Author's Note: Obviously this is intended as a sequel to Flagg1991's 'From The Wreckage', so all credit goes to him (and the Loud House creators by extension). I will gladly accept any criticism. I hope you enjoy this first chapter.

Chapter One: Gathering What Remains

The gates of Royal Woods Cemetary groaned as two small figures heaved against it uselessly. The taller figure took it as a bad omen, that perhaps the spirits of the dead didn't want them there. The younger cursed the oxidized metal halting their progress. It seemed the two foes - man and gate - were at a standstill, at least until the younger one revealed a small vial containing a highly potent rust remover. The fast-acting agent worked its magic, and the partners in crime gave one final push.

The rusted entrance gave way, granting them access.

Inside the cemetary, the duo glanced around suspiciously, fearing that a passerby may have heard the earlier ruckus. Once they were sure it was clear, the shorter one took out a small rectangular device, and upon clicking it triggered a chorus of bzzzzzt sounds, indicating the shorting out of all nearby surveillance cameras. With the perimeter secure, they finally removed their black ski masks and put on night vision goggles. Lisa and Lucy Loud were about to commit the unthinkable. Lisa gulped before grasping Lucy's hand for comfort. Together, they treaded towards the source of their nightmares.

The route was forever burned into their memory. Old mossy gravestones lined the path, the names of people long-lost to the annals of time. Eventually, these gave way to newer headstones, some adorned with flowers or windmills. They weren't looking for the typical gravesite fare though. Their's had a sparkling pink tiara on top, a glittering beacon of hope in a sea of despair.

Upon arriving, the sisterly duo had to take a moment.

Lucy always thought cemetaries had a certain gravity to them, but it wasn't until she had a reason to visit one that it truly struck her. Cemeteries weren't just an object of morbid fascination for her, and the same could be said across the board. Seances, ouija boards, vampires, etc. were all just a childish game compared to reality. She'd always be a goth deep down, but tragedy had softened her rough edges and given her a more respectful view of the darkness inside her.

Lisa, meanwhile, still hadn't come to terms with it after nearly half a year. Six months. Had it really been that long? It felt like only yesterday when Vanzilla had been sent careening down the road and into a death roll. The lives of father, Lori, and Lola were claimed in said tragic accident, and the fallout shook the foundations of their household. Some, such as herself and Lana, had been left with mental scars that would last a lifetime. Others, like Lincoln and Luan, were left with debilitating injuries, the former sporting an unseemly limp, and the latter prone to the occasional draught of confusion and forgetfulness. Worse yet, the very definition of normalcy had been tested by the unnatural and still ongoing relations between Luna and Lincoln. To put it simply, things were fucked.

Lisa Loud wore a look of grim determination. If they failed tonight, the ramifications would be unimaginable. Arrest, juvie, psych ward, heck even government interrogation wasn't off the table. The stakes were too damn high for the young genius, and yet the rewards were even more enticing. In her short four and a half years on this planet, she'd learned that family was more valuable than anything - even a Nobel prize. If the whole scientific community stood against her on this matter, then science be damned! Or thrice damned if this endeavor bore fruit…

They'd stood vigil long enough. With a resolute nod, Lisa let Lucy know it was time. Lucy gave a soft sigh before removing the modified soil sampling device and handed it over to Lisa. It wouldn't do to dig up an entire grave. "Too much evidence", Lisa had asserted. Instead, through the use of their modified soil sampler/periscope/delivery system, a small chip would be injected into their remains. From there, a simple 'click' on her keyboard would teleport them to their respective vats within her repurposed April Fools day doomsday bunker.

Lisa held the devise in her hands, taking a moment to ponder how she got herself into this predicament. It all began two months prior when Lisa had suggested cloning to her mother…

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Two months earlier

"Mother Unit, may we speak alone for a moment. I'd like to broach a rather sensitive subject matter", Lisa asked nervously, wringing her hands out in front of her. To say she was afraid would be a gross understatement. Even four months post-accident, the trauma still ran deep in the Loud family. She often wondered if they were all suffering the effects of PTSD, or perhaps some other stress-related disorder. Speculation aside, she knew that she would have to tread lightly in order to receive a favorable reaction. After all, cloning deceased relatives wasn't a topic most were willing to discuss rationally under normal circumstances, let alone a mere four months after the incident.

"Of course sweetie", Rita responded worriedly, her motherly instincts picking up on the nervous undertone of Lisa's words. Ever since the worst day of their lives, Rita made a concerted effort to be there for her children. Losing Lori and Lola helped put things into perspective for her. She had nightmares every night of losing more of her precious babies, and although she couldn't feasibly protect them from all possible outcomes, she could at least be there for them. Fortunately, the settlement money and insurance payout insured that she'd never have to work anything beyond a part time job.

Rita guided her second youngest to her bedroom for privacy. They sad down on her bed, before Rita cupped her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "What's bothering you", Rita probed.

"It's pertaining to the accident", Lisa spoke carefully.

Rita steeled herself for the conversation to come. Even months later, her heart still pricked at the mention of that horrible day. Regardless, she would get past that for Lisa, albeit not without a Kleenex or two.

"Go on", she pressed.

"It's just that… we've been mourning for the better part of four months now, trying to accept that our members are indeed gone", Lisa began. The next part would be the clincher. "I'd like to suggest an alternative solution".

"Yes?" Rita wasn't sure where Lisa was going with this, but she immediately felt unease. 'Solutions' usually implied explosions and noxious fumes at the very least, but something in Lisa's manner of speaking suggested something more… taboo.

"Perhaps we can forgoe the grieving process altogether", Lisa asserted. Rita looked about to interrupt, but Lisa stayed her with a raised hand. "What I mean to say is, maybe they don't have to be dead in the first place", Lisa stated in total seriousness. "Cloning may be in its infancy, but I believe I can make leaps and bounds in DNA replications. I am sure that with enough time, I could make it as if they were never gone - memories and all.

A tense silence followed.

"Oh honey", Rita responded after a moment, hugging her daughter. Tears were threatening to spill over, but Rita remained strong. "I know it's hard, but we can't just replace them. Even if it works out the way you claim it will, it still wouldn't be them", Rita finished. Her second youngest was amazing, and she truly believed that Lisa could do whatever she set her mind to, but this wasn't right. The dead were meant to stay dead, and nothing - not even science - could change that.

Lisa pondered this for a moment, before addressing her mother's concerns. "For all intents and purposes, they would be exactly the same. I don't see why we cann-",

"No," Rita interrupted. Her tone left no room for discussion. There were some things that couldn't - shouldn't - be done. Violating one of nature's most sacred laws was certainly among them. "Lisa, even if I gave you permission, it wouldn't change the fact that your real father and sisters are buried in Royal Woods cemetary. They still died".

Lisa clenched her fists and tears sprung to the corners of her spectacled eyes. As much as it hurt to admit it, her mother was right. It was one thing to clone an animal on the brink of extinction or a family pet. They needn't comprehend their fates or past lives. You can clone a person to a tee, but that doesn't make them any less an imposter.

"I'm sorry, mother. I should have considered other possible variables. I hope I haven't upset you", Lisa apologized.

"You haven't sweetie. We all miss them so much, and I would give anything to hold my babies again", Rita's voice broke for a second, but the Loud matriarch made sure to give a reassuring smile. It was hard, but she had to be strong for this exact reason. For them.

Lisa wiped her eyes and gave her mother a hug before heading upstairs. Rather than focus on the impossible, Lisa decided to review her extensive list of potential scientific grants, a task she'd put off as of late. She'd probably pass on the one from Australia regarding the Tasmanian Tiger, which had sent her down this upsetting rabbit hole in the first place.

"I heard you talking to mom", Lucy said, appearing out of thin air behind her. She held a book to her chest.

"Ahhhh! Where in Pandora's box did you come from?" Lisa exclaimed.

"I was in the vents", Lucy stated matter of factly. "And I think I might have a loophole with your whole 'clone' thingy".

"Drop it Luce. You shouldn't have been eavesdropping. Besides, what idea could you possibly have that I haven't mulled over a thousand times already", Lisa patronized. It really was a pain living with such one dimensional siblings. She wouldn't trade them for the world, but Lisa was far too emotionally spent to tolerate their inane-ness today.

"I'm being serious", Lucy tried but failed to convey in her usual monotone voice. "What if we didn't just clone them. What if… we used their original human vessel instead of only their DNA?" Lucy finished dramatically. She thrusted the book she was holding into Lisa's arms, which turned out to be 'Frankenstein'.

"What sort of drivel is this", Lisa cried out in outrage. "You expect me to conduct a scientific investigation based on an outdated work of fantasy?" She was well aware of the goth's obsession with the supernatural, but this was pure lunacy. Besides, what did Frankenstein, the horrific mismatched human quilt of a creature, have to do with resurrecting their lost family members?

As if sensing the question, Lucy continued. "We could use THEIR bodies instead of just cloning them. It would be them, in body and soul".

"That's preposter-", Lisa didn't finish her sentence. In actuality, it WAS the perfect hole in mother's logic. Of course, there was the matter of grave robbing, rate of decomposition, and various other factors she probably hadn't considered, but she'd cross those bridges when the time came.

"So are you in", Lucy questioned. She already knew the answer.

"Yes. It will take time though," Lisa confirmed. And I might have to reconsider that research grant...

And the rest, as they say, is history.

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"Lisa", Lucy whispered, drawing her younger sister from her memories. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?", Lucy accused. She was far too invested in this to let it die on a whim. Just this once, Lucy Loud, of 1216 Franklin Avenue, would stand in defiance of the darkness. The thought unnerved her.

Lisa had been standing quietly for a couple minutes, completely lost in her thoughts, but Lucy's prodding had shaken her out of it. "Yes… of course dear sister. Nothing will stand in the path of scientific progress", Lisa said rather unenthusiasticly. Her left hand quaked with indecision, and Lisa suddenly realized the truth: she was just a scared little girl. Before she could give up, another hand grasped her own.

"We can do this… together", Lucy proclaimed. It was almost poetic, a couple of Loud girls getting ready to wake the dead. It almost made Lucy regret not letting Luna in on the secret.

Lisa nodded, and with her sister's reassuring presence, they carefully guided the instrument to the ground above Lola's plot. One audible 'click' of a button later, and the drill was deployed. With a mechanical whir, the device came to life and started boring into the ground. Lisa got out her laptop to guide the drill and it's payload. The screen displayed various readings, such as depth, soil composition, and system operations, but Lisa only subconsciously tracked those. Her eyes were affixed to the video feed - nothing but black static, but soon…

An alert sounded as the drill met wood, slowing its progress to a few millimeters per second. Lisa did not want to compromise the coffin's structural integrity by going too fast. It probably didn't matter, but Lisa didn't want to be too hasty. One millimeter… five millimeters… and finally 19.05 millimeters, or 3/4 of an inch for the dunderheads who refused to accept the metric system. With the tip barely poking through, the black static suddenly came to life with vivid colors.

"Wicked", Lisa remarked, as the inside of the coffin finally came into view. While others might've found this work to be morbid, being a member of the Mortician's club had prepared Lucy for what she was about to see. Lisa, at the very least, could appreciate this aspect of her 'gothness', and claimed this was actually the only reason she hadn't wiped Lucy's memory.

As the camera panned over, Lucy still had to steel herself. This was Lola, or at least had been, and she shuddered at the thought of witnessing the former beauty queen pageant in her decayed state. She expected a bloated, discolored bastardization of the Lola she knew... but Lucy was pleasantly surprised.

Lisa expected to pale at the sight of her sister's corpse, but apparently Lola was as vigilant in death as she was in life when it came to appearances. Truthfully speaking, it was the embalming fluid that had worked its magic, but the thought of Lola obsessing over her looks, even in death, brought a smile to her face. Of course, her cheeks and eyelids were sunken, but beyond that, her preservation was remarkable.

As much as the sisters wanted to linger in this sense of reunion, there was still work to be done. With a flourish of typing prowess, Lisa detached the drill bit from its arm. Six spidery legs sprang up and skittered over towards the deceased girl's abdomen. Despite knowing she felt no pain, Lucy and Lisa still flinched when the robot injected the transport device underneath her skin.

"Now comes the tricky part", Lisa said with bated breath. While initial testing had proven successful, it wasn't nearly as extensive as the young genius had desired. Their time frame for recovery was too short, however, and her usual sense of scientific rigor was placed on the proverbial back burner. If anything went wrong now, it might spell doom for their mission. Lisa entered the coordinates down to the picometer, and double checked her equations to make sure they could accurately take into account fluctuations in space-time. Once she was finally satisfied, she initiated a command prompt.

A great flash of light blinded the video feed, and a tingling feeling spread across both Lucy and Lisa. The light (and the tingly feeling), gradually gave way to reveal an empty coffin, or nearly empty anyways. Lisa had designed the teleporter with only biological matter in mind, so the discarded clothing and medical instruments were to be expected. Lisa checked her bunker feed, and behold, a stark naked Lola floated in a vat of strange green fluid.

"Eureka!", Lisa shouted, before Lucy clamped a hand over her mouth. As much as Lucy liked the idea of waking the dead, there was still the living to be concerned about. Anyone could be skulking about. In fact, she knew of a few people that did…

A branch snapped and Lucy and Lisa shot up into the air with barely concealed screams. Someone had got the jump on them, and they had only just begun. "Dammit Lucy, you were supposed to stand guard", Lisa whispered furiously.

"I was", Lucy quietly defended herself. She was the master of stealth. No one can sneak up on me, except maybe...

"Lucy?", Haiku asked in her usual forboding tone of voice. "What are you doing here", she looked around, "and what is all of this", she gestured. Lucy seemed about to answer, but she froze at the sight of Lisa. She was pointing a gun at Haiku.

"Lisa don't!", Lucy shouted, throwing caution to the wind.

Lisa quirked an eyebrow. "And why not? We've been discovered, and we cannot risk familial, or worse, government detection". Even Lucy was frightened at Lisa's clinical description of what she was about to do. Murder.

"P-Please d-don't shoot", Haikou stammered, abandoning her usual monotone voice. "I p-promise I w-won't say a thing", she begged. Tears ran down her face, leaving a trail of slightly less pale skin in its wake. "I don't want to die".

"I'm not going to kill you. Rather, I'm going to stun you and erase all memory of this encounter", Lisa reasoned. With that, Lisa pulled the trigger, causing Haiku to convulse and fall to the ground. Unfortunately, a wet spot spread from her nether regions, but Lisa figured she was about to wet herself in terror anyways. "Lucy, if you would be so kind", Lisa said in reference to the downed goth. "And take this. It's a memory erasing booster. I'm confident you know how to handle it".

Lucy stared in shock, before shrugging and dragging her friend off to a nearby tree. If she wouldn't remember anyways, then it was, as Lynn often put it, "no harm no foul". At least it wasn't an real gun. That would've been too dark, even for her. Lucy gave Haiku one last look, before softly laying her head against a particularly spooky tree as a form of apology. Discounting the ruined makeup and soiled undergarments, she almost looked ethereal. I thought she was naturally pale, Lucy mused.

Lisa was already hard at work beside Lori's tombstone by the time Lucy returned. If Lucy was bothered that she started without her, she didn't show it. Lisa did, however, seem flustered. "Is everything alright?", Lucy asked.

"Mostly. I completed the teleportation procedure for Lori, but it seems the disembodied state of her arm proved… problematic".

"Problematic?", Lucy probed. That couldn't be good news.

"It's gone. The rest of Lori's body is in the bunker, but her damaged arm seems to have fizzled out of existence", she explained. It was intriguing to say the least. Inexplicably, only whole specimens could be transported.

"Sigh. At least we got most of her. Maybe we can give her a prosthetic scythe", Lucy suggested somewhat seriously. This earned a blank stare from Lisa, but Lori was already going to be pissed, so did it really matter? Bringing her back to life should make up for it, to say the very least.

Since nothing could be done about the lost arm, Lisa moved onto the final grave. Their father. Everything went as expected, and the drill slowed as it penetrated the final coffin. Almost immediately, a foul smell assaulted their noses, causing both to gag. Lisa vomited onto the grass above Lola's tomb. Whoops. After a minute of dry heaving, Lisa composed herself before donning a surgical mask. She had to see what was wrong.

"Gasp", Lucy exclaimed dramatically. She was hovering over the laptop watching the livefeed. The horrified expression on her face did not bode well going further. Lisa nudged Lucy out of the way and couldn't believe what she saw. She cursed the US government in multiple languages, each expression more foul than the last. Eventually, her swearing stopped and gave way to tears because of the implications. Her father wasn't coming back.

Beneath the ground, a mixture of raw sewage and their father's remains coated the inside of his casket. For some god forsaken reason, a sewer line ran directly beneath their father's grave, and somehow had sprung a leak, desecrating their father's burial site. Probably the handiwork of some underpaid beurocrat, Lisa thought. There was no hope of recovering his remains, let alone his life.

Lucy and Lisa numbly packed up their belongings, and made to leave. They covered their tracks and sealed the holes the machine made. Everything was accounted for, and the girls arrived at 1216 Franklin Avenue before anyone knew better.

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Hours later...

A full glass syringe glinted in the sun as the first rays of light shone over Royal Woods Cemetary. A moment later, it was crushed underfoot by a VERY, figuratively and literally, pissed off goth.