AN: One of those things where I was up late, saw a post about soulmate AUs and thought to myself, "What if?" So here it is, born of insomnia and several sleepless nights. Happy Valentine's Day.

LLB

It was common knowledge among most of the supernatural community in Arcadia Oaks that different species had different soulmate indicators. And some even had multiple. Changlings and Troll Polymorphs had both the carvings of the trolls and the body swap of humans. Some were simple, like the fairies's timers, and some were more complex, like the previously mentioned carvings. And, if your soulmate was a different species, you usually get their indicator as well. But that wasn't always the case.

LLB

The thirteen-year-old polymorph sat cross legged on the chair, staring at his parents and grandmother.

"A core? Like...an Akoridian Core?"

"That's what it looks like," Nana nodded, "And it IS in the same place as a core window would be."

Jim looked down at the silver markings on his chest, "So, your saying my soulmate is on another PLANET?!"

"It looks to be that way, Young Atlas," His father moved to sit closer, "But you don't know that for certain. Nana was able to meet Vervatos here on Earth."

Jim groaned and buried his face in his hands, "There's still only a, like, 2% chance that I'll actually meet them. Maybe I should just join the space program. I don't want to wait until I'm forty-somthing before meeting them."

Barbara stood and wrapped an arm around her son, "At least you know you won't miss them. Or get them mixed up with someone else."

"Pft. I still don't know how you mixed them up," Jim looked up, shoulders relaxing, "Especially after seeing Da's trollform."

"I had fifteen minutes and there were no mirrors in the flat! It was 2am and James wasn't home. All I had to go on were two envelopes with different names and the same address. Forgive me for not knowing which one I was looking for."

"If anything," Walt crossed his arms, "Blame James. He knew that Barbara wasn't his soulmate but he wooed her anyway."

"I know the story, Da. But you thought Mum looked so happy with him you held your tongue. And you ended up regretting it when he hurt her."

His parents chuckled. Jim smiled wanly and leaned into his mother's embrace.

LLB

Toby looked around the dance, keeping an eye out for Angor Rot. Mary waved from the other side of the gym and their mother stood by the door with the same objective. Their parents had told them they could enjoy the dance but it almost felt like they had to help in some and Claire, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten all about the Assassin Troll hunting the Trollhunter and his team. The young Akoridian smiled and shook his head. Jim was trying to pull Claire onto the dance floor, dragging her over towards Steve.(1)

He felt his heartbeat speed up. Stopping mid-step, he turned around. It was her. The mascot. She offered her hand and he couldn't help accept it. Even as they danced, Toby could feel his heart beat faster and faster.

'It's fine,' he told himself, 'It's fine. I'm just nervous about my first dance. That's all. Right.'

When the slow dance ended Sr. Uhl took the stage to announce the Spring Fling King and Queen. Toby turned and looked for his cousins and sister. All three of them were in the running as well as Eli's best friend, Steve, and Mary's best friend, Darcy. The taller girl had yet to arrive at the party.(2) Steve was called up as the King, giving Eli a jovial fistbump on his way past. All that was left was the Queen.

"And your Spring Fling Queen is...Darcy Scott!"

Everyone looked around. The mascot lifted off her mask and Toby could have sworn his heart stopped.

"D-Darcy?"

"Hey, TB," She ducked her head and brushed back one stray curl, "I-What the?!"

A dim blue glow radiated up out of her costume and along the veins in her neck and arms. Toby shook as he looked down. He was glowing, too. He stared back up at Darcy and he ran.

"Toby!"

He didn't turn around. Why? Why did it have to happen now? Why didn't it happen before? Why did the Akoridian Core Bond have to be so big and flashy? He ran down the hall and straight for his father's classroom. Just as he used to do when he and the others were little, he hid between the piano and the wall. It was a bit of a tighter squeeze than he remembered it being but, right now, he didn't care.

"Toby?" Mary called as she entered, "TB? You in here?"

Toby curled in on himself, trying to block out the blue glow still emanating from his chest.

"Tobes?"

He looked up at his sister, "Mary?"

She looked around before sighing and sitting next to him, "Budge over."

They sat in silence for a moment as the glow began to dim.

"Mama and Jim are taking care of everything at the dance. Darcy was pretty wigged out."

He groaned and buried his face in his knees, "Akoridian Soul Mates suck."

"What's an Akoridian?"

"Darcy!" The siblings jumped, hitting their heads on the underside of the piano, "Ow…"

"Guys! Are you ok? What happened?"

Toby sat heavily on the piano bench and looked up at his soulmate, "It's kinda a long story, Darcy."

"Well, by the looks of things, I got a lifetime to listen to it." She sat next to him.

"Where do you want us to begin?" Mary sat on the piano. Something she was expressly forbidden to do.

"Um...What's an Akoridian? Does it have anything to do with that glowing thing?"

"Yeah...Um...For starts, no one in our family is human. 'Sept for Tanta Barbara. I am an extraterrestrial species known as an Akoridian. My paternal grandfather came from a planet called Akoridian5."

Darcy stared at him, "What?"

"I'm an alien, Darcy! My grandfather is from Space!" He snapped and sighed, "Sorry. It's just...ugh. That's just the tip of the iceberg. I've kinda been dreading this since Nana told me what was going to happen. Hoping that it would happen somewhere a little less...public."

"I can see why," Darcy chuckled, "It's kinda a lot to take in...Do you mind if I don't tell Dad right away? The Akoridian part, I mean."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. Your soulmate is from a different planet. A different species. If I'm not in my human form, I literally have a window to my heart."

She stared, "Really? Can...Can I see it? Is it ok for you to change at the school? Who all knows? Is it just your family? Does Claire? Wait. If your aunt is human and your uncle is not, what does that make Jim? What is everyone?"

The siblings both laughed.

"Yeah. I don't think we can cram the entire family history in one night," Mary pointed out.

"But I think we can tell you what everyone is. And...I can show you tonight if you want. I'm an Akoridian which comes from space. Mary's a mermaid, who find their soulmates infinitely easier."

"Speak for yourself. I have to live every day knowing how my soulmate feels and not being able to do anything about it because I still don't know who they are."

"Yeah yeah. Anyway, Onkel Walt and Tanta Nono are called Changlings. They can shapeshift between troll and human at will. Papa and Jim are Polymorph changlings. They can shapeshift into anything they want."

"Before you ask what a troll is," Mary interrupted, "We'll talk to Onkel Walt and Papa Vendal about you getting to come to Trollmarket with us. It's where the trolls live. Oh! Toby! We can take her to my lake! And we can bring Onkel Bular like we did last time!"

"One adventure at a time, Mary," Darcy insisted, "Can we just start with meeting each other's families and me learning who and what everyone in yours is?"

"Yes. That's a great-"

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

A hole opened up in the ceiling and Barbara and Angor dropped through. Another hole opened in the floor and they just kept on falling.

"...Mary...Toby...Did your aunt just drop from the ceiling and through a hole in the floor with a giant rock monster?"

"Yeah...We should probably tell you about the family business, too…"

LLB

Mary sighed as she looked at her ring. It had gone black once more. She didn't know how it was possible but according to her ring, her soulmate died every month. She had written to her cousin, Nomi, on the coast to ask her about it but the older mermaid was just as confused. She rolled over and looked out the window at the bright full moon. It would turn grey in the morning and be back to normal by the time she finished breakfast.

The ring was her soulmate indicator and showed not her emotions but her soulmate's. And, they would have one that showed her mood. Nomi and her father were her father's cousins and had explained as much as possible during her only visit to the pod. Nomi had made it very clear what each color meant, even black. Blue was sadness, red was anger, orange was fear, green for jealousy, pink for contentment, grey for pain, yellow for joy, and purple for love. It would glow a bright hot pink when she found her soulmate. And, Nomi had told her very solemnly, it would turn black when her soulmate died.

She remembered the first time that it had happened as if it had happened only last night. She had started screaming so loud that even her Tanta Barbara and Onkel Walt had come running. In her defence, she was only ten when it happened. It had stayed black for three days before turning a sickly brown-green like a normal mood ring when it wears out. She had been inconsolable the whole time. Her Mama and Papa had written to Nomi and Genki in a panic, asking what the best course of action would be and, of course, what the brown-green meant. Onkel Walt had gone to Onkel Blinky to see if there was anything in his library that could help. In the end, it faded into grey before returning to normal. It had been the worst week of her life.

Mary sighed again before groaning and covering her face with her pillow.

"Princessin?" Her Papa knocked gently before entering, "Everyzing alright?"

"Ja, Papa. Just the usual."

Otto sat on the edge of her bed and lifted the pillow with a small smile, "Ok. My fault. Everyzing alright vviz YOU?"

Mary sat up, pillow in her lap, and looked up at him, "I...I'm worried about them, Papa. I think something is really wrong. They're so sad all the time. Sad, and angry. And, every month, I'm terrified that it's not going to turn back. I want to find them and find out what's wrong. I want to help them but I don't even know where to start looking! I don't even know what I'm looking FOR! Human, Merfolk, vampire. Could they be a vampire? I don't know!"

Otto pulled her close and stroked her long black hair, "I know. I know. But, I promise, it's going to be ok. Mama und I vvill help you look tomorrow. VVe'll find zem und make sure everyzing is ok."

"But we don't even know if they're in Arcadia," She leaned against his chest and traced the theater masks on his wrist, "You and Mama had it easy finding each other. You had the timers, and the markings, AND the body swap. Sure you had to wait a few hundred years but you at least knew when."

"True. But vve vvere still nervous about it. A soulmate is no small matter. Und, look at it zis way, at least it's not Toby's."

Mary laughed, "And at Spring Fling, too! Oh God! I don't have a clue how Mama and Jim covered that up."

"Neizer do I," Otto laughed before laying his head on hers and whispering, "It VVILL be ok, meine Princessin. Vvell vvork zis out und it vvill all be ok."

Mary nodded and looked back down at her dark ring, "Papa? Can we watch Ponyo?"

"Of course. Mama is still up, too. Do you want her to join us?"

"Mhm. Yeah. I'd like that."

LLB

Seamus groaned and rubbed his eyes as he, Eli, and Steve made their way through town."

"Another rough night shift, Sea?" The shorter boy asked.

"Yeah. Something like that. Ugh. I hate these mornings."

"Hey. At least it's Summer. You don't have to worry about sleeping through Strickler's history lesson again."

"Yeah…" He yawned and glanced at the ring on his finger. It had been shifting between orange and pink all morning, "So. Where are we going today? Dad works late tonight so I got all day."

"There's a market in the canal," Eli offered, "Some of the trolls are going to have stalls today and they can sell some really cool stuff. And, my aunt and uncle are going to have their booth so it would be nice to stop and say 'hello'."

"The canal? Yeah. That sounds fun. We can do that and maybe go back to someone's house and watch a movie after that."

"That sounds like a good plan," Steve clapped his hands together, "Let's go."

Seamus smiled and made to follow his friends but, suddenly, his vision began to swim. He swayed dangerously.

"Seamus? Seamus!"

His knees buckled and he dropped to the ground. He was awake. He could hear everything. But he couldn't move. He could barely open his eyes.

"Papa!" Eli shouted.

There was more footsteps. His whole body just felt numb.

"Scheisse. He's burning up. VVhat happened?"

Seamus felt warm hands on his forehead and knew it was Herr Scaarbach. Another, smaller, pair of hands grabbed his wrist and checked his pulse. The skin on his wrist burned where he was touched.

"I don't know. He just dropped," Eli sounded way more worried than the situation truly warranted.

"He said he was tired. He just worked a rough night shift at work last night but he's never passed out before," Steve was a bit more calm.

"P-Papa…"That was Mary Scaarbach, Eli's younger sister. Her voice was little more than a whisper "Look."

"Mein Gott!" Mary handed Seamus's hand to her father and he felt him rub one thumb over the ring on his finger, "VVe're taking him to your Tanta. She's ze most qualified if he is vvhat vve zink he is."

"His ring? You got all that from a ring?" That was Steve again.

"I can't believe I didn't realize! The ring is like my timer, Steve. It means that Seamus isn't human and, if he is, his soulmate sure isn't."

"Not-Seriously? Are Mom, Coach, and I the only humans in this town?"

"I told you. I told you something was wrong."

"Yes you did, Princessin. Und vve are going to take him to Tanta Barbara und she's going to make sure he's all right."

Seamus finally managed to force out a grone as his music teacher picked him up, "H-Herr Scaarbach. Wh-What's going on? What does this ring mean? What's Mary talking about?"

"You passed out, Seamus," The man's voice came from right over his head, "VVere going to take you to ze hospital and make sure you're ok. Zen vve vvill talk. Can you feel anyzing? Does anyzing hurt?"

"No. I'm just numb...and hot. Like I get at school sometime's. But worse."

"Ok. Mary, call Mama und tell her vve're taking ze car. Steve, you call Seamus's fazer und tell him his son is in ze hospital."

"No. Don't tell him." Seamus begged.

"Was?"

"We can't tell Mr. Johnson we're taking Seamus to the hospital. It'll just make things worse."

Herr Scaarbach sighed, "Ok. But vve'll be talking about zis later."

With that, Seamus was placed in the backseat of a car with his friends and they were on their way. He could hear the AC on full blast but he was still burning. The numbness, however, was starting to melt away.

"I really don't think I need to go to the hospital, Herr Scaarbach," He forced himself more upright and managed to open his eyes, "Really. I think I just need to sleep. I didn't sleep after work last night and I think I just passed out from exhaustion. I bet that's why I'm so hot, too."

He could see Mary shaking in the passenger seat. Herr Scaarbach reached over and squeezed his daughter's hands.

"VVe're still taking you to ze hospital. You may have hurt yourself in zat fall und, if you're wrong, you could get seriously hurt if I just let you go home. Better to pay a doctor zen a coroner."

Mary whimpered. Seamus ducked his head and twisted his ring. It was a bright orange now. If the ring was attached to his soulmate then it looked like she was having just as rough a time as he was. Was the ring the soulmate indicator for him? Did that mean the Scaarbachs knew about even more than just the trolls? What was Eli if he had a timer?

"Steve? You asked if anyone else in this town was human. Who isn't?" He turned to his best friend.

"We'll explain better after we make sure you're ok," Eli assured him, "But, um, no one in our family is. Just for starters."

Seamus nodded, "Right. For starters."

He stayed quiet the rest of the way to the hospital. Dr. Strickler pointed them into a separate room from the main ER examining rooms.

"Ok. Frau Scaarbach let me know what's going on. Can you fill in the blanks?"

Seamus blinked up at her for a moment, "Eli said you're not human?"

She smiled slightly, "Well, I was born human but no. I'm not anymore. Not really. I'm an enchantress. A form of wizard. What about you?"

"I-I'm a werewolf. I was bit when I was about nine or ten. Since last night was the full moon, I was out all night and didn't get any sleep. I think that's why I passed out."

"A werewolf…" Mary whispered, "That would explain a lot...Once a month. I didn't notice it was the full moon…"

"Did anything happen last night," Dr. Strickler shone a light in his eyes and began checking him over for a concussion, "Anything out of the ordinary?"

"I don't know. I-I kinda black out when it happens. If someone calls my name I can stay sane but, since Mom died, no one else knows so…"

"Hmm...And these hot flashes? How often do they happen?"

"Usually only when I'm at school. Sometimes at the theater or in the store or something. Never at home. When I'm at home, I feel like I'm freezing. This is the longest one has lasted, though."

She nodded and took his hand, "Oh? What's this?"

Seamus looked down at the ring, "It's a soulmate indicator of some kind. I was born with it and it doesn't come off. Herr Scaarbach and the other's seemed to know what it was but I don't really know anything."

"It's for merfolk."

Mary was sitting on the other side of the room, twirling a small orange ring on her finger.

"Well. I'm going to run these by Blinky and Mom real quick. Maybe you just got into something last night and it's not agreeing with you now that you're human again."

Herr Scaarbach whispered something to Mary for a moment and, after she nodded, he took Eli and Steve and followed Dr. Strickler out of the room. He and Mary were left alone.

"So...You know what the ring means? Are-are you a mermaid?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I'm the only mermaid in Arcadia. My father was a merman and moved here after he married my mother. I write to my cousins who live in the Atlantic whenever I can. Heh. They haven't been able to make a cell phone work down there yet."

Seamus twiddled his ring, "So, you must know what all the colors mean. Right?"

"Yeah."

"What's orange?"

"Fear. Unease. Nervousness. All of that kind of thing."

"And...Purple?"

"Comfort. Safety. My cousin said that it usually can be equated to platonic love but not always. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," He smiled slightly, "She's safe a lot. I think she has a good family. Um...What does grey mean?"

Her lips shook, "Pain. Emotional and physical."

Seamus nodded and looked down at his ring. It had turned blue.

"Blue is sad right?"

She nodded.

"I take it yours is blue a lot? Blue and Grey?"

Mary choked and nodded. She was quiet for a moment.

"Are you ok?" She whispered, "Why is it always blue and grey?"

"Why are you asking m…" Seamus's eyes went wide and he looked down at his ring.

"It turns black every month. Black is death. I get so scared every month that it's not going to turn back."

He looked back at her. It was like a switch flipped. Both rings turned bright, hot pink. In the same instant it was as if every cell in his body had been lit on fire. He screamed and curled in on himself as his chest burned. Mary screamed too and backed against the wall. Dr. Strickler and Herr Scaarbach ran back in. But, just as quickly as it began, it was over. The heat faded away and for the first time since he was bitten, he felt comfortably warm. He was left panting on the floor by the bed. He looked back up at his soulmate.

"I don't think I like the werewolf way of doing this."

She chuckled, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Her ring faded from grey, to pink, to purple. He laughed and looked down at his own hand. His ring was purple.

LLB

Eli rubbed his wrist absentmindedly as he searched the house for his mother. He eventually found her in the nursery, reorganizing the onesie drawer. Again.

"Mama? C-Can talk to you about something?"

Lenora looked up and frowned, "Of course, Eli. What's wrong?"

He looked down, "It's almost all the way down…"

She chuckled quietly and wrapped an arm around him, "How about we make some hot chocolate while we talk?"

He nodded and let her lead him into the kitchen. He grabbed the hot chocolate packets and the chocolate to melt in while Lenora filled the kettle and grabbed the milk.

"Now. What did you want to talk about? Are you nervous about meeting him?"

Ei nodded and looked down at his timer.

"I was nervous about meeting your Papa, too. I had been waiting for over five hundred years and I was terrified about what he would say and what he would be like. And, after Roland, I was nervous about letting myself open back up."

Eli nodded again, "What if...What if he doesn't like me?"

She stopped and turned, "Of course he'll love you, Sweetheart. He's your soulmate."

"Yeah but what if I'm not his? It's happened to people before. What if he...what if he doesn't like boys?"

Lenora pulled him close. She was quiet for a moment before she stroked his head.

"If that happens...then maybe it's not that kind of soul mate. A soulmate isn't always a love interest, you know. Like...Boromir and Faramir or Haru and Yuki."

"Like...Frodo and Sam?"(3)

"Exactly. Maybe you'll be the one to give him away. Maybe he'll be your number one wing man."

Eli smiled slightly and nuzzled closer to his mother.

"But I don't think that's going to happen."

He looked up at her, startled.

"I bet he's wondering the very same thing you are. Maybe he's asking his mother or best friend the same questions," She leaned back and cupped his face, "And, when you two finally meet? I bet he'll love you just as much as you love him. Those worries will start to melt away as you get to know each other and you'll find, way sooner than you'd think, just how much you compliment one another. You'll fit together," She poured the water into the mugs, "Like hot chocolate and whipped cream. Both amazing, but even better together."

He grinned and took his mug, not caring that the drink was hot enough to burn his tongue and whipped cream was touching his nose.

"Thanks, Mama. I really needed that."

"You're welcome, Baby. And, just remember, you can always talk to me, or Papa, about anything."

"I know. I just...forget sometimes."

LLB

Aja danced down the hall and into her brother's room, "Good morning, Little Brother!"

Krel was still in bed, rubbing one thumb over the timer on his upper right wrist. Aja stopped and sat beside him.

"It's today. Isn't it."

He nodded, "It is. Why couldn't I have something less...ominous? Like yours."

She turned and traced the navy blue circle on her shoulder, "It makes me just as nervous. I don't know where it came from. What language the symbols are in. I just know that it had something to do with my core bonded."

Krel nodded and went back to his timer.

"Come on. Let's get breakfast burritos. You can get a chai tea latte or whatever it is you like so much. It'll help you calm down before you meet him."

He nodded and activated his human disguise, "I never really put much thought into my core bonded. And, now, I'll be meeting him in just...forty-two minutes. What do I even say?"

"You are asking the wrong girl," Aja activated her disguise, "I'm pretty sure the first words out of my mouth are going to be, 'Can you translate this?'"

The twins laughed and made their way to the door.

"And where are you two going?" Vex didn't look up from his seat in the Lay Z Boy.

"Krel's going to meet his core bonded today," Aja held up her brother's wrist, "We're going to get breakfast before to try and calm him down."

"And you both are sure you'll be alright out there on your own?" Zadra crossed her arms.

"Yes!"

They didn't wait for a reply before they ran out the door. Aja tossed down her hover board and Krel crouched on the front, like always. Familiar faces smiled and waved as they passed. It wasn't long before they found Stewart's taco truck.

"Aja! Krel!"

"Oh! Hello, Mary! Toby!"

The other set of siblings waved as they ran up.

"You getting breakfast burritos, too?"

"Yep. What are you two doing today?"

"We're going to the market in the canal. Jim, Eli, and Seamus are meeting us there."

Mary lit up, "Hey! Why don't you two come with us? It would be nice to have another girl since Claire has training and Darcy has work."

Aja shot her brother a look. Krel fiddled with the bracelet over his timer and nodded.

"Ok! But we may not be able to stay long. Krel is meeting someone today and it's kinda a timed event."

"That's fine. Eli has to leave, too. He has a date. With DESTINY!"

"What?"

Toby rolled his eyes and bit into his burrito, "She's just really excited about Eli's date today. It's kind of a big deal so we're all a little anxious to see how it goes."

"Eli. He was in our math class, no?" Krel took the taco his sister offered him.

"Yeah. He's more of a 'science and theater' nerd than a 'math and music' nerd, though."

They talked as they walked and made their way to the canal. Numerous Tables and tented booths littered the bottom. Humans and trolls alike wandered around looking at what the various stands had to offer.

"There you guys are!" Seamus waved from by a troll couple's tented stand.

"Sorry we took so long. We picked up a few strays on the way," Mary wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, rings shining purple.

"You two are mean. I have a half an hour before Darcy gets off work," Toby bemoaned.

"Where are the others?"

"You just missed them," The trolless in the tent pointed, "Little Trollhunter decided to challenge him to one more race. He thinks they'll have time to finish before Eli's time is up."

"Seriously? Jim knows he'll never beat Eli. He's got nearly twelve years on him." Toby shook his head sadly.

"I'm more worried about how close they'll be cutting it," Mary sighed, "At this rate, Eli's going to smash head first into him."

"Into who?" Aja shrugged off her flannel overshirt and tied it around her waist, "It is much hotter here in the canal than in town. How are all of you alive?"

"His soulmate!" Mary squealed, "Eli's supposed to be meeting him today and...Hilge Scheisse. TB, does that look like…"

"No way!"

Aja blushed and looked down at the mark on her shoulder, "It is just a birthmark. Mama and Papa say that it has something to do with my co-um soul mate. But I haven't met them yet."

The brother and sister stared, slack jawed. The trolless leaned forward and chuckled.

"Well. Stricklander isn't going to believe this."

"Those boys better hurry up or I'm going to have an aneurysm waiting," Mary muttered.

"Don't worry. Here they come now."

The words were barely passed Seamus's lips before a green and silver blur and a blue and brown blur whisked past. There was a terrible crash and the sound of stone on pavement as they both collapsed. When everyone caught up to them, the two boys were in a heap, laughing their heads off.

"Come on!" The blue one insisted, pinned under his cousin, "That one was at least a tie! Admit it!"

"No way! I won that fare and square!" The fairy proclaimed.

"Boys," Mary crossed her arms, "There's something a little important going on here. Jim. Turn back. Now."

"Aw come on, Mary. It was working. He was finally calmed...down," The blue teen sat up and stared at Aja, "Hi."

"Your medallion!" Aja gasped, "You- that's my core on your chest! I-"

A blue glow spread from both their chests. It started in the center of Jim's core carving and spread over the groves in his stone skin. Aja could only stare.

"Eli!" Toby knelt by his brother, "How much time is left?"

The fairy had his eyes squeezed shut tight.

"You have to look up, Eli," Mary insisted, "Closing your eyes won't stop the timer."

"Timer?" Krel gawked at them and pulled off his bracelet.

Five, four, three, two, one.

"You?"

He looked up. Eli was staring at him. Both timers fell to the concrete with an audible clink.

"No way," Mary gasped, "That is way to much of a- I mean, how even?"

Eli's eyes went wide and he looked over his shoulder. His wings were glowing brilliant blue.

Toby grabbed his brother and cousin and began shoving them along, "Everyone into Tanta Dwella and Onkel Bular's tent. Come on. Plenty of room."

Seamus grabbed the twins and ushered them in. The trolls inside watched as the glowing faded and the four teens were left staring at each other.

"So…"Jim broke the silence, "You're Akoridians…"

Aja nodded.

"What are you?" Krel managed to speak.

"A-A fairy…"Eli squeaked."

"Um...Mary said you like science?"

"Yeah...And you like...math…" He dropped his head into his hands and shook with laughter, "Oh my god! That was the stupidest thing to say!"

"You?" Krel pulled his hands away, laughing just as hard, "The first thing I said to my soul mate is 'What are you?"

Both boys laughed, a little slap happy after the shock they had just received. Suddenly, Aja let out a shriek. Jim had hugged her around her middle, picked her up, and was now spinning her around.

"Oh my god! It's you! It's you! It's you! I never thought I would actually get to meet you! When I found out my soulmate was an Akoridian, I assumed I would have to come to you!" He set her down, still beaming, "But here you are."

"You're a troll. Why is my birthmark your medallion, though."

Jim chuckled, "Actually, it's my name. The runes on the medallion and your mark? It says my name. James Atlas Strickler. If you had had someone who could translate it for you, or if I had had someone who could recognise your core, we could have found each other so much sooner."

"Why don't all of you head down to the market," Bagdwella insisted, "You can all calm down and get to know each other and your parents can get to meet these two."

LLB

Bonus Unnecessary Janbach!

"All ready to go, Otto?" Walt stepped through the door of his brother's house.

Otto yanked his sleeve back over his wrist and turned, "Ja. All set."

Walt tilted his head, "It's getting low isn't it? How much time is left?"

"About twenty minutes…"

Walter's eyes grew wide, "Oh! Are you sure you want to come to work today? You could start tomorrow if you would rather spend today with them."

"Nein. I vvill go to vvork." Otto insisted, "I...I get ze feeling zat is vvhere I need to go today."

Walt nodded and led the way to the car, "Then that means it's one of our coworkers. I couldn't tell you who, though. Not Lawrence. He doesn't have a timer…"

Otto nodded and sat silent. He traced both the timer and the black theater masks that were on his wrist.

"I just don't vvant to disappoint zem."

"You won't disappoint them, Bruderlein. You're adorable! And after all, what goes together better than music and theater? Hey! The theater director! M-"

"Please don't."

"Sorry. Just excited for you. But in all honesty, I'm sure they're going to love you. They're your soulmate. You've been waiting for this day for over six hundred years!"

"Nono und Draal are soulmates und zey despise each ozer."

"Not entirely sure I would call that true…Whatever. Tell me again about what you saw when you traded bodies."

"It vvasn't much. Zey didn't have a mirror und it vvas rural Greece vvhatever ze year vvas so I couldn't really get much info from zey're clozing."

"And my prudish baby brother didn't even think to just LOOK DOWN THEIR SHIRT."

"I panicked! Zere vvere no vvindows und it vvas completely dark for almost ze entire fifteen minutes! Blame ze vveird polymorph aging. My brain has never quite vvorked right und you know it."

Walt laughed, "Still funny. Did you at least get a look at what species they were?"

"Zey had vvings. Maybe fairy? I'm not sure," Otto shrugged, "But zis isn't vvhat I meant by disappointing zem. VVhat if zey vvant...zat? I've never even zought about doing it. I never met anyone who made me vvant to..."

"Ah...you've got me there. But I'm sure it'll work out. They may need time to come around but I'm sure they'll understand. And, maybe eventually, you may decide to give it a try. Even if it's only because you two want to try for a baby of your own."

"Yeah, don't get your hopes up on the niece or nephew zing any time soon."

Walt laughed again and looked down at his watch, "Well, we just wasted ten of our precious twenty minutes left. Ready to head in and meet them?"

Otto took a deep breath and pulled his sleeve back down, "Ok. Let's go. But let it be known zat zis is ze stupidest vvay of doing zis. Zere is vvay to much anxiety involed vviz zis stupid timer."

Walt shook his head and led his brother into the school. It was still ridiculously early so only the faculty was actually there. Otto didn't need to look at his timer to know that he had precious few seconds left.

"Everyone, this is my little brother, Otto Scaarbach. He's the new music teacher."

"G-Guten Morgen."

"Guten Morgen, Herr Scaarbach," A tall blond man said from by the coffee maker.

"That's Sr. Uhl. He's the Spanish and Physics teacher. And next to him is Coach Lawrence, he's the phys ed and health teacher."

"I also do the driver's ed."

Otto nodded and looked around. There was only one teacher left in the teachers's lounge. She was sitting at a table in the back, eyes down. He checked and his timer was still ticking. Taking a deep breath, he made his way over and sat at the other end of the table.

"Hallo."

Click.

She looked up and for a moment all they could do was stare at each other. Otto slipped the timer out of his sleeve and held it in his fist.

"I'm Otto. Otto Scaarbach."

"Lenora. Lenora Janeth."

Walt grinned and grabbed the other two men by the shoulders, "Let's give them a little privacy."

Otto rolled up his sleeve and showed her the masks, "If you don't mind me asking, are ze zeater director?"

"I am. Are you the music teacher?"

"Ja. How did you know?"

Lenora looked around and verified that they were alone, "You have to promise that this stays between us for now. OK?"

"...ok?"

She grabbed the hem of her purple turtleneck and started pulling it up, "Please don't freak out. I promise I'm wearing a tank top underneath."

Otto could do nothing but stare once she had the turtleneck off. Black music notes wound from her left elbow, around her neck, and down her right shoulder.

"Oh…"

"Yeah. They wern't exactly easy to hide, growing up," She pulled her sweater back over her head.

As she pulled the sleeves back down, Otto caught a look at her wrist where the timer had been. It was scratched raw and there was dried blood on some of the scratches.

"VVhat are you doing after vvork tomorrow?" He asked, unable to look away.

"I'm actually picking up my nephew and taking him out for his birthday. He's turning three," She held her timer in her hand and slowly met his eyes, "Would you like to come? Eli's always excited to meet new people. He doesn't really get out much with my sister."

Otto smiled and nodded, "I'd like zat. Maybe I could bring Jim und Toby. My Nephew und his best friend. Zey're about ze same age. Jim vvill be zree next monz und Toby ze monz after."

"Ok," She smiled back, "And maybe next time we can do lunch or something. No toddlers along for the ride."

Otto chuckled, "Zat sounds nice."

On the other side of the door, their coworkers were gossiping like teenage girls.

"Did you see Janeth's Ink. I don't know anyone who would have been able to sit through that!" Lawrence hissed, "I never thought she was the kind of person to get tattoos."

Walt was still giggling like a toddler, "Oh my god! She really is his soulmate. Hahaha!

LLB

1) I figured if I was going to do Ajim in this why not set up Steve and Claire?

2) Have you ever noticed that Darcy is legit the tallest kid in Arcadia? Like, Steve and Human Jim come close and I'm not counting Duxie but I just love that the shortest boy and the tallest girl ended up being a couple. OK?

3) Did I have to look this up? Yes. Am I really attached to the idea of platonic soulmates now? Yes. Are Eli and Krel platonic soulmates? Hell No!