Aftermath

760 15 20
                                    

Bash managed to squeeze his way out of the stone cage and attempted to run after the girl he loved... only to find messy orange hair pulling him back.

“What do you think should we do with him?" Ash asked her sister as he squirmed.

“Let's see, kidnapping and threatening a baby princess, attempting to destroy the world..." Barb thought about the perfect punishment for this jerk, and it hit her. “Hey, Brawl! Wanna kick somebody's butt?!"

“Sounds a little too good for him, but okay," Brawl replied, and cracked his knuckles.

“No, wait!" Bash pleaded, but it was futile. Brawl pulled his fist back and...

“Guys, we can't worry about him now!" Prince D argued. “If Poppy doesn't get treated, she's probably not gonna make it!"

“Right," Barb agreed. Ash let the Party Crasher go so Brawl could hold him by the back of his jacket. “Go see if there are any other Hippogriffs that can still fly, we have to get her out of here."

“Willow and I should stay here to look after the rest of the flock until Riff comes back," Ash suggested. Barb nodded and left with the rest of the Trolls. Ash noticed Willow sitting alone on the broken bridge facing downward and decided to join her.

Willow took a brief look at her girlfriend, then back down into the ravine.

“What a way to celebrate our first month together, right?" Ash joked, but Willow didn't even giggle. “I mean, crazy adventure, trying to save the world... Just like when we first met."

“Except we didn't save anyone," Willow muttered. “Things just got worse."

“Will, this isn't over," Ash assured her. “We're gonna find Pow and destroy the Black Rock before she does any more damage."

“I shouldn't have been afraid of Bash," Willow said. “I'm more powerful than him, I could've just saved Flower. This whole mess was my fault."

“Willow, listen to me," Ash said, turning Willow's head to her. “None of this was your fault. I'm scared, too, that once you destroy the Black Rock, we may never see each other again. And you're the most important Troll in my life right now. If it wasn't for you, I probably never would've found out I was Alternative. You helped me realize who I am and not what I was supposed to be. I don't want that to go away. We all fear the unknown. What matters is whether or not we face it."

Willow felt a little better, but was still feeling lost. Ash just pulled her close and let her rest her head on her chest. The two looked up at the night sky as the rest of their team rode off on Hippogriffs, with Branch holding Poppy in his arms.

“Think she'll be okay?" a soft voice whispered.

“I don't know, Ari," another replied. Willow and Ash turned around to find all eleven bounty hunters standing right behind them.

“Oh, you guys are still here?" Willow said rudely.

“Nein, I was just leaving," Dickory claimed, but Hickory grabbed one of the straps on his pants before he could go.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Much to Riff's surprise, Hippogriffs were really fast flyers. It only took him till early in the morning to arrive in Pop Village. He landed by the Pet 'N' Vet just as Milton Moss arrived to take care of his critters.

Trolls: Restoring The BalanceWhere stories live. Discover now