Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino
Megumi no Jotai
(State of Grace)
By Lola Presents
Episode 3 - Enter the Light - Part 1
Last time on Megumi no Jotai...
Lincoln and Megumi recruit Lynn to train them before facing their second opponent, which forces Lincoln to realize that he can't always rely on Megumi's powers as a mysterious woman appears on the scene. What adventures lay ahead?
Lincoln woke with a start. His arm no longer throbbed, and he felt more rested than he had in a long time. Glancing over at his arm, he wondered how his wound was faring. Yes, the gauze still retained the stains from last night's blood loss, but it didn't seem any worse this morning.
"Go ahead," Megumi whispered to Lincoln.
Lincoln jerked harshly, not expecting to hear his resident inside his mind, forgetting he let her rest there for the night. It only took a moment to recover, though, and soon he was slowly unwrapping the dressings. As the last piece fell from his arm, he stared in amazement.
"Megumi..." thought Lincoln. "It's healed. I mean, there's a slight scar, but it's otherwise unnoticeable."
"Yes," she replied. "While inside you, your recuperative abilities increase as well. However, there is a limit to how fast you may heal, and we need to be careful to minimize your damage."
"I see," yawned Lincoln, stretching his muscles. "Well, let's get down to breakfast. The bus should be here soon."
"Of course," Megumi agreed. "Do you remember our plan for the day?"
"Our plan?" asked Lincoln as he dressed for school.
"Yes. After your sessions today, I am to come home with you," Megumi reminded him. "Is this still your wish?"
"Oh, yeah..." Lincoln mumbled. "I'd almost forgotten about that, and yes, it is."
"Very well," Megumi conceded before going silent.
"How are you doing this morning, Megumi?" Lincoln silently asked as he walked down the stairs.
"I am well and fully restored," Megumi told him, a hint of happiness in her voice. "Thank you for asking. I believe it is the first time you have done so."
"Really?" Lincoln thought, rounding the corner into the kitchen. "Hm, I'll have to work on that."
"Good morning, Lincy," chirped Leni, standing by the stove and waving some smoke away from her face.
"Uh, Leni?" questioned Lincoln as he took a seat. "What are you doing?"
"I'm cooking eggs and bacon," Leni told him. "Why?"
"N-Nothing," Lincoln said, trying to hold back a joke fitting of Luan. "I can't wait. I'm hungry!"
In short order, Leni had plates set before all present and took a seat herself. The food on the dishes didn't look appetizing, and everyone took their first bites timidly. Strangely, despite the awkward appearance, the meal was very delicious, earning Leni some applause for once.
The Loud children huddled by the bus stop a few minutes later, bracing against the chilled morning air. The bus seemed to be late today, and everyone cursed at having to stand there any longer than needed.
"Lincoln?" inquired Megumi. "May I ask you something?"
"Uh, sure," thought Lincoln. "What's up?"
"Your dream last night..." Megumi said, revealing that she'd seen it. "What do you think it meant?"
"I'm not sure what you mean. Though, I wish you wouldn't watch my dreams like that," Lincoln stated. "Regardless, I don't know. Dreams are silly and abstract. Most of the time, anyway. Why do you ask?"
"I was curious about the ending," Megumi confessed. "Your subconscious replaced Stella with me. Are you afraid I may be hurt?"
"Well, yeah," Lincoln said. "Of course."
"Why?" asked Megumi as the bus finally pulled up.
"Well, I..." thought Lincoln, considering the question. "I'm not sure. Listen, can we discuss this later?"
"Of course," replied Megumi. "Your friend Clyde awaits."
"Morning!" called Clyde, waving from their seat. "Ready for tonight?"
"Huh?" Lincoln questioned as he sat down. "What's going on tonight?"
"It's Friday!" declared the meeker boy. "We're having a sleepover, remember?"
Lincoln palmed his face. He had forgotten about agreeing to spend the weekend at his friend's house. How could Lincoln manage to do that with everything going on? Sighing, he did his best to negotiate something.
"Megumi?" Lincoln whispered. "What should I tell him? I can't go over there this weekend if I need to be on guard all the time. But he'll know if I am making an excuse. He knows my sisters, after all."
"You should go," Megumi told him. "The darkness won't expect you there. It would be a good distraction and allow me to learn more about human interaction."
"Are you serious?" gasped Lincoln inside his mind.
"Why not?" asked Megumi. "If you'll introduce me to your family later today, you may as well do so to your friend."
"Yeah!" Lincoln finally said out loud. "I can't wait. Hopefully, we'll get to beat that parkour game finally."
"Wouldn't that be cool," agreed Clyde. "I am so tired of messing with those random NPCs blocking our path, making it more difficult."
"You know you can kick them off the ledge, right?" asked Lincoln.
"No! You can?" gasped Clyde.
"Yup. Just hold the right trigger and press 'X,'" instructed Lincoln. "Didn't you read the manual?"
"Hehe," laughed Clyde half-heartedly. "No."
"Dude, you should always read those," Lincoln said. "You can punch, kick, use items, like a grappling hook, and more."
"No wonder it's been so tough," Clyde sighed. "I'm tempted to reset the game and start over."
Later, Lincoln huffed as he took his seat in Mr. Bolhoffner's class. Or rather, Mr. Steadman's, as it were. Lincoln was sure that the man was more than he seemed, probably an agent of darkness. However, neither he nor Megumi had any proof of that. It was too convenient that right as Megumi showed up, he also did.
Of course, that only demanded that they pay close attention to what the man said and did. The smallest of things may give them clues. For the most part, Megumi insisted that Lincoln continue his studies to feign normalcy while she studied the man.
For all their efforts, they learned little. Mr. Steadman remained stoic, never breaking character. He continued to teach the class as if he were a real teacher: grammar, mathematics, science, history, and other subjects. He never singled out Lincoln for anything but never failed to call on him. The man seemed to be playing the part too well.
His teacher's constant preparedness and efficiency unnerved Lincoln. Megumi, on the other hand, sensed an odd familiarity with it. Maybe that was due to how things were within the darkness, however. Finally, as the man wandered the rows of desks to ensure nobody cheated, he stopped beside Lincoln's desk.
"That's quite the scar, young man," Mr. Steadman said flatly. "May I ask where you procured it?"
"Procured? Sir?" Lincoln gulped, looking up at the man hovering over him.
Lincoln got the distinct impression that the man was looking at him with something other than eyes. His body shivered in his seat, and sweat began forming on his brow.
"Oh, uh, this?" Lincoln mumbled. "I fell down the stairs and cut myself."
"On what?" the man asked.
"Uh, on a..." Lincoln stammered, unable to think of anything sharp enough to get cut on that might be lying on the stairs. "I don't remember. Does it make a difference?"
"No," the man replied in his monotonous drone. "I suppose it does not."
Lincoln sunk into his seat as his peers attempted to look at his scar and evaluate things for themselves. It was creepy enough having Mr. Steadman slink around. But Lincoln began to feel ill from having his entire class gawking at him.
"Did you hear that?" he thought. "Who says procured like that? And the way he said does not instead of doesn't. That's plain weird."
"I noticed, Lincoln," Megumi whispered. "Though, I still haven't sensed anything from him. Until then, we proceed as planned."
"Agreed," Lincoln answered in his mind.
The rest of the class passed fairly nominally, save for a few odd glances in their direction by the other students and Mr. Steadman. As frightening as the situation was, Lincoln managed to block it out and continue his work. He still had grades to maintain, lest his parents ground him or something worse. A failing grade would put a dent in their evening adventures, not to mention his future, and they couldn't afford that.
Eventually, the lunch bell rang, and the class got dismissed. Lincoln put away his papers and book, stuffing them into his bag with his pencils, erasers, and personal sharpener, then headed out the door. The scent of food wafted lazily in the air, coming from the ventilation on the school's roof. While Lincoln wouldn't precisely call it palatable, it was a sign to his stomach that it would soon become sated.
With his gut rumbling, begging for nutrition, Lincoln walked through the lunch line, selected the best of the worst, checked out, and found his seat at the group's usual table. Nothing got written in stone. However, many cliques tended to claim tables near the beginning of the year and stuck with them throughout. Lincoln's posse happened to choose one near the front of the room if they ever needed a hasty exit.
"Hi, Lincoln!" greeted Stella. "What'd you get today?"
"Uh, let's see," Lincoln said, going over his tray. "I got cardboard, cardboard, and more cardboard. Oh, yeah, and this one has cardboard sauce on it. You?"
"You're silly," laughed Stella. "I brought mine from home today. I have a chicken-salad sandwich, chips, and a soda."
"I got a leftover bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit from breakfast," Liam offered. "You want it?"
"Uh, sure," Lincoln said, smiling as he accepted the gift. "You're welcome to some of my cardboard if you want it."
"No thanks," Liam chuckled.
Lincoln began eating his biscuit and glanced around the room. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about his scar and had blended into their cliques. Eventually, his eyes landed on Chandler, who sat oddly by himself. The boy kept his head down, focused on his food. Neither of his usual cohorts was present.
"What's up with Chandler?" asked Lincoln.
"Nobody knows," Clyde replied. "He's been like that since his parents found him on their porch. He keeps to himself now, which is good if you ask me."
"I'll be right back," Lincoln said, picking up his tray and walking off.
"What the heck does he think he's doing?" mumbled Rusty.
"Being himself," replied Zach. "The man can't say no to someone in need."
Lincoln sat down opposite Chandler and placed his tray in front of him. The least he could do was see how the boy was. After all, it was Lincoln's fault the boy got in trouble.
"Hey," said Lincoln calmly. "How are you doing?"
"You come to gloat, Lincoln?" spat chandler, chewing on a stale cheeseburger.
"No, I..." began Lincoln.
"Look, I don't know what happened, okay?" Chandler announced in a low, quiet voice. "So don't ask. All I know is that I had the weirdest dream, and you were in it. Then, I woke up on the porch."
"I w-was?" stammered Lincoln. "What happened in this dream?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," Chandler replied. "Just leave me alone, alright?"
"Alright," said Lincoln, standing up again. "But, if you ever need someone to talk to, come find me."
"Yeah..." mumbled Chandler. "Thanks, I guess."
Lincoln returned to his spot at their group's table and finished his meal, concerned about Chandler. It wasn't like the boy to distance himself.
"Well?" inquired Rusty.
"Nothing," Lincoln replied. "Leave him be."
"Fine by me," Clyde responded.
Soon, the class bell rang, and people began funneling out of the lunchroom. Lincoln also rose, dumped his tray, and returned to class. As he trudged through the halls, Lincoln couldn't help but wonder where Chandler's two goons had gone. Had they abandoned him? If so, had they become possessed, or were they merely snubbing Chandler?
"What do you think, Megumi?" Lincoln whispered.
"It's difficult to know," she responded. "Though, selection for possession is mostly random, picking whoever is closest to where the demon emerges. It seems unlikely."
"Alright," Lincoln sighed. "But, should they show up, we need to keep an eye on them as well. Whatever was in Chandler's head is probably aware of them now, and they may be targets."
"Agreed," answered Megumi. "You're starting to get the hang of this."
"And you're starting to get the hang of our idioms and slang," Lincoln happily replied.
The rest of the school day passed much as the first; long, dull, and dreary. They'd not have had much to discuss if it weren't for the occasional glance their way from their mysterious teacher. Lincoln worked on his math problems for a while, then switched to history, which confused him. Previously, they were studying western civilization. Why, then, did Mr. Steadman assign them a study on ancient mythology?
It didn't make any sense, except for some of the religious aspects. Maybe there was something more to the assignment that Lincoln hadn't considered. Then again, it could have merely been a distraction. Either way, the clock on the wall ticked inexorably toward the final bell. When the end-of-school bell rang, Lincoln stood with the rest of his peers, but Mr. Steadman called out to him before he could escape.
"Excuse me, Lincoln," Mr. Steadman said, barring the boy's path to the door. "I am going to need you to remain for a moment."
Lincoln sighed and sat back down at his desk and watched helplessly as his classmates left for the bus. How was he going to get home now? Lincoln didn't want to walk, but if Lincoln missed the bus, there was no other choice. There, he sat sullenly until the door closed for the last time, then glanced up at Mr. Steadman.
Mr. Steadman locked the door, slowly turned, and faced Lincoln, a wry smile crossing his face. He then strolled over to the boy in a way that Lincoln could only perceive as predatorial. Soon, the man hovered above him, and Lincoln got lost in the man's shadow. He swallowed hard and with some difficulty, feeling Megumi fill his body with energy.
"I think you and I should have a..." Mr. Steadman began before being interrupted by a forceful knock on the door. "What now?" he grumbled, returning to the shed's door, unlocking it, and opening it.
Lincoln tried to peer at who might be visiting, but all he saw through the slit was a bright light. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better view, but his teacher was already stepping through the door, closing it as he went.
"What do you want?" Lincoln heard Mr. Steadman say before the door was closed.
Outside, Mr. Steadman stood before a beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair in a white dress, who gave off a radiance similar to the sun. A look of fear crossed the man's face, and he removed his sunglasses to reveal pitch-black eyes.
"You have n-no authority here," the man stammered. "You should not even be here."
"Nor you," the woman returned, glaring at the man. "Or is M'Ster unaware of your intrusion into this realm?"
"What matter is it of yours?" the man said, trying to intimidate the woman. "However, I am sure he'll be interested to know of your presence."
"Come now," the woman spoke softly. "Do you believe I am not aware of who stands behind this wooden portal? Do not take me for a fool, M'Kael. As the same governance binds me as you, I cannot intervene as yet."
The woman then slowly advanced upon M'Kael, bearing her gaze down upon him, standing nearly a head taller, allowing her inner potential to reveal itself.
"However," she continued. "It would be in your best interest to remain, how shall I say this, as un-invested in M'Gum as possible. Should she be infringed, I have every authority to retaliate."
Before her, the man began to tremble as he felt the weight of the woman's energy press upon his being. A look of sheer terror coursed through M'Kael, and he knew that he would not match her intensity and backed up against the door.
"P-Please, D'Vin," he begged. "I m-must observe and test. M'Ster bid it. You know I cannot refuse his commands!"
"Then do only that," D'Vin replied solemnly, resting her finger against his chest, "no more. Do you understand? Failure to comply invalidates your right to exist."
As her finger lay upon M'Kael, an amber light began spreading throughout his body, causing him immense pain. He struggled to contain his anguish but eventually failed, writhing in agony. Only then did the woman retract her touch, allowing M'Kael to drop to one knee at her feet.
"I believe we have an understanding, then," D'Vin prompted. "Do we not?"
"We do, Lady of Light," M'Kael whimpered.
"Then release the child to their whims,"
Suddenly, the light was no longer present, and M'Kael stood once more. Dusting himself off and donning his shades again, he entered the classroom. The woman was gone, leaving no evidence that she had ever been there.
"You may leave," Mr. Steadman ordered Lincoln harshly. "Now."
"Y-Yes, sir," stammered Lincoln as he gathered his bag and fled, barely making it into the bus.
"What took you so long?" Clyde asked as his friend fell into the seat beside him, huffing and puffing.
"Sorry, I had to pee," Lincoln lied. "Badly."
Lincoln sighed as he and Megumi began discussing what had just occurred while Clyde babbled on about something. He was faintly aware of Lynn sitting near the back, explaining something to her athletic friends. She couldn't have been aware that he had gotten held up, could she? If so, what was she telling them?
"What happened back there, Megumi?" Lincoln thought.
"I am not certain," replied the girl inside him. "But, if I am right, whoever Mr. Steadman is, was just visited by a being of the light. A powerful one at that. I felt her presence as soon as she appeared but didn't want to alarm you."
"Alarm me?" gasped Lincoln. "Of what? Why should I be afraid of the light?"
"You mistake darkness for evil," explained Megumi, "and light for good, and this is not the case. The light creates and provides, while the darkness destroys and consumes. There is a balance between the realms that I cannot explain easily. Both sides are capable of great acts of what you consider good and evil."
"What do you mean about balance?" asked Lincoln. "I'm not certain I understand."
"Consider a volcano," Megumi explained. "It destroys, but from the sediment left behind, new life emerges. Sometimes, something must get destroyed before something new can get created."
It was then that they neared Clyde's stop, and Lincoln snapped back to attention, his friend vying for his focus.
"Well, see you in a little bit!" said Clyde before he fully exited the bus. "This is going to be to best sleepover ever!"
"Yeah, see you there," Lincoln replied, still shaken from what happened just outside the shed.
A few moments later, they arrived at Lincoln's and Megumi's stop, and along with Lynn, they exited the bus. Lynn ran into the house ahead of Lincoln, hoping to get to the after-school snacks before anyone else, leaving him alone in the front yard. Only, he wasn't exactly alone.
"Well, shall we do this?" Megumi asked.
"Huh? Oh! Right," Lincoln said, showing his absent-mindedness again. "Let me step into the garage first, so nobody sees you come out."
"Agreed," replied Megumi.
Lincoln walked around his house, staying low, and snuck into the garage. Closing the door behind him, he stood in the dim room alone. Not much had changed since the other day. Lynn hadn't even cleaned up the mess from when Megumi destroyed the old punching bag.
Once they were sure nobody was around, Megumi flowed from inside Lincoln, forming into the body Lincoln's mind chose for her. The sunlight spilling into the room through the door's windows cast slivers of light upon her form, highlighting it nicely for Lincoln, whose heart skipped a beat. If he didn't know she was a demon, his pulse might have stopped on the spot. There was something different about the way she looked today. Unable to determine what it was, all Lincoln could do was stare with a goofy grin.
"M-Megumi..." he said. "You look different. Nice, but different."
"Thank you," Megumi replied. "I've been studying the girls at your school. And many display colored products on their lips and around their eyes. Those that do seem quite popular. I thought it might help with the introductions."
Lincoln began to reach over gently but stopped.
"May I?" he asked.
"Of course," responded Megumi with a slight smile.
Lincoln adjusted her hair as it lay over her shoulders and straightened her bow. As he did, his fingers brushed her cheek, and he froze momentarily. Her skin was ice cold.
"Y-Your skin," he stammered. "It's so cold."
"Yes..." Megumi said, looking deflated. "Then again, it's not real skin. You understand that, don't you? It's merely an approximation, as are my clothes. They are all me."
"What?" gasped Lincoln. "You mean you're technically still nude?"
"I'm afraid so," Megumi told him, looking ashamed.
"Well, then," announced Lincoln. "We're going to have to do something about that soon. I think I have enough saved up to get you a couple of outfits, at least. And I'm sure Leni would love to help. She's not much in the smarts department, but she's an ace at tailoring."
"That's sweet, Lincoln," Megumi said, gazing up at him from under her side-swept bangs. "But when I revert to my natural form, it will leave the clothes behind."
"Yeah," Lincoln agreed. "I figured that much out, but I can always stash them in my bag."
"Yes, but you'd see me without them when I reappear," Megumi reminded him. "The last time I did that, I made you uncomfortable."
"Nonsense," Lincoln said. "I'll just get them ready before you change, then turn around."
"That makes sense," Megumi replied. "Thank you for your kindness."
"Don't mention it," Lincoln said, opening the garage's side door. "Besides, should you ever find someone to love you, I think you'll need them. Now, let's go introduce you!"
"Yes..." thought Megumi sadly, unheard by Lincoln. "If you ever fall in love with me, I shall need them."
Lincoln grabbed Megumi's hand, surprising her, and led her around the house to the front door. Looking back to see if she was ready, Lincoln noticed her glancing at him, a faint smile on her lips. He couldn't help but swallow. It wasn't every day a girl looked at him that way, after all. There was something sweet and inviting about it, almost alluring. But he shook the feeling off, preparing himself for what was about to happen. Then, Lincoln opened the door and stepped into the house with Megumi in tow.
