6. Chapter 6(1)

Chapter 6: They're All Here!

Disclaimer: I don't own Loud House; all rights are owned by their respective owners and companies.

Los Angeles, California

At some random dive bar, a place that wasn't special in any regard. Just a simple bar where a person could forget their troubles or have a fun time. Who would have thought a place like this would be bring such a variety of characters together? All of whom having nothing in common except two things.

One was fighting, and the other the intention of seeking out a certain someone. Their reasons were different from each other, but they were all gathered here because of one person.

They were all here for Lincoln Loud.

The air that filled the bar was full of overwhelming pressure, so much that it would be considered suffocating to normal people. However, none of these people in the bar weren't normal. No, they were all something else entirely. One of whom just so happened to be Lincoln Loud, who was currently looking around at the people in the bar.

'Yep, I really do have the shitty luck.'

Over to his right having a drink without a care in the world was Carlos Medel, a man Lincoln knew only by reputation. From Carlos's time in the professional circuit and the underground fighting scene. There are few people that Lincoln has the utmost respect for their strength and skill in fighting ability. Carlos Medel just so happened to be one of these people. While training in boxing, Lincoln saw him as one of the greatest boxers alive. One would assume the famous boxer was a shell of his former self given how much muscle and weight he's lost since his professional days, but Lincoln knew he was more dangerous and skilled than ever before.

'He's probably here from Purgatory, they wouldn't miss the chance to recruit another Gladiator for their fights. There's no doubt they sent him here to test me out. A little overkill considering it's the legendary Carlos Medel. I really must have left quite the impression to get his attention.'

Turning to his left, Lincoln saw Jun Sekibayashi grinning at him. Lincoln also knew this man by his reputation in and out of the wrestling ring. His mentor Mick Foley often told him stories of Sekibayashi during their training. Mick Foley was considered one of the most brutal and hardcore pro wrestlers to ever live, but many today will say Jun Sekibayashi was at the top of that list. For good reason too, Jun Sekibayashi is an unwavering fighter in and out of the ring. Lincoln saw this for himself when he was training in Japan under his third mentor when he witnessed one of Sekibayashi's death matches. After that Lincoln knew why many considered him the most brutal and hardcore pro wrestler to have ever lived. Still, Lincoln believed his mentor Mick Foley deserved that title. Perhaps he was biased but Lincoln held each of his mentors in high regard.

'Don't tell me I've gotten The Kengan Association's attention too. It's been a while since I had business with any of them, their fighters are unbelievingly strong. Although I wouldn't mind the challenge, I have too much on my plate already. Hopefully, old man Katahara will understand but knowing that crazy geezer he already has a plan in motion.'

After taking his eyes off Sekibayashi, Lincoln brought his attention towards the giant who was more focused on eating at the far corner of the room. Lincoln knew this man by reputation as well, his name is Jack Hammer otherwise known as Jack Hanma. Lincoln only knew him from the rumors of his fights in Canada and Japan, and because of his father. Yep, Lincoln knew all about the Hanma bloodline. If this guy is anything like his father and grandfather, then Lincoln was in for quite the fight. As if that wasn't bad enough Lincoln also heard the rumors of this guy and how he got his size and strength.

'Dear lord, look at him eating that steak like it's nothing! Of course, I'm unlucky enough to catch the attention from a goddamn Hanma! A damn Hanma who just so happens to be hopped up on steroids! Oh man, why do I got the feeling old man Tokugawa is to blame for this?'

Wanting to resume analyzing the others in the room, Lincoln looked at the bored-out Adam Dudley at the other far end corner of the room. Now, this guy was new to the underground fighting scene. Only reason Lincoln recognized him and knew his name was because he saw Adam fight in an underground fight while he was on the road a while back. From what he's heard, Adam was focused on making a name for himself by defeating established street fighters and brawlers. Unfortunately, it looks like Lincoln is now in that category.

'Hmm, he's a very sizeable guy. From what I've seen in his fights he mostly focuses on overwhelming his opponents with his immense size and strength. He was an enforcer in Hockey if the rumors are true. He's definitely going to be a problem.'

Finally, Lincoln looked at the faces he knew very well. His sisters, they all sat there looking at him with contrasting expressions but each of them were filled with yearning and regret. None more so then on Lynn's face, Lincoln could see it in her eyes. In all their eyes in fact. They have been through so much to reach this point in time. To finally be able to see him again, Lincoln knew full well what they've all been through to get here. What they suffered and sacrificed, all of it just for his sake. Lincoln didn't know how to feel now when looking at them.

'They've really grown since the last time I checked in on them. I should have guessed they would all grow up to be beautiful, they all look just like mom with a little bit of dad mixed in. None of them are the girls I once knew… they've grown into women. Not only that but I can tell each of them are extraordinarily strong. I knew a few of them had taken up martial arts and training but I never would have guessed they'd be this strong. But Lynn was always strong… now she's a lot stronger. Man, who would have guessed this is how we would reunite? I should be thankful they're not all here. That's the last thing I need now.'

After lingering his eyes on his sisters for a bit, Lincoln's eyes landed on the most recent ones to arrive. One person he knew very well while the other was a mystery to him. Ronnie Anne, someone from his past that he never thought he'd see again. It was hard to describe their relationship before the bad luck incident. Complicated would be the best word to describe it but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. No, it was rather fun now that Lincoln thought about it. Although it didn't really start out like that and Ronnie Anne was always a bit rough around the edges, Lincoln considered her his second-best friend. Heck, maybe they were closer than that? Lincoln remembered all too well the last time they both saw each other. It was before he was shipped off to that foster care facility, the day he said goodbye to his old life and friends.

'Man, she's changed a lot. Ronnie Anne… she's gotten incredibly beautiful too. Last I heard she was winning championships in the pro boxing circuit. People say she's the best boxer in the women's division, some even say she could enter the men's division if she wanted. Her brutal style of boxing and wins has earned her the nickname The Goddess of War. I'm happy to see her again but something tells me she's not too happy to see me. I'll say it again… my luck is absolute shit!'

Turning his gaze towards the little guy in the luchador mask next to Ronnie Anne, Lincoln squinted his eyes at the masked man. Suddenly Lincoln's eyes widened in realization, he then pointed at the masked man.

"Hey, aren't you Carlino Casagrande otherwise known as "The Breathtaking Puma"? Oh man that is you! Wow, I remember seeing one of your matches a few months ago. Yeah, you fought Bass Armstrong in that Mask Vs. Beard match. That match was crazy man, the odds were against you, but you kicked Bass Armstrong's ass and took his beard. Got to say man, I'm a big fan."

The tense air in the suddenly took a drop as there was a mixed of confusion and surprise. The masked luchador quickly broke out of his daze. He let out a flashy smile while stepping in front of Ronnie Anne, no doubt hoping to get everyone's attention on him.

"You are correct my friend, I am indeed the one and only El Puma!" Carlino stated proudly as he took a small bow while smiling rather arrogantly. "And you must be the infamous Lincoln Loud, I must say you've really gotten some serious attention."

"Really, I haven't noticed." Lincoln replied in a rather dry tone as he took another look around the room. "Okay, anyone wanna tell me why you're here? Because I'm pretty sure none of you are here for the drinks. Which aren't that half bad if I do say so myself."

"Oh… I think you know why I'm here!"

Ronnie Anne clenched her hands into fist as she shoved passed Carlino, her fiery glare landing straight on Lincoln. It was obvious what Ronnie Anne's intentions were. While Ronnie Anne was storming her way towards Lincoln, someone unexpected got up from her seat and got in her way.

"You better think through what you've got planned Santiago, because if you even lay a finger on Lincoln, I'm going to end more than your boxing career."

Standing right in Ronnie Anne's way was a very ticked off Lynn. Both women were around the same height as they stood face to face. Neither of them looked very happy as they glared at each other with such intensity.

"Lynn Loud, you're the last person I expected to see here. You're also the last person I expect to protect Lincoln. After all, you did such a good job last time when you and your shitty family threw him out."

The temperature in the room dropped instantly, Lincoln had a dark look on his face while his sisters were collectively frowning or glaring at Ronnie Anne. Lynn on the other hand looked ready to murder the young Latina as she clenched her right hand into a tight fist. She then quickly threw a punch towards Ronnie Anne's face, Ronnie Anne responded by also throwing a left hook at Lynn! But before either hit could land, a small gust of air blew passed Lynn. Everyone was shocked to see Lincoln suddenly standing in-between Lynn and Ronnie Anne, what shocked them more was that Lincoln had stopped their fists from hitting each other by grabbing both fists with his hands.

"Geez, guess I was wrong thinking either one of you had changed a bit."

In a quick instance before either Lynn or Ronnie Anne could react, Lincoln let go of their fists to roughly shove both Lynn and Ronnie Anne away by using a palm strike to both of their stomachs! The palm strikes Lincoln performed didn't have that much strength behind them, but they were strong enough to send both women staggering back away from each other. Neither Lynn nor Ronnie Anne were expecting that to happen.

"Last thing I want is to have a bar brawl in such a nice place, so how about we all act like adults? And talk this shit out."

Everyone in the room were still reeling from what they saw. None of them expected Lincoln to move so fast and stop Lynn and Ronnie Anne's attacks so easily. The first ones to break out of their shock were the much more experienced fighters like Carlos, Sekibayashi, and Jack Hanma. They were either smirking or narrowing their eyes on Lincoln. Eventually everyone else broke from their stupor, although each of them had different reactions.

Seeing that things were calming down, Lincoln smiled in relief.

"That's right let's all just settle down. Now, I know you're all here for different reasons. Whether it's to talk, to test me or even just fight me. You're all here because of me. I know each of you on some level, either by your reputation or because I know you on a personal level. I don't need to tell you that talking, or fighting is going to be a problem since all of you are for different reasons. Unless you all want this to get very ugly, I would like to suggest a compromise if you will hear me out?"

Lincoln looked around to see if anyone wanted to speak up, to his surprise everyone stayed put to look at him. No doubt all thinking the same thing.

What did Lincoln have planned?

"It's pretty obvious many of us don't have much in common, each of us here come from different paths of life. We each lead different lifestyles and our own ways of thinking. Still, I can say for certain that we all share one thing in common." Lincoln began explaining while looking around the room with a smirk. "One way or another we all know how to fight."

That immediately gained everyone's attention.

"What I'm suggesting is going to sound a little crazy and maybe childish but why don't we settle this in a fight? And I don't mean a fight like some stupid bar brawl or free for all, no. I'm suggesting we settle our business at a specific place and time, a place where can properly let loose and a certain time so we can prepare. Where we won't get interrupted or get into trouble. Now, I'm not saying we have a battle royal since I know a few of you don't want to fight me. Why don't we make things interesting by having a sort of team tournament? My team consisting of my sisters, the lovely ladies sitting at that table and the feisty one standing up, versus the rest of you. How does that sound?"

Almost everyone thought the same thing, it did sound a little crazy and childish.

"Why the fuck would I wanna fight some random chick when I can beat your ass myself?" Adam demanded throwing a nasty glare at Lincoln. "I came all this way to whip your scrawny ass and I ain't wasting my time on beating up some weak ass woman!"

That little comment at the end earned Adam a few harsh glares from all the women present. Honestly, it caused Adam to flinch a little as he felt the murderous intent from the Loud sisters and Ronnie Anne. Lincoln and a few of the men in the room chuckled or smirked at his expense.

"Let me say that each of the women in here are more than capable of kicking some serious ass. I can guarantee you all that you won't be disappointed if you should fight any of my sisters. If you are disappointed, then I promise I'll fight you myself. Think about it, we can make a show out of it. You can invite as much people as you want, bring the press if you want. Give me a few days to get everything set up, when everything is ready, I'll send for you all and we can settle things there. If you don't like that… then we can settle things right here and right now. I just hope you don't mind spending time in jail when it's over."

While a little crass at the end, Lincoln made his position clear. Was his suggestion crazy? No doubt about it, but everyone could see it made some sense. Before anyone could do or say anything, Jack Hanma let out a loud burp getting everyone's attention. The absolute unit of a man slowly got up, everyone marveled at his size and height. Even some of the bigger people like Lana, Sekibayashi, and Adam were at awe at his size. Jack seemed rather bored as he walked over to Lincoln, putting those close to him on edge. Lincoln himself seemed very calm as the giant of a man stood tall looming over him.

It was rather tense as both Lincoln and Jack just stood there staring at each other, clearly sizing each other up. Finally, Jack was the first to break the silence.

"The only reason I came all this way is for a decent challenge, from what I've heard you're a strong fighter. Some say you might even be stronger than myself and my little brother… I highly doubt that, but I came here for a fight. Whether that means fighting you or your sisters doesn't matter to me because I'm going to crush anyone who gets in my way."

The sheer intensity in Jack's eyes and tone gave everyone some pause. Everyone here knew Jack was a strong fighter given his size and aura he had radiating around him. Lincoln lowered his head a little to hide his expression from Jack and the others. A few thought he was getting scared, but they were wrong. Suddenly, Lincoln looked up at Jack with a smirk filled with bravado even though Jack kept his unnerving gaze on him.

"Trust me when I say this, you'll find that the fighters in this country won't be so easy to crush than the places you've already visited." Lincoln asserted while still smirking. "Don't underestimated my sisters or myself, and that goes to all of you too. For if anyone of you slip up, you'll regret it."

After stating that, Lincoln's expression became a very serious one that matched Jack's. Everyone in the room could feel the intensity in the air. It looked like this was going to get ugly at first but something unexpected happened. Jack bent down a little to Lincoln's level where the giant let out a wicked grin. He then gently pats Lincoln on the shoulder.

"I'm going to enjoy crushing you."

Lincoln smiled whole heartedly like an idiot.

"Good luck, because you'll need it."

No one could tell whether it was confidence or arrogance coming from both men. Many of them were inclined to think both. Jack kept on grinning as he stood up, he gave Lincoln one last look before deciding to leave the bar. But before leaving, Jack stopped to stare at the Loud sisters. Only Luna and Lana winced a little when Jack looked at them, the rest of the sisters kept calm as the giant analyzed each of them. Once he was done, Jack scoffed before finally leaving the bar. However, when he left that intensity didn't leave with him. Because there are still quite few people left in the bar.

Bringing his attention to Carlos Medel and Sekibayashi, Lincoln gave each of them a blank stare.

"So, what's it going to be guys?" Lincoln asked watching both fighters very carefully. "Think you can wait a little longer?"

The first to respond was Sekibayashi, the pro wrestler got off his stool to walk over to Lincoln. Both men were now staring at each other face to face. Just like with Jack, Lincoln was looking up at Sekibayashi since he was a big guy. Not as tall or big as Jack but he was still quite big. Sekibayashi chuckled while grinning.

"Haha! Don't you worry kid, I can handle the wait. Besides, the build-up to such a match is what pro wrestlers love the most!" Sekibayashi boasted while still grinning. "This going to be a blast! I know you and these ladies will put on a real show!"

Another smile showed up on Lincoln's face.

"Sekibayashi, one of my mentors told me a lot about you. I saw a few of your matches when I was in Japan. Some say you're one of the most brutal pro wrestlers to ever live. You're not only a serious professional fighter but an underground one too. I can't wait to see you in a fight… hopefully I'll be lucky enough to face you."

Sekibayashi seemed surprised to hear this coming from Lincoln. Eventually, Sekibayashi's grin returned as he presented his hand to Lincoln. Not bothering to even look, Lincoln grabbed Sekibayashi's hand and brought it into a handshake. Both men kept on smiling as they tested each other's grip which was tremendous. Finally, after a while of trying to test each other, both men stopped to look at each other with respect and little bit of competitiveness.

"I'll see you real soon, Ace."

Still smiling, Lincoln chuckled slightly.

"Oh, I can't wait for it, Hell's Angel."

A boisterous laugh came from Sekibayashi as he began to leave the bar. Just like Jack, he decided to stop to give the Loud sisters a good look. They were very strong by the looks of them. Stronger than any of the women pro wrestlers from Japan.

'Yep, America is sure a very interesting place.'

With that final thought on his mind, Sekibayashi left the bar with a wide grin and glint in his eyes. Now, the bar had one less fighter, but a few remained. One of whom just so happened to get out from his seat to speak.

"I heard you use the hitman style of boxing, mainly using flicker jabs."

Lincoln turned to see Carlos Medel walking towards him with his hands in his pockets. The former champion's expression and posture was relaxed, like he didn't have a care in the world. Unlike the other men Lincoln talked to already. Carlos Medel was a bit shorter and smaller than the other people in the bar. Even some of the women were taller and bigger than him. Still, Lincoln knew size wasn't everything since he's fought quite a few fighters who were larger than himself and won.

Also, Carlos Medel was no ordinary fighter. The man was a legend in and out of the boxing ring. Lincoln was honestly a little awestruck by meeting him. Still, Carlos was here to test his fighting abilities. Which meant the legendary boxer would not leave unless satisfied.

"Yep, growing up I learned a few different styles that famous boxers used. Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and Jack Dempsey's style were the ones I preferred using the most. Since I'm not that big, I learned to fight using my size to my advantage. Pretty much like what you're doing in Purgatory. You have speed, power, and stamina on your side. Honestly, it's boxers like you that made me strive to implement boxing into my fighting style."

Carlos let out a small smile as he kept his scrutinizing gaze on Lincoln.

"Who was your trainer?"

Soon as Lincoln heard that, he almost winced a little, but he kept his act together. It had been some time since he openly talked about his first mentor. The woman who helped him in his time of need and showed him a path through fighting. He owed her everything for setting him on his path, and he betrayed her by leaving.

"My boxing mentor is a woman named Diana Guzman, she introduced me to boxing and fighting. She helped when I was at my lowest, when I was far from my friends and had no family. She taught boxing at the foster care facility where I was at. You might not know her since she never really won any prestigious titles or anything. I think she's pretty much retired now."

Carlos looked a little surprised when he heard this. As were Ronnie Anne and her cousin. The Loud sisters were also surprised but that soon turned into guilt when Lincoln mentioned not having no family. Adam looked bored as he was drinking his whiskey.

"Hmm, I've heard about Diana Guzman. Years ago, she proved to be quite the boxer in the woman's division. She was an aggressive in-boxer who liked hitting hard and up close. You couldn't have asked for a better trainer. It seems there's more to you than I thought."

Now it was Lincoln's turn to be surprised, he wasn't expecting to hear that. Least of all from a legendary boxer like Carlos. Before Lincoln could say anything, Carlos decided to leave and walked towards the exit. While he was leaving, he didn't bother to acknowledge The Loud sisters or Adam. However, he did stop to look at both Ronnie Anne with a small smile. Both cousins still looked surprised as Carlos looked at them. Eventually, Carlos gave Ronnie Anne a small pat on her head before leaving. This caused some confusion among those in the bar.

What was that all about?

CRASH!

Suddenly a loud crash could be heard, everyone looked where the sound came from to see that it was Adam destroying his table with a single punch! Pieces of destroyed wood and splinters were sent flying and dropping on the floor. Adam seemed very ticked off as he rose up from his chair, once up he looked Lincoln dead in the eye and started to slowly walk towards him. This put everyone in the bar on edge, except Lincoln who seemed very bored. As Adam got closer, both Lynn and surprisingly Ronnie Anne looked ready to intervene and stop him.

"Let him through." Lincoln called out to both girls. "I don't need protecting, especially from someone like him."

Both Lynn and Ronnie Anne were shocked by this, but they relented and let Adam walk past them. Adam looked like he didn't care as he finally made it to Lincoln. Now that both men were facing each other, it was obvious that Lincoln was smaller compared to Adam. While Adam wasn't big and tall like Jack or Lana, or bulging with muscles like Sekibayashi, he was pretty damn close.

"Now all this talking is pissing me off, I didn't travel all this way to see this pussy bullshit. I came here to fight; give me one good reason I shouldn't start beating your little faggot ass?"

It was obvious Adam was very serious, Lincoln didn't seem all that worried as Adam was glaring down at him. The Loud sisters seemed worried and looked ready to step in if things get violent, even Ronnie Anne seem ready to jump in.

"Not really patient, eh?" Lincoln grimaced with a sigh before he looked up to give Adam a small grin. "Okay, you want a reason I'll give you one."

Lincoln casually placed his hands in his jacket pockets to give Adam an unconcerned look.

"Your ego."

Everyone wasn't excepting to hear that. Least of all Adam, he looked more confused than anything.

"Huh, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Your ego, it's obviously big just like you. Which means you want to prove yourself, which is showing your strength to everyone. I heard you liked showing off your strength in your hockey games, you would beat the crap out of the opposing team just because you could. Even after your team wins or loses, you still beat the crap out of anyone you want. Too bad it cost you getting banned from NHL, but you got into street fighting. You take on well-known and strong fighters, which is why you're here. You're not going to fight me right now because you want to do it in front of a crowd. That way everyone will know how strong you are. Let me set up this little event, and I promise you everyone will know the name Adam Dudley."

Adam's confusion quickly turned into shock. A deep primal part inside him wanted to attack Lincoln and get it over with. Various scenarios of attacking were going through his head. He traveled all this way for a fight, so what was stopping him? It wasn't that he was afraid, no. It was a powerful force that drove him, a force that drives each of us in some way.

It was Adam's pride!

In an instant, all of Adam's anger disappeared as his hostile stance eased up. Although he looked rather annoyed by Lincoln's calm expression, Adam wanted to punch him in the face, but he restrained himself. The large Texan eventually huffed and started to leave but not before stopping to point a finger at Lincoln with a nasty glare.

"You're lucky dipshit, I want everyone to see me whup your pale ass!" Adam barked in annoyance. "You better pray until then boy, because I'm going to destroy you!"

Most would have been shocked or frightened by this but not Lincoln. He just smiled and waved good-bye to Adam. Which seemed to only annoy the man even more. Finally, after some cursing under his breath, Adam left the bar without even acknowledging anyone else.

The only ones in the bar were Lincoln, his sisters, Ronnie Anne, and a very lost Carlino.

"Uh, what the hell just happened?" Carlino asked looking at everyone for an answer. "Cause I'm pretty lost on what's going on here?"

Lincoln let out a heavy sigh.

"Oh, you know, just my shitty luck it seems." Lincoln drawled out in agonizing tone and tired look. "I should have known better than to think going out for a simple drink would be easy. Man, I am stupid."

Soon as he was finished berating himself, Lincoln looked at the remaining people in the bar. It was hard to look at them like this. So much time had passed since he's talked to any of them face to face. The way each of them were looking at him wasn't helping either. His sisters looked worried and guilty; he could also see the hesitation in their eyes. Ronnie Anne still looked pretty pissed at him, but he could see something else in her eyes. Was it worry or something else? Carlino just looked even more lost, it looked like he didn't belong. Which was accurate considering the circumstances.

Bringing his attention back to Ronnie Anne, Lincoln sighed a little before he walked over to her. Her expression was still the same while Lincoln's expression was blank. Saying things were tense and awkward between them would be an understatement. Ronnie Anne seemed ready to attack Lincoln at any time. The Loud sisters and Carlino became worried and tense, they looked ready to jump in if anything happens. Lincoln himself looked rather calm but his eyes told a different story.

They looked sad.

"How we going to do this?" Lincoln asked in an impassive tone and expression. "We going to do this here or can you wait a little longer?"

That question seemed to have angered Ronnie Anne as she tightened her hands into fists. A deep scowl apparent on her face as she glared at Lincoln. Just as things looked like they were going to become ugly, Ronnie Anne did the unexpected. She took a deep breath and turned around to avoid looking at Lincoln. Her fists were shaking slightly, like she was stopping herself from attacking Lincoln.

"I waited 17 years… I can wait a few more days." Ronnie Anne stated rather strongly. "17 years ago, you made a promise, but you broke that promise. When the time comes, we're going to settle things between us."

Just as Ronnie Anne finished saying that, she started to leave. She didn't stop to look or speak to Carlino, nevertheless he sighed and followed her. As they were leaving, Lincoln's expression turned into a mournful frown. Eventually the two cousins left the bar leaving only Lincoln and his sisters alone. Lincoln kept his attention on the bar entrance, not bothering to acknowledge his estranged sisters. Each of his sisters were looking at him and waiting for something. Either for Lincoln to speak or when one of them gathered enough courage to speak to him.

Obviously, they were all afraid to speak, each of them were trying to gather the courage to try and talk but none of them did. They were all busy dealing with the swirls of emotions they were all feeling. It had been so long since they saw Lincoln in person. They needed time to adjust what was happening.

Lana is a person who isn't easy to frighten, not when her job is tending and handling dangerous animals. She's faced animals that could rip regular people apart and didn't flinch. Yet what she was feeling was something different. Lincoln, her big brother who's voice and face she's nearly forgotten was standing just a little way from her. And she was too scared to talk to him. She hadn't forgotten why Lincoln left and how she treated him, guilt was holding her back. She wasn't scared of Lincoln, but of what he might say. To Lana, Lincoln appeared to be more frightening than any large beast. It didn't matter how much she missed him and loved him; Lana couldn't speak a word to her big brother.

Lucy knew this was a terrible idea, but she still went through it. The only reason she did it is because she wanted to make certain nothing horrible happened. Like Lynn or any of her other sisters losing it when they saw Lincoln. Or something horrible like one of her sisters forcing Lincoln to come with them, she knew Lynn would consider that. Even so, Lucy couldn't help but feel emotional once she saw Lincoln. She thought she'd get a better handle on her emotions thanks to her training, but it all proved useless. Her big brother was right there, the brother who's trust and love she destroyed. The person she loved and looked up to the most out of all her family was standing right there. And she couldn't bear the shame to look at him.

Luna had been through a lot; she's lost a lot too. She lost her friends, her bandmates, her roadie, and the girl she had a crush on. Down the line she lost a bit of herself when she focused so much time in her music career and not her own family, which cost her so much when it ended in disaster. She lost her self-respect when she gave into her demons because she grew tired of trying to manage her already crumbling life. All her terrible choices led up to her almost getting raped in some trash alley far from her family, she got lucky. It took a lot for her to come to terms with her faults and begin her journey of recovery with help from her mentor Mokichi Robinson. Along the way she dealt with many of her past mistakes and accepted them, but there is one mistake she never had to courage to deal with. Which is what she did to her little brother, who is now standing right in front of her, and yet it seemed like he was farther away than ever before. No matter how much she believed in herself or her faith, Luna could not gather the courage to speak to Lincoln.

Leni had tears in her eyes as she looked at her little brother, who had yet to acknowledge them. It took everything Leni had to stop herself from running up to Lincoln and pulling him into a tight hug that she would probably never let go. Sadly, that wasn't going to happen. These past few years had changed Leni, she wasn't the same ditzy, gullible airhead she once was. She spent all this time trying to become the big sister that Lincoln deserved. A big sister that will stand with him and not against him, a big sister that will always love him. A big sister that will always fight for him, no matter the cost. Leni wanted to be the big sister Lincoln deserved, but she desperately wanted to be the big sister he wanted in his life. Which meant she needed to wait and see what he wants. If that meant he never wanted to forgive her or see her again, then so be it.

Finally, there was Lynn.

The one who started all of this, the one who's superstitions and stubbornness encouraged her family to push Lincoln out of their lives. A terrible mistake she regretted ever since. Reaching this far had cost her so much. The chance to try and have a normal life, to have friends and perhaps a special someone, to not be alone on the road and spending her time fighting or drinking. To be able to see her family more often, to be able to have a good and healthy relationship with them. She hurt her family by being who she is now. Deep down, Lynn wanted nothing more than to have things go back to how they were. Before everything went to shit, that's why she desperately searched for Lincoln. All those lonely days she spent on the road away from her family, all that bone crushing and bloody training she went through to get stronger. All the bloody fights and bullshit she had to deal with. Lynn did it all to reach this very moment, to be able to see her baby brother again, but now that it was happening.

Lynn had no clue what to do.

She tried to say something, but nothing came out. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but her body wouldn't move. It was funny, after enduring so much to reach this very moment. Lynn could not move a muscle. Inside her head, Lynn screamed at herself to move or speak. To do anything at all before Lincoln decided to leave. She doubted her sisters or herself could stop him seeing how they were acting.

"Can I count on you?"

Each of the Loud sisters quickly broke out of whatever stupor they were in. They all heard it; Lincoln had asked them a question. Neither of them knew how to respond, not when Lincoln turned around to look at them. He looked serious as he stared at each of them waiting for them to say something. When they didn't, Lincoln let out a sigh.

"Just answer the question, can I count you to be there for me?" Lincoln asked once more with a rigid expression. "I know this from out of nowhere, but will you be there for me? When the time comes, will you be there and fight with me?"

None of the Loud sisters knew what to say, they expected a lot of things to happen, but not this. It took some time before any of them grew enough courage to talk, which happened to be Lucy of all people.

"Just tell us when and where."

There was just a small moment where Lincoln seemed pleasantly surprised, but he quickly resumed looking serious. Lincoln didn't say a word as he walked over to Lucy, something that made Lucy and her sisters nervous. Lucy only grew more nervous now that Lincoln was standing right in front of her. She could clearly see that he was far cry from her scrawny and small brother he once was. He had grown, just like them.

"Give me your phone."

Lucy stood there for a while before blinking and realizing what Lincoln had said. Pulling out her phone, Lucy handed it to Lincoln, who pulled out his own phone and started to put Lucy's number into his contacts. He also decided to put his phone number in her contacts just in case. Once he was done, Lincoln handed Lucy's phone back to her while he put his back in his pocket.

"I got your number as a contact now; you also got my number too. Give me a few days, hopefully I'll have everything ready. Until then, you all better prepare yourselves for a tough fight because none of those guys are slouches."

Neither of Loud sisters said anything, they could only simply nod in confirmation. Which was all Lincoln needed to see, he let out a loud yawn before turning around to leave.

"It's pretty late, so you all better head back to your hotel and get some rest."

Just like that, Lincoln was going to leave, but suddenly he heard a familiar voice.

"Wait!"

Lincoln stopped as he heard one of his sisters called out to him for to stop. Turning around with a seemingly bored look, Lincoln looked to see it was Leni. She seemed on verge of tears and with a troubled expression as she locked eyes with Lincoln.

"S-shouldn't we try and talk?" Leni asked with a slight mumble since she was very nervous. "I mean, t-that's why we're all here for right?"

All the Loud sisters knew Leni was right, even Lincoln knew she was right. Unlike the other fighters, Lincoln knew his sisters only came here to see him and talk. Something each of them had been waiting for a very long time. He could see it in each of their eyes, all of which were pleading for him to stay longer. And if Lincoln was being honest with himself, a deep part of him wanted to stay. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time or place to work out their problems.

"I don't think now is a good time for this." Lincoln declared with a stiff and unflinching expression before turning around to look away from his sisters, not wanting to see their saddened and disappointed looks. "I don't think any of us are ready to try and work through our family drama right now. At least, I'm not ready yet. Let's wait until things are settled down. When that happens I promise, I'll be ready to talk to you all by then."

Not bothering to turn around, Lincoln knew that there was some hope on his sisters faces when he finished telling them that. While Lincoln knew he didn't have to tell them that. Especially after what they did to him, Lincoln oddly couldn't bring himself to do it. Perhaps they deserved his ire and hatred, many would agree that they rightfully earned his fury. Yet somehow Lincoln didn't have the heart to do it. Maybe when he was younger and filled with resentment, he'd be able to do it. However, Lincoln wasn't that kind of person anymore. He couldn't say that he's forgiven his family for what they did, but he could say he didn't hate them. No matter how much he tried to deny it, one thing was very clear.

Lincoln still had love for them.

"I don't know if I can ever forgive you all for what you did to me." Lincoln proclaimed honestly with a neutral tone. "You hurt me more than anything I've ever been through so far in my life, it's not easy to forget that. What hurt even more was that is was my own family who did it to me."

After Lincoln told them all that, the little hope in each of the Loud sisters faces quickly drained away. It was replaced with unwavering despair. That despair only grew when they saw Lincoln started to leave, some of them wanted to try and stop him, but none of them were able to muster the strength to do so. Even Lynn, the one sister in the family who had gave up everything to find Lincoln. She wanted to run up to Lincoln and stop him, by any means necessary, but Lynn couldn't do it. What Lincoln had told them left her helpless and hopeless, she felt an immense pain in her chest that she couldn't describe. A pain each of them were now feeling that almost brought them to their knees.

'Why does this hurt so much? Why can't I move? Lincoln is right there and he's leaving! Come on, move damn it!'

It was no use, no matter how much Lynn wanted it. Her body couldn't move an inch. She saw her chances of finally getting her family back together slip away as Lincoln walked towards the door. Each of the Loud sisters saw whatever hope of making up for their mistakes and chances of being a family again fade away. It seemed like all hope was lost, that is until something unexpected happened. Just when Lincoln was about to walk out of the bar, he turned around to give his sisters a small but bright smile.

"Still, I'm willing to give you all a chance to earn it."

In that moment, whatever despair and fear each of the Loud sisters were feeling was suddenly replaced with pure shock.

"Although you all hurt me, you guys are still my family. Maybe I can't forgive you, but I can't forget the good times I had with each of you." Lincoln mused with a thoughtful look. He then looked back everyone to give them a hopeful smile. "I hope you all can earn my forgiveness, because Lily deserves to have her family together again."

Saying all he wanted to say, Lincoln left the bar with a smile on his face. Leaving his sisters, the only ones left in the bar. Each of them were still in a state of shock, it took a while before any of them realized Lincoln's words. The first one was Leni, who started to cry. It didn't take long for Leni to drop to her knees as she sobbed loudly while covering her face with hands. The others around her weren't fairing any better, for each of them began to cry. Lana, the biggest and tallest of the sisters tried to wipe away her tears with her arm but the tears didn't stop coming. Luna cried softy before she walked over and bent down to put a caring hand on Leni's shoulder. Lucy was crying softy, causing her make-up to get a little runny. Finally, Lynn stood there looking at where Lincoln was standing. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the tears drip down to her cheeks. Suddenly, Lynn felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She turned to look and saw Lucy giving her teary yet hopeful smile.

"We haven't lost him yet..."

For some reason, hearing those words was what Lynn needed to hear to break from whatever was holding her back. Lynn did something she's never done for a long time. She openly cried and pulled her little sister in a much-needed hug that both needed. Lucy accepted the hug with a grateful smile, she couldn't remember the last time she and Lynn hugged. It had been so long ago that Lucy almost forgot how it felt. Right now, Lucy was feeling a swirl of emotions but there was one emotion she was clearly feeling.

It was hope.

A chance, each of them had a chance to try and earn their brother's forgiveness. Hearing those words from their brother was what they needed to hear the most. After everything they've been through not just as individuals but also as a family, it felt like it wasn't all for nothing. They all knew that they were still a long way from not only earning Lincoln forgiveness but also Lily's too. But it was a start, and none of them were going to squander it.

Outside the bar, Lincoln was walking away from the bar with his hands in his pockets. He could have called an Uber or a taxi, but he wanted to walk. It would give time to think over what just happened. While it may have looked like he was calm and clever throughout that whole ordeal, he was scared and nervous through the entire thing! Lincoln only did what felt like would make everyone happy. Somehow, he achieved the impossible by making guys like Jack Hanma and Adam Dudley listen to reason. Honestly, Lincoln was kind of pleased with himself for doing that. However, he quickly realized the absolute shitty situation he found himself in. The only reason he came out is for a drink, now he had to set up a sort of team fighting tournament in a few days. Against some of the strongest and most skillful fighters in the world. And to make matters more complicated, his team consisted of his estranged sisters!

"Oh man, I really put myself in it this time. I hope Lily and the others won't freak out too much when I tell them tomorrow."

Somehow Lincoln doubted that very much.

The Next Day

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!"

Lincoln winced while covering his ears from the earful he was getting from a very pissed off Penelope. As if that wasn't bad enough, he was getting a disappointed look from Clyde and a very irritated glare from Lily. Lincoln was glad they were in his hotel suite; he couldn't bear to handle this in public. It was a blessing he wasn't feeling hungover from last night, but it felt he needed an aspirin for what was happening right now. After making it back from the bar, Lincoln immediately went to sleep on the couch. Imagine how shocked he woke up this morning to find Clyde, Penelope, and Lily looming over him. Turns out Clyde had some of the hotel staff keeping an eye on his room in case he went against their warnings about going out. Which Lincoln of course did. They immediately demanded to know where he went and what happened. When he was done explaining everything, their reactions were what you would expect. Which brought them to here and now,

"OF ALL THE STUPID, IRRESONSIBLE, AND INSUFFERABLE THINGS YOU'VE DONE SO FAR, THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING GOING OUT WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS YOUR FACE! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN HURT OR WORSE!"

Much as Lincoln hated to admit it, Penelope was making sense. He should have been smarter instead of only wanting to cut loose and have fun. Maybe if he did that, he wouldn't be in this situation?

"Okay, I will admit what I did was a little stupid—"

"A LITTLE!"

"Alright, alright! It was very stupid; I'm not saying that it wasn't because it really was stupid. But you got to understand, I couldn't stay cooped up in my room all day like I'm a little kid who's grounded or something. I thought nothing major would happen by just going out for a single drink."

"But it did, didn't it?" Clyde chided in with a frown. "My god Lincoln, you really know when to complicate stuff really quick."

A sheepish grin came from Lincoln while chuckling nervously.

"What can I say? I'm good at it? So far it's been working out… kind of."

Penelope sighed heavily as she tried to restrain herself from strangling Lincoln. Clyde let out a tired smile and laugh while shaking his head at Lincoln. Meanwhile, Lily kept a disappointed glare on her older brother. Eventually Penelope managed to calm herself down enough to look at Lincoln without feeling the urge to hurt him.

"We can continue this discussion of you being a complete and careless idiot later, which we will indeed finish later. You can count on that. Presently, I think we need to discuss this newfound threat we're all facing. And I do mean the threat you are currently facing Lincoln. You told us your sisters and old acquaintance of yours weren't the only ones who found you, but some rather dangerous people. Is this correct?"

The sheepish expression Lincoln had quickly turned into a serious one as he looked at the others in the room.

"Oh man, if you thought the last guy I fought was dangerous, then these guys go beyond the level of fighters like Cassidy. Not saying Cassidy is a pushover by any means, but he'd never win against any of these guys. In fact, some of them might even kill him without any hassle at all."

Upon hearing that, everyone in the room looked shocked and a little horrified. None of them expected Lincoln to tell them that so casually. They wished he were only kidding around, but Lincoln's expression and tone told them otherwise. For a carefree guy like Lincoln to be this serious, everyone knew that it had to be serious. Both Clyde and Penelope saw firsthand how strong a fighter like Cassidy was, he took Lincoln's hits and kept getting up. The Rogue Sumo brought Lincoln to his knees and made him bloody. If a fighter at that level could do that to Lincoln, what could these new fighters do?

Lily seemed just as shocked as everyone else, but she also seemed frightened.

"Lincoln… can you beat those guys?"

Lincoln and the others looked to see it was Lily who asked that. Both Clyde and Penelope turned their attention to Lincoln, who remained silent with a serious look. Eventually, Lincoln finally spoke.

"If I'm being completely honest, I have no idea if I can beat any of those guys." Lincoln admitted without missing a beat. "Some of these guys are considered legends in both public and underground martial arts. They've beaten countless strong fighters; some they've killed or forced into retirement. I don't know if I can win against any of them fighting the way I am now."

No one could believe what Lincoln was telling them. To see him this dead serious unnerved them, but what told them about the fighters only unnerved them even more. Lily seemed ready to collapse, while both Clyde and Penelope were very pale like ghosts. Lincoln only kept on an impassive look. The first one to speak was Penelope, who looked around the room with a very concerned expression.

"What are we going to do?"

From the looks of it, no one said a word until Lincoln finally sighed and looked up at the others.

"I'm going to fight."

Everyone looked at Lincoln with complete shock, which quickly turned into worry.

"Are you crazy?"

"Come on buddy, you can't be serious?"

"You can't!"

Lincoln could see how worried they looked when they looked at him. It was touching to see how much they cared for him; even no-nonsense Penelope was worried.

"I'm going to fight; I don't really have a choice. These guys are people you don't say no to because that's how strong they are. Doesn't matter what brought them here looking for me, none of them are leaving until they get a fight."

"And are you absolutely sure it has to be you?" Clyde asked still looking worried with the others. "Can't they just go looking for some other poor guy to beat on? What makes you so special that some of them would travel halfway around the world come and only fight? It sounds nuts!"

A small chuckle came from Lincoln as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"What can I say, guess I'm just that unlucky?"

Penelope faced palmed herself to let out a frustrated groan. Both Clyde and Lily could only stare at Lincoln with clear concern. They knew he was just trying to lighten the mood but now wasn't the time. Eventually Lincoln figured that out, he could only sigh while looking at everyone.

"I don't really have a choice here guys, I'm not running away or backing down from this. Like I said before, these guys are strong, and I don't know if I stand a chance against any of them. But I still got to try, at least I'm not facing them alone. I'll have my sisters help."

Somehow that didn't reassure any of them, least of all Lily and Clyde.

"How can you say that? After everything they did to you!" Lily exclaimed rather angry. "It's their fault we're even in this whole mess! You can't trust them!"

Lily looked really worked up about this, Lincoln knew telling her that their sisters were involved in this whole thing was a bad idea. He hoped their talk that happened a few days back would ease her grudge against their family. Lincoln could now see he was wrong. With a regretful frown, Lincoln got up and walked over to place a caring hand on Lily's shoulder.

"Lily, I know it's hard for you to try and forgive our family for what they did. I still don't if I'll ever fully forgive them for what they did too, but you can't go on hating them. We need their help; I need their help. Realistically, I can't fight all these guys by myself. Leni, Luna, Lynn, Lucy, and Lana are the only ones that can help me right now. I don't know anyone else near enough who's strong to help. If you like, I can try to fight them all by myself if that's what you want?"

Immediately Lily looked terrified, she shook her head and grabbed Lincoln to pull him into a tight hug. Lincoln smiled sadly while he held Lily in his arms, suddenly he could feel his shirt getting a little wet. Looking down he saw Lily was crying, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes with very frightened look.

"Please, I don't want you to get hurt!" Lily cried as she held onto her brother a little tighter. "I saw the video of you fighting, you were so hurt and bloody. I don't want to see you like that again!"

A small sigh came from Lincoln, he smiled sadly as he patted Lily's head.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that, Lily. Being a fighter or martial artist isn't as glamorous like in the movies or anime. Things can get bloody, sometimes people really get hurt. I've often got hurt like that during my travels with my mentors. Either from the grueling training or fighting strong fighters. It's a hard life, not suited for everyone, but it's the life I've chosen. I need to do this, if I don't do it then they'll do anything to make me fight them. They might even target those closest to me to make me fight. It's better this way, I won't let anything happen to you, Clyde, or Penelope."

Lily stopped crying to look up Lincoln with shock and bit of awe. Even both Clyde and Penelope were shocked by Lincoln's words. Well, Clyde really wasn't as he smiled proudly at his best friend. He knew Lincoln was serious about what he said, Lincoln is the kind of guy to risk everything to help or protect his love ones. Even if it means risking his body and life for it, Clyde hoped that it wouldn't come to that. But he knew that anything could happen in a fight. With how Lincoln was talking about these fighters, this is very serious. Clyde wanted his best friend to be safe, but at the end of the day Lincoln is his own man. Maybe he could order Lincoln not to fight since he technically works for him, but Clyde knew better than that. Lincoln would fight no matter what he or anyone else said. Penelope also knew it would be impossible to convince Lincoln not to fight, he was just too stubborn. However, Lily still didn't like it.

"I still don't want you to fight…"

Lincoln could only frown as he looked down at his little sister.

"I know, and I can't promise you I won't get hurt. Anything can happen in a fight, but I can promise you one thing."

Lily looked up to see Lincoln giving her a bright smile.

"I promise, I'm not going to let myself get killed." Lincoln declared in a soft but hardened tone while still smiling. "I've come this far and I'm still kicking, so I must be doing something right. So, don't you worry, just let your big brother handle everything."

At first, it seemed like Lily was still apprehensive about this whole thing. She didn't want to see Lincoln get hurt, but she could not help but feel reassured by her brother's words. From what she's seen and heard, Lincoln is very strong. Lily also knew Lynn, Lucy, Leni, Luna, and Lana were very strong too. At least from what they've shown and told her when they were still on her good side. Although they really weren't her favorite people, Lily had to admit Lincoln was in safe hands. After thinking about it some more, Lily finally stopped crying and pulled away from her brother. She looked up at him to give him a serious gaze.

"You promise you won't die, right?"

Lincoln smiled as he clenched his hand into a fist and held it close to his heart.

"You can count on that; your big brother won't be going down anytime soon."

Whatever fears Lily had swept away when hearing that.

"I'm going to hold you to that, Lincoln." Lily smiled wiping her tears away, but she still had a little bit of worry. "Just please be careful and watch yourself around our sisters. Especially around Lori because she always has something under her sleeve, I know for sure Lynn and the others weren't there at the bar by accident."

"Oh yeah, if I know Lori then she's always planning something." Lincoln agreed still smiling, he then looked over to both Clyde and Penelope. "I really hate to be a bother, but I could use your guys help setting this whole tournament thing up."

Both Clyde and Penelope were expecting this, Penelope huffed and rolled her eyes at Lincoln. While Clyde only chuckled and walked up to Lincoln, where he placed a hand on Lincoln's shoulder.

"That's what friends do buddy, I may not like putting you in needless danger like this. But if you're serious, then just leave it to me and Penelope. We'll get everything set up for this. Do you think you get things started Penelope?"

The secretary could only sigh as she nodded at her boss, just as she was about to leave. Lincoln stopped her by speaking up.

"Hey Penelope, can you take Lily with you? I want her know what to expect when this thing starts, is that okay?"

Penelope and Lily were surprised by this odd request, Clyde only had an impassive look on his face. Penelope looked at her boss to see what she should do, Clyde simply nodded telling her it was okay. Lily looked confused, she looked at Lincoln giving her a small smile.

"Go ahead and check things out with Penelope, Clyde and I really need to have a talk."

That got both Lily and Penelope's attention, but Penelope decided it was best to leave if Lincoln wanted to talk to Clyde. She didn't know why he wanted to talk to Clyde, but it was none of her business. Besides, there was no way Lincoln would hurt Clyde. He was his bodyguard after all.

"Come on Lily, I could use some help picking a venue for this tournament."

Lily seemed hesitant, but after getting a nod from Lincoln. She decided to listen and left. However, she couldn't help but worry about what Lincoln wanted to talk to Clyde about. Eventually, both girls left the room, leaving only Lincoln and Clyde in the room alone. Once the girls left, Lincoln's expression quickly turned serious as he looked at Clyde.

"Did you know?"

"About what?"

Lincoln's gaze quickly turned into a glare, which didn't affect Clyde as his expression remained neutral.

"You're my best friend Clyde, I love you like a brother. You know I would do anything to help you not just as your bodyguard but also as your best friend. Now, don't screw with me. Did you know about Ronnie Anne!"

When Lincoln raised his voice, the air became hard to breathe a little. Clyde remained calm, Lincoln's glare and tone didn't affect him like it should. Any normal person would be crumbling under the pressure of Lincoln's glare and presence. Not Clyde though, for he wasn't any normal person. He hasn't come this for as a businessman by crumbling under intimidation. Soon enough, Clyde sighed and looked to Lincoln with a frown.

"Look, I knew Bobby and Ronnie Anne had people on the lookout for you, but I didn't have any idea they were coming. I've never really kept in touch with any of them over the years, we all sort of drifted apart after you left. Ronnie Anne was always difficult to get along with but after you left she completely changed. She became more aggressive and stubborn causing her to get into more fights and trouble. Finally, it got so bad that her mom moved their family to Great Lakes City to live with their extended family. Last I heard she became a pro boxer and started winning championship after championship. I also heard Bobby took over his grandfather's business after he retired, turns out Bobby is doing quite well for himself. Guy has a lot of Bodegas around the country. Who would have thought he'd be such a savvy businessman?"

The frustration Lincoln was feeling slowly faded away, soon he started to feel very troubled after hearing what Clyde just told him. With an uneasy look on his face, Lincoln sat back down on the couch. Clyde gave his friend a sympathetic look before taking a seat next to him.

"How'd she look?"

Oddly enough, Lincoln couldn't help but chuckle at Clyde's question.

"She looked good, although she did look like she wanted to throttle me into the floor but from what I remember that's a pretty normal look for her." Lincoln replied with a smile. "It's crazy but after all these years I never thought to check in on her. I mean, I'd hear about her from the news and boxings blogs. But I'd never checked in on her for myself."

A sad frown appeared on Lincoln's face; Clyde had the same expression as he looked at his friend.

"How come you never thought to check on her?"

When he heard Clyde ask him that, Lincoln looked like he was about to answer when he suddenly stopped himself. It seemed like he was trying to think about what to say, only nothing came out. For the longest time, Lincoln just sat there looking lost until he finally spoke.

"If I'm being honest, I think I was scared."

Clyde gave Lincoln a confused look before he thought about it then nodded.

"Yeah, that's understandable seeing it is Ronnie Anne, now that she's a professional boxer I wouldn't want to be on her bad side either."

"That's not what I meant."

Once again Clyde looked confused as he looked over at Lincoln.

"What do you mean?"

Lincoln looked hesitant to answer but after giving it some thought, he decided to tell Clyde.

"I didn't check on her because I didn't know if I could stop myself from speaking to her again." Lincoln admitted with a regretful frown. "I hurt her, not just her but a whole lot of my old friends for not keeping my promise. You remember right? On the day I left?"

For a moment, Clyde seemed confused before a look of realization hit him. The young businessman thought back to all those years ago. When they were just kids, back when things seemed a lot simpler. Clyde remembered that day very much, it was right after Lincoln's parents were convicted and his sisters were either sent to juvie or to their Aunt Ruth's. Since no other family wanted or could take him, the court decided to send Lincoln to the best foster care facility where they could help him with the trauma he went through. Lincoln and his friends didn't want that to happen, even Clyde's parents and Ronnie Anne's mother asked if they could take the poor boy in. In fact, all of Lincoln's friends asked their parents to see if they could help. Unfortunately, the courts already decided on it. Lincoln would to be sent away from everything and everyone he knew.

"Yeah, it was a clear and sunny day. It should have felt like a fun and happy one, but it didn't feel like it. Hearing what the courts had planned for you really shocked us. We all did everything we could do to make them see reason, but they already made the arrangements. The night before it happened I couldn't sleep at all, neither did Ronnie Anne if I remember correctly. Man, she looked like such a mess. I mean we were all sad, but it was different for Ronnie Anne. If her mom and brother weren't there, I doubt she would have stood by and watch them take you away."

A small chuckle and smile came from Lincoln, he remembered that day very well. Ever since he left, even when he went through his time on the road and his grueling training. Lincoln often thought about that day a lot. Sometimes he would think about all his friends and their families who had been there for him that day.

"I never really thanked you guys or your families for what you did." Lincoln admitted with a bit of shame. "You guys went and tried to help me, even when my own family left and forgot about me. All of you stood by me, I'll never forget that."

Clyde turned to give Lincoln a smile, he then patted his back.

"That's what friends are for buddy, we help you out when you're at your lowest." Clyde proclaimed still smiling. "I'm sorry we weren't able to stop them from taking you away."

"Hey man, don't be." Lincoln replied softy with a small smile, causing Clyde to look at him oddly. "I'll admit it, it really sucked at first. Being torn away from my old life, I missed you guys, even my own family. I'm not going to lie; I went through a real rough patch in my life. To be honest, I always felt lost and alone before my family kicked me out."

Looking very shocked by Lincoln's sudden confession, Clyde stayed silent as Lincoln resumed talking.

"Being the only boy in such a big family was rough but being the only one in the family without a single talent or accomplishment was even more rough. Every single one of my sisters were gifted, while little old me didn't have a single talent or anything worth bragging about. When we were kids, my parents had trophy cases for everyone. Almost everyone had awards or other accomplishments in their cases while I had nothing in mine. Even little Lily had more awards and accomplishments than me. At first, it never really bother me because they were my family and I loved them. Deep down though, I hated it. I really hated the feeling of being overshadowed by them. Not just because of their stupid awards and other accomplishments but because of how each of them were talented in their own way. Meanwhile, I didn't have a single talent to call my own."

While Lincoln kept on talking, Clyde couldn't help but give him a very concerned glance.

"I never told anyone this except my mentors, but I always thought my sisters were born lucky. Everything came easier to them, didn't matter if it was being popular, smart, tough, cute, or whatever else. Everyone loved them and thought they could do nothing wrong… while I was always looked down upon by everyone. It didn't matter if it was by my family or complete strangers. It always felt the same. Years went by before I thought about what I was always scared of. My sisters were born lucky, and I was lucky to be born. Lincoln Loud, the odd one out of the entire family. The talentless one, the middle child, the unlucky one. For a long, I always that's just who I was."

At that moment, Clyde wanted nothing to do more than stop Lincoln right there. He hated seeing Lincoln like this, thinking like he didn't matter and that he believed he was unlucky. Somehow it always came back to that very topic with Lincoln. It sort of made sense since all of this stems from the bad luck incident. Whether people liked it or not, that event changed Lincoln deeply.

"I used to think that way anyways."

Caught by surprise, Clyde looked to see that Lincoln was now smiling.

"I'd never thought I'd find my talent, especially after what happened to me. Turns out I was wrong." Lincoln explained while turning his hand into a fist to stare at it. "At my lowest I found comfort in boxing, which led me to entering the world of martial arts. Which led me to finding my mentors, who I all see like my family. A tough but caring woman with fists of fury, a funny yet hardcore legend who could take any hit, a grizzled martial artist who wasn't always nice but showed be what it takes to be a good man, and a crazy old man who enlightened me. Even though they trained me into the dirt, I owe them everything. Speaking of which, I'm kind of glad I ended up here."

"What?" Clyde asked rather shocked. "Are you serious, after everything that's happened to you? Not just to you but your family and friends?"

That's when Lincoln's smile faltered a little.

"I know things didn't turn out great for everyone, I think me ending up a street brawler isn't actually a good thing either. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if things were different, would we still be who we are now? Still, we are who we are. I'm not that little kid who always thought he had no talent or think he's just lucky to be born. I'm a guy who worked hard and earned his talent, and I make my own damn luck! And I'm going to prove that to not just those fighters wanting to fight me, but to my family and everyone! Nothing is going to stop me! I don't care who tries to stop me, even if it's Ronnie Anne!"

Filled with newfound vigor that got him fired up, Lincoln looked to the nearest window. He looked out at the bustling city below, his thoughts quickly went to his possible opponents. Slowly Lincoln began to picture them in his mind as they got ready to fight him. The legendary "Don Juan of Acapulco", Carlos Medel. The brutal "Hell's Angel" of pro wrestling, Jun Sekibayashi. The former Goon of the NHL, Adam Dudley. The "Canadian Monster" known as Jack Hanma, a man from a very prestigious family bloodline. The cocky but breathtaking El Puma, and finally the main opponent he wanted to face against. The "Goddess of War" herself, Ronnie Anne Santiago, one of his former best friends. Right now, Lincoln could imagine them standing in front of him. Each of them staring at him with fire in their eyes, but Lincoln wasn't alone. Standing right by him were his sisters, and they all had the same fire in their eyes.

"I'm ready for this."

While this was happening to Lincoln, Clyde could only look at his friend with admiration along with a little fear as he felt the air of intensity around Lincoln. Nevertheless, Clyde couldn't help but smile at his friend. It hurt to hear how Lincoln used to think, but Lincoln had changed and for the better. Clyde thought about the same for himself. He had no clue what the future held for Lincoln, Clyde only knew that both he and Lincoln would be ready for it together.

'I'm with you buddy, for every step of the way.'

A Few Days Later

The day had finally arrived, after careful planning and smart spending. Today was a rather calm and beautiful day, it was around early noon. Clyde and Penelope had set up everything as planned, right now they were in a black limousine with both Lincoln and Lily that was driving to the venue they picked for this tournament. They were all dressed in their regular clothes, Lincoln had his fighting clothes in his duffle bag because Penelope told him that there will be locker rooms where they were going. Lincoln couldn't believe the venue they were going to as he could see it outside the limousine windows.

"Whoa! I got to say Clyde, you know how to pick them." Lincoln commented with awe at the venue they were approaching. "The freaking STAPLES Center! How'd you managed that?"

"Oh, you know, being the CEO of a large multi-million entertainment company has it's perks." Clyde boasted a little with a grin, he then looked to both Penelope and Lily. "However, it was my lovely secretary and your sister who picked this little venue."

Penelope blushed a little but kept her calm expression, while Lily smiled sheepishly.

"To be honest, it was the only place available for this needless tournament of yours." Penelope explained as she perked up her glasses to give them a shine. "Your sister was most helpful Lincoln, I loved working with her. I must say, she'd be an excellent secretary in the future."

Lily was now blushing from the praise and attention she was receiving. She wasn't used to it, still it felt rather nice, especially given how Lincoln smiled at her. Eventually, they arrived at their destination. Instead of parking in one of the public places, they parked at one of the VIP parking areas. Once there, Lincoln and others exited their limousine and headed inside. Clyde proceed to take the lead from there as he led the others to where they were heading.

"When will the others be arriving?" Lincoln asked to both Clyde and Penelope. "You can't really have tournament with one guy."

"Don't worry, with the information you provided I managed to get into contact with all parties involved into this nonsense and arranged for them to be brought here. They should be waiting for us in The Hyde Lounge upstairs, I also made sure all the catering and in-bar staff were there to entertain them until our arrival. The last thing we want is for any of them do something reckless from boredom."

Both Lincoln and Lily were extremely impressed by Penelope's planning, Clyde simply had a proud smile as they all made their way upstairs by using an elevator. They waited a few moments until they all heard a ding and saw the elevator doors open. Clyde was the first to walk and everyone followed him. They walked passed a sign that read The Hyde Lounge, soon they saw the entrance to the lounge. There was a lone attendant in a suit waiting for them at the door, he nodded to everyone.

"Hello sir, all of your guests have arrived and have been enjoying the bar and catering. They're waiting for you now, also they are just about finished setting up everything down at ringside. We also have our staff and all services prepared for the maximum capacity of attendees you expect to arrive. If there is anything else you'll need, just call us. We hope you enjoy your time here and thank you for your much appreciated business."

"Thank you, I'll be sure to contact you if we need anything else." Clyde acknowledged the attendant with a smile. "You can leave us."

The attendant smiled as bowed his head a little and left, Clyde sighed as he looked to Lincoln and the others.

"Well buddy, this is it." Clyde stated in a low tone filled with worry. "Are you ready?"

Lily and Penelope turned to look at Lincoln with a worry, Lincoln had a serious expression on his face as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He exhaled and slowly opened his eyes to reveal that they filled with same fire he had days ago. When he proclaimed how nothing will stop him.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

There was bit of reluctance in Clyde's eyes, it made sense since he was nervous. Looking around he saw that both Lily and Penelope were nervous too. Lincoln on the other hand seemed oddly calm, in fact he had the same look he had when he fought Cassidy. It some odd way, it calmed Clyde's nerves seeing Lincoln like this. That's why he had no trouble opening the door after that, Lincoln was the first one to walk in and the others followed after him.

Once they walked into the room, their presence were made known to everyone in the VIP lounge. Lincoln looked around to see everyone scattered around the lounge, he saw his sisters and the fighters that had confronted him a few days ago. However, there were more people than expected. The ones alone were Jack Hanma, the giant of a man was eating vast amounts of meat at a table and sitting on a chair that could barely handle his weight and size. And Adam Dudley, the former Goon of the NHL was drinking alone at the bar. Everyone else were grouped together or with someone.

Jun Sekibayashi sat at a table drinking and eating, he wasn't alone as another person was sitting at the same table with him but wasn't drinking or eating. Lincoln recognized the older gentleman because he met him once while visiting Japan. It was Sekibayashi's boss, Gen Shikano.

There were two groups in the lounge, one group was at the far end of the lounge while the other was at the other end. The first group seemed to be Ronnie Anne's group; Bobby was sitting at a table with two other girls Lincoln didn't recognized. He saw Carlino sitting with Ronnie Anne and surprisingly Carlos Medel! Lincoln looked puzzled as he tried to figure out what Carlos Medel was doing with Ronnie Anne's group. Back at the bar when Carlos left, he stopped to look at both Carlino and Ronnie Anne like he knew them. He even he patted Ronnie Anne's head. Lincoln didn't have much time to think further on it since his attention quickly went towards the final group. Which were his sisters.

They were all grouped together at the other end of the lounge, sitting, drinking or eating together. All of their eyes were on him and Lily as they walked into the lounge. Lynn and the others that he'd saw at the bar from a few days ago were here, along with the rest of his sister and two girls he didn't know. It took him a moment to remember but Lincoln finally recognized the other two people. One was his old classmate and Lucy's friend Haiku, and the other was Carol Pingrey. A girl who used to be Lori's rival and enemy, but they were now the best friends it seems.

'Looks like they're all here.'

Lincoln and the others just stood there in the middle of the room; Clyde cleared his throat getting everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone, I'm glad you all made it here with no problems. So, let's cut to the chase. I brought you all here because my buddy here asked me to. For those of you who may not know, Lincoln here is my best friend. He's also my bodyguard and my affiliated fighter. For some reason or another, you all want to see Lincoln in action or simply talk to him. Unfortunately, that leaves all of us in a bit of a bind since we all want different things. Thankfully, Lincoln here came up with the odd yet brilliant idea of solving all our problems. Which is by having a fighting tournament."

Everyone were now caught up to speed on what was happening, even if they already knew or not.

"Since some of you wish to fight or settle things with Lincoln, this was the perfect compromise because it would be unreasonable to let Lincoln deal with all of this at once. This way you all get what you came here for, a chance to either fight or resolve things with Lincoln. However, since those of you who've come to fight Lincoln can't really gang up on him or want to fight him straight away. You will be fighting one of his trained sisters, who will no doubt give you a hard time. Lincoln himself can attest to their fighting abilities and you will not be disappointed. Still, if that doesn't please you enough. Lincoln and I have come up with interesting incentives to motivate you all."

Now that got everyone's interest, both Lily and Penelope looked surprised and confused when hearing this. They had no idea there incentives.

"If any fighter of opposing teams wins their match, they will have earned a cash reward of 5 million US dollars. Not only that but they will have won the right to fight Lincoln after all the other matches are completed. No matter what sort of state he is in either. Also, if any fighter manages to win against Lincoln, their cash prize will be 10 million dollars. Which means if you're lucky, you might walk out of here with 15 million dollars."

Everyone excluding Lincoln and Clyde were shocked to hear this, even the stoic Jack Hanma and laid-back Carlos Medel looked surprised. Those were some interesting incentives, a 5 million cash prize for the opposing team's fighters if they win their matches. As if that were not enough, they would also get the chance of facing Lincoln regardless of what condition he's in and earn 10 million dollars if they win against him. It all sounded nuts and many of them thought both Clyde and Lincoln were kidding but they soon learned they were serious given their expressions. None were more shocked than Lily, Penelope, Ronnie Anne, and the rest of the Loud sisters. Even Lori looked caught off guard by this, and she wasn't usually taken off guard by anything. But those eyes of shock coming from Lily and the others were replaced with worry, Ronnie Anne did her best to hide it, but she too was a little worried for Lincoln. She had no idea why though, and that frustrated her to no end.

"Now that you all are informed of the incentives and why we've gathered here, I'll explain the tournament rules." Clyde informed everyone still in a serious tone and expression. "This tournament will follow the rules I've set up. No weapons or other foreign objects are allowed to be used by either fighter, everything else is legal but there will be no killing of any kind. There is no time limit of the match, the fight is over when the referee deicides it. The referee will explain the rules more thoroughly to the fighters when the tournament starts."

"How will these matchups be decided?" Gen Shikano asked earning everyone's attention. "I would assume you'd planned that out thoroughly given the stakes of this tournament."

Clyde nodded and looked to Penelope, who still seemed caught up in her shock, but she quickly broke out of it and returned to her normal professional self.

"The matchups will be decided by drawing lots, Lincoln's team will be given odd numbers while the other team will be given even numbers. For example, if a competitor picks number 1 from Lincoln's team then they will have to fight the fighter who draws number 2 from the opposing. The competitors will draw their numbers in the locker room when the tournament is about to begin. Which will be in one hour, we are waiting for attendees and press to show up. Many of whom have already purchased their tickets in advanced. I will also assume some of you have invited guests, all of whom are welcomed in the VIP areas and services free of charge just like the rest of you."