After the announcement of the caught criminals, it was around noon, and Y/N, F/N, and Blinky were guiding two trolls for them to get back to their hideout. Blinky raised his staff to hit the sewer lid, and rubble scared the bejesus out of them. Blinky turned to the other trolls to stay quiet as he and Y/N went to check what the noise was.
They came across a scene they never expected to see. "Great Gorkus! What is the meaning of this insanity?" Blinky yelled. Jim was holding Nomura against the wall with his shield, choking her. Y/N saw his eyes were bright yellow with orange irises, almost like a changeling. Jim moved away, letting Nomura go, and she transformed into her human disguise, rubbing her neck. "What is she doing here?" Blinky ordered.
"And you," Blinky turned to Strickler, who stood up and rubbed his arm, "I should have known. Gunmar takes Trollmarket, and of course you slither out from under your rock." Y/N placed a hand on Blinky's shoulder, pulling him back. Jim's coughing brought their attention to him, "They're here to train me, not lecture me." Jim's voice sounded rough as he walked towards them with Daylight in his hand. "If I'm going to kill Gunmar..." Jim let out another cough, and Y/N, F/N, and Blinky backed away quickly as they dodged his swings, "I need to fight like Gunmar."
"Jim, your voice, your eyes," Y/N analyzed Jim. Y/N's foot hit something as she moved back. She looked down and picked up the tin can. She sniffed it and retched. Blinky grabbed it and sniffed it, also retching. "Yuck!" He looked back at the can and glared at Strickler, raising his voice, "You gave him Grave Sand. That's not meant for humans." He pushed the can back into Strickler's hold. "Grave Sand?" Blinky looked at Y/N. "Grave Sand is the pulverized bone dust of fallen Gumm-Gumms, which is often used to enhance one's feral instincts. Changelings use them to help shed their human forms and embrace their trollish natures," he explained, and Y/N nodded, understanding.
Jim was panting with anger in his changeling eyes as he raised Daylight. "Oh, dear." Blinky looked at Y/N, and she nodded. They walked towards him, stood in front of him, "Master Jim, look at us." Blinky placed his staff down, and Y/N placed a hand on his shoulder as he let down Daylight. "The reason the Amulet chose you is your humanity," Jim glared at her hand and moved away. Blinky grabbed both of his shoulders. "And following your human instincts hasn't failed you yet." Jim's yellow eyes started to flicker, and his eyes turned back to normal. His armor disappeared, and he started coughing. Y/N walked to his side and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I lost myself." Y/N rubbed his shoulder in comfort. F/N jumped on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Jim."
Strickler walked towards them, Blinky picked up his staff and turned to him, "Jim is a good kid, but a good kid can't kill Gunmar." Y/N glared at him, "Brutality and deceit won't suffice either." Blinky slammed his staff on the ground, "Sometimes deceit is the only option." Y/N moved between them, "Okay, that's enough from both of you." Jim coughed, his voice still raspy. "Lies may work for you, but not for me." He crossed his arms and Nomura let out a chuckle, "You lie to your mother every day." Jim argued back, "I protect her..." He let out a cough and looked away guiltily, "to keep her out of this."
"We have bigger news, by the way. According to Aaarrrgghh!!!'s reconnaissance, Gunmar left Trollmarket," Y/N said. A few hours ago, Aaarrrgghh!!! came to the hideout and told Blinky that Gunmar had left. Blinky then told her, "He still chases the Eternal Night." Nomura walked up to them with a frown, "Until we learn more, we must remain vigilant and use this time to prepare..." He glared at Strickler, "the right way."
"Let me just go grab my stuff," Jim said as he picked up his shoulder bag. Strickler showed him the Grave Sand, "We must take every precaution in the event Gunmar strikes." Jim glanced between the can and Strickler, then took it. He put it in his bag, and Y/N and F/N walked away with him out of the sewers. Once they were far enough, Y/N asked him, "Training with Strickler must be exhausting." Jim looked at her and shrugged, "It's going alright. Tough but nothing I can't handle.
Then the silence welcomed them back, F/N still on Jim's head, glanced between the two. "I never got to tell or text you, but my mom's memory is coming back," Y/N's eyes widened and blinked a couple of times to erase the surprise. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised because making her forget something like that might have come back one day or another. How'd you figure that out?"
"Uh... She's been painting her memories. She said she had vivid dreams. I found that out when we went back home after watching the sunrise. It's coming back slowly." Y/N hummed, and they made it out into the open. Y/N placed a hand on his shoulder, "Well, if all her memories do come back, at least try and talk with her." Jim looked down and nodded. She smiled and lifted her hand, face up, and F/N jumped on her hand. "We'll see you tomorrow, Jim." Jim waved bye to her, and they walked separate ways back home.
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Y/N sat in the library with Douxie, F/N wasn't with her because Archie was babysitting him. She was reading a book he gifted to her, a wizard/sorcerer's spellbook. "Huh, who knew your bookstore is actually a hidden secret hideout," Y/N said, flipping to a new page. Douxie chuckled as he wrote down notes for the next class. Y/N reached for her drink and jumped when she heard rumbling. She looked at the large windows, the grey clouds covering the blue sky. "Jesus, looks like there's gonna be a storm," Y/N said.
"Well, maybe when we get back home, we can have a movie night?" Douxie suggested, and Y/N nodded. "That sounds nice." Then her phone vibrated, and she excused herself, accepting the call by pressing the button and answering, "Hey, Jim, what's up?"
"Hey, Y/N. Uh... you don't mind visiting our school, do you?" Y/N raised a brow, "Um, can I ask why? What's going on?" Jim let out a few 'uh' sounds, "I, uh, took the Grave Sand with me today and got switched with regular coffee, and the teachers' coffee got spiked. Now they're acting like beasts, and Strickler said if they consumed it, they'd go tenfold, and if we don't bring them back, they'll stay like that." Y/N's brows narrowed and sighed, "Okay, I'll come over and help. I'll make an excuse for my teacher to let me go. I'll see you then."
Y/N joined Douxie and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Douxie, I'll be leaving early. I gotta go save my team's butts." Douxie nodded and grabbed her hand, "Be safe, alright?" Y/N smiled, nodded, and left the library, the school, and drove to Arcadia High.
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Y/N arrived at the school; it was kind of dark due to the dark grey clouds. Thunder could be heard, and rain was dropping on her car. The tires screeched, and Y/N ran out of her car to the front gate, her heart racing. She ran to the gate and grabbed it to see Strickler in his changeling form fighting Jim. "Jim!" He dodged Strickler's knives, and Y/N looked at the barricade. "Setag eht kcolnu!" (Unlock the gates). The school gate moved aside, and Y/N ran to the pair. Strickler turned to her and threw knives at her. Y/N stopped, and Jim stood in front of her, the shield appeared on his arm.
Strickler jumped behind them and threw knives at them. Y/N moved aside, and Jim raised his shield up, getting pushed back against the lockers. Strickler charged at him, and Jim quickly equipped his glaives, and the two engaged in a small knife fight. Strickler struck at him, and Jim opened a locker, the knife piercing through. Jim did a turn-attack, and the two jumped back a little. Jim jumped on him, attacking him, and Strickler threw him aside. Jim hit the bike stand, his armor glowed and landed on the ground.
Strickler tried striking him, and Jim hit him with a bike, knocking him back. Jim jumped over the stand and got into a fighting position as Strickler stood back up and took out another knife. Jim took his glaives once again, blocking the attack and swung him around, throwing him at the lockers, and quickly took out Daylight. Strickler sat up, and Jim glared down at him, lightning flashing behind him. Y/N's eyes widen slightly, 'What's your next move, Jim?'
"So, you do have it in you," Strickler said, using the lockers to help him stand up. "Go on, finish the fight," Strickler said, grabbing his sword. "No. You wanna live. You wanna help me," Jim said, trying to break through Strickler's control. "I want nothing," he yelled at him, anger flashing, and Y/N could see that there was something more to this. "That's not true. You want..." Jim looked down, slightly panting from the fight. "You want to protect my mom," Jim said and looked at Strickler as Y/N glanced between the two.
"You care for Barbara. Remember how happy she made you feel," Strickler looked down, shaking his head. "She doesn't even remember me." Y/N felt bad for him at that moment. If this was Douxie and her... well, she doesn't even want to know. She looked at Jim to see him also feel bad for him, his face filled with remorse. "She does," Jim looked away. "She still cares for you." He lowered his weapon and took off his amulet, his armor disappearing, and walked towards him. "She still... cares... for me?" Strickler repeated, placing a hand on his chest, not sure whether to believe Jim or not.
Jim sighed and looked at Y/N, and she nodded her head to Strickler, "She..." Jim paused for one second and looked at Strickler, "loves you." Strickler's eyes widened, "Loves... me?" Strickler's glowing eyes faded away, and he dropped to his knees, transforming back as Y/N joined Jim's side. Strickler came back to normal and turned away from them, placing a hand on his temple and then on the locker. He looked at Jim, "The grave sand. How did you--?"
"Let's just say... I said what I had to say," Jim said, looking away. Y/N placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded at him, telling him that he had at least brought Strickler back. Then they heard doors open, and Toby, Eli, and Steve ran up to them. "Uh, so there are a couple of teachers looking for an explanation, and we don't know what to say. Anyone?" Steve said quickly. Strickler walked past Jim and Y/N. "It's okay. I'll have a word with them," he said. He turned to Jim with a smile over his shoulder, "You've proven yourself today, young Atlas. There is hope for you yet."
"Yeah, sure," Jim let out, not returning the smile because of what he said to him. Strickler walks away as Toby joins their side, leaning over, covering the side of his mouth, "Wait until Claire hears about this." Y/N patted his shoulder, and the three looked back at the back of Strickler. "I have a feeling she's happy to have slept through this one," Jim said.
Y/N sighed and placed her hands on her waist, "Well, I came here to help you, but I just stood to the side and watched you two fight and protect me." Jim chuckled, rubbed his head, and made an 'oh' sound as he looked at her, "Oh, yeah, Y/N, do you mind coming over to my place? I have something to give you." Y/N raised a brow and nodded.
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Jim opened his door for them to come inside. "Wait here for a moment," Jim raised his hands up and ran to the basement. Y/N waited by the door. Then, he came back up with a canvas and showed it to her with a small smile. Y/N's jaw dropped a little, her eyes widened a bit. It was a painting of Vendel. Her hands slowly reached for the canvas, and Jim handed it to her. Y/N brushed her hand across the painting.
"I asked Mom if I can gift this to you, and she said she's glad to give it to you." Y/N smiled at the gesture, "I know how much you miss him." Y/N let out a chuckle, wiped some small tears coming down, and pulled Jim into a hug. Jim wrapped his arms around her and patted her back, "Thank you, Jim." They moved away, her hand on Jim's shoulder, "And tell Barbara I said thanks." Jim nodded and smiled, happy that his friend, sister, and teammate is happy.
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