I adore this story and can't wait to write more but there is a LOT more so I do warn you that in time(not now) there will be time skips of a few months just to advance the plot and story. But until then, enjoy! I'd also really like to know what you guys think of this story so I know if it's worth continuing because I love it, but I only want to continue it if you guys like it.
He'd discreetly left the Market, continuing to glance down at the small items. The necklace was on a dried grass chain and attached to it was a dark purple gem that glowed brightly. The doll on the other hand in no way to be from troll culture. It was a basic rag doll you could purchase at the drug store. This doll had a chimney blue dress, black soulless eyes, and bright red hair. It looked like it had been through a lot, tattered and stained to a concerning level.
Parking the car in the lot of a grocery store, Jim looked around, having a gut feeling there would be trouble. He had little to no information on the children's location but from what he'd gathered, it was no place to raise young children. She hadn't said any ages but he was guessing Viola was the oldest of the bunch by the way Yvonna had spoken of her. As for the other two, he had no clue and lesser clue of what they looked like. She'd said their appearance would be alarming but he was still confused about the genetics of Changeling offspring. He assumed Yvonna was a Polymorph Changeling so he wondered if they were. Of course, then there was the father aspect of it all and he had zero ideas of who or what their father was.
"You got business here kiddy?" a husky voice asked.
The smell of beer and smoke entered his nose. Jim turned to see a group of men and women, some his age, and some older. They huddled around a crate, upon which were a few beer cans, and a pack of cigarettes. All the eyes, most of which were deep red, turned to him, scanning him up and down with a horrifying gaze.
"Do I gotta ask you again?" the man, very drunk, holding a cigarette asked, stepping just too close to the TrollHunter. His eyes were reddened around the borders of his irises and hair greased naturally but not in a good way, in the gross way that made Jim want to be a hundred feet from the man."Whatcha doin 'ere?"
"I'm..." he stuttered, unsure what to say. Yvonna said her name down there was Cherry but that was that. She didn't add if anyone knew them or if some people didn't like her in particular.
"HaH! He's probably looking for some slut!" an auburn-haired woman said, hanging over her steaming cigarette.
"What no," he assured, biting his lip as he got suspicious gazes from all the drunks and highs." I'm looking for a woman named Cherry." he said, unaware of what she looked like when human of acting as "Cherry".
"Cherry?" the same woman asked, green eyes looking him up and down as she let out a puff of smoke."Whatcha want with that whore?"
"Candace," the man snapped, soberer than the rest."Look kid, I dunno what you want with her, but I'll let you in on something." Jim frowned, unsure if he liked where this was going."Cherry is as Candy over dere said, a whore. You don't wanna go looking for her."
"Can you just tell me where she is?" he asked, sick of the smell of poisoned smoke.
The man's nose scrunched up, and he sighed dramatically, removing the cigar from his mouth, letting out a puff of smoke."You go down that alley and you'll come around some back alleys. I dunno if she lives there but she's always goin' that way."
"Thank you," Jim replied, making sure he still had the doll and necklace.
"Don't mention it, Kiddy," he exclaimed, hitting him on the back before turning back to his friends.
Sneakers rubbing against the damp broken cement, Jim kept his eyes peeled for any sign of life. On his journey down the alley, he crossed the paths of other teens and young adults getting into all types of trouble. The walls were covered in either rust or spray paint, writing out profound messages not meant for the tender eyes. Overhead he could feel it was growing late, the dark alleys closing in around him, making it almost pitch black. Pulling out his phone, he set it on flashlight mode. Calling out the names of the children, he grew worried hearing no response. He saw Blinky calling, multiple times but ignored every, this was more important. Scanning the alleys he called out louder, getting no replies from kids but only from rats, scurrying around his feet.
Most people would be afraid but he wasn't. Walking with his clutching his amulet, he actually felt quite safe in comparison to the Dark lands or war run Camelot. He was more fearful for the children. From just five minutes there, he could tell the area was no place safe to raise children and he prayed they were safe, especially with seemingly dangerous people hanging about. Turning back, he was relieved to see he wasn't being followed as he feared he would be. He waited between shouts, not waiting to call unwanted attention to himself.
"Viola!" he shouted, receiving no reply."Andar! Vera!"
Still there nothing. Just silence.
Feeling defeat, he stopped, beginning to turn back. He paused though, feeling something run past him. Quickly turning, he caught a glimpse of a shadow running past him." Wait!" he shouted, something telling him to follow. Begining to run, it became aware to him that this wouldn't be easy. The person before him easily sprinted ahead, dodging every narrow alley, dumpster, exposed pipes, and fallen bricks. It was obvious they knew the alleys well."Stop!" he shouted, out of breath after just a minute.
"We didn't want to steal!" the young voice responded. Shockingly it sounded high pitched, belonging to a young child. Along with it, he could hear little to no exhaustion even after three minutes of running.
"What?" he questioned, continuing to run but his pace was slowing."What did you steal!?"
"We're sorry! Please don't take us away!" it yelled again, a sob following.
Jim halted, hearing the person or child stop as well."What's your name?" he asked,d getting no reply."I won't hurt you, but I need to know your name."
The child was hesitant but trusted him, finally answering."Viola."
Relief filled him and a smile crossed his face."Viola, your mother told me to come to get you."
"How do I know?" she asked,d stepping back slowly.
Smart kid, he thought pulling out from his pocket the necklace."She told me to show you this."
Viola was silent, but finally spoke up."Follow me,"
It was a struggle to follow her since she ran extremely fast, but eventually, she stopped. Shining his light ahead, Jim froze, shocked by what he saw. Instead of seeing a small troll girl, he saw a seven-year-old human girl, bright cherry red hair that was frazzled and deep glaring red eyes. She was dressed in messy muddied clothes that hung from her petite frame. She would appear entirely human if it weren't for her long, pointed ear that poked out from her hair. Viola didn't bat him and eyed, opening a dumpster." Come on." she mumbled to the person inside.
"Mama sai-"
"We can trust him," she stated. There was ruffling inside until a redhead boy poked his head out. He too donned pointed elve liked ears, but on his head were very short horns." I told you to wear your hat." she cursed to the six-year-old. From the dumpster, she forced a stolen beanie onto his head, Andar frowning.
"Stop, I can take care of myself," he said, struggling to get out of the bin.
"No you can't," she said, leaning forward again and pulling out two grocery bags. In the first was old stolen fruit, mostly apples. In eh second was something heavier, forcing the girl's heave as she gently set it on the ground.
"Let me help you," Jim said, picking up the bag Viola had been holding. He froze, looking inside and realizing the bag was holding a baby. The baby was still but breathing and looked newborn like it had been born hours earlier. It was pale and he could see pointed ears along with developing horns.
"Why are we trusting him?" Andar whispered to his sister.
"He knows Mama," Viola responded, turning up to Jim."Do you know where those monsters took our Mama?"
Sadness and guilt built up inside him, entirely aware these 'monsters' were just Blinky and Aaarrrggghhh, unaware they'd stolen a mother from their children."I don't, but I do know where your Mama is."
Light lit up in children's eyes."Really?" Andar asked with his eyebrows raised.
"Really?" Jim smiled, looking up as the night closed in around them."Okay, I'm going to need you two to follow close behind me and I'll take you somewhere safe."
"Okay," Viola whispered, taking Andar's hand, staring at the bag with concern."Vera's sick."
"The baby?" Jim asked, not a fan of keeping the baby in a bag but for the time being, it would work." How?" he asked.
"Mama was taken right after Vera was born. She told us to be quiet but when Mama didn't come back, Vera stopped crying. We think she's dead," Andar sniffled, Viola wiping his tears away.
With concern, Jim looked into the bag he held gently, relieved to see the baby's chest was still moving." She's okay. Come on," he whispered,d slowly making a descent back towards the parking lot. Wanting to avoid the man from before and the rest of his gang, Jim took a more secluded route back, surprised by how well Viola knew the way. Soon enough, they walked back onto the desolate parking lot, hurrying to his car. Fumbling to unlock the door, Jim helped Viola and Andar in, both children amazed by the contraption. He laid Vera in Estelle's car seat, swaddling her in a spare blanket he had.
"Where are you taking us?" Viola asked with worry in her voice.
"Somewhere safe," Jim swore. Troll Market wasn't an option at the moment. He could take them back to the apartment but Claire was still stressed about Cassidy and managing a newborn. Toby's was another option but he was well aware Friday was date night and didn't want to walk into anything. There was always his mom and Strickler's hotel room but that was just cramped. In the end, he was left with one choice.
He pulled up to a different series of apartment buildings, these of which was much shadier." Come on," he said quietly, holding Vera in the blanket as Viola and Andar jumped out of the car. Following him up the three flights of stairs, he stopped at a specific room, knocking lightly. When there was no reply, he knocked again, the door becoming unhinged the second time around. Pushing it open gently, he was scared at the very sight he hoped not to see.
It was his apartment, so he couldn't really blame him, but he would prefer to not see Douxie, fiercely making out with Zoe who was pressed up against the wall. Back arched, holding her face, hand grasping her waist, riding up under her shirt. Zoe tugging at the collar of his black t-shirt with some rock band he'd never heard of printed on it(fatherhood had definitely made him less up to date with pop culture). He wasn't aware they were really a thing, picturing them more as the competitive brother-sister type. But nevertheless, there they were.
"Get a room you two," he sighed, holding the door open so Viola and Andar could enter.
Douxie's eyes doubled, and he immediately pulled away from his lover's embrace."Uh, Jim what are you doing here?" he asked, fumbling as he tried to quickly pull his shirt down.
"There was no other good place to bring them," he said, gently setting a swaddled Vera on the pullout couch. As they followed close behind Jim, Douxie noticed the two others and was immediately intrigued.
"What are they?" he asked in a shaken and confused voice.
"We aren't items," Viola snapped causing a laugh to escape Jim as he noticed the similarities between Viola and Yvonna.
"Course you aren't," Zoe said in a fake baby voice, still upset they'd interrupted their moment."But seriously what the hell are they?"
Jim looked at them, unsure himself." Viola Andar, you can have some chips," he said, gesturing to the bowl of potato chips on the floor. Seeing they were satisfied, he pulled both Zoe and Douxie to a move private corner."Their mother's a changeling."
"Wh-"
"I know," he interrupted, not wanting Viola or Andar to grow suspicious.
"Wait, is the Changeling the one Blinky and Aaarrrggghhh found?" Douxie questioned Jim, shushing him for the second time.
"Yes, she said she was only gathering information or whatever to save them," he said, holding his right hand out on a little, so none would see and grow suspicious. Though he did expect Viola to be suspicious as she continued to glance over at them every few seconds.
"So are they in some danger?" Zoe asked, arms crossed.
"I'm not sure. She didn't say anything but would give us information if I brought them to her."
"So why are they here?" she asked again.
"They think some beasts stole their mother, I couldn't bring them to the Market since Blinky is unaware that she isn't trying to do any harm. And really, I'm confused why they're so human. I mean, I don't know a thing about Changeling reproduction but shouldn't they look a little more troll?"
"Aye, they should. Are you aware of their father?" he asked, continuing to glance towards the mainly human children.
Jim shook his head, Zoe speaking before he could."You know they could be in a human form. If their mom's a Changeling then maybe they can switch between forms."
"No, they look human but also have troll attributes. If they could switch then they'd look fully human." Jim explained, tempted to call his step-father for more in-depth information on Changelings. As if it were on cue, his phone buzzed loudly. Sadly it wasn't Strickler but his mentor." Blink what is it?" he sighed, annoyedly.
"Master Jim!" Blinky shouted, rupturing his eardrum."Where on Earth did you go!? You had Aaarrrggghhh and I worried sick!"
"I went-Wait why were you so scared?" he asked, questioning why they were treating him like some toddler.
"Killer, loose," Aaarrrggghhh said, the sound of fearful shrieks and cries present from the other line.
"Killer?" he questioned, eyes wide." Yvonna," he gritted his teeth. Why had he trusted her? Were these even her children? They were strange, having troll attributes, but not troll enough if their mother was a pure-blood Changeling. If they weren't then who's were they? Had he stolen someone else's kids? No, they said the necklace belonged to their mother, but if Yvonna was a killer, could these be the children of one of her victims?
"Who is this Yvonna you speak of?" Blinky asked, directing the trolls to the center of the Market so they could come up with a plan until they found the killer.
"The Changeling you found. She told me to come get her children and she'd tell us about the Changelings, but it must've been some hoax to escape," he said, keeping his voice low so the children didn't hear.
"Children? Oh, the poor things, Master Jim the changeling is not the murderer but the one who was murdered." Blinky informed him, feeling horrible for the children.
"What!" he gasped, shook by the information." Who... who would do that...?" he ignored Zoe and Douxie's confused expressions as they only heard Jim's end of the conversation.
"We are at a loss. No one besides myself, Aaarrrggghhh, you, and Glug, who has been out gathering resources, knew about her and the dungeons are locked off so there is no possible way anyone in the Market could've been the one."
"The leader," Jim said, recalling that the way the snake-like changeling from the nigh Estelle had been born and both Yvonna spoke of what or rather who they worked for made it sound like it was one person they worked for. But who? They'd always assumed when the Changeling's worked for the Arcane Order that they just wanted to see the world destroyed and humankind wiped out, but what if they had other intentions? If so what could they be? They'd only caught and killed one or two and they never revealed who or what their leader was. But he expected that they were nearby.
"Pardon?" Blinky asked.
"Nothing, hey Blink, I have her three kids with her, their umm... just have your books ready," he said, frowning towards the three children, unsure how he'd break the horrible news that their mother was dead.
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