Songs Included

[1] Orchestral Madness - Rayman Legends OST

[2] Emergency (Clean) - Icona Pop

[3] Antisocial - Ed Sheeran & Travis Scott

'Birds of a Feather' Part 3 - Lest We Not Forget, Enjoy The Show

By the time they made it to the last section of TrollsTopia, Classical Crest, it was already night time. Most Trolls like to party up all night, but for today, the Classical Trolls decided to take a rest. Some Classical Music played softly in the background from the radios. Several Trolls were huddled in groups, chatting or gossiping about the latest trends.

It should be about dinner time already, so Poppy and Branch decided to lead Charleston, Jazzy and Finn to 'Chez Dante'; one of the main restaurants of TrollsTopia. They were sure hoping that they were hungry because Classical Trolls had a lot to offer.

Jazzy was already worn out from the whole tour. She should be relaxing – she wasn't on job – but trying out new things became really tiring to her. Especially when she needed to swim underwater. She thought she was going to collapse soon, but she felt the need to not sleep. A little weird, but at least she was still breathing. It was an 'alright' day for her, but wat is nothing that special she enjoyed that much.

While Charleston was upset over her payback, she asked Jazzy if she enjoyed herself so far. Jazzy decided to tell her acquaintance that she just found the whole tour OK. She gave her opinion that maybe TrollsTopia could be a good cause for a desirable result she had been expecting for the leaders. Maybe reuniting all the Trolls and keeping them safe wasn't that difficult after all.

Finn nearly had the time of his life, but he wasn't one to easily accept it. He was still new to the new sounds and some of them just made him want to hold onto his ears. He didn't know why, but he kept flinching or attentively stared at anything that he would come across. Like a child picking a candy out of a mall, he was trying out every new corner of TrollsTopia.

For some reason, he felt more…complete here. The feeling of actually able to connect to this place than just being in Techno Reef. Finn knew that the feeling was going to go away, but for now, he started to take a liking to it. Sure most of the Trolls were loud, but most of them were as friendly as the ones back home. He wasn't sure if he could commit to their warm welcome, but he was now sure that he could give it a try. Trollex would be happy to hear this.

A common thing they both shared was the weird sensation when nearly close to each other. Neither Finn nor Jazzy understand it, but they found themselves…interested in each other. Maybe it was because of their different quirks, but why should they bother? There was nothing special to any person; they all eat, drink, laugh, wear clothes. OK, maybe the last one is an exception, but it was a little strange how the two were suddenly strangled by a red rope. [1]

They arrived at the restaurant and Jazzy was nearly blown away by the red velvet carpet. Apparently, it was used for the grand opening, but it was left there as a decoration. The first thing that came to her mind was that the restaurant might be pretty fancy.

They upgraded the dining room to fit more Trolls in. With the extension of TrollsTopia and new arrivals ordering for tables, they needed a huger room to entertain their guests. Both Charleston and Jazzy watched in awe as they were presented by a large room that was the size of a warehouse. They rebuilt the walls and paint it white with golden ornate patterns. There was a large golden chandelier with large flames over the candles. Luxurious and classic decorations were everywhere with an actual water fountain in the middle…with one Classical Troll spitting water, standing on the middle platform.

"Bleh," grunted Jazzy, sticking her tongue out.

If that wasn't enough, there was a large stage on the other side of the room. It took a lot of hard work to construct this. Dante and his Classical Trolls wanted to create the perfect dining experience for everyone, so they set up shows for many different Trolls to play their music. They even bought a monitor for movie times. At the moment, it was empty but the spotlights were still on and shining down on the stage.

"So this is the grand restaurant everyone has been talking about," said Charleston. "Too bad there isn't one back in Symphonyville."

"They saved the best for last," said Poppy with a smile.

"A little oversophisticated about the high-class," said Branch. "But it brings a new level for dining."

Finn scoffed. "It doesn't look like much."

Charleston sighed, feeling exasperated by this Troll's stoned wall. "Of course, you would think this is dull."

"I-I'm not saying this is dull. It's not my type. This place feels like it is more for royalty than civilians."

"Maybe we can wear royalty clothes and come back here," offered Jazzy, (un) helpfully.

Finn hummed. "I'm really fussy when deciding suits."

"Why don't we do that now?" squealed Poppy.

"Erm, sorry," said Charleston, shaking her head. "Me and Jazzy are wearing our business suits already. It's already good enough for a formal event. And heaven forbid, there is no way I'm going to let any one of you decide what we should wear."

"What?" asked Jazzy. "Did you dress you in pink?"

The brown Swing Troll shivered a little. "Nearly."

"But you didn't look too bad!" objected Poppy.

"Why don't we take a seat, ladies?" interrupted Branch. "By the time you stop talking about clothes, it's already breakfast."

They sat at one of the long tables near the stage. Several Trolls chattered around them while Classical Trolls appeared from above. They flew down and folded napkins into fun designs for their special guests. One Classical Troll came down to Poppy and gave her a napkin that was shaped as a microphone.

"Ooh!" she said. "That's new!"

Branch received a cloud-shaped napkin. But when it landed onto his table, he flinched at the sight of this.

Charleston got a napkin shaped as a dollar sign. Her eyes sparkled when she saw this.

Jazzy got napkin that was shaped to be a harp. She raised her eyebrow, trying to figure out how to shape a paper napkin into something so incredible in the span of seconds. And Finn…well, he got a love heart shaped napkin strangely.

The Chess Master gave him a look.

Finn growled and pushed the heart away, but he nearly forgot that he was pushing it right under Jazzy's hand.

The two yelped when they realized what just happened. The heart right between them; a sign for the unknown. Embarrassed, Finn quickly snatched the heart-shaped napkin and ripped it to pieces.

Jazzy felt oddly hurt, but her ego took over. She looked the other way, her skin turning red again.

"I-I didn't see anything," she lied.

A loud gong went off, prompting both Charleston and Finn to jump at the sound. Jazzy blinked and looked over her shoulder to spot two rows of waiters and waitresses holding plates over to their table. The Classical Ambassador, known as Dante, came over. All ready to make a night they wouldn't forget.

"Dinner is served!" he declared.

Jazzy watched as one waiter placed a large plate right in front of Poppy. He took off the serving dome to reveal a pink and brown cake. Most likely strawberry and chocolate flavor. There wee two layers and decorated in frosting. The Pop Queen was awed by this, but the real cherry on top was when Dante took out a chocolate bar and played it on his violin, grating it onto the cake.

Jazzy was puzzled by this. Was it just her or did all Trolls like to eat sweet things?

The Chess Master nearly backed away when Dante came over to her.

"What would you ladies like to have?" he asked politely.

Jazzy wasn't sure. This was a buffet, so she could have anything. However, there was no menu in sight, so anything on her mind might not be served here.

"Lord Woolton Pie," was the first thing that came to Jazzy's mind.

Charleston smiled. "I'll take a Beef Wellington. With a salad."

Dante nodded and snapped his fingers.

A waitress came over with two plates. She placed them down onto the table and opened the dome to reveal their chosen food. Jazzy's dish was a buttery-looking pie; crisp and golden-brown on the top. Charleston's dish was what appeared to be pastry wrapped around beef with one slice already cut off for display.

"Ooh!" said Poppy. "What's that?"

Jazzy cut a slice of her pie to reveal the stuffing. Potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, turnip and spring oats nearly fell out, all showing different colors to the dish.

"Just a favorited old dish half Swing Trolls love," said the Chess Master.

Charleston shrugged as she started to dig into her meal. "You can say that it is added fiber or protein to the meat."

"That much on British culture?" guessed Finn.

Jazzy rolled her eyes. "No, dummy. Me and Charlie just prefer to have this type of food."

"What about you, Mister Electro Ray?" said Dante, turning to Finn.

The Trap Techno Troll pulled on some of his fingers, a little nervous of ordering something at this restaurant. He looked around frantically for a menu, but there wasn't one in sight. He sighed and quickly blurted out one thing he hoped would be served at this kind of fancy restaurant.

"One sashimi plate," he said. "No wasabi. Just soy sauce."

"And would you like the sashimi to be salted?" asked Dante.

"No thanks."

Dante chuckled and snapped his fingers. One waiter came over and placed down a bowl filled with raw red fish slices with the soy sauce in the middle.

"Huh," said Finn, taking off his bandanna. "Got to say. They know the right shrimp to place on the barbie."

"You Techno Trolls eat a lot of fish," said Branch.

"Yeah, mate. And to be honest, I think it is easier to eat fish on the surface. It's hard to slice fish and present it neatly underwater."

"Is that a struggle?" said Jazzy. "There are some things in the water that is tied down by gravity."

"That is if it is heavy enough. Say you try to use a knife, but it feels sluggish moving it around."

"And your tribe can drink liquids that don't float around in the ocean?"

Finn paused for a while. "We try to crystalize them into goo."

"So, you Techno Trolls don't drink anything liquid other than the big salty water you all live in."

"…"

"Yeah," agreed Branch. "I mean, Techno Trolls surprisingly don't need to drink water. Sometimes when out on the surface, but it's the water that surrounds them is what important for their health. They can't stay dry for too long."

"It has been a pleasure making new meals to suit each tribe," said Dante as he sat at their table. "The attempt to make Chez Dante a Country-themed restaurant was a disaster in the past, but we decided to stick to our traditional culture of Classical dining. Now, we have a combination of my tribe's favored food and the different dishes around the world."

"I must have been mistaken," said Jazzy. "I think you leaders have some management material here so far."

Poppy raised her head, her mouth already covered in frosting. "Huh?"

"I had high hopes for you and you did just that. Hallelujah! This place may be a little shabby, but all of you have been able to keep all the Trolls together. It's been pretty stable, good resources, no conflict or remote areas that needs attention. A little crowded, but somehow, everybody managed to fit in."

Poppy was surprised to hear this. She had been a little worried about Jazzy's comments due to being an expert of government laws and health development. Even some of the leaders were worried about Poppy's idea of TrollsTopia in the first place, especially King Quincy and Queen Essence. Because she hadn't been in touch with Charleston and Bastille for long, she was surprised to hear someone outside of the six main tribes to approve her project.

The Pop Queen smiled. "Thank you. I just hope that there are still improvements to make. I'm still new to this."

"The only thing missing is the inclusion of the other tribes," said Jazzy. "Though, that's a little bit of a problem."

Branch bit on his lip. "We will see about that."

"Well, we haven't found any other wondering tribes out there," explained Poppy. "Remember? We searched far across the mainland, but we only bump into the tribes we know from the World Tour."

"There is still more out there, your majesty," said Dante. "There might be some Trolls who do not even know about the World Tour. We must prepare ourselves for anything bad that might dare to ruin our dear community."

Finn raised his eyebrow as he silently gulped down several slices of sashimi.

"So, tell me," said Dante. "Miss Jazzy and Mister Electro Ray. I have not heard much of you, but Poppy explained to me about you two. Jazzy is a tremendous bounty hunter outside the mainland, so how come you decided to turn to that job?"

Jazzy is silent when she heard that question. Of all the things everybody said to her, this one was the one she took hard. While it was no big deal, it became some sort of lump that refused to go away from her throat. A thing that she wasn't comfortable explaining to them. And she hadn't got to know them well yet.

She couldn't bear to bring up what prompted her to have a desire to change things.

"Eh…I…started being a bounty hunter when I was 12," she said quietly. "Been working for 5 years, but never look out to create a business known to the public."

"What exactly got you to be one?" asked Branch.

"Now, patience, Branch," said Dante. "Let her tell it."

But Jazzy was unable to tell the story. She glanced at Charleston as if pleading her to explain the rest. The brown Swing Troll cleared her throat, knowing that Jazzy didn't want to talk about it.

"Um, Jazzy is just your…well-known…disciplined and strict top student," she explained shakily. "Always making sure her moves are perfect. Doesn't like others messing around because it makes her feel disgusted. It's just that…something happened at our town and Jazzy is heavily affected by this. More on because our royal council is unable to fix the problem. So…she went out to try to be a leader, but she starts her services for the small and the suffering out in the world."

"No wonder why you were upset with your mayor," said Poppy. "I'm so sorry about that."

Jazzy waved her hand and looked to the side. She stared off at the distance, but she ended up staring at Finn blankly.

"Don't give me that look, knickers," he said, rather detached in caring.

"How about you, Electro Ray?" asked Dante. "What's your story?"

Finn swallowed a little, sighing as he anxiously touches his food. "I was born from the Gucci Zone. It is at the southeast of Techno Reef."

"You lived in Techno Reef when you moved there at a young age on your own," said Branch. "I'm surprised you decided to do that. You're like me, aren't you?"

"I'm not like you, Branch," said Finn bluntly. "Yes, I know what happened, but…I have my own family. However, I was smart and brave enough to take care of myself. I know how to do so and what things I need to cover as an adult. Crikey, I'm still a teenager. My parents tried to tell me that I'm not ready…but I feel like so. I want to go out more. I think I don't want to be much of a bludger. I just…have a feeling of finding a place I'm comfortable with."

"But you're starting to feel that you're not ready for Techno Reef," finished Poppy.

Finn sighed. "I had a feeling of…being connected. But…not anymore to the main Techno land. I just feel very different."

"That's OK. We are all different, but it brings us all together to make a stronger kingdom. And we share our differences because you can't do it on your own way in life. I mean, we all love music, so that is a good thing."

"Holy crap, she doesn't really know," thought Finn. While nothing dramatic hadn't happened, Trollex was right. Negotiating with other people was really hard. Poppy nearly didn't recognize his thoughts and beliefs about himself. She wasn't wrong, but Finn kept feeling the same loneliness or distance from other people. He didn't know how to tell it to her without breaking down. She might not understand.

He kept opening his mouth and closing it, unsure of sharing the news. Jazzy noticed this, looking at the shaken Trap Techno Troll. Poor kid looked like he wanted to crawl under the table.

Knowing that they couldn't end the night like this, she decided to change the topic.

"Speaking of being different," she said. "Maybe we can hear some music? It would be nice to hear different music again." [1s]

Poppy appears to have change because she grinned at this offer. "Ooh! Sure! Why not?"

Charleston smiled, biting into her meal. "I am up for seeing a show tonight. Maybe finish things off with a bang here."

"Telling you now," said Dante. "We don't have any assigned shows for the night. The orchestral is preparing for a special occasion in a few weeks. But I'm wonder if Miss Jazzy can play a little jingle to the table."

The Chess Master nearly spat out the food in her mouth. Halfway, hadn't finished yet and needed about 1 hour to let it digest properly. What did Dante say?

"M-Me?" sputtered Jazzy. "You're asking ME to sing for all of you?"

"Charleston already brought her side of music to the plate long ago," said Poppy. "She told me of your tribe, but they never set foot here before. She said that you have a style of 'Hard Bop' in Jazz Music."

"What would be the point of me singing to you?"

"To see if you are passionate in music! You just got to sing with all your heart and what you desire. This music is what unites us and express us in the best way possible."

Jazzy starts to sweat. "Upon my word, I don't usually contribute to music performances that much. I'm not a musical Troll every day."

Poppy gasped. Branch was even confused by this.

"Really?" Branch whispered out.

Charleston smirked as she rested her feet on the table. "Here we go."

"That girl is darker than I thought I would be," said Finn quietly.

"I don't usually play music a good majority of the time," said Jazzy. "Only if there is a group musical or if it's for an assigned performance. I just like to do it when I'm free. I'm a busy businesswoman."

"So you're saying that you don't even have your own love for a genre?" said Poppy, clutching onto her own cheeks.

"I more like to sing songs that are bops. Bangers. The ones that everyone would dance to in a party. I don't usually have my own taste to music; I am a freelancer. Charleston is more on being a strong woman. She gives a damn about what she wants to be seen as."

"And the Chess Master doesn't because she clearly does not like attention," teased Charleston.

Jazzy's skin turned red upon hearing this. "Oi! I heard that. I'm not above shoving my cane up one of your holes."

"Can you please demonstrate to us?" asked Dante. "There aren't any free performers here, so give it a try. Unless you're uncomfortable."

Jazzy rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying I'm uncomfortable. I just don't really know my own sound. The only sound is just anything. Maybe I'll start with a banger the Swing Trolls made recently." [2]

As she stood up, a piano loop started playing in the background backed with an old clock ticking. A sensation of the world of New Orleans jazz. While less straightforward or groundbreaking yet interesting and rousing, this song had got everybody nodding their head. The first verse began as Jazzy stood up to sing the story.

"So you wanna party? So you wanna dance?"

She jumped onto the table as she got herself in position, an accompanying beat added to the song. Dante flied upwards, about to stop her, but decided to just watch. He hoped that she wouldn't get lost in the song that she would start wreaking havoc around the place.

The Chess Master danced around the table, using her cane to help her spin around. Like Charleston, she mastered her moves and quick taps all while never losing her breath while singing. While it wasn't her style, this song explored a chaotic, high energy side of her. Her voice nearly sounded like shouting, but still melodic as if she was using up all her notes in her lungs.

All the Trolls stopped eating to listen to the little swing. It was an initially strange song to get used to since this was almost a new side to Pop Music. However, it was a song anyone would dance to. It injected a sense of, well, emergency into the big booming vocal.

The piano riff disappeared with only the beat as Jazzy started to jump onto another table. With quick and reflexive moves, she danced around. She tried to use her cane to mimic a pole dance, but that nearly failed. Nevertheless, she was doing well with her vocals which lowered down a little as if there was an incoming drop to it.

"Ice on my wrist, cause I'm hot and I'm dancing!"

Finn watched in wonder as Jazzy spun around and sway her hips. Her voice was like a treble and deadpanned. The dance and the song was very flirty, mixed with the fun vibes of a party. Strong and nearly luring people to join her. He realized that the Chess Master wouldn't be like this, but decided to adapt to it for a good show and a bloody good time. With every word she said, she would make different moves to tell the crazy party.

A new vocal came in with only the repetitive piano playing. Nobody knew where the male voice was coming from, but it was bringing a new sense of urgency of all the white. Jazzy lip-synced the male vocals while twirling around on the table. Shouting the title lyric, it was as if they were calling for an emergency of the dance-related variety.

The drop came in along with the instrumental. A brass was added to the piano and drum-heavy beats. Jazzy had already jumped onto other tables as she moonwalked across one of the long tables. Totally lost in the music. The Trolls nearby started to clap to the rhythm, enjoying the song.

The beat started to build up as Jazzy twirled around with hard-hitting moves.

"Party! Oo-oo-oh!"

The sensation of Jazzy's took on Swing Music was really spectacular. While it wasn't as strong as a party anthem, she did know how to start one gently.

"Party! Oo-oo-oh!"

All the spotlights turned red, pink and gold, shining all over to place to highlight the tone of the song. Jazzy started to act a little drunk, pretending to nearly lose her balance as she danced across the table. Though, she never fell down, but she accidentally steped onto several food bowls. She hadn't even noticed yet!

"Confess your sins and get down on your knees!"

Finn took a quick look at the Trolls around him. They really loved the ridiculous and throwback vibe. Both Poppy and Branch were clapping along, watching Jazzy sang for some observation on how Swing Trolls really perform. Dante was moving through the air a lot as if trying to catch up. Charleston had her eyes closed, but she was listening. She was using her fork and knife as drumsticks, hitting her plate softly to the plate.

He couldn't help but get lost into the song. It was something poppy, classy and indeed jazzy. He actually started to like it. He wondered if Jazzy chose this song because it represents her in the best way, but he denied it. The tone was both high and low, connected well with the core of the song. He couldn't help but enjoyed the marching piano riffs and the Gatsby influences on it. It was actually pleasant compared to the Rock Music he heard from Val.

"This is emergency! Call an ambulance, come rescue me!"

As the song continued, the piano carried the momentum of the song, calling for an emergency yet again. At this point, it came to a point as if trying to get themselves stop from dancing. But it was a little bit of a mock to not wanting to stop partying all night. Nobody would want to stop feeling the rhythm and feel the warmth of Jazzy's rose-colored spotlights.

The trumpet breakdown came back again and Jazzy leapt back at her table. She danced the rest of the choreography as the instrumental trembled the entire dining room. Poppy was already on her feet, jumping up and down. Branch was already banging the table with his hands, entranced by the song. Charleston relaxed, already familiar with the song.

Finn watched in awe at the fancy range of movements Jazzy did with her arms and legs. He knew some Techno Trolls who could dance well, but this one was on an entirely different spectrum compared to the dance music he normally enjoyed. He didn't notice, but the more he watched, the more his tail fins began to bop to the music.

That ended when Jazzy unwittingly kicks a cream pie right into his face. The Trap Techno Troll gasped before calming down when he was self-aware of what was currently stuck on his face and mouth.

The Chess Master placed one hand on her fedora and the other on her hip, shaking it as the rest of the piano played out. For the final move, she placed her hands on her cane and placed it down on the floor. [2s]

The whole restaurant broke into applause as they applauded Jazzy's performance. She bowed down humbly before simply sitting back in her chair. Poppy was already wild, whooping and clapping her hands. Branch just nodded in approval. Charleston appeared a little bored, but satisfied.

"Bravo!" shouted Poppy. "Now that is a good song to dance along!"

"What an extraordinary piece!" said Dante.

"Repetitive, straight-forward and nearly happy," said Branch. "It is very energetic and impressive with how you sang those words while using your body to show the meaning. It sounds so much like Pop, but the style is completely different. A little more…darker and bolder."

Jazzy smirks. "You got some good taste. Real good taste in music."

When she looked over for Finn's comment, the Trap Techno Troll groaned as he wiped the pie off his face. He took a napkin and started cleaning himself. Good thing he wasn't wearing his bandanna or else he would have to wash it and wait for it to dry for two days!

"What do you think of the song?" asked Jazzy.

Finn blinks, not knowing what to say. He started to sweat, feeling awkward. Should he be honest and tell her he likes it? He wasn't sure how to feel about the song. He felt his pixelated heart still beating to the song, but he didn't know if he like it.

"S-Sure," he said. "Whatever."

This didn't please Jazzy at all. "That is a rather weak comment."

"I don't know what to say."

"Then say how you feel about the song."

"I-I'm sorry. It's a little complicated with the beat, the emotion, the passion…I don't know."

Finn hung his head down slightly, hoping that everybody wasn't watching him.

Jazzy sighed. She couldn't blame him. She knew that there were some Trolls who were rather apathetic in listening or feel nothing at all. She let him decide when the song comes up again.

"Anyway," said the Chess Master. "I think it is your turn, man."

"What?" said Finn, whipping his head up. "Me?"

"I would like to hear how Trap Music sounds like!" said Poppy. "Give it away!"

For once, Jazzy saw a genuine smile on Finn's face as he floated upwards. He started to look around, scratching his head.

"Does anyone know where there is a DJ set anywhere?" he said. "I left mine back in my suitcase."

"There is already one on the stage," said Dante. "It is behind the curtains."

The midnight blue Troll made a beeline to the stage and pulled out the heavy DJ set. It was rather big, blue and too complex. However, Finn recognized all of the buttons and systems, so he could handle this. Maybe he might miss a few notes because the button panels were nearly too far away from hand reach.

He pressed a button and a ticking sound plays. It was nearly dirty and aggressive. Nearly like a ticking bomb about to explode. All the Trolls looked up at the stage with some of them standing up to dance like they were in a rave. Finn tied his bandanna around his neck and moved the microphone near his face. [3]

"All you cool people, you better leave now," he declared. "Cause it's about to happen!"

A melody started to play, complete with video-game-like synths, a low bass and a ticking beat. Finn pressed many buttons, creating a few repeated, soft vocal to start the introduction. Jazzy sat back in her seat to hear the song. However, it didn't remind her of the strong and joyful Techno Music everybody knew. While it took a sweet tone, it sounded vulnerable, dark and new. This wasn't how she felt about Trap Music in the past!

All the spotlights turned neon orange, lime, purple and pink. Many Trolls were confused with the new sensation of the music, but they shrugged it off and find it catchy. The sound was blasting through every corner of the dining room and the cool beat that felt like an array of fireworks explode right in front of them. With the spotlights, everyone could see the colors.

The music briefly paused as Finn sang the first line.

"Friday night and I'm riding solo."

With the music playing in the background, he started to sing what must be a sad melody. An idea of a successful night out that didn't include other people. He sang that he would prefer to keep his whereabouts private, not wanting anyone to ruin his vibe. As he sang, he played the keyboard with one hand while using the other to make different effects on the opposite button panel.

"This surely is a Pop Song," thought Jazzy. "But this is…different to what Pop Trolls occasionally sing."

"So antisocial, but I don't care! Don't give a damn, I'm gonna smoke there."

There was an edge on his voice when he shouts 'I don't care'. Like a Rock Troll venting out their anger at others while keeping a calm demeanor to their appearance. It was as if he is acknowledging he knew that he was behaving in an antisocial way, but he didn't care what people think of him. He didn't care about the rules and would do what he like.

The pre-chorus came as the instrumental went quiet a little with the bass beating. Finn closed his eyes and sang softly about his desire for some space. He was telling the story of not feeling people understanding him. He thought they didn't know what was exactly inside his brain. The feeling of being alone and disconnected. Being reclusive and cold to the warm world that tried to welcome him.

However, he had one comfort.

"Music loud, easing my pain."

Everybody would expect to hear the beat speeding up to lead into a beat drop as the instrumental appeared to go louder. It was slowly leading up to the chase like a lion on the prowl, waiting for its prey to stay calm. Then, that would be the time for the pounce. However, the tempo didn't speed up and instead the instrumental suddenly stopped.

Instead, it was a loud clicking noise that sent it back to the repetitive instrumental. This time, it felt more exhilarating and explosive. All the Trolls started to jump up and down as the chorus came in, carried away in their excitement. Several Techno Trolls began to rave to the song, sometimes crowd surfing.

Poppy and Charleston were already clapping their hands to the beat of the song. Jazzy smiled a little, but it faded sadly as she realized that almost nobody cared the meaning of the lyrics. Even Branch was appalled by this, trying to listen clearly. He never expected Techno Music to sound like this. Trollex wouldn't approve this type of song. Dante was lost in the song, but he also feels that something didn't feel right about it. The words weren't harmonious as he thought.

The chorus hit home for one's desire to be alone. While Finn was having the time of his life, he was explaining that he didn't want to be touched and had the 'something' he was on. Like an attempt to suppress pain. In one way, it was hiding sadness with a poppy and upbeat song.

"Won't let nothing come between me and the night."

The next verse hit Jazzy the hardest. Finn switched to his auto-tune voice as if changing perspective of the song to a more grim and robotic point. It became more on coming close to substance use and drinks she would want to stay clear in her life. She heard the warning of catching fumes when Finn feels that he could 'zoom'. She wasn't sure if this was also a second way of telling people to stay away from Finn's anger when he would get upset at times.

It actually scared her. This wasn't how a Troll should deal with trauma and pain. Even in depression when all grey. What would Finn do if he was grey? And if he was as young as she is, how would that turn out for him? It was sad that nobody took the lyrics that seriously. Or maybe it was because Jazzy was interested in Finn that she wanted to listen to his take on his own sound.

"Hit the ground and I'm moving on them."

The inclusion of drinking in the middle of the day to drown out 'all of his issues' became saddening as Jazzy started to feel rather down. She enjoyed the song, but the lyrics were nearly sad and scary. She didn't know if she wanted to dance to it.

The three lines of the pre-chorus alluded to a relationship that had recently ended and was the cause of pain. Finn felt rather lost and believes that he wasn't clear enough to decipher in the crowd without a comment. Losing the one he loved or the feeling of being loved was causing him great pain.

Jazzy was already screaming in her mind why Finn was feeling SO distraught like that. How did he managed to handle the pain?

As the chorus played again, the vibes also seemed to boast about how much Finn didn't want to be alone, but he had trouble explaining it properly. As a way of escapism. It felt like a song mixed with metal health issues and some dark humor.

It seemed to be meant to be a hype track, but Jazzy wondered if Finn was proud to be that way. She might be taking this too seriously, but she couldn't help but notice that this coping of pain might be wrong for Finn. Staying away from people and not choosing to go to them whenever he needed comfort. Jazzy started to feel more insecure, ignoring the cheering and the shouting from the partying Trolls.

Finn didn't let that go unnoticed. As he sings, he noticed Jazzy looking down. She wasn't dancing along or whooping in passion. She seemed…despondent. She didn't appear to like the song and it must have taken a toll on her. The bright neon colors around them didn't work to wake her up.

Did he do something wrong? Did Jazzy have a different idea of how it goes?

Deciding that he should stop, he waited until the last few vocals echoed out before slowly turning down the music in rhythm. With that, it was already the end of the song. [3s]

The crowd started to cheer as the Trap Techno Troll left his DJ set. Ignoring the cheers, he made his way back to his table. Poppy was already on her feet, clapping wildly. Feeling a little tired of moving around, Charleston sat back, clapping her hands slowly. Both Branch and Dante didn't share smiles, but they politely clapped to show they like the melody. Jazzy was as blank as paper, staring at the floor.

Finn might not be hot for the Chess Master, but he knew when someone was crestfallen. She was an alright person to him and seeing her looking this upset made him worry. He kept thinking if it was due to the song he picked.

"Hey," he said, floating towards her. "Are you alright?"

Jazzy quickly snapped out of her mini despair, whipping her head up. "Who asked you?"

"Eh, DJ Electro Ray is asking you. You looked like you dropped your thongs."

"What?" said Jazzy. "I've heard of sad songs before."

"It's not exactly a sad song," insisted Finn.

"The tone of it sounds really dark and bleak and depressing. It can happen in any genre."

"That would be a good way to make a pop song not in the mainstream charts. But everybody was dancing in my song and they had fun. Not my fault you weren't in your dancing shoes, knickers."

Jazzy's skin turned red. "Wait, a what now?"

Before Finn could talk back, Poppy popped up between them.

"You two did really well!" said the Pop Queen. "I see that you two are good in music in your own way."

Finn sweated a little, having no idea how to respond. "Erm…whatever."

"You were smiling, Electro Ray! You really like music?"

The Trap Techno Troll turned his head away. "Buzz off, Poppy."

Poppy turned to Jazzy. "And you had some serious style, Chess Master."

"I told you," said Jazzy. "I don't have a favorited taste in music."

"But you really did well for a Pop song. Except that it has a new, special twist!"

Jazzy smirked to herself, thinking, "Hell yeah. I just did."

"So," explained Poppy. "Jazzy; tomorrow, I think we can discuss about the other tribes and find out more about them. I really need to know about them. But I think you will be able to be a helpful ambassador of the main royal circle."

The red Swing Trolls' eyes widened in surprise. "I have a chance?"

"Yes, you do!"

Jazzy blinked, unable to believe it. This was completely different to what Mayor Goodman would say to her. He would try to tell her that she wasn't fit to be in the Royal Swing Council. In a passive-aggressive way. She knew so. Here, Poppy was fully confident of her helping the leaders out. Justified, it might be out of naivety, but for once, it was actually nice to see a leader accepting who she is and what she wanted.

She knew there are possibilities of disagreements and uncertain discussions, but at least it would shape the both of them for the better. And this could mean keeping all the Trolls safe from another danger that might come to them. It will be a greater TrollsTopia. Nobody will need to get hurt again.

Jazzy decided to smile. "Thank you, Queen Poppy."

"It's getting late now," said Dante. "I think you children should go get some sleep now."

"Wait a minute," said Branch. "We haven't decided where Jazzy and…Mister Okazaki are going to sleep at for the night. Can't leave them in a cardboard box."

"Just find them an extra pod and they will move in alright," said Charleston simply.

Finn quickly shook his head. "I-I haven't decided on where I want to stay. I don't want to stay in Techno Lagoon or Rock Hallow."

Poppy sighed. "Unfortunately, you noticed that there is construction going on and the only new and free-to-use houses are at Pop Village. There is only one that is ready and stable."

Charleston raised her eyebrow. "Wait. So you are saying that?"

"We have those two sleep together in the same pod!"

Both Finn and Jazzy were shocked to hear this. It was as if a rocket just blasted in their face and it wasn't the good kind. A smoke they wouldn't get out of their hair and it would stay as long as people could smell it from a far. Good thing everybody else was doing their own business or they would be laughing at this.

"WHAT?!" both Trolls bellowed in unison.

Jazzy pointed her cane right at Poppy. "This is ridiculous! You can't just do that!"

"Well, we nearly out of time," said Poppy nervously, lowering the cane down. "We can decide if you two want to, but it would be hard to find a safe new house for you guys."

"Maybe we can just look around right now?!" While Jazzy didn't really hate Finn, she felt that she needed to stay away from him. She founded herself nearly interested in him again and wanted to know more. That creeping feeling…was nearly taking over her. She didn't want THAT to ruin her chance of working with the leaders.

"We can't keep carrying around your luggage for that long."

"I told you that you shouldn't bring too much," said Charleston, matter-of-factly as she drank a glass of juice.

"This got to be some sick joke. I'm not going to stay with this shark-mouth-printed bean."

In response, Finn slapped her in the face with his tail fins. When she dropped to the floor, he turned to Poppy.

"I think I will build my own shelter," he said. "I'm good in making my own house."

"But this is TrollsTopia and there wouldn't be any good space for you to live…quietly for a better term," explained Branch.

"But there are some nice pleasant places around here if you can pay," said Dante. "There are some nice hotels in Classical Crest."

Finn shook his head. "I don't like being in hotel rooms. I would make a mess a lot in my own time, sir."

"Then, I see your only solution to having a home is taking the free pod with the Chess Master or asking a friend around."

Finn tried to think of the members of the Electro Ray who might be around. But that meant being in risk of being around Synth. And you see, since Techno Lagoon was a smaller place than Techno Reef, that would mean Synth would go around to every house and…

"HONK! HONK! RISE AND SHINE!"

The Trap Techno Troll gritted his turquoise teeth and began growling to himself at the sound of Synth's voice inside his mind. There was NO FREAKING WAY he was going to stay in a town run by him. And he wanted his beauty sleep without anyone trying to act as his alarm clock. It came to mind that the only person sane enough for him to share a bunk with was Jazzy…and he only had her to help him stay away from the madness.

Jazzy got up and slammed Finn in the face with her cane. She turned back to Poppy, placing her hands on her hips.

"I can do this all night," she said. "If you don't find a house for myself, then I'll-"

"You'll what?" said Poppy, not flinching in the slightest. "Quit?"

Jazzy didn't talk back.

"You can try to stay out in the open," said Poppy calmly. "But you're gonna have to think twice if you want to take a vacation here. I know you're a bounty hunter, but you are going to feel left out."

Jazzy snorted. "The Chess Master can do much better than that."

"Do you have a much easier idea?" asked Charleston.

There was silence between Finn and Jazzy as they realized that they had no choice but to snuggle in. Not in that way, but they will have to get rid of the tension if they want to have a quiet home for themselves to live in. But being roommates wouldn't be easy. And it is going to suck a lot for those two who still feel a weird combination of affection and disinterest at heart.

They slowly turned their heads to face each other, exchanging glares that said, 'you better not screw this up, mate'.

AN: One could have argued that Jazzy could have stayed in Classical Crest. This is a thing I had trouble with as I debated on where Jazzy and Finn would stay at. For some reason, my mind keeps telling me to choose Pop Village, for some strange reason. It is pretty funny since both of them wouldn't really like staying among the Pop Trolls. So, just to clarify, I don't think Jazzy would be interested that much in Classical Crest; while her Swing traditions are similar, I guess that she doesn't want to be in a really rich place filled with so much gold. Not like a princess.

And Finn doesn't feel comfortable about going to the hotel because that meant too much money for him needing to pay.

For the song choices, I gave Jazzy 'Emergency' because when I heard the song, I thought that it might fit the Chess Master. It is a fun jazz-influenced song and while it is repetitive, it gives this vibe of dancing all night. 'Antisocial' seems to fit Finn's characteristics well, but maybe except his ways of coping through substance use. While Finn doesn't take anything to make him feel 'better', you see that it even left an impression on a confused Jazzy and makes her worried about how Finn treats himself.

Thanks for reading this chapter! If you enjoy this story, be sure to follow or favorite this story, so you can get updates about this story. Make sure to review this chapter on what you think about this chapter. I'm OK of hearing improvements from you (please no flames).

Until next time, keep on rocking!