Author's Note: This website won't allow dots in their titles, so I had to write out chapter 10's title as Lana dot exe. I also found out it doesn't allow dots on these documents either. But enough about that, you want to hear about Sycophant. This chapter originally had 2 parts into it, but it was split because half of it didn't fit in thematically with the other part. What am I talking about? Chapter 11 is about gaslighting, chapter 12 is about ...well I won't spoil it, but both of them didn't fit in with one another, so if this chapter is lackluster, now you know why. Hopefully, it means that chapter 12 will be way better!
Chapter Synopsis: Lola tries to gaslight Lincoln; Lana must teach her the error of her ways, through example
It's been 31 days since the first encounter with the Trinity. Lana's wounds have almost fully healed. Luna told Lincoln what had happened and that Lana was staying with them until this incident blows over. With Lana out of the picture temporarily…the Trinity has launched full scale psychological assaults to try and undo the damage Lana has done and restore order to the Loud house (even if it's chaotic order, it's still better than pure chaos, which is what they think will happen if Lana successfully convinces everyone to join Lincoln's side). All of their attempts failed, as the bonds between the 6 Covalence Network members are so strong, they resist simple mind tricks! Luna has done an amazing job as acting leader, but now, it's time for Lana to retake her place as the second-in-command of Covalence!
"Ok, thanks Luna, you done an amazing job…it looks like Covalence has become even stronger during my recovery!" Lana exclaimed "But now, it's time for me to become the leader again."
Alright, stay safe, little dudette." Luna said
Lana enters the password and enters Lincoln's room.
"Hey Linc, I think I'll take a break from Covalence duties today." Lana tried to persuade Lincoln
"You've done more than enough, take as long as you need." Lincoln responded
Lana leaves Lincoln's room and heads back into her old room, the one she shares with Lola… Lola speaks up.
"Alright, I know we beat you up, but to not talk to us for 30 days? Was it really that bad? We just wanted for you to stop interfering with the fragile dynamic of this house. It's like a house of cards, move one, and the whole thing falls apart…do you see where I'm coming from, Lans?"
"…Yeah." Lana shot back bitterly at her
Lincoln comes by…
"Alright Lola, you said you wanted me to help you choreograph a ribbon dance or something? Let's start." Lincoln said with a smile
Lola turns to Lana…
"Did you hear something?"
"Oh, Lincoln wants to help you perform a ribbon dance."
"Who's Lincoln?"
"Stop trying to mess with me, Lols. Lincoln. Our brother."
"What are you talking about, Lana? The Loud House only has 10 girls in the family."
"I can hear everything you're saying, you know." Lincoln butted in
"No, there are 11 siblings, 10 girls and 1 boy."
"I know that you're a tomboy and you want a brother, but so far, none of the attempts turned out… 10 tries… 0 guys."
"Are you trying to make me mad, Lola?!"
"No, I am merely stating the truth, dear twin."
Lana leaves, Lincoln follows suit.
"Why is she pretending you don't exist, Linc? This is a new low, even for her." Lana questioned
"I believe I may have an answer for that." Lisa declared as she exits her room. Lana and Lincoln approach her
"What Lola is trying to do to Lincoln is an advanced psychological mind trick called "gaslighting". It's mostly used by stalkers…basically they twist the truth so much, that the person being gaslit doesn't know what the actual truth is. If I say "Lincoln doesn't exist" enough times, eventually, he'll start to believe it. This is what Lola is trying to do. She's crazy for doing it though, because this could permanently damage the person's brain." Lisa explained
"If that's the way she's going to play then…" Lana pondered
The scene changes to Lana and Lincoln doing activities too dirty for Lola to even get close to, like playing in the mud. Somehow, Lola actually goes up to them and says:
"Hey Lana, you look all alone. You know, I hate getting filthy but if it will make you happy, I'll play with you."
"Lincoln, do you hear something?"
"I think Lucy told me about these once, they're known as "banshees", spirits of women whose piercing wail will make your ears bleed and usually signals death."
"Luckily, it didn't wail yet, so we live another day."
"We need Lucy's book, she must have summoned it through an occultist ritual. We need to send it back to Hell where it came from!"
"Agreed, we need to keep our family safe."
Lincoln and Lana run inside, Lola follows them...
"We need to borrow a book, Lucy. I think you accidently summoned a banshee to this realm!"
"Gasp! Those things are extremely dangerous! Luckily, I've been training myself to become a spirit medium so I can drive it back without any ancient tomes…It looks like your banshee has possessed a person, we need to exorcise it from that mortal vessel!" Lucy shouted
"Spiritus, purgo vos a hic mortalis puella's corporis! In quod nomine ec quod Pater, quod Filius et quod Sanctus Spiritus, ego exsilium vos cessim ad Infernum!" Lucy bellowed the incantation, a flash of white light blinds the trio "Now, wear these earplugs until we banish it from this plane! It will shriek, so wear these if you don't want to die!" Lucy stated
Everyone puts the earplugs in. Lucy crafts a protective salt barrier so the spirit can't physically possess and/or kill them. She forcefully commands the banshee to leave! Lola is annoyed by all these overblown theatrics and leaves. Once she does, Lincoln, Lana and Lucy celebrate.
"The banshee has been exorcised back to Hell!"
"We did it!"
"Our family is safe!"
"Well, time for our next scene."
Luna, Luan and Lisa are at the next scene and Lola passes by them. Luan stops her.
"Hey you! Want to help with my magic trick? I need a volunteer and you just happened to pass by. So, want to do it?" Luan questioned
"Fine, but only so I can get out of here faster." Lola answered
"Great, now enter this box."
Lola does so. Luan closes the box.
"Now our lovely violaist will play her tune…"
Luna plays a seven-note piece on her viola.
"Next we open the box and see that no one is in the box!"
Lola shouts "You suck!"
Luan responds to the 0-member audience:
"Audience, my trick does not suck. Look, I even brought a scientist to assure you it's not a trick, well scientific expert?"
Lisa goes up to the box, Lola smacks her!
"Silly me, I must have hit my head on the box's side…anyway, there is no trapdoor, like with other similar tricks. Our volunteer has disappeared into thin air! Luan isn't just a magician, she might very well be a goddess with this kind of power!" Lisa proclaimed
Lola storms off stage. She sees Leni, so she tries to sit next to her.
"… just another day of being alone…"
"Hello, I'm right here?!" Lola shouted
"…just listening to the hustle and bustle of downtown Royal Woods, MI…"
"Maybe Lana wants me to do another thing for Covalence?"
"Covalence? What is that?" Lola asked, puzzled
"…We need to stop the Duality of Violence from beating up Lincoln again!"
"Duality of Violence? But there are 3 of us!" Lola exclaimed
Lola goes back outside, she sees Lana kneeling beside something black. Lola checks it… the writing on it says "Here lies Lincoln Loud".
"Why didn't she acknowledge your existence? She could have helped you…"
"She didn't push you out of the way of that limo…how could she be that cruel?!"
"Who are you talking about?" Lola asked, slowly approaching Lana
"Of course, the driver is that pompous prick, Lord Tetherby. But he hates Lincoln. How could one of our own sisters, just let him die? I tried to save you, but it was too late. Goodbye, Lincoln…"
Lana lays down a flower on the marker. Lola realizes that she was the one that let Lord Tetherby kill Lincoln by limo. Worse, Tetherby won't even go to prison! He's rich, so he can post the $6 million-dollar bail and walk out within an hour! She breaks down crying.
"Oh, Linky! I won't take you for granted ever again!" Lola decried while crying
"Do you really mean that, Lola?" Lana questioned
"Yes, Lans! I won't pretend anyone else doesn't exist anymore, promise!"
"How do I know you're not lying?"
"I swear, I don't want one of my siblings to die! If this is what happens, then I'll remember everyone's names and faces!"
"Ok, come on out, everyone!"
All the Covalence members (and Lisa and Lucy) come out. Lincoln is also there and alive and well.
"Yeah, Lisa told me about your gaslighting plan, so we agreed to give you a taste of your own medicine. Since you pretended Lincoln didn't exist, we came up with a situation where he didn't. That grave is just one of Lucy's Halloween decorations, with the inscription written in marker. The flash of light was a special effect from one of Lisa's inventions and the false trapdoor was an optical illusion painted on the underside of the box. Lincoln even went to Clyde's house, just in case you tried looking for him to convince yourself it wasn't a prank." Lana clarifies
"So, you pranked me?" Lola asked
"Sorry Lols, but even mom and dad agreed you went too far this time. We wanted to teach you that gaslighting people is too dangerous. Now please promise me, you won't use gaslighting for anything ever again? Because doing that is just heartless, even for you!"
"Ok, you've shown me enough… I, Lola Loud, will never psychologically manipulate my enemies ever again." Lola declares
"Ok then, from here onward, all psychological warfare is banned in the Loud house! No one is permitted to use it, not even our parents, for being too dangerous for anyone to handle, agreed?"
"Agreed!" Everyone shouted in unison
They all head back into the house…things are peaceful for now…
Author's Note: Wow, 2 author's notes on 1 chapter? That's very rare! But, this one is very minor. The fake story that Lana made up to describe Lincoln's death was that Lord Tetherby was out gallivanting around in his limo, doing rich people things, like showing everyone how superior he is, and talking down to the common folk. Well, one of Lincoln's sister's objects somehow got into the street and Lincoln, being a good brother, decides to retrieve the item. Well, Tetherby didn't see him and ran him over with his limo. Lana saw the whole thing go down from the upstairs window and rushes down to try and help save him, but he was killed on impact...Lana is such a good liar, isn't she? Remember when she lied about Lola killing her pet frog, Seymour, in the episode Sound of Silence? Yeah, even though Lana is a good liar, she really doesn't like to lie. In Sound of Silence, Lola blackmailed Lana into helping her get back at Lincoln for ignoring his sisters (in this story's version of the show's canon, anyway) and she does it here to teach Lola a lesson.
