A/N- What? Amethyst is doing a story that's not Pokémon?

Well, I've always liked the M&L RPG series, and I just bought Dream Team for $20. $20! Needless to say, I kinda fell in love with this pairing.

My chaptered stories are getting there guys, don't lose hope!

Disclaimer: Why does every story I write turn into a super-serious love story?

Now. Shall we begin?

It's Worth It

Prince Dreambert of the Pi'illo Kingdom sat in his guest chambers at Peach's Castle, twiddling his small fingers in a combination of boredom and anxiety.It had already been twenty five years since the debacle involving the Mario Bros. and Antasma, and life on Pi'illo Island had returned to normal; or at least, as normal as it could get with its ancient 9,000-year-old inhabitants being awoken all at once. Dreambert, in his own opinion, had done a fairly decent job of keeping his Kingdom under control. However, the Council that had been formed to advise him and balance his power wasn't quite as enthused by the Prince's efforts. Their concerns, as Dreambert had quickly come to realize, were much more focused on the Pi'illo Kingdom's image rather than how it functioned. As such, the Council felt the need to poke its nose into his private life and try to create the perfect public image.

One recurring issue was that there was no queen to rule beside Dreambert. Per Pi'illo law, Dreambert could never be ceremonially dubbed 'King' without a bride, and the Council had been pressuring the young prince to find a woman to marry for the better part of two years. Dreambert had always found that slightly ironic; if he did end up marrying and becoming King, then he'd have the power to disband the Council and keep them out of his private life for good. I suppose that reason's as good as any other to marry, thought the Prince with a self-satisfied smile.

Unfortunately for the Council, all the suitors (A/N; is that the right word, or is it different for women? I have no clue, so I'mma just stick with "suitors" for now) that they'd sent his way had been swiftly rejected by the Prince. Dreambert wasn't a stuffy royal; he wasn't trying to show defiance just because he had the power to do so. However, one thing he was doing was keeping firm in his belief that, even when royalty was involved, marriage should be a bond made from love, not from a publicity play. And so, with every new maiden came a new refusal, and the Council would huff in annoyance before finding some other poor girl to "offer" him. (Dreambert personally hated how the Council phrased that).

Salvation had come for the Council in the form of an olive branch from the Mushroom Kingdom. Queen Peach and her husband, none other than Mario himself, had given birth to a girl of their own; Princess Berry. Now twenty-one years of age, the Mushroom Kingdom's advisors had requested that the young girl find a husband. When the Pi'illo Council had heard of the news, they immediately proposed a wedding between Berry and Dreambert, to make a formal alliance between the two Kingdoms. Dreambert had tried to remind the Council that the Kingdom's already had and alliance, one that had been formed 25 years prior, after Antasma's defeat. Alas, the Council had refused to listen to their Prince, and a few days later Dreambert found himself sitting alone in a Mushroom bedchamber, waiting to be married to a woman he'd never even met.

A knock sounded at Dreambert's closed door, respectful and short. The Prince sighed to himself and flopped onto his bed, closing his eyes dejectedly. "Please go away," he said as politely as he could to whomever was outside his door. "I do not wish to be disturbed." There was a brief moment of silence, after which Dreambert let out a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he'd been holding. I suppose I had been worried that the one who was knocking was—.

POW!

Prince Dreambert's door flew open suddenly, and the Pi'illo inside snapped up from the position he'd been laying in. Floating in the doorway was a face the he knew all too well; it was exactly the person he hadn't wanted to see, as it happened.

"HELLO YELLO!"

Starlow.

Dreambert heaved a dramatic sigh at the Star Sprite. "Greetings, Starlow," he said. "Did I not say that I wished to be alone?" Starlow rolled her large eyes before locking eyes with the Prince as a smirk crossed her yellow countenance. How he'd missed that smirk in the years he'd been away.

"Yes, you did," she said dismissively, as if Dreambert's comment was irrelevant. "But then again, once I did bust down your door, you still said hi to me, so I knew that was a load of hooski dung." Dreambert couldn't help the chuckle that came from his mouth. Starlow's attitude seemed to have that effect on him. After suffering day after day of stuffy formal preparations, Starlow's brazenness was a refreshing change of pace.

"You've got me," Dreambert said jestingly, raising an eyebrow at the Sprite across from him. "It was all part of my master plan to avoid you at all costs." Even though Starlow chuckled at his comment, Dreambert could see the somberness in her eyes; she knew that his statement held some truth to it. They really couldn't afford to be seen together, not so close to a wedding. Dreambert had a responsibility to his people, and that responsibility entailed that he go through with this political wedding. And yet, there still was a part of him… a part that only wanted to run away from all his duties, maybe with Starlow at his side… Dreambert shook his head. My people must come before I do. Always.

"Your master plan is going pretty well, then," Starlow added dryly, trying to inject some light into the serious tone that had befallen their conversation. "A wedding? Surefire way to keep unwanted girls out of your hair." Dreambert chuckled and shook his head, appreciating her sarcasm. Despite that, Dreambert gave a serious response.

"Starlow, you know all this is political. If I had my way I'd never—."

"If you had your way?" Starlow scoffed and rolled her eyes. If she'd had hands, Dreambert could easily imagine her crossing them. "Dreambert, you're the Prince, for Kingdom's sake. You can have your way, and you know it." The Prince in question opened his mouth to respond, but Starlow shook her head adamantly.

"Don't, Dreambert," she said with a hardened voice. "We've known each other for too long to get into this argument again. I know that 'your people must come first' and 'I have no control over this', but come on, Dreambert. You don't fool me." Starlow huffed in an annoyed fashion, averting her eyes and turning away to keep the Prince in the corner of her vision. After a moment of tense silence between the two, Starlow sighed and closed her eyes, her black lashes fluttering closed as well.

"You're still scared, aren't you?" Despite his typically calm demeanor, Dreambert took offence to Starlow's accusation.

"Last time I checked," the prince said casually, as if absentmindedly glancing at a clock on the far wall, "I wasn't the only one who was hesitant." Starlow took equal offence to the Pi'illo's rebuttal, and the star atop her head flashed the way it did when she was annoyed or angry.

"Oh, I'm the one who's hesitant?" asked the Star Sprite with heat in her words. "Remind me who gave you your first kiss, why don't you?" Dreambert flinched, but he refused to back down; he even refused to acknowledge that Starlow, in fact, had stolen the kiss she spoke of. It was all the Prince could do to not remember the wonderful memory, one he'd treasured for a long while.

"And who created the position of 'Star Sprite Ambassador' just so you could have an excuse to come see me on a frequent basis?" Dreambert said angrily, his voice rising slightly. He lifted his plush body off of the bed and crossed his thin arms over his chest defiantly. As he'd expected, Starlow flinched just as he had, because Dreambert had been the one who created the unneeded position just so they could see each other more often.

"So why do you keep yourself imprisoned, Dreambert?" Starlow said desperately, her voice wavering the slightest bit, her anger fading and being replaced by sadness.

"I'm not imprisoned by any means, Starlow," Dreambert said stoically, hoping that the Sprite wouldn't call his bluff. Unfortunately, his response was met with a scoff and an eyeroll.

"Don't give me that crap, Dreambert," she said crossly, her eyes narrowing at the Pi'illo before her. "I can see the heaviness in your eyes. The way your shoulders sag when you think no one's looking. The small sighs you give whenever there's another worthless problem that's brought to your attention. You hate being a Prince, and you know it." Dreambert kept his face neutral, but he knew that his eyes could convey his true feelings; that Starlow was completely right. The Prince did hate his duties, having to deal with the frivolous problems of others with no regard to his own. Reluctantly, Dreambert lifted his eyes to meet Starlow's stare again.

"And what if I do wish I wasn't a prince?" muttered the Pi'illo quietly, almost to himself. "Even if I wanted to avoid my responsibilities, I could not abandon my people." Starlow's expression dimmed even further, and Dreambert felt his heart clench in his chest and his lungs freeze in place. I've never been able to stand seeing her sad.

"But why?" Starlow asked sadly, her voice sounding like it was on the verge of breaking. "I-I could help you get away, Dreambert, I c-could—."

"It's not that simple." Dreambert cut off Starlow's desperate rambles, shaking his head solemnly. "I am descended from the purest of Pi'illo bloodlines. There is a Pi'illo legend that says that the royal bloodline has a special ability; our dreams are visions of the future." Starlow was left open-mouthed at Dreambert's admission. If the situation was not so serious, he would have smiled at the Sprite's adorable expression of shock.

"Yes, it's true," Dreambert said as if answering a silent question of Starlow's. "My dreams tell the future of my Kingdom, and that is really why I cannot go. Eldream told me of this quite a while ago, but I didn't believe him until I had my first one. I can predict every major calamity that would strike ou Kingdom, and we could prepare. My people need me, Starlow, much more than any of them actually know." Starlow seemed to recover from her bout of shock, although her voice remained quiet.

"Did…" The Star Sprite gulped a little bit before continuing. "D-did you know that you would—?"

"Be forced to marry for the Kingdom?" Dreambert completed, and Starlow could only nod. "Yes, I knew that it was inevitable." Starlow closed her eyes tightly, as if trying to make the world disappear from all around her. Dreambert wasn't sure if he imagined it or not, but he was quite certain that he saw a shimmering tear bead at one of her eyes, hover there for a second, then fall to the ground with a barely audible plink. Starlow took in a shaky breath and when she opened her eyes, they were shining with sadness and anger at the same time.

"Then why in the world would you get to know me?" Starlow shouted, her voice breaking slightly despite the surge of passionate anger that ran through it. "When you knew what pain it would cause us both? Why… why would you let us fall for each other?" Dreambert reached out slowly with his arms, silently asking Starlow to come to him. After a flicker of doubt passed her distraught face, the Star Sprite conceded and allowed herself to be draw into a warm embrace by the Pi'illo Prince. Dreambert felt his heart stop for a moment, and he felt some wetness begin to rise in his own eyes. It had been so long since he'd held her like this…

"I knew it would be worth it," Dreambert whispered gently to the quivering Star that he held in his arms, feeling a chill run through his body with every shuddering breath that spilled from Starlow's mouth across his chest. He tilted his head down at her to find that she was staring right back up at his, eyes shining with sorrow and confusion. Their heads were achingly close to each other…

"I've seen this, too," Dreambert said to her, lifting his head again to his chin rested gently on Starlow's head, mindful of her star. "And I knew that no matter how painful it would get, no matter how much it would hurt when this moment came, I knew that loving you was worth all of it." Starlow broke down completely at this, her boyish persona crumbling into heartbreak as she sobbed in Dreambert's arms. Although he wasn't proud of it, he felt a few tears of his own spill down his cheeks. After a few moments more of quiet sobbing, Starlow sniffled and spoke up.

"Th-thank you, Dreambert," she whispered quietly, and with their proximity Dreambert could feel the smile that spread across her face. "I-I'm glad that you let us f-fall for each other… I-I would never give it up. F-for anything." The Pi'illo Prince smiled dully and looked down at Starlow, who quickly captured his lips in a soft kiss. Dreambert felt his heart seize up just like it did every time the Sprite kissed him, and he wasted no time in gently kissing back. It wasn't passionate or rough or fiery like one might expect. It was calm and bittersweet, something that they both knew couldn't last forever… and yet neither of them seemed to care. Starlow and Dreambert shared of moment of completeness, bound together in heart, soul, and body for just the briefest of moments as they kissed.

It was worth the pain, and they both believed that with all their hearts.

Slowly, the two lovers pulled away from each other, taking a moment to do nothing but gaze into the other's eyes. Dreambert felt a swell of emotion roll over him, wishing for all the world that he could run away with Starlow… but he knew that he never could. They would always be reduced to secret meetings like this, and with the upcoming wedding, such alone time would be much scarcer. But Dreambert didn't care. No matter how short each meeting would be, simply having Starlow be there would always be enough. Dreambert sighed in both content and sorrow, and he once again rested his chin atop Starlow's head.

Never mind that we can never be officially wed, thought the Prince as he held the Sprite. Never mind that our love must be kept a secret for it to continue. Never mind that in every moment we're separated, we'll feel unimaginable loss and yearning. It's worth it.

"I love you, Dreambert." Starlow's gentle voice brought the Pi'illo from his thoughts, and he felt the Star Sprite pull against his arms so that they could hover in front of each other. Dreambert allowed her to be free from his embrace, but he tried to savor the moment of warmth for just a while longer, squeezing her gently before relenting to her nonverbal request. Starlow smirked at the Prince some of her boyishness returning.

"What, are you not gonna say it back?" she asked mockingly, winking on of her gorgeous eyes at him as she did so. Dreambert allowed a smirk of his own to cross his face, and he turned his head away with false airiness.

"Oh, I can't do that," Dreambert said tauntingly, his tone imploring Starlow to ask why. Said Star narrowed her eyes playfully.

"And why's that?"

"My moral code prevents me from professing love to ladies in the nude." Starlow squealed in annoyance and lightly kicked Dreambert in head as he chuckled to himself.

"I'm wearing shoes, you moron!" Starlow said indignantly, a smile visible on her face and audible in her voice. "I thought we established that I wasn't naked when we first met!" Dreambert's laughed deepened as he recalled their first meeting; it had been quite disastrous.

"How could I forget? If I remember correctly you—."

"Prince Dreeaaaaaamberrrrrrt!"

The Prince and Starlow both stopped laughing at hearing another distant voice from down the hall. Unfortunately, Dreambert recognized it, and his smile evaporated in a flash.

"It's Princess Berry," Dreambert said solemnly, meeting Starlow's eyes as she came to the same conclusion. "You'd better leave before she sees you and gets suspicious." Starlow nodded and hovered towards the door, but hesitated just as she was about to leave. The Star Sprite took a moment to turn back and face Dreambert, a tiny smirk on her face and bittersweet happiness in her eyes.

"I don't want to leave." Dreambert felt his heart almost break at hearing Starlow's morose tone, but it was all the Prince could do to smile back at her with all the joy he could muster.

"You must," said Dreambert. "I will see you again." Starlow's eyes shined with new tears, and she suddenly flung herself towards the Prince and stole another kiss from him, this one full of desperation and longing. He savored her touch as long as he could, knowing that they should stop for fear of being discovered but not being able to. Dreambert closed his eyes and tried to engrain everything about Starlow into his mind: her lips, her voice, her smile, her eyes. Just as they broke apart the Princess walked through the door…

/-\-/-\-/-\

"HEY!"

Dreambert jumped in his seat, disoriented for the briefest of seconds. It took him a moment to realize that he was not in the Mushroom Kingdom with some Star Sprite he'd yet to meet. Instead, he was lying in the same place he'd fallen asleep in; his chair at the head of the Council back on Pi'illo Island. Was that… all a dream? he wondered to himself. It felt so real… I've never had a dream like that before.

"Hello? Yello? Anyone home?"

Dreambert's eyes focused on the person in front of him who'd given him the rather rude awakening. his eyes nearly popped out of his head when he realized it was the Sprite from his dream; the one he'd called Starlow. Her eyes rolled in exasperation and she huffed at the Prince's lack of a response.

"You're Prince Dreambert, right?" Still in shock, the Pi'illo could do nothing but nod in response. "Good. I'm Starlow, the Star Sprite's representative. Do you know where I could find—."

"You're naked."

Dreambert didn't know why the words had slipped out of his mouth; it was almost as if he had been compelled to say it. Just like what happened in the dream… our first meeting… While Dreambert was trying to piece together reality, Starlow was very busy getting offended by his comment.

"Excuse me!" she sputtered in disbelieving rage. "I'm not naked! I'm wearing shoes, I'll have you know!" Dreambert couldn't help the small smile that twitched its way onto his face as he came to a realization. So Eldream was right, Dreambert thought. I can see the future in my dreams. Which means…

Dreambert glanced up to meet Starlow's eyes. They blazed in anger, still indignant at his naked comment, but Dreambert could see a softness to them. He could tell that, however insulted she may have been, she admired the way that Dreambert had candidly told her what was on his mind. She had already taken a liking to him, and they hardly knew each other's names.

Dreambert felt his mouth tingle, a residual warmth from the kiss of his dreams playing across his lips, and the Prince smiled at the Star Sprite.

"I think I have a job opening for you, if you're interested."