Chapter 34: The Long-Awaited Reunion

Clyde

Clyde awakens from a dreamless sleep. He really hates when he has those while asleep, they always leave a discomforting after-feeling. But despite that, his body feels refreshed.

His eyes widen, then he sits up. Something smells good. He notices that he's sitting on the couch in the living room of the Marsh's abode.

Waking up to the scent of food being cooked brings back memories. That's another thing he won't ever forget, next to his mother's affable nature and appearance—it's her cooking. Him and his father could always count on her to prepare meals for the three of them, even snacks and desserts too on some occasions, special or not. Clyde especially loved the cakes—big or small—and the muffins she baked, they went well with a cup of milk.

A hollow sound of something making contact with the small wooden coffee table startles him a little out of his reminiscing. He looks to see what's been giving off such a mouth-watering zest, it's a steaming plate containing a thick, succulent hamburger served with french fries fried to fit the golden and crispy narrative. A bit closer to the fries is a puddle of ketchup.

He blinks. It's like he's looking at a meal that came straight out of a fast-food restaurant. His stomach rumbles loudly over the silence, then his cheeks heat up when he hears a giggle.

"I figured you would be hungry once you woke up," Mrs. Marsh says as she heads back to the kitchen.

Clyde is more than just hungry, he is starving. He fixes his position to face the small table, reaching for a french fry on the plastic dinner plate. He sticks the whole thing into his mouth, which isn't too hot as the steam makes it out to be, and bites down on it, the crunching sound resonating from his jaw up to his eardrums. Both the crispiness and salty taste are satisfyingly delectable. He eats the fries, sometimes dipping them into the ketchup, until the hamburger appears to have cooled down. He grabs the sandwich with both hands, raises it up to his mouth, and sinks his teeth into it, letting out a moan of delight. He never knew a hamburger could have such a riveting flavor.

Mrs. Marsh returns with a can of cold soda and a paper towel in each hand. She places them down next to his plate, his mouth unable to verbally express his thanks since it's full of food. Her gentle smile denotes that she knows he is thankful. She walks over to the staircase and ascends the stairs.

A little while later, Clyde hears her lightly knock on a door, assuming she's standing before the bedroom that used to belong to her daughter. He figures she's trying to wake Kyle up. He doesn't know what time it is exactly, but knows that it's the afternoon since Mrs. Marsh made lunch...or could this be his dinner? It's so hard to tell if the day has just begun or is ending when the sky is always so dark, and being inside of a barrier that's a deep color makes it even more difficult to distinguish the time. He then realizes that Craig isn't here based on the absence of his pure magical energy, and also perceives only one person with Dark energy upstairs. Stan can't have gone anywhere, he's supposed to be unconscious. He rules out Kyle as well, Mrs. Marsh would've long since sensed that he left. Just who could it have been?

Just when Clyde is about to ask Leon, noting he hasn't said a word ever since he regained consciousness, he hears Mrs. Marsh exhale a troubled sigh as she ambles back into the living room.

Clyde feels something small in his hand, seeing that the hamburger is only a bite away from being entirely gone. He's been eating on autopilot. He tries not to look dissatisfied. "Something wrong?" He asks before consuming the rest of his sandwich.

Frowning, Mrs. Marsh sits down in the armchair adjacent to him. "I believe Kyle has entered...that 'phase'." So it was actually Stan that left. But how? Isn't he supposed to be incapable of moving right now? Clyde pushes the thoughts aside when Mrs. Marsh says that she will tell him everything that happened after he passed out, if his Inner Guardian hadn't done so already. He says that Leon didn't, so she fills him in.

After nearly over a minute, she ends her briefing by informing him of Bebe and Wendy's arrival when they all returned to her house, and that Craig replenished his magical energy and Wendy healed Kenny's injuries. That explains why he woke up without any soreness. He feels immensely relieved, the emotion overshadowing the arising elation. They all lived through another dangerous battle, suffering a single casualty. Kenny kept his promise. Clyde wonders how Craig feels now that things have settled down, most likely the same sentiment since he's out who knows where. Even though he's still curious as to where his friend currently is and can get the answer from Mrs. Marsh right now, he wants to know what the woman meant by her previous statement about Kyle. He's sure Craig is fine anyway. "What did you mean by 'that phase'?"

"Occasionally, Kyle closes himself off from everyone, staying cooped up in the room. No one knows why he suddenly does this."

Clyde furrows his eyebrows. He can think of only one reason Kyle would shun himself from the others. "Could it be...because of his little brother? Like, he thinks back to what caused him to be in a coma for this long and it gets him down in the dumps."

Mrs. Marsh's frown deepens. "That's what I also thought initially, but...there were times where he would appear out of it outside of the room as well. Whenever he was asked what's wrong, his answer would always be nothing is wrong." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I'm disrupting your lunch."

"No, you're not. It's fine," Clyde says as he reaches for a french fry. "I'm almost done anyway." He nibbles on the fry. "This is really delicious, by the way. Thank you."

His compliment puts a small smile on the woman's face. "You're welcome."

"...Have you eaten yet?" Clyde decides to ask, feeling awkward that he's the only person eating.

"Yes, I snacked on some strawberries before I started cooking."

That didn't sound fulfilling at all, but Clyde simply nods, keeping his opinion to himself. Instead, he voices out the question that bugged him a few minutes ago. "Do you know how Stan regained consciousness so quickly?"

The frown reappears on Mrs. Marsh's face, though the expression depicts a mixture of curiosity and concern. "I don't."

"Hmm," Clyde hums thoughtfully. "I'll ask Leon." Mrs. Marsh nods, hoping his Inner Guardian can provide an answer. "Oi, Leon? You there?" Clyde asks inside his mind, grabbing three french fries and dipping them into the ketchup before stuffing them into his mouth.

"...Oh, You're Finally Up."

Clyde rolls his eyes with a huff. "I've been up minutes ago. Where have you been?"

"Well First, I Had To Calm Your Dad Down After He Saw You Faint Last Night." Clyde feels an intense wave of guilt as he swallows his food. "Then, I Resumed My Assigned Task While You Were Unconscious."

"How's that going? Found out anything?"

"No, Nothing We Haven't Already Figured Out. But I'll Keep Looking Into It. So, What Is It You Called Me For?"

Clyde takes a few moments to get his question in order. "...It is possible for the host to wake up sooner than a week or two after using 'Power Link'?"

The delay of a reply tells Clyde that Leon is pondering deeply about his query.

"Has he given you an answer?" Mrs. Marsh asks.

Clyde shakes his head. "No, not yet. He's thinking about it." Mrs. Marsh merely nods again. Clyde resumes eating his fries while he waits for a response, each crunch sounding over the silence.

By the time his plate has just the ketchup smeared across a small portion of its greasy surface, he hears Leon finally speak to him again. "This Is Only An Assumption, But I Think If The Host And Their Inner Guardian Have Done 'Power Link' Often Enough Times, Then The Host Would Probably Recover Quicker Than Usual."

It sounds plausible, however there's a huge problem. "But...isn't that basically suicidal?" Clyde thinks, wiping his oily hands and mouth with the paper towel.

"It Is If Initiated Back To Back."

Clyde's frown makes Mrs. Marsh uneasy. "Clyde? What did he say?"

"Remember, This Is Just My Assumption. Seeing As How Stanley Is Still Alive And Well, You And Sharon Can Rest Assured That Chris Hasn't Been Abusing The Ability Like An Addict."

His words dilute Clyde's worries. "Yeah, you're right, thanks. Also, tell my dad I'm really sorry for worrying him."

"Will Do, Will Do," Leon says as if apologizing in his stead would be a hassle.

"Clyde?!"

The teen flinches at the slightly raised voice, seeing the anxiety in Mrs. Marsh eyes. Based on her tone just now, it seems that she's been trying to get his attention during the short while he was conversing with Leon.

He frowns again. "S-sorry, Mrs. Marsh. I didn't mean to ignore you." He puts the crinkled and dirtied paper towel down on his plate.

The woman quickly appears apologetic. "No, I'm the one who should apologize, especially if I just interrupted your conversation with your Inner Guardian. I... Your expression several seconds ago worried me."

Clyde rubs the back of his neck. "Well, I have good news and bad news."

Suddenly, there are three knocks at the front door.

On cue, Leon says, "Got Four Newcomers: Two Are humans, One Is A Light Inner Guardian, And The Other Is A Dark Spirit. Hmm, How Interesting."

Mrs. Marsh reluctantly stands up and approaches the door. Clyde watches her. As soon as she is closer to the door and she puts a hand on the doorknob, he says, "You don't need to worry. Just know Stan's life isn't in any danger."

She remains still for a few moments. She turns her head, showing Clyde her appreciation with a half-smile, then looks away and opens the door.

/

Tweek and Clyde

The thought of seeing Clyde Donovan and Craig Tucker again is difficult for Tweek to accept. It's been so long, twelve years to be exact since he was forced to distance himself from them. Getting his parents killed greatly outweighed the guilt of ending his friendship with the two boys. Now that he's merely seconds away from being reunited with them, he may seem disinterested, however that's only on the outside. Inside, he's actually very nervous. He's not ready to be scrutinized by their hateful eyes nor be hurt by their harsh words, even though he merited them. He recalls how Clyde and Craig acted that day they confronted him after school, Craig was cold and indifferent while Clyde was genuinely confused and concerned. Tweek doubts Craig's feelings have changed and he's sure that Clyde dislikes him just as much.

He feels a slight pressure in his hand. The gesture barely soothes his nerves, although he is grateful that Leopold is trying to help him relax. Seems his stoic profile has faltered.

Tweek tenses up all over again when he hears the doorknob rattle, unintentionally squeezing Leopold's hand a bit too hard. He doesn't see him wince, his insipid eyes focused on the door that begins to open.

A cerulean eye widens behind the narrow gap. Soon, the person is revealed as a whole.

"Hello," Raven politely greets Mrs. Marsh on everyone else's behalf. "We have come to aid you in your pursuit to defeat the Dark Master and the darkness."

Mrs. Marsh's eyes reduce to normal size, and she gives the group a welcoming smile. "Hello, I'd thought as much. You four will be of great help." Then she studies Tweek and Leopold for a few seconds, Tweek catching a brief glint of sympathy in her eyes. "It's especially great to see you two again, I almost didn't recognize the both of you since you've changed so much." Tweek just nods stiffly while Leopold flashes her an innocent smile. "Please," Mrs. Marsh steps aside. "Come in."

Tweek and Leopold enter first, an enticing aroma hitting their noses instantaneously. It's a good thing they ate before coming here. Raven and Cloud walk in right behind them. Mrs. Marsh shuts the door and follows them to the living room.

It takes every ounce of effort for Tweek to keep his legs moving when he sees the familiar brown-haired male sitting on the sofa, gaping solely at him. He did not expect this kind of expression from the brunette.

"Hiya, Clyde," Leopold says in a slightly less cheerful tone compared to his usual chipperness back when he was a child.

Clyde makes a face, looking as though he doesn't understand how this stranger knew his name. He assumes Tweek must've told him about him. He observes the smooth-haired blonde intently as he and the other three stop now that they're in the living room, his and Tweek's clasped hands not going unnoticed. Clyde doesn't recognize his appearance at all, so he tries to unravel his identity based on his attire and Southern accent.

"You're Gonna End Up Getting Another Nosebleed If You Keep Pushing Yourself," Leon warns him.

Mrs. Marsh picks up his empty plate along with the used paper towel from off the small wooden coffee table, then says something to the quartet that he fails to hear clearly. After hearing out the emo-looking woman's response, Mrs. Marsh gives her a terse reply, then walks to the kitchen.

The black-haired woman sits down in the armchair that's behind her, and the well-dressed man with silver hair takes the other one. Tweek and his slightly shorter friend remain standing.

Eventually, the silence becomes off-putting, although no one appears bothered by it. Rather, the sky-blue-eyed teen is more fazed by Clyde's inexorable staring.

"U-um..." the blonde utters diffidently, averting his eyes to the floor.

Tweek feels his hand squirming within his grasp, realizing with horror that his grip has been too firm this entire time. He releases his hand. "S-sorry..." He says quietly.

Leopold shakes his head. "It's okay." He rubs his knuckles together, a habit Tweek thought he overcame as soon as they became preteens.

Clyde blinks. He finally remembers who the other blonde is now thanks to his bashful gesture. "Wait, Leo?!" He exclaims.

Leopold meets his wide-eyed gaze with a smile. "Yep, that's me."

"Wooow," Clyde murmurs, almost speechless. To him, Leopold changed way more than Tweek did. "Who knew you having a head full of hair would make you look like an entirely different person?" Leopold chuckles briefly. "Oh, uh, you guys can sit over here." Clyde moves closer to the armrest, though he didn't need to since there was already plenty enough space.

Tweek and Leopold stroll over to the couch just as Mrs. Marsh comes back with one of the dining table chairs. She sets it down diagonally across from the coffee table, being next to the armchair Cloud is sitting in. Leopold gives Tweek a look, silently asking if he wants to sit next to Clyde. Tweek instantly declines by frowning uneasily, so Leopold occupies the middle. Clyde does not conceal the hurt and disappointment on his face. He was hoping to talk to Tweek, probably recover the friendship they once had, but it seems the thought hasn't even crossed Tweek's mind. And his eyes...they secretly disturb him. He supposes terrible things happened to him in the past.

"Let's get the introductions out of the way first," Mrs. Marsh says to the two spirits. "Just your names since Clyde and I are already aware of your attributes." They nod.

"My name is Raven," the woman says.

"Mines is Carl Cloud, but please, call me Cloud," insistently says the sliverette. "I'm Leopold's Inner Guardian."

His last statement shocks Clyde. "Inner Guardians can come to earth now?"

"That's something you're going to have to ask your own Inner Guardian. I was only allowed permission to come here to broaden my search for my host."

"So you were the one who's been killing the monsters as well," Mrs. Marsh says.

"Yes, including the Beings of Darkness'. So in a way, I was already aiding you all," Cloud smirks.

Clyde will definitely ask Leon if he can come to earth before the day is over with. While the adults go into a serious topic regarding future courses of action, his mind drifts back to Craig. If he were here, Clyde doesn't necessarily know how he would've reacted to Tweek's sudden arrival. He didn't answer his question yesterday, so if he had to guess, then perhaps Craig's first emotion would've been antipathy. Buried underneath his callous behavior was a louring mask that couldn't dissuade Clyde's juvenile intuition.

"If you three want to catch up, you can go to my room," Mrs. Marsh says.

Clyde forces a little smile, leaking with hesitation. He can already imagine the awkwardness between them intensifying once it's just them in the room. "O-okay." He stands up and ambles to the staircase. Tweek and Leopold follow him.

The trio silently leave the living room, then go up the stairs. Once they're in the hallway, which is barely lit by a light peeking out from the room at the end, Tweek senses an odd energy emanating from the closed room on their right a few steps down. The Inner Aura is a mesh of green, red, and orange. One more person is in there and the color of their Inner Aura is bright green.

Clyde pushes a door on their left open and turns on the ceiling light, glad the other two bedrooms are occupied. It's not that he forgot which room belongs to who, he just would've gotten Mrs. Marsh's and Shelly's rooms mixed up.

The three teens step into the room. The walls are bare and pink, the carpeted floor is dark purple, the well-made bed is king-sized with golden-brown bedsheets and a single plump, white pillow in the middle, and on both sides of the bed is a wooden nightstand that has a lamp, though the one on the right also has an alarm clock. Near one corner of the room is a brown dresser with an arched mirror, several skin care and hair products for women are on the wooden counter. The bathroom is behind the furniture on the opposite side, its door is closed. Situated next to the other corner on the same side of the dresser is a wooden wardrobe closet. Lastly, across the room upon entering are two windows with a solid colorless curtain over them.

The boys stand awkwardly by the bed. Tweek can tell that Leopold also detected the abnormal Inner Aura in the other room, and appears very tempted to inquire Clyde about it. Seeing as how neither Raven nor Cloud brought it up to Mrs. Marsh first thing, the person must not be a threat. Even so, Tweek won't lower his guard. He already made that mistake once, never again will he repeat it.

Clyde gathers up the nerve to break the heavy silence. He gives Tweek and Leopold a strained yet friendly smile. "S-so, how've you two been?" The corners of his lips drop when he sees their frowns deepening into a grimace.

Leopold clutches his left arm as he looks off to the side. "We've been...okay."

"Until we arrived here yesterday," Tweek says emotionlessly.

It's weird hearing Tweek not stutter even once and speak in a monotone. Clyde instantly comprehends what he hinted at. "Ah, you guys got ambushed by those crow monsters too."

Tweek shakes his head. "No, the monsters we encountered were far worse." His lifeless eyes darken miserably at a brief memory of his parents' glaring red eyes. Leopold grips his arm tightly, looking uncomfortable.

Clyde sympathizes with them. "Looks like we all went through a lot of shit yesterday." He focuses on his current feelings as he thinks back on all that occurred after Stan's and Kenny's unprecedented egress. The outcome initially left a positive effect on him, it hasn't changed nor waned. He's happy that the Being of Darkness was killed, but at the same time, he's angry that a hazardous incident had to happen on the day of his birthday of all days. Anyone could've died, especially himself as a consequence for overexerting his mental and magical energy. But that's a fault he self-acknowledges and takes full responsibility for. Had someone other than the Being of Darkness lost their life, April 10th would've been a dreadful day to remember.

"How have you been?" He hears Leopold ask him. "Before yesterday, Aah mean."

Clyde sighs. As much as he wants to vent out his emotions, he'd rather not put a huge damper on the mood. "I've been good," he observes Tweek's face when he adds, "both me and Craig, actually." The noirette's name doesn't elicit any sort of a reaction out of Tweek, not for him to see, at least. It pains him to know that even though their status as friends ended a long time ago, Tweek wasn't ever concerned about his and Craig's well-being. Little did he know Tweek always cared about them deep down.

"Where is Craig, by the way?" Leopold asks.

Clyde shrugs. "No idea." Leopold appears confused by his insouciant response. "So that spirit named Raven, is she your Inner Guardian, Tweek?" Clyde asks.

"No," Tweek answers curtly.

"She's our guardian in a different sense," Leopold clarifies. He lets go of his arm. "She took us in when we lost our parents."

Clyde hums, relating to their grief. The hushed voices coming from the living room barely staunches the stiff quietness surrounding them.

Tweek waits impassively for Craig's inevitable return.

Leopold's mind wanders back to the peculiar Inner Aura.

Clyde has so many questions he wants to ask Tweek, but he's refraining himself since Craig isn't here. Whether he cares or not, he also deserves to hear the answers directly from Tweek's mouth. Wherever he is, Clyde wishes he would hurry back.

"I'm Surprised You Haven't Ask Me Where Craig Has Been," Leon says.

"I was going to, but because I thought he wouldn't be out for long, I just didn't bother." Clyde inches closer to the bed and sits down on it. "Plus, I know he's not in any danger otherwise you would've told me."

"Yeah, True. He And Stanley Left, I Think, Fifteen Minutes After You Woke Up. As For Where They Went...You'll Know Once They Return."

Clyde hunches forward putting his elbow on his knee, then his cheek against his palm, giving the impression that he is bored when in actuality, it was to suppress a sigh. "Good thing I didn't ask since you were just gonna be secretive about it."

"Um, Clyde?" Clyde moves his eyes to look at Leopold, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"What is it?" Clyde asks, having a hunch as to what his question could be.

The sound of a door being opened draws thier attention towards the hallway, which is brightening by a ray of yellow light. After a momentary pause, footsteps softly pad their way.

Clyde instantly knows who the individual is.

Once Kyle is seen, his red hair disheveled, he pauses in front of the doorway, gaping at them as if he has never seen them a day in his life. Well, one of the teenagers appear unfamiliar to him.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," Clyde says.

Kyle gives him a weak smile, seemingly knowing what he was referring to. "The same can be said to you." He looks at the two blondes. "Hi, Tweek and..." He doesn't recognize his companion.

Tweek nods his greeting. Clyde sits back while chuckling. "Wanna guess who he is?"

Leopold pouts a little and rubs his knuckles together again. "Jeez, guys. Aah don't think Aah've changed that much. Mrs. Marsh was still able ta recognize me."

Kyle blinks, realization quickly developing on his face. "You most definitely have changed a lot, Leo. Well, both you and Tweek have appearance-wise, but it was easy to remember Tweek because of his hair."

Leopold sighs dejectedly, his arms drooping to his sides. "In the end, Aah had ta resort ta mah childhood habit just so ya'll could remember me."

So he did it twice intentionally, Tweek and Clyde register. "You can't blame us," Clyde says in his and Kyle's defence. "Your hair made a huge difference."

Kyle nods in agreement. "But then again, I guess I should've known you were Leo from your clothes."

Leopold's eyes widen slightly. "Oh yeah...Aah did wear somethin' very similar ta this when Aah was little." He smiles, moved by Cloud's thoughtfulness. Tweek, even though he's not showing it, is a little shocked that he figured out Leopold's new clothes looked almost identical to the ones he used to wear before Leopold himself realized it.

"Have you two been well?" Kyle asks as he steps into the room.

Leopold nods, his smile shrinking. "We have, just thankful ta still be alive."

Kyle understands without having to be told. "I see..."

"But can Aah ask about, um..." Leopold frowns.

"My little brother has been marked," Kyle says, answering his unspoken question.

"Marked?" Clyde repeats, troubled. "That...doesn't sound good."

"How did that happen?" Leopold asks.

"I don't know. I found out about it last night after Wendy tried to Purify him."

Fitting that Wendy uses Light magic. "So no wonder you..." Clyde begins to say before trailing off, deciding not to expose Kyle's insecurity. Thankfully, neither Tweek nor Leopold seem too curious about what he was going to say.

"Where are Stan and Craig?" Kyle asks, not wanting to stay on the topic.

"They went out somewhere," Clyde says.

Kyle raises an eyebrow at his vague answer. "Did Mrs. Marsh not tell you where they went?"

Clyde shakes his head. "She was still cooking lunch, and I was busy eating said delicious lunch." He doesn't know for sure if Kyle was still asleep when they started talking about his 'phase', so he decided to tell him a white lie. "But shouldn't you be curious as to how Stan regained consciousness so fast?"

His question makes Leopold curious instead. "Hm? What do you mean by that?"

"Two words: 'Power Link'."

In that split second, Leopold comprehends by frowning. Raven forewarned him and Tweek about that ability, that despite having its perks, it also has its drawbacks that only effect the human host, so it is regarded as forbidden among the spirit realms.

They all hear the front door open.

Tweek, who has been as quiet as a mouse, goes rigid.

Mrs. Marsh tells the obvious people that their friends are up in her room, and they waste no time approaching. Kyle moves away from the door, smoothing his hair with his hands when Clyde gestures for him to fix it while standing up from the comfy bed. It's not just Craig and Stan he hears, the other two that are with them must be Bebe and Wendy.

The first to appear in the doorway are Stan and Craig, they are carrying a stack of men's clothes. Tweek becomes the primary target of Craig's weary glare. The sight of him being doused almost completely in purple blood makes Leopold cringe. Bebe and Wendy emerge behind Craig and Stan, though their taller figures nearly block them out from being seen. Clyde sees that they also have a bunch of clothes in their hands.

"Uh, did we interrupt a serious conversation ooor...?" Asks Bebe, aware of the dense tension in the air.

"Nah, it was nothing like that," Clyde reassures.

Stan isn't fully convinced since Kyle and the unrecognizable blonde standing next to Tweek are frowning at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yep, but what's with the clothes?" Clyde asks, briskly changing the subject.

Craig tears his eyes away from the straight-faced Tweek, getting rid of the derisive scowl. "I couldn't take a shower without any new clothes to change into, plus I figured I might as well get you some too. Thanks to these guys, we managed to get a lot."

Stan nods, his lips breaking into a shy smile. "Yeah, and, um, consider this a token of my apology and a late birthday present." He walks into the room to give Clyde the clothes.

Bebe briefly widens her eyes. "Same goes for me and Wendy since we picked these out," she grins genially, referring to the articles of clothing she's holding. Wendy nods in accordance to her statement.

Clyde is taken aback. Once he takes the clothes from Stan, his eyes begin to water.

"Happy belated birthday, Clyde," Kyle and Leopold say. Tweek just gives the gratified brunette a small smile.

A teardrop falls from Clyde's eye. "T-thank you..."

"Happy I Left Their Whereabouts As A Surprise Now?"

'Happy' doesn't accurately describe Clyde's emotions. All he received yesterday were happy birthdays from his father and Leon before departing from the Realm of Light and Darkness, Craig, and Mrs. Marsh. That much was well within his expectations. He never would've guessed that come the next day, his birthday would be celebrated some more courtesy of Craig's altruistic idea, whether it was intentional or not.

"Well I'm gonna go take a shower at Wendy's house-"

"W-wait!" Setting the clothes down on the bed, Clyde dries his eyes on his letterman jacket sleeve. He gives Tweek and Craig stern glances. "I think it's time we talk."

The amicable atmosphere alters drastically. Tweek frowns whereas Craig narrows his eyes again. "Talk about what?" Craig asks sharply. "He made it perfectly clear that he no longer wanted to be friends with us by spewing some bullshit lie."

"I didn't lie," Tweek murmurs.

"So tell us the truth," Clyde demands, almost pleading. "What's the real reason you stopped being friends with me and Craig?"

"..." Tweek feels pressured when all eyes stare at him attentively. Excluding Clyde, Craig, and Leopold, some seem to slowly remember the day he abruptly distanced himself from Clyde and Craig and befriended Leopold while the others appear anxious, as if they are intruding on something they have no business hearing.

"What, trying to think up another lie?" Craig scoffs.

"Tweek," with both hands, Leopold grabs Tweek's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. Tweek's body starts relaxing on instinct. "You need ta clear up the misunderstanding."

Tweek knows. His parents weren't the only ones who needed to know the truth. He looks at Craig and says, "It was because of the Being of Darkness." Then he turns his head, looking into Clyde's eyes. "It told me to unfriend you two. I was never given a reason why, no matter how many times I asked..." He looks away, staring blankly across the room where nobody is in his line of sight. The pity everyone except Leopold now feels towards him is painfully apparent without him having to view it on their faces or in their eyes.

"So During That Time, The Being Of Darkness Was Using Him As A Veil To Shroud Itself From Our Radar."

Leon's deduction corresponds with the conclusion the other Inner Guardians that are present came to. Clyde can't believe Tweek's parents were the very first people to get corrupted, no wonder his eyes are the way they are...Wait-

"How come the Being of Darkness didn't corrupt you?"

Clyde snaps his gaze at Kyle after he voiced out the exact query that sprung into his head.

"Right," Bebe says slowly, her eyebrows knitted. "If it corrupted your parents, then how come not you as well?"

A shadow looms over Tweek's eyes as the memory of his parents getting their necks slashed plays out vividly in his mind's eye. He was hoping he wouldn't have to tell them about that. "It didn't corrupt my parents, it killed them." Leopold is the only person who doesn't appear dismayed by his unemotional response, looking grief-stricken instead.

"W-why?" Clyde asks in immense disbelief. He always thought the Beings of Darkness' were meant to corrupt humans for their Master and the darkness, not kill them.

"It was my punishment for disobeying its orders. I was to never interact with you and Craig."

Clyde's insides tighten. "T-then that day we got off at your bus stop...-"

"Was the day they were killed," Tweek concludes, withholding the two choices he was oh-so-graciously given.

It's just as Clyde suspected, although it wasn't multiple instances. Tweek went through one traumatic experience during his childhood. To think it started because of him and Craig...

"I'm sorry, Tweek," Craig says, his amber eyes a bit droopy from the lack of sleep, but strongly portrays his guilt and sorrow. "Not for what happened to your parents, words won't bring them back." Tweek presses his thin-lined lips tightly together, thinking it's very ironic that Craig mentioned the improbability of his parents coming back to life. Words certainly weren't the source. "I meant for...acting like a jackass."

Tweek shakes his head. "It's okay. You had every right to be mad at me. I tarnished our friendship out of the blue and without a believable reason, after all."

"We can start over."

Tweek's eyes go big. He and Craig look at Clyde, a desperate gleam in his lavender-colored orbs.

"Are you sure?" Tweek asks, uncertain.

"Of course I am...Unless, you don't want to."

The frown on Clyde's face ignites an awfully familiar prickle within Tweek's chest. He's felt this every time Leopold appeared deflated after the inefficacious results at cheering him up. It would be really rude of him to decline the invitation to be friends again. He gives the brunette a faint smile. "I would love to."

"Same here, but let's save that for another day. I seriously need to shower."

"And sleep," Stan points out.

"That too," Craig concurs, then yawns.

Aware that he is responsible for Craig not getting any rest, Clyde can feel the taut ambience swiftly dissipating from around them. "Well me and Tweek will be getting reacquainted while you clean yourself up and get your beauty sleep," he says. Craig playfully flips him off.

"We'll take your clothes over Wendy's house," Bebe says, walking into the bedroom to retrieve the stack of the garments on the bed.

Clyde nods. "Thank you again."

Bebe gives him a cute smile. "You're welcome. Oh, before I forget." Clyde's cheeks become red when she leans up to his ear. "You're gonna have to get your own set of underwear since Craig didn't know what size you wore," she whispers.

Clyde's blush darkens. It would've been really weird if he did know. "O-okay."

Giggling mischievously, Bebe scoops up the clothes in her arms, then rejoins Craig and Wendy in the hallway. "See you guys later," Wendy says. Everyone waves to them as her magic engulfs hers, Bebe's, and Craig's bodies in a subdued golden glow, then she transports them all to her home.

"I'm gonna go see what all my mom cooked." Stan turns and leaves.

"I might as well too." Kyle follows after him.

His blush fading, Clyde notices Leopold releasing Tweek's hand. He wonders... "So, are you and Leo dating?"