Chapter Text
Prologue: We'll be Heroes
The small yet amazing sparks escaped from Eddy's hands, getting an "ooh" of excitement from his two closest and only friends. "Do it again, Eddy," Ed cheered with an enthusiastic smile as if Eddy performed a miracle. Eddy smiled and repeated the gesture. He focused slightly and the electricity gathered in his palms then shot out it from his fingers. He held his hand out to give his friends a better look. Ed and Edd watched the sparks with wonder on their faces. He wanted them to be impressed and they were. "That's so cool, Eddy," Ed said while bouncing up and down on his unmade bed.
Currently, the trio of boys was in Ed's room on the second floor preparing for a monster movie marathon. Sure, the place was becoming a pigsty, but it was the only place they truly had to hang out. Edd's place was usually off-limits and his parents didn't give him a T.V, and Eddy preferred to avoid his house as much as he could. His brother usually hung around and his naggy parents. Ed's place had problems but at the end of the day, they could watch as many cheesy horror movies as they wanted. There was that annoying baby sister Ed had and Ed's parents always gave Eddy disapproving glances. They would often watch him whenever he was around, but Eddy didn't mind. Most adults did that around him.
As they waited for the marathon to start, Eddy showed off his powers at least the one that could be shown off. He summoned up a bit of his lighting and powered the T.V remote without the need for batteries. Even though it was a weak trick, Ed was amazed all the same. He clapped but remembered his parents' warning and stopped himself. "I can't wait for my powers to develop." He declared in his best attempt at a whisper.
"Well, Ed," Edd said reassuring the tall kid. "We won't have to wait long, maybe two more years. In most cases, children usually develop their powers about age seven or eight." Ed's grin widened and he pretended to start shooting something out of his fingers, making noises as he did so.
"I'll be casting fireballs in no time," Ed promised. Then I'll join Dad and become his sidekick. And then…" Ed then launched into his dreams for the future, which he always did whenever the topic of heroes or the future came up. He did this while fighting imaginary enemies. Eddy chuckled as he watched his friend fight. Ed's dad was a semi-famous fire hero and combine that with his mom's fire power, Ed could stand to become the best fire-based hero in peach creek, if not the whole state.
"Really, Ed, you should be more concerned with the fight against germs and dirt. Your room is certainly a battleground with it full of dirty clothes and trash," Edd said with a bit of a disapproving tone. Eddy nodded, looking at the mess of a room. Comic books and action figures lay everywhere. Monster movie memorabilia lay amidst the clutter and random junk covered the rest. The only neat area was Ed's figurine collection which was the cleanest part of Ed's room. Eddy then looked over at his rather nerdy friend who tried his best to fight against the mess and clutter of the room.
He was the newest member of the cul-da-sac and was distant. When they first met, he would hardly talk and would just tag along on their adventures. He was neat and orderly, clothing and hair clean and always neat. He did his best to order the mess of a room, but it was impossible. As he watched his friend struggle with his impossible task a question popped up in his head. It was something his parents nor his brother ever answered for him. "Hey, Double D, how come I have powers then? Am I just that special?"
Double D paused in his cleaning and looked deep in thought. "I remember hearing my parents talk once, they said that if someone is put into a high amount of stress or life-threatening situations, then their powers could manifest early. Although there can be side effects to this." Double D paused considering. Whatever else he was going to say was interrupted by Ed who was still going on with his monolog about the future.
"Then we three will form a team and stop bad guys!" Eddy and Double D look at Ed a bit confused at first but then they chuckled.
"Really Ed, I don't think I can be a hero."
"But your mom's a hero, right?" Ed asked. "She's like an international hero too." Edd rubbed the back of his head.
"Well yes, she is a hero, but I think I want to go follow my father and become a researcher."
"Boring," Eddy said. "I and Ed will become heroes and get loads of money." Double D just rolled his eyes, but Ed was clearly into it.
"Come on Double D, be heroes with us." Ed pleaded with puppy dog eyes. Double D tried to look away, but Ed was still in his face. He sighed.
"Alright, alright, I'll be heroes with you guys," Double D finally relented. Ed cheered triumphantly as if this was some major victory.
"We're going to be heroes!" Ed yelled triumphantly. Then immediately covered his mouth. Eddy and Double D waited as well. When there was no yelling from his parents or crying from his sister, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Then Ed's T.V changed and rather terrible music played. "It's starting," Ed said giddily. As one, they turned their attention to it and gathered around. The movie began with all its cheap and weird glory. Eddy watched it but Ed's word echoed in his head. 'We will be heroes!' Eddy bawled his hand into a fist, his tiny sparks came from it, and Eddy watched them. If he truly focused on the sparks, he could feel them and guide them.
He wondered not for the first time how he got this ability. His parents were both powerless while his brother had both his abilities. His brother never gave a truthful answer about their powers. His parents were equally cagey about the question. Eddy sighed and deactivated his powers. The sparks faded. Who gave me this power? He wondered to himself, not for the first time. As he watched the movie with his only friends, Eddy tried to push the question from his mind. He was a bit successful, assuring himself that whoever he got his power from was some cool hero, who was likely famous and wealthy. That explanation didn't make much sense to him, but he again tried to ignore it, but both questions still lingered on his mind, long after the movie ended.
Ten years Later
The dummy slammed Edd to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. He tried to get up, but the mechanical training dummy pinned him before he could react. He struggled in vain for a moment then sighed in defeat. He waited but when the robot didn't relent, "I yield," he shouted so his prompter would release him. Still, nothing if anything the robot put more pressure on him. Realizing what his prompters wanted Edd sent his mind out and focused on the nearby terminal. Pressing down on the memorized keys the robot relented and picked itself up.
Edd breathed a sigh of relief and picked himself up checking to make sure he had no major injuries or bruises. He readjusted his cap on his head and looked up to the overseer of this forced training exercise. It was easy to spot in the all-white training room, being a floor or so above him, obscured by the opaque windows. They could fully see him thanks to the two-way mirror. He, however, could only barely make out some of the shapes in the room. He watched them, three shapes up there silently judging him. One of those shapes he knew was his father. Edd waited for them to pass judgment. He didn't have to wait long, the door behind him opened. "You can go now, Eddward." Edd wanted to wait for more but he knew there would be nothing else behind him the door slide open for him. Edd stretched as he left the room, working out some of the kinks and soreness.
When he exited, the door hissed shut behind him. He stepped into a hallway that like the training room was too white. Edd finished his stretching beside the door. After he completed his stretches, looked back at the room. He knew the code to reenter the room so he could reenter and do the test over again. Or simply ask why he was being tested? But he knew better. His father or his team would not answer those questions.
With a sigh, he walked down the familiar lifeless halls. He walked robotically knowing the way to the exit. The hallways were oddly empty, the numerous researchers and scientists normally present were missing for some odd reason. His father never mentioned any holiday or special days. But then again Edd reasoned when was the last time either of his parents told him anything important. Edd shook himself. His parents had their reasons he knew. But just like these tests they had him do, Edd could not puzzle out what that reason could be.
As Edd finally reached the front desk, he breathed a sigh of relief. A rather portly security guard named Jameson. He sat behind his desk, eating a snack. Edd waved to him. The guard only nodded and continued to munch on whatever snack he had behind his desk. "Good afternoon," Edd said as he approached. Jameson attempted to speak but it came out garbled thanks to the food. He swallowed then tried again.
"Good evening," he said in a cheery voice. "They're done with you already."
"Yes," Edd said. "It seems that way."
Edd was tempted to ask him if he knew what type of experiments, they were performing on him and running but he resisted. He could not get this man to break his secrecy and violate company trust just to sate his curiosity. So instead, Edd asked a different question. "Why does the building feel so empty, this afternoon? Is there a company holiday today?"
"Not exactly," Jameson answered. He was about to start eating his chips again but paused. "There's supposedly some big meeting out of town for all the smart people, hosted by one of the sponsors of this facility, Toga or something. Some of the heroes in the area are also going. The rest of the researchers are on holiday again thanks to the sponsors." Edd nodded at that. He hadn't heard anything about that from his parents or the news. Edd looked around to confirm that they were truly alone, then looked back at Jameson. "Isn't that a bit dangerous? I mean sending some of our heroes away for a conference."
Jameson shrugged. "Nope, Peach Creek's crime is minimal. The police will handle most of the encounters, not like those major villains are coming back from the dead." Edd nodded, a sense of awkwardness rose inside him as it often did when the subject of Mindwipe and his accomplices came up. The villains had attempted to annex several states using Peach Creek as a base, using their combination of electricity and mind control powers. An involuntary shiver ran through him and his mind unconsciously drifted to Eddy. Jameson must have seen his reaction as he began to speak up. "Don't worry, there supposedly some government types coming, to monitor and keep tabs on the city."
"Well that's a relief," Edd said smile returning. Then after exchanging goodbyes, Edd left as he did so, he heard Jameson call out something about a new radio station. Edd only nodded, deciding he would look it up when he got home. Edd stepped out into the glorious evening. The sun was setting, and it was just starting to get chilly.
Edd sighed and started walking. The research facility didn't allow taxis or other non-personnel up to it, so Edd was going to have to walk back to town before he could call himself a ride to take him the rest of the way home. He had his driver's license, but his parents disapproved of driving to the facility in the retro-van or his driving it in general. So Edd had to keep it at the junkyard, arranging a deal with the junkyard's owner to keep it safe. So, Edd had to walk to the facility on foot then he catches a ride back home. Edd fell into a light jog. Thankful that his parent's training had made him more athletic. Jogging down the road, Edd kept his spirits up. There was a lot on his mind, and he had plenty of time to think about it.
Ed sat alone in his basement room, focusing on creation. He had the T.V off and there was no sound except his breathing. Relaxing Ed closed his eyes and imagined the most hideous monster he could. When he opened his eyes, it stood before him. Ed smiled at his success but that smile slightly faded as he noticed the see-through nature of his creation. Ed tried to maintain the image, but it faded. He focused his mind and shifted his focus. Ed thought of his three favorite people. His two best friends and his younger sister Sarah. Sure, Sarah could be a handful at times but Ed didn't mind. She was his sister and that meant he loved her, faults in all. And she had mellowed out after the encounter they all had with Eddy's brother.
The shadows, as Ed liked to call them, all resembled their respective counterparts although Ed noticed the flaws as they began to appear. Eye color, extra fingers, and Sarah had three eyebrows. "Almost had it," Ed said in defeat. "Got any advice Double D?" The Edd shadow didn't reply they couldn't after all. As far as he knew his shadows didn't make noise. Ed turned to his Eddy shadow, any advice Eddy?" Again nothing. Ed then turned to his sister. "Do you still see me as a hero Sarah?"
The Sarah shadow opened its mouth and what he heard was, "Ed! Mom called she says you have to help me train today, right now." Ed blinked the sound came from his sister up above him, but Ed could have sworn he heard something from his shadow. He quickly shook out his confusion and dispelled his shadows. They were after all forbidden in the house.
"Alright," Ed called back loud enough for her to hear him. "Let me get dressed."
"Mom said no yelling in the house!" Sarah yelled back. Ed winced and resisted the urge to yell his apology. He just got up and went looking for his fire-resistant clothing. If he couldn't be a hero, then he could at least help a real one along her way.
Eddy lay on his bed, charging his phone. He had to be careful because he could give the phone too much juice and accidentally fry it as he'd done to numerous other phones. Sure, he could just plug it up but that was so slow and wasted time. This way at least Eddy could scroll through his phone while also getting in practice with one of his powers. Although Eddy didn't think it mattered with his pathetic powers. Before he could wallow further into self-pity and boredom, "Eddy, they're here." His mom call. Eddy sighed and deactivated his electricity.
"I'll be out in a minute," Eddy yelled back. He rolled out of bed and attempted to smother the few wrinkles on his clothes with his hands. Normally he would care about his appearance, but for today's little meeting, he couldn't care less. Passing himself in the mirror, he stopped. He grabbed a comb and fixed his hair. Eddy smirked and winked at himself. He would still give himself a seven out of ten. He left his room and walked to the living room, where his mother waited with the two agents. His mother named Katherine frowned at his appearance but didn't say anything. Eddy looked at the two agents doing his best to mask his emotions. "Well?" Eddy asked. "are we doing this here or what?"
"Oh, we'll go to a restaurant if you prefer. I spotted a nice looking place on the way here." Said the larger of the two. He then nodded to Kat and made his way toward the door. Eddy followed him and the silent second agent, ignoring the continual look of disapproval his mother shot his way. Nothing ever good came of an S.V.P agent showing up.