Welcome back to QTQ. This chapter will be a bit easy on the scenes being more lore and plot-driven. Why? Some plots need to get started. Furthermore, we finally got some commissions. I got commissions from Underrated Hero and Ozjim11. From Underrated Hero, we got a cute picture of Lincoln and Polly walking in the park. I finally have a name for Lincoln x Polly. Army Brats due to their grandfathers being a part of the Navy together. From Ozjim11, well you have read the chapter to see. They gave me their permission to post the art so that'll be my Deviantart page soon.
Also, we're almost to 100 examples on the Tv Tropes page. Keep it up, guys.
Haiku & Alexandria's chapter is development but I'll have to make it a multi-part chapter this time. Maybe three parts. I don't know yet. Furthermore, the second chapter of Crystal Prison is up and ready. Let me know what you guys think of it.
QOTD: Since I mentioned Lemy in the last chapter. Should I make a sin kid and with who? (Technically Micheal is a sin kid but he's from the far future and Micheal isn't his real name)
JD112/NiteOwl18: That's what I've trying to do lately plus cutting chapters in half makes reading easier to digest and gets them out quickly. As we can see…Micheal got some friends. Lemy is a part of the infamous sin kids AU being Lincoln's & Luna's son. However, the rules of the Sin Kids are fairly loose so Lincoln doesn't technically have to be the father.
ThanosGaming: No not really so you can breathe
Mr. Haziq: Hugh/Bobby will be the most likely ones
Isom: That's one of the reasons why I love doing this story. I'm giving certain characters more life. I think my interpretation of the QTs has the most depth along with Cristina, Maggie, Hugh, Myrtle, Nikki, and the Yates.
I could but the deep dive won't be necessary. Rusty simply believes that he's a ladies' man. It's going to get worse in middle school. Like way worse. His envy towards Lincoln's luck with the ladies is the main reason along with future plans. Plus, I saw the title and summary of some of the upcoming episodes in season 5. Rusty gets expelled and his friends try to get to the bottom of it. Knowing what I have planned for Rusty. Yep.
Lincoln will be since Luna has the closest relationship with him besides Leni and Lucy. I'll probably have a scene where he's tempted to do it. There are several things he'll go through such as the time alterations caused by Micheal. The main thing is to be honest pretty fucking dark. Yeah, he'll have to call Dr. Lopez for that. My MLP story, Crystal Prison especially if you watch Dusk Shine's and Principal Cinch's interactions with each other. It's not outright stated but you can feel it.
Calebageizhan: You got your wishes for the future lemon chapters. Cristina's chapter has been posted. Enjoy. Lisa is always doing some type of experiment such as when Lincoln was trying to get his sisters out of the house early. Yeah, Haiku is in the lead in terms of Lincoln's ships with Alexandria/Stella coming a close second.
The Tarot cards are hints towards future plots and developments for each character. Regarding Micheal, yes, yes, and yes. At least one of the sin kids will be canon and a part of his family in this story.
Guest: Glad that you enjoyed the story. I understand your dissatisfaction with other harem stories as they're mainly a go catch them all plot. I have a set number plus a few extras but those are mainly for fun
DaleJr.88: Welcome back my dude. I'll let you know. You have a lot to talk about. Panda QT has the least amount of screen time in the story so I'm giving her the spotlight at least in this chapter. I have 2.5 seasons, the movie, and The Casagrande's so I'll be here for a while. Becky's crush on Lincoln is unlikely given their ages but more on the lines of my friend's brother is cute. We don't know much about Albert's past so anything can go right now. Don't forget his sisters, their friends, and Ronnie Anne and her family. That's an Avenger-level threat.
Given how insane, Lincoln's life is. The falling down some stairs is one of the more normal explanations. My personal headcanon is that Haiku and Maggie are cousins as we never saw her father. How else would she be pale with long straight black hair while her mother is tanned with curly hair? Granted, Maggie could be adopted so there's that. Luan's & Benny's relationship will follow canon but Maggie can get in on the fun.
Chapter 21: It doesn't have to be Love songs just songs in general. I do recognize some of them but I haven't heard them in like years. Glad that you enjoyed the fight scene. Don't worry, Pandora, you'll have your moments soon. Yeah, Mrs. Yates is the hot neighbor and she's going to have that effect on Lincoln. That shade of hair is common but Lincoln's extra pale.
Stella is my favorite to write besides Haiku in terms of Lincoln ships. Writing them feels natural for me. I do have Stella being kinda Yandere-ish in the future. At least I know I'm doing Rusty's characterization correctly.
Chapter 22: Yeah that chapter took a lot of me because holy fuck that took me a while. Singularity is a bit of an earlier story but it's completed while Crystal Prison is more recent with only two chapters at the moment.
Yes, Ronnie Anne and Sid will meet Lincoln again but that wouldn't be for a while. Sid's attraction to him will play a role in it. Lynn couldn't do it herself because of reason along with Paula & Margo. If you think Lincoln's intimidating in this story, just until I do the special chapter for the lemon story. Polly is going to love doing that to Lincoln but Lynn will probably kill her for it. I'm going to have fun writing Polly x Lincoln moments
Don't worry this time travel thing will primarily be in the background
Chapter 23: Taylor/Bully QT is the most recent QT to the collection as she's a season 5 character from No Bus, No Fuss. Well…she's a bully hence the name. One of the reasons why Taylor got popular is that half of the episode was leaked and a callback to Ronnie Anne.
The hard part is finding an artist with open commissions. Some I wanted but they weren't open. On the other hand, I'll have multiple commissions from various artists for different reasons. I just need to figure out what to ask. The most likely one will be Lincoln in his new outfit. Yeah, Polly's crush/interest in Lincoln will be a major catalyst. I didn't know how old Haiku was until after I have already written the story. Too late now. Only Lisa has an idea of time travel since she's done it before.
Lemy is a part of the legendary Sin Kids AU or Abominations due to them being the children of Lincoln and his sisters along with many others like Maggie, Haiku, Sam, Becky, Stella, and Margo. Lemy is Luna's & Lincoln's son. However, the creators of this AU have extremely loose rules for the kids allowing fan fiction writers and artists to establish their headcanons. The main rules for them are their mothers, names, personalities, and appearance. Besides that you can do whatever, you want with them. It's fairly common for people to give them siblings. For instance, Lucy only had Lupa for years but now Lupa has 3 siblings.
Lincoln will change in this chapter so don't worry about it. The interaction between Lincoln & Haiku was already planned for the start. Think about it like this. You can't be tough 100% of the time and that there's always going to be someone that isn't afraid of you and can make you soft. The stash is primarily Luna's but Luan likes to enjoy it from time to time.
The change will be in this chapter due to me cutting it in half. There are currently 105 episodes and each episode is 22 minutes. It can take you at least a month or a few weeks depending on how many episodes you watch in a day. I'll probably do a reference here and there especially in the most recent episode being Frame on you. I won't spoil it.
Guest: I really focused on Haiku in the last few chapters plus her chapter in Lincoln's Log Book. So I'm giving her a break so other girls can have a shot.
The Louds continued their weed-induced conversation when Lisa barged into the room with an irate expression. "I was occupied in my lab for approximately sixty-six minutes and 23 seconds working on my robotics," The residential researcher fumed as she paced across the room. "And now half of our family unit is under the influence of cannabis," She pinched the bridge of her nose. Her brother experienced an assault from a disgraced socialite. The faulty Sister Fight Protocol's stress underwent an identity crisis and now is blazed out of his mind. "Lincoln, how high are you," Lisa asked. Lincoln thought for a few seconds with his head resting on Luna's chest.
"Like four, six. I think," Lincoln answered when Lisa facepalmed. Einstein, give her strength.
"Not your height. I asked, how high are you?" Lisa repeated as she got face to face with him. "High," She emphasized.
"Hello," Lincoln replied before letting out a wheezing laugh. Lisa blankly stared at him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He remarked before pulling Lisa into a hug. "No need to be so serious, Lisa. Just come and chill with us,"
"Unhand me, sir," Lisa demanded as she struggled to break free from his hold. She asked as it was no use. Lincoln's too strong for her. The head pats were a welcomed addition to pacify her. "What were you guys talking about?"
"We're talking about how the planets and their moons were named after Roman gods and goddesses," Rita started with a joyfully dazed smile. "Yet Earth and our moon isn't"
"Technically, Luna is the proper name for the moon," Lisa explained, grabbing the Rubix cube from Lincoln. Luna gave her sisters a smug smirk. Hah, she's named after a goddess. "I can't provide an explanation for that one,"
"What about who put the alphabet and the days of the week in order," Lori commented. Lisa stopped twisting the cube. That's a good question. The savory aroma of marinara sauce halted her answer.
"Alright, fam. I made some pizza. Come get it while it's hot," Lynn Sr. announced throughout the house. Everyone charged downstairs while Lincoln carried Lisa with Luna on her back. Adora didn't let him skip leg day. The Louds ate their pizza in the dining room, with Rita placing her head on Lynn's shoulder.
"Hey, Lisa, stars are made of hydrogen, right?" Leni asked, surprising the table as she continued to bite into her slice of pizza.
"Yes, that's correct," Lisa wiped her hands with a napkin before pushing up her glasses.
"And humans are mostly made from hydrogen," Leni swallowed her piece as she wiped her mouth
"Technically oxygen, carbon, then hydrogen, but those too are abundant in stars," Lisa snagged another piece of Italian goodness.
"So when people say you're a star, then they're technically totes saying you're you," Leni acknowledged. The rest of the table stopped each mid-bite at the comment. Luna gestured, a mind blown with sound effects.
"With that being said, we probably drank milk from the same cow a few times or ate a burger or steak that was said cow," Luan replied, causing Lana to stare at the fridge. "Same with eggs and chicken, but I won't cross that road," Luna chuckled before choking a pizza crust. Lynn gave her a hard slap on the back, launching the obstruction from her throat into Lana's mouth. "Thank you," She said in a hoarse voice as Lynn Jr. gave a thumbs up before grabbing another piece of pizza.
"Chewy," Lana swallowed with a smile. Okay, I'll admit. That shit was super gross. They finished their pizzas and went into their respective rooms.
Lincoln was busy organizing his comic and manga collection. He recounted his volumes."That's weird; I'm missing two," Lincoln scratched his head before a memory resurfaced. Oh, Lucy asked to borrow some of his manga to gain inspiration for her poems. He went to Lucy's and Lynn's room, knocking before entering. "Hey Lucy, have you seen some of my manga? I'm missing some volumes," Lincoln requested, looking at the ones in his hands before surveying his sisters. His blue eyes expanded in confusion at his sisters. "What the…" He whispered.
"Gomensai, onii-sama," Lucy muttered. Why the hell is she in full anime style? She even had an exposed panty shot.
"Oi, Lincoln-kun. Hey, do you read this stuff?" Lynn asked. Her too?! His tomboy sister had her back turned to him as she looked over her shoulder. He started to sweat as she had some severe plumber butt right now. Is that a thong?!
"You're reading it the wrong way," Lucy commented. At the same time, Lincoln rapidly glanced between the cover of his manga and the strange design of his sisters. Shit, that weeb hit him pretty strong. "Are you alright, onii-sama," She asked her dear brother.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Lincoln replied after a brief pause. "I just need to check something real quick," He stuttered before running out the door to Lori's and Leni's room.
"I'm not reading one of your books, Lincoln," Lori declared with crossed arms as Lincoln held one in front of her.
"Oh, I'll totes read one," Leni offered up. Bless, Leni, you're a sweetheart.
"No. No, you're not," Lori ordered her younger sisters. "Besides, we're going to the mall anyway,"
"Oh, can I come with you guys?" Lincoln asked to their shock. He wants to come with them? Of his own choice? This is new. Lincoln pinched his shirt collar. "I think I need a new wardrobe," Lori and Leni glanced at each other in glee. "Oh boy," Lincoln whispered before covering his ears.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!" His two eldest sisters shrieked in excitement. "Everyone in the van. Lincoln wants a bit of makeover," Lori chimed in. Eight more screams of joy occupied the house. Lincoln had a frown as he tipped-toed away from his sisters. Maybe he should've kept that to himself. Someone grabbed him. It was Leni. Too late. Lincoln thought to himself as she put him on her shoulder and skipped down the stairs. At least he'll have professional assistance.
The Loud crew searched the mall for clothing that Lincoln might enjoy. "Are we really doing this?" Lincoln groaned in the dressing room at Reininger's. His sisters demanded a bit of a fashion show to choose which aesthetic would suit him the best.
"Yes. Yes, we are," Lola confirmed as she handed him a bag of clothes. "You're the one who wanted a new wardrobe," He sighed as he got dressed. "Why can't we have a little fun?" She went to her family. "Who's first?"
"Lisa because Lily's asleep," Lori whispered, gesturing to the sleeping baby. "You done in there, Linc?"
"Yep," Lincoln answered before opening the door. Lisa predicted that a more mature and professional look would suit him best. He stood before them in an orange button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a sleek pair of khakis, and glasses. Lisa even gave him a couple of books to carry
"He looks like he's going to teach a class or something," Lynn Jr. mentioned as they whispered in agreement.
"I think he looks acceptable and professional," Lisa assured while he adjusted his science pin on his shirt.
"Next," They remarked before heading him another bag. It's Lola's turn now. Several moments passed when he opened the door. Lincoln wore a three-piece black suit with an orange tie and shiny obsidian dress shoes with charcoal socks. His hair was slicked back as well.
"Lola, he's not getting married," Rita scolded while Lola shrugged.
"There's nothing wrong in a little practice," The princess replied when a camera flashed in the distance. The photographer's heart dropped when the family's eyes settled on them.
"Mollie?" Lincoln squinted his eyes to gain a better view.
"He saw me!" Mollie muttered in fear as she ran away. They gave Lincoln a confused look. What was that all about? He shrugged before going back into the dressing room. Lana's outfit consists of a sturdy pair of denim jeans and a tiger-striped shirt.
"Feels kinda basic," Leni acknowledged as they examined him. "The jeans look nice, though," Lisa checked off the list. "Lucy, Luna, it's your turn," The two had similar styles, plus it kills some time. He closed the door and opened it again. Now wearing jeans in a ripped style as a chain hung from his with black fingerless gloves. All in a black and crimson shirt.
"Alright, I got the piercings," Luna held up a small pair of ear cuffs. "You got the nail polish,"
"Here, right," Lucy confirmed with a bottle of black nail polish.
"No," Everyone demanded as the two pouted.
"Out of my way, chumps," Lynn boasted as she tossed a bag to him. The athlete leaned back against her chair with her hands behind her head. Lincoln wore red basket shorts going below his knees in a vermillion sleeveless shirt showing his toned arms. The number 6 on the chest. He tapped his feet, attempting to break in his new Nike running shoes.
"This is better when he's going to the gym," Leni analyzed as Lynn Jr. rolled her eyes. "Luan," She gestured to the comedian who passed a yellow bag to her brother.
"Luan, what do you have me wearing?!" Lincoln yelled after a few moments. He slammed open the door. Fire red crocs in sports mode with cargo pants, fanny pack, and a dyed shirt better suited for Guy Ferri.
"Burn it," Leni ordered with a blank tone as they nodded in agreement.
"Oh, come on!" Luan exclaimed when Leni gave Lincoln a seafoam green bag. Anything to get him out of this fashion abomination. Another few more moments passed. Lincoln stepped out wearing a marmalade sweater vest with an azure blue dress shirt and black trousers. He adjusted his silver fashion watch and fixed his black loafers. Finally, a pair of rimless sunglasses resting on his head. They muttered at his stylish appearance. "Much better," Leni nodded at her work. Even Ms. Carmichael took note of his appearance. She'll have to ask Leni if her brother would model for her.
"Honey, I think this would be better if he was going out for a date or something," Lynn Sr. claimed. Leni took a second glance at her brother and analyzed him for a few moments. She placed a finger on her chin before sighing. Her father is right. This outfit looks way too good for everyday wear, back to the drawing board.
"Okay, Lori. It's your turn," Leni called to her older sister.
"How about we let Lincoln choose what he wants?" Lori suggested without looking up from her phone as she held her periwinkle shopping bag.
"That can work actually," Lisa agreed with her phoneholic sister. Leni nodded for Lincoln to do it. He surveyed each bag and grabbed something for them. They waited for Lincoln to return his chosen outfit. He opened the door. The moment of truth.
"Is this okay?" Lincoln asked anxiously, waiting for their response. They all smiled.
"It's perfect," Leni smiled back.
Cookie stared at Lincoln's vacant seat. "Where is he?"She groaned as she glanced at the ticking clock. Her friends exchanged amused glances at each other. "Shut up," Cookie growled with a gentle blush. "Hey, Mollie, you said that Lincoln was at the mall the other day putting on new outfits, right?" The brunette asked.
"Yeah, I saw it with my own eyes," Mollie confirmed before a blush rushed on her face. "He…uh had a suit on too," They gave each other blank stares. Not even going to touch that topic this morning.
"You took a picture of him, didn't you?" Girl Jordan interrogated her, causing sweat to drip from her face.
"Noooooooo," Mollie claimed, looking off to the side. They didn't believe her.
"Show me your phone then," Girl Jordan considered, holding her hand out.
"You'll get this phone when you pry it from my cold dead hands, Rosato," Mollie hissed, holding her phone close to her body.
"Morning, Ms. Johnson," Lincoln greeted upon entering the door.
"Right on time, Lincoln. We were just about to take…roll," Agnes was busy reading as she answered. Her eyes widened at Lincoln forcing a brief pause. The class followed their teacher's gaze. Lincoln has a new outfit? It wasn't as outlandish compared to his previous attempts. Now it's something more…normal. Still an improvement. Lincoln replaced his orange polo shirt for an orange hoodie shirt on top of his scarlet Ace Savvy with black long sleeves. Finally, a pair of admiral blue jeans and black and orange under armor sneakers. Their eyes followed him as he went to his desk.
"Yo, Lincoln, where did you get the drip from?" Zach remarked as they nodded in agreement. Liam handed Clyde a brown paper bag in anticipation of a freak-out. Clyde shook his head with a thumbs-up. "Did you always have these clothes, or are this new?"
"These are new," Lincoln admitted as he took a seat. "I had to because I felt like a cartoon character where I only had one outfit for several seasons now," Lincoln glanced at the readers.
"That's because cartoon artists are generally lazy with no life," Rusty stated with a smirk
"Also cheap," Mollie and Chandler chuckled. For some reason, all three decided to punch themselves in the nose. "OW!" They grunted as everyone looked at them in utter confusion.
"Why did you do that yourselves?" Stella commented. That was super weird. The three had shocked expressions attempting to figure the same thing. Why did they do that?
"I don't know," Mollie muttered as she rubbed her throbbing nose when the bell rang. Agnes Johnson took the role call for the morning. Everyone was here and accounted for. It's time for class to start.
Time for the gym. That means dodgeball. Again. Oh, joy. It was boys vs. girls. And Girl Jordan was ready.Fortunately, Lincoln was spared as Coach Pacowski sent him to deliver a gift to Nurse Patti. He returned a few minutes later. Hopefully, his team was okay with his temporary absence. Hint: They're not. Lincoln searched the gym and found his team completely demolished as they moaned and groaned amongst the dodgeball-ridden floor. A shoe dropped on his head. Wait, a shoe? He looked up. How the hell did Artie get up in the basketball ring? "Guys, what happened here?" Lincoln asked as he wasn't gone that long. How did they lose so quickly? Oh right, Girl Jordan.
"Girl Jordan happened," Liam groaned, pointing at the smirking brunette. Yeah, that explains a lot.
"It also didn't help that Rusty had the bright idea of starting without you," Zach grumbled, gesturing to the fellow redhead. His back and the wall made good friends.
"Hey, in my defense. Girl Jordan is pure hacks. Thank you very much," Rusty defended as Girl Jordan whistled innocently. Lincoln exhaled. Looks like he has to carry the team again.
"It's free-roam, Loud," Pacowski shouted. Lincoln smirked at the mention of it. Perfect. He scanned the team. There are nine of them. This should be easy. He gestured a cocky 'come back some' motion with his hand. The girls smirked. Oh, you're in for it now, Lincoln. They unleashed a barrage of dodgeballs at him. Lincoln smoothly evaded the volley and caught the last one. Pacowski blew the whistle. "Joy, you're out!" Lincoln gestured for Clyde to come in. "Sorry, Lincoln. When you're out, you're out," He announced. Doesn't matter to Lincoln. Girl Jordan made several hand gestures to her team. They nodded before sprinting towards encircling him. Lincoln raised a brow. Are they trying to overwhelm him? They were. BRING! IT! ON! Another volley was flung at him. He twisted, twirled, and hopped out of the way. Kat and Sadie launched two more at him. Lincoln blocked the incoming balls using the dodgeball in his hand and evaded the second one by twisting his head. He casually tossed his ball into the air. Their eyes followed it. Why did he do that?
"Girls, keep your eyes on him!" Girl Jordan commanded her team. Too late. Lincoln rocketed a red orb at Sadie's thigh. Kat screeched, shielding herself with her arms as one bounced against it.
"Kat, Sadie on the bench," Pacowski called out to the two girls. Three down. Six more to go. Cookie and Jenny shared a look.
"I'll go high. You go low," Cookie whispered to her friend. She smiled and nodded before charging at him. Cookie tightly held the dodgeball in her hand, ready to slam it into his face. Lincoln pivoted and leaned back, evading the strike only to catch that smile of hers as she went by. A quick scope of the area discovered a dodgeball stream rolling to his legs. He continued to lean back, using his arms to support himself with his legs in the air. Lincoln taunted the girls by flexing one of his hands. Cookie retaliated by launching her ball at him. He planted his other hand down his legs forward, catching it between his shins. The girls blinked owlishly.
"Can he do that?" Jenny questioned. That has to be illegal or something.
"I don't think so, but I'm too lazy right now to check," Pacowksi shrugged as Cookie stepped off the court. "Also, duck,"
"Wait, what?" Jenny fretted before a dodgeball impacted her forehead. His arctic eyes rapidly scanned the court. That's more than half of the team eliminated. So there's Mollie, Girl Jordan, Stella, and Haiku. He counted again. One of them is missing. His senses yelled at him. Something or someone was behind him. Lincoln rotated, grabbing Haiku's silky hand to her surprise. Did he sense her that easily? She gasped, feeling his hands on her waist before launching in the air. Lincoln crouched, evading Mollie's assault before grabbing one himself plunging it into her side. He looked up and effortlessly caught Haiku in his arms.
"I got ya," Lincoln said. Either he's gotten more robust, or she's just light. The goth had a luminescent scarlet blush on her pale face as he securely held her. The boy gave Lincoln a sign of approval while Rusty blankly stared. Great Stella, Alexandria, and Haiku.
"Thank you, Lincoln," Haiku smiled as he put her down. Stella slowly tiptoed behind him with a dodgeball in hand.
"No problem, Haiku. Please excuse me for a moment," Lincoln requested before rocketing a dodgeball at Stella's face. "Sorry about Stella," He remarked while she gave him a thumbs-up, detailing no hard feelings. The force of the impact loosened her grip on the crimson sphere as it rolled to his feet. Haiku started to sweat as he picked it up. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate only to a light boop on her snoop. "What?" He shrugged at her shocked expression. Girl Jordan bided her time as she circled around them. "You're Lucy's closest friend, so you're important to me," Lincoln grinned at the goth. His smile unlocked a new sensation in her chest. It wasn't a blazing raging inferno of a thousand suns. No. These were serene yet subtle waves at an empty beach. She was in a purple sundress while he was in orange trunks. They were holding hands. Nothing matters besides this moment. "Are you okay? You spaced out there for a second," Lincoln asked, tilting his head to the side. She snapped back to reality.
"Oh yes, I'm fine, thanks," Haiku smiled with a gentle blush when Girl Jordan smirked, finding the perfect time to strike. It slammed into his face forcing him to take a few steps back.
"Finally! My crown has returned!" Girl Jordan cheered at her success.
"Are you sure about that?" Lincoln mumbled. Girl Jordan narrowed her eyes at him. What is going on about? That was a clear headshot. He twisted his head to show her. LINCOLN CAUGHT IT IN HIS MOUTH?! Hold up, hold up, hold up! We need a frame by frame.
"I can assist with that," Lisa offered. She pulled out some type of recording device. "Fullscreen please," Okay, the dodgeball is slowly approaching him. He slightly tilted his head as the ball got closer. Lincoln used his chipped tooth to hook the book along his lower jaw to form a seal. Girl Jordan had an intensely blank look in her eyes. He had literal millimeters to spare. I know this sounds like some total bullshit. And you'll be right. However, it's my story, and I can do whatever I want, relatively speaking.
"It technically didn't hit him, and he caught it," Pacowski replied before blowing on his whistle. However, the rules were the rules. "Boys, win!" They cheered as they exited, leaving the girls alone.
"Um, Jordan," Mollie asked, waving her hand and snapping her fingers in front of Jordan's blank face. Now two of her braids exploded, leaving the third and last intact. Mollie opened her mouth before shaking her. "You know what? Forget it," They started to clean up the gym.
Meanwhile, at Great Lake City, Ronnie Anne and her crew were chilling at the local skate park when her phone vibrated. She reached into her jean shorts. It's from Lincoln, and he tagged her in something. Ronnie Anne squinted her eyes as she muttered. "No freaking way,"
"What happened to you, Santiago," Nikki replied, holding a hotdog in her hand.
"It's nothing just…." Ronnie Anne paused. "Lincoln changed his look," She twirled a lock of her hand with a mild blush.
"Really?" Sid raised a brow as the Latina nodded with a slight smile. "What? Is Lincoln goth, jock, nerd, or prep now?"
"Um, who's Lincoln," Laird asked the group. He's the newest member of their little group. "If you don't mind me asking?" The redhead pushed up his glasses
"He's my best friend from my old home in Royal Woods," Ronnie Anne stressed the friend part to her whistling friends. "It's better if I showed you." She turned her phone for them to see. Lincoln took a mirror selfie of him in his new outfit. There are several photos of him in various poses.
"Where did he get those shoes?" Casey whispered with starry eyes. Nikki gazed at his outfit for a few seconds before smiling.
"Awwwww, you two are matching," Nikki cooed. "How cute," They repeatedly looked back and forth at Lincoln and Ronnie Anne. She widened her eyes as her blush intensified.
"She's correct," Laird nodded.
"Hey, hey, hey, it's a coincidence," Ronnie Anne stammered, holding her hands up as they smirked at her. She scratched her cheek. "But it does look really good on him," Ronnie Anne said softly.
"Simp!" Nikki & Sid mocked as she glared at her friends. "Does he have a social?" Sid held up her phone.
"Yes," Ronnie said softly, leaning in menacingly. She gave them his social media accounts. A red truck pulled up to the park."Hey, Nikki," Ronnie Anne gestured to the vehicle back behind her.
"Oh god," Nikki groaned before picking up her bag. Her mom is here. "I'll see you guys later," She frowned as she walked to the truck. Neither of them said a word as they drove off. Her mother took a glance at Nikki's phone. She's commenting on a boy's Instagram photo. A white boy too.
"Who's the kid," She mentioned as she puffed her cigarette. "Is he a friend of yours,"
"His name is Lincoln," Nikki remarked, waving some of the smoke away from her nose. "Not really. He's Santiago's friend," Her mother scoffed at the mention of her.
"Just a friend?" The older woman asked while they waited at the stoplight.
"Kinda, but also not really," Nikki shrugged as she scrolled through her news feed. "Technically, she's his ex or whatever," Those two aren't together? Her mother thought to herself with a smile.
"Maybe you should talk to him," She suggested. Nikki blinked owlishly at her. "From what I heard, this Lincoln is a nice full-blooded American boy," The truck drove forward. "It won't hurt to know him a bit better," That'll show those damn Casagrande's. This Lincoln should be with girls like her daughter. Their kids will be gorgeous with blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. Not with whatever half breeds those people will create.
"We're not doing this!" Nikki exclaimed. "First of all, I only met him through Ronnie Anne. Two. He lives in a different state and thirdly. His sister and her brother are dating, so he visits her," She listed off before putting on her earbuds, ignoring what rant her mother had in store for her.
Speaking of Bunny boy, he's currently in the locker room for Ares' and Athena's Arena. His phone buzzed with notifications from Ronnie Anne and her friends. He raised a brow when someone sent him a direct message. It wasn't from anyone he knew. Oh great, it's probably one of those bots again trying to get him to click on a link. Lincoln shrugged as he opened the message. "Oh, it wasn't a bot," He whispered. That's a good sign. "What the what?" It was definitely a message from a real purpose. He checked the profile ticket. Yep, that's a woman. What's her profile like? His eyes focused on that red hat of hers. "Oh…" Lincoln whispered before sighing. What does she want with him?
"Good afternoon, Lincoln. My name is Linda. I'm Nikki's mom. You should know her as she's one of Ronnie Anne Santiago's friends. The cute tall blonde girl in the light blue hoodie. I wanted to know if you're interested in my daughter. Yes, I know that's a strange thing to ask. However, you and that Santiago aren't dating, at least not anymore. I can guarantee that my daughter is a much better pick. ;). The kids you too can create will be beautiful."
"Nope," Lincoln muttered himself as he closed the app. He is not doing this crap today. No sir. A rhythmic knock was on the door.
"You ready in there, Lincoln?" Adora asked. He placed his phone in his red basket shorts before opening the door. "Alright, let's go," Lincoln nodded as he followed her to an expansive room with several individuals were training. "We have new styles for you if you're interested," She gestured to the trainees. "Here we have Capoeria. A fighting style disguised as a dance when West African slaves were brought to South America, particularly Brazil," Adora explained. He watched two trainees practice as a speaker played music. Lincoln got tired from looking at it. The pair were twisting, flipping, evading, and striking each other in rapid succession as they circled each other.
"It's a highly acrobatic and versatile style where the main focus is constant movement along with precision and discipline." One of them dodged a leg sweep. Both were dripping with sweat. "As you can see, it's complex and tiring since it follows the path of non-resistance. There is no blocking, only evasive manoeuvers," They walked over two more practitioners in white gi and indigo hakama. They were taking turns flipping each other a mat. "This is Aikido similar to judo but not as aggressive. It focuses on harmony and inner peace but don't underestimate them. Those throws are brutal, especially if you're smaller than the person," She pointed to herself. "Believe me. Those throws hurt," Lincoln glanced to the side to discover a duo sparring with wooden batons. Each strike was blocked and parried, attempting to overwhelm the other's defense.
"What's that style," He pointed out. It looks interesting.
"Oh, that's escrima. A Filipino style of stick fighting but also knives and swords," Adora explained. "You're a little young for that one and don't want to explain to Albert or parents why I have you training with knives," She whispered in fear. "We have one more for you," Adora gestured towards a group surrounding a delicate woman. It doesn't matter as she bobbed and weaved each attack that came their way. She delivered swift, precise strikes while circling each assailant. The woman grabbed one of their arms flipped on them on their back before returning a kick to another. "Finally, we have Snake-style kung fu with a bit of Hapkido. Both styles are fluid. Snake style focuses on swift strikes, particularly to soft, vulnerable areas of the body, and crushing throws and takedowns depending on what snake is used. Hapkido is a hybrid martial art making it a jack of all trades master of none. It has a bit of everything due to being designed for self-defense. She even used pressure points," Lincoln glanced at the downed opponents. Pressure points. THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!
"The main principle is to be adaptable," The woman cartwheeled over to him. Man, she's flexible. He blushed at her. Oh no, she's super cute too. Probably around Leni's age or a few years older. Let's say Adora's age to be safe. "Yu is the water principle. You keep moving, never staying still as the gentlest stream can erode the mightiest mountain," Her bubbly voice explained. "Hwa or harmony. Water is soothing as it doesn't force its way as it simply goes around it. This goes with Won the circle principle. What goes around comes around. We use the opponent's energy against them, making it ideal for facing larger combatants," She concluded with a smile. "Does this sound like something you're interested in?" Lincoln thought about it for a few seconds. A jack-of-all-trades style focused on self-defense and using your enemy's force against them. He's eleven; therefore, he won't be overpowering anymore besides people in his weight class. Plus, a secondary style was added to it. A two-for-one deal. Lincoln nodded. "Everyone, we have a new member," She shouted with glee, causing her group to turn to her. A shirtless man with a tall and very defined muscular build with a massive scar on his eye marched to them. His hair was tied in a tight ponytail. He looked down at Lincoln.
"What's your name, kid?" The man requested.
"My name is Lincoln Leonidas Loud," Lincoln answered, straightening his back. So this is the kid Adora talked about.
"I have a simple question for you."He smirked widely, crouching with his hand out. "What kind of woman do you like if you like women, of course," Everyone facepalmed. Not this again.
"Are you kidding me, Todo?" Ty Lee groaned while Lincoln looked confused. What type of question is that? He expected something like this from his sisters or his male friends. Not a total stranger.
"It's a simple question, Ty Lee," Todo shrugged casually."This is how I determine what type of person the kid is. Also, don't give me some bullshit answer like how all girls are beautiful in their own way. True but completely boring" He narrowed his eyes at Lincoln. "And I don't respect boring people,"
"Okay then," Lincoln muttered, thinking for a few seconds while Todo blankly gazed at him, "Personality-wise. Strong-willed, intelligent, assertive, confident, cooperative women with a nurturing for good measure" Todo's black eyes slowly widened at his answer. Ty Lee and Adora raised their eyebrows, shocked at Lincoln. "Appearance-wise. I'm eleven, so my taste will probably change. Overall it's recommended, not required. Tan-skin, redhead or ginger, Latina, tomboys with a bit of femme," Lincoln explained before blushing slightly. "Also, goths are looking pretty good right now," Several girls instantly were in a good mood. "And if I'm anything like my dad. A nice butt,"
"Big or small ones," Todo asked, leaning in. That's the important question.
"No. It's not about size. It's all about portion," Lincoln declared. Todo bowed his head, calculating his answer.
"Well, Todo," Ty Lee probed. He raised his head like a river of tears flowed down his face. Lincoln slowly stepped away. Was it something he said?
"BROTHER!" Todo shouted before grabbing Lincoln, holding him tight in his chest. Yes, he's the one. An equal and a fellow intellectual. "You're truly a once-in-a-lifetime person," He said tenderly while Lincoln struggled. Ty Lee sighed as she shook her head.
"Let him go so he can breathe," She commanded her companion.
"Yes, ma'am," Todo obliged, releasing Lincoln, who took a life-saving breath
"Sweetie, I'm not that old," Ty Lee flipped her braided ponytail.
"You're almost forty," Adora stated. Lincoln blinked as he looked back and forth between Adora, Todo, and Ty Lee with a bewildered expression. He pointed to his new teacher. They nodded.
"How? You look like you should be sipping a smoothie with my sisters after going a shopping spree," Lincoln blabbed out as she smirked.
"Good genes, proper diet and exercise, low stress, and a really good skin and self-care routine," Ty Lee elaborated. "How many sisters do you have?" Adora mentioned it a few times.
"I have ten sisters. I'm the middle child," Lincoln explained. Todo's and Ty Lee's eyes bugged out at his family. Ten sisters?! "And no, I'm not adopted," They glanced at Adora, who nodded to confirm
"I'm not even going to ask," Ty Lee mumbled, raising her hands slightly in defeat. "You ready to start," Lincoln nodded. She smiled at his eagerness. "We're starting with the Iron Palm technique and breathing,"
"Buckle up, kid," Adora remarked, padding his head. Several students brought bags filled with sand. Wait, are those beans? And steel balls?
Oh boy
Lincoln massaged his sore hand while watching Tv. "I'm so glad that she gave me a bowl of water," He rubbed his shoulder. Who knew that a simple strike could immobilize a joint? His face on the mat gave him the answer. She attacked several pressure points before he could've blinked. His hands rubbed up and down his right thigh before focusing on the program. It's a segment on the person responsible for various projects throughout Michigan.
"And we're back. Welcome to the RunDown," Katherine announced with a smile to the viewers. "Today, we have the mastermind of the Modernize Michigan project," She gestured to a slim, well-dressed man in a blue and white suit seated in a black leather chair with his legs crossed. He waved to the screen. "So, Mr…" Katherine pushed her microphone closer.
"Gabriel," He answered as he pushed his sunglasses.
"So, Mr. Gabriel, what inspired you to do this project," Katherine quizzed the businessman. "You're one of the wealthiest people in America. In fact, you're a billionaire," She added while awaiting his answer. So did the viewers. It's rare for someone with vast wealth and resources to help the common man. At least without some form of ulterior motive.
"Why not?" Gabriel answered with a shrug. "I have the means and resources to do it," Katherine raised a suspicious brow at the enigmatic man. No way, his answer is that simple and altruistic.
"I'm aware of that. Allow us to peak in that brain of yours," Katherine contributed.
"Fair enough. I'll start from my youth. I was the only boy amongst my…family. The middle child, in fact," Gabriel started. "Therefore, I was often overlooked in favor of my sisters," Lincoln's body chilled for a brief movement. His story sounds like his life. "Unfortunately, I was at their beck and call doing everything for them so they could hone their special talents. Yet when I needed some assistance. Nothing. Absolutely nothing," He fumed before calming himself. "It also didn't help that they considered me an omen," Gabriel announced.
"What for?" Katherine remarked. Gabriel took off sunglasses. Two different colored eyes. Amber and stormy gray. "Hetercromia," He nodded to confirm.
"They treated me like crap for as long as I could've remembered. For most of my life, I hid one of my eyes," Gabriel continued before staring at the camera. His gaze pierced Lincoln. "School was rough too, but whatever," He shrugged. It's in the past now. Whatever happened already happened.
"How did you deal with it?" The reporter muttered.
"I went numb, just dealt with it and ignored it," Gabriel answered. "I was average, but one of my teachers told me that I had excellent communication skills," He smiled at his old educator. "It's a simple skill, yet it's vital in everyday life. Clear and direct communication can save you a lot of trouble, along with asking questions. This made my life a lot easier. Soon I developed other skills, but my family didn't like that," His voice went low as his eyes dulled. "They used me as a measuring stick. In their minds, if I was lower than them, then everything was right with the world. I had to get out of there,"
"Did you?"
"Yes," Gabriel replied. "How else do you think I got to where I am today?" He placed a hand on his chest. "I found out that I had an uncle nearby in the next town over thanks to my teacher," Rita's ears perked up the news segment. "One of my sisters found out right before I left that weekend. Surprisingly she supported my decision and apologized for not doing enough to help," Gabriel fixed his tie. "I wanted to be angry as now she wanted to be nice to me, and it's when I already decided to leave," He sighed at his conflicted emotions. "Yet I was grateful since she distracted them long enough to make my escape without any hassle,"
"What happened when you arrived?" She probed.
"I was taken back by the town. Everything was better despite being a few miles away from my hometown. Meeting my uncle was tense since he and my mother didn't have the best of relationships. He knew what was happening with me," Gabriel declared to her. She shook her head for a moment
"Wait, he knew what was happening with you?" Katherine stated. "Why didn't he do anything?"
"Can I finish my story, please?" Gabriel suggested as Katherine calmed down for a bit. "Yes, he knew, but he was planning to do something about it. My uncle originally wanted me to be 18, so he could offer me a job away from my parents. He already had a room for me. It was nice having an actual bed for once." He shrugged with a grin. "My teacher contacted him beforehand,"
"What about your family? They must've been worried about you," Katherine questioned. Gabriel went silent. He laughed softly. It grew louder with each passing second until it echoed throughout the building, unnerving everyone.
"They didn't give a fuck about me," Gabriel growled. "I was an omen. Bad luck even" Both Lincoln and Rita's hearts skipped a bit. "Besides the bare minimum, there was nothing for me back home" He exhaled slowly before smiling again. "He adopted me into his family, went to a new school, and everything was history," Gabriel frowned before resuming. "Turns out my family was super loaded. My parents were kicked out for being crappy people. Enough about them," He waved his hand. "Fast forward a few years. I was set for life with a well-paying executive job with benefits that would last me for years. One of my major assignments was a merge for the main employers back home. They suddenly treated me like a person when the freak of nature was the one responsible. I didn't care. I was literally above the people that made my life hell. I had power, prestige, and influence. So many things I could've done with a simple no. Nobody could've stopped me. Then something hit me," Gabriel paused, adding to the suspense. "It was a simple question: What the fuck was I doing? The plan was to move beyond my origins, becoming better. Showing everyone back home what they did to me meant nothing. I achieved that. Now I was going to waste my talents on people whose peak was bullying me? No, I wasn't going to do that," He affirmed his statement
"Did you forgave them?" Katherine leaned forward.
"No, but therapy helped me with my demons," Gabriel confessed when his phone vibrated.
"But you still did the merge," She arched her brow. He nodded to confirm.
"Yes, that is correct, and I treated them with the respect and decency they never gave me. My little hometown expanded and soared because of me," Gabriel concluded. "And nobody can deny that. That's one of the laws of business. Your emotions don't matter when you have a mission," He folded his hands. "I expanded and found some people with a similar vision. My vision is to Modernize Michigan. We're far behind the rest of the world,"
"What's the mission" Katherine raised a brow. What's the endgame for him?
"Michigan is an automotive monster," Gabriel explained as the viewers nodded. "But we can be better, especially since Detroit was the hub of activity. Some of my colleagues bought abandoned lots and buildings to convert them into offices, factories, or whatever we needed," They muttered, interested in this project.
"Won't that cause a few issues like how to do they get there?" Her report instincts kicked it. Traffic is complete and utter hell in a city.
"Don't worry, we covered that. Logistics is the most vital aspect of any operation. It doesn't matter how big or impressive your business is if you can't get things where they need to go. Whether it's information, material, or people," Gabriel acknowledged to the people. "We talked to various bus and train transportation agencies about that, and they agreed to it. It's a win for our employees, agencies, and the environment," He smiled at his success. "There's already some discussion about expanding railways throughout the North American continent and a bit of Mexico. You can finally take that trip without worrying about flight delays," Gabriel broadcasted to the camera. "For a fraction of the cost,"
Knocks on the front desk broke Lincoln's focus. "Lincoln, can you get that please," Rita asked her only son.
"Okay, mom," He got up from the couch and opened the door. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Yates, Beau," Lincoln greeted the Yates. "Can I help you two with something?"
"Yes," Jancey replied with her iconic smile as Beau stepped forward with a stack of comics in his hands. "Sorry, it took us so long to return them,"
"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Yates," Lincoln took the books from the young Yate.
"There's something else I wanted to ask," Jancey added. "Beau wants some art tips. Can you have some time to help?" She requested
"Just have him back before dinner, okay?" Rita responded, looking up from her book. Lincoln went to his room and returned with his bag and a small container. "Be safe out there sweetie," He nodded as he exited with the Yates. Gabriel's eyes followed him out the door.
The front door shut as Rita reached into her jeans pocket. She sighed before dialing a number.
A middle-aged man sweated profusely as he sat in an interrogation room. A stern man with pale blond hair and striking jade eyes in a black suit and tie coldly viewed the suspect on the other side of the table. A tan file labeled Charteville was on the table. He's been at this for a few minutes now. Men like him were so easy to break that it's almost pathetic. Whatever. It's his duty as an FBI agent to protect the people. "So this is what your primitive ideology got you?" The agent opened the file displaying numerous confederate and supremacy icons as the man flinched. "A fully grown man playing pretend," He continued with a frown as the man gripped his pant legs. "Ironically, your idealogy solves or explains all your problems. Perfect for someone that worships traitors and is too weak to take control or responsibility in their life. Nothing is ever your fault. You're superior to everyone simply because of your skin color," The agent gestured his hand up and down to the overweight man. "Obviously, it's working. Yet you guys confessed and turned on each other so easily when we put those cuffs," He mocked.
"The president will make America great again. He'll have us out of here," The suspect stammered feebly, attempting to save face. The agent folded his hands on the table and leaned forward while his throat went dry.
"Let me answer your question with a question," The federal agent started. "Are you important enough to the president where he'll pardon you?" He declared, watching as the terror exploded in the man's eyes and quivering lips. "I guess not. You're barely middle-class living in your mom's with hardly any friends besides your fellow protesters. I highly doubt they even like you," He scolded, breaking the man even more as his eyes watered. "Fired from your low-end job because you joined a hateful protest that resulted in the death of an innocent woman. He's an elitist through and through. You're not his friend or ever going to rub elbows with you because he sees how simple it was for people like you to flock to his banner. All he had spout the same crap on repeat to where you're willing to kill for him. And where is he?" He paused, waiting for the man to answer while looking around. "Not here. While you're going to rot in a cell because you listened to a conman," He stood up as he walked to the door. "And you have no one to blame but yourself," He closed the door behind him, walking to his fellow agents who watched the wailing man with his head on the desk.
"Oh, he's definitely going to talk now," A woman with narrow soft brown eyes holding an air of confidence and competence.
"If we can get through his crying, that is, " A man with sharp hazel eyes and a broad build remarked. "Seriously, Cunningham, you did a number on him" He cringed at the sobs. Crap, they can hear him from through the concrete walls.
"You honestly think I care about someone like him?" Agent Cunningham scoffed, pointing at the man behind the man. "He supports the worst possible candidate simply because they hate the same people. Nothing more. Nothing less," His jade eyes were filled with disgust and scorn. Hate and ignorance. That's all it took. "Besides, he still was a part of those supremacist groups,"
"How bad do you think it'll get?" The woman questioned. They were far more people they what they predicted.
"Bad," Agent Cunningham analyzed.
"Civil war?" The broad man probed. Cunningham shook his head.
"No. Not to that scale, especially if people like him are involved," He predicted before thinking for a bit. "Most likely one final blaze of glory when the president loses his reelection in 2020 thanks to cult loyalty, but it'll be super close."
"It'll take a lot for some of them to resign their support of him," The confident woman examined the stakes. "Something that negatively affects the world," The three briefly remained quiet. "We'll take care of the rest," Agent Cunningham nodded as he walked away.
He entered the talkative office area. His echoing footsteps reduced the noise to a hush while his eyes scanned the room. Their neck hairs stood up when his gaze focused on them. Some of them actually did their work as he continued to stroll past their desk. Agent Cunningham was ruthlessly strict as they're responsible for protecting the lives of everyone in the USA from domestic and foreign threats. He doesn't need slackers when lives are at stake. Yet, he was fair at times. Agent Cunningham knew that these were people too. They exhaled when he entered his office. It was simple yet imposing, with a picture of his family on the table. His office phone rang. "Yes," Cunningham pressed the answer button.
"Mr. Cunningham. You have a Rita Loud trying to reach you," His eyes expanded at the mention of the name. His cousin?
"Page her through," He requested as he picked up the phone.
"Hey Alex, it's been a while," Rita sorrowful voice answered the phone
"It certainly has been, Rita," Alex replied. "I take it that this has to do with Lord Tetherby or Lincoln," He predicted.
"How did you" Rita questioned her cousin.
"It was all over the news, plus we've been keeping tabs on your family, especially Lisa. She's on our watchlist," Alex interrupted as he read a file. Seriously how does a four-year-old has access to radioactive material? Rita's heart sunk. Does he know about the incident? "I know about this Bad Luck incident," He muttered harshly as he narrowed his eyes. "Honestly, Rita, what the fuck were you thinking? That's the same shit that caused auntie to join that damn cult." Alex fumed, not wanting to believe what he heard, but the facts said otherwise.
"You think I don't know that shit!" Rita lamented with tears rushing down her cheeks while holding her head. His return home was her mark of shame as a parent. The cold shoulder was an understatement. It took everything for them to get Lincoln to say more than a single phrase. If he's even home, that is, but he gets back before dinner. She tried to apologize to him one time after dinner. Lincoln looked at her with eyes colder than death before brushing her off. 'Save it. I've heard it all before from them. I don't need to hear it from you. I'm going to bed," "I fucked him up in ways that he'll never recover," She sniffed as he listened to her sobs. Alex saw some of the worst humanity has to offer. It hardened his heart but not enough to ignore the wails of a loved one. "Now he got attacked by some whackjob because he didn't want to be around us,"
"I can explain that," Alex replied. "One of our agents, Micheal, was assigned to it, providing a quick resolution. Plus, he was eager to target people like Tetherby," He scratched his hand. Probably an old grudge to settle. Lord Tetherby was a real piece of work. "What's strange is that he kinda showed up out of nowhere, but all of his papers were in order and legit," No, he'll save that for another time. "Did Lincoln use the Anchor on him?" He recalled some of the information in the report
"The what?" Rita commented blankly. What's the Anchor?
"Wait, Uncle Al didn't teach you the Anchor?" Alex inquired with a raised brow.
"No!" Rita exclaimed to him. He taught both of them how to fight or at least defend themselves. "He didn't tell me anything about that,"
"From the description, Lincoln used the center point," Alex continued. It's the simplest one
"THERE'S MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF IT!"
"Woah," Lincoln mouthed as he entered the splendid Yates house with Jancey and Beau. Damn, this house is fancy. Everything was spotless and shining that you could eat off the floor. Lana does that a lot. He looked up as his eyes widened. Is that a chandelier? His view shifted to the left. And a grand piano? Lincoln placed his bag down as they sat at the table. "What do you need help with?" He replied as his fingers grazed the smooth texture while looking around. Jancey gestured for Beau to speak.
"I want to expand my mediums, but I don't know what yet," The youngest Beau confessed. "There's tons of mediums that you can use," Lincoln started before he reached into his bag. "Pen, pencil, crayons, colored pencils, paint, pastel, chalk, and markers are the most common," He placed a container filled with art supplies. "Photography and sculpting can work too," Lincoln opened the box as he handed a few coloring pages and a sketchbook to him.
"Which one should I choose?" Beau questioned, holding colored pencils and chalk in his hands.
"Go with whatever feels right," Lincoln advised holding his sketchbook. "I found my style thanks to comics. You're interested in Korean culture, so you can use that," He suggested with a smile. Beau chose color pencils while Jancey went with the markers as they colored on a page. The rest of the Yates returned home.
"Hey honey, whatcha doing," Bumper Sr. asked as they sat down with the Yate sisters sitting on each side of Lincoln.
"We're helping Beau expand his artistic skills," Jancey replied, holding a thin green marker in her hand. "Wanna join?" They nodded as Lincoln slid some supplies to them. "So Bumper, how was the audition to the play?" Lincoln's ears perked up as his cold eyes focused on him. Luan auditioned for the play as well. It was Romeo and Juliet if he remembered correctly.
"I got in, but I'm only an extra at the moment," Bumper Jr. replied. "If everything goes well, then I can get the main role," He smiled before he opened his eyes. " Oh, I better practice my lines," Lincoln's eyes followed Bumper Jr. up the stairs when his door shut. So his room is on the second floor. Better take note of that.
"Hey, Tetherby got up," A guard slammed his baton against the metal side of the door startling the old man. The security gate opened with a beep as two nurses paced with a straightjacket. "Don't make this harder than what it already is" The nurses struggled to put it on him.
"Unhand me, you subhuman peasants," He foamed at the mouth, attempting the chomp on their fingers. One of them nodded for a muzzle. Another guard walked in, holding one. "Get away from me! Get away," Tobias continued to rage once the muzzle was on. The nurse tightened the straps on the jacket. They escorted him out of his padded room. "Where are you taking me?" He continued to rage as they remained silent. Tobias's eyes widened at the sight of him.
"I'll take it from here, guys," Micheal smiled as they nodded, handing the prisoner over. He continued the transport with Tobias grumbling and swearing under his breath. Officer Schoneffer conversed with a businessman and a woman by his side, holding a briefcase and an Ipad. They passed the case to her and shook hands.
"There he is, the man of the hour," Gabriel mocked as Tobias came closer to him. "We'll take it from here, Officer" He smirked as he rubbed her back and backside, forcing a blush on her face. They watched her stroll down the hallway and turned left. "Micheal," He started
"Gabriel," Micheal replied as they shook each other hands before saluting. "My task is done. Now it's your turn," Tobias's heart thundered while the two conversed. It's his turn now?!
"What is the meaning of this?" Tobias shouted in a panic. His eyes were beaky and bloodshot, with veins pulsing on his neck and head. "You took everything from me! What more do you want? How do you know each other?!" He roared, tired of everything right. The two shared a grin.
"You honestly don't know?" The men replied in the same voice. "We are the same and your enemy," They replied in unison, flashing their silver emblem at him. Tobias opened his mouth when Gabriel's assistant injected a tranquilizer in his neck before he screamed. His vision slowly blurred with each passing second, barely keeping his head before everything went dark. Micheal held up the unconscious man. "Fuck, I love it when you get the job done," Gabriel gave his assistant a peck on the cheek as she shyly blushed. She's so glad that she with this upgraded human model. No one can tell the difference.
"Micheal, can you assist us in putting him in the car?" She requested in a metallic tone. He nodded as he placed the man on his shoulder as they walked outside on this chilly evening. She typed on her Ipad. "I'm sending a message to Incognito labs. They'll have something in store for him,"
Message delivered
Message read.
New message received
"Thank you for the participant and the generous increase to our funding. I am looking forward to more projects and business endeavors,"
From Dr. Carol Linneaus
Incognito Labs
An extensive line of disgruntled customers was waiting outside Flip's Food and Fuel. However, he was supposed to be issuing a sale with a new flavor, like the bootleg Mr. Krabs that he was. The machine had some technical difficulties, but thankfully Flip got it running. "It's about time," Renee grumbled as she sipped her grape Flipee. She walked outside with Lincoln holding some nachos before sitting at the outside table. He was busy texting Ronnie Anne. Her family was meddling in her business. Welcome to the party. "Hey, Lincoln, I took your advice and reworked my OC a bit," She handed him a sheet of paper. He picked it up. Renee watched his eyes silently scan each line as he munched his nachos.
"This is better," Lincoln answered while she smiled at her success. "Now we need a name," The two stared at each other for a moment. "Yeah, I got nothing,"
"Neither do I," Renee shrugged before taking a sip. Figuring out a name is the hardest part for any character. Like do you want it to be cool, creative, or ironic? Does it have symbolism or a deep meaning? Her phone buzzed. It's her mom messaging her. "I got to go," She stood up as he nodded because he had to go too. Lincoln finished his nachos and tossed the paper container in the trash. The two waited at the pedestrian crossing light as cars drove past.
'Walk,' An automated voice ordered. They walked across the pavement when Lincoln shivered at the strange cold air brushing past his ear. That's weird. It's supposed to be sunny. It happened again, but it spoke to him.
"Look out…" A familiar eerie voice warned him. Lookout? What for? His thoughts were interrupted by the roar of a speeding car engine. Time slowed as he glanced to his left. Is this chick taking selfies while driving?! She's heading right for Renee. Lincoln stepped forward, grabbing Renee's forearm and the front of her red shirt to her surprise. He twirled, lifting her off the ground tossing her to the safety of the sidewalk before the gray Nissan sped towards them.
"LINCOLN!" Renee shrieked as the car swerved, knocking a fire hydrant before crashing into a light pole. Her frantic eyes ricocheted back and forth as the water rained and flowed down the street. Where the hell is he?! "Please God no…." She can't find him. Not even a shoe. Her eyes watered, ignoring her scraped elbow.
"Renee!" Her mother yelled as she sprinted across the wet pavement. They hugged each other. Traffic stopped due to the accident as some people called for emergency services. "Wait, where's Lincoln?" She acknowledged the missing Loud.
Renee huffed and puffed with ragged breathes. "He…he…pushed me out of the way…." She stammered with clear snot oozing out of her nose. Her mother embraced her tightly once more. "Why did he push me out of the way?" Renee gripped her mother's blouse. "Why do you have to be such an idiot, Lincoln?"
"Geez, you're welcome, by the way," Lincoln spoke, startling them. He's okay! She glomped him tightly, wrapping her arms around him. Holy crap, the gym has done wonders on his back. He slowly returned the hug.
"You're okay. You're okay," Renee whispered before punching him in the arm. He didn't react as her punches were light compared to Alexandria and Pandora. "What the hell, dude?!" She growled as he raised his hands in defense. An ambulance drove past them to the light pole. "I thought you were…." Her face softened a bit. "Thank you, Lincoln," She smiled softly.
"Don't worry about it, Renee. We Ace Savvy fans got to stick together," Lincoln smiled back, showing off his crimson Savvy shirt. "You still okay?" She nodded, rubbing her elbow.
"We better disinfect that cut," Her mother warned before grinning at Lincoln. "Thank you again, Lincoln,"
"You're welcome, ma'am. I'll see you at school, Renee," Lincoln remarked before turning around to walk home. Renee observed his body. Were his back and shoulders always that broad?
Lincoln strolled down the street when his blue eyes found a flower shop: The Witches garden. They're having a sale today. He entered the shop. Rows and columns of flowers and herbs decorated the shop filling it with a gentle aroma. He sniffed the air. Lavender. "Welcome to the Witches garden, Lincoln," Cordelia greeted the child. "Can I have with something with?" She smiled at her daughter's friend. Haiku has a particular interest in his young man.
"Yes, ma'am. It's about the sale," Lincoln responded
"Oh, it's a three for twenty dollars. You pick any three flowers," She explained. "Do you have anything specific in mind?" Lincoln searched his brain for some flowers.
"You have any geraniums, harebells, and red columbines," Lincoln requested to her surprise. A unique array of flowers.
"Coming right up," Cordelia remarked. A few minutes passed as she handed him a bag with his requested flowers. He gave her a crisp twenty-dollar bill. "I added some Black-eyed Susans as we're overstocked," She placed a finger on her lips. "Have a good day, Lincoln,"
"You too, Mrs. Forrester," Lincoln replied before heading to the door. She smiled before narrowing her eyes at him. Her eyes widened in alarm as something was following him. Two spirits. Cordelia paused for a moment when they smiled at him. One of them had a sad one resembling, Rita. She let them be. These souls had no trace of malice in them.
He continued his journey home when two hands tenderly touched his back and head. Lincoln swiftly turned around. The touch felt familiar, even motherly. No one was behind him on the empty sidewalk. He found two figures standing off in the distance. Lincoln squinted to gain a better view, but he could barely make them out. Their forms were a transparent light blue. One resembled his sister, Lucy but in early 1930 attires. That's his Great Grandma Harriet. The second one stood farther back who resembled his mother. Similar body type and hair. She faded away with Harriet following. Lincoln's eyes widened. He knew who that was.
"Grandma…"
Fun fact: Harebells are a popular flower in Scotland symbolizing everlasting love. Red columbines symbolize primal energy, passion, romance, and prosperity. Black-eyed Susans are considered a symbol of encouragement and motivation. All of them can grow in Michigan.
Did you guys really think I'll have Lincoln get hurt in a car crash? I mean I could do that but no. Besides, that plots are advancing, Micheal has a new friend helping him behind the scenes. Certain characters were introduced. We finally saw Dolly Cunningham in a way. Thank you Loud Movie allowing ghosts to interact with the living without it being strange.
Thank you for reading the story. Follow and Favorite for more QTQ. Leave a review for any questions, concerns, queries, theories or just to show your love and support.
Have a good day. :)