Dream Team

## **Plot**

The episode starts with Luigi running away from an off-screen creature. Luigi continues to run past large portraits of past kings and queens of the Mushroom Kingdom but stops once he comes across an empty portrait. He looks into it but suddenly his reflection jumps out of the frame and before it could kill Luigi, he awakes with a blood-curdling scream. This awakes Mario who immediately who asks Luigi what is wrong. Luigi is unable to speak, still shocked at what happened. Mario realizes it was probably just a nightmare and he should just go back to sleep. Luigi agrees on the matter and goes back to sleep.

The next morning, Peach awakes to find Luigi eating a bowl of cereal but has bloodshot eyes with bags underneath. She asks if he got any sleep to which Luigi becomes immediately terrified of the word sleep itself, running to his room. Peach tells Mario that she is worried about Luigi and he may need professional help soon. Mario assures her that he is just having nightmares and that it is normal behavior to act terrified after one.

Unfortunately for Mario, the sleepless nights and the unbearable pain of hearing Luigi scream awake from his nightmares only continue for days, which turn to weeks. Mario finally has enough and confronts Luigi on what is happening and if he is just watching too many scary movies, Luigi is too scared to speak on any manner, only uttering the words, "Antasma" and "bat". Toadsworth hears him say those words and becomes horrified, saying that Antasma is the name of a mythical dream demon/vampire who can take on the form of a bat. His primary goal is to terrify those in deep sleep, leaving those vulnerable enough to stay asleep long enough so he could reach into the real world. Mario becomes angry and refuses to believe a silly bedtime scary story is true until that night when he glances across his bed to see a shadowy figure loom over him, frightening him.

The following morning, Mario decides to consult in Rosalina who has been actively trying to find a way to still seal off any connection between the Macroverse and Earth. She mentions that she has heard of Antasma and goes to fetch a book in her library about dreams and nightmares. She mentions that her mother would actually try to stop bad spirits from entering her mind by singing a lullaby or humming a calming tune. She mentions that if this really is Antasma, then the only way Mario would be able to enter Luigi's subconscious would be to have him sleep on a Dream Rock. Once slept on, a portal will open above the host's head but only those who are close to the victim may enter it. She hands him over an old Dream Rock her mother gave her.

That night, Mario tells Luigi about the situation and has him sleep on the rock. Luigi at first is uncomfortable but eventually dozes off. Primarily nothing happens but suddenly a large portal opens and Peach along with Toadsworth mention that they will guard Luigi's body in the real world. Mario jumps into the portal which transports him to Luigi's subconscious. Mario freely wanders the mindscape, searching for Luigi. He then finds Luigi but a dream version of him, not the real him. He explains to the Dreamy Luigi that he is being invaded by Antasma who reveals himself to Mario, saying he plans on using Luigi as a puppet in a means to escape to the real world to spread his terror. Mario tells him that won't happen before attempting to fireball him. Unfortunately, in the Luigiscape Mario's powers do not work, as only Luigi's can. Mario and Dreamy Luigi hop over many obstacles to reach deeper into Luigi's subconscious in order to relax him before it is too late. Suddenly, a large group of nightmarish-like creatures emerges from the ground, providing more literal nightmare fuel to Luigi's already traumatic mindscape. Dreamy Luigi bursts himself into a dozen other luigi's which in turn help Mario reach new heights. Together, Mario and the Dreamy Luigis forge on, using their new skills teamwork to fight their way through countless enemies.

Back in the real world, Peach asks Toadsworth if her mother ever tried to sing her lullabies as a baby. He replies that every night she did, there was always one particular lullaby that would make Peach smile. Before they could continue on their conversation, Luigi's body begins to levitate, twitching violently. The Luigiscape begins to shake and break apart, signaling Antasma is close to breaking Luigi, literally and figuratively. The Dreamy Luigis begin to disappear one by one, making Mario shorter and shorter, unable to reach a certain point. The remaining Dreamy Luigis tell Mario to keep going in order to save him. Mario reaches Dream's Deep and sees Antasma looming over a frightened Luigi on the verge of crying. The sheer sight of this fills Mario with anger and sorrow that he becomes shrouded in a fiery rage and darts toward an unsuspecting Antsama, knocking him off his reign of terror. Luigi in the real world falls back down on the bed, startling both Peach and Toadsworth. Mario begins brawling with Antasma, throwing punches and dodging attacks all the while. The Dreamy Luigi opens his eyes to reveal missing pupils and he too becomes shrouded in a pit of rage. He joins Mario and they both bash Antasma to the dark depths of the Nightmare Realm. Luigi thanks Mario, but Mario seals off a slit between the Luigiscape and Nightmare realm, thus not allowing anything to invade his dreams ever again.

Mario returns to the real world to a much more relieved Luigi. They both embrace and he thanks Mario for helping him. Rosalina suddenly bursts inside the room, saying she finally made a break in the case regarding the Macroverse.