As Watcher prepared to play the next part, everyone in the audience was still discussing what they had just witnessed. Many of the parents, however, didn't seem impressed.
Pop-Pop: "Rita, Lynn—Is that really how the girls normally behave? Where were you both when all of this was happening?"
Lynn Sr: "Well, I had to open the restaurant early. Grant called in sick that day."
Rita: "The dental office was packed. A bus hit a large pothole—not a serious accident, thankfully—but quite a few people knocked their teeth out."
Luna (H): "Huh? We hit a pothole too when we came to Royal Woods. Crashed our van."
Maria: "Were any of you hurt?"
Dusk: "No, we were lucky. Got out without a scratch, but our van needed repairs."
Lana overheard the word repair and came running over.
Lana: "I could take a look at it if you want!"
Thorn patted her on the head.
Thorn: "Aww, that's sweet of you to offer, but your brother already took care of it. That's actually how we met him."
Chuck: "So are we just gonna ignore the flashing lights and weird voices?"
Mazzy: "Yeah, that was freaky—but like, in a cool mystic way."
Lori shrugged, looking indifferent.
Lori: "Oh please. He went to sleep. It was probably just a weird dream."
Phanty: "Didn't look like a dream to me."
Lori: Rolls her eyes "I know my siblings. They have weird thoughts, so they get weird dreams."
Lynn: "Yeah, and Stincoln's a total geek with his hobbies, so he probably has weird dreams all the time."
Vanna raised an eyebrow.
Vanna: "What are his hobbies?"
Lola chuckled.
Lola: "He likes to read his dorky comics, play video games, and even cosplay in silly costumes."
Most of the Loud sisters—except Lucy, Lana, and Lily—burst into laughter. However, many people in the crowd frowned and looked at Lincoln to see his reaction. Surprisingly, he just sat with a bored expression, clearly used to this.
Winnie: "And?"
The sisters who had been laughing slowly fell silent, confused.
Luan: "And what?"
Tsuki: "Is that really what you're laughing about?"
Lori: "Yes. It's literally so lame. Like, who even reads those silly comics anymore?"
Becky: Crossing her arms "Excuse me? What do you mean by that?"
Sam: Also crossing her arms and looking at Luna "Yeah, what's so silly about reading comics?"
Luna: "Whoa, Sam. It's not like we find them silly, it's just—like Lori said—they're kinda lame. Like that one comic called Ace Savvy that Lincoln reads."
Sam: "Oh really? Well, I happen to be a huge Ace Savvy fan."
She pulls out a small silver Ace charm from around her neck.
Luna: Nervous and surprised "Y-You're a fan? Since when?"
Sam: "Since forever. I've always been a fan, and I always will be."
Becky: "Same here. Whenever a new comic drops, I'm the first in line to get it."
Lori: Staring at Becky "Seriously? You too?"
Becky: "I'm not a fan. I'm its biggest fan."
Sam: "You mean second biggest, right? I've got that title locked in."
Carlos Jr.: "I'm the real biggest Ace Savvy fan!"
Lincoln chuckled.
Lincoln: "You three can fight for third place. Clyde and I already claimed the top two spots."
He holds out a fist to Clyde.
Clyde: Fist bumps Lincoln "Right, buddy. Clincoln McCloud all the way!"
The Loud sisters who had been laughing were suddenly thrown for a loop as they realized how many of their friends were comic fans.
Lola: Rolling her eyes "Okay, so you all read comics—but he also cosplays in those silly costumes!"
Becky: "We all wear costumes when we go to conventions. It's fun and a great way to connect with other fans."
Phanty: "Plus, you cosplay too. I mean, you're literally wearing a princess outfit."
Lola: Annoyed "I am a princess!"
Watcher: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I like this back-and-forth. It's funny, but let's keep it real, Lola."
Lola began grinding her teeth, but before things escalated, everyone returned to their seats.
Watcher: "Now, I'm about to start the next scene so—"
Lynn: "Hey! You said we'd find out what Stincoln was hiding. How long do we have to wait?"
Watcher: "I will warn you once—and only once—never interrupt me again."
Lynn: Crossing her arms "Or what?"
Suddenly, the entire room went dark. A chilling cold swept through the air, and though they couldn't see Watcher's face, they could see two glowing red eyes. In a blur, Watcher moved faster than anyone could see and appeared in front of Lynn.
Watcher: His voice distorted and demonic
"Do yOu WaNt tO fiNd oUt?"
His words sent shivers down everyone's spine. Children huddled close to their families in fear. Even the monsters present were unnerved.
Lynn: Shaking "N-no…"
Her breath came out visibly in the freezing air.
Watcher: Returning to his normal voice "Good."
Just like that, the lights came back and everything returned to normal—but the fear lingered in the air. No one dared to test him again.
Watcher: "To answer your question—this next showing will reveal what Lincoln's been hiding."
Lincoln groaned.
Watcher: Softly, with sympathy "Sorry, Lincoln. But I have to."
Lincoln: Sighing "It's…fine. I'm just not ready for my sisters to learn the truth."
Lori: "Well, it's literally dumb of you to think you could hide it."
Luan: "If only I had my camera to record this… but I wouldn't want to lose focus. Hahaha—get it?"
Everyone groaned at the pun, except for Lynn Sr. Phanty would have laughed, but seeing how Lincoln's sisters treated him kept her quiet.
Lynn leaned back with a smug grin, ready to be proven right about Lincoln taking steroids.
Watcher glanced her way, reading her mind, and smirked knowingly.
And with that… the screen lit up again.
In the Dream
"It's time."
After hearing those words, there were seven bright flashes of light—each a different color—that filled the void. Lincoln covered his eyes to stop himself from going blind. Slowly, he peeked toward the sources, and what he saw made his eyes widen, because in front of him were seven other people who looked like him… but different.
Loud Family: "Wait, what?"
Starting from the right was one who had black hair and pitch-black eyes, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and ripped blue jeans. He seemed to be staring at Lincoln with a bit of contentment.
The next one wore long grey robes like a priest. His slightly longer grey hair was tied in a small ponytail, and he looked at Lincoln with a kind, small smile.
Next to him stood someone with grass-green hair that covered his left eye. Only his right eye was visible—bright emerald green. He wore a white t-shirt under a green blazer that matched his eyes. He had a large smirk that reminded Lincoln of when Luan had one of her more dangerous pranks ready.
Beside him was one with royal blue hair and dark ice-blue eyes behind a pair of thin rectangular glasses. He wore a high-collared, long-sleeved dark blue trench coat, unzipped from the waist down. A black belt with a gold buckle strapped the coat together. His face held a kind smile, though his eyes made him look like he was studying Lincoln.
The next version looked like a gang leader. His red hair was short, ruffled, and spiked, with two strands falling over either side of his face, along with distinct sideburns. He wore a black leather jacket with a fur collar over a white V-neck shirt. His jeans were dark blue denim, held up by a brown belt with a silver chain connecting to his back pocket. Black shoes and silver rings with rubies embedded in crosses adorned each hand. He wore a smirk—but it didn't feel threatening. It felt like the kind of smirk you'd give an old friend.
The last two felt… different. Though they seemed the same age as the others, their eyes held a look that made them seem older.
One had blond hair that looked like it was woven from pure gold, and his eyes shone like deep golden pools. He wore only a long black kimono with gold trim and matching silk pants. A large, knowing smile spread across his face, like he had been waiting for this moment.
The final one looked similar to Lincoln at first glance, but the longer you stared, the more you saw the differences. His hair shimmered silver, matched by equally silver eyes. He wore a navy blue Japanese school uniform over a long-sleeved white shirt. His high-collared jacket was closed, his pants loose, and his red tie hung untied around his neck. A small smile graced his face, and the way his eyes looked at you… made it seem like he had seen everything the world had to offer, over and over again.
Eyes widened in shock. Jaws dropped. Everyone struggled to process what they were seeing.
Lori: "Oh…"
Lola: "My…"
Lily: "Inky!" Lily giggles, not understanding what's happening but thrilled to see more Lincolns.
Carlota: "OMG, do you see those outfits?!"
Leni: "I know right? Totes amazing!"
Bobby: "Weird dream, huh Nini?" (Turns to see Ronnie Anne in a trance, her face red) "Nini?"
Ronnie Anne: "Ba… ba… ba…"
Those around her giggled as Lori threw a smug look at Lucy. Lucy, however, pointed to Haiku and smirked.
Haiku: "Ba… ba… ba…"
Lori gritted her teeth, convinced her judgment was best, but before she could say anything, Luna spoke.
Luna: "Hey, look at the red one's clothes—they look just like Link's!"
Everyone glanced between Lincoln and the screen, noticing the resemblance.
Lincoln: "W-who are you guys? And why do you all look like me?" he stuttered, clearly shocked.
Colorless: "I am the 7th King, the Colorless King. But call me Colorless."
Grey: "I am the 6th King, the Grey King. You may call me Grey."
Green: "I am the 5th King, the Green King. Call me Green."
Blue: "I am the 4th King, the Blue King. You may refer to me as Blue."
Red: "I am the 3rd King, the Red King. Call me Red, OK kid?"
Gold: "Ha ha ha! I am the 2nd King, the Gold King. You can call me Gold."
The last one took a step forward.
Silver: "I am the 1st King, the Silver King. But please, call me Silver."
They all took a step forward and spoke in unison:
All: "We are the Seven Kings, vessels of the Swords of Damocles."
Lincoln just stood there, stunned—then he laughed.
Lincoln: "OK… this is by far one of the weirdest dreams I've ever had."
Howard: "You can say that again."
Rita: "Well, Lincoln always had quite the imagination. I guess this shows how much."
Phantom: "I wouldn't be too sure of that, Mrs. Loud. Something feels… strange about this 'dream' of his."
Rita: "Really? It's just a dream."
Vanna: "The way they talk… and they called themselves vessels of the Swords of Damocles. That's a real thing… but only mentioned in legends."
Pop-Pop: "Could that really mean something?"
Dracula: "By itself, I would've just thought it was a dream too. But the eyes… of the last two—Gold and Silver, I believe they called themselves."
Sibella: "What's wrong with their eyes?"
Dracula: "They seem too old. Like they've seen more than their fair share of life. Those eyes… feel older than me. Especially Silver."
They all turned back to the screen, letting that sink in.
Red: "Hey kid, don't go saying this is a dream! Don't you know how long we practiced this introduction?!"
Silver: "Red, no need to be like that. If any of us were in his shoes, we'd react the same. We just need to show him it's real."
Red: "Oh, I know just how."
Red approached Lincoln. Blue moved to stop him, but Gold shook his head. When Red reached Lincoln, he punched him on the head.
Lincoln: "Ow!" rubbing the lump on his head
Red: "See? Not a dream."
Silver: sighs
Gold: laughs
Blue & Grey: face-palm
Green & Colorless: laugh hysterically
Lincoln: "OK, OK, it's not a dream… but did you have to hit me?"
Red: "Yes. Fastest way to make you understand."
Lana: looking at Lincoln "Wait, so it's not a dream?"
Everyone looked at Lincoln. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, then looked at Watcher for permission. Watcher nodded.
Lincoln: "No… it's not a dream. Everything you're seeing is real."
There was a five-second silence… before everyone began demanding answers.
Watcher: "Enough. I know you all have questions—especially those who've known him longest. But if you watch, you'll learn more."
They all quieted as Lincoln gave Watcher a thankful look.
Silver: "Now, as we are on a time limit, we'll explain why we pulled you here—which in turn will answer your questions. Please, have a seat."
Silver snapped his fingers, and Lincoln found himself seated in a simple wooden chair.
Silver: "We, Lincoln, are you."
Lincoln's eyes widened, jaw dropped.
Silver: chuckling "Yes, I know it's a shock, but it's true. Each of us is you—from different worlds and different times. We watch over the different possibilities of ourselves. And we've seen that there are three distinct paths."
Three glowing spheres appeared.
Silver: "You could become the greatest hero… but suffer many losses. Or the world itself could twist you into its worst evil."
The room tensed.
Wolfman: "Wait—so he either becomes a great hero who suffers… or turns into the worst evil because the world turns against him?"
Watcher nodded solemnly.
Watcher: "I've seen many realities. Those two outcomes are, unfortunately, the most common."
Lincoln looked down, and the others looked at him with pity.
Lynn: "They can't be that bad, right? It must be over-exagger—"
A wave of pressure cut her off.
Watcher (eyes glowing): "Quiet."
Lincoln took a deep breath, shaken.
Lincoln: "What about the third possibility?"
Gold: "The one we hope for—you living a happy life."
Grey: "That's why you're here. You see, we're all connected. And your body's made its own natural inhibitors—both physical and mental."
Grey: "We're planning to remove them—and leave you some gifts. Magic items and abilities granted by your other selves."
Lincoln: "Wait—there's more of you guys helping out?!"
Colorless: "Ha ha ha! We're only the ones here to explain and fix you up. Why do you think your head's been hurting lately? Though you'll be fine after you wake up."
Lincoln: relieved "So that's why… Wait—you mentioned magic?" sounding excited
Green: "Yup! But you can only use the skills we give you—or the ones you unlock. You won't be able to fully use magic without a teacher. Don't worry, though—we've got you covered. You'll get a few magic and translation books from other worlds. Only you can read them. And when the time comes… you'll blow their minds."
Vanna: "Magic no one's ever dreamed of?!"
Sibella: "Magic from other worlds?!"
Lucy darted to Lincoln faster than anyone had ever seen and grabbed his collar.
Lucy: "You have magic spell books hidden at home?!"
Lincoln: (not wanting to admit he had them in his storage.) "Um… yes."
Sully: "So… you can do magic, little dude?"
Lincoln: (after prying Lucy off him) "I have the ability to use magic, but as they said, I can't do it without a teacher."
Miss Grimwood: (ponders as a thought starts forming in her mind) "You don't say…"
Some others, however, notice something else about the conversation.
Frankenteen: "What did they mean by 'natural inhibitors'?"
Lisa: "I can answer that. You see, our brother unit has had his growth spurt, so I ran some tests—"
Lynn Sr.: "Lisa, what did we say about running tests on your siblings?"
Lincoln: "I asked her to do it, because someone thought I did steroids."
Maria: "Who would think that?"
The Loud siblings all looked at Lynn, who sank low in her seat.
Lisa: "Anyway, it was shown that he had multiple blockages in his body, stunting his growth."
Elsa: "So that's how he changed so quickly. After they removed the blockages, his body must have gone through a serious change."
Watcher: "Correct."
Maria: "But that's dangerous! The human body can't handle drastic changes like that without literally breaking apart!"
Lincoln: "It… did hurt. I won't lie. But I'm fine."
They all turned back to the screen, but those who knew how severe his growth was gave him concerned looks.
Lincoln: "Is there anything I should know about before I wake up?" (not wanting some huge surprise)
Blue: "Well, as we've stated before, your body had many inhibitors. So the way you move, think, and behave is not how you should be. Be prepared for a growth spurt in the next day or two. When you wake up, you'll behave differently—because you were basically half-asleep until just now."
Lincoln: "Okay, I think I got everything. But there's one thing I have to ask."
Red: (with a roll of his eyes) "What is it now, squirt?"
Lincoln: "Why are you all going this far for me?" (wanting to know why they would help him this much)
They all fell silent.
That's when a new voice spoke out.
???: "Because you deserve it."
Behind the seven kings stood another version of him—but this one practically screamed emo. His messy jet-black hair and glowing neon-dark purple eyes shone with power before dimming to a deep obsidian. He wore a black leather jacket over a black T-shirt, with black pants. Each wrist bore a black leather bracelet with long metal spikes. He was barefoot.
Dana: "Another one?"
Lola: (tilting her head) "Kind of looks like if Lincoln dressed as Lucy."
Lucy: (gives her a small glare) "I'm goth. He looks like an emo."
Luna: "What's the difference?"
Before Lucy could answer, Watcher cut in.
Watcher: "Not important. You have something more interesting to watch."
Lucy frowned at him.
Lincoln: "Who are you?" (completely thrown off by this new version of himself)
Shade: "Name's Shadow, but you can call me Shade."
Blue: "Lincoln, Shade is your other half, in a way. It's like a coin—you're heads, he's tails."
Watcher: "He's the part of you that was created from your more negative emotions—your hate, fears, your feelings of powerlessness."
Shade: "Basically, I'm the part of you that keeps it real," (he said with a wide smirk before it softened into a kinder smile), "so you'll know that when I say you deserve this, I really mean it. And not all of us started nice—including me. I tried to take control of a few versions of us, but after feeling their pain and fear—learning that we all feel that, because in the very depths of our souls we're all connected—I decided to change that by helping the ones who need a little nudge."
Lincoln was speechless. He didn't know what to say, but it didn't matter—because then his body started to flicker.
Silver: "Well, looks like you're about to wake up."
Lincoln: (panicking) "Will I see you guys again?"
Gold: "Of course. Our job is to watch you and help you on your way, with a few check-ins every now and then."
Lincoln: "Then I can't wait to see you guys again. And I hope to meet the others too, someday."
He gave one last "thank you" before he vanished.
They all thought it was over.
Mummy: "Well, that was… interesting."
Maria: "Are you sure you're alright, Lincoln?"
Lincoln: "I'm fine. I can assure you."
Rita: "Is it really that bad?"
Maria: "Rita, he could have di—"
Carlos Jr.: (cutting her off as he points to the screen) "Hey—it's still playing."
Lincoln: "Huh?"
Sid: "He's right. Look."
Everyone turned back to the screen.
They stayed silent for a whole minute before Silver addressed the group.
Silver: "Well, everyone, Phase One is now complete. Now we move on to Phase Two. Start contacting the others and begin observations on possible candidates," he ordered.
Candidates?
Everyone turned to look at Lincoln.
Lincoln: "Don't look at me! I wasn't here for this part!"
Green: (starts laughing) "Time to get to the most hilarious—and rage-inducing—part of this job: betting on his love life."
The others started smiling. It was all in good private fun. Sadly, Lincoln was a dense idiot when it came to his love life. Mix that with being a kind and reliable guy, and you get chaos.
Shade: "Ohhh this is going to be good. I can feel it."
Silence befell the theater.
Lincoln: "WHAT!?" (he shouted in a mix of outrage, disbelief, and embarrassment—his voice louder than before)
Watcher burst out laughing.