(A/n: Thank you for another fave and a follow! This chapter will mostly be in no specified persons POV, but I put whose POV it will be in. / / means no ones POV)

Chapter 37: Setting Out

April 19th

That morning, Kyle and Sharon are glad to see Kenny conscious again, not bothered by the listlessness in his eyes. The two are sitting at the dining table eating breakfast, they both have coffee as their beverage. There are two empty plates, one is across from Kyle and the other one is next to him. Kenny knows that they are meant for him and Stan. Sharon cooked turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast that are on separate plates in the center of the table, there are a bottle of syrup as well as two jars of apple and grape jelly. Stan is still asleep, but it'll only be a matter of time until the scent of all the food rouses him.

Kenny apologizes to Kyle and Sharon with utmost sincerity, then explains his reasons for sneaking out of the house with Stan only.

"That was really dumb of both you and Stan," Kyle says, not mincing his words. "You literally said that it was starting to get dangerous out there the same day you guys snuck out, did you forget that quickly?"

Kenny's frown deepens. "I didn't forget, I...I wasn't thinking too clearly."

Kyle stares deeply into his dark brown eyes, seemingly trying to get a more detailed answer from him that way. He has no such luck, Kenny's irises look like turbid puddles, he can't see anything beyond the lugubrious imagery. "How come you didn't want me and Mrs. Marsh to tag along?" Kyle asks, sounding less upset.

"Because I only wanted to see if my family was really in our old home or not, and then leave afterwards. With or without them." Kenny wishes the former option came true. Fortunately, he will have the chance to search for them once they leave Colorado, and he will not stop until they are found.

Kyle looks away while shaking his head, clearly disappointed by his response. "As if that would've worked." He grabs his half-eaten toast that's smeared with apple jelly from off his plate. "You idiots are really lucky to have held out long enough for Mrs. Marsh, Clyde, and Craig to save your asses." He eats the crispy bread, two more bites and it will be gone.

Kenny appears even more sullen by the truth. "Yeah, I know..."

"You don't have to heal Ike anymore." Kenny widens his eyes at Kyle for suddenly saying that, but the redhead has a sad look on his face as he sets the last bit of his toast down on his plate. "He's... He no longer needs to be healed."

"Your Inner Guardian discovered something?" Sharon asks.

"Yes, but he isn't sure what to make of it." Kyle purses his lips tightly. "Ike's not in any danger, that's about as much as he knows." He isn't certain if he should mention the quill or not, he doesn't know what being 'marked' means exactly.

"Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on him."

Kyle is grateful to hear such reassuring words. "I know, thank you."

Kenny prepares himself to be reprimanded by Sharon next, but she silently sips her coffee. She opens her eyes as she sets the mug down back by her plate, and discerns the nervous anticipation on his face. She gives him a small, non-angry smile.

"Have a seat and eat while everything is still warm."

After a bit of hesitation, Kenny takes the seat across from Kyle. Perhaps she'll scold him after they're done eating so as to not thicken the tension even more. He reaches for a strip of turkey bacon. "My dad was the Being of Darkness."

Kyle and Sharon pause, taken aback by his calm, almost deadpan declaration. They look at him as he takes a bite out of the crunchy and tender meat.

Sharon's face slowly sinks into a mournful frown. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Kyle feels the same way, but finds out that Kenny doesn't care about what happened to his own father based on the shrug of his shoulders, his eyes appearing even more hollow. This apathetic side of Kenny is rather unnerving, but Kyle thinks he's not one who should judge Kenny since he has random moments of entering a blank state. Keeping his mind preoccupied with positive thoughts prevent that from happening, sometimes.

Kenny speaks again after he consumes the rest of the turkey bacon. "He was infected by a parasite, the others were only corrupted. Someone dispelled the corruption out of them, and took them to a safe place." His face hardens expectantly. "Do either of you know or remember a man with brown hair and glasses?"

Sharon presses her lips into a line, thinking deeply. Kyle shakes his head and outright says, "No."

Kenny was hoping Kyle would've had an inkling about the male's identity, his memory is almost as good as Mrs. Marsh's. Seems it only serves well to those that attended their elementary school.

"One person does come to mind, but..." Sharon falls into contemplative silence.

The remaining hope Kenny had diminishes in one go. "But what?"

Sharon shakes her head. "I'm not entirely certain if they're the same person. Were you provided any more details about the man?"

"No...I should've asked." Even though Kenny didn't consider it at the time, he highly doubts the Being of Darkness would've given him additional descriptive facets.

Stan comes down five minutes later still in his pajamas, and joins them at the dining table, eager to eat everything his mother cooked. There's small talk throughout the remainder of breakfast; Kenny is told about the arrival of four of their old schoolmates, but instead of identifying them himself, Stan wants Kenny to guess who they are. Kyle likes the idea of that. Humored by their playful teasing, Sharon gets up and takes the plates the eggs, toast, and bacon were on to the sink in the kitchen to wash them. She warns them to do the same with their dishes when they leave, in case they get too caught up in their conversation.

"...Wendy?" Kenny remembers her for solely being one of the popular girls in their elementary school.

"Yep." Stan holds up one finger.

"Bebe," Kenny says confidently. Stan raises another finger, confirming he's right yet again. Bebe and Wendy had an inseparable friendship, similar to Stan's and Kyle's. It makes perfect sense for those two to be here together, they must've been in their Inner Guardians' realms the whole time like Clyde and Craig. He wonders if they all saw each other in the realms at some point.

Kenny ponders who the last two could be. Stan's mother exits the kitchen and goes to the living room. There are a few names Kenny recalls, but neither of them gets Stan to lift a third finger.

"Do you want a hint?" Stan offers. Kenny nods, he's stumped. "The last two are guys."

Kenny goes into thinking mode again and he instantly remembers a chubby brunette that was once a friend of theirs, a mean one, but was still tolerable to hang out with sometimes. It is unlikely that he's returned, but Kenny decides to guess him anyway, to take him off the list whether he's right or wrong. "Is it Eric?"

Stan shakes his head. Kenny is glad. He doesn't ever want to see that traitor again. "Tweek?"

Stan nods and now has three fingers raised. Kenny has a very late realization after mentioning Tweek, he wasn't with Clyde and Craig when they came back to earth five years ago or last week. It's good to know he's still alive or Kenny would've thought otherwise...

No other names pop up in Kenny's mind. Neither Stan's nor Kyle's hints boost his memory, unaware that he's tired of thinking and guessing altogether.

"Just tell me who it is," Kenny demands in mock annoyance.

Stan and Kyle exchange looks of amused uncertainty, sharing a tentative eagerness to see his reaction after they reveal to him who the last male is. They look back at Kenny, who was growing impatient.

"Leo, Leopold Stotch," Kyle says.

Kenny blinks at the name. It definitely sounds familiar, and so does a brief mental image of a boy with a tuft of blonde hair.

The three teens hear the front door slowly being opened. "This energy..." Before the thought completely settles in, Kenny discards the conception like it was the second dumbest thing his brain ever conceived. There's no way the individual that just entered the house is his Inner Guardian.

"Welcome back," Sharon says.

"T-thank you." Both the girlish voice and the sheepish chuckle intensifies the sensation of familiarity within Kenny.

In the living room, Sharon is sitting on the sofa looking at a slightly bloody but uninjured Yuna, a faint blush in the spirit's cheeks. The purple blood splattered in her hair and on her dress only. She wanted to go out and kill the monsters since she had nothing else to do, Sharon granted her permission without much thought. Sharon saw the desire for battle in her eyes, and the built-up enmity that festered ever since the world was threatened to be overrun by the darkness and the Dark Master.

Yuna lightly scratches her pale red cheek with a finger. "I, um, tried to be discreet and meticulous during my hunt, but I couldn't...contain my excitement long enough."

"Then I'm surprised you're not doused in monster blood from head to toe," Sharon comments, amused.

"I made sure to-" Yuna notices her host standing in the entranceway between the living room and the dining room, his dull eyes about ready to pop out of their sockets.

"Y-yuna, you're..." Kenny frowns, thinking back to how exhausted his Inner Guardian was during 'Forced Power Link'. "I thought you were still recovering."

With a small smile, Yuna says, "It didn't take me too long to regain my magical energy. I went to the Realm of Light and Darkness to not only fully restore my Magical Core, but so I could speed up your recovery as well. Also, you must thank Wendy. She healed your injuries."

Kenny thought Yuna was the one who healed him; his injuries, though they were few, were very serious. Healing him must've taken a lot out of Wendy. He'll be sure to express his gratitude to her whenever he sees her, after he apologizes first.

"I was gonna tell you about that," Stan says as he and Kyle stop next to Kenny. "But I kinda forgot."

"Did you also forget to tell me Yuna came to earth?" Kenny asks, almost tonelessly.

"Oh, no, I left that as a surprise." Kenny playfully rolls his eyes at Stan's toothy grin.

"Did you boys wash your plates?" Sharon asks with a stern look.

"We did," Stan answers while Kyle nods his head. Sharon smiles approvingly. "And yours too," Stan tells Kenny. Kenny nods his thanks. "Me and Kyle are gonna go train-"

"In your nightclothes?" His mother asks, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yeah," is her son's carefree response, seeing nothing wrong with training in his current attire. His clothes will get dirty no matter what he wears. His mother shakes her head, but not in an objecting manner.

"May I join you two?" Yuna asks, yearning to remain active a little while longer.

Stan blinks, taken aback. She's been out all night, yet she's not the least bit tired. Perhaps she can teach them more or different ways to reserve their stamina. He nods. "Sure." He looks at Kenny. "What about you?"

Kenny doesn't see a reason to pass up the opportunity to train, he needs to move around since he's been inert in Stan's bed for almost half a week. Suddenly, the nagging feeling in the back of his mind becomes slightly stronger, making him frown. It feels as if one of the memories he couldn't recall last night is now trying to force its way forward. Perhaps he'll finally know what the memory is if he goes to the place where it initially occurred at. "Yeah, but...there's something I wanna do first."

Not everyone in the living room knows exactly what Kenny wishes to do, but they do know where he plans to go.

"Should I come with you?" Yuna asks softly.

The pleading look in her eyes would've given her the appearance of an innocent little sister that did not want to be apart from her big brother, but the purple bloodstains in her hair and on her dress ruin the image. Kenny shakes his head and gives his concerned Inner Guardian a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I won't be there long."

Stan gently nudges his shoulder with a faint grin. "You know where we'll be." He and Kyle walk away towards the front door to put on their footwear, Yuna following behind them.

Once they're out the door, Sharon stops Kenny. "Before you leave, there are some things I must tell you."

"Stan already filled me in," Kenny says, having mixed feelings. "Last night, he told me about our punishment, that the darkness has stopped moving, and us having to leave to help and inform other people about it."

Sharon straightens her lips into a line. She assumed Stan would've had difficulties sleeping after his emotional breakdown yesterday. Had Kenny not woken up, he would've most likely stayed up all night, bothered by the many despondent thoughts loitering in his head. "Right, that's the gist of it." Sharon musters a small smile. "Both you and Stan will be able to search for loved ones all the while." Kenny smiles a little at that. "But do not act rashly like you did last week," Sharon warns, hers and Kenny's smiles dropping, their frowns expressing different emotions from the other. "Be sure to ask the appropriate questions and do not lower your guard."

Kenny balls his hands into fists. "I will."

After a moment of silence, Sharon lets out a soft sigh, the seriousness on her face lessening a bit. "I won't berate you like I initially wanted to do, my anger and disappointment ebbed before and after I talked to Stan...You know I consider you, Kyle, and even Ike as my sons, don't you?" Kenny nods his head stiffly, feeling a prickle in his eyes. "Losing either of you would hurt me just as deeply if I were to lose my real son."

Kenny lowers his head in shame, afflicted by the resurfacing guilt. A single tear falls. "I'm really sorry for making such a stupid mistake..."

Sharon's face softens into a smile akin to a doting mother. "I hope you'll think things through more thoroughly in the future."

Wiping his eyes with an arm, Kenny raises his head and nods with more feeling. "I will. I swear."

Sharon slumps comfortably against the cushion behind her. "You may leave now."

Kenny goes to put on a pair of his sneakers that are by the front door. He'll take his combat boots out of Stan's room later. While he's putting on his shoes, he wonders about his and Stan's punishment, but isn't willing to bring it up to Mrs. Marsh. Will they still have to abide by it while they're gone, or will she change it?

"I'll ask her before we leave." After tying his shoelaces into tight knots on each shoe, Kenny stands up straight and teleports to his old home in a white flash of light.

/

Kenny

A cool breeze sways Kenny's blonde and white hair to one side as he gazes at the rubble before him. He knows this is his old home because of the aftermath of their battle a week ago. From here, he can see the backyard and it looks even more unsightly compared to when all of the purple blood and chunks of flesh were blasted fresh out of the crow monsters' bodies. The gore and hardened meat have darkened to a purplish-black color.

While seemingly standing defenselessly still, Kenny tries to remember every single moment that transpired here, first starting with the memory of him and Stan arriving in this very spot, and onwards. Each memory leisurely leads up to the one that's been bugging him, his presence eventually attracting a trio of crow monsters. They perch themselves along half of a wall, watching him with silent interest.

The mental scene pauses on the glowing entity, right after Kenny received their power. It skips to him punching the Being of Darkness in its chest and in that instant, he recalls defeating his foe for good by executing a new and powerful ability.

"Right..." He looks down at his left hand as he raises it while turning his palm upwards, imaging his black glove, the white pentagram branded on the palm. "My glove's aura exploded, as if automatically." He curls his hand into a feeble fist. During training, he can try to grasp the fundamentals of the new spell with Yuna's and maybe Stan's and Kyle's help, but he doesn't expect to make too much progress since it could be high-level. If he can at least get the basics down before they have to depart, then he can figure out the rest on his own.

Feeling quite eager to learn his first advanced spell, Kenny lowers his hand and looks over at the monster crows. He scowls, causing them to glare back, prepared to attack him.

"..." Even though he wants to kill them, he restrains himself. He doesn't want another one of his blonde strands to lose their original color. Thanks to the mysterious entity's power, it somehow colored more than two strands, unbalancing the two colors. He was annoyed and a little panic-stricken at first when he saw his hair in the mirror in Stan's bathroom last night, but reminded himself that he wouldn't be alive had the ghostly being not lended him their assistance. He will be forever grateful. "Hmph." Looking away, he teleports to the training ground he knows where Stan, Kyle, and Yuna are at.

/ /

Once Kenny arrives there in less than ten seconds, he sees his best friends listening to Yuna talk about stamina management by what used to be a big limpid pond. The dark-infested snow polluted every aspect of the water in the short span of two days, and became a primary source for horrendously transmogrified animals and insects to spawn out from, causing the outbreak five years ago. The crisis was averted when Sharon cleared out the pond. Literally. She murmured the incantation, it being a Dark Arts spell, conjuring a purple bead of magical energy from her finger and dipped it into the soiled water. The minuscule orb darted to the very center of the pond at high speed, then Sharon snapped her fingers. The orb casted a mellow glow underneath the water as it began to enlarge, and desiccate all of the water in one minute. The big sphere swiftly vanished afterwards. What she casted was an exceedingly powerful Dark Arts spell, yet she wasn't exhausted and her Magical Core wasn't empty like the crater that used to have water in it. Since then on, the name Stark's Pond was reduced to just Stark's and became a training ground for Sharon and the boys. They've been able to practice here in peace, the remaining monsters avoid the area completely, as if aware it would spell imminent doom.

Kenny approaches Stan, Kyle, and Yuna, his footsteps crunching snow notifying them of his presence. He stands beside Stan, and listens to Yuna start her explanation over from the beginning, answering any questions the boys had, though it's Kyle doing most of the asking. Kenny just wants to train already. He retains all of the information into his brain though, would be foolish not to.

When Yuna has no more knowledge on how to control ones stamina, Stan and Kyle thank her, then they amble away from Kenny and Yuna to start training. Stan resumes practicing on releasing magical energy out of his katana while Kyle seems to mull over a spell he wants to work on. Kenny tells Yuna about his Light glove's aura exploding without his input. Very curious, Yuna has him test it out by summoning the black glove on his left hand. He clenches his hand into a tight fist, bringing forth a white aura. He stretches out his arm, he and Yuna watching it intently, waiting for it to burst.

It doesn't happen.

Yuna scans the vicinity for an object Kenny can punch through, spotting a long, thick branch by a withered tree several meters away. She walks over to it, picks it up, and hurls it at Kenny. Once the stick is close, he hits it with his fist, decimating the branch to pieces. However, the aura didn't detonate upon impact.

"Are you sure the aura blew up without you commanding it to?" Yuna asks as she nears her host. She wasn't skeptical at first, but now she is after not witnessing the aura explode like Kenny claimed.

"Positive." Kenny raises his arm slightly, looking at the bright aura with narrowed eyes. "I must be forgetting something, like a sensation I felt at the time." He closes his eyes, recalling himself fighting the Being of Darkness using only their fists and feet. At that time, he only wanted to kill his enemy, carefully analyzing the possible buffs its aura provided. When he was dared to strike the Being of Darkness by the monster itself, Kenny hesitated for a moment, but then shoved the feeling aside, putting trust in the power he was endowed with.

Wait...

"Could it be..." Kenny opens his eyes. He faces the hollow ground while extending his arm with a closed hand. He relaxes his muscles and imagines a torso of a Being of Darkness directly an inch away from his fist. He puts nothing but trust into his glove's aura, and for a split second there, he could've sworn the aura glinted. He bends his arm back and punches the monster's chest.

But once again, nothing happens, meaning...the aura did not explode.

"..."

The imaginary Being of Darkness begins to fade away, its fangs curling into a triumphant smirk.

Yuna watches Kenny drop his arm with an unreadable expression on his face, the white aura disappearing as a result of his hand going slack. This is the very first time Yuna is unable to distinguish her host's state of mind. Whether he's angry, sad, or feeling neither of the two, Yuna doesn't know. He's always been easy to read, even when he tries to hide or fake his emotions. But the one thing Yuna does know is that Kenny was really looking forward to learning the ability. "Let's practice regulating your stamina instead," Yuna suggests, refusing to let the teen mope. They can figure out another method some other day. Kenny complies silently.

Kyle finally knows what he wants to practice, or learn as well, rather. He was meant to have a weapon the same day Stan and Kenny got theirs, but he wasn't too keen on the idea of using one like they were. He saw no purpose other than to look 'cool and flashy', as Stan childishly described it. He was content using his magic as is and coming up with new spells, that mindset hasn't changed. But now he thinks it's time to branch out. Who knows what other monsters aside from Beings of Darkness' they'll come across while venturing, he doesn't want to be the only person unprepared for such encounters.

"Luke, what weapon do you think is best for me to use?" He doesn't see his Inner Guardian's hopeful reaction to his query.

The four of them stay at Stark's until the faint lights disappear from the clouds.

Both Stan and Kenny aren't too happy when they return home, their weapons stowed away in a dimensional storage, though Stan visibly looks disgruntled. Yuna cleans herself off by releasing an imperceptible gust of magic before they enter the house. They see nine people in the living room. Sharon is standing in front of the television. Her, Clyde, and Craig are the only faces Kenny recognizes among the group. Clyde and Craig are standing next to each other by the table lamp, because the sofa and two armchairs are taken. They, along with the other six people, greet Kenny, Stan, Kyle, and Yuna. Waving back, Yuna walks into the living room, stopping beside the sofa. Kenny, Stan, and Kyle take off their shoes while verbally returning the greeting. They join everyone in the living room. Stan asks his mother if they're having another meeting, confused as to why she didn't let him, Kenny, Kyle, or even Yuna know about it.

"Not necessarily. I called them here to briefly announce when you all will be departing. You four came back just in time." Stan nods, frowning nervously. He hopes they aren't leaving tomorrow. "You all will set out three days from now, so do as much training as you can. But do not stay out past nightfall, be mindful of the dimming lights that glimmer through the clouds. Understood?"

"Yes," some say while others nod.

"Good. I'm going to start cooking dinner now. You all are welcome to stay if you're hungry."

"Oh, I'm definitely staying," Bebe declares. "I wanna eat real food for once."

"Same here," Clyde says. "Starting to get tired of frozen foods."

"Hmph, not me," Craig crosses his arms in a stuck-up pose. "We haven't even been eating them for long anyway."

"But you're staying," Clyde states intuitively.

"I am." Craig's unabashed response makes almost everyone laugh. Sharon wanders to the kitchen with a merry smile on her face.

"I will too," Wendy says sheepishly. "Don't wanna be at home by myself."

"Um, Wendy?" At the timid murmur of her name, Wendy looks to her left. The unfamiliar voice came from Kenny. Stan told him who was who. "I need to talk to you."

Knowing what he wants to discuss, Wendy stands up. "Okay." She follows Kenny out of the living room.

Leopold looks over at Tweek. "Do you wanna stay too?"

Tweek looks into sky-blue eyes, they're practically pleading for him to say yes. He would prefer to eat in a quiet environment, that being Leopold's home, but he doesn't have the heart to shatter his hopes. "Yeah." Leopold smiles.

"You two are so cute," Bebe comments affectionately. Raven and Cloud chuckle. Leopold blushes, Tweek pretends he didn't hear her.

"Now you see why I thought they were dating," Clyde says to Craig under his breath, who just hums.

With Kenny and Wendy, Kenny just finished apologizing to Wendy. "Thank you for healing me," he then says, bowing his head.

Kenny's honest behavior evokes memories of their elementary school days in Wendy's mind. She didn't interact with Kenny much, mainly because he reeked of foul fumes, but could tell he was a friendly and caring boy. He still is to this day, and has even matured.

"I'm just glad you and Stan came back safely," Wendy says softly.

"I'm sorry." Kenny doesn't know what else to say, he just felt another apology was due.

"You don't have to apologize again. I and everyone else forgive you." Kenny raises his head, about to protest, but her kind smile prevents any words from leaving his mouth. She grabs his hand. "Now c'mon," she pulls him into walking. "Let's have a more amiable chat with our friends."

They go back to the living room. For the next hour, the teens did some catching up (Kenny still apologized since the need to was strong, and he was naturally forgiven) while the spirits occasionally exchanged a couple sentences.

Sharon exits the kitchen to announce that the food is ready. Good thing she has enough plates and silverware. Everyone relishes a lively dinner that late evening, like a one big happy family.

April 22nd- Stan

That early morning, Stan is woken up by knocking on his bedroom door. He blinks his eyes open with a quiet yawn, then sits up in bed. It's dark. He rubs his eyes to get them adjusted, reminding himself that he's not alone in the darkness. He checks his alarm clock, it is 5:12 a.m. He gets out of bed, being careful not to bump into the futon Kenny is sleeping on. He goes to open his door. When he does, he sees his mother's silhouette, her hands held behind her back.

"Mom?" He asks, keeping his voice low. "Is something the matter?" It's unusual for her to wake him up this early. If it's to train, it's always at eight o'clock sharp. His mother doesn't say anything. Stan can just about barely see her eyes. "Mom?" Her silence is starting to freak him out. He's not dreaming, is he? His mother raises her arms towards his head and slips something down to his neck. He touches the item, it has a metallic texture. "A necklace? Why-"

"I'll explain later," his mother says, her voice a gentle whisper. "And give this to Kenny when he wakes up." She gently seizes Stan's wrist, turns his hand over, and places a cool metal against his palm. "I'll give the other one to Kyle." Then she walks away.

Stan watches her return to her bedroom with conflicted eyes. He looks down at the object he was given, but can't make out its dominant features. He closes the door and heads to his bathroom. Flicking up the light switch, he first sees what's in his hand. "A bracelet?" It's a pretty golden bracelet. Kenny will surely love this, he's never received a priceless gift before. Curious about his own jewelry's appearance, Stan ambles to his mirror. His is a necklace like he assumed, however it is not a plain one. The chain is sliver and the hanging adornment is a gem that matches the color of his eyes. He gapes at the necklace, primarily at the gemstone. It's so beautiful. He wonders when his mother got this and the bracelet. He'll be sure to ask later. For now, he thinks it's best to head back to bed. Today...is the day they leave the comfort of their home.

He grips the gemstone in a light hold with his free hand, thinking it will allay his nerves for some reason. It actually works, much to his relief. He lets it go and begins to walk out of his bathroom, stopping in the doorway. Taking a deep breath, he turns off the light. Once his eyes readjust to the darkness and sees Kenny's sleeping form, he walks to his bed. He sets the bracelet down on his nightstand, then tries to take the necklace off. It doesn't budge. "Huh?" He raises a hand towards the back of the necklace for the clasp, but doesn't feel it. "What the hell...?" Stan isn't alarmed by this, perhaps the consolation the gemstone provided him is still in effect. Instead, he is bemused. He'll ask his mother about this as well. He gets into bed and pulls the covers over himself. He drifts off to sleep in a matter of seconds.

/

Five and half hours later, Stan wakes up again. Kenny is no longer in his room, the futon is gone too. He looks over at his nightstand, the bracelet is still there. He gets out of bed to put on some clothes, but remembers that he's still wearing the necklace. Stopping by his dresser, he tries to remove the necklace again, but it remains stubbornly in place. With a huff, he decides to lay out the outfit he'll wear after he knows how to take the necklace off. He sets a greyish-white turtleneck sweater, pale blue jeans, and Winter themed socks on top of his dresser. He goes to grab Kenny's bracelet and walks out, heading to wherever his mother is, which is the living room. She's sitting on the couch, and so are Kenny and Kyle. It's good to see vitality restored in Kenny's hazel eyes. Stan's mother is dressed in all grey, unknowingly reflecting her mood, consisting of an oversized long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, though her feet are in a pair of white bedroom slippers. Kenny is wearing his own set of clothes, that being an orange long-sleeved shirt, denim jeans, and white socks. Kyle is wearing a burgundy sweater, dark grey jeans, and black socks.

Stan's mother looks to him with sunken eyes and a tired smile. "Good morning, sweetie."

"Mornin'," Kenny greets him.

"Morning," says Kyle.

"Good morning." Stan frowns at his mother, not liking how fatigued she looks. "Um, I can't take this off." He points at his necklace.

His mother appears apologetic. "Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you. It's specially made only for you to take off, just infuse a pinch of your magical energy into the gem. You'll have to do it every time you want to remove your necklace."

Stan does as instructed. "What do you mean by specially made?" He hands Kenny his bracelet. He slips it on his right wrist.

"It means she made these herself," Kyle clarifies, rolling up his left sleeve to show Stan the bracelet he got. It's a striking orange and gold.

"You made these? Why?" Doing so clearly wore her out, but now Stan understands why she's been spending a lot of time in her room these past three days.

His mother gives him a small smile. "You'll get your answers eventually, make sure neither of you lose it."

"I won't," Kenny says assuredly. "I probably won't ever take mines off."

"Likewise," Kyle says, rolling down his sleeve.

Stan nods. "Same." He will cherish his necklace.

Their words of assurance changes the quality of his mother's smile, she's genuinely happy now. "I'm delighted you three share similar mindsets." She covers her mouth when she yawns.

"You should rest," Stan says, trying not to sound too demanding.

His mother shakes her head. "Can't risk it. I have to know when everyone else will be ready."

"How about I make you some coffee?" Kenny asks.

Kyle cocks an eyebrow. "Do you even know how to?"

"Yeah, I've seen you and Mrs. Marsh brew it a couple times before. Seems easy enough."

"Then I'll accept your offer," Mrs. Marsh says, humoring Kenny.

The teen bounces up on his feet. "I won't disappoint you...again." With a sheepish grin, he rushes off to the kitchen.

Kyle crosses his arms. "He'll either make the coffee too bitter or too sweet," he presumes.

"Dude, don't jinx it," Stan says, shooting him a playful glare.

"I'm just sayin'." Kyle shrugs.

Mrs. Marsh does a dismissive wave of her hand. "Oh, it'll be fine. I'm actually looking forward to the taste of his coffee."

"Uh...how do I turn on the coffee machine?"

Stan face-palms and shakes his head while his mother chuckles with a sweatdrop.

"He's already off to a great start," is Kyle's sarcastic remark as he gets up to go help Kenny.

Stan lowers his hand from his face. "I'm gonna go put on my clothes, but...in case Kenny's coffee turns out disgusting, at least take a nap."

His mother gives a slight smile. "I'll think about it."

Stan retreats up to his room to put on his clothes, securing the necklace around his neck afterwards. He still can't believe his mother created expensive-looking jewelry with her magic. Magic never ceases to fascinate him, it can be used in so many ways if you put your mind to it. One day, Stan wants to make his mother something of equal or more value to the necklace she gifted him. He walks out, returning to the living room at the same time as Kyle.

"So what's the verdict?" He asks the redhead with an expectant grin.

Kyle looks at him, then at Mrs. Marsh. "Just prepare for the worse coffee in human history." His serious tone makes Stan laugh, then he bursts out laughing himself when Mrs. Marsh just slowly shakes her head.

"I know y'all are makin' fun of me," Kenny says from in the kitchen. Soon, a chocolatey aroma pervades the air. It stimulates Mrs. Marsh's senses, knocking the drowsiness right out of her.

Stan blinks, is his nose deceiving him? He doesn't even like coffee, but this delicious fragrance is tempting his tastes buds for a sip. "You guys smell that too, right?"

Kyle nods before sitting down on the sofa. "Chances are it's gonna be too sweet," he deduces.

A few minutes later, Kenny walks in holding a steamy mug that belongs to Mrs. Marsh by the handle and a self-satisfied smile on his face. "Here ya go, Mrs. Marsh." He places her mug down on the small wooden coffee table in front of her.

"Thank you. It smells lovely." Kenny rubs under his nose, pleased by the compliment. She reaches for her mug, hooking a few fingers around its arched handle, then picks it up.

"You better not give my mom diabetes," Stan warns teasingly, knowing Kenny wouldn't ever do anything as sneaky as that to cause his mother harm.

"I made sure not to go overboard with the sugar and sweeteners," Kenny says, speaking truthfully.

"If She Ever Contracts A Disease, She Can Always Use A Healing Spell To Get Rid Of It," Chris comments shrewdly. "She's One Of The Very Few Whose Dark Magic Is Capable Of Ridding Away Deadly Ailments, Thanks To The Dark Arts."

That's...actually reassuring to hear. Stan thinks he should've been told this sooner though, but it's Chris, after all. He only ever imparts useful information to him whenever he feels like it. "That's good to know, really, but I was joking," Stan responds.

"Hmph."

Stan's mother gently blows her mocha. Once it's cooled down, she takes a sip. Her eyes widen. "Oh my..."

"It's too sweet, isn't it?" Kyle asks in a tone that anticipated the latter outcome. Kenny glares at him.

"N-no, it's..." Stan isn't sure if his mother is at a loss for words or can't formulate the right words to say. "...It's really good!" She finally says, a sparkle in her cerulean eyes.

Kenny beams. "I'm glad you like it." He smirks at Kyle. "You're lucky we didn't bet."

Kyle meets his gaze. "What would we have betted on if we did?"

Kenny's smirk gradually drops when he can't think of anything worth wagering. It's Kyle's turn to appear smug.

"What about bragging rights?" Stan suggests.

Kyle looks at him with a deadpan expression. "Seriously?" Stan just shrugs.

"Oh yeah, there is that," Kenny says, his eyes wide in realization.

Mrs. Marsh finishes her coffee in less than a minute. She looks energized, perhaps borderline hyper based on her smile. She stands up with her empty mug. "Thank you again, Kenny. I would propose you making me coffee every morning, but that sadly won't be possible. If you're willing, can you jot down everything you did, so I can replicate it myself?"

Kenny nods. "Of course! I'll get started on it right now while the information's still fresh in my mind." He wanders off to search for a pencil or pen and a sheet of paper.

"Since you boys haven't eaten yet," Mrs. Marsh says, heading towards the kitchen. "I'll whip up something now that I have the strength."

Stan and Kyle sit in momentary silence. "That was...kinda bizarre," Stan says.

"I'll say," Kyle chuckles.

"You're not jealous?" Stan then asks.

Kyle raises an eyebrow at him. "No, why would I be?"

Stan doesn't fall for his oblivious act. "You seriously don't know?"

Kyle looks away with a faint pout. "Just because she liked his coffee more than mines doesn't make me jealous."

Stan doesn't fall for his uncaring act either. "Uh huh, whatever you say."

They hear Kenny coming down the stairs. "That was quick," Stan thinks. "What all did you put in my mom's coffee?" He asks Kenny once he's seen.

"That's a secret only she will get to know," Kenny teases with a wink as he keeps walking towards the kitchen. Stan just huffs, he wasn't that curious anyway.

The food is done minutes later. The four have a jovial breakfast at the dining table. Stan enjoys every second with his mother, he's going to miss moments like this very much. He pictures his father and older sister sitting at the table with them, trying not to frown. The imagery doesn't look right since he's imaging Shelly as an 11 year old. He wonders how much she's changed, both in appearance and behavior. He hopes she's matured. The only way he'll know for sure is by finding her and their father, then he'll bring them home. He hasn't forgotten about the Dark Master though, oh no, he'll guarantee his defeat. Those are the main goals he will strive to achieve.

After breakfast, Kyle spends whatever remaining time they have left with Ike. Stan, his mother, and Kenny go back into the living room.

Later into the morning, there are three knocks at the front door. "I'll get it," Stan tells his mother. He gets up from the couch and approaches the door. He opens it; outside are Bebe, Wendy, Clyde, and Craig. Yuna is with them too. "Come on in." Stan steps aside to let them inside the house.

"You seem to be in a good mood," Wendy comments observantly. The others go into the living room.

"I guess you can say that," Stan says, shrugging, not knowing what else to describe the feeling as. He closes the door, then receives compliments regarding his necklace. He lies about where he got it from, he doesn't want to put any pressure on his mother. Kenny shows off his bracelet, making Bebe incredibly jealous. She's about to make a quick stop at the mall until she's stopped by Leopold, Tweek, Cloud, and Raven. Kyle returns to the living room, a determined gleam in his lime-green eyes.

Now that everyone is here, Mrs. Marsh will do the honors of sending them to their first destination, then it will be up to someone else from there.

They all exit the house, then the barrier. No crow monsters are nearby. Mrs. Marsh stands before the group. She closes her eyes as she holds out her hands directly towards the ground by their feet. Purple auras emanate around her hands and a bright purple light shines beneath their feet.

"Whoooah," Clyde and Kenny say in unison, glancing around in awe, as do the rest of their friends. Stan can't help but feel that his mother would've done this anyway without much energy. He should give Kenny his thanks before the day ends.

"This is a Warping Zone," Cloud says in an informative tone of voice. "It is practical to use in this situation instead of a Transportation Barrier, it's quicker and she will conserve her magical energy this way."

"That's right," Mrs. Marsh says with a nod. She smiles tenderly. "I wish you all a safe journey."

Stan tears up. "You stay safe too, mom." His mother closes her eyes, as if to hide her own tears.

The warping zone engulfs their bodies in a white glow and sends them off to begin their adventure to save the world.