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Mabel doesn't understand how Salem isn't considered as a good summer plan. It has everything you can desire for your vacation : parks, arcades, restaurants, museums, they even have a freaking beach ! And if you really want to, you can take a tiny boat to go on a tiny isle. When she wants to clear her mind from her studies in Harvard, Mabel takes her motorbike, feeling wild and free on the road, and in less than one hour she has her feet in the sand, next to what once was a weirdness magnet. It's still hot that day, even if it's a September's morning, and Mabel is lying, suncream all over her body, especially on her partially shaved head where a shooting star is tattooed. She probably put some cream on her hair by mistake... But she doesn't care.
The sun is bright. The sun is warm. The sun is welcoming. The sun is on her skin. And she feels good. Nothing to worry about.
Suddenly, her phone vibrates and a message appears on the screen.
"Hey light beam ! What are you doing ?"
Mabel smiles. It's Jim, Jim Lake Jr, one of the bravest person she has ever met. After Grunkle Stan of course.
Since her 19th birthday, Jim and her communicated very often by phone and video calls, until Dipper built portal guns that can teleport them through the entire country. Thanks to it, she goes to New Jersey so they hang out a lot, watching the stars and talking about everything and anything. Once in a while, Dipper joins them, and one night Jim even came by surprise to Cambridge with Claire's shadow portal. Not to mention the triple date she, Pacifica, Dipper, Dana, Claire and Jim spent in New York for Halloween. They are really close friends, but sometimes she doesn't hear from him for a while, probably because he was busy with all his Trollhunter's duties.
She hoped.
She hoped he was only busy.
She hoped he was okay.
She tried to believe he was always okay.
She didn't want to worry.
And she didn't want to worry him neither with that magic portal they found a few weeks ago, no need for him to be stressed about it. Not like Dipper.
Anyway, she texts back.
"I'm cooking at Salem."
It's after she sent the message that she realises how bad her joke was.
Mabel : I mean, I'm at the beach. You're not sleeping ?
Jim-Jam : Change of plan. Remember when you and your brother said that time-travels are... bad ?
Mabel : ... yeah ?
Jim-Jam : Well you were right.
Mabel stands up, throwing sands all over her towel. Oh no. No no no no. What happened ? Jim travelled through time ? No. That's the worst. That's the last thing she would ever wish to her nemesis. No. She needs to go to New Jersey. She needs to...
Jim-Jam : But don't worry ! I'm okay ! I really am !
Mabel : Do you want me to come to the Trollmarket ?
Jim-Jam : Don't worry. It was worth it.
Mabel : What do you mean by that ?
And then nothing. Jim doesn't text. Jim doesn't answer. Mabel tries not to panic and decides to do the only reasonable thing she can think of : she texts her brother. It's early for a Saturday morning where he lives now but she is sure he is already awake.
Mabel : Dipper. We may have a problem. Jim told me he time-travelled.
Big Dip : I'm going to drown Merlin into a mercury pool.
Dipper hates Merlin for... a lot of reasons. Number one being that old jerk used Jim, a young man, a boy, a CHILD, to fulfil some destiny. Jim had to sacrifice his body, his life, his future, just because someone older couldn't. That was unfair. And most of all, Dipper knows how it feels to be used and he doesn't want that to anyone.
It reminds Mabel of this wizard in the books Dipper read to her when she was younger, some headteacher who willingly put a baby in the hands of awful people and then, when that baby grow up, he manipulated the boy to do all his chores while knowing he was supposed to die at the end. But, you know, it was for "the greater good". Stupid wizards.
And yes, if Jim time-travelled, magic was probably involved. Mabel and Dipper used science to time-travel but Jim doesn't have the same circle of acquaintances as them. So it was definitely Merlin's fault... or maybe Merlin had apprentices ? Gosh, Mabel really hopes he didn't. He is such a creep, his apprentices must be as bad as him or worse, how could it be different ?
You must have a strong heart to stay selfless even while being trained by the most callous wizard in the world.
Mabel : Do you think I should go to New Jersey ?
Big Dip : Did he told you to help him ?
Mabel : No.
Big Dip : I thought you said you can't force someone to ask for help.
Mabel : BUT HE IS OUR FRIEND !
Big Dip : Of course he is. But what can you do now ?
Mabel : I want to save him.
Big Dip : You already do.
Jim is taking off his armour every time he is with her and her brother, every time he is speaking to her, every time he is forgetting he is the Trollhunter. The Pines Twins are older than him and have more experiences with strange things so he never feels like he is supposed to protect them. But... they want to protect him. This is a strange friendship that they have together, if you think about it, especially when Mabel tries to be like a therapist for Jim while crossing every doctor/patient boundaries. But Mabel doesn't care. All she wants is Jim to be safe. No matter the place or time.
She puts back her dress and packs her thing, ready to go to find her friend when she hears someone near her.
"Mabel ?"
She turns around and sees a young man standing, watching with eyes blue like... like an ocean. Like a summer sky. Like an horizon full of promises. His voice... his voice sounds familiar but... She never saw this face, this young face scarred on his eyebrow and on his cheek, but those eyes... They can't lie. She can see him. But it's impossible, isn't it ?
"J... Jim ?"
The young man smiles wider and Mabel realises oh my stars this is Jim this is really Jim and he is under the sun and he is not suffering and he is alive and he is okay and he seems so happy and he is human again and he looks at her with those eyes he's not a troll anymore but he has the same eyes and the same light and he looks at her and he is here...
"JIM !"
Mabel jumps into his arms, holds him tight and starts to cry. Jim. Jim is okay. Jim is happy. He never showed her a picture of him when he was a human, it hurt too much, but those dark hair, this skinny body, that stupid smile, it's obviously him. And he is so happy to be a human again. Oh my stars, his family... And... And...
When the tears disappears a little, Mabel can see behind Jim a shadow portal with Claire next to it.
Claire. Oh Claire. She have tears to, tears of joy, they are so happy, they are together.
"But... How ? says Mabel when she finally lets go of the boy.
- It's a long story. But like I said, it was worth it."
And he smiles and his teeth aren't sharp anymore, gosh he is a human.
"Are you okay ?
- It's... complicated. To go back to a normal life, especially because I'm not sure if I'm still the Trollhunter. I think I'll need some help.
- I'll be there. I'll always be there for you. And even when I'm not, you're not alone, aren't you ?"
Claire takes Jim's hand and smiles at him and puts her head on his shoulder and gosh they are kids they aren't supposed to live a love story as sad as Romeo and Juliet but here they are. It's been so long since the last time Claire could put her head on his shoulder like that, what the hell. She will protect them, whatever it takes.
"Sweet beans, we need to tell Dipper !
- That's where we're going next, says Claire. Want to come with us ?
- Duh ! Can't miss the surprise on his face !"
Claire opens another shadow portal and begins to walk over it with Jim, hand in hand, and Mabel follows them, watches them, so happy together.
Yes.
She will protect them.
No matter how titanic it would be.