Chapter 6
The next morning, Stan woke up, and it was to the smell of pancakes and sausages.
Thank God it's the weekend, Stan thought, A break from that dreaded, forsaken wasteland the devil named school.
With this thought in mind, Stan trekked all the way to the kitchen, where he found a luxurious breakfast waiting for him.
"Oh my gosh!" Stan's eyes glistened as they scanned the steam emitting from the eggs and the flakiness of the biscuits, "Have you been looking at an all-star cookbook or something, Mom? Because this looks soooo good!"
"Um... no..." Sharon uttered somewhat innocently, "But I did cook some of this... with a lot of help.
"Hi there, Stan!" A voice piped up from behind Sharon.
"Kyle?" Stan pointed at Kyle and his girly-looking apron with a look of shock, "You... can cook?"
"Hell yeah!" Kyle smiled, "Dig in, everyone!"
As they ate, Stan scarfed down much of the bacon, over-hard eggs, and hash browns, as they were his three favorite breakfast items. Before he ate the last slice of bacon, Sharon shot a thought at him.
Hey, slow down, she glared at Stan for his nigh-inappropriate behavior, what with there being guests over and all.
"Okay, okay," Stan decided he was full after eating the remaining slice of bacon.
"Huh? Who are you talking to?" Kyle wondered why Stan would talk to himself.
"Nothing!" Stan tried to cover himself up. He would have said that he had just read his mother's mind. But Stan didn't want his parents to know he had told Kyle that he was a Branded.
So... Sharon continued to put thoughts into her son's head, You didn't... tell Kyle about your powers and brand, did you?
Stan was automatically hesitant to speak, "N-No, of course not! I am a good boy who always listens to his parents..."
"Stan, you are absolutely crazy," Kyle shot an almost rude look at poor Stanley, shaking his head, "Are you hallucinating? You keep on talking to yourself..."
"Um..." Sharon tried to surmise an answer, "He's... uh... just trying to say what a fine child he is! That's my Stanley, right?"
Sharon nudged her son, saying to him, When I tell you something by mind-speech, just nod or shake your head and do what I say. Is that understood?
Stan was about to open his mouth, but quickly shut it and just nodded.
What the hell is going on? Kyle, who knew of Stan's mind-reading abilities, spoke with him by mind-speech, Oh, is this why you were acting like you were talking to yourself? You were actually answering your mother?
Stan nodded.
"Well, I'm done here," Stan got up, putting his used dishes in the sink.
"I already escorted Ike to the Broflovski home," Randy noted.
"Then... can Kyle and I go to the mall?" Stan gave his mother the puppy eyes.
"I don't see why not," Sharon consented, although it seemed like she wasn't paying attention.
"Sweet!" Kyle cheered, "There's something I want to buy there, and I have a lot of money to buy other things.
"Then why wait? Let's go!"
But right before the two teenage boys made way for the mall, Sharon told Stan, Ah, you're wearing your gloves. Good. Keep them on, lest you want your secret to be revealed.
Stan nodded, then he and Kyle got their butts out the door to go to the mall.
"Is it okay if I drive?" Kyle asked.
"Go ahead."
The two boys got in Stan's dad's van. About halfway on the trip to the mall, Stan asked, "So, uh, may I ask what you are buying?"
"You don't want to know," Kyle blushed lightly at the question.
They finally arrived at the South Park Mall. The first place they went to was the bookstore.
"Why the bookstore, Kyle?" Stan's voice bore a hint of complaint, "Only the geekiest of the geeky go here on weekends."
"Well, pardon me for being a geek!" Kyle barked at Stan, then got calm again, "Uh... I'm going to buy a book, so either wait here or look around. But whatever you do, do not follow me, understand?"
"I suppose..." were Stan's last words before Kyle left for a random section of the bookstore. Stan was only a slightly above average student, thus he was not nearly a big fan of books as Kyle, who always got straight "A's". Stan went to the manga section, where he found several series that he liked and had at home. Just as he was about to pick up a fortunately unwrapped volume of Junjou Romantica volume 8, which just came out two days ago, he heard a voice.
Kyle... he is in the most secluded corner of the store, the voice told him.
"Mom?" Stan spoke aloud, "How would you know where Kyle is? And why would you use mind-speech ten miles away?"
I am not your mother, Apostle. At least, not directly.
...Ashera? Stan used mind-speech as well, since people were staring at him earlier, The one who gives me powers?
Yes. If you must know, Kyle is in the left-most corner of the store, purchasing something of great need.
Great need? That's strange... why on Earth would Kyle need at a bookstore other than comic books? He's smart, athletic, and a good cook to boot. Unless... Is he getting something... for me?
Stan felt his heart throb slightly against his chest, but shook it off.
No, no, no! Besides, I know enough to get by. That's enough thinking, though. On to the upper left corner of the store!
With that, Stan bolted past the manga section, romance novels, and kid's section. When he got to the destination to which Ashera directed him, he was surprised at what kind of a place he was in.
But... This is the "special needs" section! Kyle doesn't need really need much of anything, does he? Crap, here he comes now!
Stan attempted to find a place to conceal himself in. Unfortunately for him, the "special needs" section of the bookstore was minuscule, there was no one else there, and Kyle spotted him in no time.
"Stan!" Kyle put his hands behind his back, "Fancy seeing you here, eh?"
"Look, Kyle," Stan tried to explain, "I know you told me not to follow you, and I'm sorry. But Ashera's voice guided me here."
"Ashera?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you? As the apostle of Begnion, I can hear the goddess Ashera's voice. She's the one who gives me powers."
"So you want me to call you 'Apostle' now?"
"Kyle, don't be absurd. We're friends. Just call me by my first name."
"But-" Kyle threw up his arms, only just realizing that his book was now showing.
"Kyle, what is that?" Stan walked behind Kyle, but the orange-haired kid only kept turning around to prevent Stan from seeing the book.
"Nothing!" Kyle laughed as he darted toward the cash register, picking up about three other books along the way.
What's his problem?! Stan got irritated by Kyle's fickle behavior, If he didn't have such a mixed range of emotions, I could read his mind...
After buying all of his books, Kyle made way for the exit of the store, calling out to Stan, Come, let's go.
At Kyle's call, Stan left the bookstore with him.
"So, what did you buy?" Stan curiously asked.
"Just some... stuff for me..." Kyle refused to lock eyes with the teenage Branded boy.
"You're so wonderful, handsome, and smart!" Stan praised, "You wouldn't need anything at a bookstore!"
"That is a common misconception," Kyle held up his right index finger, "Even the wisest of sages need advice on something."
"If you insist," Stan smiled.
Kyle's pulse rate went to 100 bpm at the grin, thinking, Wow, he called me "wonderful"... Usually only girls call me things like that.
"And I don't blame them," Stan remarked, "Why, if guys fell in love with you, I wouldn't blame them, either!"
"S-Stan!" Kyle's heart now beat at a rate of roughly 110 bpm, at which he could feel it in his chest, "How... the hell did you read my mind this time? I didn't want you to read that!"
"Apparently, part of you does," Stan began to elaborate, "If even the slightest bit of you wants me to know a secret or read a thought, I can still somewhat see it. The more you want me to peer into your heart, the clearer it is."
Kyle automatically thought, Dammit. Is he finally able to deal with the truth? Am I... ready to tell him?
"What truth? What are you ready to tell me?" Stan batted his eyelashes endearingly at Kyle.
"I'll shoot you if you ask that again," Kyle's look turned absolutely stern, "I can promise you that."
And there he goes with his doucebag 'tude... Stan felt that Kyle's horrid attitude was contagious.
"Oh, Kyle, I'm going to go to the bathroom," Stan announced after walking with Kyle around the mall for ten minutes, "Do you need to go too?"
"Oh, no," Kyle shook his head, "I'll just wait here outside for you."
"Okay. Be back in two minutes."
Stan then made his way into the men's bathroom.
"I hope he doesn't take too long..." Kyle spoke aloud, "I have homework, and I want to read some of my new books..."
Kyle was fiercely entangled with his thoughts when all of a sudden, he saw a familiar face. He was very plump, had a red jacket, and brown hair. It was a vile entity that Kyle knew as Eric Cartman.
S***! What on Earth is this fat-ass doing here? Kyle's eyes grew in size out of shock at seeing a very unwelcome guest at the mall.
"Kyle?" Cartman uttered in his loathsome, stereotypically fat voice, "Is that you?"
"Man, I wish I could run..." Kyle tightly closed his eyes, "But I promised Stan that I would wait here for him..."
"Hey, what's up?" Cartman said when he was right in front of Kyle.
"Nothing much..." Kyle thought it best not to mention Stan's name, else Cartman would begin to inquire about him.
"Really?" Cartman was surprised, "Well, I'll have you know I was just shopping with Butters, Tweek, and Kenny when they all disappeared into several areas of the mall."
"You... don't say!"
"They should be back any minute, though. I told them all to meet me at this bathroom area, but not one has come back yet."
"Really..." Kyle was relieved that nobody else was there for the sake of the least amount of people as possible seeing him and Stan shopping together.
Just then, however, the boys heard Tweek approaching them. At his presence, Kyle got butterflies, thinking that if he did not leave soon, Stan would come out, and that would not be good.
"Dude!" Tweek was shaking from the fact that he drinks too much coffee and had attention deficit disorder. His golden hair was standing on end.
"Goddammit, Tweek, what is it?" Cartman looked at Tweek with annoyance.
"There... There was this HUGE guy... who... who looked like Stan! Sort of... He had a similar style of clothing... Oh, God, I can't remember. Anyway, I gotta go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."
At those words, Tweek headed straight for the bathroom.
"Well, that's nice!" Cartman exclaimed, "Oh, speaking of which, where is that dark-haired gaywad Stan?"
Uh-oh, Kyle thought, Tweek, remind me later to cut off your goddamn head.
"What's been going on with him?" Cartman inquired as Kyle had foreseen, "Hey, speaking of which, I noticed how... oddly he behaved in shop class that one time. You're his best friend, right, Kyle? Tell me... what is Stan's deepest secret?"
"Why the hell would I tell a dolt like you that?" Kyle stood firm, "You have no right to know something that precious!"
"Oooh..." Cartman smiled evilly, " 'Something that precious', he says! Kyle, I could swear you were in love with Stan."
"W-why?" Kyle flushed the color of a fire hydrant, "I'm straight, you know!"
"That's good," Cartman cackled, suddenly pinning Kyle to a wall by his collar, "Because if you are, you'll do well to tell me Stan's secret. Now."
"I'd rather die than tell you, you bastard!" Kyle glowered at Cartman with piercing anger.
"TELL ME!" Cartman bellowed, attracting about ten passers-by's attention. Someone had already ran for the police, and Kyle felt a shooting pain in his back, scalp, and tailbone.
"Never..." Kyle's voice gradually grew weaker.
"If you don't tell me... I swear to God I'll kill Stan. I'll mutilate him, smash him to smithereens, crush his fragile, girly bones-"
"STOP!" Kyle could no longer bear the thought of Stan being treated in such a horrid fashion, "I'll tell you. But for the love of God and all that is good, don't hurt Stan. Please."
"Excellent," Cartman put Kyle down just as the teenage Jew was about to choke, "Tell me that stupid boy's secret, and I swear on my honor that no one will get hurt."
"Okay..." Kyle thought it best to be blunt in his answer so that Cartman could leave before Stan got back, "Stan... he is a Branded. The rash that used to be on his hand is now a 'brand' that signifies this."
"Branded?" Cartman pondered for a while, "Oh, yeah..."
"You know of them?" Kyle was partially relieved that he may not have to explain what being a Branded means, yet part anxious that Stan was about to be done any second now.
"Yeah," Cartman uttered as if it was obvious he knew about the Branded, "Ooh, so that pussy is actually a Branded... Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"
While hollering in a bout of laughter, Cartman walked off. He didn't bother waiting for Tweek, for he didn't really care two figs about him, anyway. As soon as Cartman began to leave, Kyle's pain intensified even further. He though he was going to die until Stan and Tweek simultaneously came out of the men's bathroom.
"Dang, I practically had the screamers back there..." Stan groaned, rubbing his backside.
"And I seemed to have an endless amount of pi-" Tweek began until Kyle cut him short.
"Ugh! Too much information there!" Kyle waved his hand in front of his face to tell Stan and Tweek to stop.
"Hey..." Stan squinted at a red glutton, in the distance, "Isn't that Cartman? Why is he laughing, like he farted in your face, Kyle? Hey, Cart-"
"Shh!" Kyle quickly put a hand over Stan's mouth as Tweek left.
"But why?"
"Because... Because... Because he'll probably as you about your brand!"
"Good point," Stan remarked "If that good-for-nothing fat kids found out about my heritage, he'd probably blab it off to the whole school."
Kyle gulped, and his face became contorted with worry.
"What's the matter?" Stan tried to make direct eye contact with the other boy, "Not only does your face cay you're troubled, but I can sense that now, you have two secrets to keep instead of one."
"No, no," Kyle laughed.
"Kyle. Ashera's voice never failed me," Stan stated.
"Please, Stan... I'd rather not."
"Okay. I can also tell that you are not ready to tell me, and that is fine."
Kyle was rushing Stan and himself out of the mall when a young woman and two policemen approached them.
"There's one of the two young men who were fighting!" The young woman pointed at Kyle.
"Where's the other?" one of the policemen inquired.
"Um... Over there!" The young woman now pointed at Cartman in the far distance.
"Well, they've parted, so we'll let it go for now," the other policeman said as the three went asunder, "You and Cartman were fighting?" Stan asked.
"I... guess you could say that..." Kyle couldn't believe his bout of bad luck.
"It must have been bad if it called for police. But what were you guys fighting about?"
"Cartman asked about your 'secret'!" Kyle blurted out.
"What?!" Stan was furious, "You didn't... tell him about my brand, did you?"
"No!" Kyle quickly lied.
"Good," Stan gave a sigh of relief, "Like I said, if you told him, he would surely blab it to the whole school,. And then, I'm not sure if we could be friends anymore."
"..."
"But enough of that, Kyle. I want to go home. My head, back, and tailbone are bulging in pain..."
"Strange... I feel pain in those exact places!"
"Well, let's get home to recuperate, "Stan declared.
On that seemingly long drive back home, Stan was asleep, Kyle thought, Is the fact that I told Carman that that horrible to where we can't be friends anymore?