I just finished Trollhunters the other day and it was sooo good! This, this fanfic. I'm working on my other stories, as well as writing my new HTTYD fic. But I had some post finale ideas I wanted to experiment with, so I wrote this little, informal fic. Hope you all like!
Edit: I took Arrrgh out of this chapter, because I realized he stayed behind in the final episode. He'll be in later.
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Jim, Claire, Blinky, and Merlin stood in a circle, staring at the stone in front of them.
"So…" began Jim, "This is…it?"
Merlin frowned, "I was really expecting it to be much much bigger, but…this is the presence I'm feeling."
The pulsing heartstone was about the size of Arrrgh, which was still big, but not quite as big as the old one they left behind in Arcadia. Not to mention, the cavern that the stone was recovered in wasn't very spacious. In fact, half the party was still out in the sewers. They had to break through a wall to get into the cavern.
"What do we do now?" Asked Claire.
Blinky looked at the wizard. "Is there nothing else you sense?"
Merlin shook his head. "For once, I am at a loss."
Jim knelt at the base of the crystal and started digging with his paws. "Maybe this is just the tip of it."
It wasn't.
In a matter of minutes, Jim and Blinky had completely unearthed the glowing crystal. "Well," began Jim, "we have a portable Heartstone."
"No, no," objected Blinky. "This just won't do! This is not nearly big enough to fit our needs!"
"If you don't mind," Claire spoke up. "What does the Heartstone do?"
"What does the Heartstone do!?" Blinky nearly shouted. "Why, it's the very heart of Troll society! Trolls can survive without it, but we can only thrive with it! The stone has healing properties, which is why, Master Jim, your wound has not healed very much in the last month."
Jim touched his side gingerly. "I assumed that was because I haven't been resting."
"That certainly didn't help, but Trolls heal differently than humans. Though…I'm not sure how a half-troll heals either." He studied the crystal before speaking again. "The Heartstone is a beacon for all of Troll-kind. They come from the swamps, lava, and deep caves, just to visit and bask in it's presence. And we need a Heartstone that can support all of us. And this…boulder could barely support the…1/3 of the tribe that's here." He crossed a pair of arms and put the others on his hips.
"Wait," said Jim, suddenly. "Can we…I don't know, take this one back to Arcadia?"
"Why?"
"Well, in science class last year, we learned how to grow our own crystals using a saturated solution. Maybe we can use this as a seed, and grow a bigger one."
Claire frowned. "I don't think this one will work like that."
"Maybe not," added Merlin, "but you make a good point. If we take this little stone back and put it among the old Heartstone, it might just spread and replenish it's power."
"You think that'll work?" Asked Blinky.
"Not really," Merlin shrugged. "But it's better than the alternative. Besides, that cavern has more space in the first place. We won't have to start from scratch."
"It can't hurt to try!" Shouted Jim. Then he stooped to take hold of the bottom of the Crystal. Merlin and Blinky had the other side, and lifted it as well.
Then, two more trolls got in and helped. The stone rose, with great effort, but it was going to be too heavy to carry it the 2,000 miles back.
"Hmm, I suppose a journey to the surface might be worthwhile. At least to find supplies to fashion a cart strong enough to carry this."
Jim nudged his girlfriend. "How about it, Claire? You and me?"
"Hmm?" Claire blinked up at him, furrowing her brows. "What did you say?"
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just kind of tired."
Jim smacked his hand to his head. "Oh no! I totally forgot! We've been walking for hours! When was the last time you slept?"
She smiled weakly. "Um…A while ago."
Jim frowned and easily picked her up. "Let's get some rest, and we can go up later, alright?"
"Hmm…" She hummed, snuggling up to his chest.
"Ah, of course. Claire still requires 8 hours of sleep. I suppose this can wait." Blinky shrugged.
Jim adjusted the sleeping girl in one arm so he could free his phone from his armor. A few taps and a call was sent.
"Hey mom," he said.
"Jim! Hi honey! Oh, it's good to hear you. But you're kinda crackly, are you underground?"
"Yeah, so mom…we made it to New Jersey, and we're all safe...but the Heartstone isn't really...impressive. So, we're bringing what we found home."
"What?"
"It's…it's a little…it's like the size of Arrrgh."
"That's not that bad! If you found a diamond that big, you'd be the richest man-er, troll in the world!"
"Well, it's pretty small in troll standards."
"Well, I'm not going to complain! And I know Toby and the Nunez's aren't either!"
Jim smiled half-heartedly. "It'll be nice to be close to home. But…things still aren't going to be sunshine and rainbows. No sunshine, in fact."
He heard Barbara smile back. "Well, we can make changes. We have before."
"I love you, mom."
"I love you too, Jim."
"Talk to you later."
Blinky listened on with a tender smile. "Your mother might be one of most loving beings on this earth, including Trolls."
"She's pretty good." Jim shrugged. Then he looked down to Claire, watching her wince and roll her shoulder. Trolls rarely slept, and only as a way to pass the time. Even then, they slept on hard slabs of rock. It was visibly wearing on her.
"Aw, Claire…she hasn't had a proper nights sleep in a bed since…well, like a month ago."
"If there was a way, I'd have her sleep in a hotel. Just for tonight at least." Blinky frowned, also noticing that Claire wasn't performing at 100%.
A scout had returned from his venture to peek at the surface. "I can't tell where we are. It's still daylight out. Nothing much we can do."
"Alright," Blinky clapped. "Then it looks like we're making camp where we can. Don't stray too far!"
Jim wandered the small cavern, Claire still cradled in his arm, until he found a small alcove. Big enough to fit both of them.
He sat down, and adjusted Claire so she could sleep at least somewhat comfortably.
"If only I could take off this stupid armor."
That's when he had an idea and gently laid her down on the rock.
"Jim…?" She muttered.
"I'm coming back. Just rest as much as you can."
Claire yawned sleepily and settled back down on the floor.
Jim found Merlin propped up against the cavern wall, eyes closed, hands folded in his lap. "Merlin?"
"Don't you know it's rude to bother a wizard while he's sleeping?"
"O-oh…sorry…"
"Well, come on, out with it!" He spoke without opening his eyes.
"Um, it's just…how do I take the armor off?"
"Turn it off."
Jim frowned, "The amulet won't turn off."
"Hmm…" Merlin frowned and nimbly hopped to his feet. "Well, you did emerge yourself in the water wearing it, which was ill-advised."
"You didn't say that!"
"I never told you to wear it."
Jim narrowed his eyes. Talking to this man was like talking to a brick wall.
Merlin peered at his face, and then at the amulet, then back again. "The Amulet is fused with your skin now. There's no taking it off."
Jim groaned. "Are you serious? Because I'm 80% sure I still have a bladder, and other such body parts."
"I never said you can't take off the armor."
"But—"
"The amulet, that stays. It's like…what was the story I saw on your talking crystal?"
"Uh, the movie on TV?"
"Yes, television. It was…Ironman. I believe."
Jim nodded. "Oh. Gotcha. Umm…then how…"
"How you've always done it. Just relax and let yourself be free from danger."
Jim closed his eyes and shook out his arms. "Just relax…relax…"
"Gunmar, Angkor Rot, and Morgana are all gone. There's no threat anymore."
That they knew of.
"Think about something that makes you feel calm. Your favorite song, or perhaps a favorite meal."
Food used to be his passion, but now…now it just made him sad.
"Or maybe…" Merlin began, seeing Jim deflate. "The fair Claire?"
Claire did help. But she was so small now, it wasn't hard to imagine accidentally crushing her. The very thought made him tense.
It was almost as if Merlin had read his mind. "You'll hurt her if you stay tense like that. You can't hurt her if your bones are jelly."
Jim inhaled deeply, then let it go in a exhale, unclenching his fists and letting his head lull forward.
He heard metal clanking, and then a draft.
"There you go," said Merlin. "Now if you'll excuse me." He cracked his neck and settled against the wall.
When Jim finally opened his eyes, he found his armor gone, the amulet on his chest glowing a soft blue. The remains of his clothes were in tatters. His pants had torn at this calves and thighs, now that they were meatier. Likewise, his favorite sweater was ruined, as the sleeves barely held on. He could feel a draft on his back and knew there was a rip back there as well.
He could forget his favorite converse as well, since his toes stick out the sides.
He sat down and undid the laces, freeing his cramped feet. Then he got a whiff of his shoes. A pungent smell; sweaty, moldy, gross, and...
He chomped into the sole without another thought.
He sighed as he swallowed. He was eating a shoe, his own gross, unwashed shoe. And he enjoyed it.
Once the shoes were gone, he wiggled his toes. He felt the ground beneath his feet, feeling each sharp pebble. But there was no pain.
His feet matched his hands. One wider with only four toes and black nails. The other the normal five, and clear nails.
Patting himself down, he would say conclusively, he felt much more comfortable. And the skin that had been hiding was softer as well. In general, his body had not been rock-hard like other Trolls, but it was not as soft as a human's. Almost like clay. Yes, clay would be proper analogy, Jim realized. A mineral, like other trolls, but malleable, and ever changing.
"Ah…" Jim sighed. "Much better."
Then his stomach gurgled, loudly.
"Oh man…I have to pee so bad."
After his deed was done, and all accoutrements were accounted for, Jim found a watering hole in the caves to wash up in.
"Master Jim!" Blinky nearly shouted, startling him.
"What? What's wrong?!" Jim asked, ready to attack.
"Your armor...it's gone!" The troll shook his head. "I suppose if you used to take it off, you could now. It's just...startling. Aren't those clothes...a bit small for you?"
"Yeah, but I don't have anything else to wear."
"Then just take them off. No one cares. Arrrgh doesn't wear anything."
Jim blanched at the idea. "Well...I still have human parts in tact. Like...human gronk-nuks."
Blinky widened his eyes, followed by a soft 'ah' sound.
"I'm fine like this for now, but Claire could probably find something bigger on the surface." Jim pulled on the navy fabric that was stretched to the limit. "And I really liked this sweater, too."
Jim made his way back to the alcove he had left Claire in. He had found the sleeping bag Claire packed and brought it over for her.
Without the armor, his body felt heavier, and he felt his eyes drooping shut.
In the daytime, when Claire slept, he often laid beside her and let himself doze. But he hadn't really considered that he also had to sleep. But right now, sleep sounded amazing.
Jim unzipped the bag, to make a large blanket, and then crawled to lay down on the floor.
"Jim...?" Claire blinked her eyes open and stretched, her neck cracking.
"Hey, come here."
"Hmm?"
Jim scooped her up and rolled over on his back so she could lay on his chest. Then he draped the sleeping bag over her.
Jim felt her hand roaming over him.
"You got your armor off." She noted. "You're soft."
"Really?"
She poked his stomach and his chest, then felt up his arm and intertwined her fingers with his human ones.
"In some places, you're softer than others. Just soft enough." With that, she nuzzled into his chest and relaxed to sleep.
Jim raised his trollish hand, examining it in the dim light of the crystal cave. He knew this hand well now, finally getting used to the thickness, color, and missing finger.
Then he glanced at his other hand. The one that had been concealed in armor up until that point.
Comparatively, his skin was peachy-gray. Not quite human yet, almost corpse-like.
It seemed like the armor protected the squishiest, human half of him.
And though he laid on hard rock, he didn't feel uncomfortable. He'd have to see if his back was more trollish or human.
For now, he was just excited to know that now, their might be a possibility of a future with Claire.
And he was even happier to be her pillow.
