Hey everybody, I'm back! I've hoped you've had a decent time during these uncertain times with the COVID-19 still happening everywhere across the world. Nevertheless, I'm still alive, working on this story, and I'm still continuing it. However, while I was away while checking on my reviews, I noticed a review saying how stupid my story is and how it doesn't make sense. Once again, I will not tolerate flamers in my story. If you don't like it, then don't read it! I mean it's not gonna kill you to stop reading this and go read someone else's work. Not to mention, this is a comedy story, it doesn't always have to make sense. That's why this story was made to make ya'll either laugh or enjoy it. Nothing more.

Anyway, to put this matter aside, I got some good news. Over the past year after my previous update over this story. My writing skills have vastly improved. So I just decided that whenever I work on this story...it's going to be either two or three chapters per update depending on the mood. However, the bad news is, it's going to take awhile due to my commitment over my other stories. So try and bear with me, okay.

Now, I don't own any of the characters from Regular Show. That goes to the respective owners and the creator of the show, J.G. Quintel. I only own my OC's in this story.

Enjoy!

Free Cake

Another several weeks went by after the incident, things were starting to finally quiet down. However, before those quiet weeks came, let me tell you what's happened so far.

Things were pretty hectic when Benson came to work, but boy was he pissed. Me and everyone else had to explain what happened, but left out the details about what Rigby did, which he should be lucky we didn't snitch on him so he wouldn't get fired in the process. But other than that, we had a lot of work cut out for us.

Anyway, after things began to quiet down, I began to teach Mordecai and Rigby a few moves that I know whenever I get the chance I got. I can't deny it, and as I said before, those two are fast learners. They remind me a little bit about myself. However, both of them still have a lot to learn. 'Cause as the saying goes: "There is always room for improvement."

As to what's happening to me right now...well, let's just say that I'm now trimming some bushes with Benson, after he came all this way to find me and asked for some help. But while I was away from him, I noticed Mordecai and Rigby passing by. It wasn't any of my business yet as to what those two were going to do today so I just brushed it aside for now. However, when I came around after finishing trimming another bush, I overheard Benson saying, "It's neither of your birthdays."

Then I hear Rigby say, "Aw, man! He's killin' us with that!"

I decided to find out what's going on after I hear them say in unison in a sad-like voice "No cake. No cake." and wave at them saying, "Yo, what's goin' on?"

"Where not getting any cake." Mordecai answered. "That's why."

I had an odd look as I crossed my arms and said, "Seriously? You guys realize you can't get any cake unless you make some yourself or wait until it's your birthday to get a free one, y'know."

"Yeah, we know." Rigby said.

I heard someone pop out on one of the bushes as we looked and saw Pops, who had his explorer's hat and binoculars as he said, "But it is Skips' birthday!"

My friends got excited as they waved their arms and said in unison with excitement, "Free cake! Free cake!"

"But he's really private about it." Benson said.

My friends once again waved their arms again, this time with less enthusiasm while they once again said in unison with sad-like voices, "No cake. No cake."

I cocked my eyebrow while giving Benson a questionable look and said to him, "Seriously? What kind of private thing does he do on his birthday?"

"I don't know," Benson answered with a shrug. "He never told us why." Then he placed a finger close to his face while he nods, "Come to think of it, I don't think we've ever had a party for Skips."

"If memory serves," Pops said as he took the binoculars away from his eyes. "Skips secludes himself in the woods every year on the day of his birth."

Hm, I wonder why he does that? I thought to myself. In fact, why does he do that every year?

"So wait," Mordecai said. "You guys have never thrown a party for Skips?"

"No," Benson answered.

"Really," I said. "No birthday gifts, no party's, not even anyone saying 'Happy Birthday!' to him?"

"Nuh-uh," Benson answered me with a nod.

"Dude, that sucks." Mordecai said.

"Tsk, I'll say," I added while scratching the back of my head. I never even knew that Skips never celebrated his birthday. Still, I think he should at least try to enjoy it, just this once if he likes it or not.

"Skips totally deserves a party."

"And cake." Rigby adds.

I nodded in agreement with those two as Mordecai says, "Whenever something goes wrong, it's Skips who fixes it. He's always there for us, no matter what." He brought out a single finger before slamming a fist on his feathered hands while adding, "I bet, Skips wants a party, but he's such a quiet guy he doesn't know how to ask. We owe him a party."

"And also a cake," Rigby added.

"He has a point," I said while shrugging.

Pops seemed happy at that speech from Mordecai as his lips quivered, he looked like he was about to cry, but managed to quickly compose himself as he said, "Good show! Jolly, good show!" Then he turns his attention to Benson and tells him, "Benson, a soiree for Skips," he winks at him, "what a crackerjack idea!"

Seeing that the points were made from us, I can tell the understanding on Benson's face as he turns around and says, "Your right." Then he turns back towards the bush as he continues to work while adding, "Fine. If you two can get Skips on board, we'll throw a party for him."

"Better make that three," Mordecai said. "We'll know how to get him on board."

When Mordecai said "three", he meant me. So, I can tell that they needed my help for Skips' party. But first I have to finish something first, so I told them, "Guys, wait for me at the house. I need to finish my work first."

It took about thirty minutes to finish up on trimming those bushes, much to Rigby's dismay as to him it felt longer than that. Honestly though, that guy has no patience at all. Anyway, I sat on a chair with Mordecai facing me and Rigby walking around on the table. "Okay," Mordecai said. "How are we gonna get him on board?"

That was a good question coming from him as I too was trying to figure it out.

"Ooo, I know!" Rigby said as he started explaining his plan on how to get Skips on board. "Let's get a van. Barney, you knock out Skips with a cool Martial Arts move, we tie him up while blindfolding him, carry him and toss him into a van. And BAM, free cake!"

Seriously? I thought while crossing my arms and nodding to him while saying, "No, no, and again, no. That's a bad idea."

"Dude, he's right," Mordecai agrees with me. "That's kidnapping."

"But we can't just tell him." Rigby said. "You hear Benson, Skips isn't into this stuff."

"I know, but dude, Skips is cool. We should just go and tell him we want to throw him a party."

"Argh, laaaame!"

"What? What's wrong with that?"

"Two things," Rigby held up two fingers to simplify how he was going to explain, "one, no surprise, and two, no vans."

"I'm gonna have to agree with Rigby on this." I said while I shrugged. "Well, except for the-" I stopped with a small gasp, even Mordecai seemed to catch on as I slammed a fist on my palm as we said in unison, "That's it!"

"What, vans?" Rigby said.

"No, surprise," Mordecai said. "Dude, we should throw Skips a surprise party."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" I said while explaining as I did the finger-walk, "All we gotta do, is lure Skips to whatever we're throwing a party at. And BAM, surprise!"

"Guys, that's perfect!" Rigby said.

"Yeah, I know," Mordecai agreed with him while pointing. "'Cause no one can say no to a surprise party."

Rigby points at him and says, "'Cause they can't."

I added while pointing as well, "And they don't even know."

We waved our arms while keeping our single fingers up and chanting, "Free cake! Free cake!"

We arrived at Skips' place, who was working on the cart, and asked him if he could hang with us at eight o'clock tonight. Leaving the part about the surprise party for him. But the answer he told us was this…

"No, I don't wanna hang out with you guys at eight o'clock tonight."

"But why?" I asked.

"It's something important and it's very private."

"Well, can't you tell me and my friends." I placed my arm around Mordecai's shoulder and placed my hand on Rigby's back. "I mean, we can understand if you tell us, and we can keep it a secret. Right guys?"

Mordecai and Rigby nod their heads, but Skips nods at us while saying, "Sorry, but that doesn't concern either of you three."

I was going to ask him another question, but Mordecai beat me to it as he said, "Well, then...How about later tonight?"

He slams the lid of the cart, seemingly annoyed at us, and snaps, "No! I wanna be left alone!" With that, he skips away from us and slams the garage door, making me wince from that.

I narrowed my eyes and said, "Geeze, he didn't have to snap like that."

"What do we do now?" Mordecai asked me, but I gave him a shrug.

I thought about this for a second and thought that maybe we should just call this party off and give Benson the bad news. But instead, Rigby says, "Guys, check it. We'll just lie to Benson and get the cake first, and figure out the Skips part later."

Mordecai seemed to like that idea as he had his feathered hand on the bottom of his beak while smiling. "Hmm-hmm. Sounds like a cake worthy idea to me."

While the both of them were waving their arms and chanting "Free cake! Free cake!" I didn't like where this was going as I said to them with a nod, "Guys, no. This is a bad idea." I notice the both of them smiling. Didn't they just hear what I just said? "I'm being serious, you guys. If Benson finds out-"

"Oh, hi Benson." Mordecai waves.

"Huh?" I turn around, hoping to see Benson and explain to him while also hoping to get my friends out of this mess. However, I never realized it was a trick as both of them said in unison behind my back, "Do us a solid!"

I grunt in anger as I turned around and faced them while they both laughed at me. Then, Rigby said in a sing-song voice, "Now you gotta do us a solid."

I sighed and said, "Fine. But if you guys get me in trouble, I'm gonna kill you both. Now what is it that you need help with?"

"Easy," Mordecai said. "Just back us up and help us get some cake. Will even share some with you if you like some."

I could tell that he got me there on that. I mean, who wouldn't want any free cake. So another sigh, I said while bringing up a single finger, "Alright, but just this once." Then I narrowed my eyes as I added, "And don't think for a moment that I'll go back on my word if things go south with this."

We headed back and found Benson, who was now using a hose to sprinkle some water on the bushes. "Skips totally wants a birthday party," Mordecai said.

"Really?" Benson said while turning off the hose and looking at us. "How did you convince him?"

"We told him there's gonna be cake."

"Yeah," Rigby said, "he wants an extra-large chocolate one."

"Really?" Benson gave a sceptical look, then he turned his attention to me and asked, "Barney, are they telling the truth?"

I didn't want to lie to Benson, but I still had to do a solid for them. "Yes. It's going to be eight o'clock sharp at his place."

"But he wants it to be a surprise," Rigby said, "so if you see him, don't say anything." Mordecai punches his arm, making him cry "Ow!" as he massages his arm.

"Huh," Benson places a finger under his mouth while thinking for a second, then he smiled and said, "Okay." He gives Mordecai the key which he took. "Here's the key to the cake in the snack bar. I guess I'll see you at eight." While we were running to the snack bar, I could hear Benson yelling over our shoulders as he said, "But if you morons are lying to me and using Barney again, you'll be on dish duty for the next month!"

I was surprised that I wasn't going to get punished. At least now that I won't have to kill those two, and to top it off, Benson still trusts me.

When we arrived at the snack bar, Mordecai opened the door and we stepped inside. My two friends had astonished looks on their faces as they were staring at the chocolate cake that was inside with the other cupcakes and pies. As Mordecai uses the key that was given to him by Benson, he takes it out and says, "We did it!"

"Let's eat it!" Rigby said as he opened up the plastic lid.

Unfortunately for him, I closed it up quickly while saying to him, "No! Don't even think about it."

"Dude, he's right," Mordecai agrees with me. "Do you wanna be on dish duty?"

"Arghhhhhhh, fine. We'll do dish duty."

"No, dude. We have to get Skips."

"My thoughts exactly," I said.

The crickets were chirping as it was seven o'clock and night was already showing as we already arrived at the forest. While we continued to look for Skips, Rigby said, "Are you sure Skips is even here?"

"Pops said Skips secludes himself in the woods." Mordecai said. "Where else should we look?"

We hear Rigby's stomach starting to growl. "Don't even think about it." I said.

"Yeah," Mordecai said, "don't touch that cake."

"It's a medical emergency." Rigby said.

"You just ate a sandwich."

"Are you a doctor now?" We all stopped where we're at as he continued, "Did you go to medical school in the next five minutes?"

"We're saving this for the party and that's that." Mordecai takes it from him and places the cake under his arm as Rigby glares.

As we continued our search to find Skips for the past thirty minutes, Rigby started to groan, then he said, "Man, it's almost eight. We're not gonna find him, let's just eat it."

"No," Mordecai said. "Benson's gonna get pissed, so we shouldn't."

"Benson's gonna get like that no matter what." I saw Rigby snatch the cake right out from Mordecai's arm. "Better to have no regrets."

Just as he was starting to open the lid to the cake, I quickly slapped two fingers on his head while I said "No!" and snatched the cake away from him while Rigby cried "Ow!" I then waved a finger at him and said, "Bad Rigby! Bad Rigby! Not a single bite until we find Skips and take him to the party!" He grunts and jumps at me, trying to get the cake off my hands, but I kept it far from his reach. "Hey, what're you-"

"Dude, get off of him!" Mordecai said as he grabbed Rigby and pulled him away from me. But he used his feet to push himself from his chest and tried to jump me again, which is something that I taught him whenever someone who was bigger than him used someone's body against them to their advantage, and ducked away from his grabbing hands as I made a run for it.

While I was running, with Rigby close behind me as he was running on all-fours, Mordecai said to Rigby behind us, "Dude, leave him alone!"

Rigby grunts as he grabs my legs, making my cry "Omph!" as the cake I had was sent sailing to the air. Then he manages to use all four of his limbs to jump into the air as he frontflips and catches the cake, another useful technique that I taught him as he rolls safely into the ground with the cake in hand. However, Mordecai managed to pass me and scream slightly at Rigby, which he screamed slightly with surprise as Mordecai tackled him, placing Rigby at his belly while keeping his elbow at the side. This technique I taught Mordecai whenever he needs to subdue somebody without letting anyone escape from that grasp.

While Rigby was trying to reach for the cake, which was slightly ruined due to some of the chocolate getting on the plastic from the inside, Mordecai said as I was walking towards the cake and dusting myself, "Dude, quit it! You're ruining the cake!"

I picked up the cake and added, "Yeah, and if you don't quit acting like a fool, I'll-" I was cut-off as I heard a weird sound. Looking around, I said. "What is that?"

"I don't know, dude," Mordecai said as he heard it too. "Sounds like some kind of weird Aztec ritual." He stood up off of Rigby. "I think it's coming from over there. We should go check it out."

I nod in agreement as Mordecai went ahead of me, but before I followed him, I heard Rigby say, "That's funny. Usually, if there's a strange noise in the woods, you don't check it out."

"Come on, Rigby," I said in an unamused tone as I slightly shoved him forward, making him grunt slightly while glaring at me.

As we followed the sound to whatever it was, we were now in the middle of the woods as the noise was getting louder. Then...we began to hear the sound of rattling. Pushing away some bushes, we found Skips as he was the one making all that weird noise, but was jumping and dancing around a blue bonfire while shaking a blue rattler that had stars on it. Now I understand why this was important to him...he was a servant. But the question was: Who?

"What's Skips doing?" Rigby asked.

"I don't know," Mordecai answered. "But it looks kinda important." My thoughts exactly as he turned his attention to us and then said, "Maybe we should leave him alone."

"Good idea," I agreed. "Let's let him finish first, then we'll come pick him up and take him to the party."

"What about the cake?" Rigby said.

I sighed with slight annoyance. Didn't he just hear what we said? "Would you forget about the cake for a minute?" Mordecai said.

I felt the cake get snatched from my arm and a "Yoink!" was heard. "Hey!" I saw Rigby leave the bushes and was heading towards Skips. "Rigby, don't!"

That came too late as Rigby grabs one of Skips' legs and says to him, "You're comin' with us, Skips!"

I marched over there while Skips said to Rigby, "What are you doing?!" I slapped Rigby in the back of the head, making him let go of Skips' leg as he cried "Ah!" and turned to look at me as I was angry at him, even Mordecai was as he stood next to me as I pointed at Rigby and said, "You stupid little S! Never-"

I was cut-off as the blue bonfire went out, and Skips saying to us, "Fools! You interrupted my spirit dance!"

"Look, we're sorry," I held up my hands in defense. "Just start-up the bonfire again and finish what you started."

"It's too late for that, Barney! You three don't realize what you've done!"

I was going to explain to him that it wasn't mine or Mordecai's, he could thank Mr. Dumb A here for screwing this up. But I never got the chance as a boom sound was heard and looked up at the sky. The clouds and stars were circling around until another boom sound was heard and an El Camino appeared out of thin air as it was flying. It descended downwards towards us as my face remained astonished at this, then landed on the ground with light, smoke, and stardust coming out from the bottom. "Whoa…" I said.

The door opens from the El Camino and light pours out as a man appears from the stardust. He was a long blonde-haired man that had yellow stars for eyes, much to my surprise, and he had a light-blue headband, light-blue skin-tight suit with cape as the suit had white spirals on it while his bare legs were exposed, light-blue wrist and armbands, and white boots. I wondered who this guy was. Another servant to whoever Skips serves perhaps?

"Skips," The Blonde-Haired Man said as he somehow knew him. "You have broken the pact with the Guardians of Youth."

The Guardians of Youth? I thought. I could already figure out that they must be Gods or something, which could also mean...Skips must be immortal. It would also explain why he was doing this "spirit dance". It was because he was doing this just so he could preserve his youth. Now that it was broken...Oh, I've got a bad feeling about this.

"Gary, you don't have to do this!" Skips said to the man named Gary. The look on his face tells me that these two might've been friends somewhere in their lives.

"Listen," Gary said as he brought out his hand. "I'm just doing my job." That look I saw on his face told me that it wasn't personal, something that I alone can understand.

When he closed his hand into a fist, both him and Skips disappeared into stardust, then reappeared inside the El Camino. "Wait! Where are you taking him?" Mordecai said.

Gary looked at us, then answered, "I'm only the chauffeur."

The tires screeched as the El Camino left us. "Dude, I think we just screwed Skips!" Mordecai said.

"And ourselves!" Rigby said. "No Skips, no cake!"

I looked at Rigby, still a bit angry as I said, "Are...you...KIDDING ME?! Are you seriously thinking about the cake at a time like this?!" I grunted as I didn't have time for this. We need to follow them. So with that, I picked Rigby up with one arm while I brought Mordecai's feathered arm behind my neck as I told them, "Hang on!" I vanished as I used my speed while carrying my two friends with me as they screamed slightly in the process. Then I reappeared on the trunk of the El Camino, just as it took to the air and vanished with us still on it. But it only took like a split-second as we reappeared in space, and the El Camino began its descent on what appeared to be a sandy floating oasis. "Whoa…"

When the El Camino landed and came to a stop, Mordecai said, "Dude. What the…"

My jaw dropped when all three of us were seeing…

Floating on pillars were five giant babies. Each of them had the same attire consisting of golden hats, brown bibs, and white diapers. One good look at them told me that they must be the Guardians of Youth, the ones that Skips serves. "Dude. What's with the babies?" Rigby said. "We gotta get Skips back to the park."

I shushed at him, then Mordecai followed through for me as he said, "Shut up!"

We watched as both Skips and Gary disappeared into stardust, then reappeared before the guardians as Gary said, "Guardians of Eternal Youth. I have brought you...the condemned."

I gasped slightly with shock from this. I knew that my bad feeling was right.

"Skips," A Guardian of Eternal Youth said in a mature deep voice, much to my surprise. "You have failed to complete the spirit dance. And thus the pact you made with us for eternal youth has been broken." All the guardians took out the same rattler that Skips uses. "Now you shall shrivel into dust and disappear...forever."

With that said, they began shaking their rattlers as Skips was lifted slightly into the air, then five beams of red energy were shot at him. No sooner had his feet touched the ground, he started shriveling up like a very old man and started croaking. "SKIPS!" All three of us shouted in unison as we watched as Skips got down on one knee, then collapsed sideways on the ground. When that happened, his hand crumpled away and turned to dust.

"What? Wait!" Mordecai said. "It's not his fault!"

"What's done is done."

"But this is our fault!" Mordecai got off the El Camino with me as well. "We interrupted the dance before he could finish!"

"Yeah, man," Rigby said as he pointed at them. "Let him finish that dance thing!"

"The decision of the guardians cannot be overturned."

I stepped forward and said to them, "Guardians, please, I beseech you. Give Skips another chance. If anyone should be punished, it should be us, not him."

"Barney, what're you-"

"Rigby, shut up!" Mordecai said.

"I'm afraid that will not be necessary," A Guardian of Eternal Youth said to me. "Once the decision is made, it cannot be undone."

"SKIPS!" My two friends said in unison as they went to Skips, who lost his nose as it crumbled away and turned to dust.

I looked at the guardians and said to them, "If you won't save Skips from this fate…" My eyes narrowed. "Then I will."

I marched over to where both my friends and Skips' crumbled form were. "Guys!" I told my friends. "I'm going to try something." I then moved my friends away from Skips. "First, you need to give me some space."

"What're you about to do?" Mordecai asked me.

I knew that he was going to ask me that, so I answered him with a sigh, "I'm going to transfer my lifeforce to his."

Both of my friends had shocked looks as Mordecai said, "But that would mean…"

"Yes," I nod at him. "There's a possibility that I'll either die from this or live. It's a fifty-fifty percent chance on either of those."

"But Barney, you-"

I didn't let Rigby finish as the sounds chu chu came as I used two fingers on each hand as I struck the sides of their necks. Their bodies went straight and remained immobile.

"I...can't move."

"Dude. What'd you do to us?"

"I struck the non-vital nerve," I answered Mordecai. "You guys won't be moving in the next several minutes. Which gives me enough time to perform the technique without you guys trying to stop me."

Turning my back on them, I came back to Skips, who was getting worse by the second as I could see his bones. Placing my first and second below my other two fingers while wrapping my wedding finger and pinky on those two fingers, then I curled my other wedding finger and pinky below it. The technique that I learned a long time ago was meant to heal and save others from the brink of death, but to use it on an immortal like Skips who was already dying, that's something I wasn't quite sure of. Like I said though, it was still a fifty-fifty percent chance that I was willing to take. But if I die, then I'll do it for my friends.

Taking a deep and exhaling out the air, I focused my energy as it became clairvoyant at first...then changed to blue. Out from the corner of my eye, Gary and the Guardians of Eternal Youth watched with surprise as Gary said to me, "Wait! Who are you?"

I looked at him and answered, "The name's Barney." I looked back at Skips and told him, "I know that this isn't much of a gift, but consider this my birthday gift to you." My blue aura swirled around me as it became white as I began to chant, "Chikyū. Kaze. Mizu. Hi. Inazuma."

Wind began to pick up as I heard both my friends shout in unison "Barney don't!" while I continued to chant, "Nentō. Shitai. Seishin. Seikatsu. Sei." A blue tornado of my aura forms around us, then that blue color changes to white. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mordecai and Rigby run towards me after their immobilization came to an end as they both shouted "Barney noooo!" while I finished the chant by thrusting my hands forward towards Skips and said with a mighty shout, "SPIRRRRRRRT FOOOOOORCE!"

I kept on shouting while my two friends yelled "Barney!" as I was engulfed in light.

Mordecai and Rigby were pushed backward from the force of Barney's technique as they both landed on their backs. While a pillar of light was shot out towards the stars, the five guardians and Gary stared in awe while each of them had a look of familiarity as one of the guardians says, "That technique, could it be?"

"It is. The Spirit Force. An art which allows the user to transfer their lifeforce, their own powers to heal all and save those who are on the brink of death."

"There's only one person we know who could use that technique."

All six of them remembered a single man standing in the middle of that light. The face was obscured, but they remembered who he was as they even remembered him wearing a kimono and white vest, on the back of it had a symbol, one they even remembered and what it said…

竜

(Dragon)

"But wait," Gary said. "Does that also mean…"

All six of them looked up...where they saw a north star glowing brighter than any of the other stars.

Gary smiles as he gives a small chuckle. "Well I'll be…" He and the five guardians looked as the pillar of light was shrinking. "I never would've imagined he would find one."

When the pillar of light finally dissipated, all what was left of Barney...was his clothes as they were now piled on the floor. "Barney!" Mordecai and Rigby yelled in unison as they went to the pile. "Oh no...he's gone!" Mordecai said as he closed his eyes, nearly on the verge of tears.

But then...they heard a cooing sound, almost sounding that of a baby. Rigby moves aside Barney's shirt… "Whoa!"

What the both of them were seeing was Barney in his infant form, raising his arms as if he wanted to be picked up by someone while continuing to coo at them. Mordecai picks him up while keeping the infant wrapped around the shirt. "Dude. What happened to you?" Mordecai said.

Rigby tickles the infant's tummy while saying, "Coochie-coochie-coo!"

The infant laughs while wiggling its legs, but Mordecai slaps Rigby's arm away. "Dude, cut it out!"

"What? I couldn't help it! He's a cute baby."

They both heard the sound of groaning as they both turned and said in unison, "Skips!" But then their eyes widened while Rigby's jaw dropped and Mordecai said with complete shock on his face..."Whoa!"

Skips places a hand on his head, he looks at the two of them, but when his vision comes to, he says, "Mordecai, Rigby, what happened and…" He stopped what he was going to say as he realized his voice was different as he clutched his throat with a single hand. "Wait, why does my voice sound so young again?"

"Uh, Skips," Gary said as he pointed down on the floor. "I think you might wanna look at your reflection."

"What do you mean?" Skips asked as he looked at the floor. "What's happened to-Ah!"

He quickly stood back up as he didn't take his eyes off of the reflection. What he was staring at...was a reflection of his younger self, and he looked around twenty years younger. He remained the same bulky person that he was, but the only noticeable change was his hair. No longer was it combed over to hide his baldness, almost like it never actually happened. Looking at his hands, he said, "I don't understand, I thought I was dying. So how-"

"Barney was the one who saved your life."

"He did?" When Gary mentioned that name, he looked around while saying, "Wait, where is Barney?"

"Skips," Mordecai said with a downcasted look as he showed the infant Barney.

Skips' eyes widened with complete shock as he snatched the boy off of Mordecai's feathered arms. "What've you done?" He asked the infant, which the infant Barney only cooed and raised his arms.

"He used the power known as The Spirit Force to save your life."

He looks at Gary with that shocked look. "The Spirit Force? But there's one person I know who does that technique." He gave a small gasp. "You don't mean that…"

Gary nods as he points up. Skips, Mordecai, and Rigby looked up as they were staring at the stars. "What are we even looking at?" Rigby asked.

What neither Mordecai or Rigby noticed. The north star was shining bright as Skips noticed that star. Looking at the infant Barney, he put two and two together. "I can't believe it," he nodded. "So that's the reason you carry so much power."

Skips didn't believe it at first, but he had his suspicions. Ever since the incident with Rigby when he was using The Death Punch, he and the others saw a giant plump of smoke rising over the distance. When work was already done, he checked out where that explosion was...only to find a giant crater where a mountain used to be. He knew it couldn't have been Mordecai and Rigby, but that suspicion over Barney hadn't left. However, the bigger question remained...what was that power? It was the same as the man with that kimono, but he never knew what it was. Lifting the infant up to eye level, he tells him, "You are one interesting kid." The infant Barney giggles slightly, but then Skips said, "Hang on. Can someone explain to me what happened?"

"It's our fault," Mordecai said as he sighed. "We tried to stop him, but we couldn't. All because we wanted to throw you a surprise party."

"Yeah," Rigby said. "It was going to be really cool. We were gonna eat cake."

"Cake?" One of the guardians says. "Did someone say cake?"

Skips looked at Rigby, noticing the cake as he hid it behind his back saying, "Huh? No, there's no cake."

"Brothers, I smell cake. Do you smell it as well?"

"I smell cake."

"As do I."

"Cake!"

"Cake!"

"Wait," Mordecai said. "You guys like cake?"

"Yes! Yes! We love it!" The guardians said in unison.

"Give me the cake, dude." He told Rigby.

"No way!"

Skips glares at him, then snatches the cake from him and gives it to Mordecai, who nods at him as he presents the cake to the guardians. "So, you're tellin' me you like cake?"

"The blue one has cake."

"Cake. Give us the cake!"

"Ah, the cake for another chance for Skips and to return Barney back to normal."

"Mordecai, what're you doing?"

"Dude. Do you want them to try and kill Skips again on his birthday? And do you want Barney to remain as a baby?"

"I don't know. I kinda like Barney as a-"

"Rigby!" Skips said. "How are we gonna explain this to his grandma if we show him like this!"

Rigby thought about what would happen if she saw Barney as a little baby. She'd probably get upset and at them for letting her own grandson become this. All for what, a single cake? Knowing that he didn't want to see this outcome, he sighs and says, "Alright."

Mordecai turned his attention back to the guardians. "Do we have a deal?"

The five guardians huddled as they whispered to one another, then one of them asked, "What flavor is it?"

"Chocolate," he answered them.

They went back to whispering to one another. After about a second, they turned their attention towards them as one of the guardians says, "We have reached a new decision. We shall give Skips a reprieve and restore your friend's youth, for your cake."

Mordecai placed the cake on the floor, then pointed at the infant and said, "Now change Barney back to the way he was."

"Done!"

One of the guardians pointed a rattler as a beam of white energy was shot at the infant Barney.

(Barney)

My vision was obscured in bright light. I don't know how long it was since I casted The Spirit Force technique to save Skips. But then...I heard Skips' voice as I felt my shoulders get grabbed by him as he said to me, "Barney, are you okay?"

I blinked my eyes as the light left me, but my vision was blurry...then it came too as I saw Skips. "You're okay!" I cried out as I hugged him while he hugged me back. When we pulled away from one another, I then said to him as I looked at his new younger body but still looked the same, "I can't believe it actually worked. Wasn't quite sure if it would, but it's good to see that you're alive."

But then, I heard Rigby say, "Argh, seriously?! Couldn't you at least tell them to also put his clothes on?!"

"Huh?" I gave an odd look as I turned towards my friends and asked them, "What're you guys-"

"Argh! Dude, don't turn around!" Mordecai said as he covered his eyes with a single feathered hand while waving his other feathered hand in front. "You're naked!"

"Huh?" I cocked an eyebrow as I looked at the guardians, who were giving me an awkward look. But I wonder why? Speaking of which, why does it feel a little cold around here? I felt a tap on my shoulder as Skips shows me my shirt while saying, "Uh, Barney…"

"Why do you have my…" When my eyes weren't deceiving me as I saw my own shirt in his hands, I then looked on the floor and saw the rest of my clothes...Then my eyes slowly down...I covered my mid-section with both hands as I gave a small girly yelp, then I vanished while using my speed to get my clothes from Skips and off the floor as I hid behind the El Camino. As I began the process of putting my clothes back on, I heard feet coming to where I was. So I popped my head out towards both my friends and Gary as I said to them, "If any of you come over here and see my naked tush, I'm gonna slap ya'll silly!"

For the first time in my life...I have never been that embarrassed.

"Well, that was…"

"Awkward."

"Well, enough of this, brothers. Let's eat!"

I had an odd look again as I thought, Eat what?

After getting my jeans on, I looked over and saw the guardians taking the pieces of chocolate cake, and smearing themselves on their bodies while giggling with delight. I don't know whether to call this interesting or weird, but I could guess they could be both.

"Aw, what?" Rigby said. "They're not even eating it! They're just smushing it on their faces!"

The guardians looked at them, then one of them said while snapping fingers, "Be gone with you."

The three of them vanished in a flash of light while-Wait what!

I quickly put on my undershirt while carrying my red buttoned shirt as I came out from behind the El Camino and said to the guardians, "Hey, what a second! You forgot about me!"

"We haven't forgotten."

"But do us a favor…"

"Give our regards to your master, and tell him we are glad to know that he's finally found himself a disciple."

I was shocked at this while I was putting on my red buttoned shirt. "Wait a second. How do you know about my-"

I didn't get to finish as one of the guardians snapped their fingers and light surrounded me. Next thing I know...I was in Skips' place with my three other friends already here. Benson, Pops, Muscle Man, and Hi Five Ghost were all surprised as they saw us appear like this. But it only lasted for a second as they shouted in unison while Pops popped some confetti, "Surprise!"

"Let the marry-making commence!" Pops said as he laughed a little, then started a record player as music was being played.

"You guys almost killed me and let Barney become a baby for some cake?"

"Actually," I said to Skips as I was standing in-between my two friends. "I also have a hand-in for almost getting you killed. So I hope you can forgive me for what's happened tonight. As for the baby part…" My teeth clenched while I hissed slightly and rolled my hand. "There was no guarantee that my technique would work. And I didn't anticipate this kind of outcome. But nevertheless…" I clenched my teeth again as I smacked my friends' backs, making them lose their breaths a little as I said through clenched teeth, "I'm sure my friends are really sorry as well."

If my friends didn't apologize after everything that's happened tonight, I was going to slug them both. But luckily, Mordecai said, "Yeah, we're really sorry."

"But hey, we've got you a present," Rigby said as he shows Skips a plate. It was an old but cracked plate that had a man's face on it while there was hair drawn from a black marker in the same way as Skips' old look before he became young again, and some of the words were crossed out from the black marker while there was a black S on the top right corner. "It says: SKIPS GODFATHER OF SOUL."

"Huh," Skips takes the plate and looks back at us. "No one's ever thrown me a birthday party before." He smiles at us. "Thanks." He then placed a hand on my shoulder. "And thank you, Barney for the amazing gift."

"Anytime."

"Heh, it's gonna take some time getting used to."

I cocked an eyebrow. "What, your youth?"

"Uh-uh," He points over to Benson as I looked at him. He seemed to be confused as to why Skips looked like he was around his early twenties. Guess I can't blame his confusion over what's happened.

Nodding away from this, he crossed his arms and asked, "So, where's the cake?"

Mordecai gave a small embarrassing laugh and said, "Cake?"

Rigby shrugged and said, "I don't remember anything about a cake."

"Me neither."

"Must be a misunderstanding."

I could tell that Benson wasn't going to get anything from those two as he sighed and asked me, "Barney, what happened? Did those two use you again?"

I lied to him by saying, "No sir, we did get the cake. But while we were searching for Skips, my friends dropped it somewhere in the woods. By the time we found it, a raccoon ate it. We're very sorry about that, Benson."

"Ah, it's not your fault," Benson sighed again as he placed his hand at his eyes. "I knew I couldn't trust those two idiots who are with you." He took his hands away from his eyes. "I should've just sent you there alone to get the cake, but you guys are lucky Pops brought a spare." We looked over to the table, and low and behold there was a cake there. "Happy birthday, Skips."

My two friends grew happy looks as Mordecai laughed slightly while saying "Yes!" as he and Rigby ran over to the cake. I crossed my arms while nodding at them, then I began to walk to where they were. But while I was doing that, I heard Benson say to Skips, "What happened to you?"

Then Skips said to Benson, "Barney will explain later."

"Barney?"

I could tell that Benson was giving me a surprised look from behind my back. So while I wasn't looking, I gave him a thumbs-up.

While arriving at the table and getting myself a plate, Mordecai said "Finally!" as he was cutting himself a piece, then Rigby did the same as I became last. Before my friends could even take a bite from their slices of cake, they had disappointed looks as it wasn't chocolate except for the icing. "Ah, vanilla?"

"Hey, don't be like that, guys," I said as I took a bite from my cake. "It's better than no free cake at all."

Well, that takes care of this. The Japanese words you saw above are translated: "Earth. Wind. Water. Fire. Lightning. Mind. Body. Soul. Energy. Life." and The Spirit Force technique bears reference to The Spirit Wave from the anime Yu Yu Hakusho.

Now then, time to answer some reviews:

The Phantoms Wyvern: Well, that depends on that. No promises if you'll get to see a reference from that.

The Crescent Rider: I very glad you like it so far, and I'm also glad to have you on board.

Alice Forshadow: He does always act like the sensible one to his two friends depending on the circumstances. But he can't keep protecting them forever. Also, since this story is a "What-if" AU, I always wanted to experiment on how the characters would react around Barney, and what sort of affects and changes will happen within the story. Nevertheless, I'm glad you've find the story funny so far. Which is exactly what I was hoping to aim for while also trying to entertain readers like you.

A Petty Theif: Ha-ha! Well, this is a "What-if" AU on this story. I have to make it look like he's apart of this universe while keeping in spirit with the show. That's how it goes for me when I'm working on stories like this.

Well, that's that then. Till next time, I'll be seeing ya'll later for now!