partywithoutsmiling - Tumblr blog

partywithoutsmiling · 7 days

Text

On the topic of Brozone

When it comes to their parents, family and family situation, Part 2:

(You can read part one here)

Lack of Parental Oversight - None of the brothers knew about Thorn's real identity and the reason behind his disappearance (Mulberry suspected, but it was not something she would share with her underage sons) - resentment certainly brewed, as in their mind their father abandoned them, and their mother's refusal to move with them into the Troll Tree hurt - Brazen, while disapproving his daughter's choice in mate, adored his grandsons, and as Brozone became succesful, decided to travel to Mulberry's village to talk some sense into her and to convince her to come back with him (This happening a year after the brothers arrived at the Tree) - Unknown to all, he never arrived to his destination, plucked up by a Bergen Party, whose search for Trolls got more and more desperate and greedy - While this was going on, Thorn managed to escape Volcano City and flee back to Pop Troll territory- reuniting with Mulberry again, much to their joy - Deciding to join their sons at the Troll Tree- and with a little 'package' urging them- they brought with them the news that Brazen never arrived and disappeared, much to Rosiepuff's and Mulberry's distress - Thorn was the one to propose go search for him- after all, there was well known travelled path all Pop Trolls took to cross the Territory, and they were bound to find some clues along the way - Thus leaving Branch's egg in Rosiepuff's care, both Thorn and Mulberry set out on their journey, leaving their sons once more, this time with additional brother to care for and with the knowledge that their Grandfather might never come back - Rosiepuff's distress and worry over large chunk of family had caused her to become distracted, and thus was unable to see the start of self-destruction Brozone was heading towards

Undiscovered Family Tragedy: - Of course, this doesn't have a happy ending; following Brazen's path, they met the encroaching Bergen's head on, and while they were able to thus discover Brazen's fate, they themselves were captured and eventually eaten - None of this was suspected by the older Brozone Brothers; the reports of disappearances and destruction of settlements arrived quietly, meant only for the Royal Ears only- and remained secret for years, as decided by the King at the time (not Peppy), well into Brozone breaking up and going sepparate ways - It was shortly after that the Bergens suddenly arrived in the night and chased the Trolls to hide in the Troll Tree to cage them in, that the truth came out for the adult populace to learn- but by then it was too late, and all the Trolls could do was watch helplessly as the true destruction became aparent - While they lived ignorantly in the Tree or near the Tree, the surrounding forest had been chopped down and uprooted, and town was built in its place, a ramshackle gathering of buildings at first and the barebones of a castle, but enough for the Bergens to make themselves at home - First Trollstice happened fairly early on after, causing the Death of the Pop King and passing the rule down to his daughter, Queen Cala and her spouse, King Consort Peppy, making their daughter Viva the Crown Princess

Destinations - With the break up, only Clay remained in the Troll Tree; he never went out of his way to return to his Grandmother's place as in his 15yo fury, he wanted to avoid both his brothers and his Grandmother's disappointment. He went to watch Branch few times after their caging just to make sure he was still okay, but in large refused to return, enjoying the way he could finally breathe and be himself without any responsibility; when the escape happened, he was barely 18yo and still not to keen on being a guardian to a child, and thus decided to find Branch and his Grandmother after the new Village was established- a plan that never came to fruition and decision that haunted him for 20 years onward. As far as he hopes, his family is alive. - Spruce/Bruce, 17yo, headed east- always wanting to see the Ocean, and finding peace among the Vacationers on their Island, eventually meeting Brandy and starting family with her. Desire to see his Brothers at his wedding prompted him to send a postcard, destination Troll Tree- one that never reached the intended recipient untill several years later, and prompting Spruce- now Bruce- to push that bitter hurt of being forgotten behind him. As far as he knows, his family is alive - Both JD and Floyd headed north; JD towards the Neverglades, about which Thorn told him plenty, in the hopes of finally being able to breathe free, while Floyd was actually hoping to find their parents as his secondary goal; JD eventually returning after several years after the big escape to find out what happened, while Floyd rushed back as soon as he found signs of destroyed settlements, realizing something was very wrong - By the time Floyd arrived, it was already shortly after the escape and he found torn up Tree and plenty of bodies in the cave ins - Both Floyd and JD largely think that their Family is dead, while Floyd hopes that with his older brothers leaving the Tree before him, he might be wrong

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #lore dump #brozone

12 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 7 days

Text

On the topic of Brozone

When it comes to their parents, family and family situation, Part 1:

Expanding bit of my personal headcanon on this- well, mostly personal in the way that I use it as a basis for all my AUs/Stories without fault; basically, I consider this 'Universal Headcanon' when it comes to any of my Stories, while the Stories by themselves can have Headcanon/Lore that is unique just to them XD

(Like, for an example, the luminescent markings in Moonlit AU are unique just for that particular AU, and you won't see it in Rock Beast or Wanderer!Branch)

Anyway, as I hinted in this post, I headcanon the Brozone Bros as being of mixed herritage: half-Pop and half-Rock

Biologically, it makes them slightly less hardy when it comes to Winter, and little bit more feral looking compared to other Pop Trolls, something that got more prominent the older they grew

Age - Using Branch's hatching as a base line (at 0), I headcanon the ages thus: - JD at 16, Spruce/Bruce at 14/13, Clay at 12 and Floyd at 11

Pop Troll Capitol - John Dory had hatched at a time where Pop Troll territory (expanded upon in this answered ask) had already started shrinking, but still boasted several strong settlements. However with those Settlements slowly disappearing (And unknown to the Pop Trolls, harvested by Bergens), Pop Trolls started naturally migrate towards the Troll Tree, at this point considered the Capitol 'City' of sorts; - However, everyone desired to live there, considered to be not only the pinacle of the high life but also place of endless oppoturnities, home for especially talented Trolls- not something little half-rock troll JD could ever hope to achieve, but could at least dream about; - A dream that started to be more of an ambitious goal, when more of his brothers hatched, and JD, being the oldest and feeling responsible for the happiness of his siblings, wanted to get them out of the backwater settlement they are growing up in- an oppoturnity that presented, when their Grandmother, Rosiepuff, offered to house them while they tried to prove themselves

Boy Band 'Aristocracy' - Being part of a succesful band- especially part of a boy band- was a prestigious status, as close as to aristocracy as the hierarchy in the Pop Troll Tribe could get. The most succesful band gained the priviledge of living in the Troll Tree, along with all the other 'gifted' Pop Trolls, and were free to interact with the Royal Family on more personal level - Brozone was considered especially progidious; not only they were able to harmonize better than anyone else, but they were also the youngest to really 'make it' and stand out from all the hopefuls

Nepotism? - The early Brozone- the one without Branch in it- was not starved for talent, but it was largely thanks to their grandmother that they were even allowed the chance - While mixed herritage was not a rare thing to happen in the Tribe- despite ancient conflicts, Trolls tended to trickle back and forth between Kingdoms- none of them ever lived in the Troll Tree, and were it not for Rosiepuff and her known family history, the Brozone would never even get the chance

Barebones Family Tree - Their Pop Half is maternal, with their mother named Mulberry; born at the Troll Tree, to Rosiepuff and to a troll named Brazen (who I headcanon gathered bit of a fame himself, imagine essentially Troll Frank Sinatra XD), she decided the glamour and glitter life is not something that was for her - Always bit quieter and more of an intelectual, she decided to move out of the Troll Tree and settle in a Village closer to the North - There she managed to meet a Rock Troll named Thorn (Or 'Thornberry', as she came to call him) - Thorn, being a young Troll, had been indulging in the Rock Troll tradition of a Solo Tour (as mentioned in my Wanderer!Branch Lore Dump), which usually happened in the Rock Troll Kingdom but could bleed into other Kingdoms- a habit that brought him literaly crashing on Mulberry's doorstep - In the true opposite attracts fashion and through shenanigans, they eventually fell in love and started family together - Rosiepuff thought it romantic; Brazen was not so accepting - Unknown to most, however, Thorn was not just your average Rock Troll, but the heir to the Rock Throne and an older brother to Thrash (if only by few months) - Thorn kept his sudden family a secret at first, knowing the fact they are Pop wouldn't be accepted, and while his age allowed it, he flitted back and forth between them and Volcano City, making him a rather spotty presence in his sons' lives - Eventually, however, his flightly behaviour started to be frowned upon by the Rock Trolls, as age wise he was long past when it was acceptable to travel around solo- and so he planned a longer trip to Volcano City, if only to tell his father (the King at the time) to fuck off and pass the rule down to Thrash (This didn't really work out, as he had not been allowed to leave after that, leaving Mulberry to struggle to support four children) - JD at 14yo, Spruce/Bruce at 12/11, Clay at 10, Floyd at 9 - It was his disappearence that had Mulberry cave to JD's wheedling to give the Boy Band a shot, and after talking it through with Rosiepuff, the boys moved with their Grandmother while Mulberry stayed behind in hopes that Thorn will come back

(Part two here)

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #lore dump #brozone

19 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 8 days

Text

@lovepeacestar

I imagine there is lot of confusion at first- and shock, definitelly the shock

The thing is- and what I headcanon- Troll hair is sacred; and while only Pop Trolls seem to be able to use it essentially as an extension of themselves, I imagine for all of the trolls, it is still very sensitive and point of pride

Which would make Barb reaching into Poppy's hair a rather violating move- for a Pop Troll especially, as their hair sensitivity is probably highest of then Troll kind

(Ngl, that would make for a good ficlet/oneshot, I could explore this further XD)

So even if Branch is clearly sporting musical Strings in his hair- it is still his hair, and reaching into it and plucking them is a major taboo

Honestly, I think few trolls would be stunned in that 'oh why didnt I realize sooner', that those are Strings in Branch's hair- definitelly Delta Dawn, who Branch met very early and developed frienship with (Along with Barb and to an extent Trollex)

Poppy, whose knowledge about the Strings would be the most recent.... Honestly, I think she would have been the only one who would suspect there is something more to them, but her fear of pushing Branch away would stall any questions she would have

The big point of if all however though- Branch wouldn't allow the strings to be used as a crutch for the music anymore Arguing he was able to find music inside himself even without the strings' help

In fact, it was his singing, him enjoying and making music, that led to the Strings' creation And he would encourage the Trolls to try and do the same, much like they had in the movie

Trolls would of course be curious about the seventh String, but honestly, with all that happened at the moment, it would probably take a while for someone to actually try and draw attention to it XD

-------------

As for Branch's brothers, hmmmm Honestly, from the movies, it seemed to be that the Pop String's existence- and the existence of other Trolls- turned to be a carefully guarded Royal Secret, that went on for generations

Probably in effort for the Pop Royals to erase the crime they almost commited and to pain themselves all squeaky clean

Now, bit of musing, but

There has been a screenshot of an updated map from some sort of converence (avialable of Troll Wiki), what poses few questions

From this map, we can see that Bergen Town itself is rather far away from The Troll Kingdom Territories- the current ones at least; yet it was implied (and widely accepted) that the Troll Tree used to be the Capitol of Trolls in general, not just Pop Trolls

I know the movies have more plot holes than a doily lol, but given the turbulent history of Strings, it would have made sense for the other Tribes to run away as far as the could from Pop

And yet, Peppy was in possession of a Map that showed all current Kingdoms- and was still outdated, given Branch's comment about Disco

This is bit chaotic once more but bear with me XD I know most fans accept that Brozone broke out when they were already locked up in the tree, but I am pretty sure the creators stated that the break up happened before Bergen Town even locked up the Pop Trolls

Given the position of the abandoned golf course- abandoned, being the key words- we can assume the Bergens by themselves were rather migratory, and left the land where the golf course is situated because of some reasons

As it is, the Pop Troll territory must have been huge- easily spanning the woods around Bergen town, including what used to be before Bergen town, and reaching far north to cover what is known as Pop Troll Territory now That would make the Pop Troll populace- back then at least- massive compared to other Tribes- certainly enough that the little territory they have now has not been contested since the Separation of Strings

And yet the map that Poppy is using only includes the current Kingdoms, as outdated as it apparently is Meaning the creator of the map made it with the assumption that the Pop Territory won't be any larger than that- Or it was just one map of many, and the only one worth keeping, when the Bergens started decimating their numbers to the point that they could no longer hold any larger territory than that

Anyway, I got derailed XD

But, as I wanted to say, I don't think the previous Pop Royals were the nicest of Trolls, and seemed to definitelly made it their goal to erase every dirty little secret, keeping the existence of the Pop String to themselves

If the knowledge of either other genres or the String was not forbidden, they would have been stories passed down from parents to a child- and yet the current Pop Trolls are completely ignorant, and probably has been for a looooong time, even before Bergens found them delicious to snack on

That means at the time of the band breaking, none of Branch's brother even had idea that the Strings existed- and at the end of world tour, probably only Floyd- who is present- would have any idea to their Significance

JD perhaps has any idea other genres exists, but Bruce and Clay doesn't seem to be aware of either, as according to the map, they woudn't even have a chance of meeting other Trolls, unless they were some minor genre tribe

As it is, Branch probably now feels very selfconscious about the Strings, and isn't really keen on drawing attention to them After all, it does paint a very obvious target on his back, as not all Trolls posses the morals to not try and pluck the String to themselves

(Chaz certainly seem to be the type)

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #wanderer!branch au #ask #lore dump

37 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 9 days

Text

Some musing on the Wanderer!Branch AU

(Okay, bit of a chaotic lore dump incoming, as this is probably the first time I am putting it to words)

Okay, important info first:

I headcanon it that Branch- and thus the other Brozone bros- are half-pop half-rock in their herritage; this headcanon is an old one, ever since World Tour dropped, and honestly only supported by the fact that Total Eclipse of the Heart that Branch sung as trolling is considered a Pop Rock song XD But hey, one doesnt need to have many reasons to make headcanons pff

(I have some tentative lore about his parents- and his grandparents- too, and how that would effect Branch and his Bros growing up, but I will leave that for a separated post)

But anyway, with Branch's Pop side being moderated by his Rock side, he would have always felt a bit out of place among his tribe, even he grew up perfectly happy with no tragedy in his life (I know switching Branch's and Poppy's place when it comes to being grey is all the rage right now, but I still feel most are missing all the necessary nuance to really make it work, but lets not get into that pf)

Obviously, that feeling of not fitting it only got hundred fold worse since his PTSD and him being grey, as Pop Trolls doesn't seem to be known for mental health support. Branch eventually leaving is not him going 'Screw you all, I will find someone who appreciates me' (much like Clay did) but more of a 'I am sorry, I won't get in your way anymore, I wont be a burden'

Basically massive amount of self-loathing and severe lack of self-worth. When Branch had his final breakdown and decided to leave, I don't think it would be with the precise goal of finding anyone (yes, part of him hopes he would be able to find his brothers and at least find closure one way or another, no matter how much it terrifies him).

Honestly, Branch probably didn't dare to examine his decision to leave any closely than he needed to, lest it would stand out to him for what it really was- a suicide trip.

This was Branch that doesnt know anything about the wide, outside world; he knows Bergen Town, knows of the old Troll Tree, and now knows the Forest and their Troll Village. But everything else is uncharted territory for him. He knows of the Neverglades, because of a faint memory of John Dory constantly talking about them when he was a baby, but has only a vague sense which way they are (I headcanon they make up for the border of Pop and Rock territories)

His preparation for the trip was abysmal, and so was his plan in general. He just picked a direction- opposite of Bergen Town, away from them- and started walking. When he first encountered the towering high peaks of Classical Territory, he immediatelly recognized that they can't be the Neverglades- very much not fitting the description that he remembered, so he walked past/around them, smack dab into Country territory.

Compared to others, I don't think the Country Trolls would have been very welcoming to him at the beginning; used to hard life, inhospitable land and abundant death, Branch would be an unexpected disturbance; obviously not a Classical Troll, who borders with them the closest but never comes down from the skies, obviously not a Funk Troll, who with their technological advance might as well be myths at this point- and obviously not a Pop Troll, since he doesnt shower them with obnoxious music and doesnt even look the part.

Had he been at his 100%, they would have probably been quite content to send him packing, figuring he was just a Rock Troll going solo career (little insert headcanon: Rock Troll Rite of Passage is going on a Rock Tour, and sometimes the more adventurous Rock Trolls strays into other territories to bother and cause mayhem other trolls. Barb's Rock Tour was her Rite of Passage, and being a freshly fanged Queen, she took it to another level)

But Branch quite helpfully collapsed on their doorstep, half starving and dehydrated, and they weren't so callous as to leave him there for the elements to take care of him.

Naturally, their help hardly came for free, and even if they didn't ask, Branch would have already feel indebted to them for wasting resources on his wellbeing. A Survivalist himself, he easily spotted the tight budget they were running, and felt guilty for being a burden yet again.

To his surprise, when the country trolls found out he was a hard worker, a skilled architect and wiz engineer, they completely turned their wariness around.

It was the start of his 'finding himself' journey, but for the first time, Branch started to feel... appreciated. Yes, these trolls didn't know him- but they looked at him, looked at what he can do, and called him accomplished; they were praising his skills, and called him valuable.

(But some sense of danger remained with him; as far as he believed, 'Branch' was left behind to rot away in his bunker. So when introducing himself, and habit got better of him, he started with "Bra-" but caught himself and finished "-mble"; and that new name, 'Bramble', stuck XD Still a plant name, still close enough that he can learn to repond to it- and honestly, feels like fits him better right now, as he feel all out of sorts)

It was only the first step, maybe, but it was a step toward feeling that he had some worth.

I think, out of all the Tribes, he stays with the Country trolls for the longest; yes, the life there is hard, but that is perhaps why he feels most welcomed there. There are no useless nonsense parties, no senseless dancing- the times when they can finaly wipe their brow and relax is when the community gathers together and they just... talk. Sit around, share food, look at the stars and reminiscence.

It's all very subdued, and even though Branch is the most obvious outsider ever, he feels like one with the community, and that by itself is already healing a deep wound he didnt know he had.

When the country trolls finally start singing on their good day, Branch is rather taken aback (He forgot, that Trolls are Trolls, and Trolls sing)- but the sombre and slow melody and topic of the country speaks to him, and while he doesnt join- and they dont push him to join- he listens, and he appreicates.

It is with Country Trolls that he heals most of his trauma when it comes to music. His Grandma and his Brothers leaving him are still a big guilt that weights him down- and something he wont address for a long time- but Country trolls shows him that music can be wildly different. He still doesnt sing, but when offered to be taught to play a banjo (XD), he probably doesnt refuse- mainly out of fear of insult, but also because for the first time in his life, he wants to actually try.

As time passes, his more curious side comes out- he asks questions, wants to know everything- up to this point, he didn't even know that the Country trolls were country- and to them it was obvious what they were, so why would they need to introduce themselves?

That line of questioning leads to the explanation of the other Tribes existing, and that each Tribes' music is different.

And for the first time in his life, Branch felt something alien to him- burning Wanderlust. (Bit of his Rock herritage showing, eh? Solo Rock tour, Rite of Passage~?) The thirst for knowledge was always there- after all, his bunker had many journals filled to brim with information about what he discovered in the foods, helpful tips for survival and many plans for inventions- but those were always done out of necessity, discovered and noted down so that he could live another say. Never before he had a desire to discover simply for the sake of discovering.

Never before he also actually felt like he had the option to do so; the world has always been an inhospitable wilderness to him, only filled with a small handful of trolls and a town full of monstrous giants. His childhood was filled with memory of a large iron cage, and that trapped feeling didn't change; after all, his Bunker, for all that it offered him safety, was a different type of cage too. The whole Troll Village- Pop Village, as he learned now- was another cage as well. Gilded one, made of ignorance.

And so he knew his time with the country trolls came to an end- and it was because he grew to respect them and appreciate them, that he doesnt disappear in the nigh and haltingly tells them his decision to leave and explore.

Memories of his Brothers' argument echo through his mind as he waits for the inevitable blow up, but.... he is once again surprised when the trolls just accepts this decision and wish him all the best- going as far as to help him pack- properly this time- and wheedling out of him a promise to check in once in a while, whenever he is in the neighbourhood.

Equipped with a non outdated map, he decides to make visit all the other territories one by one, starting from Country and heading right towards Classical, going around in one large circle around Pop Territory- Going to Techno after Classical, and to Rock right after that. Funk is largely a mystery to him- the Country trolls are at this point content to believe they are just a myth- much the same way a unicorn is to us- but Branch wants to keep an open mind.

After all, he himself had no idea other kind of trolls existed, so why dismiss the Funk Troll existence right away?

His travels to Symphonyville proved to be as challenging as was the start of his trip towards Country territory. Being high in the mountains- higher than anywhere Branch ever went- really showed him that walking is easy only when the road is straight and flat.

The air growing colder and thinning, he probably doesn't make the best first impression neither- especially in his dishevelled state, he is once more mistaken for a Rock Troll, and it takes a gargantuan amount of effort to convince anyone that he is simply there to learn music, and not cause any trouble.

Out of all the Tribes, he would stay with the Classical trolls the shortest. They are strict teachers, and their culture is very frigid and traditional- and Branch knows that he would have to wildly change himself to fit among them. Yet looking around, seeing the tall spires of the buildings around him, he finds he doesn't really want to. The grandiose of everything is rather intimidating- but even if he tried his best, he would never fit well among the classical trolls, always limited by something (like his ability to fly)

And realizes that was okay. That was acceptable. And that the classical trolls knew he wasn't a good fit now, and would hardly ever be a good fit ever- but they never expected him to become someone he is not. He asked them to teach him and so teach him they will- but you cant force a white sheep to grow black wool anymore that you can force a black sheep grow white.

The moment they realize Branch is there to learn and not wreck their peace like wandering Rock Trolls tend to do, they definitelly warm up to him more- but it still with the mildest of disapprovals since compared to them, Branch looks like a scrunkly kitten and all of them are just itching to groom him properly XD

Branch himself is amazed at the variety of musical instruments that exists and very quickly finds that he is not a progidy in plaing them all pff. Wind musical instruments are most likely completely beyond him, and after some attempts gives them up for a lost cause. Percussion fairs a bit better; he definitelly has some idea how to keep a beat and a rhythm, but even there he finds playing piano the most comfortable out of them all, with drums being a close second.

It is with string instruments that he trully shines, especially those that he can play with his own hands, without the need to use a pick or a bow; a tentative hint at his connection to music, the vibrations just send shivers down his spine and makes him feel more close to the sound his playing produces. (Guitar and Harp becoming his favourite instruments from the get go).

Getting to Techno was trickier. Them living underwater makes access to their territory rather impossible- unless Branch happens to meet someone willing to cross then bridge between Land and Sea XD

It makes for a rather convenient introduction for minor genres; the land bordering Classical and Rock seems to be as the perfect land for various minor tribes to cohabit in peace.

Are there Techno Opera trolls? Siren like beings, that found their homes on the deck of boats, sailing from and to an island after island? Techno Classical that built their living on the coast line, wanting to be close to both land and sea?

In any case, Branch discovers that even with music it's not so simple as shelving it into labels, and that it is ever growing, ever evolving. He never manages to actually visit Techno Reef, but he doesnt' need to; compared to other trolls, the Techno Trolls are not insular, and quite happily come to the surface or to the coast, both to vibe with the offshoots of their genre, to discover what they came up with, but also to simply make friends and have fun.

It was the first time Branch encountered a large party not unsimilar to that of a Pop Troll one- and yet for all that the party was just as loud and wild as he was used to seeing, the sight of it didnt really fill him with uncontrollable panic. It definitelly helped it was once again more about the music and the beat itself, and about the mood of the partygoers than it was about the singing; it was about experimentation and trying out new things- and yet not every troll was dancing around like maniacs. They had the stage for sure, and large crowd was gathering there- but there were also the fringe areas and corners, where Trolls just sat and chatted and bopped to the beat. Not forced to do anything they didn't want to, simply allowed to have fun in their own way.

He doesnt really interacts with the Techno Trolls that much, beyond when there is a party happening on the surface. Gravitates more towards exploring the Minor Territory, and discovering that it holds more than just Techno Classical/Opera. Not wanting to stray too close to the border with Pop, he nevertheless encounters encounters various offshoots of Pop as well- and the K-Pop gang as well

This definitelly allows him to learnt that even the Trolls Kingdom are not free of corruption and the bounty hunters are not starving for contracts- crime does happen in the troll kingdoms, and when the local police force comes short, the bounty hunters are the next best thing to employ.

Speaking with the K-Pop gang, he learns- with a bit of unease- that there was an old contract unfulfilled, that searched for all the Brozone Brothers, and thanked his lucky stars he can in no way be connected to them. It was considered a cold one, where there was no hope among the communities of it ever being cashed in- but the knowledge someone was looking for them- specifically for the younger of the brothers (Him, Floyd and Clay) made him wonder who could it be.

(Part of him entertained that it could be John Dory)

(Other part dismissed it right away. After all, JD did specifically state 'Goodbye Forever'- why would he make the effort to employ bounty hunters to find three of his brothers, if he was even alive to do so?)

That meetings seems to set of a string of bad luck- at least, that's how he feels. Continuing down to Rock territory- of which he is most wary (after all, he was constantly being confused for one, and expected to cause mayhem and destruction- so what kind of Trolls Rock Trolls were to earn that reputation?

A very specific kind- wild and chaotic.

Compared to other Territories, no-one blinks when he just walks in and continues deeper into the Kingdom; and he can finally see why he was mistaken for a Rock Troll. Muted colours, sharp smiles and even sharper claws, it was like walking into uncanny valley, where nearly every troll wears his face. At that point, unknown to him, his colours are not completely grey and black, so he is sporting some faint hues, and very quickly learns that thanks to the direction he came from, Rock Trolls think he is from an Offshoot genre; either Punk Rock or Pop Rock (though they obviously hope for the former) They reconsider him to Folk Rock when he brings out softer tunes that he plays on a borrowed guitar; and for the first time in a while, Branch is asked to sing.

He panics, obviously- playing musical instrument is one thing, but getting over his trauma from singing is another- and quite swiftly and bluntly refuses, cringing after to wait for the inevitable "You are a Troll, why don't you sing?"

Only... it never comes. There are shrugs, and one "Cool." and then he just gets invited to an Indie Rock show, and that is that.

Completely baffled at this easy acceptance, Branch agrees out of shock, before he can trully think it through- and realizes it's the first time since he left Pop Village (at this point probably nearly two years ago) that he thinks back on its inhabitants and namely Poppy.

He feels rather guilty, for taking this long to really give them a concrete thought. Like yes, he did think of them at the beginning, when he lived with the Country trolls- but that was only in general way, comparing the different livestyles. He never really chose to think about the people he left behind.

Now, no longer blinded with grief, self-loathing and rampart paranoia, he does remember that not all adults in his life went out of their way to activelly fail him. King Peppy, for all that he was unequipped to deal with Branch's issues, tried to check up on him regularly; his Grandmother's friends or those who knew her, made it their goal to be kind, even if Branch tried to avoid them out of reminder what he caused

Hype, Trickie, Boom and Ablaze were old friends- his childhood friends- the ones he made after his brothers left, and the ones he pushed away after he went grey- and yet they still managed to be around, noticing them from a distance, even as he stopped speaking to them.

And then there was, of course, Poppy.

Just starting to mature when he left, it's not quite a crush that he feels for her (not yet anyway), but there is still some sort of appreciation for her- some part of him, that subconsciously aches at the need to be close to her, and feeling just that bit of her warmth and positivity- one that made him wistfully keep all her invitations and listen to the sound of her recorded voice.

For the first time, he wonders how they reacted to his disappearence. Wonders if they miss him- or if they curse him. If they do both- like he felt conflicted towards his brothers, the older he got and the more obvious it became that they are not coming back.

It was that thought- the comparison to his brothers- that pushed him to hesitantly think about returning back to Pop Village; to his bunker, to his old life- to Poppy.

It was a tentative thought really; truthfully, the desire was a half hearted spur of the moment, and not something he would drop everything for. He didn't miss his old life; where he was the village hermit, the outcast, the weird one. Besides, he just arrived in Rock, and he still had a whole adventure ahead of him, trying to find the Funk trolls.

And so, When in Rome, do as the Romans do- and so Branch steeled himself to attend a party, one that he was specifically invited to; after all, he had been at parties before now, within the reach of Techno Reef, it's not like this one is any different

Only it kind of felt like it- yes, the music was harsher, the beat went harder- but the harmonizing of voices reminded him so close of his own tribe that it just left him feeling jittery- and at first, yes, the party made him tense and hardly participate, but as it went on, song after song, he could feel himself slowly relax.

(Besides, there was something about rock music, that send warmth straight to the core of his being; something about it resonated with him more than any other music did, besides Pop- and where before he fought hard to not allow it to do that, perhaps, just this time, he could try the opposite)

(After all, they were underground, where Branch always felt the safest, and the Bergens had no idea other tribes even existed- he could indulge a little)

Of course, fate has a funny way of entertaining itself, and in the second of his indecisiveness, he gets bumped into and trips and falls- or he would, if pair of hands didn't steady him, and familiar voice asked him if he was okay

And Branch suddenly felt altogether three years old, getting fed empty promise and watching his older brother disappear through the entry to his Grandma's pod

And he is now in present, left staring at nearly 15 years older Floyd, his brother clearly living the best life, happily away from Pop Territory (away from Branch)

His name drops from his lips before Branch can stop himself, and that has Floy pause and squint at him- obviously not recognizing him, obviously trying to place him- before something clicks and his eyes widen and he goes pale

Branch most likely punches him- and then finds he cant stop heaving in fury and goes punch him again, not allowing Floyd a word in (honestly, he is not punching very hard, not apart from that first one)

Of course, Floyd is hardly alone, probably in a band, and his band mates are not keen on having their member be attacked by a random troll

Brawl very easily breaks out- honestly nothing new among the Rock Trolls- and ends up with all of them, especially Branch, thrown in a cell for their troubles, much to the protest of Floyd's bandmates, who curses and claims innocence

For the first time in forever, Branch feels hollowed out; yes, he had been hoping for a closure- but honestly, he had expected to find all of his brothers dead; not finding any of them living happily away, their youngest brother not even a blip of concern in their mind.

He certainly never expected it from Floyd, who essentially lived a stone throw away; who clearly was able to cross the distance it took from Bergen town to arrive in Rock troll's territory, just shy away from the Pop one.

------------------------------------------------------------ This is where I will stop the musing for now XD;

Obviously there are more things to add; Barb would make appearance, not yet as a Queen but definitelly in charge of keeping any Rock Trolls in line (she is not called a Princess because the Rock Trolls don't use that title for their heirs) and while Floyd is aware she is the future Queen, that information doesnt get shared)

The discovery of Funk Trolls still awaits as well, as does Branch's return to Lonesome Flats, as he had promised to do

But that's for the next time :)

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #wanderer!branch au #Lore #lore dump

52 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 9 days

Note

Do you think you can tell us what happens in would tour specifically at the end when the strings are broken? Is branch there? Does the world go gray or does it stay colourful because their technically is more strings? Oooooo how do the leaders react/find out about this random gray troll who sum how has made more strings?!?!

I think Branch would be there for sure

Skipping ahead of the timeline, after the events of the 1st movie- and realizing Poppy did miss him, he would be rather reluctant to leave his Tribe again for a while (his reawakened crush on Poppy certainly not helping matters)

However, he has now been on the move for so long, that staying in one place indefinitelly gives him jitters (and bit of a spoiler, but he did manage to meet at least one of his brothers on his travels, that made him realize that perhaps this Wanderlust is hereditary to an extent)

Also ever since returning to Pop Village, he came to realization that King Peppy seem to know more about the wide world than Branch had suspected; before, he just thought that the Pop Troll's ignorance stemmed from their isolation and decades of selective culling- knowledge and histories are bound to be lost and forgotten in that case, but given the nervous glances Peppy sends his attire and his rock guitar, Branch can put one and one together.

But Peppy doesn't ask and Branch doesn't offer any explanation, and while Poppy is curious enough to ask Branch where he went, she doesn't push when he just says 'away'. She still remembers when Branch just up and disappeared one day and no-one cared to notice that for weeks- to an extent, not even her, even though she is the most aware of his prensence than anyone.

After that fiasco with the funeral, Poppy just figured Branch holed up himself in his bunker to sulk- or so she thought- and will come out when ready. And truthfully, she thought that it was, for once, a good idea- because the mood of the community was not great, when it came to the grey troll, and she herself was at loss what to say or do to make it better. She could hardly defend Branch's actions for all that she understood his freakout (at least a little bit)

It was only when more time than usual passed that she grew concerned- while the other trolls around her didn't.

A little bit of angsty idea was that Branch, in his shame, left behind both Floyd's vest and his old Hideout Plan, as those were two mementos that really tied him to his old life, and Poppy- with bit of brute force- managed to get her way into the bunker and found both.

She was really just a teenager then- and was suddenly forced to come to a reality where a Troll that was supposed to be her responsibility as a future Queen just... left. Left, because he felt so unwelcome in the Village- unwelcome in her presence- that feelings themselves driven him away.

And similar to Branch, Poppy had no idea other trolls existed- there was only the Village and the Bergen Town, and all the dangers that existed between it. It was unspoken rule that to leave the Village meant a certain death- and here she was, holding Branch's iconic vest that he never ever takes off, holding a yellowed scrapbooked plan of childlike wonder, that revealed a familial history of heartbreak and abandonment (after all, she knows these names, she knows Brozone songs and trivia by heart)....

Honestly, She and Branch probably came to be peas in a pod, when it comes to feeling of self-loathing and lack of self-worth.

After all, perfect Queens don't allow their subject to become outcasts

Perfect Queens don't turn blind eye towards unjustified shunning

Perfect Queens don't certainly drive away their friends to perish in the wilderness

And for the next 4 years- especially after the uncomfortable realization that only handful of people even care that Branch was gone- she felt deep guilt and suppresed grief very keenly, plagued by what ifs; what if she went to him the day after the funeral, what if she checked up on him that very night- would he had stayed? What if she never pushed him like she did, secretly delighting in crafting the most annoying glitter-spewing invitations, knowing it irritated him What if she was kinder, respected his refusals better, listened to his warnings

Would he had stayed?

And honestly, up until the point that he returned, she had no answers, and thought she would never got any

So after their reunion, she burns with questions and curiosity- and holds it back, because he already left once, and she is terrified to push him away again, this time for good. Because that's what she focuses on now- he came back.

Of course, that relief changes nothing when mere seventh months after their peace with the Bergens- after they repaired their village, after Poppy got used to having Branch by her side, singing, dancing, playing, harmonizing

She is suddenly feeling like thrown into a cold water when he tells her he wants to go traveling again, and all the fears and past grief comes rushing

I believe they would have quite the row about it- unknowingly reminding Branch of the night his brothers argued and left, which only pushes him to be angrier- while Poppy uses her outburst to hide the irrational terror she feels

So it ends with Branch storming off in a huff and Poppy storming off in a huff- but when her senses catches up to her and she is quite panicked to make ammends and to sooth the argument over, Branch is long gone

Few more months passes, and while not as cheerful, Poppy tries to keep herself upbeat- then the invitation comes, Peppy finally admits to there being more kind of trolls, and to her it is like Oh, of course.

The excitement returning, she now has secondary goal to her 'unite the tribes together' under big party- she just knows Branch is living with one of the tribes now- and she is right, when she encounters him in Lonesome Flats

(Well, after he learnes that she got thrown into jail for her Crimes against Music that is pf)

Branch, naturally, still has no idea about the Strings (as he dipped out before Peppy gave that piece of history away) but learning about them now doesn't give him any more peace of the mind. Contrary to his first mindset in the original plot- where he wanted to avoid the other trolls altogether- he is now stalwart defender of all genres, and hates the idea of any of them disappearing.

(A side note: in his wanderings, I think the only rulers- or would be rulers- that he had met was Delta, Trollex and Barb; Trollex had just been freshly crowned and Barb has not been queen yet) (He and Barb probably struck a very odd friendship- where Branch had no idea he was hanging out with the princess of Rock- namely because Rock Trolls didn't use the term of 'prince' and 'princess' for their heirs- and he probably told her all about his travels) (Hearing that she is behind this mess makes him feel horrified. Did he gave her the idea to try and take over the world?)

Anyway, events happens, the finale comes- the final showdown XD

Only, the fight plays out quite differently

Branch and Barb being friends, he confronts her about what she's doing and quite stubbornly gets into her face about her ideas. Dares her to change him the way she wants to change everyone- dares her to erase him, like she dreams about

It makes her hesitate for sure- she already went so far, and wont be stopped now. Expression hardening, she aims her guitar at Poppy and strikes the chord- not expecting Branch to jump between them.

This event probably doesnt have the desired effect that she imagined. Had Branch had been just a normal Pop Troll- or as close as to one genre as one can get, he would have been Zombified without any issues.

But with the Power Chord, it's Strings against Strings- and the results are probably quite... explosive. Devastatingly so.

Only, Branch has an unknowing advantage- his seventh String, shining so innocently from his hair among the others.

When it comes to matching powers, the Royal Rock Guitar looses, pathetically so- and as the stage around them explodes, so does the guitar, taking the power of music with it, leeching everything of colours and light, untill nothing but darkness and greyscale remains.

Except for a singular troll that stands tall and proud in the middle of it all, injured, sure, but colourful, rainbow heart shining through the fuzz on his chest, the strings in his hair glowing brighter than ever XD

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #wanderer!branch au #ask

47 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 9 days

Note

Here's a fun idea you said that if he wanted to branch could make his own tribe. well what if he did, where do you think the tribe would live? I'm thinking something like the lash caves from minecraft because underground, and what if that was hundreds of years ago? What do you think folk trolls would evolve to look like? What about their culture? Would the leader position be passed down through bloodline or successes? What would their leader even be called? I feel like it has to be chief. Aaaahahahhah this ideas so funnnnn

Hi!

Sorry for late answer, I had a late shift at work, and that didn't leave me with much energy to do anything but have midnight dinner and then sleep XD

The thing about Branch, and his Folk String- yes, he could form his own Tribe and his own genre of music, but I am unsure if he would. Not at least while he travels, and while the events of the first and second movie are taking place.

First it comes down to the fact that he has no idea that the Strings exists and what they even are- and that knowledge would probably change somewhere around when World Tour happens. Even as he travels through the other territories, the topic of Strings just... doesn't come up, so he has no idea what power he holds in his hands (paws XD).

He also just still feels very connected to his own Tribe, no matter how badly they treated him. Especially after he realizes that Poppy actually missed him and was devastated to see him gone. (And sorry to say but my Branch will always be a bit of a simp for her, he is a lost cause in that)

BUT, all that said, entertaining the possibility of him forming his own Tribe...

Him straying underground once more would be very in character- especially as apparently Rock Trolls are subterranean people, in that most of their dwellings are underground and I do headcanon Branch as having a rock troll blood. So he would have never felt comfortable high in the trees like a full blood Pop Troll, but he also wouldnt want to be without any access to sunlight or plantlife.

The Lush Caves are a good idea certainly- and I raise you the possibility of their dwelling be more like the Hidden World from HTTYD XD

Not to the full fantastical extent as in the movies- but with the definition on whimsy and calm, some bioluminescence and giant crystals would be a great conversation piece XD

Chief being the title of the leader also fits- that, or more specifically Chieftain. Branch definitelly doesnt think of himself as coming from line of kings and queens (He is wrong about that in my headcanon buuut that's for another post XD), and so he would never think to use those titles. I think the position would be hereditary- but definitelly not going to the 'firstborn of the firstborn', but based on suitability. Culturaly, I think that would also be most familiar to any troll who who migrates from the large Tribes, where the leadership is definitelly a hereditary position (I think even Country Trolls, despite the Fandom calling Delta Dawn a mayor, do regard her as their queen).

Now for the fun part, the physical changes XD

Honestly that by itself requires a whole another post, since this need to encompass all of the Trolls tribe by tribe, but let me sum it up based on the Major Genres:

Pop: - Colourful little menaces as we know them from the movies XD - Largely arboreal- that means long tails that compensates for balance, and paws with retractable claws used for gripping onto tree bark - All trolls- apart from Classical and Techno- are in possession of fur, or (as one AO3 fanfic writer called it) in possession of 'flocking' XD - Pop Trolls grow thicker pelt in winter and shed it with the coming summer- but in general, it still grows rather fast for some so those trolls took to shaving it down to keep it need (Poppy is one such with unlucky ancient genes when it comes to that) - Before they evolved to use their Hair to the exten they do now, they largely counted on their own agility and ability to jump from branch to branch, and chipped away burrows into the trees - so powerful leg and arm muscles, and comparativelly amazing strenght for beings so small -They definitelly used to be taller than any non-funk trolls, slightly shorter than Biggie, but with the Pop String creation, their hair abilities and the selective survival of the smallest (after all, smaller trolls hid from Bergens' better), they've been getting on average shorter - They do have small hint of fangs, but are largely leaning towards non-meaty diet, though still very much omnivorous

Country: - Centaur-ish; I know movie depicted them with horse bodies, but I headcanon them more in the way unicorns are in old medieval illustrations, ie Artiodactyls - Long tail hair, almost as luscious as their own hair - Pointier ears, clear fangs on top of their large front teeth (since meat seems to be large part of their diet), but not really paws and claws; I would say they are the most carnivorous of all the trolls, raising livestock both for milk but specifically for meat - (diving into the territory of evolution, if they were hunters of prey, they probably chased them and kicked them to death XD) - All in all, not that different from how movie showed them

Classical: - More fairy-like/Hummingbird-like than in the movies - Definitelly still smaller and glittery, but with the idea their skin is not actually glitter like with Glitter Trolls, but either some kind of scale like feathers, or more durable version of the scales like butterflies have on their wings -Two pairs of wings instead of one, and definitelly beating faster to keep them up in the air - No tail- a rarity out of all the Trolls- and their hair is more like bird feathers/crest, in that it can puff up or lay flatter depending on situation - Most likely nectarivous and herbivorous? Making something like 'honey' from their farming efforts XD - The gemstone in their belly is an accessory and not something they all grow naturally- meant to show the troll is grown and ready to join the Orchestra XD

Techno: - Not much to change there- I just imagine their neon and digital looks came much later after decades/centuries being influenced by their string, they used look a little bit down to earth before that - Omnivorous, with crustaceans and molluscs making up for the majority of their animal protein- and probably necessary source of compound their bodies need to be bioluminescent

Rock: - Being looks wise the most similar to Pop Trolls, there was probably some speculation they both came from the very first same ancestor- before the Strings were created - Their flocking/fur is thinner and sleeker, and they don't grow a thick undercoat in winter, but similar to Pop trolls they have paws with claws- only theirs are not retractable - Their tail is also shorter and not as luscious in fur, used more for display than for balancing - Pointier ears for sure, more visible fangs; as mentioned, I think they are supposed to be subterranean? So most of their dwellings is underground- probably to avoid the volcanic ash on top- but I imagine living so close to the sea, they are largely focused on fishing (their angler ships suggests that they have no issue going underwater), probably hunting whatever critter lives in the cavern bellow, and maybe they are using the advantage of volcanic soil to grow some hardier crops? - Living underground with no direct sunlight for days probably gave them killer nightvision while their colours dulled to make hiding in the caves easier

That said, Branch is half and half. Despite his ear deformity, I would imagine they would always be a little pointier than on any other Pop Troll, and he cannot retract his claws (and thus took to filing them down to keep them blunt for safety sake- still sharp enough to help him climb, not sharp enough to hurt) Even if he grew up with his true colours, I'd imagine they would dull as he grew older, going vibrant only if he indulged in the poppiest of songs (or if he performed on stage) He has the tail and the luscious tail-hair of a Pop troll, but his flocking never grows a thick undercoat so he is almost always chilled to the bone in winter, forced to wear padded clothing to keep warm

With the Folk String coming from him, and representing him.... I imagine some of these things would change He'd grow hardier- more temperature tolerant at least- and similar to Rock Trolls, his night vision would grow better. Would any potential Folk Trolls change the same? Maybe? Perhaps more bioluminesce similar to that of Techno Trolls, while their general basic colouring grows more grounded- more into muted pastels and leaning towards greens/aquamarine tones

Culture is hard to pinpoint, as it would be evolving from various established cultures of all the other Major and Minor tribes; who knows what hodge podge it would end up as XD

My mind is full of various headcanons pft- ones that are blanket for all my AUs and ones that are just part of that one specific one- so be on lookout for more regarding that

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #wanderer!branch au #ask

26 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 10 days

Note

You are so good at making au's omg and for wander branch I feel like the seventh string should be folk because it has heavy nature vibes and I feel like branch would really like the calmness and wimzy of folk music. That or songs that are 2 or more song mashups that have a complete tempo shift like uncle albirt by Paul mccartney and things like that.

Hello!

Glad you enjoy my endless brainstorming! There is just something entertaining about crafting headcanons and lore for characters where media gives you enough wiggle room to do so XD

I am also lucky that I am supported by my very BFF who tolerates my bouts of manic storytelling, so you can expect me expand on the current three AUs I have at some point (Hopefully with art accompanying it- however my work likes to keep me all exhausted and lacking for free time, so it might take a moment for that to happen XD;)

I do like the idea of the 7th String representing Indie Folk! (I assume that's what you meant, since folk music is a rather broad genre, and each culture is used to different tones- being central/eastern Europe myself, our folk music wildly differs from that of irish for example)

Most indie folk songs tends to incorporate lots bits and pieces from other genre- in context of the Trolls movies, it could fit for sure!

(As the songs doesnt necessarily need to have lyrics, they can be just fine being instrumental)

Unsure about the mashups, as that is a very hit or miss thing- but Folk seems to suit Wanderer!Branch rather well!

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #Wanderer!Branch AU #Lot's of indie folk seem to be a perfect travel songs as well #so I can just imahine him humming soft tunes as he walks #ask

27 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 11 days

Note

are those the strings in branch hair?

Hi!

Yes, good catch, those are Strings in his hair! But they are not THE Strings.

It was always my headcanon that the original Strings themselves are woven from the Ancestors' own hair, back where all of music was celebrated equally, and the harmonizing energy itself of all the tribes co-existing

Of course, even back then, the Trolls tended to gravitate towards their own chosen genre of music, and while I believe all the first leaders at some point sported rainbow highlights in their own hair, the ones representing the other tribes' genres dulled or disappeared completely, while their own grew brighter and more prominent.

Branch, of course, has no idea what is going on with his hair at the moment xD and honestly, since on his journey on self discovery he would very rarely interact with the Kingdoms' leaders, he would stay blissfully oblivious- and so will most trolls that he will interact with, since the very first origins of Strings is most likely forgotten lore at this point.

But as of now, his 'fledgling' Strings grow powerful equally, as Branch appreciates variety of music- with the green one being extra, representing just him, a soft mint colour that grows brighter as his own soul heals

(and yes, that means if Branch wished, he could form his own tribe of trolls, though honestly I havent given a thought as to which music would represent them the best)

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #Wanderer!Branch AU #anon ask

49 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 12 days

Text

Genre-Fluid Branch XD The idea for the lore behind this one... well, or idea for another AU XD everyone keeps doing the 'Branch gets adopted by other tribe', but what if he wasn't a young trolling when that happened?

The scenes from the first movie- played for comedic gag- where he kept interrupting events to scream about Bergens- ended with him overthrowing coffin at a funeral, and I image even for Pop Trolls, that would be kind of like the last straw- especially for the grieving widow

After calming down from his panic attack, I imagine even his most stalwart defender at the time (Poppy and to some extent Peppy) would be at loss what to do and what to say to smooth this mess over, and Branch himself would probably feel pretty horrified and horrible

Now feeling most ostracized than ever, I can just imagine him having quite the bout of absolute self-loathing, and coming to conviction that he is very much not welcome among his tribe- especially if he overhears trolls discussing him as if he was the worst thing to ever the walk the earth

Miserable, unhappy and very very lonely, he could be prime for breaking point- where instead of staying in his bunker and embracing the half-forgotten promise of his brothers returning, he chucks all that aside, packs his bags and decides to leave the Troll Village for good. (And perhaps in hopes to find his missing brothers himself, if only to get that part of closure)

After all, it's not like anyone would miss him. (He is wrong of course)

Time wise, set probably roughly 3 or 4 years before the events of the 1st movie, and thus Branch is a very young troll who probably just got into his 20s

Of course, his travels will bring him far and wide, eventually meeting all of the tribes (each offering a different perspective on life), allowing him to heal with help his own tribe cant provide

He would eventually head back to troll village- if only to get few sentimental things from his bunker that he left behind in his hurry to run away- just in time to see the mess of the 20th anniversay escape party

Lets's call this.... Wanderer!Branch AU?

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #Wanderer!Branch AU

367 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 16 days

Text

Another AU that has been knocking around my mind for a while XD I call it Moonlit AU

It can be summed as such: Pop Trolls are pretty wild bunch when it comes to looks, varying in colours, flocking/fur patterns, glitter, freckles, hair, you name it

It got me thinking, what sort of thing would they find attractive in prospective partner? While singing/harmonizing could be a part of it (and ngl, that did made me think of the Happy Feet movies, as silly as those were), my mind turned towards more physical attributes

Thus, this AU was born- where one of the reasons why Pop trolls like to be most active at night (to party) is that a Moon's Light also allows them to appreciate fur/flocking patterns otherwise hidden, where the complexity and style varies from troll to troll, as is thought to show one's inner self

Contrary to what one would expect from the Princess (and future Queen) of Pop, Poppy's patterns are rather simple- but striking nonetheless, firm and bold stripes, like taking a wide brush to a canvas- straightforward but chaotic in their hardly orderly fashion Poppy struts her patterns; they are unique and dominant among the general showing of swirls, polka dots and flower like spottings She is aware her stripes are not considered the most attractive of features- too similar to that of a predatory critter, too sharp for who is supposed to be cheerful queen of equally cheerful people- but she is a romantic at heart and believes that when it will be time to choose a consort, those physical features are surface-level importance at best, and this is the mentality she has going forward, looking at the glowing marks of her friends and considering them equally beautiful no matter what.

Until she manages to spot Branch one night outside under the full moon light that is.

Branch's pattern, in high contrast to Poppy, is far more complex. Symetrical but delicate in its filigree, and far more detailed than anything the Princess has ever seen before. Usually, Branch ventures out only on moonless nights, as he feels the glow of his marks are too visible, too dangerous to just show out and about, for every dangerous predator to see- and it is purely bad luck when bad weather caughts him outside longer than he would have liked, and Poppy manages to catch the sight of him while he is completely unaware he had been seen.

All her conviction flies right out of the window, as she looks at his delicate patterning and her mind just goes blank and - Oh

Usually she would have called out to him, ask him to come to a party- but she feels mesmerized, hypnotized by the elegance of the filigree, and her mind longs for a way to memorate it forever- with a photo, or a painting- and she stares at the entrance of his bunker long after he vanished inside, completely stupefied and wrong footed.

Before, Poppy hardly ever gave Branch a thought, when it came to this part of Pop Troll culture; as part of her, guiltily, sort of assumed that with his lack of colour, his patterning would be rather bland as well- and besides, it's not like he ever shown a desire to participate in courting dances.

But now she is left with sudden new, and unexpected feeling- her heart and breath going now a bit faster everytime she catches a glimpse of him from now on, her cheeks flushing and her tail wagging in excitement

(Her desk's drawer is filled with failed cut out scrapbook pieces of leaves and tiny detailed filigree, as she attempts to journal her sudden and new discover and cant get it quite right)

Tldr; Pop Trolls have fur/flocking patterns that appear only under the moon's light, and Poppy finds Branch's so irresistibly attractive she hardly knows what to do with herself

This pushes her to try and spend more time with him- just spend time with him, no trying to push him to go to parties with her or trying to get him to sing or hug

For his part, Branch is both secretly pleased his own crush is now paying more attention to him than to Creek (who is not happy with this development) but also holy shit Poppy is paying more attention to him, so it is kind of unnerving for him, freaking him out

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #trolls poppy #Moonlit AU #troll art

413 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 18 days

Text

(Disclaimer: I have no real experience in drawing for the Trolls fandom, so I am still figuring them out, style wise XD)

I noticed that @allmyhomieshatelawns wished to see Branch's design a bit better, so I tried my best to deliver <3

He can lumber around on his hind legs if needed, but his new form is more comfortable to run around on all fours

With this close up, I couldnt resist to add some of the silly tattoos that could be spotted on the movie version (though their accuracy is questionable, I didnt look up any references)

Yee, that was the idea- the first moment Poppy woke up, Branch was still more of a beast, animalistic and running on pure instinct, but the longer Poppy talked to them over the next few days, the more he came back to himself

His speech is definitelly impeded, though his vocal chords are still very much working, to the point that speech would be possible, if rough and guttural- but it would take him a while to get to that point (perhaps around a time where he would loose the red glow oh his eyes, returning to their usual blue)

As for what would return him back to his normal self, the strings are definitelly involved, yes- but their destruction would be a hindrance XD

I might write this AU as a fanfic, as I clearly do have ideas knocking around, but if you feel inspired as well, go for it! I would be delighted to see anything anyone comes up with!

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #Rock Beast AU #troll art

77 notes · View notes

partywithoutsmiling · 20 days

Note

Alright darling (can i call you that?) the Rock Beast AU just became my new ✨️hyperfixation✨️ so prepare! Please tell us how does John reacts to his bitty B becoming a Monster

Once he actually finds out who the great Beast is, not very well obviously XD

But if that AU would be a fic, it would be at least couple chapters down the line. My idea for Poppy's and Branch's escape is that while at first they crossed quite a distance through air, soon they were forced to travel by foot, as Branch's wing becomes injured and trying to take flight again would be foolish.

A blessing in disguise it turns out, as the Rock Trolls under Barb's command do not think to stop and search the ground, not that close to their territory, and our duo hides out of sight in the undegrowth, just to see their Angler Ships pass overhead, clearly heading towards the Pop territory

(the thought for this AU being that Barb is convinced that Pop poses exactly the same amount of threat as it did in the ancient past, where they were the most numerous, and seeing the pitiful number of Pop trolls rounded up, figures there must be more Pop villages hidden deep inside the woods that make their territory- so it would make sense to her to think Poppy and Branch went to get more back up- which is correct in a way, as Branch's intention was to fly them all the way to Bergentown, as having giants for allies would become handy in this case)

Meeting John Dory was a complete accident. Headcanoning that he had bad business with the Rock Trolls in the past, he probably decided to skeddadle into the wilderness once he saw the activity in the sky, not wanting to deal with that business- and I liked the idea that the Neverglades were actually a sort of natural border between Pop and Rock, a contested piece of land for both. Usually quite content to sleep out and about, either under stars or in Rhonda, the storm and all the chaos happening around him has him relocate to well known and explored caves- in which he finds Poppy and Branch, who sort of unanimously decide to keep their travelling to the night time, where it gives them less chance to be spotted.

Neither group is thrilled to be discovered by the other, at first- John Dory simply on the principle that lone trolls seems to be bounty hunters more often than not (and this one has a literal monster by her side!) and Poppy... well, for the exact same reason really XD she had been burned by her trust in a stranger- one that led her into this mess she is in- and the source of her major guilt is standing right behind her.

However, compared to JD, she is injured; an unexpected dip in the lake left her feeling sickly, and she is starving- and Branch is hardly doing any better. So it all ends up in a rather tense stand off, where Branch is the only one spiralling, because holy shit that's his brother

And he wants to wail and he wants to sink his claws into JD's face and tear that smug ass grin off his face- and it's the shock of that thought that has him to do neither of those things, and instead forces him to evaluate the situation a bit better.

Because for all JD's abandonment, he is a Pop Troll- and that means a potential ally- and so it is with a gentle nuzzle that he sooths Poppy's unvoiced fears and worries, and encourages her to ask JD for help

The introductions come, of course- but Poppy doesnt mention that Branch is a troll-turned-beast, and while JD's expression turns rather strained at hearing Branch's name, there is nothing that would clue him in that Branch is *his* Branch (His precious baby brother, who he thinks is dead for several years, and being an expert at avoidance of painful truths, there is no way he is sharing that with a complete stranger)

So as far he knows, Poppy's "pet" just has a rather unfortunate name, and Branch's colours are again rather washed out.

Branch just doesnt want to deal with the mess that is his familial trauma and is quite relieved JD doesnt have a clue to his original identity

(of course Poppy, desperate to socialize after being locked up with no-one but mute Branch for company, ends up bonding with JD rather quickly- especially after he treats her wounds and offers her a safe shelter- and finding his collection of memorabilia snowballs into discovering his identity as THE John Dory- and Branch's connection to it all, when John Dory, unable to resist the force that is Poppy, eventually talks about all his brothers- including Bitty B)

Also, this isn't connected to that scene, but even then I think you would enjoy this little treat:

----------------------

Branch was injured.

That much Poppy could observe, from the simple way he was carrying himself.

The rush of their escape didn’t seem to want to pass; the pink troll felt like every breath came out with accompanied tremble, and her heart was keen on making itself as loud as possible- it drummed hard in her ears and pulsed in tandem with the ache that throbbed mutely through her sore arm.

The sudden dive and crash into the murky depths of the lake jostled it- but at the time, her mind was hardly crystal clear enough to focus on anything but uncoordinated flailing as she panicked from the shock of the chilling water, trying to instinctively kick herself up to get to the surface. A great deal of her attention had also been overtaken by fear; for her life, yes, but also for Branch, as she had seen him seize up in one blink and then start falling out of the sky in another, his grip on her- previously strong and secure- now limp and weak, a puppet losing all motion as if its strings were suddenly cut.

Yet it was him who dragged her out of the lake in the end, his great head going under her belly and chest and lifting her high above the surface, leaving her clutching onto his mane with painful grip, gasping and sputtering, a sob roughly tearing through her throat before she could stop it. The sudden relief of air filling her lungs once more was not enough to mask the sudden pain that laced through her right arm, and Poppy had sobbed once more, clenching her eyes shut, burying her face into the soggy mess of Branch’s hair.

Low rumbling moan echoed from the beast under her, the strength of it- for all that it was quiet- reaching all the way to her core- but she was unable to do anything but breathe, the action shallow and painful, as her arm throbbed throbbed throbbed.

Vaguely, she felt the chilling water lapping at her legs, and her ears twitched at the sound of soft splashes- the body under her rocking forward, Branch’s breath just as shallow as hers, but clearly now moving, swimming, towards what she hoped was dry land.

The sky crackled, a thunder left in the wake of it, and she shivered when a first drop splashed against her back, bringing a shock of ice to her already drenched body. Another moan and Branch lurched forward, his swimming now gaining urgency- even in this shape, he was well aware of the danger that rain possessed for species as small as theirs, especially when it caught them on a lake. The prickle of unease was what had her force herself to lift her herself up, her good arm gripping Branch’s mane more firmly while held the other more securely to her chest.

Already the drops were breaking the surface apart, the water splashing up and sending waves that clearly impeded her friend’s progress; one that seemed to be made difficult simply for the fact that Branch had extra set of limbs that were hardly made for swimming- with one wing flapping or paddling awkwardly to help propel forward, while her other followed at much slower pace. It was the trembles and shakes that seemed to run through the appendage that caused Poppy’s heart to plummet to the depths of her stomach.

“Branch..?”

He voice was a pathetically weak and wobbly thing- there has been a shock, followed by euphoria, when her companion suddenly ripped through the bars dividing their cells like knife through butter. His cell had been a dark and dreary place, cut away from any natural light- hers had a large barred window that showed nothing but the menacing glow of the volcano, its fiery tones casting orange hues into the grim, cloudy looking sky. She had often caught him watching through the gaps of his cell, great glowing red eyes focused intently on the singular glimpse of freedom, and many times wondered if his sudden critter like instincts urged him to take flight. He did many things in the time they had nothing but each other for company, that could hardly hint that his interest could have other reasons. He prowled around, as much as his chains allowed him, and quite often his wings would flap. His claws would flex and his limbs would stretch- and Poppy had thought it a simple restlessness of a trapped animal, frustrated at the lack of necessary space.

She had thought. She didn’t expect it to be a slow exploration and familiarization of foreign limbs and muscles- not until she had been scooped up like kittenbug, and not until they were hurling face first through the window, Branch simply tucking his head closer to his body and tearing through it like a single-troll battering ram.

“Branch,” she whispered again, the sound trailing into a low moan, not unlike his own- but he didn’t respond, not even with a growl- not until she let go of his mane so she could gingerly touch the trembling wing.

The limb flinched and Branch went stiff under her for a moment, soft warning hiss audible even through the loudness of the storm- and though he didn’t stop his swimming, Poppy withdrew her hand as if burned, realizing that now perhaps wasn’t the best time to find out where his hurts were coming from.

“I’m sorry,” her apology was quick and strained ,“I’m sorry, Branch, I’m sorry-“ and the water was now blurring her vision, and perhaps it was her tears and not the rain, and perhaps her ill timed touch was not what she was apologizing for.

But Branch suddenly made a soft chuff, and his head twisted to peer back at her, the lamp like glow of his red eyes more comforting than one would expect. But Poppy hardly felt unnerved by the sight of them- not when she couldn’t feel any drop of malice, and the pink troll heaved a shuddering breath, bowing forward so she could reach and gently rub one of the Beast’s long ears. The appendage flicked, and his eyes blinked slowly, another chuff falling from his lips, before he turned to face forward again, his swimming seemingly becoming more determined.

Poppy swallowed and closed her eyes, her exhale a tad less shaky than before.

They will be okay. They have to be.

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls branch #trolls poppy #trolls fandom #Rock Beast AU #trolls john dory #troll fic

49 notes · View notes