Universal Inconstants

Chapter 24

Throughout the next week, Corey noticed a visible improvement in the moods of everyone at the school. 

On Monday, everybody just hung out together since school was canceled due to the crab people problem. Not a lot of property was destroyed or damaged, but everyone just needed a break after what had happened. 

Everyone was ecstatic that Kyle and Jimmy were okay. Scott seemed to be in a much better mood when the group visited him in the hospital. Tweek and Craig were put in the same room as per their request, and they talked until both were peacefully passed out with smiles on their faces. Stan and Kyle had gone back to the hospital immediately after the attack and the former was cleared to go home, minor wounds on the latter treated quickly before the two left.

During their hangout, Kenny had pulled Tolkien aside to talk to him.

"So..." Kenny started, breathing in. "I saw Clyde, when I died this time." 

Tolkien blinked at him silently, letting him continue. 

After a few moments, he did. 

"He said to tell you hi. And that he loves you, and misses you, and that he wants you to move on, and to be happy."

Tolkien nodded as tears rushed to his eyes, and he looked down as they fell. "Thank you," he said, voice cracking. "For telling me." 

Kenny slowly nodded as the shorter wiped tears from his eyes, sniffling but smiling nonetheless.

Kenny had told the others about his ventures afterward, and everyone wore solemn smiles on their faces as he told them about Clyde. They were happy, though, that Kenny's curse was broken, especially Butters who, despite being told before, ecstatically hugged him when he told the group.

The phone lines had been fixed on Tuesday, and the moment they were Jimmy left to go on call with Timmy. Stan and Kyle quickly called Cartman with Kenny to let him know everything was okay and to thank him for helping out. 

Cartman had asked where Kyle was when they had called him during doomsday, and he promptly said, "I got crabbed."

In response, Cartman scoffed and said, "that's bullshit. They should learn to keep their claws to themselves." 

The others laughed.

On Wednesday, Kenny brought Corey along to gauge the progress the geeky computer guys had made since Kenny first talked to them. The taller promptly knocked on the door and the two of them waited for a response. 

A few minutes later the door opened, revealing the two geeks as they silently looked at Kenny.

"Oh hey Kenny," the one with the blond hair greeted. "Who is this?" He asked, referring to Corey.

"This is Corey, the one that you, uh... displaced from their universe," Kenny explained.

The brown haired computer guy gasped. "Oh really? It looks different than I thought."

Corey blinked. "I-it?"

"OH, IT SPEAKS!!" They both exclaimed.

Kenny wheezed at the hilarity of the situation, but Corey was just confused. 

"A-actually I go by they," they stated.

The blond geek spoke again. "Woahh, it's composed of multiple beings!" He surmised, stupidly. 

How could they possibly be so smart yet so stupid? At this point Kenny was laughing hysterically.

"N-no?" Corey responded. 

They realized they probably wouldn't be able to correct them. 

"I-I somehow prefer that over Freckles," they joked.