Universal Inconstants

Chapter 21

Craig ran around frantically, fighting through crab hordes to find Tweek, but it was just by luck that he'd found the one he was trying to find.

He'd stumbled upon a battle near town square, one that Tweek clearly wasn't winning. He kept stumbling back, out of reach of outstretched crab claws. He had one arm wrapped around himself, a large gash he was trying and failing to cover visible from where Craig was standing, shocked. Tweek's other arm was outstretched, sparks shooting toward the crab people and knocking them down, the electricity moving through the crowd and knocking out pedestrians too.

Craig snapped out of his trance as another crab person jabbed toward Tweek, just barely missing but leaving a cut on the boy's arm. 

Instantly Craig ran forward and jumped into the fight, punching, kicking, and even head butting anything that got too close to the shorter boy. Tweek stood back in slight shock, watching the other pummel the creatures angrily, but anger wasn't enough. 

Tweek knew Craig couldn't fight them all off alone, but he was too hurt to help.

He made a quick decision. "HNG- CRAIG!!" He yelled, and Craig shoved more crabs back, looking back for just a second when he was able to, only to have something shoved into his hands. 

He glanced down.

Tweek's headband. 

He looked up at the other who determinedly nodded before he hurriedly shoved the band over his hat. Instantly electricity coursed through him and he felt the power of the elements within him, but he was not overwhelmed. The two of them had practiced with each others' powers when they were together, and it really came in handy... Especially now. 

Craig's determination flowed, and he sent waves of lightning through the crowd, shards of ice piercing through the crab people as they charged. But it still wasn't enough. His strength and determination, even paired with Tweek's powers, wasn't enough to plow through an army. They were getting surrounded. Craig inhaled and quickly sent out a shockwave in front of him, sending the opposition flying through the air or spazzing on the ground.

Quickly he turned and grabbed Tweek's hand, starting to run while Tweek followed next to him, struggling to keep up despite his hand latching onto the taller's. The sea of attackers followed in pursuit, and when they reached the gate to Tolkien's house they didn't even have time to open it before the crab people were upon them. 

Craig whipped around and let go of the shorter's hand, sending out another shockwave. Tweek turned and tried to unlock the gate, but he was too light headed to think. His wound was worse off than it was before, and he slid down the gate into the floor helplessly, exhausted, wheezing, and unable to do anything but watch as Craig fought off the onslaught.

Craig's breathing was heavy as he fought, but he wasn't ever going to give up. No one was going to hurt Tweek, not while he was still alive and breathing. Craig fought, and he fought, and he fought more. 

And finally he breathed in and sent a tsunami at the crustaceans, but it didn't do him any good. They were crabs, after all, designed to be able to survive the ocean environment. Multiple crab people used the wave as an opportunity to boost themselves toward Craig, two of them swiping at him and missing, one of them jabbing at his face and leaving a large scratch across his cheek, and the final one swiping upward... catching onto Tweek's headband and yanking it off.

It fell down behind Craig, directly in front of Tweek.

But Craig kept fighting. He wouldn't stop. He kept punching and kicking, throwing fists left and right. He didn't have any weapons, not even a chair, and the onslaught kept growing. The crabs kept showing up from everywhere.