The plan wasn't progressing. At all.
Strickler couldn't help feeling annoyed. For whatever reason, Young Atlas had turned out to be a way tougher nut to crack than he could ever imagine.
In theory, everything should have been flawless. Bular had been perfectly terrifying during the chase. Even if Barverra had gotten involved, she most likely had only scared Jim more. And then, the conversation at home should have invoked some unpleasant thoughts in the boy.
And it had!
The History teacher had seen the teen's mental state during the next day. He had seemed genuinely lost and troubled.
Strickler had expected Young Atlas knocking at his office's door any second, but the day had passed without the boy approaching him.
Just what exactly had gone wrong?
The worst thing was that the time was limited. For example, Barverra could be checking her 'possible Trollhunter' list at the moment. Or Jim himself could have an encounter with the Herald of Doom while on his new duty.
The foolish child had no idea that his wisest option at the moment would be giving the amulet to someone else. Hadn't Bular been a good enough reason for not wanting to have anything with the supernatural world?
Apparently, Young Atlas would need another life-threatening situation to make him reconsider his decision. But how?
The Head of Janus Order had suddenly realized that he was surprisingly limited in his resources right now. Some kind of sixth sense was whispering to him not to use Bular for that anymore. Most likely, the dark prince would go out of control. No, that brute had already become Barverra's asset.
Stricklander needed another troll for a job. Perhaps, he could have tried to go as his true self. Yes, he wasn't anywhere close to Bular's size, but the changeling also could be creepy when he wanted.
Yet…
Somehow, it didn't sit well with him. If he had a choice, he'd rather have had someone else to deal with that part of the plan. Had it meant that Strickler had gotten attached to his student too much?
No, it simply couldn't have happened. Some changelings had fallen to the temptation of attachment to humans, but he had never been one of those weak-willed guys.
Yes, the actual reason should have been something else. He simply preferred to be careful. That was all.
It would be more reasonable to leave that kind of job to some of his goons. But who?
Stricklander couldn't deny that his attempt to find Barverra's lair had left him with a shortage of trusted subordinates. Those who left would rather sell him to the daughter of Gunmar than help.
Sometimes, it was really annoying to be surrounded by liars and schemers.
Wait, no.
There was a person he could use without any fear of backstabbing. Of course, it never meant that she was that trustworthy - simply that Stricklander had a way to control her actions.
Nomura had committed a grave mistake once upon a time, and it would haunt her till the very death.
The hideout at the museum seemed to be empty tonight. Some goblins were fighting over remains of some animal - a cat or perhaps, small dog. The Head of the Janus Order frowned. The non-stop disappearance of local pets might have attracted some unneeded attention, but controlling goblins had always been nearly impossible.
Some classical music was playing in the background. Stricklander had noticed Nomura polishing some porcelain vase with a relaxed expression.
"Grieg again?" the man asked instead of greeting. "You surely fancy In the Hall of the Mountain King… Too much, if you ask me."
A seemingly innocent comment was, in fact, a hidden warning. Enamourment with human music still counted as an attachment to the human world. That was a breach of the codex.
"Well, no one asked you," his aide spat with annoyance. "I can live without your unhinged assumptions. Besides, it's a part of disguise - much like your infatuation with Greek mythology!"
Yes, there was no way that Nomura would take his words silently. Instead, she had pointed out that Stricklander wasn't as splendid in following rules as he tried to appear. The female wasn't that dumb to fall for that kind of hypocrisy.
No, Nomura was keen and intelligent, making her a valuable ally.
"I assume our problematic children are not around?" there was no point in exchanging jabs, so the Head of the Janus Order had switched straight to the topic which interested way more. The question was more rhetoric - he knew good enough that the pink changeling would never dare listen to music if any of Gunmar's kin was around.
"Apparently," she shrugged. "Bular stormed out the second the sun had set… Barverra? You know yourself how she is - appears when she wants. Though, I'd rather have her around than her brother…"
The last sentence was unexpected. Stricklander had genuinely believed that Nomura disliked both Gumm-Gumms equally, but obviously, that wasn't the case.
"How so?" in the end, he couldn't refrain from the question.
"She's nicer."
For a second, the winged changeling thought that he had misheard, but no, the female had actually said that.
"Nicer? Barverra?" Walt remembered the daughter of Gunmar and her overall attitude. If anything, he would say that the Herald of Doom was the worst of two siblings. "She hates changelings, as far as I know."
"Oh, please, she hates you," Nomura snorted. "And not because you're a changeling. No idea why, but her dislike has grown with time. I bet you've done something to infuriate her…"
That was an unusual insight from an onlooker's point of view. Stricklander wondered if his aide was actually right. But what exactly had he done to get on the dark princess's bad side? He seriously doubted that it had anything to do with him mistreating Bular.
Or maybe, the pink changeling had just made a wild assumption.
"Barverra calls both of us 'impure' if you haven't noticed," Walt frowned. Yes, the daughter of Gunmar simply had to despise trolls who had dirtied their essence with human one.
"And that's your argument?" Nomura smirked with a jeer. "Never knew you were that short-sighted… Remind me again, who have you managed to rise to the top? She has never looked at any of us with disgust, like her brother. Distrust? Yes, there is plenty of that. Annoyance, some dislike, a lot of anger in your case, but never disgust. Besides, have you ever noticed how careful Barverra is towards the exhibits here? She isn't repulsed by human stuff. At all."
No, the female changeling clearly had paid much attention to details.
It sounded a lot like Nomura would be loyal to the daughter of Gunmar, but Stricklander wasn't worried about that. Faithfulness or devotion simply was omitted in every Janus Order member's dictionary. They got training in the art of betrayal and backstabbing. Only some imitation of loyalty could be expected. Well, in case if you had something on them.
The pink changeling could tell whatever she wanted as Walt knew that she would ditch both Gumm-Gumms in an instant if she ever felt that it was better to join some other party.
"So what do you want from me?" the female asked, finally putting the vase down. "Don't tell me you came to complain about Gunmar's kin!"
"Maybe I fancy some idle talk," Strickler shrugged, feigning indifference. It didn't work.
"You never come for idle talk," she drawled with barely hidden skepticism. "What do you need from me?"
Apparently, it was pointless to beat around the bush.
"Do you know about the new Trollhunter?" Walt asked, examining Nomura's body language. Her reaction would determine if she could be a part of his plan.
"Stop underestimating me," the female's eyes flashed red and yellow for a second. "I have ears in this museum, so nothing escapes me. Not even the fact that there's only one lucky bastard who knows our enemy's identity."
Of course, she realized the advantages of such knowledge. Strickler was basically untouchable at the moment. Probably, Nomura would prefer to be the one possessing the valuable information. Her own position was shaky enough to desire some immunity from both Bular's rage and the Order's intrigues.
So, his aide was interested. That had been a good start already. Now, Walt just needed to stir it in the right direction.
"What if the lucky bastard is willing to share the valuable information?" he drawled.
Nomura tensed at once:
"And what's your profit of such an action?"
"I'm a benevolent soul," Stricklander shrugged.
"And I'm the English Queen," the female snorted. "Who would fall for that? Spill the beans already!"
"What is wrong in sharing some important stuff with a friend?" it was rather amusing to play around, knowing that in the end, he would still succeed.
His aide scoffed at that 'friend', knowing well enough that her superior would most certainly get her into trouble. Most likely, he wanted to stay clean, while making someone else do all the dirty work for him.
"You know, your 'friend' can always ditch you after getting the knowledge," Nomura hissed. "Sell you to some of your enemies, for example…"
"I don't remember you having such a bad memory," Stricklander smirked. "Without me around, you won't survive even for a day. Should I remind you what I have on you?"
A flash of light was the perfect proof of his aide snapping as she turned into her true form, her scimitars ready to inflict some lethal damage. Apparently, Walt had some talent for infuriating female trolls. It was a second time in the last few days when someone threatened him with a blade. At least, unlike the daughter of Gunmar, the pink changeling was more predictable.
"Please, go on," he taunted, knowing good enough that Nomura would never dare. "But if something ever happens to me, everyone would learn that your love affair with Kanjigar's son was, in fact, the real thing and not a scheme for getting the amulet. I wonder, who'll get to you first - the Order's executioners or Bular? Or, perhaps, Barverra? I'm curious if you'll be able to call her nice after that."
Yes, that was the total defeat for the female. She hid her weapon, shifting back into her human form. Of course, her expression still held irritation, but she was willing to listen now.
"I assume you have some mission for me," Nomura muttered with disdain.
"I've always appreciated your cleverness," Strickler gave her a fake smile. "I want you to give the boy the scare of his life. Nothing frontal. Haunt him. Give him no rest. Make him jump at his own shadow. Destroy the peace of his mind. I trust your methods."
"Wouldn't it be just easier to kill the Trollhunter?" the female scowled.
"Are you going to follow Bular's example?" Walt drawled. "I thought you had more brains than him. There's no need for murder, and I'll appreciate it if you keep physical damage to the minimum…"
"If I didn't know you good enough, I would think that you care about your student's safety," Nomura interrupted. "Anything else?"
"Make sure that neither Bular nor Barverra know about your mission," the man spat with annoyance. She had definitely hit a nerve with her observation. Was he actually that worried about Young Atlas's survival chances? Yes, Jim was one of his favorite students, but since when were those that important?
"I'm rather baffled by your plan," Zoe confessed, checking the strokes of the magic rune she had just finished.
"How so?" Douxie raised his head momentarily, genuinely puzzled by her statement.
They both were working on another protective barrier, this time the one surrounding the school. Archie wasn't around as the familiar asked for the night off.
"Well, I've genuinely believed that you wanted to contact the residents of the Trollmarket," the hex witch shrugged. "Yet, instead of joining the Trollhunter, we're here."
She was right. Archie had also brought it up some time ago. Though, the cat-dragon had been apparently happy that there had been no need for him to enter that 'hellish place'.
Douxie had decided to be an active member of Jim's team yet had seemingly bailed out. Of course, his friends were confused.
"I don't think that trolls will tolerate many people intruding at once," he answered with a sigh. "Jim and his friend will be over the limit already. Besides, I feel that our party needs to do some things right now before the enemy's side learns about our involvement…"
His mind trailed back to the previous day when Archie delivered the unpleasant news of Barverra being around. Who knew how many more allies that side had. To counter that, the Trollhunter's team would need some trump cards. A small hidden squad could count as one.
Merlin's apprentice shared his thoughts with Zoe.
"Not bad," she gave him thumbs-up. "So, we'll be using guerilla tactics…"
"For as long as possible," Hisirdoux finished for her. "I don't think we can hide forever, but for now, we can complicate their lives."
Actually, they have already started with that. Obscuring Jim's identity and putting a defensive barrier around his house was a good starting point. The wizard-in-training had also decided to protect the lanky teen's school - he could imagine Bular breaking in and starting a massacre.
"We also need to find the enemy's hideout," Douxie added. Zoe raised her eyebrows in puzzlement, so he elaborated: "No, we won't attack, but it will be nice to know where they are. We can put more magical traps around there…"
"I'll suggest an alarm, so we will know when they go out," the hex witch hummed. Actually, the more she thought, the more she liked the idea. The villain side would definitely have a rough wake-up call.
That night Barverra decided to go home earlier than she expected - it wasn't like she would be happy to hang around her greatly irritated brother. Without supervision, Bular would most likely vent his frustration in some highly destructive way, but the daughter of Gunmar didn't care. The one to cover any mess would be Stricklander, and if that kind of stuff kept him busy, the bastard would have less time to lurk around her son.
Some part of the woman was tempted to give her brother an idea to rampage a bit. Perhaps, she could do that later. The dark brute would certainly love that.
Barverra was close to her house already when she had realized a horrible thing. The daughter of Gunmar had been so lost in her thoughts that instead of going to her cave and transforming there, she had simply headed home in her troll form.
Just why?
The female had always been impossibly careful in keeping her two lives separated. Probably, she had been her true self too often lately.
How lucky she was to notice her mistake before entering her own house! It would be a total disaster if Jim saw her like that. Probably, it was impossible to imagine a worse way to reveal the truth to him.
Well, the mother still had a chance to correct her own stupid mistake. It wasn't that difficult - just a quick trip to her cave, turning back there, getting her car, and returning in a proper human manner.
Yet…
Barverra longed to see her son first. Even if it was just a glimpse through the window. Just to be sure that part of her life stayed safe and untainted. Bular's words about Jim being the Trollhunter resounded through her mind once again.
No, it had been just Stricklander's despicable scheme. The enemy wasn't her boy.
Some magic prevented you from recognizing him.
So what? The daughter of Gunmar believed that her mother's love was more powerful than any magic.
It was pointless to continue thinking in that direction.
Barverra moved carefully to the window, giving a quick look inside.
She expected to see Jim in the kitchen, trying some new recipe for dinner. Right now, the thing she needed the most would be her boy's happy smile. That one always helped to wash away all the troubling thoughts.
But… Did she have any right to long for that warmth?
Tonight Barbara had attacked a human, a kid, someone of Jim's age, maybe even his acquaintance, and even though she had been pretty tame compared to Bular, it didn't excuse her at all.
Probably, her son would be so disgusted if he ever learned about all those events.
The woman shook her head chasing away unpleasant memories. She had to leave all troll-related stuff outside her house.
Speaking about the house, wasn't it too dark inside? Yes, it was relatively late already, but Jim had never gone to bed at that hour. Was her son out?
A quick check revealed that the door was closed. So, Jim wasn't actually at home.
Probably, hanging out with Toby.
That was bad. The teen could return any second, catching her lurking near the house in her troll form. Barverra hated even the idea of that.
Yes, being her true self at home had always been a big 'no-no', but she had already broken that rule yesterday because of the emergency. One more time wouldn't have hurt that much.
The daughter of Gunmar gave a quick look to her surroundings and entered the house in haste. It only took her several minutes to get a vial with a human-turning potion from her secret stash, find some spare clothes and hide her armor and blades.
No, she seriously had to pay more attention next time. Even the ultimate luck had its own limits.
Barbara dragged her feet to the kitchen, hoping that a mug of coffee would help her to forget all the worries.
Her home felt too empty without Jim around, but hadn't she told her boy to give more time to something he liked? If he could relax at least sometimes, that would be already a huge step forward.
Besides...
How long would those peaceful days last?
The Gunmar's faction hadn't got the amulet tonight, but wasn't that the question of 'when' rather than 'if'? The Killahead bridge's restoration was reaching its final stages, and Arcadia would inevitably turn into the epicenter of the Skullcrusher's glorious return.
Barverra could ask to leave it intact, but in the end, everything would depend on her father's decision. He could simply unleash the rage he had saved for centuries on Arcadia without asking for anyone's input.
The woman banished the weak thought into the deepest corner of her mind. She would never betray her father for fleshbags. Not to mention that her birthright made her and, by extension, her son, villains by default.
It was simply pointless to resist or deny the reality. If Barbara actually didn't want to be a part of all that troll world, she would have never looked for Bular or simply refused to join forces with him or something like that. And what had she done instead?
Her path had been decided a long time ago, and the daughter of Gunmar was going to walk it to the very end.
Barbara sighed, pouring coffee for herself. Instead of doubts, wouldn't it be better to analyze the whole situation surrounding the Trollhunter?
And there definitely were some things to consider.
Firstly, it was clear as a day that the kid had gotten some complete understanding of the state of things. He knew about trolls and could summon the armor (which apparently would make him a legit champion). So trying to play the scenario 'I've heard you found a peculiar object - that one is mine' was out of the question now.
At least, Stricklander, who was just in the perfect position for attempting that one, wouldn't use it too. He wasn't suicidal, after all - that lie would be no different from openly admitting his allegiance to the villain side.
Alas, it also meant that the most harmless way to recover the amulet wouldn't be available anymore. It only left more traumatic ones.
It would be either scaring or blackmailing.
Or simply killing.
The cynical part of her suggested that one at once. What was the point of complicated schemes when breaking the foolish kid's neck was a foolproof plan?
No.
She had made a silent oath to never go in that direction. She simply couldn't. Not after all those years living among humans.
Barbara shifted her thoughts to analysis once again. The second point was that the young Trollhunter had gone to the Trollmarket, meaning that despite being a fleshbag, he was accepted there. Should she have been surprised by that? After Dwoza trolls signed the alliance with Arthur, it was clear that the traitors weren't above working with humans.
With that in mind, it meant that the boy had some backup, even if in the form of the former general Aaarrrgghh. Barverra wasn't going to ignore the deserter only because of his supposed pacifism. There were several dozens of possible reasons for that brute to go back to more violent tendencies. That could be quite a disaster for the Gumm-Gumm side.
Bular would brag that he would destroy all traitors, but everyone knew about her brother's reckless tendencies and lack of planning. With the right strategy and appropriate resources, the Trollhunter's team might have caused more than enough damage.
The next one for consideration would be some mysterious force that had protected the Trollhunter from being recognized. Was that some power granted by stones? Barbara seriously doubted that. She may have been not that knowledgeable about the usage of minerals (Gunmar had his craftsmen for that). Yet, she believed it was impossible to overlook something that was both convenient and problematic. If any troll could use that kind of disguise, she would have known.
Her mind trailed back to the unknown magic-using party, which was based in Arcadia. Was it their work? They had only watched from the sidelines before. Well, ignoring their meddling with some traps. So why had they decided to get involved now? Was it because the amulet ended in possession of a human?
Barbara couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed by that. Fleshbags had forged the alliance with traitor trolls, yet their later input stayed minimal.
Apparently, they only start to bother if one of theirs is in this.
One of theirs?
That could be a hint. What if the Trollhunter was from that unknown party? No, he didn't seem that knowledgeable about all the supernatural stuff.
The boy could have some relative or friend from that party, though. As for him staying in the dark… Well, that close person may have probably had the same reasoning as Barbara.
There was also something the daughter of Gunmar failed to understand, no matter how much she tried. Tonight, there was another human boy in addition to the Trollhunter, and she had no idea what role that one could possibly have. Was that kid some trusted ally, someone close to the current Merlin's champion, who got involved by sheer coincidence? A friend or maybe a brother? Or was there more meaning in that teen's role? He could possibly be from the magic users' side. Hell, there could be factors she didn't know about at all!
The woman sipped her coffee and winced - it had already gotten cold. She was definitely spending too much time thinking about various things. Speaking about time, Jim surely wasn't in a hurry to come back. Not that there had ever been any strict curfew in their household, but Barbara wasn't that eager to let her son stay out all night long. Especially with Stricklander's fishy agenda and Bular's rage fits taken into account.
Had her boy always been like that? Was he being late one-time thing or rather a common occurrence? The woman hadn't even the slightest idea - with her being out all night herself, Jim was free to do whatever he wanted.
No, her son was a good kid, but... The last few days had been a harsh wake-up call. It turned out that Barbara didn't know too much stuff about the teen. It was yet another reason for mentally smacking herself.
The woman always tried her best to be a splendid parent, but was her efforts enough?
Suddenly, she had heard the front door creaking. Had Jim returned? The next second, the lights went on, blinding her momentary.
"Mom?" Jim asked, looking at her in bewilderment. "Why were you sitting in darkness?"
To be honest, Barbara had no idea herself. Probably, she preferred it that way subconsciously - she was a creature of the night, after all.
"It was relaxing," the woman laughed half-heartedly.
"I thought you'd be at work until morning," her son continued nervously. He clearly never expected her to be back that soon, and the mother couldn't blame him for that. Her initial plan was to be out all night, trying to catch the Trollhunter.
However, Barbara couldn't shake off the feeling that her boy behaved like a kid caught with his hand in a cookie jar.
"Well, turned out that I mixed up the days..." finding a working excuse wasn't easy, but she managed somehow. "It wasn't my shift... I guess you're right, and I need a break."
Some concern crossed her son's face, and Barbara felt some instant regret. Jim had never approved of her overworking and could easily take her supposed forgetfulness as a sign of fatigue.
"You'd have to go to bed then," the teen sighed.
The mother shook her head:
"With my son out late? I was waiting for you."
Sometimes it really felt like Jim forgot who was the parent in their household. The woman blamed herself for that. Yes, her boy helping around the house was endearing at first, but lately, it tended to cross the line sometimes.
"Sorry," he muttered an apology after some uncomfortable pause. "Just binged some Gun Robot with Tobes and lost track of time..."
The teen was shifting on his feet, his eyes never meeting hers. Barbara suddenly realized something truly unpleasant - her son was lying, even though he wasn't that good in that. Whatever kept him late had nothing to do with watching TV.
The mother wondered if she could ask Toby but gave up on the idea at once - there was no way that their neighbor wouldn't cover for his best friend.
"By the way, where's your car? Has something happened to it? I haven't seen it when I came back," Jim's concerned question had broken her reverie, and the woman realized too late how much she screwed with her own cover story. That had been a serious slip - if she wanted to keep Jim away from all troll-related stuff, she had to pay more attention to keeping with her cover. The mother wondered how the teen hadn't also asked why she wore different clothes. Probably, that one didn't stand out that much.
"Something was wrong with the engine," she answered with a fake upset. "I wonder how much repairs will cost... Alice gave me a lift."
Barbara had to improvise, and surprisingly, the lie turned out believable enough. She even managed to pick up the best person for the cover-up. That girl was a nurse with too much going in her head at once and tended to forget stuff all the time. If Jim would ever try to thank her for helping, Alice would be the only one who would just take it for granted without showing any confusion.
"Oh, ok," the teen nodded. The woman couldn't shake a weird hunch that he had accepted her lies too fast. Usually, there would be some more questions following. "I think I'll go to bed then - it has been a crazy day..."
He started heading upstairs before finishing the phrase in a horribly covered attempt to escape.
"Jim," Barbara stopped him - she simply couldn't let him go. Not like that.
"Can we talk seriously?"
A part of her was scared of possible rejection, yet it turned out to be entirely uncalled as her son returned from the staircase, sitting down on the sofa next to her awkwardly. Barbara pulled her son into a side hug, running her hand through his hair.
"Something is haunting you lately," she started with a heavy sigh. It wasn't even a question by this point. "Yet you keep pretending that everything's alright."
The woman had a good idea what exactly could possibly bother her child - that huge black brute who somehow happened to be her half-brother. The only memory of Bular pursuing Jim made her blood boil. That wasn't an experience anyone would just shrug off, and her son just had to be scared to death, probably expecting another attack.
Or there could be another scheme of that winged bastard Stricklander - who knew what kind of nonsense he was feeding to her boy on the pretense of life advice. The daughter of Gunmar hadn't forgotten who exactly was the reason that Bular had attacked the teen.
"But everything is good," Jim protested with a tired chuckle. "Well, there's some complication with a chess club, as not everyone is happy with me joining, but it's alright..."
It wasn't true, and it hurt the mother's heart - why had he to suffer from his worries alone? Her hug tied subconsciously, as she whispered:
"I've always believed that I'll be your first choice if you ever need some help, no matter how crazy the situation is."
"Even if I told you that Gun Robot was chasing me through the streets?" her son asked her quietly. That was surely a weird metaphor, yet Barbara knew who exactly he substituted with Gun Robot.
"In that case, I would find that Gun Robot and dismantle it," she responded seriously, hoping that her anger didn't show off. The woman silently swore to kick her brother's sorry ass later. Bular was lucky to be her family member, otherwise, the consequences for him would be way graver.
Barbara could see her son's face darkening.
"That would be too dangerous for you," he said after some awkward silence.
So was that the reason for his silence? To keep his mother away from danger?
What an irony.
They said children were reflections of their parents, and Barbara could see her own motives in Jim. She had kept him in the dark for years to protect - and now it was simply his turn to do the same.
There is no point in keeping it secret anymore. Jim deserves to know.
The woman trailed back to all the current events - the point of no return had been crossed. There would be outright war breaking out soon. Besides, she wanted her son to be more careful just in case - as a descendant of Gunmar, he unknowingly had too many enemies.
"Look, kiddo, speaking theoretically..." Barbara started slowly and felt everything freezing inside from fear. She had to tell the truth, yet she simply couldn't. "If there is an imminent danger and the only way to escape is one of us sacrificing themselves..."
No matter how ridiculous it was, the woman changed the direction of the conversation mid-phrase. Her inner excuse was that she had to address her son's self-sacrificing tendencies before those ruined his life.
"But..." Jim attempted to protest, much like expected.
"There's no place for 'buts' or 'ifs'," the mother interrupted him at once. "There's only one right answer here. I must be the one to take the hit. You must continue living. It's simply wrong for any parent to outlive their child."
The daughter of Gunmar had lived through centuries, and her heartfelt wish would be for her son to live for as long or more.
"But I don't want anything to happen to you," Jim whispered, never daring to look in her eyes.
"The natural laws suggest that I'll pass away earlier than you if we simply have a peaceful life," Barbara ruffled her boy's hair lovingly. "I'll gladly throw my life for you and..."
'I'll gladly become a hell incarnate for your sake,' she added last part mentally.
Yes, there was a war against the entire world. To protect her son, the mother would need to be at least that.
To be honest, Jim had not even the slightest idea what to do or think. Initially, because of Blinky's enthusiasm, he somehow came to believe that other good trolls would gladly accept him, yet apparently, it turned out that his two new friends had good chances to be an exception from the rule.
The teen had started suspecting something was wrong the moment the troll scholar had told him they needed to sneak inside the Trollmarket. And everything that had happened afterward only cemented that belief.
Trolls were not that friendly towards humans for whatever reason. Not to mention the apparently rightful heir for the amulet. Jim couldn't deny that Draal at least looked like someone who could possibly stay his own ground against an enemy of Bular's caliber. Most likely, he also had some training and battle experience to back his claim. Anyone in their right mind would rather choose that warrior as their protector, not some noodly human kid.
Vendel (was he a local leader or something?) had decided to leave everything to the Soothscryer. The young Trollhunter still remembered that one with a shiver. He had no idea what possessed him to put his hand into that hellish contraption. Maybe he simply had gone crazy. Or was it because of that small voice on the back of his mind, the one that kept whispering to him about making everyone eat their words? Jim would have never imagined possessing a side like that, yet apparently, it was there.
It was probably just his imagination, but the teen could swear that he had heard some whispers when his hand had been inside the Soothscryer. He had asked Toby afterward, but his best friend had no idea.
Yes, the boy definitely had demonstrated some guts (Tobes called him crazy when they were going back home), but was that enough? Probably, enough for Blinky and Aaarrrgghh, though those two had accepted Jim as the next champion before any challenges. Vendel clearly wasn't fully convinced - had he expected something else? And Draal... Well, that one probably wouldn't accept even one hundred percent confirmation. Yes, he left without causing any ruckus. However, if his parting glare had meant anything, that would be only more troubles in the future.
After all of the disappointment, Jim simply wanted to go home and have some rest. He felt beaten - though, that one was the obvious consequence of taking Bular's punch. Probably, he should have taken some lessons in dodging.
Toby tried to cheer his best friend up on their way back without much success. All his jokes got either no response or indifferent 'yeah'. The lanky teen was obviously unfocused, so their parting turned out to be lukewarm. Jim hoped that Tobes wouldn't be offended by that, though he still would need to apologize later.
His mind trailed back to his new status. The teen had learned that the sunlight was deadly for trolls, meaning he would have mostly a night job. Toby would definitely tag along. They both would need to sneak out, deceiving their caretakers. Nana's deteriorating eyesight and hearing would make it easy and…
Once again, Jim felt relieved that Barbara had so many late shifts now. That was quite an ugly thought, and the teen got disgusted at himself at once.
He looked at his unlit house, noting no car at its usual spot. What had he expected? His mom was supposed to be out for the entire night, overworking herself to the bone to provide him a better future. And he was happy!
A wonderful son, for sure!
The boy reached the doorknob in irritation and turned it before remembering that the door had to be locked.
Well, at least it was supposed to be locked as it opened without any troubles. Had he forgotten to close it before venturing to the Trollmarket?
Probably, all the stress had finally gotten to him as well.
Wait.
The teen froze momentarily. What if an enemy had entered the house while the owners had been out and now was lying in wait, ready to sink their claws into the hapless victim's body?
Of course, there was no way for the evil trolls to learn Jim's identity. But what if there was some factor both he and Douxie hadn't taken into account?
No, he had to trust his new friend. The wizard-in-training had told him that there was a barrier around the Lakes' residence. No one with hostile intention could enter.
In the end, it had to be his own forgetfulness. The teen had to pay more attention next time.
His hand reached for the switch, the lights went on, and Jim felt his heart skipping a beat. Barbara was there sitting on the sofa, frozen on the spot with a cup in her hand.
Why was she at home when everything was pointing out to her being absent?
The worst thing was that the woman had basically caught her son returning home at an ungodly late hour.
Jim had to divert the conversation before any inconvenient questions followed.
"Mom? Why were you sitting in darkness?" probably, it sounded pretty dumb, but had he any other option without sounding rude? The worst outcome would be Barbara thinking that her son wasn't happy to see her at home.
"It was relaxing," she chuckled in response, so disaster was avoided. For now.
"I thought you'd be at work until morning," Jim continued, picking up each word carefully. He had to be as discreet as possible.
The teen felt guilty as his mother gave him an answer - it felt like she was the one who needed to find excuses.
"Well, turned out that I mixed up the days… It wasn't my shift... I guess you're right, and I need a break."
The woman was clearly overworking, and what was her son doing? Making her worry about his own late return?
"You'd have to go to bed then," a sigh escaped his lips before he managed to register it. All of the anxiety regarding trollhunting obligations was forgotten for a while. Right now, his mother was his first priority.
Barbara disagreed at once:
"With my son out late? I was waiting for you".
She was right - it was the most logical attitude in their situation. What kind of parent would be able to sleep with their child being elsewhere past midnight?
"Sorry," Jim muttered an apology and cringed inside - it felt too fake, too lacking for expressing all of his emotions. Hadn't he sworn to protect his mom from all the evils? Then why had he kept causing her so much grief? "Just watched some Gun Robot with Tobes and lost track of time..."
How long had he planned to lie to her? Yet… Wouldn't telling the truth cause more damage?
Barbara didn't believe him - it was obvious from her expression. Probably, she would try to ask Toby about it at some point. Though, it wasn't like his best friend wouldn't play along. He could throw some crazy version, though. However, everything would do as long as there weren't any trolls there.
No, Jim needed to change the topic fast. Any question would be good, but nothing came to his mind.
"By the way, where's your car? Has something happened to it? I haven't seen it when I came back," he blurted it without any thinking the second he remembered about that oddity.
She responded without delay.
"Something was wrong with the engine. I wonder how much repairs will cost... Alice gave me a lift," Barbara sounded slightly upset, but Jim couldn't help feeling slightly relieved that she shifted her attention to something else instead of interrogating him about his absence.
They had always been so close, however, right now, some rapidly growing rift had appeared between them.
It was too challenging, too suffocating - and the teen hoped to escape as soon as possible as staying under his mother's gaze started to feel like torture.
"Oh, ok," he made a step towards the stairs, then another one. "I think I'll go to bed then - it has been a crazy day..."
Yes, it was a horrible attempt to escape, but he had to get away, had to be responsible, and shoulder everything without his mom's involvement.
She didn't let him as she called out to him:
"Jim. Can we talk seriously?"
The boy felt his resolve faltering. Deep inside, he wished that there were no problems, that someone else would solve everything instead of him. That momentary weakness kept him back, leading him to the sofa and right into his mother's side-hug.
They used to sit like that so often when Jim was smaller, and Barbara had always seemed to be his peerless guardian, powerful and unmoving. She had been his true hero back then, and it had been so easy to believe that there had been no enemy in the world she wouldn't have defeated. The teen knew now that it was just his childhood delusion, yet he couldn't help craving that feeling of safety.
"Something is haunting you lately," the woman's voice was both soothing and sad. She wasn't blind in the end. "Yet you keep pretending that everything's alright."
She had noticed - but why would he be surprised? His mom knew him better than anyone else.
"But everything is good," there was no point in lying, yet Jim kept playing the 'everything's alright' game. He simply couldn't otherwise - it was his turn to protect his family. "Well, there's some complication with a chess club, as not everyone is happy with me joining, but it's alright..."
In the end, the teen hadn't managed to refrain from mentioning 'chess club', and his own frustration with tonight's disappointment came through. He stopped himself fast enough before it turned into the full-fledged rant.
Because his mom would have definitely questioned if his anxiety had anything to do with chess if he had mentioned more.
Barbara's embrace tightened as she whispered:
"I've always believed that I'll be your first choice if you ever need some help, no matter how crazy the situation is."
She was right, it had always been like that. Well, at least before the amulet and trolls had appeared in Jim's life.
It's unfair. Mom has to know.
"Even if I told you that Gun Robot was chasing me through the streets?" the question escaped his lips too fast before he managed to formulate it into something safer. At least, there was 'Gun Robot' instead of 'huge evil troll'. The second one would be too specific to turn into a joke.
The response came immediately:
"In that case, I would find that Gun Robot and dismantle it."
Jim mentally winced at her angry expression and dangerous undertones in the voice. Barbara had always been overprotective, and somehow it wasn't that difficult to imagine her assaulting something way bigger than herself if it meant to protect her child. She could be a true mama bear if needed.
If she had ever seen Bular attacking her son, the woman would have gotten into the fight herself without any hesitation.
That was the main reason why the teen had to keep silent.
"That would be too dangerous for you," he stated in the end, perhaps, too seriously for a supposedly hypothetical situation.
Well, at least Jim could still turn it into a joke. Besides, judging from Barbara's expression, she was going to change the topic.
However, her following words felt like a hit into guts.
"Look, kiddo, speaking theoretically..." his mom sounded weird for some reason. Nervous? Anxious? Scared? It was difficult to tell. "If there is an imminent danger and the only way to escape is one of us sacrificing themselves..."
What's she talking about?
"But..." the boy felt some overwhelming panic. He didn't want even to imagine anything like that. No, he just had to keep Barbara away from that kind of stalemate.
"There's no place for 'buts' or 'ifs'," she interrupted him sternly. "There's only one right answer here. I must be the one to take the hit. You must continue living. It's simply wrong for any parent to live longer than their child."
For a second, Barbara didn't look like the mother Jim knew and loved. It was as if she had turned into someone belonging to a different world altogether. Those words were too unpleasant, too cold, too cynical to accept, no matter how logical they might have sounded. So the teen protested - weakly, quietly, without looking into his mom's eyes:
"But I don't want anything to happen to you".
How could he ever agree to that?
"The natural laws suggest that I'll pass away earlier than you if we simply have a peaceful life," Jim felt her hand running through his hair lovingly. "I'll gladly throw my life for you and..."
He had never heard what the woman wanted to add after that 'and' - she cut herself too abruptly and tried to wave it off with a joke. Maybe it was actually something too trivial, yet the boy couldn't help thinking that his mom kept silent about something way more disturbing than her possible sacrifice.
Their talk had ended abruptly, and they both were just sitting silently, both lost in their own thoughts…
Hello, folks!
Thanks to everyone who has given me suggestions for what-if stories both on ao3 and . For now, I have five ideas and will do them in the order I received them:
1) What if Douxie and Archie had learned the truth about Barbara (idea by Bethanne on ao3) - I am in the process of writing this one already
2) What if Barbara had told Jim the truth back in Chapter 1 (idea by Guest on )
3) What if Barbara went full mama bear on Strickler during his visit (idea by ToLazyToThinkAName on ao3)4) What if Douxie hadn't given Jim the talisman (the idea I used as an example)
5) What if Jim had learned the truth when he was 5 (the author of this one asked to stay anonymous and sent me a PM on ) - yes, this one will be dark!Jim AU
You are still free to drop some suggestions