Finally the 18th Chapter of Back From Death! Thanks for the patience, and I hope, you enjoy this one!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Loud House
4 months earlier
Lincoln has been absent from class for a week. That was the thought of Girl Jordan as she saw Clyde walking inside the class alone again. She didn't knew the boy so well, but she had noticed how he looked depressed. Something inside Jordan told her that this had something to do with Lincoln's sudden dissappearence.
She also noticed that Lincoln's sister, Lynn, Also was really down. She didn't knew Lynn even a bit, she just knew that she was a very energetic athlete. Jordan, suspicious that Lynn's behavior also had to do with Lincoln, wanted to know more about Lynn and why she was that down.
Because of that, she approached one of Lynn's friends, Margo, and ended befriending the girl. But Margo also didn't knew why Lynn was that down.
"She didn't told me why, and if I ask her directly what is happening, she just deflects the question." That was what Margo told Jordan.
Jordan had bad feeling about all this, she had almost sure that something bad happened with Lincoln. And being a friend of the boy, she was starting to be worried for the boy.
But that day, her suspicions would be confirmed as she saw Mrs. Johnson entering the class with a somber look that rivaled with Clyde's.
"Hi class..." She started, her voice was as sadder like her expression. She sighed, sitting on her desk, she looked at the floor, trying to get the right words to say to the kids. "You... Probably... Noticed that your fellow classmates Lincoln Loud... Has... Been absent from school for the past days." Jordan nodded, as some other of her classmates. "Well... Today... Principal Huggins reported to me that his family, talked to him and... They explained why he is absent for the time been, and..." She stopped, looking down. Jordan felt a chill for se reason, she was really starting to get worried. "I... I... I JUST CAN'T!" Mrs. Johnson shouted, finally breaking into tears. The teacher cried a little with her handshiding her face, her students, shocked and paralyzed by how ahe was acting. She was crying. They never saw her in such state.
Jordan turned her eyes to Clyde, he also was tearing, the sensation the girl felt inside her chest was making her heart beat at such desperate rate. She was at her limit in anxiety.
After some minutes, that felt more longer then they actually were, Mrs. Johnson Johnson cleaned her nose woth a sniff and wiped her tears out. "Sorry class. I couldn't control myself." The teacher took another deep breath and spoke. "Your classmate... was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor."
Jordan felt like something broke inside her chest. Her eyes started to water, her hands started to tremble and her heart started beating with such force that made her feel a little of pain.
Her classmates also were shocked by the news, not that she noticed them, but some of them were also tearing as others were shaking. Jordan looked back at her teacher when she spoke again.
"Principal Huggins..." She wiped again her eyes. "Decided to give you the day off... to process the news and... I am not in any condition to do my class today... You're dispensed." As Jordan heard that, she throwed all her materials inside her backpack and shot out of the classroom, being the first who leaved it.
She ran down the hallway, passed through the main doors, sprinted down to the street and continued running in the direction she knew was the Loud house.
After minutes of running, she stopped in the front of the old house. She took some minutes to catch her breath and walked down the front yard.
She noticed that the windows where closed, but she heard not so loud sounds coming from it, that indicated that it had someone home. She walked up the front porch and without even bothering ring the doorbell, she knocked the door.
Half an minute later, the door opened, and the father, Lynn Sr was behind it, he looked down to the girl, the man recognized the girl frim the times he went to Lincoln's school, although, he didn't knew her name.
"Oh, hello, you are that girl that is Lincoln's classmate, right?" He Questioned.
"Yes sir, My name is Jordan, is Lincoln home? I really need to talk to him!" Jordan pleaded. Lynn took a second to answer, like he was trying to figure out why she would want to talk to him that urgently, than, like he figured why, he closed his eyes, made a brief sigh and put a calm smile.
"Of course, Please, enter." Lynn stepped aside to allow Jordan to enter, as she entered, he guided the girl to the living room. "Please, make yourself comfortable, I'll call Lincoln." After saying that, the father walked upstairs, leaving Jordan alone in the living room.
The girl looked around the room, noticing how it was nothing of extraordinary, just a good, comfortable house. But one thing that caught Jordan's attention was a family portrait that was laying on the center table before the couch.
The picture was crowded with people, Jordan counted 11, all varying from age, hair and style of dressing. That was tem girls, and just one boy. Lincoln was that one, sitting right in the center of the picture, smiling at the camera. Other one who Jordan recognized was Lynn Jr, also smiling, a little to the left of the picture. Wait, so... That were, Lincoln's sisters?
Jordan heard, footsteps coming down the stairs, she looked and saw Lynn Sr, helping Lincoln walk down the stairs.
The boy looked bad, his hair was ruffled, his eyebags were bigger and darker than Jordan ever saw. He looked a little more skinnier that before and sported a cane in his hand. But what made Jordan feel really bad was that his veins where vere red, contrasting on the almost white skin he had. If she didn't knew, she would say that Lincoln suffered from albinism.
"Here we go sport." Spoke the father as they arrived at the base of the staircase.
"Hello -COUGH- Girl Jordan." Greeted Lincoln to the girl, with a very gloomy tone of voice.
"Lincoln..." The girl greeted back.
"Ok, you two can talk, I'll go to the kitchen make some snacks!" Spoke Lynn with a smile, walking back to the kitchen.
Lincoln slowly walked to couch, with the assistance of his cane and sat down, beside Jordan.
"-COUGH- Why are you here Girl Jordan?" He asked. "Shoudn't you be in school?"
"It's true? What Mrs. Johnson told us?" Asked Jordan, cutting Lincoln. The boy stood quiet. "It's true that you're going to die?" Lincoln made a brief silence before speaking.
"Everyone is going to die one day, Girl Jordan." Spoke Lincoln sincerely.
"So it's true that you're sick?" She asked. Lincoln said nothing, he just, nodded slowly. Tears started to form under Jordan's eyes. "No, no, no, please, say that this is all a prank!" Lincoln didn't said anything.
"It isn't." He spoke finally. "Last week I was passed out while playing with Lynn and woke in hos-" Lincoln stopped when Jordan abruptly hugged him. "Huh... Girl Jordan?"
"Sorry... I just..." Jordan cleaned her eyes. "Needed hear that from you." Lincoln made a faint smile.
"It's ok Girl Jordan." Spoke Lincoln.
"We're out of school, please, call me just Jordan." The girl asked.
"Ok, Jordan." Lincoln smiled ended when the realized something. "Jordan... Why'd you came here on my house to see me personally, just to ask something to me? It sound a lot of effort."
Jordan blushed a little, and opened her mouth, but didn't spoke anything. She thought carefully what she was about to say next.
"Lincoln, since... You're dying... I needed to say something to you." She spoke shyly, Lincoln raised a eyebrow. "I l-" before Jordan could speak further, she was interrupted.
"Here are the snacks!" Spoke Lynn, walking into the living room, sporting a tray of nacho chips with a small cup of cheese in the side. The father placed the tray in the center table, and looked to the two kids, realizing something. "Oh, sorry if I interrupted something."
"Oh, it's nothing dad, just Jordan was about to tell me something, what it was Jordan?" Asked Lincoln. But Jordan didn't spoke anything, just looked from Lincoln to Lynn with a blush in her cheeks.
"Jordan?" Spoke Lincoln. "Jordan?"
"Jordan? JORDAN!" Called Margo, waking Jordan. The two girls were sitting int heir desks in class, Mrs. Johnson didn't arrived yet, but she was in her way.
"Wha? What?" Spoke Jordan, confused.
"The class, is about to begin!" Spoke Margo.
"Oh, sorry. -YAWN- I didn't slept well last night." Explained with a yawn.
"I noticed that." Margo spoke with a smirk. "By the Way, did you seen ARGGH!! Last night?"
"I don't usually like that show, but yes, I've seen it." Answered Jordan.
"What do you think about that Mysterians? I think they're awesome!" Spoke Margo excited.
"They are fine, I guess, it's just... I heard that name somewhere before, just don't remember where." Answered Jordan.
"Oh, about that, It's the name of a really old movie, maybe they got their name from there." Suggested Margo.
"No, I know that, I heard on another place, I just don't remember." Jordan scratched her chin, thinking where she heard that name. "Anyway, I think they are doing a good thing, fighting the ghosts that are attacking the town."
"And doing so in a very young age too, remember that they had to censor their faces from being underaged?" Jordan nodded at this remark.
"I-" Jordan stopped when she heard someone entering the class, but it wasn't Mrs. Johnson, It were Lincoln and his friends, all laughing and appearing being well. "You know why they were absent yesterday?" Asked Jordan, Pointing discreetly to them.
"Nuh-huh." Answered Margo.
"Hum..." Jordan looked again to the group, already in their seats.
Hours later, in the cafeteria, the Mysterians were occupying one of the tables, each one with eating their lunch, chatting and having a good time.
"Anyway, Lincoln, I was wondering, why do you want to us to talk with ARGGH?" Asked Zack between bites of his sandwich.
"I had an idea that will catch two birds with just one stone, well, three, to be honest. If everything occurs well, we won't just have our identities safe, but will have new allies, and a good way to find our next targets." Spoke Lincoln taking a sip from his milk. The other Mysterians traded looks.
"We hope you know what you're doing." Spoke Rusty
"I know Rusty. I know." Spoke Lincoln, looking away, to apparently nothing.
"Lincoln?" Called Stella, Seeing that Lincoln was spacing out.
"What?" Spoke Lincoln, looking back to the girl.
"You are ok?" Stella asked concerned. Lincoln made a gentle smile.
"It's nothing Stella, really. Just looking forward to Saturday, when we will talk to ARGGH."
"Yo, Ya know something that I was thinking guys?" Spoke Liam."grabbing the attentions of the others. "Ya know how we almost had our butts kicked yesterday?"
"Don't even remember." Asked Rusty.
"Well, I thought if it was a good idea of we start to, Ya know, train?"
"Train what?" Asked Clyde.
"If we are starting to get serious in this ghost hunting stuff, we need, like to train our tactics, and personal abilities, like Stella's aim with the slingshot, or my ability in the lasso."
Clyde scratched his chin, thoughtful. "It indeed is a good idea, if we train we can double our effectiveness when engaging a ghost, and Lincoln, did you said you absorbed the ghosts telekinesis, right?" Lincoln nodded. "You, more than all of us need training with your powers, like you know how to do a good punch, but don't know how to use your abilities in combat effectly, Right?" Lincoln nodded again.
"But we need to train in hideout, if Lynn see us training... Oh boy..." Spoke Lincoln, making the others laugh.
"So it's decided!" Spoke Stella with a excitement so great that infected the others and soon they were again chatting and laughing as minutes earlier.
That afternoon, after school, they prepared the clearing near the treehouse to accommodate the training. They arranged a bunch of old cans to use as target to Stella's slingshot. Potato sacks filled with sand to use as dummies, targets hanging from trees and a old punching bag Lincoln got from Lynn.
The next days, they spent training, first they would practice their aiming. 10 cans, they needed to use the slingshot to shoot at the cans. In the first day, Lincoln got 6 out of 10, Clyde 3, Zack 7, Rusty also 6, Liam 5 and stella, who got the best score of the day, 8.
They took turns in the dummies, trying to lasso them, of course, Liam ended being the best of them.
After that, they decided changing a little and decided train their stealth. As Lincoln was out of the training, for being able to became invisible, they would need to try to sneak their way from one point to another, without being seen by the white haired boy. Oddly enough, the only one who Lincoln didn't spot that first day was Rusty.
The group would train every day, repeating the same routine, coming from school to the hideout, training a lot, make a pause to relax, eat and chat, doing the special trainings for Lincoln and going home before it got dark.
The special trainings for Lincoln were all to him to practice his abilities, like dodge things thrown against him while he flew,
He also experimented his new telekinesis, starting low, with few small objects, he still wasn't able to lift a lot of things and big things.
And day after day, Saturday arrived. Inside a werehouse of a abandoned factory, the six kids waited their guests. They were wearing their jackets, and Lincoln also wore the red wig he got that day in the mall.
With his natural white ridden, and with the hair now blood red, his appearance was very different from usual. Amazing what a simple change in the color of the hair can do to someone. Well, Lincolns usual already was very unusual, now his hair looked like the other red heads present there.
"I are sure they are coming Lincoln?" Questioned Rusty, tapping his foot on a nearby pipe impatiently.
"Have patience Rusty, they are coming. I'm sure of that." Assured Lincoln.
Minutes later, the kids heard footsteps as three silhouettes appeared from the entrance of the werehouse. The kids looked to the silhouettes as they approached, and the ARGGH crew stood in front of the kids.
They appeared a little nervous, making awkward smiles to the kids, who stood quiet. Neither of the groups were willing to start the talk.
Seeing that these kids weren't going to talk first, Nathan gulped and spoke. "So, you're the Mysterians?" Mabel and Gideon looked to Nathan. What a dumb question, this was obvious.
"Yes." Spoke Clyde.
"Oh, right... Nice to meet you again!" Gideon face palmed at that. Nathan was very nervous thinking that one of them was a ghost, something he looked after his whole career, and he never found, a real ghost!"
"Which one of you is a ghost?" Asked Mabel abruptly.
"Mabel!" Scolded Gideon and Nathan. Lincoln laughed.
"He... It's me." Spoke with a small smile.
"Oh, you are? Prove it!" Demanded Gideon. Lincoln smirked as he floated up, making the jaws of the ARGGH trio fall.
"Is this proof enough, or you need more?" Asked Lincoln, still smirking.
"Huh... it's just wires!" Spoke Gideon smiling nervously. Lincoln's smirk gree as he became invisible. "Mirrors!" Gideon insisted, before he started to float out of nowhere. "WHAT THE HELL!"
"Gideon! You're floating!" Exclamed Mabel Amazed.
"Oh, I didn't even realized that!" Spoke Gideon, now upside down in the air. "Ok, You're really a ghost! Put me down!" Asked Gideon, as Lincoln appeared, with a hand extended and both floated down to the ground.
Nathan was dumbfounded it was true! He is really a ghost, no hoaxes! A real ghost, right on front of him! "Oh My God! You are ghost! I really need to know everything about you!" Spoke Nathan very excited.
"Maybe later, but first, I think we really need a formal presentation." Asked Lincoln, leaning back in the air, starting to float again.
"Oh, I am Nathan Roswell! Paranormal researcher and creator of ARGGH!" Nathan presented himself with a quick bow. Mabel was the next who presented herself.
"My name is Mabel Pines! I am 19, I like ice cream, and I have a pig back home! Oh, I am a specialist in paranormal actvities!" Gideon rolled his eyes, before speaking.
"And I am Gideon Myers, I am just the cameraman, and the editor of the show. Basically I make the hard work."
"So, now, you can introduce yourselves!" Asked Nathan.
Clyde Spoke up "We are The Mysterians"
Zack continued. "We're just normal kids."
Liam spoke next. "Trying to help this small town."
Rusty was next. "From these freaky ghost."
And Stella finished. "We may be very young, but we are taking this very seriously."
The ARGGH trio glanced at each other. "Wow." Spoke Nathan. "You even rehearsed! But of you don't mind, what are your names?"
"We prefer to be anonymous for now. Our identities being safe is the only thing we want." Spoke Clyde. "Because of our friend here." He pointed to Lincoln. "If the public know that who is the ghost boy helping around, his family will not have peace."
"Oh, come on, we would never do something like that." Spoke Nathan.
"Yeah, then why do you have this microphone hidden in your pocket as a pen?" Asked Lincoln, Nathan's face became white, he picked the microphone in disguise.
"I..." He started, but Lincoln interrupted.
"That's why we won't reveal our identities or any other information in that matter. Well, until you have your trust." Spoke Lincoln.
"So... Why do you wanted to talk to us?" Asked Gideon.
"Well, I'll go straight to the point." Spoke Lincoln. "We want to do a deal with you."
"A deal?" repeated the trio confused. Lincoln nodded.
"A alliance between our two groups, a alliance to make the ghost butt-kicking business more efficient."
"Continue..." Asked Nathan.
"Well, as we told you, we are here trying to kick ghost's butts, but is very difficult to just kids like us to find them." The trio appeared confused. "And you, live from searching and finding ghosts, being hoaxes or not, you're the best."
"You want us to find the ghost, to you fight them?" Deduced Nathan.
"Exactly, you do what you always does, find the ghost, recording the process, and when you find them, you call us, and you can record is fighting them. So we do our part, protecting the town, you have your ghost fighting footage, that will be a bomb in the show."
"Well... The ratings skyrocketed since we arrived in Royal Woods, especially when we show the footage of your fight in the mall..." Nathan looked to Gideon, who looked to the kids, though for a second and made a quick nod. Nathan turned to Mabel, who immediately nodded her head, excited with the idea. "We... Accept your deal."
"Great!" Spoke Lincoln. "But still, you will not show our faces on tv ok? Remember, secret!"
"Okay, we will make your identities safe. I swear." Lincoln extended his hand, and Nathan shooked it firmly.
"Deal." Both spoke.
"This is so exciting!" Spoke Mabel jumping in place.
"Oh, Kids, we already have a ghost for you, want to hear the details?" Asked Nathan Woth a smirk.
The Mysterians shared brave looks and spoke in unison. "Bring it!"
That night, in the backyard of the Loud house, Lola was practicing for the pageant she was going to participate. She was a little grumpy, the little princess heard that the doll she wanted, the "Livy doll" had sold out, and how it was a limited toy, she had lost the opportunity to get her.
Suddenly, Lola heard sounds coming from behind the tree. She looked at that direction, curious.
"Hello?" She spoke, but no one answered, she slowly walked there, Lola was a little apprehensive, it probably was just a animal, maybe a raccoon. But when she looked what was behind the tree, she gasped.
Laying there, was a little doll. The same doll Lola wanted. A Livy doll. Lola didn't even believe it while she grabbed the doll from the ground. It was in perfect state, like it was straight out of the box.
Smiling a little, Lola pressed the button in the chest of the doll, and it spoke.
"Hi! I am Livy, you're my new best friend!"
Jumping with joy, Lola hugged the doll, don't realizing that, the compartment of the batteries in the back of the doll, was empty.
N/A: And with that the 18th chapter is done! I don't have much notes tho.
I took a little longer to publish this chapter because I started a second Fic, and I am very stressed with my personal life, so I didn't had much motivation to write these last weeks, I am writing on my own passe, to don't fatigue me so much.
Next Chapter we'll see how the deal Lincoln made with ARGGH is going to affect their lives, while Lola insists her doll talks to her.