The Other Side Chapter 12: Leaving Lonesome Flats, a trolls fanfic

"What's going on out there?"

"I don't know."

"Whoo-hey!"

Suddenly, a large lasso with a hook was thrown around the cell door's bars and tugged on before the entire thing came crashing down. Poppy, Branch, and Biggie all exchanged looks of confusion and relief as they slowly stepped outside to investigate.

"It ain't right to put you in jail because your music is different."

The trio looked directly in front of them to find Hickory pulling the lasso and tying it around his waist, "It seems some folks around here don't appreciate a rad melody when they hear one."

Shooting a wink at Poppy, the Queen of Pop felt her spirits lifted due to gaining another supporter.

"Shall we skedaddle?"

"Yes. Yes!" Poppy hopped up and down in victory, "Mission back on!"

"Forgive Miss Delta Dawn for her...abrasive demeanor, but she is just trying to protect her town. The name's Hickory."

"Hickory, this is Branch and Biggie. Branch and Biggie, this is Hickory."

"Enough with the formalities!" Biggie hopped aboard the door that was still attached to Hickory's lasso, "Oh, and this is Mr. Dinkles by the way!"

"No, not yet! Hickory, where is Mayor/Sheriff Delta Dawn?"

"She's rounding up the deputies to help the townspeople take shelter and defend Lonesome Flats from the Rock Trolls and the Party Crashers."

"They're attacking right now?"

"They should be arriving any moment."

DIIIIIII!

Everybody looked up to see three Angler Buses in the distance approaching fast.

"They're here!" Meadow called out to Delta, who scowled and readied her shotgun.

"Deputies, hold your ground and level your weapons!"

The deputies nodded and aimed their firearms at the incoming enemies. Delta gestured the additional officers to hide in different spots of the establishments; Hickory to stay with Poppy, Branch, Biggie, Trollzart, and Pennywhistle; and finally Meadow to stay by her side. Hickory gave each member of the quintet a good look before readying his rifle as he watched from behind the side of a saloon.

Delta lead the most frontal row of deputies while the second and third rows stood behind Growly Pete, their rifles at the ready. Pumping her shotgun, she kept her guard as the Angler Buses slowed to a stop just at the entrance of Lonesome Flats. The zipper of the most frontal bus opened to reveal Queen Barb, Riff, and Carol emerging while wielding musical instruments; the side buses revealed the Party Crashers themselves wielding rifles of their own, semi-automatic in this case. Ugly bastards with uglier weapons, Delta thought to herself as she took in their goblin-like appearances and inexplicable choice of firearm. What they did not reveal was Harper, Mandy, Moxie, Aspen, and Priscilla watching the confrontation unfolding from seperate spots of the buses.

"Mayor or Sheriff?" Queen Barb called from above.

"Whichever works for you," Delta Dawn responded from below.

"Oh, good. That means we're on the same page, then."

"I honestly doubt that, missy. I am going to take a gander and guess that you're here for my String, right?"

"You guess correctly. Just hand it over and we'll leave peacefully. Your way, my way, or the hard way. You decide."

Delta immediately knew that Barb was bluffing and wasn't going down without a rifle, but she also knew that her townspeople would be the victims of a wrath combined by the Rock Trolls and the Party Crashers. From the corner of her eyes, though, she saw a deputy giving her a thumbs up, prompting to give off a light smirk. As much as she hated to admit it, Queen Poppy had something of a point: a fighting chance for another day was worth it.

Reaching for her banjo, Delta plucked off the glowing orange string from her dear instrument and held it out for Barb to grab. When she was lowered down to Delta's level, grab it she did. Giving it a good look before looking at Delta, she flashed an equally smug smile.

"Thank you for you cooperation. Bash!"

A Party Crasher with a purple biker jacket, grey pants, and black boots with matching shades shot his head upward at the mention of his name.

"Queen Barb?"

"Our work here is done. Wreak some havoc."

Flashing a sinister grin, Bash gestured to his Party Crashers from both sides to follow him down, checking their semi-automatic rifles for usage. Using her hands, Delta gestured her deputies to hold until they got close enough for comfort. Judging by a quick examination, Delta knew already that all these Party Crashers had itchy fingers just aching to pull the triggers. If they would just hold off for a little longer...

BANG! BANG!

Everybody was brought to a standstill when a couple of gunshots rang out, the bullets hitting a couple of signs that unexpectedly swung down and shielded the deputies just as the Party Crashers opened fire. They continued fire until they ran empty, prompting them to hastily reload. Delta turned towards the sources of the gunshots, a smug Meadow who merely shrugged. She caught on to her plan right away, though, and smiled back as she fired her shotgun at a couple of rigged cannisters, causing them to explode and send the majority of the Party Crashers flying upward.

BOOM! BOOM!

Looking at the carnage they unleashed, Delta and Meadow glanced at each other now.

"Was that part of the plan?"

"Yep. For Phase 1, anyway."

"And I'm guessing Phase 2 is running for the hills?"

"You guess almost correctly. Deputies!"

Delta grabbed Meadow by the arm and pulled her along as the Deputies opened fire on the Party Crashers as the walls came crashing down. They aimed specifically at their legs as they didn't want to harm a living creature, villainous or not. It didn't change the fact that some of those gunshots were loud as hell and hurt like hell.

"Let's move!"

"I said, let's skedaddle!" Hickory pulled the door that Branch and Biggie found themselves aboard on and lifted Poppy so she could sit on his spinal area. Delta carried Meadow while Growly Pete carried Trollzart, whose hair Pennywhistle was hiding in. Cue the chase scene, chase scene music accompaniment, and firearm musical synchronization.

("Leaving Lonesome Flats" - Dierks Bentley)

Spotting a small group of Country Trolls leaving the battle a bit earlier than expected, Barb commandeered a Party Crasher's motorcycle and sped off after them; Riff, Carol, and a few other Rock Trolls following afterward. Picking up a couple of discarded rifles as well, she tossed them to her two right-hand Trolls and lead them on a high-speed chase.

I feel it coming like a highball train
Baring down on the end of the line
I see the black clouds following me
Like they're tied to the hands of time

"Oh, no!" Poppy gasped upon seeing a cactus garden fast approaching, "Hickory!"

"I got it, Queen Poppy!"

"Don't let them get away!" Barb called out to her Rockers as they pursued them into the cactus garden. Delta, Hickory, and Growly Pete expertly dodged the spined planets and even weaponized them against their pursuers.

I'm feeling meaner than an old bob cat
I got the hammer down and won't look back
My mind is headed down a one-way track
I'm leaving Lonesome Flats
I'm leaving Lonesome Flats

Seeing more and more Rock Trolls pursuing them, Delta frowned, glanced up at her hair, and yelled out:

"Go get 'em, Clampers!"

Suddenly, a young Country Troll with a green nose, blue skin, orange hair, and freckles leaped out of Delta's hair and sprinted towards Barb's group. Noticing this, Barb, Riff, and Carol yelped in surprise and served out of the way, with Clampers charging head-on towards some of the remaining Rockers, who screeched to a stop and were sent flying.

I wish I had another day or two
But I don't have time to kill
You'll probably never see my face again
Once I make it across the hill (Yeah)

Once her work was done, Clampers raced back to her group and took out some of the recovering Rockers along the way with ease. Meanwhile, Hickory leaped over a pit that lead to the abandoned mine, which one unfortunate rocker failed to do as he traveled all the way down. For some odd reason, Clampers followed after him.

Unfortunately, when Hickory leaped over the hole, he inadvertently sent Branch flying off the door and landing onto the desert, prompting him to run after them to catch up. Delta noticed this and catched him before a barrage of gunfire rained upon him.

"You owe me, boy."

"Right. Sorry, ma'am."

"Hang on, Branch!" Meadow took his hand and swung him so he could sit behind her.

(Ooh Yeah)
I got to get away get away (Oh)
I got to get away get away (Yeah)
I got to get away get away (Yeah)

Beneath the grounds of the earth shot up the Rock Troll from before and a pursuing Clampers, who bit down HARD on his rear end and elicited a muffled battle cry. The Rock Troll elicited an audible cry of undeniable pain.

(Woo Hoo)
(Woohoo Hoo… Hoo)

"Meadow?" Branch glanced over his shoulder, "Can you let me borrow your...?"

"Yeah, sure," Meadow merely nodded and handed Branch her loaded shotgun. Seemingly aiming at the Rockers themselves, he instead turned his gaze towards the wheels.

I'm gonna (BANG!) have to (BANG!) burn the (BANG!) whole place down (BANG!)
If they try to (BANG) throw the brick (BANG!) at me
I'm gonna run (BANG!) from the things (BANG!) I've done
Cause I'm guilty (BANG!) in the first degree (Yeah)

As he watched the wheels of the group's motorcycles blow up and send the owners flipping upward, Branch reloaded the shotgun and saw Barb, Riff, and Carol still in pursuit of them. The latter drew a bullwhip from her belt and hurled the fall when she got close enough, the cracker managing to wrap around his legs. Carol tugged on the whip and sent Branch tumbling before Meadow held him by the collar.

"Hickory! Look out!"

They both then turned to find the source of Poppy's distress: a large ravine that led to a large river down below.

"We're not gonna make it!" Pennywhistle cried from Trollzart's hair.

Needing an idea and fast, it came in the form of Clampers rushing beside Delta. Branch's face lit up with a 'Oh, yeah?' smile.

"Oh, yes we are!"

Reaching for Clampers, Branch used her to bite off the whip, which was sent back to Carol, smacking her in the face and sending Barb and Riff crashing into the desert. As with earlier, the force of which sent the group flying once more, this time off the cliff.

The group were suspended in mid-air as they processed what was going to happen next.

"Well..."

"Nuts..."

"Hope Pop Trolls can swim."

And just like that, the group fell into the ravine below, complete with a whistling sound and audible splash.

Once they recovered, the remaining trio raced to the edge and glanced down below.

"Well, dangity-doodly."

Barb and Riff looked up in surprise and turned towards Carol, who chuckled in respect.

"They'll be back."