THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CHARACTER DEATH and so do most chapters after it... I'm not good at writing sad moments, but I hope this can be a good tear jerker for you guys.

~Rosetta

"IS THAT ROCKET PREPARED FOR LIFTOFF?" Bowser yelled over the loud noise created by several of his koopa troopas brought crate after crate of starbits into a large blue rocket ship.

"Yes sure, but," Kamek began looking to Bowser somewhat fearfully, "Are you really sure you want to do this? I mean, sure, you've done a lot of bad stuff before and stooped to really low levels to do it, but... killing them? That's terribly harsh, I thin-"

"ENOUGH!" Bowser roared, interrupting Kamek. "I have to make her pay for helping Mario. And I'm going to hit her where it hurts."

Kamek scampered away from the mighty King Bowser, he went to E. Gadd, who was being kept in a cage, and asked him some questions.

"So what exactly did you put in those starbits?" He asked, genuinely interested.

"It's a genetically engineered weapon of mass destruction, so-" He began, until he realized Kamek and his old magic didn't understand a word he was saying.

"It's a disease," he restarted, "so if one eats it from a starbit it will slowly spread and take out the others. It hasn't had time to be perfected, so it's going to affect each one just a little bit differently, but it will kill." the professor finished darkly.

"We are prepared for liftoff." a robotic voice on the speakers said. Kamek, being thoroughly frightened, decided he'd rather not watch the 'genetically engineered weapon of mass destruction' take to the skies.

Ro

~Three Days Later

It was the end to another rather long, hard day ruling over the universe. For Rosalina, her body finally felt tired enough to allow herself to get some sleep. However before bed, it was time to read.

"Let us begin," Rosalina said in a peaceful, relaxed tone.

As she began to read, Her Baby Luma munched down on a starbit hungrily. It was a purple one, his favorite. As he bit down he noticed how much more delicious this one was than usual. He also, however began to feel weaker. And he began to cough. Just a quiet, normal cough at first that later turned into a forceful, painful hacking as he spat up sticky black liquid.

As soon as Rosalina saw him spit, she threw down her story book and grabbed the Luma. It's normal shining white skin was a terrible tan and was no longer shining.

"Luma..." She grabbed him in a large hug, but felt him slipping away.

"Mama... I... I..." The Luma tried to speak but ended up spitting more sticky onto Rosalina's dress.

"I know, sweetie." she said, tears welling up in her almond-shaped eyes. "I love you too. But it's time to rest now." As the Luma's eyes began to flutter shut, Rosalina began to sing a soft, sweet lullabye*.

"Sleep, my sweet one, resting in my lap,

Sleep and snuggle close, for your final nap.

Sleep my little darling, sleep and close your eyes,

Tonight you will shine bright with the stars in the sky,

I love you, my child,

Goodbye."

Her Baby Luma closed his eyes, and Rosalina felt his spirit slip away. His body slowly turned to stardust in her hands, and tears began to drop from her eyes. The other Lumas looked at their mama, then at the pile of stardust in her hands, and starbits came from their eyes, too.

Rosalina flipped back her head, and she saw much, much more than the ceiling of the Library. She saw a bright shimmering see of stars, and she saw Her Baby Luma going there to shine with the rest. The other Lumas looked into her eys and saw deep cyan pools of sorrow, pity, and loss. Polari grabbed a small urn from the shelf, and scooped up the stardust and poured it into the urn. The Lumas then left their mama, knowing that she needed to be alone.

When they got to the center of the Comit Observatory, Polari scooped the stardust out of the urn and threw it into space. "May the stars shine down on you." he said sadly.

As the Lumas watched the stardust dift into space, they could feel Rosalina inside the Library, silently crying. They could remember the only other time they had seen their mama cry. Why are you crying? they asked. I'm crying because I know my mother is sleeping under that tree!* she said. They remembered how she promised to never cry again after that.

That promise, however, was made to be broken.

Ro

*I totally don't know how to spell "Lullabye"

*I can't remember exactly what Rosalina says in the storybook, I kind of just said what I remembered.

Gosh, that chapter wasn't actually that much longer, was it? It sure felt longer. Oh well. You guys will just have to get used to short chapters from now on. Remember to review! ;)

~Rosetta