CH.6: Christmas for every Troll
Poppy was so nervous as she walked hand in hand with Branch after their venture and near disaster. It was both unnerving and exciting what had happened and yet had she been slower in her ascent up that peak…well…Branch would have forever sealed his fate filed with regret and loss. That mother bird seemed quite sincere in her apology for what happened and perhaps in the moment it had seemed like the intent was malignant but now…it was alright. Her father had raised her to always look at things from two angles, that of the person hurt and then the angle of the person doing the hurting. Sometimes there were two different sides and it was best to know beforehand…this way it avoided any unnecessary damage.
"I like your color…so much better than drab gray," she teased him as she swung their arms back and forth.
"Uh huh…and yet somehow it was my gray you were drawn to before you found out my true color." Branch teases her and she does her best to look away.
"Yes well…I was in a…difficult spot then. Aren't you glad you didn't harm that mommy bird?" She changed the subject and did her best not to be irked by his smirk.
"Nice Segway into changing the topic, but, whatever…yeah it was…relieving. When I found out she had babies and that I was out of my league-."
"You mean the part about you being thrown into the air ready to rest in the belly of that mother, no doubt chewed up and spat out to her-."
"Poppy…I don't need a visual…but…yes. What I realized Poppy is that…I did not want those children to go through what I had. I of course realized this as I was heading to my demise but…your words did better in the end."
Poppy smiles at that and squeezes his hand as they continue on their way home…when…a sudden chill made her shiver. "Brrr…when did it get this cold?"
"Poppy look…white flecks of stuff is coming down…the sky is falling!" Branch yells as he seeks cover pulling her with him.
Poppy tilts her head to the side and slowly moves out…though Branch pulls her back. "Branch…we can't just hide here…we have to get back home."
"No, we are going to stay here till the sky stops…falling…look you can barely see the sky as it is. I say we hunker down and hopefully it will stop soon, even if we have to miss Christmas-."
"We already missed Christmas Eve Branch…and besides…I hardly think the sky is falling." Poppy loosened his grip and as she walked out she could hear him debating about following her. It was strange…the chill and these white flecks…her hand held out as she feels the white fleck. It was a bit chilly and after a bit of standing it turned wet.
"This is like rain…but…instead of starting out wet it is chilly. S-Snow…why does that name sound so familiar?" She ran it around her mouth a bit and somehow it made sense.
"My grandma…she told me about this. Snow…a sudden chill comes in the air and the ground builds up with soft patches of white that one will find themselves trudging through. I always was fascinated by her stories…by her experiences and I asked her about it once. She told me snow is wondrous, snow is pure…it falls from above and is not be feared…just make sure to wear a coat when it does come."
Poppy smiles and holds out her hand to Branch. The two of them then begin walking back home in the newfound snow. She had never been in snow before…and…facing it together with Branch made her hopeful they would make it back before Christmas. Christmas Eve was now…and…she was spending it with her most favorite Troll in the whole wide world. She had found love, though, it was probably always there…just buried under other priorities.
Biggie was making the final preparations for Christmas…he was tirelessly working to ensure that this was the best Christmas there ever was. He was glad though he had the help of Suki, Cooper, and the rest of the Trolls because this would take all of them. They had only stopped once when white flecks of stuff came down. It was a bit…unnerving and he worried they would not finish before Poppy came back with Branch.
However when it was explained that this was Snow…and that there was nothing to worry about; they continued on; and, it made him feel happy. Normally this was Poppy's role and it had been left to him. Christmas Eve was sort of lonely without Poppy's cheer or even Branch doing his sulking but they held onto the cheer for everyone. Now with Christmas and all the presents set out he looked on from the highest point he could get to…without his fear of heights taking over.
"I sure hope Poppy found Branch," Biggie shivered a bit, though it wasn't as bad as Cooper who was covered up in more scarves making him seem like a tree filled with tinsel.
"No worries there Biggie…she will. Poppy, when she sets her heart and mind on something there is nothing she can't accomplish. It is Christmas…and that means time for miracles, if we all believe it will happen."
Biggie nods his head as he holds himself and that is when he spots something in the distance. Panning a hand over his face he suddenly feels himself get excited…his body feeling all bubbly inside.
"It is them…they are back!" Biggie hurries off and he can hear Cooper breathing hard from all the scarves around his body. Yelling out to everyone else the place starts to fill with cheer, not that it wasn't there before but now it was really bustling all about.
Biggie then remembers something and as he leaves Cooper he goes to his home. He had been working on this while everyone was busy…it was something he told Poppy he would do. The gift was all wrapped and he made sure to walk carefully while carrying it. Branch would be so surprised…he felt all giddy and happy. Taking a breath he goes to join the others.
Branch was greeted with music and cheer from the other Trolls and he felt an overwhelming sense of warmth exuding from their hugs and smiles. It felt…nice…it was probably the very first time in his life that he truly felt like he belonged here. Poppy was the Queen here, she knew these Trolls and knew their songs in their hearts…while he…he kept to himself exploring and doing everything he could to be busy.
There was a slight amount of guilt over that…but…there was no way he was going back to the way he was. This version of himself was the one that his Grandma would be proud of…that in the end being the color that he was meant keeping himself from the better things in life. This community…of happiness and cheer, snow falling around them and a tree decked out in brilliant glow…it was his home; it was where he truly belonged.
"Sorry everyone…I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I know I should have talked to someone…but…at the time I felt that this matter only concerned me…that I had to do this on my own. I realize that by rushing off I set off the celebrating together…and…now that I am back I want to be a part of the celebration…group hug?"
There is silence for a bit and he looks to Poppy before she hugs him. It wasn't hug time and yet given that it was Christmas…all bets were off. Everyone was hugging and he felt immersed in a glow that would continue to grow. Looking at Poppy he felt an especially fond feeling for her, his heart thumping hard in his chest. When the hug ended he saw Biggie standing there.
"Branch…um…sorry about what happened to your board and all, real shame given how hard your Grandma worked on it."
"Uh…thanks Biggie…yeah it really blew me out of proportion. Turns out I should have been watching where I was going…that bird…she has a family and I realized my journey was trying to recover that board…but…my actions only made me look like a blind fool."
Branch saw that Biggie had something behind his back but figured he was going to give him a hug. There were giggles about and Suki was playing a beat that was a bit festive. Everyone was humming and he saw Poppy trying to contain her giggles.
"Poppy wanted me to tend to this…I hope it works…Merry Christmas Branch." He held out the present all wrapped up…though the shape sort of stuck out.
"Wait…no…that can't be…" Branch began to get misty eyed and felt Poppy's hand in his. Looking over he saw her also crying.
"I-I knew how much that board meant to you…and…so I gave it to Biggie to see if he could fix it. Go on…open it."
Branch saw the encouraging eyes all around him and as he accepted the board he went to open it slowly. The wrapping fell off and as he stared at the board all fixed up he could see his Grandma smiling at him. All those nights she worked on it and always hiding it so well…always telling him that if he saw then the surprise would be ruined. He remembered that his Grandma was always about surprises and that seeing the surprise before it was the day of reveal…meant that the magic left. Grandma was always the festive sort of soul…she believed in giving rather than receiving and her spirit was still here…in all of them.
"Thanks Biggie…um…wow…you did a great job. It looks just like how it was when my Grandma first gave it to me. You really did it." He walked over giving Biggie a hug and the two hugged it out. Right now he felt like giving the board a go ride…but…looking around he held up the board.
"Branch…what is it?" Poppy asks softly. Branch wears a smile as he feels his plan already forming in his brain.
"Who wants to try out the board first?" There was an excited clamor rising through the ranks and he handed it off to the first Troll. Suki began a beat and he grabbed Poppy's hand as they began to escape the crowd. Climbing up the tree he spots the Mistletoe hanging above them, though Poppy does not see.
"Branch…what has gotten into you? I thought you would want to ride your board?" She looks at him curiously and he places his hands over hers.
"Poppy…I am sorry for the way I have been behaving, how I have distanced myself from you. I should have understood more about your duties and even if you didn't have time for me…doesn't mean I had to go off exploring and treat what we had as merely a friendship, cause; to me you were always more than that. I want to be your boyfriend…I want us to be together in this. I love you…and…right now as much as I want to board…I look around and see all the hard work these Trolls did…and it fills me with happiness…it fills me with an awareness that my Grandma was always about giving rather than receiving, and,, right now…they need to board…they need to celebrate. I am where I want to be right now…with you."
He lifts his head then and Poppy spots the Mistletoe hanging above them. Her cheeks darken a bit and she scoots closer to him. "And what about that?"
"Hmm, oh that, not sure how that got there but…who am I to ignore tradition?" He wore a sly smile and she laughed. The two of them kiss then. In the distance the cheers continue on as the snow falls around. Branch held her close to him as he deepens the kiss holding her to him…he was truly happy…and he would never turn gray again.
Merry belated Christmas
And to all a happy new year
Authors note: I hope you all enjoyed this merry little tale from the Troll corner. It is only my second festive tale written out in fanfic format. I had planned for it to be around Christmas Eve but it sort of pushed past and well…it is already 2017. Anyway hope you all had a merry holiday and later.