Hello, curious reader and welcome! Trolls is a franchise I strangely enjoy and really gotten into within the past year or so. I like the first movie, like the added world building in Trolls: World Tour (hopefully some theaters near me will release it, cause I need to see in on a big screen!), and find most of Trolls: The Beat Goes On entertaining.

One of my favorite episodes is "Marshtato Fairy," partially for its introduction of Marshtato Mary (who I love to despise) and because it has an interesting message about when the truth isn't always the best thing to reveal. Spoilers, Branch is right about the holiday being a sham, but it's admirable that he's willing to keep quiet so he doesn't crush the other Trolls' spirits. Another point this episode gets is for not visually showing if a Fairy actually exists, such as a background image or episode cut away. Based on what we know, there isn't a Marshtato Fairy and Mary is a greedy little critter, so Branch's silence makes his actions all the more admirable.

For those who haven't seen T:WT, Poppy and Branch officially become a couple and I am honestly excited about it! One thing I've noticed about those two is though they're opposites, they're very complimentary. Poppy needs Branch to reel her in sometimes, and Branch needs Poppy to reconnect with his Troll side. They know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and are constantly learning how to respect each other. A friendship I enjoy watching grow since it's a realistic mix of caring, sprinkled with annoyance, healthy competitiveness, and acknowledging limits.

There are plans for a new series, called Trolltopia (that's been pushed back, unfortunately) so hopefully we'll see how DreamWorks wants to handle this relationship. Since Poppy is Queen, I definitely want to see moments in the show where the two have to work that out. Branch may be branching out (ha!) more, but he's technically dating royalty now. And Poppy is all about community outreach and being personable, so there's definitely room for growth on both ends in terms of mutual understanding and compromise.

Okay, I've rambled enough about that so let's wrap this up. This is my head cannon sequel of "Marshtato Fairy" and takes place after T:WT. I'm not sure how I want to handle all the ramifications from the movie (spoiler: other genres appear to mix a bit with Pop Trolls and Cooper is a Funk Troll), so it will follow T:TBGO style with a confirmed Poppy and Branch relationship status.

Disclaimer: I don't own Trolls or anything dealing with its long history. DreamWorks own the franchise rights, and I'm just a simple writer who enjoys creating fanfiction.

'Arriving once more, on the foggiest night of the year,

Comes a magical visitor bringing good cheer!

The best treat for a Troll's sweet Tooth,

The wonderful marshtato, the greatest truth.

We gather together to welcome the Marshtato Fairy,

Who flies through the night, so light and airy!

Last time her nemesis, Marshtato Mary, wanted to bring gloom,

But us Trolls stopped her, acting as one with our love hug bloom!

This time, leading us into Marshtato Day spirit,

Is Branch! Who will not rigmarole his way out of it!'

"Aren't you all excited for this?!" Poppy asked the gathered Troll children, her smile almost comically big even on her normally cheerful face.

The small group cheered, Keith saying over the chorus, "With an extra hour of group hug, how can I not?!"

Beside her on the rock, Branch just sighed, stating, "Once again, that is not how you use 'rigmarole.'"

Poppy happily shrugged her shoulders, the fake wings behind her back lifting up with the action. "Whatever. Now then," she put the scrapbook in her air and addressed the assembled Troll kids, who also sported wings. In front of them lay numerous rocks and craft supplies, enough for them to decorate a whole quarry if they wanted. "Why don't you kids finish with the rocks and then we'll move on to decorating your group pod? We can even have Marshtato Cocoa on the way over. Sound like a plan?!"

"Yay!" they eagerly agreed, shifting their focus back to their rocks and chatting among themselves.

With her younger subjects distracted, Poppy turned to Branch and managed to break into a wider smile. The other Troll just sighed again, but did offer her a small smile and good natured shrug. His own pair of wings behind his back matched the movement.

"Oh Branch, you have no idea how excited I am for this! You finally leading something for the Village, and a hug-related something at that! Oh, I'm not sure what I'm most excited for: sharing marshtatoes with you or hugging you for an hour!" At this, Poppy threw her arms around Branch in a deep hug, which he shyly returned.

The pair broke after a few seconds, though Poppy's smile didn't diminish one centimeter. Branch nervously rubbed the back of his neck, saying, "Yeah. Hugging. With a lot of Trolls, for a long period of time. For Marshtato Day spirit."

At this, Poppy's smile did falter, though she did her best not to bring it too far down with the kids still near her. Thinking quick, she gently took Branch's hand and helped him to his feet, asking purposefully, "Wanna help me get the Marshtato Cocoa ready? We should have enough for seconds, but I wanna see if we can squeeze in thirds."

Gratefully, he answered, "Sure." And the pair made their way towards the booth with a final word from Poppy telling the children to keep decorating their rocks. A few nodded, but most were too absorbed in their craft and telling each other and the rocks all the positive things they've done since last year.

Once they were out of their range, Poppy dropped her smile and asked, "Branch, are you sure you're alright with all of this? I can find a way to reschedule everything if you really don't feel comfortable with hugging for that long. After all, this holiday is meant to be fun for everyone."

Branch gave her a relieved expression, but shook his head at the suggestion. "No, no. I made a promise last year that I would do this, and I'm a Troll of my word. Just, maybe, try to get you and the Snack Pack as close to me as you can? That might help my anxiety a bit."

"Alright, if that's what you want." Poppy studied his expression for a few more seconds, but schooled it into her more positive face when they got closer to other Trolls.

By this time, there were at the beverage booth and Cocoa, a Troll with light earth skin and cloud white hair, smiled at them cheerfully. "Queen Poppy! Branch! Glad to see you!" Her yellow apron was covered in numerous marshtatoes, with a mug of the drink sported in its center. A white shirt and pants could be seen outside the apron's outline, giving the Troll the appearance of her namesake. Her whole body was dusted in marshtato cocoa powder, with a few spots washed away due the Puffalo milk she used to mix the drink. "Come here for a sample? Stock update? Order?"

"All the above, of course, Cocoa," Poppy answered. The cocoa barista immediately gave the couple sample cups and turned to her booth and barrels to check how much supplies she had. The pair took a small sip, and Poppy burst out, "Delicious as always! The kids would definitely love this!"

"Oh, that's great to hear," Cocoa said, head stuck under the booth as she counted out the cups she had. "I have enough cups for everyone to have extras, just give me a second to check the powder and milk."

As the other Troll did her task, Branch finished off his drink, adding on, "This is really tasty, Cocoa. I might have to beg you for your secret in keeping the powder from losing its flavor."

"Oh, Branch," the named Troll, chuckled, turning back to the couple. "No begging is ever needed. I just wait for the marshtato to fully ripen, freeze it for a few weeks, crush it into powder, then add some dashes of chocolate mix to keep the marshtato powder company. The harvest only comes once a year, so it's important to get as much crop in as I can. It's hard work and I'm not able to do much for a while, but if it means Trolls can have Marshtato Cocoa all year, then it's worth it!"

The brown Troll smiled warmly at the thought, while the teal Troll returned the expression with a strained, almost guilty looking one. 'Hmm,' Poppy thought, brightening up when she was once again at Cocoa's attention.

"Okay Queen Poppy, I have enough supplies to fill a lake, so how many cups can I interest you in?"

"Enough for the kids over there," Poppy pointed to the group they were at earlier, who were now showing off their rocks to each other. "To have 3 servings. Do you have a cart we can use to transport? I want to take them to their class pod to decorate, and I sort of promised them 3 cups each."

"Right away then!" Cocoa immediately went to work on the order, so Poppy and Branch moved over in case some other Troll needed to get to her.

Quietly, Poppy asked Branch, "Last year, when you went up to Hill Mountain, did you manage to actually see the Marshtato Fairy? Or did Mary keep you distracted?"

Branch immediately tensed, and Poppy recognized it as a sign that he was choosing his words carefully. Nowadays, it was normally reserved when he wanted to report on Village things to her or find a way to help her see a problem in a new way. However, something told her she wasn't going to receive a full answer.

"Well, I did notice a log, filled with marshtatoes. So someone definitely has a stash of them." The cup in his hand was slowly being crushed as he spoke, and he quickly placed it in a trash as he spat out. "And that's when Mary flew at me." He turned back around and smiled sheepishly, scratching his head. "She put me in a marshtato, I rolled down Hill Mountain, and that's when I told you who she was."

"Uh-huh, I remember that. And I also remember you knowing what Mary's weakness was. How did you find that out?"

Before Branch could answer, Cocoa called cheerfully, "Your order is ready, Queen Poppy! Just return the cart tomorrow!" She brought a small cart with a barrel over to the pair, cups carefully stacked on the side with a spout at the barrel's bottom. "See you at the Marshtato Eve Group Hug!"

"Thanks, you too!" Poppy shouted with a wave.

"See you there," Branch stated less enthusiastically, but did wave bye as well.

Each taking an end of the handle, they made their way back to the group of kids. Branch did his best to ignore her questioning gaze, and Poppy found herself growing more suspicious. Hoping to set him at ease, she casually asked, "So have you staked out your patch of marshtatoes yet? After all the fun and joy we had this year, I can see the harvest being pretty large."

"Um, no, not yet. With me helping you and the whole Hug thing, it sort of slipped my mind. I'll just have to hope there's enough for my own stores later. If not, then there's always next year."

"True. And I know I told you this earlier this morning, but thank you." She made sure he saw how genuine her smile was, and felt her stomach flutter when he returned one just as genuine. "You've been such a huge help ever since the whole 'World Tour' thing, and of course way before that, but I definitely feel much better having you help with most of the holidays now. Even if I know you don't really want to."

"Hey, what guy doesn't do what he can to help his girlfriend out? Besides, you've been getting better at helping me as well. Even if you still insist on organizing the rations wrong and throwing away perfectly good material." His hair playfully brushed against hers, and she couldn't hold back a giggle.

"Well, sorry if I can't tell the difference between tree and swamp moss yet, or don't see the appeal in keeping 3 year old apple cores. Seriously, though, what is the point of them?"

"It's in case something happens to the apple trees! The seeds are still inside and the core has the nutrients they need to get started. You can at least keep those before tossing the whole core."

This time, she brushed her hair to his, saying, "I'll be sure to pay more attention to your instructions next time. If I may, though, I suggest-"

"Aww!" a chorus sounded out in front of them, freezing the couple as they realized they made it back to the group of kids. All eyes were on them, multiplied by the ones painted on the rocks. "You two are so sweet together," one child blurted out, earning confirming nods among their peers.

Poppy and Branch laughed nervously at getting so distracted, but quickly recovered as Poppy asked, "Alright, who wants to show me their rocks?!"

Both older Trolls found their visions filled with painted smiles, some of them going so far as to add paper and felt so the rocks appeared to have hair, with more crafts fashioned there. "Uh! They look great everyone! I'm sure the Marshtato Fairy is going to be excited knowing you gave all her friends a makeover."

"Queen Poppy," an orange skinned Troll with bright yellow hair stated, raising her arm up for extra attention. "Do you think Marshtato Mary is going to come back this year and try to ruin Marshtato Day?" The others immediately frowned at the thought, some appearing on the verge of tears at the mere thought as they clutched their rocks closer.

Confused but not wanting to ruin the younger Trolls' spirits, Poppy opened her mouth, but was intercepted by Branch. "Of course not, Tamera. After our hug attack last year, Mary wouldn't dare dream of coming back." He crouched in front of the group, put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and addressed the group. "She doesn't like the fact we are all so happy and share marshtatoes with each other, because she wants them only for herself. Because of that, the rocks don't like her as much and tell the Marshtato Fairy all the nice stuff you do. Every good, happy, positive thing they tell the Fairy gives the Fairy strength.'

"This year, with so much good happening, no way can Mary stand up against the Fairy. Even if she does make the mistake of returning, we'll be more than capable of defeating her once again."

"Of course!" they responded, spirits lifted once more as Branch stood up. "We're the best at hugs and sharing, so there's no way Mary will defeat us!"

Before they could get lost in their chatter, Poppy interrupted, "That's right, kids. We just have to show the Fairy how joyful we are, and she'll have no problems tonight. Which reminds me… Who's ready to decorate the group pod?!"

Just as quickly, their focus was shifted to thoughts of decoration and they spouted out their ideas as Poppy and Branch led them to their pod. Cups of Marshtato Cocoa were placed in their hands, lifting up their already high spirits. Through the small cacophony of noise, Poppy managed to whisper to Branch, "Nice save there. Never would have pictured you would come up with something like that so quickly."

Shrugging, he replied, "Told you, I'm great at storytelling, and I guess the holiday cheer is finally getting to me."

The group pod the kids were assigned came into view, lowered from its usual height so the kids could have an easier time decorating without worry about them hurting themselves too badly. Catching sight of all the paper, ribbons, stickers, tape, glitter, and other crafts within reach, the Troll kids stampeded forwarded. Along the way, they carefully placed their rocks so they wouldn't get in anyone's path (which wasn't really necessary since rocks were everyone and every Troll knew to watch their step).

Sounds of ripping, cutting, and sticking filled the space, intercut with laughter and retellings of the happy things the Troll children had seen that year. While Poppy could only chuckle at the scene, Branch shook his head at seeing the cups they had discarded in their haste. "Maybe I should add that the Marshtato Fairy gives special marshtatoes to Trolls who don't litter," he muttered, gathering the trash.

Still chuckling, Poppy helped him, stating, "You can let that slip next year. Though, given our love of confetti, I'm not sure how well that will turn out."

Grumbling, but still more positive than usual, Branch set the dirty cups to the side and filled new cups with the beverage, adding each Troll's name and favorite shape as a marker. Somehow, they all enjoyed the same colors, but shapes remained special for each person. Even if the only difference between one triangle and another was which side was longer than the other. Branch had long ago gave up figuring out how that mattered.

Now that the kids didn't need her full attention, Poppy allowed herself to relax against the cart and study the Village. Everyone she looked were happy (well, happier) Trolls fully in the Marshtato Day spirit. Decorations covered almost every inch of anything the Trolls could reach, holiday celebrators loudly burped the alphabet, items were being joyfully exchanged, and everyone went for friendly hugs and high fives. All in all, it was definitely one of the merriest events she's ever attended.

And yet…

Turning her attention to Branch, the Queen couldn't help but feel a tangled knot in her gut. When she had reminded the less bubbly Troll of his promise a few months ago, he had characteristically put up a bit of protest. However, it didn't take nearly as long as she calculated to sway him and he told her he would work on his touch tolerance so he wouldn't cut the hug early.

She spent the rest of that day helping him with his survivalist chores, partially to show her gratitude but mainly so he knew she would be there for him at every step. Neither had brought up the Group Hug the rest of that day, though that was more to do with the fact Poppy messed up almost every task and they had to spend more time fixing her mistakes. Since that meant they ended up spending almost the whole day together, neither could really complain.

As the day in question approached, Poppy saw him slowly getting into the holiday spirit, though it didn't take a Chummy Sparklestone to see he was severely anxious when he thought no one was looking. Her attempts at discretely (okay, maybe not so discretely sometimes) compelling him to come clean about his true feelings on the issue never panned out.

Every time it looked like he would ask her to reconsider or tell her what he was thinking, he would grow introspective and tell her, "This holiday is supposed to be about fun and happiness, and I'm a Troll of my word." That was all he would say, and nothing she could say or do would get him to budge.

Branch had definitely become a better Troll over the year, and Poppy liked to think she had become a better observer when it came to his nonverbal clues. And those clues were telling her something serious was going on with Branch and Marshtato Day.

Mentally preparing herself, Poppy casually asked, "You remember how adamant you were last year that the Fairy didn't exist, Branch?"

He nearly dropped a cup he was filling, muttering quickly, "W-W-What?! Oh! Yeah! That whole thing! Psh!" Setting down the cup and placing it on a table he set up (Wait, when did he do that? Poppy questioned), he much smoothly answered. "That was the old me. A lot has changed since then. I'm not so paranoid, I'm getting better at the friendship and trust thing, I got my gem, went on another life changing adventure, met some interesting characters, finally confessed my feelings to you." Neither could hold back the blush that spread across their cheeks at that mention.

"I'm just feeling different this year, that's all, Poppy. Heck, unexpected touches of affections don't even freak me out as much."

At that moment, something lightly tapped his back, and Branch nearly jumped several hair lengths up as he quickly spun around to face the culprit. Lowering his eyes, Branch's shoulders dropped when he saw it was just Keith, whose hand was still in the same position from where it had patted his back. "Branch, do you think you can help us with the top of the pod? We want to add something cool, but we're not sure we can reach."

Sighing, Branch rubbed his face, saying, "Sure, but it better not be so heavy the pod can't be lifted back up or so loose it falls apart. Safety first."

"Sweet! I'll tell the others. Thanks, Branch!" The small Troll ran back over to his companions, who cheered when he relayed the answer.

Shaking his head with a grin, the teal Troll stated, "Not sure what they're planning, but it's bound to be interesting. Want to lend a hand, Poppy?"

The pink Troll was about to yell, 'yes!' when her mind was suddenly struck with scrapbook materials, characters and scenes already preparing to create themselves. Before he could get worried, she barked out, "Love to, but I just remembered there was a new tradition I wanted to think out and completely forgot about til now. Drat! Better go take care of that pronto! Good luck!"

Not giving him a chance to say anything about her nervous rambling, she interlocked their hands and leaned sharply forward so their cheeks brushed against each other. Leaning back and seeing reflections of her own stars in Branch's eyes, she disconnected their hands and ran off, waving, "I'll be back in time for Group Hug!"

Branch watched her go for a few more seconds, hands still heated from their brief contact and half-hoping some of her pink had rubbed against his cheek. "Branch, we're ready!" Keith called out, bringing the Troll back to the ground.

"She's acting weirder than normal," he whispered to himself, taking a tray of cups with him to the group of excited kids.

When Poppy finally reached the marshtato patch, she stopped and took several deep breaths to get her heart back under control. Through deep inhales, she scouted the patch for anything out of the norm.

Seeing just the fence, fresh soil, and the backdrop of Hill Mountain, Poppy sat down, pulled out her scrapbook and began crafting out her thoughts.

"Okay, what do I know so far: Branch is actually excited for Marshtato Day, though not the Group Hug of course. Last year he didn't believe in any of the traditions, thought the whole thing was a rigmarole, whatever that still actually means. He had gone up Hill Mountain to prove the nonexistence of the Marshtato Fairy. All he found was a log with marshtatoes, no Fairy, and Marshtato Mary. Something happened, he got marshtatoed, Mary came down impersonating the Marshtato Fairy, and then he arrived to tell us Mary was the enemy."

The opened pages were filled with scrapbook cutouts of each point. Miniature crafts of Branch, Hill Mountain, Mary, a log, marshtatoes, and a red line through a pink/purplish dot she labeled 'Marshtato Fairy.' At the final scene, with Branch standing on the bug and the Trolls gathered around Mary, Poppy placed a question mark above his dialogue bubble.

"If all he met was Mary, then how did he figure out she wasn't the Fairy? Only the Fairy is supposed to live up there. Why would they stay in the same place if they're enemies? The Fairy is supposed to live at the top of Hill Mountain, but Branch only saw one log and that was Mary's…"

Streamers were wrapping around in her brain and noisemakers were going off.

"Mary said she takes marshtatoes, there was a lone log full of them, and Mary came down after Branch had gone up the mountain. The Fairy is super shy, Branch would not have been calm enough to entice her out of hiding, and he seemed to know how to make Mary go away. He was also super skeptical, so he wouldn't have taken the Fairy's absence at Hill Mountain as proof she existed. So how could he have known about Mary and the Fairy?..."

Her musings were interrupted when Poppy caught movement headed down from the landmark she was thinking about. She quickly stuffed the scrapbook in her hair and hid behind some bushes, making sure she kept the strange object in view.

Once the thing got closer, she realized it was a small ball of glittery light flying through the air. She also realized it was the exact same size and hue from a certain character she was also just studying.

"What are you up to, Mary?" Poppy whispered quietly from her hidden spot. Each second the distance between them closed was a second Poppy spent preparing her body for action.

The light reached the fence posts and Mary immediately materialized herself. Unlike her last appearance, Mary wasn't sporting any wings, the space instead taken up by a spear like weapon with a marshtato at the end. Besides those two things, she looked the exact same as last year.

The imposter fairy scouted around the patch for any witnesses and when she didn't see anything, let out a cruel smile. "You may have stolen my marshtatoes last year, elves, but you won't be so lucky this year! Once these delicious delicacies pop up, I'm snatching up every one of them for myself. Branch may have gone soft on the plan last year, but I'm ready this time!"

'Plan? With Branch? Why would-" Like a bolt of lightning, the scrapbook finally glued itself into place.

"Now then," Mary delicately descended on the soil, spear shifting to a shovel as she slid it off her back. "I just wait til night and-"

"Oh no you don't!"

In a swirl of pink and sensation of softness, Marshtato Mary found herself caught off guard as Poppy shot her hair out. "What?!" The fairy managed to fly out of the initial shot, but a few stray hairs managed to grab her ankle and drag her back to the ground. "No! No! No!" she screamed, the sounds muffled as the hair wrapped around her body and blocked her in.

Struggling but unwilling to let her captive escape so easily, Poppy rapidly dug into her hair and pulled out a small bag of sand and a spray bottle filled with water. She ripped open the bag, sprayed a few times, and rapidly began constructing a small cage.

Once the base and bars were done, she dragged her hair over the open end and dropped Mary in. The little spitfire landed roughly on her back, a bit dazed from her scuffle inside the hair. By the time she saw a possible escape, Poppy had already tossed sand over the opening and sprayed it down. The particles stuck themselves together, solidifying into shape as Poppy connected the top with the bars.

The attack barely lasted a minute, and Poppy panted as she regarded the caged Marshtato Mary.

Fully taking in her situation, Mary let out a loud (but adorable) scream and flung herself against the bars in an attempt to break them. Much to her dismay, however, the hasty sand creation remained intact with no sign of wear. "What is this? This thing is just sand! It should not be this strong!"

Finally regaining most of her breath, Poppy stood up and regarded the prisoner with harsh eyes. "We Trolls are not so easy to overpower, Mary. Struggle all you want, but you aren't getting out until you answer some questions."

"Huh?" Mary ceased her actions and studied her captor, looking the pink Troll up and down. "Who are you and why should I care? Those marshtatoes are mine, and I'm not about to let you thieves steal from me again!"

"I am Queen Poppy of the Pop Trolls, and I'm the only thing standing between you and freedom. Cooperate nicely, and we may even end up being acquaintances by the end of this exchange."

"Pft! You think I'm gonna let some puke pink elf stand between me and my marshtatoes?! Much less be acquaintances? Ha! You're just a bunch of no good, thieving, lying, little el-"

In a blink, Poppy wrapped her hair around the cage and gave it several violent shakes, only feeling partially guilty when she heard Mary bouncing against the edges. Satisfied that some of her anger was released and Mary had quieted down, the Troll lowered the cage back to the ground and pulled away her hair.

"First off, you are going to learn how to talk politely. Second, you will refrain from using that slur. Third, you are going to answer my questions without any more lip. And fourth, failure to conform to all three will land you a nice spot in the middle of what promises to be the longest and happiest Marshtato Eve Hug ever. Do I make myself clear?" Poppy sealed the question with a harsh glare, past the point of caring in reaching the intruder with kindness.

Registering how serious Poppy was, Mary timidly nodded, but raised herself as tall as she could on her still wobbling legs. Last year's hug attack had left her feeling sick for weeks, during which not even her beloved marshtatoes could sooth her. No way was she going to risk a repeat attack.

"Good." Easing her stance but remaining commanding, Poppy asked, "I overheard your plan to steal our marshtatoes this year, but what did you mean by last year's plan?"

Rolling her eyes, the most defiance she was willing to show, Mary answered curtly, "Isn't it obvious? Branch broke into my home and told me how you stupid e-" Noticing the quick glare, she restated. "How you Trolls thought a fairy gifted you marshtatoes this night every year. We realized we could both get what something we wanted, but he backed out at the last second. Something about not wanting to spoil his friends' fun, or some other stupid sentiment like that. As you remember, he ended up betraying me by insisting I was the Marshtato Fairy's enemy and set your hug on me."

"So you do live on Hill Mountain and you don't know a Marshtato Fairy at all?"

"Duh! What rational person believes something like that? Marshtatoes are plants and grow from the ground naturally! He was the smartest out of you foolish lot, but in the end he decided he rather go along with the silly charade than tell you the honest, horrible truth!"

'Oh, sprinkles!' Poppy thought, tuning out Mary's quiet and probably inappropriate mutterings. 'Branch was right! There isn't a Fairy, and he was willing to put himself in an uncomfortable situation so our feelings wouldn't be hurt. Frosting, I need to tell him that I know right away!'

Back at the Village, Trolls were happily congregating in the center. Laughter, songs, burbs, crafts, food, beverages, and other holiday festivities were present with everyone and along every inch of Troll Village.

The Snack Pack, who had wrapped up their own holiday tasks, made their way to the main stage to meet up with Poppy and Branch. Through munching and laughter, they lightly conversed with each other.

"Mr. Dinkles had a great time meeting up with his old friends. They even admired how swell his wings looked. Isn't that right, Mr. D?" Lifting the winged worm forward, the critter stared blankly at them with a "Meep."

"While he does look good tonight," Guy Diamond started, bringing attention to his own wings that were lavished in glitter. "There's no denying I have the most stylish wings right now. Only other being who can compare would be the Marshtato Fairy herself."

Satin and Chenille just smirked, one pipping with, "While they aren't too bad-" "-Glitter wings are only in style once a year," the other finished.

"Well of course. Wouldn't want the other Trolls becoming too used to my winged beauty now, would we?"

"Wait, does that make me a Pegasus then?" Cooper asked out loud, staring at his own wings. "Cause that would be awesome!"

By this point, they approached the main platform, caught sight of Branch standing below it, and immediately burst into giggles. The not as grumpy but still not all sunshine Troll just stared at them aggressively, the effect of his scowl greatly lessened by the fact he was covered in glitter, sported stickers, ribbons, and bows across his whole body, and had Marshtato Cocoa dripping in his hair. In the midst of the messy ensemble, his wings still appeared to be intact.

Controlling their amusement first, Smidge inquired, "What happened to you, Branch?"

Grumbling as he worked on wiping away some of the glitter, he growled, "Somehow, helping the kids put on a few ornaments ended up with me at the other end of glitter gun, used as a walking decorating stick, thrown into a barrel of Marshtato Cocoa, and then crowned 'King of Glitter and Rocks!' from those same kids. I don't know exactly how it happened, and I honestly don't care to know right now."

"Man, kids can be wild," Suki mused, offering him a towel from her hair. The others, still laughing, quickly followed suit and Branch gratefully accepted their offerings.

As he worked on making himself presentable, he asked the group, "So I'm guessing you guys had fun today?"

A chorus of 'yes's rang out, with Cooper adding, "I drank five barrels of Marshtato Cocoa using my hat as a cup! It is still not dry."

"It has been great," Biggie stated, eyes going dreamy. "But I'm so ready for the Group Hug. It's my favorite activity! Well, besides the other things like burping the Alphabet, sharing food, enjoying Marshtato Cocoa, and all that."

"Still can't believe you're leading it this year, Branch," Suki pointed out.

With most of the glitter gone, stickers removed, and body mostly dry, Branch folded the dirty towels and passed them back to their owners, sighing. "Yeah. Poppy has been trying to figure out a way to get me out of it, but it's not going to happen. I am a changed Troll who made a promise."

Despite his apparent bravo, the group still saw him eye the rest of the Village unenthusiastically. They may enjoy teasing him about his hermit ways, but they never liked to see him in apparent distress. Guy was the first to approach the issue.

"Very admirable, Branch, and we are truly glad you're willing to lead such a special moment. But there's nothing wrong with admitting you're nervous."

"Yeah, even Poppy gets nervous about things like this. I remember the first Marshtato Eve Group Hug she led, she had practiced her volume for weeks to get it just right. Even now she worries she'll mess something up."

"Speaking of Poppy, Smidge," Biggie interrupted the impromptu pep talk, looking around, "Where is she? It's almost time for the Hug to start."

No one in the group recalled seeing her for several hours, turning to Branch when he detailed, "Last time I saw her, she ran off saying something about a new tradition she was hashing out. But she said she would be back in time for Group Hug."

By this time, all the Trolls were gathered around one another. Not seeing their pink Queen and overhearing Branch and the Snack Pack questioning her whereabouts, they began chatting among themselves about the curious tardiness as well. Poppy had never been late to a function.

Some began wondering if something had happened to her, others questioned if she was planning a super-secret surprise, the rest considered the possibility that she was being held up by a Marshtato Day chore no one could think of. Either way, the previously festive mood was decreasing.

"Oh my gaud," Smidge muttered. "This isn't going well."

"What can she be up to?" Satin asked. Chenille followed with, "Is she trying to be fashionably late?"

"Branch," Biggie addressed to the teal Troll. "What should we do?" The rest of the group and nearby Trolls turned to the Troll in question.

Realizing he was becoming the center of attention quite quickly, Branch tensed and asked, "Wait, why are you guys asking me?"

"Well, you did see Poppy last." "And you're her boyfriend." "Not to mention the Hug Leader."

Closing his eyes as the chatter increased around him, Branch took in several deep breaths and tried to calculate his next step. His gut told him she wasn't hurt or anything, so that wasn't a reason to cut the festivities short. Poppy had gotten better at picking apart his feelings, and had spent their last hours together trying to get him to reconsider the Group Hug. So maybe she was finding a way to get him out of the hug situation?

This was a holiday meant to make the Trolls happy (well, happier at least) and celebrate the arrival of the marshtatoes (which are always available, but Branch knew he was the only one with that knowledge). He did not suffer the ordeal of being dubbed "King of Glitter and Rocks" just to have the holiday end in sadness.

Mind made up, he snapped his eyes open and jumped onto the bug platform. The movement caught everyone's eyes, and the clearing became quiet as Branch addressed, "Listen everyone. As you can see, Queen Poppy is running bit late. However, she left me in charge of the Marshtato Eve Group Hug, and we all know she wouldn't want anything to stop it. Am I right?"

Affirmations rippled across the assembly, the Trolls' frowns quickly turning back to smiles.

Steeling himself, Branch continued, "With that, I say we go ahead and start. Not only to cheer Poppy up when she arrives, but also let the Marshtato Fairy know we mean business! Now who's ready to hug?"

The excited cheers restored the Trolls' spirits, though Branch found himself sweating at the back of his neck as the situation tackled on top of him like a team of Berkenball players. 'No backing out now. You can do this.' "Everyone, on 3! One-"

Trolls swiftly got into place, standing on each other's shoulders to create multiple levels. The nervous sweat was nearly soaking the back of Branch's vest.

"Two-" Limbs locked but loose, the wall of Trolls eyes each other with stares of aggressive love. 'Here it goes.'

"Thr-"

"Hang on, everyone!" a familiar voice rang out, its owner jumping from the bushes onto the platform next to Branch. The Troll wall looked at their Queen in confusion, remaining firm in their structure. Years of interruptions breaking out between hug choreography made them used to keeping themselves at the ready.

Poppy took a moment to finish panting, lifting herself up so she could address the crowd. "First off, I'm super sorry for being late. Second, that's some great hug formation right there! Even better than last year's!" Everyone took a moment to bask in the praise, tuning back to Poppy as she continued. "Third, I know you all were expecting an hour long Marshtato Eve Group Hug, and Branch's leading was quite excellent.'

"But I was thinking earlier on how this holiday should promote the greatest cheer we can and show the Marshtato Fairy how much we love her. However, I realized we wouldn't be celebrating this year if it wasn't for Branch." Attention shifted back to him, but Branch was too busy trying to figure out a way to politely get Poppy to stop talking so they could get the whole thing over with. "And I don't see an hour long hug being the proper way to show him gratitude. That's why-"

"Poppy, please don't-" he aggressively whispered.

"I've decided to change things up this year. So instead of an hour long hug-"

"Seriously, I'm fine wi-"

"We're going to play a game!" Branch was stunned into silence while the other Trolls' eyes immediately sparkled. The game must be fun if Queen Poppy thought it could be better than an hour long hug.

"In honor of Branch helping to thwart Marshtato Mary and remind us of our battle with her, I hereby begin the game of 'Hug the Mary!'" On cue, several Fuzzlings sprang from the sides, each one painted white with miniature marshtatoes wrapped in a band at the top of their heads. All of them sported sashes across their bodies, and one reached in and pulled out a small, white ball that they lightly tossed with their hair.

"Rules are simple: Fuzzbert and the other Fuzzlings are 'Mary' and will try to hit you with their paint balls. If a Troll is hit, then they're frozen in place until at least 5 other unmarked Trolls hug them so the paint clears off. To defeat 'Mary', at least 15 Trolls must work together to hug the Fuzzling. Game doesn't end until either all the Fuzzlings are no longer Mary, or I call the game.'

"This is about watching your back, but also working together. You gotta be quick, smart, and willing to help your fellow players. Now, who's ready to play?!"

Upon hearing the rules and objectives, the Trolls immediately cheered their support and broke apart their structure. They eyed the Fuzzlings, who began making their way back into the shadows so the other Trolls would have to give chase. Even the Snack Pack found themselves gearing up for the game, joining the rest of the Village as they waited for the mark.

"No time to countdown! Game's begun!" Poppy cheered, releasing the Trolls from their ready positions as they shot forward.

Over the yells and laughter, Branch turned to Poppy and demanded. "What are you doing?! We were about to hug and-"

Like a switch, Poppy's expression turned serious and she grabbed Branch's hand. Pulling him away from everyone and rushing toward the marshtato patch, she spat out, "There's something I need to show you! And I can't risk anyone else following us. Just hold your questions until we get there, please?"

Confused but mostly curious, Branch nodded and the two ran away from the crowd of playful Trolls.

Rounding the hill, the couple came upon the marshtato patch and broke apart for a moment to gather their breaths.

"Alright, Poppy," Branch gasped, standing up. "If this is about the Group Hug thing, then for the last time I was going to be fine! Nervous, sweaty, and ready to self-isolate in the Fear Bunker for a month, but fine none the less. Last year, you said-"

"I know we made a bet last year, Branch," she interjected, gesturing them to walk forward a little more. "But things have changed since then. I really am glad you were willing to keep your word, truly, but you cannot stand there and tell me you weren't hoping for some kind of miracle to get you out of it. Not only are you my friend, but I'm also your girlfriend. And I would be terrible at both if I made you go through with it.'

"I did have 'Hug the Mary' planned out for a few weeks, and I was planning on making it a more 'accidental' tradition to help shorten the hug time. You know, spare your feelings without ruining every Trolls' spirits. But…"

She stopped them right at the edge of the patch, taking a stand next to something with a heavy cloth over it. Muffled noises were coming from whatever was under it, but Branch couldn't make anything out. "I recently found out you didn't have to do any of that in the first place."

Pinching the top of the cloth, Poppy pulled it up and exposed the sand cage with Mary still fuming inside its confines. When she caught sight of her former partner in crime, the creature's expression turned angrier. "Well if it isn't Mr. Nice himself. Hope you've been dreading this day, Branch!"

"Mary!" Branch shouted, quickly looking around to make sure no one else was around. Sure of that, he turned back to Poppy with nervous bravado. "Poppy, I don't know how you captured her, but we have to deal with her! If we don't, she'll go after the Marshtato Fairy and-"

"Branch," the Queen interrupted passively, looking down at her feet. "You don't need to pretend anymore, she told me everything. About your meeting, the plan, and how you stopped her because you didn't want to disappoint the other Trolls."

"Oh… And you believe her?" His expression deflated at having the truth exposed in this fashion, but there was also a gleam of relief as he realized he no longer had the secret hanging over him. At this point, he was more than willing to give Poppy the full truth if she wanted, which she probably deserved anyway.

"Ugh, duh, Branch! You told me how stupid you thought all this obvious superstition stuff was last time. I can see she's gullible, but this is on a whole new level!"

"Don't you dare insult Poppy like that!" Branch snarled, motioning to the cage. "The Village is currently playing a fun game that involves lots of hugs and cheer. If word gets you're here, then you'll find yourself back where you were last year!"

Mary huffed, crossing her arms and turning to sit with her back against the two Trolls. Her way of complying, and making it abundantly clear what she thought of the whole situation.

Laying a grateful hand on his shoulder, Poppy gently motioned Branch toward her. "Thanks, Branch, but she is sort of right. The only reason I came out here in the first place was to scrapbook my thoughts out because I didn't want you to push yourself too far. As I crafted about it more, the more I realized what I missed the first time."

Pulling out her scrapbook, she flipped to the page and showed him her thought process. "You're a very analytical Troll. Willing to go the extra mile to prove you're right, even if no one else will back you up. When you came down from Hill Mountain last year, I was so ecstatic at the idea you finally believed in the Marshtato Fairy that I didn't fully study the evidence. It wasn't until our first conversation about the Group Hug that I recognized something wasn't quite right."

"How were you sure it wasn't just my general social anxiety and soreness at losing?"

"There was just something different about your reactions when I brought the bet up. They weren't like your 'I'm still a hermit at heart' or 'can't believe I lost another bet with Poppy' reactions. It's the ones you display during your 'I'm trying to be a good Troll and friend, even if I don't feel fully comfortable with it.' Like the time you let Tug led a tour of your bunker or tell me something you know I don't want to hear, but need to hear anyway."

Silence settled silently over the pair as they let her words linger, interrupted only by Mary's impatient sighs. Poppy put the scrapbook back in her hair, staring at Branch with a small smile, "Don't get me wrong, I'm always overjoyed to see you open yourself up more. However, it also worries me how willing you are to push aside your feelings for others sometimes. You're the greatest friend a Troll could ever had, and it's amazing how much you'll suffer quietly to show that. This time, you were willing to follow through on a bet you clearly won in the first place. How can you expect me to let you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation that you weren't obligated to be in anyway?"

During her short speech, Branch found himself internally glowing at the kind words. He always thought his loner days would keep him from being the friend Poppy and the others needed, especially once he and Poppy became official. However, it seemed he once again underestimated himself, and his little improvements were noticeable and making a difference. He should have grasped the bulk of that by the fact he earned his Troll gem, twice actually, when he initially gave it up as a lost cause. Apparently, he still needed help when it came to his self-image.

Putting that tidbit away for later, Branch sincerely confessed, "Honestly, the Marshtato Day celebrations and traditions aren't that horrible, and exposing the truth as bluntly as Mary wanted would have made me feel worse than I do about hour long hugs. I guess caring and love makes me do some reckless things every now and then. I was just so worried about crushing you and the other Trolls' spirits that I figured it was better for me to keep Mary a secret than risk damaging your fun. All the rigmarole is part of the holiday, and while I may be a practical, pessimistic prepper, I'm not entirely opposed to fun."

"Oh, Branch." Unable to stop herself, Poppy wrapped her arms around him and gave him the tightest hug she could. He returned the action, less intense than hers but no less heartfelt. "Sometimes, I don't think we deserve you."

The pair wouldn't have minded staying like this for a long while, but Mary found her already short tolerance at an end. "Are you two done yet?! I'm still here and suffocating under all this 'love and friendship' junk. It's driving me crazy!"

Reluctantly pulling away, the couple turned to the marshtato thief to enact their final demands on her.

"Here's the deal, Mary," Poppy started crossly, folding her arms. "We're going to let you go, and you will fly out of our sights forever. If we catch you trying to ruin our holiday again, you will be captured and thrown into the Fun Dungeon, and we will make sure to show you all the love and caring we possess."

"We've been able to create many new friends this way, and we would be happy to add to the list if you continue your hoarding. So leave our marshtatoes alone one day out of the year, and you can go on acting like you never crossed us."

"Do we have a deal?" Poppy extended her hand through the cage bars, continuing to stare down Mary.

She looked between the two Trolls, seeing if she could spot any weaknesses or ways to bend the situation fully in her favor. Finding no such opportunity, she softly mourned at the thought of losing out on a crop of marshtatoes. There were other patches, but just the thought of one being out of her reach would drive her mad for the rest of her days.

However, it was either this or the alternative, so with great apprehension, she shook Poppy's hand. "You have a deal. One night only, I won't fly over your patch. Now, can I please go?"

The Trolls nodded to each other and Poppy brought out her water bottle, spraying the whole structure in a light mist. As the sand collapsed around her, Mary couldn't help but slip out one last insult.

"You two elves are both wretchedly cheerful, and I hope you make each other miserable!" In a huff, she poofed into a ball of light and retreated from the Troll's territory toward her home on Hill Mountain.

Shaking her head in disgust, Poppy commented, "Think I'll take the Party Crashers or a World Touring Barb over her any day. How can something so sweet looking be so nasty on the inside?"

"Yeah. Even I wasn't that rude during my Bunker days."

"Well," Poppy sarcastically mused, turning her full attention back to Branch. "You did make me think you ruined all my invitations, crashed several parties, interrupted a funeral, and had Trolls running for the hills once they saw your response for a cup of sugar."

Not bothering to hide his embarrassed blush, Branch answered, "Okay, good point, but that's what I was known for. And I did start the 'Giver' tradition, so I think that balances it out somewhat. Don't you think?"

"True, I'll give you that. Now, are there any other secrets that could affect our ability to understand one another and protect each other in dire and/or uncomfortable circumstances?"

"Hm… Nope, I think I'm good for now. You?"

"Good as well. So if we're now back to being honest with each other…" Expression softening, Poppy ventured. "Can you answer me honestly about how the Group Hug makes you feel? I promise, I'm listening and will do whatever it takes to help you see that."

Branch looked away for a few seconds, staring the in direction of Troll Village an unreadable expression. Poppy waited patiently, willing her mind to stop creating plans for whatever answer he might give. Whatever he wanted, so long as it wasn't too drastic, she would comply with and come up with the steps with him.

Finally, Branch turned to her and replied, "If I'm being honest, I think an hour hug is way too long, even for a holiday like this. 'Hug the Mary' isn't a bad idea, but I don't want it replacing the Group Hug entirely. I really was looking forward to it, so long as you and the others were nearby, of course. It's a chance for me to become more acquainted with the rest of the Village, something I know I'm going to have to continue getting used to both as a recovering Troll and as your boyfriend.'

"Hanging out with you, the Snack Pack, doing stuff for others, it's made me feel more at ease with social settings. Judging from the way everyone acted when I took charge, I think they're beginning to see that as well. In short, I probably have a solid 20 minute tolerance saved up for tonight, and I hope you'll let me share that with everyone. Do you think I can handle it?"

Looking him over and going through her own calculations, Poppy took his hand and led him toward the Village, saying, "You definitely can. Don't worry though, I'll be right next to you the whole way through. Just as you are whenever I do something crazy."

Smiling, the pair interlocked their hands and began their trek back. They had a hug to lead, marshtatoes to eat, and fun to enjoy. A decent to perfect holiday by most accounts, one they couldn't wait to continue sharing with each other into the future.

And, done! Thank you very much for reading this far, and I hope it left you satisfied. If it didn't, then hopefully I can met your expectations next time.

As I mentioned earlier, I quite enjoy Poppy and Branch as friends and see a lot of growth potential for them as a couple. The "Marshtato Fairy" thing I can see being brought up given that Branch still isn't a very touchy, feely Troll, and Poppy is trying to be a better listener, which includes picking up on what someone doesn't say.

Note: The sand thing comes from the episode "Queen of the Castle" and breaks so many rules of science and physics. However, this is also a series with random portals, a cupcake popping Funk Troll, sentient clouds, and creatures that make no evolutionary sense. Reality is very subjective here and I enjoy it for that.

Hopefully I kept them in character (at least by Netflix series standards) while giving something for y'all to think about. Thank you once again for reading and see ya next time!