Chapter Text
Branch watched, fists clenched, as Chef slammed the door shut before he turned to Poppy. She was still standing in the same spot. When Branch approached her, the devastated look on her face nearly bowled him over.
"Poppy?" he said softly. She glanced over at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears, and tried to smile. It wobbled and she bit her lip, turning her face away once more. Branch could feel his heart shattering inside his chest. Behind him, Poppy's friends were silent. Branch just stood there, unsure of what to do. All of this was new to him; he'd never even been near the Snack Pack this long before.
"Poppy?" he tried again. She looked at him. "I… I'm sorry," he told her. What else was there to say?
"It's not your fault," Poppy said. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. Branch wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her and never let go, but he hesitated. Before he could move, the decision was made for him in the form of eight Hug Time bracelets going off at once. Poppy smiled widely as her friends surged forward as one to surround her. Branch shook his head slightly, but he smiled, too. At least they knew how to comfort her. Suddenly, Poppy was in front of him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her and before he knew it, Branch was being hugged and squeezed by Poppy and her friends. He stiffened at first but gave in when they showed no signs of letting go even after their bracelets closed once more.
"Okay, okay, that's enough," he snapped after a couple more seconds of indulgence. Everyone pulled back, but they were still hovering way too close to one another (and him) with no regards to personal space whatsoever. Also, Poppy was still holding Branch's hand.
"Poppy… you can let go now," he told her.
"Oh, sorry," Poppy blushed and quickly released him before stepping away slightly. His hand felt cold and empty, so Branch crossed his arms, trying to ignore the lonely feeling yawning in his chest as he did so.
"We'll be okay, right, Poppy?" Biggie asked, clutching Mr. Dinkles closer in fear.
"Of course," Poppy answered. "We'll figure something out." She glanced at Branch as she said this and Branch nodded slightly, giving her a smile which she happily returned.
The door flew open with a bang. Behind Branch, everyone shrank back as Chef approached the cage once again. Poppy shifted nervously beside Branch before slipping her hand into his and squeezing. Branch blinked, surprised, but squeezed back. He didn't move.
Chef peered down at the captive Trolls with a frown, as if she was searching for something. When her eyes landed on Branch she smiled. Branch met her gaze squarely, trying to be brave even as he felt ice course through his veins and cold fear pounding in his head.
"Hmm…" Chef leaned down. Branch stood stock-still, frozen in fear, as the rest of the Trolls skittered backwards even more, pressing themselves into the bars as if they were trying to phase right through. Poppy took a step back as well, but she still held tightly onto Branch's hand, grounding him. "You certainly don't look… colorful," Chef remarked. Poppy was holding Branch's hand so tightly now that his fingers were going numb, but he didn't say anything. He merely bit his lip, holding in a whimper that was half pain, half fear.
Chef stood back up and unzipped her pouch. Branch narrowed his eyes as she pulled out a surprised-looking Creek.
"Why isn't this one colorful? Why is he gray?" she demanded, pointing at Branch. Biggie let out a choked sob, and Branch felt Poppy tense. He heard her take a deep breath before shakily stepping forward to stand next to him once again. Branch glanced at her determined face and something warm uncurled in his belly. He faced Chef once more, feeling braver than he had before now that Poppy was by his side.
"Who, Branch?" Creek asked. "He's… well, he's gray because that's what happens when a Troll is unhappy. They lose their color," Creek explained. Chef glared at Branch as if this was all his fault.
"I can't serve an unhappy Troll on Trollstice!" she cried angrily. She stuffed Creek back onto the pouch unceremoniously, ignoring his yelps of protest, and stalked over to the supply closet. She rummaged through for only a few seconds before pulling back triumphantly, clutching a much smaller cage that was obviously meant for only one or two Trolls.
She strode back to the cage, a cruel and slightly insane grin on her face, and Branch could feel panic start to rise. Beside him, Poppy stumbled back, tugging him with her. Chef ignored this as she opened the cage and stuck her hand in, reaching for Branch. Poppy squeaked and lurched away, tripping over her own feet and accidentally yanking her hand out of Branch's. Branch tried to reach for her but Chef's hand closed around him, squeezing him so he couldn't breathe before tossing him into the smaller cage and shutting the door.
"Branch!" he heard Poppy scream. The rest of the Snack Pack yelled too, but Poppy's voice drowned them out. Chef smacked the cage and sent the Trolls reeling.
"Quiet!" she snarled. She held up Branch and leered at the sprawled Trolls. "You should be thankful that I'm letting him live." She brought Branch closer to her face until they were eye-to-eye. "And you should be happy," she purred, turning towards the kitchen door. "Why, you'll be in a place of honor!"
"What do you mean?" Branch snapped, summoning his courage and glaring. Chef shook his prison, sending Branch staggering.
"I suppose I could kill you," Chef mused, shutting the kitchen door with aclickthat sent shivers of dread down Branch's spine. "That's always an option. But, I have a better idea for you. The king may need something to remind him of this day, and his first taste of Troll. Andyouare a perfect souvenir!" She cackled and whipped out a handkerchief to cover Branch's cage with. He was thrust into darkness, Chef's maniacal laughter ringing in his ears.
Poppy tried to pull Branch back with her, away from Chef's looming hand, but she tripped. Branch's hand jerked out of her own and Poppy was scrambling to grab it again before she even hit the floor. She heard awhooshof breath and a stifled gasp as she got to her feet, watching in horror as Chef pulled a struggling Branch away from her. The cage door slammed shut in front of Poppy as she clambered over to it and she threw herself at the bars as if they would burst open at her touch. Icy cold fear surged through Poppy alongside glowing hot rage as she stretched out her arms. If she just reached far enough, maybe she could grab him and pull him back to her side where he belonged, safe from Chef and anything else…
"Branch!" she screamed desperately, feeling tears prick her eyes but ignoring it, hearing her friends yelling behind her but it didn't really register becauseChef had Branchand was walking away with him andPoppy wasn't with himand shehadto be, she needed to protect him, sheneededhim and he wasn'tsafewithout her!
"Quiet!" Chef barked, and suddenly Poppy was tumbling to the ground, the metal bars singing after the blow from Chef's hand. Poppy shook her head, trying to get her feet under her to stand up, her head spinning from the fall. "You should be thankful I'm letting him live," Chef added, and terror struck Poppy and she froze, a scream bubbling in her throat and tearing at her lips but her mouth was sealed shut and she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn'tfeel.
Poppy distantly heard Chef say something else and her heart lurched when she heard Branch's voice snap a response, his voice still so brave despite the danger he was in. The door shut with an ominousclickand Poppy sank to her knees, staring without seeing at the spot her Branch had been in just moments before. Poppy's hand ached and throbbed with the absence of Branch's steady presence and Poppy couldn't hold back a sob, not even when she clasped her hands to her mouth.
"Poppy?" a voice next to her said, and for a fleeting moment she let herself believe it was Branch, but something whispered in her mind that it wasn't, that it would never be again. The voice was feminine.
"Yeah…" Poppy said, her voice cracking. She felt hands on her shoulders, circling her and pulling her in for hugs, but she didn't respond.
The door creaked open again and Poppy's head snapped up. Bridget stood framed in the doorway, glancing furtively over her shoulder as she hurried over to the Trolls.
"Bridget?" Poppy asked, surprised. "What are you-"
"I don't have much time," Bridget whispered quickly. She hurried over to the cage and bent down, still glancing over her shoulder. "Chef's going to the Troll Village right now."
"What?!" the Snack Pack exclaimed. Poppy drooped.
"Don't worry, Poppy," Bridget said. "I can't let you guys out now because the guards are gonna be here any second, but I promise that I'll get you and your whole village to safety."
"Why?" Poppy asked, pressing against the bars and peering at Bridget's face. "Why are you risking your life for ours?"
"Because you showed me that true happiness is possible," Bridget responded, smiling. "That's what I felt when I was with the king, wasn't it?" At Poppy's enthusiastic nod and the Snack Pack's murmurs of excitement and cheers, Bridget's grin grew wider. "Thank you. All of you. Even-" she broke off, looking confused.
Reality came crashing back and nearly knocked Poppy over. She had forgotten.Howcould she have forgotten him? He was probably terrified, all alone, if he wasn't-
No, Poppy, she cut herself off fiercely.He's alive. You know he is. Chef said she wouldn't kill him.
"-here, too? The gray one, where'd he go? Poppy?" Poppy realized Bridget had been talking and started guiltily. She only caught the last bit, but she understood the gist: Bridget had noticed Branch's absence.
"It was Chef," Satin explained, her voice trembling. Poppy couldn't help but feel a rush of affection for her friends. They didn't know Branch as well as she did, hadn't really evenlikedhim, but here they were, just as concerned as she was. (Well, maybe notasconcerned as her, but the point still stood.) "She came in here…"
"…and she took him," Chenille finished. "It was awful."
"We don't know where Chef went with him, though," Cooper spoke up.
"But she did say that she wouldn't kill him. Right, guys?" Biggie turned to his friends, lip trembling. Everyone nodded and Suki patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. Fuzzbert hummed and bumped his leg gently.
"What are we going to do now?" Bridget gasped, burying her face in her hands.
"The plan hasn't changed," Poppy said firmly. "Bridget, can you still get us all out of here when the rest of the village gets here?"
"Of course," Bridget responded uneasily, peeking out from between her fingers. "But what about…?"
"Once everyone else is safe, I'll go back for Branch," Poppy said. "I don't quite have a plan yet, but-"
"Wait, wait, wait," Smidge interrupted in her deep voice. "What's this 'I' stuff? Did you think we're just going to let you run off by yourself?" She placed her hands on her hips. Behind her, Cooper, Guy Diamond, DJ, and the twins all nodded, their faces set. Fuzzbert bounced in place and nudged Biggie, who smiled weakly at Poppy. Poppy smiled back, feeling hope blooming in her chest. They'd free the rest of their people and then she'd find Branch.
And maybe we can show the Bergens that they don't need to eat Trolls to be happy while we're at it…
