Chapter one

9 AM Twilight

The new school semester had started in South Park.

For Wendy, her boyfriend Stan, his friend Kyle and all the other students who had been in their class for the last few years it meant the last school year before they all went on their separate ways to different universities.

Stan and Kyle had grown up as expected.

Stan was the best football player in school, looked up to by many students and adored by many of the girls. The years had been kind to him, giving him a built frame and shaggy black hair that suited him very well.

Kyle, on the other hand, had concentrated on getting his grades up as high as they could go and was one of the best students that the whole state had seen in a long time, giving him his own little fame, but all the time he spent shut in studying had made him socially awkward so he mostly stuck with Stan and Wendy.

Kenny had grown to a young mature boy, but had to drop out of education to look after his family. His parents had abandoned them a few years back and Kenny alone was left to work to feed his siblings. His older brother was on the verge of being arrested several times because of his involvement in drug related issues. His younger sister on the other hand had thrived and was a straight A student. He still managed to get together with Stan and Kyle every now and then, but not as much since he had started working.

Wendy yawned as the sunlight poured into her room, waking her up. As she stumbled on to her feet and began getting her things together for the new semester, flashes of the summer holidays appeared in her head, almost taunting her with the fact that there was no more of it left. Part of her was glad to get back to classes though. It would mean she could get back into a proper routine and concentrate more on her aim to get into a good university.

As she pulled a purple jumper over her head, the sound of something vibrating filled the room. On the nightstand her phone was lit up with an incoming call. The name Stanny flashed various times on the screen, as the mobile edged more and more towards the rim of the small table with each vibration.

Before it managed to fall off she picked the phone up and accepted the call.

"Hey Stanny…" She mumbled, tired.

She and Stan had been dating properly for about 4 years now. When they finally hit puberty they realized how they really felt towards each other, and not just the childish relationship they had had before, since the third grade.

"Hey Wends, just wanted to make sure you were up! And… I, err, have some interesting news…"

Stan's voice had a strange mix of feelings to it, almost as if he wasn't too sure how he was going to deliver the message.

"What is it Stan?" Wendy asked, pulling her jeans up with one hand.

"Well… remember Cartman?"

Wendy stopped instantly and her jeans slipped back down again. Just the name alone was enough to bring back memories of hate and anger, but also uncertainty.

Cartman left South Park after the forth grade. No one knew why, but one day he and his mom left in a big U-Haul van without saying anything. Stan and Kyle tried to contact him, but his Facebook had been erased and all telephone numbers disconnected.

At first they all thought that it was just one of his schemes and half expected for mecha Streisand to reappear, or for Clyde frog to show up with a gun or any of the strange things that would happen when Cartman was around, but after a few weeks, people started to question his whereabouts more seriously. Some people like, strangely enough, Butters and Kenny, were worried, even after all the years of torture Eric had given them.

Weeks, Months and eventually a year went by without anyone knowing anything and then just like that, people stopped asking questions, they just accepted the fact that Cartman wasn't there any more and went on with their lives.

Wendy herself hadn't given him any thought since his disappearance.

"Wendy? Wens, you there?"

"Yes, yes… I'm here. That's… amazing, how do you know?"

"Apparently a few people have seen his mom around town. Kenny saw her yesterday and managed to talk to her. She didn't say much, but she did say that Cartman would be back in school today"

"… I can't believe it! Are we going to have to put up with his royal fat ass all over again?!"

"Maybe he's changed dude, lets hear him out first."

"This is Cartman were talking about, he won't change and you know it…"

Wendy states angrily as she storms around her room. Life had been fine since he left. No alien probes, no volcanoes, pee infested theme parks, pirate ghosts, pinkeye zombies, NAMBLA pedophiles, ginger kids trying to take over the world to worry about or celebrities suing the town, to name only a few of the things that used to happen.

"Well, we'll soon find out. See you in first period baby"

Wendy heard him hang up and set the phone down again. It had taken him years to call her that. He may be a big macho man in front of the school and friends, but deep down he was still a little fourth grader wanting to get on his Okama Gamesphere or play some catch.

Thoughts of Cartman's return taunted her, as she got prepared, eating breakfast absentmindedly and walking to school almost without realizing it.

"Morning Wendy!" Said a cheerful voice to her side that caught her by surprise. She looked over to see a smiling face under a green hat with little red hairs poking out at the sides.

"Morning Kyle" Wendy answered without much enthusiasm.

"You ok dude?" Kyle asked with a confused face "You're usually all chirpy"

Wendy and Kyle had gotten to be very good friends over the years. Kyle would always be the middleman if her and Stan ever got into fights or if she simply needed someone to talk to. Seeing as he didn't get out much she was pretty much his only female friend.

Wendy guessed he hadn't heard the news about Cartman.

"I err… Didn't sleep well"

"That sucks, you better perk up for classes, don't want to be down on your first day back!" Kyle smiled and then waved over to Stan, who had just arrived.

"Over here dude!" Yelled Kyle.

Stan spotted them and walked over with a smile.

"Morning guys, you're happy today Kyle"

"You bet I am, I can't wait to learn all the new stuff this year!"

"Wow man, you sure have become a Melvin" Stan laughed jokingly and then realized Wendy was not really with them at all, she was lost in her thoughts, no doubt about the conversation they had had earlier.

Stan leant in for a kiss and whispered to her.

"Don't worry Wends, everything will be ok, and err… don't say anything to Kyle, I think its best to let him find out for himself"

Stan backed out and looked at Wendy. She nodded in agreement. After all the crap Kyle had put up with, because of Cartman, it was probably best to give him a little bit more peace before…

"Everything goes back to how it was before…"

Wendy mumbled to herself.

The Bell rang and the small crowd walked in casually. There was an overall happy feeling as the students told each other about their holiday adventures accompanied by plenty of laughter.

As Wendy Walked towards her class, clutching her books close to her chest she overheard a few conversations.

"Wow… they broke up? Does that mean she is single now?"

Clyde and Craig were talking in a corner, probably about some girl in class. Since puberty, girls and sex had been the only thing on the boys mind.

"W-w-w-wow, what a terrific audience" Jimmy was probably telling Butters and Token one of the jokes he had come up with over the holidays.

"But I only just met her! Woooah! To much pressure man!"

Tweek was ranting to a boy from another class, his hair a mess, shirt buttoned up wrongly and shaking in all directions. Some thins never change.

It seemed nobody else had found out about Cartman.

Finally Wendy got to her class and sat next to Stan. The room slowly filled up with people and only a couple of seats behind her were left empty.

The class seemed chirpy and talkative until someone walked through the door and then they fell silent immediately. Wendy looked over; expecting to see the end of her happiness and peace but instead was greeted with someone she didn't quite expect.

"Well children, it seems you can't quite seem to get rid of me."

A slightly higher version of the previous voice echoed through the room.

"That's right you little bastards, so sit down and shut up"

"Oh Mr. Hat, don't be so cruel on the first day of class"

The class stayed silent until Stan spoke.

"Mister Garrison? What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you only taught elementary school"

He blurted out, asking what they were all thinking.

"Well think again butts for brains. They were short on teachers this year and seeing as I already know you they let me teach you, so get used to it"

Mister Garrison essentially looked the same as he did a few years back, only with a few more wrinkles. Mr. Hats beard looked bigger and longer.

"Awwww…" The students let out a sad moan in protest.

"To bad! Life isn't fair!"

He half yelled as typical, walked over to his desk and began to read the new term papers, which were mostly normal rules and regulations.

Wendy looked over at Stan, who looked like he was about to fall asleep. She felt a slight Déjà vu just looking at the class. Mister Garrison was going on and on about something that nobody cared about and the students were simply ignoring him. But the worst had yet to come, Cartman had to appear.

"And with that we are all set to begin the new school year"

Mr. Garrison finished, gathering up all the papers he just read. Suddenly a little sticky note on his desk caught his eye.

"What's this mister hat?"

Garrison mumbled to himself as he picked up the note and read through it.

"Oh my…" He said, visibly startled. Suddenly, three slow knocks on the classroom door were heard. Mr. Garrison looked over and then back at the children with, what almost looked like fear on his face.

"Children… it seems we have a… new student joining us this year…"

He paused to swallow as the handle began to turn and the door started to open.

The class let out a gasp when they saw who entered the room whilst Mister Garrison finished speaking.

"Class, say hello to… Eric Cartman"

A/N: Hey guys, i realised after uploading chapter 9 that a lot of people read this fist chapter and then leave. I made the start very normal looking deliberately. If you are into cutesie wutesies, mystery, violence, sudden plot twists, swearing and death... i would recommend you keep reading.. if not, then hey, Have a nice day! XD