Yesterday I updated Epithet Academy, so it's only fair I update this story as well.Not gonna make some big announcement regarding this story's length, only that no matter what happens, I'll try my hardest to make this more than a harem sitcom.I hope.Anyway, let's answer reviews:1) Nobody245:* Drat! Even when his powers got nothing to do with harems, Lincoln still gets one! XD* It was used before, but not only was that long ago, but it simply brought back the anarchy of the Pre-Cliche days. Also, it's reserved for the absolute scum only.And now, to the chapter!
Lucy dashed across the streets of Royal Woods while scanning her surroundings, somehow seeing despite her hair covering her eyes.
"There it is! Royal Woods High School!"
Lucy ran towards the building, and slowed down, catching her breath as she looked at the school's frontyard, where a couple students were practicing archery.
At the side was a group of fellow students on a bench, with one in particular catching her attention.
"Luan!"
A brunette with braces flinched and turned around, quickly getting off her seat and running to Lucy's side.
"Lucy, what's wrong?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"
Lucy tried to speak, but between clutching her chest and catching her breath, the most she could do was mutter something unintelligible.
"Oh okay, wait a sec, I think I know how to fix this."
The archery practice, or at least Maggie's part, ended just as Luan took out a pair of pom-poms and said:
"With your cheeks now burning red, right now you must catch your breath."
Luan poked her sister with her pom pom, and in a few seconds, Lucy felt rejuvenated: her tiredness had vanished, and her lungs didn't feel like they were working over time to try bring her oxygen.
"I really needed that," Lucy sighed. "Thanks, Luan."
"Anything for my siblings!" Luan chirped.
"Hey, why did you come all the way here? On foot no less?" Maggie pondered out loud, startling the duo. "It's gotta be something important if you had to come see Luan."
"Oh, right!" Lucy winced. "Something went wrong at the house, and now, Lisa and Luna have been captured!"
"Luna? You mean Miss Superhero?" Maggie raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I mean, Lisa I can get, but how did Luna get captured? From what I've heard, she should be a tough nut to crack-"
"That's not important! What's important is that they're out of commission!" Lucy frowned. "And what's worse, the person who turned the house upside down... They're after Lincoln!"
Luan's eyes widened, her tone gaining a hint of seriousness as she asked:
"Where are they now?"
"Wait a minute, there's two Haikus?!"
That was the statement that broke the silence between the groups at the haunted house, with the newcomer Haiku being the one to add:
"That appears to be the case. However, I can assure you that I'm the real Haiku, and the one you're seeing next to the little kid is a fake."
"Hmph, fine, let's say I'm the fake," the other Haiku narrowed her eyes. "What are you gonna do about it?"
Haiku glanced at the giant crystall ball wherein Cristina was being held, then looked back at her counterpart, saying:
"First, I'd like to know what you intend to do with the girl."
The fake Haiku glanced at Cristina, and smirked. "Well, do you wanna know everything we're planning to do, or just the general gist of it?"
At that, Lincoln took a step forward, his eyes sharpening as the fake Haiku flinched.
"Okay, fine, just the gist of it! You see, there's been an argument about who has it worse in the new system: Protagonists, Antagonist, or the Neutrals," Fake Haiku folded her arms. "Some argue that Protagonists got it worse, because it's up to them to not only repel Antagonists, but keep the citizens of Royal Woods safe. Other say the Antagonists got it worse, since not only are they periodically beaten by the Protagonists, but all of society uses them as scapegoats to try justify the outright inhuman treatment they get."
"But almost nobody ever considers the Neutrals as being relevant to the question. Whenever they do get brought up, it's to try justify their points regarding the Protagonists or Antagonists," Darcy lowered her head. "And they never even bother to look at the obvious problem they have to face with all the time."
Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"
"Their forced existence as bystanders," the monkey-like girl said.
Fake Haiku glared. "Even if a Protagonist is in danger, even if an Antagonist is getting the upper hand in a fight, and even if some idiots have the brilliant idea to try goad one into fighting them, a Neutral can only stand and see the event happen with their own eyes, helpless to do anything about it."
"And if they so much as accidentally participate in the brawl?" Darcy put a hand on her hip. "They're arrested. And no matter the argument, it'll be rendered moot in a world that forces them to watch and do nothing."
Fake Haiku patted the crystal ball, causing Cristina to shiver while small holes suddenly appeared in it. "We're gonna bring this Neutral back to Hexennacht or whatever that place's called right now, so we can help her escape from this apathy-enforced fate of hers."
That was about all Fake Haiku got to say before the real Haiku dashed towards her, covered her fists in crystal balls and punched her, sending her rolling straight to Luna and Lisa's feet.
"Hey there!"
Luna prepared to round kick the girl, but the floor she was on suddenly swallowed her and regurgitated her at Darcy's side.
However, even this wasn't enough to stop the pair from realizing how outmatched they were, especially when an energy arrow suddenly and nearly struck them.
"What the?!"
Everybody looked down, and to Lincoln's relief, Lucy, Luan, and Maggie were nearby, the last one charging another arrow as the fakers watched with horror.
"Inovators, several Louds, this is way more than what we expected!" Darcy grimaced. "How are we supposed to fight against so many people?!"
"We don't!" the fake Haiku stated before pointing at the trapped Cristina. "We got what we came here for, let's just leave!"
Darcy's worried expression was soon replaced by a cocky grin, and she then snapped her fingers just as the fake Haiku grabbed her, the house walking in reverse with everybody but the villain duo on top.
With this done, Lincoln could only watch as Cristina was taken away by the pair in a giant crystal ball, only snapping back to reality once the house returned to its original spot.
Harshly.
"Ouch," Clyde said, reminding everyone that he was still around. "Is everybody okay?"
"Yeah," Lincoln lowered his head and frowned. "But Cristina-"
"We did all we could, Lincoln," Ronnie Anne sighed as she went to his side. "Those two brats were simply too strong for us to take on."
"I guess, but still, I didn't want Cristina to get captured. I just wanted her and Clyde to help distract those two so we could take them down."
"Although, now that everything's said and done, it's rather perplexing," Lisa remarked, scratching her chin. "That Darcy girl explicitly said that she came here looking for you, Lincoln, and yet, rather than stay and fight, her and her partner in crime chose to run away."
"To be fair, with me freed from the bird cage, there was no way they were gonna survive a fight against us," Luna said cockily. "Oh, and Luan and her friend would've been too much anyway. But anyhow, we should probably go to the floor."
Everybody safely climbed down back to the ground, just in time for Maggie, Luan, and Lucy to not only arrive via arrow, but the parents to teleport... right on the rooftop.
"Mom! Dad!" Lincoln called.
The adults were quick to answer, primarily Lynn Sr. "Oh hey, Lincoln! It looks like the battle's over!"
Rita pushed him aside and exclaimed:
"Is everybody alright?!"
Lincoln looked around him, and the notable absence of Cristina once again upset him.
"Also, who are those girls near you?!"
Lincoln lifted his head and turned, seeing Haiku and the other girl still standing nearby.
"Why are you still here?" he asked.
"We came here to stop my impostor from causing too much damage, but we obviously failed in that regard," Haiku sighed. "Therefore, we thought we could provide you with something to ensure you're better prepared for the next time they strike."
"You really think there'll be a second time?" Ronnie Anne asked with worry.
"And a third... and a fourth... and a fifth..." the monkey girl stated. "Knowing who summoned those two, they'll stubbornly keep trying until they get what they want."
"So, wait a minute," Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "You know the person who sent those two to attack my house?"
Haiku sighed. "Unfortunately, we do."
Lincoln narrowed his eyes, brimming with determination as he asked:
"Can you tell me everything you know about them?"