Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I’ll find him, even if it means going into the Darklands myself.”
“Remember to bow,” Jim joked, turning to the audience.

Claire grabbed his hand as they faced them to the curtain call, “You mean we are going to find him, together.” Jim gaped at her. “Remember to smile!” she teased, turning back to face… “Jim…”

“Wha- Oh.” A faintly glowing, flowing, translucent figure floated over the audience.

“Is that…”

“I’m not really sure.” The crowed grew silent as people noticed the figure moving slowly towards the stage.

“You’re not sure?!”

“I mainly deal with trolls,” Jim grabbed daylight’s hilt, “No one mentioned ghosts!”

‘wait!’ the figure raised an arm and lunged, and the world went screamed to a halt.

Colours blurred past Jim’s eyes and static grated past his ears and the ground rose up heartily to meet him halfway.

He looked up at the figure, still floating in the middle of the room. An indistinct sound came from it, as it seemed to look right past him.

Moaning from behind him pulled Jim’s attention to the others in the room; much of the audience that had been in front of him in rows now lay behind him, sprawled out in piles over the carpet. Carpet… looking back around Jim saw beyond the figure they were in a small room very different to the one they had just been in. A small room with a couch and a…large flat screen.

“Jimbo.. Brrf- kak- what just happened~?” Toby moaned.

“Umm. I think we’ve been teleported.”

“Oh. OK”

“What? Jim?” His mum’s voice floated from a back corner, “mmhe, what’s going on?”

‘uuuumm’ came from the figure… ghost?

“Gra? What in the blazes?! Mhh!” Oh, so Coach was here too.

‘I’m…sorry’

“What?”

“AH! It’s talking!” Toby shouted, “What does it want?”

‘I didn't mean to…fu-’

“Who are you?”

“What are you?” Claire added.

‘I’m? It doesn’t matter. I brought you here to show you something, that’s what’s important’

“Show us what?”

‘I wanted to show you your’ future.’

“The future?!” exclaimed Jim, Toby and Claire.

‘Yes. Or, a future. But not yours… I hope?’

“Wait,” Toby asked “so are you showing us our future, or…?”

“Wait,” Ophelia Nunez burst out, “you believe it?!”

“Weirder things have happened,” Toby responded.

“Look mama, she’s like a ghost, or something!” Claire remarked.

“A ghost of futures past?!” Eli exclaimed.

‘I want… I want you to show a possible future, your future as it stands, or did two minutes ago, so that you might be able to… change it? So that maybe you can continue just… living, for a little longer.’

“Living?” Barbara asked.

‘Does this mean..?’
“You can help me keep my normal life?”

“Your normal life? Jim, what’s going on?!”

“Ahh…”

‘I hope so. I’m no omniscient wizard, so I thought I should just show you things and let you decide, so I brought you here. I didn’t mean to bring the rest of Arcadia too, sorry.’

“That’s… OK,” Jim said, “But, wow… thanks!”

‘that’s okay, thank me if it helps.’

“The future, a ghost kidnapped us to show us the future?” Steve demanded, “What the heck?”

‘I’m sorry, just let me go find some more chairs and stuff… I, ah, wasn’t planning on, um, yeah, you go ahead and start watching.’ The figure flickered in and out a bit, before floating over to the couch, ‘Jim, take a seat, the remote’s there; just press the middle button ‘till it starts playing,’ The figure then vanished entirely.

“Well,” Jim hesitated, “I’ll do that.” And he promptly did so, fumbling and staring at the still blank screen; away from the eye’s of the surrounding people.

“Hey, Jimbo?” Toby hissed, taking a seat himself, “Are we really going to do this, with all these people here?”

“Yeah,” Said Claire, “Isn't this ‘super secret for your’ own good’ stuff?”

“Yeah,” Jim started, “but guys, this is a major opportunity, and if the ghost thought we needed to see it so bad, I don’t want to turn her down and then find out what’s coming is going to make Bular look like child’s play, do you?”

Claire and Toby shared a look.

“Yeah, you’re right.” they chorused.

“Right, let’s do this”

Chapter Text

“You know,” Darci drawled, “I am pretty confused right now.” 

“I know right?” Concurred Mary.

“Yeah, like I am so confused right now.”

“Yeah, right?”

“Is anyone going to explain this to us?!” Darci yelled, looking around the room, most of which was side eyeing them, waiting for their own answers, “Claire?”

“Um, well,” Claire stuttered at her friend, “I can’t say I really understand it myself…”

“And what was the ghost so worried about you for, mr Lake?” Javier accused, crossing his arms.

“Ah, well, let’s find out” Jim said hurriedly, smashing the button on the remote until the screen lit up. Ignoring Javier and Ophelia’s continued glares.

“Huh, logos.” Toby observed.

'Good morning Arcadia Oaks!’ The camera panned over the canal bridge. ‘It’s 4.30am. If you’re still in bed you are missing the most beautiful sunrise!’

“4.30?” Exclaimed Darci, “I think I’ll give the sunrise a miss.”

“Yeah,” Mary and Shannon chorused, the glanced at each other in shock.

Bular’s face filled the large screen with a growl.

“Ahh!” Went the room.

“Yield! Kanjigar.”

“A troll hunter never yields.”

It’s them!” Eli shouted gleefully, jumping up and down. “It’s the creatures with stone for skin!”

“The what?!” Ms Janeth demanded, “Stone creatures?”

“Your turn Bular, yield”

“Whoa! So cool!” Claire breathed.

Kanjigar gasped as the sun hit his shoulder and Bular kicked him back.

Barbara eyed the screen, “The sun… Hurts them?”

“Wait, so the buttsnack was right?” Steve muttered to himself.

“Wait, isn’t that your costume, mr Lake?” Ms Janeth observed.

“Jim?” Barbara jumped, peering at her son again. Jim could only laugh sheepishly, and hope they lost interest. Probably not likely, based on the current situation.

“Wait, Jim?! Toby?!” Eli exclaimed, looking at them wide eyed.

“No, the amulet will find a new champion,” Kanjigar declared, before stepping into the sum. 

“How heroic…” Claire sighed, enraptured.

“C-Claire!” Admonished Ophilia, “It’s-what…What?! These things are in our town?!”

“This is fascinating and all…” Jim said, still staring resolutely at the screen, “But why are we seeing this? I thought we were going to see the future?”

“Jim, do you know what those things are?” Asked Barbara, leaning over the couch to see his face.

“Ahahaha… Maybe?” Squeaked Jim, and ducked said face into his shoulder.

“Jim?!”

“Jim! You know what they are?” Eli exclaimed, “So you’ve known all this time that I was telling the truth?!”

“Umm, no?” Jim asked.

On the screen, the scene at the canal was replaced by Jim Lakes screeching alarm clock.

“6? Still too early.” Steve muttered absently.

“Haha!” Seamus laughed, “You’re so freaked! Why are you even up that early?”

Steve, seeming to shake himself out of his stupor, stated “I’ve got a better question,” he through his arms out, gesturing to the room, “why are we watching a magic tv show about Lake?!”

“That’s a good question Mr Palchuck.” said Señor Uhl, hand on his chin as he looked from the screen to Jim with a squint, “Maybe the ghost will tell us if it reappears.”

‘Because I wanted to help Jim.’  

“Wa!”

The figure dropped a few chairs behind the couch and vanished again.

“Dibs!” Mary exclaimed, grabbing the nearest chair and dragging it over next to Claire.

“… Well, that happened.” Said Darci, pulling her own chair over behind Claire.

“I think that phrase needed to be said 10 minutes ago.” Toby suggested.

“Uh,” Darci agreed, “Come on Claire,” she muttered to her friend, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t actually know much more than you,” Claire muttered back.

“Claire!” She was 

“Really! I swear!”

“Hmp!”

"Do you always do that much in the mornings, Mr Lake?" Señor Uhl asked.

"Yeah, why?" Jim asked, slightly nonplussed after the stress of watching Kanjigar die.

"Hmm, no reason."

"Love you Mum"

Claire awed somewhat discretely as onscreen Jim kissed his sleeping mum goodbye.

‘Love you too, Jim,’ Barbara thought, ‘I just wish you’d tell me what’s going on.’

Javier wondered to Ophelia, “Is this sweet boy really the same crazy monster that wrecked our house?”

 "Arg, raccoons!"

 "We're late for school, Jimbo."

“Maybe you should have slept in a bit instead,” Barbara suggested, “sleep is important.”

“But then we would have been even later?” Jim, said, confused.

“I’m sure that much of the house wasn’t strictly in need of a clean right that moment.”

Jim mulled that over a bit.

"Wow, am I like, the only one getting whiplash right now?" Seamus asked the room at large, "Like... there were monsters, and now we're watching Lake make lunch?"

Several people answered; "No."

On screen Jim Jumped up over the canal, before dropping several meters into it, a look of peace on his face.

Claire felt her face heat a little a little at the close up and glanced around to make sure no one had noticed. Thankfully the novelty kept most of them fixated. But when she glanced at… Not-Enrique.. His eyes slid to hers, and he pulled face at her, a smile she couldn’t decipher, and one that her brother didn’t have the motor skills to even pull off. She turned back around.

“And this is why the thought you on a motorbike frighten me,” Barbara muttered quietly, glancing at her son, to see that he was still safe. She’d barely managed not to cover her face during the bike ride. 'Geez, couldn’t he at least watch the trees in his path?'

James…Lake…

“Did the dead monster just say Jim’s name?” Shannon asked, and was generally taken no notice of.

Barbara runs a hand over her face.

Onscreen Jim lifted the amulet up to his face.

Claire stared straight at it, doing her best to ignore the heat in her cheeks at his eyes. They were pretty, OK?! Her musings on the colour blue were thankfully interrupted by the ghostly figure reappearing to drop in a new couch.

Toby jumped at the opportunity, “Hey, why does it look like a tv show?” he practically yelled at it.

‘What do you think it is?’ was his answer.

“Oh, tv screen, tv show… right, of course,” Toby mused

“Of course…” Claire echoed dryly.

“But-”

“Why is it a tv show?” Jim finished, “And why are we seeing the past?”

‘Because that’s as it comes.’

“Right. And what about the past? Why not just start now?”

‘Because it’s easier for me. And we may as well get the others up to date.’

“Oh, ok.”

Apparently the figure thought that adequately explained everything, as it once again disappeared.

“Ok Jim,” Toby said “you realise she’s probably messing with us, right?”

“I don’t want to argue too much with the ghost who can probably cut us off at any time.” Jim said with a shrug.

Toby conceded, “Hmm, ok. It’s kinda cool to watch, I guess.”

“Kinda cool? This is so awesome!” Claire said, having slid right back into excitement, “Kanjicar was so brave.”

“Heh, yeah.” Jim chuckled, thinking of Draal. ‘I hope he’s OK.’

Chapter Text

“So what is the deal anyway?” Seamus asked.

“Hahaha…”

Toby leaned in and whispered “Do you really think that you can hide it from them?”

“…”

“Really?! When we are literally watching it?”

“I know, I know! But…”

“…This is big.” Claire acknowledged.

“Jim, do you agree with with Herodotus’ opinion on his tactics of war, as I’ve described?”

“Oh, uh… Absolutely.”

“Excellent. Which tactics, specifically?”

“The, uh… winning ones?”

The room chuckled with the classroom on screen.

“He seems to be a good teacher.” Javier stated.

“Mr Strickler,” Ms Janeth said, “I am surprised he is not here-or at the play.”

“Yes, he seems very involved. He cares a lot, he even…” Barbara paused, “Well, I expect you’ll get to see it. Wow… We’re here talking casually about what we’re seeing on a tv show of my sons life a ghost or something is letting us watch.”

“People acclimate to the strangest things,” Nana assured her, “Don’t fret about it deary.”

“Ah, right… that is true.”

“Please stop talking about this,” Ophilia moaned, “I’m getting a headache.”

I would submit that talking to would be more effective than staring at.

“Please, do not talk to my daughter.” Javier asked, shaking his head.

“Papa!” cried Claire, “Can’t you see he’s not so bad?”

“Claire-“ Ophelia started.

“Yes” Javier stated.

“Javier!” Ophelia cried.

“He seems like a nice boy,” Javier started, the paused, “… if you forget all of my actual experience with him. But he just picked up a magic amulet off of a dead rock monster.” Javier waved his free hand at the screen, “I think it might be safer to keep away from angry rock monsters.”

“Papa…” Claire wined.

“Yes…Yes! I mean… what? Ugh.” Ophelia groaned.

“Hang on.. almost there. So close, so close!”

“Come on Tobes, you got this!”

“Yes Toby, come on, you can do it!” Jim encouraged on screen Toby, blatantly ignoring the futility of it.

“Hmm, maybe we should work on your strength,” Nana said, seeming calculating in her…Nana way, “if you are going to be fighting rock monsters.”

“Umm, yeah, I’ve been working on it.” Toby said awkwardly.

“Oh, ol’ Nana know’s a trick or two to help out with that.” Nana laughed.

“Yeah?” Toby and Jim shared a look, and a shrug, “Ok, thanks Nana.”

“Oh, that’s ok!” she giggled.

“Nono!” Javier cried, trying to shoo on-screen!Jim away from his daughter and balance his son at the same time, “Stay away! Turn around!”

“Papa, this has already happened!” Claire said with a groan, “You can’t stop it.”

“Yeah,” Darci agreed, “I think I remember that.”

“Come on Claire”

“Yeah, I remember that.” Shannon agreed.

“Yeah.” Darci reiterated.

“What were you looking at? Why didn’t you show me?” Mary demanded.

“We probably did.” Claire assured her, “And I don’t even remember what it was.”

“Maybe a Buzz video?” Darci wondered.

“No, it was a funny animal picture compilation,” Shannon corrected, “Mary sent it to you.”

“Oh.” Darci shifted awkwardly.

“Hasta huevo”

“Horrible accent, I hope you’ve been studying.” Señor Uhl criticised.

“I’ve been trying to study.” Jim muttered.

“Like actually spoke to her, not just you know… In your head?”

“Do you do that often?” Claire asked slyly.

Jim laughed shakily at his knees. Claire chuckled along.

“You should totally do it.”

“What? The play? I'm not an actor.”

“Come on.”

“You're always saying how you want your life to be more exciting.” Toby fell right off the bench, “Right?”

“I don't think Romeo and Juliet is exactly the answer, Tobes.”

“I don't mean just, you know, exciting.”

“I mean more.”

“And why did you feel the need to look at the glowing, stone-skin, magic thingy as you said that?” Toby laughed at him.

“I don’t know, shut up.”

“I just need to know that there's something more to life than high school.”

“Something more?”

“On screen Jim turned a corner to see steam coming from he shower room, but no people. Ominous music began to play.”

“What are you doing? Stop! Isn’t it obvious that there’s danger that way? The lighting, the music.” Eli flailed around, trying to shoo onscreen!Jim back.

“Yeah, man, that’s some horror movie shit right there,” Logan agreed.

“At the time, the lighting just seemed like normal locker room lighting and… there was no music.” Jim replied.

“Oh, right.” Logan said sheepishly.

“And see? There’s no one in the-“ Jim yelped at the screen, “Ah! Damn it Blinkey!”

“What?” Logan fixed his eyes back on the screen.

“What… It that?” Eli asked.

“So, good news, dude. The orthodontist says I’m almost done with my braces. Only 4 more years.”

“Only 4 more years? How long have you had them for?” Darci demanded.

“Since my first adult tooth started growing sideways when I was 9.” Toby replied.

“…When you were 9?” Darci breathed, horrified.

“Yep.” Toby chirped

Steve laughed as he shut Eli in his locker.

“We can’t just let him do that.”

“Oh, yes, we can.” Toby stared determinedly ahead, “If Psycho Steve’s terrorising him, he’s not terrorising us.”

“PALCHUCK! JOHNSON! …LOGAN!” Coach yelled, “What the hell was that?”

“Uh…”

“Uh oh.”

“Tell me again, dweeb face.” Steve elbowed the locker. “Tell me about the creatures, and maybe I’ll let you out!”

“Or you could let him out right now. I mean, you know, it would be nice.”

“Ah, and you were doing so well!” Toby

“Hey! I got through it!”

“Best not tell him off for what you can’t do, Tobie-pie”

“Yes Nana.”

“Ha! Tobie-” Steve started.

“Palchuck! We will be talking about this!” Coach barked, “You too, Johnson, Logan.”

Yes Coach. the trouble makers chorused.

“You were telling me about the monsters you saw this morning, with fangs and…haha, what was it again?”

“Stone for skin! In the canal!”

“Yes! Yes I did see them!”

“Yes…” Steve said slowly, “Yes you did…”

Jim leaned his bike and took a second.

“Look, Steve, seriously, just let him out.”

Steve lifted Jim up to his toes.

Barbara sucked in a deep breath. ‘Jim’

“Palchuck!” Coach yelled.

“Ok, do it, punch me!”

“Ahh!” Toby wined.

“You, you’re asking for a beating?”

“Yeah, just, go crazy! But in 20 years, you’re gonna be fat, and bald, and you’ll be working in a muffler shop, and Eli will have a career in software and he’ll be a billionaire!”

“I do like computers!”

“Let him out! Let him out, let him out, let him out!”

“Jim, that was very brave, and very good of you,” Barbara said.

“Yes,” Claire agreed quietly.

“Stupid,” Barbara continued, “But good.” Claire stiffened, then snickered next to Jim. Jim chuckled in agreement.

“You too, Tobie-pie,” Nana said, “Good crowed manipulation. Oh I do wish we had some cookies.”

“Ah, thanks Nana.” Toby replied, unsure.

“You’re going to be out all night?”

“Sigh, Dr Gilberg is out with bursitis, and Dr Lenz has a wedding out of town this weekend.”

“Ok, well, don’t forget to bring your-“

“Dinner. Thank you.”

“Do you ever see your mother?” Señor Uhl asked, “I am thinking that Strickler may have a point. Have you been able to talk to him?”

"Ah, yes, he came by and…Jim? What’s wrong?”

“You mother your mother a lot.”

“Ha!”

“You just got home, and you’re calling each other? You live across the street!” Coach demand, what are you calling each other for?!

“But then you knew that, cause you spoke my name, which is…weird.”

“I’m glad you realise that.” Barbara said.

“And it’s glowing ominously, cool.” Logan said.

“Wha! Ah!”

“Dude, you freak so easily!” Steve said, Seamus laughing with him.

“More spooky music, are you going to be eaten this time?” Logan asked with glee.

“Um… sure?” Jim asked.

“Keep anything antagonistic to yourselves, thank you, you are both still on my shit list.” Coach warned.

“Wha!” the whole room cried.

“Jim!” Barbara cried.

“Master Jim!”

Chapter Text

“Master Jim!”

“Ahh!” BANG

“Master Jim!”

“AHHH” BANG “Oh”

We have found you! I am known as Blinky.”

“Ahhh!”

“Hi”

“Ahhr”

“It’s Aaarrrgghh. 3 R’s”

…

“Tro… Tr-Trolls?

“Trolls. Yes, trolls. And it is now your charge to protect them. For you, Master Jim, are the Trollhunter.”

“Trollhunter.”

“This honour is yours to accept. So, what say you?”

“Ahhh~” Smack.

“Ok, that was illuminating,” Shannon said, then laughed, "And hilarious! What was that?”

Eli seemed to be vibrating in place.

“It’s cool that the first thing you thought to do was call Toby,” Claire said, Barbara quietly agreed; she may not be happy about it, but at least Jim had someone he felt he could talk to.

“'Course, we’re bros!” Toby exclaimed.

“You freak out so great, like, yah!” Seamus muttered quietly, Logan and Steve snickered with him until Coach looked over harshly.

"So they’re trolls?” Eli burst, “And you did know about them! For months! And you never told me!”

Toby glanced at Jim, who was seemed to be studying the frame of the TV, still trying to pretend it wasn’t happening then. To be fair, it did seem to work a disturbing amount of the time. “Look, Eli, we’re sorry, but we have very good reasons for having not told you.”

“Really? What? And why do they suddenly not matter? Are you going to erase my memory?” Eli seemed almost eager to know that, somehow.

“Can we even do that?” He waved his arms in a shrug, “But shoosh, I’m on screen.”

“Yeah, hang on :a sec- Ahhh! Sorry Jim, I’ll have to call you back. Ahh! No, not that one!

“Actually never mind, what were you saying?” Toby turned towards Eli and, importantly, away from the screen. “Right, why we’re showing you now. Well, we’re not, the glowing, floaty person is, we just really need to know what comes after this… Probably.”

“I think you need a new dentist.” Darci stated.

“You know any others around?” Toby asked dryly.

“OK. I don’t really know how to say this. But last night, something incredible happened.” Onscreen Jim spun the  around, sat on it, and hopped right off to spin it again. “Actually unbelievable. Completely unbelievable. As in you won’t believable me, but I’m telling you it’s true. I promise you it’s true.”

“So that’s what the ‘chess club’ thing was about?” Barbara asked.

“Yep.”

“Do you even know how to play?”

“Nope.” Claire and Toby snickered into their hands at the exchange.

“They really weirded me out. He.”

“Tick, tock. Tick, tock.”

Steve giggled, but when he glanced around he caught sight of Coach, glaring at the screen like it had cut his hamstrings and quickly looked down at his lap.

“You have a lot on your shoulders. Too much, in my opinion, for someone your age. This opportunity,”

“Chess?”

“I think it’s causing you anxiety.”

“Oh, Jim.” Barbara breathed.

“Hey, thank you for the advise, I like talking to you.”

“Always.”

As Jim picked up his bag the light caught on the amulet, and Strickler’s head whipped around and his eyes widened as the music picked up into a screech.

“What? What was that?!” Eli shouted.

“Did Strickler know that thing?” Shannon leaned forward.

“Is Strickler a Changeling?” Claire hissed to Jim.

Onscreen Jim finished three sandwiches and threw the knife back into the chopping block.

“What was with those knife skills? Like, you just threw it?!” Logan asked.

“What?! Who cares?” Steve demanded

The amulet started glowing, catching Jim’s attention. He took it outside and held it up, where symbols along the outside shifted through languages into english.

“For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command.”

Wind blew, electricity frizzed out, a kittens’ food started floating fight out of the bowl. Blue lights appears out of the amulet and flew into Jim, who was incased in a suit of armour.

“This is so freaking cool!” Jim struck a pose. A light in his hand turned into a sword, which upon being swung around, got stuck in a rock.

Strickler was under the bridge, standing over Kanjigar’s remains. “It’s been taken. You failed.” A dark mass passed behind him. “You let it go. Your father will be displeased.”

“GRrr!” Bular snarled, inches away from Strickler’s back, “Whoever holds the amulet of daylight, I shall destroy him. Just as I have done every. Single. One.”

“Worry not, you brute.”  Strickler’s eyes glowed bright, "I know where to find it. I believe the amulet has found it’s champion.”

Jim laughed as he finally retrieved his sword and held it to the sky.

Jim fidgeted in place, glancing around nervously. “So, next episode?”

“WHAT?!”

“Hey!” “What?!” “No!” "Mr Strickler?" “The teacher is evil?” “No, what?” “I am sooo~ confused!” “What’s going on?” “Of course he’s not; it’s a TV show!” “Why? You were my favourite teacher! Why did you have to be evil?” “Wha..”

“How about!” Barbara shouted, and the room turned to face her, “We take a quick break to get used to what we just learned?” She spread her arms to the other adults. “This has been a big… shock. For all of us, I think. Just give those of us who aren’t used to… magic.. already a chance to acclimatise. Sound good?”

“Don’t we deserve some answers?!” Ophelia cried.

“Oh, but aren’t we going to get them anyway?” Nana asked.

What’s going on? Everyone jumped as the figure dumped another couch behind the first one. D-do you need… Ah! Right, a bathroom! I’m sorry, with all of you here I’m not going to be able to just bring you in and out. I’ll be right back. The figure disappeared, then reappeared a moment later with more chairs and disappeared again. Barbara took the moment of communal shock to grab Jim and drag him over to the corner.

“I am going to talk to my son,” She declared, “If you want answers, then you’re just going to have to wait.”

“Or you could just, I don’t know, watch the TV?” Toby wondered. Ophelia tightened her fists, but marched back to Javier. The rest of the room seemed to waver, but stood back when the figure dropped another couch in. Toby gave Jim the thumbs up. Jim took a deep breath.

Barbara took a deep breath, Jim mirrored it.

“Jim…Let’s talk.”

Chapter Text

Jim followed Barbara of into a corner, the ghost popping in and dropping a chair in his peripheral vision. Barbara turned to him, looking him dead in the eyes. Her eyes seemed to bore into his, searching for answers.

Jim stared back; he didn’t know what else to do, his mouth was glued shut.

Barbara sighed, finally breaking eye contact to look at the ground. “Is this what hurt you? Trolls?”

Well, it wasn’t like lying was viable anymore, not when he wanted answers as desperately as she did.

“Changelings, actually, though the goblins didn’t help.” Full discloser it was. At least this way he had some semblance of control, if only in the delivery. Probably better he tell her before she see it anyway.

“goblins?! Why were goblins- ugh.”

“They were after Claire, and my armour was missing,” He found himself trying to explain, “I couldn’t just leave her to die!”

“You could have died!” She exclaimed.

“It’s no like I had a choice!”

“You chose not to tell me!”

“What was I suppose to tell you,” He demended, “That I was being chased by murderous trolls and I didn’t know what to do about it?”

“YES!”

Barbara broke away from the uneasy lines they had drawn to pace in restless anger, Jims heart hammered away in his chest.

“You’ve been in danger, for months, and I knew nothing!” Barbara threw her hands in the air, “A-and you were already pushing yourself too hard, I didn’t realise how much, and now this? I was cheerfully going about my business as if my son weren’t in danger, not knowing not helping...”

“I wanted to protect you from all this!”

“Protect me?!” She cried, turning to face him. Her hands were shaking, she crossed them over her chest

“You already-“

“No.”

“Wha-? No?”

“Jim, I’m your mother,” Her voice was shaking now too, but she continued, “I’m here to help you. Not the other way around. I see now that I’ve failed you.”

“What? No!”

“Yes, I have. I’m here to support you; through school, girls, and even murderous trolls and changeling and goblins. Especially that! And when you found out you were in danger from murderous trolls you lied to me!... I can’t support you if I don’t know that anything is going on.”

“I- I’m sorry.”

“No, Jim, that’s on me. I know you’ve been doing the best you can, and I should have noticed,” Barbara took of her glasses and rubbed at the with a hankie, her brow heavily creased, “I should have been there for you. Even before you found that amulet and your history teacher turned out to be evil, even he saw that you needed help when I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

They lapsed into awkward silence for a minute, neither quite looking at the other.

“That is what it was, yes, he’s your enemy?”

Ahh, the sticky, Stricklander situation. “Umm, yeah...”

“Figures.”

“Sorry, Mum” He was; she deserved better, much better than either bitter loneliness or evil changelings.

“It’s not your fault if your mum has a type. Unless you’re apologising for not telling me.” She relaxed and unfolded her arms and looked him dead in the eye, “’cause that! That I’m grounding you for.”

“G- grounding? Wha-“

“Yes. You are grounded. Effective as soon as we get out of here.”

“Mum, I have two worlds to take care off!” Jim flailed his arms.

“Yes, and be will be discussing that, and the terms of your grounding, later, at home.” And Barbara turned and strode back over to the congregation around some newly appeared tables. “Hmm, this looks surprisingly healthy for movie snacks.” Jim just stared as Toby and Claire sidled up to him.

“So, Jimbo… How did it go?”

Toby and Claire shuffled in place nervously.

“I’m grounded.” Jim told them.

“Ah! Grounded! That’s not too bad.” Toby said happily.

“What are you talking about?” Claire cried, “Jim can’t be grounded; he’s got a world to save!”

“Kind of a moot point in here, don’t you think?”

“Ahg!” Claire groaned in incoherent panic.

“Claire! Come hold your brother for a moment.” Ophelia called from the snack table.

Claire looked to Jim, who shrugged lightly, and she walked over and took ‘Enrique’ from her mother, and wasn’t that just another gross, gooey thing flying towards the ceiling fan. And then Ophelia leaned down and hissed in her ear.

“Yeah, they’re never gonna like you.” Toby said, deadpan, “At least Claire seems to like you now. And that was a great performance, you know you had me crying by the end of it. Had to wash my face.”

“It’s not actually hard to make you... Wait, when did you get a chance to wash your face?”

“When you and Dr. Lake were ‘talking’, the ghost went whoosh! And then there were bathroom doors instead of wall,” Toby pointed to a couple of doors that had definitely not been there before, “see, over there.”

“Cool. I might go wash my face too...”

“You should man, you look like a bit of a mess.” Toby shrugged apologetically.

“Thanks’ Tobes”

“I’m here for ya, Jimbo.”

As Jim walked away, he felt lighter, somehow.

Chapter Text

Jim had hoped for a moment of solitude to gather his thoughts. It didn’t look like that was happening right now.

“I’m sorry, okay?! Besides it was forever ago!” Steves voice assaulted him as soon as he stepped in to what looked like a very clean public bathroom.

“Forever ago my glutes!” Coach Lawrence exclaimed, “It was this semester!”

“Um-” The coach and Steve both spun to look at him.

“Ahem!”

Steve looked away and rubbed his head.

Jim gestured to the door, "I can come back-”

“No need.” Coach interjected shuffling past Jim to the door, “We can continue this later.”

And then there were two.

Jim glanced at Steve out the corner of his eye, and found him apparently enthralled by the ceiling.

“Um..”

“Hi.. Lake.”

“Hey Steve.”

Wow, awkward. Steve took a deep breath.

“You - your costume is really magic?” He sort of stuttered out quickly.

“Ah, yeah.”

“Heh. That’s… something. And Pepperjack was right all along?”

“I guess so. I don’t know how much he actually knows, but he’s definitely seen some stuff.”

“Huh… Sorry about your mum, that sounded…” For a moment, a sincere flash of empathy passed Steves face.

“Uh- You too…”

“Uh… Yeah..”

Oh, boy. Jim shifted on the spot a bit… And went to wash his face at a sink. Ahh, that… makes his face wet. But at least now he’s not looking at anyone who’s looking at him. Oh, he still has his armour on.

“Look, Lake,” Oh, okay. Jim stood up to see Steve inspecting a cubical door now, “… I’m sorry, about trying to beat your face in.”

“Oh… yeah, that’s fine.”

Steve seemed to perk up, “Is it? Well, I suppose you had bigger things to worry about anyway.”

“Heh, yeah. That’s for sure.”

“I bet you had your ass handed to you so many times.”

“Oh~ yeah, I still have bruises from the last time!”

“Oh man, I wish I had been there to see it!”

“Uh- Aha?”

WHAM!

Jim thought he might have hit the ceiling when the door slammed open.

“Oh, hi guys,” Chirped Eli as he bounced through the door.

“Oh, Eli.” “Pepperjack.”

“Whatcha doing?”

“None of your business, Pepperjack.” Steve muttered half heartedly.

“Ah. Seemed like you were really getting chewed out there Jim, that sucks. She didn’t get it, huh.” Eli said, still rather cheerfully.

“Yeah. I think we worked it out though.”

“Huh. It seems like you both got told off pretty bad.”

“Haha…”

“Hey Steve, feel like apologising for shoving me in my locker?”

Steve seemed to simultaneously shrink into himself and puff up at Eli’s words.

“I bet you feel real silly after all those times you shoved me in there and laughed at me,” Eli laughed.

Steve sneered. “You know, I really don’t,” He shoulder checked past Eli and out of the bathroom.

Eli rubbed his shoulder. “Huh, what’s his problem?” Jim just shrugged. “Probably jealous of how much more I know about this, who wouldn’t be!”

“Um, I’m not so sure that’s it…”

“Are you sure? I’m pretty good at putting these things together.”

“Ah. Haha, right. Look, I’m sorry about not telling you that you were right-”

“I know Jim.”

“You do?” Jim asked hopefully. Eli was nice, and it wouldn’t go astray to have another friend at school.

“This is very sensitive information. Not just anyone can be trusted with it, it needs to stay with a trusted few?”

“You-you understand?”

“Of course, this is very important stuff. You should have told me earlier, I could have helped you! Oh, I can’t wait to find out all their secrets! But what are we gonna do about Steve and the others?” Eli’s serious air dissipated against a tide of renewed manic energy.

“Ah…We?”

“You must have been having a hard time at it without me to help you! It’s okay now,” Eli put his hand on Jim’s shoulder, “I will help you extract every. Single. Secret. From these creatures. For Arcadia. We will save the town from the invading threat!”

“Um. Right. Well, you know, I know just the place to start.” And Jim slipped past Eli and back to the main room, where a people were milling around, waiting. Out of the frying pan… He removed his armour, and Toby looked up and waved from where Nana seemed to be cheerfully lecturing him about something or another. Claire followed his gaze from where she seemed to be firmly ignoring her mothers firm looks. And his mothers curious glances. Shannon stood quietly beside Miss Janeth, who was keeping an eye on Logan, Sean and Steve, though for now they seemed to just be eating. Coach and Señor Uhl were talking quietly over a pilfered bowl of something, glancing around at the boys, and Barbara?

The ghost-of-futures-past had been busy, the room was now filled with chairs of varying style and comfort, and the snack table was loaded. Grabbing a handful of chip, and mum was right, the variety of snacks was top notch, he looked at the milling crowd, as eyes slowly locked on him.

“Um… episode two?"