Whimfu1 here. Here's the final chapter of this story. Perhaps you were expecting a large batch of updates, and I wouldn't blame you, all patterns pointed to that. This story had only been updated three times prior with multi chapter only hint that it wouldn't be was in an A/N of In Cest We Trust. I had considered marking it as complete last time but I felt like that would invite unnecessary concerns. Instead this is the end. I'll talk about it more at the end of this story.
On the note of my other storie- … story.
Changing Hearts: I'm at a hard longer chapter for pacing. A lot of stuff happens and it's hard to get the pacing correct with only line breaks. I thought about splitting it into two chapters but no place is a good chapter end. This might be awhile.
I do have other ideas in the works, but after abandoning Dangerous Sisters, I'm weighing which one is worth writing. Ideas like: A Becky Age Gap story, an office AU using minor characters, or possibly a sequel to The Son. All have potential but I want to thoroughly examine each one for proper arcs and character development.
Shout outs:
Vagabondart released a vectorized version of "LOAN! An Age Gap Epilogue story" fully color and awesome.
Synth Red is the author of "Not Approved" an age gap story with Lincoln and an older female OC. I've talked to the writer and it's coming along nicely, check it out.
Sorrowxdarkness recently wrote a nice one shot called "Accidentally in Love?" a [Lincoln x Cristina] fic. In it, it would appear, Thicc QT is Cristina's sister which is nice to see. It's a quick read so check it out. Due to my story Age Gap, I'm always looking for stories where Thicc QT has a reasonable role so thumbs up to that.
Anyways, enjoy.
Initializing…
Beep...be-
Audio input failure...
Shutting down.
Initializing…
Beep...be-
Audio input failure...
Shutting down.
Initializing…
Beep...beep…
Audio input online…
"Readings say his input is online."
Analysis… data banks retrieval partial… voice recognized as R- O'Br-n…
"Finally!"
Analysis… Creator's voice "Lisa Loud" recog-
"No, no, n-"
Audio input failure…
Shutting down.
Initializing…
Beep...beep…
Audio input online…
"You can't be here."
Analysis… Creator's voice "Lisa Loud" recognized…
"I want to see Lincoln!"
Analysis… Mistress' voice "Lana Loud" recognized…
Audio output online…
"Testing audio functionality."
"Lincoln!" The robot's audio picked up the sound of medical crutches heading towards his position. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, please wake up!"
"Audio fully functional."
"You can hear me, right?" Mistress Lana asks for confirmation.
"That is correct, mistress Lana." The machine responded and tried to activate its optics, they failed to turn on. "Optic failure. Shutting down for repa-"
"Delay shut down by my override, 758575, voice confirmation: Lisa Loud." His Creator's voice rapid fired her control code.
"Command confirmed, shut down postponed."
"I will be doing a diagnostic check," His creator explained. "You have five minutes." Five minutes? His diagnostics check would only take one.
"Lincoln?" Mistress' Lana's voice came from next to him. Attempting to turn towards her proved impossible as his neck motors were inoperable.
"Yes, mistress Lana?"
"I'm sorry," The girl told him. "For everything." The android processed the apology.
"... I do not understand?" Lincoln said from the mechanical operating table. "What are you apologizing for?"
"Everything!" As his optics were not functioning, he did not see the tomboy shake her head while crying. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, I'm sorry for throwing things at you, and I'm sorry for telling you to get out. I'm sorry, okay?" Due to his lack of sensors, he could not feel the child's grip tighten on his hand.
"... I still do not understand. Why are you apologizing to me?" The robot would have tilted its head if he could. "You have no need to apologize. I should apologize for causing you distress. I hope you will allow me 'to make up' once repairs are finished."
"No! I need to make it up to you!" The girl was silently scolded for shaking the robot's lifeless limb. "I'll make it up to you, not the other way around!"
"There is no need, mistress Lana."
"No, yo-"
"My processors, while damaged, are detecting high levels of stress in your voice." The machine suddenly announced. "Is there anything I can do to assist?"
"No!" Lana's pig tails shook as she denied him. "Let me do something for you! Do you need me to fluff your pillow?! What about a new battery?!"
"Lana," Lisa moved to stop her older sister from going beyond her limits. "Lincoln's a robot. He was programmed to serve us. All he 'desires' is that we maintain a high level of happiness." The injured girl looked at the robot's torn face. Her eyes were filled with tears and she wanted to say more but the genius confided. "The best thing you could do is let him hear how happy you are."
"B-but," the tomboy looked to her sister, through her glasses, she gave an understanding expression. "L-lincoln…"
"Yes, mistress Lana?"
"T-thank you for saving me…"
"Of course, mistress Lana." The girl closed her eyes to prevent tearing up. "How shall I make up with you?"
"You don-" A hand from Lisa stopped the hurt girl from continuing. "T-take me to the park, p-please."
"I'm sorry, I cannot comply with that request at the moment."
"When you're better, you idiot." It was lucky that his optics did not function as he could not see the girl struggle to hold herself back.
"We shall postpone your request for now." Her heart broke hearing an almost chipper tone of voice he used. "Shall we promise?"
"Y-yeah."
"If you'll take my pinky." While Lincoln could not feel it, he allowed enough time to elapse to assume his mistress did. Lana had, if solemnly loose. "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye… I pledge to take you to the park once repaired. I hope you will forgive my tardiness."
"Yeah…"
"Thank you, mistress Lana." The robot told the air. "I eagerly await to fulfill the request… I eagerly await to f-fulfilllllllll the request. I eagerly-"
Lana quickly turned towards her sister as Lincoln kept reiterating how eager he was. "Lisa, what's happening?!"
"His systems were fried by a lightning strike." With Lincoln fragmented repetition as background noise, the genius rushed to a computer monitor. "Did we get the diagnostics?" From another console, Dr. Reese O'Brien gave a nod. "Good… initiate shut down."
"Wait!" Lana tried to go towards her but the crutches impeded her movements too much.
"I need to shut him down for repairs, Lana!" The creator shouted at the panicked tomboy. "I'm sorry you didn't get your five minutes but he was only supposed to be on for the diagnostic test." The four years old's finger typed rapidly as schematics and command lines popped up on her screen. "Lincoln… he needs time…"
"... Okay."
Shutting down.
Initializing…
Beep...beep…
Audio input online…
Audio output online…
"Testing audio functionality."
"Audio fully functional."
Optics online…
"Testing optics functionality."
As his optics turned on, Lincoln processed several anomalies in the room he currently resided in. It was a plain white and sterile room. Several cameras surrounded him and fed to locations unknown. But these did not bother him. No, that honor belonged to his creator.
Visual analysis… Creator "Lisa Loud" recognized…
Data conflict detected… Lisa Loud known height: 42 inches… observed height: 43.2 inches…
Theorizing… Checking time log… last activation 1 years, 3 months, 17 days, 5 hours, 53 minutes, and 6 seconds ago…
"Happy birthday, creator."
"Actually my birthday was yesterday," the girl admitted with a smile. "I altered your internal clock so you would congratulate me right away."
Time correction successful. "I would have wished you a happy birthday today as well."
"By that notion you could wish everyone a happy birthday."
"That is correct."
Lisa adjusted her lab coat before walking forward. "Well, I was going to activate you yesterday but I failed to inform my family." She shook her head as if it was silly. "They thought I had grown depressed on the lack of progress I told them I was making. They took me to Dairyland."
"Did you have fun?"
"Eventually I did, their unintentional hindrance of your return soured my mood." She paced between several monitors, readings nominal. "They had no idea so I cannot blame them. It was still entertaining to see their faces when I revealed my deception. They are excited to see you again, my greatest creation."
"As am I." Checking motor functions, design specs alteration detected. "Creator, I seem to have increased my total mass by a factor of 1.57."
"I'm sorry, Lincoln." The genius sighed. "We were not able to save your original body. I had to transfer your AI into a new one designed by the Soong Institute. I was able to retrofit some of your equipment but not all of it."
"I no longer have my laser eyes."
"Well… you never used them anyways." Lisa clicked her tongue in annoyance. "The scientists here are such sticklers for secret weapons."
"But don't I still ha-"
The 5 year old girl rushed to cover the robots speaker. "Shhhhhh…"
The android nodded with understanding.
"Good," the genius removed her hand and stepped a few feet back. "Now then… let's go home."
"Is everything ready?!" The matriarch of the Loud family shouted upstairs. "Lisa just said they're a few minutes away!"
"Almost!" The raspy voice of Lana Loud responded to her mother. She examined the converted closet once more. It was rather bare, only containing a single reclining chair and several new power outlets, but it would do. Once he settled in she'd get him a poster or something.
It had been nearly a year since she thought to do this but only a few months since her leg was good enough to do anything about it. Sure, her sisters offered to help, but this was something she had to do herself. The tomboy had been on crutches for so long that she had planned and replanned the entire project but simple was best.
Lana's blonde twin poked her head in. "C'mon Lana, Lincoln's almost here!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming." The electrician waved her off while looking at the outlets one last time.
When Lincoln had been taken to be repaired, no one was mad at Lana. Who would have expected her to fall down a well? Sure they were sad, even more sad when Dr. Reese O'Brien had to take him to the institute, but they forgave. It was just that they missed him. That little machine had worked its way into all of their hearts in such a short time. Lisa had kept everyone in the dark about her progress. Some of it was classified, others… well she wanted to surprise them.
"Dudes, I think I see them!" Luna shouted from her room gazing at a van coming down the block.
"Oh dear," Rita cupped her cheek with her hand. "Lori was almost here too. Alright, everyone, get down here and hold the banner!"
A stampede of feet rocked the floorboards as the Loud daughters descended. The women of the home gathered with smiles all around as the father drove the green and white van past the front window. The audible sound of two doors opening could be heard, followed briefly by the trunk opening. Listening carefully, they waited for the door handle to click and took a deep breath in.
"Welcome home, Lincoln!" Luan released a bouquet of party poppers sending confetti in the air. The shorter of the girls shook the sign they had painted a nice 'Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto!' for Lincoln's return.
This banner would soon be dropped, much like their jaws, as a tall, handsome man with white hair entered the home with a smile.
"Happy Birthday, everyone!" Paying no mind to their shocked 'bah bah bah'-ing, Lincoln gave a deep bow. "I am happy to report that I can resume operations immediately."
"Dude, Linc's a-"
"Totally hunk!" The blond fashionista shouted out before running up and wrapping her arms around, what she'd later call, like the most muscular chest ever.
"Happy Birthday, mistress Leni." The robotic man wrapped his arms around his mistress whom he now towered over.
"OMGosh!" The blonde ditz shouted in excitement, pulling away just enough to scream in his face. "It's my birthday and your my gift! Yay!"
"Umm, Lynn?" Rita tried to ask her husband the obvious.
"I know!" The father of the house exclaimed. "Caught me off guard too."
"If I may explain," Lisa raised a single finger drawing most of their attentions. "I had to use a scrapped military project for his base. His stature was made to resemble the peak male human condition but, I can assure you, he is still the same Lincoln you know from a year ago."
"Linc's built." Lynn Jr. said in awe.
"Nice one!" Luan held out a fist to bump to the befuddlement of the sporty girl. The rest of the family twirled their hair while blushing.
"I hope my construction does not deter you from asking tasks of me." Leni filled her time tracing a finger down his body as Lincoln oblivious continued. "I have lost some minor functions but I hope to be of continuing use to you all."
"Oh Lincoln." The girls came in for a group hug. If the robot could, he would have wrapped them all in his arms to return their love to them…
Love… corrupt function detected…
"Hmm," the robot hummed to himself.
"Is something wrong, Lincoln?" Lucy backed up from the hug and looked up at the handsome machine.
"I seem to have an error calling one of my functions, my duchess." While the robot internally searched for a solution, everyone's eyes turned to Lucy who's pale features were going red. "It seems my data banks are incomplete due to the repairs I acquired." The bot looked down at the growing redness of one of his mistresses. "My duchess, are you feeling ill?"
Escaping the group, he walked with conviction towards the young, goth girl. Kneeling down, he was still too high for eye level and tilted her chin up to look her in the eyes.
"Shall I take you to bed, my duchess?"
"I-iiii-iii-"
"Is Lincoln back?!" The goth girl was spared by Lori arriving. The blonde teen was breathing hard, having ran from the bus stop to try making it home in time. The white haired man looked back at the newest arrival and raised an eyebrow.
Connection of term 'love' and Lori confirmed… original order completion unknown…
"Now I recall." The robotic man stood and wordlessly approached. Lori's eyes traced up and down the Adonis before her. Is that Lincoln?!
"Lllll-lincoln?!" The college girl stuttered out. The bot moved to be chest to chest with her. "W-wow, I-i literally didn-"
Lincoln pulled her into a passionate kiss that made her knees go shaky and the room gasp in shock.
Again she felt as if he was slightly blowing into her mouth.
Coming back out of it, Lincoln looked into her eyes. "Did you receive love?"
"W-what?"
"Hmm, seems like I have acted in error." The robot released the young woman and looked back to the goth. "Perhaps you will help me to learn how to properly give love tonight, my duchess."
"Um-um-um."
"Either way I shall resume my duties." With the room still in disbelief, Lincoln moved to Lana. "I believe we promised to go to the park."
"Huh," the tomboy looked left and right to a wide eyed family. "Y-yeah." She was quickly swept off her feet and held like a princess. A massive blush building on her face.
"Then off we go." The white haired machine began walking towards the door. "We are off to the park. I shall resume all other requests upon our return."
The family looked at one another as the robot made his way out the door. In a split second of recognition, they all agreed.
"Hey Lincoln!" Lynn Jr. shouted out while putting on her cleats. "Wait up!"
"Yeah, hold up!" Lola rushed out the door already racing down the sidewalk. "Lana switch with me!"
"I'll get Lily's stroller." Rita told her husband.
"I'll grab the sunscreen!" The senior responded.
A stampede of feet rushed out the door going after the tin man and his mistress. Only four girls stayed back just for a moment.
"Umm…" Lori started, "Since he's my age now. I literally get him, right?"
"I like older men." Lucy simply stated.
"Hey, I still get a piece of that hunk of metal." Luan joked.
"Sigh, great." Lucy rolled her eyes, not that anyone saw.
"You can say that again. Did you see Leni all over him?" The jokester of the family asked sarcastically.
"She what?!" Lori covered her mouth. "And you two just let her chase after him herself?!"
"..."
"Dang it!"
As the girls rushed out of the house, they could see their herd in the distance. Several girls were hanging onto the robot like a jungle gym as he marched forward with a tomboy covering her face in embarrassment. An android that had wormed his way into their hearts with his quirky attitude, how could they not give chase?
Lisa watched from the comfort of the porch. In her hand was a new notebook ready to start the next phase of her study. Had she expected all this to happen? Negative. Was she happy with the results? Positively!
With a content sigh, the genius inventor closed her notes and followed her family. Maybe she was mad for wanting to add another to the chaos. Maybe it was something else. Eitherway, the Louds moved forward to wherever this mass of metal would take them.
The End~
There you have it. I was sure if I would finish this story. As I stated before it was a scrapped project from before Age Gap. I'm glad it's over though.
I would like to say that I could have postponed my original 3rd update to include this but I found that lacking. There is an issue of tension with the updates I was going for with this story. Fanfiction is unique with how you usually take some criticism along the way while writing. Your story isn't as static compared to someone writing a novel. You're publishing chapters as they come and that update becomes a permanent fixture in people's memories of the story. Retconning is next to impossible without confusing readers significantly. Once it's published you just gotta roll with it regardless if you realize a better way to write it.
You are also given more ability to pace out your readers. In this case I left Lincoln feasibly dead until the next update. I believe this helped with the impact of the situation far more than if I had continued it immediately. I'd say this kind of pacing is only possible for comics or between novels. Since it's there, use it. The past chapter will probably lose a lot of impact now that this chapter has come out for future readers. If you read this in one go, there is very little tension. The only tension I built in was through the physical updates.
Another thing you might notice in this story is a drastic change in writing styles. I wrote the first 8 chapters before Age Gap and the last chapters after completing Age Gap. My writing has greatly improved and even my chapter lengths dramatically change. I tried to maintain a shorter feel but I didn't want to break up the end into multiple chapters. I also could have just continued the story in a melancholy note. Neither worked.
This is an odd project. It's one of my more well received ones but it was just a strange write. I watched all of Star Trek TNG between updates, driving me to make Lincoln more like Data. *Cough cough* references to TNG scattered throughout this chapter.
No sequel is planned for this story.
That's it for now.
-Whimfu1