Present Trackers

## **Plot**

It is Christmas Eve at the Mushroom Kingdom but a harsh winter storm is in effect, causing the heroes to crash in at the castle to stay warm. Mario is telling everyone about his little "dream" adventure with everyone expressing their own opinions from it. Squirt becomes bummed to learn that he never found out what his edgy version of him would be called, with Mario saying that he simply didn't have time to look for him, but that was fortunate as he probably would've done something "dumb". Peach tells the others she is going to get more firewood but Luigi insists he could use his green fire to torch the wood more, which works. Mario looks longingly at the fire and makes a solemn expression, saying that if he never gets to use his powers again, he will just have to simply adapt a new set of skills to be useful. Luigi tells him that he shouldn't feel he has to prove himself to anyone, as he has already shown he is perhaps the strongest member on the team, with Lizel and Fawful expressing their agreement as well. Mario thanks them all with the group converging in a large group hug, with Bowser quickly ending it, saying he isn't a big fan of them. The news networks says that a large blizzard is set to hit the kingdom and could result in local-wide power outages and cause devastation across the roadways. The team tells Squirt that he needs to head home immediately with his parents calling him shortly after. Squirt says that he would like to but suggests that he should just stay at the castle without risking getting stuck out in the blizzard. The team persists that he stay with his family but he refuses, ending the conversation by going into his room upstairs. Mario wonders why he would be so keen on staying other than going home. Peach suggests that she may know wy and explains that Squirt actually in reality, just wants to set out cookies and milk for Santa, also saying he actually wants to see him. The bros ask who Santa is to which each explains to them about the holiday meaning and spirit. However, on the news it says that the blizzard may ruin some Christmas plans for the kingdom, including the actual arrival of Santa himself. Kids and parents across the kingdom begin to mope, lamenting on the sad reality of there not being a Christmas this year. Mario and Luigi hatch a scheme and make a sly grin to each other.

Luigi explains that Mario has the perfect stature for imitating Santa, he has the body figure but could use a bigger belly. The bros also wonder how they are able to give presents to the whole kingdom within hours as midnight is around the corner. Luigi tells him that he conveniently knows a way, as he will use an invention from E.Gadd that has the ability to create anything a child would want to play with forever. The bros sprint over at the dead of night towards E.Gadd's hut and tell him the situation. He helps them out by giving them the machine and says they are going to need a sleigh which they find in the dirty junkyard. Now they must find something to pull them, with Mario expressing that he has the perfect "reindeer".

They go towards Yoshi Island who are rejoiced to see Mario and Luigi again. They communicate to them they need their help and they immediately accept their plea. Yoshi along with the other yoshis are attached to the old sleigh. Unfortunately, they are unable to fly but Luigi reveals he swiped Lizel's staff before going as he "did his research". Luigi uses her staff and zaps Yoshi who begins to levitate and the bros begin to fly into the sky, with the invention spitting out presents left and right. They fly past the moon elegantly before swooping down into the kingdom and throwing down presents into chimneys. However, somewhere deep in Chucklehuck Woods, at the "Half-Building" site, a ghoulish figure emerges from the rubble and sees the bros in the sky, it floats away ominously.

The bros reveal they have only taken care of 40 people and need close to another 800,000 left. Luigi tells Mario that they just need to do their best and that's all that matters as he is sure that Santa doesn't actually give presents to everyone, let alone the entire world. The bros hear a sinister whistle around them but don't see anything. They look behind them to see that the figure is whistling while sitting down on the sleigh. It introduces himself as Mr. Midnight, saying he means no harm and is only "admiring" their mission to save Christmas. The bros are on edge but thank him. Mr. Midnight suggests that he knows a better way to deliver all the presents to everyone quicker and while Luigi is quick to listen, Mario quickly pulls him back, saying he is acting extremely suspicious. Luigi argues back saying that they are desperate, and admits that while Mr. Midnight is acting odd, he catches himself before saying that they both could use their powers to stop him. Mario realizes what he was about to say but insists it's fine, but sticks to not listening to him. Luigi apologizes to him saying they aren't interested but Mr. Midnight ominously says that he wasn't asking before striking a blow to the bros. Luigi fireballs him but he teleports away, appearing behind him and punches him. Mario halts Yoshi and he heads for an attack but fails, leading to Mr. Midnight throwing Mario almost off the sleigh. Luigi's vision is blurred but he hears Mario's pleas for help and tries to help but is stopped once he hears Mr. Midnight's whistle, which causes a chill to run down Luigi's spine and causes him to freeze in terror. Mario pleads for Luigi to snap out of it but Mr. Midnight tells him he has been struck by his "terror whistle", saying if one hears it, they will tense up and freeze temporarily, a stun of sorts. Mario becomes more angry and tries to lift himself up but Mr. Midnight stops him. Yoshi intervenes, biting him on the arm, giving Mario enough time to retaliate and punch him back.

The team back at the castle begin to worry if the bros are doing okay in the blizzard. Rosalina realizes her wand is missing and asks her lumas where it is, to which they locate it in the air. They wonder why it would be on there but Rosalina senses that the bros are in danger and tells them to all board the Observatory. Bowser asks how she is going to be able to fly in a blizzard but she insists she has flown through meteor showers before.

Back at the sleigh, Luigi snaps back awake and strikes Mr. Midnight in the back, causing him to fall in pain. Mario goes for the final blow but he makes his terror whistle and Mario becomes stricken with fear, with memories of traumatic memories being shown to him. Mr. Midnight tells him that he forgot to mention one important thing, that the victims are traumatized with past bad memories, one of these includes Mario seeing Luigi get kidnapped into the Macroverse. Luigi becomes trapped by dark arms that pin him down, he begs for Mario to awaken.

Mr. Midnight's face terrifyingly opens up and is about to devour Mario whole until the Observatory plows through and Rosalina smacks Midnight in the face, causing him to fall once more. Mario awakens and is happy to see the others. The arms pinning Luigi disappear and Rosalina tells him that she will "get him back" for stealing her wand, to which he chuckles nervously. Mario asks how they found them to which she says that her wand has a location tracker, and she already knew something was up if it was in the air in the middle of a blizzard. Just as Rosalina tells them to board, the terror whistle is heard, which causes everyone except the bros to enter the stunned state. Mario begs for them to wake up and cover their ears but it is too late. Mr. Midnight says that he could now eat their souls to which he once again opens his mouth, about to devour Rosalina. Luigi tries attacking him but nothing stops him this time, confusing both bros. Mario realizes that he can't devour them if they are moving and as a result yells for Yoshi to "run for it!". Mario yells for Luigi to hang on tight. Yoshi immediately understands and zooms, causing the entire sleigh to move extremely quickly, with the bros barely able to hang on. This also causes Midnight to immediately feel the whiplash and get flown away, barely hanging on as well. Mario tells him to "get your own soul" first before eating others, before giving him a strong kick to the face, causing him to finally let go and seemingly fall to his demise.

Mario tells Yoshi to stop his run and they are both safe and sound. Back up in the near whiteout blizzard, the team wakes up and become immediately terrified to see the bros gone. Mario and Luigi meetup with them, telling them they defeated Midnight. Unfortunately, they see the time and find out that midnight has already passed. Rosalina tells them all that she knows a way they can still save Christmas.

Lizel and Fawful talk with each other about what they think Christmas is about. Fawful expresses his liking for the holiday, saying he thinks it's cool how people are given free stuff on a single night, only to wake up to find them, saying the feeling must be "magical". Lizel thinks it's creepy how an overweight genie type guy goes through one's chimney only to leave stuff that he somehow knows you want. They then begin to wonder if it is much more than that, saying if that feeling of magic is what brings families together in the first place, but both saying they wouldn't know how it feels. Fawful tells her that they both can now.

Squirt comes out of his room and sees no presents downstairs. He sees the Christmas tree still lit up and nobody around, thinking they are all fast asleep. He speaks quietly to himself, saying that it's all stupid that he still believes in someone that he has never even seen to begin with. A flashback reveals Squirt and his mother sitting by the Christmas tree and Lily tells Squirt that she just spoke with Santa, saying that he will give him the best video game in the world that night. The door opens and Squirt excitedly runs out but sees nothing, only to come back inside and see his favorite video game sitting on the table. He jumps for joy and hugs Lily. In present time, Squirt tears up quietly and is about to return upstairs but sees that the cookies and milk downstairs have been eaten. He then hears jingles and a bell in the distance, while the harsh snow continues blowing outside. He then sees a familiar looking silhouette and starts to pick up his speed and opens the door to see nothing but the white snow. He closes the door only to find presents in the lobby. He screams excitedly, saying he just saw Santa and begs for everyone to wake up. It's revealed that Bowser dressed up in the Santa outfit, much to his dismay and they quickly picked out the presents they thought Squirt would like the most out of the giant pile.

The next morning, news outlets everywhere say that Christmas was the most magical one yet, ending it off with a kingdom carol in the middle of the kingdom. the team makes a big hug, seeing how happy Squirt is, saying that's all that matters to them. The episode ends with Squirt hugging Leroy, Mason, Toadette, and Mark while a silhouette of the real Santa flies away in the sky, saying merry Christmas.