.

.

.

Silence is another word to pain

It can't even let been quietly rain

Down its cavern heart would rather

Write sorrow down on paper

But it goes through the throat

Goes against the laws

Running,

Crying,

Hurting,

It has been betrayed.

The silence itself can't take.

.

.

.

...

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

- Branch ?! Branch are you there??

No response. He gave her no answer.

Kneeling on the 'GO AWAY' carpet in front of the bunker, Princess Poppy of the pop trolls sighed, disappointed, worried. She would never have thought it possible one day... but for the first time in her happy life, Branch, that grumpy troll that no one liked, missed to her.

In the type of... missed enormously, terribly even.

It was soon going to be a week, a whole week that she hadn't seen him... She missed his blue eyes, she missed his smell of forest and firewood, his grumpy mood, even his ears with a rather unique shape.. She missed everything about him more than she would have imagined... Since the strange incident in front of the wild river, the gray troll hadn't left his house once, and Poppy had no idea how to help him except continue to come to see him every day to try to talk to him.

She again knocked her knuckle against the soft, fuzzy surface of the rock under which the bunker was hidden; no sign of the silence troll.

No... A pop troll, Branch was a pop troll too.

Because yes, Branch had revealed his angel voice as a singer and his talents as a dancer to the public; the male troll had sung her a sad song to her, a song that she had found rather pretty, but disturbing... As if he was singing between his notes that he might be better company than someone who had hurt her. What did all of this meant ?

Poppy wasn't stupid, Branch hadn't intended to sing this song, he had been forced.

So what had caused to isolated troll from suddenly dancing a choreography with her, Princess Poppy, his total opposite, in all the trolls of the village?

That was what she wanted to understand.

- BRANCH!! Branch get out of there, please, I wanna talk to you!!

In the darkness of his underground shelter, sitting in front of a secretary of wood and rock, this last mentionned did not say a word. Holding a pencil to put down on paper, he wrote poems, this is what he had been doing for 6 days now locked up of his own free will.

He had stopped writing the one in composition to listen to the voice of the princess... She seemed worried, sad, what kind of troll let the princess suffer like he did ? He should have stood up, walked to that damn elevator, went up to open the trap of this fucking prison and let her suffocate him in a hug that he knew deep down, he too desperately needed... But he was scared. He was so terrified of what would come out of his vocal cords, much more than just a silence.

Teeth clenched, holding his breath, the footsteps going away from the pink troll hid the sound of his tear falling on the pile of poems. Branch let out a painful sigh.

He drove the salty, warm tears away from his cheeks with a quick move of his hand, sniffing loudly before looking again at his activity; write.

Writing, he wrote his pain, his confusion, he let his emotions escape.... By the time he could do it without using his voice. He was tired of using his voice and yet it didn't listen to him... All week, it had continued... This thing worked between his vocal cords, making them vibrate against each other and from his throat escaped forbidden songs, words that cried out for help without his permission.

How could the trolls in the village bear this?? Singing did not relieve his pain, he hated singing, he REFUSED to sing for brownies' sake!! When would we leave him alone? Here is the truth; when he was not writing, he was singing, when he was not occupying his mind in any other activity, his throat would choke and he had to scream over his melody so that the pain would stop... It had been going on for a week, and he had had enough, he wanted this to stop!!

If only he could tell Poppy everything... If only he had the courage to...

- Oh!~ there she goes again...

In a panic, Branch covered his mouth with both hands... But he was choking, fuck, fuck fuck fuck, he was choking! He tried to stop it, to block the notes, but in his fear, stood up and let go of his pencils, no way to write his emotions, he had to sing them.

Crying, he tried to fight, but in vain, a suffocated hocket twisted his throat, and he began to sing again;

... Every morning it's the same,
You walk on by my house,
I wanna call out your name ~...

Another love song, another fucking love song about he knew who... He hated it, he was confused, scaredof all this pain revealing itself from his broken heart. He was not supposed to sing, he was not allowed to sing... But yet something prevented him from keeping this promise, and played in his vocal cords like the chords of a guitar;

I wanna tell you how beautiful you are from where I'm standing,
You got me thinking what we could be 'cause...

I keep craving, craving, you don't know it but it's true!
Can't get my mouth to say the words they wanna say to you!
This is typical of love...
Can't wait anymore, I won't wait
I need to tell you how I feel when I see us together forever!

Without knowing where it came from, he grabbed the poems about his love, throwing them around him in a whirlwind, his legs no longer listened to him, and he turned on himself singing at the top of his lungs... Even if the tears on his cheeks showed that it was actually just a beautiful image to his horror novel.

In my dreams you're with me !
We'll be everything I want us to be !! ~
And from there, who knows?...

Maybe this will be the night that we kiss... for the first time~

Or is that just me and my...
... imagination ?

He hit his face, pulled his hair, anything that would have the slightest chance of silencing him... he prefered to physical pain over emotional pain he felt. He didn't want to hear his own voice, it hurted him!

This song was the cruel truth... All this, his desires were only fulfilled in his imagination, never... We would never want him...

She would never love him.

We walk, we laugh, we spend our time walking by the ocean side,
Our hands are gently intertwined...
A feeling I just can't describe!
All this time we spent alone, thinking we could not belong,
to something so damn beautiful...
So damn beautiful! ~

Branch walked out of his bedroom, the door slamming in a loud noise, hoping not to hear his voice for even a second... Running, he was trying to flee the melody... there was no way out, as there was no way out of his feelings;

I keep craving, craving, you don't know it, but it's true
Can't get my mouth to say the words they wanna say to you
This is typical of love
I can't wait anymore, I won't wait
Need to tell you how I feel when I see us together forever!! ~

He stopped in the kitchen, he was in pain; his whole body hurting, his head was heavy, and his lungs were on fire;

In my dreams, you're with me
We'll be everything I want us to be
And from there, who knows?
Maybe this will be the night that we kiss for the first time
Or is that just me and my...

... imagination ?

Imagination!
Imagination !! ~

He screamed, it needed to be let out, otherwise he was going to go crazy! he had enough!! He wanted this to stop, It had to stop!! Without being able to control him, he caught what was close; a fragile porcelain plate, and threw it against the dirt wall. In the shock, the material broke into a thousand pieces.

He fell to his knees, crying, praying that he would shut the hell up once and for all;

In my dreams, you're with me
We'll be everything I want us to be
And from there, who knows?
Maybe this will be the night that we kiss for the first time
Or is that just me and my imagination...

He violently hit the ground with his clenched fist with a cry of rage and pain, his knuckles were bloody... this place kept the suffering in, the breaking objects littered the ground around his body closing a spirit tormented by the past.

His throat began to ease, he let out the last words of his song, sobbing;

I keep craving, craving, you don't know it, but it's true
Can't get my mouth to say the words they wanna say to you ~....

Finally, he could take a big gasp of air before bursting into tears, completely not caring about his wound from which blood escaped...

What was he suppose to do now ?

He needed comfort.

He needed a friend, a presence, anyone, anything....

His legs didn't want to carry him anymore, Branch dragged himself miserably on the floor, still crying... his bloody hands were desperately looking for this comfort, his life depended on it, he wanted this comfort, he cried, BEGGED for this comfort...

But she wasn't there, she wasn't there, he had rejected her, who could help him now?

And then suddenly, he found his comfort.

His hand grabbed that 'anything' and blindly pulled it out of its hiding place, the shadows had hidden it between two walls in the immensity of the bunker...

A remote control, a simple blue remote control with a big green button in its center, and others, beige and yellow that gave it colors with dubious taste, with a broken antenna. He had a flashback of himself, walking in the Trolls' village market, then bending down to take that same object that he thought was unimportant, it was broken... He took it with him... he had thought that he could dismantle it and use those parts to build weapons way much more scary than this simple, baby remote control, but then had forgot about it.

And in that moment, he realized.

This simple remote control... someone had thrown it away, all because its antenna was broken, because that remote control was broken. Because it didn't do anything like every remotes controls else, because it was useless.

It was cruel. Unacceptable. In his pain, Branch was recognizing himself in this remote control, as strange as it may seem.

Tears flowed down his gray cheeks, he took the broken object against his chest and rocked it against him like his own child. He had found his comfort, just as strange as him... A remote control lost in a scary world, broken, which, he promised himself, would soon have the power to protect the entire village...

It would no longer be unimportant.

<< ~ × ~ >>

Unlike the Fear Bunker, the village of Trollstopia was a fun, cheerful, cozy and warm place to live. You see, this place was filled with everything a troll could dream of, regardless of their kind of music and preferences... After all, there was glitter for everyone!

However, Branch seemed to find only comfort far from the perfect paradise where every day it rained glitters... He had been offered everything; starting with Techno rave to the Funk Trolls' spaceship... he had even refused Lonesome Flats, even though it was the most isolated place of all ! Poppy bit the tip of her pencil, sitting on her comfortable white fur seat. Lost in thoughts, she was still thinking about the grumpy troll...

Sitting on the pink troll's comfortable bed, Queen Barb clumsily cut sheets of colored paper... Or rather the black and red felts, they were rather sick. She added a few skulls here and there, placing lightning bolts on her drawing of a completely fiery rock concert; she had less talent than her best friend, but still created an interesting image.

The two young women had decided to do a sleepover to relax in the pod of the princess... But Poppy had forgotten the concept of relaxing, and was working on what she called the 'Branch Scrapbook', a collection of positive thoughts and hope about this troll that intrigued her so much... and also plans and tries to make him happy. Poppy had a scrapbook for each troll that was close to her heart, but the one of the silence troll was strangely open much more than usual on the lap of the princess ... it did not go unnoticed.

Barb heard a sigh of frustration from her best friend and glanced over the pop troll's shoulder; she was holding a picture of the male troll and her, their arms wrapped around a pack of logs on Trollmas Eve night, five years ago...

...

- Cmon Branch! Smile for the camera! Show us your joyful look! Biggie followed the gray troll around.

- I don't DO happy, this one insisted, I have to go back to my bunker!

But stubborn Poppy sighed, trying to remove all the logs from his arms to see his face. The gray troll let out a cry of surprise, and Poppy had the reflex to catch the ones that fell into her arms awkwardly, Branch caught up with his jet black hair so she wasn't carried away by the weight of the thick pieces of frozen wood... As a result, the pink troll found herself pressing against the survivalist's beating heart, and Biggie took advantage of that few seconds of confusion to take the picture..

CLIC !

...

In the picture, nothing looked extraordinary; it was a confused Branch holding a Poppy awkwardly against him, his hair wrapped around her waist and both carrying an impressive number of frozen logs in their arms. Biggie's finger was in the corner of the image. A bad picture it was... but Poppy had a big love for this picture; it was the only one of Branch where he didn't seem to get angry. He was looking at Biggie in surprise, giving a beautiful view of all his face. A small smile appears on the lips of the pink troll, leaving her finger lying against the paper.

- ... Poppy ? POPPY ! Barb's voice pulled her out of her daydream.

- HUH- W-What ?! Poppy jumped and looked up at the queen of rock, posing the picture back in the album.

Barb gave her an almost pity look;

- Oh god, I know that look.. she shook her head.

Poppy was confused;

- What look?

Don't take it badly... Poppy had no idea how it felt when you were in love... and it wasn't her fault! When one is born a princess in the line of the musical genre of Pop, one is learned above all to take care of the happiness of others before one's own; so Poppy had never been taught to recognize this emotion.

Because yes, Queen Barb had quickly recognized what was going on in Poppy and Branch's heads; looks exchanged, the totally strange need to be as close to each other as possible, (even if one of them did not want to admit it) and above all, ABOVE ALL; They were so cheesy that Barb was starting asking about their mental health in general. Love changed the brains of pop trolls into jello very easily... Adorably pathetic.

But no matter her judgement; Barb knew enough about love to know that she couldn't leave Poppy in the ignorance... the two trolls were like the most beautiful result of a puzzle impossible to set. The rock troll decided to give her a discreet hand to get started. ;

- What I mean is... What are you thinking about? You were gone for 15 minutes now... Barb asked her.

Her plan was simply to help Poppy realize her feelings on her own, without scaring her.

To her surprise, it was much easier than expected to get Poppy to talk about it;

- It's Branch! She growled in her frustration, turning the pages of the scrapbook to look at other failed photos of her Prince, Since he sang this song he just... disappeared! And I don't know how to get him out of his hole!

She stopped at a picture of the gray troll, sitting on the giant leaf of a tree, writing complicated calculations in a notebook for an engineering project, a frown on the face. for Poppy, it was totally adorkable, and her face was covered in red;

- GAAAH !!! She screamed, hitting her head against a pillow with a sigh.

- Easyyy, easyyyyy, Barb laughed, What frustrates you so much?

It was with watery pink eyes that Poppy again showed her face, her lower lip exposed like a baby cuddle pup.

Remember when Barb thought love was changing the brains of Pop Trolls into jello ?

- I... I miss him... Poppy whined sadly.

- Well, first... calm down, I don't know why he sang and ran away, but I'm sure he'll come back soon, Barb reassured her, he's way too attached to you, even if he doesn't always show it...

Poppy let out another squeak of frustration and embarrassement, burying her face in her favorite green pillow. When she showed her face again, she turned on her back to stare at the ceiling of the pod with an absent look.

- I know I shouldn't give so much importance to a particular troll... all Pop trolls deserve be loved equally! Have the same attention from their leader! But Branch...

She was silent for a while, then reached out a hand to Barb.

- Somebody uke me !

Barb sighed, rolled her eyes, and gave her ukelele, Poppy knew what to do; it was always easier to explain through the poetic words of a melody.

The pink troll sat on her bed and began to scratch the strings, trying to follow the feeling that Branch made her feel without her being able to understand what it was...

Will you count me in ?

I've been awake for a while now...

You got me feelin' like a child, now...

'Cause every time I see your bubbly face! ~

I get the tinglies in a silly place...

- He makes you feel WHAT now ?! Barb exclaimed, shocked by the last sentence.

It starts in my toes!

And I crinkle my nose!

Wherever it goes...

I always know!

That you make me smile! ~

Please stay for a while now...

Just take your time~

Wherever you go !

At this point, Barb decided to continue her scrapbook and let the pink troll express how she felt. Poppy sat on the edge of the window and continued her song, half hiding under a blanket to stay warm;

The rain is fallin' on my window pane..

But we are hidin' in a safer place ~

Under cover, stayin' dry and warm...

You give me feelings that I adore !!!

The pink troll jumped to the ground again, singing her emotions felt really great... Barb raised an eyebrow;

- Ya done?

... They start in my toes!

Make me crinkle my nose!

Wherever it goes...

I always know~

That you make me smile!

Please stay for a while now...

Just take your time~

Wherever you go!

- Wow, there's a lot... Barb was honestly surprised by the number of happy giggles Poppy was making, Okay, go on...

But what am I gonna say

When you make me feel this way?

I just... Hm~

- That last sound wasn't needed! Barb throwed her a pillow, both laughed.

And it starts in my toes!

Makes me crinkle my nose!

Wherever it goes...

I always know~

That you make me smile!

Please stay for a while now...

Just take your time~

Wherever you go!

Poppy dropped back in her bed, looking at the celling... She thought of a future, a wished future, if only...

I've been asleep for a while now...

You could tuck me in just like a child, now...

'Cause every time you hold me in your arms...

I know, I would be comfortable enough to feel your warmth ~

It starts in my soul...

And I lose all control!!

When you'll kiss my nose~

The feelin' will shows~

'Cause you make me smile!

Baby, just take your time now...

Holdin' me tight!

Wherever, wherever, wherever you go...
Wherever, wherever, wherever you go... ~

Oh, wherever you go~

I always know~

'Cause you make me smile...

Even just for a while~

Poppy played with the last chords, and the song was finished. For the first time in her life, the pink troll was silent.

Barb cut the silence;

- What do you intend to do now?

Poppy seemed to think... She thought back to the smile he had given her... And the fear she had seen on his face when he had danced with her...

On his side, Branch held his remote control in his arms, he had stopped crying, sleeping in his bed... As if Poppy's distant singing had calmed him down, in addition to his comfort.

The two trolls made the same decision at the same time.

- Going back tomorrow.