The Witcher

Adventures in Trollsitting

Jim and Toby spent their day watching the new and improved Vespa slowly circle in the window their reflections had bounced off. Raelle, on the other hand, leaned against the building reading 'Beauty and the Beast' because she had no interest in the Vespa. Ever since Raelle found out what she was, she felt that her parents were a beauty and a beast.

"Check that baby out," Toby said as they watched with smiles.

Jim let out an exhale before speaking, "Vespa 300 GTS Super. Single-cylinder catalyzed four-stroke Quasar engine. Hmm... Can you imagine me going down the road on that? Wind whipping through my hair, Claire holding tight to my back..."

"And me, cruising in the sidecar next to ya," Toby said, cutting in, trying to dream as Jim did.

Jim gave his friend a slight glare, but it didn't come out threatening. Instead, the glare was adorable and still gave off a meaning but was not harmful.

"Uh, Toby, I think Jim imagined it as him and Claire," Raelle said.

"Oh. Ha, sorry," Toby chuckled.

Jim moved away from the window, letting out a large sigh as Toby stepped between Jim and the window they no longer had their focus on.

"What are the chances of your mom getting you one for your birthday?" Toby asked as he pointed backward at the display.

"Only slightly worse than me winning the lottery and buying it myself," Jim said with a small smile.

"How much have you saved, Jim?" Raelle asked her brother.

"Only 328 bucks and 32 cents. By the time I have enough, these things will drive themselves," Jim responded.

Jim and Raelle spot the reflection of a familiar creature in the window. A goblin had jumped on the roof of a building. In the goblin's arms was a wrapped baby, who had cried after being swiped from his home.

"Do you see that?" Jim asked with a gasp and pointed to the window's reflection as the Goblin ran off.

The pointing and the sudden gasp startled Toby and caused him to turn in the direction Jim's finger pointed while Jim turned away. Toby had missed the evidence. Jim and Raelle watch as the leader of the Goblins runs across a power line after making sure no human notices him.

"Goblin!" Jim cried out before he and Raelle chased after the Goblin.

"What?"

Toby turned quickly as his friends disappeared. He watched as Jim and Raelle ran after the evil creature.

"It's a goblin with a baby!" Raelle said.

Toby chased after his friends, thinking that they had become delusional.

"Come on, guys! It's just a bird!" Toby told them.

Jim and Raelle turned down an alleyway, following the kidnapper. The goblin let out a victorious and utterly disgusting laugh. The two siblings stopped at the alley's edge, finding no goblin because he was too quick for them. Jim and Raele searched the area, and Jim's eyes landed on a small stuffed animal lying helplessly on the concrete at his feet. His hand falls to retrieve the stuffed bunny gently. Toby had finally caught up to his friends.

"Chill out!" Toby said, "This trollhunting and witchering is making you hallucinate! I mean, what would a Goblin want with a baby?"

As Toby ranted, Jim inspected the stuffed child's toy. Toby caught sight of the stuffed animal in Jim's hands and peered over Jim's shoulder to see.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out," Jim said as he and Raelle looked up at where they last saw the Goblin.

Later that day, the three teens are in the Hero's Forge with Aaarrrgghh and Blinky. Since Raelle can change forms, Blinky has her taking part in training like Jim's, meaning almost no safety precautions. Raelle, in her gargoyle form, and Jim, with a rope tied around his waist, are climbing a not-so-smooth rock side. Toby, Blinky, and Aaarrrgghh watch the two from above. Aaarrrgghh holds the rope tied around Jim's waist to prevent him from falling to his death. As they trained, Jim and Raelle had told Blinky and Aaarrrgghh about the goblin leader carrying a baby.