Universal Inconstants

Chapter 16

They were very shortly joined by Tweek, who had just finished helping at the family's coffee shop. He hadn't originally planned on walking home this way, but it was a decent day out and Tweek decided he needed the fresh air. He'd walked over to Corey when he spotted them. 

"Hey-" Tweek said as he approached them, twitching.

They looked up at him and smiled in greeting. "Oh, hey Tweek. Um- how was your day?" They questioned, not exactly knowing how conversations go despite having talked to people for most of their life.

"AGH- FINE," Tweek responded loudly, twitching once again.

"Um... are you okay?"

"Yes," was the simple response they received.

"I'm convinced, I think," they acknowledged, clearly not convinced. "Either way... anything you want to talk about?"

Tweek sat next to Corey on the bench, and they dove into a conversation about a series of random topics. 

They talked for an hour before Tweek landed on the topic of his parents' coffee shop. Tweek had started talking about how tired he was all the time because of his parents' making him help out. He didn't mind helping out. He loved helping people; it was a big reason he stayed in the Freedom Pals. Helping people distracted him from his own problems, but when he was forced to help his parents, burning his tongue on coffee he was tired of tasting, and sweeping the floors spotless even when they already were spotless, it sucked. It added so much stress to his life when all he wanted to do was hang out with his friends like a normal kid. 

And then, Tweek started ranting about Craig. He was still hurt, he was still upset, and he still missed the other despite being so hurt.

Corey listened to it all quietly, letting Tweek let it all out. Tweek went quiet as he finished talking, and he looked up at Corey to apologize for talking for so long but they spoke up before he could. 

"He regrets it," they said, and Tweek looked taken aback. "I know he misses you too. That probably doesn't make it any easier, but you should know that."

Tweek looked back at the ground again, silently nodding. 

Corey took a breath in and stood up from the bench, stretching. "I'll, uh- see you tonight," they said with a smile, and they waved as they walked away, returning to their temporary home.

When they stepped into the Freedom Pals garage fifteen minutes later, they sat down and immediately started thinking over the events of their day. They pondered over their conversation with Tweek, and they wondered if Tolkien would join the Freedom Pals once again. 

They got bored after fifteen minutes of thinking and started downloading random apps on their phone.

An hour and a half later, six Freedom Pals had entered the garage and began devising plans for the upcoming doomsday. Corey stood and leaned up against the wall as they listened in.

"Okay, so we agreed that we need military force for this, right?" Kenny asked, and the others nodded. "Who wants to do that?"

"I think Craig should," Kyle suggested. "Especially since you already have connections with the government. Remember the guinea pig pirate you stopped?"

Craig snorted. "By accident? Yeah. But you're right, I can do that."

Kenny nodded in agreement. "If this is a full on invasion, which I'm assuming it is, then we need all the help we can get. So we may need to rally and evacuate the residents as well."

"Who- AGH- Who should do that?" Tweek piped up. He hadn't spoken much at all up until now.

"Well... I was actually thinking Butters," Kenny said. Butters looked up at the taller and nodded. "... And you, Tweek."

"AGH- WHAT??" Tweek exclaimed. "I can't!"

"But you can. I know you can," Kenny said.

"HNG no I can't! I-it's too much- AGH- PRESSURE-"

Butters spoke up. "A-aw shucks Tweek I thought you were doin' better with your anxiety and all that."

"I-I was-" he twitched. "N-not anymore." Corey watched Craig's expression shift.

"I think t-that y-you and B-Butters are the b-best p-people for the j-job Tw-Tw-Twe-Twee-Tw-Tweek," Jimmy replied genuinely. 

The others nodded in agreement, and Tweek opened his mouth to protest.

"You are, Tweek. You're the best person for it," Craig piped up suddenly, and everyone stared at him. Kenny even looked proud. "You can do it. I-I know you can."

Tweek stared incredulously at him, thinking over his next words. "You don't get to say that, Craig," he said lowly, watching for the other's reaction for any hints of regret. "You lost that right."

Craig looked hurt, upset, regretful, but he just as quickly covered it up, yet Tweek had seen it. 

Craig looked at Kenny a moment later as the boy in the orange parka blinked at him as if waiting for him to continue. Craig just crossed his arms stubbornly and kept silent. Kenny sighed in defeat and continued. 

"So... that's shit for the three of you to do... Jimmy, you could also help rally people if Butters and Tweek need help, but for now let's plan on you, Kyle, and I being on the rooftops and watching for the first signs of attack. Craig can join us if he's back by then, which he most likely will be. We'll all be on comms so when the crab people are spotted just radio each other in and let everyone know where they are. I don't know when the military will arrive, if they even help out at all, but until we know for sure we should keep planning," he said.

Kenny moved to the computer and pulled up a map of South Park, moving it onto the TV screen above so everyone could see better. 

Corey studied the map silently, noting the many changes they saw on screen. It was a lot, to say the least. 

Kenny looked up at the TV screen as well, moving back to the others. "There's a few vital points we can use to our advantage here. Butters, Tweek- I think we can get the most people rallied at the community center and the mall. Kyle, Jimmy, and Craig- the four of us can take vantage points from the top of the movie theater, the post office, the police station, and the hospital." 

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Kenny then looked at Corey, who blinked at him. "You talked to Scott yesterday, right?" They nodded. "Do you think he'll change his mind?"

They tried to respond but were cut off by a new voice in the room. "Why don't you just ask me?" Scott Malkinson said as he silently shut the garage door and looked over at them. 

Instantly Kenny smiled, ecstatic.

"You're here!!" He exclaimed, and Scott sighed.

"Yeah I guess I am."

"Well, good!" Kenny responded happily. "It's nice having you here again."

Scott opened his mouth to say otherwise, but Kyle and Tweek both piped up. "Agreed." 

Scott looked more convinced.

"We were just getting a plan of action together," Kenny said. "So let's continue."