Joan sat on the little stoop outside Jim and Claire's hut, head hung low. She felt terrible for how she'd treated everyone. Her fear spurred hasty, foolish words, and she regretted every one of them. The trolls hadn't done anything to hurt her, and Jim and Claire were… great. Even after she snapped at them Jim asked if she had a favorite food he could make for her – from scratch. Homemade food was a luxury she'd never had, and Jim's cooking was delicious. But even with their continued kindness, Joan didn't know what to say to them.

I'm just an ungrateful, rude little brat… She shook her head and hid her face.

Jim came and sat beside her.

Joan was too ashamed to look at him.

"I erh… I hope you enjoyed the food," he offered.

Joan didn't respond.

"Erh…" He shifted; his unshod feet thunked from one wooden step down to the next.

"It was… really good… Thank you," she whispered.

Jim smiled. "You're welcome. I'm glad I still get to cook. It's just… one of the few normal things I get to do. It helps me take my mind off things, you know. Do you like to cook?"

"Don't know," Joan said. "Never tried."

"If you ever want to give it a go, just say the word," Jim said. "I could use a taste tester. I… can't do it myself anymore." He leaned back on his elbows and sighed.

Joan glanced at Jim. Sadness passed over his face, but it quickly disappeared.

"Joan, it's okay if you're not all right. I bet you've been through a lot of stuff, and this is almost too much to take in."

"I…" Joan swallowed hard. "I ran into Blinky's brother – Dictatious, right?"

"What? Oooh." Anger flashed in his eyes. "Listen, whatever he told you, it's probably not true! You can't trust him – at all. What did he say?"

"I… barely remember. It was just… scary. And Nomura… she's scary too. I know I've done some bad things, I just –"

"Hey," Jim said. "It's all right to be afraid sometimes. I get scared by these trolls too even if I know they're my friends."

Joan looked at him quizzically.

"I used to be just a normal human, you know."

"Seriously?" she said.

Jim nodded. "I wasn't strong enough as a human to defeat Gunmar and save everyone, so I had to become stronger, and that meant becoming part troll. But…" He held up his mismatched hands. "It's not that easy. Trolls aren't humans – they're an entirely different species. Sometimes it's easy to forget, but there are other times you see the differences plainly."

"Yeah," Joan agreed.

"Trolls are just people though. No two are the same. Look at Blinky and Dictatious. They're brothers – they share the same birthstone – but while Blinky wouldn't hurt anyone, Dictatious is as mean-spirited as they come," said Jim.

"Yeah, I see. It's not like humans can't be mean too," she said.

"You've been through some bad stuff, huh?"

Joan looked at the ground.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Jim assured.

Joan stared at the empty street. "Jim… can I… ask you a question?"

Jim nodded. "Sure."

"Um… What's an impure?"

The look on Jim's face changed to one of surprise. "Impure?" He groaned. "I told them not to use that word!"

"They… called Nomura an impure. Why did they do that? Do you know?" said Joan.

With a heavy sigh Jim shook his head. "I know it's hard for humans to see, but… Nomura… She's not like other trolls. She's… different."

"How?" Joan tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"A very long time ago, there was a great war between a troll named Gunmar the Black and the trolls of Trollmarket. The war ended last year, but it started over a millennium ago. Back then, Gunmar… stole a lot of young trolls and did horrible things to them. He changed them, made them into what's called Changelings. They have the ability to shift into a human shape, and Nomura is one of them."

"Wait… Nomura can change into the shape of a human?"

"Not anymore. I… kind of stole that ability from them at the end of the war," Jim admitted. "But, for a long time the rest of trollkind didn't consider Gunmar's servants to be real trolls. Actually, Gunmar and the Trollmarket trolls thought of them as lower beings and didn't treat Changelings with any respect at all. I still almost have to beat it into most of their skulls to treat them decently, but… a thousand years of mistrust isn't easy to erase. To Gunmar they were mindless tools, disposable. To Trollmarket… well…" Jim sighed. "They were impure. But now, it isn't about what they did, it's just about what they are – even though none of them asked to become Changelings."

"I had no idea…" Joan breathed.

"I doubt Nomura would tell you. She's too proud." Jim snorted. "They all were. I think they had to be. If they showed weakness, they…"

"They what?" Joan asked.

"They died."

Joan bit her lip.

"Weak Changelings didn't live long." Jim's eyes softened. "You know… I think Nomura sees herself in you. Except, with you, there's a chance to make different choices, build a different life."

"You think that's why she saved me?"

"I can't be sure, but I know this – Changelings were desperate creatures. They longed to experience something other than the miserable existence they were cursed with. When you were making progress learning to sing that's the first time I've ever seen Nomura happy."

"I don't know what she wants from me. It's confusing," said Joan.

"If I could take a guess, I think she wants you to be stronger, so you can make it through whatever life you want. Nomura's been through a lot – a thousand years of war and pain, forced to witness so much suffering. And yet, she helped me, even if it meant risking her own life. I want to pay her back. I want to find a way for her to be happy. So, if there's anything I can do, just tell me." Jim smiled. "Nomura doesn't even have to know. We can keep it between us."

For a moment, Joan stared at Jim hard, but then she nodded. "Okay."

"So, is there any particular dessert you like? I can cook anything. Name it, and I'll make it!"

"Erhm…" Joan hesitated, not sure what to pick. "Brownies? No, wait! Not brownies." She shook her head. "Do you… know how to make apple crumble?"

"Do I know how to make apple crumble? Hah! I make the best apple crumble! My Mom says so herself!" He grinned.

Joan laughed as she imagined the half-troll warrior running around the kitchen whipping up pie tart and apples.

"Claire!" he called as he scrambled up and rushed into the hut. "Would you mind making a quick trip to the surface?"

Joan heard the ensuing conversation clearly through the thin walls.

"What for?" Claire asked.

"I need you to buy some vanilla ice-cream," said Jim.

"What? Jim, you can't eat ice-cream. You'll be sick."

"That's the only way to eat apple crumble – with a scoop of ice-cream," Jim insisted.

"That's all right. I don't need any dessert today," Claire replied.

"Hey! Not everything's for you," Jim said. "It's for Joan. I asked what she likes, and she said apple crumble."

"Oh! Well, why didn't you just say so?" Claire retorted. Sixty seconds later she rushed out, purse slung over her shoulder. "Anything I can get you on the surface, Joan?" she asked as she passed.

"No, that's fine," Joan assured. "And… Jim doesn't have to make apple crumble, and you don't have to go get ice-cream."

"Pish-posh!" Claire said. "We'll have a party! Hey, you can come with me if you want. We can go to the surface together!"

Joan hesitated. "Well… Okay."

"Really?" Claire looked surprised.

"Yeah. I haven't been out for a while," Joan said. "Fresh air sounds nice."

Claire beamed. "Great! Nothing like a girls' night out! Come on." She grinned.

Joan blinked in astonishment at Claire's enthusiasm, but after two seconds of bafflement, she got up and followed the other girl, the hint of a smile on her lips.

This chapter has been editted by Dtill359