Chapter 20: Never Give Up

Stan

"I warned you about your Inner Guardian. If you had confronted him, this wouldn't have happened."

Stan was staring into the disappointed eyes of the fake Kyle Broflovski. They're standing somewhere in the deserted streets of South Park across from each other, however every single drop of rain was frozen in place, as if time had stopped them. They appeared like small, clear pearls, glinting without the need of any sunlight. They looked very pretty.

"Did you hear what I said?" The fake Kyle asked, his scowl hardening.

Stan frowned. "Yeah, I heard you. But...what was I supposed to say?"

"You're a child. Aren't humans your age supposed to be annoyingly inquisitive?" The fake Kyle retorted.

"I...don't know what that means," Stan admitted.

The fake Kyle heaved a sigh. "Of course you don't. But anyway, what you should've done the next time you saw him was ask him what he was plotting. I'm certain you knew he was up to something. But it doesn't matter now, because you gave him what he wanted, and it's going to cost you."

Stan deepened his frown and lowered his head. The fake Kyle made it seem like confronting Chris would've been an easy thing to do, but he was absolutely right though. Stan had a gut feeling his Inner Guardian was scheming a selfish plan behind his back, yet he couldn't find the right timing to question him. He wanted to get over his fear of the darkness as well as train with his magical powers first and foremost.

"Stanley," the stern utterance of his name had Stan locking eyes with the redhead again. "Let me show you the consequences of your hesitance." The fake Kyle turned away and raised one of his hands, pointing at a raindrop. A black aura appeared on his finger. Stan watched a dozen of the motionless raindrops alter into the same color as the fake Kyle's aura, then they all united together and curled into an oval shape. Soon, it took on the appearance of an unnatural looking mirror, even the glass was black. Stan gaped up at the eerie spell while the fake Kyle lowered his arm down once his aura disappeared. He kept his back to Stan. "Look closely." An image began to manifest in the glass.

Stan walked closer for a better look, stopping next to the other boy. The developing picture eventually showed a boy with short, black hair and...teal-colored eyes. He wore a grin of sinister satisfaction. He looked like Chris, but there's no mole under his left eye. Stan looked over at the imposter of his super best friend with a raised eyebrow. "Is that Chris? Why are you-"

"Not entirely. That is your Inner Guardian, but he took over your body. He's fighting the Being of Darkness in your place."

"Wha-" It quickly dawned on Stan. He recalled the despair he felt for being utterly powerless, and Chris offered to help him. He welcomed his generosity instantaneously, thinking he was going to lend him his strength. Not do this...He frowned at the ground again, feeling both ashamed and angry at himself and Chris.

"Inner Guardians are able to possess their host's body, but they must have their permission first. If they aren't granted access and they take over their host anyway, then not only will the Inner Guardian be in complete charge, but there will be severe aftereffects once the host has their body returned to them. Although using the ability has its disadvantages, it's also beneficial. Both the host's and Inner Guardian's powers will be combined, making the host incredibly strong." When the fake Kyle suddenly went quiet, Stan looked over at him, sapphire eyes meeting dark lime-green ones. "Fortunately for you, you allowed your Inner Guardian to take control, so you still have time to regain your body and lessen the severity of the ability." Stan didn't know what to say. It's not that he failed to comprehend everything the fake Kyle told him just now, rather it was a lot of information for him to digest. What he basically understood was that the possession ability was both very good and also very bad. The fake Kyle looked back up at the mirror. "Do you understand now? Don't be afraid of your Inner Guardian. He cannot hurt you, and I doubt he would be foolish enough to abuse that ability." Tensing, Stan followed his gaze.

"Can Inner Guardians be evil?" Stan asked.

"...No, not evil. More like they can be deceptive, meaning they're untrustworthy." The fake Kyle looked back at Stan. "Especially yours." Stan just nodded his head, acknowledging the fact that his Inner Guardian was indeed sly. "You'd better hurry and get your body back, otherwise you won't be able to complete your goal."

"Huh? My goal?" Stan repeated, giving the redhead a confused look, but only for a second. He left home to save Kyle—Kyle and his family. He also swore to avenge Wendy's parents. He hated that he lacked real resolve, like it was a false feeling that clouded his senses. But this time, he's genuinely determined to get out there and do something useful. He couldn't leave his mother and Kenny to do all of the work. He really hoped they were alright.

"Good, seems you're ready now." Stan blinked, startled, when a palm was placed in front of his face. "Hopefully, this will be the last time you see this future version of the real me."

Stan completely agreed. He had to prevent this Kyle from becoming a reality somehow. Abruptly, his field of vision was engulfed by a black light, then he was gone.


Kyle

He heard it all. Heard everything that happened outside of his prison of a room. He was initially laying down on his bed, staring at nothing until a loud explosion scared him, causing him to sit up. He heard someone screaming until they made a harsh impact with the ground, and now, only the rain is occupying the silence.

Kyle grimaces at his window, which is now boarded up, thoroughly blocking his view of the outside. It's been like this ever since last weekend, when he opened the curtains. Doing so had alerted his mother like an alarm, and she scolded him-no, threatened him saying that someone would come here to punish him. She didn't specify who that someone was nor say when they would arrive, but based on the commotion seconds prior that sounded like a battle you would hear in video games, could they...be here today?

Suddenly, footsteps rush towards Kyle's bedroom. He gets a dreadful feeling in his stomach. A few seconds later, his door flings open to reveal the silhouette of his mother, her bright dark green eyes narrowed. Kyle looks away.

"We must go," she declares in a tone mixed with panic and anger. Before Kyle can even question her, she approaches him, grabs one of his hands with ease, and pulls him out of bed. He nearly falls as he's being tugged along, but thankfully that doesn't happen, he only stumbles a bit. He struggles to match his mother's hurried pace, taking them out of his room and towards the stairs, going down them carefully.

"W-what's going on?" Kyle asks, despite knowing he wouldn't get an answer. But at least it seemed like his mother is showing a hint of-

His foot misses a step.

He begins to fall forward as if time is slowing him down, his hand slipping from out of his mother's. His mouth is agape, but he can't produce a scream, not even a gasp since he's overcome with so many emotions. But sadness becomes the dominant one when he realizes that his mother isn't attempting to save him.

Looks like she doesn't care about him after all.

Just when it seems like time is flowing back to normal as he goes about his descent, a white light emerges at the bottom of the stairs. It expands the closer he gets, and once he falls into it, it shrinks out of existence.

After some moments, Sheila's eyes soften and brim with tears. She curls her hands into fists, and closes her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Bubbe...For all of the horrible things I've done to you..." A tear manages to slip from underneath her eyelid.

/

Kyle finds himself lying down on the ground of a vast white space. He sits up, then stands on his feet, looking around his surroundings. Even though he's been kept in the darkness for a week or maybe a little longer than that, this bright abyss strangely doesn't agitate his eyes. He stops looking around, there's nothing here but himself. "Where am I?" He wonders, but is very thankful that the light saved him. He can still feel his heart beating fast from the dangerous venture, and he puts a hand over his chest, his expression saddening as he remembers his mother not helping him. "Guess she really doesn't care about me..." His eyes water with warm tears. His pounding heart gradually slows down and aches.

"You're wrong, Kyle."

Lowering his arm, Kyle turns towards the voice, his widening eyes seeing a girl older than him with black hair and maroon-colored eyes silently walking up to him. She stops and gives him a small smile. "Your mother still cares about you. She never stopped loving you even when the Darkness corrupted her," the girl tells him.

Her earnest remark evokes a memory of the dream Kyle had in his mind—where he's going to be taken to a creepy castle. Stan was in that dream, and he also told him that his mother was corrupted by the darkness' underling called a Being of Darkness. He didn't doubt it then, still doesn't...but... "How can someone who's corrupted still have feelings?" Kyle asks the girl. "If my mom still cared about me, then she wouldn't have locked me in my room all of a sudden without any light. She wouldn't have treated me as if I didn't exist...She would've saved me when I was falling down the stairs just now!" He becomes conscious of the tears sliding down his cheeks. "She never cared about me the day that monster changed her." He averts his pained gaze to the ground. He doesn't see the noirette's eyes portray her sympathy.

"She does and always will." Kyle just shakes his head, refusing to believe the girl. "She had no other choice but to behave that way since the Darkness was controlling her like a puppet, wanting her to do nothing but serve the Dark Master. But your mother...was a strong-minded woman. She kept fighting to desperately rid away the ill-intent, which is why she would appear normal on some days. She was doing that for her family." Kyle purses his lips so tightly that they tremble. "Most humans can't do something like that, even with will alone, so don't resent your mother, okay?" Kyle will never hate his mother, how can he when she's being manipulated by a monster? Even though both of his parents treated him coldly, at least they haven't been acting that way towards Ike. He's just a baby who doesn't know anything that's going on in this town.

Kyle wipes his eyes and cheeks. "Can...I ask you something?" He looks at the girl.

She frowns. "I already know what you're going to ask. Killing the Being of Darkness doesn't free anyone from its spell." Kyle copies her expression, feeling very disappointed. "But there is another way. Unfortunately, I'm running short on time, so you're going to have to ask your Inner Guardian what the other method is."

"Inner Guardian?" Kyle asks.

The girl nods. "Yes, that's what I am, more specifically, a Mixed Inner Guardian. I can use both Light and Dark magic."

Kyle nods his understanding, then realizes that he didn't thank this spirit for saving his life. He decides to do so now. He cracks a small smile. "Thank you for saving me."

The girl smiles again. "You're welcome. I actually brought you here to tell you about a battle that's happening near your home." Her smile drops back into a frown, a serious frown. "My host, along with his two friends, Stan and Eric, and Stan's mother are facing off against the Being of Darkness. I left to come see you amidst their battle, so I don't know their current progress at the moment. I can only hope that they're alright." Kyle perceives the deep regret in her eyes, but now he knows what all the racket was about a few minutes ago. "I believe Eric is no longer a trustworthy ally. At first, it was you, however I'm willing to trust you to aid Kenneth and Stan. With the three of you working together, you all can stop the Being of Darkness and Eric. Plus..." Her lips form into a faint grin. "It'll be good training for you."

Kyle appears equally conflicted and nervous. "I...I'm not ready to fight or use magic. But...why are me and Eric not trustworthy?"

The spirit shakes her head, her frown returning for a third time. "I'm afraid I cannot specify right now. But I completely understand how you feel, because Kenneth expressed the same sentiment. Here's what I told him - age doesn't matter when your world is in danger. Our main threats are the Beings of Darkness' created by the Dark Master, neither of them will take pity on you all just because you're children."

Being forced to fight battles that can very much end in death is a fact Kyle has to accept whether he wants to or not. He believes Stan, Kenny, and Eric knew this as well, which is why they're fighting the Being of Darkness. But...how come Mrs. Marsh is with them? No, that's not what Kyle is mostly curious about. Even though this spirit seems to not have a lot of time left, perhaps she can answer this very important question of his. "I have something really important to ask you." The older girl tightens her lips into a line, reluctant, but she eventually nods her head, giving him permission to ask his question. "I had this dream where me and Stan went to a red and black castle. He told me that me and someone else were gonna be taken there when the moon no longer exists. I, um, was wondering if you know anything about that place or something."

After he ended his query in a sheepish tone of voice, Kyle waits nervously for the girl's answer. More than several seconds pass when she develops a puzzled look on her face. "...Kyle," she finally says. "That's a question you're going to have to ask your Inner Guardian."

"But I don't have one," Kyle says.

"That's..." The spirit's countenance sinks further into bemusement. "You do have one otherwise you wouldn't have been able to awaken your Dark magic. Unless...you're just like Stan's mother," she murmurs to herself thoughtfully.

It takes a moment, but Kyle recalls the child that reminded him of his magical powers. Something he had no idea about. "Well, a boy talked to me inside my head before. I think he was a spirit like you, but he never told me he was my Inner Guardian."

The girl's eyebrows knit together in deep thought. "That's...very peculiar...So it seems you really are just like Stan's mother. She can use Dark magic as well without the need of an Inner Guardian." This information shocks Kyle, though now he knows why Mrs. Marsh is fighting the Being of Darkness alongside Stan, Kenny, and Eric. "Well, this is just my assumption, but...your reason for going to such a place most likely has something to do with your magic. That boy must've helped you awaken them, which...is why..." She makes a face as if she's come to a sudden realization.

"Which is why what?" Kyle asks, baiting her to spill what's on her mind.

The expression leaves the girl's face, then she shakes her head. "It's nothing. It doesn't matter anymore since it's going to be defeated." Black streaks start to color the white domain. "I must go now. When you come to, you'll be outside, so be prepared."

In one swift motion, the entire abyss is engulfed by blackness.

/

Kyle is roused by a barrage of water droplets. He opens his eyes, jolting up into a sitting position. He looks around, his afro flattened by the heavy rain. He goes taut when he spots a person dressed in nothing but black lying face down in a stranger's front yard. In front of them is a little boy with black hair sitting on his knees, hunched over as if...he's dead.

Kyle stands up, containing a shudder when his bare feet touch the cool, damp sidewalk. He takes slow strides towards the two individuals, his heartbeat resonating with his nervousness. He stops after walking four steps, now in the grass. "S-Stan...?" He utters almost quietly, but he receives no response from the child. He tries not to let the thought of his super best friend being dead consume him. There's no blood anywhere, and it doesn't look like Stan is injured.

All of a sudden, black smoke starts to come from out of the body lying on the ground. A guttural sound leaves their throat, sounding either like a growl, or a groan, or a combination of both. Kyle takes an unsteady step back, his body struck with fear. The person who has the physique of a male starts pushing himself up slowly. Kyle notices that his arms are trembling as he gets up. "...You've gotta be kidding me..." The man seethes, his position on all fours. "You have got to be fucking kidding me." He growls, clearly infuriated.

A row of sharp white teeth flash in Kyle's mind's eye. He's...seen this...thing before. "T-that's the monster I saw that night over Stan's house..." He is so scared that he can't move.

Hovering an arm over its stomach, the creature stands up on shaky legs. Its attire is tattered. "I refuse to be defeated by brats. I'll fucking kill them," it swears under its breath. Kyle literally feels his heart stop when it turns its head his way, its fangs curved into a frown. "Oh?" The Dark Being says, but not at Kyle. It's looking down at the boy idle by its feet. Its fangs arch into a grin. "Guess I'll start with you first." It removes its arm from over its stomach, stretching its arm out to the side. A red sword materializes in its hand.

Kyle covers his mouth, but failed to stifle a gag at the disgusting wound in the creature's abdomen. The injury that looks very fatal is leaking what appears to be purple droplets of blood, and its flesh is the same color, looking like mush. Kyle panics when it becomes aware of his presence. "O-oh no..."

It cocks its head slightly to the side as it lowers its arm. "I didn't even notice you there." Its fangs broaden eagerly. "It's nice to see you again, Kyle Broflovski." It hovers its weapon above Stan's head. "Or should I address you as the 'Apprentice of the Master'? Well, either way you've saved me the trouble of going to you, and not only that, you get to witness the first friend of yours die before your very eyes." It raises its arm. "No matter your status, this is your punishment for being disobedient." It swings its sword down.

Kyle feels his legs move into a run. Time slows his body down once again. "NOOO!" He stretches out a hand.

Abruptly, a gust of air sends out a shockwave, pushing the raindrops and the strands of grass in different directions. The brief eruption propels Kyle backwards. He lands harshly onto his back with his head colliding against the sidewalk, knocking him unconscious.


Kenny and Eric (A few minutes earlier)

It took at least a minute for Kenny to realize that he's still alive. The pain had numbed a little bit over time. He was certain Eric was adamant about killing him, so what happened? Why did he stop? Did he change his mind and decided to let him suffer instead?

"Kenneth...?" Timidly asked a familiar voice.

Kenny opened his eyes, seeing that he's inside of a white barrier. He blinked slowly, mustering up some strength to use his brain. "Y...Yuna?"

"Yes, It's Me," his Inner Guardian said, her tone denoting her guilt. "I Am Really Sorry For Leaving Without Any Notice, But There Was Something I Needed To Do. Can You Please Forgive Me?"

"...W-where...did you go?" No matter her response, Kenny would not forgive her so easily. Her going off to who knew where nearly costed him his life, twice in fact.

"I Went To Talk To Kyle, And I Brought Him Out Here To Help You And Stan...But It Seems I Wasn't Quick Enough. Anyway, Let Me Heal You."

Before Kenny could mentally voice another reply, his aching body relaxed on instinct when he felt a prickle from within—a comforting prickle smoothly expanding throughout his body. He fought to keep his eyes open, but the cool flow of Yuna's magical energy, plus the sound and view of the rain pelting against the barrier were making him drowsy. "Promise me...you'll never leave like that again." He hadn't forgiven her entirely, but he couldn't stay upset at her.

"I Promise."

Just when he's about to ask where Kyle was, a slightly muffled growl startled him. He sat up, feeling a bit energized, mostly thanks to Yuna's healing. He saw red in his peripheral, turning to meet Eric's perturbing glare. He almost forgot about him. "Y-Yuna-"

"Don't Worry, He Won't Be Able To Harm You. His Strength Alone Will Not Best Mines," Yuna said, confident.

But Kenny wasn't put at ease even though he believed her. What did Mrs. Marsh say again? He knew Stan's Inner Guardian took control of his body, but Eric...Mrs. Marsh said that his Inner Guardian didn't possess him. So why was he so strong? Was that an aftereffect? And could his eyes also be the result of his Inner Guardian having took control? Whatever it was, Kenny didn't think they should take him lightly.

"You got lucky," Eric said. Kenny watched a kitchen knife appear in Eric's hand, recognizing instantly that it was the weapon he used to stab the Being of Darkness with. "But just because your Inner Guardian saved you doesn't mean shit. You're still dead!" The blade of his knife emitted a red aura, then he took menacing steps towards Kenny.

The blonde stood up. "Yuna, I think Eric and his Inner Guardian are fighting together! They even beat the Being of Darkness and Mrs. Marsh!"

"You And I Have Been Doing The Same Against The Being Of Darkness Earlier." "And them hurting Stan's mother further proves both Eric and his Inner Guardian are now our enemies," Yuna thinks.

"No, that's not what I meant." But before Kenny could explain, he noticed the shortened distance between him and Eric. "Yuna, he's getting closer!"

"Okay, When I Dispel My Barrier, Attack Him."

Kenny nodded, channeling some magic into his hands. Another strand of his blonde hair changed to the same color as his auras. Once the barrier was gone, Eric dashed at him, and he prepared to fire two Orbs of Light at him. But a violent blast of wind blew them away. They're stopped by their Inner Guardians barriers.

"Wha...what the hell was that?!" Eric exclaims, more shocked than angry at the disruption.

"Seems We've Got Someone Else To Worry About," Zerphy says. She gets rid of her spell.

"Tch, seriously?" Eric grumbles. The aura from his knife fades away, then he takes off in the direction the wind came from.

Kenny watches him go as Yuna's barrier disappears. "Thanks, but what just happened?"

"...It's Stan."

Sounds like she's not going to describe what happened to Stan, so Kenny is going to have to see for himself. He hopes it's nothing grievous. He follows after Eric.