Chosen

how to catch a gnome

An object, a little taller than Blinky, was placed in front of you. It was covered with a large, brown cloth. "Remember when I told you all Trollhunters must start small?" Blinky asked as he pulled the cover off and revealed a shiny machine that looked like it was made out of gold. It had engravings on it and when you looked closer, you could see that the whole machine beared resemblance to a troll's face. It also had five thin pipes poking out of the top of it's 'head'.

"Full disclosure, I'm a little worried how I let you talk me into this," Jim said. Blinky ignored Jim's comment as he proceeded to press a button that triggered the machine's doors to open and let out a lot of smoke. It was clear that this device was over a century old. "Still bad idea," AAARRRGGHH meant. "In you go, master Jim," Blinky insisted. "Ok..?" Jim hesitated. "You've got this Jim," you encouraged. "Got what??" Jim asked as he stepped inside the machine.

"Wait a minute. So, how does me going into this thing help me get a gnome out of a hole?" Jim asked as Blinky and Toby closed the machine's doors and Jim voice became echoey. "If a gnome won't come out, the Trollhunter must go in," Blinky told. "Wait what?" Jim asked as he looked out of the machines 'nose' that was now a small window. Blinky chuckled. "Don't worry. We often use the Furgolator to compress minerals," Blinky assured. "And now for the antharchite!" Blinky continued as he walked up to Toby who was holding said antharchite. "Hey!" Toby complained as Blinky stuggled to get it out of his grasp.

"But you've done this a few times on flesh and bone, right?" Jim asked, but go no answer right away. "Right?" he asked again, worriedly, as Blinky put the antharchite into a slot at the side of the Furgolator. "Not exactly," he replied. "But I'm not concerned," he said as convincingly as he could. "He's concerned." you whispered to Toby. "Well, that's because you are not the one trapped in this thing!" Jim replied as the machine started to shake. "Nothing to worry about, master Jim. We work best under pressure," Blinky raised his voice due to the noise the Furgolator was making. You and Toby walked closer to the machine woth worried looks on your faces. You had no faith in this working, so you closed your eyes and sent a prayer to Deya in hopes of her watching over the Trollhunter.

"I can't see anything!" Jim told as you opened your eyes again. And as he said, the inside of the Furgolator was getting filled with smoke and you could hardly see the silhuette of Jim through the window of the machine. "Why is there so much smoke?" he asked and coughed. The Furgolator started creaking and rumbling and making all sorts of weird noises while it shook violently. Toby gasped and ran over to the machine. "Come on, you guys have to let him out of there!" he insisted as he tried to open the it's doors in a desperate attempt to let his friend out. You joined in too, due to Jim turning awfully silent, with Blinky right behind you. "Don't just stand there, AAARRRGGHH!" he commanded as he tugged at the door. All three of you pulled away as you let AAARRRGGHH do his work. And after some tugging at the door from AAARRRGGHH, it opened. 

"It looks like it didn't work. Hope you have a plan B," Jim coughed as he walked out of the machine. But he yelped as he looked up to see that you all had grown huge. "I think plan A worked just fine," you said as you squatted down and held out your hand for Jim to step on. "He's like an action figure," Toby stated. "The Furgolator functioned perfectly!" Blinky exclaimed happily as you stood back up with Jim in the palm of your hand.

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Jim stood at the entrance of the gnome's hole, looking into it. "Real subtle," he complained. "'We've got to start small. Deal with the little problem'," he imitated. "This is a huge problem!" he yelled. "I can't be shrunk! I have exams to take! I have sinks to reach!" he continued angrily. "You have a gnome to catch. Now, onward, master Jim, and fetch your destiny!" Blinky encouraged. 

Toby walked over to a gnome-trap Bagdwella had set up, that consisted of half a box, a pencil and a cookie. He ate the cookie and reached to yellow pencil out to Jim. "Your sword, my liege," he said solemnly. Jim took it, but poked Toby in the finger with the sharp end. He kept it though. He picked up a 'shield' made out of a blue pin with a peace sign on it and ventured into the gnome's hole. "Oh, and one last thing to know when dealing with a gnome, master Jim," Blinky started. "Do not touch its hat," you finished his sentance, applying pressure to every word you said. "Of course. It's right there in A Brief Recapitulation," Jim said sarcastically. "You remember!" Blinky replied, overjoyed. "Of course not! Nothing in this world makes sense!" Jim replied as his voice got further and further away.

For a some time, there was no sound coming out of the hole. For a good five minutes, you stood there, waiting for a sound. And then fighting noises, gnome chattering and glass breaking was heard. Bagdwella held her hand in front of her mouth in shock. "That doesn't sound favorable," Blinky said as he looked up at AAARRRGGHH, whom replied with shaking his head. And then it was silent again, but a small amout of time went by before you heard Jim exclaim; "..touched his hat!" And after that, hell broke loose inside the hole. "He is so fucked," you mumbled.

"Why hasn't he come out?" Toby asked anxiously after it had gone silent for quite a while inside the hole. You could feel the anxiety building up inside of you too. Toby stepped away from the hole with a sad look on his face. AAARRRGGHH grumbled a little as the five of you stared into the dark hole with all hope lost. But you all gasped in shock when you saw Jim walk out, wearing teh gnome's hat, with the gnome in front of him.

"You summoned the armour and caught the gnome!" Blinky gasped. "Well played, master Jim!" Blinky congratulated as you all started to clap. "Thank you, thank you. I don't want to forget the little people," Jim replied before he tapped the gnome two times with his sword and they both jumped down to the floor. "Oh my hero!" Bagdwella exclaimed and Toby caught the gnome in a bag, along with its hat. "And what about the shrinking stuff. When does it wear off?" Jim asked "Don't worry, master Jim. Sleep it off. By morning, you'll be as good as new," Blinky told. "And how you have earned it! Jim the Gnome Slayer!" Blinky praised. "I think we can work on that title," you replied.

"And now, all you've got to do is take care of it," Blinky said. "Wait, what? Take care of it?" Jim asked. "The worst part," you added sadly. "Rule number two," AAARRRGGHH told. "'Always finish the fight,'" Blinky said. "And by 'finish'.." Jim asked. "Deaden. End," Blinky explained. "La coup de grâce," you finished. AAARRRGGHH groaned as he ran his finger over his throat. Jim looked at all of you, realizing he had to actually kill the gnome.