"You've got to be kidding me."
He was in the middle of nowhere, or at least in the middle of a plain, in the middle of Wharton State Forest, in the middle of New Jersey. So yeah basically he was in the middle of nowhere. At least he wasn't in town, he didn't look suspicious here, at midnight, with his armor and his teeth... and his troll face. Here, nobody could see him. But he couldn't see either, which is a problem when you're chasing gnomes. It had been only 2 weeks since the Ancient Troll Market settled in New Jersey and the young Trollhunter Jim Lake already had troubles. Rumors went about a tiny human-thingy with pointy red hat strolling on the streets of Hammonton and Jim had to get him back quickly before someone else did, someone who could share the discovery to the world and endangered trolls' existence. That was why Jim lost himself between millions of pine trees. For some reason the gnome came back to the forest, but even with his flair Jim couldn't find his tracks. Probably because there were so many living beings in this forest, so many animals and plants... And still, Jim felt alone. Really alone, in the middle of those pine trees, those animals and those plants. Claire was nearby of course, and he felt so lucky to have such a good girlfriend. But he couldn't keep her awake every night and ask her to help him on every little mission. That would be... pathetic. As pathetic as his position right now : the Arcadia hero playing hide and seek with a gnome, and losing.
"You've got to be kidding me."
He started to run fast again, leaves had barely time to bow after him because he was so quick. He was looking for this stupid gnome for five hours now and it was almost dawn. He was tired. He was irritated. He was... sad, and lonely. He was homesick. He wanted to find the gnome and get back to sleep like the teenager he should be.
"Ouch !"
Lost in thought, he didn't see what he bumped into. Or rather... who he bumped into.
"WHAAAAAAT?"
She screamed. A human... a girl... in the middle of this forest, at this hour, and OF COURSE he couldn't find the gnome but he could find her. That was the worst. He was the worst.
"Who are you ?"
That was what struck him. She didn't say "what"... she said "who".
"Please forget you ever saw me, said Jim.
- How could I forget a pretty boy like you. At least if you're a boy ? I thought I stopped having a crush on a boy."
And then she winked. She winked ! Why did it look weird ? Because of her strange concept of flirting, or because for the first time since what seemed too long for Jim an actual human was talking to him "normally" ? Even if he knew he shouldn't, Jim wanted to stay with that girl a little more.
"Get it ? Because we crashed into each other.
- Yeah I... I guess...
- You seem stressed. Were you running away ?"
The look of concern on her face was unbearable. She seemed so unreal, talking to him like that, leading Jim to believe that it was all a dream. And it hurt, it hurt so much. To think that he would wake up as a troll, surrounded by the darkness. He made fists with his hands and his claws stuck into his palms. And it hurt. Wait... if it hurt... so it wasn't a dream ?
"Are you okay buddy ?
- Yeah I'm okay it's just..."
Ask her. He should ask her what was stunning him. He should ask her, even if he hated that question. Even if he wished he never had to put that question.
"You're not... scared of me ?
- Scared of YOU ?"
And she smiled, and then laughed. Really loud. Jim never heard a laugh that loud.
"Dude, I saw things waaaaaay scarier than you.
- Really ?
- Yeah. Also, I fell in love with a merman once. So you know scales, feathers, claws and fur can't stop me."
She made a face and Jim couldn't help but smirk. Then she said :
"Actually, that sounds weirder than what I meant. But you get the idea.
- Yes I do, chuckled Jim. Thank you.
- For what ?
- For not freaking out. I needed this.
- You're welcome. Anyway, why were you running ? I don't think someone like you is afraid of something, and I'm sure it's not easy to run with that armor.
- Well, I'm in search of something. It's...
- For Einstein's sake, stop wandering like that ! We're going to get lost... again !"
That last sentence was said by another voice who came from behind the girl. Another human ? In this forest ? For real ?
"Hey bro-bro ! I found a friend !
- In this forest ? For real ?"
A boy came through the bushes. He had the same eyes, the same nose, the same cheeks, the same lips, but the comparison stopped here. The girl was a little chubbier and her hair were longer and curlier with some colored locks, and it was shaved on one side showing the tattoo of a shooting star on her skull which followed the shape of her ear. The boy's hair however... well... it was the same brown but it was pointier for all Jim could see sticking out his lumberjack hat. He was also wearing a green t-shirt with a black sleeveless jacket full of badges and blue jeans. And a three-day beard.
"Oh, hello."
Wait, him too ?
"Um, hi ? said Jim.
- That's my brother, my twin, mi hermano, but don't be wrong : I'm the oldest.
- Stop telling everyone you're...
- ALPHA TWIN ! ALPHA TWIN !
- Sorry about my sister, she always have to be a little extra.
- No no it's okay. It reminds me of someone I'm missing. It feels... it feels like home."
And then, without a warning, Jim realized he was sobbing. The boy put gently his hands on Jim's elbows and pushed him very sweetly so he would sit on the grass. He was very thoughtful with the armor and didn't care when Jim's hairy fingers brushed against his arms. Arms which were completely covered by tattoos, even on the phalanxes. Numbers, equations, alchemical symbols, sigils and runes, and a lot of geometrical figures. A lot. Except, Jim would discover later, triangles.
"Okay buddy, calm down. You sound a little depressed, are you okay ?
- Yeah yeah, thanks hum...
- Dipper. Call me Dipper. And my sister here is named Mabel.
- Ma... Mabel ?
- Yeah ? she said with a smile. Why does it surprise you ?
- I thought, with your necklace..."
The girl was wearing a long hand-knitted cardigan (that she probably knitted herself with pink, violet and blue wool) with black leather pants and a Sev'ral Timez t-shirt. And over her t-shirt we could see a silver pendant shining. A pendant which had the form of a P.
"I thought that your name started with a P, said Jim.
- Oh no, "P" is for "Pacifica", my girlfriend.
- Still can't believe she bought you this jewel, said Dipper.
- What can I say, I have the best partner.
- Yeah I know, I had my chance and I blew it.
- You dated for 5 months and it ended pretty well, that's not a failure for me ! Besides, if you two didn't break up, you would never meet Dana, right ?
- That's true, he smiled.
- And remind me how long you guys are together ? continued Mabel.
- Three years.
- Wow, that's a long time ! said Jim."
He just inserted himself into the conversation, like they were casuals friends, talking about casuals things as dates, relationships...
"Yeah, we moved in together few months ago."
And they let him come in.
"And you ? Do you have a partner ? said Mabel with a BIG smile. And what's your name by the way ?
- My name is Jim Lake. And well... I have a girlfriend, named Claire.
- Claire, repeated Dipper. That sounds pretty.
- She IS pretty. And smart. And brave. She is the bravest girl I've ever met.
- Nah dude, my girl is the bravest.
- She's dating you so yeah possibly, teased Dipper.
- Oï ! At least I shower and smell like a divine flower !
- Lucky you. There is no shower in the trollmarket.
- Where do you shower then ?
- In the lake. Which feels weird.
- We saw a gnome showering with squirrels so you shouldn't feel weird.
- You saw... okay guys you seem to have been through a lot of stuff. How old are you actually ?"
Their clothes, their way of speaking, everything about them looked like they were young, everything except... their eyes. Jim could drown in their eyes, full of secrets, of knowledge, of stuff they wished they didn't know, wished they didn't see. They had tired, old eyes.
"We're going to be 19 in... well... very soon, said Dipper with a smile. And you ?
- I'm 16.
- Hey ! We don't have much years apart ! screamed Mabel. Well, except if you count the loop...
- I always wondered what it's like after high school. What are you two doing ?
- I study psychology. In Harvard."
Jim wanted to laugh but Mabel was making a very serious face while Dipper was smiling proudly.
"Wait, really ?
- What, like it's hard ?
- No no I'm sure you're a very clever person ! It's just that I didn't think you were the type of person who want to become psychiatrist.
- Never judge a book by its cover.
- She is right, said Dipper. As for me, I study in Calarts."
Jim's face fell. Which was hilarious for our twins.
"Okay I don't get it. I thought it was the opposite.
- Our passion isn't our way to fight our demons, said Mabel. Besides, our studies complete each other. Dipper teaches me about art therapy.
- And Mabel helps me creating consistent characters for my stories.
- But... those schools... it's almost 10 hours of flight...
- Yeah. That's why we spend summer together. Last year we were in Oregon, now we're in New Jersey to be with our grand-father.
- And solve the mystery.
- Or rewrite history !"
They gave each other an high-five, like it was an inside joke that Jim didn't understand but he didn't take it hard. If they felt comfortable enough to make those jokes in front of him, that meant he belonged. That was all that mattered at this moment. Not his worries, not the gnome-hunting, not the sun which was risen...
"Oh no.
- Hey Dipper ! It's dawn ! Let's find a clear space when we could see it better !
- Oh yes ! Come with us, Jim ?
- I... I..."
He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to leave them. He didn't want to flee from the sun. He wanted to watch the sunset with them, like he used to in Arcadia. But...
"I can't."
Maybe they didn't hear him. Maybe they were waiting for him. Still the sun was risen. And some ray came through the trees, felt on his skin. The twins saw their friend burning with horror. But Jim didn't move.
"I CAN'T !"
Then, Mabel and Dipper ran towards him, Dipper put his lumberjack hat on Jim's head and Mabel wrapped him with her cardigan. They pushed away from the sunset, following him into the shadows, while Jim started to cry.