Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Poppy listened as Barb performed for the entirety of Trolldom. Her cage shook as the bass and drums pounded, spurred on by the roars of the rock trolls. She clutched at the metal bars, reminded of when she and her friends and family were trapped in the clutches of their old enemies. So many things had changed since then. But the feeling of failure gripped at Poppy's heart once again.

She thought of her friends, the snack pack, and her dad standing scared in the crowd behind her. And Branch- oh god- what if Barb had caught him too. He was right. She hadn't listened. To anyone. And now, her stubbornness would get every troll she loved- well, she didn't even know. Killed? It didn't matter. Barb had made it clear she would get rid of what made each of them different, one way or another.

Poppy gasped as Barb began to speak. "Give it up for your former leaders! Funk, country, techno, classical, and worst of all…" She jumped as her prison slowly turned around. "Pop."

Poppy was blinded by a set of spotlights shining on her before she saw everything. Every troll in the world was in a stadium made from a volcano. Each sectioned off by their music and in front of them, on the stage, were each of their leaders, trapped. Each and every one of them terrified. Poppy stared in horror.

Barb smirked at her then turned back to her subjects. A pick flew its way into her hands.

"Who wants to see what the ultimate power chord can do?" she yelled. The rock trolls cheered louder. Static electricity hung in the air as Barb pointed the neck of the guitar at Poppy. They stared at each other for a second, Barb smiling madly and Poppy pleading with her eyes. Poppy's world slowed down as she watched Barb bring down the pick.

'I'm sorry everyone.' She thought.

The chord blared throughout the stadium. Her father's "NO!" was drowned out by a bolt of black lightning shooting out and zapping the cage that held the Pop Queen. It fell to the ground with a smash and the chord faded. The stadium was silent.

"Poppy" Biggie whispered as he looked at the limp body of his friend, smoke drifting off of her. There were audible gasps throughout as she stirred. Slowly, she brought herself to stand up. There stood Poppy, wearing a black leather dress, fishnets, and black streaks in her hair. Her eyes glowed red with no pupils.

Suddenly, she threw her hand up in the air, her thumb wrapped around her middle fingers and the others in the air. The classic rock signal "Let's rock!" she screamed from the back of her throat.

The rock trolls screamed in victory as the others stood there horrified. "Yes! Now you're looking good, Popsqueak. Now, let's get this show going, huh?" said Barb before she threw the guitar at Poppy. Poppy caught it and immediately prepared to play, resting her fingers on the strings.

"Finish them." commanded the rock queen. Poppy turned to the pop section of the crowd, staring unblinkingly at her now former friends and family. With no hesitation, she positioned her fingers into a chord and raised her hand to play and end pop music forever.

"Poppy, stop!"

Everyone looked to the sky as a smiling hot air balloon came speeding in. Multiple Trolls jumped out of it before it crashed into the rock trolls area of the audience. It deflated and while it didn't injure anyone, it bought them time before Barb's subjects could overpower them.

Branch stood in front of Poppy, arms up in surrender. She remained where she was but paused in bringing her hand down.

"Poppy, please. I know you're in there. You can fight this!" Branch yelled. Barb then got over her initial shock. "Get him!" she ordered but her subjects were stuck either under a giant, fuzzy balloon or struggling against the K-Pop and Reggaeton trolls.

"I know you were just trying to be a good queen. I know that you can be." Branch spoke as he slowly took careful steps toward the pink troll. She gave no clue that she could hear him yet still didn't turn him into a zombie.

"Please, Poppy, come back to us. Come back to me."

Barb scowled. "That's it. Alright, pinkie, turn him into one of us. NOW!" She yelled. No one moved as Poppy stood there, completely still. Then, she shook her head and reset her hand in the air. She brought it down, intent clear.

" I know your favorite song."

She stopped fingers an inch from the strings. Branch stood there, unafraid, staring into her eyes as he sang to her.

" I hear it every day."

"What are you doing? Blast him!" Barb yelled.

" Whoever made your smile, made it to get in my way.

And every time you laugh, you make this little sound."

Branch looked down and smiled before looking up, nervous and blushing. Even the rock trolls that had been fighting had now stopped to listen to the pop troll's love ballad. Poppy's face finally showed some emotion as her mouth dropped. She shook her head again as her converted mind told her to follow Barb's order. Her eyes remained glowing red.

" It's just the hardest thing

To love you, but not know how."

Branch took a step forward, onto the stage. Poppy flinched back as she glared at him, confused.

" So I spend all my nights in the dark and afraid

'Cause I've tried to forget you

But these things just don't go away"

Branch kept moving forward, looking her in her eyes. His hands trembled slightly at his side in fear but he continued to sing.

" I hate that you're perfect, perfect for me"

The smallest gasp emitted from Poppy. Finally, she relaxed her arm and brought it down to rest on the body of the guitar.

" If I didn't know better, then I would believe

That we were made for each other, but I'd know the truth

You're no good for me, I'm no good for you"

Poppy began to shake her head violently as her head fought over what she felt. The red glow of her eyes flickered and her head twitched from side to side.

" And I hate that you're perfect, you're perfect for me"

Branch stopped in front of her. She stopped moving as he stared into her red eyes, inches from her face.

" I hate that you're perfect, you're perfect for me."

Finally, the red faded from her eyes completely. Pink gazed back into blue as the sparkle that Branch had come to love returned in her eyes. The faded blue trolls reached and gently took Poppy's hand from the guitar and she dropped it onto the ground. They didn't hear the gasp from Barb as they both began to sing together, their voices mixing in a beautiful ballad, heard through the entire stadium.

" What good are words

When they always just get in our way?

And it hurts the most just to know

That you don't feel the same, the same

So sometimes, I get down on my knees

And I pray things will change

But life is what happens when things

They don't work out our way, our way"

They held each other's hands as they sang out their emotions. The rest of the world had faded from their perspectives, only seeing each other, and really listening.

" I hate that you're perfect, perfect for me"

They held the last note before letting it ring. Silence hung heavy in the air. Then, Queen Essence began to clap. King Quincy joined in then the snack pack and then everyone began to cheer and applaud the duo. Branch and Poppy looked back and forth between each other and the crowd, each smiling widely again and still holding hands.

Chapter Text

Barb stood, sharing the stage with the two pop trolls. She looked around in shock at the entire stadium cheering at the ballad they had heard. Her face twisted into an enraged scowl. “Enough! Stop it!” she yelled. The cheers died down as she screamed, spotlights focussing back on her. “They’re pop trolls! That was pop music! They’re the ones who ruined music!” she yelled at the crowd. 

“No!”

The cry of defiance shocked everyone. Poppy glared at Barb as she picked up the power guitar again. “That wasn’t us. That was a kind of pop troll that hasn’t lived for hundreds of years!” Barb’s eyes widened. “And what you’re trying to do now? This, turning everyone into the same kind of Trolls? It isn’t right.” Poppy said confidently. Behind her, Branch nodded. There were murmurs around the stadium as the pop queen defended every kind of troll. 

“Yeah, we’re different than you. But different doesn’t mean bad. Living in a world where everyone is the same? That isn’t harmony. We all have voices. Different voices.”

Poppy looked down at the guitar in her hands. It glowed at her. She furrowed her brow as she raised it over her head. There were yells from all around her. Barb began to move towards her. 

“And we don’t need strings to use them!”

She smashed the guitar into the ground. The strings stretched and broke. A shockwave blew from the pieces, rushing through the stadium of trolls and draining their colours from them as it passed. 

The stage lights shut off and the world was plunged into a dark and grey morning. Not a single splash of colour could be seen among the entirety of Trolls. Everyone looked down at themselves in disbelief. Even with all the panic in the air, it was eerily silent. Barb kneeled as she delicately clutched at the torn strings. 

“No.” she whispered. “Our music” The strings meted away in her hands and she bowed her head to hide the tears welling in her eyes.

“Look at that everybody!” Barb yelled. “History has repeated itself. Pop has ruined everything. Poppy has destroyed MUSIC.” Barb growled out the last word as she turned to face Poppy. 

The pink queen stood there, grey as she had been for a few minutes not even a year ago. Barb stalked towards her, like a predator about to pounce at its prey.

“Do you realize what you’ve done? Now there’s nothing. NOTHING!” Barb fumed. Tears dripped down Poppy’s face as she shook her head. She started whispering. “No, wait. I-” 

“What? You what? How are you going to save us? Guess what, Poppy? You can’t!” Barb’s cheeks matched Poppy’s at this point, tears flowing freely as they both were crushed by failure. Barb stepped closer to Poppy, ready to do some harm. Before she could though, Branch stepped in and blocked her path. His arms shot out in a protective stance, blocking Poppy from the rest of the Trolls and Barb. 

“Stop.” he said and Barb froze. “You’ve been wrong about a lot of things Barb. I think you realize that now. But there’s one thing you’re right about.” Branch turned to the side a little to look at Poppy.

“She can’t do this.” He said and Poppy gasped, betrayed and hurt. Branch gave her a little smile as he continued. “Alone.” 

Poppy’s eyes widened before she smiled back at him, nodded and then she stepped up beside him. They reached and took each other’s hand and the crowd was shocked as their hearts started to glow and beat, the sound echoing through the space. They both looked back at Barb and the sea of grey trolls. 

“We can do this. Together. We don’t need the strings. Our ancestors didn’t. Not when they were together. Not when they were in Harmony.” spoke Branch. Poppy’s smile returned to her face. “What’s inside of us can’t be taken away..” she said. 

Heads turned as Queen Essence spoke up. “That is where our music comes from.” she said as her husband nodded. Cooper and Prince D walked up beside their parents and the family’s hearts began to beat in turn with funk trolls.

“It comes from our experiences!” shouted King Trollex. The techno trolls began to chant as their hearts lit up, joined by the classical trolls.

“Our lives!” Delta Dawn said and the country trolls began to sing with the rock trolls.

The entire stadium was filled with the trolls’ perfectly synchronized chant, hitting the beat that their hearts produced. On the stage, Poppy clutched at her heart as she stared in wonder. 

“Listen to this. This cannot be taken away from us.” she whispered. The other kings and queens turned back to face her, each of them smiling and encouraging her to begin. Poppy froze as, for the first time in her life, she felt stage fright. ‘All of those Trolls counting on me.’ she thought. ‘I can’t do it.’ 

Chapter Text

Poppy stood in front of the entirety of Trolldom with their hearts blazing and all of the leaders looking at her expectantly.  Her insecurities waged a war in her head as she hesitated. 'I can't do this. How can I do this!?' she thought, panicking.

A warm hand slipped its way into her grasp. She jumped and turned her gaze to look at Branch who in turn smiled and gently squeezed her hand. 

‘That’s right.’ she realized as she began to smile again. ‘Together.’ With his support, she regained her confidence and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. 

“Let me hear you, sing”

The chant stopped as everyone focused on the pop queen.

“Sing it together, louder than ever, forget everything.”

The sun began to rise over the top of the volcano, shining warm light down on the astonished faces as they listened to a gorgeous voice ring. Poppy paused for a second as she turned and locked eyes with Branch. 

‘Sing with me.’ she mouthed. Branch smiled and nodded.

“Just sing, like it’s what what we’ve been missing

And they’re gonna listen, listen

Forget everything,”

Their voices melded together perfectly and they held each other’s gaze, letting the rest of the world fall away.

“Just sing.” 

Their colors came rushing back into them and Poppy almost cried at seeing the blue return to Branch’s eyes. 

Barb’s mouth dropped in shock. “Dad?” she asked, not even sure what she was asking. King Thrash rolled up in his wheelchair and began playing his keyboard along with the melody. “It’s alright, Barbara. Just be who you want to be and let others do the same. Find the beauty in the differences.” he said as his colors came back to him. Barb turned back to look at the couple.

Poppy glanced at the still-grey crowd and back at Branch. The survivalist just laughed and gestured at the stage, letting go of Poppy’s hand. Poppy nodded back and turned to move towards the other royals as she continued the song herself, now backed up by a beat ringing out from somewhere.

“You think you gotta hide it.”

She and Branch started dancing. 

Don’t keep it on the shelf.”

The royal funk family joined them center stage and started dancing along.

Let your waist start moving,

Watch the way I do it, do it,”

Branch took Poppy’s hand and spun her, dipping her for the next line. Poppy smiled and looked into his eyes, pressing their foreheads together as she sang. 

“See me do it like nobody else!”

Queen Essence took over as she began the next verse, with her and her family’s colors coming back to them. For the next verses, each leader took a turn to sing, letting their happiness and individuality flow through them and bring back their colors. 

“If we sing it all together

(If we sing it all as one)

It's louder than yourself

(All together everyone)

Everybody's lookin'

Watch the way we do it, do it

'Cause we do it like nobody else

Let me hear you sing

Don't you stop it, don't you fight it

Let me hear you sing

If you got it, can't deny it

Let me hear ya

It's waitin' for ya already

You know that you do it like nobody else”

Finally, as the chorus hit, the Kings and Queens stood in front of their respective subjects as a rainbow of color burst from them, raining over all the trolls and returning everyone’s colors.

“Just sing

Sing it together”

Poppy snuck a glance behind them and her smile fell as she stopped singing. Her brow furrowed as she looked at a grey Queen of Rock, looking down at the ground with tears falling from her eyes. Poppy didn’t hesitate as she moved to Barb. Barb looked up and quickly turned away from the approaching pinkette, furiously wiping her tears away. 

“Louder than ever, ever

Forget everything”

Poppy stopped behind her. She looked around and smiled as she saw what she needed. She rushed over and grabbed it and Barb looked on in confusion and shock. Poppy ran back to the grey troll and handed her an electric guitar and pick. Barb looked up at Poppy.

“C’mon! Sing with us!” said Poppy. Barb hesitated, looking scared. Poppy placed her hand on Barb’s and led it to the strings. 

“It’s okay. We’ve learned. We won’t be complete without you.” whispered Poppy. Barb’s eyes widened. She nodded slightly and looked at her rock trolls, all smiling and dancing. Happy.

Barb smiled and looked down at the guitar. Sliding onto her knees she began to play and sing. Her colors rushed back into her and together, she and Poppy moved to the front of the stage where the other leaders were.

“Just sing

Like it's what we've been missin'”

Everyone sang as loud as they could, all harmonizing together and singing in the style of their respective music. Branch snuck into the line to stand beside Poppy. They took each other’s hand again.

“And they're gonna listen, listen

Forget everything”

The trolls went silent as they watched the Pop Queen who had saved them sing the final line on her own, her voice ringing out.

“Just sing.”

Deafening applause roared out. The now united Trolls celebrated with each other and the sun shone down on an array of colors brighter than itself.

The trolls continued to dance and sing but it all became background noise to Poppy as she stared at the one troll who had supported her no matter what. The troll who had rushed in to save her, even when she had been so rude to him. Branch turned to her but his smile dropped as he saw her frown.

“Poppy, what’s wrong?” he asked. She shook her head as tears filled her eyes again.

“Branch I- I’m so sorry. You were right. I didn’t listen to you and I had every reason to, not just because I’m a queen but because you’re my best friend and you’ve always been there for me and you really should just leave me-”

“I’m in love with you.”

Poppy stopped her rambling and froze. 

“Yeah, you were being stupid, but it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. I couldn’t even if I tried because no matter what, I’ll always come back to you.”

Poppy stood there staring at him, not saying anything. Branch began to hesitate as his confidence faltered.

“Poppy? Did you turn into a zombie again?” he joked. When she didn’t say anything, he panicked.

“I shouldn’t have said anything, just forget I said anything, I don’t- mmph!”

He was cut off by Poppy grabbing him and pulling him in for a kiss. Fireworks went off in his head as he closed his eyes and kissed her back. After a moment, they pulled away.

“I’m in love with you too, Branch.” said Poppy. Branch’s smile grew and she giggled at the dopey look in his eyes. He seemed to snap out of it as he noticed that the cheers of the other trolls had grown.  They both blushed and jumped apart as they realized that the entire stadium was cheering for them. Poppy burst out laughing as Branch smiled and waved awkwardly as his face turned a dark, dark blue. 

“Called it!” yelled Barb as she high-fived Prince D. “It’s about time!” shouted Cooper and a wave of agreement burst from the pop trolls. Branch grumbled under his breath but smiled as Poppy roared with laughter. 

“Oh Branch, don’t listen to them.” she said as she sauntered back to him. He put his arms around her waist as she put hers around his neck. 

“I think this is perfect.” she said. Branch raised one of his eyebrows, smirking. “Oh yeah?” 

“Oh yeah.” she answered. “Perfect for me.”

The cheers roared up as they kissed again. The trolls finally reunited and were harmonizing together again, all thanks to a certain blue and pink couple who would go down in Troll history once again.