AN: It's been a bit since I last updated. I'll repost this again once I get around to updating one of my more widely read stories, but I figured there was no harm in getting it out there now. Basically, I'm working on getting my law degree now, which means I have a lot less time to write. I'll get the hang of my new schedule eventually, but for the moment I'm still working out where to fit in my fun writing around all the writing I have to do for school stuff. That's also why I decided that I'd update one of my less complicated stories to help me get back in the groove of writing creatively again. Shame that didn't stop me from making this chapter several shades more dramatic than I'd originally planned, but I'm hoping that from this point on I can get back to the Ha Ha's (and other assorted noises) with this story, and stay there.
Anyway, enjoy. Or don't. I'm not your mom.
"Lisa!" Lori hissed as she was unceremoniously dragged into the scientist's room. It would be an understatement to say that the eldest Loud sibling's patience was being sorely tested. She had already been on the cusp of unloading her pent-up ire upon the younger girl around the point when she'd sedated Lynn via a blast to the face with some weird chemical, and having been herded into Lisa's room without any follow-up explanation, through the most...strangely rhythmic earthquake she'd ever experienced, had done nothing for her temperament. Just as she was considering putting her foot down (possibly literally, and upon her infuriatingly cryptic sister), Lisa held up one hand, and Lori once more asserted control over herself. And waited.
That was when Lisa spritzed her in the face with the spray bottle still being held in her other hand.
"Are you kidding me?!" Lori sputtered, trying to wipe away what liquid had gotten in her eyes, and spit out what had made it into her mouth (which had an admittedly pleasant, citrusy taste). "Why would you do that?!"
"I believe that was what Lynn would call a 'Hail Mary'," Lisa grumbled, frowning at the bottle. "Honestly, I was hoping it would save me the trouble of having a profoundly awkward conversation with you."
"More awkward than this one we're having about you drugging me!?"
"Attempting to drug you," Lisa corrected her, as she rolled up her sleeve and checked her watch. "And yes, considerably more so. But before continuing, we should probably wait another...thirty seconds or so."
Lori's fingers clenched into fists, her body visibly shaking with barely contained rage. "What could you possibly—WOAH!"
Even Lori wasn't entirely certain as to what she'd been planning to say, beyond being vaguely aware that a lot of it was likely going to break down into only semi-coherent screaming. But she didn't even manage to get that far as the ground beneath her suddenly lurched, sending her tumbling to the ground. This time, however, it didn't stop.
As Lori laid there, her face firmly planted in Lisa's carpet, desperately trying not to think about what horrible, potentially face-melting substances had probably seeped into its surface as a result of the younger girl's many, many, many scientific endeavors, the tremors that had been rocking her family home in spaced out intervals began to rise in their intensity.
WHAM
Lori flinched, squeezing her eyes shut as an impact that she could feel in her very bones struck against the house. And when she opened her eyes again, realized she was now looking up at the ceiling, having seemingly been disloged from her previous position.
WHAM
A shriek of terror escaped Lori's lips as she suddenly found herself suspended in the air, looking down upon the very same carpet that she'd just been laying upon, (though now with a distinct, Lori-shaped indentation gracing its surface). Operating on instinct, she flung her hands out, desperately grasping for something to hold to grab onto, but there was nothing readily at hand other than empty air and disappointment.
WHAM
Another impact, though Lori barely felt it, dazed as she was from having so abruptly been rendered earthbound once more. Half-remembered earthquake safety instructions flashing through her mostly numb head, Lori did what came naturally, and curled up into a ball, tucking her face against her knee, and wiling the world to start making sense again.
As suddenly as it had begun, the shaking...stopped. Lori lay there, counting individual heartbeats, desperately hoping that the sigh of relief she so desperately wanted to let loose was finally warranted—
And then there was sound. A roar, unfathomable in its magnitude pierced the air, her world quickly becoming engulfed in sound, and fury.
But just as quickly as it began, it stopped. The house heaved one last time, before finally settling down upon its foundations.
"You can get up now."
Lori jerked in surprise. After what she'd just lived through (presumably, the jury was actually still out on that particular detail), something about the gentle suggestion she'd just been given was far more terrifying than the topsy-turvey reality she'd just briefly found herself living through. But then her eyes landed upon the source of the voice. Her sister, Lisa, calmly offering a hand up to her older sister.
That Lisa was doing this while nonchalantly standing on her wall was easily the least weird thing Lori had experienced this night. But the part of her that was still capable of rational thought, nevertheless demanded an explanation regardless.
"Magnetic soles", Said Lisa, apparently intuiting her thoughts. The scientist took a few steps closer to the ground and easily stepped from one surface to the other. "They're the same kind I made for Lincoln on his birthday."
"What was that?" Lori asked, groggily, as she slowly climbed to her feet, assisted by the shorter girl at her side. "And why did it sound like the monster from those movies Lincoln's always watching?"
"That, dear sibling, was Luna," Lisa explained, glancing down at her watch. "And she was...a little faster than usual. Interesting. I wonder if that's a result of the recently added emotional component."
Lori sat on Lisa's bed, gobsmacked, as she watched the footage being displayed on Lisa's laptop, which was appropriately situated atop her lap. When the video had run its course, the younger girl reached over and paused the feed, which now portrayed a rather heartwarming scene of her giant siblings peacefully slumbering in each other's arms in the backyard. Prior experience suggested that they would remain in this state for several more hours. For Lisa, this particular sight was something that she always looked forward to peeking in on. There was just something about at seeing her siblings, changed as they were, still be able to find comfort to such a degree in each other's, that brought her a strange sort of peace of mind, which was something she valued during these turbulent times.
Shame that wasn't the part Lori had requested to see.
"Why...did you show me that?" Lori asked in a small voice, her eyes still glued to the frozen screen.
"You wanted to know what's been going on. In my defense, I distinctly remember warning you that this would be a 'profoundly awkward conversation.'"
"You...are...right," Lori grudgingly admitted, massaging her aching temples. "But come on, I thought you were going to tell me they had some kind of...horrible disease or something. Not...that."
"On the contrary," Lisa corrected her. "Luna and Lincoln are healthier than they've ever been."
"Yeah. I noticed."
"Not that," The younger girl rolled her eyes. "Though...you're not wrong. Their sessions have been getting lengthier and more intense over time. I've actually been graphing some fascinating data—"
"Lisa!"
"Right, sorry," The brunette apologized, clearing her throat. "I'm talking about their physiology, which has become something...remarkable. Honestly, at this point, I'm considering classifying our siblings as an entirely new species altogether. Homo Ingens, perhaps? Though I suspect our brother would prefer something less grammatically cohesive and a little more colorful, like...Homo Giganticus."
"Isn't that a bit much?" Lori asked incredulously. "I mean, yeah, they've both gone through a pretty severe growth spurt, but they're still the same old Luna and Lincoln on the inside."
"The fact that neither of them has suffered catastrophic organ failure would suggest otherwise. The human body wasn't designed to operate at this scale, Lori. That our siblings remain not only fully functional, but are thriving in their new state, implies that there's been a...a fundamental change! An evolution of some kind!"
"Thriving?"
"The changes didn't stop with their size. Surely you've noticed how much more womanly Luna has become in the days since her transformation." Lisa gestured with her hands, her motions painting a picture of an extremely feminine form.
"No, I haven't," Lori replied, flatly. "She's literally the size of a house, Lisa. Bigger, actually. So if that's true, it's getting lost in her...overall...bigness."
"Well, I know you've noticed Lincoln's developing physique."
"I DON'T..." Lori paused to clear her throat. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Her refusal might have been more convincing had it not been for the distinct shade of pink that had begun to creep across her face.
"Truly?" Lisa deadpanned. "Strange, I could have sworn there was evidence to the contrary. If only I was engaged in research that required me to monitor our siblings' conditions at all times..."
She reached over and tapped a key on the laptop. In response, a smaller window opened up, one which displayed a still image of the hug that Lincoln and Lori had shared earlier that day. The smile plastered across Lori's face as Lincoln tightly held her against his chest could have lit up the entire town, and then some.
"...There's nothing wrong with being affectionate with my little brother," Said Lori, trying to keep her voice neutral."Lincoln needs that emotional support. Especially right now."
"Indeed," Lisa replied, noncommittally. With another keystroke, she dismissed the incriminating image, once again leaving the screen displaying only the live feed of Lincoln and Luna cuddling in the backyard. That Lori's eyes narrowed, and her hands clenched just a little more tightly at the sight, did not escape the scientist's notice.
"Alright," Lori said with an exasperated sigh. "Luna's filling out, and Lincoln's sprouting muscles like...some simile involving dad's seafood menu. What does this mean?"
"So you did notice Lincoln's enhanced musculature," Lisa observed, her lips quirking upward into the barest hint of a smile. There was no response from the blonde, but the sudden tightness that developed in her jawline was fairly telling.
"It means just what I said," She continued. "Lincoln and Luna didn't simply get bigger. They've become something entirely different, and their bodies are playing catch up. From what I've observed, the process they're currently undergoing is not that dissimilar from when a normal human goes through puberty. Just far more intense, due to a combination of the suddenness, and the magnitude of the changes that were inadvertently induced."
Lori paled, ever so slightly. "And that's why...they're..."
"Copulating," Lisa interjected, seeing no point in beating around the bush. "Frequently and vigorously, I might add."
Lori blanched at the younger girl's complete lack of tact, which was only mildly disguised by her verboseness.
"H-how long has this been going on?"
"Since the day of Lincoln's transformation, more or less."
"WHAT!?"
"Oh yes," Lisa confirmed with a nod of her head. "They managed to fight off their urges for a day or so, I presume in some part, at least, due to their need to adjust to their new situation. But nature took it's course fairly quickly, and it's been business as usual ever since."
"And I'm only just NOW FINDING OUT!?" Lori exclaimed. "How is that even POSSIBLE!?"
Lisa held up the spray bottle and waggled it from side to side.
"...Oh." Lori's voice lowered, and her eyes narrowed as she focused her attention on the scientist anew. "Right. The drugging."
"You make it sound so sinister," Lisa replied, exasperated. "It's a harmless chemical of my own devising. When applied in precisely the right dosage, no more and no less, it merely renders the subject more...agreeable, to certain persuasive arguments. I discretely spread some around when it looks like Lincoln and Luna are looking especially amorous, and it becomes possible to have a nice, family conversation without anybody noticing that the house is falling apart around them."
"The house—?"
"Which is an issue that I am also addressing," Lisa continued, waving her hand dismissively. "By this time next week, our home will be able to double as a bomb shelter."
"I just...I just wish you hadn't taken it upon yourself to make that decision, Lisa."
"And I wish I hadn't been put in a position where I had to make that decision, elder sister," Lisa replied, softly, looking up at the older girl. "But look at where we are now. How do you think you would have reacted to the discovery when it was still emotionally raw? What of the rest of our family? Especially our parents? And can you imagine what it would be like for Luna and Lincoln to have surrendered to their biological urges, and then be met with their family's horrified reactions?"
Lori winced as visions of potential outcomes flashed through her mind, none of them pleasant.
"I...guess I can't disagree with that," She grudgingly admitted. "Even though I'd really like to."
"It wasn't supposed to be a permanent solution. It was always intended as a stopgap, something to buy me time until I could either return our siblings to normal, or come up with a better solution. And in my defense, it was working. I just didn't count on you developing an immunity." Lisa frowned thoughtfully. "Which also seems to be happening with Lynn. I may need to step up my timetable for that particular problem."
"At least tell me you aren't drugging the entire neighborhood."
"Of course not." Lisa scoffed. "That would be incredibly impractical to maintain. No, in return for keeping what the Pentagon is referring to as 'The Loud Problem' under control—"
"What?!"
"Yes. We've graduated from being banned from local pools, to being a matter of national security. Anyway, along with a hefty research grant, which is what we've been using to pay for our siblings' expenses, I've also been allocated certain resources to use as needed. A combination of a strictly enforced media blackout, the designation of a sizeable area around our neighborhood as a no-fly zone, and the odd cash bribe, has allowed for Lincoln and Luna's activities to stay strictly local."
"And sometimes..." She leaned over and tapped a few keys on the laptop, bringing up another video recording. "The problem presents its own solution."
"Hey, Louds!" Shouted the unmistakable voice of their cantankerous neighbor. "What are you doing? Violating societal norms?"
"BUTT OUT, GROUSE!" Resounded Luna's thunderous voice. "DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE!"
"...Carry on then."
"Wow," said Lori as the recording terminated.
"Indeed," Lisa agreed as she closed the laptop and removed it from Lori's lap. "Luna can be quite temperamental when the mood is upon her."
"I guess I can't blame her." The blonde muttered under her breath. Though not enough to prevent Lisa from hearing her.
"Was there anything else you wanted to know?" She asked, drawing the older girl's attention once more. "It's actually quite liberating being able to finally talk to someone about this. For example, I'd initially designed a new kind of cleaning bot to help with the aftermath. But my prototype wasn't able to keep up with the workload, so I started looking into a means of mass producing them, and—"
"NO!" Lori shook her head emphatically. "No, no. Not...right now, Lisa. You've given me plenty to think about. I think I'm just going to go to bed and try to...process...this."
"Fair enough." The younger girl hopped down off her bed and moved to the door, politely holding it open for her sibling. Lori nodded her thanks and made to take her leave.
"Oh, and Lori?" She asked, as her dazed-looking sister began shuffling out the door, causing the older girl to stop just outside the entryway. "You shouldn't feel bad about your own...affections. I believe that was the word you used."
"My what?"
"I'm just trying to reassure you that you aren't alone in that regard."
"And what, exactly, do you mean by that?" The elder Loud asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"...Apparently nothing at all," Lisa replied, diplomatically.
"...Alright then," Said Lori, cautiously.
"Good night, Lori." Said the younger girl.
"Good night, Lisa," Responded the elder. And with those social pleasantries exchanged, the brunette closed her door, leaving Lori alone in the hallway with her thoughts.
Lori shook her head, hoping to dislodge some of the thoughts that were racing through her mind. But tonight had been enlightening in all the wrong ways, and the knowledge she now bore could not be so easily dismissed. Accepting that she had a long night of thinking before her, Lori turned and started heading towards her own room...
...only to stop, as she heard a faint rustling coming from behind her. From Lincoln's room.
Her big sister instincts kicking in, Lori darted backward and pressed her back against the wall. Then, she began to slowly creep towards the room in question, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as she noticed that the door was slightly ajar.
She took a deep breath, silently praying that if she was about to come face to face with one of Lana's "friends", that it would be one of the smaller, and less aggressive ones. Then in a single motion, she grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open.
There were a great many potential intruders Lori had predicted she might find herself faced with, but the sight of her younger sister in their little brother's bed, had most definitely not been among them.
"H-hey there, Lori", Leni greeted her, shakily. Her body was completely obscured by Lincoln's comforter, which she'd wrapped tightly around herself, looking for all the world like a big, blonde caterpillar on the cusp of hibernation. Shimmying around a bit, she managed to free one of her arms, which she then used to wave to the older girl.
"H-hey, Leni," Lori said in kind. It did not escape her notice that the younger girl's now visible shoulder was completely bare.
An awkward silence fell upon the room, both girls fidgeting uncomfortably, neither of them certain what they should say.
"So..." Leni ventured, tucking her arm back in her makeshift cocoon. "Was there...something you needed? Linky's not here. But...you probably knew...that..."
"No, no," Lori emphatically shook her head. "I know. I just heard a noise, and I thought..."
"Oh. Yeah, no. Totally. Sorry."
"It's fine. I'm just...gonna go."
"...Okay."
That semblance of a conversation complete, Lori back peddled out of the room with as much dignity as she could manage, and shut the door behind her.
"I officially declare this day over," She muttered to herself. Then sprinted back to her room, ardently refusing to get caught up in any more revelations before she could get something remotely resembling a proper night's sleep.