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Nightfall bathed the Comet Observatory, with the Lumas being busy playing around the building while Mario walked around with a smile on his face, always happy to see the little fellas so full of joy and whimsy despite probably being centuries old.
Since he didn't see Rosalina anywhere outside, he supposed she'd be at the library, which was a place she frequented a lot whenever she wanted to be alone.
So, he gently entered the place without knocking, force of an habit to him. And as expected, there she was, sitting on the same chair she always sat at every night to tell the Lumas a bedtime story. She had on her hands the very same book she read the very first time he ever came to the observatory, the tale about a young girl that decided to help a little Luma out of kindness, becoming the protector of the cosmos in the process despite missing her home dearly.
However, Mario immediately noticed that Rosalina's expression was... concerned. She didn't seemed mad or sad, but rather upset, and she was reading the very same story... the story of her own life.
"Rosa?" Mario called out after noticing her expression.
"Ah!" Rosalina exclaimed startled, immediately slamming the storybook closed. But as soon as she noticed that it was just Mario, her expression relaxed, and so did her posture. "Oh, Mario. You startled me.
"My bad..." The plumber laughed nervously, then looked back at the book on her lap. "I've seen you read that book to the Lumas. It must pretty important, huh?"
"I guess you could say that..." She replied, looking down in concern at the storybook again.
Mario stepped closer, his eyes softening as he noticed the weight on Rosalina's expression. He'd seen her share stories with the Lumas countless times, always with such a serene, almost mystical aura about her. But tonight... tonight was different.
"You know, Rosa," Mario began gently, "you never really talk much about your story. Not like you do with the Lumas. How... how young were you when you lost her? Your Mom, I mean."
Rosalina’s fingers gently traced the edges of the closed book, her gaze drifting out the large observatory window. The stars outside twinkled serenely, but her mind seemed far away, lost in memories of a time long past.
She sighed and stood up with the book still in her hands. "Young enough to still be in daycare." She gently placed down the book on the chair's arm. "After her death, my father would be mourning any chance he could. So I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him, either."
Mario watched her closely, his heart aching for her. He knew she rarely opened up about her past, let alone the pain she had to carry with her all these years. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen her so vulnerable before.
"I'm... really sorry for you, Rosa," he murmured, taking another small step forward. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that."
Despite the ache in her heart, Rosalina still turned to him and gave him a small and warm smile. "It's alright, Mario."
But even after saying that, she still looked down to the floor with concern, something Mario couldn't let slip.
"Something else on your mind?"
"...Well..." She started, playing nervously with her fingers. "Sometimes, I wonder what would've happened if the Luma never landed in my yard and I stayed on Earth. Would my father have found someone new? Would I... have found someone?"
Mario paused, letting her words hang in the air between them, feeling the weight of her thoughts. He could tell this wasn’t something she often said aloud, and that made him even more determined to offer the support she needed. But she spoke again before he had the chance to.
"I love the Lumas with all my heart, but sometimes... I feel the burden of watching over them continuously weighing me down," Rosalina admitted, looking at a lot of pictures with the Lumas she had framed right above the fire inside the library. "Sometimes I wish I was still normal so I could stay on Earth..."
"You don't have to be normal to be on Earth, you know," Mario immediately jumped to comfort her, taking the chance before she spoke again. "What you did for the Lumas wasn't only what you had to do, but it was right. That doesn't mean you have to throw your life away for them, though."
Rosalina said nothing after Mario told her that. Not because she didn't wanted to, but rather because of the situation itself. She was pondering hurtful things out loud, something she was used to, and yet Mario over here took some of his time to come over and offer her some comfort, even though most of the time whenever they saw each other was because she was a magnet for trouble that, in the long run, could affect him as well.
"...Why do you do this, Mario?" She asked.
Mario arched a brow, but didn't hesitated on answering. "Do what?"
"Everything!" Rosalina exclaimed out loud, and that did startled him, since she has never raised her voice. "You saved my observatory from Bowser, rescued my Lumas, and even after all that trouble I put you through, you still come here to check on me. All without second thought."
Mario stood still for a moment, processing her question. It was a question he hadn’t asked himself, at least not in such a direct way. He scratched the back of his head, glancing down at the floor for a moment to gather his thoughts.
"Well, you needed my help, Rosa," he started slowly. "I couldn't just leave you and your Lumas in the dust."
He took a step closer to her, his eyes earnest and filled with sincerity.
"And the reason I'm still here? Is because you're my friend."
Rosalina's gaze softened as she looked up at Mario, the weight of his words sinking in. She hadn't expected him to say something so simple, yet it was precisely what she needed to hear. It wasn't about duty or obligation. It was about friendship.
And that in itself triggered a memory she thought forgotten a long time ago...
A small Rosalina, barely even 4 years old, sat sadly in the floor of her home, looking down as if she could find her answers there.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" The voice of her mother spoke behind her.
"I'm scared, momma," the young Rosalina replied.
"Of what?"
"All the kids at school have friends... I don't..." She replied in sadness. "What if... I never make a friend?"
Her mother’s voice was gentle, full of warmth, as she knelt down beside her. "Sweetheart, making friends isn’t about waiting for them to come to you. It’s about being kind, sharing a smile, and reaching out to others. The right friends will always come when you least expect them."
Rosalina’s small hands clutched the edges of her dress, her eyes still uncertain. "But what if no one wants to be my friend?"
Her mother smiled softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Rosalina’s face. "Well... I doubt that'll happen... But if it does, just remember... I'll alway be your friend..."
Rosalina’s mind lingered on those words, as they had stayed with her throughout her life. And as she stared at Mario now, the weight of his unwavering presence—his friendship—began to make sense. He had been one of those people who saw her for who she truly was, beyond the caretaker of the Lumas, beyond the protector of the Comet Observatory.
"Rosa?" Mario called out, noticing her look. "You okay?"
"...You... called me your friend..." Rosalina muttered in disbelief.
"Uh... yeah, I did?" Mario said with a nervous chuckle.
Rosalina immediately looked away from him. "I'm... sorry. It's just... been a long time since anyone's called me that..."
Mario tilted his head slightly, trying to understand. He had no idea how long it had been since someone had truly called Rosalina a friend, but he knew it must have been a long time. He had always seen her as this figure of immense strength and responsibility, someone who carried the universe on her shoulders. But in that moment, she seemed so much more vulnerable, human even.
"Oh, well... I'm sorry. I was just—"
Before Mario could finish, Rosalina wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you, Mario..." She muttered, squeezing a bit tighter. "For everything..."
Mario stood still for a moment, surprised by the sudden embrace. He hadn't expected Rosalina to react this way, but as she hugged him, he could feel the weight of her emotions—years of solitude, responsibility, and unspoken burdens—all melting away in that simple gesture.
After a few moments, Rosalina slowly pulled back, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"No need to apologize, Rosa," Mario said gently, smiling warmly. "You're allowed to feel however you feel."
Rosalina took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, a little embarrassed but grateful for the comfort that Mario had given her. "I guess... I just needed someone to say it," she admitted quietly. "That I matter, that... someone sees me."
Mario nodded, understanding her unspoken words all too well. He had always known Rosalina to be the one offering protection and care, the one with the wisdom and strength to guide others. But in that moment, she was just like any other person, in need of a little kindness, just like everyone else.
"Well, you do matter, Rosa. To all of us," Mario said firmly. "And you're not alone. Not anymore, not ever agin."
Rosalina met his eyes, and for the first time in a long while, she felt the weight of her role as protector of the cosmos lift ever so slightly. For the first time, she realized that she didn’t have to carry that weight alone. She had friends who would stand by her, who would support her, and most importantly, who would care for her in return.
She smiled softly, her heart a little lighter than before. "Thank you, Mario. I really needed to hear that."
Mario grinned, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Anytime, Rosa. Anytime."
As they stood there, the peaceful hum of the observatory surrounding them, Mario couldn't help but think that this, more than anything, was the true magic of the stars: the connections they forged between people, no matter how far apart they were in the vastness of the cosmos.
And as Rosalina looked back up at the stars outside the window, she felt a warmth in her heart that had been missing for so long—a warmth she knew would never fade as long as she had friends like Mario by her side.