Chapter One

The sunlight suddenly grew strong and bright, causing a pair of gentle blue eyes to open up and squint. They looked up at the sky, which also was a beautiful shade of blue, and then seemed to light up pleasantly. The owner of these gentle eyes was a young man, about twenty-one years of age, who took a moment to give his body a waking stretch. He had been sprawled out on a hilltop catching a nap in the afternoon sunshine, the springtime warmth enveloping him like a motherly embrace. But now it was time to wake up, the sunlight seemed to instruct him, and he sat up and looked from his perch down to the small town below. It was a very small town indeed—had only four houses, one of which he called his residence. His eyes looked down to the house he called his home and he smiled as he could see the other inhabitants of the house out in the yard going about their daily routines. He loved his housemates—it was a lovely woman and her many children, both adopted and biological—and considered them to be family almost.

"Phil! Phil, are you up here?" A young boy's voice suddenly broke the afternoon silence.

Phil turned around towards the sound of the voice, smiling widely when he saw the owner of the voice. It was a nine-year-old child with dark hair and deep green eyes. "Right here, Aiden," he replied.

Aiden slowed his sprint to a comfortable walk, and approached the young man. "We've been wondering where you were." He sat down next to Phil and smiled happily at him. "You've been gone most of the day."

"Has it really been that long?" Phil asked while running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "What time is it?"

"Almost four," the little boy replied. "We were starting to get worried… 'cause you left by yourself… and there have been a lot of small attacks on us lately…"

"I'm sorry," the older male apologized, rising to his feet. He stood well over six feet tall. "Come on. Let's get back before they start worrying about you too. After all, you're the baby of the bunch."

Aiden nodded and got up. "Can I ride on your shoulders again?"

Phil smiled pleasantly. "Sure. But you have to promise that you won't tell Autumn this time, or else I'll have to give her a lift as well."

"I promise," the little boy answered with a giggle.

"Up you go, then," the twenty-one-year-old picked up the child and hoisted him onto his shoulders. When he was sure that Aiden wouldn't fall, he began his descent back into the town.

When they arrived back at the house, Phil carefully put Aiden down and looked around the yard. "Hm," he thought aloud. "Usually she's around here somewhere… arguing with Daniel or…" He walked into the house, looking towards the television. On the floor in front of it was a video game console—it was currently unattended to.

"Who are you looking for, honey?" A woman's voice suddenly interjected. Phil looked up from the floor to see the mother of the household smiling warmly at him. She was thirty-four years old but could easily pass for much younger.

"Hi Danielle," he said with a pleasant smile. "I'm looking for Luca. She wasn't in the front yard and I see she's not playing games. Have you seen her?"

Danielle smiled just as pleasantly as she wiped the dish in her hand with a towel. "I believe she said she was heading to the racetracks with Jim and Daniel. I think she wanted to practice some more on the motorbike."

Phil winced. He hated the idea of his girlfriend riding something as dangerous as a motorbike—what if she crashed? She'd hardly have any sort of protection from her body and the asphalt of the racetrack. "Thanks," he replied, pivoting on his heel and heading towards the neighboring town.

"Oh," a young female's voice introduced itself into his hearing. "I sense a panic attack just waiting to happen."

"I oughta kill you, Jessie," he replied to the voice.

Jessie smirked. She was an eighteen-year-old tomboy with strong psychic powers that read him like a book every single time they made contact. She rose to her feet, standing just inches shorter than he, brushing back her reddish brown hair and laughing at him through aquamarine eyes. "For what? She's twenty-two, Phil, I can't control her."

"Stop reading me," he muttered. She was his best friend, it was true, but sometimes her ability to read his thoughts drove him insane. "I gotta get to the track before she wipes out or something."

"I'll tag along… I wanna watch Jim anyway." She invited herself along—she was a very dominant personality and when she said something, it usually went her way no matter how anyone else felt.

"Fine," Phil sighed. "Just don't hold me back."

Jessie ran on ahead. "How about you don't hold me back?" She verbally prodded at him.

The two ran down the road towards the capital city of Toad Town.

The Toad Town Race Course was bustling with activity and roaring with the sound of racing engines and minor explosions. Phil couldn't help but scratch at his left arm, feeling the addicted twitch of a man wanting to hit the tracks himself. He had come to find that, with a little bit of practice, he was a gifted kart driver. He and Jim spent lots of their spare time unwinding here, chasing each other for first place and blasting one another with items. It was one of few things that Phil and Luca did together, too—they often teamed up in Double Dash races in their vehicle, the Amethyst Blaze. Luca was a very accurate thrower and made a great backseat passenger to Phil's driving prowess, and the team was a crowd favorite. But when they rode solo, Luca preferred to ride the Jade Speedster, which was a super-fast motorbike… something that Phil absolutely abhorred. He was always terrified that she would crash and injure herself and would hardly ever manage to watch her complete one race on the Speedster without covering his face at least once.

"I don't see her," he said after a quick scan of the entire track he could see.

Jessie pointed towards a large jump nearby. "She's about to trickster it over that jump."

"Jade Speedster?" Phil asked with a shiver.

"Jade Speedster."

Phil ran towards the barricade that kept spectators off the tracks, gripping it so tightly his knuckles lost all color. He leaned forward slightly, his head and chest hovering over the hot asphalt as he stood on his toes, fearfully watching as his girlfriend—and that damned motorbike—hit the ramp at full speed. His eyes grew large and he held his breath. Despite his own skill at handling vehicles, he never attempted that particular jump… it was called the Death Leap for a reason.

The Jade Speedster flew rapidly into the air, and began a series of back flips. Luca was known around the track as a show-off—someone who would pull a trick at every possible instance. But she was also known for her propensity to drop her bike... this was what worried Phil the most. The motorbike flipped once… twice… thrice… and the wheels hit the ground. The front tire began to spin out, and the Jade Speedster lost control. Phil yelped, unbeknownst to himself aloud, and covered his eyes. He flinched as he heard the sound of metal hitting the rubber barricade, and then there was silence. He jumped over the barricade he was holding ad sprinted across the track to get to his girlfriend. She was getting up, dusting herself off. She appeared to be unharmed.

"What was that?" Phil declared as he ran over to her. "There's a reason they call that—"

"I know what it's called," Luca cut him off. "And I almost nailed it. And I will on the next try." She ran a hand through her messy blood red hair.

"Absolutely not!" Phil cried out. "You are not endangering yourself on the Death Leap!"

Luca's dark green eyes narrowed into fiery slits. "And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do?"

"I'm your boyfriend," he snapped back. "A boyfriend who'd be devastated if his girlfriend died while doing something stupid."

"Have a little faith in me, Phil!" She retorted angrily. Even though she was a foot beneath him in height, he easily intimidated her.

He began pacing about, the frustration in him rising. "I didn't like it when you decided to try out a motorbike… I told you that you'd not be able to handle it, and you're proving it! How many times in the last week have you wiped out on that… that… thing?"

"I don't complain when you and Jim are out there hurling Bob-ombs at one another," she growled. "If we're going to ban things that are dangerous, why not—"

"Because those Bob-ombs are blanks, Luca!" Phil shouted. "Blanks! They simply explode and spin you out! Unlike taking Death Leap at full speed like you think you have the skill!"

"So you're saying I don't have any skill?" Luca picked the Jade Speedster up off the ground. "Is that what this is?"

"No!" He said, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I'm just saying you aren't ready for professional stunts. Now go put that deathtrap away and let's go home before the sun goes down?"

Luca got back on the motorbike. "Pass."

"Excuse me?" Phil raised an eyebrow.

"I said I'll pass," Luca repeated. "If I'm not ready for professional stunts, I obviously need more practice."

Phil was about to open his mouth again to respond when something gently tapped his foot. He looked down in time to spy a Bob-omb flashing rapidly between himself and Luca. Before he had time to respond, it exploded—this was no blank. Both of them flew through the air with wicked speed. Phil crashed against the rubber barricade and slid down it into a sitting position, nearly unconscious from the impact. Luca bounced off the asphalt three times and skidded across it, coming to rest against the barricade on the other side.

"I hate to interrupt your pathetic squabbling," a deep, ominous, masculine voice interjected suddenly, "but I do believe I've heard enough."

Luca weakly lifted her head up towards the sound of the voice. There, in his Klown Kopter, was the evil Bowser, King of the Koopas. He looked down at her with a vicious smirk on his face.

"Hello, girl," he turned in her direction. "With your partner there lying nearly unconscious and you having just had a nasty fall on your bike, I'm sure you're pretty tuckered out. How about you just make it easy on me and give in without a fight? I need the Chaos Essence. Give it to me and I'll spare you."

Luca looked to Phil, whose head was lulling back and forth as he struggled to stay awake. "I don't need him to fight my battles for me, and I'm certainly not giving you the Chaos Essence. Not while I'm still alive and able."

Bowser heaved a false sigh. "Oh, Lucafira, you stubborn little girl." He pulled out his scepter and charged a ball of dark magic at her. "Don't you know that you should learn not to be so rude?"

She grabbed the sword at her side and reflected the beam off it. "Don't you know that as long as you're fighting for evil, you're gonna lose to me?" She retorted, managing a cocky smirk.

"Think about it, Luca," Bowser changed his tactic. "If you hand over the Chaos Essence, I'll give you control of your own region in my new empire. Think about it—what good is always fighting for the good side doing for you?"

"Lu… Luca…" Phil murmured softly, rising unsteadily to his feet. "Don't… Don't fall for his schemes… It's a trap and you know it…"

Luca turned back towards Bowser. Unfortunately, she was the Unpure Essence—her heart was good but her soul was terribly corrupt. Bowser knew that she could be swayed if he used the right words… the only person that seemed to keep her from joining his forces was that damned boyfriend of hers.

"Ignore him," Bowser instructed. "What does he know? He's just a coward who hides behind you every time there's a fight."

"Leave him alone," Luca growled. "This isn't his fight and you know it. Don't drag him into this."

"Imagine if you were on my side, Luca… we would be equals. I would never use you as a shield when we went into battle together. I would always be at your side… perhaps I would even protect you when you needed it…"

Phil stumbled backwards and collided with the barricade again. He could see the look of confliction rapidly rising in his girlfriend's eyes. He shakily reached for his own sword, yelling at himself to get his mind clear so he could sway her back.

"We would never fight, Luca," Bowser continued, a smile growing on his wicked lips. "Almost every time we've met as of late, you have been bickering with that boy of yours. Get rid of him, Luca, and join me. Together we will dominate this world and be treated the way we both deserve… like royalty…"

"Luca!" Phil cried. "Don't give into him! Please! You know what it would do if you gave him your Essence!"

"Ignore him!" Bowser hissed.

"Shut up!" Phil shouted back.

"Enough of you!" Bowser growled, launching a ball of dark magic at the young man. The orb collided with its intended target, and he collapsed onto the ground.

"No," Luca murmured beneath her breath. "Enough of you!" She levitated off the ground and fired a chaotic mass of black energy at Bowser. "I told you to leave him alone… but like a fool, you persisted…"

The blast connected, and Bowser was knocked back several feet. However, he was not seriously affected. "Hmph." He said after a moment. "Fine. But believe you me, girl," he said as his Kopter began flying high into the air, "I will keep coming back until I have that Essence! Count on it!" His laughter echoed in the sky as he vanished from sight.

Luca went over to Phil and helped him up. She channeled some of her own energy into him to recover his lost health. "Luca," he said, "I… I'm sorry."

She turned away from him and her hands came away from his arm. He could feel ice growing between himself and her. Something felt horribly wrong between them—as if a huge barrier had just erupted out of the ground and prevented him from being able to reach her. She began walking away without a word and picked up her motorbike again. He felt as if someone had just punched him hard in the chest, but no words had been spoken. So he broke the silence.

"Luca… where are…"

"He wasn't completely wrong," she said after a moment. "You do hide behind me a lot. You're going to have to learn how to stand up for yourself one of these days… I won't be around forever. In fact…"

"Luca, no." Phil sprinted forward and reached his hand out to put it on her shoulder. She flinched beneath his touch and swatted his hand away. "Luca, please."

She finished her statement. "I'm not going to be around any longer."

"But…"

She turned around slowly to look at him. Her green eyes seem extinguished and strangely calm, but he could feel icy distance in her stare. "I'm tired of fighting with you, day in and day out. I'm tired of coming to your rescue all the time. You've got to learn to stand up on your own… and you can't learn that if I'm always here. So goodbye, Phil."

His chest drew tight with the feeling of impending heartbreak, and he shook his head wildly. "No. No… no… you can't… we've been through so much…" He watched as she wordlessly got on her motorbike and sped away from him. Involuntarily his legs began moving forward and he was chasing after her. His arm reached out as if he could catch her with his arm at full extension, but she simply hit the accelerator. He slowly stopped running after her, his sprint turning into a jog that turned into a depressed walk. And then he was still. "Luca, no…"

Jessie ran over, her aqua eyes glistening with concern. "What just happened out here?"

"You should know," he murmured softly, voice faltering. "You can read my mind."

She grabbed her best friend into an embrace, but he did not return it. His body was tight and tense, and he stood completely motionless. He lifted his head up ever slightly and stared towards the distance that his lover had just sped across. Jessie spotted the tears forming. "Let it out," she cooed gently. "Let it all out."

He closed his eyes tightly and a few watery drops spilled over. He then shook his head and pushed her away. "I'm fine," he insisted, knowing good and well Jessie could read his lie. "And I don't have anything to 'let out.'" He began walking away from her. "I have somewhere to be."

She paused to read his thoughts. He was heading for the hilltop he claimed to be his thinking place—his favorite, but private, hangout. She watched him walk away and decided to leave him alone for the time being.

"Jessie, what's wrong?" Another male voice came from behind her. She turned to see her boyfriend, Jim, standing behind her. She turned around and threw herself at him.

"Luca's gone," she cried. "She just left Phil and sped off on her motorbike. She's gone, Jim."

Jim's dark brown eyes widened. "Stars above," he breathed quietly. "Where's Phil? Is he okay?"

"He's left for his private retreat," she answered. "And I don't think he's going to be much help right now… he's very torn up."

"As long as he's going to be safe for now, we can always come back for him." Jim explained, his voice procuring a stern, worried tone. "But right now our main concern is finding Luca and bringing her back. Being she's Unpure, Bowser will no doubt be looking for her with much more zest if he finds out she's out there alone. And if she lets those conflictions convert her…"

Jessie nodded. "Let's get started searching. We can ask Daniel and Jared to help us."

Jim nodded as well, and the couple ran as fast as they could towards Star Town.