Author's Note: This chapter takes place 400 years after the last chapter.
Present (part 1)
"Stay vigilant, Master Jim!" Blinky called up to the boy leaping across the shifting floor, "Take advantage of all your senses. Remember that each have the potential to sense danger."
Jim nodded before rolling left to avoid dissection via giant swinging Forge blade. He rolled once more before returning to his feet, only to duck as fire burst overhead.
Satisfied with the results (and taking into account that his charge was beginning to tier past the point of safety) Blinky pressed the Forge switch. Once the floor returned to being flat and immobile, he praised the young trollhunter.
"Excellent! I believe you've earned yourself a short break. Tobias said he brought you a snack. Might as well enjoy it."
"Yeah!" Toby cheered as he waved a paper bag back and forth encouragingly, "Hurry up before they get cold!"
Since the death of Bular, the portly teen had brought tacos to every other Thursday training session as well as a few broken VHS-tapes or hairballs for Arrrgh to snack on. Today Toby bought everyone their own individual bag of tacos, though Blinky was too lost in his thoughts to think to join them.
Draal had yet to join them either as he was practicing with his replacement limb. After Draal had given his arm for all troll kind, he'd been allowed back into Heartstone trollmarket and all of Blinky's doubts about Kanjigar's son protecting Jim were completely eradicated. The brute had become somewhat of a friend.
The only member of their group absent at the moment was Claire Nuniez. The blue troll quite enjoyed her enthusiasm in literature, the one place the boys fell short.
Blinky shook his head affectionately as Toby and Arrrgh shared a multi-step fist bump.
Arrrgh has been his closest friend for roughly four hundred years. After he defected from the gum-gums, not many would associate with the pacifist. It was pleasing to see Arrrgh make a new friend.
Jim decided to lob one of his tacos at Draal's back when the troll had ignored Toby's invitation to eat. The troll growled before brushing himself off and reluctantly joining the group.
Blinky's chuckle caught in his throat when a gravelly voice startled him from nearby.
"Some trollhunter! Fooling around, wasting time... It's just dumb luck that he managed to kill Bular."
Twisting around to face said voice, the historian was greeted by the sight of a slightly tipsy troll. It was the one who owned the cat meat stand closest to the tattoo artist's stall, if he recalled correctly. The troll didn't pass through the Hero's Forge all that often. However, the few times he did, he'd never paid their training any mind.
"I assure you it was far more than luck!" Blinky retorted, "And this is just a short respite. He's still very young and requires-"
"I guess it doesn't matter since it's not his fault he has a paranoid, unclaimed incubator for a trainer."
The blue troll tensed. He tried to speak, but no words formed.
The boy's took notice of the rising tension as both Arrrgh and Draal were now glaring in the newcomer's direction. Draal's countenance was one of simple irritation, while Arrrgh's mirrored his expression the day he'd defended Jim his first time in troll market.
"Look at that! I've managed to render a preachy incubator like you speechless."
Toby scooted closer to Jim as both their hulking friends were up and moving, deep growls occasionally filling their throats. The portly boy tugged at the other's shoulder plating.
"What's an incubator?" He whispered, only to receive a shrug in response.
They watched the scene before them. It seemed the stranger had yet to notice the advancing trolls, or simply did not care to acknowledge them.
He continued, "It's no mystery why Unkar was felled in his first battle. Your type has no place in a fight, much less teaching others how to-"
A hint of green light from his the corner of his eye and Draal knew that it would be difficult for Arrrgh to hold back if he got close enough.
Using his superior agility, Draal leapt over Blinky and delivered a sturdy kick to the newcomer's midsection. As the troll was forced to skid back, Arrrgh positioned himself directly behind his stout friend and growled once more. The tipsy troll scampered away.
Rage's green glow faded and the ex-gum-gum became hesitant. It had been so very long since anyone had the gall to use physical status to insult the historian. Of course the market troll probably wouldn't have dared said those things if he were of a clear mind... still.
"Blinky?" Arrrgh tried.
Blinky jumped slightly before turning to face the largest of their group, his expression unreadable.
"I-I'm fine... I just-" he glanced over to the other blue troll, "Draal, would you and Arrrgh take over for today?"
Before anyone could reply, Blinky too had hurried away from the Hero's Forge in the direction of trollmarket. Two very worried teens were now standing adjacent the pacifist.
"What's a matter with Blinky?" Toby asked only to frown when his wingman slumped significantly and didn't answer.
Draal placed his metallic hand on the larger troll's shoulder.
"Go on. I can handle it from here." He suggested, then gave the other a soft push.
Arrrgh nodded and trudged after his stout friend. Draal watched him leave quietly, and then addressed the two boys.
"Stay here, fleshbags. I won't be long."
"You're leaving too?" Jim huffed, "What exactly are you not telling us-telling me! I'm the trollhunter. It's my duty-"
"Why'd that guy call Blinky an unclaimed incubator?"
Normally, Jim would have elbowed his friend for interrupting, but Draal visibly bristled at Toby's query. His gaze drifted and his voice became dangerously low.
"Never repeat those words again, especially in front of Arrrgh or Blinky. It fact, forget either of you heard anything."
This subject was beginning to set Draal on edge. To hear a troll so blatantly shout someone's physical status... especially one of Blinky's status... it makes for all kinds of wrong... Which is why he wants to assure that it never happens again. He turned to leave, but the humans are nothing if not persistent.
"Why are you leaving? Didn't you tell Arrrgh you were going to help Jimbo train?" The red haired teen asked.
Draal sighed. The boys weren't going to stop and now they were following him.
"Look. I don't expect a couple of humans to understand our culture. All you have to know is the term 'incubator' is very... derogatory on its own. To call some troll an 'unclaimed incubator' is even more so." The blue troll huffed, "I'm on my way to teach that market troll a proper lesson."
Jim quirked a brow and he and Toby hastened to keep up with their agitated friend. Draal hadn't even realized his growing speed.
To be honest, all the trolls in Heartstone Trollmarket knew of Blinky's physical status. They on occasion would whisper behind the stout troll's back. Draal himself had been guilty of this once or twice. Now, however, that he's had the chance to better connect with their resident conspiracy theorist, he refused to tolerate such disrespect.
"The kick wasn't enough?" Jim frowned.
"I rather you two returned to the Hero's Forge than get involved in a matter you couldn't possibly understand." He said, stopping to face them directly, "And this is by no means the proper way for you to learn personal details about your trainer."
The trollhunter let his head fall forward with a long drawn out exhale before giving Draal a definite nod.
"Come on, Tobes." Jim wrapped an arm around the shorter teen's shoulders, "Don't kill him, okay Draal?"
"Never crossed my mind." He said, making sure the boys were on their way before continuing on.
Truth be told, he sent Arrrgh after Blinky in hopes to spare the tipsy troll. The large troll may be a pacifist, but Draal had seen him attack Bular.
Rage did many things to trolls. The son of Kanjigar was far from willing to see what it could do to an ex-gum gum who's defending his closest friend.
AN: Am I really supposed to ask for readers to review? Well, this is the only time I will. What's your thoughts on this fic so far?