Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A grand looming figure lingered against the horizon, dusted in the setting sun’s final glowing rays. Standing proud and tall, quite literally. A creature who tripled in size from his lust for power and his ego to keep it. Standing in the midst of a war, a general and tyrant, a troll. His greyed pink eyes, clouded in white power, watched the dirt below his feet. Looking over his servants trustfully. The pop trolls had claimed as much as they could, and yet Rome still wanted more.
He was aware of a coming attack, that was obvious. Who wouldn’t want to bring him down now that he was at the top. Now that he was number one. With all 6 strings in his harp, each glowing a hideous shade of vibrant pink framed by a faded light. Rome’s finger gently glazed across the top of each string, a familiar melody drifted to his down turned ears. His body twitched over and over. Paranoid he was, he knew they were coming, gosh be darned if he wasn’t going to put an end to this.
~

Hidden beneath a canopy of lush tree leaves, far from the center of the battle field, 5 trolls crouched in a tiny clearing. Battered and bruised were they, as their weary frames heaved from the endless fighting.
The teal scaled techno troll stuck her hand out, casting a line in the dirt. The others watched her intently as she described the upcoming plan. Her voice, like all of theirs, was strained and sore. Her fins wanted nothing more than to droop and rest, but there wasn’t the time. “We head in from the northern western side, he’ll be watching the east and south, so with my distraction, you’ll have a chance to grab your strings if you run fast enough.” -She described and drew the battle plan before them- “When I give the signal, you all rush him and get the strings. From then on, follow the original plan. Get your tribes and don’t stop running.”
She flicked her golden tripped tail fins anxiously, lifting herself off the ground, floating as if still in water. Her eyes darted from face to face, watching their shifting expressions tentatively. The orange haired country trolls sighed, running a hand through his matted hair, scratching the spot behind his ear that always itched when his mind was in the rings. The golden classical troll balled her hands together, tightened her eyes, as her ears pressed to her face. The neon purple funk troll bit her lip, eyes locking with the techno troll. While the red rock troll leant against the country trolls, doing everything in his power not to dig his claws into the centaurish troll.
The funk troll, Queen Athena Solar Summer, cleared her throat, raising her head and holding back the quivers that rung deep within her bones. “I don’t know Siren. This…this cannot be the only way-“
“Wha’ bett’r plan do ya have Summ’r?” Bucky cut in, the country troll rose to his hooves, legs twitching nervously. “Because we’ve exceeded every odder chance, every weapon, every plan, everythang has failed” -he punctuated each word with a fist to his open palm, clopping around the circle, rage burning behind his dusty sage eyes – “This is the best gosh darn chance we ‘ave” He clenched his jaw tightly. Keys nodded, flittering down to the ground to walk towards the crudely drawn plan.
“I agree, and to add, we don’t go looking for each other” This sent discourse between the group. Puck leapt to his feet, rushing to stand in front of the classical troll, with his hands braced forward. “Woah woah woah! What do you mean ‘ don’t go looking for each other?!” He exclaimed loudly, Solar Summer stood and padded up behind the rock troll. Nodding.
“Mhm. What Puck said, how do we know each other is safe, or that we are all alive!” The funk troll stood beside Puck, opposing Keys and Bucky. The latter stood side eyeing the former, glaring at them with a stare that screamed ‘seriously?’.
“Don’t give us that look Bucky!” Puck stomped his foot “How do I rest assured that my best friends are somewhere is this ungodly world, with no way to get in contact”
“I dunno know Puckers, we ‘avta make do”
“No we don’t have to make do! We have to stay and fight!”
“We have nothing and no one to fight, to use what trolls are left Is a death sentence”
“No, because we’d win! Once our connection to our strings our reestablished, we can use their pow-“
“ENOUGH!” The four stopped their back and forth and snapped their eyes towards the techno troll, who had her head hung low, and fist’s tightly clenched. She let out a deep sigh she had holding in, releasing the tension from her body.
“I know…that we should fight. But we cannot risk anymore life than has already been lost Athena.” She looked at them with a miserable face. “And… when we’ve all escaped safely, I come looking for you all, alright? When I know it will be safe for us again. I will find all of you, no matter how far away you are” A warm smile spread her cheeks as she closed in the gap between her group, hands grabbing for Keys and Pucks.
“All I know, is that if we are all together right now, we could risk getting found, and all the strings getting found again. We cannot risk that, not now, not ever
The 5 of them shared worried glances, before Puck spoke up. “If your distracting Rome, who’s getting to Techno string?” Siren’s smile faltered momentarily. Then snapped back to a soft warm grin. “I have a friend who’s going to get it” She looked out to the south, where far beyond the tree’s and land was the ocean.
“And y’er egg?” Bucky cut through the silence with a question that even stumped Siren. Her breath visibly hitched in her throat, tightening her grip.
“Hopefully, well and alive with what’s left of my tribe” Her eyes fell on her tails fins, weightlessly drifting below her. She sighed and looked to her friends. Each held a grim look of fear and confidence. They were too young for this, for war. To know you could die at any second was reality, but in the midst of war, that fear is all you think of. The weight of the world rested on their exhausted shoulders, and they were expected to give more. So more they would provide.
GrGrGrGrGr!!
The ground rumbled violently below their feet. The earth crumbled and cried, then split. Pools of lava swam deep below the crust and threatened to burn them. Well all but the Rock troll, but even Puck seemed off put by the river of molten magma that ran below them.
“This is risking everything” Puck muttered under his breath, as he and Solar Summer held themselves over one side of the earths tear, Keys and Bucky on the other. Siren was hovering over the crack.
“I don’t like that warning…” Keys groaned loudly, flittering up to push Siren away from where she hovered above the crack. “I very much don’t like that sign, bad omens, bad omens…” She muttered to herself as she patted Siren down.
“We should go” Bucky bluntly stated, kicking a small pebble into the magma and watching it be dissolved. “Before this-“ He motioned towards the crack created from an earthquake”- gets worse”
They all nodded, then left their spot in the trees. Siren drifted upwards towards the sky, where her distraction would take place, but was stopped when a paw grabbed her tail fin and yanked her into a tight hug. Solar Summer, held her with trembling arms, her chin pressed to Sirens head. Siren pressed her ear to Athena’s heart, listening to the familiar drum beat of her chest. Solar Summer pressed a tender kiss to the techno trolls forehead. “Come find me the moment it’s safe”
Siren pulled away and nodded, before racing through and above the canopy.
With driven reason, Solar begun racing forward to her designated spot, she ran by Bucky, who raced like he was herding lost sheep, that’s when she caught glimpse of Puck’s denim jacket on Bucky and she knew her suspicious had been confirmed.
“Oh is that jacket new?” She screamed as she ran side by side to him, watching red blush spread across his face, ear to ear. He cleared his throat, and looked away.
“Why yes it is! Kind of y’u ta no’d’ice!” Solar Summer chuckled, Bucky saluted her then made a quick turn back into the treeline, waiting for the signal. Solar Summer kept running, where she quickly caught up to Puck, who was running on all fours, launching himself forward with his long claws.
She saw Bucky’s coat on Puck and snorted, it was far too big for him. She raced up beside him, the two shared a quick, knowing glance.
“I’ll see you when this is over sis” He yelled over the wind. “Catch you on the flip side brotha” She made her turn, diving into her bushes while Puck kept running. They had planned spots. Opposite to where their tribes were, so they would run forward, grab their strings and keep going in that general straight direction. Solar Summer’s mind drew back to the past, she remembered to broken path she had led her trolls down. Westbound, past the marsh and fog, there was a glittering oasis. Hot and wet plains. Like a savanna.

Fwish- POP!!

A twirling spark and blue and red light swirled into the sky and exploded. The signal. Solar Summer began her second bolting for the hour, absolutely booking to towards the tall looming figure. She caught sight of those lifeless eyes, greyed with jealously. Every aspect of Rome, the Rome she knew,. Was gone. Changed. Once vibrant pink and blue coat, now closer to muck. A happy, optimistic troll, now watching on as the life of trolls wore out. She glared at the silhouette of the villainous troll, and something horrid sparked within her again. Thoughts so vile even she was shocked that a troll could think them. She felt rage, wanting revenge for those who had lost their lives to his malicious nature.
Another firework went off with a deafening bang, gaining the attention of the pop foot soldiers who raced to where Siren hovered thousands of feet above them. Solar Summer ignored them, and beelined for Rome. Paws pounding against gravely earth, letting her legs throw her into a climb. Scaling the tall troll with little effort.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM
She whipped her attention to the following explosions, that we’re nothing like fireworks. They were bombs, real ones. The fire flares, lights she had seen as distractions to lure to pop trolls away so the others could slip behind safely. It was a ruse to the pop trolls, more so than Solar Summer realized. Siren had gathered them together, only to send in a bomb. It made her heart sink, there was truly no more rules of war. If Siren of all trolls. Loving, forgiving Siren. Would group trolls together to bomb them, then shit was truly going to go down.
She clambered to rest of the way up, dragging herself up and over the edge of Rome’s pearly white harp. Shocked that Rome didn’t feel anything, but then again, a numb emotionless cretin like himself would be focusing on nothing but Siren. Who stood opposing them. The funk troll followed Rome’s eyes and watched Siren. She was unmoving, uncaring. With a glare unlike anything she had seen yet. Siren looked so furious, so serious. So powerful.
A melody played through her ears, funk. Her attention snapped back to the harp. Three string were gone. Techno, Country and Classical. Solar Summer dropped close to her string. It squirmed within its prison of pop, writhing in fury, just like she was. The string violently tried to lash out of the harp, twitching. It sung through its cloaked aura. It sung of soulful melodies and unspoken words. Hastily, the purple funk troll yanked it free, holding it close to her. Her string, the extension of her music. Music was her true form, and the string kept the magic of music safe.
Solar Summer than leapt from the height and used Rome to catch her fall. She dropped to her paws then begun her scramble again. Not stopping for the slightest scream. Not when the lights of the bombs wore black, not even when a cold prick slithered down her neck and most her body jittered. She stole one last glace toward Siren and Solar Summer knew she could trust her friends judgement. She had survived this far, this long, and soon they would all be together again.
She broke the treeline again. Dodging branches, leaping logs. Contorting through the thickets, dragging her large frame through the forest. The thick marsh weighed her down, dragging her thick coat down into the mud as she scrambled to break free. Using every fiber of her being to keep running. She could even see the few specks of torch light far in the distant. It made her heart leap from her chest as she dug her paws into the soggy earth and trudge herself up.

Then a light, a sun in the night went off. Just behind the tree line.

BOOM!!

Light, pure light, with the screams of every melody to exist rung round her. A blast of light caught her and shot her like a rag doll across the way. She felt music encompass her in a tight hold, whispering the songs of the lost into her soul. Blinding her eyes with colours and light. Her legs felt like jelly, her mind stuck in a dream like state. Relishing in the familiar feeling of home. For a split seconded she wondered if her friends were stuck in this trance too, or if she was on her own in this white void. She lost consciousness mere seconded after the thought as the blast ricocheted her forward. Cutting down the trees the blocked her way.

She landed far on the other side of the woods, where the dirt shifted to sand. And the night air was crisp of wet. Found by 3 stragglers of her tribe. They grabbed the injured, unconscious leader and screamed for help. Dragging her slack form through the grainy sand.
~
Siren darted through the forest foliage, cursing as her scales nicked on sharp twigs. Her fins struck against the cumbersome gale of air, it thrashed her hair about as she whizzed through the air currents. Weaving her malleable form through twists in turns. Making sure a heavy blast of wind wouldn’t knock her back to the ground. She made her way across the playing field, eyeing the scenes below. 500 feet across from her stood her friend, her brother in arms. Rome, in possession of all the strings. He had grown to the size of a Ballowserpent. Towering stature. She was more of a mere ant compared to his size. His eyes were hazy, murky water once crisp sky blue. His glare stuck in a permanent grimace, paranoid eyes locked on her.
He seemed also proud of himself, for what he had done. For the dead that lay at his feet. His foot soldiers, the corrupt pop trolls, the ones that followed his lead, seemed equally rejoiced at their win. She watched as a few of them celebrated, walking over the trolls that had long since passed. Soldiers, parents, even children who had gotten tangled in this mess. Siren had already vomited countless times from the sight of these death, she couldn’t allow for that again.
Siren halted in her place, slightly above Rome eyeing him done across the way. It made Siren’s blood boil, the anger that resided deep with in her festered. It brimmed to the surface and Siren swears she could hear wails bang around her head.
She reached for a spot in her mind, then reached for her heart. The heart illuminated in bright white light and Siren plunged her arm in, then dragged out several sparks off fiery mass. She begun tossing them in the air as the fireworks went off. To follow came the drizzle of trinkling lights. This gained the pop trolls attention as the flocked below her to catch a glimpse at whatever it wa-

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
She didn’t dare look at the trolls as the screams filled the valley. Beaming sparks of blue and red popped below. A shiver of horror and terror rose through her form, chilling her core with misery and regret. Rome paid little attention as the pop trolls perished in one fail swoop.
The pink light that illuminated his face died out one by one, until the pink was so faint it almost was comical. Siren flickered her eyes to gaze into the forest surrounding. Watching as the final tiny red dot darted to the rocky shores of the south.

It took everything in Siren. To feel, to breath. Her thought jumbled and uneven, forced to clear and flatten. Her mind thrummed like an endless beating drum. Thrashing as she dove into her power. Her mind clasped onto every power, every song to ever cross her mind. Every fiber of her being latched onto these memories, to these thoughts. This power that rumbled deep within her, primitive, endless. Power that lingered even before the word existed. Siren’s heart tore open, as she plunged her hands deep within her core. Her rainbow banded arms lighting up, almost as if charging a battery up. The core was warm and wet, solid and liquid at the same time. Dripping off her fingers all the while retaining a changeable form.
Music.
Her mind started to pang in pain as her gut twisted and churned. Flashes of rainbow light flickered violently in her hands, crackling like a fire. Every wisp of smoke had something to say, to sing about. Her lips quivered as the light flashed scenes into her mind, her arms moving upwards on their own.
It was painful to hold, a molten core, she dragged it up and out. Her eyes clasped shut, body aching as she separated her very being. She held the spinning light in her burning palms. The pain of staring into it was unbearable, yet Siren couldn’t tear her eyes from the familiar tingling sensation. Inside the light there was so much life, so much to know, so much to come.
Rome drew his arms back, ready to defend. But in an instant his pupils shrunk as fear churned through his being. He had nothing, only one string. Siren took his lowered guard and raised the ball of flaming light above her head. With face washed with broken steams of tears, she threw her arms down, aiming the blast for Rome.
Rome let out a shrill cry as the light engulphed his form, burning away his body. It took mere moments for the giant to fall to dust.
It was over. Tears burned her eyes as she gazed at the fallen troll, disintegrating away.
It was-
No.
The light didn’t stop, it only grew. Where Rome once stood came a growing ball of light. The beam from her arm slowly crawled up her arms.
“Oh”
She mumbled, her heart beat slowing.
“I guess this is it?”
Her light took her next, removing her physical form from existence.
To come was light closing in on itself and causing an explosion so big, it left a crater in the earth. It sent any living creature thousands of miles forward from the shockwave.

~
Oh so goes to the tale of the 6 ancestors. Friends, trusting each other with their life. Enemies, glaring at one with various broken expressions. Separated, lost. Yet still waiting.

Chapter Text

For peace to befall all tribes was like wishing on a star. Wish all you like, but nothing will change unless you do something yourself. It would take months, years, to ever bring perfect harmony to the isolated tribes, but being civil was as close as they were going to get. Trolls could respect that music was large, that it was so different. But it took as much energy to respect it to appreciate it, still, lots of trolls continued to resent other species. Some rock still scoffed at the idea of pop, while classical trolls could barely stand having the aggressiveness of the rock trolls. Trolls were vastly different and to accept that was going to take time.

Months had passed since the drastic events of the proclaimed ‘world tour’. The mere thought of the dark time sent shivers up a troll's spine. Many didn’t make it out unscathed. Some never made it out. The rock trolls had been distributed amongst the many tribes for repairs. Some were sent to Lonesome flats, but we’re driven out by locals who huffed and bucked at their attempted help. Before being told off by Delta Dawn, who invited the rock trolls back in. Needless to say, that the rock trolls were far from welcomed.

The ones sent to funk were greeted kindly, but were often met with side glares, or children fussing by them. The funk UFO near crashed when the plug was pulled. Some funk trolls say that they felt their life leave them before they felt the drop. Some say the feeling of you stomach hitting your throat was worse than the dizzy spell that came after a long night of partying. Though the ship was quickly saved and landed by the backup power, there was quite a lot of internal damage.

A large majority of them were sent to the rocky range of the classical mountains, what some would say the worst done damage of the troll's species. Toppled buildings, burnt forests. Some of the dead still laid where they first fell. Many were still missing. It was the worst tragedy the trolls had seen.

Of course, not many had seen what happened underwater. Nor could they get under there for too long. 

Below the murky depth of shallow wading pools, beyond the cusp of the kelp forest to coral reef. Lay a dormant kingdom of greens and golds. Brushed with murky blues, pinks and yellows, with red holes blown out of houses and buildings. Homes left forever empty; the family who once lived there would never re-enter. That fact was drilled in by any who passed and saw the lost families' possessions, still in place from where they last were. Head kelp from young girls, or the family portrait. Showing bright, haunting, neon smiles.

Every other day a funeral rocked their worlds, a new body found drifting by a current. A child now orphan, wife now widow. The daily loss was encompassing, it was heart breaking. They felt the current of their lives beat against them, eroding them away with every passing moment. Surface trolls felt the same pain, but in comparison to the techno trolls trials and tribulation, nothing could come close.

The techno kingdom fell silent after the invasion. Music hadn’t even stirred the sand. Lights were dim, the usual rave spots were barren. Crowds consisted of the living bidding the dead farewell. Watching as the body was taken toward the undertow, and placed within. Taking the dead beyond the ocean ridges towards the sun.

Techno trolls were no strangers to mass loss. Last era, many clutches of eggs were lost to stomper fish. During the Greenwave era, lots succumb to a plague. It seemed every few eras, a new illness or creature would find a way to reduce their numbers. That just came with the dangers of living underwater. But the death toll and trauma that came from World Tour could not compare. This was nearly as bad as the Galantis era, when ¾ of the population was murdered off in one fell swoop. But back then, their near extinction was caused by pop trolls. Now it was caused by rock trolls.

Dusk had fallen upon Techno reef. As it had been for the last few months, not a single sound stirred the area. No bustling coral ways, full of eccentric guppies dragging their eager parents. No loving, upbeat melodies to jump your heart out to. No music to decorate the vibrant kingdom, just silence. Black enclosing silence, in a sense that made the whole ordeal twice as eerie. As if everyone had perished that day and all that was left was the relics of their lives.

Maybe that’s why King Trollex was feeling grey. Within his quarters of the LED palace, Trollex lay unmoving by the arching window. One of the few times he managed to drag himself to his room since he returned home. Day after day he was with the search parties. Leading the efforts to rehabilitate the injured, find the missing, and lay rest to the passed. His eyes were aching, his limbs weak. His tail fins were giving up on him and all he wanted was to curl in on himself. But his thoughts were too fast, bouncing around his head in endless churning motions. The very feeling made his stomach quelch, the migraine that clawed at his skull pounded ruthlessly.

He hadn’t the time to fix his appearance, and one glance at the mirror across the room made him feel disgusting. His hair knotted, sand and mud stuck to him, grinding beneath his scales. His chubby face was drooping and tired. Dark rings circled his eyes. An hour ago he had just returned from his last party, the final search came back with only a few strands of hair and a single body that found its way to the coast. Then his little sister sent him back to the castle. Bliss Marina promised she would take over for her older brother, saying she couldn’t bare see him wear himself dry anymore.

So here Trollex was, trying to let his fins droop and rest, but his mind refused for him to do so. He was still scared, the memories of being stuck in the bus plagued his thoughts. Being in the volcano. His scales, though having a great ability to stay moist on land, dried so fast he felt grimy. The bashing music, the pain that coursed through his veins. The fear and terror of being kidnapped. The imagery played on repeat, like a screen showing his worst memories.

Trollex slumped into the sea sponge chair, exhausted and hurting. ‘This is life’ he tried convincing himself. ‘it gets worse before better’ he thought, bringing his rainbow banded arm the rub his temple.

“Trollex?” TBDB, beat. Muttered, entering his the kings room. Swishing his micro fins and swimming to the blue techno troll. Landing on his shoulder. “Yo dude, you looks dead man. Have ya tried nigh nighing yet?” The green fish asked, getting close to Trollex’s face with a curious yet concerned look. TBDB’s voice was heavy in electronic tones, and with the fish so close to Trollex, he could hear the vibration bellowing within the fishes throat. Like a purr.

The king, with hazy eyes, shook his head. How could he sleep? Knowing his kingdom was beyond hurting. Knowing that so many lost their lives, families, friends. But he lost people too? How many friends did he loose. Jac-E, Swazy, Dobb.

Trollex’s threw his hand to his chest, heart pounding heavily. His throat tightened and his heart ached. Pained at the sudden memories of those who he held dear to him.

“Trollex? Tr-lex. Lexy?” Beat’s voice wavered in and out of sound as Trollex heaved forward. The blue techno troll quivered, every fiber of his being shivering violently as his claws dug into the window sill. Breathing ragged and dry. Tears threatened to break the surface again.

“I should of done so-something” He quivered out, heavy in electronic, computer sounds. “I-I sh-should- of.” He sucked in a breath, trying to even his breathing. “Siren’s name, I should of fought back!” He wept, falling to the ground as he dragged beat down with him. Trollex puddled onto the sandstone, sobbing.

“If I had done something, my friends- my people! Beat how could I of not do-“

“Trollex stop it!” Beat snapped, gaining Trollex’s attention. Beat’s face was crinkled up, tightening his expression. The techno troll watched with cloudy eyes, tears running down his cheeks. Beat’s faced softened as the fish swam closer to the troll, nudging the young king’s cheek. Resting by him while Trollex’s arms snaked up to hold his friend.

“It’s not your fault Lexy…” Beat sighed, looking towards Trollex was saddened eyes. “We…you cannot be responsible for what happened that day man. That rock troll is responsible.” “But I should of fought back Beat! I shouldn’t of given up so easily! Maybe If I did we could of-“ “Could of what Lexy? If you choose to fight, how many more would of died. We lost enough by not fighting, imagine what a battle would look like?”

Beat floated backwards, using his big fin to turn Trollex’s face so that the troll was looking at the fish. They locked eyes momentarily before Trollex looked back down in shame. “Lexy… your strong. Your powerful, heck. I know you could of taken those rock trolls on. But fighting back would cause risk’s even you wouldn’t dare take. Imagine what could of happened to Synth, Bliss?”

That stuck something within Trollex. A deep familiar cord stummed painfully, tugging his heartstrings in a painful manner. The feeling played something in Trollex’s heart, a dread he’d been having for weeks, but worse. Like he was cursed, like misery followed him. It made Trollex crash forward into the wall and stay that way. He was so miserable; light was sucked out of him.

The door to his room slammed open again, Trollex lurched up with a loud groan. “Yes?!” He heaved, tugging himself up. His eyes darted across the room where Synth stood there wide eyed. Trollex cleared his throat and looked towards his little brother, forcing a soft smile onto his face. Making his way to his youngest sibling. Synth edged into Trollex’s room, brushing his webbed claws over the old, unused keyboard by the door.

“Hey Lexy” Synth smiles, his fins flapping as he grinned at his older brother, wrapping his purple arms around the older, pressing his ear fins to Trollex’s heart. Listening to the soft, rhythmic beating.

“Sup little synthesizer” Trollex chuckled, tightening his grip around the small purple troll. Trollex pulled away, but Synth refused to let go. The older brother frowned, he could feel the soft sobs Synth was holding back. “Shh Shh” Trollex soothed, running his hands through Synth’s hair. Synth’s friend had been found today, the body washed up on shore. The young troll had been so hopeful that his friend, Trance. Had been apart of the few that survived, alas, he was not. Bliss must of told Synth, which sent the youngest running back to the castle.

“It’s okay synny. You’ll be okay” Synth held onto Trollex in a dead tight grip, tail fins unconsciously wrapping around Trollex’s middle, trying to get as trolly possibly close to his older brother. No matter how sad Trollex had been, he had to be here for his siblings, for his people. They needed a leader, and ancestors, he had made it this far he wasn’t giving up now.

Synth pulled away, rubbing the tears from his eyes. “Sorry” He mumbled, playing with his bracelets. Well, Trollex’s really, but Synth had been wearing them when world tour begun, and never took them off. There were 6 bands in total. With colours that matched the rainbow markings up Trollex’s arm, as well as the strings. Purple, orange, red, pink, yellow, green.

“Don’t be” Trollex sighed, rubbing his hand on Synths arm. “It’s okay…to feel sad. I know you and Trance we’re close”

Synth nodded, eyes drawing out the window. Gazing at the deep blue nothingness beyond their kingdom. “Thanks Lexy…” Synth trailed off, stuck in deep remorseful thought “Oh!” Synth snapped up, ears perking again. He grabbed Trollex’s arm and led him a few inches to the door. “Theres some water weaks here!” Trollex’s eye brow creased and Synth chuckled nervously. “I-I mean surface trolls. Sorry” Trollex nodded, giving a glance to TBDB, who sat idly by the window. “Give me five Synny, I need to sprucen up” Synth nodded, before swimming away.

Trollex closed the door behind Synth, then slumped on the coral door. He let the new tension in his shoulders slump as he pressed his palms to his forehead.

“You think you can go out there? Your exhausted, both emotionally and physically.” Beat scoffed, annoyance laced in his tone. Trollex ignored Beat, turning to the mirror and grabbing an coral-bone comb. Trollex fixed his appearance, brushing up on his hair, and rubbing his tired eyes. Appearance may not be the most important, but it was proper of him as a king to not look like a dried out tuna every day.

Trollex swam out the open halls, closing his eyes as he passed the large explosion holes in the castle walls. Eyes tracing over the cracked pillars and shattered foundation. The upper west wing had been closed off, on account of the damage received to the left side of the building. The right had just made it past safety inspections. Good coral infrastructure always made it safe. The blue techno troll made it to the front of the castle, just before the wide spiral downstairs. He gazed out the open windows, eyeing his kingdom. Remorse and regret stiffened his emotions. Brass feeling filled his being. His eyes traced the several layers of city. The inner rave circle, the beating heart of Techno reef. The agricultural unit the encased the whole of the rave circle. Then the housing units out on the outer ring. So much was lost, Trollex remembered playing all throughout this reef as a guppy. Swimming through the kelp weed forest, adventuring far out beyond the reef. The reef was ruined now. No matter what they tried to do, the reef wouldn’t return anytime soon. That’s what chilled Trollex, he had never thought of moving reefs. Heck, their tribe hadn’t changed reefs since the mid Viber-fiber era. When reef 25 had crumbled into the abyss from an earthquake. This reef, Trollex’s home, had been the best reef in forever. To leave it now would feel like betraying everything he was, everything he knew.

Mmmmmrrrrrrrrrrrr

A red slumper bus fish slunk into view, it was close to the castle entrance, there in front of it stood a group of Rock trolls, leading the efforts was none other than Queen Barb. Trollex’s limbs stiffened, and he nearly curled in on himself. Better or worse, Barb had struck fear into Trollex like no other troll could. Cautiously, but with haste, he swam down to the ground level of the castle and exited the doors.

Synth stood by Bliss. Both stood with their heads turned up, prim and proper like their father had taught them. Bliss had a slight scowl on her face, eyeing down the rock trolls distastefully. Whist Synth looked down to his fins, finding the moving sand far more entertaining as the silence stretched on. Only once Trollex emerged from the castle did anyone seam to move or speak. Synth and Bliss made quick pace to move behind their brother, the king. Whist some rock trolls bowed their heads out of respect. Queen Barb gave an awkward smile.

“King Trollex, the rock trolls are here for an audience with you” Bliss spoke, holding back the acid that was so obviously on her tongue. Trollex nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. Techno trolls were chill and laid-back by default. But an angry Techno troll was a dangerous one. He had seen it before, his little sister held so much rage with within her small pink form. Sometimes he wondered how it hadn’t gotten her hurt.

“Thank you, you two are dismissed” Synth gave a nervous nod as the two shuffled back into the castle. Trollex watched from the corner of his eye as he saw Synth’s purple nose poke back round the door frame. The king cleared his throat, and nodded towards the rock trolls.

“Sup King Trollex, how…how you doing dude?” Barb was beyond nervous. It was the first time the rock trolls had returned since world tour, and it was clear by the blank stares, the angry glares and the scared guppies that there was a lot to get through. The Rock trolls had bubbles around their heads, being out of the safety of the air tight Slumper bus fish meant they couldn’t breath without a bubble. Usually provided by a techno troll, which proved to be the best way. If not, an artificial one was good enough. But by the shape of the bubble, either Synth or Marina blew it for them.

Barb stepped up further on the slanted entrance. Holding her hands near her chest awkwardly. “We’re good, getting there” Trollex responded, a blank expression on his face. He had not the time or mood to deal with antics. But if what he was hearing was true, Barb was coming to send help. Trollex turned his chin up, holding himself was a grace and power.

“That’s good, that’s good. Well I think you’ve heard but I’m sending rock trolls to help fix what we did” Barb took a deep sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. “I know nothing we do will fix it, but…we’re doing whatever we can do make the process easier.” Trollex’s expression softened, so did Barb’s. Trollex looked behind her to see what other trolls we’re with her. There was Riff, he knew the troll. He was one of the very few rock trolls that were genuinely nice. Surprisingly enough. There were other ones he couldn’t recognize. But each held and awkward, nervous aura.

“We appreciate what you are trying to do. We have a lot that need’s fixing.” Trollex bekonded to the vast, unending stretch of the techno tribe. Barb nodded. “What can we do?”

Trollex led the Rock trolls through the aftermath of their destruction. Allowing them to gaze upon the misery they caused. They shifted through the backstreets and the less used ways, avoiding the crowds. Trollex let the horror of their actions settle in, sure they had seen across all the tribes. Who cares if they were at their limit, that they couldn’t bare to see another wreck. They needed it to be drilled into them, they needed to see the damage in their minds even when they were asleep.

Dark thoughts crept into Trollex’s mind. Vengeance crossed his mind more than once. He relished in the discomfort and disgusted looks the rock trolls had on their faces. The growing feeling of regret that twinged behind their eyes. They were feeling barely a scratch of how he felt, but at least they were exposed. At least it proved they could feel anything.

Barb seemed to be the most discomforted by this prolonged exposure, digging her claws into her arm, looking away every time they came close to a blown out building. Trollex even grabbed a photo frame from a wreckage and not so aggressively shoved it into her hands. Watching her face contort into shock, to misery as she looked at the photo of a guppy and her father. Long since deceased due to the errors of her ways.

“You want to help?” Trollex stated bluntly, not sparing the rock trolls another glance. “Get rid of any idea you were even here. The fact that trolls are still exposed to your damage is making the healing process a lot harder…it keeps reminding them of what happened.” The blue kings eyes drifted past the city skyline, hands snaking behind his back.

“Got it” Queen Barb muttered quietly, clearing her throat she inched forward. “I’ll will do everything in my power to help King Trollex, I will have several groups of trolls come help. I only ask for help with air bubbles.” Trollex nodded. His green eyes momentarily shifting to the rock troll. It was strange seeing the laid back, aggressive queen of rock so formal and kind. It was creepy even. He was expecting endless and excuses and lies. But she was sincere, she was truly remorseful. Trollex turned to face Barb.

“Then be it done, come back when you are ready, I will have the help prepared.”