I arrived back at my room, pleasantly surprised to see a plate of sandwiches, fresh fruit, and a pitcher of tea. Why are there so many? Hmm…maybe Luigi will be joining me for lunch. That'd be nice. My mind was tired from training; all I wanted to do was eat and take a nap. I started to take off my boots when I heard a small cough.

"AH!" I jumped, startled by the sound. I whipped my head towards the couch; there, sitting on the couch was none other than Peach.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" She stood up, and I ran to her, giving her a tight hug. "I wanted to surprise you, not scare you!" I laughed, happy to see my friend again.

"How long have you been here?! I didn't even notice you there! It's so good to see you!"

"I arrived this morning. You were already in your training session, so I decided to wait here for you. And before you lecture Luigi for not telling you I was coming, he didn't even know." She stood up and started walking towards the table. "I must say, I am glad to be back on solid ground. I've been on the observatory for so long, I was a bit woozy when we landed! I don't know how Rosalina does it!"

"Is Rosalina here?"

"Yes, she is discussing evacuation and relocation plans with everyone. We will join them after lunch. We'll be here for a while, actually. Rosalina has to do some repairs on the observatory and the starshroom and stock up on supplies. We have quite the full ship right now!" I looked out the window, expecting to see a spaceship, but all that was outside was a weird floating star.

"Where is the spaceship? And what is that weird star?"

"Oh, the observatory is still in space. We didn't need to land it. It's cloaked, so it's safe. And that star is the launch star that transports you to the observatory." I'm sure my expression was glazed over, and she laughed.

"I'll show you how it works later. Shall we eat? I am starving, and judging by how you were eyeing those sandwiches, I'd say you feel the same." I grinned. "But first," she held up my left hand, seeing the ring, "I must say congratulations! Looks like I won't be the only one planning a wedding!" We made our way to the table, and I blushed.

"Well, it'll have to wait until all of this crap is over. But it's something to look forward to."

"So, tell me everything that has been going on." For the next hour, Peach and I caught up. I told her all about my adventure from Luigi's mansion to Hyrule. She was in tears when I told her about getting engaged, gushing about how romantic it was.

"Romantic? I hardly think it was overly romantic…not like your engagement was." Peach scoffed.

"Jelina, romance isn't always about gifts and flowers and candlelight dinners…it's about being with someone who loves you." She looked at the flower on the table. "Is that from Luigi? I've never seen a rose of that hue!"

"No, it's from Wally. He was showing off his magic." Peach scrunched her face, then shrugged her shoulders. I gave her a confused look. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. You are fortunate to have so many people who care for you." She took a bite of her sandwich. "I cannot believe how much you endured on your way here! You've been through so much." She gave me a sad smile. "And here I am, complaining about feeling woozy and hating being so bored on the comet observatory." I rolled my eyes.

"Peach, it's ok. I hated being cooped up, too. I think I'd rather be doing something than just sitting around." I finished my tea, then stretched in my seat. "Before we meet up with everyone, do you mind if I take a little nap? I'm drained from training this morning." She grinned.

"Actually, I can help you with that. Close your eyes." I felt Peach's fingers on my temples, and a soft warmth encase my mind. Suddenly, I felt refreshed. "There, you may open your eyes."

"What did you do?"

"Healing magic. I just gave your mind a little boost. You can still take a nap if you wish, but your mind should be recharged." I shook my head.

"I feel great! No need." I looked at her, noticing I had picked up her essence. Peach's essence felt so…genuine. I felt her desire to help others, her caring nature, and overall love. I wanted to view her essence, but I felt I'd be imposing on something personal. Maybe later I'd ask her if I could try. We walked to leave, and she stopped when we arrived near the door. She pulled me into a tight hug, which caught me off guard. "What was that for?" She smiled.

"I'm just happy to see you again. I've missed you, my friend." I smiled, and we left to meet up with everyone else. I was glad Peach knew where they were, because I was completely clueless.

"Are you and Mario staying in the castle?" Peach nodded, pointing to a door down the hallway.

"Yes, as is Rosalina. That is, if she wishes. The other inhabitants on the observatory are not."

"Why not? I figured they'd want to get off the spaceship."

Peach shook her head. "The observatory is connected to planets set up for different types of people. While they are not large, they are hidden, and it's safer for them to stay where they are rather than relocate." Planets? There are hidden planets? I looked confused and she laughed. "I'll show you later; you'll understand once you see the observatory." I shrugged and continued walking. I realized we were heading towards the war room, and I glanced at my attire. I hope the entire counsel isn't there…I'm not wearing anything elaborate. Before I knew it, we were in front of the door. The two guards bowed their heads.

"Greetings, Princess Toadstool and Lady Jelina. Shall I announce your arrival?" One of the guards stepped forward, and Peach nodded.

"Yes, please." The guard turned around and knocked on the door. I heard a muffled voice, and the guard opened the door.

"Your Majesties, Princess Toadstool and Lady Jelina have arrived." I heard some chairs screech, and after a few moments, the guard motioned for us to enter. I trailed behind Peach; when we entered the room, I saw a large, round wooden table in the center, completely covered with maps and papers. Sitting around the table was Link, Zelda, Mario, Luigi, Waluigi, General Gustan, and Rosalina.

"Afternoon, ladies. You just missed Impa. She sends her well wishes," Link said. Before I could say anything, Mario came up to me and grabbed me in a tight bear hug.

"It's so good to you see you, future sister-in-law!" I blushed.

"Good…to…see…you…too…" I squeaked, having difficulty breathing. Mario released me, then clapped my back. He motioned for me to sit in between him and Luigi. Luigi had his head in his hands in what I assumed was embarrassment. Waluigi, sitting next to him, was staring at a few maps, rubbing his temples. I knew that look; he was frustrated. Zelda and Rosalina were looking over a map that looked like the night sky, drawing circles and x's on the map. Peach walked over to them, joining them in their discussion. Link and General Gustan both were hovering over a map of Hyrule, moving little figures around. Everyone looked stoic, frustrated, and serious; I didn't need my magic to know everyone was exhausted.

"So, what's going on?" Luigi looked up. His eyes were glazed, and I could tell he was tired. "You look like you need a nap."

"I plan on taking one as soon as we leave." He rubbed his eyes. "We are trying to figure out where to send troops, where to relocate people…all the fun stuff I mentioned earlier. Link and the General are doing some detailed planning for when Link leaves…Rosalina, Peach, and Zelda are figuring out where to send people, and we," he pointed to Mario and Wally, "are figuring out what areas need troops and what areas need to vacate."

Waluigi grunted, banging his fist on the table. "Why won't those damned monkeys just go already? There's an island that has trees all the shit they need…they're being so stupid!"

Mario leaned in, whispering, "The residents of DK Island are refusing to leave, and they're being attacked. Badly." I frowned.

"By Bowser and Ganondorf?"

"No, King K. Rool, but he's probably working with them. Everyone is trying to hide, but they're being overrun by his minions and other creatures. It's not looking so well for them. Several are being held hostage or have been killed."

Luigi sighed. "Usually DK would protect the island and take care of things, but…well…"

I heard Waluigi snort in the background. "Why is she being so…stubborn?" Luigi gave me a sad look, and I knew it had to do with Pauline. I got up and wrapped my arms around Wally. He wiggled his shoulders, trying to get out of my hug and swat me away. "Toots, get off, I'm not in the mood."

"When have I cared?" He sighed and stopped trying to get out of my grasp. "Let's talk later, ok? Over a strong drink. Or two. Or an entire bottle."

"Yeah, yeah, ok. Now, get off me, would ya?" I smiled, seeing a hint of a grin on Wally's face as he shook his head. I went back to my seat and Luigi put his arm around me, rubbing my shoulder.

"So, there's that drama. It also sounds like the Bean Bean Kingdom is also getting attacked, and Prince Peasley has been struggling to keep the residents safe. They've been putting up a pretty good fight, but they don't know how to handle creatures like redeads or bokoblins."

"Wario and Mona are there, along with a lot of residents from Diamond City," Wally snipped, rolling his eyes. "He told Mario, but not his own brother…jerk."

"He didn't tell me, Prince Peasley caught him starting a gambling ring."

"I still think he's a jerk for not telling me. I'll be having a few words with him later…" Wally mumbled, and Luigi cleared his throat.

"We are sending some reinforcements there to train their military on how to deal with monsters native to Hyrule. Hyrule's soldiers have been trained on how to combat them. Hopefully that's all they need. There are quite a few other towns that need to be vacated or require troops, but those are the only two you would recognize."

"So, in general, what's going on in the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom?" Mario frowned, and I saw Peach glance over.

"Some residents fled to neighboring kingdoms, but most are on the Comet Observatory. There are some people refusing to leave, and we've been giving them some basic supplies, like food. Most of the towns are empty, though. Well, except for all of Bowser's groupies. They've kind of taken over the place."

Peach looked downtrodden, and Rosalina patted her shoulder. "Do not despair, Princess. We are working to set things right." I glanced at Rosalina, realizing this was the first time I had really heard her speak. She had a warm, smooth voice that resonated lower than Peach and Zelda's.

"What about Hyrule?" Zelda looked over.

"It's relatively quiet, but the areas where temples are located are seeing an increase in monster sightings. There have been creatures rising during the night in Hyrule Field, but it's mostly quiet. Our kingdom has not yet begun to cry for the Hero to save our land." She motioned for me to come over. I got up to look at what they were working on.

Rosalina smiled and bowed her head in greeting. "Hello, Jelina. I am sorry we did not properly meet earlier. I am Rosalina, ruler of the Cosmos."

I smiled at her warm greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you. So, what you looking at?"

"We are determining what planets would be sufficient to send people who need to vacate. We are accessing which ones have adequate climates, vegetation, ectara, and who would be most fitting to temporarily reside there."

"Peach mentioned that you were, uh, cloaking all the areas. Are you able to do that with a lot of planets?" Rosalina smiled.

"Yes, and for an extra safety precaution, we have contacted Samus. She has agreed to provide security to the area."

I heard Mario mumble, "she wasn't cheap to hire," and I gave them a bewildered look.

"Samus Aran is a galactic bounty hunter," Peach explained. "Usually she hunts space pirates, but she said works has been slow for quite some time since they got rid of the Ridley problem."

"I've mentioned her before…I think you two would get along. She's scary when mad, though. Even scarier when she's got her Varia suit on," Luigi shuddered. "She can get a little trigger happy."

Zelda chimed in, "I don't anticipate Ganondorf infiltrating space, but it doesn't hurt to have extra security measures." I agreed that was probably wise, and just left it at that. I looked over at Link and Gustan, and they were both cleaning up their area. Zelda followed my gaze and leaned in.

"Link has been feeling the call of the Triforce, and anticipates his first quest will be any day now. They are planning what villages will need the most protection. Link anticipates his first temple that will need cleansing will be on Death Mountain." She tilted her head in thought. "I have not yet received a message on when I will be going to the Sacred Springs, but I have a sense that it will be when Link is at the castle."

"Won't people notice you or Link are missing?"

"We will be announcing that Link will be making diplomatic visits, or I will be performing my sacred duty and pray at the Sacred Springs." Zelda smiled, patting my shoulder. "From my premonitions, I foresee that we have a long way to go, and our missions will not be complete before the thaw of Spring." She looked at Link, who looked like he was ready to leave.

"Everyone, I am afraid that Link and I need to attend our afternoon court session. You may continue to plan and utilize the room if you wish. Tonight, I would like to have us all gather for dinner and drinks. We will meet in the kitchens…please dress informally and bring cloaks. You all have full access to the castle, so do not hesitate to utilize its resources. Thank you." She gave a small bow and joined Link and Gustan.

"I think I'm going to call it a day, too." Luigi stood up, stretching. "I need a nap. You all heading back to the rooms?" Everyone agreed except Rosalina, who politely excused herself to go back to the observatory. When we got back to our bedroom, Luigi immediately flopped the bed. He patted a spot next to him.

"Coming?" I shook my head.

"No, I'm not tired. I think I am going to do some reading in the gardens. It's nice outside, and I feel cooped up just sitting in the room." I gave Luigi a kiss. "I'll be back…and if not, just come and get me. I'll be by the fountain." He mumbled something, and by the time I had used the bathroom and gotten my things together, he was fast asleep, snoring away.

I decided to declare the small bench by the fountain "my spot" in the garden. I found the area peaceful, and I was drawn to its magical energy. I didn't know why, but it felt as if something was living there, waiting to be released when the time was right. But as to how and when, I had no clue. I had enough mysteries to deal with, anyway. I pushed the thought aside and began engrossing myself in my reading.

The sun began to set, and I knew I'd have to go back inside for dinner. While I was thrilled to see everyone, I honestly wanted to have quiet dinner in my room. I wasn't in the mood to be overly social. And I wanted to get to bed early, since tomorrow I'd be doing physical training. I sighed, closing my book, and began to pack up.

*Crunch…crunch…crunch*

I whipped my head around, startled by the sound of someone walking on crisp fallen leaves. Instinctively, I stood up, and my hands began to glow a faint white.

"Woah, there, toots…it's just me." Wally held up his hands, seeing my defensive posture. "No need to attack. You can put those lethal weapons away." My hands returned to normal, and I sat back down on the bench. I was confused; I didn't sense Wally at all. I studied his face, and he looked miserable. His expression was a mixture of fatigue, defeat, and worry. I patted a spot next to me, motioning for him to sit.

"Sorry, I didn't sense you coming…and I wasn't expecting you to be here." Wally sat next to me, putting his head in his hands.

"Luigi asked me to come get you. Mario wanted to spend some time with him," he mumbled.

"You look like hell, Wally. Sorry to be so blunt, but you do. So, what happened?"

He sighed. "I finally got a hold of Pauline. We officially broke it off." I put my arm around him, pulling him into a small side hug. "We both expected it." He kept looking at the ground, and I waited. "We started talking about the evacuation, and that's when I lost my shit with her." He shook his head. "She won't leave that damn island. I told her there was plenty of space on the observatory, or hell, even here at the castle. I told her that it wouldn't be safe to stay there. But will she listen? No! She just keeps saying that is her home, and she doesn't want to leave. Then we just started yelling at each other over random shit. I don't even remember everything I said to her, or what she told me, but it wasn't pretty." He looked over at me, frowning. "I may not be with her, but I care about her."

"Of course, you do…I bet she knows that, too."

"She's doing a shitty job of showing it. I get why she doesn't want to stay here, because she is worried it might be awkward…but she's staying because that was her and DK's home, and it's being torn apart. She wants to go down with it." He scowled. "It's bullshit."

I squeezed his shoulder. "Has anyone else tried talking to her?"

"Yup. She won't budge. She's given up on even trying to fight back."

"I'm sorry. Do you know how to reach her? Maybe I can try?" Wally immediately started shaking his head.

"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea, and I just want to leave it at that."

"What? Why? I've always gotten along with Pauline. Maybe I-"

"-just trust me. Rosalina is going to try talking some sense into her tomorrow." I frowned, not understanding why I couldn't try. "But, thanks for askin', toots."

"Ok…anything else on your mind?" For a moment, I could have sworn I saw a melancholic look flash in his eyes, but it was gone by the time he answered. It was strange not being able to pick up on his essence, and I wondered if he had some magical ability I was unaware of.

"Nothing new that I haven't mentioned before. Just, promise me something, will you?"

"Anything."

It was quiet for a moment as he, what I guessed, figured out how to say it. "Promise me that you won't give up."

"Only if you promise me the same thing." I held out my hand, and he hesitantly took it. I felt that strange tingle as we shook hands, and when we pulled back, he gave a small smile. "I'm glad to see you smiling again." We started to stand up. "Do you know why we need cloaks for dinner? Are we going somewhere? I kind of want to just stay at home and do nothing."

Wally gave a large, genuine smile. "Link let me know we are going to Thelma's tonight. Said he wanted to enjoy tonight before his questing."

"Oh, well, now I feel a little bad for complaining about going out."

"You should," Wally quipped, and I rolled my eyes as he belted out laughing. "Seriously, though, we're all tired…but who knows when Link will be leaving. He needs a fun night out."

"One of the guards was talking about Thelma's, said it was a real hoot."

"Hoot?" Wally snorted.

"Good time. Whatever." Wally laughed, and we made our way back to the guest wing. Luigi was talking to Mario in the hallway. I shouted out to them, and they waved as we approached. "Hey you two. I'm going to freshen up, since apparently we are going out tonight." Luigi nodded.

"Yeah, I just heard. We are supposed to dress down as much as possible."

"That won't be hard for you, Jelina, considering you practically live in raggedy pants and shirts." I rolled my eyes at Wally. I was glad he was back to his usual sarcastic, smart-assed spirit. "I'll see you all in the kitchens." He leaned in and gave me a small hug, whispering, "thanks for the pick me up, toots. He pulled away, and patted Luigi's shoulder. "I know we're supposed to dress casual but try to make sure she doesn't look homeless." Luigi scowled as Waluigi laughed, heading towards his room.

"Doesn't his teasing ever annoy you? It sure annoys me sometimes."

"Nah, he's harmless. And it makes me laugh. It's all in good fun." Luigi and Mario shrugged.

"Well, I'd better get ready, too. See you in the kitchens." Mario turned and went to his room; I overheard him tell Peach to not wear such a fancy dress as the door was closing.

"Well, might as well get ready. Doesn't matter how tired we are, tonight is important for Link." Luigi held open the door, motioning for me to follow. "I'll try to make sure you don't look too homeless." I smiled.

"I just have one suggestion. Before we head out we get a nice, strong cup of coffee. I have a feeling tonight is going to be a long night."