Chapter 2: The Red Lotus

Lynn couldn't go to sleep the night she won the state soccer championship, she sighed under her breath as she placed her hands underneath her head, staring at the ceiling of her room that she shared with her Gothic sister Lucy, she was easily sleeping while Lynn was struggling to even close her eyes and drift off to sleep, she started to shift around her bed, tossing and turning like a fish out of water.

the Athletic Loud girl finally gave up, getting out of her bed to go to the living room, perhaps so she can watch some television so she can drift off to sleep more easier? Sounds like a good idea, Lynn thought so at least.

She entered into the living room, where the television was, she was careful with her steps, especially on the rather creaky stairs, her parents, no matter may they be Leni all the way to Lily, dislike it when one of their kids suddenly get out of bed and cause some ruckus downstairs.

Lynn lied on the couch as she began to flip through various channels throughout cable, most of them were late night news or those adult channels and cartoons that her parents warned the whole family about, Lynn didn't want to take the risk of scorning her childhood for the sake of fulfilling of her own curiosity, so she refused to sink into those inappropriate channels.

Soon enough after settling on a nightly news broadcast she began to drift off to sleep, that was until the Athletic Loud Girl heard the news while she closed her eyes as an attempt to enter the nightly slumber.

"The Vigilante Group called 'The Red Lotus' has struck again! Leaving their calling card after capturing another pair of criminals and yet taking year's worth of groceries from the Mega market! This is such a strange anomaly folks, but the true question is, what is 'The Red Lotus' and what are there motives?" This got Lynn's attention and she opened her eyes as a response,

The Newscaster began to talk over several pictures that were shown on the channel, showcasing several tied of balaclava-wearing thieves, tied up in a series of black-forged chains, with the calling card of the so-called 'Red Lotus' painted on the nearest wall where the criminals were chained up, and then another picture of a completely nearly empty grocery store, all the healthy and fresh products like packaged meat, farm-bred veggies and various fleshy fruits were gone, their shelves were replaced with various symbols of the band of Vigilantes , and yet things like chips, soda pop and candies were noticeably untouched.

The calling card was that of a perfectly-painted crimson red, four-sided shuriken star, the four sides of the Shinobi star was serrated and deadly-looking, almost scary looking as the paint began to drip down onto the ground, making it akin to that of a bloodied weapon, but to Lynn Loud it looked down-right cool and interesting rather than scary and intimidating.

"While none of the Supermarket security cameras could get any footage, but here's an eyewitness." The reporter said as she was on the scene which was taped and completely covered with policemen, the thieves were unchained and then handcuffed, being escorted into a police truck as they were both grumbling and mumbling in disbelief.

"Like, I was just washing the floors at the supermarket man! But then, when I went to the fresh produce aisle, all of the produce was gone man!, like not even without a trace man! I thought I was smoking to muc-I mean drinking to much root beer! But then other aisles in the market were completely gone! within seconds man! But then I notice the Red Lotus symbols! So I know for sure I wasn't making it all up in my head! The Red Lotus are like a group of ninjas man!" The droopy and scraggly young man said as he looked tired and hungry.

"What is your opinion on the matter Tom?" The Reporter asked as it cut back to a aged anchorman with scruffy and grey hair, he grumbled under his breath as he began to rant.

"I personally think that this 'Red Lotus' is nothing but a cold-blooded gang! I predict that this group of 'Vigilantes' are nothing but a group of thugs who think that they can fight crime! Even though they're already criminals to begin with since they steal from society! They spread fear throughout other gangs with crazy stunts like these!" The angry anchorman said as he slammed his bony fists on his news desk.

"So cool..." Was all Lynn said to herself, clearly wowed by the concept of a group of vigilantes who seem well-planned enough to steal entire aisles of groceries, and yet still put justice into their own hands, it sounded absolutely invigorating to fight crime, Lynn was a bit confused however, were they a gang as the Anchorman stated they were? or were they really a group of Vigilantes? Dedicated to justice and honor?

The So-called Red Lotus's morals are certainly mixed as well, they're willing to beat up thieves and turn them into the police in a vigilante-like manner, and yet go into a grocery store and steal all of the good stuff? It was rather strange and morally contemplative for Lynn.

Lynn yawned as the news article about 'The Red Lotus' ended and it was replaced with several more unintriguing, like the weather and how was sunny it was going to be tomorrow, Lynn was able to drift off to sleep, with the television on but the sound muted, allowing the Athletic Loud Girl to reach her goal of a decent slumber.

XXXXXXX

Lynn woke up to the sounds of clattering and clanking of metal, she grumbled as she hated waking up unnaturally, one pro that sharing a room with Lucy was that she was at least quiet, both asleep and even while awake, it was easy for Lynn to slumber in peace.

When the Athletic Loud opened her eyes, her first reaction was to scream out in shock and surprise, she wasn't at all at the living room at all, in fact, she woke up in a place that wasn't her house to begin with.

She woke up in the middle of some sort of chasm, there was little to no light whatsoever, in fact, Lynn could only see a couple of feet in front of her, she was lying in a strange but unnerving cushion, it felt sticky, slimy and overall distorting, the Athletic Loud Girl desperately tried to stand up, but the cushion underneath her kept her still like some kind of prey-catching spiderweb.

Various pairs of glowing and wrath-looking red eyes started to open up within the shadows all around the struggling Lynn Loud, they glared at her as if the eyes were a whole pack of bloodthirsty wolves, looking upon their next delicious meal, Lynn Loud started to struggle even more as an attempt to break free but to no avail.

Lynn was usually brave and reckless, but right now? She was whimpering like a little girl, granted she is a little girl but you get the idea, Lynn started to hyperventilate, she began to question if she was dreaming or not, wanting to pinch herself to wake up from this mysterious nightmare.

"Please don't kill me!" Lynn started to beg as the eyes only stared at her with their red eyes, Lynn started to sob as she felt like this was going to be the end of her life, breathing heavily and crying tears of fear and loss.

"I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!" Lynn began to repeat as the many red eyes began to step closer and closer towards their prey, she started to struggle within the slippery cushion even more so, feeling like she was more stuck than free than ever before.

"What is this? We're not going to kill you, why would we want to?" One of the pair of eyes asked, his voice, was light and even soothing, like some kind of parental guardian, Lynn Loud was silent as she heard the speaker's words, she began to cry, not really believing the speaker's words, thinking that it was a disheartening trick so that Lynn could stop freaking out and put her guard down.

One pair of eyes finally came out of the shadows, Lynn gasped in shock to the appearance of the speaker, his gear and apparel were like a post-modern but traditional Ninja, he wore a black ninja garb with white boots and gloves, both of those pieces having shin-guards and wrist-guards respectively, his chest was armored in a metal-like vest and his shoulders were adorned with a similar metal, on his back was a sheathed sword, most likely a katana.

The red eyes that the Ninja stared with? It was just a simple black featureless mask that covered the entirety of the Shinobi's face, the only thing that had color or distinct details on the edged mask was the pair of bloodshot eyes, Lynn was still hyperventilating, although while the Ninja was human, it doesn't mean that he wasn't going to do bad things to her.

"Calm down...We're not monsters or anything, I'll prove it to you." the Ninja scoffed as he removed the black mask, revealing Lynn Loud that he was at least in his teenage years, maybe slightly older than Lori? His hair was ruffled and strawberry blonde, his eyes were blue like cerulean, he smiled to Lynn in a kind and reassuring way, causing Lynn to calm down slightly as her breathing cycle was more controlled and less crazed.

"I won't hurt you, none of my friends will either, okay? So just please calm down..." The Caucasian said to the Athlete, his voice then switched to kind to almost regretful, not wanting Lynn Loud to be like this, she instinctively did, she stopped struggling against the sticky webby cushion.

The Ninja then slipped the cushion underneath Lynn, causing the girl to slide off from the sticky sheet, she gasped in surprise before she landed on the cold but wooden floor.

"See? Nothing to worry about." The Ninja spoke to Lynn in reassuring tone, Lynn dusted herself off as she slowly stood up from where she was lying, the room slowly started to lit up, revealing to Lynn Loud that she was in the middle of a pseudo-Japanese Dojo, she was completely surrounded in various black-garbed assassins and thieves, each and everyone of them were wearing masks that lacked features except for the red eyes, they were differed from the weapons they wield and sheathed, and the colors that they sported besides the darkly black, colors like forest green or toxin purple, the various assortment of colors sprouting out on their sashes, or belts or even armor.

"Who...Are you people!?" Lynn questioned as the maskless Caucasian answered, he scuffled a little giggle from his mouth before answering.

"We are...The Red Lotus..." Various ninjas of the Red Lotus turned their back to Lynn, showing a more darker red version of their calling card that was imprinted on their unfiorm's backsides.