(Lincoln's POV)
It's the next day, and I'm on the couch reading a book about one of my alternate lives—but I can hardly focus. Tonight's the concert. I was originally excited for it, but the idea that Thorn had makes me nervous and makes me question why I agreed in the first place. But I did… and I never go back on a promise.
I left with them to help prepare, but it was all last minute, so I'm worried it might be a disaster.
Suddenly, the front door burst open as Lori, Leni, Luna, and Lucy stormed into the living room looking upset.
"I can't believe this!" Lori shouted.
"I know! This is bogus," Luna said, sounding just as frustrated.
"This is totes not fair," Leni pouted, while Lucy simply sighed, looking equally sad.
"What's the matter?" I asked, curious what could've gotten them all so worked up.
"You won't believe it. The Hex Girls are having a concert in Royal Woods tonight, and all of our friends are going," Lori said, gesturing to herself and Leni.
"Sam and Mazzy are going too," Luna added.
"Same with Haiku. She's going with her cousin," Lucy sighed.
"If only we could've gotten a ticket…" they all sighed in unison.
"At least the concert is being aired, so you can still watch it," I offered.
"Yeah, but the best part of a concert is being there. And we've never been to one of the Hex Girls' shows before," Luna said, and the others nodded in agreement.
Just then, Dad walked through the door carrying a bag of groceries. He immediately noticed the looks on my sisters' faces.
"Hey kids, what's the matter?" he asked.
"There's a concert that all their friends are going to, and they don't have tickets," I explained.
"Hey, it's fine, girls. There will be plenty of concerts in the future," Dad said, trying to lift their spirits.
"Yeah, but when's the next time the Hex Girls will play in Royal Woods?" Lori countered, crossing her arms.
"The Hex Girls?" Dad asked, turning to me. "Isn't that the same concert you're going to tonight, sport?"
My sisters all turned to me, eyes wide.
"WHAT?!" they shouted.
I sighed. I was planning to keep it a secret to avoid this exact situation. "Yes, Dad, it is," I confirmed, pulling the ticket from my pocket. Their eyes widened even more.
"OMG, Lincoln, thank you!" Lori said, snatching the ticket from my hand.
"Hey! Why'd you grab it? I'm sure it was meant for me," Luna argued, reaching for it, but Lori pulled it away.
"Duh. I'm the oldest, so of course it's for me," Lori scoffed.
"Hey, it could be for me!" Leni said, taking it from Lori.
"Or me," Lucy said, suddenly appearing behind them. They all jumped in fright before starting to argue over who deserved the ticket. I noticed Dad quietly backing away toward the kitchen for safety.
"ENOUGH!" I shouted, walking over and snatching my ticket back. I slipped it into my pocket and activated my so they wouldn't try to steal it again.
"This is my ticket, which I got from some friends," I told them firmly. "I wasn't planning on giving it to any of you."
"You can't be serious! That's completely selfish," Lori snapped, Luna and Leni flanking her.
"You didn't even pay for the ticket. You got it from a friend, so you don't deserve it," she added.
"YEAH!" Leni and Luna chimed in. Lucy remained silent.
"What's going on?" Lynn Jr. asked, coming downstairs with the rest of our sisters.
"Lincoln's being a selfish little twerp," Lori told them. "He was given a ticket to the Hex Girls concert tonight and won't give it to us so we can hang out with our friends."
"Well, if he didn't pay for it, it doesn't really belong to him," Lola chimed in, with Lana nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, Stincoln, just give it up. It's not like you really need it," Lynn Jr. added.
As they continued to pile on, Dad retreated into the kitchen. I just sat there, bored. I knew this would happen if they found out, but I was still disappointed that Dad ran and hid instead of stepping in.
I looked over and saw Lucy looking disturbed. This must be the first time she's seen their "hive mind" in full force, I thought. I was surprised—but glad—that she hadn't joined in.
They eventually finished ranting and looked at me expectantly, like I owed them something.
"Are you done?" I asked flatly. "Good. Because I'll say this once—and only once. I'm not giving any of you this ticket."
They looked ready to argue again, but then Lisa spoke up with a smug smirk.
"Ha! If you can give us one good reason why not, we'll drop it. But if you can't, you have to relinquish it to us."
"Only one?" I grinned. "I can name several."
"First off—there's only one ticket. So how are all of you going to the concert?"
"Well, that's correct, but—" Lisa began.
"Second—just because I didn't pay for it doesn't mean it's not mine. Like, if someone gives you a birthday gift, you didn't buy it, but it's still yours, right?"
"Well, that's not exactly the same—" Lisa tried again, but I cut her off.
"Third—the friends who gave me the ticket are expecting me there. So just like you all have friends going," I pointed to Lori, Luna, Leni, and Lucy, "I have friends waiting for me at the concert."
They were silent.
"I only said one…" Lisa muttered under her breath.
They looked around, trying to salvage the argument.
"Well, how are you even getting there?" Lori asked smugly. "Dad's cooking dinner, Mom's busy writing, and I know I won't drive you."
"I've got my own way, so you don't need to worry," I said with a smile.
Her smirk dropped, and one by one, they all stormed upstairs with annoyed expressions—all except Lucy. She walked over to me.
"I'm sorry we acted like that," she said, looking ashamed.
I ruffled her hair and smiled. "Well, even if you tried to claim the ticket at first, you didn't join in with the rest."
"Were we always like that?" Lucy asked, worried.
"I wish I could say otherwise… but yeah. You girls tend to gang up when it's one of you vs. me in an argument," I admitted. She looked down, saddened.
"Even if I didn't join in this time… I didn't help you either," she said.
I pulled her into a hug. "That may be true—but you also apologized. And that means a lot to me."
Lucy smiled. "Well… I hope you have fun."
"I will. And I'll try to bring something back. Maybe I'll run into Haiku and keep her company," I offered.
Her smile turned into a smirk. "That's a great idea."
She quickly corrected herself. "I mean—it'd be great for her."
"Ha ha ha. Well, I better get going. See you when I get home."
As I made my way to the door, I took a deep breath. They're going to watch the concert and see what happens… but I'm going through with it, I thought, feeling determined as I stepped outside.
(No POV)
As Lucy watched Lincoln leave, her other sisters came back down the stairs—they had been eavesdropping the whole time.
"I can't believe you, Lucy. Why would you apologize?" Lori asked the little goth angrily.
"Because we were in the wrong," Lucy replied, already disliking where this was going.
"Do I have to remind you that he's a boy, and therefore automatically in the wrong whenever it's against us?" Lori said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
As the others nodded their heads in agreement, Lucy began having second thoughts. That belief—something they had always taken for granted—suddenly didn't feel right to her. She shook those thoughts off for now and decided to focus on something positive.
"Well, on the bright side, Lincoln might meet Haiku there, so this could be a good unofficial first date," Lucy said with a grin.
Lori began gritting her teeth as she glared at her gothic sister.
"I thought we agreed that Lincoln would date Ronnie Anne," she said with her arms crossed.
"Well, let me remind you—we didn't," Lucy replied, her eyes narrowing as the two began to bicker back and forth over who Lincoln should date.
"Well, there they go again," Luna sighed.
"This'll take a while," Lana said as she and the others suddenly heard crunching sounds. They turned to see Lola munching on cookies while watching the argument with great interest.
"Really?" Lynn asked, raising an eyebrow at the pageant queen.
"What? This is pure entertainment. And I'm not the only one," Lola said, gesturing toward Luan—who was recording the whole thing for her channel—and Lisa, who was taking notes on their behavior.
"This is definitely going on my channel, even if it's not that so-fist-icated. Ha! Get it?" Luan chuckled as the others groaned.
"Well, this is a fascinating way to observe the contrasting opinions regarding our male sibling unit's potential romantic partner," Lisa added analytically.
"Geez… It's a good thing Lincoln left, so he doesn't have to see this mess," Lana thought as she grabbed a cookie. "Hope he has a good time tonight."
(Lincoln POV)
After I left the house, I walked a few blocks to make sure I wasn't being followed. Once I was sure, I ducked behind a bush and activated my
As the shadows welcomed me into their domain, I felt them wrap around me protectively, ensuring I got where I needed to go safely.
A moment later, I emerged from a bush near the concert entrance.
"Hmm… I still got half an hour till the concert starts, so I better find Haiku," I thought aloud as I passed through security with my ticket. But as I looked around, I realized there were a lot of people here—finding her wasn't going to be easy.
I decided to use a skill I'd been practicing:
I took a deep breath and focused on a clear mental image of Haiku, whispering the command: "
A soft pulse rippled from me, and in my mind, I saw Haiku standing in the third row.
Opening my eyes, I made my way toward her.
As I got closer, I spotted her trying to make her way to the front row, squeezing between people.
"Need a hand?" I asked, stepping up behind her.
She spun around, startled, then immediately blushed.
"L-Lincoln?!" she said, fiddling with her hair nervously.
"W-what are you doing here?"
Just as I was about to respond, another voice chimed in.
"Lincoln? Is that you?"
I turned and saw Sam and Mazzy—along with three more familiar faces.
The first was Becky—a tall, slim teen with medium-length red hair and green eyeshadow. She wore white earrings, black bracelets, a sleeveless shirt with light green and aqua stripes, dark gray skinny jeans, and brown sandals.
Next was Dana—a tall, fair-skinned girl with long brunette hair tied in a ponytail. She had red earrings, a striped off-shoulder top in white and lavender over a black shirt and skirt, long lavender socks, and high-heeled brown leather boots.
Lastly was Carol, who bore a striking resemblance to Lori—except her longer blonde hair pointed off to the right. She wore a blue headband, light blue eyeshadow, a blue shirt with a white collar, a brown checker-pattern skirt, and tall purple-blue socks. She used to be Lori's rival, but they'd made up and were now friends.
"Oh hey, guys," I said with a small wave.
"L-Lincoln… is that you?" Dana asked, blinking in disbelief.
"Yeah? Why wouldn't it be?" I replied, confused.
"I dunno, maybe because YOU LOOK LIKE THAT?!" Becky exclaimed, pointing dramatically at me.
That's when I remembered—I'd changed a lot recently. So, I explained the whole "growth spurt" thing, though I left out the part about the pain so they wouldn't worry.
"Bullshit," Sam said flatly.
"It's true," I told her.
"I'm calling Luna. That's not fair," Sam said, already dialing.
"You still mad about how much I ate last time?" I asked.
"Yes," she said simply, placing the call.
"Hey, Luna? It's Sam. I've got a question—did your brother really go through that big growth spurt?… Really? …Okay, just had to make sure, 'cause it's so unfair… Sure, we can keep an eye on him. Wait—what do you mean pass out?"
I panicked when I heard that last part.
"Luna, hang up now!" I shouted, startling everyone.
Sam and the others gave me confused looks. Then Sam's eyes widened. She promised Luna she'd watch over me and hung up. Immediately, she rushed over with a concerned look.
"Sam, why do you look really worried right now?" Mazzy asked as the others leaned in.
"Because Lincoln left out a very important detail," Sam said, turning to me with a small glare. "Right, Lincoln?"
I sighed, realizing I had no choice, and explained the pain part I'd left out.
"Why would you leave that out?!" Carol asked, half-scolding me.
"I'm fine, so it's not a big deal," I tried to assure them. But they started fussing over me, worried I might pass out mid-concert.
Only after I reassured them—and promised to tell them immediately if I felt sick or anything—did they finally relent. Becky, however, suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Well look at this, my little white Russian's been working out, huh?" she said, giving my arm a squeeze before letting go.
"Well… I have been working out. Helps clear my head," I admitted.
It was only half true. I was working out to get stronger, to better handle some of the tougher skills. My books say that improving physical strength and meditating helps expand the body's magic pool—because a weak body can't handle powerful magic. But lately, I've come to see it as a way to relax… let my body do the thinking for once.
As we continued chatting, the lights dimmed.
A cloud of yellow smoke rose on stage.
The Hex Girls appeared.
The crowd erupted with a cheer.
From my spot in the stands, I caught a glimpse of them glancing my way—and when they did, I smiled.
They looked even more determined.
(I don't own this song or anything related to Scooby-Doo)
🎵 Song: "Earth, Wind, Fire and Air" – Performed by the Hex Girls 🎵
(We may look bad, but we don't care)
We ride the Wind, we feel the Fire
(To love the Earth is our one desire)
Love the Earth, it's only fair
It's one big Earth that we must share
(We love the Earth with all our Fire)
It's in our Souls, our one desire
Earth, Wind, Fire and Air
(We may look bad, but we don't care)
We ride the Wind, we feel the Fire
To love the Earth is our one desire
(To love the Earth is our one desire)
Nature is a precious gift
It will make your Spirits lift
(Love the Earth with all your Fire)
It's in your Soul, your one desire
Earth, Wind, Fire and Air
(We may look bad, but we don't care)
We ride the Wind, we feel the Fire
To love the Earth is our one desire
(To love the Earth… Is our one desire!)
As they finished the song, the crowd erupted in cheers—and I was right there with them. They had amazing voices. As the cheers died down, Thorn grabbed the mic and addressed the audience.
"Well, I'm glad everyone's enjoying the show," Thorn said with a smile. "And for this next song, we'll be inviting a very special person to perform with us."
The crowd gasped and buzzed with excitement—everyone wondering who it could be.
(No POV)
At the Loud House
The Loud sisters were gathered around the TV, watching the Hex Girls' concert live. Even though some of them weren't super fans, they still enjoyed the music and the energy of the show.
"OMG! Can you believe someone actually gets to sing with the Hex Girls?" Leni squealed, practically bouncing in her seat.
"I wonder who it could be," Luna mused, eyes glued to the screen.
"Maybe it's one of their boyfriends," Lola guessed.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Lola, but they're not dating anyone. If they were, it'd be all over the internet by now," Lori replied, arms crossed confidently.
"I wonder how Lincoln's doing at the concert," Lana said with a hopeful tone.
"Ugh, don't even mention that twerp right now," Lori snapped. "Let's just enjoy the show without thinking about him."
Lucy's face fell into a quiet frown. Lana glanced at her and frowned too, but said nothing.
"Shhh! They're about to announce who's going on stage!" Lynn Jr. said, leaning forward with interest.
Back on the TV, Thorn stood under a spotlight, smiling at the cheering crowd.
"The person joining us on stage is… LINCOLN LOUD!"
Silence.
Then the realization hit.
"WHAT!?!" they all screamed in unison.
At the Concert
(Lincoln's POV)
"WHAT!?!"
Yep. That was definitely my sisters. Guess the news reached them faster than I thought.
I looked around and saw my sisters' friends all staring at me with wide, shocked expressions. I gave a small shrug, trying to act like it was no big deal—even though the growing number of eyes on me was making my nerves crawl.
As I walked toward the stage, the weight of everyone's attention pressed on me. I tried to ignore it, focusing on each step.
Once I reached the front, I slid my hand into the inside of my jacket and summoned my guitar using my skill. There was a subtle shimmer of shadow as it appeared in my hands—clean, smooth, effortless.
The crowd reacted with surprise and light applause, impressed by the magic trick. That helped. A little.
But as I stood there and looked out into the sea of people, the nerves came rushing back. My grip tightened on the guitar. I felt my heartbeat in my ears.
Then—I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I turned.
It was Thorn, smiling at me with quiet encouragement. Behind her, Dusk gave me a nod, and Luna (Hex) shot me a thumbs-up.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I gave them a small, grateful smile and mouthed, "Thank you."
Then I turned back toward the crowd, squared my stance, and looked out with fresh confidence.
The lights came up.
The music began.
And we started to play.
I'm at war with the world and they
Try to pull me into the dark
I struggle to find my faith
As I'm slippin' from your arms a8
It's getting harder to stay awake
And my strength is fading fast
You breathe into me at last
I'm awake I'm alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it's my time
I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life
Here, right here
Right now, right now
Stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I'm awake and I'm alive
I'm at war with the world cause I
Ain't never gonna sell my soul
I've already made up my mind
No matter what I can't be bought or sold
When my faith is getting weak
And I feel like giving in
You breathe into me again
I'm awake I'm alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it's my time
I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life
Here, right here
Right now, right now
Stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I'm awake and I'm alive
Waking up waking up
Waking up waking up
Waking up waking up
Waking up waking up
In the dark
I can feel you in my sleep
In your arms I feel you breathe into me
Forever hold this heart that I will give to you
Forever I will live for you
I'm awake I'm alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it's my time
I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life
Here, right here
Right now, right now
Stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I'm awake and I'm alive
Waking up waking up
Waking up waking up
Waking up waking up
Waking up waking up
(Lincoln's POV)
As we finished the song, I rubbed my neck. Man, that one hurt my throat a little… should've warmed up first.
I wasn't sure how the crowd would take it. Thorn had only asked me to join them yesterday—we barely had a full day to rehearse. But I gave it my all.
That's when I heard it.
The cheers.
Louder than before. Real. Excited.
I looked out at the crowd, and every single person was clapping, cheering, some even jumping in place. And just like that, a big smile broke across my face.
"WOOO! THAT'S MY WHITE RUSSIAN!!"
Becky shouted from the stands, making some of her friends laugh.
(No POV)
At the Loud House
"WOO! Go Lincoln!" Luna shouted, fists in the air. She was practically shaking the couch with how much she was bouncing in place.
"Luna, why are you cheering for him?" Lori asked, crossing her arms.
Luna turned to face her with a look of disbelief.
"Did you not just see that? Our brother just went legendary mode out there—with three hot girls backing him up."
Then she smirked.
"You don't think they have a thing for Lincoln… do you?"
"There's no way that's happening," Lori scoffed. "Three famous, super-hot teen girls wouldn't find anything remotely interesting about him."
"I agree with Lori," Lynn Jr. added. "This has to be some kind of pity prize or something."
Back at the Concert
The crowd was still roaring, but Lincoln didn't notice Thorn moving closer to him.
"That was amazing," she thought. "I think he deserves a reward."
Before Lincoln could react, Thorn leaned in. He noticed something moving in his peripheral vision—but didn't react fast enough. When he turned his head—
Their lips met.
The crowd went dead silent.
Even Thorn's eyes widened. That was not the cheek.
Before she could say anything, two more voices cut in.
"Hey, that's not fair, Thorn!" Dusk shouted as she grabbed Lincoln's arm.
"Yeah, now it's our turn!" Luna (Hex) added from behind.
"Wait—!" Thorn tried to explain, but it was too late.
Dusk turned Lincoln toward her and gave him a firm kiss of her own.
Then Luna (Hex) spun him around and laid one on him too, before letting him go with a wink.
Now dizzy, dazed, and very red in the face, Lincoln stumbled slightly. The lipstick from all three girls was smeared on his cheeks and lips. His brain tried to reboot but failed—what just happened?
At the Loud House
Every Loud sister stared blankly at the TV screen.
Their brother. Just got kissed—multiple times—by three incredibly famous, gorgeous girls. On live television.
"GO FOR IT, BRO!!" Luna yelled, fully invested now.
"This… this can't be real, right?" Lynn Jr. mumbled, her reality crumbling.
"I must admit," Lisa said, adjusting her glasses, "I never calculated the odds of our brother becoming a romantic magnet for highly sought-after teen musicians… yet here we are."
"OMG it's, like, all over the internet already," Leni said, holding up her phone with a flood of social media alerts.
"Sigh… looks like Haiku has some real competition now," Lucy muttered, barely hiding her disappointment.
"Inky! Inky!" Lily cheered, clapping her hands.
Lori, meanwhile, ground her teeth, a twitch in her eye.
"It doesn't matter. Lincoln will be with Ronnie Anne. My relationship depends on it."