𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓬𝓴 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓼 ~ 𝓗𝓸𝔀 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝓷𝓭, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓾𝓼? | 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 2

8. 𝓘𝓼 𝓲𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾?

Cooper POV:
The sun stood high and bright in the sky, I was walking thought the hottest oasis I have ever experienced, and the only one I have experienced...
Walking slowly, sweating and panting, I was so thirsty I could literally drink anything. "I'm so lost..." I panted on as I swayed from side to side, my feet was hurting so badly, from the long trip, and I was about to give up on finding someone like me.
"I'm almost there..." I encouraged myself, even though I knew it was a lie. Even the sun complained about the heat, or was it just my imagination? I walked up a small hill of sand as I coughed up some as well, in the distance I saw- could it be. A small lake! Water! I was about to cry out of Happiness. A sob escaped my throat, and I ran, as fast as my feet could take me, nearing the beautiful, blue water. A wind blew my cope away, but it didn't matter, it was too hot for that anyway.
"I'm saved!" I gasped lowering my neck down to the surface of it. And I drank, and drank and drank, it was heaven. Suddenly the reflection of myself in the water started speaking to me. "Are you now? 'Cause last I checked, i was a mirage!" It said, I quickly stood back up, the lake in front of me disappeared, right in front of my eyes. Which meant, I have been drinking sand all along. Gulping all the sand I could up again, as I got buried in it. "Oh, I'm done for. And on top of that, I never found any Trolls like me...." I cried out, and I finally collapsed. I tipped over and now laying on my starch, chin down on the soft sand. I'm so tired.
I heard noises above, but I didn't care, it was probably a mirage as well. A big shadow came over me as I felt a relief, the sun not shining on my hot body anymore. I opened my eyes slowly, looking up, I saw purple light and something looking like a big plate. My vision was blurry.
A big bubble was forming around me as it lifted me up, now I started to panic, It wasn't a mirage. Screaming, I tried popping the bubble, it was unpopable! The big plate, which had captured me, sent me up into it, making me drop my hat in the process, it went down to my hat again, bringing it up with me.
~~~
Branch POV:
I sat on the edge of the Raft looking out over the Water, the weather has turned foggy, and everyone was staying silent. After Biggie left, and accused Poppy not holding that Pinky Promise, Poppy, Juniper, everyone hasn't said a word, or even sung a single song, which was rare.
Juniper has pushed me away too, it was like Poppy and Juniper was sharing feelings.
🎵Ey, Fall to pieces🎵 Hickory sang, the first song we've heard since hours. He approached my frame, with his Guitar in his hands. My head turned, my gaze looking up at him plainly. My gaze shifted up to Juniper, behind Hickory.
Poppy was directing the boat, holding the rudder, not saying a word, just plainly staring into space. Juniper was sat, drawing in her scrapbook, she always did that to distract her mind.
🎵Pieces, Pieces... How can I be just your Sidepiece?🎵 Hickory kept singing as he walked around me. I took in a deep breath, sighing, learning backwards, and laid down on my back on the flooring.
I ran my palms down my face, pulling in my features. Everyone was tired of the whole situation, we've been involved in.
🎵Just your Piece?🎵 Some Corndogs sang above my head.
Until a head blocked my view on them, Hickory has suddenly leaned down, looking down at me, as my gaze was forced onto him.
"Something tells me your heart ain't in this mission, Branch." Hickory spoke up offering me a hand to sit back up.
"What do you mean? I'm here, aren't I?"
"Yeah, you're on a mission, all right. But your heart is with Miss Juniper. But she's pushing you away, ain't she?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, was it that obvious.
"Hey! Hold your horses!" I snapped, looking up at him, but realised what I said, right when I said it. "I'm sorry, is that offensive?"
He chuckled at me as he laid his guitar down and sat down beside me, his back legs stretched out on both sides of his arms.
"Not as offensive as you thinking I can't see what's right in front of my eyes. Have you told her how you feel?" He asked again, going in for the deep talk. "I tried to, but every time she looks at me with her beautiful green eyes- it..." I spoke but couldn't explain it properly, I made a motion with my hands, showing a bomb nearing the ground, whistling as it neared my palm and exploded.
"Well, if you did tell her, who knows if she'd even hear ya." Hickory spoke again, adjusting the strings on his guitar.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked again, I had a feeling I knew what he was talking about, and he was probably right as well.
"Well, let's just say, her and her sister aren't the best listeners, when they have sat their minds on something. And there's only one of you in this relationship, who's doing the listening, and it's not her." He explained, which made me think. I didn't answer him as I looked out on the water again.
She tried, actually, but quickly forgot everything that has happened in the last few seconds, when Poppy needed her.
She always ran to Poppy's side, if Poppy asked or not. Maybe that's why she thought I was doubting her and Poppy's intentions and decisions, because she was doubting Poppy too, and would do anything to help.
Hickory was still looking at me, waiting for an answer. "... It's you!-"
"Yeah, I got that, thanks!" I spoke up, as he interrupted my deep thoughts. Crossing my arms over my chest, I turned away from him, this conversation is over.
Both me and Hickory's focus, shifted to Poppy, as she spoke up.
~~~
Juniper POV:
"Uh, guys?" Poppy spoke up nervously as she pointed out on the sky. Out of the fog came a big UFO, Plate looking thing, flying right towards us. Every one of us, got back to our feet, ready to escape. "What in the buttered Biscuits?" Hickory shouted confused as he quickly picked up his guitar, holding it over his head, ready to hit somebody.
I quickly ran down the steps of the platform, me and Poppy stood on, and down beside Branch. I held into his forearm, as he put both his fists up. A big bubble, came down form the UFO, surrounding us on the Raft. We were now trapped.
Small bubbles, appeared inside the big one, they were floating down to us, one by one. Hickory lifted his guitar backwards, but before swinging it, he shoved Branch and I backwards, afraid of hitting one of us.
"I got it!" He yelled and swung the guitar out after the bubble, but instead he hit Branch anyway, sending him flying back.
I couldn't even react, before my grasp left Branch's arm and he went to the floor. Hickory mentally apologised, looking down at Branch, But not a second later, he was on his feet again.
Branch punched out after the bubble, with his closed fist, but it moved. He then jumped up and tried kicking it with his foot, but hit Hickory instead, making him spin a round, and drop his guitar.
More bubbles came from the UFO, as one approached Poppy. She looked it smiling as she reached out to touch it. "Oh?"
"Poppy no!" I shouted to her, she looked down at me, but didn't get time to react or move, before the bubble has surrounded her and flew her up to the UFO. "Poppy!" I cried out, my gaze following her in the bubble. Another one came and took Branch from beside me. I reached out to pop it, but I didn't realise how close I was to the edge of the boat. Before my finger touched the surface of the bubble, Hickory held into me, saving me from falling into the water. "We have to help them!"
Hickory's gaze shifted from the UFO to the distance. "I'm so sorry, Princess Juniper." He apologised. I didn't get to question it, before He made a quick move, and pushed me into the water.
The push made me sink down, but my arms and legs began moving, to get back up to breathe again.
I saw a bubble surrounding Hickory, right as my head stuck out from the water, and I've rubbed the water out of my eyes. It took him and the raft in the direction the others were headed, into the UFO. Leaving me behind.
he pushed me out of the bubble.
Watching them disappear into the UFO, and watching the UFO take off, with my sister, my boyfriend, a friend, which I thought he was. I whimpered a silent sob, as my arms and legs kept moving, to hold me over the surface.
My whimpering quickly stopped, as I heard a sound, the sound of an electric guitar being played.
In the distance, I saw big, flying things with a big mouth sipped up. The mouth opened and inside of it stood a Troll with bright red hair with shaved sides, and dark grey skin. The Rock Tribe.
I screamed, remembering what Hickory and Chaz has told me, they were after me, I had to get to safety.
My arms began moving faster, my legs kicking under me, as I tried to swim away from them. I used all the power I had in me, moving my arms and legs. Diving down into the water, I was hoping they couldn't reach me, or haven't noticed my presence yet. But it was already too late, they have.
They must've dived down beneath me and scooped me up into their ride.
~~~
Falling down to my knees, the water which a second ago surrounding me, was flooding out from the Rock Tribes ride. I coughed, water I've accidentally swallowed, came up as I did.
I turned my head, still holding my fist to my lips, still coughing, as I saw a lot of grey trolls with mullets, piercings, holes in their clothes and a lot of destroyed stuff.
It was such a waste of good material, with all the holes in their clothes.
Every Trolls gaze was on me, mesmerised by my presence, I still don't know what I'm doing here, and why me. If they thought I had the String, this Queen Barb wanted so badly, they were wrong.
I tilted over, sitting down on my butt, as I squeezed water out of my ponytail.
"Why are you looking at me like I'm your bait? What do you want from me, I don't have that string, if that's what you're looking for!" I spoke up in a harsh tone, making the Trolls surrounding me, whisper.
"Hello?!" I spoke again, my voice raspy, as my attempted shout, was hard for my voice, which had swallowed a lot of water.
"Oh no, sweetie, that's not why you're here." A voice spoke. My gaze stared out, in between the crowd of Trolls, one by one, moved, making a path. The Troll I saw when I got taken, came in sight, as she approached me. She must be, this Queen Barb, we have heard so much about...
She leaned down to my height, we became face to face, her breathing mingling with mine, as a cold shiver made its way down my spine.
Her thumb and pointer finger, took a hold on each side of my chin, dragging my head from side to side, scanning her eyes over my features. "Is it really you" She said upon a whisper, but loud enough for me to catch, as our faces were only a few centimetres from each other.
Her gaze shifted to my hair, before she pulled a strand of her own, down in front of her face. I think she compared it.
A sudden courage hit me, as I got out of her grasp on my chin, and crawled backwards. I was afraid.
"Barbara?" Another voice spoke, a deeper one, making Barb turn her gaze away from me, and stood fully up. I took my shot and scurried back to my feet once again, still holding good space between us.
An old Troll rolled out on his wheelchair, his gaze on his daughter, before he noticed me. His eyes went wide, his gaze was compared with sadness and surprise. "Is it really you..." He repeated the same words, Barb whispered.
"What is going on? Why do you keep saying that..." I spoke up, a shaking in my voice was clear, as I crossed my arms over my chest.
Barb pulled out a small piece of paper, from her side pocket, as she reached it out for me to take.
I was hesitant, looking between her and the little piece of paper in her hand. She looked genuine, only wanting me to look at it, and not some trick. My curiosity won the mental fight in my head. I slowly reached out to grab it, but as my fingers touched the corner of it, I was quick to shove it into me, not moving my eyesight away from them.
My gaze shifted down to the paper, folding it open. I saw an old picture, of the old Troll in the wheelchair, but younger. There was a Female Troll on his side, each holding a baby. I scanned the babies as one looked a bit like the Queen, he was probably a retired King of Rock, and the other baby, looked just like me. I pulled another picture out of my hair, of my dad, me and Poppy as babies. I compared the two photos.
The other baby, was me.
I gasped, dropping both Pictures, tears forming in my eyes.
I can't believe it, I am one of "the others!" I'm a Rock Troll?
My legs started to guide me closer, approaching the Troll in the wheelchair, he was my dad, by blood.
He reached up and cupped my cheek, as I got close enough and leaned down to his height, tears now forming in his eyes too.
I leaned away as I turned to Barb, who quickly dragged me into a tight hug. I felt a wave of relief come over me, I know where I come from! But does this mean, I will never see my dad again, I mean my not dad. No, he is my dad.
Barb pulled back from our embrace, as our dad wheeled closer. "Welcome home Willow." He happily spoke, making every Rock Troll surrounding us, cheer and shout.
My thoughts was drowning me, so many questions, worries, and am I Willow?
Do I go by the name Princess Willow of Rock now?
What about Poppy and Branch, are they safe, do I see them again.
What is going on.