Trolls and the Search for the Missing Mom (remake)

Chapter 27

Uueeka flew through the sky, holding Branch in his beak, as he looked down at the ground, searching for something.

"Put me down, Uueeka!" Branch yelled, kicking his feet, as he tried to escape the Synathin's grasp, but Uueeka wouldn't let go. He just kept looking down, scanning the area.

"Come on you overgrown bird! Put me down!"

     Just as he said that, Uueeka had found what he was looking for.

He let go of Branch, causing him to scream, as he fell.

     "This isn't what I meant!" he yelled, plummeting towards the ground.

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     On the ground, Poppy walked, kicking at a stone, as she sighed. She still had no idea what she was going to do. She didn't want to lose her mom again, but she couldn't just abandon Trollstopia either.

     Suddenly, she heard a noise up above her. It started off quiet, but got louder, as it came closer. She looked up, her eyes widening, as she saw Branch tumbling down towards her, screaming.

     "Branch!" she yelled in pure terror.

     She ran underneath him, quickly stretching out her hair, like a mattress for him to land on.

     He fell onto her hair, laying there perfectly still, as he panted heavily, his eyes shut tight.

     "I'm dead... I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I died, I'm dead," he whimpered, his voice shaking in fear. "Branch. Your not dead."

     His ear twitched at the sound, but he didn't open his eyes.

     "Who said that?" he asked, still terrified.
"Branch... it's me," Poppy said, looking up at him, confused.
"Are... are you my conscience?"

Poppy glared up at him, and then dropped him to the ground.

     "Ow!" he said, rubbing the back of his head, as he finally opened his eyes. "Poppy! Your ok!" he yelled, jumping to his feet to give her a hug.

     "What are you doing here, Branch? And why did you fall out of the sky?"
"I told you... never leave me alone with your mother. That women is crazy!" He looked up at the sky, seeing Uueeka circling above. "And her bird is no better!" he yelled, shaking his fist.

     Uueeka laughed, and then flew away, probably back to Pansy.

     Branch sighed angrily, watching Uueeka fly off into the distance, and then slowly turned his gaze back to Poppy. His anger quickly turned to sadness, as he saw the look on her face.

     "Hey... what's wrong?" he asked softly, grabbing her hands in his.

"I... I just don't know what to do," Poppy said sadly, looking deeply into Branch's eyes.

"Poppy... it'll be ok," Branch said, comfortingly. She sighed, looking away from him, her ears drooping.

"Look at me, Poppy," Branch said softly, gently turning her head to look at him. "Everything is going to be ok."

     She smiled slightly, and then hugged him tight.

     "Branch..." she finally said, her voice low. "If... if I stay... will you take care of Trollstopia for me?"

     Branch's eyes widened at Poppy's question.

     "N... no..." he said, pulling away from the hug. She looked up at him, shocked by his response. "But... but, Branch..."

     He shook his head, looking at her in fear and sadness.

     "No, Poppy. If you're staying... I'm staying."

     "Branch, please... you don't like it here anyways. You wouldn't be happy staying."
"I'm happy whenever I'm with you," he replied.

     She sighed, looking away, knowing that staying here wouldn't be good for him. She knew how he was. He was scared of so many things. He needed to be somewhere he felt safe. She couldn't let him stay. It wouldn't be good for him. She just wanted him to be happy.

     "If you stay... you'll have to be around my mom. She terrifies you, Branch. I see it whenever you're around her," Poppy stated.
"I don't care," Branch said, crying softly. "I won't leave you."

     "Please, Branch. It won't be good for you to stay here. You'll be scared and miserable. You belong at home."
"I belong with you!" Branch cried.

     "I... I need to stay, Branch..." she said softly, looking away again. "I need to be with my mom."
"I know that, Poppy," he said, tears in his eyes. "And that's fine. I support you no mater where you decide you want to be... but where ever you are... that's where I'll be too."

     "But... but I can't stay... if you don't go back. I can't leave Trollstopia alone. Trollstopia needs you, Branch."
"And I need you!"

     They both fell silent, staring at each other. Finally, Branch sighed, looking away.

     "I'm alone, Poppy. I have no one else I care about. You are the only one I love, in the entire world. In the entire universe." He looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "If I lose you... I have nothing..."

     "Oh, Branch..." She leaned forewords, wrapping him in a hug. "I don't want to lose you either. But I can't leave my mom... not now that I've finally found her again."

     She pulled away from the hug, holding his hands, as she looked into his eyes.

     "I can't leave my mom... and I can't leave Trollstopia alone. I need you, Branch. I need you to take care of Trollstopia."

     He looked away, lowering his head, as he closed his eyes in sadness, his ears drooping lower than ever before.

     "Please. Can you do it for me?" He looked at her, sadly, and shook his head.

     "I'm sorry, Poppy... but I can't..." He pulled away, from her, running into the forest.

     "Branch! Wait!" Poppy called after him, but he didn't stop.

     She stood there, watching him go, until he disappeared in the distance.

     Slowly, she covered her face with her hands, starting to cry.