Miraculous Hunters Rewritten: Book 1

Chapter 42: A Troll-Sized Predicament Part 1

(A/N: This is the first of many original chapters that are connected to the story happening in this crossover. In this one, it properly introduces two reoccurring characters that will play vital parts throughout the story from here on out. So keep an eye out for scenes involving these characters in later chapters.)

(Italics: Troll)

It was now the day after Nino's second appearance on 'The Challenge'; he obviously won again; and Marinette was now in her room working on her Troll. During the week since she first started learning the language, Marinette surprisingly picked it up quickly with Tikki's tutoring and the assistance Jim had given her for the cipher. Granted, she still had a long way to go in being able to hold herself in a conversation with the language, but she was getting there.

"Now repeat after me: Can you show me where the arena is?" Tikki recited in Troll, her accent perfect as she demonstrated the words for Marinette.

"Okay. Can you show me where the marinea is? " Marinette repeated for the third time that day, accidently mispronouncing one of the words...again.

"Oooh, you were so close. You only mistook 'arena' for 'marinea'. But it is a massive improvement from earlier." Tikki corrected, praising her holder for the progress she was making.

"Ugh, reading Troll is proving to be easier to do than speaking it." Marinette groaned, slamming her head against her desk out of frustration. At least the symbols were easy to remember... but the language was a pain to learn.

"Even then, let's try it one more time before calling it a day. Deal?" Tikki offered, causing Marinette to sigh and look up from her desk as she looked back at her kwami/tutor.

"Fine by me." Marinette sighed out, hoping to get it right this time so she could take a break.

"Okay, listen carefully this time. Can you show me where the arena is? " Tikki repeated, taking the time to articulate the words this time.

"Can you show me where the arena is?" Marinette recited, finally getting the sentence right.

"Excellent, Marinette! You finally got it!" Tikki praised, flipping in the air as she celebrated.

"Thanks Tikki! I'm just glad that this didn't take as many tries as 'Greetings, I am Ladybug. It is a pleasure to meet you.'." Marinette sighed out in accomplishment, leaning back in her chair as she finally relaxed for the day. "At least I unintentionally learned how to threaten a Troll when learning how to pronounce that one. It might come in handy." the designer smirked, happy to have a new verbal remark in her arsenal for the future.

"Let's hope that possibility doesn't come up too soon, though. You still have a long way to go." Tikki voiced as she watched Marinette pull out 'A Brief Recapitulation of Troll Lore' from the book holder next to her computer.

"You said it." Marinette agreed. "But I meant what I said before. Reading from the language is easier than speaking it." she admitted as she opened the book, which landed on depiction of the Changelings as they fought against the good Trolls.

"So these are the Changelings. The trolls that can change into humans." Marinette spoke aloud, taking the time to fully analyze the shapeshifters in the book, seeing as the only Changeling she had seen was Nomura.

"Yes. Like Blinky said, the Janus Order had done many horrific things to create the Changelings. And they've used that skill for numerous nasty deeds in Gunmar's name." Tikki elaborated as she flew over to Marinette and sat on her shoulder to look down at the pages she was looking at, her voice filled with disdain as she spoke of the Changelings. However, Marinette could feel the seething rage her kwami was burying as she kept glaring at the pictures.