A/N: Welcome to the first chapter of my original Trolls story! I'm going to attempt to do weekly or twice-weekly updates. I hope you enjoy this as much as my adaptations. This is a three-part tale, so be prepared for a bit of a longer story than I've written before for this fandom. The story is a collaboration of ideas from myself and Reby Montana!

Warning: this story is going to deal with some darker themes, and may also have some adult-like content. I will put warnings on each chapter when things may get intense. It's just for those who are worried for inappropriate or scary images. I get overly cautious about that because I have no idea how old you guys are.

Enjoy this first chapter!

The Flame of Happiness Trilogy - Return

Chapter One – Changes

The day Poppy became Queen was officially the day that the Bergens and the trolls attained peace between their kingdoms. It also was the day Trollstice gained a new meaning, and a new name. Every year on the day of Trollstice—now renamed Peace Day—the Bergens and the trolls gathered for a massive party to celebrate the day peace was attained. For this was the day Queen Poppy made a daring move that could've ended in disaster. Instead, the Bergens were able to discover the happiness inside them. While it took a bit of time to adjust to not eating trolls, the Bergens soon found that they liked feeling happiness for long periods of time in comparison to feeling it for only a moment when they ate a troll. Poppy worked hard with King Gristle Jr. to help the Bergens and the trolls adjust to living together.

For one thing, the trolls weren't completely sure about staying so far from the forest. They liked to dwell in the wilds of the wilderness; and even though the Troll Tree had been restored and could house the colorful creatures, the trolls weren't very comfortable in the urban setting of Bergen Town. Gristle realized this could be an easy fix. Old, abandoned buildings surrounded the Troll Tree, long since left behind and forgotten during the Bergens' twenty years without Trollstice. No one owned the buildings since most of the owners passed away years ago. The few owners who were still around gladly sold their forgotten businesses at Gristle's request. Then the Bergens got to work tearing down these timeworn buildings and setting aside the old materials for recycling. Once the buildings were cleared, the cobblestones were dug up and soil below refreshed with fertilizer and grass, and a handful of trees were taken from the forest in places where taking one tree wouldn't harm the environment. Along with adding some flowers, the Bergens could create a safe space for the trolls to thrive, and the area became known as Troll Grove.

It was a wonderful surprise for the trolls to see such kindness from the Bergens. In return for their help, the trolls helped the Bergens decorate their homes in a more colorful manner. The Bergens had to admit that Bergen Town had never been lovelier. It didn't take much longer for everyone to get used to the new living situation. The trolls even started planting their crops again.

All in all, life was good.

Once things started settling down, the most popular and well-known lovebirds of the kingdoms could take some time to let their love flourish. Bridget had a hard time letting go of her Lady Glittersparkles personality. The secret identity gave her confidence, but it just wasn't who she really was. As Gristle discovered, he loved Bridget for just being herself. Once she could push past her uncertainty and be herself, Bridget proved to be kind, sweet, and very funny. Of course, Gristle tried to be a Prince Charming. He had to take some time to learn to be himself too, and Bridget fell in love with him all over again. The two of them were married rather quickly, so lost in love and unable to wait.

Branch and Poppy were true soulmates. Poppy took time out of her day every day to be with Branch and help him get used to being happy again. Branch often slipped back to his old ways, but he didn't turn grey again. It took a bit of time for the other trolls to figure out what was part of Grey Branch and what was just part of Branch's personality. Nobody could deny how helpful he was for the kingdom. While Poppy helped the trolls and Bergens get settled, Branch organized trips back to the Troll Tree to move supplies and the trolls' things to their new home. Branch also helped Peppy work out some minor problems the trolls had when it came to settling into their new home. He proved himself to be a good king long before Poppy asked him to marry her.

Though, in a hilarious turn of events, Poppy proposed to Branch at the exact same time he planned to propose to her.

Like Gristle and Bridget's wedding, both trolls and Bergens alike attended the ceremony for Branch and Poppy. Satin and Chenille pulled out all the stops to make the best wedding attire for the lovebirds. Poppy wore a sleeveless, floor-length silk dress with plenty of sparkles on the skirt, which trailed behind her. A crown of white roses sat in her hair, holding her veil. Branch dressed in a pair of comfortable black dress pants and a blue formal jacket that matched his hair, a white shirt underneath the jacket. He even wore a blue bowtie. The bride and groom couldn't stop smiling at each other the entire ceremony.

Peppy, as the former king, officiated the wedding. "Now, you two have your vows prepared?"

"You lost the bet, Branch. You go first." Poppy said.

Branch rolled his eyes with a grin. "All right. Don't blame me if I make you cry and ruin your makeup." He cleared his throat. "Poppy, even though I was so young, I have a very vivid memory of the day you were born. Your dad showed you to the entire kingdom, and I was in awe. I told my grandmother that you couldn't be real. You had to be some sort of angel or mystical creature from another world. I couldn't wait to be your friend. When I turned grey, everyone else gave up on me except you. Always invited me to your parties, always tried to get me to sing, always wanted to include me in what was happening with the other trolls. Even though I refused every time—and crushed about half your invitations in the process—you never gave up on me. You drive me crazy sometimes, but it's just another part of you that I love. You are my happiness, Poppy, and I can't thank you enough for helping me find it again."

Poppy blushed fiercely. She wasn't totally sure she could top that, but she would certainly try. "Branch, I only ever knew you when you were grey. I didn't remember your true colors. I made it my mission to help you find your happiness again, because I just couldn't imagine you living your life so miserable. I must admit there were several trolls who told me not to bother. But I never gave up. Then we went on an amazing adventure, and we certainly were at odds for a while. And then you finally let me in to your heart, and I found out why you turned grey. I found out so much about you in such little time. When I lost hope, you were right there for me. Now I know that I can be strong as long as you are with me."

After that, the ceremony seemed to pass by much faster. Branch and Poppy sealed their marriage with a kiss, and everyone cheered for them. The wedding party Poppy insisted on included plenty of music, food, and fun for all. Even Branch allowed himself to let go and join in the rambunctious and flamboyant festivities.

Cooper approached Branch while Peppy and Poppy did their father-daughter dance. "Real happy for you, Branch." Cooper said. "You make Poppy very happy."

"Like I said before, she is my happiness." Branch said. "I wouldn't have my colors back if it weren't for her."

"Poppy really is something special." Cooper agreed. "Which is why I have to warn you of something. You know that Peppy adopted me when I was just a little cria?"

"Yeah." Branch nodded.

"So I'm basically Poppy's big brother."

"Of course."

Cooper frowned and put his face so close to Branch's that their noses pressed together. "So you know that if you hurt Poppy at all, I'm going to stomp you into paste."

Branch gave a thumbs-up. "Message received, good buddy."

Cooper smiled and hugged Branch. "Welcome to the family, bro!"

Branch laughed. "Thanks, Cooper."

The party lasted for several hours, and everyone returned home rather tired. Gristle saddled up Barnabas with a troll-sized saddle, and the Snack Pack loaded up Poppy's and Branch's luggage. The newlyweds mounted the crocodile to ride him off to their honeymoon spot. With Branch steering, the traveling party journeyed through the forest for the rest of the evening. When they finally arrived at their destination, Poppy found herself staring in awe at the honeymoon spot Branch chose for them. Barnabas stopped at the edge of a pool with crystal clear waters. A waterfall cascaded softly into the pool.

"Branch, this is beautiful." Poppy breathed. "How on earth did you find this place?"

"Starlight Falls. I found it on one of my excursions for supplies for the bunker." Branch said. "It became my own secret hideaway when I just couldn't stand being around the other trolls."

"Nice sentiment, Branch." Poppy joked. "Let me guess, you built another bunker here too?"

Branch chuckled. "Of course I did. In the roots of that tree over there. Now, this is our own little vacation spot, just for us and our family." He dismounted from Barnabas and helped Poppy climb down. They both still wore their wedding attire, and the train of Poppy's dress had been pinned up so it wouldn't trail in the grass and dirt. "You go ahead and check it out. You'll find a leaf made of felt. That's the doorknob. I'll get our stuff."

Poppy took the lantern Branch offered her and skipped excitedly to the tree Branch pointed out, and she found the leaf Branch mentioned. She pulled open the door and stepped inside. As she illuminated the other lanterns in the bunker, she saw it had all the comforts of home. Indeed, the vacation bunker was very homey compared to Branch's old bunker back at the old troll village. There was a kitchen area, a living room with a fireplace, a small study area with a bookshelf full of books and journals, and a couple bedrooms. The two smaller bedrooms appeared to be guest spaces, with only beds, nightstands, and dressers. The largest bedroom was for Branch and Poppy: a large, feather-filled bed with a soft comforter and fluffy pillows, a dresser and a closet for clothes, and a nightstand on either side of the bed for each of them. The bunker had no windows, but plenty of light thanks to the lanterns fueled by a glowing moss found in a special swamp in the forest.

As Poppy returned to the living room, Branch finished unpacking and even unsaddled Barnabas to let the crocodile hunt and rest.

"Where do you want the stuff?" Branch asked.

"Oh, I think we can worry about unpacking tomorrow." Poppy smirked coyly. She put herself close to Branch and tugged playfully at his bowtie. "Tonight should be more about a certain wedding tradition."

"What are you so eager about?" Branch laughed.

"Nothing big." Poppy shrugged teasingly. "Just eager to spend every night with the one I love." She flicked at his jacket collar. "I like you better without a shirt."

Branch rolled his eyes and scooped up Poppy, causing her to squeal in surprise. He promptly dropped her on the couch and marched to the kitchen, leaving Poppy in a giggling mess on the sofa.

"Hey!" Poppy complained. "Branch!"

"Poppy, I love you." Branch called from the kitchen. "But I'm not consummating our marriage when my butt is sore from riding a saddle for hours on end. Give me a minute to catch my breath and relax and then we can worry about it."

Poppy sighed dramatically. "At least make me some hot chocolate while you're in there."

"With a handful of marshmallows?" Branch guessed.

"Aw, you do know me." Poppy gushed.

Branch returned with two cups of cocoa: one with a stick of peppermint in it and the other so full of marshmallows they threatened to spill over the rim of the mug. Poppy and Branch sat on the couch in silence. Darkness of night settled over the land. Outside, Barnabas curled up to sleep. Poppy and Branch finished their cocoa and continued to just sit and cuddle.

Branch slid off the crown Peppy put on his head upon finishing the wedding. It was the same crown Peppy wore as king: leafy and wreath-like in design, and carrying the full weight of a king's responsibilities.

"Hey Poppy?"

"Hmm?"

"Will I be a good king?"

Poppy perked up, a bit surprised. "How could you think otherwise? At least you didn't have someone saying things like 'I can't believe you're going to be queen one day.'"

Poppy had said that last part jokingly, yet Branch still blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry about that. It's just that you're a princess. You were bred for this sort of thing. I just don't know if I can be the king everyone expects me to be."

"Branch, look at everything you've done for the kingdom." Poppy said. "You helped everyone get settled. You protected them from danger when we took trips to the old village. Heck, you're the reason we got our colors back when we were trapped in that pot." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You will be a great king. I know it." She picked up her and Branch's mugs and took them to the kitchen. "Come into the bedroom when you're ready." She called.

"Be there in a minute." Branch called back.

"Don't be too long!" Poppy called from inside the bedroom.

"I'll just be a minute!" Branch repeated, laughing. He looked over the back of the couch to see the door to the bedroom shut. Branch looked around and listened carefully. He was completely alone in the living room and everything was silent, just as he wanted.

Branch slid off his jacket and folded it neatly, placing it on the coffee table. He checked once more to make sure he was alone, and then reached into the collar of his white shirt and pulled out a pendant on a thin metal chain. The pendant was made of gold, in the shape of a flame with a heart in the center of it. The heirloom belonged to Branch's mother, and was given to him by his grandmother on his first birthday. He rarely took it off, always hiding it under his vest so no one would pry regarding what it meant.

Branch gently pressed the pendant to his lips, holding it close to his heart. "Goodnight, Mom. I hope you're doing okay in heaven. Love you." Though it made his heart heavy, this was a tradition he never failed to complete every single night. He had several journals of his father's poetry to remember him by. This necklace was all he had to remember his mother. He stared up at the ceiling. "I hope you're proud of me, Mom. I'm going to be the best king I can be, I promise."

After a moment of meditation, Branch shed his shirt and pants and folded those tidily to place on top of his jacket. To protect his necklace from harm, Branch removed that too and tucked it into one of the pockets on his jacket. Now he was just in his boxers, not that they would stay on much longer if Poppy had her way. Branch walked to the bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Oh my lovely new wife!" Branch called in jest. "Ready when you are!"

"One second!" Poppy called from inside.

"You were so eager to do this!" Branch laughed, combing out his hair with his fingers. "What's the holdup?"

"Just hang on!" Poppy giggled madly, which she only did when she was planning something. "Okay, come on in!"

Branch pushed the door open, and he paused. Flower petals lay strewn about the bed. Poppy wore only her underwear and slip, laying on her side on the bed with a flower in her teeth. She smirked flirtatiously. Branch stared at her for a moment, and then walked out and shut the door.

Poppy frowned, spitting the flower out of her mouth. "What? Too much?" She heard a strange, muffled sound, and Poppy's eyebrows furrowed in concern. She jumped off the bed and hurried to the door. "Branch? Are you okay?" She pulled the door open, and she had to hop to one side to avoid Branch falling onto her. He collapsed to a heap, and Poppy realized those muffled sounds she heard was Branch trying to hide his laughter. Now that he had been found, Branch couldn't stop himself from laughing uproariously.

"Poppy…..that….." Branch couldn't even speak from laughing so hard.

Poppy frowned in irritation now, and she put her hands on her hips. "And just what is so funny?"

"You!" Branch wiped tears from his eyes. "That was the funniest thing I've ever seen from you!"

Poppy lightly stomped on Branch's stomach, making him curl up while he still laughed. She jumped onto him and lightly punched his back and shoulders. "And what is so funny about me being romantic, huh? Just because you write poetry doesn't mean you're any more romantic than I am!"

Branch grabbed Poppy and pulled her into a bear hug as he stood up. Poppy shrieked and punched him some more, demanding to be put down. Branch hauled her over to the bed and tossed her onto it. He jumped up onto the bed too and started tickling at her ribs. Despite Poppy trying to be annoyed with him, she couldn't stop her giggles. After a few minutes of the play, the two of them lay back on the bed, panting heavily.

"No…..fair….." Poppy sighed.

"All's fair in love and war." Branch shrugged. He turned over onto his side, his back to Poppy. "Well, goodnight."

"Oh no you don't!" Poppy snapped. "You aren't getting out of this!"

"Too bad." Branch shrugged.

Poppy plopped down to sit on Branch's stomach. She crossed her arms. "I'm going to sit on you until you go through with this. And you won't be able to move me at all!"

Branch raised an eyebrow. It seemed Poppy forgot that he was pretty much all muscle from building his bunker and surviving out in the forest. To remind her, he promptly twisted over and pinned her to the bed. They were nose-to-nose now, Poppy glaring in annoyance while Branch smirked teasingly.

"It's a good thing you're cute." Poppy huffed.

"You know it." Branch snickered. He brushed Poppy's bangs from her face, and her exasperated expression melted. She accepted his kiss. She could feel his hand snaking up her back, his fingers running through her hair to push her deeper into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck. They didn't break the kiss until their need for air demanded it.

Poppy grinned. "Now that's more like it, you snarky son of a—"

"Now, my queen." Branch put a finger to her lips. "That's no language for a lady."

"Whatever." Poppy pulled him in for another passionate kiss.

Needless to say, the wedding night was nothing short of magical for Branch and Poppy. However, hindsight told them they should've done something important before their dalliance. When the two of them rose from bed the next morning, they found that they should've cleared the flower petals off the bed first. Their bodies were so sticky from sweat, the petals stuck to their skin. It took almost twenty minutes to get the petals off each other.

The rest of the three-day honeymoon passed, full of swimming and hiking and a few more nights of fun. They spent plenty of time stargazing and simply enjoying one another's company. Poppy was a little sad to leave, but already began planning the next family vacation on the way home to the Troll Tree. The trolls welcomed them back warmly, and soon everyone was back to their normal routine.

One morning, Branch woke up to the sound of Poppy leading the morning song. Odd. She normally pushes me to get out of bed to join her. Branch figured Poppy went easy on him today, and he groggily pushed himself upright and stretched. He went through his normal routine of brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and getting dressed before going to have breakfast.

Just as he finished his breakfast, Branch heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"Your favorite godfather/father-in-law!" Peppy's voice called cheerily from the other side.

Branch grinned and opened the door. Peppy stood outside, carrying a large white box tied with a pretty blue ribbon. Marrying Poppy didn't really change his relationship with Peppy. The former king also served the role as Branch's godfather, which made him responsible for the boy after the death of his grandmother. Peppy had done his best to help Branch, even when he had pushed his godfather away.

"King Peppy." Branch greeted with a bow.

"Former king, my boy." Peppy chuckled. "That's a title you wear now."

"And I'll do it as well as I can, sir." Branch said. "Please, come in."

"Thank you." Peppy stepped into the pod. "I actually came to deliver a gift to you."

"What for?" Branch asked.

"It was supposed to be a wedding gift." Peppy explained. "But I didn't want to spoil a happy occasion with painful memories." Branch stared at him strangely, and Peppy handed him the box to give him the answer. Branch took the box and sat on the sofa. He untied the ribbon and lifted up the lid to the box. When he saw the contents, Branch's heart nearly stopped. He slowly pulled the object from the box.

It was Rosiepuff's old coat. The yarn was still soft, and the hearts and trim hardly lost their shine. It even smelled faintly of her perfume.

"Where….where did you get this?" Branch couldn't speak above a whisper.

Peppy sat beside Branch, a forlorn look on his face. "There's a bit of a story behind that."

Branch stared at Peppy. "Did you…..find it somewhere? What happened?"

Peppy sighed. "After your grandmother was taken, Branch…I went after her…."

Peppy hadn't been too far away when he heard the terrified shriek. He took off across the branches of the Troll Tree, his cape billowing behind him. When he came closer to the source of the scream, he saw someone had been in the middle of hanging laundry. The Bergen known as Chef slammed the door to the cage shut behind her.

What was she doing in here? Peppy wondered. It's not Trollstice. Peppy suddenly realized where he stood. "Rosiepuff! Branch! Where are you?" He scanned the branches around him, but he didn't see his friend or her grandson. The king looked down to the ground, and he saw a grey and black shape. He wrapped his hair around the tree branch he stood on, and he lowered himself to the ground. He pushed through the grass and flowers and saw a young troll boy kneeling on the ground with his head lowered. His skin was grey and his hair black, but Peppy could recognize the five-year-old anywhere.

"Branch!" Peppy gasped, kneeling in front of the boy. "Branch, are you hurt?"

The newly greyed Branch looked up to Peppy, and he burst into tears.

"No, no, no." Peppy shushed, pulling Branch into a tight hug. "There, there. Branch, it's going to be all right. But you need to listen to me. Where is your grandmother?"

"B-B-B-Bergen….took G-G-Grandma….." Branch hiccupped between sobs. "I didn't…..I d-d-didn't see….and th-then she….." He broke down sobbing again, burying his face in the crook of Peppy's shoulder.

Peppy rubbed Branch's back soothingly. "Easy, Branch. It's all right. I'm right here." He glared in the direction Chef left. "You're coming home with me, Branch. I'm going to take care of you. All right?"

Branch hiccupped again. "O-okay….."

Peppy stood, stretching his hair out again to pull him into the Troll Tree. He passed by the pod home of Cybil, a skilled yogi and another good friend to Peppy and Rosiepuff. She had minty green skin and hair a bright teal color. She wore a light purple dress, golden hoop earrings (two of them on one ear and one on the other), and a lavender bindi gem on her forehead. Cybil stood by her door, apparently troubled. Whether or not she heard the shriek, Peppy had no idea.

"Cybil!" Peppy shouted. "See me at my home in ten minutes!" He didn't wait for Cybil to respond. He went straight to his pod home and took Branch to the playroom. Very carefully, very gently, Peppy unlatched Branch's grip and set the boy on the ground. "I need you to do me a favor, okay?" Peppy asked Branch.

The boy sniffled. He had stopped sobbing by now. "What favor?"

Peppy stood and retrieved his infant daughter from her crib. Poppy very recently turned a year old. She just began talking with simple words. Peppy set the baby down next to Branch. "I need to run an errand. Can you take care of my daughter?"

When Poppy saw the grey troll, she reached for him with a curious look in her eyes. She cooed and giggled.

Branch's eyes lit up a little when he saw the princess. "Sure….."

Peppy tousled Branch's hair. "That's a good lad."

"Peppy!" Cybil called from the hallway.

"In here!" Peppy called back. Cybil entered the playroom, her adoptive son Creek in tow. Creek's parents died in the last Trollstice, and Cybil had immediately adopted him. Not only was she his mother, she was also his mentor. Early on, Creek showed potential to be a strong yogi, so Cybil took him under her wing. Creek was the same age as Branch.

"What's wrong with Branch?" Creek asked, staring worriedly at his friend.

"He just needs a friend right now." Peppy said. "Can you help him?"

"Sure!" Creek chirped. He immediately went to Branch's side and knelt next to him. "Hi Branch. You okay?"

Branch shrugged. He couldn't speak because he began crying again. Creek patted his back comfortingly.

"What is the meaning of this, Peppy?" Cybil asked. She was the only troll besides Rosiepuff who spoke to Peppy so informally.

"Chef took Rosiepuff." Peppy whispered to her. "I'm going to get her back. I need you to watch Branch and Poppy while I'm gone."

"Peppy, that's a crazy idea." Cybil protested. "You cannot go chasing after a Bergen!"

"She took our friend, Cybil!" Peppy hissed. "It would've been horrible if Rosiepuff had been a Trollstice Troll; but she was taken for no reason! I won't stand for it."

"And what if you don't come back?" Cybil demanded.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Peppy said. "Cybil, come on. She's our friend. I can't just sit here and watch this happen. I promised myself I would get her out of here along with everyone else. We're so close to finishing the tunnel. So I'm going out there and bringing her home."

Cybil stared at Peppy for a moment, and then looked to Branch. In a few dings, everyone's Hug Time bracelets went off. Creek grinned and opened his arms to Branch. In response, the grey child ripped his Hug Time bracelet off and threw it across the room. He froze, unable to believe he just did that. But Creek stopped him from apologizing, and he gently hugged his friend. Branch shook as he started sobbing again.

"Go." Cybil said. "Bring Rosiepuff back. Not for us, but for him."

Peppy nodded. He hung up his cape and his crown so they wouldn't slow him down. Then he slipped out of the pod and hurried down to the ground. Peppy went to the bars of the cage around the Troll Tree, and he peered out. The guards were switching out. Perfect timing. Peppy slipped through the bars of the cage and sprinted to a nearby trashcan. He hid behind the can as the guards finished their switch. The guards now off-duty stood in a group as they headed right for the castle. Peppy used his hair to camouflage himself, changing his hair color to match the guards' boots. He kept right up with the guards, so silent that none of them noticed they were being followed. Upon reaching the stairs to the castle, the guards went in another direction and towards the stables. Peppy retracted his hair and let it fade back to its normal color. He began climbing the steps and towards the door.

The king paused. Did he hear someone call for him? The sound didn't come again, so Peppy continued his climb. It took quite a bit of time for him to make it to the front doors of the castle. He jumped aside when the door swung open. King Gristle Sr. stepped out, cradling his soon-to-be three-year-old son in one arm.

"Come, my boy!" the Bergen king said cheerfully. "We should go see our subjects. A good king maintains a good relationship with his subjects."

"Can we see the trolls, Daddy?" Prince Gristle asked.

"Of course!" King Gristle laughed.

Peppy scowled as he darted into the castle. Monstrous beasts. He would never forget last Trollstice, when his beloved wife was taken from him. Poppy was now motherless thanks to the Bergens. Branch was an orphan because of them. "Not if I have anything to say about it." Peppy growled as he hurried off to find the kitchen. Branch already lost his parents. He couldn't lose his grandmother. Now if only Peppy could find the kitchen. He read about medieval castles. If he remembered the layout well enough, then the kitchen should be on one of the lower levels.

After he finally located the stairs, Peppy traveled down to the very bottom, and that's when he had to stop at the sight of a couple other Bergen chefs. These were assistants to the royal chef, and they carried dirty dishes from lunch. Peppy stayed right behind them, hiding every chance he got. Following the chefs, Peppy reached the kitchen in a few minutes. He dove under a table and watched the Bergens move. The assistant chefs put the dishes in the sink and then hurried off at the screeching call of Chef. Once they were gone, Peppy began his search.

"Rosiepuff!" Peppy called as loudly as he dared. "Rosiepuff, answer me! Where are you?" He climbed up to the countertops and ran across them, checking behind every jar and inside every pot and pan. He left the Troll Tree soon after Chef did. She couldn't have cooked her catch already. And what purpose would Chef have to take just one troll? Peppy continued to scour the kitchen. "Rosiepuff!"

The door creaked open, and Peppy jumped onto a broom and slid down to the ground. He ducked under a table and hid behind the leg to avoid being seen. But he felt something hard and cold hit his back, and he jumped forward. He slapped his hands over his mouth to muffle his shout of pain. Peppy turned around and saw he accidentally leaned against a nail head sticking out of the wood. The troll king noticed something caught on the nail: a length of knitted yarn with pink hearts.

Rosiepuff's coat.

Peppy shakily untangled the coat from the nail, rubbing the soft shawl with his thumb. Where is she? He wondered desperately. He went to the edge of the table and stared out into the kitchen to see if he could spot his friend.

He jumped when he came face-to-face with a Bergen.

Peppy leaped so high he almost hit his head on the underside of the table. The Bergen stared back at him with her wide pink eyes. She had grey skin and bright pink hair, wearing a pink dress and a white apron. She looked like a child, far too young to be working in a kitchen. Oddly enough, she didn't make a move to catch Peppy.

"Scullery maid!" Chef shouted.

The young Bergen stood quickly and used her broom to drag Peppy out of his hiding spot. She quickly put the broom in front of him, shaking it a little. Catching on, Peppy folded Rosiepuff's coat and tucked it into one arm, and he grabbed the straws of the broom brush with his free hand. The Bergen child swept nonexistent dust.

Chef stomped into the kitchen. "Did you escort our guest out?"

"Yes, Chef." The child Bergen nodded. "I took him to the tower, like you said. He flew off."

"Flew? You dolt, he couldn't have flown!" Chef huffed.

"Well, he—"

"Oh forget it." Chef turned and marched out of the room. The Bergen girl waited until she couldn't hear Chef's footsteps, and she held out her hand for Peppy to climb on. She crawled onto a counter and up to a window.

"Go!" the girl urged, pushing the window open. "Get out of here! Go home!"

"Wait!" Peppy paused as he started out the window. "Did you see another troll in here? Purple skin? Green hair? Wearing this?" He held up Rosiepuff's coat.

"She's gone." The girl said. "She's gone, okay? You won't find her here." She truly looked upset about it. "You have to go home. Hurry!" She shut the window and hopped down before Chef could find her.

Peppy saw a gutter attached to the windowsill. He hugged Rosiepuff's coat tightly to his chest as he jumped into the gutter. He slid all the way down to the main street of Bergen Town. He hid in an alleyway and took a moment to catch his breath. He looked down to the coat in his arms, and tears sprung up in his eyes. He hugged the coat to his chest again, leaning against the wall and sliding to the ground. The king struggled to control his breathing and keep his sobs quiet. He thought for sure he would make it. This wasn't fair. Why was she taken? And why outside of Trollstice?

"I'm so sorry, Rosiepuff…" Peppy whispered. "I wasn't fast enough. I should've been there."

There was nothing more he could do. He lost yet another friend to the Bergens. The thought started to make him angry. Now he was even more determined to free his people from this horrible life. If it was the last thing he did, he was going to lead his people to freedom.

First, he had to get home. He had some bad news to deliver.

Branch was silent as Peppy finished the story. He hugged his grandmother's coat, desperately holding back his tears. Peppy sighed heavily. "Your grandmother was such a dear friend to me, Branch. It made me livid to know she was taken from you. I thought I could bring her back. But I was too late."

Branch shook his head slowly. "You went after her. That was really brave. Thank you."

Peppy shrugged halfheartedly. "I was going to give that to you sooner. But, to tell you the truth, I wanted to keep it for myself. To remember her by. You already turned grey, and I was afraid you would sink even lower. Heaven's sake, Branch, I thought you were going to kill yourself."

"If I had to be honest, that crossed my mind once or twice." Branch admitted.

"I should've done more for you, Branch." Peppy said. "You're my godson. You were family to me, and now you really are part of my family by marrying my daughter. I never should've let you stay so isolated."

"That was a choice I made for myself." Branch said. "And it didn't stop me from protecting the trolls." He smiled at Peppy. "You did more for me than anyone else in the village simply by being there. You never gave up on me and you treated me like I wasn't even grey. That was all I needed to keep going."

Peppy smiled back. He cleared his throat. "Well, I think it's time you had that back. She was your grandmother, after all, and I have plenty of memories and scrapbooks to remember her by."

Branch's smile grew, even when his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He hugged his godfather, who returned the embrace. For a moment, Peppy felt like he held the young boy he knew so well. He had to remind himself that Branch was no longer a boy. He had grown into a strong young man of a troll, and he regained his happiness through Poppy.

"Thank you." Branch said with a shuddering sigh.

Peppy chuckled. "I'm always going to be there for you, Branch. I promise."

A/N: How's the first chapter? It's a little sad, but the others will be happier! A few notes:

The idea to make Creek Cybil's adoptive son was originally inspired by what I saw in Turtle Babe's stories "Find Me – I'm Lost" and "A Time to Heal," where Creek was her apprentice.

Also, Peppy discovering Rosiepuff's coat was inspired from a similar scene from Callisto Altair's story "Dreams of Disaster."

I take inspiration from what I read, but I always give credit where it is due! Until next time! TTFN!