Next September

Finding Poppy

Yay an update! Get ready, it's gonna get intense...

   After Skie and Branch searched Poppy's pod, and found no one, they went to the one other place she could possibly be.

   It was just as foggy at the fear bunker as it was in the village. It was hard to see, so finding the door took some effort. Once they got through Branch's security, he lowered the elevator platform into the bunker.

   At first glance there was no one in the main room. Branch instantly began to look around for any signs that Poppy was there. Skie on the other hand, began to wander into the other rooms. When she was passing the bedroom, a blur of pink caught her eye.

   Her head snapped back; making sure her eyes were not deceiving her. Sure enough Poppy was there on the floor. She was hugging her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth. Clearly something was up. As Skie got closer, she could hear crying.

   "Poppy?" Skie asked walking closer and closer. She didn't respond.

   Skie then sat right in front of her, "Poppy, are you doing alright?"

  "He left me...I can't believe it" she mumbled, her eyes completely blank.

  "No, no, we're here Poppy, we're back. What's wrong?" Skie continued to ask.

   "It hurts..." the queen replied, tears in her eyes.

  "Hurts? Wh-What is it, what hurts?"

   Poppy's eyes widened as they snapped to Skie, "this stupid baby!" She balled a fist and swung at her own stomach.

   Suddenly remembering Poppy was pregnant, Skie grabbed her wrists, "whoa! No! Don't do that" she tensed as her hand slowed to a stop.

   Poppy blinked at her, "who are you?" Her voice full of worry.

   "Oh, uh...My name's Skie, I'm here with-"

   "He's cheating on me too..." Poppy mumbled, her hands began to shake.

   "Oh- What? No! No, no, no I'm not. Listen I'm with Branch- not that I'm with Branch but" The yellow troll was struggling with her words, Poppy just watched in confusion.
"What I'm trying to say is, we're back Poppy... we're home".

   "We?" She paused for a long while, processing this unfamiliar troll's words, "Branch!" She gasped.

   Poppy jumped up, ripping herself from Skie's grip. She stumbled out of the doorway and dashed to the main room. Branch was there searching the it.

   The queen just stood there in the silence, he hadn't noticed her yet. Her heart was in her throat, it's beat  pounding in her ears, "Branch..." she spoke.

   Branch froze and spun around, "Poppy?". After all this time, there she was. It seemed like years that they'd been apart. His heart skipped a beat, "Poppy!"

"Branch!"

   The coupled rushed to each other, trapping one another in their arms.
It was the first time they'd been together in days.

   "You don't know how happy I am to see you" Poppy said, tearing up again.

   Branch smiled and wiped her tears with his thumb, "I'm just relived your safe" he hugged her again.

   "Listen I-" Poppy pulled away.

   "We need to talk" they said in unison.

   Poppy chuckled, "Listen I'm... I'm so sorry lashed out at you. I wasn't myself that day. I didn't mean it I swear-" her tears crept back up.