Chapter 1: Ed, Edd, n' City!

It has been one semester of the eighth grade in Peach Creek Junior High since the "Final Scam" as the Cul-de-Sac kids called it. And it's been nothing but laughs, after school parties, and good old bonding from there on out.

But that wasn't going to last forever.
If one examined the landscape of the peaceful suburb carefully, they'd notice that the once distant, purplish silhouette of the far away city skyscrapers were now becoming more and more distinct. Closer. More highways, streets and buildings were constructed. The gap between the busy city and the quiet suburbs were beginning to close, slowly but surely.

By the end of first semester and the start of the second, an influx of new kids, both elementary and junior, transferred to Peach Creek Junior High. The squad gladly welcomed the new kids, even befriending a few.

But they've always stuck it out with their Cul-de-Sac pack. And everyone thought it'd stay that way forever.
Of course, nobody really bothered to even care for these tiny, subtle changes. All, except for Double D.

"Oh my. This can't be good." Double D fretted, looking outside of his thick glass window. First to notice the increasingly growing population and construction sites, Double D took rapid notes.

"The overall populace is simply booming! So the news were right for once." He took out a pair of binoculars and squinted outward of the Cul-de-Sac. More and more cars sped up and down the dark cemented streets. Both the city and suburbs expanded, waiting until they finally meet each other with an oh so graceful kiss. Everything appeared brand new, which would have been just fine and dandy with Edd, if it weren't for all the *other* factors.

"Well, good thing I stocked up on protective masks." He scuffled up to his drawers and opened one chock full of different colored masks, most of them plain of design. He picked up a white one, stretching it.

"Elastic, thin, and yet filter genius!" He grinned. Looking over to the corner of his room, he spied his old telescope, speckled with blue and white. He gasped suddenly in realization.

"And light pollution as well! I won't be able to see the stars anymore! No more constellations, no more close up astronomy studying late into the depths of the night! My, my!" Double D rubbed his black beanie, frazzled at all the potential negative results of the industrialization of the suburb.

"Soon enough there won't BE a suburb! Even Peach Creek Estates Phase 2 is finally completed after so long. The fun times we've had on that construction site... I wonder who will fill the houses of this second Cul-de-Sac?"

It probably will be the last Cul-de-Sac constructed before tall apartment buildings begin to take over. Only reason for the completion was that Peach Creek Estates Phase 2 was already in the making before the sudden "changes". Edd wondered if the new group of kids and families would be as... well, not strange, but as *unique* as Cul-de-Sac One residents.

"I do hope we'll at least be able to keep our cozy little nook of a Cul-de-Sac as our very own. Far too many memories to be steamed and rolled away..." He gazed outside, watching as some of the kids were playing or running about in the large circle of the neighborhood.
"Sure, most of them may be.. unpleasant, but they are turning up! Cherishable memories nevertheless." Edd's eyes focused from beyond the window pane, and onto the reflection of himself. He gulped.

"So many new worries..." Blinking, he nervously smiled. "Look at me, talking to myself again. Though.. I HAVE read that talking to one's self is a healthy sign of mentality, and an unharmful way of reducing stress." Edd contemplated and tsked, deciding to resume.
"No matter." Edd walked off to his small desk, in another corner of the room. He glanced at it.
"I really should buy a bigger one, I'll need it if I am to-"

"HEY!" Edd jolted up, swiveling to the window. A few pebbles pecked at his window, a pause, and then scatters more.

"HEY! DOUBLE D! YOO-HOO?" Eddy shouted on the top of his lungs from the front of Double D's home. "YOU THERE?" The door promptly opened.

"Yes, yes Eddy, here I am. Good afternoon. Is there anything I can help you wi-" Eddy reached out and grabbed Double D by the arm, dragging him instantly away from the front lawn.

"Eddy! Pray tell WHAT are you doing?!" Double D scrambled to keep up. Eddy laughed.

"Another group gathering at Kevin's! Come on, we're gonna be late!"

"Another one? I'm sorry Eddy, pardon if I might sound rude but- don't you think he's been hosting quite a lot of them lately?"

"Uh, no? Now come on, hustle!" The two charged to Kevin's home, screeched to a stop in front of his door, and knocked politely.

"Oh Keeevvin." Eddy called out. Double D picked at his ear with a wince.

"Honestly Eddy, your voice is a loudspeaker! Please low-"

"Thank you." Eddy grinned at the "compliment". Double D rolled his eyes, but smiled.

"Alright you dork, coming- I'm coming." Kevin slammed open the door.
"Sup guys! Just in time, come on in." Kevin gestured. Eddy hopped and scurried off inside, tongue hanging out. Double D wiped his shoes and walked in, closing the door.

"Pardon Kevin, but what are we doing here exactly?"

"Another movie marathon. We got popcorn and soda pop in the back. Help yourself." Kevin patted Double D on the shoulder once. Double D smiled warmly as they both followed Eddy to the living room,

"Why thank you Kevin, but ah- don't you think we've been indulging in our weekends a little too much lately?"

"Psh." Kevin waved, jumping into a couch in front of the TV. "As if! We're just enjoying ourselves before school starts. Besides, we're all gonna graduate soon anyway."

"Yes but.." Double D poured himself a glass of water before settling down next to Ed and Eddy on the rug.

"Don't sweat it." Kevin shoved in a handful of popcorn. "Hey! Who's turn is it to pick again?"

"Ohh!" Ed hopped up and down, nearly shaking the floor. "Me, me, me!" Nearby Sarah groaned.

"Oh brother." Quickly changing her attitude, she turned to her friend. "Here Jimmy, I got some straws for ya." Sarah handed out a long straw to Jimmy, who was struggling to drink his cup of fizzy coke properly.

"Why thank you Sarah! How kind." Jimmy graciously accepted. Nazz walked in from the kitchen, carrying an unhealthy, vast amount of chip bags.

"Yo Eddy, Double D! Cool of you to join us guys. Here- think fast!" Nazz threw two chip bags at them. Eddy nabbed it with his mouth and tore it open, while Double D flinched and attempted to duck. It hit him on the head and bounced off.

"Ooh, better luck next time Double D." She giggled, plopping down next to Kevin.

"Alright Ed, what's it gonna be this time?" Kevin asked, though clearly uninterested, anticipating some cheap sci-fi thriller.

"I got it!" Ed chuckled and stuck his hand into one of his back pockets, rummaging through God knows what. "It was on sale. I saw it just a couple of days ago and I couldn't help myself. It's Monsters From The Underworld and A Laser Shooting Mermaid! Part one."

"Better be good." Kevin snatched the DVD from Ed's hand and opened it. Out slid an oozy disc covered in-

"Gravy." Ed goofily smiled. Kevin sighed as the substance dripped over the cover.

"Dude I can't put this in my DVD player. Ugh, come on. Who's next?"

"It is I, Rolf!" Rolf slid out from his recliner chair and tossed back his half eaten turkey wing, which he probably brought in himself. "Rolf has acquired the most sacred video hoo-diggedy of them all! Rolf's Nana's old documentary of traditional pig skin kitchenware!" Rolf stood in silence, holding up a cassette in triumph.

"...A cassette? They still make those?" Eddy asked in disbelief.

"I haven't seen one in ages!" Nazz replied.

Kevin slapped at his head. "Rolf, you can't. Put a cassette. In a DVD player."

"Whaat? You mean to say Rolf has scavenged the treacherous holdings of the attic, fought for skin and nails and bones for NOTHING?!" Rolf shrieked in response. Kevin slowly wiped away a line of spit on his face.

"Sure dude."

"Oh! Woe is Rolf!" He wailed.

"Now, now Rolf." Double D got up to comfort him. "I'm sure I'll be able to build one from scratch. Perhaps I can bring it here one day so that we can all view your... um..."

"Nana's pig skin KITCHENWARE."

"A-ah, yes. That." Double D held his hands up. "Is there anyone else who brought a disc to play?"

Crickets rang.

"Well, looks like that leaves ME then." Kevin sniggered, jumping out to open the cabinet under the TV stand. Inside was a large arrangement of colored DVDs.

"Ooh Sarah! Look! It's so pretty!" Jimmy bent down and grabbed one DVD up. "Poppy's Shell and His First Day of School?" He read the title.

Sarah snickered. "What on earth is THIS doing in YOUR DVD cabinet Kevin?"

Kevin blushed, "That's not mine idiot! It's my stupid mom's, SHE leaves her old junk in here too. Come on, take a look at these instead." He held up some action movies.

"Poppy?" Eddy snickered rambunctiously. Kevin glared at him, but chose to ignore him instead.

"Hmph." Kevin put back the DVDs, right as Nazz pulled out a new one.

"Ooh, Kev! What about this one?" She held out a pink colored DVD case. "It's called, 'Life in the High'. Sounds cool!"

"Lemme see that." Kevin grabbed it, turning it to read the summary. "Ehh, I dunno. It's just a bunch of chicks in high school and stuff."

"Come on Kev, pleeaase." Nazz batted her eyes banteringly.

"Um." Kevin looked between her and the DVD. "Alright then, fine." He shrugged with one shoulder.

"Woo!" Nazz hurried on putting the disc in.

"Well, now that that's settled, may I please gather our fellow's attention as we wait for the trailers to be done?" Double D coughed. Nazz furiously spammed the "skip" button, but gave up and turned to Double D.

"Sure man, what's up?" She grinned.

"Yes Double D boy, what is it that tickles your nostrils so?" Rolf inquired.

"Well, has anybody else noticed how the suburbs we reside in appear to be... changing? Rather rapidly so."

"Whaddya talking about?" Kevin asked.

"Well, there are far more construction sites before, more people have moved in since the beginning of the semester, and the second Cul-de-Sac is finally completed."

"Hey, he's right Jimmy." Sarah said, recalling passing by the new but empty neighborhood.

"I wish we could play in it, but they closed it off with yellow tape!" Jimmy said disappointed. "It looks spoopy, almost like a ghost town."

"You think they'll build a third one?" She grinned.

"Highly unlikely. It appears ladies and gentlemen, that we are all in a growing and advancing movement of urbanization amongst our residence."

"Oh, bummer." Nazz pouted. "I really like our Cul-de-Sac and the whole suburb thing we got." Ed stood in silence for a good minutes, before he gasped loudly.

"Double D! You don't think they'll make us move out do you?! Who ever THEY IS." He cried.

"Oh don't worry now. The Cul-de-Sac 1 and 2 will most likely be the last of the kind to be constructed, but it certainly would not be demolished. The most of our worries, aside from all sorts of new contaminating pollution, would be high school."

"Jeepers Sarah, they're all going to high school already! I'm getting teary eyed!" Sarah hit Jimmy lightly on the back.

"Don't be silly, we'll still hang out lots. And when they're sophomores, we'll get to join em. Plus, we still got the rest of second semester to go through with. Not to mention summer vacation!" Sarah squealed.

"So what do you think'll happen Kev?" Nazz turned to Kevin questioningly.

"Eh, probably not much. I used to live in a city y'know." He smirked, ready for the flow of attention to come in.

"Really Kevin? How was it? Tell us, tell us!" Jimmy hopped up and down.

"Were there hot babes?" Eddy asked a little too excitedly.

"Huge shopping malls?" Sarah added.

"HUGE HALF HUMAN HALF FLY MUTANT MASCOTS?" Ed grinned his gums out.

"Uh... kinda, yes, and no." Kevin answered. "But to be honest, I can't remember too much about it. Came to the Cul-de-Sac pretty early on." Kevin rubbed his chin. "Hey, how about you Double D?"

"O-oh? What about me indeed." Edd nervously chided.

"You're the only other one who moved into the Cul-de-Sac. What's the city all like for you? We came from the same city near here, right?"

"U-um, why my memory seems to be slipping." He chuckled whilst sweating.

"Now, now Ed boy- your upstairs attic is the biggest of them all with most impressively tied blanket sheets. Sure a few of those blankets might be soiled but surely the Ed boy has something stored up there?" Rolf bounced.

"Yeah man. Lemme help, I remember that the city was awesome, always busy, pretty crowded, and-" Kevin started.

"-and vermin infested? And crude, an absolute mess, stifling, covered in an oppressive cloak of atmospheric darkness?!" Double D vociferated with a shudder.

The gang all blinked once.

"Well dude, you could've just said you didn't like it..?" Kevin rubbed his neck.

"..I apologize for my unruly response, but I simply have next to none of good memories from that city. More particularly, their school." Double D sighed.

"That bad?" Kevin asked. "Well, maybe the schools there went downhill around the time I moved?"

"Downhill indeed Kevin. They replaced the principal of my grade school, and ever since then, a complete disregard to any lawful doctrine was ignored!" Edd dramatically put a hand to his forehead.

Gathering himself, he continued, "Returning back to Peach Creek, I can see the city officials and school district setting up a new high school here in this age of rapid urbanization." He paused, something clicking in his eyes.

"Why, in fact, I may just be correct. I know there have been many, but there was one particularly large construction site not too far off. I believe the design and large field implicates the assembly of a new school. Most likely a high school, since we've already got enough middle schools in this district."

"Oh, I was wondering what that place was." Jimmy said aloud in his pitched voice.

Ed leaned his spine back, as he so often did, and stuck his tongue out. "I once tried to get inside of the mud pit they were playing in. They didn't let me." Nobody responded.

"Eh, whatever." Eddy shrugged, devouring bowls of nachos. "More customers."

"Eddy, I do hope you aren't reverting to your old scamming ways." Double D scolded, recovering from what war flashback he may have had.

"What? No way! Course not! I'm going to be a professional business guy now Double D. No more cheap scams for this new Ed!" Eddy smirked widely and Double D raised a brow.

"What? It's scheming! My favor-"

"Okay guys! Trailers over, it's starting!" Nazz pointed to the screen, rushing off to flick the light switch. "Here goes!" Jimmy curled up next to Sarah.

"Let's see how accurate this movie's representation of a high school is." Double D leaned back, ready to take mental notes.

"Just relax and watch the movie will ya?" Kevin munched.

"QUIET FOOLS. It is SHOW TIME now can't you see?" Rolf hushed everyone. Ed concentrated on the movie intently, but quickly fell asleep once he realized it wasn't a sci-fi or horror.

As the movie began with some cliche narration from a girl's perspective, Edd began to look around him. Absentmindedly smiling, he chided himself in how content he felt with this new group of friends. It had taken a while, but he felt that all was well.

Double D glanced at Kevin and Rolf, who were busy exchanging a few words, Kevin being on the confused, or amused, receiving end. Nazz devoured bag after bag of chips, while Sarah and Jimmy daintily shared their bowl. Ed was fast asleep, curled up on the rug like a dog, and Eddy was staring at Nazz, and-

"Oh." Double D quietly muttered to himself. Analyzing everything and everybody once again, he thought. Shaking any bubbling thoughts away, he focused on the movie. Perhaps I should "chill" more, as Eddy so often tells me to. After all, what could possibly happen?

For his own sake, Double D didn't answer that question.