Rebooted

Tari: Lucinia! I know you can hear me! I'm sorry I was involved in what Sheridan did to you! But I wanna say thank you! Because I also got to meet some amazing friends!

Lucinia, on Lo's arm: Oh Tari...

Tari: Tell Sofia I'm sorry for hanging up on her! And tell Lamar I loved listening to him talk about anime! And tell Masa... Thank you for making me a part of the team! Tell them all... I will miss them...

(As the surgery begins, Lo starts to feel calm, as if he's accepting his fate)

Lo: I'm sorry, Tari. Robo-arm, initiate the dismounting protocol.

(As Lo starts to turn into dust, his arm activates a timer on the protocol. That, in question, would be activated if either the arm's affected by malware or an upgraded version's about to be inserted. Lo then smiles as a chime indicates that his share had finally been restored)

(Meanwhile, somewhere around the building, a pod opens up. Lucinia, having been unconscious for over two years, opens her eyes once more to find a run-down room)

Lucinia: (looks at herself) I'm back... (notices the laid-out robot arm, which looked like Lo's) Wait... didn't he...

(But then, she notices her other size, to find Lo awake and missing an arm)

Lo: Well... I just assumed some people are more radiant when they're out of bed.

Lucinia: (hugs Lo) Lo! Thank goodness you're alive. Wait... did it work?

Lo: (looks at his arm) Well I think it is. Guess I had enough time to leave after bringing you back.

Lucinia: Lo, thank you for getting my body back in one piece. (starts to feel more confident) & I think you deserved a reward for someone like me.

(As Lucinia starts to pucker up, which she believed was a standard reward for heroes who saved the princess, Lo gladly stops her with his other arm)

Lo: I think you need to save it for later. (suddenly hears Evelyn ranting in the other room) Because there'd be someone who'd deserve them more right now.

Lucinia: (fistbumps Lo on his chest) Thanks, man.

(As Lucinia heads onto Evelyn & socks her, Lo suddenly notices the Ultra Jump Mania cartridge. Knowing on the first time he met Tari & Theo, he takes it & heads out of the room, not noticing that the Project Blue emblem is embedded on the screen)

~0's Lair~

(After the storm had settled, Maya gets up, noticing a seemingly dead Mario in her arms. The gang then went to approach both of them)

Luigi: B-bro? Please talk to me. Are you ok?!

Maya: Yo... this has to be a joke, right.

Kel: Guys... I think we'd be a little too late.

(As the gang starts to feel heartbroken thinking that Mario died, the gang starts to tear up, including Maya. But then, Nishaki notices that his right arm's reverted to normal)

Mario: (opens his eyes & notices Maya, thinking it was his mom) Mama? Can I have spaghetti now, please?

Luigi: (notices & hugs him) GUYS! HE'S FINE!

(the gang celebrates seeing he's ok)

Tari: Ohh Mario! You gave us quite a scare!

Melony: (hugs his assumed father) Yay ^-^

Mario: (notices Maya, who's very desperate) Maya, (starts blushing) thanks for the rescue.

Maya: (rushes to hug him while crying) I'm so glad you're still ok!!!

Mario: Maya... you're... hugging me too... tight.

Maya: Oh, sorry. (lets go of him)

Boopkins: Yay, the gang's all here.

(As the gang rejoices, Maya suddenly notices a piece of paper at her feet. Looking at it, she noticed the blueprints on what appeared to be a drone. But upon further inspection, she knows that the human near it looked familiar)

~RustWorks~

Marco: Glad you're back in one piece, Lo. Not to mind the lost arm like Golden Boy back here.

Lo: Ah, it's nothing. I can get another one if I could.

(As the gang shows up, Sofia rushes to hug her sister. By then, Lo heads forward to hug Bo)

Bo: Oh... Lo. What a surprise.

Lo: Please stop, mom. I missed you so much.

(Feeling like a final piece of her memory's restored, Bo hugs his son back. But then, Lo notices Tari, lifeless on the couch)

Sofia: She said goodbye before she disconnected... She's not coming back, is she...?

Lo: (feels a little down) Sorry. (looks at his disconnected arm) & it could've been me too.

Lamar: (Voice breaking) First Theo, and now Tari...

Lucinia: The last thing she said to us was that she was going to miss all of you. (The others shake their head and sigh sadly...) Even though we barely met,- it feels like I've always known her... (gently strokes her fingers through Tari's hair) And now that she's gone, it feels like a piece of me is missing too... Thank you, Tari...

~MD-5 Hideout~

(A few days after the incident, the remaining MD-5 members walk into their old ramen shop hangout. Masa starts to look around as Sofia gives Lucinia a small tour of the place. Meanwhile, Lo had arrived with a new Meta-Runner arm courtesy of Marco)

Sofia: And this is our hideout! This is my workbench! This is our gaming area! This is Masa's room!

Lamar: Good to be back, isn't it?

Masa: Yeah, just wish everyone was here... (puts up a picture frame featuring Tari, Theo, Lo & Zel back in early 2019) Tari... I may have started MD-5... But you're the one that kept us together. All of us here owe everything to you. (Lamar pulls up Tari's clothes and gives them to Masa as he sets them down on the counter in front of the picture)

Lo: Apparently, I might have something with me during those final moments. (reveals the cartridge with the emblem) It still makes me remember the first days with them.

Belle: Thanks, man. (sets the cartridge down as she tears up.) I promised I'd get you out of TAS Corp.

Lamar: We're never gonna forget you guys...

Sofia: And everything you did for us...

Lucinia: I just hope that I can make it worth your sacrifices...

Lo: Well... I guess it's time for me to go. My mom has all the parts to head back, & I am glad to have you all as my friends.

Bo: (activates the portal generator, enveloping a blue-violet hue) We're all set, son.

Lo: To be honest, I wished you all would come with me back to my universe, but this city is truly where you belong, & I wouldn't care less.

Masa: hehe, true.

Lamar: Hope you have some safe travels, man.

(As Lo walks to the portal, Lucinia feels that she can't hold it any longer)

Lucinia: Lo, wait. (As Lo turns around, she promptly kissed him as a reward for getting her back earlier)

Lo: (steadily blushes) Luce...

Lucinia: Good luck back in your world.

Lo: Thanks. (to the MD-5) It was truly an honor to spend time with all of you. Goodbye, & thank you for the adventure.

(As Lo & his mother hop into the portal, it eventually disappears, leaving the five again one last time)

Masa: There goes the best rookie we ever had.

Sofia: ...Hey, so, if you two are joining MD-5... We have to give you guys your INITIATION!!! (drags Belle off.)

Belle, feeling like she's not gotta like it: Hey! Get off me! No! I change my mind! I don't want to-

(As her sister laughs it off, Lucinia proceeds to join them)

Lamar: Cool! I will get the hot sauce and earmuffs! (heads off)

(Masa chuckles and takes one last look at the picture of Tari and Theo, then goes off to where the girls are.)

Masa: Come on, Belle! Tari and Theo went through it just fine back then in the day!

(As the gang heads off for initiation, they didn't notice the numbers on the cartridge, which might lead to a certain server)

End of Ch. 45/ The Meta Era