Branch stared in bewilderment, shifting his focus intermittently between each twin and the mannequin in between them.
Their eager smiles were starting to fade as he struggled to find anything positive to say about the monstrousity that adorned the troll shaped dummy before him.
The situation was made worse by the fact DJ Suki and Guy Diamond were also there as spectators.
Say something Branch. Say anything. They worked really hard. Any words at all.
"Uhm ... and Poppy ... Poppy wants me to wear ...that?"
Satin sighed and rolled her eyes "He hates it - why do we bother?!" Chenile just looked at her feet glumly.
Branch felt a stab at his stomach
"No no no," he gasped as he tried his best to sound sincere, "I don't ...hate it ... I mean it's very ..uhm ... it's just not how I see myself? You know? It's a lot more uhm ...it's very different?"
"Well that's the point !" Satin snapped, throwing her hand in the air in exasperation.
"What Satin is trying to say..well look at what you're wearing?" Chenile explained.
Branch put his hands over his chest protectively and felt a slight surge of anger.
"What's so wrong with what I'm wearing anyway ?"
"Where do we start? Leaves? Patches?" Satin sighed as she looked Branch up and down.
"What look are you trying to portray here - beggar, scarecrow ?" Continued Chenile.
"What no! This is camouflage!" Branch gasped, highly affronted.
"Exactly! Tonight you're not some crazy boy afraid and trying to hide away from the Bergens... tonight you're a star! A hero! You need to be seen! You have so much light in you. You deserve to be stunning!" Satin gave a wide smile as she gestured with her hands. "Plus the vest and shorts combo makes you look a lot shorter and stumpier than you actually are! It's SO not flattering!" Chenile nodded enthusiastically. Branch pretended he wasn't hurt by the "crazy " and "stumpy" comments and tried to think logically, they were trying to compliment him ...he thought.
"Ok ...I get where you're coming from but do I really need a cape ...and the headband ?"
"Well the cape was Poppy's idea and the headband is to pull in your big ears of course" Chenile explained matter of factly.
Branch put his hand to his ear and whispered in shock.
"Big ears ...?"
"Oh no sweetheart, we didn't mean it like that - we just have an aesthetic we're going for here. A more streamlined look you know?"
Branch didn't know, in fact he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Look just try it on and see what you think!" If you look awful we won't send you out in it!" Before branch could object they ushered him over to a small side room and pulled a curtain across.
Branch stared at the outfit forlornly. It truly was ridiculous - A hideous deep purple and white plaid jumpsuit with flared ends and a V neck that he estimated would probably reach his navel. The cape was dark pink and covered in glitter. He couldn't wear it, not even for a minute. How could he even dance in it? Everyone would laugh at him.
Poppy would laugh at him. How could she think he'd ever look good in something like that?
He felt the wall of the pod, there had to be a soft spot somewhere. He could sneak out and run away.
Just then the curtain was pulled back. "Hey B are you decent?" He turned to find DJ Suki and Guy Diamond standing there and greeted them with a guilty smile. "Ok what's going on in here, buster?!" Suki asked as she closed the curtain behind her.
"Uhh ..." once again Branch found himself lost for words.
"Look don't worry about the twins, they didn't mean that about your ears ok? They're just excited to dress you up." Guy Diamond explained cheerfully.
Branch sat on the small bench and looked at his feet, ashamed.
"What can I do ... I can't wear that I just can't. But they worked so hard on it - how can I walk out there and tell them 'no'?"
"Look, it'll be ok.. don't you want to even try it ? Maybe it won't be as bad as you think." Suki sat next to him and rubbed his shoulder gently.
Branch shook his head. Guy folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.
"This isn't really about the outfit is it?"
"If I go out there dressed like ..that ...people will expect things from me ... where in ..this ..I'm just ...well you heard them - the village crazy and then I sing and act normal and people are impressed."
Suki And Guy Diamond exchanged sad looks.
Guy Diamond came and sat on the other side of Branch, giving him a small comforting nudge.
"No one thinks you're crazy ...uh anymore "
Branch got to his feet and began to pace back and forth.
"But What if I forget all the words?
What if I can't hit the notes,
What if I miss a cue,
What if I freak out and run off stage
What am I going to do?
I can't do this can I ... I don't know why I thought I could, I don't belong here. I'm just gonna have to tell them, tell Poppy I can't!
"Ok ok ok just stop for a second." Suki ordered, her tone uncharacteristically stern enough to stop Branch's train of despair. "Look honey, I've worked HUNDREDS of these parties and YES things go wrong but you know what you just smile and pick up again ok? Everyone there tonight is there to have fun- they're there to celebrate not judge you or criticise."
"But what if-" Branch protested again but Suki stopped him.
"Ok - You forget the words , make up new ones or get the crowd and your backing singers to sing with you! Can't hit a note - sing a different one!"
"If you miss a cue the band will give you another one- that's why they're there. " Guy Diamond added.
"And if you freak out and run off stage then I'll take over and drop the sickest beats ever " Suki said with a huge smile.
"And I'll run on and dance and keep everyone moving. See now that's that all solved ok?" Guy Diamond patted his hand.
"Branch you're a natural, you have one of the most amazing voices in the village and you've got the moves. You've done the work, you've put in the hours , you have a great band and backup and all you need to do is get up there and enjoy yourself like you do when you dance with Poppy. You can do this, we know you can and you know you can! "
"Ok. You're right ...I can do it - I'll try." Branch sighed nervously before taking a deep breath. "So what do I do about ... that?" he pondered gesturing to the outfit. "I couldn't even dance in it."
"We'll just tell them it's not right for dancing. Then their feelings won't be hurt." Suki shrugged.
"But will I be ok wearing this? Will people just think I'm some crazy tramp who gatecrashed the big party?"
Guy Diamond suddenly clapped his hands.
"I have the perfect solution! Suki my dear - avert your eyes! Branch - take off all your clothes. I'll glitter you up and teach you how to strut!"
Branch gaped in shock.
Guy reached over and closed the stunned blue troll's mouth.
"Come on I haven't got all day, get naked - now! The twins won't be able to argue with it! Believe me they gave up trying to dress me years ago. Why are you still sitting there - strip and close your eyes!"
Suddenly Branch did something no one expected - he burst into laughter.
"Oh man you really had me there - " he cackled before taking in the glitter troll's unimpressed look. "Oh you weren't kidding ...uhh look no disrespect to your uhh ...way of life ...but I don't think it's really me is it?"
Guy pouted and looked Branch up and down. "Hmm you're right - you couldn't pull this off anyway . Maybe another time when you're feeling a bit braver " he grinned with a wink. "Ok come on let's go talk to the ladies!"
Branch followed DJ Suki and Guy Diamond out of the room and back into the main chamber of the pod.
"Listen I'm so sorry " he began
"No. " Satin stopped him. "We're sorry. We shouldn't have put pressure on you like that. We were just really excited that you were finally going to wear one of our designs."
"Yeah- plus we heard pretty much every word you guys said in there." Chenile added. "So it's ok, we understand."
Branch felt relieved. "Thanks so much for ..wait... what did you mean 'finally'?"
The twins exchanged glances.
"Well it's just ..we've made you clothes before ..." Satin replied.
"You did? But why?"
"Yeah we used to think that one day you'd want to go to Poppy's party and you'd ask us for help." Chenile shrugged.
"I had no idea . I'm so sorry."
"It's ok, we had fun with it ..you were such a ...unique...colour it was a good learning experience. "
"Yea it makes it easier to come up with styles for the Bergens too"
Branch gave a shy smile, he wasn't really sure what to do with this new information.
"Hey ..do you still have them?" Asked Suki breaking the silence.
The twins nodded and hurried to another room. When they returned they were carrying a box with "scraps" written on it. "We keep everything in case it can be used again." The pink twin explained. "Pfffft Hoarders!" Smirked Branch. They opened the box and Suki started to rummage through it.
"I have an idea ... ah here's the one I'm thinking of!" She pulled out a silvery vest and shorts, very similar in style to what Branch already had only shorter and much lighter.
"Oh oh!" Chenile said excitedly "Remember we made that one for Poppy's 'Moonlight Madness' party a few years ago. " Satin turned to Branch and held the fabric to his arm. "I think it'll suit his new colours perfectly!"
"So Branch?" Suki asked "what do you think?"
"Uhh yeah it looks comfortable I guess"
"And it's stylish without being too flashy"
"With just the right amount of glitter ...for you." Quipped Guy Diamond.
"Ok go try it on!" squealed the twins in a rare moment of unison as they once again stuffed Branch back into the dressing room.
A few tense moments passed before Branch re-emerged and twins' faces instantly lit up. He was stunning. Totally unrecognisable from the grey crazy Troll who ran around the village screaming about the Bergens.
"Oh Branch you look-"
"Actually uhh..."
The twins smiles disappeared in a second.
"No no it's good I really like it" Branch did his best to reassure them. "It's a just a little big that's all " he gestured to where he was holding up his shorts.
Satin and Chenile exchanged glances before running a
measuring tape around his waist.
"Ok , no problem! We can take this in for you and it'll be the perfect costume! Now just a headband !" Satin dug in the box, pulled out a length of glittery fabric and wrapped it around branch's forehead pulling his ears in closer to his head.
"Ow ok - again with the headbands!" he groaned.
Suddenly Guy leaned over and removed the headband, instead tying it in a bow tie around Branch's neck.
"That's it! " the four trolls gasped.
"Uhh thanks" Branch blushed as each twin placed kisses on his cheeks simultaneously.
***short chapter sorry! ***