Chapter 10 - The Reality (and Many Illusions)
Leaving the place of nightmares felt challenging since Barb, Trollex and Guy Diamond could end up stepping into the REAL danger. To their surprise, they didn't hear any screaming.
The place wasn't even frozen as if the Putt Putt Trolls left. In fact, it looked like they were trying to fill up the entire place. It looked like everybody was playing a competitive hide and seek if their looks of urgency told anything. Every Putt Putt Troll was rushing in all directions as if trying to stay ahead of their schedules…somewhere.
Nobody could tell where they were supposed to go.
They didn't even stop to give a look at Barb, Trollex and Guy Diamond.
The Putt Putt Trolls weren't even screaming, grunting and exclaiming in shallow gasps as they passed by the watchful trio.
Staring at the walls, they could see many Putt Putt Trolls standing on top of the built balconies on those walls, pointing crossbows at the darkness outside. To their surprise, the bolts used were lit matches.
This didn't even seem like a simple war drill.
Asking any of them what was the danger would be out of the question.
Barb and Trollex didn't get the opportunity to understand when Guy Diamond pulled them away. Fortunately, they didn't need to hide as none of the anxious Putt Putt Trolls noticed them. Once they got through, they found themselves approaching the 'garage'.
The reunited members of BroZone were already there. Rhonda was around, too, barking constantly for no reason.
Clay looked frazzled, his hair sticking up, his eyes darting through the bag at his feet and he was clearly going as fast as he could to find the tools he needed from the bag. When he looked up, he sighed in relief upon finding three more able to reach them in time.
"Finally!" he said. "Thought you would never show up."
"I told you we can't wait for them!" said Branch.
"What's going on?" asked Barb. "What's with the drawings?"
Clay didn't need to ask twice what she meant. "You saw?"
Trollex and Guy Diamond nodded, the former crestfallen and the latter still distressed.
Clay sighed. "If we're gonna save Floyd, we must go NOW."
"What about Poppy?" asked Branch with a stern look that indicated it wasn't the first time he asked.
"No, no, no!" said Clay, shaking his head frantically. "There's no way Viva's gonna let her go."
Trollex blinked for a few seconds. "Why?"
Even John Dory looked scared. "Guys, there's something you should know."
"We can't explain it now unless we want to lose our chance of saving Floyd," hissed Clay. "Get going!"
Unsurprisingly, they were too late to make a move. The door was already closed, but nearly every spotlight in this area flashed on and pointed towards the group. All gasped as they stepped back, their eyes nearly hurting from the blinding lights.
Rhonda went quiet, whimpering.
Once again, Barb and Trollex pulled out their weapons. However, Trollex found himself too far away from the rest of the group.
Guy Diamond immediately ran to pick up Tiny Diamond from Bruce's baby harness, holding the tiny child in a protective hug.
Viva and a couple of backup subjects came out from the bright lights. The faraway Trollex wasn't even safe, as Viva gave him a cold glare. When she looked back at everybody else, her eyes seemingly darkened in menace with the light only touching her back.
Clay grinned nervously. "Oh, hey! Viva! What's…up, girl?"
"I can ask the same for you, Clay," said Viva, crossing her arms.
To nearly everyone's surprise, Viva didn't bother acting creepy or feral. Instead, she was moving around as normally as anyone could. Too casual. It told them that she was the one in control.
However, Clay dropped the sheepishness and his tense hair drooped. "Viva, you gotta listen to me. I'm not going alone."
"It's not about going out alone. It's about what's out there." Viva huffed, irritated. "I thought we went over this."
Barb felt her finger on her strings twitching. "You don't want us to leave?"
Viva closed her eyes to take a deep breath, trying not to groan. "I lied about having everything you need for your mission. And I don't believe Floyd needs your help. It's just not safe out there and by the time you get to him, he…he would already be dead."
Branch's, Bruce's and John Dory's eyes dilated, the dread stirring them.
When she saw they wouldn't believe her, Viva opened her arms wide in frustration. "And hello? There are monsters out there that can rip your insides out! You won't last three feet outside that course. Snipers are already in position to protect us. You're welcome."
Clay was exasperated. "Oh, that's great! You're the one guy who knows more about future scenarios than anyone, but when we finally need you, you just want us to hide here forever?!"
Branch inhaled sharply. Poppy's words from the past echoing in his mind. And just like before, when Clay said those words, Viva refused to relent.
Before Viva could fire back, the graceful and confused Poppy rolled in.
"What are you doing?" asked Poppy as she reached her friends. "Viva, what's the meaning of this?"
Viva's eyes lightened a little. "You're not leaving here, no matter what. I'm not gonna let any of you fall to the likes of them. Even if Floyd wasn't eaten…I don't see how he could survive in one hour now."
"Wait, is this about the Bergens? Because they stopped trying to eat us! That's all in the past!"
Barb and Trollex glanced at each other. The problem wasn't just proving to the Putt Putt Trolls about that.
Viva's eyes darkened, unamused. "Oh, right. Hilarious. Ha, ha."
"I'm serious, Viva," said Poppy, pushing her scrapbook into Viva's hands. "Bridget, my best friend I was telling you about, she's a Bergen!"
Flabbergasted, Viva flipped through page after page, her narrowed eyes scanning the pictures and photographs in the book.
"Look! Bridget and I do a million fun things together. We talk and we play games and we sing songs. And make up these really bad dances. It's a lot like…"
Poppy smiled softly, but Viva didn't.
"Well, actually, it's a lot like what you and I have been doing!"
It didn't quiet Viva's fleeting thoughts, judging by how she didn't drop the dark look. Her eyes read through every page filled with pictures of Poppy and Bridget. Pop Trolls mixing with the Bergens. The more she stared at those pages, her eyes widened in horror at a thousand possibilities, begging the question of 'what if'. Her chest was starting to heave.
There was also an inkling of envy, especially with the knowledge that Poppy looked fine…then, there came the feeling of protectiveness, the assumption of needing to shield her naive innocence.
Branch stepped in sympathetically. "Viva, listen. I used to be just like you. I built a bunker, stayed in there for years, feeling it was the only way to be alive. And sure, it did and it granted me many things."
Out of everyone, this surprised Clay the most. Aside from hearing Branch's horror of becoming 'lame', the third oldest brother didn't expect to hear about Branch's investment in an underground bunker…in fact, he didn't know that he would take an interest in the life of a survivor!
His eyebrows raised. But how did his youngest brother get through 'whatever' was out there?
As if answering his wonders, Branch began listing down a few things he took advantage of. All while the smiling Poppy moved her head to each of them with a fond smile.
"I had a lot of time building many cool inventions, I studied every danger out there in the world, I never had to wear pants and I even endured drinking my own sweat as a substitute for water."
Poppy did lose her fond smile when he mentioned sweat.
"What?" asked Tiny Diamond flatly, reflecting the confused looks of John Dory and Bruce.
"But by staying underground, I was living without the sunlight," explained Branch. "In fact, it didn't make me feel better, swimming around in my misery. Until Poppy helped me out of it and…I never looked back from hiding again."
A smile crept over Clay. Relieved. Clay kinda enjoyed the survivalist lifestyle, all while protecting his fellow Putt Putt Trolls. There were still some days when he wished to go outside, wanting to put the stress of Trollstice behind him. The outside world must have been friendly, yet his brother had nearly hidden away before Poppy came in. It was nice to know that someone broke through the trauma and started anew.
Clay wished he could say it out loud to Branch, but he was aware that Viva didn't look convinced.
John Dory and Bruce were a little lost about that. More so for the former, as he had no clue that Branch had taken life as a hermit for…twenty years?
Meanwhile, Poppy and Guy Diamond smiled in agreement with Branch's word; not everything had to be dangerous.
Barb and Trollex were starting to feel hopeful when they noticed Viva's eyes gradually glowing in light.
And then, the sun was snatched away when she opened the next page. A bunch of photographs dropped out from it. She picked one up and didn't need to react twice to the photograph's context.
"Then what is this?" she asked.
Poppy and Branch squinted their eyes…and their faces paled.
The photograph was shot during Barb's final performance for her World Tour, set in Volcano Rock City. It presented Barb ready to fly on her harness, carrying the infamous guitar with all six glowing strings. Branch was there, mindlessly staring at Barb as a transformed Rock Zombie.
Viva was close to tearing up when she saw Poppy in a cage at the top of the photograph, complete with DJ Suki trying to break her out.
She tried searching for a reaction. She looked at Branch, but he didn't have a traumatic response to seeing himself with red eyes. He only seemed to frown, realizing that the epiphany was ruined.
Meanwhile, Barb was on the verge of panicking, slowly shaking her head.
"How did you NOT avoid this?" questioned Viva.
Trollex was lost. "You seriously had THAT in your scrapbook, Poppy?"
"We agreed to have it in," said Branch, rubbing the back of his head.
"We agreed with Poppy to make a page of this for her history…" muttered Barb.
Viva looked at the others, too. Aside from the confused Clay, she could see the awkward looks from John Dory, Bruce, Guy Diamond and his son. They knew as well…
She looked back at the picture.
"Are those the strings?" she asked critically.
Barb was sick to the stomach. For once, she was helpless. She couldn't move. Just when they were starting to get along with the Putt Putt Trolls, Viva found out the truth in the most unfortunate way possible. It didn't help that Viva remained silent on the matter of Bridget being Poppy's best friend. In fact, Viva's burning eyes were enough to glue Barb to the ground and make her lose her grip on reality.
The feeling of trying to repair things as a responsible queen made her say the honest words out loud stupidly.
"OK…the whole thing with all the tribes reuniting? It was because of me." Barb looked down, ashamed. "I kidnapped them to…turn them into Rock Trolls."
Clay gasped. "You did what?!"
"It's all good now!" professed Poppy, keeping a thin smile on her face. "Viva, Clay. I destroyed the strings! There was nothing to fight about in the end. We have the music in all of us as long as we recognize it harmoniously!"
Viva didn't move. The only part of her that moved was her blonde hair, slowly taking a new shape. Twisting and twirling, they formed a whirlwind that looked too perfect to be shaped by her messy, dirty blonde strands.
Then, her hands moved, letting the book and the pictures slip from her grasp. They were traveling back to her hair.
"Wait a second."
Viva clutched her head, trying to think.
When she was able to think, she threw her hands forwards in an accusatory manner.
"YOU two destroyed the strings?" Viva's eyes snapped to Barb. "YOU tried turning everyone to be like you?!"
"Viva, please calm down," said Trollex, floating close to her. "We had a resolution."
Unfortunately, when Viva sensed him, her body cried out in the instinct to defend herself from danger.
"Get away from me!"
She landed a blow at his cheek before kicking him away, sending him flying into Branch and Barb. Fortunately, they caught him and none of them lost their balance. When Trollex got back up, he realized that his trident wasn't in his arms. Instead, it was in Viva's hands, the prongs pointed at all of them.
The trident was already deadly enough.
It was Viva and how she brandished it that became the most concerning.
Her eyes darkened as she wildly stared at everyone. They were cloudy, nearly out of touch with her surroundings.
She could only see the shell-shocked Barb.
"We could have lost our music thanks to you!" Viva cried.
"But the destruction only affected those at the stadium!" insisted Barb. "It couldn't exactly spread to everyone if they're too far away, right? O-Or if they don't know about the strings?"
This struck the rest of the Putt Putt Trolls odd. They all looked down at their bodies as if conscious of the likelihood of losing their music. Clay patted around his body, ensuring not a single speck of gray was on him. They only stopped as it came to them, the single truth they didn't realize without knowing what happened to the strings of all six Troll tribes.
There wasn't an incident where any of them lost their true colors here.
It didn't bring immediate peace, but Clay was among the first to recognize it.
Reeling from hearing about Branch's growth, he saw the regretful look on Barb. The Rock Queen couldn't be older than Poppy. The way she shrunk back and remained still in her spot told him of her guilt at such an age. She didn't even look like a monster.
At worst, she looked like a girl who ruined herself in the process.
"You're right," said Clay, running a hand through his soft hair. "There wasn't a single gray Troll during our time in hiding, Viva."
Viva remained unchanged, scowling.
"We knew about the strings, but we didn't let what happened to them stop us. If these Trolls are not telling the truth, they would have attacked the minute we dropped our guard."
Those words surprised everyone. His three brothers were significantly amazed by his rationality. He even sounded mature when he said this in a reasonable and understanding tone towards Viva. He did want to be taken seriously and this was how he manifested his desire.
His calm stance held more effect than they could ever realize.
The Putt Putt Trolls surrounding them also reflected on this, realizing that they turned out just fine! They didn't give up even when they were close to discarding their happiness. They turned their gaze to their leader, awaiting an answer, an example.
Viva's eyes darkened. Her heaving chest was becoming more noticeable.
"S-So what?" Viva was stuttering. Every bit of authority and strength she presented slowly slipped away from her now-shivering body. "Excuse the people who preyed on my family?! How many lives did they destroy before you befriended them, Poppy?"
Guy Diamond gritted his teeth. If he was conscious, he would have realized that he didn't feel THIS frustrated after Branch learned to unwind himself.
Viva sounded too much like Branch whenever he threw a wrench at their parties before they became true friends. He always made the same excuse to tell them their likelihood of becoming dead meat, belittling their desires to have a good time. Sure, yes, it didn't go well when throwing the biggest party ever, but that didn't mean they couldn't have fun, right?
It wasn't fair. They were trying to live out their lives, seeking a better tomorrow. Viva wasn't making this easier for them to get by.
Guy didn't notice his raised fists. "You can't just think of everyone like monsters! Not even Floyd!"
"What are you talking about?" said Viva, incredulous.
Guy's glare hardened. "I saw your drawing of him. What he looked like today." All eyes turned to him, curious. "Dark pink hair? A strand covering his eye? Ripped shorts? Studded belt? Grayish blue skin?" Silence and then outrage. "Oh, and you made him look like a monster! Ring any bells?!"
His words echoed throughout the place, loud and clear to hear. It was unmistaken. All eyes turned to Viva in disbelief, shock and vexation. Then, they imagined Viva meeting, fighting or rejecting Floyd when he could be trying to see…
Clay felt a heartstring snapping, betrayed.
Tiny Diamond looked up to his father. Never before had he seen Guy THIS mad. "Dad…"
Branch was already defensive, his vision red. "You knew?!"
Even Viva was horrified by the reveal, shaking her head in feigned denial. "I-It didn't look like Floyd at the time! It was one of those monsters! I-It tried to kill me."
Barb's eyes softened, feeling every guilt from the paranoid Viva. "Viva, I think you might have mistaken him for attacking you."
Unfortunately, with the new information sinking in, Viva doubled down on her denial and lifted up her left arm. In her right hand, she pointed the trident's prongs to the scars riddling her skin. All skinny, jagged, ugly, overlapping each other. Coming from years of trying to venture outside without knowing where to go, only to be snatched and tossed around by faceless animals.
Some of those scars came from fights or accidents, but her opponents didn't look nice.
Her rewired mind couldn't see their faces properly. She could only remember them by how they looked like in her nightmares.
"Every time…every single time!" Viva shut her mouth, trying to keep calm. "I tried going out there, there's a lot of things trying to kill me…" A feigned laugh through her shaking lips. "And…"
Viva continued to chuckle before slowly going silent as the scribbled thoughts overwhelmed her. Her body was shaking less, but everybody noticed how she wasn't trying to keep her body straight and mighty. In fact, she looked like she could fall apart any minute now. Her grip remained on the trident and one could think she would throw it on instinct.
Most worrying, her eyes were slowly bugging out, becoming less focused on those around her. The dark filter over her face made her eyes look uncanny.
There was no movement in her frazzled blonde hair. There wasn't a clear expression that could be translated through those strings.
John Dory shuffled a little. "Viva, you're starting to scare me a little…"
Guy Diamond narrowed his eyes. "Past's in the past. Stop being afraid."
"Everyone, just calm down," stepped in Clay, trying to soothe the betrayed and upset looks. "Viva, I know you believe there's no longer one, but there's a bright side-!"
"Stop talking to me like I'm a child," whispered Viva, gritting her teeth. "I'm not little anymore."
Rather than throwing a fit or screaming in madness, the overburdened Viva could only point her watery, darkened and hopeless eyes towards her guests. This became the most haunting thing seen from the Putt Putt Trolls: their leader letting her guard down for once and the tears refusing to stop rolling down her anguished face.
"None of you get it," she sobbed quietly through heavy breathing. "You have no idea what I have to protect my people from! I don't care if you think I'm just a black sheep to you! I can't have my people lose themselves! I just got my sister back!" She closed her eyes, trying to breath through her shallow cries. "I can't lose you too, Poppy…"
Poppy tried reaching out her hand. "Viva, I…"
The ground suddenly rumbled and every Putt Putt Troll except Viva and Clay screamed and ran away, terrified. It actually came from Clay, taking the moment to activate the wheel-chain mechanic to open the door.
A sense of sweet freedom flooded everyone.
Meanwhile, Clay stared down sadly at the terrified Viva from the mechanic he was standing on.
"Clay?" uttered Viva, devastated.
The look on Clay's face told her he never wanted this. "I'm sorry, Viva. I don't wanna lose my brother either. Not to the likes of his monsters." Before Viva could beg, he offered a reassuring, wistful smile. "I promise I'll return. I won't lose myself."
But Viva felt a piece of herself already leaving her for good. In her mind, she lost it because of herself.
Nobody was smiling as they ran out from the golf course. Rhonda took the lead, barking in relief. Viva was so stuck in her heavy thoughts that she nearly failed to stop them from leaving.
Her blonde hair stuck up and she grabbed the person closest to her.
"We need to stick together!" she screamed. "Safety in-!"
John Dory whipped towards her with a cold glare. "Wake up, Viva! We're not your people."
This harsh but true reminder made Viva go weak, letting go of John. The eldest brother couldn't believe what he was seeing. It wasn't right, but it wasn't fair that Viva had to extend her fear to others since there was so much they had to do today.
John felt right in his action. But as he ran from the golf course, he didn't notice Bruce's worried look.
"John…" Bruce trailed off, now remembering when John lost his cool to his brothers.
As all of them exited the golf course, the snipers standing on top of the walls pointed their torches at them. Viva came running out, waving her hands in manic.
"Hold your fire!" she cried out. "Hold it!"
Unfortunately, she couldn't make it through the first five steps. Everybody stopped when they heard her yelp in terror. Viva jumped back behind the line that crossed over to the outside world, staying put in her domain.
Once safe behind the line, she immediately checked her body, looking for any drawn blood. But the lack of blood still made her unsettled, seemingly believing that she was hurt by something. Not event the lack of soreness told her she was safe. It wasn't enough for her to determine she was safe because she felt numb.
Everybody couldn't help watching her in pity and concern as she checked her body…before she looked upwards.
She didn't seem to see the barren world in front of her. Her darting eyes were looking around in another world she couldn't escape. Her hair kept twitching around, unable to keep still for longer. As she detected something before her, Viva slowly shrunk back and clutched the stolen trident against her chest like a teddy bear.
She was deathly afraid.
In a near-catatonic state, she mustered up all the energy to speak to Poppy.
"Poppy, please," she said weakly and drained. "I want you to stay…"
"You can come with us, Viva!" encouraged Poppy. "And I know you think it's risky, but it'll be worth it! Trust me!"
Viva's tear-streaked face refused to change. She stared at the distance…she looked like she was seeing a ghost. Her chest was heaving, her fingers were shivering. The trident looked like it could fall out of her hands pretty soon.
She looked back at Poppy, fearful for her safety.
Trollex hovered forward, clearly upset. Despite the unfortunate timing of their mission, he felt desperate to reach out to the Putt Putt Trolls for all the troubles they went through. There were urgent matters, but leaving one sitting like a heartbroken duck wasn't fair. He just wanted to run forward and say to Viva in the eyes that she and her people should be safe outside the golf course.
"Viva, your family needs you," he said, his fingers shaking. "More than here."
His urge to do something stupid increased when Viva took a few shaky steps back, but he held it in. The haunted Viva told him that there was nothing for him to fix. She already used force and it wouldn't work for him too.
His ear fins drooped, dismayed.
"Viva?" gasped out Poppy, her eyes widening.
Viva kept her eyes on her younger sister. The thoughts were growing. She couldn't let Poppy die out there, not to the likes of the Bergens. But they couldn't trust anything out there.
Viva knew it and she had already seen too many things to come outside.
She changed too much.
The thoughts were becoming so bad that she ultimately couldn't keep staring at Poppy. With a head that was heavy, she gave Poppy one last apologetic look before staring at her own feet. The way she started shifting her feet together, she was trying to find something to keep her mind distracted. Nevertheless, it was pointless.
She snapped her fingers.
The door slammed shut, separating the two sisters again.
Noticing a change, the snipers climbed down from their positions, not batting an eye at their leaving guests.
Poppy stared at the door as the reality finally settled into her new views of her sister. She couldn't see her again…but she could hear Viva collapsing on the other side, crying softly.
As Poppy stood there, she wondered what she might have done wrong.
No, they came here upon finding a trail for Clay and they had to go soon enough since they got all the members of BroZone. The problem only came when Viva and Poppy realized their connection, but it came at the wrong time. But still, if only Poppy knew how much their past got to Viva, then things could have been different.
It wasn't just Poppy who was mourning. There was a shared burden for Barb and Trollex.
For Barb, her presence only worsened Viva's reluctance. Of course, how could she, the Rock Queen, not expect distrust from the Putt Putt Troll? She was out there, trying to make a good example, and Viva already had a further reason to hate her after stirring the resentment of the Putt Putt Trolls.
The Rock Queen couldn't help looking down in shame, knowing that it was her fault that Viva found it safe to remain in her claims and chains.
The empathetic Trollex felt his heart nearly breaking in two at the thought of someone actively pushing them away from their help. It didn't help that his and Barb's performance showed another side of the Putt Putt Trolls. They just…failed to help those people. His hands trembled. Why did he just stand there like an idiot?!
However, they couldn't forget about Floyd, who was in real danger. And so far, the golf course wouldn't open again as long as they stuck around.
From behind, Branch slowly came towards those three. Reading their thoughts, he knew how hard they were taking this. But if it took a while for him himself to heal from trauma, then it indicated the long healing process of the Putt Putt Trolls.
He placed a comforting hand over Poppy's shoulder.
To Poppy, it felt like a betrayal for the same mistake she was making. But when she looked back at him, the two found a mutual understanding that they didn't see this coming.
Once she lessened the weight of the crushing feeling, her mind was clear enough to remember something they left behind in the ensuing escape.
"Your trident!" yelped Poppy, shaking Trollex's shoulder.
"Your scrapbook is in there, too," muttered Barb.
However, Poppy couldn't find the drive to retrieve it.
And for Trollex, it went the same.
At first, he was shocked that he didn't retrieve his trident, as if it meant nothing to him.
"It still carries us, but nothing made can last forever. It will only be you carrying a lot, but that won't mean you would be helpless."
As his father's words came to mind, Trollex wondered whether leaving the trident could be a good idea. After years of serving for his kingdom, he didn't have the urgency to have the trident.
All in all, as long as there were still smiles and love in Techno Reef, just like when they didn't need the strings…the trident even spoke to him of Barb's gloom when she nearly revealed the World Tour to the Putt Putt Trolls.
In a way, the trident felt like it could be used in someone else's hands, someone who could find more in their reflection on its shiny surface in the same way when he was little.
It was a silly gambit, but it was one he could take.
"Let her keep it," he managed to say, feeling his throat dry. "She'd need it more than we do."
Poppy always found meaning in her scrapbook. She agreed. Viva already had it, so that could show her something true.
Alas, scrapbooks could rewrite history, but it was the closest thing they could get.
They all turned around with Poppy nudging the depressed Barb to move on. They heard a little page flipping from the other side of the door as they did.
It was quiet again as Tiny Diamond drove away from the golf course. The last pleading words of Viva remained in their minds as they tried to cool down. Despite the night sky, they remained restless for a while.
It took some time for Clay to adjust. He seemed jittery as he looked through the windows, the passing landscapes and the interior of Rhonda, his eyes bugging out with sparkles all over them. He couldn't stop shaking his fingers but was also in awe of what he saw.
Especially since it was his first time seeing what John Dory did alone.
Thankfully, Clay didn't have any other problems and adapted to his new circumstances just fine. Though, as everybody took a quick break on the couch, he seemed to still think about Viva…
So did everybody in the room, finally able to recollect their thoughts.
Barb didn't recover from her misery, brooding away. "Well, this is worse than a Smacksgiving holiday. You shouldn't have given up that trident, fish boy."
Trollex considered rolling his eyes, but he didn't. "If I tried, they would have cooked us and Viva couldn't do anything about that."
Clay shrugged, despondent. "They would run away, eventually. That's how they are."
Curious, Bruce sat up properly in his seat, giving Clay a curious look. "Why are you…acting differently? You're not like them."
"Yeah, you're right. I don't know why, honestly."
Clay chuckled sadly, remembering how many times he desired to be anything BUT the 'Fun One'. Those times, he tried channelling his more serious and sad side, often repressed by the demands of John Dory. Ironically, fulfilling the Boring Clay role made him more optimistic than Viva by telling what was real and fiction.
"Ten years of reading sad books, huh? I guess that I spent most of my life in angst and paranoia and struggle that...somewhat got me to handle the trauma better."
Despite still feeling distrustful of the redeemed Bergens, Clay also retained his hope for a better tomorrow and turned to the Pop Queen with a smile.
"I'm still skeptical of the Bergens, Poppy, but…" He narrowed his eyes with the strength he could muster. "I trust you. I want to forgive them. I don't want to live in fear anymore."
Poppy couldn't help smiling when she heard this. However, she still had a pressing concern and the smile faded. "And…what does Viva mean about the Putt Putt Trolls losing themselves?"
From her side, Barb noticed John Dory lifting his shoulders stiffly and Guy Diamond gripping the couch tightly. One out of fear and one out of irritation. Barb dwelled upon the outcome of her and Trollex's performance and the specific song they picked.
"Does it have to do anything with bloodthirsty desires?" she asked. "Me and Trollex found that out the hard way."
Clay shook his head. "I saw what your performance did. However, it isn't as bad as the night everybody went crazy after one nightmare following another." He shivered, the memory nearly making him want to shrink into his comfortable sitting stop. "The 'bloodbaths' only happen when you send fear into them. Me and Viva have been keeping our people's sanity together. Viva thinks…they are not ready to go out yet. They are more fragile than they think they are."
"Oh…" whispered Trollex with an understanding look.
Barb nearly said the same thing. She still felt at fault for provoking the Putt Putt Trolls, but after seeing the exact causes, it became clear of the unsaid things that tainted those poor people.
On the other hand, Guy Diamond was still mad at Viva for enabling the misery of the Putt Putt Trolls. "Don't you think Viva is projecting her fear onto your people?"
Clay shook his head. "What? No! I don't…"
However, the evidence was there for Clay to evaluate on Viva's behavior. The constant need to please people without waiting for an answer first. The lies she made to 'protect' their people. The unreliable tales she told from her patrolling outside their home, distorted by her own anxiety. The repression and the deprivation of hope and dreams of a better tomorrow.
On top of that, Viva always insisted that she was okay, telling Clay not to worry. Just thinking about THAT got Clay feeling bitter, a familiar experience of being looked aside. All he did was expressing his concern for his friend. Was that NOT enough for her?
"…actually, yeah, I believe it." He laughed without mirth. "Why not? I knew the methods we used to help everyone weren't enough! Why couldn't she understand that?!"
Branch hummed in discomfort, already moved past his anger of Viva previously antagonizing Floyd. "Clay, what Viva did, it wasn't right. But what she must be seeing…s-she's not a lost cause!"
"Why not?" rambled Clay, infuriated. "She never listens to me. She'll probably kick me out when I return, just for being myself. She'll think that I do not trust her! I should have known that I'd just be treated as some tool! Is it that hard to be taken seriously when you are right?!"
His hair was shifting again, furious and betrayed. As Clay eventually went quiet, breathing heavily, his hair slowly twisted around to resemble a whirlwind similar to Viva's. It didn't stand tall for long as the hair strands eventually drooped down, matching Clay's body slumping down in doom as he dwelled upon Viva's subsequent actions.
It wouldn't come as a surprise to Clay that Viva would shun him for disobeying her.
It hit too close to home for Poppy, who could only stare at him, mortified. Her connection with Viva only made it confronting. Always in the blood not to listen to others, huh?
Branch was quick to give a lame glare towards Guy Diamond.
Guy responded with a raised eyebrow…only to see how serious the otherwise-paranoid Branch was in the severity of making such a condescending remark. Once he caught that look, the glittery Pop Troll realized the mistake and looked away.
Clay's short outburst finally told John Dory what Clay wanted in his life. Seeing him THIS angry at his friend reminded him too much of whenever John looked aside Clay's suggestions. At the time, John didn't know and…the eldest brother nearly broke his gaze in shame. However, he felt inclined to speak.
It was the best John could do after not knowing how much Clay resented his constant treatment.
"Hey, hey, you are not a tool," he said softly. When Clay looked at him, John nearly forgot what to say. Then, he tried thinking how Clay felt…and it came strong. He shook his head as he tried forgetting about…and focusing on what they could do now. "Know what? Forget how they see you. How about we…try to focus on saving Floyd? He needs you, too. And maybe…some time alone would get Viva to appreciate you properly. She can't hold onto you for too long."
John Dory wasn't sure if that was true. If he was in her shoes, he would have hold onto his brothers to let them know how much he love them, even if it was in the least normal way possible. As the eldest brother and the leader, he would eventually need to bring them up.
Clay had those cold eyes again as he stared at John. Contemplating his words didn't cover up Clay's ongoing disgust towards John. The latter would take back his words the moment he freaked out. Clay didn't want to take John's comfort when it could go away.
But at the same time, Clay realized that John sounded sincere in this moment. John didn't try to justify Viva's actions. His eyes weren't blank and naive as before.
Unable to say anything, Clay drew his knees close to his chest and curled his arms around them. His blue eyes softened. There was relief in John's promise. There was also guilt for starting to think badly about Viva. But above all, he felt…confused and conflicted. Unable to take the war inside, he lowered his head behind his knees, shaken.
Almost immediately, his three brothers came to his side. Branch offered a hand onto Clay's shoulder, sharing the same struggle. Bruce didn't hesitate to put an arm around his back. And knowing that he wouldn't be happy to have a hug from him, John Dory opted to stand nearby Clay with a sympathetic look.
Sensing that it was inappropriate to keep spewing doubts about Viva, Guy Diamond eventually got up and walked away. Hopefully, to carefully reconsider his beliefs so far.
Poppy sighed in relief at seeing all four brothers coming together to help one of them out of his anxiety. She wanted to smile. Things didn't work for her and Viva, but Poppy was proven right: Branch could reunite with his brothers and he wouldn't be alone again!
Maybe that could make Viva aware that family would always be worth it.
Barb took her leave from the sidelines and quietly made her way to the distant bunk bed. Noticing her movements, Trollex followed after her. As the two drew away from the scene, feeling like they weren't needed, Trollex observed the dour look on Barb's face.
The Rock Queen was thinking about something.
Trollex was quick to assume. "It's not your fault, Barb. If we made them worse…then it's my fault too."
However, Barb's mind wasn't about what she had done. She was contemplating what they discovered from the Putt Putt Trolls. She was tempted to rely on her previous bias of Pop Trolls, but it wasn't that simple. Reflecting on Viva's chosen methods to 'secure' her tribe…it felt hopeless to try rescuing a group of Pop Trolls who went mad from isolation for twenty years.
Her song was only an artificial boost to the Putt Putt Trolls. They probably didn't even know how to live in a changing world. All in all, she and the others couldn't fix them.
As the desired duty slipped away from her body, Barb slumped down and her dark eyebags became more prominent, more visible.
"But what if Clay's right?" she muttered, her eyes glassy. "Viva and the Putt Putt Trolls are fragile to the outside world. Should we even be around them?"
Trollex's gaze betrayed her. He leaned back, nearly disgusted. The stubborn Techno King was persistent about supporting the Putt Putt Trolls. And to hear Barb nearly ready to give up hope for them…
Barb grunted, unfazed by Trollex's frosty stare. "How can you be sure that they need us?"
Once again, there was a lack of energy in her voice. She sounded slightly tired, weakened. The resigned scowl on her face was gloomy and, above all, lethargic. Trollex tried to search for any worry in her voice, but there wasn't even a hint of it.
Trollex felt his lips quiver, close to crying again. The thought of ultimately failing the Putt Putt Trolls was devastating.
What Barb was saying that they weren't good at…helping anyone at all.
Just before he could say a half-lie, he remembered something. His eyes glowed brightly like a lightbulb switching on.
"Well, you snapped me out of my funk earlier, he pointed out. "I was lost in that madness until you shook my shoulder. Who can say it works the same for others?"
The light reappeared in Barb's eyes and she straightened her posture. Perking upwards, she thought back. Those shining eyes becoming teary, the fierce glare that acted as a weapon and Trollex not daring to look away before he recognized the dilemma…
How Trollex got out of this 'madness' was under certain circumstances, thanks to his more secure life.
But how he reacted to the drawing on the wall wasn't what she expected from him too.
So, the curious Barb decided to probe a little. "Back at that art building, I saw the look in your eyes. What was it that made you tick?"
Trollex was quiet for a while. He considered keeping it to himself. Just continue being the charming, friendly king everybody loved. He didn't want to bring up what hurt him, nor could he bear flat-out explaining to Barb. He was supposed to help Barb!
However, Barb was acting differently again, suddenly growing out of her funk. It was as if she had an epiphany, remembering how she reached out to him when he was in a bad headspace. Even though he nearly didn't want her pity, he chose to look at her when her eyes were trained on him. And here, she was trying to understand.
If it would help with understanding the Putt Putt Trolls, then…
Trollex turned his eyes downwards, thinking back on what he felt at that moment…and clenched his fingers into shaky fists. Memories threatened to overwhelm his mind, but the stress from earlier gave him some control over looking through them like looking through small movie clips.
His frown turned into an ugly snarl. "It was the shark who…killed my father." Judging by Barb's eyes widening, it was the first time she heard about this. "Every time I think about it or him…" He closed his eyes and when he spoke, he forced a robotic voice through his throat to hide the crushing pain. "...it brings me back to that time."
It was suddenly in his face. He could see every detail on its razor-sharp teeth. This many rows of teeth and they looked like they were decaying too. Barely white, they were yellow in dirt and grime and oil. If the colorful stains indicate anything, this wasn't the first time the shark attacked Techno Trolls like him.
"GET BACK!" shouted Juan. "GET BACK!"
Juan already let go of his trident and pulled Trollex away. The young Trollex screamed and hid behind his father. Juan, on the other hand, snarled and his neon green eyes glowed dangerously, glaring at the menacing beast.
"You stay away from my son, seaweed!" shouted Juan.
In response, the shark roared. It sounded like a mixture of a child wailing and sharp talons scratching against metal.
Trollex shuddered as he remembered that god-awful roar. He swore its high-pitched voice was just a ruse to lure him close. A kinder person would have mistaken this as a guppy in peril.
The shark attacked again, but this time, they weren't ready. It took them by surprise through speeding forwards like a bull. With the trident far away, Juan couldn't attack back and when the shark smacked into them, the two Techno Trolls flew on different sides. Fortunately, the growing Juan managed to grab the trident while spinning around.
Letting out a cry of rage, he swam towards the shark and stabbed it in the cheek. The shark reacted and roared, but there weren't any visible wounds or stab holes. It was indestructible, but it could FEEL pain. And it was NOT happy about it.
It loudly roared again, nearly making Trollex's ears bleed. He winced, holding onto the sides of his head. All while watching his father standing his ground without cowering away. And his son marveled his father, not even distracted by the cry of agony, as he charged for another jab.
Trollex felt heavy inside. He knew he wasn't strong enough to help out. But he felt the instinct to help despite his father protecting him. He wanted to be like Juan already.
He nearly lost his grip on controlling those memories. He closed his eyes, trying to keep the loud noise minimal. Images flashed all over his vision, making it hard to tell which part happened in order. He could see himself shivering as the shark charged towards him when he had the trident. He could see his father slashing the shark through its mouth.
"I felt helpless, like I couldn't do anything," confessed Trollex.
Despite all the slashing and all Trollex could do when he got his hands on the trident, the shark managed to chomp onto Juan's tail fins as they swung by. The shark proved to be quick-thinking when hit. It was nearly quick and Juan could only register the feeling of being tossed into a larger, darker cave…he immediately lifted the ceiling of the jaw to avoid becoming a chew toy.
Juan yelled at Trollex to run. The trident was nowhere in their eyesight. As the young Trollex remained frozen in spot, he couldn't leave. Either flee or save his father. His ear fins kept twitching and his heart was pounding in his chest, close to a panic attack. It didn't help that his head was already starting to spin, letting the stress get to him.
The sounds of the shark struggling to bite into Juan slowly turned into demonic laughs…
He shrieked in pain as the shark pressed its teeth into his skin. The water around them grew murky in purple with only the trident being the one clear object from the growing fog. Trollex couldn't see Juan's face, but he remembered the brief horror in his eyes as the shark chomped on his body in its ugly jaw. The rest was hearing bones breaking and flesh squelching…
"And when I found myself back in the present, I felt…so angry for being such a fool like I could have done more."
The young Trollex snapped back to reality and found the floating trident. Grabbing it, he threw it forward. A direct hit into the shark's second uninjured eye. It roared once again before it finally gave up. Blinded, it spat out Juan and swam away, focusing more on the pain. Juan's body fell too quickly for Trollex to see, who only watched the shark disappear into the darkness.
Trollex opened his eyes, feeling the memory about to close its final pages. "It always nags me to do something, even if it doesn't turn out well. I guess it got me to realize what makes the Putt Putt Trolls tick…"
Wisps of purple floated through the water, slowly absorbed by the transparent sea. Trollex slowly gazed down, finding the mangled and broken body of his father, dying. His broken body was nearly hidden in the dull coral garden below, nearly blending Juan with its environment.
And just before the young Trollex rushed forward, he could feel himself breaking apart at the thought that he didn't do enough…
Despite the tears welling up in his eyes, Trollex lowered his voice back to normal without making it cold and mechanical. "It's always this haste to do anything in the face of someone who will steal the people you love."
Barb's mouth was slightly hanging open, stunned. Trollex's change in tone of voice was noticeable. It didn't give her the most accurate idea of how the previous Techno King died, but seeing the recent heir sharing this with a forced, subdued look meant that the story he knew and saw wasn't pretty.
Maybe it was for the best that he didn't share the graphic details of his father's death.
"And did me snapping you out of your funk stop that haste?" asked Barb earnestly.
That was when Trollex felt warm inside. Remembering Barb coming close to him during his mental breakdown. She didn't try walking away or invade his personal space. She just waited for him, telling him that she understood with a patient heart. It wasn't really a happy memory to Trollex, but thinking about her presence during that moment felt…really good.
"It did. I know you're worried that it could rear its ugly head again. Sure, many of my friends had tried to help me and most of my troubles are my doing, but…" He sighed, resting his chin against the palm of his hand. "I would never turn my back on them."
Barb tried imagining this for the Putt Putt Trolls. She remembered Viva's desperate attempt to keep everyone safe, fearing of losing them for good. She remembered the look on her face when Clay opened the door and…it must have been a gut punch when she was breaking down. Clay didn't really have a choice tonight, but it didn't do favors for Viva's mentality.
She remembered how she and Trollex left the Putt Putt Trolls after their performance…they didn't return to calm them down, lost in the confusion. Yet, Barb didn't hesitate when Trollex demonstrated a new side of himself, having more time to calm him down.
It wasn't exactly hopeless. They were caught up with the waves they swam across for a while before heading towards another shore waiting for them.
Barb began shaking upon realizing that she didn't stop to think simply, nearly putting her assumptions at the front again. She felt tears of her own forming, but she quickly wiped them away.
"Damn it, you got me tearing up, too," she grumbled, looking away. "I guess that…I nearly saw the Putt Putt Trolls as otherwise like how I see everyone-everything!" Barb paused upon hearing herself sputter. She hated this. "I don't know why…"
"Guy thought of Viva as that, too," whispered Trollex. "It's not just you."
Barb growled. "I know. I know. It's just…really hard to understand what you're supposed to do when you have a clear and sane mind to make wise decisions."
The Rock Queen flinched at those words. However, the neutral look on Trollex told her he wasn't offended. In fact, in his mind, he knew that she wasn't thinking straight with whatever she said…the same way Trollex didn't think first when trying to make decisions. Upon seeing his concerned look, Barb dropped the idea of scaring him off and sank, sulking.
"At least you or Poppy aren't exactly raised in a kingdom where everyone follows you." Barb scoffed to herself. Sure, she got everything she needed, but it didn't help her when things didn't go her way. "I feel like every responsibility I take just leads me two steps back."
It didn't help when Barb tried doing much for the Troll Kingdom since she redeemed herself from her World Tour. But how could she ever gain redemption if she still felt…terrible? The words she said felt foreign since she initially wasn't one to play by the rules. However, her close robbery of everybody's free will, just for having a 'reunited' nation, told her something she never noticed for a while.
It was her capability to make mistakes too and she could use the Pop Trolls as an excuse to terrorize all the tribes. Even worse, revealing every red flag about herself was an easy way to let down everyone as a queen who should and have the best interests of all. It nearly made her friendless. She didn't want to feel like she would eventually be alone after she was gifted with things she didn't deserve.
Even thinking about her worst fears was nearly enough for Barb to throw a tantrum. She slammed a fist into the soft mattress below.
"Damn it, I didn't do much to help as well when Viva drew the line!" she cried. "Even if I did take full responsibility…" Her eyes briefly looked down, regretful. "I fear that destruction would still be bound to happen. I am really sorry for what I did, but…"
It was easy just to say that she could make everyone's lives worse, but after Trollex pointed out that she helped him, she didn't know how to phrase it properly. Tired, she gave up on explaining and her usual pride and toughness disappeared from her face. She didn't bother about where she was staring at, a distant look in her dull red eyes.
Being the witness, Trollex now understood why Barb had been hard on herself, why she was more somber and self-conscious about her actions. Here she was, nearly spitting out that she was a doom magnet. It clutched Trollex's heart, who had been fearing about not being enough.
However, when Trollex got ready to comfort her, he felt more genuine and understanding.
"It doesn't have to be that way, does it?" he asked, trying to remain hopeful.
Barb nodded. "I really hope so. It's not easy for us royals, is it?"
"That I don't know," admitted Trollex. "Look at us now. At least, we didn't choose destruction. But for what it's worth, I'm glad you are here with me."
When he said that, the Techno King shifted closer to Barb. Not too close to touch her, but just enough so that she could sense him close by. She looked at him curiously, and he smiled back. The emotional retellings and confessions of their troubles nearly sucked the energy out of them, but they remained here, not giving up just yet.
Trollex's smile was sorrowful and grateful. The burdening feelings that pressured him wouldn't go away just yet. However, he found that they made a bridge to connect properly. So this trip wasn't all for nothing! It wasn't how he expected, but there was still hope for everyone.
Barb didn't have the heart to tell otherwise. Trollex's soft eyes and smiles were so sweet that she couldn't bring herself to ruin them. She didn't deserve his grace. Yet, months of pushing herself got her yearning for some form of closure to everything. Just seeing Trollex's smile encouraged that idea that…maybe there was nothing to fear.
They thought about the time they had in the world. Now, they had to use it for Floyd. Whenever they could, they would return to the Putt Putt Trolls. It wouldn't be easy, but just because they made a few mistakes didn't mean it was already done in the time they got.
No one could finish all responsibilities in one day…Trollex perked up when he thought about that.
"I realize I never got to ask. Maybe…I should have." He scratched the back of his ear, looking a little embarrassed. "You said that Delta could do many responsibilities in the morning. How was she able to do so without becoming tired?"
Barb rubbed her chin. "She just told me to keep your heart open. It will hurt, but it will motivate you to go onward in your life. Only reason why she can do many things is because…she got 'used' to it? To her, it only comes naturally, not as an expected talent. 'You can't do everything at once, but you will do more when you know it.' I don't actually know what that means, honestly."
"Can't do everything at once, huh?" snorted Trollex, sardonic. "Same old thing. Sometimes, I don't feel like I should wait until I know I can do it. I don't want to be stuck in that river and let it toss me around without waiting for me."
"Well, I don't want to wait too. I'm impatient to change immediately." Barb looked at Trollex and she smiled. "Maybe we can…both feel stuck together, dude? We can rage about being stuck without thinking that's what we'll always be. It did help us move onwards and show the best of us."
He looked back at her. She didn't drop the smile, coming to a new understanding of the Techno King. Trollex was a little surprised by this change in the Rock Queen. Taking it slow, but for good reasons. With that, he nodded, agreeing not to pressure themselves to do more.
Finally relaxed, the two of them leaned against each other, their eyes turning to the window. Outside, Rhonda already gotten out of the woods, back in the dark and barren land once again. But out there, it was a long way to go to save a life.
AN: While it would be retold later on, I think it's important to address Viva's encounter with Floyd. Floyd did track down where Clay might be at, but as he went through the woods that would lead to Hole 'N Fun, he ran into Viva. At the time, Viva was already deteriorating because she had stayed out long in the place she feared the most. Both of them attack out of misjudgement and Floyd realistically flees from the scene. His own emotional turmoil even makes him feel that he is not welcome to Clay's current home.
I'll leave it to you whether Viva saw Floyd as a monster or hallucinated him as one. But it's crucial to know that her ghosts contribute to her paranoia and anxiety.
Writing Viva's breakdown is gonna be an emotional moment. I was nearly tempted to do the same way how I wrote Mr. Wolf's breakdowns in both 'No Decision Goes Unpunished' and 'Bigger, Better, Badder'. Ultimately, I chose something close to my experience. Thus, Viva nearly shutting down is a sign of how heavy her emotions are, leaving her unable to speak until she regains her motivation. It's not exactly a panic attack, but as someone who has too much anxiety, it makes you feel like you're forced to hold back after doing too many mistakes.
I knew that I had to reveal the event of King Juan's death at this point. However, I don't want Trollex to reiterate and overexplain the entire story, so my earlier draft of the memory is cut down significantly. After writing his breakdown in the last chapter, I decided to play around with it and write down how he sees and remembers that fateful day.
Lastly, Clay being more willing to go outside is a significant characteristic unlike what we've seen with the Putt Putt Trolls. Here, I decided to bring this to light and somehow manage to connect with his resentment of not being taken seriously. In my universe, Clay's the Poppy to Viva's Branch. It helps that Viva is more insistent on hiding.
Thank you, everyone, for reading this chapter! Up next is BroZone 'getting back together' and one of the peaks of this story. Hopefully, it won't be long! You know the drill: favorite or follow to catch up and constructive criticism is welcomed!
Until then, keep on rocking!