Next September

Creek's Assistant

"Hey what are you doing up there?" Mallory yelled up at Butterfly who remained completely still.

Skie ears perked at the sound of her British accent, "Mallory?" She stopped cutting a troll's ropes to look at her assistant.

Mallory looked at Skie, "oh...hi Skie. Long time no see?" Her voice became suddenly shaky and jumped an octave or two.

Mallory didn't expect Skie to be untied, or even talk to her. After working with her for so long her tough persona she attempted to display wilted to that of a child's who broke their mothers favorite vase.

"What are you doing here?" She asked slowly approaching the purple troll.

"Funny story about that actually" she chuckled nervously.

"And that story is?" Skie gripping her pocket knife.

Mallory gulped, she didn't want Skie to think any less of her because of this, "I may or may not be" she hesitated.

"May or not what?"

Mallory took a deep breath, "I'm working for Creek"

"WHAT?!" Branch and Butterfly both gasped.

"You're working with Creek" Skie gasped, realizing what had just happened in the past hour or two, "you mugged me! What the hell!"

"Okay, okay, Skie, don't get mad. I don't have anything against you all-" she started, feeling her friend's disapproving stare.

"I'm not mad Mal" she told her, "I'm just...for how long? Since when? Why?" Skie had a lot of questions.

"I..." She looked down at the floor, "I'm not sure. It just happened. I thought I was doing the right thing, but it got too intense.... and now I'm just stuck" she explained, twiddling her thumbs.

"Forget about that!" Butterfly butt in, "you wanna help us or what?".

"What?" Mallory was shocked. They really didn't care she had been working with the obvious enemy?

"Yeah, you don't have to help Creek. If you want to do the right thing then help us do what's right" Skie confirmed.

"Alright"

"You're your own person. It's not like Creek can control you or anything. And once this is all-wait. Did you say yes?"

Mallory smiled, "yeah. I've let this get out of hand" she admitted, "And he didn't even pay me the money he promised so"

"Wait, he offered you money?" Butterfly called down.

"I agreed to help didn't I? The details aren't important" she snapped, "so, what can I do?" She returned to her and Skies conversation.

"We got to set everyone free. Can you help with that?"

"Of course, I'll get started right away-"

"The meds, Skie! Ask about the meds!" Branch shouted.

"I don't think medicine can fix you buddy" Butterfly joked.

"There not mine" Branch was unamused.

"What do you mean?"

•••

Skie followed Mallory, "oh right! Mallory!".

She stopped untying ropes, "Yeah?"

"Poppy said Creek took some medication of hers. Do you have any idea where it could be?"

"Medication? Oh..." she looked at the floor, avoiding eye contact once again.

"Mal?"

"Another funny story" she chuckled, "I...destroyed them"

"WHAT?!" Branch and Butterfly shouted.

"Is that all you two can say?" She shouted back.

"Mallory, What do you mean you destroyed them" Skie grabbed her by the shoulders.

"I got rid of them, crushed them, threw them away"

"You didn't..."

"Oh! But! But, Creek kept a bottle of them"

"Oh well that's just perfect!" Butterfly let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh thank god" Skie was relieved; there was still hope, "Mal, do you know where Creek is now?".

"Yes" she smiled then got a puzzled look, "no...Before he left, he said he was going to take care of Poppy" she put air quotes around the last part, "ya know whatever that means".

Mallory kept talking as the three exchanged worried glances. Whatever Creek was insinuating, it didn't sound good. They needed to get out of there, fast.