"You're growing wings, Smidge."
Dr Moonbloom's words rang in Smidge's head like an echo as they both stood inside of her pod, which was in the last hour of repairs. After Satin and Chenille used a pair of mirrors to show her the strange openings on her back, Smidge immediately made her way to Moonbloom's home. One brief examination by the doctor was enough for her to confirm that Smidge was indeed beginning to sprout wings, much like a baby Classical troll.
Smidge was visibly shaking as Dr Moonbloom continued to examine her, her experienced fingers going over the two openings on Smidge's back. Finding out yesterday that she was half-Classical Troll had shocked her enough, but now her body was beginning to change too? Oh Gah, why did this have to happen now? Why now, when she was just a week away from her and Milton's wedding? How would she explain this to Milton when she saw him again? How would he react?
"Am I gonna be ok?" Smidge asked, unsure of what else she could say at this moment. "Is anything else gonna happen to me?"
"In truth, Smidge, I'm not sure." Dr Moonbloom said, hating that there really was very little that she could do or say to the young troll to ease her fear. "My knowledge of Classical Troll physiology is extremely limited. There's also the fact that you're very unique, Smidge. I don't think a troll born between Classical and Pop has ever happened before."
Smidge was almost having difficulty catching her breath, the fear of her situation becoming as palpable as the carpet under her feet. All she could think about was how her fiance was going to react when he discovered this, and what she could possibly do? Would she go and tell him now, and just hope for the best? Would she hide it until their wedding night? What would he say? And even if Milton could look past this transformation, what of the future? What else might happen down the road? Would she start looking less and less like herself, and more like a Classical Troll? Smidge didn't even know what a Classical Troll looked like! Were they pretty? Were they ugly!? Would she become ugly!? Oh Gah, oh Gah, OH GAH!!
Dr Moonbloom watched as Smidge grabbed her own hair, panic boiling in her like marshmallow fondue. As much as she wanted to not put anymore stress on the younger troll, to tell her things would be alright from here, the doctor didn't know if that was the truth or not. As she had said earlier, Smidge was most likely the only Classicpop troll in existence. There was no telling what her mixed blood could do, or what transformations her body might undergo next. But unfortunately, there was no way to sugarcoat this.
"Smidge.." The doctor said, gently placing her hand on the smaller troll's shoulder. "I don't want to scare you further. I truly don't, but there's one more thing you should know, and I feel that I wouldn't be doing my duty as a doctor if I didn't tell you this."
Smidge looked at Dr Moonbloom, already scared of what other terrible news she might share with her.
"While this is not common, Smidge," The doctor began. "Sometimes, when two trolls from different races crossbreed, the trollings they create, their minds become.. unstable. They grow to become violent, emotionless…. Feral."
Smidge wrapped her arms around herself, feeling like she was about to vomit. Her mind, already a whirlwind of panic and fear about the transformation that her body was going through, but now there was the possibility of becoming some sort of… mindless halfbreed monster?
"But... but that won't happen to me, right?" Smidge's voice was filled with panic, clinging to any sliver of hope Dr. Moonbloom could provide. "I mean, I've been fine all this time, haven't I?"
Dr. Moonbloom's face softened, and she sighed. "Smidge, I and the rest of the village have seen you grow from a trolling into a fine young lady, full of passion and strength. Strength that would've made your father proud."
Smidge felt a small sense of relief, but it was overshadowed by the uncertainty of her future. Smidge never knew her father, but the thought that he'd be proud of her was comforting.
"In the few cases I've read about, the signs were there from an early age. You've lived a full life without any such indications, which is a positive sign. The good news in all of this is that at least for the moment, your body is handling these changes well enough." The doctor said. "But as I said, these changes aren't going away. I know you don't want this, but you really should let Milton know what's happening to you. It's better to get this out of the way now."
Smidge looked down and thought to herself for a moment. Yesterday, Milton said himself that he didn't care that Smidge was half-Classical Troll. Even after that discovery, Milton still looked at her with that adorable smile of his, and told her that he couldn't wait to get home, and watch her walk down the aisle. And if it was true then, maybe she shouldn't doubt that now.
With a slowly found calmness starting to fall onto her, Smidge put her dress back on, thanked the doctor, stood up, and started to make her way to the center of the village, where Poppy should be. She was going to tell Milton, but she wanted Poppy and her friends to know first. And no one gave encouragement quite like Poppy.
Smidge's steps grew more assured as she approached the center of the village. The initial shock of the situation was starting to settle, and in its place, a tentative resolution was forming. Smidge knew who she was at her core, and could only hope that no physical transformations would change that.
As she walked, the villagers greeted her with smiles, congratulating Smidge on her upcoming wedding, oblivious to the turmoil that had taken root inside her. Smidge returned their greetings with a strained smile, her mind still wrestling with the reality of her situation.
Eventually, she finally saw Poppy, who was sitting at the edge of her pod with Satin, Chenille, Biggie, Guy Diamond, Creek, their newborn baby, and Fuzzbert. Creek was sipping a cup of flavorberry tea, and Guy was feeding Tiny Diamond a bottle of warm milk. As they all sat in silence, Poppy was going through one of the books she found in the royal library. Guy and Creek still had bandaging on their bodies, but looked to be ok.
Smidge felt a flutter of relief seeing most of her closest friends together in one place. It meant that she'd only have to tell this news a few times.
"Poppy!" Smidge called out, her voice steadier than she felt.
But when Smidge finally got into hugging-range of Poppy, she almost immediately noticed that something was wrong. Something that only someone in her tight-nit friend group would've noticed. Despite the calm look she was keeping on her face, Smidge could notice the queen's quivering lip. She could see the very light smears of her makeup, which Poppy seemed to keep ruining with her tears.
Seeing this, Smidge's own concerns momentarily took a back seat as her attention shifted to her friend. The fear and anxiety that had been building within her transformed into concern for Poppy. Instinctively, she sat down and listened.
"Biggie.. you knew?" Poppy asked her friend, her words lined with feelings of betrayal. "You knew I had an older sister?"
"And older what?" Smidge said.
"I thought you already knew, Poppy." Biggie said. Being the oldest among his friends, the blue troll did have faint memories of Poppy's sister, Viva, in the troll tree, and how devastated her father was when he found out that they didn't make it during the great escape. "I didn't know King Peppy kept it from you. I just thought that maybe you didn't like talking about it."
"Sweet sugar and syrup." Chenille and Satin said as they both listened to Poppy's story.
"How could he do this to you?" Guy Diamond said.
Smidge looked down at the scrapbook Poppy was holding. The page that Poppy was on showed a scrapping of who the dwarf troll assumed was ex-king Peppy, and two other trolls that Smidge didn't recognize. "Oh my Gah.." She said.
"Yeah.." Poppy said with a sigh as she pointed to the two pictures. "That's my mom, and the other one's Viva, my older sister. And he wasn't gonna tell me. Not about her, or you, or Suki, Cooper, Branch, or anything."
As Poppy's friends all gathered closer to their friend, Biggie grabbed Poppy up, and pulled her into a hug. Soon after, this common display of affection became a group hug as one by one, her friends joined in, knowing that words alone wouldn't help their friend.
As the group hug slowly loosened, Creek's gaze swept over the circle of friends, his beloved, and their precious child. Despite their forgiveness, that lingering sense of guilt still weighed heavily on Creek's heart for his betrayal against them. Upon returning home, Creek silently resolved to set things right, determined to make amends and fix what had been broken. This moment, surrounded by unwavering support, seemed like the perfect place to start his journey of redemption.
Creek's lips curved into a smile as he picked up his empty cup, using it as an impromptu percussion instrument, tapping out a rhythmic beat akin to a bongo. His friends, recognizing the familiar rhythm, turned their attention towards him. Without uttering a single word, the yoga instructor conveyed a silent message to the group, encouraging them to join in.
One by one, all of them started to clap their hands, matching Creek's rhythm, aside from Poppy, and Fuzzbert, due to the fact that he had no hands. As they all continued, their waists all started to move to the beat. Following this, their eyes all fell onto Poppy.
Poppy looked back at her friends, a smile slowly creeping across her lips. They were waiting for her to sing.
"C'mon, Poppy." Creek said with a slight smile. "You know you want to."
In that moment, Poppy felt a small current of positivity filling up her hurting heart. The kind warmth of her friends' support enveloped her like a comforting blanket, giving her the strength she needed. Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath to steady herself before letting her voice ring out, pure and clear.
(When I'm gone by Anna Kendrick)
I got my ticket for the long way 'round
Cupcakes and juices for the way
And I sure would like some sweet company
And I'm leaving tomorrow, what do you say?
When I'm gone
When I'm go-o-o-one
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me by my walk
You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Creek smiled, and continued to beat on the cup. "That's right, Poppy." He said. "Clear out all of that negative aura. Think of all of the good things that will come out of today."
"Like the party we're gonna have for your coronation today!" Satin said. "This party's gonna be the biggest one we've ever thrown!"
"And Smidge's wedding!" Biggie said. "It's going to be so wonderful. And you'll get to be her troll of honor!"
"And Branch." Guy Diamond said with a smirk. "He's going to be here today. And I bet you can't wait to see him again."
An embarrassed giggle slipped through Poppy's lips. She certainly couldn't deny that she was excited to see Branch. Just the idea that he'd actually be at one of her parties, laughing, playing party games, and even singing with her, it definitely chased away some of the chill surrounding her heart.
Finally feeling it again, Poppy stood up and started to rock her hips with her friends. Looking forward, Poppy imagined that Branch was standing in front of her as she happily sang the next verse of this song.
I got my ticket for the long way 'round
The one with the prettiest of views
It's got mountains, it's got rivers, it's got sights to give you shivers
But it sure would be prettier with you
Feeling the infectious energy of her friends around her, they all joined in on the song, dancing and singing as they all made their way through the village together. Her friends were right.
Despite the things her father had done, now was not the time to be sad, nor was it time to grieve. Right now, it was only time to celebrate.
As Poppy and her friends danced and sang their way through the village, their voices harmonized, creating a bubble of cheer that seemed to envelop everyone around them. The vibrant colors of their world seemed to pulse in time with their joyous song, and the infectious energy encouraged even the most reluctant villagers to tap their feet to the rhythm.
However, the melody was abruptly cut short by a sharp scream that pierced the air, sending a shockwave through the celebratory atmosphere. Poppy's eyes snapped open, and her friends immediately ceased their movements, their expressions turning from glee to concern in an instant.
"What was that?" Poppy asked, her brows furrowing.
Without hesitation, the group of friends rushed towards the source of the commotion. They weaved through the colorful houses and passed by startled trolls who had also heard the scream. They finally came upon Aspen Heights, the village's skatebug champion, trying his best to get away from some sort of bat-like creature that kept on harmlessly bumping and rubbing itself against his body and head. Eventually, instead of running, Aspen fell down, curled up into a ball, and continued panicking.
"Get it away, man!" He yelled. "Get it away from me!"
Acting on instinct, Poppy rushed over and threw her hair at the flying creature, wrapping it up, and pulling it to her. Though after a few short moments, the queen came to the realization of what she had done. The unknown creature was now nestled in her hair, struggling against it.
"Ah! Ah! It's in my hair! It's in my hair!" Poppy yelled, jumping up and down in a panic. "Get it out, get it out, GET IT OUT!"
Always ready to perform her duties as Poppy's bodyguard, Smidge sprung into action and jumped at the creature, pulling it out of the queen's hair, and pinning it onto the ground. After about a minute, the creature's struggles ceased, and it started to relax under Smidge's hands.
After their group and the crowd of trolls all started to calm down, Poppy and her friends took this time to get a good look at this strange creature that was harassing her people. It's grayish-white fur was wild and knotted, it's twitching eyes were the bloodiest shade of red, and it's teeth were crooked and jagged.
"What is this thing?" Smidge said.
"It's creepy." Satin said.
"And ugly." Chenille said right after.
"And N-a-a-a-sty." Guy Diamond said in his autotuned voice, holding Tiny Diamond close.
Creek couldn't help but smile at Guy Diamond's reaction. "I love it when you do that."
But Poppy's attention wasn't on the creature's looks. It was on the rolled up object with a strange insignia on it that the thing was carrying in its mouth. Curious, Poppy gently took the object out of the bat's mouth, and looked it over, realizing that it was some sort of letter, made of a material that she didn't recognize, and the insignia belonged to the Rock tribe. Opening it, Poppy read it's contents out loud for her friends.
"Dear Queen Poppy," Poppy started. "I hope Debbie gets this letter to you soon. I wanted to thank you once again for keeping my son company all of these years. Just knowing that Branch wasn't completely alone in Pop village brings me comfort. With you being officially crowned the new queen of the Pop trolls, I ask for your consent to have Pop village be placed back on the map for the other tribes to see. The Old Gods be with you, Advisor Artina of Volcano Rock City."
Poppy smiled at the letter, finding joy in the fact the Rock and Pop tribes were already communicating like this. "It's ok, everyone!" Poppy yelled out, bringing some ease to the surrounding crowd of her people. "It's just a letter from the Rock trolls!"
After a few sighs of relief, the surrounding trolls went back to their business while Poppy's friends all looked at the letter along with her.
"Artina?" Guy Diamond said, his confusion apparent. "Oh right, Branch's mother. "I guess that makes this.. weird bat-thing Debbie?"
At the mention of its name, the bat squawked under Smidge's grasp before the dwarf troll gently released it. Now free, it sat down on the ground, as if waiting for someone to give it a command.
Poppy continued to look at the letter, excited to apparently already be in the good graces of Branch's mother. And according to this letter, it seemed Artina was as eager as Poppy was to let the other tribes know that Pop trolls weren't extinct! Just the idea of it made Poppy want to jump for joy!
"Ooh, you know what you should do, Poppy?" Biggie suggested to his smaller friend with a hint of inspiration. "You should invite her to your coronation tonight!"
Poppy's eyes widened in surprise. The idea hadn't even crossed her mind. "Biggie, you're a genius!" she exclaimed, the realization dawning on her.
"Uh, I don't know about that." Chenille said. Though her words apparently went unnoticed as the group kept talking.
Guy Diamond chimed in, a playful tone in his voice, "It certainly wouldn't hurt to be on her good side, Poppy. After all, you're planning on making her your future mother-in-law, aren't you?"
Poppy chose not to reply to Creek's teasing, but the blush that crept onto her cheeks said more than words could. However, her thoughts quickly turned to the prospect of inviting Artina to the coronation. What a perfect chance to get to know her better! And Artina could bring Branch's aunt, who in turn, could bring her daughter, and her daughter could invite her friends! This cascade of invitations could even extend to... Barb.
The mere thought of the Rock Troll queen, Barb, caused Poppy's newly returned good spirits to wane. Poppy was usually the epitome of friendliness, believing that a bit of kindness, a warm hug, a song, or a batch of baked goods could turn anyone into a friend. But Barb had been nothing but hostile in their previous encounters. She had grudgingly allowed Poppy and her friends to accompany her only when Poppy's intention was to speak to Branch. Barb had cursed at Poppy, belittled her music, insulted her size, and even threatened her with those menacing teeth, all while interrupting Poppy's heartfelt song to Branch. The idea of tolerating Barb's presence at the coronation, especially around Branch, ignited an unfamiliar anger within Poppy.
Despite these feelings, Poppy mustered all her strength to push aside the negativity. If Branch saw Barb as a friend, then Poppy would try to do the same. After all, if she had allowed a few bad experiences to dictate her actions, she would have never formed the cherished friendship she now had with Branch.
With her smile recovered, Poppy got up, grabbed Debbie, and started to make her way back to her pod. "I'll catch up with you guys later! I've got a few invitations to make!"
Smidge smiled as Poppy ran off, happy to see her so eager for today. Though in all the excitement, Smidge realized that she forgot to tell Poppy and her friends about her growing wings.
But for now, she decided to let it be. Today was a day of celebration and she didn't want to dampen the mood. She would find the right time and the right words to tell them, but now, she felt like she now had courage to tell Milton first. With that bravery in hand, she made her way off too, leaving the rest of her friends to their own devices.
"Do you think Poppy will go through with it this time?" Biggie asked his friends. "We've always known how badly she wants this."
Creek exchanged an amused glance with Guy. "I can't help but feel conflicted," he admitted. "I know we should be on Poppy's side if she wants to make things official with him, but on the other hand, do you really want Branch to become our new king?"
Guy Diamond smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Can you imagine it? Branch, the grump of grumps, ruling over us all?" He said.
"Alright everyone, no more parties, glitter, or anything fun!" Chenille said, laughing and mocking Branch's voice. "From now on, we dig holes in the ground, eat dry fruit, and collect leaves and twigs!"
"Do you guys think that… Barb might bring Sid Fret too?" Satin asked her friends.
Chenille almost immediately stopped laughing, and gave her sister a disgusted look.
--
Wake up.
Breakfast.
Exercise.
Gather supplies.
Lunch.
Check bunker defenses.
Dinner.
Sleep.
As Branch walked through the Pop village cemetery, his beetle bike not too far away, he thought about his life as it had been just two days ago. For the first twenty years of his life, that's almost all it was. Safety, preservable food, staying strong, caution, and survival were the only things in the world that mattered to him. But now, with the threat of bergens gone, and with him and the Pop trolls truly safe from them, Branch wasn't sure what to do with himself. But even now, when there was nothing to worry about, his paranoia hasn't lessened. The Poprock troll still felt like he should be preparing for something. That he should always be ready.
The Poprock troll looked around at the cemetery he found himself in. It was tucked away under a hill, not too far from the village, but far enough that the Pop trolls didn't have to see it. Because that's what Pop trolls did. There was no place for sadness, grieving, or anything negative in Pop Village. Nope, not ever. If it didn't put a smile on your face, you should just pretend it doesn't exist.
But right now, as Branch walked through this open field, there was only one thing on his mind. Visiting his grandmother's grave.
When Branch had arrived here not even five minutes ago, he had made sure to fly low, so that no one would see him do this. Because as much as he somewhat appreciated Poppy and her friend's kindness, he had always hated pity. Besides, he felt like he needed to do this alone.
In Pop troll tradition, when a troll meets their end, their bodies are buried close to any family members they had, and above their graves, their tombstones would stand in front of a strong-stemmed flower with the deceased troll's hug-time watch wrapped around it. The idea being so that even in death, their spirits never miss a single hug time.
Branch reached into his pocket, and pulled out his grandmother's hug time watch. It was a dark green, with a bluish-purple flower on it. When Rosiepuff had died when he was young, Branch refused to let any of the older trolls have it for her funeral. The funeral that he couldn't even bring himself to attend. Even though they didn't even have a body to bury. The bergen that had eaten Rosiepuff made sure of that.
Branch looked at the hug-time watch, fighting tears that he hadn't let fall since his grandmother's death. It was one of the only pieces of her he still had, and the idea of parting with it before felt unfathomable. But after everything that had happened, meeting his mother, gaining his colors back, having a family again, even having trolls to call friends, Branch finally felt like he was ready to move forward, and give this watch back to her, and let go of some of the grief that had shadowed him for so long.
But suddenly, Branch came to an abrupt halt, his body tingling with a sense that sent a shiver down his spine. A sensation reminiscent of the first time he laid eyes on the Rock and Country strings. This feeling that now enveloped him was almost like a call. A beckoning call that seemed to pulse through his very being, urging him to follow its lead.
Though unlike the magical strings that had captivated him before, this time, Branch was certain that he was not merely sensing something. He was sensing someone.
Despite his instincts as a survivalist telling him to do otherwise, Branch followed this strange sense, letting it guide him as much as his eyes did. After about a minute of cautiously walking, his gaze fell upon large tracks, unmistakable in the soft earth of the cemetery. They were obviously too big to belong to any troll, and the pattern suggested something that walked on all fours, with a heavy body. But most of all, the prints this creature left were unfamiliar to him. Branch had spent years studying the creature's that lived around Pop Village, and knew their tracks by memory. Whatever this thing was, it was something that didn't belong here.
With even more caution, the Poprock troll tried to move with as much silence as possible. The tracks led him on a winding path through the cemetery, past tombstones adorned with lovingly
cared-for flowers and hug-time watches glowing softly in the dappled sunlight. And that's when Branch saw it. A creature unlike any he'd ever seen.
Laying down in a relaxed position, the giant animal that Branch was looking at had a large, long, white, tough-looking hide, adorned with red and orange stripes. The hide had many scars, which told Branch the creature had seen it's fair share of conflict. It had long green limbs, filled with sharp claws, and some headlights atop of it's head. It's eyes were an almost-glowing green, and it had windows and doors over it's long body.
And right next to the colossal creature was a troll, nelt down by a grave, whispering things that Branch couldn't hear. He was a bulky troll who looked to be somewhere between his late thirties and early forties with a strong-looking physique, tattered with a few visible scars on his arms. His fur was a bluish shade, much similar to Branch's, and his hair was a dark seafoam-green. He was at least a foot taller than Branch, had on tattered green shorts, a brown vest with a spotted fur collar, and green skiing goggles with purple lenses. And the creature was calmly sitting next to him. Was it his pet?
And Branch could feel it. This was the person he was sensing.
Crouched behind a separate tombstone, Branch continued to observe these two unfamiliar beings, both cautious and curious about what was going on.
"I'm sorry…" Branch heard the man say to the tombstone. "I'm so sorry that you had to die alone. I'm sorry I didn't keep us all together, like I promised you I would.."
Branch kept looking. He understood this kind of loss. No one better. But his breath hitched when he looked at the tombstone that this stranger was kneeling at, and who's grave it was.
Here lies Rosiepuff
A mother, a grandmother,
And a gentle soul
May that soul find peace in her journey to the next life
Branch's initial shock gave way to a mix of confusion and curiosity. Who was this person kneeling at his grandmother's grave, and how did he know her?
"But I promise, I'll find Floyd.." The man said. "I know he's still alive. And if he isn't, I'll make bastards that took him pay. I promise…"
Caught off-guard by his own confusion in the situation, Branch's usually Sharp-as-a-blade instincts failed him as he stepped on a twig. The sharp crack underfoot sliced through the quiet of the cemetery, drawing the immediate attention of both the creature and the unfamiliar troll. Branch froze as he locked eyes with the stranger, now clearly aware of his presence.
With his cover blown, Branch stepped away from the grave he was hiding behind, and walked closer. "Who are you?" Branch demanded.
The stranger didn't answer. Instead, he looked Branch up and down, a very confused expression crawling over his face. Not certain on whether or not this person was sizing him up, the survivalist stepped back defensively, ready to either defend himself or make a b-line back to his beetle bike.
"A Rock troll?" The man said, getting up and dusting himself off. "What the hell are you doing all the way out here? What do you…"
The man's words halted as his gaze fell upon the hug-time watch in Branch's hand. After looking from the grave, and back to Branch, he launched himself at Branch with surprising agility, his hand shooting out to grip Branch by the neck. Lifted off his feet, Branch gasped for air, his fingers clutching at the strong hand that held him suspended.
"You've got some nerve, messing with an old lady's tombstone." The man said menacingly. "What are you, some sorta graverobber?"
Branch, gasping for air, glared down at the man before him, any flicker of sympathy extinguished like a candle in the wind. The survivalist didn't know who this person was, or how he knew his grandmother, but at this moment, none of that mattered. With his free hand, Branch cocked his fist back, muscles straining, and hurled a punch at the man's face, aiming for his left cheek with all the strength he could muster.
The impact landed with a dull thud that shook the ground around them, but Branch's eyes widened in shock as he saw the results, or rather, the lack thereof. His punch hadn't even left a bruise on the man's face. The stranger barely flinched, absorbing the blow as if it were nothing more than a gentle tap. All the while, he continued to hold Branch aloft, his grip unyielding and his expression unchanging.
With the same swiftness and effortless strength he'd demonstrated earlier, the man flung Branch forward like a ragdoll. Branch's body tumbled across the cemetery's soft, grassy ground, pain shooting through him as he rolled until he crashed into a weathered tombstone. He grunted, his back screaming in agony, as he looked up to see the stranger advancing towards him with measured steps.
Branch looked down at his now-bruised knuckles on his hand. Hitting this man felt almost like punching a stone wall. What kind of troll was he?
The giant creature watching all of this unfold finally stood up, growling at Branch, ready to join in as well. But before it could take a single step, the stranger raised his hand. "Stay there, Rhonda." The man commanded. "I'll handle this."
Picking himself back up as quickly as he could, Branch glared at the man with as much intensity as the stranger was glaring at him. "Who are you?" He demanded again.
The stranger cracked his knuckles audibly, a deliberate show of intimidation. "Name's John Dory." he said, his tone low and menacing. "Now, give me that hug-time watch. It doesn't belong to you."
As Branch and this "John Dory" started to walk towards each other, Branch's logical and sensible side was telling him not to escalate the situation. To ask this person in front of him how he knew his grandmother. To explain that he hadn't stolen this hug-time watch from her grave. But it was as if the Rock troll within himself was pushing him. Telling him to fight.
Now right in each other's faces, Branch and John Dory stared each other down, waiting to see who would make the first move.
"Take it from me." Branch growled.
--
"Oh, look how cute you are, Debbie! Queen Barb's gonna love your new look!"
Poppy took a step back to completely take in her handiwork. Debbie's matted gray fur and black wings were splashed with pink and silver glitter, her dark lips were puckered up with some bubblegum-pink lipstick, her eyelashes were done, and to top it all off, she had a big beautiful bow sitting on the top of her fur. She looked so good!
Satisfied with it, Poppy handed the bat two letters, one for Queen Barb and Branch's mother. Debbie took the two letters into her mouth, and waited on Poppy's next command.
"There you go, Debbie." Poppy said with a smile. "Tell Branch's mom I can't wait to see her today!"
"Poppy, wait!"
The queen turned around to see Satin running towards her with something in her hands.
"Poppy, I have a letter too!" Satin said breathlessly as she caught up with Poppy. She handed her the colorful letter, a small blush over her smiling face. "It's for Branch's friend. Sid Fret."
Poppy accepted the letter with a knowing smile, recognizing the signs of Satin's crush on the Rock Troll. She decided not to say anything about it, respecting Satin's feelings.
With that, Debbie took to the sky, flying passed the trees, and out of Poppy's sight. As the queen watched her disappear, she thought about Branch's mother, Artina, and what she could do to gain her favor. The Pop queen pondered on this for a moment. If she was anything like Branch, maybe a good start would be lots of sweets. Now that she knew Branch enjoyed her baking, Artina might as well. Already, Poppy knew exactly what special sweets to make. Little cupcakes with Artina and Branch's faces on them!
Poppy began to make her way home, eager to start baking, when suddenly, she heard a rumbling noise which grabbed attention of her, and the people around the village center who were still preparing for the coronation. She stopped walking and looked around, unsure of what it was. Once again, the rumbling happened, but this time, the ground around and under her shook. And then again, and again, and again, the shaking becoming worse every time.
Poppy looked around at her people, who were all starting to panic. But before she could try to begin calming them down, she heard Guy Diamond's voice calling her. Looking over, she saw her glittery friend, and Creek, who was holding their baby, running over to her and Satin with panic in their eyes.
"Guys, what's wrong?" She asked.
"It's Branch, Poppy!" He yelled. "He's here!"
"And he's fighting someone!" Creek quickly added. "They're in the cemetery right now!"
Before Poppy even had time to be shocked, Guy grabbed her hand, and began pulling her towards the cemetery. Satin and Creek followed closely behind, worried expressions on their faces.
As they ran, Poppy's mind raced with questions. Who could Branch be fighting? And why in the cemetery of all places? The ground continued to rumble beneath them, the tremors growing stronger with each step.
When they arrived at the cemetery, a crowd of her people had already gathered, watching what was going on in silence. Poppy was taken aback by the sight before her. There was a small cut above Branch's right eye, he was breathing heavily, and was holding himself up with the boulder he was leaning on. And in front of him was an angry-looking troll that she didn't recognize. An older man with blocky, yet muscular build, wearing a vest and goggles. And behind him was some sort of giant creature that was growling at the crowd, as if warning them not to interfere.
Running on adrenaline now, Branch rushed John Dory again, and punched him in the nose, shaking the ground beneath them once again. But just like his previous attempts, his strike did
almost nothing to John, who just looked at him. Immediately after, John Dory grabbed Branch by his jacket, lifted him up, and punched Branch directly in the chest, sending him back into the boulder with a monstrous thud.
Poppy's eyes widened in horror as she watched this all unfold, knowing now why no had tried to break up this fight. Branch and this stranger's punches were so strong, that their combined strength was the thing causing the ground to shake earlier!
"Had enough yet, kid?" John Dory asked Branch. "Give me that watch."
Branch gritted his teeth, infuriated about being so helpless. Not ready to give up yet, the Poprock troll wrapped his hair around the boulder behind him. With a roar, he ripped it out of the ground, and then with the same strength he used to hit King Gristle with his own mace, he threw the large rock at John, the boulder hurtling through the air with such force that it seemed impossible for anyone to withstand.
John Dory's eyes widened for a split second before he braced himself, extending his arms in front of his body. The boulder collided with him, the impact reverberating through the cemetery like a thunderclap.
Dust and debris filled the air, momentarily obscuring the scene. Poppy and the villagers shielded their eyes, hearts pounding with anxiety. The tremors beneath their feet continued, but now with a lingering, ominous rhythm.
As the dust settled, Poppy squinted through the haze, trying to make out the figures. Branch was struggling to stand, using everything left inside of him to support himself. His eyes were fierce, but his body was clearly battered. But he in the villagers watching all looked over at John Dory in shock when the dust completely cleared.
John Dory emerged from the debris, staggering slightly, but still on his feet. And he had caught the boulder with his hands.
Poppy's jaw fell as she watched the stranger casually throw the boulder aside like it was a pebble. The only two people Poppy had ever seen display strength even near something like that were Branch and Smidge. But she knew for a fact that Smidge couldn't lift a boulder even half that size.
But this amazement was cut short as she watched the stranger close in on Branch, his gloved hand now had two spikes protruding from it.
Poppy's heart pounded in her chest as she fought her way past the crowd and hurried to Branch as fast as she could. "Wait!" She yelled.
"Poppy, get back!" Branch said, not wanting her to get involved and risk being hurt.
Ignoring his words, Poppy stepped between Branch and the stranger, raising her arms in front of her in hopes of de-escalating the situation. "Listen, please! Whatever's going on, nobody needs to get hurt! Can't we all just talk instead?"
Looking her up and down, John Dory just sneered at her. "Why don't you tell your graverobbing friend over there that?" He said. "He's the one who stole that hug-time watch from my grandma's grave?"
"Your grandma?" Branch said, meeting John Dory's eyes again. What the hell was this man talking about?
"This is your last chance, kid." John said. "Give me the watch, and maybe I won't beat you stupid in front of your girlfriend."
"Just hold on a second, please!" Poppy said, still trying her best to calm them both down. "Branch wouldn't do something like that. I'm sure that this is all just a big misunder-"
But Poppy's plea for peace was cut short as John Dory, losing patience, roughly grabbed her arm, getting a scared yelp out of her.
"Poppy!" Biggie yelled in fear. He, Creek, Satin, and the rest of the crowd with him gasped, while others screamed in horror from seeing their queen be assaulted in such a manner, not knowing what to do.
"Where's Smidge?" Creek yelled as he looked around for the dwarf troll. "Someone find Smidge!"
Branch's eyes widened in horror as he watched Poppy struggle against John's grip, hot white anger burning inside of him. Anger so deep, he didn't notice the ground around him start to crack. With a roar, he lunged forward, adrenaline pumping through his veins, and launched himself at John Dory.
John barely had time to let Poppy go when Branch's right fist struck him across the face with so much force, it made the ground tremble again. Branch swung at him with wild abandon, each punch more powerful than the last. With his right arm, John Dory was able to block some of the hits with his foremans, but Branch was relentless, hits finally managing to do some damage, and push John back.
"DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH POPPY!" Branch roared as he continued to wildly strike him. One connected solidly with John's nose, causing blood to spurt out, staining his face.
The villagers watched in stunned silence, the air thick with tension. Branch's fists were a blur as he continued his assault, driven by the sight of Poppy's pain. John Dory, despite his initial confidence, was now struggling to fend off the furious onslaught.
Finally, Branch landed a particularly brutal punch that sent John Dory staggering backward. The older troll fell to one knee, clutching his bleeding nose, his goggles askew. Branch stood over him, chest heaving, eyes blazing with fury. With another roar, he cocked his fist back, and threw it at John.
But this time, John was prepared, catching Branch's fist. Then in one swift move, he bent Poprock troll's arm, preventing him from moving it, and getting a yell of pain out of Branch in the process.
John slowly got up, the anger of his bloody face now matching Branch's. As Branch tried to pull himself away, John clenched his gloved hand, making the glove's hidden spike reappear.
Poppy slowly got up from the ground, wincing as she grabbed her wrist. She watched in horror as John Dory raised his spiked glove, aiming it at Branch's face.
"Stop! Wait, stop!" Poppy yelled, her voice breaking with desperation. She tried to rush forward again, but her pain and fear were slowing her down.
Just as John Dory was about to strike, a loud, and familiar voice echoed through the cemetery. "John!"
John, Branch, and Poppy all turned to see Dr Moonbloom walk through the crowd, a fusion of shock and confusion in her eyes. "John? John, is that really you?"
"Maple?" John said before letting Branch go, and pushing him aside.
Branch stumbled back, clutching his injured arm, while Poppy hurried to his side, her eyes wide with concern. The villagers murmured among themselves, their fear and confusion palpable as they watched the unfolding scene.
Dr. Moonbloom approached John Dory with a mix of disbelief and recognition. Her usually calm demeanor was now tinged with a trace of urgency.
"John Dory," she said again, her voice steady but filled with a hint of joy. "I… I can't believe it."
John Dory straightened up, wiping the blood from his face with his sleeve. His eyes softened slightly as he looked at her. His mind on her now, John Dory threw his arm around her in a hug, surprising her, Branch, Poppy, and the rest of the crowd. Surprise that went even further when John started laughing and lifted the older trolls off of her feet. "It's so good to see you again!"
"J-John!" Dr Moonbloom said, trying to keep her composure. "I..I don't… How… You're alive?"
Poppy and Branch both watched in equal confusion as this troll who, not even two minutes ago, was ready to impale Branch with his spiked glove did a complete emotional u-turn, laughing and holding the village doctor.
Eventually, Poppy, feeling a little more relaxed, but still deeply puzzled, stepped forward to the hugging pair. "Um, Dr Moonbloom, you know this guy?"
Hearing her voice, John put Moonbloom down, and glared at Poppy again, making the queen hesitant. Though before he could say anything, Branch stepped in front of Poppy defensively, ready to keep fighting to defend her.
Dr Moonbloom, still recovering from the unexpected reunion, quickly composed herself, and grabbed John Dory's shoulder, hoping to stop any more senseless violence. "Both of you, let's calm down." She said, addressing both him and Branch. "John, what's going on? Why were you two fighting?"
"Why don't you ask your graverobbing friend here that?" John said, looking at Branch. "That Rock troll over there stole that hug-time watch from my grandma's grave!"
"What are you talking about?" Branch said, angered at being called a thief again. "Rosiepuff was MY grandma!"
Dr Moonbloom looked between Branch and John, her eyes squinting in confused thought. "Branch.." She began. "Branch, this is John. John Dory."
Branch raised his eyebrow, waiting for the doctor to elaborate further. Why had she just said this man's name as if it should mean something to him? What was going on?
"Does his name not sound familiar to you?" Moonbloom asked him. "Not at all?"
"Maple, where are you going with this?" John asked her. "For that matter, who is this kid? What's a Rock troll doing all the way out here?"
To confirm her fearful suspicions with a few more questions, Dr Moonbloom walked up to Branch. "What about the name 'Clay'?" She continued. "Spruce? Floyd? Do you recognize any of those names?"
"No?" Branch said.
The doctor held her breath, closing her eyes. "I knew it.." She said. "Peppy forbade her from telling you.."
John Dory frowned, skeptical and impatient. "What are you talking about, Maple?"
Moonbloom sighed, steeling herself. "John Dory, this is Branch. Your little brother."
--
As Queen Barb and her three roadies finally took a break from practice in the throne room, the sonic barrages of pure rock still ringing in her ears, she sat down in her throne with her guitar in her hands, and visualized the roaring crowd that'd be present at the battle of the bands next week. The battle that she and her group WOULD win!
"Fuck, I'm tired." Riff said, sitting back in his seat, leaning away from his drum set.
"I think my calluses have calluses now." Sid Fret said as he looked at his hands, sore from straining his fingers on his guitar. "Gods, I'm hungry."
"Yeah, me too." Carol said, dropping her mic.
Barb rolled her eyes. Big babies. They've only been at it for a few hours now. But admittedly, she could eat too. Looking around the throne room, her eyes fell on one of the guards, who looked to be half asleep, and called out to him. "Hey, you!"
The guard immediately shot up, and stood at attention. "Y-yes, your rockness?"
"Go to the castle's kitchen and tell the chefs to wip up some grub for me and my roadies!" Barb commanded, her voice firm and authoritative.
The guard panicked and nodded, "Y-yes, right away, your rockness!" The guard hurried off to fulfill Queen Barb's request, eager to please the ruler of the castle and avoid any potential consequences of delaying such an order.
As the guard scurried off, Barb turned back to her bandmates with a grin. "Alright, looks like we'll have some fuel coming soon to keep us rocking. But remember, the battle of the bands is just around the corner, and we need to be tighter than ever if we're going to bring home the victory. Let's run through one more session before we break for food."
Riff and Sid Fret groaned, but they knew better than to argue with Queen Barb when she was in this mood. If there was one thing they knew Barb hated, it was to lose. They both got into position, and waited for her say-so.
With a flirty smile, Carol walked over to Riff and fell right into her boyfriend's lap, making sure her rear was right where it needed to be when she started to gently grind against him.
"Cmon, just one more time, Riff?" Carol cooed. "For me? Pleeeease?"
Riff couldn't help but smile. He hadn't seen this undeniable charm from Carol in years, and he hadn't realized how much he missed it until now.
Carol gave Riff a peck on the lips before he pulled her closer, and grabbed one of her breasts with his free hand. And then one kiss became another and another until Carol turned around in his lap, and fully locked lips with him.
As the two made out, Barb watched out of the corner of her eye, a twitch of irritation mixed with annoyance bubbling inside her. She had always hated it when the two got grabby with each other like this around her. Especially when they were in the middle of anything important. And she still did. But now, there was something other than hate when she watched this. Was it.. envy?
Barb's thoughts fell onto Branch, who was still at that stupid village. With Poppy.
Barb wasn't going to deny her growing feelings for Branch at this point. She was feeling something for him that was definitely beyond physical attraction now, and it definitely wasn't still just about having a suitable second-in-command. Barb really sensed some true potential for a relationship with Branch. And she wanted it. And she was Not going to let that Pop brat take him from her.
But these deep thoughts would be cut short by the familiar squawking of her pet bat. The Rock queen looked down at the throne room's entrance, and what she saw shocked her. It was Debbie, splashed head to toe with glitter, makeup, and a pink bow!
"Debbie?!" Barb shouted, dropping her guitar, running over to Debbie, and grabbing her out of the air. "What the fuck is this!? WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!"
Barb continued to look over her pet, the sight of pink lipstick and cherry makeup smothered all over Debbie's face only feeding her anger. But then she also noticed her little bat was carrying two letters. One for her, and one for Sid Fret.
Even more confused now, Barb grabbed both letters, and threw the one labeled to Sid Fret behind her, where he caught it. Using her teeth, she ripped the letter open, and out of it fell a colorful looking object made of cotton, yarn, and glitter, all in the shape of an ice cream cone. She then opened it, and read it out loud for her friends to hear.
"Dear Barb," Barb said. "You and your friends are invited to my coronation as the queen of Pop Village. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I still hope I'll see you today? There's gonna be a big pool party this afternoon? I have lots of other party ideas? Maybe you and I can be best friends?"
…Was this Pop runt serious? Was this sarcasm? This had to be either that, or some type of trick. Or was she so confident that Branch was going to pick her, that she was inviting Barb to her village, just to gloat about it? Whatever the case was, it made Barb angrier than she already was.
"That's weird." Carol said, still sitting in Riff's lap. "Yo, Sid Fret, what's yours say?"
Sid Fret seemed to be having an entirely different reaction to his letter than Barb had to her's, made clear with the growing smile on his face. "Hey Riff?" He said. "Remember that pink babe with the earrings that rode with us yesterday?" He asked before waving the letter in his hands.
Riff, even though his hair prevented his friends from seeing it, rolled his eyes. Sid had always thought highly of himself when it came to getting women in his bedroom, and while he was usually successful, the amount of praise he gave himself tended to make Riff gag.
With smugness, Sid Fret read the letter, though to himself, and not aloud, as Barb had.
Dear Sid Fret,
I'm super duper excited to see you again! Poppy's coronation is gonna be so much fun! There'll be games, sweets, and at the end of it all, the most amazing fireworks you've ever seen! I hope when you get here, you'll stick around for it all!
Syrup and cream, Satin
Sid Fret looked at the letter. Satin. That was her name. He had forgotten to ask for it when he flirted with her yesterday.
Looking back to her own letter, Barb eventually noticed that there was a fuse on it. A lit fuse, making it's way back into the letter. Before the queen could even guess what was about to happen next, a small compartment on the letter popped, showering her face with glitter.
The room became eerily quiet as Sid, Riff, and Carol all looked at Barb, instinctively knowing what was about to happen, stepped back in hopes of avoiding the impending destruction. They watched as Barb, with a very angry growl, wiped the glitter off her face, grabbed her mic stand, and walked over to one of the throne room's pillars.
"Pop music isn't even real music! It's BLAND!" She yelled, slamming the mic stand into the pillar, cracking it. In that same breath, she took the mic stand, and threw it into the wall, denting it. "It's REPETITIVE! The lyrics are EMPTY!" She continued, ripping the mic off of the stand, and kicking it into the throne doorway, shattering it to pieces. "Worst of all, it crawls into your head like an EARWORM!!"
Finally, Barb stopped her little rampage. Her band mates could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears. They knew it was rare for her to act out like this. But when she did, the troll that got her to this point always, ALWAYS paid.
"Sid Fret.." Barb said, making her friend jump up. "Get the anglerbus ready."
Without a hint of argument, Sid Fret nodded and rushed off to prepare their transportation. He knew better than to question Barb when she was in such a state. As he left, Riff and Carol exchanged worried glances. They both knew what this meant. A confrontation with the Pop Village's queen.
Barb clenched her fists, and stormed out of the throne room to wash off the glitter still clinging to her face. So that little pink bitch thought she was funny? Well, let's see how funny she was when Barb strangled her with her own hair!
"Now, where do you think you're going?"
Barb looked behind her to see her advisor, Artina, who's face and shirt were also splashed with glitter. She raised a letter up, showing Barb that she had received one of Poppy's invitations as well.
"What do you want, Artina?" Barb asked angrily.
"I hope you weren't planning on going to Pop Village, and making a scene." Artina said, wiping some of the glitter off of her face. "That wouldn't be a good start to your reign."
"Don't worry about what I'm doing." Barb quickly retorted. "If that pink bitch wants my fucking attention, I'm gonna give her all of it she wants. Then after I knock her on her ass, I'm gonna-"
"Barb!" Artina yelled, the anger in her voice catching Barb off-guard. "You acting like this might've been fine when you were the princess, but you're the queen of Rock City now! You're not gonna just go and pick a fight with another tribe leader over a letter, and a face full of glitter."
For a moment, Barb engaged Artina in a very intense staring contest, not saying anything. There were only a handful of people in Volcano Rock City that could talk to her this way. Even fewer that could tell her to do anything. Usually, at the very least, Barb would consider what Artina had to say on matters like this, but not this time. The queen turned away, and started to make her way to her room.
"Barb, how do you think Branch will feel if you hurt one of his friends?" Artina said. "It's not gonna help you get closer to him."
Barb's feet came to a halt, and she slowly turned back to Artina, her face unsure of what emotion to choose between shock and anger.
"That's right, Barb. I know." Artina said. "You might've been able to hide it from my niece and your other two friends, but not me. I know you're feeling something for my son."
"You… You don't know me, Artina!" Barb said eventually. "You don't know shit!"
"Barb, I changed your diapers. I think I know you rather well at this point. I was there when you said your first words, took your first steps, when you first picked up a guitar, I've been around for your entire life." Artina said, a small smile forming.
Barb looked away, still facing her advisor.
"But in all that time, you know what I've never seen?" Artina continued. "I've never seen you get so close with someone so quickly. I've never seen you look at someone like you looked at Branch when you and him sang together yesterday, when we fought against the bergens. I've never seen you so flustered in my life. And I think I know what that means."
Barb's frustration started to dim again as her intense gaze softened. Though she still said nothing.
"Barb, I'm not going to try to keep you away from Branch, if that's really what you want." Artina said to her. "But what you need to understand is that Branch, he cares a lot about Queen Poppy. I'm very observant, Barb. It's part of my job. And if you act out against that girl, you're gonna push Branch away from you, and right into her arms."
Barb crossed her arms, her resolve wavering. She hated it when her thoughts were apparent to Artina. Because whenever they were, she'd try to mother her, more than advise her. But Artina's words struck a chord deep within her. She knew that if she wanted any chance with Branch, she needed to take a different approach.
"And what do you think I should do, Artina?" Barb asked, her voice low. "What, I should act like that little runt? Be all sugary and sweet, like a fucking Pop troll? Cause that's not happening!"
"No one's asking you to change yourself, Barb. And I doubt Branch is going to." Artina assured her. "But Pop trolls, maybe you haven't gathered this yet, but they're very different from us. You're at least gonna have to learn how to be vulnerable. That means all the things I know you hate doing. Like not being defensive, talking about your feelings, and learning how to share them with others. All things that are second-nature to Pop trolls."
Barb groaned, and walked away from Artina, not interested in continuing this discussion with her. But she could still feel her eyes on the back of her head.
"Ignore me if you want, Barb." Artina said. "But if you keep going like this, it isn't going to go the way you want."
Blocking out her words, and finally making it to her room and closing the door behind her, Barb let out a frustrated sigh as she hurried up out of her ruined shirt, trying to forget what Artina said as she walked over to her closet, intent on finding something else to wear. As she slipped out of her last net legging, she took a moment to admire her nude body in the mirror. Her gaze moving over her breasts, her curves, her legs. That little runt wished she had a chance against all of this.
Pleased, Barb opened her closet, and started rummaging through her clothes. As she sifted through her wardrobe, her thoughts kept drifting back to Artina's words. She hated to admit it, but her advisor was probably right that Barb was going to have to change her approach if she wanted an actual relationship with Branch. But would he actually expect her to be as clingy and lovey dovey as Poppy?
Barb was ready to gag at the thought of any of those things. No. No, there was no way he'd actually want that shit. He might've had Pop blood, but he was a Rock troll, body and mind. More importantly, he was a boy. And Barb had been with enough of them to know what boys liked.
Finally, she found the outfit that she was looking for. A tight black leather pants, a studded belt, and a red halter top that showed off her toned arms and shoulders, but wasn't overly aggressive. As she slipped into her boots, she took a deep breath, trying to center herself.
"You want a battle, Poppy?" Barb said to herself. "I'm gonna give you a war."
--
"Ok, Smidge. You can do this."
Smidge made her way to Milton's cottage, carrying a basket with a few marshtato cupcakes inside of it. As she walked, she kept on trying to reassure herself that things would be fine. They'd eat, she'd tell Milton, he'd say that he loves her anyway, she'd tell him that she loves him back, and then they could go back to focusing on her upcoming wedding.
Yet, the pessimistic voice in the back of her head just wouldn't leave her alone. It kept telling her that the second her wings sprouted, and Milton saw them, he'd leave her. But she had to do this. She couldn't hide this forever, and it was only fair to be honest with Milton before they took this major step in their love life.
As she continued to walk, she eventually saw the cottage. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat a drum of uncertainty. She paused at the gate, taking a deep breath to steady herself. The garden was in full bloom, vibrant colors and sweet scents wafting through the early summer air, as if nature itself was trying to calm her nerves.
"Just tell him," she whispered to herself. "Just tell him, and get it over with."
Mustering up the courage, she pushed the gate open and looked around for Milton, but he was nowhere to be seen. Smidge walked onto his porch, trying to listen for him. This was strange. He was usually tending to the animals around this time of day.
"Milton? Milton, are you here?" she called out, her voice carrying a hint of worry as she scanned the surroundings. Still not seeing him, she walked around the cottage and into Milton's backyard, thinking maybe he was tending to the critters back there.
"Hey, Milton?" Smidge called out again. "Are you home? I brought some cupcakes! I thought maybe we…. could…"
Her words trailed off as she was met with a horrific sight. Before her lay many of Milton's animals, dead. Cut up and bleeding, their lifeless bodies strewn across the fenced yard.
She dropped the basket of cupcakes, shock coursing through her body. Her hands trembled as her stomach churned, the overwhelming smell of blood hitting her nose. Her legs shook as she unwillingly took a step back, panic rising even more when she still couldn't find Milton anywhere.
"Oh MY GAH!" Smidge muttered, her voice choked with fear and disbelief. She rushed forward, kneeling down beside the fallen creatures, not sure what to do. "Milton! MILTON!"
Suddenly, there was a large cracking noise. Pain surged through her head, and Smidge fell to her hands and knees. Her vision started to blur as a shadow loomed over her. She looked up and made out a red glitter troll with blue hair, holding a stick in his hands. A male who looked very displeased with his actions.
"Wha… Ar…Archer?" Smidge barely managed to say as she tried and failed to stand up.
"I'm sorry," Archer said, his voice trembling as he raised the stick again. "I'm really sorry."
With a swift motion, he brought the stick down on Smidge's head once more. The smaller troll crumpled to the ground, completely unconscious now.
Archer looked down at her, tears welling up in his eyes as she grabbed Smidge's unconscious body, and threw her over his shoulder. Archer looked over to see another troll with blue fur, and purple hair. He laughed as he walked over with Milton, who was unconscious and being carried by him. Except this person wasn't actually a troll. Something Archer knew.
"Looks like you were right, Kaboom." The other troll said. "All we had to do was wait for the little midget to show up. Now we've got both of em. Now let's get our new pets back to the camp."
Archer said nothing as he looked away, attempting to hide his tears. Seeing this, the other troll dropped Milton like a bag of dirt, and angrily walked up to Archer. "Wipe that snot off your face, crybaby. You knew what we were here for from the beginning."
"I know, Peter, but-" Archer began.
"But NOTHING!" This troll apparently called Peter yelled before grabbing Archer by his jacket and pulling him close. "Don't forget that this is your last chance to prove yourself to Bash, Kaboom. If you fuck this up, I have his full permission to kill you. Now let's go."
Trying his best to keep a calm face, Archer held onto Smidge, and followed behind Peter as they made their way into the woods.