One Week Later.

Over time, Lincoln had grown more and more comfortable with his new lifestyle. His health had also improved spectacularly, he had made so many new friends at the orphanage, and he had developed new self-confidence. He got out of his pajamas and put on his uniform. Now that he was a resident at St. Linda's he had to wear a uniform just like the rest of the children there. It had long sleeves and was black, not exactly his style, but he did not complain. As he walked down the hallways and stairs, he received warm greetings from other kids he passed by. He made his way to the cafeteria for breakfast. After receiving his meal, he sat down at a table with some of his new friends and said a prayer thanking the Lord for the food. Since he was living at a religious orphanage, he had to make a habit of saying prayers after receiving meals and before going to bed.

"How are you feeling today, Linc?" Jim asked.

"I'm feeling a whole lot better," the recovering white-haired boy replied. "These people really are dedicated to the health of the children in their care."

"And how are our little angels doing today?" Sister Elizabeth came to their table and asked in a cheery tone.

"We're doing well, Sister Elizabeth," the happy group of kids said in unison. A lot of the nuns at the orphanage were really kind, but Sister Elizabeth was by far the best. She was like a very beautiful and loving mother/sister figure to all the kids. She also had a lot of authority and influence over the other nuns being a kind of second-in-command to Father George.

"And how are you doing this morning, Lincoln?" the head nun asked Lincoln. Over time, Lincoln seemed to have become a favorite of hers. She was always doting on him and making sure he was feeling well.

"I'm doing great, Sister," he replied with a thumbs up. "I feel I'm well enough to attend the Royal Woods Softball Championship today."

"I still can't believe you want to go to that game," a confused Katelyn said.

"Yeah, I mean you don't even like baseball," said one of the new friends named Mike. He was boy with light skin and short brown hair. He was one year older than Lincoln. "I thought something like that might bring back bad memories."

"Well, it's just that Lynn's teammates will be there," Lincoln explained. "In the past, she treated them pretty badly too. At the trial, she said some very hurtful things to her best friend, Margo. I just want to show them some support. I know it wasn't my fault Lynn bossed them around, but someone has to apologize to them on her behalf."

"You're a good kid, Lincoln," Caroline gave him a heartfelt compliment. "A very good kid."

"Well Lincoln, if it'll make you happy, the Father and I will allow it," the Sister said. "Hope you all enjoy yourselves."

"We'd better go to our rooms and get ready before we leave," Caroline suggested.

With that, Lincoln and the other kids finished their breakfasts and started leaving the cafeteria. While making his way back to his room, Lincoln couldn't help but wonder how Lynn was doing. Today was the championship she had been training for the past few weeks but now she couldn't compete in it. He almost felt a little sorry for her, sports was her life.

"I wonder what Lynn's doing right now," the white-haired adolescent thought to himself.

"Life can be so unfair!" Narrator Lynn told the readers. "The greatest athlete in Royal Woods had been unjustly imprisoned and betrayed by everyone around her, including her friends and family. Not even her once loyal fans stood up for her. Now she has been left to rot in this horrible prison called juvie. All thanks to her jinx of a brother! But at least she still had the softball gods, they would never abandon her."

It had been two weeks since the trial, and Lynn was not adjusting well to her new environment at the Royal Woods Juvenile Detention Center. Despite everything that had happened, she still believed she was in the right and refused to fully accept the predicament she was in. This caused her to develop a reputation of being a very uncooperative and disrespectful troublemaker amongst the staff and inmates of the detention center.

One day, she was walking down a hallway of cells to the rec room. She was wearing an orange prison-style uniform with a number on it. Albert, her grandfather, came to visit her about two days after the trial. That memory weighed heavily on her mind as she made her way down the hall.

Flashback

Lynn was brought to the phone booths because her grandfather had come and wanted to speak with her. She sat in the chair and picked up the provided phone to speak with Albert who was sitting on the other side of the glass holding his phone.

"I'm so happy to see you, Pop-Pop," the young athlete said with a smile of relief. However, she failed to notice the unhappy and disappointed look on his face. "You gotta get me out of here. I have so many things to do in such a short amount of time: prepare for the championship, kick all those traitors off my team, sue the CPS after I win…"

"I'm afraid you won't be doing any of that," Albert said in a stern tone.

"I will when you get me out of here," a confused Lynn replied.

"Who said I was here to get you out?"

"Good one, Pop-Pop, but leave the comedy to Luan."

"I'm serious!" Albert said raising his voice. "What were you thinking?! Treating your own little brother like that?"

"He was bad luck!" the stubborn middle schooler argued. "Something had to be done."

"You ruined his life."

"He brought it upon himself!"

"No Lynn!" the angry elder disagreed. "You were the one who started all this when you forced Lincoln to attend your ball game, which you lost and blamed him for. Then you and the rest of the family decided it was a good idea to kick him out like an animal! While I agree that lying to get what he wanted wasn't the best idea, it pales in comparison to what you and the rest of the family did to him."

"Are you saying you believe that load of hogwash over what I said?" Lynn asked in a demanding tone.

"Yes. I do."

This answer made Lynn's face turn red. "I should've expected this. Lincoln was always your favorite."

"Now Lynn, that's not tr–"

"But the worst part about it was I never understood why! He doesn't drive a car, he doesn't tell funny jokes like Luan, and that's saying a lot, he can't fix things, and he sucks at so many sports. He's absolutely worthless!" Her grandfather stared at her in utter shock. How could she say something like that about her own brother?! "We finally found a good use for him, and then they took it away and ruined my life!"

"You did that to yourself!" Albert corrected her. "Do you even hear half the things you say?! What happened to you? You used to be very close to your brother when you were little. You played with him and protected him like any normal sister would. Now you're treating him as if he was subhuman. And for what?! Just one stupid loss!"

The arrogant athlete's angry expression faded as she thought for a moment. She did, in fact, remember the times when she and Lincoln were younger. She did love her little brother and enjoyed the moments they shared with one another. For a moment, Lynn looked like she was feeling regret for her actions. But then she pushed out all those feelings and the memories that brought them.

"You don't understand," the athlete retorted. "NO ONE understands! I have a reputation to uphold. I'm a winner, and winners never lose. With every victory, I knew I was chosen by a higher being for something magnificent. And now when I'm so close to achieving my destiny, I am betrayed by everyone. That's why you can't leave me in here. Pop-Pop, you need to get me out of here. This is the only chance I have."

"To do what, LJ?!" her grandfather angrily said. "Use everyone close to you as disposable stepping stones in your self-imposed quest for self-glory?! You have a lot of potential, Lynn. Don't throw it all away obsessing over fairy tales."

"This family supports itself," Lynn angrily reminded him. "You're my grandfather and I'm your granddaughter, and you're about to leave me to rot in this prison all alone without fulfilling my purpose in life. Do you even care about your family anymore?!"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Albert stood up from his seat and stared down at Lynn with a serious and intimidating look of disappointment and shame. "The feeling of loss isn't a good feeling, it's even worse for those who don't realize what they've lost until it's too late. Before you became so consumed by your pride, Lynn, I'm sure you had a sincere love for your friends, family, and Lincoln. There was a time when I was proud of your achievements and supported you. But this is something I can't support you or the rest of your family on. You keep painting yourself as some great champion who can do no wrong, but the truth is you're just a deluded little girl trying to act like a giant. You've closed your heart to everyone you fear would make you look weak, your friends, your family, your brother, and now me. You've even closed your heart to yourself."

"You don't want to do this," Lynn said with desperation in her eyes.

"You're right, I don't," Albert replied with eyes and a voice full of pity. "But what choice do I have? Good-bye Lynn. I suggest you use your time in this place to think carefully about the life you have chosen to lead." Then he hung up the phone, turned around, and left. As he was leaving, Lynn called to him come back and get her out. He never looked back. "Rita, what have you done?!" he quietly said to himself with a heartbroken expression on his face as he walked out the door and was gone.

End of Flashback

With her last hope of getting out of this place and competing in the championship gone, the only solace Lynn could gain was watching her predictions come true. As frustrated as she was, she hoped the softball gods would go easy on her grandfather when they unleashed their inevitable wrath.

The young teen entered the rec room. There were a couple guards posted at certain parts of the room to keep an eye on the four inmates already there. The four inmates were sitting in chairs watching the political news on a television set. All four of them were boys a few years older than her. Lynn recognized a couple of them but didn't care. She walked up to the TV set and switched it to the sports news channel.

"Hey, we were watching that!" one of the boys yelled.

"Well now you're watching this," Lynn defiantly replied.

"Interested in seeing how your former teammates win the championship?" taunted another boy.

"No, I'm interested in seeing how they lose the championship. I warned them they would be nothing without me, and now is the time where I will be proven right."

"Lynn!" one of the guards approached. "What have we told you about causing trouble? Do I have to take you back to your cell again?"

"It's alright," the first inmate assured the guard. "We'll watch what she wants to watch. Besides, seeing her reaction when her predictions don't come true should be quiet entertaining."

The guard and the young inmate both exchanged sly smirks to one another in agreement. It was extremely for prison guards and inmates to get along at all, these two made it work with their mutual dislike for the Loud girl. Soon, everyone got comfortable as they watched the Royal Woods Softball Championship get underway.

"Well, it's a gorgeous day today, isn't it, Pep?" the baseball announcer asked.

"Yes it is," Pep replied. "Because today is the long awaited championship. The Royal Woods Squirrels had hit a few snags along the way, but here they are. Ready to show off all their hard work."

"However, rumor has it that the Squirrels no longer have their star player, Lynn Loud."

"The rumor is true. Two weeks ago, Loud and her family were arrested and tried for child abuse."

The announcer gasped in shock. "No way!"

"Oh yes! Turns out she blamed her own brother for her first loss and convinced the rest of her family to lock him out of the house."

"I've witnessed a lot of displays of poor sportsmanship in the past. But this one takes the cake. I bet the softball gods aren't too happy with her now."

"Don't talk like that," Pep scolded. "Remember? Thanks to Lynn's actions, the practice of superstitious rituals has been banned from any sporting event."

"Right! Right. Of course," the announcer nervously corrected himself lest he get into trouble. "I how her fans are feeling. I bet a lot of them were really looking forward to seeing her perform in this long awaited event."

"I don't know," Pep said in a disagreeing tone. "From what I've seen, when word got out about the trial and what she did, no one seems to care that she's gone."

Meanwhile, in the locker room, the Squirrels were getting ready for the big game they're all been waiting for. However, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty in the room. A few members had mixed feelings about their current situation.

"Are we sure we can do this?" one of the girls asked.

"What do you mean?" another girl asked confused.

"I mean, I know Lynn was a jerk. But she really was the best player on our team. I don't know if we can win this without her."

"Look, Lynn has acted like a glory hogging jerk one too many times. This time, she went too far and it bit her in the butt. You know that feeling in your gut. We finally get to use the bathroom whenever we want. Now we can play without any internal issues distracting us."

"I guess you're right," the first girl agreed. "That feeling is wonderful."

"Of course it is. Now let's go out there and show everyone what real winners are!"

"Maybe if we win this, Lynn will realize we can be just as good as her and will give us the respect we deserve."

"Doubt it. Lynn's never impressed with any victory she didn't win herself."

However, the mood changed when some of the players turned their attention to Margo who was getting ready with a very somber expression on her face.

"You doing okay, Margo?" one of the concerned girls asked. "You've been a little down since the trial."

"I'm fine," she assured everyone. "It's just that…" She paused a moment to wipe a single tear from her eye. "I thought as her best friend I could get through to her."

"It's not your fault. As far as we're concerned, she was beyond reasoning at that point."

Then there was a knocking at the locker room door.

"Who is it?" the team's new captain asked.

"It's Lincoln, Lynn's brother," a voice came from behind the door. "Can I speak with you?"

"Is everyone decent?" the captain asked the team who all confirmed. "Why not? You can come in."

The young white-haired boy entered wearing his church-style uniform. He had a bit of a sad and uncomfortable look on his face. "Hi," he awkwardly greeted them. "You all probably know me as Lynn's little brother."

"Yeah, we've heard of you," one player replied.

"We're a little surprised," another player said. "Didn't expect to see you of all people here."

"I'm not a big sports fan, no offense," said Lincoln. "But I couldn't stay away. I wanted to support you all and to apologize on behalf of my sister for the way she treated all of you."

"Lynn hardly ever apologizes for anything," one player pointed out.

"I know. But someone has to," Lincoln replied. "Also, I have to admit that there were times when I made some stupid mistakes that caused my sisters to cause problems. I wanted to try and make things right with anyone who got caught up in all that. So I'm here to say I'm sorry to all of you for any problems I might've indirectly caused you."

The girls were all very touched by the younger boy's gesture. They barely knew him, but they could see that he was a really good kid.

"Well, we would like to apologize to you on behalf of what our sister did," Margo said sincerely.

"Yeah, I can't believe she did that to you!" a disgusted player said. "Nah, I take it back. I can totally believe she did that."

Margo shot a disapproving glare at the girl for her insensitivity. She knew that despite the terrible things Lynn did to Lincoln, she was still his sister and deep down he still cared about her.

"It's okay," the boy assured them. "I've accepted the fact that a lot of this is her own fault. I just wish I could've made her realize it before it was too late. She worked so hard for this day."

"Well Lincoln, we're glad you came and had this talk with us," Margo said warmly. "You're a good kid. Lynn doesn't know how truly lucky she is to have a brother like you."

"Thanks," Lincoln gratefully replied. "Do your best out there."

"Don't worry, we will," the team leader assured.

"Take care," Margo said.

"Will do," the white-haired boy replied before leaving the locker room and closing the door behind him.

Lincoln said a little prayer asking God to bless the Squirrels before returning to his friends in the bleachers.

Back at Juvie, Lynn, the other inmates, and the guards were all watching players getting ready for the big game and listening to the announcers. While watching, Lynn noticed the camera had spotted her brother sitting in the bleachers without the mascot suit.

"The Squirrels are now taking their positions on the field," the announcer announced. "What's this?! Is that Lincoln Loud I see in the bleachers, Pep?"

"Why yes it is!" a surprised Pep replied. "The kid that Lynn accused of being bad luck and costing the game."

"Well, looks like we'll see if Lynn was right or if she's just a crazy sore loser."

Lynn grinned confidently when she saw her brother amongst the spectators. "This is perfect!" she thought to herself. "I knew the Squirrels would never be able to win without me. But now that they've let Stincoln in without the god luck suit, they don't stand a chance. They'll lose the championship, prove that I was right all along, and suffer the wrath of the softball gods! Everything's going according to as I predicted!"

The game lasted for a long time. But eventually all great things must come to an end.

"SQUIRRLES WIN! SQUIRRELS WIN! SQUIRRELS WIN!" the announcer excitedly screamed.

"You heard it, folks," Pep said proudly. "The Squirrels win the championship!"

The entire stadium erupted in loud cheers and applause. The winning team were all seen cheering and celebrating their victory. Lincoln and his friends were all giving them congratulatory applause.

Everyone in the rec room was celebrating the Squirrels' victory in the championship. Everyone except Lynn.

"Well girl," one of the inmates mocked her. "Guess they didn't need you after all." However, his mockery received no response. "Hello?"

Lynn was paying no attention to anyone around her. She just sat in her seat staring at the TV screen with a look of complete shock and disbelief painted all over her face. The guards and inmates tried to get her attention, but to no avail. She didn't even react to or notice the guards dragging her out of the room and back to her cell. She had completely shut herself off from reality. She felt like the entire world was literally falling apart all around her.

"They cheated! They MUST'VE cheated! I wasn't there and HE was! They never could've won that game!" she desperately thought. "But even if they did, the softball gods would've never let them get away with it! Unless…" Suddenly, fear and anxiety started to overtake her as a very dreadful thought came to mind. "Unless… Have the softball gods abandoned me TOO?! NO! They wouldn't! I'm their chosen one! I'm the only one! I AM! This must be a dream. It HAS to be! A very VERY bad dream. Wake up, LJ! WAKE UP!"

Suddenly, she found herself standing in an empty baseball field at night. The lights were all focused on her. The bleachers were filled with shadowy people booing and jeering her. Lynn turned her attention to the dark sky above.

"Why?" she asked the starless heavens. "Why have you forsaken me? Why softball gods? How did I disappoint you? What did I do wrong?"

The sound of a pitch was heard from a distance and out of the darkness a baseball came hurling toward the former athlete. She readied herself to catch the ball, but it suddenly stopped and floated in the air above the ground at the height of her eyes. The stitching in the ball unraveled to reveal a row of grinning, sharp, pointy and demonic-looking teeth.

"You were incapable of believing in yourself and your teammates," the demonic ball answered in an ominous and sinister sounding tone.

"What are you talking about?" a confused Lynn asked. "I could've won the entire championship with one arm tied behind my back if it wasn't for –"

"Just cut the pathetic, pretentious boasting," the ball interrupted. "To protect your pride, you allowed superstitions to govern your life and shifted the blame onto others. Did you really think you'd become some great person by following such a way of life?! Don't make me laugh."

"What's wrong with having superstitions?" Lynn angrily asked the ball. "What's wrong with believing that there are things beyond human understanding that are responsible for what happens in our lives? What's wrong with fighting for what you believe in? What's wrong with trying to be the greatest?!" The ball just floated where it was silently grinning at her. "Well, say something! Answer me!"

"I can only speak if you ask the right question."

"Okay then. How about we start with you the heck are you?" The young former athlete was really starting to get annoyed with this… thing.

"Who am I?!" the ball replied sounding creepily delighted with that question. "I guess you could say I'm the voice of your so-called softball gods." Hearing this caused Lynn's expression to turn from anger to surprise. "I'm here to speak on their behalf. All my words are equivalent to theirs and any judgement I bestow upon you is equivalent to their judgement."

"But why am I the one receiving judgement?!" the confused and upset Lynn asked. "I've done nothing wrong! I was cursed and betrayed! If this is still about that one game I lost, it wasn't my fault. And I've taken every precaution to ensure it would never happen again. I would've won the championship if I hadn't been put in here."

"It is not uncommon for those who develop a passion for sports at a young age to believe that winning is the most important thing. But as they mature, they realize that there is more to sports than just winning. You never grew beyond your kindergarten years."

"Everything I did, I did for the gods I worship," Lynn said still refusing to believe what was happening to her. "My life's work has been in their names."

"Your life's work embarrasses them and makes them sick," the ball retorted. "You've taken the sports they represent and twisted them for your own gain."

"But I'm their chosen one!"

"Their Chosen One?!" the ball exclaimed bursting into hysterical and sadistic laughter. The shadowy crowd soon joined in the laughter. The sounds of their cruel taunting cut into Lynn like the sharp teeth of a predator into the flesh of its prey. "The so-called gods don't choose anyone. Even if they did, they would never choose someone like you."

"But… but…" Lynn stammered. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Open your eyes, child. Your 'gods' are nothing more than the memories of mortal athletes long past. Memories that you have tarnished with your foolishness and selfishness. And now your pitiful attempts to make your fantasies realities have cost you what truly mattered in your tragically wasted life."

Suddenly, memories started running through Lynn's head like a projector. Happy memories of times she spent with her family and friends. But most of them were memories that she shared with her brother, Lincoln. They were concluded with memories of all the times she let her pride get the best of her and made life miserable to her loved ones, with the memories of how she'd ruined her only brother's life without a shred of regret. She didn't know if these were memories that this mysterious creature intentionally brought up or if these memories came to her on their own. Either way, she felt as if her very spirit was dying. She felt everything she believed in start to fade into nothingness. Lynn suddenly fell to her knees, her arms hung from her shoulders, her fingers barely touched the ground. The look on the girl's face made the demonic ball's grin grow even bigger. It was a look of despair, shame, and remorseful. Tears dripped from her eyes as she could no longer keep her deepest feelings restrained any longer.

"And now you understand," the ball said with sadistic delight. "However, out of all the nonsense you've spouted, there was one thing you said that would come to fruition."

"And what's that?" the broken 13-year-old asked.

"The Wrath of your So-Called Gods!"

Suddenly, a huge shadow fell upon the field and the crowd started cheering. Lynn looked behind herself to find a gigantic baseball player wielding a giant bat towering over her. The giant's face was obstructed by shadow, but she could make out to glowing white eyes staring intimidatingly down at her. Instantly, she felt her feelings of shame turn to feelings of terror as she stared up at the intimidating figure and realized that she was the one to suffer the gods' wrath that she predicted. Lynn stood trembling in fear, unable to move. Then she felt the ground beneath her feet tremble, and then multiple metal plates emerged from the ground and trapped her inside a giant metal ball with only one barred window. She looked thought the small barred opening to see the demonic ball grinning sinisterly at her.

"And now we will bestow upon the judgement you so justly deserve!" it said ominously.

The giant baseball player knelt down, picked up the ball, and began lifting it into the air. Lynn desperately tugged on the bars, banged on the walls, and cried hysterically.

"NO! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO MEEEEEE!" she tearfully begged.

"You brought this outcome upon yourself," the ball apathetically replied.

"PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE!"

"You reap what you sow."

"SOMEBODY HELP ME! MOM! DAD! LORI! LUNA! LUCY! POP-POP! MARGO! LINCOLN!"

Then the giant tossed the ball into the air and struck it with its giant bat sending it and the screaming Lynn hurling into the dark sky above.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"HEY SHUT UP! Some of us are trying to sleep!"

Lynn screamed at the top of her lungs. Then she opened her eyes and found herself sitting up in her bed back in her dark, cold, empty cell. It had all been a horrible hallucination. A terrible nightmare. But the feelings in it were real and had returned with her to the real world. She buried her face in her hands as she felt tears of remorse burst from her eyes. Lynn's pride had finally been broken.

"Tragic isn't it?" Narrator Lynn asked the readers. "Betrayed and abandoned by everyone close to her. Even the very gods she worshipped. Now do you all understand? I didn't do anything wrong. Lincoln was the one who brought this outcome upon himself and us. But everyone still has to say that I –"

"Oh, put a cork in it already!" a miserable and annoyed Lynn yelled at her narrator self.

"What?! I was just explaining to them what happened so they'd stop being so judgmental of us."

"Who are you trying to fool? They saw everything that led to this, they know who's to blame."

"What did I do wrong? What should I had done instead?"

"I'm pretty sure you saw the answer to that question with your own eyes."

"But… but…"

"Why don't you let someone who knows what they're talking about tell this story and stop bothering everyone? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to rethink my life."

"Fine," Narrator Lynn complied in a defeated tone.

With that, Lynn curled up in her bed and miserably drifted off to sleep. Her spirit broken, her dreams crushed, and with no one to blame for her problems but herself anymore.

Author's Note: I intended for this last scene between Lynn and her narrator self to be symbolic. Narrator Lynn represents Chris Savino, the creator of the series who reportedly stated Lincoln got what he deserved in "No Such Luck". Lynn talking back to Narrator Lynn is my way of calling out Chris on how screwed up his sense of morality was concerning that episode.

Aside from that, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Lynn has finally realized what she has become. Next chapter we'll see the other family members have their own realizations.