Chapter 8: A Familiar Face
Bella was floating around the various rooms of the Comet Observatory. The whole idea of being able to hover was still so surreal to the princess. It had been a few months since Rosalina had given her the wand for her birthday. Bella had been gradually learning how to control her new power of flight better. Sure, she had a few mishaps and knocked a few books over in the library a couple of times, but now she was used to hovering where she wanted to go.
She imagined back to the time when she had been so used to walking everywhere. It was so weird that she could just hover wherever she wanted now.
The princess floated over to the Cosmic Queen who was with the lumas in the main control area of the ship checking over instruments. "I think I've got hovering down now Rosalina!" Bella exclaimed. She imagined herself moving to the other side of the control room, and slowly hovered over to that very spot.
"Very good Bellatrix," Rosalina said in her calm voice with a smile. She turned to the lumas over her shoulder. "What do you all think?"
"Our sister is a natural," the lumas excitedly chorused, some of them spinning in a circle.
"I would have to agree," Rosalina chuckled. "Bella, have you been practicing with your force fields some more as well?"
"Absolutely!" she replied in an excited tone. "Here; watch this!" Bella pulled out her wand, and looked over at a book on a shelf. She pointed the wand at it, and a force field appeared around the book, lifting it off of the shelf. The princess gracefully moved her wand to face Rosalina, and the book followed until it was over her. Rosalina opened her hands, and Bella made the force field disappear; the book gently falling into the Queen's hands with starbit dust dissolving around her.
"How was that?" Bella asked, putting the wand back into her pocket.
Rosalina smiled and let out a giggle. "I couldn't have done it any better myself. You've definitely been practicing."
The princess smiled back. "That's great!" She looked over to the comet computer. "Is there any sign of where my parents are today, Rosalina?"
Rosalina's smile quickly turned into a somber sad face. "I'm sorry Bella, still nothing on the observatory computer just yet." Bella sadly looked over to the window. "However, we are getting close to the special planet that I always took you when you were younger," she replied, attempting to put one of her contagious comforting smiles on her face.
Bella thought back into the past. "That's where I met Junior, and we always played as kids. I wonder if he still goes there, or thinks of me. He is alive again Rosalina, right?"
"Absolutely Bella. The lumas have the power to heal and restore life, remember? That's exactly what they did, and that is the reason Bowser is alive again today." She paused for a second. "His son is also alive again as well, and should still remember you as neither the memory of him nor his father would have been erased."
The princess thought to herself for a minute, wondering if the Koopa prince still had any feelings for her. She had always liked him. He was a bright young prince, smart and soft-spoken. She really liked that kind of personality in a person. It reminded her a lot of her father Mario.
"How soon do you think we will be at the planet Rosalina?" Bella asked.
The Queen thought for a second. "I figure maybe in another week or two," she replied.
"Okay," Bella said. A luma came flying into the room.
"Mama, Mama! Could you read us a story?" the luma asked.
"Sure little one!" the Cosmic Queen replied. "Come Bella, you can help read as well!"
"I love doing that," the princess replied, a sense of joy in her voice, as she the lumas, and Queen hovered out of the control room and towards the library.
….
"We should be approaching the planet any minute," Rosalina was smiling at Bellatrix. "Its right behind that sun over there," she continued pointing at the star.
The Comet Observatory slowly swung around the small star and a small planet with lush green grass and trees coming into view. Many rivers could also be seen on its surface, as well as other biomes towards the poles of the tiny planet.
Rosalina manoeuvred the Observatory into the orbit of the small planet, near the position that she and Luma had built the house when they were young. She put the ship on auto-pilot to continue orbiting around the planet, opening the hatch to allow herself and the princess to leave it.
"Come Bella, we're here now. Let's go down to the surface."
The princess hovered over to the hatch with Rosalina and pulled out her wand. She created a force field around herself and the Queen; the duo gently floating down to the planet's surface.
The two landed on the ground with a soft thud, the force field disappearing into starbit dust.
Bella gradually turned her head around, taking in all of the sights of the planet she had played on since she was a young child. The lush green grass was everywhere, the trees of a small forest towards their east. She remembered the star bunnies, and playing tag with them running around from tree to tree. They always had so much fun together.
The duo hovered over to the house in the middle of the field that she and Rosalina had stayed in many nights while on the planet. It was a basic and short blue house, but it held many memories of her childhood. Many nights Bella would read bedtime stories to the star bunnies that were on the planet. It always filled them with glee when she did so. Rosalina would then tuck her in, say goodnight to her, and wish her sweet dreams.
"Let's go over to the lake Rosalina," Bella suggested, pointing towards it. The Queen nodded, and followed her as she floated in the direction of the body of water.
The princess's mind turned back to the day that she had met Junior who was sitting on a log near the lake. She thought about all of the times they had played games of tag together, play fought, or just talked about life as they grew up. In essence, they were the best of friends, not to mention Junior was her only friend.
Bella wondered if she would ever see him again. She knew that Junior was alive again as Rosalina had told her that, but she still didn't fully know where he was.
The day that he gave up his life for her was the day Bella had died on the inside. He was the one that allowed her to defeat Bowser the first time, but she never got a chance to tell him how much she really cared for him. The princess began to cry a little at this thought, a few tears falling down her face.
"Bella, are you okay sweetie?" Rosalina asked grabbing Bella's hand, a look of sadness evident on her face.
"I just walked into a memory, that's all," she replied, wiping the tears away as they floated on.
The two arrived at the corner of the lake on a section of beach Bella had always played at when she was younger. She looked at the water, catching a glimpse of someone sitting on a log in the distance.
She looked up, and caught glimpse of the Koopa Prince sitting at the exact place that she had met him years before. The princess rubbed her eyes for a second, in disbelief that was she was seeing was true.
"Junior!" was all the princess called.
Junior looked up, and couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, the girl he had grown up with for many years of his childhood. "Bella!" he called back, standing up from his seat on the log. "Is that really you?"
The princess floated towards Junior as he ran towards Bella. They met in the middle, and stared into each other's faces for a second, Rosalina floating in behind the pair.
Bella reached down, and gave Junior a really big hug, the Koopa prince returning her embrace.
"Bella, it's so good to see you again," Tears of joy began falling down his face. "I was so worried about you, especially after what happened when you rescued your parents last time."
"You saved my life," Bella replied with tears in her eyes. "Bowser would have gotten me if you didn't step in his way. I owe you everything that I have. I owe you my life," She said softly, breaking out of the embrace and giving Junior a kiss on the lips.
Junior stood there stunned. He had no idea what to think or do in that second. It was his first kiss, and it happened because he had done something good in his life, nothing evil. Bella finished kissing him and moved back a bit.
He looked up at her, and composed himself a bit more. "I had to Bella. I couldn't let my father hurt you. You are the only friend I've ever had, and I've always cared deeply for you ever since we met all those years ago." He stared at Bella for a few seconds. "Wait a minute. Bella, you can float now!? How is that?"
Bella pulled out her wand and showed it to the Koopa prince. "Remember the magic that I used when we always played together? Rosalina gave me my own wand similar to hers to allow me make my magic more powerful and controllable. It also allows me to float just like her. It was a gift for my birthday."
"Wait, Rosalina isn't your mother," Junior said. "Mario and Peach are your parents."
Rosalina cringed at the Prince's statement, turning her head to look away from the pair.
"I know," Bella replied seeing Rosalina's sudden sadness, "but in essence she is. To me she's like a mother. She loved me and took care of me from a baby raising me up to be the person I am today." Her face turned a little sour. "She did lie to me about my parents being Mario and Peach, but I know she did it because she didn't know they were still alive after Bowser tricked her. She saw them die. She told me all about it on the way here, and I believe her."
Junior grabbed the princess's hand. "It's my fault too Bella. I was there when it happened. I didn't like what my father did, but he insisted on tricking Rosalina so that he could keep your parents forever." He stared at her for a few more seconds. "Wait, it was you. You were the little girl with Rosalina on the planet. I, I… I wish I could have made things right."
Bella stared thoughtfully at Junior as he finished speaking.
"You mustn't blame yourself Junior. Rosalina always told me that things happen for a reason. I would have never met you." The princess paused to think for a few seconds. "Why are you here on this planet today Junior?"
"I had to look for you, and had a feeling that you might be here," he replied. "My father has your parents, and I had a feeling that you might come looking for them."
"Where are they?" Bella asked letting go of Junior's hand, and placing her hands on his shoulders. A sudden look of desperation appeared on the princess' face. "He's not hurting them, is he?"
"No he isn't Bella. He's on the fiery planet a few galaxies over. It's his summer home."
Bella looked at Rosalina. "We need to rescue them!"
"NO," Junior cried. "If you go there Bella, he's going to kidnap you as well and lock you up forever. It was his intention to take you from the Mushroom Kingdom for defeating him last time, but when his army couldn't locate you, he took Mario and Peach instead."
"Then what can we do?" the princess asked, a look of sadness and defeat on her face.
"I caused this mess, I'll go," Rosalina piped up from behind Bella in a low, tense tone. "If I had saved Mario and Peach the first time on that planet, none of this would have happened."
Bella floated over to the Queen. "It's not your fault though Rosalina. None of this ever was. You were looking out for me and my parents since the beginning. All of this is Bowser's doing. Never blame yourself for anything that happened ever again."
The Queen's voice softened. "Bellatrix, you mean everything to me. You are the only other person I have ever taken care of. It really means a lot to me... you saying that."
"I meant every word of what I said," Bella replied giving Rosalina a hug. Junior smiled at the affection between the Cosmic Queen and Bella. She may not have been her mother, but they definitely did have a loving relationship.
"That being said, I must go and locate Bowser alone Bella. I can't risk letting him kidnap you too."
"But I have to help! We're talking about my parents here!" the princess protested.
"First we have to make sure that they are still okay. Then we may be able to free them." Rosalina replied.
"I'll go with you and show you where to go," Junior said.
"Thank you Junior," the Queen replied as she led him and Bella lead the prince back to the Comet Observatory.
A/N: There you have it: The reunion of the childhood friends once again, and the happiness that ensues at them actually seeing each other again! We now know where the Royal Couple actually is as well, but will it be easy to free them or will Bowser interfere again?
Find out next time!