Capítulo 10: Tempest
~?'s Lair~
(A dark star looks around the facility only to find something interesting. A massive bottle containing the vestiges of a Toad. The star would know too well that this is the other personality that left him... defective from him to be truly evil)
????: Yo boss. How did you pull this cretin off of me?
?: That is not of my business. What I seek is a true entity capable of bringing pure malice. Once I saw you & what you did to that "green pest", I knew you had to be the one. Of course, you were partially flawed the first time I caught you, so I did a little digging myself. All to make you better.
Toad Vestige: I LOVE YOU, MARIOOOOOOOOOO.
????: I didn't know you could be that cruel. I say, I'm impressed.
?: It's all part of the family. Just you wait, Ztar. For my next plan, the world will know of your name.
~Battle Arena~
(Lo & Zel didn't have it easier on their end. As Theo becomes unstable because he was out of the cartridge for too long, the team decides to break into a magic battle royale tournament & cooperate with Tari to do a game-breaking glitch, which in turn will open a gateway to TAS-CORP's servers for Sofia to claim. The team worked tirelessly to get the glitch to work, & more importantly, protect Tari as she did it)
Zel: This is getting a bit intense, is it?
Lo: Relax. It will be fine, even when Sofia brings in these two fellas for us to compete.
(The two fellas are Australians Luke & Kevin, who Sofia manages to rope in because they are huge ramen fans & will be given month-free ramen if they agree to help them)
Luke: (to Kevin) Let's do this bro, FOR THE RAMEEEEEEENNNN! WHOOOOOOOO!!!
Kevin: (to Zel) Sorry about my brother here. We just wanted some ramen.
Zel: Don't worry about it. Come on, looks like the game's starting.
(The four then get themselves ready for their controllers, & more importantly, to the plan)
Masa: (via ear-chips for Lo & Zel) Stick to the plan! Top of the mountain. No distractions.
Lamar: See you all on the other side.
(With the countdown ended, Lo suddenly ends up in the void There, a pink-haired woman looks at him & vanishes. Before Lo even comprehends what happened, he is in the game)
Lo: (presses his arm to activate voice mode) This is Lo Glasding. I am in the game.
Masa: We got no time to lose. Protect Tari at all costs.
Lo: Right. (to Zel, Luke & Kevin) Come on.
(Along the way, the four took grasp of all the spells the game has at their disposal. Lo received a lightning spell, Zel with Spirit Command, & the brothers with the worst possible magic: TROLL'D Magic)
Kevin: No way, we got the worst spell possible.
Luke: THIS IS BULLSH|-
(The two get cut off as a meteor kills the two off. Lo & Zel looked to find TAS-CORP's team as the MD-5 caught up)
Masa: Lo, Zel, you alright?
Zel: Ask these goons over here.
Masa: Alright team. GIVE THEM HELL!
MD-5, Lo & Zel: Right!
(Masa goes first, setting eyes against the meteor lady)
Lamar: Focus on the one on the left! (the gang aims at the shinobi one, only for them to lightning dodge them easily) DAMNIT, HOW DO THEY ALWAYS GET THE BEST SPELLS?! (sees the projectile one readying his attack) Ah crap, GET OUT OF THERE!
(The team splits up, Leaving Lo & Zel at the mercy of the other competitors)
Zel: This is getting bad, Lo. What are we going to do?
Lo: (sees the projectile one aiming at Theo & Lamar) We ride like hell.
(Using a spirited horse, Lo & Zel dash from behind & blast lightning to stun the opponent. That being just enough time for Theo to land a headshot & knock him out of the game)
Theo: WOOHOO! OROCHI FORMATION! (sees Tari being in danger from the creepy opponent & heads off)
Lamar: Theo. (gets blasted off)
(Theo then takes the bullet for Tari, leaving Lo & Zel in shock)
Theo: (to Tari) Go... go get them, Tari. (warps out)
Creepy Dude: Well ain't that a sha- (gets pounced by a spirit wolf Zel conjured)
(Tari then grabs Theo's spells & proceeds to attack the creepy dude, who has been used as a meat shield by Zel's dog before being flung into the air)
Tari: Crackerjack. (lands a finger headshot before landing safely) Oh god, that felt great!
Lo: We are awesome & all, but there's still one more member.
(The three then joined with Masa facing off against one last team member [Lamar just roundhouse kicked the other one to death]. However, the final elite walked off in a heap of smoke)
Tari: Oh man, I have no idea how we got through that.
Lamar: Whaaat? You were amazing, though. You were kicking ass all OVER the place.
Theo: Hey, I killed people too!
Lo: (wraps Zel by one arm) So did us.
Lamar: Haha, yes you did, three.
Tari: Thanks, Lamar, but I did need you guys to save me.
Lamar: That's what a team does, Tari. Look out for each other. You know, make sure everyone's okay.
Masa: There are no weaklings in MD-5, Tari. You're here because you belong here. Never forget that. Okay?
Tari: Thanks, Masa. Well guys, what do you say we finish climbing that mountain, huh?
(The gang agrees & flies directly to the mountaintop)
~Mountaintop~
Tari: We made it.
Lamar: You know, I've climbed this mountain a thousand times, but... (looks to the scenery) Man... This view still gets to me.
Masa: Focus up, team. The mission's not over yet. Are you ready to do the glitch, Tari?
Tari: As I'll ever be.
(Tari's getting herself psyched, but Zel senses some danger)
Zel: (conjures a spirit bear) TARI, LOOK OUT!
(As the spirit bear grabs the fireball, the force gets too great for it to handle. Tari gets out of the way, but not for Lamar, as he gets pushed off the cliff along with the bear, killing them both)
Lamar, in the real world: NANI?! WHERE'D THAT COME FROM?
Belle: (reveals herself) You really must be desperate, Masa... teaming up with these rookie-league Runners.
Masa: BELLE?
Lamar: Oh nonononono. If she's here, that means TAS-CORP's onto us!
Lo: (via voice mail) Don't you dare try to pull her out. We got this.
Lamar: I hope so. You'll be gazing into the eyes of the beast, man.
Masa: Hope you are ready for this, rookies. (to Tari) Tari, execute the glitch, NOW!
Tari: Right. (tries to jump, only to get blocked by a stone pillar)
Belle: Uh-uh. You're not going anywhere.
Masa: Damn it, Belle! Stand down right now!
Belle: No! You don't get to tell me what to do anymore, Masa! You're not TAS Corp Team Captain anymore!
Tari: Wait, what?
Zel: Plot twist.
Belle: Oh, you didn't tell her? What, too ashamed of being decommissioned?
Masa: Ashamed? No, I stand by my choice. I just wish you had done the same for me!
Belle: How dare you! I tried to talk you out of it, damn it! Hacking Lucks' private server, what did you think would happen?! You're lucky that decommissioning you was all that Lucks did!
Masa: Do you even hear yourself?! How do you still not understand?! LUCKS. KILLED. LUCINIA!!
Tari & Lo: Lucinia? (both of them remember seeing her in a void pre-battle & looking at each other in shock)
Belle: Still on the Lucks conspiracy theory. You sound just as crazy now as you did a year ago. Why would he kill one of his best Meta Runners?
Masa: I don't know, but the answer is on Lucks' private server. I'd bet my life on it. So, are you going to let me through? Or are you going to stand in my way again?
Belle: You always were stubborn, Masa... only problem is... SO AM I!!!!!
(The two then battled it out in a wide-scale frenzy. Zel joins in by summoning a spirit T-Rex & slamming on Belle. Belle recoiled quickly & tried throwing ice daggers, only to be blocked by Lo's thunder barrier. Masa tries dashing toward Belle, only for her to grab Zel's hair & hurl her straight at him, before crushing the two with a meteor)
Belle: Well ain't this petty.
Masa: Well, what are you waiting for, Belle? You wouldn't want to disappoint Lucks, would you?
(Belle responded by scorching the two. She then walks up to Tari & Lo, whose route is blocked by some fallen debris)
Belle: No one left to save you now... Let's talk.
Lo: Listen, shouty lady. If you dare to get through Tari, then you'll get through me & my skills first.
Belle: Oh, please! I couldn't care less about your freak abilities! What I care about is what you two did to Lucinia.
Tari: Wait. (to Lo) You also knew her?
Lo: I assumed the same thing.
Belle: I don't care about your excuses! (summons a large fireball) You feel that, don't you? This is your last chance. What. DID YOU DO... To Lucinia?!
Lo: You know, talking like that will not help your case.
(Feeling pissed, Belle forces a fireball to Lo's body, having her patience tested. The two struggled under the intense heat when...)
Theo: Tari, Lo... I wish I could help you right now. But... I can't. I know it's not fair that we're all counting on you when you're alone and it seems impossible. But I've seen you do the impossible before, so I know you could do this! I believe in you, Tari! & Lo, kick her ass!
Lo: Listen, Belle. There is only one thing that we will say.
Belle: (backs up her fireball) Go on?
Tari: You called game too early. (gets the shadow arm hurls Masa's blade to her hand & has her back up)
Lo: GG, scrub. (grabs a wind spell, holds Tari & jumps off)
Belle: No! (chases her off the summit)
Lo: It's all up to you now, Tari. (tosses her aside & glides high to Belle) You deserve a break, Belle. Wanna go touch some grass? (channels the nearby cloud's electrical energy & hurls it to her)
Belle: That was some big talk for an invasive pest! (tries tossing fireballs at him, only for Lo to dodge gracefully with his wind spell & bear hugged her)
Lo: You seemed to be a bit tense. Let me fix that.
(Lo then forces all the electricity out of his body, shocking Belle to a dangerous state. He doesn't even recognize that he leaned at the exact angle of the glitch with the right speed. Together with Tari, they landed the ground together, executing the glitch & busting off the servers)
Lo: Haha, WE DID IT! We...
(Lo then sees the same girl in the void, Lucinia. However, she was backed up by a Kirby with twin tails, obscured in shadow. Lo tries to make sense of who it is, only to black out)
~Arena~
Lo: (wakes up to see Luke & Kevin being escorted off the room) Have we done well?
Zel: You sure did. Now come on, the guards will be here any minute.
(The two then part from the brothers & caught up with the gang)
Lo: (to Masa) Listen, Masa. I know you are pissed you can't finish off Belle, but I did avenge you well.
Masa: You sure did, rookie. Sofia should be catching up by now.
(The gang paused to see guards everywhere)
Zel: This is bad.
Masa: Fall back. (tries to retreat, only to find Lucks & 2 guards on the exit) Lucks?!
(Everyone then gets forced to the center of the arena with the security heavily armed)
Lucks: Hello again, Masa. Is it just me, or does this whole situation seem somewhat... familiar?
Masa: You're too late, Lucks. The hack is done. Sofia's long gone by now.
Lucks: Is that so? Well, we'll just have to call her back then, won't we?
(The guards then zap Lo & Zel, whose arm starts to malfunction again)
Lo: (garbs on his arm) No. Not now...
Tari: LO, ZEL! (gets zapped as well)
Lucks: SOFIA! I KNOW YOU'RE STILL HERE! YOU HAVE TO THE COUNT OF THREE TO COME OUT! (He points the revolver at Masa's head.) 1!
(Masa tries fighting Lucks, but is brought to his knees.)
Lucks: I'M NOT BLUFFING, SOFIA! 2!
Masa: SOFIA, DON'T! OR ELSE EVERYTHING WE'VE WORKED FOR WILL-
(Before he could finish, Lucks shoots near his MR arm, thus wrenching the lower half of it off. Masa screams in pain as he falls to the floor.)
Tari: Masa!
Lamar: LUCKS, YOU FRICKING PSYCHOPATH!
(Lucks tries to wait any further, but still nothing)
Lucks: Very well. (points the gun to Masa, ready to shoot)
Sofia: WAIT!
(Before the trigger could be pulled, Masa sees the desperate Sofia enter the room)
Lucks: Ah, there we are.
Masa: Sofia... No...
Sofia: Please... Just don't hurt him anymore...
Lucks: I won't, as long as I have no reason to.
(Sofia then surrenders her tablet with all the data to a TAS scientist)
Lucks: Wipe everything on it. Run a worm program too in case she made backups. (the scientist wipes it clean) Such a waste of talent. If only you'd have come to TAS Corp instead of joining up with this one.
Sofia: It's just- I just wanted to know what you did to my sister.
Lo: Lucinia...
Tari: of course...
Belle: (enters the room) Lucks didn't do anything, Sofia.
Lucks: Stay out of this, Belle. You have pushed my patience tonight as is!
Belle: No, Lucks! She deserves to know. (to Sofia) Lucinia is dead, Sofia. I saw the footage myself.
Sofia: Show me.
Belle: Sofia...
Sofia: Show it to me, Belle!
(The gang then sees the footage of a doctor trying to cool down an unseen machine, only to no avail. Combined with Lucinia's screams at the back, it gets more intense until the lab explodes. Lo & Zel can't help but look to the gang in despair)
Lucks: Well, Masa, you finally got the answers you are so desperate for. But as you can see, it's Sheridan who's to blame for Lucinia's death, not I.
Sofia: I don't understand. Why did this happen? What was she doing there?
Belle: Ask her! (points to Tari)
Theo: What, Tari? Tari would never hurt anyone.
Lo: Tari???
Belle: Oh, so it's just a coincidence that she has the same logo as the one right here? (shows that the MR logo on the tape matches the one on Tari's arm.)
Zel: What... is this?
Lamar: There's gotta be an explanation for this. A frame job, a doctored video. This is TAS Corp we're talking about! Sofia, back me up here!
Sofia: I-I-I-I don't...
Tari: Sofia, I honestly have no idea about any of this. Please, believe me. I'm your friend. I would never lie to you.
Lucks: Oh, don't worry. You'll all have plenty of time to talk things through in a TAS Corp holding cell. (o the guards) Prepare the van. We're done here.
(Everyone's about to be escorted to TAS-CORP when Tari makes a startling decision)
Tari: Wait! You're a businessman, right, Lucks? Well, I have a deal for you.
Belle: Really? In case you haven't noticed, you're in no position to bargain.
Lucks: Quiet, Belle.
Belle: Lucks, you can't be serious. She's involved in Lucinia's death! What could she possibly offer tha-
Lucks: I said QUIET! You have made enough mistakes tonight, Belle! Do you want to make another? (To Tari) My apologies, Tari. Do go on.
Tari: I want you to let my friends go. They just walk away, and they never trouble you again.
Lucks: And what do I get in return?
Tari: You get me. Let them go, and I'll join TAS Corp as one of your Meta Runners. Forever.
Lo: You won't be alone, Tari. (holds Zel) We'll be joining as well. A 50-50 for the team, as you will.
Lamar: You serious, dude?
Zel: Trust us.
(Lo feels proud to stand up for his friends, only for him & Zel to become a bit transparent. Knowing too well that they can't stay longer, he adds a brief disclaimer)
Lo: Look, we won't be staying here for long, but we'll be back. (to Lucks) & be on your side.
Lucks: Oh don't worry. (prepares a screen) We will be entertained.
(Theo looks around to find "his viewpoint" on the screen, with his game cartridge in front)
Zel: So this is how you know about our plan. Using an innocent character as your corporate spy.
Theo: You're the most evil boss ever! (rushes to Lucks, only to glitch due to his cartridge being taken out)
Tari: Theo!
Lucks: Tari, I am intrigued by your offer, but you'll understand if I don't exactly trust your little band of friends. Tell me, do you know what collateral is? TH|S is collateral. (crushes the cartridge, glitching the "collateral" severely)
Tari, Lo & Zel: NO! (rushes to a fully glitched Theo)
Theo: GuUu-uuU-ys, wh-@@@tz h@pp3nIn? I+'z OK, 1 w|ll R3sp@- (poofs)
(With Theo "gone", the MD-5 felt nothing but despair...)
Tari: THEEEOOOOOOOOoooooOOOoooooooo..... (cries even more)
(All that's left is a simple storage card. A scientist puts it in the machine, & reveals Theo in a digital coma state [creepy])
Lucks: Here is my counteroffer. Their freedom in exchange for you three's undivided loyalty to TAS Corp, to me, but if I get anything less, or if they give me any reason to regret my generosity, then your collateral is forfeit. (turns the computer off) Understand?
(Lo & Zel looked to Tari, & then themselves as the two are more see-through)
Zel: How can we even deny the offer, now that we know the stakes? We're in.
Lucks: Wonderful! Oh, don't look so sad. TAS Corp isn't that bad. I'm sure in time you'll learn to love it. (To the guards) Do one final sweep of this place. Then let them scurry back to that rat's nest they call hideout. (sees Lo & Zel) Oh, & if you return, don't bother setting another plan. You two are part of the deal.
(As Tari gets escorted, Lo & Zel looked back at the gang)
Masa: To be honest, seeing some otherworldly visitors is not the most surprising thing today.
Lamar: We're not gonna forget you, understand?
Sofia: It's going to be okay, you three. Trust us.
Tari: Don't worry, guys.
Lo, Zel, & Tari: We'll be fine.
(Lo & Zel both vanish from sight while Tari & Lucks left the arena)
Lamar: Aw man. First, our plan is botched, then Tari & Theo end up in TAS-CORP's palms, & my favorite fighting buddy & his girl is not FROM here in this world. Man, I needed a rest.
Masa: Let's just hope these two will return soon enough. They cannot keep him waiting.
~Peach's Castle~
(Tari & Mario are busy playing Dark Souls 3 when Lo & Zel dropped in front of them)
Mario: Woah. You ok, bud?
Lo: You will not believe what we've been through. Isn't it right, Zel?
Zel: (pants a bit) Yeah... we... (passes out)
Lo: Zel?! (sees Zel became limp) ZEL!
Tari: Oh god. I'm calling the ambulance. (proceeds using the arm as a phone)
(For now, Lo can't help but get consumed in despair as well. His other friends are now on thin ice & now his roommate collapsed out of stress)
Mario: Is she sleepin', bro?
End of Ch. 10 & the META RUNNER S1 canon
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Electric_Logan
Electric_Logan Remember that visit from the doctor in Chapter 8? Yeah, something is up from Zel since Anime Island. It will affect her & the series from that point onwards.
So this is MR Season 1, folks. But it seems weird that Lo & Zel didn't question the dimension warping. Don't worry, they will know soon enough.
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