Here's the page guys, I'm sorry guys, this year is taking so much in a short amount of time!
Page 7: The Voice
You need something to talk to a person or crowd, it is a comfort or harsh, charge change anything comes in the situation, voice is the most powerful thing in the world.
In writing through the book, going through each line to copy every word of the teacher's lesson, Lincoln happens to be the one who seems focused on his schoolwork, including his friends, from the new start of middle school until the bell comes on, which means Holiday week finally comes.
"Alright, class. You'll be thrilled having a week of your holiday off, so please stay warm, have fun, and go well with your family," the teacher said as students stood up.
Lincoln stood up grabbed his belongings, and went out with his friends. "So a whole holiday off, what you guys gonna do?"
"Well, having to wait to get my present ripped open," Zack said with a smile.
"Spent time with my dads, hope to get something good this year," Clyde replied
"My family is having a cool meal, wrestling that hog!" Liame states fist in the air.
"Make sure it gets a mistletoe from a girl," Rusty said looking at Stella with a sly smile. "Huh, Stella?"
Stella looks down and rubs her arms. "Yeah...Lincoln, can we-"
Rusty then points his finger. "Guys looked!"
A crowd of people coming towards surrounded them mostly Lincoln, asking about drawing commissions for them, each one needed for the holidays, the boy was surprised at how many they were asking for his artwork, and he shouted out. "Everyone be quiet!" They were silent as the boy spoke. "Those who wanted a commission, just form a line on me so I can list your name and what I wanna me to draw for you, either wanna be digital or frame and get your art, just come to Youth Convention Center Holiday Smash, and you can find me there with your painting," He looked at his friends. "You guys can go ahead, I catch up,"
After the whole ten minutes, Lincoln now alone walking out of the building, sees snowflakes going down slowly, many kids going to school buses, and parents picking up, he spots his sister Lynn going in her bus, spots her brother, and she glares as did a huff. He sighed as his sisters were mad at him, still not giving his money to them for their demands. Much of his cares for his sisters, and he won't give in to their anger, he goes to his bike, and laces his stuff, in the baskets, he has a lot to do in three days until Holiday Smash, he hears his name, turns to see Stella much of his surprised. "Stella, you still here Burphin Burgers?"
"Yeah, I kinda wanna talk to you...about something important," Stella answered.
"Sure, you can ride on my pegs," Lincoln stated looking down at his bike.
Lincoln and Stella ride down the street while exploring the looked in town, which shows Holiday spirit; decorations, Christmas carols, shopping spree, and many exploring to have a wonderful time with their loved ones. Lincoln places his bike in the park, Stella sitting on a bench while twirling her thumbs, Lincoln comes back with two cups of cocoa and a bag of cookies. He sits down next to her, both see the beautiful large tree in the town center while eating.
"Who knew the holiday is so amazing," Lincoln comments
"Hmm-mm!" Stella sighed and looked at the boy. "Lincoln, we should talk," She turns to him with a small smile. "I kinda want to ask you what you think about me?"
Lincoln traveled home on his bike, looking shocked. Stella confessed everything to him, and Ronnie Anne said it was okay with her. Sure, Stella is a nice girl, and he wants to date her, but he made it to promise the others and one more thing. 'She's not the only one who confessed about their feelings; I'm not that helpful...'
Then seeing a car stuck in the snow, hard to pick up a vehicle is two girls; with blonde hair and wearing it pulled back in a ponytail. She has fair skin and wears a black blouse with a strange look. She also wears red leggings and black boots with shoelaces. And a short, brunette with her hair in a curly bun and glasses. Her skin has many freckles and her blouse is white with black sleeves and fire on it which matches the shirt that girl next to her. She has fair skin and also wears teal pants and red sneakers. Lincoln parked his bike and spoke to them. "Huh, you girls alright?"
"Oh we fine, we kinda suck in the snow," The blonde said as both fell to the ground and both frowned.
"We tried pushing, but it's too hard," the brunette replied, breathing heavily. They were shivering.
Lincoln rubs his chin, spots an old wood, and gets an idea. "Alright, I got a plan, I'll make sure it gets you girls some cocoa,"
All three of them work together, the girls place the wood on the back of the car while Lincoln the back, looks at them. "Okay, you two push down the wood while I pick the car, on three?"
The girls nodded, and the boy counted until they followed the plan as the car drove up fast once they got on the road, it finally out, all of them cheered, and two girls hugged Lincoln much to his surprise while groaning. 'Okay maybe I am a gentleman,' He looked at them. "You guys are welcome, gotta name before drink some hot chocolate,"
"I'm Kate Persky," The brunette state
"And I'm Allie Day," The blonde responded
The car opens up revealing a girl with a green, upside-down raindrop-shaped head, fair skin, thick black brows, brown eyes, and shoulder-length teal hair. She also wears black cat-eyed glasses. She is dressed in a long orange sleeveless turtleneck, military-green shorts, white above-the-knee socks, and dark teal, low-heeled plimsolls. "And, I Bernadette Brett,
Lincoln promised them that they would get them out of the snow, hot chocolate for all of them; hearing three groupies to two bands, and a little late to the plane, thanks to him, they might catch up on time. He says it's good and might wanna see them play one day, right now, saying goodbye, in front of his house, getting one last hug from Allie and Kate, a tight one. "Thank you, Lincoln!"
"No problem," Lincoln groaned in pain while smiling.
"Can I commission you when you finish the art on Christmas? I want you to do two album covers," Bernadette asked with a smile.
"Sure, just post a commission on my blog and I promise to talk," Lincoln answered raising a thumb while getting a hug.
The groupies begin to go back to the car, but the first two besties give their helper a beck on the cheeks on his face much of him shocked, they walk to the car, and begin to leave while the three of them wave at him. 'They right, I am a gentle," The car drove off but made a big jump due to having hit a hole in the road, one instrument case fell on the ground, making his eyes widen he called out to them, but it's was too late, they were already gone, only left is case with...loads of locks.
In the Loud Household, everyone gets everything for the holidays; Lori texts on the phone while frowning at Bobby doing little text to her, Leni repairs clothes for this special day, Luna taps her lips with her pencil, trying to find the lyrics she is thinking, but it's little hard without some help, Luan trying to come up some jokes for next year. Still, it's challenging for some to tell it to someone, Lynn throws a ball in the air while sitting on the couch, looking bored out of her mind, no matter what plan how to do sports. At the same time, not cause damage to the house, Lola looked at her ways trying to do 'good deeds' to not be on Santa's naughty list, Lana fed the pets sneaky eating one of them, Lisa studied the snow but little hard due no assistance, Lily happily play with her blocks. Rita and Lynn Sr doing the latest shopping spree aka their presents to their children, a little expensive...hope it does not cause them late on the bills. Then Lincoln came with his stuff, and an instrument case, he went to the door to the basement, and Lana spots once on his back. "Hey Lincoln, what's on your back, it's has loads of locks.
"A friend dropped it from the back of her car, so I called her when she called," Lincoln said opening up the door.
Lola puts up her most innocent face. "So, Lincoln, since the holidays, it's about caring, can you-"
Lincoln looked at her with a deadpan. "No Lola, I got work to do,"
Lola gets angry. "Oh come on, why not, it's the holidays,"
"Which is coming, need to get the art ready for the buyers," Lincoln said as he heard Luna strumming her guitar making him glare for a glance until he stopped in confusion, he closed the door.
Lola glares deeply. She kicks the door, hearing crashing from the other side while Lincoln shouting. "No! The stuff!" Lola smirks until realizes what she did, making her facepalm, one of her naughty deeds.
In the basement, Lincoln picked up his stuff, placing it on the side of the sector that looked like an art studio, Lincoln made it so he could focus because the bottom area is quiet and soundproof in the household. He spots one last thing, the instrument case that has been left behind and it seems the fall breaks the locks...he needs to make sure to see it's okay, he kneels and opens it, seeing a guitar broken guitar, like it's in half. 'Oh man, I hope I didn't break it' He picks up the top up front of him. "...last thing they are mad-"
Suddenly the top glows in Lincoln's eyes, making him shake his head, and wonder what it is, maybe it was those special effects on the guitar, he places it down, and closes it. He begins to start drawing on the board, the bases, he needed to focus on his work, strange thing that hearing Luna's guitar practice made him angry for some reason, but he shook it off, the pipe steam in rhythm made Lincoln growl in anger, he snap out of it. 'What's happening to me...'
Night time, the snowy winter falls on each house in Royal Woods, even Louds, everyone sleeping peacefully, well except for one of them, he struggling through bed, kicking, mumbling, sweating, then his eyes widened, glowing in blue light.
In a dark void, Lincoln walks through a field of darkness and then spots something afar, it seems to be a star and begins to morph into a light blue figure himself, with no face...just a pure faceless blue figure showing a video Luna's playing her guitar, it glares at the screen until it destroys it.
"Hey watch it, it's fragile!" Lincoln shouted angrily, it turned to him, only glaring deeply at Lincoln, only did turns to him, did a cutthroat to the broken pieces of the memory, shocking the flute "No, I won't let you hurt Luna!"
Lincoln tackles the blue figure, both wrestling throughout the area, delivering punches to each other until Lincoln pins down the blue figure, glaring deeply. "You not touching her!" The blue figure's glare at the guitar strums makes his anger rise, Lincoln spots the action. "You hated the guitar, you just like it..." The blue figure hits the guitar as stopped playing the music making Lincoln realize what he trying to do, making him stand up. "You...hate music, why?" Music is good, why try to destroy it, music is part of life, I enjoy it myself, and you can too,"
The blue figure only gets angry more, goes on his knees, and hits his fists on the ground, changing the whole place. The place shows a stone building, a kid wearing a wing helmet, playing a flute. He smiles and he hugs it. As time passes, the teen turns into a man and spots a lady who smiles at him.
"So you're the famous musician I've been hearing about?"
"Yes, I am, wanna do a duet?"
"With that small wooden thing?"
The man sees his flute and throws it into the water well. "What? No, I not using that worthless thing, I play whatever you play beautiful,"
They leave unaware the flute heard it, as grows intense hate of music playing all over him, over a decade, the bucket comes up showing a kid with a confused look.
"A flute?"
Lincoln realized the man disowned his instrument like that, threw it away like it was nothing, and abandoned the one thing that had been with him forever, the boy turned to see the blue figure sitting on a cliff, with his head down. Lincoln goes to it, sits down next to the blue figure, and frowns at him. "I'm sorry, you spent ten years alone, listening to music while you were in the well all those years," The blue figure nods slowly, and Lincoln sighs. "I understand, I know what it is like to feel abandoned," The blue figure looked at him with a confused look. "Look in my mind and you understand,"
The blue figure touched his head, getting his memories, each one making going through emotions, so shocked of a child to handle so much responsibility, and so much pain during the half of the year, he let go and shocked look, Lincoln only frowned, stood up. "Yeah, both of us feel abandoned by those close to us, but it didn't stop me from growing, you can too," He raises his hand much of a blue figure shocked. "How about a promise, if we play music with a group and people love it, you can change for the better...like that promise?"
The blue figure stands up and looks at Lincoln, he grabs Lincoln's hand as the whole place begins to glow in white light, sparkling white stars going around the place.
Lincoln sleeping peacefully now, makes a smile, then covers himself with his blanket, having a comfortable look while snowing makes the sounds smoothing the mind...then his body starts to move, opens the door, and goes down the place.
In the morning, Loud woke up, all excited for tomorrow's special holiday, and each sibling really wanna get the day over and rip off those wrappers of large and small boxes. Lincoln came down getting ready to go to the convention center, then spotted his parents, having struggling faces in the kitchen, he spotted the Christmas list for the kids...seeing only halfway done, Lincoln knew this problem and sighed, he snapped a picture for a moment, going to the basement, texting one person for help buying those list that not scratch off, by using his account. He walked down the stairs, texting it was okay, it was his choice to help them, be happy, and have a great time. He went downstairs, seeing that shocked him; all of the art portraits he commissioned had just been finished, and all of them were the rightful same pictures in his head. He scratched his head. "Maybe I have already done it before sleep," He saw the timer on his phone, almost time, then saw messages, he looked only annoyed at the same certain red one from before. "Delete,"
So he packs up the art in a brown-covered, puts on the owners' names, and places them together, he is gonna go back up, but he spots the guitar, a strange thing that he needs to take with him, so he follows his feelings like always. He walked back to the top, seeing his family, all of them looking bored in their mind, heard from the night, through the walls hearing each event was canceled due to heavy snow, then saw Lily looking at him with a frown holding her blanket, knowing she don't wanna him to leave without her, he picks her up and spoke. "Don't worry Lily, I not gonna leave you," knowing his plan needed to get them out of the house. "Guys," the girls look at him and place his paintings and the case side of the door. "Look, I know we don't see eye to eye sometimes, but I don't wanna you guys to be bored, so I'm asking you wanna come to the convention center with me,"
They were surprised by what he just said, he wanted them to go to a place that they caused, Lynn joked. "Ha! Are you for real, you wanna us to go back to the place we crashed, we were banned remember,"
"I unbanned you girls," Lincoln stated making each one shocked. "I know you girls can be chaotic, but I'm sure you can handle it if you behave, now, you guys wanna come with me?"
Leni stood up but Lori grabbed her shoulder, looking suspicious. "Are you sure it's not a trap?"
Lincoln shook his head while smiling, he spoke that would change his mind. "Bobby will be there,"
Lori lit up and smiled. "What are we waiting for!"
"Everyone can dress up, our friends are there"
"Yippe!" Leni squealed as she clapped.
"A karaoke section,"
"Rock on," Luna shouted excitedly.
"A Christmas contest,"
"Okay, I'm in," Lynn quickly, can't refuse a challenge.
"Says got a dog,"
"Count me in," Lana states
"Give me one good reason to come," Lola asked, crossing her arms and looking away.
Lincoln leans in. "Princesses in there get a special gift in the end,"
Lola looked at him. "It better good,"
Lisa shook her head. "Nope, there's is no way I'm going, and there's nothing you can do to convince me brother unit,"
Lincoln looked at her with a smile. "Darcy is there,"
Lisa widened her eyes. "Really?"
"Come by the center time after time with her mom. She hopes you can come back and play with her," Lincoln answered with a smile.
Lincoln felt a whoosh of wind passing through him, seeing Lisa eagerly seeing her friend, knowing it had been months she was her only friend, so in the last ones were his parents, who came in seeing their daughters put on their winter clothes. Then seeing Lincoln going to them, having a face that of having a decision of their choice. "Mom, Dad, I am doing this so everyone can be happy,"
In the convention center, everyone celebrates their week of holiday, heck some of my friends from elementary, middle, and even high school chatted together and ate delicious treats. Even the main members enjoyed their time together, except for one more member who had not come yet. Little worry comes into their minds until they hear the door open and see one of them: Lincoln. Making each of them smile until coming in is his family, much of their shock.
"Guys, I brought them here, to have a good time, I promise I looked after them during-" Lincoln states.
"No Lincoln," Amy responded with a sharp tone.
Everyone is shocked even Niko, Amy is more welcoming and kind at the convention, seeing the owner walk up to Lincoln, kneeling in front of him. "They can stay, but they need to control themselves," She glared at the parents, mostly the certain blonde, who glared at her. "But it's parents' job to look after themselves, if they try even three times damage, they will leave,"
"I...understand," Lincoln said as he looked at his friends afar, much to his delight. "Clyde, Rusty, Zach, Liame, you guys are here?"
Lincoln's friends, including Stella and Ronnie Anne, came together and were greeted with smiles. The Loud sisters began to separate, enjoying the holiday bash. Rita and Lynn Sr got some cocoa, while certain blonde and white adults glared at each other intensely. Until the boy sees Niko coming towards him with a boy his age.
"Lincoln, I wanna meet a son of a friend of mine, who came here with his parents, who's tried to get the latest scoop," Niko pat the little boy back. "Meet Ryan,"
The boy has dark skin, black hair with shades, gray eyes, a blue sweater, blue jeans, and brown shoes. "Umm, that's my middle name...well, you can call me that."
Lincoln held out his hand and smiled. "Well either way, hello, say hello to my friends, Ryan,"
Ryan smiled, as he shook his hand. "Thanks, by the way...those people looking for you in the door."
"Oh right,"
"Here you go, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
Lincoln has his line of customers he has finished artwork, and each customers give him money or sends it to his account, even if it is low, the boy says it's okay cause it's the holiday and their art is good gifts for the family, his words, the males give him and handshake and for the females, a hug and peck on the cheek...he's finished up all his commissions and collected his payment, he waved at them as they drove off.
"Well well well, Larry and his paintings,"
The boy pinches his nose, looking to the right, seeing Chandler and his goons, looking at him with a plan to humiliate him or beat him down for messing with the leader, until each one feels the icy wind more than ever...each one feels it, wonder what's it's happening, looking up seeing a huge dark cloud, Amy came out in panicked. "Kids, get in here, a snowstorm is coming!"
The whole convention center is snow-covered everywhere even the road is blocked, windows are frozen shut, has snow coming down hard, it's the people, looking at Amy who is on the speaker. "Everyone the snowstorm has hit, don't worry, we have power, if we ever black out, we have a backup generator and enough hot meals and warmth for all until it is over, please enjoy this bash and be happy,"
Lincoln smiles at Amy, looking at the people who feel at ease and relieved, that makes his friend so great and so does everyone in the convention center, until Chandler leans to him. "You know she kinda hot,"
That struck Lincoln, he turned to Chandler, having a glare. "Watch it..."
Chandler and his goons only smile. "No, you watch it or you wanna cause problems in this place?"
"You need to treat everyone with respect including the girls, you go nowhere if keep this up," Lincoln answered.
"Oh boo hoo, treat each one with respect and kindness, that only make you sucked up, no girl will ever like someone like you...Larry," Chandler mocked
Lincoln glared deeply angrily at him, unaware that, someone heard them, got a glare, got an idea, so take action, the Loud Boy didn't want any trouble, so he walked away leaving red-haired Victorias with his gang.
"Hey Chandler, take a look," One of the gang members said
Chandler sees a ride, a ride that has money blowing all over inside, Girl Jordan waves at him. "Getting cashed while impressed by a girl...nice,"
He and his goons to it, as Girl Jordan spoke. "You three need to do is grab much in cash machine in ten minutes,"
"And I can grab a drink sweet thing?" Chandler asked with a smirk.
"Of course," Girl Jordan answered hiding an angry look.
Lincoln simply walked and grabbed a drink, until his name was called, turned to see Meli, trying to fix her bow, knowing what to do, he went to her. "You needed any help, Meli,"
"Um...y-yes," Meli said with a nod.
Lincoln fixed Meli's bow, doing it just right. She turned to him with a smile, and when she looked up, she gasped. Lincoln was confused until he followed her gaze and saw what made her react—there was a mistletoe above them. She looked down, covered her eyes, and blushed. Lincoln, knowing Meli got nervous, decided to follow the tradition. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, leaving her frozen in place. He smiled and said, "Merry Christmas, Meli."
Meli tried to process it, squealing in delight as her face turned red. She covered her face and ran off. Lincoln smiled, feeling nice about doing something sweet for a friend until he heard an 'ahem.' He turned around and was shocked to see Chandler and his goons.
Chandler and his gang enjoyed collecting cash by cheating and stuffing money into their pants, shirts, and jackets. "Ha, I hope this lame place goes bankrupt," Chandler sneered.
One of his members suddenly pointed and said, "Huh, Chandler."
"What? WHA—HUH?!" Chandler exclaimed, his eyes widening as he witnessed something surprising.
A line of girls had formed, with Jordan stepping up in front of Lincoln and staring at him with a blank expression and a pronounced blush. Lincoln could only stare back with a similar blank expression, though he was mixed with a hint of fear.
"So, is tongue included in the package? Or do I have to pay extra for that?" she asked teasingly.
"Buh, buh, buh…" Lincoln stammered, feeling as if it had suddenly gotten hotter outside.
"Hey, can you guys hurry up? The rest of us want a turn too!" shouted a feminine voice from the crowd.
Lincoln peered over Jordan's head and paled at the sight. Behind her was a massive line of girls for a mile. Every girl from his school was there: Cookie, Stella, Tabby, Giggles, Haiku, Polly Pain, Brownie, Mollie, Cristina (trying to disguise herself with sunglasses and a hoodie), Penelope, Renee, Paige, Margo, Gabby, and Hattie.
"Wait, why are you all doing this?" Lincoln asked, confused.
"Remember those commissions?" Cookie stated with a smile.
Lincoln realized that all of his drawings featured them, which explained why the girls were interested in him. But it didn't stop there—there were also several older girls and even a few younger ones in princess costumes waiting patiently in line.
"C-can't we talk about this for a second?" Lincoln asked, fear dripping from his every word.
"Nope," Jordan replied, grabbing hold of Lincoln's cheeks. "Now this is what it means to be the nicest guy we know."
Lincoln was shocked when she kissed him, and as she pulled away with a smile, he saw Ronnie Anne standing nearby, her hands in her hoodie pockets, blushing and looking away. "You too?" Lincoln asked.
Ronnie Anne grabbed his collar and pulled him closer. "You're lucky this is in public," she said before kissing him. This one was smoother and a bit rougher than Jordan's.
Chandler and his goons watched in anger as each girl kissed Lincoln, their frustration growing with every shared kiss. "What do those girls see in him?!" one of Chandler's members shouted angrily.
The second member, his crush kissed Lincoln, he cried, "They all like him?"
Chandler was filled with rage. "Alright, I'm going to make sure he never faces daylight again," he declared.
Thinking the same thing Loud Sisters, see girl-to-girl kissing their brother, even their friends, pecking their lips forehead, or face, making them disgusted and shocked, even their closet ones, Luna is horrified, and she begins to walk to the scene, to Sam and Mazzy giggling, until they see their lead singer to them with a angrily looked.
"Hey Luna," Mazzy greeted her friend. "Something wrong?"
"What was that?" Luna's question pointed in that direction. "You kissed my brother,"
"On the forehead, for helping me in summer and talking to me, and the last thing he did was truly amazing," Sam said with a smile.
"What my little bro done for doing something like that?!" Luna shouted at her in anger.
Sam grabbed Luna's head and made her turn her head in that direction, it's was Sam's mom and her skinny little brother, he was smiling while bangs, he greeted by other kids in the convention center. "Lincoln helped bring my mom and brother here, he talked to Simon and finally broke through his problems, he wanted to keep coming here now, finally getting out of his room," Sam turns to her with a frown. "I asked you to come with me to my place, at least one time, but you say you're always busy doing lyrics and hanging out with your family, I understand you wanna do things for us, but you need to check in for a while,"
Luna tries to talk to her but Mazzy brings Sam to the food place to relax, Luna gets angry at one person who is responsible and thinks gonna teach Lincoln a lesson for staying outta business.
Lincoln walked away droopy, with loads of kissing marks, so far dizzy and bizarre what just happened to see Ryan with his friends Clyde, Liam, and Zach as they comforting Rusty, who was puking out in the trashcan. "What's happened to him?"
"Well, we told him to wait to heat those meat crackers; he eats them raw," Ryan said, turning to him with a smirk. "So...Lover Boy, how about the mistletoe section?"
Lincoln looked at his friends, who all had a smile. "You saw?"
"Mate, the whole line of females, older, our age, a bit younger, kissing you, what do you think?" Liam answered
Lincoln shook his head, he tried to figure it out as well. "I don't know, one moment peck Meli and then in the next...girls form a line,"
"Well, you did many things in your art, so suck it up man, cause you getting more popular ladies, who it's rubbed into us, maybe Lori under it" Clyde stated with a dreamy looked.
'Oh Clyde,' Lincoln thought seeing Niko coming to him. "Yeah Niko,"
"Lincoln, everyone got their hands full, you responsible enough to ask you to get more chocolate upstairs, please," Niko asked
"Of course, I washed up and got them," Lincoln states
"Hey, you needed help?" Ryan asked
"Well, okay, just follow me, I know the storage is,"
Niko saw them walking off, she called out. "Be careful, the snowstorm makes the whole top floor slippery and loads of boxes,"
Then a shadow figure to the computer that controls the jump screen, a smile on its face.
On the top floor of the building, one of the rooms was a veritable treasure trove, brimming with various equipment, colorful toys, and stacks of food supplies. Sunlight filtered through a large window, illuminating the chaotic scene as the group rummaged through boxes, desperately searching for a box of chocolates that they hoped would make their day a little sweeter.
Zach got near the left, the toys. "Not the toys..."
"Can't be near the toys," Clyde said seeing the stack of boxes.
Rusty near the air vent. "I think must be in the boxes,"
"Who knew they had so much stuff here?" Liam exclaimed, lifting a particularly heavy box and pushing it aside with a grunt.
Lincoln, who had been inspecting a corner of the room, looked up suddenly. "There are so many events coming up; they have to be prepared for anything," he replied, his voice echoing slightly in the crowded space. As he sifted through a pile of items, he spotted a brown box peeking out from beneath a jumble of toys. "Let's find that box of chocolates and head downstairs."
"Right! Hey, Lincoln, can I ask you something?" Ryan said, his gaze directed downward as if the floor held the answers to his concerns.
Sensing the weight of Ryan's worry, Lincoln paused. "What's on your mind?"
Ryan took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly. "I feel like everything I do just makes everyone dislike me," he confessed, his eyes drifting to the window where snowflakes danced and swirled in the chilly air outside. "I'm trying so hard to help and make a difference, but everything I do just makes me look... I don't know, idiotic? I know I'm smart, but every decision I make seems to lead people to tell me I need to grow up. Even my friends wish I were more like you—someone respected and admired for making a real difference."
Lincoln's heart ached for Ryan; he recognized this familiar struggle from his own past experiences, especially from that challenging summer. He too wanted to break free from the limitations placed upon him, but it had proven to be more difficult than he had anticipated. "Honestly, Ryan, I don't have a straightforward answer," Lincoln admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice.
Ryan's frown deepened. "Really?"
"It took me standing up to my family's antics to find my spark," Lincoln explained. He recalled the long nights of practice, the lessons learned through trial and error. "It was tough, but by doing so, I discovered the support I needed to train, learn, and focus on my ambitions. My great mentor always said, 'Don't let anyone tell you who you are.' That stuck with me."
Ryan's expression softened, and a small smile began to form on his lips. "Thanks. And about the girls— you know, when they see us, I can't be picked because they might get jealous and mad... or... have you ever thought of dating them all?" He nudged Lincoln playfully with his elbow, a cheeky grin lighting up his face.
Lincoln felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Dude, that was way out of line..." He considered the idea, then decided to tease back. "If I had enough money, I might... and so could you if you play your cards right!"
Their laughter filled the room, echoing off the walls, until suddenly, the lights went out, plunging them into darkness. The backup generator whirred to life, casting an eerie glow, but then the door swung open violently and slammed shut, causing both boys to jump in surprise.
In the turmoil, Clyde stumbled through the room, inadvertently knocking down several pieces of equipment. A rogue bouncy ball ricocheted off the wall and struck Ryan squarely in the knees, Lincoln felt a heavy push on his back, sending him stumbling forward. Seizing the moment, Lincoln was propelled into the window with a force that caught him completely off guard.
Time seemed to slow as he fell, shock washing over him. Just when he thought this was the end, he felt a strong grip on his legs. Looking up, he saw Ryan and Clyde straining to hold him up.
"Don't worry, we've got you!" Ryan shouted, panic lacing his voice as he looked down at Lincoln, whose eyes widened in disbelief.
Clyde turned urgently to the others still in the room, desperation creeping into his tone. "What are you guys waiting for?! Help us!" He then hears something from the back a slam. "Huh?"
Just then, Liam, Zach, and Rusty rushed in, responding to the chaos. Each holds Lincoln's legs, they work together to pull him back into the room. Finally, they managed to hoist him inside, where he collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily, his heart racing. The adrenaline coursing through him made it hard to calm down.
"WHAT... JUST... HAPPENED?!" Lincoln gasped, his mind racing as he tried to process the whirlwind of events.
They came down to the lower floor, and Lincoln was shaken up. The whole gang tried to comfort him until everyone turned to the Loud Boy with questioning looks, raised eyebrows, and whispers that only made them more confused about what was happening.
"YOU!"
Lincoln was hit in the head and then grabbed by a furious Luna Loud, who gripped his collar and shook him violently, tears streaming down her face, filled with hatred and betrayal.
"L-Luna?" he stammered.
"HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO ME?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY BROTHER! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" Luna roared.
"Luna, let him go!" Ronnie Anne shouted as she and others pulled them apart.
Once they were separated, Lincoln looked up at the jumble of screens and saw a picture of himself and Sam talking—and...kissing?! That shocked him; of all the things he had witnessed, this was the worst.
"Luna, you can't believe—"
"I thought you were better than this!" Luna shouted as she broke down. Her sisters held her back. "I thought you were someone I could trust, but I was wrong about you and Sam."
Lincoln was taken aback by what Luna was saying. "Don't say those things about Sam, Luna! You loved her, and she loved you!"
"After the way you both have treated me lately, I don't know you two anymore!" Luna cried.
Lincoln watched as his family comforted her, while a few of them glared at him, ashamed of his actions—even his parents. It was clear they thought he had done something entirely unjustifiable. Lily, however, looked at him with understanding in her eyes, as if she believed in him even as the rest turned against him. Overwhelmed by their rejection, he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Don't do this... not again... not again..."
Ronnie Anne hugged him and the rest of those who supported him from the beginning, even the adults who looked at the parents, couldn't believe they believed their son was doing that on the jump screen, he had enough of it, he sprinted out, many of his friends to called out to him but he only slammed, each one turned to him.
"Hey, that jerk has ruined Luna's relationship!" Lola shouted
Ryan spoke to all of them when they left. "But something happened to Lincoln, really awful,"
Once Ryan gathered everyone together and revealed the shocking truth, a heavy silence fell over the group. Each person wore a look of horror, grappling with the devastating news about Lincoln. Guilt washed over them like a tidal wave as they worried for their beloved son and brother, who seemed so vulnerable at that moment. They all instinctively moved to go after him, desperate to offer comfort and support. However, Niko stepped forward, blocking their path with determination etched on her face.
"Why are you stopping us?" one of them asked, confusion clouding their thoughts.
Niko took a deep breath before replying, "I think the boy needs some time to himself. After everything you all said, he might be feeling overwhelmed. I believe he should have some solitude right now."
Rita shot her a piercing glare, her voice rising in frustration. "He's my son, and I have every right to be with him!"
"Honey, the last thing we need to do is create a scene in front of everyone. Trust me; it's best to wait until Lincoln comes back," Lynn Sr. interjected with calm authority.
Rita opened her mouth to argue but quickly realized he was right. The lively establishment was teeming with customers, and the relentless snow outside was beginning to pile up. She didn't want to risk being banned from this place again, so she relented and walked over to their signature table, her heart heavy.
However, Leni broke the tense atmosphere, her voice quivering with concern. "But I want to know how it happened! How could this happen to Linky?"
Before Lori could silence her, she grabbed Leni's arm. "Leni, this isn't the right time to discuss it—"
Leni jerked away, her big blue eyes filling with tears. "I just want to understand how something nearly killed him!" Her voice trembled with emotion, making it clear how deeply she cared.
Ryan, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "Well, Leni right? It's that. Some heavy objects fell on top of us, and—"
Suddenly, Ryan's mind began to race as a realization struck him like lightning. Niko glanced at him, sensing the shift in his expression, but before she could ask if he was okay, Ryan turned on his heel and dashed away. Alarmed, the others instinctively followed him to the top floor of the building. Ryan burst into the storage room, flicking on the overhead light. When his friends joined him, they were met with the sight of Ryan, his face serious and focused as he analyzed the situation.
"Niko, Amy," he began, his voice steady, "Remember when you said that icy temperatures make the floor slippery?"
Niko raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Yeah, that's true. Why do you ask?"
Ryan's gaze hardened as he scrutinized the floor, where a layer of gray carpet lay beneath their feet. "Does carpet count as a factor in that?"
A look of dawning comprehension spread across Niko's face, and the others began to follow his line of thinking. "Oh… You're right," one of them stammered, looking down at the surface beneath them in shock. "That means…"
Ryan nodded emphatically, his tone grave. "Exactly. The carpet, combined with a second mat underneath it, would prevent anyone from slipping, regardless of how icy it gets. The way those objects fell shouldn't have caused someone to push forward. I distinctly remember hearing the door slam shut when Clyde and I rushed in to save Lincoln."
A chilling silence settled over the group as the gravity of his words sank in. While they had experienced countless unbelievable events in their lives, this felt like something straight out of a horror film. The reality was too surreal to comprehend; they couldn't believe someone would target Lincoln—someone who had selflessly helped so many.
"You…You don't mean…?" one person barely managed to whisper, fear creeping into their voice.
Ryan met their anxious gazes and nodded gravely, the weight of their predicament looming heavy in the air. "Someone in this building wanted to kill Lincoln."
Lincoln stepped out of the bathroom, the sound of muffled voices and shouting from the common room feeling like a heavy weight on his shoulders. The thought of returning to that space, only to be met with judgmental stares, made his heart race. He quickly sought refuge in another room, hoping that the tension would dissipate with time. Once inside, he took a moment to collect himself, scanning the dimly lit room. He spotted Sam, curled up in the corner knees drawn tightly to her chest. Her once-vibrant eyes were now dull and red, stained with tears that streaked her makeup down her cheeks like dark ribbons. Lincoln's heart sank at the sight; clearly, she was in despair.
He realized the weight of the situation was far heavier than he had first thought. Steeling himself, he approached her slowly, his frown deepening with concern. "Sam?" he asked softly, not wanting to startle her.
She refused to meet his gaze, staring at the floor as if it held all the answers. "They… they look at me with disgust," she whispered, her voice trembling. "They're terrified like I'm some kind of monster out to get their children. Luna hated me, the band wouldn't even look my way, and even my mother… No one wants me… No one—"
At that moment, Lincoln felt an overwhelming urge to comfort her. He sat down his presence without crowding her space. He reached over and gently took her hand, feeling her cold fingers tighten around his as if he were a lifeline. "I'm here with you," he said softly, his voice steady. "I'll stay as long as you need."
Sam didn't respond verbally, but her grip on his hands spoke volumes. She clung to him tightly, as if afraid he might slip away. In that quiet moment, amidst the chaos outside, a fragile bond began to form between them, a glimmer of hope in their shared struggle.
"Everyone calmed down!"
In the room, everyone hears the shocking truth about Lincoln's near-death moment, which means the killer is one of them, each of the families holds their children and loved ones together, worrying faces of who this mystery killer strikes next, Amy speaks the speaker. "Everyone, please remain calm,"
Everyone didn't listen so Niko came in, held the speaker, and shouted. "SHUT UP!" Each person stopped talking and looked up, giving it back to Amy.
"Please, I know the situation, but the best thing to do now is remain calm," Amy responded.
"What are you talking about, my son almost died, I gotta get him out of here!" Rita shouted standing up from her seat.
Lynn Sr places his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Honey, pull yourself together, we can't leave in this storm,"
"I know you're scared. I promise you, we'll capture someone who hurt Lincoln. In the meantime, stay close to your family and loved ones," Amy says, placing the mic down.
Ryan sees everyone staying close, but he remains alone since his parents are away, he needs to be helped with something. "Okay, let's all think and what So the killer tried to attack Lincoln showing the picture but it wasn't enough, so the killer had to improvise and finish the job by pushing him, now who here had a motive Lincoln's dead,"
"None of us are...Lincoln did nothing to help us throughout the convention," Haiku states with worry.
"But someone in this place one of us enough to want revenge the question is who?" Zach said looking at the others in question.
Rusty glared at a certain one, as he pointed at the target. "Well, I know one person who could have...Chandler!"
Everyone is looking at Chandler and his goons, and he scoffs. "Please, I maybe hated on the snow hair dweeb, but not hated enough to kill him,"
"Maybe check on his phone if he's hiding something," Rusty states
Ronnie Anne was first to grab Chandler's phone, looking through it while others blocking Chandler's goons getting her, spots the picture of Lincoln and Sam kissing, and something else. "You send a message Lincoln, threatening him in a month!"
Chandler sees many looking at him suspiciously. "Okay I did that, but he messes with me on day movies, nothing more!"
"Yes, you did!" Lola shouted holding up Lincoln's journal. "I read Lincoln's journal from his bookbag, which says here you and your friends messaging Lincoln, threatening him to end his life, but that wasn't enough, so you rocked our houses and the van,"
Lynn Sr gets angry. "So that was you! I pay good money to replace them,"
Girl Jordan snatches Lincoln's Journal from Lola. "And you, don't read Lincoln's book, it's his thing!"
Lola looked away with a frown. "Buzzkill,"
Everyone begins towards Chandler and his goons, three of them getting scared, get grabbed, and they shout as the leader shouts. "We have been in that stupid money box,"
Ryan looked up and turned to the ride. 'Of course, he and his goons in that box during the blackout means he's not the killer..." He looked down tightening his fists. 'So someone still at large, who is it?!' He looked up seeing the jump screen set and pack of chargers with their phones. 'Well, I needed to find more clues and talk to each person here,'
The newest kid strode into the hall, frustration evident on his face. He had believed he had cracked the case, but disappointment washed over him when he realized that Chandler was not the culprit. Chandler had a reputation for his attitude—sharp and confrontational—but he was trapped in the money cage, effectively ruling him out as the target of this investigation. Ryan's thoughts raced as he considered the implications. "Perhaps I can call the others for—"
His train of thought was interrupted when he spotted a room down the hall. Peering through the window, he saw Lincoln comforting Sam, who was visibly devastated, tears streaming down her cheeks. Ryan's heart sank as he noticed the intensity of emotion etched on Sam's face. A wave of concern washed over him; he knew that the expression she wore could lead to irreversible consequences, not only for her but also for everyone involved. It struck Ryan that time was running out. He had to resolve this case quickly, or else Lincoln's reputation would be in tatters, and Sam might act out in a way that would bring more heartache to those she cared about.
"One lesson I've learned is to calm down and focus…" Ryan reminded himself as he walked away from the window. His mind buzzed with images and thoughts—jump screens, the blackout incident, and the mysterious photo that had caused so much distress. "During the convention, I spoke to many kids; half of them were away for the summer as of course busy with school, and others didn't seem aware of this place at all…" He crossed his arms tightly, frowning as he mentally cataloged everyone he had seen. "It can't be his family or the adults—they're all down on the first floor, so…" His gaze turned upward to the digital profiles of Lincoln's closest friends, which he had stored in his memory. "Lincoln's friends might hold the key, but what's the connection…?"
His thoughts shifted when he caught sight of Niko, who was busy tinkering with a small device mounted on the wall. The device emitted a soft beep as Niko adjusted it.
"Niko, what are you doing?" Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow as curiosity piqued.
Niko glanced up, a faint smile on his face. "Oh, Ryan, it feels like the temperature is dropping in here. It's time to change the battery in the air conditioning unit. You know how it goes—every six months, between summer and winter, we have to replace the batteries; otherwise, it begins to falter."
As those words sank in, a lightbulb went off in Ryan's mind. The culprit had executed their scheme with remarkable finesse; the infamous photo was indeed a fabrication, having been cleverly digitized and appearing on Chandler's phone like a mirage. He shook his head in disbelief—only one of their group possessed the skills to pull off something so intricate, but… what could motivate that action? It had to be a good reason. Just then, he noticed Meli walking in, her presence commanding attention, and his eyes landed on the mistletoe hanging above the door. They widened in alarm as a realization dawned on him, leading to a fierce glare.
Niko, sensing Ryan's sudden shift in demeanor, furrowed his brow. "Ryan… are you—"
"Niko… I know who did it," Ryan suddenly declared, his heart racing. He glanced out the window and noted that the snowfall had finally ceased. "We have to hurry; there's no time to waste!"
"We didn't do it, we swear to God!"
Chandler and his goons struggle to break free from three adults, ready for the cops, everyone glares at them for hurting Lincoln and Sam, getting punished they deserve, until hearing a microphone, all turn to see Niko with Ryan, as Amy speaks up. "Niko?"
"Sorry sweetie, it seems my friend needed something to say," Niko answered
Ryan grabbed the microphone. "Everyone, I know everyone calling me Ryan, it's my middle name... that doesn't matter, what matters is someone in this place."
"Duh, it's these jerks here, they threaten and one of them almost killed my brother," Lynn shouted pointing at them.
"Threaten, yes, but murder, no, you guys see the picture?" Ryan asked pointing at the jump screen. "Sam is way too tall for Lincoln to reach, it has to be digitized, so both make contact and the eyes closed, look closer to the screen," They seeing the screen realized he was right, the whole legs of Sam had cut down and eyes seem to be marked closed. "Exactly, and third do you guys think Sam is like some person after young ones, do you think Lincoln will do something in place like this...to someone dating his sister? Sam in the back, crying down, feeling like her whole world is gone,"
Everyone felt guilty about their actions, both for many reasons, but neither would do anything to destroy their beloved image and place. Luna stood up with a glare. "Then who did it? Do you think it's us?"
Ryan walked down with a microphone and began to speak. "Even though one of you is a genius and the other wanted payback to your brother, it's not you Louds, or anyone on the lower floor during the blackout...even Chandler and his goons in the money box during the blackout, someone putting in the picture in the computer, can't be them...they are bullies, but they also idiots,"
"Hey!" Chandler and his friends shouted angrily.
"The only culprit who causes this much damage..." Ryan said slowly turning to the main four. "It's with Lincoln and me on the second floor." That shocked everyone and muttering and talking to each other and questioning the boys solving this, even the main four were confused, until Ryan raised his finger and pointed at the target. "And the real culprit is you...you almost ended Lincoln's life!" The finger pointed to the pimple kid. "Rusty Spokes!"
The room fell silent, a heavy stillness settling over everyone as the shocking truth began to dawn on them. Outside of the hallway, Lincoln's heart raced as he tried to process what he had just heard. It didn't make sense that Rusty, who had been by his side since kindergarten, would betray their friendship in such a significant way. The four of them had grown up together, sharing countless memories, laughter, and secrets. They were a tight-knit group, bound by years of camaraderie and trust. Yet now, the thought that Rusty could do something so reckless felt utterly incomprehensible. Lincoln shook his head, desperately wanting to dismiss the idea, but the reality loomed over him like a dark cloud. There had to be some mistake. Rusty would never do something so crazily out of character.
Rusty waved his hands in confusion. "Come on, Ryan, that's stupid! Why would I try to hurt Lincoln? He's my friend!"
"Yeah, why would Rusty do that? We've been together since first grade," Clyde defended him.
"He's even with us on the second floor, mate," Liam stated.
Ryan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know you guys have been friends for years," he said with seriousness. "But some friends can grow jealous over time... until this very month." He continued, explaining, "As you guys mentioned, you said you'd come back when school starts, but you didn't specify when. Rusty came back just the day when Stella surprised Lincoln. You must have come back when Stella and Ronnie Anne were chanting, which made Rusty feel overwhelming panic and then jealousy about the idea of sharing."
Ryan paused and shifted his gaze. "When he went away to get something to eat, Rusty tried to think of a way to stop this so-called 'sharing' from happening. When he finally returned, he only saw Sam and Lincoln at the front, so the thought that they were getting closer made him paranoid. In his jealousy, he took a picture of them and then left, not bothering to greet them."
"But he's been with us this whole time! How do you know he did it?" Zach questioned.
"Timing," Ryan replied, ensuring everyone was listening. "When he claimed he was 'throwing up,' it wasn't because he had eaten. It was about each of the girls kissing Lincoln. That must have crossed a line for him. He went to one of the charging phones—it had Chandler's halfway full. Since the red-haired was not good with tech, he didn't know the password, but he saw the messages on Lincoln's number, which were threatening. This made Rusty think about using the red-haired as bait. He switched both SD cards on the phone to put his picture on it, then deleted the photo from his phone."
"The culprit escaped; we all heard the door slam," Rusty stated.
"Yeah, we heard it but didn't see it," Ryan exclaimed, making everyone gasp at what they were hearing. "It's the oldest trick in the book—faking an escape. We heard the door slam, but if someone came down to the first floor, whoever did it would bump into someone in a crowded place. Clyde was next to Lincoln, checking on the tall boxes; Liam was next to me, checking the toys; Zach was at the corner of Clyde; and you, Rusty, were at the vents, which means you were behind us. When the blackout started, you played your part, and it pushed your friend."
"That's a good theory, but do you have any real evidence against me?!" Rusty shouted angrily.
"Well, two things..." Ryan said, pointing at the phones. "We all have SD cards, and you needed to be quick since the lock has a small hole for opening it. You needed something small and sharp to use but accidentally hurt your finger in the process."
"So what? I just have a little cut on my finger!" Rusty protested, but then his eyes widened in realization.
Ryan nodded and responded, "Blood. You have your blood on both your SD card and Chandler's. In your rush, you didn't wipe off the blood before heading to the second floor."
Rusty tried to find an explanation. "But... but..."
"But it has to be Chandler, right?" Leni's question made everyone look at her in confusion. "Rusty pointed at Chandler, knowing he had the picture on his phone when he spoke up, right?" This struck Rusty to the core.
Ryan nodded. "Exactly, Leni. Before anyone speaks, consider this: you know Chandler has a reason to hate Lincoln, saw the threat message and by bringing up checking his phone, you gave yourself away, Rusty."
The pimple kid looked down and glared, tightening his fists, his planning it's been solved, Clyde spotted that face, and he angrily, he almost killed his best friend, so Clyde grabbed the whole of Rusty's upper shirt and shouted. "How could you do this them?!"
Rusty breaks free and shouts angrily. "I didn't mean to kill him believe me, I just push him down, not out of the window! Not think about the past week!"
Zach shouted angrily. "You plan this over a week?!"
"I just thought...that picture him to stop flirting with females," Rusty states closing his eyes, looking away from everybody.
Ronnie Anne grabbed Rusty's shirt. "You cold-heartless jerk, you gonna pay for this,"
Rusty pushes Ronnie Anne in full hard making her hit a table as he shouts. "GET OFF OF ME!" Bobby helps his sister, he looks away from the glares. "What do you know about heartless, I seeking love, and thought New York gonna be my ticket but it's sucks! I spent my days in my room doing nothing but watching TV...until..."
Flashback...
Rusty sits down for dinner while his dad is working at a hotel. As he eats, he sees news on a TV, of Vina Sky holding Lincoln Loud's arm, which makes him choke on his food.
"My favorite pop star..."
Later, as Rusty is munching on a pretzel, someone accidentally bumps into him, causing him to drop it. He hears a radio announcer reveal Vina Sky's real name and a new song dedicated to Lincoln, and he grits his teeth in frustration.
"Sing to him..."
Lying on his bed, he looks at his phone and sees a report of Vina Sky kissing Lincoln on the lips. This makes him furious, and he throws the phone across the room, glaring intensely at the ceiling.
"Kissing him on the lips..."
Rusty states as he glares down on the floor. "He's then...getting whole convention girls kissing him, that make my stomach chugging up, make me draw the line, thought might stay in his house a year...but...when they joked about sharing thing, I just take it anymore! I wanna push him in the ground, not window..."
"Your conscious saved him, but your anger, hatred, and jealousy almost caused two lives today," Ryan states making Rusty look at him in confusion. "Do you think it only damages Lincoln's life... his family already does things on his own and might disown him, that art skill is his future, you almost ruined it for him, not only that, you also damage Sam, she already lost her dad, her mother struggling, and her brother was in his room, not eating or drinking...everyone judge her, think some kind of person who after young kids, I looked in her eyes, she thought leaving this world by her own hands!"
Rusty was shocked to hear that part, then hearing creaking, turning to see Sam and Lincoln come in, hearing all that, Sam looked at the one who started it all. "He's right, I think of taking my own life, but the reason I just heard from you, is that a kid feels only but hatred out of the friend you grew up with,"
Sam walked away, joining her family, her mother and brother hugged her, apologizing for what they had been doing, Rusty turned to Lincoln, a friend to each other since little, Rusty spoke. "Lincoln, you know me...I just-"
Lincoln only backed away, turned his head with his eyes closed, and made an angry frown, he walked away leaving a shocked Rusty, he tried to talk to him but he got cuffed by a skinned lady with dreads, wearing a police outfit with a skirt and black boots. "Nice work Kiddo,"
Ryan smiles at her. "Thanks, Mom,"
Chandler is shocked as the three cops cuff them also. "What do we do?!"
Ryan's mother. "You three caused windows to to break and threatened to kill a little boy, do you think that's let it slide,"
The four boys got into the police cars, and the others yelled words that they felt were unjustified for the situation. Rusty had a frown while cuffed in the backseat; he looked out the window and saw everyone he knew staring at him with expressions of shame, disappointment, and sadness. He felt as though his life would be over when he eventually got out.
Ryan turned to the others. "Well, it's time for me to go."
Everyone was surprised. Lincoln spoke up, "Now?"
"My mom is here, and it's probably time to head to the airport. It's time for me to go home and celebrate the holidays with my friends and family," Ryan explained.
"I hope you get home safe and have a great holiday and a happy new year," Lincoln said, raising his hand with a thankful smile. "And thanks for clearing Sam and me."
Ryan shook Lincoln's hand and said, "Thanks. One truth prevails..."
Lucy leaned in towards them and raised her voice. "Hey, Ryan, if that's your middle name, what's your first name? Tell us!" This piqued their interest.
With a sly smile, the newest kid replied, "If you want to know, just look me up." As he walked toward the police car, he added, "Lincoln, you can save this Bash."
Lincoln looked confused. "Save it how exactly?"
Ryan placed his index and middle fingers together and touched the side of his forehead. "Think about it. You guys all need to boost your spirits. See you real soon." He then got inside the car.
They all watched as the cars drove off, feeling a little sad about losing one of their newest friends, who had helped them, and another friend who was being taken away for something that might land him behind bars. Lincoln reflected on what Ryan had said—he just needed to boost their spirits. He thought, 'I just need to talk to Amy and the others.'
After a whole hour, it was almost time to leave, and the Christmas Bash seemed to be going poorly. Everyone felt terrified and thought it would be the last thing they wanted to witness—until Amy came in wearing a big smile. "I know what happened was scary, and I wish I could take it away. So... someone wanted to make it better, and... here they are."
The lights dimmed as Lincoln took the stage with the Moon Goats and a few friends from the convention center as background singers. Everyone, including his family, looked confused about what was happening. The Loud Boy wielded a guitar they hadn't seen before—a black guitar with a white star and a brown strap, featuring his signature L.L.
Lincoln grabbed the microphone, cleared his throat, and spoke. "Hi everyone, I know the whole Bash has become a mess, and I wish it never happened, but it did, and I feel horrible for you all. So, I wrote this song, and I hope it brings you the joy you need. This is for you, Rusty, and you too, Chandler."
With a soft strum on his guitar, Lincoln's voice began to rise as the crowd started to sway to the music. More instruments joined in, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Lincoln began to sing:
"At the beginning... it's a struggle, sometimes heartache,
but one thing for sure... with everyone you love,
with everyone you care about,
you can do many amazing things...
so we wish you..."
He raised his hand and strummed the guitar hard, causing the star design on it to light up red. He smiled and began to rock out, and the energy in the room surged as everyone cheered and sang along:
"We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!"
Lincoln stepped forward, singing into the microphone with a big smile.
"We wish you the best day ever
And hope all your Christmas endeavors
Are super fun, amazing, and clever
And that your New Year rocks too!"
Ronnie Anne jumped in, noticing Bobby cheering for her, along with her mom. She was thrilled to see all her relatives come, including her friend with her family. With a radiant smile, she continued to sing:
"Oh, come tell me what you have been doing,
All my relatives just flew in
From Mexico and Japunda
For the holidays!"
"Both Christmas trees and árbol de Navidad
It can be confusing for us,
But one thing that is for sure,
We are all the same (Oh Yeah!) Oh Yeah! (Oh Yeah!)"
Clyde came in next to them, smiling as he saw his dad wave at him with a new baby cat in his arms.
"Next day be a good morning,
You have wonderful presents under the tree
And spend time with your loved ones,
And I hope the year will be greater than this!"
Everyone loved this song, sharing the warmth of the holiday spirit, love for family, and true joy of the season. They sang together:
"We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!"
Then it was Meli's turn. Her stomach was filled with butterflies. She saw loads of people watching but spotted Lincoln smiling at her. Remembering all the good things he had done, she decided to give it her all and sang beautifully:
"I wish for some courage
So everyone would know me as a princess.
True kindness and love
Come from within!"
Jordan gave Meli a pat on the back, congratulating her, and she excitedly took her part head-on:
"Good deeds I'll give,
To everyone I love.
That's how I say 'Merry Christmas,'
Knowing I'm proud of being who I am."
Luna stood at the side of the stage, feeling left out until she caught Sam's gaze. In a quick moment, Sam kicked something toward Luna. She was shocked to see her guitar set. Opening it, she found her purple star guitar. Looking up, she saw her girlfriend and brother encouraging her to join them. She jumped on stage and heard Lincoln shout, "Here's Luna Loud and Sam Sharp!"
"We wish we could rock you
In joy, and I'm going to school you.
I won't sugarcoat or fool you;
Your New Year looks sweet!"
Luna and Sam exchanged smiles as they took turns strumming their guitars, feeling this was their moment together after everything that had happened. The blonde with blue highlights sang next:
"I hope you have great moments
And enjoy the time of amazement.
So why get stuck in the past
When you have every inch of my heart?"
Everyone in the back came to the front, smiling and singing the final lines together:
"We wish you every loving
Makes this the best Christmas ever
And we hope to see you all next year!"
Each one of the people cheers in delight, all of them hearing of excitement, clearing the fear, and replace with joy, the Loud Boy caught the eyes of those he met, saying to him through the sight of thanking of changing the mood of the citizens, make him smiles at the sight of the cheers.
"You guys left it!"
In the airport, of two groups of identical but having genderswap, the male blue-haired looked at his groupies, both were worried.
"We sorry Corey, we kinda make a big bump on the street, guess that one has drop," Bernadette states
"We needed to find it, or else it's the," the red-haired boy said stopping by a shout.
"Looked!" The big one with black hair shouted.
They see TV, news of a convention center, and the band getting cheers until they spot a certain guitar but the color red turns back to white.
"Impossible, the star change!" the small teen with glasses awed. "But how?"
Both familiar girls squeal seeing him; Kate Persky and Allie Day. "It's Lincoln!"
A blue-haired female looked at them. "Who?"
Bernadette smiles at her. "A nice guy, who helped get my car out of the snow and offered us some cocoa, who knew he could play and singed,"
"He's so cool!" Kate shouted
"And amazing, wonder he can do more!" Allie states both girls have stars.
"Oh boy looks like they are his number fans," a red-haired girl stated looking at the TV. "Are you sure we should,"
"If he control of the star Lance, he can have it and besides," The blue-haired looked at the door opened up. "Time for us to go home,"
When they walk, someone also watching the TV, is Ryan, smiling at his idea give Lincoln to change the event that happened. 'Way to go Lincoln, you got it,'
"Kiddo...time to go!"
Ryan turned to see his mom and dad with their suitcases, he walked to them as the phone buzzed, picked it up and answered, and heard a female voice with concern.
"Gus...where are you?!"
Ryan known as Gus smiles as stepped in the hallway to the plane. "Don't worry Willow, I'm coming back to Gravefield, helped out a friend,"
It was Christmas morning, and Lynn Sr. and Rita woke up first. They heard a lot of footsteps above them and initially felt disappointed to see that they had only received half of the presents they wanted. However, their attention was soon drawn to excited screams and cheers from the siblings.
Both of them quickly put on their bathrobes and sandals and headed outside to discover an abundance of presents—some big, others tall—that left them in awe.
"This is amazing!" one of the sisters exclaimed. "Just what I wanted! Thank you, Santa!"
Lynn Sr. and Rita exchanged glances, wondering who could have made this happen. It dawned on them that there was one notably absent person. They smiled at each other and silently thought, "Lincoln."
The boy who just saved their Christmas day in the backyard, petting his dog Charles while writing in his journal, can open his presents later, he can do some writing to put all his mind and draw in it.
"This year something, family still fighting about me not being there for their events but we are beginning to heal, I know they keep bugging me about whole sharing, but I won't unless something they used and damage to the house, one of my friends grew envious comes my popular, but I will keep my mind sharp around me,"
Lincoln heard his name being called, he closed his journal, and he and Charles followed, into the living room, his parents and sisters looking at the doorway, shocked to see many presents for him, shocked by this, all this from the convention center, he grew big smiles, and gets into his present while sisters are big jealous gets all more present then him.
"This is Christmas day is the best and I hope next year be better,"
And yup, this year is something alright, stay tuned for the next chapter, I hope to finish the next one real fast.
And yes, I making a mystery fic story from a surprised character, stay close to see it.
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