In The Wild

Chapter Twenty: Trials

Officer Jay never asked for this.

Before the world tour, they were just normal troll with normal family, normal friends, and normal job.

That's what they think, at least. Jay doesn't really remember how their life was before Viva announced the village was going on tour.

But the past was in the past, and now Officer Jay had a high-paying job as second in command to the queen.

Which is why they're at Poppy and Branch's bunker.

Officer Jay was asked to stand guard and make sure Poppy didn't escape. Which they would, of course, do dutifully.

Jay sat by the bunker and began to keep watch. Then something happened that made Jay worry....

Nothing. Nothing happened. Princess Poppy was known for many things, but she was not known for being quiet.

" Weird," Officer Jay said." I thought the princess would still be yelling at me to let her out about know."

" It's probably nothing." Jay said to themself. " No one has the capacity to yell forever."

Jay decided to shrug it off. But could they?

...

They couldn't

" Non no no no." Jay babbled." Something's wrong."

So Jay ended up removing the Boulder, blocking the entrance to the bunker and going inside.

" Princess Poppy?" Jay called out.

They didn't hear anything but wind passing through the bunker.

But they did see something:

Footprints.

The bunker's living room was carpeted, but the rest of the place had dirt floors, which often kept the footprints of who stepped in it.

Out of curiosity, Officer Jay began to follow the footprints, which led them to a series of tunnels, which looked strangely familiar.

" Should I do this?" They asked themself. " Eh, why not?"

Jay followed one of the tunnels, which took them outside.

" Outside?" Jay questioned." How'd I get - waaait."

Then Jay began to piece everything together.

The bunker was quiet because Poppy had left.

" Oh no." They mumbled." This is bad."

. . . .

In order to get Rhonda out of the vines, the trolls would have to think of a plan.

And they came up with one.

Each troll would use their hair to grab on to a stable tree branch and use their momentum to get back onto solid ground.

It took a few tries, but it worked.

Then they resumed their journey, with Bruce in the driver's seat this time.

" Floyd, what's Mount Rageous like?" Poppy asked.

" Well, it's cold," Floyd explained." The residents are mostly concerned with themselves, and they value fame above all else."

" Oh," Poppy said.

" It's also really big." Floyd added." Like Bergen Town but like a million times bigger."

Poppy shuddered at the comparison. She hoped she wouldn't have to burn down Mount Rageous, too.