Chapter Three: Vinyl Collection

Barb finished the last note, ending their rehearsal. Poppy stood with the microphone in front of her keyboard, holding her voice until the last note faded. That was going to be such a good concert! She couldn't wait to perform in front of the whole Troll Village.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Barb said, jumping happily, almost smashing her guitar down in excitement.

Poppy laughed and collapsed on the floor. It had been three hours of rehearsal and she was exhausted, after a day of taking care of kids and arranging supplies so the construction wouldn't stop. She found out Country Trolls were excellent contractors and even had this idea to go to a business association with Delta Down. She was hoping to pay a visit to her friend on the way to the Black Rock concert.

Barb picked a note from inside her guitar and handled it to Poppy along with a cold water bottle. The pink queen was thirsty and drank it down at once while opening the note just to realize it was a poorly written address.

"What is it?" Poppy asked.

"That's where the Black Rock will play next week." Barb answered. "Since you seem to like them, I got tickets for you." Carol handed her two tickets which Poppy gladly accepted. There were two tickets. "I got one for your boyfriend as well, but in case you want more just tell me and I'll arrange them for ya."

Poppy was going to reply that Branch wasn't her boyfriend, just to stop herself in time. They had confessed their love, they had kissed. Even if he hadn't asked her, he was her boyfriend, right? Her stomach gave a little turn that lasted all journey back to Troll Village.

The tickets were secure in her hair along with the map to the concert and the picture of Branch's parents. She was a little nervous about the whole relationship thing. She had never even thought about it. She would give her best; Branch deserved the best. He was trying very hard to be a better troll (for her), so she was going to give everything she had to show him all the love he was denied most part of his life. Besides... - she looked up to the blue sky above her - Branch was a great kisser.

There was a crack on the floor that brought her back from her daydream. She looked down just in time to see a giant net engulfing her and lifting her up in a high tree. Okay... so maybe Branch still had to work on his trap-setting problem. She sighed and waited, knowing that soon he would be around checking on what he had caught.

It gave her time to think about how he had reacted to her tattoo. Barb had told her Rock Trolls were fascinated by body art as much as their music. It was a huge turn on for them. Still Branch's reaction got her by surprise. He just jumped away from her, stopped their kissing, looked nervous and left. She still didn't know if he had liked it or not.

"Ha! Caught you, predator!" Poppy heard Branch's voice beneath her and rolled her eyes. She didn't answer him. She just sat quietly, waiting for his reaction when he untangled his 'prize' from the trap. "Poppy!"

"Yes..." She answered annoyingly. "We've talked about your traps, Branch. It could have been a kid-" She was abruptly interrupted by his mouth on hers. Her eyes widened as he picked her up and hid themselves behind a tree. Cupping her cheeks in his hands he kissed her so hotly that she completely lost herself. He was crazy about her at the moment. The sight of her tattoo was still clear on his mind and it enchanted him like a snake hypnotized by a pungi. She quivered innocently under his mouth and he had to fight an internal battle to keep his hands on decent places. He had never imagined she could taste so heavenly.

Poppy was fighting her own internal battle at the moment. She had just gotten her answer that he had liked her tattoo and also, how come she had any doubts that she couldn't kiss him back as passionately? It was so exciting! She felt as his hands made their way to her hair and quickly panicked. If he found the picture her plan would be ruined. She pressed her hands on his chest, pushing him away as gently as she could.

"What?" He protested, a little dazzled.

"I have something to tell you." He groaned, realizing that there would be no more kissing. She pulled the tickets out of her hair. "Barb gave me these... and I really want you to go with me."

"Tickets for a Rock concert?" He looked closely at them. "I don't know, Poppy... it's outside the maps' limits..."

"Oww... please." She pouted, knowing she would win. "You... me... road trip? Couple of days by ourselves..."

"You had me on 'please." He answered quickly, giving the tickets back.

She smiled her brightest smile at him, making his heart melt on the spot. She was going to be the death of him, Branch realized. Whatever she asked he would do. She grabbed his hand and climbed down the tree, walking back to the village hopping cheerfully, like a little girl.

"You're really excited about this band, aren't you?" He half-laughed, watching her.

"Rock is really inspiring me, Branch." She said, "I don't know how dad was able to keep all other kinds of music in secret, but I'm researching and making up for the lost time. I must teach kids about this!"

"He didn't keep it a secret from every troll..." Branch pointed out. She looked up at him questionably. "Well... the elders probably knew about the other trolls before us... and I have these rock albums inside a soundproof room in my bunker, so, it's not like it's big news..."

"Wait!" Poppy shook her head, not believing what she had just heard. "You have rock albums? And you never told me?"

"It's not like you ever asked..." He pointed out. "They are with my grandma's stuff. Do you want to see them?"

"Absolutely!" She said out loud, but in her mind, she was screaming more 'Oh my Guh!' than Smidge. If Branch had rock albums, then maybe she was right and he was a Rock Troll, after all! Maybe his egg had fallen from the band's bus while they passed by the Troll Tree, just like it had happened with Cooper.

"It's been a while since I've listened to them." Branch said, standing in his doormat and pulling the elevator down the bunker. Poppy descended with him, noticing his rations had been reduced since the last time she had been there. At least the water bottles were short to minimum, which meant he wasn't storing sweat anymore.

He kept the memories of his Grandma in a carbon box. Poppy felt a pang in her heart. She would never ask to intrude like that, but she was curious about what he kept there. Branch pulled the box from a shelf and also pulled an old record player. She watched it in amusement. It was probably older than her dad's!

"Sit," He tapped the floor by his side, preparing to open the box. She kneeled down first, watching him closely. He wasn't sad at all. He had been through those memories countless times and the pain of missing his family had already become gratitude for ever knowing them.

There was a big collection in there. Many records with soft rock songs, some ballads and some old hardcore as well. She picked one up with a girl with curly hair in the front that read "total eclipse of the heart" That was the song he was singing when his grandma got eaten. She put it back quickly. There was no way Poppy would play that one.

"I stopped listening to them about five years ago..." Branch said, picking one up and putting on the player. "At first they were good company," He continued, when Poppy didn't interrupt him like she usually did. "But then I had this feeling building every time I played so I stopped it."

"What kind of feeling?"

"I don't know... shaking heads, screaming, breaking things..." Poppy put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from gasping. "I guess that's what rock and roll does to us, right." Well, actually, no... Poppy thought. When she played with Barb she felt powerful, she felt like she could conquer the world, she felt high, and sexy and girlish. She felt like a true Queen.

"Queen?" She questioned, reading the vinyl that Branch had put to play.

"That's one of my favorites." Branch said, proudly.

" Pressure pushing down on me

Pressing down on you, no man ask for

Under pressure that burns a building down

Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets"

Poppy had to admit the rhythm was great and the lyrics... oh my... it was so much like Branch. She grinned as she watched him getting so into the song that he started playing an invisible guitar. If he grew up with lyrics like that there was no doubt he had become a survivalist.

"You should meet Riff." Poppy suddenly said, making Branch sit back down next to her, shifting uncomfortably when he heard another man's name coming out of her lips.

"Who's Riff?"

"Barb's drummer." She replied simply, reaching for her hair cautiously to pick up the right piece of paper. "There," She showed him a picture they had taken that afternoon at the rehearsal.

"You said it was a girls 'band." He sounded slightly hurt, but took the picture to take a good look at the guy, anyway.

"He's covering for us until we find a girl drummer..." Her voice trailed off when she saw Branch holding the picture close to him. In the center of the picture was Barb, Carol and herself. The three girls laughed with raised 'rock on' fingers. Carol stood a bit to the left, just where Branch's finger held the picture.

The same teal color. They had the same color! The same skin color, the same nose color, the same hair color! Okay... maybe Branch's hair color was slightly darker, but it was classic blue when he stood in the sunlight, right? 'Don't freak out...' Poppy told herself.

"Well, it means I can go to the next rehearsal," Branch finally said.

"Sure!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Branch had grown so much, Poppy realized. Seated on a mushroom table with Queen Essence, they sipped on tea as they chatted animatedly about Pop Trolls' desire to have fun all the time. They were on top of a small hill, watching as Branch and Cooper introduced Prince D to the Squish Ball game... with all safety attachments Branch could come up with.

Essence was a really motherly person, having been chatting about how her babies were united and how happy she was that they were all a big family again. Their place had been the fastest to rebuild, not having been too damaged in battle. Poppy had to comment on how shiny and clean everything was inside the spaceship.

"I saw this video about the latest decor on tech lounges and just had it all designed again." Essence said with a satisfied laugh. "I'm glad you like it, it's not easy to keep it neat with all the cables..."

"What cables?" Poppy asked curiously, she didn't remember seeing cables anywhere.

"Oh, the optical fibers, electricity cables, internet, yadda yadda... everything they need to work and play." Essence answered like it was the most normal thing in the world, but Poppy didn't get much of what she was saying. Like, every mother, the older queen realized the younger one was a little confused. "I've noticed you have an offline lifestyle..."

"I can totally grasp the concept of electricity," Poppy said quickly, "We have it at Sky Toronto's factory, but not in the rest of the village..."

And that was it. For as long as the game went on, Poppy got as much information from Essence as she could. The more the older queen explained it to her, the more Poppy felt the need to update the whole village. The Funk trolls, apparently, were geeks. They knew how to build hardwares, to program softwares, to develop apps and techs that could make their day much easier. They were very acquainted with bio-robotics.

"You should pay us a visit so I can show you how it all works." A visit would be lovely and also, Poppy, thought, she really wanted to get to know Essence better. She was so tall and elegant, so cool and wise and she had this wonderful voice... "I believe your friend will be thrilled to have light inside his bunker."

"Do you know about his bunker?!"

"Cooper told us all about it." She chuckled. "Also, he told us how you two keep dancing about each other and neither makes a move."

"Well... Cooper needs an update." Poppy blushed, hiding her face on her teacup, taking an extra long sip.

"Oh... congratulations!"

Just before Poppy could answer, Branch, Cooper and Prince D arrived, interrupting the girls' talk, panting and laughing at their game. The two queens made room for them, so they would dry off their sweats with towels and serve themselves with some Stoutberry Juice.

"It looks like you boys had fun," The older queen pointed out, helping Cooper to adjust his hat. "It was a interesting game indeed."

"Delightful."

It was a lovely Sunday afternoon, with blue skies and the smell of recently cut grass. The lagoon moved slowly for a particularly windy day. Essence glowed, matching her spaceship that was parked just above Troll Village, providing a strategic shade. The time to say goodbye was full of promises to see each other again. Poppy was very curious to know the Funk Culture better, so she promised to pay a visit during the week, after she rushed through the day's work.

"And then Cooper surprised D with the squish ball on the other hand. I'm saying, Poppy, Cooper is the best player we have." Branch said as they walked side by side.

"Did you know Funk Trolls were good with tech?" Poppy said when she realized Branch had stopped talking about the game.

"Oh... no wonder Cooper was the one who installed my computer."

"It was him? And how come you had it hidden all this time?"

"I don't know... never thought it was important mentioning it..." He shrugged.

Poppy had a feeling that she didn't know much about the world she was living in and that certainly wasn't good for the role she was playing. She couldn't be an 'offline' queen, the one stuck in the dark ages, the one who had been kept away from everything. She couldn't live in a bubble anymore.