How did I end up back in this fandom?
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"Hey, Branch!"
Instantly, Branch knew something was wrong when he heard the voice of his girlfriend's sister. Not that he and Viva had any problems; they got along fine. But she wouldn't just seek him out at his bunker out of the blue. She, like most trolls, found it dreary (and for Viva, it was probably a reminder of her own paranoia and isolation). His stomach churned with anxiety.
But Poppy always told him he had a bad habit of jumping to the worst conclusions, so he forced a smile. "Hey, Viva, what's up?"
Viva was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I was just wondering if Poppy was around," she told him.
Branch frowned, the bad feeling getting worse. "I thought she was with you?" No, he didn't just think, he knew. Poppy had enthusiastically told him she had planned to spend the entire day with her sister only about a thousand times.
The older troll shook her head, wringing her hands together nervously. "She never showed up," she revealed, her smile faltering. "I figured maybe she forgot? Or overslept." Unlikely. Poppy was a morning person who planned her days accordingly.
There was a slight chance she had gotten distracted and was running late, but even that wasn't really in the realm of possibility. For one, Poppy hated being late for anything because she hated letting other people down. For another, it was Viva. His girlfriend cherished every single second she spent with her long-lost sister.
His instincts were screaming at him, trying to force his attention to an issue that hadn't even been revealed yet. But Branch took a calming breath, trying to keep himself under control. "Why don't we ask around?" he suggested. "See if anyone's seen her. It's Poppy, she probably got roped into taking pictures of Mr. Dinkles or something."
Liar.
Viva relaxed marginally. "Yeah," she agreed. "You're right, Branch. Thanks."
He tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. "Of course."
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Asking around Pop Village turned out to be futile, however. She wasn't with any of the Snack Pack. King Peppy hadn't seen her at all. None of the other villagers recalled seeing her either. Branch could feel his blood pressure skyrocket with every person they asked. No one knew where Poppy was. She was just... gone.
Viva frowned as they returned to the bunker. "Could she have gotten lost in the woods?" she asked, glancing warily at the towering trees. "Maybe we should look there."
Branch had serious doubts. It wasn't impossible, but Poppy had grown up here. When it came to the surrounding area, she knew where she was going. "We can try," he said instead.
"Try what?"
He jumped. "Floyd!" he hissed, surprised. His brother had been staying with him since his rescue, but he hadn't even heard him come up from the bunker! "How long have you been there?"
Floyd gave him an amused smile. "A few seconds," he told him, then his face sobered. "What's wrong?"
Branch swallowed. "We can't find Poppy," he admitted. "You haven't seen her around, have you?"
His older brother shook his head. "I'm guessing she wouldn't take a random trip to Bergen Town?" he asked thoughtfully.
Branch was already shaking his head. "No, Poppy wouldn't-" The words caught in his throat. Wouldn't leave. Not like everyone else, not even when he wanted her to. When he was gray, he had hated it. He had thought she was a liar, that she would abandon him if he let her get close. So he had tried his hardest to push her away, to make her leave before she could get the chance to hurt him.
Branch knew better now; knew Poppy would never abandon those she loved. Poppy didn't leave people.
Floyd understood even without him saying anything. "We should see if she got lost then, right?" he suggested kindly. "She has to be around here somewhere." Branch nodded, and the three trolls ventured into the forest, calling the princess' name.
Viva was visibly anxious, her feet pattering in place on the ground. "What if something bad happened?" she asked, wide-eyed. "What if she was attacked? Or she's hurt somewhere? What if-?"
"Viva," Floyd cut in softly, halting her rapid-fire questions. And thank Muses he did, because Viva freaking out was making Branch freak out. "I'm sure Poppy's alright. She's a tough cookie. Right, Branch?"
Branch nodded, thankful for his brother's presence. "Of course," he agreed. "Poppy's the strongest person I've ever met." And he wasn't exaggerating. No one else could have done the things Poppy did, she was brave and resilient unlike any other.
Wherever she was, she was fine. She had to be.
Their hug time bracelets went off, but none of them made a move. Not even Viva. But he didn't have time to dwell because ears twitched in response to a distinct fourth ding. Brunch spun around towards the source and only barely spotted a dim pink glow a few feet away. He rushed over to it, dread filling his entire being.
Branch dropped to his knees, plucking the object from the ground as carefully as he could. A lump formed in his throat and he couldn't speak, he simply held the object delicately, worried it would break if he didn't.
Viva staggered down next to him, covering her mouth in horror. "Is that-?" It was.
Poppy's hug time bracelet.
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I KNOW IT'S SHORT. Next chapter will be better.