A gray haze covered the water. The sloshing sound of the stilled ocean could be heard against the wood of a small boat. A young albino boy sat in his row boat, heading towards the small island just off the coast of the main land. His snowy hair was in need of a trim, brushed to the side out of his eyes. His red eyes were hidden behind circular dark spectacles, and he was dirtied from working with his older brother in shop. His white shirt was patched up on one of his elbows and a spot on his chest. His brown pants were old and warn, held up by only one suspender strap, the other had snapped, and lay lifeless to the side. His black shoes were scuffed, and he wore only one torn glove, his other hand was bandaged. He rowed up onto shore were a scruffy, dirty, white dog ran up to greet him.
"Hey Bec." The boy greeted the blind dog, petting his head.
"Dave!" A sweet female voice sang. Dave looked up, hearing the jingling of bells, coins and keys, and the clang of bottles and metal. A young whirl pranced over to him. her hair was haphazardly brushed and windblown. Her large round glasses were dirty with one cracked lens. Her face was dirty and had fading tribal face paint. She wore worn heeled boots with one striped stocking and one black. Her brown skirt was lifted up to the side, a warp with coins dangling off the edge covered anything from being visible. A tan vest was buttoned over a brown top, which the sleeves hung past her shoulders. Belts hugged her waist, various bottles, watches, and charms clanged against her hips as she approached the boy.
"Hey Jade" Dave greeted her.
"Hehehe hey Dave." She smiled, swinging her hips as she walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly for a moment. The couple smiled at each other a moment before she pulled away, breaking out into a giggle fit.
"Ready to go to the main land?" He asked her.
"Oh Dave lets go exploring!" She giggled, clapping.
"You know we cant, no one can go out past the city." He fronded helping her into the small boat.
"But Dave just think! What could be out there, I mean what if we're not alone? We could establish trade with others, expand as a group instead of being restricted by city limits!" Jade explained with excitement as dave climbed into the boat.
"Oh! Bye Bec!" Jade called back, waving to the blind dog as Dave sighed, rowing them away.
"We'll just talk to Rose and John, they'll help tell you why we cant." Dave huffed, rowing them back to the mainland. The sand was black from the various smoke and fumes that would settle into it. Dave helped Jade out of the boat and the two held hands as they walked up to the stone pathway, leading in to the large city. The buildings were large and crushed together. Vines and various plant life were growing up them. Smoke pored out of almost every chimney and smokestack. Large gears and cogs could be heard, turning underground. Dave held the door to his bro's robotic workshop open for Jade and he send a crow out to fetch John and Rose.
~
"I think its great!" John shouted. He was dressed in a tattered and patched up jacket, suspenders holding his pants over his white button up. His black boots were well loved as was his black bow-tie. His spectacles were both cracked and breaking.
"What? Rose come on you cant agree!" Dave begged. Rose had platinum blond hair, a dark ribbon holding it out of her perfectly painted face. She was dressed as nicely as she could in a tattered black and pink purple dress with a black corset and pink sash. She looked up from her book at the others with her soothing violate eyes. John quickly held her hand and pressed his shoulder against hers.
"She agrees with me!" John laughed.
"John let her answer." Jade said, hugging onto Dave to keep him from getting mad. Rose closed her eyes and sighed.
"I agree with Jade and John." She mumbled.
"OH I KNEW IT!" John announced excitedly and kissed her cheek, earning a smile from her. Jade clapped her hands and hugged dave tightly.
"Alright alright alright." Dave sighed, hushing the others.
"But if we're going to do this it has to be at night. We have to be swift and quiet. Do you even know what kind of trouble we'll be in?" Dave asked.
"Oh dave but theres so much to explore and do!" John tried to tell him.
"To learn and discover." Rose calmly backed him up.
"See dave they think the something I do!" Jade smiled.
"Okay, fine. Tonight then?" Dave asked.
"Tonight!" John and Jade repeated in agreement. Rose smiled, showing she also agreed. John and rose left soon after.
"Well only go out for the night." Dave sighed.
"Aw, why cant we stay out longer?" Jade pouted.
"Because when we get back they'll have our heads." Dave sighed.
"Sounds like fun." Jade giggled with a wink. Dave blushed bright red and gently pushed her away.
"Whats gotten into you?" Dave asked.
"I don't know.." Jade looked away, hanging her head. "I've been feeling like somethings going to happen…"
Dave looked at her with forgiving eyes, smiling softly. He walked up to her and hugged her by the waist. "Im sorry Jade…" He mumbled.
"Its okay." She smiled
~
John sat down onto his old, patched up bed with a sigh.
"Whats wrong?" Rose asked.
"I dunno…" John mumbled. Rose smiled and hugged his arm as she sat next to him.
"You feel it too?" She asked. John nodded yes.
"Look, if something happens… Rose… I love you." John told her, gazing into her eyes sadly. She smiled gently, and softly kissed him.
"I love you too John." She mumbled. John kisses her gently as they both closed their eyes. He slowly moves back, so he was laying on his back. Rose moves so she was laying on top of him, careful not to break the contact. They held the kiss for a few moments before rose pulled back softly. They gazed into each other's eyes, smiling, until john started laughing.
"You Dork!" Rose giggled and hit his chest playfully. John chuckled and playfully nibbles her cheek, earning her to giggle wildly. She pushed away, sitting up on top of him.
"Hey Rose?" John asked. Rose looked over questioningly.
"You think we're guna find other people?" He asked her.
"We'll have to wait and see." She smiled gently.
~
Dave and Jade hid behind a tree, with satchels of supplies. John and Rose listened in the dark. Dave sounded a bird call and the two scampered over to their friends.
"Remember, we have to be quiet." Dave whispered to them. The four friends nodded and dave lead them in the darkness towards the trees. Jade then took lead, showing them were to step in the dark brush to make sure they made the least amount of sound as possible. They continued on like this for some time.
"Maybe we should turn back?" Dave asked.
"Okay man, since when do you care so much about rules?" John pouted. Dave looked up at Jade who was continuing to guide them deeper into the forest. Dave grabbed John and whispered in his ear.
"Since I met Jade, I want to keep her safe."
John looked at him.
"Man thats sappy." He chuckled. Dave punched him in the shoulder, earning an 'ow' from John as he went to catch up.
"Hey wait!" John called as Jade fell into a hole, Rose and Dave soon after. John ran over as a net lifted up, encasing the four kids inside as they dangled above the pit. Before they could call out for help tranquilizer darts hit them each in the neck and they were nocked out.
~
Dave could hear murmuring, slowly opening his eyes to the light of a fire. He looked up to see twelve pairs of glowing yellow eyes watching them.
"What the-" Dave struggles finding they had been tied up. "You bustards!" Dave snarled, causing Jade to wake then soon Rose and John.
"Howw DARE you use such language towwards the princess!" An angry set of eyes scolded.
"I agree." A second pare, hidden behind cracked dark spectacles seconded. This one had a much more gravely and masculine tone.
"Hush now you two, they're just scared is all." A happy squeaky set of eyes told them.
"Were are we, why did you take us here, who the hell are you?!" Dave growled.
Two figures stepped out from the shadows. One was tall and muscular, dressed a bit nicer than Dave yet it was clear he worked with robotics seeing how dirty he was. His hair was long and tied back behind his almost horse ear like ears. He had a tattoo on his neck of the sagittarius sign. He had one broken orange horn and the other horn looked like an arrow. The other was dressed in a regal purple uniform that looked very military. He was decorated with all sorts of gold chains, embroidery, and metals. His hair was black with a purple streak and he wore a purple hat with a black rim. It had matching gold chain and a broach with the aquarius symbol on it. His horns were jagged, forming back in a zig zag. He had fins for ears and some kind of small ring around his neck he hid with his collar. The children assumed it was for gills seeing how he had fins for ears.
"Answer me!" Dave growled.
The taller one picked up Dave and slammed him against the wall.
"You don't evven knoww wwho your talkin to!" The nicer looking one snapped.
"Oh fin, Eridan you hit him so he dosn't get too hurt." The high toned vice allowed. The finer looking one punched Dave hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The larger one dropped him and the two stepped back as Dave coughed and wheezed, blood dripping from his nose.
"Stop it!" Jade growled, trying to hold back tears.
Eridan smirked at her.
"I'd hate to mess up such a pretty face." He mused.
"Now now Eridan don't frighten her." The happy voice rang once more. She stepped out into the light. She had a round figure yet was still thin. She wore a swimsuit like dress of magenta, black, and white. Her goggles were loose around her neck, tinted magenta as well. She had on numerous gold bracelets, bangles, anklets, and necklaces. Her horns were blunt and curved slightly as they grew upward. Her hair was long, thick and fluffy. Her hair hid her ears but she had a similar device around her neck as Eridan's.
"Its quite alright, calm down." She smiled.
"YOU REALLY FUCKING EXPECT HER TO CALM DOWN?" Another younger voice seemed to shout.
"Whale I thought it might help." The girl pouted.
"You socked that guy in the gut, she looks pretty upset." A feminine, yet bitchy voice smirked.
"Yeah fef I'm gutting that wath her matethprit or thomething." A rather geeky voice with a lisp commented.
"Oh dear, is that true?" The bubbly girl looked at Jade. Jade merely stared back, tears streaming down her cheeks, confused.
"Well they smell delicious!" A giggly female laughed
"Is this really the time?" A polite feminine voice scolded.
"I uh think we're just making it worse." A nervous voice mumbled.
"I think so to." A quiet girl said.
"I agree fuurrrrrly." A girl's voice purred.
"Fin fin." The royal looking girl stepped back into the darkness.
"Who are you, what are you?" John asked.
"Why," The fire grew taller revealing all twelve of them "We're trolls my dear.
