The Secret of Edd: A change of plans, a dream, and a few 'small'--or great--footsteps are taken

"AHH! I HATE YOU!" Edd winced as Eddy screamed, and looked out the window towards Eddy's house. There, Eddy slammed his door behind him, yelling at someone in the house.

Edd shook his head and closed the window. "Eddy's temper and voice can be so annoying at times..." he muttered, going to his desk and taking out the immunization he put in there the day before.

"Now, what are you?" he asked it, then chuckled at the idea of talking to the immunization to find what it was. Edd squirted three drops, one onto each of the dishes on his desk, and brought all of his lab stuff to his garage.

Once there, he set up a small lab and did experiments to the separate dishes. As he looked at the glowing green liquid, black semi-liquid, and clear liquid in the dishes, he grew puzzled.

"None of the chemicals are even familiar to me. How could this be a tetanus booster?" Edd mused, then gasped as he bumped the table.

The different liquids splashed into each other and flowed over the table. A white foam grew from the wood the small amount of liquid touched.

"Oh dear! Messy, messy, messy... and just what is this stuff?" Edd complained as he cleaned it up. "I just don't understand..." He then carefully gathered a sample of the infected wood, then stuck everything into carefully sterilized bags. Edd then walked up to his room and put everything away. Just after he finished he heard Eddy scream again, but from below Edd's window this time.

"Ow...," Edd muttered, racing to the window. "Eddy, keep it down out there!" he exclaimed as Ed and Eddy walked in the house, with their filthy shoes on.

Edd ran down the stairs to find mud all over the kitchen floor, Ed crying, and Eddy looking furious. "Eddy! You guys tracked mud all over the house, and, um... Eddy, what's wrong?" He asked softly, looking nervous.

"WHAT'S WRONG?!? What's wrong? What isn't wrong?! I'm leaving, Double D! And I might never be able to come back!" Eddy yelled.

"Leaving? Are you running away?" Edd asked as he walked to the dinner table.

Eddy collapsed on a chair. "I'm leaving... my parents are making me leave in one week. THIS SUCKS!"

"You're moving? Away from Peach Creek? FOREVER?" Edd exclaimed, looking positively terrified.

"How do I know? All I know is my parents told me I'm leaving because I have 'attitude' problems, and that I have to pack my stuff, and, and,.... I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!" Eddy cried, and Ed hugged him. Instead of pulling away, Eddy hugged Ed back and started sobbing. Edd walked over and joined the hug, and they all stood there for several minutes, crying and standing together.

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Edd wiped the tears from his eyes and sat on the table. "Well, what will we do now? We only have one week, and we should enjoy as many jawbreakers as we can. Unless..." he paused and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

Ed stared at him, then Eddy. "Uh, why don't we go to the planet of the mutant sausages, where we could enlist the help of the gravy people to make your parents--" Ed said.

"Shut up, Ed." Eddy interrupted.

"Another world?" Edd remarked rather dreamily, and Eddy glanced at him, startled at how spaced out Double D sounded. "Ed, where did you get an idea like that? It'd be quite interesting if we could really travel to another world."

"It's in my comic book. See?" Ed held up a comic book, similar to the Invisible Man one. "It's another one of Evil Tim's adventures."

"Isn't that the one where he does a curse, the curse you cast on us, that brought all of those birds to attack us?" Eddy asked.

"Indeed. Normally, I would have said such things degrade the mind, but considering some of the things I've seen Ed do, I'm not so sure...but it might be possible to enter an alternate universe." Edd commented.

"Like what? Pick up a house?" Eddy asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"Eddy, you really must stop doing that." Edd looked down at Eddy, and cringed at the angle the chair's legs were at. "I was referring to when Ed literally made you fly, and when he cut a hole into another dimension, and how he managed to convince your mind into floating when 'Jim' picked you up. He defies the laws of physics on a regular basis. Perhaps things like his "mutant sausages" really do exist. It's enough to boggle the mind...."

"That sounds stupid. Why don't we just dupe the kids into giving us money as a farewell gift to me?" Eddy suggested.

"Actually, Eddy, think a minute." Edd said, smiling slightly. "If it were possible to enter another world, where the other Eds didn't scam the kids, then they'd be less suspicious of us, and it would be easier to make jawbreaker money."

"What, like when we first started... Yeah! We could have all the jawbreakers we want!" Eddy stood on his tiptoes and grabbed Edd's shoulder. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"First we would need a machine to get us from universe to universe. Ed, may I see your comic book? We could try their design." Edd said, getting down from the table and reaching his hand out.

"Here ya go, Double D." Ed commented as he handed the comic over.

"All right. Hm...." Edd looked the pictures over. "Yes, uh huh, hmm, mmhmm, yes. Okay." He pulled out a notebook and wrote some stuff down really quickly. "Here's a list of the parts we'd need to build it. I'll find a suitable location in the woods."

"The woods?" Eddy asked, startled. "Why in the woods?"

"So none of the other kids in the cul-de-sac see it...?" Eddy nodded, his mouth in an 'O' expression. "Let's go." Edd replied.

"Okay dokey then." Ed replied, with a large, clueless grin.

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The sun was setting, and Edd put his hammer down. He wiped his forehead with a clean handkerchief and grinned, looking up.

The machine was a round gate, about eight or nine feet in diameter, set in a base area of wood. The base set it up about three or four feet about the ground, with a small staircase in front made of chair and crate pieces nailed solidly together. The gate itself was made of various medal parts, including parts of a blender---the other parts were still littered on the ground.

The clearing they had put it in had been used for some scam or another—there were benches littered around the edge of the clearing. It was probably also where the scouts’ camping trip had been a couple of weeks before.

"Viola! It's finished!" He exclaimed!" He exclaimed.

"Huh?" Eddy asked, poking his head out from underneath it.

"It's done, Eddy. Sadly, it's getting late and we'll have to try it out tomorrow." Edd replied.

"Darn it.... then we'll only have, um--"

"Six days, Eddy."

"I knew that!"

"I am a lump!" Ed yelled from above their heads. They looked up to see Ed was sitting on the very top of the ring shape, perched like some monster, most likely.

Edd’s eyes widened as he considered the gate’s durability, and calculated that it wouldn’t support Ed’s weight for too long a time. "Ed! Get down from there this instant! You'll hurt yourself for sure!"

"Ally-ooop!" Ed exclaimed, and grabbed hold of the ring. He then swung down, and jumped off of the gate’s base.

Eddy looked up sadly, then turned towards the cul-de-sac. From where they were in the woods, he couldn’t even make out the lights from the houses, and wouldn’t be able to until it was very dark. Now he had to go home, and deal with not yelling at his parents anymore… "Come on, guys."

"Buttered toast."

"Shut up, Ed" Eddy muttered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Date: August 2nd, 2001.
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Eddy collapsed against the trunk of the tree and looked up angrily. Above his head, Ed was swinging from branch to branch. "When's Sockhead gonna finish?" He exclaimed loudly, kicking the tree.

Kevin rode by on his bike, and stopped near Eddy. "What are you doing?" he asked in a rather snide tone.

"None of your beeswax, Kevin!" Eddy yelled.

"The munchkin people are coming Eddy! They're gonna munch Double D's brain and send him up to the mother ship, where they'll-"

Ed stopped abruptly as Eddy threw a large rock into Ed's mouth. Ed choked, then chewed and swallowed the rock vacantly, then realized what he had done.

"OH NO! I ate the first scout ship! Now they'll destroy Earth for sure!" Ed yelled in terror.

"Give it a rest, dork!" Kevin yelled, then sped off on his bike.

"Let's go see what's taking Double D so long, okay?" Eddy said, getting up and walking towards the door they had been sitting in front of, Edd's.

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Edd rolled over in his sleep and murmured something.

He was having a nightmare, he thought, because it wasn’t very realistic. All alone, without any other kids in the area… And it was dark enough to be night, but he was sure that the sun was out---just setting.

Edd looked up at the sky to try and locate the sun, and noticed a large round light in the sky, one not the moon or the sun. It was spinning around, growing slightly, then stopped very suddenly. It quickly began spreading straight out, larger and larger, until it was a good twenty times larger than the moon.

As he watched, darkness spread out in a line across the light, and became a mouth that opened very wide. Edd cowered down onto the ground as he felt it expand, and seem to surround the entire planet.

After a moment of squeezing his legs to his face, Edd opened his eyes, and stood up slowly.

Where the cul-de-sac had been were ruins, and again no sign of the kids. The forest still stood, but the trees were brown and dead, with smoke coming from the trailer park.

"Oh my... Is this… the end of the world…? World’s end…" Edd whispered, hugging his arms to his chest. “End of… the world…? What world…? This—this can’t be real…” He began walking slowly to the center of the cul-de-sac.

He jumped as something snapped under his foot, and looked down.

The pavement was cracked and aged, as though it was a road not paved in half a century.

Edd lifted his foot and watched bits of glass fall off his shoe… Under his foot had been Eddy’s school picture, that same one that had been in the garage sale… Or was it? The face suddenly seemed older, somehow… It wasn’t the Eddy he knew, but there was far too much resemblence for him to think that it was anyone else. It seemed to shift before his eyes...

A cold breeze swept through him, and Edd straightened. He became aware of the wind, filled with sounds of howling and screaming, and he heard a voice behind him.

Edd twirled in fright, looking for someone to be there, and heard the voices saying his nickname. "Double D... Double D..."

They sounded ghostly, and he couldn’t help but notice that he recognized at least one of the voices… Children’s voices all of them, and most noticable was Eddy’s voice…

"Double D... DOUBLE D...." They got louder and louder, as he looked down at the picture. A guilty feeling rose up in him, as though something to all of this was his fault. "DOUBLE D! DOUBLE D!!!” He closed his eyes, being surrounded in darkness. The voices changed slightly, and it was now only Eddy’s voice he could hear. “Double D!!! Hello? Wake up already!" Edd rolled over again, and the blanket seemed to work its way onto his head to block out Eddy’s voice… Eddy glared at the appearent insult.

"Sockhead! Wake up!” He groaned, and looked across Edd’s bedroom. “Ed, would you get him up already?"

Ed nodded and walked over. "Get outta bed, mister, or no Crunchy Puffs for you!" he exclaimed, picking Edd up by the leg and shaking him vigorously.

Edd opened his eyes as Ed shook him "Sto-stop shaki-ing me-e E-ed, I-i'm awa-ake!" Edd exclaimed frantically, grabbing at Ed's hands.

“Okay, Ed. You heard him." Eddy said, and walked over to the bed. He sat on the pillow, and rested his head on his hand as he smiled sweetly—a false sweetness in his expression and voice. "Hi, Sleeping Beauty, sleep long enough? It's only about nine thirty…"

"WHAT?? I slept in? Again?!?" Edd exclaimed, getting off of his bed. He looked warily down at Ed and Eddy's feet. "Eddy, YOU'VE CONTAMINATED MY ROOM! AGAIN!" Messy, messy, messy...."

Eddy caught him. "Come on! You can clean your room later! We only have six days to use your machine anyway...."

"Huh? Oh my! I-I forgot, I'm sorry..." Edd trailed off, looking to the ground. //The immunization will have to wait… and what about that dream…? Very strange.// he thought, then looked up to ask, "Are Mother and Father here?"

Eddy shrugged. "Your parents? They left 2 hours ago. Ya know… they're weirder than you are, and that says something. Why do they have such a creepy car anyway?"

"Creepy…? Because Father is with the government, I suppose..." Edd went over to his drawer and pulled out the iron, then returned to his bed.

"Really? That's cool... um, are you done, Ed?" Eddy asked slowly.

Ed was standing by the desk, hitting himself on the head repeatedly with the bone. With his other hand he searched through the drawers.

"Ed! Leave the bone and my desk alone, alright?" Edd exclaimed, as he finished ironing the blankets. "My bed is made, Eddy, but what about my chores?"

Eddy gave Ed a weary glance, and Ed grinned. "There aren't any extra sticky notes, we looked around downstairs… so let's go already."

"All right, come on Ed."

"Gravy!"

{note: Ed and Eddy just walked in, glanced around, and walked up the stairs. There actually was one sticky note on his desk that read as follows:

Dear Edward,

Apologies for the incorrect instructions.

You are to see one of us to administer your vaccine today

-Mother

Because Edd went with the boys, he never saw the note. }

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"Well, Eddy, we'll need a destination." Edd said, looking up at the structure.

"Um, how do you do it?" Eddy asked, following Edd's gaze.

"You type a number, with this pad, then press ‘Enter’, and it should open a gate to the world that basically exists on that, uh, plane of existance… This is all relative to some numerical order that I don’t quite understand yet… That will require some time of research.”

Eddy looked Edd in the eyes, and slowly asked, “Time that we don’t have right now, right…? So no wandering off, trying to ‘comprehend the mysteries of the universe’…”

“Mmm… Indeed.” Clearing his throat, Edd shrugged. “Plus, I made a pocket activator for if the gate should close behind us." He held up what looked suspiciously like a remote control.

"How about 8-3-2-0-0-1?" Ed asked, looking at the control panel in front of him.

"Well, yes, I suppose that would work. According to this, our world's number is…" He looked at the screen, "8-3-2-0-0-9, so that one will be close to our own."

Eddy was beginning to look bored. “How’s the number matter…? Can’t we just go?”

Edd shook his head, and tried to explain. "The closer that number is to the one of our own world, the more similar it should be… I mean, if we went to one too different, it might be that there was no oxygen in the atmosphere and we would die instantly. Understand?"

Eddy’s eyes widened at the thought of dying with this thing, and nodded silently.

Edd smiled, and finished typing in Ed’s suggestion. He peered down at them, and looked confused. "Wait. Isn't that today's date? 8-3-2001? As in, the date August 3rd? Not the most original, Ed…”

"Who cares?" Eddy asked. "You said it's fine---and I want to go already!" He leaned over and pressed enter. His face lit up as a bright light filled the clearing.

Edd watched, then looked up at the gate. A spark of light seemed suspended in the circle’s direct center, and stretched out until it looked like the moon.

The circle of light started spinning in place, and spreading out slowly. Half a minute passed as the trio watched the rather hypnotic swirl of pale colors spreading out until they filled the entire gate.

The boys stepped back as the light dimmed down into a light silverish color, rippled, and stopped spinning.

“My word…”

All three grinned—Edd and Eddy out of nervousness, Ed simply for the sake of grinning. Eddy stepped forward, where he grabbed a stick and tossed it onto the staircase. Nothing happened.

“We won’t get zapped… C’mon, let’s check this out.”

Edd hung back and pulled his notebook and a pencil out of his pocket. With that, he tucked the pad against his left arm and frantically scribbled into it.

^This is absolutely incredible, I hardly have words to describe it! For a design derived from an ordinary comic book, the machine, the ‘gate’, appears to be working accurately… After I activated it, a light, of all things, began emitting from an unknown source in the center of the opening, and has proceeded to spin outwards and fill the boundaries established for it… Ed and Eddy step ahead, cautionless as usual, and begin up the staircase… I follow after them, slowly so that I may continue writing, and… This is amazing. The light ripples almost like water as Ed sticks his hand in it… He grins, and runs in. There’s no sound of him on the other side, which means… He’s gone through, and didn’t come out in this universe?!? Eddy’s walking though now, and so I shall… I will not let my friends or science down!^

With that, Edd walked into the gate.

Behind him, a previously unnoticed figure walked out from behind a tree.

"Did you see that, Plank?" Jonny exclaimed in his excitement. "A hole into an alternate universe! Let's go follow them!" Jonny and Plank walked up the stars and into the light.

-----------------------

Edd staggered forward through the liquidish stuff into the light of the noon sun. //Midday…? It was morning just now… What do you know? It seems to have worked, in some way! What, oh what, do you know…?// He thought, taking notes.

Eddy looked around, and looked disappointed. They stood in an identical clearing—minus certain scraps of wood and metal from the gate’s construction—with even trees in the same places.

Eddy looked around. "What? We didn't even go anywhere--OW! Ed, watch it!" He exclaimed as he was bumped from behind. He turned around, ready to yell, when he gasped and fell back. "Ja-Jonny? What are you doing here?!?"

"H-huh?" Edd stammered, whirling around as well. He took in the boy’s appearance, and his wide grin. Edd shook his head. "How did you get here?"

"Plank said I should follow you guys, since you're up to something. Is this really a different world?" He asked, then looked around at the trees with the same look Eddy had just had.

"No--" Eddy started.

"Yes, it is." Edd interrupted. Eddy looked over at him in surprise. "See how the sun is overhead? It was early in the day, and the sun was rising, in our world."

Jonny nodded, peering up, then slapped the piece of wood cheerfully. "Wow, do you see that, Plank?"

"................" If there was a reply, only Jonny heard it.

"So? The sun's above us...what the...um, isn't it only like nine or something…? How's the stupid sun above us right now?" Eddy shielded his eyes and looked.

"I already explained, Eddy. This really, truly is an alternate universe.” Edd said, taking more notes and stepping down the staircase. He smiled broadly. “Let's explore the cul-de-sac and see what the differences are... From there you can see who would be best to try scamming.”

Eddy nodded enthusiastically, then glanced over at Jonny. “You can come, but don’t mess anything up, got it?” Jonny gave an ‘L’ shaped salute, and Eddy lead the group out of the clearing.

There was some yelling going on ahead of them, then some screaming.

"Hey, what's going on?" Edd asked as they ran towards Ed's house.

"I don't know-- my goodness!" Edd exclaimed. They stood behind the house, peeking around the corner. All of them stared at the source of the screaming. There another Ed stood, laughing wickedly and holding Eddy by his feet. The Eddy was shrieking while Jonny and Kevin begged Ed to let him go.

"Oh my.." Edd murmured, biting his lip. “A more confrontational bunch than ours…”

"Is that Kevin? Asking Ed to let me go? Whoa!" Eddy exclaimed.

"Look Plank! Isn't that wierd? He's friends with Eddy and Kevin, and I don't see you anywhere..." Jonny commented. He then glanced around, then crouched down and practically crawled into the bushes. The others followed quietly and carefully.

"................"

"Gravy..."

"This is rather hard to imagine… I wonder what events would have caused those two rivals to befriend one another-wait, is that the others?" Edd looked up the road, and saw most of the other cul-de-sac kids.

"There's Sarah, and Nazz..."

"Umm...." Eddy snickered. "Is that Jonny," he snickered again, "looking at Sarah like he likes her?” Eddy snorted, and covered his mouth as he tried to not laugh.

"Yes... and Jimmy’s there walking with Nazz. Odd, isn't it?" Edd glanced back at Eddy to guage the boy’s reaction.

"WHAT?!?" Eddy exploded, pushing Edd down to get a better view. Edd made a muffled complaint, but as his head was being pushed into the ground, it was hard to talk.

"Wow..." Jonny shook his head. “Me and Nazz…? Plank, what do you think of that, huh? Toldja she likes me better.”

"Kewl!" Ed simply remarked.

Out in the street, Nazz, Jimmy, Sarah, and Edd had all walked up to where the other kids were. The first three had jawbreakers in their hands, and seemed nervous, while Edd looked bored.

Ed stared at them, then held out his hand. Sarah gave him a jawbreaker, and the kids in the bushes heard him say, "Alright, squirt, I won't beat you up... today."

She smiled nervously and quietly said something about leaving friends alone, and he dropped Eddy.

Eddy and Kevin scurried away immediately, while Jonny paused to give Sarah a faint grateful look, then ran after the other two.

"What is going on?" Eddy whispered, glancing at Edd.

"Well, it would appear that this 'Ed', for whatever reason is the bully and terror of the cul-de-sac instead of Kevin. After all, he is incredably strong, so if he was smarter... and spoiled...."

"This is wierd...." Jonny muttered, shaking his head. “I like home better.”

“Hee hee…” Ed laughed suddenly, and started shaking the hedge with his laughter. "Sarah giving me jawbreakers?"

"Ed! Stop it!" Eddy whispered frantically, looking towards the street.

There, Ed stared at the bush curiously. “Let me guess…” They heard him mutter, then he grinned and beckoned to Edd. The two walked towards the bush, with the other kids following to see what would happen.

"Oh dear!" Edd squeaked, ducking further into the bush.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" Ed said cruelly, in a tone they doubted Ed could even use. He reached in, feeling around, and grabbed Eddy. The short Ed swiped at him, then swore as Ed held him up in the air.

"Didn't get enough earlier? Where are your little friends? If you don't tell, I'll beat all three of you up, regardless of what I said earlier."

"No way!" Eddy exclaimed, squirming in his grasp. The other kids gasped and Ed grinned.

"All right then, are they hiding in here too? Let's see..." Ed held Eddy out, and reached in with his free hand to grab Jonny; who dropped Plank in his fright. "Hold him, okay?" He told Edd, thrusting Jonny towards him. The boy easily grabbed Jonny and held him, no matter how much Jonny wriggled. Eddy looked over in shock at the boy who looked just like Double D-except that he had muscles!!

"And where's that last kid…” Ed reached in, then caught hold of a shoulder. He grinned. “Ah, here we—Whoa!!!” He yelled, staring, as he pulled Edd out.

The other Edd jumped in shock, letting go of Jonny and not caring. Jonny quickly dashed for the bushes and sat on the grass, watching.

"U-um, h-hello..." Edd stammered, shaking. He glanced over at the hedge behind him when the other kids gasped again.

Ed now poked his head out and looked at Ed, then Edd. "Who's that good-lookin' fella?" he asked Edd, grinning idiotically. Edd closed his eyes in a quick, silent prayer as Ed’s hand left his shoulder.

The other Ed dropped Eddy and stared. "No way.. he looks just like me..."

"Hiya!" Ed exclaimed.

"U-uh, Eddy, I hadn't planned on us being seen with our counterparts... This could seriously alter this world's timeline.." Edd said nervously, looking at the astonished crowd befor him.

"Oh, who cares, Sockhead. They already saw you and Lumpy, didn't they?" Eddy asked as he walked towards the other kids and stared at them.

They backed away nervously. Sarah glanced back and forth between the Eds while Edd and Edd stared at each other.

"Who... are you?" the boy asked, staring intently.

"I'm--- you, from another universe." Edd said softly.

"I-I-if you guys are from another universe.. why are you here? And where's Kevin?" Jimmy asked. "You two and him are friends, so-"

"No way, I’m not!” Eddy exclaimed. He shook his head. “Don’t even go there…”

Edd chuckled at Eddy’s expression in a nervous kind of relief. "You, friends with Kevin. That still seems rather unexpected, doesn't it?"

"You aren't friends with him?" Nazz asked, looking confused.

Eddy looked sidelong at her, and she winced slightly. "Are you kidding? I hate the guy! No, I'm friends with Lumpy and Sockhead here, not Kevin." He gestured at Ed and Edd.

"Yeah, cause we're the Eds!" Ed said.

"Indeed. 'Ed, Edd. and Eddy', as Eddy likes to call us, or the 'Ed boys' according to Rolf--Where is Rolf, anyway?" Edd asked. He glanced around, not seeing the foreigner in the area. No one noticed the question, though.

"Hmm.... so in your world, you're friends with me?" Ed asked Eddy. "That's very good taste. Maybe I won't beat you up. In fact…” He put a hand up to his mouth, thinking.

"Well, yes, Ed is one of our friends… But he seems…” Edd looked at Ed, who was eating part of the bush. Edd turned greenish, then turned back to the other Ed. "…less intellectualy endowed than you. He's, well--"

"An idiot." Eddy commented.

"Eddy! Any way, he's Ed, and I'm more of a scientist-"

"A nerd..." Eddy put in.

Edd crossed his arms--not a frightening gesture for a person standing in a bush—-and glared at Eddy. "Will you stop interupting?"

"Make me, Double D." Eddy retorted in a sing-song voice, grinning broadly.

Edd, off to the side, watched the exchange in bemusement---why wasn’t his double just punching the kid in the gut? That would make him shut up…

"No.” Edd replied, to Edd’s disappointment. “But if you're that knowledgable about the citizens of Peach Creek, you describe it---and without distorting reality too much."

"Okay then..." Eddy looked angrily at Edd, then continued. "What we have is Monobrow here, who's an idiot, Sockhead, who's a nerd, me, who's a handsome and attractive young man--"

"Oh, brother..." Edd muttered to himself, looking up. "And only slightly egotistical..."

"Huh?” Eddy looked over, to see Edd whistling innocently. “Whatever... and Kevin, who's a just like the local jerk… Sarah, she’s a little whiny brat who’s always crying to her mom whenever we do anything she doesn’t like… Jimmy, a little wimp who’s always with Sarah, Nazz, who's –well, a chick…”

Nazz blushed and Edd snickered. He smiled impishly, and mouthed ‘Nazz, you're a chick…!’ Ed batted him in the back of the head, and Edd resentfully stopped flirting.

"Rolf, who's some wierd foreign farm… guy… Jonny, who’s really sorta loopy and just, like, talks to random stuff-"

"Plank isn't stuff!" Jonny exclaimed angrily. "Right Plank? PLANK?" He looked around, realizing that Plank wasn’t there, and his eyes widened. “Where’s Plank?”

"Okay, so who's Plank?" Ed asked, his eyebrow raising slowly.

"Oh dear… Eddy, help me look." Edd remarked as he turned around to search through the hedge.

"Plank’s some a piece of wood with a face painted on it that Jonny talks to, acting like he's being answered and all. The guy's wierd like that." Eddy explained as Edd and Jonny searched around.

"PLANK! There you are!" Jonny exclaimed, picking Plank up.

The other kids stared. "That’s… really wierd..." Jimmy said, nodding to what Eddy had said. The others nodded as well, and Edd grinned.

“You’ve gotta be kidding… Since Kevin’s not friends with him, he had to make one up…?” Edd wanted to know, shaking his head.

Jonny ignored the comments, looking Plank over. "Why didn't you say something? I didn't realize you were stuck!"

"........................."

A few seconds went by, while the rest of the kids just stared at the reunion. Even the kids used to it watched, aware of the strangeness that the others were feeling.

"That's rather amusing, actually..." Ed commented to Edd, “Don’t you think?”

Edd only snorted, covering his face with one hand.

Ed looked over at the three Eds. "I've never seen anything quite like that... Hey, tell ya what. As a ‘reward’ for being friends with such a good lookin' guy,” He gestured at Ed--who was being remarkably still. “And for showing me something rather… funny… I'll give each of you five bucks. That okay?"

Eddy stared in shock, his eyes bulging out.

Edd looked surprised. //But… we didn’t even do anything… Odd that he goes from bully to generous so quickly…//

Ed was pulling four $5 bills out of his pocket, and gave one to each Ed and one to Jonny.

Jonny finished talking to Plank and looked puzzled. "Hey, what about Plank? He should get some money too!"

Ed and Edd burst out laughing. Ed grinned. "Jeez! This is a good idea you have, kid! Does 'Plank' get allowence, as well as you?"

"Of course he does! Why wouldn't he?" Jonny demanded.

Edd’s eyes widened, and he gave a hooting sound suddenly. The four not from his universe looked alarmed, the rest seemed calm. "This kid gets twice as much money just because he talks to a piece of wood! Maybe I should have an imaginary friend, and Mother'll give me twice as much too!"

"Okay, here's some for 'Plank' too.." Ed said, snickering. Jonny took it, glaring at Ed’s obvious grin, and murmured something to Plank.

Edd pocketed the five-dollar bill, and looked at his watch. “It hasn’t even been very long… I suppose we can all talk some more.”

Eddy sighed, then shrugged. “Hey, why not? If we’ve got plenty of time…” He sat down in the grass, and looked up at the Eds. “So, what else do you guys wanna know?”

Ed shrugged as well, and led the rest of the kids in sitting down too. “You didn’t finish describing people…”

“And how did you get here anyway?” Edd leaned forward, curious. “I really wanna know, theories on the existence of a multiverse containing our universe as a small part of it is a big topic this year…”

The other kids looked over as he spouted in an entirely Edd-like fashion, and Eddy started laughing. “Heh… Double D, it’s not so different…”

Edd was confused, and Edd annoyed. He recognized Eddy’s tone of voice, and knew Eddy was making fun of him. “Oh… Eddy, what was that supposed to mean?”

“That wherever you go, Double D is too smart for his own good.” Ed mused smiling.

Edd groaned. “Honestly… Well, we were rather bored yesterday, and decided to test the, uh, accuracy of one of Ed’s favorite comic books… So we decided to build a machine like the one in the illustrations…”

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They spent well over two hours there, discussing how they built the gate, the reasons that had lead to the wanting to build one… Ed brought up the Kankers at some point, to find out that there were three sisters in the trailer park of that world, but that there hadn’t been any ‘romantic’ encounters… Ed and Edd had started laughing at the thought of it, for some reason.

"Well, we should be getting home, Eddy. I think it's nearly lunch time, and I should be doing my chores soon." Edd commented.

"But it's 2 o'clock, how could it be lunch time...?" Sarah asked.

Eddy shrugged. "Different times, who cares?” He grinned at Edd. “You’re right, we should be going so we can gloat to Kevin when we get some jawbreakers!"

Ed looked a little disappointed. “Well, your ‘gate’ probably isn’t going anywhere, so make sure you come back. I want to hear more about your world.” While Edd nodded, he glanced over to Edd. “If that’s that… What do you want to do?”

Edd looked up curiously then grinned at the sight of Eddy. "There’s always the little ‘triad’ to go after… Maybe if we bait them with a ‘Plank’, they’ll come out…?”

Ed snickered, as Jonny glared at him again. “Cute idea, real cute, Double D… Awright, we can check that out… See you lot around sometime.” He waved lazily at the group, and the two walked off. The other kids got the signal, said various farewells, and also left.

"Okay, let’s go." Eddy commented, then turned towards Ed's house.

"Jonny, I trust you won't be following us any more, correct?" Edd asked as they walked through the trees.

The others glanced at him. "Okay, then… Plank says to be careful. You never know what could happen in another world, and, --whoa!" He slipped suddenly, falling forward.

"Ow!" Eddy exclaimed as Jonny fell on him, then Ed on him.

Eddy snickered, and helped pull Ed up. “You okay under there, Double D…?”

"Yes..." He winced as he pulled Plank off of his arm—there was a dent there, certainly—and looked up. Jonny turned red and rolled off of him.

“Sorry about that…” He said, accepting Plank back.

"Well, it's actually a good thing you fell. This is the clearing the gate is in." Edd commented, pulling out the controller.

Eddy got up. "But, it's not here, Double D… Hey!" Edd pressed a button, and the gate appeared before them.

"Let's go home." He simply said, then walked into the gate.

Eddy ran after him, then Ed.

Jonny watched them run into the gate. He then paused and listened to Plank.

//If they keep this up, they'll unlock supernatural forces they can't understand...// Plank murmured.

"Really? You think they'll unlock supernatural forces? What'cha mean?"

//Well, not so much 'supernatural forces', but, a world of impossibilities.//

"A world of impossibilities?” Jonny shook his head. “That doesn’t make any more sense than what you said before… What's that mean, Plank?"

//Um… I don’t really know either… I'll have to tell you some other time.//

Jonny frowned at the piece of wood, then looked ahead. "Oh, fine. Explain later. That's not very polite, you know."

//I'm sorry, but I really…//

"Oh, heh, that's okay, Plank. I'll race ya home!" With that, Jonny gave a good-natured grin and ran into the gate.

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The Eds ran down the street.

You next see them, coming out of the candy store, with three very large bags of jawbreakers. Ed was carrying all three bags, while Edd and Eddy gave the bunch very happy looks.

"I can't believe this! 10 jawbreakers each, and we each still have $4.50 each! We'll be eating jawbreakers for weeks! Oh, wait... you guys will, anyway..." Eddy said rather dismally.

"Leggo my Eggo!" Ed exclaimed from under the three bags.

The cul-de-sac came into view, and Eddy sighed.

"I suppose we'll be meeting here tommorow?" Edd asked.

"Yeah, yeah..." Eddy muttered, still looking a bit "Yeah, yeah..." Eddy muttered, still looking a bit gloomy until Ed put the bags down and a jawbreaker rolled out. "Watch it, Ed!" He exclaimed, and grabbed it.

"Double D, did the munchkin people get you earlier?" Ed asked absently.

"Huh?" Edd looked confused.

"Never mind.... you don't want to know." Eddy commented.

"Alright then.. I'll see you guys later!" Edd walked across the street to his house and walked inside. He gathered sticky notes, did chores, and ate lunch. By 3:49 he finished, and went to his room to expirement on the shot some more.

As he grabbed it, he put paper on top of his desk, covering the note. "Why can't I figure out what you are?" He asked himself, getting a jawbreaker to eat while thinking. He went down to the garage and made another lab, where he did different tests on it. By the end of the day, he was no closer to an answer, as well as tired.

"Oh, I give up. I'll simply ask mother some time this week when I have a chance..."

"Alright then... I'll see you guys later!" Edd walked across the street to his house and walked inside.

He gathered the regular sticky notes, did his normal chores, and ate lunch. By 3:49 he finished, and went to his room to experiment on the shot some more.

As he went to grab it, he put the bag on top of his desk, covering the bone and the note.

"Why can't I figure out what you are?" He asked himself, getting a jawbreaker to eat while thinking. He went down to the garage and made another lab, where he did different tests on it. By the end of the day, he was no closer to an answer, as well as tired.

"Oh, I give up. I'll simply ask mother some time this week when I have a chance..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The End of Part 2
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ed: “When you don’t know what something is, ask. Most stuff will just speak right up!”

Ed grins, and Eddy raises his eyebrows... Edd groans.

Edd: “I talk to myself, I didn’t honestly expect the substance to answer me.”

Eddy (Teasing): “Sure thing... And nice dream, Double D. I knew you guys were dreaming of me...”

Edd (Bright red, pulls hat down): “Oh, shush. Just you remember, in that universe I was a b-bully, and spent my time picking on you like Kevin does.”

Eddy: “So?”

Edd: “So---I could always go to him and ask for help!”

Eddy: “...”

Edd: “...”

Ed: “...I could tickle Eddy?”

Edd and Eddy blink, looking over at him.

Edd: “Well, yes, but... Why?”

Ed (smiling): “Eddy gets all red and squirmy when you hold him and tickle him... and mad when you let go.”

Eddy (sweating): “Well, don’t. That’s... really annoying.”

Ed walks away, a content smile on his face.

Edd: “Ed, where are you going?”

Ed: “Food...”

Ed leaves the room, and Edd rubs the back of his head.

Edd: “I hope he doesn’t empty out the fridge... Ah well.”

Eddy: “So... Double D. With other universes, they get made from all the different things that could happen, right? Like these guys won this war in this universe, but in another, the other side did?”

Edd (smiling): “Yes, indeed! Are you growing interested in alternate universes now?”

Eddy: “Uh—hang on. Is it just big things, or is it anything that could happen has a different universe?”

Edd (contemplative, sits on his bed to think) “Well... depends on the theory. Some people, like Ms Diane Wynne Jones, go with the major possibilities and say the minor differences are only in our dreams. Our author, though is working with the idea of every possibility... A multiverse of infinite possibilities.”

Eddy (nodding): “What, the two of you sneaking off and having meta… uh… well, talking about those kinds of things while me and Ed are just two dummies making sandwiches or something?”

Edd (grimaces now): “No, it’s simply that while she’s not present, I’m aware of her view on the matter. ...There were only a few such conversations. At any rate, Eddy, why were you curious?”

Eddy: “Well, you’re gonna have to explain how the numbers work eventually... I just wanted to know if, if my homework didn’t get done, would there be another universe where it was done, so I could go there, and that me let me me copy his homework?”

Edd (buries head in his hands): “This is the reason for your curiosity, I should have known... Yes, you theoretically could. But we don’t currently have the technology to know which worlds are like what. For now we get to simply wander about and bump into things.”

Eddy: “Driving without a map... Oh well. That woulda worked out nice, I think.”

Edd (dryly): “You would think so... And to go back on topic of this last chapter, the multiverse is both all the infinite possibilities and at least some impossibilities, too, if you remember Plank’s comment.”

Eddy (rolls back, snickering): “’Plank’s comment’... Oh, man, Double D, for you to say that so seriously, like Plank was actually talking...”

Edd: “...Well... That’s a matter for later. We are AU, after all—alternate universe than that of the show itself. I think on the relativity scale that the gate’s currently operating with, they’d be around Two Nine Two Two Three Seven...”

Eddy (blinks): “What? We’re using all numbers with the Eights, and didn’t you say something about worlds where we couldn’t breath?”

Edd: “I said that In-character, Eddy. But that me doesn’t have any idea how it works, because you forbade him from doing more intrinsic research. I do know, and I’ll probably have a private one of these conversations with Ky just to try and explain it to anyone interested.”

Eddy (nods): “Well, I don’t care anymore. I’m gonna go grab some food before Ed eats it all.”

Edd (dryly again): “And make sandwiches while Ky and I discuss—ow!”

Eddy had thrown a pillow at him, and bolted down the stairs.

Edd: “...Honestly. Well, people, again please review—I need to go stop them from leaving my parents and I hungry again. Until next time...!”

The Secret of Edd: Part 2