Universal Inconstants

Chapter 8

 The remaining Freedom Pals reached the location of the crab people about ten minutes later, using the trees to scope out the place without being seen. 

The four of them had split up to surround the area and scout, trying to gauge how many crab people they were up against and gather more information, if possible. Mysterion moved elegantly through the treetops, avoiding any branches that looked uneasy or thin. He stopped on a branch that was directly above the crabs below, staying dead silent as he listened in, trying to figure out their plans.

It was hard to hear over their chanting, to say the least.

"Crab people, crab people, taste like crab look like people," they chanted dryly, gathered around three different campfires on the forest floor, a somewhat large signal tower planted in the middle of the triangulated campfires. Kenny was very quickly annoyed. 

In the five years he'd been Mysterion, he'd only encountered the crab people a few times. Yet, the chanting got old even the first time he'd heard it. It seemed that the author was too lazy to come up with a new chant for them. 

Kenny stayed completely still, looking up as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Human Kite landed himself gently on a sturdy limb directly across from where he was, now also trying to listen in.

They stayed in the trees for fifteen minutes, their sanities waning as the chanting continued. 

Finally, it stopped, and one of the crabs spoke up. "We have officially completed our first phase in our plan to take over the world," it announced in its robotic voice. "Since there is no one listening to our secret plans we will now discuss some of the details. We will review the data gathered by our virus today to pick out threats to our plans to take over the world."

Another crab person spoke, voice echoing slightly. "We will begin our attack in a week. Luckily we already know what our plan is or else I would have discussed the most important details and someone would have heard if they were listening."

Mysterion grunted as he planted his face in his hands at the stupidity of the crabs. They were a smart species, and came up with thorough plans that often would have worked, if it weren't for the Freedom Pals' interference. 

Sometimes, though, they were the most obvious creatures to exist, and it was hard to see them as a major threat despite the fact that they were.

Mysterion brought his watch up to his face and spoke, quietly. "Get ready to attack," he said. "We have the information we need so we should take them out."

Immediately he got a response from Jimmy. "Y-you sure about th-that? They ou-out-ou-o-outn-out- have more c-crabs than we have heroes, and I mean a l-lot more."

Mysterion glanced over at Human Kite and spoke again. "How many crabs are there?"

Kyle's response was immediate. "Too many. I think we need to retreat."

"I- AGH- agree, sorry," Tweek said, apologizing for the sudden loudness in his voice. Kenny watched a few of the crab people look around as he made the noise, but they quickly shrugged it off.

"If we retreat now, we won't be able to fight later. Their species has more numbers underground. Much more," Kenny said.

"Kenny, we can't fight if we're dead," Kyle responded. Mysterion took a breath in. Kyle was right.

"If they outnumber us so much even now, how are we going to fight back later?" He asked.

There was silence over the comms, before a new voice joined the conversation. 

"... you can look for backup," Corey suggested. "I know there's been stuff happening that broke you all apart," they said, and Kenny looked at Kyle as they continued, "but this is far more important."