Narrator's POV
Later everyone was dropped in the pot with the rest of the troll village.
"Poppy!" King Peppy ran to Poppy hugging her, as she hugged back. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, dad." she said.
Everyone was panicking as Clover looked around for (Y/n), but couldn't find her.
"(Y/n)? (Y/n)?!" Clover called out as she walked over to her friends. "Aliki, Janell, have you seen (Y/n)?"
"No." Aliki said.
"We haven't seen her." Janell said.
Soon the chattering was slowly dying down when different conversations were heard.
"Hey...Is that (Y/n)?"
"Is she okay?"
"What happened to her?"
"Where are her colors?"
"Did she...always have horns?"
"Why does she look so sad?"
It soon fell silent as everyone formed a circle around a now gray (Y/n). She was sitting down, hugging her knees, her head hanged low, her wings were shut, and her tail was curled up around her body.
She was holding her hat in her hand as her hood was off, showing her horns. Despite her new appearance, that was the least of their problem. She was sad and no one knew why.
Poppy then walked up to her.
"(Y/n)?" Poppy asked. "...Are you okay?"
(Y/n) picked her head, wiped the tears from her now gray eyes and stood up, putting her hat in her pocket.
"... No, Poppy. I'm not okay." She answered sadly. "I was...never okay. I was supposed to leave and come back with my friends and my sister, protect you, and I can't even do that! ...Like I couldn't save my parents..."
"But..." Clover spoke walking up beside Poppy, "...it wasn't your fault."
"Wait, wait..." Poppy cut in. "You...Were never okay?"
"Not since I was 4, when we lost our parents..." (Y/n) said.
Poppy just stared in disbelief.
"But you had your colors." DJ Suki said.
"I was faking my colors..."
This shocked everyone else.
"But...but why?" Satin asked.
"Because she didn't want anyone to think there was something wrong with her." Aliki said.
"Or call her a Branch." Janell added.
"You mean...you two knew?" Biggie asked.
"Clover?" Chenille looked over at her.
Clover didn't speak, she just looked at her sister. Of course she knew, they were sisters after all, so she knew this long before her two best friends found out. Poppy then noticed (Y/n)'s horns and saw that one of them had a scar on it.
"(Y/n), what happened...to that horn?" She asked as she pointed to it.
"....Back then a lot of kids picked on me about them..." She started, hesitating at first. "So I tried to cut them off but then Clover stopped me."
Everyone was shocked to hear this, and immediately felt sorry for her.
"But when does it matter? I hid my horns and pretended to be happy for my sister since our parents died, but it was all a failure in the end..."
She walked to the center and sat down, as more tears started falling down her cheek.
"But..." Clover spoke walking slowly to her with Poppy behind her. "...But (Y/n)..."
"I'm sorry, Clover... I'm not the happy troll you wanted me to be..."
With that, Clover just stood there, heartbroken. Her sister pretended to be happy for her all these years...so she could be happy. But seeing (Y/n) like this... What was the point?
Poppy looked at Clover and noticed her head hanging low as her colors started fading to gray. "Clover...?"
When it finally went to her wings, everyone was shocked to see most of her feathers fell off and disappeared, leaving small wings, just like (Y/n)'s.
Poppy looked at Clover and saw how sad she now was before looking back at (Y/n), seeing her in same state, then she looked down as her own colors started fading. She failed to make her truly happy.
"Poppy..."
Everyone was shocked to see two of the happiest trolls have lost their colors and happiness. Soon everyone looked down in sadness as their colors started fading one by one.
All Branch could do was watch. He then realized, that (Y/n)'s fake happiness kept Poppy and Clover's alive which kept everyone else's alive.
He looked at (Y/n) and saw how sad she was, then remembered the letter she gave him. He took it out of his pocket and read it.
Dear Branch,
I know we don't talk as much when the others are up and about, but despite it being short these few years or so, I actually enjoyed being around you. Sure you ruin parties, but I'm not really a party person. People would say you're no fun to be around you, but I'd never mind. And another thing you should know, I'm not like the others. I'm not really happy myself. I never was for...personal reasons, and I try to be for Clover. She tried a lot to make me happy...throwing me parties, sing to me, dance with me, but what would really make me happy...is to be with you. I don't care what the others would say or think. Not even Clover. Even though Poppy is trying to set me with Creek, I rather be with you instead. I had feelings for you for a while, but was too scared to admit it, that's why I send you drawings and letters. If you don't feel the same way, it's fine. I understand. But if you do, come find me.
Love, (Y/n).
He was shocked. This whole time she actually cared deeply for him. Even if Clover possibly disagreed, she'd still want to be with him. He thought about how she would always try to make him smile, even though she wasn't truly happy herself. He knew what he had to do.
Everything was silent as tears continued to traveled down (Y/n)'s cheek. She felt as if she was failure and always have been. Despite giving her letter to Branch, she thought he'd never feel the same way.
[Branch]
You with the sad eyes
A voiced suddenly sang. At that moment, everyone looked up to see who's voice that was, then noticed two trolls backing away from Branch, who walks over, still singing with the same voice,
Don't be discouraged,
(Y/n) doesn't speak as she looks down again. He passes Clover and Poppy to her. He squats down as he lifts up her chin so their eyes could meet, and wipes away the tears from her eyes. He continued singing.
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
The darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small
She looks down as her hug time alarm goes off on her choker. Branch opens his arms up for a hug, but she turns away, covering it up. Branch then put his hands down as Poppy's hug time alarm went off, then Clover's, then everybody else's but they all remained silent.
On the outside of the pot, Bridget was listening to the song, until Chef came behind her, startling her saying, "What are you doing? The King's waiting. Get those trolls up there!"
"Sorry." Bridget apologized.
"You are sorry..."
She rolled the pot to the other bergens, while inside the pot, Branch helped (Y/n) stand up, continuing his singing.
[Branch]
Show me a smile then
Don't be unhappy
Can't remember when
She walked away as he followed.They both stop, as she looks at him.
I last saw you laughing
This world makes you crazy
He slid on his knees, as he managed to crack a smile from her.
And you've taken all you can bear
Just, call me up
'Cause I will always be there
And I see your true colors
Shining through
(Y/n) and Branch looked down to see her real colors coming back as (f/c) (f2/c) and (f3/c) and her wings grew their feathers back and to their actual size. She looked at Branch and smiled while still watching the rest of her colors return.
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
She looked at Branch shocked then smiled, as he extended out his hand. She started singing with him.
[(Y/n)]
So don't be afraid
[Branch & (Y/n)]
to let them show
They touched hands as Branch's colors started coming back as blue.
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
Clover and Poppy watched them in amazement, as their own colors started coming back as well.
[Branch]
I see your true colors
Shining through
[(Y/n)]
(true colors)
Then Branch and (Y/n) started slow dancing as everyone's color started coming back.
[Branch]
I see your true colors
[Branch & (Y/n)]
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
[Branch]
Like a rainbow
[(Y/n)]
Ooh ooh ooh like a rainbow
Cooper plays his harmonica, as everyone come closer with their real colors and happiness, and they all hug. As everyone stops, Clover walks over to Branch and (Y/n). She never thought she'd see her sister happy with her real colors again.
"Thank you, Branch." Clover said.
"If anyone should be thanked, it should be (Y/n)." Branch said.
"For what?" She asked a little confused.
"For showing me how to be...happy."
At that moment Poppy rushed over. "Wait, you're finally happy?! NOW?"
"I think so. Happiness is inside of all of us, right? Sometimes, you just... need someone to help you find it."
They smiled at Branch, as a small child walked over to them. "(Y/n), Princess Poppy, what's gonna happen now?"
"I don't know," Poppy said, "But I know we're not giving up."
