The Other Side Of The Storm Chapter 8: Me Llamas, a trolls fanfic

Back In The Space Between. . .

Taking the afternoon to relax for a while before resuming their training, Poppy and the group decided to head towards the beach, where many of the citizens were beating presumably the last of the summer heat. The Pop Queen wondered if the decision was a mistake, as the number of scantily clad individuals increased tenfold and gave them ample opportunity to display their stalwart six-packs, blossoming buxoms, and developed derrieres. Noticing, to her confusion, that many of the females were wearing bras as their sole swimwear, Poppy's left eye twitched as she used her right arm to tug at Selena's own.

"Um...Ramona?"

"Yes, Poppy?"

"Can they do that?"

"Do what?"

"Use their...bras as their swimwear?"

"But of course," Ramona smiled in response, "It is a two-piece swimsuit that we call bikinis."

"Wait," Amy's eyebrows knitted in suspicion, "Don't tell me you Trolls don't have bikinis."

"Do you?" Poppy smiled nervously.

. . .

"Actually...come to think of it," Amy gave it some thought, "No, not really. What are bikinis, Ramona?"

"You see some of the women wearing the swimsuits that are covering the majority of their bodies?" Ramona gestured to a group of women playing ullamaliztli (an ancient ball game), "They are wearing swimsuits called one-pieces."

Poppy and Amy made "Oh..." expressions before continuing to listen to Ramona's basic briefing of standard swimwear.

"And those who are wearing the swimsuits that are covering half of their bodies?" Ramona then gestured to another group of women who were ascending from beneath the water seemingly for dramatic effect, "They are wearing swimsuits called two-pieces. The top covers the female's breasts, the bottom front covers their pelvis while exposing their navel, or belly button, and the bottom back can cover their...posterior, if you will."

The heavy blushes of Poppy and Amy (the former more so) became even heavier with every word spoken. When Ramona was finished, the Pop Queen could not help but subconsciously stare at the behind of a few scantily clad female Trolls who were walking past by. Realizing what she was doing, she shook her head and regained her composure.

"And...I'm learning about this just now?"

Suddenly yelping in fright at the feeling of a wet sensation, Poppy took shelter behind Amy, who get slightly sprinkled in her place. The both of them saw Wade wielding a spray bottle while donning a blue flannel shirt, khaki shorts, and a pair of black sunglasses.

"Don't feel too bad, Princess. I first learned about the wonder that is the bikini from my wife."

"You mean Vanessa?" Will, who wore a white polo, blue swim shorts, and a pair of black sunglasses, approached as he chuckled in amusement, "You mean, she actually married you? I'm surprised."

"I'm surprised that anyone would marry you in general," Major Tom approached as well, wearing the inverse of Will's swimwear: a blue polo, white swim shorts, and a pair of grey sunglasses.

"Have your laugh, gentlemen," Wade merely mocked their lampooning laughs, "but some Trolls just got it. And Will, don't forget that I'm not the only one with a wife here."

"True," Will shrugged in agreement, "but Marie's not my girlfriend."

"She's not?" Lucy approached, wearing a blue bikini above a white beach robe, "I just assumed that you two were that close."

"Marie's real husband is doing a job," Will explained, "and he trusts me enough to watch her before he gets back. We ended up posing as husband and wife to make the group seem more real for TrollsTopia."

"The first part I get, amigo," Enrique cocked his head, wearing a white short-sleeved button-down shirt and khaki shorts, "but the second part, I don't."

"Don't worry. It'll settle in."

Poppy, Amy, and Ramona exchanged looks of amusement and bemusement before the former (Poppy) turned toward the latter.

"Ramona?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think it's possible for us...to buy some of these bikinis?"

"Well," Amy cackled in admiration as she hung one arm over her shoulders, "Look at you, Queen Poppy."

"Of course, Poppy," Ramona smiled warmly as she beckoned her and Poppy along, "Come on. Let's go shopping."

DJ Suki woke up with a start. The bed was soft, the sun was shining, and her hair was...fluffy. She then remembered that she was the first to take a shower and the first to hit the sack, knowing that traveling non-stop from one destination to another absolutely did not do wonders for one's health. As such, she was not surprised in the slightest when the clock read exactly one in the afternoon; she never was an early bird who would rise to get the worm. In addition, she hesitated to hoist herself up from the sweet sensation that was the cotton bed, but she knew that such a dire mission did not allow for rest.

Also, lunch was waiting.

Glancing over to the closet, DJ walked over and opened it up to find...nothing.

Well, not exactly nothing, but rather something...specific for her to wear.

It was a clothing set consisting of a black mesh skirt with a very long slit on the right side, a pair of black flat shoes, and a white bra crop top with a blue front strap, a yellow back strap, and a purple underwire. The last clothing item made her a double take, not just because of the unexpected sensual nature even for the standards set by Latin City, but also she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a folded piece of paper inside one of the cups. Plucking the note out and unfolding it to read, her eyes widened further with each word penned:

Hey, Suri! This is Dulce again! Don't think I forgot about you and your "little" chemistry with Techno King Trollex when we met the first time around. I know you got the hots for him, and that's why I've taken it upon myself to make sure that you woo the man of the dreams... The right way...

P.S., I tried to make your choice of clothing as close to PG as I could because of the audience...them being your nieces and her friends. Saludos!

Her eyes twitching and narrowing in agitation, they eventually furrowed as she turned back to her "friend's" risqué clothing set.

. . .

That's PG?

. . .

Aw... You know what?

. . .

Screw it.

DJ immediately got dressed and examined herself in the mirror, her apprehensive attitude fading with each passing minute.

Huh. Not bad at all, Dulce. Not bad at all...but I wonder, though...

Turning back to the door of her sleeping quarters, the Pop Troll could not help but snicker to herself.

How would Trollex react?

The Techno King himself was back in the dining hall helping serve the guests of the tree; CJ and the rest of the children were not far behind. Melody, Petra, and Billy were helping the chefs cook the food, the latter two slipping their own ingredients into their own dishes to make it feel like home for their daughter.

Lucas, Dulce, Adriana, and Gabriel entered the room whilst in the middle of discussing a battle strategy.

"We placed the kingdom on lockdown," Adriana jotted down on her clipboard.

"I've rounded up every citizen and had them checked up," Dulce walked beside her.

"And I've sent soldiers outside the kingdom's radius to sweep for stragglers," Gabriel walked beside her.

"All this time," Lucas rubbed his chin, "The Chanty Trolls have never saw the light of day...and then they decide to resurface the moment the Tribes decide on peace. Why?"

"It has to be part of a bigger plan, My King," Adriana asserted, "Considering the fact that the Rock Tribe's guitar housing the Six Strings was destroyed prior to the declaration, it couldn't be complete coincidence."

"If that's the case," Gabriel concurred, "We need all hands on deck."

As the four of them discussed their battle strategy, DJ entered the dining hall and served herself some food.

"King Lucas," Trollex swam forward, "Is there a plan?"

"The makings of it," Lucas nodded as DJ listened from afar, "It's fortunate that you arrived before the Chanty Trolls did. We've known each other far longer than any of the Troll Tribes, but it may not do us any good in the long run. The kingdom has been placed on lockdown, the citizens have been checked up, and the soldiers have been sent to check for any stowaways. Do you believe that the Chanty Trolls are attacking the Troll Tribes because of the Six Strings?"

"I think so," Trollex scratched the back of his head in uncertainty, "but the Strings were destroyed by...Poppy."

All of a sudden, the uncomfortable memory that was Poppy's temporary death resurfaced.

The brightness...

The blood...

The body...

"Although," Trollex shook his head, "Do they know that?"

"If they don't," Lucas noted somberly, "then they'll stop at nothing to retrieve them at any and all costs. If they do...then that makes them more dangerous."

"Why?"

"To them, the Six Strings are an asset to their plans," Lucas explained, "When the Strings were destroyed, it created...a chain reaction, if you will, throughout the universe. Several different universes deemed alternate to the main one were formed by the power left over by the Strings. Poppy... She should've died that night...but she was instead subsequently resurrected by the higher power that was her deceased mother."

The memory from that fateful night lingered on before Trollex remembered another one.

"Wait a minute... There's something else I need to tell you guys. It's one of the other reasons why we came to Latin City in the first place."

"If it is important, King Trollex, then please share it," Lucas nodded.

"A few days ago, Queen Poppy and the rest of the Pop Trolls were hosting the unveiling of their new project known as "TrollsTopia". It was supposed to a celebration of the Troll Tribes uniting after a long period of separation. Then one thing led to another and then...Poppy..."

Trollex somehow found merely providing an explanation of the events he and the rest of the Trolls had witnessed that night to be rather difficult. The moment he opened his mouth, Poppy's facial expression of presumably permanent pain plagued his mental psyche. The way her eyes glowed white...the way her body flashed white to pink to gold even after it reverted to grey...the way her mouth elicited that ear-splitting scream...

And...that cocoon... Heaven help us...

"King Trollex...?"

The Techno King blinked and faced King Lucas, who (along with the rest of his group) wore facial expressions of concern. He gulped and continued on regardless,

"Poppy... She experienced a series of seizures, as if she was getting electrocuted. And then...her eyes glowed. And her body alternated between white and pink and even gold after she turned grey. And she screamed even though some would say it was the Trolls who were screaming. When the dust cleared...her hair glowed. Not just pink, but also blue...purple...yellow...orange...and red..."

Trollex sighed and shook his head, "I... I have no idea what any of it means..."

Lucas' jaw hung agape as his eyes widened in horror, an understandable reaction mirrored by his closest friends and allies.

"I... I think do..."

Trollex looked up as Lucas hesitated to explain.

"Power cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed or transferred from one form to another. I theorize that the night Poppy destroyed the Strings...was also the night she transferred their powers to her body...and maybe more..."

As Trollex processed and considered the possibility, DJ approached, having set her lunch down on the table where CJ and the rest of the kids sat.

"You say this like it's a bad thing. Is it?"

"It depends on the mood the individual is in," Dulce approached, "Basically, good becomes great and bad becomes worse. Where is she now? Back in Pop Village?"

"She fell off a cliff!" Keith approached.

"While fighting a Party Crasher!" CJ followed.

"Pop Village was invaded by the Party Crashers presumably out of revenge for thwarting Queen Barb's plan before she defected to the side of good," Priscilla elaborated, "Another reason why we traveled from Volcano Rock City to Latin City."

"The Party Crashers were targeting specifically Poppy," DJ explained, "and this may be the prelude to a bigger attack...or maybe more. Pop Village is calling for aid."

Exchanging glances with his council, Lucas' expression of formerly fear morphed into fierce firmness.

"Then Latin City will answer that call. For our first order of business..."

Lucas beckoned DJ and Trollex to join him and his group, "...you must learn the history of the Magical Musical Trolls if you must search for Poppy."

"Can we come too?" Priscilla pulled CJ and Keith along just as Clampers, Tiny Diamond, and the rest of the children followed them.

"But of course!" Adriana smiled, "We never deny a chance of teaching younger and outsider Trolls our history! "

"Yep," CJ groaned as she placed particular emphasis on the 'P', "I knew that sooner or later we would receive a history lesson."

"To learn about one thing, young one..." Lucas chuckled in amusement, "One must learn about the other. A story...within the main story..."

Led into a secret area from the dining hall and conference room, the non-Latin Troll group eventually realized that, judging by the number of ancient artifacts, it was undoubtedly a treasure room. As Lucas pulled a nearby lever, the room was darkened and the group was transported to another dimension in space. Numerous windows opened and closed to form a specific shadow projection for the group to see.

The projection in question was of two groups of Trolls. The first was a sextet of six Trolls: three males, three females, all of whom were the same ages. The second was a dodecuplet of twelve Trolls: six males, six females, all of whom were of various ages.

"Before the world had music, there was no color." Lucas narrated, "Some of the Trolls opted for the former for their primary objective, while the rest settled for the latter. The former Trolls were known as the Ancestors, the latter Trolls...were known as the Scholars."

Another lever was pulled again and six wavy lines appeared, them representing the Six Strings.

"The Six Strings required an equal amount of precise skill and knowledge to be created, six not only representing the number of Ancestors, but also the main aspects of the universes we live in. As you were probably told already, Techno represents Mind, Funk represents Space, Classical represents Time, Country represents Soul, Rock represents Power, and Pop represents Reality. Believe it or not, The Scholars, and not the Ancestors, were the Trolls responsible for creating the Six Strings, although they were never aware of the substantial impact of this seemingly innocent action...until that fateful day."

Another lever was pulled once again and many different Trolls were standing in a circle, hand-in-hand.

"Following the creation of the Six Strings, every Trolls garnered their true colors and musical genre. Life was a combination of harmony and diversity. Life...was one big party."

. . .

"And then, Pop ruined everything," CJ Suki sighed solemnly, causing her aunt to place a hand of reassurance on her shoulder, "We ruined everything..."

"Do not blame yourself, CJ," Lucas reassured her in a similar fashion, "The cause of everything that's happened in the past and affected our present was the work of James and James alone."

"James?" DJ approached, "You mean the Leader of the Lost Trolls?"

"Blue skin, blue eyes, blue hair with shifting red, grey, and white streaks, with a brown leather jacket on top?" Dulce smiled sympathetically.

"Yeah?"

"Fortunately, no," Dulce then clarified, "We're discussing a different James in the past. The past James is the first Pop Ancestor and the one responsible for the Tribes splitting apart the first time around. It's an unfortunate but common fact that certain names are quite popular with other parties."

"He comes later," Lucas interjected himself back into the conversation, "Heading back to the main topic at hand, the fateful day in question started like any other. One of the Scholars took two songs from two genres and mixed them together. In the process, they created something new...and something familiar all the same. Their beat, their tempo, their composition... It was retro, for lack of a better term. So intrigued by this the creator was, they used their brains and brawn to create something else in conjunction. Something else that played and projected similar music. Something else...other than the Strings."

Another level was pulled once more revealing a glowing, gold pair of highly reflective headphones, which Lucas tenderly took in his hands and handled with gentle care.

"The Perfect Mix. A collection of assorted gadgets that could mix, sample, and record different genres of music. The first DJ set. The Scholar who created the Perfect Mix shared their information with their fellow associates, its powers rivaling that of the Six Strings themselves."

"And then Pop ruined everything," DJ chuckled.

"Yes," Lucas chuckled in amusement, "As you would recall the wise words of my younger sister, Pop Ancestor James tried to convert the other Tribes into Pop, which the Scholars witnessed and prompted their fellow Scholar to rid themselves of a potential object of mass destruction. When they realized that the Perfect Mix was far too powerful and important to be destroyed, the Scholars cast a protective enchantment so that only a DJ of their lineage could play it and scattered the primary pieces all over the world to a different subgenre. These different subgenres were entrusted with their different piece and protect them from the main genres, whom they believed would use and abuse the Perfect Mix for repression or, worse, retaliation."

Glancing down at the headset in his hands, Lucas handed them to both DJ and CJ to examine.

"This is my piece. Our piece. The Apex Headset. My ancestors were bestowed with the privilege to protect it...and now so are Dulce, Diogo, and I."

Gazing at the Apex Headset with an appropriate childlike sense of wonder, CJ's eyes widened in realization.

"Wait... Can Aunt DJ and I play the Perfect Mix if we had the chance?"

"Yes, actually," Lucas nodded in response, much to the surprise of the group, whom he explained further, "You and your Aunt DJ are undoubtedly Pop Trolls, but you both have the essence of the Creators in your blood, as does the rest of your family. They shared an everybody appearance and never adhered to a specific genre, thus symbolizing their roles as the nonconformists and neutral parties in the musical kingdom."

"So the Magical Musical Trolls are another faction of the Creators?" DJ glanced back-and-forth between the Apex Headset and King Lucas, who answered her question with another bombshell.

"Yes, and so are the Treasure Trolls."

DJ and CJ glanced at each other, then the Apex Headset, and finally King Lucas in surprise.

"Oh my word," The realization rained upon DJ, "You mean to say that my family were the Chosen Ones in a story we never knew?"

"Anyone could be a Chosen One given the proper motivation and guidance," Dulce smiled, "Plus, it's understandable that you were unaware of your potential considering the actions of the antediluvian Ancestors, not counting the more recent progessives."

"What did happen?" Trollex tilted his head, not having a good feeling about this, "Melody's mom said the Magical Musical Trolls' emotions clouded their judgment and led to their extinction."

"While that first part is true," Dulce winced, "The second part isn't. Contrary to popular belief, the Magical Musical Trolls were perfectly capable of keeping their emotions under control. The Ancestors, on the other hand...were not."

"What did they do?" Clampers innocently asked, unaware of the growing look of devastation on Priscilla's face. Diogo, Dulce, and Lucas exchanged similar looks mixed with uncertainty and sympathy before nodding and turning back to face the group.

"The Ancestors saw the Magical Musical Trolls as an abomination..." Lucas started.

"A disgrace towards the main six Tribes..." Dulce went next.

"So they had them executed," Diogo finished, "For the safety of their kingdom."

The previous atmosphere of wonder and fascination soon devolved into another of horror and gloom as the truth was revealed to the visiting group. Accompanying this shift into mood, the projection of many different Trolls standing in a circle hand-in-hand suddenly flashed to another, one where the same Trolls became angry with each other, began arguing with each other, and boiled over in the worst manner imaginable...

War.

Once the shadows of the Magical Musical Trolls faded into nothingness, all bets were off. Many Trolls were caught in the crossfire and grasped in the genocide. When the dust finally settled, the Tribe Ancestors themselves could not be any more different from each other. Some were guilty, others were innocent. Some were regretful, others were unashamed. Some offered compliance, others offered defiance. Some attempted to atone for their past misdeeds, others refused to acknowledge the consequences of their actions. In any case, the Ancestors were responsible for a major masscre that could have been prevented had they learned to accept the differences of their fellow Tribes. Instead, they decided on denying them and forcing those to conform to their respective musical genres...and murder them when and if they refused.

As such, it was highly fitting that the Ancestors, the people who managed the mass murder of the Magical Musical Trolls, were given a similarly brutal demise.

. . .

"Trollex...?"

. . .

"Trollex..."

. . .

"Trollex!"

"Trollex?"

The alternate Techno King looked up from his potato soup to face Agatha.

Aggie...

. . .

My girlfriend...

"You okay, Trollex?" The Magical Musical Troll offered her boyfriend a kind and warm smile, which he gradually returned.

"I've seen worse and been worse. You're here, though. That's all that matters at the moment."

"Did...Sisu bring you here?"

"Guilty as charged," The Dragon Troll smiled as she ate a spoonful of her own potato soup, "but it wasn't so much influenced by choice as it was by chance."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Sure," Sisu chuckled as she gently set down her bowl as she regaled her tale: "So...a long time ago where I come from, dragons existed in peace and harmony with humans. Then everything changed when the Druun showed up and terrorized the people of Kumandra, turning theminto stone. My brothers and sisters concentrated all their power into a single gem, which I used to banish the Druun and revive the people...but not the dragons. This apparently led to the people of Kumandra fearing the Druun's return and fighting over the gemstone, which was so far the only line of defense against them...besides apparently water. 500 years later, the people were divided, five tribes emerging as a result: Tail, Talon, Spine, Fang, and Heart. There was one Chief...Benja of the Heart Tribe...who truly believed that Kumandra could be reunited once again, but it turns his trust was, for the most part, misguided at best. The Fang Chief's daughter tricked Benja's daughter into trusting her and leading her to the Gem, which broke into five pieces stolen by the rest of the Chiefs, dividing the people even further. Six years later...I met Raya when she summoned me, asking for my help in reclaiming the gem pieces, defeat the Druun, and restore the peace to Kumandra. We were close to succeeding, but...accidental or not, I found myself emulating Chief Benja and paid a price for it."

As Aggie took notes of Sisu's heartwrenching tale, she (along with the rest of the room's occupants) also took notice of the dragon's slow but sure change in attitude. Initially invested in the recalling of her universe's history with a jovial, informative tone to boot, her mood considerably soured in a solemn fashion as the story progressed. The implications close to nearing, Aggie made the conscious decision of asking said questions.

"Sisu...do your friends and family know that you're still alive?"

"I seriously doubt it, kid," Sisu chuckled, "and to be honest, I'm used to being declared dead on arrival...just not with a crossbow before."

Trollex's eyes widened in horror before he regained his composure, "Wait? Is that how you found me in the ocean?"

"Well, yeah, but...I didn't mean to. All I remember is me getting shot by the crossbow, falling into the water, and...sensing a strange sensation. I don't know how, but it felt like I knew: Raya and Namaari managed to come to an understanding, reconcile, and work together to fix the Dragon Gem. Afterwards, I was just transported here, I guess."

Pausing for a moment, Sisu rubbed her chin and thought of any missing details before realizing, "Huh. I guess I didn't have those shrimps with Boun after all."

"Now that's a relief," Trollex scoffed before shrinking under Sisu's death glare.

"I could've let you drown underwater, Trollex, but what bad would that do me? You swim."

"So do you. Your point?"

"I've had much more experience with water than you, kid."

"Kid? Aren't we the same age?"

"Physically for sure. But mentally? Not a chance, kiddo."

Picking up her bowl of potato soup, Sisu continued eating, "Seriously though, compliments to the chef...whoever they are."

Suddenly, her pupils dilated as a series of distant voices swirled around and played with her mental psyche, mostly speaking in hushed whispers. Her mindset immediately developing a visualization of the Druun, Sisu began to realize they were not alone and accompanied by far more sinister forces. There was something else...someone else...who accompanied the Druun and, while not explicitly powering them up, was similar in terms of being the personafication of pure hatred, wrath, and discord that lingered in the humans and the Trolls. However, a physical appearance was never in the cards: no eyes, no hair, not even a silhouette. The figure made little-to-no sound as well, making them very difficult to deduce their identity.

But then...another figure appeared in a bright light, standing tall and alone against the forces of evil while wielding two swords. Her eyes glowed pink, her hair glowed pink (among other colors), and her eyes glowed pink. Overall, a general pink aura radiated over the presumably female figure as she charged into battle.

And when the vision was all said and done, there was nothing left to say except...

"Did you guys feel that too?"

"Y-Yeah..." Trollex blinked before exchanging looks with Aggie, "I thought I was just imagining things."

"The imagination can be an occasional cruel mistress," Aidan nodded, "What is it, Miss Sisu? What did you see?"

"I think the question was what didn't I see," Sisu shook her head, "It was mostly mist...and voices."

"Was it the Druun?" Aggie tilted her head.

"Definitely...and someone else. Something else... The Druun had help this time around...but I don't know who or what was helping them. I do know who was fighting them, though. She was radiating this...mostly pink aura."

After those fair few months spending time with each other, Trollex recognized which one of the Tribe Leaders Sisu was speaking of based on the word Pink alone.

"Poppy...? Poppy was fighting the Druun by herself?"

"I can't confirm or deny it, Trollex," Sisu shook her head again, "I never even met the girl, let alone heard of her until now."

"Poppy is the Princess turned Queen of the Pop Trolls," Trollex explained, "Quite possibly the sweetest Troll one would ever meet. And you're telling me that Poppy managed to find it within her to actively fight an enemy on her own terms?"

"Didn't Poppy and Branch manage to stop Queen Barb from turning every Troll into Rock Zombies during her World Tour?" Aggie tilted her head at Trollex.

"Yeah, but...that was different. There was little-to-no violence involved, and Barb managed to turn the Tribe Leaders into Rock Zombies anyway...me included."

"But you still forgave her, right?"

"Well... I held it over her head for a while, but yeah, I did. Eventually."

Aggie chuckled and shook her head, "Good for you, Trollex..."

"Trollex...?"

. . .

"Trollex..."

. . .

"Trollex!"

The Techno King awoke in a bed.

It wasn't his own, but a much comfortable one nonetheless.

Nearby, sleeping on a nearby chair was his drowsy girlfriend.

"DJ?"

Stirring in her sleep, DJ eventually woke up.

"Trollex! You're okay!"

"Yeah... I feel a little better. What happened?"

"You Glitched out, you spaced out, and then you passed out. I...took you to bed and King Lucas had the doctors and nurses look over you. You just needed some rest."

"What time is it now?"

"It's still evening," DJ sat on the edge of the bed. "Diogo and Dulce are working with Gabriel and Lucas to gather a patrol because they said the Chanty Trolls usually arrive during this time."

"CJ and the others?"

"Adriana is watching them."

Trollex nodded before burying his face into his hands, "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

DJ offered her boyfriend a hug, which he gratefully accepted without reluctance. Trollex laid his head on her shoulder just as she buried her head into her chest.

First Poppy, then the Tribes, now Trollex? Everyone and everything is going to hell...

. . .

No, we're gonna get through this.

. . .

Together.

As Trollex calmed down and turned his head, his eyes widened when he got a better glimpse at the view before him.

"Uh..."

"What? What is it?"

"Uh... I... I just realized what you were wearing."

Glancing down at her outfit in question, DJ smirked slyly to herself as the memory of Dulce's minor matchmaking method came rushing back to her full force.

"Oh, this?" DJ then acted flustered herself, "Well... I don't wanna say that Dulce had something to do with it, but...she kinda did."

"Did you think Dulce noticed something between us?"

"Hmm... No, I don't think she did."

Suddenly, DJ leaned forward and whispered huskily in Trollex's face.

"I know she did."

Trollex elicited a very heavy blush as he withdrew from DJ and his nose began to bleed. Reduced to a silent, sweating mess once again, the once brave and fearless Techno King was now stunned into silence as his girlfriend took the offensive. Cupping his face to kiss him, he visibly relaxed as he melted into the embrace. Eventually deciding to take action, he wrapped his arms around her while deepening the kiss, an action which she most certainly appreciated and reciprocated.

BANG!

"Hola, amigos! Are we ready to-?"

Unfortunately, before the action and its subsequent accompaniments could be explored further, Dulce burst into the room at the worst possible time. Her eyes widening in surprise at the same time DJ and Trollex's own did, the couple did not dare turn around to face the Princess of Latin City, who remained in stunned silence...at first, anyway. A split second later, she donned a supremely shit-eating smile and slapped both palms on both cheeks as she squealed an satisfied squeal.

"¡Dios mío! ¡Estás golpeando totalmente eso, mi señora!"

Having taken Spanish lessons during their mini-traps to Latin City, DJ and Trollex knew exactly what Dulce was saying, their already heavy blushes becoming progressively more and more so with each passing second. Shooting up from their compromising position, they both stood and faced the Princess with an incredibly indignant facial expression, desperate to regain whatever dignity remained.

"Eso NO es gracioso, Dulce," DJ gritted her teeth.

"En absoluto," Trollex replied alongside her, causing Dulce's amusement to skyrocket.

"And how is this my fault? While I will admit that I set up the set-up, it was DJ's decision to follow through with it."

The both of them opened their mouths before closing as quickly, realizing that she had a point.

"Pensé que sí," Dulce smirked a smug smirk once more before turning tail to exit the room, "So whenever you two lovebirds are ready...be our guest for dinner."

The moment she closed the door behind her (and it was a very long one at that), the couple exhaled and chuckled awkwardly to relief their stress.

"Man," Trollex shook his head, "Dulce is just...just..."

"¿Completamente loco?" DJ frowned, "Yes, but that's Dulce for you."

The both of them exchanged awkward laughter again before silence settled in.

"So..."

"So...?"

"Shall we?"

"We shall, yes."

Taking each other's hands, the couple walked side-by-side out of the bedroom and towards the dining room.

As the group gathered in the dining hall for dinner, Dulce was the third-to-last to arrive, a giggling fit kept to herself soon devolving into full-blown laughter as she served herself food, much to the confusion of the tree's occupants. In case it was unclear, they were confused at the Princess laughing, not the food.

"Are you okay, Dulce?" Adriana tilted her head as she smiled nervously at Gabriel.

The Princess merely nodded as she calmed down...before bursting into laughter again.

"Sister..." Lucas shared a similarly skittish smile as he called his sister's attention, "Is there something that you are aware of and wish not to tell us?"

The Princess merely nodded again before stomping footsteps echoed throughout the tree until they reached their destination. In an instant, DJ and Trollex became the last of the group to arrive, the others' confusion instantly skyrocketing into complete understanding at Dulce's previous amusement. Exchanging uncomfortable glances, the couple immediately plastered matching smiles that gave away that same atmosphere.

"So..."

"Guess who's coming to dinner?" The both of them asked simultaneously, prompting a smack-off between them both as they marched over to the dining table. Lucas, Adriana, and Gabriel exchanged surprised looks with each other; CJ, Keith, and the rest of the children were understandbly giggling like schoolchildren; Petra and Billy, by contrast, cackled uncontrollably when they realized the severity of the situation; and Priscilla and Melody exchanged blank stares before shaking their heads.

"Me? Am I coming to dinner?"

Everybody turned to find Camila finally strolling in a suave manner, giving off the impression that she owned the joint. Following behind her were a group of fellow Latin Trolls, two females and one male. The second eldest female of the group had cyan blue eyes, light tan skin, and black hair with purple streaks; she wore a white halter neck dress with a medium slit that reached her knees and black heels. The eldest male had admiral blue eyes, green skin, and dark brown hair with blue highlights; he wore a simple black suit jacket above a navy blue long-sleeve, button-up, collared shirt that was tucked into black trousers and black dress shoes. The youngest female had sapphire blue eyes, ruby red skin, and light brown hair with blue highlights; she wore a short-sleeve Empire-waist dress that reached just above her knees, a pearl necklace, and brown leather cowboy boots.

"I mean, I won't hold it against you, but still..." Camila chuckled as she shook her head, "my big eater tendencies are highly exaggerated, if that's what you're all worried about."

"Well, we're just glad you're here, Camila," Adriana approached to hug her, "Along with Suzi, Jamie, and Juliana. What are you guys doing here? I thought you were at the wedding."

"We were at a wedding," Suzi, the oldest female of the trio, huffed in scorn, "But not our own. Long story short, the wedding was damaged beyond repair after the wife wasn't actually the wife at all, but instead a cazafortuna who used usurpación de identidad to her advantage to gaslight the novio and frame the hermana menor. And then, some egotistical dama de honor decides to make the wedding all about her and tack her own wedding on the already turbulent main one. Needless to say, me and the más pequeños hightailed the hell out of there."

"But there were churros!" Juliana, the youngest of the trio, whined before being handed one by her older brother Jamie.

"Camila met up with us after being entertained by a group of...performers," Suzi continued as she shuddered, "And poor Juliana had to be bear witness to it all!"

"Lord have mercy on our souls..." Jamie shook his head as he began to pray, much to the amusement of one half of the room's occupants and the concern of the other half.

A few moments later, Poppy, Amy, and Ramona emerged from the portable changing rooms donning different-colored two-piece swimsuits. Ramona wore a plain white bikini with a matching cover-up wrap and a white floppy hat, Amy wore a pink bikini with a matching skirt bottom and a pair of black sunglasses, and Poppy wore a black bandeau bikini with a halter strap and a green headband with a single blue flower.

"Well?" Ramona smiled, "How do you girls feel?"

"Huh," Amy chuckled, "I feel objectified and liberated at the same time."

"I'm used to wearing swimsuits on a next-to-daily basis," Poppy noted with uncertainty, "But these... How do the Latin Trolls wear these?"

"The Latin Trolls are not adverse to revealing their skin," Ramona calmly explained, "If anything, them embracing their nude state is often considered to be a statement of freedom and empowerment."

"That's a dope philosophy," Amy's admiration grew, "Well, I might as enjoy it while it lasts. You said this was the last of the summer heat?"

"Possibly. The cold weather would settle in a few days or so as Poppy continues her training. Where is she, by the way?"

"What do you mean? She's right..."

Amy's eyes widened as Ramona glanced to her former spot. Glancing up, down, and around, the Orchestral Pop Troll exchanged looks of bemused concern with the Latin High Queen.

"...here. Where did she go?"

Poppy herself had wandered off elsewhere, watching the denizens of the Space Between's Latin City interact with each other. Joy and positivity radiated each and every conversation, often being shared among the individuals. Sándwiches Cubanos were being served alongside traditional tacos, button-down burritos, and intriguing ice cream, making her mouth water in spite of herself. Approaching the food stands, she watched as many of the cooks and chefs worked together to make and serve the food to hungry customers. As she did, the music of the Latin Trolls played on a nearby radio that was connected by several speakers.

("Me Llamas (Remix)" by Piso 21 & Maluma)

Poppy watched as the already large crowd grew in droves, enthusiastically cheering as they prepared to dance their hearts out. She could only linger near the very back, surprising herself as she generally considered to favor the very center of the spotlight. Despite the familiar set-up, she was still in unfamiliar territory and the fact that her knowledge of the Spanish language was limited did not help matters.

[Intro: Piso 21, Maluma]
Súbete, súbete, súbete
Remix

Even so, there was a certain feeling about the song that recalled the very essence of Pop Music, a certain feeling amplified by the prominent guitar throughout. She wanted to assume that Latin City drew influence from Pop, but she did not feel like it was her business to do so. The catchiness of the lyrics wrapped-up in Spanish flair was equally balanced with their willingness to express their sensual and sensitive sides.

[Verso 1: Maluma]
Dime si algún día sentiré tu cuerpo otra vez
Algo me dice que quieres volverme a ver
Hey, oye baby
Desde esa noche no paro de pensar en ti
Tú bien sabes que yo soy tu hombre porque él no te hace sentir

In addition, despite her limited knowledge of the Latin Troll language, Poppy could deduce the premise behind the song was about a male Troll yearning for a female Troll who was betrothed to another male Troll whose affection for the female Troll was anything but genuine. By contrast, the first male Troll's fondness for the female Troll was true to his heart rather than superficial lust.

[Pre-Coro: Piso 21, Maluma]
Él nunca supo amarte como yo lo sé
Él no conoce cada espacio de tu piel
Sé que no soy perfecto pero te diré
Él no sabe cómo tratar a una mujer

Of course, an explicit statement was made by the first male Troll that he himself was far from perfect, but the second male Troll, the female Troll's lover, had little-to-no redeeming qualities such as his inability to properly treat her (and other females in general) with respect. At that premise alone, her mind immediately went to her past infatuation with Creek and her present romance with Branch.

[Coro: Piso 21, Maluma]
Cuando tú quieras me llamas, tú me llamas
Soy el que te dio amor y el que te lo da hoy
Cuando tú quieras me llamas, tú me llamas
Soy el que te dio amor y el que te lo da hoy

In the past, Creek (the old him, anyway) would constantly shower her with praise and terms of endearment leading up to her coronation. Meanwhile, Branch did the exact opposite, criticizing her lax methods of ruling formerly Troll Village and viewing her more as an nuisance than anything. Strangely, it was rather encouraging to receive criticism from the more harsh Troll of the two as it allowed her figure out for herself her faults to improve when she became Queen.

[Verso 2: Piso 21 & Maluma]
Soy el que te robó un beso en una noche lloviendo
Mojados terminamos haciendo el amor
Mi piel extraña tu cuerpo y mi boca tus besos
Dime, tú, si me extrañas como lo hago yo

When she did become Queen, things drastically changed. Not only did the Trolls and the Bergens propose a truce and end their life-long "feud", but her relationships with both Branch and Creek undergone a similar drastic change. While the latter's betrayal was a major factor in her decision not to pursue a relationship with him, Poppy also thought she and Creek lacked chemistry in terms of actual romance. Plus, she made it an unfortunate habit of rushing into things too fast.

Y-y dime, mamacita, que tú quieres que te haga, mamá?
Hacemos travesuras hasta que no puedas más
Baby, de tu casa yo te voy a sacar
Y si tu madre te pregunta dile que te voy a robar
Pídeme el cielo y te lo doy
A la misma luna, por ti, yo voy
Todo lo que quieras, aquí estoy
Escucha este remix del Pretty Boy

By contrast, her relationship with the former had a proper development, possibly in large part to the fact that she knew Branch a lot more than Creek. She got to know him and befriend him over the 20 years since the Pop Trolls escaped the Bergens. She knew Creek for 10, but that did not necessarily mean she would place one person over another in terms of friendship at the time.

And then her friends got kidnapped by the Bergens, Poppy volunteered to save her, Branch ended up tagging along, Creek ended up temporarily betraying the Trolls to their fate, and then...Branch confessed his affection for her in his own special way. And the rest was history.

[Verso 3: Piso 21]
'Toy loco por sacarte de esta soledad
Y darte de esos besos que él ya no te da
Tú, llama cuando quieras que aquí voy a estar
Y se te hizo un daño lo voy a arreglar
Yo sé que estás para mí y yo soy para ti
No dejemos morir lo que tenemos aquí

No matter what happened next...

[Pre-Coro: Piso 21]
Él nunca supo amarte como yo lo sé
Él no conoce cada espacio de tu piel
Sé que no soy perfecto pero te diré
Él no sabe cómo tratar a una mujer

No matter who they faced next...

[Coro: Piso 21]
Cuando tú quieras me llamas, tú me llamas
Soy el que te dio amor y el que te lo da hoy
Cuando tú quieras me llamas, tú me llamas
Soy el que te dio amor y el que te lo da hoy

He was there. He was always there.

[Outro: Maluma, (Piso 21)]
Cuando tú quieras me llamas (¡Piso 21!)
Tú me llamas (¡Hey!), jaja (¡Hey, hey!)
Nos llamas (¡Hey!)
A Piso 21 o Maluma (¡Súbete, súbete, súbete!)
El remix

Suddenly, her body glowed red, navy blue, sky blue, green, yellow, and white and inadvertently emitted small but powerful shockwaves that surged through the crowd. Confusion and then pleasant surprise followed, as they enthusiastically cheered the inexplicable sensation.

As the song faded to a finish, a teenage Troll watched the spectacle from afar. She had fair (almost light tan) skin, hazel eyes, short black curly hair that reached her shoulders, thick black eyebrows, and visible dark shade of freckles on her nose and cheeks. She wore a white shirt with a black trimmed pattern and butterfly stitching; a long, light blue skirt with colorful butterfly prints, lilac tassels lined across with dark blue lace, an indigo petticoat, and white bloomers; sandals with pink linking on them, bluish-purple pom-pom circular earrings, a butterfly/rainbow brooch, and round green framed glasses that seemed to lack lenses. The skirt had many drawings stitched onto it such as flowers, musical notes, a chameleon, a small basket of food, a candle, and yes, butterflies.

Watching Poppy glow her assortment of colors as the crowd excitedly gathered around her, the teenage Troll took a deep breath and marched forward, pushing through the others who asked her one too many questions regarding her state and her state of mind.

Before she could, however, her mother and group of friends arrived before things settled down.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Amy let loose a rapid-fire apology as she slowed down to a huffing stop, Peony and Ramona following behind.

"It's okay, Amy," Poppy laughed as small children joined the crowd to get close and gaze at her in awe. A little girl with blue hair, hazel eyes, and a red dress wanted to be picked up and, her cuteness proximity kicking in, Poppy could not help but oblige her. Initially willing to pick her up the normal way, she instead decided to test her powers on a living object rather than an inanimate one. Her hands glowing orange, she raised them and slowly but surely levitated the girl over, much to her giggling delight. Catching the girl in her arms, it was only then that Reina Carolina had made her way over.

"I see your training has improved over the past week."

"Majestad!" Anna laughed as she greeted her, "There you are! I honestly expected you to take a more prominent role in Poppy's training!"

"I wish I could, young Anna," Carolina returned the smile before her expression turned somber, "Unfortunately, outside circumstances have prevented me from doing so until the last minute."

"What has happened, Carolina?" Peony asked as she took Poppy's right side.

"The Chanty Trolls have attacked Volcano Rock City and detained the citizens."

"WHAT?!" King Bowie roared in fury as Major Tom rushed to calm him down before the citizens could be riled up into a panic.

"And where are they now?

"They are being kept on their ship. I had Alejandro scout out their next locations, which happen to be Latin City, Dragon Hollow, and then Vibe City. They don't seem to be rude or intimidating towards the captured Rock Trolls."

"Doesn't make the news any more comforting, though..." A calmed Bowie remarked before Tom interjected again.

"I think the Chanty Trolls are pragmatic. They are possibly aware of the possibility of a revolt arising should any one of the Rock Trolls were mistreated or murdered. They, at the very least, expect their full cooperation."

"Has Captain Katina been notified?" Sophie turned to Carolina next.

"She was heartbroken when I informed her of the news. She joined Alejandro in the stakeout and have remained incognito since."

"Then we have to move forward with the journey," Peony turned to Poppy, who nodded in understanding and handed the little girl back to her older sister as she approached.

"What do we do?"

"Come with me, Poppy," Carolina gestured for Poppy to follow her, "I may be able to provide you with at least one lesson."

"Can I join you?"

Everyone turned to face the teenage Troll who had been watching Poppy for a while. Adjusting her glasses, she gulped nervously and approached.

"I...want to join you on your journey."

"Why?" Will crossed his arms as his eyebrows knitted together in suspicion.

"I... I'm in a similar situation to Poppy's. I've been here in the Space Between for a while and...I never got around to leaving and heading home because I never found a way back...until now. Until I...saw you...Queen Poppy."

Earning the Pop Queen's sympathy, Poppy smiled and nodded, "Of course. I do need all the help I can get."

The teenager smiled and nodded back as Poppy turned back to Carolina.

"Where to, Your Majesty?"

Carolina smiled and nodded, "Follow me."

As the group followed Carolina away from the party, Poppy turned to the teenager.

"Don't worry. We'll help you find your way back home."

"Thanks," The teenager smiled in gratitude before scratching the back of her head, "It's, uh...Mirabel."

"Mirabel?" Poppy tilted her head.

"My name. Mirabel Madrigal. It's a honor to meet you, Queen Poppy."

Poppy returned the smile, "The honor's all mine...Mirabel."

As night fell, the citizens of Latin City were just as lively at dusk as they were at dawn, if not more so. The adults engaged in small talk concerning the business acumen and new strategies to improve their livelihood, the teenagers took part in witty banter regarding the little and big occurrences in their slices of life, and the children participated in casual childhood games with a Troll Tribe twist. Watching them from afar made CJ, Keith, Priscilla, and the rest of the primary tribal kids feel bittersweet feelings. However, they were not ungrateful in terms of embarking on the journey to protect the newly established (and short-lived) TrollsTopia from harm. In fact, they were grateful that this journey helped with their enlightenment on the history of the Troll Tribes. Because they were far from home, though, they could not help but feel a little homesick.

"A little homesick, huh?"

The group turned to find Melody standing there with a tray of food, presumably serving them their dinner.

"Yeah," CJ admitted before adding, "but we wouldn't admit it right away."

"CJ and the rest of the group are placing up a protective front to mask their true emotions regarding the journey far from home," Priscilla clarified, causing Melody's eyebrows to knit together.

"And you're not?"

"Of course not," Priscilla shook her head, "I will admit that my decision to leave Pop Village and embark on the subsequent journey ahead has left me homesick. This, despite the fact that we were placed in a similar situation mere months prior."

"How do you think we feel?" CJ frowned.

"You're not alone in this, Priscilla," Melody sat down as she passed the food around, "I basically left my older cousin behind and the rest of my people to provide extra supervision for you kids. That, and I felt that I had...a purpose."

"A purpose in what?" Tiny Diamond tilted his head.

"A purpose in..." Melody rubbed her chin, "the bigger story that Poppy and Branch...and, by extension, the rest of the Tribe Leaders, had created for themselves. The Trolls could live in harmony now that the Bergens could live in harmony. They became friends for long and enemies no longer. And then...Queen Barb learned about the other Tribes and embarked on her World Tour to conquer all kinds of music. Er, no offense to you, young Carol."

"None taken," The young Rock Troll shook her head with a knowing smile.

"Anyway, did you see my point? Certain Trolls have a purpose in life, no matter how well-intentioned or villainous they are."

"So are we the heroes?" Keith asked with uncertainty, "Or are we the villains?"

"Well, in the eyes of some..." Melody made sure to choose her words wisely, "Yes and no. The thing about some villains is...they're the heroes of their own story. Difficult circumstances may have led them to make difficult choices, leading them on the path they chose today. And the other villains are who they are because...they can be or just are."

"Like the Bergen Chef?" CJ asked again, "Even after the Bergens end their feud with us, Chef still tried to kill Aunt Poppy and Uncle Branch."

"Yes, and that was her own choice. I can only imagine she was raised in a very unhealthy environment where anger, misery, and cynicism prevailed. The Bergens channeled their despair into motivation for survival and some let it get to their heads. They would become accustomed to their manner of thinking and refuse to see dire change."

Having been raised and sheltered by her Aunt for most of her life, Clampers had no idea who or what Miss Melody was referring to. In fact, no else did other than their new Pop Troll friends, whose facial expressions ranged from firmly afraid to mildly remorseful. That, possibly compounded by Miss Melody's frank yet complex description of them, was enough to make her fear and pity the dreaded Bergens.

"Miss Melody?" Clampers began to ask, "Are there more Bergens out there who...refuse to see change?"

"Honestly," Melody shook her head, "I hope not."

"And if there were, we would be ready."

The group turned to find DJ Suki standing a few feet away, a comforting smile plastered on her face. Walking over to her niece, who hugged her in search of that comfort, she hugged her back as a nonverbal reminder that she would not be going anywhere any time soon.

Watching his girlfriend and her niece interact with one another from a few feet away, Trollex smiled to himself before it briefly faltered. He never experienced that specific kind of relationship with his parents. In fact, he never experienced any kind of relationship with his parents because...he never knew them.

Suddenly, a brief thud was made audible, followed by a series of booms that made the occupants inside the castle and the citizens outside to look up from their respective duties and activities. Exchanging glances at each other, however, the Latin City Royal Guard knew exactly what the boom series meant and rushed to ready their armory. They took up their pistols, their shotguns, their assault rifles, and their swords among other weapons in their large arsenal. Even so, because they have since dedicated themselves to become a peacekeeper amongst the Troll Tribes, they knew that a battle amongst a group of battle-hardened Trolls who continuously practiced their fighting styles and strategies harbored the possibility of being hopelessly one-sided.

That did not mean one should lose their nerve in the face of a conflict, however.

"The Chanty Trolls!" Adriana arrived with two other guards, "They're here!"

"Is the shield still up?" Lucas nonetheless asked calmly.

"Gabriel went on ahead with a brigade to send the citizens to the new bunkers," Camila replied, "Most of the Royal Guard is surrounding the outskirts."

Turning briefly to face DJ's group, Dulce's eyes widened as she turned back to face her brother.

"We need to get them out of here!"

"No!" Trollex stood up and walked over to the small group, "We're staying here to fight with you!"

"You don't understand, Trollex," Dulce continued as she faced him this time, "The Chanty Trolls are not like the Party Crashers. Unlike them, they study their opponent's tactics and actually have countering strategies laid out for them... Well, at least, that's what I've heard."

"Lucas," Adriana caught her King's attention, "What about the Apex Headset? We cannot let the Chanty Trolls have it!"

"I can take it," DJ approached with a suggestion, "Me and my group are supposed to be heading to Dragon Hollow after Latin City."

"Oh, Dragon Hollow!" Diogo exclaimed with excitement, "That's perfect! I know some Trolls in Dragon Hollow, so I can lead them there!"

"And do you remember the last time you visited Dragon Hollow, primo?" Dulce crossed her arms.

"Yes, I do!" Diogo cheerfully responded before his smile faltered as he took offense to that particular memory, "And that was not my fault!"

"Idiotas!" Lucas lightly smacked Diogo and Dulce, "Not the time! Dulce and Diogo, find the Apex Headset and make sure they get out of the city safely!"

"Yes, primo!" Diogo saluted his cousin before beckoning DJ's group to follow him and Dulce.

Meanwhile, Gabriel checked the ammunition and sights of his SIG-Sauer P226R as the Latin City Royal Guard marched outside, around the same time Camila checked her own SIG-Sauer P226R, two Glock 17s, and a Mossberg 500 Persuader; Adriana was not far behind as she loaded her Glock 19 and readied some flashbang and smoke grenades. The rest of the guards readied their Glock 17s, Jericho 941s, and M4A1 Carbines.

"Adriana," Gabriel turned to his fellow soldier, "Are the Chanty Trolls really here or are they inside the city's radius?"

"Well..." Adriana herself blushed in embarrassment, "They're approaching the city's radius. Does that count?"

"It should," Camila caught up with them, "because it falls in-between."

Lucas silently walked ahead of the bickering trio as he worked himself up into a more cordial demeanor, masking his fury beneath. He could not fully remember the last time the Chanty Trolls invaded Latin City, but the one moment that remained implanted in the mind of his sister, his cousin, and his own was one that defined his current reign. It was one that necessitated his past abdication as the former Prince and his present coronation as the future King.

It was one that he would never forget.

Loading and checking the sights of a stainless steel Jericho 941 R, Lucas's look of stoic fury at recalling that particular memory both worried and frightened his friends and soldiers following him to battle. The King ignored the concerned stares and closed his eyes while taking slow breaths like he was taught to do...while walking ahead faster than the others.

Meanwhile, locating and securing the Apex Headset, DJ's group (joined by Diogo and Dulce) took a secret exit out of the castle, which involved a spiral slip 'n' slide that travel to all of the locations inside, which ranged from visible to the eyes to invisible to those except a fair few. The children cheered and whooped in excitement as they enjoyed the thrill ride, with some of the adults joining in. DJ laughed in delight as she hugged Trollex from behind, causing him to blush and glow again; his pixelated heart even beat against his chest. Noticing this, CJ giggled and caught the attention of the others, who giggled along with her. Shooting them a warning look, the Techno King turned back to the front only to be met with knowing smirks with the sister and cousin of the King. Exchanging the same kind of look briefly, Princess Dulce and Diogo cackled lightly at the torment of Trollex, whose warning look quickly morphed to a death glare...which, of course, made them laugh a little harder.

Upon reaching the exit, the group then exited the barrier just as the ship piloted and occupied by the Chanty Trolls arrived outside it. Watching the sky pirates rappel down and land on top of the barrier, subsequently attempting to break through, the group exchanged uncertain looks before taking off into the night.

"Deactivate the shield," Lucas commanded, much to the surprise of his allies.

"Your Majesty?" Adriana frowned, only to be met with a curt nod by her King. Turning to face her fellow Guards, who were awaiting an order, she nodded at them and just like that, the shield was deactivated.

The hapless Chanty Trolls who were perched atop the barrier ended up falling down towards the ground. Having come prepared to an extent, they used their parachutes for a slow descent. Had they not produced parachutes in time or at all, there were have been a bloody mess on the streets of Latin City.

Captain Blue was the last one out as she leaped gracefully from the ship's dock and prepared to land on the ground in a similar manner. As her parachute safely guided her down, she took in the admittedly beautiful view that was Latin City. Suddenly, a feeling of melancholia overwhelmed her for a moment before she shook her head and joined her crew.

Waiting alongside them were the King of Latin City and his Royal Guards, which consisted of a few thousand men and women.

How cute...

Her right hand resting where her pistol should be, Captain Blue approached the front lines and got a closer look at the King.

"Your Majesty."

"The Captain."

"Do we know each other? And if we do, do you remember me?"

"We should. How could I forget the girl whose tribe invaded my city...and saved my life doing it?"

"Not out of personal morals, of course," Blue shrugged, "but merely out of a professional courtesy. I saw what your kingdom was capable of, but all it need was a king and queen to rule it. I settled on the next best thing: a prince and a princess."

"So it was you? The Troll who killed my parents? Our parents?"

"Of course not. I was merely an unwilling associate of my seventh Captain who, like the number in his ranking, exhibited all of the seven deadly sins in his conquest. I did you Trolls a favor and...placed him out of my misery."

"And his crew, too?"

"Of course not...again. To deprive him of his crew so soon after his demise would deprive me of a crew and instead place me through the wringer of hard work. I simply uprooted the bad seeds before they could become even badder apples. Because...I'm nice like that."

"Nice...but not reasonable?"

"I can be that too, should somebody provide me with the proper reason. Speaking of which, you should know the real reason of my visit to Latin City."

"I do, but I prefer an elaborating confirmation just to be sure."

"Of course," Blue bit her bottom lip and cleared her throat, "As you denizens of Latin City probably know...or should already...the Six Strings of Music were destroyed a few months prior to my current visit. I, however, failed to notice this until recently. How ever did I find this unsettling revelation out? Through a dear friend of mine, who gave discreet hints of the Pop Queen's involvement in their destruction. Which brings me to my next question..."

Dropping any pretense, Blue drew her sidearm and then a lightning sword...as in, a sword literally constructed by lightning, which dramatically crackled when it was drawn from its scabbard before stiffening into a typical longsword shape. Her actions caused the rest of the Royal Guards to draw their weapons on the Captain, which in turn caused the Captain's crew to draw their weapons on them.

"Where..." Blue held Lucas at sword-and-gunpoint, "...is Queen Poppy?"

"If I told you..." Lucas narrowed his eyes at Blue, "you wouldn't believe me or us without the proper evidence."

"Evidence is just that, Lucas. Whether it's fake or real is none of my concern; I'll take my chances. Now...Queen Poppy?"

"She's been reporting missing for the past week and impending. I've sent some of my finest Guards to search for her."

"Ah, perfect. You just made my possibly difficult task a lot more easier. And before you ask, I won't harm you, your people, or Poppy particularly."

"And your purpose for her presence is?"

"Nothing of importance at the moment. I merely wish to have a conversation with her."

"Judging by your tone, I don't think your definition and my definition of a conversation line up with each other."

"Of course not! I'm a villain, you're a hero. Our definitions of certain...things won't always line up with each other. We may never understand each other as a result. But I still expect some level of respect from one another, especially considering that I saved your life and you saved mine on that fateful night."

Blue smirked deviously, "Unless...you feel ungrateful?"

"The Latin Trolls value honor and respect, of course," Lucas refuted, "It's knowing who and when to value them that's the trouble."

"Hmm. I could spare you from that dilemma...but what good would that do you and me?"

"No good at all, I suppose."

"You suppose correctly. Now come on! I believe a temporary alliance is in order."

"You believe correctly...for now. The moment you hurt one of my people is the moment I turn on you."

"I would never do that to you. I'm too nice of a Troll to commit a crime as heinous as that."

"Nice...but not reasonable."

In response, Blue holstered her sidearm and sword, prompting her crew and the Latin City Royal Guard to do the same.

"Like I said, a proper reason is required for reasonableness."

While maintaining his suspicions about Blue, Lucas knew that he had to give DJ Suki's group time to escape to Dragon City and nodded in agreement. He gestured his Guard to stand down and protect the people as they had no other choice but to prepare for the long journey ahead. From the corner of an eye, he saw the Captain sport a victorious smirk that seemed to do nothing but gloat in his face; it was all too easy for her.

"I don't like this, my King," Adriana frowned.

"I don't, either," Lucas sighed, "but we have no choice at the moment. Starting a shootout at this time would only spell disaster for everyone involved."

"You do have a plan, right?" Camila smiled, "because I don't think you sent DJ and her crew away with you-know-what for nothing."

"I do, and it's very risky."

"How risky?" Gabriel observed the ever-so-shifty Chanty Trolls.

"Terribly risky. A risky gamble that may pay off with the proper sleight of hand."

"That made no sense whatsoever," Camila snarked.

"I know," Lucas snarked back before tending to his people with Adriana, Camila, and Gabriel exchanging nervous or uncertain looks.

As Lucas watched his people being separated into five groups, he caught notice of a trio of Trolls discreetly climbing up the walls to the main forest line.

Best of luck to you, Suzi...Jamie...and Juliana. My friends need you more than ever.

A/N: So yeah, I'm back after an approximate 5-month absence. Plotting out the rest of this story drained me physically and emotionally. I think I may plan out an extended cut of this story and "The Other Side" in order to flesh out the plot. That being said, I am somewhat happy to announce that we are nearing the end of the Latin City arc and moving on to the Dragon City arc.

In this story arc, Poppy will learn how to fight with her powers from the Dragon Trolls just as how she learned to use her powers from the Latin Trolls while she and her mother strengthen their bond in realizing the many different universes. Meanwhile, in the living world, Wani's trauma over being turned into a Rock Zombie is taking a toll on her Bounty Hunter duties and hindering her blossoming relationship with Tresillo, who does his best to comfort her despite his own personal demons. Branch, the Tribe Leaders, and the Tribe Ambassadors prepare to place their plan to use Archer as a scout on the Party Crashers into action. After placing their own nefarious plans into action, a trio of Siren Trolls by the names of Serina, Kiri, and Vivace eventually learn about the vast array of possibilities that is the Multiverse. Traveling to Dragon City to learn more about the Scholars and the Apex Headset, DJ's group seek refuge from the pursuing Chanty Trolls at the castle of Sun Lien, whose divine nature masks a more sensitive side to her...something that fascinates Diogo against his better interest. Captain Blue plots a course to find Poppy (unaware of her slow-burning power building), but her unwillingness to do actual harm towards her guests to keep them in line sparks talk of a mutiny. Olivia, a fellow Bounty Hunter, meets XXX, a renegade Chanty Troll, at a crossroads while taking a client home to Lonesome Flats, forcing her to confront her past. The Folk Tock Trolls's belated knowledge about their past sparks a conversation over the roles of the Troll Tribes in their separation. Finally, Melody Song and Agatha, the last of the Magical Musical Trolls, are having overlapping dreams of things to come...

Things that will eventually get out of hand...

In fact, the appearances of Sisu from Raya And The Last Dragon, Mirabel Madrigal from Encanto, and Sheriff Callie from Sheriff Callie's Wild West (all of which are owned by Disney) were not supposed to be inserted at random. Their appearances are meant to be signs of the aforementioned "things to come". Speaking of appearances, the new K-Pop Trolls from TrollsTopia (Bi-Na, Young & Min) will call for potential prominence in the Dragon City arc. Also, the alternate counterparts of Poppy ("Pushy Poppy"), Guy Diamond ("Dingy Diamond"), and Holly Darling ("Hollizabeth Darlintonshire") from "Wormhole Scavenger Hunt" will make appearances in possible addition to fan-created counterparts of Branch ("Baddie Branchie" by poppibranchlover), Queen Barb ("Bashful Barb" by raindrop-righteous), Prince D ("Diva Darnell" by munchnkinlatte), Prince Trollex ("Tired Trollex" by zloveschian), King Quincy ("Quarrelsome Quincy" by justherefor000), Queen Essence ("Energetic Essence" by justherefor000), Dante Crescendo ("Dull Dante" by justherefor000), Synth ("Sarcastic Synth" by justherefor000), and Holly again ("Hopeless Holly" by justherefor000).

So yeah...things are gonna get crazy from now on. But then again...what's life without a little bit of craziness?