Acceptance
The participants and volunteers had all gathered at the first hole, ready to begin the sibling golf tournament. Lincoln and Lori would be the first pair. Competing against them were 'Kate' and 'Darius', as well as Ali, another one of Lori's classmates, and her little brother Yup. He was about Lincoln's age and had a quiet demeanour about him. He shared Ali's black hair but had fairer skin than she did. Marisa, Ewan, and Raj were watching over the Louds, and keeping a discreet eye on Kate and Darius. Aiding them, albeit indirectly, were 'Rich' and 'Chad', flanked by Sister Agatha and Sister Julie, at the request of Rosa Casagrande, third Mother of the Sisterhood of the Shining Light. While both women had hints of grey, Agatha had blonde highlights and Julie had brown poke in through the grey.
"I don't get why Niblick let them play when they infiltrated campus grounds," Marisa stated.
"You ask me, he wants to lull them into a false sense of security. If Darius is more relaxed, it'll be easier to catch him," Ewan guessed.
"I guess. Still, this game is also a shot at Lori renewing her relationship with her brother. I won't let some interloper ruin that, under any circumstances," Marisa vowed.
"I'm more concerned about the kid he's with. No way those two are siblings. Who is she?" Raj wondered.
"She put the name 'Kate' down on the sign-in sheet," Ewan replied.
"Obvious fake name is obvious. The only alias more overt is 'Jane Smith'," Raj countered.
"Oh, come on. She's just a middle schooler. What harm can she possibly be?" Ewan scoffed.
"I'm not sure. What do you think, Marisa?" Raj asked, but Marisa just saw Chad talking to Rich, and couldn't take her eyes off them, their long, flowing blonde hair, and their lifeguard physique. She stared longingly at the gorgeous sight in front of her, the opening notes and lyrics of the song 'I Just Wanna Love You Some More' by Barry White played in her head.
"Marisa!" Ewan tried to snap her out of her fantasy, to no avail.
"Be right with you," Marisa brushed off Ewan and Raj so she could continue fantasising about her and Chad.
Ronnie Anne and Sid had arrived at Fairway just in time for the tournament to enter its first stages. The game hadn't started yet, so Ronnie Anne had plenty of time to go over her pitch with Sid. It would be simple. She would tell Lincoln that living with him was the best time of her life and that she wasn't ready to give it up yet. While she would support Lincoln in reconciling with his family, she still wanted him close. It was a good thing Sid talked her out of outright asking him to stay with her indefinitely, as she knew, deep down, Lincoln would want to go back to his family one day.
"OK, here's the plan. I'll catch Lincoln alone during the intermission and make my case then. I'll need you to run interference with Lori so she can't counter-argue. Knowing her, she'll fight tooth and nail to have Lincoln be open to coming back sooner," Ronnie Anne summarised. Sid had reservations to this plan.
"Woah, woah, woah. That seems like vote-rigging to me. The most I'll do is communicate your feelings on the matter to her. Besides, Lori seems reasonable," Sid cautioned. Ronnie Anne gave her plan some more thought. True, Lori loved her brother, but one thing Ronnie Anne forgot to take into account was how much Lori supported Ronnie Anne and Lincoln as a couple, almost to an unhealthy degree. If Lori knew how much Ronnie Anne wanted to make a home with Lincoln, she might be open to it.
"OK, fine. You're on Lori, I'm on Lincoln. Between the four of us, we can hash out a plan where we both get what we want," Ronnie Anne altered her plan. Ronnie Anne expected a response from Sid, but when she turned to look, she found Sid staring at Chad, who was also volunteering at today's game. Sid was entranced by Chad, staring at them while, again, the Barry White song played in her head. "Sid! Did you hear me?! You were gonna talk to Lori during intermission!" Ronnie Anne sharply reminded.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know," Sid dismissed. Ronnie Anne sighed heavily.
"This is Ms DiMartino all over again," Ronnie Anne remarked. Unbeknownst to the two of them, Sister Agatha had spotted them and called Rosa.
"Mother Rosa, we have a problem. Your grand-daughter has been sighted at Fairway," Agatha reported.
"What?! Ay dios mio, what if she gets caught up in the fighting? What is she even doing there?" Rosa responded.
"From what I can see, she's here to support the white-haired boy," Agatha answered.
"Those two are inseparable. Honestly, they should just skip to the wedding already. They're already living together under my roof. I'll even conduct the ceremony myself," Rosa ranted.
"Does the plan change, Mother?" Agatha inquired. Rosa thought about the current situation. She had hoped for a simple capture of War Leader, but that would incur a skirmish, and she did not want Ronnie Anne caught in the crossfire should things inevitably come to blows. However, she was also concerned that such an opportunity to apprehend a member of the Malefic Order would not come up again. Besides, Ronnie Anne had faced them before and came out standing.
"No. I will bring Ronnie Anne up to speed myself. When the duelling starts, keep War Leader's attention squarely on you and the Sentinels," Rosa instructed.
"Yes, Mother," Agatha acknowledged and terminated the call. Rosa then dialled Ronnie Anne's number.
"Going to the skate park with Sid, eh?" Rosa chided at Ronnie Anne's cover story.
"Errrrrrr, yeah. Nikki, Sameer, Casey, and Laird are all with me," Ronnie Anne nervously replied, though she could tell from Rosa's tone that she didn't believe her.
"Save it, Ronalda. I know you and Sid are at Fairway. I told you that Lincoln and Lori need to sort out their issues themselves. But that's not important right now. Do a quick scan of the area. Tell me if you see a red-haired teenager amongst the competitors," Rosa instructed. Confused, Ronnie Anne did what her Abuela said. She did indeed spot someone around Lori's age with red hair. He was with a black-haired girl, presumably his younger sister.
"There is. Why?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Do not react to what I am about to tell you, but that guy is actually called War Leader. He's one of the Order's members," Rosa informed. Ronnie Anne tried to hide her surprise, and her fear. She still had nightmares about the last time the Malefic Order and the Loud family clashed. She nearly lost Lincoln that day. Ever since, she swore that if they ever showed up again, she'd make them regret showing their faces.
"You mean those Malefic freaks that tortured and nearly killed Lincoln are here?" Ronnie Anne responded.
"It's just one of them, mija. I have Sisters watching him. They were the ones that spotted you and Sid," Rosa assured.
"That's not comforting, Abuela. I came here to convince Lincoln to stay with me longer, and now I have to watch as he gets run through the ringer again?!" Ronnie Anne vented.
"We will do our best to spare Lincoln any more pain, but I cannot make any promises. Please try and get him out of there when the fighting starts," Rosa replied.
"I won't take my eyes off him. That's a promise," Ronnie Anne asserted. She terminated the call and tried her best not to scream out in frustration. What turned into a heart-felt plea for more time with Lincoln turned into a mission to keep him alive. While Sid was still gushing over Chad, Ronnie Anne nearly broke down. "I can't do this again. Why won't they leave him alone? He's not even the one they're after," Ronnie Anne whimpered.
About ten minutes before the game was due to start, Coach Niblick came down to address the participants. He took up a position on a makeshift podium, stood by the microphone, and spoke into it. Before he started, he had notified the city authorities about yesterday's intrusion. The police chief assured him that they would have undercover officers posing as campus security on site, ready to move in during intermission, when Darius' guard would be down. Their main concern, like with Niblick, was for the girl he was with. There was no record of her anywhere. No date of birth, no medical history, no transcript, nothing. It was almost as if she popped out of thin air. One more mystery for them to solve as soon as all was said and done.
"Welcome, everyone, students, visitors, and volunteers alike, to Fairway's sibling golf tournament. I would like to remind everyone that there are no actual tournament points at stake in this contest. It is, rather, a sibling bonding experience. That being said, I wish everyone here the best of luck, and here's to a nice, clean, friendly game. Now, Kate and Darius are up first, so if you'll take your place at the tee, we can begin," Coach Niblick kicked off the game in earnest. War Leader and Tootie took their places, placing the golf ball on the tee while simultaneously scouting the opposition.
"It seems we have drawn attention, Tootie. I sense magic users in our midst, and not just the Louds, but two Sentinels and two witches. Doubtless Mother Rosa sent them here," War Leader briefed in a hushed tone. Tootie then handed War Leader a 9-iron.
"What do we do?" Tootie inquired in a similar tone.
"They're waiting for us to make a move. Once intermission starts, do what you must, and then get out. I'll buy you as much time as I am able," War Leader instructed. Tootie nodded, and War Leader took his swing. For a new player to golf, War Leader got the ball remarkably close to the hole, almost sinking it.
"They have golf in the Boiling Isles?" Tootie probed.
"Something similar, only it was more like repelling a garden invasion of gnomelings before they ate all your flowerbeds, and any pets," War Leader compared.
"Charming," Tootie commented. Once the ball was sunk, Lincoln and Lori then stepped up. Like War Leader and Tootie, they too, had hushed conversations while setting up their shot.
"Even though we are in mortal peril right now, it is nice to see you, little brother. How have you been?" Lori asked sincerely.
"Staying here's been great. The time of my life. Living with Ronnie Anne has been… well, words can't describe it," Lincoln answered.
"Linc, if you wanted, you could make your stay here permanent. You are an emancipated minor, so you have that right. We certainly wouldn't blame you. I'm sure Ronnie Anne wants the same, considering she's here right now," Lori offered.
"I'm sure she does, but I have my own plan," Lincoln responded.
"Of course you do. Making plans is what you're best at," Lori complimented.
"It can wait, though. We have more pressing matters," Lincoln put aside his future plans for now, and opted to focus on getting through the present predicament. Any further discussions about Lincoln's living arrangements were halted for the duration of the game. Lori made sure to keep one eye on War Leader at all times throughout the first nine holes. She was expecting an attack at any moment, but all was quiet. Lori and Lincoln thought this was the calm before the inevitable storm. They also figured it would all kick off at intermission. Lori did entertain the thought of playing badly on purpose to prolong the game, but her golfer's pride prevented her from doing so. Plus, she wanted this over and done with as soon as possible. She knew, along with the other Louds, that a showdown with the Order was inevitable, but the reality of it still slapped her in the face. She had hoped for more prep time, but they were here now. Not a lot she could do about it.
The first half of the tournament wrapped up without incident. As expected, Niblick called for an intermission before the start of the tenth hole. While Ali and Yup took their bottled water and chugged down, everyone else was busy putting their respective plans into action. Lincoln went into the main building under the pretense of a bathroom break, with Riff, Ronnie Anne and Tootie following him for their own agendas. Lori would link up with Agatha, Julie, and Aquarian, with Sid hoping to catch Lori alone, while Niblick was co-ordinating with Marisa, Ewan, Raj, and the undercover police officers. Lincoln could scout Tootie stalking him, so he turned into an empty classroom, with Ronnie Anne and Tootie following suit. Riff maintained a good distance from all of them, and to keep up appearances, stayed outside the room, ready to pounce if anything went down.
"Something I can help you with, 'Kate', or should I say Tootie? Which do you go by these days? Or have you taken up a moniker like War Leader?" Lincoln interrogated. This made Ronnie Anne very confused. Why was this girl using two names, and what was she doing with the Order? Ronnie Anne assumed that she was a hostage that War Leader was using.
"Wait, Tootie? I thought you were another one of the Order's unwilling pawns. What gives?" Ronnie Anne blurted out. This was something Lincoln didn't need right now. The last thing he wanted was for Ronnie Anne to get caught up in this battle.
"I don't care whether you know my name or not. I'm here for one reason; revenge…" Tootie then unsheathed her knife. Lincoln then finally understood. The Order weren't here for Leni. Tootie was here for him, and judging by the look of her weapon, it wasn't for a friendly chat. "But before I kill you, I have to ask you one thing. How did you do it?" Tootie demanded. This was especially distressing for Ronnie Anne. At least the last time the Order attacked, they didn't target Lincoln directly for assassination. They just used him for their own ends. This time, Lincoln was in the crosshairs. War Leader was one thing, but Ronnie Anne was confident she could take on Tootie. She then grabbed Tootie from behind and made to physically restrain her.
"Put that down before someone gets hurt!" Ronnie Anne warned.
"Stay out of this, Santiago!" Tootie then broke free and deployed a gadget that summoned ropes that tied Ronnie Anne down on the ground. Tootie then knelt down to her level. "I'm going to give you the same gift Lincoln gave me; the pain of losing a loved one," Tootie seethed. Lincoln then realised what this was all about. Somehow, War Leader got it into Tootie's head that he was responsible for Timmy's death and has also trained Tootie to seek revenge.
"I don't know what War Leader told you, but I didn't kill Timmy Turner. No-one did. It was an act of self-sacrifice," Lincoln tried to reason with Tootie, but she was not having it.
"You lie! Timmy wouldn't do that for someone he doesn't even know! He never mentioned you to me! Not once! You won't talk? Fine, I'll make you!" Tootie then lunged at Lincoln. Using his experience fighting his sisters, Lincoln was able to dodge Tootie's attacks, but if he had to be honest, he didn't want to fight back. He would defend himself, but not attack directly. Lincoln could sense Tootie's grief and pain, and he almost understood. Hearing all this, Riff tried to open the door, but it was locked.
"Tootie, if you can hear me, I know what happened. Lincoln is telling the truth," Riff preached.
"How could any of you know?! Were you there?!" Tootie cried out as she held Lincoln up against the wall, the blade nearing his throat.
"Yes. I. Was!" Lincoln affirmed as he summoned the strength to push Tootie away and gain some ground.
On the golf course, while Ali and Yup were busy warming up for the second half, Lori, Aquarian, Agatha, and Julie all surrounded War Leader. Niblick, seeing this, thought this behaviour was most unusual, and unwelcome. He and campus security had their own plans for Darius, but with this sudden development, he had to back off due to fears for Lori's safety, as well as those of the volunteers.
"Lori, what are you doing?" Niblick whispered to himself. War Leader then looked around to see that he had company. Rather than turn and run, he merely smiled.
"I was wondering when we'd get to this point. I do so hate subterfuge, but then again, all battle plans need some prep work," War Leader lamented.
"Save it, War Leader. Leni's not here. Your plan to draw her out has failed," Lori declared.
"You're outnumbered four to one. I suggest you surrender," Agatha outlined.
"A true warrior doesn't give up because the odds are against them. They fight until the bitter end, or at least until the objective is fulfilled," War Leader lectured. Aquarian then summoned their trusty trident, along with a defensive ring of water that encircled them.
"Whatever your objectives are, you will not succeed here. Come with me to the Sanctum and I promise you'll be treated fairly," Aquarian bargained. Marisa, Ewan, Raj, and Sid all bore witness to these events and wondered if they were on some movie set or hidden camera prank show. Meanwhile, Niblick and the undercover police officers, who also saw this exchange, had questions of their own. Actually, just one; What the hell was going on here?
"There are more Sisters on the way. You have no escape. I'd take the Sentinel's offer," Julie advised, while hers, Agatha's, and Lori's wands were drawn and all pointed at War Leader, who then summoned a sword and a staff of his own, in each hand.
"You want this POW, you'll have to earn it," War Leader goaded. Aquarian then closed the gap between them and War Leader, the two combatants locked in combat with their trident and his sword connecting, while at the same time War Leader used his staff to deflect magic attacks from the three witches. Seeing this, Niblick and the police shifted their priorities from apprehension of a suspect to evacuation of non-combatants. Ali and Yup were swiftly taken to another part of the campus, while Sid, fearing for Ronnie Anne and Lincoln, broke off to find them.
Meanwhile, the struggle between Lincoln and Tootie continued. Lincoln hoped that by disarming Tootie, she'd calm down long enough to see reason, but Tootie had been well-trained in hand-to-hand and melee combat. Lincoln realised all too quickly that this wouldn't be like a typical sibling fight. This was a fight for his life, and any mistake would cost him greatly. Still, he couldn't bring himself to strike one who was hurting internally. Tootie was grieving and looking for someone to blame. If any of his sisters had met the same fate, Lincoln could see himself in Tootie's position.
"I'm telling you, Tootie. I didn't kill him. He sacrificed himself. So did Chloe," Lincoln emphasised.
"STOP LYING!" Tootie exclaimed. Riff could hear all this and deduced that no amount of words could convince Tootie to call off her attack, so he kicked the door down. Sid had chosen this moment to find Ronnie Anne and Lincoln, and also bore witness to a black-haired girl trying to knife Lincoln. While she made to free Ronnie Anne from her bindings, Riff used his magical ribbons to try and stop Tootie. Seeing the Sentinel bust in on her, Tootie made one last effort to land a blow. Realising she could only evade Riff's ribbons for so long, she swung wildly, managing to cut Lincoln's leg before being encased from neck to toe in ribbons. She struggled to break free, but Riff's ribbons were tight, almost like a snake squeezing its prey tightly around its body. Sid and Ronnie Anne rushed to Lincoln's side, helping him onto a chair. Riff then rounded on Tootie.
"OK, ready to play nice now?" Riff remarked. Tootie ignored him and focused on Lincoln. Riff could see that he was bleeding and used another ribbon to bind the wound.
"Why would Timmy sacrifice himself for you? Why do you deserve it?" Tootie questioned.
"I don't," Lincoln rebutted.
"Then he died because you let him," Tootie guessed.
"I fought to keep it from happening, but the other guys were better than us," Lincoln responded. For some reason, he found breathing a bit difficult. His head was spinning, and he was seeing double.
"Then he died because you were weak. You should've fought harder. You barely put up a struggle against me. It was all too easy to land the fatal blow. I knew you Sentinels were coming, so I prepared to finish things quickly," Tootie relished in her victory. Riff then examined the knife she had wielded and found that it had been laced with poison.
"Oh dear, this is the venom of the spitting cobras from the Haunted Tomb. At this concentration, he only has one or two hours left," Riff explained.
"Isn't there an anti-serum?" Ronnie Anne begged desperately.
"Yeah, the Chief knows how to make it. I'll try and raise her," Riff answered. He made to call Chief Annie and update her.
Meanwhile, the five-way duel between Lori, Agatha, Julie, Aquarian, and War Leader was still going on. Aquarian soon realised that Delilah was not exaggerating about War Leader's martial skill. He was every bit as good as she said he was. Although, they had to wonder just when War Leader would strike back. Throughout this bout, all War Leader did was block physical and magical attacks thrown at him and evaded when he could not. You would think a Malefic Order member would be more aggressive.
"Something is wrong here. Why isn't War Leader putting up much of a fight?" Aquarian wondered. They then began thinking through potential battle scenarios and then it became clear; War Leader's objective wasn't to attack, but to buy time. This wasn't the real fight. Then Aquarian remembered the message the Time Window gave before he and Riff came to Great Lakes City; 'Protect the one with colourless hair'. "Lori, go find your brother!" Aquarian urged. Lori was stuck in a wand-lock with War Leader; their two spells colliding in mid-air.
"I'm literally pre-occupied right now!" Lori yelled back. Aquarian then used his waterbending to fire an icicle made from a nearby water hazard at War Leader, who only just managed to get out of the way, breaking the lock and allowing Lori to make for the main building.
"Leaving already? We were just getting started," War Leader taunted. He then summoned a firewall to keep Lori from escaping, but Aquarian managed to put that out easily. Growing desperate to keep the attention on him as much as possible, War Leader lobbed fireballs at a fleeing Lori, which Aquarian deflected using water balls. Aquarian was able to cover Lori long enough for her to get inside and find her brother. Realising that War Leader gave himself away, Agatha and Julie sported smiles.
"So, you were just the distraction? You were a good one, we'll give you that," Julie complimented back-handedly.
"But not good enough. What are your plans for the boy?!" Agatha interrogated.
"You'll see, soon enough, my plans for both Lincoln and Tootie. For what it's worth, I do hope Lori makes it in time," War Leader hinted.
"In time for what?" Aquarian probed.
Back in the classroom, the cobra venom was making the rounds through Lincoln's system. Along with the dizziness, double vision and breathlessness, Lincoln's mouth was bone dry and he had trouble staying conscious. Lori had found them just in time to see Lincoln's face become pale. She then saw a ribbon-tied Tootie and Riff trying to call Annie urgently. She heard him talking about snake venom and feared the worst.
"What happened in here?" Lori inquired.
"Ask her!" Sid then pointed out Tootie, who seemed to be grinning from ear to ear. Lori deduced that she had a hand in Lincoln's current condition and grabbed Tootie by the collar.
"What did you do?!" Lori raged.
"It was always said that poison is the favoured tool of assassination among women. I'm not one to break with tradition," Tootie bragged. Lori, having lost all emotional control, then grabbed Tootie by the throat and began squeezing.
"You have 30 seconds to come up with an antidote or you will have 10 angry sisters thinking up slow and painful ways to EXECUTE YOU WHERE YOU STAND!" Lori outlined.
"You can do what you want. I still got my justice, in the end," Tootie spat back.
"Justice?! What did Lincoln ever do to you?!" Lori demanded.
"She seems to think Lincoln killed Timmy. Or at least, that's what War Leader put into her head," Ronnie Anne answered.
"What?! Lincoln didn't kill him. It was self-sacrifice," Lori rebuked.
"He's got you singing that tune as well. I knew Timmy better than all of you combined. He wouldn't throw his life away like that," Tootie affirmed. Lincoln then found his voice and addressed Tootie directly, as best he could.
"Timmy….. never figured you….. for an assassin. He always….. thought you were sweet," Lincoln recalled. This made Tootie's demeanour shift from rage-filled to somewhat curious. Did Timmy really call her sweet to Lincoln? If he did, that meant the two of them did speak to each other.
"He did? Did Timmy say anything else?" Tootie inquired.
"He told me that….. while he did find….. your obsession with him…. off-putting… at first…. once he realised…. that you had Vicky…. as an older sister…. he understood…. why you latched onto him. He loved you….. like the sister he never had… and always wanted the best for you," Lincoln revealed. Tootie felt her anger at Lincoln wash away. She spent all this time assuming that Lincoln didn't know Timmy, that Lincoln must have played a role in his death, because why else would he be at the grave site? After hearing that Lincoln and Timmy spoke about her before he died, she figured that they had to be at least friendly towards each other.
"How? How did it happen?" Tootie asked calmly instead of aggressively.
"Like now….. Timmy and I… were involved in a war. Something needed doing…. and it didn't involve… sacrificing anybody….. at first… but the enemy… forced our hand. Timmy and Chloe… stepped up….. when no-one else could…. and their sacrifice… enabled us to….. finish the mission…. and win the war with Bill. Timmy and Chloe….. were heroes. Lucy and I… made sure they were honoured as such. Nobody killed them. They were…. casualties or war… nothing more," Lincoln painfully recalled.
"So, when I saw you at the grave site..." Tootie began.
"I was….. paying respects….. to the friend….. I had failed to save. I swore that day…. that I would not fail again. Whatever hatred… and resentment….. you have towards me….. is nothing compared….. to what I have for myself. Because of my failure… two sets of parents… have empty rooms…. where their kids once slept. That is mine to live with….. for the rest of my days….. which you have cut short….. so thanks for that release, I guess," Lincoln explained. Tootie then felt a great swell of sympathy for Lincoln. Timmy's death must have been just as bad for him as it was for her.
"I-i-it shouldn't have g-gone that way. I-i-if I had been there, I c-c-could've stopped it. I could've c-changed it," Tootie wept.
"Nothing…..was gonna stop them… from saving those they care for. He….. did it for all of us… not just me," Lincoln replied. Tootie's grief then came rushing to the surface.
"I loved him so much," Tootie cried out. She then realised what she had done and decided to make things right. "You there, Sentinel. There's a vial of liquid in my front pocket. It'll save him," Tootie told Riff. He searched the pocket in question and found the vial Tootie had referred to.
"What is this?" Riff asked.
"An anti-venom. War Leader's number one rule when it comes to handling poisons; always have an antidote on hand in case it is ever used against you," Tootie recited War Leader's teachings word for word. Hearing this, Riff swiftly gave Lincoln the medicine, and his condition improved rapidly.
"How are you feeling, Lincoln?" Lori probed.
"A little better, if slightly dehydrated," Lincoln replied. Lori then handed him some bottled water for him to chug down on. Riff called Annie back to tell her the anti-serum she was making wouldn't be necessary. However, any celebrations would have to be put on hold, as everyone could hear clapping from the hallway. They turned to see War Leader facing them. Riff and Lori drew their weapons, but War Leader held his hands up, which took them by surprise.
"And thus, my work is complete," War Leader stated.
"What do you mean?" Tootie queried.
"I never wanted you to kill Lincoln. I only wanted you to find the closure you needed since Timmy's death. What Lincoln said to you was true. Timmy and Chloe were indeed casualties of the war against the Nightmare King Bill Cipher. You needed to hear that from the one who witnessed it happen in order to heal and move on," War Leader explained.
"Then why did you train me?" Tootie questioned.
"Therapy. You needed something to occupy your mind. You will note that I never told you outright that Lincoln was responsible. It was you who came to that conclusion," War Leader recollected.
"But you told me he was the last person to see Timmy alive," Tootie rebuffed.
"How do you know that? But yes, I was the last person to see them alive. I even heard their last words. Chloe told me to go be a hero. Timmy told me to tell his family that he loved them and that it wasn't their fault things ended this way," Lincoln revealed.
"To tell you the truth, I have always detested assassination. It lacks honour. When I face my enemies, I want to do it properly and earn my victories, not steal them from the shadows. I may not have succeeded in luring Leni Loud from her hiding place, but I did succeed in getting Tootie what she needed in order to come to terms with her grief. I consider that a small victory. I don't want to fight a weakened, fragmented enemy, so I will take my leave. But the next time we meet, Louds, we will be on opposite sides," War Leader then used his magic to portal himself away from Fairway, to who-knows-where.
"I will literally never understand those Malefic people," Lori said.
"Nor will I, but at least Lincoln made it out of this fight in one piece," Riff lamented. Lori then turned to Tootie.
"So, what do we do with this one?" Lori wondered.
"I got a few ideas, but they're all illegal in a civilised society," Ronnie Anne seethed.
"If you'll permit it, I want to take her somewhere," Lincoln requested.
"The slammer?" Lori said hopefully.
"No. Somewhere she needs to go," Lincoln rebutted.
"I think I know where you mean, and I will allow it, but I'm going with you," Riff asserted.
"Fair enough. Lead the way," Lincoln acknowledged. Riff then summoned a portal that led to the Dimmsdale Cemetery, right where Timmy and Chloe were buried. Riff, satisfied that Tootie was no longer a threat to Lincoln's safety, undid her ribbon bindings.
"I never did get to say goodbye to him," Tootie said regretfully.
"Well, here's your chance," Lincoln offered. Tootie then approached the grave with Timmy's name and photo on it. The words engraved upon it were:
Timothy Tiberius Turner
The average boy who no-one understood
And sadly, never will
May he rest in peace
"It's been a while since I was last here. A lot has happened. My sister Vicky is rotting in prison. My parents are getting intensive psychiatric help, and I have a new foster family. I also met Lincoln Loud, the friend you made during some war you guys fought. If you can hear me, I want you to know that I always understood you, when others could not or did not want to. You were the best sibling I could ever ask for. Goodbye, Timmy Turner, and thank you," Tootie paid her respects, and a gentle zephyr blew across Tootie's face. She chose to believe that was Timmy's spirit wishing her well for the future. She then turned to Lincoln.
"I don't get you, Lincoln. I tried to take your life, and instead of meting out punishment, you bring me here," Tootie queried.
"….and he piled upon the whale's white hump, the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would've shot his heart upon it," Lincoln quoted.
"That doesn't answer my question," Tootie observed.
"Moby Dick. Middle school reading assignment. Captain Ahab spent years hunting the white whale that took his leg. But in the end, his quest cost him his ship and his crew," Lincoln clarified.
"Guess he couldn't let go," Tootie replied.
"Something we're both guilty of," Lincoln admitted. Tootie and Lincoln then heard a car horn blaring. Tootie looked up to see her foster family waiting for her.
"That's my ride. I have to get going," Tootie indicated.
"Not so fast," Riff halted Tootie, then placed a ribbon on her wrist. "This is a realm anchor. It'll keep you tied to this dimension. Think of it as like interdimensional house arrest. Any attempt to leave this realm will be picked up on by the Sentinels. Any attempt to remove the ribbon, same thing. However, there is a built-in comm system. Should the Order come knocking again, inform us," Riff added. While Lincoln did want to see Tootie home, he had to acknowledge that consequences had to be faced, considering she did almost kill him.
"I get it. No more quests for vengeance for this girl. Time for me to get on with my life as it is now," Tootie accepted this punishment, and left to join her foster family, but not before sharing a few more last words. "Lincoln, you really are too nice for your own good," Tootie pointed out, before getting into the car.
"She's got a point, you know," Riff commented, before the two went back through the portal to Fairway University.
The rest of the day proved uneventful. While it was regrettable that War Leader could not be apprehended, everyone involved was satisfied that such an attempt would not be made again. The sibling golf tournament ended with Lincoln and Lori emerging victorious over Ali and Yup, who achieved second, with 'Kate' and 'Darius' facing disqualification in absentia. For Lincoln, however, the greatest victory did not come through this win. It was through finally letting go of his resentment towards his sisters. At least, mostly. There was still a lot of baggage to be processed. This was the topic of discussion at the Casagrande building.
"So, Linc, you think you'll be moving back to Royal Woods?" Bobby asked. Lincoln gave this a lot of thought. While Lincoln did mellow out in regards to his feelings towards his sisters, he did hear about Ronnie Anne's desires for him to stay longer. He shared them, but he also wanted to repair the bond between him and his siblings. But, Lincoln being Lincoln, he had a plan.
"I've given this a lot of thought, and this is what I've come up with. In truth, you helped me decide, Bobby," Lincoln answered.
"I did?" Bobby replied, suddenly very confused.
"Well, your room did. If I were to go back to Royal Woods, I'd be stuck in a converted linen closet that I'm almost certain to out-grow. Here, I have a room-sized room. Given that Ronnie Anne and I really want to make a home together and that Principal Ramirez went to a lot of trouble to get me transferred to Chavez Academy, I have decided to stay here, at least for my middle school years," Lincoln resolved.
"But that's three years without you," Lori responded.
"Let me finish. I am open to online counselling sessions at least once a week with the school counsellor here. Besides, the three years I spend here will give Lori and Leni enough time to move out of the Loud House with their boyfriends, which they will be engaged to, if fate is willing. Then, once my high school years start. I can have their old room back in Royal Woods. I'll still visit on Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the odd weekend, if RA and I don't have anything planned. Once I've graduated high school, RA and I can look at getting our own place together for the rest of our lives," Lincoln relayed his thought-out plan.
"Wow, Lincoln, I am genuinely impressed. You've grown, physically and mentally, and I do like your plan. I'll convey it to the others, see what they think, but they'll probably be cool with it. After all, I'm not the only one who wants to see you and Ronnie Anne settle down," Lori complimented.
"I like this plan, too. I'm all for it," Ronnie Anne affirmed.
"Me too. You've always had a place with the Casa Crew," Bobby agreed.
"You've always been the best judge of character on The Dream Boat," Carlota observed.
"A captain never leaves a fellow pirate behind," CJ stated.
"Who else in this house will share my love for El Falcone?" Carl queried. Carlitos just babbled a bit, signifying his approval. Ronnie Anne then pulled Lincoln into a tight hug.
"Loud. Casagrande. Santiago. Pick a name. You belong in all families," Ronnie Anne said soothingly. The two then shared a loving kiss, as did Lori and Bobby, before everyone settled down for the night. Lincoln was having a most peculiar dream. He was in the same library he was when he was being hospitalised after Plague Bringer's attack. He made to sit down at a desk, and waiting for him were Timmy Turner and Chloe Carmichael.
"I take it you brought me here, again," Lincoln guessed.
"Yep. Being omnipotent Magic Guardians has its perks. I brought you here to thank you for saving Tootie from going down a dark road," Timmy said gratefully.
"The Sentinels did their part," Lincoln responded humbly.
"It was easy to send a message through their Time Window. I have to admit, I had my doubts, but they always come through," Chloe added.
"While we're here, can you tell me the Order's next move? Or the Supreme Warlock's identity?" Lincoln questioned.
"No and no, but what we can tell you is that the Dragon Realms' greatest champion is entering the war. Our odds of victory just skyrocketed," Timmy updated.
"That's great. Who are they?" Lincoln queried.
"He is known as the Purple One, and he always has a dragonfly companion with him. Can't miss him, even if you try," Timmy hinted.
"But that's tomorrow's battle. Be thankful for what you have now, and proud of what you've accomplished, and the progress you've made," Chloe advised.
"Keep your loved ones close to you. The bond you share will be your best defence against the Order. Have faith, Lincoln Loud," Timmy added, before Lincoln's dream came to an end.
The next day, Lincoln Loud was talked into joining the Swim Club by Ronnie Anne, either because she wanted them to share in an activity or because she wanted to see Lincoln without a shirt on in a way that didn't ring alarm bells with her parents was up for debate. Also, because Ronnie Anne and Sid were hoping to catch more glimpses of Chad the hot, hunky lifeguard. However, when they arrived at the pool, they were nowhere in sight. Coach Kernicky then addressed the participants.
"We've had a change of staff. Since HR got a flood of complaints from Chad about female staff members, and some older students, staring at them, they have resigned as our lifeguard…." Coach Kernicky began. This elicited some 'awwww's' from the female swimmers. "Fortunately, we have found a last-minute replacement, hailing from Royal Woods, so Lincoln, you might recognise them. Say hello to Ms. DiMartino," Coach Kernicky introduced Ms DiMartino in a swimming outfit. Lincoln immediately had to avert his gaze to avoid falling in the same infatuation trap that nearly made him fail fifth grade. Ronnie Anne knew what was up and helped Lincoln keep his eyes off DiMartino.
"Sid, help me get Lincoln out of here before he… you know, pops a tent," Ronnie Anne urged in a hushed tone, but Sid was busy staring at Ms DiMartino. Sid found herself admiring DiMartino's figure, all the while that same Barry White song played in her head.
"Hola, class. Let us start by practicing our breaststroke," DiMartino instructed.
"Yes ma'am," Sid complied in an entranced tone of voice. All Ronnie Anne could do was facepalm as she dragged Lincoln out of there. Elsewhere in the school, Ms. Galiano was web-chatting to Principal Ramirez.
"Thank you again for suggesting Moby Dick as a reading assignment. I think it has helped Lincoln immensely," Ms. Galiano said gratefully.
"Anything to help out a fellow teaching school classmate. While it does stink not having Lincoln here, at least his family bond is well on its way to being restored," Ramirez replied.
"Do you think they will get back to the way things were?" Galiano asked.
"In time, yes, but there is a lot of work to do, on both sides," Ramirez lamented.
"I wish I could chat longer, but HR is making me attend a sexual harassment seminar. Apparently, me gawking at the new hot, hunky lifeguard so much it made them quit has consequences," Galiano then ended the conversation. Ramirez then chuckled at that last statement.
"Hot, hunky lifeguard, eh? Maybe I will use school funds to finish that pool," Ramirez suggested to herself.
At the Sentinel Sanctum, Riff and Aquarian were finishing their report to Annie in her office at the Murphy House, where she had taken up protection duty of Milo Murphy, another Valkyrie Keeper. Annie made a good listener, and hung on to every word, although when the topic of Lincoln and Ronnie Anne's desire to make a home and a future life together came up, the office had to be evacuated because streams of paper hearts kept coming out of Annie's cheeks, seemingly without end. They decided to hold the rest of the briefing in the corridor.
"Someday, Amy is going to discover why that keeps happening," Riff commented. Riff shot back. Aquarian, who had done away with their holo-visage, then made some clicks and whistles. "Sorry for being thorough. Maybe next time, I'll just lie," Riff added.
"It's fine, really. It was regrettable that War Leader couldn't be taken in, but at least Lincoln made it out alive. It was fortunate that Tootie had the anti-venom on her. I had just finished it when you updated me," Annie remarked.
"I had subjected her to a realm anchor. She cannot leave Dimmsdale again without us knowing," Riff recollected.
"Fair enough. She was grieving and being taken advantage of by the Order. Still, this proves that the Order is willing and able to target the isolated Louds. We will have to make arrangements for their safety as well. Riff, I want you and Sylvia to go back to Great Lakes City and set up there. You two will be assigned to Lincoln's protection. We cannot have another close call like this," Annie assigned Riff and his girlfriend Sylvia to this task.
"Isn't she already assigned to the Loud House?" Riff inquired.
"Yes, alongside Morgan, which is why I will assign Aquarian to take her place there. Pop into Brighton to see Amy and have her create a disguise that won't make every woman in Royal Woods fawn over them, or the Loud sisters for that matter. I do not want another Hugh incident," Annie outlined.
"Yes, Chief, but Morgan won't be happy," Riff acknowledged.
"Then calmly remind her that any role-playing disguises are to be kept for personal, not professional use," Annie responded. Aquarian then clicked and whistled again. "Ah yes, Lucy and Leni. Once she has retrieved the Ghost Chairman's robe, I will assign Zella and Griffin to the Boiling Isles. Franklin can take Zella's place amongst Molly's protection detail," Annie concluded her orders.
"Understood, Chief. The Louds are in good hands," Riff assured. Annie sighed heavily.
"We are fast running out of Sentinels for missions. We do not have any to spare for investigating the Supreme Warlock, or to watch for the Order," Annie lamented.
"In time, all will be revealed," Riff mused.
"I hope so, because I don't know how long we can keep this up," Annie responded. Aquarian clicked and whistled again. "Yes, Aquarian. For as long as we have to," Annie repeated.
Author's note: I hope the endings are wrapped up nicely. I put in so many story threads, it was starting to look like a tapestry, and I am no expert seamstress. Anyway, that concludes this latest outing of the Malefic Arc. Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I probably won't start writing the Christmas special I have planned until the beginning of December, and any other Malefic stories will likely still be in the planning and concept stages. There is…. something I want to try, an AU piece separate from anything I have done before, but I have never done such a thing, and I would not know where to begin. A puzzle for another time. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. All properties belong to their respective owners. Enjoy, and here's the traditional post-credit scene:
Leni was going about her shift at the Cloaks and Cowls, the favoured clothing store of Bonesborough. She had to thank Amity for getting her this job. It had been torture spending all her time on the Boiling Isles cooped up in hers and Lucy's boarding dormitories while Lucy attended classes at Hexside. This way, at least she could be helpful, rather than a burden on the people of this world. While the patrons of Cloaks and Cowls were a little apprehensive of the Triad guards that had been stationed at the entrance, they soon became part of the décor. Her workmates, Viney and Jerbo, were busy getting the cowls ready for the new semester at Hexside.
"I warn you now, Leni, this will be brutal. The two weeks before school starts is always a nightmare," Viney braced Leni.
"In my world, we have the senior shop-a-ganza. Stampeding retirees are always terrifying," Leni recounted.
"Speaking of Hexside, how is Lucy doing in her class?" Jerbo inquired.
"She says is totes fun. She's already making lots of new friends. According to Bump, she's on the fast track to graduating," Leni answered.
"At her age? She must be gifted. What is human school like?" Viney probed.
"Nothing like Hexside. You learn boring things like math, literature, and, ugh, social studies. Everyone in my family fits in so well there, though. Luan has her drama club. Luna has music. Lynn is a star athlete in six sports teams. What am I good at? Making people look their best, and honestly, I'm OK with that," Leni explained.
"School's over-rated. Why do you think Jerbo and I got out as soon as we could?" Viney shrugged off.
"Come on, we have work to do," Jerbo pressed. As the three friends got on with their tasks, a small, golden dragonfly was watching Leni. It then buzzed out of the store and approached a creature sitting on a nearby rooftop. Rather than be scared, the dragonfly spoke to this creature as if they were brothers.
"That was the Valkyrie Keeper housing the spirit of Eir? She didn't seem like much to me," the dragonfly commented. The creature, a purple dragon with yellow horns and wings, turned to face the dragonfly.
"Sparx, you saw what she did to Fear Monger and Plague Bringer at Royal Woods. She's capable," Spyro asserted.
"Still, why her? I'm pretty sure Sigrun would have the answers you seek," Sparx queried.
"Sigrun may have been the Queen of the Valkyries, but Eir was closer to Thor and Loki. If the Asgardians did survive Ragnarok, she would know how, and where they are now," Spyro responded.
"Makes sense. I'll follow your lead, buddy," Sparx relented. Spyro's attention then turned to another witch watching Leni and her group. Unlike the other residents, this witch looked suspicious.
"Isn't that Odalia Blight?" Spyro probed.
"She looks like she's seen better days," Sparx observed.
"She may be trouble. We may have to intervene," Spyro affirmed.
"Careful, your prejudice towards the rich is showing," Sparx sassed.
"If I have to hear 'a small fee' one more time, I will feed Moneybags to the Metalback Spiders of the High Caves," Spyro ranted.
"He'd keep then fed for a week," Sparx joked. The pair then set off on their quest, unsure where the path would take them.
Yeah, Spyro has entered the fight. Watch out, Malefics!