RINGPOPS!?!
ring pops aren't just a sweet treat; they have enchanting effects on pop trolls. Consuming one of these luminous candies could send them into a euphoric high, their colors glowing intensely as they bask in unparalleled joy and vivacity. However, this delight comes with a catch - their perception becomes skewed, their laughter a little too loud, and their dance moves a bit too erratic, leaving them in a blissfully dazed state.
As Floyd descended the stairs, he was met with the surreal sight of Carol indulging in a ring pop, her expression bordering on euphoria. Yet, what struck him even more was the nonchalant attitude of his companions; Barb and Riff were engrossed in their own discussion, seemingly unfazed by Carol's sugary treat.
"So, like, Dad's being totally unfair," Barb complained, her voice laced with frustration as she leaned against the kitchen counter.
Riff, ever the laid-back presence, shrugged in response. "What's the deal with the bat thing anyway?"
Barb sighed dramatically, her annoyance palpable. "I've been dropping hints left and right about wanting a pet bat, you know? But every time I bring it up, Dad shuts it down. It's like he's allergic to fun or something."
Riff chuckled, his eyes hidden beneath the brim of his beanie. "Maybe he's just not a fan of nocturnal roommates."
Barb rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah, because a king of the rock trolls can't handle a little winged friend. Please."
Rebel, who had been quietly observing the exchange, chimed in with her signature deadpan delivery. "Maybe he's worried you'll name it something ridiculous."
Barb shot her a mock-offended look. "Hey, I have excellent pet-naming skills, thank you very much."
Floyd watched the banter unfold with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment, wondering how he had stumbled into such an eccentric household.
Carol zoomed over to Floyd's side with the agility of a caffeine-fueled squirrel, her eyes twinkling with a mixture of mischief and concern. "Hey there, Pinkie! You're looking all sorts of twisted up. Did you tangle with nightmares, accidentally nudge the doomsday button, or come to the stark realization that our existence is a cosmic joke with the punchline missing?" Her words tumbled out in a rapid-fire stream, leaving Floyd blinking in bewildered silence.
In response, Floyd, still trying to acclimate to Carol's whirlwind presence, simply gestured towards the ring pop she was fervently enjoying. This prompted a pause from Carol, her head tilting in confusion. "The... candy?" she echoed, clearly missing the point of his concern.
Gathering his thoughts, Floyd ventured a question, tinged with apprehension. "Carol... just how old are you?"
Carol struck a dramatic pose, as if she were about to announce the secret to the universe. "Ah, the mystery of my age! Let's just say, I've been around the block fifteen times, but in rock troll years, I'm practically a legendary artifact. Behold, the eternal teenager!"
"YOU'RE FIFTEEN!? AND ON RING POPS!?" Floyd couldn't mask his horror, his voice echoing his shock.
The rest of the group turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of amusement and confusion, as if Floyd had just revealed he believed in mythical creatures.
Rebel, who had been observing the exchange with her usual reserved and unflappable demeanor, finally spoke up. Her voice was calm, almost a whisper, but it cut through the confusion with ease. "What's wrong, Floyd?"
Floyd turned to her, the shock still evident in his voice. "It's... the ring pops. In the Pop Village, they're not just candy. They... they're like, really intense. They make you brighter, happier, but also kind of out of it. It's like being on a constant sugar high but magnified. We're told to stay away from them unless it's a special occasion."
Rebel nodded, her face betraying nothing of her thoughts on the matter. The room fell into a curious silence as everyone processed Floyd's explanation, the seriousness of his tone contrasting sharply with the laid-back vibe of the moment.
Carol chimed in, her laughter echoing through the room like a mischievous melody. "Ring pops are like cocaine for you guys!"
Floyd's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "What's cocaine?"
Carol's eyes widened in mock surprise. "You don't know what cocaine is?" She turned to the others, her expression incredulous. "Guys, we've got some educating to do!"
Riff leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Cocaine is a drug, Floyd. It's like... super intense. It makes you feel really energetic and happy, but it's super dangerous. It can mess you up bad if you're not careful."
Barb nodded solemnly, her eyes wide with seriousness. "Yeah, it's not something you want to mess with. Like, at all."
Rebel, as usual, remained quiet but observant, her gaze shifting between the others as they explained. Finally, she spoke up in her calm, measured tone. "So, just stay away from cocaine and ring pops. Got it, Floyd?"
Riff, popping his back with a series of satisfying cracks, casually dropped a bombshell into the conversation. "The only people I know who mess with that stuff are total party animals. You know, like Sid... and Carol here."
Rebel's face instantly shifted, her usually stoic expression melting into one of disbelief, almost as if she'd just witnessed a confession to a high crime. She turned slowly, her gaze fixing on Carol with an intensity that could cut glass. "Explain yourself," she demanded, her voice calm but carrying an edge sharper than any blade.
Without missing a beat, Carol burst into a fit of laughter, her voice filling the room with its wild, untamed timbre. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed a bag of ring pops towards Rebel, the colorful candies flying through the air like a rainbow scattering in the wind. "Catch me if you can!" she taunted, bolting out of the house with the speed of a cheetah.
Rebel, momentarily stunned by the sudden shower of ring pops, quickly recovered her senses. Her eyes narrowed, a determined glint sparking within them as she dashed off in hot pursuit of Carol, leaving the others alone.
Barb, circling back to the conversation that had been so abruptly cut off the night before, turned to Floyd with a mix of curiosity and determination in her eyes. "So, about my question from last night... are you gay?"
Floyd, maintaining his composed demeanor, offered a thoughtful reply. "I really don't care what anyone is. I only care who they are," he said, emphasizing the importance of character over labels.
Barb, undeterred and possibly missing the point, leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So like... ultra gay?"
At this, Riff couldn't help but interject, an eyebrow arching in amusement and confusion. "Why are you so interested in this stuff, Barb? I mean, last week you asked me a similar question because of my bandana."
Caught off guard and visibly flustered by Riff's question, Barb's cool façade crumbled. She started to sweat, her eyes darting around as if looking for an escape route. Without another word, she bolted upstairs, the sound of her footsteps thundering across the floorboards. The slam of her bedroom door echoed through the house as she yelled back down, her voice muffled by the distance, "I'LL NEVER TELL!"
Floyd and Riff exchanged bewildered looks, a moment of silence hanging between them as they processed the sudden outburst. "Well... that was weird," they both agreed, the understatement hanging in the air, filled with unspoken questions and a shared sense of bemusement at Barb's mysterious behavior.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This has been my shortest chapter, but i promise its important to the lore of the story for later on!
31 notes
·
View notes