Things were calm, repetitive as Jim continued with his already abnormal life. He was the Trollhunter, a changeling, a human, but he was also just Jim.

Jim spent time with Strickler between classes, allowing Toby with him after telling him of his mentoring from the elder changeling. There was no honor among assassins, but Strickler liked him, and tolerated Toby enough to answer their questions of history.

It was interesting, fun even to goof around with Strickler and Toby. The young Changeling thought of the elder somewhat like a father, It helped that his mother seemed to like Strickler romantically, leading to many a family dinner between the three. Sometimes, Toby came along too.

This morning, they were going to school early, both boys walking through town among the slowly rising sun. Jim glanced up at the sky, a light frown on his face. His senses were lessened in his human form, that was true, but he thought he'd heard a goblin. Usually they slept during the day, maybe they were just going to bed late?

"Wakachaka!" He called out, looking around wildly until he noticed a goblin on a telephone line, it held a bundle in its hands and Jim flinched away, a whine in his throat. Shit, they were bringing another changeling here. He cursed outloud, taking off in a run to chase after the goblin, who ignored his frustrated cries as it vanished with the crying child.

He might've been favored by the leader of the goblin, but not all of them enjoyed his company. He discovered that quickly when he was led to a wall, an alley way filled with trashcans and... a toy?

He picked it up, surprised by the soft material in his hands. It was a plushie, a small pale rabbit that smelled of humans and spices. He scowled, a small growl rising in his throat. He stomped his foot, frustrated and angry. He was the Trollhunter! He should be stopping them! He shouldn't allow anyone else free of the darklands, that was his duty. But his morals? his changeling siblings? he couldn't leave them in such a place. He'd heard of it, he'd seen depictions and heard of first hand accounts. No, no one innocent deserved to be trapped there. Not changelings, not trolls, not humans or whelps.

"-im!" He felt his chest get tight, his teeth grinding against each other, too large for his mouth. The morning wind flapped his ears, his scruff and his hair, it sored through and made him shudder. it was too cold and Jim just knelt down, claws digging into the toy.

"-im!" No, he wouldn't let another person suffer there again, he wouldn't let another changeling become loyal to a king that merely used them for labour, he was the Trollhunter and it was his duty to answer every call.

"Jim!" A hand grabbed his shoulder and Jim moved, tearing himself away with a snarl and bared teeth. Toby stood in front of him, hands held out placating as if he was calming a beast. Which, he was in a way.

"T- Toby?" The soft rumble of his voice caught Jim off guard and he wiped at his face, salty and warm tears feeling odd against the cold stone flesh. he huffed, his nostrils flaring as he curled his body up, frustrated and tired. He let out a cry again, allowing Toby to hug him as they sat on the ground of an alleyway.

"Trollhunter!"

The two flinched, a roar shaking the ground beneath their feet. Jim caught the stench of blood and rot, gagging on the smell as he stood on shaking legs."No... No no no no no-"

"Trollhunter, face me and so I can make a goblet from your skull!"

"Tobes, Tobes! Run! Go! Get to the bookstore!"

"The bookstore? We could just go to Trollmarket!"

Jim growled, grabbing his horns and tugging with unnecessary force. He picked Toby up, ignoring his surprised yell as he started running, keeping to the few shadows around them. A hulking monster was following them, teeth bared and snarls cutting through the calm morning air. A troll, Bular, the gumm gumm prince. Jim hiccuped, running until he knew it was safe, crying from terror, fear, and adrenaline. He hated this, he hated running, he hated his life. But he had a job.

The bookstore tore open with a slam, the freshly opened doors kicked open by a panicking Jim. Bular chased after them through town, keeping to stray cars and trucks and buildings, anything and everything to keep up with his prey.

Blue magic covered the tall windows as Bular slammed into the door, not quite tearing it from its hinges but making it rattle and shake, various runes on display and woven into the magic around the store.

Jim let out a scream, a sob that tore through his shaking body. He let go of Toby, falling to his knees and pressing his face to the ground, ears twitching at every miniscule sound, claws digging into the wooden floor beneath him.

"Jim, Jim... Jimbo, come on we're alright. We're safe... At least for a while... This is the place you told me about, the place with those awesome cookbooks you like. You're ok, you're safe..."

An unsettled scruff, standing on end and hair bristling as Toby carefully combed his fingers through it. They stayed like that for who knows how long, until Jim finally calmed down. The experience led them to missing school, but Douxie was nice enough to get them tea so they didn't feel too bad.