Chapter 4: Under the Hood
Stan, Kyle and Cartman's jaws dropped and their eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as they tried to comprehend what just happened. Were they seeing things, or had Kenny just sucker-punched Trent Boyett?
Mysterion shifted his gaze up to them. "Are you guys okay?"
They nodded, still staring at him as though he had grown a second head.
"What's wrong?"
"Dude," Stan began, bewildered, "you just punched him in the face!"
"That's nothing," said Mysterion. "You should have seen what I did to him earlier today when he was harassing Karen."
"You beat him up earlier?" Kyle asked incredulously.
"Yes." Mysterion cocked his head in confusion. "Why are you all so surprised?"
Before he got an answer, Trent groaned and stood up, straightening his hood and wiping his bloody nose with his sleeve. His expression hardened when he laid eyes on Mysterion.
"You again!" he spat.
"Don't think I'm happy to see you either, punk," Mysterion greeted him sarcastically, still wondering why this boy seemed so familiar to him.
"Get the hell out of here! I have a score to settle with these jackasses!"
"What did they do to you?"
"They exist!" Trent yelled. He shot a glare at the boys, who were still pressed up against the fence and too scared to move a muscle.
"If you want to hurt them, you'll have to get through me first," Mysterion told him fiercely. "Or do you want a repeat of what happened this afternoon?"
"Shut up, you just got lucky!" Trent snapped. "You don't know me! You don't know what I've been through!"
"Spare me the sob stories. Save them for the police after I turn you in for attempted assault."
"What are you, a cop? Who are you?"
"I'm Mysterion, and it's my job to get rid of the trash on the streets of South Park."
"Oh, so you're like a garbage man?" Trent retorted with a sneer. "I thought you were a superhero or something. My mistake."
The corners of Mysterion's scowl twitched in anger.
"Anyway, I don't really care who or what you are," Trent continued as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to me earlier!"
"Just sit tight guys," Mysterion said casually to his friends. "This shouldn't take long."
Trent charged toward Mysterion, determined to make the first strike, and threw a punch at him. Mysterion easily blocked it and hit Trent with an uppercut jab to the chin. Trent recovered and threw another punch, but Mysterion slipped under his outstretched arm and punched him in the back of the head.
"Guys," Stan whispered in a voice only Kyle and Cartman could hear, "Kenny is beating up Trent Boyett."
The boys watched in amazement as Mysterion continued to block or dodge Trent's attacks and hit him with a barrage of punches and kicks. His plan was to wear the punk out before knocking him unconscious, as he had done before successfully with other criminals.
"Pinch me, I must be dreaming," said Kyle. Cartman was more than happy to oblige. Kyle yelped and rubbed his arm. "Ow! I didn't mean it, fatass!"
Meanwhile, Trent had finally managed to block one of Mysterion's kicks and knocked the superhero flat on his ass. Stan, Kyle and Cartman gasped. Luckily, Trent's victory was short-lived because Mysterion swung his leg and swept Trent's feet out from under him. He hit the ground hard and was subjected to a few kicks to the stomach from Mysterion.
"I take back what I said about Kenny before," said Cartman. "Anyone with the balls to beat up Trent is cool enough for our group."
Mysterion seized a handful of the front of Trent's hoodie and raised him up. He curled his other hand into a fist.
"Say goodnight, you bastard."
Mysterion raised his fist and brought it down to punch Trent's lights out. With no time to counterattack, Trent shut his eyes and leaned his head back, bracing himself for impact. His hood slid down just as Mysterion's hand was inches from his face.
Trent heard Mysterion gasp and the sound of his punch hitting something hard. However, he didn't feel any pain, nor any more attacks from his opponent. After waiting a few seconds, Trent's curiosity got the better of him and he opened his eyes. To his surprise, Mysterion had punched the wall of the building next to them at the last second and was standing as still as a statue. The superhero's scowl had been replaced with an expression of utmost horror as he stared into the eyes of the boy he had hoped he wouldn't see again for a few more years.
Mysterion felt like all of his courage suddenly drained out of him. He couldn't believe he'd unknowingly been beating up Trent Boyett, the boy who'd bullied him and his friends in preschool and had sworn revenge on them after being arrested as their scapegoat twice.
Why is Trent here?! he thought wildly. He couldn't have been released yet, he still has four more years to serve. Did he escape? How long has he been in town? What—
WHAM!
Mysterion was brought out of his thoughts when Trent suddenly headbutted him, taking advantage of his hesitation. As he released Trent and blinked back stars, the bully grabbed him and repeatedly slammed his fist into his stomach. Mysterion doubled over and threw up the coffee and doughnuts from earlier. A rough backhanded slap across the face sent Mysterion to the ground, where he lay in a crumpled heap.
"Mysterion!" Stan, Kyle and Cartman exclaimed.
Mysterion was stunned. He'd never been beaten up like this before. No wonder Trent had taken out Butters and the sixth graders so quickly!
"Not so tough now, are ya, Garbage Man?" Trent taunted.
The bully lifted Mysterion up by the collar of his sweatshirt and shoved him up against the wall of the building. He pulled his switchblade out of his jeans pocket and flipped it open, pressing the point against Mysterion's cheek. Before Mysterion could defend himself, Trent sharply cut him, leaving a long gash across his cheek. Mysterion gritted his teeth so he wouldn't cry out in pain as he felt the blood running down his face.
"Stop! Leave him alone!" Kyle yelled.
"Shut up, Kyle! You guys are next!" Trent snapped.
Mysterion racked his brains to think of a plan. Trent had turned the tables on him, and he wasn't sure if he had enough strength left to try and beat him. If he tried to keep fighting, Trent might find out his true identity or even beat him to death. He knew he'd come back to life the next day if he died, but Stan, Kyle and Cartman would be at Trent's mercy without protection until then.
"You ready to give up, Garbage Man?" Trent asked, raising Mysterion a little higher off the ground.
Mysterion glared at him, his decision made. He couldn't give up yet. He had to save his friends, no matter what Trent did to him.
"You wish," he answered bravely. "You may have won this fight, Trent, but have you forgotten how I handed your ass to you earlier?"
"I told you, you just got lucky! You—" Trent paused as he realized what Mysterion had said and looked at him suspiciously. "Wait, how do you know my name?"
"Everyone knows your name, Trent Boyett," Mysterion said quickly, hoping he hadn't blown his cover. "A boy who sets fire to his preschool and burns his teacher isn't easily forgotten."
"NO!" Trent screamed, making the four boys jump. "It's not my fault! It's THEIR fault!" He pointed to Stan, Kyle and Cartman. "THEY did this to me!"
"Hasn't anyone told you, Trent, that screaming like a little bitch isn't going to get you what you want in life?" Mysterion jeered.
Trent grew livid. "SHUT UP!"
He raised his knife to slash Mysterion again, but Mysterion bent his head forward and bit down on the hand holding him up. Trent let go of him as he lunged forward and Mysterion quickly swerved out of the way at the last second. Trent couldn't stop in time and ended up face-planting into the wall. He slid to the ground and lay there motionless.
Mysterion blankly stared at him, shaking and breathing heavily. He had done it. He'd actually defeated Trent Boyett. Again.
"Are you okay, K… Mysterion?" Kyle asked. He, Stan and Cartman cautiously stepped away from the fence, determining it was safe to move again.
"Yeah." Mysterion turned his back on Trent and gingerly wiped the blood off his cheek. "Yeah, I think so."
"You really kicked the shit out of him, dude!" Cartman exclaimed.
"Yeah, at first," Mysterion interjected. "Then I found out who he really was and he got the best of me. I don't know what happened. I've never frozen up like that in a fight before."
"Who cares? You fought him and won," Stan replied, trying to cheer him up. "It's over. We're safe!"
Mysterion considered this and nodded, feeling a little better. "Yeah, you're right. Well, I'll see you guys later. I better drag him to the police station while he's still unconscious."
Mysterion turned around, only to discover that Trent wasn't lying sprawled out at his feet anymore. He was gone. If it wasn't for the stray drops of blood from his bloody nose that were scattered all over the ground, it would have looked as though Trent had never been there at all.
"He's gone!" Kyle gasped, peering over Mysterion's shoulder to get a better look.
"Son of a— he was only pretending to be knocked out!" Mysterion exclaimed.
Mysterion ran out of the alley and looked left to right down the street. Unfortunately, he didn't see a glimpse of Trent anywhere. Stan, Kyle and Cartman followed, looking pale and trembling with fear.
The boys had no idea where Trent was now, but they knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before he came after them again.
"This isn't over yet, guys," Mysterion said gravely. "It's just getting started."
Hey everyone, sorry to have kept you waiting! I've been so busy the past few weeks with homework and rehearsals for a play that I haven't had time to write. Thanks again for the reviews and I'll have the next chapter out soon :)
On a side note, I'm really enjoying the new season of South Park so far. Maybe the boys should go to the DMV and confess the truth about Trent!