Inseparable - Trolls Mythology AU

Chapter 2 - The Underworld's music

This night Poppy doesn't sleep at all. When it is the time, she jumps from the tree she's been sitting on and runs to the hill. She beams at Branch when he only shows up.

- Good morning! - Pink young lady says with all of her kindness, brightness, and sweetness.

- Good morning? - The god of the Night answers after a while of hesitation. He shows her the Staff of the Light to let her grab it and start the Day. But instead of that, Poppy asks:

- How was your Night?

That actually makes Branch really confused, cause he answers in a very unsurely tone:

- Good. As always.

- Oh, it's good! - Poppy beams with even more cheerfulness.

- Are you gonna grab it or will the Day never start? - Now he sounds pretty impatient.

- We have a bit of time to talk so why...

Poppy is interrupted by the loud noise of sticking the Staff into the ground, just a few centimeters from her face. She drops her smile and freezes.

- Have a nice Day - Branch says blankly and steps down the hill. Without his touch, the sphere changes from blue, slightly blurring, to gold, bright shining.

Poppy grabs the Staff, following the long gray capote with her eyes. She can run after him, but it would be a bit pushy. She gulps. It's gonna be much harder than she expected. But she's not gonna give up. Not yet.

So when the Day passed, the pink goddess climbs on the hill and greets the hoodie with another cheerful smile.

- Good evening - She says politely.

- Good evening - Branch throws emotionlessly.

- How was your Day?

- I was resting in a cave. I hate the Light.

- Oh - That answer makes Poppy a bit out of tune. - Why though?

- It's just not my cup of tea - He says and takes his dull hand out of his capote to grab the Staff. - I prefer Darkness. Is that a sufficient answer to your question?

- Um...

He takes the Staff from her hands, while she is looking at him confused. The sky slowly turns from gold light to empty darkness.

- Good Night.

And then he just walks away.

Now it is totally obvious that Branch doesn't want to talk with Poppy. And she finds it absolutely reasonable. She used to ignore him for the whole six months. Six months! And suddenly she wants to talk. Of course he's angry! Of course he doesn't want to talk with her. But the goddess of the Light still has a hope to befriend him. There has to be a way!

So she tries and tries, but the more she tries, the more annoyed Branch sounds, and the sooner he cuts their talks. If the simplest greetings can be called 'talks'. Till one Day he doesn't answer at all. He just grabs the Staff without a single word and the Darkness sharply falls on the world. He turns back and walks away. And this time it is Poppy who gets angry.

- Hey! - She cries at him. - That was a bit rude, don't you think?

He stops and the goddess hears a loud sigh.

- You know what? - His voice is so firm like he is trying to hold his emotions. - Let me tell you something. See, the Day is a time for working and the Night is the time for resting. You know that. And they are pretty different. The Night is quiet and dark. The Day is loud and bright. You know that. They are two parts of the cycle. Separated parts.