Blinded by Rage

## **Plot**

Despite Luigi saying he felt fine the day before, he continues to act out of character, saying the most odd and random things at the most random moments, all said things alluding to someone wanting to escape. Rosalina suggests to Mario that he may be suffering from a far worse fate than any of them could ever possibly imagine. Before Mario could ask what she means, Peach returns to say that they haven't found anyone yet but delivers even more unfortunate news; Leroy has also gone missing. Mario decides enough is enough and demands that they all open up the rift to the Macroverse. Rosalina is against the idea, saying they have reopened the rift far too many times and the serum could only seal it up so many times. Mario argues that Dimentio had to open the rift already so the damage has already been done but Rosalina says that he may have found another way of kidnapping them, altering his own mind to collide with another dimension, when that occurs, he is able to traverse through albeit for a brief moment. She goes on to say that throughout this brief moment, he is using it as a means of kidnapping those who are close to Mario as an act of revenge. This angers Mario even further, now yelling that they need to head to the Macroverse but Peach steps in this time, saying they don't know what will happen if they do, and if this is perhaps Dementia's plan, to take advantage of the open rift to spread his chaotic reign across the world while they rescue the others. Mario understands and calms down a bit, sitting down on a sofa. Peach and Mario then have a talk on what they should do next, with Peach admitting that she is scared for what's going to happen next, with Mario agreeing. trio then tells her that they shouldn't however, as they are going to get through it together, no matter what happens, they then share a kiss. A knock at the door occurs and it's Mason, Toadette, and Mark who are greatly concerned on Squirt's whereabouts. Mario tells them that they also don't know but do have an idea on where he possibly may be, but if they go down that path, it could mean the end of their world as they know it. Mark becomes confused but Mario tells him it is too much to explain in such short amount of time, ending the conversation by telling them all to stay indoors and lock their doors where it is safe and nobody could get them. Daisy calls the team from upstairs and tells them to look at the news, which has a news story saying that more and more people are going missing by the minute, with an astounding 30 people vanishing from the face of the earth in the last 10 minutes. Everyone goes to overlook the kingdom to hear police sirens and helicopters on the loudspeaker ordering everyone to stay inside. They soon begin to realize that this isn't just their problem, it's becoming a global one very quickly and if they don't act soon, consequences are in play. Rosalina tells them to follow her.

They head into the Observatory and blast off into what she says is a place where they may find an answer to what is happening. They arrive at "Solemn Shoals", an undisclosed area in the beach region of the island. They arrive at the old cabin she once called home, still destroyed. She tells them that is the cabin she and her family stayed in before the Klauxes destroyed it, and her family. They all give her their condolences with Mario saying that they will take revenge on them in any means necessary. She then goes towards the site and tells them all to close their eyes to which they do. Rosalina then opens a portal showing them what is inside the Macroverse. The vision clearly shows humans and toads being taken along with Squirt being detained by guards. Rosalina stops the vision and the rest immediately panic, proving Mario and themselves that Dimentio is indeed behind the situation.

Fawful tells them that Dimentio is trying to capture as many humans as he can in order to fill his obsession with his chaotic playfulness. Libel further explains that he always had a thing for "playing around" with his victims, describing him like a spider who plays with its food before going for the ultimate "bite". Mario becomes more furious on Dimentio's doings and as such, begins to become shrouded in a pit of rage, unable to control himself briefly. Peach goes to him to try and calm him down, telling him to take deep breaths, which does help him and lowers his anger. Mario then apologizes and says that they all need to return back to the Macroverse in order to stop him and save everyone, another rescue mission.

Bowser begins to panic once he realizes that Jr hasn't called him in a week, demanding to know where he is from his guards, who claim they haven't seen him in that amount of time either. Bowser becomes furious as well, however he does not have the luxury of being with the others at the moment and begins to lash out in anger and throw stuff around, creating a ruckus. The team hears this and heads upstairs to tell him to stop and that they will take care of Dimentio when their plan is in full speed, but he calls them out, saying they don't actually have one, which causes them to go silent, proving his point. Daisy suggests that they can't enter through the rift as he will be expecting that route anyway. They agree, asking Rosalina if there is any other way to enter the Macroverse without the use of rifts. She says that there is one way but it is extremely dangerous and life-threatening but Mario insists that he has gone through so many death situations he could handle whatever it is. She explains that it is in outer space, in a vacuum where oxygen in a helmet isn't able to sustain itself as long as it would anywhere else in space. Mario takes this seriously, saying that it quite literally a life or death situation. Luigi begins to act odd once more, saying "Just listen and let me out". They all ignore him at this point but Mario begins to realize something, what exactly he is saying that is. Mario gets closer to him, Luigi remaining silent, Mario then snaps his fingers in front of him, causing him to fall asleep, alarming the others. Mario tells them not to worry, asking Rosalina to do the vision thing she did at the cabin but on Luigi. She does so and tells the others to once again close their eyes. They enter the vision trance, only this time seeing something truly horrifying. They see Luigi chained up behind a dungeon and seemingly spots the vision circle they are looking in, telling them that everything they have been seeing has been an illusion and that nobody has ever been taken, only he has, the Luigi they have been talking to this whole time was a Macronite before the line cuts off. Squirt then walks in the castle, seemingly confused on what's happening. They turn on the tv to see nothing reported, only the local football game. They start to piece everything together and realize that Dimentio has been playing with them this whole time, Luigi was taken away from him and replace by a Maronite the day he entered both their minds, that's why Mario couldn't see him in that cloud briefly. The team becomes so shocked by this revelation that they are unable to process what is happening, the episode ending with a single tear running down Mario's cheek saying, "He is still there".