Trolls: Restoring The Balance

Pow's Return (Pt. 1)

Warning: This chapter will have some blood. (To those who already know what's gonna happen, act like you don't.)

“We now return to Trend Talk with Nova Swift!"

“Welcome back, nuggets!" Nova exclaimed with exuberance. “My first guest had dinner with me just last night. She's a close personal friend of mine. Please welcome Queen Poppy!"

The audience applauded as Poppy took a seat next to Nova's desk.

“Great to have you back on the show, Queen Poppy," said Nova.

“It's great to be back, Nova," Poppy admitted. “I gotta say, these past four months haven't been easy. Losing my memories, trusting Trolls I didn't remember to get them back, falling in love with such a great guy like Branch again..."

“Awwww!" the audience sighed.

“We could all use a Branch in our lives," Nova cooed. “Well, Queen Poppy, looks like everything turned out okay. Tell me, what's next for you?"

“Well, I can only say I got a lot of surprises in mind," Poppy answered. “Some of them involve my little Flower's birthday tomorrow. But I think they will also be good for Pop Village as a whole."

“One last question before we go to break. When do you think you'll return to your duties as queen?" Nova asked. The audience, too, began wondering when Poppy will be their leader again.

“Oh, I... hadn't thought about that," Poppy realized. “Just, uh... give me until after Flower's party. I'm sure then, I'll be ready."

“Well, I am certainly looking for to Princess Flower's second birthday," Nova said excitedly, and turned to the camera. “When we come back, we're gonna talk edible bubbles, are they in or out? Stick around, my nuggets!"

That same night, Branch was in his bunker watching Trend Talk. Poppy had finally returned to her old self, and he couldn't be happier. He didn't want that spark in her to fade.

“Daddy?" a tiny voice peeped. Branch found his young daughter standing in front of her bedroom door, rubbing her eyes while holding her pink bug plushie.

“Flower, it's almost midnight," he pointed out. “What are you doing up?"

“Evewy night, I keep having the same dweam," Flower replied. “It's scawy."

Branch muted the TV, picked Flower up, and had her sit on his lap. Since Flower was most likely a Stargazer, he needed to know what she dreamed about. “Wanna talk about it?"

“Well," she said, “there are these bwack pointy wocks evewywhere, across the six kingdoms. Mommy's cwying and covered in bwood, but she's not dying. There's a dark shadow, and something big with giant wed eyes. And Pow's sitting on Aunt Bob's thwone."

“Hmm, that does sound scary," Branch admitted.

“It is," Flower said quietly. “But it could never happen, wight?"

“Don't worry, sprout," Branch tried to reassure her, even though he knew it would most likely happen. “Mommy and Daddy will always be here to make sure no one gets hurt. Okay?"