Title: Watching

Character: Geno

Description: While watching over a certain boy, Geno, in his star form, reflects on how his life changed.

(GENO'S POV)

Here I am, floating high above the Mushroom Kingdom, hanging directly above Rose Town. My very keen eyes are focusing on a certain house, the one that I've been keeping my eyes on since IT happened.

This is the home of Gaz, the owner of the doll I took the form of when I enlisted Mario's help in defeating Smithy. Since IT happened, I've been hanging around here, keeping watch over Gaz.

What? Excuse me? You want to know what 'IT' is? Well, it's a long story. Allow me to explain.

After Mario and the others helped me rebuild Star Road, I left the doll and flew back into the sky to protect Star Road yet again. There, I continued to assist in granting wishes. Because Bowser's wishes were so selfish, I never paid any attention to them. I later found out that that was a bad idea, but I'll get to that later.

Not a lot of people know this, but I used to be a Mushroom Kingdom citizen myself. Yes, I looked just as normal as the rest of the kingdom at one point. I was even the captain of King Toadstool's army. I led the troops into battle without any fear of dying.

Of course, that was until about one hundred years before Mario and Luigi showed up at the kingdom. Wounded from battle, I was struggling to get to Moleville to get help, but had to pass through Star Hill to get there. It was such a grueling task just to get to the other side of Star Hill, that I didn't even make it. At the very top of Star Hill, all my strength was depleted and I collapsed, coincidentally under a glowing light shining from the clouds.

Before blacking out, I could only muster the strength to wish that I could have helped everyone more.

Well, my wish was granted.

When I woke up, I realized that I was no longer on Star Hill, but floating high above the clouds, in the tiny form of a star. I demanded to know what the meaning of it all was, and I was quickly answered. Another star, this one much bigger than I, told me that my wish had been granted, because I was offered my destined job as protector of Star Road, granting everyone's wishes. Realizing that it would be a dream come true, I accepted, because my family in the Kingdom would know that I was dead anyway.

I eventually found out that I could find out what futures the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom would have. Those that were absolutely essential for a better future, I kept a close eye on. For example, I save an oblivious King Toadstool from being assassinated because I knew that his descendant, Peach Toadstool, would become the leader of the Mushroom Kingdom, eventually bringing them to victory against the Koopas.

The years turned into decades. My family and all of my friends had all died, and I was still the protector of Star Road. I had been granting wishes for almost a hundred years, and had grown to like the job. Any selfish wishes, most of which were from Bowser, I never granted, although I HAVE seen a good amount of good wishes come from the king of Koopas. For example, he had wished that he could have a family. I had it granted, and now Bowser has become a father to seven kids. Although he doesn't show it most of the time, I can tell that he loves his kids as much as any father out there.

Another few months passed and I things were going so peacefully. People were living in happiness, and I have been protecting people with an essential future for a good while now. Of course, as if you'd expect something bad to happen, Smithy and his gang invaded, breaking Star Road.

Realizing that I needed to take a physical form if I wanted to find the seven star pieces, I ended up in the home of Gaz and his mother, and found the doll of Geno. I chose that doll and made it come to life. For the first time in a hundred years, I could walk again. At first, I found it difficult to walk, but I quickly got the hang of it again and started my search. Mario quickly found me and the rest of history.

Eventually, the Star Road was complete again, meaning I had to go back to protecting it. Leaving the doll behind, I flew back into the clouds, where Star Road was beginning to brighten up again. I resumed my job and started granting wishes again.

As the years continued on, I got several wishes from a few of my friends, and although I granted them, I found a few of them to be a little odd. Like how Peach wished that Bowser wasn't so evil so there could be a better chance of a peace treaty. This is why Bowser was more...Uh...Boneheaded during the Star Rod and BeanBean adventures. And don't get me started on how surprised I was when I saw how big of a bonehead Bowser had become during Mario's third 'party'. And to think he was the big brute that had helped me rebuild Star Road.

Finally, I'm about to come to what exactly 'IT' is. It all happened just before the whole 'Star Rod' incident. I had decided that it was too hectic for me to grant people's wishes and protect people at the same time, so I took the seven star pieces of Star Road and brought them all to life, turning them into the Seven Star Spirits. I gave them the job of protecting Star Road, and they promised that they would do so. Therefore, while they were protecting Star Road and granting everyone's wishes, I could be off protecting more people from harm.

This is what brings me here. Why am I keeping an eye on Gaz, you may ask? The answer may surprise you. Looking into his family tree, I came upon a startling discovery. My wife and kids were on the family tree!

Gaz is my descendant.

I then looked into Gaz's future, trying to find out what happens to him if everything goes right. When I found out Gaz's future, I realized that I had to make absolute certain that nothing happened to him.

While I still protect others, most of my time is spent on protecting Gaz. Already, I have saved him five times in which cases he might've died, and I am pleased that I am doing my part in helping him. My wish was to help others, and that's what I'm doing.

I occasionally look into seeing what all of my travel companions are up to, and it's usually the same thing. Mario being the well-loved hero, protecting the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach ruling the kingdom and proving her worth in battles, Bowser kidnapping her, and Mallow living his happy life as a prince.

And so ends this chapter in my long, long life. While I may not protect Star Road as often anymore, I'm honored that I'm the one protecting Gaz.

After all, he IS destined to save his future wife's life, father five great kids and become the next hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.

END