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Poppy enjoyed nicknames.
They were one of those (many) odd little things that just gave her an inexplainable amount of joy and excitement. Mostly, among the village, they were shared between the whole tribe - used more as a name than anything else - but she particularly enjoyed the extra-special nicknames. The type between just two or three trolls. The kind that was almost-but-not-quite an inside the joke, the kind where they'd often have to stifle their laughter at the name.
She had a few herself - Hairball, Fuzzpop, Sneezie - but not the type that would spark that little flash of happiness and love. And even then, the pop trolls - and even more so the over tribes - seemed to be unable to think of anything that really seemed to stick.
It wasn't like she wasn't trying. She was near enough best friends with everyone in the tribe, and slowly growing closer and closer with the trolls from the rest of the tribes - but still, nothing seemed to just click. It wasn't that important to her, was it? Besides, she didn't even need a nickname, just really, really, desperately wanted one. Desperate, sure, but not that desperate.
Branch had nicknames.
She knew that for sure, some... weren't as nice as others, but there were some that still seemed so-
Him.
She couldn't explain it - another one of those very-nearly confusingly good feeling always came whenever one of Branch's brothers called him 'Bitty B' (or anything really).
Poppy was constantly trying and trying to convince him of how lucky he was to have his brothers back - and though he finally seemed to believe her, he still didn't quite have the overwhelming excitement she would have felt if she were in his hair.
Of course, she and Branch had their own nicknames, the sweet and soft sorta boyfriend-girlfriend type, shared between just the two of them - however some were still more public than others - usually earning him playful teases from his brother, and her little delighted hums and coos from her friends and family. Well, that or poorly hidden gags and an annoyed demand to 'get a room'.
Still, it felt nice to have something to share with someone. Just something little and simple, almost seeming to symbolize the bond between trolls.
But...
Something still felt... odd.
Viva. Of course.
After the first moments - hours, more like - of almost uncontrollable pure joy at being reunited (even if Poppy hadn't even known that they'd been separated in the first place) they seemed to fall apart. Not the slow, growing distance that seemed to stretch out over years and years. It was sudden.
Viva went back the Putt-Putt Trolls, and Poppy back to the village. And sure, it was only temporary, soon Viva would have come back with the Putt-Putts to join the village, but it still felt strangely wrong to be home, knowing she had a sister. Maybe it was because they'd missed out on so much sisterly bonding over the years that they simply wouldn't be able to make up for lost time. Or maybe because they were adults and it just wasn't quite the same. Whatever it was, it soon wouldn't matter.
Soon she'd get her second chance at little sisterhood.
Her chance came sooner than she'd thought.
On a typical day, (a day almost so typical that it almost felt strange) she and Viva were wondering almost-but-not-quite aimlessly, both quietly, absentmindedly scanning the treetops. Surprisingly, there was little crowding, even with the many extra pods that had recently been hung in the spaces between those that had originally built. The Putt-Putt trolls had less uniform shapes in pods, each at least slightly different to the others around it, and they were single colored, rather than the bright and fun patterns of those of the original residents.
Viva was humming softly to herself as they walked.
It didn't take long for them to get from one end of the village to the other, and each pod seemed to be okay. Viva clicked her tongue, "I think that's it Lollipop, all ready to move in." She stopped, hands on her hips, gazing up proudly at the final pod, a small pale blue one, hanging from a branch alongside two others.
Poppy blinked at her. Stunned for a moment. Viva pressed her hands together excitedly.
"Now all that's left to do is get everyone settled in and-"
Viva cut herself off, turning to face Poppy with a confused expression on her face. She frowned, leaning closer to Poppy - almost as if inspecting her - before standing back up straight with a curious tilt of her head.
Her sister blinked at her, "Sorry," she stumbled slightly over her words, "Is is something I said?" Her eyes lit up with a playful sparkle, and her voice was teasing, "Or are you just happy to see me?"
Poppy's words seemed to get stuck in her throat.
Lollipop. Viva had just called her Lollipop. Viva just called her, Poppy, Lollipop. She had a super-special-sister nickname. She almost couldn't understand the excitement combine with the strange mix of emotions that swirled inside her. But it felt good. Was this what she had been missing out on? For all those years? Maybe, if she were an extra dramatic troll, she would say she felt like she was truly living - but, she wasn't that type of troll.
Either way, when her voice finally decided to start working again, she could barely get out a stuttered "you called me Lollipop," through her poorly contained excitement.
"I mean, yeah I-"
Poppy didn't let Viva finish before she was practically screaming.
"Vi, you gave me a nickname!"
If she had a tail, Poppy was sure it would be wagging in wild excitement behind her.
Viva's face dropped into a soft frown, again, more confused that angry or upset, "gave you?"
She laughed softly and shook her head before looking back up at her, "Poppy, that's what we called you when you were a baby, " a what? Viva continued, "Oh you were the smallest, cutest, sweetest little trolling."
Her expression almost seemed vacant as Viva smiled softly. "Besides," she waved the memory off, "you always did smell like candy. I remember begging Dad to name you Lollipop, but the old fart was set on Poppy."
What?
Viva huffed softly, "Man, that was so long ago."
It must have been, Poppy didn't even remember it or anything like it.
"I guess it just slipped out. Where have the years gone, hey?"
Poppy just stared silently at Viva, almost to stunned to speak. Her sister seemed to choke on her laugh and her voice had a slightly higher pitch to it.
"You used to burst our eardrums after you made that face."
Viva turned away as if nervous, dropping her head before opening her arms wide. Poppy hesitated for a moment, unsure and bordering on overwhelmed. A soft 'come here, sis' from Viva was all it took to encourage her to stumble closer and press into her arms. Poppy buried her face into her shoulder, nuzzling into her sister.
It felt so good to hug her.
"He never called me Lollipop."
"Gee, I wonder why."