Chapter the Prologue: Grab the Stars Part II

A wave of general alarm swept the castle hall. Most of those present didn't have a clue who 'Mama' was, but news of a kidnapping, no matter who was taken, was cause for a near panic. O'Chunks hid beneath a table. Dimentio and Mereliah stopped their dance and looked around in concern. Ms Mowz had disappeared, as had Koops and Lakilester. Mario, meanwhile, raced up to the Luma.

"What happened?!" he exclaimed.

The Luma hiccuped and swallowed. Then, fighting against tears that threatened to come, the Luma began.

"Mama was running the Observatory when we suddenly stopped. I don't know how, but Mama pushed me toward a jump star and told me to get away. But I didn't. I hid behind the steering wheel and watched as seven turtle things jumped up onto the ship. Then a larger one jumped up and roared.

"A bunch of lines appeared around Mama, circling her and trapping her. She tried to get out, but everytime she touched the lines a music note blocked her. Another turtle thing floated up and waved a stick. The other turtles got behind that one and the one in front came toward Mama. It had blue hair and a single fang. Then it asked where the Command Scales were, and I panicked and ran for the jump star and got away." The Luma sniffed and then broke down crying.

Mario frowned slightly. "A turtle with blue hair… would he really?"

"Would who do what?" Luigi asked, coming up behind Mario.

"From the sound of it, Ludwig von Koopa kidnapped Rosalina," Mario replied. "But I don't get it. He's never done anything like that before. And it seems like Bowser and the other Koopalings are under Ludwig's control. Somehow."

"May I suggest something?" Merlon approached Mario, who nodded. "However improbable it may sound, someone has to do something. Go with the Luma."

Mario nodded. "You're right. Someone has to go. Well," he continued, turning to the Luma, "can you get us to the Observatory?"

The Luma sniffed again, but nodded slightly. "Yeah… Will Mama be all right?"

It hurt. It was so out of the ordinary that Mario's heart broke. "Of course she will be," he reassured the little star. But how could she be? This was so different. He didn't know how to deal with this kind of thing.

"Let's go save her, then!" the Luma exclaimed, rushing out of the castle. Mario raced after the star, still hurting. Still in shock. Still wondering. He was hardly aware of the Luma leading him to a nearby orbit launch star and jumping in. He couldn't appreciate the streaking, swirling galaxies that he passed. But when he landed on the Comet Observatory, the scene brought him back to the present. He could deal with the strangeness later.

Larry, Lemmy, Wendy, Roy, Iggy, Morton, Bowser, and Bowser Jr were converging on Mario's landing spot. Their eyes were glazed and tinted blue. All around the Observatory were Lumas in cages. At the front of the Observatory, Rosalina stood, trapped, by rotating lines that resembled the lines on a staff of music.

"I hope you can fight," Mario muttered to the Luma.

The Luma giggled uneasily. "Not really?"

"Vell, vell, vell. I vondered when you vould show up, Mario. Stand down, my minions."

The Koopa and Koopalings pulled back, allowing Ludwig to walk up to Mario. The Koopaling was dressed in a white shirt, suit, and black pants that were neatly hemmed. A thin pocket on his suit jacket held a dark blue stick.

"What's the occasion, Ludwig? Charity concert for the orphans?" Mario asked acidly. Where did that come from? He usually didn't go in for insults like that.

Ludwig just laughed. "Very amusing, Mario. But the answer is no. If I could tell you, I vould. I cannot, though. But I invite your best effort."

Mario jumped at Ludwig's head, but the Koopaling dodged and clicked his tongue. "Is that it, Mario? I expected more." Another jump, another dodge. "How very sad. Thankfully, I have no such troubles." Ludwig drew the stick from the pocket and waved it sharply at Mario. The plumber stood, dumbfounded, as three shining music notes flew toward him and crashed into his chest.

"A conductor's baton?" Mario questioned, breathing deeply. "What did you do to that thing?"

"A little thing called magic!" Ludwig cast another three notes at Mario, but missed when Mario ducked. "Ah, vonderful! A challenge, as I hoped!"

The two traded blows for a time. Mario jumped and jumped after Ludwig, but never seemed to make contact. Ludwig, on the other hand, hit Mario with nearly every music note he threw.

The Luma floated over to Rosalina. "Mama! We came to save you!"

Rosalina smiled sadly at the Luma. "Lumana, you cannot save me now. Go help Mario. He will need to gather seven items. Lead him to Merluna's house. Go!"

Lumana shook her head. "I won't leave you, Mama! I need you!"

"Mario needs you more, Lumana. Please go with him." When Lumana sniffed, Rosalina sighed. "Lumana, please. If you don't go with him, we can't stop Ludwig." That didn't seem to affect Lumana. "If you don't go with Mario, you can't save me." That got the Luma's attention.

"Mama… I'll do it."

"Thank you, dear."

Mario landed after another failed jump and was promptly blasted by a music note. He skidded backward and dropped to one knee. His breathing was ragged and he could barely keep his eyes open. He had no idea how to fight Ludwig. It was too far out of his experience.

Ludwig looked at Mario and shook his head. "After all of this time. After every time you have beaten me, my minions. After all of that, and you fall so easily." Ludwig took a deliberate, measured step toward Mario. "I am disappointed in you. I hardly need the Command Scales if you are so veak. No one else could stop me." He took another step. "So I shall give you one more chance. Get up and fight as I know you can."

Mario grunted in reply. Ludwig smiled thinly. "Get up." As Ludwig took another step, Larry tapped Ludwig on the shoulder. "What is it?" Ludwig asked, stopping suddenly and clenching his fists.

"The princess was conversing with one of the star creatures," Larry said in a monotone.

"That is no concern of ours," Ludwig replied. "Even so, cage the Luma. We cannot afford loose ends."

Larry nodded and walked quickly toward Lumana. She stifled a yelp and sped away, just out of the Koopaling's reach.

"Very good." Ludwig turned his attention back to Mario. "Get up! Do you care what happens? If not, I vill not soil my hands vith you." Ludwig turned away and directed his baton to Bowser. "Uncle, you may do vith him as you vish."

Bowser licked his lips and stomped forward. "As you command, sir."

Mario glanced up. "Ludwig! Why?"

Ludwig began to walk away. "I am interested in music, Mario, and the stars make beautiful symphonies."

"You shall fall for trying to ruin the master's plans!" Bowser bellowed. He lunged for Mario, but the plumber dodged with an inch to spare.

He knew how to fight Bowser. With a mighty tug, Mario got back to his feet and jumped, landing on Bowser's unprotected head. He launched himself off of Bowser's head again and again before aiming for Larry. As Mario rocketed through the air, feet heading toward Larry's shell, Bowser growled and opened his mouth wide. Flames flew out, licking at the surroundings before Bowser turned them on Mario.

Mario felt heat on his back and knew, instinctively, what was next. He planted his feet firmly on Larry's shell and pushed off. Bowser's flames engulfed Larry, who had fallen over when Mario bounced on him. Lemmy and Iggy ran past Larry, set him on his feet, and then all three continued toward the flying plumber.

Lumana was still running, but she was abruptly picked up as Mario shot past. "Oh, Mario!"

"Hang on," Mario said grimly. They were heading toward the edge of the Comet Observatory, and Mario sincerely hoped that Rosalina's power still would keep him from tumbling off into space, even if she was trapped by lines.

A portal opened up in front of Mario and Lumana, and the two disappeared through it. Moments before Lemmy and Iggy and Larry reached the portal, it vanished.

Ludwig stopped in front of Rosalina. "Vas that you?"

Rosalina raised an eyebrow. "I can hardly speak to my Lumas when I'm inside this contraption. What makes you think I could do something like that?"

"You are far less delicate with your vords when you are in trouble," Ludwig said dryly. "But I believe you. Who vas it?"

"I do not know that, either."

Ludwig stared at Rosalina's face for a moment before chuckling. "Of course you don't. If you did, you vould have opened the portal yourself." Ludwig turned his back on Rosalina. "Do not forget, princess. The safety of your little place, of your stars, depends on your villingness to cooperate. Do not forget."

As Ludwig walked away, Rosalina's stare grew softer. She slumped down in the ball and cried.

A/N: Hey, look! I'm sick, so I wrote a chapter. Hmm...

Well, anyway, this is fun. And thanks for the reviews! Feel free to enter ideas, but I may not put them in. There are some that I know I won't put in, so if it doesn't appear, that's likely why.

Also, why haven't we seen a Merluna in the games yet?