Running from it All

## **Plot**

Luigi runs away from an ominous figure approaching him from beyond the bushes in a field. Luigi stops running and asks what the figure wants. The figure then charges towards Luigi which awakens him in the real world.

The next morning, Mario asks him why he looks so tired to which he answers he has just been paranoid of all the bad things that have been happening to them and the bad things that are likely to come in the future. Mario, hearing this decides to continue holding off telling him about the direful lights in fear that it will only make him stressed out even more. Mario asks him if Antasma is back and is haunting him but Luigi replies that this time it feels different, it's a strange figure that doesn't say anything. Mario tells him that he can go into his mind and confront the figure himself and Luigi agrees with his offer. Mario then says if for whatever reason it comes back, he should stand up to it, see what will happen if he does.

Mario has him sleep on the Dream Rock Rosalina gave him when he went to fight Antasma. Luigi falls asleep but the portal to the dreamworld does not open, leaving Mario unable to enter his subconscious. He attempts to awaken Luigi but he does not show any signs of waking up despite showing no restraint. Mario begins to panic and continues to try and wake him up.

In the Luigiscape, Luigi sits alone wondering where Mario is. He then realizes the portal between the real world and dreamworld hasn't been opened. This causes Luigi to enter a state of panic as well. Suddenly, the cloaked figure seen earlier appears from beyond the shadowy remnants of the Nightmare Realm. Luigi becomes horrified upon the sight of the ominous person and runs away again.

Mario tells Peach, Squirt, and Toadsworth the situation. Rosalina also arrives and sees him, telling Mario he is more than likely suffering from "Dreamer's Coma". It happens when a person becomes so insomniac from not being able to sleep that their body at one point refuses to wake up for a short period of time to make up for the lost sleep. Mario asks her how long will he stay asleep to which she says they tend to only last around 10 minutes but can last up to hours if they are really unlucky. Mario becomes more nervous.

Luigi continues running until he is at the same spot he was in his nightmare. He takes Mario's advice from earlier and turns around, confronting the figure, saying he isn't afraid of him. The figure reveals itself to be Fawful and he grabs ahold of Luigi, telling him that he and Mario will not ruin their plans any longer. Luigi tells him that he should reconsider his thoughts as they both will stop him and Dimentio from conquering Earth. Fawful can only snicker before making an even bigger grin that horrifically morphs him into a large dark creature. Luigi becomes unable to escape his grasp as he tries desperately to fireball him in the face. Luigi in the real world suddenly floats in the air and violently twitches and horrifyingly gets thrown around the room. The team try their best to stop him and calm him down but he ultimately falls back down on the bed. He then proceeds to open his eyes which turn to black along with dark cracks and a purple aura leaking out of his gaping mouth. Rosalina realizes that he is being attacked by an unknown entity and runs back to the Observatory. She quickly gains a tool she calls a "Nightmare Chunk Remover. She takes the tool which contains a light energy forming from the tip and stabs Luigi which causes him to howl in a chilling scream. In the nightmare realm, Fawful begins to weaken from the effects of the tool, which gives Luigi the chance to gain the upper hand and knock him off. Luigi repeatedly fireballs him and ends his fury with a powerful blast which eliminates Fawful in the process, further deteriorating him away from Luigi's mind. The team try to wake him up and he eventually does, looking a lot better than he did prior. They all embrace a large hug after the terrifying event.

Fawful back in the Macroverse reveals that he attached himself to a machine that could seek through the minds of anyone. Dimentio becomes furious with him, insulting him in saying he can't even succeed in defeating the bros through a dream. They both begin to bicker and argue with Fawful barking back with the fact that Dimentio can't even cross to Earth, only standing on the sidelines. Dimentio threatens Fawful, placing him in his magical hand grasps, telling him he will not hesitate to end his game, again.