The Other Side Of The Storm Chapter 6: Con Calma Part 2, a trolls fanfic

DJ's group arrived at Latin City in the early morning. Because she was the de facto leader, DJ felt guilty about insisting on the group not taking any breaks except the very brief ones, but Trollex reassured her that he reassured the group that they would get some well-needed rest once they arrived. Even so, Petra and Billy were none too pleased about DJ's decision despite them merely following the leader.

Their heads spinning, their eyes burning, and their feet aching, the group eventually reached the outskirts of Latin City, stumbling through the banana leaves that served as an entry, exit, and protective shield to the kingdom. Oddly, the already sleeping kids plus a wide awake Melody managed to make it down the hill unscatched; the adults, on the other hand, were not as lucky. Their injuries were not too serious, though, but it did not diminish the fact that said injuries hurt.

When DJ came to, the first thing she saw was a female Latin Troll with green eyes, bronze skin, and amber hair. Judging by the navy blue long-sleeve military style jacket with nine rows of gold tone buttons, the sword in her sheath, and the gun in her holster, she was most definitely a member of the Latin City Royal Guard, and a most familiar one at that.

"Oh, hey...! You...! Camila...?"

The Latin Troll grinned before she corrected DJ, "Close but not too close. It's Adriana, actually."

"Right. Sorry, my bad," DJ took Adriana's hand as the Latin Troll helped her up.

"No worries, amiga," Adriana waved her worries off, "I usually get the same questions and I usually give the same answers. Camila is off a mission that will most definitely involves guns, swords, milkshakes, and performers."

"Performers? Like musical performers or parade performers?"

Adriana opened her mouth to correct DJ, but she decided to close it after a moment. She wanted to correct her. She really wanted to.

"Yes. Sure. So...what bring you and King Trollex back to Latin City? Along with new friends?"

"Miss Adriana, was it?" Melody approached the Royal Guard member next, "My name is Melody Aria Song. I was instructed by my mother to travel here to Latin City, Dragon Hollow, and the Celtic Rock Kingdom. A group of renegade Trolls known as the Chanty Trolls attacked Volcano Rock City in search of the Six Strings."

Adriana's soft but friendly smile fell immediately upon Melody mentioning the Chanty Trolls and the Six Strings in the same sentence, "But why? The Strings were destroyed by Queen Poppy, were they not?"

"They were," Melody nodded her head, "but the Chanty Trolls don't know that yet, as far as we know."

Adriana rubbed her chin before nodding as well, "Very well. Come with me. We shall find King Lucas and Princess Dulce."

DJ and Melody led the sleeping group (plus one big Wooferbug) to the large nut tree that served as the castle and home for members of royalty. They all took careful steps upward to the front entrance before entering inside to be greeted by the same strategically lit room accompanied by the heavy wood scent.

"King Lucas? Princess Dulce? It's me, Adriana. We have guests. Familiar guests."

. . .

"What kind of familiar?"

"The Saving-The-World-From-The-Past-Terrors-Of-The-Rock-Trolls kind of familiar."

One moment of flapping later, and an avian Troll gracefully landed on the ground in front of them. A single spotlight shone on him, giving a good view of him for DJ and Melody. He was a deep shade of royal blue with lush feathers that, judging by the patterns within, resembled colorful eyes. His hair feathers were tightened at the base with a light blue hairtie while his tail feathers were dragged on the ground; both sections of feathers were long, dangling, iridescent, and aquatic/peacock-evocative. His primary outfit was a white translucent, knee-length beach kimono that was adorned with a picture of a color distorted beach with waves; he wore no pants or shirt, but rather a crystal necklace around his neck, a clear hint of his royalty.

"Welcome back to Cuidad Latina, Miss DJ," King Lucas smiled warmly, "It is a pleasure to have you return."

"The pleasure is all mine, King Lucas," DJ Suki bowed in respect, "I apologize for arriving back on such short notice."

"No, no," Lucas shook his head, "No need for apologies. Your short-noticed arrival is clearly a sign of an emergency...unless it isn't?"

"It kinda is," DJ made a "So-So" gesture with her hands as she introduced Melody, "Your Majesty, this is Melody Song from Volcano Rock City. The kingdom was attacked by a group of Trolls known as the Chanty Trolls–"

"The Chanty Trolls?" Lucas gasped in horror before frowning, "And you made sure none of them followed you here?"

"The Rock Trolls managed to defeat them in battle," Melody confirmed, "though I wouldn't be surprised if any stowaways or stragglers managed to slip away unnoticed."

"If that is the case, then we must make sure every citizen and lockdown measure is accounted for."

"I'm on it, Your Majesty," Adriana began to walk away before stopping herself and turning back to Lucas, "Do you wish to summon Captain Gabriel as well?"

"Please do. We need all hands on deck."

Adriana nodded and turned to walk away to attend to her duties just as another avian Troll stepped (or flew) into the spotlight. The only things that prevented her from being the spitting image of King Lucas were her feathers and clothing choices. Aside from them being shorter, she lacked the peacock-like tail feathers and their eyeball-like pattern that defined her sibling. Her headdress, on the other hand, made up for it with its peacock feathers, jewels, silver that embraced her head in place of a crown or tiara. Complementing the headdress was a teal sequined scarf that resembled an eye-catching dress with a very large slit going up her body's right side when wrapped around her body in addition to diamond earrings and three green bracelets on each arm.

"Hey, big bro," Princess Dulce hugged her older brother from the side, "Another one of your emergency lockdowns, I suppose?"

"And with good reason, little sis," Lucas gestured to the group with his thumb, causing Dulce to face them and gasp in delighted shock.

"DJ Sammy!"

"Suki..." DJ gritted her teeth in annoyance, much to Dulce's embarrassment.

"Ooh... Well. Suki, Sammy, and Suri, what's the difference? It's wonderful to see you again, old friend!"

"The pleasure is–"

DJ never got the chance to finish her greeting just as Dulce bolted forward, grabbed her by the waist, and hoisted her high into the air for a bone-crunching hug, all the while giggling like a madwoman. Struggling to catch her breath, the Pop Troll patted the Latin Troll on her shoulder, prompting Dulce set down DJ and pat her on her shoulder.

"The pleasure...is all mine. But I don't want to sound rude, but do you guys have any spare rooms we can take a rest in? We did not take any breaks whatsoever."

"But of course!" Dulce excitedly exclaimed, "We'll also throw in a free complimentary breakfast! Anything for the saviors of the Troll Kingdom! Come! Walk this way!"

DJ pulled her Wooferbug carrying the group along as Melody followed behind with King Lucas.

"I think I already know the answer to this," King Lucas turned to Melody in suspicion, "but I suppose that you wish to know about the Magical Musical Trolls?"

"You suppose correctly," Melody turned to King Lucas in surprise, "My Mom told me most of the important details, but I'm guessing that you can add an elaboration?"

"You guess correctly...although I will only do so if the fate of the Troll Kingdom depends on it."

"Believe me...it really does."

"Gone? What do you mean they're gone?"

Branch had stepped out of his bunker for a few minutes and everything went to Hell. Specifically, a group of young Trolls led by DJ Suki and King Trollex had went missing for who knows how long. It was a fact that the other Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors (with the exception of Synth and Laguna Tidepool) were apparently unaware of until this very moment, when Laguna herself nonchalantly revealed this fact upfront.

"It would appear that DJ Suki and King Trollex had traveled to a place called Latin City, presumably with the intent of gathering more allies to combat the Party Crashers."

Branch sighed in resignation, "Of course. How long have they been gone?"

"Two days at the most," Laguna scanned over her notes, "although it may have been three considering how long we've been in the bunker."

"And why are we just learning about this now?" Delta Dawn huffed as she shook her head.

"I merely wished to wait for King Branch to return from his meeting with the Bounty Hunters," Laguna calmly explained, "Plus, we are already busy planning our next move against the Party Crashers should they decide to invade again. In addition...I had to prep the temporary King of the Techno Trolls."

"Me?" Synth realized as he shot up from his seat in surprise.

"Yes, Synth," Laguna groaned in dismay, "Why did you think I was asking you those questions and having you perform those tasks for the past two-to-three days?"

I'm...the King...

. . .

I'm...the King...?

. . .

I'm...the King...!

. . .

"AW YEAH!"

("The Time Is Now" by John Cena & Tha Trademarc) [Instrumental]
(The First 36 Seconds, Anyway...)

From seemingly out of thin-air, Synth pulled out two confetti poppers and a party horn, wielding them all as he celebrated a victory for once in his life. Cackling like a madman, Synth threw his horn up in the air and caught it with his mouth. He then blew hard on his horn before firing the poppers into the air and spinning around like a whirlpool of...something resembling fun and nausea all the same.

Unfortunately, because he lacked the background music that was only visible to him and him only, the only thing the Tribe Leaders, the Tribe Ambassadors, and the rest of the Trolls saw was Synth acting like a complete imbecile and laughing like a complete psychopath.

"We are doomed," Laguna whimpered as she hugged her clipboard, "He's gone. He's lost it..."

"Get a hold of yourself, girl," Val side-eyed her, "Don't think this is hardest on you now. My little cousin is out there with DJ Sabrina and King Trollex."

"And so is my little niece," Delta Dawn side-eyed her in return, "What's your point?"

"The point is," Val began again, "If Melody went them, then Sabrina and Trollex should be in reliable hands. My friend Petra and I taught that girl how to hunt and fight. She was a bit shaky at first, but she's improved. I trust her tons."

"And here I thought you were worried about her only yesterday," Gust smiled a small one at Val, who smirked a small one of her own back.

"I still do. There's a difference between worry and trust, Sheriff."

"In any case..." Branch interjected, "We can't go after them yet. Only a handful of the escape tunnels are finished and there's the discovery that the Party Crashers are trafficking Trollings."

"Now what?" Queen Barb turned to Branch, "For all we know, we're running out of both time and options. The Party Crashers have improved over the past few months leading up to TrollsTopia. And Poppy's gone missing for the past two and three days, while Trollex decides to bail out on us for whatever reason.."

Burying her face in her hands, Barb groaned, "This blows... This really blows..."

Creek entered the room, serving the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors some breakfast as he turned to Barb.

"Trust me, it can't get any worse than this. But it most certainly doesn't help when one complains."

"You're one to talk," Barb snarked back despite him having somewhat of a valid point, "Says the one who sold out Poppy and the rest of the Trolls to them Bergens, whoever they are."

"True," Creek shrugged, "but that surprisingly didn't stop you from hiring me."

"Yeah, well..."

Crud. He has a point there.

"Crud. You have a point there. But hey, we both learned a valuable lesson in the end, didn't we?"

"Learning valuable lessons doesn't return any missing or stolen body parts," Creek deadpanned as he pointed at his eyepatch.

"Again, a valid point."

"While we're on the subject of valuable lessons," Queen Essence interrupted their banter, "Another one we learned was that in order to overcome the most difficult of predicaments, we have to cooperate and work together. It won't be easy, but we can make it happen."

"Queen Essence is right," Branch nodded in agreement, "The only problem is how and when to do it."

"I'm not sure about the when, but I have a pretty good idea about the how..."

Everybody in the impromptu conference room turned toward the doorway to find Archer standing in it with Harper by his side.

"How good?" Branch knitted his eyebrows together, "And what kind of idea?"

"The kind of idea that involves infiltration and intelligence inference. So...not pretty good, now that I think of it more."

"I told you," Harper halfheartedly smiled in support of her boyfriend nonetheless.

"Archer, are you sure?" Branch stood up from his spot and walked towards the former Party Crasher, "Your brother..."

"Bash has knocked me around for some time," Archer shrugged his shoulders, "When I joined the Rock Trolls, I found that certain kind of peace that was filled with loud music, packaged food, and magma flow. So...I would like to make an exception and take justice for what Bash and the rest of the Party Crashers did to us."

"Not revenge?" Gust Tumbleweed clasped his hands together.

"Righteousness and revenge are not exactly one and the same," Archer shook his head, "except when it counts the most. Plus, I mellowed out for Harper's sake."

"Aw," Harper was touched, "but I suggest unleashing that pent-up rage when it counts the most, Archer."

"So we have the how..." Branch nodded before turning to the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors, "We just need to figure out the when..."

Otherwise, we're just following the leader on each other...

"A member of royalty? Here in the kingdom?"

Despite being a year older than Laura, Clara harbored a strange child-like fondness for the fairy tales of princes, princesses, knights, and complete chivalry. No one even bothered to tell her the ugly truth of many of the romanticized fables; they usually involved bloody conquest, historical revisionism, and a lot of paperwork. The thing was, though, Clara had a pretty good mindset about the harsh realities of the fairy tales and the impact they would had have on her psyche, but she was an optimist for the most part. She knew that the bitterest truth was better than the sweetest lies, but she also knew when to remain idealistic in a cynical world...especially one overrun and conquered by the Bergens.

"You don't know that, Clara," An older female Folk Rock Troll by the name by Eve shook her head dismissively at the conclusion Clara come to. She had blue eyes (azure), grey hair (flint) with black tips, and a purple skin complexion (lilac) with shifting shades of pink (blush); she wore a slim black leather overcoat, a dark grey turtleneck sweater which was tucked into a pair of mid-rise navy blue jeans, and a pair of black zip ankle boots.

"For all we know," Eve frowned, "This "Queen" can either be feigning her status or have delusions of grandeur."

"What's the difference?"

"One option is much more dangerous than the other."

"I think you're overreacting, Eve," A much older female Folk Rock Troll by the name of Carina chuckled to herself as she began to board up the house regardless. Like Eve, she had blue eyes and favored black clothing with boots, specifically a long-sleeve button-down collared shirt that was tucked into a skirt with stockings and knee-high boots. However, unlike Eve, her eyes were a different shade of blue (specifically dodger), her hair was a different shade of grey (specifcally ash), and her skin complexion was completely purple (specifically amethyst).

"Every statement is false until proven true," Carina hammered a nail into the board that would be hammered into the wall surrounding the nearest window in return, "After all, one can't judge a book by its cover now."

"Except when one actually can," Eve snarked, "Plus, that quote is one that everyone uses and one that barely holds up under scrutiny."

"It's still one helluva quote," Carina's significant other Henry shrugged as he made his way over to assist her. He had maya blue eyes, silver grey hair, and a hazel skin complexion. Unlike many of the males in the Folk Rock Kingdom, Henry wore a black leather car coat above a white long-sleeve button-down collared shirt, a black necktie, black business trousers that the collared shirt tucked into, and matching business shoes. He had two pistols in two holsters on separate sides: a Glock 17 on the left, a SIG-Sauer P226R on the right. He was one of those people who preferred to come to work prepared. As a member of the Royal Guard, it was understandable.

Henry was not a Folk Rock Troll in a similar case to many of the house's occupants, but rather an Indie Alternative Troll who moved from one home to another. He had a younger brother, who would often look up to him as an idol and for inspiration to become a musician like himself. Henry was only able to give him a handful of advice before he had to leave for duty, so he left him a notebook for him to fill in the gap, mind it, and even provide a sketch template to jot down and brainstorm his musical ideas. They would keep in contact with each other despite the long distance, and Henry had hope that his younger brother had eventually succeed...where he had failed.

"Even so," Henry handed Carina another board to hammer another nail into, "We can't always treat New Arrivals like they're terrorists, Eve. Otherwise, we would be feeding the fear of many a Folk Troll that they may not be trustworthy in the slightest. Furthermore, we'll just be convincing the New Arrivals themselves that we ourselves are not trustworthy in the slightest."

Eve frowned before nodding, "I know that. But...why now? We cut ourselves from the Scholars for almost several decades and suddenly these...New Arrivals appear out of thin air? Among them a supposed member of royalty? Who are King Trollex and the Techno Trolls, anyway? What did the Scholars do while we were gone?"

"Believe me, Eve," Henry smiled despite the situation on their hands, "We're just as confused and worried as you are. But we can't automatically jump to conclusions and act on impulse. That just leads to trouble. Okay?"

Eve's frown remained, but she nodded again in agreement.

"Okay. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I won't like it, though."

"You don't have to like it, Eve," Clara shook her friend by the shoulders, "You just gotta have faith."

"You are older than Laura. How are you this excited?"

"Duh! Because it's the very first time the Folk Rock Kingdom has a legitimate case of New Arrivals, not counting those numerous times where many of our Royal Guards would partake in scouting missions or food extractions."

"And unlike Clara," Laura herself approached with a tray of refreshments, which she placed on the coffee table, "I've seen way too many things to be way too excited. In short, I've seen it all. My foster sisters can attest to that fact."

"However," Lewis adjusted his glasses for dramatic effect as he approached the group, "If these Techno Trolls are the first of many new kingdoms, then this could be an opportunity. An opportunity for us as a singular kingdom to explore new and different ones. We could learn the various aspects of their different culture, such as their folklore, philosophy, dancing, language, and, above all else, their music...if they have one to begin with and not just this Techno Tribe."

"Maybe we can learn more about these different Tribes from the New Arrivals," Laura suggested.

"Fat chance, L."

The group and the occupants listening to their conversation turned toward the doorway to find Zoe and Annabeth entering, their weapons holstered in their thigh holsters and/or slung over their shoulders.

"It would seem that the New Arrivals are now royal guests of the Folk Rock Kingdom," Zoe continued, "They'll be staying with King Eric for the meantime."

"WHAT?!"

Everybody turned to a crazed Eve, who immediately recoiled at herself and cleared her throat.

"Sorry. I meant...why?"

"Well, for starters," Annabeth approached this time, "She's a Queen for all we know. And a Queen deserved a prim and proper place to rest and recover. Plus, she can't stay here. The house is overcrowded enough as it is."

"Alright. Fair point," Eve shrugged, "But to think we cleaned up for nothing..."

"Not completely," Laura picked up one of the many grilled sandwiches and chomped down hard on it, "At least we have dinner for ourselves."

. . .

"Yeah. I can't argue with that."

The group shrugged in simultaneous agreement with Eve and Laura and took a sandwich of their own as they chattered happily amongst themselves.

At the royal castle, the three sisters were seated on one side of the long dining table while King Eric, Aidan, and Alani were seated on the other side. The three sisters were served a pair of fried over-easy eggs, three slices of bacon, fried diced potatoes, two slices of toast, and a biscuit drizzled with sausage gravy. Victoria was the first to dig in without hesitation, Emma took a few small bites before slowly but surely mimicking her younger sister's actions, and Agatha barely touched her own food. Not because of her lack of interest in it by any means, but rather because she preferred to move the important topics already on hand out of the way first.

"So..." Aidan tilted his head in confusion, "What you're saying is...you're from another dimension."

"I prefer the term Universe," Agatha politely corrected, "but yes. My adoptive sisters and I traveled here through a portal conjured by allies of mine. It was not our intended destination in mind, but we had little time to escape from the creatures that invaded our Kingdom. Again, I would like to apologize for our sudden arrival."

"It's quite alright, Queen Agatha," King Eric reassured the Techno Queen, "I must say, though, you and your adoptive sisters are the first visitors the Folk Rock Kingdom have received."

"I assume you are a Techno Troll given your moniker of the Techno Queen?" Alani inquired.

"Oh, no," Agatha shook her head, much to their surprise, "Of course not. Techno Trolls have bright, biolumenescent neon colors; fin-like feet and gill-like ears; and a pink heart on their chest to name a few details. I have none of these."

Aidan and Alani exchanged curious looks, intrigued by the description of the Techno Trolls, while King Eric rubbed his chin.

"I suppose then these Techno Trolls are your coven of choice?"

"In a way. It's difficult to explain with just words. Do you have a writing utensil and writing paper, by any choice?"

"I do," Alani spoke up, producing a notepad and pen for Agatha to use as she began to explain.

"Are you three familiar with the history of the Scholars?"

When they all nodded, Agatha continued.

"Before the Scholars...there were the Ancestors. There was nothing but silence in the beginning. Silence...followed by sound. The Ancestors were so much inspired by the sound, they created Six Strings that adhered to the main genres represented by each. There was Pop, Funk, Classical, Techno, Country, and Rock. Besides the main genres, subdivisions of music began to arise from them. There was also Disco, Hip-Hop, Smooth Jazz, Reggaeton, K-Pop, Yodel, Polka, Barbershop, Indie Alternative, and Swing to name a few."

King Eric processed every word and mentally cursed himself for being neglectful of his Kingdom's true origins.

"After the Ancestors created the Strings, the Pop Troll Ancestor saw the potential the music the other Tribes gave them and the limitless possibilities. As such, they saw it fit to steal their music and remix it as their own, essentially erasing them from existence and converting the Trolls from their respective Tribes into Pop Trolls. The remaining Ancestors decided to steal back their Strings, separate the tribes, and drive themselves into hiding to prevent their music from lost to Pop again. The Pop Ancestor led a fruitless search on the Tribes, but he ultimately found my kind...the Magical Musical Trolls."

Flipping to a second page, Agatha took a deep breath and continued writing.

"While the Ancestors created the Strings, there was another tribe of trolls that never discovered their own music and didn't create a string of their own, which meant they never found their own True Colors or had them to beginning. When they found the Creators of the Six Strings, they asked to borrow only their music for a while and they would return it when and if the Creators asked. Instead, however, because the Creators detected their kindness and humble nature within our hearts, they decided to not just share their music with these certain trolls, but their magic as well. And with their newfound magic and music, their True Colors were gained in the process. Our magical abilities were fairly basic, but they would grow if we kept on training. According to the Elders, every troll transformed with their True Colors when they picked one kind of music they're interested in. We called ourselves...the Magical Musical Trolls."

As enthralled by the tale Agatha regaled to the three of them, Alani had a bad feeling growing with her stomach.

"But...why haven't we learned about the Magical Musical Trolls until now?"

Agatha's smile faltered as she momentarily ceased her writing and calmly stated.

"Because the descendants of the Pop Troll Ancestor killed them all. All except me..."

King Eric, Aidan, and Alani all immediately donned expressions of shock, horror, and disgust at not just the fate of the Magical Musical Trolls, but also at the Tribe of Trolls who effectively sealed said fate. Emma and Victoria shot their older sister a look of sadness and sympathy, though Agatha chose not to notice this.

"The Pop Troll Ancestor and his descendants saw the Magical Musical Trolls as not only an obstacle to their plans to unite the Tribes, but also a disgrace to them in general. It sickened them to the point of exacting genocide against them. Strangely, despite the many atrocities... I actually didn't harbor any animosity towards them."

"Why not?" Aidan was genuinely shocked, "The Pop Trolls essentially drove your kind to extinction! How could you not hold a grudge against them for what they did?"

"Because the actions committed against the Magical Musical Trolls were committed by the Pop Troll Ancestor and his descendants only. The rest of the Pop Trolls were merely followers. Acolytes. Partisans that they mistakenly believed in. My parents taught me to have courage, be kind, and keep the idea of love and unity alive. And that vengeance would come to those who most certainly deserve it..."

DJ Suki woke up with a start. The bed was soft, the sun was shining, and her hair was...fluffy. She then remembered that she was the first to take a shower and the first to hit the sack, knowing that traveling non-stop from one destination to another absolutely did not do wonders for one's health. As such, she was not surprised in the slightest when the clock read exactly one in the afternoon; she never was an early bird who would rise to get the worm. In addition, she hesitated to hoist herself up from the sweet sensation that was the cotton bed, but she knew that such a dire mission did not allow for rest.

Also, lunch was waiting.

Glancing over to the closet, DJ walked over and opened it up to find...nothing.

Well, not exactly nothing, but rather something...specific for her to wear.

It was a clothing set consisting of a black mesh skirt with a very long slit on the right side, a pair of black flat shoes, and a white bra crop top with a blue front strap, a yellow back strap, and a purple underwire. The last clothing item made her a double take, not just because of the unexpected sensual nature even for the standards set by Latin City, but also she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a folded piece of paper inside one of the cups. Plucking the note out and unfolding it to read, her eyes widened further with each word penned:

Hey, Suri! This is Dulce again! Don't think I forgot about you and your "little" chemistry with Techno King Trollex when we met the first time around. I know you got the hots for him, and that's why I've taken it upon myself to make sure that you woo the man of the dreams... The right way...

P.S., I tried to make your choice of clothing as close to PG as I could because of the audience...them being your nieces and her friends. Saludos!

Her eyes twitching and narrowing in agitation, they eventually furrowed as she turned back to the clothing set.

. . .

That's PG?

. . .

Aw... You know what?

. . .

Screw it.

As for the Pop Queen, Poppy's new clothing set was just as sultry and seductive as DJ's own, if not more so. She was donning a navy blue tube crop top that resembled more of a bra, seeing that it completely exposed her midriff; a matching A-line skirt that reached her ankles; and a pair of flat shoes. Her hairstyle and accessory accompaniment remained the same: tied into a ponytail and the sharp-coned headband worn. The group consisting of Anna, Paul, Enrique, and Wade trailed behind as they buyed withShe watched as the citizens interacted with love, sincerity, and warmth, and whatever fights there were would be trivial and quickly solved to the satisfaction of all parties involved.

The feel-good feeling reminded her of Troll Village...Pop Village, before the arrival of the Bergens and the discovery of the different Tribes. It filled her with joy and melancholy all at once.

Was it a mistake? Was the discovery of the different Tribes not meant to be? If I hadn't discovered the rest of the Troll Tribes, though, it wouldn't have given me the plan to unite them...or the other plan to stop Barb from uniting them under just one musical genre. Nor would it prevent my death from coming a lot sooner than later. But you had to do it. Even though she apologized and promised to change, Barb was going to turn everybody into Rock Zombies. I wouldn't have done the same when and if given the power...or would I?

Poppy was so caught in her thoughts that she failed to notice and subsequently bumped into an older Troll. Shaking her head and glancing up, the Troll in question was female with aqua blue eyes, light tan skin, and black hair with silver highlights; she wore a white choker neck-sleeveless dress with matching knee-high boots and an expression of worry on her face.

"I'm sorry," The older Troll smiled and outstretched a hand for Poppy to take, "Are you okay?"

Poppy took the hand and pulled herself up, "Oh, yes. Thank you. That was my fault. I didn't see where I was going. My bad."

"Oh, no," The older Troll shook Poppy's hand as an introduction, "It was my bad. I failed to see where I was going. I take it you are a visitor here?"

"In a way," Poppy shrugged as she introduced herself in turn, "My name is Queen Poppy of the Pop Trolls and I'm visiting Latin City for the time being."

"Queen, you say?" The eyebrows of the older Troll shot up in interest, "Well, allow me to properly introduce myself from one Queen to another. My name is Queen Selena Griselda, but my friends call me Ramona."

Poppy's eyes widened in surprise as she brushed any dirt off her skirt before hastily curtsying to make herself seem dignified than she was at the moment.

"Queen Poppy, but my friends call me...Popsqueak."

"Popsqueak, huh?" Selena chuckled in amusement, "Cute. So...what brings you to Latin City? The sights? The sound? The glamour? The romance?"

Poppy visibly blushed at that last part and closed her mouth as she bashfully glanced away. Noticing this, Selena smirked in satisfaction and chuckled that distinct chuckle.

"Definitely the romance, huh?"

"Ooh!" Anna grabbed Poppy from behind the shoulders, "You never mentioned a significant other! Who are they? Are they hot? Are they sensitive? Are they good in the sack?"

"Or they none of the above?" Selena inquired, "And is this visit just an excuse to get away from them?"

"Oh, no!" Poppy shook her head, "Of course not! Branch is the sweetest guy you'll ever meet! He's just...rough around the edges, that's all..."

"Ah," Wade took the left as Anna took the right, "The brooding but soft-centered type. You chose well."

"Thanks, Wade. But that's not the problem I have. It's more like... Do I deserve him or not because of the decisions I made while being Queen? He's the only one who sees to my every action and tries to steer me in the right direction."

"And you're worried that he might not deserve you for all the mistakes he makes?" Selena smiled sadly in sympathy.

"That too. But despite our differences...we cared for and looked after each other. I only realized that when most of my friends abandoned me, and with good reason. I led them into trouble and, in some cases, alienated them because of my choice to act first and think later. Every decision I've made was from bad to worse and...my loved ones would pay the price."

"That's the price of being a Queen, Poppy," Selena sustained her sad smile as she simplified her survey, "You see... Love, platonic or romantic, is strange as it is beautiful. Love hurts. But that's what makes it love: the ability to trust and accept those who are not perfect. Yes, you may hurt your partner, you may doubt your partner, you may overwhelm your partner. Conflict is a natural occurrence in relationships; you may not always agree or have the same opinion. In time, however... The bond you formed with Branch will become stronger with each passing day. You will find a mutual understanding, common ground, and unconditional love for each other. You'll have each other...and that's all that matters in the moment."

Giving the words of Selena a thought, Poppy eventually nodded and smiled again.

"You're right. I'll...do my best to heed your advice."

"I know you will," Selena chuckled, "because you and Branch deserve each other."

"Thanks, Selena."

"It's like I said... My friends call me Ramona."

Poppy brightened up even further and immediately lunged at Ramona for a hug, who returned the hiug after a moment of surprise.

"Thank you...Ramona."

"Thank you, Poppy. Thank you..."

"Wait..." Wade smirked, "How can you're never this nice to us?"

"Because..." Ramona smirked back at Wade, Enrique, Paul, and Anna, "You four are my subjects. Queen Poppy and I are the Queens."

"And being Queens has its privileges," Poppy shot back as she and Ramona shared a laugh.

"Can't argue with that," Anna chuckled before she realized, "Ooh! Selene... Isn't it time for your spontaneous combustion of musical brilliance?"

"You mean a performance?" Ramona knitted her eyebrows together, "You could've just said that."

"I know...but it wouldn't sound as sophomoric and sophisicated as it should."

Ramona rolled her eyes and beckoned Poppy to follow her back to the same stage Enrique and Wade performed on when Poppy's group first arrived to Latin City. The party was still going strong, a fact that was explained by Enrique and Wade as the 70th (or 80th) anniversary celebration of the establishment of the kingdom.

"As much as the Latin City harbored a mild dislike for the Pop Tribe Ancestor for what he did," Ramona explained as she prepped up the disc jockey, "We couldn't help but be enamored by his intentions of combining different genres. As such, we took liberties with your genre and put our own spin on it."

"You could've asked," Poppy smiled crookedly.

"Yeah... And so could've the Pop Tribe Ancestor."

. . .

"Fair point."

Taking up a microphone, Ramona got the crowd's attention while having the courtesy of letting the performer before her finish. They cheered at the presence of one of the High Queens of Latin City addressing them.

''Hello, Latin City! I would like to introduce a fellow member of royalty to our kingdom. Please give a big round of applause to Queen Poppy!"

The Latin Trolls cheered in enthusiasm for the Pop Queen, who bashfully waved back at them. She was not unfamiliar to addressing large crowds, for she was a Queen after all. However, a crowd this large...was something absolutely new to her.

"Where she comes from, the feeling of love is essential to their community," Ramona continued, "So...let's give her our interpretation, shall we?"

The Latin Trolls cheered again as the back-up singers and dancers took their place, after which they fell silent and waited impatiently for the main event to begin.

. . .

And when it did, the anticipation burst through the roof.

Ramona magically transformed from her white dress to a green dress. One comprised of silk and chiffon that exposed her thighs and midriff, accentuating them a lot more than it should. Wade and Enrique manned the controls, Paul and Anna wielded the instruments, and the back-up singers and dancers that accompanied the former two now accompanied two of the High Queens of the Troll Kingdom. Poppy also had no intention joining Ramona in another elaborate musical performance, but the Latin City royal was insistent in her new friend doing so. To think after only a few days, she just forgot how to let loose and have a little fun once in a while.

("Love Don't Cost A Thing" by Jennifer Lopez)

Levitating a microphone to her hand, Ramona greeted the cheering crowd with a soft smile before singing the chorus.

[Chorus]
Think you gotta keep me iced (You don't)
Think I'm gonna spend your cash (I won't)
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz (I don't)
If I wanna floss, I got my own
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

As she did, Poppy stared at her wide-eyed in surprise.

Her voice is so...powerful. And yet...so warm. And so youthful. How could it be? She's practically older than me!

So caught up in her Lyric Soprano voice was Poppy that she nearly missed her cue from Ramona, who beckoned her to come over and listen to a few wise words she had to say...or rather sing.

[Verse 1]
When you rolled up in the Escalade
Saw that truck you gave to the valet
Knew that it was game when you looked at me
Pulling up your sleeve so I could see the Rolley bling
Saw you later in the corner booth
Raising up a toast so I would notice you
But your heart's a mess
Think you outta know
Doesn't matter if you're balling out of control

Leading Poppy into the choreographed dance routine, Ramona magically conjured the objects featured in the lyrics that alluded to money and wealth. These items included a large colorful truck, a diamond-encrusted watch, and a glass plus two glass bottles of champagne. All the while, small pop hearts began to spontaneously appear and combust just as quickly, its particles raining down upon the crowd.

[Pre-Chorus]
All that matters is
That you treat me right
Give me all the things I need
That money can't buy (Yeah)

Watching in wonder for a brief moment, Poppy joined Ramona and the back-up as they transitioned into the chorus.

Poppy eventually eased into the dance routine and found herself enjoying it, much to the delight of the rest of the Latin Trolls and Ramona, who transitioned to the second verse.

[Verse 2]
When I took a chance
Thought you'd understand (You don't understand)
Baby, credit cards aren't romance
So you're tryna buy what's already yours
What I need from you is not available in stores
Seen a side of you (You) that I really feel (Feel)
Doing way too much (Much), never keep it real (Real)
If it doesn't change, gotta hit the road
Now I'm leaving, where's my keys?
I've got to go

This time, Poppy listened to the lyrics a little more closely and realized that, beneath the upbeat dance instrumental, Ramona was telling a story about love, what it really was, and what it really entailed. She actually appreciated for that alone because normally Pop Songs were all about having fun, freedom, and a good time.

[Pre-Chorus]
All that matters is
That you treat me right
Give me all the things I need
That money can't buy (Yeah)

As such, Poppy slowly found herself singing to the chorus alongside the back-up singers.

Ramona smiled with pride as Poppy did so while leading the singers and dancers into the third and final verse.

[Post-Chorus]
A thing, a thing, a thing
Yeah, yeah, yeah

She, along with Paul, Anna, Enrique, and Wade, then noticed Poppy was glowing.

As in literally glowing.

Turning to the latter four for an explanation, she instead got an urging to continue the performance, promising an explanation later.

Well... The show must go on.

[Verse 3]
You think the money that you make (That you make)
Can substitute the time you take (The time you take)
Take the keys here to my heart
Then you can win my heart, and get what's in my heart (Don't cost a thing)
I think you need to take some time
To show me that your love is true
There's more than dollar signs in you
Then you can win my heart, and get what's in my heart

Poppy's glow increased, as did the cheers of the Latin Trolls, who believed that it was all part of the show. Well, technically, it was, but it was no less unexpected.

[Chorus]
Think you gotta keep me iced (You don't)
Think I'm gonna spend your cash (I won't)
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

Spotting her mother, the Tribe Leaders, and the Lost Trolls in the heart of the crowd, Poppy, before continuing the performance, waved hi at them, to which they responded with acknowledging nods, respectful waves, and greeting waves of their own.

Think I wanna drive your Benz (I don't)
If I wanna floss, I got my own
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

Poppy and Ramona then sang the outro with the help of the back-up singers, who noticed the former's glow alongside the latter.

[Outro]
Think you gotta keep me iced (You don't)
Think I'm gonna spend your cash (I won't)
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

She glowed...

Think I wanna drive your Benz (I don't)
If I wanna floss, I got my own
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

...and glowed...

Think you gotta keep me iced (You don't)
Think I'm gonna spend your cash (I won't)
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

...and glowed...

Think I wanna drive your Benz (I don't)
If I wanna floss, I got my own
Even if you were broke
My love don't cost a thing

...until she reached a powerful crescendo and emitted an equally powerful shockwave that radiated throughout the crowd, who erupted into applause while still under the impression that it was all part of the show.

Now lightly levitating in thin air, Poppy's smile dropped immediately upon noticing this new development of hers, although it was more out of surprise than sadness. Taking slow breaths and small steps to calm down, she eventually floated back to the stage just as Paul, Anna, Enrique, Wade, and Selena slowly approached in awe.

"Whoa," Paul and Anna murmured in unison.

"Incredible," Enrique was in disbelief.

"She's a glowstick," Wade snarked.

"Preciosas," Selena smiled in wonder, "Paul, Anna. Why have you two not informed me of my fellow Queen's capabilities?"

"Because we did not believe the timing was appropriate," An approaching Queen Peony climbed up the stairs to the stage, followed closely by the Tribe Leaders and the Lost Trolls, "Queen Selena, it is quite difficult to explain, but the abridged explanation is that the destruction of the Six Strings allowed for its power transfer to my daughter."

Glancing back and forth between Poppy and Peony, Selena mentally chatised herself for realizing the similarities between mother and daughter before processing every word to her by her.

"But she survived?"

"Yes...with untold consequences."

As evening approached, Adora and Catra bonded with Flutterina some more while Branch and the Tribe Leaders discussed the inflitration plan with Archer, who had somewhat of an issue molding back into his Party Crasher persona, which Harper managed to alleviate in short order. Creek, Growly Pete, Carol, and Ripley Wisp singled out the more suitable weapons for his endeavor.

THUMP!

The ears of Branch, Val, Gust, and Laguna were the first to perk up, followed by Delta Dawn and the rest of The Tribe Leaders. She immediately readied her Winchester Model 1873 while Branch and Gust quick-drew their two-tone Glock 17 and their Beretta 92FS. Hickory handed off his SIG-Sauer P226R to Val while he pulled his Remington 870 just as Creek and Chenille pulled their M4A1 Carbines.

THUMP!

While the first thump was faint, the second grew louder, signaling that the person or object causing these was progressively coming closer...

THUMP!

...and closer...

THUMP!

...and closer...

THUMP!

...and closer...

THUMP!

...until Delta realized that those were not just ordinary thumps that go bump in the night.

Those were gunshots.

Suddenly, one of the emergency exits for the bunker collapsed open, prompting those with weapons to aim them at said opening.

"Who's there?" Branch asked first.

"What do you want?" Val was second.

"Friend or foe?" Gust was third.

"Noble intentions or not?" Laguna was fourth.

"And when were you planning to inform me of your surprise visit, old friend?" Delta narrowed her eyes at the darkened opening, prompting everyone to look at her in surprise and bewilderment...

"Because it kind of destroys the idea of a surprise visit, doesn't it?"

...before they turned back to said opening when emitting noises made it clear that the "old friend" was making their debut in the bunker.

The old friend was a female cat with orange, white, and black fur with green eyes. She wore a dark brown duster coat; a pink Stetson hat with matching boots; a white long-sleeve, button-down, collared shirt; a brown vest with a sheriff's badge reminiscent of Delta's own on the left side; dark blue jeans; a pink neckerchief; and a brown belt with a yellow oval shaped buckle with two horseshoes on it. She wielded a blued Colt MK IV Series 80 with pearl grips in one hand and a sack of...suspicious something in the other; it was thrashing wildly in the bag as if it were (ironically) a cat wanting to be let out of the bag.

"Sheriff Callie?" Delta was nonetheless by the surprise arrival herself.

"Sheriff Delta," Callie smiled in an amiable manner despite it, "Or is it Mayor Delta? Plus, why are you acting surprised to see me, old friend?"

"I was expecting a different old friend, but it's pleasant to have you here with us."

"Pleasant? Not nice? Hmm. Are you sure it's actually me and not one of them Party Crashers?"

His own suspicions arising, Branch carefully approached Delta's fellow law enforcer, "How do we know you're not?"

"Because I did you all a favor and snatched him up before he could do any real damage...not that he could by the looks of it."

Producing the still wildly thrashing bag, Callie gently dumped the bound-and-gagged contents onto the floor.

"Peter?" Archer's eyes widened.

Peter spat out the makeshift ball gag and bitterly chuckled, "Archer. Old friends together again."

"Well, to be fair," Harper sheepishly grinned, "I don't think you and Archer were friends to begin with."

"He was nice to me," Peter halfheartedly defended himself, knowing that his "old friend's" girlfriend had a point, "So that still counts."

"What are you doing here?" Archer helped him up regardless as Laguna picked up the spat-out ball gag with her glove hands and immediately discarding it in the nearest trash bin before sanitizing everything it made contact with.

"My job, obviously."

"I caught him idling around the remains of Troll Village," Callie explained, "No offense to him, but he was very easy to capture."

"I thought I told the rest of the Party Crashers to stay away from the rest of the Tribes," Barb crossed her arms in contempt.

"Believe me, Queen Barb, we did," Peter concurred, "And it's driving Bash insane. The Bergens wouldn't let us in their kingdom after you threw us under the bus. You made amends with the rest of the Tribes except us. If you didn't like the way we accomplish things, then you shouldn't have hired us."

"I don't recall hiring you."

Barb then swiftly drew her combat knife and held it against Peter's neck.

"I doubt I'll recall killing you, either."

"Queen Barb, was it?" Callie stepped forward for Peter's sake, albeit reluctantly, "Perhaps you can use Peter as a pawn at the moment. A scout alongside Archer."

"How do we know that this Peter won't rat us out?" Val approached, her eyes narrowed with equal suspicion.

"Because I have nothing left to lose now," Peter narrowed his eyes back, "Bash's attitude have significantly progessed downward since then. He's become a psychopath and most of the others followed suit. The rest, ugh..."

Everybody exchanged uncertain looks and glances before Harper approached, "What else do we have to lose?"

"A lot more," Branch replied, "We need to be careful when considering any and all alternative options."

"Caution is a luxury we can't afford during a time like this, Branch," Delta Dawn grimaced.

"Perhaps, but we can only hope," Queen Essence opted to look more on the other side of dire situations despite her own reservations, "We need to take a chance."

"And if Peter even tries ratting us out?" Barb lowered her knife.

"Then I'll kill him myself," Archer's face darkened, surprising the others as much as himself, "I can handle the burden of murder far better than most."

He then turned away to get ready for the mission, leaving a concerned group in his wake. Specifically, Harper's face saddened upon seeing her loved one in such a frazzled state.

Oh well... Follow the leader, I suppose...

("Follow The Leader" by Wisin & Yandel feat. Jennifer Lopez)

Selena reverted to her Ramona persona once more. Recovering from the fact that her new friend was as powerful, if not more so than, as herself, she decided on a deciduous distraction from the disastrous denotations by drawing attention to the crowd again and serving them another entree of an extravagant extravaganza.

With the help of Enrique, Wade, Paul, and Anna.

And Poppy, of course.

[Intro: Jennifer Lopez & Wisin]
Olé, Olé (Bori, Bori, Bori)
(Ajá) Eh (Histórico)
Olé, Olé (Don y [Doble] Yandel)
Olé, Olé (¿Quién?)
Olé, Olé (J. Lo!)
Olé, Olé (Ah)

Ramona and Wade went first, serving up the introduction and first verse to work the crowd up. The former sang the full lyrics, the latter provided back-up vocals.

[Verse 1: Jennifer Lopez & Wisin]
Baby, the way that I'm working my body
Can tell that you already like it
I make you lose your cabeza, go loca (Ajá)
Baby, we don't even need any music
'Cause we make the beat when we moving
You know that it's making me hot, hot, hot (Hey, hey, hey, hey)
We belong to the night
We belong to the music
So let's live in the moment of freedom let it get you wild (Ooh)

The crowd indeed followed the lead of their lead performers, who signaled Anna and Paul to prepare their positions on the pyrotechnics; and Enrique to leap in.

[Pre-Chorus: Jennifer Lopez & Wisin]
Let's ignite this fire up (Ajá)
'Cross the world we take it up (Pah)
Let me hear you screaming out loud (Pah-Pah-Pah-Pah-Pah!)

Poppy, meanwhile, was accompanying the back-up performers as they helped Ramona and Wade instruct the crowd.

[Chorus: Jennifer Lopez, Wisin & Yandel]
When I say go (Go!), when I say viva (Ajá!)
We'll take it low (Low!), let's lose control (Control!)
When I say go (Go!), we'll get it louder (Louder!)
Let's make it flow, let's lose control so (Siente el ritmo)

The former (Ramona) went first...

Follow the leader, follow the leader
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya
Follow my lead, ah; follow my lead, ah
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya

...while the latter (Wade) went second.

Follow the leader, follow the leader
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya (El Tiguere)
Follow the leader, ah; follow the leader, ah
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya (Doble U/Power)

Enrique literally jumped in and made his presence known, delivering the second verse in speedy succession.

[Verse 2: Wisin]
Ando buscando una latina, creo que la encontré
Yo y ella hicimos un click (Hey)
Regia, pelo largo, Christian Louboutin, cartera Gucci
Bella, bien chic (What)
Los líderes con la diva, combinación nociva, se juntaron los boris
Creando otro hit (Hey)
Damas y caballeros suban las manos arriba, sigan instrucciones
Cero presiones, que fluyan tus emociones (WY Records)
Y déjate llevar por el beat (Ah)
El que no baile que se vaya, dale restraya
Conmigo, pásate de la raya
Tú eres la dura, dura; tú tienes agallas
Róbame un beso, apunta y no falla

Handing back the spotlight to Ramona and Wade as quickly as he grabbed it, the both of them took the lead again as they instructed the crowd.

[Pre-Chorus: Jennifer Lopez & Wisin]
Let's ignite this fire up (Woo)
'Cross the world we take it up (Pah)
Let me hear you screaming out loud (Pah-Pah-Pah-Pah-Pah!)

Poppy glowed again as she joined them onstage, but she made sure that she would not outshine them both...in a figurative and literal sense.

[Chorus: Jennifer Lopez, Wisin & Yandel]
When I say go, when I say viva (Ajá)
We'll take it low, let's lose control
When I say go, we'll get it louder
Let's make it flow, let's lose control (Siente El Ritmo)

Ramona sang the chorus again...

Follow the leader, follow the leader
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya
Follow my lead, ah; follow my lead, ah
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya

...and continued to do so as she noticed Poppy's glow, which she managed to keep control despite the excitement that coursed through her veins.

Follow the leader, follow the leader
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya
Follow my lead, ah; follow my lead, ah
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya

Smiling with pride, Ramona joined Poppy as she passed the spotlight back to Wade and Enrique again.

Chequea cómo "La Leyenda Viviente" lo hace
(Wisin y Yandel) [Ouh!]

The both of them added their own distinct personality to the table for the third and final verse before the bridge.

[Verse 3: Yandel & Wisin]
Mami, me gusta cuando me provocas
Tu pelo, tu piel y tu boca
Lo mueves de pies a cabeza, como loca (Pah-Pah!)
Dicen que la música sigue y no para
Yo la miré directo a la cara
Y le digo que me siento hot, hot, hot (Suelta)
Soltura, negrita, dale hasta el suelo, uoh
Mucho calor, sudándote el cuello (Uoh)

Ramona pulled Poppy along with her as they were thrust into the spotlight once more, taking their place alongside Enrique and Wade.

[Bridge: Jennifer Lopez & Wisin]
So pay attention to me 'cause tonight I'm the teacher
When I'm on the floor my hips are in charge
So follow the movement and just let it guide you (Te Sientes Caliente)
Mi gente sexy, let me hear you say yeah (Hey!/Jeh!)
Yeah (Hey!/Jeh!)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

The four of them led the audience in another choreographed dance routine as they finished the bridge they constructed...

Olé, Olé
Olé, Olé
Olé, Olé
Olé, Olé
[Ouh!]

...and moved on the chorus one more time.

[Chorus: Jennifer Lopez, Wisin & Yandel]
When I say go, when I say viva (Ajá)
We'll take it low, let's lose control
When I say go, we'll get it louder
Let's make it flow, let's lose control (Siente el ritmo)

As Poppy followed the leader, her glow brightened brighter...

Follow the leader, follow the leader
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya
Follow my lead, ah; follow my lead, ah
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya

...and brighter...

Follow the leader, follow the leader
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya
Follow my lead, ah; follow my lead, ah
I wanna see ya, I wanna see ya

...until she reached another powerful crescendo and emitted another equally powerful shockwave that radiated throughout the crowd, who cheered once again under the impression that it was all part of the show...which, to be fair, was kind of true by this point.

"Fascinating," Paul pulled his notepad and jotted down a few notes, "Music has an influence on Queen Poppy, allowing her to better control her powers."

"Specifically, positive music has a positive influence on Poppy," Anna interpreted, "while negative music has a negative influence."

"Maybe, but we have to conduct more tests."

"Not yet, though. It would seem that Poppy has a strong spur for a subsequent song."

Indeed, Poppy glanced back and forth between the microphone and Selena, who merely smiled and nodded with approval. Returning that smile with one of her own, she turned back to the microphone and snatched it up for a quick test. When she knew it worked, she rushed over to the DJ controller and spin a familiar record that would serve as their final performance for tonight.

("Con Calma (Remix)" by Daddy Yankee + Katy Perry & Snow)

Beaming in understanding, Enrique, Wade, and Selena/Ramona took their positions and assisted Poppy with the introduction.

[Intro]
D-D-D-D-D-DY
(Ay, Daddy)
Play N' Skillz
Katy Perry
Run

The Pop Queen tapped into her Latin Troll side...specifically the sexy and seductive side.

[Pre-Chorus: Katy Perry]
¿Cómo te llamas baby?
A little mezcal got me feelin' spicy
I know that we don't speak the same language
But I'm gonna let my body talk for me (Talk for me)

The males oohed while the females ahhed as Poppy properly introduced herself to the crowd.

Hola, me llamo Poppy
A little mezcal got me feelin' naughty
I know that we don't speak the same language
So I'm gonna let my body talk for me (Talk for me)

Enrique slid into the picture and sang the chorus just as he did before to reinforce the sexiness.

[Chorus: Daddy Yankee]
Con calma, yo quiero ver como ella lo menea
Mueve ese poom-poom, girl
Es un asesina, cuando baila quiere que to' el mundo la vea
I like your poom-poom, girl (Sube, sube)
Con calma, yo quiero ver como ella lo menea
Mueve ese poom-poom, girl
Tiene adrenalina, en medio 'e la pista, vente hazme lo que sea
I like your poom-poom, girl (Hey)

Enrique handed back the spotlight to Poppy, who had the honor of having the first verse this time...

[Verse 1: Katy Perry]
Dress up with my girls, on the hunt tonight
Got a feelin' Imma catch a wild one
I know that I'm not typically your type
But you never had this kind of stimulation
All eyes on my when I light up the room
You play the right vibe and my body will move
Easy baby, I see you're in the mood
Me too

...followed initially by the chorus.

[Chorus: Katy Perry]
Con calma
I see you're lovin' the way I work the floor now
I got the poom-poom, boy
You could be my Puerto Rican dream, I'll be your California girl now
I got the poom-poom, boy

Her share of the chorus was split even by her, Ramona, and Anna, the both of whom joined her to provide back-up vocals and equal stature.

Con calma
I see you're lovin' the way I work the floor now
I got the poom-poom, boy
You could be my Puerto Rican dream, I'll be your California girl now
I got the poom-poom, boy

Meanwhile, the second verse was split between her and Enrique, who was allowed to go first this time.

[Verse 2: Daddy Yankee & Katy Perry]
Tú tiene' candela y yo tengo la vela
Llama el 911, se están quemando las suela'
Me daña cuando la faldita esa me la modela
Mami, estás enferma, pero tu show no lo cancela'
Te llaman a ti la reina del party
Mucha sandunga tiene ese body
Tírate un paso, no-no-no pare
Wow, dale, dale (Yo')
Somos dos bandido' entre la rumba y romance
Y zúmbale DJ, otra ve' pa' que dance
[Échale, échale, échale pa'trás]
[Échale, échale, pa'lante y pa'trás] (Ey, eh, ey)

As with the second verse, Poppy and Enrique also shared the chorus' second coming.

[Chorus: Daddy Yankee & Katy Perry]
Con calma, yo quiero ver como ella lo menea (Con calma)
Mueve ese poom-poom, girl (Girl)
Es un asesina, cuando baila quiere que to' el mundo la vea
I like your poom-poom, girl

Case in point, the spotlight shifted from Enrique to Poppy.

The third verse was split again with Poppy, this time with Wade, who dominated it while she provided back-up vocals. Hence, the spotlight shifted back and forth between them both.

[Verse 3: Snow & Katy Perry]
Come with a nice young lady (Let's go)
Intelligent, yes she gentle and irie (Fuego)
Everywhere me go me never lef' her at all-ie (Dile)
Yes-a Daddy Snow me are the roam dance man-a (Snow)
Roam between-a dancin' in-a in-a nation-a (Prr-prr-prr)
You never know say daddy me snow me
Are the boom shakata (Qué-qué-qué-qué)
Me never lay-a down flat in-a one cardboard box-a (Sube, sube)
Yes-a Daddy Yankee me-a go reachin' out da top (What?)

Finally, the chorus' third coming that also served as the outro was split evenly among Poppy, Enrique, and Wade.

First Enrique...

[Chorus/Outro: Daddy Yankee, Katy Perry, & Snow]
Con calma, yo quiero ver como ella lo menea (Con calma)
Mueve ese poom-poom, girl (Girl)
Es un asesina, cuando baila quiere que to' el mundo la vea
I like your poom-poom, girl

...then Poppy...

...and finally, Wade.

Con calma, ya' no say Daddy me Snow me I go blame
I like your poom-poom, girl
'Tective man a say, say daddy me snow me stop a gyal down the lane
I love your poom-poom, girl

The crowd's cheering flew sky high as Poppy emitted a third and final shockwave that vibrated through them, eventually transforming her current outfit into an updated version. While retaining the navy blue color scheme, her crop top became a tight-fitting bandeau bikini and her skirt reached to her knees.

"Huh, that's new," Poppy noted.

"It seems progress is being made much faster than we anticipated," Paul nodded.

"It would also seem that Poppy is trying to outdo Queen Selena in terms of pure provocativeness," Wade snarked.

"Much hotter than you," Anna snarked back, causing everyone onstage to break into uncontrollable laughter. As she did, Poppy oversaw the crowd cheering for them, glancing back and forth between them and her dimming light.

Yeah... This is nice...

A/N: Sorry for the long wait and if this chapter seemed a little rushed. Apparently, final exams and pounding migraines are a very bad combination. Anyway, I'm already performing double-duty and working on the next chapter; a portion that involved a conversation between Captain Blue and Mal Shredder was instead incorporated into the seventh chapter.

1.1) MasterClass60: Woah! Now things have taken a turn for the epic! I do hope Poppy can learn to control this new magic as it seems to still look quite shaky. And wow, Celtic Hollow, here we come soon! The anticipation is growing more and more with each passing step.

1) MarcellusMiro66: Yes, they have. Poppy will have to learn, considering that the fate of the world (and the multiverse) is at stake. I would like to build up the anticipation without resorting to an anticlimax. Also, Celtic Hollow, huh?

2.1) TU4QU0I53T4IAN6L3: An epic battle between the Rock Trolls and the Chanty Trolls. The rock song in the background helps since you can't always have a battle without a badass song. If it is rock, then it's up to 100! The Captain's motive for looking for Poppy might be sinister because if she finds out that Poppy absorbed the powers, then something drastic might happen to Poppy. Not only torture, but maybe Captain might do something painful to...suck the power out I think.

And nice comparing Captain to Namaari.

There are new additions to the story including the Celtic Rock Trolls (I saw that tribe in another story, but I don't remember what title it is called) and Indie Rock. And it appears that the MMT are different to Rally's story. So I'm guessing that Aggie's lack of color does not have an impact on her. Rally is going to be so over the moon when she saw this. I think she might scream and dance around and I would be happy if she likes how this is going.

2) MarcellusMiro66: Definitely up to 100. Although, The Captain's actual motive involving Poppy might not be sinister enough, considering she just wants her powers and not her specifically. While her character shares traits of Namaari from Raya And The Last Dragon, her actual motivations mirror that of Karli Morgenthau's from The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. Binge-watching all six episodes thus far, I was fascinated by her character and motivations, whereas everyone else was just dismissive of or downright despising her. Her reasonings for her pursuit of Poppy will turn out to become sympathetic, but she is more than willing to resort violence in order to find her or even acquire a lead. She is also wise to her fellow pirates and protective of the younger ones and even the children of her fellow pirates; again, she is more than willing to resort to violence to keep them safe.

On the subject of the Celtic Rock Trolls and the Magical Musical Trolls, I know what story you're referring to on the former, but I have reason to believe that it has since been deleted from the website (AO3). The summary involves Hickory and the rest of the Bounty Hunters traveling beyond the Troll Kingdom when Hickory desires to become a full-fledged Country Troll. On the latter, the differences between my interpretation and I. M. Rally's are to be expected, but in a way also necessary; my stories tend to be darker and edgier than hers.

The reason that her lack of color doesn't have a negative impact on Aggie is the fact that her true colors were not yet obtained, and that the rest of the Tribe Leaders were working to help her and other Grey Trolls. Specifically, as the Queen's husband, King Trollex would not sleep or rest until she had her colors. With that said, Aggie doesn't let her lack of color affect her and instead focuses her concern on her people; she also doesn't mind if the process takes a long time. Oh, and speaking of I. M. Rally...

3.1) I. M. Rally: Yay!

3) MarcellusMiro66: Indeed, yay! I will do my best to honor the characters of Aggie and the Magical Musical Trolls while putting my own spin on your material.

And also...

4.1) moonrose221: Hiya! Love the story so far! You're welcome to bring up my Trolls AU if you like: "Trolls: A Mystic Change". By all means, use it to your heart's content and its characters! Just be sure to give me credit.

5.1) Jake H Voronkov: An idea for Peony's song for her daughter after what she's been through: "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips.

4/5) MarcellusMiro66: I will take both offers under consideration.