I do not own The Loud House. All rights belong to Nickelodeon.
Chapter 23
Lincoln showed them his plan when they got home and explained it to Rita. The sisters would whip Lincoln into shape, and Lynn would train him in self-defense so he could protect his friends from the 8th-grader bullies. The bullies would strike again even if they went to the teachers. At first, Rita gave a hard stare but finally agreed after assuring her that it wouldn't interfere with Lynn's study time.
"How are you going to train Lincoln?" Rita asked and then turned to Lincoln, "When it comes to fitness, he doesn't exactly stay focused."
Lincoln gave a grumpy frown at that.
Lynn said, "You remember the movie Kung Fu Panda and how at first they tried to train Po like they trained the Furious Five, and that didn't work?"
"Yeah," Rita answered with an unsure tone. She had a raised eyebrow and a confused expression.
"But Po was able to be trained, and Master Shifu could not do it by how he trained the Five. He did through what works with Po – food."
"We're going to use food to make Lincoln fit?" Leni asked with a raised eyebrow and tapping her chin.
"No. We're gonna use what works with Lincoln," Luan said.
Luna pulled out a comic book, "Comics. Brand new edition comics."
Lincoln gasped with his eyes glistening, "Brand new editions?!"
He rushed over and tried to grab them from Luna, but she raised them up high and out of Lincoln's reach. Lynn, Lori, and Luan held him back.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" Lincoln begged.
"Oh, you can have them . . . after you're trained, bro," Luna grinned.
"And no using your powers, Lincoln," Lola ordered.
"Yeah, no cheating," Lana agreed.
Lincoln's arms fell, and he gave a bummed-out expression with a heavy sigh.
"Let's begin with running. We're going to run three miles," Lori said as she exited her room.
She was wearing black jogging leggings, a white tank top, and green tennis shoes, and her hair was tied in a ponytail with her bangs out. Lincoln got into some orange shorts and a grey t-shirt.
Before they went outside, Rita called from the living room, "Kids, wait!"
They stopped and turned to her.
"I gotta tell you something. Your father is coming home," Rita stated.
The kids' eyes slightly widened, and a slight chill ran up their spines. They remembered the vision where they're all defending Lincoln from him.
"He's coming home?" Lynn asked.
Rita nodded, "Yep. He's being released from the hospital."
"When?" Lori asked while holding Lincoln's arm.
"Sunday, the day after tomorrow."
Lynn, Lori, Luna, Lola, and Lana's eyes twitched while the others got goosebumps.
"Oh . . . great," Lola said with a forced smile.
"Kids, I know how you all feel about your father, and you're all worried about that vision coming true, but remember what Lincoln said. He's getting better. Lincoln, when did you say that he'll be ready to know about your powers?" Rita asked.
Lincoln summoned the Vision Stream and pulled out a light orb, "After Dad saves a kid from drowning in the river. Dad jumps in, pulls him out, and resuscitates him, thus saving his life. That's when he reaches redemption, and at that point, he's in the right mindset to learn the truth."
Rita and the sisters watched as Lincoln explained. The light orb showed them everything Lincoln said. Lynn Sr. jumping into the river, pulling the boy out and getting the water out of his lungs.
"All this is to make Dad braver and wiser. The problem with Dad before is he was a coward and stupid – no offense. All this is to make him better. That's when he won't freak out about my powers. He'll be upset and shocked about what could have happened and the real reason why I ran away from home. It'll take him a long while to come around, but he will. At least, that's the best-case scenario," Lincoln said.
Lana crossed her arms with a sad and disappointed look, "Well, for his sake, I hope that vision comes true . . . where he's strong enough to save someone that needs saving."
Lola and Lincoln hugged her close.
Rita nodded, "I see. If that's the best-case scenario, is the worst-case the vision of all of us defending you from him?"
"Yes," Lincoln said.
Lori's grip on Lincoln's arm tightened, and the other sisters moved closer to Lincoln. Almost all of them held Lincoln's hand, arm, or shirt. Rita noticed that and asked the following question.
"The good outcome is what's most likely going to happen, right?" Rita asked.
Lincoln nodded. However, that didn't exactly make the girls feel better.
"Mom, girls, no matter what happens, you won't lose me. I'm not going anywhere," Lincoln assured.
"You're dang right, you're not!" Lori said, "We're not losing you."
"We'll protect you," Rita said, holding Lincoln's hand, "I will protect you. If I have to, I'll divorce him and take custody of all of you."
"Mom," Lincoln softly gasped.
"What? It's not a contest, Lincoln. As a mother, I choose my children every time. I love my husband, but you come first," Rita stated.
That was enough to put small smiles on their faces.
"Well, don't assume the worst is going to happen," Lincoln said.
"If the best outcome happens, then great, but I will protect you no matter – even from your father. Now, if you're going to whip Lincoln into shape, then get a move on. Time's a wasting, and I don't want Lynn to lose her study time," Rita stated.
Lynn rolled her eyes with a groan, and everyone else frowned.
"She won't, Mom," Lincoln said.
"Good."
Then they went outside, stretched, and did some jumping jacks to warm up. Lola was in her car, with Lucy in the backseat and Lana in the passenger seat. Lucy had a comic book attached to a plastic clothespin hanging from a fishing rod.
"Want the latest edition of Ace Savvy, Lincoln? Come and get it," Lucy said.
Lola drove away, and Lincoln chased her, with Lori and Lynn following behind. Luna was on her bike, and Luan was on her unicycle. Leni and Lisa stayed behind with Lily and Rita. Lincoln ran and ran to grab the comic that was just out of reach. Lana was reading another comic in the passenger seat.
"Oh! David Steele's in a real pickle in this, and you'll never guess who double-crossed him!" Lana called.
"Ahh!" Lincoln hollered while sprinting faster, "Girls! You gotta give me the comics! I've been practicing music with Luna, cooking with Luan, drawing my art, and hanging out with all of you, but I haven't read comics for a while! I've been waiting forever for the new editions!"
"Sorry, bro! You want the comics? You gotta get in shape," Luna said, paddling on her bike.
"You'll get them! Feel the burn, Link! They don't call it 'freeze fat,' do they? Ha ha ha! Get it?" Luan joked on her unicycle.
"Remember, you and I are going to be welding soon! I got some ideas for metal sculptures to fabricate and sell," Lana said.
"And I got some new photos for 'I Spy.' They're pretty cool," Lola added.
"I'm sure they are!" Lincoln replied.
"Don't forget to breathe, Lincoln!" Lori said, running behind Lincoln.
Lincoln controlled his breathing as he ran, but then they came to a hill. Lincoln's running was slowing as he ran.
"Aww, come on!" Lincoln panted.
"Lincoln!" Lynn said, running next to him, "Lean your head and upper body forward. Keep your arms in and use them as you grind the gears when running up hills! Watch!"
Lynn demonstrated as she ran ahead of him, and it worked. Lincoln did what she said. He leaned his head and upper body forward while using his arms as he ran. Surprisingly, he managed to catch up to Lynn but didn't stop. He was sweating now, and so were Lori and Lynn. It didn't help that there wasn't a cloud in the sky and no wind. His sisters cheered him on.
"Don't give up, Lincoln! You're our hero. If you can save us from danger, then you can run a few miles!" Lucy stated.
"Yeah, bro! Don't give up! David Steele wouldn't give up!" Luna hollered.
"Or Ace Savvy!" Luan added.
"And neither will you! So, come on, Lincoln! Keep going!" Lori cheered.
They ran a mile and a half, stopped to rest and drink water, then ran back home. When they got home, Lincoln's shirt was drenched in sweat. Lori and Lynn were sweating, too. So, they hosed each other off and dried themselves with towels before heading inside.
"We're gonna take a break and then move to the basics of self-defense," Lynn stated.
"I think you've earned some video game time, little brother," Lori said, handing Lincoln the controller.
Lincoln was playing Onimusha 2, an underrated and arguably revolutionary samurai video game. It was ahead of its time and definitely a step up from its predecessor in terms of gameplay, visual effects, story, and characters. Lincoln played where he left off, the part where Jubei Yagyu would go into the gold mine to fight the demons as he looked for Oyu. The sisters were amazed at how easy Lincoln made it look to kill demons. He didn't lose an ounce of health. The girls thought Lincoln charging his sword and spear for combo attacks was awesome, especially since it made the weapons glow a unique flame. Then came the boss level facing the four-legged demon with the giant pickaxe. Lincoln killed him with no problem.
"Wow, you're really good at this game, Lincoln," Lori said, impressed.
"I know, right? I thought fighting that big scary guy would be a challenge, but Lincoln makes it look totes so easy," Leni said, walking in with Lincoln's snack – a sandwich and some chips.
"What's that thing you do to kill demons with one strike?" Lana asked.
"Yeah, that's wicked awesome," Luna added.
"They called it 'Issen.' It's where you deliver a critical strike at someone's vulnerable spot. You can do it in the game by blocking or striking just before you get hit," Lincoln explained.
"Cool. Who's the main villain guy in this?" Luan asked.
"Nobunaga Oda. He was once human, but after he got killed, he sold his soul to the demons for power. Then, he rose from the dead to conquer Japan. He's one bad dude."
They talked for a while as Lincoln played the game.
"Oh wait! I almost forgot," Leni ran to get a laptop. She returned with it open, "Mom got these from the contractor. The new house is still being made, but they just got the outside finished. Look."
Everyone looked at the photos on the laptop. The framing, siding, windows, and shingles had just been completed. The house looked amazing! It was big and beautiful. Lincoln and the sisters were left in awe, wide-eyed with their jaws hanging.
"Oh wow," Luan spoke.
"It's so pretty," Lola said.
"And big. So, this house will have more space for everyone?" Lana questioned.
"Correct, and more bathrooms so we don't have to wait in line for one," Lisa answered.
"And I'll get my own room? A real bedroom?" Lincoln asked.
The sisters all smiled.
"Oh yeah. You're definitely getting a real bedroom. Once the new house is done, say goodbye to that closet, Lincoln. Because you are literally never living in such small spaces ever again," Lori stated clearly.
Lincoln gave a hopeful look, "Really?"
"Oh yeah, bro. In fact, your room is a bit of a surprise," Luna said.
"Cool."
"So, now that the outside is done, what's next?" Lucy asked.
"Well, if the framing, siding, and roof is done. Next is the plumbing, electric, HVAC and insulation, drywall, flooring, carpeting, and laying out grass to get rid of the mud. So, yeah, there's still a lot of work to be done," Lana answered.
"This is totes exciting. I can't wait for it to be done!" Leni said.
Then, it was time for Lincoln to continue his training. In the backyard, he was doing push-ups and sit-ups. The sisters got him to do it by using comic books. For the push-ups, Lucy rose and lowered the comic book to make Lincoln go up and down while the twins sat on his back. Lucy did the same thing for the sit-ups.
When it came to the punching bag, they used a different method. Of course, at first, Lincoln wasn't good at it until Lynn duct-taped a picture of an Ace Savvy villain on the punching bag, and that unleashed Lincoln's fury. It was a villain that used to be a good guy but betrayed Ace Savvy and stabbed him in the back – Carl Canasta. Lincoln's eyes turned red, his teeth were razor sharp, and he roared like a lion and tackled the punching bag off its chain before beating the snot out of it. Lynn smiled while the rest of the sisters' pupils shrank in amazement.
"There we go. Atta boy," Lynn grinned.
Lynn and Lucy fist-bumped. Lincoln was even able to climb the rope with the sisters using the same method as the comic books. It wasn't really climbing the rope for Lincoln but more of him chasing the comic book up the rope.
Their father, Lynn Sr.'s return was about what everyone expected – quiet and awkward. Of course, Lynn Sr. was happy to see them, but Lincoln and the sisters weren't nearly as enthusiastic. Lincoln and Luan cooked trenette al pesto, lemon parmesan asparagus, and garlic bread sticks – everyone enjoyed it all. Lynn Sr. still had an arm and a leg in cast, and his neck was in a neck brace. So it was difficult for him to get around and sit. Rita sat across from her husband at the dinner table on one end next to Lincoln. Lori sat next to Lincoln's other side.
"So . . . Lincoln, I heard you won that big art contest. Is that right?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Oh yeah. I did. I got another trophy, and they named the art exhibit after me," Lincoln answered before eating a bread stick.
"That's pretty cool," Lynn Sr. said.
"It's incredible, that's what it is," Rita said.
Rita turned to Lincoln with a smile and glided her fingers through his snow-white hair.
"Our boy, he's just (sigh) he's just so amazing. I felt so fortunate to be there to see it at the museum – him winning. I felt so proud of him and the masterpiece he made," Rita went on as she combed Lincoln's hair with her fingers.
While Lincoln did relish the sensation of his mother rubbing his head, he felt uneasy as Rita talked about him in front of his father. He also noticed the look she was giving him. It was like she was looking down on him in a way – like he was a lemon or a tool. Lori had the same look as she rubbed his shoulder and neck. Lynn Sr. had a raised eyebrow, and his pupils were tiny dots as he glanced at Rita and Lori. The other sisters looked unsure as they glanced at each other while chewing their food.
Lori joined in, "I know, right? If we hadn't known Lincoln drew the winning art piece, we'd thought Thomas Kinkade came back from the dead and made it. And there were so many famous people wanting to talk to Lincoln. Oh! Mom, remember that movie producer who asked Lincoln if he'd be interested in doing character designs for his upcoming animated movie?"
"Oh yeah! That's right, and that professor from Amberwood University – Professor Kenneth. He came to visit. He said the school had been bragging about Lincoln and his art. God, I was so grateful to hear him and Rachael Fields speak of such high praise of Lincoln. He just has so much potential," Rita stated.
Lincoln glanced at them and his other sisters, "Uh—"
"Totally. If not, I would literally swim across the Great Lakes just to be a fly on the wall to hear that conversation," Lori said and then let out a relaxed sigh, "Our Lincoln . . . he's a gifted and skilled artist, musician, magician, but most of all, he's our hero."
"He is. He saved Leni from that runaway truck. He saved Lana from that loose gator, and," Rita turned to her husband, "He saved you and those bikers. Lincoln's . . . a real man."
Lynn Sr.'s eyes quivered with a look full of hurt. The sisters gave their mother and elder sister a look that said, 'What are you doing?'
"Uh, Luna!" Lincoln spoke loudly, "And Lana. Why don't you both tell everyone what you got planned for me?"
"Oh, right," Luna said with a nervous smile, "So, the Moon Goats got a concert, and I'll be the lead singer. Lincoln's going to be rocking bass while Sam does guitar. It's gonna be pretty sweet. Me and Lincoln playing with Smooch caught a lot of attention."
"And Lincoln and I are gonna weld some stuff together. I've been teaching him MIG welding, and he's a fast learner," Lana said with a bigger smile. She turned to her brother and said, "Love them weld beads, Linky. Anyway, we got some ideas for stuff to weld, like yard decorations and other neat stuff. Once they're welded up, we'll paint them and then sell them. It's gonna be pretty cool."
"That's great, just don't hurt yourselves," Lynn Sr. said.
"Also, we're getting Lincoln in shape, and I've been teaching him self-defense. We had a little run-in with two meathead bullies. Plus, with Snowflake getting so famous, it's a good idea for him to know this," Lynn added after she finished chewing her food.
"I agree. Being famous is great and all, but not all fans are friendly if you catch my meaning," Lynn Sr. said.
Luna scoffed, "Yeah, just ask John Lennon."
"So, how's paramedic training going?" Luan asked.
"It's fine."
Lynn Sr. talked about his online class and when he'll be able to get some hands-on training. The whole time, Lincoln wanted to avoid anyone talking about him. He could feel his father's insecurity, and he was dying to ask Lori and his mother why they said all those things. Leni showed Dad photos of the new house, and he was dazzled.
"That's wonderful, but I'm worried about the price. A house that big will get us big bills," Lynn Sr. said.
Lisa pointed out, "Actually, with the restaurant doing so well, the house cost won't be an issue. Also, we did win a lottery ticket, and with that money, we paid the house in full, so we don't have to worry about any mortgage payments."
"Oh, that's good."
After dinner, Lincoln got a chance to talk to them in the kitchen while Luan and Leni were helping Dad to the bathroom.
"What was that? Why were you two bragging about me like that?" Lincoln questioned.
"I know your father, Lincoln. This'll motivate him to try harder," Rita answered while cleaning the dishes.
"Did you have to twist the knife like that? I thought he was going to cry," Lincoln asked.
"Call it punishment for endangering your life when you saved his scrawny ass from burning to a crisp," Lori answered.
Later
Lincoln's training continued for weeks. He continued to improve. Lori and Luan made food for him to have a little meat on his bones that turned into muscle. Leni helped Luan cut fruits to make smoothies for Lincoln and the twins. All of which were packed with healthy protein and vitamins. Lincoln gained some noticeable abs and flexibility while doing yoga with Lori.
Lincoln continued to play with Luna and her band, rocking out at concerts and gaining a ton of following and fandom. Stella, Clyde, his friends, and their girlfriends would all come to his concert to see him jam with his sister and the Moon Goats. Sam grew close to Luna and Lincoln – she considered him his little brother next to Simon. Lincoln lost count of how many autographs he's signed and selfies with fans.
His welding skills improved, thanks to Lana. Together, they turned pieces of metal into remarkable metal sculptures. They made ones that looked like animals, robots, bugs, and even windmills. Lola had dozens of ideas for her I-Spy, and with Lincoln's help, she could make it more cool looking, but where people could find certain items. Lola took a liking to photography, and her photos were getting a lot of likes on social media. Rita and Lincoln continued to bond with their love of stories. They talked shop with Lincoln's comics and Rita's ideas for other novels. Both gave helpful tips and suggestions to improve the plot and characters.
Since Lynn Sr.'s arm and leg were still broken, he could not cook. The kitchen was Lincoln and Luan's thing. Lincoln was Luan's favorite cooking buddy. Luan liked nothing better than exploring new things to make, and she liked Lincoln's judgment regarding taste and detecting specific favors.
Leni wanted to make new things for fashion and was thrilled to see Lincoln's visions where they make stuff. Lincoln made some suggestions for making stuff and bringing out the colors in new outfits.
Even with their father home, the kids made little effort to reconnect with him and chose to give him peace and quiet while he studied. They all had a pill of resentment for Lynn Sr. endangering himself with the motorcycle stunt and nearly getting himself and Lincoln killed – as well a pill of resentment if the bad future happens. They'd rather hang out with Lincoln.
Lincoln continued to bond with his sisters while learning self-defense and exercising. Lynn taught him Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga. She even taught him how to bend someone into a human pretzel. However, with these newfound strengths and abilities came confidence. Lincoln began to get a little cocky as he sparred with Lynn. Both wore rubber and plastic sparring gear like helmets with face shields, rubber gloves, foot gear, and shin guards.
"Come on, Lynn. Give me a challenge!" Lincoln said as he dodged Lynn's jabs.
"Try to keep up, Snowflake!" Lynn replied.
Lincoln dodged a swing and sent a hard hit in her side, followed by some quick jabs, and then kneed her head. Lynn grunted before Lincoln threw her over hard to the ground. Then he got on her back, had one arm around her neck and the other holding her leg, and squeezed them together hard. Lynn gasped and grunted as Lincoln held her down.
"Come on, Lynn! Tap out!" Lincoln said.
Lincoln changed position and now had his athletic sister in a camel clutch. Lynn struggled for a little bit before finally tapping out. Lincoln let her go, and her face fell flat on the grass.
"The tables have turned, huh Lynn? How's it feel to be the one on the ground?" Lincoln asked.
Lynn groaned. Then Lincoln's girlfriend and friends came over; Liam, Zach, Rusty, and Clyde came over.
"Hey, Lincoln! How's the training going?" Liam asked.
"It's going great. Watch this!" Lincoln replied.
He grabbed Lynn and threw her high in the air. She let out a yelp before Lincoln caught her and spun her around fast like a rag doll.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Lynn called as she was spinning.
Then Lincoln held her down as he took her arms and legs to bend them. It happened so quickly that Lynn barely had any time to cry out in pain. When Lincoln was down, he had Lynn in a human pretzel. He held her up to show the others before turning her into a human bowling ball. Lincoln then threw her at the goalie's net so hard that she went through the net and the wooden wall of the shed.
"Whoo-hoo! Lincoln scored!" Lincoln hollered.
His friends cheered.
"Uh, Lincoln? Is Lynn okay?" Clyde asked.
Lynn gave a thumbs up from the hole, "I'm okay. Good throw, bro."
"You sure?"
Lynn lifted her head, "Oh yeah, I got hit worse than this at roller derby."
She groaned and grunted, getting her arms and legs untangled.
"She's fine. Now check this out," Lincoln said.
He lifted Clyde and Stella up, each with one hand.
"Whoa!" Clyde exclaimed.
"Lincoln! You're strong!" Stella praised.
"Yep, I've gotten stronger since my sisters whipped me into shape. Boys and girls, get on your bikes. Ten bucks says I can run to Gus's Games & Grub before you can get there on your bikes while carrying these two," Lincoln challenged.
"Oh, you're so on!" Zach replied.
As they ran off, Lynn allowed herself to collapse on the ground, aching in pain.
'Ah, Lincoln's gotten a lot stronger than I thought,' Lynn thought.
Lucy's head emerged over her, looking down on her. When Lynn opened her eyes, she gasped in fright, not expecting her.
"You don't look okay, Lynn," Lucy stated.
"I'm fine," Lynn replied.
"Maybe we should talk to Lincoln and—"
"No, no! I'm fine. Trust me, Lucy, he didn't hit me any harder than I did in the past."
Lucy gave her a look, "I'm not sure that's any better."
Lynn sighed heavily, "Look, the point is, I can take it. I'm fine. It's been a while since I've met someone this tough."
As Lynn walked away, Lucy went straight to Lisa, who was working on her dream machine in her lab.
"Lisa, tell me that dream reader machine is ready," Lucy said.
"I should have it finished by this afternoon, but I'll need to test it to see if it works. Would you like to serve as a test subject?" Lisa asked.
"Sigh. My dreams are too dark to be seen by others, and it's not our turn on the Bedroom Clock. I don't want my nightmares to be seen. They're not as bad as before and less frequent, but still."
Lisa tapped her chin, "Mmm. Then perhaps another candidate. Maybe Leni or Luna?"
"Weeee!" Leni cheered.
Lucy and Lisa went down the hall to their eldest sisters' room. They looked to see Lincoln doing what would previously be impossible but now possible. Lincoln was lifting Leni up and down as if doing overhead presses. Lincoln was standing on the bed lifting Leni, and she was having a blast.
"Woo-whoo! Wee!" Leni cheered excitedly and giggled.
Lincoln breathed steadily as he lifted her, "Thanks for letting me overhead press ya. You're lighter than you look."
"Well, thank you, Linky! For both the compliment and for helping me decorate the ceiling. My friend Jackee has glow-in-the-dark stickers on her ceiling, and they're so cute. I knew I had to have some as well," Leni said.
As he lifted her up, Leni placed glow-in-the-dark stickers on the ceiling above her bed –stars, crescent moons, and shooting stars. Since Lincoln was standing on the bed while overhead pressing her, Leni was able to reach the ceiling to place the stickers. Lucy and Lisa were amazed at Lincoln's newfound strength, which he had received from training and exercising. Lori walked in, texting on her phone, but when she saw Lincoln lifting Leni, she was so stunned that she dropped her phone.
"Lincoln?! Are you lifting Leni?" Lori asked.
"Yep," Lincoln answered.
"He's gotten strong fast. Lynn's training and coaching Lincoln is totes paying off. I think he can lift you too, Lori," Leni said.
"I don't know. I'm not exactly a lightweight," Lori said.
Lincoln rested Leni on the bed and then lifted Lori like it was nothing. Lori's pupils shrank to little dots, with a surprised face as Lincoln lifted her up and down with no problem.
"Wow, I literally didn't think you could lift my weight! This is fun!" Lori said with an excited smile.
"I know, right? He helped me get all these glow-in-the-dark stickers up. I wonder if he can help me with my Boys Will Be Boys poster," Leni said.
Lisa and Lucy turned to each other.
"So, about Leni being a suitable test subject for the Dream Reader?" Lisa asked.
Lucy nodded, "Yeah, that'll work. You'll have it ready this afternoon?"
"Correct. I just need to add a few components and set the programs and coding in."
Meanwhile, in Lucy's bedroom, Lynn was lying in her bed with an ice pack over the bruises on her side.
"Tough it out, Lynn. This should be easy if Lincoln's strong enough to put up with you for years. Don't be a wuss," Lynn told herself.
That night, Lucy snuck out of her room and into Lisa's room. They quietly made their way to Leni and Lori's room. The Dream Reader was of two devices. One was the headpiece that goes on the person's forehead, and the other was a small box that looked like a computer hard drive. Lisa called it the storage box. All the dreams and activities go from the headpiece into the box, and then it decodes and reads the brainwaves to be visually seen. Lucy carefully placed the headpiece on Leni's head without waking her up.
Lucy set her alarm to wake up before Lori and Leni. When she did, she got the headpiece and the storage box. Lisa woke up and retrieved it from Lucy. She uploaded the data to her computer. The computer showed the loading time to decode and visually show the dreams.
The Next Day
Lincoln had completed his training, and the day to confront the three bullies had finally come. Despite the rough trip Lynn had with Lincoln's training, she was proud of him to see how far he had gone in strength and skill. She was also excited to see him teach the three bullies a lesson. Although, seeing Lincoln be cocky with his new strength and skill gave her a glum look because it reminded her of herself when she was that cocky. She kept that glum look as Lincoln held her up over his head while running to school, and she was in the leisurely lying pose.
"Uh, Lincoln? Don't you think this is a bit much?" Lynn asked.
"I gotta keep my strength up! Besides, I feel amazing! I've never been this good in shape, and it's all thanks to you and our sisters," Lincoln said, running.
"Don't you think you're showing off a little?" Lynn asked, looking down at him below.
"Aw, come on, Lynn. Don't tell me you're not enjoying your little bro carrying you to school!" Lincoln replied.
"Eh, you got me there," Lynn commented.
Just as Lincoln's visions predicted, the three bullies, Anderson, Taylor, and Pablo, were picking on little kids.
Something about the end of the semester and summer break coming up can give students a sense of freedom and not care about grades or even behavior. This can be especially true for people with bad behavior.
"I said I was sorry!" a sixth grader pleaded.
"Oh, it's too late for that. You see when you bumped into me, you stepped on my shoe, and these are brand new shoes. And it's not okay for babies to step on my shoes!" Anderson stated.
"So now, you babies have to learn the hard way to watch where you're going!" Pablo said.
"We didn't mean to! We're sorry!" another sixth grader pleaded.
"Well, you should have thought about that before texting and walking," Taylor said.
Anderson lifted the kid by his shirt while Pablo brought a trash can to shove them in.
"Hey!" Lynn called out.
The bullies turned and looked to see Lynn at the end of the hall. Lynn stood confidently with her hands on her hips. Lincoln was around the corner, just out of sight. He had on his black karate gi with the sleeves ripped off – it had a tiger's head on the back. He had a red bandana tied around his head and another around his waist. His hands and wrists were wrapped with cloth like what fighters wear.
"Leave them alone and get out of here," Lynn ordered.
The three bullies stared at Lynn for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. Lynn didn't change her expression.
"I'm warning you. If you don't walk away, you're only hurting yourselves," Lynn warned.
"You think we're afraid of some sore loser who busted an old lady's nose?" Anderson asked with a smirk.
Lynn's eye twitched out of anger, and she clenched her fist while grinding her teeth.
"What's little Miss Hall Monitor going to do, huh? Write us a ticket?" Pablo asked.
"Get lost, twerp, before we toss you in the trash," Taylor ordered.
"Is that your final answer?" Lynn asked. She didn't wait for their response, "Lincoln!"
Lincoln came from around the corner; his eyes were blood red, and his veins were visible. His appearance was enough to make the bullies' smirks vanish. Anderson dropped the kid, but he missed the trash can. He and the other kids ran to a safe distance.
"Sick 'em, Link!" Lynn ordered.
Like in training, Lincoln imagined they were either the villains in Ace Savvy or David Steele, which unlocked his inner rage. He roared like a tiger and attacked them. There were only a few seconds as the three bullies yelped a scream before falling into a brawl cloud. Fists and feet escaped the dust cloud only for a second, along with the faces of the bullies. Grunts and punching sounds erupted from within.
Lincoln sent punched, kicked, kneed, and elbowed their faces, sides, and guts. They grunted and cried in pain with each strike. Lincoln was so fast that they didn't have time to react or run. He grabbed them and spun them around in the air, getting their legs tangled together – they screamed as they spun in the air. Then he slammed them on the ground repeatedly. Each force from them being slammed to the ground made Lynn and the other kids hop up in the air. The other kids looked at him in fright with their pupils in small dots. Sometimes, they had to look away because it was too painful to watch. Lynn, on the other hand, watched with her arms crossed and with a satisfactory grin.
Lincoln delivered one last hard slam to the ground before he jumped up high, stomped on their guts, and kicked their faces. Then he grabbed them one at a time and bent them into human pretzels – their bones cracking was heard. When it was over, each bully sat on the floor defeated and aching in pain with their limbs bent to make them look like pretzels. They had black eyes, bruises, their hair messed up, and rough scratches all over. Pablo's glasses were broken, and Taylor's mascara was running from her tears of pain – she was uttering while the two boys were moaning in pain.
Stella and some other students came to witness Lincoln's might and wrath. Some clapped and praised him.
Lynn turned to her brother's girlfriend, "I taught him that."
"Nice," Stella replied, giving her a fist bump.
"Oh, and everyone!" Lynn announced, "Just so you don't think Lincoln's being turned into a monster, watch this. Lincoln!"
Lincoln turned to her, and she pointed to their younger sisters, Lucy, Lisa, and the twins, "Give your baby sisters some love."
The red in Lincoln's eyes vanished, and a smile grew on his face. He walked over to his younger sisters and gave each one a hug and kiss, making everyone go, 'Aww.' Then Lincoln did the same thing to Lynn, which made her happy. Finally, he ended it with a long kiss on the lips of his girlfriend, Stella, and that made everyone coo, "Ooooooo."
The younger kids the three bullies were picking on gathered around to mock the three human pretzels. Then, they lifted the bullies one by one and put them in trash cans. Once all three were in the garbage, they cheered. Lynn looked upon her brother with great pride. He just mopped the floor with the bullies' faces and served some sweet poetic justice. Stella felt the same kind of pride for her boyfriend.
However, the moment was interrupted by howling, followed by Rusty screaming as he went flying. Everyone turned to see Rusty land hard against the wall with a small impact crater after sliding to the floor. He had a black eye and three missing teeth. Lincoln and his friends rushed to his aid.
"Oh man, Rusty!" Zach exclaimed.
"What in tarnation?! Who did this to you?" Liam questioned.
Rusty moaned in pain, and his eyes spun. He mustered the strength to point. They looked where he was pointing. It was the new mascot, Crikey the Kangaroo. He chugged a whole can of energy drink, crushed it, and then howled before hopping up and down.
Lynn scoffed a groan, "Ugh, Crikey. I'm glad they got rid of the squirrel mascot, but what lame-brain idiot thought replacing it with a fricking kangaroo was a good idea?"
"Hey!" Liam called, "You can't do that, ya oversized rodent of the Outback! Why don't you pick on someone your own size."
Crikey turned to him and kicked with both feet, sending him flying into the wall. He grunted upon impact and then moaned in pain. Everyone else gasped while Crikey snickered and laughed.
"Liam!" Stella exclaimed as she and Zach rushed to him.
"Ow," Liam moaned.
"Oh my gosh. Look what you did to his face!" Zach shouted, holding him up.
Liam had a bloody nose and a black eye. Crikey just laughed and then howled in victory. Lincoln's eyes turned red, his teeth razor sharp, his fists clenched, and his anger boiled. He growled and then let out a big, sharp exhale of steam from a train's boiler.
"That was a mistake, you rat. A huge mistake," Lincoln stated in a deep tone with venom in his voice.
Before Crikey knew it, Lincoln was flying toward him with great speed, kicking square in the face – it was like that flying kick that Liu Kang does in Mortal Kombat. Crikey crashed into the lockers so hard that some doors fell off. Lincoln grabbed him, slammed him into the ground hard, making cracks in the floor, then grabbed him by the tail, spun around, building up speed and momentum, and then Lincoln threw Crikey. He was sent flying so fast and hard that he crashed through a wall. Upon impact, some debris collapsed on top of him. Crikey lifted his head with stars spinning around his head as it wobbled around, and his eyes looked in opposite directions. Then he shook his head to snap out of it and looked at Lincoln.
Lincoln pointed at him and declared, "Listen here, you oversized vermin! If you ever pick on my friends or anyone for that matter, I'll rip your eyeballs out of your skull and shove down your pants, so you can watch me kick your butt! And I'm mount your head up on my mantle!"
Crikey, at first, was stunned, but then he growled and jumped out of the rubble. He howled before dashing toward Lincoln.
"Bring it on, Kangaroo Jack!" Lincoln hollered.
Lynn got in between them, "Hold it!"
Crikey skidded to a stop, glaring at both Lynn and Lincoln.
"If you want to fight, do it properly in a ring. Let's settle this tomorrow at the gym. One on one. No one else gets hurt, and nothing else gets wrecked," Lynn stated.
That made all the other kids comment with surprise. They instantly spread the word to their friends on social media.
"No problem!" Lincoln said confidently, "After I'm done mopping the floor with your ugly mug, you'll wish you stayed in the land down under!"
Crikey and Lincoln growled fiercely, shooting glaring daggers at each other, with Lynn using all her strength to keep them back.
Word of the upcoming fight spread all over town and the state. Everyone at school was going to be there to watch, and anyone not there was going to watch through their phones and computers. After school, Lincoln trained in the backyard, lifting heavy weights, climbing the rope, and hitting the punching bag. Lynn was out with him, prepping him for tomorrow's match. Some of the other sisters were unsure of the event.
"Guys, I don't know about this. Does Lincoln have to fight that kangaroo?" Leni asked with a worried look.
"It's his fight. Plus, someone's gotta teach that jerk a lesson," Lana said.
"If that animal hurts Lincoln, we're skinning that beast and having him for dinner!" Lola stated angrily.
"Lola!" Leni gasped.
"What? It's our brother! If he hurts Lincoln, we'll do worse than what we did to those two meathead bullies."
Lana nodded, "You're ding-dang right, sis."
"Although," Luan said, looking out the window, "I don't think we should worry about it. If anything, I think that kangaroo should be worried."
Mr. Coconuts appeared, "Worried? I think he signed his own death warrant. Too bad kangaroos aren't as cute as koalas, or Lincoln might show him some mercy."
"Yeah, I agree," Lori said while texting on her phone, "I'm not too worried about Lincoln. I mean, after everything that's happened, it literally wouldn't surprise me that he'd beat Crikey within the first round or two."
"Well, I just want the thing to be over. After that, we're changing the mascot. It will be something that doesn't require a costume," Leni spoke.
"Totally. They were supposed to send a kangaroo costume but got an actual kangaroo instead. The next mascot's gotta be something better. Something like the Blue Devils. The mascot doesn't even have to wear a costume. It's body paint!" Luna stated.
Then, Lisa entered the room.
"Siblings! I have an announcement. Let's continue this conversation in my sleeping chambers," Lisa said.
They followed her to her bedroom, where Lucy was waiting. There was a big computer screen beside it was Lisa's Dream Reader.
"Siblings, I am pleased to announce that I have successfully completed the dream machine you all have been waiting for. I give you The Dream Reader," Lisa stated.
The other sisters' eyes widened as Lisa explained. Lucy explained that they used Leni to test if the machine worked, and it did. On the screen it showed Leni's dream.
"O-M-Gosh! That's my dream! That's the good dream I've been having whenever it's Lori's and my turn to have Lincoln!" Leni pointed.
The screen showed Leni grown up in her mid-thirties. She really filled out with big boobs, long legs, and silky hair, and her body matured beautifully. The sisters were stunned as their jaws were hanging.
"Whoa! Leni, you're a total babe," Luna uttered.
"I know, right? I love the hair," Leni replied.
The dream showed her in a fashion workshop. There were dozens of different fabrics in different colors. Leni was working on making a fancy blazer jacket. Then walked in Lincoln, and that's what really stunned the girls. He was tall with magnificent muscles and had a nice V-shaped torso with broad shoulders. He had a nice, evenly cropped beard, navy blue jeans, a red and black V-neck shirt, and black highlights in his white hair.
Leni let out a long gasp, "Ooooooooohhhhhhhh! Pause that!"
Lisa paused the screen. The girls all had sparkles in their eyes.
"Look at that hair! He looks so fabulous! (deep inhale) I gotta try that on Lincoln!" Leni said excitedly.
Lori nodded, "Yeah, he does. He looks hot."
"He's a total hunk! Look at those muscles! And that face, that beautiful, beautiful face," Lola praised with stars in her eyes.
Lisa resumed the video.
Dream Leni: "Lincoln! I finished the jacket. Is this how you want it?"
Dream Lincoln: "It's perfect! I love it, and the shiny buttons were a great idea. It'll definitely make the scene more awesome."
Luan raised an eyebrow, "Scene?"
Dream Leni: "It'll be totes amazing! Your next movie will look awesome on the big screen, especially IMAX."
Dream Lincoln: "I hope so. How's the other costume coming along?"
Dream Leni: "It needs a few more touches, but I'll have it ready by tomorrow."
Dream Lincoln: "That sounds good. Are you still up for dinner, or do you have other plans with your friends?"
Dream Leni: "Oh, I'm ready whenever you are. Let's try that new diner that opened last month."
She held him by his arm as they walked out of the workshop. While Leni had a big smile, the others had confused expressions.
"So, the machine works?" Luan asked.
"Correct," Lisa answered.
"Uh, dudes, is it me, or does the dream seem very specific? Like that looked more like something that would happen in real life instead of a dream," Luna stated.
Lisa adjusted her glasses, "That's because my rockstar sibling unit, that wasn't a dream. It was a vision of the future."
The sisters' eyes widened with a gasp.
"A vision? But how?" Lori asked.
Lisa typed on her computer, and it showed a photo of colorful waves.
"These are the energy waves inside Lincoln's brain when he uses his future vision powers," Lisa explained and then clicked on another photo that looked similar to the first one, "And this is the energy waves inside Leni's head the night she was having this dream as she slept next to Lincoln."
"Wait, Leni has future vision powers?!" Lana exclaimed.
"No, that's not what she's saying," Lucy answered, then turned to Lisa, "Tell them what you told me."
Lisa adjusted her glasses, "Whenever we sleep alone, we usually get nightmares of our guilt from our subconscious of what could have happened to Lincoln. However, whenever we sleep with Lincoln, we don't get nightmares. Then we got dreams – very good dreams. I've noticed that the good dreams are specific. I had a theory, but I wasn't sure until now."
"What theory?" Lori questioned.
"Lincoln gets visions of the future naturally in his sleep through his dreams. By sleeping next to him in a close radius, some of that energy rubs off on us, and we see visions of our future. In other words, those good dreams we're having aren't dreams. They're visions of the future," Lisa explained.
Everyone's eyes were wide again, and their pupils shrank.
"Wait, are you saying that all those good dreams we've been having are visions of our future?" Luna asked.
Lisa nodded.
"So, Lori becoming a professor at Fairway, Leni becoming a fashion designer, me becoming a rockstar, Luan becoming a chief, Lana a welder and engineer, Lola a model, and Lucy a writer, those are all visions of the future?" Luna questioned.
"Correct, and if the dreams I've been having will come true, then one day in the future, I will solve the energy crisis and help figure out how to colonize outer space and possibly Mars," Lisa answered.
There was a long silence as the sisters stood there with their mouths uttering. Then, they all let out joyful and excited screams. They hugged each other while cheering about their futures. All except Lisa and Lucy.
"So, that means Lincoln and I are going to weld a life-size statue of the Iron Giant. That's so awesome!" Lana praised.
"Benny and I are going to run The Loud Table!" Luan added.
"I'm gonna be a rockstar!" Luna hollered.
"I'm gonna be a model!" Lola sang.
"And I'm going to be a fashion designer! And my stuff will be in Lincoln's movies!" Leni praised.
"And when he's done, he'll retire from that and be a professor with me at Fairway," Lori said calmly and happily.
However, they noticed that Lucy and Lisa weren't cheering. So, their smiles disappeared.
"What's wrong?" Luan questioned.
"It's Lynn. She's still depressed, and she isn't telling us what's going on," Lucy answered.
"But this machine may give us the answer. If we can see her nightmares, maybe we can find out what's really causing her such distress and give her the help she really needs," Lisa explained.
"Oh, that's good and just in the nick of time. It was Lori and Leni's turn last night. So, it's Luan's and my turn with Lincoln. So, Lynn will get nightmares, and The Dream Reader will see what's happening inside her head, right?" Luna asked.
Lisa nodded, "Correct."
Lucy held the band, "Let's hope her dreams aren't as dark as mine."