A Girl of the Future

by Vanessa Krowd

  Rosalina standing near Peach.

  "Star Bit Sake, huh?" Link thought aloud, pouring some of the alcoholic beverage into his special green sake cup etched in gold with Hylian symbolism. "Anyone want some?"

  "Are we gonna talk or what?" Mario hushed, his arms folded and eyes closed as he sat there criss cross.

  Link's head was tilted back as he drank from the cup, concluding with the swipe of an arm. "Ah! My, that's wonderful!"

  "First Hero chosen by the Goddess." Peach started, seeming pensive. "What exactly did you mean by that?"

  "There are three legendary heroes chosen by the Goddess." Rosalina answered. "Link is one of those three."

  "AH HAH HAH!" Link laughed, slapping his leg. "Please, you make me sound so important!"

  "YOU CALLED YOURSELF THAT!" Luigi scolded, his teeth sharp.

  "Three heroes, huh?" Daisy pondered, a gloved hand on her chin. "Well who are the other two?"

  "An excellent question." Navi started, flying in place. "As of yet, no one really knows. They've yet to be awakened."

  "I see." Daisy acknowledged, her expression pensive.

  "But I've got a hunch at least one of the two remaining heroes is one of you." Link informed, the bottom left triangle of the Triforce glowing weakly on his left hand. "And my

  hunches are pretty good."

  "I don't really get it. What are these heroes heroes of, exactly?" Luigi questioned, scratching his head in confusion.

  "We three heroes chosen by the Goddess carry the burden of completing her mission." Link answered, pouring some more sake into his signature cup.

  "Her mission?" Peach questioned.

  "That's correct. On the evening of the 1000th year, the Goddesses energy that surrounds the Princess of the Galaxies will separate, crashing down onto the world in the form

  of stars." Link explained. "Among those stars are seven incredibly rare stars known as the Crystal Stars."

  "The Crystal Stars…" Peach thought aloud, her expression pensive.

  "They can be thought of as "The Holy Keys"." Rosalina explained, her expression somewhat somber. "They hold the power to open and seal the Door of Stars."

  "The Holy Keys, huh?" Daisy thought, rubbing her chin with a petite gloved hand. "Well what's behind the Door of Stars?"

  "Nobody knows exactly what's beyond the Door of Stars." Link answered, pouring some more sake into his signature cup. "But according to the Goddess it's purpose is to seal

  away evil, granting an eternity of peace to the world."

  "Aww, that sounds so nice." Peach smiled, looking rather cute with her smile and hands by her face.

  Link's head was tilted back as he drank from the cup, concluding with the swipe of an arm. "Ah! Star Bit Sake. I'll have to remember that."

  "But Link, how do you know this?" Daisy questioned. "Did you speak to the Goddess yourself about it?"

  "Heavens no." Link declined, digging in his pockets and revealing an old red text with a yellow star on the front. "It's all written in here."

  Daisy accepted the book, Peach and Luigi trying to get a peek at it from over her shoulder.

  "The Legend of the Crystal Stars?" Daisy read aloud, her eyes scanning the book cover. She opened the book, and jerked her head back almost immediately. "What is this? I

  can't read a word of it…"

  "AH HAH HAH!" Link abruptly laughed. "That's okay. Neither can I. In fact, very few can. It's written in the language of Lumas."

  "Lumas?" Peach inquired, seeming interested.

  "That's right. They're a star species that only exist in peaceful times. They've vanished from the world for quite some time now." Navi explained.

  "That's so sad." Peach frowned, feeling bad for the star species.

  "Indeed, yet another reason for us heroes to fulfil the Goddesses wish and bring the world eternal peace." Link sighed, pouring some more sake into his signature cup.

  "But how are you supposed to do that if you can't even read her wish?" Luigi questioned.

  "Besides, almost all of these pages are blank." Daisy added, flipping through the pages.

  "The pages fill with text as you complete each step in the quest." Link explained, sake cup in hand. "And the lovely Princess of the Galaxies here can read it no problem."

  "Oh?" Rosalina softly barked, a mild blush forming on her face. "P-Please, call me Rosalina."

  "Can you really read this, Rosalina?" Peach asked, the book open in Daisy's hand.

  "Yeah, I suppose I can." Rosalina shyly smiled.

  "Wow…" Peach awed, looking at the pages in the book -the text totally illegible to her. "That's amazing!"

  Rosalina had a closed eyed shy smile. She opened them with a ever so silent surprised bark as Mario broke the silence.

  "So let me get this straight…" Mario started.

  Not speaking for awhile, everyone directed their attention to the man in red, who was sitting on the stone bridge with folded arms and closed eyes.

  "An old book written by some Goddess from hundreds of years ago says that three certain people she picked have to gather some crystal stars so that they can open some

  door and lock evil away in it forever?" Mario summarized.

  "Yeah, pretty much!" Link laughed.

  "Sigh…" Mario sighed, a puff cloud accenting his heavy sigh -eyes closed. "I dunno. This whole thing kinda sounds stupid to me."

  Peach giggled softly into her fingertips, seeming amused.

  "Oh yeah, sealing away evil and granting the world eternal peace. Reeeal stupid." Daisy countered.

  "I didn't mean it like that, idiot." Mario calmly barked. "I mean what's this have to do with us? We have other problems on our mind, remember?"

  Daisy gasped ever so slightly, her eyes widening. She then looked down and to the right with a frown.

  "Other problems?" Link pried, an eyebrow raised -sake cup raised by his face as well. He leaned his head back as he took a drink.

  "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Mario scolded, teeth sharp and fist clenched.

  "AH HAH HAH!" Link laughed, a smile on his face as he eased Mario with a hand. "My apologies, I didn't mean to pry."

  "No, it's fine." Daisy sighed. "It just has to do with Sarasaland."

  "Sarasaland?" Link scoffed, not seeming pleased. "Ugh, you couldn't pay me to go there. The sake is horrible, and the whole country has gone to shit. I heard the new ruler,

  Grodus, exiled the Princess!"

  "SHE'S THE PRINCESS YOU IDIOT!" Mario, Luigi, Toadsworth, and Peach harshly scolded, their heads enlarged and teeth sharp.

  "Pppppth!" Link gawked, his eyes widened as he spit out sake all over Luigi's face. "A-Are you serious?"

  Daisy nodded weakly, her expression very somber. Luigi sat to Link's right with folded arms, his expression unimpressed as sake dripped from his bulbous nose.

  "Hmm…" Link sighed, leaning slightly forward with a hand on his chin, eyes closed in deep thought.

  There was a short pause before Link spoke again.

  "So you intend on defeating Grodus and getting your country back as soon as possible, I presume?" Link hypothesized.

  "That's right." Daisy answered, with a nod.

  "We all do." Mario added, his expression somber as well. "I'm gonna kick his ass and get Daisy her country back!"

  "Yeah, me too!" Luigi agreed, pounding a fist into his palm.

  "Daisy's my best friend." Peach frowned, looking somber. "I'm tired of seeing Grodus walk all over her country."

  "It's high time that bloody bastard be taught a lesson, I say!" Toadsworth added, with a sharp finger. "About high time indeed!"

  "I see. This changes things, then." Link acknowledged, a hand on chin in thought as he sat criss cross.

  There was a short silence.

  "Look. I'm going to give it to you straight: Grodus has got a large army and some powerful allies. You guys can't defeat him with your strength right now." Link warned.

  "What did you just say?" Mario growled, stepping forward and cracki
ng his knuckles.

  "Listen!" Navi hushed, flying before Mario's face.

  Mario barked calmly in surprise, his teeth mildly clenched in anger as he glanced at the fairy. He calmed down and gave Link his attention.

  "If you want to get Sarasaland back, you'll need to get stronger. So why don't we make a little deal?" Link proposed, a slight grin on his face.

  Mario, Daisy, Peach, Toadsworth, Rosalina, and Luigi listened intently -sweat drops present on some foreheads- as Link continued to speak:

  "Help me gather the Crystal Stars, and I'll help you take out Grodus and his army and reclaim Sarasaland. Sounds reasonable, no?" Link proposed, seeming very confident. "You

  scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

  There was a short silence, the gang seeming to be deep in thought and a little uncertain. They snapped out of it as Link stood to his feet, leaving the empty sake bottle on

  the stone bridge.

  "It's a big decision, I get it." Link continued. "I'll leave you to think about it for awhile. Let's go, Navi."

  "Yes Master." Navi acknowledged, following Link with a chime as he walked down the dirt path.

  Mario, Peach, Luigi, Rosalina, Daisy, and Toadsworth watched in pensive silence as Link grew further and further away. They exchanged glances with uncertain frowns.

  -The Royal Lounge-

  The Royal Lounge was the most chill place in the castle. Furnished with red arm chairs and sofas, it also featured a private bathroom and elevator leading to the castle parking

  lot. A deluxe bar, pool table, and massive flat screen TV were also part of the presentation.

  "Wow, this place is pretty neat." Rosalina admired, looking around while standing.

  "Yep. No formalities, no rules, no Toadsworth." Luigi awed, with a closed eyed happy sigh as he slouched in the red armchair. "Awesome."

  "When are you ever formal?" Daisy attacked with folded arms, sitting on the right end of a nearby red sofa.

  "YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!" Luigi scolded, his teeth sharp.

  "Here, have a seat." Peach offered, sitting in the middle of the couch beside Daisy -patting the left end with her hand.

  "Oh?" Rosalina calmly barked, looking down at Peach who had a closed eyed smile. "Umm, okay."

  Rosalina sat down on the left end of the red sofa, Peach giving her a closed eyed toothless smile. Rosalina gave one back, the shy intelligent Princess of the Galaxies seated

  with her hands neatly on her lap.

  "So what's everyone think?" Peach asked, shooting glances at the four of them.

  "Well," Rosalina started, her eyes widening quickly afterword. "O-Oh, I'm sorry. Did someone else want to say something first?"

  "N-No, go ahead." Peach assured, a comedic sweat drop behind her head.

  "Okay. Ahem. Well, after I awaken it's my duty to help the three heroes gather the seven Crystal Stars." Rosalina explained. "So I think I'm going to help Link regardless."

  "I see." Peach acknowledged, her expression pensive. "Well, that's one vote for teaming up with Link."

  "Count me out." Luigi declined, thumbing to himself. "I don't care how strong Link is, gathering those Crystal Stars is just unnecessary danger!"

  "Count me out as well." Mario declined, sitting at the nearby bar with a Super Soda, an awesome carbonated energy drink. "My top priority is beating up Grodus. The Crystal

  Stars have nothing to do with me. It's just a waste of time."

  "Well, I vote we team up with Link." Peach countered. "So that leaves it two-two."

  Mario quietly barked in surprise, seeming surprised that Peach wanted to team up with Link.

  "At any rate, the choice really lies with Daisy here." Peach informed, with a hand. "Which is appropriate, since it's her country and all."

  Daisy was sitting with a somber expression, looking downward quietly. She seemed very lost in thought.

  "Daisy?" Peach summoned, her head tilted.

  Daisy stood up without a word, and walked out of the Royal Lounge. Peach was blinking in uncertainty as she closed the door, exchanging glances with the group.

  "D-Did I say something wrong?" Peach wondered, feeling nervous.

  "Just give her some time to think about it. It's a pretty big decision." Luigi comforted, his eyes closed and arms folded.

  Princess Peach turned her head and faced the door Daisy had just left through. She stared at it with somber glistening blue eyes, lost deep in thought.

  -That Night, Mario and Peach's BedroomCuddled

  under the white blankets on the pink canopy bed was Mario and the Princess. Mario had his arm around her while he stared at the ceiling, Peach resting her head and

  hand on his chest in the romantic silence.

  "Why do you want to team up with Link anyway?" Mario suddenly questioned.

  "Huh? That's random." Peach noted.

  "Well?" Mario persisted.

  "I don't know." Peach sang. "I just think it's a good idea."

  There was a short silence.

  "You just think he's hot is more like it." Mario grumbled, looking away slightly.

  Peach lifted her head from his chest, looking in his eyes with an unimpressed stare. Mario met her eyes, blushing a bit and looking away.

  "What?" Mario sang, clearly uncomfortable. "Stop looking at me like that, it's creepy."

  "Is that jealousy I sense?" Peach attacked.

  "Pfft, sense?" Mario scoffed. "You're not Rosalina."

  "Oh, I bet you compare me to her all the time now, huh?" Peach attacked, her teeth clenched.

  "Now who's being jealous!" Mario sniped.

  "Hmph!" Peach puffed, grabbing a pillow with harsh eyebrows and smothering Mario's face with it.

  "Aaah! Hey! Stop!" Mario whined, his arms flailing, Peach covering his face with a pillow.

  "Stupid boy! You know better than to call me jealous!" Peach playfully scolded, being very informal.

  "Hey, cut it out already!" Mario whined, his head smothered by the pillow. "Geez!"

  -Daisy's BedroomDaisy

  was staring at the ceiling, the moonlight casting into her bedroom from the thin white curtains on this late night. Her ginger brown hair was spread beneath her head and

  shoulders, her shoulders and arms bare -arm over the white blanket that was covering her. Her blue eyes were pensive as she stared at the ceiling, the Princess of Sarasaland

  lost deep in thought.

  (After all this pain and suffering I've gone through, someone incredibly strong comes along and offers me their hand to pull me out of this hell.)

  A large green ring of energy radiated outward from Link, expanding far and racing right through all twenty thousand of the Bulblins and stopping them dead in their charging

  tracks. Then, miraculously, the eyes of the Bulblins whited out, and one by one they and their weapons fell to the ground. As they hit the ground they evaporated into black

  dust, the entire army of twenty thousand Bulblins eliminated in a matter of seconds. There Link stood, his eyes concealed in the shadow of his dirty blonde bangs, his left

  arm extended before him and palm facing outward. The bottom right triangle on the Triforce was glowing on the back of his gloved left hand.

  Daisy had a hand over her forehead, teeth clenched as a tear slid down her cheek.

  (Mario's strong and all, but he's not enough! The fact that someone so strong has come to me and offered help in such horrible times is like a dream come true! How can I

  pass this up!)

  -Outside Peach's CastleDaisy

  cautiously opened the main door of Peach Castle on this late night, stepping onto the stone bridge in her usual attire. She could hear the sound of an Ocarina, and

  unknown to her the tune that was being played was the Song of Time. She had an expression of calm wonder as she followed the notes through Peach's Castle Gardens,

  letting the notes of the beautiful song guide her through the hedges. Eventually she arrived at the central clearing, which featured an i
dentical version of the Peach Fountain

  in Toad Town. Sitting on the fountains outer ledge was Link, who was playing into a royal blue Ocarina. Daisy stood there and watched as he played the concluding notes to

  the Song of Time, the first chosen hero calmly opening his eyes as he finished.

  "Princess." Link greeted.

  "Don't you sleep?" Daisy scoffed, her arms folded as she stood there.

  "Rarely." Link answered.

  There was a short pause.

  "That's a lovely song you were playing." Daisy calmly complimented.

  "Isn't it?" Link agreed, looking at his blue Ocarina. "The woman who gave this Ocarina to me taught me that song. It has so much meaning."

  "I see. It sure looks like an expensive Ocarina…" Daisy noted, examining it.

  "Surely you didn't venture out into the night to gawk at my belongings?" Link teased, putting his Ocarina away.

  Daisy took a deep breath. Link was looking skyward at the starry night sky, the full moon massive this evening.

  "We'll help you gather the Crystal Stars."

  Link couldn't help but give a grin.

  "Very well." Link started, billions of stars shining above.

  One two three -cause we'reRunning

  ever faster, running ever faster,

  I know we'll catch up, -with, our, dreams -cause we'reRunning

  ever faster, running ever faster,

  I know we'll get there one, of these DAYS!

  SUPER MARIO: LEGEND OF THE CRYSTAL STARS

  MarioFan3000

  Chapter 5: Peach's New Power & The Shrine Of Stars!

  Gathered around the sun emblem in the main foyer of Peach Castle on this early morning was Link, Navi, Toadsworth, Rosalina, Luigi, Daisy, and Mario.

  "So that settles it. Looks like we'll be working together from now on." Link smiled.

  "Are you sure you want to do this?" Mario gently questioned, looking into Daisy's eyes, his arms folded.

  "Mm." Daisy confirmed, with a single nod.

  "Sigh." Mario sighed, eyes closed and arms folded. "Well alright."

  "I say, where is the princess?" Toadsworth questioned, looking around for Peach.

  "Hm?" Mario barked, a question mark appearing over his head.

  Mario gave a quick survey, the princess nowhere in sight.

  "That's weird, she should be around here somewhere…" Mario thought aloud.