Golden Oldies with the Gal Pals

(Story Summary: Lincoln is off to hang out with Pop-Pop at the Sunset Canyon Retirement Home, one Saturday morning. But when he arrives, he comes across a few new faces among the crowd of seniors; ones that he doesn't quite recall seeing before. Yet, at the same time; these "newbies" seem to have a sort of...vibe to her that feels oddly familiar to him.

Who are these seniors, how long have they been in the Home and will Lincoln be able to get along with them well enough...find out and see)

On a brisk Saturday morning in Royal Woods; we find Lincoln in his room, feverishly getting dressed. At one point during his haste, he suddenly becomes entangled by his own pants and stumbles over himself clumsily. After recovering from his spill, a split-second later; he catches sight of the "viewer" and chuckles sheepishly.

"Sorry you all had to see that, everybody" he murmured while straightening out his pants, "I'm just super excited for this weekend." Upon saying this, Lincoln went on to explain that it was the start of Columbus Day weekend; which meant three days off from school. On one of these days, his mother suggested that he could spend some time with his grandfather down at Sunset Canyon; who was rather anxious to see him.

"I haven't visited Pop-Pop much over the summer" Lincoln confessed, "so, I want to make up for lost time...and he says there's a surprise waiting for me there." After smoothing out his clothes and combing his hair out nicely, he was now ready to leave. "I wonder what sort of surprise Pop-Pop has for me at the home" Lincoln pondered, "maybe they've added a waterslide to the pool or put in a Karaoke machine in the Common Room!"

As these ideas and more buzzed about in Lincoln's head, he suddenly heard a light tap on his bedroom door. After letting out a soft yelp of surprise and falling over himself...again, Lincoln soon heard his mother's voice calling to him from outside his room. "Lincoln, honey; are you almost ready" she asked, "I've got Vanzilla outside revved up and raring to go when you are."

After shouting out the words "give me just a second" back to his mother; Lincoln smoothed out his clothes, collected his backpack, did a final touch up on his hair and headed out the door.

(Line Break)

After a short and rather smooth car ride, Vanzilla had reached its destination; the front entrance to Sunset Canyon. "Now, remember; Lincoln" Rita began, "I'll be working late at Dr. Feinstein's office today and Lori will be busy prepping for college; so, I've asked one of your...Gal Pals to come pick you up later." No sooner had she said the group's name, Rita couldn't help but giggle a little; not out of mockery but over how adorable it sounded.

"I've told you many times before, Mom; I didn't think up the name" Lincoln murmured with a light blush, "it was either Carol or Dana's original idea!" Rita chuckled softly at his response, following it up with the typical "I was just messing with you" reply and hugged him tenderly. "Seriously, though; either Carol or one of her friends will be picking you up this afternoon" she explained, "so, try not to go overboard with Pop-Pop in there?"

Once more, Lincoln lightly rolled his eyes at his mother and proclaimed that he would be on his best behavior. After that and after giving his mother a light kiss on the cheek, he collected his things and stepped out of the van. The moment he did, a familiar face came outside to greet Lincoln; his grandfather.

"Heya, sport; welcome back to the home" he said while lifting Lincoln up for a warm hug, "you ready to have some fun?" In response, Lincoln smiled broadly and offered up a simple "you know it." After sharing a quick goodbye to Rita, the boys headed back inside of the retirement home.

Upon entering, Lincoln found himself tensing up slightly; something Albert took immediate notice of. "What's the matter, buddy" he asked with concern, "you're not having second thoughts are ya?" The moment he heard this, Lincoln instantly snapped out of his daze and smiled slightly.

"N-No, no Pop-Pop; I am happy to be here" he assured with a light yet nervous chuckle, "it's just...I'm worried I might cross paths with Nurse Sue again and something in my bones tells me she hasn't forgiven me for what happened last time." In an instant, his mind was suddenly flooded with images of him and Albert almost getting into trouble with Sue; just because they were a minute or so past curfew. But then, he snapped out of these thoughts when he felt his grandfather's hand on his shoulder.

"Remember that surprise I told ya about on the phone" he asked slyly, "well, here's one of 'em...look over at the reception desk." After taking in a nervous gulp, Lincoln turned his gaze over to the aforementioned desk; wondering what his grandfather wanted to show him. Instead of finding Sue there, he spotted a rather relaxed looking couple standing beside the orderly.

The first of the pair was a man presumably in his late 30's. His auburn hair was neatly tied into a cotton ball ponytail, he sported a "goat patch" style goatee upon his chin, wore a pair of oval glasses and was dressed in the typical medical attire. Beside him was a young woman also dressed in such clothing.

She stood two feet shorter than her partner, had short black hair, wore a pair of pink teashade glasses and sported a necklace that had a rainbow colored peace sign at the center. Something about the duo reminded Lincoln of his guidance counselor at school, Ms. Rain. At the same time, he wondered how a pair of supposedly "chill" individuals could handle managing a retirement home?

Without further delay, Albert led Lincoln over to the Reception Desk; eager to introduce his grandson to the new "bosses." "Jamie, Amber; I'd like you to meet my grandson" he said to the duo, "Lincoln, meet our new head caretakers; Mr. and Miss Gibbons." As the pair looked down at Lincoln; they smiled softly and, much to his surprise, greeted him with a bow.

"Greetings, child and Namaste" Mr. Gibbons said softly, "Albert has been quite anxious about your arrival." Before Lincoln could speak up, Ms. Gibbons approached Lincoln and placed a flower crown atop his head while also extending the greeting of "Namaste" unto him. "Okay...while I do appreciate the warm welcome, I'm confused" Lincoln murmured uneasily, "where's Sue?"

As if sensing his confusion, the orderly stepped forward and told him that Sue was no longer part of the staff. "It happened over the summer; didn't your mother tell ya about it, pal" questioned Pop-Pop, "if not...long story short, Mayor Davis got wind of what Sue's been doin' with us seniors here." He went on to explain to Lincoln how the mayor considered the head nurse's authority both unfair and unethical towards the residents.

"As a result, she was relieved of her duties as Sunset Canyon's caregiver" Ms. Gibbons stated, "but she didn't quite accept her termination with grace."

(A brief flashback shows Sue throwing such an angry fit over losing her job that several orderlies were needed to help "escort" her out the building. She is then stuffed into Officer Schoffner's police car but not before she uses her taser on the disgruntled nurse, thus knocking her out)

After a quick cut back to the present; Albert explained that rather than throw her in "the Pokey," Officer Schoffner gave Sue a position in managing the new recruits down at the Police Academy. "Of course, the chief of police stressed for her not to act too strict on them" Mr. Gibbons added, "if anyone was to be terminated, it would be the chief's responsibility."

After taking a moment to let his mind process everything, Lincoln smiled and said he was happy to hear that things were changing a little. "So, my Pop-Pop says you just started working here during the summer" he stated, "where was your last job...if I may ask?" Without hesitation, the Gibbons' revealed that they used to be instructors at the yoga studio in downtown Royal Woods.

"We loved working there for some time" Ms. Gibbons stated, "but here, we feel our knowledge of inner peace and relief can be of more use." As one final question, Lincoln asked if any of Sue's old policies or the curfew was still in affect. "We still have a curfew here, my boy" Mr. Gibbons replied, "but should any of the seniors possibly break it, they'll just be confined to their rooms until further notice instead of being kicked out of the home altogether."

This bit of information seemed to please Lincoln; while no one liked a curfew, this one was firm yet rather fair. "Unlike Nurse Sue, we believe that while seniors need to be cared for, they have as much right to have fun as young people do" Ms. Gibbons decreed, "as such, all activities here at the center remain in tact." This bit of news was music to Lincoln's ears, to say the least.

Now, he knew for certain that he was going to have loads of fun at the home with Pop-Pop. "Follow me, kiddo" the old man said joyfully, "time for me to show ya your other surprise." With that said, he took Lincoln gently by the hand and led him to the TV area; where several seniors were seen watching what looked like a game show.

"I'd like to solve the puzzle, please" the contestant said uneasily, "is it...'Three Loins in the Fountain?'" In response, this inquiry was met with a loud buzzer; indicating that he was incorrect. "UGH! People are so stupid" groaned Scoots, "I knew the answer before that mook filled up half the board!"

Several of the other seniors beside her mumbled in agreement, while adding "what are they teachin' kids these days" to their statements (referring to the young contestants that were playing.) Just as the game was about to continue, Albert called out softly to his friends; gaining their attention. "Heya, gang" he said with glee, "any room for one more?"

With this declaration/inquiry made, Albert stepped slightly to the side and revealed the smiling face of Lincoln. As most of the seniors greeted him accordingly, one of them appeared to be bubbling with joy. She was a lovely woman with a red sleeveless shirt, brown slacks, yellow earrings, white slip-on shoes and a white bracelet around her left wrist.

Her two most notable features were the adorable mole on her cheek and her brown beehive hairdo. "Welcome back to the home, Linky" the woman said joyfully, "c'mere and give your Gran-Gran a big hug!" Not needing to be told twice, Lincoln hurried over and leapt into his honorary grandmother's arms; kissing her cheek. "It's so great to see you again, Myrtle" he chuckled, "sorry I've been kind of AWOL over the summer."

Myrtle pulled back slightly from the hug, looked Lincoln straight in the eyes and smiled warmly. "Think nothing of it, sweetie" she assured, "Al said you and your family would be busy with things." Upon mentioning this, Myrtle sat Lincoln down and immediately started asking him how the family was doing.

"They're actually doing pretty well" he replied, "after completing their Community Service and stuff, things have been...slowly getting back to normal with them in town." From here, Lincoln also added that thanks to the classes they took; Lori and Lynn were a lot more stable. "I mean...imagine my surprise when I discovered that Lynn was watching me from afar on my first day of Middle School" he explained, "if she wasn't and if she hadn't told the gym teacher what was happening, I would've been massacred by a whole group of students."

The moment he said this, some of the seniors gasped in alarm; while others shook their heads and muttered "what are these kids comin' to." Upon seeing the looks of shock on the group's faces, Lincoln suddenly freaked out and apologized for saying too much. No sooner had he said this, a woman reached over and patted his wrist reassuringly.

She looked to be in her late 60's with long grayish-blonde hair, slight traces of wrinkles on her cheeks and a light touch of pink lipstick upon her lips. She wore a purple sweater bearing nature designs on the front, a gold charm necklace, purple bunny slippers and bifocal glasses. "No need to apologize, young man" she said kindly, "my grandchildren told me about you...including what you've dealt with this past year."

Meanwhile, the other seniors in the group revealed that they came to know about Lincoln's plight through news reports. "I've gotta admit; over those weeks, I didn't much like that Mulligan broad interruptin' my stories" grumbled an old man in a checkered shirt, "but when I learned that Al's family was involved...I made an exception." This man then expressed not only his concern about what Lincoln endured but also his disdain towards his sisters' behavior.

Beside this fellow was a woman with short brown hair that had a streak of grey across it. She wore a beautiful orange and green shawl around her shoulders, a purple muumuu and orange sandals upon her feet. The next person Lincoln saw in the group was an old man looking through a book of some kind.

Unfortunately, there was no title on the cover; thus, Lincoln couldn't tell what he was reading. After a while, Albert realized he had neglected to make proper introductions and decided to rectify that error. "Lincoln, you've already become acquainted with some of the gang here before" he said while gesturing to the likes of Scoots, Bernie and Seymour; "but we gained some new arrivals here while you this past year...wanna meet 'em?"

With a broad smile on his face, Lincoln nodded in reply and was first led over to the woman in the purple sweater. "Let's start off with Vivian here" Albert began, "though, among friends; she likes to be called Vivi." Upon being introduced, Vivian smiled warmly at Lincoln and shook his hand.

"A pleasure to meet you, young man" she said in greeting, "my grandson, Charlie tells me you and him are quite the Ace Savvy fans." At first, Lincoln felt a little confused by Vivi's words; mostly because he'd never met anyone named "Charlie" before. But regardless, he was happy to know that there were more Ace fans out in the world.

"It's funny you mention that, Vivi" Myrtle giggled, "Lincoln here has made a couple of his own Ace stories...and they're quite popular." Upon hearing this, Vivi cooed softly with delight and urged Lincoln to have a seat; feeling eager to hear about his stories. "It's nothing much, really" he chuckled with a light blush, "the first one I did pits Ace and the Full House Gang against a group of villains I call 'The Chess Court.'"

From here, Lincoln began to go into detail on the characters; describing them as if they were "living Chess pieces." "Am I right in guessin' that you're familiar with the game, son" inquired a man sitting beside Bernie, "if so, I'd like to see just how good you are." Albert chuckled softly at him and immediately introduced Lincoln to the man, whom he addressed as Michael.

He was tall, lean yet quite healthy for his age; he wore a hand-knit scarf around his neck and a bushy grey mustache underneath his pointed nose. Michael appeared to be balding, wore a purple checkered stripe shirt, khakis that were held up by a pair of suspenders and a pair of brown shoes. "So...what do ya say, young man" inquired Michael, "care to play a quick game?"

For a moment, Lincoln hesitated; on one hand, it had been ages since he played Chess for fun and he was worried he might lose too quickly. But on the other hand, he didn't wish to be rude to the old man and he was looking for ways to enjoy himself while at the home. So, in the end; Lincoln decided to accept Michael's offer.

(Line Break)

Some time passed since the duo started their game and, for Lincoln, the game seemed to drag on for ages. "I don't want to seem rude here, Sir" he murmured, "but I do believe it's your move." Michael only chuckled at this statement and reminded the young lad that a game like Chess could not be rushed.

"It's all about the thinkin', my boy; loads of plannin', concentration and studyin' what your opponent's moves might be" Michael said matter-of-factly, "which is what you gotta have when you're out on the battlefield surrounded by enemy forces." This sudden bombshell shocked Lincoln so greatly, he almost fell out of his chair. "You're a veteran...wow" he gasped in awe, "what war did you fight in; WWII, Vietnam, the Korean War?"

The moment he heard the Second World War among the boy's examples, Michael let out a playful scoff. "I may be old, young man...but I ain't that old" he said playfully, "nope, did my part on the front during the Korean War." From here, Michael began to regale Lincoln about his time as a battle strategist for his garrison.

He told him of all the covert missions he helped plan, all the spying he did within enemy lines and even showed him a small wound on the side of his arm. "Got this when one of those Commies almost sliced me with his knife" he stated, "thankfully, it only nicked me a smidge." When Lincoln observed the scar closely, he couldn't help but feel a combined sense of awe and dread.

"My sister, Lynn has a few scars of her own like that" he murmured sheepishly, "of course...half of them are either from the sports she played or whenever she fought me and my sisters back home." Upon hearing this, several of the "new" seniors proclaimed that Albert told them plenty of stories about his grandchildren and their squabbling. "When he talked about your sister, Lynn's athletic skills; I found it pretty impressive" the muumuu-wearing woman muttered, "until I heard how aggressive she can often be."

No sooner had this woman said this, she surprised Lincoln by offering up a Buddhist quote; "Self-Control is Strength, Right Thought is Mastery, Calmness is power." "Whoa...that's deep, reminds me of something my Guidance Counselor would say" Lincoln murmured, "who taught you that lesson." Albert chuckled lightly with anticipation and introduced the woman as Gertie.

"Back when she was your mother's age, Gertie here once traveled up to Asia" he explained, "at one point, she crossed paths with the legendary Shaolin Monks." To say that Lincoln was surprised by this reveal would be a gross understatement. After coming to his senses, moments later; Lincoln asked if she spent most of her time there training or meditating with them.

"Don't get distracted, my young friend" Michael said suddenly, "I'll tell ya what...starting now; anytime you take down one of my pieces, I'll tell ya somethin' about me and the gang here." In addition to this; he proclaimed that anytime Lincoln lost a piece, he would need to share something about himself. "You have yourself a deal, Sir" the young Loud boy decreed, "however...I haven't played the game in the while and may be a little rusty."

Michael only smiled at Lincoln and assured him he would help lend a hand, anytime he felt stuck. "To start with, be careful with how many Pawns ya move ahead" he said suddenly, "if ya send out too many, you'll lose your front line's defense." With that said, he used his pawn to swiftly knock down one of Lincoln's; leaving the young Loud boy surprised.

"I'm just happy Lisa and Zach aren't here to see this" he thought to himself, "if they did, they'd never let me live it down." After shaking that thought out of his head, Lincoln looked on and saw Michael giving him a sort of odd look. "Well...I'm waiting" he said with a light chuckle, "you lost a piece first...so, tell me somethin' about yourself."

Lincoln gave a light chuckle in reply and asked Michael what he wished to know that his grandfather hadn't told him yet? "Well...for starters, where were ya while your sisters were fighting and feudin' with each other" he asked bluntly, "Katherine Mulligan kept sayin' you were on your own the whole time." Before Lincoln could speak up, Scoots butted in and said that Mulligan was just full of hot air and that no one should believe what she says.

"Well...I thought I was going to be on my own during that whole thing" Lincoln confessed shyly, "but then, I had a run-in with some people a few of my older sisters knew from school; as well as some girls from my class." This bit of information surprised Myrtle, who proceeded to ask if these girls did anything to him while they were together. "We'll find that out soon enough, Missy" Michael interjected, "but not until I take his next piece."

After that, he gestured for Lincoln to make his next move; stressing that he should think carefully on it. With this suggestion in mind, Lincoln took a moment to memorize his remaining pieces and the ones Michael currently had out in play on the board. After a while, he took a leap of faith and moved his left knight forward.

The round seemed to go on for some time but neither player rushed themselves in making their moves. Finally, Lincoln moved his earlier knight forward and took out one of Michael's Pawns. "Very good, son" he said with approval, "now...what would ya like to know?"

After taking a moment to think things over, Lincoln turned to the side and caught sight of the man with the blank book cover. "Who's he and what kind of book is he reading" he asked, "there doesn't seem to be a title on the cover...just some sort of emblem." Mere seconds after Lincoln asked about him; the old man suddenly closed his book shut, smoothed out the sleeves of his sweater and gazed at him intently.

This gave Lincoln the chance to truly look him over face-to-face. Much like Michael, his physique was lean yet healthy for his age. He was balding with only a small patch of grey hair behind his head, which sort of reminded Lincoln a little of Principal Huggins. He wore a pair of glasses that were held around his neck by a thin silver chain, wore a yellow and white turtleneck with green horizontal stripes, green fleece pants and appeared to be confined to a wheelchair.

This man then placed his book upon his lap, turned his chair around slightly with his hand and proceeded to wheel himself over towards Lincoln. "The name's Cyrus Shutter but my pals call me Cy for short" he stated while shaking Lincoln's hand, "as for my book; have a look inside for yourself, young man." With that said, Cy placed his book in Lincoln's hands and asked him to turn to the first page.

Upon doing so, the young Loud boy saw a collection of old black & white photographs. Some of them were random snapshots of either nature or people, others featured what looked like an army base of some kind. Turning to the next few pages, Lincoln could see more colorized photographs; many of them featuring either a younger version of Cyrus or some other folks.

At one point, he came across a photo featuring him and a little girl. She had short brown hair, an adorable collection of freckles on her cheeks, a cute button nose and stood up to Cyrus' left knee. "These are all very nice, Sir" Lincoln complimented, "but...might I ask where you got all these photos from?"

With a hearty laugh in his throat, Cyrus revealed that he was the one who took the photos; with the exception of the one of him with the little girl. "See, kiddo; Cyrus here used to be a wartime photographer back during the WWII days" Albert explained, "the kind of people who'd willingly go on the field and either take photos or record footage of the fighting." While Lincoln's eyes almost popped out from this news, Cyrus simply rolled his own and claimed "Al is just exaggerating."

Then, after he let everything sink in; Lincoln suddenly found himself growing quite suspicious. "So, Cy has a passion for photography" he thought to himself while looking at the photo with the little girl, "could he possibly...nah, no way!" Soon, it was time for Michael to make his move; which involved something he called "The Sicilian Defense."

Naturally, Lincoln wasn't familiar with this move and as a result; he lost another game piece. "Here's a question from me, dearie" Gertie stated, "who helped look after when all that...for lack of better words, nonsense with your family was going on?" At first, Lincoln felt a little apprehensive towards her question.

But then, he realized that unlike with the Protocol fight; there was no big secret to hide anymore. So, he revealed that the friends of his two eldest sisters along with some girls from his own school helped look after him. "I stayed overnight at some of their houses for a while, since they felt going home wasn't safe for me" Lincoln explained, "those gals really helped me through some heavy stuff."

Feeling both intrigued yet concerned at the same time, Gertie asked what happened during his time away. "Wait until he loses another piece, missy" Michael said confidently, "which may be coming sooner rather than later." Lincoln's eyes narrowed slightly at him, feeling challenged by his mild fighting words.

Then, he took a look around the board; hoping to find a way to gain the upper hand. That was when he caught sight of Michael's Bishop, which was just within range of his left Knight. Seizing the opportunity, he moved the piece over; which made Michael just a little nervous.

For a few moments, he tried to find another piece that could put Lincoln at a disadvantage and then...he found it. With a sly smile upon his face, he decided to move his Bishop up a little; which gave Lincoln the chance he needed. "HA! Got another one, Sir" he cheered, "now...for my next question, I'd like to know something about your new caregivers."

Without a moment's pause, he asked how long they had been together as a couple. "Oh! No, no, no kiddo; you have it all wrong" guffawed Albert, "Jamie and Amber aren't a couple, they're siblings." To Lincoln; this reveal felt like such a knockout, he practically fell out of his seat in shock. "Yeah...when we met them, we kinda had the same reaction too" Michael chuckled, "but they're siblings and Amber is Jamie's baby sister."

Upon letting all of this process, Lincoln directed his gaze towards the Gibbons Duo; who were in the midst of helping some seniors make lanyards. However, this proved to be just the distraction Michael needed to make his next move. With a loud and victorious "HA" in his throat, he knocked down Lincoln's knight with his own.

Once that was done, he brought up Gertie's earlier question of what had happened with Lincoln during his time away from home. "Take your pick, Sir" sighed the young Loud boy, "between the panic attacks, the nightmares, getting into a huge fight with Lynn at Ketcham Park, having to visit a psychiatrist and going to court against my own family...I had an eventful Spring Break." This confession not only made the seniors feel concerned but the Gibbons Siblings as well.

After that, there was a stone-cold silence; the only other sounds that were heard came from the television. Then, finally; Myrtle walked over to Lincoln and lightly held him in a loving hug. "It's okay, sweetheart" she whispered soothingly, "the important thing is that you and your family are all okay now."

The other seniors sounded off in agreement, while also expressing their deepest sympathies towards him for what he endured. "Thank you, everyone" Lincoln murmured gratefully, "sorry if me talking about this seems upsetting to you." No sooner had he said this; Scoots let out a soft cackle and said that over the years, they'd all seen and heard far worse.

After this, the game continued and overtime; Lincoln was able to claim one of Michael's pawns. "Okay...next question from me" he muttered thoughtfully, "I'd like to know who the guy in the checkered shirt is?" As if on cue; the aforementioned senior rose out of his seat, walked up to Lincoln and shook his hand in greeting.

The moment he did, he suddenly found himself wincing slightly from the man's grip. "Pleasure to meet you, my boy" the man chuckled, "the name's Roscoe but everyone here calls me Ross." After the pain subsided a little in his arm, Lincoln smiled up at the man and greeted him accordingly.

"Gotta say, Sir; you're quite strong for your age" he commented, "do you work out?" Roscoe smiled warmly at Lincoln and confessed that he "dabbled" in a little calisthenics, every now and again. These ranged between small things like lifting his personal dumbbell a few times to partaking in a round or two of going up the climbing wall down at the park.

"What the...are you serious" Lincoln cried out in disbelief, "excuse me if this seems rude, Sir but...you've gotta be kidding me with all that." Roscoe gave him a sly look, chuckled a little and told him that a marine would never joke about what they were capable of. "Hold up...you were in the marines" Lincoln asked, "how long were you in service, where were you stationed?"

At first, Michael was prepared to tell the boy to wait until his next possible win for the answer. But he decided to let him hear it for free...just this once. "Been in the service for 25 years down in the pacific" Roscoe stated, "up until I got too old to risk my neck on the field...that's when they gave me my Honorable Discharge."

Ross then added that even after he left, he did his best to remain active; doing whatever form of fun exercises he could think of. "My granddaughter often tells me she hopes to become a toughie like me...or that Rip Hardcore fella she watches on television, when she grows up" Roscoe stated, "I told her she could be...if'n she didn't fuss over her hair so much! HEE-HEE!" Upon hearing him mention about his granddaughter's hair issues, Lincoln's mind started buzzing.

Outside of his own family (specifically Lori, Leni and Lola at times;) he only knew of three other people who were bothered by such things. At the same time, he thought it all just seemed too coincidental to be real.

(Two Hours Later)

Almost two hours passed by and Lincoln and Michael still remained locked in their game. Both sides were almost cleared of their pieces with only two pawns on Michael's side, one pawn on Lincoln's side, the Kings and Lincoln's only Bishop remaining. Surprisingly, Lincoln was having so much fun that he didn't care whether he'd win or lose the game.

Over the last few, Lincoln came to learn a great deal about this group of seniors. He learned a little about their old lives, about their favorite hobbies and he even found their banter towards what was on the television amusing. Truth be told, he hadn't felt this happy since...he got close with the Gal Pals.

The moment this thought popped into his head, Lincoln considered asking the group if they'd like to visit Sunset Canyon. But all too quickly, he realized how much of a stretch the idea seemed and shook it out of his head. "Don't start daydreamin' on me now, boy" Michael called out softly, "I'm just one move away from winning this game."

Upon hearing this news, Lincoln found himself tugging at his hair furiously; desperate to try and think of a way to save himself. But after looking through every angle on the board, he saw that there was no way for him to win. However, after looking through everything one final time; Lincoln found it...something that Michael wouldn't expect.

"You're right, Sir; I can't beat you in the usual fashion" he sighed, "but...there is one other move I can make." Before Michael or anyone had a chance to speak up, Lincoln had moved his Bishop into position and smiled. Upon seeing this maneuver for himself, Albert couldn't help but guffaw with joy.

"Well...lookie here, Mike" he said between chuckles, "looks like my grandson's caught ya in a stalemate position." Mildly alarmed by this news, the old man gazed down at the board carefully to see if Albert was mistaken. But in the end, he saw the truth; Lincoln's King, Bishop and remaining Pawn had surrounded one of Michael's own.

While his secondary Pawn was still within attack position, his King was trapped at the bottom of his side of the board. This left neither Lincoln nor Michael with no other means to continue. Thus, both players had no other choice but to call the game a draw; which they were more than happy to do so.

"That was some game, boyo" Michael chuckled heartily, "I didn't think a youngin' like you could keep me on my toes for so long." Lincoln heaved out a deep sigh and proclaimed he owed all his "knowledge" of the game to his sister, Lisa. "In fact, it was those games and seeing the Human Chess Match at the Ren Faire in the past that inspired me to write the Checkmate Ace Savvy stories" he explained, "but...I imagine you wouldn't care for such things."

In response to this, Michael declared that while he wasn't much of a comic reader; he was curious about how Lincoln added the game of Chess into his story. "Oh, well...I'd be happy to show you one of the issues" Lincoln said sheepishly, "but I left it at home." It was here that inspiration struck him like a blow to the head.

Without a moment's pause, Lincoln asked for a piece of paper and a pen or a pencil from somewhere; anywhere. "I have a pen in my purse, dearie" Vivian offered while handing it to him, "I just hope it has enough ink." Not long after this, Albert handed him a piece of paper from the reception desk.

Once he saw that the pen still had ink, Lincoln began to draw. As the seniors watched, some of them couldn't help but feel rather impressed. Lincoln scribbled and swirled the pen about the paper so fluidly, he looked as though he was waving a conductor's baton.

When he was finally finished, five minutes later; Lincoln looked over his work and smiled with satisfaction. "Here's one of the characters from the story" he stated, "he's one of the Court's Knights and I used the image of the game piece for his armor style." With that, he placed the paper on the table and showed it to the seniors.

To some of them, the helmet shaped like a horse's head seemed a tad odd. But after Lincoln explained to them what the Court was like, it all made sense. "A team of Chess themed antagonists" Vivi chuckled, "I'll bet ol' Bill Buck was rather surprised by this idea." Lincoln smiled and confessed that according to Mr. Buck; while Ace's world had mostly characters with a card game theme, a board game themed group was an interesting change of pace.

"I'm inclined to agree" murmured Cyrus, "there's just one thing that puzzles me; with a helmet like that, how in the blazes could the wearer see ahead of them?" As if expecting this response, Lincoln pointed towards the neck of the helm; where everyone could see a slot of some kind. "The person inside the armor just has to move the slot to the side" Lincoln explained, "then, they'll be able to see."

This description seemed to make sense to Michael and he, once again commended him on his idea. "Over Spring Break, I've been working on another Ace Savvy series" Lincoln stated, "and it features all the new friends I told you guys about." This bit of news sounded rather heartwarming to the likes of Myrtle, Vivian and Gertie; who all felt that this idea must've pleased these lady friends of Lincoln's.

"It did, trust me" he assured, "they especially loved the costumes I came up for them." Before Lincoln could continue on, Jamie came up from behind and tapped on his shoulder; halting his train of thought. "So sorry to interrupt, young man" he said in a sweet tone, "but I just wanted to remind everyone that lunch will be served soon."

The moment he said this, everyone's stomachs suddenly let out a unified gurgle of hunger; including Lincoln's. "Looks like our earlier game went on longer than I thought, boyo" Michael chortled, "let's eat." With that in mind, Lincoln immediately unzipped his backpack and pulled out something from inside; a baggie full of cookies.

"My friend, Clyde and I made these ourselves" he stated, "would anybody like one...they're sugar free." Without a moment's pause, several hands reached over towards Lincoln; begging him to share some of his cookies. "Hold on just a moment, now" Ms. Gibbons called out suddenly, "I don't wish to sound like I don't trust you, young man...but are those cookies safe for seniors to eat?"

With a proud smile on his face, Lincoln assured Amber and her brother that his cookies were "a-okay." "It's a little something my buddy came up with" he stated, "they're made with sugar-free applesauce, a sprinkle of coconut and just a pinch of cinnamon." After listening to Lincoln's description of his confections, the seniors could feel their mouths salivating slightly with hunger.

But just as they were about to receive these treats Jamie quickly intervened. "Let's not be too hasty, everyone" he said in a firm yet tender tone, "if you all finish your lunches, you can each have one...if Lincoln doesn't mind sharing." Without pause, the boy in question shook his head in reply; proclaiming that this was the exact reason why he packed them in his bag.

"That's wonderful to hear" Ms. Gibbons said with joy, "now, would you be a dear and help us set up the seniors' trays?" With his trademark bucktoothed grin upon his face, Lincoln gave a nod and went to work.

(Line Break)

After lunch, Lincoln helped the Gibbons Siblings with the clean-up duty while the seniors were either watching television or taking a nap. As he gently placed the food trays into a nearby sink, Lincoln heard Ms. Gibbons call out to him from behind. "I just wanted to thank you, young man" she said gratefully, "not just for helping us out...but for entertaining the seniors as well."

Lincoln felt a light blush form on his face, upon hearing the compliment and he bashfully declared that his efforts "were no big deal." "I always love seeing my Pop-Pop, either here or when he visits me at home" he stated, "but...I wonder if anyone comes to see Michael and his friends here?" Almost immediately, Mr. Gibbons approached Lincoln and assured him that the group's kinfolk always find time to see them.

"Unfortunately, every now and again; life tends to throw a monkey wrench into our plans" he said with a light chuckle, "Michael's granddaughter, for example is currently dealing with some college preparations and that might take her a while." For possibly the umpteenth time that day, Lincoln found himself speechless. Once again, he found himself sensing an oddly familiar vibe from the new group of seniors.

"No way, Linc; it's purely coincidental" Lincoln chuckled mentally, "then again...Pop-Pop said he had a couple of surprises in store and I've already seen one of them." With that thought in mind, he made a mental note to ask his grandfather what else he was hiding from him...but not till later. For now, he focused on helping the Gibbons' with the dish washing.

For about fifteen to twenty minutes, they scrubbed off and dried every tray and drinking cup in the sink. Then, as Lincoln finished washing off the last of the trays; he felt a sudden vibrating sensation in his back pocket. "AH! Note to self, never store your cellphone in there again" Lincoln mumbled, "wonder who could be calling me."

After taking out his phone and looking at the screen, he saw that it was a text message sent from Carol. It read "I've just finished up here, will be popping in on you in a few minutes XOXOXO Carol & Gang." "This is great" Lincoln murmured softly in an excited tone, "I can't wait to introduce Carol to my friends here."

Soon after that, he informed the Gibbons' about his friends' arrival; which they happily welcomed. When this news was revealed to the seniors, they cried out with joy. "I can't wait to meet your friends, Lincoln" Myrtle exclaimed with glee, "if they're as great as you described them...we're in for some fun!"

Lincoln giggled softly at his "Gran-Gran" and was moments away from putting his phone back into his pocket...until Michael snatched it away from him. However, he seemed more interested in the name of who sent Lincoln the message. "So...this Carol girl" he murmured inquisitively, "is she one of those lady friends you told us about earlier, by chance?"

While a little confused about this sudden inquiry, at first; Lincoln answered him with a short and simple "yes." When he asked Michael why he felt so curious about the name, the old man chuckled softly and simply replied "oh...no reason." This all seemed to make Lincoln feel even more perplexed.

But he had little time to think on it due to Amber calling everyone outside. "We've been cooped up indoors for quite awhile today, everybody" she stated, "how about a nice game of shuffleboard to loosen up the limbs?" Within seconds, this suggestion was met with an enthusiastic cheer of agreement from everyone; including Lincoln.

"Time to see if those lessons I've been givin' ya will pay off" Albert laughed, "are ya ready, sport?" In response, Lincoln flashed his grandfather a broad smile and asked, "should we play guys against girls...or older vs. younger?" The seniors laughed at his small joke and proclaimed that if they went with the latter option, he would be at a huge disadvantage.

"Okay, Ladies against Gents it is then" Albert decreed, "to the shuffleboard court!" With that, the seniors hurried out the door leading to the back yard of the home. But all too quickly, they were spotted by the Gibbons'; who urged them to move at a reasonable speed.

"The more things change, the more they often stay the same...in some ways" Lincoln giggled at the viewer, "I really can't wait for Carol to get here!" After that, he took hold of his grandfather's hand and they speed-walked out the door.

(Line Break)

Some time later, a familiar purple van parked itself outside of the retirement home. From out of this van came the eldest members of the Gal Pals Crew; Carol, Becky, Whitney and Dana. Once she locked the doors, Carol took a moment to massage her temples; possibly trying to subdue a bad headache.

"UGH! I thought we'd never leave that campus" said the lead teen, "I mean, I'm excited about college and everything...but if I had to stand and listen to the Dean drone on about the school's architecture any longer, I was going to lose it!" After taking a moment to suppress her laughter, Becky pat her bestie on the back and reminded her that they still reached their destination on time. "You're right, B...we did" sighed Carol, "I only hope Lincoln's doing okay in there."

Suddenly a loud cry echoed through the air, which almost caused the four teens to leap out of their shoes. "That came from the backyard" Dana exclaimed fearfully, "you think Linky or the seniors could be in trouble?" The moment her friend mentioned this, Carol made an immediate beeline for the back of the home.

"Please, be okay; please, be okay...PLEASE, be okay" she thought desperately, "if anything happened to Lincoln or the seniors, I'm in hot water!" Not too far behind, the rest of the posse was hot on Carol's heels. When they arrived at the back of the building, the gals were met with a startling surprise.

The seniors were out and about, playing shuffleboard; which seemed relatively normal. But among those playing was Lincoln, who was being guided by his own grandfather and Michael. "Now, keep your arms loose but not too much" Albert murmured softly, "ease 'em back nice and easy and then...NOW!"

With that signal; Lincoln moved his arms back, as instructed and pushed his stick up against the puck. It glided along the board for a short while until it stopped within the left seven point line. This caused the group of seniors behind him to erupt in applause.

"Nice job there, Lincoln" Cyrus chuckled, "that brings ya up to...ten points after your last time; which puts ya just two points behind Vivi." Lincoln couldn't help but squeal softly in excitement; not only did he manage to score in a sports game...and not hurt himself or those around him, he was close to gaining the upper hand on the others.

"This is so much fun" Lincoln chuckled merrily, "I only wish my friends were here to join us." No sooner had he said this, the young Loud Boy suddenly heard the call of "well, Linky...be careful what you wish for." Upon hearing this, Lincoln turned towards the sidelines and spotted Carol and her crew; who were all giving him sly glances.

Without a second thought, he placed his shuffleboard stick on the rack and leapt into his friends/guardians arms in a welcoming embrace. "So...looks like you're having a lot of fun here, Lincoln" giggled Whitney, "never took you for a shuffleboard player." With a light blush on his face, the Loud boy giggled shyly and revealed that the seniors helped him with some pointers.

Upon hearing this, the Gals looked on at the group of seniors and smiled. Then, after gently placing Lincoln back on the ground; Carol proceed to hug and kiss Michael lovingly. "Nice of ya to come by and see us, young lady" he chuckled, "how's tricks?"

For the next minute or two, Carol proceeded to talk about her "boring college orientation tour." Not long after that, Dana gave Vivian a loving hug while Becky greeted Gertie with a light bow. The whole time this was all going on, Lincoln couldn't help but stare in confusion; something his Pop-Pop couldn't help but notice.

"You look a little spooked there, pal" Albert chortled, "care to talk about it?" After shaking himself out of his daze; Lincoln confessed that he wasn't scared, only confused. "Do our friends here know the Gals somehow" he whispered, "I mean...they seem awfully chummy."

With that inquiry made, the time had come to let the cat out of the bag (as they say.) "Here's the other surprise I was savin' for ya" Albert whispered slyly, "see; Michael, Gertie and Vivian there...are actually your friends' grandparents." This surprise came as such a shock to Lincoln, his eyes almost popped from his head.

Then, after taking a moment to compare the three Gals to the seniors; he found himself scratching his head. "Okay...I can kinda see the resemblance between Vivi and Dana, mostly in their fashion tastes" he muttered, "but I don't see it in the others at all." At that moment, Carol ceased chatting with her supposed "grandfather" and directed her attention towards Lincoln; asking why he was whispering.

"My Pop-Pop just told me Michael here is your grandfather" he stated, "but after hearing his life story and playing Chess with him, I don't really see it...no offense." Rather than be insulted by Lincoln's words, Michael only chuckled and confessed that Carol took more after her grandmother than she did from himself. To help prove his words were true, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet.

Upon opening it, Michael showed Lincoln a couple of photos he had inside. Among them was one of Carol as a child, himself in his old military uniform and one of a young lady wearing a sequined dress. "This here is Sadie, my special lady" Michael sighed blissfully, "met her at the USO show before my garrison and I were dispatched to the front lines."

From here, he began to describe how much this Sadie loved to sing and how much she loved wearing fancy clothes out in public. "A love for fashion and pretty to boot...yup, she's Carol's grandmother alright" Lincoln chuckled, "they even have the same hair." Upon hearing him call both herself and her grandmother pretty, Carol gushed adorably and hugged him tight from behind.

"But what about the others" Lincoln asked while being nuzzled, "neither Becky nor Paige told me their grandmother was a Shaolin Monk trainee." As expected, the aforementioned teenager ruffled her friend's white locks and said "that's because you never asked us about that." "How do you think Paige got so good at dancing, youngster" Gertie giggled, "I taught her everything she knows."

As if sensing the boy's doubt, she smiled slyly and began to perform a series of kicks and steps; which reminded him a great deal of the steps one does while playing Dance Battle. "Wow, that's really cool" Lincoln commented, "and yet...also a little scary, at the same time." Intrigued by his statement, both Becky and her grandmother asked why Lincoln felt as such about the reveal.

"Well...let me put it this way; I've often been on the receiving end of a girl's anger before, both within and outside of my family" he murmured, "so...if I end up getting Paige angry, I'm worried she might use one of those Shaolin fighting moves on me." At first, Lincoln expected to hear a sort of "don't you forget it" from Becky and Gertie as a response. But instead, he looked over and saw them bursting with laughter.

"Buddy, you've got nothing to worry about" Becky assured, "my lil' sis loves you to pieces and would never use her moves on you...unless you did something on purpose that would really cheese her off." Just as Lincoln was about to panic, she gave another laugh and said she was making another joke. "My granddaughter loves dancing, not fighting anyhow" Gertie assured, "thus, she uses my lessons only for pleasure."

With that settled, Lincoln's gazed turned over to Dana; who had her arm hanging around Vivian's shoulders. It was then that he could see that they both had a love for the color purple. "Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves here" Lincoln thought, "just because they like the same color, it doesn't mean that they're related."

Then, he saw Dana reach into her purse and pull out a thick hardcover book; which she then handed off to Vivian. "Thanks for letting me borrow this, Grammy" she said gratefully, "I almost came close to keeping it for myself, it was so good." Vivian laughed heartily at Dana's statement and said she was more than happy to share the book with her.

"Wait...so, I was right" Lincoln gasped softly, "you two are related!" Dana giggled lightly at her friend/ward, hugged him and apologized for not telling him about Vivi sooner. "She and I are a pair of bookworms, you see...and I usually don't like word getting out about that" she confessed, "people have mocked my love of reading since my Freshman year of Junior High."

Much to everyone's surprise, Lincoln let out a soft chuckle at this reveal. But before anyone could speak out against him, he explained that it was actually an ironic laugh. "I mean...you like reading regular books, while Chaz seems to prefer comic books" Lincoln stated, "no doubt, you see the irony in this; right?" After giving the explanation some thought, both ladies soon broke out into light laughter; realizing that Lincoln was right.

Then, all of a sudden; realization hit Lincoln like a blow to the head. "If Dana's your granddaughter, Vivi; I'm guessing Chaz is your grandson" he asked, "or...as you know him, Charlie?" Without missing a beat, Vivi smiled at Lincoln and gave him an "on the nose" gesture. "Back during Middle School, his mother and I would have to bribe Charlie into reading just one book over the summer" she stated, "we told him 'if you read it from cover to cover, you could ask for anything ya like.'"

This bit of info left Lincoln utterly baffled and he begged Vivian to share more with him. But before anything else could be said, Carol suddenly put a halt on their plans. "We'd love to stay and chat, everyone; really" she said respectfully, "but I've gotta get the little man home before his caretakers or parents get worried."

Upon hearing this news, everyone looked over at the clock and saw that it was almost 4 PM. Of course, this realization was met with some sounds of displeasure; both from the seniors and Lincoln. But then, Carol and her crew told them this wouldn't be the last they'd see of Linc.

"Since he has no projects to work on or school work to do, I couldn't think of any other way he'd like to spend his holiday break" she decreed, "all I'd need to do is get the "OK" from his mom." Naturally, this news left everyone feeling quite overjoyed; especially Lincoln. "You're the best, Carol" he said while giving her a hug, "hey...maybe we could bring the other Gal Pals here tomorrow morning or in the afternoon for a bit."

This idea seemed to please both sides and, after getting the approval from the Gibbons Siblings, it seemed official.

(Line Break)

"See ya and the Gals tomorrow, sonny" Michael said while shaking Lincoln's hand in goodbye, "I'm itchin' for a rematch at the Chess board." The young Loud boy smiled confidently at him and declared that next time, he would be a bit more prepared. After this, he made his way over to the ladies; who proceeded to envelop him in a large group hug.

"You and your friends have a safe trip home, sweetheart; you hear" Myrtle said with a giggle, "I can't wait until your next visit." As Vivian and Gertie sounded off in agreement, the latter asked Lincoln if he'd be open for some Tai Chi lessons during one of his future visits. "That sounds great" he answered with glee, "Dr. Lopez said I should try out any kind of relaxation techniques I could find."

After this, Lincoln said his goodbyes to Roscoe; who proceeded to give him a firm grip of a handshake. "See ya next time, kid" Roscoe said with a chuckle, "and keep a good eye on my granddaughter, if things get hairy." After getting the feeling back in his hand; Lincoln assured him that he'd do his best, even though he wasn't much of a fighter.

Then, just as he was about to turn his head; Lincoln's vision was suddenly assaulted by a blinding flash. When his vision cleared up enough, he spotted Cyrus holding a camera in front of him and cackling softly. "Sorry about that, sonny" he said apologetically, "I just wanted to get a quick picture of ya to immortalize this moment."

No sooner had he said this, a small picture slid out of the slot beneath his camera. Once the image showed up, it featured Lincoln giving off the silliest surprised expression ever; which caused everyone (even him) to laugh. "Before I go, Cy; I've been meaning to say something" he murmured, "your love of photography reminds me a lot of one of our fellow Gal Pals...I'm curious if you might know her."

This inquiry caused a light yet sly grin to appear on Cyrus' face. Then, he went for the photo album he had earlier and brought out one of the pictures inside; the one featuring the little girl. "Is this her, by any chance" he asked coyly, "I still can't believe how much she's grown since this was taken."

Before Lincoln could offer up a reply, the Gals behind him looked at the photo and cried "AWWW! Phoebe looked so cute when she was little." The moment this reveal was made, Lincoln's outward appearance went still. But on the inside, his skull echoed loudly as his brain continuously cried out "I KNEW IT!"

"Wait...are you ladies sure this is Phoebe" Lincoln asked the Gals, "how do you know what she looked like as a kid?" In response to this, Carol and Co. only offered up three simple words; "School Picture Day." "Long story short, Feebs once showed us one of her old grade school pics" Becky explained, "one that featured her hair having a serious frizz."

Upon hearing this, Cyrus reached into his wallet and pulled out that very photo. When Lincoln got a look at it, he did everything he could not to laugh (on the outside.) Her freckles from childhood weren't visible anymore, she appeared taller than much of her class and (just as the others mentioned) she had a head of frizzy hair. After taking a moment to push down his laughter and clear his throat, Lincoln only said one thing; "I guess this is why she wears a ponytail now."

"I'd really like to know more about how you came to know my Phoebe, young man" Cyrus stated, "maybe we can share stories over some hot cocoa with cinnamon tomorrow?" After giving his lips a lick, Lincoln nodded his head and said "it's a deal." With that settled and after giving one final goodbye, Lincoln hurried inside of Carol's van."

"Thanks for coming to pick me up, by the way and for hanging with me and my new friends" he said gratefully, "however...you guys never told me your grandparents were soldiers or wartime photographers or...whatever." For the second time that afternoon, the Gals giggled softly and playfully proclaimed, "you never asked us about that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that" Lincoln murmured, "but hey, I think I've got an idea on who Roscoe's grandchild might be." While still keeping her eyes ahead, Carol asked whom Lincoln had in mind. "To tell you the truth, I can't really decide" he confessed, "the big clue Roscoe told me was that his granddaughter fussed about her hair a lot...but that could be any one of you."

At first, the three Gals almost felt offended by his comment; until they realized that Lincoln raised a good point. "The only other thing is that Roscoe said his granddaughter hopes to become as tough as him or Rip Hardcore, one day" he explained, "but other than me, I can't recall anyone else that likes him." Rather than tell him outright, the Gals giggle softly and decide to try and make him guess.

"We'll give you a hint, Linky" Carol murmured playfully, "the girl Roscoe mentioned is someone you know, she does fuss about her hair like me and Whit do...and has a bit of a secret wild side to her; one she seldom lets out." Upon hearing mention of the words "wild side;" realization had, once again hit Lincoln like a blow to the head. Then, he took out his phone, and brought up the Caller ID photo of Kat.

After staring at this photo for what felt like ages; Lincoln shook his head, turned off his phone and stored it away. "You don't think she's the granddaughter Roscoe was talking about; do you, guys" he asked the viewer in a dumbfounded tone, "well...if it's true, it's certainly wouldn't be the first time I'll have been surprised today."

(First AN: I became inspired to make this oneshot due to two separate things. The first one being the Recess episode entitled "Old Folks Home." As for the second; after meeting Stella's Nana/Granny in the original Gal Pals and having Haiku's Nana be introduced in the Rascally Rennies multi-part oneshot, I felt it was time for Lincoln to meet the grandparents of some of the other Gals.

Of course, each of the seniors mentioned here are all my own creations; considering how the show has yet to officially introduce the Gals' families into the show. Regardless, I hope I did well enough here and that you'll enjoy reading this. Coming up next is the Fall Arc finale and while I can't spoil on what it's about, I promise you...it'll be a scream)

(Second AN: While not done so within the original series; as some fans pointed out, Nurse Ruth expelling seniors from the home is considered illegal action. Ergo, I wanted to implement such circumstances here while also leaving the seniors in the hands of more balanced caregivers; i.e. the Gibbons Siblings)

(Third AN: While I'm aware that not every senior has a history with the military, I wanted to give the likes of Carol and Kat's grandfather's such a background to provide a sense of irony. Imagine finding out such feminine and dainty ladies like them had grandparents that once served on the front lines. I also wanted to chose the right time periods for Michael and Roscoe to be involved in such work.

What I mean is I wanted the timeframe to be logical to how old the characters are within the original series. I hope that makes sense to you, everyone)

(Fourth AN: In regards to Cyrus' career; while not mentioned in the story, I wanted it to give off the vibe that he is the reason Phoebe developed her passion/love for photography. But I imagine none of us wants to see her recording actual war games, am I right)

(Last AN: For those thinking that it's impossible for someone like Paige to be related to Gertie; who once trained with the Shaolin...look at it this way. A lot of martial artists would use their fighting/choreography skills for the stage and/or theater and vice-versa. A prime example of this Jackie Chan, who was part of the Peking Opera School years before he became the film star he is today)