Finally got some chapters prewriten, that's what happens when my boss cut's back hours and I have free time. Also, have a clue as to what the Corbin gang will be getting up to next. *Sighs, slumping down.*
Anyhow, I think I'm going to stick with this POV for a while. Just makes writing easier.
So ensues the chaos.
Chapter 27: Shit, Is Correct.
Friday
Amanda, Kyle and Alex were sick of being kept in the dark, but at this point, they were starting to piece together the puzzle.
No one is that much of an idiot… mostly.
After the assembly, things were starting to fit. All of Jim's seemingly harmless lies, his behavior, his job.
What they knew, was what they didn't know. And what they didn't know, was everything basic about Jim.
Where he lived, what his favorite food was, anything about his parents, his culture, his real reason for moving to a backwater city like Corbin.
"Guys, we got to figure out what he's keeping from us. It's got to be some massive secret if we can't even know where he lives," Alex said, looking up from her guitar.
"I think it's obvious, and we're just one detail away from figuring it out," Amanda said.
Kyle looked up from his odd sulking in the corner. "Or maybe we should give it up, like Maggie keeps telling us. Because she obviously knows."
"She what?" Amanda screeched.
"Uh, duh!" Alex deadpanned. "She's been spending every waking moment with them since the Halloween dance, back when Claire was covered in those scratches, and the night Liv got attacked by that goblin. She must have followed them and figured it out."
"I don't think so," Kyle said. "They told us, Maggie would be the first to know. She's the most adept for battle and their supposed lifestyle."
"That's true, but she knows, nonetheless."
Amanda huffed and sat down in one of the many abandoned chairs. It was their lunch hour, which they spent in Werber's empty classroom. It had been a few days since the assembly, and the last day before Thanksgiving break.
"So, we know that he defends humans and creatures," Amanda said. She held her hands out palms up like a scale. "We know he's 'allergic' to the sun."
"We know him and Claire are both better fighters than Maggie, and that Jim can beat them both without trying," Klye added.
"We know he's a determined little turd, smart, and athletic, defencive, a long list of other things…" Alex said. Deciding that ticking his attributes off on her fingers wasn't worth the work.
"Ok, so if there's goblins and stalkings, what else is there. All he kept saying was creatures, which means there's more." Kyle said.
"Alright, what do we know about his culture?" Amanda asked.
Alex slid off the desk and set her guitar aside. "You know, I think that's what we need to find out."
"What?" Kyle spurted.
"You heard me, we got to find out what his culture is. I think that's the missing piece."
"So what, we're just gonna… Follow them?" Amanda asked.
"Great idea!"
"NO, that's not what I meant."
"Alex, are you sure this is a good idea. We're already on pretty thin ice with Jim and Claire."
"Com'on Kyle, don't you want to know what they've been keeping from us, from everyone?"
"Of course I do, but…"
"No buts! After school, we're gonna follow Jim and Claire back to wherever it is they live and confront Jim. Then we'll finally get some answers!"
…
The trio followed Jim, Maggie, and Claire back to Maggie's house. Eavesdropping in on their conversation.
"Is the only thing you're going to do, homework?" Jim asked, stopping at the back gate to Maggie's back yard. The other two already inside.
"I already told you, I have an article analysis due to Mrs. Bennet before the end of the day. And I'd like to be able to spend our vacation, vacationing," Claire replied. "And Maggie has the same thing."
Jim made obvious whining noises, and gave Claire a sad look.
The three silently wondered why he was so forth coming with his vocalizations with the other two, and not them.
His girlfriend smirked and cocked her hip, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't give me that, Jim. We'll be done in half an hour, and you have lessons with Blinkey, so we'll meet you back at NTM in an hour. The cloud cover is thick, so you'll be fine."
Alex turned to her companions and mouthed 'ntm?' the others only shrugged.
When they turned back, Jim was gone and the others were inside the house.
"Are we seriously gonna wait?" Amanda asked.
"I'm not leaving till we get to the bottom of this," Alex replied.
Kyle let his head fall back and looked to the gray sky. Muttering the same thing over and over. "Why me?"
…
When the half hour was up, they waited for Maggie and Claire to leave out the back gate and followed them through the woods for the next half hour.
"Alex," Amanda whined. "What if we run into a goblin nest, or get lost?"
"First, Jim said they only really attack at night. Second, we're following Claire and Maggie. So we'll be fine. Now shhh."
They listened to some of the girls' conversation, only to become more confused.
"You know, I am pretty sure Jim's too embarrassed to say, but I think he took up Strickler's suggestion and started hunting himself," Claire said.
"You really think? Dude, it's about time. That's awesome."
"I'm not quite sure yet though, and like I said. He's probably embarrassed, so don't say anything."
Maggie nodded in response and they continued on.
After a while, they finally reached the bridge and the three leered around the corner to watch the others.
"Think Jim's back at the cave yet?" Maggie asked, much to the trio's confusion.
"No, Blinkey will keep him till he starts cursing life. He's most likely moaning about it right now."
Maggie nodded and removed her bag, tossing it up onto a support beam of the bride. Out of sight. Claire gave her an amused expression.
"What? It's not like I want to think about school on break!"
"I'm only slightly concerned about the horngazle you keep in there," Claire said. Removing her own backpack and taking out a blood red crystal attached to a hilt.
"I've only used it like, once. I'm always with you or Jim, so I don't really know why I even have one. Not that I don't like it," Maggie said.
"Blinkey thought someone like you, so willing to defend Jim's kind, should have a key," Claire smiled. "Now come on, Jim made cookies last night."
"Yesss!"
Claire took the crystal and drew an arch, Alex, Kyle, and Amanda watched in complete bewilderment as she pressed her hand to the center and the solid concrete slab opened a gateway, then closed behind them.
"Dude…" Kyle breathed.
Alex smirked and ran from around the corner, jumping and grabbing Maggie's backpack.
"What are you doing?" Amanda asked, Kyle and her following their friend.
"Claire said that Maggs had a key in her bag too, a horn-gabble or something… Aha!" Alex tossed aside Maggie's bag and held up the horngazzle, then repeated what she'd seen Claire do.
Quickly replacing the key in Maggie's bag, she tossed it back up to its former resting place and dashed inside before the doorway shut.
"Woah…" all three breathed at once as the stairway glowed red.
"What kind of a house is this?" Kyle exclaimed.
"Duno," Alex smiled, answering the rhetorical question. "But let's find out."
Now all filled with flaming curiosity, they dashed down the stairs and froze at the sight of the heartstone, quickly noticing the stone beasts tromping around.
"What are those things?" Kyle gasped quietly.
"I'm guessing, those would be 'the creatures' Jim keeps talking about. Com'on, lets get closer." Alex grinned and ran toward the bustling town of monsters, the other two close behind.
By some miracle, they managed not to get spotted. They learned quickly that the beings were intelligent and aggressive. Watching as they traded, and fought in the streets.
Whispering to one another, they conversed on what to do next.
"So where's Jim?" Amanda asked.
"Claire said something about him having a lesson," Kyle said.
"Dude, are neither of you paying attention? We just discovered a whole underground city!"
"No, we're definitely paying attention. But how are we going to get out, is a better question. You left the gem key thing in Maggie's bag, and the door sealed behind us."
"Oh shit," Alex's eyes went wide.
"Oh shit is right, girl. We're stuck in here," Amanda pointed out.
"Not that," Alex grabbed her friends by the wrists and drug them behind a different cluster of gems. "That," she pointed to a large orange troll, looking suspiciously at where they were, then glancing around. The troll then dashed off in the direction of the large stone in the center of the massive cavern.
"Think we were found out?" Amanda asked.
"Not sure, but I think we should find a better place to hide."
…
Jim sat in the library with Blinkey, he blinked slowly and gave a long yawn, his tongue curling at its tip.
"Is there something you have to say, Master Jim?"
The half troll opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by his teacher.
"If so, say it in trollish," Blinkey smirked.
Jim sighed/snarled, dropping his forehead on the open book in front of him muttering in the language he was learning.
"Kare'eal mne khan," he said.
"What?!" Blinkey shouted.
"I said, Kill me know!"
"Why would you say such a thing, Master Jim?"
The younger troll rolled his eyes. "It's an expression Blink, it's break and I'm tired. I want to go to bed. It's like, five in the afternoon and I could get two hours of sleep before I need to be up again. Scratch that, I'm sleeping in." He smirked, leaning back and crossing his arms. "So, if you're not gonna let me go, kill me now."
Blinkey sighed and smiled fondly at the boy. "Very well, you may return to your cave. But as soon as school's back in I want you practicing your trollish."
Jim nodded as he stood and started gathering his books into his bag. "I promise Blinkey, I'm just so excited to not have to deal with anything school related for a week, especially the secrets and lies."
As he was about to leave, a tall orange troll with a large round midsection burst in. "Trollhunter…" he shouted.
"Teshi, calm down," Jim said. He set his bag aside and hurried to calm the older troll down. "What is it?"
"Human intruders. Three of them, I saw them neer Rot Guts. I don't know what they want but they seem to be stuck in here without a way out."
"Then how did they get in?" Blinkey asked. Teshi only shrugged, unaware of how they got in.
"It doesn't matter, I'll take care of them," Jim growled. Without missing a beat, he ran on all fours out of the library, as soon as he reached Rot Guts he scented the air and turned to face a large cluster of gemstones. Glaring hard at it, before summoning his armor.
…
The trio watched as a small, -comparatively to the others- blue creature showed up, he looked pissed. They noticed him lift his nose to the air then immediately turned toward them. They ducked down, hoping to avoid the seemingly hostile beast. With a flash of red, obsidian armor appeared and the three listened to the horrifying sound of it dragging a sword on the ground. Then, as if it wasn't there before, it stopped.
Kyle peaked to look for the beast, but saw nothing. He let out a deep breath and sighed. "It's gone, now let's find a way out," he said.
The trio stood up and walked around the corner, slamming face first into Jim.
"Shit," Alex muttered. And the three of them cowered in the blue figure's shadow.
Brandishing his sword, Jim grinned sadistically and without a pause said. "Frakt, kas kita." (Shit, is correct.)
Review please.
Max, out.