It had been two weeks since Jim had spent the night on Strickler and Nomura's couch. As Strickler had suspected, Jim had woken up the next morning human again. And with a very confused Nomura staring down at him. It had taken a little while to get her up to speed, but she eventually accepted Jim's status as part troll. Even if she had fussed quite a bit more over his injuries. During those two weeks Jim and his friends had made some progress against Gunmar and the Janus Order. Jim had also spent a large portion of his time slipping off to the changelings' apartment to work on controlling his transformations. He also had not told his friends yet. And now he was getting ready to.

"Remember, Jim, your friends are loyal and kind. They are-"

"Not going to turn on me for something like this," Jim interrupted. "Yeah, we've been over that. Doesn't mean I'm any less nervous."

"Completely understandable. Now, shall we save the talk for those meant to hear it?"

Jim nodded as they approached the encampment. Their conversation died, and they traversed the distance to the central tent used as meeting hall and war room in silence.

"Ah, Master Jim!" Blinky greeted as Jim stepped through the tent flap. "It is good to see you survived another day!" His smile faltered slightly when he saw Strickler enter. "And why did you bring Strickler?"

"There's, uh, there's something I need to tell you guys." Jim's eyes darted over the trolls that were trying to get Blinky's attention to bring up various problems they had with the encampment. Luckily, Blinky seemed to get the message.

"Ah, of course. All right everyone, time to go! Private Trollhunter business!" The others grumbled slightly, but left. Some put up a fuss, but their complaints petered out until only Aaarrrgghh, Blinky, Claire, Toby, Jim, and Strickler were left. "Now, Master Jim, what do you need to tell us."

Jim opened his mouth, then shut it again and dropped his gaze. Then he tried again to tell them, only to find he didn't know what to say.

A hand took his. "Whatever it is, Jim," Claire said, "we're here for you."

"Yeah, man. We're not going anywhere."

"I- I don't know what to say."

"It's quite alright, Master Jim. Whenever you feel ready."

"Maybe it would be better if I showed you."

"Show?" Aaarrrgghh rumbled.

Jim nodded to himself, took a step back, and closed his eyes, concentrating.

"What is he-"

"He needs his focus for this, Ms. Nuñez. You'll see what he's doing in just a moment."

Claire sent Strickler a confused look, but fell silent.

"What was that?" Toby asked.

Everyone turned their attention back to Jim, who now had small green sparks dancing over his skin. It was nothing compared to the light created by a true changeling shifting forms, but was similar enough for the comparison. The sparks, while they were visible across his entire body, concentrated on his head and face. Slowly, his bone structure shifted, and horns grew from the top of his head. The paling of his skin was so gradual it was almost imperceptible, and Strickler doubted the others would notice it for a while yet. Eventually, the sparks stopped, and Jim's shoulders slumped, marking the end of the transformation.

"Jim?" Toby said.

Jim's eyes opened, but he kept his head down and his eyes on the ground.

"Chin up, Young Atlas."

"Jim, what- how?"

Aaarrrgghh walked over to Jim and started sniffing the nervous teen. "Not troll."

"Yes, Aaarrrgghh, Master Jim is no troll. The real question is, 'what is he?' presuming this is truly Master Jim." Blinky cast a suspicious squint in Jim's direction.

Jim rolled his eyes. If not for the fact that Stickler had the same concerns just a few weeks ago, he probably would have rolled his eyes as well.

"Master Jim, what was the first thing you said to me when we met?"

"Do I really need to say that?" Jim seemed to be blushing, but at least he was looking at them now.

"Yes. It is most important that we resolve this immediately."

"I screamed."

"Very good!" Blinky grinned. "Now that we know you are who you say you are, how exactly did this happen?"

"We don't know. It was rather sudden." Strickler answered this time, as Aaarrrgghh began smelling Jim again.

"Not human."

"Yeah, we kinda noticed." Jim sounded less than pleased.

Aaarrrgghh then moved over and smelled Strickler, who quickly pushed the larger troll away from him, then went back and smelled Jim again.

"Not changeling."

"Wait, Strickler," Toby interrupted Aaarrrgghh's inspection, "how do you know about this? Why are you even here?"

"I'm here for moral support, Toby. As for why I know…"

"I went to him the first time I transformed."

"Precisely."

"Master Jim, why would you-"

"I was tired and afraid. I didn't know what happened- still don't -or where to go. The only I could think to do was… well, I didn't think he'd freak out too much and he could probably figure something out." Jim shrugged and dropped his head again.

"But why not come to us, Master Jim. Surely we could be of help."

"If I may, young Atlas."

Jim frowned at Strickler, but nodded.

"Quite frankly, I don't think you could have been much help. We don't know what this is, or how it happened, but it does bear a resemblance to changelings, something I know you had limited information about in your library given that we never wrote these things down. Jim needed someone to help gain control over the transformation and to make him feel more normal. And anyway, you can't tell me he wouldn't have startled what's left of your community if he were to show up like this with no warning."

"Please, we most certainly-"

"He right. Jim need changeling help. Trollmarket not like changelings."

"Precisely my point."

"But what about us?" Claire asked. "Jim, why wouldn't you have come to us? Sure, Toby and I wouldn't have been able the same way Strickler or Nomura can, but we would have done anything we could."

"I- I was scared, Claire. I didn't know how you would react and I didn't want you to think I was some kind of freak. I didn't know what was happening and I didn't want to be seen. I honestly didn't even think of going to Strickler and Nomura until after I ruled out just hiding and trying to wait it out."

Claire took two swift steps forward and pulled Jim into a hug. Jim went stiff in surprise, his hands paused halfway between hugging her back and not, like he wasn't sure what to do with them. "Jim, you're still you. Nothing can change that. And I have a changeling for a little brother, I think I can handle this."

"Yeah, Jimbo, we're with you one hundred percent."

"I cannot say I don't understand your fear, Master Jim, but rest assured, it is nothing to worry about. Your physiology may have changed, but everything else is the same. Nothing can change that. If I recall correctly the Amulet of Daylight will not respond if the mind and will of a Trollhunter becomes corrupted, as it is no longer the Trollhunter wielding it, as demonstrated by Ingólfr the Incredible's brief stint under the control of Božena the Barbaric before-"

"Okay, that's enough," Claire interrupted after releasing Jim from her hug.

"Good to know, though," said Jim.

"The point, Jim, is we're here for you, and nothing's going to change that." The only time Strickler had seen Toby look more determined was right before Toby had hit him in the gronk-nuks during the Battle of Two Bridges.

"Jim is Jim," Aaarrrgghh agreed.

"Even if I don't smell like Jim?"

"Still smell like Jim. Not human Jim."

Jim smiled and aimed for the place in his head that Strickler and Nomura had helped him find to control the changes and pushed himself back to his human form. The green sparks danced once more over his skin and the horns and fangs retreated. The shift was smoother and faster than when he had changed earlier, and likely would only continue to as he became more comfortable with the transformations.

"Now that we have that settled," Blinky said, clasping two of his hands together, "we should start planning our next moves against Gunmar."