Author's Note
Pre Band Together, before John got the letter. LOTS OF SPOILERS TO PREVIOUS MOVIES AND BAND TOGETHER!
John Dory pulled Rhonda over into a large parking space. "Alright Rhonda," he said, patting the dash board. "Daddy's gonna get some fuel for both of us."
Rhonda wiggled a little. "You know I don't eat what you do!" John replied hastily. "I'm gonna grab some food for us both and we can head out again." Rhonda wiggled again and made joyful sounds. "That's more like it!"
John grabbed a small pouch off of a hook on the wall, pulled the key out of Rhonda's engine, after pulling her into park, then ran out.
The town he pulled into is quite quaint. There are small houses along the side of the road, almost like a western town in those movies he used to watch with Clay. There are no tumbleweeds, or sand for that matter. It looks like a saloon town, but in reality, it's just a small Troll Town.
"Hey!" a green Troll exclaimed. "A visitor!"
"Hey" John replied, waving. "What is this place?"
"This is a small little town called Utopia," the green Troll replied.
"Why Utopia?"
"It just sounded cool."
"Is there a store nearby I can grab some stuff?"
"Yeah, it's over there," the Troll replied, pointing to a small dot in the distance. "It's a bit of a doozy, that one."
"Why is it so far?" John cried.
"Uhhh..." the Troll pondered. "I actually have no clue."
"Is there any place I can stop on the way?"
"Yeah, it'll be called The Bedtime. It works as both an inn and a restaurant, complete with a bar."
"Thanks," John said.
"Hey, no problem. We don't get visitors much around here so I hope you'll stay, at least one night."
"Maybe, depends when I get to The Bedtime."
John waved a salute at the green Troll before he walked back over to Rhonda. "Alright, girl. We're going a little farther. Can you handle that dot back there?" John pointed at the dot. Rhonda squinted at it, before smiling, panting, and nodding. "Alright, on the road, Rhonda!"
John Dory walked back inside the door, and started the Armadillo Bus. Rhonda sputtered before she started driving towards the speck in the distance.
John opened a drawer in the dash board and pulled out an old photo. The edges are torn a bit, followed by some yellowing. He turned it around and fixed the tape on the back.
He examined it once the tape was pushed back on. On the face of the photograph is a group of five similar Trolls, all sharing the same blue skin and eyes, except for one with pink. The Trolls' hair vary in colors, one hosting green, another, purple, then yellow, pink, and finally, blue-purple. John smiled sadly.
"I'm so sorry guys. I should've behaved better." He rubbed the smallest, youngest Troll, who is still wearing a diaper and has large, white, round sunglasses with purple tinted lenses. "Bitty B...Branch...I'm really, really, really sorry. This is my fault, not yours. I wasn't there to watch you grow up and now you're probably...probably..."
It was too hard to think about it. Last he saw his brothers, the Trolls were living in the Troll Tree. The Troll Tree was barred behind a cage to prevent them from escaping. The tree rested, not originally, of course, in the middle of a large town. This town was run by Bergens, who, once a year, would grab multiple handfuls of Trolls, just to eat them. This was called Trollstice. The Bergens believed that eating Trolls would make them happy, which it did, but just for a short, relieved time. The Trolls were never chosen specifically, except perhaps the king and queen, so, for all he knew, Branch and his brothers could be dead.
He saw Floyd leave, so that leaves the option that he's still alive. Spruce jumped out the window before John used a grappling hook out of the same window, meaning Spruce may still be alive. Clay walked out the door, just like Floyd, but before he did, so that rules him out as well. Branch...Branch was chosen with the task to watch over grandma. He never saw Branch leave. Maybe because he was one of the first to leave, but, honestly, he stayed behind just a little to watch his brothers break up.
He heard Floyd discuss to Bitty B that he had to watch over grandma, and to let her win at her own game sometimes, and then watch him walk out the door. He heard Bitty B say 'good bye,' and, when he never saw him leave after about twenty minutes of hanging nearby, he left. He should've just came back. He should never have left, but, it was for the best. He needed it. They all needed it. John tried so hard to accomplish the 'perfect family harmony,' which is stated, in legends and myths, to be the hardest thing a Troll could ever accomplish. It was his one goal in life, and...he threw it away.
Now, he just wants to see his family. His brothers. Spruce, Clay, Floyd, and...Branch, if he's still alive. For all he knows, Bitty B could've been eaten a long time ago. How long has it been since he's even talked to his brothers in person? He gets letters from Floyd sometimes in the mail, and sure, he writes back to those, but, it's not the same.
John flipped the picture over to read the date on the back. 'March eleventh, nineteen-ninety nine...3/11/99...Just before our big concert! Bitty B is super nervous!'
Has it already been that long? A little over twenty four years? What has gotten over him! He couldn't have been gone that long! This is a nightmare! This is horrible! It's all his fault and he hasn't even apologized once!
Rhonda wiggled to get John's attention. "Hm?" John asked, quickly looking up. It's dark out now. How long were they driving? John squinted in the dark to see that the speck had grown closer. "Thanks, girl," John said, putting the picture inside his hair. "Let's pull over."
John parked Rhonda in a parking space and walked out the door. "Alright, I'm going into that shop over there to grab some food for us. I'll be right back so don't go anywhere, okay?" Rhonda licked John's face, leaving glitter behind. "Thanks, girl."
John pat Rhonda and walked into the store. "Welcome in," a short yellow Troll said. "We're near closing time."
"I won't be long," John said, waving a hand.
John walked down the main foods department, where they usually held the stuff you eat for dinner. He grabbed a few easy meals, then walked towards the meats. He grabbed some of the squared packaged ones, along with a few large rolls, finding a basket along the way, and putting all his items inside. He then walked over to the produce. "This should be enough for a while," John said, walking to the register.
"You ready to check out, sir?" the yellow Troll from before asked.
"Yep," John said, dumping his basket on the belt. "Hey, do you know if there is a television at The Bedtime?"
"Yeah, there is," the yellow Troll replied, scanning a tube of meat. "There is a small screen at the bar counter, there are a few along the walls at the restaurant and there are personal rooms for the inn with a television in each."
"Thanks," John said. He watched her scan the rest of his items. Once he payed in Stars, he shoved everything inside of Rhonda. "Give me just a minute and I'll get your food, Rhonda." She panted joyfully.
John cooked a small meal with a square of meat, and came back out with it. "Here you go, girl." John placed the plate on the ground. "I'm going in there for a minute," John said, pointing a thumb behind him at The Bedtime. Rhonda stamped her foot and began eating her food. "Thanks for understanding." He pet Rhonda then walked into the building.
"Welcome in!" an orange Troll at the counter greeted. "What can I get for you tonight?"
"I just want a place to sit and eat," John replied.
"Right away, sir! May I interest you in a night's stay? The first night is free with a purchase of a meal."
John hesitated. It would be nice to sleep in a normal bed for once, but he did tell Rhonda that he'd be just a minute. Rhonda is understanding though. He would have to tell her. John smiled awkwardly. "Could I have just a minute?"
"No problem, sir."
John scurried outside. "Rhonda! I have news!" Rhonda looked up from her plate of food, some of it smeared on her face, and tilted her head. "I get a free night's stay at the inn tonight, so...I thought...maybe I could sleep in there for tonight and come back out for you tomorrow."
Rhonda licked her face clean, then licked John's face again. "Thanks, girl!" He pet her again before returning inside.
Back inside, he got stuck behind a family of seven Trolls, most of who are kids, two couples, one elderly, and a tall pink Troll. The Troll at the greeting table walked away with the tall pink Troll for a few minutes before returning to her post. "Ah, welcome back! You wanted a meal at our restaurant and were you interested in the free night's stay?"
"Yes!" John replied.
"Alright, let me pull up the paperwork really quick." She bent down and shuffled around inside a small compartment in the desk, before returning back up with a paper stapled to another. "If you would just sign here," she said, pointing at the dotted line at the bottom, next to the small x. "It just says that you are having a free night at the inn with the purchase of a meal larger than thirty Stars." She handed John Dory a blue pen.
He quickly skimmed the paragraph above and signed his name at the bottom. Fine print at the bottom read 'parking is free.'
John handed back the pen and the papers to the greeter. "Thank you very much, sir! Right this way." She led John to the restaurant side of the building, leading on to a free table. "Just you tonight, sir?"
"Yeah."
"Here you go, your waiter will come shortly." She bowed and walked away.
Once she left, John sighed. Being by himself is starting to take a toll on him. It's starting to get really lonely, even with Rhonda. Maybe he just misses his brothers...
After his meal, a different Troll, this one with yellow hair, led him to his room for the night. "Here you go, sir," he said. "Here is your key." He handed John a key that looked like a flower. "Have a good night."
The yellow haired Trolls returned downstairs. John looked at the door. Ninety nine. Lovely. Just more reminders of his brothers. Perhaps the universe is giving him a sign.
John opened the door with the key, walked inside, and closed it, locking it behind him. He smiled, took his goggles off and placed them on the bedside table, and threw himself at the bed. "Aah," he sighed, relieved. "This bed is way more comfy than the one in Rhonda." He sighed of relief a little longer before rolling over to his back. He stared at the roof. "Man, I miss those guys..." John muttered to himself.
He took off his glove and jacket, placing the glove on the table next to his goggles, and hanging the jacket up on the corner of the table. He then rolled back over to his back, pulling the picture out of his hair. He raised it above his head, staring the picture. "Guys, I miss you."
He pulled the picture in closer. "I'll come back, I promise..." he whispered.
John woke from an alarm in the next room over. John's arm is dangling over the side, still holding the photograph. He is only half covered. "What time is it...?" John muttered. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Seven? Ugh!" He rolled back over, avoiding crushing the picture. There came light yips from outside. "Ugh..." John moaned. "Okay, okay, I'm getting up." John threw his covers off, put the picture back into his hair and rolled out of bed. He hit the ground. "Ow."
He groaned getting up. "I'm getting too old for this," he said, rubbing his back. He scratched his head, messing up his bed head, and walked over to the table, replacing everything but his goggles. "Okay...time to get this mess under control," John mumbled, walking into the bathroom, and brushing his hair in the mirror. He finished up in the bathroom, put his goggled back on, checked if he had everything, including things stored in his hair, then left the room. He walked back downstairs, handed the greeter, who is this time, a light blue Troll, and walked out the door. "Have a good day, sir!"
"Thank you!" John waved.
He reunited with Rhonda outside, who had also eaten the plate, or, at least he assumed so, since the plate was no longer on the floor. Nearby are some Trolls taking pictures of Rhonda.
He walked over to the hook on the wall, replacing the small pouch he grabbed the night before, and grabbed his toothbrush from a cut by the kitchen sink. John began brushing his teeth. Rhonda wiggled, making happy sounds.
"Yeph," John replied with a mouth full of toothpaste, along with his toothbrush, "todah wa're foing out agan. This taim-" he stopped to gurgle and spit, "we're going to reunite with my brothers. Make things right." He cleaned off his face with the towel.
Rhonda wiggled again, this time, accompanying it with distressful sounds. "What's wrong, girl?" John asked. Rhonda wiggled again, this time, more violently. "Hey! John cried, nearly falling over. "What's wrong? You okay? Are those photographers too close?" This time, she shook so hard, John Dory did fall. "Woah! Take it easy, Rhonda!" John cried, climbing out of the door. "What is it?"
Rhonda motioned towards the inside of the building. "What? Did I leave something in there?" He looked behind him to no longer see the Trolls taking pictures. Rhonda pushed him towards the door of The Bedtime. "Okay, okay! Jeez! I'll go inside!"
John walked inside The Bedtime, only, to not be greeted by a Troll. "What the-?" John questioned quietly. He walked inside some, to see Trolls...grey. Grey? Why are they all grey?
John looked at his hands to see them grey as well. What was happening? Why is he grey? Was he too miserable last night? If that's the case, that would explain his color, but not the others. Something bigger is happening. Whatever it is, it's not good.
"What...what's going on?" John asked a short Troll, with dark grey hair.
"No idea," she replied. "We just...suddenly turned...grey."
"Well, something has to have happened!" John replied. "Turn the TV on!"
A large Troll, behind the bar counter, turned on the television. "Find a channel until something makes sense!" John exclaimed.
The large Troll flipped channels, a little too quick for John to keep up with. The sounds of the channels blurred together until one sounded promising. It said 'grey...rock...'
"Wait!" John cried. "Go back a few channels!"
The Troll flipped a few channels backwards, slower this time, until John told him to stop. "There! That one!" The Troll put the controller down on the desk behind the counter.
"For those of you just joining in," a disembodied, male voice said, "it turns out, the queen of Pop Village, formerly known as Troll Village, smashed the strings of the Troll tribes and destroyed music." It showed a low quality clip of a pink Troll smashing a guitar with brightly colored string on the ground, smashing the guitar in two, causing the strings attached to vanish at either end until they met at the middle. As the guitar smashed, color, matching the strings, flew out at every direction of the guitar, turning the whole crowd of Trolls grey.
"As of this moment, the Pop Queen, Queen Poppy," the voice continued, "encourages all Troll of every kind to sing together."
John felt a powerful beating in his chest. He looked down to see his heart glowing pink, beating along with everyone else's in the building nearby. All of them have pink hearts.
The camera zoomed in on the Pop Queen, completely pink against a grey background. "If we sing it all together,"
"If we sing it all as one," came back up voices.
"It's not a thing you sell," the Pop Queen sang again "Everybody's lookin', watch the way we do it, do it. 'Cause we do it like nobody else."
The camera zoomed out to show a rainbow of glitter extend into the crowd, returning the rainbow colors of the Trolls again.
"For those who missed it, the Queen of the Rock Trolls, Queen Barb," the disembodied voice continued as the camera continued to record the Pop Queen, "tried to take all the tribes, Techno, Classic, Country, Funk and Pop, to create the 'Ultimate Power Chord' to turn all tribes into rock. Here at the studio, we're calling it the 'Rock Apocalypse.' Anyway, Queen Barb managed to take all the strings, playing the Ultimate Power Chord, turning the leaders of each tribe into a 'Rock Zombie,' starting with a brave soul who jumped in front of the Pop Queen."
The screen split in half to show a picture of a Rock Zombie Pop Troll, hosting red eyes, a mullet with black hair, a tattoo of a skull on his chest, and leather pants. "After that initial blow, Queen Barb turned the rest of the tribe leaders into Rock Zombies, Queen Poppy freeing herself from the zombification and destroying the guitar, along with the strings. She has now broken into a song, harmonizing with all tribes, to return our music, and our colors.
"Those of you in farther distances may be seeing the signs of the loss of music. Your hearts beating as one should invite the music to return eventually, just keep your hopes up!"
"Just sing," all the Trolls in the crowd, along with their leaders, sing in unison, "sing it together. Louder than ever, ever, forget everything. Just sing, like it's what we've been missing. And they're gonna listen, listen, forget everything."
"Just sing," Queen Poppy finished. The camera zoomed in on the two Trolls. Queen Poppy's hair is now colored like the rainbow. She is wearing a rainbow jumpsuit with a green heart in the center, a rainbow crown with multicolored hearts and a yellow and green cape. Different than her blue dress from before. A Troll walks up next to her. Is that...?
"Turn it up!" John cried. The large Troll turned up the television. "This here is Queen Poppy of the Pop Trolls. She destroyed music, only to revive it. This here," the camera shifted to the blue Troll with dark blue hair, "is the first Rock Zombie, who was later revealed to be named...Branch. After interviewing Queen Poppy, she discussed that her and Branch have been friends since the Last Trollstice of Bergen Town. Here it is, Trolls, our heroes!" The camera remained on the pair for a brief moment before cutting to commercial. "He...he...he's..." John stuttered. "He's...STILL ALIVE!" John cheered, jumping onto the counter. "MY BROTHER IS STILL ALIVE!"
The Trolls in the room cheered. "Better go see him then," the large Troll behind the counter urged.
"I will!" John replied, excited. "I can't believe he's alive!"
John ran to the door and opened it. A wave of pink glitter flooded inside the building, going upstairs and under doors. Once the glitter cleared, the Trolls' colors were returned, causing their hearts to stop glowing and beating in unison. John wiped excess glitter off his clothes and face and cheered as he ran outside, "BITTY B IS ALIVE!"
Again, the Troll inside cheered as John ran outside, the door swinging a couple of times as he scurried inside Rhonda. "Rhonda! Branch is alive!" Rhonda made happy sounds. "We're going to go see him!"
Rhonda bounced excitedly, causing John to loose his balance. "Let's go, girl!" John said, quickly getting back on his feet and hopping into Rhonda's seat. "Let's go get my brother back!"
John pushed the Hustle Dimension button and Rhonda sped off. "Whoo-hooo!" John exclaimed. John struggled to put the picture onto the mirror above the dash board. "I'm coming for you, Bitty B. John's coming."