The Secret of Edd: Rude awakenings, schemes, and unexpected circumstances...

Eddy kept his eyes closed and remained where he was. There was soft breathing elsewhere in the room, but he didn't know where. He didn't even know where he was, and he wanted to remain quiet until he had figured it out---secretly, he slowly opened his eyes.

His 'stealth' was wrecked, as a large face was directly above him, peering down at his face.

"Ah!" He yelled, jolting back into the floor.

Ed stood up. "Sorry, Eddy."

"Grrr... Oh, that's okay..." Eddy muttered sarcastically and sat up. He then looked puzzled. "Ed, what are you doing in my-- um, why are we in Rolf's shed?"

"We slept here, and I hugged the cow." Ed remarked.

Eddy blinked, and felt completely lost. He thought about what had happened; the gate, talking to Rolf, coming into the shed to spend the 'night', and...

"Wh-what the heck? What's going on?"

"I-I d-d-don't know..."

Eddy remembered. The night came back to him, and he slowly turned around towards the door.

Edd was sitting next to the doorway with his knees bent and his head bowed down. His arms were crossed on his knees and the boy looked asleep. His face, his black hat, red shirt and blue shorts were all the same, as well as his shoes, socks, and skinny arms. There was no sign that the last night had ever happened.

"Double D?" Eddy asked softly.

Edd opened his eyes and looked up. "Yes, Eddy?" He asked in his own voice, but he gazed out of eyes that seemed different. Eddy stared. His friend's eyes were faintly bloodshot with dark shadows under them, and beyond the physical aspects, Eddy could almost sense a deep expression of fear from his friend.

Edd and Eddy stared at each other across the room for a minute. Ed gazed between the two in a puzzled silence.

"It wasn't a dream, was it?" Eddy murmured.

Edd sighed and turned his head to the right, staring at the floor. "It would appear not..."

"Then, what happened? How-how did you...?" Eddy exclaimed.

Edd grew rigid and looked back at Eddy, his hand tensed up. "You think I know!" He exclaimed in a strangled voice, then raised it, his hand in a fist. "If I knew what was happening, do you think I would have been as startled, as terrified, as I was?" His voice rose even more sharply, and he half-yelled, "Do you?"

Eddy drew back, shocked at his friend's behavior, and didn't answer, only stared---this was more of a transformation than turning into a wolf.

Edd looked startled and then shivered. He took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes and relaxing his fist, and leaned against the wall again. He gazed up at the ceiling and murmured, "I don't know what's going on anymore, Eddy... I just don't know..." He whispered softly. The other two could hear his voice crack faintly, and exchanged glances.

"Ed-boys?" Rolf's voice came from outside. "Will you assist Rolfin his hunt?"

Eddy gave Edd another look, then walked to the door and opened it, going through towards Rolf. Ed stared in a puzzled way at Edd, and then followed Eddy. Edd gazed after them, thinking for a moment, then silently got to his feet and walked out.

It was light out, about 7:00 a.m., although Edd's watch said 4:30 p.m.

"What hunt?" Eddy was asking.

"There is a werewolf around here," The boys froze and looked at each other, "--who has been terrorizing Wilfredand Victorall night. Did you not hear its howling?"

"W-well, Rolf, we did, but we thought it was coyotes. Are you sure that it was a werewolf?" Eddy stammered.

"Yes. Will you help me to hunt it down?" Rolf asked expectantly.

"Um, we'd love to help, but, uh..." Eddy started.

"But our parents will be expecting us soon, and we still want to look around here some more." Edd added.

"So, we'll have to be going." Eddy finished. "See ya around, Rolf." Eddy started walking towards the street.

"Farewell, Rolf..." Edd said, then followed Eddy.

"Bye, Rolf. Your gravy's really good, as good as my mom's... Mmmm, gravy! Yum..." Ed commented before following them.

Rolf gazed after them thoughtfully, then jumped as a coyote howled in the distance.

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They snuck to the edge of the house and looked around the corner. Surprisingly, the cul-de-sac was empty again. However, they could hear music and laughing.

Eddy looked at Edd, thinking. /Hmmm… So, I fai--fell unconscious… and I bet Double D did too. It's more like him to do that than me anyway---but he's all weirded out, so how about we just let last night go for now…/

Edd seemed to notice him staring, so Eddy shrugged. "I wonder where everyone is...?" He made a point of looking around for the source of the sounds.

"Maybe a black hole formed in the neighborhood and they were sucked into an alternate universe... wait, WE'RE IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE!" Ed suddenly yelled.

"SHH!" Eddy exclaimed, clamping his hand over Ed's mouth.

"Perhaps they are simply at Nazz's house, having a party?" Edd suggested dryly, pointing up the street towards Nazz's. When they turned to look, they saw someone prance around the backyard, then run towards the house again.

"Oh..." Eddy muttered, then shrugged again. "Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go already!"

They ran across the street, then up the road to Ed's house towards the woods. They went through the woods: not towards the clearing, but towards the trailer park.

"I don't know about this, Eddy..." Edd complained.

"Oh, come on, Double D! Don't wimp out on me now, and don't you want to know what's going on?" Eddy exclaimed, stepping high over a root.

"I suppose... but it's so... unsanitary there..." Edd trailed off and kept walking.

Eddy stared at him, and they walked in silence. /Well, at least he's not totally out o' character. But if he yells at me again…/

"I am the king of the jungle!" Ed suddenly yelled from up above them.

Edd and Eddy stopped in startled fright and stared up. There, Ed was standing on a tree branch, holding something that looked suspiciously like a vine.

"Ed! Get down!" Edd exclaimed, and then muttered, "Why must he keep going in high places where he could easily hurt himself?"

"Because it's Ed, why else?" Eddy remarked. "I'd rather like to know where he found the vine… That stuff's good for rope, especially since all our parents are out of it…"

Ed slid down a tree and ran ahead, and the other two followed slowly.

They remained silent for another minute.

"So, what do you think he'll be like?" Eddy asked as they threaded their way through some thick trees.

"Very different from myself, especially if he's friends with the Kanker sisters and lives in the trailer park..." Edd said.

Eddy looked puzzled. "We don't even know if he does live in the trailer park, Double D. Just that he doesn't live in the cul-de-sac."

Edd rolled his eyes slightly. "Eddy, think about it. We don't hang out with anyone from other cul-de-sacs, do we? We're not really allowed to leave to go to any of the other cul-de-sacs, they're a good ways down the road. But we can go to the trailer park..."

"So?" Eddy demanded.

"If Rolfknows who he is, then they must have seen each other at some point before then." Edd replied, in a tone saying that it was extremely obvious. "Which would mean he'd have to live nearby…"

"Okay... I guess that makes sense..." Eddy said.

"Of course. But we still don't know what he will be like, so--" Edd was interrupted by Ed.

"Trailer!" Ed exclaimed, as the first trailer was visible through the trees. He then stopped and looked down. "Water!"

"Oh yeah, the creek's here..." Eddy muttered. The water flowed by, between them and the trailer park, as though mocking him.

"Hmm... We'll need some way to get across… Good idea, Ed!" Edd exclaimed, watching Ed pick up a tree and set it over the water.

Eddy slowly looked up and stared at the root mass towering several feet above his head. "How did he pick that up so quickly...?" He asked Edd.

"Considering recent events, I don't find that very unusual, Eddy…" Edd commented. "It's not as though he's never done that before…"

"And a house…" Eddy murmured, thinking back. He cringed at the thought, as that had hurt.

"Let's go, Eddy!" Ed exclaimed, about to run across.

"Wait!" Edd exclaimed, and grabbed his coat.

"Huh?" Ed questioned.

"Why?" Eddy asked irritably.

"Is it really a good idea to openly walk around the trailer park?" Edd asked.

"Fine then. We'll sneak in. Happy?" Eddy said.

Edd nodded, turning towards the trailers. "Let's go." He said.

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They crept across the makeshift bridge into the trailer park. Eddy warily made his way between trailers, followed closely by Ed and Edd.

Eddy suddenly stopped, peering around the trailer. "There are the Kankers… and some other kids." He whispered.

All three looked around the corner. There were several unfamiliar kids, as well as Lee and Marie. Leewas on ladder washing the trailer while Mariesat on a beach chair wearing her normal clothes, smiling wickedly.

A kid was sitting next to her in another chair, wearing black pants and a dark, blood red shirt, but they couldn't see the kid's face because of a large cowboy hat with the brim resting on his/her chest.

A tall, blond boy who reminded them vaguely of Kevin or Rolf stood near by, tossing a football into the air. He was wearing a gray sweatshirt, camo pants, and dark shoes.

As the three watched, May walked out from behind the Kankers'strailer, talking to a medium height boy with brown hair. Of any of the neighborhood kids he looked the most like Ed—but, really, that wasn’t by very much. He had a simple green tank top and blue jean pants on.

"Well, I don't see me out there…" Edd whispered.

"It's gotta be the kid with the hat…" Eddy muttered, interestedly watching.

May and the brunette boy froze when they saw Marie and the others. The three watched May, Marie glaring, the blond bored, and the cowboy-hatted boy still hidden.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marie asked softly.

"We-we were just, um..." May faltered, looking nervously at the boy standing next to her. He glanced back at her, with his own nervous expression.

"You were getting out of doing your chores, weren't you...?" The cowboy-hatted kid hissed darkly. Though he still didn't look up, the three Eds cringed. If Double D were to try being evil, his voice would probably be like that...

"N-no, I was not! I was just--" May protested.

"Robbie, get out of here. Your girlfriend's supposed to be doing chores, orders from her mother..." The boy hinted in an almost threatening manner from under his hat. He looked up enough that his chin was visible, and Eddy tapped Edd's shoulder.

"Double D...!" He hissed, looking at the taller boy.

Edd shook his head a little too quickly for Eddy to take him seriously, and didn't answer.

May and Robbie looked at each other again, then he ran off.

"Why'd you have to do that?" May whined, looking upset.

Marie frowned, smacking the cowboy hat down as the boy chuckled. "You do have other things to do than make out with the neighbors."

May's shoulders sagged, and an annoyed expression came over her face. "But, don't you have chores to do, too? You're not doing them!"

Marie now giggled. "Let's see... Laundry-" She looked at the clothes line, everything on it was drying, "Oh, and I'm making lunch..."

"Better do it soon, and get it over with..." Cowboy hat suggested, grinning.

"Marie, it's not even 8 o'clock... don't do that yet! The food will get spoiled!" Leestarted.

Before anyone could leave, another boy walked over. To Double D's disappointment and Eddy's glee it was not another Edd, but someone else. He looked almost like a tall cross between Eddy and Jimmy, with a bright red Mohawk. He was in black T-shirt, and pants a darker red than his hair.

The Kankers all stared at him, and Cowboy hat pulled up the hat's brim to stare at the newcomer. He looked the kid up and down, and then gave a familiar, though gap-less grin.

Edd gasped and fell back into the dirt.

Eddy stared and snorted. "Double D! That is you!" He whispered, and then covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh very loudly.

"Whoa... that's so weird..." Ed whispered.

Edd was shocked. "That's-- me? That gothic jerk? How could I have ever grown up to be like him?" He whispered fiercely.

"Let's go say hi!" Eddy whispered, snickering even louder. "What do you think he'd do, Double D? Hit me?"

They peered over again, as Edd-like laughter rang out-though it was noticeably drier and deeper sounding... He was an Eddwhose voice had already changed, then.

"Tom... You look like a demented chicken. What did you do to your hair…? Why?"

Tom stood still, then crossed his arms over his chest. "'Demented chicken'? Well, gee, thanks Ed, thanks so much for the compliment.” The boy looked skyward. “I thought it looked cool."

"...Chicken?" Ed whispered.

Edd and Eddy's eyes bolted open.

"No, Ed!" They hissed, grabbing the boy's arms before he stepped out.

"'Ed'...? You call me that again, I'm gonna hurt you. Stick with Edward, or I'm sneaking in your house to tattoo you like a chicken."

"But... Chicken, Eddy, they're talking about chickens...!" Ed didn't whisper anymore.

The other two jolted back, wincing. "Wait---Who said that?" Edward's voice sounded.

Eddy crouched down. "Ed, you idiot! Why'd you talk?" He hissed.

"I love chickens..." Ed commented sadly.

"Eddy, we need to get away before they look out here." Edd whispered.

"Alright, let's go around." Eddy whispered back.

They got into crouched positions and snuck around to the side as Mariewent curiously to where they would've been visible.

"I don't see anyone..." She reported as the Eds sighed and leaned against the corner of the trailer.

"Hmm… I'll check it out." Edward said, too late for the Eds to hear him.

Eddy collapsed against the side of another trailer, and snickered. "Wow! This is so funny!" He leaned against the door while Ed and Edd stood looking at him. "Double D friends with the Kankers... Who would've ever…what?"

The two stopped looking at him, staring instead up past his shoulder. Eddy glanced behind him.

Edward was staring at him, an eyebrow raised. "A loud-mouthed pipsqueak. What are you doing here-what... who the..." He trailed off dropped his shoulders as he looked past Ed and Eddy, and saw Edd. May, Marie, and Lee came over behind Edward.

"What's goin' on out here?" Marie exclaimed, and then saw Edd. "Oh...Hyne..."

"Um, hi..." Edd said nervously, crouching his shoulders slightly.

"What the #$ is going on here?" Edward exclaimed, shaking as though torn between grasping Edd's shoulder and shaking him, or backing away. His voice edged on hysterical, understandably. "Who are you?"

"Um, well, heh heh, I'm Edd..." Edd said softly, glancing down at Eddy. "A little help here would be nice..." He asked.

Eddy stood up and wiped the dirt off his pants, grinning wickedly. "You're nuts. You're seeing and hearing things." He told Edward, then grinned at Edd.

Edd slapped his forehead. "Oh, that was really helpful, Eddy..." He commented sarcastically.

Marie stared at Edd. "Who are you, and why do you look so much like Edward?"

Edd sighed and rubbed his hat in frustration. "Um, well, you see, the three of us," He gestured at Ed, Eddy, and himself, "We are from another world..."

Silence fell, as Kankers and Edward stared at Edd in disbelief.

"By 'another world'... do you mean planet? Or universe...?" Edward finally asked.

"We are from a parallel universe." Ed remarked. He then gestured at Edward's hat. "Um, do you wear that 'cause your hair is all weird, too?"

The boy grabbed his hat with one hand. "Wha-what? How---- oh, right, like his, huh...?" He stared at Edd's hat, and then snorted. "Uh, is that a sock...?"

Eddy snickered, and Edd put his hands on his hips. "Why does everyone always say that!" He exclaimed.

"Because that's what it looks like, Double D." Ed said, and stopped staring at the cowboy hat.

"Who?" Lee asked.

Eddy looked at her irritably and Edd chuckled. "Here we go again, Eddy..." He said, jokingly mocking Eddy. With Eddy's span of patience, he was probably already tired of telling their story.

The group headed back to the Kankers' trailer and sat in a circle to listen to Edd and Eddy explain what was going on.

They left out the details of the previous night, saying only that they had stayed in the shed. As they explained, Robbie, Will, and Tom, the three trailer-park boys, came and listened in shock. They asked for the beginning to the story, so they started over again.

Edward and Marie eyed each other, and Edd.

"Then, he's completely normal...?' Marie wondered, looking shocked. "'Cause I didn't notice anyone else out last night..."

Ed laughed. "Double D isn't normal! He's... uh... um. …Never mind."

Edward looked curious, then annoyed. "Wait..." He stared at Edd for a moment, then nodded faintly to himself. "So... anything happen last night that's not quite, uh... normal?"

Edd blinked quickly, and swallowed. "Um... No, nothing at all..."

Edward's eyes narrowed, and he stood up slowly and menacingly. "What happened?" He repeated, in a lower, rougher voice.

"Nothing that concerns you!" Edd exclaimed as Edward stepped towards him.

"Yeah right! Look how much you're panicking! Man, Edward... to see you like this..." Robbie remarked, and earned a quick glare from Edward.

The 'Edds' stared at each other for a minute, and then Edward spoke in a lower, rougher voice, out of anyone else's hearing. "Well, do you understand me...?"

"Uh...yeah..." Edd whispered in an equally hoarse voice, backing away slightly.

Edward smirked, and leaned back a little, smirking. "Well, your friends can't..."

Edd frowned, and noticed that Edward's eyes had gone amber colored, and wolf-like. His own eyes widened, and he whispered, "Oh!"

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Eddy watched nervously as the other Double D approached his friend. The two stared at one another, and then Edward muttered something, growling.

Edd murmured something as he recoiled slightly, then Edward grinned wickedly. He murmured something else and Edd started, and then stared at Ed, then Eddy.

"What?" Eddy asked.

"Did you...?" Edd started, glancing at Edward, then back at him and Ed.

"Did I... do what?" Eddy repeated in an annoyed voice.

Edd just stared at him and looked puzzled. "Never mind..."

Eddy frowned. /What the heck was that about…/ He wondered irritably.

The glaring fight seemed to be over with, Edward the overly smug, satisfied winner, and most people started shifting and stretching.

Marie smiled and leaned against Edward's shoulder. "Hey, don't we have a date tonight?" She asked dreamily.

"Yeah... Full moon, romantic, starry view...?" He replied, and then leaned over to kiss her.

"Full moon again, hmm?" Edd murmured, frowning.

Eddy stuck out his tongue in disgust and looked away towards Ed. Ed was covering his eyes, and Edd was watching the two kiss quizzically.

/Double D isn't looking grossed out…? Not a good sign…/ Eddy thought, shivering.

Edward straightened, and while Mariestretched, he commented, "We're going."

"But- you still need to do your chores, Marie! And we aren't supposed to make lunch!" Leeexclaimed.

"I already made food... Lasagna and pie, ready to go, in the fridge. Just microwave it for five minutes. I'll do my stuff later, see ya." Marie said, and she and Edward walked off.

"Well..." Edd murmured.

"Okay then... um, what should we do now?" Eddy asked him.

"We have chores to do, and we want quiet, okay, boys?" Lee asked, to all six boys. She then got to her feet and went back to washing the trailer.

May smiled at Robbie and he followed her to behind the trailer.

Tom and Will looked at the Eds. "You guys leaving?" Tom asked, staring at Edd again. Will followed the stare, a bit of a snicker apparent in his expression, and Edd wiggled restlessly.

"Yeah, no reason for us to hang around." Eddy muttered, looking around the area.

"Besides, we'll get in trouble if we don't get home soon--again..." Edd added, then slowly stood up and stretched.

Ed leaned over and examined the plates Edward and Marie had left. "Pie...yum..." He said, licking his lips.

Will watched Ed with an eyebrow raised. "He seems... pretty hungry..." He commented, wincing as Ed's stomach growled.

"That's Ed for you..." Edd replied, and glanced towards Eddy. "Are we going yet? We need to get home soon..."

"Yeah. Come on, Lumpy." Eddy said, then slapped Ed's back and started walking off.

Ed smiled and followed Edd and Eddy leave the trailer park, a content, hungry expression still across his face.

They walked towards the clearing the gate was in silently, each in thought.

Eddy was irritated. /Another whole day, and we didn't even make any money! Sure, we're still got some jawbreakers left, and that was wicked weird, but… I wanna scam some people before I have to go./

Edd was lost in thought, pondering the day's events. /So… how on Earth is any of this possible…? I'm a werewolf…? What is happening here…/

Ed was thinking about something that he would have considered far more important than the things on Edd and Eddy's minds. It was a truly monumental train of thought, one that rivaled the questions great minds of old asked; the meaning of life, what defined humanity, if extraterrestrial beings existed… /Hmmm… Would that pie have been cherry or blueberry/

They finally came into the clearing, and Edd activated the gate.

It didn't appear.

"Um, Double D...?" Eddy asked nervously, looking over.

Edd frowned, staring down at the remote, and pressed the activation button a few more times. Nothing appeared to happen, and he thought back. "Hang on... oh yeah! The gate's not here, it's in-- the middle of the cul-de-sac..." Edd trailed off dully and looked nervously at Eddy.

"Uh, oh..." Eddy said softly.

They ran at top speed to the cul-de-sac and came out behind Ed's house.

"Oh, man..." Eddy muttered as they peeked around the corner of the building towards the cul-de-sac center. All of the neighborhood kids were gathered around the gate, frantically talking.

"What do you think it is?" Nazz was asking Kevin.

He shrugged and looked at the other Eddy, clearly expected him to know. "What is this, dork?" He demanded with a clearly annoyed tone of voice.

Eddy shrugged, and opened his mouth to talk.

Like in their own world, Ed beat him to it with the remark, "It is a gate into an alternate dimension where the cul-de-sac is filled with monsters who have come to invade this world."

Edd and Eddy looked at each other behind the house. "What do we do now?" Eddy asked.

Edd frowned, glancing towards the center again. "I would suggest... that we simply break through to the gate. We really need to get home soon, and an explanation would be too long." He frowned, looking slightly regretful. "If all else failed, we could always come back here to give an explanation, at some other point in time..."

"Right..." Eddy smirked, and whacked Ed on the shoulder. "Ed, you ready to run?"

"Yep!" Ed answered.

"Then let's go..." Edd began.

"Now!" Eddy exclaimed, and they broke out from behind it and ran towards the middle of the street.

Ed and Eddy broke ahead and got to the top, gathering startled expressions. Kevin began to turn, in time only to see Edd. Confused, he reached out and grabbed Edd. "What are you doing here?" He exclaimed.

Most of the kids clustered around, but Jimmy looked up at Ed and Eddy. "Oh dear! I think the heat is making me see things, Sarah!" He exclaimed, dramatically collapsing to the ground.

"Huh? Ah!"

Nazz, Jonny, and Sarah quickly backed away from the gate in fright.

"Wha-what the heck?" Kevin exclaimed, looking between the Ed and Eddy pairs in shock. "How are there two of..."

"Who are you guys...?" The other Eddy'sface was white, and his eyes very large.

"Look, we're from another universe, we’re not here to 'invade the cul-de-sac' or anything… Now will you let go of him? We need to leave. Now." Eddy replied, glaring at Kevin.

Kevin stared at Edd and, shaking his head in disbelief, opened his hands. "Um, heh-here you go..." He said and stepped back.

Edd rubbed his arm, disgruntled, and walked up the stairs. "I'm ready when you are, Eddy."

"Okay, see you guys." Eddy said with a wave to the kids, then turned and walked into the gate.

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Jonny looked concerned. There was no sign of the Kankers. "Um, May? Marie? Lee? Are you in there?" He asked nervously. Nervous because, after all, if you were smart you didn’t try to talk to them, or find them… You stayed away.

The door opened and Lee and May came out, grinning wickedly. Marie cautiously poked her head out behind them with a nervous expression on her face.

"Yeah, we're here." Lee said. Something about the expression on their faces made Jonny even more nervous.

"What'd' ya want?" May asked.

Sweat trickled down the side of Jonny's head. "Um, you see, I was going to call everyone in the area together, because, um..." He trailed off and tried to re-word it.

"Everyone?" Lee questioned deviously.

"Even the Eds?" May continued.

"Um, no, not unless they get back soon. Y-you see, it's my and Plank's opinion that all kinds of weird things are gonna be happening and I wanted to warn everyone..." Jonny replied.

"Oh, what kinds of...things..." Marie stammered.

"Um..." He paused, listening to Plank. "Vampires, monsters of all types, people vanishing, things floating, that sort of thing..."

Lee and May grinned at each other. "Okay, we'll go. Where to?" Lee asked.

"The path, in about twenty minutes." Jonny replied, then turned and walked off.

"Why'd you let him go, Lee?" May demanded.

Lee shoved her in the dirt. "'Cause in twenty minutes, we'll be able to get every kid, not just one. Duh..."

"Oh... heehee..." May said, and then started laughing.

Lee grinned and joined in the laughing, while Marie stared at the two nervously, then snuck back in the trailer.

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The Eds walked out of the gate.

"This stinks!" Eddy exclaimed, kicking the side of the gate.

"Eddy, please don't break it... and we still have 7 dollars..." Edd said, trying to calm Eddy down.

"Let's just get some jawbreakers and go home." Ed suggested.

Edd and Eddy stared at him.

"And yet another sudden intelligent idea from Ed." Edd commented.

"Betcha a quarter it won't last." Eddy said slyly.

"Not to degrade Ed, but I'm not going to take that bet..." Edd replied with an ashamed look on his face.

"Buttered toast!" Ed suddenly yelled, then ran to the edge of the clearing and stooped down.

"How'd we know?" Eddy asked sarcastically.

Edd shrugged, and watched Ed pick something from the ground. "Um, Ed, THAT'S A POISONOUS MUSHROOM!" He yelled, running towards Ed.

"You go, Lumpy!" Eddy exclaimed as Ed popped the mushroom in his mouth, chewed, then swallowed it.

"Oh, dear..." Edd murmured as Ed's face grew splotchy and swollen again.

"I feel funny, guys..." Ed said.

"We'll have to sneak him home." Eddy said, staring in shock at Ed's face.

"How about to my house? I'll have some medicine that can counter the effects of the mushroom..." Edd suggested.

"Okay, then. Come on, Ed..." Eddy said, and they walked out of the clearing.

Edd looked around cautiously. No one was in sight, and he sighed. "Coast's clear, Eddy." He said, and they walked into the street.

"So, Ed's allergic to rabbits and eels, dandelions make him sneeze like crazy, and mushrooms make him all blotchy. I mean, eels! Who the heck thinks of eels! He has some serious issues..." Eddy commented as they walked along the street, then looked thoughtful. "About what time is it?"

"I'd say... 5:20?" Edd replied.

"Good, dinner isn't til 6:00. Where's everyone at, I wonder...?" Eddy asked.

They became aware of voices from the path, and two singing very badly.

"Huh?" Edd said, turning to Eddy.

He shrugged. "Let's check it out."

All three walked over to the fence and looked over curiously.

There, every kid in the cul-de-sac was circled around Kevin and Jimmy, talking frantically. Kevin and Jimmy were standing in the center of the group, the source of the singing.

"This is the song that never ends,

And it goes on and on my friends.

Some people-starting singing it, not knowing what it was,

But they'll continue singing it forever just because,

This is the song that never ends,

And it goes on and on my friends.

Some people-starting singing it, not knowing what it was,

But they'll continue singing it forever just because,

This is the song that never ends,

And it goes on and on my friends---"

The Eds stared in shock, and Eddy covered his ears. "Stop the singing already!" He yelled.

The kids looked up at them, Kevin and Jimmy still singing.

"I'm getting a headache, guys…" Ed complained.

"What's going on?" Edd asked, opening the door in the fence and walking through, followed by Ed and Eddy.

"Kevin and Jimmy can't stop singing!" Nazz exclaimed.

"Nothing we do stops them. We can not even cover their mouths, our hands just don't go near them." Rolf added.

" --Never ends, and it goes on and on my-" The singing continued the whole time.

"CAN'T?" Edd and Eddy asked simultaneously, looking at each other with startled faces.

"Yeah, can't! We tried everything we could think of, but…" Jonny said to them, and then looked down at Plank. "Right?"

"………" Plank replied.

"Well, could you answer my first question?" Edd said, going to Kevin and looking down at his face. "You really can't stop?"

Jimmy nodded, on the verge of crying, and Kevin looked down, and then stared angrily at Edd. He motioned furiously with one hand, like he was holding a pencil and writing.

"You want something to write with?" Edd asked, and Kevin nodded. Edd pulled his notebook and pencil out of his pocket, and then held them out. "I think this will suffice?"

“And it goes on and on my friends…”

Kevin took it and scribbled something, then showed it to Edd. The others crowded around him as he read it silently, then out loud.

Yeah, we can't stop.

It's all your girlfriends' fault.

They came here and told us to sing, and we did, and couldn't stop.

Where were you dorks anyway? With them?

Eddy looked furious. "WHAT? We weren't with them, we-"

Edd interrupted him. "They aren't really our girlfriends, Kevin. They might think so, but they aren't. We were just-- exploring in the woods, and doing stuff like that…"

Sarah hugged Jimmy, and the others glanced at her. He and Kevin were still singing, and unable to talk.

"PLEASE stop singing already!" Eddy exclaimed.

Kevin glared at him, but the singing continued.

Edd rubbed his face in frustration. "Kevin, Jimmy, stop singing. I don't think I'll be liable for my actions if I hear more of this song…"

No one answered, and they all stood there, thinking silently.

Rolf sighed, and then looked startled. Edd blinked in surprise, and Eddy looked around, puzzled.

After all, they were standing silently.

"Huh?" Kevin asked.

Nazz stared. "Kevin!" She exclaimed.

"Sarah! I-I'm okay!" Jimmy exclaimed, and then gave her a huge hug.

Kevin yawned, working the muscles in his mouth, then looked at Edd. "What did you do?"

Edd looked back at him with a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Rolf nodded. "Yes, how did you stop the wailing of Kevin and Jimmy?"

"I did nothing odd, I simply told them to stop singing." Edd said, frowning.

"Uh huh... sure thing, Double D." Kevin said, glaring at him. "You and the Kankers were in on this together, weren't you?"

"Hey! We already told you, we weren't with them!" Eddy yelled.

"Well, you guys are going to need to know what's going on, if you don't already know..." Nazz said. "How about I hold a slumber party, and everyone come so we can try to figure out what's going on."

"Agreed. I'll go inform Mother and Father. What time should we show up?" Edd said, glaring at Kevin uncharacteristically.

"Um, around 7:30. Okay?" Nazz said, looking around at everyone.

"Sure thing, Nazz..." Eddy said, looking uncomfortable.

"Um, I still don't feel good, guys..." Ed said from the side. Everyone looked over at him. His entire face had turned blue.

"Oh my! I forgot about the mushroom!" Edd exclaimed, running over to Ed. "Eddy, we need to get that medicine, immediately!"

Jonny looked shocked. "What happened to Ed's face?"

"Let's just leave Lumpy like this, it's not like anyone would notice." Eddy snickered.

Edd frowned again. "Eddy! Ed, come with me, I'll fix that up in a few minutes."

"Okay-dokey, Double D." Ed said, following Edd down the street.

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"Ah... much better." Edd said, holding a mirror up for Ed.

He examined his face in it. "What happened to the blue?"

Eddy opened the door. "Can I come in yet?" He demanded.

"Certainly, Eddy." Edd answered. He put the medicine away. "Let's see..." He murmured, looking at his wrist. "5:53..."

"WHAT!" Eddy exclaimed.

"It's 5:53, or 5:54 now." Edd answered.

"Oh, man! I'm gonna get in trouble again! I'm outta here!" Eddy exclaimed.

"Trouble? I don't want to get in trouble, Eddy!" Ed yelled, latching himself around Eddy's leg.

"Leggo, Monobrow!" He yelled, trying to kick Ed off.

"Trouble bad! I'm not in my happy place guys!" Ed continued, still lodged to Eddy's leg.

Edd looked nervous. "Trouble? Ed, you won't get in trouble, as long as you let go of Eddy and go home now..."

Ed gasped and released Eddy, who fell down. "Out of my way! I can't get grounded again!" He yelled, and then ran downstairs.

"Thanks, Double D." Eddy said, getting to his feet.

"You're wel--" Crashes came from downstairs, "--come. What was that?"

"Ed plowing through your door? I'm leaving." Edd said, then walked out.

"Honestly..." Edd muttered, and then followed Eddy down the stairs. The door did indeed have a large cut in it.

"Not again..." Edd complained, then shook his head and went about making himself some dinner.

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Marie cringed as Lee kicked her. "Stop it!" She exclaimed.

"Where were you?" May asked in a dark tone.

Lee stopped kicking her. "Yeah, why'd ya sneak off?"

"I was here... I didn't want to go..." Marie cried.

"Tell the truth." Lee commanded darkly, crossing her arms and glaring at her sister.

"I wanted to stay away from you, so this wouldn't happen!" She said, obviously against her will.

May pointed at her, then slowly turned her finger towards the wall, then towards the ceiling abruptly. Marie floated where where May's finger had pointed, then slammed against the roof.

"Ohh!" She cried out. /Why are you two being like this…? What happened to me being a sister, so you wouldn't…/ She thought as May slammed her to the ground. There she lay, in a pocket of the moonlight, nearly unconscious.

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Ed smiled and left the kitchen. Sarah followed him. "So, are you three really with the Kankers? Or was Kevin just saying that?" She demanded.

"We're not with them, they're scary..." Ed said, then went down to his room.

Sarah stopped at the door down, and looked thoughtful. /Yeah, Kevin’s idea doesn't make sense… Double D and them are always running away from those three… Weird…/ She trailed off, and then ran up to her room to get her stuff ready.

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Eddy pulled a flashlight and a bikini magazine from under his bed.

"I've gotta have this..." He said, and then went into his closet to look for stuff. Various types of clothes were thrown out, and he stopped to regard a black cloak. "Creepy... Bet I could sneak around in the dark easily with this..." He said, stuffing it in his bag. He looked back in the closet. "There it is!" He exclaimed, grabbing a tape-recorder.

"Heh heh heh... this'll make for some good laughs." He said, then put it in his bag with another change of identical clothes.

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Edd put sunscreen, toothpaste, a toothbrush, a hair brush, lotion, a compass, a map, a science book, an astronomy book, some nutritious grain bars, spare clothes, his pajamas, etc., etc. in his bag. After slight hesitation, he put his notebook and a pencil in, and then closed it.

He sighed, and then looked out the window. There were houses in the way, but he had an eerie feeling that the full moon was already rising...

"Yo! Double D!" Eddy yelled from outside.

Edd stuck his head out the window again. "Yes, Eddy?"

"You wanna come with me and Ed? The chicken ran off into the woods, and he's gonna go get it..." Eddy asked.

“…Chicken?” Edd blinked at him.

Uncomfortable, Eddy glanced off where Ed had just gone. “Yeah, um… Don’t ask. Okay?”

Edd looked thoughtful, then nodded. "Certainly, as long as we can get back here soon... where's your bag?"

"My stuff? Left it at my house, I don't wanna be carrying it around everywhere." Eddy answered.

"Good idea, I'll do that too. I'll be out in a sec'." Edd said, pulling his head in and closing the window. He then walked downstairs and outside.

"Okay, come on." Eddy said, leading him up the street.

The two walked through the woods.

"I can't believe Ed ran ahead like that, we might not find him in time..." Edd complained.

"Well, it's Ed we're talking about. His mind says: 1. Find a chicken, 2. Go with my friends to prove we weren't collaborating with the Kankers to take over the cul-de-sac, 3. Find a chicken... Isn't obvious which is more important? You need to get your priorities straight, Double D." Eddy commented sarcastically.

"Collaborating? That's five syllables, Eddy!" Eddy gave him a look, and Edd continued. "I hope they don't honestly think that. It'd make it so uncomfortable if the only people who trusted us were the Kankers..." He muttered.

Howling surrounded them. Edd and Eddy backed together and stared around at the trees surrounding them.

"Friends of yours?" Eddy whispered nervously.

"What do you mean by that?" Edd demanded.

"Do not fear!" Ed's voice rang out. "It is I, Ed!"

Edd and Eddy sighed and looked irritated, and Ed came into the clearing, making howling noises with his mouth. "Arroooarooarooo..." He added.

Eddy jumped up and seized Ed's mouth. "Don't do that!" He yelled.

Ed's mouth stayed squished together. "Sorry..." He said, then held up a chicken. "I found Nestor, we can go home now."

Edd rubbed his head, and then froze, staring up. "Uh, oh..." He said.

"What? Oh, man..." Eddy followed Edd’s sight, noticed the sky, and stared at Edd.

The moon, the full moon, had risen high enough to come into the clearing and have the Eds were standing in its light.s

Edd winced, and Ed and Eddy stared in shock as he again curled up and seemed to mutate before them.

"Double D's doing it again..." Ed commented.

Edd's hat fell off, and he stood on all fours wobbly, a wolf again.

"Well, I think we know it's not just 'cause of going to other worlds..." Eddy decided, leaning down to pick up the hat. "I'll keep this, so we don't lose it." He added, and then put it in his pocket.

Edd nodded, then Ed yawned. "We need to get going, guys. Or we'll miss the sleepover..."

"'Kay..." Eddy replied, and with a last glance at Edd, shook his head and started walking the way they had come from.

The three walked along for several minutes silently, each thinking.

/So, what do we say t' get the kids off our backs…? Or should we just buy Kevin off to shut up…/ Eddy wondered.

/This is... absolutely surreal. Once could have been our imagination, but again? How is this happening…? Why/ Edd thought.

/Hmmm… Huh…? Hello? Hello? Who's there? Who's there? Ed! Ed! Quit copyin' me! Quit copyin' me! No, you! No y- STOP/ Ed argued with himself, then pouted and stopped thinking.

"Hi, guys. Whose dog is that?" Jonny asked suddenly.

"Ah!" Eddy screamed, jumping in the air and whirling around. There, out of nowhere, Jonny was standing in the middle of the path, holding Plank and smiling at them.

Man, but Jonny was creepy when he snuck up and smiled at you.

"Don't do that!" Ed exclaimed. "I thought you were one of the mutant sausages, come to---"

"Ed, shut up..." Eddy moaned.

Jonny stared for a second, and then repeated, "Whose dog is that?"

"Um..." Eddy said, glancing at Edd, "It's, uh, my uncle's. Yeah. We're walking him for two bucks..."

"REALLY? Two whole dollars? That’s cool... But, um, it's getting close to the time that you guys are gonna be expected, and Nazz sent me to find you..." Jonny said.

/That we're expected…? That means that everyone else is there... and they really didn't believe us…/ Edd thought, looking down solemnly.

"Oh, we were already headed back." Eddy replied.

"Okay. Hey," Jonny looked around curiously, "Where's Double D? Isn't he coming too?"

"Uh---" Eddy started, then Ed interrupted. "No, his parents had plans, and they brought him with them."

"Gotcha. Well, see you guys later!" Jonny said, than ran off ahead.

Eddy shook his head. "Well, what's our story gonna be? They won't believe us if we tell the truth, so we’ve gotta figure something else out..."

Ed and Edd shook their heads, having no ideas available or able to share.

/Chances are that if we told them the truth and tried to prove it… Everyone would get too distracted to pay attention to our more immediate concerns-ah/

"Hiya, boys." Lee's voice suddenly said from in the trees. She and May laughed manically, and jumped out to block the Eds from running down the path.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" May asked.

"Um, heh, heh..." Eddy said nervously, the three bunching together in the middle. He and Ed started sweating, and Edd's fur stood up on his back.

"Oh! What a cute doggie! Can I have him?" May asked, running forward to pet the 'doggie', who crouched down and tried to back away.

"N-no, he's not mine..." Eddy stammered.

Lee frowned. "Give him to us." She commanded.

Eddy froze, and thought about it. /Give the dog… N-no! That's Double D…/ He thought furiously, and slowly shook his head. "No." He said with great effort.

The other two stared. "How'd he do that?" May asked.

"I don't know..." Lee replied, then grinned and held up a ten dollar bill. "Ten bucks, then."

/TEN DOLLARS?…/ Eddy’s mouth salivated, until he remembered that they had made fifteen dollars before. "N-no, he's not for sale..." He said with an even greater effort.

Lee frowned, looking really mad. "Twenty dollars. You really want to sell him to me!" She exclaimed, and Eddy's will-power broke.

"Okay, then. Give the money to me first." He said in the business-voice that he used during scams.

/Wha-What…? Eddy, what are you thinking?/ Edd thought frantically, watching Eddy accept the twenty dollar bill. He backed up into Ed.

"Give him to me, Ed..." May said.

"Come on, puppy..." Ed chimed, picking Edd up. "Here ya go." He said, handing Edd to May.

"Okay, May, bring 'im back home." Lee said, turning to Ed and Eddy. "Now, then, where were you boys going?"

Edd struggled as May carried him back into the woods. /You guys! Don't… Don't do this…! STOP/

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Nazz looked bored, and Kevin was irritated. "When are they gonna get here?" He complained.

Someone knocked on the door, and Rolf ran to open it. "Hello?" He asked.

Jonny came in. "They're on their way, or at least Ed and Eddy are."

"Where's Double D?" Jimmy whimpered.

"Out with his parents, but I didn't ask where..." Jonny replied.

"Oh well... Anyway, we need to know everything we can before the Eds get here." Kevin decided.

"Huh?" Nazz asked, looking puzzled. "Why?"

"I bet they do know what's going on, and that they'll try to charge us to make them talk." Kevin replied.

The group nodded.

"Probably..." Rolf said.

"That sounds like Eddy, the jerk... This is important, too!" Sarah complained.

Kevin nodded, then turned to Jonny. "Alright, what do you know?"

Jonny grew thoughtful. "Well, you see, the Eds built this machine, that lets them travel into different universes--"

"WHAT?" They all exclaimed.

"How did they do that?" Nazz asked.

Jonny shrugged. "I don't know, but Plank says they've been to at least three. He got bored of watching them when they walked out to the shed of one of those other world's Rolf... Anyway, from the start..."

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

/This is insane… I turned into a wolf, and have been sold to the Kankers by my best friends… For twenty dollars…/ Edd thought mournfully as Lee and May brought him into the trailer.

"Stay in here!" May commanded, tossing Edd into an open-topped cage. He lay there for a moment, feeling rather depressed.

/Hey, you jerks! Let me out already/ Someone yelled nearby Edd's head.

He opened an eye and looked up cautiously. There, a dog about his size was yelling at the Kankers.

/Wait. Yelling…/ Edd thought vaguely, and slowly sat up.

/Get your stinkin' butts in here!/ The dog yelled, then noticed him. /Oh, no… Don't get any ideas, you mangy dog…/

Edd blinked. /Dog… That dog is talking…I can understand a dog/ He wondered, and then stared at the dog. /What's going on? And must you yell so loudly…/

/Wha, what? Y-you can talk/ The dog asked, clearly startled.

/Of course I can, any human c--/ Edd replied. He stopped, realizing what he had said. If he was now understanding dogs, it probably would be as unintelligent to let slip that he wasn’t a dog, as unintelligent as it was for Eddy to mock Kevin.

/Human…? You mean, you're human? Normally/ The dog exclaimed.

"Yo, keep it down it there, or else!" Lee yelled from another room.

/W-Well, yes… I was outside, and the mo--/ Edd began to explain.

/Moonlight shone on you, and you changed---right…?/ the dog finished.

They stared at each other in sudden realization.

/We need to get out of here, goodness knows what the Kanker Sisters will do to us./ Edd immediately stated.

/Yeah, these two have gone totally out of control... I don't know what happened./ The not-dog added.

/So-you must live near here, right/ Edd asked as he looked around at the bars of the cage.

/Well, yeah... How did they get a hold of me/ She replied, in a tone illustrating that it was obvious. The girl-wolf then came over to look where he was looking. /These look a little too strong.../

Edd glanced at her. /--Her? How'd I know she's a girl...? Can I smell the difference or something/ He shook off the random thought. /That’s true, ramming them probably wouldn't work well./ He thought, and then pulled himself on the side of the cage, stretching as far up as he could. /Could we jump over this…/

"Stay in that cage." May said, walking by with some cake.

/A little high, but it should be manageable…/ Edd muttered, getting down. He found that the girl 'dog' was staring at him oddly. /What/

/You can't get out now, she told you to stay in…/ She reminded him.

/She told Jonny and Kevin to keep singing, but they stopped… And Eddy didn't go and sell me to them, not at first… I think we can manage./ Edd said.

She froze. /Y-You know Eddy…/

/Well, yes, he's one of my best friends… Or was, anyway. I'm not entirely certain about now./ He said, feeling puzzled at her reaction. She certainly didn’t behave like any of the cul-de-sac girls, was she someone from school?

/So… You're one of the 'Eds'/ She continued cautiously.

/Yeah, he's one of my best friends/ He replied. Really, he didn't blame her for being nervous. Likely as it was that she was from one of the surrounding neighborhoods--well, everyone knew Eddy. That didn't mean they liked him. /I'm Double D--it's awkward to call me 'Edd' when there's another Ed in the neighborhood, after all./

Her eyes widened. /Oh.. my.../ She tilted her head, and appeared to smile. /Well… Huh. And those two bought you to be a 'companion' for me…? That's… Weird. Who woulda thought./

She paused, then shook her head. /Anyway, if you think we can get out, how do you think we can/

He looked around again, and then got an idea. /Well, we can always get out through that window, over there… If we can get up that high, at least./ Edd suggested.

/What…? That's like.. I don't know, four feet high? And a little small for a… A dog, or a wolf, or whatever we are/ She exclaimed.

/Don't think we can…? It’s not as though we have a plethora of alternatives…/ He said, in a jokingly challenging tone. /If you want, you can use me for a base to jump up from…/

/Yeah, well… Not my fault if you can't get up after me…/ She decided, and then walked over to him. She leapt onto his back and into the window. /Sweet, that worked. So, big helpful boy, how were you planning to get out/

/I... I was going to jump, too. I suppose pulling myself up if I don’t get all the way up will be a bit difficult, but.../ Edd backed up, ready to spring.

"Hey! Lee, they're getting away!" May yelled, running over.

"What!" Lee exclaimed, jumping up from her chair. "Stay in there, you stupid dogs!" She continued, running into the room.

The other werewolf had already left the window--though whether to clear the space or to get out of there quickly, Edd didn't know.

/No thank you, Lee… I've spent about enough time in this trailer…/ Edd thought, jumping as high as he could as May tripped over the cage and fell below him.

/Let's go/ The dog exclaimed, apparently having waited for him just outside, and the two jumped out and ran as fast as they could.

"Get back here, Marie!" Lee screamed, then the two ran out of hearing.

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"Hello, everyone!" Ed exclaimed as he and Eddy walked in.

"What took you dorks so long?" Kevin complained.

"Figured, hey! You guys have been here so long, that you wouldn't mind waiting a little more. Sorry..." Eddy said sarcastically as he stuck his stuff in a corner of the room.

"Well, you're here now. So, what have you guys been doing?" Nazz asked.

Ed looked at Jonny. "What did you say?" He asked.

Rolf looked astonished. "Ed-boy? How did you know Jonny has already told his part of the tale?"

"Why else would you guys have gone behind our backs and come early?" Eddy asked slyly. No one answered, and he smiled.

"Um, I told everything I saw, then what Plank told me..." Jonny answered.

"Which was...?" Eddy pressed.

"You guys going into that shed..." Jonny finished.

"Ah... Well, let's see... We had a little meeting, where I said we would leave soon, since it didn't seem like we'd make any money there. I asked Double D if we'd get in trouble for getting home late, since it was night there and we were going to sleep til their morning. He said no, so we relaxed and hung out the whole night---"

"I slept with Bessie." Ed commented.

The group stared at him. "Um..." Nazz started.

"Who is this 'Bessie'?" Rolf asked.

"The cow." Ed said, grinning vacantly.

No one else spoke aloud, staring.

"Yeah, Ed is weird, Plank..." Jonny commented in reply to the piece of wood.

Eddy blinked, then shook his head. "Anyway, we stayed there 'til morning and went to check out the trailer park, to see if what that Rolf said was true. You see, that guy had said that in their world, there were only two Eds, Ed and I. And that there was a kid like Double D around, who didn't live in the cul-de-sac, but in the TRAILER PARK."

"WHAT?" Jimmy, Sarah, Kevin, and Nazz exclaimed.

"Weird! Why would Double D live there?" Jonny asked.

Eddy shrugged. "I don't know... After we went, and checked it out, we found that there were a lot of kids there, the Kankers, Double D, although they just called him Edward, and some other boys. They caught us, so we told them about here, and why Double D looked like 'Edward', and then we came home. Ed ate a mushroom, so Double D said he'd give Lumpy some medicine, and we heard really bad singing, so we checked it out. That's about it."

"That's it? Sure you're not leaving anything out? Like why you were late?" Kevin said in a dangerous tone.

Ed sniffled. "Nestor ran away, so I went out to get him, and Double D and Eddy came to find me, and we came back."

"Huh? What about the dog? And I didn't see Double D with you at all!" Jonny exclaimed.

"Hang on!" Eddy exclaimed. "Look, I went to tell Double D that Ed here had run off after his chicken, and he told me that we'd have to be quick, since he was going with his parents. I got the dog from outside, where I had him tied on a leash, and we went to find Ed. Double D got tired of looking after a little while, told me good luck, and left. I kept looking, Ed snuck up on me, and we took a nice, slow pace home. Then, we got our stuff from our houses and came here. OKAY?" Eddy demanded, finished telling his story.

The group looked thoughtful. "I suppose that makes sense, but we'll have to check it with Double D." Nazz decided. "He of all people definitely wouldn't be lying to us."

"Okay, then. So, what happened to you guys before we got back?" Eddy asked, and Kevin leaned back to explain.

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Edd and the other dog stopped running by the swimming hole. He panted, out of breath, while she sat down and looked out at the view.

When he had his breath back, he looked up at her. /She called you… Marie… You're Marie? Marie Kanker/ He exclaimed, startled.

She nodded, and he stared.

/But… Why would they do that, if you're their sister/ He asked.

She looked down awkwardly. /I… Their revenge on me, I guess. I'm usually the one beating them up, so... And now they've got this power to tell people what to do. They made me move around and stuff no matter how much I tried not to.../

/Then--that was real? It never affected me./ Edd said, completely confused by now. /All of this makes so little sense... People with the ability to command others? Werewolves? We even ran into a vampire in one of those other worlds... Is that going to start happening here/

She looked puzzled. /Other worlds/

/Umm.../ He contemplated an explanation, and decided against it for the time being. /It’s a long story how, but Ed, Eddy, and I built a machine to travel to other universes… And ever since we came back, everything's gone like one of Ed's comic books.../

They sat there silently for several minutes, gazing out and thinking.

/They were going to... change you guys, ya know./ She muttered, lying down and staring out over the water.

/Change us... in what way/ Edd didn't follow the immediate

/Tell you guys to love us, completely love us. Of course, I don't think they'll be helping me out anymore.../ She sounded forlorn, and Edd didn't know what to say. She looked over at him. /Didn't do you much good, though, did it? Got away from two 'Kanker sisters', just to be stuck here with the third./

He sighed again, and looked at her. /Marie, I have… no issue with you, or your sisters, personally. It's simply… Bad history between the 'Kankers and the Eds' that has us running from you every time…/

Marie started, and then looked down, silent for a moment. /'No issue'…? So, like… You don't find us disgusting, or 'trailer trash', or anything/

This comment struck Edd’s standards of honor and chivalry, and so forth. /N-no, certainly not! I don't particularly appreciate the trailer park itself, it's not incredibly clean, but… Oh! I'm not saying that you're not clean, I already know that you… You bath, and… all…/ Edd grimaced slightly, feeling horrible, and waiting for an explosion of anger. Instead, she started giggling.

/What/ He wondered, rather confused.

/It's so silly… If we hadn't been chasin' you guys, you'd never have run… And maybe the six of us would be going out now./ She started laughing out right, and he chuckled slightly in appreciation of the idea-especially after seeing ‘Edward’ and Marie.

/Indeed, that might have helped make the difference… If we had been more polite in that first encounter, in your home, I can guarantee that things would have gone differently./ Edd said.

/Oh, come on… We were practically stalking you guys! You had never even seen us before, and yet we had really good drawings an' all. How can you think it's your fault/ Marie asked, looking up at him from where she was lying.

/But we were rather rude to you three… Adding to that mess is the fact that every time we meet, one of our triads is chasing the other. Admittedly, usually you three pursuing us. I've never had the chance to apologize… So, I’m sorry./ Edd answered.

/Well… Thanks./ Marie said softly, then 'grinned' at him. /So, how about we meet again? I mean… If we didn’t act like that, you boys prob’ly wouldn’t have run off…/

/You mean, reintroduce ourselves? I suppose it could even count, I've never been introduced to the 'Wolf-woman' or whatever else Ed would decide to call you, if he were here…/ Edd said slyly. He gazed upward, an amusing thought coming to his mind. /In one of those other universes, we found a version of myself who was actually living in the trailer park, and good friends with you./

Her eyes widened as she took that idea in. /Friends, huh? So, um, we're both werewolves…/ Marie noticed. /And on the run from my sisters... We're in the same boat, so we might as well get friendlier, huh/

/I agree, it’s a good, symbolic act in all of this./ He stretched slightly.

/Well, start talking then/ She said, commanding and giggling at the same time, sitting up.

/Okay… I'm Edd, or--/ Edd started.

/--'Double D. We know. You don't have to worry about that!'/ Marie finished, and then they both started laughing again.

/I don’t know what I’m ever going to tell Ed or Eddy, though…/ Edd commented, vaguely amused by the prospect.

/That you’ve fallen madly, madly in love with me. That’ll confuse them for a really time./ He looked alarmed, and she stuck out her tongue-somehow without cutting it on her canines.

They laughed again, and then Edd looked startled. /Wait, the sleepover/

/Sleepover…? What about it/ Marie asked.

He looked nervously at her. /Ed, Eddy, and I were to meet all the other kids in the cul-de-sac to explain everything we know about what's happening… If they tell about, about this-I would rather avoid this particular explanation, and not to mention if he says anything about running into the Kankers in the woods…/

/You think they'd really say everything…? It's Eddy, y' know…/ Marie said.

/But… If they start accusing him of being in league with your sisters… He'll say almost anything to get out of a mess./ Edd started.

/So if he tell them, at the 'best' they think he's nuts… But if not, they’ll think you're involved with May and Lee, and…/ Marie shivered, getting to her feet. /This is gonna get messy, huh/

/Exactly! We need to go stop the two of them, now./ Edd replied, and they ran towards the cul-de-sac as fast as they could.

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Eddy yawned and leaned back on his pillow. "That's everything, then... and we don't know much more than we did before..." He complained.

"Oh, well..." Ed commented. "Nighty, nighty, nighty..."

"ZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzz" Kevin started snoring.

"Oh, man..." Nazz complained. "Anyone have an extra pillow?"

"Sure thing, Nazz." Jonny said, handing it to her. "Plank doesn't need three."

"Thanks." She said, then stood up and carefully stuck the pillow in Kevin's mouth. "There we go."

Eddy snickered. "A pillow? Good idea..."

"Okay, let's go to sleep, it's already 9:17..." Sarah complained.

"Oh, fine..." Eddy muttered, and turned over.

The window was slowly pushed further open than it was by a canine’s head, and Edd and Marie snuck in the room. It was dark, so no one noticed them creep behind a sofa.

/They're already asleep… We're too late./ Edd whispered.

/Just gotta hope they didn't say anything.../ Marie muttered in response

"Brrr… it’s getting cold in here…” Jonny commented. "Wait, what’s that, Plank? The window's open?"

"Eddy, can you close it? You're the closest..." Jimmy murmured.

Eddy muttered obscenities under his breath as he pulled himself up, went over, and closed it.

/Well, let's just stay the night, and hope for the best…/ Edd commented, curling up and closing his eyes.

Marie sat another moment, watching him.

/I can't believe this... it's almost too good to be true./ She thought gleefully, then curled up beside him and slept.

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

End of Part 4

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Edd: "So... You didn't like the original pie scene anymore, huh?"

Ed: "Chickens are better than pie... Even if it is just demented chickens."

Eddy: "It was the kid's hair... Not a chicken..."

KK (shrugs): The scene spoke to me, as I tried to draw what Tom, Robbie, and Will look like. Will I liked, Robbie I had to redo since green hair suits Jonny better than him, and Tom..."

Eddy: "A demented chicken?"

KK: "The red mohawk made me think of a chicken! Or... it made me think of Ed thinking of a chicken. A rooster, really, but people tend to just say chicken..."

Edd: "Ah well."

Eddy (grins suddenly, looks sideways at Edd.): "So, little Double D's growing up... Found himself a Kanker, huh?"

Edd (frowning): "More like you sold me to her, but however you want to put it, Eddy..."

KK: "You guys have no idea how annoyed I am with that whole scene... How many times the conversations between Marie and Edd got re-written, since I never wrote it down on paper, and I lost the original save file... Fanfiction back then made what I was using for thought representation into HTML stuff, so the original versions of those conversations were nearly lost forever. I only JUST—after two YEARS—found them at a smaller site, and went back to fix them. Frustrating."

Edd: "But... Why Marie? Why not Nazz, or even Sarah? Heck, the show's writers stuck me with May of all people in that one episode-"

KK (cringes): "Well, nothing ever made me think that May was smart, or into science... Marie always struck me as the smartest of the Kankers, and since you were originally hooked up with her when the Kankers first arrived to Peach Creek..."

Eddy (shivers): "And those drawings... and the roller coaster... The Kankers scare us, why hook any of us up with them?"

Ed (in a deep, philosophical and intelligent sounding voice): "This story has a good amount of bonding and reaching out between the people who had themselves to be forever ostracized from one another, as we grow and realize there are more important things in life..."

Edd (blinks) "..."

Eddy (blinks) "..."

KK: "...something some people never seem to learn, since the only time we ever get taught that is with stories-in whatever medium-that when we 'grow up' we don't consider at all seriously anymore..."

Edd and Eddy blink again.

Eddy: "...Yeah... Okay. You guys hang out and chat about that, I'm not listening to it..."

KK: “Well, I don’t want that to be the point of the story by any means… It’s more a story in its own right, and people will take from it what they do. I’m not skilled enough yet to guide the impressions all different people will get. At least those conversations are better off now…”

Edd: "...Actually, how about this-everyone, please read and review!" (waves out of the forth wall).

The Secret of Edd: Part 4