Not long after the Grit-Shaka incident, Jim, Raelle, Toby, and many other students were in class listening to a lecture taught by Strickler. His classroom was dark except for the large projector screen was lit up, a map was locked on the screen, army men, tanks, and many red lines were colored on the olden map.
"War is constant chaos," Strickler spoke, his face twisted seriously as his fist was raised injustice, "The winner will be the one who controls the chaos, both his own and his enemy's."
As he spoke, many students were trying to keep their eyes open, and some had failed.
"Napoleon's words show an unquenchable need for conquest. A man who could not be stopped," Strickler clicked a button on the remote, showing the same exact screen from the time, "So, what was the French general's downfall? Did he stare down the barrel of a cannon?"
Strickler had finally taken notice of the silence and boredom of his class.
"Did he die from the deafening silence of a classroom?"
The students laughed, obviously enjoying their teacher's joke and waking themselves up, but three had not laughed. Jim, Raelle, and Toby watched from the way back, glares plastered on their faces and wanting to take out Strickler then and there. Raelle did more glaring than Jim and Toby.
"Look at that. He's got the whole class eating out of his hand," Jim said.
"His creepy troll hand," Toby spat, typing madly on his phone.
"I trusted him. He betrayed me and Raelle. And worst of all, he hit on my mother," Jim lightly punched his desk aggravated.
"We should end him right now," Raelle suggested as her eyes briefly flashed red. She dragged the nails on her right hand onto her desk, leaving claw marks.
"Or you can ask him to divulge the whereabouts of the bridge that could release unspeakable evil? I don't know. Do you think Strickler knows you're the Trollhunter and the Witcher?" Toby asked.
"Bular called me "Young Atlas" and Rae "Young Artemis"," Jim told him.
"There is only one person who calls us that, and that person is Strickler," Raelle reminded Toby, "Of course, he knows."
"But he doesn't know we're onto him," Jim added before he and Raelle looked at their once-trusted teacher.
"Malaria," Strickler gestured to the screen, a picture of a Mosquito was now covering the projector, "The world's most powerful army felled by the bite of an insignificant insect."
The bell rings, causing the students to stand before they could exit the classroom.
"One last lesson. Who can tell me where Napoleon kept his armies?" Strickler asked his students before answering, "In his sleevies."
The class groaned as Strickler laughed as he walked off the screen. Strickler walked right up to Jim and Raelle, who were glancing in Toby's direction.
"Young Atlas. Young Artemis," Strickler said.
That simple term had caused Jim and Raelle to stand. Toby ran to his friends' sides, not wanting to leave them alone with such a despicable Changeling.
"If I could have a brief word before you two leave. Alone, please," Strickler said.
Jim and Raelle continued to look at Strickler while Toby leaned into Jim and Raelle's ear.
"Not until after he divulges where the bridge is," Toby whispered and ran off.
"Uh, is everything okay?" Jim asked, his fingers tapping the desk.
Strickler's eyes fell on the boy's backpack. Jim used his foot, pushing the bag away as the amulet was in view, sitting on top of his items.
"Actually, no," Strickler answered as he leaned on the desk, "Due to recent developments, I don't want things to be strange between us."
Jim humped before he and Raelle shyly looked away. They wondered what recent developments Strickler actually hinting at.
"Your mother has invited me over for dinner. I've graciously accepted. Will that make things awkward?" Strickler asked.
"Awkward? No, no, no," Jim answered.
"It's just dinner, after all," Raelle added.
Strickler continued to fiddle with his pen, "Splendid. Then I shall be seeing you two this evening."
As Strickler walked away, his back to Jim and Raelle. Jim saw his sister's eyes flash red again as she glared and growled at their Teacher. Jim joined his sister in glaring.
Raelle stood outside the boy's locker room. She was talking to Jim and Toby, both inside, on her phone.
"He's coming over for dinner?!" Toby yelled.
"I know. I thought it was a bad idea at first but think about it. This could work in our favor," Jim said as he watched Toby fall back off the bench.
Toby had failed at putting socks on once again. Jim lightly rolled his eyes while Toby sat back on the bench.
"Totally. Like how?" Toby asked.
"Well, he practically lives in his office, right? So, if he's busy with Jim and me. You, Blinky, and Aaarrrgghh can break in. See if he's hiding anything about the bridge," Raelle told him.
"Covert operation." My two favorite words! After "taco truck," of course," Toby said happily.
"No more secrets. No more lies. It's all coming out. Tonight," Jim placed his hand on Toby's shoulder and stood up, heading to the locker room door.
"If you, Blinky, and Aaarrrgghh can find out where the bridge is, then it is goodbye, Strickler," Raelle said before Toby and Jim walked away from the locker room.
Raelle ended the call when Jim and Toby left the locker room, and the three teens walked away.
That night, Jim and Raelle were in the basement of their house with Draal.
"I do not approve of this plan. It lacks a certain "killing the changeling" component," Draal commented.
"I would love to, but not until they locate the bridge, okay? And find out what he wants with me and Raelle," Jim told him, stirring a bowl of mashed potatoes.
"We could rip off his limbs, make him talk, more like scream. Now that sounds like a good plan," He said, liking his plan better as he clenched his fist.
"I agree with Draal, Jim," Raelle voiced.
"No, no ripping anything," Jim told Raelle and Draal. Jim looked up from the bowl, not making eye contact with Draal as he tossed the whisk around, splattering some mashed potatoes in random places, "My mom... ugh! She kind of likes him. And since she's here, I can't have you busting chops unless it's a last resort, and only if it's a last resort."
"How will I know this "last resort"?" Draal asked, sighing.
"Okay if everything's cool, I'll stomp once. If we run into any trouble, me or Raelle will stomp twice. Got it?" Jim asked, still throwing the creamy food all over the place as his hands went wild with gestures.
"Two times. Then I tear his limbs."
The doorbell rings from upstairs, catching Jim and Raelle's attention.
"Come on, Jim. Let's get this over with," Raelle said.
"Just stay down here. And no limb tearing," Jim said, walking sideways up the stairs with Raelle before opening the basement door.
Once they made it up the steps, Jim closed the door, and they headed around the corner, only to see their traitor of a teacher talking to their mother in the doorway.
"Hello. I didn't know what varietal you like, so I brought a pinot noir, the "heartbreak grape"," Strickler said.
"We don't judge here," Barbara gently took the wine from his hands and chuckled lightly, "All kinds are welcome."
Jim and Raelle gagged at the interaction between their mother and teacher. Barbara headed into the kitchen, leaving Strickler, Raelle, and Jim alone in the same room.
"Mr. Lake. Miss Lake," Strickler greeted his two students.
"Mr. Strickler," Raelle and Jim said with smug grins.
"Please, my friends call me Walt," Strickler told them.
Once Jim and Raelle moved out of the way, Strickler walked passed them.
"What do your enemies call you?" Raelle asked, chuckling.
As Strickler turned with a slight glare. As he turned away and continued into the kitchen, Jim's grip tightened on the whisk, and it clattered against the bowl as he angrily mixed it. Raelle's eyes briefly flashed red before returning to normal.
"Come on, Rae. Help me with dinner," Jim grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her into the kitchen, "I'm afraid if I leave you at the table, you'll kill Strickler before we have a chance to ask him questions."
Raelle kept her mouth shut as she and Jim went into the kitchen. Jim swiveled a steak around on the pan, sizzling as it cooked. While Raelle continued stirring the potatoes for Jim. The two watched with anger as they watched Strickler interact with their mother, being fake as can be.
"Hints of tart without being promiscuous. If you know what I mean. Yes," Strickler said.
Barbara laughs, the two enjoying the time while Jim and Raelle are not. The two watched with pure rage at Strickler's closeness with their mother before Raelle slammed the kitchen shudder, hiding from the two adults.
Jim held his phone up to his mouth and whispered into it, "The teacher is in the hen house, mission is a go."
"Copy that, Trollhunter," Toby responded, "I'm waiting at the rendezvous point."
Toby then ended the call, leaving Jim and Raelle to finish cooking. When Jim and Raelle finished cooking the meal, they brought it to the dinner table.
Throughout the meal, Strickler and their mother continued to talk to one another as if it was a date. And it made Jim and Raelle sick to their stomachs seeing their teacher, the man they now know is their enemy, flirting with their mother. Jim was picking at his food as Raelle merely glared at her teacher. Jim eventually looked at his sister, worried she would go across the table and kill their teacher.
"Yes, absolutely. So I said to my co-worker, "I brought you a midnight snack." Too bad for him, he had indigestion for days," Strickler said, causing Barbara to laugh before she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, "Well, that's the problem with eating Italian."
Jim and Raelle listened to the story with a pure, meaningful glare. The two were laughing, enjoying the story. The two seemed close... too close. The laughs seemed to mock Jim and Raelle as they watched their mom rest her chin on her folded hands, looking at Strickler with a sense of love and trust. Raelle's eyes briefly flashed red in anger before returning to normal.
Barbara's phone bussed, causing her attention to drift. She gently grabbed it before reading the name, "Oh, I'm sorry, it's the hospital. I have to take this."
"Go, go. I'll try not to bore Jim and Raelle to death," Strickler told Barbara.
Barbara left the room as Strickler snorted while Jim rolled his eyes, and Raelle glared at him.
"That's a funny story you were just talking about," Jim commented before asking, "Who was it again you were forced to work with?"
"The superintendent's son. He's a bit bullish," Strickler replied.
"'Bullish." Huh. That's an interesting word," Jim commented.
"From what you've said about him, he sounds like a real monster," Raelle said.
Jim and Raelle played along smoothly, causing Strickler's face to drop into an evil smirk.
"Yes. I know," Strickler replied.
"You know what?" Jim questioned.
Jim dropped his fork as his finger rubbed the smooth metal of the knife. Strickler quickly grabbed his knife, cutting it into his steak as he spoke.
"I know you know," Strickler informed Jim and Raelle before he ate a small piece of meat.
Jim decided to do the same thing, cutting and eating the meat on his plate. Obviously, it meant a simple threat.
"Hm. How much do you know?" Jim asked.
"You didn't know I knew, but now you know, I know," Strickler replied before eating another piece.
"Well, we know you know that we know," Raelle said.
"So, I guess we all know," Jim said.
Jim tried to pop a pea into his mouth, but it dropped from his fork and rolled. While Jim tried to catch the escaping pea, he and Raelle kept eye contact with Strickler until his eyes drifted to the pea that Jim finally managed to stab. That whole time, their grins never faltered.
"Bular called you "Young Atlas" and "Young Artemis" to force this very moment. He told me, if I can't get you to hand over the amulet, I should kill you both," Strickler explained to his students.
"You would kill us in front of our mom?" Raelle questioned with a raised brow.
"Granted, your deaths might affect our relationship, but I will if I have to," He responded.
"That's funny. I was just thinking the same thing. How about you tell us where the bridge is, and I'll convince my sister to leave your head attached to your body?" Jim suggested with a stern glare.
Raelle chuckled before she growled, and her eyes briefly glowed red.
"It seems we each have something the other wants," Strickler said.
Barbara steps into the dining room, stopping the threatening conversation between the teacher and students.
"You three want something while I'm up?" Barbara asked nicely.
"I'd love a sharp knife, for the steak," Strickler responded.
"Oh, me too. Sharper the better," Jim pitched in.
"Would you like one too, Raelle," Barbara asked her daughter.
"No, thank you, Mom. I'll be fine," Raelle replied.
"I'll be right back," Barbara turned her back on them. Suddenly, their kind looks turned into vicious scowls towards one another.
The happy faces returned when Barbara came back from the kitchen. For the next hour, dinner was peaceful, normal, and civilized. But the three were merely biding their time until Barbara left the room. And they knew it was soon since dinner was over.
"I'm stuffed. I can hardly move," Jim stated as Strickler pitched in
"Jim, your cooking alone should warrant you an 'A'," Strickler commented.
Jim wanted to scowl at him, while Raelle wanted to reach across the table and knock the Changeling out, but they gave a small smile, knowing their mother was still in the room.
"I hope you saved some room for some hot apple pie," Barbara said as she stood up and grabbed the plates, "I just need a second. Talk amongst yourselves."
Once Barbara left the room, the three glared at one another. This time, they pushed the chairs from the table. Jim and Strickler grabbed the knives. While Strickler simply lifted his up, Jim twirled his in his fingers.
"Give me the amulet," Strickler chuckled.
The three circled around the table. While Jim and Strickler held up their knives, Raelle's fingers became claws. Jim and Strickler began twirling their knives.
"Over my dead body," Jim responded.
"I know what you're both capable of. I know what you're both not capable of. I know Jim has a thing for Claire, and I know Raelle wants to beat up Steve. I know you'd both do anything for Toby. You both want to keep your mother out of this, and Jim looks to Blinky as his surrogate father. Poor Jim and Raelle. I even know as we speak, your adorable little friends are breaking into my office," Strickler said, "Do you think I'd be so foolish as to leave important information lying around unguarded?"
"But did you know that Draal is in my basement?" Jim's foot taps onto the floor, twice. Jim and Raelle still wore smirks, thinking that Draal understood the message. Jim tapped again, but Strickler glared and only tapped once. The two went back and forth.
The blender whirred, causing Jim and Raelle to turn their heads and become distracted. Strickler took the chance and flew at them, but Jim pushed Raelle out of the way and, with his quick reflexes, stopped the knife with his own. In the kitchen, Barbara was confused as she read the cookbook and watched the smooth paste in the blender.
"Not a very good guard dog, is he?" Strickler mocked Jim as they continued to fight.
The two fought with the knives, Jim being disarmed quickly. Strickler tried to swipe at him again but missed causing Jim to back into the table, and Raelle bought Jim some time by ramming into Strickler, knocking him to the ground.
"Not much, but it's all we got," Raelle said before she handed her brother a fork.
Strickler charged at Jim, who pushed Raelle out of the way again and tried to swipe him again, but the fork's tongs had stopped the knife by jamming the two together. Jim kept the knife stuck in the fork, ticking off Strickler. While her children fought for their lives, Barbara was in the kitchen, occupied baking a pie. And the pans tipping out of the cupboard kept her in there longer.
"Now, it's my turn to let you in on a secret. While you two might have had this Draal in your basement, I have an Antramonstrum in my office," Strickler revealed.
"A what?" Jim and Raelle asked.
"Oh, it's just a vaporous creature. Dormant until disturbed, shockingly fierce, and excellent at erasing sneaky snakes," He explained.
Barbara continued digging into the cupboard, making sure all the pots and pans had stayed, but one had fallen out. As a pan fell, so did Jim as he slammed into the floor and raised the knife, but Raelle reached out from under the table and grabbed Strickler's ankle. She pulled her teacher's ankle and Strickler slammed his chin into the table, and the simple thud caught Barbara's attention. Jim grabbed the knife, and the two siblings stood side by side as Strickler felt his sore jaw. Strickler's eyes suddenly were colored red similar to Raelle's, and he was filled with pure rage filled as he stood.
"Enough," Strickler growled as green smoke and lightning covered his body, a harsh hiss accompanying it, transforming him into his Troll form. Jim cried in sudden panic, never seeing his teacher like that. But Raelle gasped in the realization that she had and recognized him as the Troll that carried her to Bular.
"What do you think? Good look for picture day?" Strickler sarcastically asked.
"You?" Raelle gasped as her eyes grew wide. Her eyes then narrowed, and she spoke in a furious tone, "You!"
Dark purple and black smoke with light purple electricity consumed Raelle as she transformed. When it cleared, she was in her Gargoyle form. Raelle charged at Strickler, ready to swipe her right-hand claws at him, but he grabbed her wrist. Raelle tried again with her left-hand claws but he grabbed that wrist too. Raelle gave her teacher a wicked grin before she headbutted him. She then brought her feet to his chest before pushing off of him, causing Strickler to slam into the wall as Raelle landed beside her brother.
Strickler reached for his metal feather-like collar, pulling out some knives and throwing them at his students. Raelle used her gauntlets to deflect the knives, but one nearly cut Jim's fingers and caused him to drop the knife in his hand. While Jim held his fist, he watched as Strickler headed over to his backpack and reached in it with an evil cackle. When Strickler searched the bag, he found nothing and tossed the useless bag to the side.
"Give me the amulet," Strickler ordered.
"You want the amulet? Come and take it," Jim breathlessly said as he pulled out the amulet, "For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command," Jim, now in his armor, pulled out his sword, "How do you stop the Antramonstrum?"
Strickler eyed the sword Jim had pointed at him before grinning and speaking in his hoarse voice, "Your friends will never survive!"
In the kitchen, the teapot whistled as the familiar sound of the amulet was barely heard, but the blue glow was visible, right before Barbara opened the door with the kettle. Strickler and Raelle were now human and Jim was no longer in his armor. The three were sitting at the table with happy smiles.
"Anyone want coffee?" Barbara asked.
"Decaf for me," Strickler replied.
After Barbara returned to the kitchen, Strickler, Raelle, and Jim stood up and glared at each other again. Strickler and Raelle transform while Jim's armor reappears. The three begin circling each other.
"Time to teach my star pupils a new lesson," Strickler said before he took a swipe at Jim.
Raelle grabbed Jim by the arm and pulled him behind her. Allowing Strickler to strike one of her armored wings. Raelle lowered her wing for Strickler to see her eyes glowing with rage.
"Time for some payback for what happened on my birthday, Strickler," Raelle said before giving her teacher a wicked grin as she decided to put her martial arts training to some use.
Strickler went to strike Raelle, but she grabbed his arm in time and did a hip throw. Strickler grunted from the impact when his back hit the floor in the hallway. Raelle let go of his arm before she and Jim stood a few feet from their teacher in the hallway.
In the kitchen, Barbara, oblivious to what's happening outside the kitchen, pulled out the pie with flames on it.
"Oh, boy," Barbara winced before she grabbed some whipped cream from the counter and topped the flaming pie, "I'll just be a few more minutes, okay? Everything's fine." She covered it with more whipped cream, stopping the flames.
Jim and Raelle glared at their teacher as Jim held up his sword and Raelle held her scourge.
"This war is millennia older than you. You can't stand against the tide of history. Gunmar is inevitable," Strickler told them before he tossed more spikes in their direction, but Raelle blocked the blow with one of her wings by using it to shield herself and Jim.
"If you care about your mother, don't fight it. You two were always my favorites. Don't you see? I'm only trying to protect you," Strickler told them.
"Ha!" Raelle laughed, "Are you sure? Cause it doesn't feel like it."
Strickler tossed another spike toward their direction, but Jim blocked the blow with his sword. Strickler threw more spikes at the two teens, but they were stopped by Raelle's armored wings. When the last and final spike was thrown, Raelle moved her wings so Jim could hit it like a baseball back at Strickler. It barely grazed the Troll as Jim and Raelle stood with an unamused glare.
"We can take care of ourselves," Jim told his Changeling teacher.
After being rejected, Strickler grabbed more small knife-like weapons, each resting between his fingers. He swiped his hand at Jim, the boy easily dodging it. Jim jumped onto the chandelier in the living room, swinging in a circle to easily kick Strickler down. As Strickler tried to get up, Jim jumped down, pulled his arm back, and pressed the sword to his throat.
"My arm!" Strickler grunted.
"Where's the bridge?" Jim asked, tightening his grip.
"I'll never tell you!" Strickler replied.
"Where is the bridge?!" Raelle repeated her brother's question. The smoke and lighting appeared in Raelle's hand, and her sword, Mor'du, was forming.
"Who is ready for pie?" Barbara asked, calling out into the dining room.
A flash of blue, purple, black, and green mixed as she pushed the door open.
"Voila," Barbara said before she spotted Jim holding Strickler and Raelle standing next to them. The two were in their human forms, and Jim's armor disappeared as the amulet dropped to the floor and rolled under the hallway cabinet.
"Um...," Jim said as he and Raelle shared a look, uncertain of what to do.
"Where is that contact lens?" Strickler wondered.
The three searched, getting on their hands and knees. Barbara watched, never was she this confused about a person's actions. Well, she couldn't say that since she was a doctor. Strickler spotted the amulet first under the cabinet.
"Ah, here it is," Strickler quickly grabbed it and changed it with a fake one. Once he stood up, he pretended to put a fake contact lens in.
"I didn't know you wore contacts," Barbara said.
"There's a lot you don't know about me," Strickler blinked, acting like he had just put it in.
Jim and Raelle were still on the ground searching for the amulet. Soon, Jim found it under the cabinet, not knowing it was fake. Jim grabbed it with a grin before he and Raelle stood up.
The four returned to the table and began eating dessert. The pie was barely passable, to say the least. But it was still burnt. After dessert, it was time for Strickler to leave. Before Strickler left, Jim and Raelle suggested to their mother that he should have some leftovers. Jim grabbed a blue container from the kitchen and filled it with leftovers.
Barbara, Raelle, and Jim were standing in front of the door and Strickler. Barbara was smiling while her children glared evilly at their former trusted teacher.
"I insist. Take it home," Barbara said before Jim shoved the blue container in Strickler's face.
"Oh. The recipe would have sufficed," Strickler whimpered.
"No, we insist," Jim said, shoving it none too kindly in Strickler's hands. The man smiled shyly as Jim and Raelle grinned with satisfaction.
"After all, you enjoyed it so much, and we thought it was only fair you take some home with you," Raelle told Strickler.
"Goodnight, Barbara," Strickler took her hand and lightly kissed it before turning to walk away, but he stopped and turned, "See you at school, Young Atlas, Young Artemis. It should be interesting, now that we've gotten to know each other so well."
"It will be a shame when I won't have you for a teacher anymore," Jim said.
"Yeah, we've really learned a lot from you, Mr. Strickler," Raelle added.
Jim and Raelle gently grabbed each of their mother's arms. Strickler knocked on the wooden door frame as he left before Barbara closed the door. Jim groaned, finally glad that the night was over.
"That went well, right?" Barbara asked her children as she walked toward the kitchen.
"I don't know. He seemed kind of two-faced to me," Jim said.
"Yeah, there's just something about him," Raelle said, agreeing with her brother.
"Two-faced?" Barbara stopped and turned to look at him, Draal popping his head out right as she turned to look at her children, "It sounded like you guys got along so well."
Draal had stretched his arm out, showing the limp form of Claire being held upside down. Jim and Raelle's eyes grew wide before Jim shook his head, telling Draal to return to the basement. The Troll's eyes were wide as he stepped slowly and silently back into the basement. Barbara was glaring at her children.
"Honestly? He's not the guy he says he is," Jim said.
"Honey, I know this might be hard for you-" Barbara began.
"Mom," Jim interrupted, "I don't want you to see him again."
"Please, listen to us," Raelle pleaded.
Barbara scoffed and walked away, not noticing the basement door being left open, "Yeah, I really expected more from you two."
Jim and Raelle stood in the hallway and shared a look. They felt bad for hurting their mother's feelings but knew it was for the greater good. They could not tell their mother about their secret and wanted to protect her.
"Come on, let's go figure out why Draal was holding an unconscious Claire," Raelle said.
The two siblings then headed to the basement and saw Draal still holding Claire.
"Draal, why is Claire here? Did she see you?" Jim asked.
"I do not know why Claire is here. She crawled through the window, and I hid. She began listening to you, the Witcher, your mother, and the Changeling speaking upstairs. Then when you were tapping on the ground, Claire sneezed from the dust. I said 'Gesundheit' before she turned around and screamed when she saw me. Claire then bumps her head on the metal pole. And she fell limply to the floor unconscious," Draal told the Trollhunter and Witcher.
"Oh, this is so not good!" Jim exclaimed before he began pacing, "This is bad. What am I going to do?"
Raelle grabbed her brother by the shoulders so he would stop pacing and face her, "Jim, get a hold of yourself. Ok, here's the plan. We are going upstairs and helping Mom clean up. After we go to bed, I will come back to the basement and get Claire. I'll leave through my bedroom window and fly her home. Sound good?"
"Yeah, it does," Jim answered in a calmer voice.
"Good. Now, let's go upstairs. Draal, keep an eye on Claire til I get back," Raelle said before she and Jim returned upstairs and went into the kitchen to help their mother.
Jim and Raelle spoke with Barbara, but the conversations were short. They could tell she was still a little bit mad at them. After cleaning up, the three went to their bedrooms. Raelle waited a few minutes before she returned to the basement. Raelle transformed into her Garoyle form before Draal handed her Claire.
Raelle walked up the stairs with Claire in her arms to her room. Once in her bedroom, Raelle used her tail to close the door before she freed one of her arms to open the window. Raelle slipped through her window with Claire in her arms before she flew away.
When Raelle reached the Nuñez house, she opened Claire's bedroom window and placed her on the bed. Raelle closed the window before she flew back home. Once home, Raelle climbed through her window and returned to her human form. Raelle sighed as she closed her bedroom window and flopped on her bed, allowing sleep to take her.