W̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞'s̳̿͟͞ t̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ F̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞k̳̿͟͞

Chapter 33

Surprise surprise, Trollstopia did happened, and a lot has been going on. Especially for the part where Queen Poppy always wanted all trolls to hang around together or never get divided into their own worlds. Only a few misunderstandings here and there, but trolls still liked the company of other tribes.

As of this moment, Keely ventured into Rock Hollow, a part of Trollstopia where Hard Rock Trolls reside, as Queen Barb invited her and a few other trolls she'd been acquainted with for a while, to have a little lazy talk. After everything that has happened, everyone seems to be cool with her.

"—I wouldn't have believed that she almost outsmarted me. Seriously. That's why I like her."

"Still... It's not something that I can be proud of..." Keely rolls her eyes. Calm and collected, she's been that type around people and still is, except around Darnell of course.

"Yeah. Too bad, you're not my type anymore," Queen Barb retorted, pointing that out for a hundred times since Trollstopia was founded.

"That's for the best."

"On another topic. Wouldn't it be cool to have lava surround Rock Hollow?!" says another troll from Pop tribe.

"It'd look like as it is before. Boring," says another Rock troll.

"Too dangerous. I'd prefer to see a much more elegant style around here," as odd as it is, even a Classical troll is here with them.

"Meh, it's too troublesome. Just leave it as it is. Although that's a nice thought."

Just then, a new troll enters the room, looking directly for one particular troll. "Keely? Can I talk to you for a moment?" says Darnell.

"Well well, if it ain't Prince D," one country troll looks at him with dreamy eyes.

"Sure thing," she smiles, a bit strained due to the fact that she and Darnell felt like the distance between went too far wide for both of them to admit. Once she got back to Vibe City after her talk with Branch, he's been a whole lot more busier. Too busy to spare even an ounce of time to talk to her. Whenever she's near around him, all he ever did was do another small task after the other. It was painfully obvious that he's avoiding her for some reason, and Keely adjusted to it by distracting herself with a few new acquaintances.

"What's up?" she asks as soon as they're out of Rock Hollow.

"You're needed at Vibe Town to help with some issues with control systems, so I came here to pick you up."

"Oh..." was all she could say. After all this time, she thought that he had finally cleared his tasks to hang out with her. Guess being a prince really does put one in a tight schedule.

Not like what Branch had told her it would be....

After a few seconds, D clears his throat and turns around, "Come on. You can go back to Rock Hollow as soon as it's done. It shouldn't take too long—"

"Actually..... D...." he glances at her with a cold look, making her cower a little, "I was wondering if.... you're free this afternoon?"

Their eyes locks for what seemed like a minute before he replies, turning his head away from her, "Sorry. I got some things to do for the Vibe Town."

"Oh...um.... okay. Tomorrow, then?"

"I'm going on a day trip back to Vibe City to help King Quincy and Queen Essence on some arrangements."

Keely fought hard not to show her frown, and just nodded, walking a bit faster to match his pace,"Alright. I hope you'd have a safe trip. There's..... plenty of dangers out there."

"I know. Cooper said so."

".... Yeah." Walking with him towards Vibe Town might not be the best thing to do right about now as she began feeling her eyes water a bit. "I can manage on my own from here, Prince Darnell. You can go ahead and do your duties now," Keely bows and walks as fast as she can on the opposite direction from him.

D didn't need to say a word nor look at her retreat to that direction, he intends to do exactly as she says but a Pop Troll suddenly stops his tracks after only managing to walk a few feet away. "Well that's something I did not expect to see on the way here," says Branch, his back leaning against a post while his arms are crossed.

"Heya, Branch."

The Pop Troll looks at him accusingly, pointing his hand to where the Prince of Funk and Keely were a few moments ago, "Uh... What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That! That th-th-the way you did just now," his head going back and forth from him and to the direction he's pointing at, "Is there some kind of misunderstanding between you two? Not that I care or anything, but it was indeed better that I was the one who saw it and not Poppy 'cause she'll have drastic measures to make sure you two make up with each other."

"Nothing, Branch. That's just how we both normally talk."

Branch's eyebrow lifts up, "I can tell when trolls are lying, 'cause I'm so good at it that not even the best investigator could figure me out."

Suddenly, a new troll pops and shouts out from a distance with his hand up, "What about that time when you lied about the Bergens—"

"Not now, investigator troll!" the guy shouts back at him. Branch looks back at Darnell with a serious expression, "Look, I'm not going to pry into whatever is going on if you don't want me to, but at least inform me a little of what's going on or something might happen that I'll have no control over."

Trusting an acquaintance is different from trusting friends, especially someone from a different tribe. Unlike other Funk Trolls who now live here in Trollstopia, D couldn't say he's friends with anyone here other than Keely. That is, if she still sees him as one. For a short time he interacted with this troll, Darnell could tell that Branch could be trusted. It might not hurt to tell..... a little of his problems that's been greatly weighing on him.