We're all enjoying watching these three suffer, right? That's not just Maggie?
Oh well...
Basket in a Nutcase: I rather enjoyed watching my watch ding with review notifications for five hours straight while I was working, even if I don't know what half of the reviews meant.
TrollhuntersFan: I'm so glad I'm able to make you smile.
AngellicVollyball: Thank you as always.
Fangirling101B: I'm glad you like my writing style, and yes. Always epic.
Enjoy! I don't own Trollhunters...
So The Chaos Ensues.
Chapter 29: Earning your Keep
Later Friday Night
Maggie and the other three ran around the edge of the unfinished Hero's Forge, they hadn't been allowed to stop for the past hour. Maggie was used to this, a bit intense for her pace, but used to it.
Jim woke them up only two hours after him and Claire had gone to sleep. Leaving his pack members in the nest, he walked them down to the forge. And got them started on 'earning their keep'.
When Jim wasn't convincing enough, he marched out swearing. Jager came back a few minutes later.
"If you aren't running, I will attack you from behind. Now move." His threats were followed through several times when the three tried to stop, or complained that they were thirsty. Though being gentle enough not to seriously injure them.
He'd shove them down, trip them, swing his claws at them.
After the hour was up, he finally let them stop.
"Alright, you can rest for a moment." He yelled. The three collapsed from where they were, though Maggie got a drink from her water bottle she'd brought from Jim's cave. The other three looking like they would murder for some of that water.
She set the bottle down and walked back to where Amanda, Kyle, and Alex were huffing on the stone floor. Dropping down to a middle split. "You guys are going to want to stretch. That was just the beginning." She said.
The others' response was to moan loudly, complaining and whining.
"Shut it," Jim barked. Walking forward into the midst of them. "I suggest you take your friends advice. I've been training her for several weeks. She knows what's up," he said. No longer trying to disguise his voice.
The three quickly got to stretching, and they were soon each holding a weapon.
Maggie had her escrima sticks, extremely tattered as they were. Alex had quick fingers, so Jim paired her with two large daggers, and a set of throwing knives. Amanda with a katar in each hand. And Kyle with a dane axe.
After quickly showing them how to hold the weapons, he pulled out a bag of rocks.
"Hell yes!" Maggie exclaimed. "I am so good at this."
"I don't get it," Kyle said.
Jim grabbed a handful and tossed several at the three newcomers, thy threw up their arms and shrunk down, hoping to avoid getting hit.
Glaring, he tilted his head while he thought. "Mags, step forward and show them how it's done."
Maggie took several steps forward, ushering the others to the side. Jim set down the large burlap bag and began an endless barrage of stones. All of which, Maggie successfully knocked away with her escrimas. After about five minutes, Jim stopped.
Turning to the others, he spoke. "This is the goal of the exercise. You cower from the blade, and you will get hit, you defend against it…" He summoned the armor and drew his sword pointing the tip at Maggie. "You stay alive."
"What's the point of this?" Alex asked, with way too much attitude.
Jim snarled and slowly walked forward toward the group. "Trolls live for hundreds and thousands of years," he said. "At the age of 15 human years, a meer whelp, I was attacked for simply being alive. You wanted to know about Jim's kind, and our culture? Well, here you go. You have to defend yourself against everyone, and everything. Because in this world, in the world of trolls, everything is trying to kill you."
He turned and walked away, on his way out of the forge, he yelled. "Maggie, run them through the basic training. If they don't listen, let me know. And I'll be back."
The grin on Maggie's face was enough to make them wince.
…
On his way back to his cave, several trolls began flanking him.
"Trollhunter, why have they not left?"
"Are they going to stay here?"
"Are they prisoners down here?"
"Why haven't you sent them home, trollhunter?"
He turned around and roared at them.
"The humans wanted to know about troll culture, so they followed my mate and apprentice back through the gate. They do not know I am of your kind, and I plan to make them earn any right they have to be here. Along with any knowledge they wish to gain. Do not bother me again." He growled, his last words a dare and a threat.
…
Jim pulled out his phone on his way to his cave. Going to the frequently called section, he hit Toby's number.
It rang several times before Toby picked up. "Sup Jimbo," he said.
Jim let out a breath of tension, a small smile creeping on his lips at the sound of his friends voice. "Hey Tobes."
"What's up? How's everything in Corbin?"
"Ugh…" Jim snarled.
"That bad?"
"Well, we've still got the goblin problem, and…"
"Anything new?" Toby asked.
"Remember how I was telling you about Amanda, Alex, and Kyle?"
Toby nodded on his end of the call. "Yeah, you've been complaining about them for several months," he said in a flat tone.
"Sorry," Jim apologized.
"Naw man, if you need to talk about it. Tell me."
"Well, yesterday, they followed Maggie and Claire to the entrance and followed them inside. They wandered around for a while before anyone found them, but now I'm keeping them here."
"Woah, dude, that's…"
"Not good, I know."
"So what are you gonna do about it?"
Entering his cave he plopped down on his couch, Claire eating breakfast in the kitchen.
"They wanted to know about my culture, so I'm letting them learn. The hard way. They wanted to know my secret, so I'm not letting them leave until they figure it out themselves."
"Dude, how have they not figured it out already? They dumb?" Toby laughed.
"Short sighted, I think. But I think I'm maybe being too harsh."
"In what way?"
"I'm making them train with Maggie, they're gonna have to do work as trade for any blankets or food they want. And I just can't help but being aggressive toward them because I'm just so pissed!" Jim snarled.
"Calm down, Jimbo!" His friend yelled back. "Getting mad isn't going to help anything. Take a deep breath, in. Now let it go, out. Good. Now what does Claire and Maggie have to say about it?"
"Maggie's enjoying watching and participating, she likes that kind of sadistic thing. Creeps me out sometimes," Jim gave a pained laugh.
"And Claire?"
"Not sure," he turned to see Claire finishing up her food and came into the living room. "Claire, what do you think of my plan?"
"Hmm, well, I think you could go a little easier on them, not be so angry. But you're frustrated with them, I am too. I think I understand what you're trying to do with them. So I agree with it."
"Well Jim, there's your answer. Just try and chill out a bit, don't be so… trollish on them. If at all possible."
Jim smiled, listening to his friends advice. "Thanks Tobes, it's always great talking to you. I hope I'll be able to come back and visit sometime soon."
"Yeah, it's a bummer you live on the other side of the country. But hey, that's what happens when you're the trollhunter, and all that… destiny stuff. *Toby Pie, dinner's ready* Oh, I've got to go, but I'll talk to you later Jim. Tell Claire I say hi."
"Alright, Toby. Have a good night," Jim said, hanging up and pocketing his phone, then sighing deeply into his hands.
Claire scooted closer to him on the couch and began gently rubbing his back. Sitting in silence for several minutes.
"So, what's the plan when Maggie's done torturing them?" Claire asked. She leaned forward on her elbows, resting her cheek on one palm and smiling at her partner.
"Bagdwella needs some boxes moved around. She agreed to trade them blankets for the work. Then I need to talk to Blinkey, have him go over the basic history of trolls. What they're about, temperament, eating habits, stuff like that. Give them a few hints that match my behavior, hopefully they'll start to figure it out." He rubbed his face out and turned to look back at Claire, smiling at her sparkling eyes.
"Alright then, you spend the next few hours blowing off steam. Get some food. Like Toby said, you just need to be a little less trollish with them. You can't do that when you're tired and stressed. We'll get a full day's sleep, and you aren't as stressed when you've eaten," she smiled.
Jim gave a soft sigh, making small whining sounds. "Alright, I'll be back in a few hours." Jim stood, licking Claire's cheek softly then kissed her gently on the lips. "You're the best," he said.
"So are you," she replied.
Jim dashed out of the cave, running on the walls and to the crystal staircase. He exited the cave, and for the next three hours ran around in the chilly November air. And also catching himself a meal.
…
Much to the three's relief, Claire came in and told them they could rest for a few minutes.
Jim would be pleased with the state they were in, and Maggie looked proud of her work. The veteran trollhunter also noticed the stones all over the forge, with the burlap bag empty.
They were drenched in sweat, and spotted with bruises, arms and legs scraped up, and clothes torn.
Having them sit around her, she began. "Do you know what the point of this is?"
"To make us suffer," Amanda said.
"So we can help fight?" Kyle asked.
"Because the blue troll's an ass." Alex said flatly.
Claire huffed, crossing her arms she spoke. "The point of this was for you to understand the minimum and basic amount of work it is to be able to live or co-exist with trolls, they get angry over small and petty things. I've seen two trolls almost kill each other over accidentally drinking the other's glug," she deadpanned.
"Ok, but we aren't going to be living with trolls, we get to leave as soon as we figure out Jim's and your's secret," Kyle pointed out.
"First," Claire said. "It's Jim's secret, not mine. And what did Jager and Jim tell you yesterday?"
The three looked at her with blank stares, Maggie looking incredulous behind them.
Claire face palmed and pointed to Maggie. "Mags, what was the emphasis?"
"Anything you want, you earn. You're staying here in trollmarket, that's a privilege. Whether you want to or not, you need to earn your stay. These early night training sessions are paying for your stay." Maggie stated.
Claire nodded. "Now, I bet you got really cold for those measly two hours of sleep you got?"
The three nodded.
"Jim set up an opportunity for you to trade work for blankets, let's get going," Claire said.
Amanda, Alex, and Kyle stood on wobbly, tired, and sore legs, following Claire out of the forge with Maggie left to clean up.
"So, the point of Maggie putting us through hell. That is our current equivalent to rent?" Alex asked.
"You could say that," Clare said.
"And we're going to go work for a troll?" Amanda asked, sounding quite afraid.
"Don't worry, Amanda. Badwella is nothing to be afraid of. She'll talk your ears off, but she won't hurt you.
The group walked through trollmarket, still not quite to its full potential, getting distasteful looks from the trolls around them.
"Is this why Maggie trains so hard?" Kyle asked. "Because trolls don't like humans, and it's dangerous to be around them?"
"What?" Claire asked.
"They're looking at us like they want us dead!" He yelled, then shrunk at his own volume.
Claire laughed and shook her head. "No, they're looking at you like they want you dead, you broke into their city, their home, which is protected by the strongest magical safe guards there are. They're perfectly fine with me. Besides, I could beat almost any of these guys in a fight with the right weapon, and they would never dare lay a hand on me anyways."
"Why's that?" Alex asked.
"I defeated Morgana Le Fe, helped save them. I'm also Jim's mate, and he would most definitely kill them if…"
"Woah woah woah, back up a sec, mate?" Amanda interrupted.
Claire laughed, nodding her head. "It's a trollish term, you could think of it as partner, or betrothed if you really want to. He's just more… defencive of me, then other members of his pack… Family."
"Why do you use all these weird trollish terms, if Jim's a human?" Kyle asked.
The group rounded the corner and stopped in front of Badwella's shop.
"You guys are asking the wrong questions, you're trying to find out Jim's secret. So first, you gotta ask the right questions."
"Alright, what's Jim's secret?" Alex smirked.
"Ha ha ha, that's not happening," Claire said. "Anyways, this is Bagdwell's shop, do what she says and you'll get blankets to use while you stay here. Don't run off, I'll be watching. When you're done helping her, and taking the blankets back to the cave, Jim or Jager will take you to Blinkey's library, he's going to teach you a bit about trolls."
Claire sauntered off, leaving the three with Badwella.
"Well, what delightful flashbags we have here. You were the ones the trollhunter was walking around at sword point, no? I guess you were sticking your noses in business that wasn't yours. I benefit from all this of course, such a nice troll, that boy, volunteering your help. Come, I'll show you what needs to be done."
The three moaned, realizing quickly that they would tire of the troll's voice and quirks.
Soon enough though, she had them moving crates of dirty socks, pans, blankets, and a whole bunch of other items the kids found extremely random.