'Birds of a Feather' Part 4 - I'll Sail The World To Find You

Exactly 1 hour later…

The two of them were still glaring at each other as Charleston finished placing all their luggage in their new pod. The pod was in blue and yellow stripes, so this one wasn't bad. However, the colors and the light chandelier didn't do anything to calm the two hostile Trolls. They weren't so thrilled. If only they understood their daily patterns and what they would normally do around the house.

"Have fun, guys!" said Charleston cheerfully. "I won't be around, so see you later."

And she left the pod, closing the door behind her.

The two Trolls hadn't look away from each other. They held onto their glares, wanting to warn each other that they better not mess with them or do anything stupid. While they should had been fine with each other due to the lack of good interactions and had nothing against them, they were not taking chances. They didn't want to be living with fools.

Jazzy would rather stay with someone she was familiar with or someone who was a professional and smart as her. Not with this delinquent. She wasn't looking for staying with this Techno Troll since she had no idea what kinds of trouble he could and had done.

Finn wasn't so happy as well about sleeping with the Chess Master. He preferred to have a house himself without anyone trying to touch him. He hated having roommates. They could interfere with what he would want to do on his own. This was a really bad idea.

The two cold Trolls continued glaring for a long time. There wasn't any other sound between them. The only things they could hear was the night breezing wind, the chirping of fireflies or crickets and the distant chatter of Trolls below them. So far, it was nothing but tense and firm silence.

Jazzy sighed, knowing that it was worthless to be in such a pose like this. She grabbed a stool, pulled it over and stand on it, so that she was a few centimeters higher than the floating Finn.

"Look, buddy," she said. "I don't know what you would do back in your underwater home, but listen to me; I'm a professional bounty hunter and there are some rules I need to drill to your head. But mostly important, you better not trash this place around. I hate messes. And you better not play with some of my belongings because any of one of them gets ruined, then I have to waste money to replace them."

You would expect Finn to tower over her or nod meekly, but instead, he just watched with an impatient look.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, closing his arms. "Whatever. J-Just stay out of my hair as well. I don't want any trouble."

"Like you lied and do so," said Jazzy.

"How I am seeing this is that we just met and we need to find a way to get along. We now have full custody of this pod, so there must be some way for us to make it into a supportive environment we both can enjoy it."

"I can hardly see how you would be able to that."

"Said the bounty hunter whose achievements are ignored by the mainland."

Jazzy rolled her eyes. "Look. You are a good guy, but can you please don't do something stupid? I won't be taking crap for the devil."

Finn sighed, hovering away. "Fine then. Well, good luck on dealing most of the house on your own."

The Chess Master froze, wondering what that meant. "You're saying that you're going to let ME pay for the house, so we don't get evicted?"

The Trap Techno Troll shrugged. "Well, yeah. I don't want to mess with your rich lifestyle and your plans on sorting out the taxes."

"I'm not a maid, you know that. And you shouldn't leave the woman for the job."

"You didn't ask for help and told me to stay out of your way, Chess Master. You do a lot of work so I bet that you can do everything with ease."

Jazzy frowned. She wasn't happy to hear that she might as well needed to pay for the house and its functions. She didn't want to do most of the paying while that dark blue limp kept slacking off. But her ego caught up to her again. She couldn't bare to appear as weak.

"Fine then," she hissed. "But if you are kicked out, then don't blame me!"

"You're one to get kicked out as well unless Poppy has a place for your sorry arse," said Finn.

With that, he flied into his new room and slammed it.

Jazzy stood on her own in silence. With the fact that Finn wasn't going to budge to help out and she had to run two jobs at the same time, this wasn't going to be a peaceful time in TrollsTopia for her. She rubbed her hips and said the situation best.

"This is going to be a LONG vacation," she said.

Two or three weeks had past already and Jazzy already fitted into the life of TrollsTopia. Finn hadn't gone out of his room, preferring to listen to his own music. He would only come out when he needed to eat, but otherwise, the stubborn Troll didn't want anybody to come around. Jazzy once received mail from Synth, but callously threw it away. Probably due to knowing Finn wouldn't approve.

Jazzy had been working greatly with Poppy and Branch. Helping out the two Pop leaders wasn't so bad as she thought. The nice combination of the friendliness and peace-making ideas of the Queen, and the cautiousness and strictness of the King. The three had been discussing about the other Musical tribes, their interests, their cultures and where they resided in.

They found some sub genres that lived close to the six main tribes and with Jazzy's help, did enough research to find ways to include them in TrollsTopia. Jazzy offered some other sub tribes that lived outside of the main lands. This included French, Brazilian and Hip Hop. Those tribes actually had their own homes and didn't know about the World Tour.

This information was enough for Poppy to make the decision to invite them over to the Troll kingdom for a stronger community. It is going to be hard. The leaders might have forgotten about their history or ignorant to other music. To make things safe, Poppy and Branch made letters to those leaders, explaining everything. From history of the strings, the events of World Tour and the newly built TrollsTopia.

There had been immediate responses. Some of them sounded reluctant, but mostly, they were excited to hear about this. Two or three were glad that the Pop Trolls have a change of heart and like the other kinds of music. There was no need for them to divided anymore. The leaders offered to invite their civilians to stay at TrollsTopia, but they required certain needs.

For once, Jazzy felt pride. She hadn't felt like this ever since she backed down on her regular bounty hunter job. She always wanted to be a part in the leader circle and now she had accomplished that dream. She can hardly wait to see the end result. She imagined all the Trolls living in perfect harmony with no conflict, no violence, no war and no fighting over music. Just total peace where everybody can be what they want to be instead of ruining each others' lives.

However, she found herself to feel that this might not be the most important thing in the world. She hadn't spoken to Finn that much ever since he locked himself in his room. She hardly remembered his voice! Sometimes, she would hear him making weird sounds. Weekly, she could hear him getting into a fit. But most days, he tried to be as quiet as he can.

While Jazzy felt that she had no interest at heart for him, she was actually worried about his wellbeing. Now that he was living with her, he is her responsibility. What is going on with him? Why is he acting a little weird? Is he even alright?

Branch cleared his throat, snapping Jazzy out of her thoughts. She didn't notice how long she had been carrying a bazooka he made. The Pop King had invited her over to his bunker to present her a bunch of weapons he planned to use as defenses for TrollsTopia. Jazzy had to say that she likes Branch the most for his high-strung and paranoid nature. Maybe that is a little bit of a bad thing, but Jazzy likes how he wants to protect his tribe so much that he goes to extreme ways other Trolls don't think.

"I-I'm sorry," she said. "Just got lost in my thoughts."

"You might want to place that down before you drop it," said Branch bluntly. "That is very fragile AND still filled with gun powder."

Jazzy obeyed and placed the bazooka to the side. She sat back on a wooden crate, striking up a conversation. "So, Branch. Honest question, what got you with Poppy? Whatever for, it is funny with how you two stick together like a bee attached to rock candy."

"Oh, Poppy satisfies me a lot in a way," jokes Branch before seeing the look on Jazzy's face. "I had been in love with her, especially now. She actually helps me find my happiness, even though we went through a hard adventure facing the Bergans."

"And then, you follow her like a duckling and needing to keep catching her? Charleston told me a lot when she came back home."

Branch nodded, embarrassed. "I just wish she doesn't keep running in headfirst without proper knowledge."

Jazzy rubbed her chin, deciding to address the topic in her mind. "Have you seen Finn lately?"

The light blue troll shook his head. "No I haven't. Why? Haven't you or do you have a bad vision?"

"It's just that he has been pretty distant from everybody else. Especially me."

"Now that's a concern," said Branch. "He is acting like me before I found my colors. He reminds me of me a lot."

"But he's a little more laid back and a painful doormat."

"You have been taking care of him?"

Jazzy is silent for a while. "…he hasn't been out. I had to give him food and then he slammed the door on me every time. In the face."

Branch felt sad to hear this. For a moment, he thought Finn might warm up to this place like Val did. However, unlike any Troll, he locked himself up in his room. That Techno Troll still has his colors, but nobody knows why he is acting this way. Why is he running away from all of them?

"Maybe you can go talk to him," he offers. "I mean, it will take time for him to open up and he is going to need the support."

Jazzy shook her head, nearly tearing up. "It's not about how much time it will take. More on…what he is comfortable with. I have been wondering. Do you hate being so…grumpy?"

This wasn't something Branch likes to answer. "What?"

"Like thinking the world is bad, everyone is an idiot and always doing shady things? Pretending you hate everyone?"

"Please, Jazzy," said Branch, crossing his arms. "I don't think I want to talk about that. You don't know me well. If so, why are you like that?"

Jazzy bit her lips. "I just…grew up having a more realistic view of the world and how it should be. My parents are really strict, well-mannered and some of the best researchers in the world. They wanted me to have a brighter future. However, one day, there was this…"

She closed her eyes. She didn't remember much, but she remembered the aftermath of it.

"There was a tornado that struck Swing Town," she said, trying to keep her voice level. "My parents nearly died there. A lot of people were killed. Help is constantly called. Productivity is ruined. But the mayor is just SO slow in helping out properly and addressing our needs. My parents' lifestyles…crashed."

She couldn't forget it. She couldn't forget how MAD they sound when she first heard them arguing. With one thinking of finding another job and the other still persisting in keeping their career alive. It was horrible to see how those two went from the top of the shelf to rock bottom.

"I don't know what is really happening, it's just too much. But then, I realize that…nobody likes to keep the game fair for everyone and just…try to make their own decisions for their OWN people. And that is why I believe that things should be taken seriously. But now…"

She thought back to Finn. His attitude towards her. She was no different to him.

"…I don't know what to do. Sorry for rambling. Got a little upset. I want to help Finn, but I just gave into my own pride. I'm a hypocrite."

"Maybe it might be because you were thrown off by Finn's whole persona," points out Branch. "Like the Pop Trolls towards me. And if you are like that, they are people who don't like you that much."

"It doesn't even matter if they hate or not. Finn's a Troll and…I'm having a battle in my head."

"From the way I see it, I think you need to reach out to him. Don't be totally friendly or rude, but make him comfortable."

Jazzy lifted her head. "You think that's enough?"

"You're an incredible bounty hunter. I know so. The Reggaeton Trolls and the K-Pop Gang are my friends, and they know a lot more than I do. Especially when in a fight. And I assume it's assumed. If you know much about what to say in a conversation, then don't be afraid to back down. Just like how Charleston tries to be nice towards the Rock Trolls. She is a good example of a friend."

Jazzy scoffed. "I wouldn't consider Charleston to be my friend."

"Huh?" Branch is confused. "Why? I thought you two know each other pretty close."

"She is more of an acquaintance," said Jazzy, brutally honest. "We don't usually hang out together like being best. Alas, we don't usually share interests and our own experiences that much! We only meet each other for work. I mean, I would consider Charleston to be my friend if she thinks the same way. But she has other best friends. Cripes, it doesn't hit me the same way."

"Then maybe you can try to be a good friend to Finn. That way can work, right? I mean, you two obviously have things in common."

Jazzy thought for a moment. "Yeah. We…are both grumps."

Branch had a good point about Finn. Maybe she shouldn't have just left him like that. Jazzy decided that today would be the time for her to talk to Finn, but how come it felt so wrong?

"I'm sorry about the tornado," said Branch.

Jazzy waved her hand. "It's not anybody's fault. It was just an unexpected tragedy."

She rushed right back home and knocks on Finn's door. Normally, she would hear him shouting at her to 'get out' or just let out an irritable groan. Some days, he would open his door to take a peek and whenever he would see her, he would close the door. However, there was no response.

The Chess Master pressed her ear against the door. She heard nothing.

"Okazaki?" she said. "Wake up, dummy."

There was still no response. She thought that she should go in. But wouldn't that be weird? Wouldn't that be a breach of privacy? He left her no choice.

She gently opened the door. The room was neater than she thought it would be. Finn had arranged all of his belongings and furniture neatly. A neon orange sheet covering his bed with a lime green blanket and pillow. There were pictures of album covers he produced as a DJ. His desk was equipped with his own DJ set and a neon lamp nearby.

Finn was in a strange position. He was sleeping on the carpet, arms spread out and his tail fins limp. His heartbeat was beating very slowly. Either he is unconscious or dead, this didn't look right. Jazzy knelt down and placed her hand onto his forehead. Only to recoil immediately. His forehead must be on fire! It was hot!

Jazzy's eyes shrink as she observed his body. Most of Finn's colors and glow had faded to a small amount. There was also an odd brittle feel to his skin. Something didn't look right about him. She didn't expect this to happen!

She poked Finn again and he coughed, whimpering a little. He barely could open his eyes.

"D-D-Dry?!" she said before realizing what was going on. "Oh no! You need water! You haven't been in water for weeks!"

Now, Finn is her top responsibility. If he dies, she is in big trouble. She quickly grabbed him up in a bridal carry and rushed over to the bathtub.

"Hold on tight, boy," she said. "Heaven forbid. Please stay with me, Finn."

The next day…

Finn didn't remember much before he faints. He had been feeling weary due to him trying to work on his own songs in his room. He finds it as his business since the Electro House has been making songs for the Techno Trolls. Every beat, drum and synth is important. Knowing the right tone and keys that suit what he is aiming for. Crafted and detailed unlike any other idiotic and simple song in the world.

However, it became more than just a hobby. It became an addiction. A habit. Something that would even keep him up at night until midnight strike. And because of that, Finn would sometimes forget about the most important things in his life.

For example, getting out of his room.

But he felt a little too shy to talk to Jazzy ever since their argument. He didn't want to be a bother. So, he decided to try to take care of himself. After all, he managed to do fine by himself as a teenager in Techno Reef. Being one of the youngest members of the Electro House and yet one of the most hard-working DJs.

That came with a price, however. Due to his refusal to going outside, he realized that he hadn't been feeling well. He had been becoming more silent than he like himself to be. And he felt everything to become more sluggish than the water. He could barely concentrate when reading a book. He started to shiver, feeling cold despite the summer light. It was hard for him to even move.

And then, he found himself crashing right onto the floor. He had only a few seconds to register the carpet beneath him before he lost conscious.

When he opened his eyes, he felt his body heavy. And really wet. Wait…wet? Was he back in the water?

No. This wasn't like the water he knows. He was breathing in clean water. He didn't have a salty taste in his mouth. Instead, it tasted a little bitter and sweet. And the water was really warm.

Then where is he?

He popped his head out of the water. The room looked different. It was brighter with square tiles decorating the floor and walls. There was steam all over, fogging up the mirror nearby. The smell was really good. It smelled like…flowers? Something sweet. It smelled like honey rose. He recognized that smell from the first few times he went out of the surface years ago.

That was when it hits him. He was in a bathroom. In a bathtub full of soapy water. And his clothes were gone, making him feel awkward.

Right next to the red Swing Troll who was in her panties and bra.

His face flushed up by the sight of the half-naked Jazzy. Finn ducked, but he kept his eyes level with the top cover of the water. He pretended to watch the ripples instead of seeing Jazzy combing her hair and tying it in a neat braid ponytail.

Jazzy saw him watching her, taking a glimpse at the mirror.

"I see that you finally woke up," she said. "Rise and shine, sleepy beauty."

Finn blinked meekly. "Did you bring me in here?"

Jazzy nods, a rather disgusted look on her face.

"Why's that? You…knew that I haven't been in water for that long?"

Jazzy rolled her eyes. "Ergh. It's not like that. I have to take care of you or the landlord would kick me out. I would have just given you to Synth than otherwise."

The Trap Techno Troll looked away. "Why…eh…thanks? How long have I been in here for?"

"It's 8 am now. I placed you in there for 13 hours. Had to change the bathwater 6 times."

"Surprised that you stayed up for this long."

"I took rounds by resting and waking up to check on you. You really smell bad when I got to you."

Finn narrowed his eyes. "I'll take that as a 'compliment'."

Jazzy rubbed her hands together. "Honest question, Electro Ray. What is up with you?! Why did you hide in your room for that long? You could have been dead by last night."

The Trap Techno Troll shrunk a little, his eyes nearly below the water. "I-I'm sorry. I was invested in my own works I forgot to take care of myself properly this time. I just don't want to be a problem to you."

"You were a little silly with being a complete hermit. With no basic resources or proper exercise."

Finn sighed. "Y-Yeah. I'm sorry. I just…feel uncomfortable showing myself to you after our last conversation. It was…almost on nothing. I just had a feeling at times. Something stupid."

Jazzy rubbed her eyes. The Electro Ray she knew wouldn't be like this. Here, sitting a tub filled with water, he was vulnerable and nearly scared. Maybe it was because he knew he nearly died and Jazzy saved him. Whatever is the answer, Jazzy decided to let this be. She isn't going to buzz him about what is bugging him.

"OK then," she said, smiling a little. "I guess so."

Finn nodded, deciding to let himself come out of the water for a while. He pushed his head upwards and placed his arms over the edge.

"So…not that I'm interested," he said. "How did you go with your job?"

"Oh, TrollsTopia hasn't blown up yet so that it is a good thing," said Jazzy as she placed on a jacket. "And none of the tribes called a nuke attack on us yet."

"Right…" said Finn. "The other tribes?"

"I helped Poppy and Branch call the other tribes who live outside the mainland. We took time to know their needs and traditions before we can call them. They heard about what happened, but they are willing to try something new."

"You're inviting bogans to this beer-stained town, aren't you?"

"It's a working progress, but we'll get there. Poppy is mostly nervous about pleasing our guests and Branch is trying to build a complete defense system all around the town! Those two know their edges now. I think they are better leaders than anyone in the world."

"I'm not sure about that," said Finn. "For Poppy that is."

"You doubt Pop that much."

"No," explained Finn, looking down at his black and white arms. "Trollex told me and his friends about his adventure. He said that Poppy got into too many risky choices. I say he enjoyed some of them a little much, but with Poppy, trouble goes around her. Like a dingo chasing a wombat who can run at the speed of light."

Jazzy smirked a little. "Poppy is just insanely happy. Though she mellowed down a little to get to serious business. I think she is trying to be a more responsible and fair queen to everyone. Must be why she is opened to the other tribes."

The Chess Master appeared to be coming a little too close to Finn. Her red jacket hanging on her arms to reveal her chest. The black top she was wearing and the black panties brought out some questionable ideas. He could see her bra which was something MOST TROLLS don't wear. He immediately looked away, wanting to at least respect her body.

"Go put on a shirt or something," he hissed.

"What's wrong with showing some skin?" said Jazzy, consciously turning her skin red. "A little too hot for you."

"Nobody asks you to do that. It's weird with how men look at women in this way."

"Only because it is expected of her," said Jazzy, smiling mockingly.

"You live way back in the 1950s, don't you?"

"It's a style. Not a year. And sort of."

"Then stick to the present and don't come close in THIS outfit."

Jazzy sighs. "Bummer. I was hoping to live your invisible nose bleeding."

"Do so and I will break your nose for a REAL nose bleed."

Jazzy had made the task to clean Finn's black clothes and while the Trap Troll insisted, she already done it. They were all laid out on a nearby table, shinier than ever. Finn admired the shine on the leather vest before placing it on. He looked at the zippers and buttons on the collars; they look more like actual silvers than metals. The gold on his bandanna appeared as if it came from actual gold flakes. The belt's buckle was even shinier and nearly appear to be made from actual gold.

He placed his vest on, but felt a little heavier than usual. Hastily, he wore his fingerless gloves, belt and wrapped the bandanna around his neck. However, it drooped a little to the left.

"Hold on," she said. "Not like that way."

As she started to nitpicking and fixing his bandanna, she started to look at his chest. She spotted his beating red-pink heart. His chest appeared to be well-toned and level despite not being built or bulky. It seemed to be in a good shape. Thin, but nicely shaped. She knew that most male Trolls didn't wear shirts that much, but here, seeing Finn dressed like makes him…so hot.

Finn curled his lips when he saw Jazzy's skin turning red. "Anything wrong?"

The Chess Master quickly shook her head. Now, she saw why Finn didn't want to admire her body.

"N-Nothing," she said. "I was just making sure you don't look that stupid."

Finn tilted his head. "Why does your skin becomes vibrant at times?"

"It's just a common genetic in at least 10 trolls in the sub tribes," said Jazzy, rubbing her hand. "I got that from my father's side."

"At least I will know when you are bloody ticked."

Jazzy rolled her eyes and leaned against the kitchen bench. The two Trolls stared at each other in uncomfortable silence. It wasn't like how they were before. It felt rather strange. They tried to look menacing, but it was noticeably pathetic. Besides, they still felt this tingly sensation. Do they have that much in common for a good connection?

There was something on Jazzy's mind. "Fi-Electro Ray. If it isn't too much pressure, why did you live in Techno Reef by yourself? I know that you want to be independent, but why there? Sub tribes don't usually get close to the main tribes."

Finn sat down on a chair for him to explain properly. "Ever since Trollex became king, he made this system to connect to the other sub genres of Techno. This allowed us to meet others and sort any conflict out. And for hundreds of years, every Techno tribe tried to help each other out on basic resources, services and economy. But Techno Reef was considered to be the mainland. It is the highest-income place of all the Techno land."

"You fit out of that place a lot," points out Jazzy.

"Ouch."

"I-I didn't mean it that way," stuttered Jazzy, flustered. "It's n-n-not my business, but you act differently to the chill and passive Techno Trolls. By Jove, it wouldn't be possible for one Techno Troll to act like such an emo man."

"What? I-I'm not exactly one," said Finn, squeezing on his vest. "I just…like this style. I don't try to hide my hair, my heart and my stripes. I'm not really sure of how 'emo fashion' works."

Jazzy nods. "Right then. Then, maybe it explains that you were known to be the only Trap Techno Troll to live in Techno Lagoon."

That made Finn skip a heartbeat. "What the hell do you know about Trap Techno Trolls?"

"You look like one of them. It is evidential with your black and white armbands, the neon stripes and your darker skin color."

Finn groaned. "One, my 'armbands' are my tattoos. I wasn't born with them."

"Oh, I wonder how Trolls can use tattoo drawing in the water."

"Look, there are other different types of Techno Trolls. There are Future Bass Trolls, Industrial Trolls, Dubstep Trolls, you name it. I serve as their representative of Trap Music and nothing else. What got you so caught up with me being a Trap Troll?"

"You have the same powers as your tribe do," said Jazzy, pointing her cane at him. "And it is a way for you to trap your prey."

Finn shook his head. "I haven't been working on them. It's a little too hard. It takes good aim, degrees and instincts. I lack in them when using my power."

"So you decided not to be trained how to use it."

"It's just that we never been attacked by a predator for 100 years," said Finn, floating up. "We never considered trying to fight back from anything. I thought the same way they do, so…I forgot about it sometimes."

Jazzy wasn't amused. "And yet, you guys failed to protect your string from Queen Barb. You think you all can get away that easy?"

"It was unexpected. It was driven by one Troll. Not a random, mindless shrimp. And we were unprepared for another tribe."

"Solid excuse. Thinking about it, do you think you will use your powers?"

Finn hums, scratching the top of his head. "Well…TrollsTopia is a very safe place. Fair dinkum, no one will try to disrupt this melodic servo, right? So, why need me?"

The red Swing Troll was unable to agree. "I wonder how."

Finn is about to talk, he felt something ringing in his pocket. He took it out to find his phone. The screen presented an image of a familiar red face with purple eyes.

"Kelpivixx?" he thought. "What does he want?"

Jazzy raised her eyebrow, trying to get a closer look.

Finn sweated a little. He was a little nervous of talking to his former comrade after being away. He felt that he shouldn't be included with Jazzy. But he couldn't keep him waiting. And he didn't like having video calls since Finn would often use the lack of facial expressions to help him stay confident when making a phone call.

"Please don't be a video call," he repeatedly thinks. "Please don't be a video call."

He pressed the green button and a mint green glow nearly took over the whole screen.

"Hey, Finn!" said a cheerful, familiar voice. "You're finally up!"

"Oh, good lord," moaned Finn silently.

Jazzy took a look and saw two Techno Trolls. One red and one green. She couldn't see their tail fins to identify their species, but they looked different to the normal Techno Trolls. The green one appeared friendly and energetic, yet laid-back. The red one appeared fierce and hot-headed than Finn. She decided to watch them, knowing that those two were connected with Finn before.

"8-Bit?" said Finn, rolling his shoulders a couple of them. "Kelp? What are you doing?"

"We have been wondering how you have been doing," said Kelpivixx. "We thought you nearly died on the surface. You're not one capable to adjusting to the surface."

Finn rolled his eyes, his flash blushing. "Well, I nearly did. So…"

"Have you been doing alright?" asked 8-Bittowell. "You still look like crab cream wiped on the bottom of dirty seaweed."

"Couldn't be any better. Still new to this multicultural world, but it's mostly glitter and rainbows. I wonder how you can handle that."

Kelpivixx shivered. "That's horrible. Maybe you should go over and take over Synth's role as ambassador. You would make a great leader for the Techno Trolls."

"A job where all I eat is rich food, need to keep changing royalty clothes, attend meetings and stare at mind-numbing papers? Sounds boring."

"You look a little tired today, Finn," asked 8-Bittowell. "Are you well? Things have been a little crazy ever since you left."

"It's Electro Ray, mate," said Finn, but he didn't switch to a face of annoyance. "I fell ill a short while ago, but I'm already recovering. How crazy has it been?"

"We are into a new stage of hiring trainees," said Kelpivixx. "We planned to do the big one this coming holiday, but since we are nearly short on DJs, we made the choice to make another hiring season."

"You called open season, did you?"

"We know that not all DJs are going to being around in Techno Reef," said 8-Bittowell. "We need to find someone who has the same talents as you do for the job."

A red fist smashed into his face.

"Dude!" snarled Kelpivixx. "That ain't helpful!"

"It's fine, mate," said Finn, his voice growing soft. "I know you need a replacement, but I will be fine. Trollex just offered me to find a new place for me to call home. He thinks I should be out more."

"Like chase the girl of your dreams?" asked 8-Bittowell.

"I don't know, man," said Kelpivixx. "You told us before that you were uncomfortable with meeting the other Trolls. I know you don't like hearing me say this…but you just keep claiming that you are different to other people. TOO different. That emphasis on 'too'. That is what stick in my head."

Finn groaned, clearly not happy to hear this. He looked up to see Jazzy watching him with patient eyes. He thought for a moment, remembering how she gave him the nice bath that saved his life.

"Mate," he said, but not keeping his eyes off Jazzy. "I-I'm learning how to talk to other people well…there are some people like me out there. Aren't there?"

The red Swing Troll stared at Finn, surprised. When he said there are some people like him, is he relating to her as well? Does he consider her as a friend? It doesn't seem so, because Finn is only calling those two Techno Trolls 'mates'. However, she still felt the exciting sensation when next to him and he must have felt the same way. The tension was still there, but it seemed to be creating a path to each other.

Finn had been holding the phone for a few seconds in which both Kelpivixx and 8-Bittowell notice Jazzy.

"Huh?" said 8-Bittowell. "Who the heck?"

"Who is that pretty girl next to you?" asked Kelpivixx.

Finn sighed, lifting the phone up properly. "This is Jazzy the Chess Master. A Swing Troll who came over to help Poppy reunite every tribe in the world."

Kelpivixx's eyes widened. "You're that chick who took down one of Techno's most notorious criminals ever."

"Oh, you know that?" asked Jazzy.

"It had been all over the news in Industrial Crater. You were really popular when we heard about you!"

The Chess Master took a second to let this process before smirking. "Finally. The recognition I deserve!"

Finn scoffed. "You still are unknown to the six tribes."

"So, you have been staying with her?" asked 8-Bittowell. "Are you two a couple?"

Both Trolls gasped at that comment. Their faces were flushed in glowing red, embarrassed and outraged.

"WHAT?!" shouted Finn. "NO! She is not my girlfriend."

"I'm DEFINITELY not your girlfriend!" agreed Jazzy.

"Just messing with you two," teased 8-Bittowell. "So Jazz Hands, you have been Finn's roommate? Was that a trouble for you?"

"Oh, it's nothing too bad," said Jazzy, glaring at Finn. "He refused to pay half of the house bills and locked himself up and didn't go anywhere like a hobo!"

"What?" said Finn. "I can't have my peace and quiet?"

"You can't stay cooped up in your tiny room for too long. It's not rented."

"I'm seeing the chemistry here!" laughs Kelpivixx while his green companion snickered. "I bet that there is a lot going on in your brains!"

Jazzy and Finn gritted their teeth, clenching to stop the fire slowly reaching their mouths.

"Oh! I'm seeing it. Gears are turning? Now they are malfunctioning!"

Jazzy's eye twitched Finn's ear twitched.

"Baby, you're all going down!"

"God," snarled Finn to himself. "I hate you."

"It's just a joke, bro," said 8-Bittowell. "Don't get so angry all the time."

That, Finn took it as an offense. "Oi! I'm not angry!"

"You always bring your temper wherever you go."

"That's not true." Finn tried to ignore Jazzy's blank stare. "I'm a regular, normal Techno Troll who is only capable of feeling chillness and freezing eskies and cold beers."

"But once, you punched Galantis when he accidentally pushed you into the paintball fight that we were waiting for our turn. That moment stole the show."

"What?" said Jazzy, invested. "Really?"

"It wasn't pretty at the end," said Kelpivixx, clearly trying to not to laugh. "When Finn punched, it also hurt his fist that he started to scream like a girl! He's not exactly a fighter man."

Jazzy placed a hand over her mouth, coming up with a mental image of Finn screaming. But replacing it with a goat screaming. Finn, of course, wasn't amused by this.

"You know what? I love this gentleman!" teased Jazzy giddily. "He has rage issues."

"I DON'T HAVE RAGE ISSUES!" roared Finn, getting up into her face.

The Chess Master looked back at the phone with a grin and pointing at Finn as if he was the weird one.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Kelpivixx. "Cute. Oh, look at the time! We got a meeting with one of our new trainees. Got to go now!"

"See you later, dude!" said 8-Bittowell, waving.

Finn sighed, rubbing his face in an attempt to calm down. "Goodbye, mates."

With that, the video call ended before he pressed the red button. Jazzy frowned a little, disappointed that the call was rather short. She was hoping that she could see more of his interactions with his 'friends'. It was interesting to see as Finn appeared lonesome most of the time. Maybe he had a few friends he know back at Techno Reef. But the concerning thing is on his purpose of coming to TrollsTopia.

KNOCK! SKKKRRR! "YOW!" KNOCK! SKKKRRR! "YOW!" KNOCK! SKKKRRR! "YOW!"

Finn screamed when the door started banging. He hid behind the kitchen bench as the two of them hear the loud guitar shredding and Val's voice screaming in a high note. Jazzy raised an eyebrow, glancing at Finn and then back at the door. The Trap Techno Troll lifted his head, looking at the now-still door.

"I-I-I-Is this normal?" he said, noticing how Jazzy barely flinch.

"No," she said. "Usually, the Rock mailman would come over to do his special knocking on Wednesdays."

"Sorry for hiding like this. Still not used to that kind of loud noise."

Jazzy shrugged as she headed towards the door. Opening it, she was met with a lightning bolt, produced by Val's wicked guitar solo.

The red Swing Troll went flying and straight at the chandelier. She bounced off, crashing on the floor. And then, the chandelier fell onto her.

CLONK!

"OOF!"

Finn growled. While it didn't kill Jazzy, it did mean that they now must pay for that chandelier if they want to hang it back up. Holding onto his twitching ears, he flew towards Val who was too into her own guitar solo. When close to the 'singing' Rock Troll, he snatched her guitar and smash it to the ground.

Val stared wide-eyed at the fuming Trap Techno Troll, gripping onto the now-orphaned neck. A smile broke out due to seeing how hard he slams it.

"Dude!" she said. "You got some good strength!"

"I did it to shut you up," snarled Finn.

"OK then. Hi, by the way, Finn."

"It's Electro Ray."

"I'm in excruciating pain right now," grumbled Jazzy, managing to drag herself underneath the chandelier. "None of you bother to come over to check on me."

Finn rolled his eyes. "What do you want, Thundershock?"

"The only way to know anything is to go to it!" said Val. "I am actually planning to run a rocking party at Rock Hallow and I'm wondering if you two can join along."

Both Trolls were unsurprisingly uninterested in this. They shared jaded glances before looking back at the rowdy Rock ambassador.

"Ah," excused Finn, crossing his arms. "No thank you. Not a people person."

"What could you want with us?" said Jazzy. "We were minding our own business, ma'am. Did Poppy forced you to invite us to a party?"

"Why yes," said Val simply.

"And you went along with that?" asked Finn.

"I want to see how you two go along with the Rock Trolls. It will be so much fun! It's a special party for the greatest Rock artists and bands in TrollsTopia. I can give you special access."

Jazzy placed her hands on her hips. "Look, we went there once and we didn't really like you. You freaked Mister Okazaki and you nearly made me fall over."

"But did I mess with your hair?" points out Val cheekily.

"You did, but who cares about that? We don't think we mix well with the traditional loud Rock Music."

"Don't worry," said Val, though she was actually lying. "We will be exploring through so many genres, including the soft Rock 'N Roll, Pop Rock, blah, blah, blah. I made sure that the party will be safe for everyone. No scratches, no bites, no scars."

Finn bit his lip, turning to Jazzy. "I don't like this. I say we scram and tell her to go away now before she blazes again."

"This might take a while to do so," said Jazzy, rubbing her hat. "Poppy keeps nagging me to come to her parties that aren't formal or have any purpose for me. She isn't going stop now and she would tell her friends to drag us there."

"Don't sweat it, Jazz. It's not like she can fire you for not coming over to parties."

"You know that I am standing right here, right?" deadpanned Val.

But Jazzy and Finn ignored her.

"Then would you rather have Synth banging on your door with bright lights and a shiny disco ball?" asked Jazzy.

Finn blinked, thinking for a while. "Touché. Do you think she means it that they will go through every genre of Rock? Including the boring and old ones?"

Jazzy shrugged. "It's a possibility. I've heard a lot of softer Rock genres around the world. Maybe some of them you will like."

"Why not? I was hoping there would be at least one song that isn't so ear-piercing."

"I don't think I wouldn't include that," admitted Val to herself.

The two Trolls faced back to her, finally settled with an agreement.

"OK then, Val," said Jazzy. "As long as this isn't a 'listen-till-ya-ears-bleed' conference, it does sound like fun. And…we don't really have that much tonight. Poppy doesn't need my help tonight, so I am free."

"Excellent!" shouted Val. She took out two tickets and placed them right into Jazzy's hat and Finn's hair. "Here are your access tickets. You need them to get inside the party!"

"I thought you were going to give us pop-up cards," said Finn. "With glitter."

"Nah, that's Poppy's chore. Not mine. See you there, Rockers! Make sure to look like a billion dollars!"

"If we get the money," muttered Finn.

Val was already off, but she quickly shouted back at them as she jumped off the balcony.

"Bye, Chess Master! Bye, Finn!"

The Trap Techno Troll growled once again of being called his original name than his referred nickname. He shook his head as he stuffed the ticket further into his hair.

"How come you get to have your name properly and officially known?" he complained.

Jazzy looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean? I'm just a bounty hunter."

"But people respect your nickname and call you that. How come 'Electro Ray' never enters anybody's dense head?"

Jazzy leaned close to Finn, nearly robotically. "Because I'm the 'Chess Master'. I trained myself for the hardest challenges, survive every impossible danger and I'm an unstoppable force who will go on non-stop until I get what I want. And yet, I do this with patience and accordance to plan like the corrupted host of a game. That is what got me to earn the title. It was them, not me."

Finn wasn't fazed by the slightest. "You're saying that me coming up with my name doesn't matter?"

"No. Does 'Electro Ray' means anything? What does it exactly mean because you don't look so 'electric'?"

Finn blinked, dumbfounded.

"Or the case that everybody in the Techno tribe are electro, you consider to be the only futuristic one even though you don't have the right clothing?"

Jazzy adjusted her fedora a little.

"And what about your music? Is it meaningful in the Trap industry?"

Finn found himself to be completely stumped. He tried to come up with a snippy comment, but he paused to consider.

"I just find it cool when my father called me that when I was little," he mumbled.

"Think more on nursery names before making them your moniker," said Jazzy.

"Do you like your nickname?" asked Finn.

Jazzy frowned, shaking her head. "Not really. It took my time to get used to it, but it sounds really easy. Simple. I don't exactly want to be called the 'Chess Master' all the time. I just want to be me."

Finn was surprised to hear about this. Beneath all that ego and confidence, Jazzy didn't want that much attention and wanted to live by her own ideas instead of being a name she might consider false. Or trying to live up to it for that matter, seeing how she was a professional bounty hunter. In a world where everyone doesn't have their own official nickname, it became ironic with how Jazzy wasn't always referred to her birth name.

The Trap Techno Troll rubbed his hands. He felt uncomfortable saying this, but he thought of trying to make Jazzy feel better since she actually didn't like her nickname.

"Then I won't call you by that," he blurted out.

Jazzy stared at him for a while. An actual compliment from the reclusive hermit. A smile formed on her face.

"Thanks, mate," she said. "You're a peach."

AN: So with the two trolls calming down a little, they seem to have a mutual agreement and a sort of respect. Let's see how they will handle being at Val's party in the next chapter. :3

At first, I planned to have Poppy even listening to Jazzy about her past and her concern. However, I feel that it should be only Branch who should listen since he is probably the most understanding of the Pop Royal Duo. Branch is more of a relatable person and understands that Finn is acting so reclusive.

The part where Finn wakes up in the bathtub is based on a scene in the animated film 'Batman and Harley Quinn' and the Sonic the Hedgehog fanfic story 'I'm Not Weak' by LuigiWife1551. You can tell that Jazzy is really shameless in showing some skin and gets too close to Finn's comfort zone.

Finn snapping at Jazzy for saying he has rage issues is a reference to 'Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey'.

And here, we even get to see why Finn chose his nickname 'Electro Ray'...because he thinks it is cool but doesn't think why it would be a cool name. Jazzy's alias is more explanatory, but she doesn't seem to enjoy living up to that title. The reasons why for this will be explored soon at the end where you will see how the bounty hunter alias is eating Jazzy alive.

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!