Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Finishing my tryouts for the school play, I relax. It went about as good as expected. Reflecting as I leave the stage, I decide my choice of doing the destiny speech again was a good one. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. Ms Janeth seemed very impressed by my monologue of Romeo. I paused in my reflection when I heard from my pocket ‘I am gunrobot’. I pick up, knowing it will be Toby hoping that the amulet chose him, for he is so much more worthy than me.

“Jimbo you won’t believe what I just found!”

Happy that my plan worked, I replied, “What Tobes?”

“This amulet, it spoke to me, and I can’t find anything like it online either! Its so awesome-sauce”

“A talking amulet? That can’t be right. I’m on my way home, show me when I get there.” I hang up the phone, racing home, wanting to get there before Blinky and AAARRRGGHH leave.

Although, I would prefer to get there before they started talking, but the sun was already setting.

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The sun has already set by the time I park my bike outside Toby’s house. I run inside, not seeing Toby’s nanna anywhere, so I assume she was out. I know they will be here somewhere, I just need to find Toby. I hear a scream from out the back of Toby’s house and as I run to the back, I hear Toby speaking into the phone, but what is being said outside is being muffled by the walls between us. I see the back door and notice Blinky is blocking the door to outside. I knock on the door, getting everyone’s attention. Reminding myself that I have to act scared, I scream and hide behind the door. Toby takes advantage of the trolls’ momentary confusion at seeing another human to race to open the back door and run in beside me.

“Jim, WHAT IS HAPPENING?” I shrug, unsure what to say. “There are creatures out there with stone for skin and an amulet that they are saying chose me for something!” He doesn’t get any more out for that moment. Aaarrrgghh pulls the door we are leaning on and we fall out onto the grass. I look at Toby and notice he has fainted, so I pretend to as well. 

I hear the trolls come to stand around me, and Blinky says, “You could have been more careful.”

“Sorry” Aaarrrgghh responds. 

There’s some movement, before I hear, “Aaarrrgghh, pick up the other human, I don’t think he’s really out.”. Aaarrrgghh picks me up and starts shaking me. I try to act like I’m out cold, but all this movement is making my stomach feel queasy and soon I have to stop acting. “Ok, ok! I’m awake! Happy?” I put my hands out in surrender. “Please put me down.”

They look at me, and Blinky comments, “You are awfully calm for a human who has just met a troll for the first time. They usually run away in a panic.”

“Didn’t I do that?”, I wonder aloud. I thought I had done that quite well. I smile up innocently as Blinky examines me closely. Unconvinced, he says, “Very well. Why were you in the house of Master Tobias and why did you pretend to faint with him?”

“Toby is my best friend, and I was coming over to discuss an amulet he had found when I heard screaming out back, and I did faint, Bl-but, I just came to after you shook me around a bit.” I winced. I almost said Blinky’s name. Hopefully he didn’t notice.

“Then why aren’t you screaming and trying to get away right now?”

I shrug as I try to come up with a believable reason. I could say the truth, then and there, but they probably wouldn’t believe me and I don’t feel like doing all the talking, especially since this is Toby’s moment.

“Well, I have decided that it would be no good to run. If I tried, you would probably catch me, and if you did plan to do anything with me, you would have already done it by now. I’m Jim, by the way.” I hoped Blinky would take the hint and introduce himself so I didn’t have to keep pretending I didn’t know who he was, then almost say his name aloud again.

He did. “I am known as Blinky.”

“Aaarrrgghh, three RRR’s.” Aaarrrgghh reaches out his hand for me to shake, which I do.

“So, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh. What are you, why are you here, and what do you want with my friend?” I blurted out, even though I already knew the answers to all these questions. But I knew I had to feign ignorance. I want them to tell me as much as they can before Toby wakes up, so I have a reason why I know so much already.

“I was planning on only telling Master Tobias this, but since you seem to already know something is going on, and since he trusts you enough to have already told you about the amulet, what’s the harm in telling you much more? We are trolls, and your friend here has been chosen by the amulet of daylight to ascend to the most sacred of offices. Unbeknownst to your kind, there's a secret world, a vast civilisation of trolls lurking beneath your very feet, hidden from view. It is now your friend’s charge to protect them. For he is the Trollhunter.”

“So, is he supposed to hunt you?” I ask, knowing that would be a safe question, while I try to figure out what to do next.

“He is to hunt bad trolls, as well as goblins, gruesome and the occasional rogue gnome.”

“What happened to the last Trollhunter?”

 “Was felled.” Aaarrrgghh stated.

“Killed? What..how…why-does that mean Toby is in danger?” I try to act concerned, like any good friend would be, but then I realised that Toby would now be the centre of attention, he would be the one in danger. Not that I don’t think he can handle himself, he had already proven beyond a shadow of a doubt he is a true hero, but, well… I have a lot of work to do, to keep him safe, the whole world safe. I almost fall to my knees at the enormity of it all, everything that was yet to come that I alone know about, but I keep my composure.       

Blinky hopefully did not noticing my drifting thoughts. He keeps talking, and I pay attention to the end of his reply. “…he is not expected to engage in battle without the proper training.”

“Ok,” I pause trying to come up with the next logical question, for I wasn’t listening to most of what Blinky has said. “Where does this training happen?” I want to be told where Trollmarket was so I have a reason to know where to go, for I know Toby would take a while to wake up and I want to have a reason to be safe in Trollmarket before the sun set tomorrow, so there would be no risk of Bular chasing us down. 

“Where we live, Heartstone Trollmarket.”

“Toby will probably be out for a while, so why don’t you come back tomorrow. I’ll catch him up with all that you’ve said. Where would you like us to meet you tomorrow?” Blinky seemed reluctant to tell me where Trollmarket is, so I add, “What if we are attacked, where do we go?”

“Your homes and school should be safe,” Blinky comments, “but if you can’t make it to them, Heartstone Trollmarket will be safe.”

“Where can I find Heartstone Trollmarket?”

“Underneath the canals.”

They turn and begin to leave, when I remember something else I should ask. “How long does the training take?”

Blinky pauses his retreat to respond. “Decades.”

“How long does he have?”

“A couple of days at most.” With that, they are gone, back into the forest.

I do my best to carry Toby inside and place him on the couch. Once he’s as settled as he can be, I go to fix the door while I wait for him to come to. When I’m done, I go to where I left Toby and see he’s starting to wake up.

“Jim, what just happened?”

“You fainted.”

“What about the Blue and grey creatures? Were they real? They said something about trolls and responsibility and the amulet I found! Was that real or just a dream?” he blurts everything out in a rush, then suddenly stops to yawn and stretch.

I realise that he’s too tired to be able to process anything properly. “Yes, Tobes, but I will tell you in the morning. Tonight, get some rest. You will need as much as you can get in the days to come.” I mumble the last bit under my breath, but he doesn’t seem to be listening to me as I lead him into his room and into bed. After that, I leave, picking up my bike and riding it to my house, where I place it away before going to bed myself.

Chapter Text

We bike ride home after school, Toby still questioning me about last night. I make sure we go past the canals, knowing we won’t make it home before the sun sets. That morning Toby had questioned me relentlessly. Before going to school, I made him go out back to try transforming, which he did. At school I watched Strickler notice the Amulet, even as I tried to keep it hidden from him. I knew it was only a matter of time until Bular went after us…

As if me just thinking about him was the summoning spell, there he was, banging his fists on the ground in a long shadow made by the trees. I skid to a stop and turn, Toby doing the same. I lead us to safety, racing towards the canals. As we zoom down the side, I see Blinky and Aaarrrgghh waiting, waving at us under the bridge. I zoom towards them, Toby close behind me. I hear Bular screaming from the trees that he will get us. As we reach them Blinky quickly pulls out the horngasle, opening the gate to Heartstone Trollmarket.

We race inside. Toby pants out, “Who was that? I would have ridden right into him if I hadn’t heard the screech of Jim's tyres! I almost…” He tailed off.

“Almost what Master Tobias?” Blinky asked.

“I almost died!” He yells.

“Almost! A very important word. A life of almost is a life of never.”

The stairs start to appear, and I run down them; I can’t stop myself; I want to see Trollmarket in all its glory again, and now that I’m here, I can’t wait a moment more. I stop at the bottom letting the others catch up as I stand there, smiling like a kid who has just found out it would be Christmas every day of the year. Blinky pauses beside me and Toby “This is the world you are bound to protect. This is Heartstone Trollmarket.”

“This is...?” Toby moaned in awe.

“Yeah” I replied, thrilled.

“Whoa.”

“Pretty much.” I end. It’s exactly the way I remember it, I am lost for words. Blinky begins walking and we race to catch up.

“Dang! And here I thought the only thing underneath our town was dirt and plumbing.”

Blinky begins talking but as I have already heard it all, I didn’t really pay attention. I marvel at what I had once thought impossible be possible, I never thought I would see Trollmarket so alive, a home and hearth and sanctuary for all good trolls ever again.

Toby starts listing all the minerals he sees, Blinky remarking, “Your knowledge of minerals is almost troll-like, Master Tobias.”

I notice Draal hiding in the shadows, watching us. I try to come up with a plan of how to get him on our side without having to save his life, but nothing comes to mind. I smile and wave at him and he retreats into the shadows. Before I can think upon it more, Toby comes running up “Jim! Jim! Check it out! Maximum Coolosity there!”

I follow him to the heart stone, “Isn’t it amazing?” I comment.

Aaarrrgghh says, “Heartstone.”

“The life force of trollkind,” Blinky adds, “the means that keeps us from crumbling to stone and the source of light and sustenance.”

Toby stands before the Heartstone in all its glory. “Okay, that’s totally the bomb.” All I can do in response is nod in agreement.

We turn away from the Heartstone at the sound of, “What are humans doing here?”

“Fleshbags!”

“Puny!”

Toby leans towards me and comments, “I think we’ve attracted the paparazzi.”

“Friends, there is no need to be afraid, he is the trollhu---” Blinky says, trying to calm down the crowd that has gathered.

“What is this?” Draal bellows.

“I was just getting to that, Draal,” says Blinky, beginning to get nervous. It wasn’t though I had faced far worse, we all had. I looked into the crowd, seeing so many familiar faces, of friends I had made on our journey to New Jersey. None of them recognised me, most showing hostility, some fear. Just then I realised how alone I truly was, among all these familiar faces, which were no longer showing any friendliness. Connections I had taken time building gone, like they had never existed; to them, they never had. There were also many unfamiliar faces, those who had not made it past the fall of Heartstone Trollmarket, and it strengthened my resolve to make things right, to fix things and keep them all alive. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

Draal roars, pulling me out of my thoughts, “Human feet have never sullied the ground of Trollmarket before! Who are these fleshbags?” I want to step in front of Toby to protect him, but I know that wouldn’t do any good. It saddens me to see friends that once trusted me be full of such hatred and fear. Toby must win their trust now, but I will be there to support him. He looks so scared there in front of Draal, but I will not be his shield for this battle, for if he is ever wanting to be the Trollhunter, he will have to win the respect of everyone here and he won’t be able to if I fight his battles.  

“Believe it or not, he is, um… How do I put this…our new Trollhunter.”

“He can't be the Trollhunter! He’s not a troll!”

I step in front of Blinky, getting protective of my father figure. No one talks to him like that, not even Draal. I get ready to defend him, to step in just in case something different happens to last time and Draal attacks.

“Amulet chose.” Aaarrrgghh pointed at Toby.

Blinky says, “Try to remain calm. Destiny is just---"

I yell at Tobes like he did to me so long ago, happy that I made him practice transforming already today. “Show him, Tobes!”

He stumbles over his words like I had the first time i had transformed in front of a crowd, but he does it, to my relief.  “Awesome right?”

“A human protecting us?”

“Bushiga! I am Draal, son of Kanjigar and the amulet’s rightful heir!”

Toby says, “Uh, you're his son?” He looks at me, “He’s, his son?”

“Does the amulet usually pass from father to son?” I ask as confidently as I can, trying to get him to think, use his head not his muscles. It seems to throw everyone off guard, Draal being lost for words for a bit.

“Well, no,” Draal stuttered, then getting his voice back, “I was the next obvious choice, and the honour should have passed to me.”

Trying to get him thinking more, “But if I’m understanding this right, Merlin made the amulet, and it doesn’t make mistakes so couldn’t it have chosen Toby for a reason?”

“A Human for a reason?” Draal mutters in consideration.

Blinky and I start walking past him. Aaarrrgghh pushing Toby behind us.

“We'll see what Vendel has to say about this!” Calls Draal to our reseeding body’s.

“Feel free to fetch him.” Blinky calls back, “In the meantime, lots of Trollhunting business to be done. Draal, wonderful to see you, as always.”

We walk towards The Hero’s Forge, happy that we avoided conflict, and to see Draal alive and well again, even if he hates us at the moment. For it is easier to change how someone feels than it is to bring back the dead. Toby is amazed at everything as we enter; I am still just in shock from seeing everything again, in one piece. Toby retransforms, the amulet falling into his hand. He asks what happened and Blinky explains that he’s at ease. I’m not really listening for I want to see the forge again.

“This is The Hero’s Forge.” Blinky announces into the space.

“Magnifico!” I say, for it is just as impressive, no matter how many times you see it. Toby goes to look down into The Deep, but I don’t follow, still vividly remembering my time down there. I have no wish to relive it or anything that came just after that. I call for Toby to come back.

I look up at all the Trollhunter’s of the past. Toby does to, which Blinky takes notice of. Patiently, he explains to Toby “Your predecessors, Master Tobias. A line of heroism that reaches back to the age of Merlin. This is the place of the final repose for Kanjigar the courageous. One day there will be a statue of you here, Master Tobias. One day very far off in the future of course.”

I agree with that, and he will if I have anything to do with it. For I have promised myself I will be Toby’s shield and support, no matter what happens.

Toby looks towards Blinky, “Yeah, about that, there's just one thing I'm not getting.”

“Just one?” I question. He was taking it better then I remember…or is it my memory failing me?

“You guys are trolls,” Toby remarks “so Trollhunter sounds a little like you hunt yourselves, you know?”  

Aaarrrgghh answers, “Hunt bad trolls. Gumm-Gumms.” I unconsciously shiver at the name, remembering all that we lost to them here in this place.

Toby thinks and replies “It’s not really the scariest name, is it?”  

Blinky blanches. “In trollspeak Gumm-Gumm means bringer of horrible, slow, painful, and thoroughly calculated-death. But do not be too concerned, Master Tobias. The Gumm-Gumms were exiled to the Darklands centuries ago. Only one roams free.”

Aaarrrgghh adds, “And wants to kill you.”

“Wait, Bular is one of the unspeakably evil trolls?” Toby gasps.

“Indeed, his father and the rest of their number remain exiled to the Darklands, but they have been trying to escape for centuries. I sense ill times upon us. Hence the need for us to begin Master Tobias's training now. Step back please. A little further Master Tobias. Oh, very well.”

Blinky pushes a button which starts everything up. Instinct kicks in, and I dodge and duck out of the way of the swinging blades, showing off all the training I had done. Once I realise what I’m doing, I get to the side as quickly as possible, just like everyone else has done, before anyone can comment on what I had just shown. We hear “Blinkous Galadrigal,” and he quickly turns off everything with another push of the button. Then again, “Blinkous Galadrigal. I wish to meet the fleshbag supposedly chosen by the amulet.” I stand there, smiling like an idiot, happy to see Vendel again, alive, and well.

He walks up to me, and I try to stop myself from grinning, instead attempting to contort my face into shock and wonder.

“I am Vendel, son of Rundle, son of Kilfred.”

“I am Jim Lake Jr, son of Barbara. But I don’t think I’m the fleshbag you’re looking for.”

Toby waved with his amulet in hand, as Vendel walked over to him. “Uh … Toby, son of Ralph. I live with my Nana.”

“Amulet chose.” Aaarrrgghh, pointing to Toby.

Venldel ponders, “Hmm… so Draal tells me. Ridiculous! However, the amulet has been known to make ill-fated choices, as you know better than most.”

Toby is looking nervous, and I can’t help but say, “What if there is a reason that it made that choice?” remembering Unkar and how he had helped me realise that I had to keep the amulet no matter the consequences. He like no other Trollhunter could give me the right words to do what needed to be done.

Vendel turns to me, giving me the option to back out of what I said or to repeat it. I think of Merlin and know that the amulet does not make ill-fated choices and that it wasn’t Unkar’s fault that he was just a victim in this centuries-old war. “I said, there probably was a reason that the amulet made the ‘ill-fated choice’ as you said.”

Vendel slowly walks up to me, staring intensely, looking me over. “Well, that is to be seen, fleshbag.” He turns and walks away “If the amulet chose true, the Soothscryer will reveal it.”

“Please! Master Tobias hasn’t had even an hour’s training!” Blinky begs. Vendel points at the ground where the footprints are, Tobes stepping forward and placing his feet in the right place, revealing the Soothscryer.

“Behold, the Soothscryer!” Vendel proclaimed. “It will judge your true spirit. Insert your right hand, Trollhunter.”

“Is it dangerous?” Toby questions, terrified.

“You can do it Tobes!” I yell, remembering how scared he was when I did it for the first time.

“You will see.” Was Vendel’s only ominous reply.

“Jimbo, come and help me!” Toby calls.

“Ok, Tobes” I lift him up and, with a gulp, Toby inserts his hand, and it closes around him. He screams in fright, frantically trying to remove it. After a moment, it spits him out.

“I’m alive!” Toby shouted gleefully. Then, looking up at Vendel, he asks, “Well, what is it?”

“Hmm… Inconclusive.”

“Inconclusive?” Toby hollers “I’m not doing that again! What does that mean?”

“It means, Trollhunter, that there's never been a human to bear the mantle before. The Soothscryer needs more time to render its judgement. Let us all hope you live long enough to see.” With those conclusive words, he walks off.

We do some more training, though I stay on the sidelines for most of it, watching Toby and giving advice. I find that Blinky is looking at me as much as he is at Toby. I ask him if there are any books, I could borrow that taught Trollish so I could learn as much as I could so I could help Toby. He agreed to lend me some books. After Toby collapses with exhaustion, I suggest to Blinky that it’s time to call it quits for the day. With that, Toby and I leave Trollmarket and ride home.

Chapter Text

As we ride home, I notice that Toby seems to be taking it all well. We walk the last little bit so we can talk easier.

“Are you happy the amulet chose you?” I inquire; this was the moment to see if Toby was happy with the decision I secretly made for him.

“Yeah! Why wouldn’t I be? Trolls, cool underground city, indigenous gemforms, Heartstone Trollmarket! It’s total awesome-mania, man.”

“It’s a big role, and very dangerous.” I wanted him to realise how much of a responsibility this is and that it was not all fun and games.

“You will see Jimbo, we will be trained by the best and soon there will be nothing we can’t face. Together through it all?” With the last statement he looks up at me. I remember him dying and knowing I will follow him to the ends of the earth.

Smiling, I respond, “It’s the two of us at the beginning and it will be the two of us till the end.” I know my words don’t mean as much to him as they do to me, but I need him to know that I will follow him anywhere.

With that statement said, we were home. “Oh, no! Looks like your mum’s home.” Toby tries to come up with some sort of epic excuse, but I shrug it off.

“Night Tobes.”

I sneak into the house, trying not to be noticed so I can go to bed and think about all that has happened. But mum hears and calls me into the kitchen. I walk in to see Strickler. I feel like smacking my head, for I had completely forgot that I had invited him over, I had been so focused on Tobes. “Mr Strickler.”  

“I didn’t know that you had invited him over.” Mum said pointedly.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I respond, “Yeah, I just thought…um.”

Strickler saves me. “What Jim is trying to say is that I am concerned for him, with getting the part of Romeo and other extra activities. Atlas, too, carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I’m concerned that, like him, you are overextending yourself.”

Mum looks at me, “You never told me that you are interested in the play?”

“I have been rather busy lately and haven’t found the right time to tell you.” Tell you about the play, I think, but more importantly about trolls. I didn’t want her to be left out like last time, for she was only supportive once I told her. I knew she won’t do anything or try to stop me like I had thought before.

“And what of these other activities?” Mum inquires, a suspicious look on her face.

I try to think up something. Do I say Chess club like last time, or something else? “Fencing” I decide. “With my good knife skills, I was wondering if that would help if I took up fencing.” I walk around to the kitchen, determining that making my mum happier would get them together ASAP. “I will cook something while you two talk.” Mum chuckles, knowing she is no good in the kitchen, and surrenders it to me, going to sit next to Mr Strickler. As I cook, I think about all that has been and all that could be, happy in this moment with the sound of my mother’s laughter in the background.

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I missed most of Toby’s first training practices, with play rehearsals and the growing number of dinners between my mum and Strickler, which I am required to cook for, given mum’s sorry excuse for chef skills. But the ones I did go to I tried to encourage and help Toby as much as I could. I needed an excuse for knowing my trollish, so I asked Blinky for his books to “learn” from, and pretended to read them, so I had an excuse for knowing more then I should. Some of the books I read for real were books I had not had time to read during my time as the Trollhunter or were books that Blinky had burned in his blind rage at finding his brother to be a traitor. I sometimes got into debates with Blinky over something or another; I treasured those moments when I could forget about the weight on my shoulders, the burden of making things right, and having lost most of the connection I had once built.  

Sometimes when the play rehearsals were finished and I knew they would be doing a reading lesson instead of a hands-on lesson, I snuck down to Trollmarket with a horngazle. I spent those precious moments training, since no one was around. I trained as hard as I could, until I collapsed. I wanted to be as fit as ever, but also didn’t want to arouse suspicions around my skill. I practised with all sorts of weapons, trying to find something that I could use as well as the sword of daylight.

Draal caught me one day practicing by myself. He was still waiting for Toby to die so he could become the Trollhunter. I was pushing myself as hard as I could, having the mechanisms on the hardest level. I had started off easy, the first time I trained by myself, not wanting to get hurt without anyone watching, and not sure how much knowledge I had retained after traveling back in time, but each time I made it harder and now it was at the hardest. I ducked and rolled, and now I was trying out throwing stars. I was completely lost in the moment, just working to make it thrice around the arena. Before stopping for a break, when I finally went to press the button to turn it off out of breath, I heard it turn off before I got there; looking up, I see Draal standing there.

“Impressive for a fleshbag.”

“Thanks.” We had hardly spoken since my first confrontation with him. I knew that he had fought Toby at one point when I wasn’t there, but except for that he hadn’t had much to do with any of us.  

“Do you want a sparring partner?”

“Um …,” I think, slightly confused by the question, for it felt out of nowhere. It would be good to have an actual training partner, but I didn’t want anyone knowing how well I knew how to fight for that would bring up questions. Questions that, for now, I didn’t want to answer. “Only if you agree to 3 rules.”

“I’m not sure what gives you the right to order me around, fleshbag, but I will hear you out.”

“Ok, first, no one sees our sparring sessions. Second, you are not allowed to tell anyone about them. Third, no asking any questions, or at least don’t expect answers to any of them.” Draal nodded in agreement.

“Ok, fleshbag, let’s go.” He presses the button to start it up, then jumped onto the arena. I picked up the sword, small by troll size and still a bit big for me, but I had gotten used to the bigger size, through practice. We fought, he ended up winning, but I put up a good fight; without any armour, I was much more vulnerable.

“Good spar! I didn’t expect a fleshbag to fight so well. Where did you learn to fight like that?”

“Rule number 3.” I reminded.

“Ok, ok, no asking questions. But I am still curious. Maybe if we go again, I could figure it out?”

“Not today, I need to be going home.”

“How about another day?”

“Only if you remember the second rule.”

“You have caught my interest fleshbag, so I will agree to your rules and spar privately.”

“Thank you.” I left. I knew Toby would be finishing up soon and I want to be gone before he did.

From then on I trained with Draal. We did it when no one was watching, he never asked anymore questions and he never told anyone about them (to my knowledge). I got better using a heavier sword and getting hit with no armour to protect me.

Chapter Text

I had almost been killed; I could have died. All that I know is lost, no help to Toby. How could I have been so reckless?’ These are the thoughts that are going around my head as we walk to Vendel’s place in hopes of being able to tell him what we found.

It had been so similar to last time. The goblins, tubby tracker, going to the museum and finding the bridge. However, unlike last time, Bular had been there, and we had barely escaped with our lives, with me having to fight Nomura by myself without any weapon, while Toby had focused on Bular. This near-death experience has made me realise I have to tell someone about what happened in the old timeline just in case something happened to me. I couldn’t tell Toby yet; he was still adjusting to himself being the Trollhunter, and Blinky had to focus on training him. Aaarrrgghh would just tell Blinky, so those three were out of the question. I could tell Vendel, but he would be unlikely to believe me. Claire didn’t even know about this whole magical world yet, so I can’t confide in her. Douxie would be a good option, but I haven’t seen him since traveling back in time. The bookshop has been closed and when I asked about him at the café where he worked, they said he had taken leave to do something. So, no help there. The only two other options I could possibly think of is my mother and Strickler. I didn’t want to drag mum into all this yet, so it’s going to have to be Strickler. I must organise a time to talk to him soon; hopefully he is close enough to mum to change sides.

The only good thing that happened from the whole Museum incident was that I got a few good pictures of the bridge. That means I can at least prove to the others that we saw the bridge.

I am dragged out of my thoughts as Toby yanks me into Vendel’s and we see him standing there. Toby starts talking rapidly about what happened as I look around. Blinky and Aaarrrgghh are already here, apparently wanting to talk to Vendel about something already. I give them a small wave. I haven’t really talked to Aaarrrgghh at all in this timeline and I have only really talked to Blinky about the books I read and about asking for more. Avoiding training with Toby in favour of training with Draal, really leaves very little time to interact with the other two trolls.

I was tugged out of my thoughts again by the sound of my name. “Show them Jimbo, show them the picture of the bridge you got!”

I pulled out my phone, turning it on to show the best photo I got, and turned it around to show the three trolls. “It’s the Killahead bridge, isn’t it? I read about it. I think we also saw a changeling, I read about those to.”

I watch as Blinky leans in to get a better look at the picture. “The Killahead bridge! But how?” He stumbles back, “it would take years to collect all of the stones. Decades even, you would need an army of changelings!”

“Blinkous calm down, there must be a logical explanation. I will have to see the bridge for absolute proof, though this picture is quite clear. But though it looks like the Bridge, it could be a fake.” I  drift out of the conversation as they plan on what to do next. I already know that the bridge won’t be there when we return, but I know better than to say anything. Them seeing the Bridge has to happen for them to feel safe enough to leave it there.  

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The hunt for the changelings had gone as unsuccessfully as last time. I had to make sure Toby avoided Strickler, and that no one else at school was a changeling. I didn’t participate in the hunt for a changeling for my muscle hurt from yesterday and I want to save my energy for tonight with Strickler (though Toby didn’t need to know that last bit).  

“Jim, are you sure you don’t want to have a go with the horseshoe, I have been using it all day?” Toby asks, “we haven’t tried Steve yet, do you want to throw it at him or should I?”

At that moment, the boy in question stepped right into our line of sight. “You feel free to Tobes, I don’t think I could even lift it, let alone throw it in any real way.” With that said, I watch as Toby tosses it at Steve; it hits in right in the head. We quickly run around a corner and out of sight before he realises it was us. After a bit of looking around, he leaves, and Toby goes to pick up the horseshoe. “Ok I think that is almost everyone at school.” Toby says when we arrive at the lockers to pack our bags for the end of the day.

Just then Mr Strickler walks out, and Toby pulls out the horseshoe to throw at him. I grab his hand and in a harsh whisper, I say “Come on, you really think he is one?”

“I’m not sure Jimbo, but we must leave no stone unturned.” He has a good point, but I have to keep arguing to avoid Toby finding out Strickler’s true identity.

“He’s supposed to be having dinner with me and mum tonight, how about you place the horseshoe in my bag, and I will use it on him later? I don’t want you to upset anyone who grades our final exams.”

“Jimbo, I trust you,” he says as he places the horseshoe in my open bag. I close it just as Strickler comes up to us.

“Hello Mr S.”, Toby says nonchalantly. Completely ignoring him, Strickler sets his gaze upon me.

“Young Atlas, I look forward to the meal you will prepare for this evening’s arrangements.”

“I look forward to sharing it with you. I think tonight I might try to spice things up.” I smile. ‘Not just with the food but also with the conversation.’ I think. Tonight, mum has an impromptu shift so she can’t make it to dinner until later. Plenty of time for us to have our conversation or for us to get tired of fighting each other. Strickler didn’t need to know this though. “See you at 6 then.” I left with Toby behind me; I need to have plenty of time to get ready for I want to make some Troll dishes from the cookbook I borrowed from Blinky to give him at the end of the night as a peace offering no matter how we ended things.

Toby leaves me soon after, heading to a dentist’s appointment which would go late into the afternoon, long after the sun has fully set. As I’m hoping not for a repeat of last time, so I give him some advice of keeping the amulet in his pocket but out of sight and convince Blinky and Aaarrrgghh to watch him with the argument of them wanting to see dental hygiene in practice.

Chapter Text

When I arrived home, I got straight to cooking. I did the troll takeaway meals first so hopefully the human food would cover up the smell, for I didn’t want Strickler to notice the smell and get suspicious. I made 5 meals; one for Strickler, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Draal, and Not-Enreque, for I planned to confront him soon.

I lose track of time as I begin the human meals, only looking up at the clock once to realise that I only had 10 minutes until Strickler’s expected arrival. Dinner was luckily ready, just cooling down before I could serve it. I wanted to talk to Strickler first before dinner so the wouldn’t be spilt if he decided to attack me. All I needed now was the horseshoe in an easy to reach location, just in case I needed to use it. I haven’t gotten it out of my bag since Toby placed it in there. I reached for it and as soon as I touched the cold iron, there was a bright blue flash and I was thrown across the room where I hit my head.

…

When I was less disoriented from the sudden movement, I went to get up, only to look down and realise that my hands where blue and made of stone. One with four fingers and the other with five. I reach my hands up and felt my head where I could feel horns. What just happened? How am I in my Troll form?

Panicking, not sure what to do, I get to my feet. I hear the doorbell ring. I must have been disorientated for longer than I thought. Taking a deep breath, I stop myself from panicking again. I call out, “Hold on a sec!”, only to realise that my human voice had changed to my troll voice too. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice. I look around for something, anything, to help since I had no idea how to change back to human or even if I could. I saw the horseshoe laying down next to my bag. I must have dropped it after it changed me. Hoping it would change me back, I grabbed a hold of it. It changed me back to human.

Sighing in relief, I slump down on the floor, not letting go for the horseshoe, as if my life depended on it. What just happened? How is this possible? Before I could think about this any further, I hear Strickler call out, “Jim are you ok?” There was a pause, with me not responding, to lost in my own head. “I’m coming in, you don’t sound right.”

He comes barging in. I had completely forgotten he was there and had barely processed his words. I quickly hide the horseshoe in my back pocket, deciding to deal with it later, not wanting him to notice it and get suspicious. “Yeah, I’m fine, just got startled. I must have just lost time with my cooking.”

I add the final touches to dinner, which gives me time to process a bit more from my sudden discovery and all that it means. Strickler just sits at the table, waiting for me to finish up with my cooking, knowing I didn’t like to be disturbed while doing it. I walk to the table without bringing any dishes out. “Mum is going to be home a little later than expected so I thought we could have a little talk, man to man.”

Strickler’s expression didn’t change at my words, “And what would you like to talk about Young Atlas, that you wouldn’t want your mum to here?”

As I sit facing Strickler (with a knife in my pocket just in case), I look closely at him, “You know, Mr Strickler, that I respect and trust you and approve of you dating my Mum. That no matter what you have done in the past this is a second chance.”

A flash of guilt crosses his face, but he quickly covers it up with a sad smile, “Young Atlas, whatever you think you are alluding to, I don’t think you understand what I have done, nor would you understand why I have done it. There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“I think that is where you are mistaken. I know what you’re capable of. I know what you’re not capable of. I know you have a thing for my mum, and that you have power over Nomura. You want to keep me out of it, and you are looking for a way for changelings to be respected. I know you know Gunmar won’t give you that, but you think you have no other options. Poor Walter, I even know as we speak, one of your changeling allies are paralysing the Trollhunter to get the amulet. Do you think I’d be foolish enough to leave my best friend unguarded?” I didn’t mean to be so up front, but my mind was not thinking straight after what had just happened with the horseshoe. I was sick of minding my words around everyone, not being able to talk to anyone about anything, and this change was just the tipping point.

He stared at me for a bit, confused and baffled. After a couple moments, he got out of his chair, stumbling back, “You can’t, you shouldn’t.” I had never seen him so lost for words. But that didn’t last long. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and when he opened them again, they were yellow. “You know too much,” he said as he changed into his changeling form.

I sigh, “I really wish this didn’t have to turn into a fight, but clearly history wants to repeat itself.” 

Chapter Text

Strickler’s POV:

“… history wants to repeat itself,” Young Atlas said, pulling out a knife. In response, I pull out mine. I cannot say I understand what he is saying. What history? Why is it repeating?

I am pulled away from my thoughts as Young Atlas speaks again. “Could we just talk about this? I know you are better than this. What would my mum, Barbra, think if you killed her only son?”

Barbra would hate me if I go through with this, but I do not have a choice…do I? Jim knows too much about me; but Barbra would hate me anyway if she ever learnt the truth…

I attack, blocking out Jim’s words, so they could no longer distract me from my one goal. To keep my secrets, not let anyone ever get the better hand, so I could land on top and try to protect myself.

I knock Jim’s knives away and back him into a conner. He is not even trying to defeat me, or even kill me! Why was this, given all he knew? Not trying to kill me and put an end to this monster?

He was cornered with nowhere to go. He was looking around for something to block my knives. Something metallic sounded in his back pocket as he hit the wall. He pulled out the metal object and threw it at my face. It was solid and it unbalanced me, knocking me over as it emitted a green and blue flash.

I sit there disoriented. When my head finally stops throbbing, I open my eyes and try to gather my bearings. I cannot find Jim. All I see is a blue troll where once Young Atlas was cornered.

He looks as disorientated as me; when our eyes meet, he becomes wide awake and looks around frantically. He dives for something, the gaggletack Jim had just hit me with. It forces me back into my human form.

When the troll touches it, there is another blue flash, and Jim is in front of me, holding the gaggletack. “What? How?” I sputter in confusion. I’, familiar with all the changelings in Arcadia, but I know for a fact that Jim isn’t one, especially since the only young changeling that is out is Not-Enreque. How could Jim be a Changeling?

As I was about to form a coherent question, the young changeling says, “I can explain.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Explain he did. Without the evidence I had seen and the knowledge he had no way of knowing, I would not have believed him. I still could barely believe him, especially the fact that Barbara could love a man like me after knowing everything I had done, and that he had been the Trollhunter and defeated Gunmar.

He said that he had gotten a new amulet, one after the old one was destroyed, “Young Atlas,” I say, realising the nickname I had given him really suits, “you said you had a different amulet from the daylight that you used to travel back in time. Did that amulet travel back with you?”

“Not that I know of,” Jim replied. I looked into his eyes and realised that this poor boy had the weight of the world on his shoulders. I break my gaze and continue speaking, still having many questions that I want to ask before Barbra got home.

“Have you tried calling it?”

“No, I will try now. For the glory of Merlin…” he started before stopping and trying again, “for the good of all, daylight is mine to command!”    

Nothing happened. We look around, but no amulet appears. I turn to him once more. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you told me that you wielded Excalibur, not daylight. Maybe try calling that?”

He does not look that hopeful as he calls out again. “For the good of all, Excalibur is mine to command!” With those words said, all the lights in the house flicker, and a green light emits out of his chest. He cries out in pain. Not sure what to do, I stand there, watching helplessly as green light envelopes him completely and lifts him off the ground.

When the lights fade, Jim is standing there in full body armour, Excalibur in hand. “It works,” the armoured boy calls out, “I can’t believe it actually worked, this is so great!”

Before I could say anything, we hear a car pull into the driveway. Jim pulls off his armour, quickly hiding that and the gaggletack, before going into the kitchen to get dinner.

“We can talk later,” I whisper. “Maybe at school tomorrow? You clearly don’t know how to transform properly.” From what I could understand he didn’t know how to transform at all without a gaggletack.

“Yeah, that would be good,” Jim replies, his shoulders slumping. “Thanks for understanding Mr Strickler.”

Barbra enters and dinner goes smoothly. I thought about all he had said as we ate. From another future, one where Barbra loved me and Gunmar was dead. It was almost unbelievable. More than I could have ever wished for. With a future to look forward to, I begin to plan what will have to come next.

Chapter Text

Strickler and I have been communicating regularly after that dinner, both to plan for the future and to help me with becoming a changeling. After a lot of practise and hard work, I am now able to transform at will.
I had asked him about Enrique and whether he had already been switched, and to my disappointment they had. But this led to the opportunity I found myself in tonight.  
I have gotten to know Claire a lot better this time around by not missing that many rehearsals and having studied together at each other’s house.
I had met her parents a few times under much better circumstances this time too. I used my knowledge from the other timeline to win them over. So even if this went to hell it wouldn’t be as bad as last time.
I wave to Claire as she leaves with Steve. She told me earlier the same excuse she had given me last time.
As she drives away, I turn to face Not-Enrique. Smiling, I approach him. “Why hello their little fella, are you going to be a good boy tonight, for I brought you some treats.” With that I reached into my bag to bring out some argyle socks and a container of the troll dish I had made and now was able to taste to check that it was the right mix of flavours.
The baby stares at them with a glint of hope, momentarily distracted by the smell coming of them before regathering himself and beginning to act like a baby again, reaching and grabbing for the food.
Still smiling, I say, “Enrique, we can either do this the easy way,” I point to the food, “or the hard way.” I reached into my pocket and pull out a fake horseshoe. I did have a real one in one of my pockets in my bag, but I didn’t want to bring it out if it wasn’t necessary. “I know you are a changeling and that you have a lot on the line if you don’t do what they want but I can get you safely into troll market if you do what I say. I don’t want any information from you, I just want to make a better world for everyone to live in, for trolls, humans, wizards and changelings where no one has to hide in fear of being discovered by the others and persecuted for something they can’t change.” I hadn’t planned on saying all of that, I hadn’t even realised that’s what I had wanted until I said it. But that is my aim in the end, after defeating all the threats to this world. I want to help be the bridge between the magical and non-magical. The bridge between the outcasts and those who do not understand.
He sat there in his bouncer uncertain, with deep contemplation on his face. “Oh, stuff it.” He said, changing into his troll form and, pushing himself out of the bouncer, rushed over to the food I offered him.
He stuffed multiple socks in his face he spoke, “I haven’t tasted anything like this ever. This is so good. If you can keep this up, bringing me food and all, you can say you have a deal.”
I stared at him. Was it really this easy, was all I had to do was offer a better life and some food and they could change? It probably wouldn’t be this easy with the rest of them, but it was nice for an uncomplicated mission.
He looks up at me, having finished the sock, “If you keep up your end of the deal mister, you have a new changeling to your cause.”
I sit down on one of the couches, saying to the little changeling, “If you don’t destroy or eat anything you shouldn’t and be back here in an hour, you can do what you like. I’m just going to have a little nap here.” I haven’t been getting much sleep recently, between helping Tobes, training with Draal and Strickler separately, planning with Strickler, the play, caring for mum and regular schoolwork.

“Ok mate, I won’t go far and be back before sis and the parents get back.”
And with that, I slept until I heard my phone ring. It’s Claire saying she is on her way home and that her parents are on their way home early.
Oh dear, I’m wide awake, suddenly realising I had completely forgotten about that. I go on a search for Not-Enrique, hoping that he did what he said and didn’t go that far.
I look all around the house, not able to find him anywhere. I start panicking. I look out the window and here a sound on the roof. I climb out the window onto the roof to investigate. There I see him sitting staring at the sky. He hears me coming, “You know there are no stars in the Darklands, no sky for them to be in. Just a really, really big cave. Can make you a little claustrophobic after you realise how trapped you were.” I shiver, not from the cold but from remembering the endless days I had spent in there and processing properly for the first time that many changelings had spent endless years in that place. I sat next to him and he continues to speak. “That was the place I lived for years before coming here. It’s a horrible place, with a constant fear of being eaten by Gunmar. I have no love for him, I just felt like I had no other choice. I’m the newbie, so they don’t really trust me even though I am as old as most of them. Many don’t realise how bad it has gotten in the Darklands for the remaining changelings the past couple of decades. I hope you succeed in your mission, and I hope that what Ive just said helps you to sway the others.”
I think upon what he said. I had never heard him say anything deep like this in the old timeline, but maybe I had never given the little changeling a chance to. I hear a car approaching the house. “The rest of your family are on their way back, we should get back inside.”
“They’re not really my family, they would never accept me like this,” he says, pointing to himself, “but I’m going,” he climbs nimbly back in.  
“Never say never,” I say, following him in. He hops into the crib, changing back into human form, “I will talk to you soon.”
Running downstairs, I quickly grab out my homework as well as Claire’s (which she had left in her bag in the lounge room) and set it up. Her parents walk in as I finish setting up. I see Claire arrive outside. She spots me with her parents and me pointing up. She climbs to the second story and through the window I had left open in Not-Enrique’s room.
“Where’s Claire?”, Ophelia asks. She is not as hostile as she would have been if she hadn’t already met me before.
“Just checking on Enrique, she has been helping me with maths,” I smile as innocently as possible.
Before I had to do anymore talking, Claire comes down the stairs. “What Jim said is true, mama.”
I start packing up the work I had just laid out, “I think this is where I will take my leave. A pleasure as always, Mr and Mrs Nuñez. See you at school Claire!” I wave, intending to leave them alone, but Claire races after me, grabbing my hand before I could close the door on her.
I look longingly into her eyes, wishing with all my might that she was my Claire, but alas, she wasn’t and probably never would be. 
“Thanks for today, you’re a lifesaver!” I smile at her, my grin growing as she kisses me on the cheek.
“Anytime,” I say. However, what I wanted to say was “anything for you”, but that would probably be too soon to say that. I left, thinking that went well, compared to how it could have gone.  
 
Unknown POV:
In the shadows of the Nuñez’s house, a light blue changeling hides. She had seen and heard all. Both betrayals of the Janus order, leaving all they had tried to achieve behind. Only she had witnessed the private conversations.
She wondered what should she do with all she had heard and seen? If they were right for changing? Should they all change sides?
The only reason they had sided with Gunmar in the first place was because they felt they had no choice. Not really belonging in the human world and rejected by the trolls, but what this boy was suggesting was acceptance. Acceptance without having to do anything except have a change of heart.  
He had told their leader that it had happened, that those that had changed sides after Gunmar escaped had been accepted and those who had not were killed by the very creature they had followed loyally for all these years.

Chapter Text

Nothing much has happened since recruiting Not-Enrique. I haven’t talked to either Changelings much either, but no attacks or anything, so hopefully that’s a good sign.

I was walking to my locker with Tobes, with the last class having just finished, when Strickler approached.

“Young Atlas, may I take you away from Mr Domzalski for a minute?”

“Would you mind Tobes?” I say turning to him, “I’m sure it won’t take long.”

“Sure, Jimbo! I will meet you at the lockers.” With that, Toby left.

Strickler looks around and when he is a sure no one else is around, he pulls out a grey scale. “I apologise for taking you away from Young Tobias, but I thought I should tell you this as soon as possible. I have been in classes all day, so this was the first time I could contact you. Do you know what this is?” he says, handing me the scale.

I examine it, then drop it in shock when I realise it is a Stalkling scale.

Strickler chuckles at my reaction, “I would take that as a yes.”

I pick up the scale and look at Strickler accusingly. “Couldn’t you stop Bular from sending a Stalkling after my friend?”

Sobering, he says, “I am remorseful to say the deed had already been done by the time I found out, and once a Stalkling has its prey…”

“They stalk their prey until one of them is killed. Yes, I know.”

Strickler looks at me, shocked for a second before nodding to himself, and saying, “Good, you already understand the situation. I have told Ms. Janeth that you will be missing this rehearsal due to some extra credit you are doing for me and she was happy to approve since you have already memorised your lines. I suggest you go and catch up to your young friend before he leaves without you.”

“Thank you, Mr Strickler. I will not leave him be alone until the Stalkling is dealt with. Could you come over later to help with dealing with it?”

“I have some business to deal with now, for a colleague of mine has asked to meet in private today and I have to oblige or appear weak.”

“Ok, I will see you later tonight.”  

After explaining to Toby that Mr Strickler had given me some extra credit work, he agreed to let me join him down in Trollmarket. I told him I could do the work and get some stuff to help me from around there.

I read up on Stalklings as Toby trained. When I had had just about enough of that, I told him I wanted to do some exploring, so I could go train with Draal.

When I was about to leave after training with Draal, he pulled me aside. He hadn’t done that before; so far he respected my rules and we trained, then went our separate ways. Before I could say I needed to go, he said, “I know who trained you.”

That stopped me from saying anything. I croaked out “Who?” I know I have no reason to be nervous. Why would he ever think in a million years that he was the one who trained me? I had had a lot of training from everyone over the years but he was the first one who taught me about sword fighting and that sort of thing stays with you even if you have had other teachers after that.

“I have been thinking, I know I can’t ask questions or anything, but ever since our first sparring, I’ve known that I recognised some of the moves you did and even though it makes no sense, the more we trained and the more I observed, the more certain I was. I trained you somehow.”  

I gave off a nervous laugh, “Why would you think that would be possible? We had never met before I entered Trollmarket for the first time.” That wasn’t exactly a lie, I hadn’t until I first entered in the old timeline. “And you don’t remember teaching me, do you?” I suddenly thought maybe he remembered or something, because he was dead in the other timeline or something.

“See, you don’t deny it, and no I don’t remember, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I know I’m not going crazy.”

What should I say, what could I say? I could see there was no way out of this except for flat out lying to him, and I don’t want to do that. Besides, even if I did lie to him, I’m not even sure that would work. I think the best bet is to see what he thinks and see if I can roll with whatever explanation he has for his theory. “Why would you think that?” I question again.

“Well first I thought changeling but then I realised that you and the trollhunter had already played around with a Gaggletack, as well as the trollhunter already being dead with the amulet stolen and Trollmarket overrun with Changelings if you were. So then I started thinking how could I have done something without remembering doing it.” He started listing, “amnesia, potion, magic, time travel,” I gasped at the last, knowing after I did it that I had just given myself away, but I wasn’t expecting him to be so good at guessing. “Time travel. I knew something was not quite right about you, you know do much.” Before I could say anything, he was pinning me against the wall.

“I can explain!”

“It better be a good one, time traveling fleshbag!”

“I will, but can you let me go first?” I wheeze, “you’re sort of cutting off my air…”

“Sorry,” He let me go and stepped back, “you better not try any funny business like running away.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it” I replied, breathing air deeply back into my lungs. “So, as you already suspect, yes, you were my original trainer, and yes, I am from the future” I decided then and there that what have I got to lose, he has kept my secrets so far, and if he decides that I am crazy and tries to kill me, I can always call forth my amulet and troll form to fight him. However, as I look up at him to begin my story, I realise that he has stumbled back in shock and was now leaning against the wall on the other side of the passage leading out of the heroes foredge. Even though he must have suspect it, he must not have truly believed it. I ask, “Are you ok Draal?”

“Yes, just need a second to process it. I know I already thought what you said was true, but I didn’t expect it to actually be true, and even if it was, I wasn’t expecting you to come out and just tell me.”

I heard Toby calling me. I looked at Draal and saw he was still in shock. “That’s Tobes calling me, I promise I will explain myself next time I come, but I need to go now. See you soon Draal. Coming Tobes!” I call.

Chapter Text

I walk down a passage to my colleague’s office. An underling’s office that I check up on once a month, other than that I barely interact with her. Her job is to be a psychologist and to check on any people who might have seen too much. If any of her patients try to cause trouble, we put Bular on their trail before they can do anything. She has been reporting less and less. Her most consistent visitor is Eli, however she insists he is not a danger.

She had sent me a handwritten note in my office at school, though I do not know how she got in. It had said to meet her here in her office at the end of the school day. This puzzled me for this meant she had wanted no one else knowing about the interaction.

As I reached her door. I looked up and read, ‘Abbi Cas Psychologist’. This was the office. I knocked. Hearing “come in”, I entered.

The other changeling was sitting behind her desk. Her long blond hair in a plait behind her, her light blue eyes pierced my soul, but not in a cruel way. Like someone trying to recognise someone they had known in childhood.

I walked up to her desk and sat in the chair opposite to her. Before I could ask her why she asked me here, she held up a finger for silence and pressed a button on her laptop in front of her, which turned off all the recording devices around her. She then said, “Stricklander, what do you know about me?”

There was silence as I thought about it and realised, I knew very little about her. She had been in Arcadia longer than me; I had not been the one to move her here. She did her job well and had no ambitions to move up the ranks like many changelings. So, I did not pay much attention to her beyond making sure she did her job.

I answer, “You were transferred here, after getting to a bridge stone from Australia. You have been in Arcadia almost 16 years. 5 years longer than me. You work as an informant, getting information from anyone who might have seen anything suspicious. Your cover is a psychologist which you use to gather your information. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Yes, but first, have you ever seen my troll form?”

What a peculiar question. Almost all changelings walk around in their troll forms in the Janus Order when nothing big is happening, as it is one of the few places, they are free to do so. I do not for I desire not to indulge in such a releasing endeavour. I answer, “of course I have,” automatically without much thought.

“Think Stricklander. Have you really?”

I think again, looking back at all our interaction over the past 11 years and realise I had not. “No, I do not think I have,” I answer now that I had properly thought about the question.

“Do you want to see? I would like to see yours.”

I thought about it. I really should know all my fellow changelings true forms. But this could be a trap. Though for what I am not sure. After much consideration I say, “Yes.”

We both change into our true forms. Her skin light blue, her eyes dark blue like her cloak, which was an uncommon colour. Her plait was still there but it had grown longer and sturdier with which was now her purple and blue then blond, though there were a few gold highlights.

My eyes light up with recognition. I knew this troll, from a very long time ago. This pale blue, with a blond, purple plait.

“Lighty?” I whisper.
“Greeny?” she breaths, at the same time. They were the names we had given each other before we got our familiar’s name.

We had been tortured together as we went through our changeling transformation, as the pale lady made us who we are. I had not seen her since she had gotten her familiar. Her or anyone else from our group. There had been 10 of us but only 3 survived. I had no clue where our other learned partner was.

*flashback*

Pain. So much pain as magic races through my body. My small figure drops to the ground limp, with 9 other small ones. As one, we crash.

As my brain starts to work properly again, I look around. The two small whelps beside me are still breathing but beyond that I don’t know. In front of us was a massive grey bird troll. I scurry away from it, until I realise that its dead. All its life force having been poured into us.

“My young changelings I have given you a new life and purpose,” a gold goddess said as she approached us, “I have given you the ability few other trolls have; the ability to fly as well as walk into sunlight. Now work hard little ones as I have given you a gift. Serve me well.”

The three of us huddled together as pain still coursed through our bodies. Helping each other be strong. Protecting each other, for we were all we had. Promising never to betray the other, even as they taught us to only have loyalty to Gunmar and the golden goddess. The Pale Lady.

*End flashback*

There she was, one that I had been searching for ever since I had left the darklands and gotten a familiar. Someone that I valued more than my loyalty to Gunmar had been.

"Where have you been all this time?” I ask. I had been the last of us to leave the darklands, with her being second.

“Jameson, or Darky, had said not to contact you when you left the darklands and after he contacted me we barely spoke over the centuries. He said that our loyalty was to the Pale Lady, and we could not show weakness for others or we would be eliminated.”

I had suspected something like this as I had stopped openly searching them after someone had found out about it and placed me on a suicide mission I had barely survived. However, I had never given up hope of finding them.

We then talked late into the afternoon about all that had transpired over our years. She was very vague about Darky’s activities, as I was about more recent events, or I was until she mentioned seeing me change sides and was with me. We ended with an agreement to meet again soon to talk more.