"King Eric! New Arrivals are approaching the gates!"
The King himself looked up from his battleplan along with Aidan and Alani before racing to his balcony to meet with the messenger. Observing through the telescope and spotting a group of different Trolls, Eric nodded as he recognized a female Grey Troll, her Techno Troll consort, and a blue Dragon Troll.
"Open the gates."
Despite the confusion displayed by the messenger, she nonetheless complied and motioned the guards to open the gates. On his way down, Eric gestured for another group of guards to follow him, Aidan, and Alani to meet with the New Arrivals. Upon confirmation that this was the very same Queen Agatha, King Trollex, and Madame Sisu, Eric greeted them and their expanded group of friends.
"Queen Agatha, King Trollex, Madame Sisu. Welcome back. I trust these are your new friends?"
"Friends that are in dire need of your assistance, Your Majesty," Sisu chuckled as Trollex-2 rolled his eyes and DJ approached from the back.
"Your Majesty, my name is DJ Suki. I'm sorry to intrude in on your kingdom, but my friends and I need your help. The Party Crashers, the Chanty Trolls, and the Siren Trolls are looking for Agatha and my friend, Queen Poppy. They've been chasing throughout Volcano Rock City, Latin City, and Dragon City, which they...recently invaded."
"But of course," King Eric nodded in understanding, "I would be happy to lend my assistance. And please don't apologize; you had no control over your actions while trying to do the right thing."
"We can only imagine."
DJ's group, Eric, Aidan, and Alani looked up to find a hoverboard similar to that of the Funk Trolls descending from above. Three Trolls boarded off: a Rock Troll, a Chanty Troll, and a Siren Troll.
"Mom?" Melody gasped before she rushed forward to her mother, "Mom!"
"Melody..." Mal Shredder enveloped her daughter in a warm hug before Sun Lien sauntered toward the front of the group, meeting eyes with Vivace.
"You..."
Balling her hands into fists, Sun Lien took a swing at a now frightened Vivace, who was held back by Blue the same way she herself was held back by Diogo.
"You and her! You were both there at Dragon City! You got many of my people and my siblings killed!"
"I'm sorry!" Vivace tearfully apologized, "I didn't know something like that would happen!"
"Well, what did you think was going to happen?" Diogo tilted his head in genuine concern.
"In any case," Blue pushed Vivace behind her, "It's why we're here. The Siren Trolls have declared a mutiny. They brainwashed many of my loyal pirates and taken the other Trolls hostage."
"I suppose that's how karma works, Captain," Petra sneered back, causing Blue to shoot back a scowl of her own.
"So, what exactly are you proposing, Captain?" Alani approached with Aidan by her side, "An alliance? A truce?"
"Anything that resembles those two options and will save my crew...and the other Trolls from those backstabbing bastards," Blue huffed as she shot apologetic glances at a sniffling Vivace and a still furious Sun Lien, "I'd take them all on by myself if that's what it took..."
A tense moment followed, with many of the parties involved debating on the very limited options.
"Then you shall not stand alone."
Everybody turned toward the mist as a group of assorted Trolls emerged from it. The majority of DJ's group gasped in surprise as they recognized the faces and silhouettes of the Tribe Leaders and the Tribe Ambassadors. One Ambassador by the name of Val Thundershock did not spare them a second glance, however, as she was focused on one specific Troll.
"Melody!"
"Val?" The Pop Rock Troll gasped and rushed forward, engulfing her older cousin in a warm hug just as her mother had done before. After a few minutes, Val pulled away and shot a mildly playful glare at Melody.
"Don't...ever...do that again."
"No promises," Melody's smile grew wider, prompting Val to roll her eyes and continue hugging her younger cousin. A few feet away, Delta scooped up a rapidly approaching Clampers as she practically leaped into her arms.
"Are you okay?" Delta asked her niece as she examined her from head to hoof, "No injuries, no scratches?"
"All good, Auntie Delta!" Clampers confirmed, prompting her aunt to sigh in relief and continued embracing her.
Branch and Chenille both ran to DJ, who hugged them both before briefly pulling away.
"You guys followed us?"
"King Eric sent a message to Chenille," Branch gestured to her, "that you guys would travel to the Folk Rock Kingdom after Trollex...I don't know which one...sent a letter to him. The Troll Tribes are waiting on a response past that moat."
"Then I shall send out ships for the Troll Tribes," King Eric gestured to a group of Royal Guards, who nodded in understanding and raced off to retrieve the ships in question.
"Your Majesty," Aidan interrupted, "Are you certain that all of the Troll Tribes will fit into the kingdom?"
"Very much so, Aidan," King Eric curtly nodded, "For their sake, I will make them fit."
Aidan and Alani exchanged glances and nodded before joining their King in talking with the rest of the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors. As they did so, DJ began to realize something as she peered over the shoulders of her friends.
"So...are the others okay?"
"Yeah...most of them are," Branch solemnly replied as Chenille flinched. Noticing this, DJ frowned as she felt a bad feeling swirl in the pit of her stomach.
"Where's...where's Satin?"
Chenille flinched a little harder at the mention of her sister's name, causing DJ's eyes to widen in horror.
"S-She..."
DJ abruptly leaned forward and enveloped her friend in a hug, the fourth one today. Chenille sobbed into her shoulder as Branch and an approaching Prince D looked on forlornly. This moment lasted a few seconds more before King Eric led them inside the castle, awaiting the docking of the ships filled to the brim with Trolls of different kinds.
Watching from a distance in their watchtower as the ships in question sailed toward the castle, Zoe and Annabeth briefly exchanged looks before racing back to the house to tell their brothers, sisters, and other siblings about the expanded group of New Arrivals.
"Ladies and dudes!" Annabeth proclaimed to get the attention of many a Folk Rock Troll, "Prepare for the inevitable: we have New Arrivals!"
The children of all ages gasped in pleasant surprise and subsequently worked together to make their living quarters a tad more comfortable for their guests of honor. All the while, the house began to expand in size...
The golden gates opened on cue, granting Poppy and her group entry to the kingdom before them that was TrollsTopia.
("Sunflower" – Post Malone & Swae Lee) [Instrumental]
From the moment they stepped inside, it was clear the kingdom many of the Space Between's Trolls called home did not adhere to a single, specific aesthetic. From old to now, from ancient to contemporary, from old-fashioned to futuristic; if one should name it, the city most certainly had it. The works of science fiction and fantasy, along with the various technology and creatures that comprise said genres, laid the foundation for the empire. One part was akin to cyberpunk while another was dedicated to steampunk, and these feelings were reflected in the buildings that housed many of the colorful Trolls. Everything and anything of all existence combined together to create a haven for those in need.
Think a kitchen sink of all things sci-fi and fantasy.
Meanwhile, the colors of the rainbow and beyond danced around and delved deep into the decorative side of things, always experimenting with a variety of scheme and palettes. Similar to the gimmick in Dragon City, some of these colors resembled that of a certain element of nature. They often spread to the cast of characters populating the city as they casually mingled with each other.
Poppy's gaze met with her mother's own, a slight nod allowing her to continue exploring the city.
Imagine what could have been...had the Party Crashers not attacked...
As the group delved deeper into the heart of the city, Poppy spotted a Dragon Troll working outside at a Dragon Troll restaurant. She had yellow skin, light blue eyes, medium blue eyeshadow, magenta lipstick, and long straight black hair with a rolled-up top layer around a jade green bun holder that curved up into sharp tips on its ends. She wore a white hanfu with a pale blue collar and a tattered bottom of the skirt.
Poppy watched the Dragon Troll used her telekinesis to levitate plates and bowls from empty customers' table and using her teleportation to deliver the dirty dishes to the dishwasher as soon as possible while snatching a mooncake platter for eagerly-awaiting customers. Against her better judgment of allowing her to continue her job in peace, she approached to compliment her as she served the mooncakes.
"Great job right there! I gotta say, you handle your powers better than me at the moment."
The Dragon Troll seemed to be touched as she smiled pridely, "Well, being a formerly centuries-old immortal villainous goddess means you have plenty of experience on you."
"Really?" Poppy was taken aback as she examined her from head to toe, "You don't look like...a formerly centuries-old immortal villainous goddess."
"I get that a lot," The Dragon Troll shrugged as she remarked, "Bearing a moniker such as the Lady Bone Demon won't get you any jobs, daytime or nighttime."
"The "Lady Bone Demon"?" Mirabel began to gush as she approached the two, "Now that's a badass villain alias. Just curious, though: were you always hammy when you were alive?"
When Raya and Mei approached from behind, the former elbowed Mirabel for her insensitivity, but the Lady Bone Demon smiled and shrugged away as she scratched the back of her head in slight embarassment.
"I was pretty hammy. The ham was cold, but somewhat present. I also had a strange obsession with destiny."
"Man, screw destiny!"
The five girls glanced up to find a Hip-Hop Troll...swinging down and skipping to a stop in front of them. Bearing a slight resemblance to Prince D, he had striped red-and-black fur, black eyes that appeared green at certain angles, short and thick brown dreadlocks with purple streaks, and a black cape with a red spider-like design.
"Destiny is what got my parents killed!" The Hip-Hop Troll huffed before backtracking, "Or, destiny is what nearly got my parents killed, anyway..."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Raya approached and shook one of his...feet, "Mei and I are trying to get home to our parents as well."
"Hey," Mei brightened up at the sight of the familiar Hip-Hop Troll, "I think I've seen you before. You're that DJ Spider-Troll, right?"
"I am pretty famous," The Hip-Hop Troll smiled and shrugged as he examined Mei, "Honestly, the name just stuck. And come to think of it, I think I've seen you before. You're that Techno Troll's little girlfriend?"
Poppy gasped in realization, "Oh, that's right! Mei, when do we get to meet your boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend?" Mirabel smirked at a now blushing Mei, "Mei-Mei, why didn't you tell us you had a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, Mei-Mei," Raya playfully narrowed her eyes at her younger sister, "Why didn't you tell us?"
Waving them off, Mei turned back to the Hip-Hop Troll.
"Is he here? In the city?"
"He's remained here ever since you've left for training," The Hip-Hop Troll nodded, "In fact, he wouldn't shut up about you and very nearly talks about only you. He's even moved into my house just a couple of blocks from his."
"Well, I don't know if that's dedication or stalking," Mirabel remarked, "But at least he cares, huh?"
"I can take you guys to him if you'd like," The Hip-Hop Troll nodded, "And you can come, too."
Lady Bone Demon perked up as Poppy turned to face her, causing her to shrug, "Well, it was approaching the end of my shift, anyway."
"We never did get your name, by the way!" Raya called to the Hip-Hop Troll, who smiled and bowed toward his informal introduction.
"The name's Morales! Miles Morales!"
With that, Miles Morales swung away and led Poppy's group to their desired destination. With each passing step and each passing minute, more and more closer to the castle.
Eventually, they reached a waterfront park as different Trolls of different sizes and different ages filled up the location. The majority of Trolls were that of Techno, and a select group or two watched the show performed by a fellow member in particular. This particular member of the Techno Troll had blue skin, purple hair, bright green eyes, and faint freckles. His long tail was the color of periwinkle with a thin, pointed end; purple caudal fins on his tail and forearms; and a yellow pixelated heart.
As the Techno Troll skipped on the water and leaped into the air, Mei smiled brightly and cheered him on...perhaps a little louder than the other Techno Trolls.
Noticing this, the Techno Troll gasped and smiled at the sight of her...
"Mei-Mei?! You're back—!"
...before any and all concentration and crash-diving face-first into the water below, causing many of the spectators to flinch subconsciously in pain. Mei jumped in after him and helped him up to his feet...
"You're here?"
"Of course I'm here! Why wouldn't I be—? Mmph!"
...only for him to abruptly pull her into a kiss that sent the both of them flying back into the water. A moment later, they resurfaced and Mei promptly slapped him for his utter lack of regard for their well-being...before abruptly pulling him into another kiss while being careful to keep their footing.
The two of them eventually pulled away, the Techno Troll pointedly ignoring the cheers and whoops from the audience.
"Heh...sorry about that. I just really missed you."
"Me too," Mei laughed as she shook her head, "Like you wouldn't believe..."
"Oh, I'd believe it," Mirabel cackled as she approached the embarassed couple, "So...this is the lucky guy who wooed the lucky girl. Do we get a name or not?"
"Of course. Where are my manners?" The Techno Troll outstretched a hand for the group to shake, "The name's Scorfano. Alberto Scorfano."
"Ooh, and he's Italian too," Mirabel noted, "A very good catch."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Scorfano," Raya was the first to shake his hand, "But if you didn't mind...how long have you been dating my little sister?"
If Alberto was shocked, then he did a great job of not showing it despite the initial impact, "Oh, a few months at the most. Don't worry, I've been treating her well, Miss..."
"Raya. Miss Raya," The Dragon Troll narrowed her eyes at Alberto before sparing a glance at her sword, which she unsheathed to check its audible sharpness, "And I sure hope so...for your sake as much as her own..."
That time, Alberto's calm and collected nature commenced its crackdown, as he began to nervously sweat and Mei shot a pleading look at her older sister. Raya herself knowingly smirked, pleased that her thinly veiled threat got through her younger sister's boyfriend.
Pretending not to notice, Mirabel slung an arm around Raya's shoulder.
"Well, I think he's practically perfect for such a solicitous and supportive suitor for our little Mei-Mei! Don't you think, my dear Riri?"
Caught off guard not just by Mirabel's sudden, confident lapse in judgment but also her new apparent nickname for her, Raya's eyes widened and stuttered before she regained her composure.
"Yes. Of course. Just don't hurt her, alright?"
"I promise," Alberto regained his own composure with a smile and nod, "In fact, I Pinkie-promise! Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
Mei stifled a giggle as she turned to face him, "W-What? Where did that come from?"
"I have no idea," Alberto admitted as he shook his head, "I heard one of those Princesses said something along the lines of that in the castle. Anyway, Miss Raya, if I did end up hurting Mei in any way, my older sister would probably have my hide."
"You have an older sister?" Mei asked.
"Oh, yeah. I just leave her out of our conversations because I didn't think she would want it."
"I wouldn't want what?"
An echoing boom of a female voice blared throughout the waterfront park as the group and the rest of the guests looked on in awe as a very large Techno Troll ambled her way towards them. She had purple skin, long dark blue tentacle hair, and vibrant turquoise eyes hidden by a pair of black sunglasses, a green pixelated heart, and ears that resembled pectoral fins. In place of a tail much like the other Techno Trolls were five tentacles (three legs and two arms) with four fingers on each.
When she shrunk down to a more shorter size, her purple skin became aquamarine while her long hair was shortened to reach her shoulders. Unlike most of the Techno Trolls, who usually eschewed the usage of clothing, this particular Techno Troll preferred to be practically wrapped up in them. From the looks of it, her signature outfit consisted of a black leather jacket above a green turtleneck sweater; purple high waisted jean short shorts; purple, dark grey, and white striped leggings; grey knitted socks, dark purple boots with purplish blue laces, and the same pair of black sunglasses.
"Hey, Ruby-Doo!" Alberto called out for his sister, who visibly cringed at the childish nickname and pushed the shades up to her hair.
"Alberto Scorfano! What have I told you about calling me that?"
"What?" A now defensive Alberto crossed his arms, "I thought you didn't have a problem about being called that!"
"Yeah, but only by people I'm dating!" The Techno Troll rolled her eyes, "And as your older sister, I'm not dating you!"
The moment she glanced behind the group before her, her grumpy demeanor washed away as she flashed a surprised but sincere smile. She walked past them and approached Miles, who returned her smile and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
"I'm dating him," The Techno Troll clarified as she kissed him back, "Hi, Miles."
"Hey, Ruby-Doo," Miles chuckled as he carefully placed her legs, "I see you've gotten better."
"A lot better," The Techno Troll known as Ruby nodded, "Those training sessions really took a lot out of me. I will say, Wade's a pretty good partner."
"But he's just not me?" Miles understood.
"There's only one Miles Morales...for me, anyway."
"I was gonna say, you do realize that there could be another Miles Morales out there because of the whole...situation?"
"I know, I know. But my point still stands."
Ruby sighed and planted another kiss on Miles' cheek, "I just missed you so much."
"Me too, Alga-Bae," Miles returned the kiss with another of his own, causing Ruby to blush, "Me too..."
"Aw!" Mei gushed over the couple's semi-reunion, "They're so cute together!"
"I'm just amazed by the amount of rizz the Techno Trolls have," Mirabel chuckled out the remark, "So, new friend! Do we get a name or nah?"
"Of course!" Ruby formerly introduced herself unlike Miles, "Where are my manners? The name's Ruby. Ruby Gillman...Teenage Kraken."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Gillman," Peony and the others approached from behind Miles, "We could use your assistance for the moment."
"Queen Peony!" Ruby exclaimed in surprise before regaining her composure, "I mean...but of course! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Peony took her spot beside Poppy, "My daughter needs to see the acting Princesses of TrollsTopia immediately."
Meeting each other's gaze, Poppy and Ruby shook hands as Peony continued, "We have a main matter of the utmost urgency."
"Right then!" Ruby smiled as she grew back to her Kraken form and extended two tentacles for the extended group, "Hop on board and hang on tight!"
Poppy's group hopped on the right tentacle while Peony's group hopped on the left tentacle. Once everyone was aboard, Ruby proceeded to take two giant steps forward as they made their way to the castle, careful to not crush anyone in her path.
"I hope you guys and gals enjoy the view!"
"I hope you enjoy carrots..." Wade resisted the urge to vomit...
"...or arepa con queso..." One tentacle away from where Mirabel clutched on to Raya.
Peony decided to write a letter to send toward the castle to notify the inhabitants of their impending arrival. She carefully guided it toward its destination, where it reached a Country Troll Royal Guard, who read it thoroughly before taking it to the Princesses.
Meanwhile, inside the castle, an abundant amount of anarchic activity was in absolute attendance. Trolls of different sizes, shapes, ages, and genders hustled and bustled throughout the centrally crystal citadel, performing royal responsibilities such as cooking a plethora of food for the citizens, readying the weapons in the armory in case of a sudden ambush, and sending important cargo and/or documents to the transporters to send to the other Troll Kingdoms in the Space Between. The others were generally looking after the people they called friends and family, tending to their needs whether they be in sickness or in health.
One of these Trolls performing all four duties at once was a slim, lithe, and tall Pop Troll with daisy white skin; vivid blue eyes framed by six lashes; full pink lips; and long gold hair with a triangular bang in the center of her forehead, two rows of flips on her back, and two split sideburns framing her face. Her signature outfit was a pink floor-length dress with puffy sleeves, a high collar, magenta panniers at the waist, a frill of the same color at the hem, a white petticoat under the gown, and a pair of pink bloomers (if one could easily spot it).
"Princess Peach! Princess Peach!"
The Princess looked up from her current task and found a young Country Troll member of the Royal Guard frantically rushing towards her, a letter in her hand.
"What is it, young one?" Princess Peach knelt down to her level.
"A...message!" The Country Troll managed to breathe out, displaying the letter in her grasp, "From...Queen Peony...your Highness!"
Carefully taking said letter from the panting Troll, Princess Peach read through it in a similar manner and eventually nodded, "Very well. Pass the message on. Send a word to the others to meet in the assembly room."
"What about you?"
"I will summon the other Princesses," Princess Peach replied as she took off, "They will want to hear this as well..."
The Country Troll nodded at Princess Peach, who nodded back before they went in separate directions.
One of the other Princesses was in the meditation room adjacent to the rehabilitation room. While this Princess bore the appearance of a Country Troll, she actually was categorized in the Classical Troll category. She had purple skin (specifically pale, light greyish mulberry), moderate violet eyes, and dark sapphire blue hair with moderate purple and brilliant raspberry streaks. Sitting on top her hair was a gold crown with studded sapphires and a single magenta star-shaped gem, which complemented the white puff-sleeve top with a purple band around her waist.
"Ommmmm..."
The Princess did nothing...
"Ommmmm..."
...nothing but take a deep inhale...
"Ommmmm..."
...an equally deep exhale...
"Ommmmm..."
...before realizing what she had done.
"Ommmmm...mmmmy goodness! I have done nothing all for the past few weeks! Argh! I need work! I need a job! I need...I need...I want a fight! Yes! I want to fight somepony!"
. . .
"Uh, you okay there, T-Sparks?"
The Princess turned to find two Trolls approaching her with caution. While they too bore the appearance of a Country Troll, the both of them hailed from a different genre much like their friend, in this case Hard Rock.
The first Troll was a female with light amber skin, moderate cyan eyes, and brilliant amaranth hair with light apple green stripes. She wore a black biker jacket and a gold, classic-shaped crown with each point studded with a small magenta jewel.
The second Troll was a male with brilliant gamboge skin, vivid cornflower blue eyes, and two tones of moderate sapphire blue hair. He too wore a black leather jacket but one akin to a coat rather than a normal jacket.
"Hi, Sunset. Hello, Flash. But no, I'm not okay. I've been recovering for far too long. I need to get back in the field. I need to get back and perform missions. I need—"
"To fight someone?"
"Yes—no!"
"But that's what you said..." The second female Troll named Sunset knowingly wriggled her eyebrows, "Didn't ya, Twilight?"
The first female Troll named Twilight opened her mouth to refute...before closing her mouth and shaking her head with a laugh.
"As always, your sense of humor is always welcome and pleasant to the senses," Twilight remarked as she planted a small kiss on her lips, "I always appreciate it."
"It's always a classic save," Sunset fist-pumped in celebration, leading the male Troll named Flash to pout in agitation.
"Hey, she gets a kiss and I don't?"
"I met her first, Sentry!"
"But you've met me first!"
"The alternate you! Don't you forget that!"
"And don't you forget that's it's appreciative for others when you share," Twilight pulled away to plant a small kiss on Flash's lips just as she had done with Sunset earlier. This, of course, prompted him to silently whoop in celebration as well, much to Twilight's amusement and Sunset's exasperation.
"Oh, please. It's because he lacks the validation, right?"
Before either Twilight and Flash could respond, a Techno Troll swim into the room and leaned against a nearby pillar as he struggled to catch his breath.
"The Princesses...are requested...for a meeting...in the assembly hall..."
Flash offered the poor Techno Troll a comically large bottle of water, which he graciously took and chugged down as the two Princesses in the room gasped in surprise.
"Well, what do you know, Twi? There may be that something awaiting you in the assembly hall."
Twilight rolled her eyes as she joined Sunset and Flash on the journey to the assembly hall, the now refreshed Techno Troll leading the way. The trio began to ponder about the contents of the meeting and the outcomes from it.
Just a few levels about the meditation room was a library, but not exactly the library. A young Orchestral Pop Troll with pearl white skin, light blue eyes, and wavy shoulder-length auburn hair placed the fantasy books in alphabetical order. Fitting for a princess, her main outfit was a gown consisting of a lilac bodice trimmed in two lines of pearls down the front and along the neckline and wings on the skirt; a pearl-hemmed and studded lilac petaled skirt with a row of great lace drops and trumpets each arranged like a four-leaf clover or cross on a nimbus, and a yellowish petticoat with a lilac band; a swirly tiara inset with pink sapphires, white pearls, and a turquoise diamond; violet slippers with bows and mid heels; and a silver-and-amethyst necklace with a huge ruby pink drop cabochon jewel pendant on a swirly silver backing topped with three sapphires.
This particular princess was named—
"Sofia! Miss Sofia!"
Sofia looked up from her little task and glanced down from the ladder to find a Latin Troll holding said ladder in place. He had a tall and slender figure with warm amber/hazelnut eyes and short, slicked black hair with slightly grey streaks around his temples and wavy side bangs that fell just above his ear. He wore a dark red tailcoat, a navy blue dress shirt, a black waistcoat, white trousers, black boots, and a nervous smile on his face.
"Miss Sofia...even with the presence of your powers, may I suggest refraining from engaging in such precarious tasks from such precarious heights?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Esteban," Sofia floated down and landed in front of Esteban, "but most of those books were in the wrong place! I couldn't just ignore it! Also, I felt it was a perfect opportunity to practice my magical abilities!"
Esteban simply shook his head and chuckled in response, "Well, I have noticed your magical prowess has improved very well, Sofia."
Sofia smiled back and lunged at him for a hug, "And I have you to thank, Mr. Esteban!"
Esteban was touched by the gratitude despite not showing it explicitly and returned the hug.
"Oh...you're very much welcome, Miss Sofia."
A few minutes later, a Rock Troll ran into the room and took deep breaths.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Sofia and Esteban exchanged surprised looks as the former approached first, followed by the latter.
"Please, you can call me just Sofia. What seems to be the matter?"
"Miss Sofia..."The Rock Troll panted, "Queen Peony...requests...your presence...as well as...Chancellor Esteban...in a meeting."
"And when is this meeting taking place?" Esteban inquired.
"In a few moments from now," The Rock Troll replied.
Sofia and Esteban exchanged now concerned looks before professional nods.
"Very well. Lead the way."
A few rooms down, as Sofia and Esteban followed the Rock Troll to the assembly hall, a young Rock Troll practiced her marksmanship with a pair of yo-yos. She had muddy red skin, black shoulder-length hair with blue reflections that were tied into two pigtails, bright bluebell eyes, light pink lips, and light freckles on both cheeks and the nose of her bridges. She wore a red leather jacket, a white long-sleeve collared shirt, a black tank-top underneath, navy blue jeans, black boots, and a pair of red-and-black earrings. On her weapons table was a Remington 870 Police Magnum Riot shotgun with several shells in their boxes, a M79 Grenade Launcher, and a pair of sheathed Latin machetes.
Speaking of which, a Latin Troll entered the room and watched her train vigorously, barely stopping for a brief moment to take a deep breath. He had golden brown skin; dark auburn wooly, dreadlocked hair; hazel brown eyes, and freckles across his noses and cheeks, along with dark tints on his eyelids. He wore a beige button-up collared shirt with the sleeves folded up to his elbows, a golden waistcoat, black high-waisted jeans, and black shoes with white etchings.
"Hey, Mari!"
"Hmm?" The Rock Troll named "Mari" looked up from her training and spotted the Latin Troll leaning against the doorframe, "Oh! Hi, Camilo! I'm doing it again, aren't I? I'm overtraining?"
"Well, that, and the Queen wants us to attend a meeting in the assembly hall," The Latin Troll named "Camilo" offered up a smile, "Says it's pretty urgent."
"A meeting? When is it?"
"In a few minutes, more or less."
"Oh my gosh! Tikki, we need to go!"
"Tikki", a divine, spirit-like being who embodied the abstract concept of luck, did not immediately make herself known as first as Mari put on her earrings and rushed out of the room and past Camilo, who shook his head in amusement as he ran after and caught up to her.
A few rooms up, Mr. Wolf watched Satin continuously throw knifes at the training dummies, a savage snarl elicited almost with every throw.
"You know, if you throw any harder, you might've invented a new martial art."
"I appreciate the compliment," Satin scoffed, but even she could not help grin.
"I appreciate your adaptability," Mr. Wolf remarked as he loaded the ammunition and checked the sights of a SIG-Sauer P226R, "About a week or so here, and you're practicing like an old master."
"I wasn't particularly helpless in the living world," Satin pulled the knives out of the training dummies, "I'm just doing this so I can properly vent my frustrations."
"Properly?" Mr. Wolf raised an eyebrow in doubt, "Hmm..."
"Don't look at me like that," Satin rolled her eyes as she laid out most of the knives on the weapons table, sheathing a pair in a small on her back, "I know that's not completely true and this is not completely healthy, but don't try to vocalize your opinion."
"Well, as your in-house therapist," Mr. Wolf gestured to himself, "It's technically my job."
Suddenly, a Funk Troll burst into the room followed by a Classical Troll and a Pop Troll, the latter of whom had the unfortunate luck of being caught in the line of fire. Specifically, in an unknowingly similar manner to her sister in the living world, Satin reacted on impulse when she grabbed one of the throwing knives on the table and hurled it at the latter, who barely managed to avoid the blade in time. Satin and the two other Trolls cringed while Mr. Wolf chuckled to himself in admiration.
"Ooh. Sorry about that," Satin winced as she rushed to pull the knife out of the wall.
"It's...quite alright, Miss Satin," The Pop Troll nervoisly giggled to himself as the Classical Troll rubbed his shoulders and back.
"Queen Peony requests your presence in the assembly hall for a meeting," The Funk Troll explained before Satin gasped in realization.
Peony...? That's the name of Poppy's mother! Maybe she can help me find Poppy!
"When's the meeting?" Mr. Wolf approached from the side.
"In a few moments," The Funk Troll replied, specifically focusing her gaze on Satin, whom she nodded at before the latter nodded back in understanding. With that, Satin and Mr. Wolf followed the three Trolls out of the room, the former taking deep breaths as the latter looked in confusion.
One step closer...
One step close to finding Poppy...
"Aggie! Aggie!" Victoria rushed to the Troll she called her eldest sister, who caught her in her arms and engulfed her in a hug. Rubbing Victoria's back as she buried her head into her shoulders, Agatha spotted Emma cautiously approaching as she breathed a sigh of relief and engulfed her older sister into a hug as well. Watching this in equal parts comfort and confusion were DJ and the two Trollexes, the latter glancing over to Trollex-2.
"Your daughters...or her younger sisters?"
"I guess?" Trollex-2 shrugged in response, "It's the first time I've met them."
At the same time, the Tribe Leaders, the Tribe Ambassadors, Diogo, Dulce, Sun Lien, King Eric, Aidan, Alani, Melody, Mal Shredder, and Captain Blue each took a seat before Agatha did, the Magical Musical Troll leaving Emma and Victoria with the Snack Pack as she did so. The Snack Pack, the Bounty Hunters, and Vivace all opted to stand by the sides to watch the meeting unfold. The Siren Troll glanced down to find Aggie's youngest sister gazing up at her in awe, offering a small smile in response.
"So...what do we know thus far?" King Eric started first.
"Well..." Captain Blue decided to go next, "The Siren Trolls betrayed my crew. They brainwashed my most loyal and they swore in my least. They teamed up with the Party Crashers. They killed most of the citizens of Dragon City. It...it was a stupid mistake. I can't take it back."
"At least you admit it was a mistake," Queen Essence expressed her sympathies for the betrayed Captain, "And your alliance with us is your method of repentance, yes?"
"Nothing I do afterwards can take back what I've done," Blue sighed, "I just want my crew back..."
Despite her own grief, it was Sun Lien who expressed sympathies next. Having been Empress for a good while, she knew that her apathetic and nonchalant attitude was merely a front to hide the inner turmoil of being a leader. Being a leader meant they had to make the hardest decisions and the toughest choices to protect their people and their kingdom while acknowledging the risks. One wrong move, and the people that leader loved and cared for would pay the price dearly.
"Well, on the bright side..." Dulce smiled, "You have a new crew for the time being! You have me, my cousin Diogo, the two Trollexes, DJ Stefani—"
"Oh, no," DJ groaned as she facepalmed, much to CJ's amusement, "It's DJ Suki. Not DJ Suri, not DJ Sammy, not DJ Sabrina, and certainly not DJ Stefani."
"Too bad," Petra cackled as she fed Grace, "That's what we're calling you for now on."
"Guys, are we really having this conversation right now?" Val groaned as Melody shot her a sympathy smile.
"Well, technically, you started the whole accidental misnaming debacle," Guy Diamond smiled awkwardly before flinching at the Rock Troll Ambassador growling at him.
"That was a month ago!"
"Excuse me," Aidan cleared his throat, "Perhaps we can pursue this petty squabble at a later time?"
"He's right," Sun Lien nodded, "Right now, we need a plan...or, at the very least, something that resembles it."
"I say we lure them into a trap," Blue suggested, "That's what my crew usually does whenever we rob our victims."
"But they're your crew," Creek noted, "What are the chances that they may catch on to your scheme?"
"Unless they follow a certain pattern," Delta Dawn rubbed her chin, "That way, we can change it up a bit and catch them off guard."
"Maybe..." Alani nodded, "But what then? The Folk Rock Kingdom only has enough weapons to last a battle, if not a war."
"I brought extra weapons from Latin City just as Bi-Na, Young & Min did from Dragon City," Suzi held up her duffel bags, "Plus, Melody has that glowing wand thingy and Agatha's probably the only one capable of taking on these Siren Trolls, so we have an advantage."
"A slight advantage," Branch hummed while exchanging glances with Melody, who turned her attention to her wand.
"And Aggie can wield this like my mom said."
Mal nodded at Aggie, who returned the nod with one of her own. Afterwards, CJ perked up.
"Oh!"
"What? What is it, CJ?"
CJ rushed over to her Wooferbug (currently enjoying its much-deserved meal) and grabbed a handbag, pulling out its contents to place on the table.
"The Apex Headset?" DJ, Trollex-1, Diogo, Dulce, King Eric, Aidan, Alani, and Blue all stood up in disbelief.
"Maybe we can use it to help Miss Agatha use her powers," CJ explained, "Melody's mom and King Eric stated that the Magical Musical Trolls can switch between all genres of music and the Perfect Mix's power was similar to the Six Strings. So...if we can somehow harness the Perfect Mix's power and Miss Agatha's positive emotions..."
"Aggie can use it to banish the Siren Trolls," Melody understood, "but not the Party Crashers and the mutinous Chanty Trolls? And we need a DJ booth to boot."
"I'm already on it," DJ smiled proudly.
"It's a risky plan," King Eric agreed before relenting, "But it's a risk I'm willing to take if it means protecting my kingdom and the people living in it."
The Tribe Leaders and the Tribe Ambassadors all exchanged acknowledging nods afterwards. Blue was among the few who were not entirely onboard with the slightly risky plan that may kill someone, if not completely unconvinced. Even she knew, however, that a slightly risky plan that may kill someone was better than no plan at all.
Or, at least, better than an utterly stupid-ass plan that may as well get nearly everyone killed...
. . .
. . .
. . .
Still not saying much...