("Then He Kissed Me" - The Crystals)
It all started when DJ Suki and her niece CJ began their long journey back to Troll Village. The resident disc jockey had just concluded a seven-month-long stay hosted by the Bergens, and her young niece was the opening act for their rave. CJ had a lot of fun hosting her first party, and she knew she had her aunt to thank. While DJ herself was grateful, she couldn't help but fear that something had went wrong in her absence. She had no idea exactly, but that fear lingered on and only increased on the way home.
But any and all thoughts would be saved once she got there. Right now...
[Verse 1: Gwen Stefani]
Well, he walked up to me and he asked me if I wanted to dance
He looked kinda nice and so I said I might take a chance
When he danced he held me tight
And when he walked me home that night
All the stars were shining bright
And then he kissed me...
DJ was engaging in karaoke with CJ, who seemed equally enthusiastic in participating.
[Verse 2: Kyla Carter]
Each time I saw him I couldn't wait to see him again
I wanted to let him know that he was more than a friend
I didn't know just what to do
So I whispered I love you
He said that he loved me too
And then he kissed me...
CJ, meanwhile, couldn't help but think about Keith while singing. She would admit he was a little...odd, but she supposed it was part of his charm.
[Bridge 1: Gwen Stefani]
He kissed me in a way that I've never been kissed before
DJ found it cute and wanted to help, but she had no experience on love at first sight.
[Bridge 2: Kyla Carter]
He kissed me in a way that I want to be kissed forevermore
However, there was no harm in trying, right?
[Verse 3: Gwen Stefani & Kyla Carter]
I knew that he was mine so I gave him all the love that I had
And one day he took me home to meet his mom and his dad
Then he asked me to be his bride
And always be right by his side
I felt so happy I almost cried
And then he kissed me
Love was both beautiful and complicated, so why should no one give a try?
[Outro: Gwen Stefani & Kyla Carter]
Then he asked me to be his bride
And always be right by his side
I felt so happy I almost cried
And then he kissed me
And then he kissed me
And then he kissed me
And then he kissed me...
They shared a heartfelt laugh as they both hugged, remaining this way for a while.
"Aunt DJ?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think Poppy will remember us?"
. . .
"What gave you the thought that she might forget?"
"Well... We have been gone for a while, and there's a chance that things may have changed in that time."
. . .
"Maybe, but if she does and there are any changes, we'll take it all in stride. Okay?"
CJ nodded and giggled as DJ planted a kiss on her forehead before leading the Wooferbug back to Troll Village. They both had much to learn before, during, and after their stay in Bergen Town.
("Lose Yourself To Dance" by Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams)
(0:00 - 0:40)
As they approached closer and closer, music began to echo in their ears and eventually most of Troll Forest. However, much to their confusion, it wasn't Pop. It sounded like Pop, but it wasn't. It almost sounded a little...funky.
As DJ and CJ both exchanged intrigued glances, the Wooferbug entered Troll Village, revealing a party of some sorts. Many of the Trolls were of course the mainstay of the usual parties hosted, but this time, they were joined by a series of other Trolls(?) who looked nothing like them.
(0:40 - 0:56)
The first group that resembled the Trolls the most were rather scary and fierce-looking, with a dull color palette of black, grey, dull blue, bright red, and white. Their hair was often straight up like her Trolls, but a wilder and spikier upgrade was given. They also wore clothing that was either tattered, tight, or displayed their rebellious nature.
The second group resembled a more common Troll body type from the waist upwards, but from the waist down were centaur-like hooves and tails. Their tail was sometimes, but not always, a different color to the hair on their head while their skin gave a beigetone vibe. Their hair meanwhile was puffy, but they do stick up, though many members have it platted...especially if they were female.
The third group had large heads and small bodies in proportion to the other Tribes. They had a golden velvet skin complexion, gossamer wings on their backs, large bushy hair with flecks of glitter in them, and wishstones that were the same color as their hair. They also had glitter much like Guy Diamond, but it wasn't overkill.
The fourth group unexpectedly bore an uncanny resemblance to Cooper, with long necks and quadrupedal legs instead of bipeds like all other Trolls. The majority of this Tribe was the most colorful they had seen so far whie lacking in clothes save for accessories usually reserved for fancy uniforms such as hats, sunglasses, and jewelry. They were also tall...like really tall.
The fifth and final group was the one that caught their attention the most.
(0:56 - 1:36)
They had dark bodies covered in bright, bioluminescence neon colors while bearing a beating heart symbol in the center of their chest. Their smooth skin lacked texture of any kind, resembling a PVC look. while their hair resembled optical fiber threads. They had fins for feet, their ears are gill-like, and no nose in sight. They tended to have an unibrow streak across their forehead, their teeth seemed to be designed to look like the bars on a music visualizer, and their entire body glowed brightly in the night. Like the third and fourth groups, they were completely naked and all the better without clothing.
(1:36 - 1:55)
The leader (DJ assumed him to be because he was taller than the mermaid-like Trolls was manning his own DJ. He had dark blue skin; neon green hair held together in a purple topknot; blue, violet, red, orange, yellow, and green bands of color on both arms; pale green eyes with no whites and large, round black pupils; a neon green mouth with yellow teeth; pixelated freckles of lighter blue on his cheeks; pinkish-purple wireless headphones; and a pixelated pink heart and an unibrow like his subjects.
DJ wanted to be jealous like this mermaid Troll, and believe her, she absolutely was. But...she was impressed with his skills on the disc jockey.
Impressed and enamored.
(1:55 - 2:34)
The mermaid Troll was joined by a quadrupedal Troll that was the spitting image of Cooper. The only differences were listed as such. He had gold tinsel-like fur on his neck; shorter, thicker dreadlocks with gold rings; a star earring on his left ear; and no buck teeth like Cooper. They could very well be siblings!
Cooper #2 was the main singer of this admitted funky tune while the mermaid Troll provided background vocals using Auto-Tune much like Guy Diamond...or was it a vocoder? In any case, Cooper #2's voice was smooth as butter while the mermaid Troll's was strangely inviting, working in tandem to the beat.
(2:34 - 4:11)
DJ had to admit that this music, while far removed from the concept of what she thought it to be, was catchy and soulful...a fact that CJ could attest to.
Noticing her pod hanging from far away, DJ hopped off the Wooferbug and helped CJ off before grabbing their luggage. Ushering her animal companion to the nearest place she could think of (Milton Moss's house), she held on to her niece's hand and remained outside the crowd, not wanting to be caught up in the chaos during this time. This fact surprised even herself, although she chalked it up to wanting to be a better role model to CJ.
Of course, caught in the crowd was inevitable, and DJ used all her strength to push CJ towards the stairs leading to their pod.
"Aunt DJ!"
"I'll be fine!" She called out to her, "Just get our luggage in our pod!"
DJ turned and found herself being gently down in the heart of the crowd, where many of the energy harbored by many of the Trolls was being projected. With nothing left to lose, DJ decided to dance along in the only way she knew how, catching the positive attention of those surrounding her. She glanced up to find Cooper #2 take center stage once more.
(4:11 - 4:27)
I know you don't get chance to take a break this often
I know your life is speeding and it isn't stopping
You take my shirt and just go ahead and wipe up all the
Sweat, sweat, sweat
The mermaid Troll then spoke into a megaphone, urging those dancing to sing along.
"Come on, everybody! Sing with us now!"
(4:27 - 5:00)
"LOSE YOURSELF TO DANCE!" The crowd enthusiastically screamed, temporarily deafening DJ Suki and sending her spiraling out of control for a moment there. Fortunately, the song was nearing its end and she took this opportunity to slip away unnoticed by nobody.
Nobody except the tall, blue mermaid Techno Troll who scanned her up and down with such interest...
When DJ finally found her way out, she was left a huffing-and-puffing mess. Ambling over to the nearest table, she plopped down on the seat and rested her head, struggling to catch her breath.
"Milkshake?"
Her head shot up as quickly as it was laid down, coming face-to-face with two other groups of Trolls she didn't recognize. The first group was a trio of rainbow-colored Trolls with dreadlocks and body markings. The other group was also rainbow-colored, but with glossy chrome, color-switch skin. The one who spoke belonged to the former group, a purple-haired Troll with blue coloration around her eyes, a purple nose, and a large vanilla milkshake being offered to DJ. The Pop/Treasure Troll merely nodded and took the beverage before thirstly taking huge slurps, reaching half the glass and not even flinching from a brain freeze.
DJ stopped herself before this could happen and slumped down in the chair, much to the amusement and amazement of the Trolls watching her.
"I take it you're not one for wild parties?" The leader of the trio spoke with a thick Spanish accent.
"No..." DJ huffed, "Of course not. I just have a limit, that's all."
"Yeah, we can relate," The leader of the five-member chrome Trolls spoke in a slightly pitched tone, "Us K-Pop Trolls have parties, but they're more...reserved."
"You K-Pop Trolls just don't know have fun like us Reggaeton Trolls," The "Reggaeton" leader crossed his arms.
"You're one to talk, Tracy," The "K-Pop" leader fired back before engaging with him in petty squabble using their native language to hilarious effect. All the while, DJ and the other Trolls looked on.
K-Pop Trolls?
Reggaeton Trolls?
What happened here, Poppy?
"Hey, you. You with the headphones. Killer moves out there."
DJ Suki perked up with a smile and turned to face the Troll complimenting her, "Oh! Why, thank yooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo—"
"—ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo—"
And so, DJ was faced with the last Troll she wanted to see tonight. Trollex himself tilted his head in confusion, an action that was mirrored by Tresillo, Wani, and the others when the argument between the two dissolved. He wasn't sure if the Troll before him broke or was performing some sort of Pop greeting. If she was, then it was one hecka weird way to say Hello.
I might need to talk to Queen Poppy about this.
"Um... Are you okay?"
DJ's "greeting" slowly dialed down and the poor Troll was left to bask in the glory that was a tall, buff mermaid Troll. Trollex, meanwhile, noticed something...familiar about this particular Pop Troll. He wasn't entirely sure, but he knew that he had seen her before. He just couldn't remember where, when, or how.
"I liked your dance moves. Far removed from what I consider to be dancing, but it was well-choreographed."
DJ nodded accompanied by an audible squeak. The Troll gently smiled and outstretched a hand for her to shake as he introduced himself.
"I'm Trollex by the way. What's your name?"
Trollex...
. . .
Trollex...
. . .
Trollex...
"P...Pink..."
Trollex's confused frown returned and he noticed: Her skin is indeed pink...
"Uh... Pink?"
DJ's eyes widened in terror as she realized her mistake and began to suffer what many may have considered to be a mental breakdown.
" U-Uh... Music! No! Impressions! NO! MILKSHAKE! NO! WORDS! GAAHAHA! HAHAHAHEHEHE!"
Trollex backed up and watched with the others in shock as DJ began headbanging the table whilst laughing incoherently, breaking it into half. She then pulled her hair before slumping into her chair, whimpering in embarrassment. While Tresillo, Wani, and their respective groups backed up in fear, Trollex swam forward and smiled calmly. Offering that same hand again, DJ took it and used it to pull herself into a hug, a hug which Trollex returned.
"Hey, it's okay, miss. Don't stress yourself."
Still whimpering, DJ glanced up at Trollex, his big eyes reflective to the point of seeing herself like a mirror.
"You...don't need to tell me right now."
"DJ! DJ!"
The group (minus DJ) looked on as a young Troll vaguely resembling the Pop Troll Trollex was comforting skipped down the stairs, rushing towards them when she saw DJ.
"Oh, good! You found her!"
"Oh, I guess this must be your mother?" Trollex gestured towards DJ.
"You're close. She's my aunt."
Trollex flinched, "Ooh. Sorry."
"No worries," CJ waved him off before noticing the half-empty milkshake glass, "Did she have a plain vanilla milkshake again?"
"It was the one they had working!" Kim-Petit whined.
"A-Again?" Tresillo and Wani noted with suspicion.
"It's a long story," CJ waved them off again before she turned to Trollex, "Whatever's happening here is not your fault. This is most likely the cause of a really hot guy."
His blue cheeks tinted with pink blushes now, Trollex glanced down at a still shaken and stirred DJ, who continued to hug him while shaking her head.
"That, or a very vicious sugar rush like the game," CJ walked off and gently took her aunt's hand, "Either way, she needs rest. See you tomorrow, okay?"
CJ carefully led DJ away from the still going-strong party as Trollex, the Reggaeton Gang, and the K-Pop Gang looked on.
"Oh. O-Okay. See you tomorrow."
While the Techno King was a little disheartened that he never got her name, there was a reassurance that reminded him that there was always tomorrow.
Wait. That young Troll. She said DJ...
Unbeknownst to him, Tresillo and Wani exchanged knowing smirks, fully aware of their next plan.
Meanwhile, as DJ was led into the pod by CJ, her heart that beat painfully against her chest finally slowed down, much to her relief.
"W-What? What happened?"
"You saw a cute guy, Aunt DJ," Her niece bluntly stated, "Like...a really cute guy. And...you kinda mentally shut down."
Coming to terms with what had happened, DJ nodded in understanding and groaned in embarassment, slumping heavily on the nearest chair.
"Niiiiiiiice going, DJ..."
CJ smiled in reassurance and rubbed her head affectionately against her arm. DJ managed a smile and invited CJ to rest her head on her shoulder, all the while thinking about the tall, blue mermaid Troll that would invade her dreams later on.
Trollex. His name is Trollex...
A/N: Leave a review in the comments section if you can point the references to "Meet At First Beat" by Sundiel260 / DragonLover19. You should check out her story too.