(Lincoln's POV)
It's been two days since my body changed, I thought. I need to see what it can do.
Two days have passed, but I've been too busy to really test anything. When the rest of my sisters saw me, they couldn't believe their eyes—and honestly, I can't blame them. I went through a massive change overnight.
When Lynn saw how much muscle I'd gained—poking them just to see if they were fake—she flipped out, immediately asking if I was taking something.
⸻
(Flashback)
"LINCOLN, WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Lynn shouted, a mix of anger and concern in her voice.
"What do you mean? And can you not shout?" I asked, confused. Judging from the looks on my other sisters' faces, they were just as puzzled.
"May I ask why you're yelling at him, Lynn?" Lucy asked calmly.
"Because he's clearly using steroids!" Lynn snapped, causing everyone to look at her with raised eyebrows.
"And what, pray tell, made you come to that conclusion?" Lisa asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Look, Lisa, I may not be as smart as you," Lynn started, "but I do know sports. I know how fast the human body can develop, even during a surprise growth spurt—and there's no way Lincoln turned into this overnight naturally. He must've used some strong stuff."
"Well… Lynn does have a point," Lola admitted, staring at me. "I mean, look at him. He's like a completely different person."
"Exactly!" Lynn said.
As more of them began nodding along—except Lucy—I knew I had to shut this down before it got out of hand.
"Well, there's an easy way to prove you wrong," I said, drawing their attention.
"Oh yeah? How?" Lynn scoffed.
"It's simple. I'll get tested." I turned to Lisa. "You think you can do it?"
"Hmm, I could," she replied. "But what would I get in return?"
"Answers," I told her, which made her raise an eyebrow but stay quiet. I continued, "If I'm using steroids, you'll know exactly how my body changed like this. But when the test proves I'm not, then I'll tell you everything I've learned."
Lisa stood in thought for a moment. I knew she'd say yes—her curiosity always wins.
"Very well. I'll just need a blood sample."
We went to her lab. A few tests and a double-check later, she returned with the results.
"After repeated testing, I can confirm that our brother's results came back negative," Lisa announced.
"WHAT?!" Lynn shouted, unable to believe she was wrong again. "Then how do you explain what happened to him?"
"Well, during the tests, I discovered a leftover presence of highly concentrated HGH in his system."
"HGH?" Luan asked.
"Human Growth Hormone," I explained before Lisa could. "It's a chemical the body naturally produces that's responsible for bone and muscle growth."
They all looked at me, surprised.
"You knew what Lisa was talking about?" Luna asked.
"I wanted to know what happened to me too, so I did some research."
"As happy as I am that someone actually understands my findings, it doesn't explain why your body contains such a large amount," Lisa said.
"I can answer that—with a question. What would happen if the human body had a build-up of HGH that was never used?"
Lisa blinked. "…Well, theoretically, over time, the build-up would rupture, and the body would undergo a rapid transformation." Her eyes widened as she realized where I was going with this, then looked at me in alarm.
"Lisa? What's wrong?" Leni asked, noticing her panic.
"If what he's saying is true," Lisa said, "then the pain from such a transformation would be extreme. It would qualify as a medical emergency. The body should've broken down under that stress!"
"WHAT!?" they all shouted.
"BE QUIET, LOUDS!" Mr. Grouse yelled from next door.
⸻
(Flashback Over)
Since then, my sisters have been watching me like I'm going to pass out at any moment. And for some reason, things have been tense between Lori and Lucy. They're not fighting, not verbally or physically, but it's definitely weird. Hopefully, they work it out on their own.
These past two days, I've just been studying. Reading the books Silver and the others gave me—different histories, different languages, and especially the one about skills. It explains the four different types:
1.Internal Skills – These cause invisible effects inside the body. Only a few have visible signs.
2.External Skills – These are flashy. Think glowing weapons or glowing fists. The more you train them, the stronger they get.
I even tested out a transport skill called
3.Mutation Skills – These are rare. They change your body physically, like growing wings or a tail. Some let you grow spinnerets to shoot webbing. But they take focus—lose it, and the mutation disappears.
4.Magic Skills – The rarest. These use magic from inside you or from the environment. With the right training, they can create powers that are almost impossible to fight against.
Each category has hundreds of skills, and with the potential I apparently have, I need to train both my mind and body. My mind's easy—I have all the study material I need. But physical training? That's harder. My sisters either watch me like I'm about to explode or start hovering out of concern.
So, I've been jogging since this morning to get some space. I'm barely tired, but now I'm starving.
I ended up near Dad's restaurant, so I decided to head inside for a quick bite. As I looked for an open table, I spotted three familiar faces.
Thorn, Dusk, and Luna H.
I haven't seen them since the mall. It'd be cool to talk to them again.
I was about to head over—but then I had an idea.
I pulled out my phone and started typing a message.
(NO POV)
As Lincoln started to message them, the Hex Girls were looking through the menu, thinking about what to order—but their minds kept drifting to a certain white-haired boy they all hoped to see again.
"Hey, Thorn," Luna (H) said suddenly. Thorn looked up from her menu. "You know, it's been two days since we met Lincoln, right?"
"Right," Thorn agreed, curious where this was going.
"Well, I was thinking… maybe we should, you know, call him?" Luna (H) said nervously.
"Yeah, I haven't seen or heard from Linky in a while, so it would be nice to hear from him," Dusk agreed, clearly missing him.
Sigh "I do too, girls. But it's better to let him make the first move. We just need to be patient," Thorn replied. They all sighed, wondering when he would finally message.
Just then, Thorn's phone lit up. She picked it up, and her eyes widened as she read the message.
"Thorn, you okay?" Dusk asked, concerned.
"Girls—Lincoln just messaged me!" Thorn said excitedly.
"Really?!" both girls exclaimed with equal excitement.
"What does it say?" Luna (H) asked quickly.
Thorn read aloud, "Hey Thorn, it's me, Lincoln. I was wondering if you, Dusk, and Luna want to hang out today?" She looked up at them. "What should I say?"
"Obviously say yes!" Dusk said, as if it wasn't even a question. Thorn quickly typed back, saying they'd love to hang out.
"OMG, I can't wait to see Linky again!" Dusk said as the others agreed with her.
"I'm happy to hear that."
The Hex Girls jumped and turned in shock at the sudden voice, only for their eyes to widen when they saw Lincoln standing there—in a grey hoodie and black-and-orange shorts.
Huh, no wonder Lucy likes to startle people—it's pretty funny, Lincoln thought to himself.
"LINCOLN?!" they all shouted, causing nearby customers to turn their heads. After quickly apologizing, and once the attention faded, the girls swarmed him.
"Lincoln, how did you know where we were?" Thorn asked.
"I didn't. This is my dad's restaurant. I got hungry during my jog and decided to stop by for something to eat. That's when I saw you three," he said honestly, wiping the sweat off his brow with the hem of his shirt—giving them a quick glimpse of his well-developing abs.
The Hex Girls swallowed hard as they definitely noticed the view.
"I'll be back in a minute. Let me go get cleaned up," Lincoln told them as he headed to the men's bathroom.
There may not be a shower in there, but there are shadows, he thought with a smirk, ready to test the range of his skill.
A few minutes later, Lincoln walked out of the bathroom looking fresh, wearing a new outfit he'd gotten from the mall. As he approached the table, he saw one of his dad's employees, Grant, taking their order.
Grant turned and noticed him. "Well, well, if it isn't little Lincoln—though I guess I can't call you 'little' anymore." Grant smiled. He had heard from Lynn Sr. about Lincoln's recent growth spurt, but seeing it in person was still surprising. "Good to see you again."
"Good to see you too, Grant," Lincoln replied with a smile.
"Well, go find a seat, kid, and I'll get to you after I finish with their order," Grant said.
"Actually, Lincoln's with us—right, Linky?" Dusk said, shocking Grant. He looked around at the girls and saw the way they were looking at Lincoln. Grant gave Lincoln a proud, teasing smirk.
"Well I'll be damned—looks like you've got quite the group of friends, huh?" he said, chuckling. "Give me your order, and I'll have your father bring it out."
After giving his order, Lincoln sat down with the Hex Girls and asked how the past two days had been. They told him how busy they were making the finishing touches for the concert.
"I can't wait to see it. I know you'll be great," he said with a million-watt smile. The girls couldn't help but blush.
Soon enough, Lynn Sr. came out with food.
"Hey, sport. Got you and your friends' orders right here," he said as he handed out the food. He glanced at the three girls Lincoln was with and raised an eyebrow. Grant wasn't kidding… this does look like a date.
"Well, well, I thought Grant was joking when he said you were on a date," Lynn Sr. teased, making the Hex Girls' faces flush with embarrassment. Lincoln just sighed, half-expecting this kind of thing to happen.
"Dad, it's not a date," Lincoln replied, not noticing the small frown that crossed the girls' faces.
"Oh yeah? Then what would make it a date?" Luna (H) teased, pulling Lincoln into a side-arm hug, bringing him a bit too close to her chest. His cheeks reddened, but he brushed it off as playful teasing.
"Come on, don't tease me like that," Lincoln said with a groan.
"Aww, but it's fun," Thorn added with a playful pout.
As the Hex Girls continued to lightly tease Lincoln, partly for fun and partly to fluster him, Lynn Sr. just stood there with a proud grin on his face.
After the teasing settled down, everyone began eating. The Hex Girls loved the food, saying it was some of the best they'd ever had. As they ate, they talked, joked, and laughed together. The girls were loving every moment—they felt so at ease around Lincoln.
"Hey Lincoln, can I ask you something?" Dusk asked, a cheeky smirk on her face.
"You just did—but go ahead and ask another," Lincoln replied with a grin.
"Well, I saw this music video that's blowing up online, and I was wondering… is this you?" She pulled up the video from the day he won his guitar. Since it was before his growth spurt, it made sense she didn't fully recognize him.
"Yeah, that's me. It was the day before we met," Lincoln said.
"What? But you look so different!" Luna (H) exclaimed.
Lincoln explained, just like he did to his family, the watered-down version of events: it was a rare and potentially dangerous growth spurt. The girls grew concerned and asked if he was okay.
"You don't have to worry. I'm fine," Lincoln assured them.
"Well, if you're sure…" Thorn said, though they still looked a little worried.
As they listened to the song from the video, they were stunned at how incredible his voice was. They blushed as they listened to him sing. Other patrons nearby who overheard were equally impressed.
When the song ended, they asked him to sing something live.
"I don't know… that was the first time I've ever sung in front of people. I don't want to annoy anyone—this is a public restaurant."
RM1: "Aw come on, boy—don't let the nerves get you!"
RM2: "Yeah, let us hear you sing!"
RW1: "You got this!"
With the crowd offering words of encouragement, Lincoln nodded.
"Okay, okay—I'll do it," he said, and the crowd cheered. He turned to his dad. "Dad, can you get me a bowl and a tablecloth?"
Lynn Sr. blinked in confusion but went to grab them.
"What are you going to do with that?" Dusk asked as he returned.
"You'll see," Lincoln said with a small smirk.
He placed the tablecloth over the empty bowl, waved his hand, then grabbed the cloth—but as he slowly pulled it up, something large began to rise out from inside the small bowl. The entire restaurant watched in awe as Lincoln pulled out a guitar—the same one from the video.
The crowd burst into applause at the magical display.
"How did you do that?!" Thorn asked. They had been watching closely and saw no trick.
"A magician never reveals their secrets," Lincoln replied with a wink. In reality, he had used his skill—essentially a pocket dimension—and the bowl and cloth were just a cover to safely retrieve the guitar in public.
As Lincoln held the guitar, he paused. A memory—one he'd never lived—flickered through his mind.
He was standing beneath a night sky, singing to the one he loved, pouring his heart into a song that would outlast lifetimes.
Lincoln smiled softly, closed his eyes, took a deep breath—and began to play.
(Song by Christina Perri, sung by Boyce Avenue)
As the crowd listened to the soft strumming of the guitar, they began to feel their bodies sway to it.
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises…
The voice that Lincoln sang with was different from the previous song, but just the same, many of the women blushed as they listened.
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer…
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath, every hour has come to this
One step closer…
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
One step closer…
One step closer…
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
With the last few strums of the guitar, Lincoln opened his eyes to a silent crowd. He looked to the Hex Girls, who had small tears in their eyes and bright red faces—and then, the entire restaurant burst into cheers.
Random Man 1: "That was incredible, young man!"
Random Woman 1: "OMG, I wish my boyfriend would sing to me like that."
Random Woman 2: "I know, and he's so handsome! If only he were older…"
"Lincoln, that was amazing!" Dusk cheered.
"That song was so romantic," Luna (H) said with a dreamy sigh.
Thorn seemed to be in thought as an idea formed. After whispering it to Dusk and Luna (H)—who both instantly agreed—she turned to face Lincoln.
"Lincoln, I have an idea. Would you please hear me out?" Thorn asked, hoping he'd say yes.
After she whispered the idea to Lincoln, careful that no one else would hear, he looked shocked and a bit nervous. But after a moment of thought, he gave her his answer.
"Well, I can't say I'm not surprised… but it does sound like fun. So count me in."
It took a lot of self-control for Thorn to keep her excitement in check.
"That's great!" she exclaimed—then pulled him into a hug, accidentally pressing his head between her boobs.
She quickly pulled back, blushing furiously. "Oh my gosh—I'm so sorry!"
Dusk and Luna (H) exchanged looks—half teasing, half jealous.
So maybe Thorn's excitement wasn't as in check as she thought.