Trolls Fanfiction: Iris

Chapter 24

The female bright brown eyes soon lingered over the strange tunnel entrance she had seen earlier that day. She smiled. "Ah! There it is!" she announced, halting and hearing everyone else stop behind her. "You're non-luxurious temporary home, my friends." She gripped the strap of her bag, holding it tighter against her back and hopping down into the hole, feeling her feet slide against soil and the fresh aroma of stone and water filling her nostrils. She landed with a gentle thump, staring around the dark tunnel. There were a few openings in the ceiling, letting in moonlight and allowing her to see just enough to feel safe while walking.

The other Trolls piled in, their expressions curious as they examined the new place.

"What if it rains?" Chenille asked, eyeing the hole in the ceiling suspiciously.

"Then you're screwed," Pine told her simply, shrugging her shoulders. "It's a hard truth, learn to live with it."

Chenille scoffed in annoyance. "Why are we stuck with her?" she muttered to her twin sister Satin.

"Because if it wasn't for me, you'd be dead," Pine replied, knowing the blue female had tried to keep her voice down but failed.

Chenille rolled her eyes in response. "We could've gotten out on our own somehow," she retorted, but Pine did not reply this time.

She usually would've held up with the rest of the argument but she was feeling a little anxious at Branch's words. Hearing "Can I talk to you?" was not always refreshing. And she wanted to know what he had to say.

"Alright, people, I suggest getting some rest," Pine announced, changing the subject.

Everyone was looking worn down, their hair ruffled and dark circles under their eyes. They clearly had not been sleeping properly. "We have a long day tomorrow," the gray-skinned Troll added. She removed her bag from her shoulders, setting it down in front of her and reaching in, pulling out her handy axe and flickering her gaze over the shiny silver blade. It was stained with dirt and had several scratches, but it was still as dangerous and strong as ever.

Pine looked over and saw everyone settling down for the night. Though she doubted this place was any better than the cage, at least they weren't locked up anymore. Perhaps the soil would provide some kind of softness.

The female scanned her gaze around, seeing Branch and Poppy sitting together and Branch kissing Poppy's face lovingly. He muttered a few words to her before rising to his feet and looking over at Pine, blinking and limping in her direction. She reminded herself to ask him about that.

Pine seated herself, bringing her axe to her chest. She was prepared to keep watch in case Creek were to find them down here. Or Blossom or Iris, she added.

Branch sat down beside her, sighing and shuffling his toes through the dirt. "Pine, I need to ask you something," he told her.

Pine swallowed back a lump of anxiety. She always hated conversations that started out like this. "Y-yes, Branch?" she asked in a low voice. Crap! I didn't ask fast enough. Now I have to face this...

"What happened to you?" he asked worriedly. "What happened to your dark green hair that was streaked red? What happened to your bright red skin? What happened to that dazzling sweetness in your brown eyes? It's gone...and now you look how I once did..." The blue male's voice was heavily laced in sorrow and Pine was painfully aware of how hard he was trying not to cry. "I don't want you to be sad."

Pine turned to her old friend, staring deeply into his azure eyes and taking a shaky deep breath. "Well, I didn't really want to tell you any of this...but...maybe it's necessary." She began swirling her fingers around the handle of her axe, trying to ease her stress and anxiety. "Two years after Iris was born, me and my siblings decided we would go out in the forest...the forest you forbid access to. We were just curious, that's all. And I guess our parents started to worry about us because...because they came l-looking for us." She felt a depressed and painful lump swelling up in her throat, tears heating her eyes like fire. "But we didn't know what was out there. And as soon as our parents reached us, the spiders came. Th-they attacked us...taking my mother first and then my father...and then all three of my siblings." She let her axe fall to the ground, pulling her folded legs closer to her chest and burying her face between her knees, letting the tears just fall and fall, soaking her skin. "And then..." She forced herself to continue. "I left. I left because I had no family left and because you were too caught up in your relationship with Poppy, your duty as King, and having a daughter. I didn't want to disrupt you. So I left this place, my colors fading away until I looked like this, dull and gray."

She felt an arm drape around her shoulders, pulling her against the warmth of another body. She lifted her head, warm droplets streaming down her cheeks as she did so. Branch was staring down at her, his bright blue eyes full of sympathy and worry.

"Pine, I didn't know..." he began. "I'm so sorry I didn't hang out with you as much after we brought happiness back to Bergen Town. I guess I was distracted with Poppy. But you have to understand I was also busy dealing with Creek then." He sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever. I understand why you're upset. I've been a bad friend and I...I'm sorry."

Pine smiled up at him, feeling her spirits suddenly lift. She had always viewed the intelligent blue Troll as her older brother and knew that would never change.

Suddenly, as if by a miracle, a strange red light began flowing through the female's skin, brightening her. The color passed through her body, moving towards her spiky hair and helping it regain its beautiful pine-green color that was streaked with lines of red. She gasped in shock and amazement, her bright brown eyes staring up at Branch. She could see her own joy and surprise reflected in his gaze.

She had been restored. Finally.

This chapter took forever to write liek

Y'allll

I can't wait to type up the ending for this book though. It'll be intense -3-

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