Flower was now three months old, and becoming more active. She was clapping and smiling whenever she felt happy. It was only a matter of time before her first laugh.

“Poppy, I'm here!" Branch exclaimed, storming into the pod. “What's the problem?"

“Problem? What problem?" Poppy asked. Willow was there, too, drinking a cup of black coffee.

“You said it was important," he pointed out.

“Yeah, I didn't want you to miss Flower's first laugh," Poppy explained. “It's an important milestone!"

“You mean you had me leaving the safety of my bunker just to hear her laugh?!"

“Her first laugh," Poppy added. Branch just smacked his own forehead.

“Branch, getting out of your house isn't the worst thing you can do, especially if you're me," Willow assured him. “Plus, you could really use the exercise."

“Okay, keep my stomach out of this," Branch spat. They all heard Flower make a sound and Poppy gasped in surprise.

“Will, you did it!" she said excitedly. “Flower laughed!"

“I'm flattered, Pops, but I'm pretty sure that was a hiccup."

Flower hiccuped and drooled a little.

“Come on, work with me!" Poppy groaned, which caused Flower to cry. “Oh, my gosh! I am so sorry, sweetheart! I didn't mean to scare you. Come here, come here, come here..."

“Poppy, Flower's not going to laugh until she thinks something's funny," Branch pointed out, “and I doubt that something is gonna be crude insults."

“I resent that," Willow said.

“Don't worry, I'll find something you think is funny," Poppy promised her baby girl.

“What about tonight's carnival?" Willow suggested. “There's clowns, pet shows, a hall of mirrors, and a guy getting dunked in water. It's like a laugh fest!"

“Uh, no," Branch told Poppy as she thought about it. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You are not taking her to a carnival."

“No, I'm not," Poppy agreed, causing him to sigh in relief. “We are!"

“What?!"

“Come on, Branch!" she insisted. “You and I taking our daughter to her first carnival! We're gonna have so much fun!"

“I'm not the fun type," Branch said flatly. Suddenly, they noticed a small, owl-like creature fly into the pod, slamming into Willow's face!

“Ow!" Willow shouted. “This is no way to treat a lady!"

“Is that Jasper?" Poppy asked.

“I think so," Branch replied. Jasper was Cyan's service critter who helped keep an extra eye on the kids at the daycare.

“Get off me and tell me what's going on," Willow grumbled as he hooted at her. “Oh, that's not good."

“What is it?" Poppy asked nervously.

“Branch, try to stay calm," Willow warned. “Your mom's been hospitalized. Or she's going to the movies."

“This isn't over!" Branch told Poppy as he ran out of the pod with Jasper right behind him.

Poppy raised an eyebrow at Willow. “The movies?"

“You know me, I love the movies."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Last name?"

“Birchwood," Branch answered as the nurse looked through a file. Once she told him what room Cyan was being kept in he rushed in to see her. “Mom, what happened?!"

“Freak firecracker accident," Cyan explained. Her face was covered in ash and her arm was wrapped in bandages. “Some teenagers accidentally threw them in the daycare, I had to get all the kids out of there."

“Are you okay?"

“I've been better, but I'll be fine," she lied, coughing. She inhaled too much smoke, her heart was too weak, but she couldn't tell him.

“I should've been there!" Branch said angrily. “If Poppy wasn't trying to convince me to go to that stupid carnival, I would've helped you!"

“Branch, don't put this on Poppy," Cyan scolded. “You're lucky to have her and Flower in your life."

“I know, but she keeps insisting on making me happy," Branch argued. “It's like she doesn't even know what's happening around her."

“Well, maybe if you spend more time with them, she will," Cyan suggested. “And you can start by going to that carnival, since it means so much to them."

“But what about the Bergens?" Branch asked worriedly.

“If anyone can protect the Trolls from the Bergens, it's you," she reassured him. Cyan felt a tightness in her chest and decided to make Branch leave. “Now, go tell Poppy you'll take her and Flower to that carnival."

Branch groaned in compliance. “Fine."

“Oh, and Branch?" Cyan called out just before he could go. “Promise me you'll marry Poppy."

“Wait, what?!"

“Not today or tomorrow," she said, “but someday. Promise me, you'll marry her."

“Why would I marry her?" Branch asked. “She's-she's-she's-she's-she's-she's no good for me... and I'm no good for her."

“Branch, let me tell you something," Cyan explained. “I didn't think much of your father when I met him, and your grandmother just hated him. But I eventually realized he made me happy, and by giving me you, he made me happier. I see Poppy and Flower do the same for you. I just want you to continue feeling that way. Promise me you'll marry her."

Branch sighed in defeat. “Okay, I promise."

He went back to the bed to let his mother hug him as she kissed his forehead.

“I love you, Branch," she said quietly.

“I love you, too, Mom," he replied, and left the room.

Once her son was gone, Cyan quietly muttered, “I'll say hi to your father."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“If Branch won't go with you, I will," Willow offered as Poppy made a card.

“That's really sweet of you, Will," Poppy replied, “but what about your film pitch?"

“I dunno, the producers might find the premise too confusing," Willow explained. “I mean, a med student and a con artist falling in love during a zombie apocalypse? That's a recipe for disaster."

“No, they'll love your ideas!" Poppy insisted. “I think they're awesome!"

“Oh, stop," Willow said, blushing.

“Poppy, you still home?" Branch called out, standing at the door. She finished the card and answered the door. “Did Flower laugh yet?"

Poppy shook her head. “How's your mom?"

“There was a fire, but she'll be fine," he answered as she let him in. “Listen, Poppy, I thought about the carnival, and maybe..."

“Wait, before you finish, I have something for you," Poppy said, holding a card. Branch rolled his eyes and opened it. The card played music and sprayed glitter in his face. It wasn't the first time, however.

“It's ev'rything you ever want, it's ev'rything you ever need, and it's here, right in front of you..." Willow sang in his ear. He glared at her and she backed away.

“Poppy, I was gonna say yes," Branch replied. “Even though it's a bad idea. It'll be noisy, overcrowded, full of unhealthy food..."

“Look who's talking," Willow said, poking his belly. Branch just smacked her hand away with the card and put it in his hair. “Ow!"

“So, you'll come?" Poppy asked eagerly.

“Yeah, I'll come, but only for Flower," he confirmed.

“Perfect!" Poppy said as she went to the crib and picked Flower up. “You hear that, sweetie? You're going to the carnival!"

Not understanding what her mother was talking about, Flower just blinked.

🌺🌼🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼🌺🌸🌺🌼🌸

“Okay, what are we gonna do first?" Branch asked, holding their tickets.

“It's Flower's first carnival, we should let her pick," Poppy suggested. Flower noticed a toy bug at a prize booth and reached for it. “Aww, she wants the bug! Branch, we gotta play for it!"

Branch rolled his eyes and approached the carnie. “What do you want for the pink bug?"

“Well, it is not for sale, but all you gotta do to win it is knock down that little hornet's nest there," he explained. “It's easy!"

“Whatever," Branch said, paying the carnie. Poppy handed Flower to him and Branch placed his daughter in his hair as Poppy began firing the pellet gun. It wasn't easy, though. The nest kept moving around and it was guarded by angry hornets. The game stopped after thirty seconds, Poppy failed to hit the nest.

“One more time, Branch!" Poppy begged. “Please?"

“Don't do that," Branch pleaded as she made a cute face with wide, teary eyes. “No... Stop! Ugh, fine."

“Willow taught me that," Poppy said with a smirk as Branch paid the carnie again.

As Poppy went after the hornet's nest, Branch heard a loud squishing and sniffed the air. He pulled Flower out of his hair and smelled her diaper.

“Uck! Flower!" he exclaimed in disgust. Flower just cooed at him innocently. “Note to self: once you get back to the bunker, wash your hair."

Branch looked up and noticed Poppy hitting the nest, but the game still said she lost.

“Aw, man!"

Branch couldn't believe it. “Hey, what was that?! She hit that! I saw her!"

“Hey, buddy, lemme explain something to ya," the carnie replied. “See that little metal hornet's nest? See how it's not knocked over? Do you know what that means, Dr. Frowny Face? It means you don't get the pink bug! Better luck next time!"

Branch looked down and noticed Flower beginning to cry. That crossed the line for him.

“Poppy... change the baby," he said with a determined look on his face. Poppy took Flower to a nearby changing room.

“Ugh, Flower what did you eat?!" Poppy asked as she threw the old diaper away. “Oh, right. Mommy's milk. Never mind."

As Poppy wiped Flower's bottom, she heard Branch shout “DIE, HORNETS, DIE!"

“That's not a good sign," Poppy said, powdering Flower and putting her in a new diaper. She ran out and saw Branch panting and glaring at the game booth, which was full of holes. The hornet's nest was not only knocked over, it broke off completely!

“Y-Your p-p-p-prize, s-s-sir?" muttered the carnie, handing him the bug.

“Thank you," Branch growled, giving it to Flower, who happily hugged it.

“I think now we could use some concessions," Poppy suggested and pulled him to a nearby snack bar.

“Pops, what happened back there?" Branch asked as he drank a large lemonade.

“Well, you brought a smile to our daughter's face, and a look of terror to some other guy," she answered, taking a bite out of her cotton candy. “Once we're done, we should check out the hall of mirrors. There's one that makes you look like Sonny Bono!"

“Who's he?" Branch asked.

“I don't know."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Poppy and Branch tried everything the carnival had to offer. The hall of mirrors, the pet show, the carousel, but Flower was either disinterested or bothered by the noise.

“Note to self, Flower's scared of clowns," Poppy said as she gently bounced Flower to calm her down.

“I don't blame her," Branch said, eating a corn dog. “Poppy, maybe it's time we took Flower back to your pod. She's just not comfortable here."

Poppy sighed. “I guess you're right. But I don't get it, none of the other Troll babies have this problem."

“Maybe she just has a little more common sense in that tiny brain of hers," Branch muttered quietly. But Poppy could hear him.

“Did you just call me stupid?" she asked angrily.

“What?! No!" Branch insisted. “You're not stupid, just-just-just-just-just–"

“Just what, Branch?" Poppy said, causing him to back up into a group of Trolls lined up for a roller coaster. Flower watched as they all fell over each other like dominoes and giggled.

Poppy gasped, forgetting what she and Branch were fighting about. “She laughed! Branch, did you hear that?!"

“Yeah, whoopee," he cheered sarcastically, climbing off the other Trolls. Flower reached out to hug her father and he held her close to him. “You like seeing Daddy act silly, don't ya?"

Flower just yawned in response.

“I think it's time we went home," Poppy said, and the three of them went to her pod. “Thank you for coming tonight, Branch. This meant a lot to me... to us, actually."

“I'm just glad Flower had a good time," Branch said. “Just don't take her to any more of these things again."

“Aw, really?" Poppy pouted. “Not even my biggest party ever in three months?"

“Your what?"

“To celebrate twenty years of freedom from the Bergens!" Poppy explained. “I started planning yesterday, if I'm gonna throw the biggest party ever, I have to plan ahead! But everyone's supposed to be there."

“I won't, and neither will Flower," Branch argued. “Your gonna celebrate freedom from the Bergens with a party that will attract the Bergens?!"

“Branch, it's been years since they've showed up, what makes you think they will now?"

“You never know," he warned. “One too many fireworks, loud music, everyone screaming at the top of their lungs. It's too risky, Poppy!"

“I have to think about my people's best interests!"

“And I have to think about my daughter's, because you obviously don't!"

“Of course I do!" Poppy yelled, causing Flower to cry. Poppy couldn't believe herself, she never yelled in front of Flower before.

Branch gently took Flower into his own arms and held her close to him. “Shh, it's okay. It's okay, you're okay. You're okay, Flower."

Poppy sighed as Branch placed Flower and her toy bug in the crib, rocking her to sleep.

“Branch, I-I'm really sorry," she apologized. “I guess I've been too busy making Flower have fun with the other Trolls. I got so focused on something I wanted, but never what she needed."

“Poppy, you've been spending almost all of your time with her," Branch explained, turning the music box key so it would play it's sweet song. “You must not have had a lot of fun since she was born."

“What are you saying?" Poppy asked. “I love spending time with my daughter."

“I know you do, but whenever you want to have fun with your friends, maybe you should let me look after her. I'll take good care of her."

“I know you will," Poppy said as he got up to face her. “But don't think this'll stop me from inviting you to my party."

“Don't think I'll change my mind by then," Branch replied, looking into her beautiful, pink eyes. He felt as though he got lost in them, and couldn't find his way out. He cupped her cheek with his large hand as she placed her own on his shoulder. He leaned in closer, and...

“Poppy, I'm not one who brings bad news, but– Oh! Sorry to interrupt... whatever this is."

Poppy and Branch froze once they heard Creek's voice and pulled away as he and DJ Suki stood at the doorway.

“What? No!" Poppy exclaimed, raising her hands up. “We weren't..."

“Uh, yeah, they were," DJ said with a smirk on her face.

“What's the bad news?" Branch asked.

“Cyan Birchwood, the Troll who runs the daycare," Creek answered. “She passed this afternoon."

“Wait, when you say ‘passed,' you don't mean..."

Creek nodded. “She's gone."

Sorry to end this chapter on a sad note. Next chapter will be the last.

Believe it or not, I actually wrote almost half of the other thing I'm writing. I just didn't put it up except for the first chapter because it didn't feel fair to put it up before I finished this.

Until next time. 🌈