Chapter 3: Bitter Reunion

Ten minutes earlier, Stan, Kyle and Cartman were having fun on the hill outside of town throwing rocks at cars.

"You damn kids!" a driver yelled out of his window as Kyle's rock bounced off the hood of the car.

"Ah, that never gets old," Stan laughed. "Nice shot, dude!"

"Big deal," said Cartman. "You throw like a girl, Kyle."

"No I don't!" Kyle snapped, picking up another rock.

Cartman took the rock out of Kyle's hand. "Here, Kyle, I'll go next. I don't want you to break a nail."

He ignored the dirty look Kyle gave him and chucked the rock at another passing car. The rock didn't even make it to the bottom of the hill.

Kyle burst out laughing. "Well, you throw like a tub of lard that eats Cheesy Poofs all day, Cartman!"

Stan rolled his eyes. "Okay, ladies, knock it off. Let's hit some more cars."

"It's too bad Kenny couldn't join us," said Kyle, changing the subject. "I tried calling his house earlier and his mom said he wasn't home."

"He wasn't in school today either," Stan added, throwing another rock. "Do you think he's sick or something?"

"Pft, who cares?" Cartman snorted. "He keeps blowing us off when we want to hang out with him."

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Screw Kenny!" Cartman insisted. "If he doesn't want to hang out with us anymore, then we can find cooler people to be in our group. Anyway, I need to go home. I'm starving!"

"What else is new, fatass?" Kyle scoffed.

"Don't call me fat, Jew boy!"

"Hey, Stan, do you feel an earthquake? Or is that just Cartman's stomach?"

"Screw you guys, I'm going home!"

"You're not going anywhere," said a cold voice below them.

The boys looked down to see a boy in a black hoodie climbing up the hill. His hood was pulled over his hair, hiding his identity from the boys that he'd been combing the streets for all evening. Stan, Kyle and Cartman exchanged confused glances as Trent Boyett reached the top and glowered at them.

"Can we help you?" Kyle asked.

"That's a first," Trent answered. "The last time I saw you, you didn't give a rat's ass about me."

"Huh?" Stan asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You could help me out though by giving me your phones," Trent continued. "Once I'm done beating you up, I might be nice enough to call 911 for you."

"What the hell is your problem, man?" Cartman demanded.

Trent frowned. "You guys don't recognize me, do you?" The boys shook their heads. "Then here, let me refresh your memories."

After checking to make sure no one else was in earshot, Trent pulled down his hood. The boys immediately gasped and staggered back in horror.

"TRENT!" they screamed.

"Ah, now they remember," Trent remarked and restored his hood. "How's it going, guys?"

"W-what are you doing here?!" Kyle spluttered.

"Yeah, you're supposed to be in juvie!" Cartman added. "It's only been a year!"

"Nice to know you've been keeping track. But," Trent puffed out his chest proudly, "I escaped last night."

"E-escaped?" Stan repeated.

"Yep," said Trent, "but I won't bore you with the details. Of course, that wouldn't be fair, considering you all left me to rot in that cell for another five years!"

Trent bared his teeth and advanced toward the boys like a tiger about to attack a herd of wild boars. The boys continued to back up, trying to put as much distance as they could between them and Trent.

"Look, Trent," Stan began nervously, "we're really sorry about what happened!"

"I've heard that line before," Trent snapped.

"No, we mean it! In fact, we'll go down to the police station right now and tell them the truth, the whole truth," Kyle offered. Stan and Cartman nodded in agreement.

"You guys still don't get it. You've had time to do that!" Trent yelled. "Even when you had the chance to tell the truth last year, you let me get arrested again just to save your sorry asses!"

"Well, technically, it's the cops' fault too," Cartman pointed out. "They didn't understand what Ms. Claridge was saying-"

"SHUT UP!" Trent barked. "You know, I was going to wait until my parole to come after you guys again. But I decided that I've waited long enough and your punishment is long overdue. That's why I escaped and I'm not leaving this town until I have my revenge!"

"S-stay back!" Kyle begged. "I don't want a Texas chili bowl!"

"You'll be lucky if that's all you get from me!"

"What are you gonna do then, break our necks?" Cartman asked, some of his cockiness beginning to return.

"Why stop with the neck? I'm gonna break EVERY FUCKING BONE IN YOUR BODIES!" Trent roared and charged toward them like a wild bull.

"RUN!" Stan bellowed.

Kyle and Cartman didn't need to be told twice. They all skirted around Trent as he tried to swipe at them and ran down the hill as fast as their legs would carry them. Trent turned on his heel and followed.

"Come back here, you cowards!" he shouted.

With Trent hot on their heels, the boys sprinted back into town screaming at the top of their lungs, which were the very screams that alerted Mysterion. Even Cartman, whose poor health forced his class to fail the Presidential Fitness Test, was running faster than he ever had before.

"He's right behind us!" Kyle yelled after he snuck a glance over his shoulder.

"C'mon!" Stan urged his friends. "We gotta find a place to hide!"

The boys did everything they could to try and shake off Trent. They took shortcuts through alleyways and side streets, maneuvered through crowds of people, and ran in a zigzag pattern between the streets and sidewalks. No matter what they tried, Trent was always a few steps behind them.

"I- can't- run- any- more," Cartman wheezed and put a hand over the stitch growing in his side. "He's- too- fast…"

"C'mon, through here!" Stan panted, gesturing toward another alleyway.

The boys ran down the alley before abruptly skidding to a stop when they realized their exit was sealed off by a large wooden fence. Trent's footsteps echoed off the walls behind them as he slowed down, delighted to have caught his prey at last.

"That was quite a chase, you guys. But now I've got you right where I want you," he laughed.

The boys helplessly pressed up against the fence as Trent came closer, wiping sweat off his forehead and grinning evilly.

"I had hoped to get all four of you at once, but I'll get Kenny after I'm done with you three. So, who wants to be first?" Trent asked as he rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie.

"N-no, please!" Kyle pleaded.

Trent pointed from one boy to the other, relishing their terrified expressions once his finger landed on them. "Eeeny, meeny, miney…"

Before he could finish the rhyme, Trent felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. As he turned his head to look, he was greeted by a gloved fist punching his nose for the second time that day. Trent clutched his bloody nose and fell face first to the ground with a howl of pain.

Mysterion lowered his fist and glared down at Trent, miffed that he'd have to wait a little longer for his night off.

"… moe," he finished angrily.


Hello everyone! Thanks for reading and reviewing my story, I'm glad you like it so far! I apologize for the wait, I've been pretty busy with schoolwork and other stuff. My cat also died last week and I'm still a little shaken up about it :(

Stay tuned for Chapter 4! :)