Broppy: Baby on Board Part 2

Chapter 5: Betrayed

John was having fun partying with his brothers and the other trolls, just singing along to the songs and genuinely just having a good time when something smacked him in his head while causing his goggles to cover his face. He had to stop which interrupted some others who stared at him.

John freed the thing from his hair while readjusting his headgear. He looked at it for a long moment when he swallowed thickly as his mouth began to dry up.

"Guys..." he called when a pit started to form deep within his stomach.

Floyd heard John Dory when he came over while laughing with a drink in his hand, he wondered what the eldest was so stiff about until something else fell and landed in his cup with a 'plop'. He pulled the thing out as he stood next to his brother. That's when Clay walked over with Viva and Poppy in tow before they all stiffened at what the two brothers had in their hands. It was a crown and bow tie, not just anyone's though, it was Branch's.

John and Floyd looked up above when a look of fright overcame them as they both yelled very loudly, "LOOK OUT!!"

There was a fairly large tree limb hurtling down when more trolls noticed and called it out before everyone started to scream and scramble to get out of the way.

***

Branch tried to use his hair to break the fall and only got so far until something painful pulsed in his chest and traveled throughout his body. He continued to plunge as he shrieked in agony and scratched at his chest until he crashed into the DJ stand which caused the music to abruptly stop. At that point, all the lights stopped flashing and were turned on so everyone could see the damage that was done from the tree limb.

There were trolls that were helping each other as some of them were injured with bumps and scrapes before looking towards the stage where the King of the Pop trolls had fallen.

Suki and Synth quickly jumped at Branch to help him but he just pushed them away as he got up and stumbled across the stage while wave after wave of pain rippled through him. He wasn't even sure what was happening anymore as he fell to his hands and knees. He cried out while watching the color drain from his fingertips until his vision started swirling and he couldn't concentrate on anything but the agony that wracked his body. He swore he felt someone at his sides but couldn't fathom who it could be or care.

He pounded his fists into the ground while clenching his teeth as his hue disappeared from his body before it was completely gone. That's when he felt something start to slowly leave his chest. He clawed at it in an attempt to prevent it but he couldn't stop it and once the round object left, there was a great explosion of energy released as it flung Branch and some others tumbling across the stage. He fell to the ground below with a loud 'thump'.

The last thing he heard before passing out was a cry of his name.

***

Cross and Sunny appeared on a flying bug when the younger of the two used his tail to hang down from it and snatch the crystal ball as they flew through the air.

"GET THEM!!" The leaders from each troll tribe yelled and many different trolls sprung into action when rain almost instantaneously started falling before thunder crackled through the sky. There wasn't supposed to be any bad weather that day.

***

Poppy ran through the downpour with Viva, John Dory, Clay, and Floyd at her side while Dr. MoonBoon followed them close behind.

"Branch!" She called as she cried and slid on her knees over to him once she got close. She turned him around so he was facing up while trying to be as gentle as possible. She wasn't sure what kind of condition he was in at the moment. But by the looks of it, it wasn't good. He had quite a few scratches and was bleeding a little from some of his wounds but the thing that stuck out the most was—

"He... he isn't..." Dr. Moonboom started off when she received looks of horror. She couldn't find a pulse until she heard his heart beating again and she breathed a sigh of relief. "False alarm, sorry. He is still breathing."

Poppy sobbed as she held him close for a while until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked and saw it was her sister.

"Poppy, let's get him to a safer place." Viva suggested sadly as tears escaped her own eyes. It was dangerous with all the wind and rain coming down. The sky even sounded with thunder and lightning.

"Let's go to my pod, I'd like to keep an eye on him in case—" Moonbloom didn't finish when they all heard a groan come from—

Branch woke up as Poppy practically smothered him before she helped him sit up a little. "Wha... what happened?" He asked as he held his head, it was pounding. He also felt like something was ripped from within him but didn't have a clue what it could be.

"We're not even sure little bro." John saw the whole thing and he couldn't explain what he witnessed. Neither could Clay or Floyd. One thing was for sure, it was those two strange troll's fault.

"We told you not to meet up with that troll!" Clay yelled at him while pointing. "Now look at what happened. Look at yourself!" He shouted before Viva came to his side to try and calm him down but he was seething.

"Don't yell at him Clay, it's not his fault!" Floyd jumped in to stop him from shouting at the youngest.

"Well he should have listened to us, I shouldn't have listened to any of you! Had we been more diligent then this might not have happened!!" Clay stood his ground when Floyd got closer so he ended up pushing the second youngest which caused him to fall to the ground.

"Clay!" John Dory said his name in anger as he quickly helped Floyd up before grabbing the other by the front of his shirt. "Stop putting blame on Branch, us, and yourself. This isn't anyone's fault. It was that troll. He betrayed our little brother so don't betray us."

That seemed to snap the third out of it to which John released him.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean to overreact like that..." Clay apologized as he looked at Floyd. "Sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Floyd didn't care about that at the moment, he was only worried about Branch who looked a bit distraught while looking at his hands or more specifically his grayness. Which brings them back to their earlier question-

"What happened?" Branch asked when Poppy hugged him tightly but he could only stare at himself in disbelief. He was gray once again but this time... he couldn't bring his colors back. They were gone, something was missing.

"I can tell you what happened."

They all looked to the voice that spoke.

It was Windbreeze.