So, because I mapped out the rest of the story, I can now upload twice a week! Love to actually have a plan.

South Down: They sure are. To say what they want has yet to be discovered.

. . .

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On the morning of the PTA day, it was only natural that the handpicked students to help set up the gymnasium included many unwilling fourth-graders. Considering the meeting included students, PC wanted to include a bigger variety of both snacks and seating areas. Including gym mats for the younger grades, coffee for the adults, and...

"Mott's apple juice?" Cartman complained, looking at the drinks he was helping Kyle unbox. "The parents get to pig out and we get this crap?"

"This sucks," Kyle said, unpacking more juice boxes and putting them on the table. "The whole reason PC is having us come to this stupid meeting is so the school can hear our complaints, but we do that all the time."

"You think you do? That's all I do!" Cartman complained. "I've asked over and over. More time for lunch, more club meetings, fewer gingers in the cafeteria."

Kyle angrily slammed the juice boxes back into the box.

Kenny helped Stan move a gym mat in front of the chairs others were setting up. They placed it at the feet of the front row where the kindergartners and first graders could make themselves comfortable later that night by their parents' sides.

"I don't know if I like PC's idea of including us in a PTA meeting," Stan said. When it came to the parents debating, Stan hardly wanted to be involved.

"They might take us seriously," Kenny proposed.

"Or throw us under."

Clyde Donovan came and placed an open-fold chair by another in the row. Stopping his work as he came and tapped Kenny on the shoulder. "Hey, Kenny. You know that new fifth-grade kid?"

"Yeah?"

"I heard he dealt you a Playboy. For free." Clyde said. He was one of the few other boys in the class aside from Kenny who was starting to gain interest in that stuff. "You think you can hook me up?"

Kenny frowned behind his coat. "No, sorry dude."

"Oh, come on! Aren't you guys like buddies?"

"No," Kenny said, kicking at the gym mat gently so it was in place. "We're not buddies."

Clyde sighed, walking of in rejection as Stan noticed his friend's frustration. "Dude, what happened?"

"My parents freaked out. I can't talk to him." Ironically at that same time, the fifth-grader in dark robes walked in while helping another carry an extra table for snacks. "Oh, crap."

Stan observed the robe, thinking familiarly. "Y'know, that reminds me. Remember when we played superheroes-?"

"Fellas, fellas!" Butters interrupted as he came running in. Kyle and Cartman followed him as the frantic boy came to Stan and Kenny. "I heard more about that new kid."

Kenny wasn't up for it. "Butters, I don't-"

"Fifth-grader Tommy says that Braxton kid wears that hood because of some cult."

Stan tapped Kenny. "Dude, that's what I was thinking. When we played superheroes we found your parents on the internet with that freakish group. Cuta-hulu, or something."

"So?" Kenny had long forgotten about that. In fact, he wanted to forget about that. That was the only time he tried to tell his friends about his curse and he promised himself he'd never try that again. "That's my parents, not me."

"I don't know," Cartman said. "Redneck blood goes a long way. So does cult life."

"Shut up, Cartman." Kyle said, grabbing the mat. "Help me move this."

At Tegridy farms, Stan sat at his kitchen table, looking through an old book on South Park's religious and spiritual history. He'd pushed his homework aside to do his own research though hardly any of what he was trying to find came up.

Sharon washed the dishes, looking over at her youngest. "What're you looking for, honey?"

"I don't know," he said, looking up. "Mom, were there ever any cults in South Park?"

That caused Sharon to turn around. "I'm not sure. South Park has a long history. Why?"

"Some new kid at my school," Stan said. "He's always wearing a black robe. People are saying he's part of a cult."

"That may just be part of this religion, Stanley. People wear different clothes for their beliefs all the time."

Randy entered through the kitchen's archway, his ear catching the conversation part-way through. "What beliefs?"

"A new boy at Stanley's school," Sharon explained, putting a stack of soapy dishes on a tea towel to her left. "He wears a black robe all day."

"Huh," Randy said, taking a seat across from his son. "Nelson use to come into the office wearing stuff like that sometimes."

That rang an interest for Stan as he looked up at his father. Suddenly recalling seeing Nelson's face as a part of the group during their Coon and Friends run-in. "Peter Nelson?"

"Yeah, he said they were for 'ceremony' days."

"I didn't know Peter was religious," Sharon said.

"He isn't," Randy clucked. "Made some commitment to a spiritual group years ago. Seems like a cult, to me."

Stan closed his book in fascination while Sharon turned around. "I don't know if I trust that," she said, taking away Stan's dirtied plate from dinner. "A spiritual group starting up in Colorado? It sounds too...motivated."

"Probably not the first time," Randy said. "He offered to bring me to a ritual once. I don't know who would be crazy enough to get involved in that stuff."

"You think they involve kids?" Stan asked.

"Pffft, I hope not."

"Stan, you don't need to be involved in that stuff," Sharon dismissed. "Put your books away, we're gonna be late for the PTA meeting."

Faculty greeted parents and kids into the gymnasium that night. The Marshes and Broflvoski's arrived simultaneously, following the Donovans in as PC and Strong Woman welcomed them. The McCormicks came in right after as Kenny followed his father and Carol held Karen in her arms. Kevin, being in middle school, got the lucky ticket of getting to stay home. Kenny would kill to be the eldest sometimes.

Carol thanked the principal and vice principal, following her family in as she let Karen go who was urgent to go meet with her first-grade friends. Stuart observed the room, seeing amongst the crowd particular ones who stood out in their black robes. Braxton and his family talked with some faculty members.

Carol nervously watched the family Stuart also had his eye on. He took his wife's shoulder gently and ushered her the other way. "C'mon, Carie.."

They met with a familiar group of parents as Sharon greeted them. "Carol, Stuart, how're you?"

"Just fine," Carol offered a fake smile. "I like this whole PTA with the kids, idea."

"Kinda pushing it a little," Randy said.

Gerald curled his lip. "I thought you were PC."

"I am PC but our kids aren't mindfully involved enough to be making decisions for this school."

"You think so?"

Kenny tugged at his father's pants in boredom. "I'm gonna go see Stan and Kyle."

Stuart nodded. "Yeah, okay.."

He wandered off, pushing through the tight crowd to find Stan and Kyle talking to Clyde. "Hey, guys."

"Hey," Clyde said, sliding closer to Kenny as he whispered through the side of his lips. "So, about that magazine.."

"I told you, I can't."

"Can I at least borrow yours?"

"My dad took it," He said. Clyde wouldn't surrender his hopeful pout and Kenny sighed. "I'll give you one of my Cosmos."

"Done!" Clyde happily agreed, walking back through the crowd.

Kenny turned to his friends. "Where's Cartman?"

"Probably doing everything possible to convince his mom not to come here," Kyle said.

"You'd think he'd wanna come and tell the school what he wants to change," Stan added. "I mean, when doesn't he?"

"Whatever, we can use the peace," Kyle said. "Did you find out about that group, Kenny?"

"No," Kenny said, staring at them vacantly. "Why would I?"

"I did." Stan said. "Peter Nelson has been part of it for years. My dad says he sometimes wore a robe like Braxton's to work."

"Dude, I told you not to mettle."

"Why?"

"Because if something happens, my parents are gonna get blamed," Kenny reminded. "That's how it works."

"Excuse me, everyone?" PC announced over the mic. "We'll be starting in a minute, if you'd take your seats."

Kenny followed Stan and Kyle to the front row, finding three seats to save for themselves as Karen gathered at their feet on one of the mats with her friends.

"C'mon, Kenny. Your parents wouldn't be blamed. It's not like they started it."

"Religious rednecks?" Kenny reminded. "Of course they're gonna get blamed for a cult."

"Dude, if this has anything to do with you or your parents-"

"Can we drop it?"

Though his face was covered by the edge of his hood, Kyle could read Kenny's body language easily. Pushed anymore and he'd probably blow a fuse. Kyle didn't understand why he was particularly stubborn about it, but the conversation needed to be stopped.

PC tapped the mic. "Alright, welcome everyone. Before we start I'd like to go over a few things. First, parents. If your kids say anything unethical or offensive, it will be publically blamed on you. Because as we know, morality is raised, not born."

The boys fell back in their seats. This hour was gonna kill them.

"Secondly, all opinions from students and parents will be heard. If there are any interruptions, you WILL be kicked from the premises! Because that is an act of political aggression that this school does not tolerate!"

The crowd remained silent.

"I will now pass the mic to my work and life partner, Strong Woman."

The vice principal took the mic. "Thank you, PC." She said. "I guess the best place to start is with the concerns we've been receiving involving our social and academic clubs."

A parent raised their hand. "Yes, revolving around our Board Girls club? I like that we're being gender-inclusive with the club for our kids, but I don't think the original team captains gain much credit for starting the club as a group of girls."

"Alright, that's good. Any students that oppose this?"

Kyle raised his hand, highly annoyed and confused. "I thought the point of this was to include the students' opinions. Not have us debate."

PC took the mic back. "Uh yes, that is true, Brofvloski. Unfortunately, town hall only lets us have this many seats if it involves some sort of social debate. So please, argue."

Kenny crossed his arms, kicking his feet as a distraction and letting his eyes wander. It turned out he wasn't the only one paying much attention when he looked down the line of his row. Seeing that not far from him Braxton sat nearby with his parents and gave Kenny a wave.

What was this freak on? Kenny barely knew him. A Playboy didn't make them friends, but this guy would not leave him alone. If it did have to do with some cult like Stan said, maybe Kenny was just a way to get through to his parents. He tried to prove the cult caused his immortality before and it did nothing for him. His parents brutalized him for associating with the kid at all. It's been giving him a headache for days trying to repress it and unhealthy sleep. Being around him gave Kenny weird vibes and he'd had just about enough feeling like this guy was casting a plague. He clutched his head in a muted groan, pushing down a migraine and some dark spots blinding his vision.

Braxton kept staring, and Kenny just looked away. Fed up trying to stop this kid from being a creep. The sight of those black robes was embedded so deeply in Kenny's mind that he felt like he was seeing them everywhere even when he wasn't. Most in the red trim, some in the blue, and very few in gold. He hadn't seen gold before but he swore he was seeing it lately the more these people popped up all over town. Even looked at his brother or sister lately he'd swear they were dressed the same before shaking the vision away. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the more people he was around, the more he had these visions. Fuck, it was almost like PC and Strong Woman were wearing the robes themselves.

Kenny looked twice and blinked, rubbing his eyes for measure before widening his sockets.

It did look like they were wearing black robes.

With the gold trim, just like Kenny imagined. And a weird symbol on the pec of their robes of a tentacle-like creature. He looked to Stan and Kyle to see if they noticed it too, unprepared to see that they were in black robes with red trim of their own. As was the rest of the front row as the gym felt ominously darker and smaller.

So were the kindergartners, and the first-graders.

So were the parents.

Before long, Kenny saw the whole crowd in matching black robes all over the gymnasium. No one said a word of notice to the sudden change as Kenny started to look around startingly. It scared him deeply how he was the only one noticing let alone how you could hear a pin drop.

"Kyle?" Kenny said, tapping him on the shoulder. His friend barely flinched from the touch, just staring forward. "Kyle. Stan!"

He looked back to make sure he was seeing correctly, tripping off his seat when the gym's Cows logo on the gymnasium floor was igniting into flames that PC and Strong Woman fed to be bigger. Kenny looked around as everyone continued to stay still.

"Guys?" Kenny questioned his friends.

Strong Woman tossed another log into the fire as PC raised his open palms to the ceiling. "In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming."

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!" The crowd echoed back, causing Kenny to grab onto his chair in fear. "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"

"In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming!"

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"

"Kenny McCormick!" PC called, making the boy's heart drop to his stomach. Kenny tried to stay glued to his seat, but an impending force drew him forward as he wasn't in control of his feet. Just barely dragging across the floor as he was beckoned towards the bonfire.

"No," Kenny protested against the wind holding him. "No, stop!"

"Kenny McCormick!" PC continued. "That is not dead which can eternal lie!"

"Stop it!"

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"

. . .

"Oh my god! He's having a seizure!"

The entire PTA meeting was stopped by a woman's shout in the crowd, pointing to Kenny in his seat. Stan and Kyle turned in tune with the crowd's gasps over Kenny jolting back and forth in his chair.

Kenny!?" Kyle yelled, drawing back his friend's hood and flinching in fright. Kenny's eyes had rolled to the back of his head as a trail of foamy drool waterfalled from his mouth. He gargled his words but a few key sentences came out of his lips.

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"

"Kenny!" Carol yelled as she and Stuart came and took Kyle's place taking Kenny by the shoulders. "Kenny, wake up!"

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!" He continued to yell.

"Someone call an ambulance!"

"PH'NGLUI MGLW'NAFH CTHULHU R'LYEH WGAH'NAGL FHTAGN!"

The entire crowd panicked, though the tiny family embedded in black robes did not.

To be continued...