Chapter Two
Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 A.D. at 5:35 PM
Location: 1216 Franklin Avenue, Royal Woods, Michigan
This was among the very few times in her young life when she felt like a little kid. And she was perfectly happy in feeling like one.
It was both frightening and liberating to realize that in mere minutes she'd be traveling through time with her dear brother. To a place where they don't have to bring their worries and stress with them. They don't have to think about any of their responsibilities.
In the purest sense of the word, they were free.
Lisa glanced at the elevator door. The writing 'S-4' was next to it. They agreed to meet here. Privacy is guaranteed on the bunker's most secure floor. Neither Luan nor Lucy could penetrate it.
Yet.
Lisa wasn't a fool to believe in absolutes. Because absolutely nothing is certain. That was the nature of probability. No matter how certain, some things, even extremely improbable things, occasionally happen.
It's possible that this level could be breached.
Much like it was possible that something could happen on their trip.
That was the persistent fear in the back of her head.
It didn't matter if she had run a hundred more tests. Or even a thousand tests. There will always be a margin for error.
She saw the doors of the elevator and just like that, all her worries scattered away when her brother came into view.
The smile on his face renewed her excitement. It took her a second to realize she was smiling from ear to ear. "Ready to be the first boy in history to travel through time?" Excitement was clear in her voice.
"More than I can ever be. It's still surreal that we're doing this but I'm excited!" He bent over to pick up the backpack that Lisa had prepared for him. Her own was slung over her shoulder. "It's going to be so awesome, especially when we go to places that Pop-Pop traveled to when he was stationed there when he was in the military!"
His enthusiasm broadened the smile on Lisa's face. "I couldn't agree more. I've always found it fascinating that he was a survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Later, he served as a pilot in the Pacific Theater. Even became an Ace. I've managed to learn where he likes to hang out in Honolulu so we have potential places to stop by if we wish."
Of course, they weren't actually traveling back to 1941. The point of this temporal excursion was relaxation. Not a scientific expedition. The point in time they were heading was much closer than that. Only a few months back in fact.
"I look forward to seeing those spots. Where are we going to stay? It'll be evening when we get there," Lincoln asked. One of the things they settled on was traveling at the same time of day as they left to not mess up their internal clock.
"I have a place in mind, dear brother. I am sure you will like it very much. Now, let's get started!" Not wasting any time she activated her Omni-Bracer. Which projected a green hologram around her arm. She also reached out with her other hand to hold Lincoln's hand. It felt better to her and no doubt for him to do this when they were holding hands. Felt more secure in a way.
Because Lisa had already pre-programmed the command it was able to activate right away. A strange glow enveloped both of them along with a box next to Lisa. Lincoln clenches her hand tight out of nervousness.
Then they vanish.
Three seconds later. The two siblings reappeared in the exact spot they left.
Lisa took a glance at her smartwatch. A part of her was relieved that they had returned. No doubt she'll always feel that way at the end of every trip.
She and her brother were wearing the same articles of clothing. Yet she anticipates that their sisters will detect something amiss. They always do.
A small robot assistant scuttled over to take their bags. They handed it over to the machine.
Lisa looked over at her brother. Noted his overall body posture in comparison to how it was forty-eight hours ago. Correction, fifty-two hours. They stayed a few hours later than she planned.
The way her brother stood. The lack of tension in his shoulders. No indication of a jittery leg. All signs of a restful break. Happiness swells in her chest again for being able to help him. Not to mention that they had such a magical time together.
Lincoln stretched his arms. Tiredness was visible on his face. The positive kind that is. Their day had been long and they came back here after nine p.m.
She was looking forward to sleeping in her bed.
Being scooped up in Lincoln's arms broke her out of her musings. She found herself being nuzzled by her dear brother as he hugged her. The brotherly affection drew a glowing smile from her as she hugged him back.
"Alright," He lowered her back down to the floor. "Ready to head back up?" He spoke with a warm smile. She knew that he was looking forward to seeing their sisters again.
Admittedly, she had come to miss them as well. "That I am, Lincoln." Her smile remained on her face as they proceeded to exit the bunker.
They came through the back door. Taking a few steps across the black and white checkered floor of the kitchen with no sister popping out of the blue. A surprise to be sure.
"I'm planning to take a bath," Might as well take the opportunity.
"Want me to help you?" he asked. Running his hand through her hair.
"I would appreciate that. Moreover, you might want to bring some action figures along as well." Even before she realized what was truly meaningful to her. She enjoyed bathtime with Lincoln. Whether he was helping or taking a bath with her, they would often play with his action figures.
That drew a chuckle out of him, "Heh, I'll go get some while you start the water."
Walking around the corner they spotted most of their family in the living room. All preoccupied with whatever they were doing. None seem to have noticed them. Looks like they will be able to walk upstairs without interruptions.
A pink blur quickly put down her foolish hope that it could be that easy.
Just before Lincoln was about to take a step up the stairs. He found himself blocked off by none other than Lola.
Lola gave them a suspicious look, "Hold it right there, buckaroos. What were you two doing?"
"I helped Lisa with her newest invention." As truthful as her brother may be. Lying by omission was still lying. For someone like Lola, who has a far sharper nose than even herself, that still registered a ping on her metaphorical radar.
"That was awfully quick," Lola remarked.
"As it was designed to be. If it's any reassurance. I plan to share my findings during the 583rd Sibling Council meeting this Saturday. Now if you excuse us, Lincoln is going to help me take a bath," She explained.
Lola stared at her before surprisingly stepping to the side. Odd, she isn't the sort to be satisfied that quickly. Must be getting better at knowing when to push and when to retreat. That was a scary thought.
"Carry on then." She chimes before sauntering back to the living room.
Watching Lola, she noticed that several of their siblings had glanced their way. Having heard the exchange. Lynn Jr. seemed not to care, keeping her attention on television instead.
Irritation crept up her back. Recalling the fact that her boorish sister was still treating Lincoln as if he was bad luck. It was some relief that she has started to keep it to herself. Becoming more withdrawn overall.
She can only hope that she comes to her senses. If not, she'll have to do something soon.
Date: Saturday, October 1, 2016 A.D. at 10:11 AM
Location: 1216 Franklin Avenue, Royal Woods, Michigan
Lisa listened to Lucy's pitch of things they could do for the spookiest month of the year to the assembled Sibling Council. Her goth sibling was rather more lively than usual which is a given considering the season.
She and all ten of her siblings were seated in a circle in Lori's bedroom. The seating order was determined by birth. So she sat between Lily and Lola. She looked over at her brother who sat beside Lynn. The latter held a more moody posture than Lucy. That would have been mildly amusing if it wasn't so irritating.
It was a good thing that Lynn still respected the power and history of the Sibling Council enough to not cause trouble as a result of her attitude. The Sibling Council as the name implies is the public sphere of the Loud Household. And it has been a mainstay for over eleven years.
It wasn't nearly as refined as it is now compared to when Lori came up with the idea. That was all it was. A vague, abstract concept that she was a bit too young to flesh out. The Sibling Council was a process that took years of revision and tweaking to be what it is today. She would argue that it will always grow and change for that was the power of democracy.
When she was first introduced to the Sibling Council she was impressed by the degree of professionalism that it upheld. They even went as far as constructing mock legal frameworks such as the Loud Family Bill of Rights, the Sibling Constitution, and The No-No List. Their efficiency was scientifically proven (As done by herself) to resolve 94% of all disputes before they escalated.
Lincoln wishes to have a certain spot in Vanzilla? They revised the seating order without much fuss.
Leni and Lori buying the same dress? The Council had them resolve their issue through a proxy fight in their ongoing campaign of Orks, Horks, Wizards, and Pork. Leni lost and so she gave up the dress. She was good-spirited thanks to how fun the session was.
Does the toilet get clogged one too many times? An emergency council meeting was called to get to the bottom of it. Lucy finally confessed that she was the perpetrator. After hearing the reason why she did it, they reassured her that they will never make fun of someone else's interests. The meeting came to an end with a group hug.
Does Lincoln need help being the 'Girl Guru' for a class assignment? Lori took him out for quality time on a Sunday to teach him how to be a good enough 'guru' for his assignment. Her help proved to be beneficial when Lincoln returned with a glowing score on the assignment.
Each time the system proves its merit. The more they believe in the value of it and in turn stand by it. Even Lola, ever the iconoclast, came to understand how the rules can be used not only as a shield but as a blade in the dark.
All in all, this was one reason why she respected Lori's authority. Despite the circumstances of her life, she had to deal with the stress of having to oversee ten siblings and being a backup parent for them. She never became jaded. Not even tired. Just grew to be very overprotective of them. There was a time when Lincoln was bullied by Ronnie Anne. When she came to their house, Lori stepped outside to give her a piece of her mind. Ronnie received such a verbal beating that she pedaled as hard as she could to get away.
Her musings were brought to a halt when Lori announced the next order of business. "Let's finally address the elephant in the room. I've been waiting to hear what you've been up to Lisa and Lincoln." She looked between the mentioned siblings.
"Yeah! I was wondering if it was something related to the stuff you had me do!" Lana spoke up. Bringing up the fact that she had enlisted Lana's help quite a bit last month.
"I've been getting weird vibes from you two. I've only seen you so relaxed and happy during summertime." Luna remarked.
"Linky has been totes more adorbs lately!" Leni said with a vibrant smile. Referring to Lincoln's increase in physical displays of familial affection. Hugging, nuzzling, cuddling, etcetera. Lincoln is known as a cuddle bug. To the point of earning the nickname Sir Hugs-A-Lot. Since they came back from the trip, Lincoln was so reinvigorated by the experience that he was more passionate than usual.
Lisa cleared her throat to get her siblings' attention. "As we promised. We will reveal the reason for our peculiar change of mannerisms. Lana is correct that it does relate to a project I've been working on for a month. Thank you for the help again, Lana." Lana just gave a simple grin in response. Lisa glanced over at Lynn who looked disinterested in the current subject.
An old thought crept into the forefront of her mind. It was a hunch she had for a while. This environment would be an ample place to test that theory.
"I'll be upfront out of the gate. At first, I've been searching for a means to spend quality time with Lincoln." Lynn was now looking at her as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
In her mind, the pieces were falling into place. 'I speculated as much,' Typically she would feel some amount of joy in learning someone's secret. Instead, she only felt more anger at her big sister.
"I've looked back at past inventions. Trying to find anything that could help me achieve my goals. I stumbled upon my notes about time travel." By this time most of her sisters had realized what was going on. "This led me to invent the Omni-Bracers."
She slid down her sweater sleeve to reveal the silver bracer around her forearm. Willing it to activate, its green holographic interface sprung up around it. "This device enables the wearer to travel through time. I've only made two so far. The second belongs to Lincoln." Lincoln waves with his arm adorned with the bracer. An orange hologram comes to life around it.
"That's totally wicked, brah," Luna exclaimed in amazement.
"I helped make that? That's so cool!" Lana was very happy to be a part of the process.
The rest of her siblings had similar reactions, except Lynn and Lori. Lynn was growing more apprehensive, and Lori was looking at her with curiosity. "You mentioned that you wanted to spend alone time with Lincoln at first, Lisa. What did you mean by that?"
That question brought silence to the group.
Lisa looked over at Lynn.
A soft grin grew on her face.
Locking her eyes with Lynn, she said, "I wanted Lincoln all to myself."
At first, that wasn't too shocking for most of her siblings. It was a feeling they all felt at one point or another. In their eyes, they were seeing a little sister who really wanted to spend time with her big brother. While it didn't sit right with them, it was comforting that Lisa no longer held that selfish desire.
Lynn on the other hand. Interpret that very differently. "Excuse you?" The air in the room grew tense. The once moody jock was now alert and still. Her brown eyes widened in shock.
Her smile grew into that of glee. "We went on a sixty-two-hour trip to Honolulu."
The room immediately erupted.
"I knew it!" Lola was at her feet. Pointing a finger at her, "I smelled expensive spa products off of you two!"
"I smelled barbecue on Lincoln's breath when he tucked me in bed that night!" Her twin said in turn.
Her sisters expressed shock. She glanced at certain siblings. Aside from Lynn looking like she was slapped in the face. She noticed that Lori, Luna, and Luan were the least surprised. It wasn't difficult to guess why. "You've doted on him to make him talk." It wasn't an accusation. Just a statement of the obvious.
Lori smirked, "Only a little bit. At least with me. I don't know how much he told the other two."
Luan giggled, "We may have teamed up on him when he came into our room last night. He only told us a little bit but promised to share the rest for this meeting."
"Hey! That's unfair!" Lana complained.
"How can we compete with that?" Lucy joined in on the outcry.
In rebuttal, Luna spoke in turn. "Says the side who uses the 'Puppy-Dog Eyes' card on Linc to get what they want." An amused smile spread on her freckled face.
Lincoln gave a sheepish grin to her. To which she just gave a knowing smile in return. Fully aware that he tends to melt like butter when his big sisters employ the classic tactic of just being adoring sisters to their baby brother.
"As I was saying," Lisa spoke up to get their attention again. "I chose that destination to get Lincoln some much-needed rest. And it was truly a magical experience."
She noticed that Lynn grew tense.
Time to start pushing.
"You know, Lynn." She looked directly at her. "I must thank you."
That left Lynn stunned. "W-wha-"
Not letting her recover she continued, "For giving me Lincoln of course. I don't have the words to express what I felt when we were together in the Rainbow Tower at the Waikiki Beach Resort. I never felt so free before. I was able to experience things with him that you could only dream about. We held hands as we walked down the vibrant oceanfront of Kalākaua Ave. Ate at expensive restaurants. Played together in the lagoon. Partook in Waikiki's Starlight Luau."
Lori's gaze grew hard. "Lisa, that's enough."
Lori knew exactly what she was doing. Same as Luna and Luan.
Unfortunately for them, she wasn't done just yet. "I must also confess that I indulged in the selfish fantasy of acting like I was his only sister to people we came across."
She wanted Lynn to feel a fraction of the pain she feels.
"It felt like bliss!" Her voice rose in pitch. She was standing now. It didn't matter if she was being cruel. This felt too cathartic to stop. "I was able to have long, hot baths with him. Watch movies in our room. Ate breakfast and dinner in bed."
"Lise," Luna spoke nervously.
"It made me so happy," the tension in the room was reaching its crescendo, "That I was able to be the kind of sister you were too cowardly to be." Her words dripped with all the spite she could muster.
Everyone froze.
No one spoke.
Eight sets of eyes fall on Lynn.
She was dazed. Still processing the gravity of what she just said to her.
"Lyn-" Lori was too late to reach her.
"You fucking BITCH!" Lynn screamed. Lunging toward her with the ferocity of a lioness. Brown eyes brimming with immaculate rage.
The once oppressive broke into a storm of panicked voices as she was tackled by Lynn. She was on her back before she could blink. A flurry of fists coming down upon her.
In any other situation, she would have been fearful for her life.
But not here.
Lynn's fists met with the green personal body shield that wrapped around her body. A safety feature she installed in the Omni-Bracer for situations like this.
Lynn was pulled off by Lori, Luna, and Luan. All yelling at her to stop. Leni ran over to a crying Lily, scooping her up in her arms to comfort her.
She felt a pair of hands help her to her feet. It was the twins. They looked relieved that she didn't look injured.
Lynn howled in frustration. Unable to break free of her older sisters.
She scowled at her. The glee she felt was now replaced with bitterness. "You pig-headed, neanderthal!" Her tone rang with pent-up frustration toward her big sister.
The rush of the moment left her emotionally unstable. She felt pressure in the back of her eyes. No doubt tear fluid was being produced by her lacrimal glands. Street name for tear ducts.
If she was going to cry. So be it. The dam had long given way.
"By Einstein's Spirit, look at me, Lynn! Are you really so insecure in yourself that you bought my bluff that I could replace you? I'm a child! Barely old enough to not be considered a baby!" She spat at her sister. Her hands clenched into fists. "Out of all my siblings. You were the one I was the most jealous of!"
Her confession was enough to bring everyone to a standstill. Even Lynn found herself shocked by what she had heard. Out of everyone she expected to be jealous of her, Lisa was the last person on that list.
"How could I not? Look at you. Not only are you a normal girl. You're his physical equal, Lynn. With only two years between the two of you. Don't you know what that means? You two can do anything together out and about without being treated differently. You'll go through so many milestones together. Middle School, High School, Prom, College, and after that…the whole world will be at your feet." She spoke with the melancholy of someone who knew that they would be left behind.
"Once upon a time, I would have traded everything and anything just to be like you. Any of you." She gestured to the rest of her siblings. "It didn't matter. I wanted to be anyone but Lisa Loud. To be a normal child who doesn't have to listen to the static in the back of their head that-"
"-doesn't."
"Shut."
"UP!"
Her siblings remained wide-eyed as they watched her pant after that outburst. She felt dizzy. Every suppressed feeling was pouring out of her and she couldn't stop. There were tremors in her hands. "It's always there. Injecting my head with equations and schematics. Whispering to me the secrets of the universe. It drove me so mad that I had to consult the word of God."
She took in a sharp breath. "Can you really be so surprised? What part about me can be scientifically explained? How can a toddler have eternity at their fingertips? For the fundamental laws of the universe to be nothing but clay in their hands? To be approached by world leaders who beg to be gifted with scientific wonders? A child shouldn't be born with the power to decide the fate of the world yet here I stand."
She used to think she was an existential threat.
Hot tears ran down her cheeks. "I wanted to give it all away. To be someone like you, Lynn. You have such a beautiful connection with Lincoln. And…" She choked on a sob, "You're throwing it all away! I don't understand you, Lynn! Why are you doing this to us?!" That was the last thing she could muster to voice before she broke down. Leaving her siblings dumbfounded at the sight.
Lynn was no longer being held in place although her big sister still stood near her in case she tried anything. The jock glanced around, finding that she was the center of attention. She clenches her fists before simply leaving the room without a word.
That sparked another rush of anger for the tortured prodigy.
"Is that your response?!" She threw her glasses. Striking the wall next to the door. "Don't just walk away!" She gasped for air. "Come back!" There was no energy left in her body. Falling to her hands and knees out of exhaustion.
A pale hand rested on her shoulder. It was Lucy's. "I'll go talk to her, Lisa." It was only natural that she would be the one to do so. She was her roommate. If anyone in this household knew how Lynn ticks. It would be Lucy.
Her goth sister took her to leave. In her place, she was hugged by Lana. Lola knelt down beside her. Lily seemingly got out of Leni's arms because she crawled up to her to grip her arm. Her innocent blue eyes filled with worry for her distraught big sister.
"I…I apologize. Lily. You didn't have to see me like this." She reached up to cup her young face.
"Oh, Lisa." Lola breathed softly.
The rest of their siblings all either sat or knelt around them. "I didn't realize you were carrying that sort of baggage, Lise," Luna spoke in sympathy.
The close presence of her siblings gave her the warmth that she needed to collect herself. "It used to be…bad. Lincoln got me out of it. Then I got advice from Lucy that helped me see the answer to my blight that was in front of me the entire time."
"I'm glad to hear that, Lisa," spoke their eldest sister. "I didn't like how you provoked Lynn like that. But I understand why you did it. Lynn can be very stubborn. I know that. We all do. Yet you two are more similar than you might think. She's a little girl, Lisa. She's at that age where she doesn't understand who she is yet or her place in life."
She nodded in agreement with what Lori was saying. Lynn was struggling to adapt to the changes in her life as she left the warm simplicity of her childhood behind. Still, it makes her angry to see how she treats Lincoln.
"That doesn't excuse how she reacted either," Lori continued. If Lisa didn't have her personal body shield she would have gotten hurt. "We'll talk about what to do with Lynn later. For now, I'm still curious about this little vacation you went on with our brother."
Lincoln perked up, knowing how to lighten the moon. He pulled a camera out of his pants pocket. "We made sure to take a lot of pictures to show you guys," His bright smile was a balm for her soul.
He was instantly crowded by their sisters. All are very interested in seeing what pictures they took in Honolulu.
"Oh my gosh!" Leni clasped her hands in delight when he showed them one of the first photos. "Lisa, you look so precious in a dress!" Said photo was of her standing near the statue of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue. Father of international surfing and a Hawaiian Olympic champion. Given where they were, it was only sensible to dress for the occasion. She wore a sleeveless, white Hawaiian summer dress with a green floral design.
"You clean up so well, Lisa." Lola noted with a cheeky grin, "I take back all the times I called you plain."
That drew a bubble of laughter out of her. Along with the rising blush as her siblings continue to shower compliments. All the while her thoughts drift to Lucy. Wondering how her talk with Lynn was going. She was reminded when she went to talk to Lucy sometime ago.
"Many come to my corner of the attic for advice. But never would I envision being approached by you, Lisa. Please, take a seat." Spoke the monotonous voice of her sister, Lucy.
The household goth had made use of the darkest corner of the attic for her needs. Lisa couldn't see her but knew she was sitting somewhere in front of her. At one with the darkness.
She knelt down on her knees. Placing her hands on her knees as she looked into the darkness.
The atmosphere wasn't helping her thanatophobia.
Lucy was first to initiate the conversation. "You've been troubled as of late. What can I do to lift the darkness off of you?"
She fidgets in place. Felt embarrassed for saying this. "Do you believe in God?"
Even though she couldn't see her. She felt her eyes widen in surprise.
Lucy recovered from her surprise. "I…Pardon me. I was taken aback by hearing such a question from you. To answer your question, my faith is complicated. That said, I sense you're not here because you had some sort of epiphany."
Lucy listened intently as she poured her heart out. Once she was done explaining the dark cloud following her, Lucy spoke. "I'm happy that our dear brother was able to help you, Lisa. But tell me if I got this correct. Through that moment with Lincoln you came to believe that your purpose was to be our sister. Only you're not satisfied with that conclusion?"
She rubbed her arm as she spoke back to her gothic sister, "It's not that I'm not satisfied. I just have the feeling that…it couldn't be that simple could it?"
"Why can't it be that simple?" Lucy genuinely asks in response.
"Because why would I be born this way otherwise? My condition defies all logical explanations." She trailed off.
"Thus you began to search the realm of God for greater insight." She sensed that Lucy gave a nod in understanding. "I'm afraid that is a bit out of my depth. However, I know someone who can assist me." When Lucy said that, she could have swore the shadows seem almost alive.
Lisa felt an unnatural chill then.
The primitive lizard brain in her told her to bolt. To flee from the unnatural darkness and into the warmth of the light.
The urge was held back by her desire to see this through.
"Harriet just spoke to me." Lucy's voice made her jump.
'Our Great Grandmother?' Was her unspoken question. Not wishing to interrupt Lucy.
"What…did she say?" She spoke with unease.
"That your lament is not too far off from the common question that plagues all of us at one point or another in our lives. Does life even have a meaning? You already expressed newfound faith in the love you share with your family. It's that 'static' that's preventing you from truly understanding that. Telling you that Man is no more than a computer that has been turned off. The memory of Man will eventually fade away into nothing," Her words were not sitting well with someone with thanatophobia. Yet she found herself captivated by what this is leading to.
"Many will say this is the fate of man. A reality that cannot be changed. Do you agree?" Lucy asks.
"No." She said, that she was confident.
"That's very good." She felt the smile in her voice. "Now, do you know what makes us human?" asked Lucy.
It took a moment for her to respond. "I am unsure."
"Because you don't consider yourself one?" said Lucy.
"I'm dangerous." she replied.
"You have a capacity for harm. Just as I can stalk our rooms at night to slide a knife between the vertebrates in my siblings' necks to deliver them the instant embrace of death." The blunt way she said that left her stunned.
"L-Lucy?"
"Many believe that our ability to hate and cause destruction is what makes us inherently evil. That this is what it means to be Human. But I see things differently. Lisa, in this cold empty space of death. We exist, because of love. Our existence is a miracle and a gift. To be Human is to look at that darkness and say 'No."
She jumped down when she felt Lucy pressing a palm against her chest. "Lisa," She sounded so close. Like she was mere inches away from her face. "Do you know the meaning of your name?"
"I don't?" She had never thought about it before.
Lucy spoke in a soft voice. "It means 'God's promise'."
"God's…promise?" She was taken aback learning what her name meant.
"It really does make me think, my dear sister. That you could have had anything you wanted in the world. Instead, you chose to love." Her hand was lifted off her as she said, "I find that...miraculous."
It all clicked into place.
She finally found her voice, "It really was in front of my face the whole time."
She'll never be a danger to anyone.
It is her purpose in life, her gift, to love others.
She pulled herself out of her reverie. Her sisters were still looking at the photos on the camera. Seeing them all together like this. All sporting such warm expressions. A profound sense of contentment filled her.
"By the way, I wish to mention something," They all look in her direction. "I'm in the process of making more Omni-Bracers. So that in the future we could bring one or more of you along if you're up to it."
Their chorus of excitement widened her smile.
A/N -Hey all! As always, Delquea has been my Beta Reader for my chapter. That said, this chapter is meant to 'set some things up' to give a sense of the greater narrative as the story progresses. As well to define the current status of some of the characters. Originally, I'd written about Lisa and Lincoln's time in Honolulu then came to realize that it was getting too 'fillery'. So I scrapped it and started over. Utilizing the spirit of brevity to give you enough information of their time there to paint a image on your own.
To name some major inspirations. The concept of the Sibling Council came from 'Little Room' by NeedlesslyMeta. The nickname Sir Hugs-A-Lot came from a fic of the same name by Omega Ultra. The alternate account on 'Heavy Meddle' is very much inspired by 'Woman to Woman Talk' from mam162. It's safe to assume that Lori said the same things to Ronnie in this universe as she did in that fic. Lisa's 'condition' is inspired by the same 'condition' that plauges Lisa in 'Paragon Days, Static Dreams' by ThatTheaterThug.
Guest & Mdilday - Thanks for the suggestion! Rules will be carefully explored in the future but overall the time travel mechanics will be loose. In short, there's no danger of paradoxes like in Time Trap! Lisa will also come to learn how to access alternative timelines. Expanding the possibilities. (Who knows, she and Lincoln might visit timelines inspired by fanfiction ;) ) On a side note, the next few chapters will now focus on time travel. ^^
Saccharine Melody - Nice to see you on board! Given I know you're a Lucy stan. To give a teaser I do have neat ideas in store for Lucy in this story. :3
Delquea - :3
Your Saving Grace is Here - Hey bud! It's certainly something to meet elsewhere outside of the forum. But yes, I've indeed been in the fandom since late 2019. Amusingly for three years I've kept to fan fiction and fan art. It was only till I started interacting with Delquea over a week ago that I finally started watching the actual show. Will likely share more of my thoughts on the forum rather than talk about it here. That said, pleasant to hear your thoughts on how I wrote Lincoln and Lisa. But yes, I understand your wariness. I do promise that the core character dynamics will be platonic in nature. ^^