AN: Well, now that Auto is handling Archetypal for the next few chapters, I had PLANNED on taking a nice break from writing to recharge my batteries. Buuuuut then I started kicking this idea around in my head, and before I knew it I was writing a new chapter. Only time will tell if my inspiration holds.
Also, for anyone who might not have seen it, Underrated Hero did a fantastic bit of artwork for this story, so check it out if you're curious.
TigerJacob: Hey, I've seen your reviews on my other stories, glad you're enjoying them. Uh, I know of Medulla. They did a really nice pic which was apparently inspired by a scene from my other story, Aces Wild. Not really sure what you're alluding to here though.
SonicMax: Glad you like the fic. The story was originally gonna be Lenicoln-focused, but the scale ended up growing (ha) a lot bigger than I'd planned. And ffnet only allows you to tag 4 characters max. So because the harem is much larger than that, it seemed pointless to arbitrarily tag three other people at random. Though, I am hoping to use this story arc to give Leni some of the spotlight she's been missing.
dnetmunity: I already have plans for this story arc, but I'll keep your suggestions in mind, thanks :)
As always, I'm really happy to see that people are still enjoying this thing. I freely admit that it's a pretty weird story, but I'm glad you guys are enjoying it in spite of that.
Anyway, on with the chapter.
Luan Loud was a girl who had always been...comfortable, in her own skin. Not entirely pleased with her appearance, but at peace with herself, nevertheless. She'd always been a little on the gangly side, her teeth a bit too pronounced, her body not pronounced enough. It didn't help that she was related to Lori and Leni, who'd each gone into puberty on the far edge of cute and come out gorgeous, neither apparently having brought enough curves to share with the rest of the family. Regardless, small, isolated instances of typical teenage angst and self-loathing aside, Luan had always been perfectly happy with who she was.
...Which made her current situation all the more bizarre.
Luan hadn't gone out much since Lincoln had inadvertently tampered with her body, leading to Luan becoming one-half of a kaiju battle in the middle of their neighborhood and wrecking their house in the process. Literal home-wrecking aside, the aftermath of the incident had been pretty good to her, leaving Luan with a cute boyfriend and awesome super powers to boot. There had also been the more...tangible benefits, namely that Lincoln's meddling had left her with a body that could rival her older sisters', and Luan hadn't quite known how to feel about that. In her weaker moments, a younger, more despondent Luan had determined that all of her problems could be fixed if she could only grow a nice big pair of boobs. Jumbo-sized jumblies! Titanic titties! Massive mammaries! Just like Lori, or Leni, or even her mom! She'd been certain that if she could just trade up from the mosquito bites that nature had absentmindedly stapled to her chest before calling it a day, she'd end up living a long, happy, and fulfilling life! Eventually she'd grown the emotional maturity to move beyond that mindset, and had been all the happier for it, but that had just left her in something of a crisis of faith when one day, out of the blue, she suddenly had the very things she'd prayed so desperately for. And then some.
Initially, Luan hadn't quite known how to feel about her unexpected, post-puberty development. When she and Lincoln had their alone time, her little brother had proven to be very enthusiastic about the changes she'd undergone, and Luan was happy that he was happy. But she also knew Lincoln wasn't exactly an unbiased party in this matter, he'd loved her even when she was a twig girl. Much in the same way that some people just don't look good in hats, regardless of type, Luan was worried that she just wasn't cut out to be a boob girl, that she couldn't carry the weight of her new...responsibilities. It certainly hadn't helped that in the weeks since the incident, her body had begun to change in other ways. Mostly minor, her legs had gotten a little more shapely, her hips an extra bit of flare that hadn't been there before. But it worried Luan that the body she had become so accustomed to, so comfortable with, just wasn't there anymore. It felt like she'd become something else entirely, and that worried her, hence her reluctance to leave the house, save for work outings, where she could hide under layers of oversized clown clothing. It had been safer, and easier to just stay home, ignore the changes her body was undergoing by distracting herself with family-related antics, mostly of the Lincoln variety. Those were her favorites. However, there came a point where Luan found herself no longer able to ignore one very specific problem, a problem that had only become more exacerbated as time went on.
...she needed clothes. Specifically underwear, because her old stuff just wasn't cutting it these days.
And so, with much coaxing and reassurance from Lincoln, Luan had squeezed herself into her trademarked outfit, blouse filled to the brim and skirt hiking up far higher than usual, and journeyed forth to the Royal Woods Mall. Lincoln had come with her, ostensibly so they could make a day of it, have a fun little day-date while Luan saw to her needs. In truth, however, she'd been intensely nervous about the fact that she would need to be in the public eye for the first time since her change, and had desperately wanted her little brother along for moral support.
Reaching the mall had proven some of her suspicions true, Luan was indeed the center of attention. As she traversed the hustling, bustling, pathways pathways of the mall, she could feel the weight of the stares, eyes fixated upon her from all angles. Initially it had been almost too much to bear, Luan instinctively shying away from the attention, very nearly abandoning the outing at its onset, and she likely would have had Lincoln not been there to reassure her, to comfort her. Thanks to Lincoln, and his hand clasped reassuringly within her own, Luan was able to endure the eyes. And it was only then that she was able to understand the context of the attention she was receiving. Glassy eyed stares. Mouths, agape. And, most telling of all, low whistles and nods of approval, from boys and girls alike. Luan wasn't being reviled, quite the contrary. She was desired.
For the first time in her life, Luan Loud felt sexy. And she liked it.
Feeling emboldened, Luan's timid walk gradually metamorphosed into a confident saunter. She began to throw a little sashay into her stride, her hips gently swaying back and forth, and she was both delighted and amused to see the heads of several onlookers bobbing too and fro, in accordance with her movements.
It wasn't all sunshine, there were a number of individuals who seemed to be staring a bit too enthusiastically for her tastes. Too old, too creepy, sometimes both, definitely not the kind of people a young girl would want to meet in a dark alley. But most girls weren't strong enough to snap creepy weirdos like twigs with their bare hands, so Luan accepted the attention for the implied compliment that it was. Not like they had a shot at her to begin with. After all, Luan was here...with her...
"Lincoln?" Luan asked, glancing around. It suddenly dawned upon the funny girl that she'd been walking pretty briskly for a while now, and hadn't heard a peep from her companion in all that time.
"—an!" Squawked a voice from behind her. Luan peered over her shoulder and blanched. There was Lincoln, hand still clasped in hers. Being dragged along the ground, like a neglected sweater, or an uncooperative puppy.
"Whoops." She giggled, coming to a stop. "You okay Linc?"
"Never better." Mumbled the pale haired boy, face planted firmly into the tiled mall flooring. He raised his free hand, and gave her a shaky thumbs up.
Luan shook her head, half embarrassed, half bemused, and slung the prone boy over her shoulder. Her little brother, ever the trooper.
"You sure you're okay, Linc?" Luan asked for the third time in as many minutes. They'd found the boy a bench to recuperate on. Luan was trying to refrain from hovering over him too much, but Lincoln was her little brother. So a degree of hovering was unavoidable.
"We could go to the first aid station if you want." She suggested, but Lincoln shook his head and waved her off.
He'll be fine, Ms. Luan. Said Seven. Lincoln has survived far worse things.
He wasn't wrong. Lincoln had only been a little scuffed up from her negligence, and even now she could see those minor scrapes on his face disappearing before her eyes. That weird resilience of his, she supposed. She'd yet to see it for herself, but she'd heard stories from the other girls. Even so...
"Why don't you just go on ahead, Luan?" Lincoln suggested.
"Aw." Luan pouted and leaned over, discretely breathing in as she did so. One of her blouse buttons popped off, narrowly missing the white haired boy and exposing a bit of her cleavage. She hadn't planned on that, but she wasn't complaining.
"I was hoping you'd come with me." Luan continued, cupping the younger boy's face in her hand. "You could help me pick out some things. Watch me try them on? And then, if you're good..." She leaned forward a little more. "You could cum with me." She finished in a low, husky voice.
"Luan!" Oh but Lincoln was fun to tease, sputtering and turning red as a cherry. She felt like she was starting to understand Sam just a little bit more.
"I'm just kidding." She said with a wink. "Unless I'm not."
"Luan!" There was a sharpness in Lincoln's voice that hadn't been there previously, and Luan suddenly found herself straightening up and standing attentively. That...was different, both the authority in Lincoln's voice and her instinctive response to it. Most notably the way her body...stirred. That was interesting, she was learning a lot about herself today, and she wasn't displeased. Hopefully they'd have a chance to explore this in greater detail.
Lunan quickly ran her eyes up and down Lincoln frame, which was slowly but surely growing more robust in all the right ways. Yes, much greater detail.
"I...would not be averse to that, normally." Said Lincoln, his voice softening, and Luan could feel her heartbeat begin to quicken. "But!" He went on, holding up his arm, the one she'd been holding onto. "I really think I should sit and rest for a bit."
Dangit. "Come on, Linky..." She began to plead, firing up her patented Loud Sister Puppy Eyes, which she knew for a fact that Lincoln was helpless against. To her surprise, Lincoln's response was to slowly begin to extend his arm.
GRRRRRRKGEL
Luan flinched at the sound. Geeze, the kid's arm sounded like a cement mixer. Talk about a mood killer.
"I'll be fine." He assured her. "It's already feeling a lot better. But I should probably take it easy for a bit." Luan sighed in resignation. That did seem to be the responsible choice.
"Fine." Luan crossed her arms across her prodigious chest, switching from girlfriend mode to sister mode. "But you have to promise me one thing."
"And that is?"
"Stay here." Luan said, pointing at the bench. "If at all possible, you stay right here on this bench. You're allowed to relocate if there's some kind of emergency, but—" She held up one finger. "And this is the most important thing. Do not go anywhere, do anything, or talk to anybody until I get back."
Lincoln rolled his eyes. "Luan, I know all about stranger danger—"
"This isn't about strangers, Lincoln!" Luan snapped, cutting him off. "This is about narrative."
Lincoln's face scrunched up in confusion. "I...don't follow."
Luan sighed, shaking her head in exasperation, then took a seat next to Lincoln. "Of course you don't."
"I'm a what?"
"A plot device." Now it was Luan's turn to roll her eyes, Lincoln could be strangely dense at times. "You, Lincoln Loud, are a plot device."
"I think you might be the one who needs first-aid." Lincoln deadpanned. Luan took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was in love with this boy.
"Do you think it's just sheer coincidence that you just happen to be wherever some kind of conflict is about to happen?" Luan asked. "You and Leni just happened to be in the city when that giant girl went crazy a while back. And the two of you and Lori just happened to be at the mall the first time that Fiona girl attacked."
"Well—"
"You and I were the only ones home when that...girl—" Luan twitched angrily, at the memory. "Tried to kidnap you. You and Lynn were at the park when the QT attacked. And Luna and Sam also just happened to be there to pick up the slack for Lynn! Not to mention, you went on your little vacation with mom, not only conveniently coinciding with Great Lakes City suffering its own attack, but one specifically tailored to an entirely different genre!"
"It does sound kind of contrived when you lay it out like that." Lincoln conceded, furrowing his brow. "But sometimes life is just stranger than fiction."
"No!" Luan jabbed her finger in his direction. "It's because you're a plot device. Every story begins with an inciting incident, and you are the vehicle for that incident to happen. You go places, and do things, and that facilitates a new adventure." She held up her finger triumphantly. "Plot. Device."
For a few moments, Lincoln simply stared at her. At last, he finally spoke.
"Alright, Luan." He said, slowly. "Supposing that you're right—"
"I am."
"Supposing that you're right—" He pressed on. "How would I go about avoiding this?"
"Exactly what I said." She held out her hands, gesturing to the mall around them. "There are a million potential plot threads here. Don't instigate any of them. No adventures, no drama, and..." She took another deep breath. "Above all else, no hijinx."
"Hijinx." Lincoln repeated, nonplussed.
"All that unreasonably wacky stuff you get up to between the cool fights." She clarified. "None of that. Got it?"
Lincoln stroked his chin contemplatively. "Fine." He agreed. "I'll sit here until you get back."
"And not incite any incidents?" Luan prompted.
"And not incite any incidents." Lincoln repeated. With that, he leaned back into his seat, a small smile spreading across his face, and for a moment Luan felt herself go a little light headed. She liked that smile. "Seriously, I'll be fine, Luan."
"Alright." Luan started to stand up, but stopped. On impulse, she quickly leaned forward and planted a kiss on the younger boy's lips. "I'll be back soon."
"S-sure." Lincoln stammered, looking a little dazed. With that, Luan spun around and began to walk off. She could feel his gaze, watching her as she sauntered away, and that thought brought a smile to her face. Lincoln was gonna owe her some private time later on, best to get him good and ready.
About an hour later, Luan exited Reininger's with a large bag of clothing clutched in each hand. She began briskly walking back to where she'd left her brother, breathing much easier now. Quite literally, as she'd managed to find the components of her signature outfit in a size more appropriate for her current dimensions. She did leave the skirt a bit on the short side, however, and had taken to leaving the top button of her blouse undone. She'd seen the way Lincoln had been looking at her, and she wanted more of that.
Luan let out a small grin as she peaked into one of her bags, double checking its contents. Aside from the essentials she'd needed, she also managed to find a few things that were just for fun. A very specific kind of fun. She couldn't wait to show...Lincoln...
Luan's thoughts slowed to a crawl as a familiar head of white hair came into view. Normally such a sight would fill the comedienne, and there were certainly parts of her body that instinctively stirred in an almost Pavlovian response to her favorite treat. The problem, was who was with Lincoln.
Her little brother appeared to be engaged in conversation with a rather large pair of breasts. Luan wasn't inherently averse to this, she was but one component of the polyamorous relationship the boy had found himself in, she'd come to accept that there was some intrinsic quality of the younger boy that was irresistible to the opposite sex. The problem was that she recognized these breasts. Sure, now they were pressed tightly against a criminally snug, sky-blue t-shirt, she distinctly remembered seeing those very same mammaries outlined by form fitting, black spandex that left nothing to the imagination. Her brothers tiny body trapped between them, struggling against his fleshy prison. Those were...her boobs. It was at this point that Luan's eyes panned over, and took in the sight of the girl attached to those breasts.
"Maggie!" Luan screamed, as she sprung into action, dashing across the mall at a speed that would have almost certainly been superhuman...had she not needed to constantly dart around the many innocent bystanders that just so happened to be standing between her and her prey. The sheer density of the crowd slowed her down considerably. Too much, in fact, as long before she could reach her destination, her rival looked up and locked eyes with Luan. She knew.
Throwing caution to the wind, Luan backed up a few steps and leapt into the air, her well honed acrobatics skills meshing seamlessly with her enhanced strength, allowing her to circumvent the crowd without smashing into anything. Unfortunately, it was for nought. Seeing her approach, the raven haired girl leaned down and gave Lincoln a peck on the cheek. Luan landed lightly on her feet and charged forward, a fresh wave of rage building within her ample bosom. But before she could reach them, Maggie extended the thumb and index finger of her left hand and pointed it at the ground, raising her head to lock gazes with Luan once more.
"Pew." She said. There was a small explosion of obsidian energy, and then the girl was gone.
Luan skidded to a stop, throwing down her bags and grabbing Lincoln by the shoulders.
"Lincoln!" She shouted, shaking the younger boy. "What did you do? What did you instigate?" Wordlessly, the younger Loud handed over a small rectangular object. Luan snatched it out of his hands, and as she looked upon it, her blood ran cold.
It was a ticket. A theme park ticket. "Admission for 1 at Dairyland Amoosement Park, Couples Day" it read.
Luan dropped to her knees threw her hands to the sky.
"HIIIIIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINX!" She screamed, her rage and despair echoing throughout the Royal Woods Mall.