The sun began to set as the group followed Carolina up a hill. Latin City simultaneously started to switch on rainbow-colored lights to lead the party into the night. Poppy admitted that it was more beautiful during this time, not that daytime could not give it a rapid run for its already paid money. It reminded her of home.
"Here," Carolina finally spoke as they slowed to a stop, "Do you know why I brought you here, Poppy?"
Poppy shook her head in response.
"I brought you here...to tell you a story."
Carolina's hand glowed and she swept it upward toward the slowly but surely surfacing stars. They appeared as a series of constellations in the sky, taking the form as people. She then took a deep breath and began to regale a tale of action, adventure, fantasy, romance, and destiny.
"There was a young girl. A Princess. The Princess of a kingdom who dreamed of more in her provincial life. Specifically, she lamented the loss of her not being a prophesied warrior much like her older brothers, as they embarked on daring adventures with high stakes and deserved rewards. However, on her 15th birthday, on the day of her coronation, she learned a very powerful, very devastating revelation: she was not the blood daughter of the King and Queen, a misdeed that needed to be paid to appease the Gods and Goddesses if it were to prevent the destruction of the Earth. In other words, the fate of the world rested squarely on her shoulders."
Sensing a bad feeling rising from the pits of her stomach, Poppy frowned.
"Did she...succeed? Did she save the world?"
"Yes..." Carolina sighed somberly, "but at a terrible cost. A necessary sacrifice to bring peace and tranquility to the world. Her world."
The mood had considerably darkened over the course of Carolina's tale, but even the hardened of Poppy's group were trying to hold back tears upon hearing the unexpected (or expected, in others' case) bittersweet ending. Poppy herself let the realization settle in her mind, taking deep breaths to regain her composure. The fact that a young girl, one who was not much older than her, had an unfathomable burden such as saving the world placed on her shoulders and succeeded at the cost of her life did little to calm her nerves. In addition, it brought back uncomfortable memories of a similar fate that befell upon her not long ago. The worst part? She, the eldest of the two, survived, while the Princess, the youngest of the two, did not.
Noticing this, Peony placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and began rubbing her back.
"I... I should've been there..." Poppy muttered with a hitch in her breath, "I could've helped her... I could've saved her..."
Suddenly, her eyes and body began to violently glow, alternating between dark red, dark grey, and pitch black. Brushing off the warm hand of her mother off her cold shoulder, she stomped away from the ever-so worried group of Trolls as her mother looked at her daughter with wide eyes of horror.
"I... Who? Why?"
Poppy's eyes lingered on the color of pitch black as circles of different shades of grey formed inside similar circles...which formed inside similar circles.
"Why would the Gods and Goddesses be so needlessly...cruel?"
Her hands began to glow blood red...
"So...cruel..."
...and her fingertips began to leak jet black ooze.
"So...HEARTLESS?!"
Her eyes suddenly leaked red...blood against a white background as her voice reverted to a higher pitch. Her body then projected powerful shockwaves towards the group, knocking the majority down with the exception of the Tribe Leaders. The same shockwaves vibrated throughout the architecture and landscape of Latin City, which, as they slowly began to realize the strange sensitions, brought fear and alarm to the poor citizens.
As the group fought hard to fight back against the waves, Poppy unleashed an unholy scream of fury and despair, forcing them to cover their ears. Mirabel's own eyes widened as she desperately tried to get closer to her. She knew what powers like these and those harnessed by Poppy were capable of, but she also knew that there was a reason why holding back was the more safer option.
"Poppy...!"
Mirabel called out to her new friend, even if it was a faint whisper to her ears.
"Poppy...!"
She could not give up on her new friend, however, a promise that she failed the first time around.
"Poppy...!"
If she failed them in life...then she would not fail them in death.
"Poppy!"
Mirabel outstretched her arms and embraced Poppy in a warm hug, ignoring the actual burning sensation that in turn embraced her skin.
The Pop Queen attempted futilely to fight it before she realized two things: what was happening and who was instigating it. Her hands reverted back to pink, her eyes reverted back to yellow, and the shockwaves began to cease.
Blinking in surprise at herself, Poppy melted into the embrace before her ears perked up at the sound of soft moaning. Turning back to find Mirabel clinging on to her from behind, she tried to shift into a better position, only to widen her eyes in alarm when she shook her head.
"M-Mirabel...?"
Mirabel took deep breaths as she remained attached to Poppy, who gasped in horror at the realization.
"Mirabel! Mirabel, no!"
Reluctantly detatching herself from her friend, Poppy gently set a clearly wounded Mirabel down as Peony and Carolina were the first to approach. Watching her own daughter lament the current state of her newfound friend, one she had unintentionally harmed, the former embraced her from the side, Poppy welcoming her as tears flowed from her eyelids. The latter, on the other hands, placed her focus exclusively on the injured Troll while sighing to herself in solmen regret.
"Forgive me, Poppy," Carolina breathed out, "I severely underestimated the full extent of your abilities and your strong reaction to the story."
"It's not your fault..." Poppy could only say to her as she shook her head in denial. She could not believe that she actually brought harm to a friend, unintentional or otherwise, but here she was. Here she was cradling said friend as one of the Tribe Leaders worked to heal her. The rest of the group could only look on in equal parts terror and pity for the Pop Queen, whose powers grew more and more restless.
Paul and Anna exchanged worried glances at each other, worrying that the progress they had made would be undone by a single violent outburst. Ramona shot them sympathetic looks before moving to comfort her friend alongside the latter's mother.
Poppy's thoughts ran around in circles.
They became...
. . .
Became...
. . .
Became...
. . .
Muddled...
. . .
Rattled...
. . .
Jumbled...
. . .
. . .
. . .
J-Jumbled?
. . .
. . .
. . .
J-Jumbled!
. . .
The thoughts in question ultimately proving too much for her to handle, Poppy let herself slip into unconsciousness, her mother's cry of her own name being the last thing her ears picked up on.
Joined by Suzi, Jamie, and Juliana, DJ's group traveled up the hills, worried for the condition of the people of Latin City, particularly their close friends. So far, they heard no screams, no shouts, no gunfire, no commotion. And then suddenly, the lights of Latin City went out, something that alarmed Diogo and Dulce because, with the exception of some temporary repairs, the lights would never go off. A moment later, the ship that carried the Chanty Trolls ascended upward and disappeared into the midnight sky.
"Do you think that they'll be alright, Aunt DJ?" CJ asked her uneasily.
"I...don't know, CJ," DJ replied in a similar tone before Diogo stepped in.
"Don't worry, little one. The people of Latin City are like a spear. One may break the shaft, but the point remains."
"From what I can tell," Dulce rubbed her chin, "My brother has a plan up his sleeves."
"Don't you mean sleeve?" Trollex tilted his head, "And this is coming from a Troll who wears little-to-no clothes."
"No, I do mean sleeves," Dulce shook her own, "My brother usually has two plans prepared. One is the main, the other is the contingency. With a little bit of luck and ingenuity, he'll probably think up a whole trio and another trio after those."
"Assuming that the Captain and the rest of the Chanty Trolls do nothing to hinder the plan or the ones after," DJ nodded as she understood.
"The Chanty Trolls are quite unpredictable," Suzi faced her and then the two relatives, "The only rules they follow and play by are their own. They have certain strategies that only they can stay with because of their willingness to fight dirty and pull no punches."
Digging into her hair, she pulled out a duffel bag and unzipped it open, revealing an arsenal of firearms and additional weapons.
"Which is why we need to take a page or two out of their book," Suzi finished as she grabbed and chambered a Glock 19.
"Good job, Suz," Diogo grabbed a Glock 17 and checked the ammunition.
"Honestly, I'm glad you thought of that, Suz," Dulce chuckled awkwardly, "Cause you thought I did? Well, I didn't."
Suzi gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder and a look that, besides matching the sentiment, very obviously read "I'm sure you tried..." A minute later, he watched DJ and Trollex walk over to inspect the bag before selecting the weapon most familiar to them: another Glock 17.
"You guys need or want some?" Trollex asked Melody, Petra, and Billy.
"I was going to say I still have mine," Petra held her SIG-Sauer P226R, "but I suppose it can't hurt to be prepared."
Joining them both, Petra carefully rummaged through the bag and eventually picked out the following weapons: a 3rd Generation Glock 17, a 3rd Generation Glock 19, a SIG-Sauer P229 E2, a Remington 870 MCS, and a M4A1 Carbine with a M68 Aimpoint scope and RAS railed handguard.
"Be more prepared, we suppose," Billy shrugged as he examined the bag for himself and picked out a Remington 870 Field Gun.
Unlike her two fellow Rock Trolls, Melody preferred not to use guns. She instead opted for weapons that were more suitable for melee combat or rather archiac in terms of their usage in modern times. Despite being more comfortable with swords, staffs, bows-and-arrows, or even a simple baton, however, even she knew those (with the possible exception of the bows-and-arrows, of course) would do absolutely no good in a straightforward gunfight. Making her way to the bag, Melody settled on a compromise weapon: a Remington 870 Wingmaster.
"How you holding up, baby girl?" Petra, who was loading her new guns, called out for Grace, who was hidden in her hair.
"I'm doing okay, Mommy," Grace yawned as she flashed the Devil's Horns, making Suzi furrow her eyebrows.
"You brought kids with you?"
"What, and you didn't?" Petra gestured to Jamie and Juliana, the former explaining to the latter why she could not carry a weapon herself just yet. Suzi slightly nodded and shrugged in acknowledgement, before stuffing her bag of weapons back in her hair and holstering her Glock 19.
"Not by choice, but yeah. Now come on. Dragon City takes about two days to travel towards by foot; let's try to make it in one."
"No promises," Billy chuckled, "We Rock Trolls are notoriously for heavy sleepers."
"So I've heard..." Suzi muttered to herself as she, DJ, and Trollex led the group onward to Dragon City.
As she lingered behind at the back of the line, Melody watched Jamie and Juliana befriend and interact with the younger, primary Tribe Trolls before her mind subconsciously reminded her of...something. Digging into her backpack, she pulled out a familiar long rectangular box that housed a familiar magical artifact. Opening it, she pulled the Rainbow Wand, the jewel of which gleamed in the moonlight as they hurried along the path. So far, its usage was limited to none.
So why exactly did Mom give me the Rainbow Wand?
"So you remember the plan, right, Archer?"
"Yes, Branch. Simple as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3. I'm revisiting my old home, which may or may reopen a can of worms for me. I gather any information I find useful. I get in, I get out...and I kill anybody in my path who tries to stop me."
. . .
"Well, I like it. It's simple and easy to remember."
Even if the person involved with the plan insisted there was little-to-no problem about it, there was a great amount of reluctance about said plan the Tribe Leaders were fixing to place into action. Specifically, Branch had reservations about reopening old wounds even when the occasion called for it. He knew that, despite the existence of good memories (great even), reflecting on the past was not exactly the ideal thing to do because it invited moments of unsavory reminiscing. Keeping on the topic, he (along with the rest of the Pop Trolls) harbored very deep hesistance of allowing Archer, a former Party Crasher and honorary Pop Troll, to essentially condemn himself into reliving the past, one that he fought hard to distance himself from. Archer himself found little issue with the plan at hand, even musing to himself that he knew that the day would come. Even so, Branch could not help but utter apologies in advance.
"Again, we're sorry that you had to be involved in the plan, Archer," Branch passed a backpack of additional supplies to Archer.
"Again, you don't have to apologize, Branch," Archer took said backpack and slung it over his shoulders, "We need all hands on deck if we plan to win this battle you and the rest of the Leaders speak of. Also...thanks for your opinion on the plan, Barb, although I don't think I'm going to remember much of it because it's not supposed to easy."
"No worries, Archer," The Rock Queen smiled as she shrugged her own shoulders, "I have faith in you."
"We all do," Harper entered the room and placed a kiss on his cheek, "You're gonna be okay?"
"Sure," Archer shrugged as he returned the kiss, "I'll just think of you. Only you."
"Ugh, why does love have to be so complicated?"
The four of them turned to find Peter dressed in his Party Crasher attire, leaning against the wall in utter contempt for the PDA, "Are we doing this or what?"
"One of these days, Peter," Archer hypothesized with humor, "You're gonna be in the exact same situation sooner or later."
"And I'm a little thankful that that day is not today."
"A little?"
"Shut up."
Outside, Sheriff Callie checked her Colt MK IV Series 80 as she shared a minimal conversation with Delta Dawn.
"You sure you can handle this endeavor, Cal?"
"Even after all those years, Dawn...you still lack faith in me and my skills. But to properly answer your question, I can handle myself just fine. Do you remember Tricky Travis's Terrifying Twister?"
"Right, of course. How could I forget? Sorry, sugar."
"No worries, Dawn. If anything, though...I'm more worried for you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I hear news of you being more distant than usual. Something about...another dimension?"
Delta's eyes widened in alarm before she caught herself and regained a calm demeanor.
"Yeah. I kept thinking about them, Clampers's folks. They were my family just as much as their daughter...my niece...is to me. I never got the chance to properly make amends with them just as I did with my own. Now that this...Space Between...exists, I couldn't stop thinking back to...a simpler time. I will admit that I...overreacted."
Callie's eyes narrowed in uncertainty before she replied with, "Overreacted? Dawn, you're my best friend. The closest thing I have to a sister, even. You can't exactly keep secrets from me, them Tribe Leaders, and the rest of the town. Sometimes, you have to be straightforward...even if the truth hurts."
"You don't think I know that? I spent a month thinking about the rest of my family and a second chance for an apology. I never left the house they called home for a solid month trying to figure out how the damned place functions! I never stopped loving them! Never!"
All eyes were on them now, but none were as fearful and concerned than that of the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors. Holly and Gust exchanged worried looks at each other for the Troll they considered to be a mentor figure. As the first Troll to demonstate genuine affection towards her and eventually receive a reciprocation, Hickory knew exactly when his love was going through, despite not expressing his own troubles directly. Even Dickory, whom Delta did not pay much attention towards and who often returned the sentiment, expressed commiseration because he, much like his brother, knew the all-too-familiar pain and suffering in their youth.
"And when my friend...my daughter...died that night...my soul shattered into a thousand pieces. Pieces that were scattered and lost to...the ashes of time. You don't know how it feels like...to have a shred of hope...ripped away from you."
For a few fleeting moments, the strong, resilient Sheriff/Mayor of Lonesome Flats...the tough, persistent leader of the Country Trolls...was given a chance to express a more softer, sensitive side to her hardships. She broke down into tears, cursing herself to display vulnerability in front of her people.
Callie knelt down and hugged her friend, who took a moment to hesitate before melting into the warm, welcome embrace.
"You're right. I don't know how it feels...but it doesn't mean I'm not allowed to feel for those who do. Because despite everything, you're my best friend. My mentor. My sister..."
Delta took another moment to return the hug, during which Hickory, Holly, and Gust all comforted her from all sides. After all, it was not only her who had been placed under pressure for the past few weeks. They all had their own professional and personal burdens to shoulder in the wake of the attack. They all knew what it felt...
...but not everybody else did. Initially.
"Did we miss something?"
Having memorized the majority of the plan, Archer and Peter had left the room along with Branch and Barb, never once expecting to witness an admittedly heartwarming moment in the moment of intensity. Archer did not mind it at all, and neither did Peter funnily enough, but the latter harbored more confusion than the former.
"You'll get used to it," Archer chuckled.
"And how it's turning out for you?"
"Surprisingly well, actually," Archer noted as he shrugged in response to Peter shooting him an uncertain look, "Are you going to be okay, Sheriff?"
Delta and Callie exchanged acknowledging glances before turning back and nodding, "Yeah."
"We're going to be okay."
Archer knew something had happened but he thought against asking any questions, "Well, I'm ready. Peter, are you?"
"To my great dismay...I am. But what else is new?"
The Bounty Hunters readied their weapons as Archer and Peter packed any remaining equipment they might need. As much as they wanted to find Poppy and bring her back safe and sound, they had to reluctantly place the quest aside in favor of a bigger one. One that would require their skills and cooperation dialed up to eleven for the security of the Troll Tribes. Hickory, in particular, had internal conflicts on the matter that constantly plagued him. He had fallen in love with both Poppy and Delta Dawn the moment he laid eyes on the ladies, a common habit of his that he had unfortunately inherited from his father. Of course, while he had come to accept that the latter was the one for him and the one who knew him the most besides his brother, his feelings for the former lingered on for the past few months, and the current events did not help him at all.
It was eating him alive...something that Branch, who was currently reading his facial expressions from a few feet away, knew all too well.
The Pop Troll felt sorry for the Country Troll, the situation ringing an all-too-familiar bell from long ago. Back when Poppy was head-over-heels for Creek, Branch would remain in the background, sulking for his apparent loss of a chance to befriend and get to know her better. Now that was solved, watching Hickory step into his shoes was just gutwrenching for them both to endure.
He had little time to dwell on the subject, but he had enough time to make himself a mental note for later.
Oh, I miss you, Poppy...
"Poppy...?"
. . .
"Poppy..."
. . .
"Poppy!"
Not a moment later, the Pop Queen awoke in a bed.
Not her own, but a comfortable one nonetheless.
Wrapped in red satin pajamas subconsciously reminded of her friend of the same name.
"Poppy...?"
Blinking twice before sitting up, she eventually noticed the kind eyes of a familiar Troll.
"M-Mom?"
"Yes, sweetie," The older Troll nodded and smiled as sweetly as a mother could, "Do you know who you are?"
"I do."
"And do you know where you are?"
. . .
"I... I do."
The memories of presumably last night rushed back to her at full force. Her violent outburst very nearly ended up causing damage to Latin City; while it ultimately never came to fruition, she did end up hurting a friend, unintentional or otherwise. Wiping her eyes, the younger Troll slowly sat up in response and hugged her, sniffling as her mother returned the hug.
"I'm... I'm sorry, Mom," Poppy tearfully apologized.
"It's okay, dear," Peony soothed her daughter as she shook her head, "It's not your fault. Neither of us were prepared to witness the first outburst of your negative energy."
"And the others? Ramona? Mirabel? Is she okay?"
"They are alright," Peony confirmed with a nod, "Mirabel was quite the brave one as well."
"Why? What happened?"
"She...hurt herself trying to calm you down," Peony explained carefully, "Which necessitated Carolina's healing abilities. In any case, we need to travel to Dragon City by precisely nighttime."
"Isn't it already nighttime?" Poppy rubbed her eyes...
"No, sweetie, it is actually daytime. You passed out two nights ago."
"What?"
...which then widened in alarm at the news.
"I'm afraid so. Mirabel woke up before you and was worried for your safety."
"Well, I'm okay now," Poppy slowly inched out of her bed as Peony helped her up, "I...want to see her."
Peony nodded despite her reluctance and led Poppy out of the room, but not before packing her daughter's luggage and equipment in her hair. Arriving at the throne room, they came upon their group divided into two sections: one packing up for the journey to Dragon City, the other talking with the Latin City Council concerning said journey and Poppy's current condition.
Mirabel was caught in-between the two groups before she noticed Poppy arriving with her mother, gasping in delighted surprise.
"Poppy!" Mirabel called out her friend's name before she rushed over to her to give her a hug. Unfortunately, she squeezed just a little bit too tightly, causing Poppy to choke and gag while "gently" tapping her back.
"M-Mirabel... A-Air..."
Realizing her mistake, Mirabel let Poppy go and settled for a wide grin and happy jumps.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Poppy smiled and nodded at Mirabel before examining her from head to toe, "Are you?"
"Yeah, it's all good," Mirabel returned the smile and nod, "Miss Carolina, she healed me up after the event two nights ago. You were told about that part, right?"
"Yeah, I was. In any case, I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry I hurt you two nights ago."
"Poppy, I said it's all good," Mirabel waved her apologies, "I honestly didn't think the hug would calm you down. It worked for my second older sister."
"What was her name?" Poppy helped her pack.
"Her name is Luisa," Mirabel replied as she retrieved a bag, "She had this habit of shouldering the heavy burdens because she had...freakish strength, for lack of a better term."
"Reminds me of my friend Smidge," Poppy joked, "Did she, really?"
"Yeah. I mean, that's what my family is known for," Mirabel further explained, "Each member of the family...well, besides me...has their own unique gift that defines them. Luisa's strength is just one of them."
Poppy awed at the very concept before she processed every word spoke by Mirabel, "Wow... Wait, besides you? You didn't have a gift?"
"No," Mirabel sadly shook her head before she perked up, "But I don't let it bother me, because my Mamá and Papá told me that, gift or no gift, I was special and part of the family."
Still saddened, Poppy nonetheless nodded in understanding, "It must feel nice."
"It always does," Mirabel nodded as Poppy hugged her.
As the group continued packing, Poppy's ears perked up at the conversation shared amongst the Latin City Council, the Lost Trolls, and the former Tribe Leaders. It turned out that Rey Reyes and Reina Ophelia had arranged for Paul, Anna, Wade, Enrique, and Ramona to accompany the group to Dragon City. Plus, Anna had an old friend who could personally arrange a meeting between them and the leader(s). Even so, Poppy could not help but feel that, with the substantial amount of people joining her in her quest across the Space Between, she was endangering more and more of her newfound friends. Yes, her close friends were back in the living world, but for all she knew, the Party Crashers could have invaded the entirety of TrollsTopia by this point. While she still held on to the hope that the Tribes somehow managed to defend the kingdom and drive them off, guilt still lingered in that already rattled, muddled, and jumbled mind of hers.
That hope and guilt was what kept her going, however.
It was motivation.
Entering the castle armory, Trollex, Aggie, and Sisu were met with rows and rows of assorted firearms, swords, and knives followed by racks and racks of staffs, axes, and bows-and-arrows of the like. To a certain extent, all three of them felt incredibly intimidated by the vast weaponry, mainly because never before had they encountered a situation where a weapon of any sorts was needed and/or used. Aggie remembered Emma and her preference for that shotgun and hunting knife of hers, but she also remembered being rather uncomfortable wielding that same shotgun during their time in the forest they were trapped. Another possible exception was Sisu, but she preferred to keep that incident under wraps for the time being.
"Feeling intimidated?"
The three of them turned to find a light blue-skinned Folk Rock Troll with bright red hair, vibrant green eyes, and a dark blue naval uniform. Judging by her appearance, Aggie deduced that she was a member of the Folk Rock Troll's Royal Guard.
"And what if we are?" Trollex frowned.
"No judgment," The Folk Rock Troll chuckled as she shrugged, "Many Trolls who are required to take up arms in the case of an emergency are always nervous. It's natural."
Spotting a crossbow, Sisu subconsciously shuddered at the sight, "I wouldn't say nervous, but...more like freakishly traumatized and frightened at the future prospect of getting shot at with an arrow."
Nonetheless, her eyes darted towards a regular bow with a double quiver set of arrows.
"But...someone or something tells me I'm an archer archetype."
The Folk Rock Troll merely chuckled in response, "Just like my mum..."
She then turned to Trollex and Aggie and gestured to the very large arsenal.
"What about you two lovebirds? Weapons or no?"
Exchanging uncertain glances with each other, Trollex and Aggie briefly parted ways to examine the vast array of assorted weapons. Almost instantly, the both of them were faced with two different dilemmas that were quite similar to each other.
First off, despite the latter harboring considerable knowledge of firearms through Emma's usage, Aggie preferred not to use them. She instead opted for weapons that were more suitable for melee combat or rather archiac in terms of their usage in modern times. Even more so, she preferred not to use any weapon of sorts at all, instead opting for more diplomatic conflicts that involved far less violence than they suggested. Finding herself thrust into one such conflict where acts of violence and self-defense were a given, she eventually chose a pair of shortswords and a disc shield.
Secondly, the former had little-to-no knowledge of actual firearms, but instead of melee weapons and blunt instruments such as swords, staffs, bows-and-arrows, and even a simple baton. Despite being somewhat comfortable with any of those options, however, even she knew those (with the possible exception of the bows-and-arrows, of course) would do absolutely no good in a straightforward gunfight. Scanning the selection of small arms, long guns, light weapons, and heavy weapons, Trollex eventually chose a SIG-Sauer P226R and a Remington 870 with a TacStar pistol grip and Breacher Muzzle.
"I guess so," Trollex replied a little late to the Folk Rock Troll's question.
Thirdly, having been eyeing the bow with double quivers for two minutes too long, Sisu snatched it quickly but carefully from the racks, slinging said quivers over her shoulders and holding the bow firmly by her side. Simultaneously, the Folk Rock Troll retrieved ammunition for her Glock 17 and Glock 19 pistols.
"I strongly guess so."
"Alright," The Folk Rock Troll smiled and nodded as she turned to leave the armory, "I strongly suggest that you start training."
"Hey, yo!" Sisu called out to her, "We never got your name!"
"It's Maya!" The Folk Rock Troll called out as she turned the corner, leaving three confused Trolls in her wake. Exchanging uncertain glances, they gathered their weapons of choice before leaving the armory, leaving the patrolling guards to lock up as they left.
At the orphanage, Laura, Clara, and Lewis helped the children prepare for dinner. Word had spread near and far from the kingdom that the King of the Techno Trolls, Trollex, had arrived by chance and reunited with his Queen. In addition, a magical dragon had accompanied him during the journey, essentially serving as his partner, his protector, and, in the eyes of a fair few, his familiar, as many were under the mistaken impression that he was a magical figure. As was to be expected, his presence was met with much speculation. While his association with Aggie, one of their present allies, also made him a present ally, the same fair few citizens believed something was off about him, but their suspicions never went just beyond.
"So we have another King in our midst," Clara giggled in delight, "Miss Agatha should be incredibly proud of herself."
"She must be incredibly relieved as well," Lewis adjusted his glasses as she passed over a pitcher of tea to a young boy, "Taking into consideration that she is a Queen and the fact that she is currently on the run, she must really need him to cope with the loss of her kingdom."
"I think she's handling it pretty well," Clara served a metal tray of freshly basked rolls to a young girl, "What do you think, L?"
"L" was not listening per se, as she was also thinking about King Trollex, Queen Agatha, and the sudden presence of their scaly companion. However, Laura preferred to keep her thoughts to herself whenever a brainstorm began to formulate in that little mind of hers. Rubbing her chin, she turned her head toward the direction of where the castle would be.
Something big was about to go down...and those four Trolls and that one dragon were just the very start of it all...
Something very big...
"Mirabel...!"
. . .
"Mirabel...!"
. . .
"Mirabel, we have to get out...!"
. . .
"Mirabel...!"
. . .
"Mirabel...!"
. . .
"Mirabel! The house is going to fall...!"
. . .
"Mirabel, get out...!"
. . .
"Mirabel!"
. . .
. . .
. . .
"Mirabel?"
The young Troll's eyes fluttered open and she looked up. It was now around the time of sunset, where the sun was setting and allowing the moon to take its place in the sky. The stars were accompanying the moon, giving off an ethereal quality to the scenery, which served as a nice contrast to her actual position.
She found herself riding on the back of Josh, a Country Troll and a part of Poppy's entourage. Poppy herself was walking beside her, happily munching on what appeared to be a small cake. She momentarily stopped eating as she saw her friend awake.
"Oh, Mirabel! You're awake! You want some?"
With Poppy offering her some of the small "cake", Mirabel could only stare at it. There was something familiar about the piece of breaded sustenance that made her silently ponder.
"Or not? I can just..."
"Oh, no," Mirabel quickly spoke up as she quickly took the food and continued staring at it, "It's just...arepa con queso."
"Yes?" Poppy tilted her head in confusion.
"I remember having this," Mirabel started, "It was one of the last things I had before...I ended up here."
"Really?" Poppy's eyes widened, "It seems like the mystery is unraveling for you, huh?"
"Not so much a mystery as it is a...memory?" Mirabel refuted, "I remember most of my life before and after I ended up here. I just feel like...something else is missing."
"One piece of the puzzle that still needs fitting, then?"
"I think so."
Staring intensely at the arepa con queso for several minutes made Mirabel hungry and her stomach grumbled as to illustrate the point. Taking a small bite, she exhaled and rubbed her stomach, which had been aching for some time.
"Speaking of which...do you think that these Dragon Trolls can help you more with your powers? I mean, it's kind of a stupid question because I should already know the answer, but..."
"I get it," Poppy chuckled before she softly sighed, "I honestly don't know. Paul and Anna have helped a lot, but they mostly dealt with harnessing the powers directly. Fighting with my powers? I mean, I've been in my fair share of fights, but...this is different."
"How different?"
"On a scale from 1 to 10...I'd say 11. Or more than 11."
As the walk continued for a good amount of time, the incoming sound of music made the hills feel more alive than ever, recalling memories of Poppy's first venture into Latin City (both of them). However, whereas the music of Latin City was rhythmically complex, diverse, and syncopated, highlighting various emotions such as love and sensuality, the music of Dragon City was perhaps the same while all being too different. It was fast-paced, energetic, and devoted to promising the listener or listeners a good time.
A very good time.
"Hey, girls?" Lucy called out to them, "We're here..."
As DJ's group continued their on-foot journey to Dragon City (they had previously taken a 30-minute break which closely reached 45), many of the adults and young adults resorted to carrying the children in their hair. They could hear the incoming sound of music over the hills. However, whereas the music of Latin City was rhythmically complex, diverse, and syncopated, highlighting various emotions such as love and sensuality, the music of Dragon City was perhaps the same while being all too different. It was fast-paced, energetic, and devoted to promising the listener or listeners a good time.
A very good time.
"Hey, amigos?" Diogo called out to them, "We're here..."
DJ and Trollex were the first to lay their eyes at the city, which widened in awe and wonder at the sight.
Poppy and Mirabel were the first to lay their eyes at the city, which widened in awe and wonder at the sight.
A series of neon and LED lights invaded their vision, their multiple colors of the rainbow bringing back welcome memories of Latin City two days prior to their leave. As they remembered, the home of the Latin Trolls celebrated diversity when creating a colorful kingdom. However, while red, yellow, and green were the primary colors of Latin City, Dragon City was more specific in their color scheme.
There were three divisions of Dragon City that each identified by two colors. Taking the form of the letter Y, the left section was distinguished by red and gold; the right section was distinguished by blue and pink; and the middle section was distinguished by black and white, the rest of the rainbow's colors swirled and sprinkled throughout. It was all but confirmed to the heart of Dragon City.
"Is this Dragon City?"
"Indeed it is, young CJ," Diogo nodded in confirmation, "Indeed it is..."
Noticing the nervous and uncertain look on her older cousin's face, Dulce smirked at the realization.
"You're nervous, aren't you?"
"WHAT?!" Diogo...overreacted, instinctively placing his fists in a boxing pose before regaining his composure and clearing his throat, "I mean, what? Me? Nervioso? Of course not! I just...prefer the safety of my home more."
"You're afraid that she will see you?"
Diogo opened his mouth to reply...before he closed it to contemplate...and subsequently nodding.
Glancing between the two cousins, a confused DJ approached Dulce for a clarification, "Um, who's she?"
"The Empress of Dragon City. The current leader of the Dragon Trolls. The long-lost flame...of Diogo's candle."
Her eyes widened in surprise, followed by Trollex's own before he turned back to Diogo to question him. However, he was no longer in his spot; he was already halfway towards the bridge that led to Dragon City. Taking the hint, he gently took DJ's hand and led her along as the rest of the group.
"You think we'll be welcome here?" Melody asked Dulce as she walked beside her.
"Of course, sweetie," The Princess of Latin City reassured her, "I know some friends."
As Poppy's group made their way towards the bridge that led to Dragon City, the Pop Queen took notice of the ocean that surrounded the entire kingdom. It reminded her of the long-stretching puddle she was enveloped in during her visits (then and now) at the Space Between. The main difference, naturally, was the level of depth that both bodies of water contrasted sharply with; the ocean here was far more deeper. Unnerving her to no end, she nonetheless found it strangely entrancing and inviting.
"You think we'll be welcome here?" Poppy asked her mother with uncertainty.
"Of course, sweetheart," Peony herself nodded in reassurance, "I know some friends."
Meanwhile, in the center of town stood a polished marble castle. This castle stretched as far as the eye could see, only reaching its limits at the outskirts of the city, and housed many a room, including a restaurant/buffet center, a swimming pool, a movie theater/screening room, and a concert stadium. Inside this concert stadium were three K-Pop Trolls were entertaining the citizens in the form of a pre-show for the main event.
The leader was a blonde-haired Troll with blue eyes, pink eyeshadow, purple lipstick, and a purple nose; she wore a purple dress with red heart decors, a purple left ankle bracelet, and earrings that consisted of three hearts stacked on top of each other. She was...The Sweet One.
The second-in-command was a pink-haired Troll with orange eyes, green eyeshadow, red lipstick, and a dark purple nose; she wore an orange dress with dark yellow lightning bolts, a right ankle bracelet with a similar lightning bolt design, and lightning bolt earrings. She was...The Feisty One.
The third tagalong was a blue-haired Troll with blue eyes, purple eyeshadow, blue lipstick, and a blue nose; she wore a blue top and blue shorts with four yellow buttons, a yellow ankle bracelet with two blue beads on, and earrings that were shaped like upside question marks. She was...The One Without A Thing.
DJ's group had arrived by the time the trio were beginning to perform a song. As they (particularly the younger Trolls) watched in awe, the Pop Troll turned her gaze to her boyfriend, who in turn found his gaze stolen by the K-Pop Trio. They themselves, in turn, noticed the look of presumed starstruck enchantment plastered upon the blushing face of the Techno King.
("Go K-Poppin'" by Judy Alice Lee, Jennifer Sun Bell, and Victoria Grace) [Unofficial/Inaccurate/Literal English Translation]
Shooting a trio of flirtatious winks at the aquatic member of royalty, Trollex's pink, pixelated heart beat rapidly against his chest, much to the chagrin of DJ Suki (who assumed that his attachment to her would be enough for him to learn his lesson) and the amusement of CJ (who knew that his womanizing ways remained with him no matter what, unintentional or not).
Glitter, glitter on my eye (Banjjagi, na nuna banjjagi / 반짝이,내 눈에 반짝이)
Oh, I love it (O, nanen ggerteul sarang haeo / 오,나는 그것을 사랑 해요)
His flustered nature was not helped by their fast and furious style of dancing that threatened to rip off their already form-fitting clothing, which were worn snug and tight.
Yeah, I love it (Gra, nanan ggerteul sarang haeo / 그래,나는 그것을 사랑 해요)
I shine wherever I go (Nanen adirl garden bicnanda / 나는 어디를 가든 빛난다)
The amount of skin being shown was not too far off from Latin City's own risque displays, but theirs was far more subdued.
Always gonna make it shine (Hangsang kkock bicnal su issdorock / 항상 꼭 빛날 수 있도록)
Get into the rhythm, make the night (Redme dlerga, bame / 리듬에 들어가,밤에)
Perhaps this made the yearn to lust and desire over the Dragon Trolls far more easier to fall victim towards.
Move your body and make everyone dance (Dangsin momeul idonghago modu chumeul / 당신의 몸을 이동하고 모두 춤을)
Fall into the music (Eumage bazida / 음악에 빠지다)
Trollex knew this all too well...and Petra, Billy, and DJ herself was strangely not far behind.
It's time to party (Ggerteun pati shigan / 그것은 파티 시간)
My heart is burning like a fire (Na mameun bulcherum bultago issspnida / 그것은 파티 시간)
Dulce and Suzi merely watched on in amusement while Diogo and Melody were focused on separate endeavors. The former was focused on the Empress's inevitable arrival, the latter was focused on finding the Magical Musical Troll, considering that, her mother not having enough time to properly disclose her true location, she could be anywhere.
Feel the music (Eumakeul nekkher / 음악을 느껴)
Oh, no, no, don't let it stop (O, andwae, andwae, gman duji ma / 오,안돼,안돼,그만 두지 마)
Meanwhile, the young Trolls in the group were indeed feeling the music and dancing along to it. The One Without A Thing took notice and further encouraged them to move their bodies to the beat.
Let's play from head to toe (Maributer balkketkazi nolza / 머리부터 발끝까지 놀자)
Move your body, body constantly (Momeul kkenhimerbsi umsicipsio / 몸을 끊임없이 움직이십시오)
The Sweet One placed her focus squarely on Trollex (and, by extension, the rest of the adult male members of the group) for the sole purpose of riling his significant other, albeit in a playful manner.
Whenever I go, I'm never discouraged (Naga gal tamada nanen gialco nakdamhazi anhnenda / 내가 갈 때마다 나는 결코 낙담하지 않는다)
Cuz I got it, got it (Nanen ggerteul gazigo sachon, ggerteul gazigo / 나는 그것을 가지고 사촌,그것을 가지고)
The Feisty One placed her focus exclusively on the newcomers, particularly Melody. There was something about the Pop/Rock Troll that made her give off a strange aura. Neither positive nor negative, just...strange.
Make your heart go! (Dangsin mami gal su issdorock! / 당신의 마음이 갈 수 있도록!)
Go, K-Poppin'! (Yeah!)
Melody herself minded her surroundings as she searched for any evidence that Agatha was here in Dragon City back then and right now. So far, with the exception of her mother's bequeathing of the gem-tipped weapon to her, she spent much of the journey by the sidelines.
Fall in love with me! (Nawa sarange bazige! / 나와 사랑에 빠지게!)
You got a K-K-Krush on me!
Not without a reason, however, she left the mission of gathering for the battle ahead to Miss DJ and King Trollex because they had better experience with the Trolls outside her main tribe. Honestly, she never was a social person to begin with.
No, you can't stop it! (No!)
Keep making me dance (Gyesock chumchuge haejwer! / 계속 춤추게 해줘!)
The only Trolls she had any meaningful interaction with her mother, Val, and Petra. They were the only ones who understood who she truly was and where she truly came from.
K-K-Krush
I'm going crazy (Nanen micher galgoha / 나는 미쳐 갈거야)
Dum, dum, dum, dum, dum!
And she would not have it any other way...
When the song ended (after a full minute or so), the audience cheered for the trio, who bowed in response and blowed kisses their way as they left the stage. They immediately gunned for the group of mixed Trolls, instinctively approaching Diogo and Dulce first.
"I see that one of our neighbors have finally decided to pay us a visit," The Feisty One spoke up first.
"And they send us some of the cutest and the hottest," The Sweet One giggled in delight, ogling at the diversity of the crew.
"You got that part right," Dulce fluffed up her hair before crossing her arms, "but the first part was a little wrong."
"We didn't come here out of our own volition," Diogo took his cousin's side, "but out of necessity. The Chanty Trolls have invaded our home and taken our people."
The Sweet One and The One Without A Thing now donned horrified facial expressions, but the expression of The Feisty One (while still displaying an ounce of concern) was far more subdued, still uncertain as to exactly where their allegience truly lied.
"And who exactly are these Chanty Trolls?" The Feisty One crossed her own arms, "Their moniker gives off the impression they're a bunch of buffoonish burglars, amateurs even."
As they were talking, DJ, Keith, Priscilla, and the rest of the younger Trolls spotted flying creatures approaching from above. Given the name of the city they were visiting, they immediately assumed that these were the magical dragons that (up until this moment) existed only in the fairy tales of old. Remembering those same fairy tales Diogo and Dulce had regaled to them prior to their arrival, these dragons had several different parts of other animals, some of which varied in regards to the story. These included the head of a horse (or camel), the horns of a deer, the eyes of a rabbit (or demon), the ears of a cow (or bull), the neck of a snake, the belly of a clam, the scales of a fish, the claws of an eagle, and the paws of a tiger. Their colors contrasted sharply with each other, however, with red as the one they shared. The dragon on their left was red with golden spinal fins while the dragon on their right was grey with red spinal fins.
The two dragons took a nosedive and erupted into an explosion of pink smoke. In their place were two Trolls who were clothing that adhered to their color scheme. The male Troll wore a red Zhongshan suit with four big pockets on the front (two up, two down, all of which were equally spaced left and right), five light gold central buttons on the front, and three smaller dark gold buttons on each sleeve. The female Troll wore a red Cheongsam dress with a Mandarin collar, five grey pankou buttons (two dark ones along the neck line and three light ones along the side chest portion), a right-opening and large-rounded front, narrow edgings created with the "gun" technique, medium sleeves that reached to her elbows, and medium-length slit on both sides.
"Those amateurs you speak of are responsible for a series of massacres made against our neighboring Trolls," The male Dragon Troll defended the group against The Feisty One, who bowed her head in respect as she backed away out of shame. He then made his way to them and bowed as a formal greeting.
"Princess Dulce, Prince Diogo. It's a honor to meet you. Welcome to Dragon City."
"The honor is ours," Diogo bowed simultaneously with Dulce, "Are you members of the Royal Family?"
"We are," The female Dragon Troll nodded and took her side by the male Dragon Troll, "I am Gongzhu Xia, and this is my brother Wangzi Shang. How may we be of service...besides the aforementioned Chanty Troll situation?"
"Oh, this is a situation that concerns the Empress as well," Dulce explained, "Where is she now? Is she here?"
"Well, she's here," Shang smirked.
"She's there," Lin smirked after.
"She's everywhere," The siblings smirked simultaneously. Many of the group furrowed their eyebrows in confusion, but the K-Pop Trio and the Latin Trolls knew exactly what they meant, especially Diogo.
As Poppy's group entered the castle, she took notice of the several different shifting doors that housed one room to another. There was a door that led to a restaurant room, a door that led to a buffet room, a door that led to a swimming pool room, a door that led to a movie theater/screening room, and a door that led to a concert stadium, which was the one they took. The room was packed to the brim with Dragon Trolls who enthusiastically cheered and hollered at the top of their lungs, perhaps awaiting an upcoming performance from one of their top stars.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them started to shift much like the doors before. Lifting them higher and higher, the group eventually reached what was called a VIP section. It was reserved for the members of the Royal Family and their closest associates. Inside the booth was a red-skinned Dragon Troll with blue eyes, black hair, and a slightly older age than Peony and the rest of the Tribe Leaders. He wore a white Zhongshan suit with four big pockets on the front (two up, two down, all of which were equally spaced left and right), five central buttons on the front, and three smaller buttons on each sleeve. He smiled and chuckled in joy as four young children played around with him.
Poppy felt her heart melt at the heartwarming sight, which recalled early childhood memories of her and her father. Noticing several different glowing white pads levitating here and there, she hopped ahead of her group in an attempt to make her way over to the VIP section. She barely made it to her destination when her legs gave out on the last leap, only surviving due to the timely intervention of the Dragon Troll, who momentarily ceased playtime with his children to catch her inside a blue air bubble.
"Uh, thank you," Poppy nervously giggled in embarrassment, "Sorry about that."
"No worries, my child," The Dragon Troll warmly smiled in understanding, "You're both athletic and energetic like most children. You may even remind me of myself at a young age."
Acquiring a much closer and better look at the Pop Troll before him, the Dragon Troll basked in Poppy's appearance with much fascination.
"I must say...you bear an uncanny resemblance to an old friend of mine, a Pop Troll herself."
"You mean Queen Peony?" Poppy suggested, "Oh, I'm her daughter, Queen Poppy. It's a honor to meet you, Your Majesty."
"Peony's daughter?" The Dragon Troll perked up in interest as he introduced himself, "Ah, the honor is all mine, Queen Poppy. I'm Emperor Long Wei. And these are my children."
The four children whom Long Wei was playing with excitedly hurried over to meet a new family friend.
"This is my eldest son, Wei Shen..."
A male Dragon Troll with red skin, gold eyes, and black hair waved first...
"...my eldest daughter, Wei Zhen..."
...followed by a female Dragon Troll with blue skin, black eyes, and white hair...
"...my youngest son, Wei Ming..."
...a male Dragon Troll with green skin, purple eyes, and red hair...
"...and my youngest daughter, Wei Ling."
...and finally, a female Dragon Troll with purple skin, green eyes, and yellow hair. All four of them surrounded and chattered about her, their greetings often overlapping with each other and their questions. At that moment, Poppy's group finally made their way to the VIP section, which expanded upon their arrival.
"Long Wei," Peony bowed down in respect at the Emperor, "I see you've met my daughter before we met with you."
"Indeed I have," Long Wei nodded, "And I must say, Lady Poppy is quite beautiful and courteous as you were in her age."
"I'm flattered," Peony waved off his compliments with a palm, "So, how is your beloved?"
"Oh, my dear Ying has made a name for herself in the land of the remembered as she did before in the land of the living," Long Wei replied before he and his children brightened up at the darkened stage, prompting the rest of Poppy's group to turn in their direction.
. . .
. . .
. . .
One moment...
. . .
There was silence...
. . .
. . .
. . .
The next...
. . .
A beautiful singing voice...
"I'm the light every night in your world..."
DJ's group turned their attention to the stage, which illuminated a single silhouette upon the curtains.
"Are you ready to watch me be legendary?"
The woman's voice was enchanting...entrancing...inviting.
"'Cause I'm...….."
Poppy's eyes widened in wonder at the voice that belonged to Long Wei's wife. It was majestic...magnificent...powerful.
"Ultra..." The mother started.
"...luminary," The daughter ended.
Then, between two worlds, the beat dropped for a brief moment...before being slowly built up to the likes of Techno and EDM, sending the crowd into an ecstatic frenzy as the citizens of Dragon City awaited the arrival of their big star.
Not a moment later, she arrived in the flesh.
Long Wei's wife had light green skin, yellow eyes, and black hair much like her husband's. She wore a dark green hanfu, which consisted of a loose yi (or "upper garment") with sleeves, a shirt-like shang (or "lower garment"), and a qun (or "skirt"). Worn in the jacket-with-skirt style, it would seem that the material (with the exception of the belt or sash, which appeared to be jade) made for the hanfu was pure silk.
The Empress of Dragon City was definitely no slouch. She had blue skin, gold eyes with red eyeshadow, and very long black hair tied in a very high ponytail (but not too high, though). Perhaps as a hint that she owed more to the likes of Pop and Techno rather than her own heritage, she wore a dress that blended both styles together. It consisted of a short-sleeve pink top meticulously sprinkled with glitter, a yellow skirt that shared mulitple layers with multiple shades of yellow, pink high-heels. Honestly, it would have made Poppy proud.
Poppy was merely marveling at the majesty that was Long Wei's wife. Not only could she sing the part, but she could look the part as well!
Diogo was not too far behind in echoing the same sentiment, childhood memories rushing back at full force.
DJ, Trollex, and Dulce shot him varying looks. Only one was knowing.
("Ultraluminary" by Phillipa Soo & Fala Chen) [From The Netflix Over The Moon]
A series of levitating pads appeared before Long Wei's wife, acting as stairs she could step on.
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
You wish on me in my glitter light
First star you see tonight
The Empress stepped on those same stairs as they carried her to ground level for many a Dragon Troll to witness up close and personal.
[Phillipa Soo (Sun Lien)]
So wish away, wish with all your might
Upon this radiant sight
Long Wei's wife placed a single foot on the stage and a circular pattern expanded all over.
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
The stars ignite
They flame from dust
It was a pattern that echoed into the living world, as the Empress stepped on her own stage and produced it in tandem.
[Philippa Soo (Sun Lien)]
Born out of gravity
And force they combust
Long Wei's wife and the Empress stepped on their respective stages and faced their respective crowds.
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
And though they try (Though they try)...
[Philippa Soo (Sun Lien)]
...In rivalry
Twirling on their toes, one split-second bright flash later...
[Both]
They'll never shine bright as me!
...and the two rulers found themselves fashioning two vastly different but no-less vastly fashionable dresses.
[Both]
I'm the light every night in your world, hey
You revel in the glory of my beauty
You ready to watch me be legendary?
'Cause I'm ultraluminary!
Briefly transforming into their dragon forms, the two rulers soared over their crowds.
[Both]
Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Welcome to Lunaria!
Poppy and Mirabel looked up at Long Wei's wife in wonder and enchantment...
Whoa-oh-oh-oh! So spectacularia!
...the same time as DJ, Trollex, the children, and Diogo did.
Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Super singular-ia!
The hands of Long Wei's wife and the Empress glowed before they materialized blasts of colorized sparkle, such as green,
'Cause I'm so very, very
...purple...
Extraordinaria
...and gold.
Soaring back to their respective stages, the both of them took a nosedive and transformed back into their normal forms as the crowd cheered once again. As they did, a series of violin players appeared out of thin air to help give the performance a sprinkle of classical elegance.
Her eyes meeting with Diogo's for the first time in the performance, the Empress shot a flirtatious wink his way before nonchalantly continuing on.
[Phillipa Soo (Sun Lien)]
The cosmic shine of my fine display (ZING!)
Can turn the night to day
Poppy and Mirabel loved that the woman before them had a demeanor that was absolutely audacious, boastful, and confident in a positive fashion.
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
I hear they say that the Milky Way
Can't help but envy me
CJ relished the fast-paced tempo that resembled that of the K-Pop Trolls (and her aunt was not far behind), Clampers enjoyed the fashion sense the Empress possessed, and Priscilla admired the lyrics and composition that revealed much of her personality without indulging too much within.
[Phillipa Soo (Sun Lien)]
I am the brightest star
Once again, the Empress and Long Wei's wife twirled on their toes...
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
Superb, spectacular
...and donned dresses that were the opposite of their previous, displaying muted colors such as blue, black, grey, and yellow that gave off a distinct lunar motif.
[Phillipa Soo (Sun Lien)]
It was a desert on the Moon when we arrived
Poppy's ecstatic mood considerably lessened along with Long Wei's wife's own, as she felt a subconscious reminder of how far she was from home.
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
Gathering all of my tears, heartbreak and sighs
And given the implications of the Space Between, she assumed that Long Wei's wife felt the very same way. At least, she had time to adjust and someone to lean on.
[Phillipa Soo (Sun Lien)]
Jade made a potion ignite and turned the night
And yet, she found the strength to carry onward, not just for the sake of her loved ones...but herself as well.
[Fala Chen (Ying Wei)]
To a radiant city of light
Poppy felt inspiration once more...
[Both]
From tears I rise
...just as Long Wei's wife and the Empress found theirs.
I rise!
Transforming into their dragon forms, they soared a little higher than before, illuminating the giant screens that reached far and wide across the kingdom that was Dragon City. Encouragement was spread towards the audience, who sang, hummed, and/or danced along to the climax of the song. Poppy was one of those audience members who sang, hummed, and danced along with the song's climax, much to the amusement of the Tribe Leaders...and then their shock when she started glowing again.
[Both]
I'm the light every night in your world, hey
You revel in the glory of my beauty
You ready to watch me be legendary?
Poppy was so caught up in the catchiness of the song that, much like the performance in Latin City, she almost failed to notice she was literally glowing.
'Cause I'm ultraluminary...!
And just like the performance in Latin City, she emitted a powerful shockwave that vibrated throughout the stadium and eventually the audience members. It also transformed her current outfit into an updated outfit that best suited the Dragon Trolls. She now wore a pink, short-sleeve Cheongsam dress with matching earrings and two side slits that reached up to the middle of her thighs.
Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Welcome to Lunaria!
Whoa-oh-oh-oh! So spectacularia!
CJ, Keith, and the rest of the children (save Priscilla, who was swaying side to side) danced along as they cheered the Empress on.
Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Super singulary!
'Cause I'm so very, very
Long Wei's wife and the Empress transformed back into their normal forms once more as they returned to the stage, breaking out impressive dance moves of their own as the song rounded out its outro.
Extraordinaria!
Perhaps as a form of book-ends for the performance, Long Wei's wife and the Empress also transformed back into their respective outfits that they wore at the beginning of it all. Appropriately, the music ceased after, and the crowds cheered for their rulers.
Following the K-Pop Trio backstage, DJ's group spotted the Empress speed-walking the stairs, heavily breathing and fanning herself before members of her entourage provided her with a drink and a miniature fan that helped cool her down. As they heaped praise after praise upon her, the Empress raised her hand as if to say something...before whipping a scone from her hair and taking a huge bite out of it. Taking a short breath, she smiled warmly.
"My friends, you are the real stars. I couldn't have pulled off this crazy performance without you crazy lot."
"And we, the Prince and Princess of Dragon City, thank you for helping our sister pull off this crazy performance," Shang approached first as Lin trailed behind, prompting the Empress to gasp and jump up and down in excitement.
"Brother! Sister! You made it!"
"How could we miss your show?" Lin, this time, was the first to hug her before Shang, their younger sister graciously returning the hug, "Plus, we sensed the arrival of friends – both old and new – on our way here."
Spotting the group behind them, the Empress gasped again and wore her most courteous of smiles.
"Well, hello, my friends! Oh, and you too, Diogo!"
The normally talkative, energetic Latin Troll was reduced to a blushing, stammering mess, much to the amusement of Dulce and especially Trollex, who considered the display poetic justice. Cackling under his breath for a solid minute, he was elbowed in the gut by Diogo's cousin, who somehow managed to remain composed despite her amusement before him.
Long Wei's children cheered not only for their mother (who fast approached from the stage), but also for Poppy, whose unexpected glowing up left them in awe and admiration.
"I must say, young one," Long Wei's wife scanned Poppy from head to toe, "You unleashed quite the spectacle."
"Oh, thank you, Your Majesty," Poppy herself nervously replied, "I guess you can say it was...all part of the show."
"Ying Wei!" Peony approached next to save her daughter the embarrassment, "What a fantastic show indeed! And I see you have met my daughter Poppy."
"Peony!" Ying Wei lifted Peony into the air with a single hug before setting her down and glancing between her and Poppy, "Of course, how could I not see the resemblance? Poppy, allow me to introduce myself."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Empress Sun Lien..."
"I am Empress Ying Wei..."
"...and I welcome you..."
"...to Dragon City."
A/N: For an explanation regarding the "Ultraluminary" sequence, Long Wei's wife (Ying Wei) and Sun Lien are both performing at the same time. If this was a movie, then their performances would overlap into each other, making it one continuous performance through stylish editing. Also, in regards to the "Go K-Poppin'" sequence, I actually don't know the actual lyrics to the song other than little snippets, but the closest I got were English-based translations on YouTube. In other words, these are not the actual lyrics, but rather my unofficial translation based on those little snippets. Just listen to the actual song while reading; that song is really good and should have been a little longer. Keeping on that topic, although their names were not yet said, the K-Pop Trio we first met in "The Not-So-Good Sport" have been introduced to the story: Bi-Na (aka "The Sweet One"), Young (aka "The Feisty One"), and Min (aka "The One Without A Thing").
Poppy experiences her first official negative outburst of the Strings' power, and although a crisis was averted thanks to Mirabel, it is a sign that an out-of-control Poppy can be extremely dangerous. While not directly said, the story Carolina describes is an abridged summary of "Maya And The Three". And Mirabel has a nightmare on the way to Dragon City, one of many to come. But is it really a nightmare? Also, no Branch or the Tribe Leaders in this chapter, but we do have the exploits of the Folk Rock Trolls, who is currently harboring Trollex, Aggie, and Sisu. The three of them arm themselves and prepare to train for the battle ahead, even if they express a firm desire to avoid fighting. Trust me, they may need it later.
1.1) ImagineTron: I'm so excited to see this story updated at last. I can't wait for the craziness to begin. Will we see the other Sky Pirate Lords soon?
1) MarcellusMiro66: Yeah, me too, man. Believe me, the long period of silence and lack of weekly updates may, in fact, be worth it. Also, yes, the other Sky Pirate Lords and their backstories will be explored later on, but it probably won't be in this particular story. The focus is exclusively placed on Captain Blue, but if one remembers, one of the other Sky Pirate Lords, Captain Karina, has been visiting the living world after learning of the various attacks commited by her crew. Even then, I do not consider Captain Blue an actual Sky Pirate Lord, but rather a fanatic who was just happened to be raised in an environment comprised of pirates.
2.1) TU4QU0I53T4IAN6L3: Whoo! Been a while, but we are back at it! Though, I think I might have trouble remembering who are the new characters and how they look like and their personalities. However, the joy of having so many sub-plots is that it helps keep the story interesting and share different perspectives of what is going on.
After all, what's life without a little bit of craziness?
I'm surprised that Mirabel and Sisu are in here! I thought it was for randomness, but looking at your author's note, I'm surprised that it is for "things to come". But you want to have a huge character list, then you got to take a lot of work of sorting them out.
Poppy, you do not really want to wear a bikini. Trust me.
The story is getting interesting and the Chanty Trolls are becoming more ruthless...or how it seems. And it seems that Captain Blue has something to do with the Latin Trolls, regarding on her past. I'll look forward to see what will come next.
For the appearances from other authors, did you ask permission to use them, including poppibranchlover, raindrop-righteous and justherefor000?
2) MarcellusMiro66: Yep, I'm back at it! And yes, the story and amount of characters that comprise said story may be a little overstuffed, but that's the beauty of serial fiction and multi-part stories. When introducing original characters and having them interact with canon characers, it serves as juxtaposition. Self-insert characters can be hit and miss (they're too generic, too complex, too happy-go-lucky, too cynical, etc.), so I try to write some of my characters (and the characters from other authors such as Melody and Aggie) with the perfect balance.
Also, in regards to the other authors (raindrop-righteous, poppibranchlover, and justherefor000 among others), their characters may get small cameos or brief mentions out of respect, much like your characters Bastille & Charleston, but they share a slight importance in the larger universe they may find themselves in.
Yes, Mirabel and Sisu are here due to external circumstances, but depending on how one would see it, they are considered spoilery. Other characters from other properties (not just from Disney but mostly from Disney) will appear, with two films I've recently watched (Spider-Man: No Way Home and Everything Everywhere All At Once) serving as inspiration.
The previous chapter (Chapter 8) practically reveals, to an extent, Captain Blue's relationship with the Latin Trolls; she sympathizes with them because, in the past, Latin City was prone to outside thieves and mindless bloodshed, children losing their parents and vice versa in the process. This reaches a point where she murders the killer of Lucas and Dulce's parents and secretly provides them with riches and supplies to rebuild their home. There may be a twist involving Blue but (again) it would be considered spoilery. Also, depending on the execution, it may or may not be highly divisive. Of course, outside interference can be quite crazy. And what's life without a little bit of craziness?
Plus, Branch is lucky that Poppy wasn't there in the moment wearing nothing but a bikini. If she had been there...well, a nosebleed would msot definitely be involved.
Yes, be looking forward for what's next.