3rd POV:
"Finding gnomes," Nero said to Martinez with a smile as he continued deeper into the forest.
"Uh, sir?" one of the mercenaries muttered, glancing at Martinez with a confused expression. Their employer's order to hunt down a fictional creature wasn't exactly what they'd expected.
"Remember, we're getting paid a lot of money, so just follow orders," Martinez replied reluctantly. Though he didn't say it out loud, even he was a bit concerned about the kid's sanity.
"Are we really being used like this?" Antonio Russell asked Martinez as they followed close behind Nero, staying far enough back not to be overheard.
"He might have mental problems," Gregor Pavlov chimed in, his gruff voice filled with a hint of resignation. He could hardly believe they were actually hunting for a mythical creature that didn't exist.
"Yeah, that could explain why we're doing this," Antonio said, piecing together why they might be on such an unusual mission.
As they continued to follow their employer, a few other mercenaries started to gossip about Nero's possible mental state to pass the time.
"I suggest less gossip if you guys want to keep getting paid," Martinez warned. If Nero overheard and took offense, it could mean trouble for them—and their bank accounts.
"But Captain, w—" Before Antonio could finish his sentence, Martinez suddenly stopped in his tracks, startling the other men, who halted as well.
"Where?" Gregory whispered to Martinez, raising his rifle in the direction Martinez was looking, readying himself to shoot if needed.
Yet Martinez didn't respond; he was also confused about why they'd stopped. He looked over at Nero, who had suddenly frozen, as if he'd just spotted a treasure that somehow eluded both a teenager and ten experienced adults trained in tracking.
"Kid, what's wron—" Before Martinez could finish his question, Nero sprinted forward, disappearing from sight as he dashed past two large bushes.
"Motherf—" Martinez muttered, instinctively signaling his men to follow. They all broke into a run, trying not to lose track of Nero.
Nero POV:
As I sprint, dodging trees, branches, and bushes in my path, I can hear the mercenaries chasing behind me.
At first, I couldn't believe my eyes when, after just a few minutes, I spotted a gnome playing with a stick, drawing something in the dirt. But that was my mistake—I froze, just staring, instead of capturing it. It's a miracle we even got that close without it noticing.
As I locked eyes with the gnome, it suddenly bolted. That's why I'm running, trying to chase down the little guy.
It dashes between two trees, and I follow, breaking into a small clearing. In the center stands a stone, with another gnome perched on top, surrounded by several others, all watching the gnome I have been chasing as it's join the other of its kind.
"Damn," I mutter, taking in the sight of dozens of gnomes staring back at me. In the middle of them, standing on a stone, is a younger-faced gnome I recognize immediately—Jeff.
"Ya in big trouble, boy," Jeff declares. Without hesitation, the gnomes start stacking themselves, forming into a huge gnome giant with Jeff perched at the top.
"Nah, imagine being in trouble," I reply, a smirk tugging at my lips as I slowly pull the dog whistle from my pocket. "Couldn't be me." With that, I blow into the whistle hard, just as the giant gnome lumbers forward to crush me.
Suddenly, the gnome giant starts to shake and collapse as the gnomes clutch their ears, falling apart into a pile. Jeff lands right in front of me, still covering his ears, a pained expression on his face.
"Please... stop," Jeff begs, prompting me to lower the whistle. The gnomes around us are panting, clearly worn out from the ordeal.
Just then, my mercenaries burst into the clearing, breathing heavily. They glance at me, then at the gnomes, eyes widening in shock. Some raise their weapons in reflex.
"Don't worry, they're fine," I assure the team, giving them a casual wave. Martinez looks especially shaken, as he stares at the scene. With a nod, I turn my attention back to Jeff, who's dusting the dirt off his clothes, trying to regain his composure.
"What do ya want, human?" Jeff asked, eyeing me as the gnomes behind him slowly disentangled themselves from the pile they'd formed.
"I want to be your leader," I said with a grin, fully intending to have these gnomes act as my eyes and ears in the forest of Gravity Falls. There's so much in this forest that the TV series only hinted at.
"Fine, ya da new leader...uhh," Jeff trailed off, looking at me with a confused expression, probably wanting to know my name.
"Nero Oscar," I replied with my full name. Jeff nodded. "Leader Nero Oscar," he said before turning to the other gnomes and starting to explain my newfound control over their group.
"Kid, what the hell is that?" Martinez asked, pointing at the gnomes with wide eyes.
"And how the hell are they real?" Antonio Russell chimed in, one of the ex-Marines I hired and an old friend of Martinez's. Antonio had lost his left eye and been discharged without proper VA support.
"I'll explain later. Right now, I need you guys to start your mission," I said, tucking the dog whistle into my pocket. "I want you to go find me a mushroom."
"And you're teaming up with the gnomes," I added.
"What!?" Antonio's voice echoed in disbelief.
"Yes. And the mushroom you're looking for has a head that looks like a brain," I said. I whistled to get Jeff's attention after he'd finished informing the other gnomes of my leadership.
"What ya need, leader?" Jeff asked, looking ready to fulfill my orders.
"I need you to find me a Percepshroom. Bring it to me by the end of the day," I instructed. Jeff nodded, likely knowing where to search for one in the forest.
"You'll be guarded and helped by these men," I said, gesturing to Martinez and the team. Jeff's smile quickly faded into a frown.
"With the other humans, leader?" Jeff asked, clearly hoping to avoid working with them.
"Yes," I said firmly, letting him know I wasn't going to budge. Jeff gave a resigned nod and went over to Martinez, raising his hand for a handshake.
"Pleasure working with ya, humans," Jeff said, as Martinez reluctantly leaned down to shake his hand, still visibly creeped out by the whole situation.
"Like...wise," Martinez replied slowly.
With the handshake done, Jeff returned to the other gnomes, shouting orders to find the Percepshroom and informing them that the "big humans" would be helping.
"All right. I want a report at the diner in town, and don't be late, gentlemen," I said, already turning to leave the forest. "Yes, sir," Martinez replied, as I walked past them, pulling out my phone.
I texted a trusted confidant from my memories in this world—my butler, an old gentleman who has served my family and me for many years.
As I text him, I manage to exit the dense forest, and in front of me, the Mystery Shack stands tall with the sun still high in the sky. I spot two kids, one a boy and the other a girl, and they look similar, as most people would recognize them.
"Dipper and Mabel," I murmur, watching as they're playing with Soos in the golf cart.