THE DAY BEFORE THE START OF SCHOOL

"..."

...silence...soundless...

"..."

...nothing making a sound...not even the gentle sloshing of the water...

"...mmm..."

Only one man who awakened to this world before, now returned to meet his next challenge. He had been here to receive the Blessing of the Knight. But he now came to receive a vision:

"...Stay on her!..."

"HELP US!"

"...No! Ichika!..."

Voices of despair amidst a hail of bullets and blades.

"Now!"

"SOMEBODY! ANYBODY!"

"No! Come back!"

The clouds rolled on, but the visions depicted a complete halt to the world around him.

"HEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLP~~~"

"...Why?...Why?!..."

And above them all, a vision of a black butterfly with a magenta glow, asserting its dominance over the helpless masses. One laser from this creature was enough to incinerate a skyscraper, and yet it wasn't enough to satisfy it. It wanted more. It needed more. And he was powerless to stop it.

He opened his eyes to bask in the full strength of the sky. He saw a massive mechanical Valkyrie standing on its broadsword, waiting for him to respond.

"Wh...what is this?..." Ichika stood up and faced the Valkyrie. Its face bore a striking resemblance to the Brunhilde. He tried calling out to it, "Chifu-"

but it reacted to that name. It lunged at him and lifted him in the air by his neck. "I WILL KILL YOU! ICHIKA ORIMURA!" It screeched.

"GLCK...GGG-HHH..." Ichika could feel his throat clogging up, his lungs struggling to keep pace with his heart. He struggled to free himself, but he soon felt himself slipping into the unknown, "Ch...Ch-Chifff..."

"I WILL KILL YOU! ICHIKA ORIMURA!"

And then...nothing. Everything went black. His body went limp, and his mind went off.

There, in that veil between death and nothingness, he saw it.

The black butterfly standing over two dead bodies. One of them was a blonde girl with a tattered green dress and broken sunglasses. The other was his sister. The butterfly soon aimed all its weapons at the motionless Ichika, together with the Valkyrie,

"I WILL KILL YOU! ICHIKA ORIMURA"

and fired everything.

"GYAAAAA! HAHAHA...haaahhhhhhh..."

That seemed to have brought Ichika out of his sleep. He sat up on his bed in a cold sweat, having just now been able to process everything that he saw. He looked out the window. It seemed that he had slept the afternoon away, and now the winter dusk was there to greet him instead. He rubbed his face with a leftover shirt and called Lincoln.

"Ichika! What's up, bro?"

"Hey, can we talk?"

That night, at a Shibuya burger joint...

"You saw who now?" Lincoln had doubts about that dream.

"I saw your sister and my sister die at the hands of a black butterfly," Ichika said, "Then, I saw the butterfly and an IS that looked like my sister finish me off."

"...ok, dude," Lincoln laughed, "You gotta stop taking afternoon naps."

"I'm serious, bro," Ichika countered, "Whoever you saw during Christmas has gotta be involved in some way. I feel like we can't just brush it off anymore."

"No, I get it," Lincoln munched on his burger, "I think we have to get our crud together now, and keep it together until we can snuff out the main threats. We don't know how long it will take."

"Yeah, though there's something I've been wondering... why didn't I find out about a twin sister until now?"

"I have no idea. Probably some begotten off-the-cap mistake we forgot about?"

"That's...eerily specific..." Ichika cringed, "Does everyone we come across have a messed up backstory of their own doing?..."

"To each their own, I suppose," Lincoln downed the rest of his food, "You're not gonna eat anything?"

"Not yet," Ichika answered, "I gotta get me a BLT and milk in 36 minutes."

"36? Why the time frame?"

"To supplement my new tactical workout plan, which I call:" whisper "dealing with the ladies."

"BHM-" Lincoln almost exploded the soda out of his mouth, but kept his laughter in long enough to swallow, "Guh...so! So, you think the others are giving you daily military drills?!"

"It sure feels like it!" Ichika started making hand gestures, "Shoot this, slash that, dodge this, do a barrel roll! I feel like I'm building muscle just by breathing thanks to them!"

"Haaahahahaha!" Lincoln lost it, "Good luck, dude-hahahaa!"

"Psh," Ichika placed his head on hos backhand and smirked, "Yuck it up all you want, pipsqueak. But you're yucking...IN THE PRESENCE..." he slammed the table "...OF THE ALPHA, HAAAAA!"

And then the two got caught up in the moment and wasted the night fooling around with various things and places to their amusement.

That was then.

PRESENT DAY, END OF FIRST SCHOOL DAY

This was now.

"Ok, the current suggestions handed in for this month's class fundraising project are..."

-ICHIKA ORIMURA'S HOST CLUB

-TWISTER WITH LINCOLN LOUD

-THE POCKY GAME WITH LINCOLN LOUD

-THE DATING GAME WITH ICHIKA ORIMURA

One look at the suggestions for the Valentines festival evaporated any elation Ichika had, "...rrgh...ALL REJECTED!"

The class went "WHAAAT?!"

"Are you nuts?!" Ichika snapped, "Why would you even think of any of this stuff?!"

One of the students started fantasizing, "I'm absolutely sure I'd want to do that. No doubt."

"Hu-Wha-Huh?!"

Lincoln scratched his cheek and looked away, "I thought it'd be cool to have a host club all our own, so I..."

"You WHAT?!"

One student got defensive, "Hey, it's the Class Rep's job to represent the class! Not shun them away!"

"There's limits to this, you know!"

Another student raised her hand, "Well, then, Class rep. What would you suggest?"

"Uh...well.." to be honest, Ichika didn't want to think about a festival so soon after the term started, but he had to think of something or else-

"I have an idea."

That.

"What is it, Laura?" Someone asked.

"Why don't we do a maid cafe?" Laura suggested.

"A maid cafe?" Ichika repeated, "Really?"

"I'm sure it would be well received," Laura said, "And besides, we can also expand to a booth outside and maximize our earnings," while applying a tactical approach to the fundraiser, "It is my understanding that visitors enter school grounds through a ticket system, so they would want a place to relax."

That kickstarted a massive wave of agreement and material support.

"Oh boy..." Ichika murmured, because she had him. With that kind of logic, as well as the logistics and resources already provided, there was no way he could turn it down, "Well, I guess I could pretend it's a cafe with unusual outfits..." He then clapped his hands to call to attention, "Alright, I'll report to Miss Orimura. We need to have a detailed plan and layout within three days ready to submit."

"THREE DAYS?!" The class shouted.

"Can't we afford some relaxation?!" A student whined.

"I wish I could, but..." Ichika pointed at the calendar, which was chock full of events for January and February, "...Valentines Day's one month away...right after all this crud."

The students went

"Aw!"

"We can't even do the chocolate exchange!"

"I'm sure we'll work it out somehow..."

"Go, Orimura! We'll hold down the fort!"

"This is why we should do doubles more often!"

"Ok, I'll be right back," Ichika waved. And then ghosted out of the room, "HoHOOOOOly WOW!...I thought I'd never survive that..." He thought he was clear of any more headaches, but when he walked down the hallway, he saw a disturbing sight...

...through the window to Class 1-3, where he could clearly see, sitting in the back corner of the room...was a blonde woman with blue eyes, blue eyeshadow, and pearl earrings.

Ichika quickened his pace until he was in front of the teacher's lounge. The door veered open before he could knock on the door, "Ah! Chifuyu!"

"I thought I told you how to address your superior," Chifuyu sternly reminded him.

"Um...Miss Orimura..." Ichika said, "Class 1-1 has decided on a maid cafe."

"Hm? A maid cafe?" Chifuyu piqued, "I thought your class would settle on something more interesting than a simple cafe with unusual outfits."

"I know, but it was the only option I felt comfortable with."

"Alright," Chifuyu nodded, "I'll notify the board."

"Thank you," Ichika said, but then he had to drop the bomb, "But I do have one question?"

"Be quick about it," Chifuyu went to her station to sort out the pile of paperwork. But when she heard

"Class 1-3... was that Lori Loud in Class 1-3?"

Chifuyu froze. She suffered a paper cut that she didn't feel because Ichika had found Lori, which could lead to a possible fallout among the IS Academy. She simply inhaled and said, "Yes...she came here of her own volition. I didn't know she wanted to attend until the last minute."

Ichika could tell that the atmosphere was tense, so he decided to end the conversation there, "I see...thank you, Miss Orimura." He shut the door and slumped over flabbergasted, "Oh...my...mochi...what am I supposed to tell Lincoln?..."

"Tell him what?"

"Guh!..." Ichika jolted, "Who-" he saw where that voice came from, the same blue-haired girl, who was smiling, "Oh...Student Council President...hhh..."

"Oh, don't be so tense. Just call me Tatenashi!" She approached him, and he looked straight ahead.

"Uh-Huh..." Ichika sighed, "And what do you want?..."

"Oh, what I want," Tatenashi responded, "is to be your very personal IS coach."

"Eh?" Ichika jumped, "That's outta the blue! And I already have so many coaches! I don't need a new one!"

"Is that so?" Tatenashi smugly said, "If you have so many, then why is your performance still so weak?"

"Ngh," Ichika wanted to say something, "Well, that's rather person-" But then he immediately thought back to the dream he had. How everyone was dead at his feet. And he thought back to the Michigan mission where Chifuyu sent Lincoln first to intercept Phantom Task. And how he ended his semester at the bottom of the class. Was that was this amounted to? Was that the reason he went back? Those thoughts immediately changed his tone, "...personal...but... not completely wrong..."

"Oh? Had a change of heart?" Tatenashi caught that moment of conflict and teased him, "Or did you not want to have a lively ruffle with me?"

"Neither...I'm just saying that... you might be onto something..." he admitted.

"Oh, perish the thought," Tatenashi waved her fan, "I'm just saying..." then, she got her chest onto his arm and her fans to his cheek, "Having too many coaches will make you totally limp in a saddle."

"Ok, that was uncalled for," Ichika murmured while trying to ignore the feeling of her unusually voluptuous body.

Tatenashi withdrew her body and poked her fan at his nose, "Therefore, in order to perk you up just a teensy bitsy better, I'll be your personal trainer for now."

Ichika exhaled. He could've easily rejected her, but he realized that it would lead him to a worse path than the one he's on current. "Ok..." he nodded, "...where do I start?"

"First, I need to gauge your current strength."

"Why? You just said my performance was still so weak."

"Did I say that?" Tatenashi winked, "Don't be such a worry wart." And led him on, making him wonder what he's gotten himself into.

During that time, Lincoln, Laura, Hana, and Akina were hanging out at the fountain.

"Seriously, you?!" Hana freaked, "YOU suggested a host club?! Hostess club?!"

"Why not?" Lincoln responded, "Host clubs are basically an urban legend, something only a chosen few are allowed to participate in."

"For a reason!" Akina shook him lividly, "The people that work in that type of trade are...ARE..." she became trapped in a fantasy dream and clutched her cheeks. But...

(BARTENDER LINCOLN: Would you like me to provide a drink?)

(MAID CHARLOTTE: Perhaps a round of karaoke?)

(HOST ICHIKA: Maybe a round of King's Game?)

(ALL THREE STERNUMS EXPOSED, UNBUTTONING IN PROGRESS: Or...do...you...want...me?)

"Waaaaaauuuuuuu~~~!" Akina fainted and steamed while Lincoln tried to fan her.

"Does she always act like this?" Laura asked.

"Yes," Hana said, "Ever since she went to a host club last week."

"That explains a lot..."

Just then, Chifuyu walked in on their happy little accident, "Indeed."

"Huh?!" Laura and Hana jumped.

"Though I suspect that she was roped into going to one," Chifuyu said, "Hosts always like to flatter potential clients, regardless of when and where."

"Really now..." Hana stared at Laura.

"Don't," Laura flatly commanded.

Lincoln stood up, "Hey, how'd you know that tidbit?"

Chifuyu blushed, "Well, I...happened upon her last night..." she lied.

"Speaking of which," Laura wondered, "have you seen Ichika?"

"I saw him in the infirmary with the Student Council president," Chifuyu said.

"Should we go check on him?" Hana asked.

"If it's the president, I'm sure he's in good hands," Laura said.

"But what if she tries something on him?" Lincoln wondered, "Like she did with me when we ran into her?"

Laura took all of two seconds before declaring, "We must go. Now."

While Ichika was dreaming of running across a windy grass field with Houki waiting for him stop the hill, Lincoln and his group were running across the campus trying to get to the infirmary. But once they made it in, he saw something that shook him to the core. Two rooms from where Ichika was stationed, in a bed, lie a blond woman with blue eyes, blue eyeshadow, and pearl earrings. This caused Lincoln to trip, which caused Laura to bump into Lincoln, which caused Hana to bump in them, which caused Akina to roll over them and bump into the door, creaking it open and revealing a slightly telling sight.

Tatenashi was stuffing Ichika's head onto her lap. And Akina and Laura had Lincoln and Hana under their chests.

"Well..." Hana muffled, "That could've been better..."

"Care to explain yourself, Loud?" Laura angrily grunted.

"Your things are in my face!" Lincoln forced his way through the cave of woman into the limelight. Which consisted of him and Ichika and exchanging horrified glances, "Oh...nut bunnies..."

Tatenashi fanned herself smugly, "Well, that's quite an entrance you made." Then, she looked to the side, "But I'd give it a 7 out of 10, at best."

"Would a simple pun be too much for you?!" Ichika and Lincoln snapped, to which Tatenashi giggled.

Then, Lincoln remembered what he saw and ran back to that room to confirm it. But he stormed inside, and there was no one there. No lights, and no signs of life. "Ok...what's happening?..." He thought he was going insane, but then he remembered-

"Ahem."

-he had three other girls to worry about.

Late that night, while he and Lincoln were walking back to 1025...after a grueling training session...

"Circle Shuffleboard...wuh?" Lincoln groaned.

"Yeah..." Ichika said while cracking his neck, "Apparently, I can't get over the fact that I'm at the bottom of the class, so I said yes to Tatenashi's outlandish request."

"Without consulting the others?..."

"It was a spur of the moment, man!"

"Apparently, we fed each other too much last night. We need someone to roast us so hard we never let anything get out of our hands again!" And then Lincoln went loopy, "AGAIN I SAY! MAKE ME DIE INSIDE FOREVER AND ALWAYS!"

"Ugh! I am ready for this day to be over..." Ichika swatted the door handle and tipped it open with his foot, "I swear, if one more thing happens, I'm gonna-"

And sure enough, one more thing was about to happen.

"Welcome home, dear!"

The boys went "Wah!"

Because the moment the door opened, Tatenashi was there to greet them, with a ladle in hand, and only a white apron covering her private parts. Lincoln for some reason couldn't take his eyes off her chest, while Ichika's mind and heart completely shut down.

"Would you like to have dinner?" Tatenashi enticed them further, "Or to take a bath? Or perhaps..." she leaned forward slightly to show off her cleavage, and whispered, "To...have...me?"

Upon hearing that tender whisper, Lincoln's nerve reflex activated, and the door slammed shut.

Ichika's brain regained normal function, but the first thought erupted was that person in Class 1-3 who looked like she didn't belong, "I hear there's a hot blonde at our school."

"Let's talk about it," Lincoln agreed.

The two grabbed dinner and ate outside.

"So, we both saw the same thing..." Lincoln said.

"Yup," Ichika nodded, "Chifuyu confirmed with me. That was indeed your sister."

Lincoln couldn't wrap his brain around it, "Oh my god..." he kept his eyes open the whole day, and nowhere was there any sign of another Loud, "...and she was in the assembly, too...how did I miss her?!"

"Somebody had to have snuck her in," Ichika surmised, "It's gotta be the same thing with Tatenashi. I've never heard of her until today."

Lincoln thought back to his time with his friends and how his brain confused them for his family. Then, he thought back to the week before the departure. Maybe he could've done something he wasn't supposed to. But that couldn't be because he said everything he needed to. At least, that's what he felt. What about when he revealed his entire backstory to the world? No, that was to prevent another cycle from starting. But that could have unintended consequences on his family, after their exile.

Lincoln's brain started to hurt, "Help me out here. Where do you think I messed up?"

Ichika gave it a small thought, "Hard to say...maybe this is a sign from God."

"Really?" Lincoln scoffed, "You're saying that God's caught me off the path?"

"Thinking about it now...possibly. Maybe it's just a small course correction?"

Lincoln winced, "Ehhhhh... I suppose..." but a certain blue hairstyle caught behind Ichika interrupted his train of thought, "Wup-Speak of the devil."

Ichika flinched, "Code White?"

"Level 2."

"Crap..." Ichika muttered, as there was only one person who he knew fell under that code for unnecessary flirting.

"There you are!" Tatenashi.

Ichika braced himself for the worst, "What do you want-" He was. It prepared to receive bare skin around his neck, or a clothed chest on his back, "EEP?!"

"And after I went through all the trouble to make you feel at home," Tatenashi cooed with her fan signing the kanji for "CONFLICT".

"More like, make me feel at prison!" Ichika pushed her off, "What did you think I was going to do?!"

"Aw, is my big boy in the pood tonight?" But Tatenashi flung herself onto him again, "Maybe I can relieve you."

"LADY! PHRASING!"

"Don't get your aprons in a bunch!"

"WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE?!"

"They already got the news. It's no big!"

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

Lincoln just munched his food away, "I'm so glad I'm just the third wheel here," while giggling internally at the funny looks that this mishap was garnering.

But while the scene seemed lively at the Academy, there was an entirely contrast scene happening elsewhere. It was at the Orimura residence. The entire house had gone dark, save for the two largest rooms being lit by two light bulbs. Someone had indeed occupied the house, but it was not its owner. She had loaned it to a foreigner, and forged a contract with the house as a mainstay for this person.

On New Year's Day, Lori Loud came to Chifuyu Orimura to enroll at the IS Academy, in order to see her brother again. Chifuyu asked Lori what her reasons were for abandoning her shelter, and Lori responded with a semi-satisfactory answer. For this, Lori took the ISA entrance exam, and passed with a B compatibility rating. She was allowed to attend the Academy, with a few stipulations:

1. Only she and Leni are allowed room and board, at the house only; no one outside of the Academy may set foot inside.

2. She must excel at her studies; anything below an 80 will result in an immediate expulsion.

3. Anything regarding her family is to be settled between family; no one outside is to be involved.

4. She must never tell lies; any act of dishonesty, however small, will result in an immediate expulsion.

While Lori attended school, Leni was kept at the house to maintain its appearance. Lori tried to object, but Chifuyu reminded her that she left the safety of hiding and re-exposed herself to the world, and everything that comes with it. She would not have made it to Shibuya if Leni hadn't insisted on tagging along. They all knew that. So she had to yield.

Lori's first day was surreal. She felt a sense of nostalgia and uncertainty, with a hint of doubt. It was weird being an 18-year old among teenagers, but it didn't matter if she got to see how Lincoln was doing, and it looked like he was holding up. Seeing him interact with a good company of people made it worth enduring all the uneasy glances and whispers about her.

But there's the return trip. She came to the house expecting a calamity of appliances and utensils. Instead, she entered a freshly made house, with no dirty spots whatsoever.

The only thing resembling home was Leni's usual greetings, which she got a good load of-

"Welcome home, dear sister of mine!" Leni popped up, "Come inside, and make yourself at home! Do you want a soy bru-lee? Or a nice meal to take the calluses away?"

"Hi, Leni," Lori said, "I think I'll have a nice bath for now."

"Oh..." Leni suddenly toned down her mood, "We don't exactly have a bathtub...just a giant wooden bucket..."

"Hey, whatever I can take," Lori said.

Ten minutes later, she had settled herself in a steamy bath without running water, or an open window. Just pure, unadulterated silence.

Not even the opening of the sliding door disturbed her that much.

"Hey, sister!" Leni greeted while wearing nothing but a towel (meant for little children), "Enjoying the hot sauna?"

Lori peered one eye at Leni, "Len...we have bigger towels."

"Really? Where?" Leni turned around and saw an array of towels lined up for her... "Oh...oops..." ...amusement.

Half an hour later, the two girls settled down at the dinner table for a "home cooked" meal (roasted chicken and lettuce).

"I know this isn't the usual dinner," Leni said apologetically, "but we have to keep our strength up, even when we're not out doing heavy things."

"Yeah," Lori said, "but it's better than rice paddies and spring rolls." She took a bite of the simple meal and savored it.

"You know, I just wondered," Leni said, "How long are we gonna be here?"

"At least two and a half years," Lori said, "I feel like I can't leave until I graduate IS Academy."

"I'll be stuck inside this wooden paradise, then?"

"I read the contract over three times," Lori said while she kept eating, "There's nothing confining you here. As long as you don't make a ruckus, you can go outside as long and as often as you want."

"Really?" Leni raised an eyebrow, "I thought they'd want to chain me here."

"They can't do that. Too many eyes on them already. Keeping us locked away won't stop them from trying to get to us."

"Oh, that makes sense," Leni said.

Lori looked up, "No, it doesn't."

"Yeah, it doesn't," Leni laughed.

"The only way it would is if they're setting up a trap, and we're the bait."

"Oh..." Leni leaned her head on the table and grunted, "Well, that's a bit ludicrous, wouldn't you say?"

Upon hearing that bit of advanced vocabulary come out of Leni's mouth, Lori was rattled and accidentally sent a bite down the wrong pipe.

"Ah! Lori!" Leni jumped out and grabbed Lori from the backside. Then, she gave a gigantic thrust to Lori's stomach, and out popped the chunk of meat that caught the air.

"Guh...hhh...hahah..." Lori coughed, "Oh god..."

"Are you well?" Leni patted Lori's back.

"I think so..." Lori spoke, "...but...more importantly..." she gathered her meal and packaged it in a plastic box, "How did you learn that word?..."

"What word?"

"The L word? Ludicrous?"

"Huh?" Leni cocked her head before remembering what she said, "Oh, that word!" Then, she pulled a book of the counter, "I found this book the other night! It didn't have any pictures, so I drew some of the words on my head!"

Lori wasn't sure what that meant, "I think you meant, in your head?" Until she saw that word, and some incomprehensible picture, on the back of Leni's head. "Well, dangit..." she cleaned up her space and threw the food away, "And that's a dictionary. More reader-friendly than you think."

"Oh?" Leni said, "I saw the word 'penis' when this thing was open. Do you know what that looks like?"

Lori twitched and blushed, "Leniiii?"

Leni kept babbling, "And for some reason, someone checked the words moist, briefs, and pu-"

"LENI!" Lori covered Leni's mouth, "Don't...don't do that...not friendly at all..."

Leni was confused.

That night, Leni was sound asleep, while Lori stayed awake pondering the next day's events. Lincoln had to have seen her by now, so he's most likely to investigate her presence. She would have to come up with a damn good reason for her to have intruded upon his life, something to temper his anger somewhat. She kept rattling her mind for a possible excuse, until her mind went blank.

Back in 1025, Ichika was sound asleep, while Lincoln lie awake despite how tired he was, because his mind was hyperactive now that there was confirmed proof of one of his siblings escaping Hokkaido. He was almost sure of what her arrival would wreak upon his discovery, and completely sure of what that sister caused on her way to him. Either way, he felt like he had to confront the person that would dare to intrude upon his life.

The next morning, and the alarms went off. For Lori, the alarm sounded an hour earlier than Lincoln's did. This extra hour gave her time to take a shower, do her makeup, and prepare a small meal. By the time Lincoln woke up, Leni had made Lori's lunch, and Lori had already changed shoes. Lori had begun her bike ride to school, which she took slowly to enjoy the sunrise unfurling its rays across the street at the perfect angle. She took in the beautiful scenery until she got to the train station, at which point she was able to gain additional rest while Lincoln had already prepped for school and spent the rest of his free time chatting with his friends at breakfast. When Chifuyu called time, Lincoln was at the bathroom freshening himself one last time, while Lori had gotten off the monorail and made it to school. The two were walking to their respective classrooms when...

"Don't give me that poppycock, Ichika!" Houki growled, "You know darn well what was on that report!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ichika griped, "Who was the one flying circles in a floating invisible gravitron?!"

"I think his brain needs more work than his body," Lincoln quipped, "You sure Tatenashi's gonna be enough for him?"

"Whatever you're thinking," Ichika tussled Lincoln's hair, "the other girls have put in your brain, and you need to get it out."

"God..." Houki sighed, "And she's still gonna train him..."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Ichika said, "Frankly, everyday before today, I've come back tired with little to show for it."

"Is that what she said?!" Houki shouted.

"Well, yeah..." Ichika responded, "But ever since she said that..."

"So, Ichika," Houki pouted, "Do you always yield to your superiors so easily?"

Ichika was tempted to say no, but from the way she asked him, he thought that question came with a triple meaning, "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't get smart with me!" Houki got in his face, "Answer the question!"

Ichika pointed ahead of them, "Why don't you ask him?"

Houki begrudgingly turned to the hall ahead of her and saw someone that looked like High Card. But this someone didn't wear anything special. In fact, she was wearing the school uniform. That could only mean... "Uh, Lincoln?...Did you call one of your allies to battle?..."

"No, I didn't," Lincoln muttered while staring down the last person he expected to see...

...Lori. His older sister of six months ago.

"Hello, Lincoln," she said.

He said nothing. He just shot his blank eyes at her, trying to discern her motives.

"Okay! That's time!" Maya clapped and interrupted the standoff, "Everyone please go to your classrooms!"

"Uh, yes, ma'am," Ichika and Houki obliged.

But Lincoln didn't. He never took her eyes off Lori until he was inside classroom. Lori sighed and went back to her room.

Lincoln was fixated on getting Lori into a corner of the school by herself. He needed to have a one-on-one with her because he felt an eruption of emotions, not all of them bad. He never figured out how he truly felt about the person who was responsible for all this, even after he threw away that locket.

He made up his mind. After school ends, he'd catch her in a stairwell, and then he would get her to talk.