Poppy's group reached the end of the tunnel and softly landed on the ground, some on their rear ends and others on their face. As the group recovered, the Pop Trolls spotted a familiar group of Trolls recuperating as well.
"Guy Diamond!"
The Glitter Troll gasped in shock before smiling, "Everybody! Poppy found us!"
Tiny Diamond, Smidge, and Legsly laid their eyes on Poppy's group and immediately rushed over to welcome them back.
"When did you guys get here?"
"Just now."
"Last night," DJ shrugged.
"We've been here for two days," Tiny Diamond popped out of his father's hair, "Where are we?"
"Welcome to Vibe City," a smooth voice introduced as if he answered his question, "You are cordial guests of Prince Cooper."
Everybody turned to find Cooper #2 approaching to fully introduce himself to the group.
"Cooper?" Satin and Chenille approached Cooper #2 and examined him from head to toe, "What are you doing here? And...why are you hotter than before?"
"Ha, ha, ha! I'm flattered that you two see me that way, but...I'm actually over here."
Everybody glanced over to their right to find the real Cooper standing with his purple cloak and green cap...and then back at Cooper #2...and then back at the real Cooper...and then back again.
"Mind officially blown," Techno Beat and Pennywhistle said in unison.
"Bacon-wrapped hot dogs!" Delta Dawn and Hickory backtracked in alarm.
"I'm seeing double," Trollzart rubbed his eyes in disbelief, "but my eyes don't deceive me."
"It turns out I'm actually from Vibe City," Cooper explained, "just like my twin brother."
"I'm Prince D," Cooper #2, his twin brother, introduced himself, "What's popping?"
"Besides their eyes?" Meadow thumbed toward a lovestruck Satin and Chenille, "Nothing much, really. Cooper, how is this possible?"
"Well, it's a very complicated story. When we were both babies, my egg got snatched out of the nest. Mom and Dad looked everywhere, but they couldn't find me, so you guys at Pop Village raised me as one of your own. And then when my group and I went out to other Trolls like me, my Mom and Dad finally found me. Well, when you think about it more... I guess it wasn't too complicated."
Everybody seemed skeptical at Cooper's admittedly far-fetched origin story except Poppy, Branch, Trollex, Pennywhistle (all of whom were perfectly willing to give him the benefit of the doubt), and Satin and Chenille, both of whom were mentally debating whether or not one twin was cuter than the other. Nonetheless, they accepted it on the grounds that the Pop Troll bore an uncanny resemblance to the rest of the Funk Trolls.
"Oh, before I forget, I want you all to meet the King and Queen of Funk," Cooper moved on over and introduced the elderly Funk couple from the previous musical number.
"King Quincy and Queen Essence," Prince D gestured towards the purple Funk Troll and the blue Funk Troll, respectively.
"AKA, my mom and dad," Cooper finished before Queen Essence planted affectionate kisses on his cheeks like any mother would towards her child.
"Wow, Cooper," CJ stepped out from behind her aunt, "You look just like your dad."
"Yeah, that must be why he's so good-looking," King Quincy proudly stated before sharing a high five with Prince D.
"Was that a dad joke?" Cooper laughed, "It was lame!"
The family shared a good laugh before Poppy realized something, "So...that means you're a Funk Troll?"
Noticing a tinge of sadness in Poppy's voice, Cooper was quick to reassure her friend, "My parents taught me that you don't have to be just one thing. Look at me; I'm Pop and Funk."
"Or Hip-Hop, in my case," Prince D concurred.
"Hip-Hop?" Everybody tilted their head in confusion and intrigue, Poppy even taking out her map and scanning it.
"Huh. I don't see any Troll territory labeled "Hip-Hop" here."
"I don't blame you," Prince D understood, "but I think your map is outdated."
Branch gave it a quick glance and nodded, "Prince D's right. Ours still has "Disco" on it."
"Hey, don't hate!" Techno Beat took offense, "I like Disco!"
"Well, what seems to be the occasion?" King Quincy become curious, "We usually never get visitors from different Troll Tribes."
"Well, that's the reason why we're here, Your Majesty," Poppy began to elaborate, taking a deep breath before reverting to a regal persona, "Queen Barb of the Rock Trolls is conspiring to destroy all music as we know it and replacing it with her own. We need your help to prevent that from happening."
Everybody could look at Poppy in complete shock, but for different reasons. King Quincy, Queen Essence, and Prince D were horrified at the prospect of a Troll from the main six tribes would dare to try and put such a heinous plan into action. Branch, DJ Suki, her friends, and the others were surprised at the Pop Queen actually performing her role in a flawless fashion that it took them completely off guard and even scared them. It was a far cry from the bubbly, happy-go-lucky Pop Princess those from Pop Village knew (especially Branch) and the somber, almost hopelessly lost girl in a world she didn't recognize in Delta's case.
"And I understand if you don't wish to get involved," Poppy added, "We'll just be on our way and...wing it from here."
King Quincy and Queen Essence shared concerned looks before a response was decided on.
"Queen Poppy..." King Quincy started, "It's not that we don't want to help you in your mission...we just can't."
"Why?" Poppy started slow, "Did... Did I do something to wrong you in the past?"
"Oh, no. Of course not, my dear," Queen Essence reassured her, "But...I think it's best to break it to you slowly. Darnell?"
Prince D nodded and pressed a nearby gold button, transporting them all to another room.
("It's All Love [History Of Funk]" - Anderson. Paak, Mary J. Blige, & George Clinton)
The room's primary color palette was black-and-white. Twisting support beams prevented the roof from collapsing in, the ceiling was adorned with a disco-like pattern (much to Beat's delight), and the floor harbored a trippy pattern of melts.
"Let's tell 'em how it was, Prince D," King Quincy led the way.
"Sick," Prince D agreed and turned toward the group of tourists, "Long ago, our world was without song or dance. Then the Trolls found the Strings and life was one big party. That is...until the Pop Trolls tried to steal our strings."
Everyone of Pop Village reacted with shock, horror, and bewilderment, but none more so than Poppy herself, her suspicions being all but confirmed.
"It... It can't be true. That's not what it said in our scrapbooks."
"That's the problem, Queen Poppy," Prince D stated apologetically, "Scrapbooks are cut out, glued, and glittered by the winners. They can be meddled with and prevent the truth from coming to light. Here, let me tell you how it really went down."
A DJ mixer was ejected from the wall and, after a black-and-white vinyl record was, a needle was placed atop to the tune of the beat.
[Intro: Anderson .Paak]
Oh, oh
(Oh-oh-oh) Oh, (Oh-oh-oh) oh (Hey, yeah)
(Oh-oh-oh) Oh, (Oh-oh-oh) oh (Let's go)
Yeah, yeah, uh
The group watched as a storyboard was conjured through the record playing. In the beginning, six Trolls that served as representatives of the six ancestors jammed along with the music of a white harp, six differently colored strings that represented the tribes. Pink was Pop, Purple was Funk, Yellow was Classical, Blue was Techno, Orange was Country, and Red was Rock. As they partied hard, the eyes of the Pop Troll ancestor widened like teacup saucers, an idea clearly growing in his head. Hopping up from his position, the Pop ancestor suddenly snatched the harp from its pedestal and made off with it, shocking those in the story and in real-life.
[Verse 1: Anderson .Paak]
We started off a team
Party 'til we fall asleep
Even on the street, when we disagreed
We did it on beat (Did it on beat)
Expected unique (Right), anything less, it was weak
The music of the strings made life complete (Facts)
'Til that one day they changed everything
The Pop Trolls started snatchin' up all of the strings (Oh no)
Put the melodies on top of poppy lil' beats
They cut us out of the scene
And then forgot what it really means (Not even publish us)
Shoulda seen between all of the scheming
It seems like the Trolls they stole from were meaningless
Walkin' around like they were the geniuses
But it's only samples, autotune and remixes (No, lawd)
I'm a vegan, I don't have no beef with them (No, lawd)
Gotta protect my kingdom
But the dream is to sing again (Yes, yes)
Being friends, seamless blend
Harmony ain't hard when the keys within you win
Suddenly, the whole room changed all around them and gave the atmosphere an ethereal, nighttime feel complete with colorful, shining stars. The Funky Family sans Cooper then led a dance sequence with other Funk Trolls to get their point across.
[Chorus: Anderson .Paak, Mary J. Blige, & George Clinton]
First, it was all love (At first, it was all love)
Hands up, superstar love (Stars up)
That you can have it, you can have it all, love (And you can get it how you want)
But then you took it, took it all, love (They took it all)
All, love
Turn it up louder (Turn the music up louder)
Sing along, get the crowd up (Get the crowd up, come on)
But then you took it all, love (Took it all, love)
Then forgot all about us (Oh), but it's all love
Branch noticed that the dancing style of the Funk Trolls had been tailor made for their body type. Aside from involving a lot of footwork, they also moved their head and neck to the beat of the song. The Pop Troll also found himself dancing with the Funk Trolls, prompting Prince D to pull him in for the ride. Meanwhile, Delta clapped her hands and tapped her hooves to the beat while DJ swayed her hips, Trollex and CJ joining in with her. Poppy noticed this with a hint of blended joy and sadness but pushed it aside to listen to the final part of the story.
[Post-Chorus: Anderson .Paak, Mary J. Blige, George Clinton, & Justin Timberlake]
I feel you
Sounds good in my ear when I hear it like that
I feel you
I say I look good to the mirror and it says it right back (Nothing says it like that)
I feel you
A little love wouldn't kill you (A little love wouldn't kill you)
You really did me wrong, it was real cruel (It was real cruel)
Had a lot of love and I still do 'cause I feel you
The five remaining ancestors shared looks of despair, contemplation, and resolution. When the time was right, they stole back their respective strings from the corrupted harp and took off in a sprint, confusing and eventually devastating the Pop Troll ancestor. It would seem that wrongs may have been corrected by this one plan of action...
[Outro: Anderson .Paak]
Next morning, the elders were on me (Man)
They saw the warning signs, couldn't ignore it (Look)
Had to figure out how to save the way of life they had made
So they made a play
The Pop Trolls were comin' for it all (Ah, ah)
All for one and one for all (Ah)
So the only way we saw, how we saw it
It was one thing left to be done (What?)
Each leader grabbed a single string and said, "Run!"
...but alas, the damage was already done, and their plan came too little too late.
"And the Trolls never lived in harmony again," King Quincy stated remorsefully.
Poppy was left equal parts heartbroken and angry. She was heartbroken because Pop had caused more hurt than heal, and she was angry that the life she lived was based on a lie. Her father had lied to her. Out of malice or safety, she didn't know. All that mattered was the fact she was deceived.
Sparing a glance at the Funk String being held in its bass guitar, "So then the Trolls lived in isolation because of what Pop did?"
"Pop tried to destroy our music," Queen Essence regretfully confirmed, "Just like Queen Barb is trying to do."
With everybody at a crossroads, desperation began clawing at the back of Poppy's head. Digging through her hair, Poppy pulled the exact same harp from the story...with the exact same Pop String still attached.
"All this trouble for a sextet of strings..."
"Poppy..." Branch stared on in shock, "You...brought the Pop String?"
"I had to," Poppy didn't let tears deter her, "For our kingdom's sake."
As everybody looked on, Hickory suddenly became uneasy and approached the couple.
"Poppy, listen to me. Take the string and run as fast as you can. You hear me?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Trust me, just go!"
Hickory's flank began acting up.
"Now! Please! Just go!"
Everybody watched in fear and uneasiness as Hickory's first half attempted to regain control of his other half. Sensing something was wrong, Delta and Meadow advanced from behind and pulled his rear end clean off.
"NEIN!"