Chapter 13: Struggling
~Dinky Lab, November 5~
Lo: (groans a bit & opens his eyes) Where am I? What happened?
Zel: (rubs her head as she gets up from a chair) Ah, my head. You alright?
Lo: (looks at Zel & does a Double Take) Um... Zel? Your arm.
Zel: Huh, what about it?
(Zel touches her right arm, only to feel something metallic. She takes a wide shock to realize that her right arm is replaced by a metal prosthetic, just like Lo's)
Zel: HUH? I GOT A META RUNNER ARM?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!
? ????: It's because that happened.
(The two looked on the entryway to find Professor E. Gadd standing)
Lo: Hey there, professor.
Zel: Wait, you made us those arms?
E. Gadd: Yep. Mario came to me in a hurried huff a few days ago just at the same time as the incident. I have been inspired by Tari's appendage for yours ever since the last WOTFI. The same goes for Lo after the Battle of Anime Island.
Zel: But what does that have to do with our condition?
E Gadd: Because you two appeared to be more special than any other human. Zel, your experience in Anime Island almost led to your death, but that condition you're facing currently kept you going. And as for Lo, your aura could carry that of a god. & unfortunately, that is the same god that cost you the arm, Zel.
Lo: Are you saying that...
E Gadd: Yes. You, Lo Glazding, are of interstellar origin. & that god you've been carrying is skilled enough to not leave a single trace inside, or at least be capable of inciting mass destruction. I ran a lot of tests between visits & still got nothing.
Lo: (looks to his hands in awe) So all those visions I saw... are from my space past?
E Gadd: Of course. I would've tried to help study you further, but there are no stunning details currently. The best I can do is escort the both of you back to Senko.
Zel: Alright. (stands up & realizes something) Wait a minute, does my mom have to pay for this?
E Gadd: Oh no. Mario gave me this credit card that covers all of your expenses. (reveals the card which upon further inspection is from Peach's) Now come on, your parents are sick waiting for you.
(The two left the lab & can't help that at one thing, Peach would be so pissed that Mario went & used her card again. The first time was to haul a month's worth of spaghetti to his house)
~E Gadd's Laboratory Entrance~
(As Lo & Zel come outside, they are greeted by a hug from Senko)
Senko: Oh thank goodness, you two are safe. The professor told me everything about the incident.
Zel: Sorry, step-mom.
(Lo looks on to find both Nakano & Maya who are both worried & relieved simultaneously)
Lo: (walks to Maya) Look, Maya. I was... sorry about what happened.
Maya: I know, Lo. It was not necessarily your fault. You just had an unlucky break, that's all.
Lo: But I ended up hurting our friends. That was the opposite of what I promised.
Maya: You also called for help before that beast took over. Why don't you just take your time & shrug it off the rug, alright?
Lo: (looks back to how he wasn't in control before it happened & lights up in sympathy) Alright.
Nakano: & for the record, you two are grounded for 10 days. Just making sure that your condition is in check.
Zel: Meh. Seems fair.
~November 15, Apartment~
(Lo & Zel are busy playing some online Smash Bros matches in the apartment. The two's skills in the game had slightly elevated thanks to their robot arms, which is a direct copy & paste of Tari's AI. That was when they heard a doorbell ringing)
[ding dong]
Lo: It's ok. I'll get it.
(Lo walks through the door to find Mario, Maya & King Pipe with groceries & some pizza)
Mario: Hey there, bro.
Zel: Hey, Mario. What's with the getup?
Mario: Oh, it was to celebrate you two not being grounded anymore. I would've brought Meggy too, but she's still busy training for Splatfest.
Lo: & I heard it will be the final one next year.
Mario: It appears to be so. Mario's got one last chance to help Meggy fulfill her promise. It meant the world to her.
Maya: But I thought Meggy's not gay.
Mario: I wished she could be so.
Maya: (checks her phone) Oh, sorry. I have to take this. (leaves the room)
Mario: Pizza. (hurls himself & the pizza to the living room)
~A few pizza slices later...~
KP: So how're you two doing through these past 10 days?
Zel: Nothing much. We're just grinding & lazing around. & before you asked, we both didn't do anything romantic.
KP: That figures. I would've assumed you did some silent snuggling back there.
Lo: Stop. It.
KP: I'm kiddiiiiing. It was a joke.
Lo: Anything big coming up for you, Mario?
Mario: Well, I had a camping session with the boys by tomorrow. Meggy, Tari & Saiko are joining as well.
Zel: I don't know. Whenever you two groups come together, there would be a chance it'll escalate to an unfair prank war.
Mario: Oh, that sound like a good idea.
Lo: (hits Mario at the back) No, it doesn't.
Zel: Now come on. I bet Mom & Dad are waiting to see us again.
(The four left the apartment, heading en route to Nakano's room & eating pizzas along the way)
~Nakano's Apartment~
Lo: What in the world???
(The four looked through the room to see the same Murder Drone from Halloween grabbing Nakano by his shirt while Senko's busy swatting her with a broom)
Senko: Oh. Hey there kids. It's just that we're still occupied for the moment.
Mario: Stupid sexy dronies! (kicks the drone, only to be kicked back & crash through a nearby wall)
Koenji: (comes out of her dorm & enters the room) Can you please be quiet again? I was close to finishing my- (the drone then locks eyes to Koenji in intimidation, freezing her up) I'll... see myself out. (returns to her room)
End of Ch. 13
E. Gadd: (gazes on the screen, paying attention to a worrisome sign) Oh dear. Seems we're going to be busy for a while...
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Electric_Logan
Electric_Logan This iteration has undergone a massive rewrite on various fronts. Seems I decided to make Nakano more tolerable than the previous draft while aiming for attention to Lo & Zel's condition. Also, yes. E Gadd is eyeing Lo back in Chapter 7 before he got his prosthetic. We'll be seeing you soon for another rewrite to know how well that conversation went down.
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