Trolls and the Alternate Dimension

Chapter 17

"Are you ok, little guy?" Molly asked, sticking her hand into the cage to help Branch up to his feet.

"I'm not little!" Branch snapped, pulling away from her.
"Um... hi," Poppy said to Molly, smiling. "My name is Poppy, and this is..." Branch looked at her, grabbing onto her shoulders.

"Don't tell the giant our names!" Branch yelled, ushering her away. "You don't know what it's capable of!"
"Come on, Branch. She seems nice."
"She kidnapped us, Poppy!"

Molly looked at them, confused.

"Kidnapped? I didn't kidnap you."
"Oh really?" Branch said, approaching her angrily. "So what would you call taking someone against their will, and locking them in a cage!? Cuz where we're from, that's KIDNAPPING!"
"He's got a point," Synth said, softly.

She looked at them, sadly.

"Oh... I... I didn't mean to... I just thought..."
"Thought what!? That we wanted to be taken to our deaths!?"
"Branch!" Poppy yelled, stopping Branch from speaking.

     Molly looked at the ground, sadly, tears forming in her eyes.

     "Braaaanch!" Poppy yelled. "You made her cry!"
"She's trying to kill us!"
"Branch... she literally just saved you from being strangled by Barb," Poppy said.
"And before that she saved us all from being flattened by a motorcycle," Prince D added.

     He looked at the two of them, and then at Molly.

     "Fine..." he sighed. "Maybe she's not trying to kill us... but she's still keeping us hostage!" Branch said, getting defensive again.

     "I'm sorry," Molly said, as she opened the cage door. "Come on. You can come out."

     The trolls stepped out of the cage, but Branch stayed behind, suspicious.

     "Is this a trap?" he asked.
"No," Molly assured, shaking her head.

     Slowly, and carefully, Branch stepped out of the cage, running immediately over to Poppy to protect her.

     "I promise... I don't want to hurt you," Molly said, trying to calm Branch down, but he stayed in front of Poppy, his arms out.

     "Branch..." Poppy whispered to him. "I trust her."
"You trust everyone, Poppy," Branch said, rolling his eyes.
"Ok... and name one time I trusted someone, who ended up turning against us."
"Creek," he answered immediately.
"Besides Creek!"

     He thought about it for a moment, but couldn't think of any examples.

     "Ugh!" he finally sighed. "Fine! You've made your point." He stepped away from her, crossing his arms.

     Poppy chuckled at her victory, and then turned to Molly smiling.

     "As I was saying, before my paranoid friend here interrupted..."
"I'm not paranoid..." Branch grumbled, quietly. Poppy sighed, rolling her eyes at him, before continuing.

     "I'm Poppy, that's Branch, Synth, Prince D, and Coop... wait... where's Cooper?"

     "AHHHHH!" they suddenly heard from somewhere inside the house. "Rat!"

     "Umm..." Branch said, everyone turning to look at the door. "I think I know where Cooper is..."