Today's my birthday, and this chapter covers something I really wanted to reveal, so I'll post it early as a gift for all of you!

That's how birthdays work, right?

Anyhow, let's answer reviews this time:

1) Nobody245: Everybody needs a hobby, Lincoln's just so happens to be jinxing things. XD

2) Guest: More about this messed up society will be revealed in this chapter, don't worry. ;)

And now, to the chapter!


Lincoln stood outside the Ynovation classroom, where the girls had walked inside to discuss something… except for Stella, who stayed behind.

"Why didn't you join them?"

"And get wrapped in the cat fight that's bound to happen? No thanks," Stella looked elsewhere. "I don't want any part of that."

Lincoln sighed. "You really haven't changed at all, Stella."

The Demon Lord rolled her eyes as the guy leaned next to her. "So, how has life been treating you?"

"I was an Antagonist until recently," Stella shot a stern glare at Lincoln. "What do you think?"

"Right, good point," Lincoln shrugged. "But hey, at least you've managed to earn a promotion, right? How did you do it by the way?"

Stella looked at her nails with a dry expression. "Like the girls said, by being a "good little girl" in the eyes of the dystopia known as Royal Woods, convincing them to turn us into Neutrals."

Lincoln hummed. "Well, I'm happy you could get the promotion. Believe me, things can only get better from here."

"You realize you're telling this to a former Antagonist, right?" Stella asked with a raised eyebrow. "I was taught to always expect the worst from even the nicest people."

Lincoln flashed a nervous smile and nodded, scratching his cheek as Stella added:

"That being said, you don't know how much I missed your innocent, kind naivety. Definitely a breath of fresh air after everything else I've dealt with."

Lincoln's smile went from nervous to genuine, the duo exchanging smiles until a voice chimed in:

"Is she your other girlfriend?"

The pair turned around, and saw Darcy standing nearby, finger close to her mouth.

"Darcy? I thought you were inside with the others?" Lincoln asked.

"They told me to go outside because things we're gonna get crazy," Darcy pointed to Stella. "Is she your friend?"

Lincoln gently grabbed and put Darcy's pointing hand down. "Don't point, Darcy, that's rude."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Who's the little creature, Lincoln?"

"Oh, right, Stella, I'd like you to meet somebody…"


Meanwhile, inside the classroom, the Ynovation girls and former Antagonists were at the table, Tabby and Girl Jordan sitting on it while the other stood behind them.

"So, you're Lincoln's former friends," Tabby raised an eyebrow. "Lincoln didn't mention you until now. I wonder why."

"Well, you know how this society works; the only way a Protagonist and an Antagonist can interact is by beating the crap out of each other," Girl Jordan lowered her eyelids. "Anything else is wrong and unthinkable and deserves to be locked away, never to see the light of day again."

Haiku lowered her head and looked elsewhere, prompting Polly to say:

"Alright, regardless of your previous relationship with Lincoln, I'll ask that you understand why we're a little wary of you. The school year might still be starting, but it's still suspicious that Cliche High gets transfer students out of nowhere. Especially former Antagonists."

"Of course it is; anything an Antagonist does is suspicious, no matter what the real intent is."

"That's not what we meant!" Giggles interjected.

But before the clown girl could add anything else, Mollie sighed. "We know. Sorry, it's just… the Badlands have forced us to expect the worst of anything. People, places, even words…"

"I can imagine," Polly remarked. "Say, sorry if this seems offensive, but you didn't just transfer here because of your promise with Lincoln, right?"

"Okay, yeah, I find that offensive, but I don't know in which way it is worse; because it implies that as former Antagonists we have some secret motive for coming here… or because you're absolutely right."

The Ynovation girls quickly got on guard.

"Don't worry, it's not world domination or killing someone or something dumb like that. We just want to make sure Lincoln's equal treatment of all designations doesn't waver."

Haiku tilted her head. "Why's that?"

Cookie, who was snooping around the classroom, was quick to answer:

"Because only somebody who sees all Designations as equals can change the system for the better."

Tabby's eyes widened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Okay, you know Cliches are separated in classes: Healing, Destruction, Food, stuff like that," Girl Jordan said. "Most of these classes have a connection, true or otherwise, to specific designations."

"Uh huh?"

"You know how Indexing works, right? Your Cliche is revealed, and then the machine randomly selects a designation for you," Mollie lowered her eyelids. "This system has many flaws, but one that doesn't get talked about as much is the one that affects the smaller percentages."

Polly raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain?"

"There are four known designations: Protagonist, Antagonist, Neutral, and Outsider. To accommodate for this system, no Cliche is ever completely good or bad or whatever; if a Cliche is always seen as good, that's only a 97% chance the user will be made an Protagonist. Every other designation is at 1%, but the fact that they're there is what matters."

Everybody turned to look at Cookie, who was staring at a lava lamp.

"Cookie here is a perfect example of what we mean. Her Cliche, Healing Touch, is part of the "Healing" class of Cliches, so you'd think she'd be a Protagonist, right?"

"Well, yeah," Tabby folded her arms. "Healing class Cliches are generally seen as Protagonist powers."

"Well, guess what? When she was Indexed, she was designated an Antagonist," Mollie revealed. "A power that's only ever seen as good, in the hands of a good person, who was sentenced to live the rest of her life with the "evil" of society just because a giant computer said so."

Cookie kept staring at the lava lamp, a tiny, sincere smile on her face as the Ynovation girls looked at her with sympathy.

"The people in charge of the Index System might be powerful, but they're members of society, and be replaced like everybody else," Girl Jordan stated. "If Lincoln can replace any of them, that can at least kickstart the beginning of a reform for the system. A reformation to replace the bullshit with equality."

"But he's still just a student," Giggles pointed out. "He'd need to wait another decade before even attempting to join the council."

"Silly girls, don't you know?" Girl Jordan scoffed. "One of the heads of the council is a little girl! If a little girl can join the council, so can Lincoln!"

The Ynovation girls' eyes widened as only one question could be asked after that:

"Who's the little girl?!"


At the Index System, a tiny brunette girl with glasses and a labcoat walked across the hallways, paying no attention to the workers walking around her.

Eventually, her phone rang, and the girl walked into an empty room before answering.

"Hello, this is Lisa Loud, what can I help you with?"

"Lisa, have you found anything yet?"

Lisa took a deep breath. "No, Head of Designations. I have yet to find anything wrong with the Index System."

"Dammit, Lisa, you were made the Head of Indexing for a reason! You're supposed to keep the Index System up and running, at maximum proficiency, without any bugs or mistakes!"

"And what do you expect me to do? I'm a Mad Scientist, not a Hacker," Lisa narrowed her eyes. "I might be a Council Head, but I can only do so much-"

"Then find somebody to fix the problem! No new Cliche can ever be anything other than an Outsider, and you know it! Fix the problem, or you're fired!"

The call hung up shortly afterwards, and after taking a deep breath, she dialed another number.

"Hello, this is Leni."

"Leni, it's Lisa. I need to ask you a favor."

"Totes of course!"

"I'm gonna undo Lincoln's designation as a Protagonist, and turn him back into an Outsider. I need you and the girls to help comfort him once he gets the news."

"Turn him back? So wait, does that mean you-"

"Leni, can you do me this favor or not?"

"Of… of course I, like, can, but-"

"Thanks, Leni. You're the best."

"Lisa, wait-!"

The Mad Scientist hung up, pocketed her phone, and took a deep breath before she left the room, and went to get to work.