Writing actual stories takes a lot of time and effort. So let's see what happens when we take a prompt, think about it for a while, then create an outline of a story?
Yeah, a long time ago, I really liked 'The Writer Games', this one-shot anthology where the two authors, College Fool and Couer Al'Alran got a prompt, thought up of an outline of a story, then posted it. There was some really good stories in there, that might have never seen the light of day under a normal format outside of that one.
Heck, College Fool literally wrote a whole story in this outline format that clocked in at 400k words.
So I figured I wanted to try something like that.
So go ahead, send me prompts, and let me see where I can go with it. Although, we probably should set some ground rules. Gonna take something from the story...
This is not a good prompt: Jaune Arc never went to combat school, instead becoming a wandering musician with his guitar/sword/shield. Weiss is a talented singer and a cold hearted heiress. After saving the heiress from a failed assassination, can the Musical Knight melt the heiress' heart, or will he freeze at her icy glare?
Ignoring the terms and names that you don't know, that is not a good prompt. Not to say that it can't be a good story, but as a prompt, It's too idea-centric and rigid. There's nothing to really work with here. If you can literally name the plot-points just from reading this, and the questions are practically rhetorical, then what is the point?
This is a good prompt: Jaune is a wandering musician.
This is good because it is so open-ended. I have a concept and I have wiggle room to make a story out of it. I could make it a tragedy where the main character dies destitute and alone, realizing that his songs mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. I could make it a road trip comedy, recounting one such adventure that the main character accidentally wandered into. I could even turn it into the romance above, but without any of the rigid guidelines set down.
Either way, let's see what we can come up with in the coming chapters.
Stall Walt Prompt: Lynn Jr brought home a boyfriend, and he looks awful familiar…
A college aged Lynn Jr is walking into a carnival the weekend before the semester starts with some of her dorm mates, all females.
She has managed to get a ton of athletic scholarships throughout her high school career to nearly give herself a full ride, and has found some success in the collegiate scene. Still, she hasn't done well enough to be considered for the pro scene, and Lynn Jr has managed to come far from the days where she would have been catatonic from that news. She is currently a physical coaching and teaching major with a physical therapy minor, is currently happy with that.
Throughout the night, we see her having fun with her friends. She absolutely dominates at any carnival game she plays (just gotta throw the hard enough). The food at the carnival is decent and at least filling, though her friends joke that Lynn will eat it as long as it's slightly edible. Lynn returns the favor when she laughs at the rest of her dorm mates after they get off a ride to run to the nearest trash can.
The evening is only slightly dampened when one of her dorm mates get a call from her boyfriend and the rest of her dorm mates immediately become obsessed with their plans. Lynn Jr sighs as she waits for them to finish up. And no, she isn't jealous that they have someone to cuddle with and she doesn't. She just hasn't found the right guy yet, or really, a kind of guy that won't be intimidated by her.
Waiting for them, she looks around and see an artist finishing up a portrait for another person. Looking back at the group and seeing that they might be busy for quite a while, she comes over and asks for one done on her. The artist, a solidly built and tanned white haired guy wearing a cowboy hat and looking like he walked off a ranch down in the south, agrees after a while and starts drawing the portrait.
The two start talking, and Lynn Jr learns that the artist is actually a freshman that has a talent for drawing but had chosen to become a psychology major. When asked about why he decided to take it, he mentions that it was mostly at the pushing of his mom, who had told him that he should try focusing on learning some actual marketable skills. This rubs Lynn Jr the wrong way, as her own family has been nothing but supportive of her goals. The artist, already sensing that the conversation is starting to turn uncomfortable, steers it to other topics.
Eventually, the artist finishes his work and presents it to her. Lynn Jr ain't no artist but she definitely feel the effort and care that went into the art. It depicts her as strong and yet beautiful, at least that's the feeling she is getting from the drawing. She thanks the artist, who sighs.
"Wish I had more time for it. Feel like I didn't capture your beauty." He realizes what he said.
Before he realizes, Lynn Jr simply smiles.
"Ain't you a charmer? Mind telling me your name?"
That day, Lynn Loud Jr. meets Lionel Love.
8 months pass, and Lynn Loud Jr. barges through the door of an apartment, absolutely sweaty in her dirty intramural uniform, and collapses on the couch. A wonderful smell that is drifting through the air stops her from going to lalaland.
"How was practice today?" Lionel asks as he comes out of the kitchen, meatball subs in hand.
"Nothing I couldn't handle." Lynn Jr. says as she gets up from Lionel's couch and plants a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Besides, your meatball subs give me strength."
"Glad to hear it. Now go wash your hands before eating, okay?"
Lynn and Lionel have been in a relationship for six months. Nothing dramatic or exciting happened when they got together, just two people finding mutual attraction to each other. While, both do like each other physically, Lionel likes Lynn's energy and enthusiasm, while Lynn likes Lionel's considerate nature and ability to give as hard as he can take (she can attest this whenever she asks to spar in the boxing ring.)
They have managed to go through the small troubles (Lynn's dorm mates teasing her about dating a freshman, Lynn being a little annoyed that Lionel's got a head on her) to the slightly bigger ones (Lionel having been raised with more conservative values contrasting Lynn's more liberal values). Still, the two have managed to work through and even forge something stronger. And Lynn couldn't be happier.
As the two eat, they start discussing about plans for the coming spring break. As soon as Lionel hears that Lynn is going to be staying on campus, he starts asking about what she would want to do for the break. When she refuses, saying that Lionel should take the opportunity to see his family, he admits that he is still mad at his mom for her comments about Lynn.
Lionel's parents are practically polar opposites when it comes to Lynn. Lionel's mom doesn't like her, constantly bemoaning that Lionel couldn't have chosen to date a 'more proper lady', never knowing how it takes all of Lynn's manners not to pop her in the face. Thankfully, Lionel's dad is much more cooler, being the kind of cool guy that approves and even tells her some things about Lionel that makes some great teasing material.
Meanwhile, Lynn hasn't told her family yet about Lionel. She had first excused it as her wanting to see if the relationship would even last, but now that is no longer the case. She could only hope that the day Lionel doesn't meet her family, he doesn't get overwhelmed.
Still, the thought of her family does make Lynn homesick, as the Loud finances won't allow for a spring break trip home. Unbeknownst to her, Lionel was paying extra attention to her face and mannerisms as she talks about home. Lionel doesn't say anything else about the matter during the rest of the evening. Only when Lynn goes back to her dorm does Lionel pick up the phone to call someone.
A few days later, Lionel appears at Lynn's door with a gift: a round trip ticket to Michigan and enough money to take care of everything else.
"Dad came through?"
Lionel nods. "Dad came through. Though he did have one caveat…"
"What?"
Lionel pulls out a second plane ticket. "You think they'll like me?"
Lynn kisses him on the cheek. "I know that they'll love you."
Regardless of Lynn's words, both of them are absolutely worried as the plane lands in Michigan and they get a taxi to Royal Woods. Lynn Jr is worried about how her family will react to Lionel, knowing that their overprotectiveness would be really grating (seriously, she can take care of herself.) Lionel is worried about saying the wrong thing to someone in Lynn's family and telling him that he can no longer see Lynn (his foot in the mouth got him into a relationship with Lynn and he has no desire to leave it).
Overall, two bundles of nerves arrive on the outskirts of Royal Woods. The tensions lessen a bit more when Lionel has to assure his mom that he had arrived in town and tells her about the town. The rest of the taxi ride is spent with Lynn watching Lionel describe the town to his mom, making her hometown sound more magical.
Finally, the taxi arrives in front of the Loud House. Getting out of the taxi and getting their stuff out of the trunk, they stand in front. Lynn looks over and sees Lionel sweating a bit. She reaches over and squeezes his hand.
The two come over and knock on the door.
The door opens and the two are first greeted by Lynn's parents, Rita and Lynn Loud Sr.
The two hug their daughter and are warm to Lionel as he comes inside. Well, Rita Loud is warm, Lynn Loud Sr is decidedly cooler but cordial to him. The group talk, Lionel managing to present himself well, until the rest of Lynn's sisters come back from school.
Buoyed by his success with Lynn's parents, Lionel endears himself to Lynn Jr's sisters especially well. He weathers questions about his relationship with Lynn Jr well, listens to all the stories of Lynn Jr's youth (cataloguing them for blackmail usage) and shows off his drawing talents by drawing all of them (with Lola demanding more than one drawing). He also doesn't find it weird when Lucy introduces him to Lionel, the stillborn brother who has a permanent place of remembrance in the trophy cabinet.
By the end of the day, Lionel has settled in when he helps Lynn Sr. with dinner, and the resulting meal is even more delicious. Sure, he accidently nicks himself with a knife, but thankfully Lisa was nearby and eager to administer first aid. A little too eager, but Lionel puts it out of his mind.
As everyone turns in, Lionel talks with Lynn Jr. The two plan to go walk around the town for a bit, and Lionel offhandedly mentions about how Lynn Jr's sisters weren't that bad. Lynn Jr. reminds him that the rest of her sisters will be coming over the weekend.
It also doesn't help when the Loud family doesn't have any guest bedrooms, so Lionel has to make due with a repurposed broom closet at the end of the hall. Then he gets another call from his mom.
Over the first half of spring break, things soon settle into a routine. Lynn Jr and Lionel tour Royal Woods for a couple of hours, some of the younger sisters coming along for the ride. Various other activities occur with Lynn Jr and Lionel getting some alone time within the day before Lionel turns in with a call to his mom about the day.
The rest of Lynn Jr's sisters come to home to visit, and for the most part, seem to like Lionel. Luan regards him as fresh meat (and he does fall for some of her tricks). Leni compares sketches and drawings. He even manages to come out of Lori's interrogation smelling like roses.
Lionel's relationship with Lynn Jr's parents and the rest of Lynn's sisters also grows. Lionel swaps stories with Rita, while he hones his cooking craft with Lynn Sr. He serves as Lola's paparazzi and shows some self-defense moves with Lana. He takes time to listen to Lucy's poems and even draws a couple of drawings based on what he was feeling during that time (shouldn't be surprising when his pencils and all his black art tools are turning to stubs). And he also does his best to discourage Lily's puppy crush on him.
Of course, there are two people that doesn't have the warmest reception to him. There is some friction between Luna and Lionel, given his conservative values, but the two agree to not let it get between them. But the strangest reaction he has gotten is from Lisa. While they are friendly with each other still, there is still a sort of distance that Lionel could feel, and he has no idea how to fix it.
Eventually, Tuesday ends with Lionel drawing a landscape portrait of the entire family in the evening.
Overall, things are going swimmingly.
It is also that evening that Lisa takes him aside and asks him about his biological relationship with his own parents. Lionel is shocked, before admitting that he is adopted, and that the subject of his biological family was a touchy subject around his parents. Lisa thinks for a moment…
Then reveals her conclusions that Lionel may be biologically related to the Louds.
Stunned silence ensued, before Lionel asks why and how. After some...illuminating insights into how Lisa managed to get the information and being shown the DNA results, he asks for a picture of Lisa's parents and goes to his room. His goodnight peck to Lynn Jr is emotionless, and he brushes off her concern as he closes the door behind him.
Lionel spends the night awake, carefully scrutinizing the features of Rita and Lynn Sr and comparing it to the most recent picture of himself in a group portrait with his parents. Slowly, he starts picking out similar features on his face and comparing it to the Louds. Just then, the phone rings.
It's his parents. Lionel pretends everything is okay, weathers his mom's questions and his dad's concerns before hanging up. He looks back at the pictures on his bed.
He doesn't sleep for the rest of the night.
The next day, Lionel tries to pretend that everything is normal, operative word being 'tries'. He hugs Lynn Jr good morning, and tries not to shiver as she kisses him back. He inserts himself in the middle of an argument between Lola and Lana. He and Lisa are cordial with each other.
Then he is invited to visit Grandpa Albert with the family.
At the retirement home, Grandpa Albert happily greets his family… and is absolutely stunned at the sight of Lionel. "You remind me a lot about myself when I was your age!"
Lionel agrees when Albert pulls out a photo album and shows himself at that age. If it wasn't for the black and white, Lionel would have sworn that it was him in the photo. While he receives some ribbing for the comparison, he isn't laughing.
Too many things are coming together that can't be just dismissed as coincidence. He needs answers, and right now, the only ones who might have them are his parents. But they won't talk… His mom won't. His dad, on the other hand…
That night, when his parents call, he asks for his dad. When dad comes to the phone, he asks to talk privately. When his dad agrees and says that his wife had left the room, Lionel asks the question.
"Dad, where did I come from?"
Dad asks where this is coming from. Lionel tries to respond with how 'it isn't important.' Dad doesn't buy it. The two go back and forth before Lionel lays his cards on the table.
"I think I might be dating someone related to me. I know that you don't like talking about it, but please help me. Help me from making a mistake."
Silence before dad responds.
"Royal Woods Hospital."
Lionel thanks him even through his surprise.
"Thanks, dad. Talk to you later."
"Son… I love you, okay?"
Lionel says the words back before hanging up the phone.
The next day, Lionel asks to walk alone today, saying that he wants to see the town for himself today. The others don't let him, and try to get him an escort. Lisa volunteers. Lionel and Lisa walks out of the house…
All the way to Royal Woods Hospital. At Lisa's confusion, he confirms what his dad told him. After managing to make up some excuses about their presence, the two investigate by looking through the records.
Eventually, something comes up, and the two find something up with his file. Smudged details, little things that are picked up from Lisa's scientific eye. What's more disturbing is that something could be found on the file of another person right next to his: Lincoln Loud.
According to the records, both Rita Loud and Lionel's mother had given birth in the same hospital, on the same day. However, Lionel's mother walked away that same day with Lionel, while Rita was left with stillborn Lincoln. Lionel notes that his mom never mentioned anything about being in Royal Woods, or even Michigan when she got him. By this point, clues are coming together, yet Lionel doesn't fully acknowledge it.
They note the doctor that was on duty and his address, and go there.
The man who opens the door takes one look at Lionel and tries to shut the door. Lionel jams the door with his foot while Lisa takes the opportunity to stick him with something. The two come inside, as Lisa explains that she had injected the man with truth serum.
Lincoln ignores that, and asks the man the question that has been building up.
"What happened the night of Lionel Love's birth?"
The doctor confirms everything. Lionel Love's mom had been rushed to Royal Woods Hospital by her husband, after her complaints of a severe and persistent headache. After suffering labor pains, Lionel Love's mom gives birth…
To a stillborn child.
It was then that the doctor had gotten what was essentially a blank check to help her switch the bassinets with another family and to speed up the process for her and her family to get out of the hospital quickly. He never saw her again, but he does remember the child that was taken.
Lincoln Loud.
Lionel and Lisa thank him for his time, point out that they do have the confession recorded, before making their leave. The two walk out of the house and to a nearby park. Lionel's expression is blank, and Lisa asks if he is okay.
He takes the cowboy hat off his head, looks at it, before relating how he was so proud to get one that looked just like the one his dad wore. Moments after he tells the story, he throws it on the ground and stomps on it. He is yelling and screaming, and even after the hat is stomped into oblivion, he's about ready to punch a tree trunk.
That, Lisa stops.
It's hard, considering that Lisa has absolutely no idea how to counsel, but Lionel is able to get back to some measure of peace about the thing. Still, when asked what he wants to do with the information, he asks for some time to think about it. Lisa then asks what happens between him and the rest of the family.
Lionel asks for some time to think about it.
Of course, when they come back, Lynn Jr is there to greet Lionel with a kiss to the lips. As the two walk off with Lynn ready to talk about the day, Lionel shoots Lisa a disgusted look.
This is bad, this is really bad.
Doesn't help that Lionel receives the phone call from his parents, and struggles to keep his voice neutral.
Over the next couple of days, Lionel walks a careful emotional tightline. He has to balance getting enough physical evidence with Lisa to nail his parents for the crime, figure out what he is going to do from there and where he stands with the Louds, and most importantly, try to keep his relationship with Lynn Jr normal.
Unfortunately, Lynn Jr starts noticing and her long buried insecurities about her femininity start to show up again. Her older sister rally to her to help, but their and Lynn's attempts to 'spice up their relationship' only continue to push Lionel further away. This in turn starts souring the sisters' impression of Lionel, who in turn gets his own attempts to connect with them to be ruined, and the cycle perpetuates.
It also doesn't help that Mrs. Love is starting to get a bit invasive about her questioning.
Eventually, there is one more weekend before the return trip, and Lisa and Lionel have collected everything they could.
Despite the frosty feeling, Lynn Sr and Rita still want to celebrate the entire family coming together. The whole family goes out to dinner, with Lionel doing his best to find a seat far from Lynn Jr. Unfortunately, the sisters conspire to keep the two together.
They try to ignore Lionel's discomfort.
At the restaurant, the family try to have a nice time, yet the atmosphere is almost suffocating, due to the tension between Lionel and Lynn Jr. Stilted conversation fills the table, and every second just hurts Lionel. He asks to go to the restroom.
Lynn Jr. follows, determined to get something out of why Lionel is acting the way he is. She catches him before he goes to the restroom. They start to talk about his new distance.
What follows is the worst argument that the two ever had.
Lynn Jr. asks him what is up, but Lionel refuses to say anything. She pleads with him to say something, but he clams up. He just refuses to say anything. The pressure just keeps building and building.
Until Lynn Jr pleads with him one more time. "Why are you like this? Please, I'm your girlfriend."
Lionel stares at her, eyes wide open. At that moment, he makes a choice.
"This...This was a mistake."
He breaks up with her on the spot. It is a metaphorical slap to the face to her, before she punches him in the face. It's hard, but not as hard as she could have, as she shouts at him to get out.
He obliged, not giving a look to the rest of the Loud sisters as they push past him to comfort their sister. Lionel walks out of the restaurant. He walks on, not knowing or really caring where he is going to go
Just then, a car honks its horn at him. He turns and realizes that it's familiar, and also looks like it had traveled for quite a distance. The doors open, and the Loves come out.
Seeing them, Lionel is too emotionally drained from the break-up with Lynn Jr. But as the two usher him into the car, and start to drive towards the town's limits, something starts to fester. Here are these two people, that took him from his birth family, gave him their dead child's name, and then went around and pretended that everything is alright and even now trying to do so?
Now, Lincoln is mad.
He demands that the car pull over at the nearby park. When the Loves try to keep going, he opens the door while the car is still moving. They quickly pull over.
The three go into a secluded area, where Lionel unleashes all his anger, all his hate, and all his anguish. They stole so much, they missed up so many things, so why him? Why did they choose him?
Mrs. Love speaks up.
The Loves practically had it all: wealth, health, and happiness. All they were missing was a little bundle of joy to make it all complete. But it never happened, no matter how much they tried. They started getting older, their biological clocks practically ringing in their heads. She wanted a baby so much, so much, the two talked about other methods from artificial insemination to freezing some of her eggs.
Finally, to their joy, Mrs. Love was pregnant. They were so happy, so ready that they took every precaution to make sure little Lionel came out healthy. Then, during a trip up to the great lakes, something went wrong, with Mrs. Love complaining of a constant headache.
Mr. Love rushed her to the nearest hospital but it was too late.
As the two had to deal with their deal, Mrs. Love noticed in another room how a happy couple celebrated the birth of their new son with their five daughters. As she watched that happy scene, the fiercest bout of jealousy seized her. It wasn't fair.
It wasn't fair.
At the core of the Loves' actions, it was a crime motivated by envy and grief.
Ending her story, Mrs. Love tries to convince Lionel to come along, to let them sweep this under the rug. They can still be a family. She even says that Lionel could change his name, if he likes.
It is Mr. Love that puts his foot down. He turns to Lionel and refers to him as Lincoln Loud. He apologizes for all he has done, the lies he told him and for not being a good enough person to set things right before. It's late, but not too late.
"Go home, Lincoln Loud. You still have a family."
"NO! HE IS LIONEL LOVE AND HE'S STAYING WITH US!"
Mrs. Love pulls out a gun and aims it at Lincoln, telling him to get back into the car. Mr. Love carefully walks towards his wife and asking her to drop the gun while Lincoln is frozen. Tempers are starting to run hot.
"Lionel?" Lisa walks into the clearing, having followed Lionel to make sure he is okay. Mrs Love spots Lisa. Mr Love shouts and runs for the gun.
BANG!
Mr Love drops as Mrs Love shoots before turning the gun to Lisa. Lisa is still, too shocked to move. Lionel is too far to get Lisa out of the way.
BANG!
The adrenaline is pumping through Lincoln's blood as he rushes straight at Mrs Love. Mrs Love is too stunned to avoid the haymaker that Lincoln lands, dropping the woman to the ground and rendering her unconscious. As he hears familiar people shouting and coming towards the area, Lincoln looks back at Lisa.
Lisa is fine, but she looks horrified at him.
He looks down, and the blood seemed to be coming from a spot that is way too high to be from his stomach area. The adrenaline starts fading, and Lincoln falls down. He could hear someone screaming his name as everything goes black.
Eventually, he wakes back up at Royal Woods Hospital, startling one nurse who alerts the doctor on duty. He goes through the normal check-ups and everything seems like a blur. Once he is more coherent, he realizes that the doctor has been calling him by another name.
"Hmm, do you prefer another, Mr. Loud?"
Lincoln or Lionel, he isn't sure. He asks for some time alone, and the doctor agrees. He also says that there are visitors waiting for him.
He pauses, before asking for thirty minutes. He spends the next thirty minutes wondering what to say to the Louds. The time passes without him coming anywhere close to an answer.
The door opens, and Lynn Jr is the only one to come through.
She asks how he is doing fine as she pulls out a chair and sits down. He finally asks why she is here. Wasn't she mad? Wasn't she scared?
Wasn't she disgusted?
Lynn nods. She admits that it hurts that the best guy she ever met is her brother. But then she smiles.
She always did want a brother, though.
The door opens to admit the rest of the Loud family. Rita Loud asks to come closer. He allows her as she gently cups his face to catch all the shapes and signs that he is her son.
The sisters take out a roll of paper.
"You know, we kind of messed it up. You think you can think it?"
They unfurl it to receive the family portrait that Lionel drew for them. Behind the group, a person has been drawn in poorly, but it is still recognizable. He looks around, before tearfully saying yes, it's not yet complete.
Everyone goes in for a group hug as Lincoln finds his home again.
Epilogue
It is Christmas day, and everyone is settling in for dinner. Lincoln looks around, at Lola and Lana arguing with each other, at Lisa doing some calculations at the table, at Luna tapping on the table rhythmically, at Leni looking over a fashion article, at Lori talking to Bobby on her phone, at Luan before he sits on a whoopie cushion, at Lily who is sitting down next to her favorite brother, and at Lynn who smiles at him before looking back at the food.
It's crazy, it's loud… and as Lincoln looks at the new portrait that he did, fitting himself in this family, he wouldn't trade it for the world.
Reflection:
Wow, this took awhile for me to do. College Fool and Coeur made it look easy.
So my idea for this fill was that I wanted to try something that I don't think has been done yet: accidental Loud-cest.
Looking over it, I would admit that the relationship probably doesn't get that much time to shine when it shifts over to the question of Lincoln's identity, but maybe that could get fleshed out more in the theoretical sequel when Lincoln has to deal with the inheritance that his 'adoptive' parents essentially left for him.
Also, tried to make the Loves' proper entrance into the story a foreshadowed thing by the element of the constant phone calls, and the hints that Mrs Love might be a little off when it comes to her son.
Anyways, hope that this first chapter interested you.