Mario jumped through the gate to the Mushroom Kingdom. Toads were running about in circles everywhere on the stone brick roads. The grass fields were assailed with falling shooting stars that lit the ground in light. He ran eagerly toward the castle. There it stood, towering in bright pink and white. The flag of the Princess flew in the high gales of the sky. All around the castle, small pieces of stars alit on the paths and the kingdom citizens celebrated the brightest night for a hundred years. The young hero could not contain his excitement.

He flew down past the many toads, anxiously awaiting the night. The castle lake appeared at his right, and a whole town rose up on the hills to his left. The lake was clear as the deep night sky, reflecting every bit of light in its dark blue. He felt as if the sky had stooped to touch the land, and as if he could reach the stars. Excitement smoldered within him, and he ran, unrestrained in speed and hope. Nothing could stop the stars from falling, and nothing could stop this night from becoming a mark of history.

https://youtu.be/-R8QUKZqTOs

But as he stepped along the path, something else came of the sky. Along with the stars, suddenly, dark masses flew toward the Earth. The first of the objects smashed into the ground before him, leaving wakes in the dirt behind it. Then others followed quickly, burning in flames. Everywhere he looked, the air had been filled with burning objects from the skies. They were meteorites.

The red caped hero flashed forward, wondering what was happening, trying to discover what had happened. A toad before him was suddenly frozen in crystal. The others around panicked and dropped all the star bits they had gathered. Startled, Mario hurried forward, dodging the burning spheres of the sky. He had to make it to the castle before the terror reached the princess as well.

He neared the castle as the sky turned dark. The citizens panicked and shouted above the blasting of the meteorites. Clouds overtook the light of the star bits. Then, springing from the shadowy cover of the night, a fleet of airships exploded into view. Each had towering blades that kept the wooden frame afloat, each had large cannons at its sides, showering the meteorites upon the land, and each was under command of the same who had dropped the meteorites. At the front of the menacing flotilla, a large creature headed the armada. A monster stood above the castle, and he laughed at the panic below.

As he ran straight through the fields and directly toward the castle door, Mario noticed Princess Peach standing atop the balcony on the front façade of the castle. There were two toads behind her, and she was holding a bright, silver star creature. She looked about the scene, frozen in fear. And Mario realized that the meteorites were no whim of the stars. He knew what was hidden beyond the stooping sky. He knew that Bowser headed the fleet.

He watched the ships flying above the Princess's castle. She looked frantically for signs of her hero. The little silver star in her hands shook in his place, like the toads behind her. She was afraid, but she would not show it to her people. Even though the very fires of the heart of the stars rained down upon her lands, and she knew that Bowser had come to take her, she would stay strong. She would wait for Mario to come. She knew he would come.

And then, there he came, running in his spirits like the young hero he was. She gasped, gripping to hope that he would come in time.

"Help me!" she exclaimed loudly to her hero, making certain that he knew she awaited him. One large, silver ship shot lasers into the ground around the castle, cutting away through the land and shaking the whole structure. She could do nothing against the monster, so she squeezed the little luma she had found and stood in her place.

As chains fell from the ships that blocked even the light of the sky, Mario stepped foot onto the entrance to the castle. The chains plunged deep into the ground. Dirt flew about the sky. The stars dimmed in the cloak of space. Then the whole castle was lifted off its ground. The stone below him began to break into shatters. The castle before him had remained intact, and the flags still stood. But they left their planet. The monster's army had taken them from their own planet.

Now, Mario was more determined than before to save the Princess. He too had been taken up with the castle. He too had been dragged off his home world and taken into the depths of the skies. With a fire in his mind, he continued along the stone bridge entrance, jumping high over each deep crack that sprang underneath his feet. Each step he placed more surely upon the cold stone. He neared the Princess and hurried. She stood barely out of his reach.

"Mario!" he heard. He jumped over a fracture in the bridge. He could see the bright Earth below the ground. The atmosphere of his home reflected the sunlight as it whispered just around the edge of the blue sphere. Steadily, the castle was taken up. Surrounded by the strongest weapons of Bowser's arsenal, the castle was dragged through the darkened paths the monster had cut through the starlight. Everywhere about them, the stars were dulled, almost as if they hid from the deeds of the monster.

The red caped hero stepped farther toward his Princess. He was close. He neared the door. But then, a great sound of laughter commenced from above. Something came flying out of the dark abyss that now surrounded them. Kamek flew down in his path.

He glared through the magikoopa. The creature stood in his way, laughing above the din of the ships.

"So long...," he announced in a high voice, waiving his stiff wand through the air. "Enjoy your flight," he continued sarcastically. Mario was hit by a volt of darkness. He fell off the bridge, forced to fly deep into space. The Princess stared at the scene and gasped. She panicked. What was she to do now?

"Mario!" she exclaimed, watching him fall through the stars. The castle continued on its course, flying through the darkest quadrants of space. Bowser's black flag flew atop every ship. The sun too was now dimmed in the darkness of Bowser's path. What was she to do now?

What a beautiful song from a beautiful game! Koji Kondo, Mahito Yokota, I respect those names as much as the honor of Mr. Iwata. It still lightens my heart to hear the haven of goodness and joy that lives in the Nintendo community. Just like the boundless rapture of the lumas, the song of the Starbit Festival is one that exemplifies hope and joy to me. It fits so well with the scene! I hope you enjoy it as it brings joy to me. An old song in our minds, but it sings forever!

"So...you'll see"