After another questionable night's sleep in which the most recent flashback kept repeating throughout the night, Lincoln was awoken by the most disturbing emails he's seen so far:
It finally happened... in my opinion, I don't know why it didn't happen sooner. I went to school today, and the very first greeting I got was, "Hey there, lesbo queef." At gym class, I got weird smooches from guys and gross eyes from the girls. And if that wasn't enough, this one dude said, "Does your sister seriously use your brother as a footstool? Where can I get a manslave of my own?" Bro, this is only gonna get worse...
-Lunes
Salutations, male sibling prime. I thought you would like to know that Lynn has secured a victory for the Royal Woods middle school volleyball and football teams, meaning she will be participating in both tournaments, meaning that Clyde and I may have to develop non traditional sports medicine to make sure she doesn't falter, much like how our other siblings faltered due to the schools' knowledge of our misappropriation of intentions.
-Lancy Lisa
What in the Sand Hell is going on?! What did you spill to your friends?! Literally every single person at school is asking me if your back felt good for my feet, or if your belly felt good for our knuckles! You and I have some very clear issues to work out.
-Literally_Lori
Right before class began, the trio were crowded around Lincoln's desk.
"I don't know, man," Lincoln said, "With each passing day, I feel like I'm taking a step backwards. Like, I'm trying to drop off this crap at the ends of existence, but...yeesh, What's it gonna take?"
"I don't suppose anyone younger than you might have an answer?" Ichika asked.
"Nope, and I know what Lisa would say...ask the people I saw in the flashbacks...who are probably gonna clam up like Leni."
"Is there any way you can cope without them? Maybe distract yourself with something else?" Charles suggested, "Like your battle record, for example. Have you ever won a solo fight?"
"Nuh-uh," Lincoln groaned, "I'm 0 for 4 now. And that last one probably cost me my social future." He saw various students entering the classroom, averting their faces from his eyes as they crossed his sight, "I'm too out-of-it to think of a bad luck pun..."
"Maybe a training session would help," Charles saw Maya entering, "We'll talk later."
"Everyone get ready!" Maya said, "Homeroom will be starting in a few minutes, and the test will be right after!"
"Hey, mind me talking with Houki for a bit?" Ichika asked.
"Oh, no, go ahead," Lincoln said, giving him at least a good silent minute to plan the rest of his day.
Which was interrupted...rather quickly...by the feeling of a optical laser burning a hole in his right ear, "Ow-do you mind-BPH!"
Laura was standing next to him. Her eye alone set off multiple red alerts in his mind.
"Uh...M-morning, Laura..." Lincoln waved, "How do you-"
"Despicable," was all she gave him before she walked to her seat.
"Wow," Akina was right behind her, "What'd you do?"
"I gave her the room," Lincoln joked, "I thought she'd like the oneness."
"That's...you fled her "judgement" again? You're a survivor, you know that?"
"It's a step up from getting swollen cheeks."
And a big step it was. The rest of the day could be summarized as: Whenever Lincoln needed help with a problem, no one was willing, and his acquaintances didn't share any of his main classes, so he could only rely on himself. He could've asked Laura for help, but she thought these assignments were far beneath her, and she made it very clear how she felt about him...even though he wasn't told what made him despicable.
After school training was a bit unusual. Lincoln took Charles's suggestion and went to Arena 2. He had to use the Uchigane since the Suite was out of commission. But when he hopped out on the field, "Kim?!"
"Pleasure meeting you, Lincoln," Kim was inside a model similar to the Uchigane, only it had a staff that could double as a bow.
"Wow," Charles said, "It's not easy for a first year to befriend a third year."
"Well, It wasn't that hard."
"Um, ok," Lincoln approached them, "So, where's Ichika?"
"I'm here!" Ichika joined him, "So, What's the drill for today?"
"We're doing a doubles battle," Kim explained, "Two-man teams in a clash of the duo."
"That way, Ichika might have a fair chance of beating me," Charles jokes.
"Hey! I could've had you!" Ichika griped.
"What happened now?" Lincoln asked.
"It's nothing!" Charles wagged his/her hand, "Let's not dawdle any longer!"
The practice match was underway, with Lincoln and Ichika facing off against Charles and Kim. Ichika and Lincoln showed their amazing chemistry, fending off massive attacks and trading blows as they became fully immersed in the fight, even managing to score some good hits...
...Unfortunately, what could they do against a seasoned third-year and a Representative Contender who knows how to switch weapons during the heat of the battle?
The fight ended when Lincoln was hit with Charles's shield pierce pointy thingy-BAM! "YAAAHOOHOOHOOHOOOOOO-" PLOP! "Uuuuuuuu..."
UCHIGANE (SAMURAI) — SHIELD 4/95% (CRITICAL) — LOSE
BYAKUSHIKI — SHIELD 8/100% (CRITICAL) — LOSE
UCHIGANE (YUMI) — SHIELD 73/95%
RAFAEL REVIVE CUSTOM — SHIELD 82/100%
"Well, I'd say that was a very productive session," Kim extended her hand to Lincoln.
"Yep," Lincoln grabbed hold and stood himself up, "Same for me..."
"I can tell you've improved. It's the everyday training, I bet."
All four went back to the holding area to rest. While Charles and Ichika were figuring out what tactics Ichika can use that don't require the energy-eating Ignition Boost or the AHEM Barrier Disabling Attack, Kim and Lincoln were walking out discussing the incident.
"So, that's all about that," Lincoln said.
"I had no idea that girls could be so pit-nicky," Kim observed the dodging glances, "Imagine how it must feel for your sisters. I'm certain that even they have secrets they want to hide."
"They do...but knowing the rate of gossip..."
"Hey, you two!" Akina caught up with them, "Wanna grab a quick bite?"
At dinner time, where they were joined by Ichika and Charles...
"No way...it's that bad?" Akina blinked.
"Yeah..." Ichika said, "It's only because of Lincoln and Charles that I was able to understand more of the material...but it wasn't enough."
"Darn right It wasn't enough," Kim said, "No one has ever gotten below a 73."
"I was lucky enough to get a 75," Lincoln nodded, "How did a 59 happen?"
"I think I have an idea..." Charles pointed to a group of girls who nudged the table,
"Hey, Ichika!"
"Oh, hello."
"You wanna sit with my group? We have a really chill atmosphere that's totally not angsty or vicious-"
"No thanks," Ichika already knew what they were doing having caught her glancing at Lincoln, "I'm good where I am."
"Huh?! But...but don't you wanna get away from-"
"I actually need some of that," Ichika made his thoughts very clear.
The girls were forced to withdraw, having been so blatantly rejected.
"Guh...I don't know what happened today..." Ichika sighed, "Since this morning, they've been very adamant in getting as much alone time with me as possible..."
"Best watch your back with the girls here," Akina said, "You never know what they're capable of."
"Like, spreading a rumor that's not true but sounds like it would happen, and then actually making it happen?" Lincoln asked.
"Oh no. Worse," Akina grinned and scrunched her arms and shoulders, "Much worse!" demon banshee "A THOUSAND TIMES WORSE AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA!"
"Do I wanna be a man or a mega lamp..."
Lincoln came across Laura once again in the middle of the courtyard, "Hey! You wanna hang-" she just walked past him like he never existed. "-ouiaeoauooo...Why did I bother again?"
At the dorms, where Lincoln was holding temporary residence...
(-Now is the time.-Now is the hour.-I am the magic.-I am the power, ohh...)
"Bulghulghulgh..."
"Nope, I can't-I'm done."
"Charles and Lincoln are out!"
"Brûlez en enfer, sorcière..."
"I thought earrape was just with loud noises!"
Lincoln, Akina, Kim, Houki, Ichika, Cecilia, and Charles were cooped up in 1025. They just finished a cringe-off, and Houki won.
"How do you do it, Houki?" Ichika couldn't resist, "How can you put up with this type of garbage?"
"Honestly, I've been through worse," Houki said.
"Not like this afternoon?" Cecilia snapped, "You weren't trying to win the battle. You were trying to beat me senseless."
"Really?" Lincoln sounded a tad bit shocked, "How bad was it?"
"I do believe she got in a throat strike. I only say that because halfway through the battle, she was only aiming at my throat."
"Holy Jesus, woman!" Akina exclaimed, "Have you learned nothing?!"
"I did!" Houki stammered, "Like...how you should go under like woosh and then BANG right over the-"
"Ahem?"
Houki drooped, "No, I haven't..."
Lincoln was slightly disturbed, but not really. After all, he was seeing his good work being undone right before his eyes ever since he first arrived in the Academy.
But it certainly wouldn't stop there, because a painfully constant reminder of what he had to do was waiting outside the moment he excused himself to go to the toilets...
"Man, what I'd give for a head massage right now..." Lincoln said when he left the room.
"How about a head ache?"
"Who in-guh..." he turned around and found Kiyoka and Sayuka, looking mighty disdainful, "*SIGH...* Let me guess...you're here to threaten me, even though you didn't ask Ichika for his thoughts on the tournament."
"Shut up, cracker!" Kiyoka shouted, "If it wasn't for your snoopy little nose, Ichika would've been mine!"
"You mean, mine," Sayuka said, "but that's none of your business!"
"Did anyone ask Ichika?" Lincoln asked.
"Why does that matter?!"
Lincoln smirked, "Because if that happened, I'm sure he'd do everything in his power to make the date the worst date ever."
Kiyoka slammed him against the wall and held him by the neck, "I oughta pelt you in your stupid buck-ees right now!"
Lincoln pocketed his hands, "So, do it. What's stopping you?"
The pair realized that he got them. If Kiyoka does hit him, he will tell on her. All the evidence he needs to get her suspended will be right there on his face.
Kiyoka has to let him go, but not before she gave him a stern warning, "Just you wait, albino! You'll get your just deserts soon enough!"
Lincoln waited until they were back in their rooms before leaning against the wall, gasping for breath, "Man, their faces when I don't act the way they expect me to," he wiped his mouth, then turned around, "Is that what you find despicable about me?"
Laura saw the very brief conflict, but she thought nothing of it, or his question. She just walked past him.
Lincoln walked after her, "Hello? Laura? You want-" book to the shin "-GAAHOOWWWW!" thud "MY LEG..."
"Don't use my first name," Laura growled as she continued to her room.
"Aw...this has gotta stop..." Lincoln groaned, then writhed as the pain intensified, "Ggg...do the worm...do the worm...I HOPE YOU'RE PREPARED WOMAN! BECAUSE NOW, THAT INNER WALL'S COMING DOWN NO MATTER WHAT!"
"What wall?"
"Eh?" Lincoln looked up. "HANA?!" He propped himself up, "Uh, What brings you here?"
"I just saw you writing in-"
"It's nothing, really. Just gotta get some issues sorted out. That's all."
For the next few days, Lincoln focused on his own studies, only stopping for a quick conversation with his friends before going back to training. But every time he saw Hana or Laura, he made sure to at least say hello. He was able to find comfortable ground with Hana; with Laura, however, it seemed like every attempt to greet her made things worse between them.
Things came to a head that weekend. When Rin and Cecilia woke up extra early to prepare for their revenge match, Lincoln woke up to take a call from Great Lakes City.
"Gee mah nee! I heard things are getting rough at the Academy, but this is just bordering on cringe and rage," Ronnie Anne said after she got the full explanation.
"I feel like the boy who cried wolf. Or screamed date," Lincoln said, "Everyone's got a bone to pick with me, all because I-" dramatic voice "-DARED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE FEMALE NATURAL ORDER-"
"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! Easy there, Fido!"
"Hehe, sorry. Just that things are getting unnecessarily tense, all the way up to the class tournament."
"Are they mad that you have a voice? What kind of girls are they?"
"The naive kind. So, how's everything back home?"
"Exactly how you'd expect. Same old craziness, but Bobby is an absolute powerhouse with the bodega. He's even keeping pace with that giant supermarket a couple blocks down!"
"So!" Suddenly, a long-haired Asian brunette popped up onscreen, "This is the new pilot I've heard so much talk about!"
"Waah!" Lincoln jolted, "Uh...hi..."
"Uh, Yeah..." Ronnie repositioned the monitor, "Lincoln, this is Sid. She moved into our apartment complex yesterday."
"Any friend of Ronnie's is a friend of mine," Sid said, "By the way, I heard you had a rough ride with the German Representative Contender."
"Yeah," Lincoln sighed, "I've been trying everything to get through that concrete wall, like here's her heart, here's the wall, and here's me going-" slashing whacko "-YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAAAAAAA-" normal person "-What am I doing?"
"Have you tried getting on her level?" Sid asked.
"Like, speak German?"
"No, not to that extent!" Sid chuckled.
"Oh, I gotcha," Ronnie nodded, "Act like she does, right? I think she only responds to power, though."
"How am I gonna do that?" Lincoln said, "She won't let me get within five yards of her personal space."
"I'm sure you'll think of something," Ronnie assured him, "You always have a plan for everything."
"Does he have a plan for the tournament, though?" Sid blurted out, "Miss Bodewig is currently the strongest out of Lincoln's class."
Lincoln didn't bother with the business back home. In the afternoon, he practiced with Kim in CQC.
"Waaaaa-GG-" he was taken down again, but he managed to bounce his head into hers and leg scissor his way back onto his feet.
"Booooooo!" Someone shouted, "Pin him down!"
"Do you mind?!" Kim snapped, "You know what will happen if you persist!"
After training, he was walking down a hallway with Kim and Hana.
"Sorry you had to experience that," Kim said, "I tried to sway those girls away from you, but they still want to deal "retribution" to you."
"I don't know what happened to make them so volatile," Hana commented.
"I bet it has something to do with whatever I did," Lincoln casually threw out, "After all, I was supposed to be the mascot."
"I hope not," Hana said, "You don't look like the mascot type."
"Aw, stop being so modest, Miss Suzuki!" Kim joked.
Just then, a student happened upon the trio, "You guys! You're not gonna beli-" she stopped talking when she caught sight of Lincoln, and opted to whisper in Hana's ear instead.
Hana's eyes widened, "Oh no..."
"What?" Lincoln asked, "What happened?"
The student tried to cut him off, "Oh, like you need to kn-"
"We have a situation!" Hana shouted, "Arena 3! Now!"
The trio went to holding area 3-3, where a dastardly scene awaited them. Laura had just finished making very brutal work of Rin and Cecilia when Ichika and Charles intervened before the IS Mandatory Unlock could be activated.
"What is she doing?" Kim wondered, "Is she that narcissistic as to display that kind of German brutality?!"
"We have to do something!" Hana shouted.
"Hana, go back and warn everyone!" Lincoln grabbed Kim's hand and ran to the Uchigane hangar, "Kim, we have to isolate Bodewig!"
Out on the field, Laura has snagged Charles with her wires and rendered him(her) virtually powerless against the AIC. "Now then, Frenchwoman," Laura reeled Charles in closer, "I will show you the difference between the generations!"
Charles was pinned down. Ichika had to guard Rin and Cecilia, both weakened from the onslaught. The boys were stuck as Laura unsheathed a saber and rushed the Revive II with all her might.
But her saber met the cold metal of the Uchigane. Once again, Lincoln took the hit, distracting her long enough for Kim to ram a sword into the Schwarzer Regen and fling it against the wall.
"Lincoln?!" Charles rushed to pick him up, "Que fais-tu ici, Lincoln?!"
("Lincoln...What are you doing here, bro...")
"Lynn..." and suddenly, it all came back to him.
("Aw, look! Little Loud's gonna take one for the mud head!")
"I took a hit for Lynn?!" It really came back to him.
"Lincoln?" Charles snapped him out of it, "Are you ok-"
Lincoln knocked Charles off him and charged straight at Laura, ready to whip a slice senseless because of what he remembered.
Lincoln and Clyde were coming back from their second day of third grade, when they saw Lynn getting pummeled. For some reason, he felt compelled to come to Lynn's rescue, but since there was no way he could beat her assailants, he had to use an alternative: getting as many people as possible to witness the beat down.
And in his mind, that one incident implanted in his sisters' brains the idea to use him as a personal scapegoat, be it for experimentation, stress relief...or just 'cuz.
"GEH MIR AUS DEN AUGEN!" Lincoln shouted right before contacting Laura in the middle of an AIC.
Laura was knocked on her back, but she kicked him off and got right back up. Then she fired several railgun shots to the ground to blind him and Kim in the dust before wrangling them both in her wires.
"The prodigal son," Laura hissed. She tightened the wires' grip on his neck, "And you dare show your fake strength in front of me...prepare yourself, imposter." She readied her railgun and took aim.
But right before it fired, someone shoved a giant sword in the barrel, causing the railgun to explode. Laura was taken back several feet before being held at point, "?! Mentor..."
By Chifuyu, "Honestly, this is why babysitting little kids is such a pain." She managed to swipe Lincoln's sword and hold it to Laura's neck, without the aid of an IS.
Ichika hovered over to the scene with Charles right behind, "Wow, sis has still got it."
Once she was sure that no one would dare to continue the fight, Chifuyu lowered her sword, "You can practice all you want here. However, as a teacher, I can't ignore it when you start destroying the barriers in the arena itself, so this is over now. I'm ordering you to wait until the tournament to settle your grudge match. Is that understood?"
"If those are your orders, Mentor..." Laura muttered as she withdrew her IS.
Chifuyu turned to Ichika and Charles, "Orimura. Dunois. You're ok with that, too, right?"
"Uh...yes ma'am, I can wait," Ichika responded.
"That is an acceptable compromise," Charles likewise.
Chifuyu glanced over at Lincoln, whose eyes had become somewhat clouded, as if he had just seen something he was never meant to see. She took a mental note of his condition before declaring to the rest of the crowd, "In that case, you're all hereby prohibited from engaging in any personal matches until the upcoming tournament! Dismissed!"
Later, Ichika's group, sans Lincoln, took itself to the infirmary for a checkup. Thankfully they only had minor injuries that were treated within an hour.
But Ichika couldn't fathom why Rin and Cecilia were griping, "I cannot believe you two just kept up the fight. If I were just a few seconds late, you wouldn't have made it out alive."
"Like it was at all necessary for you to help us back there," Rin complained.
"We would surely have won if only we were permitted to finish," Cecilia agreed.
Charles giggled while serving everyone tea, "Oh, stop putting on a front, you two."
"Putting on a-huh?"
Charles laid out the tea the same way he laid out the smack talk, "You are embarrassed because someone you like saw you getting hurt. That is correct, no?"
Rin immediately went on the defensive, "I promise I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about! Cross my heart!"
"Um, I'm confused as well!" Cecilia stammered, "I'm not putting on any sort of front either!"
Ichika did not believe that at all, "Wait, What does that have to do with you picking a fight with Laura in the first-" he stopped when they spat out their tea all over the room, "-...hot...very hot..."
Rin tried to find an excuse that wasn't a dead giveaway, "Well...uh...that's because, uh..."
"Well, when she insulted us," Cecilia started spouting nonsense, "she basically disrespected our female pride...nothing beyond that, honest..."
Charles figured out what those words really meant, "Ahahaa! You mean Ichika's someone who-BMMPHMMMPMM-"
While Rin and Cecilia were struggling to control Charles's motormouth, Ichika finally connected the dots. Laura insulted him in their presence, so they sought to teach her a lesson. He thought that it only happened to someone they really care about, "Come on, I thought we talked about this. We agreed to let the tournament decide that date, right?"
Rin and Cecilia took great offense to that.
"What's with that foolish statement?!" Rin snapped, "How can you be so foolish, fool?!"
"I cannot believe you would say that!" Cecilia said, "You are the biggest fool here!"
"Yeah, you big fool, dumbity dumb head, you!"
Ichika got right in their faces. He already figured out what Charles was going to say, ergo what the girls really thought of him, but he wanted to hear it in person, "Then what is it exactly?"
"Uehe?!" Cecilia and Rin jumped back, "What...what ever could you-"
"You never gave me a straight answer the first time, so I'm gonna ask again," Ichika played on their fear of certainty. He took a step forward each time they took a step backward, "What. The hell. Am I. To you."
The two girls were about to cave in when a rumbling was echoed throughout the infirmary. Moments later, a horde of students stampeded the room, surrounding each person with notices.
To all students,
In order for us to conduct the most practical simulated matches, all those participating in this month's IS tournament will be required to form two-member teams. However, for those unable to establish teams on their own, their partners will automatically be chosen by a random drawing. The registration deadline is one week from the tournament. Please meet with a faculty member when you have found your partner.
-IS Admin
"Orimura! Orimura!" A student shouted, "You should partner up with me!"
"Please be my partner, Dunois!" Another shouted.
Ichika and Charles kept getting pounded with requests to join up with the other students.
But Ichika already knew that it couldn't happen, due to the risk of revealing Charles's secret identity, as well as any other female getting on his case for not considering another woman, so he clapped his hands together, "I'm very sorry, but I'm gonna team up with Charles, so forget it!"
The girls were...accepting:
"Well, if that's the case..."
"I suppose it's ok if two guys are teaming up."
"Actually, I think it's kinda hot."
Ichika sighed in relief.
Charles was about to offer some encouragement, but Rin and Cecilia blindsided Ichika first.
"Hey! You gotta be on my team!" Rin said, "We're childhood friends, aren't we?!"
"No, he should pick me!" Cecilia protested, "We're classmates, right?!"
"Hey!" Ichika wriggled, "I already said that I'm picking Charles!"
"What's the big idea picking him of all people?!" Rin demanded an explanation.
"You wouldn't favor someone who could actually lead you to victory!" Cecilia said, "How dare you?!"
Ichika panicked, "I didn't wanna say this but you made me," he grabbed Rin by her shoulders, "You're too provocative!" Then, he did the same thing to Cecilia, "And you're too snooty!"
Cecilia and Rin were stunned by what he just said. Charles hid behind the chair fearing what could happen next.
But Ichika was completely oblivious to the atmosphere, "Besides, What's wrong with a guy teaming up with another guy? It'd be less awkward for me, and more relaxing for you since you won't have a hundred other girls...coming...after... you..." until he saw a finger extend from Rin's hand.
"I don't know what you heard, Cecilia," Rin growled, "but to me, that sounded a lot like, 'Come and beat my stupid man-ass senseless!'"
"Trust it to a man to form an opinion before consulting other associates," Cecilia agreed, "However, I'd be more than happy to teach you the error of your ways."
"Wait..." Ichika said, "What's wrong with a guy partnering with another guy?..."
"Everything!" Rin snapped, "It means that you've disregarded your own childhood friend! How could you, you lousy jerk face?!"
"I hope you're fully prepared to suffer the consequences for your own farce, Ichika!" Cecilia declared war, "This match will not be like our first encounter! I will win decisively this time!"
And they left it at that. Cecilia and Rin walked away.
Ichika relaxed when the door closed, "HOY...that was completely unnecessary..."
"Lincoln's right," Charles smirked, "We are World War central."
Meanwhile, Lincoln was talking to Maya about the tournament. He had already received the news beforehand and asked her to pair him with Laura. Maya in turn notified him that his IS will be fully repaired the morning of the tournament.
That evening, Lincoln took a walk in the school park to mentally prepare himself for the inevitable smack talk and questioning that would erupt from the students who would spread another rumor about payback. He just needed a chance to explain why he chose his partner. And he would get it at the fountain. When he rounded the corner towards the cafeteria, he ran into Laura's icy cold vice grip.
"Hey! Language!" Lincoln shouted as he was pushed onto a seat against the fountain.
Laura was livid. She counted four times that he had gotten in her way. She was not about to let him off the hook now, "Explain yourself, cretin."
"Uh...explain what?...exa-"
"You block my way in the arena today, and a few hours later, you lump me in with the likes of you!"
"What? I thought you could use a little bit of-"
"I DON'T REQUIRE ANY HELP FROM A DESPICABLE UNWORTHY SWINE LIKE YOU!"
"Yeah, ok, I gotta know now!" Lincoln stood up, "What is really your deal?! What about me do you find-" mock accent "-duhspeekabluhh?!"
"Tch..." Laura turned away and mentally replayed their previous battle, in which Lincoln did not call out all three of his allies until the very end, "You held back."
"Wuzzat?"
"You held back during our fight! Your eccentric servants prevented me from utilizing my AIC, and yet it ended with your tail leaving the arena in shambles!"
"Your AI-oh, come on. Power isn't the only thing, is it?"
"Is that why you've lost every single IS battle you've participated in since your discovery of your powers?! Are you that feeble of a boy?!"
"I'm 11, you're 15-OH YOU TELL ME!"
"I would say, yes you are. How they let an emotional prepubescent brat in this place I am going to find out."
"And then send me back to my family, right?"
("I do it for my brother.")
("I will never approve that he's her brother!")
Laura had to stop when he said that. She couldn't understand why he drew strength from other people...or why he kept approaching her when no one else would. She could see that his eyes had seen some kind of longing pain, but nothing else about him made sense to her. To her, he's like a walking on-off switch that changes positions with each step he takes.
Laura had to know, "Why, then? Why did you come all this way out here?"
Lincoln misinterpreted that question as 'why he came to the fountain'. He just came to walk, but since she knew that he would be her partner for the tournament...
"...Weil ich nicht zustimme..." he thought Now would be a great time to practice what little German he learned since he first encountered her, "...Tatsächlich werde ich niemals bejahen, dass du mein Feind bist."
"Wha..." there was something off about what he said, but Laura waded through the speech enough to fully understand everything that which no one has ever said to her, not even her closest comrades in the army, "Wo kommt das her?"
"Ok, end foreign language mode, heh...Look, I know you pretty well now. You've suffered. You were cast aside until Chifuyu gave your life meaning. But you've gone and misinterpreted the strength speech; being the strongest isn't the only thing that matters. Don't get me wrong; it's important...but it's not the most important."
"What do you mean?"
Lincoln could feel the weight of his words on his shoulders. He had to tread carefully, "I mean...uh, there's more to strength than just raw power. There's a strength in faith. Yes, that does exist. Strength comes from more than just brute force. And I wanna show you that there's a better way to find strength."
And at that point, Laura thought he was just rambling. But she did take something away from that rant. If he could have refrained from calling his allies to fight alongside him, yet also throw an IS that wasn't meant for intense CQC right into the fray, and completely upend her multiple times using his brains instead of his brawn, maybe he did know what he was talking about...or maybe he just pulled it out of his ass in an effort to control her rage.
Laura decided to take it upon herself to find out the truth of his words. She extended her hand to Lincoln, "Alright."
"Uh...alright, then," Lincoln slowly reached for her hand- "Ay!" -Once his hand was an inch from hers, he felt a sharp tug.
Laura brought his ear to her mouth and hissed, "Fallen Sie nicht zurück." She pushed him back on the seat and stormed off.
Lincoln kept his behind on the seat to fully absorb what he had just created for himself. "Well...that was ungodly hard to do..." he sighed, "but it's done..."
"Ooh la la!"
"GGG-" Lincoln was shook by an all-too-familiar friendly voice, "Akina?..."
"Eye vill nevah apoove zat u Ah my enemy!" Akina popped her head out from a bush, "You has to steal her words, too, Romeo?"
Kim popped her head out next, "And use them in such a cheesy manner that even the most basic of women would gag?"
Hana popped her head out last, with very...very curious eyes.
"Get off my case, women!" Lincoln snapped.
Laura was wandering off by the residence hall. She still had her mind on his burning words, especially how he refused to see her as she saw him. If he never thought of her as an enemy, then what was she to him? In fact, he never really answered her question. If he didn't want to be the strongest, then what was he doing here?
"Damn him..." She clawed her hair, "His mind games have interfered with my agenda..."
Just then, she saw him again, this time fending off playfully jabbing jokes at him.
Akina encircled her eyes with glass cups, "If you blur your eyes, they do look like siblings."
Kim grinned, "German blood is the only explanation I can think of for that hair."
"Ok, ok, I get it!" Lincoln said, "You calling me a masochist or something?!"
"Hey, bro. Your words," Akina backed away.
"I oughta copy her hairstyle so that I can use that sideways cowlick as a stabbing weapon!"
"You'd really do that?" Hana blushed when she envisioned Lincoln with that hairstyle.
Which caused him to cringe, "Aw, not you too!"
"Doing the hard thing ain't convenient!" Akina latched herself onto his back, "Unless you're watching someone else doing the hard thing! Then, it's hilarious!"
"Ok, we're overdoing it now," Hana said.
"Come on!" Akina smacked Hana's shoulder, "You can't deny its golden moments!"
"Nor its impact on the rest of the people," Kim said, "You know what they say, 'Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart.'"
"*GULP*" Akina and Hana froze, "Didn't think of that..."
"Where do you get these things?..." Lincoln was very suspicious of Kim.
"Don't ask."
Laura shook it off. She made up her mind to try and get rid of whatever she just saw.
With the teams established, the students retired to their dorms to get some weekend relaxation. The next morning, when everyone else in 1025 had already woken up, Lincoln was all alone. He called home to check in on his sisters. And Luan and Lisa were the first to respond.
"It's been fifty shades of clock-tickery lately," Luan said, "People left and right have been dogging Luna for her lesbianism."
"I thought she was bisexual?"
"It's complicated," Lisa said, "People associate bisexuality with polygamy, which as I found out..." Lisa displayed a rather vulgar (and poorly photoshopped) picture of Luna with multiple guys and gals, "...is generally received very harshly."
"Geez," Lincoln gasped, "How's Luna handling it?"
"Very down," Luan responded, "Last couple weeks, she's been hanging all bi herself! Hahahahahaaa! Get it?"
"Ugh..."
"She's not in the best shape," Lisa butted in, "Look out for some emails in the near future."
"Will do," Lincoln said before he remembered the flashbacks, "By the way, I have to ask...what happened a few years ago?"
"Huh?" Luan tilted her head, "The heck are you yapping about bro?"
Lincoln drew in a big breath, and then dropped the bombshell, "Did I take a hit for Lynn after she was brutally beaten up on her second day of sixth grade?"
Luan dropped her smile. She didn't want to hear those words coming out of his mouth, piling on top of everything that's happened to the family so far. She had to alert them (and blow out Lisa's ear drums), "LORI! LUNA! LENI! HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS EVERYTHING!"
Lincoln took that as a confirmation, "Wait, that actually happened?!"
Luan shoved Lisa away from the monitor, "Ttyl, Linc. Don't me," and turned the PC off.
"Luan? Lisa?! Hey!" Lincoln stammered, "What gives?!" He tried to re-establish connection, but he found that he was quickly blocked, "Oh my god, that actually-"
Then all of a sudden, the door was slammed open.
"Hah! Who-"
"On your feet, Loud."
"Laura?!" Lincoln jolted, "What's the big-"
Laura stormed the room and dragged him out, "As you are now, you are a grave liability. I will not be held accountable for your failure to achieve even the most basic of victories."
"Liability?" Lincoln repeated. Unfortunately, saying the word out loud allowed him to deduce its true meaning, "You mean, I gotta train even more?!"
"Yes?" Laura glared, "Is there a problem?"
"*GULP* ...no, Miss Bodewig..."
And he's been aimlessly dragged around the hallway of life ever since, up to the tournament. The two weeks leading to the big event was always packed with activities, so he didn't get much conversation time. His routine was always: school, training, homework.
School was more overwhelming than usual, mainly due to the daily pounding of the students for ruining their supposed bet, but also because of quarter tests and midterm exams. He spent more time than necessary on his schoolwork, every single opportunity he had to strike a conversation with his friends he made sure he took. And he took full advantage of those opportunities...until another student came along to steal his acquaintances away and leave him alone to take more of the same brutal gossip he had become so numb to at that point.
Oddly enough, that same smack talk provided him the static he needed to survive training. Every single afternoon was spent either in the martial arts club or in the arena, but Laura would push Lincoln to the breaking point regardless. She squeezed everything her drill sergeants put her through every day since her birth into thirteen three-hour sessions in order to force him to develop his reflexes and tactics necessary to win an IS battle, while unwittingly refining her own. Sometimes, Kim would be brought in to witness a sparring match between the two, and she would offer her feedback on how they could improve. Funny thing was that the two had a 'relationship' going; Lincoln thought Laura was getting too far ahead, while Laura thought he was closing in on her and had to keep pushing to stay ahead of him.
When the day was done, and the belly was full, it was straight to 1025 for Lincoln. This was the time that he discussed homework with Ichika and Charles. Usually it was treated as a mission for a three-man team, with the occasional chat about some mindless entertainment. This was really the only time that Lincoln could relax, but even then he'd get interrupted by an email from home about a situation that was pushing his sisters to the brink, which would lead to a conversation about the trio's own familial experiences. But they found a way to always get back on track with their IS work. They would always give each other as much support as they could, by friendly banter, enlightening advice, or, on one occasion, observing how Charles was able to go from voluminous chest to man pecs.
And all the work they had put in paid off in spades. Nine days before the tournament, the quarter-term test day arrived. The results were given near the end of the day.
"Ichika Orimura?" Maya called out.
"Yes, ma'am?" Ichika stood up and received his result: 74.
"I'm happy to see you improving!" Maya cheered, "Keep it up!"
Ichika sighed, very thankful that the extra time he put in kept him above the cutoff line.
Maya picked up the next test, "Ok, Lincoln Lou-uh..." and she was stunned by what they put in his score box.
"Yes, ma'am?" Lincoln walked to the front, looking slightly drowsy.
"Here," Maya just shoved the paper in his chest.
Lincoln walked back to his desk and mentally checked out. He slept through the bell that ended school, meaning another free jab for the girls.
"I don't understand," a student said, "Where'd he get the nerve to sleep in like that?"
"I bet he was up late gaming every night," Another joked.
"Oh, just off him," Kiyoka approached him, "There's Nothing this guy could do to-" she saw his score "-ONE HUNDRED HIMSELF?!"
"What was that?!" A student heard that number and checked for herself, "THE HELL?!"
Which got Cecilia's attention, "What's gotten into you-HE HAS!"
Which got the entire class's attention:
"THAT PIPSQUEAK GOT 100?!"
"Nuh-Uh! That shouldn't be possible!"
"WHAT IS THIS KID'S PROBLEM?!"
That last shout shook him up, "Ah! I'm awake! I'm awake!"
Cecilia slammed her hands on his desk, "You!"
"Aaa!" Lincoln hopped, "Yes?"
"What are you trying to pull, huh?!" Kiyoka demanded.
"What's it with you and our business?!" A student knocked him from behind.
But Laura's sharp voice froze them, "What are you doing, Loud?"
The students were dumbfounded. They never heard Laura address a fellow student with a non-condescending tone before. They had no idea why she addressed Lincoln as one of her own.
"Stop wasting time with the helpless masses and get to the second arena," Laura called him to her side. And they departed for the arena together.
Ichika approached Charles and Houki, "Some display of power."
"What's the matter with Cecilia?" Houki asked.
Charles snickered, "She got a 98."
"Oof...female pride, indeed," Ichika commented, "Well...shall we?"
While Ichika's and Lincoln's closest friends were merely going about their business, the students who had a hand in the bet started to realize their biggest mistake. They continually dogged Lincoln for ruining their private bet, and in doing so took away ruined his social life...leaving him with nothing to do except to try and become the top student in his class, maybe the top contender in the tournament. And given everything they said about him, they figured it was too late to get on his good side.
The only thing they could do was to train for the tournament. Suddenly, everyone was in a frenzy. They asked Ichika, Cecilia, and Rin about what they did to prepare for the previous tournament, and they got all the tips to succeed. In the week leading up to the tournament, all six arenas were packed with students training sessions and demonstrations. Whenever they saw Lincoln tagging along with Laura, a fire was ignited inside them. Smack talk and rumors clearly backfired on them, so they went straight to the practice fields, parks, whatever open spaces they could use to try and get an advantage in the tournament. Within one day, the entire first year was scrambling to make the best use of their time.
Three days before the big day, Maya and Chifuyu were doing their rounds across the hall when they saw Rin surrounded by three other students.
"Well, it wasn't a lot of hard work to get in," Rin boasted, "but my god, you wouldn't believe the crud I had to do to stay at the top of my game!"
"What do you think my chances are?" A student asked her.
"I'd say you'd need to work on your weapons mastering. Work on that, and you have a chance at the semifinals."
"Aw, that's mean!"
"What is that girl doing?" Chifuyu muttered, until she heard Charles leading a group of his own.
"It is quite literally all in the head," he said, "Unless your knowledge of commands is discrete and absolute, you will not be able to control your IS the way you want it to."
"Do you think you can show me how to control the IS better?" the student asked.
"But of course," he answered, "There is an open time slot in the morning tomorrow."
Chifuyu and Maya blinked. They haven't seen this kind of serious attitude since their days as Representative Contenders. They ran to the arenas, the library, the clubrooms, even the gymnasium. The students seemed to really want to give it their all for the tournament.
"Miss Orimura?" Maya asked.
"What is it?" Chifuyu whispered, still very amazed.
"Is it just me, or do the students this month seem to take this tournament more seriously than last month?"
"They don't know who's in attendance in the stands, so..."
Maya gasped when she saw Ichika and Akina speaking with a second-year student about IS usage and energy conservation. She nearly fainted when she saw Houki and Cecilia looking over a book that Tabane Shinonono herself wrote.
"Holy schnikes!" Maya shouted, "Everyone's totes psyched for the tournament!"
"Uh-huh," Chifuyu looked out the window, and up into the Arena 6 airspace, "and I literally know who to blame."
Maya looked up to where Chifuyu was looking, and saw Lincoln in the Uchigane Yumi engaged in a mid-air duel with Laura's Schwarzer Regen. They both clashed in CQC before Kim stopped the brawl.
Kim floated upwards in the Uchigane Samurai and looked at Laura, "Again."
"What?!" Laura snapped, "What do you mean again?!"
"You're both getting too rigid in your movements, which does not lend itself to your maneuverability. Bodewig, relax your arms and the rest will follow. Loud, don't rely so heavily on point-blank surprise attacks. Both of you, go again."
"Well, I'll be..." Chifuyu muttered.
Somehow, Lincoln rubbed off on everyone in a positive way. They used to look down on him, until they realized that that was exactly what he wanted.
"You're not gonna say that he...inspired...them, are you?" Maya questioned, "Because that would be wildly inaccurate."
"More like 'motivated...' Wait, what was going through your mind?"
"Uh...Nothing! Nothing."
"Ugh...we're at school," Chifuyu yanked her away, "so keep it at school."
"Right," Maya nodded as the two went away to prepare for main event.