Super Mario Sunshine

Chapter 20 - Going for Gold

   It remained silent for a few minutes after the magnificent bird's departure.

   The great sky was left wide and open, leaving it a stark and empty contrast to the beach below, already filling with returning cataquacks. The large duck-bills weren't the only ones who soon reappeared: like frightened moths coming out of hiding, the entire population of Gelato Beach slowly began to emerge from the trees and other shelters inland, piantas and nokis still gazing skyward as if to ensure again that it was truly over. But despite their wishes on the matter, it appeared that all had gone back to normal; and the populace was soon enough able to put that thought aside as they turned back to the ground below, and began to make almost as one for a single target: the lone man standing motionless on the beach.

   Quiet and thoughtful amidst a deeper area of disturbed sand, Mario gazed down at the shine sprite he held in his hand. "Well what do you know," he murmured, still seeming somewhat far away. "Do you think it was buried here all along?"

   "It certainly appears so," Fludd answered from his back. "I suppose we never really considered the possibility of shines being buried underground."

   "How would we have found it?" Mario wondered, now stroking its glistening surface.

   "Perhaps we would not. I can pick up the kinds of energy readings they give off, but as you've seen my accuracy isn't too desirable. If the shine sprite was here, however, it must have been what drew the Sand Bird back," Fludd thought aloud. "Or something."

   His owner nodded. "Oh, I believe it. It knew it was here..."

Turning back to the vacant sky where the enchanted baby had disappeared moments before, leaving its hatch-site a distant memory, Mario fell still again. Tilting his head in awe-filled reverence, he pondered briefly once more on the great fortune he had been so graced with. He might get the chance to soar through clouds again; but never, he knew, quite like that.

"To think that thing was only a newborn," Fludd commented now, as if reading his mind. Surprised, Mario nodded, tracing its former path through the sky with his eyes.

"I wonder if we'll ever know what the mama looks like!" he said, imagining an eagle that nearly filled the sky. Would there even be room left on her back to soar among the clouds?

   Turning back to glance at shore, where the Shine Tower stood empty, Fludd replied, "I doubt it — it looks like the eggshell is going to be nothing more than a monument for quite a while. I wonder if much damage was done to the tower when it broke free?"

   Just as Mario was about to reply, the distant uproar of the approaching crowd reached his ears, causing him to snap his head up suddenly. Having been dropped like a careful package by the Sand Bird itself only moments before, he was nevertheless startled to find nearly the entire Sand Cabana now running towards him.

   "Mama mia, here it comes," he said a little nervously, pocketing the shine sprite as he turned and braced to be swarmed. "So much for open space!"

   "Well you did just get a once in a lifetime opportunity," Fludd pointed out. "The natives will be all over you for that."

   "That doesn't mean I have to love it!" he replied, just before the first of the patrons reached him.

   And who should reach him first but Jimmy the noki. "Mr. Mario!! You got to ride the Sand Bird!!!" the boy exclaimed, rushing up to him in utter excitement.

   "Yeah, I did," Mario laughed, not sure how else to reply. "It was amazing!"

   "Could you see the entire island from up there? What was it like??"