"Lily!?"
The Loud sisters shouted as everyone turned to the baby. Lily just looked around, confused, as she sucked her thumb.
Lincoln: "Yes, Lily."
Dana: Raises her hand "Can I ask why?"
Everyone wanted to know, too. Why would he pick the baby—of all his sisters—to keep his secret?
Lincoln: "Simple. She's a baby. Who's she gonna tell?"
That… actually made a lot of sense. She's a baby and can't really talk, so it kind of works as an explanation.
Except for his sisters.
Lola: "Nope! You have to pick another sister to tell your secret to!"
Loud Sisters: "YEAH!"
They all shouted, not noticing the dirty looks they and their parents were getting.
Lincoln: "Nope, because I don't know either—since it hasn't happened yet, remember?"
Lynn: Points an accusing finger at him "But you know you'd tell Lily!"
Lincoln: Rolls his eyes "Because she's a baby and won't say anything. Obviously. Plus, I tell Lily a bunch of my secrets."
The girls grumbled (except Lucy and Lana) as they sat back down.
Phantom: "Excuse me, boy—Lincoln, is it?"
Lincoln: "Still is. How may I help you?… Mr.?"
Phantom chuckled a little at the small joke, pleased by his manners.
Phantom: "Phantom. And I have a small question, if you'd be so kind to answer."
Lincoln: Smiles "Well, Mr. Phantom, I'll gladly answer if I can."
The monsters, Albert, and the mysterious pale woman all smiled—pleased by how Lincoln treated them like any other person.
Phantom: "Well, I wanted to ask… how long have you been the one to deal with your sisters?"
Many remembered what Watcher had said—how Lincoln was the one who always stopped the fights, who did the most for them.
Lincoln frowned. Not offended. Not exactly sad either. It was more like he was deep in thought.
Lincoln: "To be honest… I don't know."
Frankenteen: "You don't?"
Lincoln: Shrugs with hands in pockets "I've just always done it. I don't remember when it started… I just know that I do it every day."
Many frowned at that—there was something about it that didn't sit right.
Sid: Gets an idea "Hey, Watcher!"
Watcher appeared right next to her.
Watcher: "Yes?" He smiled, since Sid was one of his favorite people from their world thanks to her energy.
Sid: "Can you tell us how long Lincoln's been dealing with his sisters?"
Everyone looked toward them, waiting for an answer.
Watcher: "Sorry. Spoilers."
Many frowned at that, but Sid smirked.
Sid: "So that means we'll learn how long… as we watch, right? Since it's a spoiler?"
The audience blinked. Most thought she was just speculating—but then Watcher smirked as well and started laughing.
Watcher: Laughing "I'll give you this one, Sid. Yes—but in a future viewing."
Sid: "Ha ha! It worked!"
Watcher then handed her a small golden trophy with a solid gold brain on top, and the words 'Big Brain Moment' engraved at the base. Sid took it with pride—it's not every day you get a trophy from a god.
Lynn: Eyes wide, looking at the trophy with her sisters "We can get trophies?!"
Watcher: "I've been thinking about it for a while, so I added a secret system: if you pull off an achievement without knowing what it is, you get a reward. Sid got the Smart Trophy for beating the system."
As everyone talked about this new information, no one heard Lisa and Milly grumble and pout—they couldn't believe they didn't think of that idea first.
Most of the Loud sisters frowned a bit, thinking Lincoln doesn't do that much for us—believing themselves to be mostly independent.
Watcher read their minds and shook his head in disappointment. But he was glad at least one sister didn't think that way—and another was slowly starting to doubt herself.
Watcher: "Alright everyone, I'm about to start the next viewing."
Everyone started getting comfortable in their seats—until they noticed something at their feet.
Chuck: "Um… Watcher? God-person dude? Why do we have buckets?"
Watcher: "Okay first, just call me Watcher, alright Chuck?"
Chuck nodded.
Watcher: "Second, you have them because in this next viewing… you'll see something that will horribly scar you for the rest of your life."
Many paled at his words—none more so than Lincoln.
Lincoln: Stands up, eyes on him "Watcher… is this…?"
Watcher nodded, and Lincoln's eyes dilated slightly before he shook his head.
Lincoln: "I know you said they have to see it… but is there any way you can change your mind?"
Watcher: Sadly shakes his head "I'm sorry. But no. The best I can do is let some of the younger ones see something else."
Maria: Figuring out what this conversation was leading to, sighs in relief "R-really?"
Watcher: "Yes. But only Carlitos, Carlino, Lily, and Tanis."
The parents of those children sighed in relief—but others weren't happy.
Wolfman: "Wait… if what we're about to see is horrifying—even by monster standards—why is Winnie going to see it?"
Winnie: Looks up at her dad, trying to be strong "But Dad, I can handle it!"
Watcher: Looks at the wolf-girl "No you won't." He then turns to her father. "But sadly, she's in the age group that doesn't have a choice. It's ten and up."
Rita: "Then why are Lucy, Lana, Lola, and Lisa going to see it?"
Watcher: Rolls his eyes "Because they're related to the subject of these viewings—Lincoln. Plus, it'll give them a small look into his pain."
Lynn: Crosses her arms "It can't be that bad. Stincoln has zero pain tolerance."
Watcher: "Then sit back and watch."
As the screen began to play, many took one last look at the kids… and at each other. Then, one final glance at Lincoln—wondering:
What are we about to see?
As for those who figured it out… they were already terrified.
(No POV)
As Lincoln was in his room taking a quick nap, all the Loud sisters gathered in Lori and Leni's room.
Carol: Looks at Lori "Seriously? It looks like a makeshift courtroom stand."
Carlota: Shakes her head in disappointment "And using a shoe as a gavel—for shame."
The Loud sisters all whistled nervously, trying their best to avoid the questioning gazes of the others.
Lori: "Alright everyone, I think it's pretty obvious why we're here." She turned to Luna "Now Luna, can you please tell us what happened after you and Lincoln left?"
Luna took a deep breath and explained everything in detail—from the setup of her band's new sound system to what happened when they went out to eat. She even admitted, with an embarrassed blush, how she was practically petting Lincoln the whole ride there, even with the rest of her band present.
Lynn: "Wait a minute, you're saying he won a priceless guitar by singing some sappy love song?" She said in disbelief.
The audience looked offended by that—especially Lincoln, since it meant something much deeper to him than just a performance.
It came from his very soul.
Phantasma: Actually looking mad "Sappy!? It was beautiful!"
Rosa: "Sí, it was so moving. How disgraceful to even think that!"
Lynn: Trying to defend herself "Hey! That was before I heard it!"
Ronnie Anne: "That's just as bad—maybe worse—since you judged it before you even heard it, just because it came from Lincoln."
Lynn was about to argue back, but Lisa stepped in.
Lisa: "Wait. Arguing back would just paint an even uglier picture. Let's just continue watching without any fights."
Lisa, unlike most of her sisters, had noticed the growing negativity being thrown their way. The past few viewings had only shown their worst qualities. It didn't help that the sisters kept getting into arguments with Lincoln—who, by now, had earned the trust and even the respect of many in the room, including some of the monsters.
With a huff, Lynn sat back down, arms crossed, wondering why everyone seemed so against her and her sisters.
Luna: Arms crossed "Look, dude, it wasn't some sappy love song. The song he sang was one he wrote himself—and it had the women there blushing up a storm. Even Sam and Mazzy."
The two began to blush at being called out, and the room filled with snickering.
Sam: Blushing as she looked around "Oh, like none of the other women here didn't—especially the single ones."
That shut the snickers down quickly, as those who had also blushed looked away. Mazzy high-fived Sam.
Lynn: "Ha! I'll believe it when I see it."
Lori: "Well, you better believe it, cuz look." She held up her phone, showing them a video posted online of Lincoln singing.
The video already had over two million views, and the comment section was going crazy.
The sisters—apart from Luna—stared at the screen, wide-eyed, listening to the song.
Luna: With a smug look "Still don't believe it, sis?"
Lynn: Growled, arms crossed "Shut up…"
Leni: "Wait! Didn't you say Linky's hair was, like, super soft, and that you were petting him the whole time?"
Luna rubbed her arm in embarrassment but nodded.
Leni: "Then I totes need to feel it!" She got up, intent on going to pet Lincoln, but was stopped by the others.
Harold: "So that's why she got up to pet Lincoln during the last viewing?"
Leni: Smiling "Yep!"
Lincoln: Blushing as he remembered all the attention from the women in the room "Let's not talk about that. Ever."
Many of the women giggled while some men laughed good-naturedly. The rest just smiled in amusement.
Lori: "Leni, we are in the middle of a meeting."
Leni: "Oh, right!" She sat back down as the others sighed.
Lisa: "So, getting back on topic—our male sibling unit's strange behavior includes: eating more, writing songs, singing—"
Leni: "And having super soft hair."
Lisa: Rolls eyes "The point is that this doesn't give us anything concrete. If there's really something going on with Lincoln, we need more information."
Lola: "So, what are we supposed to do?"
Lynn Sr: From downstairs "Kids, time for dinner!"
Lisa: "We should continue to observe his behavior and see what he does next. And we should also be on the lookout for any other warning signs."
Lincoln: Rolls eyes "So… just do what you usually do. Spy on me and get into my business."
Lori: Scoffs "That is literally so not true."
Watcher: Pretending to cough "Cough—bullshit—cough. Ah, sorry, had something in my throat."
Many of the immature members of the audience giggled. Some parents were less amused by the language, especially with children present, but chose not to speak up so as not to anger Watcher.
Lori scowled in her seat, arms crossed tightly, gripping them in silent anger.
Lucy: Suddenly speaking up, scaring everyone "But what happens if there's a big change without warning?"
Lori: Jumping "Lucy! You have got to stop doing that!" She held her chest. "And you don't need to worry about that. It's not like he's going to go through a big change out of nowhere."
Haiku: "Well… you were wrong." She pointed directly at Lincoln, emphasizing her point.
Lori: "Well how was I supposed to know that!?"
Lori didn't like Haiku—solely because Lucy believed she'd be a better match for Lincoln than Ronnie Anne, the only girl Lori approved of. Lori didn't care what anyone else thought; her decision was final.
Lucy, however, still had a strange feeling she couldn't shake, but chose to stay silent about it—hoping it was nothing.
Lori: "Now, any more questions?"
When no one answered, she banged her shoe on the nightstand.
Lori: "Alright then. I hereby call this sister meeting adjourned."
(Lincoln's POV)
As we sat down for dinner, I couldn't help but notice my sisters keeping a close watch on me. I know they suspect something's different about me. But I also know that trying to hide it would only make me look more suspicious—so it's better to just roll with it.
"So kids, how was your day?" our mom, Rita, asked.
"Well, we all just went shopping, but there wasn't anything worth mentioning at the mall," Luan said. "I thought the shoe store might have a good deal, but their shoes were 'sole' destroyers. Ha ha, get it?"
Everyone groaned as Luan laughed.
Even the audience groaned.
Even Phantasma, who loves jokes and puns, had to groan.
Luan: offended "Hey, that was a good one!"
Watcher: "Nope, you tried too hard for that joke."
Phantasma: nodding "He's right. It sounded too forced."
Luan looked away with an angry face, feeling bitter. Sure, she was used to her family groaning at her jokes—but a whole audience doing it? That hit differently.
Lynn Sr.: who actually laughed "I thought it was good, sweetie."
Luan gave him a weak smile, at least glad someone found it funny.
"Well, Haiku invited me to go to her favorite café tomorrow," Lucy told our parents.
"Hmm, well you can go," Rita replied, "but one of the older ones has to go with you."
"I can't—I'm going golfing with my friends tomorrow," Lori said.
"I totes can't. I'm going to the salon with my friends," Leni added.
"I've got a jam session with my band. We want to try the new sound system," Luna said.
"I'm booked for a birthday party, so I can't either," said Luan.
"And I have softball practice—so I'm out," said Lynn.
Pop-Pop: looks at his oldest granddaughters with a disappointed expression "Really? I get that you all have your own things to do, but not one of you even tried to reschedule?"
Carol: "Yeah, Lori—come on, we go golfing almost every week. It's not that big of a deal."
Dana: "Same with you, Leni. You could've skipped one day at the salon or mall."
Sam: "Luna, we just put the new sound system together. You could've taken a day to hang with Lucy—we'd understand."
Pop-Pop: "As for Luan and Junior—Luan, at least you were working. But Junior? Your softball season is still over two months away. You could've gone with Lucy."
Lori, Leni, Luna, and Lynn avoided eye contact. Deep down, they knew they could've gone—they just didn't want to.
Luan breathed a sigh of relief, glad she wasn't in the hot seat with them.
Lucy lowered her head and sighed.
I felt bad. So I did what any brother would do.
"I'll go," I said.
Everyone looked at me—but Lucy gave me a small smile.
"You sure you want to go, Lincoln? Not that I'm complaining," Lucy asked. "But you haven't spent much time with Clyde or your other friends this summer."
"Well, Clyde and his dads are visiting his aunt for the summer, and most of my other friends are either too busy or out of town," I replied. "So if you need someone to go with you, I'll go."
Watcher: points to the screen "As you can see, he once more proves he's the better older sibling compared to all his sisters."
The five oldest Loud sisters looked ready to protest—but they were stopped.
Bobby: "No—he's right."
Lori: gasps "Bobby Boo Bear!? Why would you say that!?"
Bobby: looks at her "Lori—based on what we've seen so far, none of you girls have been responsible."
Frida: "Roberto is right. So far, the only responsible one is Lincoln."
Lynn Sr.: "Well… I know it doesn't look like it now, but the girls are very responsible when needed. It's only the fifth viewing—and just the fourth one with them. It's too early to judge. I'm sure it'll get better."
It took every divine, demonic, mystical, draconic, and primal force that Watcher controlled not to burst out laughing.
Watcher (thinking): "It's like he's never met his daughters."
Lynn Sr.: "Well, that's nice of you, sport. Glad to see you going out of your way for your sisters."
Lincoln: "No problem. I'm happy to help."
"Oh, and we heard about what happened at the Burpin' Burger," Rita said suddenly, looking at me. "That was an amazing performance you did."
Lola: "Yeah! Why didn't you tell us you could sing like that!?"
I shrugged. "You never asked. And… there was never a reason to."
My sisters gave each other a look.
After that, dinner progressed normally—though they kept giving me curious glances when they thought I wasn't paying attention.
(Later That Night)
As I was getting ready for bed, I looked in the mirror, thinking about how much had happened in just one day.
"If this was just day one… then let's see what the rest of my life will be like," I said before hopping into bed.
A warning message appears on-screen.
Watcher snaps his fingers.
A faint shimmer passes over Carlitos, Carlino, Lily, and Tanis' eyes—they won't see what's about to play.
Watcher: sad tone "Alright, folks. We're heading into the hard part. But I need to say a few things first to clarify."
Everyone straightens up, hearing the sadness in his voice.
Watcher:
"First… I'm sorry.
There are many of you I wish I could spare from seeing this—but I can't.
Second… you won't see all of it. Just a glimpse.
But that glimpse will be horrifying."
Some gulp in fear.
The more experienced viewers—those who've seen gore—feel a chill down their spines.
Others, prideful, believe they can handle it.
Watcher: looks at Lincoln "And last… I'm sorry you have to see this, Lincoln."
Lincoln: deep breath, shaky smile "It's alright. I went through it, so I can handle watching it."
Even as his hands tremble and he fidgets, Lincoln tries to reassure Watcher with a smile.
Watcher: smiles sadly at Lincoln, knowing what's coming will be hard
(Scene: That Night)
Hot. Hot. Hot.
My body is burning up. I want to scream, but my throat feels like I swallowed gravel.
Pain. Pain. Pain.
My bones are breaking and reforming.
My muscles are melting.
My blood is boiling.
My eyes roll back as I'm blinded by pain. My veins feel like lava.
Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.
I prayed for the torture to end as I fell out of bed—
Suddenly, it did. A cooling wave washed over me like a bucket of ice water.
The pain stopped.
And then… I blacked out—wishing that had happened sooner.
The theater erupts in screams.
Lincoln's tortured wails fill the speakers, shocking everyone.
They see him coughing—puking blood—
They hear his thoughts—screaming with him.
The McBrides faint.
Others go pale.
People cry, vomit, and lose all composure.
Even the monster parents—who've seen horrors unimaginable—were beyond shaken.
People grabbed one another for comfort, for sanity.
The Louds?
Worse off than anyone.
They were frozen, pale, trembling, hands over their ears—but Lincoln's screams drilled into their minds.
When the vision finally ends, and Lincoln blacks out, Watcher pauses the screen.
Watcher: "So Lynn… still think it wasn't that bad?"
Lynn couldn't answer—curled up in the fetal position, tears falling, vomit near her mouth.
Watcher: nods That's answer enough.
He looks around.
Only one person isn't totally wrecked.
Lincoln sits quietly, breathing deeply. He could talk about that night—
But watching it…
brought back too much.
Watcher waves his hand—making all the vomit disappear.
Lincoln looks around, ready to help others—but a dome surrounds him, keeping him in place.
Watcher shakes his head.
He sees one person trembling—not from fear—but rage.
Phantom flies toward the Louds, coat fluttering like blue fire.
Phantom: "WHAT IN THE UNDEAD FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?"
Everyone jumps.
His yell—his rage—terrifies them.
Lynn Sr.: "W-What do—"
Phantom grabs him by the collar.
Phantom: "That boy was screaming in the most unimaginable pain—and I know haunted houses with walls thinner than paper. So how didn't any of you hear him!?"
The Louds fall silent.
They should have heard him.
But they didn't.
They just slept.
Phantom turns to Lincoln as Watcher drops the dome.
Phantom: "And you'd better have gone to a hospital after that!"
Watcher: "You'll see what happened in a moment—please, return to your seat."
Phantom huffs, floats back—glaring at the Louds but giving Lincoln a concerned look.
Lincoln looks away.
In hindsight, not going to the hospital was stupid…
Even if he felt fine.
Sibella—normally lavender-skinned—was now pale violet.
Sibella: to Phantasma "What's up with your dad? He seems extra concerned. I mean… we're all shaken, but he's been like this before it even started."
Phantasma: looking between her dad and Lincoln "…I don't know."
(Early Morning)
As I gingerly opened my eyes, I wondered why I was on the floor—until the events of last night came rushing back to me. I quickly shot up and looked at myself in the mirror. What I saw was unbelievable.
I saw myself, but… different. My hair was slightly longer, and my permanent cowlick was gone. My eyes were still the same shade of blue, but they seemed deeper—like they could pull you into their depths if you stared for too long.
I opened my mouth and noticed that my chipped tooth was fixed, and my buck teeth were gone, replaced with perfectly straight, pearly white teeth. I looked down and realized I had grown a bit taller—taller than Lynn now—and my clothes felt a little tight.
"Lynn's not going to be happy about that," I chuckled, just as I noticed a small pouch on the desk with a note that read, "We promised." I smiled at the note.
Yeah, Lynn would agree—but after what she just witnessed, she'd probably be okay with being shorter than me, as long as she never had to see something like that again.
As everyone processed the effects of the change, some realized something was missing.
Frankenteen: "What happened to all the blood?"
Those who hadn't noticed before looked again and started to wonder the same thing—there had been a horrifying amount.
Watcher: "Well, it would be bad if his room looked like a massacre. So the Kings got rid of all the blood."
Many flinched and shivered at how he said that—but it did make sense.
Those who didn't see it began to wonder just how bad it had been.
"Well, I promised Lucy I'd go with her, but now none of my clothes fit," I said—until I remembered Gold also gave me a debit card. I checked the pouch and found a black card with a gold design.
I looked at the time and figured Dad would be up preparing breakfast. "Might as well stop by the mall before going to the café," I said as I started changing into a hoodie and basketball shorts. That's when I noticed more changes—my arms were more developed, and I had a solid four-pack. My build leaned more athletic than muscular.
Phantom and Maria suddenly slapped me on the head. They glanced at each other in surprise before nodding in approval—those who knew Maria were surprised she'd done that.
Lincoln: "Ow! What was that for?"
Maria: "For being reckless! You were bleeding so much—you could have had anemia!"
Lana (confused): "What's that?"
Phantom: "It's when you have a low amount of blood in your body."
Maria (surprised): "You know what that is?"
Phantom: "Back when I was alive, I had a few doctorates."
Lisa (impressed): "Impressive."
Phantom: "Thanks." He turned back to me. "But back to the matter: anemia isn't the only issue. We watched your body break itself apart. I can only imagine how it reassembled. There could've been all kinds of complications—minor to fatal."
Lincoln: Looking down "I—I know that now. Believe me, I do. It might not look like it, but I was still in shock. I wasn't thinking clearly."
Everyone could understand that. It was a miracle I survived at all, so they let it slide.
Becky (trying to lighten the mood, staring at my developing muscles): "Can I just point out how yummy he looks?"
Lori: "Becky!"
Becky (shrugging): "What? I'm not the only one enjoying the eye candy."
Those who had been drooling blushed and tried to play it cool. Only a few succeeded.
Lori face-palmed at her friend's antics but glanced at the Casagrandes and Santiagos—seeing Ronnie Anne blushing at my on-screen self. She smirked in satisfaction.
I watched them for a minute before deciding—I'd start working out. I had a strange feeling I needed to grow stronger. I shook the thought off, finished changing, and left my room.
Lynn: "So you just had the urge to start working out outta nowhere?" She was slowly getting over the steroid theory—though she would have preferred that over what she actually saw. She shuddered at the memory.
Lincoln: Nodding "Yeah. It's weird, but it became a hobby to clear my head."
Lisa (thoughtfully): "Perhaps this is an example of you inheriting some of their traits, like they mentioned in the note."
Lincoln: Thinking about it "Could be. Good observation, Lisa."
Lisa smiled faintly as she adjusted her glasses.
Milly rolled her eyes—she figured that out at the same moment Lisa did.
(No POV)
Lynn Sr. was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when he heard someone coming downstairs.
"Hm, no one's usually up this early," he said, then spotted a head of white hair. "Oh, morning Lincoln."
But as he looked up, he nearly dropped his spatula.
Lincoln was taller. His hair was longer. And he carried himself with more confidence than usual.
Lynn Sr: "Lincoln… what happened? Is this the effect of one of Lisa's experiments?"
Miss Grimwood (perplexed): "It's a little concerning that your first assumption is 'experiment.'"
Lynn Sr (nervous laugh): "W-well, there have been some strange results from Lisa's inventions…"
Frankenteen (raising a brow): "Such as?"
Lincoln: "The usual: explosions. But also blue skin, inflating heads, attacking robots, strange mutants, bio-genetic cookies that make you glow… oh, and a literal monster made of trash."
He paused, remembering he was talking to monsters. "No offense."
Elsa (chuckling): "None taken. But that is a lot."
The group was visibly uncomfortable—explosions being the usual outcome?
Lisa: "In the pursuit of science, setbacks are inevitable—and meant to be overcome."
Milly, Frankenteen, and Elsa all nodded, recalling a few of their own mishaps.
Lincoln: "No Dad, I think I just hit a growth spurt. Remember how much I was eating yesterday?"
Everyone looked at Lincoln.
Lincoln: "Before anyone calls me a liar—it's technically the truth."
Luan: "But you left out the major part."
Luna: "Yeah, the life-threatening part."
Lincoln: "There was no blood and no scars—would any of you have believed me?"
The sisters went silent. No, they wouldn't have.
Lynn Sr: "Yeah, I remember. But this is more than a growth spurt. Still, you have been the same height for a while, so maybe it was overdue. And now look at you—you can barely fit in your clothes."
He gestured at Lincoln's tight hoodie.
Lincoln: "Exactly. That's why I wanted to ask if I could go to the mall to get some new ones."
Lynn Sr: "Didn't you agree to meet Lucy at the café with her friends?"
Lincoln: "That's why I want to go now. I'll head straight to the café from the mall. Just have Lori drop her off."
Lynn Sr: "Why don't you have your sisters help you pick an outfit?"
Leni: "Yeah! We could've totally helped out!"
Carol: "Didn't you already have plans?"
Leni: "Oh… right."
Lincoln (deadpan): "Try asking them to help you with an outfit and see how that turns out."
Lynn Sr (shuddering): "Point taken. Last time I tried that, I ended up in tights, overalls, a rainbow afro, bow tie, white lab coat—and high heels."
Carlos (confused): "Why the high heels?"
Lynn Sr: "I don't even know. It all happened so fast."
The girls cringed—remembering that chaotic day all too well.
Lincoln: "No thanks, Dad. I've got it covered. Just have Lucy text me the café's address."
Lynn Sr: "Alright, son. Be careful—and here, take a breakfast burrito to go."
Lincoln: "Thanks, Dad. Have a good day."
Lynn Sr: "You too, sport."
The front door closed behind Lincoln.
(Lincoln's POV)
As I jogged toward the mall, I realized a few things:
One, I'm fast—like really fast.
Two, I'm holding back.
I wasn't even breathing hard, so I decided to pick up the pace. The wind rushed through my hair, and for a moment, I felt like I was flying… until I heard a crash.
Lynn: Eyes wide as she watches "Whoa, Link! You should sign up for sports—maybe start with track."
Lincoln: Shrugs "I'm fine with working out, but sports are boring. No one in our age group can challenge me."
Lynn: "Well, you could always go up against me."
Watcher: "But like he said—no one to make it a challenge."
People nearby chuckled lightly.
Lynn glared at Watcher. Sure, Lincoln had gotten stronger, but she'd been training for years. She should still have the upper hand… should.
Watcher, reading her thoughts, shook his head knowingly.
Meanwhile, the Hex Girls were watching with familiarity.
Luna(H): Whispering with wide eyes "Girls… I think this is where we met Lincoln."
Dusk: Whispers "Ohhh, I think you're right. I wonder how he reacted to meeting us."
Thorn: Whispers with a grin "We're about to find out."
I turned my head toward the sound of the crash and saw a purple van with smoke rising from the engine. Three people stepped out.
The first was a slender woman with black hair streaked red at the roots and tips. Her pale skin and green eyes stood out. She wore a black and red dress with dramatic red sleeves.
To her left stood another beautiful woman with dark red hair and a darker complexion. She wore a dark purple coat, a black shirt underneath, and a long purple skirt with a slit, showing off dark purple-black boots and gold hoop earrings.
On her right was a pale-skinned blonde with pigtails and a beauty mark on her cheek. She wore a dark green long-sleeved top and a matching skirt with a slit, along with dark purple ankle boots, a black choker, an X-shaped necklace, and green triangle earrings.
The Hex Girls blushed at how I described them—but decided to tease me anyway.
Luna(H): "Aww, did you hear that, girls? He called us beautiful."
Dusk: Smirks teasingly "You think we're beautiful, Linky?"
Lincoln: Smiles warmly "Of course I do. Like I said before—you're each a rare beauty to behold."
Their cheeks turned bright red.
Thorn: Flustered "T-Thanks, Lincoln…"
Lincoln: Tilts head innocently "You're welcome?"
Everyone else watching was dumbfounded that I didn't realize the weight of what I'd just said.
Dracula: Pinching the bridge of his nose "This boy really is your grandson, Albert."
The monster parents nodded in agreement, remembering how dense Albert had been in his youth. He'd left behind a trail of admirers and never even noticed. They respected his late wife for managing to get her feelings through his thick head.
Pop-Pop: Chuckles nervously "I-I guess he got more from me than I thought…"
Watcher: "You figured it out eventually—only because your wife had to literally sit you down and spell it out."
Pop-Pop looked away in embarrassment.
Lincoln: "Hey, are you okay?"
Thorn: "Yeah, we're fine. Just hit a pothole—it popped the tire and messed with the engine a bit."
Dusk: "You wouldn't happen to know a mechanic shop nearby, would you?"
Lincoln: "I do, but they're still closed."
Luna(H): Rummaging through the van "Hang on—we might have a spare tire and some tools."
She soon returned with a toolbox.
Lincoln: "Quick question—any of you ever changed a tire or fixed an engine?"
They all shook their heads.
Lincoln: "Lucky for you, I have. Just give me a minute."
Hector: "You're a mechanic now?"
Lincoln: "I help Lana with her mechanic work. Guess I picked up a few things."
Lana leaned forward with pride, watching eagerly.
Dusk: "Wait, really? You're going to help us?"
Lincoln: "Of course. I'm Lincoln. What're your names?"
Thorn: "I'm Thorn. That's Dusk"—she pointed to the blonde—"and the redhead is Luna."
They all gave friendly waves.
Lincoln: "Really? I've got a sister named Luna."
Luna(H): Laughs "Ain't that a coincidence."
Changing the tire was easy—only took a minute. Then I popped the hood and got to work.
Thorn: "Is something wrong?"
Lincoln: "Not really. The spark plug got knocked out of place and one of the hoses came loose. That's what caused the smoke—but it's a quick fix."
After about 8 minutes, I was done.
Lincoln: "Mind starting it up for me?"
Dusk: "I got it."
She slid into the driver's seat and turned the key. The engine roared to life. Applause broke out from nearby onlookers, and I couldn't help but blush.
Luna(H): "Whoa, you actually fixed it!"
Thorn: "Thank you so much—we owe you one."
Lincoln: "It's no problem. I'm just glad I was here to help."
Dusk: "Hey, what's a kid like you doing out so early?"
Lincoln: "I was heading to the mall. My old clothes don't fit anymore."
The girls exchanged glances and smiled.
Thorn: "Hey, since you fixed our van, want a ride?"
Lincoln: "You sure? I don't want you going out of your way just to repay me."
Vanna: Smiling "What a kind boy. Most people nowadays only help to get something out of it."
Lucy: Speaking suddenly, surprising everyone "He always helps us with our hobbies and plans."
Lynn: Startled "Spooky, I swear—one of these days, I'm putting a bell on your neck."
Lucy: Deadpan "I'd like to see you try."
Luna(H): "It's fine—we're heading to the mall anyway. Since we're new in town, maybe you can show us around."
Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Lucy with the café address and time to meet. I accepted their offer with a grateful nod, and they smiled.
As we got in the van, I noticed the instruments.
Lincoln: "Hey, what brings you to Royal Woods?"
Dusk: "We're playing a concert here soon."
Lincoln: "You're a band?"
Thorn: "Yep—we're the Hex Girls."
Watcher: "I know there's a lot to unpack in this viewing, so I'll give you a moment."
Maria: "Wait, just one question."
Watcher: "Go ahead."
Maria: "I know he's meeting his sister at the café after the mall, but… does he ever go to the hospital to get himself checked out?"
Lincoln started sweating and looked at Watcher with pleading eyes.
Watcher: Smirking "No, Mrs. Santiago, he did not."
Everyone turned to stare at me.
Lincoln: Nervously "It… might've slipped my mind?"
Watcher snapped his fingers, and a small medical station appeared on the left side of the room.
Watcher: "If you'd like, Maria, you can give him the check-up he missed."
Maria: "Thank you. And please, call me Maria."
Watcher: "You're welcome, Maria."
Maria: Turning to me "Now it's time for your check-up—which is long overdue."
Lincoln: "Is this really necessary—?"
She grabbed my arm and started dragging me over.
Maria: "Yes."
I managed to throw one last glare at Watcher, who only laughed.