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Bad Coffee

After the announcement of the caught criminals, it was around noon, and Y/N, F/N, and Blinky were guiding two trolls for them to get back to their hideout. Blinky raised his staff to hit the sewer lid, and rubble scared the bejesus out of them. Blinky turned to the other trolls to stay quiet as he and Y/N went to check what the noise was.

They came across a scene they never expected to see. "Great Gorkus! What is the meaning of this insanity?" Blinky yelled. Jim was holding Nomura against the wall with his shield, choking her. Y/N saw his eyes were bright yellow with orange irises, almost like a changeling. Jim moved away, letting Nomura go, and she transformed into her human disguise, rubbing her neck. "What is she doing here?" Blinky ordered.

"And you," Blinky turned to Strickler, who stood up and rubbed his arm, "I should have known. Gunmar takes Trollmarket, and of course you slither out from under your rock." Y/N placed a hand on Blinky's shoulder, pulling him back. Jim's coughing brought their attention to him, "They're here to train me, not lecture me." Jim's voice sounded rough as he walked towards them with Daylight in his hand. "If I'm going to kill Gunmar..." Jim let out another cough, and Y/N, F/N, and Blinky backed away quickly as they dodged his swings, "I need to fight like Gunmar."

"Jim, your voice, your eyes," Y/N analyzed Jim. Y/N's foot hit something as she moved back. She looked down and picked up the tin can. She sniffed it and retched. Blinky grabbed it and sniffed it, also retching. "Yuck!" He looked back at the can and glared at Strickler, raising his voice, "You gave him Grave Sand. That's not meant for humans." He pushed the can back into Strickler's hold. "Grave Sand?" Blinky looked at Y/N. "Grave Sand is the pulverized bone dust of fallen Gumm-Gumms, which is often used to enhance one's feral instincts. Changelings use them to help shed their human forms and embrace their trollish natures," he explained, and Y/N nodded, understanding.

Jim was panting with anger in his changeling eyes as he raised Daylight. "Oh, dear." Blinky looked at Y/N, and she nodded. They walked towards him, stood in front of him, "Master Jim, look at us." Blinky placed his staff down, and Y/N placed a hand on his shoulder as he let down Daylight. "The reason the Amulet chose you is your humanity," Jim glared at her hand and moved away. Blinky grabbed both of his shoulders. "And following your human instincts hasn't failed you yet." Jim's yellow eyes started to flicker, and his eyes turned back to normal. His armor disappeared, and he started coughing. Y/N walked to his side and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I lost myself." Y/N rubbed his shoulder in comfort. F/N jumped on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Jim."

Strickler walked towards them, Blinky picked up his staff and turned to him, "Jim is a good kid, but a good kid can't kill Gunmar." Y/N glared at him, "Brutality and deceit won't suffice either." Blinky slammed his staff on the ground, "Sometimes deceit is the only option." Y/N moved between them, "Okay, that's enough from both of you." Jim coughed, his voice still raspy. "Lies may work for you, but not for me." He crossed his arms and Nomura let out a chuckle, "You lie to your mother every day." Jim argued back, "I protect her..." He let out a cough and looked away guiltily, "to keep her out of this."

"We have bigger news, by the way. According to Aaarrrgghh!!!'s reconnaissance, Gunmar left Trollmarket," Y/N said. A few hours ago, Aaarrrgghh!!! came to the hideout and told Blinky that Gunmar had left. Blinky then told her, "He still chases the Eternal Night." Nomura walked up to them with a frown, "Until we learn more, we must remain vigilant and use this time to prepare..." He glared at Strickler, "the right way."

"Let me just go grab my stuff," Jim said as he picked up his shoulder bag. Strickler showed him the Grave Sand, "We must take every precaution in the event Gunmar strikes." Jim glanced between the can and Strickler, then took it. He put it in his bag, and Y/N and F/N walked away with him out of the sewers. Once they were far enough, Y/N asked him, "Training with Strickler must be exhausting." Jim looked at her and shrugged, "It's going alright. Tough but nothing I can't handle.