Hello, people. It's been a while. I apologize for the bit of delay. Life is already unpredictable and hectic on its own. Add in your work in the health sector and you got a waking nightmare.

So, I hope you are all healthy and safe. And enjoy the bit of reprieve while you can.

Disclaimer: See the first page. Guess the alluded episodes if you like.

*"Words"*: Broadcast message

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[Loose End Found]

Part 1

The somber air was disrupted by panic. When their brother placed the flower in a makeshift vase that two girls loudly realized how deep in trouble they really are.

"Oh cruds, oh cruds, oh cruds! This is worse than bad luck!" The family looked at her with disapproval but Lynn stood fixed in horror. "I know its taboo but hear me out! We broke a shrine!"

Being in her element did not take away the weight of their action as Lucy backed her sister. "I agree with Lynn! What we did was beyond sacrilegious!" Most didn't know the word but all learned to pay respect to departed love ones. And what they did was beyond disrespectful.

That suspicion was confirmed when he laid a picture, Lynn guessing it must be a copy like the one he showed many nights ago. They could only watch with heavy guilt as Lincoln sat on his knees and folded his hands in silent prayer.

They all held their breath, not knowing what to do now as the grim feeling took its hold. And after who knows how long, the uncomfortable silence was broken. *"Kon'nichiwa… Tou-san."*

Luan quickly leafed through her dictionary. "I know Kon'nichiwa is 'hello'. Tou-san is… 'father'?"

"That's what he called the guy who took care of him!" Lynn clarified. They worriedly observed their tearful dad who was being tended by their mom.

Lisa quickly entered a program to translate Lincoln's one-sided conversation when he resumed in Japanese. (Sub or dub?) (…)

*"It has been a while since we last spoke. Things had been rather hectic there…"* The ninja repositions himself as he sat against the wall. They try to understand amidst some unfamiliar contexts or inaccuracy in the translation. Though Lucy was very unnerved of 'the power of human sacrifice.'

But from what they can make out: Lincoln… or Kakashi was about to be appointed leader of the Ninja village before joining forces with the other villages to fight in what essentially is a Ninja version of a World War (Fourth if they got the translation right).

They went to war against, get this; mutant clones, super ninja zombies, giant monsters and many evil masterminds, including Kakashi's former friend who redeemed himself at the end.

And Lincoln finally reunited with his former students who he saved before losing consciousness. *"-That's basically the summary of what happened there. I did prepare a more detailed version when I see you again-."* Then someone suddenly pressed 'pause'.

"Hold on! Back up! What does he mean again?!" Now everyone was curious when Luan pointed that out.

"Maybe Lincoln was going to talk to Tou-san, even if he was a ninja zombie." Leni was corrected that wasn't the man's name.

"Riiight… If there was time in between trying to eat his brain!" Lola added that possibility even though there was no mention of the said eating habit.

"But consider the circumstance. What were the chances they would have met in the battlefield? The summary was quite lengthy, so I have some difficulty seeing such opportunity in an already stressful environment." Lisa elaborated. The way he implied must take an extensive amount of time to cover.

"Or maybe he would have gone visit like now before everything went bonkers." Luna placed her two-cents.

Any arguments were stopped when they heard a muffled sound and frantic muttering. They all nervously turned to a scene that mirrored a very unsettling moment one dark and stormy night. Only this time there was no cards scattered on the floor and Lynn did not hold back her tears as she furiously consoled the distraught goth in her arms.

Their mother openly wept as she held the two girls while their father tried voicing some sort of comfort. "It's okay, he's here. Different but he's here…" he said in between sobs.

"No… Please, no…" the little genius whispered in quiet horror. Her reservation for the supernatural is greatly tested these days, but Lisa had wished her sharp mind had never come up with a grim possibility.

Most cannot explain the dread weighing their hearts but Lori felt the full force of their foolish action. Luna and Luan caught their eldest as she fell to her knees, tears flowing from wide, unbelieving eyes. "We should have-... I should have protected him. Lincoln, I'm sorry." She softly pleaded.

"What are you talking about?!" Luna's loud question hid the fear that she tries to deny with every fiber of her being.

Though she wished Lori did not answer, if only to delay the inevitable for a bit longer. "Lincoln said he got those wounds from the most decisive battle that world has ever known." Drawing from her knowledge of videogames, that Kaguya fits the final boss label… of the end stage.

"No… It's just a metaphor, right?" Leni choked, holding tightly to a very confused Lily. They were more worried on what the usually ditzy blonde was implying.

But it appears the eldest daughter didn't hear her plea as Lori listlessly continued. "And the last thing he saw before waking up here were his students… whom he has saved their lives… In exchange for his…"

Lori's gloomy visage expressed a silent apology as she was about to deliver what was literally bad news. "He- He was going to talk with his father again… in the afterlife." She knows they don't want to hear it, including herself.

But this was the reality that they must face concerning their wayward family member. "Lincoln was about to die."

And all hell broke loose as they let out a heartbreaking wail. Even the animals residing in the house felt their owners' sorrow but couldn't express sympathy other that being near them. Moments later it was reduced to soft sobs, all strength left were on the closest thing they held on for comfort.

"Please, don't joke like that! IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Luan was restrained by her musician of a sister when she roughly grabbed the blonde. "There is a big difference between about to and did!"

"But he did… Just- Just like I predicted." Lynn tearfully held her closer as Lucy was overwhelmed with sorrow.

The adults looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. The girls' unease spiked as their teary mother turned to them. "Lincoln made us promise to not tell this. But you all deserve to know."

"He- He did… passed on when he fought to protect his village against an enemy called Pein. Lincoln somehow met and talked again with his deceased… father-figure." Lynn Sr. felt his heart break in admitting it, but he will not diminish the bond the man had with his son no matter how short of time it was. And whole family wept harder realizing that they would have truly have lost Lincoln if it wasn't for a miracle.

They thought on what more would the man had hidden… all because of how much the boy has changed. And at this rate, they will never get the chance to know. Lori steeled her resolve as seeing this as their only chance for even a glimpse.

But before she can reach the computer, three small figures blocked her way. "Eldest sist- Lori, please let us stop this pursuit. This breach in privacy is not worth it." Lisa tried reasoning, so unlike her thirst to know by any means necessary.

"Please, let's stop! This is his secret." Lola tearfully pleaded, remembering her bad experiences of tattling.

Lana held her shirt as her teary eyes tried to meet that of her eldest sister. "We can't lose him again."

But everyone jumped at Lori's outburst. "But we did! We lost Lincoln when we abandoned him for our stupid belief of bad luck!" As she caught her breath, every face fell in shame realizing the truth in her accusation. "And we won't even know what happened to him if he didn't literally fell out of the sky."

"Lori, we'll all apologize and talk it out with him. He doesn't have to know that we snooped around." Many voiced agreements with Luan's desperate idea.

But Lori sadly shut that down. "But he will know one way or another. He is a ninja; he'll find a way." The only reason she believes… she hopes that he will not use… extreme measures is because Lincoln is a better person.

"I will delete everything! I'll make something to make us forget all these!" Lisa proposed, hoping to rectify essentially her fault… again.

But her eldest sibling also declined those suggestions. "And I'll just repeat all my screw-ups. No, I don't want to forget."

"Our past actions make up our present… to prepare for our future… So many things must have happened to Lincoln to make him who he is now… To make him Kakashi." And they realized that their brother wasn't the only one that changed since that fateful day.

Their father approached Lori and placed comforting hands on her shoulders in attempt to foster hope. "We can still talk to him. We can all apologize. Just give him time and be patient."

But sadly, she doesn't share his attempted optimism. "I don't think that will happen now. Once he finds out, he'll lose all trust in us."

"And trust is easiest given... but hardest to reclaim once lost." Lucy and those with her silently wept once more, remembering what their Japanese senior forewarned.

"Then Lincoln will have all reasons to leave… And we cannot stop him." No matter how much they want to, that cannot be denied. They can only imagine why their brother still put up with them after all that he was capable of.

"But maybe… that's the only way we can make right with him." Their shocked face wordlessly asked why she came to such notion. "Lincoln had already lived a life there; he may even do it again here. He- He doesn't need us anymore." And sadly, they understood.

As Lori tried to dry her eyes, her face held determination as she stood by her decision. "But before that time comes… I want- I need to know what happened to my brother. What Lincoln had become. And who is Kakashi behind the mask and walls?"

When she felt another hand, Lori turned to find the sad but reassuring smile of her second sister. "I know what's behind the mask and he is totes handsome! Sorry I don't have a picture." Leni was oblivious to the narrowed deadpan that was sent her way.

"But maybe in time, he can show it. And maybe… I can try to talk to him with you. If he get's mad to the both of us, maybe it will be half: 60-40!" But her enthusiastic version of optimism was harder to resist. Lily's innocent determination also helped, which earned the two a faint smile.

Lori almost jumped when Lucy tenderly grasped her hand. "It- It was selfish of me to hinder his journey after all that he had done for us. But no matter what path Lincoln will take, I will always love him and respect his decision. Even if it is no longer with me." She can't imagine how frightened yet brave her little sister was to admit all that.

Coming to view was Lynn who gave her a look of understanding. "I still don't know what to do to make it up to him. But I'll try to take some of the heat while you guys think of something." With the support from possibly the instigator of the whole 'bad luck' mess, the rest steadfastly refuse now to abandon her.

"Well, we're already in too deep; might as well see it through." Luna summed up what may amount for a fool's errand. But they promised to always have each other's back. And this time they'll keep that promise.

After confirming the sureness for this endeavor, they resumed the video. *"-but the thing I really want to tell you is that somehow… I made it back. I made it back to the Loud House."*

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Okay. That's enough angst for one sitting. Decided to split what I can so we can focus on Lincoln/Kakashi's thoughts. No promises, but hoping to get it done in time for the next holiday considering what is going on here. Ideas and suggestions will be taken into consideration. Keyword: Consideration.

This has been shorter than the usual, so have complementary Omakes! Not only to fill the quota but to also lighten the mood (but you can come back later if you're the type Lucy can get along with). So, Ja ne.

xxxxx

OMAKE

Optional Skit (Depending on the mood. If you want something to lighten it, go ahead. But if you somehow liked the heavy feeling, come back later. Enjoy.)

"Woo-hoo! We made it!"

"Yeah! Now Lori can't make us into pretzels!"

"Come on, you two. Lori is not going to do that… Anymore at least." Luna reassured the twins. They might have been almost late because they have to dig-out Lana, the rocker still silently grumbled at Lori's excuse for Yoga which made her get them instead.

But as they entered the house, what they are seeing stopped them in their track. Lori's expression was a mix of shock and awe. There lying on the floor was their brother… with legs over his head and arms bent somewhere else!

"I see your point. It does feel uncomfortable if you're not used to it. And hey, you three." Lincoln casually greeted the stunned trio.

After staring at the… twisted sight, Luna softly voiced her shock as the pair ran away. "Oh, blimey. She actually did it."

Lori chased after the twins when they heard them yell somewhere in the house. "MOM! LORI TURNED LINCOLN INTO A PRETZEL!"

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"Ahhh… This is what the doctor ordered." Kakashi sighed contentedly in the large oil drum he found for his make-shift hot tub in the backyard. Who knew that surviving a war against the progenitor of the Shinobi way of life and returning to his birth world after two decades would be so stressful?

"Lincoln? Are you out here? I-." The girl froze at finding her brother in hot water (literally!).

"Oh hi, Leni. What's cooking?" He mentally chuckled, wondering if his sister knows that slang. Unknowingly, she does for a different reason.

"Before anything; can you hand me those oranges?" The ninja was so relaxed that he missed how the girl's eyes misted and her lips quivered when he drops the fruits in the hot water.

"And can you pass the salt? Arigatou." Those bath salts also came in containers shaped like salt shakers. How quaint.

Kakashi looked up in confusion when Leni ran into the house. Then he realized his 'me time' is over. "DAD! I DON'T WANT LINCOLN SOUP FOR DINNER!"

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Belle doesn't like to stereotype people, especially the modern 'classifications.' But what's happening right now is arguably a young 'Karen' terrorizing in her favored watering hole aka the local mall's coffee shop. And so far, her recent prey was a tall man with white hair who was waiting patiently in line behind her. Which in turn the shapely young woman was standing behind.

The brunette was amazed with how patient he was against his aggressor. Before she took a peek over his shoulder to find a novel close to his face.

He finally gave his attention when that shrill became a bit higher. "Huh, you said something?" She was one of the few who tried to be polite by holding in their laughter.

Infuriated, she next attacked the mask he was wearing which was calmly countered. "Well, it's not only because I have a face that my mother would love. But to also not spray anyone unfortunate enough for me to get angry at for no good reasons." Good manners were what's keeping her from joining in the other's laughing.

Feeling that the man has tolerated enough, Belle came to his defense. "Hey, respect your elders! And your order is up!" Fortunately, she decided to cut her lost by sending one last scathing glare before taking her complicated designer order.

That masked face looked over his shoulder and gave one of that Asian-patented eye-smile. "Thanks for the assistance. But I'm 31." Belle didn't regret helping the guy, but she wished the ground would swallow her right now.

As he made his order, the gal called out to the cashier she knew. "Hey, Jin! Give him a muffin. I'm paying." Hopefully it's enough for the blunder.

"Okay. One chocolate muffin for the stud muffin." Belle felt a little better that she wasn't the only one embarrassed by all the cooing. He's even scratching his cheek like that she saw in anime.

"Oh, how kind of you. Here, let me return the favor. Something sweet for the little miss." How many shades of red can she go through in one day?! But it was all for fun as they shared a patio table.

The young woman was not planning to start anything yet but that plan may change when he pulled down his mask. She didn't know what was sweeter: That a mother was blessed with such attractive son. Or the shocked and sour face of that menace when she was still around to see who she had dissed earlier.