Sometimes, even when everything seems to fall into place, change still has a way of bringing things along.
A Broppy fanfic
Everything seemed to have its place. The Bergens had declared an official state of peace with the Trolls, and they had begun the tedious process of rebuilding all that had been lost since the entire conflict began.
Of course, no part of the activities went by without joyful singing and dancing involved. It was during this time that all the Trolls became even closer as friends, perhaps even family. The Snack Pack welcomed their newly colored friend Branch into their circle, who seemed slightly put off but willing to socialize with them. A big step for the once isolated troll.
The newly crowned Queen Poppy observed their interactions with a swelling of pride, crediting mostly herself for the gray troll's dramatic transformation. She watched as he helped DJ Suki lift firewood to a new location without argument, listening intently as she babbled about this, that, and the other thing. For a moment, his eyes flicked to hers and he rolled his eyes dramatically, making a yapping mouth with his hand and gesturing to the redhead troll. Poppy snorted, covering her obvious grin. She would have joined them, but her new position warranted more pressing attention than she had liked.
"Ah, everything is coming together nicely! Isn't it, Poppy?"
The grandeur tone of her father's voice brought another ear-splitting smile to her face as she agreed whole-heartedly with his declaration.
"It seems so. It's only been a few weeks and we are already almost done with the reconstruction of the damaged pods!" She piped happily. The former king gave a hearty chuckle.
"Indeed. You're doing a fine job, my dear." He said, giving a generous ruffle to her hair. She swatted his hand away playfully, emitting a bubbly giggle herself.
"Yo, Queen Poppy!"
The fluorescent pink troll turned in just enough time to step back and allow her four-legged friend Cooper land on top of the flower.
"What is it, Coop?" Poppy asked affectionately. She didn't use nicknames often, and when she did it was to let the other party know not to take her too seriously. As she expected, the goofy creature laughed and produced a scroll from beneath his green cap.
"River and Stream wanted to ask if these plans for the new children's center looked alright before they started." Poppy gently took the plans from his outstretched limbs, his long neck craning to catch a peek at the plans himself as she reviewed them.
Nodding absentmindedly, her smile grew and ultimately, she was beaming.
"Everything is perfect! Give my compliments to them!" She gushed, handing the parchment back to Cooper before he took off in the direction that he had come.
"Well. If you have everything under control, I think I'm going to go catch a few winks." Peppy declared, giving a cacophonous yawn. Poppy smiled yet again.
"No problem, Daddy. Get some rest." She conferred as he walked away. The sunlight was dimming away for the day, and the hazy orange and gold of dusk cast its rays onto their building sites as the trolls also began to wind down. She blinked several times, realizing that perhaps her father wasn't the only one who needed a nap.
She returned to her abode ready to collapse from the work of that day. Being royalty was something she was used to, but being Queen was entirely different than just being a right-hand Princess to a King. Regardless, the heavy draw of sleep was like weights on her eyelids, and in a heap, she collapsed onto the mattress of her quite comfy bed.
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Tap! Tap! Tap!
She stirred slightly.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Her eyes fluttered open and the room was a blur as her vision came back into focus.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
"Okay, okay! I hear you!" She called out, smoothing out her mussed hair back into its ponytail and straightening her dress out before heading to the door. A familiar face peeped at her through the small circular glass pane in the door, and waved promptly as she neared the handle.
"Top o' the evening to ya, Poppy!" Biggie piped happily as his eyes met hers. She rubbed at the sleep in them, yawning.
"What time is it?" She questioned, dreading the answer seeing as her big friend had said evening.
"Ten thirty!" Biggie replied almost too cheerfully. Poppy groaned, leaning her head against the door frame.
"Ugh, Biggie, couldn't this have waited until morning?" She protested.
"No, no! Well, you see….I seem to have misplaced Mr. Dinkle's hat….and I can't find it anywhere. I was hoping you'd held me look for it." He explained, gesturing to the little worm cradled in his arm. Indeed the troll observed his barren head, his glittery eyes staring back at her. Rolling her own eyes, she gave a heavy sigh and stepped out of her pod, shutting the petal door behind her.
"Lead the way." She ordered. She could have sworn she caught a glimpse of her friend hopping giddily out of the corner of her eye before regaining his composure and following her command.
Onward they trudged through the forest brush, rustling the tall grass and grazing by towering flowers that reached well above the tips of their fluffy hair.
"I really appreciate you doin' this fa me, Poppy. I know you've been workin' like a dog these last few weeks." Biggie emphasized as they continued their distance away from Troll Village. Poppy's demeanor softened at this. Who was she to deny aid for a dear companion?
"Anything for a friend." She replied warmly. Biggie smiled as they reached a particularly close group of trees. Putting a thoughtful finger to his chin, the large blue Troll skimmed the scene ahead of them before perking up at the place he had wanted to find.
"In here! This was the last place I remember seeing it!" He called as Poppy sprinted to keep up with him. One thing that came with being taller was also a longer stride, and when Biggie was in the mood, he could easily leave all of his friends (save for Cooper) in the dust. Her little legs carried her quickly to catch up, her breathing slightly elevated as she met her friend as the base of one specific tree. This one was towering like them all, but was sprouting a particularly vibrant shade of green from its branches. It was almost fluorescent in hue. She gazed at it in awe. Biggie pointed to something below them.
"I think it may have fallen into there." He guessed, and Poppy followed his finger into the dark abyss of a hole at the tree's roots. Leaning as far over as her weight would allow, the pink troll peered into its depths cautiously. After a few moments, she shook her head.
"Biggie, I don't think it's-!" A sudden blunt force shoved her over the edge, sending her hurdling a few feet downwards until meeting the soft, dusty cushion of dirt. She screamed the entire way down, the wind being knocked out of her before she threw her head upwards.
"What the-Biggie, what the heck was that?" She screamed back up to the shadow that loomed over her, looking down to see if the fall had injured her. Relieved to see that it hadn't, the larger Troll readjusted Mr. Dinkles in his arm and gave a goofy grin.
"Sorry, Poppy. It's for your own good." He called down. Poppy's eyebrows arched in confusion.
"What do you mean for my own goo—hey! Where are you going?" She cried as Biggie's shadow receded from the hole's opening, casting the thick moonlight in a beam onto the floor where she stood. "Come back here! I command you get me out of this hole! BIGGIE!"
After yelling for a good ten minutes, the Queen decided that her friend wasn't coming back. In a huff, she sat down on the ground with her arms crossed. Pouting. What on earth was going on? Why had he shoved her into this hole? What could he have possibly wanted to accomplish by doing this?
A half hour passed before her ears perked at the sound of nearing conversation. She just about jumped up to scream for help when a familiar voice echoed into the vast space of the hole.
"What, right here? I don't see anything."
Branch.
What was he doing out here? And who was leading him? Her answer came swiftly as DJ's voice rang out as well.
"I promise you, it's the last place I remember having it." She assured him. Poppy's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
What is going on?
A shuffle of footsteps and a shadow reappeared in the opening to the drop, and Poppy squinted to make out who it was. The moonlight cast a glow onto the ultraviolet locks of the shadow, and instantly she realized which troll had ventured closer. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to yell.
"Seriously, are you sure it's-!"
Branch's abrupt scream made her choke back her words as the blue troll tumbled down into the hole. Instinct took over and she lunged in the direction he was going, throwing herself onto the ground to cushion his fall. It seemed to have worked as the swift force of his weight toppled on her, knocking the air out of her for the second time that night.
In a chaotic scuffle of gasps for air and shifting bodies, Branch scrambled his way backwards in preparation for what could have possibly broken his fall. The moonlight gave little light for him as his eyes adjusted to the dim abyss, squinting his eyes into the dark to make out the shape in front of him. A series of coughs erupted from the form as the dust settled around them. It seemed as if the moon's rays began to shine brighter as it did so, and his heart began to pound as he laid eyes upon the one troll he wouldn't have wanted to be stuck in such a pickle with.
"Poppy?" He asked in uncertainty, and the pink troll brushed the dirt off herself.
"Glad to see you could join me." She replied. That made him smile inwardly. Poppy had begun to pick up on his sarcasm for a while, and something deep inside him was proud to have instigated this. Regardless, it did not answer his million questions that ran through his brain.
"How did you-?" He began to question, but couldn't find the words to say. He was too occupied with the shock of being alone with her for the first time in weeks. The two had scarcely had the opportunity since the victory over the horrendous Chef. Mostly, they had just exchanged flirty glances and gestures when passing by, though the intention of such interactions was still somewhat fuzzy to him.
"Same as you. Lured here under the goodness of my own heart." She explained, shaking her head. Branch chuckled at that. Her magenta orbs shot up to his crystal blue ones, giving a small glare.
"What's so funny?" She snapped. He threw up his hands in defense.
"Nothing, Dumpy Diapers." He replied, jabbing a little joke at her with the intention of lightening her mood. Thankfully, that's exactly what he got when her expression softened and her lips curled into an amused smile as her head shook in disagreement.
"Pretty sure that was you who earned that nickname from Cloud Guy." She answered. Branch chuckled yet again, standing up and helping his Queen to her feet.
"Guilty as charged." He agreed. Poppy smiled at that.
"So, any idea why our friends sent us hurdling into a hole in the middle of the woods?" She asked. Giving a frustrated sigh, Branch's expression twisted into annoyance as he looked around.
"I don't know, but they're definitely getting payback. Count on it." He declared firmly, looking around for any sign of something that could help them. Poppy did the same, and for a few moments the two ignored one another in search of any solace in the lonely space. Poppy eyed a crevice nearby that was darker than all of the rest, and nearing it she placed a hand on its edge, running her fingers along until she realized it was wide enough for her to fit in it. Sticking a foot in, she felt a cool breeze drafting its way past her foot and into the hole. Beaming, she turned back to her companion.
"Hey Branch! Come over here! I think I found something!" She called, and in no time the blue troll had made his way over to her and investigated her discovery. A small smile came across his face.
"Good work, Poppy! It's a tunnel!" He said, squeezing himself into the opening with Poppy close on his heels. The two entered a narrow but passable root tunnel, darkness enveloping their vision. Without a torch or even the moonlight to guide them, it was literally a shot in the dark to advance forward. Poppy jumped slightly as she felt a hand slip into hers.
"Stay close." Branch ordered, and Poppy willingly agreed as she pressed herself closer to him. Ignoring the emotions and temperature of her skin flaring up at his touch, she inched herself forward as he did so.
Silence was all that passed between them for a long time, both trolls on the edge of their seats the entire time without a single clue what awaited them in the dark tunnel. The air was cool and crisp, with a high-pitched drop of water dripping somewhere off in the distance. The ground had gone from dry and soft to cold and jagged, and it took every ounce of resolution for take each step deeper into the seemingly endless stretch.
Poppy felt something slimy slither past her toes, and with a blood-curdling shriek, she threw herself into Branch and clung desperately to his neck.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Branch protested, squirming away from her as she panted in shock.
"I-I felt something touch my foot…." She explained, trying hard to not sound too scared.
"Ugh, come on. It was probably just a worm." He chided, glad that the pink troll could not see the biggest eyeroll he had ever given in his life.
"Well you try walking through this muck and tell me you won't freak out if something passes you!" Poppy snapped back.
"Uh, hello! I already am!" He reminded her. This only frustrated her more.
"Yeah well, maybe you're used to it, but I'm definitely not! I don't go crawling around in tunnels for fun like some people I know!" She accused angrily. However, for Branch, it didn't take much to dig past the abrasive surface and see the true face of why she was acting in such a way. Though she still did not see it, his face softened and his shoulders slacked.
"Poppy…" He started, groping for her hand in the blackened air.
"Just leave me! I'll find my own way out." She snapped, and he could feel her warm presence retreat even further from him. Frozen he stood for a moment, before continuing his advance towards her. He wasn't about to leave her in this dark, damp tunnel if he had anything to say about it.
Poppy jumped once more as a pair of arms wrapped around her, and she could feel Branch's breath against her neck. It gave her goosebumps, and she relaxed into his embrace.
"I'm not leaving you here. You can forget it." He whispered sternly. Poppy's heart quickened at his matter-of-fact tone. It made every hint of malice in her being dissolve away. How could she be such a grump? Without a second thought, her arm coiled around his that was steadily holding onto her across the chest.
"Branch…." She began, but suddenly lost the ability on what to say in such a moment. Thankfully her companion seemed to know her struggle, and took hold her hand once more.
"Come on. I have a good feeling about what's ahead." He said. She complied and the two continued on. It was about five more minutes past their little argument when they rounded a corner and were instantly pooled with soft moonlight. Ahead about five hundred feet, the small dot of an opening beckoned them. Never had it seemed so welcoming.
Light bathed their skin as they stepped out in what appeared to be a marsh, squishy moss growing rampant on every surface, even the murky water that sat stagnant just a few feet ahead. A significant log jutted out from the surface of the pond, with lily pads floating along in an almost pathway. Beyond was a small island about six feet in circumference, lush green sprouting from its dome in the softest looking grass the two trolls had ever laid eyes on.
"Where are we?" Poppy inquired in wonder as they continued to soak in the setting surrounding them.
"We must be on the very outskirts of the forest. This is way out of the way from the village." Branch replied, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. The two decided to venture out onto the island, hopping and jumping from lily pad to log, and then log to island. Landing on the grass, it was just as they had suspected. Like stepping on a cloud. They scanned the area once more from their new position, and found that they were indeed in a marsh that stretched for at least twenty feet in each direction. A small cliff lifted above them on all sides up into the surface of the ground for the forest not too far from them, and it was with this realization that the two trolls decided it was time to make for the dry land.
Branch went first, sliding down the slope of the island on his backside with Poppy in tow.
Poppy looked to him sheepishly, rubbing her arm and allowing her gaze to fall to the ground as he continued to struggle to regain his balance to jump onto the log.
"Um….hey, Branch?" She said. The blue troll's eyes shifted to her, his expression relaxed but wary of what she would say. He started to stand up again, swinging his arms out to keep from falling but facing her dead-on.
"What is it, Poppy?" He asked. She dared herself to look him in the eye for a moment.
"….sorry for being such a grump. I guess being Queen is harder than I thought…." She apologized. She blinked rapidly as she felt him near her again, and her eyes locked on his as he smiled at her. A genuine smile, something she still rarely saw out of him, even after regaining his colors.
"Well….maybe you could use a little help." He stated softly. This made her posture stiffen and her eyes widen. It was no secret that Branch had rapidly become the most reliable and hard-working troll out of them all. He seemed to know exactly what to do in almost any given situation, and even if he didn't, he would help where he could. The village had come to respect him very much, and rumors of their relationship had spread to every troll, young and old. Poppy pretended to not know it existed to keep the chatter down, and it seemed that Branch had done the same. However, speculation still floated about in a buzz as everyone anticipated their next moves. Now, she braced herself for what could possibly be what everyone was waiting for.
"Wh-what do you mean?" She stuttered. No reply came for a moment as he took her hand in his for the third time that night, his grip tightening as he steeled himself on what he would say next. Inhaling sharply, he once again spoke.
"I think I know why our friends lured us out here." He stated. Poppy continued to obliviously stare at him, into those shining blue eyes that gazed back at her in a way she had never seen before. He was acting strange, but deep inside something swelled. Something she had begun to feel on that fateful day where he had broken his twenty-year streak and sung to her out of pure adoration. It manifested itself here, amongst the moss and depths of the pond, upon a small patch of land that stood beneath the moon's light. Fireflies had begun to infiltrate the area, sparking up the air with their rhythmic bursts of amber glow.
"Branch, what are you-?" Poppy started, but stopped as she realized he was continuing towards her. Before she could so much as react, his lips were on hers. Gently at first, then growing in fervor as she returned the kiss without so much as another thought. She surprised herself as she melted almost instantly into it, clasping his shoulders tightly to keep him right there. He didn't protest, and after what seemed like only a second, they broke apart. They rested their foreheads against one another's, and Branch spoke once more on a tone so low that she was convinced she almost didn't hear it.
"I love you, Poppy." He mumbled. Her eyes lifted to meet his closed eyelids, a smile spread across his face. She blushed deeply before releasing a sigh.
"I love you too, Branch." She whispered back, and the two sat in each other's company for what seemed like an eternity. Their hands were permanently cradled in each other's grasps, and it seemed as though the entire world had dissolved away, leaving nothing but each other. It was wonderful.
"It's about freaking time, you two!"
The voice startled them, and with a frantic glance around they spotted the Snack Pack on the edge of the marsh, waving to them. The sight of them made the two smile.
"They are so going to pay for this." Poppy promised with just a little malice to her statement. Still holding her hand, Branch chuckled.
"Something tells me their comeuppance will come sooner than you think." He responded mischievously, and the two squeezed their hands closer together as they started for their friends.
Everything had fallen into place, and the future looked so bright.
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Hey all. This is my first Trolls fic, so I apologize if it seems odd or out of place. I mostly began writing this to take a break from my other fics on here (which I hope to return to in a little while) so for those who are confused, that's why. I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter and let me know what you think in the reviews. Ta ta for now!
Sincerely,
Heartforhumanity845