Rosiepuff stood with a small group of trolls before King Peppy. Hours had passed since she first arrived but, yet the meeting did not start until now. Holding back her tongue she decided to be the bigger person. Taking one of the frosting covered muffins she bit into it slowly. Not cause she genuinely wanted to savor the taste. She only had no concept of when she was going to be present with more nourishment and how much longer she would have to stay.

The rest of the committee was younger being no older than their forties approaching fifty. Still young in terms of troll aging. Nobody muttered a word waiting for their King to speak, despite how unprofessional he was being. Considering the state of the village and how he was now a widowed,single parent of a teenager and newly hatched egg, it was all brushed under the rug. The curtains remained closed in the dark pod lit by minor glow lamps. Plans and blueprints pinned to the walls were covered up by shadows. It was like almost a certain leader didn't want reminders.

" Thank you for coming today at short notice. This isn't about the constructions of the tunnel or the scouts. The village is starting quite doubtful in my ability to lead us to freedom. Any advice here?" King Peppy stood at the end of the table.

King Peppy had heavy bags under his eyes and stress lines and wrinkles in multiple places. Even smile lines from anxiously masking were present. At this rate the male troll was going to start getting grey and black white hairs in hot pink mane in the next twenty years instead of during his old age. Holding back further any ill thoughts and judgement at the back of her mind, Rosiepuff raised her hand with empathetic more welcoming expression. Her frustrations could be aired out on another day when appropriate.

" If I may,King Peppy. Maybe we could share news about the escape plans or at least mention the progress of the tunnels. I understand your current plan requires three tunnels with an shared entrance for safety reasons of in case one is discovered but, there is minority growing restless. Even in my family. Them knowing more would put them in ease. Put my grandsons' questions to rest." Rosiepuff softly and firmly spoke.

" You did promise years ago we would escape with no date or announcement of how. I understand it's due to you not wanting the Bergens to hear but, leaving trolls in the dark will not keep everyone reassured." A male troll added.

" No. Not now. We can't. If the whole village knows it will rise new wave of questions I don't have time for." King Peppy discouraged.

" Keeping secrets about people's lively hood is already earning you that same outcome. Just like how you kept it secret about there being other tribes of Trolls cause according to you should never know of where we are and who we are. We as your council don't even understand or know what's the big deal? Rosiepuff's son in law was an outsider from that..." A female troll turned to Rosiepuff. " What did Noah call himself again,Rosie?"

Rosiepuff sighed. " Rocker... He told me he was from the Rock Tribe,Lila. The Soft Rock district I think."

The rest of the listening in council nodded their heads. Some muttered underneath their breaths or looked the other way sided eyeing the lamps. Even this group of elders barely knew about other tribes and other races of Trolls. King Peppy had enforced to keep and uphold the old rules designed to keep Pop Trolls from knowing a forgotten past. Most of the younger population didn't even know they were Pop due to not needing to be classified until Noah came along. These disruptive rules were present before Peppy was even born but, he doubled down on them more than the previous leaders who introduced the law to keep their village uneducated in the matter.

" He was too... Crazy... A smug loudmouth with a death wish for my tastes. Risky company to have if you ask me." A different male troll mocked.

The friendly and empathetic attitude Rosiepuff carried dropped and shattered like glass. Twitching her ears and right eye,her eyebrows followed by knitting themselves. A scowl painted her features thickly. Shooting an icy glare at the indifferent and apathetic council committee member, she rose up placing her hands down the table. The whole room shifted like judgement day had arrived and one of them was going to meet their maker early.

" Well nobody asked you and maybe if you just got to know him when he was still with us, you wouldn't be so tasteless with your words,Dale!" Rosiepuff defended.

Rosiepuff was more than tired of the consistent flak and disregard some folks spilled every moment Noah was mentioned. Her late son in law. No. He was more than just married into the family. Noah was a loving husband to her daughter and good father to her grandchildren,his sons. Rosiepuff and her late husband used to call him their "bonus child" or son when he joined their family. Noah had only been eaten four years ago with Olivia. The wound still felt fresh and open. He was a good man. Noah may have not done everything right or didn't always have the best ideas on the spot but, he tried more than anyone to help free them.

He was the only reason this village had so many more maps of the outside world now. Without his rough maps and stories with directions and location descriptions,Poppy Village would had never updated their maps or make new ones. Noah inspired the scouts program that today finalized and polished their current escape route maps. Without Noah they would be clueless going out blind.

" If I wanted to I would have! At least I don't greet the world with open arms to everyone. He caused us more trouble with the Bergens than anyone else with his failed and unauthorized escape plans!" Dale hissed rising up too.

" ENOUGH!!! Both of you! Sit Down!" King Peppy ordered.

The intense stare down between Rosie and Dale prolonged itself by a few more minutes before faltering in. Both trolls grumpily backed down onto their seats. Crossing her arms the shaded purple skinned woman muted her angry expression into calm indifferent. Dale rolled his eyes huffing before bringing his attention back to their King. The royal troll faced palm followed by the exhausted pinch of the bridge of his nose. His orange hands through his pink hair as an attempted self-soothing.

" Now is not the time for that." King Peppy shut down. " You know what? How about you all just leave and come back tomorrow at ten?"

Before the room could even respond or process the suggestion, Peppy just dismissed them prematurely. Getting up first after just finishing her muffin, that was her only meal for the day so far, she gracefully walked out the door. Not looking back once. Not even for a second. The rest of the council muttered to themselves or side eyed Dale as they slowly left too. Leaving Peppy alone to stand in the meeting pod, he sighed rubbing his face.

" What's the point of a council when their just this... unhelpful?"Peppy grumbled under his breath.

Meanwhile at the Royal Pod, Princess Viva was dressing up her baby sister, Princess Poppy, in blue onesie with tutu. The seventeen year old gently slipped green ribbon headband with a blue flower on sewed into it. The tiny pink troll giggled with her eyes closed reaching out her little arms for her big sister. Viva's smile doubled in size adoringly. Without hesitation she swiftly scooped Poppy up being extra gentle when placing her on her hip.

" Yo Clay! Isn't she Bonita?" Viva turned around to show off.

Clay looked up from his book from the couch. Baby Poppy following her big sister's lead by striking a pose and flashing her biggest gummy smile. Placing an random piece of leftover scrapbooking paper between the pages,Clay closed his sad book setting it down next to him. He stood up and approached the two Princesses smiling. He crouched resting his hands on his knees bringing himself to the baby's level then made funny face. Poppy giggled when she saw Clay stick out his tongue.

" She is so Bonita. " Clay agreed.

" I know, right?¡Es tan adorable que podría abrazarla todo el día!" Viva goshed.

Clay nodded his head as he rose back into standing. Viva moved Poppy up from her hip closer to her chest trying to make her little sister more comfortable. The trolling looked up at her older princess adoringly then rested her head against Viva's shoulder. Sweet and soft humming rolled off female teenager's tongue passed her closed lips. Gently reaching out to the baby's back,Clay rubbed it gently like he used for Branch to help her fall asleep faster.

" Did you do the homework for Life Orientation yet? Kinda stuck on mine. Gonna glue everything together on my poster tonight." Clay said.

" Yeah I-" Viva paused as her eyes widened. "¡Oh mega fresas! I Forgot! Hold Poppy."

Without question the shorter troll took his friend's baby sister from her bringing Poppy closer to his chest. Poppy raised her head up confused pink eyes searching for Viva. Clay gently rocked and rubbed the recently hatched infant as if it was second nature while Viva bolted to her bed. She came back with her curly hair now all over the place, rolled up poster paper, glittrery gel pens, glue and a folder of more colorful paper. All items were in her arms fighting to be freed.

" Help me." Viva begged.

Later that day somewhere farther away... Tired and sore Spruce leaned on John as they slowly walked back home still on the grass at the bottom of the tree. They just happened to be near the bars of the cage where a certain letter attached to a flyer rested. Groaning in pain Spruce threw back his head while John shook his head.

" You said you be careful." John reminded.

" I only started today,Dude! Of course it sucked!" Spruce argued.

" Do I need to kick anyone's ass?" John quipped.

" No! Just get me home before I decide to kick yours." Spruce bantered.

" Yeah,right? Bite the hand that feeds-" John stepped on paper.

Pausing in the middle of his sentence both men stopped moving and glanced down. There before them was a letter and flyer. It was twice their size. Small when compared to regular envelopes they were used to seeing the Bergens use but, still larger than a troll. Carefully setting Spruce down the grass, both brothers kept staring at it trying to read the flyer attached to the letter.

" Pen Pal,huh?" John said.

Acting on impulse Spruce pushed beyond his current pain to flip the letter over so he could read the front. He glanced to the side and saw a couple Bergens dumping similar letters and flyers into the near by bin. If the Bergens didn't want these to the point they didn't even open the letters then would it be bad if they opened this one? Then again Spruce didn't care for the Bergens considering how they treated them trolls like animals, recorded their music and sold it without permission and ate them once a year.

" Screw it. " Spruce said ripping parts of the envelope sealed flap.

" What are you- "

Spruce interrupted by hushing. " Ssh. I'm gonna read it. If the Bergens don't want this then I'm taking it."

John blinked stunned then raised an eyebrow folding his arms. His eyes went from widened to half closed following his brother's every action. Silent judgement hanged in the air for a moment due to John's unimpressed. It wasn't directed at Spruce's actions of claimimg the letter for the Bergens. Rather it mildly annoyed him to get hushed and brushed off like that. Not to mention getting cut off was a personal pet peeve of his.

Still ignoring John Spruce got up then moved to the otherside of the open flap. He winced in pain without a sound as he bent over to grab the letter hidden inside. Rolling his eyes John got up too and decided to give a hand. Afterall the other male was enough pain from his session of weight lifting. He didn't want Spruce to pull a muscle and end up in the clinic so John grabbed the other corner of the letter pulling it out together.

Using his green hair to extend into two hairs, John unfolded the letter and set it against tall and wide mushroom companied two shorter ones. Spruce feeling too sore to stand any longer sat down. John joined him at the side. The letter was written on white paper instead of one of the typical rainbow colours they were used to. A post card from Vacay Island landed on the ground next to it having the image of beautiful beach and sunset. On the postcard it said in fancy cursive " Wish you were here" on the front but, the back was blank.

" Dear future Pen Pal

Hi. I'm Brandy. I'm 18 and my home is Vacy Island where it's a perfect sunset everyday. It's like we're always on vacation sometimes. LOL! I only found out this pen Pal program a while ago and was hoping to find a couple of new friends. Maybe a new bestie? Whatever floats you're boat.

I don't know much about Bergen Town. Actually I know nothing but, that's it on the mainland. Nobody ever mentions it around me so I decided to give it a chance. I bet ya you have beautiful sunsets over there too.

So what's your name? Where your from? What's your favourite animal? Favourite ice cream flavour? I'm all ears. Personally I am a Birthday Cake flavoured ice cream girly. Also I adore turtles. The babies are so cute. Sometimes I go down to the beach to watch them hurry to the sea. I even chased away a couple seagulls once or twice.

Looking forward for your response. Also I included a postcard for you to keep.

Sincerely Yours
Brandy..." Spruce read loud enough for only him and John to hear.

Spruce turned his head to the postcard then to John. John was too busy studying the letter to notice his brother's calmness and the glitter of intrigue in his eyes. Something about this young woman named Brandy from Vacay Island was alluring to him. She seemed so kind, friendly and nice. Fun and easy going too. He liked that. Without skipping a beat Spruce already clocked how he was going to spend his morning tomorrow.

" Do you think I could swipe a blank postcard from a Bergen if I lurch my hair far enough?" Spruce asked.

John's jaw dropped. " WhAT?!?"