Heya all! I'm updating quickly, aren't I? :P

Anyways, I can never improvise long notes sooooooo...

Roll on chapter three!!!

Starlow screamed out. This was torture! A sob hitched in her throat as the pain slowly built up, eating away at her, at her very will to live. I should've realized it was gonna be painful, she thought shakily. She felt her molecular make-up changing, elongating, stretching. She whimpered as she watched her foot elongate, then slowly turn into a leg. The other foot followed soon after. She lashed out at the door with half formed hands, cracking the door but not breaking it. She had to get out. She lashed out again. Again. Again. A blood smear was left on the door on her fourth attempt, and she sucked her knuckle clear of blood. She wound up for another shot...

Peach was worried, and winced as the bangings continued.

"She sounds like she's being tortured," she said, turning white as another high pitched scream emitted from the tube.

"Don't worry," Gadd said soothingly. "It's just her molecular make-up changing. Of course it was going to be painful..."

Peach just glared at him.

Starlow was now curled up in the foetal position. She sobbed freely, allowing the pain to consume her. She saw blackness encroaching her vision, and she willed herself to black out. But it stayed there, teasing her with the thought of freedom. She growled, allowing her hatred for this teasing to be let out.

"GODDAMIT!" she yelled. "Just...please...make it...sto...stop..." she ended on a whimper. Peach turned, if possible, even more pale at this exclamation.

"We gotta help her!" she yelled frantically at the professor. The professor just shook his head sadly and blocked the OFF switch.

"P...Peach? Is that...you? Please..." another cry of pain. "Make...it...sto...sto...stop..."

Tears were flowing freely down the princess's face now, and she ached for her friend. "I'm sorry, Starlow!" she cried. "I can't stop it! You'll end up as a deformed monstrosity!"

"O-of course..." the whimper came back. Then the loudest scream yet.

"STARLOW!" Peach yelled, rushing at the door. She pressed her face right up against it, just as Starlow blacked out gratefully...

"Hel...infir...quick!" voices murmured around her. Starlow barely felt it as they poked and prodded her, probing every section of her. She was too relieved to be embarassed; right now, all she wanted to do was forget the ordeal she had just been through...

Some time later, she stirred and woke up. She looked around from under the crisp, white sheet she was under. Her pillow was blue and she was sitting on a plush mattress. She noticed the walls were blue and a door, with the words Personnel Only.

"She's awake!" someone cried, only to be hushed into silence. Starlow started to sit up, but someone said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you..."

"Why wouldn't I?" she croaked, grateful to at least have a voice. There was some nervous coughing, and the voice continued; "It's just...we couldn't...um...find any clothing for you..."

Starlow blinked.

"Oh. So you mean..."

"Yeah..."

She sat up anyway, careful to protect her modesty with the blanket. She looked around. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Gadd were at the foot of the bed. She smiled at them, and they visibly relaxed.

"Are...are you OK, Starlow?" Gadd asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I am. Did it work?!" Starlow asked excitedly, her voice getting stronger.

"See for yourself," Peach beamed. Starlow, after glancing at each face in turn, flung the sheets off of herself. Everyone 'ahem-d' and 'excuse me-d', turning around. Starlow gazed down herself.

"Wow..." she whispered. "Not bad,"

She was (from what she could see) roughly the same height as Peach. She had long, slender legs and straight golden hair. She checked her hands, turning them this way and that. They were fine too, albeit a bit on the small side. She (cheeks going red even though no one was watching) checked her breasts, and gasped softly when she touched them. They were just the right size; not overly big, but not so small that she basically didn't have any. She covered herself back up.

"You can turn back round now,"

They all did so, and were at once clamouring at her bedside.

"Do you like it?"

"How does it feel?"

"Do you have any second thoughts?"

Starlow smiled at them all. "It's...amazing. Being human is definitely nice..." she faltered, a thought occuring to her. Concentrating, she lifted her hand up and pointed it at the curtains. She sought the power she had grown so accustomed to...

A slight breeze ruffled the curtains.

Pleased with that, but wanting to make sure it wasn't just the wind, she focused on her bedside lamp...

SMASH! It hit the opposite wall and disintegrated into its components.

"Oops..." she whispered, cheeks going red with embarasment.

"It seems you kept your power, then," Luigi said, relieved. Starlow nodded.

"Can someone please get me a dressing gown or something? I wanna try something..."

After changing into the dressing gown (which was white - why is everything white and blue here? Starlow thought bemusedly - with blue stripes) she concentrated on her star power once more...

She gasped in delight as she floated an inch or so above the bed. She willed herself to go higher, and imediately did so. Laughing, she righted herself and zoomed round the room. Round and round and round until the inevitable happened...

"OW!"

She smacked headlong into a wall and slid down it, groaning. Everyone rushed to her side, asking if she was alright, but she brushed them off, laughing.

"I'm fine! I'm fine..."

So! Starlow's a human! I wonder what she will be able to do that she couldn't do before...in actual fact, that's a pretty obvious question. What any other human could do...:P