Star and Marco were walking home from school when it happened: a ripping sound behind them and a stream of bright light told them a portal was being cut with dimensional scissors. They looked at each other, bored.

"Ludo," Star sighed, and Marco nodded. It looked like their usual daily routine.

Marco turned around first, and he didn't even get a chance to see who was stepping out before the bullets of pure, screaming white light burst forth and hit him full in the face. He yelled and fell to the ground.

"Marco!" Star yelped, covering her eyes before turning. By the time she was facing the newcomer, the light had died down and she could see through her lashes a tall figure stepping out of the portal. Reptilian. Tailed.

Toffee.

"You!" Screetched Star.

"Me," smiled Toffee coldly. "I have come to-"

She didn't even hesitate. Raising her wand, anger bubbling under skin and pure hatred giving her spell much more power, she  cast the Warnicorn Stampede spell. They stormed towards Toffee, who was knocked backwards before he had the chance to say another word, and fell right back through his portal. Star sprinted over and sealed the rip. Toffee was gone.

She then moved back towards Marco.

He was lying on the grass on his back with his hands over his face.

"Marco! Oh my god, Marco, are you okay?" Star dropped to her knees and helped Marco sit up, putting her hand on his back and rubbing it gently.

"Star?" Marco moaned, his hands over his face. "What happened?" He was shaking and his voice was uneven.

"It was Toffee," said Star, worried. "Don't worry; he's gone- but are you okay?"

Marco slowly lifted a trembling hand from his eyes.

"That light..." He murmered. "It was so..." He suddenly took in a sharp gasp of air. "Star?" He said, and she could hear him starting to panic. "Star? Star, where are you?"

"I'm right here, Marco," she said, grabbing his hand and patting his back. "I'm right here. What's wrong?"

"Star," Marco moaned. His voice was laced with panic and fear. "I can't see anything."

Marco finally lifted both hands from his eyes. Star dropped his hand and clapped it over her mouth.

Marco's irises were no longer their usual deep, rich brown. They were milky grey.

He was blind.

"Oh... Marco," she breathed,  tears prickling in her eyes. It felt as though her heart was shattering into tiny ice-like shards. Her stomach had dropped right out.

"Star?" Marco said. His voice broke even on this one syllable word. It cracked right in two with sheer fear.

"Marco, I'm so sorry," Star whispered, pulling him into a hug which he didn't return.

"No..." He muttered. "No, no, nononononono... I... I'm not..."

He pulled away from her and tried to look in her face, but his eyed rested a way to the left.

"I'm blind, aren't I, Star?" He said plainly.

Star nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her, and burst into tears.

"Y-yes," she stammered, sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh... Marco, what are we going to-"

"Get me home," Marco told her, ever sensible. "My parents will know what to do."

Star gave an almighty sniff- if Marco could remain calm, it was the least she could do to was try to do the same.

"Yes, okay," she said, getting to her feet. "Yes. Come on." And she lent down and grasped Marco's hands in hers, pulling him to his feet. He was still shaking and he held onto Star uncomfortably tight.

"Help me," he murmured, and Star rapped an arm around his waist, holding his hand with her other one. They set off slowly and uneasily. Their bodies were pressed up close against each other and they moved unsteadily.

Luckily they weren't far from Marco's house. When they reached the door, Star went to release Marco so that she could open it, but he asked frantically,

"Star? Where are you? Please don't let go-"

Something deep inside Star's heart snapped when she heard the pure terror in her best friend's voice.

"It's okay, Marco," Star reassured him, grabbing his hand again and trying not to cry. "I'm right here. We're home now, and I'm just going to go in and quickly explain to your parents... Is that okay?"

"...Okay," Marco said, sounding fearful.

"I'll be right back," Star said soothingly, slowly letting go of Marco's hand.

She entered the house.

"Mr and Mrs Diaz?" She called, and they came in from the kitchen, smiling broadly.

"Star!" Mr Diaz welcomed happily. "How was school?"

"Isn't Marco with you?" Mrs Diaz asked.

"That's the thing..." Star said, dreading what was coming. "Something happened... On the way home from school. To Marco."

"Is he okay?" Mrs Dias asked.

"Well... Not exactly," Star faltered, tears in her eyed again.

"Star, what happened?" Mr Diaz asked urgently.

"He... A portal opened, and it was really, really bright... It hit him full in the face and he ...he can't see."

Mrs Diaz gasped.

"Where is he?" Mr Diaz asked quietly.

"Just outside," Star whispered, looking at the floor.

She ran outside before they could saw another word, seeing Marco standing stock still, staring around.

"Marco," she said, making him jump violently. "It's me, Star. Come inside. Your parents need to see you."

"Okay," Marco said nervously, taking Star's hand and letting her lead him over the threshold.

"Marco, my boy," Mr Diaz cried, rushing over to his son. Marco stared up, trying to gadge where his father was and giving his uncertain reply-

"D... Dad? Is that you?"

Mr Diaz sobbed and pulled Marco into a hug which Marco returned, now crying into his father's shoulder. His mother looked heartbroken. She waited until his father released him, then pulled him over to her.

"Mum?" He asked, closing his eyes.

"Yes, yes, I'm here, I'm here baby, it's okay," she sobbed, embracing him. "Everything's going to be okay."

Star kept her eyes on the floor, an intruder on the family grief.

Once they were all sat around the table, Marco explained everything and Mrs Diaz called the hospital at once. Star and Mr Diaz held one of Marco's hands each. He was still shaking.

They sat in silence on the way to the hospital.

Hours later, Star was sat beside Marco in the hospital bed. His eyes were stiffly bandaged and his parents were talking to the doctor in hushed voices at the end of the ward.

Star looked down at her friend sadly.

"Marco?" She said.

"Yeah?"

"I... I just wanted to say, I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"I- I don't know, I just thought- maybe if I had been faster- there might have been something I could do-"

"Shut up, Star. This had nothing to do with you."

She knew he was upset and in pain, but that still hurt.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I mean, it wasn't your fault. You've got nothing to apologise for."

"Okay."

Pause.

"Marco?"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever happens, you know I'll be here the whole time, right?"

"What?"

"It... It's not going to be easy. You're going to have to do a lot to adjust to this... And any help you need, I'll be there."

Marco smiled.

"Thank you, Star."

She placed her hand on his.

She felt him jump slightly but quickly relax into her touch.

"It's going to be okay."

But they both knew how difficult it was going to be, and it was hard not to feel helpless. They had heard the doctor's report.

Only one thing registered any of them.

It was permanent.

Six months later

Marco and Star said goodbye on the road outside the house. Star boarded the school bus and Marco gripped the lead on his guide dog Nachos a little tighter as he got into the car.

Today he was going to a brail-reading class, and his stomach couldn't decide which emotion was stronger: excitement or nervousness. Either way, Marco knew that things from now on could only get better.

(Or they could stay the same...

Or get worse.)