StarlitDuck

Peach probably didn't jump out of fear for her life. I mean, I'd be rather terrified in such a situation. She only tried to jump when Mario promised to catch her.

nintendoscript15

Yeah. And it's happening on Alex's BIRTHDAY nonetheless. Some celebration this turned out to be.

breath20k

Gee, you think?

FairyTalePrincess16

You'll see what they're going through soon enough. By the way, that does sound like a tasty candy. Maybe one day I'll get to try one for myself.

Mario bros fan4ever

Let's a go!

S3731997

Sorry about that. I'll try to avoid it in the future.

Amethyst Goldenwind

Luigi's whereabouts are still a mystery. Bowser honestly just has issues that I don't see getting fixed anytime soon.

LiamTheYoshi

Don't worry. They'll be okay. They just gotta deal with Bowser for a bit.

Nataly Guardado

Oh, he'll get what's coming to him soon enough.

RareDomains

Thank you! I said Toad TOWN was on fire. As in the buildings. Not the Toads themselves.

pacmanboy

Bowser didn't take over the Mushroom Kingdom. He kidnapped an entire castle and is planning to take over the entire UNIVERSE! Also, Alex didn't get blasted away with Mario. He's with Leah in Peach's Castle. What you should be worried about is the whereabouts of Luigi.

Chapter 5: Welcome to the Gateway

After that terrible experience, Mario felt distraught, empty... nothing but sheer bleakness overtook his subconscious. He never felt this defeated since Bowser previously lifted Peach's Castle when he got the Star Rod and overpowered the poor plumber. However, this time it seemed to be worse. He overheard the king talking about the creation of his new galaxy. At least in the case of the former, he knew where Bowser got his sudden boost in power. But now with the galaxy constructing, the electricity from his hands, the meteors, and especially the GIANT SAUCER! All that came outta flipping nowhere.

All his thoughts stopped when the plumber heard a voice calling out to him.

"Hey…"

Mario moaned and grumbled. He thought he was dead for a second, but also hoped that experience was just a bad dream.

"Mamma Mia… Peach… Leah… Alex…"

"Hey! Wake up!"

Mario fully opened his eyes. He sat in a patch of flowers surrounded by tall rocks. His eyes were met with a white star-like creature with eyes.

"Huh…"

"Oh good! You're awake! Are you okay?"

"Wh-Wha-?" Mario muttered, still feeling tired.

"You're Mario, right? My friend, Princess Peach told me about you," the creature said.

Upon hearing the name "Princess Peach", Mario's eyes widened as he remembered getting blasted away from the castle. Panicking, he stood up fearing the worst.

"You KNOW her?! Where is she?! I need to-!"

Not taking it anymore, Mario ran away.

"PEACH! ALEX! LEAH! I'M COMING!"

"Hey! Where are you going?!" the creature asked.

Mario ran straight away from the star creature, only to run past the luma, again, and again, and again.

"Umm… sir? The planet is endless. Running won't get you anywhere," the creature explained.

Mario stopped in his tracks hearing what he said. "D-Did you just say… planet?!"

The screen zoomed out, revealing that Mario was indeed, on another planet. A rather small one, in fact. The planet consisted of lush, green fields, patches of flowers, tall, monumental rocks, a few small cottages, and even a few hollow craters.

"Wh-Where am I?"

"Calm down, Mister Mario. I'll explain everything. But first…"

The creature suddenly transformed into a bunny with white ears stretching out into pointed edges, a white bunny tail, and small black eyes. This creeped out Mario even more.

"Follow me!"

[BGM: To the Gateway - Super Mario Galaxy]

The bunny hopped away.

"Please tell me I'm just dreaming," Mario said in his thoughts, still trying to take this all in.

Mario met up with the bunny standing in between two other bunnies. Though these ones have yellow ears, and yellow tails.

"So, this is the hero guy the princess was talking about?" one of the yellow one's questioned.

"He looks kinda cool!" the other one admired.

"He's a plumber! How is that cool?!"

"Um… sorry if I sound rude here, but WHO or WHAT are you guys?!" Mario asked, desperately wanting answers.

"Hey man, chill out!" the first yellow rabbit responded "When life gets you down, whaddaya gotta do?"

"Just keep swimming?" the other said.

"NO! We play hide and seek! Duh! So plumber dude, if you can find and catch us all, we'll tell you more about this place."

"Wait! Don't go!"

Too late. All three of them disappeared and Mario stomped his foot on the ground in anger.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"

[BGM end]

Meanwhile… back at the now lifted castle, Peach was horror struck at what she'd just witnessed. Her hero, Mario… blasted away like he was nothing. It broke her heart at the thought of him being dead.

"M-Mario…"

"Evenin' Princess…"

Peach turned around in anger to see Bowser right behind her.

"Whaddaya think? I ordered my airships along with this awesome new UFO I got from the Topman tribe to lift your castle up into outer space. I knew you'd feel more comfortable in your own home, so I'm gonna make it part of my new galactic empire," Bowser went on. "It's a good thing Kamek sent that STUPID Mario flying into outer space. Now he's finally out of our hair forever! GWAHAHAHA!"

"ENOUGH!" Peach blurted out "I don't wanna hear another word you son of a b-!"

"Birthday cake?" Bowser interrupted "Well, it's not my birthday, but I'll take one of your finest cakes anyways."

"Hey, your rottenness, this kid I caught outside said it's his birthday. Mind if I send him in?" Kamek asked from outside.

"Oh, so we DO have a birthday boy today. Send him in!" Bowser ordered.

Kamek kicked open the door with Alex and Leah in his grasp. Leah was terrified while Alex struggled to break free.

"You little brats should've gone flying away with Mario! Now, I'll let Bowser decide your fate!" Kamek kicked them in and shut the door.

Bowser smirked, for he recognized Alex from when he previously helped Mario and Luigi collect the six Magic Mushrooms.

"Aaaah. Alex the 'third Mario brother'. It's been awhile, hasn't it?" Bowser remarked.

"You…" Alex snarked. "What have you done to Mario?!"

"I didn't do anything. Kamek's the one who sent him away. By the way, I heard your birthday was today. LET'S CELEBRATE!"

Bowser took out a party hat and blew into a party horn.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to this pathetic little brat, Happy Birthday to you!" He mockingly sung "Are you one? Are you two? Are you three? WHO CARES?! Now where's the cake?"

Bowser's mockery just fueled Alex's anger. Meanwhile, Bowser spotted the star bit cake Peach baked for Alex.

"Bowser, DON'T YOU DARE!" Peach warned.

But Bowser didn't listen. He just grabbed the cake and showed it to Alex and Leah.

"Say… is this your birthday cake?"

Alex and Leah's mouths drooled upon sight of that cake.

"Looks good, doesn't it?" Bowser teased. "WELL TOO BAD! IT'S ALL MINE!"

Bowser splattered the cake in his face and gulped the whole thing up, making Alex scream in agony and cry. Leah was there to comfort him and glared at Bowser.

"How could you do that to my brother, you meanie?!" Leah asked angrily.

"Aww! Is your brother not enjoying his birthday?" Bowser pretended to sympathize. "Oh, boo hoo! Let me play a sad song for you on the world's smallest violin."

[BGM: Woe is Me (World's Smallest Violin) - Spongebob Squarepants OST]

Bowser rubbed his fingers together, making a sad violin sound.

"This is serious!" Leah retorted.

[BGM end]

Bowser stopped.

"I know. This really IS the world's smallest violin." He shows it in his hand. "See?"

Peach couldn't take the torment anymore and stood up to Bowser.

"Bowser, you have crossed the line! If you even think for a MOMENT that I'd ever do anything for you, you're even more PATHETIC than I thought! Now I ORDER you to put my castle back in the ground where it belongs!"

Bowser just laughed in response.

"Or else what? What are gonna do? SIT ON ME?!"

That just fueled Peach's anger even more.

"Oh, don't be mad, Princess. I know what'll cheer you up! Why don't you and your little kid friends play with my son, Junior?"

Speak of the devil. Bowser Jr. walked into the room.

"Hi, 'soon to be Mama' Peach!"

"THAT'S IT!" Peach screamed as she grabbed Alex and Leah's hands and dashed out of the room.

"Hey, wait! Peach!" Bowser chased after them. Junior just stood there in confusion.

"Was it something I said?"

Back with Mario he managed to catch all three rabbits.

[BGM: To the Gateway - Super Mario Galaxy]

"Okay, I caught all of you," Mario said, clearly annoyed. "Now can you PLEASE tell me where I am, and what's going on?"

"Alright! Alright! Sheesh!" said the bunny as he transformed back into his star form. The white one was impressed.

"Wow! You caught all of us?! Maybe you CAN help Mama!"

Mario raised an eyebrow. "Mama?"

"C'mon! We'll take you to her! She'll explain everything!" the white luma insisted as the three of them took Mario to the top of the planet. There was nothing there, however.

"Uhh…" Mario stuttered.

"Just watch!"

A huge light shined, taking the form of a short and wide tower appearing like magic. Mario was awestruck seeing this.

"Well, don't be shy. Go ahead and meet mama. If you help her, she'll help you," Luma directed.

Mario nodded and walked up the tower. When he got up, he winced his eyes from the bright aura, but could still see the person clearly. He saw a woman with long light blond hair with her right hairband covering her right eye, a silver crown decorated with rubies and aquamarines, golden four-point star earrings and a turquoise dress with a star brooch. She also carried a white wand with a yellow star at it's tip in in left hand.

"Well, this certainly isn't even close to how I pictured her," Mario thought. "Umm… excuse me? Miss?

The woman opened her eyes, or at least her left eye since that's the only one Mario saw, to look at Mario.

"Hello, Mario. I've been expecting you. Welcome to the Gateway to the Starry Skies," the woman said to him softly.

Mario didn't know whether to be more disturbed about the echo in this woman's voice, or the fact that she knew his name.

"H-how do you know my name?" Mario asked hesitantly. "I mean, I am famous where I come from, but… this isn't the Mushroom Kingdom, right?"

"No…" the women replied "But I have been watching you from here since birth. You're the one who saves your special one from that evil monster, Bowser. Am I right?"

Mario didn't know whether to be amazed or scared, but one question did come to his mind.

"Who… Who are you?"

The lady closed her eyes and introduced herself.

"My name is Rosalina. I watch over and protect the cosmos," she said. "To save your special one, you'll need the power to travel through space."

The white star creature from earlier came up to Rosalina.

"Hi, again!"

"Luma will grant you this power. I will entrust you with his care," Rosalina said.

Mario looked confused. How was this… thing, "Luma", gonna help him?

Mario watched in astonishment as Luma merged into him. His hands were now glowing, and he felt a power surging through him. His arm injury from back at the ruined festival also healed.

"WAHOO!" Mario cheered in triumph.

"Mario, you now have the ability to spin. Just shake the Wii Remote," Rosalina explained.

"The wha-?" Mario questioned before interrupting himself. "You know what? I'm not even gonna bother this time."

"Disaster has struck us, just as it has visited you. With Luma, I hope you can rescue the Grand Stars," Rosalina continued.

"The Grand Stars?" Mario questioned. He's heard of the Grand Star in Peach's Castle. The one Bowser stole and used to become Rainbowser in one of Mario's previous adventures. But he never knew there was more than one.

"May the stars shine down on you…" Rosalina said her parting words as her body slowly went transparent.

"Hey, wait! I still want to know more!" Mario desperately called out as the mysterious woman named Rosalina vanished into thin air. Luma peeped out of Mario's cap.

"So, I guess we're partners, now. You mind if I stay under your cap for a while? It's pretty comfy under here."

"Sure. Why not? But where do we go from here?" Mario wondered.

A trio of crystals appeared in front of Mario where Rosalina once was.

"Okay. Let's test out your new abilities. I want you to break those crystals," Luma instructed.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Mario bursted. "LAST TIME I TRIED TO DO THAT, I BROKE MY ENTIRE ARM!"

"That may have happened before, but try it again now that I'm in your cap," Luma suggested.

Mario hesitated, but then gave in.

"Fine. But if I have to go to the ER, you're paying the bill!" Mario threatened.

He walked over, closed his eyes, and spinned. To his surprise, the crystals were shattered to smithereens, and Mario didn't feel hurt one bit from it.

"Mamma Mia!" he exclaimed.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Luma remarked. "With my power, no one will be able to stand in your way."

In the crystals' place appeared a star-like floating object with balled points, and an opening.

"This is a Launch Star," Luma explained. "Spin when you're near one to shoot through space like a comet! Now, let's go! There are lots and lots of galaxies for us to discover!"

[BGM end]

Mario nodded. He stepped into the launch star, closed his eyes, and spun. The Launch Star launched Mario all the way into outer space. Mario opened his eyes and saw the planet he was just on shrinking behind him. He couldn't believe he was actually flying through space.

[BGM: Into the Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy]

"I'm… flying… I'M FLYING IN OUTER SPACE!" Mario exclaimed.

"TO INFINITY, AND BEYOND!" Luma exclaimed.

"WAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO!"

[BGM end]