I can't say I'm completely happy with this chapter, which is probably why it isn't too long. It was really hard to get started for some reason. Anyway, I'm glad this story is getting such a positive reaction. Please tell me in there is something that doesn't make sense / isn't right / sound stupid in this chapter.

Chapter 3: Dressed to the Eds

Kevin could only mutter a few words. "No way..."

Was this even the same person for sure? Their friend of so many years, whom they were all very certain was a young man now stood before them a slim young girl!

"P-Please stop staring so much." Edd mumbled, attempting to hide his exposed legs with the short skirt. While the plead was heard, the two teenage boys barely acknowledged the statement. Eddy's deep brown eyes seemed to have settled on the stocking covered legs as a slow blush crawled across his cheeks. When were Double D's legs so curvy and smooth?

Time seemed to freeze for a second for the young scam artist.

His head snapped up to look at the long haired boy who was watching Kevin and himself. "S-Still looks like ol' Double D to me!" Eddy proclaimed a bit too loud. He nudged Ed's side as he walked up, the daisy chain he was braiding still in his hands. "Sockhead looks kinda girly, doesn't he Lumpy?"

Ed looked down at the figure before him. Staring up at him nervously, Edd could practically hear the lines being drawn in his friends head, trying to connect the new appearance verses the old. The black haired young man wouldn't be surprised if Ed didn't recognize him. After all, Eddy did fool the lovable oaf with a simple costume change.

The green eyed young man continued to stare at his childhood friend for a few moments before a big goofy grin spread across his strong features. "Double D is pretty again!" His strong arms swung out from his sides, the daisy chain in one hand as he wrapped his arms around the slim young man, lifting him from the ground in a bone crushing hug once more. Not so long ago, Edd would have protested to this contact as Ed was notoriously bad at hygiene; thankfully, he took well to a 'bathroom boot camp' the two other Eds made for him.

"W-Why thank you Ed." Edd mumbled patting the thick red mane on his tall friend's head.

"I guess Double Dweeb doesn't look so bad dressed like that." Kevin mumbled looking to the side with a slight blush. The jock huffed a bit. "Just remember dork, you gotta dress like that for a full month!"

Nazz cleared her throat as she waved to Ed. "Hey big guy, c'mere and help Double D take his new clothes to his house."

Dropping the pale skinned young man back to the pavement, Ed began to pull bags out from the back seat of the banged up car, the owner of the clothing brushing out wrinkles from his clothing.

"So what's up with the sneaking around?" Eddy asked standing before Edd with his arms crossed, an unhappy look on his features. "Couldn't take Ed and I?"

"Th-That's 'me and Ed', Eddy." The long haired young man corrected, earning an even stronger glare. "W-Well um... uh..." He jumped with he felt a hand grip his right shoulder. Kevin stood beside him with a sly grin.

"Double D wanted to be all alone with Nazz eh?" Tugging at the thick collar of the sweater with a finger, the redhead snickered a bit. "What is it? The girly clothes giving you a little more confidence?"

The long haired young man's mouth moved, but only unintelligible mutters came forth making a blush grow on his cheeks. The gazes of the two teenagers made him back up a bit, bumping into the bent over teenager still pulling out bags from the car.

"Veronica's Mystery?" Ed said in a loud enough voice for the two grinning young men to hear. "Double D, my mom shops there too!" The redhead announced happily as he turned around, a black bag with silver letting in hand.

Eddy and Kevin turned to look at each other, massive cheshire grins splitting their features. The two nearly lunged for the bag, nearly knocking over Edd in their conquest to see the contents within the high-quality bag.

"N-No!" Edd squeaked trying to grab the bag from them. Just as the two were about to look into the bag, a book rushed past the black haired boy's head, nailing Kevin in the side of the head.

Laying on the ground beside a book on advanced chemistry, Kevin watched Nazz snatch back the bag from Eddy who grumbled but said little against the young woman, a lump forming on the side of the jock's head. "Geeze Nazz."

"Don't go looking through things like that." She informed turning to Ed, looping the handles around one of his arms. The two young men acquiesced to the command, Kevin standing once more.

Turning to look at the boy in the white stockings, Kevin smirked a bit. "So what's in that bag dork? Something to match those stockings?" Kevin's green eyes ran over the feminine legs, slowly up the young man's form.

Edd's mouth opened, about to deny all accusations of such a things, until a strong gust of cold wind rushed past them; Edd looking horrified as the quick gust kicked up the black skirt just briefly enough to offer the two young men a view of simple but cute white panties, a bow on the front of the waistband the same color as his sweater.

Nearly a full minute passed between the two stunned young men.

"Wanna help Ed, Eddy?" The blond girl quickly interrupted as she pushed the last few bags into his hands, a small glare in her eyes. Stuttering an affirmative, Eddy and Ed were lead by the girl in the direction of the black haired boy's house.

Said you man stood stunned as well, his hands gripping the front and back of the thin cloth around his thighs. His wide eyes stayed fixed on the ground just in front of Kevin's feet as the two stood in silence.

"Heh... Y-You're pretty tough, dork." Mumbled Kevin as he passed by Edd, thumping his shoulder lightly with a fist. "This should be fun." He added as he made his way towards his home.

Curse you mother nature. The slim young man whimpered in his mind as he began walking towards his own house. I'll never be able to look at those two again... His eyes glanced over at the sight of a white hybrid car pulling into the driveway of his house, a bike strapped to the back of it. Suddenly, his heart sank even more as he froze in place on the sidewalk. Mother and father! Edd could feel himself begin to quake in fear. H-How will I even explain this to them?

As nausea began to overtake him, the young man attempted to assure himself that they wouldn't be too stunned. Surely mother will be accepting, she has recalled many times about dealing with young men dressed like myself... But what about if her son was like that? Edd began to pace back and forth a bit on the sidewalk. I-I'm certain... I have the least to fear from her. He sighed. But father... He's a bit more... The long haired boy looked up from across the cul-de-sac to watch his parents step out of the small vehicle.

His father was a tall man, slim in build with a regal face. A messy mop of black hair rested on his head, slightly windswept in style. Sea green eyes watched the world with a piercing gaze from behind a pair of small, square framed glasses that rested on the end of his nose. While he did seem a bit intense, his father was a kind hearted man deep down, full of love and passion. Edd had gathered over the years that he had acquired his near obsessive need for order from him.

Watching the man in his late thirties remove the bike made from spare parts from the back of the car, Edd completed his thought with a simple word. Challenging...

His father rolled the back through the fence into the backyard just as a shorter, slim woman emerged from the white car. Seeing his mother was almost like a breath of fresh air for the young man. Her golden hair in its natural curls blew in the cool breeze as she looked around a bit. Even from where he was, Edd could see the womans soft blue eyes and kind features. It was something he admired about her. Aside from being furious about adhesive residue, she was nearly always cheerful.

"Might as well..." The black haired young man mumbled as he began to cross the circular road.

He approached her as she retrieved a few paper bags from the backseat of the car, Most likely some left over produce. Edd thought as he stepped over the curb. He was about to call to her when the blond woman stood up straight, her arms full with bags.

With a sandal covered foot, she closed the door easily and spun around to walk around her husband's vehicle. In mid-step, she stopped, her eyes on the blushing figure before her. Her small smile turned to an even brighter one as she bowed her head a bit. "Hello there! I haven't see your face around here. Are you new to the neighborhood?"

Edd nearly blanched. How did she not recognize him? He was about to correct her when she set the sacks on the trunk of the car rummaging through one, humming slightly. The young man in the skirt opened his mouth to try and communicate once more but was silence with the presentation of a quite unusual looking piece of fruit.

Examining the deep red flesh of the 'spine' covered object, Edd looked to his mother questioningly.

"Pitaya, or as many know it, Dragon Fruit." His mother grinned. "Rich in antioxidants and vitamins. I hope you and your family can enjoy it as a snack."

"I would love a piece." Edd finally spoke, the woman's smile becoming a bit confused, her head tilting slightly.

"My, how unusual, you sound just like my son." She commented, then faltered a bit. "N-Not that you said manly! I-I'm sorry!"

Sometimes, Edd did indeed wonder how his strict, no nonsense father and slightly breezy, fun loving mother even met.

"Dear, have you seen Eddward? His friends are inside eating some of your Bean Sprout Salad." Edd's father called stepping out of the front door. "He didn't even leave a post-it in his absence." The bespectacled man huffed a bit. Scratching at his bed-head like hair, the man stopped, standing beside his wife. "Oh, and who is this?" The man smiled kindly.

Once more, Edd blanched. You too father?

"Daniel, dear, this is a new neighbor, I gave her a..." As the tanned woman explained the situation, Edd began to plan out the best way to explain to them that he was in fact, their son.

"Hey Double D! You're outta ranch dressing!" Eddy, always the loudmouth, bellowed from the doorway.

And, without thinking about it, the young man was obliged to aid his friend. "There's a new bottle on the bottom shelf of the pantr-" He slapped his delicate hands over his mouth, looking from the brown haired young mans to his parents who were now both staring, quite hard, at Edd.

"E-Eddward?" His mother stuttered a bit as she leaned down to look at the long haired boy. "W-What are you doing dear?" She asked with another confused smile.

"Perhaps we should... Talk inside?" Edd mumbled playing with the end of one of his sleeves.

After shooing the other teenagers out of the house, Edd found himself within the living room of his small, tidy home. He stood before his parents who sat on the couch waiting for an explanation of such a drastic change in their son.

"Now, explain." Daniel, Edd's father, stated evenly. He sat straight and rigid, his arms over his chest. "Did your friends bully you into this?"

"Daniel..." The blond woman mumbled placing a hand on her husband's arm.

Gulping down as much fear as he could, the long haired young man began to tell them of the party and of the game of truth or dare, leaving out some of the more unusual antics that were involved with it. When he finally explained the terms of the deal though, his parents seemed to have two completely different reactions.

"Eddward dear! I'm glad you're trying something new. Though I'm worried about-" His mouther began.

"About what this will do to your studies! Do you think your teachers will accept such behavior from a high school student of your intelligence?" He didn't sound angry, but Edd's father didn't looked pleased either. "You're going to risk your entire future for money?"

"Daniel I-"

"No Hazel, he knows what I mean." The black haired man stated, silencing the curly haired woman.

Edd bit his bottom lip a bit. "W-Well... J-Jimmy is well known among the teachers as being... Effeminate, and they don't seem to pay much attention."

The blond woman smiled and stood up, moving towards her son, equally as tall as she was. She took his hands into hers and squeezed lightly. "Yes dear, that's true, but does he dress up like this?" Seeing the boy's head shake, she nodded. "Then what proof is there that they will allow it?"

"None, mother." Edd mumbled in defeat. "Though... I would like to attempt to continue this bet..."

Hazel, his mother, looked back to her husband who gave a deep sigh a stood up, moving across the room, placing a hand on the sweater covered shoulder of his son. "Eddward, I'm not going to tell you what you must do. You're sensible enough to do it. Though I ask you, if they tell you to change at school, please do so."

"I-I will father." The boy smiled a bit before the man hugged him a bit. The slim young man believed he had the best parents in the world.

"So..." Daniel mumbled as he stepped back looking in the direction of his son's room. "What was in those bags I saw your friend carrying?"

Blushing, Edd rubbed the back of his neck. "A-A months worth of new clothes?" His father continued to stare at the bedroom and gave a small smirk before walking back outside to bring in the groceries they'd left on the car.

"Eddward?" The blond woman mumbled.

Turning to look at her soft blue eyes, Edd expected to be confronted once more, the sad look in the woman's eyes making him a bit nervous. "Y-Yes mother?"

"C-Can I have the pitaya back? I wanna eat it for a snack..." Hazel whimpered, a bit teary eyed.

The teenager could only laugh and hug the woman.

Well, there you have it, chapter three down! How many are left? I dunno yet, I keep coming up with ideas for more chapters. Anyway! Since I've yet to see many stories dealing with the kid's parents, I decided to give it try. I've heard of people giving Edd a pair of mean, abusive parents. Yeah, that's crap in my opinion. I could see Edd's mother being a hippy-like woman. Why? Well, if you remember some of the things that they mention she had, most of them were either healthy, all natural, or, in the case of the laundry detergent, eco-friendly. I also made her a little breezy just cause it was cute. Daniel, Edd's dad I bit more stern, though still kind. I don't think I managed it, but he's an accountant. I'll probably go a bit more into their description later, as well as some of the other parents.