𝓢𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓜𝓲𝓭𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 ~ 𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓱 𝔁 𝓯𝓮𝓶 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 / 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 1

4. 𝓘 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓾𝓹 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷!

"June, wait" my dad stopped me before I could step a foot onto Branch's platform. I thought he was gonna stop me. I turned around to be met face to face with my dad, or face to nothing, as he's a bit smaller. I was preparing an excuse in my head, because no matter what, I was gonna try. "Before you say anything-" I start.
"Please be careful" he interrupted me, pulling me down for a tight embrace. I couldn't help but smiled to myself, "don't worry dad, I can do this!" I reassured, returning the embrace my wrapping my arms around him too.
"I love you, my little Sunshine" he told me, pulling back from the hug. "I love you too dad! I will get Poppy safely home" I promised. I turned back around, stepping onto the platform.
"Goodbye everybody! See you soon." I yelled out. "Good luck Princess Juniper!" They all yelled back to me. It gave me faith and confidence knowing everyone believed I could. I don't know about Branch, but his negative attitude can't ruin me.
I noticed Branch push himself though the crowd and gazed up at me, still in pure shock and probably disbelief by this sudden situation. I looked down at my hug-time bracelet, as it was almost hug-time. "3-2-1." I whispered to myself as the bracelet chimed, I quickly pulled the lever. "HUG-TIME" they all yelled, Branch looked around terrified, they all became like hug-zombies, walking in Branch's direction. On my way up, I got to witness one last glimpse of Branch getting attacked in hugs, he looked up at me, screaming for my help. I was going extra slow, making sure to print his expression in my mind. Best revenge ever.
~~~
"With her friends safely hidden, Princess Juniper, the Sunshine of the Village, set off to rescue her other friends, and her beloved sister. Confident she'd make it to BergenTown on her own..." I read up from my diary I've brought with me. "Convinced she'd make it to BergenTown" I comforted myself again. I looked up from my book as I saw the big footprints of the Bergen who took my Friends and family. I think. "Totally sure- she'd make it to BergenTown." I repeated another time. I took a deep breath and started walking.
I heard a creepy noise and jumped, quickly turning towards the sound. I couldn't see anything, but the feeling of something watching me, remained.
I remembered singing makes me relax, so I took a deep breath and just sang.
🎵I really hope I can do it, 'Cause they're all depending on me. I know that I must leave the only home I've ever known And brave the dangers of the forest, Saving them before they're eaten.🎵 I sang as I crawled up on a big flower in a big and beautiful flower field.
🎵I mean, how hard can that- Be.🎵 Suddenly the leaf of the flower I was standing on, fell off, and I fell with it! I panicked, until I remembered I could use my hair! I swung it down to the ground so it held me steady, and made stairs to simply walk back to the ground.
🎵Looking up at a sunny sky, so shiny- and blue- oh! and there's a butterfly! Well, isn't that a super fantastic sign-🎵 I sang looking around and following the butterfly. Unfortunately a big, red, tongue attached to a round, brown, creature, got it and ate it. Another funny enough, smaller creature, stretched out and ate the big brown one, you could see the brown one in its stomach. A lot of small, red birds flew by and ate both of the creatures, only leaving the skeleton from the brown one, behind. At last, a purple one, burned the skeleton with its fire breath? and sucked the ashes up. It then changed its gaze at me, hungrily eying me up and down. I was frozen in shock of what I've just witnessed, still standing completely still in my spot, my lips has fallen from a smile to a frown, my upper lip slightly lifted.
🎵It's gonna be a fantastic d-day🎵 I sang stammering a bit, as I slowly began stepping back, before running off as fast as I could.
I decided to lay that horrible sight behind me, and continue to sing my song.
🎵Such marvelousness It's gonna bring, got a pocket full of songs that I'm gonna sing. And I'm ready to take on anything!🎵 I was getting blown into the air by some closed up flowers which blew pollen up in air and made me fly. I got stuck in one of them, trapping the pollen and blowing me high up in the air. "Hooray!"
🎵Some super fun surprise around each corner🎵 I was blown up to something which was formed a swing, I swung back and forth until I realised it was a snake, as I noticed the head. I started running away from it. Why do we always run away in fear from everything. 🎵Just riding on a rainbow, I'm gonna be okay🎵 I said confidently crossing my arms over my chest, as I slided down, dodging the snake's bite only just.
🎵Hey! I'm not giving up today, There's nothing getting in my way! And if you knock knock me over-🎵 As I was back on my feet, still getting chased down by the snake, I reached the end of my path. I jumped, not noticing it was a dead end. I was now falling a free fall, but I escaped. I saw something flying forward, nearing me, as it got closer I saw it was a big bird. It was heading directly towards me, as if I was its only target. It quickly became another uneasy situation.
🎵I, will, get back up again, oh!🎵
I moved my arms and legs, trying to move myself in the other direction, still in mid air. As it didn't go that fast, I suddenly got trapped into something dark, the bird has captured me in its beak. Back at the nest, It laid an egg which was coloured red and orange spotted. I was inside.
🎵If something goes a little wrong, Well you can go ahead and bring it on! 'Cause if you knock knock me over.🎵
I sang inside of the egg. I started kicking my feet and punching from the inside of the egg, trying to break the egg and break out.
🎵I will get back up again🎵 I punched one last time, and my egg cracked, I was covered in slime from the inside of the egg, the other baby birds thought I was some kind of food they could eat, both of them started pulling in each arm, swaying me back and forth between them.
🎵Whoa oh oh oh oh, get back up again🎵 They pulled and pulled, but eventually let go, which was my chance to escape and keep my arms. I jumped out of the nest, not caring where I would land, as anywhere was better than here. I caught a leaf falling from a tree mid air, placing myself in it and slowly following the wind.
🎵whoa oh oh oh oh, oh...🎵 "AHHH!" I screamed as I've landed back on the ground, sliding on the ground. Forward I saw a candy forest with a lot of spikes, this one is definitely worse than the birds.
🎵I'm marching along I got confidence🎵 I walked though the colourful and dry.
🎵I'm cooler than a pack of peppermints🎵 the cold snow.
🎵And I haven't been this excited since🎵 swam though water!
🎵I can't remember when!🎵 I shouted as the wind was getting very strong.
🎵I'm off on this remarkable adventure, Just riding on a rainbow!🎵 I pulled sticks and the candy spikes out of my hair, still dancing and jumping to my song. 🎵What if it's all a big mistake? What if it's more than I can take..🎵 I suddenly realised as I sat on a hairy mushroom, wait, not a mushroom. It suddenly closed as it was a Carnivorous Plant. It closed around me, trapping me, but I was stronger. I placed both my hands on each side of its mouth, pushing it back open.
🎵No I can't think that way! 'cause I know that I'm really, really, really gonna be okay!🎵 I walked over a little mountain, as I thought it was. But no, another creature trying to eat me. It suddenly opened, I was standing with one foot on its tongue, holding me up. I had a second to look down, realising what it was, before it let me fall.
🎵Hey! I'm not giving up today, There's nothing getting in my way! And if you knock knock me over🎵
🎵I will get back up again, oh🎵 I was fallen down to my death, but again, I'm not giving up! I used my hair, on each side of the creatures mouth, to hold me over the green acid from its stomach, and then threw myself back up to the surface, flying out of the creature's mouth.
🎵If something goes a little wrong🎵 I saw a blueberry, realising I was a little hungry. I ate it but immediately began to feel ill.
🎵Well you can go ahead and bring it on! 'Cause if you knock knock me over, I will get back up again.🎵 I noticed blue dots forming in my orange skin tone, from head to toe. My whole body swollen up, but I used it as an opportunity to roll the rest of the way.
🎵Whoa oh oh oh oh, get back up again, whoa oh oh oh oh oh.🎵
I'm okay! I shouted as I fell down into a lot of spiderwebs. I landed hard on the ground, rolled into all the spiderwebs, which was sticking to my round body.
🎵And if you knock knock me over, you knock knock me over-🎵
🎵I.. will... get- back-k up again!🎵 I sang weakly, I didn't feel so good. My eyelids felt heavy and I just wanted to rest, just for a minute. Before I knew it, everything went black.
~~~
Branch's POV:
After 3 hug-times, I would rather hear Juniper say "I told you so" instead of experiencing the 4th. I packed a quick bag with all the surviving supplies we could need. Yes, we. I've finally pulled myself together and decided to join her on her dangerous trip, which would probably end out in disappointment or disaster. I shrugged at my own thoughts, not changing my mind now, and packed sleeping bags, food, water, flashlights and of course, weapons (Sharp sticks). I quickly snuck out my bunker and I was on my way.

I got deeper into the forest, using a shortcut. I pushed some branches aside to get through, when I came on the other side, I saw 6 spiders approaching a little ball, probably an animal who got caught. When I slowly approached them, I saw it was definitely not an animal, it was in fact Juniper! Oh Princess, I knew she couldn't do this alone. Branch, you can tell her if she is even alive!
I quickly stretched my hair as I pulled Juniper towards myself, all the spiders turned their 4-eyed gaze to me. Their very long legs quickly approaching me. I let out a breath, quickly reaching back in my bag and threw a frying pan at them, which only hit one of them. It didn't affect as they quickened their phase.
I looked around, panicking, what to do, what to do!
I quickly dropped my bag and used my hair as a whip against them, I kept kicking them, leading them into a big cave. Suddenly the cave closed, as it was a big mouth! "Whoa!" I said in shock, luckily it was tired and just fell asleep, the spiders was enough for it. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I should have stayed in my bunker...
I snapped back to reality, I quickly turned to June as she still laid lifeless. "Oh no! Juniper!" I shouted, I leaned down to listen for a heartbeat on her chest, I could still hear it, but faintly. "hang on!" I snatched a sharp stick and two bugs from a tree. I used the stick to cut open the spiderweb, and used the bugs as some sort of heart starter. When you rub the two bugs together, they make an electricity- never mind.
🎵Get back up again-🎵 She woke up quickly after, she turned her head to me. "BRANCH! My man! You're right on time!" Wait, her man? Snap out of it!
"Oh right, like you knew I was coming." I answered letting go of the bugs and swinging my bag back on my shoulder blades and pulled my arms through the straps.
"Yes! I figured after the 3rd hug-time, getting eaten by a Bergen, wouldn't seem so bad. I told you so." She said, I knew it was coming.
"And I figured there was no way you could do this by yourself! Guess we were both right." I finally said, crossing my arms over my chest once again, satisfied with my words. I've waited to say this. She just shrugged me off, giving me the victory.
She suddenly turned all positive, "all right, Let's do this! The sooner we get to BergenTown, the sooner we can rescue everybody and make it home safely!" She ranted, making a little dance, before turning her heel and walking the other direction, towards BergenTown.
"Wait, wait, wait- What's your plan?" I repeated, quickly catching up to her pace.
"I just told you, to rescue everyone and make it home safely?"
"Okay. That's not a plan- that's a wishlist." I corrected, stepping in front of her, making her stop from walking forward.
"Oh! I suppose you have a plan!" She spoke, putting extra pressure on 'you' expecting I didn't have a plan, I cleared my throat, she shouldn't have doubted.
"First! We get to the edge of BergenTown without being spotted, then we get inside by sneaking thought the old 'escape tunnels' which will then lead us to the troll tree. Right before we get caught, and suffer a miserable death! At the hands of a horrible, bloodthirsty Bergen!"
"Hold on a second- are you scrapbooking my plan?" I suddenly asked getting distracted by her. She was laying on the ground now, scrapbooking my whole plan into a picture, to add to her collection of story's.
"Uh huh yeah! Almost... done!" She said showing me the finished product, it was everybody who got caught, plus me and her, after we have rescued her 'probably not alive' friends and sister.
"We did it!" The little voice of her scrapbook said as it threw glitter in my face. Again.
"There will be no more..." I snorted out some of the glitter which came into my nose, "Scrapbooking" I finished, as she snickered by all of the glitter in my face, but nodded in agreement. Slowly packing away her card.
"have you and Poppy been making scrapbooks for 20 years? You do nothing else!" I ranted on as we started walking forward again, needing a leg in front of the other before it got dark.