Queen for a Day

Ch.14: Searching for Roxy

About 3 hours after our coronation, I was asked what my first task as Queen would be. Luckily, I already knew the answer.

"Finding my sister...dead or alive..." I replied. I mean, I was the queen, now I could change the rules. Dad wasn't exactly there to stop me anymore.

Sure, dad told me that she was dead, and he had her tattered, blood-stained clothes to prove it, but deep down I had a feeling that she was still alive somewhere. If for some reason, she was still alive, I'd bring her back home, and she could rule by my side as my royal advisor!

And if she was dead...then at least I'd get to have some closure.

So, I gathered up some old maps and started hatching out a plan.

I questioned the trolls that conducted Roxy's search party the week prior, and they said her clothes were found in the forest between Volcano Rock City and Techno Reef, so that's where I was planning to search first.

At the time, it was unclear to me why she'd run towards Techno Reef in the first place. I mean, they lived underwater. Where was she gonna live? On the beach somewhere?

Whatever. It didn't matter, just as long as I found her...

The terrain between kingdoms was dangerous and full of predators, (or so I've been told) so I wanted to be prepared for anything! So, I decided to create something that could blind a predator long enough for us to escape in case we ever encountered one. Smoke bombs!

I designed them myself in less than an hour, and had about two dozen made two hours after that. They were completely harmless...unless you made the mistake of breathing in some of the powder. But the worst that could do was send you into a coughing and sneezing frenzy.

Hopefully we'd never have to use them, but I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. We had our music, which had the ability to scare anything away if we played loud enough.

By the end of the day, everything was set. I had gathered a group of rock trolls (not Slick, Carly, or Harrison, since I no longer trusted them) to accompany me on my journey, and I stood and watched them pack up the angler bus with enough supplies to last us about a week. Everything was going great!

Suddenly, a sharp stabbing pain branched out from the center of my forehead. I held my hand up to my head and groaned.This one seemed to be more painful than the rest. It felt more like a migraine, to be honest.

I walked back inside the castle and sat down on one of the couches in our living room. My head felt like it was going to explode. I closed my eyes, took deep breaths, and waited for the pain to pass.

When it finally did, I stood up and walked back out to the angler bus. I didn't have a second to lose worrying about migraine's and whatnot.

But then I heard someone say, "Nice hair, your Rockness!"

I turned around and raised an eyebrow at the troll, obviously confused. "Huh?"

"Your hair," he said. "Did you wanna change up your style now that you're queen?"

"What are you talking about?" My hair had looked the same since my hatching day. Why would I ever want to change it?...unless someone put something in my hair when I wasn't looking!

I walked into the angler bus and took a look at myself in the bathroom mirror. I stared at my reflection for a very long time. Was I seeing things?

My natural, dark blue hair now contained streaks of purple infused in it. There were only a few, but they sure were noticeable, and they definitely weren't there this morning...

I twirled a single strand of purple hair around my finger and yanked in out of my scalp. Upon closer inspection, it looked dyed. I assumed someone was pulling a prank on me, and had maybe managed to dye my hair when I wasn't looking? That was the only reasonable explanation I could come up with.

"Hmm...interesting..." I mumbled to myself, and then I shrugged it off.

I dropped the piece of hair into the trash can and exited the angler bus.

"Alright Rockers!" I shouted. "Make sure to get a good night's sleep!"

"We leave at dawn."

———

The next morning, just before the sun started to rise, Thrash ushered my team of rock trolls onto the angler bus while I got ready. I wanted to look good!

So, I put on black shorts, my black fishnet tights, a black and purple crop top, and finished it off by adding a black and purple see-through skirt around my waist. It had a skull buckle in the front, and it bounced around a bit when I walked.

I adjusted the spiked choker around my neck, then made my way down to the angler bus.

Before I could get on board, I felt Thrash grab my hand. "Stay safe, okay Kat?" he asked. Both him and Barb would be staying home while I looked for Roxy.

I smiled and kissed him on the forehead. "I will, sweetie! Don't worry about me! I'll be fine."

He gave me a soft smile as Barb climbed up into his lap and jumped into my arms. "Have fun, Mom! Bring me back something weird!" she told me.

I chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll try my best, you little gremlin," I responded. She gave me a quick hug before I set her back down on the ground.

"See ya later!" I told both of them. I took one, good look at them, then I walked onto the angler bus and shut the door.

Then we took off.

"Any song requests, your Rockness?" one of the trolls asked me. "What mood are you in today?"

I tapped my finger on my mouth before coming up with my answer. "I'm in a Guns N' Roses kind of mood!"

I could hardly contain my excitement! I picked up my guitar, cranked up the volume, and began to play. I can even remember what song it was, too.

I sang out:

Welcome to the Jungle
We've got fun and games
We got everything you want honey
We know the names

We are the people that can find
Whatever you may need
If you got the money, honey we got your disease

As we got closer and closer to the reef, I could see a figure facing us near the edge of the water. I hardly recognized her at first without all of the heavy makeup and stuff but the technicolor hair gave her identity away.

Jeez...it had been so long since I'd seen her with hair like that.

Jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your shun n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n
knees, knees

Down in the jungle, welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your
It's gonna bring you down, huh

As the angler bus skidded to a stop on the beach, I couldn't help but jump up and down happily. She wasn't dead!

Finally...after seven years...

I found you, Roxanne!