True Colors (A Trolls Movie Rewrite)

by gaytoadsimp

Summary:

What if in Trolls, Branch and Poppy liked different people?

Basically just a shortened version of the first movie (maybe the second + third movies too) but with different ships

Chapter 1: Trolls - 1

Poppy and her friends had just finished their big song and dance number, full of glitter and unnecessary positivity, as per usual. They panted from how intense their performance had been, staying as still as possible. Branch clapped slowly from the shade of the mushroom he was standing under.

“Unbelievable, guys. Really, really great. Good job,” he said sarcastically as he stepped out, arms full with bundles of sticks. “I could hear you from a mile away!”

Poppy smiled. “Good. I was worried we weren’t projecting enough.”

Poppy spoke so cheerfully, it made Branch want to roll his eyes. “Poppy, if I can hear you, so can the Bergens,” he hissed between his teeth. Poppy’s friends didn’t hesitate to groan at his concern.

“Oh, boy.” Guy Diamond looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

“Here we go again.” Cooper rolled his eyes.

“Oh, Branch…” Biggie protested.

“You always ruin everything,” Satin snarked.

“Warning us about the Bergens,” her sister Chenille continued.

Branch scoffed. “No, I don’t.”

“Come on! We haven’t seen a Bergen in 20 years,” Poppy said, dismissing his worries nonchalantly. “They’re not gonna find us.”

“No, they’re not gonna find me, because I will be in my highly camouflaged, heavily fortified, Bergen-proof survival bunker.”

Poppy frowned. “You mean you’re not coming to the party tonight?”

Satin and Chenille said in unison, “But it’s going to be the biggest…”

“The loudest!” DJ Suki added.

“The craziest party ever!” Cooper finished, with Biggie nodding at his side in agreement.

The group began to cheer excitedly with each other as Branch looked at them incredulously. “Big? Loud? Crazy? You’re just gonna lead the Bergens right to us!”

Cooper leaned down to whisper loudly in Poppy’s ear. “Are you sure you wanna invite this party pooper to poop on your party?”

“Yes,” Poppy responded happily. “I think everyone deserves to be happy.”

“I don’t do happy,” Branch retorted.

Poppy walked closer to Branch. “Branch, I know you have happiness inside you. You just need our help to find it.” She offered him a pop-up card as an invite for the party, which sprayed glitter all over him. “What do you say, Branch?”

Branch smiled sarcastically, took the card from Poppy, and stomped it into the ground like he was putting out a cigarette. The group gasped at him. “Oh my guh,” Smidge said, deadpan.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead at your party, but you will be,” Branch said, wiping off the glitter from his face and vest. “Caught, and dead.”

“Whoa, whoa. Easy, Branch, easy.” The group looked up to find Creek descending from the sky with the help of a bug, lowering him down by his hair. The bug dropped Creek, who pulled the bug close to touch foreheads. “Thank you for providing safe passage, brother. Namaste.”

Branch rolled his eyes as the bug flew away. Creek turned around to face him. “Okay, first of all, mate, thanks for sharing your unique perspective on things. Again.” Biggie and Cooper snickered as Creek continued, smug as ever. “But, just for now, why don’t you try on some positivity, eh? A little positivity might go with that vest.”

“Okay, fine. I’m positive you all are going to get eaten,” Branch replied matter-of-factly.

Before anyone could respond, everyone’s bracelets began to chime. Poppy grinned. “Hug time!”

“It is hug time,” Creek smiled as he wrapped Poppy into a hug. Everyone else joined in on the hug, forcing Branch to join as they continued their chorus of ‘hug time’.

“Oh, that feels good,” said Cooper, who was hugging as much as a four-legged, no-armed troll could hug.

Creek, on Branch’s right, piped up. “Our hearts are synchronizing!”

Guy Diamond, on Branch’s left, sang, “I can squee-e-eze you forever!”

Branch grunted and flung himself out of the hug. He glared at Poppy. “Someday, when the Bergens find us and the survival of every troll is in your hands, I sure hope the answer is singing, dancing, and hugging, because that’s all you know how to do.”

Biggie came to Poppy’s defense. “That is not true! Poppy can also scrapbook.”

Branch ignored him. “I can’t believe you’re gonna be queen one day.” Then, he stormed off.

Poppy looked down at the grass below her, sadly. Creek came up from behind her, trying to cheer her up by saying, “Tune out his negative vibrations, Poppy. They’re toxic. Some folks just don’t want to be happy.”

“I guess,” Poppy agreed, still clearly not convinced.

“You guessed right.” Creek winked at her and booped her nose, causing her to smile. “Boop!”

Chapter 2: Trolls - 2

It was time for the biggest, the loudest, the craziest party ever, celebrating 20 years since The Last Trollstice. Every Troll was celebrating (except Branch, of course). DJ Suki was DJing, Biggie was crowdsurfing, and Creek was using Satin and Chenille’s hair as a slingshot for the balls of glitter he was shooting out into the crowd.

“More glitter!” Poppy shouted out to the crowd from the mushroom stage she was partying on. Her request was fulfilled, and more glitter filled up the air, as well as lights and fireworks, clearly visible in the night sky for miles around.

Visible enough for the disowned Bergen chef to see from deep in the woods.

Meanwhile, Poppy called for an announcement in front of the party crowd. “Okay, everyone, I just want to take a moment and get a little real.”

“Poppy!” Biggie called out from the crowd excitedly. “She’s my friend! I know her!” Immediately, the rest of Poppy’s friends turned to shush him.

Poppy smiled and continued. She turned to King Peppy, still addressing the crowd. “I’d like to take a second to celebrate our king, my father, who, 20 years ago this night, saved all of us from those dreaded–”

The sound of large footsteps shook the ground. Something large was approaching. The crowd went silent. King Peppy looked up with an expression of pure worry. “Bergens.”

The crowd gasped as Chef appeared in front of them all, grinning sinisterly. “Gotcha.”

Cooper stared up at her in fear, causing him to defecate cupcakes. Chef’s expression faltered slightly, confused and almost concerned. Poppy, attempting to fix the situation somehow, picked up the cupcakes and offered them to her. “Uh…cupcake?”

Chef ignored the offer and grinned again, unzipping her fanny pack. Poppy dropped the cupcakes and yelled, “Run!”

Then, the trolls began to panic.

Everyone clamored to find a hiding place as the Chef began to snatch any trolls she managed to reach before they hid.

“Poppy!” Poppy watched helplessly as Chef grabbed Guy Diamond first.

“Mr. Dinkles! Has anybody seen Mr. Dinkles?” Biggie panicked, next to go into the fanny pack.

“Biggie!” Poppy called out. “Blend in! Blend in!” She noticed Smidge get caught by the hair. “Run, Smidge!”

“Oh my guh!” Smidge exclaimed as she was taken next. Then, Chef’s finger hooked under Satin and Chenille’s hair, picking them up as they screamed.

Poppy led a group of troll kids to hide in the grass, Cooper following close behind. Unfortunately, being too tall to hide, he was quickly snatched up next. Poppy ran out of the grass. “Cooper!”

“Everyone, minimize your auras!” Creek called out to everyone before being taken by Chef as well.

“Creek!”

“Poppy!”

Poppy frantically shot her hair out for Creek to grab onto. “Hold on!”

“Poppy!”

Poppy was flung back, Creek losing hold of her hair. “Creek!”

Poppy then noticed her father, attempting to hit Chef’s foot. “Bad Bergen! Bad, bad Bergen!”

Chef grinned again and reached down to snatch him. Poppy ran toward him. “Dad!” She grabbed his hand and ran to hide under a mushroom, covering them with her hair.

Chef ducked down, looking for them, then gave up after a moment. She stood back up and spoke, stretching her words out. “Thanks for throwing the biggest, the loudest…”

Cooper popped his head out of the fanny pack. “The craziest party ever!”

Chef pushed him back into the fanny pack before zipping it up, then leaving.

One by one, the trolls began to reveal themselves again, looking from one another with fear evident on their faces.

”Is it coming back?” one troll spoke up.

”What are we gonna do now?” asked another.

King Peppy came up with a quick solution. “We have to find a new home. Everyone, hurry. We have to leave before the Bergens come back.”

”We have to rescue them,” Poppy argued desperately.

“No, Poppy, we have to run. Now let’s go, everyone. Come on!” King Peppy motioned for the other trolls to follow him.

”What about ‘No troll left behind’?” Poppy protested.

Her father looked back at her sadly. “I’m sorry, Poppy. That was a long time ago, and I’m not the king I once was.” He continued to walk off with the others.

Poppy paused before announcing her idea. “Then I’ll go. I’ll go and save them.”

“No, Poppy. It’s too dangerous.”

“I have to at least try.”

“No. You can’t go to Bergen Town by yourself. It’s impossible.” Peppy watched as Poppy turned away from him, trying to think of where to go from here.

Chapter 3: Trolls - 3

Branch stared at the party invite playing in front of him on the table. It sang on repeat, “Celebrate freedom from the Bergens!” Branch’s expression softened and he looked over wistfully at the shelf in his bunker where he kept all his past invites and cards from Poppy and the others.

Barely a few seconds later, he heard loud knocking on his bunker door. He gasped and quickly shoved the card in with the others, causing them all to fall down and start playing. He frantically crammed them all back in the shelf.

“Branch! Branch! Branch! Branch!” Poppy knocked repeatedly on the rock door to Branch’s bunker. “Branch, are you in there?”

She turned around to see a sliding peephole open in Branch’s “welcome” mat, which read “Go Away”. She looked in to see Branch, brows furrowed. “I’m not going to your party.”

Poppy walked over to the welcome mat. “The party’s over. We just got attacked by a Bergen.”

“I knew it.” The mat slid away and Branch grabbed Poppy by the hands, pulling her into the bunker. He quickly surrounded them with traps, motioning for Poppy to stay quiet as he looked up for any sight of the Bergen.

“Branch–”

“Shh!”

“…I have to tell you something–”

“Shh!”

“…I was just gonna–”

“Shh! Shh!” Branch put his fingers to his mouth, clearly annoyed. Poppy raised her hand. “What? What could be so important that it’s worth leading the Bergen right to us?”

“The Bergen’s gone!”

“You don’t know that. It could still be out there. Watching. Waiting. Listening.”

Poppy stood up. “No, it left! It took Cooper, and Smidge, and Fuzzbert, and Satin, and Chenille, and Biggie, and Creek…” Branch rolled his eyes. “…and Guy Diamond!” His attention snapped back to Poppy. “Which is why I have to ask you…will you go to Bergen Town with me and save everyone?”

“What? No.”

“Branch, you can’t say no. They’re your friends!” Poppy protested.

“Uh-uh-uh. They’re your friends. I’m staying right here in my bunker where it’s safe.”

“Oh, that’s great. You’re the one guy who knows more about Bergens than anyone, but when we finally need you, you just want to hide here forever?”

“Forever? Pfft. No.” Branch pulled a lever, and the ground beneath him and Poppy began to lower. As they moved past the different rooms in the bunker, Branch continued. “I really only have enough supplies down here to last me 10 years, 11 if I’m willing to store and drink my own sweat. Which I am. You all said I was crazy, huh? Well, who’s crazy now? Me. Crazy prepared.” The elevator platform finally landed on the lowest floor and Branch walked off.

Poppy followed him. “I’m sorry. I should have listened to you. You told me not to throw the party and I threw it anyway. And it’s my fault they were taken. And now I don’t know what to do,” she admitted.

“Why don’t you try scrapbooking them to freedom?” Branch retorted sarcastically.

“Solid burn, Branch.” Branch smiled smugly at her and raised an eyebrow. “Well, thanks anyway.” Poppy walked back to the elevator platform.

“Hey, anytime, Poppy. See you in 10 years.” He watched as Poppy pulled the lever and returned to the surface. The second she was out of sight, his face fell. As he walked away, he heard the platform lower back down again, and he turned around confused.

“Oh, hey, Branch? Just wondering if I could borrow something,” Poppy asked.

Branch sighed. “What?”

“Your bunker.”

“What?”

“Okay, everybody, come on in!” Poppy lowered the platform down more, followed by the rest of the trolls Chef didn’t take.

“No, no, no! Whoa, wait! Poppy, what are you doing?” Branch watched as all the trolls clamored around, messing with his things.

“You said you have enough provisions to last 10 years, right?”

“Yes, to last me 10 years. Me! It’ll last them 2 weeks!”

“Then I guess I better hurry,” Poppy said matter-of-factly.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Branch stopped her. “You won’t last a day out there.”

“And you won’t last a day in here. Solid burn, returned.” Poppy walked back to the platform and addressed the rest of the trolls. “Bye, everybody! See you soon!”

“Good luck, Princess Poppy!” the group exclaimed in unison. Branch just stared at her.

Poppy looked down at her bracelet and spoke softly. “And three, two, one…” Suddenly, everyone’s bracelets chimed in sync.

“Hug time!” King Peppy announced. Everyone began to close in on Branch for a hug as they chanted in unison.

“No! No!” Branch looked at Poppy helplessly as she went back up the elevator.

—————

“With her friends safely hidden, Princess Poppy set off to rescue her other friends, confident she’d make it to Bergen Town on her own…convinced she’d make it to Bergen Town.” Poppy looked up from the scrapbook she was narrating over. She noticed the large footprints Chef had left behind. “Um…totally sure she’d make it to Bergen Town.” She sighed and began to follow the footprints.

Chapter 4: Trolls - 4

“Get back up again!” Poppy woke up sitting in a pile of webs, with Branch standing over her. “Branch, my man! You are right on time.”

“Oh, right. Like you knew I was coming.”

“Yes! I figured after the third hug time, getting eaten by a Bergen wouldn’t seem so bad.” Poppy stood up.

“And I figured there was no way you could do this by yourself. Guess we were both right.” “Hm. All right. Let’s do this! Sooner we get to Bergen Town, sooner we can rescue everybody and make it home safely.” Poppy began walking off again while Branch stared after her, then followed.

“Wait, wait, wait. What’s your plan?”

Poppy turned to face him. “I just told you. To rescue everyone and make it home safely.”

Branch rolled his eyes. “Okay. That’s not a plan. That’s a wish list.”

“Oh! I suppose you have a plan?”

Branch smiled and cleared his throat. “First, we get to the edge of Bergen Town without being spotted. Then we get inside by sneaking through the old escape tunnels, which will then lead us to the Troll Tree, right before we get caught and suffer a miserable death at the hands of a horrible, bloodthirsty Bergen! Hold on a second, are you scrapbooking my plan?”

Poppy, lying on her stomach and cutting some paper, answered, “Uh-huh. Yeah. Almost…done!” She stood up, holding up the scrapbook, which sprayed glitter on Branch’s face as he stared at her unamused.

“There will be no more scrapbooking.” Branch snorted glitter out of his nose.

—————

“Do you have to sing?” Branch asked Poppy, who was, obviously, singing happily as the two ventured on.

“I always sing when I’m in a good mood.”

“Do you have to be in a good mood?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? By this time tomorrow, I’ll be with all my friends! Oh, I wonder what they’re doing right now.”

“Probably being digested.”

“They’re alive, Branch. I know it!”

Branch turned to face Poppy. “You don’t know anything, Poppy. And I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you realize the world isn’t all cupcakes and rainbows. ‘Cause it isn’t. Bad things happen, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” He continued walking.

Poppy paused, then replied, “Hey, I know it’s not all cupcakes and rainbows. But I’d rather go through life thinking that it mostly is instead of being like you. You don’t sing, you don’t dance. So gray all the time! What happened to you?”

Branch interrupted her. “Shh.”

Poppy stopped in her tracks. “A Bergen?”

“Maybe,” Branch whispered. He continued walking as Poppy looked around worried before realizing.

“There’s no Bergen, is there? You just said that so I’d stop talking.”

Branch paused, then whispered again. “Maybe.” Poppy rolled her eyes, then followed him again.

—————

Poppy was trying to fall asleep. She tossed and turned, restless, before sighing. She set down a photo frame, expanding it to show pictures of all her friends. “So special. Good night, Cooper. Good night, Smidge. Good night, Fuzzbert. Good night, Satin. Good night, Chenille. Good night, Biggie. Good night, DJ. Good night, Guy Diamond.” She giggled. “Good night, Creek. Boop.” She booped the picture.

“And good night, Poppy,” Branch snapped before turning away from her, attempting to fall asleep. Poppy rolled onto her back. Her bracelet chimed, and she looked over at Branch. “Don’t even think about it.”

Poppy looked up at the stars and began to sing. “Stars shining bright above you…”

“Really? Seriously? More singing?”

“Yes, seriously! Singing helps me relax. Maybe you ought to try it.”

“I don’t sing, and I don’t relax. This is the way I am, and I like it. I also like a little silence.” Branch turned away from Poppy and pulled his leaf blanket up.

Poppy started playing her ukulele. Branch turned back to face her, only to be met with her standing right next to him with a smug expression. “Hello, darkness, my old friend.

I’ve come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound

Of silence…”

Branch stood up and smiled, reaching his hands out for her ukulele. “May I?” Poppy smiled back and handed him the ukulele, which Branch promptly threw into the fire, before going back to sleep.