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

12. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓢𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰

Poppy POV:
I regret everything, I said to Branch, rather yelled at him. Now he has returned to the village, leaving me here, scraping my knees against the stones underneath them.
Frustration shaking my nerves, my hands shaking against my eyelids, where my palms were placed against my eyeballs. This whole situation was a mess, I'm sat beside a river, on my knees, crying into my palms, and my sister is missing. Branch claimed, she joined the Rock Tribe, joined the enemy, joined Barb, but would she really do that? I don't believe it.
I slowly removed my hands from in front of my eyes, as I looked down into the river, the reflection of myself in the water, disappointed me.
What a bad excuse of a Queen.
I remembered the Pop-string, as I slowly reached up into my hair and pulled it out.
Looking down at the glittery string in my hand, which was one of the reasons this whole thing happened in the first place. I tugged at the ends, making it glow.
I heard footsteps around me, getting louder by each step. They moved in a quick pace. A gasp escaped my lips, realising someone was coming. I quickly shoved the string back in my hair, wiped the regaining tears from my cheeks and stood up, facing whoever was approaching me. It was only Hickory, thank god. I've almost forgot everything about him.
"Poppy, there you are!" Hickory sighed in relief, he sounded like he just ran a marathon, by his loss of air. "Hickory!" I spoke in relief as well, I really needed someone by my side right now. We ran to each other as we embraced in a hug. "It's so good to see you!"
"Where's Branch?" He then asked, as we pulled apart. He wondered around me, his gaze searching for him. "We had a fight, he's gone." I admitted, looking down to the ground. "He's heading back to Pop Village."
"That's a shame. I really liked that guy." Hickory shared my expression. He could see this whole situation was bothering me, as he didn't know what to say.
"I was so desperate to be a good Queen, that I stopped listening to anyone but myself..." I sat down on the ground again, feeling my knees go weak under me. "Including my own sister... And it's all because of this- stupid String!" I pulled the string back out of my hair. Looking angrily down at it, and pulling at the ends lightly, once again, as it made a little sound.
I looked up at Hickory, at first he looked mesmerised by it, but his expression quickly changed into a scared one.
"Poppy, take the string and run as fast as you can, you hear me!" He quickly spoke, which made me stand up in confusion. "What? What are you talking about?" I looked at him in confusion, as my gaze shifted to his behind, as it looked like it protested. "Trust me, just go!"
He was getting pulled backwards, by his own legs. he slapped his behind, trying to make it stop. "Now! Please, just go!" He shouted at me this time.
"Hickory, are you all right?" I asked now getting scared for him, I held a tighter grip on the String as I slowly approached him, but he kept stepping back.
"I'm fine." He spoke, a bit calmer. His hooves in the back started leaning on his two front hooves, trying to get away.
"Hey! Hey now, stop that!" He spoke to it, slapping it again. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. Suddenly two arms made their way out of his pants, ripping two holes on each side, I gasped at the sight. I felt sick, I think I'm going to throw up. His behind suddenly ripped in two!
I screamed, I'm definitely going to throw up.
"Nein! What are you doing, Hickory?!" His butt spoke, it has turned around revealing a small troll, orange beard, I think he was a grown up, not counting his height in.
"Quiet, Dickory!" Hickory spoke at the little Troll, named Dickory.
"What's going on Hickory!" I backed away, holding the string close to my chest. Hickory looked up at me, returning my sad expression.
"I'm- so sorry." His accent has changed, he didn't sound country anymore, he sounded more, German.
"Yeah! Show her who you really are, Hickory!" Dickory spoke, ripping Hickory's clothes, revealing an outfit he had underneath the cowboy outfit. Dickory started dancing and jumping up and down, while singing a melody, he was Yodelling. Which Hickory joined in on.
"Wait, you're the Yodellers?" I spoke. "Yeah! You're dam Skippy, playa-play!" Dickory answered.
"And you were gonna give our String to Barb?" My breath felt heavy in my chest, my palms sweaty, making it hard to hold into the string.
"Ding, ding! Give this Queen a Strudel for the Correct answer!" Dickory jumped around.
"A-and Juniper, did you take her to Barb as well?!" This time, my eyebrows furrowed, my expression staring at them in horror, who knows what Barb wanted with her.
Dickory's gaze looked up at Hickory, who avoided mine.
"And you've been in back the whole time?" I asked my fourth question.
"Next subject please..." Dickory scoffed as he kicked the pants off he was wearing, revealing his smaller Yodeller outfit.
"I was the one who made Juniper disappear, Queen Poppy." Hickory suddenly spoke up, not looking proud of his choice, more ashamed.
"I pushed her in the water, as Barb came to pick her up."
"But why Hickory, Juniper hasn't been anything but sweet to you?" I was taken aback, not understanding a thing. He was the reason my sister was missing, and with the Rock Trolls? Maybe Branch did see Juniper in a Rock Outfit, and wasn't overreacting at all.
"Barb promised the Tribe who brought her Princess Juniper, a whole island only with their Music. It was the only way to save our beautiful Yodelling." Hickory confessed, not realising how horrible it is. "So sorry." He said again, not daring to look in my eyes.
"Hickory!" Dickory spoke with gritted teeth, mad about him apologising. "But trust me, you need to get out of here, right away!" He spoke up again, holding a hand in front of Dickory.
"What are you doing Hickory!" Dickory spoke up, that little Troll has a lot of anger in him. He suddenly jumped at me! He took a hold on the string and started pulling at it. "Nein, Dickory!" Hickory then said as he took a hold on the string as well. I stumbled a little forward as they both started pulling in the string. "Shut your mouth-hole please!" Dickory threatened, still pulling.
"Let go!" I shouted as I pulled at it myself, not letting go with all I had.
"We must save our beautiful Yodelling!" Dickory pulled harder. I felt four hands holding into each arm of mine, which make me loose the hold on my String, and by the pressure, making Dickory roll backwards, with the String in hand.
I looked to my side and saw a Rock Troll, holding into me. I looked on my other side, and another one was holding my other arm.
"I thought I heard a Yodel." Another Troll spoke up, bright red hair, greyish skintone and lots of mascara on. Could that be...
"Queen Barb!" I gasped as I send a mad look her way.
Dickory held out the String for her, as she didn't waste a second, snatching it from him. She pulled at it, making it glow in a beautiful pink colour and making it hum a tune. "The final notes of Pop. It will never invade anyone's Brain again." She twirled the String around her wrist as she said that, not caring about my presence.
I started pulling, making the two Rock Trolls tighten their hold on me. "I'm not gonna let you do this!"
She turned around, looking like she has forgotten all about me, she looked me up and down, before snickering, trying to hold in a laugh.
"This is who I've been worried about? This little Pop-squeak?" She snickered approaching me. "I'll never stop fighting, until I make things right!" She leaned down, resting her hands on her knees, trying to mock me. I stood my ground, looking down at her madly.
She just nodded, pretending to be understanding.
"And I'm not a Pip-squeak!"
"Oh, yeah you are. 'Cause I'm a whole centimeter taller than you!" She stood straight up again, leaning on her tippy toes, to seem taller. She got taken aback as I jumped up and tried kicking her away with my feet. "Leave me alone!"
"Leave you alone? Uh, I'm sorry. You were the one who was all desperate to be best friends." Barb spoke up as she pulled the invitation me and Juniper send to her, out of her pocket. It was all burned and black, she has put it over a candle or something. She then threw it over her shoulder. I saw the little scrapbooked version of juniper as she threw it away, Juniper...
"What did you do to my sister!" I yelled out, wanting some answers. I pulled my arms, kicked my feet, trying to get at Barb, if she has brainwashed my sister- I swear.
"Oh okay, all right, you're feisty. I respect that. Strong woman to strong woman, am I right?" She spoke, trying to change the subject, crossing her arms over her chest, smirking.
"Where. Is. My sister Barb?"
"Your sister?" She said, giving pressure to the word 'your'
"Oh don't you worry, she's safe. I would never hurt family." She snicked as she turned around, starting to walk back to her scooter she has arrived on. "Family?" I half-whispered, confused.
"Oh, haven't you heard? Me and Juniper got separated at birth. We're Twins, Pop-Squeak." She turned to me again. I felt my heart sink down into my stomach, maybe I would never see my own sister again. I mean, half-sister, the girl I grew up with?
"No..." I whispered, loud enough for her to hear.
"Don't worry, I let y'all say your goodbyes, when Rock takes over the world... Sid, Demo, get her out of here."
"Wait no! Let go of me!" I protested, trying to get to Barb. "You know who else was Feisty? Pop Village." Barb finally spoke, making me stop. She smirked back at me, before taking off with Hickory and Dickory. Letting me be captured by the two other Rock Trolls.
~~~
Biggie POV:
after a lots of miles, sweat and tears, and sore feet, I have finally approached an area I could recognise. I must be close.
I started running, with Mr. Dinkles in one arm. I ran as fast as my feet could, I pushed some leaves aside, as I spotted my Village. "Everyone! Everyone, we're back-" I yelled out, until I spotted the Village. Houses has fallen, burning marks were carved on our tress, there was a fire in one of the houses. Rock has been here.
"Oh, no..." I whispered as I looked around, taking it all in.
"Biggie!" A familiar voice spoke.
"Hello, Biggie!" More similar voices. The voices came out of their hiding spots. There was only Guy Diamond, Smidge, Satin, Chenille and Legsly back, everyone else was gone.
"You won't believe it! We were attacked!" Guy spoke up, it wasn't that hard to believe.
"By Barb, and her Barbarians."
"She took everybody to Volcano Rock City. It was scary!" Tiny Diamond spoke up, appearing from his Dad's hair.
"Rock me Daddy." Tiny whined as he jumped down in his dad's arms.
I started walking forward, spotting my own home, and Queen Poppy and Juniper's home. I just left them, out there, all alone.
"Where's Queen Poppy, Biggie?" Satin Spoke.
"And Princess Juniper?" Chenille spoke after her sister.
"Weren't they with you?" Legsly spoke just as confused as them.
"And Branch?" Guy spoke.
They spoke back and forth. "I shouldn't have left them." I whispered sadly, loud enough for them to hear and stop talking. "They wouldn't have left me." I held my hands tightly around Mr. Dinkles for comfort.
"Never. No matter how scared they were!" I realised. I turned to my friends again, facing them. "I've got to go back!"
"We're coming with you Biggie!" Legsly spoke up. "Juniper has always supported my style, and I promised her an anklet."
She reasoned. "We gotta go save our Best Friends!"
They all nodded in agreement, before Smidge spoke up. "But how? We'll never make it past Security."
"We will overpower them, with muscles!" Tiny spoke up, flexing off his arm muscles. Which made Satin and Chenille share a look.
"Or, we could overpower them-" Chenille started.
with fashion!" Satin and Chenille said at the same time.
We all ran to their hut as they picked out some fabric we could use. We all helped as much as we could with buttons and sewing it together. Legsly had on one of the outfits, as I agreed on it. I turned to Satin and Chenille, as I spotted Satin has poked her finger with a needle, making it bleed. I wasn't that good with blood, as I felt dizzy. My knees got weak and I fell backwards.
It will probably take a while, but we were on our way, to save our friends, family and village.
Game is on.