Jim...Jim...Jim Lake...

My name is being called and I get closer to whatever it's calling it.

Jim Lake!

It calls again. I try to stop myself because an unknown voice calling your name is most likely NOT GOOD, but my body doesn't listen. Suddenly, there is a blinding light, as if the sun had come to screw with me. I gasp in shock as............................

................................................................................................................................................................ a giant mango, wearing a hula skirt and coconut bra is dancing in my room with a flashlight pointed right at my eyes.

Huh? That didn't sound possible, so I shook my head, sat up and yawned. I felt off but at least the mango disappeared. It was actually mo- Barbara in her pajamas, shining a flashlight at my eyes.

"Wake up. You have a meeting with Toby today, remember? You can't sleep until noon." – she said as she turned off the cursed flashlight.

– he also uttered a few curses in trollish.

"I may not understand you, but I can tell you are cursing! Stop it!" – she shouted from behind the door.

He grumbled some more, yawned and stretched, popping his back. He slowly stood up and headed for the bathroom, mindful of the doorframes. Soon he and Barbara were ready to go out and greet the new day.

"Jim!" – Toby waved enthusiastically from the other side of the street.

He waved back with a slight smile. Barbara got in her car and drove off to work.

...................................................................

It had been 2 years since Barbara officially introduced Jim to Toby and Nana Domzalski. It was quite risky and tense in the beginning, especially figuring a way for Jim not to look suspicious. Even now she didn't believe how easy she managed to register him as her son and everything. (Thank you Ross, for sleeping at work!)

....................................................................

"How can you not know about Go Go Sushi?! It's like the BEST game and it's super fun!" – Toby looked at Jim.

"I don't play that much games... It's also not so easy!" – Jim protested and looked away from his new friend's shocked face.

"Come on Jimbo! I bet I can teach a caveman how to play it faster than you!" Toby pointed at him "AH! Catch the shrimp! The shrimp, not the squid!"

Jim focused on the TV screen and tried to do what he was told. Why were these controllers so hard to use?!

===With Barbara, a few hours later===

"Dr. Lake. I'm so glad you had time to come, despite your busy schedule. Please, have a seat." – a tall middle-aged man told her.

Barbara pulled back a chair and sat across the desk. She had a look around the office.

'Wow, the carpet is really nice color...No! Focus Barbara!' – she shook her head.

"No, I thank you for having me Mr. Simons."

He was the principal of Arcadia Oaks elementary school.

"Looking at the records, your son has not been to any kindergarten nor had been taught privately and now you want him to start 1st grade this September... To be honest, I'm not too sure about your decision- "

"I understand. It's a bit complicated but I can assure you that Jim is very smart and can deal with school without a problem. Please!"

The principal looked conflicted. In the end he looked one last time at Barbara, sighed and made his decision.

"OK. I'll enlist him in school but it he is too far behind others, I'll have him suspended until he catches up. Is that acceptable for you?" – re asked her.

"Yes! Thank you very much!"

===Back with Jim and Toby===

"Bye Jim! See you next time!" – Toby cheerfully waved as Jim headed out.

He had been defeated yet again at video games but at least he was getting better. His first time had been abysmal and since then he has improved a LOT – he no longer has 0 as a score.

Jim entered his home and looked at the clock. He had 2 more hours until Barbara came back.

'I know! I will surprise mom with a dinner!' – he had accepted her as his mother long ago but stopped being embarrassed calling her that only recently.

He looked around and closed the curtains. After making sure no one could see him, he dispelled his 'Jim Jr.' disguise and then transformed into an adult man in his late 20s with blonde hair, green eyes, a windbreaker, jeans and sneakers. One of the minuses of his transformation magic was that he had to dispel his current disguise and then transform again. Jim double-checked in the mirror and when he deemed himself ready, he took some money and sneaked out of the back door. More than once he was grateful for the thick bushes and lush vegetation that grew behind their home. Yes, it could potentially house some goblins or gnomes but it had saved him many times when he went out to exercise in his troll form.

................................

Jim walked through the supermarket. He carried a shopping basket filled with some discounted pork and vegetables. He was currently looking at a nice bunch of grapes when the sliding doors on his right opened with their familiar DING. The breeze carried a particular scent to his nose. Despite not being as good in human form, Jim's nose could pick more scents than any human. He discreetly glanced at the figure that entered the store and he almost winced. He had been right; it WAS Stricklander. No one could smell like that this late in the day. He had crossed paths with him a few times when his father and the Gum-Gums hadn't been banished yet and from what he remembered of the changeling, he wasn't someone he'd ever like.

Stricklander may have looked mostly the same but Jim was VERY different from the whelp back then. He was not only older but currently looked like an adult human, had different voice and his scent had changed drastically from the past. He smelled like damp cave, mold, iron and a bit of blood, considering his diet when he was young, currently he had gotten rid of it and now smelled more like flower deodorant (Barbara's doing), spices and cooked food. Also changelings were completely human when transformed, so Jim looked away from him and continued his shopping, hoping to not be noticed by the changeling.

Finally, he went to the counter, paid his bill and walked away. As soon as he was sure he was far enough, he started running. He reached his home in record time, snuck in and hastily locked the back door. He panted and suddenly glowed.

Clank! – his sudden transformation caused his horns to collide with the lamp hanging in the hall.

– he growled under his breath.

Jim shifted into a more comfortable position and sat on the wooden floor, back carefully leaning on the door.

'What is he doing here?! I thought I would only need to watch out for the Trollhunter at night but now there are CHANGELINGS in Arcadia?! What should I do?' – he groaned ad slid a hand down his face.

He spotted the groceries in the plastic bag and carefully stood up.

"Welp! No need to be brooding over it right now. Time to cook!" – he always relaxed with cooking.

Soon he had a whole dinner prepared. Fresh cabbage salad, pork with potatoes in the oven, plate of sliced fruit with ice cream in the freezer and a few empty soda cans for him. His ear twitched when he heard the car parking.

"I'm home!" – Barbara said as she entered the house.

"Welcome back!"

"Mmm! It smells incredible!" – she took off her shoes and jacket.

"I know. I tried something new today. I hope it's as delicious as it smells." – he said and peeked out of the kitchen.

Barbara smiled, seeing the troll donning an extra-large white and red apron that looked too small on his chest

It always amazed her how things had changed for her during the past few years. From an ordinary woman that thought magic existed only in books to someone that had daily interactions with it, due to housing a teenage troll in her home. In fact, she could not imagine what her life might have been without Jim. She had gotten so used to his tall form or human disguise being in the house that she got worried when he wasn't there.

She went to help him with the plates but he ushered her to sit on the dining table. Plate after plate was placed in front of their seats. After that Jim took off the apron and transformed into his human form (small Jim). They ate, talked about their day, joked a bit. Barbara laughed at the flushed face of Jim when he told her about the video game.

"S-stop laughing! It's not funny mom!"

"Sorry, sorry. It's just... you know, being so good in so much things and barely being able to play video games is a bit funny...hehe."

He pouted and bit into some baked potatoes. At that moment Barbara bit her lip and decided to speak.

"Jim, you know that human children go to school, right?"

"Yeah. Toby told me how he was going this year. Why are you asking."

"According to the documents I registered you with, God, I still can't believe how easy I managed that, you are seven. And since you are seven and we don't want anyone from Social services come knocking on our door... You are starting 1st grade this September!" – she smiled.

– he was so surprised he almost fell off the chair.

"Surprise?" – she said awkwardly.

At that moment Jim looked as if his dinner had sprouted legs and had uppercutted him.

===Meanwhile in Trollmarket===

"What's troubling you, Kanjigar?" – Vendel asked.

They were currently in the library due to it being quieter and because Kanjigar looked like someone was hammering his skull with a Warhammer.

"I don't know... I just have feeling that something is happening here. Well... not here in Trollmarket but in the human city above and nearby." – he sighed and rubbed his forehead.

Vendel looked at him with his usual skeptical look. Neither of them noticed the 6 eyes watching them secretly.

"As you know, we've had several unconfirmed sightings of Bular in the nearby area, not to mention quite a bit of Goblins scuttling around the city. Last night I saw 3 run across the street."

"I don't see what's so alarming about that."

"You don't understand Vendel. I've also had dreams. Dreams about the past, about Killahead bridge..."

===Dream===

It was almost entirely black around Kanjigar. There were noises of battle, blades clashing and claws scraping stone flesh. Suddenly he's back at Killahead but realizes that he's suddenly without his armor. Almost everything seems foggy and unfocused, everything except him and Deya.

He knows what would happen. Gunmar would be defeated and the world would be safe. A roar of rage interrupts him as the blurry body of a Gumm-Gumm. He blocks him and throws the enemy away. Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he notices a bunch of whelps scatter, running away from their hiding spot. The Gumm-Gumm he threw had crashed in their hiding spot. He knew they were probably the young of some Gumm-Gumms because their whelps stayed at home, where it was safer, watched over by the elderly and those that can't fight anymore. He was appalled by the fact that there were children on the battlefield but he couldn't allow himself to be distracted. He turned around, preparing to fight.

A shocking, glowing blue eyes. – He saw them glance at him for less than a second before disappearing.

He was then sucked back through a swirling tunnel of gray smoke before waking up.

===end===

"I've been having this dream for a few days now." – Kanjigar finished his tale.

"That's – "– Vendel began.

"Aha! It must be a sign!" – Blinky jumped out of his hiding spot and rushed to search through the collection of books while muttering.

"Blinkous! What are you doing here?!" – Vendel stood up.

"I... might have overheard some things..." Vendel scowled and Blinky flinched a bit "... Don't you see it Vendel? This is a sign. An insight to the future! Master Kanjigar having this feeling and dreams so often MUST mean that something there is important and HAS to be seen! As you might know there have been quite a few prophet- "

"Enough! Stop with your ridiculous theories and conspiracies. Last moth you insisted there was a ghost in the market but it turned out to be a Gnome stuck in a jar. Now, if you'd please leave us alone for a while." – he gestured at the door.

"B-But there must be-"

"OUT!"

Blinky sulked but obeyed, leaving the two trolls alone, this time for real. They stayed in silence, only Vendel sipping from a cup here and there interrupted it. Kanjigar on the other hand couldn't stop thinking about Blinky's words and those familiar, way too familiar, blue eyes.

'What does this all mean? Is this dream really related to the future in some way?' – he wondered even as he headed out on his routine patrol around Trollmarket and the city above.