Rosalina stayed inside the library, starring at the ceiling for a long time. She never moved, never made a sound... the Lumas were starting to wonder if something was wrong with her. She sat there for minutes, that turned into hours, that turned into days, and the days piled onto her like water over stones.
Every hour the Lumas would send someone in to check on her, to see if anything had changed. Nothing ever really did. It wasn't until another Luma was sick that she finally got up.
"It's okay! Hang in there Rubie!" Said Polari to the sick little Luma, a red one named Rubie.
"I-Ack!-I want mama..." Rubie said, coughing up the same sticky black liquid just like Her Baby Luma had.
They had all been gathered in the fountain, panicking over their sick sibling, when suddenly Rosalina burst through the door in a flurry of stardust.
"Rubie!" She yelled, grabbing her sick child. She felt her spirit was on the edge of leaving, and Rosalina wondered why Rubie hadn't just shut her eyes and let it all stop. It was almost like she was waiting for something... then Rosalina realized, She was waiting for me!
"Ma-mama..." Rubie muttered, and Rosalina closed her eyes and began to sing.
"The stars, they are glowing,
brightly in the sky,
and they're shining right upon us,
on you and I.
Stars of every color,
red and gold and blue,
the stars, they may glow brightly,
but not as bright as you."
Half way through the song, felt Rubie's spirit leave, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a pile of stardust in her lap.
Once again, tears welled up in her eyes, and she scooped up the stardust into her cupped hands and went outside. When she got to the center of the Observatory, she threw the stardust into space and watched it float far, far away.
"May the stars shine down on you." she whispered.
There, standing in the Observatory, Rosalina suddenly felt overcome with grief and collapsed. A thousand thoughts were running through her head. Why, why them?! They were so young, so innocent, so pure... What could've cause them to die?! Lumas don't die! Sacrifice, maybe... but not die! She cried, softly at first, that soon turned into a loud, painful wailing that made her hurt all over. She wanted them back! And what if she lost more? What would she do then? Was there evn a cause to all this...?
"what can we do?"
"Mama is in so much pain!"
"I miss Rubie!"
"I think I'll go to talk to mama-"
Several Lumas whispered until Polari cut one off and said, "No! Don't do that. Mother... she has to be alone... again."
"But mama needs help!"
"... I know where we can get help." Polari said firmly.
"Where? From who?"
Polari turned back to the large group of Lumas. "We need to call Mario."
So there's chapter 3! Next time, Mario comes into the picture! Exciting, yes? Also, the story is going to get a little repetitive and maybe a bit boring after this, but don't worry, it's supposed to be like this. We have to get through a few more deaths before the main plot begins. Anyway, please remember to review, and see ya next time!
~Rosetta