Tweek
Tweek really didn't want to leave Craig alone with Cartman.
Sure, if push came to shove Craig could totally hold his own against Cartman but the fact that Cartman had wanted to talk to him alone in the first place was terrifying. Oh Jesus, what if he has a real weapon and he tries to kill Craig? What if this is all a trap and they're going to kill us all? What if no one ever finds our bodies and we just vanish forever!?
"AUGH!" he shrieked, yanking on his hair hard as he twitched violently.
"Tweekers, strung tighter than a piano wire, ain'tcha?" It sounded so strange to hear Kenny's usual words uttered in that terrifyingly good falsetto, Tweek couldn't help but jerk in the boy's direction. Oh god, what does he want, I can't deal with him right now! At Tweek's reaction, Kenny only chuckled. "I knew it was only face-paint. You haven't changed a bit."
"Ngh- W-what do you want!?" Tweek all but screeched, pulling on his hair till it felt like he was going to rip his scalp off. Eyes flashing back to the castle behind him, Tweek gnawed on his lip viciously, wishing and praying for a flash of brown and blue in the form of the tall boy hidden inside. What if he's already dead? What if Cartman's already killed him and he claims it was an accident? What if the Stick is actually powerful and it didn't like Craig and it struck him dead!?
"Aww, look at you!" Kenny cooed. "So worried about our little Thief." Twirling around Tweek, his dress fluttering in the breeze, the taller boy grinned wolfishly at the twitching blond. WHAT!? WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN?!
"GHA! N-NO I'M NOT!" Tweek burst, feeling panic, all too familiar a feeling, fill his blood. It had been a while since he'd felt quite as powerless as he did at that moment. And all Kenny did was titter and nudge him further and further away from the castle and inevitably Craig. Oh Jesus, what is he thinking? I can't read his thoughts! What if he's thinking something horrible! Needing to say something, Tweek yelped out the first thing that came to his mind.
"Why did Cartman give Craig a name and not me!" That sounds so selfish! I don't even want Cartman to give me a name, why did I ask that? Turning back to him, Kenny cocked his head to the side before grabbing Tweek's wrists and pulling his hands out of his hair so he could drag him along as he skipped backward, somehow not tripping on the dress he was wearing. It would have been impressive if Tweek could have spared the mental capacity to be in awe of it. Why is he doing this to me, he knows it stresses me out!
"Oh, that?" Kenny giggled before spinning the two of them around in a circle. In a sing-songing voice that was muffled slightly by his parka, the boy told the blond, "The Grand Wizard knows just as well as the next person that to fully tame a wild animal is to give it a name and make it respond to that name~"
Oh god, Cartman's treating Craig like a dog!? I'll never call him by that name! "Craig's not a wild animal!" Tweek insisted, struggling to wrench his hands free of the Princess' grip as the desire to pull on his hair overwhelmed him. But Kenny just held on tighter and kept smiling, his long blond hair flying in his face.
"Shhh, Tweeky, calm down before you pull something," the boy insisted, batting long lashes at Tweek, who yelped again and twitched hard to the right. Oh god, why does he keep acting like a girl, why won't he leave me alone, why hasn't Craig come out yet WHY!? Spinning to a stop, Kenny let go of one of Tweek's hands so he could tap his chin thoughtfully. "Now, I believe I was going to get you a weapon suitable for a barbarian such as yourself!"
"Ngh- Fine!" Tweek squeaked, finally succeeding in freeing himself from Kenny's hold. Looping an arm around Tweek's bare shoulders once more, Kenny dragged him over to the unmanned weapons display. "W-what kind of weapon do I get?" Tweek asked nervously as Princess Kenny swept his skirts out of the way so he could kneel down and dig through one of the boxes under the table.
Dragging out what looked like a thick curtain rod with a tennis ball and chain attached to it, Kenny suddenly swung at Tweek's head. With a loud scream, Tweek leaped out of the way, smacking into the weapons table behind him, scattering swords everywhere. HE'S TRYING TO KILL ME! Shaking his head, tutting under his breath, Kenny suddenly lifted a free gloved hand to his mouth and called, in a sweet voice, "Oh Butters the Merciful! I require your assistance at the armory!"
Turning back to Tweek, Kenny sighed, "I've been trying to get Cartman to put someone in charge of the armory, but he still hasn't gotten around to it. Very disappointing, in my mind. I suggested Clyde because he has the best grasp of our weapons but you know how it is, I'm just-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off by the arrival of Butters, who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Heya fellas!" the boy burbled happily, before turning to Kenny and dropping into a bow. "M-M'lady!" Kenny giggled at that, demurely hiding his face behind the hand that still held the flail while he waved the free one at Butters as if in embarrassment. "W-What can I do for you?" Butters asked, smiling at Tweek like one would smile at a small, lost puppy. Is that all I am to these people?! Oh god, it probably is!
"Well, since Tweek just joined, he needs a weapon!" Kenny explained, dropping the mace carelessly. It clanged against the dusty ground. Kenny started to say something else but the blond couldn't understand him. Tweek tried to pay attention but all he could think about was the fact that Craig still was nowhere to be seen. I'm so pathetic, he's fine! I'm fine. Everything is fine. JESUS EVERYTHING IS NOT FINE WHY COULDN'T I HAVE GONE WITH TOKEN AND CLYDE!?
"Ah- Well, I-I think y'oughta go with a club!" Butters exclaimed, grinning up at Kenny, whose eyes widened as he clapped his hands together in delight. "And w-we shoulda gotten some, I think! Right around here somewhere…" Pulling out another box, Butters occupied himself with the contents for a while before pulling out a long-handled frying pan. "There y'go, buddy, this club oughta do the trick!" he exclaimed, handing it to Tweek.
"I knew you'd be able to find something!" Kenny exclaimed happily, sweeping his long golden hair behind his shoulders before wrapping the shorter Paladin in a hug. "You're the best Butterscotch!" Butters turned bright pink at the praise and tried to stammer out a Shucks, it was nothin'.
Tweek, meanwhile, was busy holding the pan as far away from himself as possible. It was only too easy to imagine it as a club. It was even easier to treat it like one. I could really hurt someone with this. What if I hit someone too hard? What if I hit Craig on accident?! WHAT IF I SPLIT HIS SKULL OPEN AND HE DIES AND HIS FRIENDS HATE ME FOREVER AND I GO TO PRISON ALL ALONE!? Before he could drop the thing, Kenny caught his eyes and his lips lifted up in a smirk.
"Come on, give it a swing Tweekers. Show us your inner Barbarian~" Leaning on Butters' shoulder easily, one hand daintily placed under his chin, the Princess gave another laugh. "Aren't you going to want to show Feldspar what a good warrior you are?"
At the sound of Craig's fake name, Tweek's head snapped up and he swallowed hard. Of course he wanted the taller boy to be proud of him, of course he wanted to be a good barbarian, he just... just... No, I can do this! Remembering Craig encouraging him earlier, Tweek's knuckles whitened around the club's handle. Picturing the Noirette's stoic face as he told him I think you'd make a kick-ass barbarian Tweek felt something well up inside him.
Suddenly letting all the stress that had been building up in his system out in a rush, Tweek let out a screeching roar and lunged forward. I WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULD JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! His club connected with one of the boxes that Kenny had pulled out, destroying the thing, scattering the contents everywhere. As various maces and small battle axes went flying across the ground, Kenny covered his mouth with a hand and Butters let out a yelp.
Clapping his hands, eyes shining, Kenny exclaimed, "Oh my! What a wonderful barbarian you'll make." Unable to help the growl that escaped his throat, Tweek stared at the two boys in surprise. He was about to speak when suddenly there was a yell that startled all three of them.
"THE DROW ELVES! THE DROW ELVES ARE ATTACKING!"
"To your battle stations! Don't let them get the stick!" As everyone started going crazy, Tweek felt his heart speed up. Spinning quickly, Tweek looked over to the break in the fence that surrounded part of Kupa Keep. OH JESUS FUCK! Standing there before a crowd of green-clad boys, sword in hand, stood Stan Marsh. His cape was fluttering behind him and the feathers on his helmet whipped about in the breeze, making his pose even more dramatic.
Everyone in the keep was scrambling for weapons, trying to figure out what was going on. In the mess, Tweek saw Clyde, dragging Token over to a smaller tent on the other end of the castle. Beside him, Kenny pulled a pink bow off of his back and readied an arrow, while Butters drew his hammer and got in front of the Princess as if that was going to do anything.
Oh Jesus, what do I do?! WHAT DO I DO?
"Mortals!" Stan yelled, his voice carrying over the pandemonium. "You will no longer sully the Stick with your human taint. This ends today!" Brandishing his sword, which in Tweek's mind gleamed in the sun, the boy roared, "In the name of the High Elf King, Kyle, we are taking back the Stick of Truth! Rangers, advance!" As one, the Elves charged. Instantly, the humans jumped to meet them in battle.
Almost at once, Tweek found himself alone as both Butters and Kenny charged into battle. Everywhere, swords clashed and arrows flew. One such projectile almost hit Tweek, but he lifted his club in time to deflect it. There were shouts as spells were cast from both sides, covering the scene in showers of sparks and lights. Yelping as a human warrior went flying into the weapon's table, Tweek darted in a random direction, dodging arrows as he went.
"AUGH!" Tweek screamed, his free hand going for his hair, even as he attempted to keep a hold on his club. I'm not ready for this! He'd already lost track of anyone he could have joined, and around him, the battle seemed to be only getting fiercer. Why is this happening?! JESUS I CAN'T HANDLE THIS!
"Human scum!" Suddenly, an elf blocked his path, wielding a long sword and a shield. Tweek vaguely recognized him as a kid named Conner that was in the grade above him. But that hardly mattered at that moment. With a cry, he struck, lunging at Tweek. The sword hit his arm. Though it might have been his imagination, the blond could have sworn he saw blood leaking from the wound. IF I DON'T DO SOMETHING, I'LL DIE!
With a feral cry, Tweek leaped at the boy, channeling the terror and panic into a fierce force. The elf raised his shield, but Tweek's strike cracked the wood. Deflecting the sword strike that was leveled in return, Tweek ignored the flare of pain that came from his wounded shoulder and simply swung his club again. This time it connected with the Elf's unprotected side.
Flying back with a yell, the Ranger smacked against the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Before he could get up, and before Tweek could second-guess himself, he darted forward and hit the boy again with his club. Letting out a cry of pain, the Elf fell to the ground, limp. Oh God, I killed him! Backing away from what he'd done, Tweek suddenly felt a sharp pain flare out from his chest.
Vision wavering, Tweek looked down and saw the arrow sticking out of his shoulder. Seizing it with his free hand, the blond grit his teeth and growled as he yanked it out. JESUS MORE BLOOD! But he couldn't think about that now, instead, Tweek's head swiveled in the direction of where the arrow had come from. All he saw was a mass of fighting Elves and Humans. Am I really going to do this? THIS IS SUICIDE!
At that moment, he didn't care.
"GGHAAAAAA!" Screaming like a banshee, Tweek suddenly charged his way into the thick of the battle. Struggling to recall all the rules Clyde had told him, Tweek swung his club left and right, dealing damage to the Rangers surrounding him. All his mind had become was a long scream that was quickly turning into nothing but white noise. His body was slowly becoming littered with battle wounds but he kept fighting, even as he felt his strength leaving him.
Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder and golden sparks shrouded him, making some of his wounds fade away before his eyes. Turning wildly, Tweek found Butters smiling at him. The Paladin had suffered injuries of his own, but he seemed to be in high spirits regardless. "There y'go, buddy," he said brightly as the sparks died away. "You're better now!"
As the feeling started to return to his body, Tweek noticed an Elf sneaking up on Butters. With a shriek, he burst forward. Club connected with skin and the boy went down at once. Sparing only a twitchy, "Grr!" for Butters, Tweek rejoined the battle.
Around him, Elves and Humans surged, the fight too evenly matched to call. From the area that Tweek had seen Token and Clyde disappear to, more warriors started to come, bandaged injuries and healing wounds clear. Token's healing people! We might actually win!
Suddenly, Tweek felt his back sear in pain as a sword cut through his skin. Roaring, his movements slowed down drastically as the egregious injury dragged him down, Tweek spun to face a terrifying sight. An Elf Tweek recognized as one of the more powerful warriors of the Elven kingdoms loomed before him, his sword red with Tweek's blood. Attempting to lunge forward, Tweek's strike glanced off of the boy's armor pathetically.
Oh, Jesus, I'm going to die! "Not so dangerous now, are you, pathetic Human?!" The boy taunted, darting forward. Just barely managing to block his sword, Tweek could practically feel the life flow out of him. I'm going to die. This is it. He needed to take a step back to find someone who could heal him or at least give him a chance to rest but there was no way out. he was trapped.
He managed to land a blow on the boy, but it didn't do anything substantial. As the sparks and arrows filling the air started to blur, Tweek desperately grasped onto the one thought that kept running through his mind. Craig's stoic face, and the boy's cloak around his shoulders.
Suddenly, the Elf before him let out a scream as blood spurted from his shoulder. As the blade was slowly withdrawn from the boy's flesh, Tweek's eyes caught sight of a familiar flash of brown. "Not so dangerous now, are you, Elvish filth?" As the Ranger collapsed to the ground, clutching his shoulder in pain, Tweek's heart sped up.
Holding twin, serrated blades, his hat pulled down low over eyes that were dark and dangerous, Craig loomed before Tweek. Craig… It was the only thought his mind could give him. Craig is here, Craig… He was alive, Cartman hadn't killed him after all. He was alive, and he'd just saved the blond's life. Stumbling forward, Tweek muttered, "You're alive," before falling to one knee.
"Shit," Craig muttered. "SCOTT!" he yelled, his voice not changing from his monotone, just getting louder. Tweek's vision faded in and out as he stared down at the unconscious Elf. Heh, at least I survived the battle, right? At least Craig was there. At least I didn't disappoint him, right? He's not disappointed, is he?
In his delirium, even as the battle raged around them, Tweek could have sworn he felt a hand in his hair, warm, large, comforting. Then suddenly something was being thrust at him and the sensation vanished. "Here!" The voice of Scott Malkinson cut over the fighting. "Drink this, it's a healing potion."
Grabbing the drink, Tweek's shaking returned full force as he struggled to open the container. But then Craig's hands were there and he was opening the bottle for Tweek before handing it back. Drinking it down, Tweek felt the pain in his back lessen almost at once. Allowing Craig to help him to his feet, the blond breathlessly squeaked, "Thanks." When Craig only nodded and didn't say anything more, Tweek quickly asked, "W-what did Cartman want?"
Craig was silent for a moment, before saying, "It doesn't matter." There was a sudden yell as a flash of pink and purple went crashing between them. Question instantly fleeing his mind, Tweek watched as Princess Kenny went skidding across the ground. Swiveling to face the person who'd sent him flying, the blond found two Elves charging for them.
"How dare you treat a Princess like that!" Kenny shrieked, sounding furious. "Tweek, Feldspar, don't just stand there, do something!"
Tweek didn't even have to look at Craig. Simply letting that manic energy he'd been channeling so well surge upward, the blond jumped at the Rangers, a battle cry screaming from him as he did so. Like a shadow, Craig followed him, his knives drawn.
Though they were nowhere near as strong as the Elves they were against, Tweek found that it didn't matter. Every blow he landed was another bit slower the Elves became and every attempt at hitting him in return was met with Craig, who protected Tweek to a fault. The moment he'd regained his wits, Kenny joined them, firing enchanted arrows at the fighters.
I'm fighting! I'm succeeding! This is actually fun. Craig's abilities as a Thief matched perfectly with Tweek's class, it was exhilarating to witness. For the first time in what might have been his whole life, Tweek didn't feel useless and helpless, he felt powerful and strong. And it's all because of Craig. All because of the tall boy and his warm hands and his calm eyes.
Finally defeating the two Elves, Tweek heard Kenny cheer. "Look at you two!" the Princess exclaimed, twirling around them both, eyes shining and wide. "You're such good little fighters! Now I'm off to find the Grand Wizard, keep trying to drive them back." With a flash of golden hair, the boy vanished into the melee.
As they cut their way through Elves, helping other fighters wherever they could, Craig asked, "Where's Clyde?" His knife sliced at the straps holding an Elven shield together, destroying the boy's defenses.
Lunging forward to finish the boy off, Tweek answered, "He's back with Token, keeping him safe!" The Elf went down with a yell.
"Good," Craig answered, his voice still even despite the carnage around him. Tweek was awed by how calmly he was handling the mess about them and even though he wanted to scream, Craig's presence kept him from losing it entirely. It was a vivid contrast between them, yet Tweek knew it would never be anything else.
And he didn't care. He needed the rock that was Craig Tucker. In battle or in real life, it didn't matter. It would always be the same. Though Tweek was only ten and couldn't have possibly known what the rest of his life would look like, he was sure of this much. Craig would always be the one to keep him steady.
The thought made Tweek fight harder.
Around them, the battle was thinning. The Elves were being driven back, likely thanks to Token's healing work on wounded Human soldiers. Clearly, when the forces had been chosen to attack Kupa Keep, the Elves had been expecting a lot fewer people to be able to fight. Thus, they hadn't sent their best and they hadn't sent nearly enough. Everywhere, the tide of the battle was shifting definitively in favor of the Humans.
Taking down another Elf, Tweek suddenly found himself being forced to shield his eyes as a flash of light came from the castle and Stan went flying backward out of the doors. As he scrambled to his feet, Cartman strode out of the entrance that still crackled with power. Raising his hands, the Grand Wizard blasted back several Elves with blue light.
As he was blown back, Stan suddenly yelled, "Elves, retreat!" Disengaging from the losing battle, the remainder of the Elves started to flee, grabbing their wounded as they went. As they scrambled away, the Human warriors jeered and threw insults after them. Tweek just felt Craig bump up against him, silent and strong. We won, we did it!
As the last of the Elves retreated, there came a shout from inside the keep. "Warriors, your valiance shall be remembered!" With all the dignity befitting a princess, Kenny strode from inside Kupa Keep, the Stick held above his head. "WE HAVE BEATEN THE DROW ELVES ONCE MORE!" At the sight of the Stick of Truth, all of the warriors let out a cheer.
Eyes shining, head held high, Tweek lifted his club and let out a roar of pride.
Though he couldn't see it, the blond could feel Craig smiling at him.
A/N: To be clear, yes, Tweek was imagining the battle as if it were real. Yes, this will likely continue. I'll be sort of fading in and out of reality so I hope it's not too hard for everyone to keep up o(≧∇≦o)
By popular request, the next two perspectives will be from other character's perspectives, other than Tweek and Craig. I'd tell you who, but then I'd have to kill you (゚∇^*)
