DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but personal characters which will be featured a bit later on into the story, and some are owned by a fellow author, Rabid Biscuit, used by permission. EEnE is (C) Danny Antonucci. Kingdom Hearts (C) Square-Enix and Disney. Everything else featured in this is, unless stated by me, (C) their respective owners. Enjoy...hopefully.
-ONE-
Just A Normal Day…
There was something off about the sky this day…almost as if it was darker than usual. Edd only noticed this briefly before returning to the grueling task of aiding his friend's latest cul-de-sac scam opportunity. The sock-hat-wearing boy had to give Eddy some credit for this one – a skate park smack dab in the middle of the road, perfect for attracting the town jocks like Kevin and Rolf, with Nazz tagging along because Kevin was there, and interesting enough for Sarah to drag Jimmy into the ordeal. Johnny? Well, Johnny goes to every little thing that happens here.
He was currently taking quarters as a fifteen minute admission fee. Low, but effective. Had Eddy actually thought this one out? Very out of character for him…although years of failures would have probably had some kind of effect on his intelligence.
"Hey, sockhead! How much cash do we have?!" came Eddy's slightly irritating voice from across the yard. Edd's tired eyes glanced up at his incoming friend, whom could be seen from miles away due to the bright yellow shirt. He smiled.
"We're making quite a profit here Eddy. Almost fifteen dollars!" the hat-wearing boy exclaimed. He could see the dollar signs reflecting in Eddy's pupils, and felt a bead of sweat form upon his forehead. Obviously, that had triggered another idea within his friend's mind. It was at that time that Edd decided to turn away, and glance at the surroundings.
Rolf was apparently doing some foreign skating technique, trying to show off in front of Sarah, who was getting annoyed. Jimmy fell off his skateboard for the five-hundredth time in a row, and Johnny…had attached wheels to Plank and was riding him. His other best friend, Ed, was standing completely still, observing a chicken on the side of the road. Edd chuckled a little, and continued observing.
Of course, that was when he noticed something odd. He blinked a few times, before returning to face Eddy, the dollar signs still glistening within his pupils. "Eddy…where's Kevin?"
The shorter boy snapped out of his trance, and stared into his makeshift skate park. Edd joined in staring, and as the sock-wearing boy had pointed out, the resident jock was nowhere to be seen.
"What the heck? The monkey was just here five seconds ago!" Eddy exclaimed, before stomping off to the skate park. Edd sighed, and followed slowly.
By the time the smarter Ed had reached the short-tempered one, his friend was already asking questions to the others about Kevin's disappearance…rather forcefully, though. "Where is he?! C'mon you, I KNOW you know!" he screamed into Rolf's ears, making the tall, stereotypical foreign boy pluck his ears as if his eardrums popped.
"Why must you scream with the voice of one thousand mating sea-lions, Short-with-few-hairs Ed-boy?!?" came Rolf's reply. Eddy immediately gave a blank stare to this answer.
Sighing once again, Edd moved in front of the shorter Ed. "If I may, Eddy." He began. When Eddy leaned back and crossed his arms in the universal sign of waiting, Edd cleared his throat, and said, "Rolf, pardon Eddy's abrupt interruption of your athletic activities, but can you inform us of the whereabouts of Kevin? He seems to have gone missing."
Rolf put his hand to his chin for a moment, before giving his answer. "The Kevin-boy was brooding much like Great Nana after losing her fake leg during the Goat Run of 1978! Rolf saw him go down to the lane during one of Rolf's...eh...roll-plank tricks."
Eddy uncrossed his arms, and without a word, stormed towards the direction of the lane. There was a period of uneasy silence between the residents of the Peach Creek cul-de-sac, with the exception of Ed who was running a circle around a stationary chicken, laughing.
Nazz brushed a few locks of her hair from her eyes. "Is…Eddy okay, Double-D?"
Edd turned at the mention of his nickname, giving Nazz a quizzical glance. Turning back to the fading view of Eddy as he turned into the lane, he furrowed his brow. "Oh dear…he seems…unusually irritated about this." He cocked his head towards the tall Ed, who was probably going on a mile in total running distance around that chicken now. "Ed, could you watch everything here? I'm going to go check on Eddy."
The Ed known as 'lumpy' froze in mid-run and gave a sheepish grin. "Okey-dokey smokey!" he exclaimed, and resumed his run around the chicken.
Edd turned to the kids. "Um, please make all inquiries to Ed as I take my leave and investigate Eddy's situation. Excuse me." He announced, before breaking into a strange run after Eddy. The Peach Creek kids glanced at Ed, then at each other.
"Double-D-Ed-boy's use of long-sounding words make the brain of Rolf like a mud puddle after the rain of sows."
The wisdom of Rolf is forever doubted.
It had only been about half a minute before Edd began following Eddy, but he had already somehow eluded his sight. Had he broke into a sprint at one point? It was unusual for Eddy's walking speed to exceed his, even if he was more physically fit.
Edd turned a corner, and finally spotted him – he was storming towards another figure at the end of the lane, oblivious to Eddy's presence as he was apparently talking to something beyond Edd's perception. Kevin.
"HEY! KEVIN!" Eddy exclaimed. The jock jumped slightly, eyed whatever he was talking to very quickly, and turned to face his incoming 'threat' with a look of annoyance.
"What do you want, dork?" he responded menacingly. There was definitely something odd about Kevin – almost as odd as Eddy's behavior. His voice made Edd cringe – but Eddy ignored it, and walked right up to his self-made rival.
"What, my skate park not good enough for ya?!" Eddy screamed. Edd could hear everything from his position, and neither could tell he was there…and without anyone near him, Eddy was acting…different around Kevin.
Kevin scoffed, putting his hands into the pockets of his black cargo shorts. "Oh, please. I go to a skate park every day, twerp…one ten times as good as your excuse for one." He grinned. "Pays less too. Nice try, dork, but I ain't buyin' it…I wouldn't be surprised if there was an injury soon."
Kevin moved passed Eddy, who was glaring at the ground at this point with what looked like pure hatred. As Kevin reached the end of the lane, he spied Edd staring at him. "…Hey sockhead."
The one in question yelped; he'd been spotted.
"…Watch yourself tonight." He began to walk the opposite direction, when a hand grabbed his arm. His head turned to see Eddy grasping it with an irritated look in his eyes.
"You think you're so high-and-mighty, don'tcha you big jerk!? Think you're so much better than we are!"
Kevin growled as he shoved the shorter Ed to the ground. As he fell, Eddy's grip tightened around the jock's shirt, and ripped about an inch off the right sleeve. Edd raised an eyebrow at what was underneath.
It looked like a tattoo of some sort – a wicked-looking heart, black, red, and purple. Several dark designs weaved intricately inside the heart, and the bottom of the heart was separated into three strands, all going in different directions. Before Edd could examine it more closely, Kevin moved that arm out of view. "Watch it, dork!" he yelled.
Eddy grinned slightly. "Aww, poor Kevin loose his widdle sleeve?" he mocked in an almost babyish voice. Edd rose from his hiding spot, and began walking towards the two. Eddy hadn't seen the dark heart.
"High-and-mighty? Ugh, you're stupider than I gave you credit for! Come off it, dorky. Look at yourself before telling me that." He suddenly grinned. "You'll get what's coming to you sooner or later. Later, dorks." With that, he walked off.
Eddy got up, grumbling lightly to himself. "Stupid Kevin." Was all he said. He seemed to regain his normal composure once he had seen Edd emerge from the corner of the fence. "Double-D, what're you doing here?"
Edd gave him an odd look before responding. "…I simply wished to check up on you. You appeared out of sorts." He tilted an eyebrow.
Eddy shrugged as he walked past the sock-hat-wearing boy, grinning. "Nah, nothing's up. Just wanted to let Kevin I on the deal of the century!" Suddenly, he froze. "…Double-D, who's watching the park?"
It took a few moments, but Edd's pupils seemed to shrink. "Oh dear."
"ED, I'M GONNA BEAT YOU SENSELESS!!"
When the Eds had gotten back, somehow, someway, the skate park had collapsed, Jimmy had been injured again, Rolf had a rousing game of 'That's My Horse' with Ed, and Sarah had caused Nazz and Jonny to crash through the walls of what remained of the park after Rolf's song. Any more details would be impossible to explain, as it seemed to have happen in an instant.
The money was gone as well.
Eddy was fuming as he glared upon the ruins of his supposed greatest scam ever, his eyes now resembling that of an angry bull. Edd stared on in amazement, wondering just how in the world all of this could happen.
Ed ran up, the chicken from before tucked under his arm. "Coo-coo-cachoo Eddy!" he exclaimed, followed by one of his idiotic laughs.
The shorter Ed turned. Edd took a worried glance over, and sighed as Eddy attempted to tackle Ed, which didn't end well, since Ed's frame was that of a rock. He looked to the sky again, and noticed the oddity he had found previously. The darker sky…why was that?
It was getting late, and a few stars were becoming visible among the sky. It was then that something caught Edd's eyes. It was a flicker among the sky – a flicker of a star. Then, suddenly, it grew brighter, and in an instant, was gone.
He raised an eyebrow.
"…no…hurt…go…way…lease…"
He turned sharply. "Wh-what was that?" Edd thought, trying to find the source of that strange voice – it was like an echo to him…
…
"Hello? Earth to sockhead!"
Edd snapped back to reality to see a slightly calmer Eddy glaring at him. "Y-yes, Eddy?"
Eddy looked him over. "And you were worried about how I was acting?" He crossed his arms. "Whatever. Look, we need a plan for tomorrow. Something even larger, more successful, more expensive…" he shot a glare over towards Ed. "…and lump-proof."
Sighing, Edd replied, "Eddy, it's getting late. Can't we do this tomorrow?"
Annoyed, Eddy was about to protest, but the second he opened his mouth, he yawned instead of speaking. Edd suppressed a shuckle, and Eddy put his hands into his pockets. "Fine. But first thing tomorrow, we're gonna scam every sucker in this town so badly, they won't know what hit 'em!" With that, he dashed off towards his house, cackling like a madman.
Shaking his head, Edd turned to see Ed, who had, oddly enough, fallen asleep on the concrete, using the chicken as a pillow. The chicken remained unharmed, to Edd's relief. He decided to simply leave him there. After all, what could happen in this place?
He flicked the switch on, illuminating the complete darkness in the suburban house. Several sticky notes were left hanging off of appliances – chores for him, left by his parents.
"Mother? Father? Anyone home?" He already knew the answer, though he tried every night. They were always on business trips – always leaving monthly chores for him to do. Smiling weakly, Edd marched up the stairs towards his room. He reached the doorknob, and opened it. "Hello, sweet silence." He said solemnly, and flipped that switch. His room was perfectly organized, and perfectly labeled. Not a single thing was out of order, and not a speck of dust was seen. It was all he could really do when his friends were not around.
A mirror lay on one of the walls. Edd walked up to it, staring at himself. With a quick movement, he removed the hat that covered his head.
One would think he had ebony hair, with the three spikes coming from the back – but it was a ruse. Blonde bangs hung from his scalp in front of his green eyes, slightly spiky near the back. He grabbed one of locks with his hand, and examined it. He didn't know why he hid his hair color, but he did, and was terrified of anyone finding out…it seemed like one of the most trivial things in the world to him, but he wouldn't let anyone find out.
Sighing, he put the hat back onto his head, and in a few instants, had traversed the floor of his room and sat down lightly on the bed. The strange sky and the vanishing star had entered his mind once again – now with the addition of that voice. It sounded stressed…almost fearful. But where had it come from?
As he lay down and turned off the light, one more thought clouded his brain – Kevin's tattoo and his strange behavior.
"Watch yourself tonight."
"Watch it, dork!"
"You'll get what's coming to you sooner or later."
Edd scanned the sky from the window. It was pitch-black now, with the stars clearly visible among it. "It…was probably just my imagination." Edd concluded, taking everything into account. "Kevin's always making threats, and I must have been sleepier than I though…I was just hearing things." With that, he rolled over, and fell asleep quickly.
Although, even as he fell asleep, he had not addressed Kevin's symbol…
The night had been silent for several hours. Ed had since woken up groggily by his mother, and dragged back to his house, much to his dismay as the chicken he had used flew away from his grasp. The only sound was from the ever-communicating crickets, and the wind, which was slowly picking up.
Squirrels, who were gathered near the road that led towards the center of the cul-de-sac, scurried as a large shoe of shorts found its way towards them. The foot was attached to a small figure, around 4'1", staring around the houses with a red glow in his pupils. He seemed to have 'hair' that spiked out behind him, a few down, a few up. He was mostly covered in a black cloak, so most of his features other than that were unknown.
The figure eyed one of the houses – the house of a certain 'Double-D' – and a grin formed on his face. "So it begins."
With that, the shadows around him seemed to move; take shape…and they were gone within a few moments.
Kevin snapped awake to a searing pain on his right forearm. He clutched it as he shot up, eyeing the dark symbol on it. "…So…this…is what he meant?"
Eddy blinked his eyes open. Did he just hear something? He rubbed his face slightly as he propped himself up, glancing around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary…he shrugged, and was about to go back to sleep, when he realized what he had 'heard.' Nothing.
Eddy turned and listened. There was nothing. No wind, no crickets, no leaves rustling. Almost as if all sound had been completely destroyed. Everything was in complete and utter silence.
In all his years living at the Peach Creek Cul-de-sac, 'nothing' meant 'bad.' Slipping on his clothes, he strode over to his glass door, and slid it open to reveal the darkness before him. Everything seemed in order, with the exception of the lack of noise…
…Then, he noticed, barely, a figure standing near the entrance to the cul-de-sac's center. He couldn't make out a single detail, but there was someone there…
"…what the heck?" he managed to mutter, shortly before something grabbed him from behind. He whirled around, and came face to face with two, eerily glowing yellow eyes. Eddy's eyes widened as that pair was quickly joined by many more, all staring straight at him. There was an awkward period of silence for about five seconds, before Eddy gave a sound that alerted the entire cul-de-sac.
"WAAAAAAAAGGGGH!!!!"
The figure's eyes jolted to his left. "One of them is up?"
Kevin glanced in the direction of his rival's house – his silent exit had been turned into something sot-so-silent, apparently. "The dork's awake. Brilliant."
Thoughts raced through his head, dashing down the stairs as quickly as his physique could take him. Edd knew where that scream came from, and who had made it – Eddy was in danger, and Kevin's words had flashed into his mind.
He hit the ground floor, and sprinted for the door. All concern for his personal safety was moot – it was all towards Eddy right now. Reaching the front door, he reached his hand for the knob, and turned it.
To his surprise, nothing happened.
Edd recoiled with raised eyebrows, and tried again. Nothing. The door wouldn't open. "What in blazes?" he muttered.
Tssshhhhhk.
His eyes widened. He turned his head ever so slightly, sweat dripping down his forehead. He had heard that. He knew he did. Someone…or something…was in this house.
"S-stay back, whoever you are!" Edd yelled to the darkness. His hand went for the light switch, and flipped it into the 'on' position…but the lights never turned on. He gulped. Out of the corner of his eyes, be grabbed the nearest thing that could be considered a weapon in his house – a cactus affectionately labeled 'Jim.' "I-I have a cactus!"
There was silence. After about a minute or so, Edd whirled around and tried to open the door once more, to no avail.
Tssssssssshhhhhhhkkkkk!
The noise was closer…almost as if it was right behind him. Edd froze, and held his cactus tight. After a few seconds, he began to turn…
Something grabbed his neck. Edd couldn't tell what it was, but it lifted him a few feet above the ground, and then rammed him into the door. The boy stared ahead, into his attacker – it seemed to be humanoid, but misshapen, and completely black save for two, golden-yellow eyes that stared lifelessly at him.
He didn't know what it did next, as Edd fainted at the sight of it…
The creature stared as the boy went limp in his grasp. It cocked its head, confused slightly, but let him fall. Perhaps he was dead from shock? Yes, that had to be it, it concluded. With that, it walked towards the door, burning a hole through as he walked, and vanished into the shadows.
So, that's chapter one. Yes, it's a bit different. I'll try to keep these characters...um...in-character. Any kind of wrong turn I take with personalities, give me a note about it in reviews. Reviews are always good.
- Zero
