"I'm Wendy Corduroy, and I'm a pedophile."
The long haired, auburn headed woman said this to herself in a mirror in her little apartment home. Her hands were clenched so tightly that her black painted nails nearly drew blood, and she was positive that anyone standing outside her door would be able to hear her. The walls were thin, but she needed to say these words out loud.
Every day since she discovered her sick addiction, she's repeated this truth to herself. It was a part of her, and it would never go away. Voicing it, acknowledging it, and accepting it was the only way she could stay sane and out of trouble.
"I'm Wendy Corduroy, and I'm a pedophile." Wendy said again, more softly. Her green eyes glanced at the picture of Mabel in her one piece swim suit she held between the glass of the mirror and its frame. God she was cute, with her puffy little cheeks and her tiny little body. Her thick, brown hair reached passed her butt, which she didn't plan on cutting soon. What Wendy wouldn't do to cover that girl in kisses and love bites, to ravish her small form and show her what it is to be a woman.
"I'm Wendy Corduroy, and I'm a pedophile." Wendy repeated her mantra and turned Mabel's picture around. Every day, she struggled to look at her friend and not feel the urges she did, and every day, she failed. Wendy felt a spark in her core, but she ignored it. She was not going to pleasure herself to the thought of children… no matter how badly she had wanted to.
When Wendy had discovered her attraction, it was at the worst place possible: The pool. She was walking toward the changing room and had opened the door to find that it was already occupied. Mabel had stood there, having just stuck her feet in her swimsuit and was pulling the straps up her body and over her shoulders to cover herself. Mabel just smiled and made a lame joke, but Wendy froze. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the girl's body, and it fluttered when Mabel flipped her hair from stuck under her suit. The small girl left Wendy to change, and the latter woman sat on the bench to utter a single word.
"Shit."
Walking out of the changing room and looking around, Wendy's world was suddenly different. Dipper and Mabel waved at her while laughing, so Wendy assumed the younger girl had told her twin about the mistake and were laughing it off. Wendy smiled and gave a little wave herself, but her eyes continued to scan the pool. There were so many people dressed in scanty swim wear, but every single one was ignored for the mini-me versions of their parents. She couldn't help herself. That's when she knew she had to escape.
The next day, her things were packed and she announced that she would be traveling for a bit. She told Dipper and Mabel and the rest of the Mystery Shack that if all this weird stuff could happen in their little town of Gravity Falls, then what could the whole world have to offer her in adventure? Mabel had begged the older girl to bring the rest of their group with them, but Wendy said it'd be too expensive for multiple people to rent hotels across the world. With that, the taller woman kissed her friend's forehead, and left.
That had been several years ago.
Wendy had kept in touch with everyone, and kept them in the loop on her adventures. But every time, every damned time she saw Mabel's joyous face, Wendy knew she couldn't return yet. Mabel was older, and more filled out, so the lumberjack daughter's attraction was lessening for her friend. If she couldn't beat a simple picture, however, she knew she couldn't return to her normal world.
For several years, Wendy fought her urges. For several years, she had won, and for several years, she prayed for this sickness to be taken away from her. One day, she may not win her battle. She hoped that day never came.
"I'm Wendy Corduroy." Wendy said again, staring daggers at herself in the mirror. "And I'm kicking my pedophile ass."
Her conviction set, she dressed herself in her green and black checkered flannel over a white sweater. Usually she would wear a tank top, but it was colder where she resided now. She slipped both legs in her jeans and then strapped her boots to her feet. Finally, she placed her pine tree hat that Dipper had given her as a reminder of them atop her head. He was a sweet little guy, and she hoped she could meet his girlfriend he's been gushing about one day.
Wendy opened her door and stepped out into the cool air to see just what the city of Trolberg had to offer her.
Hilda, Frida, and David sat around Hilda's coffee table in her home, playing a rousing game of Dragon Panic as her mother, Johanna, made them fresh snacks in the kitchen. David had just rolled the dice, his token landing on a square that forced him to draw a "Panic" card from the stack.
"Caught in the dragon's maw, you flail about helplessly and are set on fire. Lose half your treasure and move back three spaces. Half my treasure?!" David groaned as he tossed the card on the board. "That's like, half of everything I have!"
Frida chuckled, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "That's the game, David. At least you got moved back some! You might get your treasure back."
"But look at Hilda's pile!" David demanded, pointing to their blue haired friend's own sizable stack of plastic gems. "It's your turn, so may as well go ahead and win the game!"
"You never know what could happen." Hilda said as she rolled the dice, coming up snake eyes. She moved her piece and landed on a Panic space. "See?"
"Draw the card, Hilda." David said as he crossed him arms. Hilda rolled her eyes and began to read the card she drew aloud.
"Your fear overtakes your greed and you dash for the exit. Lose ten gems, but end the current game." Hilda set down the card and grabbed ten small gems from her giant pile and placed them in their own, sorrier stack to the side. "Well," Hilda said as she studied the three piles of gems around them, "guess I win."
"Of course you do." David said, placing his gems back in the center of the board. "You always win."
"Not true. I've won a few times," Frida argued.
"A few times out of how many?" Frida hesitated, then spoke the horrid truth.
"Thirty-six."
David let out a groan and banged his head on the table. Truthfully, the two girls couldn't blame him for being so agitated. He hadn't won a single game this session.
"Snacks are ready!" Hilda's mum announced as entered the living room with a tray of goodies. Johanna held the tray low for each child to take a plate. Frida and David were given ants on a log, and Hilda, as always, got her favorite cucumber sandwiches. They bit into their treats enthusiastically, save for David, who ate while staring at the game between them.
"Maybe you should spend some time outside." Johanna suggested, addressing all of the children while giving David a nudge with her foot for his specific attention. "You've been playing this game all morning. Why don't you all take a break."
"That's a good idea." Hilda agreed, standing from the table. Sandwich hanging from her mouth, she went and grabbed her bag and hat off the rack. Frida and David hastily finished their treats, David with a newfound enthusiasm, and collected their belongings.
"Thanks Hilda's Mum!" David said with a wave as he exited the house.
"Thanks Miss Johanna." Frida said formally, following David out of the house.
Hilda adjusted her hat, and with her bag slung over her shoulder, hugged her mother.
"I love you, Mum. I'll be back later."
Johanna sighed in the hug with her daughter. Every time she held Hilda, in the back of her mind, she knew that her time was limited. Hilda would grow, and eventually, she would leave. Johanna had to milk every second she could before her baby girl was lost to her forever.
Hilda broke the hug and dashed from the house after her friends. Johanna waved after them, and for whatever reason, felt a pit of worry in her stomach. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, as there was no possible way she could be in danger within the walls.
"Shall we go to the park?" Frida asked as Hilda caught up to her and David.
"I like that idea." Hilda said, looking around the city. It was a gorgeous day, and getting some sun where there aren't so many tall buildings sounded wonderful.
"I was hoping to go to the library." David suggested.
"And if Kaisa worked in the sewers, you'd hope to go there," Frida accused, earning a pink tinted scowl from David.
"I like books, is all."
"There's nothing wrong with a little crush, David." Hilda ignored his denials and continued, walking a path to the park. "I'm going to the park. We could just meet back at my place later if you want to be somewhere else."
"I think I'll go with David." Frida said, ruffling the hair of the boy in a huff. "I could do with some extra magic study."
"I'll see you at home, then." Hilda waved and ran ahead, eager to enjoy her little oasis amongst the urban surroundings. The park wasn't the forest, but it was close enough without being outside the walls. She had decided to take a break from adventuring, at least for a time. It could really be exhausting.
Even Twig had taken to staying inside the house more often. Since Hilda's promise to not go outside the walls for a few weeks since the troll incident, Twig had spent the time curled up and asleep on Hilda's bed. He would go on walks with the girl from time to time, but he would always end up back at his favorite resting spot. Hilda couldn't blame the little deer-fox. He'd worried about her almost as much as her mother.
Hilda was so excited to lay down in the thick grass that she didn't have time to stop herself before a red headed woman walked out of her building in front of the girl. Hilda barreled head first in the woman's legs and fell backwards. She felt her nose first, as that hurt even more than the back of her head hitting concrete. It felt as if she had run face first into a stone wall.
"Hey kid, you alright?"
Hilda looked up to see the woman bent over her, a hand extended to help her to her feet. The sun shined through her auburn hair, a golden glow bouncing in Hilda's eyes. A few seconds pass, and realizing she was staring, Hilda grabbed the woman's hand.
"Yes, thank you." Hilda said as she was helped to her feet. "Terribly sorry for running into you, ma'am."
"Ma'am?" The woman repeated with a laugh. "Dude, I'm barely in my twenties. Call me Wendy."
"My name is Hilda." Hilda said automatically.
"I like your hair," Wendy said, causing the smaller girl's face to glow in a blush. There was something about this woman that made Hilda's mind all scrambled.
"Thanks!" Hilda said in a near squeak, then cleared her throat. "I, uh, I like yours too."
"Heck yeah, my hair is awesome." Wendy agreed. She knelt to eye level with Hilda, and held a lock of her hair to compare it to the blue on Hilda's head. "Check it out, it's like we're opposites."
Something stirred in Hilda in the close proximity to Wendy. The girl in flannel was so confident, and had no issue treating Hilda with the respect to come from a peer. Hilda felt her chest seize up, and it had suddenly become harder to breathe.
"Thanks!" Hilda repeated, with quite a bit more squeak in her throat. At her own voice, Hilda's face turned beet red, and she dashed passed the woman she had bumped into. "I'll see you later!"
Wendy chuckled as she watched her new friend run away, waving lazily while still close to the ground. Hilda was a cute kid.
Areallycute kid.
Wendy froze where she knelt, her eyes widening in horror. Not five feet out the door, and she had been issued her first challenge. Her eyes never left the retreating figure, scarf bellowing in the wind. Only when Hilda was out of sight did Wendy stand and straighten her clothes. She put her thumb to her lips, chewing on the skin as she thought.
Traveling the world obviously wasn't doing anything to cure her. If anything, it made her sickness all the more potent. She tried desperately to push the vision of Hilda's adorable, blushing face from her mind. Failure met her at every turn, as when the face disappeared, it was only replaced with memory of her voice, or of her hair.
Wendy hissed and pulled her thumb out of her mouth; she had bitten too close to the nail and started bleeding. She turned on her heel and entered her apartment home again, intent on cleaning her wound. Really, it didn't require such treatment, but she also needed to get away from Hilda. As long as Wendy stayed in her building, the blue haired, adorable little girl was safe.
Maybe Wendy would see if there was a bar around. At least she couldn't find any minors in there.
Hilda's direction had changed. Instead of heading toward the park, like she intended, the young adventurer made a mad dash to catch up to Frida and David. As soon as she laid eyes on her best friends, she called out.
"Frida! David!"
The recipients of the shout stopped in their tracks, turning with confused looks as Hilda came to a stop beside them.
"Weren't you going to the park?" David asked. After a few seconds of catching her breath, Hilda replied.
"I sort of… ran into someone. Literally." Hilda explained when able to speak without too much effort.
"And that made you come here." It wasn't a question, but Hilda took it from Frida as one.
"No. I came to apologize to David about making fun of his crush on Kaisa."
"I do no—"
"Yes you do." Frida interrupted David before he could argue. Ears turning pink, he crossed his arms in a huff while Frida turned back to Hilda.
"Why the sudden empathy?"
"Because," Hilda said, closing her eyes in a pause. When she opened them again, her shaky voice didn't match their honest expression. "I... I think I've got a crush on the woman I just ran into."
"All of thirty seconds, and you've got a crush?" Frida asked, her lips curling in a disbelieving smile.
"She's so pretty!" Hilda defended herself. Her hands balled into fists, and her cheeks puffed up in much a similar fashion to David.
"There are a lot of pretty people in Trolberg," David said.
"She's a foreigner," Hilda continued, ignoring the boy. "Her accent is oddly soothing. She's so laid back, and it's as if she doesn't have a care in the world."
"Sounds a little like your adventurous spirit." Frida quipped. She turned and beckoned Hilda to follow her and David. "Come on, you can tell us all about the few sentences you shared with your new crush."
"Oh you stop that!" Hilda said as her face glowed.
Frida and David teased Hilda about her sudden infatuation all the way to the library. The blue haired adventurer made it a point, however, to interact more with the attractive woman named Wendy. Maybe they could be good friends.