"FIRE!"

On the Captain's command, the Chanty Trolls opened fire on Volcano Rock City with their cannons, causing many of the Rock Trolls to either flight in panic or fight in desperation. Those who were accustomed to fighting back immediately went for their assault rifles and opened fire on the ship. Those were not decided to lead the other civilians down to their underground shelters and resorted to using indirect combat tactics to assist their more soldier-like Trolls.

("Back In Black" by AC/DC) [Continuation]

Mal Shredder arrived first and witnessed the destruction of her home firsthand, prompting her to open fire with her M249 SAW at the ship, damaging its right side and hitting many a crewmember in the process. The Rock Trolls took notice and cheered her on, prompting her to merely flash a small smile as she emptied the magazine into the vessel. As much as she appreciated the attention and the opportunity to get back into the action, she had a job to do, as did the Rock Trolls, and that was to defend their home from hostile outside forces.

Petra joined Mal and the rest of the Rock Trolls soon after and opened fire with a M4A1 Carbine handed to her, but not before she handed off Grace to Melody. Lowering her rifle after releasing a short burst of fire, she glanced around before turning back to Mal.

"We need bigger firepower, Aunt Mal!"

"I agree. Man the big guns!"

The Rock Trolls set up a sextet of Browning M2HB machine guns at Mal's command and opened fire on the ship, causing most of the crewmembers to take cover and some to return the favor.

"Impressive..." The Pirate Captain murmured underneath her breath as she witnessed the chaotic carnage unfold, "Most impressive..."

"Umm, Captain...?" Benjamin winced as he watched from her side, "Don't you think this is a little...overkill?"

"Of course not, Benny," The Captain shook her head, "The Chanty Trolls are invading Volcano Rock City, and the Rock Trolls are merely defending their territory. They're responding in kind."

"Is that supposed to be a good thing?"

"Of course. Some of the Rock Trolls may be born soldiers when I recruit them. Besides...nobody is getting seriously injured."

"Six machine guns seemingly beg to differ, Captain."

"Like I said...they're responding in kind."

Back on the ground, Mal reloaded her M249 as she turned to Melody.

"You need to leave! Now!"

"I can't just leave you here, Mom!"

"Yes, you can, Melody! I can handle this!"

Case in point, Mal scored a headshot on one of the Chanty Trolls, much to the surprise of the surrounding group.

"Still got it..." Mal briefly smirked before frowning again, "Melody, I'll be fine. If the Party Crashers and the Chanty Trolls are working together, then there's no telling what they'll do and which tribe they'll wreak havoc towards next. Head west toward Latin City and then north...toward Dragon Hollow."

"Dragon Hollow?" Melody blinked in bewilderment, "But I thought that place was a myth..."

"Oh, it is...to non-believers. Those who do believe will find the kingdom hidden in the most unlikeliest of places. And then...head further north to the home of the Celtic Rock Trolls. That is where you'll find the last Magical Musical Troll. "

Remembering what Melody's mother said, DJ and Trollex exchanged uncertain glances regardless.

"What about you?"

"I'll give you time to escape. Petra, go with them."

"Yes, ma'am!" Petra reloaded her carbine as Mal smiled sadly at her daughter.

"You are one of my greatest love, Melody. Be careful, my sweetheart..."

Hesitant to leave her mother behind again, Melody nonetheless nodded in compliance, "I will. Goodbye, Mom..."

"Goodbye, Melody..." Mal tearfully hugged Melody, the both of them reluctantly pulling away, "Now go..."

Mal turned back to open fire at the ship, which saw its crewmembers descend from the dock.

"Follow me!" Petra led the group to the emergency exit, Melody still carrying Grace.

From afar, Billy spotted the group and turned to his bandmates with a bashful smile.

"Sorry, boys. It would seem that duty calls."

"Go get her, boss..." The back-up guitarist, Robert, smirked as the drummer, Paul, shooked his head.

"We'll take care of business from here!" The bass guitarist, Axel, flashed him a thumbs up before performing another song to go with the fight outside.

("Taking Care Of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive)

The Rock Trolls cheered them on and fought harder than they could, putting up more of an effort than the Chanty Trolls expected. Billy rolled his eyes at the song choice ("Of couse they would play this one...") before slinging the backpack containing his belongings over his shoulders.

[Verse 1: Robert]
You get up every morning from your alarm clock's warning

Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above and people pushin', people shovin'
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train's on time, you can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed, look at me I'm self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day

The Rock Trolls, Bad Hair Day themselves included, then sang the chorus while punching, kicking, and slamming the Chanty Trolls to the beat.

[Chorus: All]
And I'll be taking care of business (Every day)

Taking care of business (Every way)
I've been taking care of business (It's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime, work out

"Petra, where are we going?" Melody called to the momentary group leader.

"This way! Hurry!" Petra called back.

[Guitar Solo: Robert & Axel]

As a group of Chanty Trolls took notice and chased after them, Billy pursued them in return and proceeded to pummel them to prevent them from following them further. Taking up their weapons and such, he then continued onward as he faintly heard Paul sing the second verse.

[Verse 2: Paul]
If it were easy as fishin' you could be a musician

If you could make sounds loud or mellow
Get a second-hand guitar, chances are you'll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows
People see you having fun just a-lying in the sun
Tell them that you like it this way
It's the work that we avoid, and we're all self-employed
We love to work at nothing all day

The Rock Trolls, Bad Hair Day themselves included, then sang the chorus once again while punching, kicking, and slamming the Chanty Trolls to the beat.

[Chorus: All]
And we be taking care of business (Every day)

Taking care of business (Every way)
We be been taking care of business (It's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime, Funky

"Pardon the too many twists and turns in the tunnels!" Petra shouted over her shoulder, "It's to keep intruders disoriented!"

"No worries!" Trollex called back while holding back the urge to retch and instead pulling out a water bottle to chug down.

[Guitar Solo 2: Robert & Axel]

It was at the point that Billy caught up with them and provided back-up for said intruders.

"Honey!" Billy ran by Petra's side.

"Sweetie!" Petra ran by Billy's side.

Then Petra's suspicions were arised.

"Wait, how do I know it's actually you and not some Party Crasher in disguise?"

"Well, you and I are the only ones who know that we both lost our viginities in a Port-A-Porty outside the city, which is how we conceived Grace."

"And now, all fifteen of us are the only ones who know you both lost your virginities in a Port-A-Porty outside the city, which is how you both conceived Grace," Melody noted with disgust, "Something we absolutely did not to know about in the slightest."

Billy then took notice of the crowd running behind him and Petra, all of whom donned similar looks of weirded-out appallment on their faces, "Oh, I didn't notice we had an audience here. Sorry, everyone! My bad..."

"Like Trollex said, no worries..." DJ shook her head, "One of my friends has a Party Crasher as a boyfriend."

"Oh! So you know Archer then!" Billy perked up at the news.

[Bridge: Axel]
Mercy!

Whoo!
All right! (I love it!)
Take good care of my business

When I'm away, every day
Whoo!

"Wait, you know Archer?" CJ's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Know him? I mentored him!" Billy excitedly explained, "Ever since he defected from the Party Crashers, he sought guidance from the Rock Trolls, given that they were the Tribe whose lifestyle closely resembled that of theirs. At first, I gave part-time jobs to slowly integrate him into the society, but now, he's like a little brother to me. I actually met his ladyfriend during one of my tours; she's a sweet girl, of course."

"Incoming!" Petra instructed the group to duck just as a pair of Chanty Trolls leaped over them, their attempt of ambushing the group from behind failing miserably. The Chanty Trolls were both subsequently fought and knocked out by her and Billy as Robert sung the third and final verse...which was essentially a repeat of the first verse.

[Verse 3: Robert]
They get up every morning from their alarm clock's warning

Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above and people pushin', people shovin'
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train's on time, you can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed, look at me; I'm self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day

The Rock Trolls, Bad Hair Day themselves included, then sang the chorus once more while punching, kicking, and slamming the Chanty Trolls to the beat.

[Chorus: All]
And I be taking care of business (Every day)

Taking care of business (Every way)
I've been taking care of business (It's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime, take care

From high above her ship, the Pirate Captain smirked in admiration at the Rock Trolls.

"Alright. Pull 'em back."

The crew looked at their Captain in surprise.

"Captain?"

"Did I stutter? Pull 'em back now."

Benjamin was the only one who complied directly, "The Captain wishes for the crew to retreat and...head back to the ship and await further instructions."

Hearing this, the Chanty Trolls did just that while the Rock Trolls cheered in celebration and sang the outro with Bad Hair Day.

[Outro 1: All]
Takin' care of business, whoo

Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business (Every day)
Takin' care of business (Every way)
Takin' care of business (It's all mine)
Takin' care of business and working overtime, whoo

From down below her stage, Mal watched the Pirate Captain leap down from the side of her ship and fire a grappling hook that she swung her way to her. A small group of Rock Trolls took notice and aimed their weapons at her, prompting a small group of retreating Chanty Trolls to turn back and aim their weapons at them.

The two Trolls wordlessly motioned the others to stand down, preferring to keep the discussion civil...for now.

[Outro 2: All]
Takin' care of business...

Takin' care of business...
We be takin' care of business
We be takin' care of business
Takin' care of business...
Takin' care of business...
Takin' care of business...

"Good evening," The Captain started first with a smile, "I wish to speak to your superior."

"You already are," Mal came second with a grin, "The name's Shredder. Mallory Shredder. And to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Forgiving for intruding on your territory, and on such short notice to boot. My associates call me Captain, my friends call me Blue."

"Well... Captain Blue... What is the reasoning behind your such short-notice visit?"

"My reasoning could've not been more obvious. I wish to see your String."

"To steal it?"

"To borrow it...with permission, of course."

"And I suppose my attempt at stalling you involving a history lesson won't do me or my fellow Trolls a whole lot of good?"

"You suppose correctly."

"Well... I am currently in possession of all of the Six Strings...but not in the position that you desire."

"Are they damaged?"

"Beyond repair."

Mal then pulled Barb's still damaged guitar that housed the still damaged six Strings from her hair and produced it to Captain Blue, whose eyes widened in surprise and devastation as she gently took the instrument and examined it carefully.

"It's not possible."

"Not probable, dear. But alas, the day the Tribes found peace was also the day the Music was lost...or so we thought."

"Who was responsible for this...treachery?"

Mal could see fury gleam in Captain Blue's eyes and decided to ease the tension.

"If I told you the truth, you would not believe me."

"Try me..."

. . .

"It was Queen Poppy. She came to the conclusion that the Strings were the main cause of the Tribes' separation, far more likely to do harm than inspire good. She destroyed the Strings and immediately died in the process."

Even if she had her own doubts to voice, Captain Blue listened to every word Mal had said.

"Died? By the power of the Strings?"

"For a brief moment. Then she was resurrected as a reward, it would seem."

"And the Music?"

"Resurrected alongside her, of course. And we did not require the usage of the Strings to obtain it to begin with."

Taking every word spoken by Mal into account, Captain Blue had only one takeaway from it.

"I lost...to a Pop Troll..."

"Well, it could have been far worse, dear."

"Worse? How could this be...probably far worse?"

"It could have been...someone other than a Pop Troll, let alone an actual Troll."

The Captain rolled her eyes at Mal's comment.

"Perhaps... Although...perhaps we can arrange a deal."

"Whatever deal you have planned out, it should not involve the Rock Trolls in any shape or form."

"And it shall not. Just you, Miss Shredder, since you seem content on giving me a history lesson on the Strings' destruction. If history has taught me, it's that power cannot be created or destroyed, but instead tranformed or transferred from one form to another. As such, my task for you is quite simple: find Queen Poppy or, at the very least, a small trace of her."

"No added threat against my people?"

"Killing your people will get me nowhere except a coffin or a ditch. I learned that lesson the hard way. I do expect your full cooperation when working alongside us."

"Cooperation you will get, but not entirely."

Mal and Captain Blue exchanging nods of acknowledgement before the former glanced around, taking notice of the heavy damage Volcano Rock City took in the battle.

"And what will happen to my people in the meantime?"

"My ship can grow in size with every Troll who is a guest," The latter reassured her, "In the case of a severe emergency, it can house up to two billion Trolls: families, close relatives, loved ones, and even their pets. I will make sure the crew becomes aware of the temporary accommodations. Your people will be safe...for now."

Mal knitted her eyebrows in suspicion at Captain Blue, but even she was impressed by that level of technological innovation.

The Captain took a few pages out of the book of the Funk Trolls, it would seem...

"For now..."

Motioning Axel, Paul, and Robert to gather the remaining half of the Rock Trolls and prepare them for the temporary travels ahead, Mal then walked beside Captain Blue and eyed her from head to toe. Her facial expressions and body language gave away the impression that she was not entirely comfortable with the events that had occurred, but she had no chance in allowing them to happen. A troubled young soul, one stemmed from the problems of the past that prevented her from pinpointing the panaceas of the present. Whatever had happened then was affecting her now.

Much like Melody...

Her thoughts now trailing to her daughter, Mal hoped and prayed that Melody would succeed in her mission.

My greatest love...please be careful...

. . .

Always be careful...

. . .

Save the Kingdom...


Branch spared a passing glance at the young Troll being tended to by the Bounty Hunters as Hickory, Tresillo, and Wani explained the sudden presence of the two Trolls and the Party Crashers. Two new concerns plagued his mind aside from his growing worry over Poppy's disappearance: Whether or not the Party Crashers were now hunting for potential child slaves and the prior whereabouts of the two Trolls themselves, one of which was incredibly armed and dangerous as she demonstrated her prowess in the form of a Party Crasher massacre. He also made a note of the older Troll's cybernetic left arm instead of a prosthetic like Melody's right leg.

What the hell was going on in the months between?

"So...Flutterina. You know her."

"Yeah," Hickory explained to Branch, "A simple favor back in the day. Before I met you and Miss Poppy and after I met Miss Dawn. A Prince hired me to retrieve a group of Trollings from a trafficking group, though I'm unsure if they and the one the Party Crashers formed are one and the same or they're working together."

"Were they wearing some sort of disguise?" Tresillo inquired, "¿Por todo?"

"If they were, then they had to be damn good at it. Most of the traffickers I unmasked...were from the main six Troll Tribes."

Branch, Tresillo, and Wani shot him looks of shock and appallment before Hickory continued.

"Pop, Rock, Country, Classical, Funk, Techno... I was fully aware of the existence of the main Troll Tribes and what they were capable of when I accepted the job...but even I was unaware of how heartless some of their members would be..."

"Was..." Wani gulped down bile and drew a breath, "Was Flutterina a part of that group? The Trollings?"

"No...but she knew at that moment that the real world was cruel. Ruthless. Unforgiving..."

Branch and Hickory exchanged looks of acknowledgement. The former truly knew what the latter meant by that statement. While the hatchet had been buried between the Trolls and the Bergens, he unknowingly made it a habit to keep his distance from them, even when King Gristle and Queen Bridget made their best efforts to repent for the crimes committed. He never did blame them, though, for the deaths of the Trolls in the past. He blamed Chef...who he should have killed when he had the chance.

"It's not your fault, Hickory."

"I want to keep telling myself that, Branch...but I can't. For Flutterina's sake..."

Nodding in understanding, Branch continued leading the group back to the bunker.


Traveling from one side of the city to another, the Latin City Grand Council led Poppy's group to the town, where a relatively large two-story library stood alone, albeit with small cottages surrounding it. The library was colored dark red with a yellow rooftop and a brick chimney on the right; a water mill was constructed right beside the building as it was connected to the house.

Entering inside and taking a right, the wood walls were smooth and chocolate brown. A spiral staircase was to their left as it lead upward to the second floor, where books labeled N to Z were placed; the books labeled A to M were placed on the first floor. At the end of the room was a fireplace that the chimney outside served as the vent for. The room itself was strategically dimmed so certain areas were made visible by the fireplace and other areas were rendered invisible.

"Okay..." Will wrinkled his nose as he glanced around with the others, never minding the surprisingly satisfying smell, "This is absolutely not creepy in the slightest..."

"See what I mean?" Diego snarked.

"Oh, be nice, you two," Maria was perfectly willing to give this mysterious Paul the benefit of the doubt, "Appearances can be very deceiving..."

"Except when they're not," Josh was perfectly unwilling to touch anything lest a rigged trap was activated.

"Let's try to focus, guys," Sam observed his surroundings, "For the sake of both James and Lucy."

"Oh, don't you bring them into this now," Amy groaned as both Lucy and James themselves exchanged acknowledging smirks and eye rolls.

"여러분 모두는 ..." Tessa muttered under her breath, "바보. 그게 내가 말할 거야 전부입니다 ..."

POOF!

Suddenly, a puff cloud of blue-and-gold smoke materialized out of thin air, prompting the Lost Trolls to draw their weapons and shield the Latin City Grand Council and the Tribe Leaders, including Queen Poppy.

"Relax, young ones," Queen Ophelia commanded the group to lower their weapons, "This is simply Paul's way of an introduction."

"Indeed it is!" A young voice echoed throughout the library, "Who is lucky enough to be summoned in the presence of the powerful and proficient Paul?"

"Ugh," Diogo groaned, "Just because it's alliterative doesn't mean it's absolutely amazing..."

"Hey! You try actualizing alliterations for added appeal, Diego! It's surprisingly strenuous and particularly problematic!"

"Well, I think that was ultimately uncomplicated," Poppy smiled as she stepped out from behind Peony to give her own opinion on the minor matter, "You, sir, are practically perfect in thorough terms of power and proficiency."

"Why, thank you, little miss!" Paul was tenderly touched by the complimentary courtesy, "At least someone appreciates my alliterations..."

"Yes, yes..." Diego waved him off, "Now can you help us or not?"

"Have I failed you in the past, amigo?"

"Oddly, yes. On numerous occasions."

"But did I come through in the end?"

. . .

"Oddly, yes. On numerous occasions."

"Don't worry, dear friend. You don't have to put your trust in me, but you do have to put your trust in Latin City and its place as a safe haven. For all Trolls of kind..."

"Well, I for one hope to see the fantasy become a reality, young Paul," Queen Peony made her presence known, causing Paul to momentarily lose control of his powers and reveal his true form...which promptly fell face-first into the ground. Diego was right; Paul was a young Troll, around Poppy's age to be specific. His skin complexion was a darker shade of orange, his eyes were hazel, and his hair was dark red, possibly crimson. His main outfit consisted of a long, hooded maroon red robe.

"Queen Peony?!" Paul backpedaled in alarm at the sight of Peony before glancing toward Poppy...and then back at Peony...and then back at Poppy again, "And...mini Queen Peony?"

"Young Paul, this is my daughter, Queen Poppy," Peony introduced Poppy, who offered a curtsy to a stunned Paul, "She's experienced quite the power incontinence for some time and has required your assistance. You are a Wizard?"

"But of course!" Paul perked up, "The High Queen of the Space Between has requested my reinforcement! Queen Peony, I am your Wizard!"

"Really?" Amy raised an eyebrow, "That's all it took to get your attention?"

"Well, to be fair," Paul shrugged, "You had my curiosity long before you lot got here. But after hearing the true reasoning behind your visit, my attention was attached. Now come! Let us make haste!"

"Where are we going?" Poppy was the first to follow Paul.

"To my secret lab! The place of all my magic! All my research! All my brainstorming!"

The group followed Paul downstairs to a basement-like laboratory, which came equipped with much of the equipment you would normally find in a normal laboratory. Much of the equipment included but not limited to test tubes, test tube racks, flasks, beakers, stopwatches, stethoscopes, magnifying glasses, microscopes, and a very large telescope. It also contained much of the equipment a Wizard would use: books (of course), scrolls, magical artifacts, a crystal ball, and a Wizard's hat.

A few feet from where they entered, another young Troll around Poppy and Paul's ages, this time female, was cleaning the furniture including the aforementioned crystal ball. She was the lighter shade of orange than Diego and Paul, in addition to having amber eyes and dark-brown hair tied into a ponytail. Her main outfit consisted of a dark red long-sleeve overskirt dress with a brown leather gold-buckle belt and matching boots.

"Queen Peony!" The female Troll placed down the feather duster and kneeled down in respect, "What brings you to Latin City? And the rest of the Tribe Leaders? I mean, not that it's a bad thing, of course..."

"Rise, young one," Peony chuckled in amusement, "We are here because we require the assistance of your friend Paul. My daughter has been suffering from Glitches as of late due to experiencing the securing of a great power."

As if on cue, Poppy began Glitching before remembering what her mother instructed her to do. Closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, the Glitches began to gradually decrease, even if the few jolts were still quite painful.

"Well, by the looks of it..." Paul observed Poppy from head to toe, "Relaxation does wonders for Queen Poppy's dilemma. Where did she acquire this great power?"

"From the Six Strings," Peony replied, "We believe that when she destroyed them, the powers were transferred to her."

Paul and his female companion were taken aback by the explanation offered to them by Queen Peony, who still maintained her calm and collected composure regardless.

"Well..." Paul nervously smiled, "We should probably get started. Anna?"

The female Troll, now known as Anna, nodded in compliance as she twirled her index finger, which began to glow cyan blue. Her magic helped levitate 30 plus chairs over to the center of the library while simultaneously and carefully moving any furniture and equipment out of the way. A recliner and a loveseat were placed in front of the 30 plus chairs to give off the impression that the three of them (Poppy, Paul, and Ana) were the main attraction and the Tribe Leaders were the audience.

"Please take a seat," Anna gestured to Poppy, who glanced between the recliner and the loveseat, "Oh, and you can choose either one."

Poppy nodded in understanding and chose the recliner out of the fact that Paul and Anna would need the loveseat, better suited for two people.

"Okay, Queen Poppy," Paul produced two notepads and two pens for him and Anna to use, "We're gonna start by asking a few simple questions before we can work on your abilities. And depending on how you answer them, we can get through this quickly, okay?"

Poppy nodded again and straightened up as Paul and Anna prepared the questions for answering.

. . .

"So...how do you feel?"

. . .

"A little better than a few days ago...if a little overwhelmed still."

. . .

"Why do you feel overwhelmed still?"

. . .

"I guess...I've been balancing my duties as a Queen to my people and a friend to my loved ones. And I didn't know that many of the Trolls Tribes besides the ones in Troll Village existed until recently, so I wanted to unite them under one musical genre. But...things went wrong. Horribly wrong."

. . .

"How so?"

. . .

"Queen Barb...my new best friend...wanted to unite the Troll Kingdom under one music as well...by converting non-Rock Trolls into Rock Zombies. We both had our different ways of uniting the Troll Tribes that we failed to realize that what were doing was...wrong. Horribly wrong. It wasn't until my group traveled to Vibe City that I finally realized something."

. . .

"What was it?"

. . .

"Differences matter, and denying them was denying the truth of who we were. With that in mind, I also realized that as along as the Strings continued to exist, so would a Troll who would use them for their own desires. That's why..."

. . .

"You destroyed the Strings."

. . .

"I was told by King Trollex that there was a high possibility that I would not survive, but I had to. That's how I ended up here...in the Space Between. It still doesn't change the fact that I died...or that I failed to protect my friends who were turned into Rock Zombies. I failed as a Leader...as a Queen...and a Troll."

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Do you feel like...it's your fault?"

. . .

"Without a doubt."

. . .

. . .

. . .

"That's good, then."

. . .

"What? How...?"

. . .

"Admitting one's own mistakes is considered the first step to recovery. Yes, you will make mistakes when in such a prestigious position. Take me for example. I was not yet the High Wizard you see and perceive me as when you arrived in Latin City. I was simply a young aspiring sorcerer turned apprentice for the former High Wizard Radius. He taught me how to turn the mistakes I made into the lessons I learned. I would fall, I would stumble, I would hit a few snags here and there. But in time... He and I both knew that I would be capable of great things one day. And the same applies to you."

. . .

"You think so?"

. . .

"I know so."

. . .

Poppy took a moment to contemplate before nodding.

He's right. We're only Trolls...


. . .

. . .

. . .

BANG!

. . .

BANG!

. . .

BANG!

Zoe fired her Winchester Model 70 at her targets, peering down the scope to see if she scored a hit or two. She did, but it was not direct or indirect.

Grunting in frustration, the Folk Rock Troll reloaded the rifle with four .30-06 Springfield bullets, worked the bolt, and took aim again. This time, she recalled the training tips by her father:

"First, you find your steady position..."

. . .

"Second, you hold the handgrip in your trigger hand..."

. . .

"Third, you balance the stock in your supporting hand..."

. . .

"Fourth, you pull the butt of the rifle into the pocket of your shoulder..."

. . .

"Fifth, you drop your cheek to the rifle..."

. . .

"And sixth, you align the rifle sight..."

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Then, when preparing to shoot, you control your breathing..."

. . .

"Next, you switch off the safety..."

. . .

"Finally, you squeeze the trigger..."

. . .

"And follow through with the shot..."

. . .

. . .

. . .

BANG!

. . .

BANG!

. . .

BANG!

Releasing a long-held breath, Zoe peered through the scope and smirked in satisfaction at the results. Before she could take the time to celebrate, though, a loud horn blared throughout the kingdom, producing a ghost-like wail in the process. She recognized this horn as the Dord, the preferred musical instrument to the predecessors of the Celtic Rock Trolls, the Irish Rock Trolls. The Dord was chosen to signify a New Arrival, either friendly or unfriendly. In any case, a New Arrival meant a new dilemma, something Zoe was both prepared and ill-prepared to face.

Taking up her Winchester and slunging it over her shoulder, Zoe broke into a sprint as she made her way to the heart of the Kingdom. At the same time, many citizens and soldiers had gotten a head start, all of whom were excited and cautious about the New Arrival. The late arrivals peered through or over the growing crowd to see who would the New Arrival or Arrivals would be. Of course, this would be all easy if the land was not surrounded by thick and murky fog. The same disadvantage applied to the Celtic Rock Royal Guards, who took up positions with their Heckler & Koch G36C carbines from behind the castle walls.

Inside the castle, King Eric donned a black gambeson with a pair of navy blue trousers, brown boots, and a bulletproof vest for additional safety. His eyes were royal blue, his hair was light brown, and his skin complexion was dark red, possibly crimson. He wore a diamond necklace with a pendant consisting of three interlocking circles, giving off the visual of a triangle. Not only did this simple piece of jewelry was the main giveaway that he was the ruler, but also provided the land with much wealth and protection than gold, silver, or even bronze.

Plus, it made him look classy.

"King Eric, there has not been a New Arrival in a century," One of the King's aides, a soft-spoken male by the name of Aidan, walked nervously beside him as his blue wool coat swished, "How high are the possibilities that this new arrival is simply a hostile planning an ambush, or worse, a precursor to a larger attack?"

"High enough to take the necessary precautions to prevent it from escalating further or, better yet, happening at all," Eric loaded his personal sidearm, a SIG-Sauer P226R, before holstering it, "Even so, they are visitors. The very least we can do until we learn the true reason of their arrival is offer our hospitality."

"Perhaps," Aidan's wife Alani, the more direct of the two, "But if they are planning an ambush of some sorts, it is the duty of the Folk Rock Trolls to ensure the safety of our people and enforce the law upon those who threaten it."

"Perhaps..." King Eric nodded in agreement, "but it is necessary to uncover the truth first before we act. We need only to recall the last incident that was built solely on accusations, misunderstandings, and poor communication kills. This incident...had cost the lives of the King and Queen. And I am not willing to repeat the same mistake. Do I have the understanding of you both?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," The both of them bowed their heads out of respect for their King, who nodded back and gestured them to follow him outside.

Meanwhile, watching the Royal Guard take up positions from above the high castle, Zoe took up a position of her own in one of the castle's watchtowers, unslinging her Winchester Model 70 and taking aim at the mist.

At the same time, the house where Zoe was born and raised was hustling and bustling with the busied occupants, who were cleaning and tidying up the place in the case of emergency should the New Arrivals need a place to stay for the moment. The busied occupants were the adoptive family of orphans Zoe was born and raised into, a mixture of different kinds of Miscellaneous Rock Trolls such as Acid Rock, British Rock, Celtic Rock, Indie Rock, and of course, Folk Rock to name a few. Some of the Trolls were actually not orphans, however; these few were dropped off here due to their parents and other family members acquiring jobs around the kingdom, often arriving late to the party.

One of these few Trolls was a young female named Laura (her nickname, not her actual name); she had blue eyes, gold hair, and a violet skin complexion. Despite being no older than a teenager, she was one of the many who played the paternal figure for the younger Trolls. She was one of the many who saw to any and all needs of the Trollings while offering them some life advice along the way. She had a mother and father...she just had no idea when they would be back.

"Hey, L!"

As she was tending to the children, Laura heard her name being called out and she turned around to find one of her friends Clara slipping through the crowd to approach her. She had green eyes, red hair, a lilac skin complexion, and, similar to Laura, a nickname as to conceal her true identity.

"Clara! Over here!"

"Do you know..." Clara stumbled over herself before catching under herself, "...what is going on here?"

"It's a New Arrival obviously," Laura rolled her eyes, her statement being made out as the most obvious ever.

"Yeah, I know that part already," Clara waved her friend's attempt at sarcasm off, "I'm talking about who the new arrival might be. A boy? A girl? A non-binary person? If it's the latter, what steps should we take to avoid insulting them?"

"In any case," Laura narrowed her eyes at her friend, "We need to make them feel like they're at the safety and comfort of their own home. They're visitors, not prisoners."

"That's what I'm afraid of, L," Clara whimpered, "There are many different outcomes to this predicament, none of which I see ending well. What if we accidentally offend the new arrivals to the point where they want to attack us, kill us, and torture us? What if the new arrivals were secretly planning to earn our trust and than strike us? What if we accidentally get paranoid and believe that the new arrivals want to attack us but find out that they don't but also find out that we angered them enough to the point where they actually want to attack us?"

All eyes were on Clara and Laura now, the latter attempting to assauge the fears and worries of the latter. As she did, an Indie Rock Troll with beige eyes, silver hair, and a green skin complexion by the name of Lewis approached the two girls. Like many of the males in the Folk Rock Kingdom, his main outfit consisted of a long-sleeve cotton/linen collarless shirt with fifteen buttons, matching trousers, and hiking boots.

"That's ridiculous, Clara," Lewis frowned, "You can't torture someone once you've already killed them. That's just...petty."

"You do get my point though, right?"

"We all do, Clara," Laura nodded, "but worrying isn't going to get us anywhere but nowhere. The least we can do is...pray for the best and prepare for the worst."

Outside the house, a young Troll older than Laura, Clara, and Lewis stood and watched the heart of the Kingdom hustle and bustle with activity as the occupants prepared for the new arrival. Annabeth / Aeryn had grey eyes, black hair with white tips, and a blue skin complexion; her main outfit consisted of a black leather jacket with rib-knit cuffs, a solid dark red cotton flannel shirt, a thin white long-sleeve undershirt, dark navy blue pants, and a pair of brown hiking boots. She never quite understood the very concept despite the seeming simplicity: the new Trolls arrive, the new Trolls are interrogated, and the new Trolls were to be integrated into the society or be deported from it. But why did it matter so much to her and why should it?

Scoffing to herself, Annabeth headed toward the shed, where few of their many weapons were stored. She knew that Zoe had snuck out for an early morning hunting session and, in all honesty, she could not blame her. Scanning through the wall of weapons and racks of rifles, she eventually chose a Mossberg 500 Persuader and a SIG-Sauer P229R, a far cry from Zoe's Winchester and Glock and an indirect display of her character.

Grabbing two boxes of spare shotgun shells and eight magazines for her pistol, Annabeth ventured into the outdoor territory to join Zoe regardless.


As the group made their way out of Volcano Rock City, Petra and Billy could hear the cheers of celebration cried out by the Rock Trolls, prompting them to share small smiles of satisfaction in response.

"Uh, does that mean that the Rock Trolls won?" DJ, meanwhile, exchanged worried and uncertain glances with Trollex.

"Without a doubt, Miss," Billy chuckled and nodded as Melody approached with Grace and handed her over to him, "So where are we going?"

"Three places," Melody checked her crossbow despite not having used it yet, "First Latin City, next Dragon Hollow, and then the Celtic Rock Kingdom."

"Celtic Rock?" Petra's eyebrows knitted together in intrigue as she turned to Billy, who could only shrug.

"My Mom said that was where the Magical Musical Trolls were...or the last of them at least..."

"Magical Musical Trolls?" It was Billy's turn for his eyebrows to knit together in intrigue as he turned to Petra, who could only shrug as well.

"That's what Melody's mother said," Trollex nodded in confirmation, "but who are they?"

"From what my Mom said," Melody explained further, "The most powerful race of Trolls that the Troll Kingdom had ever encountered. The Magical Musical Trolls apparently wielded the powers and abilities of the main six Tribes, all of whom represented a certain aspect of life and existence. Techno is Mind, Funk is Space, Classical is Time, Country is Soul, Rock is Power, and Pop is Reality. But they were all deemed extinct..."

"All except one..." DJ nodded in understanding.

"Her name is Agatha, and it's the only hint I have."

"The only hint we have," Petra corrected Melody, "You got us, kiddo."

"That's what I'm afraid of..."


Having finished taking a shower, Guy Diamond found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror. On any other day, he would have flashed a proud smile, complimented himself, and give off a general wave of assurance if something went wrong or was about to.

But on this particular day?

He felt like doing the exact opposite. He felt like flashing an ashamed frown, criticizing himself, and bitterly lament that something went wrong or was about to.

Contrary to popular belief, Tiny Diamond had not actually snuck away with DJ's group on his own; it was a suggestion made by Guy Diamond himself, for a chance to spend time with his friends and perfect his glittering technique. By his own admission, it was also a chance to distract him from the harsh reality established by the end of Queen Barb's World Tour. He harbored no hard feelings against the Rock Queen, however; it was not in the system of a Pop Troll to do so. Instead, he harbored a long-withdrawn fear of hurting his son or putting him in a position to get hurt, intentionally or unintentionally. When he was transformed into a Rock Zombie, it was front in poor Tiny, whom he had saved from suffering the same fate and was one of the first Trolls he subsequently attacked. The very thought being brought to life by a simple course of action horrified him to end months after the World Tour ended. And now, the Party Crashers have returned with a vengeance and more than happy to kidnap Trollings.

. . .

. . .

. . .

What if my son was next? Where would I be?

. . .

. . .

. . .

But he knew the risk of helping his Queen, his friend.

A friend who had gone missing and presumed dead, sending fear and worry throughout the citizens of the Tribes.

He would not fail her.

Drying himself up, Guy Diamond sighed and left the bathroom as quickly as he arrived at it. He could hear the murmuring of the Trolls from the ground floor; he was two floors above it and near the bathroom section. One thing he admired Branch for was his crazy preparations in the case of an emergency or two.

As he decided to retire to his sleeping quarters, Guy's ears perked up at the sound of someone softly sobbing in one of the many bathrooms, specifically the female section. He did not wish to intrude her privacy but at the same time could not let her wallow in her misery. Carefully opening the door and peering inside, he saw a yellow-skinned, purple-haired Troll lean over the sink as the faucets (both literal and figurative) ran down the drain.

Meadow...?

Closing the door behind him, Guy Diamond approached Meadow from behind and gently patted her shoulder.

"Meadow?"

Suddenly gasping and tensing up, Meadow rapidly shifted to face Guy Diamond and drew a knife as she pushed the Glitter Troll against the wall, holding the weapon against his neck in pure, unadulterated rage.

After a moment, Meadow eventually realized what she was doing and stepped back from Guy Diamond in horror and shame.

"Um...bad dream?" Guy Diamond nervously chuckled to ease the tension, a silent nod from Meadow only conforming it.

As she turned away from him, the Glitter Troll reached out and grabbed her arm.

"No, wait! Meadow! Are you alright?"

"No... No, I'm not. All of this is...happening. All is this happening way too fast. The Party Crashers have returned, the Troll Tribes are forced to go underground, and Queen Poppy's gone missing. How can I be alright?"

Meadow sniffled in frustration and wiped away her tears as Guy Diamond looked on. Because he was used to cheering up sad Trolls through parties, celebrations, and glitter rather than face-to-face, heart-to-heart conversations, the Glitter Troll was incredibly uncomfortable by this turn of events.

"Umm... You were alright during that time at Barb's World Tour..."

"Not by my own volition," Meadow frowned as she explained, "Queen Poppy knew that she couldn't do this alone, so of course she had to round up her closest friends to spread to different corners of the Kingdom. I just had to be the unlucky one who tagged along with Poppy herself, Branch, and Sheila. If I had known Biggie had stowed away as well, things would've turned out differently."

"Like Poppy, Branch, and Biggie never having to perform Who Let The Dogs Out?"

. . .

"Besides that, Guy. If I hadn't tagged with Poppy's group, I would've never ran into the Country Trolls and formed a bond with them."

"Is that why you've been missing for the past few months leading up to TrollsTopia?"

"I've been helping out with the Country Trolls lately, which is why I'm more than often not late to our party lessons. I didn't want to abandon Troll Village...or Pop Village, but I felt a bond with Country. Some of the Trolls were shifting to different genres other than their own. Techno to Rock, Country to Pop, Pop to Rock...and it was worrying Poppy. I had to give her a talk and explain to her that sometimes the Trolls needed to experiment with other genres in order to garner each other's trust."

"Hence the existence of TrollsTopia," Guy understood now, "Do you blame yourself for what's happened, Meadow?"

"I should've kept my mouth shut, but I didn't want to worry Queen Poppy. If I did, TrollsTopia would've never happened."

. . .

"But yet, if you hadn't...TrollsTopia would've never happened..."

. . .

"Maybe... Thank you, Guy..."

"You're welcome, Meadow..."

Meadow turned to walk away from Guy Diamond again...before slowing down and walking back to him.

"Oh, just one more thing..."

"Yes?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

. . .

. . .

. . .

"I beg your pardon?"

"Why did you kiss me?" Meadow repeated the question.

"I don't recall kissing you," Guy shook his head, "When did I?"

"Just now..."

Meadow flashed a shy smile, much to the shock and ultimately understanding of Guy Diamond, who slyly smirked as he approached and kissed just like she proclaimed.

"Are you sure you want this?"

"We need to blow off some serious steam."

"Fortunately for you, that's not the only thing you'll be blowing off..."

Guy Diamond and Meadow Spriggs exchanged knowing smiles, the moment being theirs and their alone...


...much to the chagrin of Laguna Tidepool, whose eyes twitched in growing horror and frustration as the bathroom two rooms from her was filled with laughter and moans of pleasure.

"Ugh... Why can't I just do my research in peace?"

"It could be worse. Much worse."

Laguna's ears perked up and she climbed the stall wall to find Barb tuning her guitar.

"Worse? Much worse? How could this possibly get much worse?"

"Well, at the very least, it wasn't an orgy. Riff made the same mistake of using the wrong bathroom stall during Carol's coitus sessions. It tramuatized him for months."

. . .

"Why me?"


Adora and Catra lifted up the heavy objects as they, along with the rest of the Trolls, awaited the return of Branch and the Bounty Hunters. The Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors (sans Trollex, Laguna Tidepool, and Barb for obvious reasons) were discussing their next course of action in one room. Gia Grooves, Harper, and Archer were watching over the majority of the younger Trolls in another. The Snack Pack (sans Guy Diamond for not-so-obvious reasons) were in the room beside the one occupied by the trio, entertaining the other half of the younger Trolls. Ripley Wisp, Carol, Sid Fret, and Growly Pete were seated around the pile of weapons, both firearm and melee. They were joined by Riff, who sat between Carol and Sid Fret, an awkward silence ensuing soon after.

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Carol."

"Riff.'

"So...what happens in the bathroom stalls...stays in the bathroom stalls, right?"

"Don't you dare remind me."

Suddenly, the corners and crevices of the bunker throughout echoed with ghostly groans and malevolent moans. The Trolls looked up in alarm, Ripley Wisp wielding her metallic bat and taking a battle stance.

"What was that?"

"It's a ghost," One of the Rock Trolls murmured, "I'm calling it."

"Are you sure it wasn't one of the others pulling one of them pranks on us?" One of the Country Trolls frowned.

"Well, judging by the closer listening of the sounds," Trollzart rubbed his chin, "It would appear that the moans and groans are actually sounds of coitus."

Everybody stared at him blankly, with the exception of Riff, Carol, and Sid Fret, who exchanged horrified glances at each other.

"They are having intercourse," Dante Crescendo flew beside his leader as he attempted to simplify matters, but to no avail until...

"They are having sex, dearies," Minuet Sonata explained rather abruptly as she flew right beside them.

The eyes of everybody in the rooms widened in understanding as they gagged and shook their heads in denial. The younger Trolls merely raised their eyebrows in confusion and began to ask what sex was, much to the horror of every adult in the rooms. Riff, Carol, and Sid Fret huffed in contempt before they, along with the rest of the Trolls, turned to find Queen Barb and Laguna Tidepool enter the main room, both of whom were wearing equal expressions of downright disgust.

"Oh, you guys and gals are bearing witness to this, too?" Barb lightly chuckled despite herself.

"The answer should be in plain sight, Queen Barb," Laguna clamped her hands over her ears in utter vain.

At that moment, Branch and the other Bounty Hunters arrived back with a more relaxed Flutterina in tow. The ears of the blue-grey survivalist Troll perked up in surprise at the groans of gratification and moans of mollification before his eyes narrowed in unsurprise.

"Coitus?"

"Oh, yes," Trollzart, Dante, and Minuet nodded in confirmation.

"Ugh. What else is new?" Branch pinched his nose bridge before taking a deep breath and regaining his composure for Flutterina's sake, "Okay, Flutterina. I'm going to talk with the rest of the Tribe Leaders, alright? Hopefully, they'll find out where your parents and other loved ones are. Head over to Adora and Catra; they'll look after you for a while."

Flutterina merely nodded and walked towards the couple in question as Branch walked away from the Bounty Hunters and towards the rest of the arriving Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors.

"So...you're Flutterina," Catra managed her best attempt at a warm smile, "I'm Catra, and this is my girlfriend Adora. Apparently Branch assigned to be your protectors and I'm all in."

"Don't worry, Flutterina," Adora actually succeeded in smiling warmly, "We won't let anything happen to you."

The young Troll eventually smiled softly and went for a hug, causing Adora to genuinely smile and Catra to awkwardly smile.

"This is nice. Adora, doesn't she seem familiar to you?"

"Maybe. But hey, so did everybody else."

"Branch, who is the child?" King Quincy approached first with Queen Essence.

"A sign of things to come..." Branch frowned.


"Focus, Poppy... Focus..."

Poppy, the Tribe Leaders, and the Lost Trolls were outside with Paul and Ana now, the latter two training the former to harness her newfound abilities for the remaining duration of the afternoon. The both of them were highly aware that the Pop Queen could have acquired powers as a result of the Strings, but to acquire four (plus five, if one included the light levitation) all at once? It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was desperate to be knocked on and, much like King Reyes had said, provided a chance for Paul to expand his boundaries.

Paul himself was standing right beside Ana as they, along with the rest of the group, watched Poppy attempt to utilize her telekinesis to levitate a single, small red ball toward her. After the few first tries resulted in the ball dropping to the ground (or, in some extreme cases, resulted in a nearby cottage or two being utterly demolished), Poppy was percariously close to losing her temper, giving up hope, or a combination of both. In any case, her newfound powers and abilities were beyond her control, and it frightened and infuriated her all the same.

Peony never lost her cool demeanor and calmed Poppy down, telling her it was okay to make a few mistakes the first times around. There was a pattern that one would get used to after repeating the same trial. From that trial, three steps would be taken away from it: Learn... Adapt... and Overcome.

Small breaths were taken by the Pop Queen as she placed all of her concentration in locating the object and making it float to her. Outstreatching her hand, she closed her eyes and focused...

Focus...

. . .

Focus...

. . .

Focus...

For a split second, the ball shook in Paul's hand and started to slowly hover over his palm. He and they watched as it drifted toward Poppy, who eased into the process as she felt the ball approach her hand. Her fingers felt the ball lightly touch the tip of her index, prompting her to carefully reach out and pluck it out of mid-air. Opening her eyes, they widened and gleamed with pride as she celebrated to herself before the others joined in.

"Woo-hoo!" Amy and Lucy whooped in enthusiasm.

"Nice job, Poppy," James nodded in approval.

"Way to go, Tic-Tac!" Sam pumped his fist in the air.

Poppy bowed as she tossed the ball back to Paul...and was immediately smacked in the face with it as it returned to her. Everybody immediately winced in pain as a result.

"Ooh! Ouch!"

Hastily shooting up from the ground, Poppy shook her head and flashed a reassuring smile at the group.

"I'm okay!" Poppy snatched the ball, which he handed back to Paul by walking over and passing it down to him directly, "So okay..."

"It's an improvement for certain," Paul nodded, "and it'll take a while to do more. Say, a week or so."

"A week?" Poppy tilted her head, "Shouldn't harnessing powers like mine take like...a year or so?"

"Perhaps, but since the Party Crashers invaded Pop Village and improved in the months leading to the unveiling of TrollsTopia, it's imperative that you learn to perfect the harnessing of your abilities in half of that time."

Poppy nodded in understanding before she Glitched again, causing her to grunt in pain and the Lost Trolls arrive by her side. Paul patted her shoulders as Ana rubbed her back, but none of them were prepared to witness her eyes glow white and display a hologram of...another Troll.

The Tribe Leaders, Peony in particular, stiffened up in alarm at the Troll on holographic display. The Troll was grey... A grey-skinned young female with black worn-down hair, light blue piercing eyes, and a white long-sleeve dress that was significantly dirtied as a result of her dire escape. She was accompanied by two other female Trolls: one slightly younger, the other significantly younger. The slightly younger Troll had auburn skin, dark brown hair, green eyes, and a blue dress with a jacket; the significantly younger Troll had mairgold skin, honey blonde hair, blue eyes, and a maroon long-sleeve cotton dress with a blended-in bodice and black collar. Nobody in the group knew what exactly they were escaping from, but judging by the horrified facial expressions worn by the trio of Trolls, exactly what they were escaping from was someone or something not to be trifled with.

However, this was not what the Tribe Leaders were rattled by. Despite the black hair worn down by the older female Troll, they could clearly see tints of color.

Tints of Blue...

Purple...

Yellow...

Orange...

Red...

...and Pink...

The holograph began to fizzle out before fading completely, freeing Poppy from her trance.

"Ugh..."

"What just happened?" Josh continued sparing glances at the former spot where the hologram was displayed, "Who was that, Queen Peony?"

"That..." Peony hesitated before continued, "...was the last of a lineage of Trolls deemed extinct from millennia ago."

"Who were they?" Marie and Will turned to her.

"They were called the Magical Musical Trolls. The most powerful race of Trolls that the Troll Kingdom had ever encountered. These Trolls harnessed the power and energy of the main six Tribes, all of which represented a certain aspect of life and existence. Techno represents Mind, Funk represents Space, Classical represents Time, Country represents Soul, Rock represents Power, and Pop represents Reality. When they worked together, the Magical Musical Trolls harbored the potential to be harder, better, faster, and stronger than the rest. However, they also harbored the potential to highly dangerous and volatile when complex emotions overshadowed judgment, which inevitably led to their own destruction. All except one, it would seem..."

The Tribe Leaders, the Lost Trolls, and the group from Latin City exchanged glances of sadness all around before they all turned to Poppy, who was now deep in contemplation.

"Oh, my dear..." Peony smiled sadly as she approached her daughter, "I'm sorry I kept this from you."

"I'm not mad, Mom..." Poppy smiled back before it faltered, "but why haven't I learn of the...Magical Musical Trolls until this moment?"

"It was the work of our ancestor, without a doubt," Peony frowned, "With the exception of their noble sacrifice, our ancestor found their legacy to be appalling and shameful all the same, so their roles in history have been shared among the main Troll Tribes, practically erasing them from existence."

Poppy herself became appalled and ashamed at the actions of the Pop Ancestor as she huffed in contempt.

"I wish I would've knocked some sense into them."

"Count me in," Wade chuckled, "I don't usually like Pop as much as others do, but even I have morals."

"I don't think that's..." Enrique attempted to say before giving up, "You know what? Never mind..."

"In the meantime, though..." Ana smiled, "Why don't we take a break? Because it looks like you really need it."

Without waiting for her response, Ana took Poppy's hand and pulled her along as they traveled to the heart of the kingdom with Wade, Enrique, and a protesting Paul in tow. The Tribe Leaders and The Lost Trolls merely trailed behind as King Bowie turned toward Queen Peony, who watched her daughter eventually but happily exchanged cheerful banter with her new friends.

"Do you honestly believe that Poppy can overcome the darkness within her heart and soul?"

"Absolutely," Peony smiled with pride, "My daughter is strong, determined, and optimistic to the core. If anybody can shine light into the darkness...it's my Poppy..."


As Zoe continued to take aim from her spot in the watchtower, she failed to notice Annabeth sneaking up the stairs to join her.

"You forgot to watch your back, little sis."

Peering over her shoulder for a moment, Zoe groaned in disgust.

"I'm not your little sis, you're not my older sis, and you don't have an accent."

"Sorry, my bad. Force of habit," Annabeth shrugged, "In all seriousness, though, the rest of the household has been wondering you've been lately. Are you okay?"

"Peachy," Zoe snarked back to her as she turned back to her Winchester, "But New Arrivals have no right of making us alright."

"True," Annabeth shrugged again as she took a position a few feet from Zoe, aiming her Mossberg out the window, "but what else is new?"

After another moment passed, this time of silence, Annabeth turned to Zoe.

"What do you think the New Arrival or New Arrivals would be like?"

. . .

"Undeniably shady."

The girls watched through the rifle's mounted scope as King Eric approached the docks with Aidan and Alani, wielding a lit torch that he used to illuminate the murky mist and attempt to find the outline of the New Arrival or Arrivals.

"New Arrivals!" Eric bellowed in a commanding tone, "This is King Eric of the Folk Rock Trolls! Reveal your identities to us and we will not harm you!"

. . .

"We're deserters! Absconders! Runaways who fled our kingdom in search of asylum! Our kingdom was attacked by vicious creatures who mindlessly kill for sport and bloodshed! We seek only shelter from the bitter storm that is arriving!"

Aidan and Alani exchanged uncertain glances as King Eric contemplated his choices before nodding at the Royal Guard to keep their guard up regardless.

"You may enter."

The mist cleared the way for a small boat, a dinghy perhaps, to approach the docks. This dinghy carried three young Trolls, all of whom were female. The youngest Troll had marigold skin, honey blonde hair, blue eyes, and a maroon long-sleeve cotton dress with a blended-in bodice and black collar. The middle Troll had auburn skin, dark brown hair, green eyes, and a blue dress with a jacket. The eldest Troll had grey skin, black worn-down hair, light blue piercing eyes, and a white long-sleeve dress that was significantly dirtied. The middle Troll had a hunting knife in a thigh sheath and a Remington 870 Wingmaster with a 20-inch barrel at the ready, something that unnerved the citizens and Royal Guards while earning the sympathy of King Eric, who knew that it was their method of protection against the dangers of the unknown. It was a clear sign of not only this particular trio of young female Trolls were in trouble prior to their arrival to the Folk Rock Kingdom, but it was also an indication of things to come.

Zoe furrowed her eyebrows in intrigue, something that Annabeth noticed right away.

"You're interested, aren't you? Do you see them? What do they look like?"

Annabeth would not stopping pressing Zoe's buttons, so Zoe herself decided to give in.

"Three females. One older, one younger, one caught in the middle. All in that order. The middle Troll has a shotgun slung over her shoulder and a knife sheathed in her thigh. The other two... They seem affable."

"Enough?"

"Enough. Appearances can be deceiving."

"For some, maybe. The others, however..."

"Perhaps... But we cannot drop our guard now."

Gesturing two nearby Royal Guards to tie down their boat, King Eric approached the trio with Aidan and Alani following behind. The older Troll help her younger siblings(?) out of the boat before turning to approach the Folk Rock King and his two advisors.

"I understand that you are the King of this Kingdom?"

Soft-spoken but genial...

"Yes, Miss, I am. I am Eric, and these are my two trusted advisors: Aidan and Alani."

Aidan and Alani nodded in accordance to their names to let the trio know who was who, prompting the two older Trolls to nod back in response and the youngest Troll to wave back while flashing a shy smile. Her heart touched in a specific soft spot, Alani returned the wave and approached them first.

"You three seem on edge. Why don't we head back to the castle and provide you with food and clothes?"

"On the condition that you answer some questions that we may have in store for you?" Aidan interjected, prompting Alani to roll her eyes and himself to offer an apologetic but knowing glance.

"I understand," The oldest Troll nodded again as she approached first, "I merely wish for your assistance and protection. Not just for myself, but for my adoptive sisters as well."

"You shall receive it," King Eric agreed, "But first... Who are you?"

The middle Troll introduced herself first, "I am Emma. And this is our younger sister Victoria."

The oldest Troll introduced herself then, "And I am Agatha...the Queen of the Techno Trolls and the wife of King Trollex."


A/N: For those who are fans of I. M. Rally's stories and their pairing of Trollex x Aggie, this story confirms that the relationship exists in the Trolls Multiverse. Also, I am kind of disappointed in myself over rushing the Guy Diamond x Meadow Spriggs relationship, but there's plenty of material to mine from it. Namely, Guy using his new relationship to not just distract himself from the trauma of transforming into a Rock Zombie and attacking his son, but also helping Meadow with her own personal issues.

1.1) TU4QU0I53T4IAN6L3: Alright. We are here with three songs in store with us. Not sure about the Rock song, but how you describe the performance of Con Calma is pretty good. That makes too much sense with how sexual Latin music can be at times. And changing outfits magically is always a good thing whenever you sing on stage. And I know Maneater from the game Just Dance. I thought it's just a freaky, emo pop song that is in a similar style to Villain by K/DA.

I don't like Maneater that much because it kind of sounds boring. However, in here, it just makes things exciting as it portrays who the Captain is as a powerful vamp. I even like Con Calma for its bouncy sounds.

With Poppy, I'm hoping this Paul troll will help her maintain her powers. Maybe a little magic or some sort of object that limits her power can help her adjust slowly in this time of crisis.

Looks like the kiddies are coming along the ride. I think it's going to be a hilarious disaster with them along. Unless it's like the previous story "The Other Side". And I tried to find the reference you made to my story. So far, I found Melody wearing a nearly similar black outfit to my version.

The biggest surprise is AGGIE being included. Because of how powerful the Magical Musical Trolls are, it would make sense that they wouldn't be around. I was a little surprised when they were said to be extinct. I wonder if the tribe would be like in Rally's story. Same abilities and their curse in choosing only one music. But I wonder how Melody will meet Aggie...again (possibly).

Until next time, keep on rocking! Can't wait to see the next chapter.

1) MarcellusMiro66: Yes, I deliberately chose that type of song because it not only represents some of the best of early/late-2000's music, but is also a fun, poppy composition that is an ode to female enpowerment and its dark side. Plus, it's a major hint to Captain Blue's true interior character other than the sexy, superior seductress that she appears to be on the outside.

For creating the two versions of Latin City and its occupants, I sought inspiration from Elena Of Avalor, one of the best examples of Latin-influenced storytelling with a Hispanic ensemble cast. While casting some original characters, I specifically cast the actors/actresses from that show into the roles with various tweaks: Diego (Christian Lanz) is Esteban if he remained on the side of good to begin with; King Reyes (Nestor Carbonell) and Queen Ophelia (Andrea Navedo) are King Raul and Queen Lucia if they were never killed by Shuriki; and Anna / Ana (Aimee Carrero) and Paul (Joey Haro) are Elena and Mateo if they settled down and got married later on in life. Again, this was a deliberate casting choice that also serves as a plot point.

The inclusion of CJ Suki, Keith, Priscilla, Gemma, Coral Blush, Clampers Buttonwillow, Vega Swift, and Tiny Diamond to the journey to Latin City will undeniably provide comic relief to the otherwise intense trek, but the group will also undergo character development for themselves and Melody, whose interactions with them will give them new reason to experiment with different genres...and even create new ones.

And yes, the Magical Musical Trolls are incredibly powerful, on par with Marvel's superheroes such as Thor, Captain Marvel, Wolverine, Scarlet Witch, Jean Grey, and (possibly) Squirrel Girl. In all seriousness, they're the Troll versions of The Celestials with nigh omnipotence and absolute immortality, but with the twist that those who chose to become mortal have their wish granted. In addition, their open-minded nature to the different musical genres horrified and disgusted the Pop Troll Ancestor, who ordered their execution at the hands of his loyal guards. They in turn were murdered by a vengeful group of radicals who supported the Magical Musical Trolls, the Ancestor and his guards pleading for mercy in the exact same fashion that the MMT's did. When all was said and done, however, the damage was already done and the MMT's were all deemed extinct. All except one...

When they do finally met, Melody and Aggie would probably recognize each other...or, at the very least, find the other very familiar (a nod to their roles in Sofia The First).

2.1) MasterClass60: Ooh! Things have taken a turn for the intense! Now, Melody is accompanying Trollex and the crew to Latin City, and her mom even made an appearance. But best if all, Melody now gets to learn about the MMT and has a quest to find the last one: Agatha, or her preferred name, Aggie. Hopefully, those sky pirates won't be too much trouble, and it's cool to see Petra and Melody getting along very well. Poor Branch, feeling worried about Poppy, and Val showing concern about her missing cousin. Captain seems to be a tough soul, but noticing her almost feel lost in that song, is it possible she might have a soft side underneath that malicious shell?

2) MarcellusMiro66: Yes, Captain Blue does indeed have a soft side, and her dark and troubled past was a clear indicator. Unintentional or not, the Captain shares a bit of similarities with Namaari from Raya And The Last Dragon. Both of them are strong, ruthless, adept at combat, and equipped with a sympathic backstory and moments to match. However, I feel that the Captain utterly revels in being a villain while Namaari does not, regretting her past actions for inadvertently tearing apart Kumandra. Even so, they're relentless in their respective journies to achieve their respective goals and not exactly the main villains of their respective stories, but rather the driving forces behind them.

I also believe that it's important to shine a spotlight on the supporting characters so the readers can retrieve a different insight on how the main story unravels from their point of view. Their roles may be either prominent or miniscule, but either way, their connection to the overall narrative is present. The film term is called is "Hyperlink Cinema", and numerous examples that served as main inspiration include Nashville (1975), Short Cuts (1993), Pulp Fiction (1994), Gummo (1997), Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Magnolia (1999), Snatch (2000), Traffic (2000), City Of God (2002), Crash (2004), Nine Lives (2005), Syriana (2005), and Happy Endings (2005), the film widely believed to involve the original use of the term.