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gachawolfiebloom · 2 months

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Your Pursuit of Perfection

Story and Artwork By: @GachaWolfieBloom

Chapter 13: The Final Showdown

Summary: A few months after the events of WOTFI 2023, SMG4 starts having really bad dreams about the "Its gotta be perfect" incident. One night however, his fear allows the nightmares to break through and he gets taken to a horrific dimension. He finally meets the tv adware, who manipulates him into returning to his insane ways, intent on claiming much more than the perfect video. Now it's up to his friends to stop this madness and save SMG4. Can they do it in time or will they lose SMG4 forever? (In case you are unaware this is a sequel to the its gotta be perfect movie)

Tags: angst, its gotta be perfect, love confession, luigi, mario, meggy, melony, nightmares, scary, smg3, smg4, smg34, smg3 x smg4, tari, tv adware

The sky had darkened into a thundering storm. The corrupted Smg4 and Mr Puzzles were here with an army of foul and evil creatures. Smg1, Smg2, and all their friends that had stayed behind were standing their ground for intimidation was no longer an option. "We will save the Showgrounds no matter what!"

They blasted a ray of meme energy, but Four used his own corrupted powers to block it. "Really? You thought that could actually do something?" You can't destroy your own kind, can you? "We will defeat you!" Darkness encircles around them as Mr Puzzles commanded that strong wind of nightmares (is that all you do). "Good luck." However, he had not given enough credit as these characters bravely fought back. Shroomy was wildly shooting in his anti form, the Teletubbies kept stabbing creatures, and the U.S. military blew up anything that flew towards them (even birds).

One and Two were about to strike, but Mr Puzzles laughed with reassurance even though he was losing badly. "I can feel your guilt. You can't deny that you left your friends behind. Now they will perish!" They both stopped in their tracks as Four came up behind and blasted them into the ground. "SMG1! SMG2!"

"What a disappointment. That was way too easy!" Mr Puzzles turned to the crew and called out. "I will be your new leader and rule over the Mushroom Kingdom! Surrender now before someone really gets hurt!" That bitter damage that One and Two experienced was only just a warm up. Two got up, grieving in pain as he turned to his partner. "He's right. We should have stayed to help and now they're..."

"No way you're surrendering to these freaks now!" Kaizo said. "Yeah! Nothing's illegal when you're on the side of justice!" Hal monitor added. One nodded as he slowly got up with Two doing the same. "With all of you by our side, we have nothing to fear!" Mr Puzzles was getting irritated. His mind games weren't working anymore.

The two meme guardians joined hands as they addressed all their friends. "We will never abandon each other, just as we will not let our nightmares control us, you shall not let yours take hold! We will defend and protect each other!" A burst of energy sent the fog of nightmares to disappear for good and everyone who was under the weight of their burdens was released. "Together we will defeat this Adware and he will never hurt any of us again!" Mr Puzzle's screen glitched in seething anger as Four stood with his mouth open.

"How did they do that!?" Mr Puzzle's fists clenched as he yelled "You are all fools! Believing that love and teamwork will save you! Only power and darkness can get you what you want!" Four started to quiver as he turned to his leader. "Master, what do we do?" He shot back "We will not back down! It's time to end this now!" Four nodded, but suddenly he felt a shocking corse of pain going through is body. "Master...what is....happening to me!?" A wave of blue energy surrounded him as the crew appeared before the others. The connection had worked!

The squelching creature that Tari had brought was turned into its original form of goodness and radiance. From before Mr Puzzles conquered and corrupted the innocent soul. "I am not your servant! Release my friends at once!" Mario shot back with a mixture of silliness and confidence "Stupid TV man! Mario and his friends are stronger than you will ever be!"

"You're all okay!" Two was so relieved that they hadn't died. One breathed in reassurance as well. "You really thought that creepy place could stop us!" Three struck back while Meggy gave them a thumbs up and Tari clapped enthusiastically. "Now let's show them what we got!" Meggy said. One and Two nodded as they all held hands and the creatures that were attacking had been remodeled into their original forms by a flash of light. The one Tari befriended had started to cry tears of joy as he rushed up to hug them. "My friends! You're alright!"

Mr Puzzles clenched his fists as a boiling anger made his screen turn red. Four stared at his hand in confusion, trying to understand how he had just helped bring his enemies to safety. "What....how...did I do that?" Mr Puzzles took his immense outrage out on the only victim that he had left. "OF COURSE YOU DID! THAT ANNOYING OLD SELF OF YOURS HAS ALLOWED YOU TO CONNECT WITH THAT FOOL! YOU ARE A TRAITOR!" He turned to the other creatures and yelled at them "YOU ALL ARE BACK-STABBERS TOO!!!

He was done playing nice. It was time to up the game. "I'm finished with all of you! If you want a show, I'll give you a show! Prepare yourself for..."

WAR OF THE FAT ITALIANS 2024!!!

They all got transported to a fake simulation of their home as Mr Puzzles watched. He was always the observer in these challenges he set up. His screen turned on to a bunch of comments and said "Luckily I can count on my audience to give a good performance!"

Smg3 vs. Smg4

Who can last longer watching cringe Gacha content?

Suggested By: Flametail221

Three and Four appeared at a computer. "What the..?" It started playing YouTube videos of a gacha creator who put themselves in different movies and shows and...Hey wait a minute! That's my videos!

"CUT!"

"What the heck! Why are my videos the cringy ones!" Mr Puzzles as the audacity to say "Well Iv'e been looking at your videos and you barely have any quality content."

"What do you mean!? I make excellent content!" Mr Puzzles rolls his eyes and says "Please. You hardly have over 1,000 subscribers." How dare this stupid piece of junk! I stuck a finger in his face and make it perfectly clear to him exactly what I think. "What are you going to say now! That I get more dislikes than likes! I can think of much more low quality gacha than my channel. Pick somebody else!"

"I would, but your followers request it! You don't want to disappoint them do you?" Ugh, stupid reverse psychology. "Fine. But we are going to have a serious talk later." (little does he know, I'm going to throw a chair at him). I storm out of the room and the challenge continues.

As Three and Four watch, discomfort slowly rises in them. "That ain't so bad..." Four starts to sweat. "Come on, be brave Three." His eyes tear up as he holds back from looking away. It starts to get harder as some of the older videos play, which are ten times worse. Four couldn't take it anymore as his body deflated. "Oh no! Cringe!" He collapsed on the floor, making Smg3 the winner.

Mario vs. Smg4

Who can create the best meme?

Suggested By: scarygermanperson

"This will be a breeze! Mario watches funny memios all the time!" He cracks his knuckles and begins slamming his hands against the keyboard. "Heh. I bet Smg4 hasn't even-"

"Done!" Smg4 says as wipes his forehead. Mario's eyes widened as he looks back and forth between the computer and the keyboard. He goes into hacker mode while trying not to have a panic attack to the point he just bangs his head on the keyboard till it breaks. He stares at the sparking and fizzing computer wreckage. Four shows his meme first as he has a tomato soop that he tried making back in January. "Pfff. Mario's meme is way better!" He shows off his meme that is just a crappy drawing of spaghetti. "Oooooo. What do you think? You like?" The judges set fire to their eyes after witnessing that horrid picture.

Saiko vs. Smg4

Who can get Kazuha the fastest in genshin?

Suggested By: ilickchildrenfeet

Saiko goes away on her computer, furiously playing through the game in order to get the ranks and completed quests she needs. Four has a smug grin on his face while watching her struggle as he turns and says with a wavering hand "You see I'm going to do what's called a pro gamer move!" He installs a cheat code and laughs manically, but once he presses a button a big red x pops up on the screen with text that reads "Your ID is banned for cheating! Play the game the correct way noob!" Four stands there with his hanging mouth while Saiko had just successfully unlocked the character as the Mario star collection music plays.

Bob vs Smg4

Who can beat Minecraft faster?

Suggested By: Kitty-cat123456789

"LOL! THIS IS SO EASY!" Four begins chopping down trees around him and digging in every direction until he finds diamonds. Bob just watches a pig and says "SO...HOW ARE YOU TODAY?" Four makes it to a village and starts pillaging the land. "Don't mind me, just stealing your resources! :D" Bob continues to make conversation with the pixelated animal. "DO YOU LIKE PORKCHOPS?" Four breaks into Steve's farm and steals his beloved chicken. "NOOOOOO! MY CHICKEN!" Bob is riding the pig when he sees Alex stuck in the fence. "Steve help me!" Four has finally acquired all the eyes of ender when he jumps through the portal, only to find Bob standing on the dragon. "WEEEE! I CAN FLY!" The dragon flies into a tower and the purple explosion cutscene happens as Bob gets the "Free the End" achievement. Steve appears and slaps Four, taking his beloved chicken back with him.

Luigi vs. Smg4

Who can figure out the FNAF complete timeline first?

Suggested By: Spiffy43

"Alright Luigi you're up first!" Luigi gulped as he looked around nervously. "Oh...umm...the first game was about some scary animatronics and they gave me really bad nightmares and..." He fell to the ground in tears, sobbing "Please don't eat me Freddy!" Smg4 rolled his eyes and said in a modest tone "Well Willam Afton first opened his diner sometime in the 1970s and in 1983 an unfortunate accident with Michael wanting to scare his brother, resulted in him getting killed which *unnecessary descriptions and stuff*"

Tari vs. Smg4

Who can summarize all of MatPat's videos better?

Suggested By: Luckycatangy

"Oh I love him! He makes so many good points about my favorite video games!" Smg4 looks at her with a conflicting expression. "He even has other channels for movies and food and-" Smg4 interrupted her fantasies with his own remarks. "Oh yeah! Well he studies and does very interactive planning on how all the characters act and what the lore means!" Toad comes up with a phone in his hands and stares at them, perplexed. "You guys know that he's retired now right?" The two stare in shock before looking at each other and that back at Toad. "He is!?" Toad held up his phone to show MattPat's final theory video and the two curled up onto the floor, bawling.

Boopkins vs. Smg4

Who can do more community service?

Boopkins takes a broom and begins sweeping the park. Smg4 does a weird stance walk, looking for someone to help when he finds a old man that is about to cross the street. He grabs him and says "Let me help." as he pushes the walk button. It is now safe to cross as he smiles, taking the man's hand. They were just about to make it across when the old man sees something on the ground and says "Ooo a penny!" He goes down to pick it up, but the walk sign turns back and a bunch of cars hit them. Meanwhile Boopkins just finished cleaning the park and a crowd surrounds him to congratulate the fish while Four lays in the road, bent and burning.

Meggy vs. Smg4

Who can babysit Mario the best?

Mario is spinning around in circles when Meggy comes in. "If I want to win this then this calls for extreme measures!" A giant cage comes down and Meggy grabs a plate of spaghetti. "Ohhhh Mariooooo!" Seeing the plate of pasta, Mario's mustache grows as he runs straight at it. "GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!" Meggy throws the spaghetti into the cage and Mario dives in to eat the contents off the floor. Meggy locks the cage and strikes a confident pose. "That was too..HUH!" She looks into the cage to find that the fat Italian is missing. "How did he...?" She then finds him outside, looking derpy while everyone else is running around screaming. "Mario! What did you do!"

"Mario tried to show them his spaghetti, but they ran away in terror!" He showed her a plate that had instead a pipe bomb. "Wow! It's a pipe bomb-" *BOOM*

Smg4 brings an excited Mario into the room. "What are we going to do Smg4?" Four opens the door and lets Luigi in with a smile. "You'll be hanging out with Luigi today!" Four gets in real close and whispers into his ear "And Luigi wants to play rock simulator..." He nods as he pulls the game out and Mario sighs in annoyance. "Welp I'm done." He pulls out a gun and shoots his head off.

Melony vs. Smg4

Who can survive Smg4 fan fiction the longest?

Four takes a deep breath. "Hit me with your best shot!" A story comes up on the screen and he narrows his eyes. "Huh, what is-OH GOD!" His eyes go null as Four has a heart attack and dies. Melony looks at the stories as well, but find them more adorable then disturbing. "How cute! I should share me and Axol's manga on here!"

Smg1/Smg2 vs. Smg4

Who can get Karen to smile first?

Karen is watching her kids on the playground when Smg4 appears. "Hey Karen! Check out my child! Isn't he adorable!" Beeg makes an "EUGH" sound, but when he sees the cat lady, his eyebrows turn to fury. He must have gotten this grievance during the ice cream situation because Beeg takes a huge boot and kicks her, storming off. Karen gets up and glares at Four, who laughs nervously. "Uhhh..." She slaps him and then walks off. She then runs into the two meme guardians as they hold hands. Her kids start floating and disappear in a wave of light. Karen blinks a few times, but then cheers "I'M FREE!" She then runs off to make use of her time.

Smg3 vs. Smg4

Who can go the longest without insulting each other?

"What!? That's literally impossible! He s-" Three quickly refrains from his sentence, knowing full well what will happen if he finishes it. "I mean he's..." He tries to cover it up by saying a nice compliment instead. "He..." Sweat drips down his body as Three tries to think of something, but when you're standing in front of your ex-rival that's pretty much a gamble. "He's...AN IDIOT FOR GETTING TRICKED TWICE BY THE SAME GUY!" Three was concerned for Four's safety, but all he could think of in that moment for some reason was how stupid he was for being conned by Mr Puzzles so easily.

Boopkins vs. Smg4

Who can listen to Whimpu talk about anime the longest?

"Finally some friends to listen about my ideas for furry anime mommy's!" Whimpu started pulling out his computer and searching for all his favorite ships. "Really!? Do you love Miku!" The boy gasped as he couldn't believe someone knew about that. "YES! HAVE YOU MET HER!" Boopkins nodded as he described how Three had helped him on a date with her. While the two were talking, Four watched with disinterest and walked off. "I want to die."

Mario vs. Smg4

Who can watch snow trapped the longest?

The two friends appeared and Mario's eyes lit up. "OOOOOO MARIO REMEMBERS THIS EPISODE! MARIO HAD TO RESCUE SMG4 AND SMG3 AND THEY-" Four put a finger up to his mouth and whispered "Not another word..." It was too late as the two of them turned to find the episode had started playing. Everything was fine until it was time for that 6:50 moment where the most haunting memory that lived in Four's mind was right in front of him. His eyes started to burn as he screamed in agony. He could have sworn it was only a few seconds, but to him it was hours as he melted into a puddle. Mario watched and said to the camera "Ahh the gay boi's make Mario so happy!"

The simulation was finally over as they were all transported back to the same setting from which they started. It all started as a blur as the memory of what happened slowly started to sink in. Mr Puzzles clapped slowly. "My My. What an outstanding job all of you have done. As much as I love a good show, it's time to finally end it once and for all. I think this one's gonna be my favorite!"

It was time for a final standoff as all the characters got ready for a real showstopper battle.

Meggy: "Our hour is here and these fears are growing dim. Release us from your grasp! Your show has reached its point at the end of the day!"

Mr Puzzles: "My final bow will never pass. I manipulate for my gain. Don't try to pull me apart in your little reign. I will render your lives into surrender and then it's time for the sequel!"

Mario: "Hello Mr TV Man! I heard you see us as your performance! Why keep putting up this fight when we all know you lost the game! Just admit you've been beat and let us go! Iv'e got a deal for you that offers some spaghetti!"

Nightmare Smg4: "Would you all just quit already. Your victory is just a facade. Feeble attempts and protection only makes my power grow. Where's the fun and laughter you promised long ago? I'm the biggest star of this show! Who needs friends when you've got foes?"

Smg3: "Do you really think all that talk is gonna make me cry? You make your audience want to die. Looks like you're the one who stepped in the trap when no one's left in your grasp. Cause I can tell that this plan is just gonna get you banned."

Luigi: "Sorry, if we made you mad, but your antics have made us sad."

Bob: "NO WAY! HIS LACK OF MONEY HAS MADE ME SICK!"

Tari: "Hold on Smg4! We will save you, just be brave!"

Nightmare Smg4: "NO! STOP! IT HAS TO BE PERFECT!"

Melony: "Renounce your deal with our friend. Release us from your grasp! Your force has perished in your fire of darkness!"

Meggy: "The nightmares show us nothing but high hopes. The finish line is near."

Mr Puzzles: "Impossible! I will eradicate you from existence...existence!"

Smg3: "I'm sorry but is this is your final attack? How can you call yourself a villain when explosives aren't number one!"

Mr Puzzles: "You've made a fatal mistake. Just give up before you cause more harm. Now watch your final moments that are never forgettable.

Boopkins: "Mr Puzzles, we've done this all to be reunited and now I think that someone needs a hug!"

Mr Puzzles: "You can't give me a fright when other's terror makes me bright. Just abandon all your endeavor before you lose your friend forever!"

Smg2: "We won't fall for your tricks even when you're slick."

Smg1: "Time to do what we should have done long ago!"

One, Two, and Three all join hands as their powers combine, making the crew glow in their signature colors.

Mr Puzzles: "NO! STOP! I'LL MAKE AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE! I WON'T ALLOW THE ENTERTAINMENT TO STOP NOW!"

Mario: "Oh boy! Can't you see? This is just a simulation! You just landed in Mario's epic fun time game! Boys and girls, let's say so long to this gay bowser! Let the credits roll and Let's a go!"

Saiko: "Your final act is closing now! Release us from your grasp! Your puppets can't make the cut, so time to say farewell!"

Mr Puzzles: "Risking everything all just for him? You'll be banished in a flash! When will you learn that oppression is what conquers?"

Smg3: "Just shut it with your little speech because you fail to intimidate. Release Four and return our home! The curtains drop and applause is silent. Seems like the show is at its close."

As the beam of energy gets larger, they all say one final thing to this washed up TV.

The Crew: "Let us go! Release us from your grasp!"

The TV Adware shields his eyes, but opens them to find that rays of meme powers have hit Smg4. One speaks in a commanding voice to the corrupted man. "Your darkness cannot survive in our energy! Loosen your grip on Smg4's heart and let him speak!" The pink cracks on his face slowly began to melt away as the true Four was awakening. "You...guys came back? You didn't forget about me?" Saiko rolled her eyes and said "God, this guy really infected your brain didn't he?" The monstrous shadow was vanishing as tears began to form in his eyes.

"You mean you didn't replace or reject me?" Tari smiled and said "Of course not! Why would you think that?" Now Four was back in his normal form, but a dark cloud was surrounding him as he was curled up on his knees, holding his head with his hands in pain. "I thought that you would never forgive me for what I did. I wanted to forget it!" Meggy lost her concentration as she cried "FOUR!" Mr Puzzles stomped his foot hard and yelled "ENOUGH! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP ANYMORE THAN I WILL MAKE YOU JOIN ME!" The corrupted version slowly returned as the crew's energy was running out.

"Please no! I don't want to go back! I was so sad and lonely and I wasn't helping anyone! I was hurting them! HELP!" The connection couldn't be held anymore as the glow that clung to them had disappeared. "No! We were so close!" Nightmare Four was back as he grinned in splendor. Mr Puzzles cackled and said "There is no power that can stop me now! You are all mine! You will be remembered Smg4, but as my darkest and cruelest partner that was ever known!" Meggy shot back "He will never be forgotten!"

She helped up her friends and told them "Guys listen! Four is scared that he will be forgotten. We must remember our memories with him or he will give into the darkness forever!" They all nodded and closed their eyes. "That's it! Remember something you love about him!" She thought of the time she had helped Smg4 from his copyright by becoming a lawyer. Mario giggled as he thought of the time where he found Smg3 and him "hugging" in the igloo. Tari remembered when he played video games with her, Bob when he had stopped the rat infestation in the castle, Boopkins when he had played Mario kart and kept getting ties, Luigi when Four told him he was forklift certified, Saiko when they had a rock competition together, Melony when he had helped save her during the face-off with Zer0, and the other supporting characters did as well with details we don't really have to go through.

"You'll always be special to us Smg4!" The light that was created, trapped Four. Mr Puzzles tried to stop it, but he got caught in the crossfire as his screen started to crack. Smg3 took out the remains of his notebook drawing and held it close to his chest. "You mean everything to me Smg4..." He didn't remember just one, but thousands of memories of them together on crazy adventures which deep down he always enjoyed. "I...love you Four. Please come back."

The light exploded and vanquished the darkness, sending Mr Puzzles flying. As his screen shattered into a million pieces, he cried out "NOOOOOO!!!!" (HAH! WHO'S LOW QUALITY NOW SUCKER!) Three ran towards the explosion as he screamed "FOUR!" He saw him laying on the ground in an unconscious state. His eyes shot open as it didn't take long for them to fill with tears."How could I have done that? I believed his lies and let my insecurity get the better of me again. I'm so sorry!" Three was so relieved that he was okay that he threw his arms around Four and pulled him into a embrace.

"I'm so sorry Three! I'm so-"

"Shhhh." Three rubbed his back while tears of his own streamed down his cheeks. "I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have left you. This isn't your fault." Four hugged back as he said "It's not yours either." They looked into each others eyes and Four replied "I love you too..." They softly kissed on the lips while all of their friends came over to congratulate them and very happy to see that Four was okay. "Ha! Mario totally called it!"

Four wiped his eyes and said "Thank you all for reminding me that I am irreplaceable to my friends!"

~A few hours later~

Smg1 and Smg2 waved as they took all the creatures with them. "Don't worry! We'll take good care of them! I think they will liven our place up!" Tari giggled and said "Don't forget to the care of that one. He's a special one." She pointed to the small creature that she had befriended along their journey. One nodded as they went back to their home while the others had a home of their own to take care of.

Three got a brand new notebook and was writing in it at his cafe. Four opened the door and said "Mind if I come in?" Three looked up and said "Sure, but it will cost you a fee." Four rolled his eyes in pleasure and said "Yeah sure." He noticed a page that Three was writing on had a special drawing on it. "What's that?"

"Just something for a special someone." The others came in and Mario said "Mario's hosting a celebration for Smg4's return!" Meggy asked them "You guys want to come?" Three nodded and Four of course had to say yes. It was in his honor after all. Three put his notebook down and they all walked out the door, talking and laughing. The camera panned away from them to the counter where the notebook sat. It showed the specific page that had had a new drawing of Three and Four hugging with a note on the page next to it. The credits rolled as the note read in Three's signature handwriting:

Nightmares are nothing but the fear that live inside of us. Four, you have shown me that we all have the power to defeat it, especially with love. Thank you for these amazing 12 years!

~Smg3

The End!

#angst #its gotta be perfect #love confession #luigi #smg4 mario #smg4 meggy #smg4 melony #nightmare #scary #smg3 smg4 #smg4 #smg34 #smg3 x smg4 #smg4 tari #tv adware

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sanvirtheobserver · 2 months

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Taking Flight, An SMG4 Fanfic: Volume 2

Here is Volume 2 of my Taking Flight fanfic (Along with the first chapter of Volume 3). Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 6: Homecoming

It's a beautiful evening in the Mushroom Kingdom. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and SMG3 seems to have successfully payed off Bowser after their previous "misunderstanding" with a heaping helping of chicken nuggets.

Over at Bricktown, SMG3 is proudly showing Hal Monitor all his legal paperwork for the Airship anchored in the Omnia Academy Parking Lot. SMG4 silently prays they don't get arrested.

SMG3: I trust everything is up to code?

Hal: Hm........

Hal carefully examines the expertly made, 110% legit looking documents SMG3 gave him as SMG4 awaits the verdict with bated breath. He hasn't been this stressed about a piece of paper since the Lawsuit. Hal looks up to the two................

Hal: Well, everything seems to be in order here. Safe travels Mr. 3!

AND WE'RE SAFE! Hal returns the documents before lawfully speeding off in his cop car. SMG4 let's out a sigh of relief and SMG3 gives an "all clear" signal to Meggy, who's been waiting on the roof eyeing the situation through the scope of her bowgun. Don't worry, she had sleep ammo loaded so it's mot like she was gonna JFK Hal Monitor if things went awry. That being said, she does notice ........ something............ sneaking into the window and goes off to investigate.

Meanwhile we see Tari, Saiko, and Whimpu in the Meme Research Club Room with SMG1 and SMG2. SMG1 is analyzing and performing tests on the Orb from the ruins, and Tari is regaling the dream she had the night prior to SMG2 who is taking notes.

Tari: The last thing I remember was trying to remove the helmet.

SMG2: Interesting.......

Clench: You think it has anything to do with the metal meatball?

SMG2: Hm....... It's possible you may have inadvertently accessed the subject's dying memory.

Tari: But how is that possible? I know I can read minds with my robot hand, but......I always thought it required a LIVING mind.

SMG1: Not with Memes, it isn't.

Tari looks over to SMG1 as he tinkers with the orb.

SMG1: Memes are in essence a shared idea. That idea could be anything, really. Objects, people, places, moments, anything that is shared from one to another. That can include memories.

Belle: So......what does all this Meme Energy rot have to do with this thing?

SMG1: The orb appears to be a device capable of harnessing Meme Energy, storing it within itself. Whimpu, you said that the gemstone you found had a core, yes?

Whimpu: Yes. At first I was wondering why a gemstone had such a strange pattern of overlapping impurities.

SMG1: That "core" is likely the source of this artifact's energy. As to what it is or where it came from, your guess is as good as mine.

Belle: Wait a minute. Those ruins could've been centuries old yet whoever built them had this Meme Power? Pretty sure they didn't have 5G during the crusades.

SMG1: Well, how do you think any ideas were first spread back then? By mouth, painting, and writing. Through art and stories. They were shared in any and every way they could be. That is how you get a culture. And it is through that culture, you'll get memes. The internet may have made it easier, but Memes were one of the first results of cultural exchange.

He places the orb on his desk.

SMG1: Even the manipulation of Meme Energy is nothing new, according to some legends. Some are obvious exaggerations..........

He picks up a massive tome and sets it on the desk.

SMG1: And some have more backing. This is a tome containing all the knowledge we have on our potential culprits.

Clench: And those would be.......... who, exactly?

SMG1 dusts off the top of the tome to reveal a series of symbols similar to Tari's.

SMG1: ..........The Metarunners.

We check in on Meggy as she sits under the window. She makes sure to go in all sneaky deaky like, not making a single sound as she enters the dark room. The coast seems to be all clear....... BOOM, she narrowly dodges a sword swinging for her neck. She tac rolls into a firing position to face her assailant.

?????: Well....... funny seeing you again, Spletzer.

Meggy recognized that voice, but it wasn't until her assailant stepped into the light that she knew who she was up against. An old face from one of her previous trips, often hidden behind a mask.

Meggy: Whisk.....

Whisk: Did you miss me, Kitty?

????: Alright, that's a wrap!

The lights come on and we see a whole room full of ninjas. Amongst them was Hank Hill, leader of the Ninja club.

Whisk: Oh........

Whisk takes off her mask, revealing her true face along with her timid demeanor.

Whisk: Um........how did I do?

Hank: Your form and technique were phenomenal, Miss Felin. You managed to maintain your cover in the Showgrounds Private Park pretty easily.........

Whisk: Oh, thank you! I made sure to practi-

Hank: HOWEVER......... You did botch your final return, seeing as you were followed through the window by Miss Spletzer over here.

Whisk: Oh, right..........I'm sorry.

Hank: You don't need to be sorry, Miss Felin. You just need to be better.

Whisk: Yes, sir.

Meggy is just.......COMPLETELY confused by the whole situation, awkwardly holstering her bowgun now that she knows she's not in any real danger.

Meggy: So..........

The two awkwardly eye each other.

Meggy: How's your mom, doing?

We later see Meggy and Whisk meeting up with Tari, Whimpu, and Belle in the courtyard during recess to catch up. Tari is currently preoccupied with reading that big tome she got from SMG1 while the rest make some small talk.

Whisk: Our money situation wasn't really that great back then. That's why I initially took the job from Cumbersnatch.

Belle: Yeah, I've been there too.

Whisk: Sorry to hear that. Student loans are a bitch to pay off.

Belle: Actually l......... well.......... nevermind.

Meggy: But why pick the Ninja Club?

Whisk: I wanted to put my skills to better use than just stealing stuff. There are other clubs I plan on joining but..........

She pauses, looking down at her mask as she takes a deep breath.

Whisk: sigh I'm not exactly a "social" person.

Their talk is interrupted by Matt, who's pleased to see his former student again.

Matt: Miss Spletzer!

Meggy: Coach Matt, it's been a while!

Whisk is both impressed and embarrassed to see just how confidently Meggy just greeted a former teacher.

Whisk: See what I mean!? Eye contact, no stuttering or hesitation, and that HANDSHAKE! They're even on a first-name basis! Every time someone even looks in my direction I just.............

She freezes up, holding her legs to her chest. And I thought Pomni was a wreck. This draws Tari out of her reading for a moment.

Tari: Y'know............ I was like that too. There was a time when the only "social" thing I could do was playing quick- matches online. But when I first met Mario - or rather, he met me - I managed to find the nerve to......actually talk with people.

Whimpu: I too had trouble making friends before joining the Anti Crew. It was stressful at first, but in the end I did end up making some good friends.

He looks over to Belle, who was actually touched after hearing Whimpu say that. Whisk unfolds from her fetal position as Meggy comes back.

Meggy: Sorry about that. We had a lot to catch up on and kinda got a bit preoccupied, hehe.

The school bell rings and we see all the students returning to their classes.

Whisk: Well........

She dawns her mask and returns to her facade

Whisk: It's been fun, but this cat's gotta scat. Later.

Meggy: Good luck, Whisk! Let's go treasure hunting sometime!

Whisk heads to her class. They couldn't see it behind the mask, but Whisk was tearfully happy to meet her "old friend" again, and even make some new ones along the way.

Back on the ship, Tari is in her bunk reading that tome again. We see Saiko arriving with a cup of tea.

Saiko: Hey.

She hands the cup to Tari.

Tari: Thanks.

Saiko: So, have you found anything new leads?

Tari: Yep, right here. Granted, its........ quite a bit to unpack.

Saiko: I'll say. You could kill a man with that thing. Make sure you get some sleep. The "captain" has another score for us tomorrow. An old smuggler's route used by a....... Swipe, I think?

Tari: Swipe......... Yeah, I heard Four talk about him once. Though, I'm pretty sure they called him..........something else.

Saiko: Whoever he was, let's hope he had better taste than Three. They both share a chuckle as Saiko crawls into her bunk.

Saiko: Oyasumi.

Tari: G'night. Hm...........barrier projection......

And all was quiet as Tari kept reading the tome.

Chapter 7: Maritime Mayhem P.1

We arrive at the Swiper's Pass, an old smuggling route used by the late Admiral Sargent Swipe and his Teletubmarine Marauders. We see the Airship hovering over the water with SMG4, Mario, Meggy, Melony, Boopkins, and Tari on the top deck. Everybody is dawning their diving wear with the exception of Boopkins for obvious reasons.

Boopkins: This looks like the spot, guys.

SMG4: Everybody ready?

Meggy: Yep!

Tari: All ready.

Melony: Good to go.

Mario: Mario's gonna go fishing!

Mario is the first to jump in, butt stomping right into the waters below with the force of a depth charge. SMG4 calls in on the radio to make sure he isn't drowning.

SMG4: Mario, we were supposed to have Boopkins scout ahead first you dumbass! sigh Let's just get going.

The others wait for the waters to clear before diving in. They float through the crystal clear waters until they find Mario waving to them while buried ass first in the seabed. Tari transforms her arm into a grappling hook and latches onto Mario before reeling him out of the sand.

Clench: Christ almighty, you gotta loose some weight pal.

Meggy: Oh trust me, we tried.

SMG4: Over here!

The group turns to find the wreckage of a massive submarine. The surrounding seabed is littered with old debris and bits of the faded pink hull, and a shocked face hung from its front. They had found it........

The Teletubmarine.

Mario: Wow, it looks so much better now!

The group floats up to the derelict leviathan. Changing her arm into a plasma cutter, Tari starts cutting an opening into the hull.

Boopkins: Oooooooh maaaaaan........... I don't like this. What if....... HE....... is still here waiting for us?

SMG4: Bro, it's been YEARS since this thing sunk and I'm pretty sure HE decided to go down with it. We'll be fine.

With a light push, a circular opening is formed and the group swims through. They find themselves in a familiar room with a large pit, several hanging chains, a broken cage, and the remnants of dozens of teletubbies. Some letters on the wall read "Sector 2-SX-C." SMG3 chimes in on the intercoms.

SMG3: You guys in?

SMG4: Yep. We're in sector 2-SX-C by the looks of it.

SMG3: Good. Now see if you can make your way to the Captain's Quarters. That's usually where the captain kepts the best of his shares.

SMG4: Alright Boopkins, lead the way.

Boopkins: gulp

He hesitantly pushes ahead with the others close behind. They all silently glide through the water with the muffled creaking of aging iron echoing across the massive corridors. Tari is spooked when she bumps into a dessicated Teletubby body floating lifeless in the water. She takes a deep breath and keeps swimming forward.

Meggy: So.......... What's the deal with this "Swipe" guy again?

SMG4: He was a treasure hunter, and a pretty ambitious one at that. He collected all sorts of things. Jewelry, artifacts, rare animals, prisoners, you name it.

SMG3: Hence why we're here! Why leave so much perfectly good treasure lying around?

They arrive at a massive door blocking their path, prompting Tari to once again bring out the plasma cutter.

Meggy: You'd think there would've been more people coming over here if there was treasure.

Melony: I don't know. I've heard some stories about Swiper's Pass while on deployment. There's one about a crab that can talk through corpses like they were puppets. Freaky stuff.

SMG4: Hey um....... can we save that for when we're NOT swimming through a derelict submarine?

Tari: sigh It's no use.

She retracts her plasma cutter.

Tari: The plating is too thick. It'll take days to get through at this rate.

Clench: You'd think all the years of rust would make it easier.

SMG4: Hey Three, we hit a dead end. What now?

SMG3: How the ---- am I supposed to know.

SMG4: Um........can you repeat that?

SMG3: Jus- f--d a --y thro---.

SMG4: Three? Three, you're breaking up. Three?.......

SMG3: static

Well that's not good.

SMG4: sigh Looks like we're out of comm's range.

While everyone else is debating on what to do next, Boopkins and Mario notice a little crab staring at them.

Boopkins: Oh hello Crab Friend! We're trying to find a way around this big door. Can you help us please?

Mario only stares in a mix of confusion and disappointment. But then, the crab scuttles off to a nearby grate and slips through. Maybe Boopkins' plea didn't fall upon deaf ears after all.

Boopkins: Hey guys! I think we found a way in!

The group swims over to the grate as Mario pries it open, revealing an entryway into the venting system. Boopkins swims through with ease, but the others likely won't fit with all their scuba gear. That's when Melony had an idea. She puts her hands together and flashes a series of hand symbols.

Melony: CHONKU NO JUTSU!

In a flash, the rest of the group is transformed into tiny Scuba Chonks! With their new tiny size, they follow Boopkins through the vents with ease as they head for the other room. Boopkins enters the room first and begins surveying the area as the rest come through. In another flash they all return to their normal forms in a bit of a daze.

Meggy: Ugh........ good thinking, Melony. Just give us a warn-

Boopkins: AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!

He rushes into Melony's arms in a panic.

Boopkins: ITS HIM! ITS HIM!

Back on the ship, we see SMG3 fiddling with the radio and Whimpu monitoring the diving group on the tracker. Belle enters the Bridge and sees a frustrated SMG3 trying to fix the device to no avail.

SMG3: C'mon you stupid thing! WORK!

Belle: So, have they found anything worthwhile.

SMG3: We don't know yet because this thing WON'T WORK! Ugh......

Whimpu: They seem to have made it through the blockade at least.

He points to six dots on the screen.

Whimpu: All vitals are stable, but Boopkins' heart rate is skyrocketing

Belle: Eh, he probably got spooked by an octopus or something.

SMG3: CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME A HAND HERE!?!?

Belle: Don't look at me. I'm on my smoke break.

Whimpu goes over to SMG3 while Belle takes a step outside. It's then we see an unknown signature come on screen as it approaches the others.

Back in the derelict, Tari summons her glaive as Meggy takes aim with her bowgun. In the glow of their flashlights they discover what had spooked Boopkins so much. It was none other than Admiral Sargent Swipe himself! Or rather......... what's left of him. We see the crab from earlier crawling across the fallen Chuckya's skeletal remains. The two lower their weapons as Meggy swims over to examine the body.

Tari: It's okay, guys. I don't think he'll be bothering us anytime soon

Meggy: So this is Swipe, huh?

SMG4: Yep. That's him alright. Y'know, I almost kinda feel bad for the guy.

Meggy: I don't blame you. Death is.......it's like time starts to slow down as everything goes dark. A few seconds feels like an eternity.......... Just once is enough for you to go crazy...................

SMG4: Um................. are you okay?

Meggy: Oh sorry! I was just......... thinking out loud for a moment there. Heheh.

Okay, let's move on. We see the others search the room. It's loaded with crates, and Melony cracks one open to find a stash of raw minerals.

Melony: Looks like we found the loot stash.

SMG4: Nah, knowing swipe this is likely just an overflow room.

Meggy: Damn! If that's the case we may need to make a few more trips.

Tari: Wait........ do you guys hear that?

A low humming fills the water, emanating from behind the door. The humming gets higher and higher until...........

BOOM!!!!

In a rupturing blast, the crew is pushed back as the door is blown open. Through the cloud of silt and debris we see single purple light scanning the room as the gang regroups and readies their weapons.

Meggy: What the hell is that thing!?

Boopkins: IT'S THE GHOST OF CAPTAIN SWIPE! HE'S COME TO COLLECT OUR SOULS FOR HIS.......uh .............SOUL COLLECTION!!!! WE'RE DOOMED!!!!

As Boopkins proceeds to have a panic attack, Tari tries to take a more diplomatic approach.

Tari: Um........ excuse me. If we are trespassing on your property, then we are terribly sorry and will leave in peace.

The source of the light enters the room. As the silt settles, we see it is not a ghost. It is a large mechanical eye like construct. We hear a series of beeps and whirls as it begins spinning. An energy field fills the room and begins to intensify.

Tari: Wait...... This isn't a ghost! It a-

A bright flash fills the room. Suddenly the group finds themselves collapsing onto the ground. Upon righting themselves, they see that they are no longer underwater, but on a solid metal platform along with dozens of crates. Tari realizes they are in the hangar of a completely different ship. Massive spider like vehicles hang from the ceiling as rocket powered drones buzz through the air. Suddenly, the intercoms start working again.

SMG3: There we go. So! You guys find any good loot?

SMG4: Yeah, about that..........

Tari: Guys....... I think this is a Ketch. That means...........

Nearby doors slide open, and hoards of four armed creatures clad in black cloth and patchwork armor come flooding in. A cacophony of chirps and clicks sounds off as the group finds themselves surrounded.

Meggy: Fallen Raiders......... Just our luck.

The gang prepares for battle as the hoard descends upon them.

Chapter 8: Maritime Mayhem P.2

It's absolute chaos in the Ketch's main hangar. Hoards of Dregs swarm the platform as Meggy goes full auto with her bowgun. Mario crushes several Dreg skulls beneath his boots. Melony is preoccupied with a gang of Wretches, but they all end up decapitated with a single well timed swipe from the Fierce Deity Sword. Up high we see Boopkins hitching an involuntary joyride on a Shank drone as several others pursue him. One small bump has him slipping off, but Tari manages to fly in catch him in the nick of time before dispatching the rest of the shanks with her Glaive. SMG4 is hunkered down behind some crates with SMG3 on comms.

SMG3: WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ON A FALLEN KETCH!?!?

SMG4: I DON'T KNOW! He picks up a Shock Rifle and rushes to the catwalk. A Wretch is about to skewer him, but Melony comes in with the save and shield bashes the Wretch across the room and into a pile of scrap.

Wretch: ⠃ᛁ ╵ᛍ◟ˎ⸍╮⠃╵

SMG4: We were checking out some crates filled with treasure when all of a sudden this big robot meatball teleported us! Now we're surrounded by angry crab people who wanna kill us!

All of a sudden, one of the Spider Walkers on the ceiling blinks to life and descends to the platform below. Mario swoops in and saves Meggy from being crushed by the Machine. It takes aim at Melony with its main cannon and fires, sending her flying into the wall.

Meggy: This isn't good! We need to fall back!

Tari: Fall back where!? We're surrounded!

Boopkins: I DON'T WANNA DIIIIIIIIIIIE!

Just then, Melony emerges from the wall in her Deity Mode. The Walker takes aim and fires again, but this time she manages to parry the projectile right back down the barrel of the cannon. The Walker wails in agony before falling apart with a massive solar explosion.

Melony: TARI! WOMBO COMBO!

Tari: EVERYBODY TAKE COVER!

Wasting no time, the two lock hands and spin at a breakneck pace, unleashing torrents of energy blasts in all directions. The others take cover as the hangar is consumed in a deluge of blue and green projectiles that tear through every Fallen Raider in sight. When the dust settles, we see the horde lying motionless in pools of spilled Ether. Tari and Melony descend and power down while Boopkins goes into the corner to throw up.

SMG4: Okay......... I think that's all of them for now.

Mario: That was-a lots-a fun!

Meggy: Yeah........ exhilarating. So what's the plan now?

Back on SMG3's ship, (I really should give it an actual name at some point) Luigi emerges from the Kitchen with a tray of sandwiches and refreshments. He heads to the Rec Room where the rest of the crew is gathered, with SMG3 still on call with SMG4.

SMG4: So yeah. We're in a bit of a bind here.

SMG3: Okay, so where are you?

SMG4: I don't know. We'll take a look around and see if we can find a spot for you to pick us up.

SMG3: sigh Alright. We'll call you later.

Saiko: So what's the news? Are they okay?

SMG3: They're still alive so........there's that.

Saiko is not amused. He releases a frustrated "baka" under his breath.

SMG3: They don't know where the Ketch is located, which means we don't know where to go to assist.

Belle: So...... now what? We just wait and see who makes it back alive?

Whimpu: An Eliksni Ketch's Transmat range is limited, especially when transporting that much cargo. They would need to be within a 10 mile radius to transport that much material out of the submarine. I could modify our tracking system to locate them.

Luigi: How long will that take?

Whimpu: That will depend on what we have on hand and what needs to be modified.

Saiko isn't exactly thrilled with the idea of being unable to help. Kaizo lays a hand on her shoulder.

Kaizo: They have a demigod, a sports coach, and a living computer with them. I'm sure they'll be fine.

Saiko: ..........Yeah....... they'll be fine.

Back on the Ketch, the away team comes to a 4-way intersection with a terminal in the center. Melony gets to work on the terminal to see if she can disable whatever security this ship has, but it proves surprisingly difficult even for her hacking prowess.

Melony: This thing has tighter security than I thought. Firewalls in front of firewalls, layers of encryption keys for encryption keys, constantly refreshing passcodes......... whoever made this ship spared no expense. The most I can do is get a map of the place.

A hologram of the ship's layout pops up. Melony is dumbfounded by the sight.

Melony: Wow........ 600 feet wide, 450 feet tall, 1200 feet long, six Solar Sail masts, three Fomorian Engines, various components and armaments of Eliksni, Cabal, Grineer, Corpus, Orokin, and Forerunner origin, this isn't just a Ketch........ it's a whole armada rolled into a single ship.

For those of you who are not fans of big numbers and out-of-lore-context specifications, here's SMG4 with a more simplified synopsis.

SMG4: That's a huge bitch.

SMG3 once again chimes in on the comms. SMG4 sets it to video chat.

SMG3: Hey losers, got any idea on where you are yet? We got a rescue team set up, so just say the word and we'll come get you.

Saiko: Tari! Are you there!? TARI ARE YOU DEAD!?

Tari: Hey Saiko! Don't worry, I'm fine. But......

Melony: This thing is more like seven other ships stitched together. It's also armed to the teeth with Tier 7 and above weapons and defenses........Emphasis on the "above." You won't be able to get within a mile of this thing without risk of getting shot down. I tried deactivating security, but the digital safeguards for this is crazy. I was lucky to even get a map.

Melony has SMG4 turn the camera towards the hologram.

SMG3: whistles This thing means business. I wonder if we can commander some of it.......

SMG4: Three. Focus.

SMG3: Right, right. So, I guess that means the rescue is a no-go?

Melony: Not if you wanna live to tell the tale.

Tari: What if we made our way to the bridge? We may be able to disable their defenses there and give you an opening.

Meggy: That's still risky though.

SMG4: Well, right now it's the best chance we got. Besides........ "it's only when you're ready to die that you'll truly be able to live."

SMG3: chuckles Alright. We'll wait for your signal. And at least TRY not to die?

SMG4: We'll do our best.

SMG3: I'm serious here!

SMG4: Yeah........me too. Four out.

Boopkins: Where do we go now?

Meggy: Melony. Upscale it for me.

The hologram is enlarged and Meggy takes a closer look at the ship's layout.

Meggy: Hm........ the Crew Quarters is where most of the crew is concentrated so that's a no-go, the Hangar is currently on lockdown after we wrecked it, and the Captain's Quarters is the most heavily guarded area on the entire ship. However........

She traces a path on the hologram with her finger.

Meggy: We should have a clear path to the Helm if we enter through the R&R Sector.

Boopkins: R&R? What does that mean?

Melony: Refreshment and Recreation. It's where crewmembers go to unwind while off duty.

Mario: Do they have food there?

Melony and Meggy exchange side eyes, knowing very well where this is going.

Meggy: Tari?

Tari places her metal hand on the collar of Mario's shirt and plants her glaive into the ground. She then nods.

Meggy: sigh Yes, Mario. They most likely do have food there.

Tari hangs on on for dear life as her glaive carves a path into the metal, slowing down Mario as he frantically runs towards the direction of the R&R Sector. This should allow for the others to keep pace and follow.

Tari: Ngh.......Guys!

Clench: GREG ALMIGHTY, HOW STRONG IS THIS GUY'S SHIRT!?

And so the group is off, but something seems to be keeping an eye on them.

Back on SMG3's ship, we see Saiko on the Top Deck staring out into the sea. We pan over to see Kaizo joining her.

Kaizo: Yo.

Saiko: Hey.......

Kaizo: So....... what's on your mind?

A rhetorical question, of course. He can already tell what Saiko is thinking. She takes a deep breath.

Saiko: Any news on the mods?

Kaizo: Four Eyes and Red Head are still working on it. Three is still waiting for the green light.

Saiko: How are Bob and Luigi doing?

Kaizo: The Garo has been pretty quiet, actually. It's weird. He's usually somewhat amused by the fish getting into trouble. But now he's just sitting there twirling his swords. As for Greenie, he's just been cooking again. Last time I was down there he was placing a Black Forest Cake on the table.

Saiko: It's probably a stress thing. Luigi is worried about Mario, and Bob is pretty fond of Boopkins. Even if he is an ass about it.

Kaizo: And what about you? You've been hounding me on being supportive for over a month. But now that I'm actually doing it you decide to give the cold shoulder?

Saiko: I'm just............worried. I know Melony and Meggy are with them, and I know they can hold their own but.......

She falls silent for a moment.

Kaizo: It's Birdie, isn't it.

She lets out a sigh. It's not Meggy or Melony she's worried about. It's Tari.

Saiko: I know she's been getting stronger lately, and she's improved so much since the incident with Pizzaface. But....... she's not the kind of fighter you and I are. And...... what if she gets hurt..... or worse and I.........

Kaizo lays a hand on her shoulder.

Saiko: I guess I'm just not used to her breaking new ground like this.......that maybe she's going too fast for her own good.

Kaizo: You can't stop her, Imōto. But you can still catch her if she falls. I know that, you know that, and I'm certain she knows that too.

She gives a slight smile, the first time since this whole situation started.

Saiko: Thanks Kaizo.

Chapter 9: Maritime Mayhem P.3

Back on the massive Ketch, we see our main group arriving at the R&R sector. Tari is busy holding back Mario while Meggy and Melony hatch a plan to get inside. With the help of Melony's ink magics and Meggy's law degree, the party now has a freshly printed temporary IP exchange contract.

Mario: halflife2fastzombie.mp3

Tari: Guys, I don't know how much longer I can hold him!

Meggy: Alright, this contract is effective for twelve hours. That should be more than enough time for us to get to the bridge, disable the artillery, and have our guys bring us home. Everybody ready?

Clench: YES! SOME TIME TODAY WOULD BE REALLY NICE!

Meggy signs the contract, and in a flash the whole party is given their disguises. Meggy becomes a Fallen Marauder, Melony becomes a Cabal Legionary, SMG4 becomes a Promethean Soldier, Boopkins becomes a Fallen Shank, Tari becomes a Corpus Crewman, and Mario becomes a Grineer Lancer.

SMG4: Okay Tari. You can let him go now.

Tari releases Mario and he is off to the nearest snack bar. R&R is actually a surprisingly nice place considering it's on a pirate's warship. They got TV, volleyball, an arcade, yoga, a library, and so on. It almost looks like they jacked an entire mini-mall. Some of the gang actually takes a moment to sit back and relax before heading to the bridge while SMG4 heads over to the bathroom to call SMG3.

SMG4: Three, this is Four. Do you read?

SMG3: Loud and cle- Dear God you're hideous! Moreso than usual, that is. Are you at the Bridge?

SMG4: Not yet. We're actually chilling out in R&R at the moment. Meggy managed to get us these temporary disguises so we can sneak in undetected. It's actually pretty nice here.

SMG3: Well, make sure you get there asap. Airship fuel ain't cheap, y'know.

SMG4: Will do. Talk to you soon. Four out.

Across R&R we see Mario sampling some delicious Grineer Protein Slurry, Boopkins playing around with some other Shanks, and Melony taking a quick cat nap on a yoga mat. SMG4 exits the bathroom and meets back up with Meggy and Tari.

Clench: I gotta say this place is REALLY nice. Oh! They have Megaman 64!

Tari: Ready to head to the bridge?

SMG4: Pretty much.

Meggy: I gotta round up the others. We'll meet you there.

Tari and SMG4 head to the bridge while Meggy meets back up with Mario, who has currently entered a food coma. The Lancer behind the Snack Bar is flabbergasted that any Grineer can down that much slurry in one go.

Meggy: C'mon Red, let's go home.

Mario: Mmmmmm So good and BURP tasty.

Back in Omnia Academy, we once again see SMG1 experimenting with the Orb the gang found in the ruins. One tap of an instrument on the Orb releases a Pingas Head.

SMG1: Hm.........

He then takes the Pingas head and touches it against the orb. On contact, the Pingas Head is reduced to a blue mote of Meme energy that the Orb reabsorbs.

SMG1: Fascinating. Two! Do you have the spare memes?

SMG2 comes in with a crate full of miscellaneous memes. The two hold hands and begin to convert the memes into energy. Just then, the Orb begins to glow and float on its own, and the floating balls of Meme energy turn blue and begin to orbit around it. In a flash, the Orb absorbs all the present energy before floating back down onto the desk. SMG1 and SMG2 are surprised to say the least.

SMG2: It looks like this Orb can draw in and produce Meme energy.

SMG1: This is not just any kind of Meme energy, Two.........

SMG1 stares at the Orb with a mix of astonishment and concern.

SMG1: This........ is Meta.

Back on the Ketch, we see that SMG4 and Tari have made it to the bridge. There are a few pirates there, mostly just Fallen Splicers and Corpus Techs with some Cabal Psions on guard. One of the Psions notices the two and goes to investigate.

Psion: Halt! What is your business here?

SMG4: Oh, um......... we're here to do some emergency maintenance on the security systems. We............ heard there were some glitches with auto-targeting and............

Psion: You're maintenance?

SMG4: Yes! Yes we are.

Psion: Then why aren't you two in the hangar? It's been radio silent for hours now.

He is an ass hair away from blowing their cover when Tari hatches an idea.

SMG4: Well........ you see....... uh........

Tari: IT'S ALSO HAPPY HOUR IN THE HANGAR!

The whole room turns their gaze to the two.

Tari: Uh, yeah! We were actually coming here to make the announcement while doing maintenance. Our latest haul was the biggest one yet! The captain wants to throw a......uh, a makeshift celebration in the hanger! Non-stop drinks and partying, and we're all invited! So........ LET'S PARTY!

The Bridge is silent, all eyes on the random Soldier and Crewman. Surely such bloodthirsty Marauders wouldn't fall for such an obvious ploy, would they?

....................

Psion: Well why didn't you say so!? Today's been such a slog fest. COME ON LADS, LET'S GO SHAKE SOME LEGS!

The whole bridge is emptied as everyone rushes to the hangar for the "party." Must've been a long day for them. Tari gets on speaker to make the "announcement" to the rest of the crew.

Tari: Attention all hands! The captain has invited everyone to a party in the Hangar to celebrate our latest haul! Drinks, snacks, and activities are all on him, so go crazy!

Cheers can be heard all across the Ketch as the crew rushes off, which means the gang has the Bridge all to themselves as Tari excitedly deactivates the ship's defenses. She also sees it has a cloaking field around it and deactivates that as well, revealing the full size of the ship to the real world. A quick cutaway gag reveals that the Ketch was indeed roughly , much to the rest of the gang's surprise as both Luigi and Whimpu faint at the sight of such a massive vessel. SMG4 chimes in on the intercom to state the obvious

SMG4: Alright, guys! You're free to approach.

SMG3: Copy that. Give us a bit and we'll pick you up.

We switch back to the Ketch's bridge where we see Meggy, Melony, and Boopkins meet back up with SMG4 and a very excited Tari.

Meggy: Well, you certainly seem proud of yourself.

Tari: I know! I mean, I don't know why but I got this sudden RUSH of energy and then it all just came to me and now we have a clear shot to get out of here!

Meggy: I guess that means we won't be needing this anymore.

She takes out the makeshift contract and marks it as VOID, allowing them to return to their normal forms.

Melony: I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to miss my bunk.

Boopkins: Aw man. I had so much fun playing with the Shanks! They're so nice when you get to know them.

Mario: The food wasn't half bad either. I wonder if we can get their recipe before we leave.

SMG4: Alright, alright. Settle down guys. SMG3 is on his way so we just have to-

Melony: WATCH OUT!!!!

Melony jumps in front of SMG4 and brings up her shield just in time to deflect an oncoming fire bolt.

SMG4: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!? I THOUGHT THE DEFENSES WERE DISABLED!

Tari: They are!

The group looks up to see their new assailant. There stood an imposing figure clad in bandages and adorned with clockwork armor. Their eyes glowed red with a burning flame from behind his mask.

Mario: Oh hello! Did you know there's a party going on?

Meggy: Red...... I don't think he's interested in that right now.

Meggy draws her bowgun and unleashes a volley of frost ammo, but the figure intercepts with a pulse that deflects the oncoming projectiles and blasts into her body. She could literally hear some of her bones snapping like twigs as she's slamming into the ground. She lies unconscious on the floor as Mario rushes to her aid. Don't worry, she still has plot armor so she didn't die, but she DEFINITELY isn't getting back up from that.

An enraged Melony immediately enters Deity Mode and rushes the assailant. However, she finds herself frozen right as her blade was about to sever his head. The assailant pulls out a gear-shaped device and places it on Melony's eye. She screams as a jolt of energy courses through her and her armor changes shape.

Tari: MELONY!!!!

She is now clad from head to toe in a similar clockwork armor as she drops to the ground. Slowly rising to her feet, she unleashes a gutteral shriek.

Tari: M-Melony?

Melony turns to her friends, no longer realizing who she is. One of her gauntlets transforms into a clockwork cannon lance.

With a jesture of his hands, the stranger commands her to attack.

Chapter 10: Maritime Mayhem Finale

So........... things aren't looking too good.

Meggy is out of commission, Boopkins is shitting himself in the corner, and Melony was just turned into a rabid death machine. Mario uses a Power Star power-up to somewhat even the odds, along with Tari putting her training to good use, but Melony's new upgrades are giving them both a run for their money.

Tari: Melony, snap out of it! It's us, you're friends!

The only reply she gets is a series of rabbit grunts as Melony swipes wildly at Tari with her blade. Tari can just barely keep up with her Glaive. SMG4 opens fire with his Shock Rifle, but the Arc bolts merely bounce off her armor plating like rubber. It does get her attention though.

SMG4: Oh poop.

Melony revs up her Cannon Lance and unleashes a hail of projectiles across the bridge. SMG4 narrowly avoids getting turned into Swiss cheese as he ducks for cover. Mario takes a different approach, going straight for the stranger for hurting Meggy. Fireballs, ice blasts, hammers, chainsaws, a piano, he throws everything he has at the bastard. But the stranger always blinks out of the way, not even paying attention to him. He seems more interested in Tari more than anything. SMG4 looks on hopelessly as Tari and Melony clash once more.

SMG4: Dammit, Three! Where the hell are you!?

We briefly cut back to SMG3's ship, where we see him fiddling with the engine. It appears they're having engine troubles and are too preoccupied to notice SMG4 calling them.

Tari keeps trying to reason with Melony even as they're locking blades, but she can't get through to her. It's like Melony is a rabid animal lashing out at everything she sees. Mario is still having no luck with the stranger, who simply swats him aside. He lands right next to Tari.

Mario: Mama Mia. What's this guy's problem?

Tari looks towards her corrupted friend and remembers the stranger placing that strange device on her eye. That must be what's driving her crazy. She looks over to Boopkins, who is still cowering in the corner, and hatches an idea.

Tari: Mario, listen to me very carefully.

SMG4 sneaks over to Meggy, who is just barely conscious at this point. He tries to drag her to safety, but Melony blocks their path. SMG4 once again opens fire but she slices the shock rifle in half and seizes him by the throat. She aims straight for her chest and he closes his eyes in anticipation of a swift end. Just when all hope is lost.......

Mario: Hey stinky!

The two look over to see Mario holding Boopkins.

Mario: Boopkins wants to show you something!

Boopkins: Mario, what are you doing?! AAAHHHH.

Mario tosses Boopkins closer to Melony, who drops SMG4 and shifts her focus to a new target. She slowly approaches Boopkins, dragging her Cannon Lance across the ground. The stranger looks up in curiosity to see Tari flying above. He seems interested in what she has planned. Boopkins proceeds to show Melony a variety of Anime oriented media. Body pillows, figurines, bath water samples, he shows her everything.

Boopkins: A-and this is my favorite Korone Chan pen, and m-my Mori Calliope mouse pad, and my Kronii backpack.

Melony is not interested and rears up her blade.

Boopkins: W-WAIT, HERE'S SOMETHING YOU GOT ME LAST CHRISTMAS!!!!

In a last ditch effort, he pulls out an old comic of his. This actually gives Melony a pause. She recognizes this one. There's a special line of text that reads...........

"In loving memory of renowned manga artist Axol Leonardo Lotle."

Her weapon detaches from her arm as she gently takes the comic from Boopkins' hands. It's the final volume of Two Piece. It was then she remembered him. The time they spent together. The bed he got for her. The anime he made for her. The times he protected her innocence. The sacrifice he made for his friends.......... and the vow she made to protect them.

Axol: Thanks for the adventure.

It was then that Tari descended onto Melony.

Tari: Rule number four!

As Melony desperately tries to shake her off Tari clutches onto the device over her eye. With a mighty pull and a shout, she rips the device off of Melony's face. Tari falls onto her back and Melony falls onto her hands and knees. The stranger watches as tears begin to fall from her eyes and onto the shattered clockwork mask.

Melony: sobs..........sigh......pant......NGAAAH!

Having returned to her senses, Melony summons the Fierce Deity Sword and unleashes a wrathful torrent of energy slashes in the direction of the stranger. He merely summons a barrier and deflects each and every slash, leaving Melony exhausted. He raises his palm, and an orb of burning red energy coalesces into his palm. It seems as though he's gonna finish the job himself. Tari springs back to her feet and steps between Melony and the stranger right as he unleashes a blast of concentrated energy. A bright flash consumes the room. The stranger had expected them to be obliterated.

But that wasn't the case.

When the light faded, we see Tari holding the ball of energy. We see raw power coursing up her arm and across her chest as the ball changes from red to blue. The stranger was actually impressed. Most others would've been reduced to ash.

Clench: Hey asshole! You drop this?!

A defiant smile creeps across her face, and with a mighty yell she hurls the energy ball back at the stranger. A thunderous boom can be heard across the ship as a blinding light consumes the room.

In the next scene, Tari finds herself back aboard their own ship in a bunk. She gets up and wipes the sleep from her eyes.

Tari: Ugh...... what happened? Melony? Boopkins?

She sees Boopkins is right by her bunk.

Boopkins: Tari, you're awake! Oh thank goodness.

She gets to her feet right as Saiko enters the room.

Tari: Saiko?

Saiko: TARI!!!! Oh thank God you're okay!

She immediately rushes in and gives Tari a big hug. Tari reciprocates, but notices a commotion going on in the other room. The two head over to the other bedroom and see Meggy lying in a bunk as Whimpu takes a look at her injuries with SMG4 by his side. Melony and Mario are sitting on another bunk when they notice the three walk in.

Melony: Tari! Glad you're awake. How are you doing?

Tari: A little sore and in need of a tune up, but otherwise I'm doing good.

Mario: THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED! The guy was like WOOOOOM and you were like NOOOOOO and he was like PEW but then you were like NUH UH and he was like "huh" and you were like KABOOM! It was lots-a fun!

Whimpu and SMG4 continue to scan Meggy and gets an assessment of her condition.

Meggy: See?...... I'll be fine. Just....ngh a little roughed up, is all.

She actually seems to be doing pretty good for the most part despite the multiple compound and hairline fractures, shattered sternum, fractured skull, third degree burns on her chest, punctured lung, ruptured kidney, internal bleeding, and the fact that she most certainly has a severe concussion.

SMG4: Well....... at least her plot armor seems to be holding up.

Meggy: Yaaaaaaaayyyy.

He contacts SMG3 on the comms.

SMG4: Hey Three. How fare out are we from the Castle?

SMG3: About a mile out. The ginger still breathing?

SMG4: For the most part. We are out of painkillers, though.

SMG3: Alright. Just hold on tight and we'll be back home in time for linner. Three out.

Boopkins notices the marks surrounding Melony's bloodshot eye.

Boopkins: Hey, you should probably get something for that.

Melony: Oh, it's fine Boopkins. Whimpu already checked it out, said there wasn't any serious damage.

Belle enters the room alongside Kaizo.

Belle: We're about a minute out from the Castle.

SMG4: Mario, give me a hand.

Mario: Okie Dokie.

The two help Meggy sit up. She doesn't seem to be doing so hot anymore.

SMG4: Try to stay with us, okay?

Meggy: I make no promises.....

SMG4: I'm serious.

Meggy: Heh.... hi serious, NGH....I'm Meggy.

SMG4: Alright, on three. One, two, THREE!

Her body is racked with pain as Mario and SMG4 help her to her feet and out the door.

Mario: You're doing good Meggy!

Meggy: Thanks Red, I- UGH!!

SMG4: Woah, easy!

Meggy: COUGH KAF KAF COUGH ......Oh geez......

She spits out a lump of bloody snot as she begins fading in and out, much to Mario and SMG4's concern.

SMG4: We need to get going. Now.

The trio proceed on their way to the top deck as Meggy continues to cough up blood. It's gonna be a long day.

Chapter 11: Tender Love & Care

It's a relatively calm day in the Castle as Karen tidys up. You see, SMG3 made a deal with Karen that Depresso would babysit her kids if she agreed to upkeep the Castle while the Gang was gone.

Karen: I wonder how Clownie is doing....... Eh, I'm sure he'll be fine.

So far it's been going well.......... for Karen. A quick cutaway gag reveals Depresso stuck to the wall with duct tape. Katie is the only one actually trying to help him while Zack is busy playing Call of Duty and Cory is just spinning around in place.

Karen had just fed BEEG SMG4 when she notices SMG3 coming in through the front door.

SMG3: Honey! We're home!

Karen: Oh, hi Three. How was your trip? You all make it back alive?

SMG3: Just barely. Speaking of which, is the guest room open?

Karen: Of course. Why do you ask?

We see Tari and Melony rushing in.

Melony: SMG3, we need that guest room. Tari, you get the medical supplies from the Storage room.

Tari: On it!

Karen: Woah woah woah, what's going - GASP!!!!

Karen is shocked to see Mario and SMG4 carrying a barely conscious and bloody Meggy.

Karen: CHRIST ALMIGHTY, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?!?

SMG4: It's a long story.

Karen opens the guestroom and readies the bed as the three make their way in. They gently and carefully lay Meggy on the bed as Tari enters the room with an IV and some medical supplies.

Karen: Alright, set it up over here.

Back in the Main Hall, we see Whimpu and Melony going over Meggy's condition. Melony seems....... out of it. Everything is muffled and there's this ringing in her ears. She jumps when she feels Luigi touching her shoulder, snapping her out of her daze.

Luigi: Melony?

Melony: Oh, Luigi. It's just you.

Luigi: Is there something wrong?

Melony: Sorry, sorry. Zoned out for a bit there. It's just........ where do we even start?

Karen comes out of the guestroom to give an update.

Karen: I had Tari ready an IV for Meggy. That should help with the internal bleeding.

Luigi: I have more painkillers ready, and Mario is off to get some One-Ups from the garden.

Karen: Hold up! That much rapid healing with this many injuries could cause more complications. We don't wanna risk anything healing backwards or upside down.

Luigi: Oh. Okay.

Karen: We also need to dial back on the painkillers a bit until she's stable. She has a concussion, so we need to keep her awake for right now. Any more right now and she'll ABSOLUTELY black out.

Whimpu: You really do know your way around medicine.

Karen: You kinda have to when you're a single mom with four kids. Melony?

Melony: Hm?

Karen: I need you to hold her down while SMG4 realigns the bones and applies the sutures. Can you do that.

Melony: Yes ma'am.

Karen: Luigi, I need you to get the plaster ready for the casts.

Luigi: Okie Dokie.

Tari steps out while holding her left shoulder.

Tari: SMG4 is ready with the sutures.

Karen: Alright. I'm gonna look and see if anyone else needs some help.

Melony and Luigi go back into the Guest Room while Karen goes off to meet with SMG3. Saiko comes in and notices Tari headed for the bathroom. Once she's inside, Tari heads for the sink and takes a deep breath as she removes her jacket. The left side of her shirt is bloody. She winces as she removes her shirt and sees that her left shoulder is covered in burn marks that stretch across her chest and up her neck. That's when Saiko knocks on the door.

Saiko: You okay in there?

Tari opens the door a crack

Tari: Yeah I'm just getting changed.

Saiko: Tari....... I can see the blood. Let me help.

Now knowing she can't hide it, Tari reluctantly allows Saiko to enter. To say she was concerned about Tari's condition is an understatement.

Saiko: Jesus......

Tari: It's fine, really. I can handle it. You should be concerned about Meg-

Saiko suddenly pulls Tari into a hug, much to her surprise.

Saiko: I should've been there. I could've helped. I could've smashed that thing and kept it from taking you, I........ I'm sorry.

Tears begin to well up in Saiko's eyes. Seeing Tari hurt like this makes her wish that she had been there. Maybe things could've gone differently, maybe they wouldn't, but that doesn't matter right now to Tari. She gently wipes the tears from Saiko's face.

Tari: What matters is that you're here now.

Back in the Guest Room, Meggy is screaming her lungs out as Melony holds her still and SMG4 reinserts the last compound fracture. Mario holds her hand as tears stream down her face.

SMG4: And.........done!

Meggy: NGH.......AGH.......pant.......pant Okay.........Okay...........

Melony steps out of the way as SMG4 gets to work on the sutures. Meggy winces with every pull of thread.

Meggy: Hey Mario. You wanna play Super Smash Each Other In The Ass Bros after this?

Mario: Meggy, I don't think-

SMG4: No, that's good! Mario, keep her engaged while I finish up here.

While SMG4 finishes with the sutures as Meggy and Mario are talking, Melony's leans against the wall holding herself. Luigi comes in with a tub of casting plaster.

Luigi: Plaster is ready. You sure you don't want any painkillers?

Meggy: Yep. Doc said my brain is bleeding, remember?

Luigi: Whimpu never said that! He said you had a concussion!

Meggy: Eh, Tomato Miyamoto.

SMG4: That's not how it goes, but she's right. She needs to stay awake, and if she takes anything right now it could be lights out. Melony, I'm gonna need you to hold her still again...... Melony?....... MELONY.

Melony: Oh, right! On it.

She places her hands on Meggy as Luigi readies the plaster.

Meggy: Bring it on, doc!

Luigi: Okay, here it goes.

Kaizo is entering the Main Hall when he hears the screaming. Meggy tightens her grip on Mario's hand and Meggy's shoulder as Luigi applies the cast. Mario keeps trying to pep talk Meggy as Melony holds her.

Mario: It's okay Meggy! Just think about video games and Ramen!

Luigi: Keep her still, I think I got it!

Melony keeps mentally repeating "I can do this" as the noise gets louder, but even that's getting drowned out. Meggy's screaming, Mario and Luigi's yelling, the increasing grip pressure on her shoulder, it's beginning to overwhelm her. It's too much as her breathing gets faster and faster as she can hear her heart beating in her ears. That's when SMG4 gives her a light tap on the shoulder.

SMG4: Alright, Melony. You can-

It's too much. Without warning, she jumps back and backs herself against the wall, hyperventilating as she holds her head and begins to tear up.

SMG4: Melony?

Kaizo is caught off guard as Melony rushes out of the Guest Room, right past him, and straight into the Storage Room before shutting the door. Everybody is shocked, unsure what to make of what just happened as Kaizo enters the Guest Room.

Kaizo: So, um......... is the ginger still alive?

Meggy takes a deep breath as the pain subsides for a moment.

Meggy: Yeah........ I'm good.......... But I think Melony..........

Kaizo: I saw. I'll look into it. Also, the cat said that you should be good to start on painkillers again. Keep it to small doses, though.

Meggy: Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyy.

SMG4: Thank's, Kaizo. We have things covered here.

In the Storage Room we see Melony curled up into a ball and quietly sobbing in the corner as the door creeks open. She doesn't even acknowledge Kaizo standing right beside her.

Kaizo: Hey......... can you talk to me?

She shakes her head. Kaizo notices red splotches seeping out from under the clockwork armor. She's been wearing it since they had escaped the Ketch. He kneels down and keeps his voice low.

Kaizo: Look. I know I'm not too good with this whole "comfort" thing, but I can see that you're hurt. And I want to help.

She slowly meets his gaze.

Kaizo: So......... what do you need?

She waits a moment before signing "Take it off, slowly" before raising her arm to him.

Kaizo: Alright.

She winces as Kaizo gently removes the gauntlet, revealing a pattern of circuit shaped wounds underneath. The arm and armor are both covered in blood.

Kaizo: Damn........ is the rest of it like this?

She nods, signing "I wanted to make sure she was okay first". Kaizo takes a deep breath.

Kaizo: Alright......... let's get the rest of this junk off of you so you can wash off.

Tari and Saiko exit the bathroom, with Tari's arm and chest wrapped in bandages. They see Kaizo exiting the Storage Room with Melony, now bereft of that armor and covered with a blanket.

Tari: Melony?! Oh my God what happened?!

Kaizo: She........ had a bit of an emergency. Don't worry, it's all under control now.

Melony signs "he actually helped out a lot" with a smile.

Tari: Is there anything we can do to help?

Kaizo: Yeah. Is the Bath Room open? Because she is in desperate need of a bath.

Tari: Sure thing! C'mon Melony, let's get you cleaned up.

Melony signs "thank you" to Kaizo as Tari escorts her to the Bath Room. He notices Saiko smiling too.

Kaizo: What?

Saiko: Nothing. C'mon, let's go check in on Meggy.

They both head over to the Guest Room. Judging by the lack of screaming, they're done with applying the casts. They've also started on painkillers judging by the copious amounts of giggling. In the room we see Mario sitting beside her on the bed, letting her rest her head on his shoulder while they watch meme compilations on his phone. We see Karen and SMG3 talking with SMG4 and Luigi, with Karen handing SMG4 a jar of green liquid.

Karen: This is a diluted extract from the One-Ups Mario gathered. Put an ounce of this in her IV once per day and once per night. If all goes well, she'll be back on her feet in two weeks.

SMG4: Understood.

Kaizo and Saiko enter the room.

Saiko: Everybody still alive?

Luigi: Alive and well! Say, where's Tari and Melony.

Saiko: Kaizo helped Melony out with her armor and Tari is helping her clean up.

Saiko didn't say it directly, but she was proud of Kaizo. Those kindness lessons were really paying off.

Kaizo: How's the shortstack?

Karen: Well, we got everything patched up the best we can for right now. I'm having someone come over to help monitor. I gotta head back home and make sure my kids haven't killed Mr. Depresso.

SMG3: Thanks for everything, Karen. We all owe you one.

As Melony steps out of the shower and Tari helps dry her off, a knocking on the front door can me heard. They head over to the front door and Tari is surprised to see.........

Tari: Whisk!?

Whisk: Hey guys. My mom called and said you needed some help.

Tari excitedly welcomes her inside. We zoom out from the Castle as Whisk is introduced to the rest of the gang.

Tari: Guys, look!

Karen: Hey Whisky, glad you could make it.

Luigi: Whisky?

Whisk: Mom, I told you not to call me that in front of others!

Meggy: MOM!?

Karen: Oh, so you've met my daughter.

Tari: Wait, Whisk is your daughter?

Meggy: Karen's your mom!?

Mario: And I'm-a Mario!

SMG4: MARIO!

This goes on for the rest of the night.

#smg4 fanfic #smg4 au #smg4 #smg4 tari #Nexus!AU

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