Mario blinked. Suddenly, a large monument stood before him. Two of the golden stars were floating over the path to the bright structure. He looked around and walked forward, wondering how such a building had suddenly appeared. At the hidden top, a great orb of light radiated into the stars. The entire planet was brightened.

Since having been awoken by the star creature and playing with them for minutes, he had been resigned to oblige to their wishes. But now, invisible structures, squealing creatures of light, and falling bits of the stars everywhere just stood to confuse him. What were those creatures anyway, who spoke of the stars, and without a mouth?

He wished he could control time and the universe around him and play with the stars and gravity. He wished the glorious Star Festival had been only peace and that he could have spent the night with his Princess. He was tired of playing; he wanted to find his Princess and defeat that monster. He wanted to get off the planetoid he had found himself thrown to. He wondered what mystery lay ahead. He wondered how long he would have to wait. He wondered.

Suddenly, the golden stars in front of him squealed in their high-pitched joy. He walked up to one, floating just above him.

"Sorry about bringing you here so suddenly," announced the little star. He understood. He almost shared Mario's wishes. Suddenly, Mario respected the bright creatures immensely. "There's a connection here to deep space, far from your lands. We call it the Gateway to the Starry Sky." So, indeed, that was the name of planetoid, The Gateway. Who had named it, called the bright place so? It was beautiful, stuck shining there amongst the starry cloak of the deep sky.

He ran up to the next golden star, fascinated with respect and wonder at the universe. What else could he learn of the universe there? The glowing creature looked down at him and squealed into the sky.

"Mama's waiting up above. Please help her with whatever she asks!" The star could only hope that the young hero could help his Mama. He trusted Master Luma's decision with all his heart, and of all the great beings he had seen, he trusted his Mama even more. Just like the red-capped man, he too wanted to chase the monster of the darkness from the stars.

Mario nodded. He wondered of whom the creatures spoke. Whoever it was they had mentioned, Mario was certain he was going to meet this strange being soon. He continued up the path to the tip of the monument. He climbed over a few steps, and the far stars in the pale horizon dimmed in the shining light. Some great power stood atop that structure, and Mario was both anxious and terrified to greet its light. But the thought of his Princess kept him strong.

He jumped over the last step and landed on the top of the Gateway. As he looked about to the bright, green world, he felt he could feel the power of light and of space colliding within time. He was hit with rays of strong and warm light that cascaded through him in waves. He glanced upon the light in the center of the structure. There, floating in its center like the little creatures of light shining about the surface, stood a strange being, with a brilliant air of reserved power and calmness. Mario stared and gaped at the scene, for it was beautiful as the deep sky.

That was their Mama, he realized as he stood in awe and wonder, daring not even to move. The being of light just floated in the air, spilling all the power of the stars about her. Without a movement, she seemed to speak of peace. She reminded him of Peach; she bore the same aura of kindness and understanding that the Princess had. But, in the mystery of such power, there also seemed to be a faint sadness to her character. Even as she stood, the power of the stars had fallen upon the very Gateway.

"I've been watching you from here," suddenly spoke this hidden and beautiful mystery. Mario's heart jumped and he stood, frozen in time. He was terrified and elated, for not even the monster that sole Peach from him had such power. If this was the Mother of the Lumas, could she help him? Could she fight the monster's evil? Could she...?

"This place is called the Gateway to the Starry Sky...." The Princess of the Universe had seen his fear. She needed him to know that she would help him. She wanted to explain the very nature of the universe, describe the secrets of the stars, explain the power to travel through space, and implore him to help her save the cosmos. But, in his experience and youth, she understood that he could not know the riddle of time as she did, for he was young, and he had not seen the glowing depths of the stars. So, she tried her patience.

And she spoke so softly and peacefully that Mario's fear of her power fell. He only wondered at it and at who she was, this power who bore the stars.

"My name is Rosalina." And her voice echoed through to the sky. That peaceful name traveled in light and mystery to touch beyond the mysteries of the stars. "I watch over and protect the cosmos." It had been a long time since she had seen one with such spirit. She would tell him all she could to help him understand. She had seen his strength when he chased after the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. She knew what his heart longed for. "To save your special one, you'll need the power to travel through space."

Mario stared into the light and listened, entrapped by her words. Indeed, she had been watching. She knew the depth of his heart as she knew the stars. Suddenly, she raised the star wand in her right hand and laughed quietly. The silver creature of the stars appeared from behind her. With Young Master Luma, the stars were but a stretch away. The beacon once more could shine. "Luma can give you this power. I will entrust you with his care."

Luma the bright creature was named. He was a curious little being, mysterious as the one floating in light before him. Still staring in awe at the brilliance of the planet, Mario watched this Luma. He floated toward Mario, and then he suddenly jumped into his hat. Mario felt a surge of power and warm light flow through him. Then his gloves began to radiate the power of Luma. He looked at his hands and back to the Mother of the Lumas.

And thus launched the dawn of the hero of the cosmos. With Luma's trust and help, as the Lady of the Shooting Stars knew well, there was little the young man could not do. He needed only to learn of his strength, and to call upon it when the stars were darkened. And she hoped, and she knew that one day, he would. The stars were with him.

She continued to explain. He likely wondered why her family was stuck on the Gateway as well. She knew the others could teach him to work with Luma, so she left it to the others. She needed to attend to Polari and keep the light in order.

"Disaster has struck us, just as it has visited you." She spoke to him quietly, with the darkened memory of her broken home residing in her mind. "With Luma, I hope you can rescue the Grand Stars." Polari too had felt the grand star's power near them; it was so close. She looked down upon the young man once more. And she hoped. "May the stars shine down on you...," she finished. Her light beamed though the horizons again, and she floated up into the sky. From there, the mysterious Princess of the Stars disappeared, leaving Mario with countless little stars about him and Young Luma, who seemed to harness the same power that his mother had.

In Peach's memory, Mario could not forsake the pleas of this bright Mother of the Lumas. She was beautiful as the stars. He knew Peach's kindness would have shown as well. To find her, to help the strange Rosalina and the bright star creatures about him, to return peace to the cosmos, he promised in his heart to do all he could. He looked up to the stars and nodded, somehow knowing that Rosalina would be watching. 

    Then, with Luma, he stepped forward into a new, galactic journey that spanned beyond the stars and across galaxies. He stepped into hope.

Holy lumas, is it that long?!?! I even tried to shorten it. I think I've been playing with description too much, so I tried to make it shorter. I hope it worked. Soon, I'll get into some action here. The first scene of the ....