Author's Notes: The first actual chapter of the story and the introductory to our four main characters of the story.

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Another Normal Day

Earth Day June 1st 2012 (Leap Year Day 153) – 12:32pm

It was a pleasantly quiet day in the small snow-covered mountain town of South Park. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon and as usual, Stan, Kyle, Kenny & Butters were hanging around at Kyle's place watching a bit of TV. Although they knew they could be doing something better than sitting around watching a load of typical old Saturday afternoon crap, they all agreed that all the cool stuff like watching a DVD or playing an online game should be left to the later times after 6 or 7ish. The first rule of teen entertainment, they all knew, was that you should NEVER use that area of recreation for afternoon purposes. It was a designated evening enjoyment and no amount of boredom or lack of excitement or pleasure should ever break that rule.

The four boys were all 14 year old teenagers now – their manly selves had changed slightly, some more in certain places, but apart from that, they looked pretty much the same as they did 4 years ago. They still dressed in the same jackets and shirts and pants and shoes and yes, even hats. Unlike many kids in their grade by now, they had seemed like the only ones who hadn't changed their hair style or hair colour for that matter, whatsoever – Stan still had black hair that was slightly longer in places than in the past, Kyle was still slightly embarrassed to give his bushy red Jew-fro any spotlight in the sun, Kenny remained with his scruffed-up dirty-blond hair that looked like a complete mess and Butters although grown to cover his entire head, the light blond hair still remained spiky but short.

"WOW, TV definitely sucks today." Stan spoke, breaking the silence that had absorbed the room for a few minutes now. Sat on the floor with his back leaning against the sofa, he continued to flick through the hundreds of digital channels to find something that was remotely watchable.

"Y-yeh...it sure is...kinda sucky today, huh fellas." Butters added trying to be a part of the conversation of which he knew he wouldn't get a response from. In his own mind, he knew that the only reason he had only been invited around was that Cartman hadn't shown up at all today or in fact the past couple of weeks for that matter. I'm sick of being used as a filler person, he continued to say to himself in his head as he for some odd reason allowed to be used as just a background object rather than another friend for these three other guys.

Stan eventually found a channel near-enough providing some kind of interest – the local news network was on one of its looping breaking stories about strange energy readings being detected in the Park fields just outside of town.

"Tom, I'm standing in the outskirt fields just 5 miles outside of South Park..." The news-reporter began. "...the local authorities and the FBI have already begun work on investigating this mysterious detection of unusual energy signals coming from this area of fields. In reply to previous questions posed by many reports earlier, the FBI responded by saying that they didn't think this was just another hoax adding, 'Oh come on...do you really think we're THAT fucking stupid?'."

"Hmmm...that sounds slightly odd." Kyle spoke – sat on the far side of the couch opposite to where Kenny was.

"Gee...I wonder what...errr...Cartman would say about this..." Butters added – trying again to get a conversation going on his whereabouts.

"Yeh...hey where is Cartman anyway?"

"What, fat-ass...who cares, as long as he's not interrupting us having a good Saturday with some peace and quiet for once."

"Oh come on fellas, Cartman ain't that bad." Butters spoke defending Cartman.

"Butters...the last time we saw him, he launched a bike through your window and then blamed it on you, remember?"

"Y-yeh...and my parents were...pretty mad and unhappy with me there, yes-er-ee."

"Butters, how can you let him do that to you...don't you ever get mad at him for that or anything?"

"Well, shucks fellas, course I do..."

"You're just a faggy lil' coward, that's all..." Kenny smiled finding the whole event amusing.

"Hey, now I am...not a coward..." Butters began getting slightly defensive for himself. "I just...thought it was a little accident, that's all."

"Ha, well it sounds to me that you're in love with him or something."

"Awwww...DUDE..." Stan exclaimed. "That's gay...like...REALLY gay."

"Stan, he's entitled to his own opinion..." Kyle surprisingly responded to Stan.

"Huh?"

"OH...ummm...nothing...NOTHING." Kyle hurried back to keeping his focus back on the telly and drove what remaining focus was left away from the conversation. Looking out of the corner of his eye, Kyle felt as if he'd dodged yet another bullet...again. In the emotional and psychological state he had found himself in, this was getting too close for comfort to be giving such remarks as this outloud. If only they knew...He said to himself – looking down to the corner of his eye again. If only HE knew...

In true honesty, these past four years had affected all four guys in more ways than one. Firstly, Stan had become more isolated and alone with himself against his family and relatives. His mother and father didn't understand him anymore, his sister continued to bully him like no ends were being met and his grandfather was annoyingly continuing to order Stan to kill him. School wasn't going so well either and everytime he went outside, he would get scared or feel even lonelier and by himself against the cold and unwelcoming unknown that is the real World. Secondly, there was Kenny. His parents had just managed to scrape together enough money to buy him a brand new orange parka that actually fit, but even that had cost them dearly and now they were feeding off worse than just bread and water. Sometimes, it would be a case of making a decision between food and fuel. It would explain the reason why Kenny would always find himself sleeping over the night, or in some cases, two nights at either Stan's or Kyle's house. He felt more comfortable, warmer, safer, and best yet, more full with food at either's house in comparison to his shit-hole of a home. But it wasn't just materialistic values that were weighing him down; it was un-materialistic values as well. More and more Kenny got the feeling that Stan and Kyle, Kyle especially, was abandoning him as a friend and was simply asking him to tag along just to make up the numbers. However, it's something he didn't NOT expect from past experience. For four years now, Kenny had suffered plenty of moments of being a background character rather than an actual friend. Whether it was because Stan and Kyle had something going on between them and Kenny wasn't a part of it, or not, he didn't know...but one thing he was certain of, was that he was beginning to be pulled away from what he first classed as a true friendship with two of the nicest dudes he's ever known. I wonder if...that thought would linger constantly in his mind over a certain "something" – something which had bugged him for the past four years and something which related back to Stan and Kyle themselves. As for Butters, his experiences needn't be explained thoroughly. Constantly bullied, constantly grounded and constantly being put in the worst cases and scenarios of every situation, he was not living a good life whether at home or out of home. He had tried to build a friendship between Stan, Kyle and Kenny for four years now and he knew in his heart of hearts that things hadn't got any better. They still use me...he knew in his mind – the hurtful thought pounding in his brain like some kind of sharp cane.

With the TV still stuck to reporting the latest breaking news on the local news network, the four guys had gone into their own little Worlds of thoughts. And Kyle, especially, was in more thought than the three combined. Although he had shown very little interest in the matter in open conversation, the fact over where Cartman was today, and in that matter, where he had been these past couple of weeks had still gotten him puzzled. He's probably planning something retarded like he always does...his first assumption came. That or he's ditched us, for good...The second idea was something he'd hoped much more would be true. But whatever the explanation was, Kyle couldn't give a dam – after all, this was Cartman they were talking about. And Kyle, of all people, would be the least likely person to show any sympathy or worry for Cartman's lack of an appearance. The longer he's away, the better I say...the thought of Cartman being away hopefully for a further amount of days and weeks made him smile a little. But his next automatic line of thought, which was about something inked to Kyle, made his smile quickly fade out and be replaced with a stressful sign of fear and slight sadness. Whatever he was discussing with himself was certainly not giving him an easy time. If anything, it was certainly a topic he had a lot of focus on.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door. The sound was too powerful to be a knock and the sound thudded its way directly into Kyle's living room.

"Come in!" Kyle shouted.

The pounding struck from outside for a second door, this time with more heavier force and less sequenced timing.

"COME IN!" Kyle yelled – getting slightly annoyed at the knocker's lack of hearing such a loud call. The pounding struck for a third time. "Goddam it!" Kyle moaned unhappily – jumping off his seat and walking to the door to open it. Removing the annoyed look on his face, he placed his hand on the doorknob and rotated it – allowing the door to open towards him and blocking his view for a brief half-second. What he saw in front of him once the door had passed his vision was both shocking and confusing.

There, leaning against the outside of the doorframe was a young boy looking no older than 12 or 13. Gasping heavily for breath and coughing up saliva, he looked up at a shocked Kyle and smiled a little.

"Oh...thank God...I made it."

"Ummmmm...can I...help...you?" Kyle asked with shocked tones running through his voice.

"It's you...THANK GOD...it's you!"

"Me?"

"YES...YOU!" The young boy exclaimed – jumping up with what energy it seemed he had little of in him.

"...Who's at the door, Kyle?" Stan asked, walking in from the living room into the hall to which the young boy's eyes widened beyond imagination. Letting out a deeper breath, he began to walk inside.

"And YOU too!? Oh, praise the heavens..."

"Huh?"

Kenny and Butters soon walked into the hall full of curiosity now. And as soon as Butters had entered the young boy's line of sight, the view on his face was surprisingly bright. "You..." The young boy took a couple of steps forward. "...it is YOU?!"

"Me?" Butters added.

"Alright...this is enough..." Kyle forced. "...what the hell is going on?! WHO are you...and why are you walking into my house looking so shocked like this."

"OK...OK...I'll explain, I apologize, I'm sorry." The boy started gasping again. "But please, can I have a drink of water first?"

"...Fine..." Kyle turned. "Butters...go get him a glass of water..."

"But Kyle I..."

"Just DO it!"

"Oh jeez..." Butters ran off straight to the kitchen – the young boy continuing to give him a look of absolute shock and infinite delight.

A few minutes later, Kyle had brought all five of them to the dining table. The young boy had just finished gulping down the last bit of water from out of his cup. Placing it carefully on a nearby coaster, he placed his hands on the table and took another deep breath – a deep breath of which he knew he needed for what he was about to say.

"Alright...listen...there's no easy way for me to say this and there's possibly no easy way for you to accept it either, I guess..."

"Just spit it out already, my arms are falling asleep here." Kenny responded – giving attention to the fact that he had both hands leaning underneath his face with his arms arched on top of the table.

"OK...this is all of what I know of the situation so far. After all, I'm just a servant of a tiny piece of our land, after all."

"WHAT situation, goddam it!"

"The situation that WE now face – that ALL of us now face."

"Who's WE?"

The young boy looked up slowly and prepared the next single word onto the tip of his tongue. "...Imaginationland..."

The sound of such a word sent a shock into all four boys' faces. That name, that word...that memory. It was all too familiar and too unforgettable for them to simply let go of these past years.

Four years ago, as if by accident, all four of them had to all opinion, became the first ever human individuals to take steps into a realm that was beyond all past thoughts, beliefs and feelings previous. Imaginationland – a World created BY humans, FOR Imaginations was the centre of every single imaginary creation, thought, idea, feeling and location – both of the good, and of the evil sort alike. It was on that day, four years ago, that an unannounced terrorist group had taken a village of Imaginationland hostage and was intending to blow up The Barrier Wall that separated the good half of Imaginationland from the evil side. Upon the terrorist's successful destruction of one of the doors of the great wall, all hell had broken loose in the once peaceful land of Imaginations. Not only that but it was the beginning of the first ever struggle and in result, great war between good and evil imaginary characters. There, at Castle Sunshine, located directly just North of the central region of Imaginationland, war was declared and fought between the two sides for eventual total control of the entire realm of imagination.

After a long and bloody imaginary battle, the good side of Imaginationland had eventually triumphed over the evil side after heavy losses had forced the evil side to retreat back to their own badlands. However, dramatic events were soon to unfold afterwards as out of the sky, after a few more Creators had fallen from the clouded skies, a weapon of mass destruction, a Nuclear Missile struck the land with an immense and apocalyptic power – brightening the area and killing off anything and everything around. The sheer power of such a weapon and especially a weapon based in the realm of Reality, had in fact torn a hole in the very fabric of the Imagination, causing it to implode on itself. What was left, was an empty nothingness – a realm of infinite white that stretched for as far as the eye could see and for as long as the mind could imagine.

"Hey I remember this part." Butters interrupted - realising what part of the story they were at now that the young boy thought was necessary to remind them of.

Continuing on, the young boy soon turned to telling them of great joy and happiness throughout Imaginationland. Upon Butters' successful attempt to imagine back the entire existence and realm of Imaginationland, and once the Creators had been successfully taken back to their own realm, the characters and population of Imaginationland spread an unimaginable amount of positivity and joy throughout the land. Creators had finally been to their great realm and a few problems aside, the overall experience had turned out very successfully and wonderfully. In the past, the characters of Imaginationland showed major fears and doubts over whether to bring Creators to Imaginationland for fear of not only what their reactions would be, but also what it would do to the entire existence of the realm as a whole. In fact, it had taught them wonderful things about Creators and their reactive human-filled ways of feeling and thinking in such bizarre and un-Earthly conditions and situations. One year passed and without delaying any further, an agreement was made to allow human beings of planet Earth to come to Imaginationland to spend some time taking in the sights, sounds and indeed, existence of such a place thought up by their very selves.

A truly wonderful and creative idea to fulfil, the characters gladly spoke to one another on the case. A creative idea indeed created...by the created,another opinion gladly passed from lip to lip throughout Imaginationland. It was a clear sign that such an idea was accepted in all regions and all lands throughout the great stretch and realm that was Imaginationland.

And it was only a couple of weeks ago that the first of what hopefully would be many Creators, was invited to their lands for a short visit. He was a young boy about the guys' age now – he had briefly been to Imaginationland those four years ago, and so was an acceptable example to choose first to invite back to their great imaginary realm. Everything started off fine and great to begin with. The boy gladly accepted their invitation and so was given the knowledge of how to pass into the realm via the Imagination song and the exact words and tones that were needed in it in order to gain access. Upon his arrival and the return of those characters that had travelled to the realm of reality, a greeting party was there to begin showing the boy around the lands and to offer their welcome of the upmost highest quality.

"And that's when it all went wrong..." The young boy's head arched down with his hands close to his face. "...that's when it all started..."

Like something out of a horror story, the boy quickly turned on the Imaginary characters – imagining a gun into existence at which he began firing at them all – killing off innocent imaginary characters one by one. The confusion turned to panic and quickly turned to chaos. They tried to stop him, but every character that did so, ended up dead. The boy's twisted and sinister ways soon turned to madness as he moved on through the nearby village – shooting endless streams of bullets into buildings, stalls and worse, the bodies of every imaginary character that dare try and stop him.

"I was there when it happened..." The young boy spoke – his eyes locked shut with sheer fear of recalling that hideous moment. The young boy was in the market stall at the time. The stall was situated in a large village square just opposite of where the village Mayor's building was located as well. He'd finished for the day with his teachings at the local character's school and so decided to take a nice break in the local market that was taking place at that given time. However, what started off as a nice break soon turned to a fearful struggle. "All I heard was gunshots followed by characters screaming and crying for help everywhere." The packed square of characters was getting squashed together in a state of panic and fear of what was moving into the square at that given moment. As more gunshots were let off, the square soon split apart literally from its own high state of fear and panic and the young boy was soon in everybody's line of feared sight. Moving towards the mayor's office, the shock was amplified further by the fact that the boy had an injured hostage trapped in his grip with the gun pointed directly on the side of the character's head.

"I later learned that it was through the welcoming party that the boy learned of the Mayor's Office...and of the "object" that lay deep within that building."

"What object?"

The young boy looked up again and continued. Nobody in Imaginationland really knew what this "object" was and what its purpose was – it had never been discussed out-loud between characters and was a subject that only those of high status knew about. But even they couldn't discuss the matter – it was of THAT much importance. However, something of such importance would soon turn into a matter of even higher importance. The young boy told of how he along with the rest of the square saw a young angelic-like character with blue skin and white clothes running out of the building with the very "object" mentioned in firm grip in his hands. A Mayor's most important order to one of his workers, he presumed, realising that possession of that "object" was of high importance above any other form of work or survival. Realising that the young boy had spotted him, the character quickly sprinted out of the square and towards the nearest village exit which was only down the large stretch of one of the streets connected to the square. That was the last anybody saw of the character – followed shortly by the young boy who began chasing him out of the village too.

"Nobody has heard or even seen that young character anywhere since then. Which means only one thing..." He looked back up and sighed. "...That young boy has indeed managed to obtain the "object" which we were guarding."

There was a brief pause of silence for a few seconds. Neither one of them could believe what they had just heard. With blank, empty faces, Kyle was the first one to break the silence.

"OK...seriously, what the HELL are you talking about?"

"Huh?"

"Young boy...killing characters...this "object"...none of this is making any goddam sense..." Kyle was beginning to show a slight sign of frustration.

"I swear to you on my imaginary life that all of what I said is true to the core."

"Oh please...I bet you're not even an imaginary character." Kenny burst out – making the other guys look at him.

"You don't believe me..." The young boy spoke. "Very well...I guess I might as well show you..." He stood up, moved his chair back in and took his place in front of the table. Standing straight with his arms by his side, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Ummmm...OK..." Kenny spoke in a quiet voice obviously confused at what this kid was going to do.

Opening his eyes again, the young boy focused closely and straight with all his possible strength. And within a flash right next to him and behind him, attached to his back were two large angelic wings. Out straight and strong, the two wings arched away and upward, taking much more area to expand in the process. The young boy looked forward at the four guys again.

"Ummmm...WOW...ummm, you're a..."

"That's right, I'm an angel." The four guys looked at one another with startled expressions. "So...will you believe me now?" The four looked back at him again.

A few more minutes later, Stan, Kyle, Kenny & Butters found themselves hats, jackets, gloves and shoes back on outside and walking down the street behind the young boy whom was taking them to a specific location nearby.

"Thanks for taking the time to come and help us, we really appreciate it." The young boy spoke, his wings still out but this time not stretched out.

"Hey, we didn't say we'd help, we said we'd come along and check it out, that's all. Besides, we've got loads to do today anyway and we're kinda busy anyway." Kyle replied.

"Oh yeah, because watching a load of boring crap on TV is soooooo more important." Kenny rolled his eyes.

"Shut up Kenny."

"No I understand, I feel awful having to ask you four of such a task, but we feel like we've got no other choice. Besides, you are Creators after all."

"I wish he'd stop saying that." Kenny whispered under his breath.

Stan looked forward at the boy's pair of wings and sighed a little. "Hey dude, can you like...NOT show off those while we're out here please. People could start freaking out and stuff."

"Yeh...and if they saw US walking with you, we could get laughed at...like REALLY laughed at."

"Don't worry; we're not too far away now. We should be there soon."

"Where?"

"On a small and empty stretch of field, that's all. I need enough quiet and lonely space to open up a portal to Imaginationland."

Kenny took a sarcastic look around the area they were in. "HELLO! This whole area's covered in empty lonely fields..."

"I know...but we need to go a little further down here."

"Oh Christ..."

Eventually, a few more minutes up the road, the young boy had found his spot and stopped all of a sudden – walking onto the slush-covered field and looking around slightly to make sure that everything is OK.

"Finally..." Kenny rolled his eyes. "...is this it, then?"

"Yes...this spot is perfect..." He looked back at all four guys. "OK Creators...listen and listen well. I'm going to call out the exact words to which opens up a portal to Imaginationland. I want you to listen close, alright?"

"Yeh...alright, whatever." All four guys somewhat-nodded in acceptance and watched on as the young angelic boy spread his wings out once more and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath and clearing his throat, he let out the very words that were needed.

"ImAAAAginAAAAtion...imaginAAAAAtiOOOOn..IIIImagIIInatiOOOOOn...imAAAAAginatiOOOOOn..."

"Oh God, not THIS again..." Kyle spoke – putting one hand across his face and covering his closed eyes.

After a few minutes of the song continuing on, the young boy finished singing and it was at that point that a portal had opened – appearing right in front of them as a liquid-like mixture of blue and white light. All four guys showed their amazement at such a thing with their eyes now wide open looking into it.

Stan was the first to take a step forward, but as soon as he got close to it, the young boy flicked his hand towards the portal and within a second, the portal disappeared again. "What the hell?"

"Alright...now you four sing the exact same words as I've just sung and the portal should appear."

"Dude...why did you just make it disappear!?"

"I want to make sure that all four of you know how to get back to our World for future times. After all, I doubt we will be needing you JUST this one time...you were listening to how I was exactly singing it, right?"

"Ummmmmm...well..." All four showed slight signs that they hadn't in one way or another. "...yeh...I mean, sure...of course we were." Butters finally answered for the four of them." And after a few more long minutes of all four of them arguing over which parts and which letters were different, higher, lower, changed etc. along with plenty of moaning and joking from Kenny, like usual, the four had successfully managed to repeat what the young angel had accomplished and opened a portal into Imaginationland.

"Alright...this is it..." The young boy moved forward so that he was in point blank range of the portal's surface. "...follow me."

"Woah...I ain't getting in no portal, fool..." Kenny shouted showing still his dissatisfaction in the idea. "...how do we know this'll take us there?"

"Trust me...it will, I promise. Besides, I am an imaginary character."

"He has a point, dude." Stan reminded him to which Kenny rolled his eyes, sighed and accepted what was in front of him.

"Alright then...let's go. Keep close to me..." And with that said, the young boy guided the four through the portal's light and liquid-like surface. It wasn't long before his black-imposed silhouette disappeared behind the blanket of light. Butters was next through, followed closely by Kenny.

"Make sure you're close behind me dude, I don't wanna disappear and stuff." Stan spoke, looking back at Kyle who was directly behind him.

"Don't worry Stan, I'm here – I got yer' back." Kyle responded ensuring Stan felt safe with Kyle behind him. And unaware to Stan, Kyle's protective and friendly state from that moment on would have its own personal and deeper reasons that only Kyle knew of truly and fully.

And as soon as Kyle's figure had disappeared, the portal vanished into thin air. Stan, Kyle, Kenny & Butters, four years later, were on their way back to Imaginationland.

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Author's Comments: Christ that was a long chapter. The only reason it was that long was that I wanted to get all this information in this chapter so that the story can lead from this specific point onwards. Anyway, next up is the four boys' first moments in Imaginationland for over four years.