Notes: hey! How's everyone doing?

Chapter 7

[Hannah's pov]

Spending the night on the cold cement floor of a small basement while a troll does little more than stare and huff at you… those are not optimal conditions for a good night's sleep. Hannah isn't sure if she got more than an hour's worth. Hell, she's not sure if Anita slept much either.

Hannah had been awake long enough to hear Jim stumble to the basement door after his trip to Trollmarket, and ask Draal if everything was alright before heading upstairs. Sleep then continued to allude her for a while longer….

Morning was no treat either. They both woke up to the sound of Jim preparing for a day at school (he wasn't loud, but new places tend to keep people more alert). At least he was kind enough to bring a small breakfast down to his "guests" before leaving.

Eating said breakfast with a troll was awkward. Watching Draal shatter a few coal pieces with his teeth once again reminded the girls just how strong he was in comparison to themselves.

ttrroollly spent Jim's school hours listening to Barbara wake up and head to work, and then later convincing Draal to let them upstairs for a very much needed trip to the restroom.

Time dragged on and on until finally the young teen came bursting into the basement babbling about Claire asking him to babysit- "Just like we said she would." Hannah added, fully embracing her claim to be a witch. After an hour or so of chatting with the boy, he seemed to have warmed up to them somewhat. The conversation wasn't as tense as any the night before had been, and Jim looked ready to catch a changeling and was just now ready to accept their false identities (as well as their true intentions).

Hannah's surprised when Jim actually lets them outside the house until the boy explains, "Trust goes both ways." A really corny/cartoony thing to say, but noble still. Little does he know, he already has the girls' full trust and support. "If Claire's brother turns out to be a changeling, I'll meet you guys in the canal later tonight."

Now (after a mutual agreement between the pair to wait and follow Jim when he left for Claire's house) they stood across the street from said edifice, watching Claire and Steve ride away from a clearly distraught trollhunter.

"You ready?" Hannah asks, holding the thankfully non-confiscated gaggletack at her side.

Anita simply nods in reply as they cross the street. Sharing a quick glance with one another, they nod and ring the doorbell. At first they were planning to simply walk in, but this instead would more likely encourage the changeling to keep disguised. It seemed to have worked because a little blond baby could be seen still playing in his chair once Jim opened the door.

Not only do the girls plan to help Jim with his Trollhunting career, they plan to make his personal life a little easier. Starting with sparing the Nuñez household from a certain little green nuisance. As such, before the poor boy could get a word in, they step inside.

"Is this the baby?" Anita asks, walking straight for the changeling with a smile "He looks so sweet, hia little guy."

Step one: surround the changeling.

"Seriously, Jim? Three people to babysit one kid? That's what I call overkill." Hannah adds on to their façade. She keeps her one occupied hand behind her back as she steps behind NotEnrique, giving the teen boy a quick wink.

Step two: secure the changeling.

"Uh… y-yeah, but I've never babysat before." Jim's voice alone could be mistaken for embarrassment or nervousness, but his face is one of pure confusion. Luckily the changeling is too preoccupied with trying to grab Anita's glasses and giggling as the woman slowly begins to pick him up out of the seat. (Hannah makes a mental note to be careful; NotEnrique is great at acting.)

Which leads them to step 3: reveal the changeling.

Hannah moves her hand and the horseshoe she carried out from behind her back. "Not to worry. This little guy is in good hands-"

"Of course, but…" Jim steps between the woman and her target "He's just a baby, you know?" Something in his voice cracked a little, and Hannah was reminded of Jim's reluctance to check certain people in the tv show. His eyes are pleading that it all be a lie. That it isn't true. He wants to remain ignorant… he rather not check if it means another piece of his life could remain normal.

For a moment she's tempted to tell him to leave the room. However, another fake giggle from the changeling pulls her from that train of thought. Anita has shifted the babe to sit more securely in her arms, and Jim has to see the transformation sooner or later anyways. Now is the time to act.

"Sorry, Jim…" she whispers.

Hannah then sidesteps the boy and presses the cold metal to the infant's back.

[Anita's pov]

After having been trapped somehow in an animated cartoon and guarded by a grumpy (but amazingly cool) troll, Anita is surprised how well everything was going.

She knows she is trapped here…. Away from her home and family. That the one person here who understands what she's going through probably doesn't like her too much after not agreeing with her earlier, and to top it all off they're helping cartoon characters. Where there are probably dangerous cartoon villains as well…

Anita has been trying not to think about it though.

During their impromptu imprisonment in a basement, Anita had kept to herself, though she had studied Draal in fascination for the many hours they were left in there. It's not like she had slept well on the cold cement floor in a strange place with a troll watching her. At least Hannah seemed to have similar problems.

She had been able to hide the Horngazel when Drall left to talk to Jim though… that's a plus.

And now, now she's holding a baby. Anita is finding this very weird. She had babysat and looked after so many babies and toddlers, so she doesn't even pause when they get in the house, instantly going over to the little blond boy in his chair.

Over Anita's cooing she just makes out the sneaky conversation going on with Jim and Hannah, but her focus is on the baby currently holding her finger as she boops his nose.

Other than being a bit curious about the two people behind her, for a kid this age, Anita is very weirded out that this is supposed to be a grown troll (in all but size of course… she thinks that's right).

This was very strange, are all changelings this good at acting?

It only takes a moment for the blond toddler in her arms to turn into a small, green troll in a nappy. The flash of light that came with the change has Anita blinking her eyes to get rid of the spots in her vision, but it doesn't change how very, very weird it is having a baby turn into a baby-looking, adult troll in her arms.

The troll, Notenrique, takes a moment to just blink at Anita, seeming as surprised as her at his sudden change, and her lack of reaction.

That is until Jim mutters an "Oh gawd." behind the troll from where he stands with Hannah… Then all hell breaks loose.

Notenrique suddenly realizes he's been outed to the trollhunter and his gang (as who else could the two woman be? Strickler has so much explaining to do, not warning him about them!) and the small troll makes a break for it.

Luckily, having been used to squirming children, as well as squirming pets (which really a little troll is some kinda mix of) Anita is able to keep some hold of the green changeling. Though that doesn't stop her yelping as his claws try and pull himself away and she calls for help. "Guys! Some help here!"

It only takes a moment for Jim to join the wrestling match, really helping Enrique squirm as much as he's stopping him from escaping. It's only thanks to Hannah's quick thinking and a curtain tie that they get the little monster secure.

Anita and Hannah share a small moment of success at this triumph while the troll complains about being held by his scruff. They actually did it, did something that could make things better here.

Unfortunately, with the absence of chaos Jim seems to have registered what is going on a little differently than what happened in the show as well.

"It is Claire's brother…. They have Claire's brother! What are we going to do?!"

Watching the teen boy pace back and forth in the living room pulling at his hair, neither woman is particularly impressed. Anita wonders if they might hinder his character growth ….

She isn't left to think about the effects of their interaction with the events for long though. The troll against her chest, bound but not gagged (he'd probably eat whatever they used anyway) speaks up.

"Nothin'! That's what." the little changeling smirks at the Trollhunter, ignoring the quiet girls as he gets under the teen's skin, "I'm just a little baby. What you gonna do? Slay me? Good luck explain'n where their kid went with me out the picture." He grins before trying to squirm loose, "Can't keep me tied up forever either! Y'll get done for child abuse!"

Luckily, this line of panic and gloating is brought to an end by Hannah, being swift and purposeful as Anita has come to expect from her.

"We aren't planning on killing you." she tells the troll, stepping up to the little monster, ignoring the teen boy's questioning, "We're not?" as she continues, "In fact we want you to stay right here, as Claire's brother. Right where we can keep an eye on you."

Anita can tell Jim is about to comment again, this time in surprise rather than panic, and quickly gives a look to hush the Trollhunter before he makes himself look worse in front of the currently equally surprised changeling.

"You're… gonna just let me stay here? What's the catch?" Well, the troll seems interested in Hannah, at least he's stopped struggling in Anita's hold. This is going a lot better than she had thought it would!

Grinning slyly to herself, Hannah walks round and lounges across Claire's sofa, she knows its going well too. "No catch, we're just gonna watch incase you get up to anything. As long as this house thinks your the kid, what were you expecting? We don't exactly have the original back do we? And if we need some help from you, maybe we can make a deal."

Feeling that now would be an ok time to release Notenrique, Anita loosens her hold (and the curtain tie) yelping just a little as the troll gets loose and promptly climbs up her head to lean over and squint at Hannah, "Why should I help you? I got the power here."

"Soooo.." Anita finally adds in, "You don't want nice sweaty, few-day-old socks?"

"Wait wait, you didn't mention that!"

"If you get down and behave, you can have them. Please get off." The poor girl squeaks at the changeling on her head, the argumentative troll's claws being so close to her face are not reassuring at all.