Chapter 9 Racing Hearts

Solar bounced up and down when Polari and Rosalina exited the Garden Dome. The Lady of the Shooting Stars let out a breath. Now was not the time to be worrying. She had already told Polari that she had to be okay for Solar's sake, and she wanted to live up to that promise.

"Come on!" Solar called out, continuing to bounce like a star bunny. "I have so many places I want to visit!"

Polari chuckled and turned toward Rose. "Well, you've got to give him points for enthusiasm at least."

Rosalina giggled. That joke actually did help her to feel better. Just...a little bit. She approached her son, whose eyes twinkled like the north star. "I'm ready when you are, Baby."

Solar beamed. "Well, I know that I'm ready!" He bounced into the air, bobbing up and down like a buoy. "I'll race you to the nearest star!"

Rosalina shook her head. "Solar…"

Before she could say anymore, Solar zipped off. Rosalina exchanged a look with Polari. While she did not want to engage in a race, she had to admit that losing would leave a damper on her competitive spirit. So, she grinned and zipped off at lighting fast speed.

"Hey!" Polari yelled. "Wait for me!"

Rosalina laughed. She was catching up to Solar, who was heading toward the star that had previously been Lulu. Solar giggled and laughed, glee present in every single one of his features. Rosalina couldn't help but feel her heart melt at his glee.

"Oh Solar!"

Solar looked behind him and gasped. "How did…?" He tried to go faster, but that proved to be impossible. He tried and tried, but this was an instance where his inexperience with his powers proved to be a detriment.

Rosalina, however, was not inexperienced with her powers. She knew how to speed up, and how to catch Solar. She willed herself to go faster, so fast that one would think she had been launched out of a launch star. She was gaining on Solar, and gaining quickly.

"Solar!"

Solar turned around, his eyes and face wrought with distress when he saw his adopted mother. "No! I have to go faster! I have to…"

"RAWW!" Rosalina grabbed hold of him and began tickling him. The six year old laughed like he had never laughed before, like he had just discovered the action and concept of laughter. Rosalina grinned listening to the sound, allowing her fingers to tickle him all over his body.

"What's this?" she asked. "Is that a belly that I see?"

Solar laughed and squealed. "NOO! NOT THE BELLY!"

Rosalina didn't listen. She tickled his belly, all while muttering "tickle tickle tickle."

Solar continued squealing throughout the whole endeavor. "Mama, stop it!"

Rosalina chuckled and finally relented. She allowed her son to catch his breath. He gripped his sides, his normally white face appearing rose pink. He looked at his mother, trying to look serious but failing miserably. As a consequence, he just appeared adorable.

"That was not funny!" he said in between breaths.

Rosalina shrugged. "I thought it was."

"Well, you need to get your brain checked!" Solar continued catching his breath, floating in one spot and bobbing up and down. By the time he was finished, a very out of breath Polari had already caught up with them.

"Oh Mama Mia," Polari said. "I think I'm going to have a heart attack."

Rosalina raised an eyebrow at him. "But you don't have a heart."

Polari glared at her. "Hey! I know I'm not the nicest person, but I can be nice when I want to!"

"No, I mean you literally don't have a heart. Lumas don't have complex organ systems like humans do."

Polari blinked. "Oh." Solar laughed, prompting Polari to glare at him. "You've been doing a lot of laughing at your Daddy today; do you want him to laugh at you?'

Solar shook his head, all while continuing to laugh. "No, no. I just...I don't know."

Polari sighed. "Mmhm." He looked at the star that Rose and Solar had been bolting towards. "Oh man. Lulu."

Rosalina looked up at the star, shining extra bright. "Yeah. Lulu."

Solar blinked. "Lulu?" He looked up at the star too. "Oh. Was that who the star used to be?"

"Mmhm," Rosalina said with a nod. She came up and ruffled Solar's hair. "She's your sister, all grown up now."

Solar looked up at the star, an expression of awe plastered all over his face. "Huh. Do you think I'll become a star one day?"

Polari laughed. "Not likely, kid. That is more or less a luma exclusive experience."

"No, what you're more likely to do is grow up into a strong, handsome young man," said Rosalina.

With that, the trio floated around, going on the relaxing flight that Solar had originally suggested. Solar had this wide eyed, innocent look on his face all throughout the flight. He observed the world with a specific glow to his features, a radiance that few could match.

Rosalina sighed. If only she could share his enthusiasm, his lack of worry.

"Hey, Mama?"

"Yes?" Hopefully, talking to her son would help to distract her from her thoughts.

Solar wore an...interesting expression, especially for him. It looked contemplative, curious, and somewhat cautious. "Will I have to leave you when I grow up?"

Rosalina shook her head. "Not if you don't want to."

"Oh." Solar directed his gaze downward. "I mean, all of the lumas left you when they grew up. And, if I develop too many powers, like you said, then...would you be afraid to keep me around?"

Rosalina felt a lump form in her throat. Regardless, she pushed it down and smiled.

"No. Even if you do the worst things in the world, I'll still love you."

Solar blinked, seemingly trying to grasp what his mother was telling him. While Rosalina had told him that she loved him before, he didn't have this type of reaction to it on any occasion. It kind of made Rosalina anxious, although she couldn't exactly say why that was.

"So, I could blow up a star and…"

Rosalina shrugged. "I wouldn't recommend blowing up a star, but yes. I would still love you."

Solar giggled. "I won't blow up a star. I like the stars. They are your lumas, Mama. They are special to you."

Rosalina smiled. "Good. Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Solar looked over at Polari, his face sinking. "But seriously, I don't want you to be afraid of me. I will do everything and anything in my power to make sure that you two are comfortable around me." He sniffled and dried a tear from his eye. "You...you know?"

Rosalina felt a warm feeling spread from her chest across her body. She wrapped her arms around the child. "Thank you baby. Thank you."

For all of our sakes, I hope you manage to live up to that promise. She didn't say that out loud though. She didn't want to worry him.