Butterflies flew wildly in Spruce's stomach the second his eyes caught a sight of a hidden letter between two cage bars. The street lights of Bergen Town outside the cage slowly lit up one by one but, the letter remained in the shadows. Most Bergens were out of sight for the trolls. Probably in their homes after another long gloomy and anger provoking day. The silence they left was peaceful for once. Snatching the letter with hair, Spruce carried it away to the tree.

" Hehe. Mine!" Spruce whispered victorious.

Sneaking into one of the bushes his hair began to glow bright creating light. Glowbugs flying around the fluffleberry bush flew in following Spruce curious of what he was up to. Their different coloured lights aided Spruce. The pink,blue and yellow ones hovered high in the air while the green,orange and purple fluttered closer to the grass. The red glowing critters swayed through the air closer to the unfolded letter Spruce was propping up.

" Hey there. Thanks little guys." Spruce pet a red glowbug.

Turning back to the letter before him, the troll smiled at how clearly he could read his Pen Pal's response. Focusing on the endearing and easy to read handwriting Spruce's eyes jumped to the opening line. A rush of optimism spread from his core to his entire being as he unconsciously stood on his tippy toes and stretched up his neck. He was trying to get a better look at the top of the white paper.

" Dear Bruce..." Spruce read out loud.

"Bruce" was the name he chose to go by last second when writing to Brandy a month ago. Originally he used his real name but, panicked when doubt reached him during the calming down phase of the high of making a new friend. On the rare chance she knew about Brozone, Spruce didn't want Brandy to like him solely cause he was from Brozone. He wanted something genuine. Something real that was forged by their personal connection alone. While he did feel a little silly about it now,he had made his decision to stick with the fake name. Bruce was just Spruce rebranded. That's all.

A week later... The three month break had now come to an end unfortunately to the Timberlake brothers' comfort. Sitting at the table the warm and relaxed vibes they became used to now felt absent.

Floyd picked at the lumps in his porridge that were formed by chunks of giggleyum fruit and marshmallows. Clay twirled his spoon around in his half eaten filled bowl creating abstract doodles. Branch looked around confused at his brothers before returning to eat his second refill of Grandma's porridge. Spruce got up to get himself a second helping refusing to look anyone in the eye. John sighed pushing his now empty bowl aside. It didn't matter how good their first meal of the day was. Other things plagued the older trolls' minds.

" So what now? We just go back to how things used to be?" Clay broke the silence anxiously. " Well I don't want to."

" Same here,bro..." John sighed again." Same here."

" Not gonna lie. This was the best three months we ever spent together in years. Kinda hoped it would last forever." Spruce confessed.

" Guys... " Floyd spoke up. " We don't have to do or be anything we don't want to."

" Tell that to the label. They're the ones who told me that if we weren't "perfect" BroZone would be dropped." John scoffed.

" Can you?" Branch asked.

Everyone looked down to see Branch still looking up at JD. Spruce sat back down not pulling his attention away. Floyd eventually scooped up some porridge with giggleyum chunk then ate that spoon. It was his first bite all morning. Clay stopped drawing in his food. John paused trying to think of an age appropriate way of explaining the situation with their label.

" Well,B. It's not that easy. Just cause I did it once doesn't mean they will listen to me again. The trolls responsible for our music like us looking the same, sounding the same and acting the same way. They like the old Brozone."

" Okay..." Branch responded not fully grasping the issue yet. " But, why?"

" I don't know. They think it sells more if we keep that aesthetic all the time I guess?" Clay suggested.

" We still don't have a manager. I will have to go see them again." John uttered with dread.

Branch turned his head to Floyd hoping for more answers on this situation. Being two years old came with limitations so learning required more than one or two brothers. Branch liked getting everyone's thoughts during moments like these sometimes. Only his older brothers got this treatment. Grandma Rosiepuff just had to talk once and he would just accept it and move on. Swallowing a couple more spoonfuls of porridge, Floyd maintained eye contact despite how uncomfortable it was.

Nervous laughter escaped Floyd. " Well I..."

" Tongue tied?" Clay asked.

" It wouldn't hurt to try changing the contract. Right, John?" Floyd asked desperate.

John froze dropping his spoon on the floor. " Fuck... I forget the renewal was today!"

Floyd covered Branch's ears. " Lang- nevermind..."

Accepting permanent defeat on avoiding teaching their baby brother bad words, Floyd removed his hands from Branch's head. He just prayed that those extra spicy words wouldn't be used too often. It was for Branch's sake. It's not like any of them were saints when it came to their use of language anyway. Branch copied them regardless. Grandma Rosiepuff was actually fine with the cursing as long as it wasn't used unnecessarily or overused.

" Wait! If there's a renewal then that means maybe we could actually add new conditions. Right?" Spruce realized.

" That's actually possible... " John proudly grinned. "Okay. We need to swap brains sometimes when it comes to this legal stuff."

When Brozone first signed the original contract they had little understanding on how binding and how much power a legal document carried. According to the ancient and somehow still active laws minors could sign contracts without a guardian present and were allowed to work if they wanted to. However the law also stated that if a group of minors signed the same contract the eldest would be treated as a guardian figure. Looking back at it now those rules are quite questionable. Clay and Floyd were just kids while Spruce and John weren't mature enough to realize what they had gotten themselves into. They didn't regret making music and being Brozone. Brozone regretted agreeing to work for their label.

" How about you guys just come with me this time for the meeting? It will be boring and brain numbing and there won't be any signing today but, it's better you talk for yourselves instead it always being only me representing. I'm bound to forget something when giving the label our 2 cents." John suggested picking up his fallen and dirty spoon.

Clay scooped up the last of the shallow pool of porridge from his bowl and brought it to his mouth. Swallowing the contents as he processed the suggestion of self activating. Floyd glanced down at his finished breakfast carrying it to the sink. Branch tapped and patted the table with his hands waiting for more to happen while he observed as usual. The table replicated a softer and quieter version of sounding like a drum beat.

" Sounds better than you making group decisions for us. " Spruce agreed setting down his spoon.

" Down for whatever. "Boring" is my game." Clay joked.

" Okay. I'm in. " Floyd chimed. " What about Branch though?"

" Don't worry. I'll make sure the label won't mess with him." John joked while petting Branch's head. " We'll tell Grandma afterwards. She will probably be home and done with whatever she got going on by then."

Meanwhile stuck in another council meeting with the King, Rosiepuff masked her strong displeasure with a passive grin and friendly expression. Surrounded by most people she didn't enjoy the company of chipped her thoughts of keeping her own position among them. There wasn't even a pay given for being a member. Dale occasionally sided eyed Rosie as if he wanted her dead right then and there.

King Peppy moved the board of escape plans that displayed two more tunnels were in progress of being built. Growing more curious for what was going on the village nanny decided to bite the bullet. Raising her hand all eyes were directed to her. The young king turned around noticing the gesture.

" Yes, Rosiepuff?"

" Pardon my curiosity but, why do your plans require three escape tunnels? They all go off in completely different routes. " Rosiepuff lowered her hand.

" It's complicated and for safety. They're for incase the Bergens discover one tunnel or one collapses. We need two more. " King Peppy answered.

" But, we already have one tunnel marked as ready and safe. Why not slowly evacuate it now instead of us all leaving at once. Don't you think the Bergens will notice when we're all suddenly gone?"

Bringing light to better ideas with an audience didn't earn favors from the leader's perspective. King Peppy has more than once refused alternatives unless asked for and he didn't call upon his council for new ideas. He wanted input on how to approach the village when finally announcing their escape plans.

" No. The only trolls leaving through that tunnel is an scout or two in charge of finding our new home. The scouts we already sent came back empty handed or not at all. " King Peppy stated.

" While I understand your logic,your Popness, our village is on its way to making the endangered lists. The Bergens took more trolls than ever before this year alone. For all we know it might happen again. We're not having new eggs everyday anymore due to stress and the grief nobody here mentions as an important factor." Rosie respectfully debated.

King Peppy pinched the bridge of his nose. " We are not that downsized. More eggs will be hatched in few years and maybe a baby boom after we escaped a few more years down the line. We will be fine then. You'll see that day soon. End of story. " He attempted to shut down the debate.

No comfort laced his words. It purely carried the sentiment of proving a point in terms of tone. The dismissal of the on going birth rate and population decreasing only added to that impression. Not feeling heard or understood Rosiepuff took a mental step back. Her mind searched for new patterns of rephrasing where she stood. It didn't matter to her that she was talking to royalty. Her concerns were just as valid as his concerns.

" I am old. I lived a long life. If the Bergens don't get me then I will be gone any day due to old age. I am the Village's nanny. Not your advisor. My grandsons are the only family I have left to hold onto. "Rosiepuff pointed to the open window. "The only reason I am here is cause I don't want those trolls and my family out there to stay here trapped until they get eaten."

" Finally something we can agree on." King Peppy exclaimed immaturely.

That poorly chosen response was the final nail in the coffin. She was done being a member of this council. Done being expected to give advice but, get overlooked when her advice was unwanted until the King came around. Done getting her concerns brushed aside of a problem they will fully address later.

For the rest of the council meeting, the nanny simply smiled, nodded her head and chose to remain silent. When it was all over Rosiepuff thanked King Peppy for the "privilege" of allowing her to be part of his advisory group and left. Killing them with kindness and maybe some potential malicious compliance in the future? Rosiepuff was going to take her stand and dig it into the ground whether King Peppy realised it or not.

Arriving home the grandmother noticed the smell of a storm being cooked up from inside the pod. Pushing the door open,the purple skinned troll saw Branch at the coffee table drawing an updated version of his plans for a secret hideout. The blue trolling was surrounded by colourful paper, stickers,crayons and glue. The goggles JD bought for Branch months ago rested on top of his head. Floyd sat nearby on the fuzzy beanbag cutting up shapes with scissors for Branch. John Dory tuned the old radio until it finally found a far away station that wasn't belonging to Bergens or their village.

"Wel-Wel-Wel- Welcome to Volcanic Beats. " The ratio briefly glitched due to jumping signals. "It's Mags here and we are raising the heat with blasts from the past. Queen, Nickelback and AC/DC. After that our legendary guest,King Thrash, will be joining us in the studio live to rock you off your seats. Stay Tuned,Lava Divers. "

Spruce laughed. " Whoever that Mags guy is sounds like Dad whenever his voice got raspy."

" I know,right! Then when he deepened his voice he sounded just like those action movie narrators." John added to the joke.

Spruce laughed even harder setting down the knife so he wouldn't cut himself. The kitchen was the most lively area in the pod. On the stove was the pot of soup Spruce was bringing flavour to boiling on medium heat. Mushrooms, chicken, noodles and tomatoes floated it. The ratio began playing a song called Highway To Hell by AC/DC.

Clay came down from upstairs with more supplies for Branch's personal art project. In his hands were a glue stick and a small bottle of navy glitter. He stole a spot on the couch closest to Branch then tapped on his baby brother's shoulder. Branch paused then turned around to see his grinning helper revealing his found crafting supplies.

" Need an extra hand?" Clay asked.

Branch gasped then nodded his head excited. " Yes! We're gonna have the bestest coolest hideout ever!"

Clay chuckled sliding off the couch to take a seat on the floor next to the trolling. Climbing onto the fake blonde troll's lap, the toddler got comfortable. Accepting his fate of being a chair Clay moved Branch's personal art project closer so he could go back to working on it. All of Rosiepuff's turmoil took a back seat as she began to grin too. Seeing her grandsons brought her more joy than they would ever realise.

" My,My. Having fun?" Grandma Rosiepuff closed the door.

" Hey Grandma." All five brothers greeted her in harmony.

" You can take a break tonight. I'm making soup. " Spruce called out from the kitchen.

" I can smell it from here." Rosiepuff giggled.

John walked out of the kitchen being the first one to give their Grandma a hug. That single hug met a need of Rosiepuff wasn't vocal about. It brought the warmth and love desired. Not a day or night goes by where she didn't appreciate the time she still had left with her family. She didn't care about escaping the Troll Tree herself. She wanted to stay alive til the day all five of them had escaped and were free. That motivated her. Then she could rest.

" Oh and we got some good news. Brozone is making a comeback soon but, on our terms. Turns out we could just add anything we wanted to the renewed contract. It was long and boring back and forth but, we found the middle ground and now we can just be us on stage too." John announced.

" Oh that's great,Peachfuzz. I'll make us some Fuffleberry Cake to celebrate."