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Darkness Returns to the House of Loud	By : Trillhouse Category: +G through L > The Loud House Views: 1315 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Loud House, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Echoes
- 2-Whispers
- 1
- 2
'Your call cannot be completed at this time. Please hang up and try again-'
Lyra lowered her phone with a sigh. Again, no service… not that she hadn't expected that, of course. She glanced over her shoulder towards her siblings. It seemed that the initial shock had worn off, if nothing else… they seemed mostly calm, chatting amongst themselves and joking about the earthquake.
"I-is everything okay…?" A timid voice asked as Bobby appeared from the dining room, leading a calmed but still-trembling Loan by the hand. Reina gasped and hopped off the couch before dashing to the pair's side.
"There you are! Loan, are you alright?!" Reina asked; Loan forced a small smile and nodded, to her relief.
"S-sorry to worry you…"
"It's alright, Loan. We're just glad you're safe," Lyra assured her. "Where's Liena?"
"In the kitchen… it's kind of a mess in there," Bobby replied. "I asked if she needed help but she just shooed us out."
"Sounds like Liena, alright," Lyle chimed in.
"So, um... w-what's going on?" Loan asked as she shuffled into the room with the twins by her side. "Is anyone hurt…?" Lyra shook her head.
"Nothing too serious, thankfully." The young woman looked down at her phone with a frown. "Though… we don't know exactly what's going on. We can't get in contact with anyone and it looks like the power's out in the rest of the town."
"...Oh." Loan glanced out the window, and Bobby could feel her hand tense up at the sheer darkness outside.
"Yeah, and now she's making us sit here like we're in detention or somethin'," Lemy groaned. The boy was lying across the couch's armrest, his hair nearly brushing against the carpet. He pushed himself up with a grunt and shot his sister a look of annoyance. "Seriously, what're we doin', here? Are we just supposed to sit around till morning?"
"I'm just being cautious, Lemy," Lyra huffed. "I'd prefer we stay together in case there are aftershocks."
"Well… it has been a while, hasn't it?" Liby spoke up. "I'm sure we'd have felt something by now, right?" Lyra pursed her lips in thought. It had been some time, yes, but she was far from an expert on earthquakes. Before she could ponder the matter further, she heard footsteps as Lupa appeared at the top of the staircase.
"There you are. I was starting to wonder if… Lupa?" Lyra cocked an eyebrow as she took note of her sister's demeanor. Lupa was moving with slow, unsteady steps, her pale face twisted in a slight grimace and her eyes focused on nothing in particular. She seemed to be lost in her own little world. "Lupa, are you alright?" She asked as the girl neared the bottom of the stairs.
"Huh?" Lupa snapped to attention with a gasp, as though she'd completely forgotten the others were present. She found herself met with the curious gazes of her siblings–or those who noticed her arrival, at any rate–and for a moment seemed to be at a loss for words.
"Yo… you okay, Lu'?" Lemy asked. "You look kinda out of it."
"Yeah, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Lacy giggled. Lupa blinked, taking a moment to register things before letting out a sigh.
"Yeah, I… yeah. I'm… fine."
"You don't look fine," Liby said with a frown. "Did something happen?"
"No, I… I just…" The albino leaned against the banister and rested her face in her palm, rubbing her tired eyes before looking up at her family. "Did anything… weird happen while I was gone?"
"...Weird?" Lyra muttered. "Weird how?"
"I don't know. Just… weird…" Lupa averted her eyes. "Like… things suddenly looking different. Like…" The girl trailed off as she noticed the befuddled stares of those present. Her words died in her throat and she slumped her shoulders, giving a small shake of her head. "...Never mind. Just… tired, that's all."
"Aren't we all," Lyle mumbled. "Anyway, I agree with Liby. It's late for all of us, and it looks like the worst is over."
"I know, I know. I just…" Lyra glanced down at her phone again. For all she knew it could be hours, if not days before they regained service… there was no telling just how much damage the earthquake had caused, after all. She lowered her phone and looked out the nearby window with a frown. It was still pitch black outside, with not so much as a single speck of light visible in the distance. The young woman narrowed her eyes. It was more than a little unusual, to say the least… by all logic there should have been some sort of activity, right? Lyra chewed her lip in thought, mulling over her options. Finally, she sighed in resignation and turned to her siblings. "Liby, I'm sorry, but do you think you could grab my jacket from upstairs?" She asked. "And my purse, if you'd be so kind."
"Huh? Oh, uh… sure," The gangly teen said, getting to her feet and making her way up the stairs. Lemy cocked an eyebrow.
"What're you doin'?"
"Clearly, waiting around here does us no good," Lyra replied. "I'm going to have a look outside."
"Outside…?" Loan muttered. "Um… w-what if it's dangerous?"
"Yeah, you can't go out there alone!" Lemy hopped off the couch and puffed out his chest. "I'm goin' too."
"No, you're not," Lyra said with a roll of her eyes. "The rest of you are going to stay here until I get back."
"Oh, come on!" Her little brother huffed. "I can totally-"
"I said no, Lemy," She said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I don't want anyone else leaving the house, especially not when it's this dark outside." Lemy growled in irritation and flopped back onto the couch, crossing his arms and grumbling under his breath.
"I'm not a little kid anymore, y'know…"
"...You're nine," Lyle said dryly.
"And you're eight, so bite me, Lyla," The young metalhead grunted, earning him a glare of irritation from his brother. Lyra groaned and buried her face in her hand.
"Enough, you two. This isn't the time for bickering." The two brothers stared each other down for a moment before turning away from one another in annoyance. "Good, now… oh, thank you Liby," Lyra said as her sister returned, descending the staircase with the requested items in hand. "Anyway, I shouldn't be long. Until I get back, Liena's in charge."
"...Wait." To Lyra's surprise, it was Lupa who spoke up. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"Lupa, please. Just because she can't talk doesn't mean she can't-"
"Not Liena," The albino said, approaching her sister with a serious expression. "I mean going outside. I… don't think you should do that." Lyra blinked, then a small smirk crossed her face.
"I appreciate your concern, Lupa. But I assure you, I'll be fine," She said as she slipped on her purple jacket. "I'm old enough to look out for myself."
"I know that, it's just… look, it's a bad idea, okay?" Lupa repeated. There was an unusual note of urgency to her voice, enough for even Lyra to pick up on.
"Listen…" Lyra sighed. "If you're that worried, you can come along too-"
"Aw, come on!" Lemy snapped. "That's not fair!"
"Lemy, enough," She scolded before turning back to her white-haired sibling. "Well, Lupa?"
"I…" The younger girl looked out the window with a slightly troubled expression, then shook her head. "It's… it's not that. None of us can go outside right now." Lyra furrowed her brow in confusion.
"And why is that?" The pious girl asked. Lupa opened her mouth to reply, but found herself at a loss for words. She averted her gaze and crossed her arms, tapping her foot anxiously.
"It's… just a gut feeling…" The goth muttered.
"...That's it?"
"It's a strong gut feeling."
"Sounds like someone's on the rag again," Lyle mumbled just under his breath, earning a snort of laughter from Lemy and Lacy. A harsh glare from the amber-eyed girl was enough to silence them, though Lemy had to bite his lip to keep from snickering. Even Liby had to stifle a chuckle.
"I-in all seriousness…" Liby began. "Lupa… is there something you're not telling us?" She locked eyes with her troubled sister, taking note of her uncharacteristic demeanor. Liby was nothing if not observant, and she knew Lupa better than most… clearly something had rattled the girl, and she highly doubted it was just due to the earthquake.
"I… well…" Lupa stammered. She glanced between her siblings, finding them looking back at her with curious and in some cases unnerved stares. What, exactly, was she supposed to tell them? That the house transformed before her very eyes? That she saw some stringy-haired ghost girl straight out of a bad horror flick? "...You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"In that case-"
"Wait!" Lupa jumped in front of Lyra as she approached the door, blocking her path. She locked eyes with the older girl, meeting her disgruntled gaze, and after an uneasy glance at her siblings she let out a soft sigh. "Look, I… I saw something, okay?" She saw Lyra's expression soften slightly.
"...Saw something?" She asked. "Like what?" For a moment Lupa's mouth hung agape, emitting an awkward croak as she tried to find her words. She looked away, clearing her throat in an uncharacteristically flustered manner.
"...Alright, look," Lupa muttered. "This is going to sound crazy, but when I was upstairs everything… I dunno. Changed." Lyra's perplexed expression grew deeper, and the younger girl continued. "Everything looked like it used to when our parents were still kids, and I saw this weird… I dunno… ghost girl-"
"Lupa-"
"-And she knew our names, and warned me to stay out of the dark-"
"Lupa, that's enough." Lyra huffed. "This is no time for your games."
"It's not a game, Lyra!" Lupa shot back. "Just look! How do you explain this?!" She presented the stuffed rabbit she had brought back with her, holding it up for Lyra to see. However, the teen seemed unperturbed by the evidence.
"...A stuffed animal?" Lyra said. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I found it in my… in our dad's old room. In the past," The girl explained. Her outlandish claim merely earned her a scoff from Lyle, and she silenced the boy with a harsh scowl. Unfortunately, Lyra seemed no less skeptical than her half-brother, and she buried her forehead in her palm with a groan of irritation.
"So you found an old toy. That doesn't mean anything," The teen said.
"Yes, it does!" Lupa pressed on, her tone growing increasingly frustrated. "Luna said this thing was torn up ages ago, so how the hell is it in one piece?!"
"Actually, I do remember hearing about that," Liby cut in, but demurred as Lyra gave her an incredulous look. "I-I'm just saying, that part isn't made up."
"Lupa, what about that girl?" Lemy asked; the boy was leaning forward in his seat, seemingly intrigued by his sister's story. "Was she a ghost?"
"Lemy, don't be ridiculous," Lyra sighed.
"A ghost?! Like, here in the house?!" Lacy gasped in excitement, to Lyra's chagrin. "Where?! What's her name?!"
"Lacy. Please."
"C-come on, there's no such thing as ghosts…" Reina stammered, scooting a bit closer to her equally-unnerved twin brother. "Right…?"
"Of course no-"
"Was it a friendly ghost?" Lizy asked. "Like Casper?"
"Lizy-"
"Was she gross?" Asked Lemy. "Like dripping blood and slime and stu-"
"ENOUGH!" Lyra stomped her foot, the room falling silent at her sudden outburst. "That's enough of this nonsense. Everyone's worried enough as is."
"It's not nonsense!" Lupa snapped. "I'm telling you, something weird is… hey!" She was interrupted by her older sister firmly grabbing her arm.
"A word, please," Lyra grumbled as she dragged the younger girl into the dining room.
"Let go," Lupa huffed, wrenching her arm from her sister's grasp. "What's the big idea?"
"You listen here, Lupa," Lyra hissed. She stooped down to Lupa's level, her face inches away, and Lupa couldn't help but take a step back from the irritated young woman before hitting the wall behind her. "I have no time for your ridiculous stories-"
"I'm telling the truth. You really think I'd fuck around at a time like this?!"
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," The teen stood straight, glaring down at her sister with crossed arms. "This may be all fun and games for you, but there's a room full of frightened children out there and the last thing they need right now are childish ghost stories." Lupa's face scrunched up in anger and her hands clenched into fists.
"I'm. Not. Lying." The young goth spat. "You've seen how dark it is out there, haven't you?! Something's wrong, and if we-"
"Lupa. Enough." Lyra let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just… enough. I simply cannot deal with this right now. We will discuss this later. Right now, I need to find out what's going on outside."
"But-"
"We will discuss this later, Lupa," She repeated. "Now go sit with the others. I don't want to hear another word about this, do I make myself clear?"
"You're not the boss of me," Lupa said with a scowl.
"Try me, Lupa," Lyra shot back. The two stood their ground, eyes locked on one another in a harsh glare. Finally, Lupa shoved her hands into her pockets with a huff.
"Fine. Do what you want," Lupa scoffed. "But don't come crying to me when things go tits-up." With that, the girl skulked off to the living room. With the rebellious girl gone, Lyra sighed and shook her head. She had little patience for the goth's trolling even at the best of times, and right now was most certainly not the best of times.
Though… she had been unusually persistent this time around, especially given the circumstances.
Lyra shook the thought off and returned to the living room. She couldn't let Lupa get under her skin, especially not now. The girl in question was currently sulking, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
"Okay, listen up," Lyra said with a clap of her hands, drawing the attention of her gathered siblings. "While I'm gone I want no fighting, no arguing, no ridiculous stories…" She was sure to shoot a glare at Lupa as she said this, and the girl averted her eyes with an irritated click of her tongue. "...Just behave yourselves and I'll be back shortly, alright? If you need anything, Liena will… yes, Reina?" She asked as the little girl's hand shot up.
"W-what if the ghost gets you…?" Reina asked in a shaky tone. Lyra had to take a deep breath to stop from snapping at the girl; she was simply scared by Lupa's story, after all.
"...There is no ghost, Reina," Lyra said in a gentle, calming tone. "Lupa was just trying to scare you. Everything's fine." This seemed to reassure Reina somewhat, and a small smile crossed her face. "Now, I shouldn't be long. I'm just going to have a look around and see what's going on."
"Be careful out there!" Liby warned. "The ground might be uneven."
"I know, Liby, thank you."
"Hey, if you don't make it back, can I have your record collection?" Lemy teased. Lyra simply rolled her eyes and slipped on her shoes before opening the front door and stepping onto the porch.
Immediately, Lyra found herself met with an eerie stillness the likes of which she had never experienced before. The front yard was dim with naught but the porch lights illuminating the ground ahead, stopping just short of the sidewalk; everything past that was simply pitch black, almost as though there were a clean break between their home and the darkness beyond. The air was unusually still, and Lyra couldn't feel so much as the faintest hint of a breeze against her skin. The grass and trees, too, sat motionless. The unsettling atmosphere was only enhanced by the fact that, aside from her chattering siblings, Lyra couldn't hear so much as a single cricket in the distance.
"Lyra? You goin'?"
"H-huh…?" Lyra looked over her shoulder to find her brother peering at her through the door with a cocked eyebrow. She cleared her throat, forcing down her unease and standing tall. "O-of course. I was just… taking a moment." Lyra took her phone from her pocket and turned on the flashlight. "I'll be back soon, Lemy. You be on your best behavior."
"Yeah, yeah…" Lemy mumbled, waving her off. "Just… don't get hurt out there, okay?"
"...I won't," She replied with a small smile. With that she shut the door and, after taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, made her way down from the porch. To her surprise, the expected chill of night was nowhere to be found… not that it was warm, either. Rather, Lyra couldn't discern any sort of temperature at all. As the grass softly crunched beneath her feet, it dawned on her just how odd it sounded; in the complete absence of surrounding noise, it was almost as though each sound was simply dissipating into the aether.
Lyra couldn't help but instinctively hug her jacket tighter around herself.
As she carefully stepped down the front walkway, Lyra found herself glancing up with a frown. The sky, too, was pitch black. No stars, no moon… nothing but sheer darkness as far as the eye could see. Despite her best efforts to put her mind at ease, the girl's heartbeat grew faster with each step. She had never felt such an overwhelming, all-encompassing pressure such as this. It felt as though the atmosphere itself was bearing down on her like a crushing weight.
Still, she pressed on.
Lyra slowed to a stop as she reached the end of the lawn. Before her was a wall of darkness, and she still couldn't see even the faintest pinprick of light in the distance. She held her flashlight in a shaking hand, not that it did much good… in fact, it seemed to be doing nothing at all. It was like the light was simply being swallowed up by the darkness, illuminating absolutely nothing beyond the visible reaches of the property. This, needless to say, was not normal.
"Lyra… focus. You're being ridiculous," The young woman told herself. It was just a dark, quiet night, that was all. And she'd long since outgrown her fear of the dark. Lyra laughed under her breath; clearly, Lupa's nonsense had gotten to her more than she cared to admit. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing the curious faces of Lemy, Lacy and Lizy peering at her from the window. She forced an uneasy smile and gave a small wave before turning back to the matter at hand. Lyra took another deep breath. "It's fine. I'll just head next door, check on the Grouses, and come right back. Easy."
But Lyra didn't move.
Try as she may, Lyra couldn't bring herself to take that first step. Her legs were frozen in place, and she found herself subconsciously reaching up with her free hand and grasping the crucifix hanging from her neck.
What are you waiting for?
A cold sweat was forming on her brow, and her lower lip trembled slightly as the overbearing atmosphere kept her locked in place. And yet, she couldn't help but feel as though there was something imperceptible urging her forward.
Do not be afraid. It is only the dark. There is nothing to fear.
Lyra's hold on her pendant tightened.
Go on. There are others in here. They are waiting for you. They need you. Do not be afraid.
It is only the dark.
Lyra's breaths grew unsteady. Slowly, she raised her foot to step forward, only to stop midway. She squeezed her eyes shut in focus, shaking her head. This was a bad idea, and she knew it. She felt it. Perhaps it was instinct, or faith, or perhaps her guardian angel, but the message was clear: turn back. Now.
With that, Lyra took a step back, and then another, before turning and walking back to the house with a noticeable haste to her step. Her siblings watched in confusion as she made her way up to the porch and finally opened the door, stepping inside and shutting it behind her. Back in the safety of her home, Lyra leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Uh… Ly'?" Lyra opened her eyes to find Lemy staring at her with a raised brow. "You… okay?"
"Huh…?" The young woman blinked a few times and glanced around, now noticing the rest of her siblings looking at her with a mix of curiosity, confusion and apprehension. Her mouth hung agape for a moment before she straightened herself and cleared her throat. "Er… y-yes, I'm fine."
"What happened?" Lyle asked. "I thought you were going to look for help?"
"Didya see something scary?" Lacy asked excitedly.
"Don't be ridiculous…" Lyra muttered. "I just… thought better of it, that's all." Lemy's eyes narrowed incredulously.
"...Oh, I get it," He said, a sly smirk crossing his face. "You're still scared of the dark, ain't ya?" His sister's face turned red with indignation.
"O-of course not!" She stammered. "I simply felt it would be more prudent to stay here until we know more about what's going on."
"Until daytime, you mean?" Lemy teased; several of the others snickered into their palms, further flustering the young woman.
"Until we know it's safe, Lemy," She huffed as she strode past them towards the stairs. "Anyway, it's clear there's little we can do about the situation at the moment. I'm going to start cleaning up."
"What about the rest of us…?" Bobby asked. Lyra paused, thinking for a moment.
"...I suppose you can all go back to bed if you wish. If it's safe, of course," She said. "But I don't want any of you using bunk beds tonight. Especially you, Lemy, with that leg of yours."
"Whatever, I'm not goin' back to bed anyway," Lemy shrugged. "Way too wired for that." Lyra shot him a brief glare of disapproval, but it quickly faded; in truth, many of her siblings seemed to be wide-awake now, not that she could blame them given the scare they'd all experienced. The girl sighed in resignation.
"Suit yourself. But I don't want anyone leaving this house," She said. "And watch your steps. If you see broken glass, do not touch it, and I don't want anyone trying to lift anything heavy by themselves, do you all understand?" Her siblings muttered in agreement. Satisfied with that, Lyra continued on her way.
Just before reaching the stairs, however, Lyra's eyes met those of Lupa, who was still leaning against the nearby wall. The younger girl was silent, but there was an intense scrutiny behind her gaze that spoke volumes. For a few moments the two stared each other down, until Lupa finally looked away with an irritated click of her tongue. Lyra frowned, lingering a moment before heading upstairs with a sigh.
"What was that all about?" Liby asked as Lyra disappeared around the corner. Lupa shrugged.
"...Nothing," She muttered. "Just messing around."
"Lupa, Lupa!" Lacy bounded up to her sister excitedly. "Is it true? Didya really see a ghost?!" Lupa gave her an aside glance, a small smirk of amusement crossing her lips.
"Well, I dunno," She said with a mock yawn. "I mean, boss lady told me not to talk about it, so-"
"Aw, c'mon! Lyra's not even here right now!"
"Yeah, c'mon! Give us the deets!" Lemy added, hurrying to the girl's side as quickly as his injured leg would allow. Lupa let out a hum, pursing her lips and tapping her chin in thought. Finally, she gave a small shrug.
"Well, I don't know what I saw," She explained. "There was a weird-looking girl. That's pretty much all I know."
"Well, what'd she look like?" Lemy asked. The goth's expression shifted somewhat, the smirk fading from her face slightly. She hadn't been able to get a good look at the girl, due to the dim lighting and briefness of their encounter. However, there had been a resemblance that was far too apparent to ignore:
"...Mom," Lupa muttered. "She… kinda looked like mom."
"You saw your mom…?" Lemy frowned. "She ain't dead, though."
"She looked like mom. It wasn't her, though." Lupa said. "And like I said, I don't know if it was a ghost."
"Interesting…" Liby said under her breath, rubbing her chin with a thoughtful expression. "You also said that everything looked like it used to, right? And yet, if the girl wasn't Lucy-"
"Oh, for crying out loud," Lyle groaned, burying his face in his palm. "Liby, don't tell me you're falling for this too. You must be spending too much time with that boyfriend of yours." Her brother's accusation made Liby turn beet red.
"C-Connor is not my boyfriend…!" Liby sputtered. "W-we're just friends! And I never said I believed her, I just…!" Her siblings began to snicker at her flustered state, only further embarrassing the awkward girl, and she crossed her arms with a huff. "...I just don't think Lupa's lying, that's all. Maybe she just dozed off and had a vivid dream."
"It wasn't a dream," Lupa said. "Do I need to bring up the dumb rabbit again?"
"I'll admit that's… weird… but there could be a logical explanation for that," Liby offered. "Like, maybe our aunts were mistaken about it getting torn up. Maybe it just got lost, and the earthquake shook it out of hiding."
"I told you, everything looked-"
"But that could have been a dream," The lanky girl explained. "Can you really say for sure that you saw what you thought you saw?" Lupa frowned, her eyes narrowing in thought. Liby did have a point. The experience felt real, for sure, but it was certainly possible that it was all dreamed up by her tired and understandably shaken mind.
"Um… e-excuse me…?" Loan chimed in before she could pursue those thoughts further, timidly raising her hand. "Sorry, but… c-could we maybe stop talking about this…?" Lupa took notice of Bobby and Reina, who seemed to be quite perturbed by the eerie conversation and were huddled close to their oldest sister. Lupa sighed and scratched the back of her head.
"...Whatever. I guess there's not really anything less to discuss," She mumbled.
"Aw, c'mon, Lupa!" Lacy pouted.
"Yeah, there's gotta be more to it than that!" Lemy added.
"Nah. Besides, it doesn't look like anything else is going on right now" She said plainly. Lupa took a step away from the wall and gave a little stretch. "Anyway, I'm going back to my room. Got some… stuff to take care of." With that, Lupa turned and headed upstairs. Before returning to her own room, however, she found herself hesitating atop the stairs. There, directly across from the staircase, was the room shared by Lacy and Reina… the one once belonging to her mother and aunt Lynn. She couldn't help but peek through the ajar doorway to find the room looking just the same as always, albeit in disarray from the earthquake. Lupa let out a soft sigh and shook her head. Maybe Liby's right, she thought. …I HOPE she's right. With that, Lupa headed back to her room.

"So… what now?" Lacy asked.
"I dunno," Lemy mumbled as he flopped back into the armchair. "Could watch tv or something."
"We don't have service, idiot. Remember?" Lyle said in a snide tone. Lemy shot him a harsh glare.
"Well maybe we could watch a blu-ray, I dunno."
"Well I, for one, need my beauty sleep." Leia hopped off the other chair and gave an exaggerated yawn. "Now, which of you fine gentlemen would like to escort me to my bedroom?" She looked between her three brothers to find that, to her irritation, none seemed interesting in taking up her offer. "...Ahem," She grunted, her gaze firmly trained on Lemy.
"Huh? Oh, uh…" Lemy stifled a yawn. "...Sorry. Bum leg, remember?" Leia narrowed her eyes.
"...You were just running around, Lemy." Her brother simply shrugged in response.
"Um…" Bobby muttered. "I… guess I could-"
"Not you, tubby," Leia huffed, making the boy roll his eyes. She reluctantly turned her focus to Lyle, who seemed dead-set on ignoring his primadonna sister. However, a gentle tug on his sleeve from Bed caused his pompous demeanor to soften in an instant.
"What is it, Bed? Are you sleepy?" He asked; the soft-spoken little girl gave a small nod. "You know what? Me too," He said with a smile. "Come on, let's get you back to bed. And I guess you can come too, Leia."
"Gee, thanks," Leia scoffed. She offered her arm for Lyle to escort her, but he didn't seem to notice or care; he simply walked past, leading Bed by the hand. Leia growled in indignation and stormed after them. "This is why none of you will ever make a good husband, you know," She grumbled under her breath.
"Love ya too Lei, sweet dreams," Lemy said nonchalantly as she passed. Leia kept grumbling to herself as she trudged upstairs after the other two. "What about you guys?"
"Um…" Loan mumbled and twiddled her thumbs. "W-well, I…"
"Do you want to go back to your room, Loan…?" Bobby asked. Loan looked away and chewed her lip in thought.
"K-kind of, but…" She looked back to the twins nervously. "Would you two, um… w-would you stay with me tonight…?" Bobby's face lit up with a gentle grin.
"Of course we would. Right, Reina?"
"Yeah, yeah! It'll be like a sleepover!" The little girl said excitedly. "B'sides, Lyra said not to use the bunk bed tonight." Loan's lips curled into a small smile.
"Thank you…" She said. Loan got to her feet alongside the pair. As he glanced around the room, however, Bobby took notice of Lulu. She was sitting on the floor near Lizy, who still seemed lost in her own little world as she rambled on to herself about Godzilla. Needless to say, Lulu wasn't paying attention. In fact, she seemed somewhat perturbed… she was staring at her own hands, flexing her tiny fingers with a furrowed brow. Bobby broke off from Loan and Reina and approached the little girl.
"Lulu…? Are you okay?" He asked. The infant looked up at him with a troubled expression. She looked at her hands again before raising her arms with a small 'Buh', asking to be picked up. Bobby chuckled and carefully took the girl into his arms. "What's wrong?"
"Bu-buh, buh buh…" Lulu babbled in response. She seemed unusually apprehensive, not that Bobby could necessarily blame her.
"It's okay, Lulu… the earthquake's gone. Nothing's gonna hurt you," He said. His words did little to reassure the girl, though he supposed she couldn't fully understand him anyway. "I know… I bet a snack would cheer you up. Let's go see Liena, okay…?"
"Ooh, ooh, I wanna snack too!" Lizy cried, hopping to her feet and dashing after Bobby.
"You're all out, huh?" Lemy asked Loan and the twins as they made to leave. Loan gave a small nod.
"Yeah… um, sorry…"
"Nah, it's fine. 'Night, guys," Lemy said with a small wave.
"Good night, Lemy…" Said Bobby.
"Night, Lem'!" Reina said cheerfully.
"Goodnight…" Loan added with a small smile. "Um… s-stay safe…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't worry 'bout me." With that the trio departed, along with Lulu and Lizy. Now only Lemy, Lacy and Liby remained. "So… who wants to watch an R-rated movie?"

Liena dumped the last of the swept-up broken glass into the garbage and looked over her handiwork with a satisfied smile. The kitchen finally looked presentable again, free from glass and debris, though she'd have to give it a more thorough cleaning in the morning. After putting the broom and dustpan away, she decided she had earned herself a little break. Though cleaning had provided a good distraction from the current situation, Liena figured a cup of tea would do wonders for her frazzled nerves, so she filled the kettle in the sink and set it on the stove to boil.
"Hey, Lien-" Bobby began as he stepped in with Lulu in his arms, only to stop at the sight of the now-cleaned kitchen. "W-wow… you're done already?"
"Mhm~" Liena hummed, smiling warmly as her siblings entered. (Is everything alright?) She signed. (It sounds like things quieted down out there.)
"Well, we can't call anyone," Reina groaned. "No signal, no internet, nothing."
"Yeah… a-and it's really dark outside, so Lyra doesn't want us leaving the house…" Bobby added. "So I guess we're stuck until morning." A small frown crossed Liena's face, but it quickly faded as she turned to her big sister.
(How about you, Loan? Are you feeling better?)
"Oh, um… I-I think so…" Loan said, rubbing her arm sheepishly. "Th-thank you for helping me earlier…" Liena simply gave a small nod, her kind smile widening slightly.
"Buh…"
"Oh, right…" Bobby set Lulu down in her highchair. "Um… Lulu's been acting a bit weird. I think she might be hungry, or something…"
"Me too, me too!" Lizy cried out, popping out from behind the others. "I wanna ice cream!"
"...Ih's a bih too layte fo' dat, Lissy…" Liena chuckled, making the toddler pout cutely. "Ah'll mayk yoo summfin tho." This seemed to placate the girl, and Lizy hopped into one of the chairs cheerfully. (What about you three?)
"Oh, we were just gonna go down to Loan's room," Reina said. "Plenty of snacks down there, right?"
(I see,) Liena signed with a small giggle. (Well, how about a cup of tea? I just put on some water.)
"Oh, that would be great," Loan said. "I-if you don't mind, that is…"
(I'll bring it down to you when it's ready, then.) The two exchanged a grin, then Loan and the twins continued on their way, heading down the basement stairs. "Lissy," Liena slurred, turning towards her second-youngest sister. "Wood yoo laik a pee-bee-jay?"
"Okay!" Lizy agreed. "Wif strawberry jam!" Liena nodded in understanding, and got to work making the girl a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She knew Lizy's preferences by heart… untoasted crustless bread, smooth peanut butter and a slightly higher ratio of jam. She cut the sandwich diagonally and set it down in front of the hungry toddler, who wasted no time in taking a big bite. Liena chuckled into her palm.
"Wha' do yoo say, Lissy?" She asked. The little girl paused for a moment in thought, before letting out a gasp.
"Mm… fank you!" She mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich. Liena smiled warmly and gave the girl a pat on the head before turning to Lulu. Immediately, she could see what Bobby meant when he said she was acting weird… the infant was being unusually quiet and seemed almost anxious, glancing around as though she were confused about something.
"Looloo? Ih summfin wron'?" She asked as she crouched down to her baby sister's level, doing her best to enunciate clearly. Lulu simply looked at her with a troubled gaze. Liena frowned, gently cupping the girl's cheek and tilting her head to look her over. She certainly seemed alright, physically speaking at least… Liena could only assume that she was still rattled by the earthquake. Hopefully a snack would help soothe her nerves. "Hau abow' an appul?" Lulu gave a small nod of approval, and Liena got to her feet. She retrieved a fresh, crisp apple from the fridge and cut it into small pieces for her sister. "Heer yoo go, Looloo," She slurred as she returned to the girl's side, setting down the plate of apple slices along with a sippy-cup of juice. To her relief, this seemed to put a small smile on Lulu's face, and she eagerly set down her pacifier to dig in. Liena grinned before turning to Lizy with a sigh. The girl was rocking back and forth in her seat as she devoured the sandwich, with dollops of peanut butter and jam squirting out and falling onto the table. "Lissy, yoo makin' a mess," She said, and took a napkin to wipe some jelly from her sister's cheek. "An' don' rahk laik dat, yoo cud hur' yooself." Lizy slowed to a stop, swallowing a mouthful of food before giving her big sister an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Liena," She said. Her big sister smiled and nodded in understanding. Then, her attention was drawn back to Lulu, who was making strange noises as she ate… or, rather, as she sat there with her mouth wide open, flicking her tongue about with her brow furrowed in effort. Liena cocked an eyebrow at the girl's bizarre behavior.
"...Looloo, wha' yoo doin'?" She sighed. Lulu looked up at her with an odd expression and pointed at her mouth, to Liena's confusion. Before she could press further, the tea kettle started to whistle from the stove. She gave her baby sister a gentle reminder not to play around at the table before hurrying to take the kettle off the burner. Liena took a pair of teacups from the cabinet and set about preparing tea for herself and Loan.
While her earlier teens had seen her take on a rebellious persona, Liena had always been a motherly sort at heart. From the moment Lyle was born she had taken on a nurturing role, acting almost as a second mother to him, and the same was true for her other siblings once they started living under the same roof. It wasn't easy playing mom for her siblings, but she'd found it to be rewarding over the years… plus it took some weight off of their father and Ronnie's shoulders. As exhausting as it could be at times, Liena wouldn't have it any other way. After stirring a few teaspoons of honey into Loan's tea, along with the slightest hint of lemon, Liena carefully picked it up along with the saucer it was resting on.
"Ah'll be righ' bahk," She said to Lizy. "Yoo too beehafe, okay?"
"'Kay!" Lizy said, and with that Liena headed down to the basement with Loan's tea. Lizy glanced across the table at Lulu, who still had yet to touch her apple slices. "Lulu? Aren't ya gonna eat?" She asked with a frown. The infant looked up at her with a silent desperation in her eyes, then back down at the snack sitting before her. With some reluctance she reached out and picked up one of the apple slices, then put it in her mouth and tried to chew. However, rather than a set of razor-sharp fangs immediately shredding the apple into pulp, she seemed to be struggling to chew it; her face scrunched up in effort as she fruitlessly jostled the apple slice in her mouth before finally it simply fell out onto the table with a splat, completely intact and soaked with saliva. The innocent-minded toddler seated across from her simply giggled at her antics. "Lulu, you're silly," She said before returning to her own snack.
All in all, this had been an exciting night for Lizy. It was rare for her to be up so late, and most exciting of all… Godzilla was in town! As much as her siblings assured her that wasn't the case, Lizy knew better. What else could have made a loud roar like that? Lizy may not have known much, but she knew a Godzilla when she heard one. She looked out the window with a pout, seeing naught but the darkness beyond. It wasn't fair. She wanted to go out and see Godzilla for herself. Big sis Lyra said it was dangerous, but that couldn't be true… Godzilla was her hero! He'd beat up all kinds of bad monsters and saved the world over and over again, he'd never hurt her or her family. If only she could find him and prove it to the others.
Lizy furrowed her brow in thought. Maybe… maybe she could find him? After all, nobody was around to stop her. Surely it wouldn't take long to find something so big… she could slip out and come back before anyone even noticed. Lizy cautiously peeked over her shoulder. Liena wasn't back yet. She'd have to act now. Quietly as she could, Lizy set down the half-eaten sandwich and slid out of her seat.
"Psst, Lulu," She whispered. "I'm gonna go see Godzilla. Don't tell anybody, 'kay?" Lulu simply stared at her, tilting her head in confusion. This was apparently enough for Lizy, and she smiled broadly. "Thanks, Lulu! I'mma come right back!" With that, the girl shuffled over to the back door and carefully opened it. Despite her best efforts the door's hinges let out a squeak, making her wince. She nervously peeked over her shoulder again, expecting to see Liena storming up the basement stairs… but thankfully, she was nowhere to be seen. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lizy stepped outside.
The situation in the backyard was, unsurprisingly, no different than the front; it was bafflingly dark, with the grass and trees disappearing entirely from view after ten yards or so. The air was completely still and the silence was deafening, as though the surrounding world had come to a complete standstill. Lizy, however, was unshaken. Unlike most children her age, Lizy had no fear of the dark or things that go bump in the night. In fact, the possibility of monsters in the darkness was thrilling to the girl… she'd always wanted to meet one for herself, but despite eagerly checking the closet and under the bed each night she'd so far had no luck. But tonight? Tonight Godzilla was here, and Lizy was gonna find him no matter what.
"Godzilla? Are ya out here?" She called out. But, sadly, she received no response… not even an echo of her own voice. Lizy frowned and waddled closer to the darkness. "It's okay, I'm not a bad guy! I just wanna be friends!" Again, no response. "Godzillaaaa! Come out, come out, wherever you-"
In here.
"...Huh?" Lizy blinked, glancing around in confusion. Had she… heard something? She couldn't see anyone, and now that she thought about it, she couldn't actually recall hearing any sort of voice. And yet-
In here.
"Um…" Lizy's brow furrowed as, once again, a voice seemed to call out to her. However, this time she was sure: she hadn't heard a thing. Rather, it was as though the words were simply entering her mind, almost as if they were her own thoughts. She looked towards the darkness, narrowing her eyes as she tried to make anything out amongst the pitch black void. "Is… is someone there?"
Many are here. Many friends. More than you could ever dream of.
"Friends…?" Lizy perked up slightly. She loved making new friends. "Um… is Godzilla there too?"
Many are here. Everything you could ever want is here. They are waiting for you.
"Really?" The girl excitedly shuffled closer to the darkness, only to catch herself midway. She bit her lip in uncertainty, a look of guilt crossing her face. After all, she wasn't even supposed to be out here… Lyra had told everyone to stay inside, and she'd hate to get punished for not following her instructions. "Um… I-I dunno…" She muttered, fidgeting in place. "Lyra said I'm not s'posed to go outside. I-I should ask her-"
She would stop you. She would never understand. She is afraid.
"But-"
Everything you could ever want is here. They are waiting for you. They need you. They are calling for you.
Lizy frowned and looked over her shoulder towards the house. She didn't want to get in trouble. But…
She will not be mad.
A relieved smile crossed the girl's face. Lyra wouldn't be mad.
She will understand.
Surely she'd understand once she met Lizy's new friends.
Your friends are here. They are waiting for you.
Do not be afraid.
It is only the dark.

"Ah'm back, Liss-" Liena began as she returned to the kitchen, only to pause as she noticed the empty seat. "...Lissy?" The toddler was gone, her half-eaten sandwich sitting abandoned on her plate and a lone Lulu struggling to eat her apple slices. Liena frowned and scratched the back of her head. Had she perhaps gone to the bathroom. "Looloo, were iss Lissy?" She asked the infant. Lulu looked up at her, blinking in confusion. "Lissy," She repeated, pointing to the empty seat. "Were iss Lissy?" Lulu blinked again, then pointed past Liena to the back door. Liena cocked an eyebrow and glanced over at the door. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but on closer examination the girl had left a rather telling clue behind: a smear of peanut butter and strawberry jam on the door handle. "Lissy," She huffed. Liena quickly snatched a napkin off the table and wiped the doorknob clean before storming out after her little sister. Boy, was she going to give that girl a proper scolding.
Well… she'd ask Lyra to do it, at least. Understandably, extended conversations weren't Liena's strong suit.
"Lissy!" She called out, a note of anger in her already-garbled voice. "Lissy, ah no yoo ow' 'ere!" No response. Liena pursed her lips in irritation, looking around for some sign of her sister. She was surprised by just how dark it was, unlike anything the girl had ever seen before… needless to say, it was not a good time for a three-year-old to be running around, especially without supervision. "LISSY! Do yoo-" Before she could finish, Liena's attention was drawn to the faint crunch of grass beneath someone's foot. She snapped her head towards the source of the noise, seeming to come from the far end of the house, and spotted a flash of blonde hair quickly disappearing around the corner. Gotcha, she thought as she set off after the girl with heavy, plodding steps. "Lissy! Yoo geh bahk 'ere righ' now!" As she reached the corner, she rounded it to find…
…Nothing.
Liena furrowed her brow in confusion. Lizy was nowhere to be seen, nor was anyone else, blonde or otherwise. She couldn't have reached the next corner of the house so quickly with her short legs. Meaning….
"...Lissy?" Liena looked towards the darkness, feeling a knot in her stomach. Lizy wouldn't have wandered into the darkness by herself… right? Sure, she'd never been scared of the dark, but even she would know better than to wander around when she couldn't even see. Liena could feel a knot forming in her stomach. "Are yoo owt dere…?" Slowly, anxiously, Liena started to inch her way towards the darkness. She wasn't sure what it was… she knew that the dark was nothing to be afraid of, and she'd conquered her own fears of it by the time she was five. But something about the sheer black void ahead of her filled her with a deep sense of apprehension. She had to push that aside for now, though… if Lizy was out there, she had to find her fast. "L-Lissy! Dis issn' funneh!" She cried. No answer. Liena swallowed. "Ahm naht mad, okai…? Less' jus' go bahk ensyde…"
She is here.
Liena froze. For a moment, she could have sworn she heard a voice, and yet she was absolutely positive that she hadn't.
She is here. The one you seek. She is here. She is waiting for you.
Beads of sweat started to form on the girl's forehead. There it was again… the silent voice in the back of her head. Like an intrusive thought, almost as if her mind was generating it on its own.
She is here. Do not be afraid. She needs you. She wants to see you.
Do not be afraid. It is only the dark.
Liena's heart began to pound vigorously. This wasn't right. Her mind was telling her to keep walking forward, that it was safe there, that everything would be alright if she just stepped into the void.
But Liena knew better.
Though few would ever suspect it, Liena hadn't always had perfect hearing… in fact, the girl had been born deaf. The first eight years of her life were spent in silence, with naught but her own thoughts to keep her company. A side effect of inbreeding, perhaps… but it was something she had learned to live with, and something she would still be living with to this day had Lisa not found a cure. But she never forgot what it was like, and one thing was certain:
These were not her thoughts.
Liena shook her head. She knew to trust her instincts, and right now her instincts were setting off alarm bells. Maybe Lizy wasn't out there. Maybe she was just hiding, playing a game. Heck, maybe Liena had been seeing things… that must have been it. Maybe she'd already come back on her own while Liena was searching for her? Whatever the case, she couldn't stay here. The young woman took a step back, ready to return to the safety of her home.
She wouldn't get that chance.
Before she could turn to walk back to the house, Liena found the air knocked from her lungs as something hard suddenly struck her in the back. She was sent flying forward, emitting a loud wheeze as she crashed to the ground. For a moment Liena could only lie there in shock, fingers clenching around grass and dirt as she gasped for air. She had no idea what had just hit her… it almost felt like she had been bodyslammed directly onto her back, and she was certain she'd never taken a hit like that before. As her breath returned to her she turned to glare at her attacker.
She saw nothing.
No assailant. No Lizy. No grass, no trees.
No house.
Liena's eyes widened in horror. All around her was nothing but a pitch-black, silent void. She tried to call out for someone, but made no sound… it was as though her voice simply did not exist. For a moment, she thought she had lost her hearing again, but somehow she knew that was not the case. She had to get out. She hadn't been knocked that far… she knew where the house was. She just had to run for it. Liena scrambled to her feet.
Or tried to, at any rate.
As Liena tried to get up, she found her arms and legs unable to gain purchase. Or, rather, she was unable to tell if they were… she knew she'd been lying on the ground, but somehow she could no longer feel it beneath her. She tried to grasp at the ground, expecting to feel grass and soil clutched in her hand, but felt nothing. She couldn't even feel her own fingers making a fist. Or… was she making a fist? Without the sensation of touch, she couldn't even be sure of that much. By now, the panic had truly begun to set in… Liena tried to tell herself that she was dreaming, that this wasn't real… hell, even insanity would be preferable to accepting the current situation as reality. She couldn't see, or hear, or feel, or even be certain that she was able to move… she couldn't even feel herself breathing, assuming she was breathing. There was no sensation of any kind beyond her own consciousness, and her panic gave way to a frantic, maddening desperation. Liena could only try in vain to scream for help, to beg for salvation from this existential prison. But none would come.
Do not be afraid.
It is only the dark.
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Darkness Returns to the House of Loud