Super Mario Sunshine

Chapter 22 - The Shining

   Water splashed noisily into the canal below as Mario's group stood at the base of the Shine Gate, gazing upwards at the golden beams that were dancing in every direction from its summit. All across Delfino Harbor, the lilting sound of content shine sprites carried on the air, filling the plaza with a hopeful ring.

"Wow, they sure are noisy," Oscar remarked from where he stood beside their human counterpart.

   "That's part of their magic, I guess," Freddy replied, nodding. "Who knew sunshine was so sparkly?"

   Mario chuckled under his breath. "Whatever power stars have, these guys have it times five," he offered.

   He couldn't find any other way to explain the fondness he had for the so-called sun guardians. They reminded him very much of the five-pointed beauties he was more familiar with back home, but there was something a little different about these that was captivating... as if they had a special purpose or aura all their own.

   Getting to brush with the shines was probably one of the things he liked about his task most, but seeing them returned to their rightful place was reward as well. Now, gazing up at the large bunch he'd just released to the sky, it almost appeared as if they were greeting one another before the gate's giant face.

   "What I don't get is how their power exactly works," Oscar said, still preoccupied. "Like, what even are they? What do they do at night?"

   "Didn't we already talk about this?" Freddy asked. "They bring light to the island!"

   "Doesn't the sun do that?"

   "The importance of the shine sprites is a reality we have yet to fully understand," Fludd broke in. "They have been here longer than people have — it is only the Shine Gate that is new, which attracts and harnesses the shine sprites' power. It appears to concentrate sunlight here in the plaza in particular, and of course also keeps the shines organized. At night, they remain here inside the gate and provide the citizens power, but the sun goes down, of course."

Surprised at this information, the toadstools nodded slowly. "Well... I guess that makes sense," Freddy said. "How many shine sprites are there, anyway?"

"The exact number is not known, but the shine scholars seem to say there are over a hundred on Isle Delfino. Here right now, I am not sure."

"It looks to be about two dozen," Toadsworth squinted at the moving objects above.

"But what about Corona Mountain, Fludd?" Mario asked now. "How many more until I can get inside?"

"That is also difficult to say," Fludd answered. "Perhaps a couple dozen more?"

At this Mario fell silent, raising his head with a sigh. Gazing up towards the chalky wall of red and gray rock that stacked high above the plaza and the Shine Gate itself, he twisted his face into a skeptical expression.

"Then is that what you're doing?" Toadsworth asked. "They took the princess up there??"

Mario nodded. "Inside the volcano somewhere — or something. I've got to get in."

"There is still no way to do so right now," Fludd said. "There — to the left of the tower. Do you see those ledges up behind the buildings there?"

"Oh, past the restaurant? Yeah," the human agreed, gazing at the familiar umbrellas where they had sat across the water for lunch that afternoon. Just tucked in between the Shine Gate and the rock wall was a small grassy incline and path, leading up to an unseen area behind the gate. From where they stood, he could just make out a tall fence nestled into the hill.