The eventful night continued as Walter hurried back to discuss all the decisive matters with Nomura. His aide, without any doubt, had already comprehended what exactly their current position meant.
On the one hand, they had been unimaginably lucky that the Trollhunter had appeared in the museum this exact night. If anything, it would bring way more complications to the newcomers - they could try to claim that they had had no connection to the disastrous incident, but the timing had obviously worked against them.
Sethiz most likely would try to appeal to Gunmar's kin. Strickler smirked at the only thought of that. Gaining the favor of the confirmed impure-hater Bular would be simply impossible even for the most silver-tongued changeling. Barverra… Well, that one still remained an unknown factor, but Walter was more than sure that she couldn't stand incompetence.
The police had already left, though the magical smoke still lingered around. The wizard was powerful, apparently. Or at least, impressively good when it came to escaping and covering tracks.
Strickler's mind trailed back to his recent encounter with Young Atlas. When the boy had been cornered, his best friend had appeared to help him. However, the wizard had remained hidden. A smart move, for sure.
Jim and Toby were a well-known dynamic duo, and seeing them together even at the suspiciously late hour would raise no questions. However, adding a third, unknown member to the usual party would have attracted too much undesired attention.
In any case, right now Stricklander had a major headache regarding their base. The Trollhunter's party had gotten the valuable information, not to mention that even a glimpse of the half-built Killahead could work as a hint regarding the Gumm-Gumm side's plans.
When the bridge fragments had been scattered around the world, good trolls most likely had gotten some sense of fake safety. No one would have expected Bular or even Barverra to gather those alone. They simply had never possessed enough resources for that. The Janus Order had been the whole another matter, but with them sticking to the human society, they had remained basically invisible for regular trolls.
The Trollhunter's side could possibly have at least one ally with enough brains to connect all the dots and see the connection between changelings and Gunmar's kin. And, well, as a human, Young Atlas may have been at a disadvantage when it came to the actual fighting, but obviously had the edge over any of his predecessors in his freedom to investigate.
Not to mention that his wizard ally could definitely provide passes to the places out of reach for a regular teen. And that was too dangerous.
Strickler had caught himself on a thought that it was still too odd for him to view his student as an actual enemy. A naive child ending in a huge mess? That would be 'yes'. An opponent? Doubtfully so.
No wonder his opponents in the Janus Order had started to suspect him of being weak. The man had a need to restore the status quo as fast as possible. And for that, he should have disposed of the unwanted backup and recovered the amulet while not becoming a casualty for either Barverra's behind-scenes manipulations or Bular's tantrums.
The life itself just kept playing him dirty. Nothing new, actually. Stricklander had gotten used to finding ways out of the most desperate situations a long time ago. So, what would be so different right now?
His own emotions, apparently, be it the sudden infatuation with charming Barbara or that weird attachment to her son.
Nomura met her superior with an annoyed glare:
"You don't seem to be in a hurry!"
Oh yeah, her recent failure wasn't too good for a cordial mood. Even if Walter had returned at once, she would have found some other reason to snap.
"Where are our friends?" Stricklander asked, ignoring her rudeness.
"Sethiz left with police - he'll cover everything. And that dumbass Montgo went out - I don't care where as long as he isn't destroying the museum!" the female shrugged.
"I see," the Head of the Janus Order muttered. "And Gunmar's kin?"
"Luckily for us, they still don't know," Nomura shivered, most likely picturing all the possible consequences. "Though, I wonder for how long…"
She was right - Bular and Barverra would find out about the night incident one way or another. It was the matter of 'when' rather than 'if'. And, well, Stricklander was more than sure that both ruthless siblings wouldn't bother with trying to find out an actual culprit and just punish whoever they found the most appropriate.
"Why not put it this way?" Nomura broke the silence all of a sudden. "Some foolish kids sneaked inside the museum as a part of a dare and… Let's say Montgo hasn't enough brains to keep his human guise…"
Walter sighed. Yes, that might have seemed a perfectly reasonable plan in theory, however, attempting that lie would bring only the downfall.
"Nomura, Montgo may be the biggest imbecile around, but he cannot lie even to save his own hide, and don't forget his blind devotion to Gunmar. Do you think he will keep silent about the Trollhunter?" the man muttered with some annoyance. "Not to mention that Bular might believe him more only because he is a fellow Gumm-Gumm."
In a way, a brainless brute would have the highest credibility in Gunmar's kin's eyes, unlike any other changeling.
"Who was that genius to brought him here?" Strickler couldn't help showing his irritation. Bular alone had been a major headache - there was no need for another destructive idiot.
In a way, it was odd. Sethiz should have assembled a loyal and competent team, yet he had somehow included Montgo.
"By the way, any ideas about the size of our back-up?" Walter shared his hunch with his aide. No, of course, he had inquired some information from his contacts at the headquarters but still hadn't received any response.
"I only know of two," Nomura shrugged. "I expect two or three more. Sethiz is popular with younger wannabes, so he could bring some of those…"
That would have made a lot of sense. Younger changelings were always known for their ambitions and persistence. Perfect pawns for those who knew how to apply their talents.
"And someone manipulates that dumbass," the female added after some pause. "Someone more skilled in reading Montgo."
Her guess was surprisingly sound. Sethiz may have had no control over the Gumm-Gumm changeling, however, he could have an ally with that advantage.
That would mean that Strickler would have to deal with two schemers instead of one, and…
That's checkmate for you, fools.
When it came to sizing the power and influence, changelings respected no alliances. They might have agreed on a temporary teaming-up to overthrow the current head of the Order but were most likely already considering methods to lay a trap for the temporary ally. Most likely, Montgo was just a wild card in their game.
"No wonder that you've been the leader for that long," Nomura drawled after listening to the explanation, her tone holding a weird mixture of some respect and irritation. "It'll be nearly impossible to outsmart you!"
Stricklander wondered if his aide had thought about an opportunity to get off his clutches in this messy power struggle. Perhaps, she had - the female craved genuine freedom. However, Nomura had already made up her mind to stick by his side as it remained the safest position for her.
"Just let's wait and see," Walter shrugged. Of course, he wouldn't braindead to ignore his opponents entirely, but waiting was the best strategy right now. "I'm more interested in tonight's incident itself… So, three people sneaked in and…"
"Four," Nomura interrupted, correcting her superior at once. "Though, people is a wrong term here…"
"Care to explain?" Stricklander raised his eyebrows. So, had there been a troll present as well? He had guessed that Young Atlas, Domzalski, and the unknown wizard were only intruders, but apparently, it had been wrong.
"The Trollhunter, his loud friend, the wizard and, surprise, they have a dragon in their ranks!" the female spat. "Who will remove all the soot and burn marks? As if goblins' remains are not troublesome to clean away!"
A dragon? That could sound like a joke, but Walter knew better. The usual image of an average dragon should have included an impressive size, however, the man was informed that there were more than enough smaller ones. Still…
"The dragonkind has always kept a neutral stance," Strickler hummed. "Are you sure?"
"Do I look like Bular or Montgo to you?" the female's eyes flashed angrily. "I can tell apart different kinds, thank you very much!"
So, the Trollhunter's party had an actual dragon, albeit a small one, in addition to a wizard. No wonder Young Atlas seemed less troubled lately. A resourceful and reliable backup would instill confidence in anyone.
"Do you think that the wizard found the base with their magic?" the man asked, trying to change the topic. If it was true, that would make moving elsewhere pointless.
"No," Nomura shook her head. "They all looked surprised when I shifted… Besides, wouldn't they bring some trolls if they expected a possible encounter with our side?"
She was right. Young Atlas would have expected at least Gunmar's children to meet him if he had considered a frontal attack. Could it be reconnaissance? It didn't seem likely too - too many party members had been present, and at least Domzalski wasn't stealthy enough.
"I think they tried to check some oddity," the female continued.
"Like Montgo?" Walter mused.
"As much as I'd like that one, no," Nomura responded thoughtfully. "I suspect goblins."
Goblins… Those ones had always been the gap in their defense lines. Sure thing, they had some use in deliveries and some easy tasks but often returned to their chaotic nature.
Young Atlas could have noticed a goblin somewhere, then tried to research or asked someone knowledgeable about that stuff… The more Strickler thought, the more logical it felt.
"We'll keep insisting on our backup's fault, though," he voiced his opinion at last. "Even Bular wouldn't blame goblins - we need a better scapegoat."
Nomura smirked, clearly approving the idea.
"And the Trollhunter?" she asked. "He knows my identity."
Stricklander shrugged:
"Give him a scare or something… I leave methods to your imagination. I'm more curious about the wizard - have you seen them?"
Yes, that was the member of the enemy's team they needed to dispose of first - the one behind the majority of defenses. Walter hoped to get a description - and everything else would be just a matter of time.
However…
"All three used some identity-obstructive magic," Nomura responded without much enthusiasm. "No wonder that Barverra hasn't found anyone as well…"
For whatever reason, everything around kept spinning. Well, not just spinning - Jim couldn't formulate any coherent thought as his mind was in a haze.
It was as if some troll, at least Draal's size, had punched him. Hard.
Had something like that actually happened? Wasn't there still at least some time until the re-match with the angry warrior?
Or had the Trollhunter encountered Bular or that other Gumm-Gumm from the museum once again? Was there a permanent memory loss due to brain damage or something?
Jim couldn't remember a thing past parting ways with his friends after the museum incident and getting to his room? What had happened after that?
The headache intensified.
The teen looked around, searching for at least minor clues. Still dark - apparently, the crazy night continued. Fortunately, the location was familiar - the canals, not that far from the entrance to the Trollmarket.
Oh, yeah, hadn't he considered informing Blinky about the changelings and the Killahead Bridge? It would make sense to be here in that case, however…
Jim also had his armor on. Why so? Didn't that one weight him down? Wouldn't it make more sense to keep it off?
Seriously, what had happened during that blank gap in his memory?
The teen sighed, taking out the horngazel and drawing an arc to create a passage. Some part of his mind wondered why he was alone. Toby, at least, wouldn't have missed an opportunity to come to the Trollmarket only because of exhaustion.
Another spike of headache nearly made Jim scream. The world started spinning once again, so he had trouble going down the shining staircase. Probably, it would be better to hurry up and meet with Blinky and Aaarrrgghh - and hopefully, he would be able to sit down at their place.
Somewhere straight ahead, the Heartstone radiated its calming and warm light. Even at this distance, it somehow soothed the pain. The young Trollhunter felt an urge to come closer to it. Perhaps, even press his forehead to the giant crystal.
Maybe, later - at the moment, he had no time for that.
Somehow, Jim couldn't help noticing some kind of oddity despite his current groggy state. At first, he couldn't put his finger on it, but eventually, it hit him. The locals! Usually, trolls were staring at him and whispering something to each other - obviously not praising him, however, right now, no one gave him much attention. Some even greeted Jim cordially.
Had the locals finally gotten used to the idea of having a human protector? That would have been nice as all the skepticism had been annoyingly discouraging. Nevertheless, the teen didn't want to raise his hopes that fast. Perhaps, it was just wishful thinking.
Blinky's library was empty, so the Trollhunter decided to look for his mentor at Heroes' Forge. Hopefully, the scholar was there, inventing another deranged training and not had gone out to the surface.
Luckily for Jim, his guess was correct. Unfortunately, though, the kind troll wasn't the only one there. Apparently, he was discussing something with both Vendel and Draal.
Just great. The teen wasn't that eager to come face-to-face with the former Trollhunter's son, especially with the date of their re-match approaching. Draal, apparently, simply couldn't keep it civil, always throwing some snide remarks.
And Vendel… Well, the elder wasn't rude, at least, but it didn't change his unfriendly and skeptical attitude.
Perhaps, it would be better to hide until those two left, otherwise, Jim would get a foul mood in addition to the hardly bearable headache.
He really wished he had some first-aid kit with painkillers - and of course, there would be none of those at the Trollmarket. Somehow, the boy wasn't that eager to try out the troll healthcare.
"Master Jim!"
The plan to hide failed before any action as Blinky had noticed his charge. And, of course, both Vendel and Draal turned around.
"Um, hello?" Jim greeted everyone without much confidence. Somehow, his voice sounded odd. Unusual. Had his throat dried out because of nervousness or something?
"Greetings, Young Trollhunter," Vendel gave him a small smile. "How can we help you?"
Vendel smiling? First, locals, and now, the grumpy elder himself? What had changed during that brief period since Jim's last visit?
Somehow, it seemed as crazy as the recent discovery that some trolls could turn into humans.
What next? Draal being civil?
Jim looked at the rude warrior carefully, wondering about his current mood. Who knew when the next outburst could possibly happen?
"I need to go," the troll in question stated and turned to the teen: "Looking forward to our next spar, Trollhunter. Let's show our best as fellow warriors…"
"What?" Jim refused to believe his own ears. No 'puny fleshbag' or 'dead meat' anymore? Was that sarcasm? Somehow, it hadn't sounded so.
Something was odd, too bizarre and uncanny.
"Nice joke," Draal laughed, giving the teen a friendly pat, and left.
It felt so off, no, genuinely creepy.
"Ok, I'm done with it!" Jim's nerve was eerily close to reaching the breaking point. "What's going on? Why Draal is my friend out of nowhere?"
Both Vendel and Blinky stared at him as if he had stated that the Earth was flat.
"Young Trollhunter, Draal is a noble soul despite his temper. Of course, he was irritated at first," the elder stated with a sigh. "But obviously, he's mature enough to accept a fellow troll inheriting his father's mantle…"
"Of course, I've suspected that," the teen interrupted with barely concealed frustration. "But that's the problem - that guy isn't alright with a fleshbag inheriting the amulet!"
If both trolls had looked surprised before, now they were outright shocked.
"Master Jim," Blinky started carefully. "What are you talking about? No human has ever owned the Daylight…"
"I know!" Jim felt his patience had hit the limit a long time ago. "What's wrong with all of you?"
Wait, that wording… He felt everything inside freezing from fear.
'No human has ever owned the Daylight…'
'...a fellow troll inheriting his father's mantle…'
'Let's show our best as fellow warriors.'
It was as if they all had implied that Jim was one of them. A troll.
No, it simply couldn't be true. He didn't look like one to start with and had no problems with sunlight.
Much like those changelings from the museum.
It had to be a mistake. A misunderstanding, perhaps? Or a really tasteless joke - maybe trolls' traditional humor was too twisted for a human to comprehend.
Jim's shaky hand shot to his head, and…
The world as he had known it burst into countless pieces. He felt it - a horn, without any doubt, a part of his skull.
And not just that - even in the dim lighting of Heroes' Forge, his shadow looked inhuman and macabre…
Jim woke up with a scream, cold sweat soaking his T-shirt. For some second, he still couldn't tell apart the dream from reality, panting heavily and running his hands over his body, checking for any irregularities.
"Jim!"
He ignored the voice, still invested in confirming his humanity. No horns, no stone for skin.
"Oh my gosh, kiddo, it's ok. You've just had a nightmare!"
The next second, the teen felt a comforting hug and finally realized that his mom was in the room. The dream faded away, though the fear remained.
"Mom?"
"Shhh, everything is fine now," Barbara kissed his head, rubbing comforting circles on her son's back. "Just breathe slowly, ok?"
She was right - Jim was on the verge of hyperventilating at this point.
Who would imagine that the recent discovery of changelings existence could shake him up that much? Not only he had to suspect everyone around him of being a potential troll spy, apparently, but the teen also wasn't even sure about himself.
At least subconsciously, if his nightmare had meant anything. And the most horrible thing was that trolls had definitely preferred him to be one of them.
Jim had remembered at last - initially, he had decided on going to the Trollmarket right away, but as soon as he had reached his house, the adrenaline rush had run out, leaving him drained. The teen barely managed to get to his bed, and then…
Yes, he had fallen asleep and gotten that nasty dream. Most likely, he had trashed so much that his mom had heard and come to check.
Obviously, Barbara was worried sick at the moment, yet stayed silent, giving him some space.
"I miss the times when I could chase away monsters haunting your dreams," she whispered sadly at last.
Jim couldn't help chuckling at that comment. His mom was right - once upon a time, his mom had been a true hero in solving his fears and worries. Somehow, occasionally it seemed like Barbara was one of the strongest, if not the strongest person around.
Of course, it was just an illusion - she was just a fragile human being, though, strong-willed and brave. But was the spirit enough to face all the possible evils?
Like murderous trolls, for example?
"I'm not a kid anymore," Jim sighed. "At some point, I need to learn to face my fears and problems myself…"
It was so comforting to just sit like that, feeling his mother's embrace and talking about some concerns, even if he couldn't tell the whole truth.
The teen half-expected the woman disagreeing, so her response got him by surprise:
"I know, you're my brave and independent son, after all. And… I'm proud."
She smiled wistfully, running her hand through his hair.
There was another prolonged pause.
"Did you dream about monsters?" Barbara asked all of a sudden. That was a random guess, and Jim wondered why his mom brought that one up. She couldn't possibly know about all his recent encounters with the supernatural.
"Well, kinda," he muttered without any confidence. Perhaps, trolls could count, but the source of his fear lay elsewhere.
Jim fought an urge to confess that he had been a 'monster' in his nightmare. He felt slightly guilty as well because even if he had been a troll there, he clearly hadn't fully qualified for a true monster. He was still himself, just different in shape. And that freaked him out the most.
"Jim, tell me honestly - do you get enough sleep lately?" Barbara inquired sternly.
Had she noticed his nightly outings?
"Of course," the teen replied in a hurry, forcing a smile. "Why are you asking?"
"Mr. Strickler called me tonight," the mother's expression was difficult to read, but for a split second, Jim could swear there was some murderous intent in her eyes. Though, most likely it was just his mind playing tricks - Barbara seemingly liked the History teacher.
"I helped Toby to find Nana's cat," he blurted out, slightly amazed that he had remembered the excuse they had fed to Strickler.
"He said so as well," Barbara sighed. "Jim, I understand that you're a good friend and treat Nana like your own grandma… But what kind of parent would be happy to discover that their child roamed around at such a late hour? Who knows what kind of dangers can wait in the darkness?"
"You have no idea," the remark left his lips before he had managed to think it out properly.
Jim mentally smacked himself for the dumbest slip possible. Of course, it was difficult to forget about Gunmar's kin, goblins, and changelings, but his mom had no need to know about all of that.
Alas, the damage had been done already.
"Care to explain?" her eyebrows knitted as she looked her son right into his eyes.
"You know, those… vandals! Yes, vandals!" he responded hastily, remembering Strickler's comment about the situation in the museum. "Haven't Mr. Strickler mentioned that one?"
Of course, unless the teacher had suspected Jim's involvement, he probably wouldn't bring it up. Still, Barbara's genuine shock was odd, to say the least.
"No," she muttered hardly audibly.
"Nevermind then," her son forced a smile, hoping that he had gotten off the hook already.
Alas, for whatever reason, Barbara looked irritated, even if she tried her best to conceal it. Jim wondered if she noticed his lies but soon realized that the source of her anger had nothing to do with him.
"Wait, what had happened at the museum?" she asked slowly.
Her eyes looked outright scary. The teen could swear that even Draal would be scared to face someone with such eyes.
It was as if the woman sitting by his side wasn't his mom at all.
"Well, Mr. Strickler said some teens sneaked inside and damaged exhibits," he responded reluctantly. "The police are looking for them right now…"
"I see," Barbara gritted her teeth, obviously fighting her anger. Jim started to wonder if he had actually woken up - it was as if his nightmare continued, with his mom being not her regular kind self.
Apparently, his distress was visible enough. The woman suddenly chuckled sheepishly:
"Sorry, kiddo, have I scared you? I'm just annoyed that some people try to attract attention with ruination… Their parents should have raised them better…"
"Yeah, sure," now it was Jim's turn for nervous laughter. Hopefully, his mother would never learn he had been one of the culprits. To his defense, though, the one who had caused the most damage wasn't him.
The alarm clock beeped, indicating the beginning of the next day. Both Barbara and Jim stared at it in bewilderment.
"Perhaps, you need to sleep more," the woman started slowly. "I'll handle the breakfast, and…"
"No need, I think I've slept enough," the teen interrupted her hastily. Somehow, he refused to look forward to his mom's another cooking failure. Besides, the memories of the nightmare still lingered in the background, so he seriously doubted he could have a proper nap…
Barbara hadn't felt that drained for a while. No, her shift had actually been mostly uneventful and could be relaxing any other time. But no, there had been that changeling intern, following her like a shadow and never shutting up.
In five minutes, Barbara had been convinced that Suarez had the mission to spy on her. But who was the one to send him? Stricklander would have made the most sense as he apparently suspected her already. However, that winged bastard had no opportunity to watch each of her steps. So, some eyes at her work could be his strategy…
However, it could be someone else, meaning that more members of the Janus Order started suspecting that Barverra hid under a human guise. Their leader, for example, could leak some hints - and well, impures were rarely simpletons.
But, gosh, Rezz was seriously trying the limits of her patience - at some point, Barbara considered chocking him on the spot. Keeping her anger in check and forcing a fake smile had been a feat of its own level already.
Luckily for the intern, something else changed the target of the woman's ire at once. A sudden call was a surprisingly timely distraction.
Walter Strickler.
Was he trying to check how his strategy with his spy worked? Probably, no - he was too intelligent to be that obvious.
And of course, Barbara was right - the call was about Jim. Stricklander tried to impersonate a caring and worried teacher like usual, informing the mother of her son's nightly stroll.
She hung up with complicated feelings. Her boy kept risking his life unknowingly - being out at night with two forces battling wasn't the best idea.
But obviously, how could he have known that, when his mom had kept all the secrets under lock and key?
Barbara returned home in a foul mood. Even Rezz didn't matter anymore - she had to talk with her son. Maybe there could be a way to tell Jim to be careful without mentioning troll-related matters.
The woman entered his room silently - just to be sure that everything was alright and…
It wasn't alright. Her son had a nightmare - another one of those he stubbornly refused to discuss.
"I miss the times when I could chase away monsters haunting your dreams," she couldn't help voicing her frustration. Oh, if the boy simply had known! The Herald of Doom could effortlessly eradicate the majority of threats.
Jim chuckled and then sighed:
"I'm not a kid anymore. At some point, I need to learn to face my fears and problems myself…"
Of course, he was right. That's why Barbara had always been so proud of her son. No matter which path he would eventually walk, he would succeed in any case. He was her precious boy, brave and strong-willed.
But even if she liked his independence, nightly outings were still huge no.
"Jim, tell me honestly - do you get enough sleep lately?" there was no point to beat around the bush about that one. Though the question was rhetorical in this case - the answer was no in any case.
Even if the teen tried his best to deny it. Well, Barbara could only blame herself - he had learned it from her, after all.
"Mr. Strickler called me tonight," she continued, unwittingly revealing her own frustration with Stricklander playing their family as he wished.
Jim hadn't missed that momentary shadow in her eyes - Barbara could see it in his slightly confused expression. Fortunately, her son was more invested in finding an excuse.
Or was it an excuse? That explanation with the cat made the perfect sense. Jim would always help his best friend and Nana - they were his family in everything, but blood, so much loyalty and devotion were natural.
Shouldn't she have stopped overthinking and suspecting her most dear person?
"Jim, I understand that you're a good friend and treat Nana like your own grandma… But what kind of parent would be happy to discover that their child roamed around at such a late hour? Who knows what kind of dangers can wait in the darkness?"
Yes, Barbara had finally managed to pick up the best words. The teen wouldn't be able to ignore those, and…
"You have no idea."
That one came out of nowhere. Oh, yeah, hadn't Jim known at least about Bular's existence? With all the recent events, she somehow had forgotten about the chase.
What if the teen kept trying to find the black brute for whatever crazy reason? He dreamed of becoming a hero, so…
Wait, would her son attempt to defeat Bular to save Arcadia? Actually, the more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed.
Barbara put a mental note to forbid her chaotic brother to roam around at night - even if she would need to do it by force.
"Care to explain?" she asked slowly, reading her son's reaction.
Yes, it had to be Bular, but how would Jim word it?
"You know, those… vandals! Yes, vandals! Haven't Mr. Strickler mentioned that one?"
His response was too hasty and surprisingly random. Somehow, her brother simply didn't fit that description. A thug or brute? Surely. But a vandal?
Besides, for whatever reason, Stricklander had been a part of the event Jim referenced.
It made no sense at all.
"No," she muttered, hoping for some continuation to clarify things. Alas, Jim was seemingly more eager to drop the subject altogether.
"Nevermind then."
Her gut feeling told her that something was seriously messed there, and, no matter how Barbara hated it, she continued with interrogation.
"Wait, what had happened at the museum?"
The woman could feel her true nature slipping through the cracks.
"Well, Mr. Strickler said some teens sneaked inside and damaged exhibits. The police are looking for them right now…"
Jim's response was nervous and unsure. Had Stricklander prohibited him mention anything related to the museum?
And, yeah, something big should have happened there so that the impures needed the cover story about vandals.
Some teens…
Damage…
Suddenly, everything had added up. The Trollhunter had found their base and attempted an attack.
Surprisingly bold, yet foolish, even without Bular around.
And of course, Stricklander hoped to hide this fact from Barverra so that she wouldn't find their enemy using police reports.
So, the call about Jim had just a way to divert attention.
A smart move, she would have given the changeling that.
"I see," Barbara hissed, imagining beating out all the crap out of the winged bastard, and…
Jim was staring at her in horror. She had shown too much of her actual self tonight.
She had to stop at once.
"Sorry, kiddo, have I scared you? I'm just annoyed that some people try to attract attention with ruination… Their parents should have raised them better…"
It was so fake, so cringe-worthy, but her mind simply had no other way out…
A/N
Strickler created some problems for Jim, and Jim unwittingly paid him back tenfold