Chapter 8: Metaverse
~June 9, After Party~
SMG4: Thanks for coming.
SZH4: See ya, SMG4!
NationOfOranges: This sure was a rollercoaster for the war, huh?
SZH4: Yeah, man. I wonder what happened to the other Rangers, though.
NOO: Yeah, like Enzo. I haven't seen him since a few years ago.
(As the two are walking down the street, someone is watching them over the tree)
???: Do it.
(Meanwhile, SMG4 is ready to wrap things up, only to find Meggy calling her parents. She was a little upset, but not like back at the funeral)
SMG4: Hey Meggy. How have you been working up?
Meggy: Oh, I was just talking to my parents. They were kinda shocked about how I ended up like this but were glad I'm still okay.
SMG4: That was good to hear. But listen, I'm... sorry about what happened.
Meggy: You are not the one to blame. Lo did warn us about Francis when it happened. & I felt embarrassed about not looking at it. (looks to Lo, who is in a spaghetti eating contest against Mario) Judging from him, I wanted to know him more. We might have a lot more in common than realized.
SMG4: Well, I'm glad you're back in high spirits. So, would like to join us for the party?
Meggy: You go on ahead. (prepares her Splattershot gun) I got some training to do.
(4 then watches on as Meggy trains to fulfill his rival's promise. & then the moment is ruined when Mario lets out a huge burp. He then looked back at Lo, who already collapsed from the spaghetti)
Mario: I WON.
~July 26, Peach's Castle~
(On an average day in the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario & Tari are busy playing some games over the painting TV while Lo is polishing his arm. Zel then arrives carrying some hot chocolate)
Zel: Heya, Lo. Seen you make yourself spiffy, huh?
Lo: Yeah. Ever since that incident on Anime Island, I have been waiting to refresh myself. How's your check-up?
Zel: Fine, I guess. My parents got a little worried about me & the changes, so they gave me some tests to see if anything was still okay.
Lo: & I take it that you're cured?
Zel: Not really. They were a bit distressed. Must've been some ink was still inside of me. Now come on & drink before the cocoa cools.
(As the two drink their chocolate, Mario is busy touching Tari's arm a bunch of times before a gun pops out of the arm's screen)
Toad: (walks from behind the TV) Oh hey guys. It's been a wh- (gets shot)
Tari: MARIO, I SAID STOP!
(Mario then notices the blue wing logo on the arm's screen & touches it. Suddenly, a massive blue & white light flashes through the room, blinding everyone who sees it)
Zel: OH GOD, MY EYES!
(She accidentally drops her hot cocoa, which spills on Lo's arm. Lo's about to scream in pain on the intense heat of the chocolate, when the arm begins to glitch uncontrollably)
Lo: What is happening??!!!
(Lo & Zel then glitched even further until they suddenly poofed from existence. Meanwhile, the light dies down as Tari looks a bit)
Tari: Phew. I thought you broke something-
(The next thing they knew was that both Tari & Mario were warped into the game. But it's not the story for these two, for now)
~Later~
(Lo opens up his eyes to find out night has passed. He looks around to see Zel recovering from the distortion)
Lo: Zel, you ok?
Zel: I've been worse. (gets back up on her feet & looks around) Where are we?
(The two find themselves on a vast city skyline. Various gaming billboards litter the buildings, & game shops as far as the eye can see)
Zel: Lo, did we die & go to gamer heaven?
Lo: I don't think so. Let's look around & see if we get directions.
(The two then scowled across the city, seeing people play different games all of the time. This is what Silica City is most known for. A community devoted to e-sports, AR games, etc.)
Zel: I'm gonna be honest with you, but this is one of the top places I could've stayed in.
(The two then encountered one of the robots who was squished on his gaming chair)
Robot: Oh, thank goodness you are here. Can you help me out with this chair?
Lo: On helping it go further?
Zel: Lo?!
Lo: What? I'm joking.
Zel: Look, we're trying to find directions on where we are.
Robot: Well, you can look at TAS-CORP. They're the biggest gaming company this city is known for.
Lo: (to Zel) Mind we pay them a little visit?
(Zel agrees & the two head off. But for the robot...)
Robot: Hey. What about me?
Lo: (returns to him) Oh. Sorry about that.
(He then thrusts the chair's crank way forward. The robot screams as the backrest pushes further through his body & then-
~TAS-CORP Store~
Zel: THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! You're telling me you had to pay 30,000 bitcoins for this beanie?
ShopBot: I'm sorry, but the value of our currency has been lagging nowadays. You need to grind a few more games to get that amount.
Zel: I have more than a life than just being in front of the screen. I need to speak to your manager.
(As Zel continues on her rant, Lo spots some of the guards covering what appears to be an entrance to the gaming arena. Without any hesitation, Lo proceeds to the front)
Lo: Umm... excuse me. But what is happening here?
Guard: You better step back, sir. We are "experimenting" with one of the "players".
Lo: What do you mean by "experiment"? Who's being tested?
(Lo then glances near the shoulder to find a familiar face. Light-blue hair, the slick, metallic left arm, those zone-driven eyes. It is no doubt Tari)
Lo: Tari, is that you?
Guard: You know this person?
Zel: Ah ha haa. He was just joking. Come on, Lo. (heads away from the scene)
Guard: Ok.
Lo: Listen, Zel. I know what I saw. It was Tari, right there.
Zel: You don't know that. & even if you do, I believed we're in some alternate fantasy, that she didn't even know us.
Lo: To be frank, we didn't have an opportunity to get to know her more.
Zel: That is true. But more importantly, how are we going to talk to her?
(Lo then looks around & sees an irritated woman in a pink sweater, pigtails, and a coffee in hand waiting in line, ready to burst)
Lo: I may have an idea. (Lo then heads to the back of the line, checks on any security cameras, & fires a speed ring through her cup, knocking it over to her dress)
SC Karen: THAT IS IT! MY PATIENCE HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH! I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER!!!
Guard: (sees the angry Karen trying to cause a scene) You there, stop with your mindless rage!
(As the guard tries to quell the Karen, the two proceed to head inside)
~Bar Arena~
(As the two looked around, they saw a red-haired older woman, & a gold-haired adult watching the screens. On it, was Tari & a green-haired coconut boy, overlooking a snarky red-haired iteration of the boy)
Coconut Boy: Hi me! Are you my Spanish cousin? Hola.
Tari: Who are you? What's going on?
Red Boy/Gold-haired adult: Oh, I'm just someone who cares very much about you. You see, I'm a very curious man.
(As the adult rants on to their conversation, the red female takes notice of the two trespassers. She dashes forward & forces them to the bar table)
Shouty Lady: Oi. What are you doing here? Are you trying to steal our secrets?
Lo: What makes you think of that? We never had learned any of this.
Belle: Oh sure, that is something that a company spy would say. & Belle Frontiere ain't be fooled of that.
Zel: Listen, we just came here to check on our "friend".
Belle: Hmm. You don't seem to be related to her, (to Lo, while looking at his left arm) Not like you, a fellow Meta Runner.
Belle: Oi, boss. Look who I found.
(The boss then sends in some odd workers to test her arm, causing Tari to jolt in fear)
Boss: You were saying, Belle? (sees Lo & Zel) Oh, look. More intruders.
Lo: (looks at the screen & sees Tari quivering in pain) TARI! (breaks free from Belle's grasp & heads to her)
Zel: LO, WAIT!
(As soon as Lo touches her arm, he suddenly has been clouded with visions. Visions of a lab room, a young, excited professor, & a Fuschia-haired girl in a black tank top)
Lo: I'm not liking this one bit!
(Belle tries to stop him, but the boss denies doing so, seeing this as a new opportunity. For a while, both Lo & Tari screamed. It was then a mix of yellow & blue styled shockwaves rippled the room)
Zel: LO! (rushes to help him) You ok?
Lo: I... I've seen things. (looks at Tari, who then notices a coconut boy, but is out of the game) Lots of things...
End of Ch. 8
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Electric_Logan
Electric_Logan Well, I had sent Lo & Zel to the META-RUNNER Universe. I am sure this will be explained at a later date. Plus, I rewrote this part of the story so that it flows more naturally.
Anyhow, enjoy this early 5-year anniversary of the series & I will see you soon with another refreshed chapter! :)
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