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Part 2 of my Winx Club rewrite!

Okay, so as I discussed in part 1, Solaria is the mother kingdom of the rest of the land and kingdoms within our story.

And the golden, gleaming kingdom of the sun, the stars, and the moon is ruled over by the young queen Stella. She’s good to her people and considers even those in the shadow ridden colonies of Peradyn and the humble village of Gardenia to be the subjects she adores and cares for.

However, as the daughter of the late moon goddess and a fallen king, Stella has many, many responsibilities. Not only must she mediate feuds and oversee trade, she must also monitor the cosmos and their celestial bodies so that their simple planet isn’t destroyed in the cross fire.

So she appoints a trusted set of fellow royals to have their own domains to keep the harmony of their world.

As princess and heir to the throne of the powerful kingdom of Andros, Aisha is entrusted to be a sort of deity of war, empowering worthy soldiers with strength and endurance to be the best among them.

Speaking of Aisha, she returns home from a recent meeting to her parents telling her that she’s been betrothed to the prince of a small colony that is in desperate need of the military and financial support that only a union with Andros can provide. Aisha denies this, stating that Andros has more than enough to go around and no marriage is required to assist the colony.

But her parents seek to reign in their wild and independent daughter and they inform her that she has no say in the matter.

Meanwhile, Stella appoints her cousin, the young Prince Sky of Arachleon, to oversee trade between the major kingdoms and the smaller villages, towns, and colonies they trade with and care for. This gives him the opportunity to not only travel the world, but escape the cruelty of his father, who despite his best efforts, has yet to twist Sky up into an equally authoritarian king.

He decides he needs a guide and Stella directs him to the heir of the family Salazar, whose grandfather is the professor of history at Alfea Fountain College (did I not mention that I merged Red Fountain and Alfea to being a co-ed boarding school) and whose father developed the modern mode of transportation known as a powerful, magic infused train that mostly functions to get students from all over the world to the central city of Magix, home to the campus. Yeah, so Helia is honored to join Sky and basically acts as his tour guide bc dude, Sky has never stepped foot outside of Arachleon (other than to visit Solaria) ever in his life.

And Sky, in his travels, comes to Lymphea and Gardenia, where he finds Flora and Bloom training together. Bloom is cautious of the arrival of such a powerful prince, Flora just as concerned as taking over Lymphea would be as simple as breathing for the favorite cousin of the sun queen Stella.

But Sky bows to them, offering only good intentions. Helia introduces himself like a normal person, Sky realizing he’s just scaring the girls by being so formal.

And at the exact same time, Bloom’s father collapses and Helia reacts immediately, revealing he’s had healing magic this entire time and thanks to him, Bloom’s father is perfectly okay.

I’ll go into more detail about Sky and the other boys later, but for now, I want to quickly discuss Tecna and a bit about Timmy but I’ll go into more detail in the next part.

Tecna and Timmy are technically from the same place, but not really.

Zenith is a technological innovation of a kingdom, but its newest invention is a community that is entirely housed within a hierarchy system that is literally stacked together. A life sustaining circuit of rings, made up of machinery and magic, it’s a unique entity that circles a hub that powers it by taking power from each ring. And the five communities are categorized by what they contribute. The leaders and their families, the team that created the tower of rings, live in the highest ring, the Capitol ring. The wealthy and high society consist of competitive inventors and innovators in the second highest ring, the Circuit ring. Then there’s third ring, the Society ring, where bankers, old money, and major businesses keep to themselves. The fourth ring, the Wire ring, houses the poor who try to make the best of what they have. These people are examples of what happens when those in the rings above them fail the Capitol ring, falling from grace in a way. Finally, the fifth ring, the Rust ring, those have lost their places in any society, usually criminals, rebels, or those in the wrong place at the wrong time, who were unlucky enough to birth children, struggle to breath in the polluted air and drink dirty water.

Tecna is the daughter of two zealous inventors in the Circuit. And when an attack organized by aspiring rebels explodes her neighborhood, Tecna is badly injured. And her parents decide to try to rebuild her.

And they actually do it! But they put so much into their work that they lose profit and are effectively dropped down to the Wire. Driven half mad by what’s become of them, Tecna’s parents are usually lost in a daze or stay up for days working on the same project that goes absolutely nowhere. And they don’t hear their daughter when she tells them that one of her legs needs to be adjusted or the biocomponents seeing to the function of her vital organs needs repairing.

It isn’t until she’s slumped against the wall of a shabby confectionery factory in a dirty alley that Timmy comes across her.

He knows almost immediately that the machinery her body is made of comes from the upper rings. And he knows that scavengers will steal her parts while she’s still breathing. So he approaches her cautiously and tells her that he can help.

The other thing is that Tecna is only 14 and immediately sees that Timmy is only 13, so these two children are basically trusting each other; Tecna needs repairs and Timmy needs someone to watch out for scavengers and marauders.

Yeah, that’s the other thing; I’ve decided that Alfea-Fountain-Tower, have the following school years:

- First year: Ages 14-15

- Second year: 15-16

- Third year: 16-17

- Fourth year: 17-18

- Fifth year: 18-19

- Sixth year: 19-20

- Seventh year: 20-21

- Eighth year and additional training/academic programs for military/magic studies: 21-26

And Timmy’s brilliant enough to be allowed to skip a year and be admitted as a second year.

Here’s a breakdown of what year everyone is at the beginning of the story for my rewrite:

- Bloom, 15, first year

- Stella, 17, third year

- Helia, 16, third year

- Sky, 15, first year

- Brandon, 17, first year (I’ll explain that in the next part)

- Aisha, 17, third year

- Musa, 16, repeating second year (I’ll explain that later too)

- Flora, 16, second year

- Tecna, 14, first year

- Timmy, 13, second year

- Riven, 16, first year (explained later)

- Nabu, 17, homeschooled until his third year

I know this one was kind of long. Sorry about that. Part 3 coming at some point, hopefully soon.

[decent0distraction]

Would anyone care about a Winx Club rewrite? No?

Okay, well, more for me then. Heh. Ok, whatever, moving on-

-I just think adding a little depth and balancing out the ethical implications of the different sides as well as weaving more lore and backgrounds into it would be interesting.

Also this is part 1 so look out for part 2 when I can get around to posting it. I might try to make art of my versions of the characters but I’m no artist so we’ll see.

Let’s start with Bloom bc as much as I do agree that Bloomix was fucking ridiculous and by the fourth or fifth season they seriously just made it all about Bloom with her friends being basically background characters, I do like the idea of a human-raised fairy having to adjust to the reality of magic and possibly a dark destiny awaiting her.

But I’m not going really based off of the show, but you’ll see that as we go on.

First things first, the magic universe doesn’t consist of planets. Instead, everything takes place on one planet, within a collection of countries that mostly all have their own rulers but the collection itself is oversaw by the oldest kingdom, Solaria. This will make more sense when I get to some of the other characters, but for the discussion of my rewrite of Bloom, you just need to know that Bloom wasn’t raised on a planet called Earth, but instead, she was raised on the tiny village of Gardenia, which is actually under the rule of the kingdom Lymphea. The people of Gardenia do not normally possess nor use magic and they’re usually farmers and healers, living off the land they care for.

When the kingdom of Domino is attacked, Daphne secures infant Bloom on a trade cart to Lymphea, intending on her to be found there and raised in the natural defensive walls of the floral kingdom. But Daphne couldn’t have known that the cart Bloom was hidden on wasn’t stopping in Lymphea, but was actually going through Lymphea and to Gardenia.

So no one actually knows that the princess isn’t lost to her people forever and was just raised by a medicine man and his wife who grows the most beautiful flowers from even the driest of soil.

And Bloom grows up watching her parents and her friends and neighbors struggle to get by while the tall, thick grass gates of Lymphea keep its people fat and happy.

So when she gets the chance to go to Alfea and she meets Flora, she isn’t exactly quick to be friendly to her but she knows it’s for the good of her family that she is anyway.

Speaking of Flora, she quickly realizes that the Lymphea royal family lied about their generosity towards the “little community of Gardenia” and that while she was training and earning scars and bruises in order to be able to defend her little sister and community from invaders, she was actually protecting the people who didn’t care if that “little community” starved or froze to death.

So she begs Bloom for her forgiveness and expresses that while she was lied to her whole life, it doesn’t excuse her ignorance.

Yeah, Bloom feels terrible and forgives her and while she isn’t ready to be friends with Flora, she’s comfortable enough to share a dorm suite with her when everyone gets their room assignments.

Also, this is a quick note for my own reference but also to qualify it for later; but Musa and Tecna room together, Flora and Bloom, and Aisha and Stella at first share their own suite, but Stella uses her magic to make a loft so that she has room for her own miniature observatory and all her star charts and work, so Aisha converts what was Stella’s side of the room into a small war room.

I’ll go into detail about Stella and Aisha and some of the boys in part 2.

Trust me, you’re going to want this to be divided into multiple parts otherwise this post will be miles long. So, for my sanity and yours, I’ll see you in part 2.

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I pointed at nothing when the bridge came on. “There! This is what makes The Smitten the greatest rip-out-your-heart music of all time!”

She laughed at me, rummaging through her CDs. “What? The Smitten is not the greatest. They’re great, but what about Paul Katpond? And you can’t even talk about heart-wrenching artists without first acknowledging Tony the Wolf.”

I sat up and signaled that I didn’t want anymore while I coughed up a lung. When I could breathe again, I recognized her point. “You beat me; I will admit that The Smittens are apart from Katpond. But can we agree that Tony the Wolf is just The Smittens but with a sepia filter on and maybe more bass?”

“We could,” she shrugged.

She loves being right. I’ll be wrong for the rest of my life if it means I get to see her smile like that all the time.

- Got any music recommendations?

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There is a culture of women.

We have our own music, angry and thoughtful; something the modern woman can’t be at the same time without being too much.

That is the culture of women; being too much.

Too loud. Too quiet.

Too promiscuous. Too chaste.

Too apart. Too separate.

You can’t please everyone. Or anyone.

We have our own language - a certain look in the eyes or the curl of the corners the lips. We signal to each other, like prey animals.

It’s silent, but we’re screaming to each other: danger, caution, leave.

In brighter moments, which is usually just bittersweet by the time you’re no longer in your phase of the idiotic twenty-something, our look-language can mean things like attractive, flirt, funny.

But how does that quote go again? “Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them.”

When was the last time you felt like you could explain anything of the culture of women to a man and not receive some dismissive comment?

Or laughter. The kind of laughter that makes even him feel uncomfortable, but he’s too outside of it not to laugh.

Of course. It isn’t his fault. How can you expect the wolf to know what a sheep feels when it’s being stalked? Or a shotgun to sympathize with a deer?

Predator meet prey. Weapon meet target.

Arrogant man meet knowing woman.

Sorry. It’s too pessimistic, isn’t it?

Sorry. It can’t be helped.

It’s just apart of the culture, I suppose.

- The Culture of Women

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Anyone else remember the YouTuber Nyx Rising and their “Growing Pains with Harry Potter” cosplay thing. Well, my life is a mess and I need to feel something other than AHHHHHH so there’s (one of) my OCs in a “Growing Pains w/ HP” style.

(Also, I’m very sorry, Nyx Rising, if this offends you. I totally respect why you took those videos down and this in no way diminishes the truth of the damaging effects the terf author lady whose name doesn’t not deserve to be said had on us all. And Nyx Rising, if you want this taken down, I will do that. Thank you for all you do and the art you have given to us and will hopefully continue to do so for a long time)

Okay! Here we go:

“How did she say this works,” Fiona asked her wife as she tried to find the button that turned the video camera on.

“It’s already on, babe,” Lydia said as she pointed out the power button Fiona had accidentally pressed.

“Awesome,” Fiona nodded, acting like she already knew that. Brandishing her wand, she stared at the camera intently. “Let’s try…” she made the camera float, but it kept turning upside or looking in the wrong direction.

“Need some help,” Lydia asked from the kitchen. “I’m just throwing in the enchiladas to warm them up before everyone gets here.”

“No, Dia, I’ve got this,” Fiona replied confidently.

She cast another spell to make the camera follow the person it was filming and it stopped turning.

“Perfect,” Fiona declared.

The camera followed a little too close, hitting her shoulder. “Almost,” she sighed.

But before she could figure out what was wrong, the door bell rang.

“I got it,” Fiona called, jogging to the door.

She opened the door to Steven and Lexie.

Lexie immediately ducked into the kitchen to drop off wine and say hello to Lydia.

Steven nodded in the direction of the camera. “What’s that about?”

“Lydia’s little sis is taking Muggle Studies at uh, the French one,” Fiona trailed off, struggling to remember the name.

Steven raised an amused eyebrow. “Beauxbatons Academy of Magic,” he named.

She gave him a suspicious look. “Of course you remember the name of the all girls school, Stevie.”

He sighed as he followed her into the den. “Don’t call me Stevie.”

Lydia and Lexie started carrying out drinks and appetizers, which Steven took and set down for them.

Lexie sighed at him, nudging Lydia. “He thinks a plate of tapas will put too much strain on me and the baby.”

“I do not,” he replied a little too quickly, sounding like a child. He cleared his throat. “I just think any girl of mine shouldn’t ever have to carry anything. Ever again.”

She laughed as she kissed him. “Oh, so that’s the rule now?”

“Yes,” he decided with his arms crossed, looking official and dramatic. “No power on Earth can change it. I’m sorry.”

They were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. As Fiona ran to answer it, Steven frowned at Lydia. “Who else is coming? I didn’t think you were still in contact from anyone from school besides us.”

The Ravenclaw smiled sheepishly. “Yes, well, we work together and they don’t have anywhere to go for the holiday. So I thought-“

“-Dia,” Steven addressed seriously. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Lexie put a hand on his arm. “Steven?”

“Steven Derry,” an all too familiar voice greeted.

The Slytherin snarled. “Calliope Ambrose. It’s Derrin.”

Her companion laughed as he shrugged off his coat. When he did, his shirt shifted and a jagged scar could been seen stretching across his chest and collarbone.

Only the Hogwarts alumni in the London apartment knew that the scar reached a short ways across his shoulder and kissed his spine.

“Right. Steven Derrin, from Derry,” he recalled. He smiled at Lexie. “And who is this lovely creature?” He kissed her hand. “Oliver Wallace. A pleasure.”

“He means himself,” Steven warned.

Lexie took her hand back. “I’m Lexie. Steven’s wife.”

Steven smirked as Oliver stepped back.

Lydia tried to smooth things over. “Calliope, Oliver, would either of you care for some wine?”

Calliope beamed. “Always. But none for Oliver, I’m afraid.” She frowned pointedly at Steven and Fiona. “He can’t drink. His…injury…It put too much stress on his body, I’m afraid.”

Fiona crossed her arms. “I’m sure he can get by just fine. He can’t drink. Big deal. It’s not like he has to live with a life-long condition he can’t control or change.”

Steven shifted uncomfortably and she dropped her cold, sharp attitude.

“But none of that matters now,” Calliope shrugged. “It’s in the past.”

With the two of them in the kitchen with Lydia, Fiona spoke softly to Steven while Lexie satisfied her pregnancy cravings via the tapas.

“Are we okay,” she asked.

He rubbed his face and sighed into his hand. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I haven’t told Alexia.”

Unsure of whatever else she could do, Fiona jabbed her thumb in the direction of the door. “Fancy a smoke, then?”

When Steven told his wife he and the Gryffindor were stepping out for a cigarette, Lexie gave him a warning look that more resembled a pleading one. “Just try to stick one, though, please, darling? We promised to quit together.” She smirked as she kissed him quick. “And don’t you dare use the whole “growing a human skull inside me” thing for leverage.”

He cheered up a little. “Never. And yeah, just one stick. Unless Crimson is willin’ to split one?”

Fiona scoffed at the idea, giving her answer.

Outside, with two cigarettes lit as their only source of light, the 25 year olds took calming breathes.

“I didn’t know she invited Oliver,” Fiona told the werewolf.

“I know,” he mumbled. “It’s still hard. Lexie knows about my lycanthropy. But she doesn’t know how it happened. Or what I did.”

Fiona looked him in the face. “You listen to me, Derrin. That wasn’t your fault. We both know that Oliver was stupid enough to go out there-“

“-And I was stupid enough to follow him-“

“-You saved his life-“

“-I know, I get it. I know.”

That shut her up. They awkwardly took a couple drags, Steven running out of cigarette faster than Fiona. She gave him hers to finish.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

And that’s it! I know it’s stupid, but… yeah, no, I don’t have a response for that. It’s just stupid. It’s 2025, who has a Harry Potter OC in 2025? If it helps, I originally came up with the OC Steven Derrin several years ago, so…yeah.

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Tried to put this on TikTok but the sound kept getting muted. So enjoy! Please?

Like this video? check out my other edits from this TikTok account on the tumblr page @equinox-studi0s

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I love that the internet saw people comparing women and other alienated groups of people and went, “they’re dating,” and, “they support each other.” We’re improving as a society.

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OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH THE LAST UNICORN AU! Who is who? YOU DECIDE!

(Seriously, comment and share and TELL ME YOUR OPINIONS please)

But for context, here’s what I’ve already determined.

Izzy is the last unicorn. Frenchie is the butterfly. Lucius is Schmendrick, which means Black Pete is Molly. Okay? Okay.

This leaves:

- The Red Bull

- King Haggard

- Mommy Fortuna

- The henchman who works for Mommy Fortuna

- The harpy

- Prince Leer (that cannot be how his name is spelled, right?)

- That random farmer who can’t see a unicorn as a unicorn but instead sees a white mare

- The creepy talking skeleton that rats the team out to Haggard after getting the weird memory wine

- The cat

- The tree

- Molly’s husband who she literally just abandons forever bc she decides to go with Schmendrick after disappearing to go on a long ass quest

- and maybe the two hunters at the beginning of the movie who establish that the unicorns might be all gone

I’m probably forgetting a character but

-

UPDATE

I have decided that Molly will be Black Pete and her husband (Cal…Cutty? Is that his name? Cal-Cutty? I refuse to consult the internet on this matter at this time) will be Blackbeard. Or at least, Black Pete claims that his husband is Blackbeard. (Cuz yk he claimed to have worked for Blackbeard?)

I’m still open to alternate suggestions so if anyone has a different idea for casting, let me know.

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Does anyone else have something like the Black family madness in their family or am I just lucky?

I mean I seriously have no chance of keeping anyone around after they meet my family unless I find someone with a family either equally or more fucked up than mine.

Is this how Sirius felt after returning to Hogwarts from holiday break? Can you imagine how he must have felt when he had to explain literally anything about the Black family when he and Remus started getting together?

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Part 2 of my Trolls AU in which Brozone lived in the Troll Tree like the rest of the Pop Trolls, still abandoned Branch, but Branch was left behind on accident when Pop Village left the Tree, leaving Branch to grow up and survive in an apocalyptic state of the Tree.

If anyone has any name ideas for this AU, please share them. I can’t say all of that at the beginning of every single one of the posts for the AU, you guys. I just can’t.

Okay! So, to recap for those who haven’t read the first part, we left off with Branch being rescued by his brothers, waking up and getting over the initial shock just in time for Poppy to return to the Village with the leaders of the other Troll Tribes.

Everyone has their own reactions. The leader of the Techno Trolls, King Trollex, is wary of Barb, who was made to give back the Techno string but is still not trusted by at least the Techno Trolls.

(Also, don’t overthink this, but I have decided for at least this AU, the Techno trolls, who are basically Troll mermaids, can magically change their tails into legs so they can walk on land. So there, that’s how Trollex was able to go with Poppy)

Trollzart, conductor of the Classical Trolls, has regretted his decision to a peace treaty since he agreed to it. Not because he thinks it’s a bad idea, but because he knows the only thing his kingdom can trade is metal and it’s clear that the Pop Trolls live off of nature and the land and don’t actually have a need for metal. So he’s very nervous that Poppy will turn on him and that the others will follow her lead.

Delta Dawn is skeptical. She doesn’t trust the Pop Trolls but Poppy seems like such a good and determined young woman that Delta Dawn feels that she can trust her. (Also, Delta Dawn is canonically Mayor of the Country Trolls and aside from Trollzart being a conductor, not a king, look it up; DD is the only Tribe leader who does not hold a royal title. It is for this reason that I’m playing around with the idea that she doesn’t like the others for the reason that they don’t give their people the choice of who is leading them since all of the other tribes are based on monarchies while hers is based on democracy)

King Quincy and Queen Essence are not worried at all. Girl, please, they have a whole ahh army and if they wanted to, they could go to war. It’s only for the well-being of their trolls that they haven’t. Well, that and like Poppy, they want to establish peace.

As for Queen Barb, she was fully prepared to take Poppy down, but when the princess explained about the Bergens and the Troll Tree, something is Barb switched.

Maybe it was her desire for equality or to be remembered as someone who did something important for the right reason, but she knew right then that she couldn’t let the Bergens go unpunished for what they had done.

And since Poppy found Barb before anyone else and Barb is still as secretly lonely as she is in canon, they become friends as they gather the other leaders and make the trip to Pop Village.

The one big thing that the leaders have in common is that they didn’t have a real understanding of the severity of the Bergen situation until they saw Branch.

Trollzart is the first to look away, out of despair and disgust; he’s never seen a Troll in such a state.

Trollex averts his eyes out of decency, as he wouldn’t want to be stared at if he were in Branch’s situation.

King Quincy and Queen Essence, being parents, are deeply disturbed by how young Branch is. He couldn’t be much older than the princess or their own son.

Delta Dawn is the first to ask if Branch is okay. But since Branch can’t speak, John Dory answers for him. “He’s safe now. We can work on the rest.”

Barb, finally jostled from her shock, turns around, fully prepared to literally burn Bergentown to the literal ground and burn the ashes.

But Poppy stops her, because, girl, me fucking too, but hello? Plan, please? Can we make a plan?

And yeah that’s all I got for right now. Remember to suggest a name for this AU if you have one please and thank you!

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So I’m working on a post about a Trolls au in which the Brozone brothers grew up and performed in the Bergentown Troll Tree since the third movie established that their grandma lived in said tree, meaning she, and little Branch, lived in captivity for a period of time; so the au is a what if in which the Pop Trolls never attempted to escape but instead worked to live and survive. But as I was going over my draft for this au, I had an idea for a smaller au that I want to talk about.

Brozone broke up and Branch was left with their grandma. She got eaten, he went grey, but got left behind when the Pop trolls escaped from the Troll Tree.

Viva, roughly 11 to 13 (see my other Troll au posts if you want an explanation for why I put her at that age at the time of the escape) does what she can the best she can; finding as many left behind trolls as she can and fleeing with them.

But Branch, small and sad and hopeless, is so still and quiet, so void of color, that he isn’t found.

By the time night falls, he eventually gets up and tries to find someone - anyone - but everyone is gone.

Branch is the last Troll of the Troll Tree and is entirely alone.

20 years later, Poppy has been raised by a stern, overprotective father who has molded her into the perfect heir who has grown up with the constant reminder that she isn’t the rightful heir, but she’ll have to do.

Peppy doesn’t mean to be cruel; he just can’t survive losing anymore of his subjects.

But Poppy has proven herself; she established a patrol and defense force, the subjects adore her, and she prioritizes safety while still allowing celebrations and fun.

But she can’t shake the feeling that the Trolls left behind, including her sister, are still out there somewhere.

This leads to some poking into certain secrets of the past; like the whole thing with the strings and the other Troll Tribes.

But she can’t leave her kingdom to go looking for ghosts. Can she?

Meanwhile, Branch has spent the last 20 years hiding, surviving off of left behind food, and basically lives in an apocalyptic state of what was the Troll Tree.

He stopped speaking when he lost his grandma. Not that he has anyone to talk to, heh. Sorry.

But it’s true! He spends his days hiding in old houses or sometimes underground, especially when the occasional Bergen tries to pick up those houses, hoping to shake a dead Troll body out of one. Like that one Bergen did years ago, finding an old lady Troll. (Yep, that’s right. Branch didn’t even get to bury his grandma)

So yeah, Branch isn’t ok,, mentally. He fantasizes about literally burning Bergentown alive, among other things.

He’s been living off of bugs, plants, and rotten food for so long that he’s recently been unreasonably considering luring a Bergen to him so he can at least get a few bites of a finger or something. Anything.

He has considered ending it, but he knew that his body would be found and eaten. He doesn’t want that.

He’s been to the tunnels that the escaped trolls made, but with everything sealed off, there’s no way to get out that way.

After years of weather and general neglect from the Bergens who built the damn thing, the cage around the Troll Tree has slightly larger gaps in between some of the bars. At night, Branch tries to slip out of the caged tree and roam the streets of Bergentown, hoping to find his way out.

But it’s a big town for someone so small and he can only move so fast being as hungry and tired as he is. So he always has to rush back to the tree before sunrise to avoid being caught.

Meanwhile, John Dory has heard rumors of the Pop Trolls having escaped. And Clay of course has heard Viva talk about her sister and her father, giving him hope that his baby brother was alive.

Bruce wants to believe that his family is safe on their little island of paradise, especially given that his wife has more of a size advantage and the rest of her fellow creatures are literally willing to rip apart any Bergen that dares to try going after Bruce or any other Troll on their island.

But Bruce still has horrific nightmares of finding his brothers dead or half eaten. The fear makes him want to seal up their island and keep out any outsiders should they want to hurt anyone. But his wife and family, and their community, work to remind him that he’s safe; that it’s all safe.

Floyd…

Floyd returned almost as quickly as he left. Or at least, he tried to. He couldn’t believe how stupid he was to leave a child in such a dangerous situation. But unfortunately, Floyd wasn’t quick enough. He couldn’t find a way back into Bergentown on his own and he couldn’t find anyone to help him.

So he has spent the last 20 years camping around the perimeter of Bergentown, attempting new ways to getting in but failing each time.

And it isn’t until 20 years after everything happened that John Dory finally tracks down his brothers.

Clay is the first to agree to help the oldest, even convincing Viva to join them in hopes of finding her family.

It takes some work convincing Bruce, but they manage.

They find Pop Village before they find Floyd, but Peppy tells Viva that Poppy ran away to find the other Troll Tribes. And her.

Viva has a panic attack and Clay stays behind to help her, as John Dory hears Peppy tell Bruce about how they escaped from the Tree via the tunnels. John Dory takes off through those tunnels, animalistic in clawing his way through the dirt and rocks to make new tunnels.

He had hoped to dig his way to the Tree, but he emerges out of the ground right outside Floyd’s campsite.

Their reunion is tearful and both are relieved to see the other again. Clay and Bruce catch up with the oldest and all four brothers exchange hugs and apologies.

Floyd is the first to pull away, convinced that if they all survived, then Branch must have too.

John Dory is hit with the realization that his little brothers are still little-like; they are still in the mindset of frightened children, crying for the only form of parent they ever knew; him. The oldest. The one who failed them.

He doesn’t want to present the possibility that because Branch wasn’t much older than a baby at the time, that he most likely didn’t survive. He doesn’t want to risk losing the brothers standing right in front of him.

But he can’t not try to find Branch. At the very least, he can’t let those monsters have their way with Branch’s corpse.

So the brothers work together until they finally find a tunnel that leads directly to Bergentown. They have to wait until nightfall to come out, but once topside, they make it to the tree to find Branch.

He immediately attacks Bruce, who was closest, having forgotten who they were and almost entirely out of his mind.

Starvation, isolation, and sleep deprivation has mind warping effects. He sees his brothers as literal monsters.

Floyd, desperate to have his brother safe and away from this awful place, manages to subdue Branch so that John Dory knock him out.

It’s almost too easy for them to carry Branch back to the tunnel and to Pop Village.

By morning, Branch wakes up in restraints. It takes a lot of work, but his brothers get some food in him and eventually he calms down and realizes that he’s safe.

Just in time for Poppy to return with the leaders of the other Tribes…

More to come

[decent0distraction]

Solo harmony au - part 4

Now that I have ranted and raved about the little details and dynamics a bit, let’s finally talk about the storyline.

The last night of Baby’s Concert for the Pop Troops ends with a rocky fight between the two royal sisters before everyone moves out to the next posting.

Also just to be clear, the Baby team, by John Dory’s design, is going to the same safe zone towns the Pop troops are as a way to…um, gain further fame for Baby from the soldiers and the civilians. Branch, however, believes that John Dory set it up this way so Branch could use the perfect harmony to heal the spirits of those negatively impacted by the war. And it’s war, so that means literally everyone.

I’m sure that miscommunication won’t be a problem. Anyway-

With their soldiers were drunk, asleep, or at least taking one last time to relax before back into the fray, Viva and Poppy follow each other, arguing, while Branch and his brothers are wrapping up.

“I just need you to explain your thought process to me, Poppy,” Viva said as she rubbed her temples. “What could possibly make you think it would be expectable to-“

“-Oh, please, enough with the mature, regal act. You think you’re better than everyone when really, you’re just full of yourself. Okay? So take it down about 10 notches-“

“-Don’t talk to me like that! I’m still your queen-“

“-Yep, sure are!” Poppy shoved Viva to the ground, gaining the attention of Branch and Floyd, Bruce stepping in.

“Hey, um, your highnesses? Maybe there’s something we can do to help sort this out,” he offered.

John Dory and Clay suggested Branch and Floyd go back to their tent, Floyd agreeing.

“Yeah, Branch. Let’s just-“ but Branch leapt off the stage, knowing that words wouldn’t reach the disconnected sisters.

“I want to run,” he sang. “I want to hide.”

Poppy hadn’t yet turned to Branch, but Viva had and saw the glow beginning to form around the pop star.

“I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside.”

Poppy saw something reflecting in Viva’s eyes and turned around to stare in wonder and amazement as the perfect harmony echoed off of Branch as he sang.

“I love this song,” Viva sighed, smiling at the memories the melody brought her.

“I watch to reach out.”

Poppy couldn’t help but join in. “And touch the flame.”

“Flame,” Branch sang, happy to have a singing partner who seemed to actually enjoy singing. “Where the streets have no name.”

While humming along, Poppy held her hand out to dance with Branch. But when he reached out to accept, the glow pulsed and began to wrap around Poppy’s hand and up her arm.

Startled and a little drunk, she pulled away.

Branch feared her offended her and stopped singing, the glow lost.

“What was that,” Viva asked. “I’ve never felt so at peace; so…so safe.”

“Yeah, whatever that was,” Poppy said, shaking her head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Hey, is that gonna do anything to my hand? Because listen, super-Troll good looks, I’ve always had ‘em. But super-Troll strength; I mean, can you imagine the possibilities with-“

“-No, no, it won’t do anything to you. Or at least, it shouldn’t, right, JD,” Branch asked, all eyes on John Dory.

“Uh, well, you know…I don’t know,” John Dory admitted. “But I’m sure the princess will be fine.”

“Please don’t sue us,” Clay pleaded.

No one gets sued, of course, and nothing happens to Poppy. But Branch is kept awake that night by the possibility that if the princess was able to almost take on the harmony with him, then maybe he can give it to the Bergens and prevent them from wanting to eat Trolls.

But when he tries to suggest it to his brothers…

“Branch, you can’t be serious,” Floyd fussed. “You really think we’re going to let you put yourself in danger like that?”

Branch couldn’t believe it. “But the whole point of these concerts and shows is to share the perfect harmony and help Trolls. The Bergens feed on happiness; what else could be better than-“

“-You’re not doing it and that’s final,” John Dory cut off sternly.

Branch got closer as he spoke. “But that isn’t fair for the Trolls that have lost everything to the Bergens! Maybe this is why I’m the only one of us who can produce the perfect harmony; because you won’t do what’s right and I will-“

The air was heavy and buzzed like static after John Dory slapped Branch, the oldest horrified as he watched himself send the little body of his baby brother to the ground.

“Branch!” Floyd and Clay fussed over him, Bruce calming them down.

“Okay, okay, you two. Just give us a second here. Branch, babe, you okay? Did he twist your neck? Let me see where he hit you.” Holding Branch’s chin, Bruce sighed at the red mark from JD’s open hand. “You should be okay. Go back with Floyd and Clay. We’ll join you guys soon.”

Branch didn’t move except to shrug Floyd’s and Clay’s hands off of him when they tried to help him up. He stared at John Dory. “Both of you, right? No one is going to leave?”

Bruce gave him a smile. “Both of us. No one’s gonna lea-“

“-I need to hear it from him,” Branch stated.

John Dory turned to Branch and held his hand out to help his littlest brother up. “I’m not going anywhere, shining star.”

“Okay,” Branch nodded, standing up while refusing any of the four hands offered to him. “Floyd, Clay, let’s hurry up and head back before it gets to dark to see.”

And my dearest reader, I wish I could I say that when John Dory and Bruce joined their younger brothers in their tent, they all sat down and saw reason, agreeing to Branch’s idea.

But the only thing that happens is that Bruce, Clay, and Floyd supervise a well thought out apology between the oldest and the youngest, before John Dory awkwardly excuses himself and Branch is shooed off to bed like a child.

And nothing happens. Er, for another week, that is.

I mean, nothing except that Bruce keeps catching Poppy sneaking into Baby’s rehearsals.

Poppy watched from the rafters as Branch had fun with a number, pulling Clay away from his work to dance with him. “You can dance. You can jive.”

She thought it was strange that when Clay sang with him, the older one didn’t glow too. “Having the time of your life.”

“Hold it, hold it,” John Dory called, Branch dropping his happy mood and Clay returning to his work. “Branch, we talked about this. These rehearsals are hard work. Not for you to interrupt Clay or anyone else while they’re working.”

Clay rolled his eyes. “Lay off, will you? He’s just trying to make things fun. Isn’t fun what being a pop star is supposed to be?”

“Not when we have four shows back to back,” John Dory argued.

“We? He wouldn’t have to do four shows back to back if you hadn’t set them up that way,” Floyd reminded him.

“Please don’t fight,” Branch requested. “That won’t solve anything. I’m sorry, JD. Clay’s right; I was just trying to make things fun. It makes the harmony stronger for the performance.” Clay looked smug and Branch gave him a look. “But JD’s right too. We have work to do. Speaking of, let’s run through Wanna Dance. I need to lock down the choreography before we start on the performance for Wonderwall.”

John Dory proudly watched Branch seamlessly perform the fourth song in the set.

Meanwhile, the princess was effortlessly climbing along the rafters to get a closer look.

“Oh, I wanna dance with somebody. I wanna feel the heat with someb-“

“-Hey, who’s up there,” Bruce called, halting the rehearsal and sending all eyes towards Poppy as a flashlight was directed at her.

“The princess? But why would-“ Branch’s question was interrupted when she fell, catching herself with her hair and landing on her feet.

“Sorry,” she shrugged, sober and sheepish. “I just had to see more of that glowing thing you made happen.”

Branch approached her kindly. “It’s okay. I understand-“

But John Dory got in the way. “Forgive us, your highness. But this is a closed rehearsal-“

“-JD, you’re being rude. It’s fine, your highness. Really,” Branch insisted.

“You can just call me Poppy. The only Trolls who call me your highness are the guards and they’re all assholes. So…”

So yeah. Poppy watches the rehearsal until the ground starts shaking. She may be a princess and a pain in the ass, but she was still trained for this kind of thing. So when a scout warns that a Bergen has been spotted nearby, she prepares to defend Branch and his family.

However, the Bergen isn’t attacking. Things die down but everyone is still very much on edge.

With the concert cancelled, Branch tells his brothers that he’ll meet them at their tent, staying behind to tell Poppy his idea.

And Poppy, who has always been either a joke or the spare, agrees to help Branch find that Bergen and test his theory.

And that’s all for right now, people. More to come.

[decent0distraction]

This is not related to my Solo Harmony AU, I just want to unpack something here.

How does reproduction work with Trolls?? We know that the male Trolls produce…eggs? Babies? Offspring? Yeah, let’s go with offspring.

Scientific, she said, writing a post about the semantics of cartoon reproductive systems.

But seriously. Did a female get with Guy Diamond and get him…er, pregnant??

Or is it like they shared a hot and heavy love song duet and Guy Diamond woke up the next day to see an egg starting to form in his hair?

Can they use their hair when there’s an egg in there??

Does the egg form right away or is there a pregnancy test involved? How long does it even take for a Troll egg to grow and hatch?

Does this mean that if Poppy and Branch are singing a little too well together that Poppy could end up accidentally impregnating Branch?

I realize how insane this all sounds. Okay? You don’t have to tell me.

And before you go into the comments and say something like, “Maybe it’s like penguins and the male stores the egg in his hair to protect it/keep it warm,” I will remind you that Guy Diamond announces that he’s having his baby, births Tiny Diamond’s egg from his hair, and there is no other parent present.

Which brings up a new question; can male Trolls have children without a partner? Is it possible for, using Branch as an example again, to be living his life, singing a little tune while drinking his morning coffee, only to experience morning sickness and come face to face with the possibility that he may be responsible for a life soon?

I need to lie down. I’m exhausted now. This is all so crazy. I mean, does singing or music even have to be involved?

And considering that Tiny Diamond looks like Guy Diamond in every way, why does Viva look more like Peppy than Poppy does? And why do all the Brozone brothers have different hair?

Also, unrelated, but am I crazy or does Clay start off with yellow hair in the movie, but when they find him in Viva’s sanctuary, his hair is green?

Please, discuss your thoughts on this topic because as stupid as it is, I need answers. And anyone who says “It’s a kids cartoon movie about singing Troll dolls” or something like that, you’re getting blocked. I’m not messing around. I need answers, people. Give me results.

[decent0distraction]

Solo harmony au - part 3

Just to clarify a few things

- Floyd doesn’t consistently drug Branch. I’ll go into more detail later, but as I hinted at in part 2, the perfect harmony can turn into ultimate chaos.

- Ultimate chaos is an extreme name for it, basically Branch, for now, can release short bursts of energy to effect sound, electricity, and high emotions.

- But just as he cannot heal anyone other than himself, he cannot negatively affect the emotions and actions of others.

- At least, he doesn’t think he can. Right?

- Oh, and their brothers know about the milk. They’ve known since Grandma got eaten.

Okay. Let’s talk about that.

- Branch witnessed it. Just like in canon. John Dory and Bruce got their younger brothers to safety, fell into a hole deep in the ground, and built the bunker from inside out.

- But Branch was different from then on. He couldn’t sing or even talk for months. It was a struggle to get him to eat and when he slept, he’d wake up screaming. Eventually, he got his voice back, but they had to fight with him to get him to sing so the harmony would restore his spirit.

- With Branch beginning to get sick, the brothers knew they were running out of time. They took turns in alternating between watching Branch and searching for something to help.

- they foundPop village, finding the milk. They found the forest, where they found the plants that when crushed and combined into something like the milk, would leave the drinker dazed and sedated to a degree varying on how much they took

- Clay and Bruce were against the idea, John Dory unsure if it was right. But Floyd called them selfish; how dare they actually let morals regarding something so foolish in the face of their little brother sick from starvation and lack of proper sleep get in the way of saving him?

- That got them to agree. John Dory, being the oldest and the strongest, crushed the plants while Clay carefully heated the milk. Bruce insisted they put honey in it; that Branch would be more easily convinced to drink it if it was sweet. Floyd sat with Branch, got him to sit up, and held his hands, speaking him to softly and encouragingly when John Dory and Bruce held him down so Clay could force him to drink the milk down

- Clay couldn’t stand the sound of their baby brother sobbing and screaming that he hated them, so he ran to his room and hid under his bed. Bruce practically clawed his way out of the bunker to vomit onto the sunshine-covered grass. John Dory used the excuse of needing to find and comfort Clay as an excuse to be anywhere else. But Floyd forced himself to stay, to hug Branch with his little arms restrained as his sides so he wouldn’t hurt himself. Floyd stayed that way for as long as it took for the milk to take effect, which was only a couple minutes, held back by Branch’s adrenaline. He then spoon fed the youngest, got him ready for bed, and got him to sleep. Then Floyd stayed at Branch’s bedside until morning.

- Floyd told himself it was necessary to stay. It can be my punishment, he decided. My punishment for forcing Branch like this.

- What other way could have possibly been better, he taunted himself.

- No, no, you had to do this, he concluded. For Branch’s own good.

- They used the milk for just as long as it took for Branch to start eating willingly and the nightmares let up

- As Branch grew up, the milk stopped being a thing. Or at least, Clay and Bruce didn’t consider it.

- John Dory enforced the milk as a punishment, something that Floyd entirely disagreed with. When Branch would complain about JD’s artistic directions a little too much or would try to fight back against the image the oldest was pushing, John Dory would regrettably take Branch by the arm and drag him to their tent or bunker or even a hotel room, once, which would have pleasant if not for John Dory throwing Branch into his room and giving him two choices:

- Drink the milk yourself

- Or I’ll have to make you

- After Branch drinks the milk willingly, John Dory tells everyone that Baby needs time to rest and prepare for the show, pushing it back by only an hour. Although, the willingness part doesn’t really matter. The lie is usually the same each time.

- And when Branch wakes up and Floyd is there, Branch acts like John Dory was telling the truth, unaware that Floyd knew very well that he wasn’t

- Floyd only ever uses the milk when he feels it is entirely necessary. And when he saw that odd glow when Branch told John Dory off, that scared Floyd. After all, he didn’t want Branch to end up like their mother, did he?

- no. of course not. I mean, their father went insane trying to help her. the last thing Floyd wants is for his brothers or himself to fall down the same rabbit hole their father did-

- Besides, it’s all just to help Branch. Right?

Right?

[decent0distraction]

Solo harmony au - part 2

okay SO

The AU for Trolls: Band Together that I recently came up with will now officially be referred as Solo Harmony. Thank you @1-random-ideas555g for coming up with the name for this AU.

I have a few details I want to go over. Stay with me, folks.

King Peppy, due to the trauma of the war and their captivity at the Troll Tree, and old age, is forgetful to almost a dementia like state. He will often see Poppy and confuse her for a young Queen Joy, his wife who was lost in the escape.

Because of this, Poppy avoids her father in favor of avoiding memories of a mother she barely remembers. Viva is deeply troubled by this so Poppy makes herself out to be a bigger trouble…by getting in…you know,, trouble.

But this whole war business is really getting in the way of her partying. I mean, how hard is it for 6 entirely different tribes to come to a single agreement? Right?

No, no, Poppy has no interest in politics or claiming triumph. If she’s gonna die, and she is-

-oh, c’mon, like hundreds of Trolls stand a chance against more than one Bergen!

If she’s gonna die, she wants to die happy. She wants to die knowing she partied and lived life to the fullest! What is Viva’s problem with that?

Well…Viva wants nothing more than for her people to be happy and safe. And that includes her troublesome little sister.

At the exact same time, Branch finds himself in a situation he doesn’t want to be in. Since he is the lone holder of the perfect harmony, he’s important. Too important to be allowed to go outside for too long or make his own decisions. At least, that’s what his brothers say.

Even Floyd gets in the way of what he wants. If he wants to run through a number again to make sure he has a difficult note down and it’s past Floyd’s scheduled break, Floyd will shut the entire rehearsal down and escort Branch to their tent or trailer, or the bunker if they’re in Pop Village.

Oh…did you think the bunker didn’t exist? Of course it does!

But instead of seeing it as a necessary sanctuary, Branch has started considering it his prison.

Branch and John Dory sat on stools in the space where the stage had yet to be set up, a guitar in the older one’s hands.

John Dory strung a somber tune that Branch nodded along to, feeling for just the right time to sing his newly written lyrics to.

“Just close your eyes. The sun is going down. You’ll be alright. No one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I will safe and s-“

“-It’s 15 minutes past the call for break,” Floyd complained as he entered the makeshift music hall.

Branch was quick to his feet. “I know, but I just wanted to run this song I wrote by JD-“

Floyd ignored Branch entirely to yank the guitar out of John Dory’s hands and set it aside. “What are you trying to do? It’s not like you’ll actually let him perform that on stage.”

Branch was distracted by the idea that John Dory had lied to him. “You said it’s exactly what the set needed.”

John Dory sighed, then laughed. “Oh, Baby, c’mon! Don’t look at me like that! I mean, you know how this works; I write the songs; I make your set work-“

“-My set? My set!?” The lights flickered as Branch sparked with a different glow. He was startled by the new effect, stepping back as the flickering died down.

“You’ve been at this too long. Let’s head back,” Floyd suggested, not actually meaning it as a choice.

“The song stays in the set or I’m not performing,” Branch threatened.

“Baby,” John Dory scolded. “What has gotten into you?”

John Dory blames it on old age when he sees that strange glow in Branch’s eyes.

“You need me,” Branch told him. “You all need me.”

“Bab- -Branch,” John Dory self-corrected. “Are you okay?”

Branch wants to tell his brother that he isn’t okay; that he doesn’t even know nor does he really care. He wants to tell him that he’s tired of being used without being asked. He wants to tell him that he may be Baby, the doll of Troll Nation, but he isn’t a toy.

But before Branch can say anything, his head is suddenly pounding and he’s too dizzy to stand.

Floyd, being closer, caught Branch as he nearly fainted. “Okay, you know what? This is done. No more rehearsing for today. You hear me? John Dory, I mean you.”

“Shove off,” John Dory told him. “Go play nurse.”

Floyd shook his head and redirected his attention to Branch. “Let’s get you home.”

The trip to the bunker was worse this time. Branch didn’t want to return to the underground home they shared, but he was too weak to stop Floyd from taking him.

Meanwhile, Floyd is well aware that Branch doesn’t want to go. But it’s safe underground. Branch is safe from the Bergens, from the war, from John Dory’s expectations.

Down here, it’s almost like Branch is a baby again and they know nothing of pain or suffering.

Down here, it’s almost like being free. In fact, it’s better.

“Floyd,” Branch pants. “I need…” to get out.

“I know,” Floyd soothes. “You need to sleep. And a real meal when you wake up.” It takes a few tugs and the tiniest bit of force, entirely out of love of course, but Floyd gets Branch to his bed, who is helpless as his shoes are removed and put away somewhere.

Branch never knows where the shoes go. And that terrifies him.

“No,” he whimpers. “I…I need…” to get the fuck out.

“Shh,” Floyd cooed as he smoothed Branches’ hair and tucks him in. “You just stay right here. I’ll be right back.”

Knowing Branch couldn’t go anywhere, Floyd left and shortly returned with a cup. “This milk will make you feel better. Trust me.” Picking up Branch’s head, the pink haired Troll forced the milk down his throat when he tried to refuse to drink it on his own.

And while Branch coughed and struggled, Floyd cleaned his face and fixed the blankets. “You know, you’re right. We need you. I need you.” He smiled as Branch couldn’t keep his eyes open. “And you need me. You’re the baby of the family. You need us, Branch. You know that.”

And when Branch wakes up and Floyd insists that he have a bowl of soup and a vitamin-rich smoothie, Branch doesn’t argue. Because anything is better than that milk.

Sooo, yeah. We covered family issues and details about the previous rulers ruler of the Pop Trolls.

Who am I forgetting? Something about a mountain? Or was it a Diamond?

Never mind; we can talk them another time.

[decent0distraction]

Solo harmony au - part 1

I wrote an AU for Trolls: Band Together and um… I want to know what you think

Instead of John Dory leaving and Brozone breaking up and parting ways, the argument goes differently.

John turns to leave, but the sound of his brothers following suit one by one is slowly replaced by the harmonic humming of the youngest.

Branch, out of love for his family and the desire to keep them together, was able to harness his voice to create the perfect harmony entirely on his own. A feat that had never been achieved alone in the history of their family.

The brothers gather around Branch, listening to the melody and realizing a way for them to all get what they want.

John Dory becomes Branch’s manager and raises in stardom him as Baby, the doll of Troll Nation. Spruce starts off as security and advances to the MC of refreshments at all of Branch’s gigs and concerts. Clay handles all of the expenses and earnings, seeing that each performance runs smoothly. Floyd is the only one of them who enforces down time and sees that Branch is as happy and healthy as he is successful.

If Branch is tired of the constant spotlight and the responsibility of establishing and maintaining harmony while the Troll Kingdoms are basically at war and the Bergens are still on the hunt for any Troll they can get, he doesn’t let on. Not when his brothers have worked so hard and they’re so happy that they don’t have to perform anymore. Besides, he gets to do some good; insisting at least a good amount of their earnings go to aiding the kingdoms and villages, performing for Queen Viva’s army-

Oh, did I forget to mention that? Silly me. So Viva didn’t get separated when they left the Troll Tree.

When Poppy was 3 and Viva was 13, they escaped with their father and their people. Viva went on to raise an army, hid their kingdom in a secluded valley, and built defenses around their land.

18 years later, her 21 year old little sister is wild and adventurous, declaring they can and should claim victory over the Bergens once and for all, so that no Troll may ever again live in fear of being eaten.

That is, until the Rock Trolls attacked the Electronic Trolls. The threat was immediate and Viva knew something had to be done.

To teach her sister some responsibility and keep an eye on her she took her army across Troll Nation, aiding their allies, the Funk Trolls and Country Trolls, while siding with the weaker front of the Classical Trolls as they receive the worst from Rock Troll troops. Neutrals in the war act as resting places and emergency shelters for those simply trying to survive. Reggaeton Trolls are often the first responders of these groups, with K-Pop electing a space for Baby to perform for the supportive military troops.

It is at this performance that Princess Poppy and Baby accidentally meet.

Branch had convinced John Dory to let him have a moment to himself outside once he got one of Spruce’s drinks.

However, the Pop royal spare had a bad reputation to maintain and an overbearing sister to piss off so she downs a few of those drinks within two hours of the concert starting.

When push comes to shove, Branch is accidentally sent into the arms of Princess Charming, who is much more brazen and raunchy when drunk as Branch expected of a royal.

And Baby is reserved, polite, and modest, all things Poppy last thought a pop star would be.

I had this idea that while, idk, John Dory is meeting Viva to thank her for allowing the troops to come to the show and take time out of their responsibilities and busy schedules to see the sweetheart of Troll Nation, Poppy drunkenly says something that you do not say to someone who is wanted, loved, hated, and celebrated by the world. And Branch, wanting to keep his skin, calls to Spruce Bruce, asking for his help.

“Bruce? I need help,” the pop star requested, inching away from the princess, who swayed and smirked drunkenly.

“Coming, Baby,” Bruce called back causally, a little too causal as he set a bottle and glass down, motioned to a customer that he’d return shortly, and picked up the knife he had been cutting lemons with.

But when she turned around to come face to face with a large, intimidating Troll that looked like Branch only older, taller, larger, and wielding a knife.

Yeah, so I imagine from here, John Dory is interrupted by Floyd hitting him, freaking out about how there’s something wrong at the bar and that’s the last place he saw Branch.

Viva whistles, everyone goes still, and all eyes are Poppy, who is on the floor, fighting herself while Bruce keeps everyone at a safe distance.

However, the audience consists of soldiers that have watched and even helped raise Poppy, so there is a mix of smug amusement and angry disappointment in the faces of the crowd.

Floyd, shoving soldiers aside, finds Branch, who was hit in the complication and not only has a mark on his cheek, but a tiny cut under his eye.

Viva apologizes for her sister, declares the night over, and sends her soldiers to turn in for the night. Only then does she drag Poppy out to their tent.

Alone, the brothers fight. Or rather, Floyd and John Dory fight while Clay and Bruce clean up, Branch attempting to get them to stop arguing.

“You guys, I’m fine,” Branch insisted. “It’s really not a big deal-“

“-Go to our tent and wait for me there please,” Floyd told him patiently, sounding unnerved. “We’ll talk it about then. JD and I are having a discussion right now.”

Branch can feel the energy change and he knows the weight he feels in his chest is the harmony fading in and out like a flickering light bulb.

So he does the only thing he knows that will help anything. He sings.

“Can’t anybody find me somebody to~”

“Love,” Bruce and Clay sing, backing him up through the song.

While he sang, Branch danced around John Dory and Floyd, making them laugh as he acted out a droopy yawn and a clumsy stagger. “Each morning I get up, I die a little. Can barely stand on my feet.” He got Floyd to dance with him, but he wouldn’t sing. “Take a look at yourself in the mirror and cry-“

“-Lord, what you’re doing to me,” John Dory sang, his voice a little shaky from not using it.

But as Branch sang with him, he got more power back to his voice. “I have spent all my years in believing you, but I just can’t get no relief, Lord.”

“Somebody.”

“Somebody.”

Clay and Bruce joined in, spinning Branch around and dancing with the youngest brother. “Can anybody find me~”

All eyes turn to Floyd expectantly, but only Branch takes his hand, smiling to him to tell him that he doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to.

But Floyd is comfortable enough to sing the trademark note of the song. “Somebody to~”

Branch sings with last part with him, glowing from the perfect harmony, but his brothers unaffected as usual. “~Love.”

The glow fades as Branch is reminded that still only he can harness the power of the perfect harmony. But his brothers embrace him joyously, ecstatic over his ability.

I can’t decide if I want to establish that the stronger Branch’s harmony becomes, the more it can do. Like for instance, at the beginning, the harmony brings feelings of peace and later, happiness, which he could use to end the problems between the Trolls and the Bergens. After the Somebody to Love sequence, maybe it isn’t until they get back to their tent that they realize the harmony can heal him.

With their brothers all in their own spaces and unwinding for the night, Floyd sighed in exhaustion as he followed Branch into the tent the five of them shared.

“Sit down and I’ll be right there to take a look at that cut,” Floyd told his little brother, who lingered.

“Floyd, you should just try to rest and relax. You’ve been defending my right to sit down all week. Take a break,” Branch requested.

Floyd smiled like he was trying not to cry when he hugged Branch. “I’m okay.” He pulled back to look him in the face. “Besides, it’ll take a while to reach the next town. We’ll have plenty of time for all of us to rest up then. Except for you, superstar. You need all the sleep you can get. You look like you’re ready to pass out right here.”

Branch watched his brother’s concerned face twist into confused features. “What’s wrong?”

Floyd stared at the place the cut had been on Branch’s cheek. “The cut is gone.” He thumbed the scar. “How could it have scarred and healed already?”

The brothers stared at each other silently before they both turned and called for John Dory in unison.

“What! What!” Frantic and convinced someone was bleeding or dying, the big brother came running to the two youngest, asking what was wrong. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Annnnd John Dory has no idea what to say or do because he didn’t even know the perfect harmony could do that???

Anyway, there’s more to this than what I have on this post, but I don’t want to make it longer than it already is. So yeah, there’ll probably be more posts about this AU.

[decent0distraction]