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.

5. As The Plant That Never Blooms

"I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms

but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;

thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,

risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.

I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;

so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,

so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,

so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep."

-Sonnet XVII, Pablo Neruda

O~o~O

"Capo? What's wrong?"

Mario blinked, frozen, fixed on the base of a tree. He wasn't really sure what he was looking at. But at Luigi's call back, he shook his head and looked up.

"You can go ahead. I'll catch up." he waved Luigi ahead, and broke away from the path to go to the tree. Luigi only watched him for a moment, tilting his head. He looked between him and the castle. Finally, he made up his mind, and stumbled after Mario.

Moments before, Mario had been just about sprinting to the castle. Princess Peach had called the brothers for something important. Her message never specified anything, but Mario had barely let Luigi tie his shoes before he dragged him out the door, letter safely in his pocket. He led the way down the dirt paths until the castle had come into view. That was, until they passed through the castle gardens, Mario got distracted by the tree.

Or rather, what was under it. Stepping carefully into the grass, Mario tilted his head at the small creature he saw on the ground.

Luigi came up with him, just off of his shoulder. "What is it?" he whispered.

Mario thought it was a bird. "Oh, no." he murmured, seeing a wing held out at an awkward angle. His presence spooked the bird; she chirped and tried to jump back, but couldn't go very far. So Mario stayed where he was, and dropped down on one knee so he could get a better look.

She had to be something like a dove or a pigeon. Mario didn't want to just leave the poor thing all by itself while it was hurt, but he didn't think he had much of a choice. He couldn't approach the bird without frightening her. It wasn't like he knew how to help anyway; an injured wing could mean the end of flying for the poor bird, for all he knew. Back in Brooklyn, he had seen many pigeons going around with only one leg, or fly directly into glass windows and still be fine. But he didn't think a bird could survive without wings.

Mario started to look around; maybe he could quickly construct a little shelter for the bird out of twigs and leaves before they had to go. That way, at least she could come to a peaceful and comfortable rest. That was all he could do, he thought. As he started inspecting leaves, Luigi caught on to what he was doing and started to help. They both heard voices coming from ahead on the path.

"He's all the way back here?" he could hear Princess Peach, and checked over his shoulder. No one had come into his view yet.

"Yes, Princess. I spotted him and Luigi back this way." Mario couldn't hear any urgency in their tone, and wondered what happened to the importance of the brothers coming to the castle. The letter had made it sound like they absolutely had to hurry.

They probably looked silly, sitting on the ground and sifting through leaves. As the Princess and a Toad came into view, Mario and Luigi shared a glance before looking meekly toward Princess Peach. Mario saw Princess Peach clasp her hands to her chest as she came closer. "Thank you, Toad." she dismissed him, and he nodded and stood back. Then, she got close enough to speak with the brothers. Mario got to his feet and dusted himself off. Luigi tried to do the same, but slipped and fell on his backside. "Mario, Luigi. Is something the matter?"

Mario frowned and shook his head. "No, Princess. I got distracted by a — by a bird," he gestured to the little patch of leaves in the grass. "I'm sorry. I should have gone ahead." Luigi agreed with him, as he managed to get to his feet, with a vigorous nod.

Princess Peach turned to look where he indicated. Her eyes went wide. "Oh, stars!" She picked up her dress, and hurried over to kneel at about the same distance Mario had been sitting. "Oh, you poor thing. Come here, let me help you."

Mario expected the bird to get startled and try to fly away, but nothing of the sort happened. Instead, the bird seemed quite content to hobble toward Princess Peach. He looked on with wide eyes.

To his amazement, the bird gave a content coo, and settled into her cupped hands. Princess Peach brought the bird close to her chest and closed her eyes. Her expression was troubled, sympathetic. Mario thought as he watched her that she was doing something like praying. Both he and Luigi shared a bewildered glance.

After a long moment, Princess Peach pressed a soft kiss to the top of the bird's head.

The bird opened her wings, puffed out her feathers, and then folded herself back down again. The wing went back perfectly against her side.

Princess Peach smiled when the bird stood and pressed up close to her cheek. Then, with one last coo, the bird opened her wings and started to fly. "Oh," Mario flinched when the bird flew directly at his head, and settled for just a moment on top of his hat. Then, she went away into the sky.

She soon disappeared among the trees. Mario was still looking up after the bird when Princess Peach laughed gently. "She likes you," she said. She stood up and came closer to the brothers with a fond smile up in the direction Mario was looking.

Luigi's jaw dropped. "You can — You can talk to birds ?" he asked.

Princess Peach brushed down her dress and shook her head without looking away from the sky. "Not...exactly." she hummed, and then clasped her hands together again. "I can understand what she was feeling. And she understands me. That was why she wasn't afraid."

With a confused jolt, Luigi rubbed the back of his head. "Wait, just birds? You can understand birds?" he looked up at her. Mario looked to him and then to Princess Peach, equally curious.

She shook her head. "Not just birds. I can understand a lot of creatures."

Mario looked at Luigi, and Luigi looked at Mario. They both thought the same thing.

"Do you know how I'm feeling?" Luigi asked. Then, he gasped. "Can you read my mind?"

This time, she smiled when she shook her head. "No, I can't read your mind." she giggled, and looked up, as if she were thinking. "Humans are more difficult for me to understand. I don't really know what you're feeling, but I assume by your expression that you both are surprised."

Luigi leaned toward Mario. "How did she know?" he pretended to whisper, and Mario tried not to smile. The Princess covered her mouth with her hand to hide her own smile.

Mario was more fascinated with how the bird was apparently uninjured. "Princess, you…" he struggled with what he was trying to say, and Princess Peach patiently nodded. "You heal the bird? I thought her wing was broken."

With a charming smile, she pressed a finger to her lips. "Yes. I just gave her a kiss. It's a secret gift."

"Oh," both the brothers nodded in wonder.

It was magic, Mario realized. She had told them a little bit about her abilities, and Mario would have found it at least a little hard to believe if not for his own ability to create fire. On a recent journey to Bowser's castle, Luigi had tagged along, and they found another temple like the one where Mario found his internal fire. There, Luigi had learned how to create lightning. He hadn't had another word for that other than magic, and learning Princess Peach had magical tendencies wasn't surprising. To think there was a Princess of a wonderful fairytale-like kingdom, who had the ability to use magic? It sounded like something out of a storybook. Then again, so did everything else about the Mushroom Kingdom.

For Mario, the best part about living in the Kingdom so far had to be the Princess, who truly was as sweet as the fruit to which she was a namesake.

He abruptly remembered the letter, and touched his pocket to assure himself it was still there. "Princess, you sent for us?" he asked, glancing around and searching for the danger that the letter had implied. "Your letter, it sounded urgent."

"Oh!" Princess Peach clapped her hands together. "Yes, of course! It is a matter of the utmost importance!"

Mario and Luigi shared a panicked look. "What's wrong? Is anyone hurt? Are we being invaded?" Luigi started whipping his head around, and jumped to hide behind Mario. "Mamma mia, are there ghosts?!"

Looking at Princess Peach, Mario found that he didn't quite share Luigi's alarm. She had folded her hands behind her back and beckoned Toad, watching the brothers with a smile that she could barely hold back. "Oh no, not ghosts." she shook her head in an exaggerated way, and then pointed off into the distance. "Look behind you!"

Both the brothers whirled around.

There was nothing there. Not in the grass, not in the blue skies. Luigi had let out a slight cry, but other than that, the town was quiet and peaceful. Some birds were chirping, the clouds floated by overhead. The sun warmed their faces and lit up the world around them with its golden rays.

Mario was lost. He slowly turned around to face Princess Peach, and saw that the Toad had given her a basket. "I don't think I understand." he told her, and her smile only brightened.

She came up between them and gestured out to the horizon. Mario and Luigi followed her gaze with wide eyes. "It's a beautiful day outside, see?" she gave a cheeky grin, and all at once, Mario caught on. "I took one look out my window, and decided that I must immediately pause everything. It would be a shame to let such a day go to waste indoors. Of course, you can't enjoy such a nice day by yourself. So, I sent for you two! I hope you're hungry; we're going on a picnic!"

Princess Peach led them down the dirt paths back the way they had come, and passed Toad Town and their house on the edge of the forest. Mario had a sense of where they were; he had ventured through quite a bit of the local area, but not all of it. So it came as a great surprise when the Princess led them over a hill that overlooked a lake that he had never seen before.

She let out a big sigh and stretched her arms out as they came close to the water, balancing the basket in the crook of her elbow. "I don't get to come into town very often. But when I do, I like to be here." She didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular, and looked alarmed when she glanced off to the side and noticed that Mario was listening. She quickly corrected herself, and stood straight again. Mario tilted his head as he watched her.

The breeze blew, and some birds flew overhead. She had stopped, and was looking around the grass for a good spot to sit, when the birds flew past. Her eyes turned to the great blue of the sky with a smile as bright at the sun. Mario followed her gaze, and found that the spot she had chosen provided the most fantastic view of her castle, and Toad Town in the distance. "Here we are," Princess Peach hummed, and set down the basket.

Mario and Luigi helped her spread out a checkered blanket, and she invited them to sit beside her. Luigi sat to the left, Princess Peach on the right, and Mario sat between them. The Princess passed two sandwiches to Mario, and Mario made a move to pass one to Luigi. As soon as his hand touched Luigi's, he jolted back and almost threw the sandwich into the lake. "Ahi!" he let out, and Luigi let out a louder, startled cry. "Coniglio, you shocked me again."

"I know, I know, ah, I'm sorry," Luigi folded his arms near his chest and ducked away from Mario. "Sorry, I'm working — I'm working on it."

Shaking his head, Mario just smiled. "It's okay. Here, take your sandwich."

Luigi vigorously shook his head. "Uh-uh. I'm gonna electrocute you like yesterday." he folded himself in tighter.

Princess Peach tilted her head as she watched them, and Mario pushed the sandwich closer to Luigi's face. "It was an accident. Come on. You'll figure it out. Just eat." Mario shifted closer, and Luigi edged away.

"What happened yesterday?" Princess Peach frowned. In response, Luigi just groaned, and Mario rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh. I asked Luigi to hand me a wrench. Something must have startled him before he gave it to me. And metal conducts electricity...As soon as I touched it, I was toast." he explained with a shrug.

Blinking, Princess Peach looked at the grass, and then looked at him again. "Toast? You turned into toast?"

Mario smiled. "Oh, no, Princess. It's just an expression. Like the one I told you yesterday."

"Yes! You said it's a piece of cake!" the Princess lit up as she remembered, and then she frowned. She paused to take a small bite of her sandwich. "So what does toast mean? Why do so many of your phrases have to do with food?"

Luigi couldn't resist, he peeked out of his arms with a cheeky look. "Because Mario just really likes food," he teased, and yelped when Mario elbowed him.

"Sciocchino," Mario growled, but grinned so Luigi knew he was teasing. Then, he thought about how to explain toast. "How do you say...I just mean that something bad happened. Except, I did look like toast."

"Capo!" Luigi wailed. "Princess, you don't understand! It was horrible, I could see his skeleton! Have you ever seen a whole skeleton before? It's so scary! And then he just fell to the floor and I thought he was dead!" he covered his face with his hands, and jumped a little when Mario patted his shoulder.

Princess Peach looked like she couldn't tell if she was supposed to be amused or concerned. "Oh my!" she covered her mouth with her hand, but Mario could still see the smile in her eyes. "Well, you're alright now, aren't you, Mario?" she asked.

Mario nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I got up right after. I had black marks all over and I think, ah, smoke was coming off of me. It was kind of funny." he grinned at the memory. The look was sort of comical, like something out of a cartoon he and Luigi had seen as kids.

"It wasn't funny to me!" Luigi said, and Mario tried not to laugh at his brother's hysterics. He wouldn't mention to the Princess how Luigi had started crying afterward, but he couldn't do very much about it if he started again. He just rubbed his brother's back and whispered 'su, su,' and hoped it would help him calm down.

While she observed them, Princess Peach had a sort of distant look. "You two are very close," she hummed thoughtfully. Just as Mario looked toward her in question, she shook her head. "Well, Luigi, I'm sure you'll master your power soon. Just like Firebrand, Thunderhand is an ancient and powerful technique, not to mention rare. You both have adjusted to this world in unique ways. You say there was nothing like it on your earth?"

Mario and Luigi shared a look. The simple answer was no, but the longer answer involved an explanation on why a good portion of human history, not to mention conflict, was spent on the speculation of such power. Mario didn't want to talk about it. "No." he answered her, and then created a small flame to experiment with. As he rolled it between his knuckles, turned it in and out of his hand, he could see the orange glow in her eyes. "No one can just make fire like this."

He could feel Luigi's eyes on him, and avoided looking at his brother. They hadn't wanted to mention much about humankind to the Princess despite her curiosity.

"We can also jump higher here than we used to, actually, we can do a lot of things now that we couldn't before. Like run for longer. Mario can survive being electrocuted, apparently." Luigi added in to fill the awkward silence.

Princess Peach frowned. "I thought you could already jump high. How else could you be the Jumpman?" her question was geared to Mario, who shrugged.

"I don't know." he rubbed his chin. "I could jump pretty high for a human back home. But I can go even higher now. I think it's something in the food. Maybe that's what changed us."

Luigi grinned. "I can think of something else that changed because of the food," he said, and when Mario looked at him, he nodded to Mario's stomach. Mario gasped in mock offense and smacked Luigi's cap off of his head.

The Princess must not have noticed or understood what Luigi meant, because she frowned and looked at Luigi's cap on the ground. But she didn't ask for clarification. Then, she glanced at the basket. "Speaking of food, Luigi, did you eat your sandwich?"

"Oh." Luigi finally gave up avoiding Mario. He reluctantly uncurled himself and accepted the sandwich. Pleased, Princess Peach nodded and continued to finish her own.

While they ate, some birds flew overhead. Mario looked up, and Princess Peach let out a gasp.

"She's back!" she said, and just as she spoke, Mario felt something land on his hat. He froze, uncertain of what it was and if he should move. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Princess Peach reach up to the top of his head.

The weight was lifted. Mario turned and saw the little bird from before perched on Princess Peach's finger.

In her beak was a white flower. Mario was stunned to see the bird so close and was afraid of making any sudden movements. But Princess Peach didn't seem in the least concerned. "She brought a gift," she murmured, and gently reached to take the little flower from the bird. Her expression was so tender, and her gestures were just naturally smooth and slow. Mario was fascinated watching her. He blinked when she offered the flower to him. "Here, it's for you!" she smiled.

"Oh." Mario held out his hand so the Princess could place the flower in his palm.

Such a small plant. The pale petals seemed to have a shiny sheen under the bright light of the sun. Pretty and soft. Just like the bird, and just like the Princess. Mario smiled.

He carefully closed his fingers around the offering. "Thank you," he said to the bird.

With one last soft coo at him, the bird hopped once, and then flew off again. All three of them watched her streak off into the horizon. There was hardly a cloud in the sky, which was bluer than any sky Mario had sat beneath before. His eyes fell to Peach. Her eyes were just like the sky.

When she looked at him, he looked away and pretended to focus on the picnic basket. She smiled.

As for the flower, he carefully found a place for it tucked along with the letter she had given him in his inside pocket. Later, he would press it, and keep it on the desk in his room. An eternal reminder of a friend in a bird, and the day he learned of Peach's magic gift.

He had no idea, as he sat back to gaze upon the Mushroom Kingdom and eat with Luigi and Princess Peach that day, that his room would soon become filled with similar tokens of gratitude bestowed upon him by encounters of chance and destiny alike. The box that he kept letters from the Princess would have to eventually be replaced by something larger. While names and timelines may have slipped his mind over the years, the tokens in his room would forever make him smile as he remembered such bizarre and wondrous adventures and the creatures he met along the way.

"You have such a big heart, Mario." Princess Peach remarked to him, just as Luigi had wandered over to the edge of the lake to peer into the water. "You and your brother are such kind souls. I'm sincerely glad that you decided to stay here."

When Mario looked up at her, he found that her smile was apologetic. Guilty, even. Her hair flew out with the breeze. As she adjusted a lock behind her ear, her blue eyes fell to the soft grass.

He frowned. Why would she feel bad? Tilting his head, he wondered if perhaps she felt responsible for somehow convincing the brothers to stay in the Kingdom against their will. Of course. She didn't know they had plenty of reasons to leave their earth of their own volition. Mario instantly regretted being so secretive about their lives before; he hadn't considered how it might make the Princess feel.

She didn't deserve to be guilty about some perceived slight against them. Mario felt a tender compulsion deep in his chest to try and ease her guilt somehow. Even if it meant telling her the whole story, trying to illustrate feelings he'd never tried to put into words before.

The moment he opened his mouth, a shrill cry startled both of them. Mario and Peach whipped their heads up to see Luigi yelling in dismay, having apparently dropped his sandwich in the lake.

Peach covered her mouth to hide her smile, but Mario heard her giggle. "Oh, Luigi! It's okay, there's another sandwich here!" she called for him, making a move to stand up.

Mario shook his head and grinned.

O~o~O

Before anyone would let Mario get to work on finding Power Stars again, Luigi insisted that he spend at least one more day relaxing. The problem was, Mario wasn't entirely sure how to relax.

Luma's first suggestion was a long bath. Mario hesitated at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea once he realized that would give him peaceful time by himself to just think. A fuzzy feeling in his chest distracted him, to the point where he forgot to even look at the stars and worry about them. There was a song stuck in his head that he didn't recognize.

In the water, his thoughts fell back to the dream. Could he really call it a dream? Rosalina had, though the entire experience resembled something more tangible. He typically did not have lucid dreams, or feel particularly strong sensations while he slept. Apparently, he talked a little in his sleep, but Mario wasn't sure if Luigi said that just to tease him or not. But, while he was on that bridge, he felt Princess Peach touch his face. He had felt her waist and her back when he brought his arms around her. And he had felt her arms around him, embracing him with equal fervor. The memory made his heart flutter pleasantly.

He wondered how she was really doing. Was Bowser treating her alright? As cruel and evil as Bowser might have liked to think he was, he never actually hurt Princess Peach. He always gave her a nice room to herself and fed her well enough. Mario learned to never question it. At least he knew he would always find her unharmed. What he was worried about was how she handled being so far from home with no one but Bowser to keep her company. Did she worry like he did? Or did Bowser's ambitions keep her occupied?

Bowser had mentioned a plan, and Mario hadn't bothered to think about it too much. Whatever it was he had constructed with all the way in the center of the universe, whatever monstrous scheme he had come up with this time, Mario found that it was the least of his concerns. Bowser was predictable. The universe was not.

But Princess Peach...He felt the slight tremble in her touch. She must be frightened, out there on her own. Mario hoped she would be okay until he managed to get to her. He smiled when he remembered that he didn't even have to hope; Princess Peach could handle herself easily. But she was still alone, so unimaginably far from home, and Mario would do everything he could to bring her back. She believed in him after all, and he didn't want to let her down again.

He left the bath feeling lighter. Luma followed him back out, and he wandered out in front of the Terrace to the little patches of flowers. After some deliberation, he decided there wasn't really anything more to do, so he sat down and leaned back on his elbows. He looked up at all the stars, at the deep blue of space, and thought of Princess Peach. With a smile, he breathed easily.

She was out there, somewhere, in some foreign part of the universe. With the patience of a burning star and the grace of a sunrise, Princess Peach would wait for him. Even if he doubted himself, even if he didn't have all of the answers, she believed in him. That was all that mattered. To him, that was everything. She was everything.

At some point, he must have nodded off; the next thing he knew, Luma was nudging him awake and Rosalina sat beside him.

She watched him with a serene expression. "Mario." she said. "You sound happier."

Mario frowned, and sat up a little. "Sound?" he asked tentatively; he didn't recall saying anything to her.

Amused, Rosalina nodded. "The tune you were humming just now was very nice. Where did you learn it?" her hands smoothed out her dress just as Luma flew up close to her, trying to play with her wand.

"Oh. I didn't know I..." Mario cleared his throat awkwardly. Had he been humming? After a moment, he remembered the song that had been stuck in his head. He rubbed the back of his head. "I, ehm, heard it in a dream." he finally mumbled.

Rosalina tilted her head with interest. "Another dream?" she inquired.

With a nod, Mario looked away, toward some other Lumas playing near the garage. "Yes."

She lifted her chin, and he saw both of her searing eyes fixed on him. "What is it that you dream about, Mario?"

He had a feeling she knew the answer, and wondered why she might ask. Mario frowned and glanced at the flowers. "I dream about her," he said. There wasn't much else to say, but Rosalina looked at him like she wanted him to elaborate, so he tried to think. "I don't really have strange dreams. She is just always in them."

With a thoughtful nod, Rosalina looked up past him and considered his words. "Why do you think that is?"

"Oh." Mario blushed and rested back on his elbows. "I don't know."

Rosalina smiled. "I think you do." She let Mario try and scramble to think of a reply for a moment before she touched his shoulder. "You dream about her because she is your Special One."

Looking away, Mario lowered his head and hoped the brim of his hat hid his face. "Yes." Despite the gentle implication, Mario's heart pounded.

"Come," Rosalina beckoned for him to stand. "Luigi has made dinner."

O~o~O

"And that day, I swear to you," Luigi practically wheezed as he went around to pick up their plates. His eyes lingered on Mario's dish, checking how much he had eaten. "I swear to you Mario ate two entire pizzas! I left him alone for five minutes, and I come back to see him asleep on the couch with no trace of the pizza."

Mario's stomach hadn't been feeling well, but Luigi's story distracted him for a little while. "I was hungry!" he defended himself, swiveling to look up at Luigi with mock-offense.

"We just had dinner! You practically ate the whole pot of spaghetti, too!" Luigi threw his hands up, and the Lumas all burst into tinkling laughter.

Both the brothers tried hard to keep from laughing, but a grin kept sneaking up on Mario, and the giggles kept escaping Luigi.

Mario struggled to keep his voice straight. "Oh yeah? Remember that one time you tried to lick an icicle at the frosted glacier and your tongue got stuck?" he teased, and Luigi wildly shook his head. The Lumas could hardly keep themselves afloat from how hard they were laughing.

Resting against the table, Luigi tried his very best to look serious. "What about that time you sneezed in the corn fields?" he challenged, and abruptly lost it. He collapsed into Mario, and both of the brothers were practically in stitches. "Your Firebrand activated, and the whole field rained popcorn for a week!"

The room came to life with laughter. Mario did remember, and he remembered that they could hardly keep themselves together while they were helping clean up. That felt like such a long time ago. Back home, back when they didn't have a care in the world. Those fields were lightyears away now.

After they had mostly calmed down, Mario turned while Luigi was leaning on him to see Rosalina watching them with an amused light in her eyes.

"It's good to see you happy," she said, and Mario realized his cheeks hurt from how much he was smiling.

He and Luigi shared a look. While Luigi's shoulders still trembled from restrained laughter, Mario found himself calming down while regarding his brother. He squinted, and tried to remember the last time he had laughed so hard. It felt like years.

"That felt really good," he breathed, stepping back to sit on the tile floor with some of the Lumas. As soon as he sat down, his heart jumped when their purpose came back to him. He remembered where they were. Why they were so far from home. The smile fell from his face.

He looked up, he saw Luigi giggling with the Lumas, and Rosalina watching them all play with a fond expression. He blinked. In an instant, he felt so far away from them. The Luma's light floated in and out of his vision as they danced around the room. Tilting his head up, he looked between all of them, and from where he sat he couldn't help but feel so small. For just a moment, he was invisible. They were nothing but smiles, and he was nothing but a witness. An outsider looking in on a world that he wasn't a part of.

The air was cold. Mario shuddered and looked at the floor.

Luigi and the Lumas, and Rosalina, all of them looked at him. "Capo?" he heard Luigi ask him.

He raised his head. All of them faced him, with those broad smiles. All at once, the rush of acknowledgement filled his lungs. The brief reprieve of joy from before wasn't so far away.

"Sorry." he sat up with a sheepish smile, and Luma swooped down to press against his cheek. Everyone laughed when he nearly got pushed back.

O~o~O

Despite having relaxed like everyone had told him to, Mario hadn't slept very well that night.

His dreams weren't pleasant at all. It was troubling to Mario because he didn't remember the last time he had really had a nightmare. Sure, he had trouble sleeping sometimes, and maybe a sense of needless urgency made him wake up in a cold sweat more than once, but none of his dreams so far had been genuinely frightening.

At least, not in the sense of that night.

In his dreams, he saw distinct images. The roaring face of a gorilla. The shape of a weapon so horrible that the mere sight of it made his blood run cold. A rudimentary blade. Shattered glass on wet, gleaming pavement. A bleary, fuzzy scene of a city at night, the harsh glare of neon signs digging into his head. A burning star up close, so close he could feel it burning out his irises. Burning out his life.

He couldn't explain it, but with every image, a terrible feeling of urgency flooded his chest. He could hear voices, all of them saying the same thing. All of them called out his name.

"Mario!" clear as a bell, bright as a sunny day, was his Princess reaching out to him across space. She was being taken away again, and he was helpless to save her. She cried out to him as he drifted, motionless, through the stars.

He woke with a start, to Luma nudging him. "Princess," he gasped, and Luma crooned next to him.

Lifting his head, he looked around. He had fallen asleep on top of the bookshelves. Even as he strained to remember, he couldn't quite remember how or why he ended up there.

As he sat up, he could feel deep in his bones that he was going to be cold.

He didn't even know what galaxy he would be going to next. From the instant Luma roused him, he felt a deep, internal chill, and couldn't manage to warm himself up no matter what he did. It was in the tips of his fingers, his ears, his nose, and in the stubborn ache in his knee. When he moved, he felt everything get colder.

Before he left for the Bedroom, he made sure to say goodbye to everyone, and promised he would be back in time for dinner. Rosalina smiled. Luigi looked relieved, and the Toad Brigade, all starry-eyed and excited, wished him good luck on his next adventure.

Instead of the heavy dread he always felt while flying through space, he only felt a hollowness, and it didn't bother him nearly as much as it had before. He still felt uneasy seeing the stars and the impossible breadth of space. But he tried not to think so much, and came around to the Freezeflame Galaxy with resolve to get to work and only think of Princess Peach.

Maybe that should have been funny. He had spent so much time at home trying so hard not to think about her all the time, and now felt like he had to think about her so he could keep going.

Luma brought him to a smooth planetoid made only of ice. Another Launch Star had been waiting for him, but Mario spotted the boulders rolling around where the core should have been and assumed they must have shattered the Star. He looked around the donut-like planet that reflected the light of a nearby star with blinding clarity. It was only when he squinted that he realized he couldn't see any of the star pieces, and a little distance away, a space penguin sat and watched him.

"Hey, old man!" the penguin called him over. Mario shared a glance with Luma, before he cautiously approached, wobbling a little on the ice. "Are you practicing skating too? Why don't we play a game? See if you can catch me!"

The penguin grinned before turning around and skating off. Mario watched him go with a sour look. "I'm not old," he muttered, and Luma agreed with an indignant noise. Mario closed his fists and adjusted the way he was standing on the ice. "Here we go," he told Luma, before he shrugged and spun to get some momentum going.

He quickly got the hang of skating with the odd gravity after looping around and shattering the ice crystals scattered about on the surface. While he skated along, maneuvering and leaping in and out and all around the planetoid, he wondered if Princess Peach had ever been skating. Would she like to go with him? The winter back home was always beautiful. Maybe next time the lake froze over, Mario would ask her.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when the penguin called out across the planetoid. "How can one penguin be so fast?" he taunted, waving his flippers for Mario's attention.

Mario narrowed his eyes with a slight smile, and took off. The penguin kept going along the top of the planetoid, but Mario skated around to the underside. He stayed just out of the penguin's sight. If the penguin wanted to show off, Mario would let him. Just as he thought, the penguin was distracted weaving in and out of the brick domes on the top. While he was busy with that, he didn't realize that Mario had gotten a lead on him. Waiting for a boulder to roll past, Mario timed his turn just right and came back around to the top.

The penguin let out a startled cry when Mario swept him up off the ice.

"Whoah!" he yelped, and squirmed until Mario set him down. Mario put him beside one of the brick domes. The penguin panted, but tried to control it once he noticed Mario hadn't even broken a sweat. "Not—not bad, old man! You've got some sick skating skills, for sure. Here, I found this while I was practicing. It's yours now!" he gestured, and the launch star Mario had been looking for appeared on the dome.

The launch star took him to another icy planet. Mario landed in the snow, sending it flying all around him, and he looked down to the rest of the area. A massive mountain loomed up ahead. While he tried to spot the peak, the wind blew and snow stung his face. He shuddered, but quickly tried to shake it off by igniting his fists for just a moment. If he heated up his body enough, or at least tried to, then the snow would create steam wherever it touched him.

However, since spending time in space, Mario had been finding it increasingly difficult to use his internal fire. He assumed it was because space was so frigid by nature.

He couldn't worry about that. Mario shook his head and started forward, trying to remember how he was supposed to distract himself. He slid down closer to the main body of the planet and avoided some Goombas while he looked around. Several platforms made of both ice and wood floated in a frigid pond just at the base of the mountain; Mario assumed the temperature was just high enough to keep the body of water from freezing over. He started across the platforms, careful to jump towards the middle. The platforms tipped if he wasn't careful. Stepping lightly and struggling to maintain traction, he made his way around towards a fountain that sprayed out a little bit of water. In a floating crystal, he saw a flower.

He wondered if Princess Peach liked blue flowers. Maybe he should try and bring one like it back to their world for her.

Luma emerged from his hat with a playful spin. "That flower…There's something special about it," he said, and his normally echoey voice seemed dampened, as if the snow around them insulated all sound.

Mario noticed all at once just how much the little plant resembled a Fire Flower, albeit a different color.

As soon as he shattered the crystal and touched the flower, a crackling chill encased him. He looked down and realized his entire body was made of ice. The cold enveloped him completely, and he shuddered.

Curiously, he reached out and touched the fountain. The water froze. "Okie dokie," he murmured, and was quick to figure out that the Ice Flower would let him walk across water. Or skate.

He began working his way up the mountain. Even though he felt colder than he had in ages, he had to focus on keeping his footing because being made of ice still didn't help much with traction. While he went, he made sure to pick up plenty of starbits for Luma to eat while they trekked along. The snow was thick. Mario felt heavier and wondered if he really got enough sleep.

Strange little ice sprites chased him around, but Mario moved too quickly for them to really make a nuisance of themselves. He didn't really want to find out what would happen if one of them touched him.

They were slow, but consistent. While they wheezed along, they gathered, and Mario found it more and more difficult to keep away from them while he scaled the mountain. He timed his jumps onto heavy rocks that pushed themselves in and out of the cliffs. He nearly slipped off another long platform of ice. But he always managed to catch his balance. It became harder for him to use his hands as they grew stiffer.

He blinked and squinted through the falling snow. The flakes fell, dense through the billowing winds, and it became more difficult to see ahead. When he looked back, he couldn't see the base of the mountain where he'd landed anymore.

Finally, he climbed to the top of a particularly difficult ledge, and just knelt down to catch his breath when he realized there was a giant ice sprite ahead.

As soon as he spotted Mario, he started shooting ice crystals that Mario scrambled to avoid. Mario sighed; why did most of everyone he met have to attack on sight? Was it some other emissary of Bowser? Luma warned him with a short cry of an incoming crystal, and Mario just managed to roll out of the way. He skidded a little in the snow, before he got to his feet and sprinted towards the water. It froze beneath his feet.

Skating in towards the pillar the sprite was on, Mario wall-jumped up the side and landed at the top. "You!" the sprite rumbled, with an icy glare. Mario noticed the crown on his head. "You cannot defeat Baron Brrr!"

Shaking his head, Mario leapt to the side to avoid another crystal, and started forward. He assumed the Baron wouldn't be much help if he asked where a Power Star might be. But, if he managed to neutralize the Baron, he could continue to the peak. Power Stars liked high places on their own.

But how could he take the sprite down? He couldn't get close with all the crystals, and his spin wasn't as strong while he had the power of the ice flower. Just as he was able to make an advance, the Baron spun and sent crystals all around him.

"The universe knows your name!" he boomed, looming over Mario. Mario jumped back with wide eyes. "The stars whisper of a hero who follows his heart to the center of all space and time! So tell me, little man, who are you? Who are you!? "

Before Mario could even blink, the Baron slammed into the ground. "Watch out!" he heard Luma shout.

The shockwaves struck him, and he lost the ice power. Mario reached forward as he flew back, eyes wide as the Baron got smaller and smaller. The ground disappeared from beneath him.

He went sailing over the side of the mountain.

He heard Luma crying out for him through the wind whipping past. He clutched his chest where he had been hit. Everything was cold, everything was moving too fast for him to see where he was.

Then he was in the water.

The freezing water shocked his system. He couldn't move, couldn't think. He couldn't tell which way was up. When he managed to open his eyes and move his arms, everything was dark.

Deep and dark. He could not distinguish himself from the buzzing, burning cold. His limbs were shapeless. Removed.

He had lost all his air in the fall. His fingers went numb. His body jerked, trying to escape the water pressing in all around him. He held his hands to his throat. His eyes couldn't make out any trace of light. The numbness was spreading to his joints. Static. There was nothing. Nothing but the cold.

And then, there was a light. His hazy eyes could make out a pearly glow beneath him. He could feel the water moving downward. Down his face, down his arms. He must be sinking.

His entire body was stiff, but he forced his arms to move. Forced his hands down so he could push the water around him. Forced his knees up and his shoulders forward. He had to right himself. The light was getting dimmer. He had to get moving.

The shadowy depths still reached for him. For a moment, he thought he could see a face. His failing vision twisted itself into colors and shapes he could never imagine, but the face staring back at him was stark like a blue mirror.

No. It wasn't right. He had to find his way back up.

Princess Peach. He thought of her, remembered her face. Remembered how the starlight reflected in her eyes in the dream, on that bridge. She had the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. Bluer than the earth, bluer than the ocean. Blue like ice, but not cold at all. Never cold. Her eyes were always so warm.

The light was getting further. He recognized that light, but he just couldn't place it. It was too cold for him to think. The only coherent thought was of her. Her soft smile, her gentle touch. He pushed himself up, felt every freezing molecule of the water like pins and needles all over his body. He was losing feeling in every muscle. But if he could just see her again. If he could just make it out of this. If he could just make it out, he could see her again. Her smile would make it all worthwhile. He couldn't give in now.

His jaw locked. He reached up and pulled down with his arms, again and again, feeling every muscle and sinew from his shoulders to his core straining. The light was still there, he could see it. He reached as far as he could go.

He surfaced with a deep gasp.

All he could hear was the water splashing all around him, and he looked around blindly for solid ground. Where was he? He couldn't focus. He could barely keep himself above the water. He started forward, reaching, pulling.

His arm struck something solid. He instinctively grabbed it and pulled as hard as he could. Ice. His hand couldn't get a grip. He slipped, fell back in the water. The shock got to him again. But he had to get up, had to get out. He reached out again, propelled himself forward. Fingers scrabbling over the ice. Gripping, sliding. Heaving. Kicking up as hard as he could.

He collapsed as soon as he was out. His body curled up. He shivered uncontrollably. Panting, chest heaving, just trying to get air into his lungs. But his throat felt sharp and frigid and every shaking breath was harder and harder to take. His internal fire was weak, weaker than it had ever been. His eyes were open but he couldn't see anything.

The blood stopped roaring in his ears. He could hear a voice, but the voice wasn't really like a voice. The voice was pale, like the light of the moon on a clear night. He knew that voice. Just as he had known the light. "Luma," he coughed, and tried to raise his head.

If he squinted, he could make out something red. His hat, he realized, his hat was floating in front of him. The star, the light was underneath. Luma looked down to him with his big, dark eyes. Mario's head fell back down, and he breathed slower and weaker.

"Luma," he tried again, barely able to hear his own voice. "I just...I just have to…" he started to fade out. The voice went with the wind in his ears. His eyes slowly slid closed.

He woke up again with a jolt.

He blinked, and remembered a fragmented dream of the giant ice sprite. For a moment, he didn't remember where he was. He moved an arm and a knee, and realized his body was half buried in the snow.

His head ached. He sat up, touching his temple, and looked around him. The world was so white, so blinding that he had to shield his eyes. In his head, he remembered the words the Baron had spoken. The universe knows your name . He didn't understand what that meant. Beside him, his hat stirred.

He blinked, dazed while the world moved without him. When he reached for his hat, his hand wavered. But he gripped the hat and lifted it from the snow. Luma immediately flew up and went around his head a couple of times with an alarmed noise. "I'll be fine," he assured Luma, but Luma wouldn't stop his erratic circling. His voice sounded hoarse and his mouth was numb to where it was difficult to form words.

"Are you okay? You're not supposed to be this cold! You were under the water for too long," Luma fretted over him. "I tried to keep you warm…"

Mario nodded faintly and tried to ease himself up. "Th—thank you," he choked out, shivering. His boot slipped on the ice, and he fell flat on his face. The ice platform wobbled beneath him.

"Careful!" Luma's tiny presence rested on his back, as if the little star could prevent him from slipping back in the water. "We should go back to Mama, this is dangerous."

After a moment, Mario managed to gather the nerve to get to his feet, and tried to dust the snow off of him. Parts of his clothes had frozen, mostly the creases where his elbows and knees were. Some of his hair had frosted too, but he quickly combed a hand through it and fixed his hat on his head. "Look, I'm still standing. I'm fine." he gestured to himself for Luma, just as a deep shudder passed through his spine and shoulders. He then turned and looked up the mountain, where he was sure the Baron waited for him. Luma must have anticipated what he was thinking, because he made a protesting trill. Mario held up a hand to calm him. "...I can't go back there yet. But I'm not going back to the Observatory without a Power Star."

He frowned, and looked back the way he had come with a hazy look. They had barely touched on the galaxy. Mario was sure there were more planets to go to, more places to search. Maybe there was a shelter somewhere. Crossing his arms, he hugged himself tight and felt his shoulders and the back of his neck aching. He had to go someplace warmer; he couldn't bring back his internal fire on the mountain. The longer he stood there, the more heat he was losing. He was shivering so much that he felt like his entire body was buzzing.

When he looked, he saw Luma edging and bobbing away from the mountain. Mario managed a small smile. "Let's go," he gestured, and Luma followed him as he started carefully making his way back across the platforms. When they tipped under his weight, he became a little more wary. His balance still wasn't very good. He wobbled, and winced with every jump. His muscles hurt after being locked up and frozen in one position for so long. But he told himself he was fine. He was okay. He was just a little chilly.

"I can feel a safer spot not far from here," Luma said, huddling close to Mario's neck. "I can take you there."

Mario nodded. Once he got back to the solid edge of the mountain, Luma created a launch star for him. Before Mario spun, he looked out across the stars. A nearby sun had changed position. He must have been asleep for longer than he had thought. With the launch star, they took off, in search of anywhere that wasn't as cold as the mountain of the Baron.

The universe knows your name . While they flew along, Mario looked around the galaxy and wondered what the Baron had meant. Could the stars truly know him? Did he mean know in the sense of the word that Mario understood, or did the universe know him in a different way? He didn't think the stars particularly cared about one thing or another, much less about a small life like him.

But the Baron seemed to think he was some sort of hero, what exactly had he said? Following his heart to the center of space? Mario shook his head and kept his eyes forward. He was just a man. A man with a mission. Following his heart made it sound a whole lot more noble than he believed it really was. Whether or not he would succeed depended largely on the whims of the stars.

Luma guided him to a planet that was split in the middle. "There!" The little star exclaimed eagerly. "You will be warm there." Mario knew from the orange glow that they were going to its molten core. He hoped the heat would be enough for him.

Mario had never been inside a planet like it before. He wondered how it had been split, if there had been some sort of impact or if someone purposefully took it apart. Maybe the planet had just formed that way. Mario didn't bother trying to speculate so much; he shivered more just thinking about how he needed the heat.

They flew straight in. The relief he felt was almost immediate. As soon as he landed, he breathed in the thick, hot air. It was humid; he felt like the two halves of the planet were pressing in on him, but he welcomed the pressure. He needed it to reach deeper. Luma popped out and went in a circle around him.

He held up his fists and looked at the ground. "This might take a little while." he said, glancing up at Luma before he closed his eyes. Luma let out a soft, understanding chirp, and returned to his hat.

Mario breathed in, and then let it out. He could feel his internal fire, feel its weak warmth deep in his chest, and tried to coax life back into it. One breath at a time. His skin was hot from the planet, but his body was still cold. The imbalance was uncomfortable. He tried to think. When was the Firebrand most powerful?

All around him, he could hear magma churning, aching, swelling. The rock he stood on, the rocks all around him surely wouldn't last. They would be swallowed up eventually. But the cycle of convection was long. He had time. Mario breathed in and out, each time slower and more in control. His internal fire struggled to cough itself back to life. He could feel its power like fanning sparks against his lungs.

He concentrated hard, thinking of moments where his fire burned at the very peak of his strength. Those moments were rare. They were moments of anger, where he blazed with rage that was wild and unrestrained. But, he hesitated. Was he really just a force of fury? Was he not fighting for the greater good?

With his concern, the flame sputtered and shrank. No, he insisted to himself. There has to be something more. He scrunched his eyes shut tighter and tried to think. His anger was not a forest fire. His true colors did not result in barren destruction. His anger wasn't mindless or without purpose. The heat had to come from somewhere else.

Think. There had to be something that drove him, something that compelled him to act even when he was afraid. At the back of his mind, he remembered the way Princess Peach smiled at him.

Yes. He let out a shaky breath. His fire grew, his heart swelled. It was her. In every instance where the Firebrand had shown his true power, it was because of Princess Peach. To protect her. His rage came from her happiness and safety being threatened. He was at the height of his power when he was defending his Princess.

Mario remembered her smile, the sound of her laughter. She was his guiding light. It was Princess Peach that renewed his faith in the world, when he had believed for so long that the world had forgotten how to be kind. Her touch could make flowers bloom, her smile revealed the rainbow through the clouds. Her spirit could coax even a scorned soul like Bowser out of his shell. Could even coax a hard soul like his own to soften and let her in.

He clenched his fists so hard that they trembled. Thinking of her breathed life back into his fire, and he let out a sigh that burned in his throat. He was in love. He couldn't stand it before, he couldn't bear to acknowledge it. But now, the Firebrand burst and his heart caught in his chest and he couldn't deny it. With renewed vigor, his internal fire blazed like never before. Love ignited him unlike anything else could.

"Yes!" He brought out his fire like an eruption and opened his eyes. Luma came out with a triumphant cry. The flames closest to Mario were so hot that they were blue.

Mario held up his hands for Luma as he came closer. He breathed hard, smiling so much that it hurt. "Luma, I love her," he gasped, just as the star rested in his hands. The fire that surrounded him couldn't hurt a being of pure energy. He held Luma close to his face, and Luma nuzzled his cheek. All around him, he could hear rocks being consumed by the magma, and he didn't care. All he cared about was the surge in his chest for the Princess he loved so much. With every breath, the flames swirled and grew.

The laughter of a star had a sort of tinkling sound, like bells but also like glittering lights. "Mama always said you love your Special One," Luma agreed with an affectionate hum. "Now go and save her! She's waiting for you!"

He didn't need any more encouragement. With a broad smile, Mario nodded.

He took off down the melting rocks just as Luma went back to his hat. He had never felt lighter, or stronger, or faster than he did sprinting through the core of the planet. Arcs of fire and magma wove the two halves of the planet together, and Mario leapt through them, maneuvering between the two pulls of gravity like the Lumas had taught him. Under the slightest pressure, some of the rocks would sink into the lava. But Mario struck the ground and then was gone again. He moved so fast that he felt he spent more time in the air than the ground.

The planet was burning, but Mario's heart blazed with greater magnitude. There was a Power Star, he could feel it, and it was only a matter of time before the whole planet collapsed and took the Star with it. He wouldn't let it happen. He ran and leapt from rock to rock, each seconds away from melting, and moved forward while the magma consumed everything in his wake. His heart raced. He couldn't hold back a smile. With every jump he reached higher, and he flipped across and throughout the core.

He spotted the Power Star trapped at the very edge of the planet. It was trapped in a little alcove, and he could see the rising magma from where he stood. With a big breath, he sprinted and leaped across the scarce platforms that remained.

The area was closing up. He wiped sweat from his brow and gauged where he had to be to get to the star as quickly as possible. Every jump was measured and precise. To release the Power Star from the alcove, he ignited the two pillars beside it with his fire. The platforms all began to collapse, and Mario leapt in to grab the Power Star just in time.

The Power Star pulled him back out of the core. As they flew through space, Mario looked back over his shoulder to see the two halves of the planet collide. He watched it for a few moments, feeling satisfied in a way he couldn't explain. The planet was finally complete. The planet was complete, and he was on his way to rescue Princess Peach. The stars all around him glittered and burned bright like the fire in his heart.

"Take us back," he told the Power Star. "Take us back to the mountain of the Baron."

Luma crooned, and the Power Star obliged. He was guided across the galaxy once more, and from the distance, Mario could see the glowing peak. There, he would have an answer. Looking between Luma and the Star, Mario thought he understood why the question the Baron had asked was so important.

As soon as he landed at the base of the mountain, Mario started running. The cold didn't bother him anymore. The Power Star followed him as he ran and leapt across the platforms in the water once again. He supposed he could have just asked the Power Star to take him straight to the peak, but perhaps it understood that he wanted to make the climb himself.

He came to the fountain with the Ice Flower, he stopped. The flower really was a lovely color. He could find somewhere at the Observatory to keep it until he saw Princess Peach again. Instead of using the ice power, he tucked the flower in his inside pocket.

Without the ice power, he had to work a little harder to keep climbing the mountain. But, with the Princess on his mind, he felt like he could climb any mountain and traverse any valley.

He leapt from hand-hold to hand-hold while he climbed, and shifted his weight to use the lack of traction to his advantage while he was running on the ice. The Power Star followed him with the occasional twirl and a metallic, reverberating sound. The rocks continued to push themselves in and out of the mountain in a constant rhythm. Wheezing and puffing, the ice sprites spotted and followed them.

One of them got too close. Mario backed into a corner, but the ice sprite pursued. As a warning, he spun, only for a swirl of steam to leave the sprite. He blinked when the crooked little sphere of ice just fell in the snow.

The sprite just sat there. He leaned over the little ball of ice to observe it a little closer. Experimentally, he poked it with the toe of his boot.

The ice sprite jumped up high, and Mario stepped back. But the sprite just landed again. Mario realized it was headed towards the water. Before it had a chance to jump again, Mario got close to it and spun one last time. The sprite shattered on impact.

Luma came out of his hat, and Mario shared a look with him.

He let out a soft breath and jumped up to the next platform. Luma went back to his hat, and the Power Star trailed just behind, glowing with its soft gold light.

When he glanced over his shoulder down the mountain, he stopped briefly. The nearby sun had cast a pale yellow haze over the horizon. The view of the base of the mountain was obscured through the thick snow billowing out below, but the light showed him streaks of pink and lavender instead of the pure whiteness from before. Every breath Mario released created visible steam in the air before him. He wondered how he could recount such a view. He could try to explain to the Princess what it was like to climb a mountain suspended in space, but he had a feeling he didn't quite have the words.

He turned and continued working his way up.

Just as he heaved himself up to the final ledge, he dusted the snow off of his arms and raised his head to see the Baron. The massive ice sprite leered down at him.

"You've returned," he said, and waited for Mario to make his way to the top of his platform. "You are a fool, little man. I have knocked you down before. I can do it again."

He launched a few ice crystals, but Mario made no move to back down. The crystals all crashed harmlessly around him. He didn't blink.

The Baron wheezed, releasing icy steam in a way that reminded Mario of a train engine. "Why do you come back? You have nothing to prove. The stars recognize all that you have given." his thundering voice rolled and echoed through the mountain, before being swallowed in the swathing snow.

Mario glanced up briefly toward the peak, all around the falling snow that seemed to close in on them. It came down thicker than before, like it wanted to silence everything on the mountain. A white, peaceful hush over the planet. He wouldn't be blinded; the sunrise from behind washed the mountain with soft color. The Power Star behind him twirled to let him know it was still there before it backed off. Luma moved under his hat, and Mario adjusted his stance, putting up his fists.

"And still you choose to fight." the Baron scoffed, and narrowed his eyes. "I suppose this will be farewell, little man. You can always stop. No one would blame you if you were to quit now."

He felt a spark, a rush in his chest. "You're wrong." he said, and clenched his fists tighter. The Baron tilted, and Mario sensed confusion from every icy breath he released.

The Baron lowered himself down closer to Mario's height. "How is that?" he hissed.

Mario's internal fire strengthened its pulsing heat. No, he wouldn't ever stop, couldn't ever give up. He closed his eyes for just a moment, remembering Princess Peach's smile, before he fixed the Baron with a hard look. "You can try to knock me down again. If you want." he puffed out his chest and raised his chin. "I don't care what the stars say. I have to keep going."

With a harsh puff of steam, the Baron glared at him. "Is that so?" he growled, and shot ice crystals in his direction. Only one was actually aimed at him, and Mario struck it down.

The force of his blow and the fire inside of him repelled the snow, and the air around him steamed. He kept an even stare on the Baron, unwavering.

There was a hissing sound, which quickly crescendoed to a full scream of steam from the Baron. "Very well," he rumbled, and the air around them crackled and choked with sharp, freezing pressure. Mario braced himself. He had to be ready to move.

He looked at the Baron's eyes. They were dark and clouded. He was angry. Mario knew this meant his attacks would be reckless. He got in a wide stance, as if he were to stand his ground. But his weight was in his toes.

The Baron started firing his ice crystals. Most were aimed right where he was standing. Before the Baron could even blink, Mario took off.

He dodged every projectile with ease, even though he had to adjust for the slick ground. He had to be careful to start stopping earlier than usual to change direction, and land heavier than he normally would so he could stick and stay on his feet. He had to drop and support himself with an arm just for the extra traction. "You are quick, little man." The Baron remarked, just as Mario flipped through his series of crystals. The ground began to melt just from his heat. "But you are also small. You cannot withstand very much."

Mario spun to get some extra air, and flipped right over the Baron to try and spot any weak points. He couldn't make out any cracks, but he knew one thing that made any royal angry. It worked with King Kaliente, at least. He landed against the wall of the mountain, and prepared to push back off. He aimed for the crown.

Before he had the chance, the Baron flew right at him. He rammed Mario against the side of the mountain.

The rumbling and the howling wind fell with a desolate silence. The only sound was the metallic peal of the Power Star. The cry for Mario was swallowed by the snow.

Everything was still.

After a moment, the Baron began to chuckle. "Little man," he crooned with condescension. "Such a shame your journey had to come to an end so soon—!"

He shifted against the mountain. A cough left him, a thunderous sound that resonated throughout the mountain. He began to tremble.

The force of the Baron's attack had created an indention within the mountain, and the Baron found himself moving back. The trembling wasn't the Baron himself. With a growl, the Baron strained to turn his eyes down.

"Impossible," he wavered, but he couldn't push back against the mountain no matter how hard he tried to force himself. He was being pushed back out.

He just managed to see Mario glaring up at him, wedged between the mountain and the Baron. Digging his heels into the mountain, Mario pushed hard. His knees and his arms trembled. But he was in control. The Baron tried to shove himself forward, but Mario wouldn't budge.

"You will have to try harder than that!" Mario hissed through gritted teeth, and managed a slight grin.

He braced himself with a big breath. And then, he heaved, every muscle burning with the effort. His hands became so hot that he started to melt the Baron where his palms made contact. The Baron began to release steam, which quickly went from a low groan to a frantic scream. Mario shut his eyes tight and pushed with everything he had. He could feel the ice skipping its liquid state.

All at once, he forced the Baron out of the mountain. He held on to the mountain for just a moment longer, watching the Baron try to regain control, before he leapt up and over. The Baron let out a thunderous growl. Mario landed easily back where he began, and waited.

The Baron quivered, and made a low, grating noise, like thunder in the distance. Mario anticipated his attack. He ran forward and jumped up high as soon as the Baron slammed into the ground. The shockwaves passed beneath him.

As he landed, he kept running forward, and noticed how the Baron struggled to free himself from the snow. He was helpless.

Mario got close, and spun.

The Baron immediately became reduced to a tiny ice crystal a fraction of his former size. He landed and bounced a few times, before he went still and blinked up at Mario.

"I can see why the stars whisper your name." the Baron choked. His voice had been like an oncoming storm before, but there, his voice had become small. Less than a breeze. "There is a reason for all of this, isn't there? A reason you keep going?"

Blinking, Mario lowered his fists and nodded.

With a tiny sigh, like a whistle lost to the mountain wind, the Baron looked up to him. "I see. She must be something spectacular for you to travel so far. Well, this is what you're after then, right? Go on, take it." The Baron coughed, and looked up. Another Power Star materialized before him.

The Power Star floated up a ways before gently coming back down to Mario. As soon as Mario looked down to the Baron again, he seemed to smile. Then, he cracked.

Mario watched as he faded to dust with the frosty air.

O~o~O

With two Power Stars following along, Mario and Luma flew back to the Observatory. The trip was long, and Mario looked out at the universe without really seeing any of the stars passing him by. He hadn't meant to break the Baron. He hoped that the strange mountain sprite came back to guard his peak once more, just as he had returned to best the Baron in battle.

Rosalina turned around as he landed, and her sharp eyes flickered to each of the Power Stars before resting on him. She blinked slowly, and then gave a slight smile. "The color has returned to your cheeks."

He blinked at her and gave a hesitant nod just as the Power Stars left him for the core, before he heard a voice call out his name.

"Mario!" he turned around, and saw one of the Brigadiers. He recognized the Messenger Toad by his purple spots and the bag over his shoulder. "Mario, I have a letter for you!"

He hardly had time to blink before an envelope was shoved in his face. While he accepted it with a curious frown, other members of the Brigade gathered around. Even Luigi ran up close to see, and Mario realized what the excitement was all about. The distinctive red seal was one he had broken countless times, and the letter was of the sort he always received on his missions. And just like all the past letters, he would keep it in his pocket.

While everyone watched with bated breath, he broke the seal and opened the letter.

"Dear Mario," he read out loud, and he could feel his cheeks flush when everyone's eyes went on him. His face only felt hotter when he read the next few lines. "I'm in a faraway place. But don't worry—I'm alright because I know you're coming to rescue me. Love, Princess Peach." all around him, everyone smiled and shared excited glances. Mario returned his attention to the letter and squinted at the bottom line. "P.S. I hope this gift comes in handy?"

The Messenger Toad tugged his sleeve. "These came with the letter." he offered up a cluster of five 1-Up mushrooms in a basket. Mario couldn't help a small smile as he accepted the gift. The Princess was always so thoughtful.

While the Toads all talked amongst one another, Luigi shifted close and elbowed his arm. "Hey, Capo, how did she send that? Did Bowser just let her write to you?" he asked, gesturing to the letter in his hand. He had a concerned look. "Does he just have a pen and paper there for her? With the wax and everything? Or does she keep those things with her everywhere she goes? How did she find those mushrooms? How did she know where we were? Wait, how did the letter even get here?"

"Oh." Mario blinked several times at Luigi. He didn't know why, but he felt immense discomfort thinking about those questions. Then, he glanced to the floor for a few moments, before looking out in the distance and scrutinizing the stars. He frowned. "...I don't know." he finally answered. He gave the letter a wary look before tucking it in his inside pocket.

There was already something in his pocket. Mario glanced down to see the blue flower he had kept, and tried not to smile as he tucked the letter in neatly behind it. He felt a warm, pleasant flutter in his chest.

When he looked up again, Rosalina stood before them with a calm smile. "I do not mean to interrupt, but you have been gone for a while, Mario." she said. "You should eat; dinner is in the Kitchen."

"Dinner?!" Captain Toad exclaimed. The entire Brigade let out similar shouts, and they all looked around at each other with broad grins. Luma expressed his joy with a happy trill while he twirled around Mario in circles.

He supposed he did feel hungry. Climbing up a mountain, running through the core of a planet, and then climbing the mountain again had kept him busy. But, Luma was more eager for food than he was; the little star led the way as everyone started on their way to the Kitchen. The Toads ran all around he and Luigi, while Rosalina followed with a pleased look.

"Mario! Mario! So when are you going to tell Princess Peach that she's your Special One?" the Messenger Toad asked, running ahead to look back at him with a big smile.

Mario froze. When had the Toads heard Rosalina call the Princess his Special One?

Luigi took one look at his face before he burst out laughing. When Mario started walking again, his movements were stiff. The Toads all watched, and kept their curious eyes on him even as he hesitated to move. "Water in your mouth." he finally muttered, unable to look at the Toad for longer than a moment.

The Messenger Toad slowed down, looking after Mario with a slight tilt of his head, and Mario heard Luigi go back to get him. "He means don't say anything about it." Luigi explained, and he still had laughter in his voice.

The others must have been inspired by the Messenger's question. "Mario! What does Special One mean? Why is she your Special One? Why don't you want to tell her? You have to tell her, right?" Mario couldn't keep track of who was asking, and he tried pulling his hat further over his head. He wasn't unaware of Rosalina's amused smile.

One Toad pushed up his glasses. "The use of Special One implies romantic inclinations towards our Princess." he asserted, and Mario pinched the bridge of his nose when he heard the rest of the Brigade collectively gasp. He had to get away. Where was the nearest dome?

"You mean—! Mario's in love with Princess Peach?!" another yelled out, and Mario could have sworn he heard the declaration echo all the way to the other side of the Observatory. The words echoed in his own head too, blaring at him like an alarm. Mario hadn't been ready to hear it said so blatantly, and he kept his head down to look at the path that led to the Kitchen.

Luigi tried to cover for him. "Love—love is a very strong word," he laughed and held up his hands to ease the Toad's excitement. "Princess Peach is very special to Mario, that's true. She's special because she's leading us to through space! Only our Princess could do that, right?"

The Toads all crowded around Luigi, insistent and indignant. "Princess Peach always says to love freely and with all your heart!" one crossed his arms. "And she also says that Mario has the biggest heart!"

Another gasped. "He must have so much love in there for her."

"How much? I want to know!"

Mario swallowed hard. He vaguely recalled the Princess saying something about the size of his heart, but he tried not to think about it so much. Wasn't it just a compliment?

Luigi was laughing in a way that suggested he was trying not to, as he stumbled along to try and keep up when Mario walked a little faster. The Toads kept running in and out of his legs. Their laughter inspired the Lumas around them to glow a little brighter and giggle along, but Mario found himself too embarrassed to look up at any of them. He hoped dinner would make everyone forget about it.

But they were right, weren't they?

Mario found himself spacing out long after everyone else had started eating. The Toads were all engaged in lively conversation with the Lumas, Luigi was laughing, and Rosalina observed them all with a fond smile. The clinking of the forks reminded him that he was supposed to be eating as well. But he wasn't hungry.

He rested his cheek in his palm. The universe knows your name. The Baron must have been mistaken. He was nothing but a small life. It was not his place to be out running among the stars and planets; his eyes had seen more than he was meant to see. He was only in space at all by chance, a great big accident that he could have prevented.

And now he wasn't sure if he would be able to get everyone back home.

Even Bowser. As frustrating as he could get, Mario had no intention of just leaving him out in space. Maybe he could convince Bowser to work with Rosalina to bring everyone back. But that all depended on if Mario could even reach Bowser in the first place. He shuddered. He didn't know how much longer he had to go. How many stars had he even collected?

He twirled his fork. The map, he'd had to go back and check the map to be sure. Four domes so far, he'd brought back enough power for four domes. And the Observatory was beginning to gain speed with each Grand Star that he returned to the Beacon. He could feel it. Moving further and faster from home than anyone had ever gone before. He could tell by the way his stomach just couldn't settle, how his hands and feet seemed to buzz if he sat too still for too long.

They were also getting closer to the Princess. Mario blinked.

The further they got from home, the closer they got to her. The thought made a small wave of calm come over him. He really had made some progress. They were going somewhere, they had a destination. They had a purpose. Mario finally ate a tiny bite of his dinner.

He didn't miss the way Luigi kept glancing at him to check if he was eating, or the small smile he had once Mario was able to actually swallow his food.

O~o~O

"Enemy base spotted!" Polari informed him, at the central map.

Mario felt his heart skip a beat, sending a cold thrill pulsing through his chest. He nodded to show he understood as the dark Luma faced him.

As his silence wasn't at all unusual, Polari pulled up the map to show him where to go. The projections of the galaxies that could be seen from the bedroom illuminated the space, and Mario's eyes fell upon the image representing Bowser's Dark Matter Plant. He wrinkled his nose. What could Bowser possibly be doing with Dark Matter? What wild scheme did he have planned?

He swallowed hard and tried to steel himself. It was his job to find out and put a stop to Bowser's sinister project. Whatever it may be, whatever monsters or machines waited out there for him, it was up to him to stop it.

There was not much fanfare as he prepared to leave. He made the Toads and Luigi promise not to get too close to the galaxy, though they insisted on coming along as standby in case he needed assistance. Rosalina merely nodded to him, her expression set with a grim look of warning to be cautious. As he took off into the chilly expanse of space, Mario couldn't help the dread in his stomach plunging deeper and deeper.

There wasn't a familiar star around him for lightyears.

Luma gave an assured trill as soon as he landed, and Mario nodded with agreement. The course looked to be similar in construct to some of the galaxies they had visited before. The design was unmistakable, however; Mario would be able to recognize Bowser's style anywhere in the universe.

The surfaces had a coloration to them that indicated a shift in gravity. Nothing new to him.

That power of coincidence that Rosalina had mentioned once. It seemed like the missions he'd been on before always prepared him for what he could expect to find when facing Bowser's plans. Mario shook his head a little with a wry smile. At least that luck had managed to follow him out across the reaches of the universe.

Though, the dark matter was another ordeal.

"I can handle this," Mario muttered to himself, eyeing the dark matter.

Luma gave a vigorous nod. "Yes!"

The dark matter seemed to watch him. Each encounter seemed like a chunk of emptiness cut right into reality, shifting beside him, seeking to erase all that fell into its domain. Mario kept his distance, light on his feet and anxious for his body and consciousness to remain real within the plane of existence as he knew it.

Luma must have been unsettled by the dark matter too; Mario could feel the power inside him tremor if he got within a certain distance of the threat of non-existence. The shift of starlight.

He realized quickly that all the Lumas were unnerved by the dark matter. A couple of them posted themselves at various intervals as he made his way across the shifting platforms, but edged away from the danger. Of course, he realized. Dark matter and starlight were fundamental opposites. Concentrated potential energy and the complete absence of energy. No wonder they were afraid. The dark matter was a threat more grievous than black holes.

And yet it had been manufactured somehow. Just what was Bowser up to?

Mario clenched his jaw. There was a danger here that posed a threat beyond what he could imagine. That had consequences beyond what Bowser probably intended. That foolish Koopa really never changed. He shook his head and maneuvered his way through the last obstacle, keeping aware of the gravitational pulls. If he ever managed to get them all out of this, he would have to have a serious talk with Bowser about messing with the laws of the universe.

He knew better than to confront the issue right away, however. Making it out of the gravity games, he came upon a couple more Lumas trapped in space crystal. Upon freeing them, they were able to create staircases for him to meet Bowser for what he guessed was another battle by design.

Sure enough, Bowser roared from above and dropped before him.

"Wha—? It's you!" he growled. Mario noted that while he seemed surprised, he did not seem in the least concerned. The great Koopa gave him a vicious smirk, a particular gleam in his eye. He had planned all of this. Mario let out a huff. "That's it, Mario! I'm gonna stomp you into space bits!"

Another fight, the same format as the one before. Mario spotted the blue domes before he'd even landed on the artificial planetoid as Bowser flipped them around. The metal surface vibrated and rang with each of Bowser's massive leaps and shockwaves. Mario dodged fireballs to and fro, frustrated that he couldn't figure out whether or not the similar fight was on purpose or just an oversight. Maybe he had seen Mario's wavering manner last time and figured he would continue to become more overwhelmed. Or perhaps it was all just a distraction from something bigger.

That might be it. He was trying to draw attention away from his nefarious schemes that must be continuing unhindered as they fought. Mario grit his teeth.

"This isn't funny," he muttered, but he knew Bowser wouldn't listen to him. He could tell by the satisfied and faraway look on his face. There was never any getting through to him when he was being carried along by the whims of his extensive plans.

He could only see the potential outcome of his success. He did not see the consequences, the trail he left behind. The misery of the Princess, with no desire for a share in the supremacy he sought. The weakening starlight as he robbed life-giving power from innocent beings. What good was an empire to rule the universe if there were no suns left to nourish life? There would be nothing left. Didn't he realize that killing the stars would condemn them all?

Mario stumbled a step, surprised by the extent of his revelation. He could see it all, for a moment there. For just an instant, his tiny, silly human brain could try to fathom the extent of the universe and the price they would all pay if he failed to stop Bowser. He shook his head and side-stepped a fireball before finding a blue dome. Enough.

"What's the matter, you little rascal?" Bowser teased, rearing back. There was some calculating in his expression when Mario only answered with a fierce glare. He gripped his fists and felt a flash of fire, burning bright and blue. "What, got nothing to say for yourself? You think that you're in any position to stop me?"

He threw back his massive reptilian arms to heave himself up high, and Mario only had to step back.

Bowser lunged for him. He remembered the Baron. He remembered the mountain, the suffocating compression of the split planet. He remembered the ultimate source of his power, and perhaps Bowser must have seen some semblance of that newfound strength in his face because the instant he broke the glass barrier and came into contact with the star energy, his eyes did not reflect pain so much as dread.

He fled. Mario crossed him, spun once, spun twice.

Even still, in the face of defeat, Bowser did not appear very bothered. He lost gravitational control of the artificial planetoid and they both fell back down to the platform below. Mario flipped around to land on his feet while Bowser crashed down.

"Not bad!" Bowser laughed, rubbing the top of his head as dragged himself up again. "I chose the right guy to be my arch enemy. At least you always put up a fight."

The dark matter. Mario felt a shiver pass through him. He could sense it growing, changing in the space around him. Or rather, Luma could. He narrowed his eyes.

Bowser grinned. "It's too bad for you; my master plan is almost complete. Tough luck, Mario!"

Mario thought of Rosalina and her Lumas. The citizens abandoned back home, and the Toad Brigade. His brother. The Princess. All of the people he cared about were threatened by Bowser's great plans. He tightened his fists and saw real fear flash in Bowser's eyes before he leapt up and vanished in a flash of magic.

The planetoid above. Mario heard it crumple before the Grand Star emerged from it, radiant and rejoicing in its freedom. It flew down to greet him. Ready to return back to the Observatory.

Mario shook his head, taking a deep breath to soothe the simmering in his chest.

O~o~O

The beacon powering the Observatory had been a scintillating teal, but once he had arrived with the Grand Star and been set upon the deck, the Grand Star collided with the beacon to turn a blinding blue.

The Toad Brigade ran up, shouting with delight, and Mario could see Luigi smile and clap at the sight. Luma flew out from his hat to join the others cheering, filling the space with a happy glow.

He met them all before the central map. Before anyone could say anything, Luigi gave a concerned look and smoothed Mario's sleeve. Mario realized he must have gotten too close to one of Bowser's fireballs. The fabric was singed and the skin of his arm mildly burned, but he hadn't felt any pain until he saw it. "Oh." he muttered.

A hand on his shoulder. Mario looked up to see Rosalina, a rare smile gracing them all. "Mario," she said his name in such a careful way, that Mario was reminded of Princess Peach holding an injured bird ages ago. Gentle and kind. "I have some news for you."

Mario nodded, and the others were polite to back off and give him some space. He saw Luigi herd the Brigade all together and lower his voice to speak to them, and couldn't help but smile and shake his head. Luma returned to him and orbited his head a few times before settling on top of his hat.

Rosalina clasped her wand, a new degree of warmth in her bright eyes. "We have ascertained the location of your Special One."

Mario blinked.

Even the tinkling laughter of the Lumas and the murmurings from the Brigade went quiet. Mario forgot to breathe for a couple of beats.

He couldn't even say how long they'd been traveling for. How many weeks had passed out in space, in desperate pursuit of Bowser and the Princess? Mario looked out to the stars. The deep blue from where he'd emerged, victorious in battle at the dark matter plant. Somewhere out there, far behind them, was a planet too dim for him to see anymore. The planet where they belonged.

He swallowed hard and forced himself to look back up at Rosalina, who regarded him with a sympathy far greater than he deserved.

"Look here," she gestured with her wand at their feet, to the glass platform they stood upon. The circular pattern shimmered, and a number appeared there. Twenty-five. "That number represents the Power Stars that you need before we will be able to travel to the center of the universe."

Mario let out a shaky breath and couldn't look away. Twenty-five. That number didn't seem so large. And yet, at the same time, it seemed massive. There was still a lot of work left to do.

Rosalina raised her chin. "When that number reaches zero, the Comet Observatory will regain full power. We have been able to travel quite an impressive distance with the power that you have restored so far. However, this vessel is not yet at its full capacity as a starship." she glanced back at the burning beacon. "But we have a lock on the center of the universe now. Once we have the necessary power, we will be able to set out for your Special One."

Mario nodded, a new restlessness emerging from his core. A buzzing energy to the ends of his limbs. He should get busy. He should get right to finding more stars. He'd returned power to a whole other dome, after all. The Engine Room. More stars were bound to be there. He figured he was due for another encounter with Bowser Jr. as well. He nodded to Rosalina to show he understood, and turned right on his heel.

"Wait," Rosalina chuckled. Mario froze. "I understand your urgency. Believe me, I am just as anxious to get to her in time as you are. But you must take care of yourself as well. I can see that you've unlocked a greater power within you. You must nurture it with care. Please take some time to rest and restore your strength before you go on your missions."

Mario hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder, before reluctantly conceding with a brief nod. Luma emerged from his hat with a hopeful light. "Bath?" he asked.

Rosalina was right. Mario took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He was pretty sore. He'd really done a number on himself at the Dark Matter Plant, and taking some time to recover would help him be better able to face the next challenge with greater confidence. They would only get more difficult from here.

Relaxing didn't have to be completely unproductive, either. The Starshrooms likely needed some maintenance; it might be worth taking some time to tinker with them. And he had only just unlocked the Engine Room. Perhaps he should go look at it and see if he could learn anything about the celestial mechanics of the Observatory.

But first, a bath might be worth the time. He gave Luma an affectionate nudge and turned to head for the Fountain.

The center of the universe. That was where they were headed.

As Mario made his way across the Observatory along with his starry companion, he spotted one particular Luma peeking out at him from behind a post. The Luma glowed a bright, vibrant red.

O~o~O

Ooh haha

The name of the chapter and quote at the top comes from an English translation of Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda. So the "original" name of the chapter is "Te amo como la planta que no florece." The English translation is read by Robin Williams in the 1998 film Patch Adams. It's in other movies too, but that's where I first heard of it.

The songs I associate with this chapter are Residue by Luca Longobardi, Original of the Species by U2, Leaving Earth by Seven Lions, I Shall Overcome by Hard-Fi, and Song for Someone by U2. Residue kind of sets the mood at the start, and Original of the Species is kind of what I would describe as Rosalina speaking to Mario. That song is very special to my heart in particular; I grew up listening to it and it was one of the sole sources in the world around me saying to embrace who I am and not squander it or let the world foster shame. Leaving Earth is how I imagine the entire sequence on Freezeflame galaxy goes, and I Shall Overcome is Mario's return to battle with the Baron. Finally, Song for Someone is a cute little love song as Mario finally acknowledges his feelings, but the vagueness of "someone" alludes to the fact that he was not really ready to acknowledge it before. The lyrics "If there is a light/ You can't always see..." will come back in the near future if you care to listen ?

Lots of things are starting to finally come together, I'm really excited to get things going from here. Though, I should probably say this is the last chapter that is mostly lighthearted. If you're familiar with the canon, you already know. Kind of ?

This one was a lot of fun to write and kind of came to me all at once. The songs here mostly came from this playlist I used to have back in my college days; there was a year I spent many hours on an elliptical machine to cross train, but those machines are so boring ? So I would try different music to keep myself entertained. It was funny, especially with Leaving Earth and I Shall Overcome, how the narrative just kinda popped into my head. This chapter was one of those sections that wanted to be written.

Anyway, thank you for reading. There is definitely more to come 3