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empressgeekt · 2 months

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Trolls - Accidental Knight and the end of the world (Field of Forget-me-nots au - what if?) -PART 4!!!!

Okay, so this is a what if off of second movie of the FoF au (this post), where Barb won. This was inspired by the fic "The Beginning of the End" by AnimationFan2006 on Ao3. Pls go give it a read. I highly recommend that anyone go to look at the rest of the Field of Forgetmenots au. And I had to split it in half because I posted the first one at 2:00 am. Here is that first post! and here's part 2 and here's part 3

Keith wakes up from a dream about him and Branch practicing archery in the woods. Well, it's more of a memory, about the trolling being scared to shoot at something after accidentally hitting his brother last time. Dream Branch's presence and comfort feels so real, and once awake the trolling misses his brother more then ever. Branch's final words echoing through his mind....

"Never be afraid to shoot, it could mean your life or others."

Him and the others had taken cover on a plateau on the edges of Rock territory for the prisoner pick up. It's one of the few places with actual green vegetation in nearby because of a river that flows through it, before going deeper into the territory and the distance between the top of it and the hot ashland ground below. Demo left hours ago, and Keith's worried about him. The rock troll is a little dorky, definitely a weak link, but genuine. Branch would like him.

He joins the others outside of Rhonda, their crew consists of John Dory, Bruce, Floyd, Clay, Viva, Tresillo and Wani (DJ and the other trollings stayed at the golf course). Keith sits by the fire they set up the previous night for breakfast. He accepts the food, but doesn't interact when Bruce and Floyd try to talk to him. Keith doesn't talk much anymore. Especially to Branch's bio-brothers. The trolling's feelings towards them complicated. He was mad at them, and some part of himself wanted to be mad forever. Branch had suffered through so much, and they were never there. Whenever Keith had been hurt or sick, even if it was just a little scratch or sniffle, Branch was there patching him up with a story, medicine and a bandage. Branch's brothers didn't even bother to show up when Branch was possibly on his deathbed last year after the chef nearly cut him in half. But another part of the mossy Trolling was just to tired to be angry and wanted to just snuggle up next one of them, pretending they were Branch. Because...who knows if Keith would ever get to hug his brother again.

It didn't help that most of them were just straight up jerks. They apologized, but didn't say for what, nor did they change their behavior. Floyd wouldn't leave him alone. The red-headed brother, acted all clingy, it felt like he was trying to take Branch's place as Keith's older brother. Not that Keith would ever let that happen. Floyd couldn't be trusted, he was a lair, there was a reason that Branch didn't make promises often. Bruce kept treating him like a little kid, who couldn't take care of himself. Granted, there were somethings that Keith needed help with, but he wasn't a baby. Branch made sure that Keith had all the skills to take care of himself, and where his limits were. Bruce didn't believe him when he said that, and that was offensive not only to Keith but to Branch as well, who took great care of Keith! He just also made sure Keith knew what to do in an emergency! Unlike some people who think an eight-year-old can't cut their own sandwich!

Clay wasn't at the firepit as he was busy keeping Viva calm, since they were out of the golf course, (while she had been all for getting her sister back, going outside was still nerve wreaking), and Keith didn't mind. Clay was just straight up a hypocrite! He spoke all the time about being serious, this calm and collected guy with a plan. When in reality he never took anyone else seriously, and was a kettle ready to blow with that temper he had. Both the stringbean brother and Bruce were almost tied for most annoying since they didn't believe Keith when the trolling told them he knew what he was doing. Something had shifted with Clay recently, his temper mellowed out slightly, but it didn't change the trolling's opinion of him.

After eating, Keith would run to join Tresillo on look out, John Dory came along after a few minutes. Out of all the brothers, John Dory seemed to be the only one who actually felt guilty about leaving, and actually put effort in figuring out Keith as his own person. Not seeing him as a replacement baby brother. Not as a scared kid who didn't know what he was doing. Just as Keith. Not that Keith gave him much to work with. Still it put him leagues above the other three.

Once that anglers showed, up Keith felt excited for the first time in a long time. He was running before Poppy even exited the transport critter, but nothing would stop him from running into her arms. She looked different. Her dress dirty and ripped, a streak of black and grey going through her otherwise bright hair, and tear tracks along her eyes. But she was there and with her Keith felt safe.

If only it lasted. The soft reunion, even Viva walking over gently calling Poppy's name was interrupted by chaos breaking out in an ambush. The peace was broken, by a the zombified K-pop gang and reggaeton trolls, and Branch himself.

His brother's corrupted form is horrifying. The green of his armor, was shifted over to a burn metallic red. The smooth leaf platting and vine sashes, had been replaced with critter leather and blackened brambles. The once comforting amber color of the lenses in the mask were set ablaze with the hue of blood. The caller, and cuffs were black spiked bands, tight like shackles. Showing his brother as a prisoner in his own body. A haze of red smog surrounding him, suffocating his form.

The fight that ensues is chaotic an bloody. Tresillo and Wani take on their sisters with heavy hearts, trying to both defend themselves while not hurting their family too badly (I head canon the Reggaetón trolls as triplets, I know most people see them as a throuple, but I like the siblings angle better, sorry), with Clay and Viva backing them up due to the numbers angle. Smidge jumps in being part of the guard using her hair to subdue them best she can. Floyd and Bruce are Trying to herd the others into Rhonda so they can escape, however when they come to Poppy and Branch their both frozen. Because in front of them, sword against sword, brother against brother, John and Branch dueled. Keith could tell that Branch was holding back, or at least trying too. His strikes are shaky, like he's fighting himself. However, whatever the little restraint Branch has is slipping quickly.

John Dory is mostly panicked at this is happening. His Baby brother is trying to kill him. Not to mention, where in the world did Branch learn to sword fight like this?! Eventually the corrupted troll forced John toward the edge of the plateau, right next to the river bank before it became a waterfall. By some miracle John isn't pushed over, instead he slipped around Branch hoping to lead him away from the cliff. However, out of nowhere Branch flips back throwing his leg out and knocking john to the ground. The next few moments are clear in his mind even as his head pounds. Branch standing over him Sword raised high, ready for the final blow. Then there's the whistle of an arrow and suddenly Branch was falling over the edge, an Arrow sticking out of the middle of his baby brother's chest. John turns to look in the direction the Arrow was shot, finding Keith, the trolling trembling, his bow held up, its string shivering as if it just fired.

"What did you do?!" Clay screamed, startling the trolling, and making Poppy glare at him.

Smidge has fully restrained the other zombies attacking them. Jovi came running over, pulling John to his feet. "C'mon, if he landed in the river he has a chance," The halfing spoke.

John and his brothers, along with, Jovi, Demo Poppy, Viva and Keith load up in Rhonda and began to search the river banks below the plateau. Bruce is helping Floyd through a panic attack, and Keith is sobbing into Poppy's arms, saying "sorry" over and over again, but other then that it's a silent ride as they all look at the river bank for any unknown shapes. It's Demo that spots a grey lump among the rapids. Rhonda leaped into the water, swallowing Branch, pulling him into the cabin. Branch lands on the floor, they haze was gone but he was completely grey, soaking wet, and arrow in his chest and not breathing.

Jovi jumps in the moment the grey troll falls on the floor. He screams for people to back up as he addressed the damage. His first main concern is that the grey troll wasn't breathing. With a drowning victim getting air into the body was one of the most important tasks, and it had to be done in under five minute. He settles Branch on his back, and administers CPR, he worries about doing chest compression, but after the armor was removed, turns out the arrow wound wasn't all that deep, it was close, so close to hitting something important and killing the grey troll. Jovi's hands are horribly bloody by the time he gets Branch breathing again.

With Help from John Dory, Jovi gets Branch stable. The grey troll is stripped of his armor and weapons, left in a pair of barrowed pj shorts and bandaged torso. Tucked in tight on the sofa in the back of the Armadillo bus' cabin. Jovi isn't a doctor and for that he apologizes, but he's done his best with the phsyical. as far as he can tell, Branch has a puncture wound, along with broken ribs, but he has no answers for his lack of color.

They pick up the others, tying the Zombie's up an head back to the golf course.

On the way back, Poppy and Keith stay by Branch's side. The trolling glaring at anyone other then Jovi coming too close. It takes a hot minute but eventually Keith falls asleep curled into his big brother's side. The scene in front of her is horrifyingly similar to like when Branch was in his coma and she hates it. It hurts to see him like this, and it makes her realize just how important he is to her. She silently vowes to tell him, as soon as he wakes up.

After that she can't keep the others waiting. They need a queen right now, and Poppy can't fail them. She at first checks on her friends and thanks the new trolls for saving them, Jovi and Demo especially. When she meets Brozone, internally she's kind of fangirling, but she's to tired to express it outwardly, and it makes her very suspicious as to where they were when Branch was in trouble when she learns their his brother's too. Over all she's pretty collected, until Viva introduces herself. Now, Poppy doesn't mean to be well, mean, but she Just starts laughing. Not an "Excited to meet you this is so funny laugh" its and "Of fucking course" hysterical laugh. Viva asks if she's okay, and Poppy answers...

"Sure! Why wouldn't I be, I just found out that not only did my father lied to me for my entire life the second time like it wouldn't seriously effect me in the future! Like who cares about the other tribes! We'll never hear from them! Who cares if I don't tell my daughter about a long lost sister! it's not like their ever going to meet at the end of the world!!"

Poppy breaks down sobbing, sliding down to her knees. Cooper walks up and nudges his sister gently.

"Poppy are you okay?"

"No no i'm not."

It takes a few days to get back to the golf course. John used the hustle to get them into rock troll territory, but he wasn't sure how the experience could effect Branch in his wounded and unconscious state. With the snackpack and every one else (zombies were left where they were tied up, sadly for Tresillo and Wani, but Demo and Jovi know that Queen Barb won't leave them to die in the wilderness due to the hunting skills their sister retained after turning), it's rather crowded, so they camp out when darkness falls, and to give Branch and Keith a little privacy he sets up a curtain in front of them. He hates it, all of his brother's hate it, but for some reason he can't help but also feel like he's intruding whenever he sees Poppy and Keith at Branch's bedside.

Clay is still mad at Keith for shooting Branch. He knows it's stupid but he is. That's his baby brother and that kid nearly killed him. Did kill him! His heart had to be restarted! he vents this all to Bruce in private, and lets his older brother take some of the weight. Bruce knows that Clay reacts with anger when he's stressed, and watching Branch get hit was terrifying, but he makes sure that Clay knows he can never let Keith know this. The kid is still a kid after all, a scared kid.

Floyd is a walking mess. He thought he was going to throw up the moment that he saw the arrow hit, the feeling growing ever stronger as he watched Jovi cut away at Branch's armor and skin to remove the arrow head. Even now he wants nothing more then to be right next to Branch holding his baby brother's hand, and feeling the living pulse in the grey troll's wrist with his own fingers. But he can't, Poppy and Keith had taken that role of soothing his wounded brother while he rested. That and the fact that he's terrified. Branch is grey, hurt, covered in scars and clearly has been mad at Floyd for a long time if it was enough for Keith to pick up on. He was scared that if he went to Branch now it would make it worse. So, he talks to Jovi, asking this oddly cute halfling troll about his brother's condition. Jovi has sympathy for Floyd, really he does, but he doesn't really know how to help, he's never had siblings before, so he just listens.

Viva is desperate to help her sister, but in her panic she falls back on the old ideals that were used in the tree during times of crisis, grin and bear it. No matter what look on the bright side. Shove the negative emotions down. It doesn't work and Poppy ends up snapping at Viva. She apologizes, and just tries to talk with her sister about how she would love to get close and do all the sister things, but she can't right now. She has Keith and Branch and the others to worry about. They need a plan, but she's never been the planning type, that has always been Branch's side of things. Viva respones that she and Clay work similarly and a little bonding happens. It's not happy, or excited, but rather just a simple understanding happening between the sisters, and its enough.

When Branch wakes up, he's pretty sure he's dreaming. The last thing he remembers is Jumping in front of Keith and Poppy. After that it's hazy. Just a void of anger, screaming and fire. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't feel. Just a complete detachment from between his soul and body. When his eyes flutter open, and his thoughts are finally clear, he thinks he's either dreaming or dead. His head is pounding, and his chest hurts. But it's clear, there's no blinding anger, and his body is his own to control. And even better, snuggled up next to him is his brother, and at his bedside Poppy is passed out in the chair next to the couch.

When Keith sees his brother's eyes open he starts crying, hugging Branch and apologizing. feeling so so guilty and so so grateful. They had no idea how Branch broke from the control, but they were so thankful. Poppy wakes up too, and hugs him gently. Though she does choses to wait for anything else until after Keith is calmed down. Branch is bone weary tired, so the back strokes he gives the trolling are weak, but they seem to sooth the trolling well enough. Still isn't enough to get him to sleep, so Branch starts humming a lullaby ("Sacred Oath" By Beth Crowley if anyone is wondering). Something broken inside of him is fixed as the music flows from his tongue and Keith lulled to sleep.

With the trolling out cold, Poppy give Branch the run down. He wants to pass back out again and never wake up at the mention of his brothers, and at the mention of Viva he has this overwhelming desire to find Peppy and punch him in the face. But in his state Branch can't doo much other then just accept his situation. He'll make the best of it, he always does, but that doesn't mean he enjoys it. It gets a little better when Poppy kisses him before they both fall back asleep though.

When morning comes, Jovi checks him out, making sure his wound is healing, and marvels at the return of colors to Branch's still dulled coat (none of them are sure how). His older brothers are there and Clay mentions Keith was the one who shot him. Branch does not miss the wince that rest of theme give, and they way Keith wilted. Branch just tells Keith he did a good job, it was a clean shot, and wouldn't scar much when healed. Clay looks surprised by his reaction, but Branch pretends not to be paying attention. Jovi continues to ask him questions, and when the topic of food comes up, Branch ahs no idea when was the last time he ate, so Jovi recommends light foods for a while. Bland porridge was for breakfast, and it was delicious.

With Branch back, Poppy feels in control again, and she's ready to take charge once more. She talks with Demo, Tresillo and Wani while Branch naps through the afternoon, and then with whisper to each other through out the night, forming a plan. With their small numbers they would need allies, the other tribes are not an option, but Poppy still has one ace up her sleeve, Bridget.

The plan is not well recevied when they present it to everyone in the morning. The snackpack is on board, while Jovi, Demo, Tresillo, and Wani don't really care they just want a home base, however it is rejected with venom by Viva and the brothers.

V: What?! NO! We are not going to the bergens, it's not safe!

Clay: I'm with Viva, this is not an option. The puttputt course is the best defence from both giants and trolls, we need to go there.

Demo: Uhm, you're defenses are not enough to stop a power cord assault.

Clay: and how would you know?

Demo: I work with musicians, Rock tribe musicians, I need to know how music weaponry works, and you're buildings are barely sound, not to mention the plastic is old and rotting.

Poppy: would stone and metal be harder to break?

Demo: in general? yeah, but if they have the right angle and frequency they could still break it.

Poppy: See we'd be safer in Bergentown, we gather up the trolls in your outpost and seek refuge with the Bergens.

Viva: Poppy no!

Poppy: And why not?

Viva: I just got my baby sister back! I am not going to let you just walk back into town full of MONSTERS! It's my job to protect you!

Poppy: And it's my job to protect everyone else! You're scared Viva, and I get it, but we can't let our fear stop us! Believe me I know just what kind of horrible things that the bergens are capable of, but i've also seen what good they can do!

Clay: how the fuck would you know what bad things their capable of?! You were a baby when the escape happened, you know nothing of what we went through!

Branch: Don't talk to her like that!

Bruce: Bitty sit back down!

Branch: Oh shut up spruce! I know my limits! And for you're information Clay she knows just how bad they can get because she was there, when I got this *points at face scar*. Chef got real pissed when I cut off her finger, you know.

Floyd: ...th-the chef gave that to you?

Clay: If you got hurt by a bergen then how on earth can you think that going to them is a good plan?!

Branch: Because I've watch them reforge their society. And I trust Poppy over any of your sorry ass opinions.

Viva:...when we get back to the golf course you'll see....

When they get back to the golf course something is immediately wrong. It's calm but the in the wrong way. All the trip wires are broken, and the gate is smashed to bits. Inside the course is a wreak, the buildings burned and crushed. Clay calls a search for survivors and the others spanned the course. All they find are zombies, Clay almost getting bitten by one when he thinks he find a survivor in the rubble.

Viva is panicking, this was her safe place, and now it was gone. Ripped away, and she doesn't know what to do. The world around her is crumbling and she has a panic attack that leads to her passing out. She comes too only to throw up and pass out again. Clay feels helpless during all this. Everyone is gone. Until...

"Hey Captian no slappy!"

A rather annoying cloud joins the chat. Branch shoots and arrow at him out of habit. However, even he can't be too upset with Cloud Guy, after he explained that he got as many putt putts out as he could with his caterbuses. "whoa that's actually nice of you." "Oh Branch you wound me, I can be nice, after all it is the end of the world. I'd be a real jerk if I didn't do anything now." Clay breaths a sigh of relief, at the news that the Puttputts, well most of them, are safe. When they meet up with the excavated Puttputts there's a lingering question in the air.

What do they do now?

Clay knows the answer and it's not going to be easy. They're going to Bergentown.

----

Stay tuned for part 5

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empressgeekt · 3 months

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Trolls - Accidental Knight and the end of the world (Field of Forget-me-nots au - what if?) -PART 2!!!!

Now on to the meat of the story.

Our survivalist group is now mostly formed, Floyd, john Dory, Bruce, Demo and Crimp have met up with Tresillo, Wani and Keith in the pop forest. After some explanations Tresillo and Keith take everyone (minus John Dory he needed to hide Rhonda and Wani stayed behind to help him get back), back to the bunker through the tunnel network. Bruce ever since entering the tunnel hadn't been able to take his eyes of Keith. His parental instincts going into over drive from the moment that Demo said who the trolling was. Bruce may have been out of the loop for a few years when it came to the royal family, he was fairly certain they were made up of warm colored trolls, but that doesn't mean he isn't horrified by the implications of why this poor little kid was on his own. Floyd is on the same page. They both start asking Tresillo questions and get the truth, which isn't any better then the misconception.

Tresillo: Keith isn't the prince. Queen Poppy didn't have any ninos.

Floyd: Then why did Demo call him Prince?

Tresillo: Because Chico was captured along side Queen Poppy, and Queen Barb is an idiota. I don't know the specifics, but his hermano was the chief of security for the tribe, and some how Chico ended up going with them.

Bruce: Wait, I get the brother going, but their parents let a child go?

Tresillo: Once more pop troll, I don't have all the details, but from my understanding, his Papi is long gone. All he had was his Hermano.

Floyd: Then where is his brother?

Tresillo: *sigh* where the all the héroes go. Keith's brother was the first to stand up to Queen Barb, and the first to fall to her song.

Both Floyd and Bruce are horrified. This poor kid probably watching his brother sacrifice himself while trying to save him. Bruce is just thinking of how all the parenting book he read telling him how harmful an upbringing without a stable family unit can be for a kid. It also doesn't help that Keith has the same hair and eyes that Bitty B once had. They both decide that they were going to keep Keith safe, and find away to help Bitty and get Keith his brother back (not knowing their the same person).

Once back in the Bunker, they loop John Dory in and they do try to approach Keith, and give him comfort. Telling him that Big brothers would always come back for their little ones.

Keith: Would you do that for you're little brother?

Floyd: Of course.

Keith: Then why can't I believe you?

Keith fully knows who John Dory, Bruce and Floyd are, and what they did. He's going to subtly twist that knife he put in their backs every chance he got. They had twenty years to find Branch, and now that he was gone they just show up at the bunker like they own the place. He's polite to Crimp and Demo, Branch taught Keith manners after all, but he's not going to be civil with Brozone. And he's certainly not going to tell them who Branch became.

During their stay at the bunker, John Dory and Demo join in on the excursions, to capture Zombies and round them up in a pen in a dark corner of the woods. While Bruce and Crimp stay in the bunker with the children, and Floyd while he recovers. This allows DJ to start to help more with the outside work. John tried to object at Keith going out with them, but he's quickly proven wrong when Keith proves to know the forest better then any of them. When John asked how Keith knew all this stuff, the trolling only ever answered, "My brother taught me." John feels very strongly when it comes to learning about Keith's brother. The whole situation kind of feels close to home. After all he was saddled with his brothers after his parent's death, just like Keith's brother, and from what John could tell, the brother did a fantastic job. Keith could clearly take care of himself, and he adored his brother, it took a very strong person to be able to raise a child like that after losing your parent. He was certainly stronger then John ever was, All he managed to do was break his already broken family apart further. Sometimes he would wonder if Keith knew that, and it was the reason why the trolling was so cold to him.

At some point, Floyd wouldn't have been able to sleep one night and He would stumble on to a Keith who had fallen asleep while working on a book. He picks the trolling up, and starts to take him to bed. Tresillo would be up and point out that Keith had been sleeping in his brothers room and gave his to the girls. Floyd would follow this information and tucked Keith into his brother's bed. He would put the book on the nightstand while tucking the trolling in and knock said book off of the nightstand as he turned to leave. Said book is a photo album as Floyd would soon learn, and landed open to a page with a single picture. A picture of Keith and an older blue troll cuddled up on a hospital bed asleep, the trolling's hair obscuring half of the older trolls face. At first Floyd just figures it's Keith and his brother, and find the photo cute...until he notices the green leafy vest on the bed next to them. And everything clicks.

Floyd runs out of the bedroom and wakes up his Brothers, dragging them to his room to show them the photo. John Dory and Bruce immediately recognizes the adult as Branch. Sure his hair was darker, but John and Clay's hair darkened as they got older. It's all just confirmed when they take the picture out of the album and flip it over, reading on the back, "Three Days until Branch can come home. Boys are celebrating early with snuggles! :] " Floyd would continue to to flip through the album, while Bruce and John spiral over this revelation. Their baby brother had a baby brother?! He was in the hospital at some point?! For what?! Who took care of Keith during that?! Grandma?! Who was the dad that Keith mentioned?! And they didn't know any of it. Eventually the older two siblings are pulled out of their panic with a shocked gasp from Floyd, who found the earlier pictures, from Branch's grey days. How on earth had they let their baby brother go grey....They spend the rest of the night just going through the album. Seeing Branch and Keith, Branch as grey, Branch missing and eye, their brother with a pink female troll, and an older troll that looks almost like a purple haired keith (they all assume that this was Branch's adoptive father, as Rosiepuff isn't anywhere to be seen).

In the morning the three of them confront Keith, they do so gently, at first believing that Keith simply didn't know about them, however they we're into a very rude awakening when Keith says, "I know who you are, I know what you did, but unlike you I know the aftermath. We're not family. Family doesn't abandon each other." And well, there's little they can do about that...other than try and make it up to Branch by protecting Keith and saving him.

Sadly, things aren't as safe at the bunker at they originally thought. The group had been capturing zombies and storing them away on the other side of the village, until they could find a cure. They didn't expect a Rock patrol to find where they were keeping the horde, and the group is forced to relocate, sealing up the Bunker so that the Rock trolls can't find it. Keith tries to get them to go to Bergentown but JOhn Dory is driving so that wasn't happening. They travel passed bergentown, and look for a place toe shelter. Rhonda needs a rest after two days of travel, and they stop at an old abandoned golf course. The kids immediatly want to check out the living horror movie place, the adults follow. DJ trips on a wire and the clown activates. Keith Marches up to the clown, little bow drawn, just like Branch would've done, much to Brozone's horror. Viva pops out giving Keith a giant squeeze, and pulls the group further into the putt putt course.

Keith doesn't like a the puttputts at first glance, they look feral like a predator and it makes him uncomfortable. He lived with a grey Branch he knows what paranoia looks like, this this was different then what happened to Branch. This was worse. He warns the other trollings and considering that Keith was a good judge of character, they take him seriously.

After reuniting with Clay, both him and Viva pull the brothers, Tresillo, Demo and Wani into a private meeting. While DJ and Crimp take the kids to get fries. Viva tries to should Keith off on to DJ, but the trolling follows them into the meeting room and remains stubbornly in his seat.

Viva: Look Keith sweetie, we're going to have an adult talk in here. You'd probably have more fun with your friends.

Keith: I'm not here to have fun, miss viva. I'm here to talk business.

Clay: Look kid, a lot of the stuff we're going to be talking about is, scary and very serious.

Keith: You want to talk serious fun boy? My family is currently brainwashed or imprisoned, I've lost my home to a maniac, and now I have to deal with people like you talking down to me, because I'm a child. I'm not here for fun, I'm here for progress.

Demo: *whispering to Wani* Are you sure he isn't the prince?

Demo's comment make's Viva ask questions, to which she learns that while Keith wasn't in fact Queen Poppy's heir, he was still the closest thing and considering that's what the rock empire believes their keeping up the ruse so that there's less of a chance they'll brainwash or kill Keith on sight. Viva is ecstatic to learn that her baby sister is alive, and grows horrified to learn that poppy's currently held captive in rock troll territory. Clay doesn't believe them, mostly it's his emotions regarding John Dory and now keith's jab that are making his judgement poor, but he convinces himself that what trolls would be hostile to them when there was bergens to worry about, and how could they trust what a kid is saying. Though, he holds himself as Demo, Tresillo and Wani's stories match up with Keith's.

After being convinced about the dangers of the Rock trolls, Clay and viva immediately make plans to go full on lock down. No one goes in no one goes out. Everyone objects to this. Wani, Tresillo, and Demo, knowing that the plan would never work with Rock troll weapons. While Keith and the other brothers want to go get Branch (one of the few things they can agree on).

Clay: Wait, wait, you just spent like the last twenty minutes explaining why these guys were dangerous, and now you want to go into their territory.

Keith: I want my brother back.

Clay: from what you told me kid, he's gone. You need to move on.

Keith: Just because your too much of a coward to get your brother back, doesn't mean I am! Then again I guess you're already used to throwing him to the bergens to save you're own skin!

Clay: what are you talking about?

Keith: You probably never cared about Branch in the first place, after all you left him to die once already.

Clay: WHO IS THIS KID?!

Brozone: *Share's glances*

Floyd: Clay, Branch is keith's brother.

Mean while in Volcano Rock City, Hickory finally found a way to make contact with the imprisoned Queen and remaining un-zombified pop trolls. He might not have been able to get to the cells himself, but he found someone who could. Jovi was a mixed troll (rock and celtic), who didn't under any circumstance agree with Queen Barb's conquest. It took a bit to convince him to help, but Hickory manages it. Being a nurse, with a family member on the medical board, Jovi managed to get clearance to access the prisons underneath the guise of mandatory check ups and patch jobs on minor wounds. When he finally opens the cell that held Poppy he was in for a sorry sight.

Poppy had been completely crushed by her imprisonment. Her home destroyed, her friends put in danger, and her family...Her dad had been turned but she wasn't sure what happened to him after that. Cooper is imprisoned like her and they weren't allow to see each other. No one will tell her what happened to Keith, and Branch...Branch was gone. The man she loved secretly had been warped away by the powercord. She saw him everyday, but it isn't her branch. Her Branch wouldn't taunt her with her failures. Her Branch wouldn't hold his own sword to his neck making threats to hurt himself, her Branch wouldn't lie about finally being happy after being turned. After a month she wanted Branch to turn that sword on her, or for Barb to corrupt her. Her color had long bled away, there was no hope in her prison.

That is until a dull blue troll with golden streaks in his hair comes to her cell. Jovi tells her everything, that keith escaped and that he nad Hickory were working on a way out of their. Poppy breaths a sigh of relief that Keith got away and she wants to believe him about the rest, she really does, but she can't. Jovi tells her it's okay, he just asks her to be ready to take a chance when the time comes.

The snack pack are a little more receptive to Jovi's news, and their ready help however they can. Even if waiting like Jovi asked is hard. Right now their trying to establish contact with outside help and that could take time. Smidge mentions that they used bloodhound beetles to send messages in the village and it gives Jovi an idea. Volcano Rock city didn't have bloodhound beetles, but they had something similar. Fruit bats could travel for miles, if given something to smell for. With a little help from a friend of his who trained therapy bat's and one of Demo's old bandanas that Hickory found they manage to send a message out.

Things at the putt putt course had been tense for the passed few days. Viva and Clay had held firm about their desicion to hunker down, and no one was happy about it. John managed to get viva to let Rhonda in but that was a small comfort to him. He feels like a sitting duck and he's not the only one, Tresillo and Wani are just as stir crazy as him. Bruce spends most of his time keeping the peace, Clay is hostile towards everyone but him and Floyd, and is letting his anger take control of his actions, John can't make suggestions because "he can't stand it when he's not in charge", Tresillo, Demo and Wani can't help because "they don't understand how things work here" DJ and Crimp don't even try. And Clay certainly doesn't listen to Keith. Bruce had been trying to get everyone to at least agree on a plan, and so far he felt powerless. Oringially he thought thagt Floyd would back him up, but Floyd was too busy trying to take care of that Keith kid.

Key work trying, Keith wouldn't let any of them near him. It hurt really, watching Floyd follow this kid around like a lost puppy. Bruce's theory was that Floyd thought he could redeem himself after failing to protect branch if he could keep Keith safe, keep his other little brother safe. Clay thought it was stupid, the kid wasn't their family. Sure he was close to Branch, that much was clear after he saw the photo album, but that didn't mean Keith was there brother. The kid didn't want to be their brother. Bruce had let Clay vent to him about all these harsh feelings, but he also made his younger brother swore never to tall Keith about them. Even if the kid hated them, he was still a kid that had lost all of his family, the last thing he needed was rejection.

Viva had tried to talk Clay into speaking more with his brothers, but she knows it's a losing fight. Viva had been talking more to DJ suki, trying to learn all about her sister, and slowly the DJ words have been getting to her. "Why don't you go get her" "CJ's mom, was my big sister, I knew I could count on her." "Sometimes family's worth the risk." It was starting to break her resolve. After all her dad had once, launched a full-blown escape to save poppy, why couldn't Viva do that for her sister. When she went to clay about it, he shut it down though, they had no way of planning such a mission. They didn't know where her sister was kept, they didn't have a way to get the team there and back, and they didn't know what the Rock trolls were capable of.

All this changes when a small fruit bat flutters into the golf course with a letter addressed to Demo.

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there will be a part three.

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