Chapter Text
“Stop the party!” a loud, male voice orders. Lights get pointed to the trees, where a cyan troll with dark green hair stands, proudly, as he lifts orange goggles from his eyes.
With a yell, the newcomer uses his hair to swing himself onto the ground in a great show of acrobatic ability and manoeuvrability, landing right in front of Poppy.
“I’m looking for a troll,” he explains. “It’s kinda an emergency.”
Poppy squints at him, head tilted in confusion. “Do I know you? You look familiar…”
“Ah well….”
“Wait!” she screams, bouncing on her feet. “No way, you’re that guy! From BroZone! We listen to them all the time” The Pop Trolls surrounding them gasp in unison, many coming closer to listen in on the conversation better. “Which one are you, though… Don’t tell me! You’re not the heartthrob.”
“Well, that’s your opinion.”
“The fun one? No, you’re kinda uptight,” Poppy continues, unperturbed.
The new troll points at himself, mouthing the word in befuddlement.
“You’re not the sensitive one either, so…”
“Okay!” he says, annoyed. “That’s a lot of assumptions from someone you met thirty seconds ago.”
“Oh, I got it! You’re John Dory! The old one!”
“The leader,” the newly named John Dory, says. “Old?!”
“Yeah!” Shw cheers. “Who are you looking for?”
“Oh,” he looks around, trying to spot the troll he needs. From his wide smile, it’s clear he does. “It’s Baby Branch!”
“What’s going on here?” Branch demands, standing at the far edge of the group.
“Branch!” Poppy greets, running to the grey troll. “I thought you weren’t coming to the party!”
“I am not. But I heard everything go silent so I came to check it out.”
She coos at him, pinching his cheeks. “Aaaw, you do care!”
“I do not.”
“Baby Branch!” John Dory calls, waving his arms. Upon spotting him, Branch’s usual scowl shifts into alarm, eyes wide and immediately looking for a way to escape. “Holy rainbow, look at you! You’re all grown up! Instead of a branch, you’re a full on trunk, man!”
“What do you want from me, troll that vaguely looks like me?” Branch asks, hands grabbing onto Poppy’s shoulders and putting her between himself and the other male.
Poppy glances at him, surprised, but doesn’t protest. “How do you know Branch?”
John Dory puffs out his chest. “I’m his brother.”
“What?!” the entire Troll Village shouts, wide eyes going from one brother to the other.
“Former brother,” Branch says, tone sharp.
“That’s not how DNA works!” Poppy protests. “You have a brother?! Why didn’t you say anything?”
“He has more than one brother,” John Dory laughs. “He’s the youngest of all of us.”
Poppy looks at branch once more. “Really??? Wait, are you mad at your brother ‘cause you weren’t in the bad?”
Branch rolls his eyes, but doesn’t comment as his brother laughs again. “Wasn’t in the band? Branch was in the band!”
“Really?! Who was he?!”
“Bitty B.”
“Aaand, I'm leaving,” Branch states, ignoring the many befuddled stares he’s receiving. “Try not to get eaten by a bergen while I’m gone.”
“Wait, wait, wait, Branch!” John Dory calls out, running after him, Poppy right on his heels. “It’s about Floyd.”
Branch stops. Turns. Stormcloud grey eyes shift into a glare. “I don’t care.”
John Dory flinches. “...what?”
“What, you thought I would’ve patiently waited for you all to return?” Branch snaps, aware of the many stares he’s receiving yet not caring. “You abandoned me and left me alone, for twenty years. ‘Goodbye forever’, I believe were your exact words, John Dory.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, but you had grandma with you!” He pauses for a second. “Where’s she, anyway, I wanna say hi.”
Branch scoffs. “She’s dead.” Horrified gasps are released from around them, and Poppy, with tears in her eyes, can’t help but hold Branch’s hand in a quiet show of support. The grey troll glances at her, surprise clear in his eyes, snd doesn’t demand she let go. “A bergen ate her a few years after you left.”
“A bergen…?” Poppy asks, terrified.
He nods. “I have my reasons for wanting to be prepared, Princess.”
“Wait,” Guy Diamond interrupts. “When did she get eaten?”
“Few years after we left the tree. Before we built this place.”
“Branch, I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” John Dory says. “But I’m here now, we can go save our brothers.”
“Your brothers,” Branch corrects. “You’re dead to me. I’m going back to my bunker.”
Branch leaves, the crowd of colourful trolls parting to let him pass. Poppy stays at his side, hand locked with his.