lingonberry pickers

halfwise wrote:

Part 14 wrote:They met up in the hotel lobby about an hour later, decked out in all their gear. Ringo and Blue could hardly be said to look anything but ridicolous. Ringo did look rather dashing too though, it had to be admitted. Decked out in his official troll hunters uniform, his official troll hunters hat set in a rakish angle. And he was actively pretending to ignore some appreciative looks from some girls at the bar. Blue on the other hand..  He was clad all in white. White hat, white gloves, white jacket, sweater, pants, jacket, skiing glasses. You name it, it was all white. And not your normal white, but a strikingly brilliant white that left him as a brilliant white speck in your vision.  

“What are you wearing?!“ Nora couldn't help a hint of shock creeping into her voice.
“What? It's what they say you wear to go troll hunting at the troll hunting store.” Blue answered.  
“It's what tourists wear to go troll hunting,” Nora rolled her eyes. “They really took you to the cleaners didn't they.” She said looking at his white digital watch, which seemed to be meassuring temeoprature, humidity and a whole range of other rather pointless things.
“But I'm not a tourist. I'm actually here on work.” He continued annoyed.
“True,” Nora laughed. “You just look like one.”
“Hey, that's mean.“
“Oh, don't be sad.” Nora said encouragingly. “They see southerners coming a mile off. It's what they do after all. You are not the first one I've seen decked out like this.”
“It has to be said. You do look a bit like somehting out of a Star Wars movie,” Ringo said trying not to laugh.
“Well, that was filmed in Fjordlandia so I guess that's kind of fitting.” Blue said sighing. “But enough about my clothing, shouldn't we get going.”
“Sure,” Ringo smiled, patting him on the back.
“So, were off troll hunting.” Blue said. “It'll be interesting to finally see what you do.
"And on my island." Nora said grinning widely. ”That's so cool."
“Oh, not that I'm putting it down or doesn't love the enthusiasm, but I'm not sure.. interesting might not be the.. Oh, you'll find out for yourself soon enough.” He finished.

“What are you wearing anyway?” Blue asked Nora as they were picking up their stuff.
“This? This is state of the art Agency troll hunting gear.” She said srutting in her state of the art troll hunting  gear. Which, asopposed to Blue's, was all in black, except for three gold pins on her lalpe. Commendations? Her uniform obviously lacking any other form of insignia. “The best you can get.”
“Second best.” Ringo corrected her with a smile.
“Well, at least I don't look like I'm dressed for a parade.” Nora rolled her eyes.
“Well, I won't pretend you don't look good in it.” Blue said.
“Of course you won't.” Nora rolled her eyes again. She had definitely noticed some appreciative looks in her direction from the bar too though.
“How do you know I wasn't talking to Ringo?”
“Were you?”
“No.”
“There you go then.” Nora smiled.

Ringo sneezed.
“Bless you.” Nora said .
“That's your car?” Blue asked Nora blinking as they were leaving the lobby, seemingly stopped in his tracks.
“Yup,” Nora said. “Like it?”
“Like it? Definitely,” Blue said. “Though I'm not normaly all that into cars.”
“I'm betting you still like Top Gear though,” Nora smiled.
“Sure.”
“They recommended it. It's a shame though, it's mostly just standing in the garage as I'm up here so seldom. And I have no use for it down south.”
“Well, it's certainly cool.” Ringo agreed.
“Thanks.”
“Oooooooh, this will be a treat.” Ringo said jumping into the front passenger seat.
“Hey, you never said shootgun,” Blue complained.
“Neither did you.” Ringo pointed out.
“Ah, I guess.. good point.” Blue said getting into the back seat, yelping when what had looked like a great shaggy carpet boundled up on the seat beside him turned out to be a large shaggy coated dog who greeted him with great enthusiasm.

“So, this is your dog then?” Blue asked Nora a couple of minutes later as they were racing out of the city, The dog had lodged his head firmly on Blues lap, making it clear he expected to be patted. Blue obliged by patting him on the head in a reassuring, yet kind of clumsy way. Though it was a bit unclear who was calming who at this point, considering the way Nora was driving.
“Yup,” Nora answered. Hitting the gas to race past another car on the snow covered road. Another road that seemed to go on forever.
“Well, he seems nice.” Blue said. “Certainly very friendly.
“He is nice.” Nora smiled, her eyes though were fixed on the road ahead in deap concentration.
“Though I'm not sure how I'll get the dog drool out of my hair.” Blue added in a quiter tone. “What's his name anyway?” He asked.
“Leopold.”
“Oh, like the composer?”
“What composer?”
“Errrr... I guess it just sounds like a composers name,” Blue admitted after some seconds of thought.
“What's that music?” Ringo asked Nora. Majestic classical music tones were blasting from the car stereo.
“Oh, it's the Four Seasons by Vivaldi. Its amazing.” Nora said with a broad smile.
“Summer?” Blue asked.
“No, winter.” Nora answered. “Haven't you seen the snow?”
“I walked straight into that one, didn't I.” Blue  groaned.
“Hey, it's a good joke.” Nora insisted.

Next thing you knew, the car was schreeching to a halt in the middle of the road.
“Why are you stopping?!” Blue asked shocked, having grabbed the seat in front of him with both hands.
“There's reindeer on the road,” Ringo explained.
“Oh,” Blue said. “Thank god for your reflexes,” he said to Nora.
“It's nothing unusual.” Nora assured him. Racing off again the moment the reindeer had passed. There was no denying the landscape being nice. Nice? Let's say beautiful. The snow covered mountains, the mountain birches, the sea. Was there a prettier place on earth? How much you saw of it at this speed was rather more up for debate.



“Wait? What are all those cars up the road?” Blue asked.
“Nothing?” Nora asnwered despondently.
“You sure it's not the police enforcing the speed limit?”
“Absolutely sure.“
“Why is that policeman standing by the side of the road then?”
No one answered.
“I said why.. “
“Don't worry,” Nora said exhasperated. “Stop freaking out.”
“You know that's the last thing you shoud say to someone who's freaking out, right.” Blue said.. freaking out? “How fast where you going?”
There was another moment of silence.
“They're waiving us in. They're waiving us in.” Blue said, now half in a panick.
“I said don't worry,” Nora said. A hint of annoyance creeping into her voice.
“Hey, I don't want to have to visit you in prison.”
“You would visit me in prison?” Nora asked, surpressing a chuckle.
“Of course I would visit you in prison.” Blue said shaking his head. “In very heavy disguise.”
“That's good to know. Either way, there'll be no need.” Nora said rolling down the window. “Thank you though.” She finished, turning to the approaching policeman and flashing her ID rapidly in front of his face. “Official Agency business.”
“Official military business,” Ringo added, showing his ID with a bit more alacrity.  
"I don't have any ID, but I do work for the Minstry of Fishing, Agriculture and Troll Affairs and I can comfirm that this is official business." Blue stated kind of hesitantly.
"Don't worry," the one policeman said. We know Nora. You can go on. “Just don't go driving at that speed outside businesshours, now.” He winked at her.
“You know I never do, Peter.” Nora smiled.
“Nice to see you again,” another other policeman walking up to them said. Last I heard you were down south.
“Yeah, long story.” Nora said.
“Well, we'll let you get on. Sgt, you better get back to your post.”  

“Well, that was convient.” Blue said. “They're normally very strict on that stuff.”
“There's no use hanging around when you're off to something important, “Nora said. “I never drive like this when not on duty though.“
“Good thing agents are almost always on duty then.” Blue rolled his eyes, gripping Leopold tightly, though it seemed mutual, as Nora slowed down to pass a bend, only to race off again using every inch of available space.
“True,” Nora laughed. “But I am actually trained by the governement, that's the people you work for, by the way, to drive this way. So, don't go doing this at home.”
“Don't worry,” Blue said trying not to notice the rate to which the landscape was shooting past. “I won't.”
Ringo let out a small chuckle. He somehow seemed compketeky unmoved by the procedings. Taking his time to study the landscape.



The car screeched into the empty parking lot, Nora executing a perfect 360 on the ice, putting th e car perfectly into a parking space.
“Now you're just showing off,” Blue scoffed.
“Everything okay?“ Ringo asked Blue as they were getting out of the car.
“Except for Nora driving like a lunatic..”
“Hey!”
“and life in general, I guess so.” Blue answered sighing.

“So, get your skiis on. We'll have to change to truger eventually, but were skiing in as far as we can get.” Ringo said as they were standing beside the car getting their stuff ready.
“Truger?” Blue asked.
“I'm sorry, didn't you bring your own?” Ringo asked appologeticly.
“I did.” Nora said holding hers up.
“No one told me to bring truger. Not even the people at the store.”
“Who told you to bring everything else,” Nora rolled her eyes laughing.
“So.. I'll just have to walk?” In snow up to my waist. Great.
There was a moment of silence, in which Leopold continued his search to find someone to pat him finally settling beside Blue who again obliged.
“Oh, were just joking.” Ringo said finally. A smile flashing across his face. “Of course we brought truger for you too.”
“You had to tell him.” Nora said shaking her head. “We could have had him trudging through the snow for half an hour.”
“Right..” Blue said.
“Only joking,” Nora smiled.
“Well, it's not appreciated.” Blue said shaking his head while putting his skiis on.
“Oh, you shouldn't be like that.” Ringo said patting him on the back. “If people know they can annoy you they'll only try ten times harder. You should see the things people get up to at military exercises.”
“And Agency training camps.”
“Let's not even start talking about what people get up to at Agency training camps,” Ringo laughed.
“Hey, what?!”
“Let's just say we hear rumours too.”



A snow covered ski track was streching off in the distance from the parking lot.
“One thing you have to look out for though is reindeer.” Nora said. “If we see some we have to get out of there in a hurry, they tend to stampede.”
“Hey, guys. Just because I haven't been out troll hunting before doesn't mean I'm a complete idiot.”
“Are you sure?” Nora said, her eyes twinkling.
“About 49% sure.”Blue answered deadpan.
Ringo laughed, but his mirth quickly turned to seriousness as he looked down the ski track.
“We better get going,” he said looking at the sky. “The trolls don't move much in daylight hours, and I want us to get as far as possible before we start loosing the sunlight.” With those words he set off down the ski track.
Nora and Leopold quickly followed suit, Blue sliding off down the ski track after them. Down a snow covered ski track and into the wild and unknown north..

Eldorion wrote:Sorry it took me so long to read and respond to this Blue, I've been pretty busy with work lately and most of my posts on here have just been quick things in between other stuff.  I enjoyed this; I was expecting a troll appearance but I like the slower pace and extended style you're using.  It is very fjordian (I had to google what truger were) but I think I'm picking up on a decent number of the references.  Thanks for posting this!

Part 15 wrote:““?!¤#»%&/” Blue exclaimed as his skiis slid out from under him for the umpteenth time.
“Keep up,” Nora said.
“I would,” Blue said. “If not for these damned skiis.”
Nora was setting a brisk pace, with Blue struggling to keep up. Ringo would at any time be either be a 100 meter in front ormbehind them. Always checking the landscape ahead and their tracks.
“Well, I'm working for two,” he would say as he shot past them, expertly handling his skiis in the deap snow.
“I did talk to you about the importance of the right equipment.” Nora said, trying to find some compassion.
“Hey, these are official world cup models. From the world cup 10 years ago, but still..”
“Well, they don't work all that well..”
“When you're halfway up a mountain? I know.” Blue agreed morosely.
“Hey, come here. Are you okay?” Nora said looking atentively at him. “What's wrong?”
“Oh, just.. life.”
“What about life?”
“Just.. I don't get it. What's the point?"
Nora chewed on that for some seconds.
“Love.. friendship.. happiness..” She suggested.
“Well, I'm no good at any of that stuff,” Blue concluded morosely.
“Oh.. you. Do you need a hug?”
“Of course I need a hug, I'm throwing a tantrum.”  
...
“Better?”
“Well, at least I feel better.”



“Skiis still giving you problems?” Ringo, who had come sliding down the track ahead of them as they were talking, asked compassionatly, as Blues skiis again treathened to slide out from under him.
“Nothing new to report, officer.” Blue said morosely.
“Well, stick at it.” Ringo smiled. “I better get back to check our tracks,” he coontinued smiling, taking a deap breath of the clear mountain air before setting off at a fair pace down the track behind them.
“He seems chirpy.” Blue continued morosely. “To be honest far more so than he did before we set off.”
“Well, he's doing what he loves. How would you feel if you were burried in a stack of legal papers.” Nora asked.
“Definitely miffed, distinctly bored, but a little happy too,” Blue conceded. “Sure, I get what you're getting at. That must be annoying though..”
“What?”
“That you can only find happiness through work.”Blue answered.
“Is it really work if you love doing it though?” Nora asked..
There was a moment of silence.
“God, that must be tiering.” Blue finally concluded.
“What?” Nora asked.
“That you always know what to say. I never do..”
“I don't always know what to say.”
“Could have fooled me.”

Lepold was running around. trying to roll in as many snowdrifts beside the track as possible
“What kind of dog is he anyway?” Blue asked.
“A briard.”
“A briard?”
“Yeah, it's short for berger of brie. It means the sheperd of brie.”
“Bree? Like in the Lord of the Rings?”
“No.. well not really.” Nora said smiling. “It's actually Brie, with an I. In France.”
“So, he's not a fictional dog then?” Blue asked.
“No...” Nora said. “Why all the questions, anyway? He's just a dog. Well, a very nice one.”
“Oh, I don't kow.” Blue said sighing. “It's intersting. You're interesting.”
“Oh.” Nora said.

“Well, there you go.” Ringo said catching up to them. “The top.”
“Thank God,” Blue said.
“Quite the view,” Nora remarked.
“Almost makes it worth it, eh.” Ringo said.
“Definitely.” Nora agreed.
“Almost,” Blue admitted.



Why did we go to the top of this god forsaken mountain anyway. You haven't dragged me along on one of these military hell trips, have you? Blue said suddenly suspicious.
“No..” Ringo started. “Well, not completely.” He admitted. “The trip down is kind of fun too.”
“On theese skiis?!” Blue moaned.
“We're not going all that far down,” Ringo said reassuringly. “And we'll change to truger down there.”

They got down the mountain without two much trouble. Blue fell a coupe of times and were now clad both in his white outfit and a fair bit of snow. He didn't grumble though, as he and Nora were busy putting on their truger. Ringo meanwhile was busy checking out the landscape, and their close soroundings for any signs of trolls.

«See here,» Ringo said enthusiasticly. «These are actual troll droppings. And this is perfect,» he said looking out across the bowl shaped valley in front of them.
"That's troll droppings? That just looks like pebbles." Blue said suspiciously.
«They are.»
«Trolls shit pebbles?» Nora asked.
«Well, when you consider that they're made of stone and they consume stone, with every available seasoning, them excreting stone is a quite logical result.» Ringo answered friendly.
«As evidence for troll existing though, I'm not sure that would get you very far.» Blue said. «It certainly wouldn't stand up in court.»
«Does pebbles normally stand up in court?» Nora asked deapan.
«It's a legal expression,» Blue said in an explaining tone.
«It must be,» Nora said rolling her eyes. «It makes no sense.»  
«Oh, will you two stop.» Ringo said a tad impatiently. Normally he would have only found the interchange amusing, but he was on duty now. «We need to get going on setting up camp. And I don't like these clouds coming in.» He said looking at the sky.

Ringo led them up to the left to a small flat area that seemed to overlook the bowled valley in front of them and the sea.

«You still maintaining trolls are real then?» Blue aksed Ringo as they started getting their stuff out.
«Obviously,» Ringo said. «When you've seen what I've seen..»
«Well, that's kind of the problem.» Blue concluded. «Not many have. Even the prime minister is maintaining they don't exist. It pretty much got him elected.»
«The prime minister is an idiot.» Ringo affirmed.
«Well, I'll admit you've got me there.» Blue admitted with a laugh.



The valley before them was shaped like a bowl, the edge on the opposite side from them seemingly dissapearing in a cliff the only thing that could be seen beyond it was the sea still twinkling in the last rays of sunlight. The valley itself was covered in snow, the sides of it covered in mountain birches gripping to a terrain perhaps more horspitable in other seasons, but which in winter seemed to be right on the edge of viable exsistence. Something you could rest you're eyes on for hours, but there was certainly no warm place to do it from in close proximity. And while it might be mre viable
in summer, it was srill beatiful in winter. Bleak, but beatiful. Deadly, but oh so enticing. Like a lot
of the north, really. It would kill you as soon as look on you. Still, it was rather pittoresque. In a northern fashion.

“So that's it,” Blue said as they had settled down on the rim of the bowl. “We lie in the snow?”
“Yepp.” Ringo answered matter of factly.
“And wait for the stones to move?”
“Yepp.”
“Wow, troll hunting is just as interesting as you said.”
“I brought coffe, “Nora said encouragingly brandishing her termos.
“I'd prefered if Ringo had brought it considering how interesting this will turn out,” Blue said in a complaining tone.  
Ringo couldn't help but chuckle.
“And kvikk lunch,” Nora said.
“Oh, yum.” Blue said, taking it as she handed it to him. His enthusiasm suddenly returning.
“Hey. Don't hog all of it,” Nora exclaimed grabbing it back.
“You really have no respect do you,” Ringo said half kidding. “Do you know how many fjordlandian children grow up dreaming of becoming troll hunters?”
“Pfft, that's all very well. That's all very well, but you know how the saying goes, troll hunters only think with their.”Blue started.
There was a moment of silence
“I'm sorry Ringo,” Blue said. “I didn't mean that.”
“Obviously.” Ringo said, finding himself rolling his eyes this time.

“Kvikk lucnh is great,” Blue said taking a bite of his piece. “Though for some reason I always prefered Stratos.”
“Stratos, for trips?!” Nora said shakng her head. “That's sacrilige.”
“Oh, not for trips.” Blue said.
“Oh,” Nora said.
“Didn't I tell you two to stop that..“ Ringo said before he suddenly went quiet..
“We might have a problem,” Ringo said. His voice now so quiet the two others didn't seem to immidiately pick up on his words. He repeated them with a cough. “I think we might have a problem.”
Nora jumped up and looked out across the valley. Blue had frozen in place, a piece of kvikk lunch halfway to his mouth.
“What is it?” She asked fervently.
“Trolls.” Ringo said. His voice still only almost audible.
“Trolls?” Nora asked.
“Three.” Ringo confirmed.
“Three?” Nora said with shock in her voice.
“I think,” Ringo said after a few moments, standing completely still talking voiclessly out of the corner off his mouth. “You two better get out of here.”
“What..” Blue started.
“Didn't you hear me,” Ringo hissed. “Run! Now!”
“But...” Blue began.
“This is not the time to argue,” Nora said looking Blue deep into the eyes. “When a troll hunter tells you to run, you run.”
“Oh... fine.” Blue conceded.
“Then.. run!” Nora said exasperateed grabbing his arm calling for Leopold and setting off at a brisk pace. Only taking the time to grab her backpack in the time it took Blue to fasten his left truge properly.

"Stay behind me and stay quiet." Nora said, her voice quite firm. This wasn't a game anymore.
"Hey, I'm not a child." Blue complained.
"Yeah, right."
"I'm not standing for this," Blue said sitting down in the snow. Leopold promptly followed suit.
"Well, there's little we can do," Nora said defeated. "He said we should run.."  
"I hope Ringo knows how to handle himself," Blue said, the anxiety clear on his face.
"Oh, I'm sure this isn't his first troll encounter. Still, three trolls. Even two troll hunters would probably choose to withdraw when faced by three trolls."
There was a moment of silence.
"Well, there's nothing for it." Nora said, seeming to have made a decision. "We need to get back to the car and get help."
"But.. that will take aaaaages," Blue said.
"Weeell," Nora said. "If we don't go over the mountain on the way back it's.. actually not that far." In a voice that slowly but certainly got quieter.
"So, I was right." Blue said shaking his head. "And what about our skiis? We left them back with Ringo."
"Well, good thing me and Ringo brought truger then." Nora said matter of factly, regaining her composure. "Let's go."

Bluebottle wrote:Haha. Well, I guess it's a good way to look at things.

"Could I have a hug, please. At least I'd feel better."

I guess that's kind of what I wanted to get across. While a hug changes nothing, at least it tells you that someone cares.