"Hey, crybabies. Which of you has the name Queen Poppy?"
Still restrained, Poppy and Branch opened their eyes to find a quintet of rainbow-colored, glossy-chromed Trolls standing before them donning smiles and poses of smug confidence. The leader had blue hair with a purple nose and green coloration around her eyes.
"Umm..." Poppy hopped forward, "That would be me. Who are you girls?"
"We are the K-Pop Gang!" Baby Bun introduced the group but not their actual names.
"And we're taking you two to see Queen Barb!" Wani stepped forward.
Branch scowled at the girl group and hopped forward to shield Poppy, "No way. Queen Barb wants to destroy all music, and she'll do the same to yours once you hand us over!"
"Barb struck a deal with us and the rest of the Bounty Hunters," Ari crossed her arms, "Whoever turned Queen Poppy over to her got to keep their music on a small island. I think it's this one, actually..."
"Bounty Hunters...?" Poppy shared a look with Branch before turning back to the K-Pop Gang, "You mean like Hickory and Dickory?"
The K-Pop Gang exchanged confused looks before Gomdori raised an eyebrow, "Umm... Who now?"
"Hickory and Dickory? The Yodelers?" Branch elaborated.
"Wait, the Yodelers?" Baby Bun blinked, "They're alive?"
"Yeah... They actually caught us first and would've turned us in...had Vibe City not been shot out of the sky."
The K-Pop Gang's faces turned somber and understanding, bowing their heads down in respect for those who were still in Vibe City at the time of its destruction.
"Hey..." Ari had a realization at the worst possible time, "Kimmy, your boyfriend lied to us...!"
"Kimmy", the purple-haired K-Pop Troll blushed a hot pink and shot Ari a death glare before punching her in the arm; Wani then shot a stern glare of her own at her second-in-command, who lowered her head in shame and guilt. It still was pretty funny. She then approached Poppy with caution.
"Queen Poppy... Was there...anyone else in Vibe City with you?"
"There was just my friends. DJ Suki, CJ Suki, Cooper, Satin and Chenille, Guy Diamond, Tiny Diamond, Smidge. Along the way, we encountered Trollzart, Pennywhistle, Delta Dawn, Hickory, Clampers, Growly Pete, King Trollex, Bliss Marina, Coral Blush, and Techno Beat. In Vibe City, we met King Quincy, Queen Essence, and Prince D, all of whom were Cooper's family. And when Branch, Prince D, Hickory, and I went to restore the power...there was someone else. A Rock Troll..."
"Who?" Branch stumbled back.
"What did he or she look like?" Baby Bun inquired.
"It was a male Rock Troll. From what I could remember, he had long black hair, a jean vest, a pair of black pants, and a black beanie hat that covered his eyes."
As everybody took this information and processed it, Wani turned to a now horrified Kim-Petit, whose heart suddenly raced. Shooting her a sympathetic look, she watched on as her friend stumbled over her next few words.
"Did...did you see him? Did he survive?"
"I... I'm not sure," Poppy shook her head, "We jumped off the roof of Vibe City before the missile made impact. The five of us were seperated."
The fragment of the story provided very little comfort to an already anxious Kim-Petit, who came dangerously close to fainting in shock. Wani held her up before she could, though, and rubbed her back.
"This was a mistake, Wani."
"What?"
"Why? Why did it have to be this job?"
"Because Queen Barb promised us – "
"Doubt is built on promises, Wani," Kim-Petit argued, "Do you remember the last job we took?"
Wani opened her mouth to protest, but she stopped herself once the horrific memories came rushing back to her at full force.
"How could I forget?"
Kim-Petit nodded as she regained her strength, "What if they're right? What if Queen Barb does plan to get rid of us once the job is done? Do we even have a back-up plan?"
"Well, if you don't, then we're all screwed."
Everybody turned to find out a trio of Trolls who, like the K-Pop Gang, were vastly dissimilar from Poppy and Branch in terms of appearance and musical style.
"Tracy..." Wani smirked at the trio's leader.
"Tresillo..." The trio's leader corrected, "And it's good to see you too, Wani."
"What are you doing here?" Gomdori stepped forward to protect the reward, "I thought the boat was destroyed in the tidal wave."
"First off, it was," Tresillo approached with cautiom, "Secondly, we came to see the same prize you just claimed," Tresillo stepped forward in response, "But for a different reason."
"You Queen Poppy?" Marimba crossed her arms.
"I am," Poppy confirmed.
"Good..." Tambora walked off to nowhere before coming back to drag back with her a discarded part of the boat in question, "Because I didn't know where to put these bodies."
The bodies in question were two Pop Trolls and a Techno Troll, all of whom were recognizable to Poppy and Branch.
"DJ! CJ!"
"King Trollex!"
They both hopped forward to examine their wounded friends before turning to the Reggaeton Gang.
"What happened to them?"
Tresillo gestured to DJ, "Her group got caught in the tidal wave caused by Vibe City's destruction. She managed to pull these three onto the raft, but the others were too far out."
"Chaz the Smooth Jazz Troll, trying to play hero, leapt off the boat and tried to save them," Tambora noted with disdain.
"Surprisingly enough, he succeeded," Marimba checked on CJ's wounds as Tresillo and Tambora looked at her with the same surprise.
"What?"
"He did?"
"Yeah, but I'm not telling you how."
"But they're alive?" Poppy turned to Marimba, who nodded in confirmation.
"Oh yeah, and it wasn't a pretty sight. That's all I'm saying on the matter."
DJ groaned in pain but did not yet awake, instead reaching out for CJ.
"Your friends right here are alive too, but they probably won't be for long unless we get them some help."
"We'll take them to our place," Tresillo carried CJ in her arms, "It isn't far from here."
"What choice do we have?" Branch hopped to Poppy's side.
"None," Tambora picked up Trollex while Marimba picked up DJ.
"We're still taking Queen Poppy and her boyfriend to Queen Barb," Gomdori approached the couple, but Poppy cut open the wrapping paper restraints using the knife she acquired in Symphonyville.
"My friends are being treated for their injuries first..." Poppy then turned to a stunned Branch, whom she freed next, "...then you can take me and only me to Queen Barb."
"Poppy, no..."
"It's okay, Branch. I'll try to talk some sense into Queen Barb while you, knowing you, will presumably come up with a back-up plan."
"Presumably," Ari chuckled.
Poppy then turned to the K-Pop Leader, "Wani, was it?"
"It was," Wani crossed her arms.
"I'll go with you to Barb's homeland if you leave my friends out of this."
"Why do you insist on going alone?"
"Because I learned that, over the course of approximately a week or so, Pop was the cause of the six main Troll Tribes splitting up and living alone in disharmony. It was also the cause of Barb's world tour and the reason why you guys were hired by her. So... I consider this a form of compensation and a win-win for you guys."
"But a lose-lose for you?" Wani gave it some thought before nodded, "I'll figure something out."
"Don't make promises you can't keep but can break," Poppy warned her. "Believe me... I learned that too little too late in the hardest fashion possible."
Poppy took Branch's hand (causing him to blush and Ari, Gomdori, and Baby Bun to giggle) and pulled him along, "Lead the way, Tresillo."
"Gladly, Your Majesty," the Reggaeton Leader bowed graciously and complied, a surge of jealousy flowing within Branch. He was immediately calmed down by Poppy, who shot him a comforting smile and causing him to return the smile bashfully. Poppy, Branch, the K-Pop Gang, and the Reggaeton Gang then marched to the latter's homeland while the former found herself lost in thought.
Biggie, Cooper, Satin and Chenille, Guy Diamond, Tiny Diamond, Smidge, Legsly, Meadow, Gia, Bella, Hickory, Delta Dawn, Clampers, Growly Pete, Bliss, Coral, Techno Beat, Trollzart, Pennywhistle, Prince D, King Quincy, and Queen Essence...
Wherever you all are...
I hope you are all okay...
Priscilla cried for hours and hours upon witnessing the destruction of Vibe City. The actual attack itself committed by those dreadful Party Crashers was horrible enough, but them laying waste just for the fun of it only made her trauma worse. Honestly, she would've known that the Rock Trolls weren't a tribe to be messed with, and she did. However, she never knew that they, let alone any kind of Troll, were willing to go far as murder and genocide to prove their point. That wasn't the primary reason why she was crying at the moment.
What was worse that Queen Barb, the person she came to look up to, let it all happen.
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Priscilla's head shot up and she wiped away her remaining tears before she opened the door. On the other side was Barb herself, donning a forlorn expression of her own.
"You okay?"
She only nodded.
"You don't look like it."
She nodded again, a sigh following shortly after.
"Can I...come in?"
She nodded once again after some reluctance. As Barb stepped in, she closed the door and locked it behind her, unintentionally alarming Priscilla. Noticing this, she quickly reassured her with raised hands.
"I take it you heard about what happened to Vibe City?"
"No... I saw it happen."
"Okay. Then...let me say this: I had nothing to do with the city's destruction. It was not my decision. I didn't even know it took place until...after it happened."
The mind of the Rock Queen recalled the destructions of Symphonyville and Lonesome Flats to dispel this claim, but those were mostly harmless looting with no threat aimed directly at their respective citizens. But the destruction of Vibe City? That was a display of unaldurated, no-holds-barred rage by the ruthless agents of chaos she herself hired. She drove the point home to the Party Crashers' leader that no civilians be harmed unless they fought back, but Bash was clearly disinterested and had a score to settle with the Trolls that wronged him, who she assumed to be the Pop Trolls. She made a mental note to visit them next.
"I'm sorry. I assumed you did," Priscilla continued as fresh tears began to build up, prompting Barb to approach and hug her tightly. Motioning her to take a seat, she grabbed a guitar as she sat beside her. Remembering the Country Trolls sung while in their cells to liften their spirits, she sighed and strummed her stringed instrument.
("Hurt" - Nine Inch Nails) [Johnny Cash Cover]
Yes, Barb had memorized the entire song performed by the Country Trolls. And no, she did not know how or why, so don't ask.
I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
What have I become
My sweetest friend?
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
The Rock Queen immediately noticed the somber but thoughtful tone in the lyrics when she failed to do so the first time around. Man, the Country Trolls need to lighten up some more...or maybe the Rock Trolls needed to learn from them some more. Of course, that would prove that they weren't different from the Trolls responsible for this whole mess in the first place.
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
Barb began to think about her world tour some more. Why did she embark on it, let alone conjure up the idea to begin with? Because she wanted to prove the others who doubted her wrong and that Rock was superior to all other genres of music.
I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here
What have I become
My sweetest friend?
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
Seeing Priscilla wear a small but genuine smile on her face as she grew weary, Barb increased her tempo in order to wrap up the song.
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I will keep myself
I would find a way...
Barb smiled as she watched Priscilla fall alseep in her lap. She promised her that she would find a way...and find a way, she shall.
Outside, Harper leaned back from the door and headed towards her group's hideout.
"What happened?" Mandy adjusted her leather jacket.
"Is Priscilla okay?" Moxie brushed the dust over her denim skirt.
"Barb is having second thoughts about her world tour..." Harper hugged her arms, "I think."
"It doesn't mean she's giving up, though?" Aspen crossed his own.
"No. She's come too far. We need to do something now."
"Aren't we?" Moxie tilted her head, "I thought our plan was to stall the Rock Trolls while Poppy embarked on her own world tour."
"Yeah, and look where it's gotten her, them, and us," Mandy shook her head, "Because we did nothing, Vibe City was destroyed and Poppy is missing."
Harper neither wanted to resort to violence even if it was the only option, nor did she find it easy to do so like Poppy, Branch, Hickory, and Riff did.
Desperate times, desperate measures...
"What's the play, Harper?" Aspen turned to his leader, as did Mandy and Moxie.
"The strings."