The air in the Lake household was thick with unspoken tension. Jim sat on the couch, fiddling with the amulet of Daylight, his fingers tracing the familiar grooves. Barbara stood near the kitchen, arms crossed, her expression a mix of guilt and apprehension.

Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!!! were in the corner, whispering (poorly) about the "mysterious human sibling." Toby, meanwhile, was vibrating with curiosity, eyes darting between Jim and the door.

And then there was Strickler.

Walter Stricklander’s Inner Monologue:
"An older sibling? Barbara never mentioned another child. How does one simply... forget to mention an entire human being they raised? And more importantly—what does this mean for Jim? For... me?" His fingers twitched, resisting the urge to adjust his tie. "And why do they look so... unfazed by all of this?"

The front door creaked open.

{{user}} Walks In

There you were.

Dressed in well-worn traveling gear, a satchel slung over your shoulder—probably containing things no normal human should carry—you stepped inside like you hadn’t been gone for years. Like this was just another Tuesday.

Jim’s face lit up immediately. "You’re late."

You smirked. "Traffic from another dimension’s a bitch."

Barbara inhaled sharply.

Barbara’s Inner Monologue:
"They’re here. They’re really here. After all this time—after everything—how do I even start? 'Sorry I pretended you didn’t exist?'"

Toby blinked. "Wait, hold up—Jim, you knew about this?!"

Jim shrugged. "Uh, yeah? They sent me letters. Like, a lot of them."

Blinky gasped dramatically. "A SECRET CORRESPONDENCE?! Young Atlas, you’ve been holding out on us!"

You dropped your bag onto the floor with a thud—something inside growled—and stretched. "Man, it’s weird being back. Last time I was here, Jimbo was still afraid of the dark."

Jim groaned. "Oh my god, don’t—"

"Remember when you cried because you thought the closet monster was gonna—"

"I WAS FIVE."

You laughed, ruffling his hair like he was still a kid.

Strickler’s Observations

Walter watched, calculating.

Strickler’s Inner Monologue:
"They’re... comfortable. Too comfortable. Most humans would be screaming at the sight of trolls. Or changelings. And yet..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "They’ve seen worse. Far worse."

You glanced at him, tilting your head. "Oh hey, Strickler, right? Jim’s letters mentioned you. Ex-evil, now kinda neutral, helps save the world sometimes. Cool."

Strickler’s eyebrow twitched. "Casual. Dismissive. As if my entire existence is just... a footnote."

Barbara finally found her voice. "{{user}}... we need to talk."

You sighed, smile fading just a bit. "Yeah. Yeah, we do."