"Mama...I'm scared..."

Rosalina wrapped the little pink Luma in her arms and kissed his forehead. Lumio nuzzled against her chest, trembling a little. "Now, Lumio...you're about to do one of the greatest things you'll ever do...you don't have to be scared. This is what you were born to do."

"But will it hurt, Mama?" he whimpered, hiding his face in her dress. Rosalina gently pushed him out and looked him squarely in the eye.

"Yes, Lumio. Growing up hurts." She wouldn't lie to him. She knew from personal experience that it did. Sometimes it hurt worse than anything. "But you know what? Once you're all done hurting, you find out that growing up was the best experience of life. After the hurt goes away, you find yourself a whole new person, and you're better than you were before. When you grow up, you become the best person you can be. The only thing you have to do is choose to do it."

"Will Mama stay with me?" Rosalina smiled at his question. Almost every Luma asked that question right before they transformed. It was touching to know that when the time came, they still wanted to be with her, to be with their "mother."

"I will always be your Mama, Lumio," she said, giving him a squeeze. "And I will always watch over you." Lumio brightened and thought for a moment. He left the sanctuary of Rosalina's embrace and floated to the top of the Observatory. He waved to his brothers and sisters, all crowded around their adoptive mother to see him off. He glanced sadly at Rosalina, his lip quivering.

"Go on, Lumio. I will always watch over you," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. He smiled nervously back and took a deep breath.

The other Lumas hid their eyes in Rosalina's dress as Lumio, hot white bands trailing after him, flashed across the sky, twirling faster than a comet, squealing in excitement. There was a bright flash of light and a thrilling explosion, and suddenly, there in the sky, was a new planet. It was pink and round, overgrown with beautiful flowers and grasses, strange, pink Koopas awakening for the first time on the surface of their new home.

Rosalina smiled at Lumio's new form. Inside that planet, his heart was still beating. He was alive and grown up. He would look after himself and the creatures that lived on this new planet. He was new and wonderful, all grown up. The other Lumas uncovered their eyes and squealed their joyful goodbyes at their big brother. Someday, they would all transform too, and leave their Mama and the Observatory. But Rosalina would always look after them, even when they were gone. She was their mother, and she would love them forever.

"Always..." Rosalina whispered to the sky, Lumio's chipper voice still ringing fresh in her memories.

A/N: You know what surprises me? There are almost no decent Rosalina fics on this website! It's weird, because I would think people liked Rosalina. I mean, I cried when I read her story book in Super Mario Galaxy, and I just really liked her character. Yet nobody else appears to share my appreciation of the Space Princess. Oh well, I'm here to fix that, I suppose. Please Read and Review as always, and please post your favorite Mario character in your reviews as well. I like hearing other people's opinions!

Ciao,

-"Niki Bogwater"