The true wielder of the strings

by Bloodred739

Branch was different. No one had to tell him this. He had always known it. He didn't sing, he didn't dance, and he rarely smiled. But after an encounter with a group of trolls unlike an he'd ever seen, Branch discovers many things. Not just about other trolls, but also himself. He learned that beyond his village, there were things waiting for him. a home, a family, and a destiny.

11. Chapter 11- Healed hearts, tough choices

"Bleh! What kind of juice is this?"

Legsly sat with her friend Val, along with a few other Rock trolls sitting around in Barb's throne room. Even now, Legsly felt so out-of-place at this party. The music, the atmosphere, they were all so different from a Pop troll party. Why wasn't anyone playing any fun party games? Where was the glitter? Also Legsly couldn't help but notice the behavior of a lot of the Rock trolls. Some of them were making out, and others were in multiple pairs of them dancing with one another in very… suggestive ways.

"Juice?" Val Thundershock said, a look of genuine confusion on her partially-drunken face. Soon after, her, and the rest of the Rock started to giggle to themselves upon the realization that Legsly had never drunken any type of alcohol before. Right after, Val smiled at Legsly again. "It gets better. C'mon, drink it all."

The group she was sitting with at the very large table, the ones who had given her this very strange juice were all staring at her. The Pop troll looked back down at the beverage again. "Vodka" she heard one of them call it. The drink was clear, like water, with ice in it. But it certainly did not taste like water or any juice she'd ever drank before. It smelled strange, and it burned going down. Legsly wasn't sure if she could stomach this.

"You wanna be like us, don't you?" Val asked, almost challenging the smaller troll. "How ya gonna do that if you can't finish one drink?"

"Chug... Chug… Chug… Chug…" One of the Rock trolls started to chant. Slowly but surely, Val, and the rest of the Rock trolls started to join in. The chant grew louder and faster, the rhythm pounding in Legsly's ears. She glanced around, noticing the expectant looks on the faces around her. She felt a swirl of emotions. Confusion, fear, but yet also a strange sense of excitement. Eagerness for a chance to show them all that she could do this.

Without saying anything else, Legsly held the strange drink up. The smell of the vodka was sharp and astringent, making her nose wrinkle. But she was here, in the midst of the Rock trolls, and she was determined to fit in. To experience something outside of her comfort zone.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then brought the glass to her lips. The vodka was cold and burned her throat as she swallowed. It was nothing like the sweet and fruity juices she was used to. But she kept drinking, spurred on by the chant and the desire to fit in.

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" The Rock trolls kept chanting, goading Legsly on.

Finally, the glass was empty. She set it down with a thud, gasping for air. The room seemed to spin slightly as the alcohol hit her system. She could hear the Rock trolls cheering, Val's voice the loudest among them. Despite the burning in her throat and the strange feeling in her stomach, she couldn't help but smile. Her whole body started to feel warm and tingly. She wondered what kind of fruit made this juice. There was nothing like it in Pop Village.

"Atta girl!" Val said. "We might just be able to make a rocker outta you. Hell, maybe we'll even get you laid tonight."

Legsly's eyebrow raised in confusion. "Lay me on what?"

Once again, Val and a good bit of the Rock trolls started to laugh at the Pop troll's innocence. Legsly, not sure how else to react, awkwardly laughed with them. Afterwards, Val herself sighed, shaking her head. "We've got a lot to teach you, Legsly."

As Kelley watched Val and the others continue to play around with Legsly, a part of her was tempted to intervene. But ultimately, she decided not to. If Legsly wanted to call Rock City her home, then she was going to have to pick up on a good bit of their customs and behaviors, as strange as they might seem to the little Pop troll.

Kelley also couldn't help but smile as she watched Legsly try to down another drink that was offered to her, trying so bravely to fit in with the Rock trolls, trying to forget about what her ex-king had done to her. Sending her out into the wilderness, where she almost certainly would have met her end. While very few knew this, Kelley knew how hard it was to be forced to leave a place you called home, and having to adapt to a new one. Unlike most other Funkrock trolls in Rock City, Kelley spent the first four years of her life in Vibe City with her Funk troll mother.

But one day, Kelley's mother told her to pack a bag, and that they were "going on a trip". She remembered her and her mother floating down on one of the record ships, right in front of the gates of Volcano Rock City.

Kelley remembered her mother yelling at her to get off of the ship, and wait at the gate.

She remembered her mother flying away on her ship without her.

Ever since, Kelley had made Rock City her home, embracing the other half of her blood, and learning to be the Rock troll that she was born to be. For her, it wasn't very difficult. The music, culture, and the customs were all in her blood after all. In comparison, the smooth funk she had been exposed to in those short years felt like garbage in her ears.

Looking at Legsly now, Kelley could see a reflection of her past self in the little Pop troll. She saw the confusion, the fear, but what stuck out the most was the clear determination. She saw the desire to fit in, to be accepted. She knew how hard that was, but she also knew that it was possible. She and the many other halfbreeds had done it, after all.

Suddenly, the large doors to the throne room busted open, causing everyone in the room to come to almost a complete silence. On the other end, stood Queen Barb, accompanied by her two advisors, and her three roadies Sid Fret, Riff, and her newest member Branch, whose foot was now fully casted.

With a smile of absolute satisfaction on her face, Queen Barb slammed down her guitar. "Alright, rockers! On this day, we faced the bergens, and not only did we destroy them, but we turned their king into Bergen fertilizer! Everyone here who joined me in that fight, your names are gonna be in the Rock history books forever! I dunno, about all of you, but I think it's time to PARTY!"

Every Rock troll in the throne room let out a roar of victory, knowing that with Queen Barb here, the party would truly begin. Not wasting a moment, Barb, Branch, Sid Fret, and Riff all ran to the royal throne, where Riff's drum set was waiting for them untouched.

"Hell yeah!" Val roared in glee, another drink in one hand, and her hand horns out in the other. "Let's get FUCKED UUUP!"

"Yeah! Yeah, let's get… F-fucked up!" Legsly said with a smile, wanting to be a part of things, but still not entirely comfortable with swearing.

All set up, Queen Barb and her roadies all started to play, the music as loud, raw, and as full of energy as it had always been. As many of the Rock trolls started to cheer as they rocked their heads and raised their hand horns, Legsly did the same, slowly but surely picking up their rhythm as Queen Barb darkly and seductively threw out her lyrics.

(Vicious by Halestorm)

You make me vicious

Watch as I make the pain my mistress

You can call me Ms Malicious

I'll dress you up in stitches

No, I cannot resist this

If it don't hurt, I get suspicious

I like to take the knife, and twist it

Yeah, my love is sacrilegious

I'm not scared to admit it

This violence is delicious

As the Rock trolls all cheered, Legsly started to sway with the beat, the intensity of the music and the alcohol making her feel alive and free. She couldn't help but feel a rush of energy and excitement as she lost herself in the music. Val, noticing Legsly's attempts to sing along, laughed loudly, slapping her on the back. "There you go, Legsly!" She said, raising her drink in a toast.

Meanwhile, Kelley found herself observing Legsly from a distance, her eyes softening. She knew that the little Pop troll had a long way to go before she could truly call Rock City her home, but seeing her determined efforts and the joy on her face, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She knew that Legsly was in good hands here with the Rock trolls, and she looked forward to seeing her grow and adapt to her new life.

Branch's attention also fell over to Legsly while he played his guitar, noticing that a Rock troll was handing her another drink. He supposed that they should probably tell Legsly that Poppy was queen now, which most likely meant that Legsly's banishment from Pop village was more than likely void now. But she looked to be having fun right now. He supposed that they could give her the good news in the morning. Instead, Branch focused on his guitar as Barb continued to sing. With his colors now fully returned, his heart was pumping with fire it had not felt in a long time. It was not long before he joined Barb in the song.

What doesn't kill me makes me vicious

I'm not gonna break

I can take all that you can give

This is survival of the sickest

Are you not afraid

Bring the pain

From the back of the crowd, Artina, along with her sister Cindy, and the retired King Thrash all watched, Artina's heart swelling as she watched her son Branch play. Words could never describe how proud she was in this moment. Her son had faced so many trials in his life, and to see him now, embracing his roots as a Rock troll and playing alongside Queen Barb, was a dream come true for her.

There was still that damned prophecy to think about, and the potential danger of what it could bring. Branch was the Wielder. That much could not be denied anymore. He had demonstrated both his unnatural strength, and the magic of his voice, which were both mentioned in the prophecy. It wouldn't be long before others started to catch onto the fact that her son was not normal. But that was a problem for another day. Right now, Artina would simply share in their victory today.

"I've never seen Barbara share a mic with anyone before." Thrash said, grabbing Artina's attention. "Seems my daughter has really taken a liking to your boy."

Artina looked over at the retired Rock king. Ever since Branch had sung during their battle with the bergens, the effects continued to linger in Thrash's body. He was moving around so quickly without the use of his cane, he was no longer hunched over because of back pain, and his words were no longer slurring and slow. His eyes, once distant and foggy, were now as sharp as the day they met again. This both confused and fascinated Artina. The prophecy did not mention anything about healing abilities. Perhaps it was because of the combination of Branch's voice, and the Rock string?

"In fact, I've also never seen Barbara warm up to anyone in such a short time." Thrash said to Artina with a smile. "Your son seems to be quite the charmer."

His words brought a smile on Artina's face as she watched her son share the stage with Queen Barb, the two etching closer and closer to one another to each other, rocking their heads to their music. "I prayed for this, Thrash. And the Old Gods rewarded me by bringing him home."

"But onto a more pressing matter." Thrash said, his voice becoming a little more stern. "Is there maybe something you're keeping from my daughter and I? Something that perhaps we should know?"

Artina tensed up a little, partially taken back by Thrash's words. "What do you mean, Thrash?"

"I wielded the Rock string for more than 30 years." King Thrash said. "And while I know that it does have destructive capabilities when used correctly, I also know that it certainly can't do what it did during our fight with the bergens. If it could heal, or make you stronger, I would know about it."

"Well.. the strings were made during the time of silence, when magic was more understood." Artina said, trying her best to keep an unchallenged face. "There could be a lot of things that we don't know about them."

"Artina, do you remember our younger days, when we were a bit more wild, and less mature?" Thrash said, stepping closer to her. "When you and your sister would join me in my castle, and we'd play poker? Sometimes even strip poker?"

Artina rolled her eyes as she remembered their earlier days. Back when instead of being band members, Artina and her sister Cindy were almost like groupies instead, following Thrash like little pets on leashes. If there was one thing that the advisor had hoped Thrash forgot in his old age, it was that.

"Do you want to know why I always won?" Thrash asked her. "Why it was always the two of you naked across the table, and not me?"

"Because you cheated?" Artina suggested. "And I'm pretty sure Cindy liked getting naked for you."

"No." Thrash retorted. "It's because I picked up on something very quickly. Whenever you lie, your fingers twitch. It's how I always knew when you were bluffing."

Artina's eyes jumped up as she quickly looked down at her hands. Sure enough, her fingers were twitching.

"So I'm going to ask you again, Artina." Thrash said. "Is there something going on that we should know about? Maybe something concerning your son?"

Artina looked at Thrash, and thought for a moment. He had always been perceptive before his health started to decline. As unsure as Artina was about sharing this now, she already knew that she was going to have to tell him, Barb, and even eventually her son about this. At the very least, she could start with Thrash.

Letting out a heavy breath, Artina closed her eyes, mentally counted to five, and then opened them. "Come with me to my office, Thrash. I'll show you the little bit that I do know."

With a nod, the retired king followed Artina out of the throne room, moving passed the crowd as quietly as possible. Cindy watched the two depart, but chose to stay behind, deciding that she'd rather stay here and celebrate the won day with the rest of the Rock trolls. Instead, she focused on the drink in her hand.

"Advisor Cindy! There you are!"

Cindy looked to her side, where a female troll was waiting for her, a serious look on her face.

"What is it?" Cindy asked. "If this is about the Country trolls, just let them know that we've already accepted the terms of their deal, and they can head home now."

"It's not about them, advisor." The girl said. "I tried to get in touch with you while you and advisor Artina were still at the hospital. It's about your daughter Carol."

Cindy furrowed her brow as she rubbed her temple with her free hand. She was not in the mood to deal with her daughter right now. "Look, whatever she did, I'm in a good mood right now, and I'm not gonna have her ruin it. If she got arrested again, I'll head down to the dungeon to bail her out tomorrow."

"She's not in the dungeon, Advisor Cindy." The girl said. "She's in the hospital."

--

Out in the distant ocean, Suki stood in the open mouth of the whaleship next to her newfound brother King Trollex, and his advisor Laguna, thankful that she had already discovered that she could breathe underwater. As curious as she was to discover more about her Techno heritage, Suki couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly nervous about all of this.

Out in the distance, Suki, even from here, could see the bright neon lights at the edge of the kingdom called Techno Reef, home of the Techno trolls, and, according to her brother, her home, if she would have it.

But as kind as Trollex and Laguna had been to her, she was not certain if Trollex's people would be the same. Especially if what he told Suki about their mother was true. The Techno people would be expecting Strobelight, the once-believed dead mother of Trollex. Not Suki, the illegitimate child of the old queen, and a Pop troll. Would they accept her? Would they even want her around?

"Are you prepared, Princess Suki?" Laguna asked her. "I'm excited to see your swimming speed in action."

The Technopop troll looked over at Laguna and her brother. Princess Suki. That still felt so strange to hear. Two days ago, she was merely Pop Village's DJ. Now here she was, royalty to a kingdom she knew nothing about.

"Hey, um, King Trollex?" Suki said. "Are you sure about this? Aren't you worried that your people might not be happy about this? Won't they be expecting your mom?"

With a genuine smile, Trollex closed the distance between him and Suki, and placed a hand on the smaller troll's shoulder. "They're your people too, sis. Once they see your colors, and hear your echo, they'll know that you're my family. And also, just call me Trollex."

Suki smiled back. He called her "sis".

Hearing these words, Suki felt a blossoming sense of belonging, a feeling she had been searching for. She looked out towards Techno Reef again, the neon lights now seeming more welcoming than intimidating.

"Alright," she said, her voice stronger now. "Let's do this."

With that, the whaleship started swimming towards Techno Reef, making haste towards Trollex's living areas, where they could get a room quickly set up for his sister. Trollex planned on officially revealing her to their people tonight after they got her situated.

Suki thought silently, her heart matching the rhythm of the distant music. As they neared the Reef, she could feel the beat of the music resonating in the water, a rhythm she felt deep within her. The music itself, while she had never heard it before, it felt so inviting. Like seeing an old friend after a long time.

As the whaleship started to slowly swim through the underwater streets, Suki took this time to really take a look at the homes of the Techno trolls. Their homes were built out of coral and stone, and shined bright neon colors. Unlike Pop trolls, who made their homes in giant pods. It was not long before the many Techno troll citizens swimming by and passed them finally started to take notice of Suki. But just as her brother had predicted, there was curiosity in their eyes, not hostility. She could already hear whispers among them.

"Look, mommy! It's King Trollex! But who's that lady with him? Where's her tailfin?"

"Her colors look familiar.. Those were the old queen's colors. But.. she's not a Techno troll. How is she even this deep in the water?"

"But look at her heart EDM! And the colors on her arms! They're exactly like King Trollex's!"

"Could they be related?"

"But how could that be?"

As Trollex continued to lead his sister and advisor down the road of curious Techno trolls, Suki's jaw hit the floor when she saw what stood before them in the distance. A tower, unlike anything she had ever seen, the neon lights stronger, and even more beautiful than any of the others. It had too many windows to count, and the stone and coral it was made from looked to be much stronger and more refined than any of the other buildings. And sitting on top of it all, sat a giant, pink, glowing pixelated heart, much like the one on Suki and Trollex's chests.

"Techno Reef Castle." King Trollex said as the whaleship came to a stop at the gates. "A sight to see, isn't it sis?"

Suki could hardly find the words to respond. The sight before her was awe-inspiring. Radiating a sense of not only positive energy, but authority as well.

As the gates opened, Laguna and Trollex left the whaleship, and swam through them, Suki swimming behind. As they made it to the castle door, Techno princess could already see Laguna taking more notes.

"Fascinating!" Laguna said with glee. "Even without a tailfin, you can swim at almost the same speed as a full-blooded Techno troll!"

"Um, thanks?" Suki said, scratching the back of her head. "I've always been a really good swimmer. I guess I know why now."

"Tell me, Princess Suki, when did you discover that you could breathe underwater?" Laguna continued. "Were you born with the ability to do so, or did you develop it over time?"

"I actually just figured out I could about two days ago." Suki said. "All of these patterns, and this.. heart on my chest only just showed up too. Maybe an hour before you guys came."

Laguna's eyes looked like they grew double in size as Suki talked. "Your body is growing and adjusting to your Techno blood THAT rapidly, and almost completely at once? You are truly a unique individual, Princess Suki!"

As the three now made their way into the castle halls, Laguna continued her observation of Suki, eager to learn more about the Technopop troll. Suki, while uncomfortable, let her finish. She supposed that it wouldn't hurt to have someone study her. According to Trollex, a child born of a Pop troll and a Techno troll had never happened before, so no one really knew what their combined genes were capable of.

But now that she was here, there was one more thing bothering Suki in the back of her head. When Trollex had set out on his journey, he had done so in the hopes of finding his mother, who he once thought was dead. Instead, he not only found out that his mother was more than likely dead, and had been unfaithful to his father.

"Hey Trollex," Suki started, uncertain of how to go about this. "I know.. that I wasn't who you were hoping to find when you came to Bergen Town. I'm… sorry about your mom."

"Hey, don't be like that." Trollex said, his smile fading for a moment, a small sting in his heart as he once again grasped the fact that his mother was truly dead. But he did not let this last long as he placed his hand on Suki's shoulder. "Mom wanted you to live. That's why she left you with the Pop trolls. And I think she'd be happy that you're here with me."

Once again, Suki found comfort in her older brother's words as they continued to make their way through the castle. It made her happy.

It made her feel.. at home.

--

All things considered, today had been a good day, right?

As Poppy watched her people pour down into the ripped-open hole that led to the bunker, she thought about everything that had happened today. Despite every odd, and all of the danger, she and all of her people were safe and sound at the village. Very few of them were injured, and none of them were dead. Branch's mother Artina had assured her that Legsly would be brought back to the village in the morning, and now with the threat of bergen attacks gone, they could begin reconstruction, which shouldn't take more than a day or two with their combined effort.

Poppy tried to focus on the positive things. All the good that came out of today. But she couldn't. Not after everything she discovered. About her friends, about Branch… about her father.

Poppy looked out at the village. One of the few pods still standing was her father's royal pod. Unlike the rest of the trolls, that's where he would be staying tonight. And then tomorrow, Poppy, now queen, would be expected to sentence him to some type of punishment for his crimes.

Poppy hugged herself as she thought again on what her father had been doing under all of their noses for so long. How many of their people had he sent out into the forest to die? How many lies had he told to those troll's families to cover it up? And what kind of punishment would Poppy be expected to give him tomorrow? Would her people truly want Poppy to send him out into the wilderness, like he had done to so many?

Poppy just didn't know if she had it in her conflicted heart to do that. For what he had done, her father would truly deserve it, but he was still her father, after all. The one who raised her alone, and taught her so many life lessons. Could she truly bring herself to send him away like that? Wouldn't that make her no better than him?

But then suddenly, Poppy started to think about all the good things that the future might hold. Today, she had not only discovered that there were other types of trolls around the world, but some of her friends were related to these different trolls. Her friends Suki and Cooper were both royalty, just as she was. And Branch's mother was an advisor to the kingdom of Rock trolls. That meant that maybe someday, maybe someday soon, there would be trolls of all kinds for Poppy and her people to party with! The more trolls, the merrier, right?

The Pop queen smiled as she thought about Branch, and everything that had happened in Bergen Town. The way Branch saved her when King Gristle was about to eat her, the way he sang to her afterwards. Poppy had always known in her heart that Branch had a beautiful singing voice, but she had never expected it to be as angelic as it was. Moreover, when he did, all of Poppy and her people's colors, which had faded away, had completely returned!

There was also the way he faced the giant Bergen monster for her sake. The entire battle, it was like something out of a fairytale story. The way he caught that giant mace with his bare hands was incredible! She and Smidge had already discovered that Branch was strong, but they could've never guessed that he was THAT strong!

If there was one thing that would make her conflicted feelings a little less so, it would be having Branch here, by her side. But as much as Poppy wanted to confess her feelings to him when he told her that he'd be going back to Rock City, Poppy knew it wouldn't be fair to put him in that situation. To basically make him choose between her, and his newly discovered family.

But this did not mean that they couldn't have a relationship eventually. If Branch kept his word, and Poppy was certain he would, he'd come to see her again soon. Then they'd do all the things that they never got to do when Branch was gray. They'd party, sing together, dance together, maybe they could even scrapbook together! And then when the time was right, Poppy would confess.

Another thing troubling Poppy however, was that… Rock troll girl. Queen Barb…

"Excuse me, Queen Poppy."

Poppy almost jumped out of her fur at the sound of Cybil's voice. She had been so lost in thought, that she hadn't noticed the village wise woman approach her, along with Dr Moonbloom.

"Forgive me, we did not wish to scare you." Cybil said with a calm smile.

"I have things we need to talk about, Poppy." Dr Moonbloom said.

"What is it?" Poppy asked the two of them, unsure of what was going on.

"When I rode with Artina and her sister today, Poppy, I learned some things." Dr Moonbloom said as she took a deep breath. "We're behind, Poppy. We're so far behind medically, that it would be laughable if it weren't so sad. The Rock trolls have cures and treatments to sicknesses that we still occasionally suffer from. And they aren't even the most medically advanced of the tribes."

Poppy listened intently, a look of surprise and concern growing on her face as Dr Moonbloom continued.

"Because of the law your father passed when he was king, when we isolated ourselves from the outside tribes, we missed so many medical advancements and discoveries made by the other troll tribes." Dr Moonbloom continued. "What I'm saying here Poppy, is that you're the queen now. I want to believe that you'll make better choices than your father did. We have to grow and change as the other tribes have if we're to survive. And I believe that should start with us learning as much about other tribes as possible. And I know where to start."

"Let us trust Dr Moonbloom." Cybil said before gesturing for Poppy to follow them.

With little hesitation, Poppy got up from the Rock she'd been sitting on, and started to follow the two elders away from the crowd. When they were a good distance away, Cybil walked closer to Poppy.

"So, you knew about the other tribes too, Cybil?" Poppy asked her.

"I did, Poppy.." Cybil said shamefully. "As you know, there are only about a handful of us older trolls left in the village. So few, I could count them on my fingers. I'd wager that all of them know as well. King Peppy forbade all of us from speaking about them. But I promise you, if I had been aware that your father was indirectly killing our people to keep this secret, I would have spoken about it."

Poppy nodded her head. She could understand that. If everything she'd discovered today was true, it made sense that people were afraid to go against her father on this.

"Pardon Queen Poppy, but I must ask you something." Cybil said. "When you and your friends were on your journey to Bergen Town, you used the escape tunnels to enter the troll tree, didn't you?"

"Yeah, we did." Poppy said. "I didn't know that there were so many tunnels. Dad only ever mentioned one in the stories he told me."

"That's because the troll tree was not always a prison, Poppy." The wise woman said to her. "Before the bergens came, it was our home long before we escaped and made our new home in this forest."

Poppy's curiosity started to spark as she remembered something else she discovered today. "So that's why there was some sort of church under the troll tree!" Poppy said, pieces of the puzzle in her mind starting to fit together.

Cybil froze up a little at the last thing Poppy said. "A church?" She asked, barely a whisper.

"Yeah, it was filled with statues, and it had all these strange paintings on the ceiling. And.. oh right!" Poppy said as she pulled out the scroll she found earlier today out of her hair. "Me and Smidge found this weird scroll sitting on a pedestal in front of everything."

"Please, may I see it?" Cybil said, extended her hand.

Poppy, seeing no harm in it, handed Cybil the scroll, to which the wise woman all but snatched it from her hand. Wasting no time, Cybil opened the scroll, it's contents showing six different beings, which Poppy now knew were the first troll kings and queens, and the sacred harp. Though Poppy was still uncertain who the man holding the harp's strings was.

Poppy's brow furrowed as she looked at Cybil, who's eyes were wide open as she looked at the scroll. After a moment, Cybil looked back at Poppy with something of a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Both things that were very uncommon for Cybil.

"May I.. hold onto this, Queen Poppy?" Cybil asked. "Also, I believe I need to go. There's something I very much need to attend to, right now."

"Um, sure Cybil, but for what?" Poppy asked. Though before she could even finish her sentence, Cybil made a complete b-line back to the village, surprising both Poppy and Dr Moonbloom.

Deciding it was best to wonder on that later, Poppy and Moonbloom kept walking. About fifteen minutes of silent walking in the night, the two found themselves at the north outskirts of the village, in front of a waterfall that Poppy had never seen before that emptied into a small clear pond. After quickly approaching one of the rocks sitting next to the waterfall, Dr Moonbloom pulled something out of her hair, which Poppy immediately recognized as her father's cane.

Before the queen could ask Moonbloom why she had it, the older troll stuck the cane into a hole in the rock, and twisted it like a key. Suddenly, the waterfall split apart like a curtain, and behind it, stood some sort of chamber. It was full of statues, weapons, books, and more.

"This, Poppy, is the royal library." Dr Moonbloom said as she stepped inside, Poppy behind her. "A place where all the knowledge that we know of the other tribes is stored. Only me, your father, and a few of the other older trolls know of it. When your father forbade us from interacting or even speaking of the other tribes, he had this place sealed away to maintain the isolation."

Poppy looked around in awe at the vast array of knowledge that had been hidden away. If there was a place to start learning about the other tribes, it was here.

"The choice is yours now, Poppy. Just as it was your father's." Dr Moonbloom said. "But I have to believe that you will make better decisions than your father did. That you will point us in a greater direction."

Poppy took a moment to again absorb everything she had just learned. The betterment of her people rested on her shoulders now, as it did her father's. But she would not be afraid, as he was. She gazed at the treasure trove of knowledge before her, feeling a surge of determination.

"I promise, Dr Moonbloom. I promise everyone. From this point on, we'll only go forward." Poppy said to the two trolls.

With collected smiles, Dr Moonbloom turned around, and made her way out to the library, waiting for Poppy to join her. Before Poppy decided to do so, Poppy ran to one of the many bookshelves, and started visually scanning them until she found something close to what she was looking for. Quickly, she grabbed the book from the shelf, and looked at the cover. It was black, and it's letters were a bright red. It was titled "Rock Trolls". Beside it, was a scrapbook with a picture that looked like her father and someone that Poppy didn't recognize on it.

Poppy smiled. If there was a tribe to start learning more about, it should be the tribe that helped save them.

With that, the two began to make their way to the bunker, where Poppy would begin her delve into the book, and learn everything she could. But first, she looked at the scrapbook she had found, and opened it. it's contents confused Poppy very much.

The book was filled with nothing but scrapped pictures of what Poppy could only assume were three trolls. A tall orange one that Poppy guessed was her father, a shorter pink one with dark-red hair, and an even shorter blonde-haired one.

Curiosity slightly pending, Dr Moonbloom looked over at the scrapbook that Poppy was currently going through, and smiled slightly. "If I recall, Poppy, I think this was your mother's scrapbook."

Poppy Looked up at Dr Moonbloom in surprise, her fingers tracing over the scrappings as she absorbed this new information. She'd always known her mother had met her fate at the troll tree when she was a baby, but her father had always hated talking about her. Up until now, the only real piece of her mother that poppy had was her hug-time watch.

"So I guess these are all of mom and dad." Poppy said, now really seeing it. "But what about the shorter one? Is that me? Did my mom run out of pink for the hair, and have to use yellow?"

Dr Moonbloom looked at the Pop queen, unsure of how to respond to that. "You.. You don't know?" She asked. "He even kept this from you?"

"Kept what from me?" Poppy asked.

"POPPY! Poppy, where are you?"

Poppy's brow furrowed as she watched an excited-looking Biggie frantically looking around, his smile growing even wider when he saw Poppy.

"There you are, Poppy!" Biggie said. Wasting not even a second, he ran to Poppy, and grabbed her hand, and led her down the bunker, the two sliding down it on their rears like a slide.

"Hold on, Biggie, slow down! What's going on?" Poppy said, still very confused.

"It's Creek and Guy Diamond!" Biggie said with a smile. "Their egg! It's hatching!"

With a loud gasp, Poppy smiled as her excitement started to match Biggie's as they made it to the bunker's main floor. Once there, they could already see the crowd that was starting to form around Creek and Guy, all eager to witness this beautiful moment. After squeezing themselves through, Poppy and Biggie finally reached the center of the gathering, where Creek and Guy Diamond were anxiously watching over their precious egg. The egg was pulsing with a soft, glittering light, and tiny cracks were beginning to appear on its surface. The air was filled with anticipation and wonder as everyone held their breath, waiting for the miraculous event about to unfold.

As Poppy and Biggie joined the group, they couldn't help but share in the excitement. The atmosphere was electric, and the joy on Creek and Guy Diamond's faces was contagious. Suddenly, a series of small, rhythmic taps echoed from within the egg, and the cracks grew larger and larger.

Then, with a final, decisive crack, the egg split open, revealing a tiny, glowing creature nestled inside. It was a baby glitter troll, its luminous form casting a warm, radiant light over the entire bunker. He was small. So small that he could fit in the palm of your hand. He had Guy Diamond's snow-white glitter, and Creek's hair and purple eyes. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, and even a few tears of joy were shed.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Poppy and Biggie watched in awe as Creek and Guy Diamond embraced their new arrival, their hearts full to bursting with love. It was a beautiful, unforgettable moment, and as the baby glow troll blinked up at its new family, there were tears of joy in Guy Diamond's eyes.

"That's... that's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Poppy whispered, her hand over her heart.

Biggie nodded, too choked up to speak, his eyes welling up with tears as he clapped along with the rest of the crowd.

Creek and Guy Diamond, overwhelmed by the love and joy in the room, looked at each other, their eyes speaking volumes. They slowly picked up their child, their hands trembling with excitement and awe. The baby glitter troll cooed, reaching out a tiny, glittering hand towards them. The crowd gasped in unison, their hearts melting at the sight.

As Guy Diamond held their child, he looked down at the tiny creature with a love so profound, it was palpable. "Welcome to the world, our little star," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

The crowd, still cheering, began to sing a soft lullaby, their voices harmonizing beautifully. The sound echoed through the bunker, wrapping everyone in a warm, comforting embrace. The baby troll blinked his purple eyes, lulled by the soothing melody.

Finally tearing their eyes away from their newborn child, Guy and Creek both looked at each other. "I wonder what we should name him." Guy said.

Looking at her two friends and their newborn child, Poppy thought for a moment, and then let out a small squeak of joy. "How about.. Tiny Diamond?"

Creek and Guy Diamond both smiled and hugged their baby to themselves. Tiny Diamond. The name was simple, but they both found it perfectly fitting.

This moment was so beautiful. It touched Poppy's heart in a way she had never felt. She only wished that all of her friends were here to see it.

What Poppy in the others didn't know, was that they were secretly being watched. Watched by Archer Pastry..

--

As the doctor led Cindy down one of the many purple hallways of the VRC hospital, the advisor tried to keep herself calm as he told her what happened to her daughter.

"Witnesses say that she was running from a group of known dealers. One of them grabbed a rock, threw it at her, and it hit her right in the side of the head." The doctor said. "They took what we're guessing was brimsmoke from her pocket, and left her bleeding on the street. We also found a good bit of the drug in her system."

Cindy was terrified. She was always afraid of something like this happening. Carol going too far, and her addiction to brimsmoke getting her in a dangerous situation like this. The advisor felt her heart racing as she struggled to absorb the doctor's words. Her mind raced with questions and fears for her daughter's well-being.

Trying to compose herself, Cindy asked the doctor, "How bad is it? Will she be okay?"

The doctor looked at her with a mix of empathy and concern. "She's stable right now, Advisor Cindy. The impact caused some mild trauma, but that isn't our main concern at the moment."

Cindy nodded. She felt a surge of guilt for not being able to help her daughter sooner. She knew she had to be strong for Carol, but the weight of the situation was crushing.

"I know that it isn't my place to say, Advisor, but we did an X-ray on your daughter after we finished putting in her stitches." The doctor said, trying his best to not put more pressure on the worrying mother. "Her lungs are in such bad condition, that it's a miracle that she can still breathe as well as she does. We're currently flushing her system, but if she doesn't stop using, her lungs could completely shut down."

Cindy's heart lurched at the doctor's words, but she once again forced herself to maintain her composure. "Is she awake? Can I see her?"

"With your say-so, she can go home with you right now." The doctor said before his tone became serious again. "But I cannot stress enough that she needs to stay clean from this point on."

The doctor led Cindy to a room at the end of the hallway. As they entered, Cindy's heart sank at the sight of her daughter lying pale and fragile on the hospital bed, surrounded by beeping machines.

Carol, barely awake, looked over at her mother, and groaned. "Gods fucking damn it, who told you I was here?" She croaked out. "Go away."

Cindy took a deep breath, knowing that lashing out at her daughter as she had done many times before was not going to help. Instead, Cindy slowly extended her hand, and placed it on Carol's shoulder, only for her daughter to smack it away with the little strength she had. "I said go the fuck away.."

"Carol, listen to me right now." Cindy said, sadness, fear, and frustration all wrapped into one as she spoke. "This stops here, no matter what I have to do next. Do you realize that if someone hadn't found you, you might've died in the middle of the street?!"

""Carol, sweetheart are you alright?"" Carol said, mocking her mother's voice. "Y'know, that's probably something a good mom would say to her daughter in the fucking hospital! But I guess I can't expect much. Good moms shouldn't hit their kids either, but that didn't stop you."

Cindy gritted her teeth as a vein started to grow across her forehead. The fear she had felt for her daughter was fading as she felt the anger rise.

"Just get the fuck out, and leave me alone.." Carol said, her eyes starting to glaze over as the lorazepam started to make her sluggish. "I don't wanna play this game right now.."

"Carol, this is not a game!" Cindy yelled, finally letting her anger show. "Do you know what the doctor just told me? If you keep being stupid, and you keep putting that shit in your system, you're going TO DIE!"

"And what, I should be like you!?" Carol yelled back, trying to fight off the sleeping medicine in her IV. "Like Aunt Artina? Like fucking BARB!?"

Cindy paused for a moment as she looked at her daughter. For the first time in what had to be years, Carol was crying.

"Well guess what? I'm not like Barb, and I'm never going to be!" Carol yelled. I can't sing like her! I can't play a guitar like her! I'm not the clone of her that you wanted!"

"Carol, that's.. that's not what I want!" Cindy said, completely taken back by her daughter's complete switch of attitude. "That's never been what I've wanted for you!"

"Yes it is..." Carol croaked out, sniffling as her words hit heavier and heavier. "Every single day when we were kids, all you ever did was try to get me to be like her. 'No, Carol, play the guitar like she does. Carol, that's not how you do it. Just sit down and watch Barb.' Like she's some perfect goddess that can't ever do anything wrong.. Well I'm what you got! The family's failure! The stupid junkie! The embarrassment!"

The mother felt her heart slowly break apart as her daughter glared at her with hatred in her eyes. As she thought about the past, both hers, and her daughter's, she realized that… that Carol was right.

Cindy unintentionally, and unknowingly had been trying to mold Carol into Barb's image. She had been blinded by the success and talent Barb had achieved, and had wanted the same for her own child. But in this pursuit, it seemed that Cindy had forgotten to ask Carol what She wanted to be. All it had done was push Carol away, and make her feel lesser than. It had driven her to brimsmoke, to the dangerous lifestyle she was living. It was a harsh realization, but one that Cindy knew she needed to face.

She had failed her daughter. Not in the sense of being unsuccessful or incapable, but she had failed to be the understanding, supportive mother Carol had needed from her.

With a heavy heart, Cindy approached the bed, looking down at her slightly surprised daughter. Her heart ached as she took in Carol's pale face, the dark circles under her eyes, and her frail body. She reached out and gently pushed a strand of hair away from Carol's face, a small and tender gesture that she wished she had shown more when Carol was growing up.

"I'm sorry, Carol," Cindy whispered, tears welling up in her own eyes.

Saying nothing, Carol weakly pushed her mother's hand away, and turned away from her, the tears still falling from her eyes. "Just leave. I'll get my things tomorrow, and I'll move in with Riff. I won't be your headache anymore, so just go."

Even though she stood still, Cindy's heart was in devastation in this dark moment. Her daughter was upset with her, and had been so for so long. What hurt more was that she had every right to be. Cindy wanted to do something to make this right. Anything to fix this.

"I'm so sorry, Carol.." Cindy said again, her own tears starting to match the pace of Carol's. "Every day, I'd ask myself why you're the way you are. But I never once considered that maybe I was the reason."

Carol turned back over to face her mother. She said nothing, but the look in her eyes told Cindy that she had Carol's attention if nothing else. That apology, unlike the others, felt truly genuine. The first real apology her mother had given her in a very long time. It both felt good, and hurt more than the rock that had hit her in the head.

Finally leaning up from the hospital bed, Carol looked at her mother. She tries to silence her sniffles and sad chokes before finally talking. "Do you know why I use brimsmoke, mom?" Carol asked. "Why I don't care if it kills me or not? I do it so I can forget. So that for a little bit of time, I don't have to remember how much of a worthless pile of shit I am compared to everyone else in the family."

Not being able to bare it anymore, Cindy closed the distance and wrapped her arms around her daughter, surprising her.

"None of this is your fault, Carol. It's mine." Cindy said to her. "You're not worthless. And you don't have to be like Barb, or me, or anyone else. The only thing I've ever wanted for you was to be better. I never meant to put so much pressure on you. And I'm so sorry I did."

Once again, Carol said nothing. But Cindy could feel her shaking, desperately fighting the urge to cry again.

Having one last idea, Cindy took in a deep breath, and began to sing a song. A song that she had not sang for Carol since she was a child.

(Dear Daughter by Halestorm)

Dear Daughter

Hold your head up high

There's a world outside that's passing by

Dear Daughter

Never lose yourself

Remember that you're like nobody else

Life throws you into the unknown

And you feel like you're out there all alone

Not able to stop herself anymore, Carol finally returned her mother's hug, crying into her shoulder like she was a little trolling as her mother continued to sing for her.

These are words that every girl should have a chance to hear

There will be love, there will be pain, there will be hope, there will be fear

And through it all, year after year, I will always be right here for you

Cindy's voice started to break as she realized that her own choked up sobs and sniffles were stopping her from continuing any further. So instead, she instead kept hugging Carol close to her as the girl continued to sob into her shoulder.

"I'll get clean this time, mom.." Carol said, unable to catch her breath. "I promise I will…"

"And I'll be here with you the whole way, Carol." Cindy said.

With no more words to exchange, musical or otherwise, the two both held each other, and continued to cry.

--

"Artina, this is… quite a lot to take in."

Artina sat down in her office chair as she finished sharing everything she had learned about the prophecy, and how her son and the magic strings were both connected to it. As the advisor rubbed her temples, she could feel the weight of all this new information sitting in the air of her office.

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Thrash looked back at his long-time friend, acknowledging the complexity of what she had just revealed. Slowly putting everything together in his head. "So you believe Branch is this "Wielder" that these books mention?"

"I didn't want to in the beginning," Artina said with a sigh. "But at this point now, he fits almost all of the lines that the prophecy talks about. His colors are completely back now, and he was gray when he was brought to me. When he sang, it completely turned the tides of our fight with the bergens. Then when he did it again with those Pop trolls, he restored their colors too."

"There was also when he caught that bergen's mace in his hands." Thrash said, scratching his chin. "A hit like that would've turned any other troll into red paste."

"Strength greater than his first life." Artina said, reciting a line from the prophecy. "The signs are undeniable."

The retired king continued to think on this, unsure of what his next action should be yet. "And your son. He's unaware of this?"

"For the moment, yes, and I'd like it to stay that way for now." Artina said.

"Artina, you must understand," Thrash said to her. "While I'm not completely versed in legends or prophecies, what I do know is that if Branch is truly this person of importance, this "Wielder", that could mean things are on the precipice of change. How much, we can't know. Your son should be aware of this."

"And he will be. And so will your daughter." Artina assured him. "Just not yet. Not until we at least learn everything we can about this. Branch has been through so much in his life already at that damn Pop troll village. I just want him to have as much peace as I can give him."

Thrash, as a parent himself, empathized with Artina's desire to protect her son. He knew that she had spent almost two decades trying to find him and bring him home. But he also understood the potential gravity of this situation and how it might affect their people. As the weight of responsibility settled upon his shoulders, he exhaled heavily, the weight of the impending decisions palpable in the air.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Artina." Thrash eventually said.

Satisfied with that, Artina stood up from her chair, and headed back to the door where, hopefully, she and Thrash could get back to the party, and watch their children celebrate their victory today. But as they approached it, the door opened, and Artina's sister walked through. Her eyes were red like she had been crying. But the smile on her face also hinted that they weren't unhappy tears.

Artina looked at her sister, concerned. "Cindy, are you alright?"

Her sister took a deep breath, visibly trying to compose herself before speaking. "I fucked up, Artina. But I think I'm on the road to make things right again."

--

As the hours of the night grew late, the laughter of the now mostly drunken Rock trolls echoed through the Rock castle throne room as Val and Kelley both observed Legsly, discovering the very interesting effects that alcohol apparently has on Pop trolls.

"C'mon, Legsly, do it again!" Val laughed.

Legsly gave Val and Kelley both the biggest smile that could as she wobbly stood up, giggling like a little trolling. She had had at least four or five drinks at this point, and she felt good. Really really good. The juice at Pop village never did anything like this. The Rock trolls called it "alcohol". Such a funny name.

Stretching out her legs until she stood above the crowd, then she started to wobbly dance as they all watched.

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout," Legsly said, still giggling. "Here is my handle, here is my spout!"

As Legsly continued her drunken performance, the Rock trolls continued to laugh, Val and Kelley among them as they all started to chug away the last of their drinks.

"Tip!...Me over and… pour… meeee…" Legsly said, words starting to get slower, and eventually coming to a halt as she shortened her legs again. Kelley and Val, both seeing Legsly cover her mouth, and hearing her stomach churn, both had a pretty good idea of what was about to happen. Wasting no time ran off, immediately came back with one of the many trash cans sitting around the throne room, and then both her and Val grabbed one of each of Legsly's ponytails as she puked into the trash can.

When she was finished, and practically fell into Kelley's arms, the Funkrock troll lifted the now semi-conscious Legsly onto her back, deciding that she had had enough for one night. "C'mon, Legsly. I'm taking you back to our apartment."

"But I didn't finish my dance.." Legsly giggled, before completely passing out.

As many of the other Rock trolls started to follow Kelley's lead, Queen Barb, along with Branch, Riff, and Sid Fret, all still sat around her throne as the room began to empty. They had stopped playing about an hour ago, and the time was catching up to them. In about 5 or 10 minutes, the only ones left would be them, and a few of the servants beginning to clean up the mess.

Barb looked over at her three roadies. On the doctor's orders, Branch wasn't allowed to drink for at least two weeks due to his injury. Riff was just naturally a lightweight and stopped early, and Sid Fret was just sober enough that he could make it home without issues.

"Alright, I guess it's time to call it a night." Barb said, standing up and stretching. The night had been fun, but the queen of Rock was ready to hit the sheets. Branch stood up too, wincing little as he did so. His foot was healing, but it still hurt, especially after being on his feet for so long. Though before he made his way out of the throne room, and to his bedroom, Branch turned back to Barb, who smiled at him.

"Hey Barb.. Thanks again." Branch said to her. "I know you took a really big risk fighting Bergen Town, and I know things almost went downhill, but I'm never gonna forget this. Thank you."

Barb looked at Branch, his crystal blue eyes shining with honesty. Despite all of the suffering he had gone through in Pop Village, all the fear, all the paranoia, all the sadness, he still decided to be the bigger troll. It was truly a rare quality. And one Barb very much wanted at her side.

Saying nothing, the Rock Queen approached Branch with a mischievous smirk. The smile unsettled the survivalist a little, but what pushed it even further was when Barb grabbed him by his jacket, and pulled him closer to her face.

Branch's eyes darted side to side frantically as Barb continued to say nothing. She was so close, that Branch could smell her breath. Dark chocolate, and the bourbon that she had drank earlier. It was strong, but not unpleasant.

"Now, what was it you said to me earlier today?" Barb asked him, full-well knowing the answer. "Oh that's right, you said you'd do whatever I wanted to make it up to me."

"Um, yeah, I did say that," Branch replied, his voice wavering slightly under Barb's intense gaze. His eyes glossed over her face, already having a good guess of what she had in mind.

Barb's grip loosened a bit on Branch's jacket, but she didn't pull away, keeping her face mere inches from his. Her smirk widened into a grin. "Well, guess what, Branch? I think I've figured out what I want." she began, her voice low. "Let's go to my room this time."

"Hey guys."

Barb's attention was slowly taken away from Branch, and aimed at Carol, whose head was slightly bandaged, and her eyes, which were usually foggy and half-open, were calm and relaxed, but also bloodshot, like she had just finished crying.

Barb would've assumed that her friend wasn't ok if it weren't for something else. There was something very different about her. There was a little spark in Carol's eyes that Barb hadn't seen since the two were trollings playing outside in the courtyard. It wasn't just in her eyes, but her whole aura was different. So much so, that it almost didn't seem like the Carol she knew.

Riff, also noticing this, approached Carol slowly, knowing that she was usually emotionally unpredictable. "Carol? Are you.. alright? What happened to your head?"

Instead of responding to her boyfriend with words, Carol wrapped her arms around him, and slammed her lips onto his.

This of course surprised Riff. Usually, when there was any type of physical intimacy between them, he had to be the one to initiate it. After a few seconds, they broke the kiss, and Riff took this moment to look at his girlfriend. Carol had a genuine smile on her face. Not a mischievous or misaligned smile. But a content and happy one.

"I'm actually fucking fantastic." Carol said to him.

Riff couldn't help but smile back, as confused as he was to see Carol like this. "Carol, what's gotten into you? You're not high, are you?"

"No, babe, I'm not." Carol said, her hands still gripping Riff's shirt. "And I'm never gonna be again."

Finally letting him go, Carol looked back at Barb and her cousin Branch. "Sorry I'm late to the party, Barb. I got into a little bit of an accident. We got time for maybe one more song before the night ends?"

Barb, completely stumped by this new Carol, looked at her friend with a mix of concern and curiosity. She had never seen her like this, so changed and seemingly at peace. But, true to her nature, Barb couldn't resist the opportunity to bring some music into the equation.

With a smirk, Barb nodded and motioned for Carol to join them. "Sure, Carol. Let's play one more song before we call it a night."

"I'm in." Riff said.

"I think I'm just sober enough for one more song." Sid Fret said.

"Uh, sure." Branch said, reluctantly.

As they gathered around the instrument setup, Carol's newfound spark radiated from her, filling the room with a sense of energy and anticipation. But Carol didn't want to just watch from the background. Not this time. Not anymore.

Carol looked at Barb, who was setting up her mic. The little heart-to-heart that Carol had just went through with her mother an hour ago had healed a mental wound on her soul, but it also brought her to the realization of something that she may have always known. Her secret hatred towards Barb was always misplaced and unfair. She wanted to start clean again. But just this one last time, she also wanted to be selfish.

"Hey Barb?" Carol said. "Do you mind if I lead the vocals on this one?"

Barb, Sid Fret, and Riff all stopped in mid preparation, and looked at Carol once more. Had they just heard that correctly? Carol wanted to be in the performance? She wanted to sing?

Upon hearing that Barb and her crew were prepping up for one more song, the many Rock trolls that were planning on leaving started to fill up the throne room again, all very eager to listen to whatever the Rock Queen and her band played.

Barb herself was especially taken aback by Carol's request. The last time she had ever even heard Barb sing was back when they were maybe preteens. Who was this girl, and what had she done with Carol? But once again, something about the newfound light in Carol's eyes made the queen almost unable to refuse her friend's request.

"Alright, Carol," Barb said with a smile. "You can lead the vocals. It's been a while since we've heard you sing."

Carol smiled back at Barb, feeling a rush of excitement and nerves as she prepared to take the stage. It had been years since she had performed with Barb, and the memories of her past experiences flooded her mind. The roar of the crowd, the energy of the music. All of it was a part of her, and she couldn't help but wonder if her singing voice had stood the test of time.

As she stepped up to the mic, she looked out at the sea of faces before her, a mix of familiar friends and eager strangers, all waiting for the magic of the music to begin. Her gaze settled on Barb, who nodded at her with a reassuring smile. Without a word, Barb began to strum her guitar, the familiar chords filling the air and setting the stage for what was to come.

Branch and Sid Fret joined in on the bass, their fingers dancing across the strings with practiced skill, while Riff's drumbeats added a pulsing rhythm to the mix. The synergy between them was palpable, each note and beat intertwining to create a vibrant, electrifying sound.

As the music enveloped her, Carol couldn't help but smile, feeling the familiar thrill of being on stage, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. She swayed to the rhythm, her body moving in sync with the music, and the crowd responded in kind, their energy feeding into the growing excitement.

With each passing moment, Carol felt herself shedding the weight of her doubts and insecurities, embracing the freedom and joy that music had always brought her. The cheers and applause from the crowd washed over her, a symphony of encouragement that bolstered her confidence.

Finally, as the music reached its peak, Carol felt a surge of determination welling up inside her. With a triumphant gesture, she threw her hand horns in the air, a signal to the crowd that she was ready to reclaim her place in the spotlight. The cheers grew louder, a cacophony of support that fueled her resolve.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for the mic, her fingers wrapping around it with a newfound sense of purpose.

(Crash by Fit For Rivals)

Don't know where I'm going

Everybody's running, everybody's running

Come back after all's broken

Everything is burning, no one is returning

Step back, step back

Everybody step back, step backI

t's time to pick up the slack, the slack

You ought to knoooow

Riff watched as his girlfriend sang into the mic, her voice the only thing higher than the crowd. He wasn't sure what had happened to Carol, but he couldn't deny that he was happy to see her so alive and full of passion. As he played the drums, he could feel her energy flowing through the music, elevating their performance to new heights. Barb, too, couldn't help but be captivated by Carol's presence on stage. Her voice was strong and powerful, her delivery infused with raw emotion. It was as if she had found a new purpose and was pouring her heart and soul into every note.

Saaaaaave me

from the this wicked persona

Be calm

As the wooorld, comes crashing!

The crowd was completely enthralled, swaying and singing along to every word. They sensed the electricity in the air, the fire of the moment, and they knew they were witnessing something special.

As the song reached its next phase, Carol's voice soared, filling the room with its intensity. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the music, feeling the connection between her and the audience growing stronger with every word she sang.

Branch also couldn't help but smile at his cousin. He was as much at a loss as his friends on what had made Carol so happy, but to see her now, so full of positivity energy, where there used to be none, it reminded Branch of himself. How he used to be, not too long ago.

And so they played into the night.

--

"Are you sure, Smidge? I'll understand if you feel like you need to go."

The morning shined brightly as Smidge and Poppy sat down next to Poppy, the two watched everyone start on the reconstruction. During this time, Poppy pulled Smidge away so she could talk to her about everything she had discovered about herself. About being a "Classispop" troll.

"I'm getting married soon, Poppy." Smidge said. "I can't ask Milton to leave his job to come with me. Plus, if I left, who'd keep you safe?"

"I'd be fine, Smidge. And I'm sure you could convince Milton to go with you." Poppy said with a look of reassurance. "Suki and Cooper both left to meet their tribes, I won't mind if you wanna do the same. Maybe you could even find your family."

"Poppy, I have a family." Smidge said to her, a little bit of sternness apparent. "I have a mom. I have an uncle. I have you, and you're like a sister to me. I don't wanna go anywhere."

Poppy smiled, her heart warmed by her friend's kind words. She had always wanted someone to call a sister. Siblings were friends that could never leave you, after all.

Suddenly, a dark cloud loomed over the two trolls, blocking the morning sun. Poppy, Smidge and many of the other Pop trolls stopped what they were doing, and looked up at the sky. It didn't take Poppy or her people too long to realize that what floated above them was in fact not a cloud, but one of the large robotic ships that had brought them home last night. Anglerbuses, they were called.

As the large machine started to descend, some of the other trolls started to look unsettled at the sight of the ship. It's dark and metallic features, it's beast-like shape, it's red lights, all of it disturbed and scared them, and understandably so. But Poppy herself wasn't afraid. On the contrary, she was excited. It was mostly the ship that was bringing home Legsly.

The moment it landed, Poppy ran to anglerbus's entrance, Smidge right in front of her, ready to do her duty as a bodyguard if necessary. Slowly, the bus's mouth opened up like a zipper, revealing not Branch or Legsly, but instead, three Rock trolls. One that looked like the Techno trolls they had met last night, a red one with sharp teeth, and one that was almost as tall as Biggie. And they all looked rather unhappy.

"Dude, why the fuck do we have to be the ones to do this shit?" The red one said, rubbing his temples. "We're bounty hunters, not couriers."

"Ugh, I fucking hate the smell of this place, Devan." The Technorock troll groaned. "Smells like sugar and glitter. I'm too hungover for this shit."

"Shut up, both of you." the one called Devan said as he scanned the environment around them. Eventually, his eyes fell onto Poppy and Smidge, who both tensed up under his gaze.

"Um.. H-hi." Poppy said, hoping to break the very tense energy that was currently sweeping around them. "Welcome to Pop village! Are you guys the ones dropping off my friend Legsly?"

Devan said nothing to the Pop queen. He merely sneered at her before pulling something out of his pocket, some sort of note, and handed it to her. While hesitant at first, Poppy stepped up to the large troll, and took the note. Before Poppy could ask what it was, the entrance of the anglerbus zipped shut again, which was followed by the sound of its engine filling up. Not even a second after, the ship started to lift into the air again.

"Hey! Hey, wait!" Poppy yelled, waving her arms frantically in the hopes of getting the ship's attention. "What about my friend? Hey!!"

But whether they heard her shouts or not, the anglerbus continued to ascend, leaving Poppy and the rest of the Pop village in a cloud of dust. As the ship disappeared from view, all that was left was a sense of confusion and worry.

After coughing up a little bit of the dirt, Poppy rubbed her eyes, and looked down at the note in her hands. Curious, she unfolded it, revealing a scribbled message of words, hearts, and other cute things. All things she recognized as Legsly's writing. It read;

Dear Poppy,

I'm so happy that everything turned out alright, and I'm even happier that you're the queen now, and I'm not banished anymore.

But after thinking about it for a while, I've decided that I don't wanna leave Volcano Rock City yet. I want to learn about the Rock trolls, and how to be strong like them. I promise that this isn't goodbye. I'll see you again soon. And when I do, I'll give you the biggest happiest hug you've ever gotten.

Kisses and donuts and sprinkles, Legsly.

Poppy looked at the note, a pinch of sadness knowing that another one of her friends had left. But just like with Suki, Cooper, and Branch, Poppy steeled her heart, and put a pained smile on her face. She knew that distance couldn't break her bond with her closest friends.

--

Away from the prying eyes of her fellow trolls, Cybil sat in her pod, one of the few that had been untouched in the bergen attack. Before her lay a weathered, ancient book, a cherished heirloom passed down through her family for generations. Its pages held tales that Cybil had always dismissed as mere legend. Until today.

Opening the book to a particular page, she found a drawing depicting five trolls. Four of them stood in the background, while one, adorned in armor and wielding a spear, stood at the forefront.

Slowly, Cybil unrolled the worn scroll that Poppy had given her, and carefully placed it atop the book, aligning the two images. Despite the differing artistic styles, it was unmistakable to the wise woman that the troll bearing the spear in her book was the same individual as the one depicted holding a set of six strings on the scroll.

"The prophecy…" Cybil said to herself. "The cursed one…. The one who will bring silence to the world of color… the Wielder…"