June 24th, 2026

Linka, Lily, Liby and Lacy were on the Wii console, battling it out on a Mario Kart game. The two youngest girls howled in laughter. The television was on the left side of the living room, and half of it was occupied by them. Lincoln observed them, chuckling silently from the wall outside the kitchen.

It was a little after twelve in the afternoon. All the others were assembled at the table, listening to Lynn, who had a small, but not necessarily important, announcement. Luan had just wrapped up her story, in a session of sharing what happened in the missing decade. She lowered to a whisper when she got to the part where she had met up with the new and improved Lincoln, which didn't shock anyone actually.

Everyone had been filled in by mostly everything. Lincoln hadn't talked, but Lori was able to fill in much of it.

"So, Linka made a friend, if that's the right word. I'd say she's a pretty nice person, you know? So, I've kinda set up something. I hope that's okay," Lynn spoke, looking at Luna.

"Aw. Yeah, that's fine," Luna agreed. "When is it, by the way?"

She looked at her phone to make sure she read the date correctly. Her eyes were still sleepy when she first did so earlier in the morning. "It's actually today... Actually, it- Oh, it's around now or so."

"...And you didn't say anything until right fucking now?!" Luna scolded.

Lynn only shrugged her shoulders. "It slipped, what can I say? Besides, we're not looking like we just woke up. I'm pretty sure I'm acceptable. Although you might need a second shower," Lynn laughed.

Luna sniffed herself, then gagged a bit. "Is this why I sleep in the couch? It is, isn't it? Being half reptile isn't easy, you know!" Luna scooted off of her chair, hurrying for another shower, while the others joined in laughter with Lynn.

Lori was enjoying herself at the moment. Ever since the little "favor" she was forced to do for the woman behind the Carol girl, there was no other thing that she had to do for her. Yet.

While she knew there was going to be something else coming, with the mysterious woman's plan having failed, their way. She didn't know when this was or what it meant for her. It was terrifying to know she acted in something that was maimed for them. She asked no questions about why they were wanted by this mastermind, but that didn't mean she never wondered it.

They had already suffered more than enough. What merciless damage could she inflict on them if she kept going. But... There was also the leverage they seemed to have on her. The only thing that could keep her as she was right now; their spy, in a sense. A successful infiltration, in light terms.

Still, there hasn't been an update for whatever was going on, and Lori only hoped it was done, forever forgotten.

"Hey, you okay there, Lori?" Lynn took notice in Lori's wandering off. "Still thinking about it, aren't you?"

Lori tapped her nails on the table. "A lot of things are just... I don't know if all this is okay, you know?"

Most of them all gave zombified nod of agreements and murmured "yes" or "yeah" as low as they were able to.

"Well, I'm gonna probably head out," Lynn said, nudging at Lori's arm. "It's fun hearing them scream about it. We gotta enjoy ourselves, guys." She gave them a smile, one the type to reassure them this was gonna be fine.

Still looking forwards, she grabbed for Lincoln's hand while he was still watching over Lily and Linka having a good time. "Let's go, big boy," she said in a subtle and somewhat flirty fashion, locking onto his hand and headed out.

Linka tilted her head, stopping her character from driving, to see him leave. "Where are you going?" Her voice had a tone of concern, wrapped in eagerness to know what he was doing once out those doors.

He knew she worried for him. It was like Linka looked past his experiences on survival and fighting. Hell, maybe she still saw eleven year old Lincoln Loud in a ripped body. That was probably it.

"We'll be back in a bit, little one," he answered, looking into her eyes. There was no shimmer of hurt in there, but Linka herself saw that Lincoln was being truthful, for he didn't look away. They stared, until she smiled and waved goodbye.

Lynn tugged away at his arm, only doing so gently as to not rip off his arm. "I'm gonna have a great time," she giggled.

"Just..." He sighed, not exactly knowing if this was something he enjoyed for himself. "Yeah, okay."

As they shut the door behind them, Luna wrapped up her shower. She dried herself firmly. Her breats bobbed as she ran the towel down her chest. She lifted and shook each leg, similar to how a dog would dry off. She then wrapped it around herself, while the steam in the bathroom was flowing around.

A knock at the door had told them it was time. Linka herself had forgotten about it.

"So, she's our neighbor, right?" Lana asked.

"It's nice to know that we've not gone unnoticed. Hoped this place would be friendly," Lola added.

Lacy greeted the guest with a warm grin, "Hello! May I help you?"

"Is there a Lynn or Linka available?"

Linka knew the voice already. It was the nice young woman with a fairly long name in which she had trouble remembering.

Lacy was clearly lost here. "I'm sorry, who-"

Lori took over from there. "It's okay, Lacy." She excused the clone with a shoulder tap, while looking grimly at her.

Indeed it wasn't. Her blackmailer, with a red shirt and black skirt, had come directly to their house, for some unknown and obviously dark reason. Lori wasn't at all expecting this at all. It sent chills down her spine. "You've been-"

This is who Linka and Lynn met awhile back, and kept it hidden away from the others. What were the chances? Or, maybe she was surveiling them, after Carol was led here. Yes, that was it. She was doing her own homework, during the recent events that started with Carol.

"You surprised to see me here?" Riley seemed to enjoy this, casually asking her like they were locked in a game. Her sweet smile was a sinister one underneath, only seen by Lori herself. It reminded her of Lola's own when they were still young.

"Come on in," Lori curtly said.

Linka greeted the surprise guest, and handed her the Wii rectangular control. "Come and play!" She sat Lori down with her as Riley began playing along with the other three. Lori was expecting something that would require a battle to happen.

"Ahem," Lori squeaked.

"Oh, right! How rude of me!" Riley returned the controller to Linka. "Proper salutations are in order, right?"

Lori was aware that Riley was merely pretending at this point, but took her to properly meet and greet her prey. She was disgusted to give her a grand tour. "Hey, guys. This is the person Lynn was expecting. What is your name? I didn't catch it." She had to play along.

Luna arrived just in time, smelling fresh as she was able to. She had seen her once before, and Luna was struck with a creepy type of person. But Luna saw that she was just that nice. "How do you do? I'm Luna." She shook Riley's hand casually.

"Hey, there. I'm Riley. Riley Doubt," she informed, showing them a badge that served as authentication. "I guess you could say I'm rich, but..."

"Well, this-" Luna examined the badge. "Sounds very complex. That's pretty cool, though!"

It dawned on Lori that there was more to Riley than she thought. "So... Riley L. Doubt, huh? What's the L stand for?"

"Ugh, it's a... That's personal, I'm sorry," she said with a lower tone.

"Oh, aw," Luna squeaked, hitting Lori with her tail she shown while no one looked her way.

"Yeah, anyways, welcome to the neighborhood! Unfortunately, I hadn't time to bake cookies or something."

"Don't sweat it, d-," Luna had to act a bit more formal here, without the excessive use of her rocker side. She recovered with a fake cough, which most of the saw through. "So, Riley, you got a family?"

"Uh, no actually, I'm single but, in a way, I'm married to my work," she answered. "So, where is Lynn? I thought she'd be here. Also, I didn't think it'd be a big family I would be meeting today. Small house, wouldn't you say?"

Luna shrugged her shoulders, "I guess."

"So, anyways..." Riley had a black watch, one that was very familar. She seemed to poke at it, while still looking at Luna. Then, she gave Lori a wink of some sort, which in turn, alerted her to danger. She stood up, now even more fearful for another fight.

It soon came, when Carol Pingrey jumped through the window. "Hey, kiddies! Did you miss me?" Her hands this time took the shape of crowbars. "Let's make this more interesting!"

The android caved down through the second floor, nearly crushing Linka and Lily. Lacy moved them out of the way in time while the older Louds got up from their asses and formed a defense line.

"I hope we didn't intrude," the android said. The intruders linked side by side.

Luna was the first to attack, leaping into Carol, transforming in mid-air. DEREK calculated the impact time, stopping her with a critical punch.

"Hck!" She recovered, wiping him away with her tail. The speedster twins rushed in, swooshing around the three. DEREK fired red beams from his palms, hitting the two effectively. The runners were down, leaving the three clones to strike at once.

Lupa shoved Carol hard into the wall. Lacy and Liby moved for a duo attack shot at DEREK.

Lily and Linka hid themselves at the end of the kitchen, taking cover down by the sink. Riley moved to Lori, forming a sinister smile and pointed to the three clones. "Go on, take them down," she ordered.

The reluctant Lori had no idea this was coming, and wasn't ready to make the choices she was going to make. She stood in place, unable to willfully bring herself to act against them, despite the leverage Riley had on her. And for that, Lori also didn't want to defy. And Lori made her choice; she grabbed hold of Liby and Lacy by their heads, knocking them out with each other's skulls.

"Huh?" Lupa was distracted by Lori's move, long enough for DEREK to strike on the clear opening. She went down, reaching her hand out to Lori. "What are- What are you doing?" Lori subdued her with a firm kick to her face, probably breaking her nose as well.

Linka had the courage to peek out. At first, she thought they had won, but the two intruders, both unharmed in general, but something else seemed to be taking place. "Lori?"

"Alright. Now... Where are Lincoln and Lynn?" Riley poked Lori's forehead repeatedly. "I bet they're having sex. Yeah, that's my guess, just like he and..." Riley then looked around. "Where is Luan?! You two, find the girl!"

Lana wasn't fast enough to bring Lily and Linka up to safety in a room above where Luan was delivered to. She opened the window, intending to make a run for it. Everything had gone to main silence, until she heard clanking metallic footsteps that let her know the score of this short fight.

She had never snuck out through the window, so she didn't know the drill. But she risked it, letting herself fly for a few seconds. It was a scary experience, worse, or maybe equal to, than a comedy show where the audience booed and dissed her.

It was a hell of a landing, which hurt like fuck. Her left leg was crushed in between her right leg and the not-so-soft ground. She forced herself to drag herself away from the house. "Help! Help me!"

Carol was led to her instantly with Luan's terrified screams. "She's over here!"

Riley and Lori both followed Carol outside, while DEREK jumped through the window above. "We've got you cornered, nowhere to run, girlie!"

"No... Leave them here. I'm only here for-" Riley displayed something Lori and the others had seen already; she vanished in a red blurring line, speeding back in and out with Linka. "You three, regroup back at Carol's place with her. There are only two unaccounted Louds to dispatch."

Lori didn't expect Riley to be a full fledged speedster. She and the two, who observed her coldly, stared at each other. She seized Linka's hand, while Carol tossed a tiny teleportation device down. The familiar blue portal took form over the green grass, jumping with the robot. Lori and Linka entered through it as one, the latter giving the little girl a relaxing hand gesture. "Don't worry, okay?"

"What's going on? Where are we going?" Linka landed in the empty house, feeling naked in a sense. "Lori?"

Lynn and Lincoln were returning after a ten block walk. They came back content, laughing as loud and happy as life finally allowed them to be. Luan was staring up into the blue, holding her aching foot closely. "Wha- Luan!" Lynn rushed to her, and helped her up. "What the hell are-"

Lincoln noticed signs of the attack that they had just missed.

Inside, Lily was shaking each of the unconscious sisters. She slapped the less stronger ones, waking up Lacy and the twins.

"What the fuck?" Lincoln moved in, looking at the chaos in the living room. Lynn helped the limping Luan, by carrying her, back into the house.

"What happened here?"

"L-Lori... They came... That girl you invited is-" she groaned heavily. "They were with her. The blonde in light blue and our robot are with her. And that's not all. Lori left with them, and she took Linka!"

"Wh- No, she couldn't have, she-"

"She did, Lynn! She was barking orders! I- I couldn't do anything... Where were you two?"

Lincoln heard Luan's rant, "They took Linka? Damn them!"

"Where, Luan? Where did they go?" Lynn wanted to shake it out of her, after setting her down among the recovering others.

"They teleported away. Th- The girl, Riley, she's a speedster, too!"

"Wh-wha-" And Lynn didn't see an orange cannonball crash into her. The impact was so strong that she broke through two walls and ended up in the backyard.

Lincoln stood up, but wasn't fast enough to attack Riley. She, appearing in Lincoln's trademark orange and blue attire, grabbed his neck, and with the advantage she had, she used him as a shield, running into traffic and knocking oncoming cars. It was vehicular carnage at most, but she didn't seem to care for the lives she was risking. And that ticked him off.

"If you thought you could get rid of me that easily, you're mistaken! If you think this is bad, just wait and see what else I'll do!"

His attempts to break free were futile. For the first time ever since the ordeal with the Freights was over, he had never believed he could be bested physically. Or maybe he had all the luck in not tangling with another pheno. Lynn was above his strength, and she seemed to be the only one stronger than him, which he accepted.

He wondered if the twins were also this way, for he had never thought about it. Funny, this time he didn't feel like barfing this time.

Riley laughed as he still persisted to fight his way out, stil getting his back rammed into numerous cars that skidded from their lanes and were sent flying all over.

"Wh-Who are you?" He gasped.

"You don't remember me, right? Haha, of course you don't! Let me reintroduce myself..."

She sped up her running, which he felt, with the gust of air trying so hard to blow away the hair on the back of his head.

"I'm Liberty Loud."

AN: The final three arcs start off here, and boy, oh boy, are there a few more things that shall be unveiled underneath the black tarp it's hidden under.