(A/n: tym24, I'm just gonna be focusing on this story for awhile)


Chapter 13: Misfortune Pt. 2- Alone and Commence The First Battle

August 24th- Tweek

Blood painted almost every corner of the Tweak's living room. The splattered stains are no longer a rich red color—the long exposure outside of the human body has darkened their color to that of mud. The odor of vomit-inducing decay combined with the smell of rusty old metal lingers in the air, but Tweek is not bothered by the foul stench. Not anymore. He hasn't moved from his spot on the floor after the massacre happened, which is near the windows. His knees are pulled up to his chest, a weak grip holding them close. His pants legs have little spatters of blood on them. The living room is dark, the curtains are drew together, blocking out the Thursday morning sky, but the storm clouds wouldn't have provided enough light to brighten the room anyway. Not that it was needed.

Tweek's face is smeared with days old blood, and there are dark bags under his blue-green eyes that are gazing blankly at a pool of dried blood surrounding the feet of two dead adults. It was a week ago when it happened, last Wednesday to be exact when 'he' came and killed his parents. Tweek knows the reason why 'he' did it, his brain wouldn't allow him to forget.

Unconsciously, the boy's numb mind forces him to recall the tragic incident.

*Flashback*

When Tweek ran to his home, leaving behind a flabbergasted Clyde and Craig, what he didn't expect to see was both his mother and father held hostage in the living room once he'd entered the house. His heart froze at the sight. The cool wind leisurely pulled the front door to a close. He wiped his eyes with feverish hands, ridding the tears, so he could clear his blurry vision. He kept his eyes closed for a moment as soon as they were dry, hoping that what he saw a brief second ago was just a hallucination. The door finally closed without a sound.

Slowly, Tweek opened his eyes. His parents were sat on the couch with their wrists and legs tied together, and their mouths covered by a black cloth exuding misty trails, silencing their whimpers of fear similar to a soundproof barrier. Not just the cloths, but the chains bounding both of their wrists and legs securely were black as well. "M-mom! Dad!" Aghast, Tweek rushed over to his parents thinking a robber was in their home. But he couldn't have been more wrong...

He stopped in his tracks when he saw a dark figure creep out of the hallway next to his parents' right. It was as though the shadows themselves were walking on two feet, entering the light of the living room that failed to extinguish the darkness that enclosed 'his' body.

"I've been waiting for you, Tweek Tweak," the deep voice said, their tone practically seeping with teasing animosity as 'he' stopped and faced Mrs. and Mr. Tweak with concealed eyes. Tweek found his voice lodged in his throat as he gaped at the guy who turned his life upside down. Thoughts wondering why 'he' was here stayed inside his head since words weren't going to be leaving his mouth anytime soon. "As you've already noticed, your parents here are held under my care. Do you know why?" 'He' asked. Tweek gulped and took a wobbly step back, his legs nearly ready to collapse. He wanted to voice out his answer, he really did - although he didn't know why his parents were in this sudden predicament - but fear made it impossible for him to reply. All he could do was stare and hear the purpose of 'his' being here from the man himself. The male chuckled. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker before dying out completely, coating the living room in faintly seeable darkness. "Seems a cat has gotten your tongue, but it doesn't matter," the male said. "Sadly, I can't stay for very long, so I'm going to have to make this brief." 'He' turned his head towards Tweek's direction, scaring the child even more. "Clyde Donovan and Craig Tucker, the two boys I told you to unfriend. I must say you were off to a really good start, ignoring them and hanging out with that Leopold kid as if they were never a part of your life to begin with. But it appears that cold heart of yours has thawed today...Now do you know why I'm here?"

Tweek did, in fact, understand now. He nodded his head through his shaking. The horrified stares he's receiving from his parents pained his racing heart. He wanted to bolt out of the house with his parents in tow. Where they went didn't really matter, as long as they were away from this monster...

"Good," the masculine voice said. "Since you're aware of your failure, it's time to get your punishment out of the way. I'll make their deaths quick and veeery bloody," 'he' teased once again in a serious tone of voice, looking back at 'his' victims on the sofa. Mr. and Mrs. Tweak stared back with terror-stricken eyes, squirming fruitlessly in their bonds.

"D-deaths?!" That single word gave Tweek the push he needed to speak. "N-no, wait!" He yelled. "Why do you have to kill them?!"

The male shook 'his' head, disappointed. "I thought you knew why. You may have followed my order, but you disobeyed me today. I ordered you to end your friendship with Clyde and Craig; that meant do not look at them, do not hang around them, and do not talk to them. Ever, otherwise, I would kill them. You broke all three of those just a few minutes ago, and you must be punished for it. But since you didn't defy me outright, I'll give you two options." 'He' raised two fingers as 'he' looked at Tweek once more. Fear struck Tweek's very being when he saw inhuman teeth spreading into a smile within the dark depths of the creature disguised as a man's hood. "One," the first finger went down. "I kill Clyde and Craig, or two," the second and last finger went down. "I kill your parents...Choose carefully."

A frightening silence settled into the living room as Tweek's brain repeated the choices he was given. He couldn't believe he had to choose whose life to end...all for the sake of his punishment. "M-my parents...or...C-Clyde and Craig?" He shook his head. "B-but why?! Why do any of them have to die?!"

"Because those that fail to obey an order are to be punished. However, your life cannot end, not by my hands at least," the thing answered, direct yet discreet. "Now times a wastin', little one. Like I said earlier, I can't stay here for very long. Hmm...I'll give you ten seconds. If you haven't made up your mind by then, well, I'll take the pleasure of choosing then." 'His' wicked smile broadened with a nefarious chuckle.

The countdown began, decreasing one by one without the monster announcing the dwindling time. Trembling hands reached up to spiky, blonde hair, clutching them tightly with panicking blue-green eyes looking down to the floor. Tweek didn't know what to do...he didn't want to do this. Who was he to decide who got killed? This wasn't something a child should be deciding on! He loved his parents dearly, and he knew for a fact he couldn't end their lives. As for Clyde and Craig, they were his best friends, and he still saw them as such even though he had to cut ties with them, but it was against his will. Plus, they're still children, so killing them would be just as immoral.

This abrupt turn of events was truly unfair. What could Tweek had possibly done to deserve this? He dropped onto his knees, clenching his eyes shut. His encounter with this vile brute wasn't something he thought would ever develop into this. The man-looking monster was the one who approached him the beginning of this year. Tweek thought he had dreamt that moment when the darkness of his room took a human form, then loomed out of the shadows, towering over his bed. "Looks like you're going to have to do for awhile." To this day, Tweek still didn't know what 'he' meant by that, and ever since that night, he rarely saw the talking shadow, always warning him to never tell anybody about 'him'.

"H-how...did it turn out like this...? Why me...?" Tweek whispered to himself, sinking further to the floor and clutching his hair like a lifeline.

"Looks like you don't know whose life I should take, but that's understandable since you're still just a child," the demon said, taking some pity on Tweek. "Guess I'll do the honors and kill these two right here then."

Tweek tensed up at that, his trembling going rigid. He raised his head only to have blood splash across his face. With doleful eyes, he watched the blood spraying out from his mother's neck like a ruptured water pipe, the life from her green eyes rapidly draining away. His father shook his head when it's his turn, his blue eyes pleading for his life to be spared. But his wordless begging had no effect on his assailant. The cruel individual held no sympathy, no remorse as 'he' maintained 'his' smile and slashed the man's neck open with 'his' hand. Blood gushed out from the long wound, yet not a single drop landed on 'him'. The red droplets flew straight through 'his' body comprised of Darkness.

Ebullient laughter rang throughout the house. Blood stained the couch, the floor, and across the walls. "See? This was supposed to be Clyde and Craig, not your parents." The so-called man turned to face Tweek's despondent form. "Whether they're a baby, a child, a teenager, or an adult wouldn't have mattered to me, as long as you learned your lesson for failing to comply with an order that was assigned to you. What I merely did was set an example. If you ever were to oppose the Master's orders, you'd rue the day you did. You only have yourself to blame, Little Tweek. Keep that in mind as you live the rest of your days with regret."

*End Of Flashback*

A rumble of thunder brings Tweek back to present time, the darkness around him appearing blurry. Pale, skinny fingers weakly go up to his cheek. The liquid feels cool to the touch, but not on his cheek. He wonders how long he had been crying for during his recollection. Could it have been since the very beginning, or when his parents were slaughtered right before his very eyes?

Tweek closes his hand into a feeble fist and lets it fall limp to the floor by his side. Without any thought, his eyes wander up and over towards the sofa where his deceased parents are. Their bodies had toppled over since there's nothing binding them in place, looking like dolls that had been disposed of. Who would want to keep headless dolls anyway? Their heads are cleanly detached from their necks, exposing the inside of their jugulars.

Despite not being able to see such a gruesome scene, knowing that his parents are dead is more painful than seeing their corpses. Tweek looks away. He is no longer sad or angry. He doesn't feel anything. He is empty like a shell - both in body and mind...


Kenny

"...a great danger is approaching this place."

"...you along with your friends will train to defeat both the Beings of Darkness' and the creeping darkness."

"...you will meet someone in your dreams..."

"...Beings of Darkness' have already made their move..."

The night has finally come for Kenny. Tonight, he will meet the mysterious soul the entity that possessed his father informed him of.

The little blonde is sleeping on his haggard mattress, curled onto his right side with a hand near his slightly agape mouth, his breathing faint and relaxed. The boy's parka acted as a blanket, only protecting his torso and half of his upper thighs from the cold. Heavy rain continuously beats down against the ailing bungalow. The cracked window in Kenny's bedroom has been boarded up by his father, though there being one less opening the rain can slip into won't stop them from leaking through the other holes and cracks the house has.

Even still, Kenny submerged into a dreamless sleep. This is the only night so far that the sky hasn't brought about any thunder or lightning. But with leisure development, his dream began to show itself, replacing the emptiness.

Hazel eyes slowly open to a partly cloudy blue sky and a balmy breeze. Kenny blinks a few times, then sits up to get a better look at his surroundings. He's sitting in an open field with healthy green grass, expanding farther than the eyes can see. A single tree is planted in the distance, but not too far from where Kenny is. There's nothing resplendent about this place, yet Kenny is awestruck by the scenery. He doesn't care that there's little to see, this is way better than seeing grey clouds and snow every day and every season. It annoys him knowing that his hometown will never experience the warmth of Spring, the sweltering heat of Summer, nor the invigorating winds of Autumn. Instead, South Park gets a harsh storm all of a sudden. Which is uncommon.

Kenny believes this storm is like some sort of warning. Slowly, ever since his meeting with the spirit that took over his father's body, Kenny began to sense that something is amiss in South Park. "Eric suddenly goes missing...and now there's Kyle..." Kenny thinks with a frown, his hair swaying in the breeze. "When I went over to his house that night, no one answered the door when I knocked, so I waited until morning on their porch. But I figured everyone was still asleep, and I didn't wanna worry my parents, so I went home." He also recalls hearing Eric calling out to him that morning as he was walking to his house, but he didn't feel like being bothered, so he ignored him, glad Eric took the hint and left him be. Kenny closes his eyes and continues his thoughts. "There's Stan too. I don't know what he's doing lately either. It's like ever since Eric disappeared, things started changing. I wonder if Stan knows about Kyle...that we should be cautious of him..." The calm wind dies down, prompting Kenny to open his eyes. What-no, who he sees before him startles him.

"Kenneth McCormick...we finally meet." Standing before Kenny is a teenage girl giving him a sweet eye smile, her hands clasped behind her back. He can't pinpoint her exact age, but he knows that she's not eighteen. Her hair that reached down to her shoulders is an onyx black. She is dressed in a long, hoary dress with white flats on her feet. Around her slender neck is a glittery, light blue butterfly choker.

Kenny blinks. "W-who're you?"

Still smiling, the girl opens her eyes. Her irises are the same color as his mother's: maroon. "My name is Yuna, Yuna Edgewood. I am your Inner Guardian. I possess the powers of both Light and Dark magic, making me a Mixed Inner Guardian. Before you ask what Inner Guardians are, we are spirits that have been around for-hm?" Yuna stops herself. The look on Kenny's face tells her that the boy is very lost by her sudden explanation. Yuna saunters over to him, quickly closing the small gap between them. She bends down slightly and pokes Kenny's cheek. He flinches like he got stung by a bee. Giggling a little at his reaction, Yuna returns her hand behind her back. "Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself there," she apologizes. Kenny just nods his head, and stands up on his feet, dusting the grass off of his orange pants. "But did you grasp what I've told you? I know the spirit that was residing in your father for a short period of time already informed you about the darkness and the Beings of Darkness', so that saves me the trouble of warning you about them. Phew," Yuna says, not hiding the relief in her tone.

Kenny nods again as he frowns. "Yeah, but...what does it all mean?"

"It means just as what the name implies. I am your Inner Guardian, and I will help you defeat the darkness that threatens the earth by granting you powers similar to my own."

Kenny's bemusement changes to incredulity. "B-but how?! There's no way I can-" The feeling of a soft, cold palm against his cheek puts a stop to his upcoming rambling. He stares into Yuna's eyes—strong, unfaltering determination is what he detects in them. Another warm breeze flows through the air, lightly moving their hair, and Yuna's dress to and fro.

"Kenneth, age doesn't matter when your world is in danger. Remember, the darkness is years away from being an actual threat. The Beings of Darkness' are going to be like our training dummies until then. Sadly, we won't be able to do any training by ourselves at the moment since one of those monsters is active in your hometown. Also..." Yuna retracts her hand from Kenny's cheek, going for the white strand in his hair. He blushes once she touches it. "This white strand will only expand the more you age or use your magic." She lets it go and stands up straight. "I'm not sure how it came to be that way nor do I know how long it will be until your hair is completely white, but know that you don't have to worry about it being a disease or something you humans tend to jump to conclusions about...Hmm...maybe I can ask him about it when I get the chance..." she muses to herself. Kenny doesn't know what to say. He has so many questions racing through his head, enough to make him dizzy. He ends up frowning again, feeling even more troubled. "It's okay to be scared," Yuna says, smiling sympathetically. "You may be immortal, but your allies aren't...If they get killed, they're dead for good or...they'll become the Dark Master's pawns." Kenny grimaces uncomfortably. He refuses to envision his friends losing their lives or joining the evil side.

Hovering a hand over her choker, Yuna turns away looking up at the sky. "There's something I need you to see."

The area around them swiftly changes before Kenny can question her on what she's going to show him. The air becomes cold, the sky turns dark with the clouds still there, but now there's a moon, and there's snow beneath their feet. Kenny looks down and around, surprised by the fast transition from the grassy terrain. His mangy socks sunk into the snow, but his feet do not feel like they're freezing like he expected them to be. It just feels like he's standing in...temperatureless mush? He can't really describe it. He tries walking forward, even moving in the crunchy pulp feels very weird. He stands beside Yuna, looking at her to see her frowning yearningly at the moon. He follows her gaze, squinting since the satellite is a bit too bright for his eyes. "This moon represents the one on earth - bright and beautiful. However, a Being of Darkness will soon appear, and the moon's existence will come to an undeserved end," Yuna explains with disdain.

Kenny looks at Yuna again with worried eyes, but she keeps her attention on the moon. "W-what do you mean?" He asks her, anticipating the worst. Yuna doesn't give him an answer, her lips compressing into a line as she lowers her gaze to the darkness before them. Once again, Kenny looks to where she's looking. He sees someone walk out from the shadows wearing an equally black attire, the snow crunching underneath their boots with every step until they stop in the rays of the moonlight, only a couple of meters away from Kenny and Yuna. Their physique is that of a male. A wintry breeze blows past the three. Kenny shivers and he hugs his bare arms. Silently, the ominously dressed man raises a gloved hand, pointing directly up at the moon.

"Don't look away," Yuna says just as Kenny was about to do just that. Kenny's eyes widen when he sees a small red energy emerge from the tip of the male's extended forefinger, a low humming sound filling the silence around them. The energy continues to increase in size until its propositions are the same as a baseball's. Without any delay, the red energy shoots out from his finger at an unimaginable speed.

The magic missile kicks up a flurry of snow, the wind nearly knocking Kenny off balance as he clenches his eyes shut, his hair and clothes swaying in the current. It takes some moments for the intense gale to settle down completely, and it takes a couple of more seconds for Kenny to open his eyes. He blinks in shock when all he sees is eerie darkness. "W-what the heck just happened?!"

"Look up, Kenneth," Yuna orders, concealing the hatred in her voice. With a firm grip on his arms, Kenny does as told, and his eyes widen all over again.

Little shiny, fake stars are twinkling down from the sky in diverse directions, disappearing during their descent. The moon is nowhere to be seen. No matter where Kenny looks, it isn't within his eyes' visibility.

"Y-Yuna...-"

"One...it took one small projectile to destroy the moon."

Shaken up by what Yuna just said, Kenny looks over at her. She's seething with anger, her hands balled tightly into fists by her sides. "It's so pathetic. Those things only rely on the energy from their Master. They don't have to do a damn thing to gain their strength. Tch, despicable bastards..."

The two appear back in the expansive field of smooth grass expeditiously. The chills coating Kenny's body start to melt away in the warm air. His tensed posture relaxes and he releases his arms, however he's still unnerved. Is the moon really endanger of being blasted to bits by that guy? A heavy sigh has Kenny looking at Yuna. She has a lethargic frown on her face. "Yuna, are you okay?" Kenny asks. The girl stiffly nods her head, but Kenny can tell that she's still upset. "Sooo...is there any way we can stop that guy from blowing up the moon?" He asks.

"Yes, but it is unknown when one of those freaks will do that," Yuna answers.

"Oh..." Kenny says, then he gets an idea. "Can the older Inner Guardians find and stop him?"

Yuna shakes her head. "At the moment, Inner Guardians can't appear on earth, but the other spirits can. It's stupid, but rules are rules." She shrugs. "But wait, why'd you say older Inner Guardians?"

Kenny cocks an eyebrow. "Because they're stronger, aren't they?"

Yuna pouts a little. "I mean yeah, they are, but I'm your Inner Guardian. Shouldn't you have asked can I find and stop it?"

Kenny almost wants to laugh, but he's glad that she's no longer mad. He wanted to change her mood somehow. "Are you...jealous?"

A faint blush colors Yuna's cheeks. "Ahem," she crosses her arms. "Just because I look young doesn't mean I'm weak or anything. I wouldn't have been assigned as your Inner Guardian otherwise."

"How old are you?" Kenny asks, eminently curious.

"Well, in human years, I'm fourteen. But I'm actually-" A toll of a grandfather clock sounds in the distance, cutting Yuna off and startling Kenny. Yuna's face becomes neutral. "Seems you're about to wake up soon," she says, answering Kenny's unspoken question. The wind stops as the landscape slowly begins to fade away. "Before you go, your training will be against the Being of Darkness we just saw. It's heading towards your friend's house at this very moment, the one you must be cautious of."

"K-Kyle?!" Kenny nearly shouts, knowing instantly who Yuna was referring to. The little blonde feels a sudden lightness in his body, looking down to see himself fading as well.

"Yes, him. Kyle Broflovski. The gears of fate have begun to turn, Kenneth. You can either save him or let him be taken away. The choice is solely up to you and your friends. Please choose wisely and keep in mind that Kyle is not to be trusted."

Kenny vanishes along with the meadow.

Now standing alone in the darkness, Yuna frowns clasping her hands together over her chest. She closes her eyes. "I won't interfere with your decision. I pray that you make the right one."


August 25th

Kenny bolts up into a sitting position on his mattress just as the house shakes from a thunderclap. His breathing is calm. He inspects his room for any massive puddles of water from the rain, very relieved yet also shocked to see that his room isn't close to being flooded. But some areas in the walls and corners of the floor are soaked thanks to the cracks.

"Oh right, I need to hurry! Kyle's in trouble." Kenny quickly puts on his parka, then gets up on his feet. He runs to his door and out of his room, the floorboards groaning from each step until he stops by the front door. With haste, he bends down and places his badly damaged sneakers on his feet. Instead of tying them, he tucks the laces deep under the soles of his feet.

Before Kenny opens the door, he closes his eyes. He thinks about his next course of action and what Yuna told him. He asks himself if this is the right thing to do. He's just a child, and who he's about to go up against isn't a human being.

. . .

He shakes his head, undeterred. "Kyle's my best friend, and if he's in trouble, I'll do all I can to help him. Even if it's against a monster. If Stan knew about this, he'd try to save him too...Alright...I've decided..." Kenny opens his eyes, narrowing them with determination burning in his hazel irises. "I'm gonna save Kyle."

His heart thumping against his chest, Kenny hoists his hood over his head. He pulls the strings, tightening the hood to cover up his face, leaving only his eyes visible. He suddenly realizes he didn't bring his brown mittens, but he doesn't have time to go get them from his room. He reaches up for the doorknob, gripping it firmly as he pulls the door back. The sky is an alarming dark grey as the clouds continue to pour out rain, the fast-falling raindrops sounding muffled in Kenny's ears. He takes a step forward out onto the porch, closing the door behind him. Resolute to save his best friend from potential harm, he dashes off, feeling a great sense of deja vu. "I remember doing this when I was first told about Kyle, how I was supposed to be cautious of him," Kenny recalls. The reminder makes him move at a faster pace.

Only Kenny is daring to be out in this storm once he leaves his neighborhood, the sidewalks and roads are all deserted. He panics when he stumbles and falls onto the hard, slippery concert, landing on his stomach with a grunt. He groans as he pushes himself up on his hands and knees, wanting to waste not another second for he has a mission he needs to complete. His parka is heavily doused with water, causing it to cling to his bony frame and chill him further. He wills himself to endure it, no matter how uncomfortable it feels. He stands up and resumes his run, panting from the lack of oxygen in his lungs.

After a few minutes of running, a familiar olive-green house comes into view through the rain. Kenny orders his legs to keep going, both his lungs and legs burning for a break.

"Kenneth, Stop!"

Immensely caught off guard by the recognizable voice, Kenny fails to heed their abrupt warning. Out of nowhere, a black projectile in the shape of an orb strikes the ground in front of Kenny, causing a shockwave upon impact. Kenny is sent flying backwards. He ends up skidding far from Kyle's house, but he eventually stops. The strings to his hood come unloose, showing his face contorted with pain. Everything hurts, he can barely move a finger. But that voice just now...that was-

"Kenneth, You Need To Hurry And Get Up. Your Life Will Be Over If You Continue To Lay There," Yuna speaks again inside his head. She may have sounded unconcerned, but she's the total opposite of that. She doesn't want Kenny to be killed. "Quickly, It's Coming!"

Someone chuckles under a rumble of thunder. Kenny hisses and cracks an eye open, propping himself up on his elbow, shaking and panting from the effort. Stepping out from a portal that looks like it leads to nowhere is the Being of Darkness Kenny saw in his dream, however it's smiling. Kenny has never seen teeth look so sharp before nor a smile that can make someone's blood run cold. This guy is truly a monster indeed...

"How bold of you to come and see your friend, Kenneth McCormick," it says, stopping several feet away from the boy. The portal shrinks, then disappears. "You're both foolish and gusty for a kid."

Kenny uses whatever strength he has left to sit himself up into a sitting position, his body aching even more. "Don't Worry, I'm Going To Heal You. It Won't Take Long," Yuna tells him. In that instant, he feels a pleasantly cool tingle surge throughout his entire body.

"Thanks," he replies back mentally. He would ask her how she's suddenly talking to him inside his head, but he has something more important to focus on right now. After a short while, he feels well enough to stand back up on his feet, and he does just that, glaring at the smirking monster before him.

Neither of them are put-off by a loud boom of thunder as they silently stare each other down.

The first life or death battle is about to begin.


"It Is Time..."

Deep in the heart of the woods is a chubby boy sitting on a fallen tree trunk. He's soaked to the bone, and his brown hair is flattened against his head. A light blue hat with a yellow puff ball lays discarded on the ground by his feet, it's stained with smudges of blood and dirt. In the child's hand is a very sharp knife, the tenacious flow of the rain making its sliver blade glisten. He holds the weapon up to his face, a pair of red eyes reflecting in the honed, flat metal. "Time to put this back into use?" He asks.

"Yes. And This Will Be Worth Your While, I Guarantee It."

The boy's smile broadens menacingly. He gets up lowering the knife from his face. "Where to?"

"Near Kyle Broflovski's House."