Disclaimer- I do not own Trolls or Trollstopia in any way or form. Melody Song, Twilight Tidepool, Buckaroo, McJagger, and Mal Shredder are my O.C.s and belong to me. In contrast, Aggie belongs to I.M. Rally. And as for today's song, I'm bringing back an oldie, but a goodie from Chapter 9, just a heads up. Now, Let's get this going!

Poppy: You can do it solo!

Branch: But then you'd be all by yourself.

Aggie and Synth: (Synth: Yo!) So, it'd be more fun to share this one with someone else! (Tiny Diamond: Hit it, daddy!)

Rhythm and Blues: Together, we will soar across the sky and beyond!

Holly Darling: So, tune-up your voice!

Val Thundershock and Melody Song: Stand up and sing along!

All: All different voices (Tiny Diamond: Everbody now!), our melodies ringing. We're living in harmony! Yeah, we're living in harmony! Our song is much stronger will every troll singing. We're living in harmony!

A Cut To The Past

Melody was whistling a catchy tune as she strolled through town on her way to the Trollstpia Beauty Parlor for work. With an extra spring in her step, she climbed up the steps and slid to the door before pushing it open. Inside, she found the salon to be empty, with Maddy being the only other troll in the building, aside from herself, of course. As she walked in, Maddy, who was bringing in a box, noticed Melody as she said, "Good morning, Melody." The confused rock/pop troll asked, "Are we having another restocking day, Maddy"? The elder stylist nodded while saying, "I just got a new shipment of glitter hairspray. You mind helping me put them on the shelves"? Melody nodded as she came over and opened the box, both trolls grabbing a can of hairspray and placing them on the empty shelf behind them. Melody took this as an opportunity to ask, "I have to ask, only because it's been weirdly quiet this past 3 weeks. How come we haven't had any customers? Usually, every day, this place is full of trolls either in the chairs or waiting their turn." Maddy chuckled as she said, "Well, it's because tomorrow's an important day for us trolls. I wouldn't necessarily call it a holiday, but it's something that every troll partakes in every year, and I mean every troll."

Melody tilted her head while grabbing another can of hairspray, asking, "Does this "holiday" have anything to do with why we haven't had any customers in the past 3 weeks"? Maddy nodded as she replied, "Yes. I've written it on the calendar if you want to take a look." Melody walked over to where Maddy had hanged up the calendar and looked at tomorrow's date before smiling, saying, "Oh, that explains it! I almost forgot tomorrow was Haircut Day! I've been looking forward to that day since I started working with you as a hairdresser"! Maddy nodded while saying, "And tomorrow will provide you some excellent work experience since it's usually our busiest day of the year." Melody scratched the back of her head as she commented, "I can see why. It's not easy having to cut the hair of every troll in the village. And this year, we have a lot more trolls because of the Trollstopia project." Maddy smiled as she was placing the final hairspray can on the shelf, saying, "Yep, but this year, the task will be a lot easier because you and one other troll will be helping me."

Melody was surprised as she said, "Someone else is helping us out? That's cool, and it takes an extra load off our shoulders, but who is it"? Suddenly, the door kicked open as a familiar voice shouted, "Ay'm here! Sawry ay'm awful late"! Maddy replied, "No worries, Holly. We've just been restocking the shelves." Melody looked at Holly dumbfoundedly before smiling, saying, "Hey Holly. You're the other troll helping out tomorrow"? Holly nodded while walking over to her and said, "As sure as the world is round, ay'll be a-helpin'. Ay'm an amateur professional when it comes ta hairstyling. Whahl ay'm nahwt as talented as y'all ayn' Maddy, ay ken still hold my own ayn' give do's that make ya say goo'ness gracious, in a good way." Melody chuckled as she said, "Well, that's great. We can use all the help we can get." Maddy then pulled out two scrolls as she said, "Now, to make the job of cutting everyone's hair tomorrow easier, I went ahead and divided the population into three groups. On these scrolls are the names of the trolls you'll be doing in your group. I'm group one, Melody, you'll be group two, and Holly is group three." She gave one scroll to each troll as Melody and Holly both opened their scrolls to see the names.

The list was pretty long, but they were able to skim through it as Holly asked, "Did you get anyone we know on your list"? Melody looked as she smiled and laughed, saying, "I got Val! Oh, this is going to be good! Who else...ooh! I got Smidge, Guy and Tiny Diamond, Low-Note Jones, CJ, Dante! That'll be a fun challenge because I haven't done classical troll hair yet. I got Clampers, Cooper...yes! I get to do the Master of Music Aggie as well...and my last two in the group are McJagger and Laguna"! Holly fawned over Melody's list as she said, "Lucky! Ya get ta work on one of Trollstopia's finest budding couple last! For me, I got Demo, Buckaroo, Biggie, ooh *snickers*." Melody saw Holly laughing as she asked, "What's so funny"? Holly then replied while in mid-laughter, "You the last troll ay get ta style on my list." As Holly was laughing away, Melody looked at Holly's list as she smirked, saying, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Just make sure you do a good job when I go."

Once Holly recovered from laughing, she looked over it again, saying, "I also got Ripley, Keith, ooh! I got Laguna's mom Twilight, Rhythm and Blues, I got your mom Mal...and Branch"! Melody nodded her head in approval as she commented, "You got a good array of friends. Just a heads up. I know you like to conversate with trolls while you're working. So when you're doing Branch, make sure you don't bring "IT" up around him, or Poppy if you're doing her as well." Holly nodded and mimicked closing a zipper over her mouth, saying, "My lips are sealed." The "IT" that Melody was referring to was an incident that occurred about a month ago involving a sleepwalking Poppy, a stuffed alligator, and Synth getting kissed by Poppy (You'll understand what I mean if you have read/read the previous chapter). Since then, she, Holly, and the other ambassadors, except Poppy, have sworn never to tell Branch about what happened, especially Synth, who was still emotionally recovering from the incident. While it wasn't so bad that he needed therapy, he couldn't help feeling awkward whenever he was hanging out with Branch, but he does his best to hide it, so Branch doesn't catch onto him. That aside, both trolls seemed happy with who they were going to style, and while they still had a lot of other trolls on their list, seeing that they were going to work on some of their friends got them both excited. Maddy then said, "Well, why don't you take the rest of the day off, Melody, so you and Holly can rest up and prepare for tomorrow? We start nice and early, so we have enough time to get everyone done." Holly and Melody both nodded as they said their partings while leaving the salon.

Outside, Holly and Melody were strolling through town on their way to the ice cream parlor. As they walked, Melody was telling Holly a funny story as she explained, "So, I tell him it's a bad idea, so don't do it. You know what he does next? He does it anyway! And it works! Like, what are the chances of that happening"? Holly was laughing up a storm as she replied, "Whel if ayy troll is able ta make ayy rocket that's fueled only by rock music ayn' have it land safely on thay ...err edge av ayy volcano without it exploding, then ay guess anything's possible." Both girls were having a good laugh when Aggie noticed them and came over, saying, "Hey, guys! It seems like you two are excited." They both nodded in unison as Holly exclaimed, "Y'all bet! Tomorrow's my first Haircut Day as ayy stylist. Ayn' ay'm ready ta style away on some hair." Melody added, "I'm also excited for the same reason, but I'm ecstatic about something else too, Aggie. Or should I say, my first client tomorrow"? Aggie didn't seem to get it at first until she processed it and smiled, saying, "Wow! Guess I'm first for you, then Melody"? The rock/pop troll nodded and said, "You bet your bottom jellybeans! And no worries, Aggs. I will make sure your rainbow locks are trimmed and styled to perfection. After all, you're with Magic Melody, the hairdresser of the future."

At the sound of those words, Poppy, Rhythm, and Blues came running as Rhythm asked, "Did I hear you say, Magic Melody, girl"? Melody nodded as soon Val was coming over, asking, "What's all the crowding around about"? Poppy replied, "Oh, nothing, Val. We're just waiting for some troll to start doing something in particular." Hearing her say it like that, Val seemed to get it as she said, "Alright, I'm in. I've been looking for a chance to do a guitar solo anyway." Melody chuckled as she said, "Guys, guys, guys. Let's not a big deal about this. It's just a name, not something we can dance to. Not without the right music, anyways." On cue, DJ Suki came over on her Wooferbug, saying, "Did someone say music? I got you, guys! One rad Magic Melody tune coming right up"! DJ Suki placed a record on and started to play the song as Melody shrugged while saying, "Oh well. The music's starting. So...I might as well." Her friends cheered her on as Melody took to the floor and started to dance and sing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Magic Melody~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Melody: Got split ends that you want gone? Need a trim or something new? Bangs blocking up your vision? Need some oomph in your hairdo? Call the troll you need, and I'll help indeed, 'cause my friend, all you need is some Magic Melody. (Rhythm and Blues: Doo-wop, mmm, doo-wop, mmm, doo-wop, ba, ba, ba!)

You might say it's nothing special, but I keep it close to heart. Cause when I'm in the zone, I can create great works of art! Style it up with beads, clips, bows with speed, 'cause my friend, all you need is some Magic Melody. (Rhythm and Blues: Doo-wop, mmm, doo-wop, mmm, doo-wop, ba, ba, ba!) Take it, Val!

*Val guitar solo*

(Poppy, Holly, and Aggie: Oooooooooooh) Got a tangle that won't go? Are your curls looking real flat? Well, come see me, and in 1, 2, 3, I'll fix you up *snaps* like that. (Poppy, Holly, and Aggie: Fix it like thaaaaaaaaat!) I'll make it fun, and I'll get it done, and I'll jazz it up with flair. 'Cause, in the end, you'll agree with me when I say (Poppy, Holly, Aggie, Melody: You're really gonna love your hair!)

So, get me a pair of scissors, and then watch me do my thing. While I snip and style, you'll grow a smile as I start to dance and sing. So, when a haircut's due, you know what to do. Come by and get it done by Magic Melody. (Rhythm and Blues: Doo-wop, mmm, doo-wop) You'll shine brighter than the sun. Just wait and see. (Rhythm and Blues: Doo-wop, mmm, doo-wop) So, come and get your hair done by (All: Magic Melody!) Oh yeah!

As the song concluded, the other trolls who were out and about saw the performance and were applauding, leaving Melody and her friends to bow in appreciation as Poppy commented, "Feels good to sing that." Melody could not help but chuckle as she asked, "Were you, Rhythm, and Blues seriously waiting in the shadows to hear me say the "keywords" so you guys can get me singing that again"? Rhythm replied, "Not necessarily, girl, but you know we love a good musical number," as Blues added, "Besides, that song is catchy with a capital C"! Holly swung her arm around Melody as she said, "Ayn' tomorrow, you gonna show ever'one that there ya truly are Magic Melody when you are cutting ayn' styling with speed ayn' efficiency." Aggie then added, "And I know that whatever you do, it'll look great." Melody blushed in embarrassment as she gave a small smile before noticing something behind Aggie. McJagger was walking around, but he looked pretty frantic.

Wanting to see if something was wrong, she turned to face Holly while saying, "Holly, how about you and the others start heading to the ice cream parlor without me? I'm going to check on McJagger. If I'm not back by the time you start placing your orders, order me the rainbow chili mix on a waffle cone." Holly nodded as she, Poppy, Rhythm and Blues, Aggie, and Val started to head to the ice cream parlor while Melody ran to see McJagger. She came up to him, saying, "Hey, McJagger. You don't look so good. Are you alright"? He replied, "The truth is, I'm a little worried, is all." Melody, being the caring troll she was, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while saying, "You want to talk about it"? McJagger nodded, replying, You see, I'm a little worried about Laguna. She's been acting pretty strange this morning, all panicky and nervous. Let me try to tell you from the beginning. It all started when I came by the pond near Techno Lagoon to pick her up and take her to breakfast.

Flashback to several hours earlier...

McJagger was walking up to the pond when Laguna popped her head out of the water, saying, "Morning, McJagger. Here on time and *blushes* as charming as ever." McJagger smiled and blushed right back, saying, "Of course. A hailstorm, nor a firestorm can't keep me from hanging out with my romantic trollmy from another homey." Laguna hopped out of the water as she said, "So, I was thinking maybe after breakfast, we could go to the library and read something together. Then, we can visit the Pixie Meadow. I hear that the late morning is when the pixies are most active, spreading pollen to the flowers." McJagger chuckled as he replied while placing a gentle arm around Laguna, "It sounds mighty groovy. I'm down with it." As the two walked down the path, McJagger then asked, "You know, I've meant to ask you. Where did you get that "charming" bit from"? Laguna's blush became much brighter as she replied, "Well, mental note: sometimes, when I'm not constantly doing research, I like to indulge in fictional fairytales, and in almost every book, there's a Prince Charming that falls in love with a beautiful princess." McJagger grinned as he asked, "So, I'm your Prince Charming, then"? Laguna nodded, adding, "You're...this may sound kind of weird...my Prince Funk Charming."

McJagger seemed to like the name as he said, "I dig it. Prince Funk Charming has a nice ring to it, Laguna. Then, I guess the day after tomorrow. You'll probably change it to Prince Funk "Extra" Charming." Laguna couldn't help but giggle as she asked, "Why? Will you wear a new jacket that day"? As McJagger lowered his arm back down, he answered, "Good idea, but I was actually referring to tomorrow being Haircut Day." At the sound of those two little words, Laguna froze as she nervously asked, 'That's...*gulps*...tomorrow"? McJagger stopped and turned his head, saying, "Yep. And I know you'll be looking beautiful as always once you're done." While McJagger started to walk ahead, Laguna nervously trailed behind him, having a panicked look on her face.

Voice Break: "I didn't notice it at first until I saw that she wasn't drinking her glow fruit smoothie like she normally did."

As McJagger sipped on his morning cup of coffee, he noticed that Laguna was solemnly looking down at her glow fruit smoothie with a nervous look. McJagger came up to her and asked, "Hey, Laguna. Are you feeling ok"? Laguna looked up and shook her head, saying with what looked like a forced smile, "I'm alright. Just...not feeling very hungry is all." However, McJagger could tell that there was something deeper that seemed to be bothering her.

End of Flashback

"And she's been like that almost the whole morning. I asked her if something was up, but she kept saying that she was ok. A few minutes ago, she said that she was heading into the forest to look for berries and hasn't returned since. I can't help thinking something's seriously wrong." Melody grew concerned as she said, "This does not sound good. Whenever she goes off alone, it's usually a sign that either something is bothering her or she's about to have an episode." McJagger was confused as he asked, "What do you mean "have an episode"? Melody answered, "I mean...she's going to kill me for telling you...but...sometimes...she has panic attacks...and they tend to be pretty bad, especially since she has PTSD. We got to find her before she either has another one or something worse happens." McJagger nodded as he grabbed a first responder's and said, "Let's go," as they ran into the forest. As they ran, Melody asked, "So out of curiosity, where did you get that, anyway"? He shouted back, "I've been training to become a first-responder for medical needs. I've been training for some time before I met Laguna, who has helped me with my studies." They continued calling and looking for Laguna. Suddenly, out of a bush, Smidge, with a black eye and a tooth knocked out, came running out, saying, "McJagger! Melody! Thank goodness! You have to come quick! It's an emergency"! Melody responded in a panic voice, "Unless it's really dire, Smidge, we are kind of in an emergency of our own. We're trying to find Laguna." Smidge then shouted in response, "This emergency is about Laguna! She's on the ground, shouting random stuff, and moving really weird"!

That was enough for McJagger to say, "Well then, lead us the way"! Smidge nodded and ushered them both to follow her quickly through the thick brush. In a secluded area by a big pine tree, Melody and McJagger found Laguna on the ground, laying next to a spilled basket of strawberries and her fallen glasses, with her eyes tightly shut and shouting, as if she was in a bad dream and unable to wake up from it. She also seemed to be sweating, and her cheeks were red as if she had a bad fever. McJagger started to unzip his bag as he exclaimed, "Melody! You try and get a hold of her! I'll get an oxygen mask set up"! Melody nodded and ran towards the fallen Techno Troll and tried to pick her up, but the constant squirming made it hard. Hearing her shout things like "No more," and, "It hurts," and "Show mercy" wasn't making things any easier. Melody held Laguna right in her arms as she shouted, "Laguna if you can hear me, wake up! Or try to wake up! Please"! However, despite being caught in this state, Laguna somehow struggled and put up a fight. Melody was having a hard time to get Laguna to stay still as she shouted, "McJagger! You have that oxygen mask yet"?! At that time, McJagger came with the oxygen tank and mask set up, shouting, "Alright! Get her to lay down so I can put this on her"! However, Laguna flicked her tail as if to try and smack McJagger and Melody away. Both trolls jumped back as Melody commented, "Whoa! She's a fighter, but this is dangerous"! Melody tried to get a better hold of Laguna, but out of the blue, she ended up getting punched in the nose hard. Melody held her nose ad recoiled back in pain, shouting, "Oh, troll! Ow, my nose"! McJagger and Smidge gasped as Smidge asked, "Are you ok"?! Melody's nose began to bleed as she answered, 'I think I got a broken nose, but I'll live." Melody then got a hold of Laguna's arms, but she could tell that they need the oxygen now based on the sounds of Laguna wheezing and gasping for air. Melody frantically shouted, "McJagger! Hurry! I can feel her body tightening even more! I think she's struggling to breathe"! With help from Smidge, McJagger was able to get close to the suffering Techno troll and place the oxygen tank over her nose and mouth before turning the tank on. Laguna's movements started to slow and relax, but she was still attempting to break free from whatever she was going through, tossing and turning like if she was having a nightmare.

Her groans of fear and pain were very alarming as Smidge asked in concern, "Do you think she'll wake up"? Melody placed a hand on her forehead before recoiling it back, saying, "Her fever's slowly lowering, but it's still pretty high. McJagger, do you have a cold compress in your bag"? He nodded and asked Smidge to get it. Once in his hands, he shook it to activate the cold compress and gave it to Melody, who placed it on Laguna's forehead. The cold compress seems to help as her movements slowed, and while she still forcefully tossed and turned, it wasn't as excessive as before. However, she was still shouting, "Please don't," and other comments related to that, and she still would not wake up. Smidge then noticed Melody's bleeding nose as she asked, "Are you ok"? McJagger gave her a tissue, which allowed her to wipe the blood off, as she responded, "My nose is bleeding. It hurts like heck, but I'll be fine. I don't know if I can say the same about Laguna, though." Not knowing what else to do, Melody placed a comforting hand on Laguna's shoulder while saying, "Please wake up. We need you to-," before suddenly, Melody's eyes glowed white, and she seemed dazed.

Melody rubbed her eyes inside her mind before looking around, noticing she was in a different surrounding. One surrounded by black walls that seemed to go on for infinity. She shouted, "Hello! Anyone there"? Then, she bumped into what looked like a huge crystal ball as she asked herself? Where am I? And what's a crystal ball doing here"? Reluctantly, Melody touched it as the crystal ball glimmered before revealing a dark, empty room. Melody took a closer look and saw a younger but brutally beaten Laguna on top of what looked like an old mattress. She had cuts, bruises, whip marks, and sores all over her purple body. She had a terrible black eye, and the scar on her tailfin was a deep shade of red. One big, dark, nasty bruise near her lower mid-section signaled where her father took "the thing" long ago. Melody gasped as she realized, "This must be one of Laguna's memories. The one where her father brutalized her and stole the thing she couldn't get back. *Gasps* Somehow, when I touched her shoulder, I gained access to see this. I must have the power to see other trolls' memories." She watched in silence and saw how the same pained expression on memory Laguna's face was the same expression Laguna in the real world had right now. She was somehow deeply caught in this horrid memory and can't seem to escape it. Melody then saw a shadowy, bulky figure approach her as younger Laguna looked on in fear and pain. Then, her father began to use what looked like a belt full of shock buzzers and hit her, making Laguna scream in agony. Melody was close to crying while watching this, especially hearing her shout, "Dad, stop! Please, no more! It hurts! Show mercy"!

Melody had enough as she balled her fists, gritted her teeth, and shouted, "Snap out of it"! Somehow, in the memory playing, Laguna seemed to hear as she said softly, "Snap...out of...it." Melody was surprised to see that Laguna, in the memory, could hear her voice. However, before she could question it, Melody saw the crystal ball begin to disappear as she felt herself getting picked up and carried somewhere. Back in real-life, her eyes returned to normal as Melody gasped for air and stumbled back, surprised at what had happened. McJagger and Smidge, seeing this happen, became relieved as McJagger asked, "Groovy that you're back, Melody. You seemed to look on in a daze after touching Laguna's shoulder," as Smidge asked, "Yeah, what happened to you"? Melody looked at Laguna, who was now breathing in and out calmly, no longer attempting any forceful or concerning movements, while saying, "It sounds so weird, but...I somehow was in her mind." Her words surprised them as she continued with, "I was able to see Laguna's memories, and she was experiencing a heart-wrenching one. I cannot go into detail on what it is because it was so gruesome, but...I was able to witness it and feel the pain and terror she felt from experiencing it." McJagger thought about this as he asked, "How long have you had this power"? Melody shrugged and replied, "It just happened. I never experienced something like this before."

She removed the cold compress off of Laguna's forehead and felt her cheek, saying, "Her fever's gone, so that's a relief, and she's not moving so frantically, and I can hear her breathing return to normal." Smidge then asked, "Still, what happened? Did she have a seizure or something"? McJagger shook her head before saying, "It can't be a seizure because she was able to talk. Usually, our nervous system is temporarily disabled, and we can only grunt or groan during a seizure episode. I think her PTSD must've acted up, and it made her have a serious panic attack, and because that memory seemed to have the most emotional impact on her, it caused her body to severely react as if she was living in that moment again." Smidge was speechless as Melody commented, "McJagger is right. And we were lucky you were with her, Smidge because we would've not found her in time if not for you. And judging by your black eye and a missing tooth, she got you good too"? Smidge nodded as she responded, "Oh my guh, for a Techno troll with a soft side, she has a hard fist."

Suddenly, McJagger saw Laguna's eyes begin to twitch as he slowly removed the oxygen mask, allowing the recovering Techno troll to gain a breath of fresh air as she struggled to open her eyes. Slowly, they started to open as her vision went from dark to blurry, since she was near-sighted, as she asked, "Wha...what happened"? As Smidge gave Laguna back her glasses, McJagger said, "Smidge told us that you collapsed and ended up on the ground, shouting and trying to fight something off that she couldn't see. You had a severe panic attack, and your body had a negative reaction to it, causing you to get a fever and struggle to breathe. We placed an oxygen mask on you so you could still breathe, and after a while, your body seemed to settle, your fever went down, and you returned to normal." Laguna looked down at her hands before noticing Melody and Smidge's injuries, asking, "Did I...do that to you two"? Smidge did not know how to answer as Melody replied, "Well, while we were placing the oxygen mask on you, you may or may not have knocked out her tooth and almost gave me a broken nose, but nothing too serious." Laguna covered her face with her hands as she whimpered, "I am so sorry. I wish I could've prevented this from happening, but it was like the second I felt it coming, I lost control of my body...and then things blacked out, and...I'm just so...so sorry." She started to sob as McJagger came to her and hugged her, allowing the Techno Troll to cry into his chest. Smidge allowed her tears to fall as Melody slowly came up to her, saying, "Hey...this may sound weird for me to say, but...I understand how you feel. I may not have gone through what you went through, but I can tell you are feeling many things. Anger, sadness, fear, resentment, and it's hard to keep that all inside. I...can tell you were terrified to the core that night...your dad did those things to you. and...if I were in your place, I'd be feeling the same way you are."

Laguna's sobs started to cease as she said in a teary-eyed voice, "Yeah, but...I don't want to live this way. Despite all the help I try to get, somehow, the scars of what happened back then still remain. In fact, trying to keep the scars of my past hidden is part of the reason why I'm dreading Haircut Day tomorrow. Because...my long hair has kept one particular scar hidden from everyone. I feel comfortable showing it to you guys, but please don't tell anyone." All three of her friends nodded in agreement as they went behind Laguna. Slowly, she sat up and lifted her hair to reveal her back as her friends gasped in absolute horror. In faint white scars that were shaped like letters were three words: I'm Your Master! Smidge whispered in fear, "Oh...my...guh," while McJagger was horrified, saying, "I can't believe he would do that to you, Laguna." Melody balled her fist and said angrily, "That little bottom-sucking trollstard's done too much damage on our poor friend! No one should ever do that to their daughter! He does not deserve to be called a father! If he ever shows his face in Trollstopia, I'm going to rain lava on his sorry finned butt"! Smidge had to hold Melody back as she was close to storming to Techno Lagoon, as she shouted, "Melody, stop! Beating him up is not going to make things any better"! Melody did not seem like she was listening until Laguna said, "Smidge is right, Melody. As much as I would like to teach him a lesson, doing the same thing he did to me will probably make things worse."

Melody loosened up as she shouted in concern, "But we can't just let him get away with this! Surely, your mom agrees with this, right"? Laguna then solemnly looked down, saying quietly, "I...haven't told her yet." Smidge and Melody gasped as McJagger asked, "But why"? Laguna replied while hugging her knee, "I've wanted to tell her, but...I fear that if I do, somehow he's going to know, and he'll find his way here and...do something even worse to me. As much as it pains me, I can't take that risk." She shakily started to stand as McJagger helped her up, picked us his bag, and asked, "You want me to take you home yet? Or anywhere else"? Laguna smiled, saying, "I'd appreciate it if you took me to the library. I have some books I want to return." He nodded and helped her walk onto the path towards the library. Meanwhile, Melody then began to angrily march down the opposite direction as Smidge followed her, asking, "Where are you going"? Melody replied, "To see Twilight. I respect Laguna's opinion, but even you know that this is one secret she can't keep from her mom." Smidge then retorted, "I agree, but I don't see why you feel so strongly about it. No one in your family went through that experience, right"? Melody stopped and hissed slightly before saying, "My deceased aunt...happened when she was a teen. A wild, rambunctious rock troll that wanted to party and have a good time, as most rock trolls do. One night, she was at a party, and some doozy male rock troll came up and talked to her. One thing led to another, and she ended up at his pod the following evening. I don't remember a lot from the story, but I know that he wanted to do something...she said no...he got mad...and things escalated. The next morning, she was in pain and ran out, never spoke to him again. Three months after the incident, she was feeling weird and went to the doctor...found out she was pregnant unwillingly...with Val. Her family was stunned by the news but even more surprised by the fact that she kept it secret for this long. Distraught over what had happened, she just...lost it. After Val was born, she spiraled downhill, and...the only thing I remember left is hearing my mom tell Val one night that she wouldn't be coming back after her "tour." So you see, Smidge, I know the consequences of keeping a secret like that, and I don't want what happened to my aunt to happen to Laguna. she's too special to go through that."

Smidge was speechless but then grew a determined look as she said, "I'm in." Melody smiled and nodded,d saying, "Laguna may hate us after this, but this is for the best. If she's ever going to get better, she needs all the help, love, and especially parental support we can get, and her mom is the key to helping her at this time." As they headed straight for the pond, they placed their breathing helmets on and jumped in, swimming to Laguna's house. Smidge knocked on the door as Twilight Tidepool opened it, saying, "Crikey! You're Laguna's friends! Hello! Want to come in"? They both swam in as Twilight closed the door, saying, "What brings to these parts down under? Perhaps you'd like a snack or something to drink"? Melody took a deep breath as she said, "Actually...we need to talk to you...about Laguna." As they sat at the table, Twilight said, "My daughter raves about you guys. You mean a lot to her, more than you think." Smidge said shakily, "We're happy that we mean a lot to her, but...we need to really tell you something. It's imperative." Melody added, "It's great you are reconnecting with your daughter...but there's something she's told us that she's been holding in for a while. And we felt it was necessary to tell you because...it regards with your husband."

Hours later, after Smidge and Melody had left, Laguna returned to her home after returning the library books. She opened the door, saying, "Mom, I'm home," as she closed the door behind her. She heard her mother call, "I'm in my bedroom, Laguna. You mind coming here a minute"? Laguna swam into her mother's bedroom as she closed the door, asking, "What's up, mom? Everything ok,"? Twilight Tidepool, for the first time since reuniting with her daughter, had a serious expression as she says, "Kelpcake, come sit next to me. We need to talk." Laguna sat next to her mom as she asked, "Is...something wrong"? Twilight took a deep breath as she said, "Laguna, I am going to ask you something, and I need you to promise me from the sky above to the sand below that you'll be completely, totally, 100% honest with me. Can you promise me that"? Laguna nodded, saying, "Note: I am honest as they come, mom. You can ask me." Twilight bit her lip as she then slowly asked, "Laguna...is it true that your father did bad things to you after my disappearance"? Laguna gasped as her mother continued, "It doesn't matter how I found out. I just need to know if this is true." Laguna slowly nodded and said, "Yes, mom. It's true." Twilight had a look of shock/disbelief as she then calmly asked, "Laguna, why didn't you ever tell me in the first place? I'm your mother. I'm supposed to be the troll who you can trust to come to talk with wherever something's on your mind. How long have you kept this a secret for"? Laguna felt bad as she replied, "Over a year, and from you, about three months." Twilight covered her eyes with her fedora so her daughter could not see her cry as Laguna allowed her tears to fall, saying while sobbing, "I'm sorry, mom! I've wanted to tell you, but I was afraid either you wouldn't get it or that somehow, dad would know and would track us down and hurt us badly! I didn't want to put you in danger"!

She hugged her mom tightly while sobbing really loud and repeating at the top of her lungs, "I'm sorry"! Twilight kept her daughter close as she said in a teary-eyed voice, "Kelpcake, listen to me. You never have to worry about my safety." However, Laguna retorted, "Of course I do! You were missing for over a year, and I thought you were dead until my friends found you! So I have a right to be concerned about whether you're going to come home at the end of the day or night! I have the right to be concerned when you go out and do important work as an explorer, and every day, I hope you return with little to no serious injuries! I have the right to worry when you are late coming home some nights"! Twilight allowed her daughter to vent as she calmly replied, "You're right. You do have the right to worry about my safety. Just like I have the right to worry about yours. Kelpcake, something like this, you should never keep secret, especially from me. From what I heard, you were lucky not to get infected with anything that can make you sick. And you should consider yourself lucky he didn't give you a baby to carry in your stomach like a kangaroo for 9 months. When it comes to your safety, I should know if you're ok or not and whether you aren't feeling well. Plus, the fact that you also didn't tell me that you've been recently having panic attacks due to PTSD just makes me more concerned for you. I can help you, Laguna, not just because I'm your mother, but because I care and want to. But I can't help you if you don't tell me these kinds of things when they occur. It will take a lot of time, but in the end, with the right trolls supporting you and helping you along the way, you will get through this, but only if you let me help you."

Laguna looked up at her mother's caring gaze as she tightened her hug, nuzzling her head into her mother's chest. Twilight embraced her daughter's hug as she slowly stroked her daughter's hair, which allowed Laguna to calm down a little as both trolls allowed their pent up tears to fall. As her mother kept the stroking motion up, inside her head, Laguna thought about her initial fear and nervousness for tomorrow, mainly because of everyone noticing the scar on her back. However, she remembered that her mom had a couple of scars on her arms, and while some trolls noticed them, they didn't think of her any differently. In fact, some have commented that they made her look tough and resilient, and like Twilight likes to comment, "Every scar tells a story." So maybe, it was time she let other trolls know her story. If she was going to recover truly, she needed parental and friendship related support, and the only way to gain that is by sharing her story with others.

The next day flew by so fast as Maddy, Holly, and Melody were busy cutting and styling away at every troll's hair. While they had fun and got to conversate with most of their customers, Melody could not help but notice that Laguna was nowhere to be found on her line of people. Of course, she respected her decision to skip it this year because of yesterday's events, but still, Melody could help but feel bad about it. As hours passed, around sunset, Melody finished up McJagger as she removed the cape and gave him a mirror, saying, "There. Trimmed to perfection. Ya dig it"? He nodded, saying, "Dig it real nice. Thanks, Melody," as he got up from his chair and went to join up with Smidge, Poppy, Val, and Aggie. While Smidge, Val, and Poppy's hair remained in their signature style but was now trimmed a little shorter, Aggie's was not only trimmed but styled in a ponytail, similar to Melody's. Melody looked on at the almost empty crowd as she first thought that Laguna wasn't coming, commenting, "I guess I'm done for the evening." Holly, who was next to her, saying, "In that case, Ay'm prepared to do ya, gerl. Take a seat." Melody was about to lay the cape out on her chair and go sit in Holly's chair when Laguna came running, shouting, "Wait"! Everyone turned and saw the Techno troll running towards them, saying, "Note: You have one more client left"!

Melody was surprised as she came down and walked to Laguna, saying, "Laguna, you're here! Does that mean you're willing to go through with it? But I thought," as Laguna interrupted her, saying, "I did think that, but...after chatting with my mom," as she pointed to her mom, who now wore her newly shortened hair down and around her waist, joined up with the group, before Laguna continued with, "I...did a little thinking. And...I decided that it was time for a change. As part of my slow but steady self-recovery, I need to physically tell my story to others so that they can learn and understand what I went through, so they can help out in any way they can. And...as repulsive as some scars might be, they can help tell a story. So, I'm willing to show my scars, just like how my mom shows her, and wear them as proud as I can." McJagger commented, "Atta girl, Laguna," as Smidge added, "Tell 'em, sister"! Even Twilight commented while wearing a proud smile, "That's my little Laguna." Melody smiled as she asked, "Then, are you ready"? Laguna nodded, saying, "I am, Melody." Melody guided Laguna to her chair as the Techno troll sat down while Melody placed the cape around her. Then, she grabbed her scissors and a red comb while asking, "So, do you have any style in particular that you want"? Laguna whispered it into Melody's ear as the pop/rock troll nodded before as she spun the chair so that Laguna would be facing her before saying, "Then, let Magic Melody work her magic on you," as she began styling away. Everyone watched in anticipation and suspense. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of scissors cutting hair or Melody quietly scatting to keep herself motivated as she worked.

Either seeing the small bits of hair fall onto the ground or anticipating how it would turn out was enough to make Laguna's friends intrigued. Even Holly and Maddy couldn't help watching and becoming intrigued by Melody's handiwork. After what Poppy could describe as an agonizing 10 minutes, Melody was done as she placed the scissors and comb down and removed the cape while saying with pride, "It's been done. What do you guys think"? She turned the chair so that Laguna would be facing everyone as they all were happily surprised and shocked with excitement. With Melody's styling prowess, Laguna's dark blue hair was now drastically shortened to just two inches past her shoulders, styled almost like a bob. And the tuft of hair she originally had that would stick up was now brushed down into side-swept bangs that went to the right. Aggie was the first to speak as she said, "Wow, Laguna. That haircut suits you well"! Everyone else started piling in with compliments, like Poppy's, "You look gorgeous, Laguna," and Smidge"s, "Oh my guh! You look ah-ma-zung," and even Val's, "Got to say, you rock with that hairdo." Laguna was blushing a little in embarrassment, but when McJagger commented, "Laguna, you look absolutely stunning, " her blush grew, but she couldn't care. She jumped from her seat and hugged McJagger before pulling him into a romantic kiss. Everyone's jaws dropped as Twilight removed her fedora and placed it over her chest while smiling, saying, "My little whippersnapper is all grown up."

She then placed her fedora back on, walked up to the happy couple, and said, 'McJagger, make sure you take great care of Laguna. She's a very special troll and a lucky one to be with. And if you ever do something to hurt her, I'll personally have you tossed into a snake pit and run with the red wolves, fair dinkum! Capiche"? Laguna was giggling as McJagger nodded, saying, "She'll be in great hands, Ms. Tidepool, and that's a funky promise." Aggie then noticed the written scars on Laguna's now exposed back as she asked, "Hey, Laguna, what does "I'm Your Master" mean"? As everyone else started to notice it, Laguna looked over her shoulder before answering, "It's part of the collection of scars I hold from my past. It first meant something bad, but now that I actually get to see it, I think that in my mind, it should instead say, "I'm my own master." I lead my own path, mark my own landmarks, and do the things in life I want to do rather than have someone have me do things for them. And no troll or any other creature can tell me any different. Note: I am my own troll, and only I can control my own destiny." Melody came over while saying, "Truer words have never been spoken, Laguna," as the Techno troll turned and saw that Melody's hair had just been trimmed and her ponytail and bangs were a little shorter than before. Melody continued with, "You don't let the past define you. You define your own destiny. And I say this with the most sincerity. You're not the only one here telling stories with your scars."

Then, Melody bent down and rolled up her right pant sleeve, revealing her purple prosthetic leg to everyone, who was stunned and silent, except for Val, who watched her younger cousin tell her tale. Melody explained, "I'm the survivor of a rare disease involving an infection from magma, and while I lost my leg, I did not lose my spirit. Like you, I wear this prosthetic proudly and tell my tale to others, no matter what they think. So, just know, Laguna, you are never alone in this fight. You have many other friends who love and support you so much and us. We're here to help you through anything." Laguna felt emotionally touched that she was surrounded by a group of terrific friends who are always there by her side, including her mother. And her new boyfriend, McJagger. Smidge added, "And it's not just us. You have Synth, Biggie, Low-Note Jones, Branch, and all the other trolls here to lean on whenever you need help." Twilight came over, saying, "With everyone working together with you, you'll soon find your inner peace again and have your soul fully recovered." At that moment, everyone's hug time watches went off as Poppy led the group into a big group hug, with Laguna in the middle. Surprised, but happy nonetheless, she embraced in her friends' hugs as for the first time in a long time, she genuinely smiled in content. It was the start of a new chapter in her life, and this one will be a happy one.