Trolls Band Together (feat. Flower and Willow)

Willow's Secret

While not explicitly detailed, this chapter mentions some dark stuff, so... this is your content warning.

Synth found Willow sitting on a mossy boulder with an open book in her lap. He slowly approached the teenage Pop Troll, and noticed the forlorn look in her giant purple eyes.

“Whatcha got there?" he asked, gesturing to the book.

“Book about Rattlecobras," Willow answered. “It includes potions, spells, and enchanted relics. But some of it's in Viperese, only I can read it. Kinda cruel, when you can't count past twenty."

“What's this part about?" Synth wondered, gesturing to a drawing of Troll whose limbs were encased in crystal.

Willow took a deep breath. “That's how the last surviving Rattlecobra planned to steal Troll magic. He created me as a vessel and was going to drain the life force out of all of us with these crystal pillars. They were kinda like Talent Diamonds, but under normal circumstances, not nearly as indestructible."

“And this wasn't normal?"

“It was part of his curse," Willow explained. “He cast a spell so they could only break if my heart did. Even dark magic isn't believed to be foolproof. Though I don't know about Talent Diamonds, though."

“Why? What do those do?" Synth asked.

“They can drain life essence from a talented host and allow a parasite to absorb it for a short while, but it can kill the host if you take too much," Willow revealed. “Like any other diamond, the only thing believed to be strong enough to destroy one is something called a Perfect Family Harmony. Of course, no one's ever been able to reach that high a bar. Many families have tried, but all have failed."

“Well, I hope I'm not trapped in a Diamond," Synth chuckled nervously. “I've never really had a family."

“If it's any consolation, mine's full of jerks," Willow admitted. “They would never do something like that for me. My Grandmummy would've, but not the others."

“Maybe not," Synth said, “but I'm sure Poppy, Dubstep, and Flower would. You guys are tight, yo. If that ain't family, I don't know what is."

Willow briefly smiled at the Techno Troll as she closed the book. She looked in the direction of the party.

“I don't hate you, Synth."

“I'm sorry, what?" Synth said in confusion.

“I said, I don't hate you," Willow repeated.

“You don't?" Synth asked. Willow shook her head. “Then, why do you hardly ever visit me?"

Willow clutched the book to her chest and responded, “You know how Shadow Springs used to be a water park?"

“It may have been brought up a few times."

“Well," Willow began, “when I was nine, I loved coming here more than anything. It was the perfect place to go and escape the drama back home. Plus, it was loads of fun."

“I guess it crushed your soul when it closed down?" Synth interrupted.

Willow sighed. “No, that didn't happen till a couple years later. I accidentally stayed after closing one day, and the park's lifeguard had to tell me that everyone else had gone home. He said I could go back the next day, but before I left... he wanted to show me something in a broom closet. It... sounded weird, but he was nice, so... so..."

Feeling his heart break, Synth tightly clutched his chest as Willow broke down in tears.

“All I wanted was a place where I felt safe..." she sobbed as Synth rubbed smooth circles around her back with his free hand.