"No? Really? That's your answer? I thought it would be something more hero-" And he was out-cold.

Branch punched Creek in the jaw so hard, Creek went up into the air fell to the ground with a thud. Branch walked away from him and made his way towards Poppy's house.

He knocked onto the door and it opened the tiniest bit, then suddenly it slammed open and Poppy jumped into Branch's arms. "I thought he won.." She said.

Branch smiled. "Well don't worry, he didn't." The looked at each other and Poppy brought up a question that still remained in her mind. "So are you gonna come back into the village?" She asked.

Branch gave a sad smile and slowly shook his head. "No...I don't belong there. I'm not like you."

Poppy understood. Branch is a closed of kind of troll. And even though she would love it if he opened up to her, she knows that that will never happen. She wished it would, but it won't. "Well I hope we can continue being friends. It's very sweet and brave what you did for me. I really appreciate it."

"You'll never go back to him right?" Branch asked. "He's a bad troll. He may change his attitude to seem like a nice guy, but what he did to you is terrible. And...I just...never want it to happen again. I just..well...I just want you to be safe, Poppy. That's all." Poppy smiled and gave Branch once last hug.

"I won't. Trust me." She said. Slowly, Poppy stepped back into her pod. "See you around Branch." She waved goodbye as Branch did the same. And then the door closed.

Branch exhaled a breath of relief and walked back to his bunker. Once he made it there, he cleaned up his wounds and read over the cards that Poppy had given him in the past years. "At least my secrets safe."

And he went to bed.