#please dreamworks... bring the rock trolls back...

[koppaiterocker]

RIFF ♥︎

[danicadenniss]

DreamWorks Trolls

Branch: Troll Of The Wildglade

Chapter 8: Abby Make Poppy Smile

In the Trolls Brotherhood AU, Branch is injured by Ignacio, after he and his brothers lose the matches against David Kane/The Black Manta, Poppy and the brothers were rescue by Clay and Viva's new friends. They took him to the hospital.

Next morning, Abacus Chunch and Gabby arrived at the church, Dr. Leslie Ferrier saw the hunters in the ring. Victoria Kord have a word with Regina and her friends Max, Jeff, Hank and Carl are playing a yellow troll named Smigde, he hit her in the pinball machine by making her dizzy.

Carl: Let's go boys! Come on! (While he pulled her and bounce them around)

Smigde: OH MY GAAAAAAAAAH! AH!

Guy Diamond: (Screamed) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! NO, NO, NO!

Carl: YEAH! This is so much fun!

Guy Diamond scream in horror and the gangs saw him below, the cat hissed at him, Guy Diamond felt safe and that nothing could get him.

Guy Diamond: Heh, heh, phewwww! (Look at his son) Tiny?

Tiny Diamond: Daddy! I don't wanna to get killed by an mean old lady's cat.

The cat is behind Guy Diamond and Tiny Diamond, they flinched, rubbing their fingers together, feeling too afraid to look back at the cat.

Victoria Kord's Cat: Meow!

Guy Diamond: Oooo! (Hank scream and cover his ears) Singing and a show? I guess that can be fun.

Hank: My ears, why it's hurting so much!

Max: I don't want to sing, just like the kids.

Regina George: I SHUT THE SHIT UP, NOW! YOU TROLL AND YOUR LITTLE TROLLING TOO! (She used her two knives down at them)

Guy and Tiny Diamond: AHHHHH! WHAT THE! (They dashed away from the cat)

Guy and Tiny Diamond: (Screamed in horror, glaring up at the cat.) AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (Father Julius looks at them and see them) AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! NO! NO! GET AWAY! I'M TOO ICONIC AND MUCH OF A STAR!

Father Julius grabbed them as they shivering and trembling in fear.

Tiny Diamond: PLEASE! NO...STOP!

Guy Diamond: PLEASE! I HAVE A SON WITH A POPULAR SITCOM!

Tiny Diamond: I'm right here, Daddy! (He put them in the cage in the church's hallway.)

Victoria Kord: I will not let those little monsters escape from prison.

Hank: HAHAHAHAHAHA! OZZY ROCK!

Abacus Chunch: Please don't kill the creatures from your harmful threats! Free them now!

Victoria Kord: NEVER!

Arthur Slugworth: Pastor Chunch, we need a talk about the slander.

Dr. Leslie Ferrier: Vanessa called me, and I got to go to the hospital about the teal troll is hurt by Reyes' crimes.

Victoria Kord: I don't know how, you help a baby troll, known Wildglades' leader died from his injury since 20 years ago, after the fires hit in the forest. It needs to torn down now!

Dr. Leslie Ferrier: 20 years ago, I was in college, and you and Reyes are in the meeting room of the church.

-20 Years Earlier-

At the Talons headquarters, Hernan plans to hunt down trolls, along with his teenage son, Dante, and the rest of bounty troll hunters.

Past Hernan Reyes: Tonight...We hunt! (Young Leslie Ferrier gasped) Search he entire forest! Bring me all the trolls and then cut down all of the trees, one by one! Dead or alive!

Past Talons Bounty Troll Hunters: Yeah!

Past Young Abacus Chunch: (run and raised his hand) Stop!

Past Jennifer Kord's mother: (baby Jennifer crying and wailing) Shh!

Mr. Schmidt: What's going on over there?

Past Breanna Diaz: (gasped) What's on earth?

Young Noah Diaz: Mami, I'm scared.

Past Young Abacus Chunch: Please stop, kill the creatures and the wildlife and it's will cause chaos and all the madness because of it between the village and the forest. I don't want you to murdered it. Near in the forest. (He pushed him into the ground)

Past Hernan Reyes: I told you, stay out of my way and we will hunt the trolls tonight.

The Talons soldiers cheered on and they marching out of the city and into the forest.

Vanessa's mother: I can't believe, my husband harmed the forest. (Baby Vanessa cooed)

Young Leslie Ferrier: Sir, are you okay?

Past Young Abacus Chunch: I'm fine, I must to go the forest.

End of the flashback, meanwhile at the hospital, Vanessa applied him in bandages.

Branch: (she gasped) Well, too bad' cause I'm not interested in your hospitality. Release me now! (Struggled until he fell on his knees, panting heavily. She scream, having not eaten or drink for hours, not to mention that he was most of his energy to escape, had made Branch lose strength to fight. Clay nodded as Branch indeeply.) I'm ready to accept my fate. Proceed. Branch braced himself as Poppy proceeds to sew the cut. Branch gasped from the pain as he began to feel the needle sealing the cut, but remained still her to continue. Clay held him with all his might to keep him from moving. It wasn't long until Poppy finished and cut the loose thread off. Tej put water on him and cooling down his body.

Poppy: Done, (Damian placed a white patches onto the cut to keep it clean from any dirt that might infect it.) There you go. All better. Branch is a sleep in the hospital bed, the candles about to heal him from the burning sun.

Vanessa: Clay, where's earth on did you come?

John Dory: We're the Glade Clan, from the forest, we knew that Sky send a message to us, since we were captured by Dante Reyes and his hunters.

Viva: OH MY GOD! Clay are you alright?

Clay: Yeah, I guess...? And you out here...? We got beaten by a soldier.

Cady Heron: I heard Vanessa screaming, Clay, Viva, who are they? Dad?

Dr. Leslie Ferrier: Cady, I need a word about Reyes' evil plans for the hunt.

Cady Heron: Mom told me the story about Clay's father died from his injury after the fire cause explosion in the forest. (Gasped and looked at the teal trolls, Branch snorted grumpily and scowled like a spoiled child. He groaning in pain, and he goes back to sleep, a black healer wearing traditional lavender blue earrings, necklace around her neck purple African neck traditional long sleeve maxi dress, black pants and tan sandals named Harriet who light up the candles around him to heal his body.)

Clay: Guys, that's my brothers, I hope my family are the Wildglades, they're the Glade Clan. My father sacrifice himself to save me and my brothers, but it's my fault, for leaving the forest, since Dad died from his injury. My ancestors passed the generations as the leader of Glade Clan after the other generations died from their illness and injury while they sacrifice themselves to protect their children, family members and friends. My grandpa's land is called Nonya, where we came from our home.

Harriet: The Wildglade, It's came from the forest.

Elena Wallace: Nonya?

Mike Schmidt: Nonya?

Noah Diaz: Nonya?

Jennifer Kord: Nonya?

Abby Schmidt: Mike, do you hear that? Nonya is the forest, called the Wildglades, he is the clan, Professor Davis, the book from the library, Mrs. Gloria told us about Clay's father, was his grandfather's land called Nonya.

Rudy Reyes: (happily smile weirdly) I'm knew, Clay is from the forest called Nonya, the leaders of the Glade Clan is his father, I got the book and Clay had brothers are from Nonya.

Bruce Davis: (gasped) The Wildglade's leader was passed to Clay's father as the leader of Glade Clan, before he sacrifice himself to save his family until he died from his injury, his mate and her trollings.

John Dory: Oh my goodness, how's did you know?

Spruce: Dad told me to protect us. Dad needs you Clay, before we battle the Purma, and we were captured by Dante Reyes and his hunters and took us to the village.

Abby: (giggled) Clay's father needs you, Clay, It's nice to meet you guys, John Dory, Spruce, Floyd and Branch, my name is Abby Schmidt, this is Travis.

Branch: (huffing) Branch, my name is Branch.

Poppy: And I'm Poppy, what's going on here?

Noah Diaz: Today, we'll train you, and all of us, to fight against the Talons Bounty Troll Hunters, they won't harm you and your family.

Soldier #1: All everyone, let's get back to work. Open the gate!

The heroic organization called Alpha Sapphire, the soldiers led by Edgin Darvis, they quickly the corral for the soldiers to enter. The brothers silently walked and climbed the fence. Xenk Yendar who a navy blue suit, metallic silver armors, chestplate, shoulder, bracers guards, elbows, knee pads and belt around his waist and on the sleeves and his pants and tan brown boots arrived in the training field. The brothers saw the soldiers started to train to defeat Talons. Poppy was amazed by the animals. She's a beautiful dragon with midnight blue scales with pale sliver makings, light blue eyes, teal tail and long horns. She was a trolling, she had a pieced scar on her left ear, she went to camp and she met Branch, since the elephant attack.

-15 Years Earlier-

15 years ago, a group of young trolls chanted, marching joyfully thought the forest as they followed their fearless leader, King Peppy.

A group of trollings: (chanting) Camping! Camping! Camping!

King Peppy: Ok, kids, We'll set up camp here.

Trollings: Yay! (beginning to put out their sleeping bags)

King Peppy: Before we go to swimming in the pond.

Light blue rock trolling: Isn't this exciting, Poppy?

Toddler Poppy: You know it, Val, (replied with the biggest smile on her face)

An orange country trolling named Holly Darin': Look! Oh, oh! There the pond, he's right! Come on. Let's go get a better jumped on the water.

Toddler Val Thundershock: CANNON BALL! (jumped onto the pond, she burst out of the water, they cheered on her.) Can't see the elephant up here.

Toddler Poppy and Holly Darin': Yay! (They looked over at the group of adults elephants huddled in a circle. Branch playing in the mud, and he running towards to his mother Ivy, they swimming just beneath the surface, right towards the elephants. Poppy, Val and Holly swam up behind one of the elephants, jumping out of the water as high as they could, to try and grab a from it's tail. Poppy jumped out of the water, trying frantically to grab one of elephant's hairs, so she could prove they fit in with their pack. The elephant turned seeing Poppy dangling from his tail, clinging on the hairs with her teeth. The elephant quickly whipped Poppy off of his tail, sending her flying back into the water.

Toddler Val Thundershock and Holly Darin': (chuckled quietly) Ha...ha...Hi? (looking up at the elephants into the water where Poppy had landed. Poppy quickly swam up to the surface, taking in a deep gasp of air. All the elephants screamed at once, beginning to stomp around in the water. Poppy, Val and Holly screamed, water splashing all around him, as they just barely managed to avoid giant feet trying to crush him. On shore, the brothers watched in horror, their eyes wide.

Teenage John Dory: Spruce, Floyd!

Teenage Spruce: What is it? Are they elephants, earthquake? Like foot print, oh no!

Early Pre Teen Floyd: Branch! (Grabbed him, and trollings ran out of the water, they scream, Poppy tipped and then she fell on the ground, one of an elephant smash on her left ear, she groaned in pain. Branch used his hair whipped at the elephant, he used his hair to grabbed her, she scream and groaned in pain and lower ear got pieced on her left ear.

Alder: Everyone run!

The trolls were captured in the stampede, several large, trying to avoid the giant feet stomping around a them. Poppy scream out in terror as Floyd tipped into the ground, the brothers have to take covered from the elephants, and they looked around at the destroyed tents, once the stampede were done, and was safe.

Toddler Poppy: Cough! Cough! Cough!

Ivy: Branch, John, Spruce, Floyd, are you boys alright? What's happened?

Toddler Poppy: Well... I...

King Peppy: Kids, are you okay, well as I heard my daughter is in a deep trouble.

Toddler Branch: HAHAHA! AGAIN! Huh?

Toddler Poppy: Um oh? (smiling innocently)

Toddler Val Thundershock and Holly Darin': Umm!

King Peppy: (yelled angrily) POOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPYYYYY! (Echoing)

Toddler Poppy: I'm sorry Daddy, it's was an accident, oh no! My tent is been destroyed by the elephants.

King Peppy: Poppy, I'm need a word about touching the elephants, you almost killed someone.

Toddler Poppy: But Daddy?

King Peppy: You're grounded for the next few weeks, go to the tent now, young lady!

She running into the tent and started sobbing, in the tent Poppy is felted sad,and turned gray due with an accident.

End of the flashback, Poppy felted depressed, but Abby looked at her, she walked into the room, she see Branch in the hospital bed until Branch awoke from his sleep in the bed, blinking his eyes opened. Branch rubbed his eyes with his hands and yawned loudly. He felt the patch where Poppy sewed the cut. It still stung, but at least the pain lessened through the night.

Branch: Wow! You're good at this, since I met you in the pond, since the elephants attack in the village. (smiled charmingly at her) You're the most amazing troll I've ever seen!

Poppy: What! (look down at him, she brushing, she found his leafy green vest from the arena, since they were captured by Dante Reyes and his hunters) If I were captured by the hunters, with a butterfly net, they putting me in a bag, you and your brothers are almost getting killed by a soldier.

Branch: (rose from the bed, and he can walk and see his brothers smiling at him.) Hey, brothers.

Floyd: Branch, you're a woke! Don't worry about it, we'll carry you up.

Abby giggled, she walked to Gloria, and tell her about the trolls from the story, she told them.

I hope this is going to be the next chapter, Will Branch hear the call of his father's spirit, before Dante Reyes and his hunters will cause a big threat at the church, to against Dr. Leslie Ferrier by killing him? Will Branch see his vision, about his father's sacrifice and death, his mother comfort him in the cradle back at home, during the flashback.

[fictionalnormalcy]

Thoughts that literally kept me up last night. I always browse my explore page on Insta before I finally stow away the phone. The last post I saw was one where something pointed out a cameo in a Disney Pixar movie. That thought came to a tangent where it came to Tales of Arcadia and their cameos. And I swear to goodness, I still have the continued insistence that this series in set in the same universe of How to Train Your Dragon.

In 2018 I made a post where I literally went through all of Trollhunters and drew out each cameo and compared them to DreamWorks Dragons. I’ll admit, I can’t think of any right now that stood out to me in 3Below and Wizards. But the fact that 3Below and Wizards are literally still set in the same universe with the same characters, I feel it still applies.

And to this day, I’m still trying to fight myself. Debunk it that it’s another DreamWorks thing, and it’s essentially what Disney does with their movies and shows. DreamWorks movies do their handful of cameos as well, but I’d like to say not as extensive as Disney, and to a further extent Disney Pixar. I guess you can say this will be a DreamWorks vs. Disney post.

It’s not like Disney where we catch a glimpse of Rapunzel and Eugene as they walk through the opened gates in Frozen, or the Woody and Buzz piñatas in Coco, or the little elephants wearing Anna and Elsa dresses in Zootopia, or the Pizza Planet car in Monster’s Inc. and a majority of Disney Pixar movies.

DreamWorks movies, perhaps I haven’t paid as good attention to detail, but there’s few I remember. If someone remembers any, please tell me. I strongly want to know. Of the few I think of Penguins of Madagascar where Classified says to release the sheep and what’s shoved out of the barn is a sheep that looks like the ones from HTTYD. Then in Rise of the Guardians, where in Jamie’s bedroom you can see a dragon plush, said to be a Monstrous Nightmare, so also HTTYD. But otherwise they’ve slipped my mind.

Sorry I’ll bring this back to Tales of Arcadia. Okay, so I say that they are in the same universe because of the many DreamWorks Dragons cameos. I’ll give the link here as to the cameos I found in Trollhunters. There are seven I listed in that post, and there are two more I’d like to add now. In the literal first episode of Trollhunters, you see Toothless on the screen of a laptop.

The most notable one is in Season 2 when Draal, AARRGGHH!!!, and Blinky play Maces&Talons together. That one, when I saw it is when the notion started forming in my head. Because even though they do cameos, you never see the characters actively engage with it. And that’s what these characters did! They were so engaged in this game that they called attention to themselves with the yelling! Although I do have the inkling, that they probably weren’t playing it right. In the few scenes of Race to the Edge where we see it played, I don’t remember seeing cards beside the board. Heather and Fishlegs simply moved the pieces without much discussion. In the live person game Viggo and Dagur played it seemed like chess, I move this piece and now these players are vulnerable, then your turn. How the trolls played it, it gave off the vibe of Dungeons&Dragons. I’ll post the visual so y’all can see.

Which with my mindset implies this: The trolls may have found a game set of Maces&Talons with these cards alongside it, and interpreted the game was played in a different way. Or even provided their own additions. Because in RTTE we definitely never see dice, and there were never cards visible. I will concede that we weren’t given a detailed explanation of how exactly the game was played. But look at the board, those are the same figurines we see, the same placing of the rock and mock water. There can be no mistaking it’s a game board of Maces&Talons.

The only other cameo I can think that sort of compares to this one is when Boo hands Sulley a Nemo squeak toy in Monster Inc. Engagement with a cameo. But that was a single second where it squeaked he put it in his hands and that was that.

The other was a very active scene where you first heard the yelling and the cries, hear Blinky’s enjoyment and then the pounding of the table. It was intentional in getting your attention, and if you’re a viewer who’s also seen RTTE, you would’ve thought “OMG that’s Maces&Talons, these trolls are playing it in this modern day?”

Individually, I will admit you could say there was another reason the cameos were included. But the reason why I believe the strong suggestion that they’re the same universe is because there were so many, and so obvious too. Toothless obviously put in the shot so you couldn’t miss it, then AARRGGHH!!!, Blinky, and Draal, playing a game so obviously that you knew it was important. (if you had seen the other show). Here’s the thing though, the cameos were strictly of HTTYD. Not of other DreamWorks shows or movies. I will admit there may have been a Madagascar one, from the scene where Otto said they had a piece of the Bridge sent over from Madagascar. The mention seems like a cameo, because they really could have chosen any cryptic place but chose a place where DreamWorks has had a hand in.

Then another thing that I consider a cameo, was actually one of the new characters introduced in Wizards. I am going to be writing my thoughts again if I write out the whole thing, so I’ll link another post where I talked about it here. To summarize, it discusses Archie the Familiar, how the voice actor is Alfred Molina. Who voiced Viggo Grimborn in Race to the Edge. Evidence provided in the post where the familiar could be Viggo reincarnated. To me it makes sense. And it really does seem utterly convenient that they cast Molina for another character with the exact same voice he used for Viggo.

I mean Mark Hamill who voiced Alvin the Treacherous in DreamWorks Dragons also voiced Dictatious but the voices don’t sound similar in the least. I don’t hear Dictatious and say omg the voice is uncanny to Alvin. But with Molina, I hear Archie and I can picture those words seamlessly coming out of Viggo’s mouth. Nothing differing in the voices. While with Hamill and the characters he voiced, yes he indeed used different voices. But Archie and Viggo legit sound the same.

I will also admit it this as it crossed my mind, when you reincarnate you don’t remember anything from your past life. And usually, I can bet you don’t sound like the person in your past life. However I do want to outline this. In Wizards there really isn’t a mention of Vikings, suggesting it’s after the Viking times. And here’s also another thing about reincarnation. The new life you’re born into, it’s certainly distanced enough where you aren’t around anyone who knew your past life. So there is the possibility that your voice is the same as your past life. There’s no one around who can point it out.

I also can bring this to another extent. As is a voice actor, it depends on the crew you’re working with to determine how you bring a character to life. For RTTE, of the little that’s been released for behind the scenes it was revealed that the voice actors were allowed to improvise for their characters, as they knew who they voiced best. Meaning Molina was given the freedom to voice Viggo as he saw fit, hence why we were given “My dear Hiccup.” So the voice we heard for Viggo was how Molina wanted to animate this character. Yet, we have no way of guessing if Molina was allowed that same courtesy when voicing Archie. Based on the similarities these two characters had, perhaps Molina was asked to use the same voice.

But I have to say that even if he chose it or was asked to use that voice, it fuels my belief. Because the crew of Tales of Arcadia put in all those HTTYD cameos. To wind into specifics, the Maces and Talons board. And then later they put a character who sounds like the character who wound that board game into reality. It locks it in for me.

But yeah, this was why I struggled to fall asleep.

[aerinmelina]

Secrets Pt IV

Fictober 19 day 5 prompt: “I might just kiss you.”

Fandom: Trolls (Dreamworks’ Trolls)

No warnings apply!

Read part 3 here!

——

Branch found her before she could run down the hill to join the throng of trolls milling about between the tents and various cooking fires. He was holding a basket, but set it down at his feet when he saw her. “Hey, Poppy,” he greeted cheerfully.

She spun around when she heard his voice. “Oh. Hi, Branch!” She pointed toward the festivities going on at the base of the hill. “What’s the party for? Just because?”

He smiled and held out his hand to her. “About that... let’s take a walk. Do you mind?”

Please?

Her eyes moved back and forth from his hand to his face several times before she accepted his offer to walk, although she didn’t take his offered hand. Branch raised an eyebrow at that, but she didn’t see it because she’d already started walking.

In the wrong direction.

“Poppy...! Hang on! Wait!” he called, then ran to catch up. It didn’t take him long to reach her, and when he did, he grabbed hold of her arm and turned her to her left. “There’s a great trail over this way,” he explained before he placed his hand on the small of her back in order to guide her toward the appropriate path.

She didn’t shake off his hand, and Branch took that as a good sign, but about halfway through their walk Poppy suddenly stopped moving.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she admitted aloud to Branch.

That piqued his interest. “Do what?” he asked.

She motioned back and forth between herself and Branch.

He felt like someone had dumped a full bucket of ice water directly into his stomach. “What... what do you mean?” he asked, his voice full of caution.

“There’s... look. I figured out what’s been going on, and I understand. I...” she briefly made eye contact before she returned her gaze to the ground and stopped talking.

Branch tried to keep his anxiety levels down, but he was having a difficult time doing so. She didn’t want to be with him anymore? Well... they hadn’t officially “been together” in the first place, he supposed, but he thought... had he misread the situation?

Stop, his subconscious firmly stated. Does she really know what’s been happening, or has she formed an incorrect conclusion based on her hurt feelings?

“What do you think has been going on this week?” he asked.

She seemed to shrink in on herself, and it took her a few seconds to respond. When she did, her eyes were full of tears. She rubbed them as she spoke, her voice trembling. “You’ve fallen in love, haven’t you?” she asked.

Branch blinked.

The anxiety flared up again.

Is this too early? Should I have waited longer? Is she unhappy that I’ve fallen for her?

Maybe I should call it quits and go home.

King Peppy was wrong. I knew it.

No! Once again, his inner voice of reason halted his errant train of thought. Talk to her! Figure this out!

“Well... yeah,” he said, scratching the back of his head before he bowed it. “This isn’t where I had wanted to talk about it, though,” he mumbled.

Poppy rocked forward and backward on her feet, crossed her arms in front of her body in a protective gesture, and resumed walking in the direction they’d previously been going. They didn’t make it far before she suddenly stopped again.

“Who is it?” she asked, staring at him in his eyes. “I mean... you don’t have to tell me, I guess, but I thought we were friends? I thought you would’ve told me if you’d met someone special. I thought- ugh, never mind.” She started walking again.

He blinked.

She doesn’t think it’s her.

Things suddenly made more sense to him.

He ran to catch up with her again. “Hang on,” he said once he’d reached her. She ignored his request and kept walking, so he stood in front of her in order to get her to stop.

“What is it, Branch? What more do you want from me?” Tears started welling up in her eyes again.

“Poppy... why are you crying?” he asked.

“I didn’t think it would hurt this much,” she admitted. “Can we keep walking? It helps to do something other than just stand and talk.” She tried to move past him, but he enveloped her in a hug when she bumped into him.

Despite her heightened emotional state, she relaxed a little in his arms. He held her close and whispered in her ear, “It’s you.”

She scoffed and burrowed further into his shoulder. “Right. All I do is annoy you.”

He pulled away from her and, with his hands on her shoulders, held her at arm’s length. “It’s always been you.”

Confusion was evident in her face, which was getting more difficult to see as night took the place of twilight. This was why he’d wanted to reach the very top of the hill before nightfall.

“You... you love me?”

Branch nodded his head and grabbed hold of one of her hands. “I do,” he affirmed.

Maybe he was thankful for the darkness after all. It was hopefully hiding his blushing face.

Poppy looked like she wanted to keep talking, but he tugged on her hand in order to pull her out of her thoughts. “Come with me,” he prompted. “We’re almost there. Then we’ll talk.”

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“You’ll see,” he answered.

——

A few moments later, they emerged from the trees and had a brilliant view of the night sky. Glittering stars and the pale moon worked together to bring light to the hilltop they’d walked to, while happy noises drifted up to them from far below where the rest of the village was. The lake glistened in the light from the heavens as well as the various campfires which dotted its shoreline.

The sight was stunning. Poppy let go of Branch’s hand without really thinking about it as she walked closer to the edge of the hill. She took in the sight of everything around her, soaking it into her memory.

“This is beautiful, Branch,” she said, taking a seat on the ground. She gestured next to her for Branch to sit, and he took her up on her offer.

Silence fell between them. Not necessarily an uncomfortable one, but not exactly relaxed, either. Many things still needed to be said.

“Branch, I-“

“Poppy-“

They spoke at the same time, then laughed a little at their own awkwardness.

“You first,” Poppy said, gesturing to him.

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings this week,” he blurted. “I wanted to surprise you, and what I had in mind was going to take a lot of coordination. I needed time to set everything up; that’s all.

“You’re the most important person in my life. I’m so sorry if I made you feel like you were anything less than that this week. I promise I didn’t do it on purpose, and I’ll try to be more mindful in the future.”

She placed her hand on top of his and entwined their fingers. It looked like she was planning to speak, but Branch resumed talking instead.

“I love you, Poppy,” he said. “And I wanted to bring you here, tonight, to ask if you will allow me to court you.”

Her eyes flew open at that question. “What?”

Smooth, Poppy. Very smooth.

“Um... did you hear me?” he asked, obviously put off by her reaction.

“No! I mean, yes! I mean-“

Get it together!

“I mean yes!” she shouted as she tackled him to the ground in a fierce embrace. “Are you kidding me? Yes!”

Branch let out a sigh of relief and returned her hug. “Good, because this was going to be a really awkward party otherwise.” He laughed at that thought and Poppy sat up.

“Wait... the party! You... the whole village was in on this?!”

He smirked at her from where he was still laying on the ground. “Yep. Well... most of it, anyway. I didn’t tell our close friends - or the trollings - until maybe an hour ago. They would’ve blabbed.”

“You,” she emphasized, “Organized and planned a party for the entire village? By yourself?”

He stood up and held his hand out to her. “Now you know why it took me so long,” he stated.

“So wait - what exactly are they celebrating?”

“You,” he explained. “And, well... your dad may have told them that we’re, well...”

“Intended?”

His ears and face darkened. “Effectively.”

Poppy laughed. “You asked to court me, Branch. You know that that means marriage later, right?”

“I know perfectly well what that means,” he said as he pulled her up into a standing position. “I just would’ve preferred to tell the village after you said yes. That’s all.”

“There’s no way I would have turned you down,” she assured him.

He smiled at her. “Do you want to go join the throng of happy trolls?” he asked, pointing to the lakeshore where everyone had congregated. Glow bugs illuminated the partygoers quite nicely, and Branch was somewhat startled to see that the vast majority of the crowd below was looking up at him as though waiting for some sort of cue to throw the party into high gear.

Poppy stood by his side and looked down at her people, then grinned. “Of course,” she stated. “But before we go... I might just kiss you.”

His eyes opened wide. “I-I-I... um, that- I wouldn’t say no-“

And he didn’t.

The trolls below shouted, hooted and whistled, then broke out into song and dance. Poppy laughed and kissed Branch once more before pulling him down the hill at top speed in order to join the celebration.

For a day which had seemed like it would end in misery, she certainly was surprised and very pleased to be experiencing the opposite.