Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 A.D. at 5:13 PM
Location: 1216 Franklin Avenue, Royal Woods, Michigan
It has been over three weeks since Lisa and Lincoln shared their experiences in Honolulu with their family. As punishment for attacking Lisa in such a fashion, Lynn was thoroughly punished by both her parents and the Sibling Council. The most notable punishment was being banned from participating in any sport-related activity for the rest of the school year. As a result, she was removed from all seven sports teams to which she had been a member.
To their relief, whatever was shared between Lucy and Lynn on that Saturday had Lynn taking this downtime as a chance to self-reflect on her life. She has been a lot less aggressive since then. Even dropping the 'bad luck' nonsense. Lincoln made an effort to reconnect with Lynn. Wishing to have his first best friend back. The gesture was reciprocated and the two were talking to each other again. Not much but it was a step in the right direction.
When it came to Lisa and Lincoln's temporal adventures. Their sisters understood Lisa's desire to spend quality time with their only brother. It was something they all could relate to in a large family like theirs. None ever pestered them about wanting to join them on their trips. Instead, they waited patiently to be presented with the opportunity to come along with them.
On the weekend before the 26th, their consideration would be awarded. The two expressed their desire for Lori to join them on their next trip. A gesture that was happily accepted by their oldest sibling. By this point, she and the rest of their siblings were enthralled by the stories that Lisa and Lincoln shared. These stories were from the trips they took in the last three weeks.
To say that Lori was looking forward to joining her younger siblings is an understatement. Her excitement was heightened when she was told that they would be heading to ancient Egypt. This is to hopefully catch a glimpse of one of the most iconic women in the history of mankind, Cleopatra VII. Safe to say, Lori was fascinated by the queen. Who came to rule Egypt when she was only 17 after the death of her father.
Knowing the environment they'd be in, Lori made sure to dress appropriately. When she stepped out of the elevator, she looked ready to brave whatever the African desert could throw at her. Same as Lisa and Lincoln who were standing before her, having been waiting for her arrival on the bunker sub-level.
"Lori!" Lincoln exclaimed with joy in his voice, coming over to give his big sister a hug. "I'm so happy you're coming along with us." His words drew a warm smile from Lori's face.
Lori teased. "You've done this three times since this morning," she rubbed her hand through his hair affectionately.
Lisa quietly observed the two with a smile on her face. It brought her warmth and joy to see them love each other like this.
Once she gave them a moment or so to dote on each other. Lisa gestured for Mr. Reinforced Titanium Alloy Arms to come over to them. The robot was carrying a tray that held a very significant device for Lori. "I've been elated as well to have you with us, Lori. Here it is, your own Omni-Bracer. Tailored to fit your proportions."
"Nice!" Lori took the device from the tray and slid it onto her arm. Fits perfectly as Lisa said it would. A holographic interface came to life around her forearm. Leaving her to marvel at the electric blue hologram.
Lisa and Lincoln quite liked Lori's reaction to activating her Omni-Bracer for the first time. Finding her rather adorkable. Lisa spoke again to her eldest sister. "Now as you may remember. I placed limitations on the function to travel through time to prevent us from overusing it. It would be unhealthy to develop an addiction to the capability. Furthermore, against my better judgment, I've let it be usable on other days instead of only Wednesday."
Lori arched her brow, seemingly uncertain whether to trust her with the Omni-Bracer. She was more curious than offended when she heard the young genius's teasing. "You make it sound like I can't be responsible for this?"
A ghost of a smug grin forms on her face. "Oh no, I do consider you responsible. That is never in doubt. Utilizing it for self-indulgence on the other hand is still on the table. More so if our dear brother is involved. You're as bold as me when it comes to spending quality time with him."
Lincoln's eyes widened at the realization of what Lisa was likely referring to. Lori grew sheepish at the accusation but kept her cool. "Literally name one thing."
"If you insist," Lisa said with amusement in her tone. "How about all those times when our parents leave for the weekend or a night? Establishing a strict curfew to put us all to bed at a certain time. Once you've ensured that we're all asleep except for Lincoln, you sneak him downstairs so you two can watch a movie together."
A light blush rose to Lori's cheeks. She didn't bother trying to hide it. Instead, she just grunted softly in annoyance. Knowing how Lisa knew that. "Lucy saw, didn't she?" Their Gothic sister always tends to see things she shouldn't from the vents
"Affirmative," Lisa confirmed. "Then she relayed the information to me. We then came to the agreement that we'd keep it a secret." Lisa could very much empathize with her eldest sibling. After all, she would have done the same thing in her shoes. "Even so, given how our other sisters have shown a growing acceptance of your rules. I speculate that they know more than they let on."
Lori gave a huff of mild indignation. "Should have figured the cat would be out of the bag eventually. Alright fine, I concede."
Lisa let out a brief laugh before switching on her Omni-Bracer. "Teasing aside, let's head off. Don't be concerned about the language barrier. I've installed a program that is essentially a universal translator to make it so that we can understand other people while they can understand us." It was one of the first things she made sure to build into the Omni-Bracer.
Synching up with their Omni-Bracers, Lisa pulled them into the ancient past.
Date: Ptolemaic Dynasty, Mid-Summer of 292 (July 14th, 32 BC) at 11:23 AM
Location: On the outskirts of Alexandria, Egypt
The first thing they felt was the blistering heat of the desert sun.
Once their eyes adjusted to the brightness of the vast outdoors. They saw that they were between small sand dunes. No higher than their Vanzilla.
"Come on, if my calculations were precise the trail should be over this dune," Lisa told her siblings as she led the way up the dune. Lincoln and Lori held each other's hands as they scaled the dune.
When Lisa and her siblings climbed over the crest of the dune. In order to prepare for the event, she took into account a number of factors. The least likely scenario that could happen did happen.
Being spotted by a small group of Egyptian warriors. No doubt part of the police force. Policing was a big part of Egyptian life during the Roman Period. With 3% of the Egyptian population being involved in some form of it. In the US, law enforcement makes up only 0.3% of the population.
"You there!" Shouted a strong, masculine voice at the forefront of the group. They weren't too far down the trail either. Roughly ninety yards at that.
As soon as they were seen, the siblings were filled with panic. Lincoln was the first to recover. In addition to Lisa, Lincoln excels at improvising on the spot. There's a reason he is often called The Man with a Plan. Every day he thinks ten steps ahead of everyone else. Always. Since the day he understood language the back of his mind was a whiteboard that his unconscious mind scrawled upon without pause.
Some days, Lisa wondered if they had the same condition. Or at least something similar.
"Peace be with you!" Lincoln warmly responds with the traditional greeting.
They could almost make out a smile on what they assumed to be the captain's face. He and his forty men were all on camelback. Interestingly, three camels don't have a rider. "Peace be with you too! You three must be the children who came to give their respects to our Queen as foretold by our High Priest!"
His statement left Lisa dumbfounded. How could they have been expected?
Ever to move with the flow, Lincoln spoke back in kind. "That's correct! We're hoping to catch a glimpse of her divine majesty. Her name has spread to lands even beyond the ever-distant horizon from which we came from." Lincoln's theatrics was something he learned from Luan.
By now, the group had approached them. The siblings could now see their features more clearly. Enamored with seeing actual Egyptians before them.
"Such words will please our Queen! Come, we will take you to Antirhodos. The people of Alexandria are eagerly awaiting your arrival. As well as our High Priest, Sethus. He's likely to be near the city gates." The captain said as he gestured for some of his men to assist the children in getting onto the camels.
While the siblings all got up on the camels. They overheard some of the whisperings of the other men.
"I can make out his hair beneath the fabric. Never seen hair as white as clouds."
"Children coming out of the dunes with nothing but cloth on their backs."
"They have to be the prophesied children."
Safe to say, the siblings were rather overwhelmed by their awe and reverence. Never did they imagine that when they came here, the locals would be rolling out the red carpet for them. Once they were settled on the back of the camels. The group began to move towards the city of Alexandria. The formation shifted so that they were protecting the siblings from all sides.
Date: Ptolemaic Dynasty, Mid-Summer of 292 (July 14th, 32 BC) at 11:45 AM
Location: South Gate of Alexandria, Egypt
The group came into view of the grand gateway. Standing near it with a group of men was no doubt the High Priest that the men spoke of. Sethus seemed to radiate a sense of power that they could not describe. He is a tall, built man, with dark skin and a regal gaze. If they didn't know better, he could have been the King of Egypt.
Seeing them approaching, he smiled. Holding out his hand to greet them. "Captain Ahmose! I can feel the presence of the children from here! It will be a pleasure for the Ennead for them to arrive safely." Sethus said in a clear voice.
Captain Ahmose spoke back to Sethus. "It was as you said, High Priest. Three children came out of the dunes as if they were a mirage!"
The group became less compact, spreading out into a U formation with Captain Ahmose leading the Loud Children at the front. Sethus looked at them with a glowing smile. "Welcome to the City of Alexandria, children. I can sense that you've truly come from a place beyond imagination. If you were to allow me, I would be more than happy to walk with you to the royal palace on Antirhodos."
"We would be honored to be escorted by a High Priest, Sethus. I speak for all of us when I say that we are quite surprised by such a warm welcome. But we do appreciate it!" Lincoln responded to Sethus.
"I can imagine," Sethus replied with a deep chuckle. "Several days ago I received a prophetic vision of your arrival. One that is watched over by our cherished gods. I spread this news among the populace and all agreed on one thing. If anything, for such an extraordinary event to occur, it is surely a sign of the gods' favor of their followers. We can discuss this more if you like but for now, let's get you three to the palace." Sethus could tell that the children weren't used to the hot weather for very long.
The children were speechless when they were escorted through the city. On both sides of the road, people welcomed them and threw small gifts at them. For Lori, being showered with jewelry and precious stones was straight out of her fantasies. Lisa and Lincoln made sure to catch the coins. Knowing they would be worth a fortune when they sold them back home.
While Lincoln and Lori were basking in the attention. Lisa was lost in her thoughts. Unsure what to make of the news that they were expected to come. Lisa was an agnostic. She does believe that supernatural forces exist such as spirits. The divine however was a touchy subject. In her eyes, there could be several possible explanations for what they really were.
In time the group made it to Queen Cleopatra's royal palace on Antirhodos. As they approached the grand open courtyard, they came to a stop. From a distance of several yards, they could see the Queen herself. Standing there in all her radiant glory. Records have failed to capture the raw visage of Cleopatra. The queen gestures for Sethus to approach her while the siblings dismount from the camels.
"Your word was true as always, old friend." Cleopatra's voice held a level of regality that the siblings didn't know was possible. She was beautiful, yes, but the wisdom in her eyes was the most dazzling aspect of her.
Sethus smiled as he gave a proper bow. "You'll find them quite fascinating."
The Queen and Goddess of Kemet gazed upon the children before her. Her eyes and smile are equally soft. "You may approach me, children. No need to bow. You're our honored guests. Before I welcome you into my palace I must ask. Could you please tell me your names and where you came from, just to set foot in Alexandria?" The Queen could see that they were foreigners. By now they had taken off their protective headwear. Exposing their features for the world to see.
Lori was now comfortable enough to fulfill her role as the oldest sibling to speak for them. "My name is Lori Loud, your highness. This is Lincoln and Lisa, my precious baby siblings. Literally, we came from the future to hopefully see you. Your legacy has endured for over two thousand years. All across the known world, you're regarded as one of the most powerful women in all of human history."
Lori's words elicited a variety of reactions. Awe, surprise, doubt, but the most interesting response was from the queen herself. Her expression morphed into serenity. "That's breathtaking to hear. Hearing that has brought me a sense of peace I haven't felt in a very long time," she paused for a moment to contemplate before continuing. "Children of the future. You shall be treated to the finest feasts that I can offer. If you're here to bear witness to my reign, I shall see to it that you experience the splendor of my reign. Come, come. Let us head inside my palace."
Lisa looked up at the grand palace. Knowing that one day it'll all be underwater. It was incredible to see it like this. Her eyes then drift over to Lori and Lincoln as they follow the queen inside. As Lori's hand rests protectively on his shoulder, his hand grasps the fabric over her lower back. Lisa found them cute.
Luna and Luan often told Lisa stories about Lincoln when he was younger. He would often cling to Lori like this as if she were his security blanket. Lori made him feel safe and secure in her arms. If he ever needs anything, she'll always be there for him.
Lisa hopes to see them interact more like this. At her age, she missed a lot of things with her brother and their big sisters. They have a history that she wasn't a part of. She would be lying if she said that it didn't bother her a little bit. Because it still does. But that was the life of being the younger sibling in the household. In time she came to cherish the bonds that Lincoln had with his big sisters. Having come to see just how meaningful they were to him. How much they made him happy.
Lisa will do everything in her power to make sure it stays that way.
Date: Ptolemaic Dynasty, Mid-Summer of 292 (July 14th, 32 BC) at 2:35 PM
Location: Royal Garden, Antirhodos
They had spent the last hour or so being toured around the gorgeous palace and were currently within the royal garden. Like many gardens at this time, it was grand in size and was laid out in geometric patterns. Lisa looked over at her brother who was engaged in conversation with Cleopatra near a very large pond.
"You've been quiet." Lori's voice made her jump. Her oldest sibling was sitting next to her on a bench.
Lisa's cheek grew pinkish when Lori ran her hand through her hair in an affectionate manner. Not used to this sort of physical intimacy from her sisters. Or rather her more mature ones.
"I've been lost in my thoughts," Lisa admits.
"Same," Lori says as she looks at their brother. A moment passed before she spoke again. "Thank you for bringing me along, Lise."
Lisa could sense the meaning behind those words. "Of course, I can't keep him all to myself."
Lori laughed lightly. "You know that reminds me, Lisa. Back when you opened yourself to all of us. You kinda ruffled your big sisters' feathers a bit."
Hearing the teasing in her tone made her cheeks not heat up as much. "I-I did?" Lisa asked.
"You did. When you described Lynn's connection with our brother it made us feel a tad insecure. We know what you meant but a part of us felt like we were inferior to Lynn." Lori ran her hand through Lisa's hair again. "Don't take that the wrong way. Because you weren't wrong to say that. Lynn and Lincoln used to be very close. They grew up with their hands in each other's pockets, compensating for one another's weaknesses, and encouraging one another's strengths."
Hearing that made Lisa softly sigh. "I've heard many accounts of their former closeness. That is what makes it so puzzling. What happened to Lynn?"
"I don't know. A year ago she started acting differently out of the blue. At first, we thought that something was happening at Middle School. But when we asked around we found nothing. Even her classmates were confused by the change." Lori explained with clear sadness in her tone. It hurt her to see Lynn drift away like that.
Lisa gave a quick nod. "That lines up with what I know about the situation so far. Lola told me that Lynn was still very popular at school. If there was anything shady afoot she would have sniffed it out. It's as you said. One day Lynn began acting differently all of a sudden. The most notable piece of information that I have to work with is that I was told by Lucy that Lynn began suffering from nightmares around the same time. Lucy tried to find more information when they had that talk on Saturday but was stonewalled. To top it off, Lucy swore that whenever she looked over Lynn while she had a nightmare. She got the feeling that Lynn was traumatized by something."
It was clear that hearing that had made her eldest sibling worry even more about their wayward sibling. "Literally, what's going on with her?" It doesn't help that Lori feels guilty for being unable to help Lynn. She is her little sister. She's supposed to be able to know what's going on with her.
"I'm doing what I can to get to the root of the mystery," Lisa replied with clear determination in her voice.
Lisa felt like continuing the conversation until their brother called them over. For the moment, she put the worry to the back of her mind to enjoy her time with her siblings.
Date: Ptolemaic Dynasty, Mid-Summer of 292 (Monday, July 14th, 32 BC) at 6:35 PM
Location: Dining Room, Antirhodos
"Dear brother," Lisa said, looking up at him affectionately. "Can you feed me please?"
The young genius was sitting on her brother's lap at the grand dining room table. Seated next to Lori, they were enjoying the extravagant dinner that Cleopatra had made for them. As always on trips like this, Lisa reveled in being able to be the 'adoring little sister' to Lincoln without interruption. If she had tried this at home. The twins would have whined, wanting to be pampered by their big brother too.
Lincoln softly smiled at Lise's request, "Of course." He reached for a plate of rice-stuffed vegetables to use as his first choice of food to feed his sister.
Lori was watching the cute moment between Lincoln and Lisa before a comment by Cleopatra made her choke on her air.
"Pardon me if my assumption is erroneous, Lisa and Lincoln. Are you two betrothed?" She got her answer when their cheeks reddened. "Apologies, I couldn't help but think that from the way you two interact. Especially you, Lisa. The way you look at him when you think no one is watching is quite telling."
Cleopatra's remarks made Lisa blush more furiously. She hoped that she wouldn't be noticed doing that. She needed to be more careful in the future.
She recollected herself before responding in a calm tone. "While it may be customary in this land for there to be a marriage between brother and sister. In our society, it is taboo and illegal to do so. That said, you aren't wrong in your observation. The love I have for him is strong. Yet I'm far too young to act on it. All I am is his little sister. Nothing more."
Lincoln hugged Lisa closer to him. His arm was snugly secured around her waist. "I really like Lisa. But she's right. We're just kids. All we should be worrying about is kid stuff."
Cleopatra's expression was a sign of understanding. "From what I've heard about your homeland. It pleases me to hear that children are not burdened with significant responsibility at a young age. Enjoying such a luxury is the wise thing to do," she looked over at Lori. "I'm curious to know your thoughts on your siblings. You are their maternal surrogate, yes?"
Lori got a bit flustered by being called that but didn't object to it. She is very much their backup parent by proxy of being the oldest. She wasn't embarrassed by it. Far from it. It's just that whenever people call her that, she can't help but think about her mom and dad. It would be unfair to say that they were outright neglectful towards her and her younger siblings. Just that there were many things to criticize about them.
Many things.
Lori made eye contact with the Queen. "I'm happy that they are aware that some things are for grownups. I trust my siblings to do what is right for them." She gave a small smile to Lincoln and Lisa. There was no need for her to be concerned about them doing anything they shouldn't. They are smart kids.
Besides, at the end of the day, she knew they shared a rock-solid bond. Lori was reminded of that whenever she saw them resting in bed, lounging on the couch, or during long road trips where they sat next to each other. When Lincoln and Lisa hold each other. Their limbs are tangled together like a thorny briar, impossible to separate, dangerous to touch.
Date: Ptolemaic Dynasty, Mid-Summer of 292 (Tuesday, July 15th, 32 BC) at 10:35 PM
Location: Guest Wing, Antirhodos
Lisa snuggled into Lori's side. On the other side, she could see her brother doing the same thing. They were all lying in bed. Enjoying how luxurious it was after a long day out in Alexandria. Their legs may be jelly but it was fun partaking in one of Cleopatra's favorite activities. Walking around her city to play pranks on her people while in disguise.
At first, the young genius wanted to see and talk with Sethus to inquire about the many mysteries that were presented to her. From how he was able to know they were coming to seeing if he knew why she is the way she is. In the end, she decided she could do that on her own time. This was meant to be a trip with her dear siblings. They took priority above all else.
She and her brother were both snugly secured in Lori's embrace. Lisa was about to drift off into the realm of sleep until her big sister spoke. "Can't help but think about how rarely you ever sleep with me, Lise." She said, tiredness evident in her voice. "It's cute how much Linky influenced you. I should have realized it back when you were more creative."
The remarks drew small smiles from her younger siblings. Lisa in particular felt a bit shy. "Lily keeps me from wandering too far at night. Whenever I would sleep with Lincoln she would crawl into the bed all the way from her crib."
Lori giggled. "Heh, reminds me of Lincoln here. He didn't adjust well to sleeping in his own room at the beginning. Almost every night he made his way into one of his big sisters' beds. More than he does now."
Their brother gave a light blush that he hid by burying his face in Lori's side. Recalling those rough nights. Three years ago, he used to be bunkmates with Lynn Jr. For eight years she was a constant presence at night. The shadows didn't seem so scary when his big sister was with him. Imagine the whiplash going from what he considered to be an everlasting, warm environment to being alone in a small, cramped space. Deep down he still held a grudge toward their parents over that.
He let out a sigh before shifting into a more comfortable position. Squeezing his big sister. "We're going to miss having you around." He said.
"Oh, Lincoln…" Lori rubbed lazy circles over his back. "I know. But hey, I got good news for you two. I've been planning to attend community college in Royal Woods instead of Fairway. I won't be as far away from you guys."
That got Lisa and Lincoln's attention. From what they understood, their sister was rather set on Fairway. "Really?" Lincoln's words rang with soft excitement.
"Really?" Lori rested her hand on Lincoln's head. "The time we spent with Cleopatra made me more certain. Not to mention that well…Bobby and I are on a 'break' from our relationship. Now, before you freak out, it was a mutual decision. Calling it a breakup gives it a sour vibe. We just sort of started talking about our future one night. Bobby wants to settle his personal issues. I want to focus on my studies. In the end, we came to agree that we should take a step back. In a couple of years, we'll have a talk to see whether we should pick up where we left off…or not."
Lisa held her tongue on a comment she was going to make. She always had criticism about Bobby but admits she is pleasantly surprised that Bobby is addressing his issues. "That's great to hear, Lori," Lisa said.
Lincoln squeezed his big sister again. Not needing to say anything for her to know how he feels. It brought him great relief knowing that Lori wouldn't be so far away from home.
Happy and content, the siblings finally fell asleep.
Date: Ptolemaic Dynasty, Mid-Summer of 292 (Wednesday, July 16th, 32 BC) at 11:12 AM
Location: Throne Room, Antirhodos
"Will we see you again?" Queen Cleopatra asked in hopeful curiosity before the assembled siblings who stood before her in the throne room.
"More than likely," Lisa was the one to respond to the question. "From your end, we may well be back within minutes to days. That said, in case something happens on our end. Do you wish to know the fate of your reign?" She knew that the Queen had thought about that ever since she learned where they came from.
Lisa was surprised to see the queen's serene expression. "Knowing that my name will endure in the same way as my glorious pyramids has given me a sense of satisfaction that I haven't felt in a long, long time. Because of that, I'll face whatever my fate is with pride and courage."
The siblings were awestruck by her decision as she continued to speak. "I have faith that we'll meet again. Therefore our goodbyes will be light."
The throne guards and Sethus who was near the queen watched the two exchange their goodbyes. Their eyes widened when the children vanished into thin air. Leaving them to wonder what kind of adventure awaits them next.
A/N - Still trying out ways to cover a trip like this in a single chapter. It's a fun challenge to wrap it up in a certain amount of words. I'm trying to aim for that feel of flipping through a photo album. That said, next chapter will differ from the norm I'm going for. For it'll be about Lisa getting to the bottom of Lynn's strange nightmares.