(A/n: Please enjoy)


Chapter 35: Making (No) Progress

"Have you calmed down yet?" Butters asks Craig softly, caressing the noirette's head that's resting on top of his shoulder. Butters, Craig, and Clyde are currently at their hangout spot, sitting on the sofa with Craig being in the middle so Butters and Clyde could comfort him; and to also keep him from leaving.

Closing his eyes, Craig sighs heavily. "I don't fuckin' know."

"You won't feel better until you kick that hunter's ass huh?" Clyde asks, grinning and nudging Craig's arm, who just grunts in reply. But Clyde knew to take that as a yes.

There is a comfortable yet tense mixture of silence, Clyde saying nothing else to break it much to Craig's liking. This gives him some time to think, mainly about their encounter with the vampire hunter. Just as Clyde said, he won't necessarily feel better until he got back at the bastard. However he knows it's not going to happen, the Principal, Mr. Akuma, Mr. Thorn, and...his brother will take him down with hardly any effort.

Or so he thought at first.

If so, Mr. Brimestone would've already came back on the intercom to announce their predicted victory long ago. Craig wonders what's taking them, could they be toying with the man? Torturing him perhaps? Since he claims to still have a humans heart, that could've easily been exploited. Seems they actually are toying or torturing the hunter, probably both for all he knows.

Suddenly, a little boy standing in a massive field of nothing but darkness appears in the blackness of Craig's eyelids. The boy's eyes are dull in color as they stare ahead at nothing, although rage is strongly clear in them. He grits his teeth and balls his hands into fists at his sides, then shouts,

"I wish I was born a human!"

As his voice echos throughout the empty space, the shadows swallow him into nothingness.

Craig slides his eyes open slightly as he bites down on his bottom lip. "...Can't believe I actually fucking said that back then." To say he feels foolish, even to this day, is an accurate statement. He was only a child, so he didn't know any better. He didn't know how great being a vampire was going to be. He quickly buries the past in the very depths of his mind and focuses back on present time, releasing a faint sigh, his lips going into a straight line.

He doesn't care to know how many other vampires Chris came across in the past before coming to this school, but what he does know is that the fo-three administrators are going to, if not already, give him absolute hell. Something a mere human heart can't handle. Though Craig can admit that the hunter seemed to have adjusted to his extraordinary strength professionally well, no matter if he adapted to it just to 'kill all of the bloodsucking scum off.' Considering he himself is one also.

"Hope they torture the shit outta him."

"You asleep?" Without any thinking, Craig shoots Clyde a middle finger, who yelps in pain startling Butters. "OW! You poked me in the eye asshole!"

Craig opens his eyes all the way and sits up massaging his stiff neck, having them shut previously combined with Butters' soft fingers in his hair made him quite sleepy. "My bad." He looks over at the brunette to see him hunched over covering his hurting eye with both hands. Craig turns his head to the side when he feels a few taps on his shoulder.

Butters leans toward his ear, hiding his mouth behind his hand. "You didn't really get him in the eye, he's just faking it."

"Shut up Butters! Yes he did!" Comes Clyde's muffled protest.

Craig rolls his eyes. "Whatever I'm sorry okay? Was deep in thought so I did it unconsciously."

Clyde eyes him with his one good eye for a moment, then sits up pointing to his closed eye. "Kiss it and I'll forgive you," he smiles cheekily.

Craig gives him a blank stare. "How about I flip off your other eye?"

Clyde lets out a horrified gasp, opening his supposed wounded eye. "You wouldn't." He blinks when he realizes what he'd done. "Oops..." He blinks, then smiles sheepishly.

"Idiot," Craig says, shaking his head with a small smile, Butters nodding his head in agreement.

Clyde shoots both of them the bird with a pout, then asks what they are going to do now. Craig shrugs whereas Butters suggests they head back into the school so they don't get in trouble again.

"We'll be fiiine," Clyde says, waving his hand dismissively. "Though I am surprised that they haven't killed the hunter yet, who knows what they're doin' to him." He shrugs. "But yeah since they haven't killed him yet, the Principal won't notice us gone so don't sweat it."

Butters frowns his lips slightly. "Hmm..." He just hums, believing Clyde's words to a partial extent.

Craig stands up, walking towards the hallway while stretching. "We'll sleep here then head back tomorrow." He yawns.

Butters and Clyde follow after him, the blonde pleased with the idea.


"When will it be oooover?"

"What's taking so long?"

"I wanna sleep already!"

Trent yawns amidst the complaining over each other within the gymnasium, wiping a stray tear away. The only administrators here are Mr. DeLorne, Dr. Kero, the male and female librarians he forgot the names of, the chick who works in the counseling office, and Coach McCormick, though he's in his office. Most likely sleeping.

"Ugh can they shut the hell up already? Whinin' ain't gonna solve anything," Trent thinks. Propping his elbow up on the bleacher he's laying his upper body on, he looks down at the court to see only three out of the six present adults trying to calm the students down. Seeing them getting just as frustrated makes him grin, though it appears lazy thanks to him being tired. He yawns once again, laying his arm along the bleacher so he can rest his head on it. He stares across at the other set of bleachers through half-lidded and blurry eyes, not paying attention to whom are in his line of sight until red and noticeable wild blonde locks are seen in his peripheral.

He rubs his eyes to look at the pair clearly, mild shock replacing exhaustion when he sees them calmly conversing with each other under the commotion.

Raising an eyebrow, Trent blinks. "The redhead bein' friendly with someone other than Kenny? Shocking." He lowers his eyebrow searching for said blonde as the shock slowly drains from his system, but he sees Kenny nowhere amongst the bunch of students, on neither side of the bleachers. He pushes the thought aside to quickly recall the night he witnessed Kyle blushing. He still wonders, from time to time, why that guy suddenly went red in the face. Was it something he said or did some random embarrassing thought just pop up in Kyle's head?

Dark eyes look at Tweek, seems he and Kyle had finished their idle chitchat. A small display of relief yet mixed with reluctance is shown on the blonde's weary face.

"Oh yeah," a thought just occurred to Trent. "I can ask him now." But then he frowns, his eyebrows knitting together. "What the hell was his name again? Know it starts with a 'T'." The moment he tries to remember where he heard the teen's name from, an unknown voice answers him inside his head.

"It's Tweek."

Blinking his eyes in slight confusion, Trent sits up and looks for the person who mentally said that, locking eyes with a pair of orange ones located one seat down from his right confirms that they were the one who spoke to him. Trent glares into the orbs. "Stay outta my head asshole," he warns the person sharply. For one, he doesn't know this guy and for him to be eavesdropping in his business, even though he had helpful intentions, doesn't sit well him.

Without a word, Joey looks away shrugging, not intimidated by the scowl however he doesn't want to start any trouble.

The lack of fear he failed to induce into the curly haired noirette pisses Trent off even more, ballsy son of a-...No, he'll let it slide. Just this once. The bastard is lucky.

"Tch." Trent directs his attention back to Tweek. "Yo Tweek," he stifles a burst of laughter when he sees Tweek overreact to the sound of his voice in his head. Joey glances at Trent through out the corner of his eye.

Trent composes himself when Tweek responds back. "W-Who are you? How do you know my-"

"Don't worry about it, I need to ask you a quick question."

Tweek is silent for a few seconds, slowly trying to identify the male's voice. He feels he's heard him somewhere before..."..O-okay, what is it?"

Trent sees Kyle looking over at Tweek for his startled behavior, his frown returns. "I swear if he gets in my way again..-" He thinks to himself, but shakes his head lightly, focusing on the matter at hand. "First, tell the redhead to piss off, I don't want him getting in our business." It takes a fleeting moment, but Tweek reassures Kyle for a second time since being in the gym that there's nothing wrong with him.

"Quit acting like you're his overprotective boyfriend."

"...Don't tell me they're actually goin' out," Trent wonders, recalling the one statement that somehow forced Kyle into an unexpected blushing state.

"What?"

Trent blinks his eyes with a surprised flutter. "Oh shit..." However the light pink coloring Tweek's pale cheeks confirms his speculations. "N-nothin', anyway you got him off your back?"

"Y-yeah."

"Alright, now I'm gonna come straight and out an' say it, and I want you to be honest. Did-"

Voices stop a few seconds after a rattling sound comes from one of the double doors. Opening both doors and walking in is a big group consisting of Principal Brimestone, Mr. Edgewood, Mr. Thorn, Ms. Biggle, and Mr. Ashton followed by the other teachers and staff. Damien immediately goes over to where Christophe is, who was somehow sleeping soundly amid the whiny chatter only to be woken up by his boyfriend. Micheal, Henrietta, and Luther walk and stand in the middle of the basketball court.

"Tch, what perfect timing," Trent thinks irritably at the interruption.

"I have good news, and I guess some bad news," Micheal declares, sounding uncertain if the vampire hunter still being alive is actually bad news or not. It's not to him since he knows who's dealing with him. "First the good news, you all can go back to your rooms. Classes will resume tomorrow or the day after, it all depends." The students as well as the teachers express their gratitude, a lot of people are going to be sleeping in late today. "Now the bad news," silence returns after hearing that, very slowly growing tense with anticipation at their Principal's next set of words. "The hunter is still alive, but!" He quickly adds before he's interrupted. "He's currently up against Kurai, who's presumably toying with him before killing him." The creeping anxiousness disappears completely. "I assigned two teachers to look and keep an eye on them. So, if there aren't any questions then everybody may leave now."


"You don't mind d-doin' somethin' for us, d-do you?"

Kenny stares at Stan's shaking form closely. "Like what exactly?"

Stan opens his mouth to answer, but sneezes instead. He rubs his reddening nose with the back of his hand with a sniffle, Gary grimacing in disgust at the action. "It's too fucking cold out here! We're gonna get sick at this rate." And catching a cold is something Stan really does not want right now, his escape plan would be thoroughly ruined if either one of them fell ill. Another thing, the main thing, he doesn't want to happen. He rubs his hands up and down his arms, hoping to at least lessen the goosebumps on his skin with the minimal warmth in his palms. "I-if it's not too m-much, c-can you-" He is interrupted by another sneeze. He groans irritably as he wipes the snot leaking out from his nostrils with back of his hand once again.

Kenny frowns at him in slight worry, noticing that Stan as well as Ike and Gary aren't wearing jackets. "Why didn't any of you wear a jacket?"

"T-they didn't give us enough time to get them," Ike mutters, shivering. Stan envies both him and Gary, they're obviously just as cold as he is yet they aren't sneezing. What the hell is up with that?

"Well, even though it's cold in the school too it's better than being out here." Kenny pauses, knitting his eyebrows together slightly as he looks back at Stan. "Unless you wanted me to send guys back to your rooms?"

Stan shakes his head. "N-no, i-it's something else." He sneezes again, Ike slowly moves away from him.

Kenny furrows his brows more. "Then what?"

Stan sniffles then lets out a breath, nose a bright red and cheeks flushing a rosy pink. He looks to Ike and Gary. "O-one of you tell him for m-me."

Gary gives him a troubled frown. "I think we should forget about doing this, you-"

"Screw that," Stan cuts him off with a weak scowl, lowering his arms down to sides with his hands in the form of fists. "We are going through with this." He did not stutter even once when he spoke, it was as if interjecting Gary's lack of faith in them escaping warmed up his body with a spark of anger.

"What're you two talkin' about?" Kenny asks, eying back and forth between Stan and Gary. Ike stood awkwardly in the middle of the two in silence. Lessening his glare, Stan breaks eye contact to return his attention to the confused blonde sitting on the ground.

"Can you drop us, Gregory, and Pip out here down in front of the school?" After some passing seconds, just when Kenny is about to decline the bizarre idea Stan adds in, "I can't explain it, just can you do it for us? Please?" In a desperate tone.

Kenny stares deep into Stan's eyes, who should've looked away because the vampire's orbs start to glow in a subdued honey color. Stan sees this, and briskly looks away and down at the ground, however a little too late. "Oh I see now," Kenny's eyes dim back to their original color, frowning at what he discovered. "So the reason you want my help is so you guys can leave the school, but for good."

Ike and Gary appear bashful while Stan makes a face as if he'd messed up big time. He grips his icy, pale arms coated with goosebumps, still refusing to meet Kenny's eyes. "Y-yeah, but you understand why right?"

Kenny gazes past the fence, a breeze of chilly air ruffling a few strands of his hair. "Kinda, I'm not human but I understand how it feels to be outta place."

Stan raises his head a bit, hesitantly looking at Kenny. "So then..you'll help us?"

"No," is Kenny's immediate reply.

Disbelief shows strong on Stan's face as he lifts his head up. "What?! Why?!"

Heaving a sigh, Kenny narrows his eyes. "I get why you wanna leave, but what I don't get," he glares softly at the trio. "Is your lack of care."

There is a seconds long silence as confusion inches it's way onto Stan's face, combining with his incredulity. "What?"

"He's referring to Tweek," Ike says in a regretful voice.

"Yeah," Kenny stands up, legs fine from being seated in the same position for so many minutes. He looks solely at Stan. "I misjudged you. You don't look like the selfish type, is what I thought when I first saw you," he hardens his glare, making Stan flinch. "All humans are selfish. You'll do whatever's necessary to save your own skin, not giving a damn about anyone else in the process."

Stan feels himself glaring back, heat slowly resurfacing within his body. "You vampires aren't any better! And besides, how the hell am I selfish if I'm taking the rest of my friends with me?"

"Oh, so Tweek's not your friend anymore?" Kenny asks calmly. Stan's body goes rigid. "You don't wanna be friends with a vampire, is that it?"

Stan quickly composes himself to answer. "T-that's not it...-"

"Then what is it Stan?" Kenny presses, voice rising a little. "What else could possibly be the reason you won't take Tweek with you, huh?" Stan doesn't answer, looking equally uncomfortable as Ike and Gary as he looks off to the side, his black bangs hanging past his eyes. Kenny forms his lips into a line. "I bet you didn't even tell him, were you even planning to?"

Stan clenches his arms shakily. "You're right, I didn't tell him," he admits in a whisper. "What good would it have done if he knew we were gonna return home without him? He can't go back, and I'm sure he knows it too."

Kenny eyes him sadly, his expression of anger disappearing.

"Ahem!"

All eyes look towards the doorway, standing just one foot away from stepping outside are Gregory and Pip, Pip's eyes appearing glossy. "Sorry to interrupt the serious moment you all were having, but we need to go," Gregory says.

"How'd you know we were up here?" Stan questions.

Gregory eyes Stan's, Ike's, and Gary's pale appearance for a short while, the older noirette evidently coming down with a cold thanks to his flushed face. "I'll answer as we move, a search team is looking for you three, and it won't be long until they notice the increased drop in temperature inside and come up here." Kenny pouts faintly at his exclusion as the group heads back into the building, him being the one to close the door behind them. They descend the stairs.

"Y-you two didn't see the hunter anywhere?" Ike asks, shivering with a sharp intake of breath at the shift in coldness. It was extremely cold outside.

"No," Gregory shakes his head. "We were with the search team up until just a few minutes ago, wandering the halls until we managed to sneak away. But would one of you like to tell me why no one told me to meet up on the rooftop before I left? In fact, how did any of you know it was unlocked?" He gives Stan, Ike, and Gary a corner-eyed glare, then faces forward with a sigh when he doesn't receive an answer from either of them. They step down a few more steps before getting off of the last one, they turn right, and walk straight down the hallway. "Well whatever, it was a bit difficult to find you guys so I hope you have something else in mind Stanley. Or are you still insistent on convincing the hunter to help us? When we don't even know where the guy is, including the fact that he's a vampire himself."

"Whoa what?!" Kenny exclaims. "Are you fuckin' crazy?!"

"Y-yeah, we're still gonna use the hunter," Stan murmurs, blinking his eyes rapidly to hopefully clear away the distorting floor in his vision.

Gregory shakes his head again with another sigh. "I should've figured as much." He stops walking, and the rest follow suit. He turns around to face them, looking at Stan. "I hate to tell you this, but you'd best think up another plan. A second group went off to see what was taking Principal Brimestone and the other teachers so long to kill the hunter."

Stan's eyes widen, not wanting to believe what Gregory just informed them. "..What?"

"Look, just forget about it alright?" Kenny tries to reason. "It ain't worth the punishment if the Principal finds out about what you guys have been planning when it fails, plus you're not in good condition to-"

"N-no..." Stan's body starts to tremble, the majority cause being the frigid air around them. Without another word, he pushes his near frozen legs into moving, running down the hallway with hopes that he was going in the direction of the main doors. However deep down, he knows he's going in the opposite direction of the entrance.

"Stan!" Pip, Ike, and Gary call out, their eyes as well as Gregory's and Kenny's gaping at Stan's back.

"That fucking idiot," Gregory grumbles, glaring at the noriette's gradually shrinking figure.

"I'll go after him." Kenny takes off after Stan, quickly closing the gap between them.

Panicking upon hearing approaching footsteps behind him, Stan turns a corner, Kenny calling his name as he does the same shortly after, leaving the four teens by themselves.

"N-now what?" Ike sneezes.

Not long after Ike's query, someone shouts out "Oi!" to the group. Gregory simply breathes out a heavy sigh while shaking his head.

There is absolutely no way they're making it back to South Park now...


*About an hour or so earlier*

"Micheal!" Henrietta and her group saw only three men idling in the center of the foyer. "What the hell are you three doing just standing here for? Where's Kurai and the vampire hunter?" She scanned around, growing suspicious of the absence of blood. Even though she herself knew that if there was even a smidgen of the red liquid anywhere, she would've thrown a fit. But seeing as how they were up against an enemy, she would've let it slide.

"Oh Henrietta," Micheal greeted the woman with a small smile, which earned him a skeptical glare from topaz colored eyes. "Don't worry, they've taken their fight elsewhere, although I do question why Kurai hasn't ended it already. Must be enjoying torturing the guy way too much." He shook his head, amused.

"Who said I was worried?" Henrietta scoffed. "I just want him to hurry the hell up so I can get some fucking sleep."

"I know right? Takin' his sweet ass time," Damien agreed grumpily. Leon covered up a yawn.

"Well we haven't heard any commotion during this time since they left, so I guess it's okay to head back to our rooms," Micheal said.

"Hmmm, I dunno," Leon muttered, looking doubtful. "We aren't for certain which room Kurai and the hunter are in to just leave it at that."

Micheal crossed his arms in thought. "Okay, how about this then, but first who would like their initial salary increased?" Almost immediately more than five hands went up, not bothering to ask any questions. Micheal nearly laughed at their eagerness as well as Henrietta's along with some others' faces of bewilderment. "Alright, I need 2 people to search and keep a very close eye on Kurai. However long it takes for him to finish, will be accumulated into your next paycheck. Like say for example it takes Kurai three hours, which I pray doesn't actually take him that long, then your next pay will be tripled the normal amount you've been making. Sounds like a pretty good deal, no?" More hands shot upward at that, this time making Micheal laugh. They looked like children who've been given a chance to do extra credit in class. "I'll choose, also this is a one time thing so don't expect this again in the future."

After Micheal, blindly, selected the two he wanted to spy on Kurai, they went out to get started. Both were males. Meanwhile the ones that weren't picked, grumbled or either appeared greatly disappointed to have missed this once in a lifetime opportunity.

"Alright, let's go," Micheal walked the way towards the gymnasium. "I'm sure everyone will be elated to hear that they can finally sleep now." The others trailed behind him.

"Regret not volunteering? Cuz I do, even if I'm tired as hell," Damien commented.

Henrietta shook her head, expressing how ridicules this had gotten. "You better know what you're doing." Micheal responded with a grin, sensing this made her shake her head again with an eye roll.

(A/n: I hope you enjoyed and the next chapter will be up soon)