Mewni's currency system to me? Assuming there are more than golden cobs of course?"

Iris nodded. "Of course there is. There are also silver kernels and bronze husks. A hundred of each leads to one of the next denomination."

'Of course, it's all corn related.' Marco thought to himself with a smile. "I see thanks. So if I said I had around forty-thousand cobs in my saddlebag right now?"

"I'd say your rich and shouldn't even bother working for me," Iris told him honestly, her eyes the size of saucers.

Marco shook his head and placed his helmet on his head. Hopping on his bike. "Nah, I need to stay active or my… illness will catch up to me sooner rather than later. So anyway I'll seeya in a week boss." He said as he road off.

Bye Marco, stay safe." Iris waved. 'Such a nice boy, I hope he'll be ok.' she thought to herself.

There was an audible bang as Marco was ejected from the wormhole portal created by Fido. He looked around and found himself on what could only be Echo Creek. He'd seen it enough in his dreams to recognize it. 'Let's see just to be sure, if I take a left here then the school should be right in front of me.' Marco did just that and sure enough, there was his old stomping ground. It hadn't changed much in the time he'd been gone. Marco slowly cruised through his old neighborhood taking in the sights and taking a trip down memory lane with every building he passed, most of them had something to do with Star. 'C'mon Diaz you kept her in the dark for a reason, quit thinking about her.' He chastised himself.

Sooner rather than later, Marco found himself stopped in front of his home. The two turrets certainly made the Diaz residence stand out. Marco just sat on Fido and stared at his home for a long moment. It was almost impossible for him to believe that, after all this time, he was finally home. Swinging his leg over the side of the bike he gathered his bags and made his way towards the front door. Putting his bags down at his feet, Marco removed his helmet, stowing it under his shoulder before he knocked on the door.

The sound of hurried footsteps was heard and moments later, Marco's mother answered the door. She just stood there staring at him as if she'd seen a ghost. Marco offered her the best smile he could. "Hi mom, I'm home."

Angie broke out in tears, smiling moments before she wrapped her arms around her long lost son. "Welcome home mijo, welcome home."

Meanwhile, a certain mad scientist and robot found themselves in what could only be described as an enchanted forest. "Doctor, where are we?" Yes, Man asked. "Not that it really matters to me, I'm sure this is a great place!"

"We seem to have ended up in a gasp! Magical dimension! How unscientific! Or my name isn't Doctor Mobius… and it is… I think." The elderly robot brain said himself as he looked around the enchanted forest.

"Sir, my sensors are picking up strange radio waves, I thought you might like to know. I'm sorry if that wasn't the case." Yes man apologized.

"Radio waves?! Where there are radio waves, there is science! So says Dr. Mobius! Come Yes Man, let us investigate this new world we find ourselves in."

"Okay, I'd do it even if I didn't want to because I was programmed to not have a choice, unfortunately." The robot replied in a chipper tone as he followed after the scientist.

With that, the two machines delved deeper into the unknown as their companions were getting reacquainted with friends in family in yet another dimension.

Word Count: 29,760 Number of Pages: 69 Date Completed: 10/4/2019.

AN: Hello loyal readers one and all, and welcome to the intro chap of Mewni's New Courier. As I'm sure you've all noticed, this is a darker story than my usual fare, but I hope that won't turn people off it. If anything I hope that this story will bring in the more mature crowd. For this is more than just a story of adventure and magic, it just like Fallout and Star vs, is an adventure into the human condition and what makes a man and a monster. I do hope you'll all enjoy the rollercoaster ride with me.

In IRL news I need my patrons more than ever. Why? Well my mother who is a travel nurse in California at the moment broke her foot. To add insult to her very real injury, the crappy apartment she was renting came with a 'smart TV' but no working internet. Now I did what any boy would do in my position, I took a majority of my savings and told my mom to rent herself a different, much better apartment. Which is happening right now. However, that leaves me in a bit of a bind. Not that I regret doing this at all of course, this is my mom after all, but now, now ya'lls donations mean more to me than ever before, and they already meant the world to me.

Now, over to IcySnowSage my Friendly Neighborhood Beta…!

Hey guys I have to say fallout is not my comfort zone but with Bubba you just cannot say no when he has a great Idea. So here is Mewni's New Courier. Now this is going to get dirty, violent and immoral. Luckily Marco will kill most who do that so good for everyone else. I have to say next to wandering warrior this the second story I have had the most freedom with and I am proud with the ideas we came up with. I hope you all enjoy and please if able donate to help Bubba right I myself already made a donation to. Us bros got help each other out.

Now in closing there are going to be other things crossed over with this fic, and all I'm going to say is, it's all going to have a… post-apocalyptic or Armageddon-esque theme to them. That should about cover it. This has been a Bubbajack and IcySnowSage Production, thanks for reading everyone! Till next time! Peace!

Watch out for this BADASS MAILMAN!