Mario awoke suddenly with a faint light shining in his eyes. He noticed the brilliant, bright sky that hovered barely above him, and he sat up and looked around. The entire planet blew up into a serene, pale light. He was filled with peace and wonder. He stood up into the light of the air. Above his cap shined the dark blue cloak of deep space. Everything about the land was calm. Suddenly, he noticed a little star creature floating just beyond his reach.

He looked at him, entertained by his cute, childish manner. He glowed faintly as he floated steadily in his place, defying everything about physics. His two dark eyes reflected the starlight into the skies above. The little creature shined in silver almost bright as the planet was. Suddenly, noticing that Mario had awoken, he flipped and flew about in a circle. Mario followed his path as he floated steadily back into his original position. He squealed lightly and happily. But then he fell onto the ground. There was a little silver bunny in his place.

"Finally!" he abruptly announced, relieved that the man had awoken. "You're awake!" There was excitement ringing in his voice. But his thoughts were on the corrupted darkness of his home. The sea of dark space was mottled with the stains of evil. He was still worried, for the stars and for his home. But Mama had taught him to be strong. He had been given the task to test the man. And somehow, he hoped that the red-capped hero would not fail.

"Let's play," he continued the test, beginning to hop backwards. "C'mon! Follow me!" And he hopped over the bright grass. Intrigued, Mario followed closely, observing the bright surroundings of the strange planetoid on which he had found himself. He watched the blue and green world carefully. Tall rocks passed behind him, circular patches of bright flowers sprang up around the horizons, and occasional small buildings appeared. The paths about were sometimes lit by specs of brilliantly glowing star bits that rained from the starry sphere about the planet. Suddenly, they came upon two more golden and silver bunnies standing in a circular patch of grass.

The silver one turned to Mario. 

"Let's play hide and seek." They were playful creatures. They all seemed happy. "If you catch all of us, we'll tell you about where you are." He promised Mama that he would entrust the man with the power of the stars if he could pass their test. Few could, and his entire family had thrown their hope upon this young man. And so, he hoped.

Suddenly, the star bunnies turned, flipped around, and disappeared. Mario stood in happy astonishment, watching where the creatures had just stood. They left him in wonder. They were beautiful creatures, graceful. He smiled and proceeded after them.

He looked about the whole planet. There were boundless places where little creatures such as the bunnies could hide. Their light glow would hide them within the planet's structure, for everything about the planet glowed as they did. He passed one of the buildings again and noticed a pipe springing out of the surface. As he neared the boundless cylinder, a light sound of star-like hopping began to break through the surface. Mario smiled and stepped into the blackness.

He warped across the little planetoid hanging amidst the stars. As he came to the other side, one of the star bunnies jumped out before him. The hopping sound rang through the horizon like the starlight. Then the creature jumped into the air and transformed back into a bright yellow star.

"You caught me!" he exclaimed in the voice shared by the first of the kind Mario had seen. He seemed disappointed, but he was a good sport. "Aw, I knew I should've hidden in the crater. Oh well. Maybe Master Luma was smarter." He turned into a brilliant yellow star. Mario smiled. Their kind lived in shining love for each other. Each held respect for another's light. They were beautiful. He nodded to the little creature and continued.

Eventually, he came upon a large hole in the ground. It seemed endless as the green pipe, yet it was huge. He wondered how the planet remained intact with such a structure. He observed it carefully, making certain to avoid falling. The same light sound of the stars rang throughout its deep walls. Then, he remembered that the first of the star creatures he found had mentioned a crater. He jumped in, undeterred by its menacing darkness.

Just as he had found the first one, the second of the star rabbits appeared at the end. He jumped and squealed in growing happiness. He could not help but feel that Mama had been correct when she saw something in the young hero of the blue planet. Young Mater Luma, too, would be hopeful with the news. He jumped up and transformed.

"You caught me!" he told the man. Mario could hear a subtle happiness in his voice. "I knew I should have hidden in the grass," he continued like the other had. When he realized that his friend had likely hidden in the grass, he squealed and spun about in a circle. If this man could find the last of them, then he would be strong enough to defy all of the enemies that had scattered about the galaxies. Polari had sensed massive gatherings of evil hidden throughout all the cosmos. Something in this young, red-wearing man gave him hope that the stars were not forever gone.

Mario laughed at the creature. They were quite funny with their antics and jokes. He could help not but to mark how simply cute the little stars were. His faint glow showed a hope within its depths. She smiled and turned to find the silver star that he had first seen.

Running about the planet, he at last came upon a tall patch of deep green. The golden star had spoken of grass. He proceeded near the tall structures of plant life. Then, the lofty sound of the stars came sounding though the dense grass. In its center shined the same light that the others held. He smiled and jumped in, head first.

The little creature hopped out of the green and squealed loudly and happily. He transformed into his shining silver body and stared down happily at the man.

"Wow!" he said, his voice sounding as a child's. "I-I can't believe I let myself get caught!" Yet he was happy he had been found. "You caught all of us." The little creature restrained his new hope, but in his shining heart, he was elated. He was thankful to the stars above that the strange man had passed his test. There really was some unknown power to the young man, not only a whim of the stars. "Maybe you really can help Mama." His hope sounded in his excited voice. "Maybe...." And he withdrew to the others.

Suddenly, the entire bright planetoid exploded into light. Something began to spill rays at the stars. Everything about him was clouded by a strange force of light. He strained to see through the waves, and something began to form at the edge of the night sky. A mystery ensued.

This little bright creature up there is from @xgeronimolover5678x .  It's so simply cute! I had to use it. It was just too good not to. So, infinite thanks to @xgeronimolover5678x . (Also an awesome person. Deserves infinite follows. Go on, do it!)