Chapter 4: The Black Plague
A few days had passed since they had to chase Cartman down from Mephesto's lab all the way across the tracks to Kenny's backyard. A few days since they discovered that in a petty and pathetic attempt at revenge, Cartman had come to endanger the world by bringing Pokémon into reality. Three days since Stan was proclaimed their Champion with the rest of them acting as the Elite Four. But only forty-eight hours since they all realized just how incredibly awesome it was to own and master Pokémon for real.
In that short elapse of time, a routine had developed. Or at least, a routine for Kyle. In the mornings he would get up early. Not much, just around four in the freezing morning simply so he could release his Pokémon into the backyard so they could eat. Apparently dry foods for cats and dogs worked perfectly fine for Pokémon as well. Thankfully none of his pocket monsters were picky eaters. Training Psychic-types for Kyle was like working out at the gym, with the exception that instead of building muscles, Kyle's Pokémon were flexing their brains by lifting things with their psychic attacks. Otherwise it was pretty much target practice with Ice Beam or Hammer Arm. Two hours later would find Kyle recalling them until later while he went back inside to eat breakfast himself before heading out to meet Stan and the others for school.
While at school they talked about nothing else but Pokémon and felt like everyone knew what they were hiding. Mephesto hadn't gone public just yet, but every second sitting in a classroom felt like an eternity of boredom and agony. The government could be breaking down their door any moment, and— HOW THE FUCK WAS STAN SO CALM ABOUT ALL THIS?! The asshole could just sit there and do his school work like any other day while Kyle was having a miniature panic attack for Christ's sake! True, he didn't look like it and some even said he was more stress-free than normal, but he was dying on the inside. Oh well, maybe Stan and the others were, too.
Once school was out it was either homework immediately or they'd meet somewhere out of the way to train their Pokémon. Stan's uncle Jimbo let them use his ranch since he was always away hunting with his butt-buddy Ned. Stan made sure to deck Cartman for that last remark, but otherwise everything was pretty sweet. It was after yesterday that Kyle stopped his own training earlier to see how Stan was taming and training his beasts. That was when Kyle learned just how much of an asshole Stan truly was. Stan had been using his Pokémon and their skills to do chores for his uncle Jimbo in exchange for the use of his ranch. True, Jimbo probably didn't know that otherworldly creatures of immense destructive power were the ones getting rid of the snow and ice, or chopping down trees for firewood, but it was still immensely wrong.
How could that unbelievable asshole not share the idea with them?! Better yet, Kyle thought as he watched Stan order his Tropius to demolish another tree, how the hell had he not thought of it himself?
Now Kyle had his room remodeled thanks to the use of his Pokémon and their psychic powers while also never having to shovel snow or salt the backyard. Yup, Kyle found that the ability to literally breathe fire could actually be used for good instead of just plain evil. Now if only he could teach them to wash dishes from outside or closed off up in his room…
The fourth day was here, and Kyle was greeting the sun as it rose while training his team.
"Okay, Metagross, use Meteor Mash on the tree!" Kyle was way too into this as he pumped a fist into the air.
"Meh-Tah!" Metagross zoomed through the air at the overgrown Douglas-fir. The Iron Leg Pokémon reared back what Kyle could only percieve to be its fist. The hand glowed white before becoming the silhouette of a golden meteor which encompassed its entire hand. When the fist made contact with the tree, it snapped like a twig with a loud —CRACK!— while a shower of star particles come out in a burst of white light from Metagross's hand.
"Now, Bronze!" Kyle turned to the Bell Pokémon who was beside him, "Use your Psychic attack to catch the tree before it falls."
"BRONZ!" the metallic creature bellowed, though was getting better at being quiet. Its red eye designs glowed blue and soon the collapsing tree did the same. The Douglas-fir stopped in its descent. While Metagross scooted through the air back to Kyle's side.
"Alright, lower it gently into the yard. Lay it flat on the ground." Kyle instructed, to which Bronzong did without complaint. When the tree rested on the snowy ground and stopped glowing, Kyle made sure to show his affection for both Pokémon by petting them and giving each a dog treat. Kyle was still unsure how Bronzong ate, unlike Metagross who at least had a mouth hidden under all that metal. But all the same he throw the treat up, and with a single flip Bronzong had caught and consumed the reward with Kyle still bewildered as to how its digestive organs worked.
"Thanks you two," Kyle said, digging out their Pokéballs from his pajama bottom pockets. He had now labeled each with a sticker of the respective Pokémon, so now he'd never be confused as to which orb belonged to which monster. "Now get some rest. We have more training today after school." he returned them to their Pokéballs with a beam with red light and headed inside for breakfast.
Breakfast was always a boring affair in Kyle's house, mostly because it was just for show. None of them had anything to talk about most of the time, and all of them had places to be afterward. Ike and Kyle had to be at the bus stop within thirty minutes of when breakfast normally occurred. Their father had clients who needed to sue people, or in turn were being sued. And their mother was always onto a new cause to fight for every week or so which did morning rallies and meeting.
School was a lot more hectic than breakfast with the Broflovski family. Since the generation was growing up and South Park didn't really have money in the budget to create a whole new school, the idiots who ran their pissant little mountain town decided to simply keep the same school, barely standing foundation and all. The teachers were the same, the building was the same, but the material was only a touch more difficult. That is, not for Kyle.
Even now Kyle was practically falling asleep as the teacher droned on and on about something he could care less about. Kyle was either sleepy in class or constantly fidgeting in his seat while throwing nervous glances at the door. Any moment now government agents, the mayor, or the police chief would barge right on through the door and call their names before demanding they follow the official somewhere. And then they'd be questioned about the Pokémon and their involvement, and the world would be doomed because everyone would then want Pokémon for pets. The world would be doomed because only a select few would know the difference between games and reality. How in games fire just disappeared if an attack missed, but in real life entire cities burned because two ten year-olds decided they could battle their Pokémon in the middle of their local neighborhood on the street.
"—Kyle you black asshole, wake the fuck up!" Kyle was startled from his condescending thoughts by Cartman shaking him like a rag doll.
"Dude, what's up?" Stan had removed Cartman's filthy touch from Kyle's present and replaced it with a comforting hand. "You've been sleeping through English a lot this week."
"English?" Kyle had honestly assumed they were still in Homeroom.
"Yeah, but on to the point," Kenny started as they wanted out into the madness of the hallway.
No longer the little mountain children they were a few years ago, now they had grown up and out as the too small halls became even smaller with human traffic jams at the point of every classroom doors, bathrooms, and hallway intersections. Thankfully they were on such a tight schedule that not many cared to dillydally when they had class on the other side of the building.
Right now was Free Period for their group, Class 1-A.
"I think today's the day we bring Token in on the deal," Kenny closed his locker while Stan was still digging through his. Cartman and Butters stood around waiting for them as Kyle grabbed his Math textbook and shut the door to his locker on the other side of Stan from where Kenny and the others stood. "I heard from Tweek that heard from Craig, who got it from Clyde that Token just got an increase in his allowance because he made good grades."
"Really? Are you sure?" Cartman looked a little skeptical.
"Yeah dude, Tweek won't lie. That kid's too fucked up to lie to anyone." Kenny leaned against his locker while Stan was still rifling through his junk. "All we need is a plan to get Token on our side without actually showing him the Pokémon. If push comes to shove, we'll do it as a last resort."
They all usually carried their Pokéballs around with them at all times. Kyle kept at least two of his in his jacket pocket, but the rest were in a nap sack he hid in his backpack. He had no clue where Kenny or the others hid theirs, but he suspected that Stan kept his inside the clutter of his locker until school let out.
"Where is Token right now?" Stan inquired, getting up from his knees and shutting his locker door. Kyle's locker was right on top of his. Not because it was chosen, but because Stan was nice enough to switch with him.
"He's in the gym for PE. If we wait until after school, we can ambush him on his way home. He walks alone, and takes the long way home through the middle of town," Cartman stated without a minute's shame for the fact he knew Token's routine.
"What about tr-training today?" Butters asked, knocking his knuckles together nervously. He still had his misgivings about them involving Token so soon. Cartman and Kenny were still having problems with controlling some of their Pokémon. Mainly Kenny's Gengar and Cartman's other pocket monsters aside from Houndoom and Skuntank.
"We'll bring Token if that's what it takes to convince him to help us," Kyle said. There was no way they could leave Mephesto with the Pokémon creation machine. Adults, even the intelligent ones, were idiots in South Park. Every moment that ticked away was another that Mephesto could make one of the stupidest decisions in the history of mankind.
When the final bell rang, the school descended into the normal chaos at the end of every school day. Stan had to go back to his locker for "something", to which Kyle threw a smug look, but he promised to meet them outside so they could catch up to Token.
Token Black was a probably still one of the only black people in South Park, Colorado. In fact, Kyle was sure of it since Token's parents didn't have any other children. Kyle didn't understand why that was, even after that whole ordeal with the town forcing rich people out, but he supposed that all the Black family's money made the pain of ethnic isolation all the more dull.
Following Token was as uneventful as it was suspenseful. Every turn he made they needed to stay at least a few building behind. Every stop the dark-skinned boy made, they had to duck into an alleyway. It was all Cartman's idea, and since Kenny kept pulling him and Butters away from trying to talk to Token like normal people, it was of no great shock when Token caught on.
"Oh, its you guys," Token greeted without having even turned around to face them. In fact, they had sprinted to catch up with him and he had never even glanced back to see who it was.
"Oh, Token, bro, didn't see you there!" Cartman made a show of looking surprised, "How you doing, bro?"
"How'd you know we were following you?" Kenny asked, ignoring Cartman's act entirely, "You didn't even look back!"
"I can smell Butters' Hello Kitty Island Adventure perfume and the KFC that Cartman's been sweating since the fourth grade. Plus, Kenny's little rat friends have been coming out of hiding two blocks ahead of him." Token finally turned around, his mocha skin accented by the arch of his eyebrow and his nonchalant expression. "Where's Stan?"
"In front of you," Stan came out of the alley ahead of Token, whose brow only rose higher without looking back.
"You're not wearing that AXE Body crap you always do," Token commented easily.
"I took a shower after gym today." Stan shrugged casually.
"You planned to follow me then?" this time Token did turn to face Stan, who had walked up to Token and placed a hand on the teen's shoulder.
"Since after third period," Stan was smiling brightly again, and Token looked bored with the exchange already.
"What the hell do you guys want?"
"Remember how you were going around tellin' everyone how your parents raised your allowance?" Kenny chimed in, popping up on the other side of Token, opposite Stan.
Token backed away slightly due to Kenny's poor clothes smelling of rotten milk or something, "…Yeah…"
"Token, dude, how would you like to turn that money into a childhood dream come true?" Cartman was all car salesman now, moving in for the kill as he slung an arm around Token's shoulder while the rest of the group gathered around. They began walking on the way to Token's house in the hills.
"Childhood dream?" Token echoed with little care in his tone.
"Token, what we're about to offer is nothing short of a miracle!" Cartman praised, but Kyle was having none of that.
"A miracle crafted by a jackass!" Cartman glared bitterly toward Kyle for his remark.
"A FUCKING MIRACLE NONE THE LESS! Now shut your goddamn Jew mouth, Kike!" Cartman exploded, making Token slowly back away from him.
"The point is, it's a miracle." Kenny took over the sell, elbowing Cartman out of the way. "Token, we have chosen you to join us in the glorious rise of childhood dreams from the ashes of puberty's furious onslaught."
"Gee whiz, that was neat-o, Kenny!" Butters cheered, applauding Kenny's sale pitch lightly.
"San, what the fuck is going on here?" Token was having no bullshit at the moment. He had done sprints in the gym, he was sure he just failed his Geography test, and no girl would talk to him because he was apparently "insensitive" to Clyde's confused sexuality.
"We're almost to your house. We'll show you there, where no one can see." Token's eyes narrowed at the tone Stan's voice took on. "Just know that everything is legit and super real."
"You said childhood dreams becoming reality. Did you mean my dreams?" Token questioned since they had all quieted once his house came into view.
"Think about it, Token," Cartman spoke up from the back of the group with Butters and Kyle, "What did you want to come true more than anything?"
"More people like me living around here, and less like you," Token was as cold as ice, and Kenny was cracking up with laughter at the way Cartman's face froze. "But that's cool. At least I've got Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Craig."
"Awesome! We're black, dude!" Kenny gave Stan a hyper high-five. Stan's response was just to laugh merrily at Kenny's childish antics.
"So just how would you give me a childhood fantasy come true?" the heir to the Black family fortune looked over at Stan for the answer, but it was Kenny who spoke.
"Cartman was being a little prissy bitch about us not hanging out with him the other day, and he went out and did something incredibly stupid." Kenny explained.
"Yeah, but this time it had the added benefit of being really fucking awesome, Token." Stan made sure to make significant eye contact with Token as the other opened the gates to his house and let them into his domain.
"And now we kinda need your help to keep a lid on the really dangerous parts of it all," Kyle spoke up for the first time since they had left town.
"Wait," Token held up a hand as he let the others into his house and took off his trademark purple cashmere sweater, "this doesn't have anything to do with that stuff on the news the other day, does it? The one where they were talking about how fat Cartman is and then he came out to beat the reporter into intensive care?"
"The very same," Cartman boasted, his meaty chin held high with pride.
"And you came to me… for my money?" Token looked directly at Stan, who shrugged lightly.
"Come on, dude, don't be an asshole. Once you find out what we're up to, you'll be down on the ground licking our balls for a chance to jump onboard."
"Its not like that jet ski scam again, is it? Because I already have, like, five of them if you guys want them. Stark's pond is okay, but my parents are bored of tropical weather and sunny beaches." Token said, leading the boys through the house foyer and toward the backyard where he kept all his junk in the family junk shed. Dirt bikes, jet skis, ATVs, go-carts.
You know, all the usual trash he collected and quickly grew bored of.
"Dude," Kyle breathed, looking at Token as if the darker boy were crazy for just giving away anything, "just how rich is your family?"
"I'll take one of those jet skis." Cartman threw in, but Kenny elbowed him in the ribs, hard.
"We're not here to scam you, Token. We're here to include you in our really amazing discovery and to let you be a major part of how events shape from this point on." Kyle elaborated without giving away too much, to which Token only cocked an eyebrow in waiting.
"Token, when you were ten you were fucking jazzing your pants for something. Every few years or so, you'd pre-order and lock yourself in your room for days. Now is the chance to get in on the next level. A whole new level, never before seen." Stan said while reaching in his backpack.
When Stan removed his hand from the bag, he held clutched in his grasp a red and white sphere with a black band going around the middle. At the center of the shiny metallic orb was a white button, one Stan pressed his middle finger to in order for the sphere to double in size. Token's eyes grew as the ball did in Stan's hold, but things weren't done there. Stan smirked as he tossed the Pokéball into the air where it opened, releasing from itself a cast of white light in the form of a free radical beam. Out into the cloudy day, Tropius appeared to the side of the group with a gentle hum.
Thud.
Token had gone down, but Kenny and the others were on it. Thankfully, the heir to all that money and their friend was not hurt, but merely stunned as he peered up with dark brown eyes at the prehistoric behemoth.
"Fucking Christ, Stan…" he muttered, utterly beside himself with shock and awe.
"It gets better," Stan assured before turning his gaze upward at Tropius, who looked down at Stan with expectation. "Tropius, use Sunny Day to clear up the sky."
Tropius heard and obeyed its owner's command. The Fruit Pokémon's normally tranquil eyes became fiery. White orbs began to appear at the four large leaves Tropius used for wings. With a flap of those wings, Tropius sent the white orbs toward the sky. For a moment, everything was silent. Then the next, the clouds burst open and deteriorated from view as strong sunlight broke through the increasing gap. Already Kyle was beginning to feel heated in his winter clothes, but to Kenny the temperature and new sunlight felt just the perfect amount of heat and cool air.
"Holy shit burgers, Stan…" Token gaped at the Pokémon, who appreciating its own work by bathing in the newfound sunlight. The green giant did not appear to like the cold mountainous climate, but with powers like Sunny Day, climate wasn't an issue it had to put up with at the moment.
"Be more careful with that shit, dude," Kyle shoved Stan lightly, peeling off his jacket a second later. "Jesus Christ, man, its like a fucking oven out now. You could damage the ecosystem, or something."
"Nah, its all good." Stan waved off Kyle's concerns, "Something this small won't have any major effects on climate changes. Besides, I've tested this power out before. It only lasts a few hours, and it only extends a certain distance without compromising the geological patterns neighboring it."
"Speak English, asshole," Kenny joked, taking a shot at Stan.
"Meaning its bright and hot here at Token's house, but its still dark and snowy over the town." Stan explained in basic terms, shooting Kyle a wink. "People will just think it's a break in cloud coverage over Token's place, or that Token's folks could afford to pay for weather not fuck them over."
"People do like to think the latter…" Token mumbled, forgetting his trepidation with Pokémon being real for a second to reflect on how he and his family were taunted by the town for being rich.
Not because they were black, but because they were far wealthier than any of the other South Park families. Since, ya know, South Park was just that fucked up.
"Still… This shit is HUGE, guys!" Token was back to gaping at Tropius, who was now freely wandering the grounds of Token's massive hilltop backyard. Thankfully the full fence was just as tall as Tropius, so no one could see the fruit monster even if their prying eyes wanted to.
"So do you wanna help us?" Stan asked, reaching out a hand to Tropius, who lowered its head so Stan could pet it affectionately.
"HELLS YES!" Token exclaimed, throwing up his hands for extra emphasize.
"Okay, let's go back inside then. Kyle was right, it is getting hot out here." Stan said, unbuttoning his jacket a little. "Tropius can stay out here for a little while. He needs the heat and sunlight."
"Are there any more? Of the Pokémon, I mean." Token questioned with all the excitement of a five year-old.
"Yeah, we've got tons!" Cartman answered, giving a wicked chuckle, "And all we'll need from you is the low sum of… one jet ski!"
"Cartman! Shut up!" Kyle shouted at the biggest amongst them. He then turned to face Token, "Dude, we need your money to pay off Mephesto and see if we can't buy his equipment from him."
"Equipment?" Token echoed, tilting his head in confusion.
"Yeah," Butters nodded, "W-Well, you see, Eric went and made good ol' Doctor Mephesto whip up a machine that makes Pokémon from his Nintendo game."
"Yeah, but if you can swing it, we want you to pay him off to make Pokédexes for all of us." Kenny added on, to which Stan slapped him in the back of the head. They were already asking a lot of Token, they shouldn't be greedy.
"Chump change!" Token proclaimed, looking out at Tropius as it lowered its head to nip at the grass in his backyard, "Especially for something this amazing!"
"Then you'll help us?" Stan couldn't believe Token was agreeing to what they were asking so easily.
"I just have two condition," Token said, calming his excitement for the moment to think.
"What? Anything, dude!" Kenny said while Stan nodded.
"First, show me more of the Pokémon. Just so I'm sure this isn't another of Cartman's tricks, I want to see a Pokémon from each of you." Token spoke with a seriousness that seemed unearthly for him.
"No problem," Kyle said as he dug through his pockets for the right ball. "Unlike Stan, our Pokémon are a lot smaller."
"Get ready for a real good show." Kenny smirked as he tapped the button on the front of his Pokéball, making it double in size.
"Hn, you won't be able to handle the awesomeness of my Pokémon." Cartman assured while preparing to release one of his own.
"I guess I can let out another. Tropius is looking a little lonely," Stan took out another Pokéball.
"Geez whiz, fellas. My little ones have been wanting to play with the other Pokémon since we started training," Butters told them as he reached into his backpack and got out a Pokéball of his own.
"Come on out!" they all said, throwing the five orbs into the air. The combined light of five releases was so bright that Token had to look away.
"BRONZONG!"
"GEN-GAR!"
"HOUN!"
"POLI-WRATH!"
"EE-VEE!"
"Holy shitballs, dudes!" Token exclaimed while gripping at his hair. He couldn't believe his eyes. Five completely different— COMPLETELY REAL— Pokémon were just standing around in the foyer of his house! "Five different Pokémon from the first four regions! Jesus-FUCKING-Christ, man!"
"So do you really believe us now?" Kenny asked, even as Gengar gave a sinister chortle. Butters' Eevee was playing around at the ghost Pokémon's legs. Poliwrath was showing its muscles off to Bronzong while Houndoom turned its nose up to everyone in the room, especially Cartman.
"I believed you the first time, but…. Damn, dudes! This is some pretty fucked up shit, right here." Token breathed. He couldn't help but gape at the creatures.
"Poliwrath, the Tadpole Pokémon," Token observed the strength Stan's Poliwrath displayed in the flexing of its powerful bodybuilder muscles, "it's an excellent swimmer and its powerful muscles make most of its physical attacks extremely effective."
"That's cool," Stan smiled as he placed a hand on Poliwrath's head and proceeded to pet the Pokémon.
"Bronzong, the Bronze Bell Pokémon," Token saw the shine of Bronzong's metal coating, "Bronzong are able to sleep for well over two thousand years and in ancient times in the Pokémon world they were revered as the bringers of plentiful harvest due to their ability to summon rain and rain clouds from nowhere."
"You mean that move Rain Dance?" Kyle questioned while looking between Token and Bronzong. He had no idea that Bronzong could create rain, but after seeing Stan's Tropius make such strong sunlight, Kyle supposed changing the weather was a small task for creatures as powerful and diverse as Pokémon.
"Gengar, the Shadow Pokémon," the heir to the Black family fortune saw the mischief within Gengar's eyes and cheeky grin. That's when Gengar started making exaggerated faces at him, contorting its own features to look silly, "it is said that they can absorb all the surrounding heat around them, leaving an area in a sudden chill."
"Not this little guy," Kenny said, rubbing Gengar's head, but pulled back when he felt the cold chill of the ghost's temperature. Gengar laughed at the stupidity of its owner.
"Houndoom, the Dark Pokémon," Token walked over and rubbed the canine's head, to which it allowed for a moment before snubbing even Token. That was, until Token began to scratch behind its horns, which had the normally moody Pokémon belly up and panting, "Their howl is supposed to be so eerie that it causes others to shudder in fear."
"You traitorous bitch…" Cartman muttered with his arms crossed while glaring down at his Pokémon. Houndoom responded by growling at the fat boy, causing Eric to flinch back at the angry response and the fact that it both heard and understood his words.
"And little Eevee," Token reached over to pet Eevee's head while playing with Houndoom. He could clearly see that Butters was taking very good care of the Pokémon. Like any animal that was good and health, Eevee's furry coat was shiny and luscious. Obviously Butters was a very good trainer to his Pokémon, "the base in the evolutionary line to eight different Pokémon. They even call Eevee and its evolved forms the Eeveelutions. Eevee is such a unique Pokémon that it can change its form and abilities to suit its environment when evolving."
"Ee-Vee!" the small Pokémon cried with happiness while Butters knelt down and hugged it.
"Yuppers! You're my special little fella!" Butters showed Eevee much love, and Eevee returned it all equally.
"So what was the other thing you wanted, Token?" Kyle asked, not one to be distracted for long.
"Isn't it obvious?" Token asked, but all the boys held a blank look, "I want my own Pokémon."
"Dude!" Kyle and Cartman looked at each other in shock, then rage as they realized they had both shouted in unison.
"Token, brah, go fuck yourself." Cartman had absolutely no quarrels with saying to the kid's face, "Us owning Pokémon is what makes us better than everyone else. If we give you Pokémon too, then actually having Pokémon becomes less special. Therefore, no, you may not have a Pokémon and can, as stated before, go fuck yourself."
"That's not the point, Cartman, you unbelievable asshole!" Kyle raged, then turned to give Token a serious look, "Token, we're trying to stop the spread and contain it. That's why we came to you in the first place. We need your help getting the machine out of Mephesto's hands. Sure it looks like he hasn't done anything just yet, but sooner or later things are gonna snowball out of control. The more people who know about this is the more people who'll want to have Pokémon, thus equaling more danger. Token, you have all the cards, games, and episodes! You of all people should know just how much shit Pokémon can fuck up!"
"Oh come on, Kyle, everything will be cool." Token tried to win the fiery-haired Jew over with a smile, but Kyle was like a stone wall of conviction on this topic.
"Come on, Ky, Token's cool," Stan vouched for his black friend, "He's always wanted to own a Pokémon. It's been his dream since he was, like, five years old! Besides, if anyone can give a Pokémon the good life, it would be Token."
Stan began to tick off things with his fingers.
"Token could get them the best animal food available." Stan ticked off his first finger, to which Token nodded.
"I could even have my pet chef actually make Pokémon Food." the dark-skinned boy was quick to throw around his wealth in the face of a long held dream.
"He could have a person groom them,"
"Money helps a lot of people shut up." Kenny added in his own commentary.
"I could have a fashion designer make belts with magnetic clips for the Pokéballs. Easy reach and storage." Token said, already thinking of the list of contacts he needed to compile.
"I don't care, it's still too dangerous!" Kyle snapped, but Stan stood in his way with the stupid puppy dog look, Token joined him as well.
"Please, Kyle! Please! I've always wanted Pokémon. Please, Kyle!" Token was a teen of pride, but he threw that away quickly to get what he wanted, and right now he wanted a goddamn Pokémon of his very own.
"The guy's begging, dude." Stan pointed out, making Kyle's annoyance hit a boiling point.
"ALRIGHT, FINE!" Kyle roared, then closed his eyes and rubbed his temples to stave off the building headache, "Goddamnit…"
"Yes!" Token said, doing his happy dance, "You won't regret it, Kyle. I promise!"
"I am already…" Kyle shot the excited boy a deadpan look.
"Alright, Token, meet us at my Uncle Jimbo's ranch later today." Stan said, returning his Pokémon to their balls while the others did the same, "We have a bunch of Pokémon for you to choose from, so if you come by early enough before dark, then you'll get to train with us, too."
"Cool, sweet. Thanks, Stan." Token said quickly.
Token was barely paying attention to Stan's words, he was so excited. He felt as if he were going to burst from anticipation. Kyle was now wagging his finger in his face and saying something about "no one" with Cartman adding in about kicking people in the nuts. Token didn't care. All he was doing at this point was imagining himself with all sorts of different Pokémon, battling and spending time with them the way Stan and the others must have. Butters was the last one out the door, bidding Token a farewell while following after the others. If he held this in for a moment longer, Token was sure he'd explode. Rushing up the stairs to his room, Token jumped from his door to his bed and grabbed the phone sitting atop his nightstand.
"Come on, come on! Hurry up and pick up, you asshole!" Token felt angry that his call wasn't answered immediately, but when his friend's voice came from the other end, he was back to overwhelming excitement. "Dude, hey!"
"… what? No, look, don't be an asshole right now." Token flopped onto his back while twirling the loose strands of fabric on his sheets. Thousand-count sheets were so cheap…
"Okay, fuck it, I'm sorry! Are we cool now?" Token sat up, grinning when he was reassured, "Good, because do I have some heavy shit to dump in your lap!"
A sleek black sedan vehicle drove through the picturesque mountain scenery of Colorado. In its journey it bypassed a sign which read thirty miles until South Park and sixty-three to Denver. The blonde female sitting in the back was not interested in the least by scenery. She stared with little wonder out the tinted window of her car without care for the distance. No, all she cared for was their destination.
"Are you certain the reading came from here, Jervis?" the blonde inquired, to which her driver glanced in the rearview mirror whilst nodding.
"Indeed, milady. The reading indicate strong biochemical manifests within this region's mountain area. Since some time those few days past, the readings have shown a bit of fluidity, but have remained constant on the charts and strong." the man stated with a strong tone, "Furthermore, there have been lesser signals broken off from the main source since we've first established the location and all sources seem to center close to the local town of South Park."
"I care little for the details Jervis, and more for the results." the girl wasted no time in being soul-crushingly blunt with her words, "When is our estimated arrival?"
"Within the hour, young miss." the driver said, checking his watch for the time.
"I do hope this isn't another falsity." the blonde muttered, "I am getting rather tired of those. If we've wasted our time once more, kill whomever we meet with, Jervis."
"As you wish, milady." with those words, it was the first time the rather dry driver cracked a small smile. The passenger, however, remained bland and careless as they sped down the open highway toward South Park.
Toward their target.