One almost expected to see the school halls lined with balloons and streamers upon Stan's return. The only thing that was dotting the halls was half conversations and rumors of what Stan did, what his friends did, what that mad scientist did to them, and that Wendy made him do it. People would stop taking when one of the group would appear. Replaced with smiles, some more genuine than others, and well wishes for Stan and Kyle.
Wendy would get different reactions. Everyone saw the outburst on the playground, and everyone heard the rumors after. Stan almost died for her and was she doing enough? Consequences be dammed for theft and property destruction! The real speculation was making sure Wendy being a good enough girlfriend.
Cartman stood in front of his locker, a group of kids in front of him. "So, after he gave Kyle another ass, I convinced the mad scientist to give me this sweet body as a reward for totally saving Stan's life. Remember Stan?"
Already this shit, Stan had been back in school for about thirty seconds. "I don't remember that night, I actually lost a big chunk of my memory from after than on."
The other kids looked at Stan sympathetically. A few murmurs of that's ok, you dear sweet boy, does Kyle actually have another ass, and we're happy you're back. Stan could at least revel in this attention while Kyle sputtered in protest.
"I'm just happy to be here with my girlfriend and best friends." Stan announced, putting his arm around Wendy's shoulder.
Wendy ignored the awkward stares and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I have to take care of something, I'll be right back." This was not the attention she wanted, she looked for a way to escape.
Just then Mr. Mackey came out of his office. "Welcome back Stan! Just the group I wanted to see, mmkay. Since you're now in the classified as special needs student for the time being, you get to pick some classmates to be your emotional support buddies. They will be there to guide you to get adjusted back into school and any needs."
Stan blinked. Special needs? that was over the top, who's bright idea was that? "Ok I pick Wendy, Kyle, and...Kenny I guess."
"Mmmkay, I'll have to give your emotional support buddies some quick training along with special passes to be able to leave class and the school when you're having a hard time. Wait right here, Stan. There's only so much room." Mr. Mackey led Stan's friends into his cluttered office. Kyle protesting, Wendy embarrassed, Kenny surprised to be included, and Cartman surprised to be excluded.
Cartman raised his hand. "Mr. Mackey, I should also have an emotional support buddy pass because I saved Stan and all."
"Nope. No way, fatass." Stan shook his head a little too fast, making him slightly dizzy.
"Now Eric it's Stan's choice of who he wants for emotional support. I'll be right back, mmmkay." Mr. Mackey said as he led Kyle, Wendy, and Kenny into his office and closed the door, leaving Cartman and Stan in the hall. The group Cartman held before started to disperse.
"As you can see, Stan I'm not fucking fat anymore." Cartman gestured to his body. "Or is that part of your new fake disability?"
"You'll always be fat to me." Stan shrugged. "Anyway, I'm fine, this is embarrassing."
"But think about the possibilities, we could use this to our advantage." Cartman grinned, rubbing his hands together.
Butters bounded up to the boys, nearly tripping trying to pull something out of his backpack. "Hiya Stan, it's swell to see you're alive and all! Sorry I wasn't there."
Stan crossed his arms. "You weren't invited, Butters. We didn't want you there."
"Oh well I'm awfully sorry. I made you a card, get well soon." Butter grinned handing Stan a green envelope.
Stan took the decorated card, and ripped it open, glitter and confetti falling on his coat and the floor.
"No money?" Stan shook the card one last time before tossing it over his shoulder.
"Well I spent all last night making that for you and I thought you would like it." Butters stammered.
"I was injured, kidnapped, almost killed, and in the hospital and you think some glitter is to make me feel better?" Stan shot back.
"I'm awfully sorry, Stan. How can I make it up to you?" Butters asked.
"Money." Stan held out his hand.
"I- ah, all I have is my lunch money and I need it or I can't have lunch for the next week and if I lose it my parents will ground me."
"Like I care, Butters. Money now." Stan held his hand out even more aggressively.
Butters hesitated but took out twenty dollars and handed it over. Stan grabbed it and stuffed it in his pocket, walking off.
"I'm helping! Great to have you back, Stan." Butters shouted after him down the hall.
Stan walked towards his locker, kids looking at him whispering confused but still smiling and giving well wishes.
Cartman caught up with him. "Oh my god, that was awesome. Can I have one of those ok buddy retard passes too? You must be super special since they don't give out prizes for being Jimmy or Timmy's friends."
"Oh, so now being my friend is worth something to you?" Stan said dryly.
"What do you mean, we've always been super cool. Now that I'm all thin and buff we could own this school. Watch this." Cartman walked over to Scott Malkinson. "Hey Scott, don't you want to talk to Stan?"
Scott smiled warmly. "Hey, Stan. It's great to see you back to normal. I've been in and out the hospital many times if you need someone to talk to."
Stan's eyes narrowed. "What did you just call me?"
"What? I was just saying..."
Stan grabbed the collar of Scott's shirt and pushed him against the locker. "Don't ever call me normal, or average, or boring ever again!"
Scott gave a little yelp, dropping everything he was carrying, homework, lunchbox, insulin. "I- I'm sorry, Stan. I was trying to be nice, you're usually so nice..."
Cartman cackled as he helped hold up Scott. "Yeah Stan has brain trauma and you just insult him like that? You insensitive prick, like you would know what it's like to be different. That's it, Scott, give Stan you lunch money."
Scott squirmed to try and get out of Stan's grasp. "But guys I don't carry lunch money. My mom packs me a special lunch to control my diabetes. I'm sorry, Stan."
"Oh look at me, I'm Scott Malkinson, I have a lisp and diabetes. I have no money and act shitty to people." Stan taunted back, shoving Scott once more.
"I'm sorry Stan. I'll do whatever you want. Want me to carry your books? Give you my lunch? Insulin? Anything please!" Scott pleaded.
"Anything?" Stan let go of Scott's shirt letting him fall to the floor. "Ok in class today take notes and get my homework and do it for me."
"Yes sir!" Scott picked up his belongings and ran off.
"Oh my god this is so awesome. I knew this is why I hated you the least. We can get away with anything. These idiots can't tell the difference because they love us so much." Cartman reached up to high-five Stan, but Stan left his hand dropped.
"Why do you think you can do whatever you want? Obviously, I'm the one everyone cares about. Why would I need you for anything?" Stan deadpanned.
"What do you mean, we are the two HEROS of the school. All Kyle's rumors deal with multiple assses."
Stan grimaced, but it's not like Kyle fully didn't deserve it. "I see you're trying to capitalize on my fame. I'll tell them it was your fault."
Cart Man's eyes narrowed. "Like you remember anything, Stan."
"I-" Stan thought a moment. "Even if you cheated to lose weight, and I got hit on the head, and Kyle might have multiple asses, I'm better than you in every way. Better looking, more athletic, more popular, better friends, better girlfriend."
Cartman flipped off Stan. "Well you know what, fuck you, Stan. You'll regret that asshole. You son of a bitch, you'll regret trying to steal my thunder."
"Oh my god Cartman you're picking on Stan? He just got back to school!" Kyle yelled shoving at Cartman.
Kenny rolled his eyes to the scene he came back to. He went to stand next to his secondary friend Craig. He leaned against the locker fiddling with his new get out of class free pass. It was pretty sweet, even if he knew he got his as an afterthought. He was no one's number one choice in that group.
The boys watched as another argument broke out between Kyle and Cartman. Craig had been silently watching the entire thing. "Dude was Stan always such a dick and no one noticed? He's running around beating up kids, taking their lunch money and insulin."
Kenny shrugged, putting his buddy pass in his hoodie. "I mean yeah he's a dick but also...he's not right in the head? Not just brain damaged, something is really off with him and I'm thinking everyone's overlooking that."
Craig rolled his eyes. "Yeah I thought so. Just know if he tries that shit with me, I'll kick his ass. Brain damage or not."
Wendy stared in horror at Kyle and Cartman's argument while Stan laughed. "Stan do something!" Wendy shrieked.
"Fine, fine. Scott, break them up." Stan said pointing.
"Me what do you want me to do?" Scott stammered.
"You're in their weight class, I'm sure you can figure out something." Stan waved his hand dismissively.
Scott started going up to the fighting boys but was knocked back by a well-timed elbow from Kyle.
"Owwww! I bit my tongue!" Scott cried.
"I didn't mean that!" Wendy yelled at Stan. She got down and helped Scott up.
Kenny hesitated to get in the middle of the fighting when his friends had been such shit heads that morning. Luckily the school bell rang, the fight breaking up by kids shuffling into their classroom.
The kids took their seats as Mr. Garrison stood at the front of classroom. "Before our lesson today, Mr Mackey is making me talk to the class about trauma. Which I guess means running away from home and getting kidnapped by a pedophilic mad scientist."
Kyle slammed the top of his desk. "He was not a pedophile, he saved us from that snowstorm."
"I don't know, Kyle I knew it had to do with asses or something." Mr. Garrison drawled.
"Ugh, goddamit! I do not have any extra asses!" Kyle groaned.
Cartman raised his hand. "I'm suffering emotional trauma from Kyle's multiple asses, I think I can't do anything today. I think I need an ok buddy retard pass to leave school."
"No Eric, sit down." Mr. Garrison said.
Take advantage. If Cartman couldn't get away with it, maybe Stan could. He raised his hand. "I think me and my emotional support buddies need to leave school. I'm not feeling so good and Kyle needs help with his extra asses."
Mr. Garrison sighed. "Sure, Stanley. Whatever you want."
Cartman made squeaky protest noises while Kenny jumped up happily, Kyle carefully got up still grumbling under his breath. Wendy hesitated but looked over at her classmates looking at her expectantly. "We'll get our homework to take home, right Stan?"
Stan nodded. "Of course, I already talked to Scott Malkinson about it. Four copies of homework by tomorrow, right?"
Scott grimaced, already nursing a black eye and bit tongue but nodded back as Stan and his friends got up and left the classroom.
Stan stretched as he walked out of the school building. "I could use some pizza."
"Stan it's nine in the morning-" Wendy started to say.
Stan ignored her, grabbed her hand and took off running, his other friends following behind.
Whistling Willy's was empty expect for a few bored employees behind the counter and Whistling Willy himself greeting customers. They ordered pizza and Wendy sat across from Stan watching him eat. They had each taken one piece, but Stan was on his third.
He looked fine. He was fine. Looked the same as ever. When she looked at Stan, she could see how cute he was, even with pizza grease on his face. But she couldn't help but think of all the dumb things he'd done in the past and what an ass he was acting like now.
Even if she never talked to him again, even if he pissed her off, even if they broke up, she never wanted anything bad to happen to him. She didn't want this. None of them wanted it. Kenny was looking down, picking at his pizza. Even with perks involved the price seemed too high.
Kyle tried to make conversation. "So, Stan do you want to play some video games, ski ball, or anything else?"
Stan paused and took a sip of his soda. "I don't know, Kyle I just want to spend time with Wendy. Maybe I shouldn't have invited you."
Kyles eyes narrowed but he said nothing, Kenny was the one who raised his eyebrows at the exchange.
Wendy smile tightened on her lips. "Let's do what you want, Stan."
"Oooh whatever I want, I have an idea. Something romantic." Stan said with a devilish grin. He wiped his mouth and grabbed Wendy's hand again, leading her through the indoor playground, past the swings and slides, crawling through a tunnel of the playhouse towards the top.
Wendy followed annoyed she was the one dragged everywhere, until they were high above looking down at the restaurant. Normally the view would show kids playing, but since it was a slow weekday mid-morning, they can only see Kyle and Kenny still sitting at the table in shock. Wendy and Stan were secluded behind a barrier of thick plastic and colorful climbing rope.
Wendy leaned back against the wall. Stan put his arm around her, and Wendy didn't have time to react as his lips pressed against hers.
She tried to relax and lean in. The kiss was soft, it was tender. But something was off about it.
Wendy opened her eyes and looked back at Stan, he smiled at her expectantly. His eyes reflecting an uncanny blue.
"Well, how was that?" Stan asked.
"That was fine." Wendy muttered. It was Stan's typical cute smile, but something about the way he was looking at her gave her the creeps. She was sure any nice kiss between them would be ruined by guilt, but it was her anger that was crashing the party.
"That's it?"
Wendy shrugged. "So so, average I guess."
Stan frowned. "Don't say that, this was all for you."
"Excuse me?" Wendy scooted away from Stan.
"All this", Stan gestured to Whistling Willy's and all this Stan gestured to himself. "I went through hell for you."
"I know, Kenny told me, Bebe told me, and the whole school has told me. You severely injured yourself while trying to burn down a building for me. How romantic." Disgusted, Wendy got up and looked for an exit.
"You should be grateful." Stan growled at her.
"I'm grateful you and your friends are ok, I'm grateful you're alive, but I'm not sure what else you think I should be grateful for." Wendy spotted a slide and went down it, she found herself in a ball pit.
"I can't believe they still have one of these things." Wendy muttered. She stood up, pushing the colorful balls around her trying to get the exit. "I thought they got rid of ball pits because kids kept throwing up in them."
Stan has landed on his stomach, getting up in a hurry to try and follow her. "See I got fixed somehow, I don't know why but I no longer puke around you! That has to count for something. Don't get mad, kiss me again."
Stan tried to lean in again, but Wendy shoved him away. "No! I don't know what's happened to you but you're different. You're selfish, you're mean, you're entitled. You might have others fooled, but you're not the Stan I know."
"What? I'm better than I was before. I can't believe this, is there somebody else? You've already been with Token and Cartman before my eyes." Stan tried to hug Wendy again, but he fell back as she pushed forward.
"No! That's not it at all. If I wanted to keep kissing someone who was acting like Cartman I wouldn't be breaking up with you right now!" The words escaped Wendy's mouth before she had time to think. But it was out in the open. The enviable breakup had finally risen to the surface.
Stan's anger faltered for a moment. "What, Wendy please, I'll do anything. I'll change however you want me to. I'll be whoever you want me to be."
Wendy sighed, gently pulling forward through the ball pit. "I would never want you to do that, Stan. No one deserves to be treated like a prop or an object. But that's how you have been treating me. We can't even be friends, let alone partners if you can't even look past yourself to see me as a person.
"I'll do anything, don't go Wendy. I'll do anything." Stan crawled after Wendy practically swimming in the ball pit, but she had reached the exit.
She had one foot and arm out of the exit, she stopped climbing out to look back at him. "Sorry Stan, I can't be with you anymore. I- I wish you well. Please be careful and take care of yourself." Wendy took off her emotional support buddy pass and left it at the exit to the ball pit.
"Fuck you then, Wendy. I can do what I want. I can get any girl I want; I don't need you bitch!" Stan screamed after her before he slunk into the ball pile, allowing himself to get buried. He would never give her the satisfaction of getting the last word.
A moment later Kyle popped through the exit to find Stan "You ok dude? I heard screaming and saw Wendy leave in a hurry."
Stan didn't move. "Everything was for nothing. Wendy just dumped me again." He said more to the bottom of the ball pit than to Kyle himself.
"Well I'm sorry about that but it was not all for nothing. We saved a bunch of animals, right?" Kyle offered as he climbed in.
"Oh fuck you, Kyle. This was all supposed to be for Wendy. Who cares about those animals, let them rot for all I care. What happened to me looking like a brave hero?" Stan jumped up clumsily.
"Jesus, dude are you ok? I know you're angry, but I've never heard you say something like that." Kyle went to put a hand on Stan's shoulder to try and steady his friend, but Stan violently shook him off, pushing him into the ball pile.
"No don't touch me, don't talk to me, don't go near me, I don't need any sympathy from you, Kyle. I know all you do is thrive on sympathy, it's how Jews control everything! "
Kyle stepped back at the Jew comment. He took a deep breath; Stan was acting like this because he was still hurt. "Stan, calm down you don't mean that. You're just upset. Come on, we'll take you home."
"Leave me alone you fucking Jew pussy. Screw you guys, I'm going home." Stan shoved Kyle once more, finally climbing out of the ball pit and leaving the restaurant.
Kenny poked his head into the ball pit. "What was that?"
Kyle picked himself up and brushed off his coat. "That was Stan, being pissed off. Wendy dumped him again."
Kenny held out his hand to help Kyle get out. "I heard the Jew remark. Kyle why are you letting him get away with that? You never let anyone treat you like that. Something is seriously wrong with Stan."
"I know he's hurt and recovering and I should-" Kyle started to explain.
Kenny shook Kyle. "Kyle are you really so blind? He doesn't even want to be around you. That was not Stan, I'm not sure what that was. What exactly happened that night? No bump on the head could have caused that."
"I gotta go." Kyle couldn't look at Kenny as he rushed out the door. Being left alone, Kenny thought for a moment of what to do next when one of the Whistling Willy's employees came up to him.
"Hello, sir. You forgot to pay your bill."
Kenny overturned his empty pockets. "Oh shit."
Kyle ran out of the restaurant, thinking where Stan would go. Maybe it was true, Stan didn't want Kyle around him.
Kyle thought he did everything right. He made sure Maphesto had all the information from him to save Stan's life, memory, and personality. But something hadn't gone right. Did Cartman write in Stan hated Jews and animals? Or did Cartman self centeredly write about himself that Maphesto took that info for Stan's personality?
Kyle walked back to school; recess time was starting soon. As soon as that bell rang, he would grab Cartman and get the truth out of him.
Kyle stood at the edge between the forest and playground. He heard rustle of trees and saw something familiar scamper away out of the corner of his eye. It was one of little bunnies Stan had been trying to save from Glimmer Corp. Kyle chased after it but the scared little thing hopped away.
Kyle pulled out some gram crackers from his lunch. Ticking his tongue softly he managed to corner the bunny in the alley behind the school and scoop it up in his backpack. The bunny shuddered at first but relaxed as it ate a handful of crushed up gram crackers out of Kyle's hand.
The last time they had this bunny was when Stan has been normal. It still had sores on its face and body, and the rabbit looked awfully thin. They hadn't taken care of these animals at all. Maybe a trip to the vet would jar Stan out of whatever was wrong with him.
A tree shook behind him, snow falling off the branches to the ground. Kyle froze, he felt like he was being watched. He looked past the branches to the top of the trees. A glint of eyes shone back, something very familiar about them.
"Stan?" Kyle called out.
Maybe Stan was angry and went for a walk in the woods. Had he climbed a tree in his pissed off state?
Whoever it was it stepped back into the clearing. Too quick to be someone in the tree, but too tall to be Randy, defiantly too tall to be Stan. Kyle held Stan's bunny under his jacket as he followed into the woods.
"Stan? Hey, come out, it's me Kyle. I'm not mad. I just want to make sure you're ok."
A tree rustled as a beast came out from behind it. The creature had ears and snout of a pig, bear body covered in black fur, and five assess out on display. A sweep of black bangs curled slightly across its forehead and blue eyes. Very familiar blue eyes.
"Stanbearpig? What the fuck?" Kyle said in disbelief as he watched the creature take off running into the woods.
Author's Note: I'm baaack. I'm finishing this story as well. Chapter 11: Bad Moon Rising coming out February 5, 2021.