The stadium was alive with the roar of excited Trolls, all eagerly awaiting the arrival of their favorite band. Poppy bounced up and down, her bright pink hair swinging with each jump. At her side, Branch, looking a little out of place in his rock attire, couldn't help but feel the excitement too. As the Rock Caterbus made its way through the crowd, Poppy's excitement reached a fever pitch. "Trolls! Trolls! I just spotted them approaching. So give it up for the Hard Rock Tribe's most popular band. It's..." She paused dramatically, "Bad Hair Day!"

The Rock Caterbus landed with a loud thud, its windows rolling down to reveal the band. The crowd erupted in cheers as the band members hopped out, and Poppy couldn't contain her excitement. "Bad Hair Day!" she yelled, leaping into the air.

Branch, still looking out of place in his rock gear, gave a half-hearted cheer, joining in with the crowd. "Bad Hair Day!"

Poppy turned to him, confusion evident on her face. "Branch, since when are you a fan of Bad Hair Day?"

Branch gave a sheepish grin. "Uh, you could say I had a... 'Rockawakening' moment."

Floyd crossed his arms, a knowing smile on his face. "A 'Rockawakening,' huh? Did you get struck by lightning too, Branch?"

Branch nodded, glancing at Floyd. "It was something like that."

At that moment, Val appeared, rushing up to Poppy with her usual energy. "Poppy! I still can't believe you got Bad Hair Day to play here in TrollsTopia! You really came through on this, Popsqueak. Pound it!" She extended a fist.

Poppy's heart skipped a beat. She hesitated for a second before bumping Val's fist with her own, a small smile creeping across her face. "Sure. Whatevs."

She let out a little squeal of excitement as she turned to Branch, covering herself with her hair to talk to him in private. "Branch, did you see how far Val and I have come?! We've never been close enough to fist bump before! That's huge! It's a milestone!" She mimicked a big explosion with her hands, skipping around in glee.

Branch chuckled softly but didn't say anything, letting Poppy have her moment of excitement. "Anyway," Val interrupted, her smile never fading. "I wanted you to meet Petra, my best friend from back home. She follows Bad Hair Day to all their shows!" She motioned to Petra, who stepped into view.

Petra gave a friendly wave. "Guilty as charged."

Poppy, now a little taken aback, blinked in surprise. "Your best friend? Val, how... how did I not know about this? I don't have a personalized gift basket to welcome you." She immediately pulled two baskets of cupcakes from her hair. "Good thing I've got these emergency baskets. This one, no wait, this one. Uh, here!" She fumbled with the baskets, handing one to Petra. "There you go."

Petra grinned. "You must be the Troll Val's told me so much about. The one who got her to go to girls' night."

Poppy giggled. "Eh, wasn't that big a deal. We made friendship bracelets!" She held up Val's hand to show off their matching bracelets, and Petra raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, Poppy," Val said, grinning. "You're full-on double rainbow. Gonna need you to dial it back to a single. Come on, Petra, let's go check out Rock Hollow before the show starts."

Poppy didn't respond, her mind preoccupied with the news about Val's best friend. She wanted to ask more, but Val was already heading off with Petra.

"Branch," Poppy said suddenly, her voice quiet, "Did you see that? Val and I—we're getting close. But now, she has Petra..."

Branch gave a knowing smile, nodding. "You're thinking you should've gone with the other welcome basket, huh?"

Poppy groaned. "Yeah. I guess so." She looked back at Val, watching her walk off with Petra. "Petra's starting to get Val to leave TrollsTopia forever! What am I going to do, Branch? I have to stop it!"

Branch sighed, but his tone was gentle. "Sometimes, Poppy, you've got to let your friends make their own decisions. It's about letting them grow, even if it's tough."

Poppy nodded slowly, though her worry wasn't going away. "But I can't just let her go, Branch. Not after everything we've been through."

Branch put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to let her go just yet, Poppy. But whatever happens, you've got to trust her to know what's right for her."

Meanwhile, Val and Petra were off on their own adventure. Petra, ever the thrill-seeker, was already getting Val to try something daring. "Come on!" Petra said with a grin. "You've got to ride a Rock Moto-Critter! Now that's a real thrill!"

Val grinned back, exhilarated. "YEAAAAAH!" She jumped onto the Rock Moto-Critter with Petra, their hair flying in the wind as they sped off, leaving Poppy and Branch behind.

Poppy shook her head, a small smile forming despite the confusion and worry that bubbled inside her. As she caught up with them, she called out, "Okay, I've got an idea! How about we do something together—something fun?"

Val turned to Poppy, her expression still full of energy. "Poppy, I don't know what's got into you, but okay, let's do this!"

The trio continued their day, eventually heading into a stadium where the excitement of the concert filled the air. Poppy felt a strange sense of nervousness mixed with excitement, knowing she had to tell Val how much she cared before it was too late. But, she decided that could wait until the right moment. By the time they were backstage, Val was caught up in the thrill of being with her band, but Petra had a different take. She shrugged off the idea of being a part of it all, saying, "I'm good. You go on and rock out."

Poppy, now in her own rock attire, stood outside the stadium, ready to go in. She looked at Branch one last time before slipping inside. "I'm going to go make sure Val stays," Poppy said, determination in her eyes. "She can't leave now. Not after everything."

Branch gave a nod, his voice calm. "Whatever you need to do, Poppy, just know that we've got her back."

Backstage, Poppy finally caught up with Val. "Hey, Val," she said, her voice soft. "I'm going to miss you if you leave TrollsTopia. But I'll support whatever choice you make, and I get it if you decide to go back home."

Val blinked in surprise. "What? I'm not going anywhere. Petra got me to think about it, but I'm staying here. I'm finally at a place where I can be myself."

Poppy smiled, relieved. "I'm glad. You mean so much to me, Val."

Val smiled back, a little embarrassed. "I know, Popsqueak. I'm not going anywhere. TrollsTopia's too great. It's where I belong."

Poppy grinned and gave Val a fist bump. "That's right. TrollsTopia, baby!"

As the concert raged on, Poppy stood backstage, watching Val interact with the band. The flashing lights, the music, and the energy of the crowd all faded into the background. For the first time that day, Poppy's thoughts weren't consumed by her usual whirlwind of excitement and spontaneity. Instead, they were focused on one thing: Val. She hadn't noticed it before, not this strongly, at least, but now it was undeniable. Every time Val laughed, every time their eyes met, Poppy felt something in her chest flutter—something different from the easy, comforting friendship they shared. This wasn't just about fun moments or fist bumps anymore. It was deeper.

Her heart pounded as she watched Val toss her hair, laughing along with Petra. She felt a warmth in her chest and an ache she couldn't ignore. That was when it hit her: she liked Val. More than just a friend. More than just someone she had adventures with. She liked her.

Poppy's cheeks flushed as she realized the weight of her feelings. The thoughts that had been bouncing around in her head began to crystallize: this wasn't just about saving Val from leaving or keeping her in TrollsTopia. It was about something deeper—about wanting to be with her, to have Val by her side not just as a friend, but as something more.

Poppy bit her lip, feeling both excited and terrified by the realization. But she couldn't ignore it. She had to tell Val soon. The words swirled in her mind, forming the confession she'd been too scared to admit until now. How would Val react? Would it ruin everything they had?

"Hey, Poppy," Val's voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. Poppy turned, startled, but when she saw Val standing there, looking at her with a gentle smile, the nervous energy in her chest only grew.

"I, uh," Poppy started, trying to steady herself. "I just wanted to say, you mean a lot to me. I'm glad you're not leaving. I've... been thinking a lot about us, and I'm happy we're here, together."

Val raised an eyebrow, clearly picking up on the odd tone in Poppy's voice. "What's with the serious vibe, Popsqueak? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Poppy smiled weakly, feeling a mix of warmth and anxiety wash over her. She looked down at the floor for a moment, collecting her thoughts. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but the fear of messing it all up, of ruining the friendship they had, made her hesitate. "I just... I've realized something today," Poppy said slowly, still trying to find the courage to say it aloud. "And I think I need to tell you soon, Val. But... not now. I want to say it at the right time."

Val's expression softened, a knowing look in her eyes. She stepped closer, her voice quieter now, as if sensing the weight of the moment. "Poppy, I know we're both a little... unpredictable, but I'm here for whatever you need to say. Just take your time. We're in this together, okay?"

Poppy nodded, her heart still racing, but she felt comforted by Val's words. The reassurance helped settle the storm inside her. She was going to tell Val. She had to. But not yet. Not in the middle of the concert, not amidst all the noise and chaos. She needed to find the right moment. For now, though, Poppy smiled softly at Val. "Thanks, Val. I'm glad you're here. And, uh... I'll tell you soon. Promise."

Val grinned, the light from the stage reflecting in her eyes. "I'll be waiting, Popsqueak. Whenever you're ready."

As the final notes of Bad Hair Day's performance echoed through the stadium, Poppy felt a sense of peace settle over her. She didn't need to rush it. She knew that the time would come. But for now, she had her friend by her side, and that was enough.