Confronting Inner Demons

How Branch Lost His Colors

Disclaimer: I don't own Trolls.
'Thoughts'
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(With Poppy and DJ)

Poppy had gone to DJ after she visited Creek. She worried about Branch. She had never seen the troll like that even when he was gray. The tears broke her heart. DJ had hugged her the minute she saw her girlfriend. She wondered what was wrong. She didn't push it. She waited for the pink troll to calm down.

"I went to give Branch his clothes and he was crying." She told her girlfriend.

"Branch was crying?!" That was a shock.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I told Creek but I have no idea why he was crying. All I know is that the look on Branch's face was heartbreaking."

"I couldn't imagine." She said.

"I hope Creek figures it out and cheers him up." She said.

"Me too. Oh you have a letter." The hot pink troll said.

Poppy looked behind her shoulder and saw the firefly. She removed herself from the hug and grabbed the letter the firefly was holding. She quickly read the contents. Her face developed a dark look. It made DJ wonder what the contents were. Poppy handed over the letter and soon DJ soon became pissed.

"How dare they?!" She seethed. "They had gotten punished for trying to do that."

"I know." She took a deep breath. "They will be punished for it. I just need to know which trolls were involved."

"I'll help. I'll go get the rest of the snack pack." She said.

"Good idea DJ. Bring them back to my pod. I don't want those involved to overhear. They may hurt another troll to keep it quiet or hurt Branch. He's in a vulnerable state right now." She said.

"Okay. Should we let Creek know that might be an option?" She asked.

"Yes. He'll protect Branch." She said.

"I just hope this doesn't mess things up between them or make Branch lose his colors again." DJ sighed,

"Me too. Let's go." The new queen of the pop trolls said.

"Okay."

The two split up. Poppy went to her pod to write a letter to Creek. DJ quickly went around and rounded up the snack pack. Soon they were all in Poppy's pod. Peppy was there as well. They waited to hear what DJ and Poppy were going to tell them. At first they assumed it was to announce they were engaged but then they saw their faces and knew it was bad.

"Today Creek and Branch were supposed to have a date today. Branch came to me yesterday. He wanted some new clothes for it." Poppy said.

"You came to us." Satin said.

"Asked us to make clothes for Branch. Did the two have a fight?" Chenille asked in worry.

"No. It's worse." DJ answered.

"SInce you all were busy I picked the clothes up and delivered them. When Branch answered the door he had been crying. He took the clothes and went back inside the bunker." The pink troll said. "I told Creek. He went to see what was wrong. When I was with DJ I received this letter." She gave it to her father.

They all passed the letter around after they read it. None of them were happy. In fact they were all pissed off. Peppy looked at her daughter.

"I can't believe they destroyed the last pictures of Branch's grandmother. Those idiots are lucky that Branch hasn't killed them." Peppy said.

"That's true." Poppy sighed. "We need to find the ones responsible. I fear that they might hurt others to keep it a secret or hurt Branch."

"I agree." He said.

"I also need to figure out what their punishments will be. I'm afraid I will be too harsh." She admitted.

"How about both of us do that?" He said. "This way the punishment is just."

"Thanks dad." She teared up.

"You're welcome." He hugged her.

"We'll all go around and see if we can figure it out." Guy said.

"We'll also keep a lookout so that no trolls can get hurt or hurt another." Biggie said.

"Thanks everyone." She smiled at them.

"You're welcome Poppy." They said.
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(With Guy and Creek)

Branch had cried for a while. The whole time Creek had held him. He rubbed soothing circles on his back. Branch eventually stopped. He didn't fall asleep but he had stopped crying. He just laid in Creek's arms. He felt so drained, so empty.

"It's my fault." He said, his voice cracking due to him crying.

"What?" He looked down at Branch in confusion. "How is it your fault they ruined your pictures?"

"Not that. That wasn't my fault. I'm talking about my grandma." He answered.

"Oh."

"She died because of me." He said.

"How?" He asked.

"The chef liked to eat trolls whenever she pleased. One day when I was singing and dancing she tried to take me. My grandma saw. She called out to me but I was too into what I was doing so I didn't hear her. She pushed me out of the way in time. The chef grabbed her instead." He told him.

"Oh Branch." He knew the blue troll had carried that guilt with him all this time.

"I stopped singing and dancing after that. I also turned gray. When King Peppy told us the plan I grabbed the pictures. It was all I could carry. Now, it's all gone." The survivalist said.

"She loved you." Creek told him.

He pulled back so that he was making eye contact with Branch. The blue troll was looking at him in shock.

"She loved you. If she didn't she wouldn't have saved you." He told him. "I don't think she would have wanted you to carry around this guilt. She would have wanted you to be happy."

Tears filled Branch's eyes. "You're right. If she were here she'd be lecturing me before giving me some cookies."

"We can have some later." He promised.

"Good." He laughed. "What about our date?"

"We can do that tomorrow. Today you're going to lay about and I'm taking care of you." He smiled.

"Thank you." He smiled before kissing him.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"I'll go make us something." He said.