Chapter 3 Solar

Rosalina's breath was caught in the middle of her throat. The nebula around her and the thoughts running through her were still, quiet, and peaceful. As was the baby who was now in her arms.

The child looked human for the most part, but there were some unique qualities about him apart. His skin was a glittering, milky white; the same color as the moon. His hair, what little hair he had, had the same glittering quality as his skin. However, instead of being white, it was golden, like the wispy strands had been sheared off of the sun. That is, with the exception of a streak of purple that dominated the child's right side. The baby's irises were a flaming red, and his pupils, an icy blue.

"Oh my goodness," Rosalina finally said.

The baby blinked. He opened and closed his mouth, seemingly fascinated by the fact that he possessed a tongue. Rosalina brushed her hand against his cheek. It was softer than starlight.

"Where...how...why...?"

Rosalina struggled to find the right words, but nothing came. Nothing she said could properly do her feelings any justice.

"Rosalina!"

"Mama!"

Rosalina turned. She saw Polari and the rest of the lumas, approaching her at breakneck speeds. Most of the little ones were squealing, their eyes as bright as a supernova. They crowded around her and began to talk in a chirpy fashion.

"We didn't find any other lumas!"

"We did find more star bits though!"

"This comet heap is actually really pretty!"

The noise the lumas were making grew louder. Rosalina, still at a loss for words, struggled to get her mouth to open.

"Uh...um..."

Thankfully, it appeared that she didn't need to voice her thoughts, as the baby let out a cry. It wasn't loud, but the lumas surrounding her took immediate notice. They all fell silent. That got the baby to stop crying and lean against Rosalina's chest. He closed his eyes, and his breath slowed to a steady pace. Rosalina smiled just as Polari approached her through the crowd of lumas.

"What in the world?" he said out loud. His sky blue eyes stared at the child. "Rose, is that...?"

Rosalina still couldn't get her mouth to open, so she nodded. She could feel the baby's little heartbeat pitter patter against her body.

"How the star bits did a baby end up in the heap?" Polari asked.

"I...I don't know,' Rosalina finally managed to say. The lumas didn't recognize the oddity or the gravity of the situation. They crowded in closer to the child.

"It's so cute!"

"His finger look like sausages!"

"Where's his mama?"

That was one of the first things that Rosalina had been thinking. Where was this child's mother? Logically, the boy had to have one. However, the more that Rosalina thought about it, the more confused she became. How could a human woman travel far enough into space to abandon her child in a cosmic heap? What kind of human would be able to produce a child with the kind of physical characteristics that this baby had? For that matter, how was this child able to breathe?

"Alright alright, move out of the way, everyone!" Polari shouted. He narrowed his eyes at the crowd, pushing against them so that he could get closer to Rose and the baby. "Why don't you go back to the Observatory before I decide to ground you?"

The lumas' heads drooped as they groaned. Fortunately, they did obey Polari's command and sullenly floated back to the Observatory. Once they were gone, Polari looked down at the baby resting in the arms of his mistress.

"That is the strangest looking human I have ever seen," Polari said.

Rosalina nodded. "He does look rather strange."

Polari directed his eyes toward her. "Did you just find him here?" When Rose nodded, Polari's brow furrowed. "H...how? How is that even remotely possible?"

Rosalina sighed. "I'm not sure." She held the baby in her arms and stared down at him. He looked so peaceful swaddled in the blanket, a stark contrast to the confusion of both her and Polari. She smiled. "He is beautiful, though."

"That's beside the point!" Polari exclaimed. "We need to find out who this child is, who his parents are, and why he was found in the middle of this collision!" He directed his drooping eyes down toward the child. "Preferably as soon as possible."

Rosalina nodded. "Yes. Yes, you're right."

...

Back at the Observatory, Rosalina waved her wand up toward the sky. She chanted and old incantation, an incantation that she never imagined herself using again. It was designed to show her a projected image of who had the audacity to abandon their child in the depths of space. She closed her eyes, focusing on the mental image of the baby. She smiled a little as sparkles shot out of her wand.

Rosalina opened her eyes. The sparkles were changing color and changing shape. She squinted, for it did not appear like the images being formed were that of any human. The sparkles turned yellow, red, purple, blue, and white. They formed into projections of the comets sailing across the skies and finally colliding. Rosalina blinked as the sparkles left in the wake of the artificial collision rained down on her. Polari, who was holding the child, was just as confused.

"What?" he said. "I don't get it. That spell was meant to reveal the origins of the baby! How could the comets colliding show the baby's origins?"

Rosalina nodded. "It is confusing." She stared at the child, who stared back at her with his sparkling red eyes.

Wait a minute. White skin, yellow and purple hair, red and blue eyes...

Rosalina slowly floated toward the child. "Polari. Do you believe it's possible that the child came from the comets themselves?"

Polari blinked. "Huh?"

"Think about it. He doesn't appear to be like any earthly child." Rosalina took a hold of him and stroked his hand. "He has glowing white skin, like the daredevil comet. He has a purple streak like the purple coin, and golden hair like the fast foe. His eyes are red and blue, like the speedy and cosmic comets respectively."

Polari floated up toward the baby and examined him. "You're right! So that means this child has no parents?"

"It would appear that way." Rosalina hoisted the baby up so that she could get a good look at him. "He was formed from the comet dust."

Polari's eyes grew wide. "How is that even possible?"

"I'm not sure. But the prankster comets do have unique abilities. When they come together, it's completely possible that they can act more powerful than we've ever seen before."

"Powerful enough to create life? That's insane!"

"It may be. But it happened."

Polari's eyes darted back and forth. "So what do we do with the baby? Seeing how he has no home to go back to..."

Rosalina looked into the baby's eyes. They were so beautiful, so innocent. Her lips slowly curved into a smile. "Well then, why don't we give him a home?"

Polari's eyes grew wide. "Rosalina!"

"I'm serious!" Rosalina narrowed her eyes at Polari as she lowered the baby. "Don't you think that would be the right thing to do? Imagine this little guy growing up alone, in the middle of the universe. He couldn't do it! Lumas can barely do it!"

Polari stood stock still. His eyes darted between Rosalina and the baby. Finally, he sighed. "You're right. It would be cruel."

"Exactly." Rosalina looked back down at the baby, who was staring up at her silently. She chuckled. "I suppose we need a name for him, don't we?"

Polari laughed. "Really? I thought we could just call him the baby for the rest of his life." When Rosalina rolled her eyes, Polari laughed. "I'm kidding. What should we call him?"

Rosalina looked down at the baby. Finally, the perfect name came to her.

"How about...Solar?"

Polari, despite his lack of mouth, smiled.

"Solar it is."