From the Mess to the Masses

03: Bus

Scenes from the summer between Junior and Senior year in high school.

"Craig."

Craig grunted in response.

"Seriously," Stan stared open mouthed at the flashing computer monitor, "what the fuck is this?"

"Gatchaman," Craig stated as if it were common knowledge. Stan shot him a baleful look before twisting in Craig's computer chair back towards the screen. They were holing themselves up in Craig's room watching some of Craig's anime on one of their days off together. He had a fairly extensive collection of DVDs and downloads mostly consisting of older classics and ones with too large of a cast for Stan to keep up. He knew Craig had a long standing love of the old series Red Racer but the way he was acting as they gradually made their way through his collection was really quite hilarious.

Stan had settled himself in Craig's computer chair backwards so he could prop his arms and head on the back of the seat without getting a crick in his neck. Craig was sprawled diagonally across his bed on his belly. He actually had his head propped up on his hands with his knees bent and ankles crossed. Bottles of soda and ripped open candy packaging were strewn on the comforter in front of him but easily accessible to Stan.

"Holy shit," Stan laughed. "Did they just show people bouncing out of the hull of that ship like a couple of bouncy balls?"

"Yeah," Craig sighed wistfully around the Red Vine in his mouth, "they don't make 'em like they used to."

"I could get into this one, dude," Stan reached over and plucked a Vine from the ripped open package in front of Craig. "Except, is that bad dude wearing purple lip stick?"

"You should see the Sailor Moon shit," Craig laughed without removing his eyes from the screen.

"You have Sailor Moon? Isn't that… like… kinda girly?"

Craig snorted. "It's actually very addictive and a hell of a lot of fun to make fun of in the right mood."

Stan nodded and the two stayed silent for a scene. "The animation's not too bad looking."

Craig's eyes flitted in his direction briefly. "It's one of my favorites."

"I can see why," Stan arched his back in a huge stretch as the episode ended. "There's more, right?"

Craig smirked and chewed on another Vine. "As many as you can stand watching."

"Cool," Stan grinned and leaned in as the next episode started.

"And then I told Larry that he could take his findings and shove 'em right up his ass! How's that for a good story?"

Craig didn't know what to say.

"Randy, you're horrifying the poor boy," Mrs. Marsh smiled at Craig and moved about the kitchen. Craig blinked in response. He had no idea what was going on. One minute he was waiting for Marsh to clock out so they could go to his house to play video games then the next he was seated at their breakfast table watching Stan and his mom doing fuck if he knew while his dad sat drunk next to him.

"Yeah, yeah," Mr. Marsh stood up and idly scratched at his stomach. "I'll be in the living room. Don't forget to get me a plate."

Craig followed his exit with his eyes before turning his head towards Stan and his mom. "Plate?"

Stan turned towards him and Craig wondered when it was he walked into his own episode of the Twilight Zone. Stan Marsh, popular jock, was standing in front of him wearing a goddamned apron and holding a spatula in one hand with a chocolate covered whisk in the other.

"They're almost done," Stan looked at him.

Craig was beginning to feel apprehensive. "What's almost done?"

"Cupcakes," Stan blinked.

"Cupcakes," Craig repeated.

"Cupcakes," Stan said with more resolve.

Craig stared at him. Stan looked back.

"What? Can't a guy bake?"

Craig continued to stare.

"You don't want one?" One of Stan's eyebrows rose.

Craig opened his mouth, closed it, and then gritted his teeth.

"Damn straight I do."

"Empire."

"Menace."

"Empire."

"Menace, you fucktard."

"How the fuck is that the best? Because technically it's the first?"

"No, asshat."

"It was terrible!"

"Was not."

"Three words: Jar Jar Binks."

"Two words: Darth Maul."

"…"

"Say you're sorry."

"No fucking way."

"I'm waiting."

"…Empire."

"Goddamn it! Menace!"

"Why does it look so funny?"

Craig sighed around his spoonful of Applejacks. "It's just the style they went with. Don't over analyze it, Marsh."

Stan watched in silence for a few minutes. "They look so freaky."

"Christ, Marsh," Craig dropped his spoon into the bowl with a noisy clang. "The story's awesome so just shut the fuck up before I stop this and plug in the card capturing one again."

Stan gave him an exasperated glare.

"In Japanese," Craig enunciated with a glare of his own. "No subtitles."

Stan blanched and sunk lower into the makeshift seating they assembled on the floor of Craig's bedroom. "Fine, fine, it just looks weird."

"Give a few episodes," Craig said as he scooped some more cereal up with his spoon. "It'll grow on you."

Stan snorted. An hour later Craig had to forcibly tackle him to the floor just to shut him up about how awesome Gilgamesh was.