When Poppy finds a note from her mom, she questions if she might still be out there somewhere. With the help of Branch, she goes off in search of her mom, not knowing what they might find...
Uueeka flew up, and up, finally, straightening out, flying slower.
Pansy looked at Branch, smiling.
"You can open your eyes now," she chuckled. "Are we on the ground?" Branch whimpered. "No." "Then my eyes are staying shut." "Just look."
Slowly, Branch opened his eyes, gasping at the beautiful view.
The trees in the small grove Pansy lived in were all different colors. Purple. Red. Blue. Orange. And pink. Branch had never seen anything like it.
He looked down, still clinging onto the Synathin, as he lay on his stomach, but began to slowly sit up straight, the cool breeze blowing through his hair.
"It's beautiful up here," Branch said, looking down at the ground. "You still want to get down?" Pansy asked, smiling. "Oh yes," Branch said nodding. "Very much so." "Ok then... but you better hang on." "Wait... what?" "Dion!"
Suddenly Uueeka began flying downwards, heading towards the ground fast.
"What's the word for slow down!?" Branch yelled, clinging onto the Synathin once again. "Fueesha," Pansy replied. "I am not falling for that again!" "You don't have to. Fueesha!" "No!"
Uueeka began flying down faster, getting closer and closer to the ground.
"We're gonna crash!" Branch yelled. "Well... you're gonna have to prevent that. You command him to go up." "What!? I don't speak Synathin!" "If you payed attention, you would of heard me say it. Better remember quickly. The ground is coming up fast."
Branch looked down at the ground, trying to remember all the words she had use.
"Foony!" he yelled out, but that didn't work. "Ugh... ugh... smin!"
Uueeka began to spin, going down towards the ground in a spiral.
"AHHHHH!" Branch screamed, holding tightly onto Uueeka. "Your running out of time," Pansy chuckled. Branch tried desperately to think of the correct word. Then he remember.
"Upa!" Branch shouted, shutting his eyes.
Uueeka spread his wings, flying upwards, right before hitting the ground.
"Woohoo! Yeah!" Pansy shouted, standing up on Uueeka's back. "Are we dead? We're dead... aren't we?" "No! You did it!" "I did?"
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He opened his eyes, smiling, as he saw them flying through the air.
"Yeah! I did it!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in victory. "Lucida!" Pansy yelled.
Slowly, Uueeka soared down to the ground, landing gently.
Branch jumped off of the Synathin, hugging and kissing the ground.
"I've never been so happy to see the ground in my entire life!" he yelled with joy. "Branch!? Branch, where are you!?" he suddenly heard. "Poppy!" he yelled, jumping up to his feet, as he ran to her, hugging her tight.
"Whoa," she said, confused. "Ugh... Branch? Are you ok?" "Never leave me alone with your mom again!" "Wait... you were with my mom?"
Pansy walked over, Uueeka walking by her side.
"Hello, Poppy," she said. "Oh... hi, mom," she said, sadly, looking away. Branch looked at her, concerned.
"What's wrong?" He asked. "I'm just... thinking. Mom?" she said, looking up at her. "Why did you leave?"
Pansy's smile faded, as she looked at her daughter.
"I left for you and your father. I was trying to find a way to get you guys out of Bergen Town safely." "But... you never came back. Not even after we escaped."
She looked away from her daughter, sadly, Uueeka sensing her sadness, and putting his head into her hand.
"I had always wanted to come back to you, Poppy," Pansy said, rubbing Uueeka's feathers. "I missed you so much, since the moment I left. But I found this place, and Uueeka. Uueeka was hurt badly, and although they can heal others, they can't heal themselves or each other. I had to stay, and help him."
"But..." Poppy said. "What about, when he was healed?" "I planned to bring all the Synathins to Bergen Town. To free all the trolls, but... by the time Uueeka healed fully... you had already escaped on your own, and I couldn't find where you ran to."
"Ok... but..." Branch said quietly. "Why were you out looking for a way to escape? I was there, on Poppy's hatch day. Grandma and King Peppy already had the escape tunnels being built."
Pansy looked at Branch, her eyes widening.
"Grandma? You're Rosiepuff's grandson? I thought you looked familiar. I remember that day." She smiled, thinking back to the day Poppy was born.
"You and your grandma came to see the new Princess. I saw you and Poppy playing together, and I knew right then and there, you would end up together. I guess I was right about that." She laughed, quietly, and then looked back at Branch.
"How is Rosiepuff? Still baking her famous Fluffleberry cake?"
Branch's ears dropped, as he looked away, sadly. Pansy's eyes widened, realizing what had happened.
"Oh... I'm so sorry, Branch. Your grandma was a great troll." "Yeah," Branch said smiling a bit. "She was the best."
Poppy looked at him, sadly, giving him a hug to try to comfort him. Branch hugged her back, and then kissed her head, before pulling away.
"I'm fine," he said, smiling at her. He took a deep breath, and then looked back at Poppy's mom.
"Back to the tunnels," he said. "If they were already being built... why did you leave?"
"They weren't getting done fast enough. They were supposed to be finished before Trollstice that year, but were taking longer than expected. When the Bergens came, and I saw all those trolls being ripped away from their families... I couldn't bear the thought of one of them being Poppy, or Peppy. I had to find a way to free them, before it was too late. I saw the Troll Tree gate open, and I took the opportunity to run. I am so sorry, I never found my way back to you, but I tried. I tried so hard."
Branch looked at Poppy, seeing she was sad. He hugged her, and she smiled up at him.
"So... you didn't leave me?" "Heavens no. I would never leave you on purpose. But now that we've found each other... you can stay here with me."
Poppy's eyes widened, as she looked at her mom.
"What? I can't stay. I'm the Queen. I have to protect my kingdom. My friends. My family. Why don't you come back with us?"
She looked at Uueeka.
"Synathins can only live in this part of the forest. Their magic is connected to the trees in this area. If they leave for too long... they will die. I just can't leave them... and I can't leave you. Not again."
Poppy looked at her, and then at Branch.
"I... I need to think," she said, as she pulled away from Branch, turning to walk away.
