AN: Well, we had a good run with this story. Ed, Edd, and Eddy have gone through some tough trials in these past thirteen chapters, but with this fourteenth chapter the rise of the Injustice Syndicate comes to a startling conclusion. Truths are revealed, families reunited, and our three Ed-Boys begin their time training before their mission to truly eradicate all crime on Earth begins. I would like to thank everybody who stuck by me while I wrote this story, and the feedback that they have given throughout the whole thing.
Skull Flame, LegionnaireBlaze, Invader Johnny, Fox Boss, ReptileEdge, and especially Mace sheperd who made the request for this story… and everyone else who has stuck by me throughout my time writing this. Your kind words and generous feedback is deeply appreciated, and really gave me the drive to really stick to this story and make it as incredible as I possibly could. Thanks for your support, guys and girls!
Now, without further delay, here we go!
Disclaimer: I still don't own Ed, Edd n' Eddy, Marvel, or DC!
An Ed-Venturous Finale!
Previously during Eddy's Fight…
"Never come back!" hissed Eddy.
Don nodded in return and whimpered as he was released. Releasing a breath, Eddy turned around and started walking away completely missing the malevolent smirk that appeared on Don's face as he drew a pocketknife. He slowly stood up while Eddy stopped as he seemed to sense an oncoming threat.
"DIE YOU LITTLE SHIT!" roared Don as he charged.
But Eddy was quick to react.
He twisted his body out of the way just as Don thrust his knife forward and plunged the hunting knife he'd taken all the way through the mob boss's greedy, black heart. Don gasped in pain and outrage as he felt the metal pierce his flesh. He released a few pitiful gasps as the life left him and he fell to the ground, dead as a doornail. Eddy started trembling as the adrenaline wore off and he very quickly realized what he had done.
He just made his first kill…
His first human kill…
Now…
Eddy was rooted to his spot as the gravity of his actions sank in. He just killed another human being by stabbing him through the heart with a knife! Granted, he tried to kill Eddy first and he was a total monster of a human being, but still! Eddy sank to his knees next to the corpse of the man who was once a dangerous mob boss, shivering as though he was sitting in the arctic in the middle of winter. Looking to his hands, his breathing became quick and shallow as he saw the blood that now stained them, just like the blood that pooled beneath the corpse of the man formerly known as Don.
Everyone has trouble dealing with their first kill, and Eddy was no different. And the fact that he made his first kill while he was still a child and wasn't a trained soldier fighting in a war made the ordeal all the more traumatizing for him. Even the Joker's massacre of the cul-de-sac and everyone in it wasn't as traumatizing as this!
The surviving gang members couldn't believe their eyes! Their leader was just killed! And by a kid, no less! Eddy's cousins and the group of men from the town looked at the lad with concern and slight pride. Concern that Eddy may end up scarred for life because of what he just did, and also pride in him for ending the life of a man who had no qualms about killing and endangering innocent people and practically enslaving a whole town to do it. To them, Eddy was indeed the hero of the hour.
Too bad ol' Deadman Don's gang doesn't see it that way.
"Hey, that brat's killed our boss!" exclaimed one of the grunts.
"What do we do now?" asked another.
"Duh! We pillage the town of everything valuable and regroup as we put a new leader into power! That town may be small, but it's sure to have something of value left in it, and if not, well… there's always the ladies who we can have some fun with." a highly decorated man, likely the gang's underboss, said lecherously.
The rest of the men in the gang all grinned and licked their lips in an equally perverse manner as they thought about raping the women of the town. They already knew that most of them were quite beautiful, and they could probably sell them as prostitutes on the black market after a bit of 'training'. Eddy could hear their words, but in his shock at having made his first kill they sounded muffled. Like somebody was speaking to him while he was underwater. And in his state of shock, it just made him more vulnerable to the dangers around him.
"But first," the underboss picked up a machete. "We got ourselves a brat to kill and some foolish men to make an example out of. Can't have anyone else rebelling against us, now, can we?"
No words needed to be said as all of the grunts aimed their guns at the group, who tensed as they braced themselves to be shot at. All except for Eddy, who was still kneeling there in shock. But before any of them could pull the trigger, the lights went out!
All of the remaining gang members started panicking as they stumbled about in the dark… before screaming in absolute agony! Their screams almost drowned out the unmistakable sound of flesh being pierced, sliced, and torn open as blood splashed all over the ground! Our heroes couldn't tell if they were saved, or if they were in even bigger trouble than before, but right now all they cared about was retrieving Eddy and getting him to safety.
After what felt like hours, but was in reality five minutes, the lights flickered back on, and our heroes were horrified by the sight before them.
The remains of Don's gang lay dead on the ground in pools of their own blood! They were all either stabbed through their vital areas or mutilated by what appeared to be very large claws. But if a bear or other animal had gotten into the warehouse, they'd have heard it. And besides that, they're nowhere near bear territory.
They also noticed that Eddy was nowhere to be found.
"Where'd Eddy go?" Joseph asked.
That is a good question.
Where DID Eddy go?
***With Double Dee & Riot…***
Double Dee was humming a merry tune as he walked down the street to the cul-de-sac. He was going back to pay his respects for those who were killed in the Joker's invasion, as well as to establish a base of operations for himself. He wasn't about to allow himself to be thrown into foster care by the system, as he's heard many stories about some kids being taken in by absolutely terrible homes with neglectful, and even abusive, families taking them in. He wasn't going to chance it!
Granted, he could always just let Riot eat any of the neglectful or abusive a-holes, but still!
Double Dee had gone and bought several things using the emergency cash that he managed to find in the wreckage of his former home when he and Riot first returned to the cul-de-sac. He had a sleeping bag, a pillow, some cooking fuel and non-perishable foods, a portable stove, a small lantern, and he even managed to get some books about survival and, for some reason, the latest at home DNA Ancestry Testing device.
As he snuck around the ruined neighborhood that had once been his home, he saw that the abandoned manor had been left surprisingly untouched by the Joker's assault. It was still boarded up, the lawn overgrown, and that same 'FOR SALE' sign was still in place right in the front lawn. Double Dee, Eddy, and Ed had been in that house a few times before and he knew that with all of the hidden room and secret compartments, it would be a literal maze for anyone who didn't know how to navigate it.
In simpler terms; it's the perfect hiding spot!
"What are we even doing here?" Riot asked.
"We need a base to hideout in so that we can train in peace and keep out of detection of the foster care system. I'm certain you've seen at least some of my memories involving what happens to some kids who end up in that system." Double Dee explained with a slight shudder.
Riot just mentally nodded and said "True enough. Besides, that cave was far too uncomfortable of a place to stay, even for me. And I really didn't want to put up with saving our butts from bears and mountain lions. So, let's set up shop and start training."
"Right away, partner!" Double Dee replied.
With that, Double Dee made his way into the old house and took in his surroundings after locking the door behind him. It was just as creepy and ridden with dust, debris, and cobwebs as he remembered it. But at least it would be the last place anyone would think to look for him. Using his memories of past experiences with the house as a guide, Double Dee made his way to a hidden chamber that would serve as his bedroom and study. It only took him about five minutes to get there, and once there he began to unpack and make the place a little homier.
"Oh, if only my trusty label gun had survived the assault." Double Dee mildly complained.
"What does a label gun have to do with this? You planning on selling some of this old junk?" Riot asked.
"Not quite, Riot. It's mostly because it's difficult for me to sleep in an unlabeled environment. Bit of a habit I developed when growing up, as my parents insisted that I keep my room neat and organized. Why, I even alphabetized my books for immediate reference." explained Double Dee.
The Symbiote simply scoffed at the notion of being so organized that one had to do such a thing as alphabetizing their books.
"Alphabets are for soup." Riot said before asking "But speaking of parents, why do you have that DNA testing kit in the first place? Do you doubt your own heritage?"
"I brought it along because I've always been rather curious about the roots of my ancestry, and this device will allow me to delve deep into the rabbit hole that is my ancestral blood." explained Eddward as he opened the box.
Riot watched with a bored expression on his face, or at least what was assumed to be a bored expression. It's often hard to tell with Klyntars.
"...SNORE! I'm getting some shut eye. Wake me up when you're doing something that's not boring." Riot said as he retreated into the deep recesses of Double Dee's mind to rest.
Double Dee just smiled fondly at the antics of his new symbiotic roommate, for lack of a better term, and continued to remove the DNA testing kit from the box. Riot reminded him so much of Eddy in terms of personality that it slightly disturbed him, and yet at the same time brought a sense of comfort to the boy. And as he read the instructions on how to use the DNA testing kit, he couldn't help but ponder what became of Eddy and Ed when he left.
Were they still resting and recovering in the hospital? Knowing those two, it was highly unlikely. Especially with how stubborn Eddy can be when it comes to doing anything that requires him to remain inactive for longer than five minutes. And Ed would probably be too stupid to actually remain in the hospital due to excessive brain damage, most of which was likely caused by Sarah and her temper tantrums. Still, he hoped that they were okay, wherever they are now. But even as he thought about the welfare of his friends, he focused on unloading the kit. It was quite advanced for their age.
The testing kit included a small needle that one would prick their finger on, a bio scanner that would read one's DNA from just a drop of blood, and a disposable single use computer and printer that would give one the results of their test after about three hours. It was developed by the medical division of Wayne Enterprises, so Double Dee knew that it wouldn't be faulty merchandise. Unlike what one might expect from Lex Corp. So, he followed the instructions provided with the kit and pricked his finger before putting a drop of blood on the scanner before bandaging his finger. And as the device did its work, all that was left now for Double Dee to do was wait. In the meantime, a long nap would do him some good.
Crawling into his sleeping bag, Double Dee was instantly out like a light completely unaware of just what he would find in his family tree.
It certainly wouldn't be what he was expecting.
***Back on Ysmault…***
The rest of the Red Lantern Corp, plus one Green Lantern, had managed to pry themselves free from the cave wall once the chewed up Chunky Puffs had hardened to the point that it became brittle, which took about two hours. And by that point they had calmed down enough to realize that Ed was merely a victim of enhanced rage caused by the ring when it chose him, just like the rest of them had been. So, they let the incident go, with some even admitting that the whole situation was kinda funny in hindsight.
They took some time to get to know their newest Red Lantern and found that Ed, despite being somewhat lacking in the mental department, was actually quite the likable guy. And they especially liked how he wasn't a racist, as he actually found the many aliens of the Red Lantern Corp to be cool. Of course, they did eventually learn about how Ed came into possession of a Red Lantern ring, and they found his rage to be justified. Losing your home and family to a madman while said madman basically walks away with a slap on the wrist would be enough to drive anyone into a fit of rage great enough to attract a Red Lantern ring.
Atrocitus already knew from the monster construct incident that Ed would be a powerful addition to the corps with the right training, and so it was decided that he would receive that training and be molded into the best Red Lantern he could be. Ed would be trained by Bleez, Skallox, and himself just to name a few, but with their guidance the boy would certainly become a force to be reckoned with, even among Red Lanterns.
Ed stood before the central power battery of the Red Lantern Corps, ready to recharge his ring and begin his training in earnest. Raising his ring to the battery, red energy began to pour from the large device into the ring as Ed recited his sacred oath.
"With blood and rage of crimson red, ripped from a corpse so wrongfully dead, your minds twisted with pain and hate, to burn in hell - that is your fate!"
And so, in a flash of light, Ed was once again in his Red Lantern armor. His ring was fully charged, and he was ready to begin his training in the Red Lantern Corps in earnest!
***Back on Earth…***
Double Dee woke up from his nap three hours later feeling much more refreshed. He hadn't really gotten the chance to rest due to both Riot's initial bonding with him, his escape from the hospital, and getting the necessary supplies to hide out from people who would put him in a foster care program which he didn't want. The first thing he did afterwards was get in a good meal for himself. Eggs, bacon, a glass of water, and he also got Riot some chocolate as the Klyntar had been rather insistent on it when they were stocking up. Fortunately, his food stuff didn't go bad since he managed to hook the fridge that he found in the house up to a portable generator he'd found and brought along.
Double Dee still wasn't sure exactly why someone would just leave a perfectly good portable generator laying around on the side of the road with a 'Free' sign taped to it, but he wasn't complaining. It provided him with the power that he needed to keep his hideout up and running while at the same time evading detection as it was completely silent.
When he finished his meal, he went to check the results of the DNA scanner. The device had finished scanning his DNA from the blood sample that the boy had provided and printed out his results. Double Dee picked up the sheet of paper and began to read as the machine had traced his ancestry back to his earliest known relative.
"Uh-huh, yes, good, oh my, well I didn't know about him… hang on a tick…" Double Dee's eyes went wide as he saw one particular name on the page. "Pardon my French, but… WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS?!"
And he had every right to be in shock. Because the name that surprised even Riot as he emerged to see what was freaking his host out so much was none other than… Kletus Kassidy! And then there was his mother. A woman named Sin, but that wasn't his main focus at the moment.
"But, but, but how can this be? I was born to a pair of model citizens in the eyes of society! Eh, good samaritans I might add! And yet this scanner says otherwise! Can you make sense of this, Riot? Because I can't!" exclaimed Double Dee as he began to panic.
At least before Riot materialized a hand a literally slapped some sense into him.
"Keep it together, man!" Riot ordered. "I get it, a huge bomb has just been dropped on you and you're having difficulty processing this revelation. But if you start freaking out like this, your mind will be too clouded to get to the root of the problem. Besides, as far as I'm concerned, Kletus was never your father! He may have given you life… but he wasn't your daddy."
Hearing Riot's words helped Double Dee calm down and think rationally about this. And as he did, he realized that the Klyntar was right. Just because Kassidy had given life to Eddward didn't make him his father. And if anything, it only gave him more of a reason to finally end him and that menace of a Klyntar known as Carnage. He quickly slapped himself a few times before sighing.
"Thank you, Riot. I needed that." said Double Dee.
"No problem. And now that your short-lived identity crisis has been averted, it's time to begin your training in our powers. And we'll start by increasing the speed in which we transform from human to Klyntar." Riot said.
Double Dee gulped as he'd always abbored physical activity but didn't let that get him down. If this training was going to help him get justice for every injustice brought on by the Justice League, then so be it!
The Eds have gone through a terrible life-changing event as the cul-de-sac and everyone in it has been destroyed! And in doing so, the three of them have gained new strengths, secrets have been revealed, and new allies are about to be made! What will happen when the Eds finish their training and reunite? Can they right the wrongs of the Justice League? Find out in the sequel story of the Injustice Syndicate trilogy!
***THE END!***
Ending AN: You know something? I'm actually kind of sad that this story has ended. True, it's only the first book in the trilogy, but it's still a little saddening to see this story end after fourteen chapters. Thank you all for sticking with me and following along with the Ed-Boys through this story, and I hope to see you in the second book of the trilogy when it comes out. Also, the poll on my profile is still open, and will be deciding which of my stories I'll be continuing and focusing on completing after I've finished one of my other stories! So far, My Hero Academia: Consequences and Predacon of the League are tied for first place in the poll. However, there's still time to vote if you haven't already! You have until the end of The Phantom of the Empire to cast your votes for the story you want me to focus on and finish next! So please don't forget to review, favorite, follow, and vote, and I will see you all in the next update! SEE YA!
Poll Question: Which of these stories do you want me to continue & focus on after I've finished writing The Phantom of the Empire? (Please vote for up to 3 choices.)
