Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.
Cypher
By LolaPresents
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Part 1
Birth
The day was Saturday, August 19th, 2023. The sun was shining bright and hung high in the sky. The time was nearly noon, and business in the small, peaceful town of Royal Woods was already getting underway. Cars and trucks lined the streets while families woke up and started their weekend.
For the house at 1216 Franklin Street, that meant an explosion of activity as its various inhabitants clamored to life. Lynn stood at the stove making breakfast while Rita prepared a pot of coffee, both still in their pajamas and robes. Their children spread throughout the house like a virus.
While the younger ones rushed to the television to watch Saturday morning cartoons, the older ones either took turns in the restroom or took to their hobbies. Between the sounds of Lynn's balls rhythmically hitting the wall and Luna serenading the entire household, Lincoln finally rose.
"Ugh," grimaced the twelve-year-old as he rubbed his face. "Why can't I ever sleep in?" he murmured, throwing his covers back and sitting up.
Life in the Loud residence had a routine, a cadence, that never seemed to deviate. It didn't matter if it was a school day or a weekend. The nights were always docile compared to the cacophony of the day. Either his sisters were asleep or experiencing life to its fullest.
And while it took longer for Lincoln to rouse than his siblings, he too tried to make the most of his waking hours. Only, it was always much more difficult for him. Lincoln was a preteen, stuck at that awkward age where he was no longer a child, yet not quite an adult.
Like any child, he had responsibilities in the form of chores and homework, yet had little authority to affect his decisions. That kind of duplicity breeds a certain ambivalence toward most things. Why should one put their most into something they have no say over?
Many who knew the family assumed Lincoln enjoyed helping his sisters, considering how often they witnessed him doing so. However, Lincoln would not have agreed with them. While he didn't specifically dislike helping them, it was the only way to get them settled for the day.
And, it was days like today when Lincoln wanted nothing more than to spend it with his friends. Deciding to seek out Clyde and hang out at the arcade, Lincoln dressed and went downstairs to join his family in their celebration of life. Only, his morning utterances got cut short.
"Good mor-" he'd said before the ground trembled underfoot.
*boom-boom-boom*
*crash*
*boom-boom-boom*
"What the..." Lincoln stammered as he held onto the stairwell corner post.
The startled and confused boy glanced over at his younger siblings, who sat wide-eyed and terrified as they clung to each other. "They heard and felt it, too," thought Lincoln, reconciling the experience. "At least I'm not dreaming."
Then, after a brief moment of static and a pilot tone, the television flickered, and the image of Katherine Mulligan, a local news reporter, appeared on the screen. But unlike her usual spots, the frantic-looking woman did not announce herself or the news agency she worked for.
"May I have your attention, please!" came her strained yet authoritative voice. "In what I can only describe as a scene direct from a movie, a giant monster has appeared on the outskirts of town!" she got out before getting handed a piece of paper. "The military has engaged the creature and is advising everyone to stay indoors or in a shelter, underground if possible! There is no word yet where such an atrocity may have originated. However, the authorities are calling it a Daemon! Stay tuned for..."
Lincoln had unconsciously tuned out the woman on the air and moved to the large window behind the television. Peering out, he could see smoke and debris billowing in the distance. Though he couldn't see the beast, he couldn't see its movements through the rumbling of the ground.
After all the comics and monster movies Lincoln had enjoyed, the event seemed entirely unreal. But it was right before him, a nightmare of incredible size and bulk, lumbering through town, destroying everything in its path like nothing more than models made from balsa wood.
*erooo-erooo-erooo*
Sirens and alarms began ringing throughout the neighborhood, causing even more confusion. People ran from their homes into the street. While some stared at the immense creature, others fled to their vehicles despite all warnings to stay indoors and out of harm's way.
"KIDS!" yelled Rita, panicky and nervous, unsure of what was happening. "QUICK! GATHER EVERYONE UP! WE'RE GOING TO LISA'S BUNKER!" she ordered before snatching Lily from the floor.
"Go on!" shouted Lincoln, accounting for Lisa, the twins, and Lucy. "I'll get them to the bunker.
"What's happening?" screamed Lola, clutching her head as Lincoln urgently pushed her forward.
"Duh!" retorted Lana, dangling from one of Lincoln's arms. "A monster is attacking! Weren't you paying attention?"
"Never mind that," Lisa barked. "We need to get to safety now. I can monitor things from inside my bunker!"
"Lisa's right," Lincoln shouted as he shoved and pushed. "Now, move it!"
After several hectic moments, the family gathered in Lisa's bunker, the noise of the calamity outside muffled but still audible. Panting, everyone tried gathering their breath as they struggled to understand what was happening. Some leaned against counters, some sat, and some took comfort in another's arms.
While her mother counted heads and ensured everyone was safe, Lisa sat at her main terminal, immediately tapping into the local news stations and bringing them up on different monitors. If she were to assess the situation correctly, she'd need every bit of information she could get her hands on. So far, she had little to go on.
"So..." muttered Lori, folding her arms and standing behind her little sister. "What is that thing?"
In the eyes of her younger siblings, Lori had always been a control freak. However, it was challenging not to be labeled as such when her primary role at the time was to care for everyone while preventing the house from getting destroyed. Naturally, she came around first, beaten only by her mother, the pillar of the Loud family.
"I'm not entirely certain," replied Lisa as her hands moved across the keyboard. "But, I have some ideas. For now, all I know is they appeared all over the continent and seem biological."
"Biological?" gasped Lincoln, having walked up while Lisa spoke. "I didn't get a good look at the one in town due to all the dust, but it looked more mechanical."
"Yes. That was my first impression as well. They seem to have a mechanical exoskeleton. However, internally..." Lisa sighed, adjusting her glasses. "I am detecting heat signatures similar to a living being."
"That's incredible!" barked Lana, pushing between Lori and Lincoln. "But how are we supposed to fight something like that?"
"What's this 'we' crap?" Lynn retorted, lightly banging her fist on Lana's head, pushing her cap over her eyes. "We aren't going to do anything! Let the military handle this. That's what they're for. Right?" she inquired hopefully. "They have the best and brightest working for them. Don't they?"
"That's enough!" snapped Rita as everyone watched the behemoth take out two Apache helicopters after emitting a beam of light from its mouth. "We have enough to worry about to fight amongst ourselves."
"What do you mean?" gasped Lucy, stepping from the shadows. "You don't think it'll destroy our house. Do you?"
"That's a possibility," Rita conceded as she gathered her children and knelt before them. "That's not what I'm worried about, though. We're safe down here. I think," she said. "But, we have to rescue Pop-pop somehow."
Lucy's eyes glistened, unseen by the others. Morosely, she stepped away from them and looked up at the freshly sealed tube leading out of the bunker. "Edwin..." she muttered sadly. "I guess this is goodbye."
"Damn it!" scolded Lisa, banging her desk with her fists, her young head lowered. "This is all my fault!"
"Say what, now?" her father sputtered. "I'm sure this has nothing to do with you."
"But it does," wept the little scientist, unwilling to face her family. "Do you remember that man who visited me a few months ago..."
*bzzzt- bzzzt*
"I'll get it!" chirped Lola as she skipped across the living room and answered the door, only to greet a rather large-chested man in a military uniform. "Can I help you?"
"Forgive the intrusion, miss," the man stoically said without appearing to look downward. "I am here on official business and need to speak with your parents immediately."
"Um... sure. Hang on!" the stymied child replied as she gently closed the door and hastily entered the kitchen. "Mom!" she barked. "There's an Amry man at the door!"
"A what?" sighed Rita, putting down her crossword puzzle book to follow her daughter to the front door. Opening it, she became flustered at the officer's formal and stately appearance. "Yes? I'm Rita Loud. How can I help you, officer?"
"Greetings, Mrs. Loud," the man stated politely. "I am General Wright, here to consult with Lisa Loud. Is she in?"
"Well, yes," Rita answered, more than a little confused. "How do you know my daughter, and what could the military possibly want with her?"
"What seems to be the cause of the commotion?" interjected Lisa, standing beside her mother and wearing her lab coat.
The man tipped his hat at Lisa, then answered Rita's question as best he could. "I regret that I can discuss this only with Lisa. I want to talk privately with her if you would permit it."
"Fine, come in," the confused mother said. "Who am I to argue with the government."
After opening her home to the man, Rita stepped aside and entered, respectfully removing his hat as he crossed the threshold.
"I apologize for not explaining before, but I was under a non-disclosure agreement," Lisa continued. "But now, I don't care. You see, the government wanted my expertise in genetics. However, as a minor, they couldn't hire me. Instead, they issued me a substantial grant for my accumulated notes and experiments."
"What?" gasped Luna, holding her balled fists near her chin. "You sold out?"
"I..." stammered the young girl, her silent tears nearly overwhelming her. "I'm afraid so. I had no idea that something like that could happen!"
"Well," voiced Luan, resting one hand on her sister's back, rubbing it gently. "What's done is done. It's not like we can do anything about it now."
"T-That's not..." Lisa stammered, wiping her cheeks. "That's not exactly true."
"What do you mean, Lisa?" demanded Rita, folding her arms in dismay. "Surely you aren't suggesting we fight those things!"
"That's exactly what I mean," replied Lisa, standing determinedly and grabbing a large set of keys from her desk. Then, pointing at her awe-struck brother, she said, "But I'm going to need Lincoln to pull it off."
"W-What? M-Me?" Lincoln stammered, his face going utterly blank while mimicking Lisa's gesture and pointing to himself.
"More precisely," Lisa announced with a glint in her eye. "I need a few of your undifferentiated stem cells."
"WHAT?!" Lincoln gasped, clasping both hands to his head. "NO WAY! YOU CAN'T JUST ASK SOMEONE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"
"And, if you don't mind..." Lisa sheepishly grinned. "I'll require a sample of your sperm as well."
*ka-thunk*
The following several weeks were grueling for the Loud family. The noises of destruction and mayhem would eventually reside, only to return another day. Forced to live in the bunker proved problematic until Todd could construct reasonable housing for everyone. Much to the family's surprise, the underground dwelling had more than one floor, though they weren't sure how many.
While the family did what they could to live their lives, often listening to the radio broadcasts or watching the global news network, Lisa secluded herself in unknown parts of the bunker. Only appearing to use the restroom, bathe, eat, or sleep, Lisa began to feel like the mad scientist many teased her of being.
Then, one day, three weeks into the event, Lisa walked through the sliding door she often disappeared through and stood before the makeshift dinner table, created from several gathered crates. Though primarily done, much remained to do. And as Lisa took a deep breath, her family stopped eating their meals and gave her their attention.
"It is ready," she announced. "Eat well and get lots of rest. Tomorrow, we begin training," she finished before turning and walking from the room.
Lincoln tossed and turned most of the night, wondering what Lisa had cooked up. So far, she had been entirely negligent in explaining anything. They seldom saw her already. The least she could've done was give them some clue about what was happening. Though, he suspected his sister didn't want them to worry.
Regardless, not knowing was even worse. It was enough that Lincoln had to endure two minor surgical procedures. Lisa's experiments usually backfired, even though she could always fix them, and there was no reason to think things had changed. Knowing she intended to fight against the Daemons scared Lincoln witless.
Though Lisa never made such a declaration, the concerned twelve-year-old knew that, somehow, the entire operation centered around him. That was a lot of responsibility for someone his age. And, aside from minor tussles with his siblings, he'd never raised his fist, much less fought anyone. How did Lisa expect him to battle those monsters?
Quietly, he sat in the dark chamber and looked at his sleeping family. Everyone had been through so much already, taking turns making dinner from Lisa's stores, toting boxes and supplies from the bunker into the lift, and keeping track of the news. Rita even put together a daily class to occupy her children's minds and continue their education.
"For them," he thought. "I'll do it for them."
The following morning, everyone silently stood behind Lisa as they waited for the sliding door to the lift to open. Finally, after three weeks of grueling anticipation, they would see what Lisa had been working on. After the two-part door slid open and everyone entered, they maintained silence as the lift began moving down the cement tube.
After what seemed like three floors, the concrete shaft suddenly ended. Three walls changed to glass, and the one behind them steel. Beyond them was a vast chamber lined with catwalks. Near the bottom was something so unbelievable that everyone rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Standing silent was what looked like a giant robot.
"Is-" Lincoln stammered, pressing his hands and face against the side of the lift. "Is that what I think it is?!"
"Yes," replied Lisa, adjusting her glasses again. "And, you shall be its pilot."
"What?!" gasped the astounded youth. "That thing looks complicated, and I'm not that smart! What makes you think I'll ever learn how?"
"Thinking is the key," Lisa announced proudly. "That's why I needed your D.N.A.," she informed him. "All you'll have to do is sit in the cockpit and sync with it. You'll experience the world through it's senses. That is to say, you will become the Deacon."
"Uh, Deacon?" Luna inquired.
"Affirmative," Lisa mumbled. "That's what I've chosen to call it, as a counter to the government labeling their creations as Daemons. It seemed appropriate."
"Um..." hummed Lynn. "That's great for Stincoln, but what should we do? Sit around and twiddle our thumbs?"
"Yeah!" barked Lola, angry at the spotlight getting taken from herself. "You could've made one for each of us, you know!"
"I apologize," Lisa said as the lift reached the bottom of the chamber and the door slid open. "However, I only had the materials for one. But don't worry. I have jobs for each of you."
"Oh, wow!" sighed Rita, following her children into the large chamber.
Among the various mechanical components and trolleys containing tools, Lisa had assembled several wide desks with computer terminals built into them adorned the floor, facing the Deacon. Vast monitors hung above and to all sides from the rafters, constantly measuring and displaying the Deacon's status.
"I did say 'we' would begin training today. Didn't I?" prompted Lisa, smirking. "I meant all of us."
Suddenly, the noise level in the silo exponentially increased as everyone began clamoring for attention at once. Amid the beeps and chirps of the monitors, everyone was eager to learn what they'd be doing, arguing about who would be best doing what. Luckily, Lisa had already assessed her family members and made those choices.
"Ehem!" coughed Lisa, holding a clipboard. "Your roles are as follows. No exceptions and no arguing," she demanded.
"Mom," she said, looking understandingly at her mother. "You'll be in charge of our continued education."
"Dad," Lisa continued, shifting her gaze. "You'll be responsible for our nutritional needs."
"Lori," she announced, looking at her printout. "I've designated you the team lead. You'll ensure everyone else does their job. But that means you'll have to study the most as you'll need to understand everyone else's job."
"Leni," the scientist continued. "You'll monitor enemy positions and relay their specifications to the rest."
"Luna, I need you to serve as the morale officer," Lisa requested. "Your job is to keep everyone hyped and ready to go."
"Luan?" came the following announcement. "I need you to monitor resources and energy levels."
"Lynn," she continued, looking at her overly eager sister with half-open lids. "Naturally, you'll be our strategic lead."
"Lucy, I need you to monitor the Deacon's vital signs and let us know if any problems arise during combat."
"Lana..." sighed Lisa, still unsure about her choice. "Your job is simple: repair any damage to the Deacon after the battle."
"Lola?" Lisa asked, going down the list. "You'll be my assistant, which may be the most important job. I'm not the most disciplined or organized."
Once more, the loft rang out with various exclamations of cheer or discontent, and Lisa had to sound the alarm to regain their attention.
"Now then," she said, looking more severe than ever. "Let's do this!"
