(Val's POV)
I smile softly as I watch Bridget and Gristle stand at the altar.
Love is such a beautiful thing. And now that I stop to think about it, I wonder what it's like to experience something like that. Sure, I do get flustered easily. And that's something I can't control.
But maybe finding true love isn't really for me. I have so many responsibilities as the Peacekeeper of Music that I don't think I will have time for that kind of stuff.
I snap out of my daze when the priest steps forward. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the sweet, sweet love of Bridget-- hey, girl--- and Mr. Yummy-Tummy himself, King Gristle," she announces. "Now, falling in love is easy. We've all done it. I've done it a hundred times. Thousands, even, if you count that semester I spent abroad."
I stare in surprise, but I can't help but hold back my laughter. I might take her word for it...about love being easy. Who knows when I'll find it?
"Stop the wedding!" a voice shouts from up high.
We all turn around and see a troll standing on a roof in a heroic pose. He's wearing a brown leather jacket and skiing goggles. It's very difficult to try and see more of his features when he's up there.
"Uh, Bridget," King Gristle says with uncertainty. "Do you know this guy?"
"I can't remember all my suitors, Grissy," Bridget says to him.
The mysterious troll slides down a rope and grabs onto one of the balloons. He lands on the ground just near the front of the stairs. "Sorry, is this bad timing?" he asks while taking off his goggles and brushing himself off.
I hear Branch gasp quietly from beside me, which gets me even more confused.
"I'm just trying to find a troll named--" The troll screams in surprise when his eyes land on Branch. He runs over shouting, "Baby Branch!" And as soon as he says that, he's already up on the bench with us.
"Uh, you're making a mistake, stranger that looks similar to me. There's no Branch here," Branch says before crossing his arms.
"Look at you. You got so big." The troll walks up to Branch. "You're not a branch anymore. You're more like a trunk. Junk in the trunk," he says. He then unexpectedly slaps Branch's behind, causing him to wince.
"Ow!" Branch exclaims.
"I bet you I can still pick you up. Come on." In one swift motion, the troll lifts Branch into the air. But that was a bad idea because he started to struggle to keep him up, complaining about his back.
"Hey. Stop right there. You put my boyfriend down. Tell us who you are and what you want," Poppy steps in protectively.
The troll drops Branch and raises his hands in defense. "You're right. Totally rude of me. Didn't introduce myself." He adjusts his jacket and extends his hand out to Poppy. "I'm Branch's brother."
My eyes widen as I stare at Branch, who stands beside me at the moment.
Everyone else gasps at the sudden surprise.
"What?" Poppy asks.
Branch walks over and peers from behind Poppy. "Correction: Used to be my brother. Not anymore."
Poppy turns around and faces Branch. "Hey, um, remember earlier when I said you should open up to me and be real?"
"Well..." Branch starts to say.
"You could've started by telling me you had a secret brother!" Poppy yells.
"Former brother," Branch corrects.
I shake my head and stand next to Poppy on this one. "That's not how that works, Branch."
Poppy glances at me next. "Val, did you know about this?"
I take a step back and shrug. "No. I'm just as surprised as you. But maybe now that he's already introduced himself..."
Poppy gets where I'm going with this and stands in front of Branch's brother. "Oh, my gosh. I was being so rude. I've never met anyone from Branch's family before. I'm Poppy, Branch's girlfriend. Should we hug, fist-bump, smile and wave for now and see where the night takes us?"
With a smile, Branch's brother shrugs his arms. "All of the above."
"So, what's your name?" I ask, standing next to him.
Before Branch's brother can say anything, Poppy interrupts. "Wait, I know you. You're the guy from BroZone! We were just listening to them."
"No way. Really?" I ask in awe, to which he nods in my direction.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Don't tell me, um...Okay, well, you're not the heartthrob," Poppy says in thought.
"Well, that's your opinion..." Branch's brother mutters.
"The fun one? No, you're kind of uptight." Poppy adds.
"Uptight?" Branch's brother asks offensively.
"Hmm. Not the sensitive one either," Poppy says.
"Okay, a lot of assumptions for someone you just met 30 seconds ago," Branch's brother says.
With one other option left, I say, "That means he's John Dory."
Branch's brother smiles in relief and adds, "The leader."
"Oh, yeah! The old one!" Poppy says, ignoring what he said just now.
John Dory gives her an unamused frown before sighing.
"So, that means the other members of BroZone are also Branch's brothers, right?" I ask curiously.
Poppy gasps exaggeratedly and looks at Branch, her back facing John Dory and me. "Branch, how come you never told me?"
Crossing his arms, Branch says, "Because it's complicated."
Jumping to conclusions, Poppy gets all sympathetic and pats his shoulder. "Oh, sweetie. 'Cause you weren't in the band."
John Dory chuckles. "Branch was in the band all right."
I lean over to John Dory and whisper, "Then which one was he?"
"Bitty B," John Dory answers.
"Bitty B?" Poppy asks, not believing it. "No, that's impossible. Bitty B had glasses."
"Oh, and a diaper," John Dory adds.
Branch covers one ear and vocalizes to himself, getting our attention. "And a falsetto made of gold. Not that anyone cared. But that's all in the past. Because they stopped being my brothers the day they walked out on me and never came back."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's not fair, Branch," John Dory says in his defense. "I did come back, but no one was there. It wasn't until I heard about you saving the world with a Peacekeeper of Music from the rock apocalypse that I realized you were even still alive."
"Oh, that's--That's so sweet. He realized I was still alive. Twenty years too late!" Branch shouts sarcastically.
I quickly step in and push Branch away from his brother. Now between the two, I wave a little to finally introduce myself. "Hey, I'm Val, the Peacekeeper of Music. Sorry about him. I don't know what's gotten into him."
As I say this, Poppy is pulling Branch aside to have a little talk with him.
"No way. You're the Peacekeeper of Music? It is a pleasure to finally meet you," John Dory says, extending his hand out to me.
After shaking his hand, we both turn to face Poppy and Branch.
"I bet you he's only here because he needs something," Branch says with a glare.
"That's not true. He's your brother," Poppy says.
Without even sugar-coating it, John Dory says, "Branch, I'm gonna be straight with you. I need something."
"And there it is," Branch says disappointingly.
"Come on, man. I'm trying here," Poppy says to John Dory.
John Dory stops Branch from leaving. "Wait, wait. Hold up, Branch. It's about Floyd."
Floyd?