AN: Hey look, I wrote another one of these.

Not too much backstory to this one. I'm wrapping up my summer semester and getting ready to start preparing for the, thankfully, single final exam I have to worry about next week, which mercifully should be a fairly simple one. I wanted to write something that wouldn't be too intensive to write, and after mulling it over, I settled on doing another QT-Mon.

I THINK I have a broad idea of how I might keep this thing going for a while. Still not sure about the short term stuff, but I think I have a solid enough long term premise, so that'll probably be good for a few more chapters at least. And none of that ended up making it into this chapter, which ended up staying on a scene I thought was going to be over with fairly quickly for much longer than I'd planned. So in theory, that means that the next chapter will be out fast-ish, since I'll get to recycle the stuff I'd originally planned to do here. But as always, we'll see how things go.

Really glad this story got as much positive reception as it has so far. Apparently I should go on wild pokemon benders more often.

Guest99: No idea. We'll see.

Guest: I tend to give Lynn, Lori, Luna, and Sam starring roles in my fics, so its always interesting to see who is considered to be best girl on a fanfic by fanfic basis. Seems things are split pretty evenly at this point, but I'm curious how that'll change going forward.

Miraculous Psychic Hero 100: Glad to hear. Yeah, ideally I would have given Luna a chapter or two to herself before bringing Sam in. But at the time I basically just had a collection of scenes I really wanted to write, and I didn't have a larger narrative framework to work them into. So I jumped the gun a bit because I wanted to do those funny bits with Sam. Especially the ones with the doctor and the Lincoln doll, I was champing at the bit to get those written.

NOT MY CHEESE: The Alpha state in this fic is sort of a blend of Alphas as they're actually shown in Legends: Arceus, and a bit of Dynamax. But I suppose I can't rule out a possibility where I work in a proper Dynamax-esque mechanic into the story. History suggests it's pretty likely I'll come up with something like that sooner or later.

Kamen Rider Ranger: QT-Mon are a humanoid species similar to humans, but they aren't actually humans. So yeah, I guess you could liken them to something like, elves or fairies or something.

Cookie Warlord: I can't promise I won't stall out on this thing, because the scope is certainly broader than the things I usually write. But I'll try to keep the story going as long as people want to read it. I still haven't played even a second of Palmon, and I guess its time in the sun is over, because I haven't heard a thing about it since...the last time I posted a chapter of this, basically. But yeah, there will be no eating QT-Mon. And yeah, Lincolns girls would pull their weight, so they'd help around the camp and whatnot as their skills permit. For example, Luna and Sam were perfectly willing to transport Lincon themselves to make the trip that much shorter. Lynn just couldn't get over the whole Lincoln doll thing...

Lincoln awoke to a familiar ceiling.

Which wasn't saying much, since ceilings basically came in themes rather than variations. They're flat surfaces that keep things out and hold things up, there doesn't need to be too much nuance to them. So the familiarity of this particular ceiling didn't indicate much in and of itself.

Fortunately, his field of view also encompassed a selection of sophisticated-looking medical equipment, and those actually conveyed quite a bit of information as to where he was. As did the hospital bed he was currently lying in, and the hospital gown in which he was currently attired.

"Ah, you're finally awake."

Lincoln smiled, feeling his body relax as a young brunette girl wearing a lab coat entered the room. Most people would probably be alarmed to find that they were receiving medical care from someone so youthful, but saying his sister was wise beyond her years would be a tremendous understatement. Growing up, his parents had needed to rent storage space to house the multitudinous degrees and doctorates she had managed to rack up while he was still working out the social nuances as to when it was and wasn't acceptable to pick one's nose in public. Strictly speaking, there were no hands more qualified to tend to his battered body.

"That's good," She continued, grabbing a clipboard as she made her way to his bedside, and consulting the attached documents. "I was starting to think it might be necessary to start poking around in your brain."

...And with that, just a little bit of his tension returned. Lisa was well and truly a genius in every sense of the word. But her people skills, which included things you should and should not do to people, were severely lacking.

"Well, be thankful for small miracles," Lincoln muttered, instinctively pulling his bed sheets a little higher. "So, this kind of looks like a hospital, but seeing as you're here…"

"As if you could afford bad health care, let alone what you actually required," Lisa interjected, snorting in bemusement. "No. As you have undoubtedly surmised, we are in fact at my research laboratory, and I served as your attending physician.

She gestured broadly around the room. "Given the nature of your mission, I thought it would be prudent to convert one of my research stations into a medical ward. And considering that Lynn ended up wheeling your battered and broken body through my front doors a few days ago, it seems I was right. As usual."

Lincoln blanched and began patting himself down.

"I feel...pretty good," He said, cautiously, neither seeing nor feeling anything that wasn't where it was supposed to be.

"You're welcome," Lisa said with a curt nod. "It wasn't easy, you know. When Lynn brought you in, strictly speaking, you were more meat than man. Broken bones, fractures, multiple contusions. Not to mention your pelvis was simply...gone."

Lincoln had been dutifully nodding along until that last point, at which point he froze up.

"...Say what now?" He asked, his eyes drifting downward of their own accord.

"Well it wasn't literally gone," His sister corrected herself. "Some of it was...there…"

She pointed vaguely towards his lower region.

"And there." She continued, pointing in a different direction. "And there. And also there…"

"WHAT?" Lincoln exclaimed, flinging his sheet into the air and frantically jabbing his hands downward...freezing, surprised, as they found solid purchase.

"...Obviously I didn't leave you like that, big brother," said the scientist, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Give me some credit."

"...Sorry Lees."

"And perhaps you could wait till I leave before you try out the 'merchandise'?" She deadpanned, one eyebrow raised judgmentally. Immediately Lincoln's arms jerked sideways and flailed around aimlessly for a bit before he regained control of himself, and folded his hands neatly over his stomach.

"Moving on then," Lisa said at last, seemingly satisfied. "Now, as I said, your injuries in that particular area were quite extensive. Fortunately for you, I am quite accomplished in the fields of medicine, bioengineering, and metallurgy, so while your problem was severe, it was hardly insurmountable for one of my talents."

"...Metallurgy?" Lincoln asked, nervously, as his eyes drifted downward once more.

"Essentially, I needed to rebuild your pelvis from what materials I could salvage, and...fill in the gaps that remained myself," She replied. "Luckily, I've been experimenting with a new alloy which is both strong and quite flexible. And by all indications, it seems to have been a success."

"Meaning?" Lincoln prompted, hope swelling in his chest.

"Meaning that you should have retained full functionality by this point. And thanks to my improvements, you should be fairly indestructible in that particular region.

She gave him a pointed look.

"I'll allow you the dubious honor of informing Lynn as to your new...capabilities," She continued, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. "Just grant me the courtesy of waiting until I'm off-site before you do so."

"Did somebody say my name?"

The siblings' attentions were drawn to the QT-Mon in question as she strolled through the door, furiously pumping a dumbbell clutched in one hand. As she entered, Lynn came to an abrupt stop and let out a gasp of delight.

"LINCOLN!" She shouted, carelessly tossing the dumbbell over one shoulder as she dashed forward.

Lincoln winced at the sound of glass shattering resounded in the distance, but an instant later a brunette missile collided with him. The next thing he knew, he was frantically trying to keep the air inside of his lungs as Lynn proceeded to crush both that and the life out of him with her well-muscled arms.

"You're alive!" She chirped happily. "I mean, obviously you were going to pull through, but I started getting a little worried when I saw Lisa bringing out her books on brain surgery."

"I read those for recreation," Lisa spat, her eyes narrowing at the sporty girl. "And would you please stop assaulting my brother, Lynn? I can only perform so many medical miracles in a given period of time."

"Spoil sport," Lynn grumbled, giving the stink eye to the younger brunette. Nevertheless, she eased up, sufficiently loosening her grip on Lincoln enough that he could once again breathe. She gave Lincoln an affectionate peck on the cheek, then squeezed herself in at his side, seemingly unconcerned with how cramped the two of them were in the suddenly far too-small hospital bed.

...and now Lincoln deeply regretted discarding his sheet.

"If you two don't mind," Said Lisa, dryly, "I think it's about time you filled me in on the details as to how your mission went. Naturally, there are a few things I can make inferences from…"

She jerked one thumb in the direction of the door.

"Such as those two rather large QT-Mon specimens that are currently taking up space in my lab. Them being here suggests, rather remarkably, that your mission was a success."

Trainer and trainee exchanged glances.

"So...what do you need to know then?" Lynn asked, cautiously.

"How you managed that, for starters," Lisa replied, flipping to a blank page on her clipboard and holding her pen at the ready. "You brought in not one, but two Alphas. Which is commendable in and of itself…"

"Is that good?" Lynn whispered to Lincoln.

"Normally, yes," Lincoln replied. "But Lisa's saying it, so…"

"But also patently absurd," Lisa continued, "Especially given that it was accomplished by the two of you. Frankly, if I hadn't seen the evidence for myself, I would have written off the outcome in its entirety as a flight of fancy."

"Ah," Lynn nodded. "That sounds more like Lisa."

"You know I can hear you when you do that, right?" The scientist asked, arching one eyebrow. "Nevertheless, succeed you did. And beyond my wildest expectations, given that not only are said Alphas here, but they aren't tearing my lab apart."

"Yet," Lynn muttered under her breath.

"So the question remains," Lisa said, tapping her pen on her clipboard. "How exactly did you accomplish this miraculous feat?"

"Oh, this should be good," Lynn chuckled. "Go on, Linky, tell your lil' sis how you got those two under control."

Lincoln shot a dirty look Lynn's way before turning his attention back to the waiting scientist.

"Uh, well," He began. "I just followed your instructions. That's all."

Silence fell upon the room.

"...What instruction?" Lisa asked, blinking in confusion.

"The...plan," Lincoln responded, equally confused. "The Alpha Pacification Plan. You know, soft music, candles, rose petals—"

"And plenty of ointment the next morning," Lynn added, earning another glare from Lincoln.

Again the room fell into silence.

"...And you're saying that worked?" Lisa asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes!" Lincoln shouted, looking to Lynn for some kind of reassurance, but the brunette looked just as confused as he did, if not more so.

"But that plan was conceptual poppy-cock!"

Lincoln rubbed his fingers against his temples, feeling a powerful migraine coming on.

"I think I'm the one who needs an explanation now." He said, looking at his sister expectantly. She frowned thoughtfully, then began to open her mouth.

"And I'm not sure how much more strain my brain can handle at this point," He quickly added. "So explain it like I'm Lynn."

"Hey!"

"A pity then, that I left my crayons in the other room," Snarked the younger girl, before letting out a sigh of resignation.

"Okay, here's the figurative 'thing', colloquially speaking," She began. "I sent you on this mission primarily to gather data. Obviously, you actually managing to subdue the Alpha would have been a favorable outcome, and the fact that you not only did so but brought it back, is tremendous. Even more so that you managed to repeat the feat with a second Alpha we didn't even know about."

"I think I hear a 'but' coming," Lynn interjected.

"...However," Lisa continued. "We had no idea what we were truly dealing with, and still don't. Skilled trainers have successfully repelled Alphas in the past, and some have even managed to capture them, for a time, but those are temporary measures. They escape, they retreat to lick their wounds, but sooner or later they come back. Sometimes, even stronger than they were previously. It's an untenable situation, and one way or another we need to figure out a more permanent solution to the threat Alphas pose."

"And you found one," Lincoln said. "Right? Otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

His sister began nibbling on the end of her pen, a habit she usually indulged in when she was feeling agitated. Or...nervous…

"You see, big brother," She said, her tongue flitting across her lips. "Every scientific endeavor begins with a hypothesis. A...premise, if you will, which is then proved...or disproved, through the rigorous collection and application of data. In our situation, however, there was nothing to work with. I needed you to get me information from which I could formulate a proper hypothesis on how to decisively defeat an Alpha. A chicken and egg situation, if you will. But part of learning how something works is also learning what doesn't work, and sending you off to encounter a live Alpha specimen without testing anything would have been a tremendous waste of a valuable opportunity, so to hedge my bet a bit…"

"...Yeah?" Lincoln and Lynn prompted the scientist in unison, briefly exchanging surprised looks before turning back to the younger girl.

"I...formulated a plan that I was almost...entirely certain...would not work." She admitted at last, sheepishly."

"You...set me up...to fail?" Lincoln asked slowly.

"Not at all!" Lisa insisted. "Granted, in hindsight, you were already down one QT-Mon, since the call came while Lucy was in the middle of her quarterly examination, so it wasn't the best time for you to be trying out radical new theories. But you would have gone without her regardless, and I truly had nothing of worth to offer you anyway."

Lisa took off her glasses and began to clean them with the edge of her lab coat.

"Lincoln, whatever you may think of me, I do have the utmost faith in your abilities." She said, placing her glasses back on her head, and looking her brother in the eye. "Despite your low trainer ranking, you have an affinity for QT-Mon that goes far beyond any I've seen in someone so...unaccomplished."

She flinched as the trainer/trainee pair's expressions turned significantly more dour.

"That was an objective statement, not a judgment," She protested. "And Lynn is incredibly strong strong for her age. Believe me when I say that I had no doubt that the two of you would accomplish what was asked of you. That plan I gave you was wholly in the interest of being able to form better plans of attack in the future, honest."

Lynn gave Lincoln a sideways look. "...She won't be able to get away from me with those stubby little legs of hers. Say the word and I'll hang her on that coat hook over there."

"No, Lynn," Lincoln said emphatically, seeing his sister turn as white as her coat. He took a deep breath, then exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look," He said at last. "Lisa may have sent us out there with some bum data, but, that plan of hers didn't come into play until after we'd already fought Luna. It didn't have any bearing on the most dangerous part of the mission."

"And what if she'd stepped on you while you were trying to rub her stupid feet?" Lynn insisted, irritably. "Or ate you instead of that spaghetti dinner you prepared for her?"

"I already considered the possibility that any number of things could go wrong during that part," Lincoln replied, wrapping one arm around the girl's waist. "But I still went through with it, because I knew that no matter what happened, somehow, you'd get me out of it. Because you always do."

"Y-yeah...well…" Lynn muttered, her face flushing as red as her jersey. "I might not always be there to do that, you know!"

"Always and forever," Lincoln chuckled, kissing the brunette on the lips. "No matter how crazy things get, I can always count on you being there for me."

"...As for you," He said, turning his attention to the other brunette.

Disengaging from Lynn, Lincoln hopped out of the bed, landing...not as steadily as he'd preferred, but still managing to stay upright, and without pausing, threw his arms around his little sister, pulling her into a fierce hug.

"Please trust me a little more in the future, sis," He said, gently, ruffling the younger girl's hair.

"It wasn't about trust," She protested, her cheeks turning pink as she absorbed her big brother's affections. "The plan I came up with was just so...stupid. It would have been embarrassing to explain the rationale."

"Then how did you even come up with it?" Lincoln asked. "Stupid's one of the few things you're usually pretty terrible at."

"I tried to keep things simple," said the scientist, shrugging as best she could within her brother's grip. "Alphas are extremely angry. I researched things that make people...not angry. Specifically women. I'm still trying to decide what's more embarrassing for me at this point, the plan itself, or the fact that it worked."

"Yeah, well," Lynn began, as she hopped out of bed to join the pair. "Get ready to take your lumps. Lincoln just made you the leading expert on Alphas for the whole friggin continent."

"Oh my," Lisa murmured. Then her eyes grew significantly wider. "OH. Right…"

"What's up, sis?" Lincoln asked as he finally released the girl.

"Well, since we're on the subject, and since you appear to have made a full recovery, more or less...I could use some...assistance...with your new friends." Lisa replied, awkwardly. "We are in the middle of a...situation...of sorts."

"Uh, yeah, Lees," Lincoln replied, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Whatever you need."

He turned to Lynn with a questioning look. "Did I miss something while I was out?"

"Hooo yeah," His partner replied, chuckling in amusement. "And even that's a bit of an understatement..."