Y/N POV:
-You want me to do what? I ask unsure.
-Show is if you got the talent to be a rock troll, Barb explains again.
-But how uh, how do you want me to do that? I ask and hold the guitar in an uncomfortable position.
-Do something. Sing, I don't care. But if you don't show what you go for, then out into the cells you go, Barb taunts and some trolls chuckle.
-No I can play, I try to act tough.
-Then show us, Barb says and sits down in a throne looking chair. Everyone's eyes turn to me.
-Alright then, I play brave and put the guitar in a regular hold. I take a deep breath and play some notes to see what I could play that I know but still sounds rocky...
(Cue bye bye bye, cover by first to Eleven)
I hit the first chords in the guitar, sending a shake through the creature bus.
-Hey, hey. Bye bye bye, bye bye. Bye bye, I start to see if I got their interest... and I do. C'mon Y/N don't blow this now you've come so far.
-I'm doing this tonight
You're probably gonna start a fight
I know this can't be right
Hey baby come on, I feel myself loosing to the rhythm and feel of the guitar and I start to smile for the first time since I got on this bus thing.
-I loved you endlessly
When you weren't there for me
So now it's time to leave and make it alone
I know that I can't take no more
It ain't no lie
I want to see you out that door
Baby bye bye bye, I groove to the beat that someone started playing and I look up from the guitar for once.
-Don't want to be a fool for you
Just another player in your game for two, Barb looks incredibly impressed, which makes me feel great. I got this in the bag!
-You may hate me but it ain't no lie
Baby bye bye bye
Bye bye
Don't really want to make it tough
I just want to tell you that I've had enough
It might sound crazy but it ain't no lie
Baby bye bye bye, I let the chord ring out. It's completely quiet and Barb stands up.
-I don't know what that was... she says and walks towards me.
-But that... was awesome man! She then shouts and people start to cheer. She grabs my hand and lifts it up in the air.
-I think we got us a new rock troll in the bunch! She announces and the trolls cheer louder. As they cheer Barb hits me lightly on the arm.
-I think you and I are gonna be friends, she says and I smile at her. Oh I definitely got this!
Poppy POV:
We're in the boat-raft thing that Hickory built. He had built us a fire and we're cooking food and I went into the back to get more wood fuel for it. I make a funny country accent as I walk towards Hickory and the fire, before Branch stops me.
-Poppy maybe it's just me but aren't you getting a weird vibe from Hickory? He asks me and I furrow my eyebrows.
-Why- I don't know, have you? I ask worriedly.
-I don't I just... I don't trust him, Branch says and looks at Hickory through the binoculars.
-Well yeah, but you don't trust anybody Branch, I say in an obvious tone. At this point my mind begins racing.
-Hey I just want us to be safe. And you know what's not safe? Putting our trust in a complete stranger, Branch says sternly. Was it wrong for me to bring Hickory... No it couldn't be, he saved us, he believes in us... But Branch doesn't feel safe. That's my fault since I brought Hickory along.
-Oh I see... it's not Hickory you don't trust. It's me. Do you not think I'm a good queen? I ask with hurt in my voice.
-Wait what? I didn't say that, Branch says.
-I thought we were friends Branch, I'm starting to think that you don't even know what that means, I explain to him, feeling neglected over the fact that he avoided my question.
-We are friends! And sometimes that means speaking up if I think you're making a mistake, Branch whisper shouts to me. I frown and feel stupid. Why was thing balancing being a queen and having friends so hard...?
Suddenly I hear a sweet melody.
-Do you hear something? I ask.
Y/N POV:
Oh I definitely do not got this... everyone here was so confident and I didn't know a single thing about being a rock troll. I mean they were either playing their instruments or were just chilling, reading a magazine or something. I was just sitting there. I didn't know what rock trolls would do when they're bored. I look to my left of the couch I'm sitting on and see an older rock troll teach a youngling how to play a riff on the guitar. I smile as the child happily follows the older ones steps. Then I look towards the throne of the tour bus. Barb had been sitting there for these past couple of hours with a paper and a pen. Not once did she stand up to get a new paper or go to the toilet even. I was starting to get worried about her as she frowns and grumbles on the page.
And now I know that sounds completely and utterly ridiculous but she was a troll just like anyone else. Not everyone can always have a good day. I walk up to the throne and stand by it. When she doesn't notice me I clear my throat and then she finally looks up at me.
-Hey Uh, whatcha doing? I ask. She looks flustered and crumbles the paper in her hands and throws it away.
-Oh Uh nothing, she says.
-You sure? I ask and sit down on the arm rest of the throne.
-Yep, she insists.
-Well it looked like you were about to fight that paper. I just wanted to make sure you're good, I say, getting more and more used to their slang and way of talking. It was somehow way more relaxed than at home and it was kind of nice to let loose a little. Barb sighs and leans to pick up the paper.
-Ok I've been trying to make a song for the finale of my world tour and I don't even know what my brain is thinking anymore, she says frustrated and tries to flatten out the paper again. She sighs again but harsher and draws a frustrated hand through her hair.
-Can I see it? I ask and reach out for it. She looks suspiciously at my hand and then up at me.
-C'mon, do you want help or not? I ask. She cautiously hands me the paper and on it are leaning lines and they're looking like notes. I begin mumbling them. It was at least a verse of music on this paper. I lean towards her and point to a specific note on the paper.
-Maybe change this to a minor, I say.
-And that up here, I point at another note. She immediately grabs the paper out of my grasp and stares at it in disbelief.
-Hold up, she says and takes her guitar from beside her and starts quietly playing the song for herself, humming some random words. Then she stops and looks at me.
-You're good at this, she says.
-Thanks, I know, I say confidently and grin to her. She grins back and takes out her pen again, changing the notes and adding some at the end and playing.
I stand up to leave and start walking down the small steps before Barb calls out for me. I look back at her.
-Could you please, uh... I mean can you stay here, she asks. I look confused but walk back up to her. The throne was a kind of secluded area. No one could really hear you unless you spoke up.
-Sure... why though? I ask as I sit down on the floor this time. She sheepishly rubs her head.
-You're the first one to actually come and offer me help. To be honest I thought you were going to sabotage me at first, she says and I sneer.
-Why would I do that? I ask.
-I don't know. I don't trust trolls normally but... you know what you're doing and what you want. I respect that, she says and I smile.
-So... I've decided to trust you. It's not like anyone else would just come up here and talk to me. They're too scared of me, she says sadly and her ears point downwards.
-Well I'm not scared of anything, especially not you, I say confidently and Barb let's put an airy "heh" and looks down sheepishly on her guitar.
-Well... wanna help me finish the song? She asks me.
-Wait, you're asking me to help you? I ask surprised.
-Did you just miss everything I just said? She asks.
-No! No, no, no, don't worry I heard it all, I smile.
-Sure I'll help you out. Not that you need it, I say and she gently shoves me, obviously embarrassed.
Did I just... win the trust of the Rock queen?