A/N And here it is, the last chapter of this story! I hope you guys enjoy! And as always, I thank my friend Aberrant Script for looking this over and giving pointers before I posted as well as Wolvenstrom for suggesting the idea and helping me out while I was writing it! And yes, the titles for the final three chapters are chess related, more specifically, how to play the parts of a chess game as dictated by the quote: "Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician and endgame like a machine".

R&R!

Chapter Nine: A Machine's Endgame

For a moment, a hush fell upon the child, his eyes going wide in shock. "Too weak, too slow," those words echoed followed by the image of an angelic woman her golden arrow through Lincoln's character, ending the game decisively.

"Are you all right, Lincoln?" Rita squatted down to her son's height and looked into his eyes in concern.

And yet, rather than answer his mother's question, he continued to stare out into nowhere. "I'm versing him?!" He could feel his blood run cold, the cloud of feelings that had overwhelmed him days prior quickly returning. "H-how sure are you?"

"Very," Rita pulled out her tablet and turned it to face him. "The organizers set it up so that the world number one and two wouldn't be able to face each other until the very end… if they reach that far, of course."

Lincoln looked towards the floor and bowed his head. "Why couldn't I have at least gone against the other guy…"

Rita let out a breath and shook her head. "Lincoln, I had hoped that someone would have been able to beat him before he got this far, but… sometimes things just don't go the way you'd hope they would," she took his shoulders in her hands. "What's important is that you play your very best against him, that's the only way you'll be able to even stand a chance.

He looked down with that. "This isn't gonna end well for me…"

"Lincoln," the woman placed her hand upon the young boy's shoulder. "You're gonna be fine. I know you will."

"Mom..." Lincoln looked away. "Have you ever... lost to someone before coming back?"

"Too many times than I could count," she didn't hesitate to reply. "And each and every time, I was dissuaded from continuing on in that game. After all, champions don't like it when newcomers encroach on their territory."

"So how'd you get over them?" The boy spoke with a low, wavering voice.

The woman smiled and spoke with a calm, motherly voice. "I let those losses drive me," she stood up straight and looked it into the crowded arena. "I felt like I had something to prove, that I was the best, and I had to prove it to everyone watching."

"Also, don't forget, Lincoln, we're rootin' for ya!" Lynn jumped over and threw one of her arms around him, pulling him into a small hug.

"This isn't just a game to us!" Luan raised her finger with a smile, before throwing her head back in laughter.

"While the odds seem to be against you, elder sibling, I do believe that you will be able to succeed," Lisa adjusted her glasses, before raising a small calculator.

"Oh really, Lisa? What are the offs that I actually manage to win this round?" Lincoln tilted his head.

"Zero point zero one percent," Lisa shoved the device in her pocket with that.

"Whatever Lisa, sometimes you've gotta ignore the math and just go with your heart!" Luna glared at her younger sister, before refocusing her gaze upon her only brother. "So what if you're the underdog of this tournament? There's honor in being the Second One, the one that everyone overlooked." She looked into Lincoln's eyes and smiled. "After all, in a Republic of Gamers, we are all equals, but we all fight for dominion."

"And don't forget, Lincoln," Lori smiled and crossed her arms. "We're all literally rooting for you."

"Ladies and gentlemen may I have your attention please! Our final rounds are about to begin! Please take your seats and all four participants, please come down to the stage!"

"That's my cue," Lincoln took a deep breath. "Thanks you guys."

"No problem," Rita rubbed her son's head. "You'll be fine. I'm gonna be watching your game from the coach's lounge, so you won't be alone when facing him."

Lincoln gulped and nodded. "All right mom, all right." Before turning and walking away, leaving his sisters behind, cheering his name, while his mother followed closely behind.

"And the stage is set for the final battles!" the announcer declared, before motioning toward the two stations next to him. Unlike the quiet cubicles of the previous rounds, the stage simply had two computers set back-to-back, no doubt setting up the now-visible audience as another obstacle to the victory against all perspective challengers. "It's time to meet our four final contestants!" He motioned towards the screen above, allowing the photos taken to appear. "First we have the master himself, Champion Adam Magnus!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the young man's profile appeared on screen, while Lincoln stood by in the hallway that fed into the stage, silently taking it all in. "He's my opponent. The strongest master here... I'm taking on the champion, again..."

"Then, we have the legendary Master and top contender for the title of world champion, Paul Fabiano!" More cheers eruptedfrom the massive crowd, as a young man with light skin and black, curly hair appeared above him.

"And this year, everyone, we have a new surprise! Rather than two titled masters topping this open queue, we have two unknowns joining us today!" the man stood up straight and motioned for the two profiles to move to the side, allowing the outlines of the remaining contenders to appear behind him. "The first of whom is a true unknown, our wildcard player!"

And with that, what appears to be a man dressed in a black hoodie jacket and wearing a black handkerchief over his mouth appears. "Nothing is currently none about this person besides they are extremely skilled, and no doubt interesting to watch. And if they win their match against Paul Fabino in a few minutes, then we'll definitely show off exactly how they've been winning before the final match!"

Grumbles resonated through the audience. It was as if no one knew how to truly react to the revelation. Now of course, in the gaming world, it was no surprise that there would be skilled, but unknown players among their ranks. But to reach this far in such a massive tournament without having so much as a minor title next to their name? Why, this was unprecedented!

"And last, but not least, will be the young man challenging Adam Magnus himself!" the announcer motioned towards the last profile, prompting the profile of a certain young, white-haired boy to come into view. "Meet the youngest participant of the semi-finals, Lincoln Loud!"

A hush fell over the crowd with that.

"So far, Lincoln here, while ranked only sixteen after round one, has successfully managed to make his way into the top four! But can this young man keep his cool as he takes on the world champion? We'll just have to find out, won't we?!"

The announcer then motions towards the doors at either side of the stage. "Contestants Adam Magnus and Lincoln Loud, come to the stage!"

"It's now or never, Lincoln," the young boy took a deep breath, before walking out onto the stage. From what he could see, the once clear area the organizers had left for the semi-final rounds was now open to the public, causing many from nosebleed seats to rush down in order to get a better look at the stage. "I'm gonna be playing for a massive audience, I can't let myself be put off by this…" he mentally sighed.

The crowd roared as Adam walked on stage opposite the young boy. "Well, well, well, this is surprising. The challenger I beat in my exhibition game a few days ago has returned to redeem himself."

"I was nervous the last time I faced you, but not today, Magnus," Lincoln stood up straight and looked up at the young man, doing his best to at least seem brave enough to take him on. "I know the odds are against me, but I'm not gonna let that get to me here!"

Adam offered his hand to Lincoln. "May the better player win," he chuckled as he did so, while looking into Lincoln's eyes with a nonchalant gaze.

Lincoln responded by taking and shaking the appendage as strongly as he could, though he isn't sure if it was a strong enough impression. After that, the duo took their seats at the keyboards, preparing themselves for what was about to come.

"Begin!" The announcer declared, prompting the massive screens to show off the field the duo was about to enter: a simple grassy field in the middle of nowhere. "The map Sogen is on board! Here, there are few physical barriers acting as cover from enemy fire. The only way to win in this match is to fight!" he then raised his fingers. "Now for the count! Three!"

"Two!" The crowd countered.

"One," Lincoln mentally finished, before the announcer shouted. "Fight!"

"Well then, lets see if you learned anything from our last encounter," Adam leaned back and chuckled, before commanding N'tss to boost forward and attempt to impale Lincoln's marked warrior.

Lincoln grit his teeth and closed his eyes, his clouded mind trying desperately to command his fingers to follow. "Come on, come on! Title or not, he's just another opponent!" Lincoln could feel his heart race, before he forced his eyes open and steeled his gaze, raising his sword to block as he did so.

And when the spear and shield collided, a massive wave of energy blasted around them.

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well then, it looks like you did do something!" he typed away quickly, ordering N'tss to jump back, before corkscrewing over the block, slashing Socratos in the back. "But that's not enough to save you here! I'm gonna end this quickly!"

Lincoln grimaced, fighting to maintain his composure. "He got one up on me…" he shook his head, purging the next thoughts from his mind. "I can't let that happen again!" And in response, he turned jumped back, putting as much distance as he could between him and his opponent, before commanding the marked warrior to grab his ice axe and throw, immediately nailing the Entity in the back.

Suddenly, Magnus' once proud and overly confident smile turned to a disappointed grimace. "Lucky hit," he shook his head and commanded N'tss to turn. "Ability activate: Lightning Spear!"

And with that, N'tss jumped up, aimed her spear and launched several bolts of light at Socratos. Yet, Lincoln grit his teeth and typed away, ordering the man to dodge and swap to his short swords. "I can win this, I can win this!" His heart raced faster than it ever had before as he typed in his counter.

"Ability activate: Prometheus Flame!" And with that Socratos stabbed the ground, causing a blast of fire to rush towards N'tss, before bursting up from below her, engulfing her in column of magma and bringing her health to zero.

"One…" Lincoln found himself panting after that, forcing himself to look away from the screen as he did so. "Just two more to go, just two more to go…"

Magnus smiled. "I'll admit, you're the first person to start off a match with a win against me," suddenly, the man leaned forward, his gaze fixating on the screen. "Looks like I'm in for a treat!"

"I have to win, I have to win!" Lincoln focused further, watching as the second character generated onto the field. This one clothed in yellow robes and covered in the powerful relics of a monarch. "The king in yellow, Hastorr… he's looking to mess with me this time around."

"Ability activate: Entity's Corruption!" Magnus commanded, prompting Hastorr to raise his hand. Then, before Lincoln could even respond, Socratos raised his twin swords, only to impale himself on his own blades, bringing his health to zero and ending the second round with a single attack. "For now at least."

Lincoln's eyes went wide in shock after that. "He… just beat me without moving so much as a finger…" he immediately shook his head, doing his best to purge the fear building in his chest. "No… I've gotta keep fighting!" He wasted no time typing away at the controls, ordering his next warrior to spawn in.

"One down, two to go," the man cracked a smile. "Still think that you can take me on?"

"Remember, the battle is two fold, break one and the other will fall!" Immediately, the thought crossed Lincoln's mind. "Break one…" suddenly, Lincoln found his eyes going wide in surprise. "I have to stay strong, I have to stay strong!" He grit his teeth. "I won't back down!"

"Good, you've got to put on a show for the crowd, now don't ya?" The man chuckled "After all, they're cheering, they wanna see someone win this soon!"

"The… crowd?" Suddenly, Lincoln found his focus breaking as a certain sound made its way through the noise-cancelling headphones he had been provided: the crowd's chants. "They're… cheering for me?" He closed his eyes to focus, though he found himself unable to focus well enough to hear exactly what was going on.

"Go!" Adam shouted, Hastorr responding by creating a rod of light and swinging at Aleister.

"G'ahh!" Lincoln broke from his trance, only barely being able to order Aleister to raise his staff to block, causing him to be forced back. "C-close…" his mind began to race faster than it ever had before, his train of though just barely hanging onto the rails as he mashed the buttons as quickly as he could, prompting Aleister to rush back to his feet.

"I-if they're cheering for me, then…!" Lincoln's heart began to race, before he refocused his gaze upon the screen. "Then they think I can beat him! And if they think I can, there's no doubt I can!" immediately Lincoln rushed Aleister back to his feet. "Just stay calm, just stay calm!" And with that, Aleister aimed his staff. "Ability activate: Magical Meltdown!" Before he launched a stream of red light at the yellow-clad king, engulfing him in a blizzard of flames.

" I'll give you this, kid, you've got spunk," Adam smiled for a moment, before he quickly typed in his next command. "But spunk alone isn't enough to get passed me!"

Instantly, the flames vanished, the stream of light condensing into a ball of light Hastorr's hand, before disappearing. "I'm the world champion, and I refuse to lose to you!"

"He's still going for it… he's unfazed…" more thoughts attacked Lincoln's already panicked mind.

"Adam! Adam! Adam!"

His eyes went a moment, all seemed quiet, as if the sound-cancelling headphones had decided to stop working and open up, allowing the crowd to speak directly to him.

"Adam! Adam! Adam!"

And all he could hear now, was the defeating sound of a cheering crowd.

"Kick his butt, Magnus!" "Show him who's boss!" "Stop putting on a show!"

"He's… been toying with me?!" Suddenly, the realization fell upon him. In the first match he had been overly destroyed and yet now, he felt as if he were breezing through! "Does that mean... he's been letting me kick him around just to stir up the audience?!"

"Sounds like the crowd's eager to see this end," Magnus smiled. "Thanks for the game, Lincoln, but I'm ending this!" And with his next command, the yellow-clad warrior raised his staff and free hand, charging up a massive ball of magical energy. "Ability activate: Madness Torrent!"

"I've gotta dodge, I've gotta dodge!" Lincoln frantically typed away, desperately ordering his magician to get out of the way, and yet his effort proved fruitless.

"Hold him in place!" Magnus' voice echoed through the headset once more, commanding Hastorr to raise his rod, stunning Aleister in place.

And with a tornado of light, Aleister vanished from the field, leaving Lincoln standing at the respawn page, waiting to bring in his final warrior.

"Well Lincoln, you've fought well, but I'm ending this match," Adam leaned back in his seat and put on a smug expression. "So, why don't you respawn so we can finish this?"

"Is there a point to keep going? I know I can't win... he's... he's just too good compared to me..." Lincoln looked down, the timer slowly running out in the corner of his gaze.

"My, my, is the world champion too much for the young Lincoln Loud? Is he planning on resigning this game?!" The announcer's voice echoed through the arena

"Maybe..." the thought crossed his mind. "Back then and now… I'm stuck… I can't win, Magnus outclasses me so much…"

"You can do it, Lincoln!"

Instantly, the boy looked up, his gaze moving towards a certain family dressed in shirts that spelled out his name. "You've never given up before, so why start now?"

"You're the best brother we could ever want!" They continued, no doubt if it wasn't for the screaming crowd he'd be able to make out who was actually talking.

"Yeah! You're kind, fashionable, rockin', funny, tough, deep, friendly and smart!" He heard them continue. "You're Lincoln Loud! And giving up isn't you!"

"Well, what's it gonna be, Lincoln?" Magnus leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, seemingly waiting for an expected response.

Slowly, Lincoln turned back to face his screen. At this point, the counter marked thirty seconds and counted down quickly, urging him to hit respawn and play with his final character. "Despite everything that's happened, they think I can beat him. So what if the crowd thinks I can't win…" he steeled his gaze and took the mouse in his hand. "For them, I'll fight!" and he hit the button.

"Still in this, I see," Adam couldn't help, but chuckle at the sight. "I'll give you this kid, you're either confident or stupid and I don't know which it is."

Suddenly, three razor-sharp feathers flew through the yellow-clad, causing him to fall back in surprise.

"What the?!" Adam leaned forward in surprise, allowing Lincoln's final warrior to come into view: a man clad in dark blue armor, with four mechanical wings attached to his back.

"RAID Raptor?" The man's voice filled with surprise.

"You know it! Ability activate: Metal Wing Smash!" And before the man could even prompt Hastorr to stand up, the mechanical bird man charged at him, before slashing the man to ribbons, removing him from the game without hesitation.

The man sat in shock for a moment, before smiling and spawning in his next character. "Well, well, well, this is it, Lincoln! You've decided to come to come to an open queue tournament with a basic warrior? I wanna see what you've got."

Lincoln didn't hesitate to nod. "Yeah, I'll show you everything I've got! I will not lose here, so long as they believe in me, I can't lose!" Before commanding the winged warrior to rush forward, prompting his third opponent- a strange being made of countless eyes and mouths to disappear in a cloud of smoke.

Yet, Lincoln didn't hesitate, and flew into the fray, and watched as his warrior's health counter began to decrease. "I cannot lose here! He brought out Nyarla as his rouge? Well then I'm gonna push its powers as far as I can!"

"Mate, you just flew into poisoned smoke. What're you doing?" Magnus raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Yet, Lincoln chose not to respond to the man. Instead, he sent his character up, before its wings engulfed in flames. "Go! Ravaging rebellion!" The metal-winged man dived back into the smoke, causing it all to catch fire and explode, forcing the ninja to reveal himself, before crashing into the nearby terrain.

"Smart, but you're taking too much damage!" Magnus chuckled, with a command to follow. "Ability activate: Messenger of Azzathoth!" And with that, Nyarla disappeared into a pile of water, before re-emerging behind RAID Raptor and sending out thousands of tentacles to engulf him.

Yet, rather than dodge the incoming ordinace, Lincoln commanded. "Fly into it! Ability activate: Brave Claw Revolution!" and with that, the bird man changed forms, taking the shape of a mechanical falcon, before boosting toward the ninja, taking each and every hit as he did so, before slashing at him with his claws.

"You're crazy, this game is gonna end now!" Uncertainty filled Magnus' voice. "Ability activate: The Forbidden Trapezohedron!" and with that, Nyarla began to glow with golden light, only for the shadows to soon engulf it as well "This match is over!"

Yet, Lincoln simply smiled and glanced at the beeping red health bar. "Emergency ability activate: Death Double Force!"

Suddenly, Raidraptor glowed with pure, golden light, before blasting off into sky, spreading its wings like a phoenix returning from its ashes. Lincoln watched as the metal bird's flames dissipated, before being reborn, larger, with a crane-like neck and with a golden plate over its pure white chest. Its four wings fused into two simple wings, while two cannons emerged from its sides.

"You pulled off Rank-Up, nice," Magnus chuckled. "But I will not allow you to win! Emerge, Azzathoth!"

And with that, the shadows around Nyarla grew, before bursting forward, revealing a massive being made of thousands and faces and bathed in orange light. It wielded two dark hands that seemed to easily take RAID Raptor and crush him effortlessly. "Goodbye, Lincoln!" Magnus typed away. "Ability activate: The Forbidden Dream," and with that, Azzathoth raised its hands, before shadows filled the field and the moon appeared over RAID Raptor. "See ya!"

"I will not lose here! Not now!" Lincoln countered, determination filling his voice and the shadows engulfed his warrior. He mashed the buttons as quickly as he could. "Last time, he won easily, but now, I will counter!" His heart raced, while his mind followed. "Ability Activate: Eternal Avenge!"

"What the… but you're trapped in the shadows?!" Magnus' voice filled with surprise.

"RAID Raptor doesn't care! Boost out of it!" Lincoln's voice filled with confidence, before the robotic warrior aimed his cannons down and fired, forcing him free from the mist that threatened to destroy him. "Ability activate: Eternal Avenge!"

And all Adam could do, was watch as a column of light engulfed Azzathoth, bringing its health to zero and ending the match.

Winner: Savvy05

A hush fell over the arena with that, before thunderous applause roared through it, with the announcer declaring. "What an upset folks! The challenger has beaten the world champion himself, Adam Magnus!"

A soft smile formed on Lincoln's face with that, while his heart continued to race with the adrenaline flooding his system. "I-I pulled it off! I won." Slowly, he pushed himself up, while his chair went back. He carefully took off his headphones and turned to face the crowd.

"Lincoln! Lincoln! Lincoln!" The crowd cheered, though the young boy didn't respond to that. Rather, he looked passed them and up at a certain family cheering his name. "I couldn't have gotten this far without them."

And with that, he bowed, before walking away… or he would've if Adam hadn't placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Huh?" Lincoln looked up at the young man.

"Good game Lincoln, good game," Adam smiled. "I guess you can't win them."

"Heh good game as well, and I know," Lincoln responded, rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

The man softly punched his arm. "Now, go win the finals, got it? I don't wanna see anything less from you."

And Lincoln nodded in response.

After that, Lincoln found himself walking down the hall to the player lounge with a bounce in his step, his head held up high, while his mind and heart continued to race after the match. "I can't believe I pulled it off, a win against the world champion himself!"

"Lincoln!" a familiar voice called out, prompting the boy to turn towards the source… only for his mother to scoop him up in her arms and pull him close. "You did it Lincoln, you really did it!" she pushed him out and looked into his eyes with a smile. "I'm so proud of you!"

Instantly, Lincoln replied by wrapping his arms around his mother as well. "Thanks mom, I did my best!"

"I know," she confidently replies. "And you've made it all the way to the finals!"

"Yeah… my first one…" suddenly, a wave of nervousness began to rush through Lincoln, his arms shaking and his grip on his mother weakening.

Yet, the woman simply placed him back on his feet and chuckled. "Heh, looks like you've got some 'First Finals Jitters' too," she ran her hand through his soft, white hair. "Tell me Lincoln, can you feel the hair on the back of your neck standing up?

He tapped his fingers together and nodded. "Y-yeah…" he shook his head. "B-but I'll be fine! I beat the world champion!" His voice cracked with that.

"Heh, just because you beat him doesn't mean your last opponent will be a slouch too," Rita chuckled at the thought. "After all, at this level it's rare to get two easy wins in a row."

"R-right," the boy took a deep breath, taking a moment to calm himself down.

"Anyways, Lincoln, are you planning on watching the last game? It'd be a good chance to see your next opponent in action," the woman squatted down to her son's height and smiled. "Or you can get yourself surprised instead and just go with the flow."

"After everything that's happened… maybe a surprise would be best," he let out a deep breath. "I'd rather just take a break for now, ya know?"

"All right then Lincoln, all right," she stood up straight and turned. "I'm gonna go watch the game, if you don't mind… and one more thing."

Lincoln raised an eyebrow and titled in curiosity. "What is it, mom?"

The woman turned back and placed her hands on his shoulders, before looking him in the eyes. "Lincoln, up until this point, we've all been by your side, doing our best to ease you into this competition. But when it comes time for you to play in the finals, it's all you."

"W-what do you mean, mom?" Fear began to force its way into Lincoln's voice once more.

"You're going to walk onto that stage alone," the woman finished.

For a moment, Lincoln stood by, the nervousness his mother had helped to dispel slowly returning. "A-are you sure?"

Rita nodded. "Yeah, I am. We've all done it Lincoln, Lori when going out to finally date Bobby, Leni when she entered her knitting contest, Luna when she did her first gig, Luan when she first performed stand-up, Lynn with her first tournament, Lucy when she played Royal Woods Theater, Lola in her first pageant, Lana in her first frog show an Lisa in her first major presentation; they all had to take that final walk on their own. And now, it's your turn. Clear your head and get yourself ready to give it everything you've got!"

Lincoln nodded nervously in response. "A-all right mom, I think I can do that."

"Good," she smiled and turned once more, before beginning to look away.

"Mom! Wait…" the boy called out.

The woman glanced back at him. "Yes, Lincoln?"

"Who's the masked player?" he quickly coughed, bringing his voice back to par.

Rita shrugged. "Not sure. Their identity will be revealed before the game itself… if they get that far of course."

"I just hope the world number two will be able to take them on…" Lincoln took a deep breath. "All right mom…"

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine, good luck sweetie, if I don't see you before the final game!"

"Thanks mom, thanks," Lincoln replied. And with that, Rita and Lincoln parted ways, the woman heading out back into the arena and Lincoln heading into the lounge.

One Hour Later…

"Lincoln Loud, please report to the stage," the final call echoed out at around six o'clock, snapping the young boy from his thought-filled trance. "That's my cue."

Mustering all the courage he could, he forced himself to his feet and took a deep breath. "Whether it be Fabiano or that masked player, I am the best player here, I just have to prove it," slowly, he stepped out of the room and began to walk.

The corridor was clear, no doubt left as such as to not disturb those resting in the lounge. Its walls were made of grey concrete with random pipes and lights dangling above him. If he didn't know any better in fact, he'd have assumed that he walked into a factory of some kind!

"Everyone I know has helped me get here. The girls training me, mom pushing me and my opponents… challenging me," with that thought, the events of the past few days reverberated in his mind. "And it's all led here," and with that, he stopped and stood at the edge of gate that lead to the stage.

Once the announcer noticed the child standing by, he smiled and raised his microphone. "It has been a spirited competition today folks! But now it is time for our final competition!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd with that.

"We first have up our young prodigy! Lincoln Loud! Right after defeating the world champion in a match, will go on to face our wild card player!"

A hush fell over the crowd with that. "In fact, it's just about time to reveal just who they are!" The man pulled out a piece of paper, and read through it quickly, his eyes widening as he did so.

"Well folks, I haven't seen this name in thirteen years!" Delight filled the announcer's voice. "Thirteen years ago, this woman retired after starting her family and finding herself pregnant for the forth time! And today, the legend herself has decided to come and grace us with her presence, as well as show that her skills have not been dulled at all!" He then motioned toward the gate opposite Lincoln, before finishing. "It is my honor to present the legend herself! The Ghost in the Machine! The fairy queen of everything mean! The Beavertown Butcher!"

Quickly, the man holds his earpiece. "No! You don't need to call the cops," he whispers. "She's the gaming one! You know, the girl who swept through a battle royale with no deaths and stuff? No, she's not the serial killer!" a few moments after that he took his hand off the set and continued. "Apologies for the interruption, and as I was saying, the woman who kicked the king of his throne the same day she put a coin in the slot, gaming' pregnant warrior. And the Dragon of Royal Woods herself, Rita Oak!"

"Rita… Oak?!" Suddenly Lincoln's eyes went wide as the spotlight fell upon his opponent, his own mother, nonchalantly waving into the crowd from across the stage. "M-mom was the dragon of Royal Woods?!

The woman chuckled as she approached the announcer. "Actually, I go by Rita Loud now. I did get married you know!"

"Oh really?" The man couldn't help, but chuckle at the revelation. "Well, well, well, it looks like we have a mother fighting her son! It's been a long time since I've seen something like this! Tell me, Rita, did you train him yourself?"

The woman smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't let anyone else try, though I will admit," she looked out in the crowd, taking the chance to take in the group of standing by in the crowd, no doubt stunned by the revelation. "My ten other kids and husband helped as well."

"Haha! It looks like you've been busy since you retired!" The old man laughed. "Tell me, Rita, did you ever pass down your title as the dragon of Royal Woods?"

The woman shook her head. "No one was ever able to take it from me."

"I see," the man smiled. "And you're not planning on going easy on your son, now are you?"

"You know me well enough, Oscar. On the gaming field, we're all equals." She glanced at Lincoln, sending a shiver up his spine. "To me, he's just another opponent," she looked down at her son with a smile. "But I still want him to fight."

"How quaint then," the old man laughed once more. "The title dragon of Royal Woods hasn't officially been yours for years now. But from the looks of it, your skills haven't dulled at all," the man then turned to the boy. "Now son, did you know your mother was the legendary Dragon of Royal Woods?"

Yet, instead of responding, Lincoln stood by, his mouth agape at the fact. "My mom… is the Dragon of Royal Woods?!" Suddenly, the realization hit him. The reason why she was so good at the game and new so much so quickly: she had played this before.

"Heh, my, my, boy, sounds like a cat's got your tongue!" The old man gave a hearty laugh.

The woman squatted down to her son's height and placed her hands on his shoulders once more, before shaking him. "Lincoln, snap out of it."

"G'ahh, what the?! I, but you-" he started to stammer.

"I know," she smiled. "But here, titles and ranks don't matter. What matters is the skill of the player, got it?"

Lincoln nervously nodded with that.

Determination filled her eyes as she stood up and took her seat, with Lincoln following soon after. "Now come on Lincoln, no more talk, it's time for battle!"

At this point, he found himself speechless, and yet was still able to put on a strong front and nod, before strapping on his headphones and getting ready. "I can win this, I have to beat her!" the mental image of their first match cut across his mind. "She was going easy on me then, I will not lose this time!"

"And begin!" the announcer shouted, causing Rita and Lincoln's world to initialize, while the characters stood opposite each other, ready to begin. The stage was similar to the previous one Lincoln had fought in, with nothing but clear, flat plains for miles. However, this time around there were several volcanoes, caves, lakes, rivers, tornadoes and two golden stairways leading to a translucent platform just above them.

"It's like this place was meant to give all of our characters advantages in this fight," Lincoln's mind rushed in thought, which Socratos appeared before him. "That means I have to use the terrain for cover as well. This is my final test!"

"Ready Lincoln?" Rita spoke through the microphone. "We may be mother and son, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna go easy on you!"

Lincoln mustered up all the courage he could to counter. "I won't go easy either!"

Game start!

"Ability Activate: Unity Stone Striker!" Rita commanded, prompting her character- a man dressed in pure blue armor decorated with golden highlights and a glowing red orb in his chest, to raise his hands to the stone and charge up a burst of light and send it at Socratos.

"I've gotta counter!" Lincoln grit his teeth and typed in his next command, ordering his marked warrior to dodge the assault and rush forward. Then, with a frantic type he ordered. "Go! Prometheus Flame!" And with that, Socratos dived and forced his swords into the ground, prompting an eruption of fire below Tyr.

"Come on Lincoln! Too slow!" Rita shouted, before the warrior jumped out of the way, taking a moment to pull out a massive hammer and jump at Socratos. "Thunderbolt smasher!"

And in response, Socratos opened up his shield, trying to block, only to end up forced back and into a nearby patch of hard ground.

Suddenly, the memory of their first match cut across his mind. About how easily she was able to grab the initiative and gain an upper hand. "Can I even stand up to her?"

"Lincoln! Why are you looking away? This match has just started and you're just giving up?!" Immediately after that, Tyr bolted for Socratos once more, before he jumped up and raised the thunder axe, trying to crush the man with it.

Immediately, Lincoln commanded Socratos to dodge, causing him to be blasted away by the impact, though thankfully Socratos didn't take that much damage. "I… I can't…"

"You're playing not to lose right now!" Frustration filled Rita's voice. "You've gotta risk losing! You've gotta be at the edge of defeat. That's where you wanna be, the edge of defeat!" Rita chased after Lincoln's character, swinging the hammer as she did so.

"But… If I fight I'll…" the thought tried to cut through his thoughts, only for another to intrude. "And remember Lincoln, we're all here for you, no matter what!" Suddenly, Lincoln found himself standing before his sisters once more, their smiling faces filling his thoughts.

"We're always here for you!" Lynn stepped forward, punching his arm as she did so, with the rest of the girls following soon after.

"I know it's hard bro, but you can do it!" Luna followed up.

"Yeah! You're literally the best!" Lori wrapped her arms around him with that. And after that, the rest of the girls followed, pulling Lincoln into a massive hug, before Rita's next attack brought him back to reality.

"Lincoln! You're not fighting! I thought you wanted to prove yourself!"

Lincoln steeled his gaze and leaned in. "That's right, I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to answer the call," he turned and looked out into the crowd once more, allowing his gaze to fall upon his sisters once more. "And no matter what happened, they believed I could, and I refuse to let them down!" Instantly, he commanded his warrior to pull out his axe and jump at Tyr, trying to get back into the battle. "Go! Leviathan's Strike!" And with that, the weapon coated its blade in ice, before clashing with the thunder hammer, causing a massive explosive upon contact, forcing both of them back in a cloud of smoke.

"Bought time you started fighting! I was starting to think you'd have given up before this game had even started!" Rita couldn't help, but chuckle at the sight. "Plus, it looks like you've learned from our last game!"

"What can I say? You and everyone else gave me the best training I could ever want!" Lincoln's hands rushed across the keyboard, not hesitating to order Socratos to jump back into the battle, puling out the twin short swords as he did so. "Ability Activate, Burning fire strike!"

Across the now-scarred battlefield, Rita commanded Tyr to do the same thing, while calling back the hammer and swinging to meet the fiery swords. "Ability activate! Megaton hammer!"

Suddenly, the hammer glowed with thundery power, before coming down upon the Socratos' burning swords, causing yet another surge of light to shine from the massive screens showing the game to the spectators.

"This is amazing folks! I have never seen such an equally matched final round!" the announcer's voice filled with surprise. "This match has come down to whomever will crack under pressure first!"

"And that won't be me! I don't care that it's my mom I'm versing, I will win! For them, for me!" Lincoln stared at the screen intently. After the previous explosion, both him and his opponent had charged at each other once more, before clashing again and again, neither hesitating to parry the other's attacks, while trying to force an opening.

And yet, neither would yield to the other.

"This can't keep going!" Lincoln declared, before with one swing, both him and his mother's characters were forced back once more.

"Well then, what are you gonna do about it? You can't get me down that easily!" Rita countered without missing a beat. "Prove that you're better Lincoln!"

"I'm gonna make us move onto round two!" Lincoln took a soft breath. "I can't beat her in a warrior's battle, that means that I'm gonna have to draw this and hope that magic and thief will be able to get the upper hand," he then quickly typed. "Ability Activate! Meteor meltdown!"

And with that, Socratos raised his swords and allowed them to glow for a moment, before sending a column of fire above him, causing thousands of rocks to fall from the sky.

In response, Rita smiled.

"Thanks for the opening, Lincoln!" the woman typed quickly, commanding Tyr to raise his hammer and bolt at Socratos once more. "You've still got more to learn!"

Suddenly, the realization dawned upon Lincoln. "She was waiting for this!" And all he could do, was watch as Rita's character slammed into his own, eliminating him from the game.

"One down, two more to go," Rita quipped.

"There's no time to think of how to counter that!" Lincoln quickly typed in his next command, causing his next character to appear on screen. "…she was able to get me to open up… dangit."

And once initialized, he wasted no time typing in his next command. "Ability Activate! Meltdown invocation!" and with that, a mystical seal appeared in the sky above Aleister for a moment, before he raised his staff and slammed it into his back. Instantly, fiery red power began to fill his body. "Round two is here!" And with that, the Meltdown magician charged up a ball of light and fired at Tyr.

"Nice to see you're not out of the game yet!" Rita chuckled, before dodging the assault. "But you're gonna have to try harder than-" yet, before she could even finish her taunt, the ball of light boomeranged back, nailing Tyr in the back and eliminating him from the game. "Heh, smart."

"Good, I was able to equalize without taking damage. That means I still have a chance. I can't let them down!" Lincoln grit his teeth in determination, while the adrenaline flooding his veins caused his heart to race. "Heh round two wasn't that long."

"That's because round three is gonna be big, show me your true strength, Lincoln!" Rita couldn't help, but chuckle at that, before summoning her second fighter: a man dressed in blue armor and surrounded by a starry-blue mist. In his right hand, he held a light blue, seemingly holographic rod with a magical shield in front of it. "Because I'm summoning the magician of space and time himself, Astrograph Magician!"

"Gladly!" Lincoln quickly countered. "I will win this match!"

Rita immediately countered. "If you wanna take this house from me, then hit me with your best shot!"

However, Lincoln doesn't even hesitate to continue his attack. "Go, meltdown Enforcer!" immediately, the rod in his back glowed, before engulfing Aleister in pure light. And when it clear, he now rod a mechanical chariot and wielded the staff as a sword made of pure light. "Attack!" And Aleister fired a beam of light at Astrograph.

And Rita did not dodge.

Instantly, the blast forced the magician back, as well as knocked its health into the red.

"She played me again!" the realization dawned upon Lincoln, while his mother simply smiled at the turn of events.

"Heh, your best shot was just enough to set me up!" Her voice filled with cheer. "Magician of time, command the power of the four dimensions and create he who shall rule over the fifth! Emergency ability activate: Call of the Supreme King!"

And instantly, the field grew dark as the cries of four dragons echoed through it all. A cloud of dark mist appeared before the meltdown magician before dissipating, revealing a massive black dragon with long and sharp green lines of energy flowing through him.

"Wow an amazing sight folks! The Dragon of Royal Woods has successfully summoned the most powerful dragon in the game!

"Well Lincoln, it looks like I've got this in the bag!" Rita declared, "Titan Thunderstorm!" And with that, fiery red lightning bolts rained down upon the silvery knight, forcing him out of his armor and back into his base Aleister form.

"Anything you've gotta say before I end this, Lincoln?" Rita taunted with a smile. "Come on, if you wanna show what a man can do, you've gotta beat him down and give him a reason to stand up again!"

Yet, Lincoln remained headstrong. "I have to win! I'm not gonna give up now! Not when I'm so close to victory!"

*Beep* *Beep* a familiar sound filled his ears, bringing a smile to his face.

"Go, Supreme King's Rage!" Rita commanded, prompting the massive dragon to lean forward, before bathing Aleister in a pulled of green light.

And when it cleared, Aleister stood surrounded by a golden ring of light.

"Nani?!" Rita leaned forward in surprise.

"Emergency Ability Activate: Omega Summon!" Lincoln commanded, and instantly, the ring of light engulfed Aleister, creating what seemed to be a massive ship with golden sails above the supreme king.

"I will not lose!" Lincoln shouted, determination beginning to fill his voice.

"Neither will I!" Rita countered. "Supreme King's Wrath!"

The boy replied. "Elysium's light!"

And when the attacks hit, both warriors were destroyed, leaving them both eliminated from the match.

"One on one huh?" Lincoln quipped. "Just like the first time I faced her..."

"What a spirited battle today folks! Rita and Lincoln are so far tied! Whoever wins this battle takes the match! I'm at the edge of my seat!" The announcer shouted.

And wordlessly, the mother and son brought forth their final warriors.

For Lincoln, it was RAID Raptor, the mechanical birdman. And for Rita, it was a familiar face: a Valkyrie with a mystical scythe.

"Well, well, well. It looks like we're about to have a repeat of our first encounter, huh?" Rita quipped, typing away as she did so.

"Yeah, but things are gonna be different this time around!" Lincoln countered, prompting RAID Raptor the boost up and spread his four mechanical wings, before engulfing himself in flames. "Ability activate: Ravaging Rebellion!"

"No matter how different this is it's still gonna end the same! With robot parts broken over the battlefield!" Rita countered by having her Valkyrie raise her scythe and swing. "Go, Valhalla's Might!"

And with that, the robotic warrior's claws met with the Valkyrie's attack. *Clang!* they went, before breaking free and trying again, causing sparks to fly upon meeting once more.

"I'll end this quickly!" Rita shouted, before the Valkyrie forced RAID Raptor back and corkscrewed at him, wasting no time slashing at the man.

Yet, rather than relent, Lincoln shouted. "Ability activate: Raptor's Force!" Suddenly, thousands of laser-firing feathers emerged from the cloud of dust and fired at the Valkyrie, before RAID Raptor emerged once more, this time with two red main wings and two smaller tail wings. "I'm not going down that easily, mom."

"I'd be disappointed if you did!" Rita countered. The Valkyrie blocked with its wings for a moment, before forcing the arrows back with a gust of wind. "Evolve! Sigrun, the Valkyrie's might!" And with that, the woman emerged, now wilding two sets of Scythes, ready to skewer Blaze. "Go Heaven's Meteor!"

"Counter it!" Lincoln shouted. "Raptor's Thunderclap!" and with that, two lights fell from the sky and blasted both of them.

"Dauntless falcon, emerge!" Lincoln shouted.

"Queen of the Valkyries, emerge!" Rita countered, before two streams of light burst forward, forcing the clouds of dust away once more, revealing now both winged-warriors had gain a sleek new set of wings, with RAID Raptor now having two side cannons and having lost its two lower wings, while the Valkyrie had gained four metal wings

The streams quickly disintegrated with the two warriors charging at one another once more. "I will not lose today!" Lincoln immediately thought, his gaze falling upon their life counters once more. "I will win! And I will not let anything stop me!"

Then, he let go of the controls for a split second, more than enough time to allow Rita to force an opening and force him back.

"It's over Lincoln!" She shouted, sending Freya to attack him once more.

Yet, all Lincoln did, was smile.

Suddenly, a column of light engulfed RAID Raptor once more, melting its wings and reforming them as six, sharp spikes with a golden ring holding them all together. "Ability Activate: Soul Shave Force! Falcon of ultimate creation raise your wings and soar on to victorious skies!"

"This looks like the end folks! Lincoln has successfully summoned forth the ultimate form of RAID Raptor!"

"That's nothing! It's time for the end!" Rita declared, before commanding her warrior. "Asgardian's Might!" Before she clanged her scythes together and allowed her wings to glow, sending an orb of light at RAID Raptor.

"This is the end, mom!" Lincoln shouted. "Go! Final Glorious Pride!" before RAID Raptor glowed with golden light, before a black orb formed before it, taking the shape of a small galaxy, before condensing into a black hole. "Fire!" and with that, the metal bird launched its ordinace.

And when the two orbs collided, the black hole forced its way through the light one, and engulfed the Valkyrie, bringing its health down to zero and ending the match.

Winner: Savvy05

Silence overtook the arena with that, the spectators seemingly unsure of just what to believe.

Yet, after a moment, Rita stood up from her post and offered her hand to her son. "You did it Lincoln," she smiled while speaking with a joy-filled tone. "You're the new Dragon of Royal Woods."

Slowly, Lincoln's determined frown became a soft smile as he took it in hand. "Thanks mom."

And immediately after that, she threw her arms around him and pulled him into a loving embrace. "I'm so proud of you!"

Instead of responding, Lincoln simply leaned in and deepened the embrace.

"I can't believe it folks! After everything our wildcard has done today, her own son has successfully managed to defeat her! The winner of the 2018 Open Queue tournament is, Lincoln Loud!"

And with that, the crowd broke off into thunderous applause, while a certain ten family members rushed the stage to hoist Lincoln up.

After that, a storm of "You did it Lincoln!" and "Congratulations" fill his ears, while he noticed his mother walk off to talk to the tournament organizers. No doubt about just how much of the prize fund Lincoln would receive.

"I did it… I really did it. I am the greatest and there's no doubt about it…"

"So Lynn, think it was a waste now?" Rita walked up to her husband, before turning back to gaze upon the sight.

"No…" Lynn Sr. hesitated for a moment. "But… he's gonna have to work harder. He needs to keep his grades up if he wants to keep playing."

The woman simply waved her husband off. "I have no doubt that he'll be able to. After all, he's a great student already.

"Mom!" Lincoln called out. "They're about to give the trophy!"

"Heh, that was faster than usual," Rita chuckled, leaving Lynn Sr. behind to watch, as a group of reporters took photos of the moment Lincoln shook the hand of the tournament manager and received the trophy from him, while the boy's mother stood by, a proud smile overtaking her face.

Later…

"All right everyone, I'll order some pizza," Rita declared as she and the rest of the Loud Family walked through the front door. "And Lori…"

The young woman responded. "Yeah mom?"

"Will you do the honors?" She continued with a smile, before motioning towards the trophy that Lincoln carried.

"Uhh what?" The boy tilted his head in confusion.

Lori smiled. "You've earned a trophy, Lincoln. You know what comes next, right?"

The boy's eyes went wide in surprise, before Lynn Jr. carried the trophy over to the case. "It's your turn to put it in, bro."

The boy's heart raced as he watched his older sister open up the trophy door and motion for him to follow.

Wordlessly, Lincoln approached the case, his mind hopping to all the times he watched his sisters do the same with their awards, and how full it seemed because of them. "But I didn't have one to put in, now I do…" he smiled as he raised the trophy and tried to push it in… only to realize that the oversized trophy was just too big for his little spot.

"Haha!" Rita immediately broke down laughing. "I always had that problem with my trophies too," she wiped a tear from her eye. "Just leave it on the side and come on, lets go eat, I'm starved."

Lincoln looked upon his trophy once more, and smiled, before he and the rest of the family went off, leaving Lynn Sr. standing before the case. "What did I ever give Lincoln? A fear of horror? Rita gave him everything he is… and he's even closer to her! No doubt Rita could tell me everything I had in common with the girls, but Lincoln…" He looked away. "My son is nothing like me…"

12-9-14-3-15-12-14 15-23-5-19 3-12-25-4-5 6-9-22-5 2-21-3-11-19 14-15-23

A/N And with that, this short story is finally complete! I hope you guys enjoyed! I thank everyone who's Read, reviewed and supported me along the way! I appreciate everything you guys have done for me!

As for what's next, well, the Bun Bun story and the story following Lana are both in the works, though my 3rd year of college is taking its toll on me. As for a sequel to this, I do have an idea for it, though I'd have to find the time to write it as well.

And as always, feel free to PM me, or join the TLH writer's discord! Until next time, I take my bow.