Poppy started coughing intensely when she emerged from the weedy forest, she was covered in bruises and she was ice cold. She took her cape out of her hair and wrapped herself in it for warmth. She was exhausted and the sun was going down, she didn't stop running until now and she thought she would collapse any moment.
Poppy: Now where am I...?
She looked around at her surroundings, this time it was a gruesome scene, an abandoned village, completely wrecked, destroyed sheet music floated around partially burned. What was this place? And what had happened? Poppy noticed one of the houses that stood out compared to the others. There was a graffiti that said "Rock!" on it. That was when it suddenly dawned on her, the Rock Trolls were already there, and it seemed like they were working fast.
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Poppy: Hello...?
It was almost like no one had lived in this place for years, like a ghost town, there was absolutely no one there, no troll, no sign of life. Poppy took the map out of her hair trying to make out where she was, but there wasn't anything like what she saw on the map, where was she?
?: Hello...?
Poppy gasped when she heard a small voice nearby, someone was there after all.
Poppy: Who's there?
?: A-Are you nice or...are you...mean?
Poppy: It's okay, I'm nice, you can come out. I promise I'm not gonna hurt you.
?: Okay...
But to Poppy's surprise, it wasn't a troll that she heard, it was a little flute. She came out of hiding and rolled down a small hill and picked her up. Her name was Pennywhistle, and it looked like she had been through a lot. She was a little banged up and covered in filth. Poppy knelt down and held her in her arms.
Poppy: What is this place?
Pennywhistle: It...used to be called Symphonyville.
The little flute coughed and smoke came out of her windpipe.
Pennywhistle: Where the...Classical Music Trolls lived.
So this was a troll village Poppy was standing in, she looked down at Pennywhistle with sympathy and love, she seemed like she really needed help.
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Pennywhistle: But that was in the before...
Poppy: What happened here?
Pennywhistle: Well, it was the most wonderful place you ever did seen. It was a place where all of the Classical Music Trolls could live in perfect harmony.
Poppy continued to listen to what Pennywhistle had to say, she explained how Symphonyville was where the Classical Trolls lived and how it was a beautiful place for them to play beautiful music that could put anyone who was having a bad day at ease. Anyone who was cranky could fall asleep just hearing it. But their peace was interrupted when Barb intruded and demanded for their string. Their leader, Trollzart, refused to contribute and things got physical, the Rock Trolls attacked the Classical Trolls and took their string, capturing all the trolls and taking them away from their home.
Pennywhistle: She took our string...our music...she took...everyone. We lost...everything.
Reality sunk in as Poppy began to process what she just heard, Barb was serious about her world tour, and she had already beaten Poppy to several strings. Where would she be heading now? She obviously wasn't going to stop until she had all 6 strings, and she couldn't let that happen. Poppy put Pennywhistle down and patted her head twice before looking at her map. It was too late to turn back, she had to see this to the end. The closest tribe she could get to at the moment was the Country Music Trolls. If she could get there before Barb, she could warn them and they would be more prepared to face her so she wouldn't get her hands on the string.
Poppy: I have to go...I need to stop Barb before it's too late...you'll come with me, right?
Pennywhistle: Oh, no. Someone has to rebuild, and Pennywhistle is that woodwind for the job.
Poppy gave her a small smile before putting a small construction hat on her head.
Poppy: Good luck, little Pennywhistle.
Pennywhistle: Goodbye, Poppy.
Poppy waved goodbye to her new acquaintance as she left to find the Country Trolls, but all the traveling she did throughout the day began to take a toll on her. After walking for almost 2 hours, her vision began to get blurry, she looked down at her feet which were covered in blisters.
Poppy: Ugh...can't give up...
The overwhelming exhaustion and the weight of the rough day began to have its effects on the poor queen. She fell to her knees putting a hand on her forehead, she was fatigued, she was wounded, she was hungry...and she was alone. She looked above her and saw what looked like vultures circling over her.
