You have received a strange hand delivered message addressed to "Anyone reading this", it invites you to a private chat with a self-proclaimed 'Celebrated author' who wishes to discuss their latest work with you. The address leads to a dilapidated warehouse in a sketchy part of town where a wild eyed looking man wearing a U.S. army jacket, with unkempt hair and stubble waits outside. The strange man scratches at his chin while giving you the once over with his crazy eyes, before giving you a nod and speaking.
"The Cat's inside, no funny business, or you get the crowbar!"
The strange man produces a thick crowbar with a 'valve' corporate logo on it, and whacks it into his palm. You notice the crowbar bounces and is made of rubber.
The man gets the door for you and gestures for you to enter. Inside a dark hallway leads to a door partially left cracked open, with light spilling forth. Classical music can be heard playing from inside. A strange voice that falls more on the masculine spectrum but with a faux upperclass lilt echoes from the room.
"Ahh! My first guest! Please, enter, enter!"
As you approach the door as the voice has asked, and gently push it open to the room within, your greeted by a very strange sight. It appears you have just entered a reading room of a fabulous Victorian mansion. The room is made up of walls with the interlacing patterns dark greys, reds, and blacks upon it. There are several book shelves festooning the walls, covered in different books on a variety of topics.
On one wall a roaring fire sits within the fireplace, crackling.
There are two, highbacked chairs, with soft velvet adoring them and a small polished wooden table set next to each.
But perhaps the strangest thing, is the occupant of the chair facing the door.
It is a large grey tabby cat, you estimate to be at least 15 to 20 pounds. Someone has fitted a tiny smoking jacket upon it's frame, it's two front legs and paws going through the upper sleeves. The cat has shining green eyes, and currently has one leg high up in the air, with it's head buried in it's crotch, cleaning it's furry balls.
There is a glass of wine sitting on the table next to the cat. But perhaps the strangest thing of all, is the gigantic framed picture directly behind the cat.
It depicts Lori Loud, in all her beautiful glory, a long blue dress on, staring wistfully at the eyes of her lover, their hands entwined. The lover's body is clearly that of Bobby Santiago, only someone has taken a large picture of the cat's head, cut it out, and pasted it over Bobby's face, making it look as if Lori is gazing wistfully at the Cat.
It is also then you realize, there is no ceiling to the walls, or rather there is a ceiling, but it's the ceiling of the warehouse. The walls are merely wood set pieces, the books just covers over blocks of wood, and the roaring fire nothing but a cheap TV playing 'Fireplace for your home' on Netflix.
The only things of value in the room, are the chairs and obviously the giant picture of Lori.
The cat looks up at you, finished with it's task, and almost seems to smile, before a voice emanates from it.
"Ahh, hello there! I am Catspeaker, welcome, welcome, I'm so glad to meet you! Yes, you may bask in my presence for a moment. As you can see, I'm a cat of culture, and taste."
The cat reaches out with a paw towards the wine glass on the table next to it. The cat does not have opposable thumbs, it is really uncertain how the cat will drink this wine, even if it can drink this wine. The grey paw of the cat touches the thin neck of the wine glass and proceeds to slide it.
Right off the table where it lands on the floor with a thud and shatters, spilling wine everywhere. The cat seems satisfied with this and continues.
"Now, on to the matter of business! You see, I originally wanted to have this chat a little closer to the end, but recent events have made me decide to go forward with it, at least partially for the moment. There is still another conversation we must have, but not until I have written a few more chapters.
And writing chapters is what I've been doing. 5K on the current one in case you're interested. Depending on my schedule I hope to have it done by next week at the latest.
But, it is time to address a few things!
First there is the matter of some very insightful criticism I have received. This is not my attempt to deflect it, or not own up to it, but it is my attempt to… try and explain a few things, and where this story is going, and what has been happening within it.
It's funny really when I think back to my original inception of this story. It was supposed to be nothing more than a 10 chapter at the most, Lucycoln story. Because I like Lucycoln, but I like a lot of pairings with our dear Lincoln. I like Ronniecoln, I like Lenicoln, I like Lynncoln. I also love Loricoln, my dear sweet, beautiful, wonderful, flawless Lori Loud…but, she is not a route in this story!
I wanted to write a compelling Lucycoln story, one that would be practice for potentially even greater stories on my part. I knew somewhat that it would be trite and cliché', but I hoped it would be at least entertaining.
I wrote one chapter and posted it.
I received criticism, I received hate from those who opposed Loudcest, those who are against Lincoln knowing the sweet sinful love of his sisters. Calling it into the cliché' story it was, and how common Lucycoln stories were.
This did not sit well with myself! It made me double down and decide to try and write the most realistic and grounded Loudcest story I could! I decided to add another element, a love triangle with Ronnie Anne! She had always been meant to be there as a background figure, but then I decided to bring her to the foreground! Lucy would have competition, Lucy could in fact, Lose!
I wrote, and the reception was great, and I enjoyed it… and then I threw in a casual line that would change EVERYTHING.
You see, in chapter 11, after Lincoln has his panic attack, and Lucy calms him down, she off handedly mentions that Lynn and Leni had feelings for him too.
This started as nothing more than an easter egg, a way to pay tribute to two of the most popular ships outside of the Lucycoln one. A way to pay homage of what had come before.
But then I realized… wait a moment, I introduced this. This is part of the plot now. This means Leni and Lynn are active in their love for Lincoln, they should be part of the story!"
The cat looks off for a moment, it's attention seeming on nothing, before it begins to chitter, it's lower jaw flexing rapidly, as it watches a fly buzzing about the room. The fly gets to close, the cat baps it out of the air, then turns it's attention back to you.
"Stephen King, one of my favorite authors, has written that the characters of his stories, often take it in new directions. They derail his plans, as they make the arguments for the way they would do things. Now of course, neither Mr. King or myself believes the characters actually talk to us. But we do believe in getting in the head space of the character, looking at everything that came before, looking at that characters wants and desires, and seeing them act on them with an internally consistent manner.
Mr. King nor myself makes a detailed plot line for everything that's going to happen. I start with an idea, I have several scenes I know I want to happen, and I have an idea for the ending. Then I write, let the characters direct me, and try to influence things to get to those scenes that I have in mind.
I have a dear friend whose another writer, one I met through this very hobby of Loud House fanfiction! Who meticulously writes out detailed plot outlines of every single story beat, every consistent thematic element which will pay forward, like dominoes one hitting another. I'm mesmerized by his ability to do this. His stories maintain complete internal consistency from beginning to end, he knows exactly what is happening, what is going to happen and is able to make it so.
This is where I differ, in my approach of, keeping things up in the air. It leads to the story, growing… evolving, going in directions I didn't anticipate… becoming a horrible, ungodly thing that continues to evolve and change and refuse to die.
Or maybe it's more like a Dragonball Villain that taunts us with, 'This isn't even my final form!'
What I'm getting at is… this story has changed, and has evolved, BUT…
And this is the very big BUTT!
I still try to make it internally consistent, and I'm still making it run along it's original themes, ideas, and the places I wanted to take it.
Your feedback has also played a large role in all of this. I really do appreciate it, and perhaps it's a little cheating on my part, but if one of you suggested an idea I thought was better than my own, I often went with it.
The fans wanted to see Leni, I had mentioned Leni.. It made sense for her to be in this story. As it did with Lynn.
Is this story now a Harem story?
Maybe in the sense of there being multiple women competing for Lincoln's affections, but I'm trying to avoid much of the typical tropes of that kind of media. This story is attempting to be grounded, but if I made it as absolutely realistically grounded as possible, then none of the sisters would have acted on their feelings. They would of kept them locked up, and let Lincoln live a normal life.
But that was not the story I wanted to tell. So the suspension of disbelief is in these characters acting on those forbidden feelings. The groundedness is in the realistic reactions of those involved and hopefully their consistent internal logic and feelings.
This story started as a single, became a duo and has now entered into a fatal four way. Part of that involves the redemption of Lucy Loud.
Yes, I did mean that. I have been trying to build a picture of Lucy, a girl who does love her brother dearly with a true purity that is honest… but is also 16 and immature. However, the path to her reconciliation is being bare… In order for her to be a true potential partner for Lincoln she must wrestle with and overcome her own demons.
Just as Lincoln will have to reconcile with the wrongs he has been doing.
Does this mean Lucy will win?
Obviously I'm not going to reveal that just yet, but she is not going to be left as the selfish young girl clinging to her brother using guilt and sex to manipulate him… But hopefully rise as a phoenix and appear as the real woman she is meant to be.
Just as Ronnie Anne and Lincoln must confront the issues that led to their original break up, if they are too become a couple again.
Leni as a fully mature woman who has suffered in silence for years, needs to overcome her own passiveness, and willingness for her sisters to be happy over herself, if she is to claim the prize.
And Lynn? Well, that would be telling. You'll have to wait for next chapter.
In any case, I apologize if this story is no longer what you want. If it has transformed into something you're no longer interested in. I let my own ambition, my own desire to excite my audience, and my attempt to write the most epic Loudcest story I could think of, change my original intentions.
This story has been going on for quite awhile now. It's long, and I can't believe I began it back so many months ago. But there is nothing but the rest of Thanksgiving, and then onto the final chapters. I do hope you will enjoy them, and continue to take this trip with me.
I do hope the behind the scenes elements of the writing and story direction are a little more clear now. This is the longest piece of fiction I've ever written. It's been a wonderful activity on my part, something that's made me feel better about myself, because I can look at how much I've created and see the discipline that's taken.
But at heart, I love the Loud House fan community, and I love being a part of it. I love interacting with all of you, even if it's only through these stories and author notes.
Well, I think that covers everything for now! I'm sorry this wasn't a real chapter, but don't worry, like I said, it's being worked on! Hopefully I'll see you all again soon, and Happy Holidays!
Now, you may go."
The cat brings it's paw up, and begins to lick it, cleaning it. The wild eyed man with the rubber crowbar steps through the door, and gestures at you, "Show's over! We got more people comin! Git!"