Firstly, let me say that I'm SOOO sorry it took this long to get this new chapter out. These last 10 months haven't been easy. My job hunt's been going really bad, and with no source of income, I haven't been able to give this story as much attention as I wanted to. If you're still reading, I'm glad you stuck around. If you're not, I understand.
Also, to try to make some ends meet, I'm considering doing story commissions. If that takes off, you'll see different types of stories from me. SFW and possibly (POSSIBLY) even NSFW
But anyway, before you start reading, here's a few things to note:
Now, it might look like I'm trying to villainize Barb with some of things you're gonna see her say and do. But that isn't the case. This is all part of her development in this story.
Secondly, I've said this before, but there's gonna be some dark turns in this story that you won't expect. You've already seen how the bergens operate in this world. Now you'll see how the party crashers do things.
Welp, let's get started
--
As Branch, John Dory, Poppy, and Moonbloom all sat inside of Moonbloom's pod, away from the bustling crowd that had been watching the two boys fight earlier, the doctor put a small bandage on Branch as John continued to tell his story. A story about how John and his three brothers had foolishly attempted to escape the Troll Tree by themselves in the hopes of finding one of the other tribes, and convincing them to help save the rest of the Pop trolls in Bergen Town.
About how John's brother, Clay, had tried everything he could to convince Princess Viva to come with them, all the while, Viva did the opposite, trying to talk Clay and his brothers out of this plan. But it was fruitless. John had made his decision, and his brothers were going to follow him on it.
About how their mother, a woman named "Emaline", had apparently found out what they were doing, and how trying to stop them had cost the poor woman her life.
"We waited until night." John continued, sitting across from Branch, clutching his bruised nose. "We packed some bags with as much food and water as we could carry, and we slipped through the gates. But I messed up. The smell of food attracted one of the guard gaters, and before we knew it, one of the guards found us. Everyone was yelling at Mom to stop. Even me and my brothers were. But she didn't. She slipped through the gates, and ran right towards us. One of the bergens grabbed her."
"Oh my goodness.." Poppy said sadly, completely invested in John's story.
"Clay tried to run back for her, but… I didn't let him." John said with pain in his voice. "We had to run if we were gonna get away before the rest of the guards showed up. So I picked Clay up, threw him over my shoulder, and we all ran. I didn't see what happened to mom. I couldn't bring myself to look behind me. But I heard her scream… I heard the sound of that monster chewing.."
Dr Moonbloom looked down. She remembered that night all too well. She and many of the others in the Troll Tree were woken up by the commotion, and all they could do was watch as one of the bergens got itself an early Trollstice meal. She would never forget the look of absolute pain on Timber's face as he also helplessly watched it happen.
"We ran, and we just kept running, but the bergens never stopped chasing us, even when we got to the forest." John said. "I was still holding Clay, and just kept moving forward. I didn't turn to look back. I was afraid to. And because I didn't, I didn't notice that Spruce and Floyd weren't behind us anymore."
"John.." Dr Moonbloom said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"When I was finally sure that they weren't chasing us anymore, I found an empty spot in the forest. I put Clay down, and tried to get a fire going." John continued. "Clay just sat there with his head in his lap. I could hear him crying. I wanted to do something to comfort him, but as soon as I said a word, he just blew up at me. Saying that this was all my fault. That Spruce, Floyd… mom… They were all dead because of me. What hurt the most was that he was right. It was my fault."
"Clay..." Moonbloom said as sternly as her wounded heart would allow. "Is he here too? Where is he?"
"I don't know." John said. "When I woke up that next morning, he was gone. I don't know if something grabbed him in his sleep, or if he just ran off. I stayed in that forest for days, looking for him, Spruce, and Floyd, but I never found them. I would've stayed longer, but I was running out of food. I had to get out of that forest, and try to find one of the other tribes. To see if they'd help me save the rest of you."
Poppy, Moonbloom, and Branch all continued to listen as John told them about the many tribes he visited, and practically begged to help him save the Pop trolls, and how every single one of them had refused, not wanting to go to war with the bergens.
About how after two years of fruitless effort, John eventually felt he had no choice but to give up.
He told them about how he had come back to Bergen Town about five years later, hoping that he could at least sneak his father and grandmother out the Troll Tree, but it was completely abandoned. How after that, he had spent the next 18 years alone on the road as a traveler, exploring the world, and picking up odd jobs to get by.
And finally, about how yesterday, he had heard through the grapevine that not only had the Rock trolls fought Bergen Town and won, they had done so for the Pop trolls, meaning not only were they alive, but their location was now available for the rest of the tribes to find, which brought him here.
"My dad, Maple," John said. "Is he gone too?"
The doctor silently nodded. "I'm sorry, John."
After a moment that felt both fleeting and eternal, John Dory finally locked eyes with Branch, his half-brother. Branch's expression was a mix of anger, sadness, and confusion.
To say that John was surprised to know that his father had taken another lover was definitely an understatement. And with a female Rock troll, no less. As he knew full well, Pop trolls usually mated for life, and wouldn't take another partner, even if the previous one died. They took bonds much more seriously than other tribes. John knew this, because he had spent time around many different trolls in his years.
John wasn't even sure what to say to Branch. Apparently, their grandmother had up and decided not to tell Branch about him or his brothers for some reason, so this all had to be a lot for him. And any chances of a good first impression disappeared with that fight they had just had. "Sooo…"
"No." Branch immediately said, not wanting to hear anything John Dory said.
All eyes fell on Branch as he stood up, anger and frustration filling him. "I don't believe this. ANY of it!"
"Branch, up until now, I was unaware that your grandmother never told you about your brothers." Moonbloom said. "We all were. King Peppy-"
"NO!" Branch shouted, making the doctor take a hesitant step back.
For a moment, Branch paised back and forth, his hands in his hair as he tried to make sense of all of this. He refused to believe that any of this was true. It had to be some kind of trick. Some unusual joke at his expense. When his grandmother died, everything that belonged to her was given to him. Every one of the board games they played together, every picture they took, the puzzles they solved, and every toy that she'd ever given him. If he had brothers, there'd be evidence of it somewhere! pictures or something of the like!
Branch could believe that his grandmother kept his mother's race, and what his father did to her a secret for his sake. But four siblings, and he never heard a word of it from anyone? There was no way!
"I don't have any brothers!" Branch yelled at John. "Because if I did, my grandma would've told me!"
John looked at Branch for another moment before pulling his wallet out of his vest, and showing him the picture he always kept inside of it.
Branch went as still as a stone as he looked at it. It was a picture of four trollings all surrounding his grandmother. She had a few less wrinkles, and looked a little brighter in the eyes, but Branch could never forget her face.
"I look at this picture every day, Branch." John said. "It's one of the things that keeps me going."
Branch's breathing became shallow as some of the pieces all started to come together. The four trollings in the photo, while he didn't recognize three of them, he could easily see that one of them was a younger John. He even had the skiing goggles to boot.
"No… There's no way…" Branch said.
Branch was unsure of where to go from here or what to do. He felt lost. Almost as lost as when he lost his grandmother. Confusion and anger fighting in his head over which should take the reins. Finally, Branch turned back to Dr Moonbloom. "Why didn't anyone tell me? Why did you think I already knew?"
"Because… because you wore Floyd's vest, Branch." The doctor said. "You had been wearing it since you were a child. Even when it didn't fit you."
Branch's mixed feelings only became more so as he thought on that. His vest, the one he still had stored away in Volcano Rock City, was a gift that Rosiepuff had given him when he was three years old. Kept on telling him he'd grow into it. Being a trolling at the time, Branch hadn't given it much thought, but he saw now. It didn't fit at first because it was a hand-me-down.
John couldn't help but smile at the thought. "It was made out of mint leaves, right?" He asked Branch. "Floyd always talked about how they calmed the soul."
Instead of answering his question, Branch took a moment to really look at John.
Wanting to give Branch more evidence that he was telling the truth, John smiled and decided to take a few shots in the dark, just to see how many landed. "Her favorite game was rummy, wasn't it?" He asked.
Branch took a moment to process John's question, his mind racing through memories of laughter and late-night games. "Yeah… it was." His voice was barely above a whisper, the weight of new truths pressing down on him.
John nodded, encouraged by Branch's response. "And you always had to let her win the first few times, right? Cause then she'd bake-"
"Fluffleberry cake." Branch and John said in unison, though Branch's words lacked the enthusiasm that John's did.
As Branch settled down beside Poppy, he was still processing everything that had just unfolded. John, observing the scene, couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of something he hadn't felt in over twenty years.
"Well, John, whatever brought you here, I'm truly glad to see you're alright," Dr. Moonbloom remarked warmly. "Are you planning to stay in Pop Village for a while?"
"We can arrange a pod for you today while the repairs are going on!" Poppy chimed in, her positivity cutting through the lingering emotional weight of John's story. "I really hope you'll stick around for a bit, John! I have so many questions to ask you! Even if you just stayed until the coronation, there's going to be a big party today!"
John laughed, the familiar joy in Poppy's demeanor bringing back old memories. "You know, you remind me a lot of your sister."
Poppy gasped dramatically. "You knew Viva!?" she exclaimed.
"Clay was closer to her than I was, but yeah," John replied, feeling uplifted by Poppy's happiness. "He had the biggest crush on her when we were kids. Tried to hide it, but I always knew."
Turning his attention back to Branch, John noticed he was still grappling with the situation. Softening his expression, John tried to bridge the gap. "So, uh... Grandma gave you that hug-time watch, right? I made it for her when I was younger."
Branch eyed his newfound older brother skeptically. "You're still not getting it."
John chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Branch. I'm sure Grandma would've wanted you to have it. Besides, I'd hate for us to have another argument in front of the queen."
"Branch, this is great news!" Poppy interjected, taking his hand in hers. "You have an older brother! You might even have more out there! Siblings are friends that can never leave you!"
Before Branch could protest, Poppy tugged him gently towards the door. "Come on, Branch! Let's head to the lake! The pool party is about to start!"
Branch wanted to maintain his frown, but ever since he regained his colors, snapping at Poppy had become more difficult. Yet, he couldn't shake off his suspicion about this supposed brother. It was hard not to be wary.
"Come on, Branch, it'll be fun!" Poppy encouraged, her smile slowly thawing his apprehension. "I'm making those little cupcakes you love!"
As they exited, John Dory glanced back at Dr. Moonbloom. "Let's catch up more later, Maple," he suggested.
Dr. Moonbloom waved them off with a smile, but her attention was quickly drawn to a crumpled piece of paper that had slipped from John's vest. Curiosity piqued, she picked it up and unfolded it, gasping at what she discovered.
It was a missing-person flier, and on it was a picture of a troll. A shirtless male with dark blue fur, long pinkish-white hair that covered his right eye, and black shorts. It read;
Floyd: Resident of K-Pop Island. Believed to have been taken by the goblins.
--
"Will you hurry up? We're gonna be late to the party!"
"Just one more minute!"
Chenille looked at her sister with a less-than-happy glare as Satin rummaged through their closet, going through all of their swimsuits, trying to decide which one she should wear for the pool party that Poppy was hosting today in honor of her coronation.
Except that Chenille knew that her twin sister wasn't dressing just for the occasion. Satin was doing so for that Rock troll she had met yesterday.
As Satin walked up to their full-length mirror, bringing two different swimsuits to her body, seeing which one looked better, Chenille frowned as she tried to think of any reason why her sister would want to be with that guy. What was his name? Sidney?
Now, for the twins, the idea of dating had always been difficult for them, considering that anyone that wanted a relationship with one of them had to have it with both of them. Intimacy was a concept that didn't exist for either of them. But now that their hair was cut, and they were separated, Satin seemed ready and eager to start dating the first troll to show interest in her.
Chenille didn't get it. What could her sister see in that troll? He had scary red eyes, his teeth were as sharp as knives, he was almost twice the size of the average Pop troll, and, well, as unkind as it sounded, despite the Rock tribe saving them yesterday, there was just something about him and the other Rock trolls that made her fur stand up. The way they looked, dressed, talked, and behaved all disturbed her.
Another minute passed before Satin ran up to her sister with a swimsuit in each hand. In her left hand was a bright cheery-pink bikini adorned with sparkly seashells, and in her right hand was a vibrant purple one-piece with a tropical print.
"Which one do you think?" Satin asked her twin sister, her eyes sparkling and excited.
"...The pink one." Chenille said blankly.
With a giggle, Satin quickly ran back behind their changing rack, and started stripping down, and slipping on the two-piece. She was so eager to get down to the lake where everyone was still readying up for the celebration, despite the scene Branch and that older troll with the skiing goggles had caused.
But honestly, for Satin, the party was secondary. What she was really excited for was for Branch's friend, Sid Fret, to show up today.
As Satin tied her bikini strings, she couldn't shake off thoughts of yesterday and the way Sid Fret had made her feel when he approached her. His flirting was unlike anything she had experienced with the Pop trolls; he was direct and clear about his intentions. Even now, she recognized that fear might have been a natural response, but instead, she felt exhilarated. The thought of Sid's strong, muscular arms around her smaller frame sent tingles through her. This excitement and anticipation were entirely new to her.
Satisfied with her look, Satin happily hurried to the door, Chenille casually walking behind her. When they started to make their way down the road to the lake, they soon saw Biggie, Creek, and Guy Diamond, who was holding their baby, Tiny Diamond, who was wearing the most adorable little arm floaties. The two parents were chatting amongst each other when Satin and Chenille closed the distance.
"A brother of all things." Guy Diamond said. "I don't know what else I expected to hear about Branch's strange family tree, but it certainly wasn't that. You think he's anything like Branch?"
"I sincerely hope not." Creek said. "It's bad enough that Branch might be our king one day. I'd hate to have two party poopers in our village."
When they all arrived at the lake, the atmosphere was already buzzing with excitement. The lake was active with Pop trolls of all shapes and sizes, there were a few shops giving out ice cream, cake, and other sweets, and colorful banners and balloons adding to the festive mood. With all of the smiles and happy faces, you'd have never guessed that the village was attacked not even three days ago.
On the other side of the lake, Poppy was sitting on a blanket with Branch and John Dory. She was wearing a pretty banana one-piece bathing suit. All the while, Poppy was eagerly asking John questions about her sister, and John asking Branch about his life, and what it's been like for him. Branch was enjoying one of the cupcakes Poppy was carrying in her picnic basket as she and John talked. John's armadillo bus, Rhonda, was curled up behind him, her large presence keeping Branch on his toes.
"Oh yeah, and she loved braiding hair." John said. "And whenever she needed a little test doll, Clay was right there, offering his hair to her. He was so obvious about it."
Poppy giggled, loving hearing about this stuff. It was unfortunate that Poppy never got to meet Viva, but being able to learn more about her from someone who knew Viva made her happy.
Though as happy as she was, Poppy had not forgotten the promise she made herself today. Branch was here. He was here, and this time, there hopefully wouldn't be any interruptions when Poppy attempted to confess her feelings this time. She had already thought the whole thing through. When she was formally crowned queen tonight, and Branch, and all of her friends were there beside her, she'd surprise him by pulling out her ukulele, and singing her song for everyone to see. It was a gamble, sure, especially if Branch ended up rejecting her in the end, but Poppy was prepared to risk it.
Branch, on the other hand, was eyeing John and Rhonda with his trademark look of suspicion. While he couldn't dispute all the evidence that John was truly… his older brother, Branch wasn't buying this story about how John was just a traveler in all his years.
John's calloused fingers, his muscular frame, and his scarred body all told Branch that he couldn't have been telling the truth. You don't get a body like that from just traveling. You get it through constant exertion. Actively making yourself stronger to either ward off something, or to survive in a harsh environment. Branch knew this as a fact, because he had put his body through trials like that his entire life.
His gaze then shifted to the giant armadillo bus, John's… pet? Steed? Whatever she was, she had weathered her own share of battles. Her large, scaled body was covered in faded scars, and her sharp claws and teeth suggested a readiness for action. Even while she slept, Branch recognized her potential, having studied enough wild animals around the village outskirts to know which ones could spring to life in an instant.
Branch's suspicious look at Rhonda didn't go unnoticed by John Dory, who could sense the unease radiating from his younger brother. With a reassuring smile, he tried to lighten the mood. "What, are you worried about Rhonda?" he asked, hoping to ease Branch's tension and draw attention away from his concerns.
Rising from his spot, John made his way over to Rhonda, who was nestled comfortably. He gently rubbed her face, his touch tender and calming. "Rhonda. C'mon, wake up," he said softly, his voice infused with warmth. "C'mon, you lazy armadillo."
Slowly, Rhonda stirred from her slumber, blinking her large, expressive eyes open. The world around her slowly came into focus as she stretched her green limbs. Her gaze shifted to John, who continued to pet her with affection, his fingers finding a rhythm that seemed to soothe her. She purred into his hands.
Afterwards, John looked over at Branch. "See? She's not dangerous, kiddo. You wanna pet her?"
"No." Branch quickly deadpanned. "And don't call me kiddo."
"I do! I do!" Poppy squealed. Wasting no time, she ran over to Rhonda and stood beside John, her eyes wide with excitement. Seeing a large creature that DIDN'T want to eat her was a refreshing change.
Poppy gently reached out and began to stroke Rhonda's scales. The armadillo bus responded with a low, contented rumble, clearly enjoying the attention. Afterwards, it thanked Poppy by licking her, making the Pop queen giggle even more.
"Yeah, me and Rhonda have been through a lot together." John said. "Don't know where I'd be without her."
Before Poppy could ask how John came to know Rhonda, she and many others turned their attention to the sky, where two dark shapes loomed over the lake. It quickly became clear that these weren't mere clouds, but rather two anglerbuses. A large one and a smaller one. Branch, recognizing Barb and his mother's ships, made his way toward the part of the lake where they were landing, with Poppy eagerly following behind. Meanwhile, John chose to remain where he was, continuing to enjoy the candy he had gotten from one of the nearby food stands.
As the ships landed, and their gates unzipped, Poppy felt a wave of excitement at the sight of Branch's friends emerging. Sid Fret, Carol, and Riff stepped off their ship, their expressions reflecting a mix of confusion and discontent as they surveyed the festive atmosphere around them. Soon after, Artina stepped out of her ship as well, Cindy behind her.
"I didn't ask you to come with me, Cindy." Artina said to her sister. "Only one of us needs to be here to make sure Barb doesn't do something stupid."
"Yeah, and I'm here anyway." Cindy said, looking around. "I just want to see how the Pop trolls party."
"No, you want to find Peppy, so you can get yourself banished for kicking his teeth in." Artina said, seeing right through her sister.
"What the actual fuck is this?" Carol exclaimed, taking in the sight of the Pop trolls enjoying the celebrations around the lake. The vibrant colors and cheerful activities seemed to unsettle her. Was this truly what Pop trolls considered a party? Where were the drinking contests and the sizzling food grills?
"Ugh, it smells like confetti and cake batter here," Riff grumbled, clearly unimpressed. "Did we really have to tag along with Barb?"
"You wanna argue with Barb?" Sid Fret shot back, raising an eyebrow. "Cause I don't."
Poppy observed the interactions as Branch greeted the three Rock trolls. She noticed them exchanging a peculiar gesture. A "fist bump". That she vaguely remembered reading about in one of the books she had discovered in her father's secret library. Intrigued, she felt a pull to learn more about their customs.
"Sup, dude," Sid said with a grin, scanning the area for the Pop troll who had sent him that letter. His gaze landed on Satin at the lake's edge, where she was sitting with her twin sister. It wasn't long before Satin noticed him as well, and started waving at him like a shy schoolgirl.
"Oh, it's Pop season, little lady." Sid Fret said as he, much to the dismay of Carol and Riff, walked past Branch and Poppy to get over there to Satin.
Eager to connect with Branch's friends, Poppy bounded over. She hadn't had a chance to get to know them the day before, and she was excited to make a good impression.
"Hi, guys!" she called out, opening her arms wide to greet them in a friendly manner. However, just as she got within reach, Carol took a step back, her discomfort growing more pronounced.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Carol asked, her tone sharp and filled with incredulity.
Poppy paused, caught off guard by Carol's reaction. She had simply intended to offer a friendly hug. "I was gonna… hug you?" she replied, her voice faltering a bit.
Carol looked at her with a mix of disdain and impatience. In recent years, she had struggled to be the friend Barb needed, and she was determined to re-establish that bond. So if Barb didn't like Poppy, then neither did she.
"Yeah, no, I don't think so," Carol said, her eyes narrowed with a hint of hostility. "We don't do that touchy-feely shit where we come from."
Feeling the rising tension, Branch considered stepping in to defend Poppy but ultimately decided it might be beneficial for her to learn about Rock troll boundaries firsthand.
Poppy, sensing the awkwardness, took a step back, realizing that her friendly intentions had not landed as she'd hoped. It was clear that she needed to adapt her approach to better understand their customs. However, amidst the discomfort, she noticed something happening behind them that brightened her spirits again. "Well, your friend over there doesn't seem to mind touchy-feely stuff." she pointed out.
Carol and Riff turned to see Sid Fret sitting comfortably next to Satin, his arm casually draped over her shoulder. Though they couldn't hear what was being said, Satin's laughter suggested Sid intended to keep his promise to take the Pop troll to her bedroom tonight.
"I don't know if he really counts," Riff remarked, his eyes rolling in exasperation. "Sid will fuck anything that breathes."
Poppy chuckled nervously, hoping the Rock trolls would tone down the cursing while they were here. Maybe she could address that later, but for now, she was determined to have them enjoy the party.
"So, where's Barb?" Poppy asked, glancing back toward their ship. She was eager to see how Barb would react to the makeover she had given her pet bat!
"That's Queen Barb to you." Carol said sharply. "My cousin might be in our circle now, but you aren't, and you aren't gonna be, rainbow-for-brains."
"She's in the back, Queen Poppy," Riff quickly interjected, trying to ease the tension. "She should be out soon."
With a quick eye-roll, Carol went down to one of the stands to see what kind of drinks they had here. Riff decided to join her, not wanting to be in the center of the quarrel that Poppy and Barb were about to have.
At that moment, a door at the back of the anglerbus swung open, capturing the attention of Poppy and Branch. Barb stepped out, a scheming smile on her face, and the reactions from her crew suggested they were both surprised and captivated by her appearance. Branch especially.
Knowing she had his eye, Barb began to approach Branch. She was wearing tight black leather pants that perfectly hugged her body. She had on a red halter top that revealed her shoulders and stomach, and studded black boots. Her guitar was strapped to her back.
"Hey, dude." She said. "You ready to rock?"
Branch's heart was tap dancing in his chest as he looked at Barb. She was even more gorgeous than the day of her coronation. And she smelled so good. Like dark chocolate and spiced cinnamon. It was all he could do to keep his composer as Barb stepped closer.
Barb quickly glanced over to Poppy to make sure she was watching, and sure enough, she was. There was only surprise on her face, but Barb could see the jealousy in her eyes. And that pleased Barb.
"I didn't know you guys were coming." Branch said, trying to keep himself together.
"We've still got practice, Branch." Barb said to him. "And since you had to be here, I figured we'd bring our rock session here."
"Um, hi, Queen Barb!" Poppy finally said as she slipped between her and Branch. "I'm glad you got my invitation in time for the party!"
The two of them locked eyes, as they'd done pretty much every other time they talked. The invisible line keeping their eyes on one another was so strong, Poppy didn't seem to notice Branch slip away to talk to his mother and aunt, while Barb did, giving them a chance to speak openly to each other.
A vein started to form on Barb's head as she looked at Poppy's cheery little expression, as if she really wanted to be friends with Barb. Maybe this happy little rouse worked on Branch, but not her. But she'd play along. At least, whenever Branch was present.
"Yeah, Pinkie, I got your little invitation." Barb said as she pulled said invitation out of her back pocket for Poppy to see. Looking at it, Poppy was confused to see the invitation was charred and ruined, looking like Barb had set it on fire.
Poppy, instead of asking what happened to it, took Barb's hands in hers, and smiled. "We're gonna have so much fun today, Queen Barb! We've got so many games here for us to play! We've got finger-painting with Harper, Dairy's making ice cream over there, I baked some cupcakes, and tonight, we're gonna launch the biggest fireworks you've ever seen!"
Barb's anger grew as she ripped her hands out of Poppy's. Ice cream? Finger-painting? Cupcakes? Seriously? It felt like she was talking to a fucking trolling. This little runt was trying to spite her. To get her to act out in front of Branch so she'd look bad, and this brat could play the dumb and innocent card. She just knew it. But Barb kept Artina's words in mind as she mentally strategized. A beatdown wasn't on the list of options, but her words could cut deep enough for now.
"You can cut the shit now." Barb said. "He's not listening anymore."
Once again, Poppy was taken aback by the response of aggression in turn to her kindness. "Is there something wrong, Queen Barb?"
"You think you're fucking funny, don't you?" Barb said as she bared her teeth at the smaller troll. "Dressing up my bat like she's a fucking makeup doll? Spraying my face with glitter with this piece of shit?"
Then, to Poppy's dismay, Barb threw the invitation onto the ground, and then stepped on it.
In this moment, Poppy felt an unfamiliar sense of anger as she looked at the further-destroyed invitation. She clenched her fists, and tried to conjure up happy thoughts before looking Barb in the eyes again. "I worked really hard on that invitation, y'know. I was only trying to be nice."
"The cute and innocent act is getting old." Barb said. "But go ahead, keep it up. You want a competition, you'll get one, you little bitch. But just so you know, I don't like to lose."
Poppy could feel herself getting angrier at Barb's words, despite trying so hard to hide it. It wasn't her, or any Pop troll's nature to act like this, but right now, the Queen didn't care. It was clear to Poppy that Barb, like her, was harboring feelings for Branch. But only one of them could be with him in the end.
"I only want us to be friends, Barb." Poppy finally said. "I'd want a friend of Branch's to be a friend of mine too. But if this is how it's gonna be, then fine."
"Oh, me and Branch are gonna be a lot more than friends soon, pinkie." Barb said with a smile, knowing what her next shot at Poppy would be. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but you aren't exactly equipped to handle a Rock troll like him."
"Branch is a Pop troll too." Poppy almost growled, trying her best to look intimidating against the slightly taller troll.
"No, he isn't." Barb said, her smile unwavering. "If he was anything like the rest of you man-sized babies, you'd all be bergen shit by now, because there'd have been no bunker for you to hide in."
Poppy was clenching her fists so tight, that her nails were digging into her palms. She could feel her face getting hotter as her anger grew. This anger, this urge to..to do something very unfriendly to Barb, it was so foreign to her.
"But don't worry. His REAL people are here now. And after this little giggle fest, he's coming back to his real home. With ME." Barb said, ready to unleash the final weapon of her verbal assault. "Maybe I'll even give him another taste of me when we get back."
Poppy went unnaturally still in response to Barb's words. Her anger was now being enveloped by confusion. A taste of…huh? What was Barb talking about? Or.. Unless..
"That's right, runt." Barb said, her smile wider. "Just two nights ago, after my coronation, I met up with Branch in his room. And we fucked like animals the whole night."
Poppy's legs felt like they were about to give out. While she wasn't versed in how Rock trolls did things, for Pop trolls, two trolls… being intimate in that way, it was sacred. Almost about as sacred as taking a troll as a mate. There was no way. She didn't…Branch wouldn't.. no…No!
"I…I don't believe you!" Poppy finally squeaked out, trying extremely hard not to look shaken by the Rock queen's words.
"Why don't we go ask him then?" Barb said, loving Poppy's reaction. "I bet he'll be happy to tell you all about it. Hell, I will, if you want."
"You're lying!" She said. Poppy's clenched fists were trembling with both anger and fear. Not wanting Barb to see her vulnerability, Poppy turned around, and stormed away from her. She was lying! Poppy knew she was lying! If Branch had taken Barb as a mate, he would've told her! Barb was just trying to make her angry!
…So why was Poppy scared to go ask Branch if she was telling the truth?
Letting out an angry huff, she walked over to Biggie, Guy, and Creek, who were enjoying ice cream at Dairy's stand. What time was it? Hug time couldn't come soon enough! She needed to squeeze something!
Back with Branch, his mother, and his aunt, the Poprock troll was digging into his mother in a way he never had before, much to the surprise of them both. Branch didn't want to be this way with his mother, but if anyone else knew about him secretly having four siblings, it had to have been her.
"B-Branch, you don't have any siblings!" Artina said to her son. "This man, whoever he is, he's lying to you! You're my only child."
"John said we have different mothers." Branch said, trying not to let his anger have him. "Someone named Emaline. You had to have known something!"
Artina's eyes widened at the mention of that name. Emaline. It was more than twenty years ago, but she remembered enough.
Back when she was living in the troll tree with Timber, she had come across a withered scrapbook in his home when he officially invited her to live with him. She went through it, and it's contents confused her. There were childish cut-out scrappings of who she guessed was Timber, based on the colors, and someone with the name "Emaline" spelled under her scrappings. As she kept going through it, there were also scrappings of a few other trolls, most of which she didn't recognize. She knew one of them was Rosiepuff, but there were also five other scrappings of trolls she didn't recognize constantly popping up.
When Artina brought the scrapbook to Timber and asked who these trolls were, he responded by snatching the book out of her hands, and chucking it through the troll tree's gates. Afterwards, he told her that the scrapbook wasn't important, and that he never wanted to hear about it again. It was the first time she had ever seen that dark side of him.
From that point on, Artina respected his wishes, and didn't ask about it ever again. She assumed that maybe they were just family members who met their ends during the Trollstice ceremonies. And now, it seemed that might've been more true than she thought.
"Where is this guy, Branch?" Artina asked her son. "I want to speak to….speak…to…."
"Mom? Mom, what's wrong?" Branch asked her.
Branch turned around to see John, as if knowing they were talking about him, start walking towards the three of them, his mouth full of cake and licorice. As he approached, Branch turned back to his mother, and was stunned by what he saw.
"Hey, what's up." John said. "You must be Artina."
Artina was breathing heavily, she was visibly shaking, and there was a look of absolute terror on her eyes that Branch had never seen before. She looked as if she kept trying to find words, but none escaped her mouth.
"Artina?" Cindy asked, immediately concerned for her sister. "Artina, are you alright?"
"Mom?" Branch asked again.
Artina said nothing. Her body only kept on shaking as John got closer and closer until he was right beside her son, right in front of her.
"Hey. Name's John Dory." John said, apparently oblivious to Artina's current situation. But the moment he extended his hand, Artina stepped back quickly, her breathing becoming loud enough to hear now.
Unsure of what was happening, John took another step forward, only for Artina to take another step back immediately after. Then again, and again until she eventually ended up tripping and falling onto her back. The look of terror on her face only grew as John kept approaching.
"Uh…" John said, unsure of what he'd done to earn this kind of reaction from her. Instinctually, he offered his hand to help her up. "Are you ok, miss?"
"Don't touch me." Artina immediately retorted through her teeth, a meager attempt to hide her very clear fear. "Get away from me."
John looked back at his brother and Cindy, hoping they could tell him what he had apparently done wrong. But they looked to be just as confused, and much more concerned.
Branch, however, didn't care for seeing his mother like this. And if John was causing it, intentionally or not, then that was enough for him to intervene. "Look, you heard her. Go back over there." Branch said, stepping between them.
"What did I do?" John asked.
"Just go!" Branch said, keeping his voice low enough to not cause a scene, but loud enough to get the point across.
John, instead of arguing, just respected the wishes of his brother and apparent step-mother, and went back to the food stall he had been eating at before. "Freaking Rock trolls, man." He mumbled.
When he was far enough away, Artina seemed to calm down a bit. Her breathing steadied, and she stopped shaking. Branch took his mother's hand, and she sat up slowly, her feet feeling a little wobbly.
"Artina, what just happened? Are you ok?" Cindy asked. She hadn't seen her sister that terrified in gods-know how long.
"...He looks just like him." Artina said, her voice still laced with distress. "He looks just like Timber."
Hearing that, all the anger Branch wanted to throw at his mother earlier immediately turned to guilt. Even if John hadn't decided to introduce himself on his own, Branch would've brought him to Artina eventually. His actions had retraumatized his mother.
"Mom, I'm sorry!" He quickly said. "I didn't know! I never knew what dad looked like! Grandma never.. she.. I'm sorry.."
Hearing his overbearing concern for her touched Artina, but she still felt so vulnerable. Like a glass vase, waiting to be knocked over and shattered. That man, John, was the spitting image of Timber. Artina was suddenly so thankful that Branch had gotten most of his looks from her.
"It's ok, Branch. I'm ok. Or, I'll try to be." Artina said.
Branch was so uncertain of what to do to help her. The Pop troll in him told him that he should hug his mother to comfort her. But the Rock troll in him told him that his mother wouldn't want them to display any more vulnerability than she already had.
"You can still leave, Artina." Cindy offered. "I'll watch after Barb, and you could head back to Rock City if that's what you want."
"I'm ok, I said." Artina assured. As shaken as she was, leaving now, after Queen Poppy had invited her, it would be indecent. Also, she didn't trust Cindy to keep a leveled-head if Peppy showed up.
Back with Carol and Riff, Riff was leaning on the drink stand operated by Bella, a blue Pop troll girl with glittery skin. She was trying to ease the situation as Carol yelled at her.
"No, beer! I want a beer!" Carol yelled at the Pop troll, making her step back.
"Uh, I dunno what "beer" is, ma'am." Bella said to her with a happy smile. "But I've got plenty of juice, if you'd like! We've got flavorberry juice, glitter juice, purpleberry juice, we've got..
As she rambled on, Carol rubbed her temples, trying to keep her composure. This was great. Absolutely fantastic. Not only was she gonna have to spend all day in this giggly little happy land, but Pop trolls apparently hadn't discovered alcohol yet, which means she's gonna have to do it sober.
Riff, on the other hand, while he didn't want to be here either, he was trying to make the best out of this situation. So to try to ease the situation again, Riff sat down next to Carol, and made an order. "Sure, I'll have uh, the glitter juice?"
"Coming right up!" Bella said as she started pulling a few things from under the counter to start making his drink.
As she did this, Carol shot Riff a glare that would've caught him off guard if he hadn't predicted she would the minute he did this. "Really?" She muttered.
Riff took a deep breath, trying to avoid an argument with his girlfriend, especially since he was aware of what she was going through. Although Carol was skilled at concealing her struggles from their friends, Riff could tell that she was starting to experience withdrawal. She hadn't had any brimsmoke since she swore it off yesterday, and she usually began her day with it, like people do with coffee. He knew this was just the beginning and that her discomfort would only intensify as the day went on. He even came prepared.
With that, Riff reached into his pocket and pulled out something that got Carol's attention. A can of spicy spray cheese. Her favorite creature-comfort.
Without so much as a blink, Carol snatched it from his hand, and opened her mouth wide as she squeezed the can, spraying the cheesy goodness directly into her mouth. A look of sheer relief washed over her face as the familiar taste hit her senses, providing a brief distraction from her discomfort.
"Yeah?" Riff asked.
"Yeaahhh.." Carol said, sucking on the can's nozzle. Before long, she finished almost half of the can before turning back to her boyfriend. "Thanks."
"Here you go!" Bella said, placing a cup down in front of them.
Riff looked at the cup of juice as he took it in his hands. It was bright red, and had tiny sparkles swirling around in it, like it was alive.
"Uh, thanks." Riff said. He then took a few gold coins out of his pocket, and dropped them on the counter.
Bella looked at the four gold coins with child-like awe before picking them up and examining them. "These are so shiny! What are they?"
Riff's brow furrowed as he then suddenly remembered what Branch told him about Pop trolls, and how they operated on a bartering system that worked mainly around sweets, scrapbooks, and hugs. And he was Not going to risk letting this female hug him in front of his girlfriend. He could guess how that would end. With Carol's fist in the poor girl's teeth. Instead, he ignored her question and took a sip of the drink. Only to immediately spit it out, much to Carol and Bella's surprise. "What the fuck?" He exclaimed.
The drummer looked down at the glittery drink. It tasted like four pounds of liquidized sugar in a cup. How in the world could any living thing ingest something like this? "What the hell is in this?"
"Oh! Um, a squeeze of flavorberries, water, and my very own glitter!" Bella said, sounding proud of herself.
Riff and Carol both watched in absolute disgust as Bella rubbed her arm, causing the glitter that naturally grew on her body to fall onto the counter, making a small pile of sparkly residue. Riff's expression of disgust only grew as he realized what he had just put in his mouth. He had just drunk something that came off of another troll's skin!
Quickly turning back to the anglerbuses, Riff held his hand over his mouth, trying not to hurl. Carol was still looking at Bella with very clear disgust. "You Pop trolls are fucking gross." She said before walking away as well, leaving Bella alone, unsure of what she'd done wrong.
Back with Barb, she turned her attention over to the south end of the lake, where Sid Fret was still sitting comfortably by the lake with that pink Pop troll that he had been flirting with since they got there. Satin, she remembered. The girl was sitting in Sid Fret's lap, curiously tracing her finger over his chest, feeling his much larger frame. Barb wasn't sure what they were talking about, but she could piece together what Sid was planning. Not that she cared, really. But right now, it was jam time.
"Yo, Sid!" Barb called over to him. "Get over here! It's time to rock!"
"Do we gotta right now?" Sid Fret called back, really not wanting to stop talking with Satin right now. A few more nice words, and he was gonna be locking lips with her soon. "I'm kinda in the middle of something."
"What did you say!?" Barb asked him, though not as a question, but a challenge.
Knowing better than to piss her off, Sid Fret gently pulled Satin off of his lap, and stood up, rolling his eyes but with a hint of a grin. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" He jogged over to Barb, leaving Satin looking a bit disappointed. But her disappointment was soon cleansed when Sid turned around and smiled at her. "Don't worry. We'll pick up where we left off right after this."
As Sid Fret returned to the front of the anglerbus where Barb was already preparing her mic, many of the Pop trolls started to slowly gather, knowing that Barb and her gang were about to play. Some of them had looks of uncertainty, and others of curiosity.
Next, The Rock Queen looked over at Branch, who was talking with Artina. She looked stressed out about something, but whatever it was, it wasn't Barb's concern at the moment. "Hey, Branch! Get over here, it's time to practice!"
At her call, Branch reluctantly left his mother's side, and joined Barb at the anglerbus, getting his guitar ready. After everything that had happened today, he was glad Barb showed up. He needed some music to distract his thoughts.
Satisfied, Barb looked out at the crowd of Pop trolls, scanning the area for Poppy. She wanted to make sure that she saw this. The Rock queen eventually saw Poppy eating ice cream with a couple of her friends. With a smile, she turned to her crew, who looked to be ready and waiting on her mark. Well, except Sid, who left his position to talk to her.
"Hey, Barb," Sid Fret said with a smile. "Let me lead the vocals on this one."
The Rock queen almost snorted at Sid's request. "What? Since when do you ever wanna sing?"
"Since today." Sid said, gesturing his head over to the crowd. Barb looked, and saw that pink Pop troll and her twin sister at the front of the crowd. The pink one looked excited, but the other one not so much. Barb could piece it together on her own. Sid wanted to sing her a little tune before he took her to bed.
"C'mon." Sid playfully pleaded, making sure he said this next thing out of Branch's earshot. "You can hit the second verse for Branch over there. I bet that'll piss his pink friend off."
Barb rolled her eyes. While Sid wasn't the most gifted singer of their group, he could lead a note. He just wasn't very talkative, and usually chose not to. If he wanted to sing now, he must really wanna get into that pink girl's pants.
"Alright, fine, Sid." Barb eventually relented. "Show these runts what you've got."
Sid grinned, feeling victorious, and took his place at the mic, his guitar at the ready. The rest of the band got ready, instruments in hand. The energy in the air shifted as anticipation built among the Pop trolls gathered around. He turned around, and waited for Barb to give the go.
"Let's do this." She said. "One! two! One, two, one, two, three, four!"
One this, Sid aggressively played a familiar tune on his guitar. Riff, recognizing the song, clashed on his drums, matching him, Barb not falling behind, and Branch joining in after instinctually picking up on the rhythm as well. Soon after, Sid Fret added her voice into the mix, making sure he had Satin's.
(Move your body by My Darkest Days)
You're looking hotter than a cherry on a cigarette
Bet every dollar, you're a model, even better yet
So hot and bothered, in her village, turning every head
Your body's built just like a weapon, and you're using it
But the Old Gods can hear you when you s-a-a-ay
With that small warmup over, the four of them really truly began to play, shredding on their instruments, and gaining an unusual reaction from the crowd of Pop trolls listening. Most looked confused, some looked frightened, but just a few looked like they were genuinely enjoying the unfamiliar type of music. Eventually, the crowd became something of a mixed reaction. Half of them still looking scared, and the other half talking amongst themselves in confusion.
One of these trolls enjoying this tune was Satin, whose eyes were as wide as dinner plates as she listened to him sing. Her knees were shaking with that same twist of excitement she felt when they met yesterday. Those lyrics, those words, Sid was aiming them at her, and she could feel it!
Not able to control herself, Satin let out an excited scream among the loud crowd, startling Chenille, who only looked disgusted at all of this. And that little shriek all Sid needed to keep going.
Come on and get up, move your body
Use your body
Lose control
Rub it right up
Against my body
Take my body
Make it yours
We're gonna light this room on fire
Yeah, you and I will burn it up tonight
The two of us are gonna fuel this fire
No way in hell we're slowing down tonight
As he continued, Satin felt like she was going to melt into a puddle with all the burning emotions she was feeling at Sid's words. With the widest smiled she'd ever made in her life, she attempted to dance to this very-new type of music. Chenille, on the other hand, finally split away from her sister, and walked back to their friends, looking unhappy.
The rest of the crowd grew even more unsettled as they listened. Unsure of what kind of music this was, and how they should feel about it. While most of the crowd stayed, some of them started to leave, and walked back to the party. A few words could be heard amongst the talking.
"What are we listening to right now? Why does this music feel so.. unfriendly?"
"Mommy, what's a "hell"?"
"Keith, don't say that word!"
Barb looked out at the majority who stayed. Their looks didn't go unnoticed by Barb, and she didn't care. The only two people she needed the attention of at this moment were Branch and Poppy. She made this clear when she got closer to Branch, and they shredded their guitars side-by-side. To his surprise, she started to circle him like a predator stalking its prey. Barb made sure that Poppy was looking at her when she sang the next verse.
Then, just for fun, I'll take my tongue and run it over your lip
You gotta love the way I do it for the hell of it
We're in positions that most people only say they know
I've got my hand on a landmine ready to blow
But the Old Gods can hear you when you s-a-a-ay
Watching in the distance with John and her friends, Poppy's heart dropped again as she looked away. Barb was lying. She Was. She was just trying to mess with her. To get her upset… and it was working.
"What's got you all huffed up?"
Poppy jumped as John spoke up next to her, watching Barb and her group play, and drinking some juice he got from one of the food stands. "Never really took a liking to rock music in my time on the road. Too broody for me."
"I-I'm fine, John!" Poppy quickly said. "I was just, uh, y'know, thinking about stuff."
"Stuff like what?" John said with a grin. "Like your boyfriend up there, playing duo with the Rock queen? I'd think you'd be a little more upset."
"Oh, Branch isn't my boyfriend!" She said with a nervous giggle. "We're just really close."
"Kid, I've seen that dumbstruck look on your face whenever he's around." John said. "It's the same googly eyes that Clay used to give Viva. You like him. You like him a lot."
Much like every other time somebody called her out on this, Poppy opened her mouth, only to close it, not having a single counter for what John Dory said. Oh Gah, had she really been so obvious all these years, that even John, a troll that barely knew her, could see it?
"But I'm pretty sure he likes you too, Poppy. He punched me pretty good when he thought I was gonna hurt you." John said, feeling his nose. "That's the first time anyone's ever managed to give me a nosebleed."
"He usually isn't like that." Poppy said. "A few days ago, he was more grumpy than anything. He'd say and do mean things, and I couldn't get him to come to one of these parties if his life depended on it. But I'm happy that he's here."
"Yeah, well, if you plan on making a move, you might wanna do it soon. Cause it looks like you've got some competition." John said, gesturing to Barb, who was still shredding her guitar with his brother. "Honestly, I'm not surprised he's such a lady-killer. When me and the rest of our brothers were young, we had to beat the girls off with a stick. We even used to have this funny little idea of becoming a boy band."
"A BOY BAND!?" Poppy squealed. Intrigued, Poppy listened as John went into another story about he and his brothers childhoods.
Back with Carol, who was watching the rest of her band perform from the back, she was, for lack of a better word, not having a good time. The withdrawal felt like it was killing her. Her head hurt, her fur felt like it was digging into her skin, and it felt like the only thing stopping her from ripping someone's face off was the can of spray cheese in her hands. She needed something stronger.
Carol clenched her teeth. She was going to stay clean of brimsmoke this time, like she promised her mother, Riff, and herself. But a drink would really make it easier. Beer, vodka, whiskey, anything! Something other than cake, candy, and sure as hell not that weird glittery skin-juice that she was almost tricked into drinking.
"Psssst! Hey, over here!"
Carol looked to her left at a blue troll with purple hair, creepily smiling at her. He had on a leather jacket, and black jeans, which didn't really blend well with his colors, and made him stick out among the other Pop trolls like a sore thumb.
"I heard you were looking for some beer." He said in a low voice, eyes darting around. "I have a stash, if you want some.
Carol looked at the troll, her brow curled. There was something about him that seemed off. She didn't sense the disgustingly chipper attitude from him that the other Pop trolls seemed to always carry around. In its place, she felt something different. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Look, if this is some stupid fucking Pop troll game, I'm not in the mood. Bother someone else."
In response, the blue troll tossed an empty can near her feet. Pausing for a moment, Carol stood up, picked up the can, and brought it to her face. She couldn't read the words on the can, as they looked to be in chinese or possibly korean, but she could smell the empty can's opening. This wasn't juice or soda. It was beer.
"You've got more of this? Where?" Carol asked, trying to sound casual, but her nerves were twisting.
"I've got a few six-packs stashed away in the forest over there." He said. "Peppy didn't let us have alcohol, so I had to hide them away from everyone. Come with me, I'll show you."
Carol hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Barb and the others, who were lost in their performance, unaware of Carol or this strange guy. Surely, they wouldn't notice if she slipped for a minute or two. She'd grab a few cans from this guy, and be on her way.
"Fine." Carol said. "Let's go."
The blue troll grinned wider, showing off his sharp teeth. "Great! Follow me!" He turned, leading her to a trail into the forest, where shadows danced between the trees. Carol's temples seemed to throb less as she followed him, the sound of her band fading behind her.
"My name's Peter, by the way." The blue troll said.
"Uh, Carol." She introduced herself. "And before you even think about it, if you try to hug me, I'll take your front teeth."
"Don't worry, I know." Peter said, grinning as if the threat just went directly over his head. "I only hug when it's hug time!"
Carol couldn't help but mentally recoil as Peter smiled at her. She hadn't noticed a moment ago, but his teeth looked to be a little bit sharper than she noticed before. Pop trolls didn't eat meat, right? Why would they have teeth like that?
As the music got distant, and they went deeper into the forest, Carol's nerves began to heighten. The path was getting darker, and the shadows seemed to stretch longer with each step. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Peter. His demeanor was so different from the other Pop trolls. But she was too desperate for a real drink to think on it too much.
"Are we close?" Carol asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Just a little further," Peter replied, his grin unwavering. "Right past these trees. I gotta keep my drinks hidden so nobody snitches about them."
As they arrived at a small clearing, Peter pointed to a patch of ground covered by leaves. "Here it is," he said, excitement bubbling in his voice. He knelt down, brushing away the foliage to reveal a small hole in the ground. Inside, Carol could see several cans of beer nestled among the dirt. "Go on, help yourself."
Like a trolling in a candy shop, Carol quickly made her way to the hole, grabbed one of the beers, opened it, and down it like she was stranded in the desert. The taste was liquid heaven for her.
After throwing the empty can aside, Carol kept going through the hole, wanting to see if Peter had any other types of alcohol stored away. Though as Carol rummaged through the hole, her fingers brushed against something small and hard. She pulled out a black journal, its cover worn and slightly damp from being buried in the dirt.
Though before Carol could open it, she caught a movement in her peripheral vision. Just in time to see Peter looming over her, a rock raised in his right hand.
Reacting quickly, Carol twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. The rock whooshed past her head, and she sprang to her feet, adrenaline now surging.
"What the fuck!?" She shouted, her voice filled with surprise.
Peter's already-disturbing grin turned menacing. "Hold still."
Without missing a beat, Carol brought her fist to Peter's jaw, stumbling him, and giving herself enough time to turn back, and start running back to the path that brought her here. But before she could think to yell for help, she was tackled from behind, and then flipped onto her back by Peter, who, despite the hit, still had a smile on his face. Then he grabbed Carol by the shoulders, and slammed her down, causing her head to bounce off of the dirt, dazing her. Her vision started to get fuzzy as Peter placed himself on top of her.
"I'm gonna have so much fun with those little soon-to-be slaves when Bash gets here." Peter said. "But you, I think I'll keep you to myself. I've never had a Rock troll before."
Carol's dazed eyes went wide as Peter's hands found themselves around her throat, strangling her.
Panic surged through Carol as the air in her lungs became thinner and thinner. She scratched at his hands, desperately trying to get them off of her when out of the corner of her eye, she saw a stick laying next to her. With the last bit of air she had, she reached for it, grabbed it, and just before it seemed that she was going to black out, she jammed the twig into his left eye.
Peter howled in pain, his grip on her neck loosening as he fell off of her, gripping his face. Carol, after taking in a few deep breaths, seized the opportunity and got back up to her feet. But before she could make a b-line back to the path that had led her here, she saw something that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
As Peter ripped the broken stick from his eye, blood dripped from the wound as his body began to shift and change. His vibrant blue fur morphed into a sickly green, leathery skin. His fluffy purple hair twisted and transformed into a fin-shaped appendage. His hands changed, and his fingernails grew as sharp as knives. Even his face contorted, his snout growing larger and becoming more predator-like and intimidating. Once the painful transformation was complete, Peter turned to Carol, his single eye reflecting a mix of pain and rage.
Terrified, even more so than she had been a moment ago, Carol finally shook off her frozen body, and ran as fast as she could, unsure of what she had just witnessed.
Sprinting, Carol didn't once look back as she started to hear the village commotion. That…thing, whatever it was, it sure as shit wasn't a troll. When she burst back into the clearing where Barb and the others were still performing, her heart raced. The vibrant music and laughter felt like a cruel contrast to the terror she had just experienced. Her friends seemed to have just finished up when she finally got to them. Most of the crowd had dispersed, and went back to their little festivities. Sid was back with that pink Pop troll, and Barb and her cousin were by the lake, talking. The only three people still at the anglerbus were Riff, Artina, and Carol's mother.
"There you are, Carol. Where'd you go? You missed the first song." Riff asked, stepping away from his drum set. But it didn't take him long to notice his girlfriend's distress. "Carol?"
Carol's mind raced as she tried to catch her breath. "There… There's a…He… That…"
"Carol? Carol, what's wrong?" Cindy said, approaching her daughter.
"There's a fucking… monster or something out there!" Carol yelled, her breath suddenly becoming harder to get out. "He was normal first, but then he… he… he fucking changed! He turned into some sorta… fucking…"
As her panicked state started to grab the attention of a few of the Pop trolls still standing about, Cindy, who had also been watching since the start, walked over to her daughter, sharing Riff's concern.
"Carol, calm down. You're causing a scene." Cindy said. "What the hell happened?"
Some distance away, Harper was sitting with her boyfriend, Archer Pastry, showing him her homemade blueprints of her new pod that she drew herself. A pod big enough for both of them. Harper was still giddy at the fact that Archer had agreed to move in with her!
"And here, I'm thinking we'll have our kitchen, and here, in the living room, we'll have a big cozy couch, and an oval window, where we can hang all of our paintings!" Harper said with glee. Her painted face grew a slight blush as she went on to the next part of the sheet. "For the bedroom, I was thinking, y'know, if you didn't mind, maybe a double bed that we can share."
But as she talked, Archer was quiet. Ever since she had run into him an hour ago, there was a certain look in his eye that told her that something was wrong. He looked so lost in thought, as if facing some sort of internal conflict.
"Is everything ok, Archer?" she asked, scooting closer. "Do you not like the designs? We can still play around with them, if you want."
Finally, Archer, upon hearing the concern in Harper's voice, was pulled back to reality. "Oh no, I like it! Really, I do." He said. "I guess I'm just still sad that my pod got destroyed."
Harper smiled. She has actually never gotten to see Archer's pod. Whenever he'd head off, and she'd ask to come over, he'd tell her that he hadn't cleaned up, or that he was busy with something else. Harper had always been curious about it. Though as sad as it was that their pods were gone now, Harper saw it as an opportunity. A blank canvas, just waiting to be filled with her and Archer's combined ideas and their art.
"I can't wait to decorate it with you." She said before hugging him. "I…I love you, Archer."
The moment she said that, Archer tensed up. He looked down at the shorter troll, into her beautiful eyes. Her right eye was red, and the other, green. She smiled at him, and all he could do was smile back, and hug her closer. But before he felt the pressure to return Harper's words, she started to delicately sing while cuddling him.
(Love Love Love By Regina Spektor)
Love, love, love, Lo-o-o-o-v-e
Giving me love, love, Lo-o-o-o-v-e
More than I ever need
Harper took Archer's hands, and stood up with him. His surprised look slowly grew into a smile as they slowly started to dance in a circle, just like they had two nights ago. She looked him in the eyes as she continued to sing.
Love, you're so distracting
Am I overreacting for feeling this way
But ever since I met you, I can't keep my attention
And you are to blame
Archer's hands still in hers, Harper twirled around, pulling Archer into the rhythm of the moment. In that moment, all the things troubling him seemed to fade away as Harper continued to sing for him.
You're love's a permanent distraction, a perfect interaction
A feeling so extreme
I lost my appetite to eat, and I barely get to sleep, cause you're even in my dreams
And I thought that I was strong, but I knew that all along, this was out of my control
So I fell into your hands, and I don't know where I'll land
I'm just going with the flow
Archer's lip quivered as he struggled to maintain his smile, knowing that Harper eagerly awaited her turn to sing the next verse. He felt a surge of happiness at the thought of doing anything for her. Taking a deep breath, he poured his heart into the song, with Harper harmonizing alongside him.
(Archer) Somedays, I want to run away
(Both) This feels so perfect, it's breaking my heart
(Harper) Yeah we could, we could stay here happy
(Archer) Or after summer, be two worlds apart
You're love's a permanent distraction, a perfect interaction
A feeling so extreme
I lost my appetite to eat, and I barely get to sleep, cause you're even in my dreams
And I thought that I was strong, but I knew that all along, this was out of my control
So I fell into your hands, and I don't know where I'll land
I'm just going with the flow
Harper's heart roared with joy as the two danced around, thinking about all the fun times they were going to have living together. All of this only served to make their next combined verse to be even greater than the ones before.
(Harper) Your love
(Archer) Your love
(Harper) Is bigger than a rain cloud
(Archer) Bigger than a rain cloud
(Harper) It covered up my whole sky, it's filling up my heart, my heart with love
(Archer) Love, love, love, lo-o-o-o-v-e
(Harper) More than I ever need
(Both) Giving me love, love, love, Lo-o-o-o-v-e
As if life itself noticed this beautiful moment, both of their hug-time watches went off. Immediately, Harper threw herself into Archer's arms, and they embraced tightly, savoring the warmth and comfort of each other's presence. Looking up slightly, Harper cupped Archer's cheek, and slowly leaned in, wanting to seal this beautiful moment with a kiss.
Archer, happy to oblige, leaned in, but froze up, seeing who was watching them in the distance. Peter. And he looked anything but happy.
Peter was there, hidden away in the bushes far enough to grab any attention, but close enough that Archer could see him. His left eye looked red and bruised, and he had a very displeased look on his face. With an angry look, he tilted his head, silently giving Archer the order to follow him before stepping into the woods.
"Archer? What's wrong?" Harper said. "You tensed up for a second.
Archer looked down at Harper, whose lips were still puckered up, expecting a kiss. It seemed that she hadn't noticed Peter's presence.
"Um..uh, I'll be right back, Harper!" Archer said, quickly untangling himself from her. "I forgot I needed to.. help my friend Peter with something at his pod!"
Harper's raised her eyebrow, not sure why he was bringing this up now, but still trusting him. "Okay, but don't be too long! I'm really excited to keep planning our pod!" With that, Harper knelt back down, and kept going over their pod's blueprints.
Archer shot her a reassuring smile before walking away, his heart heavy as he followed Peter into the woods. The joyful moment with Harper felt like a distant memory as he distanced himself, entered the shadows, the weight of Peter's expression pressing down on him.
Before Archer could ask Peter what he wanted, or what happened to his eye, Peter punched him in the gut, knocking the air out for his lungs, and causing him to fall to his knees, holding his stomach in pain.
"I hope you had fun over there with your new pet, Kaboom." Peter growled. "Because now we have a big fucking problem."
Still writhing in pain, Archer looked up at Peter with frustration. But he didn't get a chance to argue as Peter grabbed arm and yanked him up onto his two feet. "Go back to the camp. We're sending out the signal now."
Archer's eyes widened. "What? Now? But it's too soon! And the Rock trolls are still here. If we call in the others now, they'll-"
"They're why we're sending it out now!" Peter yelled. "One of them caught me. If they get in touch with the rest of the Rock trolls, we're gonna have to bail on this spot, and your brother will kill us both!"
"Bash thought you two idiots would fuck this up."
Both Peter and Archer turned around to see a female troll behind them, smirking. She was an orange troll with dark blue hair, and was wearing a short pink skirt.
Acting quickly, Peter quickly walked over to her with violent intentions on his mind. Though before he could get his hands around her neck, she flashed her teeth at him, showing that they were as sharp as both his, and Archer's. It was then that Peter knew who it truly was that he was talking to. He shuddered at the realization.
"Pow." He snarled.
"You know, Peter, if you couldn't wait another day to stick your dick into one of these little fairy trolls, then maybe it would've been better if Bash had just sent Archer by himself." Pow teased. "At least he's smart enough to wait until we've sacked this place to claim his prize."
Peter growled at her. The display, however, didn't get so much as a flinch. "Call me stupid again, and I'll twist your fucking head off."
Ignoring him, Pow smiled, and turned to Archer, who seemed to have fully recovered from Peter's punch. "So, Kaboom, that paint-covered troll over there with her coloring book, she's the one you want? Or are you gonna pussy out, like last time?"
Archer looked away, not wanting to meet Pow's stupid grin.
"And don't worry about the Rock trolls." On this, Pow pulled out a serrated blade, twiddling it in her hands, like it was a toy. "They won't be leaving in those ships any time soon."
Back with Carol, her mother, and Riff, the two both sat in silence as Carol finished her story of what happened to her earlier. About her attacker, and how she got away.
"And then he… he changed!" Carol said. "First he was a troll, and then he was.. something else, I don't know! His skin turned yellow, and his face changed, and he had a fucking purple fin on his head!"
For a moment, both Riff and Cindy said nothing. Riff looked genuinely concerned, not sure of what to make of his girlfriend's very strange story. Cindy, however, looked angry. Very angry.
Then, without warning, Cindy dragged Carol to the back of the anglerbus. "Ow! Mom, what the fuck?"
Riff would've followed behind, but one intense glare from Cindy made him freeze in place. When they got far enough from everyone else, Cindy dropped her daughter's arm, and redirected that look of anger back at her daughter, who, all the while, looked confused, wondering what she'd done.
"Mom?" Carol said.
"Breathe on me." Cindy said through gritted teeth. "Now."
Carol felt her stomach drop. "...What?"
"Carol, you made me a promise." Cindy said. "And if I find out you broke it…"
Carol looked into her mother's eyes. There was anger, yes, but Carol could also see the hurt in her voice. There was some in her own eyes when she realized what was happening. Her mother thought she was high right now. She thought that Carol had broken her promise to stay clean, and in some brimsmoke-induced high, she had just imagined everything that had just happened to her.
"I said breathe on me, Carol." Cindy said, trying so hard not to yell. "And I swear, if I smell even a hint of brimsmoke, I'm going to-"
Before Cindy could finish her threat, an overwhelming tide of frustration surged within Carol. She turned sharply, anger bubbling up as she stormed away from her mother. Every step felt like a battle against the tears threatening to spill over, a mix of rage and despair consuming her.
"CAROL!" Cindy's voice rang out, loud enough to draw the attention of Artina and a few others nearby. "Don't you dare walk away from me!"
But Carol didn't care. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing the turmoil within. She kept moving, pushing through the crowd, her emotions spiraling as she fought to hold back the tears. All she wanted was to scream, to cry, or maybe to lash out at something, anything to release the pent-up frustration that had been building for so long. In that moment, she felt utterly alone, caught in a storm of misunderstanding and pain.
"Carol! Carol, wait, come back!" Riff said as he ran after her.
"Cindy, what's going on?" Artina asked her sister.
"Start up the bus." Cindy said. "I'm leaving, and Carol's coming with me."
"What? Why?" Artina asked. "I already told you, we can't leave now. I already promised Queen Poppy that we'd at least stay for the fireworks. And whatever you said to her makes me think Carol doesn't want to go anywhere with you right now."
"I don't care if I have to drag her back to this bus, kicking and screaming! She lied to me! AGAIN!" Cindy yelled, trying to contain herself. "She just fed me some brimsmoke-induced story about how she got attacked by a Pop troll, and then he turned into some sorta yellow and purple monster! But this is the last straw! When we get back-"
"Wait, wait, hold on!" Artina exclaimed, her voice rising with urgency. "Yellow and purple? What else did she say?"
Cindy glanced at her sister, her anger momentarily softened by a growing sense of curiosity. "She mentioned that his skin turned yellow and that he had a fin on his head. But why does it matter?" Her tone carried a hint of confusion.
As the implications of those words began to settle in, Artina froze, her expression shifting from concern to dread. "...Oh shit," she whispered, the gravity of the situation dawning on her.
Without wasting another moment, Artina hurried over to the anglerbus' controls, her hands trembling as she pressed a button. The bus responded with a weak, pitiful noise, but it didn't start up. Panic surged through her. "Fuck! Oh, this is bad. This is really bad," she muttered under her breath, frustration and fear intertwining.
"Artina, what are you talking about?" Cindy pressed, her worry mounting as she watched her sister's frantic movements. But Artina, lost in her own thoughts, didn't respond. Instead, she jumped down from the bus's jaws, her determination unwavering. "Come with me," she commanded, urgency lacing her words.
Despite her lingering anger, Cindy felt compelled to follow. As they walked toward the rear of the bus, Artina's demeanor grew increasingly serious, a storm of concern brewing in her eyes. When they reached the back, both sisters were taken aback by the sight before them.
The rear of the anglerbus was a chaotic mess. Someone or something had violently ripped it open, tearing apart the wiring and leaving a trail of oil leaking onto the ground. The engines looked as if they had gotten into a fistfight with a bergen and lost.
"What the hell!?" Cindy said, clearly as shocked as her sister. "When the.. how the… what the fuck could've done this?"
"……Goblins.." Artina said.