I'll Never Let You Go

by Drones-of-Innocence

When Bowser mobilizes his latest plot to kidnap Princess Peach, Mario finds himself pursuing them toward the deepest reaches of space. The long journey gives him time to reflect on how he and Luigi came to be in the Mushroom Kingdom. Though he struggles to find a way forward, Mario only has to think of Princess Peach all alone in the center of the universe to keep going.

4. Guiding Light

"The sunshine

Trapped in our hearts,

It could rise again,

But I'm lost, crushed, cold, and confused

With no guiding light left inside..."

-Guiding Light, Muse

O~o~O

The usual grandeur of the Mushroom Kingdom's castle only grew with the arrival of the day Princess Peach was meant to host some sort of summit meeting.

She had said something about a friend being unable to show up, a Princess Daisy? Mario hurried through the castle's long halls just short of a jog, boots thumping on the elegant rugs draped over the floors, and tried to remember everything Princess Peach had told him the previous day. She had invited him and Luigi to the castle for tea, and used the opportunity to tell them about the meeting in precise detail. Only one of them was absolutely necessary to represent themselves, and Luigi was glad to leave it to Mario.

Mario had tried to listen to what the Princess told him, but he wasn't sure he understood everything. He and Luigi were more worried that the Princess believed their residence in her Kingdom was going to be permanent.

Neither of them were certain where she got the impression that they were going to stay. Perhaps a rumor had been spread, or maybe the people had just assumed so, but whatever it was that happened, Mario and Luigi both knew they had to set things straight.

As lovely as the Mushroom Kingdom was, they did have jobs and their own lives in Brooklyn to maintain. Mario wasn't sure how to tell Princess Peach that. Not after she invited them both to the castle for various conferences, and especially not after she had publicly deemed the brothers heroes to the kingdom. While Luigi was more talkative with her, he hated being the bearer of bad news. So Mario had agreed to be the one to break it to her, however, every time an opportunity came, he found when he looked upon her bright smile that his mouth went dry and he forgot how to speak proper English.

Princess Peach seemed so happy to have them in her Kingdom. Who was he to rain on her parade? He assumed his reluctance came from that sort of guilt, and he knew the longer he held it off, the harder it would be to say.

He had faced a giant gorilla and a monstrous turtle, the prospect of upsetting a woman should have been nothing in comparison. That should have made plenty of logical sense. Still, Mario found it hard to truly believe. He told himself that he would get it together and tell her after the meeting.

Toadsworth was down the hall in the room just ahead. Feeling a jolt of compulsion, Mario stopped. He was early enough, but he already anticipated the advisor to yell at him for being late; no matter what he did, Toadsworth was never happy with him.

He considered going down another hall and finding another way to the meeting. Toadsworth hadn't yet seen him, and there was time to find his way through the castle. But why would he go to all that trouble just to avoid an old Toad? Mario told himself he was being silly and started forward again. As he got closer, he tried to put together a coherent response to whatever accusation Toadsworth might throw at him.

Even though his gait was quiet on the marble, Toadsworth turned around just as Mario came into the room. "Well, it is about time, Master Jumpman!" he said, and hobbled over towards him. Eyeing the cane, Mario kept his arms near his chest to protect himself. "Have you no manners? Sneaking through the castle like some sort of hooligan! Tut tut!"

Toadsworth raised the cane, and Mario flinched when he jabbed him firmly in the shoulder. "I'm not a hooligan." he mumbled, and took a step back when Toadsworth got too close.

"Toadsworth, please!" Both Mario and Toadsworth looked up at the clicking of heels on tile when Princess Peach walked in the room. She waved Toadsworth down, and Mario got the sense that she frequently made the same gesture for similar reasons. "Mario has asked you twice now to call him by his name. And please don't hurt him, he's done so much for us." she came close enough to reach out and touch his shoulder, her thumb rubbing over where Toadsworth had probably left a bruise. Mario relaxed a little under her touch.

Clearing his throat, Toadsworth composed himself and put his cane back on the floor. "Of course, Princess. You must forgive me, Master Mario, I am very concerned with Princess Peach's protection." he adjusted his bowtie and regarded Mario with a calm countenance.

Mario didn't know what poking him had to do with Princess Peach's protection, but he wasn't going to question it. He disguised his sigh as a deep breath. "It's nothing." he waved off the apology, trying to look unbothered. Toadsworth nodded in response, and turned to leave them.

Once he had shuffled out of earshot, Princess Peach turned to face Mario with a guilty smile. "He means well. I'm sure that someday he will adjust to you being around." She left her hand on his shoulder for a moment longer before she turned away and started toward the meeting. Mario hesitated before going after her, and winced when her statement reminded him of what he would have to tell her. There would be no 'someday.'

With a stern huff, he steeled himself, and rolled his shoulder to try and ease the pain. He would tell her after the meeting. He wouldn't allow himself to be tripped up by his own guilt or her excitement, and he would get the truth out before it was too late. If he let her go on believing they would stay for much longer, he was afraid she would be hurt, and then he wasn't sure if he would be able to bring himself to leave.

Mario could hardly keep up with her as she hurried down the halls, and noticed how she kept fidgeting with her hands. He thought she was also quieter than usual.

He wondered why she even wanted him there in the first place. He could only try to understand why she was so adamant that he accompany her. There wasn't much he could help her with; matters concerning the Kingdom and its people went far over his head, and he didn't know the first thing about the politics of this world. Or much about his own, for that matter. He figured, being a Princess and all, that politics was more in her playing field. So why she would want him in a serious conference with her was beyond him. "Princess," he began reluctantly. "Are you sure you want me in the meeting?"

Glancing down to him, Princess Peach slowed her bustling pace, and then came to a reluctant stop when the large doors came into their view. She smiled for him, though he had started to recognize the strain in it. It was more of a front to spare him from concern. "Well, it's important to acknowledge your efforts to our allies. This is as good an opportunity as any." she tried to look convincing, but Mario saw through her and raised a brow.

Her smile fell away. She looked down at her dress, still fluttering from the speed she had been moving, to avoid his probing look. "No. The truth is, these sort of meetings are very...difficult. The other representatives are hard to speak with, and nothing ever really gets accomplished. Princess Daisy of Sarasaland is usually with me; she's the most similar to me in age and rank, and we have established a close alliance between our Kingdoms." she explained.

But, as Mario remembered, Princess Daisy wouldn't be coming. He suddenly realized what she was getting at. If politics were as bad as he thought they were, and Princess Peach's only friend wouldn't be in the meeting, then she would be all by herself in a room full of fancy nobles. Fancy nobles who had ignored her call for help when she had been kidnapped by Bowser. Mario was confused by the sudden aversion he felt for whoever might be on the other side of the door. "You don't want to be alone." he guessed, and as soon as he saw her sigh, he knew he was right.

Princess Peach fidgeted with her hands a little longer, and nodded with a tired look. "You have a very blunt way with words." she murmured, and for a moment, Mario was afraid he might have offended her. But, she quickly corrected herself, and offered him a smile. A real one. "If only there were more people like you, Mario. Would you be so kind as to do me a favor?"

Mario nodded. "Of course, Princess."

She bent down with her hands on her knees so that she was eye level with him, and looked very serious for just a moment. Then, her expression brightened into a playful smile. "Don't ever stop being blunt." she grinned.

Taken aback, Mario hesitated before he gave a wary nod. Princess Peach stood up to her full height, satisfied with his answer, and gestured for him to follow her in the room. She appeared to be a little more at ease; Mario saw her straighten her shoulders and raise her chin. As he followed her down the corridor, listening to their footsteps echo on the marble along with the faint noise of a crowd from within, the Toad guards up ahead began to open the door.

The babbling noise of conversations ceased. "Her royal majesty, Princess Peach Toadstool!" her name echoed through the grand hall, announced by some figure Mario couldn't see. Mario was guided to a seat close to the front, but Princess Peach continued to the floor behind a podium where she stood by herself. As soon as she was still, everyone around him began talking again.

Mario blinked and looked around. Were they not her guests? Did none of them care to acknowledge that she was safe? There had to be dozens of them, all chattering amongst themselves without regard for Princess Peach. When Mario looked up at her, she was looking around with serene indifference. She must have had something to say, and she was waiting.

There wasn't anything he could do, he didn't think. He was only there to reassure her. All manner of creatures he couldn't identify were dressed in the most regal clothes he'd ever seen, and he certainly didn't belong with his working overalls. Even if he could do something, he didn't have the slightest idea of what it could be, or if anyone would pay him any attention either. He tried to discreetly search the faces of the royals seated around him, and he didn't really like what he saw. With their casual laughter, he would have assumed they were at a party rather than a serious conference. Mario decided he didn't like their character.

Princess Peach delicately cleared her throat. The whole room went dead silent.

Mario blinked. In an instant, everyone was looking to the floor, where Princess Peach looked out upon them all with an even smile. "Before we begin, I would like to thank you all for coming on such short notice." she looked around and gave a slight curtsy. "As I'm sure you are aware, I have recently returned after being kidnapped by Bowser."

There was a slight applause. Mario didn't join; he looked around suspiciously before returning his attention to the Princess. Why were they clapping?

"Your swift appearance to my castle is greatly appreciated at a time of such peace. You see, The King of the Darklands has been neutralized. I feel compelled to tell you all the entire story, however, much of it you already know from the letters I sent out to each of you." Princess Peach went on. Her voice was measured, her words enunciated clearly.

Mario noticed a few nobles shift next to him, and he tilted his head to the side. Most of the smiles from before had faded.

But not Princess Peach's; she looked about as pleasant as a sunny day while she read the crowd. "Did you not receive the letters? I will assume my messages did not travel as quickly as I had hoped. An error of my own, I should think. The most important thing to remember is that I am safe now, so there is no need for concern on your part." Mario did not sense concern. In fact, everyone around him seemed to be increasingly uncomfortable. "King Bowser managed to invade the Mushroom Kingdom and steal me away from my duties as Princess. His power is near, dare I say equal to my own, and I could not defend myself or my citizens. I was in great need of help. Fortunately, there was a man who heard me and answered my call."

His heart jumped; Mario nearly forgot that he had played a role in this story. Princess Peach didn't yet make any indication toward him and for that he was grateful. He wasn't sure he was prepared for all their eyes on him. She barely looked in his direction. "He was most valiant in his efforts to rescue me from the King. I appreciate his swift response; it was reported that as soon as he saw my letter, he started on his way to King Bowser's castle. If not for him, I do not think I would be standing before you this morning."

All around him, he heard curious murmurs, speculating and wondering the identity of the man she spoke of. With a wry, inward smile, Mario could tell that no one suspected it was him. They were looking amongst each other. Their eyes easily passed him over.

Only then did Princess Peach gesture toward him, offering a smile in his direction. "Yes. His actions have proven him a hero to the Mushroom Kingdom. I owe him my life. He is called Mario, though most of you may know him as the Jumpman."

The surprise was immediate. "Jumpman? Did she say Jumpman?" When he raised his head, Mario could see every single royal and noble looking at him, scrutinizing and judging. He tried to sit still, tried to keep his back straight. The name clearly had a lot of gravity, and whether or not he seemed to measure up was the question in their eyes. "I thought the Jumpman was a myth."

Princess Peach allowed the noise to go on for just a little longer before she pulled everyone back in. "Now, then. That is out of the way, and I will not be taking questions. Please do not harass Mario, either." She might have intended that as a joke, but Mario couldn't quite match her smile while everyone was still buzzing all around him. "Now, I must tell you about the state of the Kingdom."

The meeting was as long and boring as Mario might have expected the state of the Kingdom to be. Though he squirmed in his chair, he tried to force himself to keep paying attention. With perfect clarity, Princess Peach listed each and every detail Mario might have wondered about and more, and after an hour or so, he realized he really wasn't following along. He almost fell asleep. When he jolted back to consciousness, he tried to sit up, breathe in, do everything he could to focus. He had to be there for her, he had to pay attention.

Her voice had a soothing lilt to it that seemed to encourage his thoughts to wander. Eventually, he got caught up in watching her move and speak, and was fascinated by the way her mouth formed words and how her hands made such delicate gestures. Her tone carried a certainty that rounded all of her thoughts and ideas in a neat, organized fashion. Even if he couldn't quite understand everything she was saying, he knew that she was certain about everything she spoke about.

There was a point where she had to discuss issues with other representatives. Through conversations and debates alike, Princess Peach easily commanded the conversation with comprehensive knowledge on every subject that was brought up. In regards to trade and treaties and everything in between, Mario thought she knew everything there was to know. Not everyone seemed to have the same appreciation for it, however; quite a few representatives tried to dispute her.

Then, Mario saw another element of her genius. She didn't ever argue with anyone.

"I am not doing the seeing, O sweet Princess Peach." Lord Fawful, a green sort of man with a bright red robe challenged her the most frequently, to the point where he had raised his voice several times. Though he seemed angry, he had a constant leer that Mario thought was meant to just be a smile, and he was never harsh to Princess Peach directly. He fidgeted in such a way that suggested he was at least a little out of place. "It is the peace times. Why are we discussing treaties that are lacking in the relevance?"

Princess Peach laced her fingers together. "Of course, I understand where you are coming from, Lord Fawful. The Queen of the Bean Bean Kingdom and I signed an agreement that was in accordance with our alliance to trade between our lands. The alliance, if you recall, along with five other Kingdoms, all share a treaty to help defend the others."

With a sniff, Fawful nodded. "The Legendary Seven, if I am recalling."

"That's right." From what Mario could tell, there were no notes before her, no prompts that might help her remember all of her points. Her eyes remained trained on Fawful. "The Treaty of the Legendary Seven stated '...through times of prosperity and through times of hardship, these Seven Kingdoms agree to uphold the security of the lands therewithin.' The King of the Dark Lands caused a lot of damage to the Mushroom Kingdom. My people require help to rebuild, you see. Though times are peaceful now, there have been no promises made that the Mushroom Kingdom's security will not be threatened again. I invoke clause 3 of The Legendary Seven, not only for the benefit of the Mushroom Kingdom, but for the potential need of your Kingdom for aid as well."

Not once was her tone demeaning or defensive. Princess Peach explained her position with clear, pure intent, and with all the grace of a sunrise. Mario's jaw nearly dropped.

As she began a conclusion of sorts, Mario was struck by how her posture and smile never once faltered. He wished that he would be able to stay longer, to learn about her world and watch her command the Kingdom as easily as she carried herself. But, with a deep sigh, Mario knew he didn't belong. His place was in his own world, in the gray city of Brooklyn. Not in the sunny hills of the Mushroom Kingdom.

The conference was dismissed, and before Mario could even blink, a flurry of royals stood and swept past. No one was interested in him, thankfully. Everyone appeared to rush to Princess Peach before they would be politely ushered out of the castle. "Princess, you look positively stunning!" he could hear them complimenting her, and he saw how her smile never quite reached her eyes. "You look so young and well, Princess. You're beautiful! Exquisite!"

Their compliments were odd to Mario. He could hear a few telling her they were relieved she had returned to the Kingdom safely, but the vast majority only told her how beautiful she looked.

"Princess!" he managed to catch up to her after the last of the royals had left, and she turned around to face him. "Princess, that was—that was amazing!"

Princess Peach looked down bashfully. "Why, thank you, Mario."

He matched her even pace, and followed her down the hall. She moved a little slower than before. "You know so much about everything. How do you—" he gestured in circles around his face, trying to illustrate what he was trying to say. "How do you keep it all in your head? It didn't look like you had to think about anything. You just know."

Clasping her hands behind her back, Princess Peach hummed and tilted her head to the side while she thought of her reply. "Oh. Well, I suppose I like to keep on top of everything. I have to read a lot to keep up." she shrugged, and then looked back down to him.

Mario looked up at her in awe. "That's...Incredible, Princess. It is no wonder you can run an entire Kingdom." He wasn't sure he would ever be able to understand how she handled it all, but he was content with a happy mystery.

She was blushing just slightly. "Thank you, that's very sweet of you." she murmured, and averted her eyes. "Also, thank you for being there with me."

He nodded quickly. "Of course, Princess." Looking down, he wished he could be there for every summit and every conference, if it would help her. But he couldn't.

They walked through a hall of windows, where the afternoon light cast angled shadows across the floor. Mario saw that Princess Peach's eyes were heavy, and he wondered if the meeting had made her tired. Of course, he was tired as well, but all he had to do was sit there. He didn't have to think or speak or address dozens of people like she had. Still, she managed to walk with him with her back straight and her shoulders squared like her day had just begun.

"You know, they will get used to you. They'll call you Jumpman for a little while, I believe, but eventually they'll catch on that you prefer your real name. I don't think it's a stretch to say that they'll like you." she started to talk about how he was going to interact with the Kingdom's allies in the future, and Mario pursed his lips.

He tried to figure out how he was going to say that he and Luigi had to go home. They just strolled along while he wondered, and he couldn't look her in the face. He wished he could wait for a more convenient time, like when Princess Peach hadn't just led an entire conference on her own, but he had a paranoid feeling that he might not get another chance.

He slowed down until he was just off of her shoulder, and adjusted his gloves. Princess Peach glanced back at him just as she turned toward an open window. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

The window offered a fantastic view of Toad Town and some of the lands beyond. Just like any other day in the strange and beautiful world, the sun was bright and warm and the clouds went by with the gentle breeze. Mario looked out across the Kingdom with a distant frown. He hesitated, and then came up beside Princess Peach with a deep breath. She watched him with her soft, patient gaze.

He turned to look up at her, and found it very difficult to maintain eye contact. "There is something I should tell you," he began. After a few moments, he finally caved and looked away from her. He searched the horizon for some elusive answer. "Luigi and I...We, ah, have to go back to our world."

Princess Peach blinked at him. "Oh." she rested her hands awkwardly on the window sill. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if she was searching for words. "I—Yes, I see."

Unable to bear the look on her face, Mario looked down. "I'm sorry. The Mushroom Kingdom is a wonderful place. But in Brooklyn, we, ehm, we have jobs. We have to pay rent." As soon as he said it, Mario realized with a jolt that rent was probably due for the month, but he had no idea what day it was. It could already be late. "We have to go back."

In response, Princess Peach just gave him a numb nod. She was silent for a long time. Mario couldn't stand the hollow guilt and folded his arms.

After a while, the Princess lifted her head and looked out across the Kingdom. "Why would you want to?"

Mario gave her an uncertain glance. "Hm?"

"Why would you want to go back?" she clarified.

The question was innocent and simple. The answer should have been obvious. Brooklyn was home, he had responsibilities there, Earth was where he belonged. All of those went right to the tip of his tongue, but each was too sour for him to give them voice. They answered why he had to go back. But, that wasn't what she had asked him.

After opening and closing his mouth a few times, Mario realized he didn't know. Why would he want to go back?

She watched him curiously, and Mario felt compelled to give her an answer. "I don't—I don't know." he finally let out.

He left the castle after that, with the question still stewing in his head. Toadsworth didn't even give him any trouble on his way out. Wandering down the dirt paths of Toad Town, Mario looked up at the faded evening light, and sighed. He had never seen such colors in the sky at home.

There were a lot of things in the Mushroom Kingdom he'd never seen before. Like the smiles the Toads gave him when they passed by; back home, no one smiled. No one had a shred of optimism. They were as miserable as the rain and the rust. Mario was so surprised when someone waved at him that he almost forgot to wave back.

The air was so sweet and clean. Breathing in felt light and easy, not like the city, with the sour tang of gas and grease coating the walls of his lungs. He took in each breath like he had never known how. And as the sun finally settled over the horizon and the orange lanterns turned on to light the streets, Mario finally thought he had an answer to Princess Peach's question. He looked up one last time to the lavender skies before heading inside the inn that he and Luigi had been staying at.

"I don't," he announced as he walked into their room.

Luigi peered at him from over a book he had been reading. "You don't what?"

Sitting down on his bed, Mario turned his head to face the window. "I don't want to go back home," he said. "I told her. I told her that we have to go back. She asked me why I wanted to. And I don't."

"Oh." Luigi went back to his book. "So we're staying, then?"

Mario frowned. "I didn't say that."

Outside, the breeze rustled some trees. Luigi folded up his book and set it down on the nightstand between them. He let out an easy breath, and Mario could feel his eyes on his back. For a moment, his brother was quiet. "You really don't want to go back home, huh?" he asked.

He got up and came to sit on the edge of Mario's bed, and Mario looked down at the floor. "I don't know."

Luigi laughed. "You sounded so sure of yourself a minute ago." He patted Mario's back and bounced a little bit on the mattress. The movement made Mario wobble, but he didn't bother trying to keep himself still.

"You've been going on about how nice this place is. It really seems almost too good to be true." Luigi went on when Mario didn't say anything.

With a wince, Mario thought Luigi had hit it on the head of the nail. "Yes. I still can't believe it's real."

Luigi grinned to himself. "Did I tell you what happened this morning? The owner of the inn saw me downstairs and asked if I wanted coffee. And then she wouldn't let me pay! Free breakfast and coffee, just because I'm related to you. These people are something else."

"Mamma mia." Mario chuckled. "It's not just me, Coniglio, you helped out a lot in town."

"Okay, but you saved the Princess. That's more important." Luigi said, nudging Mario with his elbow.

Mario shook his head with a smile. "That's not true. Hey, I didn't tell you about the conference."

"Oh yeah!" Luigi sat up on the bed and watched him. "How did that go?"

The only light outside was from the lanterns in the streets. Mario leaned back on his elbows and looked out the windows. "She knows everything. She's so smart, Coniglio, you should have seen it. You know the State of the Union? I think that's what she did. Something similar. There wasn't one question she couldn't answer, she knew everything she was talking about." he sighed. "It was amazing. I think she's the smartest person I've ever met."

When he glanced back, Luigi fixed him with a funny smile. "Oh, I bet." he nodded, and Mario didn't know why he was looking so smug. But, after a moment, his smile faded. "Was it hard telling her?"

Mario sighed. "Yes." He remembered how she fell quiet, how her eyes fell away from him to the marble floor. Never in his life had he believed someone would be sad to see him go. But as he left the castle, she waved after him with a subdued smile. He didn't know what to think or how to feel; no one had ever cared whether he came or went before.

They both were silent for a long moment after that. Luigi traced the edge of the sheets, and Mario tilted his head, still looking out the window. Mario was certain about his answer; he didn't want to go back to Brooklyn. However, he knew better than anyone that the world didn't care about what he wanted; he just had to put his head down and deal with life like he always had. So they would go back.

He didn't want to dwell on it anymore. Just before he could get up and get ready for bed, Luigi sat up again. "Do we really have to go back?" he asked out of the blue.

Mario took a deep breath. "Yes," he said.

"No, wait. Think about it," Luigi gestured in a few circles. "Do we have to? Who says that we do?"

Unsure of his point, Mario turned over to face him. "I don't know. God?"

Luigi shook his head. "I'm being serious. Why do we have to? Sure we have jobs, but we're not the only decent plumbers in Brooklyn. Tony doesn't care about us, as long as we pay rent. We've been spending a lot of time hiding from the press anyway. I don't think we have to go back." he asserted.

"What are you saying?" Mario sat up.

With a shrug, Luigi just gave him a half smile. "I'm saying that maybe we actually have a choice," he said. "So? What do you think?"

Mario didn't know what to say. The more he thought about it, the more he figured that Luigi might have a point. Their reasons for returning to their world were mostly remnants of the belief of a complete lack of choice looming over them.

Both he and Luigi had grown up believing life was meant to be a constant slog to make a living, because that was the only way they had ever lived. Most people in his world either labored like them, or spent the rest of their time on earth inside a cubicle. There wasn't time for big ideas, for hopes and dreams. From the beginning, he had been taught to just take things as they came, accept and resign to the life he was given. In a world where only the lucky ones had any real opportunities, the intelligent and the beautiful and the rich, a short plumber just couldn't get his foot in the door.

As a kid, he had tried and tried to reject this idea, only to be met with the same derision and failure. Over time, he had learned to just stay quiet. He put all his dreams away like toys to be stored up and forgotten in a dark corner of an attic in order to be the man his family needed.

Coming to the Mushroom Kingdom was shocking, and not only because of the abrupt discovery that there was more than just the Earth they knew. It wasn't just shocking because the occupants of the world were not human and not anything like Mario and Luigi had seen before. No, what made the Kingdom the most shocking was how kind the people were. There were a few times in the middle of a conversation that Mario couldn't help but check over his shoulder, just to make sure that he was actually the one being spoken to.

During their stay, the brothers had both done some sort of handyman work around town, generally just fixing or doing anything that was asked of them. They got paid just for some simple jobs, though Mario tried to refuse because he found plenty of money while on the way to rescue the Princess. Believing they would leave soon, Mario and Luigi both tried to spend what they earned to put the money back in the town. Though, like Luigi had mentioned, they both got offered a lot of things for free. It had taken a couple of days for Mario to wrap his mind around the fact that the Toads were being genuinely kind; they didn't expect anything in return and they weren't ever trying to deceive him. Mario was so shaken by their generosity that at times he could only choke out a "thank you."

The Princess was no different. Every time she saw him, her entire expression lit up with the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. And she would talk to him like a warm acquaintance, not like he was just a funny-looking plumber with a job to do. She was never dismissive or awkward to him like so many others had been in his life. She wanted him there. She really was sad to see him go.

Luigi was looking at him while he pulled at his collar, thinking it felt warm, and Mario realized he had been quiet for a long time. "Sorry." he murmured. "I just...I'm thinking."

His brother shook his head with a smile. "I know, it's okay. It's up to you."

Mario scratched his head. "Wait, why are you leaving it up to me?" he asked.

"Because you're the capo, Capo." Luigi shrugged. Mario knew something was off by the way Luigi looked away from him.

He narrowed his eyes. "No." he said. "Why are you really leaving it up to me?"

Luigi looked out the window, avoiding his eyes. "It's nothing, really, it's just…" he sighed. "Since we came here, it's been the most I've seen you smile, as long as I can remember."

"Oh." Mario blinked. He must have been silent for a moment too long, because Luigi scrambled to explain himself.

"I mean, you're obviously happy here. Every time you talk about the Kingdom or the Princess, you always smile. So if you want to stay here, then we stay, yeah?" he wrung his hands and glanced at Mario with a sheepish look.

Mario passed a hand over his face with a deep sigh. "Coniglio," he started, trying not to smile at his little brother. "We can't stay because of that. If we stay, it has to be because we both want to."

Shaking his head, Luigi just grinned. "You're the capo. You decide." he repeated firmly.

Luigi was always so good to him. Mario felt a surge of fondness and reached up to ruffle Luigi's hair like he used to when they were younger. "As long as you're sure," he conceded.

When they woke up the next day, Mario found that he was excited to take the news to the Princess. He hoped it would make her happier.

The process of leaving their world wasn't easy, but Mario had expected that. It took days just to sort out everything they were leaving behind. Leaving the apartment, selling what they didn't need, packing what they would take, and settling final paychecks and insurance and bank accounts and phone numbers. The complexity of the process made Mario feel like they weren't just leaving, but like they were erasing themselves from existence.

They got a few questioning looks, and someone asked if they were trying to go off the grid. Mario just smiled and shook his head.

He couldn't help feeling at least a little sentimental. There had been a few blooms of kindness on earth. Like the woman a year or two ago who had let him and Luigi come into her closed store because of the freezing rain. Or the group that came together every year to expand the homeless shelter just down the street through the entire Christmas holiday. Or Pauline.

Pauline. The day they left earth, on their way to the underground pipes, Mario was looking up at the building he had climbed and remembered the treacherous fight. He wondered what had happened to that poor gorilla. Just as he looked away to keep walking, Luigi tapped his shoulder and gestured for him to look.

Standing in front of the doors to the very same building, looking up just as he had, was Pauline. She didn't notice them at first. But, while Mario stood there in a stupor, her eyes fell away and happened to catch his.

She waved, and Mario could only nod to her because his hands were full. She looked at the bags they were carrying and approached them slowly. "It's you." she said, looking like she couldn't quite believe it. Then, she gave them a sad smile. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Mario and Luigi shared a glance, before looking back to her. "Yes." Mario answered, and Pauline nodded like she expected him to say so.

Her eyes fell to the wet pavement, looking all across the street, before she looked back at him. "Am I ever going to see you again?" she asked.

Luigi shifted awkwardly behind him, and Mario didn't know what to say for a moment either. Chances were, they wouldn't ever really come across one another again, unless of course Pauline found her way to the Mushroom Kingdom. But then, Mario remembered the peculiar way he had found his way there in the first place. The message Princess Peach had written was still in his pocket. "Maybe someday," he told her. "If you ever need me again, just write me a letter, or make a wish. I'll find my way back."

Pauline tilted her head, the wonder glimmering in her eyes, but she didn't question him. "Alright." she laughed. "I wish you both the best."

"You too!" Luigi waved with his hat. "Bye-bye, now."

They turned, and Mario led the way down the cold, gray streets for the last time.

It took about four weeks for them to build their house.

There was a group of working Toads that offered to construct a house for them, and to Luigi's dismay, Mario refused them. "I always wanted to try building one from scratch," he explained as he spread out his plans and blueprints. Luigi sighed, but didn't complain after that.

The plans had been written out over the course of a few years in the form of rudimentary sketches he liked to make in his free time; both of the brothers had once worked in construction, and Mario had always liked the work. He liked the process from beginning to end, from putting the pen on paper, to measuring out and gathering all the materials, to painting the final coat on the walls. So he didn't want to pass up the chance to do a project that was all his own.

Laying down the foundation took the longest. Getting running water was a job for a plumber, and Mario and Luigi patiently worked through the meticulous process. The most physically exhausting part was cutting all the wood according to all of Mario's measurements. They had to have some help from the town, and each of the Toads were thrilled to be of help.

The most fun part of building their house, Mario thought, had to be the very last couple of days.

"Mario!"

He and Luigi both heard his name and looked up from the boards they were nailing down, only to see Princess Peach waving at him in front of what looked like an army of Toads. "Oh! Princess!" he leapt down from the roof, dropping his hammer into his belt, and jogged over to see her. As he skidded to a stop, he wiped his forehead with the back of his glove. "Ah, Princess, this is a surprise. Did you come to see the progress—?" he asked, gesturing behind him with a breathless smile to the actual house that now stood there.

When he looked back at her, her wide eyes were fixed on the house. After a moment of silence, Princess Peach clasped her hands to her chest and beamed. "Wow, you've come a long way already! It's really quite amazing," she told him, and he rubbed the back of his head with a grin he couldn't hold back. "I came to offer some help, actually. I brought some friends, and some gifts as well!"

Mario blinked. "Gifts? Oh, Princess you didn't have to..." he trailed off as she gestured behind her, only to see what had to be most of the residents of Toad Town. Every one of them was carrying something. Mario realized she brought enough for the brothers to fully furnish their new house. His jaw went slack.

"Hey, Capo, Princess! What's going on?" Luigi came up behind Mario, and Mario just nodded to the army of Toads. "...Mamma Mia."

The Princess managed to free herself up for that time and helped from the start of each day to the end, happily accompanying them for every little step. Mario didn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun; it felt like everyone was filled with so much joy for the whole day that it hardly felt like work at all.

On the very last day, Princess Peach brought flowers for them, sort of. She brought seeds and bulbs and some gardening tools. Gardening with Princess Peach was something Mario swore he would do again and again at every opportunity. The sun was out, the breeze was cool, and the scent of the dug up earth was so fresh. Mario couldn't wait for the garden to be in bloom; it would look as beautiful as the fields of wildflowers out across the Kingdom. He couldn't thank the Princess enough for her help.

And that was how the brothers came to live in the Kingdom. Mario remembered looking at their house on their little hill the evening they all finished, and thinking it fit so well with the rest of the town. At the time, he didn't know what exactly to expect out of living in the Mushroom Kingdom. He had believed that his first fight with Bowser was also the last, and there was nothing in the new world that could surprise him anymore.

He had never been so happy to be wrong before.

The Princess got kidnapped again, and again. Mario rescued her, again, and again. Of course, it was bad that Princess Peach was taken away. The first few times, Mario had been driven by sheer urgency to bring her back. Gradually, the whole ordeal became routine. He got so familiar with Bowser's attacks that he could wake up one morning and just know in his gut that Bowser was coming.

"We could fortify the Kingdom." he suggested to Princess Peach, taking her plate after they had finished eating her celebratory cake. He had run to the castle in a panic to tell her that he thought Bowser was going to kidnap her that morning. She believed him, but Bowser had come too quickly for them to take action. It was no problem; Mario got her back home before the evening. "I think I could keep him out with a wall."

Princess Peach sipped her tea and nodded. "Oh, yes. It would be quite easy to keep Bowser out, especially if I used my magic. But I don't want to build a wall." At Mario's confused frown, she looked out thoughtfully to the clouds in the sky, which had become a creamy orange with the sunset. "I am afraid that if we make any attempt to defend my Kingdom, any potential enemies will be provoked. The last thing I want to do is send a message of war. I will admit that Bowser has been troublesome; it is terribly difficult to do my job when he takes me away so frequently. However, if we put up a wall, my fear is that he would not be the only one who would try to break it down."

Mario nodded slowly, and looked down at his own cup. He only could name it vaguely, but he thought he understood what she was saying. A wall to him might just seem commonplace, a method of protection from the outside. In his world, there were walls everywhere; walls between countries, walls to keep people off of private property, walls to shut everyone else out. He had never seen it as provoking, just as a rule. Then, he thought a little harder about it, and remembered barriers throughout his history. Tearing down walls was symbolic of peace, and he supposed that was why Princess Peach would never want to build one. "You want to set an example. The Mushroom Kingdom is a kingdom of peace." he finally murmured.

Blinking at him, Princess Peach was stunned for only a moment before her face broke into a smile. "Yes. That's exactly it." she chuckled. "Oh, Mario. You have such an easy way with words. What takes me five minutes to say only takes you a sentence."

She held her cup close to her face, breathing in the warm steam. Throughout the day, she had been stressed. He could see it in her face. Her shoulders had been tense, her expression had a worried edge. But as she sat there with him on the balcony in the castle, she looked calm and serene. The breeze blew some of her hair over her shoulder. She raised her chin and smiled into the wind.

When she saw him staring, she beamed at him. Mario couldn't help returning her smile.

O~o~O

Mario sat at the very edge of the glass platform.

The floor was cold to the touch, but he didn't move. The Observatory flew so fast that the stars looked like streaks of light flying by. They were nothing but shimmering ribbons from where he was. He couldn't help feeling guilty for reducing them so much. Stars were glorious up close, exuding a light so oppressive that he could still feel the burning in his eyes like sunspots. But it was worth the sting, he thought. If only he could look upon them without the risk of going blind. If only he could touch them without being consumed in a solar flare, his life winking out like an old incandescent bulb.

His eyes fixed on what was straight ahead, watching the planet fade from their sight. His neck hurt, most of his muscles ached from all the running. And yet, he sat there, feeling hollow. He was nothing but an empty shell, gazing distantly upon the marble he called home. In the thick black of space and next to the faint spots of light, the earth was probably indistinguishable from the sun and the rest of the solar system. And still, he refused to look away, to concede to the idea that home was beyond reach.

He took in a deep breath, and winced when his lungs ached. The sensation brought him back to himself, and he blinked. He was no stranger to the cost of running; he had been running since the very day he had stumbled into the Mushroom Kingdom. He could run for days if he had to. So the soreness and the aching was nothing new, and at least made him feel somewhat like he was still himself.

There wasn't much time before the Observatory would stop. After finding the last Power Star that could be reached by the Kitchen, they had to move on. The galaxies he'd run through felt like a blur. He wasn't sure if the missions he'd been on were real, or if they were just bits and pieces of a fractured fever dream.

Just as he looked away from the spot of light he believed to be home, he heard footsteps behind him. The gait was a sound he had heard all his life.

Luigi sat beside him and gave a gentle nudge. "Hey. Thought you might want some company."

Glancing at him, Mario tried to smile. But even for his brother, he couldn't quite manage it.

With a frown, Luigi touched Mario's shoulder. "You doing okay?"

Mario didn't respond for a long moment. He looked back at the little speck of a planet at a distance he couldn't even fathom. He looked down at his shoes. He looked across the expanse of stars before them. No words came, and he finally just shook his head.

"Hmm." Luigi made a sympathetic noise and reached up to rest his arm across Mario's shoulders. "You're working too much. Have you been sleeping enough?"

At Mario's bleak stare, Luigi rolled his eyes. "Capo," he sighed, disappointed. "Have you slept at all?"

Mario's eyes fell to the floor, and he traced some of the designs carved into the glass. He felt Luigi's hard look, and shifted, thumping his heels against the edge of the platform a few times.

Luigi turned away, and shook his head. "This feels strange." he admitted, looking up to the stars that Mario had been fixated on before. Mario had a feeling he wasn't referring to being out in space. "I know you're taking this a little hard. But you still have to save your strength. You know Bowser won't do anything to hurt her, right? We'll get to her; you're not alone, Capo."

With a faint nod, Mario reached up and patted Luigi's knee. "I have work to do." he mumbled, and then got to his feet with a slight grimace. He glanced out in the distance again, but he couldn't pick out which star was home anymore.

O~o~O

"Let's ride again on the Floaty Fluffs!" Luma cried, giggling and hopping around in his Star Bunny form. "Again, again!"

Shaking his head, Mario waved to the planetoids up ahead. "We don't have time; look there." From their vantage point, they could spot methodical churning of the dirt, much to the dismay of the other Star Bunnies who resided in Gusty Garden galaxy.

Honestly. He couldn't see how Luma could find joy at a time like this, especially when his own brethren were being terrorized in their special sky gardens. He could hear their worried croons as he passed from planetoid to planetoid. It was the Undergrunts; vicious moles who only wanted to bully the Lumas out of the gardens for laughs. It was just like the Mandibug problem that he heard the Honeyhive galaxy was wrestling with.

It was all he could do to keep his head screwed on straight and eyes facing forward. The planetoids already got him turned around several times, and the Floaty Fluffs nearly made him nauseous. Nothing but a dandelion kept him from falling into the deep expanse of space. He wasn't sure he could handle any more.

But he could see where they were headed. A planet up ahead with a mass of roiling dirt chasing another Star Bunny around a tree.

He was very familiar with how to handle a bully.

"Let's go, I need your help with this." Mario gestured for Luma to follow, and the little Star Bunny gave a playful sigh before hopping after him.

Major Burrows was quick work after navigating massive thorny flowers and giant apples the size of planetoids; just a giant Undergrunt who let his anger get the better of him too easily. Mario only had to pound him out of the ground and take him out before he could burrow down again.

The Star Bunnies thanked him profusely. Ordinarily, he would have wanted to stick around and offer to help them restore their gardens, but he didn't have the time. He had to continue his pursuit of Power Stars in order to get closer to tracking down Princess Peach. That was his utmost priority, and he wouldn't allow any kind of lapse in focus that might delay her rescue. Not to explore, not to play. There was no time to waste.

He wouldn't admit that the knot of dread low in his stomach couldn't handle anymore of the expansive gardens.

Upon his return to the Observatory, he had barely landed in front of the main map before one of the Toads ran up to him, clutching his messenger bag and fretting that Luigi had gotten stuck on one of the planets that the Brigade had been trying to explore. A cold rush of panic shot through his chest. He nodded and asked where.

Luigi had sent a note back with the Brigade, which the little Toad gave him. Mario recognized the approximate sketch, back at a galaxy he had already been to. After they had come so far, well into the galaxies from the Bedroom, Mario had to backtrack and take a longer flight back to galaxies in the range of the Terrace. Partly because the bulky Starshroom couldn't quite get close enough to do a quick rescue. Swallowing down his irritation, Mario resolved to find his brother as quickly as he could so as to not let the journey take up more time than absolutely necessary.

It was his own error anyway; he had asked Luigi and the Brigade to wait to explore bigger galaxies until he was already done with them. He didn't want to directly tell them that their presence was distracting.

Luigi, while sheepish for getting stuck on top of a house at Good Egg galaxy, took it in stride. "Look what I found!" He pulled out a Power Star.

And his brother just glowed with pride upon their safe return to the Observatory. He wouldn't stop looking at the Star even as it went to be converted into energy. Mario could see in his eyes that he wanted to find more, to go back and examine other galaxies in case of other hidden secrets. The Toad Brigade bounced in circles around him, delighted and demanding they come along, too. All of them wanted to explore and comb through every inch of the new worlds they had all found.

Mario didn't realize until he choked on the bitter thought that he was hoping Luigi would become more frightened of space after getting trapped by himself again.

How awful of him was it to undermine Luigi's efforts when he was obviously just trying to help?

The whole venture only seemed to have emboldened him instead, in any case. Mario kept his mouth shut in order to let Luigi enjoy himself, and went off to spend some time doing maintenance on the Starshroom before his next mission. Maybe the ship needed a little arm mechanism to perform rescue operations, but he didn't have the parts or the mechanical know-how to construct one. Luma helped out with some of the work, but only as long as he was handsomely rewarded with Starbits. Mario almost smiled when Luma coaxed him into tossing the celestial treats in the air for him to catch.

The Brigade called on Mario again before he could return to the Bedroom later to say Luigi had been captured on Battlerock galaxy.

The adrenaline spiked through him. Back to the Fountain. Mario raced to the dome and didn't even say anything to Polari before he prepared the launch star and blasted off.

The fort had been mostly abandoned since his last visit after nearly tearing apart every inch of the base, but a few small strongholds lingered. It was Luma who tracked down Luigi while Mario destroyed every enemy in his way without a word. Luigi peered at him through the glass of a spherical cage, meek and a little shaky, but otherwise safe. Not wanting to use up any more time getting a Bullet Bill to break open the cage, Mario charged up his Firebrand, and punched right through the glass.

Luigi emerged with a big breath. "Bwah! I thought I'd go crazy in there!" he gasped, and then laughed. "Try to save me sooner next time, eh Capo?"

Before Mario could open his mouth, trying desperately to find words that didn't betray his frustration, Luigi waved him off.

"Yeah, yeah, you want this Power Star. You can have it. But only if you tell Rosalina that I found it!" He reached around and pulled out a startlingly green star.

Luma let out a shimmering squeal of excitement, and went to twirl around the brothers. Mario blinked up at the bright emerald Power Star. They had never seen anything like it, and Mario could clearly see the pride in Luigi's face, in the way he carried himself with renewed energy. Breathing in the industrial smell of smoke and machinery, Mario forced a smile and a nod.

"A true cosmic jewel," Rosalina commented with interest, as they returned to her with Luigi's discovery. "This is an incredibly rare find. Fine work, Luigi; these magnificent stars contain a special power."

Luigi blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Oh, you know," he did his bashful little dance. "It was mostly thanks to Mario for saving my butt, like usual."

While everyone marveled at the gorgeous star, Mario eyed the Bedroom from across the Observatory. He could get back to work while everyone else was occupied.

He backed away a few steps, waiting for Rosalina to turn her head while she told the Brigade, Luigi, and all her Lumas about the Green Stars. It was like watching a teacher with all of her fascinated students, each of them focused with rapt attention. As she faced and gestured to the Star, Mario backed up a few steps, careful that his boots fell silently upon the glass platform, before he hurried toward the West wing of the Observatory.

He made his way past the bookshelves and the Kitchen tower, before descending the ramp that led to the purple dome. The Bedroom. He turned the corner.

"Hey!" a Luma appeared in front of him, and Mario jumped back.

He had never seen a Luma with such a vibrant green color. He blinked at the little star. "Ehm, yes?" he tilted his head.

"You found me!" the green Luma preened and twirled. "Well, you and your brother. Thank you for helping me…I am a guardian of the Trial Galaxies."

Oh. Mario realized the Green Star must have spontaneously turned into this Luma. He still had no grasp on how Lumas grew up. Rosalina had mentioned they could turn into stars and galaxies indiscriminately, so he couldn't tell exactly, but maybe a Luma could also be a Power Star. He wondered if that meant all Power Stars were once Lumas, even the ones he had found on his world.

The thought of home caused a sharp pang to sweep through his spine, but he tried to force it down. He tried not to look at all the stars around them.

The green Luma gestured across the Observatory. "There is a doorway by the Terrace. In order to open it, you must find two others like me. Then, we can take you to the Trial Galaxies." The little star had a warm glow, and a lower, more profound voice than that of his Luma. He assumed this must be a more matured little star, somewhere between Luma and Polari's development.

The Trial Galaxies sounded like a test. A challenge that he would ordinarily be up to, but he couldn't even consider any kind of test that drew him away from his most important mission. Not after so many distractions. Not when he could see Luigi looking around for him across the Observatory, probably to coax him into taking another break. Not when at any moment, the Brigade might come to him with another problem. He had to get back to work. His legs felt heavy.

"I don't have time." He couldn't stand around and explain. The back of his neck ached. He waved off the green Luma and made his way into the Bedroom, before briefly adding, "I will help if I can."

The vibrant green Luma watched him from outside the dome. Mario picked the next galaxy and blasted off.

He came to a desert in the sky.

An oppressive sun bore down on him as he looked up at scattered planetoids made of quicksand and cacti. He had been to many deserts, but none so deconstructed and disorienting. His cold fingers didn't warm up at all in the hot environment. While the sun illuminated the sky to a bright blue, he could still make out distant horizons where the stars peeked through, ever present and reminding him that he still had a very, very long way to go.

The drop in his stomach was so harsh that his heart rate shot up, and wouldn't come down no matter what he did.

Every time he remembered what he had to do, and saw the stars glaring out at him even from the back of his eyes, he swore he could feel the life leaving his chest and the stress wrenching itself deep into his gut. It wouldn't let go. He could run, but it would always catch up to him as soon as he remembered again. He could try and sleep, but eventually his thoughts would wander long enough for him to inadvertently remind himself. His only solution was to put himself to work, and just not stop.

He didn't remember the last time he'd given himself a break. Or any time to think. When he was out running through the galaxies, he could put himself in the mindset that he always did when he was on his way to rescue Princess Peach. The task had become almost mindless. As long as he was in a sort of autopilot state, he could be productive and not think at the same time. What Rosalina needed, his brother and the Brigade, really what everyone needed, was for him to be productive. He wished they could see that. The sooner he could save the Princess, the sooner they could all go home. He just had to see her. If he could just see her again, everything would be okay.

But, even the most mechanical mentality can't ignore the stars.

He thought he had been keeping it together until he looked up at the desert above him. The bright sun and all the colors bled together until the sky had no depth to his stinging eyes, but Mario knew despite the light that the dark went on forever and ever. He saw a darkness so deep that his eyes fell out of focus and all that was left was the imprint of an outline of himself. Agonized, anguished, holding something inside. Crying out to the universe for an answer that wouldn't ever come. A blue mirror.

The drop came so hard and so fast that he had to stop moving, stop everything. He came to a faltering halt before the oppressive space, like a dying wind up toy, on a lonely little planetoid that was so very far from where he had to go and from everything he ever loved.

Everything was just too much. While he knelt in the hot sand and tried to remember how to breathe, Luma pressed against his shoulder. Somehow, the small presence helped. It reminded him that he wasn't all by himself. The warmth right by his neck held a strange, sad resemblance to an embrace. He reached up to gently cradle Luma in his hand to return the gesture.

"We should go back to Mama," Luma whispered, his voice coming like soft luminescence in a dark cavern.

Mario looked out across the stars for a moment, to the mass of a sand planet far above him and all the floating cacti and pyramids, and he knew with the deep shudder that traveled through his spine and out his limbs that Luma was right. He was too cold and too stiff to go on, despite the desert sun beating down on him. With a pained frown, he nodded, and turned. His neck ached from how far he had tilted his head back to see the sky. What was this one called again? He couldn't even remember what galaxy he was on. Keeping his eyes on the ground, he headed back the way they had come.

"Capo, you're back already?" Luigi asked upon his return to the Observatory. "I thought you just left! Good timing though, you need to see this!"

Recovering from a stumble, Mario glanced to Luma and then to Luigi. Luma wanted him to go see Rosalina; he could see how the little star leaned in her direction, but Luigi had already started propelling him towards the garage. Mario could hardly keep up; the ground looked fuzzy, and every step became more difficult to take. However dizzy he was, he couldn't bring himself to ask Luigi to slow down.

There was a slight incline into the garage that Luigi probably had forgotten about, and Mario watched his brother trip over onto the metal platform. "Whoah!" he yelped, and then whipped his head up to face Mario like he was expecting something. Mario blinked.

Luigi frowned, and slowly straightened himself up. He waved his hand in front of Mario's face, like he was trying to test his sight. "Capo, I just tripped." he pointed out.

Mario shrugged. "You always trip."

"And you always take the spin out of me!" Luigi crossed his arms, but Mario could see no genuine indignation. "What's the matter with you? First, you don't want to finish dinner, then you run off to do more missions by yourself, and now you won't even laugh at your poor little brother? What has this world come to?" he waved his arms to be dramatic, and grinned at Mario.

The way he said 'this world' bothered Mario. They weren't on their own world anymore. And if he didn't get to Bowser or the Princess, then they never would be again. He sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Luigi quickly saw that he wouldn't answer, and also noticed Luma's urgency. "Okay, alright. I'll make it quick, I can see that you would rather go off to find some more Power Stars than spend time with little old me. Be sure to remember me when you get famous, okay? Ah, wait. A little late for that," he laughed, and motioned for them to follow him.

Luigi led them to the back, where he began to push crates out of the way. The stacks of boxes were heavy, and Luigi struggled with them until he could give them a satisfactory view of what they hid. After he managed to shift enough, he wiped his forehead and gestured with a flourish to the construction. "Ta da!" Mario could just get a glimpse of the progress that had been made on several more Starshroom ships. He couldn't see all of them, but he assumed by the colors that there was going to be one for every member of the Toad Brigade. "Cool, right? We just started today after the Captain saw you fix up the main one , but we'll assemble the rest before you know it! This way, we'll be able to help out more too. It's so exciting, I can't wait to drive one of these things around. I'll have to teach them, you know, but I kind of want one, too."

Mario pressed a hand to his head, folding up the brim of his hat. How could Luigi be so excited? They were constructing these ships like they were building playthings. Somehow, even his brother had managed to settle in so easily to life on the Observatory, and Mario didn't understand how. Did they not see how big the black holes were, or how far away earth had gone? He realized abruptly that Luigi was still talking, and he hadn't been listening.

"...And of course the Captain wouldn't share his Starshroom once we got started. What a goofy little guy. Anyway, we'll be ready to help you out in a couple of days! I can't wait to see what kind of galaxies are out there, you'll have to tell me about the ones you visited." he sighed, looking up to the stars. Mario kept his eyes fixed on the metal ground with a scowl. "How many do you think there are? Do you think we could visit some even if they don't have Power Stars? They—"

In a sudden rush of irritation, Mario cut Luigi off. "What do you think this is? Some sort of—" he realized he didn't remember the word in English, and he gestured sharply to try and get his point across. "Some sort of vacanza?" he finally got out.

Luigi froze with his arms folded near his chest, and blinked several times at him. "Vacan—? No!" he shook his head. He met Mario's anger with startled sadness, and meekly rubbed the back of his head. "I...No. Not a joyride. This is serious, Mario, it always is. I—I'm sorry if I..."

Mario pressed both hands to his head, breathing hard, and the anger left him as quickly as it had come. "No. I'm sorry." he mumbled, but he could hardly hear himself. There was so much noise, so much of an ache in his head. He hadn't meant to snap at Luigi; he could never stand the look his little brother had when he did. His head was throbbing, his shoulders ached, and Mario felt like he couldn't quite stand straight. He couldn't tell if the pressure on his skull was from his hands or not. The muscles in the back of his neck felt strained. Something was wrong, everything was wrong, but he couldn't say how. He couldn't speak.

Luma was fussing by his ear, and he thought he saw Luigi coming closer, but all of the commotion became stilled by a heavy presence behind him.

"Rosalina," he heard Luigi say, and a hand touched his shoulder.

Mario closed his eyes until the Observatory stopped spinning, and when he opened them again, he squinted up at her. Her eyes, her cool regard down on him brought him back to himself. He relaxed his hands, and with every breath that left him, he felt a little more tension leave too.

She had a grave expression. "Come with me." was all she said.

Their voices came as muddled murmurs, like he was hearing them through water. He plodded after Rosalina and Luigi, trailing behind, and tried to focus on keeping his feet underneath him. Balance, he had to remind himself that balance was essential. But how could he possibly balance when the ground was too far and his head was somewhere behind him? His body felt like it didn't belong together, like every part was incompatible. His arms didn't match with his shoulders or hands, his feet and knees didn't fit where they were supposed to, and all together he was just a disembodied wretch.

The Toad Brigade tagged along with them, on their solemn march to the edge. Mario watched their little heads race by him to catch up with Luigi and ask him what was going on. His brother couldn't have had an answer.

Rosalina led them to the furthest platform, where Mario had first landed on the Observatory. More of the Observatory was visible since then; Mario had brought back enough power to light up the first four domes, and the Grand Stars had let the beacon grow bigger and brighter. When he looked behind him, he knew for certain that he wouldn't be able to guess which star was home. He cast his eyes to the ground just as Rosalina turned to face him. Luigi and the Toads all stood back, away from them.

"Your Special One has unique abilities." Rosalina began, and motioned for Mario to come towards her. Mario felt her gravity press down on him, on his shoulders, deep in his skull. "Her magic and her voice possess such purity that they can even travel across space. However, she is not intentionally calling out to the stars."

Mario frowned and squinted, trying to make sense of her words. He had known that Princess Peach could use magic. There wasn't very much about her magic that he understood, but he at least thought he had a grasp on some things she could do. Her abilities came to her as easily as creating fire did to him, though hers were much more powerful. She had also been born with magic in her blood. Her voice traveling across space shouldn't have surprised him, considering everything else she could do, but Mario was confused. How could her call be unintentional? He knew Princess Peach to be very deliberate with her actions. Starting to shake his head, he opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't know what he might ask.

Rosalina gave him an amused smile. "Her calls are what you might call prayers. Your Special One is constantly hoping, and I can hear her heart calling out even from here. We are close enough now that I may temporarily be able to bridge the gap between us in the form of a dream. Come closer, Mario."

When she said his name, it was like the universe was reminding him who he was. He let out a deep breath and stepped toward her, until he didn't dare to come any closer. Her light was divine. If she was freshly fallen snow, he didn't feel any desire to mar the beauty with his footprints. If she was a still lake, he didn't want to try and cause ripples in the water. If she was a sunset, then he merely looked upon her in distant admiration, knowing he would never see the same sight twice.

She reached out for his temple with the lightest touch. When she closed her eyes, Mario felt the ground beneath him slip away and everything go dark. Silence fell as abruptly as he did. All went still.

When he opened his eyes, he lay on the ground.

He was still on the Observatory, or at least a subconscious approximation of it; he could feel the cold glass of the platform on his cheek, and he lifted his head. The Observatory was somehow lighter than he remembered, the colors washed out like an old photograph. Blinking, he looked around, and then his eyes fell on her.

She stood there, blinking at him. The Princess.

He wondered if she was as surprised to see him as he was to see her.

The lightness, he realized, came from a complete lack of sound. He couldn't hear anything. No breathing, no air, no scraping on the ground as he got to his feet. He wanted to speak, try to apologize, try to say everything that he couldn't before, but he had no voice. 'I'm sorry,' he thought helplessly. 'I should have gotten to the castle sooner. I should have been there to save you. None of this should have happened. I'm so sorry.'

Of course, she couldn't hear him. And even though he couldn't hear her, he could just recognize the shape of his name on her lips.

His heart wrenched with guilt as she clasped her hands to her chest. Princess Peach was so alone, and it was all his fault. He could have stopped everything if he had just been there in time. Without thinking, he started towards her. He was alone, too. And they wouldn't stop being alone until he could reach her. He choked on a silent breath, because he wasn't strong enough. The center of the universe was just too far for him. There was no way a foolish speck of dust like him could make it.

He was crumbling in the face of every star. He had failed her before, and he was going to fail her again. 'I'm sorry.' he tried to say. His steps began to falter, and he came to a slow stop just before her. He was supposed to protect her. That was the one thing the people of the Mushroom Kingdom had asked him to do, to protect their Princess. He had managed to succeed in every test before this, but how could he now? He looked up at her, into her eyes, for an answer.

After all his adventures, all his journeys throughout the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, Mario had always been able to find an answer. There was always some way to keep moving, he just had to work out the problem piece by piece. He could never solve anything immediately; it took time, it took exploration, and it took testing everything around him. It took looking at a bigger picture. As he saw the Princess and her pained eyes, he was reminded that he had to step back sometimes. He had to regard his problems like the stars regarded him.

And, once her expression fell into a sad smile, he remembered why he was so determined to move on in the first place.

For her sake, for her safety and happiness, Mario had to protect her. The surge of anger in his chest when Bowser stole her away, the severe drop in his stomach when he thought of her alone in the center of the universe, those reactions were for her. Especially the slight flutter he felt all over when he thought of her, or saw her in a dream. Everything he did, he did for her. He couldn't ever stop, couldn't ever rest, until he got her home.

She raised her hand, and Mario watched her as she reached forward to touch his cheek. The moment her hand rested on him, everything else came rushing back. The stars, the black holes. He was an insect. Princess Peach was everything, but him? He was the beetle, lying on its back with its legs twisting and reaching out for nothing and everything. He was the fly, beating itself senseless against a window because it just couldn't understand that the glass was only a delusion of freedom. He was the moth, so naïve and desperate that it would fly right into the flame for some semblance of warmth. Mario didn't know what to do. He had to rescue her, but what right did he have to leave any wake in the universe?

His throat was tight. His eyes stung. What could he do? He had to do what he always had, didn't he? He had to push aside his own doubts and go on, disregard everything that kept him up at night. But how could he face the stars? They were too big and too bright and too glorious for him to handle alone. But she was there. She may need him, but he needed her too. He was the beetle, and she was his salvation. He was the fly, and she was the promise of freedom. He was the moth, and she was the burning flame, his own bright star.

With his guiding light right in front of him, he blindly reached out for her.

Her hands fell against his back. Then, after a moment, her arms moved until she was embracing him just as fiercely.

"I'm so sorry." he gasped into her shoulder, and he felt her face press right against his head. Together, they stood on the bridge Rosalina created, high above anything they ever knew. But they were still so far apart. Mario held her until he couldn't feel her trembling anymore. She clutched him tight in turn. With her touch, he felt the weight in his chest and his throat lift, enough for him to breathe.

He breathed in deep, for what felt like the first time in too long.

The end of any dream he had was always felt before it came. He breathed her in, tried to brand himself with her touch so that he might never forget how warm he felt in her arms. And he fervently hoped that she felt the same comfort.

When he opened his eyes, he could hear again. His arms were held out in front of him, and he was down on his knees on the glass platform. Rosalina, Luigi, as well as all the Toads and Luma were watching him. They waited, blinking at him as he blinked at them, and he slowly lowered his hands. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened through his drowsy haze, but a little bit of searching in his mind was all it took to remember.

After a moment, he fell back on his heels. "I saw her." his voice cracked, and he looked down at his hands. "I saw the Princess."

While he clutched his hands into weak fists, Rosalina turned to share a glance with Luigi, but Luigi was looking at Mario.

He rushed over to kneel in front of Mario. "Capo? Capo, what's wrong?" he gave Mario's shoulder a gentle shake, which startled Mario out of his trance. "I...I'm really worried about you. Please, tell me what's going on."

Everyone was watching. Mario looked between them all, and felt that he was shrinking under their stare. He bowed his head to look away.

The Princess, she had seen him. He had felt her, had embraced her. Not once in all the time he had been in the Mushroom Kingdom was he ever bold enough to do such a thing. But, after being out in space, the mere sight of the Princess had him practically running to her for comfort. And now that she was gone again, he didn't know what to do with himself. Why was Luigi asking so many questions? He needed time to sit on his own, so that he might be able to think clearly again.

He couldn't be around anyone, couldn't look at them, couldn't say anything. Everything he had wanted to say to Princess Peach was right on the tip of his tongue, and he was afraid of the slightest push. So he shook his head, backed away from his brother with his eyes fixed on the ground. "No. It's nothing. I'm fine." he said. He could hardly hear his own voice. When he stood, his muscles had no strength in them. Gravity worked deep in his body until he thought it would eventually pull him through the floor. So he dragged himself away from them, hearing his boots on the glass, and sat himself at the edge with his back to everyone.

His hands shook, and he couldn't form a fist with them anymore. He stayed there for a long time.

After a while, he felt their eyes leave his back. The pressure left his neck and instead returned to his stomach, where a quiet dread sat as still as he was. He didn't know how long he would sit there. He looked out and focused on nothing at the stars, a blank countenance for an endless space. In his mind's eye, he saw her face, her eyes and that wistful smile that twisted something deep in his heart. Had she understood him? Did the bridge properly close the gap for her as it had for him? Had she felt him as he had felt her?

He had to manually regulate every breath. If he didn't breathe deep enough, the dread rose in his throat. He couldn't let the thought go, he clung to the memory because he felt it was the only thing keeping him from drifting off the edge. There was a black hole out there waiting for him, he was sure of it. A black hole that would be there the moment he let go of the light. Then, he would be swallowed by a horrible shadow, and would never again feel the warmth of the sun on his skin or the flourish in his heart when she smiled at him.

Space was so very cold. He had believed cold to be a temporary experience, and something he could fix with his own internal fire. Snow ceased to trouble him, ice wasn't an issue anymore, and any biting wind could be ignored. But the cold at home was nothing like the deep chill of space. He was constantly uncomfortable, even in the Observatory, and when he flew from galaxy to galaxy he couldn't help but shiver. His fire didn't reach nearly as deep, but her touch did. For a moment, for a wonderful instant, he had been warm again.

But she had never really been close to him. That was just a dream.

He became aware that he was wrong when he thought they all left. The sudden magnitude of her gaze startled him. When she spoke, an alarmed shudder spiked through his spine.

"Tell him how you feel." Rosalina encouraged him. "He needs to understand."

Mario lifted his head and turned just enough to look at her with bleary betrayal. Had she wanted him to break? When he saw her, her expression was solemn. She sat beside him without saying anything else.

Soon after, he could hear footsteps on the stone, and knew Luigi was approaching.

He came to sit on Mario's other side, in somber silence for only a moment. Then, he shifted several times and looked at him. "Capo, please tell me what's wrong." He pulled Mario into a tight hug, and Mario's head fell against his shoulder. He was still reeling from the dream. Just as he reached up to hold Luigi back, the pressure of their eyes and the stars wrenched out everything.

He felt paralyzed. While his little brother held him, Mario sat helplessly. "We're so far from home." he fretted in a small voice. "The Princess, she's—she's all alone, too. The stars are so big. I don't know what to do."

Silence. Mario let out a shaky breath, and felt the way his lungs expanded and contracted.

His brother said nothing. Breathing hard, he made a move to let go of Luigi. He hadn't meant to tell him. Luigi shouldn't have to worry. It was only a dream, wasn't it? Was it possible that he had been mistaken, and that nothing was even wrong? Could he write it off then? But Luigi suddenly squeezed him tighter, and he felt Luma shifting under his hat.

What had he done? He was supposed to protect his brother. His safety was far more important than his own feelings. But how could Luigi trust him to keep him and everyone safe after seeing him in such a state? Had he lost all their faith in a moment of weakness? Mario didn't think he could recover from it. But because of his weakness, he had to pay the price. He couldn't even blame Rosalina if she had somehow orchestrated the whole thing. If all it took to bring him to his knees was the answer to a hard question, Mario wasn't sure he even deserved the right to protect them or Princess Peach.

Luigi held him for just a little longer before he moved Mario out in front of him by his shoulders. "You're the worst brother in the world, just letting me sit here and worry." he teased in a thick voice, giving Mario a wobbly smile. He took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. Mario looked at his brother with vague confusion. "You've got us here to help you, Capo. And you know that I love you, right?"

With a weak nod, Mario looked down to hide his shame. "I love you too, Coniglio." he murmured.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch what you said." Luigi held up a hand to his ear, and then laughed at himself while Mario grimaced. He was quick to sober up, and took a deep breath. "Look, I'm serious, Capo. You know how much we all care about you."

Mario looked at his brother with a fragile smile. "Oh." he said quietly, and then winced when Luigi squeezed him again. "Thank you. That...That means a lot."

Luigi seemed pleased enough with his reply, and gave his back an affectionate pat. When Mario looked away, so did he, and they both sat together in a more comfortable silence. Rosalina watched without a word, and Mario was afraid of her sharp scrutiny; she knew there was more that he hadn't said. But she wasn't going to push him anymore, at least not yet.

Mario thought about the dream, about how close he had been to Princess Peach. Occasionally, he thought that he could smell her just before he began to breathe in, but the trace was gone as soon as he realized it. He couldn't tell if he was just imagining it or not. She always smelled nice.

She had held him so tightly. He shouldn't have thought so much of it, but he couldn't help the shiver the memory left him with. They had never embraced before, not like that.

Back home, he always made sure to give her plenty of space. But, for a reason he couldn't understand, she always liked to come stand close to him anyway. She usually took his hand to lead him instead of expecting him to follow, and she often touched his shoulder, or his back, or his cheek in a similar fashion to the way she had in the dream. Touch was a form of communication for her; she conveyed something each time she reached out for him, and Mario was never entirely certain why. He had always assumed that was just the way she was; she meant general friendliness or familiarity. Being an Italian, and a New Yorker for that matter, Mario had known plenty of people like that.

While that was her method, Mario could count on his fingers how many times he had been the one to reach out for her. Usually, it was out of necessity; she was falling and he had to catch her, or he had to carry her out of danger. More than once, he offered to sit close to her when she was cold, and sometimes he had to get her attention by reaching for her hand. Yet, in the dream, he had forgotten himself and just embraced her without warning.

"You're going to take a break, aren't you?" Luigi asked him suddenly. "At least get some sleep. Maybe the rest will bring your appetite back."

Mario looked up, startled, and took a moment to register the question. "I slept the other day." he replied, and then felt silly when he realized what he had said. "I mean, later. I'll sleep later."

Luigi shook his head, and kept glancing behind him to Rosalina. Whether he was looking to her for help or because he was afraid of her judgment, Mario wasn't sure. "This isn't like you. You love sleeping! And eating! Even back home, you were really good at balancing work and rest. Does this really have to do with space? Is space making you all, ehh…" he gestured in a few awkward circles, at a loss for the word he was looking for.

Raising a brow, Mario waited.

With an exasperated sound, Luigi gave a more frantic gesture. "Weird! You're acting weird! And it's making me feel weird because normally, you're the one who has to tell me to get it together!" He sighed. "Look, I get that space is big and that Peach needs you, but you know what? I need you too! We all do!"

Mario blinked, and then looked at the ground. "I know. I'm sorry." he shifted how he was sitting.

"No, no, ah, sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Luigi slapped his forehead and let out a heavy sigh. "I meant that I...I need you to be okay. And I need you to know that if something's bothering you, you can talk to me. You don't have to handle everything all by yourself. You're not alone out here. And we will get home, you know that, right?"

He put a hand on Mario's shoulder, and Mario gave a tired smile. "Yes," he said, but he didn't really know.

Luigi smiled and nodded. Rosalina got his attention with a hand on his back. "It would be wise for you to take a break today." she prompted, and Mario met her eyes briefly before looking away.

"Exactly!" Luigi took Rosalina's coaxing and ran with it. "You will take a break, yes?"

Rolling his eyes, knowing Luigi wouldn't let it go, Mario conceded. "Fine. Yes. I will." he chuckled.

With a broad grin, Luigi let out a relieved breath. "Good. Don't worry about falling behind on Power Stars; I'll go out with the Brigade today. We're going to bring some more back. So you just take it easy!" The hand on his shoulder left, and Luigi waved to him as he got up. "Bye-bye, Rosalina, bye-bye, Capo."

Mario waved back as he left, and his hand stayed up even after Luigi had turned his back. He anticipated that he wouldn't really be resting all that much if Luigi and the Brigade tried to explore, considering how often they seemed to get stuck. But he didn't have the heart or the will to find his voice and explain that he appreciated their efforts, but they were only making him more stressed.

Luma twirled around his arm. Following his movements, Mario gave a tired smile and played a little with the star. He wondered if Luma ever got nervous or anxious about space. Did he ever fear that he would never be able to show his true potential? Did he ever question the meaning of his life as a celestial body? He couldn't know how, perhaps Rosalina kept all of the Lumas at ease with her soothing and motherly ways.

"You are...Very brief." Rosalina said. When Mario turned to face her, she rested her hands on her knees and looked out thoughtfully to the stars. He frowned. She tilted her head to look at him. "You do not say very much. There is so much that you worry about, but so little of it that you will actually speak of."

Glancing away, Mario let out a long breath. Luma settled himself on his shoulder while he raised his eyes to the endless sky.

Rosalina kept her soft gaze on him. "You keep your struggles to yourself so no one else will worry." she stated. Mario wasn't sure if she was asking him or telling him. After a moment, he thought she was waiting for him to respond, so he hesitantly nodded.

If Mario hadn't known any better, he would have believed the smile she gave him to be coy. He couldn't imagine what she could possibly be thinking. Looking down at his boots, he changed the focus of his eyes between his shoes and the stars. Even still, he could feel Rosalina's eyes on him, and he waited for what she might say.

He wanted to shift, feeling uncomfortable. But, watching Rosalina out of the corner of his eye, he felt too nervous to move. "Would you tell your Special One?" she finally asked him.

"Oh." Mario abruptly turned his head away and fussed with his gloves. Would he tell her? He wasn't entirely sure, maybe if the subject came up. She would probably know something was wrong anyway. She always saw right through him. "Ehm. She would—she would worry." he acknowledged.

Rosalina nodded patiently. "If she asked you, would you tell her?"

Glancing to his hands as he wondered himself, he tried to imagine how that conversation would go. Would she sit down with him and gradually get to her point, gently building him up so he could answer her truthfully? That was how she handled politics, in any case. Or would she wait for him to come to her? No, she had approached him for far less serious matters. Mario swallowed hard; he had no idea what might happen, how they would end up in a situation where she would ask. "I think so," he finally replied.

Luma flew up to his cheek to tickle him, and he smiled only a little. Rosalina gave him a soothing pat on his shoulder. "She makes you feel safe. I believe you would tell her." she said warmly. "But, I also believe your brother should know. Confining your worries inside will hurt him just as it will damage you."

He let out a soft breath. She had a point. Luigi deserved the truth, and Mario felt bad for making his poor little brother worry more than he needed to. Whenever he came back with the Brigade, he should make time alone with Luigi to talk about everything that had been hanging over his head, all the way through. He definitely owed that and more to him. "Yes. I will tell him." he said out loud, mostly as a promise to himself.

Rosalina smiled and made a move to stand up. "There is something I would like to show you, if you would follow me."

Mario nodded, and quickly got to his feet. She beckoned for him to follow her back the way they had come.

He followed her past the central map, through to the red carpeted side of the Observatory. Mario had noticed the bookshelves to their left, but hadn't really thought about them very much due to how busy he was in the Kitchen and the Bedroom. So when they approached them, it was like he was seeing them for the first time. Rosalina's collection of books was impressive, to say the least; it wasn't as expansive as the library at Princess Peach's castle, but the long line of shelves packed full with books made him wonder why she didn't already have a library.

Rosalina flicked her wand in a circle, and a doorway appeared in between two of the shelves. Mario blinked a couple of times. So she did have a library.

She strode inside, and Mario hesitated before going after her. Because she had deemed all the other rooms in the Observatory domes, Mario would have assumed she would do the same with the library. Though, as he followed her inside, he got the sense there was a very specific reason for why the room was hidden away. Filled with the soft glow of lumas bobbing throughout the space, along with the deep red of the floor and dark wood of the shelves, Mario felt strangely like he was invading a very private space.

Mario stood awkwardly in the doorway while Rosalina swept up her dress to sit in the rocking chair in the far edge of the room. When she looked up to see him, she smiled when she saw his bashful hesitance. "It's okay." she assured him. "Come, sit down."

He moved toward some cushions in front of Rosalina. As soon as Mario sat down, Luma flew out from his hat and settled himself on Mario's lap. For a moment, Rosalina gazed upon them with the affectionate eyes of a mother, before she reached for a book that was in front of her. She felt the hard, dark cover with her fingers. With her eyes cast down, Mario thought she looked unsure of herself, and he frowned. But before he could say anything, her hand passed over the simple star on the cover and opened the book.

She took a deep breath, and Mario, the Lumas, everyone in the room blinked up at her with the rapt attention of fascinated children. "Our story begins a very, very long time ago with a young girl." she began.

Rosalina, with her soothing voice, read to them the story in that book. She told them a beautiful and sad tale of two lost children, very far from home, searching for their mothers. She told them about how they never quite found what they were looking for, so they built a home together on a comet so that they might welcome more children into their family. The young girl became the mother of countless stars. To Mario, it was obvious that the story was about Rosalina, but she seemed to distance herself from the narrative. His heart went out to her. She had also come from earth; she was human, like him, like Luigi, and like the Princess. But she was much older than any of them now. She had wandered the stars since long before any of them had been conceived. And she had been more alone than he ever was.

However much he tried, he would never really understand what it was like to be so lost. But there were moments of her story that felt eerily similar to how he came to live in the Mushroom Kingdom. Just as he and Luigi had wanted to return to their first home, so had she. Eventually, they decided to stay in their new home upon finding a friend. Mario and Luigi had built their house in the Kingdom themselves, just as Rosalina had built her home on a comet.

Luma shifted in his lap, and Mario held the star a little tighter. Rosalina closed the book.

"I told you this story because I trust you." her eyes flashed up to him, with a stare that held the magnitude of a thousand suns. Mario felt very small under her gaze, but it wasn't a bad feeling. She didn't look at him the way so many others once had on earth. The light in her eyes was not demeaning, but rather, she looked at him like he was precious and unique in all the universe. It was the same way his mother had looked at him.

He smiled, and his heart was racing with his new knowledge of her. "Thank you." he said, and then hesitated. "Can I tell Luigi?" he wanted to relay everything to his brother. If he could just share the story at least, that would be enough to calm the excitement he felt. The nervous energy from before was no longer still and quiet; it had him buzzing with a tremulous spirit.

Rosalina must have seen the way his leg was bouncing. "Of course you can." she said, and set the book down as she stood from the rocking chair. "You and your brother are welcome here any time."

She left him with a touch on his shoulder, and the room was filled with the soft, ambient chatter of the Lumas. Mario turned to look at the book just sitting on the table, and, after shoving down his apprehension, he stood and hopped up into the rocking chair.

Passing his hand over the cover as Rosalina had, he opened the book.

O~o~O

Mario had been in the room for quite a while. No one had heard from Luma since Rosalina had left the Library.

Luigi had disappeared into the room upon his return with the Brigade, and since then, Rosalina hadn't seen the brothers at all. Seeking just to check how the brothers were doing, Rosalina made her way back to the shelves of books. A few curious Lumas trailed behind her. She listened for them; perhaps they were speaking to one another. But no voices reached her ears.

She stepped quietly through the doorway, and took a peek into the room.

Sitting in her rocking chair with the book in his lap, Mario had dozed off with his head tilted to the side. Luigi had also fallen asleep, but he was sitting on the floor and his head was resting against Mario's knee. Because of the odd angle his head was resting, Mario's hat was crooked on his head, but Rosalina knew from the wriggling that Luma was still underneath. Luigi's hat had fallen on the floor, and a few other Lumas were napping inside. The only sound was the soft breathing of deep sleep and the murmurs of the few Lumas who were still awake.

Without a word, Rosalina smiled to herself and turned to leave.

O~o~O

After what felt like an eternity and an instant, the dream came to an end.

Princess Peach opened her eyes with a start.

Blinking a few times, she clutched the old blanket in her hand and squinted through the dark. The dream was so deep, so vivid and real that she had nearly forgotten where she was. However, the burning smell of star energy was the only reminder she needed. She looked around her small room and felt a bleary, dizzy ache. There wasn't any way for her to know what time it was.

Then, she remembered the dream. The stone platform extending straight out into space. The cool, still air. She hadn't recognized where she was, and she hadn't been able to hear anything. But she wasn't afraid. She wasn't afraid because Mario was there.

The dream couldn't have been ordinary, because she could feel the ground beneath her, could breathe in and out like in the waking world. For a reason she couldn't place, she felt certain that her hero was really standing in front of her. He was not just an illusion.

She had never seen that look in his face before. He had come toward her without his usual steadiness, as if he had lost all sense of balance, and it had worried her because she didn't know of anyone more coordinated than he was. And his eyes, his expression was just wrought with pain and she didn't know what to do. She tried to say his name. He tried to say something to her, but even their internal voices were entirely silent.

After searching her face for a moment, Mario stumbled forward and embraced her.

She didn't react at first, and stood, frozen. For a moment, she doubted herself. Mario hardly ever came close to her on his own. Maybe she really was just dreaming? But then, she quickly remembered herself. She brought her arms around him slowly, tracing his shoulders and his back, amazed that she could really feel him.

He was always so warm. Peach had been away from anyone and anything she knew for so long that she had forgotten what it felt like to touch someone else, to feel and to smell another presence. Mario was especially nice to be close to; his natural body temperature was higher than average with his internal fire, and his touch was always soft and considerate. The contact felt so wonderful, she thought she could have stood there with him forever. She wanted to press her face against him and breathe him in until the end of time. Space was so cold, she was so alone and so far from home, but Mario was there and he held her tighter than he had ever held her before. She was just as desperate for comfort.

But, as she raised her head in her bed and recalled the dream, she got the strangest sense that Mario needed that hug a lot more than she had.

O~o~O

Hey there!

The quote at the start and the name of this chapter from from Muse's Guiding Light from their 2009 album The Resistance. The entire album is pretty much a giant reference to George Orwell's 1984, and this song is no exception. It's an extremely cheesy song described by the band as "stadium rock," and I have always loved it despite that. It seems to wholly embody Mario and Peach because ultimately, Mareach is an extremely cheesy pairing. I think it really suits Mario's view of Peach and his struggle to follow his guiding light here. Don't worry, there's plenty more cheesiness to come ;)

It's unusual for me to write multiple perspectives, but it felt appropriate to do it here. Also, regarding the flashback to Mario watching Peach at a conference, I have another story called Fresh Air where there's a very similar scene of Mario cluelessly attending a formal meeting. Fun fact lol, the conference scene in Fresh Air is actually the original version of the one in this chapter. I ended up cutting that scene and replacing it with the one here. I did that because the Fresh Air scene is more about Mario standing up for Peach, but it didn't quite suit what I needed the flashback to do here. But I held on to the writing for it and eventually found a chance to reuse it in Fresh Air anyway. I reworked it here so that the point was more of developing Mario's admiration for Peach in a more natural way than the Fresh Air version would have in this context. Anyway haha that's kind of a testament to just how long this story has been around since Fresh Air has been finished for a couple of years now.

The songs I associate with this chapter are If You Should Fall by Craig Armstrong and Cecilia Weston, The Ladder by Röyksopp, Spaces by Joe Alexander Shepherd, Atlanta Fugiens by Disparition, and Atlantic by Keane. Another fun fact was that I built this playlist a couple of years ago and have only made minor changes to it since, so you can imagine my surprise when I was bored at work and randomly decided to listen to Welcome to Night Vale just to have a podcast to help pass the time, only to hear Atlanta Fugiens in the background during one section. I was so taken aback and startled to hear a song I was already familiar with. It turns out I just managed to discover the song without knowing anything about its source. But it definitely contributed to the disorientation of the podcast in a really hilarious way. I thought the podcast had invaded my music taste somehow but it was sort of the other way around ?

Anyway, the slow burn is finally burning 3 Hope you have a good day, thanks for reading!