Author's Note:
So, the last chapter of the editing process before the real updates happen. Who's excited?!
Replies to your Reviews:
TO EVERYONE!
To clarify because I keep getting messages and reviews on both Wattpad and Fanfiction about if my team and I are doing all the seasons.
Of course, we are! We wouldn't leave the story until it is truly completed! So, yes, expect all seasons in this one little book!
Side Notes:
You all probably have seen 3Below but are any of you kind of disappointed in the Deja Vu episode. All of Jim's classmates saw him kill a troll and no one questioned it, man I was so excited when there was a revealing episode but very sad that no one reacted as I expected!
SOMEONE MAKE A REVEAL FIC FOR ME TO LOVE! Lol, just kidding.... Maybe
Enjoy!
The episode starts bluntly, the scene seeming tense as a female voice whispered all around Jim who was surrounded by his reflections in dark purple colored gems. Jim slowly stepped around each large crystal, watching his surroundings as his armor had already phased onto his body.
"Ummm... Jim, whatcha doing?" Someone wondered, watching the screen as on-screen Jim had roamed by himself in what looked like to be, a very dangerous place.
Blinky groaned, what did they get into this time? Also, where was Jim? He didn't recognize that place, also, Jim should be with the rest of his team, this didn't add up and if anything, it was worrying him. Jim meant a lot to him and just seeing the boy lost and scared in some random realm was not comforting.
"Gunmar," the voice said hauntingly. Jim twisting and turning as he looked at his three silhouettes of himself in the crystals. "Gunmar the Black." The female voice echoed as it continued to speak, a large groan met Jim making his only instinct to don his sword, "Gunmar the Vicious. Gunmar the Skullcrusher." Reflections of Gunmar had appeared in the gems as well, before a larger version of Gunmar appeared behind Jim, his one eye standing out as the voice sounded possessed as it screamed, "Gunmar!"
Everyone jumped and Blinky couldn't help but gasp. Jim never truly saw Gunmar so how on earth could he imagine Gunmar so correctly. He couldn't! Blinky nearly choked on his air in panic. How, how could this be possible!?
Jim shivered, remembering this dream. It haunted him for days and the only person he told was Toby.
Panicked, Jim let out a scream, falling and landing on his back into the smokey floor which turned into Gunmar's vibrant eye. Soon, the eye became nothing but Jim's bedroom floor as he fell off his bed, woken from his nightmare.
All the students groaned as Eli rubbed his forehead, "it was a nightmare!" The nerd stated, looking at Jim.
"I'm sorry!" Jim quickly yelled out, throwing up his hands as he caught BLinky's finally relaxed position.
"Master Jim! Do not do that, ever again!" Jim groaned it wasn't really him. He understood though on why everyone was flipping out about it.
Jim rubbed the sore spot on his head, letting out an, "Ow!" Before standing back up and dropping into his bed, the blanket falling over him as he hid beneath it.
At school in the gym, band music played in the background as a person in a mole costume danced behind Coach Lawrence as he listened to the students who cheered.
"Wow, that seems like a very lame assembly."
"Give me an A!" Coach called out to the crowd, the mole jumping in the background, doing poses to the letters.
The students repeated, "A!"
"Give me an R!"
"R!"
"Give me a C!"
"C!" The camera showed the crowd as students bunched together on the bleachers.
"This is taking way too long. Give me an "adia"!" The student cheers died down some confusing chatter here and there. "What's that spell?" He scoffed when no one replied ad no one in the crowd moved. "Arcadia!"
Everyone laughed as Mary rolled her eyes. Coach Lawrence really never had the patients.
The mole appeared in front of the Coach as the students cheered for their school. Pushing the mole out of the way, Coach nearly knocked the microphone stand down "Go Moles! Go, Moles." He said less excitedly, "Before we begin, I have a few announcements-"
"Jeez, I feel bad for whoever is in that mole costume now." Looking away from everyone, Darci blushed in embarrassment. She had been given the role ever since Bill had moved and told no one, afraid of what'd they think.
In the crowd, Jim and Toby sat near the top, Jim explaining what he saw in his dream to Toby but his friend's focus was on something else other than Jim's story, his eyes were a clear concept that he was very interested in whatever he was staring at.
"Whoa, look at Toby." A kid mumbled as Steve lightly shoved the chunky kid.
"What on earth are you staring at Jumbo?"
"Like I should tell you!" Toby said defensively, shoving Steve's hands away.
"And his eye is glowing. And then, the dream just keeps reminding me that I'm completely way out of my league. Right? Tobes."
"Who is that masked mole? You ever wonder?" The mole did a few small dance moves.
"Oh, he's staring at the mole. Of course." Darci continued to blush, hiding her face from all her peers.
"You didn't hear a word I said just then, did you?"
"Sure, I did. You had no problems sneaking into the Darklands when it was to save Claire's brother, but now that Kanjigar says you've got to face Gunmar, you're having nightmares about him and are freaking out that you're way out of your league. I can multi-task, Jimbo." Jim smiled before looking at the mole.
"Wow, okay."
"It's Bill Aronstein." Jim simply answered.
"Bill moved to Wisconsin. This is someone else's artistry. Someone with feminine wiles."
"What? What feminine wiles? How do you even know that it's a girl under there?" Romantic music began to play as the spotlight only seemed to be on the mole, dancing like 'any girl would'.
"He seriously is assuming that the person beneath that costume is feminine?" Mary wondered, looking at Toby. Somehow, they all missed Darci trying to hide her face.
"If anything, I'm curious on who is in there now! Dang, it Toby!"
"Uh, trust me, dude. I know women, and that is all woman under there." During their little dance, Toby felt as though he made a connection with the mole until they fell into Coach Lawrence who groaned in annoyance. The students laughing.
Darci couldn't take all this attention. Her identity was a secret as a mole and the fact that she nearly pushed Coach over, now that was embarrassing.
"Hey! All right, mole, that's enough! Go back into your burrow or whatever!" He pushed them aside and the mole walked sadly away, "Okay. Principal Levit has taken ill with the flu." Jim and Toby watched the mole leave with a bit of curiosity. "He's asked me to handle announcing the students the faculty's nominated for the year-end Spring Fling King and Queen." Jim looked back at Coach. "The nominees are Shannon Longhannon! I'll pronounce it soon, Shannon." People cheered for her as she perked up.
"You guys are so interested in that mole!"
"It's gonna be you." Mary started, looking at Claire.
"No, it's not." Darci joined them.
"It is every year, " Mary said in desperate sadness.
"Awww, Mary you a little jealous?" Steve teased.
"Shut up doofus."
"And, every year, I don't care."
Lawrence called the second chosen one, "Darci Scott!" Mary looked defeated.
"Wait, what? Really? Yeah!" Darci cheered. Claire looked to the side, finding Jim who leaned back to make an expression about how pointless Spring Fling had been.
"Whoa, when did Darci get there?" Kids shrugged, more focused on Jim and Claire interacting in the episode.
"The third and final nominee is Mary Wang!"
"Me? Not you?" She laughed as the students cheered for her.
"WHHHHHAAAAAATTTTT!"
"You? I mean, that's so awesome." Claire said, shocked as Mary continued to celebrate. Yet, Claire seemed more focused when Lawrence mentioned the boys.
"EvErY yEaR, i DoN't CaRe!"
Claire rolled her eyes and looked at Jim who chuckled, "they have a point you did get a tiny bit jealous like Mary did." Claire scoffed playfully.
"And now, for the boys - Steve Palchuck!"
People cheered for Steve as he stood, "That's right, plebes! Obvious!" Jim groaned and rolled his eyes.
"I know, yeah. Get over here, Steve. Eli Pepperjack!" The students began to boo so Coach had to quickly remind them, "Hey, no booing!"
Eli didn't know whether to be happy that he was voted or upset that he was being booed, but not like he was ever liked.
"It's okay Eli, they are jealous," Jim stated, looking back at the boy who smiled.
"Thank you, Jim!"
"I have friends!" He called out excitedly but some responded with a "no you don't!"
"You're worrying too much about Gunmar. Relax, dude." Toby said, gently wacking his friend in the shoulder, "Now that the play's over, you can focus on your training full time. Learn some cool new moves, master some deadly arts." Toby said, making a few wild hand gestures.
"See, now you don't have to worry about two things anymore!" Blinky said happily.
"Uh, Blink. You don't realize this is that Spring King thing. Where I still had to focus on two important things."
"And finally, Jim Lake Junior!" Everyone cheered as Toby gasped.
"Spoke too soon...." Kids couldn't help but laugh as Jim kept his glare locked on the screen.
"First the play plus training to survive Bular, now Spring King plus training to survive Angor Rot and Gunmar. How fun."
"That's you!" Toby stood up and cheered along with the students.
"What?" Jim said in disbelief.
"Really? Buttsnack?" Steve said, turning to face Jim.
Eli turned too, saying, "Time for some friendly competition!"
"Eat snack, Pepperjack!" Steve cackled at Eli who turned in displeasure.
"His laugh just killed me!"
"How is Eat Snack such a rude thing to say?"
"Our nominees will compete in a series of challenges to win your vote. Each nominee will propose a theme for the dance. I like disco! I've got to boogie! That is all." He did a disco move before leaving the gym, the students also standing and walking out the exits, clearing the gym.
"How am I gonna find time to-?" Jim pressed his hand to his forehead, getting stressed but Toby quickly pulled it away.
"That's not what's important, Jimbo! Here's what is: You've got a chance to be king of the school! You know what that means?" He gasped in realization, "That would make me duke. Jim Lake for Spring King!" Jim facepalmed.
Jim groaned, "Tobes, that literally isn't important. Me dying is."
Everyone in the room facepalmed at Toby.
In the Void, the constellations which created many shapes like a goblin, the sword of daylight and many other beasts that was a part of troll history were shaped in the stars. "You have defeated the son but not the father." A male voice reminded as blue orbs rained down on Jim, voices speaking to the New Trollhunter.
"Damn it, he's back in the void with the rude and dead Trollhunters."
"Gunmar is death." Jim swiped at the orbs that fell at him, causing them to evaporate. However, so many started falling towards him too quickly at the same time, pushing him, Jim running out of breath.
"Oh, they are going to get it!"
Kanjigar began to speak to Jim as orbs kept colliding into his armor. "Blinkous and my son have trained you well in the art of single combat, but rarely will your enemies do the courtesy of striking one at a time." Four orbs appeared out of nowhere, Jim quickly using his sword to block them but they simply pushed him to the ground, letting Kanjigar point the sword at Jim.
Jim's back fell onto the floor, crying out, "All right, enough!
"So, you yield?" A female voice wondered.
"Yes, yeah, I yield." He picked his head off from the floor to glare at them before dropping back down, "This stopped being fun for me a little while ago."
"Look at that glare Jim has, it's hilarious."
Kanjigar put the sword away as Jim looked to the side with a glare, "You must be prepared to face Gunmar." He held out a hand for Jim, helping the young Trollhunter up.
"Well, I think you guys just made your point that I'm not. I'm not strong enough to kill Gunmar, even with my friends."
"We needed to be hard on you because you weren't gonna listen to us. You had to see for yourself."
"Besides, there's no way to kill Gunmar." A female mentioned.
"For you guys, there wasn't but who knows, Jim already managed to take out his son, which you guys couldn't do and you are all so "powerful" pffff! Jim can do it!"
A male voice added, "He's invincible."
"Sorry to burst their bubbles, but nobody is invincible. So.... they only think that because they couldn't defeat him."
"No, he's not!" One argued.
"So far as we know."
"What do you know?" The spirit of the past Trollhunters argued.
"What do they mean?" Jim wondered, looking up at Kanjigar.
He let the sword float in a presenting matter, explaining, "That sword of yours has fought him many times, but has never killed him. Your weapon and armor were crafted with a singular purpose in mind to protect both our worlds. Don't forsake that solemn mission to save one human child and lose your life in the process." Kanjigar had walked away, the transparent sword beginning to glow and transporting Jim from the void into the training grounds of Trollmarket.
Everyone was speechless, "well he crushes a lot of dreams."
Jim opened his eyes once he was out of the void and listened to the sound of the floor click in place, yet, Draal had called for his friend, "Jim, did you see my father?"
The armor began to glow as well as the amulet before the armor disappeared and the amulet reappeared in Jim's hand, "I did." Jim walking away with his eyes closed and his heart falling in a bit of sadness.
"Awww JIMMY! Look how defeated he looks because they made him feel weak."
"Did he speak of me?" Draal asked hesitantly.
"No, that crappy man did not and I am so sorry Draal!"
"Yeah. He wished the Soothscryer could let you in, but, you know, the rules are the rules."
Draal sighed, "It's all right, Trollhunter. You don't have to lie to protect my feelings."
"He said we can't kill Gunmar. I would only be leading my friends to their death." Jim looked away.
"Okay, so if someone like Bular walked up to Jim and somehow forced him to open the bridge, no matter what, someone would get that bridge open and free Gunmar. So this evil troll has to end anyways otherwise more Changelings would come out and maybe there is a whole place of Changelings that could be doing research on how to release Gunmar."
"Too bad. I was looking forward to proving him wrong."
Jim lightly chuckled, "So was I." Aaarrrgghh came stomping in, his breaths were heavy, "Aaarrrgghh, what's wrong?"
"Blinky." He answered simply.
"What in the living of Deya's Grace could be wrong with me?! I was having a major breakthrough!"
"Everything Blink, everything." A student commented causing Blinky to sigh.
"If you are coming after my conspiracy theories!"
In the library, Claire and Toby had been playing with the books while Blinky paced the floor, talking to himself, "But if I consult Gringold's Grimore, cross-reference it with Axle's Forbidden Almanac, of course, it's there! It's true!" Blinky laughed madly as Aaarrrgghh and Jim stepped in.
"Not a shocker that the thing wrong with Blinky is that."
"How long's he been like this?" Jim wondered.
"Long time." Aaarrrgghh pitched in.
"Maybe you should switch to decaf." As Jim finished his sentence, Blinky appeared up close to Jim, startling him.
"According to legend, only one scholar, the Dishonorable Bodus, uncovered a method of wounding Gunmar."
"After we were literally just told that there is no way."
"They know nothing. NOTHING!"
"The Trollhunters just told me there wasn't anyway. How do you do it?"
"No one knows." Blinky walked backward to the table, continuing to pace, "Gunmar had Bodus and his students hunted down and dispatched in a most unpleasant manner. But here, this book, The Final Testament of Bodus This is the last surviving copy of his work! This is the key! And I'm going to burn it." His face went from excitement to serious in a second, shocking everyone.
All the people in the room had gasped, "Why would you burn it!?"
"Yep, Blinky has gone mad."
"I have not!"
"It actually helped in the long run and you will see!"
The team gasped as Aaarrrgghh quickly pitched in, "Long time." Blinky set the book on the table, quickly creating sparks between two stones and lighting the book on fire in an instant.
"Blinky, no! What are you doing? That book might tell us the-" Blinky stopped Jim from moving any farther.
"Bodus was being hunted! He knew he had to keep it secret!"
"WHAT THE HELL BLINK!?"
Vendel just sighed, this is what happened in the library, good thing he wasn't in the same room as them.
"Oh, no!" Toby tried to spill water on it but it didn't get very far, then Aaarrrgghh tried to blow it out but it built the fire higher.
"Burn, baby, burn!"
"No, don't!" Claire yelled out, throwing a blanket over it and taking out the flames, the book was now a pile of ashes laying on the table.
"Well way to go Blinky, now the Trollhunters are actually right."
"Did Blinky just destroy our only chance at getting Gunmar?"
"Or my baby brother!"
"You don't understand. Bodus hid the secret within the book. Watch." He blew the ashes off with his breath, the ashes flying and revealing a secret message on the table, the words written in troll and slowly cooling down.
"Okay, hold on, let me get this straight," Eli said, turning to look at Blinky, "You acted all crazy, not explaining anything just to show us that there was a hidden message? When you could have just told us why you were going to burn it in the first place."
"Who knows who had been listening."
"Uh....." Blinky simply smiled.
"It's a message," Claire added.
"Aha! I am so glad that worked."
Jim walked up to them, standing between Blinky and Claire, "What does it say?"
"In darkest tide, when Daylight darest wane. The Myrddin Wylt obscured a Shadow's bane."
"So Daylight caught my attention which is Jim's sword, so let's decipher this."
"So in the darkest day, when the sword of Daylight is at its weakness in a daring moment, Merlin hid a Shadow's bane."
"What's a "Myrddin Wench"?" Toby wondered.
Claire quickly answered, "It's an ancient name for Merlin. Shouldn't someone be taking a picture of this or something?" Toby pulled out his phone and took the picture.
"Nice guess on the Merlin part." The random student shrugged. Jim couldn't help but laugh at how interested the students were in this.
"Also, bane means something involving death, so killing something off," Eli mentioned.
"Why thank you, Eli."
"Three forces elemental thou must seek. In marshland, caverns deep, and mountain's peak. Where worthy perish, ye will prevail in night and eclipse all who quarry with thy might."
"Three Elemental forces you have to find in Marshland, Caverns Deep, and Mountain's peak. Where the worthy die in suffering death, you all will prove to be more powerful in the night and use Eclipse where stones are extracted with your might." Eli finished dumbing it down and looked at Jim who was taking every word in.
"Eclipse? What's an Eclipse?" Someone asked, glancing at the Trollhunters.
"I don't know, we only have one stone. It must be something new that can help us."
"Anyone else freaked out a little bit by this evil perish poem?" Toby wondered.
"No. It said we can prevail! We can win! He hid a Shadow's bane." Jim said.
"Gunmar's bane?" Aaarrrgghh wondered.
"A specific way to kill Gunmar!"
"It's referencing a weapon of insurmountable power, formed by three forces unhallowed Of course!" He opened three books to certain pages, "It must be the Triumbric Stones! Three shards of legend tied to Gunmar's lifeblood lost to the ages. If we seek out these stones-"
"Eclipse is a weapon! Something that Jim can use to kill Gunmar!" Jim smiled, "The Eclipse blade which is made after using all the Triumbric stones!"
"So JImmy, you get a new sword. WHOO HOO!"
"We can kill Gunmar!" Jim explained happily, "Blinky, you madman, you did it!"
"We make the weapon and wham! Gunmar is done-mar!" Toby said happily
"Caution." Aaarrrgghh mentioned.
"Indeed! The Triumbric Stones have been hidden for centuries, but if I can decipher this text, Master Jim, then you shall-"
"Eclipse all who quarry with thy might." Claire finished Jim, smiling happily as he looked at his friends.
"LETS GO KILL GUNMAR!"
On a cliff just out of Arcadia, a car was parked, its headlights shining onto the ground as the cliff gave a breathtaking view of Arcadia lit in the night. Inside the car, a Goblin had turned on romantic music, chuckling at it before resting on the steering wheel as if the moment was loving and relaxing.
"So that's what Goblins do if they aren't angry."
Outside of the car, Strickler rested against the front bumper, holding a cup of coffee while the Goblin climbed out from the car, leaned back onto the windshield and relaxed.
"Ew! Get that thing off the screen." Strickler simply rolled his eyes and folding his arms over his chest.
Strickler took a sip of his coffee, Angor stepping up beside him, "This is what the world has become, Angor Rot."
"This village-" Angor Rot looked at the innumerous amounts of street lights.
"It's called Arcadia Oaks," Strickler mentioned
"It's on fire?"
"PPFFFFF!"
"No." Strickler lightly chuckled, "Those are called lights. Something known as electricity. You'll come to enjoy it, along with indoor plumbing." He held up another cup of coffee, seeing if Angor had wanted it, which the large troll sniffed the bitter bean juice and huffed, a clear sign of rejection. "So many advances since you've been away."
"The bridge to Gunmar is under this Arcadia?"
"The bridge will be spoken of no longer." He set the cup down, which interested the Goblin. "Gunmar had his chance to rule. Now, it's my turn." Strickler walked away from the car, right to the edge of the cliff while the Goblin lifted the two cups of coffee up, drinking the liquid from both of them.
"Oh, so now that Gunmar can't get out, you are going to try and rule? Honey, no, you couldn't even kill Jim when you were working with Bular!" Mary said with a scoff.
"Your turn for what?"
"Revenge and insurance." Strickler simply said. The Goblin grunted after many sips of the coffee, snarling at the flavor.
"In this town, there is a boy and this boy fancies a girl, a girl whose brother is being held in the Darklands. If the boy saves the child from the changeling nursery, he'll want to save them all. And it's my job to watch over my half-breed brethren and not let that happen." Strickler said seriously, turning to face Angor, the Goblin in the background ate the cups after finishing the drink, burping, then bouncing away with energy to last him for days.
"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA DUDE!"
Claire turned to smile at Jim, "you fancy me?" She joked and nudged him.
"Have you not been paying attention?" Jim joked, laughing as she groaned and rolled her eyes. "But yeah, why would you be my girlfriend if I didn't fancy you?" He teased, causing her to blush.
"But how could a fleshbag even contemplate such a feat?"
"This boy is the Trollhunter." Angor's face held so many emotions at the reveal of who the Trollhunter was, "It's a long story. The moral of which is not to underestimate him. He already managed to kill the son of Gunmar. Obviously, I could deal with him myself, but a man of my esteemed stature in this community can't do anything without arousing unwanted suspicion."
"Yeah, don't underestimate me." Jim chuckled. Claire lightly punching him.
"I think Strickler is just afraid!"
"I am not!"
"You're afraid of a fleshbag child." Angor Rot said with amusement.
"I am not. I merely-" Strickler tried to defend himself from any weakness but Angor didn't listen.
"See, Angor even realizes it!"
"He bested Bular and you are afraid. That is why you require Angor Rot." Angor teased.
Strickler quickly held up the ring as Angor got too close. "Just remember who's in charge here. I bear the ring. You answer to me. When the boy is finished, you will have your freedom."
"Ugh, watching Strickler try not to be afraid is sad."
"A human Trollhunter I've never hunted such game. I will kill this boy, but I will do it on my own terms." He said, nearing the edge of the cliff before flipping off of it backward, disappearing from Strickler who walked back to his car.
"You are not killing him! If I see you anywhere near my son so help me!" Barbara threatened.
Blinky slightly smiled, "Barbara, I understand your fear but I believe Jim can handle himself. No one wants to see him hurt but he is a lot stronger than we realize."
"That's my baby." She muttered and Jim looked at her with a smile.
"It's okay mom."
The Goblin hopped back around the car, flailing wildly as he laughed, too hyper to sit still.
Strickler walked to the door of his car, opening it as he spoke to himself.
"I'm back, Arcadia, and I brought you a gift."
"Gross."
In the Nunez house, Claire laid on the couch, a book open as NotEnrique began to cry.
"Mom, could you?" Her mother interrupted her, asking her the same question that Claire was about to ask.
"Claire, could you change your baby brother's diaper, please?" Claire glared, sitting up and closing the book.
"He's not a baby and he's not my brother." She muttered to herself, before stomping upstairs. NotEnrique was in Enrique's form, crying until Claire stepped into the room, pushing the door open with rage. A flash of blue covered the crib and NotEnrique stood in his true form, smiling as he leaned against the railing of his crib.
"So kind of you," NotEnrique said. Claire smiled reassuringly to him.
"Finally, the help shows up."
"If you think for a second I'm changing your diaper-"
"Please, I'm more than capable of using the loo like a civilized troll." He pushed himself onto the railing, balancing on his hands as he pushed himself up and down, speaking as he did so, "I need you to pick me up a nice, thick, greasy cheeseburger, with a side of jo-jo potatoes." He licked his lips in pleasure as he imagined biting down in a greasy cheeseburger.
"Oooooh, that sounds good."
"What do I look like? Your servant?" Not getting what he had asked for, he cleared his throat, pounded on his chest before crying loudly.
"How could the parents not tell the difference."
Claire panicked and quickly covered his mouth before looking at him, "All right, enough! You're a monster. You know that?" She started walking to the door, catching sight of a picture of her real brother.
"Uh, not monster. Changeling."
"Yeah get it right!" NotEnrique yelled, defending himself on the television.
She took the photo off the wall, looking at it, "This isn't fair."
"It's no day at the beach for me either, love bug." He said with a dead tone.
"I can't believe I have to pretend you're my brother. It's- It's cruel." A stray tear fell down her cheek and NotEnrique began to panic.
"Op, she is crying." Someone mentioned. Jim looked at Claire and gripped her hand, their fingers intertwining as Jim lightly dragged his thumb over her knuckles.
"Hey, we will get him back. Don't you worry." Jim mumbled as she smiled.
"What's this? Don't- Don't do that, seriously. Please don't cry. Forget the jo-jos. Just a plain burger."
"Enrique-" She whimpered.
"I get it. You miss your brother, but I assure you, he's perfectly fine."
"He's trapped in the Darklands. How can that be fine?" She said with a bitter voice.
"Yeah, aren't the Darklands deadly?"
Blinky spoke, "Well no. They need to keep the babies safe as we said a while ago during the start of the show. Otherwise, the Changelings wouldn't be able to form into humans."
"I'll show ya." He hopped from his crib to her dresser where the mirror stood tall from the wooden dresser. He gathered spit in his mouth and spitting it on the mirror, a large glob of blue slime had covered the mirror, Claire looking at it in disgust but wonder. "Your brother is what's known as my familiar. Changelings share a certain bond with them. It's good for this little trick."
"Ew, that's gross."
The glob of spit went from nothing but a blue vortex-like object to an image of the real Enrique sleeping safely with his thumb in his mouth. Her hand reached for the image of her brother, alive and well as she spoke, "Enrique. Mi hermanito."
Everyone's jaws dropped.
NotEnrique watched, his ears dropping, "I suppose this arrangement has been rather hard on you." Claire simply ignored him, her posture forming in a serious manner as she carried a look of determination in her eyes.
"She touched the spit!"
"I'm going to get you back. I'm going to find you and I'll bring you home." The image disappeared from the mirror, leaving Claire to look at her broken expression.
Jim cooed at her expression.
"Sorry. It's "for a limited time only" kinda situation." He watched as she walked out the door, "You don't have to leave." He said, looking upset as she did. Quickly, she peaked her head around the door with a smile.
"How do you like your burger?"
NotEnrique instantly perked up, "Yum!"
"And there is the start of a friendly relationship."
The scene changed to a familiar finger covered in a very familiar ring that pressed the doorbell button. Inside, a man who was missing his hair was none too quick to answer the door, opening it to find Walt Strickler smiling and holding the deadly stone that nearly wiped out Jim's friends.
"What on earth is he doing with that!? Strickler!"
"Ah, Mr. Strickler." He sneezed, "You're back?"
"Gesundheit, Principal Levit. My apologies if my absence caused you any turmoil, but I brought you a gift," the principal of the school moved out of the doorway, inviting Strickler in.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no."
"Oh, come in. What is it? Some sort of rock?" He shut the door, the camera's view changed to looking in the window as Strickler stood in front of Principle Levit.
"Of a sort. I hear Coach Lawrence was having a tizzy of time teaching my class." The camera kept moving away from the window, showing less and less detail as it moved.
"Your class? Look, you can't just drop off the face of the Earth and expect your job back."
"Actually, it's not my job I'm here for." Strickler quickly mentioned as the stone began to glow, the blinding light shining out the window.
"What is this?" All you could hear behind the light was a blood-curdling scream from Principal Levit. As his scream still echoed in the background, the scene changed from the poor man's death to Toby who was struggling to pull off his sock while sitting on top of his bed.
"HOLY SHIT DID THAT JUST REALLY HAPPEN!?"
"What a monster and we all go to school with him! Oh my gosh!"
Jim glared at Strickler. How could he do that to someone so innocent just to control the school? The simple thought of being in the same room and watching helplessly as the man died scared Jim to the point of him nearly throwing up.
"And now, for my next trick the vanishing sock!" Toby tossed the sock into the hat and waving his hand over the opening, Aaarrrgghh watching with happiness but mostly because of how amazing that sock looked.
Toby flipped the hat over, the trick not working as the sock fell onto the rug. Aaarrrgghh quickly grabbed it, eating it and enjoying the sock.
"Why are we watching Toby fail at a magic trick? Again..."
"Mm! Tasty trick." The troll commented.
"It's not supposed to be tasty, Aaarrrgghh. It's supposed to be magic." He put the hat back on his head, crossing his arms as the camera panned out of Toby's room and up to the roof where Angor Rot sat, carving a stone doll with his jagged knife.
"Angor is sitting on Toby's roof!? How did Aaarrrgghh not catch a scent of that dude."
"More importantly, why is he watching Jim's house?" Another student stated, tapping his chin. Jim gently licked his lips, hoping that Angor wasn't plotting anything, especially with his mother in the house. However, if he remembered correctly, it was just an argument, nothing major.
The ancient troll watched as Jim drove down the street on his Vespa, the sound of the engine catching his attention. He kept his focus on the Trollhunter who parked the Vespa against the garage before walking inside.
"Hey, Mom. I'm home."
"Where have you been?" Angor watched the fight break out between the two outside, getting a nice full view of the house just through the windows.
"Oh hell no. I can't take any more of these fights between the two."
"Just studying at the library with Claire and Tobes."
"The library closed three hours ago. Where have you been?"
"I don't know, Mom. We took the long way home."
"I have been worried sick, and that's the best lie you can come up with?"
"Yeah, pretty much!"
"Okay, sorry! Call off the search parties! I'm obviously home!" Jim had run upstairs, right into his bedroom and slamming the door. Angor smiled when Jim had sat at his desk and turning on his lamp as Barbara wept downstairs.
A kid snorted, "sorry, I love how sarcastic he was about the Search Parties."
"I'm mad, Angor Rot just found that pleasing. What an ass."
Morgana's creation noticed Barbara walking up the stairs, stopping halfway and then stepping down as Jim turned his lap off, the two clearly depressed.
Jim broke inside...again. How many times was he going to hurt his mother all because he could not tell her about the Trolls?
"Hmm" Angor hummed as he watched them fight with their emotions. From night to day, the students packed into the Jim of Arcadia High, the bell ringing as Toby stepped into the open door, Jim hid behind the closed one.
"Jim, this is what you're wearing?" The door opened, finally revealing Jim and the costume he was supposed to be wearing but he wasn't, he was just in his regular clothes.
"I wear this every day, Tobes. What else would I be wearing?"
"Acting like that fight never happened, and no of us know about it either." A student sighed.
"Your costume!" He pointed a finger at his tall friend before taking a deep breath, "In a few minutes, you're selling everyone your theme for the school dance." The two climbed the bleachers, carrying the conversation with them.
"Tobes, look, I'd love to be Spring King. Who wouldn't? But I'm just a little preoccupied right now with not getting killed."
"There are fates worse than death, Jimbo." Toby wasn't paying attention but luckily Jim had and quickly pulled his friend back from falling off the side of the bleachers, the two yelping, "In high school, anyway. This is our chance to get the school to finally recognize how cool we are."
"Fates worse than death? Maybe to you."
"We?" Jim wondered, raising an eyebrow.
"If you become Spring King, it'll open up a whole new bracket of women. I'm talking cheerleaders, senior cheerleaders," Toby gasped as Jim watched him like he was in the process of growing two heads, "dare I dream? Community college dropouts." Toby giggled and grunted while jumping to the next set of bleachers. "If you don't want to do it for us, Jimbo, do it for me. I've always felt like I was destined to be a duke."
"Jim isn't in it for the ladies, he has Claire and I better see some Jlaire soon before I cry and start throwing stuff."
"Fine." Toby giggled in excitement as Jim hopped over to the other bleachers with ease. "I'll try to throw some kind of costume together, okay?"
"Thank you. And put some effort into it." Jim lightly rolled his eyes before leaving his friend. Outside, on the field, Angor had stuck his staff into the ground, letting the shadow of the tree guide him out to the center of the field safely. He dug into the dirt, placing the same stone doll he had been carving in the ground and burying it back up.
"WHY IS ANGOR STILL AROUND!"
Inside the school, Jim opened a door to a classroom, searching through a teacher's desk.
"Ugh! The things I do for Toby. Where am I supposed to find a costume? And what am I supposed to be? Stapler-man?" Jim's attention drifted out the window where Angor Rot was walking back to the shade of the tree, "Huh? What is that?"
"No, turn around and look away, TURN AROUND AND LOOK AWAY! TURRRNNNN AROUNDNDDDD!"
Lawrence's voice was heard over the PA system but Jim ignored it, running outside, "Attention, teachers, and students! The assembly will begin in two minutes! - One fifty-nine, fifty-eight. Move it!"
"Wow, he's so nice." Coach Lawrence groaned and eyed the students who came after him.
Jim looked around, questioning his surroundings as he stood right were Angor had buried the totem, inspecting the dirt pile before looking around for any sight of the stone man he had seen earlier. Behind him, the ground began to crack and crumble a large hand reaching out of the dirt, yet, the hand had been made of dir, small grass patches covering parts of its muddy body. Jim stopped his search, listening to the large pounding of the beast's hands slamming into the ground and rising from its birthplace. Jim's mouth dropped as he watched it rise to its full height.
"WAIT WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE! I-I.... GRRRRR!"
"So there is a battle taking place right behind the school and no one even acknowledged it. We could have caught Jim and discovered his secret."
"Ehhhh," Jim whined in nervousness.
Before you could even see the beast, the scene went from Jim to inside the gym (*wink*) as Coach Lawrence introduced the boy's competition.
"We went through the girls that fast. Jeez."
"And now, for the boys, Steve Palchuck!" The students cheered Steve, stepping up to the microphone and pulling it off the stand. He had been dressed in summer apparel.
"Arcadia Oaks High, I have two words for you." He began chanting, shaking his butt as he did so," The students began to chant with him, "Luau! Luau! Luau! Luau! Luau! Luau!" Once he got the crowd pumped, he made wild hand gestures, "Yeah! Pineapples! Leis! Coconuts?" He did a weird dance as Coach facepalmed.
Everyone cringed while Steve smiled to himself.
"Thanks, Palchuck." Toby was watching with confusion until Claire stepped up.
"Hey, Toby, where's Jim?"
"Worried about your boyfriend? He's fighting Angor's puppet." Claire blushed.
"Oh, he's just throwing together a last-minute costume and theme. No big deal."
"What is he thinking? These things take time. You don't just win Spring Fling by throwing something together." She threw her head back, "Why do I care about this so much?"
"Because it matters, Claire! This is the kind of event that can propel us through high school and send us off to college as winners!" He held up his arms in a Jurassic movement.
"No, it won't. Pretty much everyone forgets about days later."
Suspenseful music begins to play as Jim stood in the defensive zone of the soccer field, looking up at the dirt golem. The beast was tall and didn't hesitate to slam its fist where Jim was previously standing. Taking shelter behind a tree, Jim looked up at it.
"Um, hi. I know that we just met, but what are you?" He watched the large hand get closer, knocking him out from behind the tree and sending him across the field. "Okay. All right, I get it. Strong, silent type." It's foot raised, ready to crush him in a simple step but fortunately, Jim rolled out of the way, grunting as he avoiding each crushing blow while Angor watched with a wicked grin.
"Hmmm, let's start a conversation with it. JIM WHAT THE HECK!"
In the gym, not far from where Jim was fighting for his life, Coach Lawrence had yelled, "And now, Eli Pepperjack!" An old stereo slid beside the microphone, Eli walking beside it as he nervously rubbed his neck, dressed in gym clothes and black shades.
Everyone glanced at one another, afraid of what was going to happen.
Retro dance music begins to play as Eli dances to the beat, shocking everyone in the building. Students began to murmur, making comments like: "Oh, my God!" and "Uh, awkward."
"AHHH!"
"Eli, what are you doing?" Eli ducked his head into his blanket. "You got too excited for this."
After ending the splits, he stood back up and called out to the audience, "What's up righteous dudes and dudettes?"
"WHAT THE HELL!?"
Mary and the person beside her were completely shocked.
'Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters! Let's take a blast to the past! Back to ancient times!" He did the moonwalk before calling out, "The 1980s!" A large banner of the number: "1980" was written on the screen in a funky pattern. The music stopped and just a lone clapper was heard.
"This is not happening, there is no way I am watching this with my two own eyes."
"It's not that bad!" Eli cried out.
"No, this is... I have no words. Please, Eli. Please." The other students were staring in shock at the screen, witnessing Eli do something completely out of his comfort zone, or perhaps, they never expected him to do it in the first place.
In the corner, Steve called out, "Boo! Go back to the luau guy!"
"Seriously Steve. Seriously."
"What, no one else was going to say it!"
"Cause nobody actually wanted too!"
On the ground, Jim glared, standing up to face the walking mud pile, "Okay, if you're gonna play dirty... For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!" His armor appeared quickly as he charged at the beast, sword in hand. He slid between the Golem's legs, stabbing it with his sword but it got stuck, "That wasn't supposed to happen!" He tried to pry his sword from the Golem's skin but it wouldn't budge. The beast trying to pull him off himself spun hoping to reach him but instead, Jim's body spun with the Mud Golem, unable to be reached.
"Well doesn't that look fun."
Strickler walked up to where Angor was hiding in the shades of the tree, watching as Jim was finally grabbed by the Golem, the beast holding him tightly as Jim muttered, "Or that."
"Well, the party of losers is watching Jim." Strickler went eye wide before sitting up straight.
"Who said that?!" The random student hadn't turned to face the teacher and simply said,
"Guess....loser."
The Golem dropped kicked Jim into the goal, Jim's armored foot stuck in one of the many holes. Strickler had enough of the game that was being played and walked up to Angor, "I resurrected you to kill the Trollhunter, not outsource the job to a golem."
"GOALLL!"
"Well maybe if you weren't so scared to kill the Trollhunter, you probably would have done it by now!"
"Nobody is killing me!" Jim quickly said, "I'd like to stay alive please."
"He bested the son of Gunmar. Human or not, this hunter is not to be trifled with."Strickler watched as Jim climbed the Golem, pissing the dirt monster off but he still managed to grab the Trollhunter. "The hunt is a game, and when I'm prepared to strike, he will know."
The scene went from Angor's face to Coach Lawrence in the gym, calling for Jim. "Mr. Lake? Anybody seen Mr. Lake? Well, I guess you forfeit -"
"Oh please, I couldn't handle the extra stress of trying to be king of the school." Jim rubbed his forehead with his free hand. Claire had never let his hand go, Jim finally realized that but he wasn't arguing.
Claire and Toby quickly ran up, stealing the mic from the Coach. "Hey, there!" Claire added
"Jim will be here," Toby reassured.
"We're his opening act," Claire mentioned. Toby pulled out a sock that must have stunk because Claire had waved her hand in front of her nose.
"Guys, come on," the Trollhunter groaned.
"Who wants to see some magic?" The gym was silent.
Outside, Jim stood up, holding his stomach in pain but barely had time to take a break before he was sacked by the large grass hand and was sent flying onto his back, the Golem still trying to pound him into the dirt with his fist.
"He's hurt...."
"Kick his arse, Jimmy!"
Jim rolled out of the way, donning his sword and slicing off the dirt fist. The beast looked at his injury with disbelief. Using the distraction, Jim raised his sword and slicing off a foot, the large dirt monster falling with a horrendous groan. It was about to swing at him again but Jim leaped into the air, slicing the other hand off.
"DAMMMN BOY!" Everyone was shocked, they still couldn't believe Jim was actually doing all this and managed to pull some epic moves.
When Jim landed with a grunt, the beast rose, his sliced of limbs growing back but Jim was ready. The mud monster went to slamming its fist down again, Jim leaping back and quickly onto it's balled hand, running up its arm and the sword of Daylight slicing open the monster's chest.
"Dude, I swear you shock me every day."
Jim landed on his feet once more, his eyes catching the totem within the beast's chest where he had sliced it open. The beast sealed it's cut as Jim grinned at his new target. The beast was becoming angry and shot a mud ball from its hand, causing Jim to roll out of the way and lose his balance. Taking no time to waste, the Mud Golem kicked the Trollhunter, Jim screaming as he rolled away in pain from the kick.
"Ouch."
The Trollhunter stood up slowly, holding his most likely bruised stomach and grunting. He watched as the beast advanced. Jim held out his hand, the sword appearing. As the sword finally formed, Jim's grip on the handle had tightened. Doing a few swings, Jim twisted his body, screaming as he threw the sword like a baseball.
"WHOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA!"
Daylight cut through the air, a reflection appeared showing Strickler and Angor watching on the sidelines. The blade went straight through the beast's chest, stabbing the stone doll and coming out from the mud monster's back, the doll coming out with the sword.
"That was the coolest part of the fight I have ever seen! Did you see that?! Jim literally swung the sword, it showed Angor and Strickler and took out that beast's heart in one go. Alright, Jim!" Everyone cheered.
With no "heart" to function, the beast took a few more steps before falling forward, nearly crushing Jim in the process. Jim let out heavy breaths, Angor watching with displeasure as Strickler had enough and left. On the field, Jim wiped his forehead, walking over the corpse of the golem and heading to his sword which was still stuck in the totem.
He pulled the carved doll off his blade and snapped it in half. Angor groaned and opened a portal, leaving defeated. Jim's armor disappeared right as he heard Lawrence on the intercom.
"Ha! Angor is mad! That's what you get! You too Strickler!"
"James Lake? Lake, are you here"
"Oh, no! The costume!" He was about to run into the gym but slipped on a mud puddle. Inside, Toby was sticking his fingers into his balled fist, a student booing as Toby mumbled to himself.
"Okay, this is gonna work." He grunted and nervously closed his eyes as he held out his hands which were empty, shocking himself that it actually worked, he gasped before searching for the sock.
"There ya' go Tobes, it finally worked." He nudged his friend who smiled.
"Oh, my gosh! It worked! Wait, where'd the sock go?" Claire quickly stepped up, singing as Toby went along with it, acting like everything was meant to happen.
"Oh, say, can you see?" Claire started but Toby interrupted her.
"What are you doing? I'm in the middle of my act."
"By the dawn's ear-" Claire continued but the mic was ripped from her hands, Coach Lawrence turning to the crowd, "Give me the- All right, enough! Jim Lake is disquali-" before he could finish, the gym doors were ripped open to reveal Jim covered in mud.
"Aw, look at him."
The students gasped as everyone turned to face Jim.
"What the heck is that?" Toby wondered as students began to murmur.
"Wow thanks, Tobes, how kind of you."
"What's going on here?" Coach wondered.
"Looks like you've been digging in the dirt, Lake." Steve mentioned as Jim walked by, "What the heck are you supposed to be?"
"He was." Someone chuckled.
"He looks like a mole!" Eli said as Mary and her friend shared a look before the student body had begun to chant, "Mole! Mole! Mole!"
"No, no, no! I'm not a mole! I'm just-" Jim tried saying but no one was listening. They all continued to chant as Toby quickly took the microphone from Lawrence's hands.
"Jim Lake Junior here to present his theme, Mole Mania!" As Toby finished, the students cheered causing Steve to get jealous. Band music began to play as the Mole mascot came out and danced, pleasing Toby.
"Awww, Jim you are adorable and so loveable." Jim hid his face as a student cooed.
"Mole Mania is not even a theme!"
"Steve is jealous!"
Claire took the mic this time, "The people have spoken. Jim is the winner!"
Then Coach took the mic, "Oh, apparently, Claire's the queen. But, yes, Jim wins the challenge! Mole Mania is the theme, but if I see one drop of mud on my gymnasium floor- Just dress like normal!" Toby gave Jim a thumbs up.
Claire chuckled.
Coach Lawrence cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention, "There has been a sudden departure. I have heard word that Principal Levit has taken an indefinite leave of absence. We wish him well. But he sent an e-mail recommending an interim replacement, which we all support. Please welcome Principal Strickler!" Jim and Toby turned at the name, no one clapping but one person even though Eli cheered for him.
"Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew. Also, Levit was murdered! We are just going to let this killer roam the school with children!?"
The students whispered in confusion as Strickler stepped up to Coach Lawrence, passing through Jim and Toby.
"What is he doing here?" Jim said, looking at Toby.
"I thought you said he would be a fool to ever come back." Strickler grabbed the mic and looked back at Jim and Toby, his eyes glowing at them before turning to the crowd.
"He wasn't if he couldn't find someone to actually hide him in a battle against a boy!"
"I'm very glad to be back and excited to get started. But let it be known, with me in charge, things are going to change." The episode ended, the last thing being seen was Strickler's wicked grin.
"AAAAAGGGGHHH I HATE HIM!"