MT: Chapter 11
Several hours passed by, with it now being 4:30pm. We zoom in on Jennifer's house, with Ed (Yoshi), Eddy (Wario), Zoey (Waluigi) and Marie (Daisy) playing Mario Party Superstars. Double D and Jennifer sat on the couch and watched them compete against each other.
"Looks like there's only two more turns left before the game is decided," Jennifer stated aloud.
Double D chuckle a little, "Yes, seems like it."
A few seconds passed before Jennifer spoke to Double D, "You know, I'm kind of surprised you haven't played any games while you and the others visited here."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Double D laughed a little, "Well, I don't think I would be any good at them."
"Wait, you really think that?!" Jennifer gasped in disbelief, "I don't think you'd be terrible at all! You seem to pick up on things quickly, probably a lot more than I ever could…"
An idea soon came Jennifer as she flashed a smile to him, "Oh, I know!"
Before Double D could react, Jennifer got up from where she sat, grabbing his left hand to drag him upstairs, "Come on, maybe we can find a video game for you to play!" Jennifer stated with an even bigger smile.
"Wha — W-Wait a minute!" Double D gasped a little in surprise, with Jennifer taking him upstairs.
Of course, everyone else in the living room noticed what happened.
"Whoa," Eddy started to say with a snicker, "Didn't think they had it in them to go to second base."
Of course, that comment made Zoey smack Eddy on the back of the head, "Please don't say that. They're not old enough for that kind of stuff."
Eddy rubbed the back of his head, "Geez, it's just a joke! Chill out!"
"Huh?" Ed questioned in confusion, "Wait, I thought baseball was an all-age sport, right?"
Everyone else only stared blankly at Ed before making a sigh of defeat.
"Well, I'm happy for them," Marie stated with a small smile, "They deserve each other."
Meanwhile, back with Double D and Jennifer, Double D could feel himself becoming more and more nervous as Jennifer continued to drag him towards her room, his heart beating faster and faster.
'O-Okay, calm yourself Eddward!' He kept thinking to himself, 'She's just going to recommend and show you some video games; nothing else!'
Soon they came upon her bedroom door before coming to a stop, "Oh! Can you hold on for a few minutes?" Jennifer asked, "I need to do something in my room really quick."
"S-Sure," Double D replied with a nervous nod as Jennifer entered her room and closed the door behind, leaving him on the other side.
'Oh dear, w-what should I do?!' Double D thought to himself in a small panic from the situation he was currently in, 'Even if it's for video games, I don't think I could go in her room! I don't want the others to get the wrong idea!' he swallowed his nerves a little.
Jennifer's door opened back up again, "Sorry about that," she stated as she opened her door fully, "I had a few clothes on the floor that I didn't pick up from yesterday. Had to put them in the laundry basket."
"I-I see," Double D stated as he walked into her room. Jennifer's room had a lot of shelves on one side of her wall, all of them filled with video game cases and a few plushies of many sizes. Her bed seemed to be a normal size one, a bit of her sheets was a little messy and unfolded, probably from where she got out of bed this morning. He could also see her computer, her computer chair and computer desk near the window, and a decently sized TV with a PS5 next to it on the other side of the room. Strangely, even though there was a lot of stuff around, it was clear enough to walk around normally, as well as clean.
Double D could see Jennifer walking over to one of the shelves, looking for something to show him. As she continued to look, Double D glanced over towards her computer desk, noticing something that made him smile; it was the wooden flower he made, she had put it in a glass vase next to her computer. Next to the glass vase was a small stuff animal, a tuxedo black cat with white paws, white ears, and green eyes. The stuff animal looked to be very old, with there being so much lint on it, but it was not falling apart or anything. He could tell it was important to her.
"Ah HA!" Jennifer cheered aloud, grabbing a game case off her shelf, and coming back over to Double D, "I think you might like this one a lot!"
Double D looked down to see the game she handed him; a game called 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. The cover of the game was very sepia toned in color, with thirteen high school students standing in front of a giant mech of some kind with a bunch of destroyed ruins around them.
Jennifer then started to explain why he might like it if he ever wanted to try it; apparently it was a part point-and-click adventure/visual novel hybrid with a lot of sci-fi elements to the story, but also part real time strategy for the battle parts of the game. She said he would be good at strategy games like this if he ever played them. As they continued to talk, Double D sat down in her computer chair while she sat on her bed.
"You know, I think Ed would also like this game," Double D commented, "He's always been a big fan of sci-fi."
"Oh, you're right!" Jennifer gasped, "I don't know why I didn't think of that."
Double D chuckled a little at that. It was then that he glanced to the clock that was on her computer, it was now 5:10pm, "Oh my, is it that late already?"
"Wait, really?" Jennifer asked in surprise, "I didn't even realize what time it was."
"We should go check on the others downstairs," Double D started to say as he got up from the chair he was sitting in, placing the game case down on her desk.
Jennifer widened her eyes a little, "Umm… E-Eddward?" she started to say as she also got from where she was sitting on her bed.
"Yes?" Double D asked as he started to turn to her, "Is there some—"
Before he knew it, Double D could feel Jennifer hug him tightly, catching him off guard.
"I-I… I wanted to thank you again," Jennifer started to say, she was starting to tear up, "You saved my life, a-and yet there's nothing I could do for you when you were in the hospital, dying…" she started to sob more, "I couldn't do anything! I can't do anything! I'm useless!"
"Jennifer…!" Double D gasped in disbelief at her words. He walked with her back over to her bed to sit down next to her, "You know that's not true…"
"But it is!" Jennifer continued to say, "There have been so many people in my life, always telling me how useless I am for certain things! I-I…?!"
Suddenly, Jennifer could feel Double D embrace her tightly, "Jennifer, please listen to me!" he started to say, "When I was going in and out of consciousness in the hospital, one of the things that helped keep me alive was the memories of my friends. Ed, Eddy, Zoey, and… a-and you, most of all," he started to tremble slightly, embracing her tighter as he did, "So please, don't call yourself useless! You are special to so many people, and not just to me…" he then looked back to her with a smile, "Everyone here cares about you, understand?!"
Jennifer widened her eyes at what he said as more tears came to her eyes, crying more as she returned his hug. They stayed in this embrace for several minutes before they separated from one another.
"Do you feel better now?" Double D asked.
Jennifer nodded her head wiping away the tears from her eyes, "Y-Yes, thank you."
The two teens sat there on her bed for a moment longer before realizing they were both staring at each other, both smiling. Before he even realized what came over him, Double D leaned closer to her and gave her a kiss; Jennifer widened her eyes in shock, not even pushing him away. They stayed like this for a few seconds before he widened his eyes in disbelief, separating from her.
"Oh, m-my goodness… I-I'm so sorry!" Double D gasped in embarrassment, his face was clearly blushing from what he did. He got up from where he sat on the bed and dashed away from her room.
"W-Wait! Eddward!" Jennifer called out to him, but he was already gone.
Meanwhile, back downstairs, it looked like Ed, Eddy, Zoey, and Marie were playing a few rounds of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to pass the time, mainly until Double D and Jennifer came back downstairs.
"That's just great, I got third! Again!" Eddy growled in irritation.
The winner of this round was Ed (Ike), with Zoey (Rosalina) in second, Eddy (Pyra/Mythra) in third and Marie (Shulk) in fourth.
Zoey only laughed at him, "Sounds like you need more practice."
Eddy could only grumble, "Well, I know now that I'm not gonna pick them again."
"Let me guess, you picked them because they're attractive?" Zoey asked in a teasing tone.
"… Wait what?!" Eddy retorted, "H-Heck no!"
Ed then gives Eddy a light bonk on the head, "Hey! What gives?!"
"Isn't that what someone does when they pick someone pretty?" Ed asked in confusion.
Once again, everyone stared at Ed and made an exasperated sigh, "No Ed, that's not—"
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a noise coming from behind them, they could see Double D rushing down the stairs and out the front door, not even closing the door behind him.
"Double D?!" Ed and Eddy questioned each other in confusion. The two of them got up from where they were to run after him.
Zoey and Marie then could hear Jennifer walking down the stairs, "Jennifer!" Zoey called out to her as she and Marie walked up to her. They could tell that she had been crying for a while, "What's wrong? Did something happen?!"
"N-No, not exactly…" Jennifer started to say, sighing a little afterwards in sadness before explaining what happened.
Elsewhere, Double D was running back to his house, his face still red from what happened, and his heart was pounding out of his chest. The moment earlier happened for him in a flash, he could barely process that it even happened at all. But it was all too real. He kissed her.
'Why? Why did that have to happen?!' Double D thought to himself in a panic.
"Hey, Double D!" called out a familiar voice from up ahead, which made him stop in his tracks. He could see both Kevin and Nazz around the playground. Kevin's bike was also there, because of course it was, "We haven't seen you since you came back!" Nazz stated with a smile, "Are you feeling better?"
It was Kevin who noticed how red Double D was in his face, "Whoa, don't tell us you're getting sick now? That's not good."
"I-I…"
"Double D!" called out Ed and Eddy from behind him as the two of them approached him, Kevin and Nazz, "What the heck is wrong with you?! You just suddenly ran off without saying anything!" Eddy yelled.
It was Ed who noticed the two additional faces beside Double D, "Hey there!" he greeted Kevin and Nazz with a wave and smile.
Eddy then grabbed Double D by the back of his shirt before physically pushing him back towards Jennifer's house, much to the confusion of Kevin and Nazz.
"… Well, that was weird," Nazz stated, scratching the back of her head in confusion.
"Yeah, no kidding," Kevin replied, "Should we follow them?"
"Hmm, yeah… We probably should."
"E-Eddy, please!" Double D started to say as he kept getting pushed back towards Jennifer's house by him, "I can walk fine on my own, thank you!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say!" Eddy stated before he stopped pushing him. They were back around Jennifer's house, in her front yard, "Now spill it, tell us what's going on, okay?" He asked as Ed, Kevin and Nazz approached them from the side.
Double D stayed silent for a short moment before stated, "I… I-I kissed her."
"… What?"
"I kissed Jennifer!" he blurted out loud, his face buried in his hands in embarrassment, "I-I don't know what came over me! I didn't mean to do that! I… I wanted to wait another day before that, on a more special occasion!"
Everyone stood there for a moment in an awkward silence, "… You know, I thought this was actually gonna be something, you know, actually serious?" Eddy replied to him.
"H-Huh?"
"Listen, Double D," Eddy sighed to him, "I'm pretty sure this is a normal thing for anyone to go through. It's okay."
Double D looked back to his friend in genuine surprise.
"Whoa, look at you all of a sudden," Kevin commented to Eddy, "Actually giving good advice."
"Hey, shut up! I can be a good wingman for my friends, can't I?!" Eddy retorted.
Nazz made a sigh at their behavior, "I think the big problem here is that you ran away after doing that, didn't you?"
Double D flinched at her words.
"You should go back and talk to Jennifer," Nazz continued to say, "If anything, she's probably just as confused as you are."
"I understand, but…" Double D started to say, lowering his head a little, "I'm not sure if I can bear the rejection."
"Aww, it's okay, Double D!" Ed replied with a big smile, "I don't think she would do that."
"… You think so?"
Ed nodded his head, "Yeah! We're all friends here!"
Double D smiled to Ed, "Thank you for that."
"Welp, you can tell us how it went later," Kevin stated as he hopped onto his bike, "It's getting late."
Nazz then hopped onto Kevin's bike as well, "Good luck, Double D!" she called out as she and Kevin biked away.
"… You know, knowing those two, they're probably gonna tell everyone else what happened," Eddy sighed, "Just our luck."
The Eds turned back to Jennifer's house in front of them, "Come on, lover boy. Let's go see Jenna," Eddy stated.
Double D was quiet as he and the others Eds walked back to Jennifer's living room. They could see Zoey and Marie sitting next to Jennifer on her couch.
"Oh, you're back!" Zoey said when she noticed the three Eds coming towards them.
Double D could feel both Ed and Eddy push him gently towards Jennifer's direction. Jennifer got up from where she sat to walk over to him. Double D pulled his beanie down over his eyes and most of his face; he could feel himself becoming more and more nervous because of what happened.
"I, umm… I-I wanted to apologize f-for, um… f-for my earlier actions," Double D started to say, blushing from underneath his beanie, "I have no clue w-what came over me, a-and I—"
"Eddward," Jennifer stated to him as she grabbed his left hand with her right, "It's alright, I forgive you… Just don't run off again, please."
"… I won't, I promise," Double D replied, lifting his beanie up from his face and eyes to see her.
The two teens hugged each other, despite their friends watching them off to the side. Ed was starting to get teary eyed in happiness while Eddy looked at them before glancing a little towards Zoey, who was smiling for the hugging teens. Marie, in the meantime, could feel her jealousy coming back for a split moment before it went away; she did not want to ruin the moment.
Double D and Jennifer soon let's each other out of their hug, "It's getting very late now," Double D stated, noticing the time on the clock nearby said 5:15pm.
"I-I know," Jennifer replied, "You should all go home soon."
"Sounds good to me," Eddy stated, stretching his arms a little in tiredness, "We can all meet back up tomorrow, like usual."
That comment from Eddy made Zoey freeze in fear. She had to tell him about her move, and sooner rather than later, 'That's… not going to go well,' she thought.
The five teens then walked out of Jennifer's house to go back to their homes. As the Eds and Zoey waved goodbye to Marie, they started to walk towards the Cul-De-Sac. It was as they approached the playground up ahead that Eddy could feel a hand touch his right shoulder, Zoey's hand.
"Hey," Zoey started to say as the two of them stopped walking, "I need to ask you something quick… Well, more like a favor."
"Uh…" Eddy muttered in confusion to her, "What is it?"
Zoey paused for a moment before saying, "Do you mind if we can meet back up here around 7 tonight?"
Eddy looked at her in surprise, "Wait, you mean just us? And not everyone else?"
"… Yes," Zoey sighed, "I have something important to tell you, okay? Everyone else can find out later."
Eddy stood there for a moment stunned before making a cocky smile to her, "Alright then! It's a date!"
He then started to run off towards his house, "I'll see you later!" Eddy called out to Zoey.
Zoey could only stand there, a sad look came across her face, "I'm sorry, Eddy," she muttered to herself, "You're going to hate me for this."
Author's Note (June 21st, 2023): Oh snap! There's going to be a Nintendo Direct in a few hours from now, 9am CST! It's currently 5am as I'm finishing this chapter. I'm not making any sort of predictions of what I want to see, honestly. Mainly because I don't want to look like an idiot for being wrong; wearing some clown makeup as I make a prediction. At least I hope there's some really good RPG news there, that would be nice. Oh, speaking of RPG's, I got the notification that my physical copy of Final Fantasy XVI is coming today! A DAY EARLY! FRICK YEAH! Thank you Best Buy, you're based as hell! Very happy about that. Now I probably won't get spoiled on anything... I hope.
Oh yeah, since I brought it up by name in the story, go play 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Please. It's for PS4/PS5 and Switch right now. Like seriously, go buy this game and play it. DO IT! It was my favorite game for the year for 2020 alongside Final Fantasy VII Remake. Vanillaware make such high quality games, it's unreal. Go play Odin Sphere as well, another fantastic game made by them that's on PS4... And this concludes my shilling for Vanillaware games for the time being! Kind of wonder what else they have planned for future games? I would love to know.
