Previously:
The kids clambered into the golf cart and just sat there. "What are you waiting for?!" Pacifica screeched at Gideon, who meaningfully pointed to his seat belt. Groaning in frustration, the blonde quickly fastened hers and stuck her tongue out at Gideon. Only then did the white haired boy start the cart and speed away from the rather pretty lair.
Huffing, Jeff climbed to a rock. His eyes narrowing into slits from anger as he watched them beat out a hasty retreat. "You've messed with the wrong creatures, kids." He growled. "Gnomes of the forest, ASSEMBLE!"
"Gideon, come on. Hurry," urged Pacifica as Gideon drove them away from gnomes' dens, her instincts in a frenzy as they escaped.
"Wuh-well, I-I wouldn't wuh-worry ah-about it," he said optimistically as he watched the pathway, preparing for any sharp turns on their way back. "Th-they hah-have very st-stubby legs, suh-suh-so they sh-shouldn't fuh-follow that quickly."
Thunderous bangs and thuds caught the trio of children's attention, their golf cart soon slowing as they searched for the source of the noises. Several large trees fell to the trembling ground as a huge being came into their line of sight. Pacifica let out a scream as the giant built out of gnomes tried to step on them, Gideon taking that as a cue to race away from the beast.
"Dang it," Minerva growled quietly as she kept her eye on gnomes.
The gnome beast was headed by Jeff, his hands working to control the ones below him via their lever like hats, "Alright, guys, teamwork! Let's do it just like we practiced!" All he received in response was a united growl from the beast.
"Move," Minerva started when she noticed how one of the gnome beast's hands was starting to move before shouting in panic, "MOVE!"
Gideon swerved the cart as the arm smashed into the ground behind them, the gnomes breaking apart momentarily before they scrambled back together. They were back in motion and chasing the kids as the cart moved faster, swerving hard enough to shift the girls out of the vehicle before they slammed back in.
"COME BACK WITH OUR QUEEN!" screeched Jeff the gnome as he maneuvered his gnome beast to grab at them again.
"Guys, push the pedal to the metal! That thing is commin' closer!" Pacifica screamed into Gideon's and Minerva's ears, nearly deafening them.
The giant gnome look-a-like behind them grasped a monstrous hand towards their fleeing cart and missed by a hair. The children, however, screamed louder as they flew off a large ramp-like rock and slammed back down onto the ground with the harsh helping hand of gravity. Jeff used his fellow gnomes as darts and threw them at the preteens, letting them cause havoc in the fleeing vehicle.
"Ha, ha!" cackled a gnome as it hung off one of the golf cart's bars before Minerva punched it off. The gnome, Shmebulock, landed behind Gideon whom, in a fit of annoyance, bashed him into the steering wheel. Shmebulock found himself flying out of the cart, dazing in and out of reality, once the boy released him.
While another gnome began to claw and bite at Gideon's face, Minerva attempted to rid herself of a gnome that was pulling on her hair. For a moment her fringe moved off her right eye before she managed to punch it away, Latin escaping her mouth in anger, "Vade retro!"
Her blonde friend had just helped free her cousin, who stared at Pacifica in minor adoration, and stared at the other girl whom shrugged, "Meh, just told him to 'begone'."
The moment was ruined when the giant gnome tore a huge pine tree from the earth and tossed it like a javelin into their path. They stared wide eyed at the tree as everything seemed to slow down before one of the girls screamed, "WATCH OUT!"
Gideon turned on the wheel roughly, but was unable to stop the cart as it turned on its side and skidding under the felled tree. They stopped just barely before the Mystery Shack, a mess of terrified children and tangled limbs. The giant gnome approached the children as they crawled out on their hands and knees, looking worse for wear.
"Stay back!" The white haired boy managed to demand without a stutter, throwing the shovel at the gnomes in an attempt at defense. The gnomes swatted it away like a cat with a ball of yarn, leaving two of the children to cling to each other tightly and the other to stand there glowering at the beasts. Minerva seemed to be hissing at the gnomes like a feline, her teeth bared in anger. They were threats to her family and she was prepared to destroy them with any means possible; However, even she knew she outnumbered by the tiny men.
"Wuh-Where's Gr-Grunkle Stan?" whimpered the cowering children weakly.
Inside the Shack, Stan was entertaining a group of tourists with a lolipop-like wand with white swirl in the center, "Behold, the world's most distracting object!"
"Ooooh," the sheep-like people in unison.
"Just try to look away," the old man said cheerfully, distracted by the toy himself, "I can't even remember what I was talking about!"
"It's the end of the line, kids," the lead gnome shouted down to the trio, his eyes wild. "Marry us, Pacifica, before we do something crazy!"
'There's gotta be a way to get out of this!' The tweens thought as they looked around for an escape. None of them knew what to do, though they all agreed that they didn't want to see the blonde married off to a colony of gnomes. That thought alone made them want to shudder.
"Minnie, Giddy," the blonde said quietly as she detached herself from the cap less boy as she walked forward, shuddering at what she was risking. "I'll do it."
"Cifica?" Minerva stared at her friend. "What? No!"
"Yuh-you can't!" Gideon stuttered, his eyes jumping from the blonde and to the gnomes frantically. "You're st-still a kid!"
"Please, trust me on this!" The Pines cousins looked at the blonde before sighing, stepping away from her slowly. Pacifica took in a deep breath before answering the gnome man, "Jeff, fine! I'll marry you."
"Hot dog! Help me down there, Jason!" Jeff cheered as he started to climb down the giant gnome to her, "Thanks, Andy! Alright, left foot, there we go, watch those fingers, Mike." He walked up to Pacifica, withdrawing a diamond ring and offering it to her with a grin, "Eh? Eh? You like?"
Pacifica didn't respond as she gave him her hand. The brunette gnome slid the ring onto her finger, speaking to her brightly, "Bada-bing, bada-bam! Now let's get you back into the forest, honey pie!"
"You may now kiss the bride," came a flat statement from the blonde.
The smiling gnome gave her a lecherous smile, leaning up towards her, "Don't mind if I do!"
Leaning down slowly, Pacifica made as if to kiss Jeff before pulling out a leaf blower and pointing it in his face.
"A-aah! Hey, hey, wait a minute! Whoa, whoa! Wh-what's goin' on?!" Jeff's muffled scream came from within the machine, slowly being sucked in via his face. The twelve year old snarled at him as she increased the suction power, "That is for you lying to me!"
She increased in the power farther, Minerva letting out mad cackles as she watched, "Thatis for breaking my heart!"
"Owww! Ow! OW!" whimpered the gnome as he was sucked in further, "My face!"
"And this is for messing with my friends!" Pacifica aimed the gnome canon back at the giant gnome, glancing back at the surprised boy and cackling girl with a smile, "Wanna do the honors?"
The two looked at the blonde and then at each other, momentarily silent before nodding in agreement. They helped steady the makeshift canon at the giant and each placed a hand on the switch, "On three?"
"One," Gideon smiled timidly, looking unusual without his hat.
"Two," the blonde counted, glowering at the gnomes.
"THREE! FIRE AT WILL!" came the war cry of Minerva as they reversed the suction and shot Jeff at the giant. They watched as it exploded into separate gnomes, the grey girl letting her eye track the gnome bullet as far as she could.
"I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS...!" was the fading cry of the defeated gnome.
Minerva cackled louder at his cry, the leaf blower in her hand as she aimed it around at the left over gnomes. Their various complaints were unrecognized as she blew them away as the rumbling of the machine filled her ears. Several of the gnomes, before she reached them that is, scrambled away from her on all forms. One even got caught in a six-pack ring and was carted away by the bleating goat Gompers.
"U-uh, Gideon? I-I, well, I-I'm sorry I didn't trust you guys," Pacifica apologized while Minerva carried out her game of 'Gnome Away'. "You guys were just looking out for me."
"D-don't sw-sweat it," he waved off, running his hand through his leaf filled hair. "Yuh-you saved o-our buh-butts."
"I did, didn't I?" She smiled at the eleven year old, making him blush. "I guess I'm kinda disappointed, ya know? My first boyfriend turned out to be a bunch of pervy gnomes."
"Seriously, Cif," Minerva broke in after cleaning the gnomes up, "you may end up with a cute vamp next time. Of course, some adorable detective may sweep you off your feet instead."
"You're just saying that," laughed the other girl. "Awkward group hug?"
"Awesomely awkward group hug." Minerva grinned before grabbing her cousin and her friend in the awkward hug.
"Pat, pat, pat," the kids joked slightly before heading inside.
The inside of the Shack was surprisingly empty, the old man busily counting the day's earnings. He looked up and paused when he saw the leaf coated trio enter through the front door.
"Wow, kids. Did you get hit by a herd of deer or something?" joked Stan as he put down the money. The preteens looked at Stan with an unamused expression on their faces before they began to head to the attic. "Uh, hey, wait! Um, I accidentally overstocked some inventory, so, uh... how's about each of you take something from the gift shop? On the house, y'know?"
"A-and th-the cah-catch?" questioned Gideon.
"You get to pick something before I decide otherwise," grinned the elderly conman as he gestured around the room.
The trio quickly bustled to the gift shop and began rummaging through the various merchandise. Gideon found a blue and white cap, with a blue star on the front, and put it on his head. It would make a fine replacement for the olive one. "Th-that should do th-the trick." He stuttered out, admiring his reflection in a mirror.
"And I will have..." Pacifica muttered while digging around in a dusty storage box, "a grappling hook!"
"Wouldn't you rather have a doll or something?" an unsure Stan questioned. Pacifica, however, had her mind set on this new gadget. She was already hanging from a banister and knocking boxes over. "Okay then..."
Minerva selected an empty blue journal, rolling her eyes at her friend's antics, "Thanks, Grunks. Can Cif spend the night?"
"No problem, kiddo," the old man waved her off, still staring at his grand-niece's weird friend as she swung around. "And yeah, remember, no staying up too late."
By now, with the three friends huddled upstairs in the attic, she started writing her first entry. Gideon was filling out the other journal, already writing "leaf blowers" under the gnomes' weaknesses. Pacifica was bouncing giddily on the green bed beside her friend, grappling hook in hand.
That journal Gideon found told us there was no one in Reverse Falls we could trust. But when you battle a hundred (kinda creepy and perverted) gnomes side by side with someone, you realize that they probably always got your back in some way.
"Yo, Pacifica. Could you get the lights?" The grey haired girl asked the blonde.
"I'm on it." Pacifica replied, shattering the lantern with the grappling hook. The trio laughed, sharing one good time out of many to come.
I've lived in this town for a long time by now, and I can't believe I never really noticed any of the strangeness. But who knows what other secrets are waiting to unlocked, just waiting to be found. I have a feeling this will be the most exciting summer yet!
At that moment, Stan, dressed in a dark brown bathrobe, walked up to the vending machine. From the side, it would appear to be a normal person getting a midnight snack. Only he keyed in a very interesting combination. The vending machine swung open like a door, revealing a descending pathway. Stan walked in, checking behind him only once, to make sure no one was following.
mlgsr mtrhz hrghv vnh
Hi, people! Sorry it's been a while. Homework was being, to put it lightly, a jerk. So it was a matter of setting priorities. But here is the another and final chapter of this arc. And, no, that does not mean this is ending. Not even close. But it is the end of, if you can call it that, the first episode. That's it for me. This is Aglo, signing off!