The Other Side Chapter 4: Perfect For Me, a trolls fanfic

"A different kind of music? Is that even possible?"

"If it's true what King Peppy says, then I can take my career to a new direction!"

Poppy immediately issued an emergency sleepover session for the entire Troll Village after the meeting with her father left a lot for the lot of them to process. Branch, Harper, Mandy, Moxie, Aspen, DJ Suki, CJ Suki, Bella Brightly, Gia Grooves, Meadow Spriggs, Guy Diamond, and Tiny Diamond were the first to arrive. Biggie, Mr. Dinkles, Cooper, Smidge, Satin and Chenille, Ripley Wisp, and Milton Moss all arrived second, followed by Keith, Priscilla, Gemma Fur, Maddy, Karma, Vega Swift, and Nova Swift. Because she didn't anticipate the number of guests she would be having for the evening, Poppy collaborated with Branch, Meadow, and Bella to make their sleeping chambers a little more comfortable. She honestly needed it, considering the amount of stress she had put under during her tenure as the new Queen. Branch believed but never vocalized that because Poppy was the new Queen, she would keep them safe for the time being.

Harper laid her sleeping bag far from the others but close enough to where Mandy, Moxie, and Aspen set up their own. A few inches away, her ears perked up at the sound of CJ, Priscilla, Gemma, and Keith excitedly chattering about the new types of music that Peppy meticulously narrated for Poppy and the others to hear. They were in the process of concocting a scrapbook listing all the details of the different genres of music. Keith's favorite was Funk, Gemma's favorite was Country, Priscilla's favorite was Rock, and CJ's favorite was Techno, a sentiment that her Aunt DJ shared. This both concerned and comforted Harper, who saw both despair and hope for the future in the form of the younger generation. Of course, the younger generation could only be naive and innocent for so long. If only...

Branch quietly slipped away from the chaos to retrieve some items from his bunker and catch some "fresh air" as he put it to Poppy. Never suspecting for a moment that something was wrong, Poppy cheerfully allowed him to go on his way on the condition that he make it back in time for karaoke. He feigned happiness until the moment he left, his smile dropped and replaced with a heartbroken frown. During the musical genres recounting, Branch remembered that the other genres fought over control of the Troll Kingdom. Poppy ignored this fact and began working on a plan to unite all the kingdoms as one. While he did see this move as a brave and noble one, Branch was convinced that Poppy hadn't quite thought this plan out more clearly.

It frustrated him.

It fustrated him as much as it worried him.

("Perfect For Me" - Justin Timberlake) [Solo Version]

Standing underneath the moonlight, Branch pulled out a folded-up piece of paper and read it over. You could call him a survivalist, you could declare him a pessimist. However, one may very nearly address him as a lyricist.

I know your favorite song
I hear it everyday
Whoever made your smile
Made it to get in my way
And every time you laugh
You make that little sound
It's just the hardest thing
To love you but not know how

During his time reconciling his once long-lost happy-go-lucky persona, Branch thought about Poppy. How Poppy couldn't and wouldn't stop pestering him about invites to her party, how Poppy managed to reignite the lost spark of optimism within him, how Poppy...helped him to find love again.

So I spend all my nights in the dark and afraid
'Cause I've tried to forget you but these things just don't go away

Even so, those feelings of exasperation lingered but for an entirely different reason. Despite the fact that he had gotten used to her presence a little better than previously, Poppy's tendency to act before thinking both annoyed and troubled Branch.

I hate that you're perfect, perfect for me
If I didn't know better then I would believe
We were made for each other
But I'd know the truth
You're no good for me, I'm no good for you
And I hate that you're perfect, you're perfect for me
I hate that you're perfect, you're perfect for me

As much as he loved Poppy, Branch started to worry that she would develop something resembling an ego thanks to her christening as the New Queen. Her method of thinking was one surefire way to cause trouble not just for her, but the entire Troll Village, possibly the entire kingdom as well.

What good are words when they always just get in our way
And it hurts the most just to know that you don't feel the same, the same
So sometimes I get down on my knees and I pray things will change
But life is what happens when things they don't work out our way, our way

Branch never said never, though. Poppy was still new to this whole Queen protocol, so maybe she could learn a few lessons along the way when putting her plan into action. He just hoped that she would learn them before it was too little too late.

So I spend all my nights in the dark and afraid
'Cause I've tried to forget you but these things just don't go away, away

Poppy was his little beacon of hope just as Branch was hers. Her heart was in the right place just as his. Ironically, her mind was in the wrong place just as his. Her intentions were admirable, but her hopes were naive.

As such, that made Poppy perfect in the eyes Branch.

. . .

"Nice singing."

"GAH!"

Branch jumped in fright before turning around to find Harper and Mandy sitting atop the stairs a few feet from where he stood.

"I'm sure Poppy will love it."

"Harper! Mandy! Whew, I thought you were Poppy, Mandy."

"Yeah, I get that."

"How... How much did you two hear?"

"I heard enough. You were singing pretty loud."

"I was?"

"But not enough to be heard by the entire Troll Village, let alone the entire Kingdom."

"Thank Goodness. So... Do you girls think I should tell Poppy?"

"Yes, but we're not forcing you to do it right now. You can tell her on your own time."

"I would if I could, but...it's not easy."

"Love is never easy, Branch. Believe me, Harper should know."

"What?" Branch glanced at a cross-armed Harper, "You've been in love before?"

"Yes."

Branch didn't know what he found funnier: Harper, a Painter Troll younger than him, admitting that she had previously fallen in love or the rather blunt, straightforward tone in which she delivered her confession.

"Well, I probably shouldn't question it."

"You could, but not right now."

"Got it. So... What are you two doing out here?"

"Poppy wanted us to go look for you, actually. Karaoke is about to start."

"Right, right. Of course."

As Branch followed Harper and Mandy back to Poppy's pod, he couldn't help but overthink...

"Harper? Mandy?"

"Branch."

"Just out of curiosity... Do you think Poppy likes me?"

"Of course not," Mandy chuckled, "I think Poppy loves you. She just has other things on her mind right now."

"And she more often than not has trouble expressing her feelings for you, especially during a time like this," Harper added, "But never say never, Branch."

Branch began to smile, reassured to an extent.

Perfect...

Satin and Chenille helped DJ set up her mixer while Poppy looked over the map of the Troll Kingdom. CJ, Keith, Priscilla, and Gemma decorated the bat with glitted and a pink bow.

"Do you think Debbie would appreciate more glitter?" Gemma tilted her head.

"I highly doubt it," CJ shook hers, "Wait? Debbie?"

"I think it suits her," Priscilla smiled as she attached the pink now. "What do you think, Keith?"

Keith blinked, suddenly shifting his attention from Priscilla to the bow, "I like it."

Branch, Harper, and Mandy entered Poppy's pod.

"Branch! My man! So...are you in on the plan?"

"Well, after giving it some thought... I think your plan could work, Poppy."

"Yes, it could."

"So..." Satin and Chenille exchanged disappointed glances as DJ Suki whimpered, "No karaoke?"

"Sorry, girls," Mandy smiled in sympathy, "But this is more important."

"More important than karaoke?" Guy Diamond gasped.

"Yes, Guy Diamond," Moxie glared at him.

Poppy gestured to the map for the Snack Pack and the others to see. Standing right next to her, Branch glanced up to find Mandy shooting him a knowing smirk. He stiffened up and mouthed 'No' to her before the plan was laid out:

"Ok, let's get started. We all know that there are six different kinds of kingdoms comprised of six different kinds of music: Funk, Classical, Techno, Country, Rock, and us, Pop. Our plan is to unite all of the Kingdoms against Barb because if we don't, no one else will. First, we'll head off to Symphonyville because it is the closest to us, just east of Lonesome Flats, which is where we'll head off to next. Then, we head off to Vibe City, which is south of Lonesome Flats. However, since Techno Reef is the farthest from us, west of Symphonyville and northeast of Volcano Rock City, we might have to split up."

Poppy took up the map and looked over it. Hmm. One map, two dozen of us... I probably should've made more.

"Don't worry, Poppy. I've got you," Branch dug into his backpack and pulled a few more for the others to use, "I took the liberty of making more after we met with King Peppy. It was enough time to study the map and make more out of what I've remembered."

"You wrote all these by hand?" Guy Diamond questioned as he observed the one he was handed.

"My printer was broken," Branch deadpanned with a look that clearly said 'Don't Judge'.

"In any case..." Branch was suddenly pulled into a hug by Poppy, now fighting a rising blush in his cheeks, "Thanks, Branch. I knew I could count you."

"Uh... Yeah, anytime. Wait, it's not Hug Time."

At that, Poppy pulled away and shot Branch a soft smile ("I know.") before turning back towards the map to glance over it again. Never say never indeed... Branch's ears perked up at the sound of giggling, the source of which when he turned proved to be Satin and Chenille plus Mandy and Moxie coughing up a storm of happy and satisfied snickers...and not the delicious, chocolate kind. Unable to slow the rising blush, Branch went completely red in the face and waved at them to cease.

"Did you want me to go to Techno Reef in your stead?" DJ Suki approached, "After all, DJing is my name and game."

"Oh, that's a perfect idea!" Poppy handed her friend one of the maps, "Thanks, Suki!"

"Let's try all of us heading to Symphonyville first," Mandy also suggested, "Then dropping off the Trolls who are the most accustomed to recruit them. We can repeat the same pattern with the other Kingdoms."

"That's also a good idea," Bella nodded in agreement, "But then what? Your Majesty, do you have a contingency plan for whenever your main plan goes awry?"

"I...actually don't," Poppy admitted before perking up, "But I won't let that worry me. If things go south, I'll just improvise as I go. And you shouldn't let that worry you all. I am the Queen."

Bella smiled in reassurance before faltering the moment her eyes locked with Branch's. It would seem he shared similar thoughts on the matter. That's the reason why we all worry for you...