Chapter 4: Backup
~A few days later~
(A call has been made about some suspicious anime behavior at King Pipe's apartment. What the ASS encountered by then was just Lo & Zel roasting some marshmallows on an open fire with a ton of books on standby)
ASS Officer: Excuse me, but what are you doing here?
Lo: Oh, we're just busy camping in the outdoors.
ASS Officer: But you're near an apartment complex. Why don't you just spend time there?
Zel: Oh, the landlord has closed off our room because it's littered with those forsaken fruits, as you may know.
Lo: And we are helping him by removing such content in the only way we know, through the fire just like what Toadsworth did.
ASS Officer: Well, it is the most likely way to dispose of these things. You have a good day now.
Zel: Likewise.
(As the officers left, the two let out a sigh of relief as they went back to the reception booth)
KP: Whew, and I thought those rascals would never leave.
Lo: Thanks King Pipe for going along with this.
Zel: I would never think of anyone who can hide such mounds of paper more than you.
KP: Well, it is in exchange for both of you to burn off all these mounds of unimportant paperwork. I would not let these sheets clog up or mess with my plumbing.
Zel: I know. You have to just slap in a fake cover, put the paper there, & no one will notice the difference.
KP: (chuckles a bit) I'm sure of that. (looks at his storage room, which currently houses all the otaku stuff here) I wish this nonsensical ban would be gone.
Lo: Yeah. (looks to Zel) I wished for it...
(The telephone on the wall rang, & KP bumped the phone right to the rim, giving a listen)
KP: Hello. Pipe Dreams Apartment. King Pipe speaking. (listens a bit, then gives the phone to Lo) It is for you.
~May 2019, Inkopolis Training Circuit~
Meggy: OK you lazy Salmonids, Splatfest is in 2 weeks, & during that time, I'm going to train all of you as your lives depended on it!
Luigi: Why did I get dragged into this?
Tari: We needed a fourth member... and Meggy's old teammates left.
Meggy: And with them gone... you're our next best option.
Lo: (to Meggy) You still got us, cheering your head on.
Meggy: I don't plan for you to join the battlefield just yet. You're still a newcomer, Blondie.
Zel: Well, that seems kind of harsh.
Lo: But a bit relatable. Please carry on.
(Meggy has commissioned Luigi, Tari, & Mario as her teammates since her old team had left for personal reasons, with one of them being killed. And judging on their strengths, they are not doing well)
(Much later to the day, the trainees had not done well on the training course Meggy had planned. & the last one, Mario, had barged straight through the course & into Meggy for a free lunch)
Meggy: MARIO, FOCUS!
Mario: But you said we get a lunch break.
Meggy: I just said that so you'd do the stupid obstacle course. We have a lot more training to do.
Mario: But I'm... le tired.
Meggy: Come on! We need to train; you guys aren't even trying!
Lo: Alright Meggy, you need to calm down.
Meggy: Calm. CALM? I'm just as calm as you are. & apparently, THESE fellas weren't even trying enough! Was that enough for me, huh? HUH?!
(Silence looms in the course as the teammates know of Meggy's intentions. At first, she tried to ask more. But it got harder for her to speak, & she stormed out in a huff. Mario soon followed, & the two supporters were left with Luigi & Tari, who were as equally shocked as they were)
~Later, Staircase~
(The four then walked up to where Meggy & Mario could be. They had thought of nothing but concern for their orange friend)
Lo: Look. I'm... sorry about what happened back there. I was just worried.
Luigi: It is not your fault. I had doubts about Meggy as well. Back then, she was never this tense on Splatfest before.
Tari: Yeah. & we needed to look out for our friend.
Zel: Was it ok if you can perform better, for Meggy's sake? I think she deserves it.
(Luigi & Tari both looked at each other, & gave assuring nods before arriving at the door)
Luigi: (to Lo & Zel) You're not coming?
Lo: Nah. We are just backup for you to cheer on.
Zel: Go get them, you two.
(The two then looked happily as they exited the staircase, leaving Lo & Zel alone again)
Zel: Lo...
Lo: Yeah?
Zel: Would you keep a secret?
Lo: Of course. You can leave it to me.
Zel: Honestly, I was not ok being with other people before. Kids used to mock me for liking things that were not feminine, my only teacher friend had forgotten me after I graduated, whom she didn't bother asking my father, & I had this aching feeling that my insecurities would consume me into a sea of oblivion.
Lo: It must've been harsh for you.
Zel: I know. But ever since I met you, & Maya, I got this feeling that... I was never alone. So, promise me, Lo, that you will never leave my side.
(At first, Lo felt a little uneasy, as he might misinterpret it as an indirect declaration of love. But he came to know, that she was asking him as a friend. A friend who needs all the support she can get, like Meggy)
Lo: I promise.
Zel: (hugs him) I count on that, roomie.
(The four upstairs then gazed on the two, as Meggy, who had been comforted, gazed on Lo & Zel as they can have, even in the slightest bit, potential)
Meggy: Looks like those two will do alright.
Zel: (notices Meggy) Oh, you seemed well.
Meggy: Oh. (to Lo in an upset bluff) Listen, Lo. I'm sorry for lashing out back then. I was... a bit too into the moment.
Lo: I can relate to that. (gazes onto Zel, who happens to be blushing, then back to Meggy) Now, shall we get back to training, commander?
Meggy: Actually, it's getting pretty late. Let's say we get some grub & continue working tomorrow morning.
Mario: FOOOOOOD! (tumbles down the stairs at a rapid pace)
Meggy: Oh, come on, Red. Wait for us!
(Luigi, Meggy, & Tari soon followed Red as Lo & Zel looked on, glanced at each other with warm smiles, & soon followed the gang)
(The next couple of days see the Splatsquad improving at every bit. & with Lo & Zel leading the enthusiasm, nothing stops in their way. However, they took a rain check on their training as their weapons got taken from the Octoposse, which soon led to Axol's induction of the SMG4 Crew, & finally marking the end of the anime ban. For Lo & Zel, it's just another mundane day, but by the time Splatfest rolls, things had taken a steep turn)
End of Ch. 4
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Electric_Logan
Electric_Logan The first half of the Anime Arc was not that much important on the fanfic by the long run, so I streamlined it to just Meggy's Bootcamp, but don't worry. We're currently heading to the nitty-gritty part of the series, & at that point, nothing will be the same!
Weekly Power Status
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