Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

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'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time (Date) /Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or  transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words) "

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Prologue: Timeshift

~Far Beyond the Ghost Zone~

The Ghost Zone was a place where the boundaries of time and space ceased to exist, and within this ethereal realm resided many ghosts, however far and deep with in the realm separated from the flow of time and existence; a large ghastly dark clock tower, surrounded by various glowing green gears held an ever shifting and changing ghost, Clockwork, the omniscient guardian of time. His form shifted between his past, present, and future, a constant reminder of his dominion over the temporal flow.

Clockwork hovered in front of a large, swirling mirror, his eyes narrowing as he observed the countless threads of reality. His duty or his obsession was to maintain and regulate the ever shifting flow of time. The old ghost had viewed into many different timelines throughout his afterlife.

Among the myriad of timelines and universes he monitored, one particular strand beginning to form outside the influence of a certain timeline, caught his attention. It was apart of an anomaly, a deviation from what was known as the "prime" timelines. These being one's with the most connection to the Ghost Zone. Each timeline had it's own Ghost Zone. Due to him residing at the outskirts the Ghost Zone in a realm that wasn't connected to any timelines. It allowed him to exist as a singular being, beyond the limitations of time and continuity of the other Ghost Zone's.

The divergent timeline the all seeing being noticed was drastically different from the main timeline; which would always have a certain consistency to it. It had been closed off, and distanced from everything relating to the realm of the dead, but this time something happened. A change occurred, which led to a deviation being created.

"Hmmm...Yes! Seems as though the curse of the dead king has finally found it's time! It seems as though his birth has now finalized the chance of the bond once again being reconnected!" Clockwork mused, his voice echoing through the void.

"...It's a shame however..." Clockwork said, his echoing voice having a sadder tone from the amused one previously;

There was a lack of a certain individual that was ever so present in the numerous timelines he had viewed...Danny Fenton.

'In this world, the Fenton family never existed. No Danny Fenton, no Danny Phantom.' He quickly waved his staff, and the mirror zoomed in on a specific point in space and time.

The portal revealed a scene from Earth but specifically a place in the state of Michigan, Royal Woods, a suburban town bustling with life. Clockwork attention was then focused on a young boy with white hair, navigating through his chaotic yet loving household.

"Lincoln Loud," Clockwork murmured, watching as the boy interacted with his numerous siblings. "A world without Danny Phantom, yet it possesses its own anomaly..."

Clockwork's eyes glowed with a mysterious light as he saw glimpses of Lincoln's possible future. The master of time saw Lincoln's origins, his battles against formidable ghosts, the struggle of balancing a double life, and the forging of unbreakable bonds, but beyond all that, something more...something inevitable, as if it was what the old ghost was waiting for.

"...Yet all of this this is not certain...the choice of this rests on his hands. If he has the will to follow this path, there is no doubt this shall bring everlasting change to the Infinite Realms..." Clockwork opened his eyes wider as a smile appeared on his face.

"This timeline is about to get a whole lot more Loud," Clockwork said, a hint of amusement returning in his tone.

"For the first time, I witness a world diverging so significantly, yet converging towards an already written destiny."

Clockwork waved his staff again, and the mirror's view shifted, now showing Lincoln's timeline on the cusp of significant change. The young boy, unaware of the extraordinary fate awaiting him, continuing his life, oblivious to the supernatural world that loomed over the horizon.

"Lincoln Loud," Clockwork declared, "Your journey is just beginning. The threads of fate have woven a unique path for you, one that will test your courage and shape your destiny."

As the images in mirror slowly faded, Clockwork returned to his motionless stance ever so shifting between forms, his thoughts consumed by the unfolding events. The clock tower remained silent, but the ripples of time and space carried Clockwork's cryptic words to the farthest reaches of existence.

"The first of its kind," he whispered, "A timeline where new heroes rise, and the echoes of old legends give birth to new tales."

"Seems it's time to place the missing chess pieces once again...will you survive this time...?"

"Time Out"

End Chapter

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time/Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or  transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words) "

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Chapter 1: A Loud-Esque Day

Monday (August 19, 20XX)

The sun peeked through the curtains of the Loud House, casting a warm glow over the busy household. It was the start of another Loud House Monday morning. The sounds of laughter, chatter, and the occasional thud echoed through the halls, signaling the start of another typical day for a certain whitehaired boy.

Lincoln Loud woke up to the familiar hustle and bustle of his family seeping in through the gaps in his door. A smile forming on his face as he stretched and got out of bed. Taking off his sleep wears, before rummaging through his drawer and putting on his daily outfit;

He walked out of his room and headed to one of the two bathrooms on the second floor, now designated for the older siblings that remained at the house. Like every morning, he would have to dodge the chaos of his house, leaping over laundry piles, and other assorted nonsense just to reach the bathroom.

Since his dad's restaurant business took off, they finally had enough money to renovate the house. Thankfully allowing Lincoln to get a bigger room by extending the size of his old one. It was much needed improvement, and it was better than living in the small linen closet. It also gave the loud family a chance to install another bathroom on the second floor, finally helping shorten the usual long lines for the bathroom. It was nicely placed next to the old bathroom, basically dividing the wait time.

Lincoln made his way inside the bathroom, thankful, since it seemed that his sisters were either already downstairs or they were all in their own rooms, which left the hallway mostly empty;

Entering the bathroom, he took a second to look at himself in his mirror.

'A lot has changed...' He thought;

Lincoln, now 15, had short, white hair with a few strands of hair that stood up. Lincoln had hit a big growth spurt, since puberty had started. He was now tall as Luna was when she was 15 years old;

Besides his height, his voice had changed as well, now becoming a bit deeper; it was a telltale sign of him getting older.

As his body changed, so did his wardrobe, he still wore the classic orange t-shirt, but now it came with a red open button-down shirt over it, and some blue jeans to match. While wearing a bigger pair of his usual white with red stripes sneakers.

Grabbing his orange toothbrush, he brushed his teeth and freshened up, making sure to wash his face with the facial cleanser Leni had given him. It was supposed to help stop any pimples from breaking out.

'So far, no zits...guess it's working. I am in no rush to get to that point in puberty!' He thought.

Finishing up, he walked out of the bathroom and made his way downstairs;

Walking off the stairway, in the living room, Lincoln found Lori and Leni lounging on the couch...

Lori, now 21, had shoulder-length blonde hair with bangs that framed her face. She was wearing a blue blouse with brown slacks and white steady high heels. She had gotten a bit taller, resembling a younger version of her mother.

Leni, now 20, still had her long, flowing blonde hair but with a more sophisticated style, wearing a light green sleeveless top and matching light green pants, along with large, round orange earrings, a pink choker and multiple gold bangles on her right wrist. She had grown up a little taller, nearly the same height as Lori now.

Lori sat on the couch with her phone out, most likely texting her long-term boyfriend Bobby, while Leni sat next to her watching the latest episode of the show; [Romance Island.]

Like other parts of the house, the family had given the living room a much-needed makeover, transforming it from a well-loved but heavily worn space into something modern and refreshed.

The old, torn, and sagging couches they had were replaced with some sleek, comfortable sectional sofas which were in a neutral gray, accented with colorful throw pillows that matched the room's new design. A set of modern coffee and side tables now occupied the space around the couch, this was also where the old scuffed-up wooden ones used to be.

Thanks to Lily finally reaching her toddler years, the family no longer had to worry about the constant messes, sticky hands, or things being ruined by accident. This newfound freedom allowed for the addition of newer, more delicate decor for the house; like abstract wall art, small indoor plants, and decorative vases around the living room.

The living room's old worn out walls which had stains and holes in them, had been fixed and repainted in a warm cream tone, which brightened up the space while helping to complement the darker furniture.

The fireplace, once outdated and rarely used by the family, except for around Christmas time, had been completely renewed with a chic stone facade and a mantel. Which was now adorned with family photos and other decorations. Above it, a new flat-screen TV was mounted replacing the old tv, while also eliminating the need for the bulky old entertainment stand. Which was now replaced by a modern entertainment unit that wrapped around the fireplace.

The unit featured built-in shelves which were adorned with more decorations, being a few a few carefully arranged books, and some more family photos. It also came with Integrated surround speakers which were placed around the room for the most immersive watching experience. The family now basically had a movie theater like area right inside of their house.

Modern lighting fixtures were now placed throughout the living room which included sleek standing lamps and a statement ceiling light, which would bathed the room in soft, even light. Finally a plush area rug tied the entire space together.

"Morning, Lori, Leni," Lincoln greeted them.

"Morning, Linc," Lori replied, looking up from her phone with a warm smile.

"Morning, Lincy!" Leni added with her usual bright smile.

"How's it going?" he asked, plopping down in a nearby armchair.

"It's been a totes amazing Lincy! The new season of Romance Island just released! Do you wanna watch it with me?"

"Uhh, maybe later?"

"Okay!" Leni enthusiastically responded, before putting her focus back to the TV.

Lori *sighed* putting the phone down, before answering Lincoln's question. "It's been great, but I can't believe we have to leave again in a week. Summer break went by so fast."

"OMGeee! I know, right?" Leni chimed in, tearing her attention away from the TV. "But, it was, like, sooo fun having everyone home!"

"Yeah, it's been awesome," Lincoln agreed, though he felt a pang of sadness thinking about their impending departure. "I'll miss you guys..."

"Aww...we'll miss you too, Lincoln," Lori said, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Totes going to miss you, Lincy!" Leni exclaimed, getting up from her seat and pulling him into a tight hug. Lincoln blushed a bit as she hugged him tightly into her chest. "I wish we could stay here for like...ever!"

Lori reached out, patting and messing with his hair. "Take care of yourself, little bro. And don't get into trouble while we are gone!"

"Me? Trouble? *Psshh* Never heard of it!" He smirked, as Leni let him out of the hug.

"Whatever you say Linc..." Lori answered, rolling her eyes, when a mischievous smile crept onto her face.

"...we were just worried...with you going into high school and all...you know, one day you might come home with, I don't know...a girlfriend...?"

"W-What..." He answered, his face now red as a tomato...

"I mean...we don't want a lil Lincoln Junior running around the house or anything..." She replied, covering her mouth to contain her giggle.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Lincoln's face was completed red, he was absolutely speechless!

*HahAHAHAHhahAH* Lori couldn't contain it anymore as she busted out laughing.

*haaaaaa* "You should see the look on your face!" She answered, with a big grin on her face, wiping away tears of joy.

"Ha-Ha, very funny..." Lincoln replied, rolling his eyes, though he was still blushing at the meaning behind Lori's teasing.

He couldn't help but distinctly remember "The Talk" he had gotten from his dad when he turned 12. 'Most awkward thing ever!' he thought, cringing at the memory.

"Aw, don't be mad, Linc. I was only teasing you, *giggle* " Lori said, "But seriously, be careful Lincoln… you know… teenage pregn-"

" *GASP* ...Wait! We have anther brother named Lincoln Junior!?" Leni questioned, as Lori's little joke went right over her head. "Why did no one tell me!?"

"It was a joke Leni." Lori said, face Palming at Leni's cluelessness.

"So we don't have another brother?" Leni answered.

"No Leni..." Lori added.

"But why did you say there was a Lil Lincoln running around the house?" Leni asked confused.

"weelllll have fun explaining that to Leni, Lori..." Lincoln said smirking, "I'ma head to the kitchen...cya!"

"Wai-" Lori tried saying before getting cut off by Leni

"Okay Lincy! Let Lincoln Junior know, I said Hi!"

After the conversation between the three, Lincoln headed to the kitchen where he found his parents preparing breakfast. The smell of breakfast wafted through the house as Lincoln's dad cooked up a storm, with his mom there, assisting him.

The kitchen, like the living room, had undergone some subtle yet impactful changes over the years. The once mismatched appliances were now upgraded to sleek stainless steel. The old countertops had been replaced with durable quartz, and the cabinets were given a fresh coat of white paint, paired with simple black handles.

The walls were repainted in a soft, pale green that brightened up the space. New tile backsplash was added behind the stove and sink. The flooring, which had been scuffed and worn down from years of foot traffic, was replaced with durable, waterproof vinyl planks in a warm oak finish.

Despite the updates, the kitchen still retained its homely charm. Old drawings and magnets, some of which Lily had played with during her younger years, still adorned the new stainless steel fridge, adding a touch of nostalgia. A well-used rack of cookbooks sat by the counter, a testament to the many family meals prepared over the years.

Next to the fridge hung a calendar, marked with colorful notes and reminders for the busy household. Below it sat a trash bin with a foot pedal. Despite the updates, the old dinette set remained in the kitchen, a comforting relic of the past that still served its purpose for quick meals and casual use.

Both Rita and her husband, Lynn Sr, have remained the same; they looked exactly like they had a couple of years ago; they had barely aged over the years, well maybe except for some added strands of white hair here and there.

"Hey, kiddo! Ready to feast on some of my world famous breakfast burritos!?" Lynn Sr. called out as Lincoln entered the kitchen.

"Sure am, Dad!" Lincoln replied, smiling at the sight of his father cooking, he always admired his dad's love for the culinary arts.

Lynn Sr had always had a passion for cooking, and after finally having enough of his corporate job, he had quit, and opened his own restaurant called [Lynn's Table], through a huge investment; which was all thanks to the famous food critic Timothy McCole. Since then, a few years have passed and now his dad was the proud owner of a chain of restaurants, all throughout the state of Michigan, and a few out of state as well.

As he worked, Rita asked, "Lincoln, could you set the table and call everyone down for breakfast?"

"On it, Mom!" Lincoln answered, swiftly grabbing plates and utensils. As he rushed into the Dinning room, quickly beginning to set the table.

As he set the table, his mom called out to him,

"Make sure you set the table nicely Lincoln!"

"Yeah I got it mom!" Lincoln replied, "You worry too much, I've done this like a billion times!"

Lincoln couldn't help but slightly feel that his mom was doubting his capabilities, but then again, he might be just overthinking it. His mom cared a lot about him, and he was doubtful that she was thinking about him in that manner.

Since Lynn Sr's business was booming, there was a lot less of a need for Rita to work long hours at the Dentist Office. Due to this, Rita was spending a lot more time at home, being a regular stay at home mom. She barely worked nowadays, and was contempt with making up for some lost time with her kids.

Once Lincoln was finished setting the table up, he called out to let his mom know;

"All set mom! Going to go call them down for breakfast!"

"Great! Thank you again Sweetie!" She said back from the kitchen,

"Yeah!"

Entering the living room he had found that Lori and Leni were now intently watching the romance island show.

"Hey guys!" Lincoln said, "Mom and Dad wanted me to let you guys know breakfast is ready. So make sure you guys wash up and head to the dinning room."

"Okay, we will Linc, thanks!" Both replied back, with their heads still completely glued to the TV.

'Guess one of the contestants are about to get kicked out off the island...kind of wanna see now...ehh later, gotta call the rest of the fam down,' He thought.

With that, Lincoln made his way upstairs, and began his rounds to gather the rest of his siblings.

Lincoln first headed to Luna and Luan's shared room; Reaching the door, he knocked, before he heard faint,

"Open..!"

With that he let himself in;

Walking inside the room, Lincoln noticed Luna sitting on her bed, tuning her guitar, most likely preparing for her next gig.

Luna, now 19, had short, tousled dark brown hair with a side fringe. She wore a dress with the Union Jack design on it, paired with a purple jacket that had white lapels and cuffs, along with her usual rocker boots. She had become just an inch or two taller, but still shorter then Leni.

He then spotted Luan who was currently moving around the room, no doubt was busy setting up a new comedy routine, as evident with props being scattered across the room.

Luan, now age 18, had long, straight brown hair that fell past her shoulders. She was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with her FB Inc.(Funny Business Inc.) emblem on it and a yellow plaid skirt, since turning 18, she no longer wore braces. Luan had grown up to be just as tall as Luna herself.

Luna and Luan still shared a room, but the layout had changed significantly over the years. The old bunk bed they once shared was gone, replaced by two separate beds positioned on opposite sides of the room. Thanks to the renovations, the space had been expanded just enough to comfortably fit both beds, giving each sister a bit more personal space while they still shared the one room.

On one side of the room was Luna's area, where her bed was dressed with deep purple sheets and a cozy matching pillow. Surrounding her bed, besides the small nightstand, were a few pieces of her music equipment—her beloved guitar resting on a stand, a small amp tucked neatly into a corner, and her keyboard against the wall.

While some of her other items, like clothes and shoes, were stashed in the personal closet meant for her, the space still had her signature vibe; a little chaotic but undeniably Luna. The walls around her bed were covered with posters of her music idol Mick Swagger, along with other iconic rock stars and bands. Dominating one section of the wall was a large Union Jack flag. (United Kingdom Flag)

There was also a small wooden table holding various college textbooks and notebooks, with a simple yet very comfortable purple chair tucked underneath. The middle of the table sat her laptop, the front side adorned with a mix of stickers, from music equipment like guitars and drums to rock band logos, and other music-themed designs.

On the other side of the room was Luan's area. Her bed was dressed with dark pink sheets and a white pillow. The walls above her bed were covered with posters celebrating theater and comedy. Prominently displayed above her bed was a large poster of the Funny Business logo featuring her face.

Her space also featured a vanity table set with a small makeup area, perfect for preparing her stage looks while also having a place for her laptop which had a large FB Inc. sticker on it and some school textbooks from the previous year school. Her personal closet was usually neatly stocked with clothes and various props for her shows, from clown noses to juggling pins, unless she was busy getting ready for an upcoming show. Completing her setup was a large glass shelf proudly displaying an array of different pies, each one ready to be used for a well-timed gag.

"Hey, bro!" Luna called out with her raspy voice, as Lincoln entered. "Mind helping me with this amp? It's acting a bit wonky."

Lincoln grinned. "Sure thing, Luna."

He made his way to the cube shaped box sitting next to Luna's bed. 'Hmmm...now let's see what's wrong with you...'

With that be began adjusting the cables and messing with where each one went. Lincoln was used to tending to Luna's equipment, as he had played the role of roadie for her band a couple of times when Chunk, the band's usual roadie, was either sick or unavailable. Though Lincoln was far from an expert when it came to stuff like this, he was still pretty good at getting things to work.

"Try it now." Lincoln said, finishing up.

With that, Luna, with her hands strummed her guitar, as the speaker played back a perfect tune.

"Well done bruv!" Luna said,

" *Heh* No problem Luna" He replied.

Luan looked up from rearranging her props. "Hey Lincoln, can you do me a favor? All you gotta do is check if my buzzer is working. I would do it myself, but my hands are kind of full. I don't want it to fizzle out during rehearsals."

"Yeah, I can check it." Lincoln answered, he picked up the buzzer and get is a press, but nothing happened. "Hey Luan, I think it needs to new batteries..."

"Shoot...uhh I don't remember where, but there should be some brand new batteries in the garage...could you get them for me?" Luan replied back.

"Yeah I can go loo-"

"No need dudes! Here you can use these!" Luna said, cutting Lincoln off, as she tossed him some batteries from the drawer of her nightstand. "They're not new, but they should still work."

"Thanks, Luna!" Both replied.

Replacing the batteries, Lincoln gave the buzzer a quick test;

*Ha* Letting out a chuckle as it made a loud, comical cartoon sound.

"All set, Luan. By the way you two, breakfast is ready!" Lincoln said before walking out of the room.

"Thanks, Lincoln!" they both replied in unison.

Next, Lincoln knocked on the door to Lynn and Lucy's room;

As he heard a muffled, "Come in..."

As he stepped inside, he saw Lucy sitting on her bed, writing in her gothic-themed journal. The room's, lights were off, and the window shades were closed, making the room almost fully dark.

"Morning, Luce." Lincoln announced as he walked into the room with a big smile on his face, his hand reaching for the light switch, turning them on.

Lucy, now 14 years old, had long, black hair styled into a high ponytail with bangs that covered her eyes. She was wearing a black short-sleeved top, a black skirt, fishnet stockings on her legs and arms, and black combat boots. She also had multiple earrings in her left ear. Like Lincoln, she had also hit puberty, becoming just as tall as Lincoln, but only a few inches shorter. She had, like all Loud sisters since puberty, become more feminine like.

Lynn and Lucy's room had remained mostly the same, though the renovations had extended the space, giving each of them a bit more room for their personal interests.

On Lucy's side, a dark-stained vanity table now stood near her closet, its surface adorned with an assortment of gothic items—a vintage hand mirror, black candles, small jars of mysterious powders, a collection of dark lipstick shades, and her black laptop. Above the table hung a small shelf holding her favorite poetry books and a few skull-themed decorations.

Lynn's side, in contrast, was packed with sports equipment. Her corner featured a freestanding rack overflowing with soccer balls, footballs, and baseball gloves, while a set of dumbbells were placed randomly across her side. Posters of her favorite athletes covered her side of the walls, along with a corkboard where she pinned schedules, team photos, and victory ribbons. The addition of a small storage bench near her bed helped keep her gear somewhat organized, though this was Lynn after all, so "organized" has a completely different meaning when it comes to her.

The room featured a single large closet, carefully divided down the middle. Lynn's side was packed with an array of her sports jerseys, each one representing a team she had played on, along with her collection of sneakers, cleats, and training gear. A row of hooks held items like her batting gloves, headbands, and team caps.

On Lucy's side, a lineup of black dresses, gothic ensembles, and darkly elegant outfits hung in meticulous order. Beneath them were neatly arranged black boots of varying styles, from combat boots to sleek heeled pairs, along with a small box containing her collection of accessories—lace chokers, skull pendants, and other trinkets.

"Sigh Alas it is, though the beginning of a new day is only a cruel reminder of our shortening time, as we inch closer to death..." She responded, blinking her eyes a couple times, as he looked at the clock on her nightstand.

"...uhhh...I guess it is. Anyways what are you up to?" Lincoln answered back, unsure of how to even respond

"Until a few seconds ago, I was deeply engrossed in writing down my gloomy existence."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you..." He replied. 'Writing in the dark...? That's Lucy for you!'

"No, it's quite all right, though turning on the lights has removed much of the atmosphere I needed in polishing up my poem..."

"Oops...*heh* again sorry 'bout that..."

"So, what did you need?" Lucy asked, curiously.

"Oh yeah, mom and dad told me to let everyone know breakfast is ready." Lincoln announced.

"Sighhh I'll come downstairs...Thank you for letting me know" Lucy said, looking up from her journal. "Before you leave, do you think you could give my poem a read and give your opinion on it?"

"Sure," Lincoln answered.

"I want to make a compelling impression at the Morticians of Royal Woods club at our high school." she said, handing him a piece of paper, filled with her neat cursive writing.

Lincoln read the poem, it was a somber yet beautifully written piece;

[In moonlit graves, the shadows fall, A whispered sigh, love's quiet call. Beneath the earth, where dreams decay, We linger close, in softest gray. The stars grow dim, the sky fades black, No dawn will rise to bring us back. But in the dark, I find you near, Where time stands still, and hearts hold dear.]

'Wow...to this day I'm still amazed by her talent for writing poems...' He thought;

"It's perfect, Lucy. They'll love it." Lincoln replied,

Lucy, pleased to hear Lincoln's review of her poem, got up from her bed, and hugged him tightly. As she did, tinge of red appeared on her cheeks, which was hidden behind her bangs.

"Thank you dear brother..." she quietly expressed under her breath.

"By the way, have you seen Lynn?" Lincoln asked, coming out of the hug.

"...I think, she's out in the backyard practicing soccer." Lucy replied in her usual monotone voice, taking a second to remember what Lynn said before she barged out of the room earlier.

"Great! I'll see you at breakfast then?" He added, as Lucy gave him a small nod;

Before Lincoln stepped out of the room.

Leaving, he then headed to Lola and Lana's room;

As he entered, he saw Lola, now 10 years old, holding up two dresses, unsure of which one to wear. She had short, wavy blonde hair that fell just above her shoulders, with bangs that swept to the side. She was wearing a pink long-sleeved top, blue jeans, small stud earrings, and white boots.

Lana, also 10 years old, had short blonde hair tied into two pigtails with pink hair ties, and she wore a red baseball cap backwards. She was dressed in a light green t-shirt, dark blue overalls, and white sneakers.

Both twins had grown up and were a feet shorter then Lucy, unsurprisingly both were the same height. Lana was on the floor, her toolbox spilled open. Lincoln guessed it was probably from one of their usual morning fights.

Lola and Lana's room had remained largely the same, though the contents in which were present in their rooms had shifted as they aged.

Lola now had far fewer toys than before, most of which had either been donated or put into storage in the attic. Now her shelves had neatly arranged beauty products, jewelry boxes, and trophies from her pageant wins. A large mirror with built-in lights dominated one side of the room, making her side feel more like a mini dressing room.

A large vanity set, complete with another lighted mirror and an elegant pink cushioned stool. The surface was meticulously organized with various makeup products—rows of lipsticks in vibrant shades, neatly arranged palettes of eyeshadow, and a collection of blushes and powders. Small compartments held brushes of every size, along with nail polishes in a rainbow of colors. Beside the vanity, a jewelry stand displayed her favorite necklaces, earrings, and tiaras from her pageant wins.

Lana, on the other hand, had leaned even more into her love of being a repairwoman. Her shelves were filled with an array of tools, spare parts, and small models she was working on. The corner near her bed was a mix of organized chaos, with jars of screws, bolts, and wires stacked beside a small workbench she had squeezed into the space.

"Morning, Lincoln!" Lola said brightly. "Can you help me choose which dress to wear for my pageant training later?"

Lincoln looked at the dresses and pointed to the sparkly pink one. "Go with the pink one. It'll look great on you."

"Thanks, Lincoln!" Lola beamed, hugging him quickly. "You sure you don't wanna be my coach again? You were pretty decent...and so was your pay."

"I heard that," Lincoln replied with a smirk on his face, "It was fun, but it's been a while, plus I don't think I will have the time when school starts again."

"Well the offer still stands if you change your mind!" She replied, before going back to getting ready for the day.

Lana looked up from the mess of tools. "Hey, Lincoln, can you help me organize my toolbox? It kinda..uhh...exploded?" She said rubbing the back of her head.

"Sure thing, Lana," Lincoln said, kneeling down to help her sort the tools back into the box. "You two really need to stop fighting so much."

Lana grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Lincoln."

"By the way, breakfast is ready. You two should head downstairs," Lincoln said, getting up after helping Lana. He made his way back to the door.

"We will!" Both answering the same time.

After helping the twins, Lincoln found Lily in her shared room with Lisa. She was sitting on her bed, struggling to put on her shoes.

Lily, now 5, had short blonde hair tied back with a purple hairband. She was wearing a lavender dress with white frills at the sleeves and hem, along with purple boots and white socks. She had become tall as Lola and Lana, when they were 6.

Lily and Lisa's room had undergone a few changes as well. Long gone was Lily's crib, now replaced with a cozy toddler bed, adorned with light purple bedding and her favorite stuffed animals.

Her side of the room featured a low bookshelf stocked with picture books, puzzles, and toys, all neatly arranged and easily within her reach. A compact wardrobe in the corner held her clothes and extra blankets, while a wicker toy chest nearby housed most of her other toys. In the corner sat a small table with matching chairs. Crayons, markers, and paper were stored neatly next to the small table.

On Lisa's side of the room was her bed, it was simple but functional, dressed with green bedding and a crisp white pillow, neatly made as if it were part of a daily routine.

Beside her bed was a compact nightstand, which held a small reading lamp and a stack of academic books. Adjacent to it was her "lab area," where a large workstation dominated the space. The desk was equipped with a miniature lab setup, including a rack of test tubes, a portable Bunsen burner, and a small microscope. Above the desk, mounted shelves were filled with labeled jars of chemicals, tools, and various inventions in progress. A bulletin board hung on the wall, pinned with notes, blueprints, and diagrams from her latest experiments.

Below the workstation, storage bins and drawers kept her gadgets, spare parts, and prototypes neatly organized, ensuring everything had its place. Nearby, a tall bookshelf housed her collection of encyclopedias, scientific journals, and reference manuals.

"Need some help, Lily?" Lincoln asked, kneeling down to assist his youngest sister. She giggled and nodded, her bright eyes full of admiration for her big brother.

"Winky, can I ride on your shoulders when we go down for breakfast?" Lily asked.

"Of course you can," Lincoln replied, lifting her up onto his shoulders. "Let's go."

"Thanks, Winky!" she replied affectionately at her older brother.

Lincoln carried Lily downstairs, passing Lori and Leni who were still watching the tv, and dropped her off at the dinning table before heading through the kitchen and into the backyard to find Lynn.

He stepped outside, scanning the yard for his sister, but didn't take long before he spotted Lynn practicing her soccer drills. Lincoln could tell she was intensely focused. Even as they got older, Lynn's dedication to sports never wavered.

Lynn, now 17 years old, had long, straight brown hair that fell past her shoulders and was wearing a red beanie. She was dressed in a red sports jersey with the number 1 on it which hid her more feminine figure. She also wore red athletic shorts, along with red and white athletic shoes. She had changed a lot since she was 13, becoming just as tall as Leni and Luna.

"Hey, Lynn!" He called out to her, "Mom and Dad are finished cooking! it's time for breakfast!"

Lynn Jr., mid juggling the ball in the air with her feet, kicked the ball into the soccer net set near the fence one last time before jogging over.

"Thanks, Lincoln! I'll be right in, lemme put my stuff away real quick."

"Alright Lynn, don't distracted and start practicing something else, while putting your stuff away!" Lincoln replied.

"yeah, yeah, Lincoln I heard ya!" Lynn replied before going back to pick her equipment up.

After calling Lynn, Lincoln found himself walking back through the kitchen and into the dinning room.

Despite the hustle and bustle, Lincoln enjoyed these moments. With Lori and Leni far into their college careers and Luna often away for gigs, he cherished the time they all had together. It was rare for the whole family to be together, and he intended to make the most of it.

However, amidst the busy morning, doubt crept into Lincoln's mind. His sisters were all so amazing in their own unique ways; then there was Lincoln...

Lori was a natural leader, excelling in her business law studies, while managing a scholarship she received through her skills in golf; which also landed her on the university's Division 1 golf team. Leni's creativity shinned in her fashion designs and her ever so growing online fashion business. Luna's talent for music had made her a rising star in the Royal Woods area.

Luan's comedy, though sometimes a bit of an eye-roll for the family, was still a welcome source of joy, and her comedy shows have recently been a massive hit at the Royal Woods Theatre. Lincoln also knew she had something big coming up an important performance that could be a major stepping stone in her career.

Lynn's athleticism was unmatched and she was also the star player for almost all the Royal Woods High School sports teams...well besides the ones that required using your mind rather then brute strength. Even Lucy, with her at face value odd interests, was incredibly talented, crafting beautiful poems and maintaining her unique style with certain level of confidence he found to be very admirable.

Then there were Lola and Lana, who were each making a name for themselves. Lola was an up-and-coming star in the beauty pageant scene, already earning big titles and aiming for Miss Michigan in the future. Lana, on the other hand, had found her passion at the race tracks, working as a trainee in the pit crew for the famous racer Bobbie Fletcher.

Lisa, their resident super genius, continued to astonish everyone with her scientific achievements, often working on complex experiments in her lab. Due to this, many colleges and even big name science communities have been reaching out and trying to get her to either work for them or join their programs; and then there was Lily. She was still young, but Lincoln had no doubt she would find her special talent soon enough.

Each of his sisters were extraordinary in their own right, and he couldn't help but feel inadequate to them...

'They are all so amazing...and...I'm just...well...me.' He thought.

Compared to them, Lincoln often felt pretty average. Sure, he called himself The man with the plan but more often than not, his plans went awry.

*Sighhh*

He couldn't dwell on that now, though. He was proud to be their brother and more than happy to be a part of their lives. What mattered most to him was spending time with all of them together, even if it wouldn't last long.

Lori and Leni would be returning to campus soon, which he knew would make him miss them a lot. He and Lucy would be starting high school in two weeks, a daunting but exciting new adventure for both of them. Luan too would be leaving and going off to college the next year...

The thought of all these changes sent a pang of loneliness and isolation through his heart, but, ever the optimist, he quickly pushed it aside.

'Okay! No more depressing thoughts! Come on Linc! Get ahold of yourself!' Slapping his face with his hands,

He loved all his sisters and wouldn't trade them for the world, even though he sometimes felt like he didn't have much going for himself.

"Here you go champ! My world famous breakfast burritos!" Said Lynn Sr placing a burrito onto Lincoln's plate, breaking him out of his stupor.

"Thanks dad!" Lincoln said before taking a bite out of his burrito. "*mMmmmM*"

'DELICIOUS!'

Lynn Sr was quickly moving around and placing all the burrito's onto the plates.

As he worked, Rita, who came in behind Lynn, asked her son; "Lincoln, did you tell everyone that breakfast is ready?"

"*mhm* I think I got everyone..." Lincoln paused. "wait...Lisa! I forgot to tell Lisa!"

Rita smiled. "She's probably in the basement. She's been working on something down there for the past few days."

"Right!" He Responded.

Leaving behind his half eaten burrito on the plate, Lincoln quickly made his way towards the basement door.

He descended the stairs to the basement, the cool air and dim lighting contrasting sharply with the warmth and brightness upstairs. The basement was a mix of Lisa's high-tech lab equipment and the usual storage items/customary basement stuff the family kept down there.

'Wow...when did she find the time to do this...?'

Lisa, now 8, had short brown hair tied into a high ponytail, with bangs neatly framing her face. She wore her signature black-rimmed glasses, a green turtleneck, slightly dark pink pants, brown shoes, and a crisp white lab coat that she rarely went without. Though she had grown a bit taller over the years, the twins still easily towered over her.

As he approached Lisa's work area, he saw her intently focused on a complex machine, various lights blinking and screens displaying data.

"Hey, Lisa, breakfast is ready," Lincoln called out.

Lisa barely looked up from her work. "Just a moment, Lincoln. I'm at a critical stage in my experiment."

Lincoln watched her work for a moment, his curiosity piqued.

"What are you working on this time?" He asked,

Lisa finally looked up, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's a dimensional portal. If I can get it to work, it will allow travel between different dimensions. I'm almost there, just a few more adjustments."

Lincoln marveled at her brilliance. "That's amazing, Lisa. But you should come up and eat. You can get back to it after breakfast."

'And I wanna go back to my burrito!' He thought in the back of his mind.

Lisa sighed but nodded. "Alright, I suppose a break won't hurt."

"Great, let's head back up" He said as he walked back to the stairway,

'Don't want to start relying on my energy supplements...' Lisa thought as she walked behind Lincoln.

As they headed back upstairs, Lincoln eyed the machine, he couldn't shake the feeling that Lisa's latest project was going to be something extraordinary.

Lisa and Lincoln made their way back through the kitchen and into the Dinning room and found the rest of their family already at the dinner table. They were talking to each other, and enjoying some delicious breakfast burritos;

"Take a seat, Lisa sweetie." Rita said noticing the two walk in,

"Yes mother, "Lisa replied,

"You too Lincoln, and thank you again for all the help" Rita added

"No sweat mom, all in a day's work" Proudly exclaimed as he took a seat on his chair.

'Now, time to finish enjoying this delicious burr-' Lincoln paused, and looked at his plate confused... 'hm...? Something's wrong...wait...'

"MY BURRITO!" He loudly exclaimed, getting the attention of his sister Lynn.

" *mMmMmmM* Sorry Stinkin, *mMhMHmMmHm* you snooze, you lose!" Lynn said, as she ate Lincoln's burrito,

"Lynn! Dang it!" Lincoln expressed, "I was barely gone for a minute... *facepalm*"

"Don't worry champ! I made extra." Lynn Sr said, placing another burrito onto Lincoln's plate,

"Thanks dad!" Lincoln replied, "Finally..." he said taking a bite out of his burrito, 'Soooo gooood!'

" *BUUUURRP* You gonna finish that?" Lynn asked, pointing to his burrito, Lincoln only responded by giving her a glare at her comment;

"Gas that's a no! *hahaha*" Luan joked, as she received an eye roll and a chorus of groans by the rest of her family.

"Tough crowd...anyways! I have something to tell you guys!" Luan said out loud. Getting the attention of the family once again.

"Tell us what?" Lori asked.

'I got a good guess at what it might be...' Lincoln thought.

"Well...you guys know how I've been doing comedy shows at the Royal Woods theatre?" Luan said.

"Yeah...?" Lana said.

"And you know how they've been a big hit?"

"Oka-" Luna said, before getting cut off;

"Would you just say it already!" Lola said cutting Luna off.

"Alright, Alright! Basically since the shows were doing so well, the general manager at the theatre asked me to put on a play, and just yesterday I got an email confirming that my script for the play got greenlit!" Luan replied.

'Knew it!' Lincoln thought. The previous day, Lincoln was walking past Luna and Luan's room when he overheard her yelling in excitement about her script getting approved.

"That's wonderful sweetie!" Rita responded.

"That's my girl! Great work Luan!" Lynn Sr, the patriarch of the household added with a classic dad one liner.

"Nice going sis!" Lynn Jr added.

"Bloody hell dude that's amazing!" Luna replied.

"That's just the half of it!" Luan added.

"What do you mean?" Lori inquired, curious to what else there was.

"Well, it's like this, I don't want to spoil too much about how the play goes, but it's going to be a comedic retelling of Romeo and Juliet!" Luan replied, "BUT! That's not all! I know it's a bit short notice and everything...but I'm going to have the play be on Friday! And I have got VIP seats already set for you guys!"

"OMGEE THATS TOTES AMAZING LUAN!" Leni replied. "But uhmm why so soon?"

"The thing is, since you and Lori are leaving the upcoming weekend, I didn't want you guys to miss out so I'm going to be setting up this entire play as fast as possible and I will most likely be insanely busy starting today..." Luan answered.

The room was silent for a second as some of the family members had there jaws hanging at what she just said. Planning, directing, and setting up an entire play took a lot of time but here she was doing this all in under a week.

"...Luan...That's really nice of you...Thank you!" Lori said, getting up from her seat and giving her a hug.

"Yeah Luan that's like so amazing and nice of you!" Leni said as she got up and hugged her.

"Don't worry about it you two." Luan replied. "We're family and I want you guys to see my first ever big time play"

"Sweetie...we are so proud of you! And we know you can do it!"

"Yeah Luan, that's a lot to undertake but we promise you we won't miss it!" Lynn Sr added.

"You got that right!" Lynn Jr replied.

"Yeah!" The twins added.

Lucy's usual stoic frown was replaced with a small smile.

"I believe I can make some time to attend your play. My project should be completed by then." Lisa replied.

"Yeah! We are all coming, right Winky?" Lily added.

"Huh? Yea-Yeah Luan, we aren't going to miss it." Lincoln replied.

"Aww thanks so much you guys!" Luan said. "I really appreciate all the support."

The morning continued with the usual mix of chaos and overall uproar. Lincoln continued to enjoy his food, as he over heard the conversation between some of his older sisters. They were discussing with each other about their plans for the day;

Luna apparently had an upcoming gig, and if it went well, she could possibly get a chance to play out of state with some big name stars. He also over heard how it was going to be a big surprise for Sam, who she evidently hasn't told;

"Wait you haven't told her yet?!" Lori asked,

Luna hesitated, her fingers fidgeting. "Yeah...It's a really big and if we get excepted we could be touring with them around a lot states."

"That's great! But why haven't you let Sam know?" Lori questioned,

Luna hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck. "I...I'm scared, okay? Sam's planning to start applying to Universities near us to see if she could get transferred in time for the winter semester, and if this gig works out, I'll be on the road for months. I don't even know if she'd want to come with me, or if it's even fair to ask her to."

She looked down at the floor, her fingers fidgeting nervously. "This could really mess things up for us, y'know? What if she thinks I'm choosing the band over her? What if she doesn't wanna deal with the distance, or me being away so much?"

Lori softened, placing a reassuring hand on Luna's shoulder. ""Luna, I get it. It's a tough spot. But you've got to talk to her about it. She cares about you, and keeping this from her might hurt her more than you think."

Luna sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I know, dude...I just don't wanna risk losing her. This band is my dream, but Sam, she's my everything..."

"Then trust her," Lori said firmly. "If you really mean that, you owe it to both of you to be honest. Who knows? She might surprise you."

Luna nodded slowly, her mind turning over Lori's advice. "Yeah... I just hope you're right."

Luna sighed, running a hand through her hair before forcing a small smile. "Anyways, that's enough about my problems. What about you, sis? What plans do you have for your second year?" she asked, eager to shift the focus.

Lori perked up at the question, her face lighting up. "Oh, I mean it's not as great as what you have planned, but... I'm actually already getting offers for some really exciting internships."

"There's this one at a big marketing firm downtown that I've had my eye on since my first semester, and guess what? They want me to apply! It's gonna be competitive, but I think I've got a good shot." She said proudly

"That's awesome, Lori!" Luna said with a genuine smile, happy to see her sister so enthusiastic. "Sounds like you've got it all figured out, dude."

"Well, not all of it," Lori admitted with a shrug. "But hey, it feels good to know I'm heading in the right direction."

Luna grinned, turning her attention to Leni. "So, Len, what about you? What's the plan for your online fashion empire? You're basically, like, a business mogul now, yeah?" she teased, giving her sister a playful nudge.

Leni's face lit up as well as she clasped her hands together excitedly. "Oh my gosh, Luna, it's been so amazing! My store is, like, totally blowing up on social media right now! A bunch of influencers have been giving the most awesome reviews, and sales are going through the roof!"

"Whoa, that's wicked!" Luna replied, genuinely impressed. "Looks like all your hard work's paying off, huh?"

"Totally! But, like, I still have so much to do," Leni said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I wanna expand my store with more designs and maybe even add a whole accessories line! And I was thinking about reaching out to some other influencers for collabs. It's gonna be a lot of work, but I'm so excited!"

"Sounds like you're smashing it, Len," Luna said with a smile. "You've got a good thing going, and it's ace to see you living your dream."

"Thanks, Luna!" Leni beamed. "And don't worry, I'll make sure to design some cool outfits for you to wear on tour! You'll look totes fab!"

Luna laughed, shaking her head. "I'll hold you to that!"

Lincoln slowly sank into his seat as he listened to it all. He again felt that he was falling short compared to his sisters, but he chose to ignore it.

' *Sighh*...let's head upstairs after breakfast...' He hold himself. 'Maybe give I'll Clyde a call...haven't called him in a while, after that maybe some comics...to get my mind off things...'

With that, Lincoln continued to eat, hoping to get through the morning without that nagging feeling coming up again.

Later that day

After a typical Loud-esque morning, the house got a bit less loud, well, as less loud as it could get.

Most of the Loud family had already headed out to start their day;

Lori and Leni went out to do some shopping, they were out getting some stuff for their apartment back at the campus. Luna was picked up by her band to go practice at Sam's place.

Luan also left about the same time to go to the theatre and begin production of her play; she was planning on doing casting and getting it done by the end of today, while also working on ways to get the word around about her play.

Then, Lynn made her leave as well to go practice with the high school's soccer team, since there was going to be a game during the first week of school, and the sports teams usually started before school began.

Next, Lola and Lana headed off as well—Lola to went to her pageant training classes, and Lana headed off to the race track.

Finally, Lily went with her mother to get groceries, and Lynn Sr. headed off to work at one of his many restaurant chains, "Lynn's Table." This left only Lisa, Lucy, and Lincoln at the house.

With all the other members of the family gone, Lincoln retreated back to his room to read some comics and catch up with his friend Clyde.

Clyde had been gone almost the entire summer vacation. His dads had taken Clyde with them on one of their famous "Trip's around the world" vacations. Clyde was out exploring and seeing all the wonders the world had to offer, from the pyramids to Stonehenge.

Clyde was currently in Scotland, so time was a bit off, but they were able to video chat and talk about what new things he had seen;

Booting up this computer, Lincoln gave Clyde a call.

"Hey Lincoln!" Clyde said through the screen

"Clyde! How's it going? Seen anything cool in Scotland?

"It's been AWESOME! And, you bet! There are so many castle's and almost everything looks so darn beautiful. I even got a chance to ride the train from the first Parry Hotter movie!" Clyde replied.

"WOW! See old Nessie yet?" Lincoln asked.

"Ha, no luck there, but I did get a chance to take a tour on the lake! It was amazing!" Clyde answered.

"That's awesome Clyde, make sure you get me some post cards from there." Lincoln said.

"Of course Linc, hey I almost forgot to tell you, you won't believe were we are staying right now!" Clyde replied.

"Where?" Lincoln asked, curious as to what Clyde was about to tell him.

"We are staying at a hotel, at a place called Loch Loud! It's a small town that once had a family of royals named the Louds that ruled over the place." Clyde excitedly replied.

"That's...woah! Maybe I have some family down there?" Lincoln responded, surprised at the coincidence.

"Yeah crazy coincidence ri- Oh crap my dads are calling, we gotta head out. Sorry we couldn't talk more. Clyde signing out!"

"No problem Clyde, signing out!" Lincoln said ending the call.

Couple Minutes Later

After the call, Lincoln went onto his bed to read some comics, fully clothed (he no longer read in his underwear).

Some time later, he heard a knock on his door;

"Come in!" Lincoln called out.

Lucy walked in, her demeanor showing slight anxiety only Lincoln could pick up on.

'What's up with her...?' He thought, seeing her anxious demeanor;

"Lincoln, dear brother...could you help me out with getting some supplies for school? I haven't had the chance to do so, and school is getting ever so closer."

Lincoln, still wanting to read his comics and relax, but never one to let his sisters down, agreed to help.

"Well...I was going to read comics today...but sure Luce, I'll help ya out." He said getting out of his bed, patting Lucy's head.

'It feels nice when he does that...' Lucy thought, she wasn't sure when Lincoln started patting her head like that. She assumed he started doing it because he saw her as his little sister, even though they were only a year apart. She wasn't against it by no means, it was comforting to her.

"Let's head out" Lincoln said, as Lucy followed suit.

"Thanks Linc..." Lucy said softly, with a small smile.

As they walked downstairs, Lincoln realized that it was just Him, Lucy, and Lisa at home. He was currently in charge, since him being the eldest in the house at that very moment. He wasn't allowed to leave the house unattended, but he realized Lisa was probably responsible enough to keep the house in check.

He walked into the kitchen and opened the basement door before calling down, "Hey, Lisa! I'm heading out with Lucy to get some school supplies. You'll be in charge while we're gone, okay?"

Lisa's voice echoed up from the basement. "Not a problem, Lincoln! I'll keep the house safe and orderly. However, I do advise you return before the arrival of our parents!"

"Yeah, I got it! Thanks!" Lincoln said before closing the door.

With Lisa's reassurance, Lincoln and Lucy headed out.

Lincoln and Lucy set out for the mall to get some school supplies. The summer heat was in full swing, but the siblings enjoyed their walk, chatting about their plans for the upcoming school year.

"Sooo...you're planning on joining the Goth club, huh?" Asked trying to start up a conversation with Lucy

"Sighh... The club is called the Morticians of Royal Woods, and yes, I am..."

"Well that's great! Weren't you part of a similar club back in middle school?" Lincoln asked

"Yes, I was...most of the previous members of the club, the one's that graduated middle school before us, went and created the new Morticians Club at the Royal Wood's Highschool." She answered. "...are you planning on joining any clubs?"

"Me? uhhh...not really...to be honest with you...I haven't really thought about high school much this summer...sort of avoiding the inevitable stress ya know?" Lincoln answered.

Lucy nodded agreeing, she could relate to that feeling...

With that the conversation ended, and the two siblings continued to the bus stop before getting on. Lucy, not sure how to start the conversation again, decided to keep quiet as they rode to their stop.

Seeing Lucy's quietness, Lincoln decided to hold asking questions to Lucy about her plans for Highschool, he couldn't explain why, but he felt that Lucy was really nervous about this whole high school thing. So with that he decided to stare out side the window of the bus as they made their way to the mall.

'...maybe we could do something after getting her stuff...' He thought to himself.

~Royal Woods Mall~

A while later

Arriving at their bus stop, the two siblings made their way out and into the mall, as the cool air-conditioned breeze greeted them. The mall was bustling with shoppers, and the siblings made their way through the crowd to their first stop, a store called [Back to School Essentials.]

"Alright, Lucy, let's grab everything you need," Lincoln said, taking out a paper with stuff lucy might need while also pulling out a cart.

They walked through the aisles, picking up notebooks, pencils, pens, folders, and all the essentials. Lincoln grabbed some stuff he might also need as well for this classes.

"Hmm...folders? Check! Penicils and Pens? Check! 2, 2 inch binders? Check! Graphing Calculator? Check! Graphing Paper? Check! Ruler? Check! Notecards? Check! Highlighters? Check! Notebooks? Check!" Lincoln said, making sure to check off each item on the list he made, as Lucy placed them into a cart.

"Well...looks like we got everything you might need Lucy!" He said with a smile on his face.

"Thank you Lincoln..." Lucy replied, happy Lincoln is helping her. She could always depend on him when she need anything.

"Don't worry 'bout it, now let's get this stuff to the register" He said as he pushed the cart.

After they had all the supplies they needed, Lincoln suggested they check out some other stores before heading home. "Let's take a look around, maybe we'll find something interesting." As Lucy nodded in agreement.

As they walked through the mall, they noticed a new store had opened up. The sign read "Ghostly Goods: Everything for the Supernatural Enthusiast."

"Whoa, check this out, Lucy. A supernatural oddities store!" Lincoln exclaimed, his curiosity piqued.

Lucy, her eyes lighting up with interest, nodded. "Let's go inside. It looks interesting."

The store was filled with all sorts of spooky and supernatural items—crystal balls, tarot cards, Ouija boards, and various other mystical paraphernalia. The atmosphere was dimly lit, with creepy music playing softly in the background.

Lucy wandered over to a shelf filled with jars and vials containing strange substances. One jar, in particular, caught her eye. It was labeled "Ectoplasm."

"Look at this, Lincoln," Lucy said, picking up the jar. "Do you think this could help me connect with spirits?"

Lincoln examined the jar, his interest growing. "Maybe. It looks pretty cool. If you think it might help, you should get it. Though it sort of looks like green slime..."

Lucy nodded and decided to buy the jar of ectoplasm. Who knows maybe there might be a chance of it being real. As they continued to explore the store, Lincoln found a section dedicated to supernatural comics and books.

"Check this out, Lucy. They have a whole section on ghost stories and supernatural adventures," Lincoln said, flipping through a comic book.

Lucy smiled. "Maybe you can find something new to read?"

"Yeah, Haven't read any of these yet. Going to see what to get," He said, as he continued to flip through the pile.

After some looking, Lincoln picked out a couple of comics that caught his eye.

As they went to the register to make their purchase, they noticed that the clerk, had a peculiar outfit...he wore a dark purple cloak, and a purple vest which held a stop watch. The cloak hid his face, as the only thing they could make out was his smile.

"Have a nice day..." The clerk said.

"You too." Both replied.

As the two made their way out, the clerk had an eerie smirk on his face.

'What a weird choice for a work uniform for a supernatural shop...and was it just me or did his voice sound off...almost if it was echoey...whatever...' Lincoln thought to himself.

With their purchases in hand, they left the store and continued their exploration of the mall.

They stopped by the food court for a quick snack. Lincoln got a slice of pizza, and Lucy opted for a beetroot smoothie. They sat down at a table, enjoying their treats and watching the people pass by.

"Lincoln...Thanks for helping me get my school supplies," Lucy said, blushing slightly behind her bangs. "You're always there to help out. I just wanted to...thank you for looking out for me." Her usual stoic frown replaced with a smile.

Lincoln smiled and shrugged. "It's nothing, Luce. I enjoyed coming out to help you find your supplies. Getting some fresh air and all that..."

Lucy hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe we could stop by the arcade and play some games. And maybe, if you're f-free tomorrow we could hang out and do some stuff you want to do?" She blushed again behind her black bangs, her smile not fading...

Lincoln's smile widened. "Thanks, Lucy. I'd love to hang out with you. And yeah, maybe could could go mini golfing tomorrow or catch a movie."

Lucy nodded. "Alright, let's go to arcade then..." Eger to spend some more time with Lincoln.

Getting up from their seat, the two made their way out of the mall, and headed towards Gus' Games and Grub.

~Gus' Games and Grub~

A bit later

Arriving at the arcade a short while later, Lincoln decided to show Lucy the new grave hunter game, that was recently added.

"I'll go grab some chips," Lucy said.

"No need...I'll get some, it's on me." Lincoln replied with a small grin on his face. ' *heh* I got a feeling she's stressing over this whole high school thing, letting lose on some arcade games is sure to help! Plus, as the older brother it is my duty to help my little siblings! Even if only by a year, I can't let my lil sister pay for me...just doesn't work like that!'

"But I-" Lucy tried saying before, Lincoln cut her off, "Don't worry about it Luce..." He said, ruffling her hair before leaving to get the chips...

As Lincoln left, Lucy stood there, dumbfounded... 'It was my Idea to come...and yet he's the one paying...' Lucy couldn't help but admire her brothers unwavering selflessness, for her, and the rest of her siblings.

As she thought more about it, Lincoln was kind and considerate, he was always willing to help, above all he listened to all her problems...before long a thought popped into her head, 'I'm glad Lincoln and me are going into Highschool together...'

Lucy was happy to have a brother like Lincoln by her side. A warm feeling filled her stomach, a smile etching itself onto her face, a light blush covered her face, only concealed by her bangs.

Lincoln returned shortly after with chips in hand, they first tried out the new arcade, before moving onto various games other ones, enjoying each other's company.

As the sun began to set, Lincoln checked his watch.

"It's getting late. We should start heading back before everyone else gets home," Lincoln suggested.

"Okay..." Lucy agreed, but deep down wishing they could have spent more time together,

With their bags full of school supplies and new supernatural finds, they left the arcade, and made their way back home.

~Loud House~

Some time later

Returning home, they found that they luckily had been the first to arrive back. Lucy went upstairs but not before hugging and thanking Lincoln again for helping her out.

"Thank you again Lincoln...for spending the day with me; It was nice..." She said.

"You're welcome Luce, but you don't have to keep thanking me," He replied with a small smile, "I had fun, going shopping and hitting the arcade with you, so don't mention it. Plus, we going to be hanging out again tomorrow!"

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, sure, it was you idea after all." He replied with a slight chuckle.

"Y-Yeah, okay" She said, before going and giving Lincoln a small hug, which he reciprocated.

As she hugged Lincoln, Lucy got that weird feeling in her stomach. 'That feeling again...'

Breaking out of the hug, she made her way upstairs, but no before saying , "I'm going to head to my room, see you later"

"Yup!" Lincoln replied;

Back in her room, Lucy realized that having a jar of ectoplasm while sharing a room with a super energetic sister probably wasn't the best idea. She wondered where to put the jar but couldn't think of a place. The attic was the first place she thought of; however, it was filled with a ton of junk, and she didn't want to risk some of it falling onto the jar.

Still thinking of places to put her jar of what most likely wasn't real ectoplasm, 'though if by some chance it was, it would surely help with my seances...' She finally decided on putting it in the basement.

Lucy made her way down to the basement. When she got there, she saw that most, if not the entire basement, had become some sort of a lab-like room.

'Last time I was down here was a week ago...guess she works fast...' Lucy thought to herself,

There were tubes and paperwork littering the place, and a big circular portal-like machine near the back of the room. She called out to Lisa, who was still working and computing some data into one of the computers; but she didn't receive a response;

'she must have not heard me...'

Lucy walked up to her;

"Hello Lisa..." Lucy said, right behind Lisa, this however surprised Lisa;

"YEEK!" She yelled out, Lucy's greeting giving Lisa a jump scare.

"Sorry..." Lucy said in her monotone voice.

" *Whew* It's quite all right Lucy...good to see you both returned before our parents, though it shouldn't have been a problem since I am more then capable on keeping the house safe..."

"Yeah...me and Lincoln just got back...anyways, could you help me find a place to put this ectoplasm?" Lucy asked, showing Lisa the jar. The parts of the basement that hadn't become a lab, was absolutely cluttered with an assortment of stuff, most likely Lisa's doing in order to make room for her new lab stuff. Lucy was hoping that maybe she had a free spot to put her jar.

Lisa glanced at the jar and commented, "Sure, but just so you know, that jar of 'ectoplasm' you have, is probably just some slime mixed with green food coloring. Since, of course, ectoplasm can't exist due to ghosts not being real."

Lucy sighed, remembering what Lincoln had said back in the shop. "Yeah...anyways, where can I place it?"

"Hmmm..." She looked around her lab and the parts of the basement that remained normal. 'Not much room left...guess this lab took up more space then I thought.'

"You can place it there." Lisa finally said, as she pointed to a shelf on the wall above her computer. 'Not the best idea to keep something above the main computer, should be safe enough, and I doubt some slime would affect any of the components if it were to fall'

"Thanks..." Lucy said, agreeing and placing the jar on the shelf. She then said said bye to Lisa and walked back upstairs.

Shortly after Lucy went up to her room, Lincoln followed suit.

As he entered his room, he laid down on his bed and looked through some of the comics he bought today. This was just another typical day for him. He enjoyed spending time with Lucy, helping her get her supplies, and playing games at the arcade, but as he settled down, the doubts he had been pushing to the back of his mind started to surface.

He realized that while he had fun today, he still felt like he wasn't doing anything significant compared to his sisters.

'...all I did was go shopping...and played at the arcade.' He thought, as he slapped his palm on his forehead. 'I'm wasting away doing nothing!'

They all seemed to have clear goals and were actively pursuing their passions. Lincoln loved his family and enjoyed spending time with them, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was just drifting along without a purpose. Being the only boy among such talented siblings made him feel overshadowed.

He tried pushing these insecurities to the back of his mind, but they kept creeping back. With overachieving sisters, it was hard not to compare himself to them and feel like he was falling short.

'Why don't I go out and do something? Anything! *augh*'

"So annoying!"

'The entire summer's gone by...and I don't remember doing anything of value! I could have gotten a summer job for goodness sake! But nooooo...'

*Sighhhhh* 'I mean it wasn't all a waste...at least I spent time with them...'

He was quickly released from his thoughts upon hearing the noise which followed;

The rest of his family came barging back into the house from their eventful day. Lori and Leni returned from their shopping trip, Luna from her band practice, Luan from her comedy show preparations, and Lynn Jr. from soccer practice.

Lola and Lana arrived from their respective activities, and Rita and Lily came back from grocery shopping. Lynn Sr. arrived a bit later after closing up the restaurant. The house quickly filled with the usual chaos and activity.

Lincoln, allowing himself to not dwell on his insecurities anymore, walked out of his room to join his family and finish off the day...

End Chapter

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time (Date) /Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words)"

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Chapter 2: Visions

~?~

Lincoln's eyes fluttered open, but instead of his bedroom, he found himself standing in an empty, dark void. He looked around, confused about where he currently was.

'Where am I...?' He tried thinking back to the last thing he did...

'The last thing I remember was going to bed, now I'm here...but where is here?' He thought to himself as he started walking forward, hoping to either bump into a wall or a door, but there was nothing in sight, it felt like he was walking forever.

Suddenly, the scene shifted in a blink of an eye, and he now stood in the middle of his living room. Lincoln couldn't help but feel that something was off.

The house was eerily silent, devoid of the usual chaos and noise.

"Hello?!" Lincoln called out, but no one responded.

'They're probably somewhere upstairs' He thought.

He decided to wander through the house, searching each room, trying to see where his family might have gone.

But to his dismay, they were all empty.

"Where is everyone?" he muttered, feeling a lump form in his throat. 'Maybe they went out...? No, they would have at least told me...'

Panic began to set in as he realized he was completely alone.

"Something's wrong, why am I suddenly feeling so anxious about being home alone..." He said about loud.

He soon found himself standing back downstairs, as he moved across the floor, the walls of the house suddenly started to close in on him.

"AH! What's happening?!" He screamed out loud.

Scared, he rushed back upstairs. However, as he made it to the top, the rooms began to become smaller and darker. Shadows loomed around Lincoln, and he began to hear whispers echoing around him.

*Pshpshpshpshp*

"Huh...?" He said turning his head around the hallway, searching to find the source...

Pshpshpshpshp*

"What-? Hello?" He said again, no response... 'I can't make out what they're saying...'

*PshpSpSpshSphpPS*

'The whispers are growing louder and more distinct!' He thought.

PpSPPSPpSPSPSPPSPSPpSP*

'It's so LOUD! Yet I can't understand a single word!'

In a split second, the whispers had come to a complete stop...just before Lincoln's ears began to ring, he quickly put his hands on his ears, trying to dampen the piercing noise.

*rnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng*

'*EUGH!* WHAT IS THAT NOISE?!'

*rnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng*

'My head hurts so much! Someone please! Make it stop!'

"You wantme to make it stop? Huh?" A twisted voice sneered. Loud enough for Lincoln to clearly make out the words.

He quickly turned his head around, trying to find the person behind the voice. The ringing that had been there had suddenly stopped just like the whispers.

'Am I hallucinating all of this...?'

"Who's there!?" He called out, not being able to locate the person behind the voice.

"Pathetic...what a sore sight too look at." the voice mocked back.

"W-What...? W-Who said that?" He called out again,

"Who am I? You knowu̶s̶ me very well...hehehehe" The voice replied sinisterly.

but it didn't receive an immediate response from Lincoln.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Who-?" Lincoln replied. He had no clue who this was or even what they wanted, but he could feel that there was something off about the whole thing, and specifically who he was currently speaking too...

'I got a bad feeling about this.' He thought.

"*HAH*...Come on Linc, you don't remember m̷̢̝͚̟̩͋̾̂͒̃͋̾͗̉͘e̸̢̜̱͚̱̣͎͒̀̑̎̓̂̎̉̒ͅ ? " The voice responded, more twisted then before, the words harder to understand.

"What are you talking abo-" But before Lincoln could respond to the voice;

The 2nd floor of the house slowly began getting covered by shadows, Seeing this, Lincoln sprinted back down the stairs, running away as fast as he could. The voice still mocking him with its eerie laughter.

" *hAHAHAhAhAHaA!* You can run as much as you want, but in the end you'll have nowhere to go! Your obsession won't be enough, and so, you'll come right back to what you have left! In the end, your EGO will be all that remains!"

Lincoln's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to block out the voice. He had no clue what the voice was saying or what any of this meant, but he was frightened and he wanted to get away from all of it. So he kept running, away from it all...

He managed to stumble through the living room and into the dinning room where he found his family sitting around the table. He found this odd as only moments ago he was down here looking for them. However, that wasn’t what weighed on him most. Something far more urgent occupied the young boy’s mind. He stood there, staring at his family, their faces strangely blurred, and when he stumbled his way into the room...they didn't seem to acknowledge his presence.

'Why can't I see their faces...?' He thought; as he rubbed his eyes,

"Mom, Dad, Everyone?" he called out, but they didn't respond. "What are you guys doing down here? I was looking everywhere for you guys!"

"..."

"..."

No response...

"Guys...? Everyone? Hello...can you hear me?" He asked again, waving his hands in the air to grab their attention.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Once again, the no one in the room answered his question, but they weren't sitting at the table silent; that's when Lincoln realized something. Everyone in his family were whispering amongst themselves, while completely ignoring him.

"H-Hello? Come on you guys? Why are you all ignoring me?" He asked, but again, no response came, as his family continued to whisper to themselves.

'Can they not hear me?' He worriedly thought.

Not wanting to be ignored, he took a deep breath, *inhale* before he loudly screamed out; "LORI, LENI, LUNA, EVERYONE! ITS ME LINCOLN! HELLO!"

As he did, the whispers came to a complete silence, as all the blurred faces turned and looked at Lincoln. The walls of the room fell, as the dark void once more encapsulated the house, leaving only the Loud Family at the table, and Lincoln standing in an endless void. Which startled Lincoln.

'WHAT?!' He thought,

Before he could dwell on that thought, he heard his sisters' voices next;

"God, Lincoln, you're so fucking needy..." Lori said, her voice dripping with disappointment.

"Right? Can't you do anything on your own? Stop bothering us so much. What a pain in the ass..." Leni added in a disgusted tone, something Lincoln was not familiar with; Leni usually never used a tone like that when talking to him...

"..." His mouth was wide open...he was taken aback...that kind of response to him calling them, was something he wasn't expecting, specifically the words that come out his sisters mouth. They could be mean sometimes, but they wouldn't just up and say something so harsh to him...or would they?

It was sudden, but Lincoln felt a pang in his heart, as tears started welling up in his eyes. "That's not true!" he shouted back instinctively to defend himself; however his voice sounded weak and distant. He didn't know what made Lori and Leni say something like that, he hadn't provoked them...had he? Nonetheless, Lincoln didn't get a chance to think about his eldest sisters sudden bad mood before-

"Bloody Hell! Would you keep it down? Even your voice is irritating! it's giving me a fuckin migraine!" Luna responded slamming her hand on the table, her voice filled with resentment towards him.

"But I-" before he could retaliate to the comment he was cutoff,

" *UGH!* You can say that again, what an absolute buzzkill! It would have been better if he was born mute!" Luan added, her usual comedic tone replaced with contempt.

Lincoln stood there, speechless, he didn't know what was going on; why were they suddenly being so spiteful towards him, but it hurt, it hurt really bad. He couldn't explain it but he could feel each remark hitting him deeper then it usually would. It felt like that time again, his family turning their backs on him...

"You'll never EVER be as good as us. You know that right, Stinkin? No matter what your scrawny ass does , no matter how hard you try, you'll always be second fiddle to the rest of us." Lynn Jr. said, her tone cold.

'L-Lynn? Why would you say that...?' Lincoln thought

Lynn's words cut deep, Lincoln felt a tears stream down his face, Lynn had a habit of being brutally honest to him, but this was something he never imagined she would say to him...it was much more cruel then her usual critics of him; he was used to being called weak or a baby by her but this time it didn't sound like her..

"Lincoln, in the void, you drift unseen, a shadow of mediocrity. " Lucy's added, her voice echoed hauntingly as he read out the poem in her hand.

"Not you too Luce..." He muttered; Lucy was the last person he was expecting to say anything hateful about him, even after everything his had done for her...for them...

"Wish we got another sister instead!" Lola voiced out, "Yeah! Anything would have been better then what we got now!" Lana added.

"But I-" Lincoln tried to protest again, but his words got lumped up in his throat, as a stream of tears continued to fall down his cheeks. He couldn't believe what he was hearing...

"It's a scientific mystery that someone average could be related to the rest of us. I still can't believe you weren't adopted." Lisa's said in a demeaning tone, completely ignoring her brothers miserable state.

Lily, who was sat on her mothers lap, looked at Lincoln, as she made a disgusted face seeing her older brother; before turning her head away from him.

This hurt Lincoln, a lot. Lily to him was the most innocent and caring little loud sibling. To have her react to him like that, while he's already in such a depressed state, made him feel like shit.

"We should have him be sent off to live with your dad, dear; we could finally make good use of that room he stays in..." Lynn Sr said in a cold degrading voice, seemingly not caring for his only son, balling his eyes out in front of him.

This made Lincoln feel even worse, his dad, the person he would turn to for support and guidance, his supposed male role model; now could give less of a crap about him, after each of his sisters took turns ripping into him, calling him worthless and unwanted. Then to add on it, he had suggested Lincoln be sent off, so they could find use of the room he slept in; it was as if him being here was a waste...

Lincoln couldn't understand why they would suddenly turn on him like this, but it was inevitable right?...

"Maybe, honey...but I don't want to burden my dad with...him..." Rita said making a disgusted face, her caring tone nowhere to be found.

'M-Mom..?' He had hoped she would be his saving grace, but no, she felt the same about him as the rest did...

The words cut deep, and Lincoln felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness and despair creep over his heart. He sank to his knees, feeling utterly defeated. He couldn't believe what he just heard. It felt like his world was crumbling around him, his family were turning their back on him again...his insecurities had become true.

He couldn't handle the feeling growing in his heart; it was the same feeling he had felt countless times before, each time he felt true loneliness.

As he kneeled on the floor, the room around him disappeared as the void from before incapsulated everything, his family vanished, leaving only Lincoln.

He looked up and saw them disappear into the void, and the only thought that came to his mind was;

'I'm being left behind...please don't go...'

The tears continued to fall, as he began to sob softly in the endless void of his mind...

Just when he thought he couldn't bear the feeling any longer, a bright blue light burst into his dream, casting away the endless darkness.

A shadowy figure emerged from the light, and Lincoln heard a whisper, "Time...Out."

The figure moved closer, and Lincoln could barely make out its features. The presence was both comforting and powerful. The figure leaned in close to Lincoln, and whispered again, "Wake up, Phantom..."

"H-Huh...?" Lincoln uttered under his breath.

"Time In"

~Lincolns Room~

Early Tuesday Morning (August 20, 20XX)

Lincoln suddenly jumped awake in his bed; he was covered in a cold sweat, and his heart was pounding rapidly. He quickly glanced around in a panic, looking around to see the familiar door and dresser, he calmed down realizing he was in his room.

*hhhhhhaa* 'just a dream...' He thought, rubbing his forehead with his hands.

'Wha-what was that...' He thought trying to remember what the dream was about, his mind still in a complete daze.

As most of the details slowly started to come back to him, a wave of sadness washed over him.

'It's not real...they...they would never think that...they would never say stuff like that to me...'

The entirety of the dream was still a haze, but the part where his family degraded him was clear on his mind; as he kept thinking back to it, there was more he remembered, but most if not everything in the beginning felt cloudy, almost if he had subconsciously erased it from his mind, while keeping the parts he wished he forgot.

He looked at the clock on his nightstand; it was only 4 AM. The realization that he didn't want to go back to sleep settled in, so he laid there, staring at the ceiling.

Parts of the dream replayed in his mind, his family calling him all those things, them disregarding him, looking down on him. Even though it wasn't real, it stung deeply, amplifying the insecurities that had been gnawing at him recently. These feelings weren't new; they'd been there since he was about 10 or maybe 11? He couldn't remember exactly when they started, but the weight of them had been growing ever since.

His thoughts drifted to a dark place, as he began remembering some of the worst moments in his life. The trophy case... He hated that memory; he remembered how worthless he felt, standing there with nothing to show for his efforts. His case was to no ones surprise was empty, a stark reminder of his perceived failures.

He remembered how, after feeling like crap, he had come up with a plan to get a trophy. His grand plan to finally fill the case with a trophy, was winning the 5th grade video contest. Lincoln started off by trying to make stunt videos, but they ended up not doing as well as he thought they would.

Lincoln then had the bright idea of uploading funny moments from his day to day life with his 10 sisters; it was perfect, everyone loved his videos, and he was so close to winning the trophy. However like usual, his plan ended up going wrong and he ended up making his sisters hate him for uploading stuff making them look bad.

That however wasn't his intention at all; Lincoln for all his faults, would dare to try and hurt them, but looking back it was kind of obvious; he wished he had that thought it out more before doing something so stupid. Still, he didn't plan on having his sisters hate him and to have the plan blow up in his face.

To make up for it, he ended uploading a videos of himself doing humiliating stuff which, now felt downright shameful. They were so much worse then anything from the previous videos.

'It was really degrading...' He thought;

His sisters made sure there was 10 videos each, one for every sibling he had embarrassed. This didn't end well, as his entire school for the next month made him the laughing stock. The girl he had a crush on, had seen him making out with a pillow with a picture of her on it. To say she found him as weirdo after that was an understatement, even some of the other girls in his class thought he was a complete creep...

He despised this memory;

It was really selfless, his sisters had done worse to him, yet instead of letting it all blow over; He went ahead and took the initiative to take all the embarrassment off them and onto himself. He had hoped his sisters would forgive him, and thankfully they had, but this didn't stop them from joining in on with others to ridicule him. It was his fault, yes, but it made him feel worse then before...

But he had tried to look past it, telling himself that he didn't need to prove anything to anyone.

He didn't need to be someone that was praised like some kind of hero...

'...Ace Savvy, now that's a real hero...' He thought.

Maybe he always wanted to be one. Reading comics your whole life would do that to you. He remembered dressing up as Ace Savvy, pretending to be a hero in front of all his siblings. Though, most of what he remembered was them making fun of his costume. However, he tried not letting it get to him; so what they made fun of him? He would take the mocking with a stoic stride, not letting it bother him...

But truth be told, it did bother him.

It hurt seeing his family ridicule his hobbies, and his interests. He tried not to hold any animosity towards them for it...but being laughed at by your own family for wearing a costume of your favorite hero, a fictional character you looked up too, wanted to be like, didn't help...especially since he knew each one of his sisters were hiding something even more embarrassing. If Lincoln were to laugh at them for their secret interests, he would be the one in the wrong, he would be forced to apologize to them, while they continued to mock him...

Maybe he had grown out of it a bit. He still liked reading comics, but the thought of becoming a hero had long lost its luster.

After reaching his early teens, he would still attend some Ace Savvy conventions with his best bud Clyde, and sometimes even Luna's girlfriend, Sam, would come along with him. Surprisingly, she was a fan of the comic and show. Who knew? Though, Luna had always seemed to find a way to get out of going with him and Sam to any of the events...

'The conventions...they were fun.' Even if it was just him and Sam sometimes, they always had a great time. Sam would even cosplay with Lincoln, something Luna and the rest of his siblings, found to be childish and stupid. Sam was cool, she was like the big sister that he could share some of his hobbies with...but there was something that always bothered him;

'Was she just hanging out with me because I was Luna's little brother, and she was her girlfriend..?' Don't get him wrong, Lincoln was happy she spent time with him, but at the same time, he couldn't help but think that Sam was going out of her way to spend time with him, because she pitied her girlfriends loser brother...

'Maybe Luna put her up to it...' Now he was just overthinking it...wasn't he?

' *Sighhh* Whatever...it's not like I go to any of them anymore...' He thought, Lincoln was sure of one thing, he had lost the passion for stuff like that...

"Still..." he said out loud in the darkness of his room, before pushing it aside, as he went back to his thoughts.

As he continued to lay there, a memory, a bad memory to mind...

It was, the memory of being a "Unlucky Curse" during the whole "Bad Luck" fiasco. Yeah it was a while ago, and he had gotten over it; sort of.

It was his fault in a way, so there was no need to dwell on it anymore, but there was something that stuck with him...It was him being kicked out of the family, that fact even after all this time had lingered with him. Although looking back, the worst of it came when he was forced to dress up as a squirrel for weeks...

It was all because his family after thought he was suddenly "A Good Luck Charm" after all of it...

Of course, it was an insanely stupid thing, and everyone apologized for acting out of their minds during the debacle, but that feeling stayed with him. He couldn't shake it off. It was so easy being left behind, getting booted out...but welcomed back when he was shown to be useful...

'What if they did it again?' Now, his head beginning to burn, as tears went down his face.

"Wouldn't trade it for the world...yeah right..." He muttered under his breath.

'Guess I didn't really get over it...' He thought

As he laid there, more memories flooded in, each one a painful reminder of his insecurities. Soon, his ears started to ring. He felt himself giving in to those negative thoughts. He jumped out of bed, shaking his head to stop the ringing, and wiping away the tears.

'There, it was gone now.' He couldn't take another second of it. He needed to do something else, anything to distract himself.

Lincoln walked out of his room and made his way to the bathroom; slowly creeping across the hall, making sure to not wake his sisters up. Walking in he headed to the sink and splashed cold water on his face. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, trying to push away the lingering doubts. He couldn't let his insecurities win.

Not now, not ever.

Some time later

Lincoln hadn't gone back to sleep. Instead, he had gone down to the living room and sat on the couch, idly scrolling through the TV channels with the volume very low, so as not to wake the rest of the family.

The first ones to wake up, besides Lincoln, and a certain hyperactive Loud sister, were his parents. As they exited their rooms on the first floor, they noticed that the TV was on. Entering the living room, they found Lincoln staring blankly at the screen.

"Lincoln, sweetie, why are you up so early watching TV?" Rita asked, concern evident in her voice.

Lincoln glanced at her, his eyes tired and unfocused. "I couldn't sleep," he mumbled.

Rita sensed there was more to it but decided to let it go for now, hoping he would talk to her if it was important.

"Alright, but you know you can always talk to us if something's bothering you," she said gently.

Lynn Sr. joined them, his brow furrowing slightly at the sight of his son. "You have a nightmare, champ?" he asked, trying to sound concerned.

"Something like that," Lincoln replied, not wanting to delve into the details.

Lynn Sr. decided to let it go as well, figuring Lincoln would come to them if he needed to.

"Alright, well, let's get some breakfast going. It'll make you feel better," he said, heading to the kitchen to start preparing the breakfast for the family.

As the morning broke, the rest of the family began to wake up, starting with Lori and Leni, then down the list by age. The house quickly filled with the usual noise and activity, becoming truly loud as everyone got ready for the day.

After everyone had freshened up, they gathered at the dining table for breakfast.

"Morning, everyone," Rita said, serving breakfast. "So, what are everyone's plans for the day?"

Lori spoke first. "Leni and I need to finish shopping for our move back to campus."

"Yeah, we still have a few things to get," Leni added.

Luna grinned, replying; "I'm going out to spend time with Sam. We've got some gigs to plan."

Luan chimed in, saying; "I'm getting together with my theater club. We have a show coming up soon."

"I've got practice with the team; today's morning run has me fired up!" Lynn Jr. said, already dressed in her sports gear.

Lucy, looking indifferent as always, said in her usual low voice, "I'll be working on my gothic poetry and maybe a seance later."

Lola, always the social butterfly and wanting to let everyone know her plans, responded, "I'm meeting up with some of my pageant friends. We have a lot to catch up on"

Lana added, "I'm gonna fix up Vanzilla a bit. She needs some TLC."

Lisa, announced in a monotone voice with a slight lisp, "I'll be continuing my work on my latest project. It's going to be groundbreaking."

Lily, with her enthusiastic voice, replied, "Playtime!"

Rita and Lynn Sr. chatted with their kids, as the conversations broke into discourse between each siblings an another. Lincoln, however, remained completely silent and indifferent to everything around him. He sat there, a slight ringing in his ears, trying to remember what happened after the figure appeared in his dream; since waking up he had remembered most of the dream, except for the beginning of it. The part that stood out more then his family berating him, was the blindingly bright light, which was followed up by the mysterious figure coming into his dream...

'Time...something' He thought to himself. 'Damn it, I can't remember...'

Every time he tried to think about it; his head would hurt. He couldn't help but obsess over it since the dream.

'Who was that...It all felt so real...what was it...time...time...over? *Eugh!* Why can't I remember?!'

"Lincoln, you okay?" Lori asked, breaking his silence.

"..."

"..."

No response, Lori called out to Lincoln once again;

"Helloooo earth to Lincoln!" Lori said.

"Huh?" He responded, being broken out of his thoughts.

"I asked if you were okay?" Lori repeated, raising an eyebrow at Lincoln's weird behavior.

"Uhh...yeah...umm, I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile, and rubbing the back of his head... But deep inside, he wasn't; he was still troubled, unable to shake off the lingering effects of his dream.

Lori eyed her brother, 'Something's up with him...' She thought to herself.

She was mid-conversation with Leni, when in the corner of her eye, she noticed Lincoln just sitting there, his head down and his usual smile missing. Lincoln's whole demeanor, in her eyes was giving off the impression of someone deep in thought.

As the oldest sibling in the family, she could easily catch when her younger siblings were in a mood or were having a bad day, and she usually would try reaching out and checking up on them, maybe even help them work it out, but with Lincoln it was sort of different...

Lincoln being one boy out of 10 girls, Lori had always tried to give him space when something was up with him; try and let him work things out...but;

Lincoln was acting off. She had lived under the same roof as him for years, and she knew when he was having a bad day or wasn't in the best of moods. He always had a habit of burying it under that bravado of his...

'He would usually smile and hide if he wasn't feeling it...so we wouldn't worry...but right now...he wasn't hiding it at all. What's going on with him...?'

His response was something she expected. Her little brother was going through something.

Lori smiled and responded, "You know you can talk to me if anything is bothering you; right, Linc?"

Lincoln, removed from his again thoughts, responded indifferently, without even making any eye contact with her; "Yeah, Thanks, Lori. I will."

He had returned his head back to looking down at this plate of food, staring endlessly at it; Lori couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness cross her heart, as she looked at the state of her little brother.

*Sighh* 'I hope you do Linc...don't try to bury your feelings...' She thought to herself before turning her head back to Leni, who didn't seem to even notice Lori's short pause in their conversation.

Sometime Later

Lucy sat on her bed after breakfast, with her laptop out looking up all mannerisms of gothic related topics. Ranging from the newest vampire teen dramas, to all the best locations in royal woods to host a group seance. Though her mind was filled with panic.

Lucy had been nervous, real nervous about high school starting soon. It was a big change for her, and she wasn't sure if most of her friends would be attending the same high school. Since middle school graduation, she had been keeping in touch with them through Bat Carrier and found out most of them were thinking of attending schools closer to them, which left Lucy disheartened.

To make it worse, Haiku her best friend, wasn't going to be starting high school with her until a few weeks later. She was out of state and wouldn't be back for another 4 to 5 weeks. This made everything so much more nerve-racking, but Lucy wasn't going to be alone, Lincoln was going to be with her.

Being one year younger then Lincoln, Lucy looked up to her brother a lot. Ever since they were kids, no matter what, Lincoln would have her back.

As she absently watched a MeTube video reviewing the latest season of The Vampires of Melancholia, she reminisced on the many times Lincoln stepped and helped her out of a bad situation. A Smile creeping up to her face, as a light blush covered her pale skin.

'At least he's going to be with me' She thought to herself.

Going back to her laptop, Lucy decided to check some supernatural forms, when something caught her eye. It was a blurry image of a green shaped animal that looked like large Bear. The post went into detail of how an elderly couple living deep within the forest of Wisconsin, had been constantly hearing growling noise throughout the night just outside of their house and every time they went out to check, nothing but a puddle of green goop would be found.

'Green Goop?' Lucy wondered.

The couple had gotten so sick of it, that they installed motion detection cameras, and they were able to capture this creature outside their house. The post contained another image, this time it showed the greenish glowing goop. This had Lucy's mind racing to the Jar of her so called Ectoplasm in her basement.

Since buying it, she was skeptical of the stuff, and it didn't help the fact that it looked so much like a DIY Tutorial Slime. But, the resemblance of the goop from the post and her jar of "Ectoplasm" were uncanny.

'Could it be...?!'

With that, she decided she was going to have Lisa test the stuff out, figure out what it was, but maybe after she was done with that invention she was making.

Looking at the time on her Laptop, she remembered her little promise from yesterday with Lincoln. Which put a smile on her face instantly as she began putting her stuff away, and making her way down to the living room.

'Maybe we could watch a movie, or hangout around town.' She thought gleefully behind her cold stoic face.

After another morning, Lincoln went back to sitting on the couch.

On the corner of his eye he spotted Lucy coming down.

"Hey, Lincoln, do you want to hang out? Maybe we can watch a movie or something?" Lucy asked, hopeful.

Lincoln, still feeling off, responded, "Sorry Luce, maybe tomorrow?"

Lucy felt a small sting in her heart. She couldn't explain why, but when Lincoln had said no to spending time with her, she got that feeling.

'It's probably not related...' She thought.

"O-Ah-Okay...n-no problem...Lincoln, are you feeling all right?" She replied, concerned about his sudden change in demeanor since this morning. During breakfast, Lucy had noticed that he was acting off...

Lucy, like Lori, could easily tell if one of her siblings weren't in the right frame of mind. Maybe it was due to her being more emotionally intelligent then others, or maybe she just had a deep care for her siblings, specifically her only brother. Lincoln and her were basically twins, even though they were a year apart. Lucy was going to ask him about it earlier, but Lori beat her to it, so she had instead observed her brother with a careful eye.

"Huh? Yeah...just don't feel up to it today. Ya know?" Lincoln replied

Lincoln didn't notice the slight dishearten tone in her voice; his mind was a mess and he couldn't keep focus. He had been scrolling endlessly through channels since the morning. It all felt like a blur to him. Every time he found something to watch, the events of the dream would come rushing back to the fore-front of his mind. There was something so vivid and odd about that dream that couldn't leave Lincoln's mind...

"Yeah...well if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

"Okay." Lincoln responded back indifferently,

'Why did that bother me so much when he said no?' she wondered. 'Maybe acid reflux?.' She thought as she walked back to the stairs.

She let the thoughts disappear from her mind, trying to push that feeling away as she went back to her room.

Getting bored of switching through channels, Lincoln decided to play some video games. It had been a while since he last played with his gaming console, so as he got up and went towards the TV stand; he couldn't find it.

'Oh yeah...' He thought, remembering that it had been moved to the basement.

Lincoln turning around walked out of the living room towards the kitchen, before reaching the basement door.

He opened it and was immediately struck by the loud noises coming from below. It had been so quiet a second ago, and now it extremely noisy.

'Why is it so loud all of a sudden?!' He thought.

Lincoln went down to the basement, and as he descended, the noise picked up. "Lisa! Why is it so noisy down here!?" he called out.

The noise included the hum and whirr of machinery, a constant whooshing sound from the portal, and occasional beeps and buzzes. It was like stepping into a sci-fi movie.

'So That's why...' Lincoln thought.

Lisa, hearing her brother through the noise, turned to him and greeted him, "Hello, male sibling unit."

"How's the project coming along!?" Lincoln asked, trying to make himself heard over the loud noises.

"It's almost done," Lisa replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Let me show you around the machine and how it works!"

"Sure, but I was loo-!" He tried answering before Lisa cut him off and began explaining.

She led him to the portal, pointing out various parts of the machinery. "This is the dimensional portal! It works by generating a high-energy field that can theoretically bridge the gap between different dimensions. The sounds you hear are from the plasma stabilizers and the quantum flux generators! The hum is the main energy core powering up. The whooshing sound is the dimensional field stabilizing, and the beeps are from the control panel monitoring the stability of the portal!"

Lincoln looked impressed but slightly confused. 'Barely followed any of that'

"Wow, that's... a lot of science stuff!"

Lisa nodded. "Indeed! However, it's still very unstable. Due to this instability, I had to add an immediate turn-off button to the portal!" She pointed to a button located just below the shelf with the ectoplasm jar.

'Huh; Is that Lucy's Jar of fake ectoplasm...? What's it doing down here...?' He thought,

"In case of any emergency, this button will shut down the entire system instantly!" Lisa said, finishing her explanation;

"Cool! Always need an off switch," Lincoln replied. "So anyway, how come none of the noise is leaking upstairs!? I opened the door and suddenly there was so much noise!"

"Well, because, eldest brother," Lisa began,

"Our parents told me to stop making so much noise, since it kept waking them up late at night, given the fact that their room is on the first floor; so to counter this issue, I installed a noise-canceling device throughout the basement ceiling! Though they aren't foolproof, a loud enough noise could completely make them useless, but the chances of that are low!"

"Got it!," Lincoln said, nodding his head.

Shortly after the tour, Lincoln located his console and headed back upstairs.

"Thanks for the tour and explanation, Lisa!" he called out.

"You're welcome, Lincoln!" Lisa replied, turning back to her work.

Lincoln returned to the living room, setting up his console, and prepared to lose himself in video games, hoping to distract himself from his troubling thoughts.

Later in the afternoon

Quite some time later, the sun began setting. Lincoln stood up from the couch stretching his arms. He had enjoyed his time playing on his console. It allowed him to cancel out all the thoughts that were swirling around in his head.

'That was fun,' he thought to himself. 'It helped take my mind off stuff...'

Walking away from the living room and making his way to the stairs, Lincoln suddenly felt as though his head had been hit by a bat...a very steel-like bat. He put one hand on the railing, trying to keep his balance on the stairs, while the other hand pressed against his forehead.

'What is happening to me? My head is pounding so hard I can hardly think,' he thought, gripping the railing tightly.

As he stood there, trying to steady himself, he slowly started to remember the events after he saw the blue light in his dream. He could vaguely recall a better image of the dark figure, but the words the figure had said were still unclear.

The memory was frustratingly foggy. Pushing through the pain, Lincoln finally reached the top of the stairs.

He stumbled his way back up to his room, managing to avoid the sisters who were at the house at the time. He didn't want to burden them, nor did he want them going crazy and shocking him with a defibrillator or worse. They had a habit of overreacting when it came to him showing any signs of being ill or hurt.

No one noticed his strange behavior as he made his way to his way inside, making sure to close and lock the door behind him.

As soon as he reached the side of his bed, he crashed onto the mattress, passing out almost immediately and proceeded to sleep through the night. However, his presence wasn't the only thing in his dark dimly lit room;

In the darkness of Lincoln's room, a shadowy figure, hovered up above his bed, before it murmured a singular phrase;

"Soon, everything will change..."

End Chapter

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time (Date) /Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or  transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words) "

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Chapter 3: The Accident

~Loud House~

Wednesday (August 21, 20XX)

Lincoln woke up late the next day, the sunlight streaming in through his window indicating that it was well past noon.

He glanced at his clock—1 PM.

'...1pm...? *uughh*...must have overslept...its so nice and comfy on my bed...maybe another 30 minutes...?' He thought to himself; before realizing it was already past noon, and he probably should get up, no matter how much he felt like sleeping in...

"*haaaaa* No point in staying in bed...might as well get up and find something to do..." He muttered to himself.

Groggily, he got out of bed, before doing a light stretch to get his blood pumping;

He took a quick look at himself in his mirror before noticing that he still had on his clothes from the day before.

' *sighh* ...must have gone straight to bed yesterday...that was a really nasty migraine...' He thought,

*sniff sniff* Lincoln paused... 'What's that smell...?' he paused again before sniffing around himself, before he realized it was coming from him;

'YIKES! I smell like crap...I need a shower...BAD!' Thinking to himself; growing up in a household of girls, personal hygiene was practically instilled into him since he was young.

'Well, it's late so I guess the bathroom line should basically be nonexistent, everyone should already be up...weird though...I don't hear any noise...oh well...' Shrugging off the lack of the usual noise he would be hearing, as it would seep in through the cracks of his door.

With that, he made his way out of the room, and into the hallway, making sure to grab a towel, and a fresh set of clothes;

'Huh...where is everyone...' He thought, noticing a lack of Loudness permeating the halls of the second floor, 'oh well, can't complain about some peace and quiet...especially in this household'

Lincoln walked towards the bathroom, before entering it to freshen up for the day.

After taking a shower and brushing his teeth, he headed downstairs.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he observed that the house was unusually quiet. Walking through the living room and into the kitchen, were he found his mother and Lisa.

Rita was wearing a dark pink [Kiss The Cook] apron over her normal clothes, while she washed some dishes in the sink.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead," Rita said with a warm smile seeing Lincoln walk in. "You must have really needed the sleep?"

Lincoln yawned and stretched. "Yeah, I guess so. Where is everyone?" He asked,

"Lori is out dropping some of your sisters off, while Leni took Lola shopping and finally your dads at work. So it's just you, me, and Lisa, at the house today!" Rita explained.

"Oh-" Before Lincoln could finish his sentence, his stomach made a loud *Grumble* sound.

" *Giggle* Look's like someone's hungry...guess you did sleep through dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Don't worry Lincoln; I'll whip something up for you real quick!" Rita said, drying her hands on a towel, as she grabbed a pan and placed it onto the stove.

Lisa, who was sitting at the kitchen table, packing folders of papers into a briefcase; looked up. "Actually, mother, I just remembered I have a meeting with the Royal Woods Science Community. The meeting starts relatively soon, and I don't want to be late to it; given the time constraints can you can take me?"

Rita nodded. " *mhm* Well of course, sweetie, but let me make your brother so-"

"It's fine mom, don't worry about it; I'll find something else to eat." Lincoln said, cutting his mom off, before she could finish. "You can take Lisa to her meeting..."

"You sure Lincoln?" Rita replied, not wanting to leave Lincoln hungry.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He responded, as he finished stretching.

"Well okay sweetie, looks like we will be out for a couple of hours, then. We should be back before dinner time." Rita said, taking off her apron before leaving the kitchen to grab her purse;

"That was nice of you Lincoln." Lisa added, as she made her way out of the kitchen as well, carrying her briefcase with her.

"Don't mention it... *Yawn*" Lincoln responded, following behind the two.

As they were getting ready to leave, Rita turned to Lincoln. "Can you keep an eye on the house and make sure the pets don't make a mess?"

Lincoln nodded. "Sure thing, Mom."

Lisa paused before heading out the door. "Oh, and Lincoln, whatever you do, don't go down to the lab. The machine is calibrating, and it's very unstable right now. I doubt anything serious will happen, but it's better to be safe."

"Got it," Lincoln said, watching as they left the house.

Lincoln stood in the empty living room, the silence almost deafening. He sighed and decided to make himself something to eat.

"Hmmm what should I eat...?" He muttered to himself in the kitchen.

'Maybe a peanut butter and sauerkraut sandwich?' Lincoln thought to himself, as he reentered the kitchen;

*Grumble* His stomach let out...

'Well guess that's a yes.'

He opened the fridge and began making his food.

A While Later

After a quick lunch, he sat down to watch TV, but found it hard to concentrate. His mind kept drifting back to his strange dream from the previous night, and the uneasy feeling that lingered from it.

As Lincoln mindlessly continued too watch TV, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he was just drifting through life. The whole summer was about to end, and what had he done?

' *sighhh* All I've done this summer were chores around the house, maybe helping one of my sisters with something small, and just passively watching TV or reading comics...'

Lincoln wanted to break away from this mundane life, but with his luck, something might go wrong.

Every day his siblings would be out and about in some sort of exciting activity. He remembered how a couple of years ago, each day was something new and exciting, his sisters would rope him into doing something fun, or he would end up coming up with some crazy elaborate plan or idea that would take up most of his day;

'...fun times...'

That's all changed now...they had their own things to do now; before summer break started it was even worse, besides spending time at meal times together he rarely saw them.

Lincoln could feel it...

They were drifting away or...was he getting left behind...?

'Drifting away...that reminds me...' he thought, 'Liam, Rusty, and Jack...I haven't hung out with them since the graduation...wonder what they are up too...'

The whole summer went by and none of them had given Lincoln a call, he assumed they were busy; but when he tried reaching out a couple of times, he got no response. He even went to their house to see if they wanted to hangout, but they would always turn down the invite, and sometimes their parents would let him know that they were busy and couldn't come. Lincoln reasonably assumed that they were growing distant, so not wanting to push any further, he just let it happen.

'Growing up...guess it's bound to happen...'

His thoughts however, were abruptly interrupted by a loud, resonant sound coming from below his feet.

*THPHOOM*

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" He yelled out.

It surprised and jolted him out of his seat, while also subsequently stopping his thought process.

As he regained focus, he tried to find out what the sound was, and he quickly received an answer as another loud booming sound came and shook the floor he was standing on.

*THPHOOOM*

'It's coming from the basement?!'

Realizing what it was; he remembered Lisa telling him how the basement was soundproof and how only something going wrong would cause the soundproofing to fail.

'If I can hear that, something's seriously wrong,' he thought.

He rushed to the basement door as the first floor of the house shook.

*THPHOOM*

'Gotta check what's going on!' He thought to himself. 'Lisa said not to go, but I'd be damned before I let it explode the house! I'm not going to lose my house for Christ sake!'

Lincoln didn't know what it was, but whenever he was put into a situation where something that he held dear to him was in danger, he just threw himself at the problem, guess it was his insane level selflessness that was the motivator;

Opening the door, he was immediately hit with loud mechanical noises emanating from the portal; which were much louder then the one's from yesterday.

*WHHRRRRRRLLLLL*

*THOOOMPH*

Another deep, rumbling noise shook the walls and floor of the basement.

*PPHOOOOOOSHHH*

*THOOOOMPH*

He raced down the stairs, as everything shook and rattled...

The jar of ectoplasm that had been sitting on top of the shelf, was dislodged by the thumping sound.

*KRSHHH* The jar crashed onto the various computers, instantly shattering on impact, as the green goop began seeping into all the components that controlled the machine.

"Uh oh," Lincoln muttered, watching the scene unfold as he made it down to the basement.

He was too late...

The portal began to go haywire, sucking in everything around it.

*VHOOOOOOOOOOOSHH*

'I have to stop this thing before it blows!'

Lincoln rushed toward the emergency shutdown button that Lisa had told him about yesterday; as he sprinted towards it, the portal's condition worsened, as it forcefully began pulling Lincoln towards the insane whirling portal.

Just as he was getting sucked in, he acted fast and slammed his hand onto the power button;

*WWWWWWHHRRLLLLLLLLL*

*PPSSSHHHHHH*

Instead of stopping, the portal fully activated, thanks to the mixture of what should have been fake ectoplasm;

"OH SHIIII-!" He yelled;

Lincoln was sucked into the portal...

*VHHMMMMMMMMMMM*

Lincoln was engulfed in the swirling green energy, feeling extreme amounts of ectoplasmic bolts coursing through his body. He could feel his body being torn apart molecule by molecule, his DNA being altered as the green substance fused with it.

Lincoln fought to stay conscious, as he screamed in pain and agony;

"AAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS SO MUCH!"

"PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP! I-I CANT TAKE THIS!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Lincoln continued to scream as the torment dragged on;

As each agonizing screams came out, he quickly realized something.

This was it; he could feel it...he was going to die!

'THIS IS IT! The portal it's ripping my body part...I'm not going to make it!' He thought to himself, while fighting his hardest to not lose consciousness.

Each bolt of green electricity came crashing into Lincoln's body at rapid pace;

As he slowly felt his energy get pulled out of his body; his mind settled on what he feared were his final thoughts.

Which were mostly compiled of his regret of not accomplishing anything in his now very short life; but even as he was dying, he was thankful that no one else was experiencing this horror.

'Guess, even in the end...I'm thinking something like that...'

As Lincoln was engulfed in the portal, he experienced intense, vivid sensations. His body felt like it was being stretched and compressed simultaneously. His eyes now blood shot red with an ever so slight green tint on his pupils, his skin slowly started peeling off his body, while simultaneously regenerating.

Before once again peeling right off but much faster as it burned in the green swirling portal; his muscles would implode, splattering around him, leaving only his bones. which would crumble as more bolts collided before he once again regenerated. This process kept repeating getting quicker and quicker each time it happened. It was gruesome, something straight out of a rated R slasher movie...

Blood that would shoot out of his body, would be instantly burned; leaving no trace of his suffering.

Every nerve in Lincoln's body was on fire, and his skin felt like it was ablaze as it continued to regenerate. As he was continuously getting pieced back together, the blinding green light surrounding him pulsed and crackled with energy, almost like it was alive.

The inner environment of the portal was chaotic. Swirling vortexes of green energy and lightning-like bolts flashed around him. Fragments of a different dimension appeared and disappeared rapidly, adding to the disorienting experience. The sounds were equally disturbing—high-pitched whines, thunderous booms, and eerie whispers echoed all around him.

*WRRRHHLLLLLLLLLLLLL*

In the midst of this chaos, Lincoln caught a brief glimpse of the other realm. Eerie, floating landscapes with jagged rocks and ghostly structures filled his vision. Ghostly figures drifted in the distance, their forms shimmering and translucent. Some looked menacing, while others appeared lost and forlorn. The surreal, otherworldly colors and the eerie green glow that permeated the entire realm added to the sense of dread.

'What is thi-'

"AAAHHGK"

Lincoln couldn't believe what he was seeing, but before he could dwell on that thought, in a split second, another bolt of electricity pulsed through his body.

"AAAAUUGGHH"

Lincoln's body began to change on a molecular level. His skin glowed green with a slight white hue; his hair changed color, shifting from its natural hue to a stark black strands. His DNA was altered as the ectoplasmic energy fused with his cells, giving him an ethereal, ghostly aura. His senses heightened, and he could hear whispers from the Ghost Zone and see spectral traces left behind by ghosts.

*whsp... whsp... whsp... whsp... whsp ~*

'What are those sou-'

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH"

He yelled out again, as another bolt pieced through his body.

It was stronger then the one's previously; it ran through his now altered form, leaving a Lichtenberg scar that ran up from his left leg, through his torso and up to his left eye. It burned and engraved itself onto his body. His skin tissues unable to regenerate and cover the scar...

Through the pain, Lincoln's mind raced; He saw his life flashing before his eyes, he saw his family and his friends, regretting not being able to say one last goodbye.

He wished he had done something with his life, thinking it was better to try and fail; maybe he could have made difference, maybe done something heroic even.

"No...I did try! I tried my ass off!'

There were years worth of effort. Lincoln had tried;

All those times were he was breaking his back for his family, his friends, going out of his way to find a way to come up on top...

'I'm going to die...it doesn't even matter at this point. It's all worthless now...'

The dream from the previous night made it's way back to his mind...even though all of it was a dream, he couldn't help but feel that the words that his family said in his dream were true...

'All I ever do is cause problems; they were right! I'm pretty useless...' Anything Lincoln did barely ever went right, even now;

'What was it that drove me down here?'

'...My selflessness...that's what...'

'What made me think I could somehow stop the machine...?'

'...idiocy? Maybe...'

'Now the portal is going to explode and take me with it...great...'

'Damn it all! I just wish I could have done something worthwhile, is that so much to ask for?! If only I achieved something great...if only I had another chance! I just want to be like them; to prove it to myself that I'm worth something!!'

This struck a cord within Lincoln, suddenly lost were the feeling of hopelessness; They were instantly replaced with something completely different. He felt being washed over by a strong sense of pride.

"I CANT LET GO!" He yelled, trying to hold back against the pain his body was enduring; 'SCREW DYING!'

"NOT HERE! AAAAAGHH" he yelled, "I- AAAGH!"

"I-I CAN'T LET THIS BE THE END OF ME!" Lincoln screamed louder then ever before, his voice reverberating in a deep echo.

With the sudden will to fight; deep within his mind, there was a strange duality that reached out to his soul, as a shadowy substance clouded his mind.

Within his body, rapid changes were happening; and in the middle of his chest, his heart slowly became colder, as a glowing blue light encapsulated it.

But, right behind his heart, something situated itself, hiding behind his now glowing blue heart.

It was dark, almost black, with a faint white outline; it represented a desire that loomed much deeper in his soul, so far deep no one else knew about it, not even Lincoln himself.

Lincoln vision began to fade, and the pain became unbearable. The energy around him intensified, reaching it's climax, and with one final scream;

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH"

The Portal Exploded.

Lincoln was thrown back out into the basement, now unconscious and transformed...

Minutes Later

Lincoln's vision was blurry, and his head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache. He struggled to focus, his surroundings a chaotic mess of debris and smoke. He tried to think back to what had happened, but his thoughts were fragmented and jumbled.

'The machine.. the explosion.. the pain...' he thought, each memory bringing a fresh wave of agony. His body felt like it was on fire, every nerve screaming in protest.

'What's happening to me?' He wondered, fear and confusion mingling in his mind.

Being barely able to make out where he laid; Lincoln could see that he was surrounded by a pool of glowing green gooey substance.

Moving his hand slowly over it he could make out the texture to be very viscous. Turning his head around, he saw the source of it. To his horror as his eyes focused, he could see that it was leaking out of his hands, legs and his chest.

His whole body was leaking, pieces of his skin were missing, but slowly regenerating. He could make out his skin moving up, as the wounds slowly got closed, but not fully.

The pain his body was in, was too much, and despite his efforts to stay awake, he slipped back into unconsciousness...

An Hour Later

Lincoln stirred again. The pain had lessened slightly, enough for him to open his eyes and take in his surroundings. The basement was in ruins as smoke lingered in the air, and the remnants of the portal flickered weakly.

Groaning, Lincoln managed to push himself up into a sitting position, trying hard not to slip on the gooey stuff. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out the extent of the damage around him. He looked down at his hands and noticed a faint white glow emanating from his skin, but quickly overlooking it, assuming his eyes were playing tricks on him.

'What…happened...did I make it out...?' he thought, a mixture of fear and curiosity filling his mind.

He felt different, he almost felt stronger, but also fragile at the same time, it was like his body had been fundamentally altered...

Lincoln struggled to his feet, using the walls for support. Every movement was painful, but he knew he couldn't stay in the basement. He needed to get upstairs, to figure out what had happened and what he was going to do next.

With slow, deliberate steps, Lincoln made his way out of the basement, each movement a battle against the pain and exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him.

As he climbed the stairs, he noticed his hands seemed darker, his skin tanner. Then it hit him, his clothes were completely different. His button-down shirt was now entirely white, his orange T-shirt had turned black, his pants now completely black and shoes were black and white.

'W-What's g-going on?' he thought, panic rising in his chest. 'Am I going color blind...? Is that how that wor-'

"AUGH! MY HEAD" He said out loud, he felt a sharp pain pulse through his head. His vision still blurry, he stumbled into the kitchen.

Still having a hard time standing, he used the counter for support; carefully, he made his way to the sink and splashed water on his face, trying to clear his vision.

It helped a little...

He now could see more clearly; with that he took a better look at the current condition he was in;

His clothes were torn and singed, his skin marked with cuts and green ooze seeping from the wounds.

Fear gripped him, a lump anxiety grew in his throat.

"Something happened..." he whispered, terrified.

Lincoln made his way to the couch and sat down, trying to calm himself. He sat there for what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, trying to make sense of everything.

Gathering his strength, he decided to head upstairs to the bathroom.

'I need...to get...washed up...have...to...find...the...first aid...kit!' He thought, his mind barely able to keep up as the pain from his body tried to engulf him;

Lincoln steadily got up from the couch, and made his way to the stairway, making sure to hold on to the banister. Each step he took was a struggle, but very deliberate; he didn't want to accidently lose balance and fall...that would be bad...exceptionally bad, given his current state.

Eventually Lincoln made it to the second floor, before taking a couple more painstaking steps into the bathroom;

In the bathroom, he reached under the sink for the first aid kit. As he did, he caught sight of himself in the mirror and froze...his eyes bulging out of their sockets, something was wrong with Lincoln, something very, very wrong;

A boy with stark black hair, stared back at him. His freckles were now completely white but barely able to be seen unless someone was looking closely for them, and his eyes, once a clear blue, were now a vivid green. His skin, previously a light complexion, was now significantly tanned.

"WAAAAHHH!" He screamed and jumped back, falling backwards into the tub.

*OOOPH!*

Disoriented, he scrambled out and stood before the mirror again.

"What… what happened to me?" he asked, his voice echoing eerily, Lincoln noticed this change instantly;

"M-My VOICE?!" He screamed. "Why does it sound like that?!"

He instinctively went to put his hand over his forehead and he saw something that shook him to his core;

He looked at his right hand and saw it was gone...

"My hand?! My hand, it's gone!" he yelled.

In the split second it had disappeared, his hand once again reappeared...

Lincoln now was having a complete mental breakdown, and the pain coming from his entire body didn't help either;

"H-HOW?! *ha* My hand?! *ha* What happened to it?! *ha*" He yelled, as his breathing became shallow, but he couldn't help but feel there was something off every time he took a breath.

He however didn't dwell on it since right now, he was in a complete panic, he couldn't understand the sudden changes happening to him.

As he looked back up, he saw his reflection disappeared from the mirror...

...Lincoln's heart sank.

'Whaa-'

His now invisible eyes were bulging out of their sockets once again.

"AAAAAHH" He yelled. "WHERE DID I GO?!"

He began feeling up his body with his invisible hands...

'I can feel my body, but...!' For the life of him, he couldn't see himself; his torso, his hands, his legs, his everything!

A millisecond later, his reflection reappeared on the mirror, and so did the rest of his body.

"What's wrong with me?!" he yelled, desperation in his voice.

'I'm losing my mind! This can't be real!' He thought, before a sharp pain throbbed on his arm, as green ooze came out.

'Crap...okay calm down Lincoln, get ahold of yourself...' *haaa* 'I need to bandage these wounds first...yeah that's right, keep a cool mind Linc...'

He steadily opened a cabinet under the sink, and reached for the first aid kit, but his hands went right through it.

The composure he built up quickly vanished into thin air, as his anxiety skyrocketed.

'SCREW THE FIRST AID KIT!'

'I need to figure out what was going on!' he thought,

'...wait...' His eyes widening...

He remembered something...it wasn’t anything of real importance. Just a random memory from an old show, a ghost hunting series he used to watch a couple years back. AAARGH!; that’s what it was called. He hadn’t really thought about it in a long time, maybe caught a rerun once or twice late at night after it had been canceled. But right this moment, stuff from the show came rushing back to him as he stood there; those hauntingly green eyes that stared back at him, his unexplainable and complete change in appearance, the eerie echoing voice that came out of his throat, and his limbs either disappearing or passing straight through solid objects.

'No...anything but that...'

But he didn't want to believe it, he didn't want it to come down to this conclusion, but it seemed as if it was inevitable at this very moment.

He put his hand on his chest as he waited.

Seconds went by.

...

...

...

He stood there, waiting, hoping.

...

...

...

Nothing.

"My heart… why isn't it beating?" he whispered in horror.

His mind raced, trying to make sense of it all...but he kept coming back to the same conclusion...

Lincoln Loud had died;

He had died...

'No, no, no, I can't be dead!' He thought. 'This can't be happening! Maybe it's a dream! Yeah just some sick nightmare again!'

He pinched himself, but his skin was cold and stiff, like the flesh of a long gone corpse.

Panic overtook him.

"No, no, NO, NOO, NOOOO!" He exclaimed, louder each time as his now echoing voice reverberated throughout the walls of this bathroom. 'This can't be happening! NO, NOO! Anything but this!'

"God...please...I don't want to be dead, PLEASE! PLEASE, bring me back!" He called out to whatever higher power existed, hoping they could answer his prayer.

No one answered...

Tears formed in his eyes, as he broke into a sob...

'Why me...!'

For a moment, Lincoln stood there, looking at himself in the mirror, tears streaming down his face.

He cried hard, and until he couldn't cry anymore; he felt completely drained...

He hugged himself, wishing to once again feel that warm feeling of his blood rushing through his body, the warm touch of his hands...but all he felt right now was cold;

'please...I want to be alive again...'

...

...

Then it happened...

A ring of white light with a blue hue appeared at his waist and split into two. One ring moved up to his head, the other down to his feet. The light was bright, almost blinding. When it disappeared, Lincoln felt it. His veins were pumping blood. He felt his body jump start back to life.

He looked in the mirror. His hair was white as snow, his clothes were their original colors but in tatters. He was sure he had died, but now he was back, someone must have heard his prayers. He felt his heart beating once again; It was slower, but it was still there.

"I'm back!" He rejoiced, happiness filling his face, before quickly vanishing.

I'm not dead, but... what am I?' he wondered.

Lincoln reached for the first aid kit again and, thankfully, was able to grab it. He opened it and began treating his wounds. The green ooze seeping from his cuts turned to blood, though if he looked closely, there were green specks mixed in with it.

He took his ripped clothes all off and put them in a bag.

'I don't understand any of this...what happened to me...and why?' *Sigh*

'I should probably shower...wash off all of the blo-' He couldn't finish, the thought of being covered in his own blood made his stomach turn...

Walking into the tub, he turned the water on and took a shower. Making sure not to damage or touch the open wounds, he meticulously scrubbed his body with a loofah.

' *haaa* This is nice...'

The hot water hitting his body was a nice contrast to the cold touch of his skin from before; it felt rejuvenating.

Minutes Later

Putting on a towel, he slowly began using some more Gauze to cover up all the wounds on his body.

'Huh...I could have sworn I had a wound right here' He though to himself as he looked at the bottom part of his arm, which now was seemingly fully healed.

Looking past it; he continued to bandage up the rest of his wounds.

' *sighhh* There are a lot of wounds...' He thought, With all these wounds around his body, he knew one thing for sure, 'When these wounds heal, they are going to leave a lot of scars on my body...'

It wasn't like he was shy of any scars before all of this...but most of what he had were from small cuts or bruises...but this was on a totally different level. He was using up a lot of Gauze, and there were a lot of wounds throughout his body.

'If anyone saw this...' He wasn't sure what he would do, it looked like he was a solider that got deployed into the middle of a battlefield; there were wounds on his back, his upper arms, legs, and a really big one on his chest. It seemed the only place that didn't have a wound was his face.

'That would have been hard to hide...'

The Lichtenberg figure, on his left side of his body had seemingly been covered up by the skin tissue leaving almost no trace of it's existence. Lincoln was unaware of the scar that was once there but he couldn't help but feel a slight burning feeling on that side of body...

He finished bandaging up all the wounds and exited the bathroom.

As he walked out and made his way to his room to get clothes, he began to notice the ceiling getting taller...and taller.

He quickly looked down, as terror washed over his face.

"MY LEGS?!" He shouted;

Lincolns legs had become see through, a blurry outline could be seen, highlighting were his legs once belonged. Everything up to his waist was slowly sinking through the floor.

Reacting fast, he let go of the towel and the bag, putting his hands on the floor and pushing himself up before the rest of his body sank through the floor.

As soon as Lincoln finished pushing himself up, his legs once again reappeared.

'It didn't stop...' He thought, as fear rose through his chest.

Lincoln hoped that maybe becoming his regular self would have stopped these weird paranormal quirks, but it hadn't.

Finally making it to his room, he threw the bag of his old clothes near the side of his bed. As he began putting on a new pair of his usual outfit.

Thankfully, his clothes were able to cover the parts of his body that had bandages on them.

Finished, Lincoln sat on his bed trying to figure everything out.

'The stuff happening to me...are mannerisms of ghosts...disappearing...going through stuff...having g-green blo-ectoplasm...' His thoughts were consumed by fear

'Maybe I did die...' he said, his eyes becoming puffy. 'But with my luck, only somewhat...'

Lincoln didn't full comprehend everything, but he knew one thing, he was dead...but only partially. He still had a heart beat, even though it was delayed by a couple of seconds. His blood was still red, even if it had some green stuff in it.

So he couldn't be dead fully right?

As he continued to think, he wasn't sure if he still existed or if everything after coming out of the portal has been a dream. For all he knew, he's completely dead, and this here is either purgatory or...worse.

A While Later

After what felt like forever, Lincoln decided to get out of his bed. His body was still sort of sore, but he felt better. He had been thinking about what to do;

'I could always just pass out right now, and fall completely asleep... Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow, and all of this might end up being a nightmare or something...'

*sigh* '...no...it wouldn't' Lincoln knew it wasn't.

It was all too real.

Looking at the clock, it was 4:05 pm, his mother and Lisa would be back soon, and he was pretty sure he would see his other siblings come back by dinner time at 6pm.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Lincoln made his way back down stairs and into the basement. Making sure not to suddenly slip through the floor...

Reaching the door to the basement, Lincoln took a second to prepare himself; he wasn't afraid of going back down there, but there was a hint of anxiety rising in his chest.

This was the place he had died...

Lincoln opened the door, and his nose was immediately attacked by a putrid smell;

*ERGGGGH*

He quickly covered his nose, with his shirt;

'WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SMELL?!' He thought, the stench being worse then anything he had ever smelled; more nauseating then any of Lily's used diapers...

Pushing through it, he walked downstairs; when he reached the bottom, he finally understood the amount of damage the explosion had really caused.

Besides the portal being in absolute ruins, the whole basement wasn't any better... The boiler was destroyed, the washing and drying machines were in pieces. The walls were scorched, as debris and ash covered almost every inch of the room.

As he walked around the stench continued to become more potent, it seemed as though it grew the closer he got to the portal. He finally came upon something that made his stomach turn upside down. There a couple meters away from the long gone portal was a pool of green fluid...

'T-That's...' He thought to himself.

He knew what it was, if his assumption was right, when he had became that other form. His red blood became...green ectoplasm.

He felt sick. Lincoln wasn't scared of blood, but seeing your own in a pool, just made him want to throw up.

'I have to clean this up, and I have to find a way to explain this to Lisa and everything else' He thought.

'But...how do I even tell anyone about...me?' He considered looking back down at the pool.

He had thought about it as he laid on the bed earlier, at first he was planning on telling everyone what happened and try and get some help with his...problem, but then came a thought he really didn't want to think of.

'What if they don't accept me anymore...'

'...finding out your brother, your son...is dead, is insane...but hey! At least I only died partially!' Lincoln quipped. Trying to find some thing positive about his situation.

*sighh* 'They might...end up throwing me out the house. H-How do I even go about telling them something like this...this is all...so unbelievable.'

Lincoln loved his family and he knew they loved him, but he had some doubts;

They would either not believe him, because if Lincoln were to be completely honest about his situation; it all felt like some crazy made-up scenario, everything from the explosion to his...problems...felt absolutely surreal. They would probably think he lost his mind and send him off to some mental asylum...

'Are those still even a thing...?'

Or something would happen in front of them; like him turning invisible or phasing through the floor, and they would believe him, before shunning him out of the family. He loved them...really! But they tend to go overboard and are very stubborn...and they do tend to avoid things that may cause them problems...and what's a bigger problem then having a dead son at home!

Lincoln couldn't help but think of a certain situation and having to sleep outside in the backyard. That made him feel even worse. If his bad luck, even though it was a complete hoax, was a big enough problem that they had to kick him out of the house for; being a walking corpse was 10, no, 100 times worse!

'...then again...if I tell them, what would happen to their sanity by the concept of my death, no matter if I'm still here or not, the grief of finding out I lost my life...I can't imagine what that would do to them...' Lincoln didn't want to envision what kind of future that was in store for him if his family found out.

No matter how much uncertainty he felt in his heart, he couldn't help but feel his family would be devastated by what happened to him...

'...'

'...'

'...'

'...I can't tell them...' He thought, finally making his decision.

He was going to hide this from his family. This was all too much, maybe he would tell them later, much later, but for right now, he needed to keep a cool and collected mind...

'I have to be strong, I need to carefully plan my next move...'

His newfound conviction was however masked by watery tears forming in his eyes. No matter how hard he tried to force it down, he couldn't contain the grief he felt at this moment. He had died, nothing was going to be the same anymore.

'But how do I explain the explosion...' He thought to himself, as he wiped away the tears that had formed.

'I should probably lie and say I heard noises coming from the basement but chose to ignore them...that could work...Lisa did tell me not to come down here...'

Lincoln being the man with the plan, he finally decided on what he was going to do;

When Lisa and his mom would get back, he would tell them that her machine was making noise loud enough noises to shake the house somewhat, but it then suddenly stopped.

'That might work, it's believable enough, and there seems to be no damage done to the rest of the house...they might believe it; but before that I have to clean off the blo-green stuff.'

Finding a some cleaning supplies in the mess was hard, but he was able to recover a mop and some rags. He also brought down some air refreshener from the kitchen; the smell was still super strong.

'...I really don't want to think of what the smell might actually be...' A shiver went down his spine as he remembered what happened earlier.

Lincoln, wasn't clueless, with what happened to him down here, and all the wounds he got, he knew what it was...burnt human flesh.

'Maybe opening the basement windows will help.' He walked over to the small windows that were placed at the top of the walls, and opened them;

With that, he slowly began cleaning off any evidence of his presence from the basement.

Around 30 minutes later

Lincoln finally removing all the evidence of him being there during the explosion and the smell no longer lingering; he made his way up to the first floor, and out the back door.

He threw the green stuff and the used rags he had put into a trash bag, and into the garbage bin outside.

Throughout his time trying to clean the basement, his hands would disappear, his pants would go intangible and fall down, his legs would fall through the basement.

All of this frightened Lincoln, as well as annoy him. He didn't understand how any of this worked, would this constantly happen? What would he do if someone saw him falling through the floor?

Even with some sisters not staying at the home much, there were a lot of people living under his house, and there is no way they wouldn't notice Lincoln suddenly disappearing or falling through the ground. He had to figure out how all of this worked, and maybe even try and control it. But that was a task for tomorrow.

He was tired, very tired. His wounds were slowly healing, he checked, and to his surprise most of the smaller wounds that weren't concealed by his clothes, had been completely healed and there were no marks left behind.

'Maybe the accident gave me fast healing or something.'

Now all there was left to do was to make sure his little plan was played out the way he wanted, and then he was going to take a long, a very long nap.

Making it back to to living room, Lincoln looked at the clock on the wall.

'4:33pm, they should be back by 5pm...guess I'll just hang around here until they're back' he thought to himself sitting down on the couch as he slowly watched the clock tic.

5:28pm

"Sweetie, were back!" Rita said as he opened the door and walked in

"Hello Lincoln," Lisa replied walking in behind her mother

"Sorry if we were a bit late." Rita said as he saw Lincoln sitting on the couch

"Apologies Lincoln, the meeting got pretty heated, and it took a lot longer then expected." Lisa added on.

"Hey mom, Lisa...no it's fine." Lincoln said.

'Thank god they can see me, I got kind of paranoid they might no be able to see me; was worried that I might have died too much and was invisible to others!' He thought

"Hope the pets didn't cause you too much trouble' Rita replied

'Huh? Completely forgot about them, where were they?' He thought.

"No they were fine, I uh- think they've been outside this entire time." Lincoln replied, coming up with a quick lie.

"That's good, thank you Lincoln for looking after the house while we were gone." Rita replied.

"No problem mom, and uhh- by the way Lisa, I gotta tell you something..." Lincoln said.

"Sure, what is it?" She replied with a slight lisp

'Here goes nothing!' Lincoln Thought.

"Well you see, uhm..your machine, it was making a lot of noises, and I mean a lot, I could hear it while the basement door was closed; at one point I thought it was going to explode or something. It was shaking the first floor and stuff. Then it all of a sudden, it stopped making noises and the shaking was gone..." Lincoln responded.

'please believe it...' He thought, praying his lie was convincing enough.

"Oh good heavens, Lincoln are you alright!?" Rita responded.

'Yes-!'

"D-Don't worry, I'm okay mom," Lincoln tried lying as best as he ever could.

"Lisa go check on your machine, I don't want this house being blown up, young lady!" She said with an angry tone.

"Y-Yes mother, and thank you Lincoln, I was just on my way down. Also mother you needn't worry, I installed reinforcements to the base of the house, even if my portal were to explode the integrity of the basement and house will stay. I had it installed after that tornado situation we had back a couple of years ago."

'...wait...are you being serious right now?! I didn't need to even go down there...?!' Lincoln was a lost for words. All of this could have been avoided, he didn't know what to think or feel. Had he just died for nothing? It was all felt like someone was playing a sick joke on him.

'This can't be happening!'

"Though...mother, if I were to be honest with you, I'm not completely confident on the durability of the reinforcement. Since Lincoln has now informed us about how there was noise leaking through, I'm beginning to doubt the credibility of the instillation. However, fear not, there is very low chance my portal would just explode, it is built to handle extreme situations, and before we left earlier today, I added some automated safeguards for it to shutdown during calibrations if were to get anywhere near the critical point. It would do it without the need of the manual shutdown button."

'...what? wait...so maybe me trying to stop it helped? *sighh* I don't know what to think at this point...'

"Well...uhhm...if that's the case then, you are off the hook, for now; but be careful down there Lisa." Rita replied relieved and thankful for her daughters foresight.

"Roger that, mother...I'll be in the basement if you need me." Lisa replied as he made her way downstairs.

"Now, sweetie, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?" Rita asked,

"Huh? What was that mom?" Lincoln asked, being broken out of his thoughts;

"I was asking if you had plans for today; I know you got stuck house sitting, I hope it didn't interfere with any plans you might have had. I didn't expect that convention or conference or whatever to take so long."

"Uhh it's all good mom, didn't really have any plans for today-"

'Not like I got anything going on nowadays...' He thought

"I-I think I'm just going to head upstairs for now..." Lincoln said.

"Well make sure to come down for dinner Lincoln." She said as Lincoln made his way to the stairs

"Got it." He said as he made his way back up.

With Lisa

As Lisa made her way down to the basement, nothing could prepare her for what she was about to see.

Finally stepping off the stairs, Lisa face changed as complete and utter shock over took her usual calm persona.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF EINSTEIN HAS HAPPENED?!" Yelled Lisa, looking at the complete mess, the basement was in.

"MY MACHINE?! THE BASEMENT?!"

'I KNEW LINCOLN SAID HE HEARD LOUD NOISES BUT THIS...THIS IS INSANITY!' Lisa loudly thought in her head

"T-T-THE PORTAL ITS IN RUINS! EVERYTHING IS!" She yelled as her head franticly observed the destroyed state of the basement.

Lisa quickly rushed to the console of for the portal to see if it was still working. To her surprise, it was still somehow running. She quickly loaded up the logs from after she left.

The logs she read, showed that the portal was doing it's usual calibrations, until a foreign substance was introduced, and it also showed that the portals shut down button was requested but it was rejected by the system.

"What?! This isn't making any sense! What's this about a foreign substance?! Why did the manual shut down button even go off? It's not supposed to activate unless someone pressed the button?" She said out loud.

Lisa was a super genius, but she was completely stumped at the moment. She just didn't understand any of this; she decided too look further into the logs. The calibrations were going fine but there were some irregularities; 'Crap...I forgot to carry the one! but the new automated shutdown should have gone off...not the manual one! It's not adding up at all!' The thing that stumped her the most was;

'...A foreign substance...' She thought to herself, as she began scouring around the machine, until her eyes laid on small bits of green goo leaking out of the bottom part of the console.

'T-This is the ecto-I mean slime lucy put down here. It must have fallen on the console, causing it to malfunction...' She thought, slowly picking some of it up with her finger.

'But...my portal was much too durable to malfunction due to some slime...unless-!' She said slowly looking closer at the slime.

'What do we have here...' As Lucy looked closer, the green goo she assumed to be slime had small very tiny amount of electricity moving through it, and it glowed much more then fake slime should.

'It can't be.' she thought to herself.

'I should do some tests on this substance, though I doubt there is much too it.' She thought.

'But first...I should clean the basement up, and fix everything before the parents are aware. Avoiding any punishment for this comes first.' Thinking to herself.

"Let's just put this in a safe container for later," She said out loud as she put the green goo into a airtight flask.

Right away, she began cleaning up the basement and fixing everything that was destroyed. Lisa was able to this quickly thanks to the help of her robots, FixBot and CleanBot;

She was completely unaware of the real truth behind the explosion...

With Lincoln

After reaching the 2nd floor, Lincoln was washed over with a sense of relief

'That was nerve racking' He thought to himself. 'Any second something could have happened; my head could have disappeared, I could have fallen through the floor, my pants could have disappeared or fallen...'

Walking towards his room, Lincoln had only one thing in his mind...sleep! Opening his door, he quickly went inside and tore a piece of paper out of his note book, and wrote down [Too Tired. Skipping Dinner] before hanging it outside his door.

'Too tired to eat, and I want to avoid everyone; can't risk something happening...' He said to himself. 'I'll try and figure out what to do, see if I can control these...changes...tomorrow...'

Plopping himself onto the bed, he slowly closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep.

As Lincoln slept, a dark shadowy figure once again appeared above his bed, hovering in the air, with an eerie voice, it whispered;

"And so it shall begin..."

End Chapter

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time (Date) /Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or  transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words) "

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Chapter 4: Purpose

~Loud House~

Thursday Morning (August 22nd, 20XX)

As the early morning birds sang, Lincoln slowly stirred awake, as he opened his eyes and rubbed them,

" *Yawn* That was a good sleep, I slept har-huh?"

Lincoln's eyes were still a bit hazy, but something didn't feel right to him. He moved his hand around, but he couldn't feel his pillow, his mattress nor his blanket.

"What?" He muttered, before rubbing his eyes until the haziness left, and he could see properly...

He looked around but nothing was out of the ordinary in this room, his dresser was still there, the door, the really low ceiling...

'huh...? Low ceiling...? What's that abou-oh'

It hit him—he was floating...

horrified, he let out a scream;

"AAA-"

But he quickly stopped; he instinctively covered his mouth with his hands. The last thing he needed was for one of his sisters or parents to burst in unexpectedly.

'I'm f-floating!' he thought. 'HOW?!'

Then it all came rushing back to him...yesterday...the portal...

'It wasn't a dream...' He thought, completely lost at what to think.

'I-I-Everything! The portal! The explosion...the stuff after...it really happened?!' Lincoln felt a his anxiety start to rise.

'N-No...I can't start to panic, I have to calm down!' He thought. 'Panicking isn't going to get me anywhere!'

Lincoln took second to take a deep breath;

*inhale*

*Phew*

'Now...how do I get down?'

Thinking quickly he started making a swimming motion downward, but that didn't work.

"That was stupid..." He voiced out loud.

As he floated above the bed, he had a hard time rationalizing how any of it worked. To him it felt like the force of gravity was completely nonexistent, almost as if he had become the exception to such a universal rule; the usual invisible force that was always pushing down on everything around him had somehow vanished.

'Come on Linc! Think! How do I get dow-'

"Wait...!" He paused, remembering what he said before falling asleep last night;

"This could be a chance to see if I can control these...uhh...powers?. Let's see... maybe if I concentrate and focus, I could probably get down," He said talking to himself.

Lincoln had seen it hundreds of times in movies he watched and in the comics he read. When ever someone in a story would miraculously gain powers, they were usually able to control them.

'Just maybe it could work the same...?'

Focusing, Lincoln thought to himself, 'Come on... go down...float down...Come on...'

He focused harder, and to his surprise, he slowly went down

'float down...'

He felt something in his body react to his internal desire to go down.

Before he knew it, Lincoln had floated down, and fell onto his bed;

"T-That worked?!" He rejoiced. "YES!"

This proved his suspicions were right; he actually had control over these powers.

"Can't believe I can fly...well float...either way, this is actually really cool." he muttered.

Despite the surreal reality he found himself in, a small smile crept onto his face. He still didn't fully understand how to feel about his new found powers, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a spark of excitement, a glimmer of something good unfolding in his life.

"Despite this week starting off crappy...this was actually pretty amazing."

Getting off the bed, he quickly grabbed a towel and a new set of clothes, wishing he had changed into his pajamas last night. He looked at the clock—it was 9 AM.

'9 AM...it's still morning -sih, what to do...maybe some breakfast? Not feeling that hungry though...'

Since the accident, he hadn't had anything to eat.

'Last thing I ate was a sandwich...I hope I didn't lose my ability to eat from the explosion...what a way to kill an appetite. *heh* ' He let out a quiet chuckle, trying to find some humor in the absurdity of it all.

Walking to the door, he remembered something from yesterday;

'Can't believe they actually let me sleep in. Guess the note worked,' He thought to himself.

'Normally, they'd just barge in and wake me up. Guess not today. Oh well.' He shrugged it off and made his way out.

Opening the door, Lincoln saw the usual chaos that he was so accustomed too.

Lori stood outside the bathroom designated for the eldest members of the family. He didn't see Leni, so he assumed that Lori probably waiting on her to finish.

Luna was outside her room with large speakers, strumming her guitar aggressively to the point where each time she did, he could almost feel the walls of the house shake from the vibrations.

Luan was next to her, messing around with Mr. Coconuts, the ventriloquist doll she had since, well forever. She was having a strangely one-sided conversation with it. Something that might seem bizarre to anyone else, but he'd seen her do it so often, it hardly fazed him anymore

Lynn, was running around the hall as she kicked around her soccer ball, doing tricks and juggling the ball with her feet as she jumped over piles of random stuff that littered the halls of the upper floor.

'Why do I have a feel she's going to end up kicking it at me...' He thought.

Lucy was walking around with a quil and paper in her hand, most likely writing a new poem. Some how not getting hit by Lynns ball as she continued to bounce it of the walls and doors.

Lola and Lana as usual, were outside the second bathroom, fighting each other to get in.

Then there was Lisa, with a robot almost the same size as her, helping Lily tie her shoes.

Lincoln stepped out of his room and began walking, when he heard someone yell out to him;

"BALL INCOMING!"

Lincoln turned around, and saw Lynn's soccer ball; it was coming directly at him, but there was something weird about it.

'It's moving slowly...really slowly...' He thought. 'Am I seeing things...?'

Unbeknownst to Lincoln; as the ball came towards him, a quick wave of green shimmered through his eyes. It just for an instant, very easy to miss if no one was paying attention...

He quickly ducked his head down, narrowly dodging Lynn's ball in time; as she called out to him from across the hall.

"Quick reflexes, bro!"

Lynn ran up to him with a smile on her face, "Heya Linc! Haven't seen you in a bit. Everything alright? Luna went up to call you yesterday and saw the note on your door."

"Yeah. I've, um... just been pretty worn out lately," Lincoln replied.

"Well, you must be starving! Make sure you come down for breakfast, alright? And after that, how about some old fashioned American football?" Lynn grinned, her eyes lighting up. "I need someone to hold the ball while I go for a kick! So, what d'ya say, lil' bro?!"

Lincoln, wanting to avoid spending too much time with someone in order to hide his...problem from showing up by mistake, nervously replied;

"W-Well, maybe, but I might go out for... uhhh... a walk! Yeah, I'm gonna head out for a walk." He said quickly, scrambling for a reason. "I need to swing by the mall too, gotta pick up some new clothes..."

Lynn's eyebrow arched as she took in Lincoln's awkward reply. 'Something's definitely off... He's hiding something, but what?' she thought, suspicion flickering in her eyes;

But she decided to let it slide for now; "Well, all right, Stinkin," she said with a smirk, giving him a playful punch on the arm, before going after the ball she had kicked earlier.

'aaaaannnnddd off she goes...huh, that's odd. Her punches usually sting more than that-' Lincoln's thought process abruptly halted as;

*tap tap tap tap tap*

'Hm?' He wondered, but before he could react, a sharp tingle shot down his back;

'Why do I feel like someone is behi-'

"Hello Lincoln..." Lucy spoke in her usual monotone and depressive tone, as she suddenly appeared behind him.

This was the part where Lincoln would normally leap into the air, and let out a girlish yelp at the sudden appearance of Lucy behind him...but he didn't;

'Oh...' Lincoln thought, realizing he'd heard someone approaching from behind. His ears had picked up what he now recognized as Lucy's nearly silent footsteps. He had also felt his senses picking something up, moving closer to him.

'Whoa! Could it be...no...maybe? Was that... super hearing?!,' He thought, his mind racing. 'And that tingling sensation; it's like my body was alerting me, letting me know something was coming!'

Turning around, Lincoln replied. "Hey Luce, got a new poem you working on?"

He decided to push the strange, albeit cool new discoveries to the back of his mind, for now, at least. There’d be time to figure it all out later. Right now, pretending everything was normal felt a lot easier.

Lucy just stood there showing absolutely no emotion on her face, but behind her black bangs, her eyes were wide as ever; she was completely shocked.

'H-He didn't jump?!' she thought to herself.

"Y-Yeah it is, m-maybe you could give it a r-read later?" Lucy responded stuttering; stumbling over her words as she tried to comprehend how her brother hadn't been startled by her abrupt presence.

'He didn't even flinch!' She thought, bewildered.

"Sure, maybe after breakfast?" Lincoln replied.

"O-Okay..." Lucy murmured, still in shock as she walked away, trying to make sense of what just happened. 'Guess our suspicions were correct...'

Lincoln quickened his pace toward the nearest bathroom, wanting to get to the bathroom as fast as possible without having another encounter and end up getting dragged into something.

He hurried down the hall toward to the first bathroom. When he got there, he found Lori standing outside.

'Dang it,' Lincoln thought, 'Totally forgot she was also waiting.'

"Hey, Linc! Good morning," Lori greeted, turning around just as she noticed her brother hurrying toward the bathroom. "You doing all right? We didn't see you at all yesterday."

'Gulp-!'

"H-Hey, Lori. Good morning," Lincoln stammered. "And y-yeah, I'm all right. Just been feeling really tired lately, because of, uhhh..." he trailed off, scrambling for another excuse to use.

'What do I say? Crap—!' he thought, panicking for a moment. 'Wait, I know!'

"...all the stress of starting high school soon… ya know?" he finished saying, trying to make his excuse sound natural.

'Lying on the spot just sucks! Please let her believe it!' He thought, anxiously.

Lori narrowed her eyes, giving him a skeptical look as she tried to gauge whether Lincoln was telling the truth or just making something up.

'Something's off with him again...' She thought, her suspicion growing.

Lincoln noticed her doubtful look and replied, "Honest... really."

With that, Lori concluded that something was definitely up with her little brother, but since he didn't want to share, she decided to let it go; for now.

" *sigh* That's good to hear. We all thought you were sick when we saw that note on your door." Lori said, gently ruffling his white hair.

"And don't stress too much, it's natural to be nervous. If you need anything, just come to me, okay?

Just as Lori finished, the bathroom door swung open, and Leni stepped out, flashing them both a bright smile.

"LINCY!" she squealed, rushing over to Lincoln and pulling him into a tight hug.

"O.M.G! Are you all right?! We, like, didn't see you at all yesterday! We were totes worried!" she said, her voice full of genuine concern.

"I-I'm okay, nothing to worry about, just tired... but uhh... I'm feeling better now-!" he managed to reply, though his face was completely smothered in her chest.

"Perfect!" she said with a wide grin, finally letting him go from her embrace.

She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, leaving him with a rosy blush spreading across his face.

"Leni I think-" Lincoln stopped mid sentence, he wasn't sure how to tell Leni; she had a habit of intensely doting on him. He hadn't minded it much before...but now for some reason, he couldn't help feel a bit embarrassed by the way she tightly hugged him and how she would give him small kisses on his cheeks.

"What's wrong Lincy...? Is something bothering you?" Leni asked, tilting her head to the side with a concerned look.

'How do I even go about this...No, forget it, I'm the one being weird here, Leni's just being her usual affectionate self.' He thought.

"It's nothing, thanks for worrying about me." He answered, a soft smile on his face.

"Lincoln..." Leni smiled widely to his response, she clasped her hands around Lincoln's face, and and drew him closer to hers; so close that they were almost nose-to-nose. He could feel her breath warm softly brushing against his lips.

'TOO CLOSE! WAY TOO CLOSE!' Lincoln panicked in his head, as his face became deep shade of crimson;

"You're welcome... I'll always look out for you..." Leni finished, her usual lighthearted tone softened with warmth, her usual aloofness replaced by a gentle, straight forwardness; as her eyes held a certain softness that felt deeper, more intense, as she looked at him.

As her gaze lingered on him, he couldn't help but feel his heart race.

"That's grea-" he began, only to be interrupted mid-sentence.

"All yours, twerp. Come down to breakfast when you're done," Lori said as she stepped out of the bathroom. While Leni and Lincoln had been talking, She had quietly slipped in, and was now on her way out.

Seeing Lori exit the bathroom, Leni pulled away from Lincoln in the blink of an eye.

"Well bye Lincy, I'll see you downstairs!" She said with a cheerful wave, flashing him a quick smile before dashing down the stairs.

"What's up with her?" Lori asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know..." Lincoln replied, feeling momentarily puzzled by his older sisters odd behavior, until he remembered it was Leni he was talking about, and decided to let it go.

Shrugging it off as well, Lori turned away from Lincoln, and *inhaled* a long breath before;

"All right, everyone else, get down those stairs! Breakfast should be ready by now!" Lori yelled, directing it towards all the other sisters in the hallway. They instantly responded to her command, hurrying down the stairs without hesitation.

With his sisters making their way to breakfast, Lincoln finally stepped into the bathroom.

~Downstairs/Dinning Room~

As Lori settled at the dining table with her sisters, as their parents were in the Kitchen, busying themselves with putting the final touches for breakfast. This brief moment gave the sisters a chance to discuss something important: their brother.

The rest of the sisters were chatting amongst themselves, noticing the scattered conversations among her sisters and seeing no opening, Lori called out;

"*Ahem!*" Lori said, her voice cutting through the chatter, and instantly capturing the attention of everyone at the table.

"Okay, seems we got a bit of time, so now everyone listen up..." Lori announced, making sure she had their full attention.

"Does everyone remember what we talked about last night...?" Lori prompted, her gaze moving around the table to make sure they were all on the same page.

Flashback to Wednesday Night

Once their mom got back with Lisa from the meeting, she immediately set to work preparing dinner for everyone.

Lynn Sr. arrived home only a short while later. After checking that most his chain of restaurants were all running smoothly. He left things in the hands of his head chefs before making his way home.

Noticing his wife hard at work on dinner, he quickly jumped in to lend a hand. Cooking and feeding for eleven mouths took a lot of effort and it was no easy task. It certainly didn't help that each kid had their own particular tastes to cater to.

Almost all of Lincoln's sisters who had been out, arrived back home just as dinner was about to be served. They hurried to the table, eager and ready to enjoy their meal.

Raising his voice to be heard over the chatter of his kids, Lynn Sr. asked, "Is everyone here!?"

All the kids paused their conversations, before responding with a unified;

"Yes!"

Then, just as quickly, they picked up their conversations right where they left off.

Luna entered the dining room as the last to arrive, the inviting aroma of her parents' cooking guiding her in. She had made it back just in time to catch her dad's question.

"I'm here pops!" Luna answer with a grin and a small wave to her dad who was poking his head out the archway that led from the dinning room and the kitchen.

"Perfect sweetie! Grab a seat, dinner is on the way." Lynn Sr responded.

Listening to her dad, Luna took a seat, but something suddenly crossed her mind; she'd heard all her sisters respond to her dad's question, but... something felt off.

'Hm? Wait...someone's not here-!' Luna thought, Now the oldest in the household (besides her parents) since Lori and Leni had moved out, she'd developed a sharp sense of where everyone usually was.

Luna could easily distinguish each of her siblings' voices, but right now, one voice was noticeably absent from the table...

Her gaze traveled around the table, her eyes scanning each seat, before noticing the absence of a certain white-haired little brother from his usual spot.

"Wait-!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chatter. "Lil' dude's not here yet."

Luna's sudden call out made the family pause what they were doing, a few of them exchanging questioning glances and raising their eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" asked Lynn Jr., glancing around the table herself. She quickly noticed that her little brother was nowhere to be seen.

"Is he still sleeping?" She questioned.

"Negative, Lynn. Our brother should not be currently slumbering; he had overslept today, yes, but he was awake when mother and I left him in charge of the house while we attended my meeting." Lisa responded.

"So, where is he, then?" Lola questioned, glancing around, tapping her fingers irritably. She didn't like waiting for anyone, and Lincoln was holding things up.

Rita spoke up; "I remember him saying he was heading to his room after Lisa and I came back home."

"If Lincoln's not coming, can I have his share?" Lynn Jr. asked eagerly, only to be met with a tired eye roll from her mom.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Lana chimed in, crossing her arms. "Why does she get more food? I'm just as hungry as she is!"

"Oh, please," Lynn Jr. shot back, rolling her eyes. "You barely finish your plate half the time, anyway."

"Do not!" Lana argued, leaning forward on the table. "I eat as much as you do, and I don't waste it throwing half my food around pretending I'm in some food fight!"

"Nope! That's called strategy!" Lynn Jr. retorted, smirking. "Besides, I could finish Lincoln's leftovers in no time, unlike you."

"If anyone's getting Lincoln's share, it's me!" Lola cut in, flashing a smug smile at her sisters. "Because, let's face it, I'm the prettiest. The rule is after all that the fairest go first!"

"Well, let's see how fair you look with a face full of sauce!" Lana shot back, grabbing her spoon with a mischievous grin.

"Girls, that's enough!" Rita interjected, raising her hands to calm them down. "No one is getting Lincoln's share of the food right now. If he doesn't show up, I'll just put his leftovers in the fridge for tomorrow."

Lynn Jr. groaned, slumping back in her chair, while Lana and Lola stuck their tongues out at her

"I'll go call him down," Luna offered, pushing her chair back. Wanting to get away before her three sisters escalated their bickering into a full-blown food fight. "He's probably doing something and lost track of time."

Luna walked up the stairs and arrived at Lincoln's door. She noticed the note he had left and raised her eyebrow. "What's this about?" she muttered.

As she read the note, she made a confused face. Skipping breakfast was one thing, skipping dinner is a whole 'nother.

'I didn't see him at breakfast either...something's up.' She thought to herself.

Curious, she jiggled the door handle to see if it was locked. To her surprise, it was open.

She slowly peered into the room and noticed Lincoln was passed out. Thinking it was weird, since he shouldn't be this tired, she closed the door and walked away, taking the note with her downstairs.

Seeing Luna return without Lincoln the family asked where he was.

She showed the family the note. They all raised an eyebrow at Lincoln's request. The parents just assumed Lincoln have been super tired looking after the house, while all the sisters looked at each other, slight concern and worry laced on their faces.

'Something is up with him...my older siblings senses are going crazy...' Lori thought;

Lori turned to Luan who was sitting next to her, and whispered about having a mandatory sister meeting in her room after dinner was done and to pass it forward to everyone else.

Luan nodded and began whispering the plan to Lola, and she passed it on.

...

...

...

All the sisters nodded and agreed.

Dinner finished, and all the sisters quickly made their way into Lori and Leni's room. Each sibling found a spot to sit, some sitting on one of the two beds, while some decided to sit on the floor.

The room had remained mostly, if not exactly, the same, apart from a few bags and boxes, most likely items they had packed to take to their place near campus. The family had decided to leave the room unchanged for the two sisters, as they often returned to visit during the holidays.

"It's been a while since we last did one of these" Replied Lynn Jr.

"Yeah dudes, been a while, anyways...what we discussing Lori?" Luna asked.

"Yeah it's been a while, with me and Leni off at college and everyone being busy this summer we haven't had a chance for sibling meeting...but that isn't the main point of this..." Lori said; "Has anyone noticed anything weird or off about Lincoln lately?"

To Lori, her brother had always been good at hiding what he was feeling or going through. Each day in the Loud house followed a kind of chaotic routine predictable in its own loud, messy way. The week had started off like any other, but now Lincoln was skipping meals and sleeping in late. It was strange, to say the least. The whole summer and even the beginning of this week had been as normal as things ever got in the Loud household. But Lincoln’s sudden change? It definitely raised her concern.

Luan responded nodding her head no.

Lisa said, "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Haven't noticed anything." Lola and Lana said in unison.

"Lincoln's acting different?." Leni replied.

"Winkoln has been acting normal around me." Lily added.

Lucy on the other handed expressed, "Yes actually."

All the sisters turned to her. Waiting for her to continue...

"I've noticed Lincoln acting a bit off lately, especially in the last couple of days. He always seems like he's in deep thought, and he responds indifferently when asked about something..." Lucy finished saying.

Luna added, "Actually, now that you mention it...I do remember Lincoln acting a bit weird, especially on yesterday. When I was saying bye to him as I walked out to meet up with Sam, he didn't seem to hear me. He was just looking at the TV, but it didn't seem like he was actually watching it."

Lynn chimed in next, "Oh yeah, yesterday...I do remember something weird about Lincoln that morning. When I woke up to do my morning run at 6 AM, I found Lincoln just staring oddly at the TV. Which was weird cus I'm usually the only one up at that time. When I went to say hi, he didn't even hear me. I got annoyed at his lack of response, so I just said whatever and went for my run. When I came back, I found him still sitting in the same position, having that same blank stare and look on his face."

Lori pointed out, "I did notice Lincoln acting just like that during breakfast Yesterday...I asked him what was up, he didn't want to talk..."

"Does anyone know what might be bothering Lincoln?" Lori expressed.

Everyone shook their heads no.

Lucy however suggested, "It might be the stress of high school. I'm also a bit nervous about the whole thing myself..."

"She might be onto something" Replied Lisa. "As you all know, our brother is at that age were he is going through many chances, both physically and mentally. Most teenagers go through many different emotional moods and changes and with Lincoln starting high school soon, he might be dealing with anxiety and stress of the upcoming school year."

'Maybe I should have pried him and asked if he was doing all right on Monday,' Lucy thought to herself.

Lori said, "That could be true. But we need a way to find out."

Luan asked, "What should we do?"

Lola suggested, "Let's go wake him up and make him tell us."

"NO!" All the siblings yelled.

"OKAY! Sheesh no need to scream!" Lola Replied.

"Well maybe you shouldn't suggest stupid ideas then!" Lana said.

"Stupid?! You couldn't tell your rights from your lefts gears for brains!" Lola replied back.

"OH! YOU WANNA GO PRINCESS?" Lana said.

Taking off her hair pin, Lola jumped at Lana...

With this, a small fight broke out among the two, but quickly became worse when Lynn tried separating the two but ended up getting pulled into the squabble. It soon turned into a dust ball of hair pulling punches and slaps. Before long all siblings besides Lori, Lisa, Leni, Luna and Lucy were fighting each other on how to get Lincoln to talk.

Lori sighed and SLAMMED her shoe on the dresser.

"OKAY THAT'S ENOUGH!" She yelled out.

The siblings went quiet, stopping they're fighting and looked at Lori.

"There's something going on with Lincoln, but we shouldn't push it out of him. Let's try and ease his stress if that's what's bothering him."

With that they all started to suggest different ways to help ease Lincoln's stress.

"Maybe Lincy can come with me to the mall? We could like totes go shopping for some new clothes! Or maybe we could have a spa day! That like totes helps me destress after a long week!" Leni suggested.

"Spa? Come on Leni, Lincoln's a dude, I bet he would rather have an awesome jam session with me and Sam! Lil dude could jam away all the stress" Luna added, while hitting her classic rock pose.

"Well I maybe I could see if Lincoln could come spend some time with my at the theater? We are doing rehearsals for some of the comedy scenes tomorrow, maybe it could help cheer him up?" Luan replied.

" *Pfffft* Laaammeee. What Stinkin really needs is to work all that stress out of his body! Let's have him come with me for my morning runs since it seems like he's waking up early now!"

"OH, I Know! Maybe Lico-" Lana started, before getting cut off by Lola

"Hey! I wanna say my Idea first!" Lola said.

In a blink of an eye, the twins got into another argument, before they could even suggest anything. Not wanting to get dragged into another fight, the the rest of the siblings rolled there eyes at the two, and decided to not to intervene, unless it got physical.

"Ignoring those two, I suggest we have our male sibling unit attend therapy. If he is dealing with high amounts of stress and it's affecting his day to day life it might be beneficial for him. It might be short notice, but I am more then qualified to take up the role as the psychiatrist for Lincoln." Lisa added, making sure to be heard over the sound of the twins fighting.

"...If Winkoln is sick, we can go play on the swings! It will make him feel better!" Lily replied.

The siblings continued to give more suggestions on how to help there brother;

Lucy throughout this whole ordeal stayed quiet. 'How could I forget to even ask how he was doing?!' She thought to herself. 'He took the time out of his day to help me, and I can't even be their for him...' "Sssiiiggghhh"

"Okay everyone!" Lori said. "Let's calm down!"

This caused everyone to quiet down once again and focus there attention on Lori.

"Those are all great ideas, but let's wait until tomorrow to see what we should do," Lori said.

The rest of them nodded there head, and agreed to wait, before they began to pile out of Lori's and Leni's room.

Back to the present

They all responded agreeing and nodding their head, looking at each other to make sure they were all on the same page.

Lori asked, "Has anyone talked to Lincoln this morning?"

Luna, Luan, Lola, Lana, Lisa, and Lily all shook their heads, no.

Lynn chimed in, "I saw him coming out of his room and acting a bit weird. He said something about going for a walk and shopping for some new clothes..."

"Clothes?! Shopping?! OMGEE! YAAYYY! Lincy and me can go shopping together!" Leni replied.

"SHHH Leni keep it down!" Luna added.

"OH! Oopsies...hehe" Leni responded back, covering her mouth.

Lucy added, "I went to talk to him and might have snuck up on him, but..."

"But what?" Lana asked

"he didn't get jump-scared. Almost like he heard me coming..."

All the sisters gave a shocked look. "Are you being serious?" Luan asked.

Lucy nodded. "Yes, I'm serious," she confirmed, leaving the sisters dumbfounded.

For as long as anyone could remember, Lucy had a habit of jump-scaring the rest of the family, thanks to her eerily quiet footsteps and tendency to appear out of thin air. Everyone figured she kept doing it because she found it amusing. So why was Lincoln, of all people, suddenly immune to her scare tactics?

" *Ahem!* Moving on, Leni and I talked to Lincoln, and he told us he was feeling stressed." Lori announced. Confirming Lucy's theory.

"Since Leni and I are leaving soon, maybe we could take Lincoln out for the day and maybe even grab him some clothes if he's looking for some new stuff." Lori added.

The sisters agreed that it was a good idea. As Rita and Lynn Sr walked in with breakfast.

'I wish I could be going with him instead,' Lucy thought to herself.

"Morning Everyone!" Lincoln said out loud as he walked into the dinning room.

His hair still slightly damp and dressed in his usual clothes, Lincoln took sat down at the table beside Luna.

With Lincoln

'Okay finally!' Lincoln thought to himself. 'That was close, I gotta stay calm and not get nervous...they might start asking questions...'

Lincoln began to undress; as he undressed he slowly removed the bandages he had put on his body the previous night. Most of the bandages had blood covering them. However thankfully it seemed that he had fully healed through the night.

'Well that's a relief...some of the wounds are healed. Maybe my body has some sort of accelerated healing now...that's freaky...on the other hand...' Lincoln thought, relieved that he no longer needed to wear bandages for the cuts and bruises from the accident, which had healed remarkably fast. However, this relief was short-lived as he now faced a new problem; several large scars were now scattered across his body, ones that would undoubtedly raise some eyebrows.

' *Sighhh* Guess that's a problem for later. My clothes should be able to cover all of them anyway...' He thought, trying to push the concern to the back of his mind.

Walking into the shower, and getting done fast as possible, so he didn't suddenly phase through the tub and into the dinning room butt naked.

Walking out he dried himself quickly, and put on a new pair of his usual clothing; quickly brushing his teeth, he made his way downstairs.

On the way down, his ear got that tingling feeling once again, and he started to hear a whole lot more.

What he heard were Lynn's words; "Acting a bit weird. He said something about going for a walk and buying some new clothes"

'Uh-oh' he thought to himself. 'They're all downstairs...talking about me?!'

That made Lincoln panic slightly. 'They couldn't know...right? No I was careful...then again maybe I wasn't careful enough...'

Lincoln heard another part of the conversation that was happening downstairs, and this time it was Lori.

"Take Lincoln out for the day and maybe even grab him some clothes if he's looking for some new stuff..." He heard

'Well crap...there goes me avoiding them for awhile' He expressed to himself. 'Me and my big mouth.'

'Let's just get through breakfast and maybe I could get out of going shopping with Lori.' He thought.

As Lincoln made his way down, and entered the dinning room and after saying good morning he sat down next to Luna.

Rita and Lynn Sr began asking everyone about their plans and the sisters eagerly answered and discussed what they would be doing.

Lincoln, meanwhile, was having trouble just keeping a grip on his butter knife.

As the family discussed, Lincoln every now and then would drop his knife, the reason being his hands would turn intangible which made the utensil fall right down onto his plate.

'Come on! Not again...' He thought to himself. 'Turn back...come on...' He focused hard, similar to earlier when he was floating above his bed.

"Come on turn back..." He mumbled under his breath, watching as the sensation gradually returned to his hands, growing tangible once more.

"You doing all right lil bro?" Luna commented.

This made Lincoln quickly come out of his concentration as he hurriedly put his hand under the table.

"Yeah! Yup! All good here! W-Why do you a-ask?" Lincoln responded, stuttering as he did.

'Please tell me she didn't notice...' He thought worriedly.

"Cool...I was asking cus, I keep hearing you dropping your knife onto the plate... Slippery hands this morning, huh Linc?" Luna expressed with a questioning look on her face, which soon turned to a small smirk.

"Yeah...I guess you could say that."

Luna turned back to her attention back to her plate and continued eating.

Sighing in relief, Lincoln quickly looked under the table to check his hand, which thankfully was back to normal.

'All right! Getting the hang of this...sorta...' He thought to himself, he looked at his plate.

All of this felt like too much, too fast. Not even twenty-four hours ago, he’d been just another teenager, dealing with his sisters’ problems, running around the house doing chore, wondering about how to pass the day by. Now? He wasn’t even sure what he was. Whatever he’d become, it didn’t feel normal. Not even close.

He finally managed to grip his fork and knife without fumbling. Small victory. He cut a piece of food from his plate, eggs and toast, nothing fancy-and brought it to his mouth. He chewed.

And frowned.

The food tasted... wrong. Or rather, it barely tasted like anything at all. He took a few more bites of the food...maybe it was just a bad first bite?

Each bite felt more and more off.

The eggs were just texture, the toast felt like cardboard. No butter, no salt, no warmth just bland, dry mouthfuls going down like he was eating out of obligation rather than hunger.

'What the heck? Did Mom forget to season anything today? No... that’s not it.'

He glanced around the table. His sisters were eating like normal, chatting between bites, stealing each other’s hash browns like always. No one else seemed to notice anything was off.

'So it’s just me... Great. First I wake up floating, now this?'

He poked at his plate, suddenly not feeling very hungry anymore. The lack of taste wasn’t just weird, it was unnerving. It made everything feel a little more real, a little more alien. Like even the simple act of eating wasn’t safe from whatever was happening to him.

'What else is going to change?'

"So Lincoln, anything planned for today?" Asked Lori, as some of the sisters got a bit quieter.

The words snapped Lincoln out of his thoughts. He quickly set his knife down, trying to appear collected.

"Uhh...n-not really, might head to the mall and buy some stuff..." Lincoln responded. 'CRAP! I shouldn't have said that...'

"Great! Me and Leni are also going there. Let's go together!" Lori replied with a smile.

"I-I don't kno-"

"Come on Linc, me and Leni are supposed to be heading back to campus in a few days." Cutting Lincoln off.

"Please Lincy! We wanna spend sometime with you..." Leni said, adding herself to the conversation, while making puppy dog eyes, to convince him.

'Ugh… she brought out the puppy dog eyes. Totally not fair,' Lincoln thought.

"All right...All right...I concede" Lincoln replied.

"Great!" Said Lori and Leni.

"Lori. Before you head out." Called Rita, from across the table. "Can you drop off the twins today? I have to take Lily to get a check up."

"Sure thing mom" Lori replied. "Guess we can head out later...maybe 3pm?"

"Y-Yeah, works for me" Lincoln answered.

" *AHEM!* Can I have everyone attention please! " Luan said getting the attention of the family.

"I have something for everyone!" She replied, as she began passing out tickets to the rest of her family.

"These are the VIP seating tickets! I got everyone a seat like I promised! The show will be tomorrow at 6pm, and with a little help from Benny the shows been sold out! It's going to be a full house tomorrow night!"

"That's amazing sweetie! And don't worry about us missing your show, we know you've been working really hard for it to get done so quick, we wouldn't miss it for the world" Rita replied.

"That's my girl! We are all super proud of you Luan, we are all going to be there tomorrow night, right kids?" Lynn Sr added.

The rest of the family replied a loud "Yeah!"

Luan beamed, clearly thrilled by the enthusiastic response from her family. However, as the others continued chatting excitedly about the upcoming show, Lincoln sat quietly at the table, his thoughts elsewhere.

He knew he should feel just as excited as everyone else, after all, this was a big moment for Luan, and she had worked incredibly hard for it. But the nagging concern in the back of his mind wouldn't let him fully enjoy the moment. He couldn't shake the fear that something might go wrong, like accidentally falling through the floor or suddenly floating into the air.

It was dangerous for him to be around anyone right now, let alone in a crowded theater. The thought of losing control in front of so many people made his stomach churn.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to push the worry aside, at least for now. "Y-Yeah," he replied softly, his voice barely audible amidst the lively chatter. "I'll be there."

Luna, sitting next to him, noticed his nervous tone and gave him a reassuring nudge on the shoulder. "Don't sweat it, bro. Luan is a master at making a great show. It's gonna be awesome!" she said with a grin, doing her best to lift his spirits, though she wasn’t quite sure why he seemed so anxious about the matter, especially since he wasn’t really a part of it.

'Odd..' She thought.

Lincoln nodded and managed a small smile, hoping none of his other sisters picked up on how uneasy he felt.

'I can’t just skip her show, that’d only make things worse if I want to keep all this a secret. They’d ask questions, and everyone would start getting suspicious... On the other hand what if something happens during the show… or just randomly again like this whole morning...' 

He sat there, conflicted about what to do next, when an idea came to mind. 'Maybe I should head upstairs and practice, try to get a better handle on these powers before things spiral out of control and I’m completely unprepared. It’s worth a try...'

It wasn’t much of a plan, but it was all he had at the moment.

A while later

After breakfast, everyone dispersed to do their own thing. Lincoln on the other hand, went up to his room to practice controlling his powers.

He sat on his bed, took a steadying breath, and focused. Holding his hands out in front of him, he concentrated on turning his intangibility on and off. It was like trying to flex a muscle he didn’t quite understand yet.

'Let's see..." Closing his eyes, he grabbed a tissue box in his right hand and focused intently, concentrating on making his hand turn intangible. He tried to recall the sensation from before, the strange, weightless feeling of his hands becoming nothing, as if they were fading out of existence.

He felt that tingling feeling in his arms, and opened his eyes to see if it worked. To his surprise, not only had his hand turned see-through, but so had the tissue box he was holding. It shimmered faintly, almost as if it didn't fully belong in the physical world anymore.

"Whoa...no way...it actually worked!" A smile began to form on his face. "And not only that but I can turn things I touch see through as well?!"

He quickly grabbed a bottle of lotion from his night table with his left hand. He tried doing it now to his left hand. Concentrating harder and making sure he was turning just his hand not his whole body.

'Come on...' He thought to himself. Seeking that feeling of phasing through, being nothing, that he felt whenever he began to phase through things. He again felt that tingling feeling in his left arm.

His left arm became see through, leaving only the outline of his arm and the bottle of lotion.

"Alright! I'm getting an idea on how all of this stuff works...now let's try to turn it off" Lincoln expressed to himself.

This time, he tried concentrating and looking for that feeling of being whole. As he concentrated, his hands returned back to normal.

"This is...GREAT! I can finally control it...maybe...I still have to work on doing it better. Now time to practice disa-" Lincoln declared before getting cutoff by a knock on the door.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Who is i-!"

"HEY LINCOLN!" Came Lynn rushing into his room before he could finish.

' *haaa* What's the point of knocking if you're just going to barge in...I should really start locking my door.' He thought to himself.

"Hey Lynn..." He responded.

"I need you to do som-" She said before stopping mid sentence.

There sat her little brother on his bed, with a box of tissues...and a bottle of lotion.

"W-W-W-W-W-W-What are you doing!?" Lynn asked completely flustered.

"I was jus-"

"DONT ANSWER THAT!" Lynn quickly cutting him off. "H-H-Here!" Putting money onto Lincoln's bed.

"I need you to buy me a mouth g-guard. I have to get to p-practice soon and I still have some drills to get d-done. I w-w-won't make it in time before Good Sports c-closes..." She added stuttering over her words.

'Guess I am taking that walk after all.' Thinking to himself.

"Alright...fine..."

"GREAT! N-Now I'm heading out!" Lynn responded. "M-M-Make sure you lock the door b-b-b-before you do s-stuff like that! Imagine if Lily walked in on y-you, idiot!" She said before slamming his door quickly and rushing away. As she left, her face was covered in a red blush.

'What's her problem...? And what did she think I was doing?' He thought as he looked down to his hands...and then it hit him...

"oh..." He said as his face dropped in horror.

~Royal Woods~

A Couple of Minutes Later

Heading out, Lincoln found him self walking through the streets of Royal Woods, as a cool breeze brushed past his face, indicating the end of the summer. He found himself wondering about everything he’d been dealing with lately, the changes, the powers, and what it all meant.

Lincoln was divided, he understood his family still loved him...very much actually. They were quick to ask questions when he wouldn't show up for dinner, they even reached out many times. They cared...but that feeling from before came back.

'Would they still care, if they knew I was dead...' That thought raced through his mind over and over again. 'Would they brush me off like before, if I told them?'

His mind was still a mess...

'And these powers... on one hand, they’re insanely cool. I mean, who wouldn’t want superhuman abilities? But still... they came at a cost.'

"One I didn't want to make..." He muttered under his breath. Lincoln still in thought kept wondering about what his purpose in life truly was...even with his new found abilities he was still far behind his sisters.

As he turned to the next street, he saw a tanned skinned girl, who looked to be roughly Lily's age, she had curly red hair and wore a orange skirt and blue shoes. With her was a red bouncy ball, which she was currently bouncing on the side walk.

As she played, her parents sat on a porch swing, watching her with gentle smiles. The man, who appeared to be in his early 30s, had fair skin and dark brown hair, while his wife, a tanned-skinned woman in her late 20s with curly red hair, sat beside him. Also on the porch was an older boy, who looked to be slightly younger than Lucy, with tanned skin and brown hair; he leaned against the railing, quietly observing his younger sister

Lincoln continued walking when he noticed the little girl bounce her ball hard against the sidewalk, causing it to fly up and land right into the middle of the street. The girl seeing this quickly ran towards the ball.

Unbeknownst to the girl, there was a truck coming her way and fast. It was going way over what the speed limit would be for such a narrow street...

But of course the truck would stop in time...right...?

It didn't...

The truck wasn't slowing down at all...her family noticed this and called out for her to get back, but the girl didn't hear. As she picked up the ball, she looked up and saw the truck coming...she froze.

Noticing this, her family quickly got up to get her, but they were too far away, they wouldn't reach her in time.

Lincoln had stopped in his tracks, his attention fully fixed on the scene unfolding before him.

As he stood there, his heart began to burn an icy cold sensation; he could feel it swelling up in his chest.

Something deep in his heart called out, urging him to move. Before he could even question the impulse, his body sprang into action on its own, driven by an instinct he didn't fully understand.

He dashed toward the girl, moving faster than he ever thought possible. In that moment, Lincoln was no longer just running—he was moving at an inhuman speed, the world around him blurring as he pushed himself forward. As he ran, a bright white ring with a faint blue hue formed around his waist, shimmering with energy. The ring split in two, one half moving upward while the other traveled downward, enveloping him in light. In an instant, the transformation was complete, altering him mid-run as he closed the distance like a streak of pure energy. He dove at where the girl was standing;

In the blink of an eye, Lincoln appeared in front of the little girl. Without hesitation, he scooped her up into a tight hug, shielding her with his body. The truck driver, who was on his phone this entire time, had looked up due to a sudden flash of white. That was when he noticed what was going on. Panicking, he slammed his foot onto the brakes with all his might, but it was too late. The massive truck was now only a few inches away from colliding with Lincoln and the girl.

Running purely on instinct, Lincoln focused with all his might. In an instant, his body became fully intangible, along with the little girl in his arms. As the truck barreled toward them, they both phased straight through it, untouched, as if they were nothing more than ghosts.

The truck came to a screeching halt, its tires skidding loudly against the pavement. On the other side, Lincoln hovered a few feet in the air, holding the girl securely in his arms. Both were unharmed, now safely beyond the truck's path, the danger behind them.

Many of the people that were inside their house began coming out to see what was going on. The people who were already out had began filming the entire event, all except for Lincoln's transformation. The mother and son of the little girl, coming out of their initial scare, came rushing towards Lincoln and the girl. The father of the girl was pissed beyond belief after seeing the phone in the hands of the driver who came out to see if everyone was all right. The father knew why the driver hadn't tried slowing down, and right now he was ready to knockout the driver. if it wasn't for some bystanders coming to stop him.

"Hey man we saw everything! Don't worry we called the cops, they are on their way!" A bystander said to the father.

"Don't fight him or you'll get into trouble as well" Said another.

"THEY BETTER GET HERE FAST! OR IM GOING TO KNOCK HIS FUCKING TEETH OUT!" Declared the father in a loud voice which scared the driver into a fetal position.

Lincoln opened his eyes, and looked around, and smiled seeing that they had made it. His chest was overwhelmed with a feeling of triumph.

'I made it! Thank God! What a rush...everything was going so fast, and what is this feeling in my chest...it's cold but so warm at the same time...' He thought to himself as his smile remained.

Concentrating a bit he let the intangibility fall as his body and the girl turned back to normal.

"T-Thank you" The little girl replied with water flooding her eyes.

"OH! Uhh yeah, of course. No Problem..." Lincoln responded. The feeling increasing.

"A-Are you my guardian angel?" The girl asked, as she noticed the eerie white glow emanating from Lincoln's body, his black hair and his otherworldly glowing green eyes.

"No...I'm uhh I actually don't really know how to expla-"

"THANK HEAVENS! AMY! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT SWEETIE?!" The mother of the girl, named Amy, yelled rushing towards the two.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" She repeatedly said to Lincoln as he floated in mid air.

Lincoln proceeded to then hand the girl into the mothers arms.

"Thank you so much young man, thank yo-!" She stopped. Then it hit her. Her daughters savior...was floating...in mid air...and he was glowing...

The Mother's mind came to a complete stop. She was completely frozen, her eyes becoming filled with fear.

"W-W-What a-are y-y-you...?" She asked stuttering with each word.

"OH! I'm...uhh" He tried saying.

'CRAP! How do I tell her I'm a walking corpse?! She looks scared as hell right now...' He thought to himself, when a memory came to him. It was weird, he couldn't recall where it was from.

Deep within his mind, a whisper of a singular word, came to him.

'pha...nt...om~'

With that whisper came his answer.

"I'm sort of a g-ghost...the name's Ph-Phantom..." Lincoln answered his voice echoing. "But don't worry, I'm not gonna haunt your house and open all your drawers or something. I'm like a nice ghost...?"

As he answered, Lincoln heard sirens coming from the distance... 'Uh-oh time to get out of here...'

"Well anyways, you guy's stay safe! I'm going to head out!" He announced before the mother could reply.

'Now, since I'm already floating...maybe if I concentrate on going up really quic-' He pondered before, he was launched straight up into the air, leaving behind a dust cloud.

Now Lincoln found himself miles up in the air. His head in a bit of a daze from the sudden rush. He shook his head and looked down and saw the amazing sight.

It was the view of the entirety of Royal Woods...He could see his house, the mall, all the stores and restaurants.

Lincoln smiled...

He’d done something incredible today. It was sudden, unexpected, even but it happened. In a single moment, he did something he never imagined he was capable of.

"I just saved a life..." His heart was burning passionately as he reminisced on what just took place.

"Maybe the accident...and all these changes...maybe they’re not so bad after all," he thought. 'I mean, after what I just did...maybe I really could help people with this.'

The realization felt strange, almost sudden, but it made sense in a way he couldn’t explain. That same icy-cold sensation stirred in his chest again, strangely comforting, yet powerful-like the first spark of something greater just beginning to awaken.

Lincoln didn't know it at the time, but this was the beginning of something amazing, he had just found his purpose.

End Chapter

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time/Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or  transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words) "

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Interlude: Discoveries

~Loud House~

Wednesday Night

After wrapping up the meeting with her sisters about their brother, whom she suspected was dealing with the typical stress that came with the whirlwind of physical and emotional changes in adolescence, but Lisa couldn’t help but feel that something deeper was at play with her oldest male sibling. Still, her brother’s behavior wasn’t the only thing occupying her mind...

'It’s only natural for Lincoln to be experiencing these changes," she thought. 'If possible, I wouldn’t mind arranging a therapy session, something to help him process this stress. But that can wait... as callous as it may sound, I have other, more pressing concerns to address first...'

Lisa headed down to the basement to retrieve the flask of green goo she had previously collected.  She had placed the airtight flask in a small compartment in the basement, not wanting her robots to mistakenly misplace it or throw it away during their cleanup efforts. With the flask now in hand, she powered down the bots, their work finally complete after the accident. The robots had managed to completely remove any sign of an explosion happening and restored the broken household appliances. Then, without wasting time, she made her way back upstairs and to the main lab in her room.

"Thank Einstein, I have two labs..." He muttered to herself. The one she had in the basement was completely gone, now a pile of scrap near the trash bins outside. She had been extra careful to avoid her parents and siblings from seeing her move all the junk from the basement.

Going into her room, Lisa placed the flask on her lab table.

'Now, let's figure out what you are...' She thought to herself.

Lisa adjusted her safety goggles and leaned over the microscope, the soft glow of the lab equipment casting a pale light across her focused expression. With practiced precision, she prepared a sample from the mysterious flask, for analysis.

'This could be a groundbreaking discovery,' she thought, excitement bubbling beneath her calm exterior. 'Or a complete dud... but that’s the nature of science'

With steady hands, she placed a single drop of the glowing substance onto a glass slide and slid it beneath the microscope. Leaning in, she adjusted the focus. The moment her eyes met the view through the lens, they widened in surprise something inside the sample was pulsing.

"Incredible," she muttered, noting the unusual molecular structure. She quickly opened her laptop and began scanning through her database for whatever this could be, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she ran comparison after comparison.

'Nothing...absolutely nothing! This doesn't match anything in my database!' She thought.

She quickly jotted down notes, her pen scratching furiously across the page as her thoughts scrambled to keep pace with the data flooding in. She moved with efficiency, yet her mind was anything but calm. One by one, she ran a series of tests, spectrometry to analyze the composition, chromatography to separate the components, and even a few experimental procedures she’d developed herself, far beyond the scope of standard scientific methods.

Each result came back stranger than the last. Nothing behaved the way it should. Every answer just raised more questions.

The substance didn’t conform to any known elemental pattern. Its energy signature was unstable, shifting with every measurement as though it were reacting to being observed. During one test, it seemed to phase partially through the containment glass, then settle again, perfectly still.

Lisa’s brows furrowed in frustration and fascination. 'That shouldn’t be even be possible...!!'

She quickly flipped through her research logs, cross-referencing the results with her database. Chemical structure? No match. Energy readings? Nothing similar. Behavior? Incomparable.

“This substance defies conventional chemistry,” Lisa whispered to herself, scanning the latest readout as her mind raced with possibilities. “None of this adds up... There’s nothing, even remotely-matching in my database. Not even close.”

The deeper she dug, the more questions surfaced. She couldn’t stop now. Not when she felt that she was on the verge of something entirely new and unknown.

Later that night

The clock on the wall ticked past midnight, its steady rhythm drowned beneath the rapid tapping of keys. Yet Lisa showed no signs of slowing down. Her workspace was a controlled chaos with stacks of notes, scattered beakers, and glowing vials surrounded her like a fortress of obsession. Her eyes, sharp with focus, remained locked on the computer screen as she cross-referenced her findings with every credible scientific source she had access to.

Her roommate/little sister, Lily had turned in long ago, to avoid disturbing her while she slept, Lisa had activated the noise-canceling walls embedded in the floor an implementation to their shared room she had installed when the family was renovating the house. With the press of a button, they rose silently, creating a room within a room. It allowed her to continue her research without the risk of waking anyone or drawing unwanted attention.

Though she doubted anyone in the family would find her research particularly interesting, unless of course, it resulted in an explosion. The noise-canceling walls offered more than just silence. They were also reinforced to contain any unexpected...reactions, preventing her work from becoming a concern to others in the house at this time of night.

"What are you?" she murmured, tapping her chin in thought. "Extraterrestrial origin? Or could this be an undiscovered element altogether?"

She paused for a moment to take a sip of her coffee, the warmth grounding her as her eyes flickered with sharp determination. Bit by bit, she began piecing together her observations, connecting patterns only she could see. The hypothesis forming in her mind was as thrilling as it was terrifying, a possibility that could rewrite everything she thought she understood.

"If this substance isn’t of terrestrial origin, it could mean there’s more out there," Lisa mused aloud. "Then again...it might be a man-made compound, one with properties we've never documented before."

Her mind buzzed with excitement as she considered the implications of her discovery. This could be her chance to make a significant contribution to science, something that would be written down in the history books.

She dove back into her testing, each step bringing new data, new questions. The minutes blurred into hours, but Lisa remained locked in focus...

Thursday Morning

The first rays of sunlight began to creep through the edges of the window, casting a pale glow over the room. Lisa was still awake.

She hadn’t moved from her workspace all night, completely absorbed in her mission to identify the mysterious green substance. Books and research papers lay scattered around her like the wreckage of a long academic storm. She was buried in it, ancient texts, obscure scientific journals, declassified reports, and online databases, each one scoured from front and back for even the slightest clue.

Her eyes were heavy, but her mind refused to rest. The answer had to be in there somewhere. It had to be.

On her desk was another research book about chemical compounds, she flipped through the pages, the sound of rustling paper filling the room as her ink-stained fingers moved at rapid pace.

"There’s got to be something," she muttered, her voice tight with growing frustration. Each unanswered question chipped away at her patience, but she pressed on, unwilling to give up the chase.

She needed answers, something, anything, to explain the substance. The thought that she might have stumbled upon a genuine scientific breakthrough had her buzzing with ecstasy. However, amid the thrill, the logical part of her mind refused to let go of the glaring anomalies. She had to make sense of it.

The way the substance behaved defied everything she knew. It would momentarily phase out of the microscope slide as she was doing her tests, as if slipping between realities, only to snap back into place an instant later, unchanged, and unphased. It was as if it were teasing the very concept of physical law. And while she kept trying to define it as "normal," deep down she knew that nothing about what she held was normal in the slightest.

However everyone has their limits...

Lisa slumped back in her chair, rubbing her temples as a wave of fatigue washed over her. The mountain of research she had buried herself under had yielded nothing useful, no breakthroughs, no leads, just dead ends and contradictory data. She was at her wit's end. Her third cup of coffee sat half-empty beside her, cold now, bitter and ineffective. Her eyes burned from staring at the screen for too long, and she could feel her body begging for sleep.

'Maybe this was all a waste of time,' she thought bitterly. 'Maybe there’s nothing to find at all.'

Just as she hovered her mouse over the shut down icon, something on her screen caught her eye, a link buried at the bottom of a search result page. The source was far from reputable. In fact, it came from a site she would normally scoff at, it was one of those fringe “kook science” hubs filled with conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, and clickbait nonsense.

[Paranormal phenomena and supernatural substance cataloguing...] the headline read.

Lisa *sighed*, her instinct to dismiss it kicking in immediately. On any other day, she would’ve rolled her eyes, muttered something about intellectual laziness, and moved on. But tonight, after hours of nothing, after the growing gnaw of obsession and exhaustion, she was willing to entertain even the absurd.

'It’s either this...or I drink some of that again, and look through the datebooks all over again...probably going to not even sleep today...' she thought grimly, her mind flicking to the stimulant she’d sworn off after it started giving her nosebleeds. She really didn’t want to go down that road again.

With no other source to find,

She clicked the link.

The article was credited to a self-proclaimed “paranormal scientist” by the name of Jack Fenton. The layout was crude, filled with wild terminology and unverified claims, but something about it caught her attention. There, buried between the rambling tangents and blurry photos, was a description of a glowing green substance, unstable, energy-reactive, and frequently associated with [ghostly manifestations].

Lisa’s eyes widened as she read the article, her scientific skepticism clashing with a strange sense of recognition with in her mind...

'No...it couldn’t be...ectoplasm?!'

She leaned closer, rereading the passage again and again. Her logical mind bristled at the idea. But the composition, the reactions, it aligned disturbingly well with her own findings. She felt a cold, creeping sensation in her chest. For the first time all night, she wasn’t frustrated. She was intrigued... and just a little unnerved.

Lisa leaned back in her chair again, her arms crossed tightly as the words on the screen continued to blur before her tired eyes. A small, unexpected pang of disappointment crept in beneath her curiosity.

'So it’s not something new after all...' she thought. 'Someone’s already written about it, even if that someone is a self-proclaimed "paranormal scientist" on a glorified blog full of comic sans and grainy photos.'

She frowned, not just because the discovery might not be hers, but because it meant she couldn’t claim to be the first to uncover something extraordinary. As much as she valued truth above ego, the idea that this groundbreaking substance, this scientific enigma, had already been noticed by a man named Jack Fenton of all people, stung more than she expected.

'Even if he’s a complete kook, she sighed. I won’t rob someone of a genuine discovery, even if the rest of their work reads like a rejected comic book script.' She thought, 'Then again...I should have expected to find that someone had already had discovered the substance if I was looking for a way to explain it...what an oversight...'

But the feeling lingered. That small, hollow ache of not being the first. And yet, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder; if Jack Fenton was right about this... what else had he been right about?

A While Later

The sun had finally risen, its light creeping through the blinds and casting golden lines across the cluttered lab. Lisa glanced at the digital clock on her desk and saw that it was-8:55 am. She had been awake all night. Her bloodshot eyes, veined with exhaustion, betrayed her fatigue, though the flicker of determination in them remained.

Leaning back in her chair, Lisa rubbed her eyes, attempting to quiet the mental static of a mind, and the slight pain in her eyes that highlighted that she was overworked and overstimulated. On the screen before her, the crude webpage authored by Jack Fenton still glared back at her. The old paranormal article lingered in her thoughts like an itch she couldn't quite reach.

"It just doesn't make sense," she muttered under her breath. "Science dictates that everything must have a rational explanation."

Her eyes drifted again to the molecular sketch she'd hastily drawn, it was a swirling diagram of anomalies and erratic data. No known element, no documented compound matched its properties. It wasn’t just unique; it was impossible.

And yet, there it was.

Her logic pushed back against the growing suspicion in her mind. She didn’t want to consider the possibility of the supernatural, but her findings, and the eerie similarity with Jack Fenton’s article, demanded that there was something.

Lisa stood and began pacing her room, the crunch of loose papers beneath her feet adding to the noise in her mind.

"Sometimes," she murmured, more to herself than to the room, "the things we can't explain are the ones that demand the most attention. Maybe science just... hasn’t caught up yet."

Just as she reached her fourth lap around the lab, a gentle knock echoed from the noise-canceling walls she'd raised earlier. She had made it so that noise from outside the walls would be allowed in, incase there was an emergency she was unaware of.

She blinked, remembering the time. With a sigh, she walked over and pressed a button on her keyboard. The panels retracted soundlessly into the floor.

"Hewlo Wisa!" Lily chirped.

"Hello, youngest sibling," Lisa replied, adjusting her goggles. "How may I assist you?"

"Can you help me tie my shoes? Lincoln usually helps... but I don’t want to bother him, since everyone is saying big brothar is feeling weird"

Lisa paused, then nodded. "That should be an easy request. I'll even employ one of my helper-bots to aid you in learning the process."

"Weally?!" Lily's eyes sparkled.

"Of course," Lisa replied, her usual lisp faint but present.

Moments later, Help-Bot, a compact creation resembling a fusion of Therm-O-Bot and FriendBot, rolled forward, cheerfully demonstrating how to loop, pull, and tie shoelaces. Lily giggled, watching with rapt attention as the bot guided her tiny hands.

As Lisa prepared to return to her workstation, another presence approached: Lucy.

"Morning Lisa...Lily" She said in her usual monotone, her face partially veiled by her bangs

With her sudden appearance out of thin air, both girls jumped up and screamed.

"EEEEK!"

"Sorry..." Lucy replied back

"I-It's quite alright...and Good Morning to you as well" Lisa responded back.

"Yeah big sis! It's okay! Good Mormming to you too!" Lily replied, before putting her attention back to the robot showing her how to do the bunny ears method when tying her shoes.

Lucy looked back to Lisa, "Lisa... do you still have that fake ectoplasm I put in the basement? The one I got from that spooky shop at the mall? I went to get it earlier, but I couldn’t find it..."

Lisa's eyes widened slightly, her posture stiffening. She had completely forgotten the jar had originally belonged to Lucy.

"I was wondering if you could test it... see if it was infused with anything...paranormal," Lucy added, not noticing the nervous twitch in Lisa's demeanor.

Lisa stiffened momentarily but kept her voice even. "Ah, yes. About that...Unfortunately, one of my robots mishandled the sample. The jar shattered. Out of...pure curiosity, I conducted a brief analysis."

Lucy tilted her head. "And?"

"It turned out to be a mixture of borax, green dye, glue, and water. Nothing unusual. Since the container was compromised and filled with glass shards, I had to dispose of it. Apologies for not informing you sooner. I will, of course, reimburse you."

Lucy was quiet for a moment. "I guess that makes sense... It’s just rare for you to forget to mention something like that."

Lisa offered a subtle nod, her eyes not quite meeting Lucy’s. "It slipped my mind amid the current workload I am facing..."

Lucy sighed, slightly disappointed. "Alright. Just pay me back later. I was hoping it might be something interesting."

'...I get the feeling she's not telling me the full truth...' Lucy thought to herself, her eyes lingering on Lisa. 'Lisa's smart, almost too smart to just “forget” something like that... especially with something that belonged to me.'

She folded her arms, gaze distant. 'Then again...maybe whatever she’s working on really is taking up all her time and focus. She was locked up in her basement lab more than usual lately...but suddenly it was gone, along with my jar of what what she tells me is just slime...it was there one second, then when I go downstairs this morning it's gone...'

Lucy wasn’t sure what Lisa was hiding, but she had a feeling it wasn’t something trivial.

"Affirmative. I will make sure to reimburse you." Lisa replied, breaking Lucy out of her thoughts,

"Okay...just give me $15 in cash when you have a chance...I'm going to head to my room to grab my poems..." Turning around she walked back down the hall to her room.

As Lucy walked off and Lily continued giggling with Help-Bot, Lisa's thoughts returned to her research. The lie she told Lucy lingered uncomfortably in her mind. She didn’t want to deceive her, but under the circumstances, it felt necessary. The substance was unstable-dangerous, even. She didn’t know exactly what kind of risk it posed if someone were to come into contact with it, and that uncertainty was enough to keep it under wraps.

She had conducted plenty of experiments on her family before-questionable ones, at times, but there had always been an element of control with each one, there was always a safety net she could rely on. This time, though, she was completely out of her depth. Whatever this substance was, it wasn’t something she could predict or contain so easily. And if there was even a small chance it could endanger her family, she had no intention of taking that risk.

She returned her focus back to the robot helping Lily.

Lisa didn't know it at the time, but the very key to all her questions, the mystery that had consumed her whole night, had just woken up... and was now standing just outside his bedroom door.

End Chapter

Chapter Text

I don't own the Loud House nor do I own Danny Phantom, both belong to Nickelodeon, and their creators Butch Hartman/Chris Savino

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time (Date) /Transition

*Sound Effects*

"Call or transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words)"

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Chapter 5: Heroics

~Royal Woods~

Far up in the sky, Lincoln Loud hovered above the city of Royal Woods, a white glow emanating from his body as he was suspended in the air. His dark black hair swaying in the wind, as his mind is reflected on his current situation.

'Woah...I can't believe I'm really up here... and really high up...while also floating in the sky.' He thought to himself, a mix of awe and unease in his mind. He wasn't afraid of heights per say, but being so high up made him a bit nervous...

'What should I do now?' He thought; 'Oh yeah...!'

'I still need to get that mouth guard for Lynn,'

He remembered Lynn's mouth guard, the whole reason he had went out for his walk.

'...Well guess it's time to get down from up here.' Thinking to himself. 'Hope I don't accidently turn the ability off while trying to get down...'

He tried concentrating on floating down gently when another thought popped into his head.

"Wait a second...' He stopped. 'Maybe I could fly there!'

Thinking about it, Lincoln realized this was the perfect chance to test his flying powers.

'I'm already up here, flying...why not try and see what else I can do.' He thought to himself as he looked around at the vastness of the sky and the city down below. His heart pumped with conviction, as he felt the calmness of the wind blow past his face.

'...Let's do it!' He smirked, deciding to go ahead with his plan, he stopped trying to lower himself down, instead focused on trying other movements.

'Okay...I know how to move up and down...how about left and right...' He tried moving around, experimenting with different motions to control his flight

'Let's try going slightly ri-'

He was quickly shot to the right without putting much effort into concentrating.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" He yelled out. "G-GOTTA S-STOOPP!"

He thought of stopping and he came to an abrupt stop. 'Okay...WOW! What was that?!'

'I didn't even concentrate on moving and I was launched!' Lincoln thought to himself noticing how he had much more control then the time he was floating above his bed.

'Wait a minute...maybe it's because I'm in this form...' He thought as he studied his body. He remembered how fast he moved to grab the little girl, and how he had shot himself up into the air.

'Back when I was on the ground trying to get away, I didn't even need to concentrate hard. I just thought about going up' He pondered.

Lincoln this time, tried controlling how fast he moved. He thought of moving slowly to the right. 'Just slightly to the right'

His body moved much slower to the right. "Great..." He said smiling.

He continued to experiment until he realized that streamlining his body allowed for more control and more speed without it getting out of hand. Gaining some confidence, began to try more, flying around much more quickly.

"HAHAHA! YES! THIS IS AWESOME!" Lincoln shouted, exhilarated as he soared through the air, going around the same speed as the cars below. He made a conscious effort to avoid the busier areas of Royal Woods, sticking mostly to quieter neighborhoods and the outskirts of the main city. Just as he was celebrating his newfound freedom, a sudden swarm of bugs flew into his open mouth, cutting his excitement short.

'YUCK!' He thought to himself as he stopped mid air.

"Ack! Gross!" he sputtered.

*QWAPATOOTH* Coughing them up and spitting them out, he wiped his face.

'Note to self, don't open your too wide while flying...' He concluded, and went right back to flying.

He continued too soar over Royal Woods, as he continued to get a better handle on his flying skills. The thrill of the open air was exhilarating, but it required careful control. At one point, he miscalculated a turn and nearly collided with a building. His heart leapt in panic, but with a sharp adjustment, he managed to veer out of the way just in time.

"Close one," he muttered to himself, letting out a relieved breath as he steadied his flight.

'Now...let's get to that store' As Lincoln's first test flight was reaching it's conclusion, he continued to fly over Royal Wood's until he reached Good Sports Sporting store. He slowed to a stop, and located a alley far away from the watchful eyes of the citizens of the city, he gradually landed, not wanting to ruin his success with a crash landing.

'That was...amazing!' He thought to himself, as a wide smile formed on his face. 'I'm finally starting to get a hand at these abilities...flying...turning intangible. M-Maybe if I learn to control it better, I could really help people, like back then...'

His heart, burned in desire as if it was responding to his thoughts. 'Yeah...let's do it!' He concluded, grinning ear to ear.

'Now...how do I change back...' He hadn't really figured that part out yet. He wasn't even sure how he transformed when he went to rescue the girl...all he could remember was wanting to rescue the girl...and that icy cold feeling in his heart. He placed his hand on his chest...when a idea came to mind.

'Maybe that feeling is what controls my powers. Maybe I transformed because of it?.' He reasoned. 'It started to surface from my heart and I suddenly transformed...what if I do the opposite of it?

Lincoln focused hard, as he zeroed in on that feeling, and tried to burry it back into his heart. He looked for that warm feeling of his heart, the slow thumping of his blood. As he did this, the white ring of light reappeared and swept in opposite directions of his body. His black hair turned back to the snowy white, his clothes changed, his skin back to it's regular complexion, and those eerie glowing green eyes back to his usual blue.

"IT WORKED!" Lincoln shouted, finally figuring out how to transform, his smile was radiating. 'When I need to transform again, I just have to look for that icy feeling...this is great...another power I know how to control!'

'Now...let's get that mouth guard!'

Walking out of the alley way, he made his way into the sports store, he searched for the guard and was able to find it rather quickly, walking up to the register, he made the purchase. Completely his little side quest.

Walking out of the store, Lincoln decided to walk back home.

'Feeling a bit tired from all the transforming and flying...'

As he was inside the store, he couldn't help but feel a bit drained.

Lincoln wasn't feeling overwhelmingly tired, like he was going passing out or anything like that, but he didn't want to risk it.

'Let's just actually finish that walk' He told himself as he made his way home.

~Loud House~

Sometime later

Lincoln arrived back at the house, feeling a mix of excitement and exhaustion from his little first flight practice session. He carefully entered the house, hoping not to attract too much attention, and headed straight for the stairs. He had to deliver the mouth guard to Lynn before anything else happened.

Reaching the second floor, he made his way to Lynn and Lucy's room and knocked on the door. He heard Lynn's voice from inside.

"Come in!" Lynn called out.

Lincoln opened the door and stepped inside. Lynn was in the middle of stretching, preparing for her practice session today. She looked up as he entered.

"Hey, Lynn. I got you that mouth guard," Lincoln said, holding up the small package.

Lynn's eyes lit up as she saw the mouth guard. "Oh, awesome! Thanks, Linc!" she said, walking over to him.

He handed her the guard, and she took it with a grateful smile. "You're a lifesaver, seriously." she added, her tone softening.

"No problem," Lincoln replied, feeling a bit awkward. They stood there in silence for a moment, the air between them a bit tense. Lincoln noticed a faint blush on Lynn's face, and she seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him.

'She must be weirded out by earlier...' He thought to himself, 'I better try to clear things up with her before she assumes the worst.'

"So, uh... about earlier..." Lincoln started, trying to break the tension. "I wasn't actually—"

Before he could finish, Lynn's face turned bright red, and she cut him off mid-sentence.

"I DON'T WANNA KNOW!" she shouted.

"Wai-" He tried replying back.

Lynn quickly shoved him out of the room with surprising force.

Lincoln stumbled back into the hallway, blinking in surprise. Lynn stood in the doorway, her face as red as a tomato. "Just... just forget it, okay? And again, thank you..." she added, trying to regain her composure.

"Okay, okay, no problem," Lincoln said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'll just... go now."

Lynn nodded quickly and shut the door, leaving Lincoln standing in the hallway. He dropped his shoulders and turned around.

"Hope this doesn't blow up in my face later" He muttered to himself as made his way to his own room.

Once inside, he closed the door behind him and let out sigh of relief.

'That was awkward,' he thought to himself. 'Well I tried...she did say to forget it about it...hope she doesn't think I'm some kind of perv or anything...that would be bad.'

He walked over to his bed and sat down, grabbing a comic book from his nightstand. He flipped it open, trying to distract himself from the strange encounter with Lynn.

As he read, his mind kept drifting back to his new powers and the events of the day. He still couldn't believe he had flown around Royal Woods and saved that little girl. The exhilaration of using his abilities was starting to grow on him, despite the initial fear and confusion.

'Hope saving that girl didn't attract too much attention...' He thought to himself.

Lincoln tried remembering if anyone was recording his little save but he really didn't have a chance to look around. He just hoped no one had been recording it. Last thing he wanted was publicity and news camera's pointed in his face.

'Even with me changing colors...people might notice the facial similarities of Lincoln Loud and the so called Phanto-' His train of thought stopped when he remembered something.

'Phantom? Why did I say that was my name...?' He tried recalling, but all he could remember was the word popping up in his head while he was trying to answer the mother.

'Well...the name sort of fits...I can walk through walls, disappear, and fly...sort of like a Phantom.' He thought.

*Heh* "Guess it's a cool superhero name..." He out loud said to himself.

'Saving that girl...I really helped her and her family...if I hadn't been there...' He didn't want to finish thinking of the scenario. He didn't want to think of that family losing that girl.

'I didn't ask for these powers...but if I can help people, maybe it's a good thing...?' A wave of conviction poured into his heart, as a smile formed.

'Let's do it...use these powers to help people...' Lincoln thought to himself, 'I just need to get better at controlling them.'

'But for now let's finish reading this comic, that'll be something for future Lincoln to figure out.' He thought.

Coming out of his thoughts, Lincoln went back to reading the comic, letting the familiar world of superheroes and adventure pull him in. For now, he could relax and enjoy a moment of normalcy before facing whatever came next.

A While Later

Lincoln was reading his fifth comic, flipping through the pages at a rapid pace. He had been engrossed in his reading, moving from one comic to another without much of a break. His fast-paced reading came to a halt when he heard Lori calling him from outside his door.

"Lincoln, it's time to go to the mall!" Lori's voice rang through the door.

Lincoln glanced at the clock. It was 3:15 PM. He marveled at how quickly the time had flown by, both literally and figuratively. As memories of his first ever flight from earlier that day came rushing back.

"Coming!" he called back.

Lincoln put down his comic and got up, stretching a bit before heading to the door. He opened it to find Lori waiting for him.

"Hey Lincoln, doing all right?" Lori asked, wanting to make sure

"Hey, Lori, and yeah I'm doing alright," he said.

"You do anything while waiting for us?" Lori questioned.

"Uhh...nothing much really, just went out to get something for Lynn and came back and read some comics." He replied.

Lori smiled. "Alright, Leni's already in the car. Let's get going.

"Okay, sound good." Lincoln replied, following Lori downstairs.

They stepped out of the house and headed toward Lori's navy blue Audi Q3, parked neatly in the driveway. Lincoln opened the door and climbed into the backseat, taking a moment to admire the car. It was a sleek, well-maintained vehicle that Lori had managed to buy this past summer, though not without help. While Lori had been saving up since starting college and working extra hours at part-time jobs, her notorious shopaholic tendencies had left her with less-than-stellar credit. Surprisingly, Leni, with her unexpectedly excellent credit score, had stepped in to co-sign for the car.

The arrangement worked out for both of them. In exchange for helping Lori secure the car loan and splitting any future insurance or maintenance costs, Leni got to share the car whenever she needed it. Not that it happened often, both sisters rarely needed to drive since they spent most of their time on campus. The car was more about convenience than necessity. Still, Lori was proud of the accomplishment, as the Audi represented years of saving, hustling, and a little help from her sister.

Leni who was already inside the car, was sitting in the front passenger seat, she turned around and greeted him with a bright smile.

"Hi, Lincy! Ready for some shopping fun?!" Leni said cheerfully.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Lincoln replied, buckling his seatbelt.

Lori started the car and carefully pulled out of the driveway. As they made their way to the mall, the car was filled with some small talk between the three.

"So, what do you need to get at the mall, Lincoln?" Lori asked, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

"Just some new clothes, maybe a new pair of shoes." Lincoln replied. "Some of my old stuff kind of got...um...ruined."

"Sound Great!" Leni chimed in. "No Offense Lincy, but maybe we could like tottes help you update your wardrobe."

Lincoln smiled, appreciating her enthusiasm in helping him. "No offense taken, and thanks for the offer, Leni. I guess I could try out some new stuff."

As they continued driving, Lori brought up Lincoln's plans for his first year of High school.

"So, Lincoln, any plans for the upcoming first year of High School?" Lori asked.

'Hope I'm not being to forward...high school is something completely different and brand new for him.' Lori thought to herself.

"Uhhh, I won't lie, I'm not sure what to think...it's a big change..." Lincoln responded. 'Not the only big change...'

"Don't worry, Lincy. I know it must be stressful, with all the changes and stuff, but you'll have Luan, Lynn and Lucy with you at school." Leni assured him. "And you can always call or video chat with us, if you tottes need anything!"

"That's true, thanks you guys." Lincoln replied putting up a fake smile. 'Wish I could tell you what really was bothering me...either way I appreciate their concern for me...maybe I was overthinking things after that dream.'

The conversation shifted to lighter topics as they approached the mall, discussing their favorite stores and what they might find there.

"I definitely want to check out the new fashion boutique," Leni said excitedly. "I've heard they have some amazing new designs for fall!"

"And I need to stop by the bookstore to get some textbooks for the next semester," Lori added. "It's so much cheaper getting them from here compared to the stores near campus. You won't believe the price mark up around campus Lincoln. It's highway robbery I tell you!"

Lincoln nodded, thinking about where he wanted to go first. "I think I'll start with the clothing stores. Get some new t-shirts and jeans to replace the old ones."

"Sounds like a plan," Lori said as she pulled into the mall parking lot. "Alright, everyone, let's make this a fun shopping trip!"

They parked the car and got out, heading towards the mall entrance.

~Inside The Mall~

As they walked in, Leni suggested that Lincoln come with her to buy clothes since the boutique and the men's clothing stores were near each other.

"Hey Lincoln, do you wanna come with me? The men's clothing store is like directly across the boutique I want to go to." Leni asked.

"Uhh yeah, sure why not." He answered back. "Lori you coming?"

"I don't know, the book store is on the other side..." Lori said;

"Alright how about this, Let's split up for now and meet back at the foot court in about an...hour?" Lori said, checking her watch. "Sound good?"

"Yep, works for me!" Leni agreed cheerfully.

"Yeah, see you in a bit?" Lincoln replied

Lori nodded back, as she started making her way to the bookstore.

"Bye Lori!" Leni added, as Lori waved by to them.

Lincoln waved back as well, before the two also went there separate ways.

With Lincoln and Leni

Lincoln and Leni strolled toward the section in the mall where most of the clothing stores where, chatting as they walked. As they passed by a row of shops, Lincoln glanced to the right and noticed that the Ghostly Goods shop was no longer there. It struck him as odd since the store was just there on Monday.

"What are you staring at Lincy?" Leni asked, curious on why her little brother was staring at an empty store.

"Oh, it's just that empty store right there...it was a supernatural store Lucy and I went to recently, but now it's gone." Lincoln explained.

Leni shrugged. "Maybe business was bad and they closed down?"

"Yeah, maybe," Lincoln responded, still feeling a bit puzzled.

'But I could have sworn it was brand new,' he thought. 'Well, whatever.'

They arrived at the boutique first, where Leni immediately dove into exploring the racks of new dresses the store had to offer. Lincoln, with little interest in the store's selection, simply trailed behind her. As he wandered, he couldn't help but notice that most of the shoppers in the boutique were women. There were a few guys scattered about, but they all seemed to be accompanying a girl, most likely their girlfriends.

After a couple of minutes, Leni had chosen a few outfits she wanted to try out, and made her way to the dressing rooms. Lincoln waited outside them, and sat down at one of the chairs, opening up a magazine to pass the time.

"Hey, Lincy, can you rate these outfits for me?" Leni called out from inside the changing room.

"Sure thing, Leni." Lincoln replied, waiting for her to come out.

Leni walked out of the dressing room wearing a light pink, sundress, that had floral designs on it. Lincoln looked up from his magazine and was surprised at what he saw.

'Woah...she looks great, the dress is really clinging to her curv-' He cut his thoughts off, 'LETS STOP THAT THOUGHT PROCESS RIGHT THERE! Damn teenage hormones...'

"So...What do you think?" Leni asked.

"OH! Uhhhm...y-you look amazing! The dress looks great on you..." Lincoln nervously replied.

"Thanks Lincy!" Leni replied, as he quickly rushed to him and hugged him, smooshing his face into her chest.

After coming out of the hug, Leni returned to the dressing room to try on a different dress, Lincoln felt the tingling feeling in his ear once again, and before long he began to overhear a conversation happening a couple feet away from him.

"Aww, look at that! What a good boyfriend, helping his girlfriend shop and pick out dresses for her to wear." One woman said to her friend.

"I know right? Such a cute little couple." The friend replied.

Lincoln hearing this blushed intensely, quickly pulling up his magazine to cover his face.

'B-B-Boyfriend?! Why would they thin-' Cutting himself off, he quickly remembered the only other guys in the store were with their significant other.

'Oh...I guess, I could see why someone would mistake for Leni and me as a couple...' He thought to himself. 'BUT! It still doesn't change the fact that, SHES MY SISTER!'

'People need to mind their own business...' He reasoned, shaking his head, but still feeling quite embarrassed at the misunderstanding by other customers.

Leni showed off a couple more dresses, as Lincoln sat outside and gave his opinion on each while trying not to die of embarrassment as he overheard more comments directed towards him and Leni. Some of the comments were inappropriate remarks about Leni, which left Lincoln feeling annoyed at the one's making them. He couldn't help but glare at the people making the comments. Noticing his sharp stare, they quickly walked away, uncertain if the boy had overheard them or not.

After carefully selecting her favorites, Leni headed toward the register while Lincoln, ever the dutiful brother, followed behind her, arms loaded with the dresses she had chosen.

As they were at the register buying them, Lincoln slowly handed the female clerk each dress.

"I must say, you have such a supportive boyfriend, young lady." The clerk said.

If there were a ceiling for how much embarrassment someone could feel, Lincoln would have shattered through it and gone straight through the roof.

'Oh come on...! Why does this keep happening? Seriously, can't a guy just help his sister without people assuming things?' Lincoln thought.

Leni felt a light blush creep across her face but quickly corrected the clerk with a cheerful smile.

"N-No ma'am you've got it like totes uhh w-wrong, L-Lincy here isn't my b-boyfriend, he's m-my little brother..." She replied stuttering over her words.

The clerk let out a small yelp, and quickly apologized for assuming. "S-SORRY! I s-shouldn't have assumed like that..."

Lincoln sighed and put his head down, he had hoped they could have made it out of the store without Leni having to hear all the weird comments. Raising his head up and looking behind him, he saw the two ladies from before. They had overheard what Leni had said, as their faces washed over with a look of shock and embarrassment.

'Should have minded your own business.' He thought as he rolled his eyes at the situation.

After Leni bought the dresses, they headed out of the boutique and towards the men's store. Where Leni started to help Lincoln pick out some replacements for his old clothes.

"Oh, Lincy, look at this sweater!" Leni said, "It's, like, totally trendy, and you'd look amazing in it!"

Lincoln sighed, glancing down at the sweater, a few other items of clothing, and a pair of shoes Leni had handed him. "Leni, I don't think I need anything trendy. Just something that fits."

"Nonsense Lincy!" Leni dismissed his words with a wave of her hand, "Clothes say a lot about a person, and you deserve to wear the best of the best! Plus, this stuff is perfect for you. It's stylish and comfy, you'll look amazing!"

Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "Amazing, huh? I feel like I'm about to model for some magazine or something."

Leni giggled. "If you did, you'd totally rock it!" she teased, giving him a playful nudge. "Now, go try it on!"

" *sighh* I guess...okay, I'll try it out and see." Lincoln said, 'I mean it couldn't hurt to try them on...'

Walking into the dressing room, he changed into the outfit Leni had given him.

He looked at himself in the dressing room mirror, taking in the full outfit Leni had picked out for him. He was now dressed in an olive-green sweater layered over a white t-shirt, the shirt slightly oversized so it peeked out beneath the sweater. Along with this, he wore a pair of simple gray pants, and to complete the look, he had on light gray loafers that tied the outfit together.

"Woah..." he muttered, staring at his reflection in the mirror. 'It's nice… really nice. Maybe a bit preppy, but overall, nice.' he thought, running a hand over the fabric of the sweater. It was a look he wasn't entirely used to, but he had to admit, it suited him.

"Lincy! Come out, let me see!" Leni called from outside the fitting room.

Lincoln hesitated for a moment before stepping out, the sweater fitting snugly over his frame.

"So...what do you think?" He asked,

Leni's eyes lit up the moment she saw him.

"Oh my gosh, it looks amazing! I knew that color would look great on you!" She gushed, clapping her hands together. "You're like, a total fashion icon now!"

Lincoln chuckled nervously, then glanced down at the price tag dangling from the sleeve. His eyes widened slightly. "Uh… yeah, but Leni, this is kinda… way over my budget..."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Lincy. I've got it covered! Consider it a gift from your favorite sister." She answered.

"Leni, you don't have to do that!" Lincoln replied, shaking his head.

"Nope!" Leni insisted, putting her hands on her hips. "You deserve to look good, and I insist! Besides, it's fun shopping for you. So, no arguments, mister!"

Lincoln sighed but couldn't help smiling. "Thanks, Leni. I owe you one."

"Duh! You owe me tons already," Leni teased with a wink. "Now, let's grab a few more things before we check out."

Lincoln groaned playfully. "A few more things? Leni, you're gonna bankrupt yourself."

"Fashion is an investment, Lincy!" Leni replied dramatically, dragging him back to the racks.

After trying on a few more outfits, Lincoln decided to stick with his usual style, feeling most comfortable in it.

"I guess my usual outfit just feels right." he said, smiling sheepishly.

However, not wanting to waste Leni's efforts he ended up agreeing to have Leni buy some of the stuff she had picked out..

"But just incase...I'll also wear some of the stuff you showed me..." He said smiling at her. "You picked out some great stuff, you really got an amazing talent for these types of things."

Leni felt a wave of red wash over her face.

"T-Thank you Lincy." She replied smiling at his comment on about her talents. "If you ever need help picking out new clothes, let me know, alright?"

"Will do," Lincoln replied, appreciating the help she had given him.

As they walked towards the register, Leni showed Lincoln some suits.

"You might need one of these if you ever go to a high school dance, especially with a girl," she said, teasingly.

Lincoln blushed again and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, maybe..."

"Don't worry, Lincoln. You're cute, so you won't have any trouble finding a date," Leni said with a wink, though the thought of Lincoln being cute made her face turn red as well. She turned her head away so Lincoln wouldn't notice.

"Yeah..." Lincoln replied, as the two made their way to the register, both having a flustered face.

Finally making the purchase, they headed to the food court to meet with Lori.

With Lori

Meanwhile, Lori parted ways with Lincoln and Leni and made her way to the bookstore.

Once inside, she looked around the store and picked out the textbooks she needed, along with a few extra items for Leni, just in case. Knowing her sister, it wasn't out of the question that Leni might forget to buy them herself.

'Maybe I should have asked her what else she might need for her classes for this semester...' Lori Thought.

After making the purchase, she made her way to the food court, carrying the heavy bags full of textbooks. She arrived and realized she was the first one there.

'Guess I was quicker than I thought,' she mused, setting the heavy bags down on a table.

'Leni and Lincoln must be taking their time with buying there stuff...'

Looking at the bags, she realized they were too heavy to carry around while walking through the mall. Not wanting to burden Lincoln or Leni, she decided it would be best to drop them off at the car first.

'I'll be quick,' she thought, heading out of the mall with her bags.

As she made her way to the exit, she didn't notice Lincoln and Leni arriving at the food court behind her.

Lincoln and Leni arrived at the food court and sat down, waiting for Lori to join them.

"Guess we got here before her?" Lincoln said as he took his seat.

"Yeah...OH! I should have asked her to pick up a historical fashion textbook for me! I totes forgot I signed for the class, and still need the book for the it!" Leni replied, "Hold on Lincoln, let me really quickly text her..."

As she did this, Lincoln looked around the mall and observed the various people going about their day at the mall.

"Okay done! So Lincy, did you have fun shopping?" Leni asked, as she put her phone back into her purse.

"Yeah, it was nice." Lincoln replied. "Thanks again for helping me pick out the clothes, and for of course buying them..."

"Hey don't mention it! Like I said before, think of it as a gift from your favoritest big sister!" Leni added.

" *snicker* I really appreciate it, also I don't think 'Favoritest' is an actual word." Lincoln replied.

"Anytime, Lincy," Leni said, smiling back. "And I totes think it should be real word!"

Lincoln smirked at Leni's comment, genuinely appreciating the time he had spent with her today. It felt good to be out, enjoying the day and hanging out with someone. Thankfully, his powers hadn't acted up since this morning, which only added to his relief. Ever since that strange dream, he had been feeling off, like he was losing his grip on reality.

Then the accident happened, and it felt like everything was spiraling out of control. He had died...it was something he really didn't want to think about, he had been doing his best to try and control his powers and avoid inevitably facing the truth. Each time his hand would disappear, it would be reminder of what happened. Then the thing with the little girl happened, he ended up saving someone's life with his powers. Something he thought he would never be able to do. To Lincoln it felt amazing being able to save a life. It felt like way to many things were happening all to fast. But for now, at least, he was grateful to enjoy the moment without any interruptions, allowing himself relax for a change.`

'...Well it wasn't like I was doing anything this summer anyways...' He thought, but quickly pushed pass it.

"So Leni how's your online fashion store been doing lately?" He asked, curious about it.

"It's been like going so amazingly! I'm so glad Lisa helped me set it up!" Leni replied.

As they conversed about how Leni's online fashion store had been doing, Lincoln's ears felt tingly and he picked up a faint hissing sound coming from somewhere.

'Huh...? What was that?' He thought.

He momentarily lost track of what Leni was saying as he tried pinpointed the weird sound. Concentrating, he realized it was coming from the store behind her; Johnny's Fried Chicken. Just as he began to process why there were hissing sounds coming from the restaurant, a sudden wave of urgency washed over him, though he couldn't quite grasp why.

'It's that feeling again...but w-why now?!' He thought, his mind in complete panic.

"...You should totes check it out some time Lincy, and let your friends know about it as well." Leni said, but Lincoln didn't reply. Lincoln just stared behind her.

"You okay Lincoln?" Leni asked worriedly at his sudden change of demeanor.

Lincoln however didn't respond, as he watched the employee's of the Fried Chicken store. and it's customers come rushing out.

"Lincoln are you all right, what's wro-" Leni began, but she couldn't finish her sentence.

In that moment, it all clicked; Lincoln realized what was going on.

"LENI GET DOWN!" He yelled out loud.

Leni yelped back at Lincoln's sudden scream for her to get down.

"H-How come, Linc-" Before she could finish her sentence, a massive explosion erupted from the fried chicken store.

The force shattered the store's front windows, sending shards of glass flying like deadly projectiles across the food court. Tables and chairs were hurled through the air, accompanied by chunks of debris from the store's walls and signage. A fiery blaze burst outward, engulfing everything nearby as thick, choking smoke began to spread.

The once lively food court descended into chaos, with panicked screams filling the air amidst the destruction.

Adrenaline surged through Lincoln's body as he sprang into action. Without a second thought, he grabbed Leni and pulled her close, holding her tightly as flames erupted around them, engulfing everything in their path. His heart pounded in his chest, he had to protect her...

No matter what.

As the flames engulfed them, Lincoln's immediate thought was to protect Leni. Holding her tightly in his arms, he barely had time to react before a flying table, propelled by the force of the explosion, slammed into both of them, sending them crashing into the wall. The impact left him dazed, but his grip on Leni never faltered, his instinct to shield her overriding everything else.

Lincoln, still clutching Leni tightly, took the brunt of the impact as they slammed into the wall. The force of the collision caused her to pass out in his arms. His own head throbbed with searing pain from the hit, leaving his vision blurred and his thoughts scattered.

Disoriented, he struggled to focus, the sounds of screams and panicked footsteps echoing around him as people fled the scene.

Lincoln groaned as he slowly regained focus, blinking his eyes open despite the searing pain in his head. He tried to move his right arm, but a sharp, agonizing jolt shot through it, making him grit his teeth.

'C-Crap! m-my a-arm!' He thought, unable to focus.

His head pounded relentlessly, a deep, throbbing ache that refused to let up. He could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, and as he raised a shaky hand to his forehead, he felt the sticky warmth of blood trickling down the side of his face.

'Great...' he thought grimly. 'I probably got a concussion now.'

Shaking his head slightly to clear his dazed thoughts, Lincoln began to push himself up. Dust and ash covered his face and eyes, making it hard to see clearly. As he wiped at his eyes, his vision slowly sharpened, and that's when he noticed her; Leni was still in his arms.

His heart skipped a beat as panic began to set in. "L-Leni?" he called, his voice shaking. He gently nudged her shoulder. "Hey, wake up! C-Come on, Leni!"

She didn't move.

"Leni!" he yelled louder, his voice cracking. She remained unresponsive, her body limp in his arms. His breathing grew quicker as fear gripped him

'Shit! Leni please wake up! Come on please! You have to be alright!' he thought desperately as she tried waking her up.

As he kept trying to wake her up, another deafening explosion ripped through the air, shaking the ground beneath him. He turned his head sharply, just in time to see another store catch fire, the flames bursting out like a violent wave, sending more shattered glass and debris flying into the already-chaotic scene.

Thick, acrid smoke billowed upward, swallowing the air and reducing visibility to a haze of orange and gray. The roar of the fire was deafening, its heat intense, and the screams of people fleeing in every direction only added to all this. The acrid scent of burning plastic and wood stung his nostrils, making it harder, almost impossible to breathe.

'We can't stay sitting here, we have to get out!' He thought,

Lincoln's eyes darted around, desperately searching for a way out. His thoughts raced as he cradled Leni closer, feeling the urgency mount with every passing second.

The inferno was spreading rapidly, devouring everything in its path, and the exits seemed more and more unreachable by the moment.

'I have to get her out of here' He thought again, his determination not letting him lose hope.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, he slowly rose to his feet, picking Leni up with his left arm, and holding her by the waist.

His right arm was in a lot of pain. He knew for a fact he dislocated it, if not had some broken bones.

He looked and noticed that their bags with their clothes had landed near him. Despite the urgency of the situation, Lincoln reached down to grab them, with his broken arm.

'I don't want to leave this stuff behind, not after she bought me them, and all the effort she went through to pick them out for me.' He thought, not caring about the constant pain rushing through his broken arm.

With Leni around his arm and the bags in hand, he scanned the chaotic scene, trying to find a way out. Every exit he could see was either blocked by flames or crowded with panicked people. His heart raced as he realized there was no safe path forward.

'Think, Lincoln, think!' He urged himself. 'I need to find a way for us to get out of here, all the exits are crowded, the air in here is getting worse by the second...'

He looked around.

'...'

'Nope, blocked by debris too!'

'...'

'...'

'...'

'wait!'

It hit him.

'I really haven't worked out how I did it last time, I've only practiced with random stuff, but just maybe I could do it again...No, I have to do it! I have to get her somewhere safe!' He thought.

Taking a deep breath, he concentrated as hard as he could, summoning that strange, instinctual energy within him.

"Here goes nothing…" he muttered to himself.

In a split second, a rush of energy swept through their bodies.

The air around him seemed to shimmer faintly as he felt that now-familiar tingling sensation course through his body.

Holding Leni tightly, he stepped forward into the chaos, the flames and debris no longer a barrier as they phased through the destruction.

Lincoln had turned both of them intangible as chaos erupted around them, with people screaming and running in every direction. The flames continued to burn, quickly spreading throughout the mall.

Lincoln slowly walked himself and Leni out through a wall.

Once outside, he placed her gently on a bench, outside of the burning building.

His entire back was burned, his shirt completely singed through, and he was bleeding heavily, but that didn't matter to him right now, he had to make sure Leni was safe.

Lincoln quickly placed his head onto her chest as he heard her heart beating.

'Thank god...'

Rising his head panting and trying to steady himself, he looked at the state Leni was in, she had a few burn marks on her arms, but they were very minor. Lincoln, even though he saved his sister, felt like shit.

"I should have acted faster...turned us intangible when the explosion happened...something...now your hurt and it's all my fault..." He said to himself. "I didn't act fast enough..."

Deep down he knew it wasn't his fault, he knew he couldn't stop an explosion. But that didn't help the qualm in his mind.

Lincoln could see people rushing out the Mall, help would be coming any minute now.

That's when Lincoln remembered that Lori was still in the building.

"LORI!" He yelled out, turning and facing the building.

'I have to get her!'

Just then, Lincoln's hearing picked up the distant cries and screams of people still trapped inside.

His heart ached, calling out to him to do something. He glanced back at Leni, making sure she was safe.

'I can't let anyone else get hurt...' He thought. 'I have to go, now!'

Determined more then he had been for a long time, he sought that pure, cold feeling within him. A bright white ring once again appeared around his waist and swept across his body in different directions, transforming him into Phantom.

He could feel the pain in his right arm, slowly fading away, as the ring of light went up through his body.

It was the calm cold feeling, he was getting used too.

Lincoln's damaged clothes were no more, replaced with his ghostly attire, the same one's that he had been wearing when died.

But he didn't have time to think about this as he instinctively flew back into the inferno.

Using his intangibility, he phased through the walls of the building, and continued to avoid the flames and debris.

Moving quickly through the mall, his glowing green eyes scanned the area for any signs of life.

He flew as if had been doing it for years.

Every move he made, every turn just felt right.

He was moving through sheer instincts at this point.

He went straight towards the bookstore, but found no one...

'Where could she be!' He thought,

Going back around, near the food court, he saw a group of people trapped under a fallen beam.

"Everyone, stay calm! I'm here to help!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.

The group of people were absolutely left shocked as they saw a boy come flying down towards them, glowing an eerie white light.

Their faces were full of shock and fear.

He phased through the beam, and attempted to lift it up.

'Hope I can lift this thing...' He thought as he put his strength into pushing the beam upwards, freeing the trapped individuals effortlessly.

'Guess I have super strength too.'

"This way! Follow me to the exit!" he directed, guiding them safely out of the building moving away any beams or walls fallen down.

Lincoln continued his rescue efforts, using his flying ability to dart through the mall, searching for anyone in need.

He found a mother and her child trapped in a corner, surrounded by flames.

Without hesitation, he turned them intangible and carried them through the fire and to safety. T

he mother initially completely shocked at what had just transpired was soon able to comprehend the situation she was in.

Carrying both her child and herself was a glowing boy who looked no older than a teenager.

His black hair swayed in the air.

The astonishing part about all of this was the boy seemed to be not just carrying them, but also flying them out of the building.

Landing outside of the Mall, he gently let down the mother and her child.

The mother breaking away from her stupor quickly grabbed onto Lincoln's hand and began thanking him.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" the mother cried, tears streaming down her face.

Lincoln nodded, "No problem, the authorities and paramedics should be arriving any second now." he said before rushing back in.

'Where is she?!' He thought to himself as he flew back into the mall.

The ambulances, firetrucks, and the police had quickly arrived to the scene.

A news van that had been following the police also came into the parking lot of the mall.

The firetrucks quickly rushed in and began controlling the blazing fire.

While the ambulances quickly began helping those in need. The police began rounding everyone up and making sure everyone was accounted for.

Lincoln continued to help more people, carrying some who had been too injured to walk, turning some stuck people intangible allowing them to make it out.

Thanks to his abilities he was able to carry multiple people outside.

The fire continued to burn, even with the firefighters fighting it. As the minutes passed, more and more people were able to make it out thanks to him.

Lincoln dropping of the next group of people he saw all the people he had helped escape. However before anyone could voice a thank you or understand what was happening, he would quickly rush back into the mall.

As Lincoln moved deeper into the mall, he searched everywhere, he couldn't find Lori at all, his blue core was burning colder.

He kept searching, he soon realized no one was left, it had seemed that everyone had made it out, but he couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop. If Lori was still in danger, he couldn't!

'Come on Lori...where are you?!' His mind was racing, fear of losing his sister was rising in his cold heart.

Suddenly he heard a whimpering sound coming from a store. He phased through the wall and found a young boy huddled in the corner, his eyes wide with fear.

"It's okay, I'm here to help," Lincoln said gently, extending his hand. The boy hesitated for a moment before grabbing onto Lincoln, who then turned them both intangible and flew him out.

As he flew out the mall and toward the ground to put the young boy down, everyone became aware of his presence this time. The Paramedics, Firefighters, and Police were in complete awe.

Many of the civilians stared in shock and wonder as he descended down. Everyone was left speechless, no one said a word. The sight of seeing a what looked like a glowing teenager coming down to the ground and landing felt surreal.

Exhausted but relieved, Lincoln looked around at the people he had helped. Despite the chaos and destruction, they were alive, and that was what mattered most. He still wishing he could have acted faster...

'If only, I could have stopped the damn explosion itself...'

Lincoln put the boy down, and quickly noticed the ambulances. 'Thank god they are here! I should grab Leni and bring her to them, she might have gotten a concussion.'

Lincoln quickly flew to the bench and picked Leni up, and brought her to the paramedics.

"Please help her!" His voiced echoed as he pleaded to the paramedic.

'I have to get back and save Lori! Where could she be? Could she be...NO I CANT THINK THAT!'

The paramedic nodded, still completely speechless at what they were seeing before their eyes. A small crowd had gathered around as they watched the unearthly being in front of them had disappeared, came rushing back, this time carrying a unconscious blonde girl.

Many of the observers had taken out their phones, and begun recording the scene in front of them. Some had been recording the entire thing since the beginning.

Lincoln still holding Leni was about to hand her to the paramedics, when he heard something that put his dead, yet anxious heart to ease..

"LENI!" Lori screamed out, seeing her sister.

She quickly pushed past the crowd of people and towards Leni. She reached Leni, as she slowly began waking up.

Lincoln was wide eyed, 'S-S-She's safe!?' he thought, as his heart burned icy cold in bliss.

A smile appearing on his face.

"LENI ARE YOU OKAY?! OM MY GOD! THANK GOD, YOU ARE SAFE!" Lori continued to yell.

"L-Lori...?" Leni said steadily opening her eyes. "What happe-?"

Leni slowly remembering, everything, the explosion, and Lincy grabbing onto her.

'LINCY!' She thought.

"Where's Lincoln?!" She cried out.

Lori realizing her missing brother, became a worried mess. "H-He isn't with you?!"

Lincoln still holding Leni was trying his hardest not to tell them that he was right here, quickly coming up with a small lie, he replied.

*ahem* The eldest sister looked up and realized the other person with them, there floating in front of Lori was a black haired boy with glowing green eyes and a radiating white aura surrounding his body, was holding Leni in a bridal style.

'W-W-Who is he?!' Both thought, as their minds came to a stop.

"D-Don't worry, there was a white haired boy with her, I saved him as well. I uhhh...put both of them on a bench on the right side of the building. I came to drop her off to the paramedic's. I-He should still be there..." Lincoln finished.

'Please buy it...' Lincoln thought to himself.

Both Lori and Leni quickly coming out of their stupor, thanked the boy.

"Thank you!" Both of the girls replied.

"That's a relief" Lori added

"Lincy's safe..." Leni smiled happily.

Lincoln placed Leni onto a stretcher.

"I'll go get Lincoln!" Lori said.

'Time to get out of here!' Lincoln thought to himself. 'Have to make it to that bench before Lori!'

"Well I gotta head out!" Lincoln said out loud, as he placed Leni onto a stretcher.

Leni quickly asked. "Thank you for saving me and my brother...uhmm...W-Who are you?"

"Name's Phantom, and don't mention it!" He said before he flew into the air, made his way to the bench.

Lincoln quickly reached the area where the bench was, and found a tree he transformed back to normal. His clothes turning back, the scorch marks once again repapering.

'That's something...' He thought to himself, as he looked at this ash induced clothing, filled with charred marks. 'Guess my clothes are different for the form...how does that even work...?'

He slowly, stumbled back to the bench, As the adrenaline began to wear off, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.

With all the flying around and turning intangible, it took a toll on him.

"Guess I'm not fully used to it yet..." He muttered under his breath.

Not to mention the pain in his arm had fully returned.

Thought it much less painful from before, almost has it was already healing.

He could almost feel his bones moving towards each other, as if his was putting itself back together.

Curious, Lincoln put a hand on his back, and to his surprise his wounds from earlier have been nearly healed completely.

Most of the marks on his body were gone.

'Guess my healing is faster in that form as well...' He thought to himself. 'Last thing I want is them to worry about m-' His thoughts cut off my the sound of someone screaming his name.

"LINCOLN!" Lor called out, as she ran closer to him.

"LINCOLN, IM SO GLAD YOU ARE ALL RIGHT!" She shouted as she quickly pulled him into a hug. Tears coming down from her cheeks.

*sniff* *sniff* "Lincoln! I was so worried when I heard the explosion! I thought the worst! Thank god Leni is safe! Thank god both of you are!" Lori said continuing to cry into his shoulder.

"Lori, I'm okay," Lincoln reassured, though he felt the weight of the day's events pressing down on him. "Really, I'm fine. Just a little banged up."

Lori pulled back, wiping her tears and looking him over. "Let's get you to the paramedics too," she insisted, guiding him gently.

As they approached the paramedics, Lincoln noticed the buzz of activity around the mall. Katherine Mulligan, the local news reporter, was on the scene, microphone in hand and camera crew in tow.

There was a large crowd outside the mall, lot's of people had gotten injured, the authorities and paramedics calling in backup had begun assessing everyone's injuries. Thankfully, no one had died...

"Katherine Mulligan coming to you live from Royal Woods Mall," she reported, her voice carrying over the noise.

"We're here witnessing the aftermath of a terrifying explosion that rocked the mall just minutes ago. However...something unexpected took place, something that could not be realistically possible. This might be hard for many of the viewers to believe...but many eye witnesses including us...have seen the impossible become possible. Right after the explosion...a being of glowing white light appeared before the people...thanks to the efforts the mysterious hero, many lives were saved. This unknown savior, who some witnesses say he called himself "Phantom", displayed incredible abilities, rescuing countless individuals from the blaze. The community owes him a great debt of gratitude."

Before she could continue, she heard someone talking into her ear piece.

"Oh...looks like we getting word from our station that, this is also might be the same entity who rescued a little girl from getting hit by a truck earlier today! Unfortunately we weren't able to show live video of the hero due to some equipment issues at first, but thankfully we have been given recordings of the hero, by those who had been taping this phenomenal event. Please tune into our nightly news as we will give everyone first hand footage of Royals Wood's new hero in action!"

Lincoln listened, his heart pounding. 'Hero...' he thought, a mixture of pride and anxiety swirling within him.

He had never been praised to such an extent before. He glanced at Lori, who was still fussing over his injuries, making absolutely sure that he was okay.

They reached the paramedics, who immediately took over, examining and checking Lincoln for injuries.

As they worked, Lincoln overheard snippets of conversations from the onlookers, all buzzing with tales of the mysterious hero.

"Did you see him? He just flew right in and saved those people!"

"I've never seen anything like it."

"He's a like a real life hero or something!"

"This feels like something right out of a comic! This is mind-blowing!"

"Did you hear? Some of the people rescued say he turned them invisible or something! They said he flew through walls while holding them!"

As the paramedics continued their work, Lincoln's mind wandered back to the day's events.

'It's been a hectic day...saving the girl, to now saving all these people...and my family...'

He looked around and saw families hugging each other.

His heart burned that warm icy feeling. Lincoln looked at his two sisters. Both of them were safe.

'I might not now why I have these powers...' He thought. 'But I might as well use them to protect the people I love.'

End Chapter