Pushover or Payback

by Just Some Guy Online

Lincoln grows tired of the conflict at home and leaves, when he encounters a group of new "friends" who teach him to be more assertive and to stand up for himself. But he soon learns these people are not who they seem, and when he learns of their horrific plans, he must reunite with his family and save Royal Woods from certain danger!

15. The Stolen School

So, here I am uploading another chapter early. I don't know what happened, but the update date' filter feature on wasn't working correctly, so when I uploaded chapter 14 on Wednesday, it didn't reappear on page 1 of the Loud House Fanfictions most recently updated list, unlike usual. As a result, I know some people may not have seen it yet. If so, go and read chapter 14 before this one (to be honest, that glitch probably cost me quite a few views). If you have already done so, then here we are with another chapter, which I decided to upload early. Now that Lincoln is back home, it turns out he may not have much time to settle in, as he and his family may be setting off to face Viribus and his minions. This chapter gives a little bit of focus on the younger siblings, who are still stuck inside the school with the villains, as well as a bit of realisation that these antagonists mean business. Let's dive in…

Viribus and his Disciples had successfully seized and maintained control of the school for a whole day. As the night was coming, and fitting with the plan in motion, the children and teachers were still present in the building. They weren't allowed to leave, as Viribus constantly had his four minions taking shifts guarding the outside and inside of the building, making sure nobody could escape. This was an especially crucial thing as police and angry parents were beginning to head over to the location in retaliation of what was going on.

Of course, as time went on and the captured ones became more distressed and desperate, it was only a matter of time before somebody tried, as did a trio of kids…

Eddie: "Hey, you two! Get back inside!" he shouted to two children who walked out the front door of the building and intended to head home.

Boy 1: "We're not staying here anymore! School finished hours ago!"

Hilary: "If Master Viribus says nobody is to leave, then nobody is leaving. You will return to your place of stay inside the school immediately!"

Boy 2: "You don't scare us with those things!" he insisted, referring to the lasers.

Eddie: "Hey, I have a laser, and I will use it!"

Sid: "And believe me, the lasers we have are NOT light bulbs!"

Girl: "It doesn't matter. We're tired! We're hungry! We miss our homes and our families! We're going home right now." She said before she and the two boys with her began walking away.

Eddie: "Hey, we didn't give you brats permission to leave! When we say get back inside, we mean get back inside!"

Boy 1: "Oh yeah?" he asked, as he approached Eddie and got in his face.

The boy then delivered a punch to Eddie's face before running off with his two friends.

Boy 1: "We're going, and so should you! Go away back to whatever dump you came from!" he shouted at the disciples as he was running away.

But as the trio of kids were getting close to the exit point, Wayne appeared from out of the shadows and pointed his laser at them.

Wayne: "Sorry kids, but I can't allow you to leave today." He said as he pointed his weapon at them.

The kids then stopped in their tracks, but then Eddie grabbed the male who had just punched him in the face.

Boy 2: "Let him go!"

Girl: "Yeah!"

Eddie: "You know what, guys? For that punch, I think we should go ahead and teach this little runt some respect!" he said to his fellow disciples.

Sid: "I agree."

Wayne: "Guys, he's just a kid. We don't have to…"

Eddie: "HEY! This dork just punched me in the face! We don't just let that kind of hostility slide! You know that!" he insisted as he cut off his fellow disciple.

Hilary: "Attack Formation 5?" she asked.

Eddie: "Yeah!"

Eddie then grabbed the boy from behind and pinned his arms behind his back, leaving his head and torso open and exposed to attack.

Sid: "This is gonna hurt you more than us, kid!"

Sid and Hilary then delivered a series of brutal punches to the boy while Eddie restrained him and prevented him from fighting back or defending himself. The two friends of the boy receiving a beating were unable to assist as Wayne still had a laser pointed at them. Sid and Hilary gave the kid many vicious shots, which resulted in a broken nose, a bloody mouth and couple of missing teeth, two black eyes, several bruises all around the torso area, and a few bloody cuts.

Eddie: "This is fun!" he yelled out of enjoyment.

Boy 2: "That's enough! He's sorry!" he pleaded as he couldn't bear to watch anymore of his friend getting beat up.

Wayne: "Back inside, or I can't promise you two won't be next." He warned.

The other boy and girl then walked back into the building, realising that any further retaliation would result in a painful punishment.

Eddie then let go of the boy, and miraculously, he was somehow still able to stand despite the beating he just received. Eddie then pulled out knuckle dusters while Sid and Hilary ceased punching. Eddie then delivered one final blow with the dusters to the boy's head, knocking him out.

Eddie: "Well, that should stop the other kids from getting any bright ideas." He said as he smirked proudly.

A few hours then past after that horrific incident, and it was filled with silent obedience and crippling fear…

It was deep into the nocturnal hours of the day, and despite that, none of the children who attended Royal Woods Elementary School had left yet. Because they were no longer students. They were prisoners, subjects of Viribus and his disciples's master plan. Clyde, Rusty, Liam, Zach, Darcy, and so on. Everyone from Lincoln to Lisa's grades were kept against their will. Including the younger Loud sisters…

All the students were left to find places inside the building to sleep at night. Some opted to sleep in their classroom seats. Others on the desks themselves. Others in the gym locker rooms, some in the lunch room. Where ever they could find a place to sleep. Many had to resort to sleeping on the cold, hard floor. For some, like Lana and Lucy, this was manageable, but for others like Lola…

Lola: "There is NO WAY I'm sleeping on some grotty old floor!"

Lana: "Come on, sis. If they hear you screaming, they'll come over here and blast your head off! Did you see the sick weapons those kids had?"

Lola: "I don't care! I refuse to sleep on the floor! I'm a princess!"

Lisa: "Just sit your posterior down so we can…" but she was then cut off as one of the disciples entered the room.

Wayne: "Hey, keep quiet and go to sleep you half pints! You need to get your sleep so your brains function properly. The last thing we want are a bunch of groggy, tired kids failing to learn anything tomorrow."

Lucy: "You, you're one of the kids holding us here against our will."

Wayne: "That's right, and it's for your own good, too."

Lana: "How can you say that?! We're all just animals at the end of the day, and like animals, we should be allowed to roam free!"

Wayne: "Oh please. We know better than that. You people are incompetent, destructive individuals. We are doing this to make sure you become better than that."

Lola: "All you jerks are doing is oppressing us, and we won't stand for it!"

Wayne: "I really don't see how you're going to stop us. We are elite, supremely intelligent and well trained beings. You're all just a bunch of dumb kids!"

Lisa: "And you're all just a collective of psychologically damaged, repressed, depressed, emotionally vulnerable and unreasonably livid buffoons who hide behind noble intentions and reasoning to pretend you're not just excessively violent, petty imbeciles!"

Wayne: "What did you say!?"

Lisa: "I'm sorry, did your primitive brain not catch all of that?"

Lana: "Woah, Lis has got some sass."

Wayne: "Enough talking! I don't have time for this. The others and I have a school to patrol. Just keep your mouths shut and go to sleep!"

Wayne walked off to rejoin his group while the Louds continued to dwell…

Lucy: "That was pretty wicked the way you spoke to that guy, Lisa."

Lana: "Yeah, that was awesome."

Lola: "But it still doesn't get me out of this dump… *Sigh* I miss the others."

Lana: "We all do."

Lucy: "Me too, including Lincoln."

Lisa: "Yes, I hate to think that all this is our faults."

Lola: "What do you mean?"

Lisa: "Hasn't anybody noticed those kids with the lasers look undoubtedly familiar? It's those hooligans we met when we last saw Lincoln in that wretched old building!"

Lana: "Hey yeah. I noticed it, too. I tried to mention it when they first got here, but Lola cut me off!"

Lucy: "You mean if we hadn't drove Lincoln away, maybe all this would've never happened?"

Lisa: "It seems probable. My prediction is when this Viribus entity recruited our sibling, that turn of events convinced him now was the time to enact his strategy for social domination. On the other hand, this happening around the same time could have been purely coincidental. Viribus may have still decided to enact his plan at this time, with or without Lincoln."

Lucy: "Either way, we know one thing's for certain… Lincoln leaving WAS our fault."

Lana: "Come on, Luce. Don't be hard on us, or yourself. We learned our lesson, and we're becoming better people."

Lucy: "But he doesn't know that. How can we prove to him that we've changed?"

Wayne: "I SAID GO TO SLEEP!" he shouted from the other end of the hallway, as he could still hear them talking, and the Louds were too depressed and tired to resist anymore.

As the sisters went to sleep, or at least tried to, given what was on their minds, Wayne returned to his group outside.

Hilary: "Have you heard the mouth of some of these little pipsqueaks?"

Sid: "Yeah, they're not getting the message."

Eddie: "We need to talk with Viribus, get him to agree that we need to come down tougher on these little punks! I've got so much aggression to take out!"

Wayne: "They're just kids." He tried to argue.

Sid: "So what? You just experienced the kind of rudeness and disrespect they have yourself! There's a reason we joined our master and went along with this. Like him, we were wronged. Rejected and looked down on by everyone."

Wayne: "I know, I know. It just seems a little extreme taking over an entire school and enslaving the children!"

Hilary: "It's for their own good. You might think it's uneasy, but this is for everyone's benefit. We are the ones making a stand and going the extra mile to make sure people treat each other better. You've been taught that more than any of us, as Viribus's oldest student."

Eddie: "That's right. We're gonna make everybody respect us! Even if we have to do it the hard way!"

Wayne: "Yes, you're right. I just wish there could have been a less extreme way of accomplishing our goals than this."

Hilary: "We all wish it didn't need to come to this, but this is how it is. Just look at what one mere day did under our supervision? Within hours of getting here, we stopped any fights, acts of bullying or exclusion, or forms of prejudice from taking place in the school. That sounds like a win in my book."

Eddie: "Yeah. It's because of us that these low life maggots have learned to be a little respectful towards others… mainly us."

Wayne: "There is… logic, in what you say. Let's just hope that the next phases of our plan are as easy to execute."

Sid: "The first steps are always the hardest to accomplish. Now that we have control over this school, we have the rest of the outside world by the… you know." He finished as what he meant was clearly implied.

Viribus had taught his disciples to follow his seemingly superior wisdom and vision without question, and they were doing exactly that. Any doubts they had were quickly dissolved, and they were fully on board with the notion of reshaping society in their image, one place at a time. Viribus himself was also making a great effort to block out any doubts and project confidence in himself and his ideas. He had a plan and he was determined to see it through…

In the Principal's office, where he continued to watch his prisoners while running the school from said room, Viribus decided to phone the Loud family once again.

Viribus: "Ah, I'm a little bored right now. I must admit, while my vision for a better world sure is a more peaceful one, I must admit it takes a while for things to get exciting. How about another call to that lunatic Loud family?" he suggested to himself whilst his hostages looked on in disgust. They knew he was intentionally trying to annoy and frustrate them.

Meanwhile, the Loud family were making plans to head over to the school and confront the group so that they could get their youngest members back.

Lynn Sr: "Alright, gang. Hop inside Vanzilla. We're going to get your sisters back!" he declared as the family got ready for a rather risky journey.

Lori's phone then rang at that precise moment…

Lincoln: "Lori, don't answer. That's exactly what he wants!" he warned her, fully aware of Viribus's tricks.

Lori: "But Bobby Boo Boo Bear might be hurt." She responded, worried for the well-being of her boyfriend in his current predicament.

Lori: "Bobby? Is that you?"

Viribus: "Nah, he's a little tied up at the moment, so he can't talk to you. But he did want me to leave you a message. He said he hates you, he never loved you in the first place and he wants to break up with you!" he joked cruelly.

Lori: "Shut up! You're not my Bobby Boo Boo Bear. Now let me speak to him!"

Bobby tried to speak up but his mouth was gagged, and all that came out were muffles. Viribus was quick to slap him across the face to make him cease his ineffective struggling.

Lincoln then took the phone from Lori as he knew he was the one Viribus really wanted to communicate with, and he hated watching his sister being emotionally abused right in front of his eyes.

Lincoln: "That's enough! I'm here."

Viribus: "Well, how relieving. I've been missing the ability to talk to someone with some actual intelligence. My disciples have been roaming the school grounds, patrolling the area, preventing police and parents from getting in, or teachers and students from getting out. So I've spent a lot of hours alone running things in this office, while they exchange shifts. I've missed the opportunity to talk about smart stuff, like why it is a great idea to fight back against the tyranny of the masses in society, or why war is a justified and glorious thing if it achieves a meaningful end, like the one I'm working towards, for example. Or my personal favourite, why humanity and its current way of life is doomed unless intervention to change it for the better is executed. In all honesty, though, the people in this school are dull and lack vision. I just can't get anyone to get on board with my plans willingly."

Lincoln: "Well, there's a surprise." He responded sarcastically.

Viribus then ceased his joking manner and adopted a more serious expression and tone…

Viribus: "So, are you finally coming to your senses? I mean, you can't be serious, taking back your family after all the things you told me they did to you?!"

Lincoln: "It's called forgiveness. It's called the ability to move on. Maybe you ought to try it some time."

Viribus: "It's called being a wuss, and a pushover. You haven't learned a thing, Loud! You'll continue to be their punching bag as long as you stay with them!"

Lincoln: "I would rather be a punching bag than use everyone else as one!"

Viribus: "Your compassion and mercifulness are strong qualities inside you, boy. They fester inside you… like a cancer." He accused.

Lincoln: "I know." He remarked.

Viribus: "You'll never have a moment of peace in your life if you live that way. People will continue to take advantage of your weak mind and step over you. Do you really want to live that way for the rest of your life? When you can choose the alternative, and be one of us!?"

Lincoln: "That's the dumbest question I've ever heard!" he bit back.

Viribus: "Is it?! Because the way I see it, there's one thing I can agree with that sporty sister of yours. There's a serious lack of balls in your room, Lincoln, and I don't just mean basketballs! You lack the will to do what is necessary, and that is why you have failed me and my vision!"

Lincoln: "You know what, Jake?! I actually have a question for you!" he countered.

Viribus then paused for a moment, as he was intrigued to hear what Lincoln had to ask him…

Lincoln: "There's one thing I never figured out. When we first met, you walked up to me right outside my house. Admit it, you were watching over my home life, spying on me and my sisters and waiting until you had the perfect opportunity to come along and manipulate me when I was at my most confused and vulnerable. Right?!"

Viribus: "I wouldn't call it manipulation as much as advice, but… yeah, pretty much. How do you think I manged to find my disciples in the first place? I went to great lengths to search for and find the right people who would follow me and my ambitions. When I saw your dysfunctional family, and your role within it, I saw an easy target to fall under my influence. I just needed to wait until your sisters pushed your buttons enough times."

Lincoln: "Alright, then here's my question. Setting up that occasion, where I would become so frustrated that I would lash out, and then walk out on my family… how did you manage that?"

For the first time, it was Viribus who was completely weirded out and confused by what Lincoln had said, rather than the other way around…

Viribus: "I did nothing."

Lincoln: "Oh, come on! There are no secrets now. You made all those bad things happen to my family, didn't you!? The DEFCON 5 situation, the bad luck thing, all the times my sisters outnumbered me 10 to 1, you made all that happen! Just to make my life a misery and so you could pick me off at a moment when I wasn't thinking straight! Just tell me, how did you manage that?!" he demanded.

After a brief pause, this was the response…

Viribus: "BWHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" he responded.

Lincoln: "WHAT'S SO FUNNY!?" he asked furiously.

Viribus: "Are you kidding!? And you call me deluded. I didn't do anything. Of course, that would be so much easier to take, wouldn't it? If all those horrible things your family did, were all MY fault? If one sole evil entity was somehow responsible for everything wrong with the world… well, guess what? That's not the way it is! Your family did all those things all by themselves! You know why? Because they're a bunch of screwed up morons! All I did was take advantage of the situation. It was easy! I just saw a boy who was struggling in life with all the douche holes he had to put up with, and took advantage of his instabilities for my own ends. I didn't fabricate all those horrific events from your past! That's all on them, and you! That's the harsh truth, kid. People are despicable creatures, and there's no one big bad guy you can just blame everything on!" he finished.

Lincoln: "You're… you're lying! Just like everything else you've said to me." he tried to deny.

Viribus: "No, this is the truth. But I know you by now. You continue to live in your little fantasy land where the world is perfect. Meanwhile, those of us living in the real world shall get back to work. I've got a lot to do! Next time we meet, Lincoln Loud, you will be talking to the unquestioned ruler of Royal Woods!"

Lincoln: "In your dreams!" he bitterly responded.

Viribus: "No, I don't dream anymore. All I ever get are nightmares. Though to be fair, they're never any worse than the living nightmare that is this world." He reflected.

Lincoln: "I've had enough of your bad vibes, Jake! Just know this, I will stop whatever it is that you're doing! We all will! You've picked a big family to mess with!"

Viribus: "Ha, you think it matters how many of you there are? I'm ready to take on the whole world!"

Lincoln (to the audience): "Wow, this guy is either arrogant, or he's good." He thought to himself before resuming his threat to his rival.

Lincoln: "You made a big mistake when you took over the school and trapped my little sisters inside! We're going to get them back, and then we're gonna…"

But as Lincoln attempted to finish that sentence, he realised the connection had been lost. Viribus had hung up, tiring of the conversation…

Lincoln: "I knew he was violent and crazy, but rude too? What a jerk!" he said to himself.

The rest of the Loud family then looked on in sadness and guilt as they saw Lincoln did not take in that conversation well.

Lori: "Lincoln, we're literally sorry about everything."

Lincoln: "No, it's done with, guys. I've already forgiven you, and we've moved past this. Only bitter cynics like Jake hold onto every single grudge forever. It's just him trying to get under my skin!"

Luna: "You know we're making every effort to make ourselves a better family, right?"

Lincoln: "I know, and I appreciate that, but honestly, I love you all just the way you are. Of course you have flaws and there will be bad moments in our relationship, but we're still family and we're still there for each other. If anything, I'm the one who needs to remember that!"

Lynn: "You don't need to do anything! You're a perfect bro, and one that we've taken for granted!"

Lincoln: "Look, all this is just Viribus and his stooges trying to stir things up and grind my gears, but it won't work! I'm going to stop him!"

Lynn Sr: "We all are, son. Especially since he has your sisters trapped in that school with him."

Lincoln: "Yeah, but for how long? He could keep them prisoner there for weeks!"

Luan: "He's surely not going to last long. I know a thing or two about forming elaborate plans, and this guy's has more loopholes and flaws than an old ribbon. He's going to get arrested for what he's doing!"

Lincoln: "But he's got the whole school held hostage. He has 4 others with him and they all have weapons. I know Viribus, he's a planner and a schemer. Once the police arrive, he'll threaten to have his followers start shooting the hostages if they dare try to approach him."

Lori: "But they can't keep this up forever! He may be able to hold off outside interference from stopping him and rescuing everyone for a while, but sooner or later, he'll lose. He's still trapped inside that school and has nowhere else to go, and people sure aren't just going to give in to his demands. With no resources from the outside world, sooner or later, he'll have to fold!"

Lincoln: "I know. His plan was doomed from the start. He was never going to win! He's not a big world conqueror. He's just a messed up little boy that's all grown up, with a few friends, pretending to be one."

Lynn: "Exactly! So we can just wait until he gives up, which won't take long, and then everything will be okay and the kids will be saved."

Lincoln: "No. He may not have a hope of winning, but he's not going down without a fight! He's bitter and petty, and will make sure he can cause suffering where possible! Once he knows he's not going to win, he'll make sure that he takes everyone else down with him. Including our sisters! He has them with him. And Clyde! And Ronnie Anne!"

Lori: "And Bobby!"

Lincoln: Yes! He has everyone held hostage, and he's dangerous! We need to get all of them out of there before it's too late!"

Lynn Sr: "I think I've heard enough! Kids, honey, get in! We're getting the rest of our family back, RIGHT NOW!" he declared as the family got in the van and journeyed to the school.

As you can see, the climax is quickly approaching. Viribus has committed some heinous acts in the past 5 chapters, and now his actions are coming back to bit him. As you know, there are only 5 more chapters to upload, meaning this story is now ¾ complete, so the end is nigh. The climax is near, and its going to be an action-packed ride. Again, for those who didn't read chapter 14 the other day due to that 'update date' glitch from earlier in the week, I thank all of you who have followed and faved this story. I also appreciate the feedback you have all been giving me, and hope I am able to maintain your interest for a few more chapters. I have been enjoying writing this fic, and it may interest some of you to know that I'm already planning a sequel, but more on that another time. Since we have until October, allegedly, before new episodes come out, I've got a solid two months to concentrate on other things besides reviews and reactions, including FanFiction projects. But we'll see what the future brings. Have a nice day, and the next chapter should be up in the next 3-4 days.