A/N: In this chapter, the Minutemen are introduced. I suppose now should be the time I confess to having read the Before Watchmen: Minutemen story, and also confess to liking it. I might be borrowing some ideas from it for this story (such as it being like an audition), but there's also plenty about it I didn't think would have happened (I like the story, but it doesn't line up with my headcanons), so I'll deviate from it plenty.

Weeks passed and Eddie soon made the news as the Comedian. Before him had come some flying man in Connecticut called Mothman, and after came someone called Captain Metropolis, but Eddie remained the only one taking out criminals on the waterfront.

He was known all over for his brutality and efficiency, as well as his rather tacky costume. After a short time, he got a few alterations made, including purple, diamond shaped buttons in place of the black, round ones it had come with, and a tall, purple collar. It had been hard to find durable purple gloves in his size, and even harder to find purple boots, but he managed, and considered his costume complete.

He loved his "night job", and found that it made work at the factory at least slightly more tolerable. It was great, having a place he could blow off steam and be as violent as he pleased, and the best part was, he was praised for it! The papers called him a hero, and nobody scolded him for picking fights like they had back home. It seemed he had found the perfect job.

When Silk Spectre entered the scene, things were a bit different. She had no secret identity, openly known as an up-and-coming model named Sally Jupiter, and it was clear that everything she did was for publicity. Not long after her, a bank started using a man called Dollar Bill to promote their security.

There were some that would criticize them for using their costumes to make money, but Eddie didn't care one way or the other. Everyone had their reasons, he figured, and it wasn't like his was particularly wholesome. Not to mention the fact that Silk Spectre was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, and he didn't mind getting to look at that in the papers. He would be lying if he said he didn't save a few of her better photos when he had the chance.

The area was slowly overtaken by the super hero bug, and more surfaced every day. Few were successful, and from what Eddie observed, most were gone from the public view within a few days time. He was one of the few that stayed prominent, and he had no intention of quitting any time soon. As the Comedian, things were better for him than they had been in a while.

Every day, he scanned the papers for any mentions of himself or the others he had taken an interest in (Sally Jupiter, in particular), and it was while doing this that he happened upon a wanted ad that called specifically for costumed adventurers to come forward. It was asking for those interested in forming a group to meet up.

At first, Eddie wasn't too sure about something like that. He had done just fine on his own, after all, and had never needed an entourage before. However, there was an advantage to numbers, and he would get to experience a lot more if he did join this group. Not to mention, the ad was said to have been put out by Captain Metropolis and Silk Spectre. Knowing that she was going to be there was enough to encourage him to at least make an appearance.

~X~

When he arrived at the designated meeting place, he found that it was being run more like an audition. There was a line of several nobodies, all of them going in and out to get to meet with the two who had placed the ad in the paper. Eddie caught glimpes of a few of the people he had seen in the papers, and wondered how many of them would make it. It was then that he wondered if he would make it, and then he began to wonder when he started caring about this whole ordeal.

Eventually, his turn came, and he strode into the room, hoping he looked as confident as he always did. And there she was, just as beautiful as she looked in the photographs. Sally Jupiter smiled up at him, batting her lashes. God, what he wouldn't give to have a woman like that.

He managed to tear his eyes away from her long enough to give Captain Metropolis a once-over, and was significantly less impressed. Then Eddie turned his attention to the man in a suit standing behind them. He hadn't ever seen this guy before, but he figured he must be pretty official to be dressed like that.

"Hello, my name is Laurence Schexnayder," the man spoke. "I am Miss Jupiter's manager and have been assisting Captain Metropolis in the formation of this group, which we hope to call the Minutemen. And you are?"

"The Comedian," said Eddie, smirking at the older man. "Pleasure to meet ya, Larry."

"I've heard of you," said Captain Metropolis. "You're the man that's been taking out criminals on the Hudson with a baseball bat, right?"

"That would be me," he replied, grinning proudly. The Captain looked just as impressed with Eddie as Eddie was with him.

"Are you sure someone like him would be good for our image?" Larry asked.

"That's exactly what I'm wondering myself," replied Captain Metropolis.

"Well, I think he's a good choice," said Sally, winking. Eddie actually felt himself blush, something that he hadn't done in a while. "He's cute."

"Oh, come on, Sally," her agent said, "you can't be serious. I mean, he's a total thug, and let's not forget the matter of his age. He's practically a child."

Eddie, who knew he looked older than he was, knew he was just saying this to get a reaction out of him. "Watch who you're callin' a kid, huh?"

"How old are you?" asked Larry, in a mocking voice. "Thirteen?"

He had to remind himself that losing his temper now would only give the agent what he wanted, which was an excuse to not let Eddie into the group. He tried to keep his calm as he replied, "Sixteen, actually." His birthday had come and gone rather unceremoniously.

"See, just like I said. He's just a kid."

"That is rather young for a group like this," Captain Metropolis said as he considered it.

"Come on, boys, let's not be too hasty," Sally spoke up. "He's not that much younger than me, after all! And anyway, I like him, and I say he's in."

There was a silence that followed, as the two men stared pleadingly at Sally. She didn't look willing to compromise, and Eddie felt incredibly grateful to her. He had come in here thinking that none of this mattered, but now knew that he wanted to be a part of this team for reasons he could not explain. And he really wanted to get to spend more time with the lovely lady vouching for him.

"Are you sure?" asked Larry at last.

"Positive," she replied.

He sighed. Captain Metropolis nodded before saying, "Very well. Comedian, if you would wait outside until we've finished interviewing the rest of the applicants."

"Sure thing," said Eddie, and as he walked out of the room, Sally winked at him again. This time, he winked back.

~X~

When the Minutemen began meeting formally, Eddie was not surprised that the group insisted entirely of the heroes he had found to be most notable in the news. It was him, Sally, Captain Metropolis, Nite Owl, Hooded Justice, the Silhouette, Mothman, and Dollar Bill.

Eddie had a rocky start with the group, to say the least. In comparison to the rest of them, he was reckless and impulsive, and often needlessly brutal. He was often treated like the child they all he thought he was, particularly by Nite Owl, Hooded Justice, and Captain Metropolis. Mothman irritated Eddie with how nervous he was, and the Silhouette barely looked his way, not that he minded. His attention was completely focused on another woman.

Sally had remained just as friendly with him since the group had formed, always taking the time to talk with him and laugh at his jokes. He had next to no experience with women after all his time in a boys' school, but there was definitely something special about her. She was nicer to him than anyone had ever been, and he found himself starting to like her for more than just her unrivaled beauty.

Besides her, he considered Dollar Bill to be a fairly good friend. He, at least, didn't treat Eddie like a kid, and wasn't too hard on him about his methods. Bill wasn't a natural fighter, considering he'd gotten his start in this gig as an actor, but he had been an athlete in school and was tough enough to keep up.

Even without an ounce of violence in him, he didn't look down on Eddie for that, or at least didn't do so openly. He respected him like an equal and talked to him like a friend, and if it weren't for Sally, Eddie would consider Bill his closest friend. But Sally was definitely the one he felt the closest to, even if Larry didn't take too kindly to them spending so much time together.

Though he had a hard time fitting in with the group, Eddie still loved it. He loved being a part of something like that and going out together to take on the bigger names in crime, to get to fight actual villains instead of petty thugs on the street. When they were fighting together, it didn't matter what his teammates thought of him; all that mattered was them getting the job done.

A/N: Don't worry, Eddie will fuck things up with Sally soon enough. Just had to establish a proper relationship for them beforehand so that it can be a bit more understandable when she eventually forgives him.