Chapter Thirteen

"Hey, has anyone seen Branch?" Poppy asked loudly, looking around the emptying yoga studio frantically for a short stalk of dark hair. Most of the trolls were clogging up the exit, laughing and poking fun at one another while the others tried to push and shove their way through the single black door. There was only one way in and one way out, so Branch had to still be here but Poppy couldn't spot him anywhere! She grumped to herself and jumped up and down, trying to look over her friends' heads.

Guy Diamond tapped the pink princess on the shoulder and she whipped around to face him. "He's at the back corner," Guy said smiling, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. "Probably waiting until everyone leaves so he can slink away undetected."

"Oh, thanks!" Poppy lit up with excitement, rushing past Guy Diamond to get to the grey troll before he could sneak away, but Guy grabbed her arm before she could leave and he cleared his throat.

"One second, Poppy," he said. "I was just wondering, do you really think that this whole charade was a good idea?"

Poppy tilted her head and stared at him, confused, "Of course it was a good idea! How else are we going to get Creek and Branch to spend time together?"

The glitter troll rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "They didn't really get to be alone, though. Branch has been upset this entire time, so we might have done more harm than good."

"Psh," Poppy rolled her eyes and put her hands on her tiny hips, "Branch is always upset, you know that as much as I do. There's only so many things we can do to get him to come out of that depressing hole in the ground. These guys aren't going to come together on their own. Even if it's only for a yoga class, we need to take our options where we can get them."

"Yeah, you're right I guess," he replied with a small frown, still unconvinced.

After the scheming Poppy did with Cloud Guy about their exciting match-making game, the princess decided to invite the Snack Pack in on the deal. All of her close friends were quite excited to be able to help Branch in hopes that he would finally become happy like a normal troll. Biggie, Smidge, and Guy Diamond were her main conspirators and the best crew she could ask for, but after witnessing Branch's panic attack for the first time, Guy was worried about the grey troll's well being now more than ever before.

Guy Diamond was a joyful, caring troll and sometimes was the voice of reason to Princess Poppy. The silver troll could be the wildest party animal, but the most understanding friend, even more than Biggie with his heart on his sleeve. Poppy always tried to listen to Guy when he told her his worries because he was right, most of the time. This seemed to be one of those times and Poppy shuffled her feet while she watched the worry in Guy's face.

Then, the pink troll sighed, biting her tongue. "Well..." Poppy said, rethinking her actions and looking past Guy Diamond to where Branch was hiding. She still couldn't see where he was at, but maybe that was for the best. "We'll give him some time to relax before the next attempt? I guess he was a little more upset today than normal..."

Guy Diamond nodded and gave her a tight side hug, guiding the princess away, "Not to worry, we'll try again soon," then they went to the exit door and tried to pry some of the clogged trolls out of the ridiculous chaos.

"Disperse, disperse!" Poppy yelled, wrapping her pink hair around a random arm that was sticking out of the pile to tug on it.

"Poppy said DISPERSE! Raaghh!" Smidge sprinted up from behind and blasted into the clog of bodies, using her superior strength to shove them forcibly out, into the hallway, and through the front door for the pod. There were a couple of shrieks and yells until the dozen trolls rolled and sprawled apart on the bark of the tree, laughing their thanks to the small yellow troll.

"Thanks Smidge, it was getting too rough for my liking," a blue troll waved.

"If your butt wasn't so big it wouldn't have taken so long to leave," another giggled.

"Ya'll say one at a time but that flies right over your hair!"

Poppy shook her head and grinned, trotting down the wooden steps. "Glad that's taken care of, see you guys later! I have a date with Cloud Guy!"

With the yoga class over and done, it was just three in the afternoon and already the sun was starting to dim, overcast with full clouds. It looked like it was going to rain again and the air was chilly. Traveled far past and down the carved path towards the market, Creek was following right behind King Peppy. His hands were clasped behind his back and his rounded ears were tilted, keeping his senses open to make sure no one was eavesdropping or following them. The two trolls had just left the bakery after a painfully long conversation with Biggie about his worm, Mr. Dinkles. Creek ushered them to hurry up and say farewell and now the they were on an empty path going in no direction particular. It took forever for King Peppy to pick out his sweet treat from the bakery shop before giving Creek the attention he desperately needed. The stumpy orange troll was wise beyond his years and was fully respected by every troll in the village… unfortunately, his age also made him one of the more eccentric trolls and it was difficult to keep him on point.

"You needed to talk, Creek?" King Peppy asked with a happy drool, unwrapping wax paper on a rather large cinnamon roll covered with cream cheese icing.

"Yes, I do," the purple troll said slowly. "I have many questions that only you can answer. I would much prefer if we could go to your pod where it's a little more private, if you don't mind?"

"Private… Hmm." The troll king took a huge bite of his roll and hummed to himself, using his free hand to scratch idly through his large beard. "What kind of questions are these, child," he said with his mouth half full, "that we need to hide ourselves away from the rest of our family?"

"Please, King Peppy," Creek begged quietly, looking back over his shoulder. "You know this is difficult for me."

The king stopped abruptly, turning around and grasping Creek on the shoulder with strong shake of reassurance. "Yes, yes. I know quite well what you're about," he said. "Come, then! Let's have a drink together and we can sort this all out by the evening." Creek sighed in relief and King Peppy patted him on the back with a big smile as they walked together side-by-side now.

Traveling together to King Peppy's pod, Creek's stomach swirled as the orange troll barreled through his front door and held it open for the purple troll with his foot. The place smelled woodsy and dusty, but not bad. He'd been in the troll king's quarters before and it had a cozy atmosphere that was comparable to laying by a fireplace. The main living area had a deep orange glow and was furnished with two worn, leather recliners. The back wall was lined with dark wood bookshelves, filled to the brim with novels older than the king himself. Creek breathed in deeply and admired the setting. King Peppy went to his locked cabinet in the corner of the room and produced a tall bottle of liquid and two small, short glasses.

"Sit down, sit down," King Peppy said, bringing the items to the short table resting between the two chairs, sitting down in one of them and setting up the drinks.

Sinking in the plush arm chair across from the old orange troll, Creek leaned forward with his hands on his knees, fingers gripping tight while he wracked his brain for the right words. King Peppy was patient and quiet, working on their drinks without pushing the younger troll. He uncorked the dark vial and poured a small amount into both crystal glasses. The alcohol was clear and smelled strongly of diluted ethanol.

"This will definitely take the edge off and help you relax," King Peppy smiled, offering a glass across the table. Creek took it and raised the glass in thanks before downing the contents in a single swallow, unfazed by the liquor's severity. Peppy was rather impressed, bouncing his large eyebrows before following suit, throwing back his drink until it was empty.

After a few moments of rubbing away his nerves and letting his body warm up to the fiery drink, Creek let out a breath and smoothed his clammy hands along his pants. "I wanted to talk to you about mating," he said, his lip twisting grimly while his cheeks reddened.

King Peppy barked a laugh and slammed his glass down on the table, forcing a solid jump scare out of Creek. "It's about time, my boy!" he exclaimed. "I was beginning to worry you'd never figure it out, you know! So who's the lucky troll?"

"There's no lucky troll!" Creek said exasperated, steadying the wobbling table from the sudden assault.

"Of course there is," King Peppy chuckled, taking up the vial and pouring himself another drink. "You most definitely have a lucky troll and we should drink more to celebrate it!"

"You're not listening to me," Creek groaned.

"And you still seem to be clouded in denial," the king said. "Why else would you be curious about mating if you hadn't come across your destined mate?"

With that sly statement, the purple troll stopped, watching the troll king's proud and scheming facial expressions. Creek lifted a brow and sat back in his chair, "That's not quite what I was going to ask about. More so how to stop mating urges rather than start them... What do you mean I'm in denial?"

The orange troll chuckled again and swigged his drink, grunting a quick approval. "There's a troll soul out there for everyone, Creek. It may take a few years to find them, it may even take a few days. Sometimes you know your soul mate from the first moment you lock eyes with them. Sometimes when you're stubborn enough, the answer could be unseen, resting right under your nose for the rest of your life."

Creek frowned and said nothing, letting the king ramble onward as he always does. First Poppy, now her father. He knew about soul mates and he didn't need any more lessons. When it came to knowledge of the unseen, the village was almost segregated. Older trolls who had the information passed down to them by their parents knew about souls and their bonds, while younger trolls in this generation heard the talks of mystery but didn't quite understand the full details. Creek lay somewhere along the faded line, knowing but missing important pieces of the puzzle. It was futile to talk about it because for all he cared about, it didn't pertain to him. He just wanted to know more about what Branch was going through and why the dark troll was reacting so strongly to him all the time. There had to be something he could do to ease the dark troll's pain and strengthen their friendship.

"You're curious about mating but you don't have anyone in mind," King Peppy concluded, his smile fading then while his old eyes bore straight into Creek. "You're a lot more stubborn than I thought. How long is it going to take for you to realize who they are?"

"I do not have a soul mate," Creek said roughly, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing his eyes away, avoiding the contact. "They don't exist, King Peppy. They're dead. This talk of soul mates is completely pointless and off topic, with all due respect, sir."

"Do you know that for sure?" Peppy quipped, raising his furry pink brow.

"Well, there isn't any –"

"Do you know what happens to a troll when half of their soul is gone forever?" the king said, staring Creek down. The purple troll squirmed slightly and swallowed, shaking his head. It was frightening when King Peppy became serious. It was so out of the ordinary that it made his hair stand on end and goosebumps covered his arms. Creek was positive that his soul mate was long dead from the last Trollstice twenty years ago. He'd searched high and low in the village for many years and never found what he was looking for. He'd met every troll, every creature to ever walk past his way, and none of them gave him that feeling of connection.

"When half of your soul is dead, you become empty," King Peppy gravely said. "It takes an extraordinary amount of willpower to live through losing your soul mate, Creek, even if you haven't met them," King Peppy eyes softened and filled with sadness. "When they leave, you just know they're gone, deep down inside. You can feel the piece missing out of your heart. A troll with only half a soul doesn't survive longer than a few days."

Creek soaked in the words, his chest shot with a depressed, guilty feeling. He'd underestimated how deep of a bond it could be. Did King Peppy know the pain of losing a soul mate? Many trolls were curious but never asked the king about where his wife, Poppy's mother, could be. She was gone with the rest of the victims, more than likely, but King Peppy was still here among them. His willpower alone, as the hero of the troll race from twenty years ago, could have pulled him through those harsh times. Then, Creek's ears perked up while he tried to understand what the king was telling him. His eyes became wide, his stomach filling with a torrent of flapping butterflies. "Wait, you mean… you mean my soul mate is still alive somewhere?!"

"Of course, Creek," King Peppy said, a grin spreading from ear to ear. "I can't believe it's taken you so long to figure this out! I thought you were a smarter troll than that."

"I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to these matters," Creek smiled weakly. "That's why I came to you in the first place. Mating and soul mates. Finding your true love, and the sort... These things I haven't thought about or cared to think about for a long time because my mate has never shown their face to me. I'd given up..." But he was excited now, so very excited! His heart flipped in his chest and Creek's hands were jittering with energy. Unable to keep still, Creek decided to reach to the table and fill his cup, taking up the offer on a celebratory drink.

"Let's take a step back and talk about your initial concerns," Peppy suggested. "If not about your own soul mate, then what questions of mating do you have now?"

The purple troll's mind was still boggled with the new revelation about his mate. All he wanted to do was go out and search for them. He wouldn't rest a single moment until they were locked safe in his arms. "I want to know if there's something I can do about Branch," he replied, tasting his liquor more slowly. His tongue was becoming loose and his head buzzed, but it was still difficult to relax into the burn of the alcohol.

"Branch… Branch? The sad little grey troll?" King Peppy asked, stroking his beard in his hand over and over while he recalled the young troll in his mind. The old king sat back in his big chair and hummed to himself, gazing off to the side while he sank into his thoughts.

"Yes, the only colorless troll in the village," Creek confirmed. "I believe he's… attracted to me unwillingly, for one reason or another. I wanted to ask if you had any knowledge about what could be causing it. Do you think that he's become desperate?"

"Maybe not desperate," the orange troll said thoughtfully, tapping the tips of his fingers together. "Poppy told me that you have been going out of your way for him, lately."

Creek folded his hands in his lap and fidgeted. "I have only done a few simple things… in return for letting me stay in his bunker while my pod is being repaired from the fire damage. He got stuck with me because no one else wanted to take the challenge, I suppose. That's all."

"A few things like bringing him a rare and beautiful firefly? Cooking for him? Sharing our private drinks with him?" King Peppy questioned, smirking while he watched the purple troll become undone by his intimate knowledge.

"How do you all know this?!" Creek cried out, covering his mouth in horror. He hadn't told anyone about those things, not even Poppy. How did Poppy know of all the sappy, heartfelt attempts he's done in order to stand on equal ground with Branch? Why did she have the nerve to tell her father of all trolls about his ventures? Creek's embarrassment was going to topple him and he could hardly stand it. He could understand finding out about Tilly because she was wild and flitted about as she pleased, but nothing else. Everything was behind a closed door, deep underground.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere. I am the king!" Peppy laughed loudly.

Creek rubbed his hands on his face and tried to calm down. Think logically, you fool, he thought to himself. The only way Poppy would know about what they've done is if Branch told her, but he couldn't believe Branch would do such a thing. He was more reserved than any troll Creek knew. The only possibility would be that he and Branch were being watched. Their relationship was being observed in secrecy. Nothing was private anymore. Creek was beginning to question just how much information King Peppy was hiding under his belt.

"It looks to me like you're courting him," the troll king continued, ignoring how uncomfortable Creek had become. "Getting ready for the next mating season, are you? How can you not expect an honest child like that to not be attracted to you after all you've done? You're a handsome troll, Creek!"

"C-Courting him? That's absurd!"

"Courting, not courting, whatever you say," King Peppy said with a dismissing wave of his hand. "Just remember that Branch is a special breed of troll. After the passing of our dear Rosiepuff, the boy has never been the same. Being grey for so long does things that are difficult to reverse. It could be possible that he's attached to you out of sheer need for social interaction... but there is more likely a very real, astronomical reason behind his attraction." The orange troll gave Creek a knowing wink that made him blush harder in return. "Would you like to tell me anything specific about how he's been acting?"

Creek's blush traveled down his neck as he remembered all of things that'd happened between him and Branch so far. The subtle looks, the unexpected touches, the intoxicating kiss that they shared during a stormy night… When he caressed the back of Branch's neck at the yoga class today, there was a rippling energy that traveled up his arm, like a bolt of electricity. The sound that spilled from the grey troll's lips was small, almost unnoticeable, but Creek had heard it. The innocent moan forced that shocking energy straight to his groin and his breath caught in a vice.

"N-No," Creek gulped, turning his face away from King Peppy. "Nothing specific is needed."

"Hmm… alright." King Peppy nodded, hefting himself out of his chair and rubbing his hands over his lower back with a grunt. He shuffled over to the bookshelves along the wall and pondered, reading the titles to himself in soft muttering. "Ah, here we are," he said, pulling a thick, tattered volume from the shelf. He dusted the cover with his arm then came back to Creek, holding the book out to him.

Creek accepted the book curiously and read the title. Troll Cultures and Tales of Love

"Take this with you," King Peppy said. "There's more details in here than I can remember off the top of my head. You'll find your answers if you look."

"Thank you," Creek said slowly, gazing at the glittering letters and frayed black binding. "I'll return it as soon as I can."

Despite the awkward circumstances, there was hope in his heart again. The purple troll had hopes, goals, and this book had answers that he was seeking. His thoughts were tangled and twisted around worry, but for once in his life he was happier than any other of his plagues. He could feel positivism bursting through his aura, wrapping around his form like a hot blanket in winter. He wanted to jump to his feet and dance! He wanted to smile and sing while he twirled around outside in the grass, just like when he was a young trolling. The closure he sought was almost in his grasp.

Creek almost expected King Peppy to tell him that Branch was his destined mate. Poppy had already concluded that could be a possibility, but he was grateful that the troll king didn't try to shove it down his throat as well.

He knew already. He knew that there was something with Branch that he couldn't ignore for much longer. The only problem was, regardless of either of their weird, out-of-character actions, Creek still hadn't taken in the scent of his soul. His soul mate would have a smell to them that would make them stand out in a crowd and it would be the most perfect scent he'd ever know. Their two scents would unify and the very wildflowers would spring up from the ground at their feet just to take part in the beauty, or so the older trolls said. Until he found his soul's scent, there was no mate. Poppy and King Peppy were hinting and poking, trying to get him to put his hope in the colorless troll, but it was impossible. Branch just wasn't the one… or was he?