Chapter Text
As much as Eddie Munson enjoyed spending an endless amount of hours playing a fantasy game with all sorts of monsters and kicking their asses, he never thought he was going to one day live that fantasy. Yet, here he was in a parallel dimension with goodie-two-shoes Nancy Wheeler, band kid Robin Buckley and ladies' man Steve Harrington.
He honestly should have sensed that his world was going to flip upside down - hehe - the second head cheerleader Chrissy Cunnigham approached him for drugs. As much as he tried to avoid the conformists, he couldn’t help but be aware of Chrissy. All of the boys wanted a piece of her and all of the girls wanted to be her. With a reputation like that, he thought she was going to be more intimidating during their drug hookup, but he found himself smiling and laughing with the cheerleader instead.
Unfortunately, their fun together was cut short later that night at his trailer. If only he knew the truth back then and helped Chrissy. Granted, he doesn't know how Chrissy would have taken the whole parallel dimension and dark wizards. She probably would have run away from the picnic table thinking he was actually mean and scary.
Or at least he could have been an ear for her. Someone who she could talk to. It seemed that she really needed that.
He spent a lot of time at Reefer Rick's going over what had gone wrong with Chrissy. Why her? Why him?
Chrissy and he had never spoken to each other -except for the occasional 'can I borrow a pencil?' or 'did we have homework for today?'- since she started at Hawkins High. Unlike many of her other jock friends, she never seemed interested in grass - or partying in general (whenever he frequented parties for business, he never saw her having fun like the other cheerleaders). Then, all of a sudden, she was leaving a note in his locker looking to buy some. Now, he's not one to judge people for trying new things, but you add in her way too jumpy behavior -that not even the science geeks act like during their first buy- it became too much to ignore.
No, this wasn't fear of getting caught and disappointing your parents - this was I need something to stop the pain.
Instead of celebrating the championship win with the rest of her team and her boyfriend, Chrissy had gone with Eddie to his empty trailer for a stronger substance. Eddie had this preconceived notion (aka his Munson Doctrine) that the popular kids had it easy, coasting through high school with good grades and surrounded by a large group of friends. Shit, they even had the teachers rooting for them. But, Chrissy was alone.
She died in Eddie Munson's trailer. And even he left her.
If there were any real-life lessons he was going to take from this weird ordeal, it was that he doesn't truly know anyone and what they're hiding behind closed doors. Shit, he could not suspect that Wheeler was all about her guns or that Harrington was actually a decent dude, capable of caring for others. Maybe, when this is all over he can invite them, Robin, too, to see his band perform. Of course, he would have to make it out alive.
After a terrifying moment where they thought they lost Wheeler and he saved the day with his metal guitar-playing, she spilled the beans about who this Vecna actually was. Eddie thinks that this monster only gave that whole monologue about his life to her because he knew that they had no shot at actually taking him down. A pity explanation for them, like he’s the big bad bully and they’re the little freshmen who can’t get it through their tiny heads that they can’t sit wherever they want to.
No way are they going to Vecna underestimate them, the group had said. He was the last one to vote, of course, but if there’s one thing that Eddie hates, it's bullies. That’s how he finds back in this “Upside down.”
“So, uh, what’s the plan?” Eddie asked the group, as they made their way to Victor Creel’s house from the trailer park. “You said before that you had a girl with superpowers to take out this monster before. Not that I don’t have faith in Wheeler’s aim, I really don’t think that’s going to finish him.”
Nancy hummed, before saying pensively, “Well, you said you fought against Vecna in your campaign? How did you defeat him?”
“First off, I didn’t fight him. I was the DM. Second, I don’t think we have access to the sort of spells and enchantments that the team used.” Eddie mockingly replied before a thought came over him. “But, little Sinclair did defeat him with a critical hit. Maybe, there’s a weak spot that we can hit. Every monster has to have a weakness, “ he twisted to face the group, walking backward, a hopeful tone in his voice.
Saving Nancy at the last minute had given him the push to be more of a hero instead of the runner he’s carried himself to be, both in-game and in real life. He otherwise hasn’t felt of much help so far, only hiding and munching on whatever scraps they were able to sneak to him. As cool and tough as he appeared to his Hellfire Club youngins, the truth was...he was a coward. He left Chrissy, and he was ready to leave Steve under Lover’s Lake. Yet, seeing how brave this tag team group of kids has been for the past week, he felt ready to pull his weight.
Steve thoughtfully asked out loud to himself, “What would a monster, that feeds on past traumas and who can take over minds, be vulnerable to?” The rest of their journey to the Creel house was silent as everyone scrambled to brainstorm ideas.
As they finally arrived at their destination, they noticed some familiar and unfamiliar faces huddled outside.
“HEY! I thought we told you, children, to stay put. You know how powerful Vecna is and I can’t believe you brought Max too!” Robin yelled to the group, recognizing the backs of Max, Dustin, and Lucas.
The group turned to face them and that is when they noticed some faces they haven’t seen in some time.
“Jonathan?” Eddie spared a look to Steve as he saw Jonathan Byers, a former classmate of his, run to embrace Wheeler. Eddie remembered Jonathan as a pretty chill dude, decent with film, who last he heard, was seeing Wheeler when he and his family had moved to California. Eddie had his own doubts about their relationship lasting - He couldn't imagine himself being thousands of miles away from his girl - but seeing how tightly the pair embraced, maybe Eddie was slightly wrong in telling Steve that he had a shot with her. But hey, Eddie's not the ladies' man so what does he know?
Speaking of Wheeler, he also noticed his little copycat freshman (as much as he tries to deny that he wasn't growing out his hair like Eddie's, Eddie knew and was flattered to be inspiring the next generation) Mike Wheeler was in front of their eyes as well. Mike was standing next to, he presumed, Will Byers, based on the familiar face structure, and the most stereotypical Californian dude with hair even longer than Eddie’s. He had to admit that it was an impressive head of hair.
“We have no time for reunions,“ Mike huffed out, “El is just about on her way to face this creature and we need to be ready to help her when she needs us.”
“El? Thank god you guys got her back here in time! We had no idea what we were going to without her,“ Steve, hunched over with hands on his knees, exclaimed to the group.
“Oh, that’s nice to hear right in front of the devil’s lair,” Eddie scoffed at Steve.
“I thought she lost her powers,” Robin questioned as the group headed up the steps to the house. “You know, no more moving cars with her mind, or pulling strange leeches from her body, or better yet, no more nose bleeds.”
Hold on, Eddie thought.
“She has telekineses powers?” Robin nodded. “Does she happen to have telepathic powers too?”
“Why would-” Steve was interrupted by Nancy’s quick thinking as she picked up on what Eddie was implying.
“Vecna’s weakness! What better weakness than not being the only one who has mind powers!?” Nancy squeezed Eddie’s arm before quickening to join Mike’s side. “Mike, how long do you think El can take over Vecna’s mind?”
“I don’t know. Far as I am aware, she underwent this crazy program to bring back and enhance her powers in Nevada. We came straight here from the facility. We made it just time before some other government dudes raided the place. Dr. Owens and Brenner risked everything for El to bring an end to this once and for all.”
They neared a flat clearing with, what appeared to be, the structural remains of the Creel house.
“This is it,” Max softly said, “This is where I was…where I saw Fred and-”
“Chrissy.” Eddie, who was at the rear of the group, pushed his way to the front, to stand in front of, what appeared to be Chrissy. Vines were wrapped all around her, her skin grayish, eyes rolled back, and jaw completely unhinged. No remnants of the smiley girl who giggled at his stupid antics.
A new sense of fury fueled his veins. All hints of shakiness left his body and all he wanted to do was strangle Vecna.
Howls sounded off in the distance, edging closer to them.
“What the hell was that?” The long-haired Californian held onto his tendrils of hair, spinning around trying to locate the source of the howls.
“Now, I know we said no people were in the upside-down, but how about dogs?” Robin shakingly asked
Dustin's face paled with realization. “Not just any dogs… demo-dogs.” Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan, who apparently brought his own gun, cocked their guns. Everyone else grasped onto whatever weapon they had with them before another sound was heard.
Booming earsplitting roars pierced the atmosphere in succession. They were surrounded.