Author's Note: Happy Olympic Games 2012! How are you all enjoying the Games? Is your favorite team winning? What's your favorite sport? Mine's Archery. I'm pretty sure that we'll see Yukari in London, mostly likely missing and saying "Ugh, Lame!", or Mitsuru fencing and Executing the opponent, or even Akihiko and Chie doing Martial Arts (One can hope, right?).

Anyway, we shall continue with the Eds' Trial and Tribulations. For the next two or three, we will have a little down time, so that we can go on to what is the most unique form of social interaction. USING RANDOM PEOPLE AS POWER SOURCES- I MEAN GAINING FRIENDSHIPS AND PERSONAS!

Reviewer's Roll: Spindash77: Thanks, and my call out wasn't meant to bash.

Leo Vongola: I am continuing the series, as evident with this chapter. But thank you anyway.

Generalhyna: *Pulls out phone* They know, time to eliminate them. *Evil Laugh*. But seriously, are you reading my mind? I was thinking the exact same thing. Thanks.

GEOMAN67: Thank you for the review.

Disclaimer: I don't own EEnE or the Shin Megami Tensei/Persona series or the music of the series. They are owned by AKA and Atlus respectively.

Date: Unknown

Location: Velvet Room

Forecast: Misty

Music: Aria of the Soul

"It seems that you have returned. Welcome to the Velvet Room."

Edd opened his eyes, or his vision had started to work again, he couldn't tell. He had somehow returned to the Velvet Room; he looked at the wooden table, and it seemed to be made of Mahogany. He needed something to focus on for no reason. He looked around, the cards where still there, their backs turned from Edd. He frantically looked for something else.

"I see you're nervous." Igor calmly stated.

"I'm just confused. I analyze things to clear my mind." Edd replied sheepishly. "Now, Sir…"

"Please, call me Igor."

"Okay. I wonder, what is it that I'm doing here again?"

Margaret looked up from her book and stared at the Edd. He wondered how she got such rich yellow eyes. He quickly snapped out of that thought when she spoke.

"I can help you with that." She responded. She opened the book and a blue hue had escaped from it. It rose until it collected and pooled around a spot of the air. "Do you recall when you last visit here? When we explained about your Wild Card ability, different Arcana and Persona?"

Edd pondered for a moment, and then nodded his head. He looked as the mass above Margaret's book was growing denser by the minute.

"You see," Igor resumed "in order to gain that power, you must use your bonds. The bonds of friendship that are truly genuine and cannot be broken. That is a power that is stronger than any attack."

"Come again?"

"For every friend you have, you gain a mutual understanding or a link between you two. You then become closer and closer, until a bond of friendship and deep understanding for each other is reached. That is the power to summon Persona. You need to use this power for the trials ahead." Margaret answered; she had already knew his reaction.

Edd was livid. He could have stood up, yet didn't due to his manners- and the fact that he wasn't sure he was even corporeal in here.

"You mean to tell me that I am basically using my friends as a power source?! That is not what friendship is for! Using other people to obtain ultimate power? That's unethical! I cannot condone using my friends as weapons. I'm sorry. I-I cannot do this anymore."

Igor let out a small chuckle. Double d looked back in surprise at the man's relatively calm demeanor.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, young Eddward. You are not the first of my guest to question the usage of Social Links to obtain Personas." Igor said, reminiscing about the older days. "Nonetheless, there is nothing wrong about Social Links. You aren't using your friends as a power source."

"What my master is trying to say is," Margaret started. "Think about it this way. It's like Covalent bonding in Chemistry. Two or more non-metal atoms are sharing electrons in order to reach a powerful state. Like the atoms, you and your friends understanding is used to gain and control more Persona. It's like their giving you their power willingly through friendship." She stated in a way only he could understand.

Edd tried to make sense of the comparison. He understood that friendship was needed in order to obtain power that could come in handy in the long run. But he still felt that it was wrong. He looked down and pondered for a few moments more. It seems that he couldn't change it even if he tried, he had signed a contract. So he must go through with this. He looked back at Margaret and Igor, with general curiosity showing in his eyes.

"Please tell me more about this 'Social Link' system."

Igor smiled as he released his twenty cards again.

"Each of your friends that you have started a friendship with will result in a Social Link with one of the Twenty Arcana. Simply put, one of your friends is head strong or reckless. Then, for example, his personality is close to that of the Strength Arcana." Margaret paused for a moment to catch her breath, and then she continued. "The more you are friendlier with this person, the stronger the Social Link will be, and the more Personas you are allowed to control or create increases."

"When you have reached a deep almost family like understanding and friendship bond, the Social Link will be at its maximum." Igor stated. "A great change or Miracle will occur due to this bond, which will positively affect both you and the person you've bonded with."

Edd looked in amazement; he had the power to change the lives of people, through friendship. It seemed too good to be true, think about how many lives he could change, or save, by just being friends. He was then torn between two facts. One was that he wanted to use this power in order to help to make the world a better place, another was that he was still using people's bonds as power source (even though it wasn't his intention).

"I will use it. Not as a means to obtain power, but as a chance to change lives."

Igor chuckled for a third time. He then withdrew his cards back into his hand. Margaret also smiled, as the mass that she was forming above her book had materialized into a golden key. It had the initials, VR emblazoned on the handle.

"When you need us, use that key at the Velvet Door."

She then wished him off, as Edd had faded black again.

Date: 20th April, Wednesday, 2012

Location: During Lunch, Peach Creek Junior High, Peach Creek

Forecast: Sunny

Music: Persona 3 Portable OST: Sun

Ed, Edd n Eddy were walking out of Math Class. A pop quiz on Algebra should have been the least of their worries, considering that they were inter-dimensional warriors/heroes. But it was completely the opposite, well for one of them. They were still talking about the test as they were walking through the halls, lined with steel locker after steel locker. They had to make a quick stop at Edd's locker for his books, due to the fact he wanted to get to class early, even though it was lunch now.

"Man, I cannot believe he gave us such a lousy pop quiz! I mean, some of those questions have no numbers! What's Math with no numbers?!"

"That's why it's called Algebra, Eddy."

Double d stood in front his locker and keyed in his combination, unlocking the door in seconds. Inside was like a treasure trove of books, Algebra, Trig, Chemistry, Advanced Physics, and Botany. You name it; he has it, in a neat stack followed with other books that have similarities with it.

He carefully searched the books, which he had lined up in alphabetical order, for Spanish. He just finished packing his book bag, as soon as Eddy was opening his locker. It was worse than Double d's locker, but better than Ed's by far. Double d had just looked at the giant mirror Eddy had installed in the door frame and saw something that had peaked his interest.

"Hello, what do we have here?" He said to himself.

"What you got there, Double d?" Ed asked.

"Why, it's an opening for the school news paper, they need help for the new chief editor and advice person. I think I will sign up."

"I want to sign up to. Then me and Double d will be, not two, but THREE!" Ed sang dumbly.

"That's nice Ed, but for someone of your…intelligence, you need a more suitable job for your…qualifications…" Edd babbled, hoping to find an excuse in order to stop Ed from driving the paper into the dirt.

"Just go already, Sockhead." Eddy stated, as he applied a little hair gel into his three strands of hair and slicked it back, pretending to be 'cool'. "You don't want lumpy to join, so go and do your whatever. Meanwhile, me and Ed gots some scamming to do. Come on you big lug!"

He grabbed Ed and slammed his door. He walked towards the cafeteria, with dollar signs in his eyes. Edd had stared in wonder, as the two most peculiar students in Peach Creek junior High just left. He looked at the room number for the Newsroom and made his way there. He found it in record time, a wooden door with a mid level up tinted glass window with the words 'NEWS ROOM' stood him from his dream, he stepped inside.

He looked around and found that the place was a dump. There were files and pictures strewn across the floor and prints that were scrapped due to one reason or another. A coffee mug and a coffee machine were in the corner, but there was a water cooler in the room for some reason. On the other side away from the liquids was the printing machine, which had gathered some cobwebs from lack of use.

"So you're the replacement, huh?"

An old voice had shouted from across the room. An elderly woman was in the room sitting with her cup of coffee. She took her things and was walking out the door.

"I've been working here for 25 years, don't let the paper die." She whispered. She was then gone.

Edd's mind was in a mental vacuum where all thought ceased. He then shook his head and cleared the desk were the woman sat. He quickly ate his packed lunch and proceeded to take out his laptop. He turned it on, and while it booted he had found a set of keys on the table. It had the words, 'PCJH News Room' on the key chain. He looked back at the monitor; he had a paper to save.

Date: 20th Wednesday, April 2012

Location: After School, Peach Creek Junior High, Peach Creek USA

Forecast: Sunny

Eddy had gotten in trouble again, so Double d had to walk with Ed. They had talked about nothing important in general, just about the illogical occurrence of Meat men attacking Earth. They had to pick up Ed's sister from the junior part of the school. They were currently walking to the classroom when the bell for the juniors had just rung. Ed was currently telling a story.

"…And Sheldon grew a Macaroni farm till this very day. The End!"

"Th-that was… a riveting story Ed…" Double d said as a shiver went down his spine.

A young girl, no older than eight, walked up to them and looked at Ed. She was similar to a certain person we saw earlier. Double d cringed in fear as he hid behind Ed; the latter just placed an apathetic smile on his face.

"Ed! You're late." She said with a punch to his face. Ed just smiled.

"Sorry my perfect so wonderful sister of Ed." He rattled off.

"You'd better be!" She said as she walked down to the front of the school. She took her bag and walked towards another boy, who was holding his bag and looking around nervously. He wore a sky-blue turtle neck shirt with white jeans. He lightly patted his head, as the puff of his hair somehow responded by springing back up. He also had a metallic wire that went from inside his mouth, and went back to meet a band that was hooked around his neck.

"Hey Jimmy, wanna play dollies at my house?" Sarah said sweetly.

"O-okay Sarah." Jimmy replied meekly as he looked down. Double d felt sad for the boy. It seemed like tears were on the verge of breaking through.

"Ed! Take me and Jimmy home!"

"Okay!"

Ed quickly took Sarah and Jimmy's hands and walked them towards the front, Double d following behind silently. For a moment, it didn't seem like Ed or Sarah would be fighting at all, and that they were the best brother and sister they could ever be.

They managed to walk through the front gate and on the sidewalk, carefully avoiding puddles that still remained from last night's storm. Jimmy looked down the entire time, as he silently counted the number of puddles that they passed. Sarah walked along, hopping along like a little school girl. Ed walked with a faux expression of happiness on his face. And Double d just walked behind, looking at the group in front of him.

'Ed seems to enjoy the times when they are not fighting. I wonder…'

"Ed! Jimmy and I want to play Leap Frog!" Sarah dictated.

"But Sarah, Mom will…." Ed started, but Sarah bitch-slapped him before he could finish. She then proceeded to take his head and smash it into the concrete with a sickening crash. Edd cringed at the blow.

"ME AND JIMMY ARE GOING TO PLAY LEAP FROG AND THAT'S THAT!"

"Yes, baby sister." Ed cringed.

"Um, Sarah?"

Sarah turned around as she looked at Double d, now noticing the medium sized Ed. She instantly acknowledged him with a sweet tone in her voice.

"Oh hello. Who are you?" She asked with an extra layer of Kittens and Rainbows.

"I'm Eddward or Edd for short." Double d started. "I'm in your brother's home room. And I have to intervene for a moment. While it is still early for you to play outside, your mother would be worried when you arrive home with mud on you. You should talk with her and ask her for permission before playing outside, especially if the patches are still wet. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Sarah said with a little sigh at the end.

"Well… I haven't heard of your name yet."

"Sarah, and this is my friend Jimmy." She replied.

"Good Evening Jimmy."

"Evening." He replied softly.

"I see your wearing braces, when are you due to get them off?"

"Next year."

They continued walking, until Sarah suddenly tripped and fell due to a puddle of water… all hell broke loose.

"ED! You meat-head! You let me fall! I'm telling Mom! OUCH!" Sarah cried with a faux expression of pain.

"No! Sarah don't!"

She proceeded to cry hysterically, as she pointed to a gash on her knee, blood slightly bleeding from the wound. She continued to bawl, until Double d walked over and dug in his pocket. He searched for a while, careful to not disrupt his ring, and pulled out a handkerchief. He pressed it against the wound, beckoning Sarah to stop in the meanwhile.

"By applying pressure against the wound for a minute or two, you can stop the bleeding. Do you have Hemophilia?"

After explaining what Hemophilia is, Sarah shook her head 'No'. Double d continued to apply pressure until he found that the bleeding had stopped. He then tied the Hankie around her knee, so as to reaffirm her that nothing is wrong.

"Thank you Double d."

"No problem Sarah, just give the Hankie to your brother when you get home, after carefully cleaning it."

Ed looked at Double d.

"Thanks a million, Double d."

"No need to thank me Ed. It was my pleasure."

The conversation suddenly stopped as the world darkened. Double d looked around frantically, was he being attacked? His hand flinched towards the ring in his right pocket. He snapped back to face the trio in front of him, as a card was created in front of his mind's eye. He tried to reach out, but his hands went behind the card. The card itself was a silhouette of a woman, with a target were her face would be. She stood with one arm outstretched towards a lion, which was looking back at her. A semi circle beneath the card art showed the Roman numeral for eleven. One star had appeared above the card. Double d knew that the card represented the Strength Arcana.

I art thou, and thou art I

Thou hast established a new bond

It shall give thee a new strength.

'What is this?! Help!'

Do fret not.

I am Athos.

I shall reveal when thou hast created a new bond.

I am to leave thou a single clue to help nurture thine bond.

The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed…

Only with Strength can one endure suffering and torment.

'Wait, what does that mean?'

The world snapped back into reality, as Ed and the others started moving again. Ed and co. just continued moving towards the cul-de-sac, so Edd just continued following. Nothing else really happened since then.

Date: 27th April, Wednesday, 2012

Location: During Lunch, Peach Creek Junior High News Room, Peach Creek

Forecast: Partially Cloudy

Music: Persona 3 Portable OST: Sun

After eating his lunch, Double d walked back towards the News Room, passing various students with copies of his Newspaper in their hands. While it didn't sell as well as he had hoped, it pleased Double d that his paper was selling at all.

He reached the door, carefully searching his book bag for the key. When he had entered, he placed in bag in an adjacent chair, neatly lined up next to the wall. He removed his Laptop and Charger and placed them on the desk, firing it up in the process. He took a notepad he kept in his pocket and read the notes he had scribbled. After opening a document, he typed away until a resounding knock came from the door.

"Hmmm? I wonder who that could be."

He rose from his seat, and opened the door. When he looked around, no one was standing in the hallway. He considered it to be a prank and nearly walked away, but he stopped. He looked down and picked up an envelope. He looked around again in more detail, but found no one. He walked back inside, carefully closing the door behind him. On the letter, it had the words 'Dear Mariam'.

"Oh, A question for my segment."

Double d knew what it meant. He had started a new segment on the paper called 'Ask Mariam'. It was his middle name. He didn't have any shame using it, he was actually proud of it, and it did have a nice ring. He took the letter opener on the desk and cut the slit open.

On it read…

Dear Mariam,

I read your paper,

The way you inspire me

I admire you

-Anon

'Hmm… A haiku, dedicated to me. But this has nothing to do with my self help article at all. Are they really that impressed?!'

The world froze as a picture of a red eye underneath a lantern with a spiraling red background appeared in Edd's mind's eye. He looked as a star appeared over the card, the same with the Strength Arcana. A Roman numeral was underneath the card. It read "IX" or nine.

I art thou, and thou art I

Thou hast established a new bond

It shall give thee a new strength.

The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed…

It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly, and forge one's own path.

The world reverted back to normal, with Double d walking back to his desk. He shook his head.

'I will never get use to that.'

She slept, tossing and turning with no avail to stop her plight. She kept that until a voice calmed her. She then saw a piece of paper in front of her, she grabbed it and read. She then heard a voice echoing from around her. It was familiar. She recognized it and followed it, until she had managed to find her way to the realm. She then took a lock of her hair, placed it into the pool of ink, and wrote her name in bold.

May Kanker.

A little too short for my liking, #Laziness, but this should be enough to hold you until the next chapter arrives. That will be sooner than this one. Way sooner. Please R&R.