27. Taking it easy

Hey, what's up my people? Yeah, I know you wanted another Logbook chapter but Jancey's chapter took a lot out of me. At least you got a double treat with Mrs. Bernardo. Thus this chapter will be shorter compared to my usual ones so I don't burn out. Plus I got this chapter right before Lincoln's birthday which Nickelodeon dubbed as June 5 making him a ... Gemini but that goes with Ronnie Anne's fire sign making them compatible.

Of course, you guys know the drill by now is that I cut the chapter. However, there's a reason. The three-year anniversary of QTQ is coming up and I'm doing a chapter/scenes that I wanted to do for ages being on the first major scenes that I wanted to do from the start. It involves Friendzy so prepare for tons of characters and Lincoln's victory

Oh shit, my LLB story anniversary is coming up next week. Now I have an excuse to put up the poll again. Nothing crazy. It'll be the remaining choices aka Polly, Cookie QT, Brown QT, Sweater QT, and Panda QT. I probably won't be able to do it this week or next week TBH but it'll be in the queue.

Also, I'll be doing another Shipping Meme regarding Lincoln soon so look out for that.

Now for the reviews.

Yami15147: Loth is one of the infamous sin kids. She's one of the newer additions to the group

JD1122: Yes, Pandora = Panda QT. I wanted to throw Lincoln a bone while developing characters and the plot. It won't be the last time we'll see Battle Bot. I wanted to do a quick plot regarding Tentacle along that Lisa's experiments allow for the plot. Karma will strike but Bumper will be first. That's what I'm trying to do.

Guest: I have a list of episodes that I wanted to adapt so I can finally get Middle Men off the list. Cristina and Polly deserve a stoplight after so long. Plus Girl Jordan needs more moments outside of dodgeball. Battle Bot will be the primary antagonist for a while. Now that I did him and Rusty. We need something for Bumper Jr. since we haven't seen him in a while. Well, we got something with Cristina when Lincoln and his friends were attempting to discover who framed Rusty. If only she actually appeared in that episodes but Paige got her first speaking role.

Mr. Haziq: Don't worry, others will get their chance

Evil HERO Malicious Bane: I think the joke was Tomorrow for sure and regarding Scoop Snoop. I can use this for what I have planned for Rusty. It's like the movie where I didn't know where to put it in the timeline or how it can affect the plot and characters. Now that I watched it. Everything is coming together more smoothly. I'm going to with the parents are divorced route since I already did the dead mom thing for Rita. I don't want this to become Disney where all of the characters have dead moms. Divorced parents can add some flavor to the story.

NiteOwl18: Polly and a few others will jump on him. Both are Lucy's kids with Loth being a newer edition.

DaleJr.88: We don't speak of the new season of Fairy Odd Parents. They changed some of the fundamental rules of the show. Honestly, they should've ended with the Wishology movie trilogy. So far Season 6 of the Loud house has been okay. We got some world-building and centric episodes of characters that didn't have one in a while like Lynn Sr. Also Lincoln becoming more confident in himself was a plus too. The current season picking up the slack from the last one.

Starlight won't officially be a part of Crystal Prep until after the Friendship Games. Paperwork and other accommodations to ensure everything is in order. Sire's Hollow is a considerable distance away from Canterlot. Yeah, she can take the train but we don't know how long that'll take, and a bus ride to school. Worldbuilding. Yes, her devotion to Dusk Shine will cause some issues. Watch 'Unleash the Magic' to see the breaking point. MLP background characters are some of the best designs of the show. It sucks since they're background or single-episode characters. Okay, she has long green hair and a straw hat if I remember correctly.

Making Margo afraid of Lynn would be too easy so I went the other route. We haven't seen Cristina in a while and Pandora hasn't had a moment with Lincoln outside of training. He had his former crush in his lap during a bumpy ride to the Middle school. It's bounded to be awkward. Two seasons ahead of schedule for Bully QT. I had to demonstrate their skills outside of the Arena. Furthermore, I did mention it earlier when Lincoln went to Stella's house. It's on the kinky side for Lynn and Rita.

Oh, this won't be Battle Bot's last appearance. He'll be back again with more upgrades. Same thing with Rusty. He won't stop. I don't have my notes with me but Polly is the nexus event(if I'm using that term properly).

You did a good job of making your reviews more concise. In the meantime, you can leave reviews for Lincoln's Logbook if you want. Also I finally posted Crystal Prison to Fimfiction

Dogspirit1: Yeah a lot of weird shit happens to Lincoln and his family. In the multiverse, anything is possible. I haven't figured out what I want to do with Lupa. The majority of the girls' personalities typically the side characters are mainly my headcanons and whatever I can find online. I'm giving them a unique feel so I won't be writing the same character twice

QOTD: Man these are getting tough. Okay, if you bring back one character to have a prominent role in an episode of Loud House, who would it be? I would say Cristina since we already got something with Paige

The future Loud children gazed at the hovering machine. Its robotic eye stared disappointingly at the pair. Why are these two here? Don't they know how many rules they're breaking at the moment? "Hey, Aunt Lisa," Lupa greeted the family scientist. Lisa scanned their bodies, stopping at Lupa's wrist. Her heart froze at the dimensional watch. Impossible. She destroyed that! Lisa composed herself with an exhale before zooming in. That's still her design. The core features remained more streamlined and updated with a superior processor yet resembled a black and yellow Casio watch. Probably blend in with the time period, or that brand is still relevant within the next few decades.

Lisa sighed. "You're not supposed to be here. Neither of you," She scolded her future potential nieces. Lupa rolled her eyes while unwrapping a cherry lollipop and sucking on it.

"Sorry, Aunt Lisa," Loth apologized, grabbing her young sister's hand. "We're leaving now," She remarked as Lisa observed the pair while Lupa typed in the coordinates. "Is it the right location this time?" The elder sister questioned, arching her brow. They didn't need to encounter their variants. Hell, she didn't exist in some of them. They even had other siblings or were of a different gender. The gothic sisters were fortunate that their father or uncle Lincoln were among the better possibilities.

"Yes, so keep your Garfield underwear on," Lupa groaned before scoping the area and waiting for any sounds as Loth looked out for bystanders. The sisters nodded. A cyan portal ripping a hole in the fabric of reality, defying the linear nature of time itself, appeared with a mere push of a button. It radiated a gentle heat as no sound appeared. They can smell their grandpa's lasagna from it. Almost time for dinner. The pair gave Lincoln and Girl Jordan a final look before entering the luminous pool. A surreal thought lingered in their minds. Will they still exist in this timeline? The portal vanished without a trace like a sudden gust of wind as a dog walker strolled past, ignorant of what occurred. No one knows except a select few. Lisa steered her robot to Lincoln's and Girl Jordan's location.

"Two hot dogs," The black-haired vendor handed the children their orders. They thanked them and sat at one of the tables with their pets under it, playing tug of war with a sturdy rope. Who shall win in this battle of wills and strength?!

"Man, we got lucky when that girl caught us," Girl Jordan mentioned, cracking open her can of fruit punch with a sharp hiss of carbonated air escaping. "Did you get her name?" She asked, holding her Michigan hot dog in her other hand. Although it wasn't made in Michigan, instead the origins are in New York. Oh, god, it's the french fry thing all over again.

Lincoln shook his head with a munch of his cheesy chili dog. "I didn't get a chance to ask," He replied with his mouth filled with savory, spicy beef tempered by sharp cheddar. Girl Jordan pointed to her cheek, mirroring to where a brick red stain rested on the corner of his mouth. Lincoln grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth.

"Other side," She mentioned, giggling a bit.

"Oh, thanks, Jordan," Lincoln remarked, cleaning the other side of his mouth. She blushed at the name as he called her Jordan. His thoughts examined the girl from earlier. She reminded him of Lucy for some reason. It's weird. The younger girl had his hair color and clothing style with Lucy's expressions and aesthetics. Nah, it's a coincidence. Wait, too convenient for their interaction to be random. Something's not right here. His left twitched sporadically before groaning at the sudden splitting headache. "What the hell?" He grumbled, clutching the side of his head. The canines halted their duel, nuzzling their masters' legs.

"Lincoln, are you ok-oh, god damn," Girl Jordan asked in concern before she shut her eyes and gritted her teeth at her throbbing headache. What's going on? Why do their heads hurt? Their perspective of time was reduced to a snail's pace while waiting in line at the bank until the pain stopped. Gone. It vanished like carnival cotton candy in your mouth. They blinked owlishly before resuming their meals as if it had never happened. "What were we talking about again?" Girl Jordan continued their conversation, scratching her head with Ajax in her lap. Lincoln paused, bridging his brows. What were they talking about? He scoured his memory, discovering nothing but thunderous static. Two gothic girls captured his attention. That's what they were talking about? The young man opened his mouth to answer but hesitated. Their indifferent faces became blurry and pixelated, with thick black lines obscuring their eyes, rendering their identities indistinguishable.

"I have no idea," Lincoln remarked, rubbing Charles' ears. He stiffed a burp from his potent frosty Pepsi. Damn, the carbon shocked his nostril hairs. Girl Jordan shrugged, preventing Ajax from devouring her food again. The children chatted between themselves before deciding to head home.

"Thanks for hangout out with me, Lincoln," Girl Jordan beamed after an enjoyable afternoon. "I had a fun time," Ajax barked in agreement with a wagging tail.

"You're welcome, Girl Jordan. I did too," Lincoln responded with a nodding Charles on his scarlet collar. Girl Jordan rubbed her arm as she looked off to the side, viewing the water fountain where a couple held hands, enjoying the other's presence. "Come on, Charles," He tugged on his dog's collar while turning around. Her hand grabbed his forearm, gathering his attention.

"You … can call me Jordan, please," Girl Jordan muttered with a mild blush. He blushed, too, as their pets shared a knowing gaze. Humans.

"Ok … Jor-Jordan," Lincoln stuttered due to unfamiliarity with the name. Her face brightened at the mention of her true name. She's not Girl Jordan. Just Jordan.

"I'll uh … see you later," Jordan mouthed, subtly rubbing the soft cotton fabric. His body heated from the touch, unconsciously flexing. It's one of the core rules of a guy. If a girl touches your arm, YOU MUST FLEX. Girl Jordan parted, tugging Ajax to follow her. The two shyly waved goodbye, giving the other a final look before heading home. Lisa observed the entire scene.

"Girl Jordan and Lincoln," The local scientist massaged her chin with intrigue. "A reliable choice, albeit an uncommon one," She grinned as the light refracted from her glasses. That smile shifted into a frown, clutching her chest. "I'll make a better world for you," Lisa's eyes glossed over as dreadful memories resurfaced. "I swear it," She vowed under her breath.

Michael's phone vibrated as he rummaged through his food at Incognito Labs. What the hell? "Michael. We got another one," Gabriel's voice appeared from the other side of the line. His eyes narrowed at the reveal. Crap, just when he was trying to relax. "Don't worry yourself. The problem will take care of itself," The wealthy man added. Oh shit, it's one of those incidents.

"Is that your job calling you?" Dr. Linnaeus asked as she heated up her baked ziti in the microwave. The pair were in her personal living quarters.

"No," Michael answered, putting his phone down. "Time traveler business. We got an omega level incident," He grimly replied as she arched her brow and pushed up her glasses. Omega. The final letter in the Greek alphabet. It symbolizes the end.

"I take it that it's dire," Dr. Linnaeus calculated as she took out her food.

"It depends," Michael chose his words carefully. "Well, it's bad for the person," He grabbed his cup.

"How so?" Carol asked, getting more intrigued by the information.

"I don't know the science behind all of it," Michael told her a level of truth. "Basically, it's when a person's body … glitches out if that makes any sense," He quoted to the best of his abilities.

"No," Carol stated, holding her fork.

"Okay, so how I'm going to explain," Michael signed, bridging his brow. "I told you that there's an infinite number of universes," He started.

"Yes. Some minor and some are quite drastic," Carol remembered their conversation with a mild blush.

"Well, that combined with Humans being naturally curious creatures. It can lead to complications," Michael explained, hinting at what's to come. Carol stopped chewing. Complications? "When giving someone the ability to travel throughout the multiverse. They will want to see everything. The chance for all of their wildest fantasies to be real,"

"Tetherby was one of these people?" Carol predicted. That's a logical assumption. Tobias Tetherby went from a multimillion to an irrelevant vagabond in mere hours.

"That's correct. He's called a 'Reclaimer,' as the name stated. These are people who want to reclaim their past glory. For examples, celebrities that faded into obscurity, disgraced politicians or people who lost everything due to societal changes, and those who fucked up," Michael explained to the scientist. "Majority of the time, these aren't too crazy. It's just a simple What if," He shrugged, sympathizing with some of the Reclaimers. They just want to have their lives back. "Their temporal particles are fully stable,"

"Temporal particles are similar to dark matter, but you can actually see them," His A.I informed the befuddled Carol. They learned more about dark matter, but they can see these particles? " Temporals are what allows you to progress with time, such as aging, and keep you stabilized in your respective universe and/or timeline. It acts as a savefile," Carol gazed at her palm, taking in the knowledge. Everything? Can they halt or reverse aging? Even achieving immortality or eternal youth to a degree? "In a way, yes. It's possible, but the head researcher is the only one who truly achieved it. However, that's hearsay as there are other options such as inserting your neurological signal into a mechanism enabling it to act like you and continue your work," His teammate continued voicing Carol's thoughts. Her eyes rounded to saucers at the revelation. IT'S POSSIBLE?! She can continue and forward her research without anyone else taking credit. Dr. Carol Linneaus, the goddess of science. Awards, scholarships, schools even countries are named after her.

"Don't even think about it," The travelers remarked. "Only one person knows it, and you're decades to even centuries behind before you can crack the surface," He gestured to the scheming researcher. "Besides, your researcher is still being in both mine and Gabriel's timeline, and we're a good thousand plus years in the future," Michael fanned the flames of her ego, keeping her satisfied. Her and her damn machines.

"You said that they 'glitch out.' What do you mean by that?" Carol asked, still giddy about her enduring legacy.

"Temporal particles are unique even among alternative timelines," Michael informed. "Fortunately, your particles are stable when you enter in similarly adjacent timelines," Okay, simple enough.

"Yes, it's entering a room that's identical to yours with minor differences. You know it's a different room, but your temporals still recognize it," His virtual partner clarified further.

"After calibrating for a bit," Michael chimed in. Calibration? "The issue is when you constantly jump between universes and timelines," He stated while wiping his face.

"How do temporal particles glitch out?" Carol questioned, wanting to know more. "Is it because they didn't calibrate properly or divert too far from their original universe?"

"It's both," Michael corrected. "Jumpers or Leapfrogs are the prime examples,"

Carol screwed up her face at the term. "Leapfrogs?" She titled her head at the ridiculous name.

"Hey, I don't make the terms," Michael defended, raising his hands before his eyes grew colder. "They got their name because of their sporadic jumping within the multiverse. It's an addiction, knowing they can live out their desires. Anything is possible: Emperor of the new world, the most famous celebrity in history, billionaires asking you for money or advice, a god, a savior, their favorite main character, having crowds waving your banners and echoing out your name as they commit atrocities that'll make the Holocaust, every single war and mass slaughter look like a boo-boo that you're mother kissed when you were a child," He listed off with vile disgust eroding his blazing throat. That tone demonstrated what he saw or even experienced. Carol passioned herself as a collected person. However, listening to his speech splashed with frozen dread. The delusions of grandeur corrupted into rabid insanity. What have you seen? He held up his chrono-device. "All of that is possible with a mere push of a button," Michael fumed, enduring hellish war before learning how to write complete sentences. Already a veteran before earning a driver's license.

"Because of the frequent jumps, the temporals aren't given time to adjust," The feminine robotic voice answered in his stead, allowing him to cool off. "This creates an … adverse reaction akin to autoimmune disorders," She cautioned as Michael displayed a live video of the current Omega incident. It showed an unremarkable man clutching their stomach in a living room … no woman. Wait, no bodybuilder, supermodel, senior citizen, and many more. Carol adjusted her glasses as the jumper shifted through countless forms like Ben 10 in the finale episodes in Omniverse. Was this glitching out?!

"WhAT'S! HasPPEning to mE?!" The person wailed, enduring unimaginable pain, unable to process the surging flood of new unfamiliar memories, falling to the tile floor. They swapped to Bill Cipher as their form became more abstract and grotesque. Carol covered her mouth at their incomprehensible pleads of rescue as their body cracked with thin glowing lines. They roared with anguish one final time before a blinding flash shrouded the room. Gone. The apartment had new occupants watching television as if the jumper never existed.

"Wh-what happened?" Carol muttered.

"Don't know," Michael replied, putting the display now. She narrowed her eyes. What does he mean that he doesn't know? "They just poof, disappear to who knows where. The most common theory is that their particles are scattered throughout the multiverse until they dissolve into a faded memory," He stood up, placing his dishes in the sink. "So, Dr. Linnaeus," The officer warned the scientist, paralyzing her with terror. "Don't think about cracking time travel, or I'll kill you right here right now," He placed the dishes on the drying rack. "Do you understand?" Carol gave him a slow nod, unable to swallow her food. "Have a good day…." He responded, leaving her by her lonesome. She glanced at her food, pushing it away as she removed her glasses. Suddenly she wasn't hungry anymore. Michael gazed at the photo of his assigned lover. It shimmered and wobbled like water before morphing into someone else. She's still recognizable since his new lover is a part of his regiment like his previous one. He sighed. Just another day on the job.

Now, where's the money-maker, Gabriel? He's chilling in a luxury car as he's being escorted to his next destination observing the jumper blip from existence. "Some people," Gabriel shook his head as Eva found a parking spot near a massive building where a business meeting was taking place. The pair nodded before exiting the car. The two marched towards the building where a set of security guards awaited, and the more experienced one stopped them.

"Stop. Identification, ple-Mr. Gabriel, go-good morning," The female security guard with dark black shoulder-length hair ordered before stammering. Her heart skipped several beats at the approaching duo, straightening her back with a nervous smile. "We weren't expecting you," She gulped, gesturing for her rookie partner to follow her lead.

"Good afternoon, Kelly," Gabriel smiled at the guard, chilling the pair to their calcium ions. He turned to the partner. A male. He is relatively young, average height and build, probably in his early twenties, contrasting with Kelsy, who's approaching her late forties and more on the stout side. "Noah. It's a powerful name, so don't disappoint." His mismatched eyes focused on the male. Noah's eyes widened at the answer. How the hell does he know his name? Better question, who is this guy? Obviously, a corporate bigshot by the suit and the stoic assistant. He and Kelsy regularly dealt with them. Often a bunch of daddy boys, backstabbers, or bootlickers who broke several laws to climb to the top. Yet this Gabriel unnerves them. His calm demeanor hid something wrathful. "It's more a surprise visit," Gabriel suggested to the pair. "Can you let us inside, please?"

"Sure," Kesley agreed, opening the door for them like a butler. Gabriel nodded as they strolled inside.

"Kesley, what was at all about?" Noah questioned, taken back by the event.

She grabbed his shoulder, drawing him in. "Don't question it. That man is dangerous," Kesley cautioned. "He's a billionaire, albeit on the lower end of the spectrum," She explained. A freaking billionaire?! "He can buy, sell and give everybody a raise and still make a profit," Her finger pointed to the building. "I've seen it,"

"So, is he a good guy?" Noah asked.

"You don't become a billionaire by being a good guy," Kesley scoffed at the notion. "All I know is that we'll be under new management soon,"

Gabriel and Eva strolled throughout the halls like Doomguy in Phobos. Those who knew them gasped and trembled at the pair. Oh god, why are they here?! Many took glee at their entitled, overbearing superiors quaking at the sight of Gabriel. Some feared that they'll be out of a job, so they better play nice while he's here. Others speculated on the reason for his arrival. Is it going to be like Tetherby, offering them better jobs? Or did their boss piss him off by screwing up a deal between them? Whatever, it's not their problem. Whatever happens, they'll benefit from the outcome. Gabriel and Eva stopped at the front desk, frightening the receptionist. She knew what he wanted and timidly surrendered the information. He nodded, ambling to the elevator. They arrived at their desired floor, where more security personnel.

"HEY, WHO ARE YOU! You can't be…here," The squad leader shouted, slowly losing the authority in his voice as they approached the door. The security remained silent as tension wrapped around their throats, allowing them through.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Eva replied, standing at the door. "Please leave us until we call you," She commanded the team.

"Yes, ma'am," They saluted, using this chance to take an early lunch.

"Shall we?" Gabriel gestured to those fancy doors as a gaggle of laughter on the other side

Eva gave him a rare smirk. "We shall," She stepped back before getting enough momentum to kick the door open, interrupting the business meeting.

"HEY, WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!" One of them yelled at the sudden interruption. "Security!" Another ordered for their paid guards. Nobody came. "...Security?" She stammered as their decrypted hearts thundered at the sight of him. They sat in their comfy chairs like obedient children.

"Hey, don't stop on my account," Gabriel joked as he paced around the room like a stalking predator looking for its next meal as their terror fogged up in the room, stopping between two board members."Come on, what's the joke? Make…me…laugh," He emphasized, slamming his hands on the mahogany table, scanning the pitiful lot. None of them had the spine to look him in the eye. Gabriel exhaled, grabbing a bottle of exquisite Grueveoche Granvas, and poured himself a glass. He offered one to Eva, who refused at the moment. "How about I tell you guys a joke? Around three years ago, I invested millions of my own money in rescuing this piece of shit of a company from bankruptcy. I expected a sizable return from it," Gabriel twirled around the magnetite liquid, draining the color from their faces. "Instead," He snapped his fingers. Eva slid a list of bank documents and incriminating photos, freezing them with terror. How did he get this information?! Some of them were literally yesterday! They scrutinized their colleagues, wondering if there was a traitor among them. "I found luxury vacations, funneling money into shell accounts, brand new sports cars, and jets. Do you know what else?" Gabriel raged with an eerily calm voice. "Less than 10% went into the company. Care to explain?" He threatened with a simple question.

"We can explain. We had to cover some personal-" A man in a grey suit attempted to speak when Gabriel grabbed his tie, restricting his windways.

"I don't want your excuses," Gabriel's eyes blazed with anger and indignation from the hollow explanation. They used his money to have fun while he got nothing. That's not good for business. "I want answers and, more importantly, my money!" He demanded with gnashed teeth as the man mumbled in a brittle voice, unable to speak while coated in sweat

"Hey, we don't have to take orders from you. The investment was your choice, not ours," An older man defended the company's actions. He's been an executive board member for decades with a heavy hand in the company's dealings.

"Does he speak for all of you?" Gabriel asked, releasing the man. Several of them nodded in support. "Fair enough," He scrolled his phone, sending a quick email. They smiled at the incoming security team only to lose it when they were grabbed. "Get them out of here," Gabriel ordered.

"Yes, sir," The squad leader obeyed, escorting them out of the room.

"Now, let's talk business and see if we can correct these issues," Gabriel bargained with the remaining members.

"You weird-eyed son of bitch! You won't get away these, and neither of you fucking traitors!" The elderly man swore vengeance as he struggled to break free. Gabriel sighed at the promise. Time for Law 15: Crush your enemy totally. Not just in body but in spirit. Don't give him a chance to recover and get stronger. Give no quarter.

Gabriel did just that. He took everything Connor Saunders held dear. His marriage because his wife divorced after seeing those bank documents and vacation pictures with several younger women barely older than their daughter. Both had personal accounts and a joint one where they both had a portion of their earnings. She didn't see a single cent of that money and discovered a private bank account. Furthermore, he found Gabriel and Eva in bed with his wife. Their children disowned him as opportunities slipped away from the resulting scandal. Connor's influence decayed like rotten meat. Nobody wants to deal with a fraudster or take the money. It's bad for business. Fortunately, Gabriel swooped in, offering job opportunities for kids. Why? Children shouldn't be punished for their parents' failings. His house of cards burned in the blaze of greed. Everything went downhill for him. A shattered family life, replaced at his business that's flourishing without, a pariah in the corporate world, rubbing elbows with the vermin as a low-level employee, and frozen accounts unable to pay off his debts. He became Dr. Strange after the accident selling his worldly possessions until nothing of value remained, still with a mountain of debt.

"Here's the report," Eva handed him the daily report. There's a headline.

'Connor Saunders found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,'

Just another day at the office

The bell rang for lunch, with students racing towards the cafeteria for first pickings. "So you guys fought a freaking Kaiju after the orientation?" Alexandria questioned her fellow acolytes. Lincoln and Pandora nodded. "And you two didn't call me?" She shut her locker, feeling left out. A Kaiju of all things?! Man, that sounds awesome.

"I think you were on the bus when it happened," Lincoln answered as they descended the staircase. Karate QT pouted with a groan. "Plus, it's more a family thing," He gestured with a so-so motion of his hand.

"And I got food out of it," Pandora bragged, padding her lunch box. Squid stir-fry. Alright. "How many did we take out?" She asked, unable to recall the tally. She knew that it was a swarm of them, so many of them. What's the group name for squids? But they had some bird in them. A shoal, clutch, or flight? Lisa probably knows.

"I honestly have no idea," Lincoln confessed as they joined their friends strolling to the lunchroom. "We probably ate over half of them since then," He shrugged. "Just a normal day at the Loud house," The girl giggled, touching or punching one of his shoulders. Huh, it reminds him of Ronnie Anne. A quick call won't hurt.

Rusty stared daggers at Lincoln back. How the fuck is he doing this?! The buck-toothed bunny bastard snatched Stella on the first day she arrived during the bus ride to school. What the hell did he say? He needs to know. Why else would she give him her number after school? Rusty can excuse Girl Jordan since she was the guide. Now Lincoln got Girl Jordan's number for 'puppy playdate.' Wait, when was that? Shit, was it after the slumber party at Clyde's house or her pool party? He growled if it was after Clyde's sleepover. A date with Jenny ends with a kiss on the cheek, then sets up another one with Girl Jordan. Who's making Lincoln a harem protagonist? Me, bitch, so get used to it. Damn, Lincoln got Alexandria and Serena hanging around him too. At least he didn't get Renee or Hattie all over him. Okay, just Hattie. Well, you better buckle up for the next chapter. Polly Pain. If that's even her real name. Polly is, but the Pain is subjective. Rusy grumbled at Lincoln taking his girl. Going his sloppy seconds, huh? Technically you got the sloppy seconds since Lincoln set you up with her during the dance. Whatever, it's time for lunch.

Let's head to Great Lake City, where the recipient of Lincoln's focus was giving a presentation on the Fertile Crescent with Sid. Her eyes widened at the caller ID. "Um, give me a minute, please," Ronnie Anne requested with a soft blush. Ms. Galiano nodded with a thumbs-up as Sid smirked. Ronnie Anne went to a corner and cleared her throat. "Sup, Lame-o, can you give me like an hour? I'm giving a presentation," She replied in her usual gruff voice.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you were at lunch," Lincoln responded. Her classmates leaned in, attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"It's cool," Ronnie Anne smiled, hearing from her best friend

"You were … just on my mind," Lincoln confessed with a meek blush. "I wanted to hear your voice for a bit," He whispered truthfully. Ronnie Anne squeaked, covering her mouth as the blush blazed to her ears. They heard that yelp. That's new. Her classmates never saw Ronnie Anne act like this. Holy crap, she's blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Oh wow," Ronnie Anne muttered. She peeked at her beaming schoolmates. Okay, get in your head in the game. "Cool, I'll talk to you later," She whispered before ending the call. Her eyes narrowed at her friends smiling and pointing at the Latina. Point. "Not a single freaking word," Ronnie warned, clenching her fist.

"Oh, was that someone special? Ms. Galiano probed, getting invested in the phone call.

"Oh, it was just Lincoln, my friend from Royal Woods," Ronnie Anne replied, emphasizing the friend.

"Sweet, can I slide in his DMs then?" Nikki and Sid teased with finger guns.

Ronnie Anne clasped her hands, pushing them against her nose, inhaling and exhaling deep. "Let's finish our project first," She considered. Sid nodded, allowing them to finish.

"So is it ok-" The Asian replied before pausing at Ronnie's oozing malice. Oh no … this isn't good. Sid sweated as her best friend cracked her knuckles on her chin.

"Five, four, three," Ronnie Anne listed off as shadows masked her features. Nikki and Sid shared a frightened gaze with round eyes. "Two, one," She concluded. The two scrambled through the window while Ronnie Anne chased them until lunch. Gina gave Ronnie and Sid an A-

Lincoln flexed his fingers as he sat in front of his computer. He received the Discord invite from Clyde. It beeped for a few seconds before clicking on it. "Hey Buddy, are you ready to go?" His best friend asked from his bedroom as his cats slumbered in the bed.

"Yeah, I put a sign on my door, so my sisters wouldn't bother me," Lincoln answered, putting on his headphones. A 'game zone' hung from his doorknob. More of their friends joined the group call.

"Is this everyone?" Zach counted the participants.

"Yeah, we're all here," Liam responded, clicking on the Overwatch icon, as did the others. They got the match invitation from Mollie's group issuing a simple best out of three matches with one of the available game modes. The winner gets bragging rights. Maybe get some free food after this. They waited for the game to load with victory on their minds.

"Welcome to Volskaya Industries," The female game voice announced right before the character selection screen appeared. They were welcomed with a bird's eye view of a stoic Russian factory during a snowy night in St. Petersburg. Someone left the machinery on. It would be … ashamed if the person responsible for it was fired or died under mysterious circumstances.

"Alright, we're on defense," Rusty cheered, auto-picking Crusader Reinhart as Zach chose Harmonious Zenyatta.

"We just need to hold as long as possible," Stella replied as she weighed her options. She selected Protector Orisa and Wheat McCree for Liam. Kind of a stereotype?

"Me and Clyde will be in the back," Lincoln suggested with his trusty Carbon Fiber Soldier: 76, while Clyde selected Barbarossa Torbjorn. They nodded and waited in the lobby. The defending team rushed to their positions with several seconds to prepare. Clyde remained in the back, discovering a ledge to craft a level two turret. Rusty summoned his mighty barrier with a smirk, with Stella, Zach, and Liam not far behind. Lincoln stayed in one of the buildings near the edge of the map.

"3, 2, 1," The announcer counted down right before the attacker's gate opened. Girl Jordan as Brass Reinhart leading the assault behind her transparent energy blue shield. Kat choosing Junkrat, launched an array of grenades at Rusty's barrier, with Jenny supporting them with heals and damage buffs as Mercy. Rusty and Stella swapped, putting up shields allowing the other to recharge, especially against Cookie's and Haiku's Hellfire Reaper draining them like a moist sponge in an oven. Clyde's turret eliminated any flanker such as Mollie's Tracer. Lincoln's helix rockets destroyed Cookie's mech as she pushed them back.

Liam took his chance to headshot before stunning Kat. "Alright, Double Kill," He whooped, getting payback from that mine. Lincoln sprinted to the choke point and dropped a Bionic Field as Zach waited for the rest. "Thanks, Lincoln," The farm boy smiled, watching his health bar replenished. Stella shot at Gir Jordan's rectangular shield before the knight retreated behind a building evading a Fire Strike. The lime green semi-circular barrier shattered, forcing Rusty to erect his shield. He glanced at his health bar.

"Hey, Clyde, we need some armor over here," Rusty shouted as Zach attached a golden harmony orb to him and an inky purple disharmony orb to Mollie. The corrupting debuff allowed Stella to eliminate her.

"Yes!" The pair cheered at the double-teamed.

"Hey, where's the armor?" Rusty asked as the clock ticked, maintaining the defensive. There are two minutes left, so a little extra armor won't hurt. Girl Jordan whispered something to her team with a collective smile and nodded.

"On my way," Clyde sprinted with his character's stubby legs as Lincoln provided covering fire from a vantage point. The dwarf tossed armor packages for his teammates, firing shots at the enemy team, peeking from the corner. "My baby!" His character spoke automatically. Clyde's eyes widened at the quote. Shit, someone destroyed his turret. Lincoln's icon appeared on the screen. Soldier 76 was slew by Pharah.

"Guys, above you!" Lincoln shouted, anxiously waiting for the death timer. Come on, he needs to get to the Defend point. There's only a minute left. They glanced skyward, and their hearts dropped at the flying figure above them. Holy Shit, it's an Anubis Pharah!

"JUSTICE RAINS FROM ABOVE!" Kat thundered with a manic grin, unleashing a torrent of ballistic missiles on their positions.

Rusty raised his energy shield to shelter his team from the barrage. "I can't hold forever," He fretted at the dwindling barrier, buckling under the weight of the attack. The antiqued set of knightly armor can't muster the power to sustain itself against Kat's superior firepower. "Barrier destroyed," Rusty grunted. Several holes formed in the transparent rectangle enabling a pair of explosives to slip through. His teammates covered their faces from the resultant explosions when the ground rumbled beneath them.

"HAMMER DOWN!" Girl Jordan bellowed, delivering a titanic slam with her hammer. They lost their footing, tripping to the cold metallic floor. The last thing those five saw was a series of missiles jetting towards them before they were consumed with chemical flame and shrapnel.

"Team kill!" The announcer declared as the attackers cheered. They rushed to the defense point and waited for the icon to turn red. "Overtime!" They smiled as the timer increased.

"I got you in my sights," Lincoln confirmed, activating his visor. Oh no. Kat yelped at the incoming trio of helix rockets, sending her back to the character selection screen. Her body crashed into the ground. The girls spread out as Lincoln's pulse rifle rumbled in his palm. He took out Mollie and Jenny before darting to the edge of the wall to avoid Cookie's rockets with a bionic field at his feet. "Damn it," He grumbled at Point A, turning completely red. Lincoln sprinted to the factory where his team was set up. Stella swapped to Bastion, securing herself in the farthest corner as she morphed into Sentry Mode. Clyde layered their defenses with a level three turret, using his remaining scrap metals for armor packages. Rusty gobbled as much as he could like a hungry hippo.

"Hey, save some for us," Zach complained, lobbing his makeshift grenades in his Junkrat character.

"Dude, I'm a tank," Rusty countered with his shield, steeping to the right, narrowly avoiding Girl Jordan's Fire Strike. Mollie blipped around as Tracer sprayed the mammoth back of Liam's Roadhog.

Mollie smirked as she teleported out of harm's way. She lost her grin when Liam's savage chain hook latched on her tracksuit. Her primary cardiac muscle sank right before the farm boy pulled her in. "Oh crap!" She screamed when he dragged her in, face-first into his barbaric scrap gun. Liam smiled behind his mask as the upper section of her lithe body vaporized into fleshy bits. He recovered his health using his hogdrogen canister, negating the earlier damage. Clyde's turret chipped away at the attacker's assault as he collected more scrap for armor packages. Lincoln sprinted around the flanks taking out any enemies. His team had a few close calls while contesting the point. They only had twenty-nine seconds left.

"Nerf this!" Cookie dropped her glimmering mech on the top of Lincoln's team as they contested the point.

"OH CRAP, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Liam yelled, but he wasn't fast enough with Rusty and Zach, vaporizing in the blazing turquoise energy.

"Triple Kill," The announcer acknowledged. Stella swapped to her Orisa, blasting the advancing enemy team behind her barrier.

"MOLTEN CORE!" Clyde bellowed, sending his dwarfen body into overdrive. His creation obeyed his commands, blazing with molten fury.

"Team up for a special attack," Stella placed her supercharger down, increasing her teammate's damage output. Girl Jordan's shield deteriorated at the sustained damage, but they're almost there.

Their blood ran cold upon hearing that line. "I got you in my sights," Lincoln's voice echoed as he picked them off with his pulse rifle. They attempted to flee right when Stella's graviton charge slammed back three of them together. Clyde charged in, blasting them with his rivet gun and hammer, getting out Kat, Cookie, and Jenny before Haiku's bullet zipped through the side of his skull. Lincoln's helix rockets returned the factor.

"Exceeding expected combat values. Recording performance for future analysis," Stella spoke with a shimmering green hue. Lincoln hopped around with a bionic field under him and Stella. His rifle cracked Mollie's skull before planting her pulse bomb and blinked away from the blast radius. He glanced at Girl Jordan charging in, but Stella's fusion driver delivered a halt to the knight. The two emoted while the clock ticked.

"Victory!" The defending team cheered from the acknowledgment. Mollie's group groaned seeing the Victory poses. Stella got an epic vote while Clyde got Play of the game with his Torbjorn. Finally, not another Bastion shooting and repairing itself.

The two groups waited for the following map, using the intermission to stretch and get something to eat or use the bathroom. "Welcome to Dolardo," They were introduced to a lovely vacation spot off the coast of Mexico.

"Mollie, hurry up!" Girl Jordan ordered over the Discord call as they selected their characters. The swimmer girl rushed to her seat, shaking water droplets off her hands.

"Sorry, was taking a piss," Mollie answered, drying her palms on her sunflower lounge pants. "What's our position?" She scanned her optional characters.

"We're stopping the payload," Cookie answered as they waited in the lobby for the others to select their characters. "Can someone be a Bastion?" They need the overwhelming firepower to break the tanks since Reinhart and Orisa are a must for Payloads.

"I got it," Kat confirmed, locking the form-switching Omnic. She just got the Legendary Gearbot skin. They choose their characters got into position.

"3, 2, 1," The female announcer counted down. Rusty manifested his energy field as he marched from the front. Stella provided a secondary defense layer while mounting the payload. Clyde switched it up with his Lucio, giving out positive vibes for his team. Especially with Kat melting their health bar.

"Can someone get that Widowmaker?" Stella requested as her Fortify null Haiku's headshots. Liam as McCree nodded before heading up a flight of stairs.

"I'm more worried about that Bastion," Rusty corrected, hiding behind the payload to replenish his shield with Jenny's orb of destruction attached to him. Lincoln hoovered above as Pharah, taking shots at the enemy team.

"Haiku, get that, Pharah," Girl Jordan ordered, deflecting Stella's laser barrage. Haiku nodded before peeking at her low health bar. She sprinted to the nearing health pack when a flashbang stunned her in place. Liam finished her off with a headshot.

"Crap, they got a Reaper," Zach informed the team, grumbling as he missed his hook. They have three tanks. What did they expect? Clyde blasted Mollie off the payload, enabling Rusty to slam her into a nearby wall. It's a tedious crawl to Point A. The defenders retreated as Rusty, Zach, Clyde, and Stella pushed the payload. Liam and Lincoln focused on their task of flanking the attackers. The frost-haired boy changed into Soldier 76. Haiku and Kat often targeted him too for his liking as he hovered above them.

"Get over here!" Mollie roared in a deep voice, yanking Clyde mere centimeters to her scarp gun. His pinprick eyes widened, using his sound blast to create distance.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god!" Clyde fretted, hopping around like a rubber ball evading that meat hook and scarp blasts. He swapped to his emerald upbeat vibes to increase his mobility.

"On my way, Clyde," Zach grinned as he healed himself. It's the law of the Roadhogs. They must battle to see who's the king of the mud pile.

"Hurry up, we're almost there," Rusty shouted as they turned a straightway. Oh man, it's this chokepoint. Okay, they have to get through the overhead passage and get to the gate. Girl Jordan and Rusty exchanged fire strikes as their barriers rechanged. Jordan retreated to find a health pack.

"Rusty, where are you going?!" Stella asked, watching him chase Girl Jordan. "Liam, Lincoln, can one of you get on the payload?" She requested, shooting at Jenny's Defense Matrix. The boys nodded, rushing to the payload when a sharp pain bit Liam's ankle. Oh crap, it's a Junkrat. Kat lobbed two grenades, splattering him to pieces before wobbling away to assist Jordan.

"Crap," Lincoln muttered, chipping away at Jenny's health. They lost Zach by Kate's mine and Mollie's headshot. Haiku left her mark between Clyde's eyes. Rusty's death icon popped up on the screen.

"Rusty, did you just fall off the ledge?!" His team yelled. Come on, dude, only a minute remained. They didn't need this right now.

"...No," Rusty replied, avoiding their judgemental stares. Lincoln hid behind the payload, unable to see the sniper taking potshots at Mollie. Come on; they're almost there. The rest of Lincoln's team arrived thanks to Clyde's speed boost. Just one final push. And there's a gigantic ice wall blocking their path.

"They have a Mei," The attackers groaned. Whatever, they can still do this.

An adorable light blue drone hovered about them. Oh no."Dòng zhù! Bù xǔ zǒu!" Cookie ordered with a sadistically jovial grin. Their movements slowed from the excruciating icy gales, chilling their bones until they were ice sculptures. Easy prey. Cookie nodded to Haiku. The goth smiled, readying her bow as she glowed with ancient spiritual power.

"Ryū ga waga teki wo kurau!" Haiku spoke, releasing her arrow. Twin dragons erupted with an eerie howl and hunger in their glowing eyes at the insolent attackers. "The dragon consumes," She whispered, observing the twin beast decimating the enemy team.

"Team kill," The announcer cheered, as did the defenders. They rushed in and climbed on the payload. The machine didn't recognize them, forcing it to backtrack steadily. Cookie and Haiku cooperated with an array of chunky ice walls to slow them down and well-placed headshots. "Victory!" Those words flashed on their screen. Cookie got a Legendary vote as Haiku received Play of the game for her ultimate.

It's the final round for the teams. Both are tied with one each, waiting for the final map.

"Welcome to Eichenwalde," The game informed the teams. A hybrid map, huh? Lincoln's team was the attackers, while Mollie's team was the defenders. Here, they waited in an abandoned quaint german town. The scars of the Omnic Crisis were healed by Mother Nature reclaiming her territory. It's the same strategy for the attackers, with Rusty leading for the front with his friends behind his barrier field. Clyde remained as Lucio. Hey, someone needs to be the Support. Stella swapped to her Dawn Zayra to provide more shielding. The enemy ramped up their offense capabilities with Roadhog, Reaper, Zenyatta, Widowmaker, Reinheart, and McCree.

"Hey, guys, have you seen Lincoln anywhere?" Mollie asked, standing behind Girl Jordan, blasting away at Rusty's shield. Their eyes collectively rounded at the question.

"...Nooooo," They replied. Speaking of which, they haven't seen Liam either. An unexpected concussive blast scattered Mollie, Girl Jordan, and Cookie.

"He's up there!" Kat remarked, attempting to aim for the head. Lincoln fired his rocket launcher demolishing Girl Jordan's shield from the air. Her heart stopped at a flung landmine approaching as Liam followed with his thumb on the detonator. She couldn't jump in time. The explosive turned her face into a piece of abstract art, staining the walls with bone, blood, and grey matter.

"What the-" Haiku fretted as he landed. She swapped to rapid-fire while backstepping to the window, knowing she couldn't win in close quarters. However, that did stop Liam's steel trap from clutching her ankle enabling him to squash this spider.

"Crap, they're behind us!" Cookie complained as she inhaled her canister. Jenny attached an orb of harmony to Girl Jordan and an orb of destruction to Rusty. She charged attack, unleashing a barrage of orbs into Zach's skull before Lincoln's rocket shattered her to pieces. The ground crumbled beneath them.

"Coming through!" Rusty smirked, mangling their bodies under his sturdy armor as he charged in. They stood their ground with Lincoln and Liam holding them off with rockets and frag grenades.

"Point Captured," The payload wheeled towards the attackers. Same plan as always. Rusty raised his barrier, blocking the enemy projectiles as they marched through a chokepoint.

"They got a Bastion on that ledge," Clyde revealed, doing his best to heal the team. Kat unleashed hell with her Gatling gun, holding them in place. Lincoln nodded before taking off. Kat diverted her attention to the airborne threat, hiding behind the wall to repair herself. Damn, they're turning at the corner to the straight path. She sprinted to the outside ledge, morphing to sentry mode on the wooden staircase. Rusty moved his shield to block the hail of red hot bullets. Stella provides extra shields to negate Mollie's frag grenades.

"Oh crap!" Kat yelped when Lincoln blasted her from the ledge. Thankfully, there's no fall damage. However, that didn't save her from Rusty's hammer crushing her skull. Lincoln, One more push. Aw crap, they're at the bridge! Lincoln parched on a roof to recharge his hoover jets. Also, can we talk about how weird lore to video game transition can be? He's in a hyper-advanced suit of armor causing more than a jet plane with a destructive power of a column of armored tanks. Yet flying for a few seconds is the max in-game. Yeah, I understand it's for balancing and gameplay reasons. At least with Reinheart, his armor is practical but outdated by a few decades. Lincoln fired at Girl Jordan's and Cookie's shields so his team could push forward. His concussive blast launched and disoriented them. Mollie joined the fray as Soldier 76, requiring more damage. Lincoln crouched before jumping in the air, firing off more rockets to crack their defenses, unaware that Haiku had a pretty red dot on his forehead.

"Damn, they got Lincoln," Stella grumbled, launching plasma grenades from her particle cannon. They needed the damage. Rusty smirked, gaining an idea. Oh yeah, this will surely impress the ladies and win them the game. Rusty…are you sure about that?

"I got this!" Rusty boasted as he charged into the enemy team, leaving his team to taste his exhaust. It's a simple plan. Get Girl Jordan and Cookie caught in his path and slam them into the wall for extra damage.

"Rusty, what are you doing?!" His team yelled, forcing Zach to be the frontline, several sonic arrows to the gut. Rusty's grin persisted when he stopped. Why did he stop? His eyes widened at the trapped icon displayed over him. He followed a jade graviton orb over the edge of the bridge, tethering him before it exploded. Rusty screamed as it dragged him over the ledge into the rocky abyss. Looks like he didn't watch the 'Honor and Glory' short. Cookie and Kat cheered at the teamwork. That's two down, four more to go. Why do they hear boss music? They glanced skyward to a waving Lincoln.

"Oh no," Jenny mumbled.

"JUSTICE RAINS FROM ABOVE!" Lincoln ordered, releasing a chorus of rockets on the enemy team. Five player killstreak.

"Let's go, Lincoln! Come on, guys," Stella encouraged her remaining teammates. Haiku retreated into the inner layers of the castle. They reached the payload checkpoint. The front gate groaned open where a Bastion greeted them with a storm of bullets. Kat attempted to flee, but Zach's hook dragged her metallic ass back to them.

"Ah crap," She muttered before turning into scrap metal again. The attackers turned at a corner, meeting more resistance. Liam tossed a mine and launched himself to one of the high perches. Rusty returned, setting up his barrier again. They're almost to the finish line, where the late commander of the Crusader's body was laid to rest after his heroic sacrifice during the Omnic Crisis. It makes it rather suspicious that Reinhardt has his armor.

"They're reaching the point. Stop them," Mollie commanded her team as they inched closer to the king's throne. Remnants of this man's heroic sacrifice lingered as they marched past the remains of shattered Omnics. It's a chaotic firefight as bullets, lasers, and whatever projectiles jetted through the halls.

"Ogon' po gotovnosti!/Justice rains from above!" Stella and Lincoln combined their ultimates. The unyielding suction of the blackish purple sphere dragged them is, unable to flee from the precise missile shower.

"Teamkill!" The announcer informed the teams. The attacking team danced and emoted on the advancing payload until that sweet victory screen flashed. Lincoln got Play of the game and nine votes because someone voted for Rusty. The victors stretched and cracked their knuckles at a job well done.

"Thanks for the ultimate, Stella," Lincoln praised his teammate as the rest nodded to agree.

"Thanks, Lincoln," Stella replied with a flustered face. "You can rain justice on my blackhole anytime," She purred, curling a lock of her sleek raven hair.

"Wait, what?!" Lincoln yelled at the comment. The Filipino's eyes widened with a blankly shocked grin as the words lopped in her mind. They waited for her response.

"Huh?! What was that, grandma?" Stella stammered, putting her hand to her ear, attempting to craft an exit strategy. "Sorry, guys, time for dinner. BYE!" She rattled off before ending the call. The guys remained silent before shrugging and ending the call. They needed to eat anyways. Stella wailed into her red pillow. "Why did I just say that?" She muttered at her Freudian slip. Her eyes glanced at the rabbit plushy Lincoln won from Burping Burger on her nightstand. She smiled while playing with one of the ears. "Maybe that one won't be so bad given a few more years," Stella muttered to herself, petting the plushie. "Magandang gabi sa aking munting snow bunny," She cooed before heading to dinner.

Trivia/Fun fact:

Leni hates the Kardashians

Lisa is a Taurus. I got this from an Incorrect Quotes generator

Cookie QT is half Asian. I haven't decided on what yet

Polly doesn't live in Royal Woods. She lives in Beaverton

Finally, I'm not exhausted after a chapter. So I'll be taking a break, especially with what's going on in the news right now. Keep up the awesome work on the TV Tropes page

Thanks for reading the story. Follow and Favorite to keep updated. Leave a review for any thoughts, questions or to show your support. Thank you and have a good day.