The morning after the hangout, Lincoln was sound asleep. Until he felt something odd, something warm. It was a nice feeling, but he knew it wouldn't be this cozy, especially when it was all over his body. He turned around and moved his hand. He felt his way around trying to discern his current location. It wasn't until his hand ran across a hill that he locked up.
"Nnnn...nnn?"
He froze on that hill. Then, it hit him where it actually was.
"AAAA!" Lincoln woke up and drew his everything back, "Dude, why did I-huh?" He checked the clock, "13:33 what?!" and saw they had slept straight into the afternoon. He relaxed when he felt a gentle breath brush his hair, "Ok...what exactly am I looking at-UY-" He was dragged back into the bedsheets by a pair of arms. His face hit something cushiony, "OOF! I swear, some higher force is trying to-WUBPUHP?!"
He had just been squeezed into Laura's chest. She had been cuddling him during her sleep, and was still sleepily cuddling him to her unawares.
"Oh, so we're going the rom-com anime route for today, huh?" Lincoln mumbled, then tried to pry himself out of Laura's iron claw body pillow hold, "Come...onnnnn...geeeeet...oooooooffffff-WA-HOYLE-urk-" Laura doubled down on her hug, causing his hands to latch on her...unbuttoned single piece of clothing... "...Uh...what exactly am I touching?..." *SQUEEZE*SQUEEZE* "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Not even that obnoxious scream was enough to wake Laura up. When she finally did awaken, he had spent twenty minutes in the shower. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, then looked out the glass door to the bright shining afternoon sun, another sight she never fully absorbed until yesterday. She was taking in every warm sensation she was feeling, not at all like her usual tense self. That's because she just woke up from a dream where she was the middle child of an unusually large family. It was a little bit comforting to know that such a possibility exists for her, but also unsettling that it was that same dream that drove Lincoln away from his home. She wanted to know what he felt when he was still at home, and where his strength came from.
Ten minutes later, Lincoln wearing his shower and stepped out wearing only a towel, "YEEE-puberty cooties... the worst kind of disease I could-" He walked into another awkward moment. He and Laura were inches apart. And he was the one blushing this time, "Uh...you slept well?..."
"Too well," she responded. Another minute of silence, then she said, "There's something I want to ask you."
Later, they were sitting outside in the local park. They had too much fun the other night that they ended up booking a hotel room. And now, there they were under a red shade tree, far removed from the speaking grounds of the IS Academy.
"Ahhhhhhh...this is what I need..." Lincoln stretched his body along the grass, "Just an entire day of nothing..."
"I wouldn't say nothing," Laura pointed to Strong Suit acting like a monkey swinging around everything that looked like a branch or a pole, overly energized by the brisk autumn cool.
"Oh my...what did I put into her stats..." Lincoln groaned.
Laura stared at Night Club and High Card interacting with the populace as if they were actual members of the community, "What allows them to freely move like this?"
"Heck if I know," Lincoln said, "The IS modeled itself around me. What that entails, I don't know."
"That reminds me," Laura asked him, "What makes you strong?"
"Hmm..." Lincoln knew he would be called out to address his sudden surge in power during the tournament, "To be honest, I don't know. I just did what came naturally to me, and I did it a hundred percent."
"What do you mean, naturally?"
"I mean, I just do whatever I feel like. If I wanna fix a mistake I made, it help someone fit in, I'll do it right away."
"Where do you get that instant motivation from?"
"From..." Lincoln felt a slight tinge of regret, "Hhh...from my sisters. They raised me to be a supportive brother...I don't think they knew what they would've gotten me into when they taught me all that stuff."
"Do you feel like you would be better off without that?"
"Not really. It helped me through the squirrel boy...and the private campaign adventure mishap...It's a cursed blessing. It's useful in real life, except you hate it."
"I see," Laura understood that line, coming from a troubled upbringing herself, "Then again, your gift got you to drag me all the way out here."
"Oh?..." Lincoln was puzzled.
"I was briefed on your exploits prior to accepting you as my partner," Laura explained, "You led two successful rescue missions. In addition to three exhibition matches against a former RC and two current RCs."
"Don't that mean something."
Laura then joked, "All losses."
"The hell?"
"Your brains cannot compensate for your lack of brawns."
"And those two compose your heart. You are frightening."
"As is your hideous flock of hair."
"What's that dagger sticking outta your head?"
Strong Suit managed to climb to the top of a telephone pole and assume the without using her hands and assume the one-legged lookout pose. "I sense great disturbances in the wind," she spoke in an false old woman voice, when she saw two small groups of IS students standing on opposite sides of the park, faces contorted into the aghast face emoji. "Heh...hihihihiiiii..." she chuckled, "High, Night, 2 and 10 o'clock positions."
"What's is-" High Card and Night Club turned to the park entrances, "Ohhhhhhh... *SNICKERRRRRR*"
Ichika, Houki, Charles, Rin, and Cecilia were completely speckledorked. They were currently seeing Laura Bodewig...the woman who tried to slap Ichika, who successfully slapped Lincoln, who swore vengeance against the world's first male pilot for something out of his control, and who looked down on those who did not embody the very essence of strength...shooting a breeze with the world's youngest pilot, with zero tension whatsoever.
At one end, Cecilia, Rin, and Charles.
"Oh... my head..." Cecilia wobbled.
"What alternate dimension did we just step in..." Rin whispered.
"No, this is real," Charles had expected this.
"Are you referring to Lincoln and Laura, or Ichika and Houki?..." Cecilia asked.
"Probably both," Charles looked over to the opposite side of the path, viewing two different reactions.
Ichika looked on with a sense of satisfaction, as not only did he witness Lincoln make an ally out of an enemy, but now Ichika himself has one less problem to worry about, though the same can't be said about the potential love triangle.
But Houki...
("Aunt, who was that? Those two that just stopped by the dojo?")
("Oh, a young friendly couple. I think they were Lincoln Loud and Laura Bodewig.")
("WHAT?! WHY WERE THEY HERE?! WHY DIDN'T YOU KICK THEM OUT?!")
("I didn't see a reason to. That Laura girl looked very interested in tea. She seemed much more demure than you, That's for sure.")
("How can you say that about me?! I'm your niece!")
("And as my niece, how may emotions did you keep botttled up inside you?")
...Houki was flatlined beyond belief. Not so much at how a battle-hardened soldier underwent a massive transformation in one day, but very much at the fact that she underwent that transformation at her aunt's dojo.
"Ichika...help me..." Houki whispered.
Ichika grabbed her hand, "Stay close to me," and led her towards the tree.
Charles saw Ichika move towards Lincoln and grabbed Rin and Cecilia's hands, "I'm sorry, but we really must be going."
"Towards them?!" Rin yelped.
"I don't think we can-YOW!" Cecilia nearly lost her crud when she saw Laura's head hit that sweet spot on Lincoln's neck, "This calls for immediate attention." And she ended up leading Rin and Charles to the tree.
The two groups slowly converged on the target area, halting only when they saw the two white-haired pilots throw a brief laughing fit. When the two calmed down, the rest of the group walked briskly and joined them at the tree.
When Lincoln looked over Laura's head, he saw Ichika and Charles sitting down next to them, "Oh, I was wondering when you'd come around."
"You've been gone for a day and a half," Charles said, "Of course, we'd be concerned."
"Concerned..." Lincoln hovered his eyes over Rin, Cecilia, and Houki, "Is that really the right word for it?..."
An hour later, the group of seven were back on school grounds having an evening picnic. To the students' absolute bewilderment, there was no screaming of furious anger, just seven friends who seemingly formed their own clique.
"I can't believe how you managed to tame her..." Cecilia muttered, "How on earth did you control that hot-blooded Germ?..."
"Simple answer: I had to get on her level," Lincoln said while munching a slightly improve Alcott crumpet special, "Complicated answer: I had to jump 400 stories just to get on her level."
"Uh-uh..." Rin retched, "It's a step up, but there's too much mayo..."
"Really?" Charles said, "I think it's rather light on the mayo," and ate his(her) sandwich in a suggestive manner that made Lincoln blush and Rin puke.
"And he's still not there yet," Laura joked.
"Oh, what's it going to take to get on your good side?" Cecilia griped.
"Perhaps if you were born in a test tube for the sole purpose of combat, then you'd earn some of my respect," Laura downed two sandwiches with no GI reaction.
Ichika couldn't take his eyes off the crumbs that dropped on the grass in front of her, "Uh...do you know who made those things?..."
"I've had worse," Laura bluntly said, to Cecilia's chagrin and Rin's brief moment of delight.
"Hahahaaa! Burn!" Rin threw her hand up, "High-five!"
"Huh?" Laura has never heard of that before, "What does that even mean?"
"Seriously?..." Rin snarked, "You've never heard of a high-five before?..."
Laura gave her the "What do you think?" look.
Charles tapped her shoulder, "Laura?"
"What?" Laura said before Charles cupped her fingers through his, "WHAT?!" He guided her hand toward Rin's. Then, he released his grip, allowing her palm to smack Rin's palm. "Uhhhh...what did you make me do?..."
"A high-five," Charles said, "People do it as a friendly greeting or a celebration."
"Oh...Is that all?..."
Lincoln settled in with Ichika and watched the scene unfold beautifully, as Rin and Charles were helping Laura understand the concept of the high-five.
"What am I watching?..." Houki was still as mortified as ever.
"A miracle," Lincoln laughed, "You're watching a miracle."
"But...Laura...I saw her-"
"I know it's hard to accept," Ichika said, "but people can change. Even the most unreasonable human beings in the world could undergo some sort of change into decency, given time."
"But...Laura's from-"
"I know," Lincoln said, "and I didn't care. I just showed her a good friend. I never stopped reaching out to her."
Houki sulked. Once again, she felt like she missed out on a crucial part of life. But this was especially bad because yesterday, she could've had the best date ever with Ichika. If only she had just reacted to his denseness by explaining some things that happened to them, or just saying she didn't know, like a normal person. Instead, she either brushed off his questions or gave him the cold shoulder, unlike Lincoln who took pleasure in explaining as much as he could to Laura yesterday. She probably would've been better off exploring things with Ichika.
"Oh, fine..." Houki pouted, "I guess I could try to rarefy his mind a little bit..." she looked at Ichika, "...just a little."
Ichika grinned, "Hey, what was that Cecilia said about speaking your mind?"
"Ichika!" Houki repeatedly tried to smack him, "HOW COULD YOU?!" But his hands kept getting in the way.
"I'm just saying! Without an explanation, I had to figure some stuff out on my own!"
Houki stopped, "You got it all wrong!"
"Can you tell me what it means?"
"How should I know?!"
"Exactly!~~~"
Lincoln just say back and sighed for everyone else who saw the spectacle from ten feet away. Seeing the interaction of his friends was very gratifying, and somewhat painful. He was reminded of the good times he had with his sisters, as well as the moments he missed out on since his separation. "That's the breaks," he leaned back, "That's what's up in the Mirror-" PLOP "-Dimenshoot..." and hit something soft and silky, "I thought I was a pilot..."
"And I thought you were 12 years old," Cecilia grinned after catching Lincoln's head on her thighs.
"So did everyone else..." Lincoln rubbed his eyes, and saw Ichika and the others join together to cause a bigger ruckus, "Is any of this bizarre to you?"
"Quite," Cecilia nodded, "I'm still not over how Miss Laura is able to control her actions."
"I am. I saw how she was at last night's tea ceremony. She didn't move her legs at all."
"Huh..." Cecilia softened her mental grip. Someone with a higher mental fortitude than her being humbled into a tea ceremony was unheard of for her. She wanted to know how he got the patience to bring Laura down to their level, "How on earth did she learn how to interact with other humans?"
"Let's not overthink it," Lincoln urged Cecilia to enjoy the moment.
And they did enjoy it, but not in the traditional sense. Cecilia was enjoying it because she never experienced anywhere near this level of friendly bickering before she came to Japan. Lincoln was enjoying it because he had this experience many times, before it was effectively rendered fake and pointless by his own family. She held him in his lap and stroked his hair, and he seemed to welcome her hand, as they sat on the sidelines, watched the rest of the group party in the grass, and savored the sweet sensation of disconnect.
Meanwhile, back at the Loud House, everyone was doing their best to turn the tide of the war. Lynn Sr and Rita had to defend their children against the constant rumors and viscous stories, a job made easier by Lynn's sacrificial play and Luna's vocal sound-offs. Lucy, Lola, and Lana have assisted in the efforts by amplifying their most well known traits; Lucy varied the mood of her poems and read them aloud every waking moment, Lana offered free repairs and "rasslin'" lessons to anyone who was interested, and Lola spent (slightly) less time on makeup and (way) more time on "motivational" speeches. Lori, Luan, and Leni were on the lookout for any nasty rumors, sparing no effort to shut down and even embarrass those who were conspiring against them, unwittingly dividing the school population into factions. Luna and Sam were busy calling up rallies throughout the town in support of Royal Woods, and in no time, they had a majority of the community joining them in the final sports games of the fall semester.
By the last week of October, the war had come in a stalemate, with an equal number of victories in sports and academic events.
High school had the most eclectic crowd.
"Watch your step, Luan," Lori said, "Plenty of trips you could take right here."
"I see them," Luan slid down the staircase rail and jumped through the exit, "Oof!"
"Hey!" Leni yelped, "Watch where you land!"
"Heheh, I don't have a punchline," Luan scratched her head, "I just wanted to do that."
"Why don't you flip on your buck teeth, donkey girl?" A nearby student taunted.
"At least her tail can whip your ugly mug into something recognizable," another student countered.
"What did you say?!"
"Are you deaf? Back off!"
"Ok, gotta go," Luan escaped the ensuing verbal battle.
On the opposite end of the school, Luna and Sam were hit with two sides of the same coin.
"Hey, Sam! Does your brother know how many boys you've haggled?"
"You gotta come play at my school!"
"Keep your cooties away from me, you rotten slag."
"How about you start cracking their minds open about sexuality, Luna?"
On and on. And the usual response from Luna and Sam was, "Thanks for giving me some lyrics to work with! Oh yeah, you will definitely hear them on the radio in a couple days." refusing to give a rat's foot.
Middle school was faring somewhat better, with Margo taking over for Lynn, and the students being forced to restrain their disdain due to the current status of Lynn and Lincoln.
Elementary school students were still as jubilant and hopeful as ever, showing support for the Louds everywhere they went, no matter how crazy it drove their parents (Some of them only did it to drive their parents crazy).
On the last Friday of the month, when everyone went home, the Louds were greeted by Lynn and Clyde. They were then whisked away into a sibling meeting. But Lynn chose to change course and rest in Lincoln's room again.
"Ok, we know why we're here, and why things are what they are," Lori declared, "We need to make sure everyone is free for Thanksgiving. Clyde, how goes the super secret project?"
"Project Red Camellia, or as Tabane so eloquently hammered in my head, Project Akatsubaki..." Clyde said, "required more daily hours than Lisa anticipated. Though it is thanks to this that the project is ahead of schedule. She will be free for the Thanksgiving weekend."
"Wow," Leni said, "When'd you learn to speak scientist?"
"I didn't," Clyde held up a letter, "Lisa gave this to me."
"Uh, sure," Lori shook her head, "Lucy, how are things on the elementary front?"
"Sigh," Lucy stood up, "About as cheery and overly gleeful as I expected. Nothing to report."
"Dude, that's a good thing," Lana reminded.
"It is..." Lucy tapped her chin, "...when Lola started yelling at them."
Lori and Lana twitched.
Lola just leaned against a pillow, "Hey, I've been stuck with the commoners for a few months now. Might as well use my talents for something productive."
"Point being," Lucy brought the conversation back on topic, "We don't have anything to worry about."
"O...k..." Lori shook her head, "Clyde...again...what news from the middle school?"
"The mood has been dampened badly," Clyde said, "Lynn is still out, and Margo's doing her best, but aside from volleyball and football, we couldn't secure any major victories. But since they know who we're related to, they won't bother us."
"That's better than what we're dealing with," Luna said, "High school's toxic, something about having more four-eyed brainiacs than-" deep brood voice "-TESTOSTERONE FILLED MAN DONG-" normal voice "- or whatever."
"The dongs are so lacking," Leni chimed in, "There's virtually no ding for any of our sports players or their fans."
Luna and Luan struggled to contain their laughter because Leni had no idea what Luna really meant.
But Lori sure did, and she wasn't amused, "Ok, that's literally the tenth man joke today! Can we please move away from this stupid game?!"
"Come on, sis!" Luan was happy to throw in a bad pun, "Can't we all get aschlong?" She and Luna lost it until Lori pushed them out of her room, "Whoa! Hey! I was only a ding dong mcdork about it!"
"Yes, you were," Lori locked the door and went back to her lectern, "And that little display of horribly timed jokes is exactly why I need you guys to help with the high school front. Morale is bad because we've conceded more battles to Hazeltuckey than any other school. We all have to go to the school rallies and chant as loud as we possibly can."
"Uh, this is your school," Lola said, "Why do we have to lollygag around your school?"
"Because then I won't be free for Thanksgiving!" Lori started to tear up, "And Luna'll be stuck with the poisonous air, and Leni and Luan will be clueless at home! And...and...and..." burst into tears "... AND THEN I WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE BOBBY-PINS ANYMOOORRRRRREHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~" slumped over the lectern.
"Uh, What was that?" Lola caught onto the last bit, "Wait a minute...this is all a ploy just so you can see your precious Bobby Boo-boo Bear again, ISN'T IT?!"
"Uh-nooo," Lisa corrected her, "This was a ploy to get us out of Royal Woods for the Thanksgiving break."
The girls went "Wuhhhh?..."
Lori wiped her eyes and resumed her tirade, "Don't you WUHHHH me! We've been trying to get out of this blasted town for a month, or have you forgotten!"
"Ehhhh, nah," Lola feigned ignorance, "I'm still gonna say you're doing it for Bobby." Finger Pointing "COW!"
"Lola, you're a forgetful one," Lana put her finger down, "Did you forget how Winston wanted you to tone it down?"
"HE'S DIFFERENT!" Lola screamed.
Luna and Luan listened in the meeting through the door crack at the floor.
"Wow," Luna whispered, "This is hanging over us like a bad boyfriend or something."
"I can't tell where this argument's going," Luan scratched her head, "It's hard to come up with a good pun when the flow's as steady as a cactus bone field."
"Oh, that's not a good..." Luna walked towards Lincoln's room, "Better get Lynn out to-"
"Ooh, Yeah!" Luan beat her to the door, "She'll know how to keep them from roughin' it!" But the instant she knocked twice on the door, it fell over. "EEP!" Luan jumper on Luna's back and peeled over her shoulder, "Is it always this scary?!"
"We're in a war," Luna groaned, "Everything's scary..." Then, she peeled inside the linen closet, "Uaa!" and saw something that was truly frightening.
Lynn lying on the bed with a cellphone on speaker, "What'd Tabane say about my body?"
"Those doctors who treated you put in a painkiller that interferes with the body's muscular reconstruction," Lisa said over the phone, "They're not allowing the body to heal itself naturally, nor are they allowing any outside assistance from blood cells, pericytes, and especially those bionanos."
"That explains it," Lynn said in an oddly somber tone, "Everything the doctors tried isn't enough to get my body back at all."
"I know, and I've also visited them," Lisa responded, "They said that whatever those thugs did to throw you was the first nerve to go, and that collision did major damage to your muscular neurons."
"What does that mean?"
"It means...your next game might be your last. Flex your muscles one more time, and you might tear them."
Lynn wondered why she was still feeling her muscles aching all over, "What happened to those painkillers doctor guys?"
"Miss Shinonono is already working on it. As soon as she's finished with the-" annoyingly ear-grating falsetto "-AKATSUBAAAKI! AKATSUBAAAKI!-" normal voice "-she will storm the hospital. I can't tell if she is an autistic, a womanchild, or an adult who's trying to compensate for a traumatic childhood."
"What?..."
"Nothing of anyone's consequence..." Lisa groaned when she heard the sound of heavy clanking, "I'd better go help Chloe control her before she has another giddy tantrum..." and hung up.
"Tch...some days I just wanna-" Lynn threw the phone "-DROP DEAD!" and it broke the mirror. She then stuffed a pillow onto her face and screamed until she was tired enough to roll away from the door. She gave it three seconds before addressing Luna and Luan, "...what do you want?..."
"Uh...hi, there..." Luan said before nudging Luna forward.
"We, uh..." Luna eased her way onto the bed, "We just wanted to check in on you..."
"Oh..." Lynn muttered while keeping her front away from them, "I thought I could do something for this blasted war. I did, but...you guys heard the rest."
Luna and Luan looked at each other, and then connected the dots to a video chat they had the day before Lincoln's big mental reveal...
("Lynn's been acting strange, bro. You know what she's getting high on?")
("No idea. She said something strange in a private chat.")
("Hope it wasn't too dialed down, hahaha! But seriously, what did she say?")
("She said...she said she's not gonna stop apologizing.")
("Huh? The heck does that mean?")
("Dunno.")
("Eugh...hope she doesn't turn into Lucy...")
Well, it happened. Lynn's still hung up on the beach incident. If she and Lola hadn't done that, that photo would've never happened, the family wouldn't have had to stretch themselves thin, and Lincoln would probably still be here.
At least, Luna figured that part out. She could feel her Lynn's pain because, out of all the people she's spent time with, the most time went to Lincoln and Lynn, "It's because of Lincoln, isn't it?"
"No," Lynn said, "It's because of what I did to him. I almost killed him. I made him go in that stupid costume at the beach..."
"I know," Luna put Luan on the bed and sat on the dresser, "We all did. But that doesn't mean you need to drag it all down for this long."
"Question..." Luan seemed puzzled by what Luna said, "Whaddaya mean by 'this long'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Luna said.
Luan was stumped, not because she didn't know what they were saying, but because she did. She was genuinely confused; she didn't know how her most active sister could have this long a depression state, "Uh, I thought we were over it?"
"It ain't that easy," Luna said, "If no one would ever talk about it, then it'd be easier, but..."
"He's everywhere," Lynn muttered, "I can't get away from him."
"I don't get it," Luan said, "It isn't like you to get this hung up. If it's easy to ignore it..."
"It's not," Luna said, "It's all in her head... and everywhere else, if you know what I mean..."
"Uh...Yeah..." Luan cringed, "Unfortunately, I do..."
"Guys...I appreciate the company," Lynn said, "but...what's the point of you being here?"
"Oh-Uh...we, uh..." Luna forgot the point too, "Just...we're having a sibling meeting right now, and-"
"You want me to get outta Royal Woods for the holiday," Lynn finished the sentence, "Nah. I'll stay and hold down the fort."
"But... but it's Thanksgiving," Luan was very very confused, "Why'd you wanna stay here in all the chaos and drama?"
"Because we're going to Great Lakes City. Lori's orders," Lynn grumbled, "Not going, thanks, and pulled a quilt over her head.
"Huh?" Luan jumped off the bed, "What just happened?"
"Come on. We better tell Lori," Luna eased her out, "We'll get her on board somehow."
Lynn was relieved when they closed the door. When they were back in Lori's room, Lynn walked outside and into the stars.
Lynn's legs and back were still in pain, but nowhere near the degree as the game. The brisk autumn breeze provides a good massage for the rest of her body and mind.
"Awwwwwww...wow, I needed some cryotherapy for a long time..." she stretched her body and welcomed the new nighttime experience.
She never got the chance to stroll around her neighborhood before, so she took in every sight she saw. It was refreshing getting away from the daily hectics of the family dynamic...refreshing, and scary. She wasn't used to just having the sound of nature as her background music, or her own jumbled thoughts as her only companions. Her concern only compounded when she thought back to Lincoln's discovery of the hit on 6th grade:
("Luan?! I'm in the middle of practice! What the heck are you-")
("LENI! CLYDE! HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS EVERYTHING!")
("He knows what?")
("HE KNOWS ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SIXTH GRADE!")
That got her badly. And Ronnie Anne's latest email confirmed the worst possible outcome:
So, Lincoln got back to me, and he just straight up told me that he's not coming back for the holidays. On account of taking a hit for you? Seriously, Lynn, you need to come down here for Thanksgiving.
-RA
If you know what's good for you, you will get out of Royal Woods by the 22nd.
-AAdsz
Not helping was the weekly PTA meeting, which just so happened to be this night. Most of the parents were doing everything that they could to try control the fervor in the school district, but some parents insisted on carrying on the feud, under the guise of delivering immediate justice. They sent the town's school community into a frenzy, bringing even more attention and hype to the ongoing war.
"Oh my lanta..." Lynn sighed, "What's it gonna take to get things back to normal..." She was halted by a bright reflection of a bright light, "Agh! Ok, very funny, Cici! But your eyes could-Whoa..."
It wasn't a flashlight. It was a spotlight. One of many that surrounded a still default IS, the same one her sisters coaxed her into moving before the big game. The same IS she unwittingly manipulated into doing the splits on its head. And it's back on its podium, getting felt up by eager girls wanting to follow in the hero's footsteps.
"No...Not now..." she walked away from it. She didn't want to associate herself with something that was clearly had her brother's fingerprints. She was too ashamed of what she did, and what it started, to go near the metal thing. She started her walk back home, but she couldn't resist the urge to talk to something.
And Lisa did say that the IS felt like a living person.
Lynn had to stop and say hi. She turned around and looked at the grayed machine, "Uh...hi. It's me again..." She felt awkward, but she carried on, "I didn't mean to break your groin, so..."
The machine blinked its wing units.
"I figured you wouldn't mind," Lynn continued, "but I did. Sort of. I just...I don't know. Maybe I thought it was like any other thing where it wouldn't be such a bad problem, but it is. Mom and Dad are spending way less time with us now. My sisters are spending way more time away from home and putting on a front. And...I've been sidelined..." She bit her lip to prevent herself from quivering, but when she opened her mouth again, "...it's not pleasant..." she yielded to her emotions, "...actually, it freaking SUCKS! IT SUCKS! I LITERALLY CANNOT DO ANYTHING! I GOT MY TORN FIBERS LOUNGING AROUND IN BED WHILE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING ALL THE HARD WORK! CLYDE JUAT BECAME MY MULE-I KNOW HE WANTED TO HELP ME COPE WITH MY INJURIES, BUT I'M SORRY-HE'S A MULE AND I HATE IT! I HAVE TO DEPEND ON HIM FOR EVERYTHING!" And she broke down, "That makes two ass pull debts, now...three including Margo...They're out there doing the good work, and I've been stuck here in limbo...I throw my back out for the team, and this is the thanks I get...God, I never felt so worthless in my life..."
The IS flapped its wing units.
"How would I know?..." Lynn whimpered, "I don't know the first thing about giving nothing...What more can I give?..." She then saw the IS faintly glow its chest armor and quickly revert back to the gray palette. She realized that she did have something she could use to power through her struggle. And even she was worried about what that would entail, "Oh, no...no no no no, I can't do that...that would mean..."
The IS suggested that Lynn support her siblings from behind the scenes, without going into the frontlines. It would require that she stay off sports until the war was over. The wait to play again would potentially be until Lincoln completes year one, maybe longer. Either way, she'll need to lay low.
Translation: she's done all she needed to do on the field.
"Geez..." Lynn muttered, "Is this what everyone else had to go through?..."
Not everyone. Just the one person she forced into the limelight.
"Ok... I get it..." Lynn nodded, "I'll lay off..." she turned back toward the house, "I don't know if I can make it up to them, but...I'll try..." She waved at the IS and walked off. She didn't see the IS wave a wing back to her.
On her way home, Lynn was steadying her heart for the semesters ahead of her. She knew how Clyde and Lisa supported her during the heyday of the sports battles. She may be bend her back a little less, and she may not be seen as much...at all, but at least she will still be active in the war effort. At least she won't be a limp noodle in a house of active sisters and parents, and hey, there might be a chance to catch up with Margo and show her appreciation for their friendship.
Of course, there's the matter of having to face Ronnie Anne in a tense explanation for the sudden flashes. On the bright side...if she does tear a deltoid and loses mobility in her shoulder, it's a viable excuse for her to stay home.
On the other hand, Lincoln was slowly making Japan his second home. The morning before class, he was sitting alone in the cafeteria reflecting on everything that happened to him the last few days, and there was a lot. He brutalized his improved combat skills in front of world leaders, befriended a demon to an orange paladin a pink assassin, and apparently caused a change in IS policy. He did more to a school than all ten sisters combined.
"Is this how they felt whenever somebody does something?..." he rubbed his eyes.
Just then, he was joined by Charlotte in her regular identity, "Pleasure meeting your acquaintance, Monsieur Loud."
"Nice to meet yowatthewut?"
And Kim, "Pleasure meeting your acquaintance as well."
Lincoln swerved his head back and forth to make sure he wasn't in an alternate mirror dimension. Once he confirmed the presence of female Charles, he asked, "What's the occasion?"
"Well, I spoke with Ichika and Kim," Charlotte said, "and we've come to the conclusion that it would be unwise for me to conceal my own identity any further."
"Really?" Lincoln questioned, "This doesn't have anything to do with identity politics, does it?"
"No, nothing like that," Kim said, "It's only a first step, given how IS Academy prevents outside interference from anyone in regard to any student currently enrolled here."
"Oh," Lincoln recalled the story Charlotte and Ichika told him, "So her father can't do anything about it?"
"Not unless he wants to go down with me," Charles said with a hint of sadness, "I know everything that he's ever said, done, and planned to do. I'm sure the teachers will question me before I complete my education."
"So, are you gonna tell them everything?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah," Charles said, "But I hold all the cards in my hand. I don't think my he would appreciate that."
"What father would turn his back on a child that's taking advantage of him?" Kim smirked, and waited...and waited, "Something wrong, Lincoln?"
("CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, I AM NOT BAD LUCK. I JUST LET YOU GUYS BELIEVE THAT SO I COULD GET OUT OF GOING TO YOUR STUFF. IT WAS A REALLY SELFISH THING TO DO. WE ALL NEED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. I'M REALLY SORRY.")
"Huh? Oh..." Lincoln was suddenly reminded of that...latest time he took advantage of his family, "I...I'm worried that she'll turn out like me."
"It's ok, Lincoln," Charlotte caught, "I've learned from my papa and mama about power. Asserting yourself the right way, for instance."
"Well...I can see you've thought it through," Lincoln commented.
"How'd you like that?" Kim nudged him, "What quote about connections would you like me to recite now, hmm? Hmm? Hmm?"
"Don't start with me..."
Lincoln and Charlotte walked towards the classroom discussing the circumstances that led to her reveal as a woman, when they were stopped by the sight of Ichika, Maya, and "Dear god, why the elder..."
"Orimura told me about your true identity," Chifuyu said, "Is it true you purposely concealed yourself?"
Charlotte stepped in front of Lincoln, preparing her heart to take a brutal beating, "Yes it is, ma'am. I'm prepared to accept my punishment."
Chifuyu turned her eyes to Ichika and Lincoln, who were silently begging her to go easy on Charlotte. "Well, normally, it would call for immediate action," she said, "but dressing up as a man would mean that there's a bigger force at play."
"Miss Orimura?"
Chifuyu laid down her plan, "Dunois, after school today, you will report to the teachers lounge, where you will explain in full detail who put you up to this charade, and the reasoning behind your transfer to the Academy."
"Um..." Charlotte turned to Ichika.
"It's ok," he said, "I just saw you turn into a girl. That's all."
Charlotte brightened up a little. She was surprised that Ichika didn't spill the beans about her father or the Dunois Corporation's permit, but very thankful he gave her the chance to tell that story with her own words, "Understood."
"Good," Chifuyu nodded, "Miss Yamada?"
"Um...Miss Dunois, please wait outside..." Maya was beet red all over, "Orimura, Loud, Class is about to begin...so..."
Lincoln didn't get why Maya was blushing, "Uh, can't keep them waiting, I guess..."
"Yeah," Ichika walked them inside the classroom. It was the same old chatty hub area for all things talk and gossip, with one minor difference, "Well, no one's pestering me to eat lunch with them, at least."
"Pester?" Lincoln looked up, "Ok, now you sound old."
"I feel old," Ichika joked, "You should've seen what Houki and I got up to. I tried to get her to the mall, but she ended up running me around town." Then he saw Cecilia and Houki came around their desks, "Morning, guys."
"Fine morning to you two as well," Cecilia greeted, "So, Miss Houki and I were wondering if you two would like to join us in the courtyard for lunch this afternoon."
"The courtyard?" Lincoln repeated, "Isn't it supposed to be a cold one today?"
"Not if you've bundled up underneath," Cecilia winked, to which Lincoln averted his eyes.
"And..." Houki added, "...maybe...we could bring Charles into our group as well."
Ichika his his shaky fists, "Uh, sure, but what's the occasion?"
"We've all had something happen to us in the past that sort of...disconnected us from humanity," Cecilia explained, "I thought we could take this opportunity to do a little family bonding, if that makes sense."
"It doesn't," Houki interrupted.
"Well, it's not literal."
"How would you know what bonding looks like?"
"You've seen it on your supposed date, and failed to capitalize on your only chance."
Lincoln and Ichika saw the change they were effecting right in front of their eyes. Because of their (little bit of) mindfulness of their surroundings, they were able to control the crowd and save themselves for a semester's worth of emotional shoving. The girls weren't freaking out over every little thing they did.
And Lincoln couldn't be any happier, "We'd like to meet your requests."
"Oh, joy!" Cecilia cheer- "I mean, uh...so. Today at high noon it is."
"It's my turn to make lunch," Houki said, "You won't wanna miss it." The two girls then led themselves to their seats.
"Wow...I can't believe it," Lincoln marveled, "I wonder how everyone back home is gonna feel...I've got a new family, it seems like."
"Why don't you try focusing on the two of us for now?" Ichika panicked.
Lincoln didn't know why Ichika was so worried, "What's twisted your jumpsuit in aaaaaaaoooooohhhh crud..." until he saw Maya up front, nervously addressing the class with her shifting eyes and an uneasy smile.
"N-nn-nn..." Maya struggled to get the words out of her mouth, "I'd like to introduce you to a new transfer student today..."
On cue, the door swerved open, and the new transfer student stepped in. The classmates were struck with a different sense of deja vu, as if this student looked eerily similar.
And the student confirmed their suspicions, "Hello. I am Charlotte Dunois, and it is very nice to be meeting you once again."
Amidst the gasping for explanations, Maya simply offered, "Uh...yes, it seems "Mister" Dunois...turned out to be a "Miss"...we were kinda shocked too."
Ichika was preparing himself for the inevitable reactions.
But Lincoln realized what he had done to Cecilia and Houki, "...barnacles..."
And cue the reactions:
"You mean Dunois was a girl all along?"
"I knew there was something fishy about it. He wasn't a beautiful boy, but a beautiful girl!"
"Wait! Orimura's been sharing the same room without knowing anything about it!"
"Wait a second!"
"Then, that means-"
"Didn't they open the boys' bathhouse last weekend?!"
-BOOM!-
Rin suddenly tore down the door. Fully deployed. And very...very angry. The classroom was chaotic once again.
"ICHIKAAAAAAA!" Rin charged her Ryuhou and took aim.
Ichika was stuck like a deer in the headlights, "NO FOR THE LIVE OF GOD DON'T SHOOT!"
Rin shot.
Thankfully, Lincoln was able to get his wing shield in front of Ichika just before impact. Double thankfully, someone else took the brunt of the attack. That didn't mean they weren't shook.
"Are we dead?..." Lincoln whispered.
"No...I don't think so..." Ichika responded.
Lincoln peeked over the shield, "...LAUWHAT?!"
It was Laura. Laura's AIC protected them from Rin.
"Uh...thanks..." Lincoln said.
Laura seemingly ignored him and went back to her desk, "Everyone resume class. We have a test in one week, yes?"
While everyone was still processing the brief scuffle, Rin got ahead of herself, "JUST YOU WAIT, ICHIKA! I'L MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS-"
"Huang Lingyin."
"UEbuu..." Rin froze at the sound of Chifuyu's voice. Everyone else huddled behind Lincoln's shield and Laura's AIC.
"Did you just cause property damage in an aggravated attempt to assault a fellow student?" Chifuyu demanded a direct answer.
Rin rattled her brain for an excuse, "Well-I was just-a girl for him would be-I thought that he...would...try..." That stuttering would be the final straw, as Chifuyu forced the Shenlong into standby mode and delivered swift justice right then and there.
Everyone winced.
But Lincoln was gone, "DID WE LEARN NOTHING, PEOPLE?!"