Unconditional: A Broppy Story

Part V

The trip back to Pop Village felt longer than the trip to Ornery Grove. Or, at least, for Poppy and Branch. While Lavender, Barb, Holly and Val chatted away, Poppy and Branch just sat next to each other in awkward silence.

“Say something!" Cyan whispered to her son. She had been sitting on the other side of the bus with a guard by her side. Branch rolled his eyes and faced his fiancée.

“So... What's wrong with your leg?" he asked, pointing to the bandages. Cyan smacked herself in the forehead.

“Um... I cut myself on a rock," Poppy answered quietly. “It doesn't hurt anymore."

“That's the frostroot-figgleleaf mixture working!" Lavender said. “I took a healing class last month."

“Nice," Val replied, fist-bumping her.

“So, Branch... is there a reason why you don't sing?" Poppy wondered. “Because when we got to Ornery Grove, there were Trolls singing. It was a weird song, but they were singing. Why don't you?"

“That's none of your concern."

“Oh," Lavender blurted out, “when he was a kid, he had a pretty strong bond with our grandma and one day, he was singing the most mesmerizing song, he didn't notice the giant bird swooping down or grandma trying to—"

“Thank you, Lavender!" Branch said angrily.

“You're welcome, Branch!" Lavender replied with a grin.

“That's rough, man," Barb said.

“I'm sorry, Branch," Poppy admitted. “I shouldn't have asked."

“Well, you did."

💍💗💐🍾🥂🌹💍💗💐🍾🥂🌹

By the time they made it to Pop Village and got off the Caterbus, Poppy and the others noticed that many Trolls from different tribes were busy preparing for the wedding. Val noticed Branch gently touching his hair, as if he feeling for something tucked away in it.

“Poppy, thank goodness you're back!" shouted DJ Suki, a Pop Troll with thick orange hair and a gem for a belly button. “Some of the Trolls can't decide what type of music we should play during the reception!"

“I think we should play dubstep!" a Techno Troll named Synth said to an orchestra of Classical Trolls.

“What it should be is a formal symphony," argued lead composer Dante Crescendo.

“Guys, why don't we compromise and just hire Bad Hair Day?" a Hard Rock Troll named Demo suggested.

“Living in harmony, you say?" Branch said to Poppy sarcastically. Cyan scowled at him.

“Hi, everyone!" Poppy announced, trying to keep a smile on her face. The rest of the Trolls looked at her. “I missed you all during my trip to Ornery Grove, but I'm happy to tell you we now have new friends joining our community. First, I would like for you all to meet my fiancé, Prince Branch, and his mother and sister."

“Hi, new friends!" Lavender said cheerfully as Cyan gracefully waved. Branch just crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

“Poppy, your fiancé looks weird," Cooper pointed out.