Beginning A/N: Welcome back, everyone, to another exciting chapter of Injustice Syndicate: The Mis-Ed-Ventures! Now, last chapter we left off with Double Dee telling the story about his and Riot's first encounter with Carnage and his host, Cletus Kasady. And now, it's Eddy's turn to talk about his experience in Wakanda, and how he came to be the Golden Jaguar. I hope this one also lives up to everyone's expectations, because it is not an easy task writing a story like this one, let me tell ya. Still, I hope y'all like it!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Marvel, DC, or Ed, Edd n' Eddy!


The Rise of the Wakandan Prince!


By the time Double Dee finished his story, Ed and Eddy were left in stunned silence. They had no idea that their friend had come so close to death once again, and the three of them lived through the Joker's massacre of their home!

"Whoa, that was just… darn!" said Eddy.

"Eddy almost said a bad word, Double Dee." Ed said in a moment of stupidity.

"Yes, well, given the circumstance I'd say it's warranted, Ed." Double Dee replied.

"So, Sockhead… you think your old man's dead?" Eddy asked.

Double Dee just shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not, Eddy. If he and Carnage were that easy to kill, they would have died long before now. It's quite possible that we'll be seeing them again later down the road. But this time… we'll be ready."

Riot appeared out of Double Dee's shoulder and said, "Yes, we will. And then we shall assume our rightful place as leader of the Klyntars."

"But enough about Carnage for now. What happened to you, Eddy? How did you end up being trained by the greatest hero in all of Wakanda?" Double Dee asked.

Eddy leaned back, nursing a half-full can of soda in his hand as he thought back to the events that shaped him into the man that he is today. Specifically, dealing with that gang that could have become just as bad as the Penguin and his own mafia family, or Intergang. And especially… his first kill. A kill that was unintentional, but at the same time, Eddy conceded, was for the good of the folks that were being terrorized by that man and his band of thugs.

"Well… I can't exactly give you the specifics, but to summarize… I am the long-lost son of King T'Challa himself." Eddy said.

Double Dee gasped his iconic gasp while Ed's mouth dropped in shock.

"Oh my! First, we learn that you're a descendant of Peach Creek's original settlers, and now we learn that you were born in Wakanda? And are the crown prince?!" Double Dee asked incredulously.

"Sayest thou aren'tst pulling our legs, Dorkadiah!" exclaimed Ed as he butchered ye olde English.

"Believe it or not, I ain't pulling your legs, guys. I was formed from the stolen eggs and sperm from T'Challa and Storm which were used to impregnate the woman who would become my mother. This was done in secret, without her or my… adoptive?... father's knowledge, and also explains why I don't have the trademark dark skin of those who are born in Wakanda. After Joker destroyed the cul-de-sac and killed everyone in it except for us, my real mom and dad found out who I was and came to the states to bring me back home. They told me everything about my heritage and started training me to both become the next King, and also to one day take up the mantle of the Black Panther. It was just a little over a year ago where I took the rite of passage."

"What happened?" Ed asked.

Eddy took a sip of his soda and sighed through his nose before he replied.

"It went down like this…"


~Flashback~


It was time of celebration as all of Wakanda was gathering to see the crown prince take the rite of passage and reclaim his birthright as the Black Panther, just as his father and ancestors did before him. Everyone was making their way to the sacred battle ground where the rite would take place. T'Challa's mother was dancing with his sister, Shuri, as the drummers played an upbeat rhythm, and everyone was basically just celebrating and having a good time.

Finally, it was time to begin the ceremony in earnest. With a sort of war cry spoken in their native language, Xhosa Swahili, Okoye and her fellow warriors slammed their spears on the raft they were standing on, which triggered a sonic wave that activated special drains within the river basin itself. As the water drained out it revealed a huge waterfall with built-in stands. Wakandans began to walk in through a sort of cave system as they stood with the members of their respective tribes, ready to watch the ceremony.

As the crowd sang out some sort of war chant, a Wakandan shuttle hovered near the edge of the cliff. The door opened to reveal Eddy wearing a battle kilt with his upper body covered in war paint. Spear and shield in hand, Eddy disembarked and face the crowd with his head held high. This is what the young man had been training for, and he was determined to make his mother and father proud.

"I Zuri, son of Badu, give to you Prince Edward, the lost prince… and son of the Black Panther!" he announced.

The crowd cheered as Eddy crossed his arms in the Wakandan salute. As the cheering stopped, another shaman approached Zuri with a bowl full of a strange liquid that Eddy immediately recognized. He knew of it because he had been trained with the powers of the Black Panther, granted by the Heart-Shaped Herb, up until this point.

"The prince will now have the strength of the Black Panther stripped away."

Eddy knelt down as Zuri brought the bowl to his lips. He drank the contents of the bowl with some difficulty and began to shudder and shake as he felt the power of the Heart-Shaped Herb forcibly leaving him. Eddy looked up at the crowd, his breathing labored as he endured the process of the ritual. After a brief moment, the young man sighed and stood up as he was no longer in pain from the ritual.

"Damaku…" said Zuri.

"Damaku…" the crowd echoed.

All fell silent and still as the atmosphere became quite serious.

"Victory in ritual combat comes by yield, or death. If any tribe wishes to put forth a warrior, I now offer a path to the throne." Zuri said.

The Merchant Tribe warrior cried out in the African language as his tribemates shouted soon after.

"The merchant tribe will not challenge today." said the elder of the tribe.

Next to call out was the warrior of the Border Tribe followed by his own people.

"The border tribe will not challenge today." said the elder.

A female warrior, who Eddy recognizes as Nakia, calls out her own war cry, representing the River Tribe.

"The river tribe will not challenge today." this elder also said.

Though how he can speak properly with that mouthpiece is beyond me. In fact, it looks uncomfortable and more than a little painful. But I'm getting off topic.

The final warrior, the fighter representing the Mining Tribe, called out his own war cry as his elder gave her decision.

"The mining tribe will not challenge today." said the final elder.

"Is there any member of a royal blood who wishes to challenge for the throne?" Zuri asked.

To everyone's surprise, including that of T'Challa and Eddy, Shuri actually raised her hand. Was she challenging her nephew for the right to rule over Wakanda?

"This corset is really uncomfortable, so could we just wrap this up so we can all go home?" Shuri asked.

Her mother pinched her for asking such a question as she garnered various reactions. Mainly groans of annoyance and facepalms from the older members of the gathered tribes and some laughter from the younger and more immature members. T'Challa just smiled and shook his head at his sister's antics while Eddy mentally sighed in relief. Though, if he was being honest, that sounded like something he would say if he were forced to attend something like this and dress up in something as uncomfortable as ceremonial clothes.

Of course, he won't mention that out loud.

But before anything else could be said or done, a new sound echoed through the waterfall. It was the sound of wooden drums playing a tune of war and a powerful chant that sounded like it was mixed with ape calls. If you listened closely, you could hear that the chant goes 'Mbaye Lfza ya hoo hoo' even though it doesn't quite sound like that. From another cave, six men emerged while chanting as the drums were played. The Border Tribe warrior made a move to intervene, but he was stopped by his elder.

"Are they Jabari?" Shuri asked her mother.

"Yes!..." she nervously replied.

The men continued their chant as a man wearing a screeching gorilla mask walked up to Eddy, his upper body painted white with a texture similar to ape fur. His weapon of choice was a wooden spear with a heavy stone club at the other end. The men abruptly ended the chant as the masked man removed his mask.

"M'Baku, what are you doing here?" demanded Zuri.

The man, M'Baku, merely smirked at the shaman and gave a single response.

"It's challenge day."

M'Baku turned to the crowd and began to monologue as he made his opinions on certain things about the situation in Wakanda well known. Especially in regards to the technology of Wakanda.

"We have watched and listened from the mountains. We have watched with disgust as your technological advancements have been overseen by a child!..." exclaimed M'Baku as he gestured to Shuri with his spear. "...Who scoffs at tradition!"

Turning to Eddy, M'baku proceeded to get nose to nose with the young prince as he continued his monologue.

"And now you want to hand the nation over to this prince… a boy of mixed blood who could not keep his own home, nor his people, safe. Hmmm?"

Eddy glared at the leader of the Jabari.

"We will not have it. I say we! Will! Not! Have it, oh!" M'Baku all but screeched. "I, M'Baku, leader of the Jabari will…"

"I accept your challenge, M'Baku." Eddy said.

M'Baku just smirked and said, "Glory to Hanuman.".

As M'Baku and Eddy mentally prepare themselves for ritual combat, some of the tribes of Wakanda began to play an upbeat rhythm on their drums. Zuri and his fellow shaman put a panther mask on their young champion while M'Baku put his ape mask back on. M'Baku calls for his men to form a semicircle around him as they aimed their spears at the group. Eddy did the same, calling in Xhosa for Okoye and her fellow Dora Milaje who also formed a semicircle around the group effectively boxing them in while preparing to slowly force them closer to the edge of the waterfall as the fight dragged on.

"Let the challenge begin!" exclaimed Zuri.

With a beat from his spear, the fight began.

The warriors clash, both with great skill. But in this case M'Baku has superior strength. Eddy eludes a salvo of swings, then is driven back by the tip of M'Baku's spear against his shield. Knocking M'Baku's spear free, Eddy is hammered onto his back but instantly springs up to dodge more attacks and counter with two fierce kicks. For someone without much real-world combat experience, Eddy was holding his own rather well.

After all, this fight is all about crowning a new king for Wakanda.

M'Baku spits blood and bangs his chest after taking a nasty hit to the face from Eddy. The rest of the Jabari warriors respond. Eddy salutes the crowd, and they respond louder! M'Baku charges at Eddy, knuckle-walking, and slipping his assault, Eddy grabs M'Baku's spear and cartwheels over it to land another kick.

The two continue to battle, blocking and trading blunt strikes, until M'Baku delivers a backhand that knocks Eddy off his feet near the Dora's spears. With the deadly spears at his back, Eddy blocks colossal overhead blows with his shield, then M' Baku leans with all his strength trying to impale Eddy on the tip of his spear. Clubbing M'Baku to his heels, Eddy rushes forward for an aerial attack only to be met by a vicious kick.

"Where is your god now?" M'Baku mockingly asked.

Defenseless, Eddy dodges several swipes from the stronger man's spear before M'Baku corrals him into a bear hug and delivers a crushing headbutt several times. Each strike causing damage and nearly knocking the prince into unconsciousness.

"No powers. No claws. No special suit, oh! Just a boy not fit to lead!" M'Baku shouted with each hit.

"Show them who you are!" shouted Queen Ororo to her son.

With the fire in his heart burning even more intensely from his mother's words, Eddy roared like a panther and struck back at M'Baku, hitting him with a devastating headbutt that cracked the man's mask. Then striking twice more in the exact same spot to break the mask, sending M'Baku stumbling back and drawing blood. M'Baku wiped his face and saw the blood before roaring in rage and charging in, managing to impale Eddy in the shoulder with his spear!

Eddy cried out in agony as the sharp wooden weapon was twisted and driven deeper into his flesh as the prince held it back from going all the way through. But he did not let this deter him. He gathered his fortitude and held his ground.

"I am Prince Edward… son of King T'Challa!"

"You can do this, Edward!" shouted Shuri, encouraging her nephew.

Eddy forced the spear out of his body and sent M'Baku stumbling back as the Jabari leader tried to gore Eddy again, but he was ready for him. He quickly caught the spear and forced it down into the water with his knee, possibly breaking the weapon, and kicked M'Baku onto his back and into the water. Wasting no time, Eddy grabbed the other man and got him in a powerful grapple to where he couldn't move and could barely breathe. The crowd cheered at this maneuver as Eddy and M'Baku were now dangerously close to the waterfall's edge.

One slip, and they'd both plummet to their doom.

"Yield! Don't make me kill you." exclaimed Eddy.

"I would rather die!" M'Baku managed to say.

Eddy continued to grapple M'Baku while slowly suffocating him, all the while trying not to break the man's neck. If there's one thing about the Jabari's warriors that he's learned from this fight alone, it's that they're as stubborn as they come. The crowd was chanting Eddy's name as they cheered for their prince.

"You have fought with honor! Now yield! Your people need you." Eddy urged M'Baku.

Said man was slipping in and out of unconsciousness from the lack of oxygen, but he heard what Eddy said and knew he was right. Though he'd probably never say it out loud.

"YIELD, MAN!" screamed Eddy.

Finally with some difficulty, M'Baku tapped out and gave up. The crowd went wild as Eddy broke his hold on his opponent. He raised a fist in victory as two members of the Jabari assisted in helping their leader back to their home in the mountains.

"I now present to you… Prince Edward… the future Black Panther!" Zuri announced as he placed a necklace of panther teeth around Eddy's neck.

Eddy shook hands with Zuri, the old man giving the prince a friendly smile out of respect for the young man as the crowd cheered for the coronation of their new prince. One whom they knew would be just as great a king as his father was, if not better. Eddy turned and faced the crowd as he crossed his arms in the Wakandan salute.

"WAKANDA FOREVER!" he shouted.

"WAKANDA FOREVER!" the crowd shouted back as they too saluted.


***To Be Continued…***


Ending A/N: And there we go. Now you all know how Eddy came to be the Golden Jaguar. I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. I don't really know what I have in store for next chapter, but I'll try to make sure that it's worth the wait. As usual, this story will be updated on a bi-monthly schedule, so the next update will come in December. As always, thank you all so much for reading, don't forget to cast your votes on the poll on my profile if you haven't already, and I'll see you all in my next update! See ya!