Branch swam upwards as fast as he possibly could, bursting to the surface of the lagoon as he coughed fiercely, gasping harshly for air, frantically trying to breathe, his heart pounding painfully inside his chest as if someone was squeezing it tightly in their grasp like a stress ball...

Finally, he managed to crawl up onto the shore, laying on his back as he looked up at the sky, his vision slightly blurred and each breath taking a great deal of effort, his colors seeming to be more grey then blue...

     Torture... it's the only word he could think of to explain what he was going through right now... pure torture...

     His watched ticked slowly around his neck, stopping for a few seconds before continuing only a few moments later, until the hands were finally moving normally...

     Branch's colors quickly flooded back into him with a whoosh, the little troll finally able to breath, no longer in any pain whatsoever...

Slowly, he sat up, grabbing hold of his watch so he could look at it.

It was ticking... he was alive!

He smiled at the sight, as he rose to his feet, quickly running off towards Poppy's pod as fast as he possibly could. He had to save her... before it was too late...

—————

In her pod, Poppy lay on her bed, her face buried into her pillow, as she cried about the fact Branch had stood her up on what was supposed to be their first date.

     Did he not actually care about her? Was what he told her a lie? Did... did he even love her?

Suddenly, a quiet knock rung through her pod, signaling someone was at the door.

"Branch?" the young queen whimpered softly, looking up to see who was visiting her so late at night, desperately hoping it was the blue troll she loved so much coming by with a reasonable excuse to explain why he had missed their date.

     But as she wiped her tears away, she noticed that it wasn't Branch standing in her doorway... instead of seeing her friend there to apologize... she was horrified to see... Creek...

     Quickly, she jumped out of bed, her eyes wide as she stared at the purple troll before her in disbelief.

"C... Creek?" she stuttered in terror, slowly backing away from the jerk troll who stood, smiling evilly in her doorway. "But... but how?"

"I came back for you, Poppy," he told her with a flirtatious smile. "I'm sorry I ever left you. I'm sorry I sold you out... just to save myself. It... it was wrong. And I swear... now that we're together again... I'll be the best boyfriend any troll could possibly dream of having. So much better than that grey freak you formally went out with..."

     Poppy gulped, as Creek made his way into her pod, his hands folded smugly behind his back as he smiled at the young queen.

"Get... get out of my house, Creek," she said nervously, backing away even farther from the jerk troll. "I... I don't want you anywhere near me..."

     "Now, now, deer," he said with a cunning smirk. "Is that any way to talk to the future king?"

     And there it was... the true reason he wanted to date Poppy... not because he truly loved her... but because of her title. He wanted the power... he wanted to rule all of Troll Village... he wanted to be King... and he wasn't going to give up until he got his 'rightful' place on the thrown...

"Please, Poppy," he begged, walking closer and closer to the terrified queen. "Take me back, and you can finally have the love you truly deserve..."

     "No, Creek!" Poppy yelled, her voice sounding more fierce than it had before, as she continued her nervous retreat. "You sold us out! Besides... I don't love you! I never did! You're the one who pretended to be my boyfriend all these years! I love Branch... and I always have..."

Creek glared at her, getting angry at the mention of that dork troll. How could she possibly love a freak like that? She should love him! And only him...

     Finally, he chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly as he looked back at Poppy with a smug grin, his anger seeming to fade away, being replaced by a cunning joy...

"Well... Branch isn't around anymore," he informed, his eyes sparkling in evil delight.

Poppy's eyes widened at what Creek had just said to her, not fully understanding what he meant.

     A fearful question rose into her mind, refusing to leave her brain until she got the answer she so desperately needed... what did he do to Branch...

"Wha... what are you talking about, Creek?" she finally asked, looking at the jerk troll in pure terror.

     "He's out of the picture," Creek chuckled maliciously, continuing his slow approach on Poppy. "Didn't you hear? Got run down by a caturbus last night..."

Poppy gasped at Creek's words, tears beginning to flood her eyes as she remembered seeing a group of Fuzzlings pulling a Caterbus out of the lagoon earlier that day... blood splattered on the windshield of it... Was that why Branch hadn't made it to their date? Could he really be... gone?

     "Such a shame, really..." Creek continued, taunting the young queen even farther. "His final scream was so full of fear... full of pain... pure... undeniable... pain..."

"N... no. Your lying!" Poppy yelled out angrily, tears flowing from her beautiful pink eyes, as she stared right at the purple troll, not even blinking once. She just couldn't believe what Creek was telling her. She just couldn't... Branch was ok. He had to be ok. Right...

     Creek shrugged, chuckling softly at Poppy's denial.

     "Whatever you want to tell yourself, princess," he said with a smirk. "But he ain't ever coming back... so it's either me... or no one..."

Slowly, he began to approach her again, causing her to quickly back away, glaring at the purple troll in front of her as she struggled to hold back her tears.

"I said leave, Creek!" she demanded firmly. "I will never... never! date you! Now, go! Get out of my house! And I don't want to ever see you around the village again!"

"Fine..." Creek said softly, completely angered by the queen's harsh words. "But if I can't have you... no one will..."

Poppy's eyes widened in fear once more, as Creek slowly continued approaching her, getting closer and closer... She had nowhere left to run... he had her cornered...

     "Say goodnight, princess..." Creek chuckled, cracking his knuckles as he smirked evilly over at Poppy. She was so doomed...

"RAAAAA!" a shout rung through her eardrums just as Creek was about to strike, Branch suddenly pouncing roughly onto the purple troll, pushing him away from the love of his life.

"Branch!"