All over the world, the televisions showed nothing but static as all the programs have been interrupted by an ominous broadcast coming from an unknown source.
"Citizens of the world! There is nothing wrong with your television. Changing the channel will prove futile." A rich, sultry disembodied voice with a hint of a foreign accent spoke through the broadcast. The static changed to a blue banner with an enigmatic red symbol. "The time for great change has arrived at last. The Red Army has risen! As I speak, my loyal soldiers are taking over five of your beloved nations from the inside out. It is pointless to resist, as they are now under full control of the Red Army. And soon enough, the rest of the remaining nations will follow suit. The whole world will belong to us. The decision remaining now is simple: you may either opt to join us now and avoid casualties, or face our forces as we unleash our full wrath upon the world."
Watching the broadcast at home, Edd could hardly believe this was really happening. He and his friends were watching a horror movie marathon on TV in his apartment when the film abruptly cut short only to display the following declaration of war.
"By all means, I welcome you to dare try and oppose us; but know this is a war you cannot possibly win. My troops are heavily fortified and have been training for decades with one single goal in mind, and it will come to fruition one way or another. This is your only and final warning! Stand down and submit, or be taken over by force. Your choice. The Red Army is now at war!"
The broadcasted came to an end.
The newscast took over from there, reporting on the ominous declaration of war as Norway and some other countries around the world revealed their true colors in allegiance to the Red Army; finishing with a statement reporting the UK authorities would meet up immediately to discuss the matter going forward.
Everyone in the room was silent and in a bizarre state of shock. It felt as though the whole world had come to a crashing halt as the reality of the situation slowly sank in.
"What was that all about?" Matt asked, looking sideways at his friends for an answer. "I don't remember this part of the film. Is this a remake?"
Edd didn't respond. Instead his gaze flew over to Eduardo, who stared at the screen with narrowed eyes. His dark brown eyes reflected determination and hatred, but also a glint of desperation in them.
Abruptly, the burly brunet stood up from the couch and stormed out of the apartment.
Mark lifted his head. "Eduardo?"
"I'll go after him." Edd quickly volunteered, wanting the chance to talk to him in private.
He didn't pause to hear what Mark would say. He got up and left, following Eduardo into his apartment. He found his former rival pacing around in his living room restlessly, hand to his mouth, humming under his breath pensively.
"Eduardo?"
"We're out of time, loser."
Edd reared back and blinked.
It's been several months since he joined forces with Eduardo in attempts to figure out the enigmas behind the mysterious corporation known as The Red Army. Edd told him everything he knew about it from his experience with Reagan in the past. And while Eduardo and he have investigated several leads, none have wielded any answers on Tord's role in this or his current whereabouts. They knew The Red Army existed, they were gathering numbers to join them – mostly people down on their luck – and their goal was to dominate the globe under the leadership of the mysterious Red Leader.
Throughout their investigations, neither of them figured how close their plans were to come to fruition.
But now… it seems they were too late to stop them.
"We need to form our rebellion right now." Eduardo said, as though he read Edd's mind. His dark gaze burned into Edd's eyes like smoldering flames.
"Right now right now?" Edd panicked, his voice uncertain. "W-we're not ready! I haven't even told Matt about any of this."
"There's no time. You can't shield your friend forever, loser. We need to act quickly and gather our forces." Eduardo answered steadily. "Talk to him. Mark already knows. I am going to contact a few essential friends of mine. If you or the doofus know anybody trustworthy that can join us, feel free to extend them an invitation. We need all the help we can get at this point. Hurry! There's no time to waste."
Edd hesitated but nodded.
He turned away from Eduardo and returned to his apartment. Mark and Matt were still seated on the couch where he last left them. As he neared them, the blond turned to him with inquisitive eyes.
"It's happening, isn't it?" Mark questioned, his eyes dark with concern. "Is he really going forward with this scheme?"
Edd stared at him for several heartbeats before bowing his head. "We are."
"Very well." Mark sighed and stood up. "I will make us some tea."
As though sensing the following conversation, Mark excused himself and left him alone with Matt as he disappeared into the kitchen.
His best friend looked up at him, blue eyes wide and anxious. "What's going on, Edd?"
Sitting down beside him, Edd took a deep breath. "It's hard to explain, and I wish I'd done it sooner." He sighed. "The Red Army, the ones on the TV just now, they are coming to take over the world. It's real. The whole world is going into a major war."
Matt gasped, staring at him with disbelief and horror in his eyes.
Edd forced himself to keep going. "Remember Reagan? He is one of them… and he tried to get me to join them too."
"W-why?"
"I don't know. To strengthen their numbers, I suppose." Edd shrugged. He legitimately did not know the answer behind Reagan's treachery or why the Red Army plans to do what they are doing. "And Tord… he may be one of them as well. That's why he betrayed us way back when."
He paused, wondering how much to say. Matt wasn't the brightest, and he was not the best with keeping secrets. But he needed someone to rely on. Shooting an anxious glance at the kitchen, making sure Mark wasn't paying attention to them, Edd lowered his voice.
"Eduardo and I are working together to find him. But Eduardo wants revenge on him."
"For killing Jon?" Matt guessed, his voice quavering.
"Exactly. Matt, we can't let him kill Tord."
"Why not?" Matt tipped his head.
"He is our friend. I know he is deep inside. We just have to reach out and find out the truth from him before Eduardo gets to him." Edd insisted. "Please, you mustn't tell anyone about this. Not even Mark. We need to save Tord before it is too late. Can I count on you?"
Matt met his anxious gaze, nodding solemnly. "Of course."
"Thank you." Edd breathed, his shoulders slumping as a great weight left him. "We are meeting soon. Eduardo is gathering supporters so we may form a rebellion against the Red Army."
"We are going to war against them?" Matt asked.
"If it comes down to it, yes." Edd replied. "But I will do everything I can to avoid that outcome. Problem is, with Eduardo in charge, that's going to be difficult. I am going to need your support now more than ever."
Matt opened his mouth as if to speak when the apartment door opened and closed behind them.
"I talked to my contacts, the meeting is happening tonight." Said Eduardo, his gaze shifting between Edd and Matt. "I presume you told him the whole truth?"
Edd nodded earnestly.
"Good. Welcome aboard the rebellion, doofus." Eduardo went on, ruffling Matt's hair. "The rest of the potential members will be here by eleven or so to discuss the matter going forward. Only the most trustworthy people that I know are allowed in this meeting."
"You're not seriously suggesting we all meet up here, are you?" Asked Mark, appearing from the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. "First; this place isn't big enough to accommodate sufficient members for your potential rebellion if that's what you're really going for. Second; if what you say about the Red Army is true, then their members might be lurking closer to us than we think. If a meeting happens here, late at night in the middle of the city, won't anyone notice?"
"Who's to say we aren't throwing a wild party?" Matt suggested. "How will anyone know otherwise?"
"No, Mark has a point. Even if it's at night, the meeting might draw attention." Edd said. "We need some place more secluded...and I think I know just the right place."
Later that day, when the moon was nearing its highest point in the black starry sky, Edd and the others arrived in Camp Littlepine. Although abandoned and secluded, perfect for a secret meeting conspiring against an evil organization, the place creeps Edd out with memories of Reagan and the other people the Irishman managed to ensnare in his schemes to join the Red Army. Edd hasn't heard from any of them since then. He could have been one of them, if he hadn't been denied entry into the Red Army for whatever reason.
A gentle hand to his shoulder jolted him out of his thoughts.
"Don't worry. If the people I know are coming, then this meeting will go on without a hitch." Eduardo soothed. "We have to do this, Edd. We can't let the Red Army win and trample over us without a fight. Have faith we are in the right."
Edd shook his head helplessly. The idea of creating an organization of their own was so huge he hadn't even wrapped his head around it fully. "Still… to challenge them? What hope do we have of ever beating them? There's no way we can gather that many recruits in such a short amount of time!"
"I took that into consideration." Eduardo dipped his head and continued. "If the Red Army is really among us in broad daylight, we have to be careful with who we can trust. Which means gathering followers will prove to be difficult. The key here is to get who we can, train them properly, and fight smart."
Edd scoffed. "You really think that's going to be enough?"
"Far from it." Eduardo answered bluntly. "That's where we come in."
"What are you talking about?"
"Surely you haven't forgotten our super quarrel from long ago? And the show of power we both demonstrated then." Eduardo's eyes gleamed. "I have been… recharging, so to speak. Feeding on nuclear waste to gain my powers back."
"Eduardo, you didn't- are you completely out of your mind?!"
"Shhhh!" Eduardo clamped a hand over Edd's mouth, shooting anxious glances towards the woods. He'd sent Matt and Mark to scout the area earlier and keep a lookout for their guests should anyone arrive.
Edd glared at him as he removed his hand, and added with a low hiss. "Consuming nuclear waste is as brainless as it is reckless."
"It's fine, it works." Eduardo assured, as if that was the only major problem with his statement. "There have been no major negative side-effects, as far as I can tell."
"Yet." Edd warned.
"Don't you understand, loser? This is our advantage over those red bastards!" Eduardo exclaimed, gripping Edd tightly by the shoulders. "If we both recharge ourselves with nuclear waste to maximum power, we can single-handedly obliterate the Red Army! The rebellion will be our support, but when the time comes we will be the ones who'll stop the Red Army in their tracks and make them pay for what they did to us."
His words both intrigued and horrified Edd at the same time. He felt an even more sense of urgency to keep his plans to himself and reach Tord before Eduardo's revenge scheme can come to fruition. As bad as he may feel for lying to Eduardo and going behind his back with his own agenda, he knew there must be another way to end the war before things get this out of hand.
"Okay. What do you want me to do?" Edd demanded, holding back his misgivings to hear the rest of his friend's plan.
"I will lead the rebellion against the Red Army. But I need you to pass the message that we are not to be taken lightly to the rest of the world; especially the Red Army. We will intimidate them out of hiding." Eduardo said. "We will create our own united front against them. And you will be my stand-in to represent us. Be the face of the rebellion. My second in command."
Edd's eyes widened, his heart pounding with disbelief. He was startled to be given such an honor by his former rival when they didn't get along in the past. "A-are you sure?" He asked breathlessly. "Why would you want me of all people to help you lead? We would just argue and disagree with each other all the time. Wouldn't you rather have someone more level headed like Mark in my place?"
Someone more worthy of your trust, perhaps?
"Mark is wise and calm in many ways, and his support will prove to be most vital in the war to come, but he does not care for fighting. He doesn't understand my drive for revenge." Eduardo shook his head. "You, on the other hand… you have lost just as much as I have due to the Red Army's schemes. And you know the enemy better than most, so this war is personal to you too. It would mean a lot to me if we could fight this war side by side."
Despite his words, Edd knew that this war was a lot more personal to him than he was letting on. Eduardo wanted nothing more than to get his hands on Tord and make him pay dearly for Jon's death; and who knows the lengths he would go to make that dream happen.
After all, if he thinks consuming nuclear waste isn't a big deal then who knows what other lines he might effortlessly cross in the future?
"I'll be thrilled to." Edd prayed the brightness in his voice was convincing. "Whatever comes our way, you can count on me."
"So you agree to become my second in command?" Eduardo asked.
A high position of power in the rebellion just below Eduardo will prove most useful in stopping the war. I must keep calm. I am doing this for Tord's sake. And yet, even with that line of reasoning he still felt sick to his stomach as though he'd swallowed something foul and it didn't quite sit well with him.
Eduardo's respect and trust meant more to him than he dare say. But his hunger for revenge was misguided. Edd knew he still missed Jon terribly, and felt partially at fault for what had happened to him, however killing Tord is not the right way to go about this. He must make him see that!
I am not betraying him. He can count on me! This is for his own good as well as Tord's. He'll see…
"I do." Edd dipped his head.
Eduardo's eyes glowed in the moonlight with unconcealed triumph as he turned away and peered into the shadows for any sign of their guests.
Before long, Matt and Mark returned to them, and in the same heartbeat they spotted movement beyond the treeline.
"You'll be okay." Edd nudged Eduardo toward the tree stump. "Go on. It's time."
Eduardo met his steady gaze for a couple of heartbeats and nodded. Invigorated by his ambition, new strength seemed to flow into him; he sprang upward and stood on top of the stump settled around a lit campfire. Edd took his position next to the stump, standing by the right. Matt and Mark settled together close to the fire to warm up on such a chilly night.
Straightening up his posture, Edd saw with a start several figures appear from the undergrowth and draw closer to them. Among them, he spotted Laurel – a good friend of his, and a former flame of Eduardo's – in the lead, followed by Kim and Katya walking close together as they conversed in quiet whispers. Hellucard was in the back and waved at Edd in a friendly manner.
"Is this all there is to this mighty resistance?" A loud and obnoxious voice ripped through the night air, and Edd was startled to recognize Sergeant Hilarson.
Several people whipped around, fingers to their lips to shush the man before he could cause a ruckus and alert outsiders of their intent here tonight.
Hilarson gazed around indignantly. "When I received a message to meet here I expected a bigger force to face what we're up against." He said, not bothering to lower his voice at all.
"Quiet." Mark interrupted. "More people are coming."
Edd had already spotted more slender shadowy shapes approaching their location under the cover of moonlight. Jerry, the sinister homeless guy hung back creepily in the shadows, and most people made a point to stay away from him as they passed him. Diwi sat down between Hellucard and Matt, his green eyes shifting all over the place with suspicion. Coco arrived next, followed by a small group of five people Edd didn't recognize as they settled around the campfire side by side.
Swallowing, Edd exchanged a glance with Eduardo who stood waiting at the top of the stump for everyone to find their places before starting the meeting. Edd's skin prickled as he felt many eyes trained on him, presumably wondering his role in all this. Though he's not the one doing all the talking tonight, he still felt nervous about Eduardo's plan.
Clearing his throat, Eduardo signaled for silence as he straightened up, holding his head high. He let his gaze travel over the small crowd until the murmuring died down.
"Greetings, and thank you all for joining me tonight on such a short notice." He began. "I suppose there's no beating around the bush – you all know why we're gathered here. We have all seen the broadcast this morning about the rise of the Red Army. Well, if you're like me then you probably don't want to bow down to a tyrannical maniac and their insane demands."
Murmurs of agreement swept the crowd as they nodded in unison.
"Five nations have already fallen under their rule, with many more to come, and we might be next if we don't do something about it fast."
"But what can we do?" Diwi asked, speaking up hesitantly as everyone focused on him. "I mean… we're all probably gonna get drafted into the army to fight them sooner or later anyway. That's all there is to it."
"Actually…" Hilarson said, his voice edged with annoyance and bitterness. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but I just came from the HQ and apparently the Generals and authorities are highly considering surrendering before the fight can get to us."
Horror and humiliation rippled through the crowd at the Sergeant's words. But no one was as outraged as Eduardo over the news.
"WHAT?!"
Hilarson shrugged. "Some important busybodies were recommending we stay out of this war. That we got enough problems as it is, and we could really benefit from the Red Army's rule. No decision has been made yet, but I don't like the look of this."
"It does sound fishy." Laurel hissed. "Since when did we ever stay out of other people's business? Especially now when it concerns us just as much as everybody else in the world?"
"Don't you see? Those red bastards are already among us!" Eduardo yowled. "Conspiring against us, turning our own military in their favor, and luring in our Nation's residents with a promise of false hope and glory. They have been at it for years, and now it's our time to fight back before it is too late."
"What do you suggest?" Mark questioned.
Eduardo smirked. "We fight back. If our military refuses to do anything about it, then we take matters into our own hands from here on out. We form our own group, gather supporters, and chase all traces of the Red Army right out of our land."
"But how?" Asked Laurel. "Even with everyone present here pitching in to help, we're not nearly enough against the Red Army's entire forces. Our own military won't dare even try!"
"I am not suggesting we fight them tomorrow. We are nowhere near that level of power yet."
Edd held back a shiver of apprehension at Eduardo's words, picking up on the double entendre he meant with his statement.
"We must bide our time while we still can. The fighting has barely started, and the war hasn't reached us yet. With lots of training, and gathering supplies and more members for our cause, we can beat them." Eduardo went on. "The world is in a state of shock right now. They weren't expecting the threat the Red Army would pose us. They caught everyone by surprise, and now with some of the major guns out of the battle so early on many think there's no hope of ever beating them. But if we resist… if we rebel… we can drive them back and show the world they are not the unbeatable force they first presented as. And then… with our forces combined we will pulverize them once and for all."
A murmur of defiance and determination spread through the gathered crowd, and Edd felt himself itch with anticipation; caught up on Eduardo's speech.
"But… if what you say about the Red Army being among us is true," Coco spoke up shyly. "Then how can we gather support without drawing attention from our enemy right away? Won't they know we're coming if we advertise and invite anyone in?"
Eduardo dipped his head toward her. "It's true. The Red Army has eyes everywhere. And if what Hilarson says is true, then we can be certain they have even infiltrated our own government." He said. "We have to be cautious. Until we've gained more support, we can't be sure who to trust anymore. Your own families might have sided with the Red Army unbeknown to all of you. Your closest friends. Your neighbors. Even that sweet old lady who always needs assistance to cross the street might be one of them."
"Then how-?" Matt tried to ask, but was cut off by a sharp low hiss from Hilarson.
There was a rustle in the undergrowth close to where the sinister guy was seated and in the shadows Edd saw movement.
"We have a spy!" Hilarson growled. The alert spread through the crowd like wildfire and everyone turned and braced themselves, muscles tense and ready to either fight or flight.
"Stop!" Eduardo commanded with a strong voice.
Everyone fell silent and watched as a lithe shape emerged out into the open. Edd turned and saw Mark craning his neck, his blue eyes glinting with surprise and barely suppressed excitement. Edd twisted his head and peered harder into the woods to see what or who had prompted such a strong reaction from the usually calm and collected blond.
Framed by the cold light of the moon, the newcomer halted and raked the crowd with a burning golden stare. Edd's eyes widened as he noticed the silhouette of unusual spiky hair in the shape of horns. Tord? He dismissed the thought at once. Tord didn't have golden eyes, and as the figure wearily drew closer to them he noticed several more differences. Unlike Tord, this man was lanky and thin; barely any muscle at all. His hair was a shade darker, longer, and tied up in a neat ponytail. His posture was also wrong – shoulders slouched, his head bowed as he avoided everyone's eyes as he approached them wearily, as though he expected to be greeted with hostility and chased out any moment. He wore a red turtleneck, a black vest, glasses, and jeans.
"Ford!" Mark sprang from his seat and rushed forward to meet the stranger.
The newcomer, Ford, ducked his head and greeted him with a heartfelt hug. Mark faced him round-eyed. "I can't believe you're actually here! You made it!"
"Eduardo, who is this?" Edd leaned over and whispered to his former rival.
"Everyone, calm yourselves. This is a good old friend of mine from America, his name is Ford." Eduardo announced, and everyone in the crowd seemingly relaxed. "I invited him over because his hacking skills will prove to be most useful for our rebellion for the foreseeable future."
"Thank you for having me over. It's great to be a part of this." Ford dipped his head, staring back at Eduardo shyly. His voice was deep and had a thick American accent. "I am sorry I arrived so late for the meeting. I barely made it out in time before the Red Army took over the states."
"Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss." Coco stared at him sympathetically.
"How did the takeover happen?" Hilarson demanded.
Ford's eyes filled with distress. "It was fast, and very well planned. One third of our military revealed their true allegiance to the Red Army, and seized all the power forcing the president to step down immediately and put Red Leader in charge over everything. No one is allowed in or out anymore until the war is over." He went on shakily. "The Red Army appeared as though from thin air, it was so sudden! We were all witnessing the broadcast when the streets flooded with Red Army soldiers; herding the people like cattle to the slaughterhouse."
"How did you manage to get out?" Mark asked.
"I have been monitoring the Red Army's movements for quite some time now." Ford said, avoiding his gaze and idly kicking a pebble. "When I found out the takeover was going to happen today, I booked a ticket and got out of there in a jiffy. It was pure luck I guess." He mumbled the last part modestly.
"And this is where our advantage lies." Eduardo gazed around the crowd, hoping they understood. "With Ford's hacking skills, we can figure out who is on our side and who isn't."
"It's true." Ford added, pushing his glasses back to his eyes with one finger. "I have been monitoring their activities for quite some time, and I have yet to be detected within their systems."
"If you know so much about them, how come you didn't do anything to alert us before it came to this?" Hilarson questioned.
Ford looked taken aback, and for a minute he couldn't bring himself to reply as he looked away in shame. Mark placed a hand on his shoulder in support and glared at the Sergeant.
In the end, it was Eduardo who answered. "You don't think we've tried? I have been researching those bastards with the help from Ford and Edd for years now, and nobody has ever taken us seriously until now." He glanced up at the night sky, his expression darkening and his brown gaze fixed on the distance, as if he saw a lifetime of painful memories sketched in the sky. He sighed. "What's done is done. We can't sit by and let the Red Army rampage freely. We have to prepare ourselves to fight back and put a stop to their evil schemes!"
Edd lifted his gaze to the crowd of people that surrounded him and Eduardo and swallowed. "We don't know how many other countries will stand up to the Red Army and fight back. For all we know, they could all surrender tomorrow and we might live in a Red dominated world. But the few nations that do resist will buy us time to prepare!" He said. "We must try to make a stand. We can't give up without a fight! When all hope seems lost, we alone must motivate others to keep the fighting going. Who knows what the Red Army plans to do to the world if they win?"
He was pleased to have gained the support of the crowd with his words as he saw them nodding along with approval.
Laurel jumped to her feet. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I am going to join the resistance." She said determinably, meeting Eduardo's gaze steadily. "You can count me in!"
Mark and Ford joined Eduardo by the foot of the tree stump, showing their own support for the cause.
"I have seen what the Red Army is capable of." Ford murmured, his golden eyes set ablaze. "And I don't want to see it done again."
Respect and sympathy dawned in the eyes of the gathered crowd as the seriousness of the situation sank in. This is real. There will be a war and they must rise to stop the Red Army from conquering the world before it is too late.
"I'll join the rebellion too!" Matt sprang excitedly to his feet. "This is going to be great!"
Edd winced; catching Eduardo's eye, he saw the same misgivings reflected there. Matt didn't understand the magnitude of the situation or the weight of what he was committing himself to. Knowing Matt, he probably thinks this is just another crazy adventure of theirs.
"Count me in too." Hilarson turned to Eduardo and spoke directly to him. "It makes sense for what's left of the people with some semblance of common sense to join forces against this threat."
As more and more people pledged their allegiance to the rebellion, Edd felt more at ease. They have supporters now – some of them with crucial skills that will be pivotal to the defeat of the Red Army. It may not be much now, but just about enough to give them a fighting chance.
We can do this! Edd thought. With their help I can stop the war and save Tord.
Eduardo bowed his head; briefly Edd and all the others saw beyond his fury and arrogance the makings of a powerful and respected leader. "From this day forward we will be known as The Green Rebellion!" His brown eyes flashed green in the light of the moon as he uttered those words.
Matt tried to initiate a group cheer, only for everyone to shush him to be quiet. This was a secret meeting, after all.
"Long live the rebellion." Matt whispered sheepishly.
"Wait… rebellion?" Said the sinister guy in the far back, away from everyone. "This ain't a cult?"
"No!" Eduardo narrowed his eyes.
"Then I brought these cats to sacrifice for nuthin'?" He held up a squirming bag in one hand with meows of distress from within.
Edd held back a gasp of horror. He didn't want this deranged man anywhere near his precious Ringo or her babies. "We're not sacrificing anything!"
"Darn it!"
"This camp will be our base of operations from here on out." Eduardo went on as usual. "Let's gather supplies and fortify this place before the month is out. I want to see this place up and running pronto, people! Hilarson, can you lend us some weapons and equipment from the army?"
"Not without raising some eyebrows, but if they do I will just yell at them to go away. It always works."
"Good. Do it then! Laurel and Mark, scout the area and choose the best spots for our divisions. Where the weaponry, the med bay, and training area should be and such."
Edd perked up. "There's a shooting range in the far back, just over the slope! We can use that for target practice."
"Good idea!" Eduardo nodded in approval. "Kim and Katya, design us a flag! Diwi and Hellucard, you guys are on supply run. Bring food and medicine and whatever other junk we might need here! Bring whoever else you want with you."
Ford pushed up his glasses. "I am going to need a self-sustaining generator to power my devices in order for our division to be fully functional."
"I have a generator! Well… my grandfather does." Coco offered. "It's one of the old manual models though. Is that okay with you?"
"It will have to suffice for now." Ford dipped his head.
"Alright, Coco, you help Ford set up his work area!" Eduardo ordered, then swung his head to fix on the last few remaining members still waiting for their orders. Unfortunately they were the trickiest ones to judge.
Matt was on the edge of his seat with enthusiasm, practically buzzing as he waited to be handed something important to do. While Jerry was busy stitching his rat puppets in the far back of the crowd and hardly seemed to be paying attention. Edd didn't envy Eduardo's position. How do you deal with two virtually problematic members in your group?
"Jerry, you are on pest control duty. Make sure the area is completely free of vermin."
"Roger that!" The sinister guy saluted with a Cheshire grin.
"And Matt, you…" Eduardo hesitated. "You can serve drinks to everyone. Make sure everyone is nice and hydrated, understand?"
"I won't let you down!" Matt jumped up and down.
"Let's get cracking. I would like a word with my second in command now. Meeting adjourned!" Without another word, Eduardo jumped down from the stump and beckoned Edd closer as they walked away from the crowd.
With a newfound purpose and their orders given, everyone set to work in making preparations around the new base.
"What do you think?" Eduardo questioned once they were out of earshot from everybody. "Not such a bad start, am I right?"
Edd nodded. "I didn't expect this many people to show up, to be frank. Just us and a few close friends of ours staging a coup or something." He confessed. "But I think we have a pretty good chance. Give a few more months and we might have triple the amount of members to join or cause."
"I agree. I like our chances." Eduardo commented. "Although our group may be a little bit of a fixer upper, with some hard training and discipline we can shape them up. I am counting on Hilarson to train our troops."
Edd chuckled. "He's a good teacher, though I don't envy any of them."
"As for your role…" Eduardo trailed off. "You will represent us. Be the face of the rebellion. My eyes and ears in all dealings to do with our operations, while I plan our moves in the shadows. Don't forget, I am the one in charge but I expect you to run things in my place and keep our troops inspired. We can't risk being exposed so early on!" He paused, sighing. "I, uh… I understand if you have your reservations regarding your powers. It is a big risk, I know, and I wouldn't have asked you if there was any other choice of beating this thing. Once you start feeding on nuclear waste, you can't stop abruptly. You might become sick in the first few doses. Knowing all that… are you still willing to go through with this?"
Edd stared at him intently and nodded. "This power… our powers… they change everything. If this is our only hope of stopping the war and saving countless lives, then this is something we must do at all costs."
"I thought you might say that." Eduardo narrowed his eyes. "But remember, we're not here to stop the war. We are going to end it! Know the difference."
Edd swallowed. "Y-yes, of course."
Worry wormed into his belly and made him tense. Does Eduardo plan to drag this conflict out with the sole purpose of extracting his revenge? He can never let that future come to pass! While he was seriously reluctant to feed on nuclear waste to recharge his powers, he had no other choice. If Eduardo is fully powered, then he has no hope of saving Tord from him; wherever he may be right now.
But if they are equally matched in power, Edd might just be able to pull this off.
Besides, he will need all the help he can get if he is to face the Red Army head on.
"So it is decided. You will take charge on my behalf while I plan things out with Ford's help." Eduardo murmured decisively. "Every decision has to be run by me first, don't forget. But I trust you to look after the finer details in the rebellion and recruit more members to join us while I take care of our strategy."
"Should I start calling you sir from now on too?" Edd teased.
Eduardo grunted and shook his head. "H#ll no. That makes me feel old." He lifted his head, considering his next words carefully. "Actually… since we're opposing the Red Army we might as well match them in every way, right?"
A sense of foreboding crept up Edd's spine as he stared at his friend expectantly, already guessing where he might be going with this.
"If you don't mind, I would like to be referred to as Green Leader from now on."
Edd's throat tightened. Red versus green. What could it mean? Was the world doomed to be plunged into a war, divided by Christmas colors, driven solely by the ambition of two individuals? One who lusts for power, and the other who wants nothing but revenge. What is the world coming to?
Hey, what's up you guys? This is Flower1815 here bringing you a new one-shot following the events of My little test subject. I hope you all enjoyed it! But this time I am doing something a bit different and hopefully very fun for everyone involved. As some of you might know I am already hard at work with the official sequel to MLTS, and I am here to offer you guys the chance to participate in the sequel!
Basically there are twenty slots open, ten for each faction; the Red Army and the Green Rebellion - and you guys need to pick a side and submit your character to me either on here or on my tumblr Heather1815 via PM. I'll need a name, gender (including pronouns), appearance (can be a drawing), personality, and any other additional info you might want to inform me. The only rule is that you cannot submit more than one character, even if they are in different factions. One character per person only. The first twenty people that submit their characters will get the chance to participate. Basically it is a "first come, first served" scenario.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: To keep everything fair for all parties involved, all characters are exclusively going to play the same role as background character/extras and will have at least one mention + at least one line of dialogue. So don't submit your character expecting them to do something grand in the story like single-handedly save the day or hook up with one of the main characters. This is just something small and kinda fun I thought of, and you can participate if you want to. Or not! lol
If you have any more questions regarding the "contest" feel free to ask here, or you can pop up on my tumblr - there will be additional info there and promotional art for the sequel.
See ya'll later! ;)
