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Let The Chaos Ensue...
Chapter 18: Adjusting
July 19th, 10:16 pm, Arcadia CA
Jim had spent his time with Indi and his friends, sat at the table with Indi, his mom, and Strickler while they ate. Then they made their way upstairs with a question from Dr. Lake.
"Um, Jim I sure hope you don't plan on having her sleep in your room," she said after Indiana had disappeared up the stairs.
"Actually," he said. "I do. We don't have any guest rooms and she doesn't have anywhere else to stay, so I'm gonna let her use my bed, since I don't. G'night."
Barbara frowned, but didn't stop them, only asking a different question. "Will you be up tomorrow? Or will you be sleeping?"
Jim scented the air around her, no foul scents surrounded her, she was being sincere.
"We planned on staying up tonight, then sleeping tomorrow, and transitioning to a diurnal sleeping schedule after that," he said. "You know, for school."
His mom smiled. "That sounds great, I'll make sure no one bugs you while you're asleep tomorrow. Would you like me to go to the butchers to get you your food?"
"No thank you, I…" He paused, his ears lowered and he looked at his mother, afraid to tell her.
"You what?"
"I… uh, hunt for myself now," he said slowly.
A sharp scent appeared and he frowned, remembering it from before he left.
His mom took a deep breath. "Ok, well I think you should stop by and say hi to Brad anyways, good night." She turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Jim frowned, but did his best to let it go, she really was trying. He walked up to his room and found Indi sitting on his bed, looking through one of his old books.
"Hey," she said, putting the book aside. "What's that look for?" She frowned.
"It's nothing," he replied. His ears lowered.
Indi scrunched up her nose and gave a mock growl. "Jim, your eyes are dark blue, and your ears are all droopy. If you can't talk to me, then who can you talk to?"
"My eyes?"
He blinked them a few times and they returned to normal. "Oh, just… don't like the way disgust smells."
She frowned. "Yeah? I wouldn't think so. What does it smell like?"
Jim sighed and slumped on the floor in front of the bed next to her. "It's sharp, I can't quite describe it other than sharp."
Indi wrapped her arms around Jim's forehead and rested her chin between his horns. "And why are you smelling this… pointy scent?" She said, a small smile on her lips.
Jim gave a small laugh. "I told my mom that I hunt for my own food."
"Oh," Indi said. "I can see why she would be grossed out," nodding, she continued. "But it's how you live, and I think it's kinda cool."
"You do?" Jim asked, straining his eyes trying to look at his Girlfriend.
She nodded again. "I've always wanted to go hunting. I mean, probably different than you would, but it sounds fun."
"I know someone who goes hunting, maybe he could teach you."
"I'd like that. You would come with me, right?"
"If you want me to," he smiled. "I'd probably show you up though."
"Well, I'll have to practice." Indi flopped back on the bed and let out a sigh. "So, stay up tonight, sleep tomorrow, sleep tomorrow night, then go back to a… what did you call it?"
"Diurnal, it's the opposite from nocturnal. School starts in less then a month, so we can do a whole bunch of fun summer activities."
"What about the sun?"
"Oh!" Jim smiled. "Strickler got the Sunwalkers stone from Trollmarket, he's gonna bring it over tomorrow morning."
"Is this the morning we're sleeping through, or the one after that?"
"The one aftet that," he said.
"So, what are we gonna do till morning?"
Jim looked around. "Duno, I didn't sleep much as the human trollhunter either, but that was when we had to constantly patrol the town. Goblins, Trolls, Gruewsomes, Gnomes." Jim sighed and looked at Indi. "I miss kicking troll ass."
"Sounds like it was fun," she said. She patt the spot next to her on the bed. "Why don't you tell me more about Trollhunting.
Jim smiled and climbed on the bed next to her, and he began his favorite stories. She had already heard some of them, but she loved the way his face would light up, or get so animated.
She sat next to him and listened to his tales for the next several hours. They went back and forth, talking about each of their lives, all the way till sunrise the next day.
(Night, day, night, morning.)
…
July 21st, 9:53 am, Arcadia CA
Stricker and Barbara walked up the stairs, the changeling with the Sun Walkers stone in hand.
"I swear, they've been so quiet they might as well have left again," she said.
She opened the door and found the pair curled up on Jim's bed. Jim had fallen asleep in Indi's lap, and had fallen over at some point so she was resting on his back. Jim's tail wrapped several times around her ankle.
"Oh," Barbara breathed. A soft smile graced her lips.
Strickler smiled, noticing Indi's and Jim's hands together with their fingers interlocked.
Knocking softly on the door frame, Dr. Lake spoke. "'Kay you two, it's time to get up."
Jim stirred, but Indi stayed where she was.
"Indi," he said. He sat up, poked her face. "Indigo wake up."
"What Jim," she said sluggishly, her head lulling to one side.
"It's time to get up."
She nodded then fell over onto the bed with a yawn. The two adults watched her with concern, their eyes wide.
Jim rolled his eyes. "Don't mind her, she's terrible at waking up. You bring the stone?"
Strickler held out the small gold stone.
Jim pulled out the amulet and the back opened at his command. The four stones still resting inside. He took the stone and placed it in the fifth slot. It glowed and the face stone changed yellow for a brief moment
"Jim," Indi said. "What's going on?"
He smiled and helped her up from the bed. "Let's go outside," he grinned. "It's been a long time since I've been in the sun."
She blinked a couple times and shook her head. "Let me wake up before anything exciting happens next time. First the lions, now this."
"I promise," Jim said. "But you've got to get better at waking up," he laughed.
…
Jim stood at the bottom of the steps, Indi just on the other side of the shadow of the house. His mom and Strickler behind him.
He'd been hesitating for 20 minutes.
"Do I need to push you?" Strickler asked, his arms were crossed across his chest, with a monotone look on his face.
"Walter," Barbara berated.
Indi smiled at him from the light, her grey eyes sparkling in the light.
Jim laughed nervously, and spoke. "You know Indigo, your eyes are really pretty in the sun.""
"Awe, thanks. Now come over here and tell me."
"It's been a few months…"
"If you come in the sun I'll give you a kiss."
Sheepishly, Jim rolled his shoulders and slowly extended his hand into the light. When it didn't hurt, he grinned and continued to move fully into the sun. He paused, basking in the light before he rushed over to Indi, he wrapped his tail around their waists and kissed her gently on the lips.
"Ew, PDA!" Toby cried as he came in the gate. "Glad to see the Sunwalker Stone works."
Jim blushed and set Indi down. "Yeah Tobes, the gem works great. Man, it feels good to be in the sun again."
Indi laughed. "We should go for a walk or something than."
"Definitely," he grinned. Then turned to his mom. "Did you need anything before I leave mom?"
Barbara smiled and shook her head. "No, but you might want to go talk to Brad about not buying from him anymore."
"Sure thing, bye mom, Strickler."
The group of three left, Jim and Indi hand in hand. Every few blocks Jim would just stop, and spread his arms, smiling into the face of the sun.
"Why do you keep doing that?" Toby asked.
"Because being burned by the sun was worse than getting beat up by Gunmar," Jim said.
"Oof."
Jim nodded. "I burned my tail while I was in… what was it, Fresno, I think. I couldn't hang from it for days, burned a good few layers of stone off."
"What were you doing that made you go in the sun?" Indi asked.
Jim glanced at Toby, thinking briefly about the nightmare. "I fell out of a tree."
Indi scoffed, but Toby noticed the look in his friend's eyes, subtly shaking his head at the girl. She backed off and they transitioned to a different topic, they stopped at the park and Jim pulled out his phone to show them the videos from all the crimes.
"Dude, that is seriously cool."
"And those aren't even the coolest, he saved me twice."
Toby snorted. "Do you have the same misfortune as Jim of running into danger at every turn?"
"No, he saved me from my dad."
Toby froze and his smile fell.
"Yeah," she rolled her eyes. "Why does everyone react like that?"
"We just don't know what to say, Indi," Jim said. Toby nodded.
"No one ever does…"
"Hey guys!" Steve and Aja yelled from across the park, then ran over.
"Hey Aja," Jim smiled, "Steve."
"Hello Jim, who is this? She is very pretty," Aja said.
"This is my girlfriend, Indi."
"Nice to meet you," Indi said and offered a smile.
"Dude, you're in the sun… I just realized, but how are you not toast?"
"Magic, Steve, the same answer to everything else," Jim laughed.
Aja patted him on the shoulder, giving a sad smile. "It's okay my simple oaf, science and magic are the answers to everything."
"So will you be joining us at Arcadia Oaks High, Indi?" Toby asked.
"Yup, I think we're supposed to talk to Strickler about that later today. Hopefully, school will go better this time round," she gave a nervous laugh, which Jim echoed.
"What happened at your old school?" Steve asked.
"Hehe, I used to get in a lot of fights."
"Oh, well everyone at Arcadia Oaks is really nice, the only real jerk was me, but I've chilled out."
Jim nodded. "Ain't that the truth."
"Well, as long as things stay mello," Indi said.
"Hey, let's go grab some tacos. I know you still like those, Jimbo."
Jim laughed and nodded.
"Really?" Indi asked. "Of all the food you can eat, it's tacos?"
"Yeah," Jim said.
"Alright then, let's go get tacos."
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