Chapter 1 - Luna Needs Help
A/N: Nickelodeon and Chris Savino own The Loud House and related characters. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is merely a work of fiction and written under the fair use policy.
It was a brilliant Friday evening, and the school had not long released for the day. While the sun was shining down upon the entire town, Luna raced home, let her book-bag slide off her shoulder, and left it by the front door. Heading straight upstairs, she grabbed her guitar, plugged it in, turned on her amp and started banging away.
Luan walked in moments later carrying a small clutch of books and binders in front of her. After setting the collection upon her desk, Luan promptly sat on her bed, which was opposite Luna's.
"What are you working on?", asked Luan, shifting slightly to one side and putting her weight on one arm.
Luna stopped playing and looked up. "Well," she said sheepishly. "I plan to tell Sam how I feel this weekend, and I thought there was no better way than with a song. I'm doing alright with the riff, but I'm having problems with the lyrics." She paused and let Luan digest this before continuing. "I just can't put my feelings into words. Do you think you could help?"
Luan let out her trademark cackling laugh as if Luna had just told the funniest joke in the entire world. "That's the treble with love. Have you tried taking notes on how you feel first and bass your lyrics on that?"
"Luan...", Luna objected, "...now is not the time for humor. I'm serious here."
"Well fine then, if you don't want my help, you can jump off a clef!", spat the younger comedienne as she left cackling.
The twins, Lola and Lana, had just come home and had ascended the stairs, hearing the tail end of the exchange. Lola, who always wanted to be the center of attention, spoke first as they both peered into Luna's room, "What was that all about?" Lola's question was immediately followed by Lana's query, "Yeah, what's up with the ruckus dude?"
Luna once again explained the situation, though she doubted the two children would be able to help. She obliged them anyway, "Got any ideas?", she inquired.
Lola emitted a puffing sound before answering. "Is that all?", she said. "Listen, every girl wants to hear that she's pretty, so tell her that! Allow me to demonstrate", she offered as she backed up a tiny bit.
Inhaling deeply, Lola then let out the most horrendous string of off-tune syllables possible. "OH SAM! LOVE YOU! YOU ARE PRETTY! LA LA LA! SO LET'S DATE AND STUFF!"
Luna had cut her off with a wave of her hand. "That's good and all, but it doesn't quite capture what I'm feeling. What about you Lana?"
"Uh dude," said Lana in her slightly gruff voice, "I wouldn't bother with it at all, honestly. I don't have time for stuff like that. There are toilets to unclog for Pete's sake. Speaking of which, I need to get busy. People are going to be lining up soon."
Lola followed her sister out the door, fussing about how her only twin just had to be the gross one.
A few moments later, Lucy, her younger goth sibling passed by the door, presumably on her way to the restroom. "Hey Lucy," Luna called, "got a minute?"
Lucy backed up and peered into the room. In her usual monotonic droll, she replied, "Maybe."
"I need some help with a song, and I know you're always writing poetry. Can you lend a hand?"
"Of course," Lucy said, "though I am not sure you will find my tastes suitable."
"Oh come on," was Luna's reply, encouraging Lucy, "give it a try!" She then explained, for the third time, what she was trying to do.
The tiny dark-haired girl walked in and sat down cross-legged on the floor, pulled a journal from her pocket and found a specific page. "You can't just tell her you love her, that's too direct. You have to describe your feelings first, including how you'd feel if she doesn't feel the same way. Here, let me read you a passage." She then begins reading.
"Alone in the dark,
my soul calls your name,
you appear for an instant,
as a flickering flame.
When you are close,
you fill me with vim,
but when you are gone,
my world grows dim.
It is in these times,
I miss you so much,
it feels like a boulder,
a bone rending crush.
Please don't ever go,
and leave me this way,
for I fear if you do,
my death comes today."
"Wow, that was deep, dude," said Luna in awe. "I think you're right, but I don't think she'd appreciate the darker images. Thanks for the attempt though."
Lucy merely replied, "Sigh, it's alright. Nobody ever takes me seriously anyway." Lucy mumbled as she stood, clutched her journal and left the room to join the forming line for the restroom.
Luna was alone again, left to her thoughts. "Who in the world could Lucy be pining over?", Luna thought. "There's no way she'd write something that powerful on a whim." She placed her guitar in its stand and began to go over her options. "Oh, I know, I'll see if Lisa (4) has any ideas. She may not have much experience in Love, but she's smart." Luna stood and straightened her skirt before heading out her door and making a sharp left. After passing Lucy and Lynn's room, she came to Lisa's, on the left-hand side of the hallway. It was already open just a bit, so she assumed it was safe.
Poking her head inside Lisa's room without knocking was a big mistake. No sooner had the door swung open Luna got hit with a small puff of an explosion and a foul-smelling gas.
"I'm sorry Luna" Lisa lisped out, "You should knock though. I wath jutht completing an exthperiment." Then, after a short pause to assess the aftermath, "Failing more accurately." The smelly green gas continued to spread as it dissipated throughout the upper floor. Groans and complaints became audible from the line outside the only restroom in the house.
"Never-mind, I see your busy" grumbled Luna, holding her nose with one hand and clearing her eyes with the other. "Dude, that reeks!" Luna quickly backed out of the room and closed the door firmly behind her.
"Well, I only have a few choices left," she thought to herself, "Maybe Lori or Leni can help. Lori has been dating Bobby for years, and Leni has a new crush every other day."
She made her way to the room where Lori and Leni bunked, back down the hall, opposite her own. Thinking about her last experience, Luna decided to knock this time.
"Come in," wafted from within the room, in an excellent mood.
The rock and roller opened the door and stepped inside to see Leni at her sewing machine, designing another new masterpiece of the fashion world, and Lori stretched out on her bed, phone held high and fingers moving with blazing speed.
"O.k. boo-boo-bear," Lori said, "I look forward to it, but right now my sister needs me. Later!"
Upon hearing this, Leni stopped her work and turned towards Luna as well, "What's up sis?"
Luna took place on Lori's bed, somewhat ruffling the covers, and though she'd lost count of how many times she'd explained things, she added one more to the list. "I'm starting to get desperate here!"
"Listen, Luna," Lori said as she moved closer to her sister, put her arm around her, and pulled her into a sideways hug, "I don't know what to say. I've been with Bobby so long that I don't remember exactly how it all started. I wish I could help. We immediately clicked. It was magical." Lori drifted off into dreamland, thinking of Bobby.
Leni was the next to speak, "Well, I don't know too much about it. Guys ask me out, and I say either yes or no. I'm sorry I can't help more. This song sounds like it's important to you. Perhaps I could make a new outfit for you?"
Luna stood, readying herself to leave, "it's o.k. dudes, thanks anyway." She then promptly left. "That just leaves Lynn," she muttered to herself, then headed off to find her.
Lynn was in the kitchen making a raw egg protein shake when Luna finally located her. "Hey Lynn, I don't suppose you have any advice for writing personal love song lyrics do you?"
As Luna explained, Lynn drank the entire beverage in five large gulps then wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Nah bro," she said, "nor do I have time. I'm getting ready to leave for football practice."
"Oh," replied Luna dejectedly before turning to go back to writing her song in her room. She didn't make it one step, however, before running into Lucy. "Oof, I'm sorry Lucy."
"It's o.k.", came the reply, "I'm used to it." She tilted her head to one side for a moment before continuing, "I managed to overhear that you're still looking for assistance. Maybe you should try Lincoln. He's a great help to me when I have problems with my poetry."
"Sure, man," mused Luna, "but he's a dude. What would he know about how a girl feels?"
"He's more intuitive than you give him credit for," Lucy mumbled out. She then went about her business, grabbed a snack and heading back upstairs. Luna stood there momentarily perplexed. "Well," the musician thought, "it's better than nothing." Recomposing herself, she headed upstairs.