. . .

. . .

. . .

Where...

Where am I?

Poppy's eyes fluttered open, greeted by a big, bright blue sky. Before she could get accustomed to it, she noticed that she was lying on something...wet. Slowly sitting up and glancing over her shoulder, she found a puddle that stretched for a thousand miles or more and surrounded the entire landscape. She was also surprised to learn that she wasn't entirely drenched despite laying in the same spot for presumably so long.

Standing up to her feet, Poppy smoothed out her dress, which was not burnt to a crisp when...

She suddenly gasped in realization.

The Strings!

What happened to the Strings?

What happened to everyone?

What happened to my friends?

What happened to...Branch?

Branch...

The memories of Queen Barb's victory concert and the ensuing battle came rushing back to her at full force. With those memories came a lot of questions, but not a lot of answers. The one answer she had was the one concerned her own fate. She was a recently joined member of the deceased, no doubt about it. It was just like King Trollex had said: no one could have survived the the Strings' destruction.

Sadness and despair overwhelmed Poppy not soon after death was to be her final destiny. It was a mistake that she could not regret, though, for she saw it as a fitting one. The ambitions of Pop paved the way for greed, devastation, and suffering for many, culminating in the String War. Pop had torn the Troll Tribes apart and lived to tell the tale, so it was only poetic that Pop would be the one to bring them together at the cost of the leader's life.

Poppy failed as a Leader.

Poppy failed as a Queen.

Poppy failed as a Troll.

That was what hurt the most.

. . .

. . .

. . .

Once there was a way, to get back homeward...

Poppy's ears perked up the same time her head shot up in intrigue. Someone else, a female Troll by the sounds of it, was here with her.

Once there was a way, to get back home...

The voice sang again as Poppy glanced all around to pinpoint its location, but all for naught.

Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry...

The voice seemed welcoming, ethereal, and...oddly familiar.

And I will sing a lullaby...

The voice grew louder and louder with every step Poppy took to the North...and softer and softer with every step to the South. She had to take the risk. She had to know if this voice had all the answers to all her questions. She broke into a sprint forward and kept running until a shape materialized in front of her. It was undoubtedly a Troll, a female Troll to be specific. And...a very familiar-looking female Troll at that.

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise...

The female Troll had a dark pink complexion with loose hair that was colored a darker shade of pink to the point where it almost looked like red. She wore a dress that shifted from teal blue (top) to cerulean blue (middle) to ocean blue (bottom). Other that that, Poppy couldn't deduce anything else about her. She had to get closer. As she did, the level of water seemed to rise with each step. She needed to move fast but carefully.

Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby...

Upon reaching the female Troll and standing beside her, Poppy got a better look at her but another emotion, this time surprise, overwhelmed her. The dress she wore was a halter maxi dress with a Grecian-like strap and two waist-high slits on both sides, the front of the skirt forming a point. On her head was a sand-colored headband with three green leaves; one was a Magnolia leaf in the middle, two of them were Betels that took both sides. It was her eyes, however...her dark pink eyes that caught her off guard.

Poppy's own eyes widened in shock.

No... It can't be...

The older troll remained oblivious to Poppy's moral dilemma as she finished the song.

Once there was a way, to get back homeward
Once there was a way, to get back home
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby...

The older Troll sighed in melancholy before turning to walk away.

"YAH!"

"WAH!"

Unfortunately, Poppy and the older Troll scared each other and caused each other to fall down on their rear ends and into the puddle. Exchanging bewildered looks for a moment, the older Troll got up first to smooth her dress before offering a hand up. Poppy took it and pulled herself up, examining the Troll before her just as the older Troll did the same before clearing her throat.

"Umm, forgive me, young one. How long have you been here?"

"Oh, I've been here for the entire song," Poppy replied, "I'm just...really small."

"Ah," The older Troll nodded in understanding before turning her gaze back to what was in front of her, "It would seem that strange minds think alike. When I was younger, I was one of the shortest Trolls in my class. Many of my classmates would tease me for my height, but I preferred not to let such things get me down. I always focused on what was in front of me instead of behind, knowing that one day, perseverance would pay off. I believe you of all Trolls would know a thing or two about tenacity. Right, Poppy?"

Poppy's suspicions was raised but they needed to be confirmed.

"How... How do you know my name?"

"Oh, I was surrounded by prophet and soothsayers when I was your age, my dear child. They taught me to see with more than just my eyes."

Her suspicions all but confirmed, Poppy's eyes started to tear up, prompting her to quickly wipe them away.

"I... I missed you, Mom..."

At that, the older Troll turned away from her gaze and shot Poppy a warm and sincere smile.

"I missed you too...my little Poppy."

The Pop Queen sniffled before launching herself at her mother, hugging her by the waist and letting the tears flow. Poppy's mother reciprocated with a hug of her own as she ran her hand through her daughter's hair, almost crying herself. To see her daughter here with her at a grown age after those years was both saddening and heartwarming.

As they pulled away, Poppy's mother tenderly wiped away any remaining or incoming tears her daughter may have conjured up, the same smile plastered on her face..

"Can...can we talk?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Walk with me."

Poppy turned her gaze to what was front in her and her mother: a bright light behind clouds far away from them and the space between that was a large abyss.

"But...the abyss?"

"Don't worry, my dear. Even in the afterlife, I swore to myself that no harm would brought to my family."

To demonstrate her point, Poppy's mother took one small step backward...and one giant leap forward. She landed perfectly on her feet and created the illusion that she was walking in midair, much to Poppy's shock. The Pop Queen herself nodded in resolution and mimicked her mother's actions, right down to the perfect landing stick. She took her mother's hand once again as she was led toward the bright clouds.

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace we can talk."

The both of them then walked into the unknown, the bright lights engulfing them.

When the lights dimmed down, Poppy opened her eyes and they widened at the true sight before her.

It was a city. A city...of different Trolls.

From Pop, Funk, and Classical to Techno, Country, and Rock, every single one of the Trolls from the main six Tribes went about their daily business while exchanging friendly greeting along the way. In some cases, there were Trolls separate from the main tribes such as Smooth Jazz, Reggaeton, K-Pop, and Yodel. While most (if not all) of these miscellaneous Trolls most closely resembled those from Pop, they also shared physical attributes too different from them. Some of them donned the clothes of the five non-Pop Trolls, while the others went above and beyond. These others were blessed with the wings and Good Luck Gems of Classical; the jewelry and quadripedal legs of Funk; the fins, pixelated hearts, and the neon colors of Techno; the centaur-like hooves and tail of Country; the piercings, tattoos, and wild looks of Rock; the chest hair and levitation skills of Smooth Jazz; the dreadlocks and body markings of Reggaeton; the bright colors and glossy chrome skin of K-Pop; and the clothing choices and passioniate voice of Yodel. The miscellaneous Trolls also wore clothing, jewelry, and other physical attributes not related to the primary and secondary Troll Tribes. Such accessories included but not limited to loose white shirts, smock baggy trousers, and leather coats; chemises, bodices, kilts, and doublets; thobes, tunics, hijabs, sadri, kurta, churidar, and jutti; and rubies, sapphires, garnets, amethysts, pearls, lapis lazulis, peridots, emeralds, and quartzes galore.

As they walked through the city, Poppy spotted a Funk Troll who bore an uncanny resemblance to Queen Essence, but with sapphire blue hair, ocean blue skin, pink-and-yellow striped fur, a purple cape, and an orange turban-like headdress. A bipedal Funk Troll, she lead a choir consisting of Funk, Classical, and Techno Trolls as they began to sing a song for the gathering crowd.

"Mom...is that Queen Essence?"

"Of course not, sweetie," Poppy's mother chuckled in amusement, "That is Queen Aretha...Queen Essence's mother."

("Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight" by The Beatles) [Jennifer Hudson Cover]

Queen Aretha wielded a conductor's baton as she led the choir. A female Classical Troll started by playing the piano, Aretha awaiting her cue to start the first verse.

Once there was a way, to get back homeward
Once there was a way, to get back home
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby...

A male Funk Troll strummed his bass guitar, signaling Aretha to continue.

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby...

A female Techno Troll led the brass section just as a male Classical Troll led the string section. At the same time, Aretha projected her voice a little louder this time.

Once there was a way, to get back homeward
Once there was a way, to get back home
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby

A male Techno Troll used his drumset to play the instrumental as the choir sung the chorus.

(Boy, you're going to carry that weight) Oh
(Carry that weight a long time) Oh

Queen Aretha seamlessly segued into the chorus, her passion made clear as diamonds in the rough. The crowd that gathered clapped and stomped their feet to the rhythm. Even Poppy couldn't help but do the same.

Boy, you're going to carry that weight
Carry that weight a long time

Said passion increased tenfold as Aretha poured her heart for the anthem and Poppy's spirits were almost immediately lifted due to Aretha's certain optimism.

I never give you my pillow
I only send you my invitations
And in the middle of the celebrations
I break, I break, I break down

Aretha was reaching the climax of the song, and the choir followed suit.

(Boy, you're going to carry that weight) Oh boy, you're gonna
You're gonna carry that weight
(Carry that weight a long time) Carry that weight a long time
(Boy, you're going to carry that weight) Boy, carry that weight
(Carry that weight a long time) Carry that weight for a long time

The instruments momentarily ceased as Aretha took center stage once more to round out the song.

Oh...
Once there was a way, to get back homeward
Once there was a way, to get back home
(Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry)
And I will sing a lullaby...

The piano, strings, and brass worked in tandem with Aretha to finish their uplifting performance.

The crowd cheered and clapped in applause for Aretha and her choir group, prompting to smile proudly and bow their heads in acknowledgement. Spotting an old friend in the crowd, Aretha's grin grew wider than possible and dismissed her class for the meantime. The older Funk Troll greeted Poppy's mother with a hug.

"How I missed you, Peony."

"And you all the same, Aretha. This is my daughter, Poppy."

Poppy curtsied to Aretha, who was impressed by her friend's daughter's manners and returned the gesture.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit to the Space Between, Miss Poppy?"

"Well..." Poppy scratched the back of her head in nervous hesitation, "I recently died and ended up here."

Queen Peony and Queen Aretha exchanged two vastly different looks. The latter wore bemusement, the former wore amusement.

"Well..." Aretha noted, "This conversation took the turn."

"It's a long story," Peony chuckled, "Gather the former Tribe Leaders. I'll tell more at tea time."


A/N: Almost got you, huh?