Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 57: The Ghost of Maiden's Peak (Part 1)
Somewhere at a shrine,
Overlooking the ocean from a cliff was a little shrine, illuminated by the glow of the full moon. Behind it was a rock formation that looked like a beautiful young woman with a beautiful red flower affixed to the side of her head, "My love… I'm still waiting for you," a transparent visage of the rock formation as a young woman was seen leaving the rock, "Come back to me… I'm waiting for you!" the spiritual form then took the form of what appeared to be a floating ball of gas with a menacing look on it's face.
The next morning, just off the coast of where the shrine was at,
The ships horn bellowed, as it sailed closer and closer to it's final destination, "Hey, there it is!" Misty called out, running up to the railing, followed by the others.
"So that's Maiden's Peak?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah. It's where we get off once we make land," Misty replied.
"Aw, it doesn't matter if I never saw land again. I just wasted another summer," Brock commented, sounding dejected.
"But we've had a whole summer of adventures," Lincoln replied.
"For kids, summer means playing on the beach, splashing around and having fun, but for me," all eyes trained on Brock, "Summer means bathing suits, and girls to wear them!" he exclaimed, as he fell to his hands and knees, "Oh, bikini season's over and I'll have to wait a whole year to meet another girl!" he lamented.
"Well, there is still some summer left. Maybe we can get lucky and there'll be some last-minute beachgoers when we dock," Lincoln said, trying to reassure the Pokemon Breeder.
"And if not, Leni and I have our bikinis handy," Carlota added, but it was all in vain to lift Brock's spirits. All the while, being literally towed in a tub by the ship was a familiar trio.
"Well, we're really at the end of our rope." Meowth commented.
"No room, no room service," James whined.
"Stop whining, we don't have a single Pokedollar. Besides, this beats swimming," Jessie unsympathetically replied. Within minutes, the ship docked at port.
"Maiden's Peak welcomes the passengers arriving from Porta Vista. We invite you all to attend our Summer's End Festival, already in progress," the PA said, as Lincoln and company got off the ship.
"Looks like what Leaf said was spot on, and we're just in time for the festival," Lincoln commented.
"It's been a while since we've had a festival experience for ourselves. We should check it out," Polly commented.
"Sounds good. But I got to go make a call at the Pokemon Center first. I'll meet you guys at the festival in a little bit," Lincoln replied.
"I'll just… ride the Ferris Wheel, all alone," Brock sadly said. It was then he and Rusty noticed something on a nearby pier. It appeared to be an extraordinarily beautiful woman with long, lavender hair, wearing a long, pale blue sundress, "Whoa, what a knockout!" he exclaimed, hearts in his eyes.
"She's like angel!" Rusty added, just as he and Brock got trampled by a crowd of tourists leaving the boat. Pikachu saw the same girl they saw, but then he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a sentient ball of gas with a sinister face.
"Huh? What was that?" he wondered.
"C'mon Pikachu!" Lincoln called.
"Coming!" Pikachu then raced after his trainer. Not even a few minutes after the group dispersed, the former-Rockets pulled themselves up onto the pier.
"Well, looks like we're just in time for a festival," James commented. Jessie snickered wickedly.
"People don't pay attention to the money they spend at festivals, so we can do some change poaching," she said.
"Maybe we can get some cotton candy!" Meowth commented.
"Money is always sweeter," James retorted. He then looked over onto a nearby pier, and saw the very same beautiful woman that Brock and Rusty had seen, and immediately became lovestruck, "Ooh, sweet!" James then got smacked on the head by Jessie.
"Snap out of it and stop daydreaming! That festival is ripe for the picking with all the money I can smell!" she said.
"All I can smell are corndogs," Meowth commented, as they all made their way towards the festival grounds, with James casting one last glance back at the pier, only to find the woman was gone.
Meanwhile, at the Loud House, just before nightfall,
The Loud family, along with Sam, who was sleeping over, were all sitting in the living room, watching some TV. Since it was the start of the weekend, they didn't have to be in bed super early. They were currently watching a baking championship show, "Hmm, using chocolate ganache on a vanilla cake? Very interesting move," Lisa commented.
"I'm more interested in that fruity covered cake the other team's making," Lana commented, as the TV turned to another team, who was making a cake decorated with fruits.
"The tartness of some of those fruits, along with the sweetness of the cake itself makes for a simply divine combination," Lynn Sr. commented.
"But what about that team with the caramel glaze?" Luan questioned, as the screen then showed the team she was talking about trying to put out a fire, "Nevermind."
"Truth be told, I never did like that team," Lola commented.
"I know what you mean, sweetie. The head chef doesn't seem like much of a competent leader," Rita replied, noticing how the leader was stressing out entirely, laying on the floor in fetal position.
"These types of competitions are clearly NOT for the faint of heart," Lisa mused. Just then, hers and the other's wristwatches began going off. The readout said "Maiden's Peak", "Well, that didn't take long for him to arrive."
"'Him'? 'Him' who?" Lynn Sr. asked, as his wife and daughters, apart from Lori and the younger Lynn got up.
"C'mon guys! I can't wait to hear from him again!" Lola said, as she and Lana were already at the base of the stairs, and proceeding to ascend. Rita was about to follow the rest of her daughters, just as a portal opened up, allowing Lucius and the others from the Monster Realm.
"I take it that it's him calling?" Lucius asked.
"It is. So we might be able to head over to see him in person," Rita replied.
"Very good. Shall we then?" Lilianna asked, as Rita led them upstairs.
"Milt, if you, your dad, Gwen and her Mom wait a moment or so, I'll open a portal between here and in front of the Video Phone so you can see," Charlie said to the Minotaur girl.
"Sounds good," Milt replied. Charlie then proceeded to follow the others upstairs.
"Who do you girls think they're talking about?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Don't know, don't care. It has nothing to do with us," the younger Lynn replied, remaining focused on the show.
"With those monster freaks here, the only logical conclusion I can think of is…" then, it dawned on Lori, "Lincoln! That little twerp has some nerve calling again!"
"Don't worry, Lori. I have every intention of making sure Lincoln is thoroughly punished for all the trouble he's caused. And the first step is to bring him back home where he will remain grounded until I decide he can be trusted again, not to mention also forcing him to release ALL the Pokemon he's caught, and retire as a trainer," Lynn Sr. replied.
"As much as I'd rather not see that stupid jinx again, I can't pass up the chance to see him loose everything he's worked for, especially when it's the same way he took everything from us," the younger Lynn smirked cruelly.
"Now Junior, that's no way to talk about anyone, even if Lincoln is untrustworthy now," Lynn Sr. replied. The younger Lynn rolled her eyes, and got up on her feet.
"Well, regardless, this gives us the opportunity to break this stupid curse that he CLEARLY conspired with Lucy in casting on us," Lynn replied, as she marched towards the stairs.
"That's right! And we need to get back to teasing Lucy about her Princess Pony books," Lori added, as she followed the sporty sister up the stairs. The Loud Patriarch could only sigh in exasperation.
"Well, at least they're right about getting rid of this curse," he commented, as he followed them upstairs.
Maiden's Peak Pokemon Center,
"Since it's still pretty early in the morning, I'm hoping they're still up," Lincoln commented, as he dialed his home phone number.
"So, what do you think those friends of theirs are like? The ones that are literal monsters, I mean?" Pikachu asked.
"Can't say for certain. But if they're on friendly terms with my family, they can't be all bad," Lincoln replied, just as Lisa's visage came on screen.
"Ah, Lincoln, so nice to hear from you again," Lisa greeted.
"Likewise, Lisa. Hope I didn't call too close to bed time," Lincoln said, just as the rest of the forgiven family came on screen.
"Not at all, sweetie. We were just having some family TV time before you called. So, how are things in Kanto since last we spoke?" Rita asked.
"Pretty good. I was able to earn my fourth Gym Badge. Though, I have to admit, that Gym Leader was tough. She made me work for that badge," Lincoln replied, showing off his badge case.
"Whoa, is that an actual fang?" Lana asked.
"Not quite, Lana. This is the Primal Badge, one of three Badges challenger can earn from the Porta Vista Gym," Lincoln replied.
"So, what type did the Gym Leader specialize in?" Luna asked.
"She was a Dragon Type Trainer. She came at me with a Dragonair, a Kingdra, and, oddly enough, an Aerodactyl, which isn't a Dragon Type at all. Hang on a moment and I'll send over the data," Lincoln said, as he inserted his Pokedex into the Video Phone.
"Data Transfer in progress…. Data Transfer Complete," a computerized voice said.
"We've received the data on our end Lincoln," Lisa replied, looking off screen, "A seahorse and a pterodactyl?!"
"My initial thoughts exactly," Lincoln replied.
"We'll have to look into this data when we come back. For now, we'll let this man take over. You're up, Lucius," Rita said, as she and her daughters gave the Demon King some room.
"Much obliged, Rita," Lucius said, as he turned to Lincoln, "So, you're the Lincoln Loud we've been told about," he said, finally meeting Lincoln.
"And you're one of the Monster Friends my mom and sisters mentioned in the last call, I presume?" Lincoln deduced.
"Indeed. I am Lucius, the Demon King of Monster Realm. I, along with a few of my friends, have been looking forward to meeting with you. We have a very important matter to discuss that involves you," Lucius replied.
"M-Me? What matter is that?" Lincoln asked, sounding very surprised.
"We can explain better in person. We can warp everyone here over to where you are. But first, Stolas?" Lucius said, as Stolas came on screen.
"Just a moment," Stolas replied, as he took a good look at Lincoln, "Ok, I think I got it."
"Excellent. Now then, Lincoln, if you'll make your way to an secluded, open area, we'll warp over," Lucius replied.
"Well, alright. Just give me about, oh, five, maybe ten minutes? It'll give me some time to head into the forest," Lincoln replied.
"Certainly," Lucius replied.
"Ok. I'll talk to all in a few," Lincoln said, as he hung up, "Ok, so just one more stop before I head over to the festival."
"What do you think this 'important matter' they have to discuss is about?" Pikachu asked.
"Don't know, but it must be really important if they're going to such lengths to meet with me," Lincoln replied, as he and Pikachu exited the Pokemon Center, and made their way to the forest.
Back at the Loud House,
"Ok, so we're going to be heading over to see Lincoln in person!" Rita exclaimed happily. Her daughters were just as excited to see their brother again.
"Incoln! Incoln!" Lily exclaimed happily.
"I know, Lily! It'll be so great to see him again!" Luan said, as she held the baby of the family.
"And for us to finally meet the boy face-to-face," Elanor added.
"But why are we meeting him in the forest?" Lola asked.
"We don't want to cause a panic among the humans at Maiden's Peak. We only just proposed the Interspecies Exchange Bill the other day, so the human governments haven't announced our existence yet. If humans saw us walking about would no doubt cause a massive panic," Lilianna explained.
"I mean, sure, Dad and I look the most human among all of us, but the others are going to need the disguise spell to blend in," Charlie added.
"Plus, think of it this way; we're also going to a festival soon after, so it'll be worth it meeting Lincoln in the forest," Luna added.
"Ooh! I bet it's the End of Summer Festival!" Sam exclaimed.
"You know about Japanese culture?" Miu asked.
"Yep. Kind of a side hobby of mine, looking up different cultures around the world. Japanese culture was the most interesting one I've read about," Sam replied.
"Well, we need to give the boy a few more minutes, then we can warp over," Lucius said, looking at a pocket watch he had.
"Well, hopefully he's far enough out of sight from anyone else to see us by now," Millie commented.
"It still doesn't hurt to be cautious. After all, who's to say that there won't be any wayward individuals in the forest as well?" Moxxie pointed out.
"Well, I think he should be far enough in by now. Let's go ahead and head over," Lucius replied, turning to Stolas.
"I know what to do," Stolas replied, before turning to Lisa, "You wouldn't happen to have a general idea of WHERE exactly Kanto is, do you?"
"Just give me a moment," Lisa replied, as she began typing in her computer.
"What are you doing now, Lisa?" Lana asked.
"I'm attempting to triangulate the point of origin of Lincoln's call," Lisa replied, before she got something, "Got it! It's right around this area, just off the coast of Japan," she said, showing a map of the general ocean area around Japan.
"Ok, I think I can do that," Stolas replied.
"Uh, any chance we can come too?" Minister Taur asked from the rift he and the others were poking their heads out of.
"Oh, right! We'll be right down," Stolas replied. The four of them retracted their heads, allowing Charlie to close the portal, as they all exited the bedroom, all except for Lisa, that is.
"Aren't you coming, Lisa?" Lana asked.
"In a moment. I'm going to be sending back Lincoln's Pokemon. I've already collected more than enough data on each of them. Plus, I think they'd be happy to be reunited with him," Lisa replied, as she began transferring Lincoln's Pokeballs through the transporter. The last one was Lapis' Pokeball, and Lisa had let the Gardevoir out of her ball to give back her Mega Stone before sending her back. Once Lapis was sent back, Lisa got up from her chair, and headed downstairs, where she saw Stolas opening another portal, "Alright, everyone just step through one at a time." Stolas said, as everyone began going through the portal.
"We're coming too!" Lori declared, as she and the two Lynns stood by her side.
"Well, this is a surprise. I thought the two of you didn't want to see your brother ever again," Blitz commented, crossing his arms.
"Newsflash; We don't really care about seeing him again, but we are going to be administering a much-deserved punishment that stupid jinx has coming to him for all the trouble he's been causing with his bad luck!" Lynn snapped. Blitz didn't so much as flinch, as he turned his attention to the Loud Father.
"And what about you? Are you actually going to try to make things right with your son?" the tallest of the three imps asked.
"I might apologize AFTER he's served a lengthy grounding for his fib," Lynn Sr. replied, knees shaking slightly from talking directly to Blitz.
"Blitzy, we don't have time to waste. It might be easier just to let them come with us and see the boy prove them wrong. Besides, they probably won't take 'no' for an answer," Stolas said.
"Well, alright," Blitz replied, turning his attention to the three Louds, "Well, the hell you waiting for? Get your sorry asses through that portal, now!" he yelled.
"Never tell us what to do again," Lori demanded, as she and the two Lynns followed the others through.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Stolas?" Lucius asked.
"I honestly don't know, but I'm quite curious to see how the boy handles those three," Stolas replied, as he, Lucius and Blitz entered the portal.
A few minutes prior in the forest just outside of Maiden's Peak,
While he was waiting for the others to arrive, Lincoln passed the time by catching four new Pokemon he planned on using in a Wonder Trade, "Ok, at least I can do another Wonder Trade later today," he commented.
"It would give you an opportunity to show your family how it works," Pikachu added.
"No doubt about that. I just wonder what I'll get from this round," Lincoln replied. Just then, he and Pikachu saw a portal beginning to open nearby, "Well, looks like it's show time!" he proclaimed, as one-by-one, his family, along with their Monster friends passed through. Lincoln blushed feverishly upon seeing Verosika and Milt. It wasn't long until Luicus, Blitz, and Stolas passed through themselves, following Lynn Sr., Lori and the younger Lynn, "Uh, hey guys," he greeted.
"LINCOLN!" his mother and sisters exclaimed happily, as they rushed over to him, embracing the white-haired boy.
"Oh, it's been so long since we've been together!" Rita exclaimed, hugging her son tightly.
"Good to see you too, Mom," Lincoln replied.
"Hey there, little Loud," Sam greeted.
"Hey there. Sam Sharp, as I recall?" Lincoln asked.
"You know it!" Sam replied.
"And these, Lincoln, are our new friends," Rita said, motioning to Lucius, Lilianna and the others.
"Pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Lincoln. Introductions, once more, I am Lucius, the Demon King of the Monster Realm, and this is my lovely wife, Lilianna, and our daughter, Charloette," Lucius said, introducing himself again, along with his wife and daughter.
"Charmed to meet you," Lilianna greeted.
"As am I. But please, call me 'Charlie'. And this is my girlfriend, Vaggie. She's a Mothman," Charlie said, introducing Vaggie.
"Hi there," Vaggie greeted.
"Next up will be me. I am Stolas Goetia, one of the many Demon Princes of the Monster Realm. And this is Octavia, my little owlet," Stolas was next up to make introductions.
"Hey," Octavia greeted.
"I am Wolfgang von Throne, Duke of the Hellhounds. And this young lady is my daughter, Loona," Wolfgang said, pulling his daughter in closer, who was preoccupied with her phone.
"'Sup," she said unenthusiastically.
"I am Elanor Mayday, a Succubus Countess, and this is my daughter, Verosika," Elanor greeted, as her daughter fluttered her eye lids at Lincoln, causing him to blush further.
"Next will be me, Rasha Meridian. I am a Arachne, and this is Gwendolyn, my daughter," Rasha was next up, introducing herself and her daughter. Lincoln figured that Leni would have a serious panic attack upon seeing these two.
"I am Shogun Akuma Roketto. And by side is my wife, Kiken, and our youngest daughter, Miu," Akuma said, introducing his family.
"And last, by no means least, is myself and my daughter. I am Minister Taur of the mighty Minotaur race, and this is Milt," Taur was last among the royals to make introductions.
"But they aren't alone. My name is Blitz, the 'O' is silent," Blitz said, walking up, and shaking Lincoln's hands, "And these are two of my employees," he motioned to Millie and Moxxie.
"I'm Millie, and this is my husband, Moxxie," Millie said.
"Very nice to you, Lincoln," Moxxie greeted.
"It's very nice to meet all of you as well. So, what exactly was it that you needed to discuss with me?" Lincoln asked.
"Cutting straight to the chase. Smart lad. Well, we'll explain everything in a nutshell. Basically, your Great Grandmother, Harriet Loud, made a deal with our parents in exchange for a book containing extraordinarily powerful spells and curses," Lucius explained.
"A spell-book? Is this for real?" Lincoln asked.
"It is, Lincoln. When I was conversing with Great Grandma Harriet, she told me about the book in question in the trunk she has in the attic. It contained a plethora of hexes and curses, including one that really stood out," Lucy explained.
"And it was through the conditions of that particular curse that allowed us to be notified about your existence," Akuma added.
"And… what exactly was the deal you made with Great Grandma Harriet?" Lincoln asked cautiously.
"To put it simply, a suitable son from her family would be betrothed to one or all of the selected daughters of each family that was involved in creating that book," Lucius replied.
"Say what now?" Lincoln asked.
"In other words, you, Lincoln Loud, are to be engaged to each of these lovely young ladies," Elanor said. Lincoln's jaw dropped upon hearing this. Even Pikachu was taken aback, especially when he saw Miu.
"I was not expecting an actual Oni Girl to join Lincoln's harem," he quietly murmured, remembering his talk with Lincoln back in Cerulean City.
"I-Is this for real?" Lincoln questioned.
"It may be on THEIR terms, but you're not going through with it!" the domineering voice of Lori said, as she and the two Lynns came into view.
"Oh, jeez, who invited these three?" Vaggie commented.
"This is a family matter! We have full rights to come with you to see Lincoln, especially when it involves dragging his sorry butt back to Royal Woods," Lori proclaimed.
"What about all that talk about how you don't consider him to be your brother for all the 'trouble' he's caused you?" Verosika questioned, emphasizing the word "trouble".
"That's right! You and Lynn were more than willing to disown him, even after hearing he was safe and sound from the St. Anne!" Lola proclaimed.
"Which is saying something with how you pretty much wished for him to be on that tub when it was going down," Loona added. Lincoln was stunned to hear this, as was Pikachu. Were Lori and Lynn really that heartless to actually wish death upon him?
"Doesn't matter. The fact that he survived are only grounds for us administer a proper punishment against him for causing MY break up with Bobby!" Lori stated.
"And we know why I have to be one of the ones to punish him! I'd say a few kicks to gut ought to smack some sense into him," Lynn proclaimed.
"Now girls, physical punishments like that won't be necessary. What is necessary is that Lincoln WILL return home with us and will be grounded until he's 18… no, make that 24," Lynn Sr. declared.
"Lynn, Lincoln has more than learned his lesson about lying when we locked him out of the house! Grounding him is taking it too far!" Rita argued.
"Not to mention that Lincoln is legally considered an adult while he's in Kanto. Forcibly taking him back could end up slapping you with kidnapping charges added to your list of offences," Lisa added.
"Lisa, aren't you supposed to be the smart one? It's not kidnapping if it's our own flesh and blood!" Lori said.
"Plus, no one would believe him if he says we kidnapped him. After all, he is a liar, so he can't be trusted," Lynn Sr. added.
"And once again, you're reaffirming our extreme dislike of you, Lynn," Rasha commented.
"And as for you guys, I don't care if it's a deal my Grandmother made with your parents, I am NOT allowing my son to marry your daughters!" Lynn Sr. declared.
"That's right! After all, he already has a girlfriend, and SHE'S the only one we approve of!" Lori added.
"Well, why don't we go meet with this 'girlfriend' of his, and see if she and Lincoln are destined to be together?" Lilianna suggested, only to notice a darkened expression on Lincoln's face. The others noticed this as well. But then, he's demeanor turned seemingly chipper.
"You know, your ladyship? That sounds like a wonderful idea! It'll no doubt put an end to Lori's idiotic matchmaking!" he said in a very unnerving, happy way. Lori, however, was incensed by what Lincoln had just said.
"'IDIOTIC'?! I am trying to get you with a GOOD girlfriend!" she yelled, only to be ignored.
"So, where is Ronnie Anne?" Lisa asked.
"Most likely, she and the others are at the festival grounds by now," Lincoln replied.
"Which means they must NOT be there!" Lynn Sr. proclaimed, only to be ignored.
"Ooh, a festival! How fun!" Stolas commented.
"Yeah. Pikachu and I were planning on heading over there once we join up with you guys," Lincoln replied, as Pikachu climbed up onto his shoulder.
"Mousie!" Lily exclaimed, reaching for Pikachu, while still in the hold of Rita.
"That's right, Lily. Pikachu's a Mouse Pokemon," Lincoln replied, as he got a little closer to the baby of the family.
"Are there other of these 'Pokemon' creatures in the area?" Kiken asked.
"Yes. In fact, while I was waiting for you guys, I managed to catch four of them for a Wonder Trade later today. I'll show you when we get there. But for now, shall we head to the festival?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes, lets! I'd like to see what this place has to offer!" Charlie happily proclaimed. The others all shared similar sentiments, while Lori and the Lynns were remaining firm.
"Not happening! The only place we're going is back home to Royal Woods, where we're putting all of this 'Pokemon' nonsense behind us!" Lynn Sr. proclaimed, only to be ignored, once again, as Lincoln led the group through the forests, "Aw, come on guys!" he whined.
"We might as well join them. After all, Lincoln owes us $300 for the money Pop-Pop had you give him. And we're going to make him pay back every last cent!" Lori declared.
"Well, seeing as how our string of bad luck ain't even legit, thanks to Lucy's spooky butt, there's no harm in trying whatever they have to eat. After all, our bad luck can't possibly get any worse. And who knows? The more bad luck we take in, the more it might revert once Stinkcoln finally gets his head out of his ass and forgives us," Lynn stated. But she would soon learn just how wrong she was.
Near the edge of the forest,
As they neared the edge of the forest, a thought came over Lincoln's mind, "Uh, Lucius? Will you and your friends be alright walking among humans?" he asked.
"Ah, yes, that's right! Just give a moment," Lucius said, as he and the other monsters gathered close together, "Alright, now let's see about disguises," he said, as he cast a spell circle underneath him and the others. One by one, each of them began to take on more human appearances. For example, Verosika had her normally pink skin replaced with a light tannish tone, and Milt now had a more modest bust size while wearing what could be described as a milkmaid's dress, "Well, I'd say we'll blend right in."
"Ok, I have to admit, that was pretty cool," Lana commented, as they emerged from the forest, soon followed by the other three. Upon arriving at the festival grounds, the group saw all kinds of fancy stalls, including games, food, masks, etc.
"Whoa, it really is an End of Summer Festival!" Sam exclaimed in awe.
"Yep. I've been looking forward to this since I heard about it from a trainer friend of mine by the name of 'Leaf'," Lincoln replied.
"Well, we can all have a look around. And no need to worry about spending cash," Lucius said, as he distributed what appeared to be credit cards to Rita, Lilianna, and the rest of their friends, "Those cards have no limit, and are compatible with ALL forms of Human World currency."
"Does that include Pokedollars? That's the currency they use in Kanto and all the other regions," Lincoln replied. Lucius rubbed his chin in a thinking manner.
"Hmm, yes, I do believe so. Only one way to find out," Lucius replied, as he walked up to a stall, "Pardon me, my fine fellow. What might I ask are you selling?"
"I'm selling TRs, or Technical Records. You can teach whatever move is programmed into them to a compatible Pokemon, but only once," the vendor replied.
"I see," Lucius said, turning back to Lincoln, "Lincoln, why don't you go ahead and pick out, oh, five of these 'TR' devices?"
"Really? Are you sure?" Lincoln asked. Sure, he was all for getting a chance to teach his Pokemon new moves, but he wasn't sure about asking someone he just met to treat him to such a thing.
"Of course. And in return, I would like for you to take my daughter and her girlfriend around the festival on a date," Lucius replied.
"Daddy!" Charlie groaned in embarrassment.
"Now, now, Charlie," Lilianna said to her daughter.
"Well, if you insist," Lincoln replied, as he glossed over the TRs, "Ok, lets see. Maybe, this one, and this one. Ooh, this one looks good, and maybe two of this one," he said, as he picked up one red, light blue, black, TRs, along with two yellow ones as well.
"Ok, so that's one TR for Flamethrower, Ice Beam, Crunch, and two Thunderbolts. The total comes up to 7,500 Pokedollars," the vendor said. The Louds and Sam winced at the total cost, but Lincoln looked rather surprised, as Lucius paid for it with the card he conjured.
"Yeesh, are these things always this expensive?" Luna asked.
"Well, keep in mind, he did get five of them," Lisa replied.
"Yeah, but even so," Luna replied.
"Actually, these things are fairly cheap in price compared to actual TMs," Lincoln replied.
"Wait, really?" Luan asked.
"Yeah. Whenever I go to buy a new TM, it usually costs no less than 5,000 Pokedollars," Lincoln replied. Once again, his family and Sam winced at the price.
"Ok, fair point," Luan replied.
"And here you go, Lincoln," Lucius said, handing Lincoln a bag of the TRs he had just bought.
"Thank you, sir," Lincoln replied.
"My pleasure," Lucius replied, before leaning in, "And remember what I said regarding my daughter and Vaggie."
"Uh, yes sir," Lincoln nervously replied.
"So, were those the names of those TRs you got? Flamethrower, Crunch, Ice Beam and Thunderbolt?" Lola asked.
"Yeah. They all seem like pretty strong moves that my Pokemon can benefit from," Lincoln replied, before turning to the two monster girls in disguise, "Well, shall we then?" he asked politely.
"Oh, very well," Charlie conceded with a smile, as did Vaggie.
"Wait a moment!" Stolas proclaimed, as he, Akuma, Elanor, Rasha, Wolfgang, and Taur proceeded to purchase five random TRs from the same vendor, "Here you go. And you can treat our daughters as well," he said, much to the embarrassment of their daughters.
"Dad!" Octavia pulled her beanie down over her face.
"Why don't we move on? We can discuss this later," Lincoln suggested.
"Sounds good," Miu replied, as Lincoln went off with them to check out the festival.
"Should we follow to make sure he doesn't screw up?" Lana asked.
"No, Lana. Lincoln's not that incompetent. Besides, traveling around Kanto seems to have done wonders for helping him mature a bit," Rita replied.
"Well, we're going to follow him ourselves! After all, he has a $300 debt he owes each of us!" Lori said, as she and Lynn followed after Lincoln.
"I'll follow them as well, just to make sure those two don't do anything stupid," Stolas volunteered.
"Thank you, Stolas," Rita replied, as the Goetia Prince followed after the two problem daughters.
"So, I guess in the meantime, we can wander around?" Taur asked.
"Might as well. I'd kind of like to try out some of the food they have here," Lana commented, looking over at what appeared to be a fried noodle stand.
"And plus, we can surprise Leni and the others once we find them," Luan added.
"Assuming they are here. Remember, Lincoln said they were here, and since we can't trust a word he says, they're probably nowhere near here," Lynn Sr. stated, only to get glares from everyone there, "What?"
"Well, that's one less person we have to treat," Elanor commented, as they all dispersed, leaving Lynn Sr. alone.
"Ugh, what is their problem?" he questioned, as he followed after Rita.
With Lincoln,
Walking together, Lincoln and the Monster Princesses were taking in the sights of the festival grounds, "If you ladies see anything that catches your eye, don't be hesitant to tell me," he said to them.
"My, aren't you a little gentleman?" Verosika mused.
"So, what made you want to come to Kanto in the first place? Besides that moron sister of yours, I mean," Loona asked.
"Well, Pop-Pop told us about his friend, Professor Samuel Oak, and his field of research here in Kanto. He had suggested that I come and try out as a Pokemon Trainer to help find my calling," Lincoln replied.
"Your 'calling'?" Milt asked.
"Yeah. See, my sisters all have their own unique talents. Lori's a great golfer, Leni's a fashionista, Luna's the family musician, Luan's the comedian, Lynn's a jock, Lucy dabbles in poetry, Lana likes getting down and dirty, and even does repairs to cares and plumbing around the house. Lola's a beauty pageant powerhouse, Lisa has a Ph.D, and she's only four years old. Heck, even Lily has a trophy for sucking her thumb. But me? The only trophy I have is a pity one at best, and that was when I had to give up on a contest in order to gain back my sister's trust," Lincoln replied.
"So, what exactly did you do?" Gwendolyn asked.
"I posted a video of my sister's embarrassing moments on the internet. And to get them to stop hating me, I had to post a video of myself that was WAY more embarrassing," Lincoln replied.
"So, you gave up a chance to win a real trophy just to gain back your sister's respect?" Vaggie asked.
"Yep. Although Luan doesn't follow the whole 'don't post videos of other people without their permission rule'. Not to mention during a road trip a while back, Lori posted a picture of me after she threw up on me to her social media wall," Lincoln replied.
"Well, if that's how your sisters act, then I don't see a reason why you needed to do squat to get their respect back. They sound like total hypocrites," Octavia commented.
"Octavia's right. Just because there's more of them than there are of you, that doesn't mean you should just roll over and give up on what you want to do for their sake," Miu added.
"That's right. Although revenge isn't exactly the best way of dealing with things, it is good to show them just how they're acting by letting them walk a mile in your shoes," Charlie added.
"Yeah. But events like that help me become wiser so I don't make the same mistake again. Though if they keep acting like they're the best thing since sliced bread, I may just up and stop doing things for Lori and Lynn," Lincoln replied.
"Good on you. They have to learn the hard way just how their actions affect others," Loona replied.
"It's true. If they continue acting like entitled brats, they're going to wind up all alone someday with no one to blame but themselves," Charlie added.
"True. But I bet you anything that they'll still find a reason to pin it on me," Lincoln replied.
"Hey there!" Lincoln looked to see Misty and some of the others heading over to them, "We were wondering where you were!"
"So, did you get whatever you had to get done taken care of?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah, and let's just say it involves some new friends of my family, including these girls here," Lincoln replied, motioning to Charlie and the others, "I'm touring the festival grounds with them at the request of their parents."
"Is that so?" Misty asked, looking up at them. Truth be told, she was taken aback by how beautiful these girls were, "Well, it's nice to meet all of you. I'm Misty Waterflower," she introduced herself.
"Please to meet you as well. I am Charlie Magne, and this is my girlfriend Vaggie," Charlie said, introducing herself and her girlfriend.
"Name's Loona," Loona was next up.
"I'm Octavia."
"Verosika."
"Milt."
"Miu."
"Gwendolyn."
"And these are my friends from back in Royal Woods," Lincoln then motioned to his friends.
"I'm Clyde McBride," Clyde was first.
"Ronnie Anne Santiago, and my older brother Bobby, and our cousin, Carlota," Ronnie Anne introduced herself, her brother and their cousin.
"Zach Gurdle."
"Stella Zhau."
"Jordan Rosetto. Everyone calls me Girl Jordan."
"Liam Hunnicutt."
"Tabby."
"Giggles."
"Polly Pain."
"Margo Roberts."
"Haiku."
"And this is another of my older sisters, Leni Loud," Lincoln said, introducing Leni to them.
"Totes nice to meet all of you!" Leni greeted.
"Very nice to meet you as well, Leni," Charlie replied. It was then that Lincoln noticed something.
"Hey, where are Brock and Rusty?" he asked.
"They're right over there," Misty replied, pointing over to where Brock and Rusty were standing, looking like they were in a trance.
"She was… the most beautiful girl… I've ever seen," Brock droned.
"A beauty like that rarely comes around," Rusty droned as well.
"Hey you there!" an elderly woman's voice called, causing both boys to turn around.
"ARE YOU THE…" they excitedly said, only to find it was, in fact, an old lady about the same height at Lisa, carrying a walking stick. The two of the yelped and fell to the ground.
"Y-You're not that beautiful…!" Brock stammered.
"Who's not beautiful?!" the old woman demanded, before examining both of them closer with a magnifying glass.
"You must beware, not of an old beauty like me, but of a beautiful young woman, or you'll meet a cruel fate!" she warned. This caused the two of them to straighten up.
"That girl on the dock! I have to meet her!" Brock declared with determination.
"Just as I have to as well!" Rusty added.
"Could she possibly be talking about one of us?" Carlota asked Leni, Misty, and the other girls.
"I admit that we are beautiful and all, but we'd never hurt either of them," Misty replied.
"I'm talking about an elegant young woman, not a bunch of scrawny runts like you!" the old woman rudely stated.
"SCRAWNY?!" the girls all took great offense by that.
"Do you know what I have to do to maintain a thicc physique like this?! What part of me is even remotely scrawny?!" Carlota demanded.
"It'd make more sense for her to be talking about Leni and that red headed slag," a familiar voice stated, causing Lincoln and the monster girls to groan in annoyance.
"That voice!" Bobby turned to see Lori and Lynn.
"Lori and Lynn?!" Leni was shocked, to say the least.
"That's right! We're here in Kanto, and we're here to make certain that Lincoln pays his $300 debt he owes each and every one of us!" Lynn declared.
"But how did you both even get here?!" Zach questioned.
"Why don't you ask them?" Lynn pointed to Charlie and the others.
"Oh, so they must've brought you both over from Royal Woods?" Leni asked.
"Hmm, not as dumb as you act. But yes, they did in fact bring us and the others over with them, and for what? Just to meet Stinkcoln? There's nothing great about him!" Lynn declared.
"Bobby, can't we please just try to rekindle our relationship?" Lori pleaded, rushing up to Bobby, only to be pushed away.
"That depends; have you made any progress with earning your brother's forgiveness?" Bobby asked.
"Pfft, no, why would I, or anyone for that matter, ever have to apologize to him, especially after all the trouble he's caused?" Lori questioned, before once again looking at Bobby with pleading eyes, "So please Bobby, can't we just forget about that twerp for today and focus on us?"
Bobby shook his head, "Sorry Lori, but I made it clear when we broke up. You have to mend the fence with Lincoln before I can even consider taking you back," Lori was devastated to hear this.
"So, what about the two of you? Should we go try out some games they have here? Stinkcoln's treat!" Lynn asked Polly and Margo.
"No way! For a few reasons. One, why should LINCOLN treat us to something you suggest?" Polly asked, emphasizing Lincoln's name.
"Two, we sincerely doubt you've done anything to curb your overcompetitive nature since the last we spoke," Margo added.
"And three, we just can't stand being around you anymore with how you act like a spoiled two-year-old!" Polly added.
"What?! Name one time I acted like a brat!" Lynn demanded.
"The game against the Beavers. You got into a fist fight with the opposing team's pitcher after you accused her of breaking your lucky bat, and beaning you in the face with some balls," Margo pointed out.
"Goodnight, everybody!" Lincoln said to the readers.
"And let's not forget how you were in another of your pouty moods after the coach declared that your unsafe lucky ritual of not using the bathroom until after a game was banned! Face it, Lynn, you only have yourself to blame for not being on any of the sports teams anymore, as well as not having any friends!" Margo ranted.
"That's not true! I still have the two of you!" Lynn stated.
"Not quite, Lynn. Our parents had forbidden us from being associated with you anymore. And we wouldn't even associate with you even if they hadn't done so," Polly countered. Lynn couldn't believe it. She was dumped by her two closest friends in the world.
"And to make our case against you even worse, the game you accused your brother of ruining wasn't even a legit loss!" Margo declared.
"I'm sorry, what?" Lynn asked.
"The Lions cheated in that game. I won't go into details, but it was made clear they cheated AFTER you got the Squirrels banned for the next three seasons," Margo explained.
"But if that was true then…" Lynn began to realize that everything she had done to Lincoln was all for nothing, "Lincoln really WAS lying!"
"Wow, it really took you learning about an illegitimate loss to realize that?" Misty asked, amazed at how incredibly dumb Lynn was.
"Hey, when you're as naturally awesome like I am, a single loss can wreck everything!" Lynn countered, before turning back to Lincoln, "And as for you, I suppose I really was wrong. So… apology punch!" she said, as she punched Lincoln's arm, "There! Now things are all better between us!"
"You really think it's that easy, Lynn?" Lincoln growled, rubbing his sore arm.
"Uh, yeah? I admitted I was wrong about accusing you about being bad luck, so I gave you my trademark apology punch, so now you can forgive me!" Lynn said.
"Yeah, not happening," Lincoln stated coldly. Lynn's eye began twitching in rage.
"What?"
"You honestly think a half-assed apology like that is going to suffice? And F.Y.I., apology punches aren't exactly the best way of showing you are sorry!" Lincoln explained.
"He does have a point, you know. There are better ways of apologizing than always resorting to physical violence," Verosika pointed out.
"You, stay out of this!" Lynn snapped, before whipping her head back around to Lincoln, "And as for you, you already got to hear me admit I was wrong, so what's stopping you from giving me the forgiveness I deserve?!"
"How about the fact that you should actually show you have remorse for your actions, just like the others? They all felt genuinely bad about the whole mess YOU started, and said they were willing to do whatever it takes to fully earn back my trust and respect! But you? You come up to me, literally punched me in the arm, and expect me to forgive you, even when you don't deserve it?! Oh, I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Lincoln ranted.
"Lincoln, I already gave you ONE apology punch. That's way more than I feel someone like you deserves! So whatever has got your panties in a bundle, get over it and forgive me already!" Lynn demanded.
"Not a chance! I'm not forgiving anyone who doesn't truly want it!" Lincoln stated, before turning to Charlie and the others, "Lets get going. I don't think any of us want to be around her any longer than we need to."
"Sounds good to me," Miu said, as she and the others followed alongside Lincoln, walking away from the two Loud sisters, leaving them at the mercy of some harsh words from Lincoln's friends.
"Wow, now that was just pathetic," Misty commented.
"What are you talking about?" Lynn questioned.
"I'm talking about how you're just expecting Lincoln to just roll over and forgive you after you didn't even give a halfway decent apology, and thought punching him in the arm was somehow more acceptable!" Misty stated.
"She's right, you know. Punching people isn't really a good way to show you actually are sorry," Girl Jordan added.
"What can I say? Sappy apologies aren't my style," Lynn stated.
"Besides, Lynn shouldn't even need to apologize. It's Lincoln! You know, the perpetual bad guy in ALL arguments with girls?" Lori added, before turning to Ronnie Anne, "And you, why aren't you going after Lincoln? Didn't you see those other girls fawning over him? Don't you care that your boyfriend is cheating on you right before your eyes?!"
"Ok, first of all, Lincoln is NOT my boyfriend. Secondly, I don't like boys like that, as I am a proud lesbian! And thirdly, even if I was straight, I wouldn't be able to go after Lincoln! Not if you and Bobby started dating again and end up getting married someday. Lincoln and I would be in-laws if that were to happen. So, unless you're into that sort of thing, I see no reason why you should keep trying to force us together!" Ronnie Anne declared.
"Except Lincoln IS your boyfriend, you DO like boys that way, and are NOT a lesbian!" Lori stated, poking Ronnie Anne's nose.
"And why should I or anyone do anything you say?" Ronnie Anne quipped.
"Because I'm older than you, and therefore, I know what's best!" Lori stated.
"Uh huh, I see. Excellent point. Counterpoint: According to the laws of the Pokemon Regions around the world, since Lincoln and I are official Pokemon Trainers, we're legally viewed as adults. So technically, the two of us outrank you in terms of authority, since you're still 17," Ronnie Anne stated. Lori, however, wasn't having any of it, nor was Lynn.
"That is literally the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"But it's true, Lori. Once we passed the Trainer Qualification Exam, we were impacted, thus making us legal adults," Leni said.
"Ok, first of all, Leni, the word is 'emancipated'. And secondly, I was talking about Lincoln having more authority than me or anyone else in the family. He has even less authority than Lily, and she's just a baby!" Lori stated.
"And there's the kind of behavior that made me break up with you, Lori," Bobby stated, crossing his arms.
"Bobby, I'm just asserting MY authority over my brother and sisters by making sure everything is fair for everyone!" Lori argued.
"You mean fair for everyone but Lincoln," Stella chided.
"Obviously! The needs of the many will ALWAYS outweigh the needs of the one. And with 10 sisters to just one Lincoln, it's pretty safe to say that we have more rights to fairness than he'll ever have!" Lori snapped.
Misty, having had enough of this B.S., decided to end this, "C'mon guys, let's not let these two ruin the festival for us," she suggested.
"Yeah, there are some games I want to try out," Giggles commented, as they all ditched the two sisters.
"Can't believe I wasted an apology punch on that ungrateful nerd!" Lynn growled.
"All the more reason to force him to pay back the debt he owes us," Lori replied, as the two of them followed after Lincoln. Nearby, Stolas was watching over them.
"My word, that Lynn girl is truly barbaric!" he commented, as he continued to follow them, before being sidetracked by a food stand, "Ooh, crepes!"
Meanwhile, with the Louds and the other Monster Parents,
While Lincoln and the Monster Princesses were on their little impromptu date, the rest of the group was walking around, and enjoying the festival, "Hey, check this out," Lola said, looking at a stand with kimonos.
"Oh yeah, I think I read about this. It's supposedly a tradition for some people to wear yukatas during an End of Summer Festival," Sam commented.
"'Yukatas'? I thought these were kimonos?" Luna asked.
"Technically, they are kimonos, but these particular ones are called 'yukatas', which are a lighter form of kimono," Sam replied.
"That's so cool you know so much about Japanese culture! What else can you tell us about festivals like this?" Lana asked.
"Well, I'm pretty sure there are yakisoba stands, along with Takoyaki stalls somewhere around here," Sam replied.
"What are those?" Lucy asked, startling the group.
"Well, yakisoba is another term for fried noodles, and Takoyaki is fried octopus balls. They're both popular treats during Japanese festivals. I'm sure there's another treat called 'Taiyaki', which are fish-shaped pastries, that often filled with either red bean paste or chocolate," Sam explained, taking a moment to calm herself.
"Well, I, for one, can attest to this young lady's words being true," Akuma said, as he was holding a dish of what appeared to be steaming hot biscuit balls, along with some chicken on skewers, "Here, why not try some yakitori? It's quite delicious," he offered, handing the skewers to the younger Loud sisters.
"Wow, that's so nice of you. Thank you," Lucy replied, as she, the twins, and Lisa accepted the skewers. The four of them then took a bite out of the skewers, and immediately melted from the flavor.
"SO GOOD!" they gushed.
"The chicken we've got over in America doesn't even compare to this!" Lana commented.
"The flavor and texture is out of this world!" Lola added.
"That's the best part about Japanese festivals. They have some of the widest varieties of food anywhere! In fact, some traveling channels on Youtube even covers local delicacies, and not just in Japan," Sam added, as she spotted something truly exotic, "Ooh, is that ikayaki?" she wandered over to a stall that was serving squid shaped items on sticks.
"That looks… definitely like nothing I've ever seen. What is it?" Luna asked.
"Ikayaki is fried squid. Another local delicacy," Sam replied.
"I see. Is it anything like calamari?" Luan asked, a little weirded out by such a dish.
"I suppose in a way you could say that. But if I remember correctly, it's made with batter as well," Sam replied.
"Is it something you wish to try?" Kiken asked.
"Sure, I'm all for trying as much exotic foods as I can," Sam replied. Kiken smiled, and purchased a ikayaki skewer for Sam.
"Here you go, dearie," Kiken said, giving it to Sam.
"Thanks so much!" Sam replied, as she took a bite out of it, "Man, it's just as good as I was hoping!"
"Really?" Luna asked.
"You bet! Want a taste?" Sam offered.
"Sure, I'm game," Luna replied, as she took a bite out of the squid as well, "Hey, that is tasty!" just then, they heard something like a bell ringing.
"Wonder what's going on?" Rita wondered, as she, Elanor, and Rasha rejoined the group.
"Probably something going on at a shrine or something," Sam theorized.
"A shrine?" Lola parroted.
"Yeah. Festivals are usually held around the vicinity of some kind of shrine dedicated things like marriage and relationships, or for the practice of Buddhism. We should check it out," Sam suggested.
"Sounds good," Rita replied.
"We were just heading that way too!" a familiar voice called. They turned to see none other than…
"LENI!" the Louds exclaimed, as they went to embrace the second eldest Loud daughter/sister.
"It's so good to see you all again!" Leni exclaimed, returning to the embrace.
"You look well, sweetie," Lynn Sr. stated.
"Thanks. And I'm having a blast here in Kanto!" Leni replied.
"So, how have things been at the lab?" Rita asked.
"Can't really say right off. We spent our first day as Trainers catching Pokemon in the surrounding area around Vermillion City. And when we got back to the lab later that night, we had heard about the St. Anne, and the professor had sent us out on a search and rescue," Leni explained.
"Well, good to know that he was on top of things," Rita commented.
"What's this about a 'lab'?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"The Cerise Pokemon Research Lab. It's where I, along with the others who came to Kanto, are staying for our first year as Trainers. Our goal is to try and uncover all the secrets of the Pokemon World," Leni explained.
"So, have you managed to catch any Pokemon since coming here?" Lana asked.
"That's right. Here's one of them," Leni replied, as she released a Magnemite.
"That looks like a Magnemite, like the one Lincoln battled when he went up against that Surge guy," Lola commented.
"Yep. It was my very first catch," Leni replied proudly, as she then recalled Magnemite. Just then, several people began moving in the same direction, "But we can talk more about our catches later. For now, let's go see what's going on," she suggested, as she and the others followed along with the crowd. All the while, the ex-Rocket Trio were crawling around the ground, looking and hoping for any loose change, only to come up short.
"NOTHING! THERE'S NO MONEY HERE AT THIS FESTIVAL!" Jessie groaned.
"Not a quarter, nickel or dime! Not even a penny!" James lamented.
"Man, talk about a bunch of cheapskates! I bet you anything that they're all paying with cards instead of actual dough!" Meowth deduced. It was then that James noticed something on the ground: An actual, genuine penny.
"Ooh! Jackpot!" he exclaimed, as he grabbed it.
"Hold it right there!" an old woman's voice called out.
"Oh no, you're mistaken! I dropped this!" James lied, only to find the same old woman as who Lincoln and company had previously encountered, "I've been watching you. You're up to no good! And there's no good in your future either!"
"What do you see? The police, the sheriff, the FBI?" James asked.
"No. Rather, I see a young, beautiful woman who will lead you straight to disaster," the old woman warned.
"Tell me something I don't know. There's already a woman who makes my life way harder than it needs to be," James complained.
"And just who is this woman you're speaking of?" Jessie asked, sounding offended.
"Definitely not you, that's for sure. The woman I'm speaking of is a beautiful, young maiden, not a senile old hag," the old woman stated bluntly.
"'OLD'?! 'SENILE'?! 'HAG'?!" Jessie was gearing up to clobber the old woman, when she got blindsided by some tourists who were rushing by in the same direction, carrying her and her cohorts along with her.
"Come on, guys! They're going to be showing off the painting!"
"We're coming, we're coming!"
