Branch's POV
I froze.
What I saw before me was something I could not explain, something I could not comprehend, something I could not believe. No, wrong word. It was something I could not accept.
In front of me sat an angel with a broken wing. She was down on her knees, looking like so downhearted. I will never forget that look, even after I die, which won't be long. Her head hung and her eyes closed tightly. Her once pink glow was now faded and a new color and the other's seem to have accepted their fate because they become just like her, just like me. Grey. When I looked around that's all I saw. Misery. Defeat. It was like looking in a grey mirror, and there was no escaping it.
"I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize life isn't all cupcakes and rainbows!" my own harsh, cold voice rang in my ears. I let those words fall off my tongue so easily. I had no regret then. But now that it had actually happened the words that came out of my mouth just yesterday felt so long ago. A lot had happened today and somehow we ended up where I knew we would.
I didn't say anything, though. There was no time for "I told you so". There wasn't much time left, anyways. Everyone knew what was going to happen and they accepted it.
But I didn't.
I couldn't accept it. I knew it was coming, but I didn't accept it. I couldn't accept my happy princess turning grey.
Yes, my princess.
Poppy's POV
I felt terrible. All I wanted was the be the troll my dad was. I wanted to save everyone, I wanted to be a hero. I was no one's hero now. Not even to the youngsters who once looked up to me. Now they hung their heads low, grief in their eyes. I wanted to be brave, be bold, accept a challenge for once. I just couldn't.
The world wasn't what I thought it was. It wasn't all cupcakes and rainbows. I realized that now. It was a dark place.
Branch was right. For he was the one to tell me this. I never believed him. In a way I wish I did. Because maybe if I believed him I wouldn't be feeling this way.
What feeling, you may ask?
The feeling you get when you get everyone you love killed. The feeling when someone you thought you could trust mentally destroyed you by stabbing you in the back. The feeling when...my grumpy grey troll didn't return my feelings. He was in love with some other troll, that moved on, and still is.
Yes, my grumpy grey troll.
Branch and Poppy's POV
In case you're wondering how we got here, let me tell you.
Because it's a long story.
72 HOURS EARLIER
Branch's POV
It would be a lie if I were to say the story I'm about to tell you is fake. To be honest, most of it was a blur. Everything happened so quickly, with no order, no structure, and most definitely no safety. Most of the time I was trying to keep my princess safe. I guess I didn't go at it the best and that's on me. Almost every word that came out of my mouth was nasty. I didn't mean for it to, but it's just what I have grown to be.
Our story starts like any story. It's not really a story until something terrible happened and you have to go on some agonizing journey, usually our hero has a sidekick. In this case a pink pain in the butt. Well, I wouldn't call myself a hero just yet because right now I feel like the biggest coward in history. So I'll let you be the judge of that one.
In the beginning it was an ordinary day. The sun was shining brightly on my back as I collected more wood for my bunker (which we'll get onto that later). It was peaceful being so early. The birds chirped and I felt a breeze run through my hair and i inhaled the crisp air.
When I stopped to get a drink that's when my peace was destroyed. I spit out the water when I heard a familiar loud voice singing "MOVE YOUR HAIR AND FEEL UNITED!" The noise of everyone else's singing make it even MORE loud, and now it seemed as though the once quiet forest was vibrating. I looked around swiftly, praying a Bergen wouldn't hear and attack the village. I've told them again and again they are going to hear them if they don't keep it down. But do they listen? of course not!
i hadn't been in sight of the villagers when the noise first started. I had to be about a mile away, and when I finally reached the song, thankfully, was coming to an end. I caught my breath, leaning against the stem of a mushroom. Once it was caught I waited emotionlessly for them to make their big finish in which everyone stood on top of each other. They all had a smile glued on their faces when they finished, heavily breathing.
I started a slow clap. "Unbelievable guys," I said sarcastically. "Really great, good job...I could hear you from a mile away!"
"Good, I was worried we were projecting enough," Poppy panted, hopping off Cooper and everyone spawled out of their positions. Sarcasm was a foreign language to Poppy. Almost everything I said was sarcastic and she didn't get it a single bit.
I decided I wouldn't correct her. She wouldn't get it anyway. "Poppy, if I can hear you, so can the Bergens," I whispered the last part, worried they would hear me too.
"Oh boy," said Guy Diamond, seeming somewhat amused.
"Here we go again," sighed Cooper.
"Oh Branch," said Biggie, shaking his head in disapproval.
"You always ruin everything," Satan said.
"Warning us about the Bergens," her twin sister Chenille finished.
"No I don't."
Well, maybe that was a big fib. I had ruined a party, wedding and funeral all in the time span of a few months warning everyone that the bergens were coming. But that was just bad timing.
"Cmon," Poppy's nonchalant voice broke through my reflection of myself. "We haven't seen a bergen in twenty years they're not gonna find us."
"No, they're not going to find me, because i'll be in my heavily camouflaged, heavily fortified, Bergen proof survival bunker."
"You mean you're not coming to the party tonight?" she asked, looking slightly hurt.
"But it's gonna be the biggest..."
"The loudest!"
"The CRAZIEST party ever!" Cooper beamed.
They were nuts! I couldn believe what I was hearing. "Big? Loud? Crazy?!" I was fuming now. "You're just gonna lead the Bergens right to us!" I exclaimed.
"Are you sure you wanna invite this party pooper to poop on your party?" Cooper whispered as he stared at me like I wasn't standing in front of him.
Poppy didn't even hesitate. "Yes! I think everyone deserves to be happy," she smiled.
"I don't DO happy," I replied.
"Branch, I know you have happiness inside you, you just need us to help you find it!" She then pulled out an invitation from her hair that revealed sunshine and rainbows, and what looked like a little version of me holding a card. Out of it's eyes splattered glitter. I stood there impatiently as I let it fall onto my face. Although I admired her invitation, I didn't crack a smile. "What do ya say Branch?" asked Poppy, scrunching up her face cutely.
With this huge party they are talking about, I wouldn't be surprised if the Bergens came.
I had made it my image to destroy her invitations, and it was as if it was just instinct now. I took the invitation as always and stomped on it. The reason I did it was because I thought it might stop them from having a party. But if I knew anything about Poppy, it was that she wasn't going to let the absence of one troll to stop her from having the biggest, the loudest, and the craziest party ever or whatever. Everyone gasped, clearly still not used to it, which surprised me. I had been doing this for years and you'd think they'd get used to it.
"I wouldn't be caught dead at your party," I said, wiping glitter from my face, "but you will be: caught, and dead!" Before you say that was a little harsh, I wasn't going to stop trying to convince everyone that the bergens were still after us, and they were coming. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they will come. They'll take everyone. Except me, of course. And I won't be around when it happens. When the loud music stops and horrified shrieks fill the air that's when I'll know. And what I would do after that I didn't know.
Poppy furrowed her eyebrows at me for a moment before a critter flew his way in the middle of us ever so gracefully. Then I realized it was carrying the troll I despised. "Woah, woah, easy Branch, easy!" The critter let the purple troll down carefully and flew to him as if he was saying goodbye. "Thank you for providing a safe path brother," he said, touching foreheads with it. I simply rolled my eyes at this. "Fly away, be free…" He smiled at the critter who flew away peacefully. "Okay first of all mate," he continued, "thanks for sharing your unique perspective on things, again." He tilted his head towards everyone, who looked like they were going to burst into peals of laughter.
I knitted my eyebrows, unsure if I should be offended or flattered.
Offended.
Definitely offended.
Oh, what was I saying? Creek always offended me, even when he wasn't. In other words I hated the guy's guts. I didn't know a particular reason why. I mean, a reason that stands out from all of the other reasons. In all seriousness despite the way I felt about Creek everyone else had a opposite view on him. They saw him as "the voice of reason" because he was always so calm and laid back. For me, there was something that I just couldn't trust about the guy, something deep down. Plus, he was always getting too close to Poppy for my liking and they had a strange thing with booping each other's nose that just made me gag. Whenever I see them together I swear my heart clenches.
"...But just for now," he continued. "Why don't you try in some positivity aye? A little positivity, may go with that vest!"
"Fine, I am positive you are all going to get eaten," I smiled.
"Aw, cmon Branch! You know that's not what he meant," said Suki.
So? I wasn't taking orders from Creek. "Whatever," I grumbled.
Poppy frowned at me until her hug time bracelet went off. "Hug time!" she cheered.
Creek grabbed her hand, causing my heart to crack open a little and it felt hard to breathe. Well, I blame that on the fact that I was forced into this hug, Creek on my left and Guy Diamond on my right. "Our hearts are synchronizing!" said Creek. Um...ew!
"I can sqqquuueeezeee you foreva!" said Guy Dimond, tightening his embrace on me (which I didn't think was even possible). Yeahhh...I'm gonna have to go with no. I, personally, don't want to squeeze Guy Diamond forever. When I finally managed to get out of the hug that was making me claustrophobic I landed right on my back.
I got back up, though although it still really hurt. I picked my sticks back up and began to stomp away. "Someday, when the bergens find us and the survival of every troll is in your hands, I sure hope the answer is singing, dancing and hugging because that's all you know how to do!" I spat. How could they all be so stupid? How were they so blind to the fact that some day soon everything they know will be gone? That one day all trolls would perish? A shiver ran down my spin when I thought about the high possibility of a bergen attack. And I was terrified, honestly. They were going to scoop them up and eat them. Just like…
"That is not true!" said Biggie. "Poppy can also scrapbook," he said matter-of-factly.
I ignored his comment. Like scrapbooking as going to save them. "I can't believe you're going to be queen one day," I muttered crossly, then turning my back and walked away without saying anything else.
"Tune out his negative vibrations Poppy, they're toxic," I heard Creek say as I continued walking. "Some folks, just don't wanna be happy."
"I...I guess."
The uncertainty in her voice made me stop at my tracks but I returned to turn my head.
"Why do you hesitate?" asked Creek.
"W-Well...don't you think Branch wants to be happy? Deep down, I mean. Sure he's a little grumpy sometimes but…"
"A lot grumpy," Satin corrected.
"Okay, a lot grumpy. The point is maybe he's not as bad as we think. Maybe he's just a lonely soul who's in need of a friend?"
"Not likely, Popps, I mean he's destroyed each and every one of your invitations. If he really wanted a friend he wouldn't do that. He'd attend your parties for once," Suki said.
"Agreed," Smidge said.
"He's just worried about the bergens…" Poppy said. Out of all the things I've done, how could she possibly keep on defending me? After I've stomped every invitation, said every nasty word to her I could think of? The thing of it was I didn't mean it. Everything I want to say to her just comes out wrong.
"He's not worried, he's paranoid, more like," Cooper said.
Poppy sighed. "Yeah…"
"Cheer up Poppy, I wouldn't fret," said Creek. "Branch will come along. In the meantime, we have a party to decorate! Everyone will be there!"
They all cheered, their voices fading as they walked away excitedly.
That was when I whirled around and ran back into the clearing, took the invitation that was abandoned on the ground, and put it in my hair.
When I returned to my humble bunker I set down a few rocks I collected on the table, put my sticks on the shelf, and carefully took the stomped invitation out of my hair. I straightened it out and prayed it'd work.
Thank heavens, it did. The softer side of me opened up when I saw it. "Celebrate freedom from the bergens!" Little Branch sang. A smile formed across my lips and and I grinned like the stupidest idiot. Here I was, smiling at an invitation but not smiling at the actual party. I wasn't going to take that chance. She must've spent so much time on it...and I ruined it. Again.
I frown, looking back at the shelves of invitations I had kept over the years. I could never bring myself to get rid of them, so they piled up. I wanted to make a third shelf but I had been putting it off. These invitations...they all had a different meaning, a different story, and they weren't just made...they write crafted.
My thoughts were interrupted when there was as knock on my boulder (the entrance of the bunker). No, a POUNDING on my boulder. I gasped, closing the invitation and running to the shelf, making the mistake of not watching where I was going so I ran straight into the shelves, causing the invitations to make a racket, scamming my name. "No, no, no!" I protested, trying to shut them up but which each one I slapped down popped back up. "No, no shush shush shush!" For what felt like forever I finally stuffed them back into the shelf. I clenched my teeth together, hurrying up my elevator and pulled the lever that that opened up my "Go Away" mat. "I'm not going to your party, I said before she could say anything.
"The party's over!" the worry in her voice scared me. "We just got attacked by a bergen!"
"Huh. Really?"
"Yes, really!" Her voice was still shaken up, but I thought I wasn't done proving my point.
"If only there was someone to warned you about it…"
"Branch! This is serious!"
"Fine, come in!" I dragged her down, locking all the doors and setting up a mouse trap.
"Branch-"
"Sh!" I covered her mouth, listening for any movement.
"Branch, I-"
"Shush!"
"But Branch-"
"Shut up! What is so important that can lead the bergen right to us?!"
"The bergen isn't going to hear us under here! It's already gone!"
"You don't know that. It could still be out there!"
"No, it took all my friends! Even Creek!"
"Hm." I rolled my eyes instinctively at the mention of Creek.
"So that's why I have to ask you…" she fiddled with her fingers. "Will you go to Bergen Town with me and save everyone?"
Okay, she was officially mad. "What?! No!"
"Branch, you can't say no! They're your friends!"
"Ah, ah, ah! They're your friends!" I wasn't anyone's friend. I looked out for myself and myself only. That's how it's been for a long time. "I'm staying in my bunker where it's safe."
"Oh, that's great! You know more about Bergens than anyone and when we finally need you you're just gonna hide here forever?!"
"Forever? Psh, no." I pulled the lever that descended deeper into my bunker. "Yeah I only have enough supplies to last me...ten years? Eleven if I'm willing to store and drink my own sweat!"
"Branch, that's disgusting!"
I shrugged in response and continued. "You all thought I was crazy huh? Well who's crazy now?" The elevator came to a final stop. "Me. Crazy prepared," I said, stepping off the elevator, Poppy not too far behind.
"I'm sorry, you told me not to throw the party and I through it anyway...and now I don't know what to do. So can you please show some compassion for once?"
"Hmm...going to Bergen Town and ending up in a Bergen's stomach? Nah, I think I'll pass."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with sprinkles and a cherry on top?" She gave me the puppy-dog-eyes.
Don't give in, I pleaded to myself. "Cherries give me indigestion."
"Fine. Pretty please with sticks and rocks on the top?"
"That sounds great!"
"So you'll go?" she asked excitedly.
"Nope. Why don't you try scrapbooking them to freedom?" I suggested.
Finally she had gave up. She sighed. "Solid burn Branch. Well, thanks anyway."
"Yeah, no problem Poppy, see ya in ten years." I smiled.
Poppy, however, did not smile. She gave me an unamused glare as she went back up the elevator. It wasn't until I didn't see her that I frowned. I was about to walk away when I heard the elevator come back down, barely revealing Poppy. "Hey, Branch. Just wondering if I could borrow something?"
"What?" I sighed.
"Your bunker!" she said.
"What?!" I gasped, not at all expecting that.
"Alright everyone, come on in! Branch would love to share his bunker with you guys!"
I was still freaked out when Poppy pulled the lever and the elevator continued to descend, this time revealing every troll in the village that hadn't been taken. Poppy smiled as she approached me.
"Poppy, what are you doing?!" I demanded.
"You said you had enough previsions down here to last ten years," she pointed out, folding her arms.
Sure her plan to keep everyone safe in my bunker wasn't too bad of an idea, I'll admit, but she was still a little flat. The village was huge and the supplies down here wouldn't nearly last them that long. "Enough to last me ten years! Me! It'll last them two weeks!" I exclaimed, still a little freaked out.
"Then I guess I'd better hurry!" she projected through the loud murmurs of everyone, about to make her way out but I tugged on her arm.
"Wait, wait, wait," I said irritably. "You wouldn't last a day out there," I said. I knew that had to be true. Poppy has never been outside of the village before- not as far as I knew. It's the only home she's ever known. The forest is a dangerous place, and not a place for a princess either. It's cruel and unforgiving. They would eat her alive! The Bergens would be the least of her worries once she set foot out there. Singing and dancing wasn't going to save her pink butt so I hope she had other plans than that to battle the monsters out there.
Then she said something I didn't expect her to say. "And you won't last a day in here," she smirked.
Dang, she got me there. It was complete chaos. You'd think after a bergen attack everyone would be frightened and quiet, but nope. One troll was chugging down one of my jar's of my sweat, which made me twitch a little considering I don't think they knew it was my sweat. How could they possibly know? Some little kids were jumping from mousetrap to mousetrap, jumping right on time before it could close in on their legs which was extremely dangerous. Some were even laughing, but I'll tell you it wouldn't be funny if they ended up spraining one or even both of their ankles. I guess it'd teach them a lesson that mouse traps aren't toys.
I glanced back at Poppy, who was still smirking. "Solid burn returned." The sass in her voice mocked me, making wanna punch that smug- yet cute- grin right off her face, but I kept my cool and watch her walk away. She just had almost made it to the elevator when she was stopped by Peppy.
"Um, Poppy, wait," he said, his voice concerned. She looked back at him contently. "Please be careful."
I couldn't imagine what he must be feeling. There he was, the King of the trolls, watching his princess face the cruel world all by herself as he stayed here waiting for her return. "Don't worry dad. I can do this," said Poppy reassuringly, hugging him. I only saw the back of her head now and as Poppy hugged her he smiled, still looking a little sad.
"I love you Poppy," he said sincerely.
"I love you too Dad."
Something inside me seemed to die when I heard those words come out of both their months. Love. That word. The word I've been dying to tell Poppy for so long but couldn't find the words. They both made it seem so simple. But it wasn't. Not for me. I soon realized, though, that loving someone as your daughter and loving someone romantically were two completely different things. I think my heart ached too was because I missed that affection my family used to give me. And now I had no family. No one. I lost sight of that kind of love and I had no idea how to get that back.
Poppy skipped to the elevator, faith and happiness reading her expression. I hoped that would still be there when she returned empty handed with none of her friends because they had all gotten eaten. If she even returned. I shuddered.
"Bye everybody, see you soon!" she called. Everyone said goodbye to her at different times, but I turned out the voices of farewells and looked at Poppy. I already sensed my personal space getting invaded as everyone swarmed around me, still wishing good luck and saying goodbye.
Before she could pull the lever that sended her up and out of the bunker i stopped her. "Poppy, wait! You can't do this! I'll go insane!" I exclaimed, pushing my way through everyone.
Poppy stood where she was. "Last chance: will you come with me to Bergen Town?"
Although some part of me wanted to agree, I stood my ground. It was my pride. "No!" The other part of me knew there was no chance at going to a place where I'd just get gulped up and down a Bergen's throat. On the other hand I was more worried for Poppy, especially going alone. She was crazy for doing this.
She then looked down at her hug time bracelet. "Three...two...one!" she smirked as it activated. When I saw the bright flower go off bright pink, I knew what she was up to. Oh no.
She pulled the lever confidently, sending the elevator up as everyone else's bracelets went off as well. I narrowed my eyes. "You're evil," I whispered.
"Love you too Branch!" The princess blew me a kiss right before she confidently pulled the lever that send her on her way.
"Hug time!" exclaimed Peppy
"No, no!" I protested as everyone crowded around me with open arms and happy expressions.
Meanwhile Poppy was almost out of sight. The last I saw before I was swallowed by the mob of affectionate trolls was her smiling widely and mischievously.
Chapter 1 finally done! Yaayy! And I'm exhausted XD Hope you liked it! Forgive me for any stupid mistakes a made- I need To an editor. I would also like to thank my friend ttobba95 who helped me come up with the title and a lot of other ideas for this story!
oo tired to leave a long authors note so please review! I love you guys.