Ok so this is my first ever piece of work. I'm sure there are mistakes galore, so if you must flame, be somewhat gentle.

Sensing the noise nearby I shifted to flatten myself against the wall. No way in hell I could let father find out I had defied his orders, and had secretly tagged along on this outing. It wasn't hard, once the alarm went off everyone had scrambled as fast as they could to mobilize and my lingering presence had gone entirely unnoticed. Traveling on foot was the stealthiest way, I mused to myself, the experience would be well worth the potential imprisonment he would surely subject me to if caught. Packing the bag with the book, I tossed the iPod and the headphones in behind it just in case. No sense in going silently, it was better to blend in with the rest of the punk kids that loitered around under the bridge.

The mounting excitement was almost too much to bear, the troll market was a fabled bedtime story father had continuously read during my childhood. No one had ever seen it in this lifetime save the creatures that supposedly inhabited it. Though what I had seen and what others believed was real, was a fine line between fantasy and insanity. Growing up in the BPRD, often times those lines dissipated and the real world started peeking through. Monsters, non-humans and those kinds of things became second nature to me. While people read about these fables, I was living them. So it was only right that my father would swear me to the safety of the headquarters. 'The things you see here Marley' he would muse 'are tame in comparison to what is hidden in the shadows' He was right, I had only ever traveled within the headquarters, never out there, and never alone as I was now.

Red and Blue had gone ahead with Liz and I managed to slip past everyone while that tool Manning had been briefing everyone on their tasks for tonight. The trash truck was ahead a bit, but thankfully I had parked the huffy close by the gate. Donning my hoodie and swinging the bag behind me, I took off pedaling as fast as humanly possible. As much as I wanted to venture out, I didn't feel as strongly about going alone, my best chance was to have the team close by in the event I did run into some trouble.

The bridge was just up ahead, Manning had set up video outposts at all corners surrounding it. Blue and Krauss were accompanying Red, while the rest of the agents patrolled nearby with Manning and Liz. Coming to a stop, nearby trash heaps provided cover for the bike. The rest of the way would have to be made on foot. The anxiety was starting to set in. A lifetime of fantasies were almost within my grasp. Many people my age were settling down and starting families, I was here, 27 years old, hiding in a pile of trash. Hopefully waiting for entrance to a fabled underground civilization, how could I ever be so lucky?

Bracing myself to begin moving, walls afforded me cover to begin inching closer and closer to where Red and Blue were heading. I could see that hideous thing holding the cat, knowing Red must be itching to pounce to save the feline. Fragglewumps were notorious for decimating the cat population in areas they frequented. Before I could move again Red had bounded up to the creature, Blue trailing behind him with that damn canary in tow. It was amazing how such a small bird could frighten monstrous creatures like Fragglewumps. Whatever they possessed it must have been enough to force the thing to lead Red and Blue to what they were looking for. Glancing around the trash piles I spotted a tattered blanket, to Manning and the rest of the crew, i'd be just another beggar on the street. I strapped the knapsack to my front and wrapped the blanket around myself.

Along with the bulkiness of the hoodie and the bag tied around my waist the blanket became like a second skin over me. Filling up a trash bag with junk. I sauntered, practicing a crooked gait towards where Red had last been spotted. To outside eyes I was just another homeless person foraging for cans. Clearing the line of sight, my pace increased until I came upon the unconscious form of the Fragglewump, the fist sized bruise was a tell tell sign Red had more than enough of it's ill-tempered refusal. Noises suddenly permeated the small tunnel area. Gears, something mechanical was moving nearby, up ahead I could see Red, Blue, and the tinman walking through the hole that had abruptly appeared in the dead end wall. Taking off in a fast sprint I hurried to catch up, the last thing I wanted was to miss my chance to slip in behind them and be left twiddling my thumbs while they were living my dream.

The panels that compromised the door were beginning to close, a running leap and I dove through, the cloth caught on a snag and was left lodged in the closed panels. I was in, but quickly realized my clever disguise hadn't come with me. So here I was, a human in the midst of non-humans, a sore thumb. Yanking the baggy hood over my head and lowering my gaze, avoiding anything that came in close proximity, I trudged slowly and carefully. Blue was just up ahead, something had caught his attention, and as he was the only person closely available I decided to tag along with him. Entering into a nearby shop he disappeared from my view. Trolls were everywhere, among Goblins, Elfs, Gnomes, and other things that weren't even listed in my book. The excitement was hardly bearable, what historian wouldn't give their right arm to be where I now stood. Giddy couldn't describe what I was feeling at that moment. As they usually did, that's when everything turned to shit. One big mother of a troll came busting his way through the crowd, and seemed to be heading our way. As versed as Blue was in the art of combat, he couldn't hold up against this angry behemoth. Prying open the door, I rushed through, looking left and right for Blue.

"Blue!" I called out, trying to be a quite as I could, not to alert the brute wandering about on the other side.

"Lee what on earth are you doing here" Blue interjected appearing as if by magic. "It's too dangerous for a human to be here alone and unprotected, what would your father have to say!"

"We have bigger fish to fry right now Blue, big damn troll heading this way, and he's not looking too friendly"

"Mr. Wink" a voice called out from behind Blue. "He's after me, after the piece" a pale woman stepped forward into view, coming up beside Blue.

"Where he is, my brother is not far behind, we must leave..now!"

Ushering me and the mystery lady towards the back door, A deep rumbling commenced through the floorboards, moving up through the walls before they imploded into a cloud of wood and glass. The troll from before stamping through what was left of the doorway.

"Mr. Wink I presume" Blue uttered still moving to the back. Turning to speak "Lee I think you and the Princess should be leaving now"

Grabbing her hand I shouldered the creaky wooden door, dragging her lithe frame behind me. All the sounds of a struggle could be heard back in the building. He needed help.

"Red!" he couldn't have gone far, the market looked large, but closed enough he should have been able to hear me, even faintly.

"You are not scared" the Princess spoke, lightly tracing the palm of my hand. Drawing it back, I called out for Red again, with no answer still.

"Scared?" belting out a breathy laugh "i'd much rather be in the presence of these beings than humans"

Crashing through the wall Blue and the brute were still locked together in combat. Grabbing the Princesses hand again I started running to Tinman, who came into view just ahead.

"Mrs. Thornton how did you get here!" Raising a gloved hand to interject once more, I cut him off mid stride.

"Look you can puff smoke at me later ok, but Blue is having a spot of trouble, you need to get Big Reds ass down here and fast ja?"

"I think" the pale woman said, slipping out of my grasp to look behind us "it's too late for that"

Meeting the object of her gaze, came a figure, tall and pale. Cutting a swath through the crowd, walking with intense purpose and the most menacing scowl etched upon his face. Coming to rest only steps away.

The princess started backing away, forcefully pushing me towards Tinman, fear clouded her eyes "he won't hesitate to cut you down where you stand, he despises your kind"

"my kind?" I protested, daring to penetrate his stare. Unlike his sister, his lips were stained black, along with the shadow framing his golden eyes. He was truly a magnificent sight to behold.

"You, the proud, empty, hollow things that you are" His words cut like a knife through me. "that take what you want without any regard for anything but yourselves, selfish creatures" Vitriol lingered as he brought a hand up to sight, a shining orb seemingly floating with his palm.

Before I could open my mouth to rebut an overwhelming tiredness came upon me. Sounds around became distorted, like being surrounded by a tunnel. I started stumbling erratically, my arms grew heavy and I nearly fell to my knees until arms came forward to catch me before I could hit the ground. Looking up disgust still lingered on his face, probably at the mere touch of what he considered a lowly human. In my delirium I brought a finger to his lips, tracing the arch of the stained flesh.

"you know for a such a hateful person" my words were coming slower now, under heavy lids, his gaze never left mine "you have very pretty eyes"

Sleep had all but taken hold, but I swore before that final calm claimed me I heard him speak once more.

'Sleep now little human, for tomorrow we have much to do'