Poppy walked towards the bunker after Branch's funeral, her two children sleeping in her arms and parents right by her side...

"So... you're telling me Branch is a ghost?" Pansy asked.
"And he's still here with us right now?" Peppy continued, Poppy nodding in response, the young queen looking down at Azalea and Twig, their little heads resting on her shoulders.

"The kids can see him..." she explained. "And by the way Uueeka was acting at the funeral... I'd say he can see him too... even I saw him in the reflection of a pond..."

"So... he's actually with us... right now?" Peppy asked.

"Usually I can feel him around me..." Poppy started, looking up to her father sadly. "But... right now... the air just seems... empty..."

Indeed... Branch wasn't next to his loving wife as usual... In fact... he wasn't anywhere in sight at all... where could he have gone?

Uueeka walked somewhat behind them, the Synathin's head low in despair, the sad creature seeming to know something the trolls didn't...

"I'm sure he'll come back soon..." Pansy assured. "He can't stay away from you for too long... he loves you... and the kids... so much..."

"And I love him..." Poppy whispered, lowering her head once more. "I just wish I could see him... so I could hug him tight and never let go..."

—————

Finally arriving back at the bunker, Pansy and Peppy hugged their daughter 'good bye' before getting ready to head off back home.

"Come and visit any time..." Pansy informed, giving Poppy a quick kiss on the forehead. "You and the kids are always welcome at the grove."

"I know, mom," Poppy smiled. "Thanks..."

—————

A little ways away, Branch finally came hobbling over a hill top, the poor troll clutching tightly at his stomach, his eyes shut firmly in pain as the young boy flashed in and out of existence, Branch knowing exactly what was about to happen...

He had stayed too long... and now... he just couldn't stay any longer... his fate was sealed...

Falling down to his knees, Branch couldn't help but cry out in pure agonizing pain, Uueeka looking back at him at the sound of the little troll's unintentional call for help...

"Freendo!" the Synathin shrieked in horror, breaking away from the group to run over to his fading friend...

     All three trolls looked over at the bird-like creature, seeing him run over to what looked to them like an empty space off land before bending down, nudging at... something... with his beak...

     "F... freendo?"

     Poppy gasped, the queen of pop's eyes widening in horror when she realized what was happening...

     "Branch..." she whispered, the young girl refusing to take her wide eyes off of the clearly distressed Synathin. "Somethings wrong..."

     "Ugh..." Branch couldn't help but groan, his eyes shut tight to try and push away the excruciating pain he was currently feeling in his aching stomach...

     "Ooshima?" Uueeka asked sadly, Branch shaking his head as he slowly lay down on the ground, resting on his side, all of his strength leaving him in an instant...

     "N... no..." he panted, clearly having trouble speaking. "You... you can't... can't help... m... m... me..."

     Trying to help the little troll up to his feet, Uueeka nudged Branch with his beak, the young boy forcing his eyes open to see Poppy, Pansy, and Peppy quickly running towards them...

     "T... tell Pop... Poppy I... I'm s... s... sorry..." Branch struggled to say, looking up to his Synathin friend. "I... I tried... tried to... to stay... with... her... it... it's my fault... all my... my fault..."

     Again... he allowed his eyes to fall shut, the blue troll actually fading into nothing but air for a few moments before slowly reforming into view...

     "Uueeka!" Pansy yelled, the three trolls finally reaching the scene. "Woots hepna?"
"Dusaning..." Uueeka sighed, lowering his head in despair... "Freendo dusaning..."

     "What!?" Poppy cried out, looking to her mom expectingly as the former queen's expression changed to one of pure sorrow... "What's he saying, mom!?"

     With a sigh... Pansy looked up to her daughter, the two sleeping trollings still resting comfortably in their mother's arms, completely unaware of the horrors going on right in front of them...

     "Branch... he... he's disappearing..." the old troll stated softly. "I don't know what that means... but I do know it can't be good..."

     "Ugh..." Branch suddenly groaned again, shaking his head to rid his brain of the fog taking over him...

     Finally... the little troll came fully back to reality, his eyes slowly blinking back open as he struggled to push himself up onto his feet...

     "Branch?" Uueeka questioned in concern, helping his friend up...

     "I'm ok... I'm ok..." Branch panted, finally standing on his wobbly feet as he rubbed his hands through his thick dark blue hair. "I still have time..."

     "Not a lot..." a soft voice suddenly called out to him, Branch turning to see the light shining brightly behind himself once more. "Next time... you'll be gone, Branch... come now... before it's too late..."

     Branch sighed, lowering his head in shame as he blocked out the clear voice of the angel from his mind... What was he gonna do?

     "What's going on!?" Poppy asked in a panic, looking all around for any signs of Branch being ok.

     "Seef..." Uueeka assured, Pansy sighing in relief as she turned to her daughter with a slight smile.

     "Branch is safe..." she translated, Poppy's heart calming down from her overwhelming worry...

     "Good..." the queen of pop sighed. "But... but what happened?"

     "Uueeka..." Branch sighed softly, the Synathin turning to look at him once more. "I need you to tell Poppy the truth... just... just repeat after me..."