A/N: This is one of my favorite scenes in the game. I got sidetracked with other stories, though. Sorry for the wait…

Misstar's Rescue

If it weren't for the little power she had left, Misstar would have been burnt to a crisp. How long had it been since that lava piranha plant trapped her here? Days? Weeks? Mario had to come soon. She didn't want to spend the rest of her immortal life in a volcano, especially one that was on the verge of erupting.

"Powering up your partners is the key to success." The very words she had spoken to Raphael the Raven in his dreams now echoed in her mind. Had Mario gotten the message yet? Had Raphael delivered it as she asked him to?

Misstar sighed. She wanted to do whatever she could to help Mario reclaim the Star Rod. The power she'd bestow upon him would surely help him win the day… if only he'd unlock it. If only he'd set her free.

The Star Spirit closed her eyes. As weak and tired as she was, her head was full to bursting. She had heard and granted many wishes over the centuries, but now, a select few stuck in her mind, repeating over and over again: "I wish to see the princess." "I wish somebody could help me." "I wish for lots of treasure."

Her thoughts lingered on that last one. She remembered the Koopa who had made this particular request, because he had made the same wish every night since he was a child. Kolorado had always wanted to be an adventurer, and his dedication and willingness to work for his treasure touched Misstar's heart. Only nowadays, there was a second, conflicting part to Kolorado's wish.

'I wish for lots of treasure… to make my wife happy.'

Though Kolorado's intentions were good, there was a problem with his desire. His wife had wished to the stars as well, and her request was much less trivial. She wanted nothing more than for her husband to come home and stay for a while.

If only there was a way to honor both requests...

"ALERT! REPORT TO BOSS! MARIO STILL APPROACHING! IDENTIFIED AS SEARCHING FOR STAR SPIRIT! ALERT! ALERT!"

Misstar snapped out of her thoughts when the hot magma bubbled around her. The Lava Piranha was on the move, most likely responding to his servant's report. Her stomach did a flip when she heard the monster's booming voice.

"YOU GUYS… BAD GUYS! BAD GUYS COME TO STEAL STAR SPIRIT!"

'An enemy of the Lava Piranha is a friend of mine.' Misstar thought. As luck would have it, it wasn't just any friend. Mario was here, and it sounded like he brought some companions.

Once the talking stopped, time flew by with Misstar listening intently to the sounds of combat. She even sensed the power of her fellow Star Spirits as they aided Mario in the fight.

At one point, the Lava Piranha fell into its magma pit, and Misstar thought the fight was over. But, then the roots that held her bound tightened, draining some of the little power she had left. A bit of power from a Star went a long way for mortal beings, and the ounce of energy that the fiery plant stole from her had completely restored its strength.

"Come on, Mario…" Misstar whispered, her energy fading further.

Moments later, another voice penetrated the bubbling magma, and she thought she recognized it as well. "Mario! You shan't fight alone!"

It was Kolorado. Although, he didn't sound like he was helping much.

The fighting continued, when suddenly, the Lava Piranha let out a terrible cry of pain, a combination of a whistle and a screech. Then, the fiery roots around Misstar loosened, and a reservoir or energy erupted inside her like a geyser.

Could it be?

Eagerly, the Star Spirit rose up, sighing triumphantly as she broke the surface of the lava pool. Finally! Free!

Misstar looked upon her rescuers, though Kolorado was nowhere to be seen. Aside from some burn damage, Mario and the others didn't look too bad. She could easily treat their injuries, but a glance around told her that now wasn't the time.

"What's this? Something… strange… is happening…" Misstar said.

The air burned hotter by the second, and the ground trembled. Magma bubbled furiously in the pit beneath her, as if it would boil over at any second. With a sickening feeling, Misstar knew exactly what was happening, but she didn't think it would happen this soon.

"Mario! This way! We must hurry!" she cried. The Star Spirit flew through an opening in the rough rock wall, hoping it led to a way out.

Misstar darted across the room, catching a glimpse of Kolorado, who seemed to be searching for something. So he was here!

The Star flew up a spiral of rocky stairs and waited at the other end of the room as Mario and his companions caught up. Kolorado hurried after them, but it wasn't to escape the volcano. "Aha! Treasure!" the Koopa archeologist cried, staring up at her. "Er, no, it's… some sort of starfish?"

Misstar frowned. Who was he calling a starfish?

Kolorado jumped down a step. "This won't do. The adventure's never over until the treasure is found…"

Misstar had the feeling that his desires for treasure would get him into deep trouble someday. She hoped she was wrong, especially now.

"Ah, yes! Of course! Perhaps that horrible fiery monster had it and was hiding it somewhere!" Kolorado mused. "Yes, that's it! I'll just run back and check!"

The entire room rumbled again. Misstar thought that would warn him not to go through with his plan.

"Wh-What's this trembling, then?" Kolorado asked, now shaking himself. "Probably nothing. Kids with fireworks, no doubt. Now, after that treasure!" He leapt down the rock spiral staircase.

"No! Wait!"

"Yaaaahhh! Hot! So hot!"

Despite Misstar's warning, Kolorado had been blinded by the prospect of treasure, and failed to notice the lake of lava rising up to meet him. Thankfully, one quick touch was enough to stop him in his tracks. "Th-That's lava, isn't it?" he asked, pointing a trembling hand at the red-hot magma just below his rock ledge. "It's coming near! We must flee!... But, no! The treasure's still here! I just know it!"

"Mario! The volcano is going to erupt anytime now!" Misstar warned. "It's far too dangerous to go back the way you came. We must escape another way!"

But, what could they do? They had minutes at best.

The Star Spirit looked around frantically, trying to think of a way out of the volcano before the lava reached them. Then, a current of warm air blew past her, and she had an idea. "Mario! I feel a slight wind coming from this cracked wall! There must be a room beyond! Can you blow up this wall?"

Mario nodded, and motioned for Bombette.

"I've got this!" the pink bob-omb said, and walked towards the cracked wall, her fuse lit.

Ka-BOOM!

Dust and shrapnel shot from the spot where Bombette exploded, revealing a large opening in the wall. An escape route!

"Mario! Hurry!" Misstar cried. "The lava is getting higher!" If she wanted to get the others out of here, not a second could be lost! The Star zoomed through the opening with Mario and his companions rushing after her.

Misstar's heart hammered furiously. Waves of heat washed over her as the glowing, orange lava flowed past. The heat pressed in around her, and her chest constricted. She could only imagine what Mario and the others were feeling. She bolted up another set of uneven, rocky steps, grateful for her ability to fly. After all, the only way left to go was up.

Boiling magma was right at their heels when the companions reached another landing. Kolorado charged forward, his eyes lit up with excitement. "I knew it! At last! The treasure is right there!" he exclaimed, jumping to reach a large, metal chest on a high rock pillar. "So close! Can't resist! I'll… I'll risk my life for that treasure!"

For a brief moment, Misstar hesitated. If the Koopa was quick, maybe he could get the treasure and escape with the rest of them. After all, it was for his wife… Misstar watched as he kept jumping, but to no avail. The chest was just too high for Kolorado's short arms to reach.

The Star shook her head. What was she thinking? They could risk the treasure, but then she'd be denying Kolorado's wife's request, and that was for him to come home.

Misstar gasped as the lava engulfed the steps leading up to the landing they were on. She glanced at Mario and his party, then at Kolorado, who was still reaching for the chest.

How could she have struggled with the decision? No treasure in the world was more valuable than life! And, to his wife, Kolorado's safety was worth way more than some ceramic volcano vase!

Without hesitation, she grabbed the floundering archeologist and pulled him away from the box. Mario and his friends jumped and Misstar caught them, too.

Had her powers not been fully restored, Misstar couldn't have lifted all of them. Using every bit of strength she possessed, the Star Spirit rocketed up through the air, the lava rising after them.

"My treasure! Nooo!" Kolorado screamed, kicking and flailing.

Misstar wished he'd stop doing that. It would make their escape so much easier. They had to get away from the mountain before it exploded altogether.

But, there was no time! Rock and ash erupted all around them, clouding their vision, and the lava was so close now that Mario and friends had to bend their knees so their feet wouldn't get burned.

The Star Spirit put on a burst of speed, the magma giving chase, threatening to devour her. Hot air rushed past as she rocketed from the mouth of the volcano with her passengers.

Mario had rescued her, and Misstar intended to return the favor. Molten rock erupted from the volcano like cannon fire, and in the middle of it all, Misstar shot like a glowing, pink firework into the afternoon sky.

Out of the corner of her eye, Misstar caught a glimpse of the large chest as it flew skyward and landed in the dense, green jungle below, but it paled in comparison to the treasures she now carried.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Hopefully it was fun to read…