Author's Notes: sorry for the delay. School's beginning to burry me in homework again. Yeah… so, without a bit more of delay, I give you my next chapter!

Chapter 2: Another Chance

"Hm… there he is, at long last."

The shadow had been watching from behind a corner. An insidious grin formed on her face. She gave brush of her blonde hair that covered both of her eyes. The rest of her had been concealed in shadow.

"…it is peculiar." she thought. "…he and his friends have only saved that world nearly four years ago. I know they aren't recovered from that last journey to save their own."

The smile opened up, revealing a fang. "This should be quite fun."

Double D was still in shock, too much to even read the message.

"…Double D?" a voice asked.

When he was called, he instantly awoke to reality again. He looked up from the bench and saw Nazz standing above him, starring right at him with a raised eyebrow. "…are you okay?"

"Oh, um…" he looked very lost in expression. "...yes." he said.

She smiled, with her usual friendly expression. "Dude, I had no idea you where the type to cut class."

"I have a good reason, believe me!" Double D said, smiling. "I swear, you won't believe it!"

"…really? It's that good?" She asked. She decided to sit next to him.

"Take a look at this!" he said, putting the laptop on both of their laps. She took a quick glance on the screen.

"…message sent, five minutes ago, to Double D, from T.E.C, and it-"

Her eyes widened.

"Is that who I think it is?" She gasped.

"Yes, it is!" Double D shouted.

"…but how?" Nazz asked. "Wasn't TEC in another world? …not to mention he was supposed to be dead?"

"Artificial intelligence doesn't die." Double D said. "…somehow, TEC managed to avoid being destroyed…"

They both looked back at the screen.

"Dearest Eddward,

At last, you have re-activated your computer. How long I have awaited for this moment. Estimated time: 4 Years, 3 years.

You may be wondering how I managed to survive the explosion on the day my home was destroyed. It is quite simple: during you last mission, you did manage to connect your laptop to the X-naut systems. I knew full well of the base's impending doom. Thus, I decided my escape was vital. Though I was fully able to, due to the lack of necessary space on your laptop, I download most of myself onto it. The virus that has been on this laptop since has been me."

Both of them glances at each other is surprise. "So we took TEC here with us?" Nazz asked.

"It appears so." Double D said. "I never thought he would do this… though he always seemed to be a step ahead."

Both of them looked back to the computer screen to read the continuing message:

"Now that you have reawaken me, I must say you have done a superb job in saving the other world. Though you may not gave noticed, I was fully aware of your trip through the Palace of Shadow. I also heard your promise, Eddward."

"My promise?" Double D asked. He looked down. "Oh yeah…" he thought.

"I shall be forever grateful for rescuing both myself and the world. It is with this that I want to assist you in fulfilling that promise. As I have sent my memory, among those is an equation to constructing the machine that will allow one to cross between the two worlds at will. I am aware of your status at your facility of education, though I implore you to get home when you can and further converse with me."

Both Double D and Nazz where both still in shock.

"You mean…" Nazz said softly. It was then that a smile appeared on her face. "We can see our friends from that other place? Awesome!"

"Yes!" Double D shouted. "I can't wait! I mean, this will be incredible, not to mention fun to see where they all went, and how they are now. I can barley hold back how happy I am!"

"I hear you, dude!" Nazz shouted. "Look, I'm gonna go back to class now."

She got up from the bench. "Do you mind if I come to your house after school? I mean, I want to be there when you get that thing running!"

"…um…" Double D said, with a blush. It wasn't often that people wanted to come over, especially a girl. "Sure. I'll be ready!"

"Awesome!" Nazz shouted. She gave a wave and took of running in laughter.

Double D gave a smile and slowly shut his laptop. "…oh, I wonder how they all are? This will be the best day of my life-" suddenly, a worried expression crossed his face. "Class! Oh lord!" he packed up his bag ad took off, rushing to get back to class.

As he turned the corner of the hall and ran through the door of his classroom, he was unaware of the shadow that kept it's eye on him.

"…so… he plans to open a bridge between our worlds…" she said. She brushed her blonde hair, after giving a small smirk. "…I have awaited too long for this day. At long last, I can exact my revenge."

Double D slowly opened up the door to his house. He walked through the cleaned to a shine door, and gestured Nazz.

"Welcome in." he said.

"Wow… this is a clean house." she said.

"Thank you." Double D said. She walked into the house and sat down on a couch. "A very comfortable place. You don't find that many well cleaned houses in this cul-de-sac."

Double D gave a laugh. When you lived in the same area as the other kids, it was hard a find a clean and peaceful place. "I always considered my home a haven of sorts, when I don't have to worry about the hectic toils the others may sometimes put me through."

Nazz laughed at his comment. "That's so true." her smile grew larger. "So are we going to get started with this or what?"

"Oh, right." Double D said. "Follow me."

"HEY!" a loud voice boomed suddenly.

Everyone outside turned their heads.

"What?" Kevin groaned when he realize the voice belonged to Eddy.

"Has anyone seen Double D?" he asked. "I need to find him for the project we're supposed to have done!"

"Gee, smart one." Kevin sighed. "Did you try his house?"

Eddy slowly sighed, and covered his face. "Stupid."

"Yes, Eddy?" Ed asked.

"Why did you tell me he wasn't at his house?" Eddy asked.

"What? I said he wasn't at my house." Ed said.

Eddy looked angry enough to pull out his own hair.

"You know, he reminds me." Kevin said. "I haven't seen Nazz either."

"You don't say." Jimmy added. "I was over at her house and she wasn't there."

"Weird." Kevin said, rubbing his chin. "She usually gets home right after school for a shower."

"And you know this how?" Eddy asked, with both a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Everyone there could have sworn that a drop of sweat fell from his face. "I… I'm going to find her now."

He jumped up on his trademark bike and took off down the streets of the cul-de-sac.

It was about the same time that there was the sound of distant thunder.

"Aw, come on!" Eddy shouted. "We're gonna have to go inside because of this stupid rain. It's the third storm this week!"

"Hey, um…"

Eddy turned and saw Jimmy and Sarah standing beside them.

"Yeah, what's your problem?" Eddy asked.

"I got locked out of my house." Jimmy said. "You see, there is some business I have to take care of, and I need to your house."

"What? Why not at Sarah's?" Eddy asked.

"Because mom's got company over, and she said something about being annoyed." Ed said.

Eddy laughed. "Annoyed by Ed, Sarah and Jimmy. Yeah, I see her point."

"Hey!' they all shouted.

"Don't get your meat-heads in a bunch, sure you can come. Just don't touch anything." Eddy said.

"Oh!" Jimmy shouted, running towards them. "Mind if me and Plank go too?"

Eddy groaned. "Fine. Just don't mess anything up, got it baldy?"

"Sure thing, Eddy." he said. He held his wooden friend and smiled. "Check it out, Plank! Party at Eddy's!"

Eddy groaned. Under his breath, he whispered: "Double D, you better have a good reason with leaving me here with these numbskulls."

Double D and Nazz reached a door in his hallway.

"…uh, Double D?" Nazz asked. "This is a closet."

"So one may think." He said. He touched the doorframe and gave a small tug on it. A small hatch opened up, revealing a small key panel on the wall.

"…so, you have a secret?" She asked.

"Yes." Double D said. "Can you cover your eyes, or something?"

"…sure, if it's that be a deal." she said, placing her hands over her eyes.

He quickly turned around and punched in a quick code.

As he did, there was a quick beeping sound. There was a low rumbling round, accompanied by the sound of distant machinery whirring.

Nazz opened up her eyes out of curiosity. She suddenly gave another gasp. "Am I really seeing this?" she asked.

The wall in the back of the closet was slowly sliding to the left, revealing a dark chamber behind it. The sound of creaking could be heard now.

"What is this?" She asked.

"My workshop." he said, proud of himself.

Nazz had a bewildered look on her face as she walked through the new passage. The room was completely dark, though she would hear mechanics all around her.

"A little dark, doncha think?" She asked.

Double D walked into the chamber. He gave a content smile and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, lights started flashing and activating all around her. As they did, she could see just what he had.

The room wasn't too big, but very impressive. The walls where lines with wires and keyboards. In the middle of the chamber was a huge gear system, which was connected to the ceiling and floor.

"…what's that, dude?" She asked, motioning to the mechanics.

"Well…" he sighed. "Since my parents are always on business trips, I decided to lighten the money by building my own generator. It is water powered from a pump from the creek. This took me a while to construct, though I feel it is more environmentally suitable and will make this house the only one with power provided we ever have a blackout during an important study."

"Yeah…" she said, watching the enormous gears spinning.

"Shall we resume our mission, so to speak?" Double D asked, pitching up his laptop.

"Yeah, sure." She said, running towards him excitedly.

He placed the old laptop on the ground and floor and turned it on. As he did, he took a small speaker and plugged it in.

"This is a two-way receiver. We should be able to talk to TEC, and hear him. In theory."

Nazz still looked a bit bewildered by all of this.

"…Eddward?" a mechanical voice asked.

"Yes it is I!" Double D said, excitedly. "Good to hear your voice again!"

"I too seem enthusiastic to receive your sound waves. You have read the message, and thus I am willing to assist in the machine construction for activating the portal."

"Like, cool!" Nazz shouted.

"I hear that the one named Nazz is with you? I see. This will make the work faster." TEC explained.

"Okay." Double D said, rubbing his hands together, then cracking them. "Let's get started."

Rain had once again began to patter on the ground. Kevin gave a growl and slammed his brakes.

There was the sound of thunder as clouds began to cover the sunset skies. It was becoming rapidly dark outside, and he was stuck five blocks away from his house.

"Aw, man…" he growled. He flipped his hat around to protect his face from the rain. "My bike's gonna rust." he jumped back on his bike and began his trip back towards the cul-de-sac.

Suddenly, from nowhere, a wave of water was flying at him. He gave a loud scream and let go of the handle-bars to shield himself from the water. As he did, the bike began to skid to and fro. He gave another shriek before the bike it a curb. In the next instant, his face smashed through a puddle of water and the pavement under it.

He groaned as he got up. He sighed as he saw his scratched bike lying in the puddle. Kevin sighed and turned around.

"Alright, what jerk just did that!" he shouted.

He spotted the truck that caused the wave driving down the street, taking a corner.

"Yeah, you better run, you… wait." Kevin stopped, with his eyes slowly widening. As the seconds passed, he suddenly came to the realization of what had just occurred. He recognized the car… though he hadn't seen it in years… maybe…

"No way." he said softly. "…he would never come back… would he?" as he asked, thunder crashed loudly. "There's only one way to find out."

He jumped and got on his bike. He kicked off the parking stand and kicked on the pedals, instantly starting to move. Lighting flashed in the skies as the wind and rain whipped against his face. He pedaled with every ounce of strength he had. He quickly jumped the bike on the sidewalk and rushed after the car.

Ahead of him, the truck's headlights where visible, as they took another turn.

"It's got to be him." Kevin thought. "He's headed strait for the cul-de-sac. …but why is he back? I thought I'd never see that guy again."

The bike rounded another corner as he continued to pedal, gaining more and more speed.

He came to a large puddle that filled up an entire street. Without stopping, he rushed right through it, making an enormous wave like a ship through a storm. All of the while, the winds and rain whipped against him, with the storm screaming in his ears.

At last, he spotted the truck turning right into the cul-de-sac. It drove past Kevin's house and came to an abrupt stop right in front of Eddy's.

"DUDE!" Kevin shouted. With the rain softening the brakes, he was unable to stop. He gave a loud scream as the bike made contact with the truck. The next thing he spotted would be a close up of the pavement. As he fell, he shouted:

"DUUUUUUUUUDE!"

"Dude?"

"Yes, Nazz?" Double D asked, raising the welding mask he had over his face.

"…lemme see if I got this strait." she said, while at the laptop's side. "The coordinates are 35,68,21,87,15, right?"

"That's what TEC said." Double D said. He flipped the welding mask on and resumed with the blow-torch.

All of the while, Nazz continued to type in programming. After a while, she turned back to Double D. "Alright, it's ready!"

"I am too." Double D said, finishing with his construction.

"Then you require one last thing." TEC explained. "You must use a source of magic power to activate a vortex."

"A source of magic power?" Nazz asked. She looked a bit nervous, but she didn't say it.

"…I don't there are any in this world." Double D said. He rubbed his chin. "Oh, wait. I think we brought one back, didn't we Nazz?"

"How did he know I kept the Medallion?" she thought.

"Though I haven't seen it in a while, I know it's here." Double D said. "The eye of Wisdom."

Nazz gave a sigh of relief, as she sat back in her chair.

"Something wrong?" Double D asked.

"Hm?" Nazz asked, getting back upwards in her chair. "No. So, where'd you put the… eye thingy? I'm pretty sure I haven't seen you use that magic since we got back."

"I… buried it to make sure nobody would every use it. I made a vow never to get it back… but a promise to another is more important to a vow to myself." Double D said.

He got up from his seat and looked at Nazz. "I'm going to go outside and dig it up. Feel free to make yourself comfortable until I get back."

"Sure thing." she said, kicking back in the chair.

"I will be back as fast as possible." he said, running out the door.

She closed her eyes and sighed. There was a bit of silence in the chamber. That is, until she opened her eyes again. She got up and pushed away the chair, before walking away from his workshop.

"I may as well get a bite to eat. I haven't had supper yet, and he said to make myself comfortable." She thought.

Author's Notes: Expect a HUGE twist to come by next chapter! I am already planning it. Things are going to really begin to kick off next time! Please review as I prepare it, it shouldn't take too long at all!