It was about 20 years ago in Troll Village, Branch, a ten-year-old Trolling was slamming a shovel blade into the ground, he had found a tunnel and was expanding it. Branch lifted the shovel, throwing the dirt behind him. The Troll was clearly building a sweat. Branch wiped the sweat off his forehead, feeling his muscles sore from the shoveling.

There would be no harm in taking a break, maybe a bath in the river to cool off. Branch slammed the shovel into the dirt, walking out of the tunnel. He must have lost track of time as it was later than he expected. Branch walked through the wooded area outside the village, eventually finding himself at the river where he often bathed.

Branch undressed and stepped into the water, rubbing the cool substance on his warm skin. the bath was refreshing as he got out, drying off before putting his clothes on. Branch shook his head like a wet dog as the water splashed off his hair. Feeling refreshed the gray troll's stomach growled as Branch put his hand on it, all the digging worked up an appetite.

He decided a snack would not hurt, heading back into the village there were a few stands where Trolls often sold handmade goods and treats. Branch reached into his pocket, finding a few notes, it wasn't much put his moved his finger around the coins in his palm, walking to one of the stands.

"Good afternoon how may I... help you?" The troll behind the counter asked turning to see the gray troll. he did his best to give Branch a smile as he placed a few notes on the counter, asking for a strawberry smoothie. the troll simply nodded grabbing a cup and filling it with a fruity substance and mixing it up before handing it to Branch.

Branch did not have as big a sweet tooth as the other Trolls, enjoying a diet of homemade meals, which he learned to cook on his own. Branch brought the straw to his mouth, sucking on the smoothie, walking away from the stand. Branch walked back. That was when he met her.

On the route back, a ball hit Branch in the chest causing the drink to spill over him. Branch muttered, dusting the pink drink off his chest as the culprit walked forward, picking up her ball, a pink troll with a blue dress about six, her hair an explosion of pink as she picked up the ball.

"Sorry" the girl said, Branch realized it was the princess. he did not know her personally, but she was always the center of attention with her group of friends. Branch simply dusted off, ignoring the Princess, walking off as the firecracker of happiness followed after him.

"Hi, I'm Poppy, I Don't think I've seen you around, why is your hair black?, are those clothes made of leaves?, did you make it yourself?" Poppy asked bombarding him with questions as he kept walking, ignoring her. hoping she would take the hint and move away, she didn't as she continued talked.

"So, then, I told Stain that I liked Chenille's design and Satin took that to mean I didn't like hers despite me liking both, I didn't know what to say so I ended up with two sweaters for snow day" Poppy continued as Branch huffed, asking himself why she was following him.

Branch stopped turning to her, asking if she had any friends to hang out with. he did not want to be rude or indirectly insult the Princess, but she was really getting under his skin. she bounced the ball on her knee as they stood still.

"And miss the chance to bond with my new friend?" Poppy asked rhetorically as she looked at him, complimenting his black hair, it was so unique, something she had never seen. "So, what's your name?" Poppy asked, Branch looked at her, on the fence about telling her his name but it was public knowledge, so he told her. the Princess perked up, hearing him give his name.

"See we're connecting" Poppy added, making a gesture with her hands as Branch rolled his eyes. Branch watched the Princess turn around, watching a storm and scissor snips and felt flying, a piece landing on his shoulder as she turned around holding an envelope, handing it to Branch.

He Questioned how Poppy was able to do that so quickly. He had never gotten Mail before but opened the letter seeing a card, Branch opened the card, revealing an invitation.

"I'm having a slumber party tonight, I know it's late notice but I'd like it if you were there" Poppy explained as Branch looked over the card again, before handing it back to Poppy.

"Sorry, I'm busy tonight" he said making an excuse as he spent the nights patrolling the village for signs of Bergens.

"Well how about the night after tomorrow or tomorrow afternoon" Poppy went on as Branch kept making excuses. Poppy looked at him confused, saying that if she did not know any better, he did not want to party with her.

"What would give you that idea" Branch retorted sarcastically as the reasoning went over Poppy's head, confused as to why Branch did not want to attend, she let him know it would be amazing

"Please come we'll have karaoke, snacks, dancing and board games and so much flipping glitter" Poppy went out as he looked at her, reiterating he did not want to go to the party, this seems to genuinely surprise her. Poppy looked at him, saying that all Trolls liked to Party, which he dismissed.

"Not this Troll, never been to a party, and don't want to" Branch explained as this just made Poppy freeze in shook, unable to process what she had heard. Branch, looking at the frozen princess took this time to leave.

Later that day Poppy was discussing the revelation she had with her father, the King. Telling him of the strange Gray Troll, Branch, who said he didn't like parties.

"Branch is Difficult, you don't remember Bergentown, you were only a year old, but Branch lived through it, and he never fully recovered. I mean a lot of Trolls lost family members to the Bergens but overtime they got Better. Branch, well... he didn't" Peppy explained.

"But Daddy, The Bergens are gone, it's been five years since than" Poppy explained confused as he nodded. he knew that branch still believed they were out there, to which he was right. but it was all he thought about. also preaching about how they'd return one day and scoop them up like snacks.

He deserves to be happy" Poppy commented as she swore it would be her life's mission to make the gray troll happy.

Back in present day Branch was laying on the bed, Barb looking at him, asking if he was there for that last part. he shook his head, but Poppy told him about her 'mission' going into detail.

"After that it was nonstop, invitations, trying to drag me into games, surprise parties, you name it" Branch explained, claiming no matter how many times he told her she kept trying to make him happy.

"So, in effort to make you happy, she pushed you away" Barb realized, not having any positive thoughts about the Pop Queen, remembering the Glitter explosion in her bus. Branch nodded, saying there was one time he may have gone too far with the Princess.

"It was a few months after their first encounter. Branch had dug a tunnel with a wooden door sticking in the ground. it was what would eventually become his bunker. it was late in the evening as Brach was stringing up lights, admiring his work as there was a knock on his door. Branch looked out seeing the Princess.

"Hi Branch" Poppy called out as Branch did not even open the door, simply telling her to go away. Poppy kept pushing, saying DJ Suki was gonna drop her newest tracks and again she invited Branch to the event.

"I Don't want to go, why are you deadset on dragging me along?" Branch asked a bit irritated with the Princess. Poppy looked at the door, saying she was just trying to be nice. she knew Branch spent all his time alone and she was just trying to be his friend.

"I don't want to be your friend" Branch called out as this clearly made the princess stop, she had never been told that someone did not want to be her friends.

"But I... You..." Poppy replied clearly hurt as Branch went on, saying everyday it was the same day. Poppy would interrupt him and bother him with trivial matter, trying to take his mind off important matters.

Poppy fell back, landing on her butt, not knowing how to take this, looking down, before asking Branch for just one happy memory with him. if she could have that she would leave.

"I have candy" she offered as Branch huffed, saying he hated candy, it was unhealthy, empty calories and too sweet as she let out a tear.

"Come on Branch, I have Strawberry, I remember that's your favorite flavor" Poppy pleaded which was correct, but he simply huffed, saying he hated strawberry.

"You smell like strawberries, and you're always suffocating me, I can't stand it" Branch explained, Poppy felt upset, like she had ruined Strawberry for him.

"I have other flavors, grape, blueberry, sour apple, watermelon" Poppy added, pulling a handful of wrapped suckers from her hair, begging him just to try one as he sighed, saying he did not really like fruity flavors. not entirely true but he wanted to be rid of her.

"Okay, I have this one, it was factory dud, it has no flavor, no color, just like you, just enjoy it with me and I'll leave" the 6-year-old princess begged, tears in her eyes. she was wearing him down as he reluctantly agreed, putting his hand through a sliding panel in the door, Poppy handed him a blueish/purple wrapped sucker. he removed the paper, putting the bland candy in his mouth, Poppy pulled a red cherry sucker out, placing it in her mouth, they both sat on other ends of the door.

Branch did not know if Poppy really considered this a happy memory but at the time he didn't care. Poppy kept her promise and stopped bugging him, if they crossed paths, she might have invited him to an event or offered to hang, but she never seeked him out again.

"Was I too rough on her, bringing a little girl to tears, even when I had Candy with her, I could not even open the door, and that's her happiest memory of me" Branch asked Barb who huffed, she could not help but feel a little bad for Poppy, like 5% sorry, 95% still mad at her.

"On top of that, I left without even saying Goodbye" Branch added.

(A/N: So Branch is feeling conflicted about Poppy, realized he might not have been the best person to her when she was just trying to make him happy. The lollipops are a Trollstopia reference to the bubblestorm episode when Poppy said she first had candy with Branch and chapter from Girl_in_blue_fic's story 'Tales of Trollstopia' also Peppy knew about Rosiepuff's death but doesn't know Branch indirectly caused it or feels guilt for it)