28. Checkmate I

Alright it's about time. I started this multi-part chapter ready for the 3rd anniversary. You know the drill by now. I cut the chapter in half but for legit reasons this time. It got too long for what I had planned (even this is longer than I removed) so I transferred the rest to another document for later, giving me enough to time flush things out. Don't worry, Part two is in development.

Yes, I saw the Save Royal Woods special. I'm not sure I'll adapt that one due to prior plots and time constraints. I'll do a little reference here and there with Gabriel and Michael stopping it. Also, Time Trapped got my lemon senses tingling for Mrs. Gurdle so I got that chapter rolling. I struggled with how to write Tabby's chapter plus the winner of the poll which was Everyone with Sweater QT got the top vote. The duos will be Brown and Cookie QT and Polly Pain and Panda QT just to make my life easier as writer's block and burnout are settling in.

Tabby's and Sweater QT will have Lemon together similar to Haiku and Karate QT. An another AU. This time we're going to Warhammer 40K. Lincoln's not a Space Marine so relax

Thus, I focus on my DA account posting memes, tier lists, and commissions I got. I'll probably change my account name sometime this week. Hint: I got something for Dusk Shine as a teaser for the Friendship Games

QOTD: What did you guys get for the Steam summer sale? I got Bayonetta, Final Fantasy 7, Skullgirls, and Portal 2.

JD1122: Everything was chill this chapter with some plot elements. I can't believe that they have a Time travel episode. Oh my god man. I used to play back in the day but never did competitive play. Yeah, trivia/facts fleshes out the world/characters

Guest: That's the point of these filler/breather chapters. Some slice of life moments for everyone while advancing the plot. I'll probably introduce them earlier than expected depending on what happens and how I feel. There are tons of characters as you said like bring them back for one episode. TLH got better with Girl Jordan being the focus of an episode along with Paige given a voice line. WE NEED MORE! Maggie, Hugh, Cristina, Albert, Myrtle, DiMartino, the Yates. Too much of Flip and Chandler. Also, bring Ronnie Anne back to Royal Woods for a visit before her spinoff ends.

Masaru-OSSU: Vote on the poll so see who'll win. I went into this story with a selected number of girls. That's why I'm doing Logbook allowing for these girls to have a chance with Lincoln. Plus I haven't gotten a feel for some of these girls yet making it difficult for me to write them as a focus. Henceforth, I'm giving them small moments. I think this is the first time that I focused on Kat

Bryan Pacheco: Stella's slowly developing her feelings for Lincoln. I already did that with Haiku as we saw with the library scene. Oh, I have a lot of moments. That'll probably be going when they're in middle school.

Pirohiko-Baltazar: A little bit of both with some of my own insights. Yes, I saw the movie. I sent the review and PM. Hope that helps with your story.

Mr. Haziq: They did something with Carol, Lori's other lookalike but nothing with Lyra(Also that's not her real name. It's a placeholder name so she can fit the theme of the Loud family.) I know what Lisa knows but you'll figure it out throughout the story. Moria turning Genji into a cyborg makes more sense. That Blackhole thing came from a meme that I saw with Hanzo and Zarya.

NiteOwl18: Never said that it was Lisa. There are tons of Sin kids out there so I chose the iconic ones

DaleJr.88: It pains me so these awesome dead stories. Yeah, it's horrendous. Oh sorry if I opened old wounds but since this is the multiverse. The Sin Kids aren't always a product of incest. Pay attention to Leapfrog. Man, I went to a catholic school so I know how you feel. Never played PUBG so I couldn't write that scene. Stella is like practice for Starlight. She said have a goodnight my snow bunny.

Anon-A-Miss is the No Such Luck of the EQG series so be careful. Persona and MLP is a cool concept. Maybe they gain their cutie marks once they conquered their Shadows, allowing to unlock new abilities as the social link develops. Furthermore, given what happens throughout FIM such as Discord and the Canterlot wedding will cause the Social Link to plummet. There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana and 56 is the Minor Arcana. You can use these cards as a way to develop various characters which is a ton of them.

Yeah…everything's a mess but I'm taking breaks here and there. You can work in a museum or be a teacher's aide.

The students were gathered in the gymnasium, dressed in more formal attire such as dresses, dress shirts, slacks, and church shoes. They chatted, waiting for Coach Pacowski to enter as the A/C roared its chilly breath. It surprised them when their teachers told them to dress up for their next gym class. "Think Pacowski will have us dance or something?" Liam asked his friend group. His Meemaw pulled out his best red plaid shirt and fancy tan slacks. Both were breathable and easy to move in. They nodded and muttered an agreement. Was this practice for prom or an upcoming formal event? The winter formal end-of-semester dance is in a few months. Several pondered on their potential dates. Don't worry about that, kids. I'm not even close to that mini-arc. We're almost thirty chapters in with several arcs and plot points ready to go.

Rusty grinned, rotating his forearms in a clockwise manner. "Alright, time to show the ladies my sweet moves," The redhead bragged, striking a dance pose in one of his many retro white suits from his dad's shop. "Oh yeah," He smirked. His classmates groaned and face-palmed at the red-headed Cassanova's antics. Save the dancing for later, will ya, Rusty?

"Easy there, disco," Zach rolled his rolled eyes. His conspiracy senses tingled when a disturbing thought probed his mind. "You guys don't think he'll have us play dodgeball like this?" His aghast eyes widened at the possibility. Fear spread amidst the gym like a foul odor, halting their casual conversation.

"Oh, I hope not," Kat fumed, sharpening her eyes at the door. "Especially in these shoes," She gestured to her black cone heels. The mall had a clearance sale on these shoes! Several girls surveyed their restrictive footwear, murmuring with second thoughts.

Haiku glanced at her shiny midnight black flats. "I think I'll be fine," She teased, hiding her mischievous grin at Lincoln behind her gloved hand. Both remembered the chase scene after he began training with Adora, Alexandria, and Pandora. They made up and grew more intimate after having a heart-to-heart in the library during the afternoon.

"Now, it's a fair fight," Lincoln commented, playing her game with eagle spread arms. Haiku's associates shared a cold sweat from his casual tone. He won't fight them … right? They formed a collective thought bubble of Lincoln shirtless, showing off his toned body. His arctic eyes narrowed into sub-zero spears, calculating and countering every potential move. Lincoln's leg muscles charged, holding their stance, awaiting orders to pounce on his prey. His steaming breath warmed their sensitive skin, tingling the nerves. AND SWEATING?! A titanic glacier is a bare minimum to quench their abyssal thirst. Few shuddered, biting their bottom lip. They still had those pictures of Lincoln jumping out of the pool at Girl Jordan's pool party. Mollie rubbed her arms in a sleeveless burgundy A-line dress, replenishing their warmth. The brunette grumbled as she left her blazer in her locker. Ugh! The one time, she didn't wear a coat or some outer layer. She pouted, unable to see Lincoln in a suit again. Instead, he's in a standard orange button-up shirt tucked into his comfortable tan khakis. Wait, are those his date khakis? Lincoln nevertheless looks stylish.

Chandler and his cronies snickered, thinking otherwise. "Hey, Lame, didn't you wear that during your date with Ronnie Anne?" The red-headed leader taunted. "What? You didn't have anything else to wear?" He smirked in his dark green dress shirt and black pants. Lincoln ignored him, concentrating on his chat with Clyde. His jaw tightened at the insolence. "Didn't you hear me?!" The conceited redhead barked.

"Yeah, he heard you but does he care?" Cookie defended with a frown, marching to the sour redhead in a gentle orchid dress. " We don't either. The only person who cares is you," She pointed him in the sternum, infuriating Chandler. Both exchanged a nasty glare.

"Lincoln officially went on a date with two girls," Mollie brought up, dismantling further Chandler's attempt. Jenny blushed, glancing at the smooth wooden floor. Clyde whispered to Lincoln while motioning his hand in a so-so manner regarding Ronnie Anne. They never confirmed it after becoming friends. It left their relationship ambiguous "That's already twice your record," She held two fingers, driving her point before smirking at the rest. "And more than all of you combined," The hecklers silenced their tongues at the comment, evading her scrutiny. Damn, she's kind of right.

"Oh yeah, well, I-" Chandler defended.

"That girl at the mall didn't count because you paid her. Also, one of your dad's friends' kids," Mollie retorted, incinerating whatever explanation Chandler potentially had in his back pocket.

"His room is a refurbished closet," Cookie interjected, crossing her arms. It's common lore about Lincoln. "There's not a lot of space for a wardrobe," The long-haired brunette stated, narrowing her light brown eyes at the cronies. "And he still looks better than whatever you got,"

"Whatever, Orange is stupid color anyways," Chandler whined through gnashed teeth and crossed arms, returning to his group. Rusty whispered to his fellow redhead asking for the girl's number.

"Don't worry about him," Stella acknowledged, offering her support. "Orange is a good color for you," She added.

"Red looks great on you too," Lincoln commented pleasantly. Stella smiled, thanking her grandma for picking out this dress. Noting special. It's a moderate crimson asymmetrical dress with a thin black bow belt. Stella styled her hair in a ponytail when she was the new girl. No orange bow this time. The students covered their ears and shut their eyes from the high-pitched whistle, triggering their neurons to assemble themselves on the line.

"Alright, maggots," Pacowski shouted, ignoring their groans. He wore a pristine version of his default outfit. Their coach replaced the yellow polo shirt and red sweatpants with a honey buttoned-up short-sleeved shirt with sleek cardinal pants. However, the burly man's sneer yelled a different story. "Because of the pending lawsuit, there's no dodgeball until the spring semester or until further notice," Pacowski announced with a gruff voice, gritting his teeth. Fucking cowards. Okay, perhaps he was intense with how he often played before class started and could take it down several notches. The last thing Pacowski needed was a lengthy earful from the school board. Go easy on them; these are children. Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, whatever. Nurse Patty persuaded him to relax his draconian methods, such as his variant of an obstacle course. The kids cheered and hopped around, embracing one another from the joyous day. No dodgeball for months.

"Thank you, God," One of them praised with glossy eyes. You're welcome.

Pacowski's shrill whistle interrupted their celebration. "Alright, break it up. The school board approved several activities like human vs. zombies a while," He revealed to the class. Lincoln glanced at the door. Will Alexandria and Pandora join them too? "They did a vote on the next class with dance winning," The heavyset man glided his hand through his moisturized hair. He sighed. Perhaps this can work for him. Patty probably wants to go dancing as a date. "We have volunteers helping us today," Pacowski gestured to the door.

"Good morning, class," Ms. DiMartino entered the gymnasium. She wore a simple garnet strapless dress and comfortable onyx kitten heels.

"Morning, Ms. DiMartino," Lincoln greeted the Hispanic woman. He was the prepubescent male that answered. "Uh guys," The ashen blonde questioned his friends. Why were they quiet? Cookie tapped his shoulder, pointing to his dumbfounded friends. "Oh…" He winced at their stunned looks and agape jaws

"Ba...ba...ba...ba…" The other boys stammered, mesmerized by her blinding beauty. Lincoln covered his face in second-hand embarrassment. He couldn't believe that he used to act like that. Good thing that crush is old lore. Furthermore, you have more options with Ronnie Anne, Carlotta, Stella, and Alexandria.

"Clyde…" He approached his stunned friend with a gentle smile before smacking the side of his head with a blank expression.

"God dangit, dude!" Clyde snarled, rubbing his parietal bone.

"Sorry I had to bring you before you get another nosebleed," Lincoln shot off. "We just got you over, Lori," Clyde opened his mouth to retort. Lincoln crossed his arms with a sharp, accusing glare. McBride didn't say anything else. More of his classmates returned to their standard cognitive functions.

"At least your brain still works, Loud," Mollie acknowledged, nudging him with her elbow. "DiMartino isn't your type anymore?" She questioned.

"I got over it," Lincoln answered straightforwardly. Plus, that was two seasons ago. Five seasons if we're counting canon.

Mollie smirked. "I guess a certain new girl broke that spell, huh," She teased, glancing at Stella. The duo's faces flushed scarlet.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Lincoln deflected the statement. It didn't stop some of their giggling.

"Psst. Hey, how much you got for Stellacoln," Zach muttered to his friends, padding his wallet. Clyde's holding firm towards Ronniecoln

Pacowski held a box containing several dances and a wireless speaker. "Before we start, does anyone know how to dance?" He asked the class. The majority raised their hands. "Formally," He clarified, dashing their hopes and leaving two hands in the air. "Loud, Forrester," The coach ordered for them, front and center.

"Shall we?" Lincoln offered his arm with a courteous grin. Oh, what a gentleman. Her formal attire resembled her usual dress. An elegant long raven dress.

Haiku returned the smile, hooking their arms together. "Indeed," She obliged as they performed a runway walk in front of their classmates. "Who's leading?" The goth asked while Pacowski searched his phone for classic ballroom dance music.

"I will," Lincoln responded. They took the other's hand, keeping a respectable distance between them. Ms. DiMartino approached the two, pushing them closer.

"Come on, get closer, you two," She advised the flustered students. "No need to be shy," The substitute teacher consoled as their back muscles tightened under her touch. Okay, we need a name for you, ma'am. Eh, I'll call you Sophia. She grinned, watching them inch closer at an anxious snail's pace. Ah, the joy of blossoming romance. The children's faces blazed from their proximity, unconsciously acknowledging the attraction of the other. "Deep breathes," Sophia instructed, crouching to their levels before stepping back. Both followed the Latina's advice, easing the tension in their back and shoulders. Lincoln's nose absorbed a garden of lavender and peppermint as Haiku savored a crisp citrus breeze. "Are you two ready?" She asked once they relaxed in each other's presence.

"Yes, ma'am," The student replied. Pacowski pressed play. It summoned a classical violin and piano orchestra. Haiku and Lincoln's body flowed with the sophisticated music. Their movements were light and pre-planned, remnants of countless past experiences. Both had a faint soothing expression as they held their bodies close, free from worry. Two scenes filled the onlookers' minds; A prom dance scene in a coming of age story where the love interest progressed into an official couple. The other is a glossy raven caught in the ocean's breeze, forming a minuscule silhouette against the orange sky. Lincoln concluded their performance with an adventurous dip as Haiku trusted him to do so. He won't drop her. Their classmates applauded once the music ended while they bowed before their audience.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" Sophia asked.

"My family's quite formal," Haiku replied. Plus, it helps with rituals.

"My sisters," Lincoln brought up. "Especially Lola," All those tea parties came in clutch.

"You're welcome, Linky," Lola popped up from the door.

Lincoln gave her a thumbs-up as she retreated. "Hmm," He cupped his ear, turning to the bleachers while Haiku followed his gaze as his eyes narrowed at the faint sounds and eerie presence. "Please excuse me," Lincoln requested as they watched him approach the benches. "FOUND YOU, LUCY!" He shouted after a short pause.

"LE GASP!" The seventh gothic child of the Loud family shrieked. She dashed out of the gym, holding a scrapbook against her chest.

"Sorry about that," Lincoln muttered as he returned to his classmates. Sophia opened her mouth to question the event, but Pacowksi shook his head. It's better not to ask.

"Okay, everyone, partner up. One boy and one girl," Sophia instructed as Haiku and Lincoln bowed with a silent thanks for the dance. She counted the number of students. "Oh my, we're missing one," She whispered, leaving Lincoln without a partner. Rusty smirked, holding one of the girls from his class. Hah, not so lucky now. "Come on, Lincoln," Sophia considered, giving him her delicate hand. It's the least she can do for such a performance.

"No, wait, he can take mine!" Numerous students pleaded for a swap, invoking a wave of eye-rolls.

"Siento, but it takes two to tango," Sophia remarked to the chagrin of the aghast boys. They missed their shot at dancing with one of the hot teachers. She instructed them on a simple routine as a harmony 2/4 beat play. Lincoln executed the movements without flaw as Sophia positioned her body to compensate for the height difference."OH…" She smiled, sliding one of her legs with the top skin of her skin, kissing the floor, but Lincoln didn't allow her to fall. "Muy bien Lincoln," Sophia praised, her knee bent near his midsection.

"Gracias, Sra. DiMartino. Mi hermana Lori me hizo ayudarla a aprender," Lincoln explained in fluent Spanish while they practiced a two-step. Her eyes widened at the skill. Lori? Oh, Bobby's girlfriend.

"Sorry, I'm late!" Alexandria panted as she entered the room. "Oh, you already started," She scanned the dancing pairs.

"Don't worry, we still have this session," Sophia consoled before peeking at Lincoln. "Sorry to cut this dance short," She muttered with a giggle. "Alexandria, your partner is Lincoln," The dance teacher mentioned.

Alexandria smiled at her sparring partner as he approached. "Sweet," She took his hand. Sophia repeated the procedure to bring Alexandria up to speed. "Sorry, it took me so long," Alexandria muttered as Lincoln twirled her. The hands clasped together, making constant steps back and forth with angular arm movements. Neither of their hearts pounded with tension; their motions influenced each other. They were sparring partners, going through another technique. She blushed with a quick survey of her dress. "This dress got a little tight on me," It's a polished aquamarine single-shoulder dress. Her mother rushed her this morning, preventing her from a decent pair of shoes. She resorted to her trusty black Nikes.

"It still looks great on you," Lincoln smiled before glancing at her chest. Oh. Did her boobs get bigger, or was it because of the dress? He gulped. No, it's the dress. Definitely, the dress so he can stop looking before she sends him back to suplex city.

"Okay, everyone, we're going to speed this up to end the class," Sophia beamed at the next song choice.

"Oh, is this the Espanda theme?" Mollie muttered as her body tingled at the upbeat rhythm. Thye nodded with a wide smirk.

Alexandria grabbed his hand. "Come on, Bunny boy, before I pin you," She dragged him to the dance. He smiled, shaking his head. Whatever, it's time to party.

"Okay, everyone," Their teacher clasped her flour-covered hands. The fifth graders ceased their idle chatter. "I already made the dough, so partner up and make one of the following foods," She passed around a list. Pastries, desserts, and a few savory foods. Cookie partnered with Lincoln, finding him reliable. Otherwise, she'll be with rusty, who's still dancing. Lincoln discarded his hoodie, leaving it in his bag. They can't have a fire hazard.

He preheated the oven as she added ingredients to the dough. What can else can he make?

"I'll make us some flatbread," Lincoln mentioned, grabbing the rolling pin. She glanced at him flattening spare lumps of dough.

"No, it's like this," Cookie groaned, approaching behind him. Her hands sat on top of his, guiding him on the proper technique. "You have to get in there," She whispered to his ear, getting on her tip-toes. Good god, his body is a cast iron baking sheet.

"You mean like this?" Lincoln asked, putting more pressure on the pin. She peered over his shoulder.

"Yeah, just like that," Cookie purred before sneering. "You better keep that because I'm not failing because of you," She ordered, flipping a switch and poking in his firm bicep.

"You have the highest grade in this class," Lincoln acknowledged, bridging his eyebrows as Rusty did the running man.

"And I want to keep like that," The junior teacher's aide remarked as she put on oven mitts.

"I have some spare eggs if anyone wants them," Jenny said. Eggs?

"I'll take some," Lincoln said. She brought over the tray of five eggs. After activating the frying pan, he placed it on the stove. Cookie grabbed a bag of potatoes and chopped a few of them. Several classmates watched them perform their magic as the teacher surveyed the students. Lincoln and Cookie created a breakfast platter of bacon, a two-egg fluffy omelet with seasoned potatoes. Their teacher sampled and analyzed the platter. Her teeth tore into the bacon, discovering a delicate sweetness to it. Brown sugar? An excellent choice. The eggs were bountiful, fluffy with potent salt and pepper mix as the potatoes had a buttery inside.

"You two get an A," She marked down on her notepad. The two smiled, holding a chocolate chip.

Jordan sniffed the air. "Um, Rusty, did you check the oven?" She asked as he moonwalked. He stopped, eyes bulging out as he gazed at the oven.

"Oh…"Rusty mumbled. Girl Jordan's stupified eyes widened at the comment before dashing to the oven. She coughed at the charcoal smoke filling her lungs. OH, THEIR QUICHE!

"Rusty," Girl Jordan growled, clutching her fists as the teacher gave a low score. He had a sheepish grin, raising his hands while stepping away. There's still enough time for another batch.

Lincoln and Stella took the scenic route to the Loud House. He offered to head to the library for peace and quiet away from his boisterous and inquisitive siblings. The last thing Lincoln needs is a category five Sis-ando. The Filipino girl countered, smiling that she's going to his sisters someday. Stella met two of his younger sisters in the library, Lisa and Lucy. See guys, I remember things … after a while. All she has to do is … meet the other … eight sisters and his parents. She gulped, rehydrating her arid throat.

"Oh boy," Stella muttered, clutching her bag straps. Okay, just relax. It's no big deal. You've already met twenty percent of his sisters. Those two like you. She frowned, wondering if the others would like her. Thump, thump, thump. OKAY, IT IS A BIG DEAL! They know what she looked like when she and Lincoln were at the bus stop getting a burger when she was still the new girl. Before the fallout between Lincoln and his friends. The Filipino scanned her appearance, wondering if she was exceptional. It's their son and brother bringing a girl home. Eleven irate titans looming over scrutinizing her like a guilty death-row criminal pleading for mercy on deaf ears. Her stomach turned as they flicked harsh insults at her eroding the rebuilt self-esteem. How can their brother have such poor standards?

Lincoln glanced at Stella. "Something on your mind, Stella?" He asked, raising a brow. She's been quiet, starting at the rough concrete sidewalk. His hoodie wrapped around his waist, leaving him in his crimson Ace Savvy t-shirt as a cobalt Toyota Camry zoomed past. The sun decided to maximize the heat as they strolled to his home,

"Oh…just nervous about meeting your sisters," Stella stammered, attempting to remain collected. "I don't have a resume like you," She recalled his encounter with her family. The two giggled at the memory. Who else but the man with the plan will have a complete resume for himself and his family?

"Don't worry about it, Stella," Lincoln consoled with a comforting smile. "I'm sure they'll love you," His sapphire eyes twinkled with reassurance. She blushed, drowning in those vibrant pools shimmering in the sunlight. It cooled the heat, sizzling her tan skin and washing away her fears. She found safety in his words. Her hands loosened their stern grip on her bag straps.

A heartfelt smile plastered on her relaxed face, "Okay," Stella bubbled in a fruity voice, closing the distance between them. She linked her hands behind her with a light pink tinge on her cheeks. "Soooo, what do you think our history project should be?" Stella asked her partner.

"Ms. Johnson said it can be on any ancient civilization on the list she gave us," Lincoln mentioned on the rubric of their assignment. "She said we can get extra credit if we do a culture that isn't listed," He smirked, divulging the project's fine print. The majority of his class will report on the civilizations discussed prior. They have the information, only need to expand upon it. Some of them were Egypt, Greek, Rome, and Babolyon.

"Sneaky," Stella shared his sly smile. "As long as we don't do Rome, then I'm all ears," She cringed at another Rome-based homework. We get it! Rome is one of the most influential civilizations in recorded history. It's bland and over-done like most Isekai plots. Time slowed for the students as they discussed the future project adding random topics throughout their chat. The assignment is due in a few short weeks. They speak to their heart's content. Nothing else matters besides these two.

The pair stopped before the Loud house. "We're here," Lincoln announced to Stella. Her eyes rounded at the scale of the house. It dwarfed hers. She calculated dozens of equations to predict the home's price and gigantic square area. His parents had to purchase it in the mid-nineties, with both of them securing a stable job. Oh crap. Her face paled at the monthly utility bill for thirteen people. Although, Lisa doubtless has tremendous funding for what she does and possibly created an efficient generator. Lincoln mentioned the herculean task of reducing power usage. She frowned at how unfair it was towards Lincoln. A failing grade and scorn from his classmates?! Also, Clyde showed up for the group gaming session despite knowing what Lincoln was accomplishing, which got him in trouble with his sisters. Shame on you, Clyde. You're supposed to be his best friend. The feeling is mutual, Stella. The early seasons treated Lincoln like Meg from Family Guy.

"Mhmm, maybe you can be his new and better best friend," Shadow Stella purred into her ear, pointing to Lincoln. "With some benefits," She coaxed, allowing her host's mind to wander at the possibilities. The only real obstacle is Ronnie Anne Santiago and other girls in his life like Haiku, his sparring partners, and Girl Jordan. Furthermore, Stella's beauty and intelligence match theirs. However, she has an advantage over them. He accepted her into his friend group. Now Lincoln's introducing him to his family, as did she. Stella's brown eyes hazed into opaque shards of debauchery while a blackmailer's smile crept on her face. She goggled Lincoln's back, maintaining her uncanny expression. Make a good impression; that's all she has to do. They'll approve of her presence.

The Filipino's beauty enchanted four guys to battle over her like Helen of Troy. I'm not a history fan, so please correct me if I'm wrong. How about this? His friends battled over her like the player characters in Double Dragon. A futile battle between brothers for her hand as Lincoln slithered in, arming himself with a charming smile. He screwed up his face ignoring the embarrassing scuffle. Stella took his hand, leaving the quartet behind for lunch offscreen. They stopped with their brawl, glancing skyward with slant jaws at the digital neon orange sign above them. Winner: Lincoln Loud. Toxic mid-laners had the bare-bones decency to steal in front of their teammates. Furthermore, Stella is heralded from a respectable family with exceptional grades being one of the girls in class having constant A's. Why was she worried in the first place?

Lincoln stepped forward, rubbing his chin. "It's quiet right now," He acknowledged, scanning the layout of his home before shifting his focus to the driveway. No vanzilla. Was he early, or were they late? "That gives us some time to work alone," The frost-haired Loud revealed to his partner. Her eager eyes gleamed for a brief moment. They're going to be alone.

"Your family isn't home," Stella asked as they journeyed on the patio, stopping at the front door. Perfect that gives her time to set up a script. What could she say? A structured introduction, offering a bow or handshake. 'Hello, my Stella Zhau. I'm one of your sons/brother's friends' That can work. Simpler than boiling several cups of white rice for dinner later tonight.

"Doesn't look like it," Lincoln remarked, narrowing his skeptical blue eyes. There's always one sister here. His instincts warned him that something was not right. Pop-Pop's training activated and motioned for Stella to stand behind him. She caressed her forehead, forming an O with her mouth. The statuesque girl followed his silent command, placing her hand on his shoulder. Lincoln opened the door and rotated his body and Stella's, planting their backs against the wooden wall to avoid an incoming projectile. Nothing. His eyes sharpened into a bayonet, creeping around the ajar door before focusing on the boundary between the porch and carpeting.

"Um, are you okay, Lincoln?" Stella worried. He stretched his foot, gliding it across the floor in an attempt to discover something. She recognized the dire expression when Lincoln battled his friends during dodgeball. The snow-haired lad retracted his foot. No tripwire. Was it further away?

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lincoln retorted, crouching on the ground like a pig searching for truffles shutting his left eye to search for the sun's glare on a faint durable wire. He arose, resting his hands in the jacket pockets. "I'm searching for Luan's leftover pranks," Lincoln revealed. Stella thought for a short moment. Luan? Oh, that's one of his older sisters. Her theme is comedy and the mischievous sister. Each sister had an aesthetic or motif. Lisa is the scientist while Lucy is a goth. She checked that off. Luan = Comedy. Got it. That's three out of ten. Lincoln took several steps back, using the distance to launch himself inside his home. He panned his head, searching for anything suspicious or mildly out of place.

"Can I come inside now?" Stella requested, getting confused by his actions. It's weird standing out here. He carried the paranoia of a Vietnam veteran enduring a hellish trek through a verdant green labyrinth as countless enemies hid in the foliage. They know where he is, but he doesn't know where they are. A minor lapse in judgment screams death claiming soldiers one by one.

"Yeah, you can come in," Lincoln answered, still scoping the house. Was he still being paranoid? The only times his home was quiet were during the waning hours of the night or early morning. Luan's pranks and Battle Bot honed his senses. "We can work in the dining room," Stella followed his cautious example, taking a feline step towards the extended family table. Lincoln shut his eyes, relaxing his body with steady breaths. "Anchor: Second form. Calm of the storm," He found himself in an illuminated white void absorbing the sensations rushing at him. Stella's creeping towards the table slowed to a stop motion claymation. No puns, strumming guitars, girl gossip on the phone, or dark incantations. He couldn't detect Lynn's potent sweat after a workout or Lana's wild cocktail of animal odors. That trash must be taken out soon before Lana gets into it again. All … clear. He opened his eyes, unsure how to process this newfound freedom. The middle child once had the house to himself and Stella, his guest. He shrugged before taking a seat next to her.

"So, what was that all about?" Stella questioned her friend. Was there something she should be worried about?

"It's weird for my house to be quiet," Lincoln admitted, placing his bag on the table. "I thought one of my sisters was here," He dug into his rucksack for his notebook.

"They're probably late," Stella added with a smile. Yes, some alone time with her favorite classmate.

"And something happened to Vanzilla again," Lincoln commented, sliding out of his seat. Her eyebrows rose. Vanzilla? Oh, that monstrous van that his family owns. "I'll get us something to drink. Any special requests?" He offered it to his stellar guest.

"Water's fine, please," Stella requested, hearing her mother's health concern ringing her ossicles. The studious tanned girl activated her tablet with a scarlet protective case. He turned with two moist glasses of water. "What's the wifi password?" She asked, handing him the device. The wifi name was Loud_House.

"Oh sure," Lincoln said, leaning towards her. He entered the lengthy access code by pure muscle memory. They typed in various unique civilizations to explore in the search bar. "We can do China or one of the Mesoamericans," He suggested. China has a rich, vast history with multiple dynasties. One of the dynasties would be preferred. He can talk to Ronnie Anne about the Mesoamericans.

"Mhm, let's see what we can find for both," Stella implored, adding more tabs for their search. The students researched for a period when the front door jiggled open. Their hearts dropped to their toes at the incoming footsteps. His family paused at the sight of Lincoln … with a girl. A cute one too! Their eyelids lowered with widening mischievous grins.

"Hey, Linky~," Leni chimed in with a fruity voice. Oh crap. She's using that voice. Lincoln turned around, widening his eyes at his ENTIRE family. "Who's your friend?" The fashionista swelled her smile as she observed Stella. So this was the new girl that he tried to impress earlier.

"Oh boy," Lincoln muttered, getting from his chair. Stella stood beside him, folding her hands in front of her black skirt, straightening her back. Just remember the script. "Everyone, this is Stella. " He introduced the groups, motioning his arms between them. "Stella, this is everyone,"

"Good afternoon, I'm Stella Zhau," She greeted the family with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," Stella introduced herself with a bow.

"We're not that type of family," Lincoln teased under his breath. Stella covered her mouth, giggling at his introduction to her family.

"Care to introduce us, bro?" Luna teased. Okay, she sees you, little bro!

Lincoln stepped forward with an annoyed groan. He knew exactly where this was going. "This is my mom and dad," He started his parents. "These are my older sisters, Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn Jr," Lincoln gestured to the beaming older half of his siblings. Stella observed the order of introduction. He's going from oldest to youngest. Each sister had a noticeable trait about them since it's a requirement for a large family. She cursed herself for not taking notes from when Lincoln came to her house. Everything would've been so much easier. "My younger sisters, but you already met Lisa and Lucy," Lincoln recalled the library event, gesturing to the scientist and occultist. He can trust those two to remain reserved.

"Greeting again, Stella," Lisa & Lucy replied with a grin. He places a hand on the twins.

"This is Lana. She's feral," Lincoln continued, ruffling her backward red cap.

"I wrestle gators," Lana boasted. That statement rattled Stella. Did Lana say that she wrestles alligators?!

"Of course, you do, sweetie," Lincoln remarked with a blank expression. He doesn't want to explain that story. She's still banned from the local zoo after trying to reverse suplex an alligator. "And this is Lola; she's semi-feral," He introduced her to the sophisticated half of the twins.

"Charmed," Lola pinched the sides of her bright fuchsia, bowing courteously. Wait, semi feral? Her eyes blazed redder than the devil. "What do you mean by semi-feral?!" She snarled with the bark of a savage lone wolf. Stella's eye widened at the drastic tone shift.

"Thigh-highs," Lincoln warned, extinguishing her wrath with reptilian eyes. The princess's blood ran sub-zero at the code word.

"Eep! I'll behave," Lola whimpered, clutching her buttcheeks. She folded her palms, bowing her head in a submissive manner.

"Ha! You called you feral," Lana taunted, pointing her finger at her sister before Lincoln bonked her on the bone bowl.

"I will hose you down, scrub every square millimeter of your body that'll Lynn's and Lisa's trophies jealousy," Lincoln threatened the brutish half of the twins. She copied her sister's acts.

"Wincoln," Lily waddled over to him, raising her arms. He picked up an adorable baby in a light lavender t-shirt.

"And this little cutie is Lily," Lincoln smiled as the baby hugged her big brother's neck. Some of his sisters pouted at the favoritism. They were cute too. Stella held back an ear-shattering squee from the adorableness. "Say hi, Lily," He requested. Lily gave Stella a little wave. "Any questions," Lincoln asked his beaming family. He brought a cute girl home. Of course, they had questions for both of them. "Yes, she's the new girl I talked about," He confirmed their suspicions. Stella's face heated as he talked about her. Yes. She's moving up the tier list.

"Mhmm, interesting," Leni purred, smirking all the way.

"Ugh, fine, Leni," Lincoln groaned with rosy cheeks. "You were right," He admitted, avoiding the satisfaction in her eyes. Leni stuck her tongue out, taunting the rest of her sisters. Some of them grumbled, passing money to the second eldest.

"Right about what exactly?" Stella asked. Lincoln glanced at the floor, readjusting his hold on Lily. Man, he hoped to avoid that conversation. Now, she's going to think he's weird or something.

"Oh, he tried to change his look to impress you on the bus," Leni interjected, answering for Lincoln instead. The tanned young girl contemplated how he could've altered his style too. Lincoln changed his clothes after some character development regarding his fear of being predictable. She did a measure of nostalgia for the orange polo. That's how they met. His sisters must have assisted with the choices. What were the other options? Her skin tingled, betting he'd look tasty in all of them.

"1960's bad boy greaser?" Stella predicted the look. When she arrived on her first official day at Royal Woods Elementary School, she had a church girl outfit. They eyeballed the Filipino.

"...Yes," Lincoln answered after a brief pause. How the hell did she know that? The only people who knew were his sisters. No. None of his younger sisters had the time to talk to Stella yet. Was it that obvious?

"I'm glad that you listened to your sisters," Stella declared with a radiant smile. "I like this Lincoln better," She confessed, viewing the tiled floor while his awestruck blue eyes widened at the comment. Their faces were freshly lit candles on a romantic outing. I'm sure you guys can tell I'm a MASSIVE Stellacoln shipper. However, this story isn't about her, so I haven't put her on a poll yet. She'll automatically win by a landslide.

"I knew you were a stellar girl," Luan joked with a chuckle. They like this, Stella Zhau.

"He already made that joke," Stella mentioned to the prankster. Luan and Lynn Sr.'s fingers gunned with an approving smile.

"Bite me, Luan," Lincoln groaned through his gnashed teeth.

"Not in public," She teased, wiggling her eyebrows. He covered his face, groaning at his earlier folly.

"Besides that, my job," Lucy added. Stella opened her mouth to ask.

"Vampire," Lincoln whispered, easing his guest's concerns.

"Oh…" Stella mouthed. She's a vampire kid. Hopefully, not one of the sparkling ones. Oh, Christ, I'm old when hating on the Twilight saga was popular. Man, that was like ten years ago.

Luan took Lily into her arms. "We'll leave you alone so you two can 'study,'" She commented as the rest of the family went their separate ways, keeping the volume low. His father went to the kitchen to provide snacks.

"Hey, Stella, are you allergic to anything?" Lynn Sr. asked, poking his head through the opening. His time at Aloha Comrade made that a routine comment. Besides, he can't have his son's friend be here on an empty stomach. A chef's pride won't allow it.

"No, sir," Stella responded, writing in her red notebook with Lincoln beside her. The patriarch nodded, sliding back into the kitchen. He tapped his chin, wondering what to make. It's hot today. His eyes brightened as the options sparked in his brain. Yes. Something cold and refreshing. The students resumed brainstorming while Lincoln examined the syllabus and rubric as a blender groaned in the kitchen. Leni, Rita, and Luan prevented the others from eavesdropping on Lincoln and Stella. No meddling.

Furthermore, he's handling himself appropriately. Charles rested in Rita's lap as she scratched his ears. Lana kept the rest of the pets in her room.

"We can do different eras and dynasties if we want," The ashen blonde relayed to his partner, angling the stapled paper to her. "Oh hey Cliff," He greeted his black cat ambling through the room. The feline meowed, rubbing against Lincoln's leg, who returned the favor with a head scratch.

"Oh, we can compare and contrast different rulers," Stella suggested. She can show off the Zhou Dynasty. Ah, shit, another rabbit hole. Cliff repeated his action with her before heading upstairs.

"Stella, you're a genius," Lincoln praised the tanned intellectual. Her mouth curved into a soft smile, glowing pink spheres marked under her eyes.

Lynn Sr. smiled at his son, carrying a tray. That's a chip off the old block. "Here's a little something for you two," He rested the tray, nudging Lincoln with a wink. Stella's eyes brightened at the dish. Two medium glasses of chilly deep strawberry smoothies, topped with fresh crisp raspberries. Her mouth salivated at the steaming golden brown tater tots, covered with sharp gooey cheddar and tasty brick red bacon bits. "Here's a fork because they're hot," Lynn Sr. handed two silver forks for them to use.

Stella had already shoved a handful into her mouth. Crumbs and sprinkles of garlic salt littered the edges of her mouth. She stopped, mid-chew catching their blank stares with dumbstruck eyes. "Oh, sorry," The famished Flipnoo mumbled, taking a heavy gulp. "Oh so good," She tingled with a broad smile, sampling the corners of her mouth. The tater tots singed her tongue but worth it.

"Don't worry, we have more coming up," Lynn Sr. chuckled, placing down the forks. Stella grabbed her glass, pushing the dense lump of starch down her gullet. Lincoln dug into his portion. She released a satisfied exhale, wiping her mouth, the upper layer of her tongue stained with a moderate red. So this is where Lincoln got his cooking skills from. Stella leered at the unaware Lincoln, checking off his traits. A cute, intelligent, and respectable boy holding a list of domestic skills with a deep love for his family. Perfect. One of the doors creaked open. Stella calculated the location of the noise, determining that it didn't come from upstairs. She turned to the kitchen, her heart frozen at what she discovered wheeling from the back door.

Her twitching finger tapped like a woodpecker on Lincoln's shoulder. "Um, Lincoln?" Stella muttered, gathering his focus.

"Oh, hey, TODD," Lincoln greeted the machine with a casual wave of his fork. "Getting some oil for the others," He asked as other members acknowledged the machine like an old friend. Stella's awestruck eyes ricocheted between the beings. Wait, there are others? Where are they? Her mind shuffled between the basement, shed, and garage.

"Greetings, Lincoln," The mismatched robot replied in an electronic monotone voice. "Lisa's been putting on a low-crude oil diet," He answered with a bundle of canola oil before sighing. "I missed the good stuff," Stella nodded in sympathy, recalling events with her mother. Cauliflower wings aren't wings! Her invested brown eyes followed TODD out the door.

"Was that…?" Stella whispered, pointing at the doorway. He nodded, confirming her suspicions. Those are one of the robots he displayed to her at Burpin Burger. Her phone buzzed to life. "I better get home," It's a message from her family. The pair tidied up the table. Stella scarfed down her tater tots and smoothie with the vigor of a death row inmate before unleashing a hearty burp. "Excuse me," She muttered as Lynn Jr. and Lana gave her a thumbs-up while carrying her dishes to the sink. It's the least she can do after having a wonderful time. The winter-haired Loud escorted his guest to the front door.

"I'll see if Lisa has spare parts for you," Lincoln suggested to his mechanically inclined friends. Lisa has piles of defunct machinery in her bunker. Some of them still worked, showing how she and Lana make constant repairs to Vanzilla. Her face brightened to her namesake with a jubilant smile, rushing in with arms open for an embrace. Lincoln's legs dangled off the floor, her cheeks nuzzling his own. He smiled, hugging her back. A delicate whiff of peaches emitted from her silky black hair breezed past his nose.

"Thank you! You're the best Lincoln," Stella extolled, tightening her hug. She eased her body, savoring the warmth. His family beamed at the exchange as Leni prolonged her smirk. Okay, you were right, Leni. The two released each other with soft scarlet cheeks. "I'll … see you later," She muttered with a tiny smile, gazing at the carpet with a playful body sway.

"Sure, I'll text you," Lincoln returned the smile. They needed to finalize their thoughts on the assignments. She gave him one final wave before closing the door. Lincoln waved with a relaxed grin. His eyes exploded with a rumbling spot up his spine before glancing over his shoulder. "Oh, crap…" He grumbled, covering his ears for the impending penetrating excited yells of ten sisters.

"You know that was a perfect time to clean his tonsils," Shadow Stella mentioned, peering over the original's shoulder. The Filipino shook her head, peeking at the jovial feminine screams erupting at the Loud House. "Shit, those girls got some pipes on them," The Id muttered at the volume. No wonder they're called the Loud House.

"No…" Stella smiled, waiting for the bus. Everything was a success as the bus screeched to a stop. She stepped on, choosing a front seat, her bag resting on her lap. Her grin prolonged as the shuttle rumbled to resume its route. His family approves of her, furthering their bond in a brief moment, breaking the touch barrier, and now are going to spend more together. "Not yet," She answered, savoring the smoothie's taste. Mhm, what does he taste like? "We're not there yet," Stella confessed, her thoughts resting on a frost-haired male, wondering what's doing right now. Oh, he's currently being chased by his sisters demanding questions about Stella. Lincoln glanced at his parent's wedding photo while evading a tackle from Luna. Who's baby is that? That's new. Why didn't he notice that before?

Lincoln leaned back into the couch, kicking his feet on the table. He and his friends were preparing to watch the ARGGH special. They were chatting about miscellaneous things during the intermission, munching or sipping on what they got their hands on. Lincoln, Clyde, and Liam prepared a feast for such an occasion along with whatever they brought for the premiere. Chips, soda, popcorn, candy, game day dishes. The coveted television remote laid in his palm, a rare privilege in the Loud House. It's finally his. His calculating arctic eyes checked his watch and smiled. "Hey, guys, the show is on!" Lincoln called out to his guests. It's a recap episode before the main event. They scrambled for an excellent seat as he swapped to the channel. His smirk held cold confidence, watching the eerie intro play. The platinum blonde schemer turned his attention to the window, waving his hand to his gawking family on the other side. He and Clyde fist-bumped, each with a refreshing drink in their palms. His family's dumbstruck eyes widened to dinner plates as questions swarmed around their brains. Twin whirlpools glimmered in their superiority at the fools deluding themselves that they have a chance of beating him. He activated Lisa's security system, preventing them from barging in, and reclaiming the tv. Lynn Jr, Lola, and Lori shoulder-rammed the door. Each strike rippled the thin luminescent cerulean forcefield. Lisa stopped them. It's futile. Lincoln has the codes. He decides who gets inside the house. The trio growled at the door, rage coiling around their stomach as they stomped off the porch. The others exchanged ideas and debated on who's to blame as investors scavenging for resources after horrible business deals. It started with a simple question.

How did it happen?

Well, it all started over two weeks ago. The Loud children discovered that they receive priority by bringing a friend. The Friend Card. Lincoln brought his ever-trusty friend Clyde McBride. His sisters pounced on the idea before him. The tv, cookies, badminton, and lunch. They brought familiar faces to the Loud House. Becky, Sam, Giggles, Margo, Haiku, and Darcy. Lincoln doesn't recall meeting Whitney before and swore Lana's friend had darker skin. Eh, it was probably the mud. Everyone brought one friend dividing the privilege equally. There's a simple solution to that. Bring more friends. However, the parents knew how drastic their kids could be, dousing the wildfire before it spread. That was the last thing they needed. Each of their children summons a horde of their companions to their house, creating factions within factions. It still didn't hinder them from planning for future events. A solo challenge as the walls have ears and the shadows have eyes. Betrayal and sabotage are down the hall or across from your bed. Only so much can be shared in a family as big as there's.

Liam and Lincoln engaged in a battle of wits. A friendly game of chess during their study hall period in the library. The head librarian had a pillar of books near her. She slid a row of books under a scanner, rhythmically beeping with each success, creating a new mount. One of her college student workers placed the stack on a worn-out metallic trolley and strolled around to re-shelf the books. Clyde flipped a coin for who gets which pieces. Lincoln rolled his eyes as he got white. Of course, he gets white. Ha..ha..ha. The farm boy had more competitive experience as a chess club member. Lincoln, on the hand, had more intelligence combined with his unorthodox thinking and consistent, practical application thanks to his planning and various opponents in his sisters created a ruthless adversary. The pair were at a stalemate, neither winning nor losing, but victory was within their grasp. "So, fellas, where are we watching the ARRGH special?" Liam asked, calculating his next move. Should he go with his rook or knight? They had a good week before the premiere.

"I think we should watch it at one of your places," Lincoln suggested, resting his chin against his knuckle while observing Liam move his rook. He countered with one of his pawns. The other members of their group went scattered to do their own thing. Rusty slithered at the girl's table, attempting to flirt his way for answers. They rolled their eyes at the curly redhead's flirtations.

"Lincoln, we always watch ARRGH at your house," Clyde retorted, holding a clipboard to tally the scores. His dads were mother hens overly cautious about what their son was watching. Plus those damn multi-protective parental controls. It regresses hard-core action movies into playful cat videos or performs a lighting redirect to one of the approved channels. He's a growing boy with a single strand of chest hair, but he lives in a house of bubble wrap. The farm isn't an option either, with sparse satellite connections and cautious of overworking the animals—Lynn. Sr made delicious snacks when Lincoln brought his friends home.

"Unfortunately, DreamBoat and Dessert Storm are premiering around the same time," Lincoln replied, pushing up his bishop, his hand claiming a rook for his efforts. The shows divided their family into two factions. Team Sweets were the brunettes: Lynn Sr & Jr, Luna, Luan, Lucy, and Lisa. Their rivals were Team Ocean Dreams: Rita, Lori, Leni, Lola, Lana, and Lily. "You know how my sisters are," His blue eyes scanned the checkerboard, evaluating what he'll do and Liam's response to it.

"Didn't help that your sisters and their friends swarmed to your house like flies to a fresh pile of manure," Liam remarked, scratching his head. Damn, Lincoln got him in a pincher maneuver.

"Yep, and um, thanks for letting me hide at your farm," The winter-haired Loud muttered, rubbing his shoulder. Clyde screwed up his face. What happened at the farm?

"No problem," Liam smiled.

"Um, what happened at the farm?" Clyde asked, missing a vital piece of the conversation. Lincoln and Liam shared a look recalling the morning's events.

It's incredibly early that same morning. The sun hasn't marinated the sky with its flaming vibrant orange plasma against the deep midnight blue atmosphere. Not a soul awake in the Loud House except one. Leni, the second eldest, ambled down the hallway past her snoring sisters with a plated smile. Her light footsteps ensured no other early raisers interrupted her. She opened Lincoln's room door with a whisper pushing it behind her. Her smooth feet glided across the carpet before kneeling at his bed. Lincoln's back faced her with his faint snores occupying the reformed room. He shuffled in his bed, sensing a presence near him. Oh, god, is it this time? His nose inhaled a gentle aroma, listing off the scents. Cucumber, coconut with a hint of aloe vera. His hazy deary eyes peeked over his shoulder, discovering his elder sister's delicate face beaming at him. He didn't know the time since she was still in her night clothes. Either it's the middle of the night or before the crack of dawn.

"Mhm, oh hey, Leni," Lincoln mumbled with a yawn, turning over to get more sleep. Did she have another horrible dream of sockets, sandals, and fanny packs or wanted clarification for something in Leni's terms? Lisa doesn't have the time, patience, or crayons to explain anything to the fashionista at this hour.

Leni placed her hand on his toned shoulder, leaning in with half-lidded eyes. "Ara-Ara~" She purred in his delicate ear. His eyes exploded, body paralyzed with terror as those dreaded words washed over him like a bucket of frigid water. Under normal circumstances, those words are incredible to hear. However, he fits the description of Onee-san's prey, plus it can come from one of his OLDER sisters. Did Luan put her up to this? Welp, Lincoln's not going to stick around and find out. He saw way too much fuck mothering hentai to know where this shit is going! Because fuck that! Although…it's Leni, she won't make it weird. Plus, his classmates labeled her as the 'pretty one.' He can't deny the attractiveness. If Leni wasn't his sister and himself was a few years older. Wait … what the honey nut bunches of fuck was he thinking?! He needs to leave!

Lincoln tossed his blanket, hopping out of bed. "NOPE!" He yelped, grabbing an overnight bag and glancing at his window. His head tilted in contemplation at the option. Should he?

"Huh?" Leni muttered, searching around with obstructed vision. The creek of an open window, followed by a nippy early morning breeze, gave her an answer.

Mee Maw whistled an optimistic tone, holding a red semi-rusted steel wire basket. The mature full-figured woman savored the gentle heat of the early morning sun on her fair skin. She exhaled, opening the red-painted wooden door of the barn, content with her simple life. Several decades of farmwork habituated her nose enabling the woman to ignore the vicious onslaught of bestial odors from the livestock herd. I've been on a farm once. Those smells will deliver a full Mortal Kombat combo on your nose. Mee Maw rubbed her hands together in front of a flock of chickens, reaching into the bedding. Her mouth straightened at the strange material. "What in tarnation?" She muttered, narrowing her eyes, taking a few steps back.

Lincoln appeared with a chicken on his head, spitting out old hay. "Hey, Miss. Hunnicutt, do you mind if I stay here for a while, please," The frost-haired Loud requested, removing the avian from his head. The two stared at each other as the chicken flapped around.

"Sure, sweetie, as long as you help with the chickens," Mee-Maw smiled, handing him the basket. She needed to check the fields for the farmer's market. This bountiful harvest will have the cows coming home.

"Sweet, I'll make you breakfast," Lincoln suggested, shaking the pile of hay from his white hair. The Hunnicutt family didn't mind Lincoln's appearance while Hattie's cheek flared scarlet. They could always use an extra set of hands and an excellent meal for the day—a three-egg omelet with cheese and extra crispy bacon. Mee-Maw sent him some additional crops on his way back home after breakfast. His father is one of their best customers and a good friend to Liam.

"Oh, that's why," Clyde mouthed. "So, where are we watching the special?" He scribed Lincoln's move. Oh. Knight to E5.

"Probably my room or Lisa's bunker," Lincoln acknowledged the possibilities. They needed somewhere quiet away from the ruckus to watch their show. Should he bring his laptop and use Lisa's projector?

"You think she'll mind," Liam queried, holding his remaining bishop. He didn't want to encounter the twisted mechanical monstrosities on her bunker's bowels. TODD was enough for him. And he was made from spare parts in the janitor's closet. That scrap amalgamation was superior to what they provided for Robotics day in class. How the fuck were they supposed to compete with that?! An automaton with a sentient and self-aware artificial intelligence capable of complete, coherent sentences and forming its opinions. Also, a fucking laser beam! The best they had were model toy cars.

"Nah," Lincoln waved off the concern. "I have big brother privileges," He boasted, scanning the chess board. Both were down to a handful of pieces as he glanced at a bookshelf.

Clyde checked his watch. "We better get going, guys," He told his friends. It's almost time for Lunch, and they want first dibs on their table. They packed up along with the majority of their classmates. Several chose to stay for a while longer. A whiff of sterile chemicals caught his attention, and smiled. Lincoln whispered one of their countless code phrases. Clyde nodded, receiving the message.

"Hydra dominatus," The ashen blonde Loud muttered to himself as they descended the stairs. Sorry I watched a lot of 40k videos.

"What?" Clyde arched his brow at the bizarre phrase. Others gazed at Lincoln, overhearing the words. Was it from a video game?

"Nothing," Lincoln responded with a disarming grin. They shrugged, thinking nothing of the words as they turned around, wanting to get to lunch. His charming smile remained, but those twin sapphires glimmered with deceptive joy as he glanced over his shoulder. Lucy and Lisa exited the library, joining his group as the sisters each grabbed one of his hands, with Lisa giving him a squeeze.

Step one completed.

Lincoln and his boys gathered at their usual table with an array of lunches. Clyde cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, should we begin?" The gentle dark-skinned boy suggested with a smile as the other's grin widened for their lunch trade. "I'll go first," He started, opening his Tupperware.

"Wooooaaahhh," His friends marveled at the dish. Clyde presented a lavish meal of chicken parmesan. Juicy golden brown poultry cut into strips with a double layer of milky mozzarella browned with oven heat and radiant herbal tomato sauce under a web of angel hair pasta. All with two slices of buttery garlic bread.

"I got some fried chicken for that garlic bread," Liam offered up, opening his lunch box.

"Let's see what you got," Clyde obliged the request. The farmboy smirked, displaying one of his pieces. He had a deep golden brown wing with a coarse outer coating in his palm. Liam bit into it with an audible chomp. "Oh, that's the good stuff," Clyde groaned with a sliver of steam escaping from light white meat.

"I got some hot and barbeque sauce," Liam held a bottle of fire red with a shade of orange and a deep brown sauce in his hand.

"Check it out. My parents upgraded with some shrimp fried rice," Zach boasted at his lunch. Finally, no more tuna kits.

"Steak and potatoes right here," Rusty continued the trend. His mom came over for dinner the other night.

"My dad made stir-fry octopus or squid," Lincoln added, wondering what is Tentacle exactly. He knows that it's a chimeric beast, but of what. Another day, another problem. They began their trade as a set of girls who planned to engage in the meal trade. Stella, Girl Jordan, and Cookie's eyes sparked lightning.

Each held a container for their prepared meals under the guise of wanting Lincoln's opinion. Stella carried a row of Lumpa in a silver bento box. Cookie settled on something for a mix of sweet or savory pierogies. Girl Jordan and her homemade pepperoni pizza. Should they dash to Lincoln's table? No. Stella's slender legs. Girl Jordan's athleticism and Cookie's proximity to the table gave them an edge over the other.

Furthermore, the cafeteria is packed. Neither of them wanted another Stella incident remembering when Lincoln's friends raced towards her. Thus a simple objective rule above them all: First come, first serve. Their muscles tightened while prolonging their glares before striding toward the rabbit at a fast pace. However, Haiku beat them to it.

"Greeting Lincoln," The goth chimed in as she took a seat. She observed the girls with an aristocratic smirk on her features. Politely smug over the peasants. "Do you mind if I join," Haiku asked, placing her food box on the table.

"Sure, Haiku," Lincoln agreed, sliding over to create space. "We're doing a lunch trade," He explained as she edged closer to him, taunting the other girls. It pays to be his sister's best friend. Clyde fanned his face with deep canine-like pants as Liam snickered with an open bottle of hot sauce. The label says 'Satan's suntan oil.' The goth doesn't know what that is and isn't eager to figure it out anytime soon.

"I have Chicken cordon bleu," Haiku offered up. Several slices of lightly breaded chicken stuffed with sweet honey ham and gooey swiss cheese.

"Fancy," The frost-haired Loud complimented. She observed them exchanging meals like companions after a perilous quest, giving her an idea.

Haiku cut a portion of her meal. "How about a taste, Lincoln?" She suggested, holding a piece with her fork. His face heated at the gentle command yet her porcelain grin compelled him. He groaned before opening his jaw for her to place the succulent morsel on his tongue. The outer layer provided a mild crispy texture yet supple enough for his teeth to dice through the white meat.

"Mhm, you added something to this," Lincoln stated between chewing before swallowing. There's a mellow herbal aftertaste to it. Was it a marinade?

"It's a surprise," Haiku teased, keeping her culinary secrets with a grin before digging into the stir-fry. Rusty grumbled and snapped one of the chicken bones under his teeth. Of course, that manipulative buck-toothed bastard gets another moment with Haiku. The same one too.

"HEY! FEEDING HIM IS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR THING!" Shadow Stella bellowed at the action. They missed their classic anime moment of feeding him. "I'm actually Asian here," She complained, crossing her arms. Wait, are Filipinos Asian? Let me go check real quick. Oh, they're Southeastern Asians. That makes sense. Cookie had similar thoughts, although I haven't decided what Asian country you're mother is from. I got Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia as viable options, so I don't choose China or Japan. Girl Jordan cleared her throat. "Hey, Lincoln," She strolled to the table, taking a seat. Stella and Cookie followed suit.

"What's up, Jordan," Lincoln responded. The cafeteria became deafeningly quiet. One of them double-checked their hearing aid and turned up the volume. What did he just call her?

"Did you just call her Jordan?" Everyone questioned Lincoln with flabbergasted eyes. Nobody calls her that besides maybe her close friends.

"Yeah, it's her name," Lincoln clarified, bridging his brows together. What's the big deal? They stared at him as if he spoiled the biggest movies in decades.

"Bro, we always called her Girl Jordan," Zach spoke everyone's mind while they nodded to confirm the statement.

"Well, is the other Jordan here?" Lincoln challenged the status quo, resting his arms on the table. Stella scanned the lunchroom, digging through her lunch bag. There's another Jordan?

"...No," Zach said with a pause.

"Thanks, Linky," Girl Jordan teased, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Please just call me Linc," Lincoln requested, pushing his vegetables around. "My sisters call me that," He rolled his rolled at the sheer number of times they used that name to ask for a favor.

"So, Jordan," Rusty purred, rubbing his chin. The other redheads shook their heads.

"We're not there that," Girl Jordan corrected the curly red-head, stopping him with a raised hand. She's still salty about home-ec. Lincoln nudged her side, gaining her attention. He whispered something in her ear. "I think I can do that," She smiled, munching into one of her pizza slices. The brunette shot a glance at Cookie chewing one of her strawberry pierogis. The baker nodded. Message received. Mollie and Jenny soon joined their table, adding their meals to the exchange. Rusty shot a malevolent look at Lincoln, chatting with Girl Jordan. What the fuck did they even do on their little puppy play date? Probably making out in the park or some crap. When Lincoln whispered into her ear, Rusty bets that they were planning another date. You can fool the others, Lincoln but not him. Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep those fake smiles and hollow laughter. Stella, Polly, and now Girl Jordan. Take the best girls away from the other guys to keep for yourself. Is that your plan, huh?! His jaw muscles tightened at his 'friend's' selfishness. Lincoln swapped his focus to Stella, handing her some notes for the upcoming project. He caught a peak, narrowing his eyes at the writing. Were those strange codes? Oh great, they have a cipher! Fantastic! Just what is your endgame?!

"Hey, slide one of those potatoes for a thigh," Liam bargained, holding the meat in his hand.

"Oh sure," Rusty faked a smile, conducting the exchange before sneering at Lincoln. He'll figure out your plan. You're not that intelligent, Loud. Because you're not the only one who can devise a plan.

Fun fact:

Crap these are getting tough. Wait I think I got something.

Copper, nickel, iron, platinum, and petroleum are highly valuable as building/construction materials. Incognito Labs and Gabriel are partnered with mined to extract the ores.

T-Bone and Scoots are divorced. Also I wasn't aware of Moots until I already wrote that in my notes. It's up in the air who he was truly married to and catch cheating because of their scheming nature. Identical Twins have the same DNA.

That's done. Sorry if this feels cut and dry. My brain feels like Blah...Blah...Blah. Buckle in for part 2(Whenever that comes out). Also what is Rusty plotting? I know. You guys have to wait and see. Keep up the awesome work on Tv Tropes page. I check it as much as I can.

Thanks for reading the store. Follow and Favorite to be notified of the latest update. Leave a review for any questions or you show your support. Have a good day. :)