Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! And as a Valentine's Day present for my Troll fans, I will post two chapters for today. Enjoy because later on, the Valentine's Day Chapter will be out.

The morning sun bathed TrollsTopia in a golden glow, casting long, playful shadows over the vibrant town. The streets bustled with excitement as Trolls of all Tribes hurried to put the finishing touches on the grand nine-week anniversary celebration. Confetti fluttered in the air, the scent of sweet marshtato tarts wafted through the breeze, and the sounds of laughter and music created a melody of joy. But inside Poppy's pod, the atmosphere was far less festive. Branch and Val carefully carried Poppy through the entrance, their movements cautious yet determined.

The normally energetic queen winced slightly, her usually bouncy pink locks now limp with an odd stiffness to them. Floating behind them, Dante Crescendo watched with exaggerated concern, his golden wings fluttering in short, anxious beats. "Easy, everyone. Easy," Branch murmured, his voice steady as he and Val gently lowered Poppy onto her bed.

Poppy, ever the optimist, immediately tried to sit up, brushing off their worried expressions. "Guys, I really appreciate this, but you have to let me get back to the party. My hair is fine."

A loud crack split the air as a visible fracture shot through her once luscious locks. Branch, Val, and Dante recoiled in unison. "Ohhh…"

Poppy blinked, then offered a nervous chuckle. "Okay, it's not 100%, but—" She hopped onto her bed with forced enthusiasm. "—I can fix it with the power of positivity!"

Another crack: Poppy's confidence faltered. "I can fix it with the power of doctors!"

The bright, flower-filled interior of Dr. Moonbloom's office was usually a place of healing and reassurance, but today, it felt more ominous than ever. Poppy sat stiffly as the doctor examined her X-rays, the faint glow illuminating the skeletal structure of her hair. Dr. Moonbloom adjusted her spectacles and let out a dramatic sigh. "Hmmm… This is the worst I've ever seen."

Branch and Val gasped, while Dante, ever the dramatic soul, promptly fainted with a shrill gasp, his body falling weightlessly to the floor. Dr. Moonbloom took off her glasses and wiped them with the hem of her lab coat before putting them back on. She leaned in again, then nodded with satisfaction. "Ah, there we go. I see much better now."

Dante groaned from the floor and floated back up. "Oh…"

The doctor's expression turned serious. "Queen Poppy, you have a significant hair fracture. How did this happen?"

Branch folded his arms. "She was overexerting herself."

Val and Dante nodded. "Mm-hmm."

Poppy huffed. "No, I wasn't. Here's what happened, Dr. Moonbloom. As you know, I've spent the last eight-and-a-half weeks planning for TrollsTopia's nine-week anniversary, which is today."

As she spoke, the memory flickered back into her mind. The sun had shone brilliantly as Poppy had raced around, perfecting every last detail of the event. She had sprinkled sprinkles, streamed streamers, and, most notably, lowered an unbelievably heavy commemoration statue of all six Tribes holding hands in unity. It was supposed to be the crown jewel of the event, a shining beacon of togetherness. But just as she was finishing the task, a sharp pain shot through her scalp. Crack! She screamed, her hair giving out as the statue slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the ground.

Back in the present, Dr. Moonbloom finished wrapping a firm cast around Poppy's hair. "So, you know, just a run-of-the-mill freak accident," Poppy concluded sheepishly.

Branch, Val, and Dante were unconvinced. "Anyway," Poppy continued brightly, "now that you've given me this cast, I can get back to prepping for the anniversary, right?"

Dr. Moonbloom raised an eyebrow. "No." She swiftly sketched an image of Poppy lying in bed. "I'm prescribing one day of total bed rest."

Poppy gasped. "But… party! Commemoration! Statue!"

Dr. Moonbloom gave her an approving nod. "I'm glad you're taking this so well. Now, I have a very fun nine-week anniversary to attend. Excuse me." She dramatically slid on a pair of star-shaped sunglasses and moonwalked out of the pod, whispering a triumphant, "Whoooooooo!"

Poppy slumped. "A whole day in bed?! But, guys, I need to be at that party to obsess over every detail and plan for every eventuality, however unlikely!"

Branch was already firm in his stance. "Sorry, Poppy. Doctor's orders. We'll handle the anniversary."

Dante puffed out his chest. "Yes! Fear not, Poppy. I, Dante Crescendo, legendary composer and noted party animal, shall assemble a team to oversee the festivities. Why, I'll even cut the commemorative ribbon myself!" He struck a dramatic pose, slipped on his own purple star sunglasses, and strutted out. "Whoooooooo!"

Poppy sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "Well, I guess I could sit this one out."

Val smirked. "Yeah. Way to know your limits, Popsqueak."

Branch clapped a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "That's the spirit."

Together, Branch and Val slid on their own sunglasses, striking their own over-the-top poses before following Dante. "Whoooooooo!"

For a moment, the pod was silent. Poppy hummed, tapping her fingers against her blanket. The steady tick-tock of the nearby clock filled the room. Seconds passed. Then minutes. Her fingers drummed faster. Her foot tapped; her whole body vibrated with restlessness. Until finally… "NO WAY! I CAN'T DO IT!"

In an instant, she tossed the blanket aside and leaped toward the door—only to find Branch and Val blocking her way, their sunglasses removed, their expressions smug. "Nice try," Val said, crossing her arms. "But we knew that big heart of yours wouldn't give up that easily."

Branch nodded. "So we're staying right here to guard the door and make sure you actually rest." He pulled out a stick and drew a firm line on the floor.

Poppy huffed and immediately drew her own line. "Guys, you know I adore you both, but I have to prep that party no matter what!"

Val raised an eyebrow and drew another line. "Oh yeah?"

Poppy, determined, drew yet another. "Yeah!"

Within moments, the three had abandoned all conversation and were locked in an intense game of tic-tac-toe, Poppy lost. "AAAH!"

Branch and Val cheered. "We win!"

Poppy groaned as she stomped back to her bed. Val gave her a smug grin as she tucked her in. "There you go. Nice and comfy."

Branch smirked. "And if you need us, we'll be right out here, ready to thwart your every escape attempt."

Poppy crossed her arms. "And I'll be in here, thwarting your thwarts with thwarts of my own."

Branch and Val didn't even flinch; Poppy pouted. The cozy glow of Poppy's pod illuminated her determined expression as she peeked through the window, gripping a scrapbooked doll of herself. If she was stuck inside, she might as well make the most of it—or so she told herself. But as the silence stretched on, her mind buzzed with plans, and soon, she found herself sneaking toward the window, unaware of the tiny dolls of Branch and Val watching her every move. Just as she was about to make her escape, a voice rang out. "Be ready for anything," the tiny Branch doll declared.

"Rock on," the Val doll added.

Before Poppy could react, she found herself caught, yelping in shock. "Aaah! But… you were just… How?!" Her wide eyes darted between Branch and Val, who exchanged smug looks before turning their attention to the dolls.

"Ha-ha! Man, we're good," the Branch doll quipped before toppling over.

"I know," the Val doll agreed with a snicker as her own miniature self tumbled down.

Poppy huffed in frustration, but she wasn't giving up that easily. As the hours passed, she crafted a massive paper airplane, its crisp folds and sturdy frame standing as a testament to her ingenuity. With a triumphant cry, she leaped onto it, soaring out of the window. But her victory was short-lived. Just as she tasted freedom, a sudden gust of wind blasted from behind. Branch and Val, using their hair like industrial-strength fans, sent her spiraling back inside, her flight path reversing in an instant. She crash-landed with an exasperated groan, her paper airplane crumbling beneath her.

As if on cue, her friends appeared once more, tucking her back into bed. Poppy crossed her arms, her determination unwavering. "Guys, I know you're just trying to help, but this party is too important! I am not gonna give up!"

Val smirked. "Neither are we! So, bring it on!"

Poppy grinned, eyes gleaming. "Oh, I'll do better than that! I'll sing it on!"

With a dramatic flourish, she pulled out a microphone, shaking off her blanket as an impromptu sing-off began.

Poppy:

TrollsTopia rules challenger begins!
Head to head, toe to toe, who's it gonna be?
Stand down, don't you know, nothing's stopping me?

Val:

I've got the power!
I wanna do what is right!
I wanna put up a fight!

Branch:

I'll never cower!
As long as I'm around,
There's nothing bad going down!

As the song built to a dramatic finish, Branch and Val struck their final poses; only to realize Poppy had vanished. Branch's jaw dropped. "Wait. Where'd she go?"

Val's eyes widened in disbelief. "Did she just trick us into getting caught up in a sing-off?"

Both gasped in horror. "NO!"

Rushing to the window, they spotted Poppy speeding off in the Dune Huggy, her triumphant laughter echoing in the distance. Val groaned, shaking her head. "Gah! She outsmarted us with deception! I mean, I'm actually pretty impressed. But still."

Branch clenched his fists. "Don't worry. We know exactly where she's going."

The anniversary party was in full swing, the night sky above twinkling as lanterns cast a golden glow over the festivities. Smidge, never one to hold back, reached for a plate of marshtato tarts, her eyes gleaming with delight. "Ooh! Marshtato tarts! I'll just have one… plateful," she declared before promptly devouring the entire plate.

Unnoticed by the celebrating Trolls, Poppy peeked out from a nearby bush, eyes scanning the party with laser focus. She whispered urgently, "Smidge!"

Smidge nearly choked on her tart, jumping in shock. "Oh, my Guh!"

"How's the party going? Everything running smoothly?"

Smidge narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Shouldn't you be in bed resting your hair?"

Poppy waved off the concern. "I'm just here to make sure the party is set. Then it's back to bed, I promise."

Before Smidge could respond, Poppy's expression darkened. "Uh-oh."

From across the party, Branch and Val had arrived—with an entire Fuzzling SWAT team. Branch gave a sharp nod. "All right, she's here. Search every corner. But also have a good time. This is your party, too."

The Fuzzlings cheered, donning star sunglasses before marching into the party, their tiny feet pattering against the ground. Smidge turned to Poppy in alarm. "Poppy, what are you gonna do?"

Poppy's eyes gleamed with determination. "Only one thing to do: Party planning stealth mode."

With expert precision, she zipped through the crowd, correcting party details as she went. She refilled dip for Gust Tumbleweed, who gasped, "Well, I'll be dip!" before eagerly dunking his nachos.

She slipped umbrellas into the drinks of three unimpressed Trolls, instantly brightening their moods. She even flicked on a phonograph, sending a wave of music through the gathering and sparking a fresh burst of dancing. Finally, she reappeared beside Smidge. "Okay, I think the party is in good shape. And just in time for the ribbon cutting!"

Dante, ever the showman, stood before the grand statue, scissors in hand. "And now, fellow TrollsTopians, in one of life's great tirities, the severing of this ribbon shall represent all of us coming together."

Poppy gasped in horror. "Troll-molly! What is that?!"

Smidge blinked. "What?"

"Dante can't cut the ribbon with those scissors! Those are left-handed tailor grippers, not regulation ribbon-cutting shears!"

Smidge's mind spiraled into a full-blown disaster scenario. She imagined Dante struggling to cut the ribbon, the crowd erupting into panic, the Vibe Town Spaceship crashing, and ultimately, a catastrophic explosion of glitter reducing everything to dust. Snapping back to reality, Smidge paled. "Whoa!"

Poppy grabbed the incorrect scissors. "I've got to swap these!"

Before she could act, Branch's voice cut through the night. "I got eyes on the target!"

Poppy froze; Branch's tone was urgent. "The candy's in the piñata! Repeat, the candy's in the piñata!"

Val commanded, "All Fuzzling units to the snack table!"

Fuzzlings swarmed toward Poppy. Smidge gasped. "You've been made! Run for it!"

"But, Smidge, I can't run with scissors!"

"You've been made! Walk for it!"

Poppy speed-walked toward the statue, heart pounding. Dante raised his tiny scissors, preparing to make the ceremonial cut. Poppy gasped three times. Just as the Fuzzlings closed in, she spotted a branch above. Tossing her hair cast aside, she grabbed hold and swung. The crowd gasped as she soared through the air—until, with a sickening crack, her hair snapped again. "Oh, right. My hair is broken," she muttered before plummeting, landing face-down at Dante's feet.

Groaning, she weakly held up the correct scissors. "Here. Use these."

Dante inspected them, then, with a graceful snip, cut the ribbon. The crowd cheered—until the statue wobbled dangerously… and crashed to the ground in a spectacular shatter. Poppy sat up, her heart sinking. "No! No, no, no, no! I'm so sorry, everyone…"

But Dante merely smiled. "Au contraire, Poppy. You've ruined nothing."

As he gestured skyward, a swarm of flying bugs carried in a backup statue. Poppy gasped. "You mean you… you made a backup statue?"

Branch smirked. "We plan for every eventuality."

Val grinned. "Just like you would've."

Poppy beamed. "Aw, you guys!"