Hey all, I'm here with another chapter for Kingdom Ed. Thanks for subscribes and the reviews. Hopefully I can get more interest with this, but we'll see where it goes. So before we begin, I'm going to say that at the end of the chapter, I will have a little section dedicated for Ed, Edd and Eddy's progression through the story like their stats/abilities/health/magic power/levels/drive/limit forms/etc. Right now they are level one, but we'll see what happens after this chapter. Now let's get on with the story!
Chapter Summary: Ed, Edd and Eddy have split up in pursuit of the shadow thieves that stole the promotional fliers to Eddy's Top Dog Struggle scam. Each of them manage to corner their respective perpetrators, but they are in for a surprise when they realize their enemy is different from others.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own EEnE or Kingdom Hearts
"Normal Speak"
Italics- Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks
Edd rounded the corner and entered through the junkyard's gates. He wasn't sure how far into the junkyard the mysterious being had gone, but that wasn't going to stop him from searching for it. His eyes scanned the massive piles of junk that almost seemed like towers. He sighed to himself and rubbed the back of his head. This was going to take a while. His hand gripped the hilt of the foam stick tightly and he started his march into the mounds of garbage.
The idea of gaining a vantage point entered his head and he immediately followed through with it. If he could get a good view of the area, maybe he could locate the shadow. Glancing to his left, he could see a tower of garbage that went up to a decent height. He walked over to the large tower and started to climb. As he climbed higher and higher, his arms started to tremble with anxiety. He was never one for heights and now that he was climbing up a large pile, he was almost afraid to look down in fear of falling.
"Oh boy," Edd muttered to himself as he screwed his eyes shut. "Don't look down, Double D."
After minutes of climbing and defying his fear, Edd finally reached the peak of the pile. Gripping on to the ledge as tight as he could he slowly eased himself out and started to scan the junkyard. He had not seen any sign of the creature and began to wonder if it took a different route. If the creature did end up going elsewhere, Edd could not think of where it would go. He decided to climb back down and meet up with Ed and Eddy, but something caught his eye. Squinting out in the distance, he could see some black creature moving in the center of the junkyard.
"There you are!" Edd muttered.
Edd peeked over his shoulder and his body tensed up at the height. He had to be almost twenty feet off the ground. Taking a deep breath, he slowly started climbing down the pile. He just placed his hand when it slipped after touching some grease. Losing his grip, Edd fell down the pile and could see the ground getting closer.
"Crap!" Edd yelled as his arms flailed wildly.
For reasons he did not know, Edd somehow managed to land on a broken snowboard and it started to slide down the rest of the pile. He reached the bottom and jumped off, staggering as he tried to keep his balance.
"That was way too close," Edd said as looked back at the pile.
Shaking his head and remembering the task at hand, he slung his foam stick over his shoulder again and started sprinting for the center of the junkyard where he saw the shadow jumping around. He made his way through the labyrinth of garbage and finally came to a small clearing in the center of the dump. His eyes searched for the shadow and he held the foam stick at the ready. While he was sure he would hurt the creature too much with the foam object, it was the best weapon he could find and he truly didn't want to hurt someone and have blood on his hands. His past memory of being deemed a bully due to a bunch of misconceptions and freak accidents were still fresh in his mind and he still felt awful about it.
Breaking free from his thoughts, Edd walked to the center of the clearing. There was no sign of the shadow and that put him on edge. He was positive that the shadow was still in the area, but it somehow managed to hide itself.
"Where are you?" Edd thought.
Edd was about to start walking but he felt as though there was something behind him. He quickly turned around just in time to avoid a black shadow that jumped at him. He jumped back a bit and clutched the foam stick tightly as he glared at the shadow.
"Alright, you asked for it!" Edd sneered.
Edd jumped at the shadow and swung the stick as hard as he could. His eyes watched as the stick was about to hit the shadow, but they widened in surprise when it phased right through it. When the stick didn't hit the shadow, Edd dropped his guard in surprise which was a mistake on his end. The shadow jumped at Edd and dove headfirst into his side. Edd's face scrunched up in pain from the hard hit and he jumped back to avoid getting hit again. He jumped at the shadow and swung again, but was met with the same result. The stick went straight through the shadow.
"What on earth? How is that possible?" Edd asked himself.
He broke from his thoughts when the shadow lunged at him again. Edd was ready for it and sidestepped the creature and swung at it again as it went past him. The stick phased through it again and it was at this point that Edd was in a battle against some form of supernatural being and it was one that he could not win with his current weapon. Edd jumped away from the creature again and panted for breath as he kept his eyes fixed on it.
"It's no use. No matter what I do, I cannot hit it," Edd muttered.
Edd continued to watch the shadow's movements, but was quickly distracted. A bright flash of light came from his hand that was holding the stick. He looked at it in confusion and shielded his eyes as another bright flash came from his hand.
"What is this?" Edd asked himself.
He lowered his arm and watched with fascination as his stick started to glow white. The shape of the stick started to change. It grew until it was almost three feet long and a new guard surrounded the hilt of the stick. The glow finally vanished and revealed what appeared to be a giant key. A gold guard surrounded the black hilt and the pole of the key was about three feet long and the teeth of the key appeared to be sharp. Edd was bewildered as he gazed at the giant key he was holding.
"A key? What the heck is going on here?" Edd wondered.
It got even more interesting when the key started to tremble in his hand. Edd gripped the key tightly as it jerked forward and pointed at the shadow creature. For reasons he could not explain, Edd felt as though he was now capable of ridding the shadow before him. His free hand slowly came up and gripped the hilt as he held the key with both hands and sunk into a more comfortable stance.
"Let's try this again," Edd said as he glared at the shadow. "Come on!"
Edd jumped at the shadow and the shadow leapt at him. As they got within striking distance, Edd quickly took one hand off the hilt and gave a swift strike. A smirk spread across his face as the mysterious key weapon hit the shadow and stunned it, sending it back. He gave another hack and the key once again smashed into the side of the shadow. Swinging upward, the key struck the shadow in the belly and sent it into the air. Edd shot up after it and slashed once again, cutting clean through the creature. He landed on the ground and turned to look back at the shadow. The shadow gave a spasm and dispersed into a black cloud.
When the shadow dispersed, two things happened. The first was that the fliers that it stole from Edd earlier dropped to the ground. The second thing that happened left Edd speechless. When the creature vanished a lone heart hovered in the air and soared into the sky and vanished. The heart didn't look like a normal human heart, but one that somebody would see on a cartoon.
"What is going on here?" Edd asked as he walked over to the fliers.
He was about to pick them up, but he stood up in surprise when he saw more black shadows starting to emerge from the ground around him. He gripped the key tightly and surveyed the situation in front of him. He was going to be in for a tough fight, but if he managed to stay nimble and keep up his evasive tricks, he should triumph. He gripped the blade with both hands again and charged at the first two shadows he saw.
"Let's go!" Edd hollered.
Ed was currently holding a giant key-like weapon. He had chased one of the shadows that ambushed him, Edd and Eddy into the park and managed to corner in by the jungle gym. He was ecstatic when he saw the little magic take place when his foam stick transformed into the key he was holding. It was something that he had seen happen in various movies and video games he had played when the main character would receive a weapon in the time of need. Although he was living out one of his current fantasies, he still had one lingering question in his head that was keeping him thinking.
"What is this thing and why did it come to me?" Ed thought as he jumped at the shadow.
He gave a hard swing and brought the key down on top of the shadow's head. The lone hit managed to make the shadow vanish in a wisp of smoke. When the creature vanished, the fliers that they had earlier fell to the ground in a messy pile and a pink heart flew into the sky and vanished. Ed looked up at the sky where the heart vanished and scratched his head in confusion as to what happened. Maybe he could ask Double D when he found him later. The key he was holding vanished in a bright white flash and his foam stick was once again in his hand.
"Where'd the key go?" Ed asked himself.
He tried to swing the foam stick again to see if it would transform into the key he was holding only seconds ago. When nothing happened, Ed scratched his head again. He wasn't sure how that key appeared in his hand, but it did after he failed to inflict any form of harm to the shadow he chased. This led him to think of one possibility that maybe the key was a spur of the moment event. He tried swinging the stick again, but this time it flew out of his hand as he did so. He watched as the stick went high in the air and over the fence. There was a dull thump followed by someone's voice.
"Owie, Sarah!" Jimmy said from the other side of the fence.
"Are you okay, Jimmy?" Sarah asked.
"That thing just hit me in the head."
"It looks like something my stupid brother would play with. Maybe the idiot is on the other side of the fence!"
Ed, not willing to be the victim of his sister's wrath over an accident quickly picked up the fliers and bolted for the park exit. He hid behind the fence and peered back into the park to see Jimmy and Sarah looking around. Sarah looked livid as always and Jimmy was rubbing the top of his head. Taking his chance, Ed tucked the fliers in his jacket and began running back to the cul-de-sac. He would wait for Edd and Eddy to return before taking the fliers back. A smile made its way across his face as he started running.
"Monster movie marathon, here I come!" Ed cheered as he dashed down the road.
Eddy was panting in exhaustion. He had chased one of the shadows that stole his fliers through the neighborhood and into the woods where the kids would occasionally go camping. Right now, he was very frustrated with the situation he was in. He managed to track down and fight the shadow being, but no matter what he tried, the stick he had wouldn't do anything to the creature. It was as if the creature was immune to anything, as Eddy deduced this by trying to hit it with a rock when the stick didn't work. He sat on the ground and winced as the bruises on his ribs were tender. The shadow jumped at him again and he rolled away from it just in time.
The shadow landed on the spot he was sitting a second ago and turned to look at him again. Eddy had grown afraid of the creature before him as it could not be hurt and it seemed bent on trying to take him down. He watched as it turned to look at him again as if it were about to jump at him. Eddy closed his eyes and held the stick up in a desperate attempt to defend himself from the shadow.
"No way," Eddy muttered as his hand formed a fist. "There's no way I'm going out like this!"
The shadow jumped at him with its arms back to deliver the hit. Eddy was mentally screaming at himself to not go out like a coward and fight back.
"I will not quit!" Eddy shouted and his eyes snapped open.
The stick he had been holding gave a bright flash of light and the stick was replaced with a giant key. To say Eddy was confused was an understatement. He was beyond confused and was currently trying to deduce what just happened. The abnormally large key seemed to glow with a pure white light as Eddy looked at the shadow. Eddy growled as he dismissed his thoughts on how the giant key came to his possession. He remembered his determination to win the fight and not to give up.
"Bring it on!" Eddy shouted as he spun on his heel and swung the giant key.
He managed to hit the shadow in the side and sent it flying away. It landed on the opposite end of the clearing, surprising Eddy and fueling him with adrenaline at the same time. A smirk spread across his face as he finally managed to land the first hit on the shadow and he was eager to do it again. The shadow seemed to shake off the hit quickly and started to run towards him. Eddy chuckled as he wound his arm back with the key and threw it as hard as he could at the shadow.
"Gotcha!" Eddy said as he threw the key.
The key spun like a boomerang and slashed straight through the creature. The shadow stopped dead and dispersed in a cloud of black smoke. The fliers that it stole from him fell to the ground and strangely, a pink heart was released into the air and it soared into the sky and out of sight. There was a thump as the teeth of the giant key sunk into the tree trunk. Eddy was about to go grab the key and pick up the fliers but was stunned when the key suddenly vanished and reappeared back in his hands with a snap. Stunned at the automatic action, Eddy grinned.
"Aw baby! This thing is sweet!" Eddy said as he twirled it in his hand.
He was about to pick up the fliers, but saw that more shadow like creatures like the one he just finished off a second ago started to appear. Another smirk spread across his face as he gripped the key he received in his hand tightly. The more of these punks he could get rid of, the better he would feel. Gripping the key tightly, Eddy ran for the closest shadow he found and gave a slash. The key slashed through the shadow and it dispersed just like the one before it.
Eddy jumped at the next one and swung upward, launching another shadow into the air. He followed closed behind and jumped up. He flipped over the head of the shadow and hacked at it with the key. The shadow burst into a small cloud of black smoke. Eddy landed on the ground and looked at the last three shadows in front of him. He twirled the key in his hand and clutched it in a backwards grip to grant him quicker attacks. Eddy ran at the shadows and they ran at him.
"Andele! Andele!" Eddy cried as he slashed at the first one. "Is that all you got?"
The shadow burst, leaving only two left to face. Eddy slid between the two of them and got to his feet giving a fast slash. The key raked across the backs of the shadows and stunned them briefly. That brief second was all Eddy needed as he switched his grip again and held the key with both hands. He swung the key like a baseball bat and slashed the two shadows.
"It's over!" Eddy hollered.
The shadows both burst into small clouds of black smoke and just like the ones before them, they released hearts into the sky that vanished. Eddy chuckled as he twirled the key in his hand again and slung it over his shoulder.
"Let that be a lesson for ya'!" Eddy boasted. "Nobody messes with Eddy McGhee!"
Eddy bent down and picked up the fliers that the first shadow dropped. As he was about to stand up, a little jingle met his ear. He glanced at the key and his eyes caught sight of a keychain dangling from the back of the guard. Upon closer observation, the chain was silver, but the feature at the end of it looked like a mouse head with large ears. Now Eddy, although he wouldn't admit it, watched Disney movies frequently when he grew up as a kid and easily recognized the icon.
"What the heck? Is that Mickey Mouse?" Eddy asked as he reached for the chain.
As Eddy was about to grasp the chain, he was blinded by another flash of white light. When he opened his stinging eyes, the giant key had vanished and in its place was the foam stick from before. Eddy was a little bummed out that he didn't get a chance to inspect the keychain, but was more confused as to where the key went and where it came from. So many questions were flowing through his head. What were those creatures he destroyed? Where did that giant key come from? Why did that giant key come to him? What was the deal with that Mickey Mouse keychain? What about Double D and Ed? Where they safe after chasing down those other shadows?
Eddy shook his head and slung the stick over his shoulder as he tucked the fliers in his jacket. He turned on his heel and ran out of the woods and back to the cul-de-sac. What Eddy didn't know was that there was somebody who saw the whole fight between him and the shadows.
"Did you see that, buddy?" Jonny asked as he looked at Plank. "Wait till others hear about this!"
With that, Jonny stood up and jumped from his hiding place in the tree and headed back to the cul-de-sac. He wasn't sure what the other kids would think, but they would probably be somewhat interested in the little story.
Edd was sweating and gasping for air as he remained in the stance he had been using for his fight against the shadows. He didn't know where the others came from, but he managed to get rid of the second wave of them that found him and attacked. He stood upright and scanned the area one last time. No more shadows were coming from the ground to attack him and he sighed in relief. He was not sure how much longer he would have been able to hold out against them. Standing up straight, he was blinded by a bright flash of light as the giant key he had been holding had vanished and was replaced with the foam stick from earlier.
"Just what the heck is going on here?" Edd thought.
Edd picked up the fliers, but he could not even focus on them as his mind was still trying to comprehend what just transpired. He wanted to get back to the cul-de-sac as quick as possible just in case those shadow creatures would return. He was going to write down the day's events in his journal to keep as a reference in case something similar would happen again. He tucked the fliers in his jacket and his pants and ran out of the junkyard as fast as he could.
As Edd left, Kevin, Nazz and Rolf entered the landfill on the other end. The foul stench met their noses as they got ready to do a quick sweep in search for Edd. Kevin's sharp eyes searched for Edd, but he could not find any trace of him.
"Let's make this quick. It reeks in here," Kevin said as he walked forward.
"Rolf agrees. It smells worse that Nana's cabbage," Rolf added.
Kevin, Rolf and Nazz split up and took separate paths in search for Edd. Their searches were hasty and they met up in the center of the junkyard. Kevin looked frustrated at not finding Edd, while Rolf and Nazz both noticed a small flier on the ground. Nazz picked it up out of curiosity and glanced at it.
"What is Go-Go Nazz Girl holding?" Rolf asked.
"Look at this," Nazz asked as she showed Rolf and Kevin the flier.
Kevin took the flier and read it with Nazz and Rolf looking at it from the side. The title of the flier read "Top Dog Struggle" garnering Kevin and Rolf's interest. After reading the flier, Kevin and Rolf looked at each other.
"I'm not sure what this is, but I smell dork all over it," Kevin said.
"Do you really think Eddy made this thing?" Nazz asked. "This doesn't seem like his style of scamming."
"Nazz, I'm going with my gut on this. Trust me. This has their names written all over it."
"Rolf agrees with Nazz Girl," Rolf said. "Three Haired Ed-Boy wouldn't think of something like this."
"Fine, I'll prove it to you. We'll both enter the competition here and clean up and win that prize. I'm willing to bet they'll be the ones behind it!"
"Rolf accepts Kevin's challenge. May the best man win."
Kevin and Rolf shook hands on the promise. He, Rolf and Nazz left the junkyard and decided to return home. They may have failed to catch Edd, but they did find a possible lead as to what he Ed and Eddy were up to.
"I'm not done with you yet, Double Dork," Kevin thought. "I still have a score to settle with you three."
Alright, that's the chapter. So we see that Ed, Eddy and Eddy have had their first encounter with the Heartless, but are still unsure of what they are. Each of them also came into possession of a keyblade, but they can't seem to summon them on their own accord yet as we've witnessed Ed's failed attempt after his fight. Seems as though it will get interesting with Jonny getting ready to tell the other kids about what he saw with Eddy. Now Kevin, Rolf and Nazz have found one of the fliers for the Top Dog Struggle that Edd dropped as he ran out of the landfill. What will happen next? Stay tuned!
Character Progression: (As a quick note. Ed, Edd and Eddy's keyblades will change to match their respective personalities and what they stand for. If you have a suggestion for who should wield what, feel free to mention it in your review for the chapter.
New items acquired!
Ed Hartsock: Kingdom Key (Mysterious key-like weapon that functions as a normal blade. It seems to have the power to vanquish all darkness), Top Dog Struggle Fliers (x5), Blue Foam Stick
Edd Fowler: Kingdom Key (Mysterious key-like weapon that functions as a normal blade. It seems to have the power to vanquish all darkness), Top Dog Struggle Fliers (x5), Blue Foam Stick
Eddy McGhee: Kingdom Key (Mysterious key-like weapon that functions as a normal blade. It seems to have the power to vanquish all darkness), Top Dog Struggle Fliers (x5), Blue Foam Stick
Level Up!
Ed Hartsock: Level 2: Maximum HP and Strength increased! New Ability: Guard
Edd Fowler: Level 2: Maximum MP and Attack Power increased! New Ability: Guard
Eddy McGhee: Level 2: Maximum Strength and HP increased! New Ability: Guard
