TO BE A FRIEND

A/N: This is my first South Park chapter fic! It is about Stan and Cartman as I do love the two together because they can get along. Plus it is so hard to find anything with just those two. Cartman loves cats; Stan loves animals… funny how things work out. Enjoy!

HE'S UP TO SOMETHING-AGAIN

It was just another bitter cold day in South Park Colorado and currently the streets were being filled with kids of various ages for school had just ended. At the moment three boys were walking out the doors of South Park Jr. High. One boy wore a green ushanka and orange jacket, another boy wore a blue and red poof ball hat and brown jacket and the third wore an orange hood pulled over his head. The boy in green and orange- Kyle looked to the sides of the steps that lead into the school.

"What?" the boy in the poof ball hat, Stan asked.

Kyle frowned. "Where did Cartman go?"

"What do you mean?"

"He isn't here."

"He was called out of class a half hour ago remember?" Stan told him.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Do you use half your brain sometimes Stan? This is the third time this week he's been called out of class! During sixth period! Don't you find that a little odd?"

Stan groaned. "Oh my god, give it up."

Kyle turned his best friend around to face him. "Listen to me dude; he's been called out of class, sixth period, three times this week. It's Thursday, which makes Tuesday the only day he wasn't called out."

Stan looked almost bored at the boy's explanation.

"He's up to something Stan!"

Stan just looked at his hand with mild interest.

Kyle glared. "You have really gotten annoying lately you know?"

"What?"

"Cartman could be up to something and you don't care! We all know what he's capable of."

"I do care, but I don't," Stan said. "By now I would have thought you'd stop accusing him of evil schemes every time he's not at school."

"Because that's the reason why he's not at school ninety percent of the time," Kyle said angrily.

At that moment there was a jingle coming from Stan's pocket. He answered his cell phone. "Hey. I know, I know. School. I know Mom. I'm walking right now, yes, I'm almost down the street," he was saying although he hadn't moved from their spot on the steps. He rolled his eyes. "I know. All right, see you." He put his cell away.

Kyle still looked angry.

"Look dude, I have to go home now. My mom means it when she says I have to help clean the basement right after school. I don't have time for another 'Where on Earth is Eric Cartman?' game right now," Stan told him fairly.

Kyle bunched his hands into fists as he watched Stan walk down the street for home. It had really gotten frustrating for Kyle when they had made the transition from Elementary School to Jr. High. Suddenly Stan didn't want to ponder what Cartman was up to, stating by now it was a waste of time. 'Just let him do what he wants to do, it's his ass that will get in trouble, not ours', he would keep saying. But Kyle couldn't help it, if he could prevent another disaster, another horrible trick from happening that was Cartman's doing, he'd do it. He had since they were four, why stop now?

"Really, you hardly win those arguments anyway," Stan told him one day, the first day of seventh grade.

"I do so!" Kyle argued back. This led to a fight between them that lasted only two days. Who was he kidding? He needed Stan and Stan needed him. Their arguments didn't bother them because they knew they wouldn't last too long. But he still wished he was back at his ten-year-old self and care just a little bit that Cartman was simply bad news.

Kyle sighed as he took a seat on a step. Kenny sat next to him.

"Am I over-thinking things again Kenny? Or do you think he's up to something?"

Kenny patted Kyle's shoulder. "Don't worry Kyle, I believe you," he said, words muffled in his hood.

Truth be told Stan was wondering what Cartman was up to. He tried not to think of it though as he walked home. He knew if he thought too much on it, he might react and before he knew it, be in trouble with the police again or something. He didn't need that. He had just begun seventh grade now, starting a new chapter in his life. And part of that chapter was his vow to not get involved with Cartman's schemes if he could help it. But really… why was he being called out so often this week?

Stan was walking down the sidewalks of town to the way home, looking at his feet as he did so. Then he heard a voice. It was coming from behind the old rotten fence in front of him, and it sounded like Cartman.

"Shhh… it's okay ya guys, it's okay," the boy's voice was saying.

Stan peaked over the fence where an old building was and the plants grew wild. A fat boy in a red jacket was bending over something.

"Cartman?" Stan asked.

The large boy in front of him jumped and turned around. "Ai! Stan, what in the hell are you doin' herah?!" he cried.

"What are you doing here? No one ever comes here, it's old and dangerous."

"You- you just go home or wherever you were goin' Stan!" Cartman pointed a finger at him as he tried to hide something behind him.

Stan took a step forward to see but Cartman pushed him back.

"I mean it you hippie! Stay back!"

Stan frowned. "Kyle was wondering if you were up to something, I guess he was right."

"I- I am not up to something Stan. Just go!"

"Why? Is it something illegal?"

"No," Cartman spat.

"You're doing drugs aren't you? You make all this big talk to anyone who will listen how you'll be the first to try drugs in class but c'mon… it's the beginning of October, school just stared," Stan rolled his eyes.

"For your information dickface I am not doing drugs!" Cartman said angrily.

"Than what is it? C'mon, I wanna know."

"You can't know."

"Oh?"

"Just leave me alone Stan!" Cartman cried, poking him hard in the face.

"Fine. I'll just tell your mom you weren't in sixth period again," Stan said simply. He turned around to leave when Cartman held him back.

"Wait… wait…" there was a look of real restraint and worry in Cartman's face. He gritted his teeth. "I'll have to tell someone sooner or later… and you're the best person who should know…"

"Know what?"

Cartman sighed but motioned for Stan to follow him. He showed him a box. Curiously, Stan peaked inside. Inside were three little kittens, crying helplessly.

"Kittens?"

Cartman sighed. "I- I found them yesterday. Their mom didn't seem to be with them. They're still so little…"

"Cartman…" Stan said, worriedly.

"And- and that's not all…" with what looked to be even more of a power-struggle, Cartman pulled Stan over and through some of the trees and thick roots in the ground of the abandoned area. Both boys struggled to get over a large bush before Stan saw what Cartman was really hiding.

Cats. Dozens and dozens of cats of all shapes and sizes wandering across the ground. Many were dirty; others looked old and even dying. A huge white cat sat on an old trash bin cleaning herself, cats looked down upon the human boys from the tree overhead. Several were on the remains of the small building that once stood here almost twenty years ago. Stan must have guessed at least thirty or so cats resigned here. He saw a black cat stroll past and, after noticing him, rubbed its head on his leg. Stan could see bald spots on the poor creature. He could feel his heart breaking.

"I've been looking after them all this week," Cartman explained as he scratched a calico behind the ears. "On the way home from the taco factory Sunday, I ran into these guys. I spotted this calico here walking and followed her here. She was dirty so I figured she was a missing cat or didn't have a home or something…"

Stan just looked at him in disbelief.

"I've been coming around as often as I could since then with food for them. I couldn't just leave them here! They need somebody, and nobody will understand!" this was one of the very rare times Stan saw something besides greed in the fat boy's eyes.

"I understand," Stan told him.

Cartman didn't say something smart back. He just gave him a heavy look. "I knew you would dude."

Stan was the residential animal lover in the group. Everyone knew he had a weakness when it came to animals of all kinds (except snakes). He would do anything to make sure an animal was safe. And his parents took note on that- for Christmas a couple years ago they gave him the best present ever- a tabby kitten that he named Basha. Now that he had a cat of his own, the site of dozens in an abandoned area without a home really hit him hard.

"I don't want you thinking I'm some pussy like you are Stan, caring about these cats," Cartman told him accusingly.

"I don't think you are. I know the only living thing you have a heart for is cats," Stan said seriously.

Cartman glared at him some more before turning back to the felines. Stan bent down to pick up a small red tabby. "So what about the kittens in the box?"

"I don't know how old they are but it doesn't seem like they belong to any of the cats here. I found them two streets down."

Stan could feel his cell phone vibrate in his pocket but he ignored it. The two boys didn't say much for a while but Stan helped Cartman throw out some dry food he had packed in his backpack. The cats came running and crying and hissing over the freebee. The boys stood back to watch them eat.

"We have to do something Cartman," Stan finally said, eyes still on the cats.

"We aren't telling anyone, you hear me Stan?!" Cartman said roughly. "It was hard enough looking after all those cats by myself without anyone noticing years ago when they were banned."

"I know, I don't think anyone should know either. But we have to come up with a plan."

"What?"

"Look, I have to go before I get in trouble with my mom. But first thing Saturday morning, you come to my house and we think up something okay?"

"What about tomorrow?"

"You can't keep coming here day after day, everyone is suspicious dumbass," Stan hissed.

"All right, all right," Cartman rolled his eyes.

"We better go then."

"C'mon dude, just a little"-

"Now," Stan snapped.

Cartman turned to the cats. "We'll be back in a couple days you guys. Don't die on us okay?"

The trees shook and it grew colder. Stan wrapped his arms around his jacket. "C'mon dude, we'd better bail."

Together the boys left the abandoned area of cats. With a shake of his head, wondering how he had gotten himself into something of Cartman's after his vow, Stan hurried home.

Hope you liked chapter one. Please leave me reviews! Thanks.

Magical love: Rose March 21, 2010