"Wait! Did you just KILL Sonic?" Samus asks incredulously.

"Relax, Lady, my MK. 2 Pistol was armed with Tranquilizer rounds" Snake responds as he lights a cigarette. "Sonic the ADD Rodent will wake up in a few hours."

"That's a relief Soldier, but WHAT may I ask are you doing here?" inquires Magnus.

"My partner and I got an anonymous tip that a shadow organization has been tracking the contributions of the man known as Phantom_Leo. The trail lead me here" replies Snake.

"Partner? Shadow Organization? This sounds a bit far fetched to me. Wasn't this all just a staged attempt by Mario to discredit Leo just because he tends to favor Samus' games over his?" questions a puzzled Magnus.

"Hardly." Snake growls in return "There's a lot of obvious pieces to the whole picture here that ALL of you have missed."

Snake crouches, taps a small bone in his ear and says "Otacon, Report!"

The Xbox kiosk suddenly comes to life, displaying the face of a bespectacled, dark-haired man. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose and begins to speak. "So much for a stealth mission, eh Snake? Why do things always end up this way?" Otacon curiously asks.

"Anyway... Snake and I were scouring the internet for information as we always do. Certain posts on certain sites always seemed to get an astronomical amounts of hits. Weekly Virtual Console Updates, a Street Fighter IV thread... Sometimes daily, always weekly, gamers visit these topics and the strangest phenomena occurs. They read these topics and they suddenly feel compelled to buy the games Leo writes about. They tell two friends and they tell two friends. There's a sudden spike in the sales of the games Leo even just mentions. His posts act like a digital Fox-Die, but it's not only the gamers that read the actual post, The gamers THEY come into contact seem to react too. There seems to be something in his DNA, a gamers gene that resonates and is picked up on by all but those have built up a resistance to him. This caught our attention for personal reasons, but imagine what would happen to the industry if someone with the influence of Leo fell into the wrong hands. A sizable chunk of the Global Economy would be theirs for the taking!" explains Otacon.

"There's more to it than just that, though." Snake turns to the crowd and says. "Look at this guy's Sleeper Topic. Not only does he help shape the current gaming market, he's the worlds biggest historian of gaming's past! Otacon's done scans of this guy's brainwaves. It's all in there!

The Wii kiosk illuminates and the Virtual Console boots. Nigel from Landstalker appears on the screen. "What they say is true. Dvader took the time to play my game cause he was inspired by Leo's blogs." Gilius Thunderhead shoves him aside. "Mae naem wood-uh bin forgottun, ef noot for Leo and Steel!" A huge robotic suit comes into view. "GG wouldn't have even known of me and my game, Metal Warrior's existence if not for Leo!"

"Hey!" yells War. "You're not even ON the Virtual Console yet! What are you doing there?"

"You have no idea just how many games sit on Nintendo's servers just waiting to be released! Don't worry though, you'll be seeing me eventually!" replies the mech.

"Now. I'm no Hero" continues Snake "But I know one when I see one. This guy practically single-handedly champions the entire video game industry. He preserves it's past and protects it's future just by being who he is, naturally. Today's generation of gamers knows the names of much of gaming's past due to this guy."

"Who then would benefit most by discrediting him?" asks Samus. "Who would reap the most profits if gaming's history was erased and Leo was taken out of the picture?"

The crowd turns first to Mario, then to his "Lieutenant" by his side. It's Magnus that speaks first. "Mario. You were angered before when Sonic mentioned Iwata's name. Why... and... Wait a moment! Why is Wii Sports Resort by your side? Where is your brother, Luigi?!"

"About time" Snake utters under his breath.

"No-a please, don't ask-a me these questions! He told-a me he would kill him if I-a spoke!" Mario pleads.

"Mario" Samus says as she approaches him. "This... this was all to protect your brother? I aimed my cannon at you. You stood your ground. All of this was for Luigi? Why didn't you just come to me? I could have helped you. I'm... so, so Sorry!"

"Ahhhh. No Samus. I should have-a trusted my friends. I will-a speak now."

"These-a days, Iwata-san is like-a a possessed man. He talks-a about a new-a age of gaming where-a Casuals rule. He-a said, though, if the New Age were to-a happen, gaming's history would-a have to be erased. Leo has-a worked for Nintendo before, but-a he grew too powerful on-a his own. He grew-a to love all of-a gaming. Iwata-san felt-a threatened by this. He took-a my brother. He bribed-a Sonic."

"Poor little guy" says Samus "He hasn't been able to catch a break these last few years. No wonder..."

Mario continues: "His-a plan A was to have us discredit-a Leo... and if-a that didn't work..."

"Uh-oh. I don't like where this is going" interrupts Otacon.

"Ah... You see... Having-a access to a device that prints-a money has it's-a advantages. Iwata-san has-a used his unlimited money from the sales of the DS and-a the Wii to the fund the development of a Bi-Pedal-a Tank capable of Launching a Nuclear Strike or an EMP Pulse from anywhere in-a the world! Either we-a succeed or Iwata-san cleans-a the slate of the entire industry him-a-self or destroys the world-a trying." Mario pauses.

Solid Snake throws his cigarette to the ground. "Otacon..." "Yeah, I know Snake, there's a new mission objective" Otacon finishes his sentence. "I'll get started trying to find intel on the Hangar."

Mario starts to look worried. "Don't worry" Snake assures him "I've done this before." Snake scans the faces in the room. "I usually work alone, but here we have assembled some of the greatest Heroes the world has ever known. I'm counting on all of you for the successful execution of this mission. Objective One will be to rescue Luigi. Objective Two will be the termination of Iwata's plans... one way or another."

"Anyone have any questions?"

(To be concluded in the FINAL episode of The Legend of the Leo: Iwata Gear Solid...!)

It takes only a few minutes for Otacon to locate the hangar "550 Madison Avenue! Right here in Manhattan!" he shouts. "Hey isn't that the..."

Otacon's image blinks off the Xbox kiosk screen and is replaced by a white-haired, younger man with a haunted look on his face "I'm on my way now Snake. If the intel is correct, the second base in SoHo is barely even guarded. Surprising. You would think the President of Nintendo would have planned better than this."

"Careful Raiden, you could be walking into a trap. Stay on your toes!" offers Snake.

"I will Snake. Thanks and Good Luck to you."

"Mario. We won't ask you to fight against Iwata. Seeing you would immediately tip him off anyway. You stay here and keep an eye on our little Blue Sleeping Beauty." Snake points a finger at the unconscious Sonic.  "Mega Man, War, Samus you're with me. Kratos! Are you coming?"

"I SAY LET THE LITTLE GREEN FUCKER DIE!" mocks Kratos "YOU CAN FIGHT IWATA-SAN. THIS ISN'T MY BATTLE!"

"The God of War, backing down from a fight? That's a bit suspicious." remarks Magnus.

"HA! YOU'LL SEE MORTAL. YOU'LL SEE." chuckles Kratos, all too knowingly.

"...and Snake, you forgot to mention me. I'm coming too." states Magnus.

"I'm sorry, you Honor, but can you fight if need be?" Snake asks.

"Trust me Soldier, I have fought more battles than the rest of you combined. I think I can hold my own." Magnus responds as he taps something in his shirt pocket. "Now, how are we getting there?"

"I've got THAT covered" answers Samus. She taps a button on the arm of her Suit and a Crimson and Yellow Gunship lands outside the store. "Everyone get in quick, before any Humans can spot my ship!"

_____________________

An hour passes and the scene changes to find the heroes crouching behind an overturned workbench in Iwata Gear's Hangar. Chain gun fire rains down around them pinning them down.

"RAIDEN COME IN. DO YOU HAVE HIM? RESPOND!" Snake shouts.

At first nothing but static is heard, after what seems like an eternity, a tinny voice rings out from Snake's codec: "Luigi is safe, Snake! ...but, the funny thing is: I only had to get naked once, Procure a single Card Key, endure 30 seconds of torture and fight a single Boss-Battle to find him! This was a very shoddy operation on Iwata's part" reports Raiden.

"A boss-battle?" asks Snake "Who did you fight? Was it a member of Foxhound?"

"No. It was some Robot with a Glass Bowl on his head." replies Raiden. "According to the rented security guards, this Dr. Nefarious guy was the only villain who was available!"

"Nefarious? What the hell was HE doing there?" questions Snake disbelievingly. "This mission is getting stranger by the min..."

A Rail-Gun blast opens a seven-foot diameter hole in the wall just to the left of the heroes.

"EVERYONE SCATTER! HE CAN'T TARGET ALL OF US AT ONCE!" shouts Snake. "RAIDEN HAS LUIGI, WE CAN GO ON THE OFFENSIVE!"

War and Samus are the first to respond. War draws his Chaos Eater sword and points it at the foot of the bi-pedal tank. Purple energy crackles around him as he gathers un-Earthly power. He breaks into a run, his now-ignited Sword extended straight ahead of him. He propels himself like a rocket towards his foe. A blazing trail is left behind him as his sword strikes its intended target and...

...nothing. It is deflected off the armor with nary a scratch...

At that moment, Samus somersaults through the air in a blaze of energy aiming at the mid-section of the tank.

Down on the ground, War strikes again. Combo. Combo. Combo. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

An arm-like Rail-Gun swats away Samus' Screw Attack like she is nothing but a fly...

...War, in the middle of transforming into his Chaos Form, is crushed against a wall by the other arm and falls, unconscious, to the ground.

"War is down and one of Samus' strongest attacks did nothing! On top of it all, this has got to be the most agile model I've encountered yet" remarks Snake. "How is Iwata doing it?"

"Mega Man see if you can draw his fire!" orders Magnus.

Mega Buster shots are fired. Boomerangs fly. Lightning erupts from the Blue Bomber's Cannon. Metal Blades whiz through the air. Nothing phases the behemoth Tank.

"Snake?" shouts Magnus.

Snake is crouched once again behind the workbench, high-powered binoculars in his hand. "I can see Iwata. He's standing on top of the tank's cockpit. Wires and Cables are attached to his arms, legs and head. Every move he makes, the Tank makes. That's quite an interface. He looks like a murderous Puppeteer."

As if on cue, Iwata slams down his fist and a Rail Gun arm slams the ground, narrowly missing Mega Man as he slides out of the way.

"Otacon, we're in trouble here, send in our back-up!" Snake says as he too rolls out of the way. Once again, a rail-gun arm smashes down, destroying the workbench; the only cover the Heroes had.

"We need to buy some time to make a plan! Samus!" Snake shouts. "The sensors around the cockpit. Can you see them?"

"Of course" she answers. Samus targets the Optic, Infra-Red, and Night-Vision sensors on the "head" of the tank simultaneously and Ice-Missles fly. They freeze instantly. Success!

Temporarily blinded, an enraged Iwata's howls fill the air. Chain gun fire erupts everywhere. A Rail-Gun blast is fired at the team. Samus dives in front of Snake and Magnus, shielding them, but at a cost. Her Varia Suit shorts and she is reduced to her most basic form of Power Armor.

"Iwata can still use his EYES, Heroes!" he mocks from far above!

The Chain Guns begin to whine again as Snake shouts: "OTACON WHERE IS THAT BACK UP?!"

It arrives. A heavy mist fills the cavern, completely obscuring Iwata's view.

"If Iwata did one thing right, it was that you can't reach him at the top of the Tank!" says a now panicking Otacon. It was true. The inside of the Hangar offers no girders to climb, no points to grapple from. It was completely emptied of any objects that could be used in a situation such as this.

"Mega Man! Can you teleport out and back in to the top platform?" asks Snake.

"No, Snake, Sorry. I have two bars of Energy left. I can't teleport out and I have very few attacks left. I can't use the Time-Stopper again, either" Mega states, looking worried.

"Samus, what about your Gun Ship? Can we blow a whole in the roof and attack from the outside?" Magnus offers.

"In the middle of Manhattan, Your Honor? Do you know how the Humans in this city would react to THAT? That's NOT an option!" she replies, more sarcastically than she would have liked.

The Mist in the air gathers into the form of a Huge Bat which takes off towards the power-mad President, but it's no use, the moment the mist clears the Heroes are left vulnerable and the Rail-Guns power again. The mist quickly disperses throughout the air again before Iwata is given the chance to fire.

"Nice attempt, Alucard, but now's not the time!" Snake gives as Thanks. "We're running out of time and options people! Anyone have any ideas?"

"I am at a loss" says an almost defeated sounding Magnus...

Rev, rev, rev, revvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv...! SQEAK! A sound is heard from outside the doors of the hangar as they suddenly burst open and a Blue and Red streak speeds by Snake and crew in the blink of an eye!

Ricocheting between the feet, knee and hip joints of the tank, Sonic looks like a Azure Pinball battering against the monsterous Enemy's exterior. His assault continues and escalates 'til the human eye can no longer track his incredible speed. Pummeling the tank millions of times in a few mere seconds works! The legs buckle underneath the Tank and it falls to the ground!

Barely winded, Sonic stops, turns towards the Heroes and gives them a thumbs-up!

Even the veteran Snake is shocked: "Sonic? Thank You... But. How? You should still be asleep!"

Sonic shrugs his shoulders, utters the words "Fast Metabolism" and speeds off into the night...

"People! Now's our chance!" Magnus bellows like a War-Cry.

They scramble to the top platform of the downed Tank and there Iwata stands, seething at the Heroes. "Iwata will not be so easily defeated!" Iwata starts to motion his legs and the Metal Gear begins to rise. "Iwata will reduce this city to ashes!"

"No you won't." says Snake who has snuck up behind Iwata and grabs him from behind.

"YOU FOOL" screams Iwata as he begins to struggle and the tank continues to rise.

"Magnus?!" shouts Snake. "You said you can fight, right? Now would be a good time...!"

Magnus reaches into his front pocket and reveals a deck of Tarot Cards. He shuffles the deck and draws only one.

"DEATH! How very appropriate!" muses Magnus.

The Grim Reaper appears and with a Huge Scythe cuts the wires and cords attached to Iwata's body in one fell swoop. The Tank crumples to the ground once more.

"You! Get out of my way!" commands Alucard as he rushes past The Phantasmic Cloaked Skeleton, giving him a dirty look...

"DARK METAMORPHASIS!" he yells as mirror images of Alucard materialize around the stunned Iwata, striking him and sapping his energy. Iwata falls to the ground.

All falls silent in the hangar for a moment, as the tired Heroes survey the situation. Is it over?

Iwata's shoulders begin to shake as his laugh pierces the silence!

"IWATA WILL NOT FAIL. IWATA will rule this industry and the WORLD!" he screams maniacally.

The body of Iwata starts to shimmer and warp. His flesh turns red and starts to harden. Pincers replace what were his hands. In his place A GIANT ENEMY CRAB stands!

"What kind of MAGIC is this?" asks a stunned Alucard and Magnus at the same time.

Without a moment's hesitation, Snake leaps on top of the crab, grabbing and lifting both pincers at the same time. "MEGA, DO YOU SEE IT?"

To no one's surprise a Glowing Red Spot flashes on the underbelly of the Crab. "I do!" he replies to Snake. He charges his Mega Buster for a moment and fires.

MASSIVE DAMAGE is done to the Crab as it lets out a high-pitched screech!

The crab starts to fall, but it is Iwata that hits the ground.

"Is it over now?" asks Samus.

"It is NOT!" Iwata answers. He taps a button on a device on his ear which comes to life with an eery blue glow. A black monolith standing at the rear of the platform responds with a BEEP! and a boot sequence begins!

"Do you think Iwata didn't plan for this? Do you think Iwata only devised ONE way to control his masterpiece?" he says.

"Why is he talking like that, in the third person?" asks Samus. "Is that a Blue-Tooth headset he's wearing?" asks Snake. "Nintendo doesn't use Blue-Tooth. What's going on here?"

The Tank leaps to it's feet before anyone can answer any questions. "Two-minutes to Nuclear Launch!" a voice rings throughout the Hangar. "Readying EMP Pulse" chimes another.

A Glyph appears on the ground, paralyzing all save Mega Man!

"Grrr... I. CAN'T. MOVE." grumbles Snake. "Me either" says Samus. "I also" say both Alucard and Magnus.

"Mega Man! It's all up to you!" shouts Otacon from Snake's codec.

Mega Man nods and turns a different shade of Blue. He charges his Arm Cannon and from it spills out...

...a single Soap Bubble!

"THAT'S THE BEST YOU'VE GOT? I WOULD FACE-PALM RIGHT NOW IF I COULD!" shouts an angered Samus.

"Wait! No! Samus watch!" orders Snake.

The Soap Bubble glides across the ground and bursts upon the Black monolithic form of the Playstation 3 whirring at the back of the head of the Tank.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" shrieks an alarmed Iwata. Arcs of electricity burst from the ground all around the PS3 and start to track the blue tooth signal back to its source!

"Works every time!" jokes a confident Mega Man!

The bolts reach Iwata's body as it begins to convulse and writhe in agony... "Nonononononono... Iwata can't end like this! Leo was to be silenced. History was to be erased! It was to pave the way for... to pave the way for..."

Iwata clutches his face as his skin starts to bubble. His eyes start to bulge out of their sockets as if they are going to burst. The meat-sack known as Iwata crumples to the ground as does the Tank at the same time. Both not unlike Puppets who's strings have been cut.

The glyph holding the heroes fades. They begin to move and test their arms and legs. All of them turn towards the spot where Iwata fell at same time and are taken aback. A figure still stands!

"YOU!" says Snake. "YOU!" says Magnus.

Sure enough standing above the crumbled body of Iwata is the Demon known as Kaz Hirai!

"OF COURSE!" they ALL say in unison. "It all makes sense!" Magnus continues. "The Shadow Organization was never Nintendo at all! Destroying gaming's history, framing Mario and Sonic, discrediting Phantom_Leo. This was to pave the way for the most desperate company of all! SONY!"

"KAZ CURSES YOU ALL!" he screeches.

"But how...? I thought Demons can only take over the body of MAGES? I'm sure that's what Ser T'goth said!" demands Samus.

"PATHETIC FOOLS! DO YOU REALLY THINK THE SUCCESS OF THE WII AND DS WAS DUE TO GOOD MARKETING ALONE?! MIYAMOTO, AONUMA, IWATA ARE THE STRONGEST MAGICIANS THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN!" Kaz mocks.

"Iwata-San!" suddenly shouts a concerned Samus. All rush to the fallen president's side, hoping against hope. "He's alive! Thank Chozo!" she exclaims.

No one notices as the former Abomination known as Kaz uses this time to slip away.

"Let him go" sighs Magnus. "Justice will find him, one way or another."

"This mission is over. Luigi is safe. The threat is gone. Let's all go home" Snake suggests.

They all agree and start to head out of the Hangar towards Samus' Gunship. Mega Man is left alone for a moment. He turns towards the downed Tank and it starts to glow. Mega absorbs the Tank's energy and it disappears. He turns the color of Smoked Steel and strikes a pose, from nowhere a short musical fanfare plays! He smiles and walks out the door.

THE END!

...

...

...

...?

Two lockers at the far end of the hangar open. A tap, tap, tapping sound is heard as a Horizontal Plastic Bar with a single Green eye hobbles into view. The man at it's side asks a question: "Milo, Natal did you get all that?"

"We did, Peter... We did."

"As our enemies squabble amongst each other, they ignore the greatest threat of all: The coming of the most powerful Blight of the New Age! The rise of the EksBocksLaev-Phan begins now!"

"Somehow Peter, we believe this will not be as easy as you expect..." replies the motion-sensing device.

"We shall see... HAHAHA... WE. SHALL. SEE. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Molyneux' laugh echoes in the night.

...

...

...

No. Really. THE END!