Shadgirl2: We've got another chapter ready to go.
Midna: Yep! And some mild Broppy moments heading your way, too!
Disclaimer: We don't own Trolls. The song in this chapter is "Moments" by Emerson Drive, which also doesn't belong to us. We don't own any music that is mentioned or quoted in this chapter.
When the Snack Pack reached Bergen Town, they headed to the castle, where Bridget offered to take them home. The village was thrilled to see Poppy was okay and threw a huge party to welcome her back. That is, after Dr. Moonbloom had finished treating her wounds and gotten her some protective footwear so she wouldn't miss out on her own party.
As much as Poppy enjoyed her party, there was one thing that kept creeping in, keeping her from having as much fun as she normally would have at any kind of party. Once the party ended and everyone went home for the night, Poppy didn't have anything to distract her from this invasive thought.
Sitting by her window and staring up at the stars, Poppy grew concerned. "...Shooting stars..." She sighed, laying her head on her arms. "About a month ago, I made a dumb wish on one, hoping to get the man of my dreams to man up and marry me, but..." She sighed again as she thought about recent events.
Branch, in a tower, living a very Rapunzel-esque life. Her, stumbling upon him and seemingly fulfilling the role of the prince. Creek, playing the role of Madam Gothel and laying a trap for all of Troll Village. Asking for a fairy tale ending had seemingly given her a fairy tale to live out, but it didn't look like it was supposed to end with the troll she loved.
Annoyed at just how ridiculous all of this was, she raised her head and glared at the sky, saying, "Looks like I wasn't clear enough. I mean, the thing got Creek to propose finally, sure, but..." She trailed off, thinking of another possibility. "Or was that just Creek doing what Chef told him to? Hmm..." She put a hand to her chin, thinking about it.
If Branch's tale was true, then Creek would have been forced to ask her to marry him eventually. Maybe the stars had nothing to do with that. But, if that was the case...
Poppy wasn't the only one being kept up by unusual thoughts, either. Far away, in the tower, Branch leaned on the windowsill, looking out at the night sky, plagued by his own thoughts. "There's no way Poppy's appearance could be related to that dumb wish, is there? It's just a coincidence."
Even as he said that, though, he couldn't help but notice how magical the stars looked tonight. He wasn't usually optimistic, but there was something about this particular incident that left him wondering. He stared at the stars, unsure about their power and unwilling to get his hopes up too high.
"...Could there be something to wishing on a shooting star?" Branch wondered.
"Arh!" Poppy groaned back in her pod, letting her head fall to the windowsill. She lifted it back up, throwing her arms above her head, and complained, "It just doesn't make sense! I asked that thing for true love! So why's it seem like it's trying to guide me to Branch? Of all trolls! He's the last one I'd have any interest in! He's mean, rude, boring. Argh!" She let her head fall again and pounded the windowsill with a fist, frustrated.
How could the stars have possibly messed up so badly? They seemed to be just as clueless as her dad. After all, he'd once tried to pair Poppy and Branch together, and they all knew how badly that had turned out.
Branch, meanwhile, lowered his gaze a bit and wondered aloud, "Wonder what Poppy was freaking out about? What did she wish for?"
He thought back to that morning, remembering Smidge saying, "Okay, okay, Poppy! We're going, alright? Stop worrying about that shooting star wish you made! You got it already, remember?"
In response, Poppy had wailed, "No, I didn't! It was all a lie!" That had been the last sentence he'd heard—her next had been too quiet as the Snack Pack retreated with her.
Branch thought about it for a second, trying to solve this mystery. "...No, that really doesn't make sense. What exactly happened recently that convinced her that was the case? What did she wish for?"
As he wondered about that, Poppy complained, "'True love,' my foot." She glared up at the stars, annoyed at how things were playing out. "Thanks, star. For being about as useless as everything else!" She threw her arms up over her head again. "Never should have wasted my time on it! Clearly it didn't work! Arhh!" Frustrated, she headed to bed.
If the stars thought she belonged with Branch, they were either crazy as Cooper or just plain useless. Everyone knew that oil and water were a bad combination, and that was how she and Branch were with each other. They'd kill each other long before they could say "I do." Still hating the idea, Poppy lay in bed a bit longer, struggling to even get to sleep. The mere thought of being made to marry Branch again kept her tossing and turning as she tried to calm her restless thoughts.
In the tower, Branch could only think of one thing that Poppy had been so happy about that could possibly lead to that level of distress—her engagement to Creek. At the mention of fairy tales, she'd panicked. Her seemingly perfect relationship was built on a lie. And, of course, there was the obvious fairy tale connection with Branch being trapped in a tower and Poppy trying to free him.
Branch's eyes widened as he realized what had upset Poppy. "Oh, no. She wished for her happy ending, didn't she? Now she found out Creek's going to let her die, so it's not a 'happy ending.'" Of course, she was probably thinking that her wish was guiding her to a different troll, but Branch had no doubt that relationship would fail, too. "And...I wanted help for everyone, and Poppy's what I get? She's so busy worrying about saving me that she's going to get everyone else killed!"
Neither of their wishes were coming true. He let his head fall, bumping the windowsill. "Ugh, shooting stars are a bunch of nonsense! Nothing magical about them, which is just about right for my life." He sighed, lifting his head and propping it on his elbow. He stared out the window for a moment in silence before saying, "Wonder when Creek's coming. I could use a distraction."
For a few more seconds, he stood there, resisting the urge to turn to his familiar source of comfort. Then he headed over to his bed, where he sat down and grabbed Croco, complaining to himself as he did so, "This is pathetic, Branch. Really pathetic. You keep grabbing a stupid stuffed toy when you're upset. Grow up already."
He sighed. He knew that was unlikely while he was trapped in this place.
The next day, Poppy called an emergency meeting in her pod, mindful not to invite Creek. The last thing she needed at a meeting to discuss how to help Branch was the one guy who had a reason to be worried that she knew about Branch.
Perched atop a box of scrapbooking supplies with her friends sitting in a circle around her, Poppy threw her arms up, eager to get started. "Thank you all for coming!" She lowered her arms with a look of concern and asked, "Just to be sure, no one invited Creek, right?" She eyed Cooper warily as she asked that. If anyone was likely to let this slip to Creek, it was the giraffe.
Cooper closed his eyes and answered, "Nope! I know I sure didn't!"
"Oh, you better not have!" Smidge said, glaring at him in annoyance as she thought of the difficult morning she'd had already. "I sent him on pre-wedding errands all morning! It wasn't easy with his shoulder friends butting in about checking up on Poppy, either. So, if you messed that up, you're just asking for trouble!" She pounded her fists together in a threatening manner.
At this, Cooper shook his head vigorously and said, "Nope! I didn't say anything to Creek! I don't wanna be that guy!"
Poppy gave a slight start, mildly disturbed and concerned. She hadn't been expecting anyone to threaten Cooper like that, and there was also the fact that Cooper was oblivious to the fact that Smidge was threatening him...again. "...Oh." Brushing her discomfort aside, Poppy smiled eagerly and got back to the matter at hand. "Well, okay, then! Then let's get on to business!" Poppy looked at a couple of her friends and said, "Biggie, Guy? Go pull the blinds, please. We don't want to be overheard."
"On it!" Guy said with a determined look, and he and Biggie went to close the blinds.
Once the blinds were shut and Biggie and Guy were seated, Poppy said, "Good! Now, on to business. Guys! I need your help cheering up Branch! He is way over the edge by this point, and I ain't even seen a bergen as bad off as he is!" She gave them all an anxious pleading look, conveying her pure cluelessness on this subject.
She'd be lying if she said she wasn't concerned about Branch now. The fact that he actually seemed to think death was an acceptable outcome for him wasn't a good sign, she was sure. She wondered how badly Creek had messed up while trying to help him, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"He does seem really depressed," Satin said, a finger to her chin in worry.
"Well, he did make it sound like he wished he was dead yesterday," Chenille reminded everyone.
"Exactly. And I have no clue how to deal with that! Any ideas?" Poppy asked, still looking anxious with her hands cupped under her chin.
Guy waved a hand in the air eagerly and said, "Ooh, ooh! Why not encourage him to sing his troubles away? That works every time!"
Poppy cringed slightly at the suggestion, looking uncomfortable. If Branch felt that singing had killed his grandmother, then trying to make him sing would only hurt him more. Of course, she didn't plan on telling these guys about that—it was Branch's secret, not hers. "Ooh... Yeah, I don't think that will quite do it for him, Guy."
"Yes, Branch hates singing, Guy," Biggie agreed. "He has ever since he was 5."
Biggie thought back on why that was. The scene had been...unpleasant, to say the least. He, Cooper, and Creek had all gone to visit Branch the day after that last Trollstice. They'd hoped to be able to comfort him, help him feel a bit better. Instead, they'd heard Branch say he was never singing again. After being asked about 10 times why that was, he finally snapped that singing had gotten his grandma killed. The three of them had dropped the matter then, and, unless Creek had said something in the last 16 years, never brought it up again.
Cooper nodded, agreeing with Biggie. He remembered the tragic tale—hard to forget it since Branch had broken down and burst into tears due to their questioning, after all. Then he suggested, "Um... How about a wild and crazy dance party?"
"He didn't look like the wild dance party type, Cooper," Satin answered.
"That's cause he isn't," Poppy said. "I had to turn on some serious charm just to get him to let me lead him in a dance, you guys. Any better ideas?"
Chenille looked at her quizzically, wondering what she meant by charm. "I'm sorry, but what did you do with him?"
She couldn't help but picture Poppy flirting, leading Branch on when she was already spoken for.
Poppy blushed terribly, confirming Chenille's thoughts. There was no way the princess wanted to answer that, so she decided to change the subject. She knew what she'd done with Branch had been wrong, but at least it worked. It wasn't like she'd done it for nothing. "Um—duh—Next!"
DJ waved her hand in the air next, saying, "Ooh, ooh! I know! Why not lift his spirits first with some mood music? I'm sure there's a song out there somewhere for that."
"Hmm... Interesting," Poppy said. That idea didn't sound like it was doomed to fail. "Care to elaborate a bit more, DJ?"
"Well, ya know. Music's got this way of speakin' to the souls of just about anyone who hears it, y'all. And there's a song out there for just about anythin', so maybe, if we could find just the right one, it'd speak to him better than words would?"
Hmm... Well, that dumb country song seemed to do that, so... Since she'd already gotten one song that appeared to work as DJ hoped, maybe there were more out there. "That sounds great, Suki! Got any good ones in mind?" Poppy asked, excited at this idea.
"Uh...no."
Poppy deflated. "Oh." Perking herself back up a bit, she looked at the others eagerly, saying, "Uh, well, no worries! I'm sure it's out there somewhere, right!?" She looked at the others, hoping maybe they knew a song that could help in this situation. After all, DJ was right—there had to be one, at least.
Chenille's eyes widened slightly as she waved her hands in front of her. "Don't look at me! I don't know anything about him!"
"Same," Satin said. "I wish I could help, Poppy, but we'd need to know more about Branch for that."
Biggie put a finger to his chin, thinking. "Hmm... Sorry, Poppy. Nothing comes to mind."
"Total Eclipse of the Heart?" Cooper suggested.
Biggie looked at him, appalled. That song had been a favorite of Rosiepuff's before she'd been taken by the bergens. As such, that song was about as likely to cheer Branch up as cutting off one of his arms. Biggie didn't want to think about what had happened the last time Branch had heard that song after Rosiepuff's passing—Cooper hadn't been there, so he didn't know how badly that would go over. "...Cooper...absolutely not," he said, horrified at the very idea.
"Uh...sorry, Poppy," Guy said, shrugging. "But I just don't know anything that's uplifting enough for something as serious as that..." He looked off to the side, unnerved. He couldn't think of who in Bergen Town was that far gone.
"Same," Smidge said.
Fuzzbert slumped, apparently also unable to produce something that would help them now.
Poppy sweat, her enthusiasm dwindling some more. "Oh." She perked herself up a bit, knowing she couldn't give up without even looking, and said, "Well, we'll just have to find one! Now I want everyone to go ask around about a song that could perk up even the most depressed of bergens without raising suspicions or concerns about what's going on! Can everyone do that for me?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Smidge answered with a salute.
"Aye, aye!" Guy also saluted, and he and Smidge both left, looking determined to accomplish their mission.
"Okay!" the twins said before running off eagerly.
"Got it, Poppy!" Cooper said, excited at this new task, and he ran off as well.
Biggie smiled and said, "Of course!" before taking off to see if he could find a song that would help his depressed old friend.
"I'm on it!" DJ said, getting up. "And I'll watch Cooper for ya, too!" she added as she headed out, waving goodbye over her shoulder.
Fuzzbert nodded and left as well, leaving Poppy alone in her pod. She sighed, relieved. "Good." She stood up and walked over to her bed, hopping up and making herself comfortable as she continued, "Now to just kick back, relax, and wait for my feet to heal and for everyone else to return with the good news!" She pulled out a scrapbook to help her relax and pass the time, smiling.
She was sure they'd find something soon. After all, how hard could it be to find a song to lift Branch's spirits? Maybe there was a good rock song out there that could do it. He seemed like a guy who'd appreciate that darker genre, from what she remembered. As long as the song wasn't happy, like her remixed version of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," that is.
It took three more days for anyone to find a song. In the meantime, Poppy decided she needed help from an expert on this situation and made up an excuse to go to Bergen Town. She asked Smidge to take her there for some girls' only fun and, while she had visited with Bridget while she was there, she'd spent part of that day with a bergen psychiatrist, trying to figure out how to best handle a situation like Branch's. She'd gotten the doctor's assurances that all of the details would be confidential before she'd told the woman anything about Branch's past, grateful that bergens didn't bother asking trolls for money. She knew she'd need all the help she could get, after all, and troll society didn't use money.
When someone finally came to her with a song, Poppy was horrified at what DJ Suki brought. As she listened uncomfortably, DJ played a song with a very sad melody—a country song. With each word, Poppy grew more and more displeased with the finding.
Oh, hairballs! Again!? Why's this genre full of—
On the one hand, the song fit, which wasn't a surprise. On the other hand, it was a bit too intense for troll ears. She never knew a bunch of rednecks could be so horrifying. And she'd thought rock music was dark.
As the song came to an end, Poppy took some deep breaths, both relieved it was over and stressed that she would soon have to play it for Branch.
Oblivious to Poppy's discomfort, DJ grinned and said, "So? What'd ya think? It's pretty tight, ain't it?"
Poppy just stared at her for a bit, both unnerved at how much darker that song was than most and disturbed that the genre she'd once thought was just for idiots and Rufus could possibly get that emotional. How had a bunch of brainless rednecks come up with something so meaningful? This was deeper than the one she'd sang before.
"Uh... Admittedly, it does fit, but, Suki!" She threw her arms up. "Is that really the best you can do? Don't you have anything a little less...twangy that fits? Even a little?"
Poppy didn't relish the thought of bringing more country music to Branch. Not only would he start wondering what was wrong with her if she kept bringing music from her least favorite genre, but she doubted he'd enjoy it any more than she did. He'd reacted too poorly to her singing a twangy version of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah the other day for this to go over well. It was a wonder he hadn't gotten mad at her for singing "Ride."
DJ shook her head sadly and shrugged, palms up. "Sorry, Poppy. That's the best we could come up with. And we asked everyone in the village and Bergen Town for advice, too." She decided not to even mention the more violent rock songs she'd been introduced to—she had nightmares just from thinking about them. This country song was less dark and scary, making it the better option. It had a similar message without the horror element.
"You gotta be kidding me," Poppy muttered, frustrated. She sighed as she resigned herself to the fact that she'd be listening to more country and running the risk of angering Branch. "Fine... Then I'd better go get Smidge and put her in charge for a few hours." She took the track from DJ and slipped into her medical slippers. "Wish me luck, okay?" she said to DJ as she headed out, slumped over in defeat. With a messed-up track like this one, I'll need it!
Not only was this track a bit too scary for trolls, but, given that Branch apparently also hated country music, this could do more harm than good. Poppy hoped the words would draw his attention more than the melody, like it had done with her.
DJ waved encouragingly, smiling once again. "Good luck, Poppy! See ya tonight!"
Argh! Poppy thought. She wished she didn't have to do this, but they didn't have any other songs and Branch was fragile. She couldn't leave him alone for too long while she looked for the right song. For all she knew, he'd already given up on her.
So, despite her hatred of country music and concerns about how Branch would react to it, Poppy set off to find Smidge so someone could fill in while she visited Branch.
With Smidge in charge and instructed to keep everyone out of Poppy's pod while she was away, Poppy sneaked to the flyer bug corral to borrow one.
"Here's hoping Branch isn't mad I haven't visited in a few days," she said as she climbed onto a bug. "I won't make it back alive if he is and I try sharing this with him on top of it."
Branch had a temper. At least, he had when they were kids. Poppy had seen signs of it in him as an adult, too, so she knew there was always the chance that something would go wrong. If you poked a tiger, you'd likely get mauled. Still, knowing she might as well get this over with, she set off for the tower.
Branch sat at the table, eating his lunch in silence. This was normal these days, but it had bothered him immensely when he'd first been trapped here. Over the years, he'd gotten used to it, though, so it was never a problem anymore. Well, except for the last few days.
Just like every day since Poppy had left, the quiet felt oppressive. Branch endured it for a moment longer before he went to turn on some music just to break the silence, not caring what.
As he made his way back to the table, he said, "Wow, you'd think it would take more than a day and a half of having a house guest before I'd start hating the silence this much again." Taking his seat, he thought about that guest of his and the knowledge she now had. "I hope this means Poppy's friends talked some sense into her."
Suddenly he heard what sounded like a flyer bug. The problem with that was that it was far too early for Creek to be coming. If it was a flyer bug, it wasn't Creek's, which led to a serious question: Who was it?
Startled, Branch looked toward the open window. "Huh?" He got up to take a look, peering out the window.
An orange flyer bug with a yellow heart on it was flying toward the tower. On its back, Poppy looked nervous. Seeing Branch in the window, she waved awkwardly and called, "Hey, Branch! Did you miss me!?" Silently, she added, Hopefully not too much. Frosting, Suki! Is this really all there was?
Branch looked at her, surprised. Not because she had returned but because he hadn't expected to feel this way about her return. There was a warm feeling in his chest, and he actually felt like smiling. Given that this meant she hadn't warned anyone about the danger that was fast approaching, he should have been mad. But he wasn't—he was glad that she cared enough to come back. "Actually, yeah," he answered.
Poppy landed her bug below the window and got off, sweating. "Oh, really? How much!?" That answer wasn't what she'd been hoping for. Don't be mad, don't be mad, don't be mad! As she panicked internally, she formed a hair staircase and headed up.
It had been four days since she'd left, counting the day she'd had that meeting. She'd promised him she'd come back soon. Was four days too long to leave a suicidal troll wondering where you were?
Branch thought carefully about how to answer that question before saying, "It's quiet when you're not here."
If he was honest, he'd missed her a lot. Given that he had really hoped she'd seen sense and decided to tell her dad what was going on, he didn't want to admit this.
"...So...you're not mad I've been gone for so long...?" Poppy asked as she came through the window, still uneasy. Now, thinking about the fact that she'd left him here four days ago, Poppy had some new worries. What if he'd already started thinking she'd lied to him about how she was going to help? There was no way she could get a desperate and lonely troll's hopes up and seemingly dash them without getting hurt, especially given how his temper could be.
That question was easy to answer. Branch shrugged, saying, "No. Why would I be?"
Poppy sighed, relieved. "Oh! Great! 'Cause you're probably gonna be by the time I'm done with ya today!" she said, heading over to the table to have a seat. If he wasn't mad about how long she'd taken to come back, maybe this wouldn't go as badly as she feared.
Branch watched, curious. If she thought he'd be mad at her by the end of the day, he wasn't sure he really wanted her here after all. "...What are you here for?"
She waved a hand in answer, smiling slyly. "Psh. Duh, Branch." Looking at him, she beamed. "I'm here to help you, of course! And speaking of, have you been taking my advice and thinking positively instead of negatively about all this?" She smiled expectantly, hoping the answer would be yes.
"Yeah, I'm trying to," Branch answered. "It's a big shift from my normal way of thinking, though, so it's...still a work in progress."
"Oh? How so?" Poppy asked as she took off her slippers and checked her feet to be sure that they were okay. Dr. Moonbloom had told her to take it easy, and she'd just walked halfway across Troll Village and climbed a hair staircase. Looking at her bandages, though, nothing looked to be bleeding.
Branch shrugged and said, "You know. First thing that runs through my head isn't always positive, so it's taking a conscious effort."
Poppy hesitated for a moment. What she wanted to ask about was a delicate topic, and she didn't want to cause any problems. Besides that, she didn't really know if she wanted an answer to this question. But she needed to know if she was going to help him. "So...what kinds of thoughts do run through that head of yours? 'Cause you admitted to some pretty dark ones the other day that's got everyone concerned," she said uncomfortably as she gently pulled back the bandages to get a better peek at her feet, one at a time.
Branch knew what that question was about—he'd blurted out that he wouldn't be trapped if he was dead the last time she'd been here. Of course, she'd be worried, with that in mind. Even he knew it didn't sound good. "...I'm not suicidal, Poppy. It's just..." he looked away as he said, "sometimes it feels like dying's the only way out of this."
Poppy looked at him with sympathy. He looked so sad and lonely that she couldn't help but feel for him. "Oh, Branch..." Poppy slipped her slippers back on and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, smiling gently and reassuringly, as she said, "It's okay. Cheer up. We've barely even started, so who can tell how this will end."
"Y-yeah," he said, offering a slight smile.
He may not have had a lot of faith in this plan of hers, but she'd come back. She'd probably realize how hopeless of a case he was in time and stop coming around, but at least, for now, she was here.
"So, let's start with the cause of this moodiness of yours. Have you decided to forgive Creek for his betrayal and refusal to help?" Poppy asked.
When she'd spoken to the psychiatrist, Poppy had been told this was where she should start. Given that it wasn't in a troll's nature to hold a grudge against someone who was sorry for their misdeeds, it did seem like the place to begin. From what Branch had described, Creek seemed sorry.
Branch blinked, startled. Of all the things he'd expected her to say, that certainly wasn't on the list. "...Wow, dive into the hard stuff right off the bat."
Poppy gave him an encouraging nod and said, "Where else, Branch? It's your anger at him and yourself that's holding you back, anyway, so the only way to begin the healing part is to forgive first. Creek didn't want to hurt you anyway, right?"
"Well, yeah, I guess."
Poppy could see then that her visit to that psychiatrist was going to pay off. Maybe what the doctor had told her about holding grudges was true—Poppy had never known it could be this bad. "Branch. Let me start by saying nothing Creek has done to you was the right thing. But all holding a grudge will do for you is make you more miserable than you already are. You can't even begin to become happy or look at the positives in life if you're too busy hurting over the wrongs you or someone else has caused you. You need to let it go and forgive, Branch. Creek's clearly sorry for what he did anyway, right?"
Branch's first reaction was to deny this and say that Creek couldn't be sorry if he refused to actually try to fix it, but he fought that response back and closed his eyes instead, thinking. He thought about Creek coming over, keeping him company, bringing food and supplies, taking care of him when he was sick, and all the construction work that had gone into this place. Besides that, any time Creek had made Branch too upset, he'd always come over with fluffleberry cake and an apology at the ready. Thinking about it, Creek did seem to regret his actions from back then.
Branch nodded. "Yeah."
"Let it go, Branch," Poppy encouraged. "Everyone has flaws. But we need to learn to look past them and see what's hidden underneath. And underneath Creek's is a very good friend to have." She offered a reassuring smile.
Branch didn't answer, just staring off to the side. While he could see the idea of Creek being sorry for what he'd done, he couldn't see Creek as a good friend. A good friend wouldn't lure their friends into traps to protect themselves, especially not their best friend.
"Branch? What are you thinking?" Poppy said, her tone encouraging him to speak up. Silence wouldn't help. She needed him to be honest with her if she was going to have a hope of helping him get out of here, especially since the look on his face clearly said that something was wrong.
He sighed. "I can see what you're saying, Poppy, but...this is too much." He shook his head, looking hurt. "I mean, yeah, I get why he did it, but still..." Branch looked away. "...It's hard to forgive him for it."
Poppy put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a serious look. "Branch," she said firmly, trying to draw his gaze back to her.
Hesitantly, he looked at her.
"I know this isn't easy for you. And, yes, Creek's flaw's a huge one, but is holding a grudge making you feel better? Or do you feel worse?"
Branch stared at her for a moment. That wasn't hard to answer. He sighed. "Worse."
"That's right. That's all holding grudges does for us. That, and you could end up all alone 'cause of them, b-but that's a point for later!" She shook her head to drive away that lesson from her dad—it wouldn't help at a time like this. Getting back on track, she looked Branch in the eye, focusing on what the psychiatrist in Bergen Town had said. "Point is, Creek feels about as bad as you do, Branch, but you said it yourself. He didn't feel he had a choice, either. You know how damaging trauma can be on a kid! That's why you stopped singing and turned gray. Remember? But that's not the only kind of life-altering effects it can have, either. It can cause scars in so many different ways. Crippling guilt and sadness if you somehow feel responsible for it. Paralyzing fear and despair if you're just its victim. And even terrible nightmares and hallucinations, if you're real unlucky. So how can you blame someone for something they can't control? Hmm?"
Now that she thought about it, that last one explained a lot of Creek's problems, including his little shoulder friends. Poppy figured they must have been some kind of weird hallucination brought on by all the torment he was going through. She'd never known trauma could be so damaging.
Branch thought about it for a second. He'd never really looked at the situation that way. Sure, he understood that Creek had been tortured, but he'd never thought of how much the mere memory of that experience must haunt Creek. Branch knew from experience how difficult it could be to get over a memory so haunting. He nodded and said, "...You're right. That doesn't make sense."
Poppy gave Branch an encouraging nod, glad that she was getting somewhere with him. "You need to let it go, Branch. If you don't, you'll never be happy ever again."
Branch sighed. "...Okay."
Poppy hugged him tightly and said, "It's going to be okay, Branch. You'll see."
He didn't answer—he doubted that, but he wasn't about to say that out loud.
Poppy pulled back then, saying, "Okay! One down, and one more to go. You do forgive Creek for being a traumatized mess like you now, right?" She looked at him expectantly, hoping that would be good enough. If it wasn't, she'd need to go visit that psychiatrist again.
Well, when she put it that way, it was hard not to. "Yes."
"Good! Now onto forgiving yourself." Poppy rubbed her hands together, a nasty look in her eyes. She found it slightly amusing that he thought forgiving Creek was difficult, given their next objective. "Ooh, boy! And if you thought forgiving Creek was hard, this one will kill you!" She put a hand on her hips, looking neutral, and continued, "Branch, you need to forgive yourself for what happened to your grandma, driving Cooper and Biggie away, running away from home, and, of course, everything else you did to upset someone back then. After all, I just told you holding any grudge is wrong, and that includes grudges against yourself."
She might have been right—forgiving Creek might have been the easier one. "...Uh, yeah, okay."
"Okay. So let's start with the easiest one. Pick an issue, and tell me why it upsets you so much."
Branch thought about it for a second before he answered, "Biggie and Cooper. After what happened, they and Creek tried to cheer me up. They were patient with me and did what they could to help. Even after Creek was taken, Biggie and Cooper kept trying, even though that wasn't easy for them, either. But I was so upset that I didn't care. I returned their kindness and patience with irritation and cruel words. After a year, something I said made Biggie cry, and neither of them spoke to me again. Because I was hurting, I hurt my friend, and he was just trying to help me."
That wasn't exactly what she'd expected. Poppy knew Branch had pushed people away back then, but she'd never thought it was an accident. It certainly hadn't been when it came to her, after all. "...Okay." Poppy thought about it, trying to figure out the best approach. Hmm. Let's see... How to deal with an issue like this? She was quiet another moment, trying to think of what that psychiatrist would do here, before she said, "And you felt bad about it, right?"
"Yeah. But I was too stubborn to admit it and even convinced myself they were both better off without me."
That was concerning, and it was even more unexpected than the last thing he'd said. Was he claiming that pushing people away was somehow good for them? Poppy wasn't sure how that was supposed to work. "...'Better off without' you?" Poppy asked, looking at him with worry.
Branch looked away. "...I wasn't very good company, anyway. Besides, my grandma..."
Poppy realized then how difficult this was going to be. It seemed as though everything else would lead back to his grandmother's death, which was evidently the hardest one for him to forgive. But she still had to try. "Branch. You didn't get your grandma killed on purpose. It was an accident, and—"
"It doesn't matter!" he snapped, glaring at her. "I was careless, and now she's gone! So what if it was an accident!? It doesn't bring her back!"
Poppy backed up a bit, startled. "...Branch..."
There was that anger she'd been expecting from him. It was also linked to his grandmother's death, apparently. Did that mean he was using it to hide his hurt? Poppy recalled the psychiatrist telling her that some people masked their pain with anger. As if drawn in by these thoughts, a mysterious pink mist entered through the window, unseen by either of the trolls. It encircled Poppy's head, influencing her thoughts.
Branch blinked as if just realizing what he'd done. Then he took a deep breath. "...Sorry, Poppy."
She just blinked at him, eyes wide. Branch was quiet for a moment before he looked away, ashamed at his outburst.
That was when it hit her, courtesy of the mist guiding her reasoning. Maybe anger was how Branch showed all his negative feelings—fear, worry, sadness. If that were the case, then he wasn't always mad, like she'd always believed. It just took a little reading between the lines to figure out what he really felt.
Then Poppy realized something about that event that had left Branch so scarred. "...Hmm..." Poppy's eyes narrowed, and she said, "Branch. Did your grandma save you so you could be unhappy?"
Branch gave a start, surprised by the question. "...No..."
"No. ...She didn't." Poppy moved closer as, gentle and caring, she continued, "She did it because she loved you, Branch." She put her hands on his shoulders again as she went on, "And wanted you to have the chance to live a happy life with the ones you love. She didn't blame you for it. And even if you'd noticed the attack in time, you still could have lost her. For all you know, you both could've seen the bergen coming, and she'd still sacrifice herself so it couldn't get to you. No one wants to risk the safety of a kid, Branch. So if there's something they can do to save one, they'd do whatever it takes, even if it costs them everything doing it."
Branch looked down as he thought about that. Though Poppy's words were making sense, it didn't really make him feel any better about the whole thing. "...I guess."
From the look in his eyes, Poppy could tell it wasn't sinking in. She gave him a serious look and pointed at him. "Think about it, Branch. If you could and you saw a kid chasing a ball into, oh, say, a growlbeasts' den, and you could only save them by sacrificing your own life, would you?"
"Well, yeah."
"Why? It's their fault, anyway. They ran in there carelessly chasing after that dumb ball in the first place, right?" she asked, crossing her arms and trying to look uncaring.
"Because it's a kid, Poppy!" Branch answered, a bit exasperated. "They don't always make the right choices!"
Poppy threw her arms out in front of her, smiling proudly at his answer. She'd hoped he'd say that. "Exactly! Kids don't always understand just how dangerous something they do can be, so it makes no sense blaming them for it!" As she said that last sentence, she closed her eyes and waved her arms in front of her to emphasize her point, shaking her head a bit. Hopefully, Branch understood things a bit better now.
Branch just looked at her for a moment as it dawned on him what she was trying to say. "...So I shouldn't blame myself for what happened."
Poppy gave him a gentle, compassionate look. "Not then. And not when you were ten, either. Kids make mistakes all the time, Branch! But it's what they learn from them that counts!" She gave a reassuring smile.
He didn't answer right away, thinking about Poppy's words. After a bit, he nodded.
"So? What did you learn, Branch?" Poppy asked him.
Something un-trolly. Somehow I don't think she'll like my answer. Still, since she asked, Branch said, "That you need to always be aware of your surroundings or something bad will happen."
"Well, in some cases, I guess that works. Like back in the Troll Tree before peace was made, yes?"
He didn't answer. He happened to be of the opinion that one should always be aware of their surroundings. Even if everything seemed fine, you never knew when or where danger would find you.
"So?" Poppy prompted. "What else? What lessons did you learn from all those other mistakes that followed?"
"Don't take your problems out on others. Be grateful for what you have. No matter how bad you think you've got it, it can always be worse."
Poppy looked a bit lost. "...Okay?"
The first two, she understood and agreed with. The last one, which was somewhat more negative, threw her off. How did that count as a good lesson? It sounded like undermining his own problems as if they didn't matter just because someone else might be worse off. Poppy thought it would be better to look on the bright side. There was no such thing as a bad situation without one, she believed, if you knew where to look.
"Hey, you asked!"
"Uh... Okay." She grinned, deciding to just roll with it even if she disagreed. If Branch found that lesson helpful, who was she to argue? "So, you'd say you've learned a lot 'cause of past mistakes, huh? So why not focus on what you learned from it all instead? Think of how it makes you a better troll these days. And of the things you chose to change because of them. I mean, surely you've changed a lot since you were a kid, correct?"
"Yeah. I mean, I guess."
"So? What positive changes have you made as a result of those mistakes?" she asked. Don't say 'No one can be trusted, and we're never safe,' please!
Branch thought about it for a long time. After a while, Poppy looked at him with concern. Did he have an answer?
"...Uh, Branch?" she asked, looking at him with concern.
"I'm trying not to be a jerk to people?" he suggested. That was a change he'd made more from necessity than anything else, though.
Poppy nodded a bit, arms crossed. She looked pleased. "Good, good. What else?"
Branch didn't have anything else to say. He couldn't really think of any other changes he'd made that would count as positive.
Poppy waited a bit, then suggested, "How about learning to appreciate what you've got 'cause the grass isn't always greener on the other side? Or learning to be more careful when you know you're in a dangerous situation? Or how to try and help others not to make the same mistakes you did?"
She could tell he'd made many good changes since they were little, and she didn't understand how he was having so much trouble with this. Just how much did he hate himself to completely undermine his good traits? He did have some, even if he did do everything he could to hide them. Once again, Poppy recalled him patching her up after she fell off a jungle gym and scraped herself up—and this particular trait of his hadn't changed if the way he'd reacted to her bleeding feet was any indication.
Branch vaguely recalled Creek saying something about the grass not being greener on the other side. Why he chose this moment, of all times, to focus in on that, he wasn't quite sure. Still, it was good advice, regardless of who said it. "...Yeah," he agreed. Admittedly, those changes to his attitude had come after the mistakes he'd made, even if his attempts at being more careful did tend to annoy the other trolls.
"See? And the things you learned make you a better troll. They taught you to be kind and made you wise. That's not necessarily a bad thing, is it?"
"No," Branch answered.
"So?" Poppy asked, waiting to see how he was feeling about himself after this conversation.
Hopefully, he wasn't nearly so blind to the good in him now that she'd pointed it out. He'd even had some in him as a child, now that she thought about it—other than the way he handled her injuries, that is. She could vaguely recall him wanting to keep everyone safe or worrying about other trolls who were sick or hurt. He'd even helped fix broken toys if smaller kids were crying and he knew how to do it, like that time Aspen Heights had broken the wheels off his toy car. Branch had glued them back on, acting annoyed at all of Aspen's "whining." At the time, Poppy had thought Branch found sick or hurting trolls annoying, given how much he complained about them. Now that she thought about it, though, what if that was just him using anger to cover up his concern?
She'd never thought about such events that way before. In fact, she'd forgotten all about them until just then, when the pink mist brought them to mind. Unaware of the mist, however, Poppy didn't know why she suddenly recalled these things. Regardless, now she was thinking that there may have been more good in Branch as a child than she had thought. He wasn't a completely selfish jerk back then after all. It was too bad he didn't seem to know that.
Branch thought about it for a second and found that he was feeling a bit better. "I guess you've got a point. At least I learned something out of all of it."
Poppy smiled reassuringly again, pleased without well this was going. "Then are you ready to let it go?" She grew more nervous then, realizing the timing was perfect for DJ's song. "Or...do you need...the thing I brought...to help you see...things clearly!?" At the start of that, Poppy had been smiling reassuringly. As she struggled through that second sentence, she'd grown slowly more pained and uncomfortable, the last two words exploding out of her as she forced them to leave her mouth. The effort of asking that question left her breathing heavily.
Branch looked at her curiously, wondering what kind of "thing" could cause Poppy that much strain just to talk about. "...What did you bring?"
Poppy looked at him for a moment, wishing he hadn't asked. Then she sighed and pulled out the track with a lame look on her face, answering, "This."
Branch raised an eyebrow and went to turn off the music he still had going in the background. Poppy sighed in defeat and braced herself for another explosion. She headed over, saying, "Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you..." She put the track in, and a sad country melody filled the air as she played the song DJ had found—"Moments," it was called, by a band called Emerson Drive.
"More country?" Branch asked. Cowgirl.
Exasperated, Poppy responded, "Just...be quiet and listen, alright?"
She really hoped he'd pay more attention to the words than the music itself. She'd never hear the end of it otherwise, she feared.
Branch did as she said.
"I was coming to the end of a long, long walk when a man crawled out of a cardboard box under the E. Street bridge, followed me onto it," the artist sang.
Branch wasn't sure where this was going, but a sad song and a bridge sounded like a recipe for disaster. "Uh..."
"Shh shh! Wait for it."
"I went out halfway across with that homeless shadow tagging along, so I dug for some change. Wouldn't need it anyway," the song continued.
What kind of song is this? Branch thought. Did she actually think he was that bad? "Wait...what?"
"Yeah. Think a bergen wrote this one after the peace thingy or...something." Poppy put her hands behind her back and started rocking, looking away uncomfortably.
"He took it looking just a bit ashamed. He said, 'You know, I haven't always been this way. I've had my moments. Days in the sun moments. I was second to none moments, when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do. Like that plane ride, coming home from the war."
"War!?" What war? Branch didn't know if he wanted to know.
"They're bergens, Branch," Poppy said, closing her eyes in disgust. "Don't ask..." She knew she wasn't going to. She doubted she'd like the answer.
"That summer, my son was born," the song continued while they spoke. "Memories, like a coat so warm, a cold wind can't get through."
Branch blinked, realizing that he probably shouldn't ask, if this was a song written by a bergen.
"Looking at me now, you might not know it. But I've had my moments.'"
While the song definitely wasn't happy, nobody had jumped off the bridge yet. Think I'm starting to see why she's playing this... Branch thought.
Moments in the past, when things had been going well and life hadn't been so horrible. Given that she thought he was suicidal, it made sense that Poppy would try to find a song that talked about the fact that there were good times in life, even if everything looked awful now.
"Well, I stood there, trying to find my nerve, wondered if a single soul on Earth would care at all, miss me when I'm gone," the singer continued, and Branch could relate too well to that feeling.
Poppy looked at him with caring eyes. Quietly, she said, "They would, Branch..."
He just looked at the CD player with a sad expression. I doubt that.
Poppy whispered, "Trust me..."
She knew that all too well. Her dad still hadn't cleaned out Branch's old room in his pod, and Biggie and Cooper had still felt awful when talking about him. Clearly, those three would all hate to see him gone. She knew her dad still did.
Branch looked at her. She was giving him a gentle, caring look as the song played on.
How can she be sure? Who would miss me? Biggie and Cooper didn't want anything to do with me anymore, Creek would be safer, and nobody else cares about me.
As Branch grappled with the idea that someone would miss him, the song continued, "That old man just kept hanging around, looking at me looking down. I think he recognized that look in my eyes. Standing with him there, I felt ashamed. I said, 'You know, I haven't always been this way.'"
"Have you, Branch? Have you?" Poppy asked softly.
Now Branch looked away, feeling ashamed himself. He hadn't. He'd been a happy little kid once. It felt like it had been forever, but...
"'I've had my moments. Days in the sun moments. I was second to none moments, when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do."
Poppy then found herself thinking of someone else who would miss Branch if he were gone: herself. Sure, she still didn't want to date him, but she didn't want to see him go like that. Besides the obvious facts that he was too young and miserable (and Poppy hated seeing any of her people so unhappy), Poppy was starting to consider Branch a friend. He wasn't nearly as mean as he used to be, and she'd like the chance to get to know him better. She couldn't do that if he died.
While Poppy thought of that, the song continued, "Like the day I walked away from the wine for a woman who became my wife and a love that, when it was right, could always see me through. Looking at me now, you might not know it, but I've had my moments.'"
Branch looked back at the CD player as the song played. That was true—he had had his moments. It's been a while, but yeah.
"I know somewhere 'round a trash can fire tonight, that old man tells his story, one more time," the singer continued.
Now, pink mist still circling her head, Poppy thought of one final troll who'd definitely miss Branch—Creek. He'd tried too hard to keep Branch alive, sacrificing nearly everything for that goal. Since he also spent time with Branch to keep the gray troll at least somewhat content, it was obvious he cared and wouldn't want to see his friend die. Sure, the time he was buying for Branch was running out, but Creek was determined to give Branch as much time as he could manage. He clearly didn't want the guy to die here like this. He just didn't think he could do anything to stop it.
"He says, 'I've had my moments. Days in the sun moments. I was second to none moments, when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do. Like that cool night on the E. Street bridge when a young man almost ended it.'"
At this point in the song, Poppy smiled gently at Branch and held her hands out to him. Branch looked at her hands, curious.
"I was right there," the song played.
"I am, too..." Poppy said, care showing clearly in her eyes.
Branch looked at her, then took her hands, looking uncertain.
Poppy pulled him over, looking into his eyes with care, and sang along, "Wasn't scared a bit, and I helped to pull him through."
Branch just looked at her caring expression. Poppy pulled him into a warm hug as the song finished up.
"Looking at me now, you might not know it. Oh, looking at me now, you might not know it. But I've had my moments," the singer continued.
Still holding Branch, Poppy whispered gently, "You have, too, Branch."
He turned his head and looked at her, hug or no hug. Her eyes were closed, a gentle smile on her face. Poppy...
"I've had my moments."
Poppy pulled back, giving Branch a caring smile. Her hands still rested on his shoulders. Branch looked at her and smiled. It was definitely nice having someone around who genuinely cared. Even better, she was trying to encourage him not to give up on his own miserable life, as if there was actually something there worth saving. Maybe she was right.
"I've had my moments."
Poppy took Branch's hands, still smiling at him, as Branch's thoughts turned away from the song.
Why did I hate her so much when we were kids? Sure, she can be a bit crazy, but she's not that bad.
"I've had my moments..." After that, the rest of the track was just music.
As the ending of the song played, Poppy let go of Branch's hands. "...You're not a bad person, Branch. Just really misunderstood," she assured him.
She thought once again about the idea that he might be hiding everything under anger, not just pain. Little did she know, her thoughts were being steered in that direction by a pink mist she couldn't even see. Oddly, this led her to another thought, though. Even if you aren't my first pick for dating!
She wasn't sure why she kept thinking about that realization of hers so much today. It was making it harder to see that moody kid she'd known as mean and easier to understand him. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered what was really going on back then and what would have happened if she'd known then what she knew now. Any time she thought of him as kind, caring, or hurt, her brain seemed to steer itself in this direction. This really wasn't the right time for that, though, and she knew it. Now, if she could just control her thoughts and keep them focused, that would be helpful in dealing with his problems.
Branch stared at her for a moment, touched. Finally, he said, "Thank you, Poppy."
The final notes of the song played then, leaving the tower in silence.
Brushing aside these thoughts that seemed intent on convincing her Branch had been a good kid, Poppy forced herself to focus on the present, not the past. Unseen, this conviction of hers drove the mist away, and it floated out the window. "...So? What moments did you have, Branch?" Poppy asked. Take some time to think about them for a while and see if it changes how you see yourself afterwards." She went to get the track out of the CD player then, not wanting to leave any evidence that Branch had a second visitor these days.
Branch, meanwhile, thought about the good times he'd had when his family was still alive. He was even able to find some in more recent years, times when Creek had visited and they'd worked on one of their plans or even just hung out. Much as his life tended toward pain and suffering, he'd be lying if he said there weren't any pleasant memories hidden away in there.
Poppy took out her track, wincing a bit. "Ack!" She looked at her foot, concerned.
Startled from his thoughts, Branch turned to look at her with his worry. "Are you okay?" he asked, heading over to check.
"Y-yeah...just—" she flopped on the floor, "—need to sit down for a bit. Whew." She took off a slipper and rubbed her foot a bit.
Branch looked at the bandaged appendage for a moment before he asked, "Those healing okay?"
Poppy nodded as she examined it again. She was pleased to see the bandages were still purely white—nothing was bleeding again. "Just...gotta take it easy for a few weeks, is all." She rubbed it again, wishing she hadn't overdone it before. The damage was pretty extensive, given that she'd managed to get blisters on top of her blisters.
Branch had never heard of blisters keeping someone off their feet for weeks before. Then again, he'd also never known someone who acted like they weren't hurt when they obviously were. "Wow. You really did a number on yourself, huh? What exactly happened to you out there, anyway?"
"Don't ask, Branch. You really don't wanna know," she answered with a lame look, waving an arm through the air.
"...Right, about a million things tried to eat you. Got it."
Poppy sweat, looking awkward. "Yeah. Let's just go with that."
He'd gotten dangerously close to the truth, and she knew she'd never hear the end of it if he guessed the rest. Why did he have to know her so well? He was rarely wrong when it came to what she got into, even when they were kids. She didn't want to tell him about her stupid idea that she should let fate randomly decide whether she made it home or not, and she didn't need him guessing it, either. That was honestly embarrassing, looking back, and he'd definitely mock her for it. What had she been thinking that day?
Branch took in her discomfort, then he smirked. "Ah. Right. And you were being your usual self, huh?" he teased.
Poppy just gave him an annoyed look and pouted a bit. Clearly, she was right about the teasing and him knowing what she'd gotten into. He may not have known all the details, but she could tell he knew how ridiculous they were. He wouldn't be looking at her that way otherwise. It seemed the endless teasing would soon begin. She couldn't' stop it now if she tried.
"Well, since you're here, how about a game?" Branch suggested. "You pick."
Poppy's irritation faded quickly as she answered with a smile, "Sure! How's old rummy played?"
"I'll teach you," Branch answered as he went to grab the cards for rummy.
"Cool. Can't wait. Oh, and Branch?"
"Yeah?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at her.
Poppy smiled kindly at him again. "...Caring so much about my well-being's some of your moments, too."
Even if she did wish he'd keep his hands to himself, it didn't change the fact that he cared enough to help her out. That was kind of sweet, looking back. It felt nice having him care enough to refuse to let anything happen to her. Now that it wasn't causing her unbearable pain, at any rate.
Branch stopped, staring at her for a second. Then he smiled and shrugged. "Never would have admitted it, but I hated seeing you crying when you were little, too," he said as he grabbed the deck of cards.
"...Branch..." She smiled slightly, touched.
So he had cared more back then, after all. Maybe those invasive thoughts she'd been having were right after all. Branch hadn't been a bad kid, just misunderstood and lonely. That thought somehow changed her entire perspective of all her bad memories of him. Knowing that he'd never liked seeing her cry, he looked more kind and caring as she thought back over those old memories. Even when he'd been a complete jerk, if he'd been thinking that others would be better off without him, it made sense that he'd try to drive them away—he thought it was what was best for them, showing how much he cared.
With that in mind, Poppy couldn't be upset with him for the way he'd behaved in the past. She could see now all of the subtle signs he'd given that said he did care, making her appreciate and like him more. Maybe playing out this story with him wouldn't be so bad, after all, even if she did still love Creek more.
Branch may have been nicer than she thought, but he was still boring, and that probably wouldn't be changing anytime soon. She knew now how damaging past traumas could be, and Branch's fears of fun were a part of his. He wasn't likely to let his guard down and have fun any time soon, even if she did make him happy. He'd probably never be a fan of risky, more trolly activities.