"Mom, I don't wanna go outside!" Claire whined, digging her feet into the carpet as her mother literally pushed her out the door.

"I won't have you staying in your new room all day. Go out and meet some people!" Her mother finally succeeded in getting Claire out the door. She stood there, blocking her entrance back inside.

"But Mom!" She protested.

"I saw a nice looking boy with a red hat on the way in, and there was that young girl with the pink shirt." She suggested. "And I won't let you back in this house until dinner, so you might as well introduce yourself."

"Fine…" She mumbled. Her mother smirked when she gave him. Claire pulled her hat down over her face as she walked down the path to he sidewalk.

And hour later, she still saw no one. "I haven't seen anyone around yet…" Claire muttered as she rounded another corner, turning down an alley. She blinked. There was a stage set up with boxes piled on top. Each one had a crudely drawn picture of a stick-person on the side.

She stared at it for a minute or two and approached. She jumped as, out of no where, a short boy with black hair appeared.

"Welcome to crazy Eddy's discount friend emporium!" He yelled, waving a hand in the direction of a sign. "We have everything you could need, everyone you could need, here in our humble business place." He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her along with him as he explained he was selling imaginary friends for a quarter each.

"W-wait, stop, could you repeat all that a little slower?" She asked. "I kinda… Missed a few words. You were talking too fast…"

The boy blinked. Then he said something she couldn't hear before running to the stage and pulling himself on top. "Double D!" He called. "I need one of them book things!"

There was a loud sigh from behind a curtain. "It's called a pamphlet, Eddy." A hand appeared from behind the curtain and handed 'Eddy' what he was looking for.

"Yea, sure, whatever it is Sockhead." Eddy jumped off stage and held up the pamphlet. "That'll be a quarter extra!"

"But I don't even want it…" She mumbled, digging through her pocket for a couple of quarters.

"C'mon, this is a business here! I don't have all day!" Eddy was hopping back on forth from one foot to the other.

"Hold on will you? I'm looking!" Eventually she found a quarter and dropped it into Eddy's palm. He handed her the pamphlet, practically drooling over the money. Claire stared for a few seconds before reading. It was a short, two-page description of the business. They were selling imaginary friends, apparently.

'I could… Use a friend.' She found herself thinking. 'But not imaginary.' she decided, remembering her last imaginary friend… She always got her in trouble.

"Sorry, um… Eddy, right?" He nodded. "Sorry but I don't want an imaginary friend."

"Come on! Not even THIS little fella!?" Eddy pulled a rock with crayon eyes out of his pocket and held it in front of her nose.

"No-" She was cut off by a shadow looming over her.

"Eddy!" The shadowed person yelled. "Look Eddy, I have gotten a chicken and I shall name him gravy because I love gravy and so gravy shall his name be!"

"Um, excuse me, but if your chicken is male…" She started as she turned. Her words caught in her throat. The boy was tall, and… Kinda scary holding a Ifemale/I chicken around the neck like that. He stared at her for a second.

"Hello! My name is Ed!" Ed chuckled and held out a hand. She noticed a slightly moldy residue covered most of it…

"Um… H-hi Ed, that's a nice c-chicken." Claire tentatively shook his hand, mentally wincing at the griminess.

"His name is gravy."

"ED! Stop hassling the customer!" Eddy finally yelled.

"But I'm not even-" Once again, she was cut off.

"ED-BOY!" The voice was also male, and so loud she had to cover her ears. "RETURN ROLF'S CHICKENS AT ONCE!"

'Doesn't ANYONE have manners in this place!? ' Claire peered around Ed. An angry looking boy with blue hair stood not too far away, his fist balled and his sleeves rolled up as if he were going to start throwing punches.

"But Rolf! Chicken is good for Ed!" Ed shrunk back, hugging the chicken protectively.

"You have disgraced this Son-of-a-Sheppard one too many times Noodle-For-Brain-Ed-Boy!" Rolf (she assumed was his name) advanced menacingly. Ed shivered a look of fear across his face as Rolf snatched his chicken back. He was about to do something else, but suddenly stopped.

"You are not an Ed-Boy." He said to her.

"Um… No, my name is Claire. I just moved in."

"Oh ho! My name is Rolf!" He smiled now, any previous anger for Ed gone. With his free hand he shook hers vigorously. Then he searched for something in his pocket. It appeared to be a ball of pink meat… With a fish-head poking out the side. He dropped it in her hand.

"In my country it is custom to welcome new neighbors with traditional fish head balls. Soaked in the oil of the great Florfinshmint fish oil and seasoned with the seeds of the week-old sea cucumber plant." She stared at it. "Go on, try it!"

'I'm supposed to EAT it?' She looked at Rolf for a second. She didn't want to come off as rude… With a sigh, and a deep breath, she nibbled the side without the fish-head. Her eyes watered up as she chewed. It was possibly the worst thing she'd ever tasted. But she managed to swallow it. She saw Eddy cringe from the corner of her eye.

"V-very… Flavorful Rolf." She managed a weak smile. "Do you mind if I take the rest home? I'm sure my mom would want to try it."

"No need, Rolf has plenty more for your family!" Rolf dug a bag of the fish things out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"T-thanks Rolf. I'm sure my mom and dad will love them."

"Tell Rolf how they are liked. I must take Gertrude back to the shed." As he said the chicken's name, he glared at Ed. "Farewell and good day." He walked off, chicken in hand.

"Ah, that's Rolf. He's a little crazy when it comes to chicken and fish." Eddy said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "So, how about that rock?"

"Umm… No thanks. Say, do you have the time?"

"Time? Who needs to know that?"

"Well I would like to know…" She mumbled.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder. "Pardon me, but the time is three PM."

She turned her head and saw a boy in a long orange shirt. His head was covered with a black hat. On the side of the hat was a pair of white stripes.

"Thanks, umm… What's your name?"

"Eddward. Eddward with two Ds. Everyone calls me Double D."

"Well, thanks Double D. I should be getting home about now." Then she though 'Three Eds? Wow…'

"What? At three?" Eddy protested. "But you haven't even bought a friend yet!" He held up the rock again.

"But don't want a rock. Imaginary friends and I don't get along well." She gave each Ed a look before saying "It was nice meeting you though. Maybe I'll see you at school tomorrow." With a wave she turned and walked (rather quickly) around the corner.

Heheh, she acts like me a lot... Makes it easier for me to write with her.