("Ballroom Blitz" ― The Sweet)
On the other side of Bergen Town, Adora was currently cutting the number of pillaging Party Crashers in half with her Sword of Protection. While she was perfectly capable of doing so on her own, a little help would have been appreciated, especially when it turns out one of them mentioned the presence of Chanty Trolls and Siren Trolls in the areas. Fortunately, she got just that when her girlfriend was flung away in the air.
Oh, I see a man in the back as a matter of fact
His eyes was as red as the sun
And the girl in the corner that no one ignores
'Cause she thinks she's the passionate one
Another Troll had quite literally swung onto the scene and lent a helping hand or two. The figure was feminine, and she wore a bizarre suit she had never seen before. The suit was a one-piece and covered her entire body other than her hands, head, and feet; it also had a hood with pink and blue web patterns on the inside. It was primarily white and black with some pink and blue web patterns in the underarm area. Her gloves were separate from the suit along with her mask, which had pink, emotive rims. She also wore teal sneakers and pink and blue long fingerless gloves on top of her regular gloves. The masked Troll was equipped with wrist-mounted shooters that appeared to fire a synthetic, silk-like material reminiscent of a spider's web; they were also used to not only swing onto the scene as described before, but also restrain many of her opponents or grab them should they plan out an ambush.
Oh, yeah! It was like lightning!
Everybody was frightening!
And the music was soothing!
And they all started grooving!
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah!
Adora also appreciated the fact that she held back from killing said opponents, because she herself held no such reservations during her time here.
"So..." The Troll asked beneath her mask, "What's all the hullabaloo here about?"
"Hullaba-wha...?" Adora momentarily paused before remembering she was in a fight, slicing off the head of a Party Crasher, "Never mind. The important thing is that we need to stop them from invading Bergen Town and crashing the wedding of Queen Bridget and King Gristle."
"A royal wedding, huh?" The masked Troll paused before webbing up a pair of pesky Party Crashers who lunged at them, "Well, I gotta say, these party crashers don't exactly give off a Prince William and Princess Kate kind of vibe."
As Adora narrowed her eyes in thought trying to figure out who exactly this Prince William and Princess Kate were, the masked Troll continued webbing up her opponents left and right. While she was doing so, Poppy came flying in and blasted the next wave of Party Crashers either further away or to ashes, allowing the trio of heroes a little more breathing room.
"Adora, what's the situation here?" Poppy turned to ask her comrade, "Besides the obvious?"
"I think the Party Crashers aren't alone," Adora replied, "I heard one of them mention the presence of the Chanty Trolls and the Siren Trolls."
"Then they're probably the distraction," Poppy deduced as she gestured to the group in question.
"A distraction for what?" The masked Troll approached.
"For us," Poppy turned to her, "They're mostly likely going to attack the party guests and take as many hostages as they can."
"What for?" The masked Troll asked herself, during which Poppy placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"Don't worry, Miss Gwen Stacy," Poppy smiled at her, "I can only hope it won't come down to that."
Gwen's eyes widened in unison with the lenses of her mask, laughing nervously as she raised her hands to proclaim ignorance and innocence.
"What? I―I do not know who this Gwen Stacy is."
Her eyes and mask lenses widening further through her mistake, Poppy chuckled and shook her head, "No need to play dumb, Gwen. Your friend has told me a lot about you."
"He has?" A blushing Gwen smiled with pride before processing what Poppy said, "Wait, you mean Miles? You know Miles? Miles is here?"
"Of course he is," Poppy continued, "I mean, I personally don't think he would be happy to see you..."
Gwen's smile faltered, "Oh..."
"But I won't hold it against you!" Poppy added with a smile, "Right now, let's make these Party Crashers regret crashing this particular party!"
"Alright then," Gwen took a battle stance...before turning back to her with a confused expression, "Wait...is that what they're actually called?"
"Essentially."
"Huh! And I was just spitballing the name without knowing how correct I was? Man, I'm good!"
"Don't get too cocky, Gwen," Poppy smirked back at her before charging into battle with Gwen following behind. Adora followed behind them, but not before she elicited an exasperated eye roll.
Business as usual...
Business as usual...
Catra poured herself a cup of punch as she watched the fight unfold before her.
And the man in the back said, "Everyone attack!"
And it turned into a ballroom blitz
And the girl in the corner said, "Boy, I want to warn you"
"It'll turn into a ballroom blitz!"
All of a sudden, a tidal wave of Party Crashers crashed upon the north end of Bergen Town and commenced their attack. After getting the majority of the Trolls to higher ground, the Bergens made quick work of most of them, sweeping or kicking them away while some muttered barely audible apologies.
Ballroom blitz~!
With Ruby transforming into a kraken and utilizing her laser vision to clear a path for her allies with some help from Lady Bone Demon, it was Mirabel, Raya, Namaari, and Elsa who charged first, wielding their respective swords as they sliced and slashed their way through their enemies. Miles and Gwen-1 used her synthetic webs to restrain the larger opponents and send a few crashing down, while Marinette used her yo-yo to knock back and knock out the larger opponents who broke free of said restraints.
Ballroom blitz~!
Hickory, Delta Dawn, and the Country Trolls fired their pump-action/lever-action long arms as the Funky Family and the rest of the Funk Trolls used their hoverboards to get the rest of the guest Trolls to safety. Synth manipulated a body of water to engulf his opponents while Elsa froze it into a block of ice that Sofia and Esteban levitated and hurled away into the distance. Lunella delivered more than powerful punches with her spring-loaded red boxing gloves while Elsa covered her from behind.
Ballroom blitz~!
Branch lead a team consisting of DJ Suki, Harper, Archer, King Trollex, the Reggaeton Gang, the K-Pop Gang, Meadow Spriggs, Mr. Wolf, Mei, Nimona, Princess Peach, Camilo-2, and Sisu as they helped the Funk Trolls get the guests to higher ground. Watching his daughter and her friends fight back against a group of Party Crashers, Branch briefly deviated from the group and quite literally in to defend them, stabbing and shooting any and all unlucky hostile who stood in his way.
Ballroom blitz~!
"You okay, Ruby?"
"Never better, Dad," Ruby replied with a smile.
"I got her, Mr. Branch," Luke smiled as well with a thumbs up.
Scanning him from head to toe, Branch smiled back, "I know you do."
With that, Branch ran into a crowd of Party Crashers and began taking down his opponents to gave his daughter and her friends a chance to escape up. A few feet away, DJ Suki, King Trollex, and an arriving Queen Barb provided him with extra aid.
A few feet away, Marinette knocked away a pair of Party Crashers attacking Camilo and helped him up, "Does this bring back fond memories, Camilo?"
"Not exactly the word I would use," Camil rubbed his head as he chuckled, "But close enough."
Watching the fight from the safety of the balcony Miss Maxine had dropped them off on, those associated with Mirabel and Mei watched the battle unfold with a sense of shock and awe. The younger members admired Mirabel and Mei's strength and prowess in battle while the older members flinched at the amount of violence and bloodshed that came with the all-out action. It unnerved Isabela (who was currently on the battlefield helping others escape at Mirabel's behest), Julieta, and Agustín specifically, who were under the impression that their youngest sister and daughter had to endure such a level for the full year she was presumed dead. Although, they were partially assured that Mirabel made it a point to keep the innocents out of harm's way and escort them to safety.
CJ, Keith, and Priscilla were all grabbed and thrashed around by a large Party Crasher, much to the horror of Branch, DJ Suki, King Trollex, and Queen Barb, all four of whom were in the midst of battle.
"Aunt DJ!"
"Branch!"
"Barb!"
"CJ!"
"Keith!"
"Priscilla!"
Watching this from afar, Isabela reacted quickly and rushed forward against the protests of her family.
And the man in the back is ready to crack
As he raises his hands to the sky
And the girl in the corner is everyone's mourner
She could kill you with a wink of her eye
She conjured a pair of vines, one to restrain the Party Crasher and the other to open up the hand that held the children and hopefully his grip on them. Unfortunately, the Party Crasher only tightened his grip on the three Trolls and refused to budge. Fortunately, Meadow, Miles, and Gwen noticed this as well and rushed over to assist Isabela, the former using her plants and the latter two using their webs to hold them down.
"INCOMING!"
All parties involved in the struggle watched Luisa leap down from the balcony and body slam the Party Crasher, who finally released his grip on the three Trolls, who in turn rushed to safety as Isabela, Meadow, Miles, and Gwen continued to hold him down. Repeatedly punching the Party Crasher for endangering the lives of her older sister and the three children, Luisa was suddenly tossed away before Miles and Gwen caught her and swung her back towards the Party Crasher, whose eyes widened in horror as Luisa―having caught on to the duo's scheme―used her feet to kick the Party Crasher and send him flying into a pile of his fellow Party Crashers.
"Sorry about that," Miles apologized as he and Gwen rushed over to help Luisa up, "Are you okay?"
"Never better," Luisa chuckled before another swarm of Party Crashers interrupted their free talking.
Oh, yeah! It was electric!
So frantically hectic!
Mirabel sprinted forward and drew her Nichirin Sword, decapitating them and the two swarms following behind with one swift stroke. Those who survived the slashing did not live long enough to celebrate as they were swiftly shot up by Mirabel again, this time wielding her SIG-Sauer P226R. Rapidly reloading and loading like a whirlwind, she even hurled some of the empty magazines into the face of her opponents to disorient them before surprising them with a few headshots; ocassionally, she dual-wielded her pistol with her Nichirin Sword.
And the band started leaving
'Cause they all stopped breathing
Managing to clear a path, Mirabel reloaded once more and performed a press check on her P226R as she turned to face her shocked friends and family.
"You know what I'm just realizing?" Mirabel duly noted, "Talking isn't always a free action."
With that, Mirabel turned tail and sprinted toward her opponents, opening fire with her pistol as they exchanged looks with each other.
"It's true," Miles concurred as Gwen silently nodded, the both of them rushing after her.
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah!
Exchanging a few more glances, Isabela, Luisa, and Meadow merely shrugged and followed after them in turn.
And the man in the back said, "Everyone attack!"
And it turned into a ballroom blitz!
Helping their sister and new allies widen the path she created, the three girls passed by Raya slicing through her enemies like butter, often bisecting them both horizonally and vertically. She was covered and assisted by Elsa and Lady Bone Demon, who both launched ice and crystal projectiles at the opponents surrounding them while making sure not to accidentally hit their allies. Sisu and Namaari joined her, the latter hurling a spear into the chest of a Party Crasher that attempted to ambush Raya and the former creating a mist that blinded the majority of the enemy faction to the heroic army.
And the girl in the corner said, "Boy, I want to warn you"
It'll turn into a ballroom blitz!
Placing each other back to back, Raya, Sisu, Namaari, Lady Bone Demon, and Elsa formed a circle and kept their guard, which Branch, DJ Suki, King Trollex, Marinette, Mr. Wolf, Harper, Archer, Queen Barb, King Quincy, Queen Essence, Delta Dawn, and Hickory caught notice of and mirrored their actions. Branch, DJ Suki, King Trollex, and Queen Barb formed a circle to shield CJ, Keith, Priscilla, and the rest of the children as they helped them to higher ground; Marinette, Mr. Wolf, Harper, Archer, Hickory, and Delta Dawn watched them in turn; and King Quincy and Queen Essence protected their family as well as the families of their allies. All of the groups slowly moved away from the heart of the battlefield.
Ballroom blitz~!
Snarling in anger, the lead Party Crasher composed himself before pulling out a Remington Model 870 TAC-14 and pumped a shell into it, a group of additional Party Crashers loading either Heckler & Koch MP5A3's or Heckler & Koch MP7A1's. Spreading out and taking aim, they waited until an enemy presented themself getting caught in the crossfire. Spotting movement from the corner of his eye, he motioned one half of his team to open fire and the other half to break away in an attempt to box them in. Unbeknownst to them, Twilight, Sunset, Elsa, and Marinette had created a series of shields to protect their allies as well as themselves.
Eventually, one male Party Crasher stumbled upon his fellow female Party Crasher surveying the situation. Smirking to himself while licking his lips, he strutted up and straight-up smacked her posterior, catching her off guard and prompting her to turn around and shoot him a dirty glare. His smirk merely grew, prompting her to now return the gesture and plant a rather messy kiss on his lips. It was his turn to be caught off guard but immediately melted into the embrace, not even sparing a moment to complain or question the moment.
Had he done so, it may have actually saved his life.
SHUNK!
Had he spared a moment to complain or question, he would have prevented his fate of having a series of bone-like knives embedded in his body. Indeed, this was the poor, unfortunate Party Crasher's destiny as he fell down dead, a permanent grin plastered on his face. Party Crasher Lady Bone Demon grimaced in disgust at this just as a nearby Party Crasher Nimona grinned in amusement.
"Not exactly one of your prouder moments, eh?"
"Not a single word."
With that, Lady Bone Demon and Nimona shapeshifted into Party Crashers, the former levitating the corpse of the Party Crasher so that the latter can swiftly kick him away to create a distraction. Sure enough, the moment his bloodied body crashed into a nearby stand was the moment the Party Crashers opened fire at the source. They both used said distraction to cut the number of Party Crashers attacking their section in half before taking cover when their opponents got wise.
Poppy, Gwen-1, and Adora arrived on the scene and stared at the mist with confusion. The former silently instructed the latter to led Gwen towards their army; she would go elsewhere to sweep for stragglers. When they were out of sight, she sighed as she carefully drew her Glock 17 and SIG-Sauer P226R after sheathing her sword, holding them akimbo as she scanned her surroundings.
. . .
. . .
. . .
Her ears perking up, Poppy swiftly created wrist-mounted shields as she opened fire with her two pistols.
BANG-BANG!
BOOM!
Poppy was nearly thrown off her feet by the blast of a shotgun, and completely had it not been for her conjured shields that absorbed it. With that, she continued to open fire just as her opponent did the same, eventually revealing themselves as the mist parted for them. They wore a black hooded cloak with brown clothing underneath.
Oh, yeah! It was like lightning!
Everybody was frightening!
The opponent's Mossberg 500 Cruiser clicked empty, prompting them to sling it over their shoulder and draw a sword of their own from the same place.
And the music was soothing!
And they all started grooving!
This prompted Poppy to do the same, drawing her Sword of Protection as she charged forward.
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah!
They both then engaged in a dance of the blades.
And the man in the back said, "Everyone attack!"
And it turned into a ballroom blitz!
And the girl in the corner said, "Boy, I want to warn you"
It'll turn into a ballroom blitz!
Their blades slashed...
Ballroom blitz~!
Their blades stabbed...
Ballroom blitz~!
Their blades sliced...
Ballroom blitz~!
Their blades diced...
Ballroom blitz~!
...before their dance inevitably ended in a stalemate.
It's, it's a ballroom blitz...
It's, it's a ballroom blitz...
It's, it's a ballroom blitz...
Yeah! It's a ballroom blitz...
Growling underneath their hood, the figure created a misty diversion so they could escape, not that Poppy was considering pursuing them anyway. The Pop Queen merely looked on and released a solemn sigh as they charged into the mist, living to fight another day.
A few feet away, Amethyst (in her Captain Blue disguise) was scanning her surroundings as well, simultaneously wielding her sword, cursing to Poppy for inviting her to the blasted wedding, and praying to herself that she did not die today.
Eventually, she spotted a hooded opponent with their back facing her, wielding a sword of her own. Because of this, she figured that she would be a fool for ordering their to freeze and drop their weapon (or worse, charging forward without the knowledge that it was a trap). With that in mind, she attempted to back away into the mist with her opponent none the wiser.
THUMP!
Unfortunately, in her haste to slip away unscathed, Amethyst had accidentally nudged the body of an unconscious Party Crasher, who groaned and held her injury in pain. This in turn caught the attention of her opponent, who glared at her beneath her hood as she charged forward. Consequently, Amethyst groaned in exasperation and attacked, having failed to avoid the inevitability of a confrontation.
Their swords clashed in the second dance of the blades today, this time with a far more violent and aggressive edge when compared to the beauty and elegance of the fight between Poppy and her opponent. And unlike the two, they managed to give and receive more than a few slashes and stabs to each other, which frustrated Amethyst enough to throw her sword at her opponent, who flinched in pain as the blade managed to notch the back of their unprotected hand and caused her to drop her own.
Eventually, their "little" dance transitioned into a big brawl, Amethyst and her opponent managing to land hits and deliver blows ten times harder than Poppy and her opponent (who, granted, did neither in their fight to begin with). Thanks to the proper training at the hands of the Pop Queen, though, the former fared a "little" better than the latter, who was quickly getting winded by the amount of punches and kicks before kicking Amethyst away and drawing a Beretta 92FS. Having pulled off their hooded cloak, Amethyst in turn rolled back onto her feet and―after single-handedly rolling the clothing item around her hand―drew her Beretta 90Two, aiming the pistol at them...before gasping at the sight of...her.
It had been more than a few decades when she last saw her, and the meeting in question was not a happy one. She doubted that this one would be nothing but happy, either.
Her hair was red that faded to brown when approaching the roots.
Her skin was―while normally tan―laced with crude white paint and purple eyeshadow surrounding her eyes.
Her eyes were glowing a bright magenta purple that shimmered best when staring deep into Amethyst's soul.
The Troll standing before her...was her best friend.
"R-Ruby...?"
"Who the fuck is Ruby?" The Troll snarled back before opening fire with her Beretta 92FS.
Thinking quickly without consideration, Amethyst used the cloak to block the bullets, which disintegrated upon contact.
Wait, what?
Realizing this, Amethyst charged forward and returned fire with her Beretta 90Two, the wraparound cloak acting as her improvised shield. When they both collided again, Ruby stuck her Beretta 92FS into the cloak and emptied the remaining rounds into it to no avail. Thanking the lords and ladies above in the Heavens for the wonder that was the magical wraparound cloak, Amethyst managed to clutch the barrel within the fabric and hurl it away before pummeling her friend into the ground below.
Groaning in agonizing pain, Ruby looked up to find her opponent looming above her with one hand raised whilst wrapped in her cloak.
"Sorry, Ruby..." Amethyst winced as she brought the hand down one more time to knock her friend out.
A few feet away, with a little help from their Spider-Sense, Miles and Gwen webbed up their opponents while Marinette lassoed her own with her yo-yo and Elsa conjured up a block of ice to shield them from the knives, bullets, and other blows from them. Attaching suppressors to their rifles, Twilight, Sunset, and Flash gunned down any approaching Party Crasher by singling out the noises made by their own unsuppressed firearms.
Spotting the outline of a familiar Pop Troll, the lead Party Crasher smirked in seeming victory. He gestured a group of his fellow henchmen and henchwomen to carefully advance and surround the Pop Queen, their guns taking aim at her. Holding his Remington 870 TAC-14, the lead Party Crasher slowly chambered a shell just as the mist cleared on cue.
The predator's victorious smirk was instantly wiped away the moment he took a better look at his prey.
It was not Queen Poppy.
It was Queen Peony.
The eyes of the Queen in question glowed a bright white as many of the now horrified Party Crashers were swiftly sliced and diced from where they stood before exploding in pieces. While initially caught off guard, the lead Party Crasher stood his ground, continuing to aim his shotgun at the powerful Pop Queen. Peony merely took a fighting stance and placed up her still glowing hands, a look of regret crossing her face as she did so.
Suddenly, the lead Party Crasher felt a gun pressed against his temple from his right. Slightly glancing in the gun's direction, he spotted a Latin Rock Troll holding him at gunpoint with a SIG-Sauer P226R. Quite tall and quite beautiful with a slender hourglass figure, she had brown skin (specifically rakuda); bluish-grey eyes with thick black eyebrows; and equally thick, wavy, hip-length maroon-red hair with matching lipstick.
Her main outfit was a large red trench coat with a matching, equally large red fedora hat with a black band around it. Said trench coat was worn over a short-sleeved black stealth-suit with a triangle-shaped golden zipper hanging from the high-collar. Complementing the coat were a pair of low-heeled black shoes, her accessories including a set of small, round black earrings and black leather gloves.
Ill-suited for a formal wedding, but best suited for a tactical mission.
"Did I tell you how much you scare me, Your Majesty?" The Latin Rock Troll remarked with a not-so-subtle hint of humor.
"Yes, you have, Miss Carmen," Peony smiled despite the tense set-up, "Countless times."
Sighing in exasperation, the lead Party Crasher held up his hands with the Remington, which the Latin Rock Troll took and held by her side.
"You won't win," The lead Party Crasher huffed, "The Party Crashers will finally crash your party after all this time."
"I have no idea what that exactly means," The Latin Rock Troll smiled in bemusement, "But let's agree to disagree."
Eventually, the rest of the surrounding mist cleared, and the remaining Party Crashers found themselves surrounded at all sides by Poppy's army and the Bergens, who seemed more disappointed if anything else. With that in mind, the Party Crashers laid down their weapons and surrendered without any more bloodshed. As many if not all the heroes cheered in victory, the Country Trolls and the Funk Trolls rounded up the Party Crashers and restrained them.
Poppy, Gwen-1, and Adora arrived at the scene and checked up on everybody's wellbeing, the latter checking up on her girlfriend, who was leaning against the refreshment table.
"Catra, did you even help Poppy's army defend Bergen Town and protect the guests?" Adora asked, playfully narrowing her eyes at her.
"What?" Catra gasped in mock shock, "Of course, I did!"
At that moment, as if to prove her point, two Party Crashers proved too dumb to live and broke free from their restraints in an attempt to flee. In response, Catra took the cup in her hand and hurled it into one's head, bouncing off the other and knocking them both unconscious before sending them falling face-first into the ground.
Exchanging looks with each other, Adora raised an eyebrow as Catra flashed a toothy grin.
"See?"
Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Adora gently placed a kiss on her cheek and hugged her while noting, "Next time, have a little tact."
"No promises, Adora," Catra noted back with a smirk, "You know me better than anyone else."
"Damn right, hot stuff," Adora smirked back.
"Poppy?"
The Pop Queen turned to find Amethyst carrying an unconscious Troll and rush to give her aid.
"Poppy, this is..." Amethyst hesitated before continuing, "This is Ruby. One of my friends from my home dimension."
"How did she...?" Poppy started to ask.
"I don't know," Amethyst replied with a shake of her head, "But she attacked me. She didn't even recognize me."
Glancing back and forth between the conscious Amethyst and the unconscious Ruby, Poppy nodded in understanding, "Take her to Doctor Moonbloom. I'll have some Bergen guards watch over her."
Amethyst nodded back and ran off in search of the Pop Troll doctor in question. Meanwhile, Sunset and Raya were among those who tended to the wounded, Miles and Mr. Wolf among them.
"Miles!" Gwen-2 called out in alarm, catching the attention of Gwen-1, who watched her alternate variant rush to a Funk/Hip-Hop Troll who she assumed was her best friend in question. After a moment, she mustered up the courage to approach them, who looked on in stunned silence.
"Uh...hi," Gwen-1 smiled and chuckled awkwardly beneath her mask, which she pulled up and off to reveal the Rock Troll beneath.
While Gwen-2's focus was placed exclusively on the primary doppelgänger variant standing before her, Miles could only glance between the two Gwens before wordlessly pleading an approaching Poppy for assistance and clarification. The Pop Queen in question rolled her eyes in amusement before she nodded and obliged him.
"Miles, this is your Gwen from another dimension...or another, another dimension if you will."
"Just making sure," Miles nodded as before the pain in his side returned, causing him to flinch and glance down.
A knife was embedded in his waist.
"Are you okay, Miles?" Poppy asked in worry.
"What's wrong with Miles?" Ruby approached from the side and began to fret over him, much to the confusion of both Gwens.
"Who are you?"
"I'm fine," Miles nodded and waved off their concerns, "Just help the others."
"Out of the question."
Poppy, Miles, Ruby, and both Gwens turned to find Julieta marching towards them with Mirabel and Agustín following behind. In her hand was an arepa, Mirabel flashing a grin and thumbs up from behind her.
"Reina Poppy, please pull out the knife," Julieta instructed as she handed the arepa to a confused Miles, "Eat this, Señor Morales. I promise you'll feel better."
"She promises," Mirabel continued grinning and flashing the same thumbs up.
"It's not a metaphor," Agustín nodded.
Despite his confusion, Miles took the arepa and plucked it into his mouth as Poppy carefully removed the knife from his side. To his pleasant surprise, he felt the pain slowly but surely subside and glanced down to find the wound healing itself.
"Huh," Miles chuckled as Ruby and the two Gwens looked on in awe, "That worked like a charm. Thank you, Mrs. Madrigal."
"You're welcome, Señor Morales," Julieta nodded and smiled, "And please, call me Julieta."
"Well then, Juli..."
Everybody turned to find Nimona strutting up to them...with a spear in her chest.
"Do you have some I can steal?"
"I thought you were invulnerable, Nimona," Ruby exchanged confused looks with Miles.
"Oh, I am," Nimona nodded and smiled, "They're not for me."
Lady Bone Demon approached, burned and scorched to a crisp all over, "I'm gonna kill you, Nimona."
"Keep dreaming, Demon Bone Lady..."
After the initial chaos and prior mayhem died down, the wedding ceremony was completed in the throne room at the Bergen Castle. The union between Queen Bridget and King Gristle Jr. was quite a glorious sight to behold, as they both sealed it with a big damn kiss that was cheered and applauded by those in attendance.
With that, the wedding reception commenced, with DJ Suki and King Trollex literally dropping the beat to kick the whole thing off, a little assistance lended to them by CJ and Synth. The Country Trolls, the Classical Trolls, the Funk Trolls, and the Latin Trolls all joined forces to cook a plethora of assorted food for their extended cuisine. Most of Mirabel's group trailed over to the latter section due to their established familiarity with their selections, but other members trailed off to the former trio to try those unfamiliar to them. Camilo-1, for example, took one bite of the fabled pizza and was instantly hooked; Catra, Mitsuri, and Princess Peach seemed to concur as well.
Meanwhile, on the dance floor were Mei, Alberto, Camilo-2, Marinette, Ruby, and Miles, dancing with their respective romantic partners around and below Bridget and Gristle. Gwen-1 and Gwen-2 were among those who opted to remain wallflowers, not entirely comfortable with engaging with the lively teens despite receiving an impromptu invitation by the latter. Instead, they watched with intrigue and jealousy as Miles held Ruby close as they danced together, heartily laughing all the way. Another sore spot they both had to cope due to the amount of time passed was the idea of their best friend and crush moving on to someone else. At the same time, they both knew they themselves played a part in his action, and they could largely blame no one else. The girl who ended up being the lucky one―this Ruby Gillman―did leave a first good impression on them, though.
John Dory, who was donning a simple black-and-white tuxedo, approached Gwen-2 with two soft drinks, "You good, kiddo?"
Gwen-2 looked up at him and managed the best smile she could muster up, "Yeah, I'm good."
John Dory scanned her and Gwen-1 from head to toe, "You certainly look good. You both do."
Both Gwens were dressed in a near-exact replica set of their homecoming outfit: a pink dress above a black leather biker jacket with a purple corsage. It no doubt brought back some unpleasant memories, making them more than a little uncomfortable and apprehensive. Nonetheless, they appreciated the compliment, no matter how innocently insensitive it may have been.
"Thanks, John Dory," Gwen-2 smiled more sincere that time.
"No problem, kiddo," John Dory shrugged with a smile as he handed one soft drink over, "So...you wanna talk about it? Or nah?"
"About what?" Gwen-2 raised an eyebrow as she took the soft drink.
"Your previous paramour, obviously," John Dory gestured to Miles, who on the dance floor twirled Ruby lovingly, "A bit of history between you, I gotta say."
"A lot of history," Gwen-2 could not help but nod in agreement.
"What's yours?" Gwen-1 gestured back at them.
"Well..." Gwen-2 took a deep breath before regaling her tale to her, "Where I come from...Miles managed to save his father and the child he was trying to save, but...not his own. He was hurt, he was terrified...but he was persistent. He never gave up. And the Spot...he just laughed. He mocked his sacrifice. And the worst part? His father was there to witness it all. He felt weak and helpless. I ended up killing the Spot...but it didn't matter. The murder ended up undoing everything Miles had done and become. I ended up causing Earth-1610 to destabilize and be cut off from the rest of the Multiverse. I doomed everyone there. It's all my fault..."
When she finished, Gwen-2 felt tears well up in her eyes as John Dory grasped her left hand with his own right. He remembered when he met the young teenage human turned Rock Troll during his travels with Rhonda, as well as the decision to take her in following the events of the Rock-Pocalypse. It was a relatively easy one to make, but also a questionable one in his opinion considering how much time was spent by himself. Besides Rhonda, he rarely had contact with anyone else, let alone another Troll, prior to meeting Gwen-2. As with her multiversal-spanning tale, he had little trouble believing it due to his own misadventures within the Multiverse; if anything, it made her pity her more.
Gwen-1 simply listened attentively before she rested one hand on her variant's shoulder.
"It's not your fault, Gwen," Gwen-1 bit her lip, thinking of the right words to say, "You just..acted on instinct. It proves that you still cared not just for Miles, but doing the right thing, even it was not quite the right thing."
Sparing a brief glance at Gwen-2, who simply listened attentively as well, Gwen-1 sighed and continued, "But you're here now...for now. Sometimes, a clean slate can mean a second chance. And sometimes, you gotta figure out what to do with it."
"That's what I thought when I ended up here."
Both Gwens and John Dory looked up to find Miles and Ruby approaching them. The former was still uncomfortable with the subject of his best friend and former crush, what with all the secrets that was kept from him. However, even he could sympathize with her and everything she had done to ensure his father would live, especially if it proved futile in the end. The latter was sympathetic from the get-go despite her own reservations, her heart going out to both Gwens.
"I ended up killing the Spot as well," Miles replied with reluctance, "But it didn't bring my parents back. But Queen Peony..."
Miles glanced over to find Queen Peony putting on a magic show for the younger Trolls (and Viva), all of whom cheered with delight.
"She took me in," Miles smiled with fond reminiscence, "She took us in. She gave us that clean slate. That second chance."
A touched Gwen-1 smiled, "That's good."
She then sighed, her smile slightly faltering, "Miles, I..."
The Hip-Hop Troll sighed and shook his head, "It's okay. I have a good idea on what you're going to say."
"You do?"
"And I already had this..."talk" with Gwen-2," Miles gestured to the second Gwen, "I...want you to still be my friend. You and the rest of the Spider-Gang. I somewhat forgive you, but it may be a while for me to trust you again. I just need some time, okay?"
Gwen felt a sensation in her; it was akin to a stab in the heart. Sure, it was not exactly the best metaphor, but it was a fitting one regardless, considering how much pain and turmoil her best friend had to endure for the past year or so. She also figured that Miles possibly could not and would not truly forgive her for causing the deaths of his parents, but a small hint of relief and gratitude was felt alongside the stabbing sensation for him to at least considering hearing her out.
With that in mind, she released her deep breath and a few tears in the process as she nodded and smiled in understanding. "Okay, Miles. Take all the time you need."
Miles returned the smile before turning to Ruby, "And as your best friend, I want to properly introduce you to my girlfriend: Ruby Gillman, teenage kraken."
"You know you don't have to always introduce me with that moniker, right?" Ruby smiled awkwardly.
"I mean, it feels right."
Gwen-2 flashed an awkward smile of her own before greeting Ruby first, "Well, I guess I'll go first. I'm Gwen Stacy...or rather, the second Gwen Stacy. It's nice to meet you."
"Same here," Ruby took her outstretched hand to shake, "And I must say, I'm pretty offended and intimidated."
"By me?"
"By us," Gwen-1 felt the need to clarify.
"By you," Ruby simply stated as she scanned both Gwens from head to toe before turning to briefly face Miles, "I'm sorry, Miles...but your ex-girlfriend's kinda hot."
Miles blinked in surprise with both Gwens before Gwen-2 chuckled and leaned in close, "Kinda hot or insanely hot?"
"Yeah," Ruby simply admitted with a blush, "I mean, I only know you through conversations with Miles, so meeting you up close and personal is a whole different experience. Also, I don't know if it's because you're a Rock Troll, but you give off this cool, punk rock vibe."
"Well, technically, I was a drummer back in my home dimension," Gwen admitted back with pride.
"Really?"
As Ruby and Gwen-2 continued their conversation, Miles and Gwen-1 blinked in bewilderment and exchanged looks with each other before the latter smirked and admitted to the former.
"Your girlfriend's...kinda sweet, Miles."
"Thanks, Gwen."
John Dory could only look on with pride.
Wendy's making new friends already...
"John!"
Suddenly, he looked up to Branch, Queen Poppy, and Princess (or Queen?) Viva making their way towards him with two Latin Trolls trailing behind them. There was a faint hint of recognition harbored towards the two latter Trolls; he recognized the younger Latin Troll as Queen Poppy's best friend and possible advisor. Meanwhile, regarding the older Latin Troll, he witnessed her combat prowess when engaging in a fight with the Party Crashers. She was...
Quite beautiful, quite elegant in fact...
Shaking his head, John Dory regained his composure and approached them, "What's up?"
"Well," Poppy went first, "We've been reading the letter Floyd supposedly sent you, and..."
"Supposedly?"
"We're 100% sure that it may be a trap set by Velvet and Veneer," Branch crossed his arms as he went second.
John Dory frowned as the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors approached from behind him, "How sure?"
"Floyd's been stuck in a diamond container for some time now," Poppy went again as her group approached from behind her, "How could he send a letter because of that?"
"Also," Branch went again, "Why would Floyd write down his "Sensitive One" sobriquet if he wanted to distance himself from BroZone?"
"Also..." Viva leaned in as she went third, "Why would Floyd write down and call Velvet and Veneer "superstars"? That sounds like a supermassive ego trip if I've ever heard one."
After a moment of contemplation, John Dory scowled and cursed himself mentally while nodding in understanding, "I knew I should've went with my gut. Well, what are we going to do now? What can we do now?"
"We need to find our brothers," Branch replied, "Despite the high possibility it could be a trap. And...try out the Perfect Family Harmony."
John Dory smiled and nodded before Branch added, "But we have to keep our head in the game. No...supermassive ego trips. Got it?"
"Yeah, I'll...I'll try," John Dory bit his lip and nodded quickly.
Isabela kept her frown plastered on her face during the entirety of their conversation. Only a few hours spent in this new and utterly unfamiliar dimension, and the events that ensued were absolutely crazy, completely manic, and incredibly hectic. While many of these occupants were bright in appearance and colorful in personality, their archenemies—these "Party Crashers"—were quite the opposite in both ways. Violent, bloodthirsty, and sadistic in more ways than one, they were a pale comparison and in sharp contrast to the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, and carefree personality traits demonstrated by these Trolls...specifically the Pop Tribe.
Another point of contention (out of concern than anything else) was the fact that Mirabel had taken to the fighting style of these Party Crashers in terms of ruthless tenacity and general adaptability. Her younger sister seemed too accustomed to the amount of violence that was present in this universe despite its happy, lively, and admittedly saccharine sugar-laced, sickeningly sweet atmosphere. Adding to her anxiety, it was made apparent that she had garnered magical gifts of her own in the duration of her absent year, and they were not the ones that Isabela was familiar with for the most part in her life thus far. They ranged from flight and enhanced speed to enhanced swordsmanship to enhanced strength that rivaled Luisa's. And then there was her perturbing proficiency with the pistol...
Isabela undoubtedly had a lot to catch up on.
"We need to find Spruce and Clay," Branch said, "And we need to learn more about this Velvet and Veneer."
"But where do we start?" Viva asked.
"Well..." John Dory rubbed his chin, "From what I can remember, they were quite shiny and pearl-skinned, to the point where they resembled porcelain dolls. And they were quite tall! Like...like her!"
Isabela looked up from her stupor and found herself thrust into the current conversation by a blue...Pop Troll, slightly cocking her head in confusion.
"Tall? And shiny? Like me?"
John Dory's eyes widened in realization before he hastily attempted to explain himself, "Well, no! I meant like...I'm—I'm just using you as a comparison, you know? Not that there's anything wrong with being tall! I mean...you pull it off beautifully! I mean, I'm not calling you beautiful, but it's the closest thing I got! You know? You are...amazingly beautiful, but not to the point where you resemble Velvet and Veneer even though they pale in comparison to you—!"
By that point in the "explanation", John Dory had drawn in a crowd. Many of the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors were exchanging looks of amusement and bemusement while many of Poppy's group were cringing internally or externally. CJ, Priscilla, Keith, Sofia, Skye, Mei, and Viva were giggling in delight along with Antonio, Alejandra, Cecilia, and Juancho while Miles and Mr. Wolf shook their heads in disbelief. Delta Dawn shook her head as well, but with an added chuckle and roll of her eyes while Hickory bit his lip in embarrassment for the poor guy. King Quincy and Queen Essence exchanged soft laughter between them while Branch and Mirabel face-palmed in utter bewilderment. The rest of the Familia Madrigal turned to face the eldest of the children, who blinked for a few minutes before slowly smiling and giggling mirthfully.
"Well..." Isabela started before shaking her head and hugging her arm, "I thank you for that comparison."
Poppy amusedly shook her head before pulling out an orb from her hair, "John Dory? I may have a bit of surveillance footage of Velvet and Veneer. That way, you can confirm their identities if you like."
"Yes, please," John Dory replied with a nod through his strained smile, prompting Poppy to nod and activate the orb.
"Boy..." Delta Dawn chuckled as she placed one hand on one shoulder, "You are a trainwreck."
"A whole new breed of trainwreck," Hickory concurred with another hand on the second, causing John Dory to groan in dismay.
Branch and Viva looked on in confusion as Poppy fiddled with the orb, necessitating Lunella's assistance.
"Poppy?" Branch went first, "You know who Velvet and Veneer are?"
"Only through reputation," Poppy reassured him in her clarification, "When I was with my mom two months ago, we made a list on the various threats to the Multiverse."
"And Velvet and Veneer were among them?" Viva asked with her head tilt.
"Well, technically, they were...near the bottom of the list," Poppy stated before adding, "It doesn't make them less dangerous, though. John Dory?"
"Hmm?" John Dory glanced over at Poppy's direction as she held the orb close to him, proceeding to scan his eyes before closing again. Poppy rolled the orb to the center of where the group stood, where it proceeded to open up and display a series of images of the brother-and-sister duo.
"Yeah, that's them," John Dory confirmed with a nod, "They're the ones who kidnapped Floyd."
"Run a facial scan and pull up the surveillance archives," Lunella commanded the orb, which proceeded to do so and impressed Branch a little.
"Huh, I gotta admit, Popifier. I'm a little impressed."
"I know you were gonna be, Branchifier," Poppy smiled in pride for herself, "But I think you gotta give Lunella the credit here."
"Okay," The Hip-Hop Troll in question replied after a moment, "I think I got it. But just a heads up from the Interdimensional Friends Squad...you're not gonna like it."
"Great," Miles scoffed, "Now she's doing it. My own sister."
"Told you it would catch on," Nimona elbowed him while Ruby giggled.
Lacking the proper context, the Snack Pack understandably exchanged confused looks with each other before joining the crowd to watch the video play.
A Mount Rageon cartwheeled out of the pitch black darkness and into a pasapan chair, a single spotlight shining on him. He had purple eyes with matching fingernails, seafoam green plasticine hair that segued into arctic blue tips at the end, and the same pearly-white porcelain-doll skin shared by his kind. His most prominent piece of garish garmet was a shiny violet purple beanie that complemented a predominantly white baggy jumpsuit sprinkled with multicolored splotches.
"Hello and good salutations, Mount Rageons!" The Mount Rageon flashed an equally pearl-white toothy grin as he introduced himself and addressed the people of Mount Rageous, "This is The Bop On Top with your host, me! Kid Ritz, your number one newscaster for all things glamour and luxury! And tonight on a very special episode of The Bop On Top, we're talking about overnight superstars Velvet and Veneer!"
The screen then cut to the brother-and-sister duo posing as if they were on the cover of a tabloid magazine or two.
"The brother-and-sister duo took the world of Mount Rageous by storm—literally and figuratively—with their breakout promotional single, "Watch Me Work"," Kid Ritz continued to provide exposition offscreen, "While their first official single "Applause" proved to be a success as well, it wasn't until "Watch Me Work" that skyrocketed Velvet and Veneer to the top of the charts! Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy their new single "Watch Me Work"!"
The screen then cut frequently in the style of a music video, first with the twins on the ground making diamond snow angels. It then cut to the twins sitting on a pair of golden thrones, demonstrating their flexibility where they sat.
Never gets old no matter how much I'm told
I'm amazing (You're amazing)
Hard to get tired when I'm always on fire
I'm blazing (Ooh, you're blazing)
It then cut to the twins laying on lounge chairs atop a yacht, wearing scantily clad swimsuits and sunglasses atop their head while a pair of soda floats rested on their tables nearby. It startled the rest of the group (mainly the adult members) who were unfamiliar with the duo that the camera lingered on Velvet's far too tiny bikini for far too long.
All my greatness
It doesn't come for free (yeah)
All my talent
It doesn't grow on trees
Thankfully, it did not not last long as it cut again to the duo wearing more sensible outfits, fancy but no less seductive and revealing. Velvet wore a sleeveless gold dress with a diamond-studded hem cut and a sparkly pink boa while Veneer wore a gold tuxedo with a diamond-encrusted bowtie and sneakers to match. Strutting down a long blue runway as glitter, sparkles, and jewels rained upon them, the twins used umbrellas to protect themselves from the sparkle-and-studded storm.
Take a breather (ooh)
Then take it all away
If the top is where you wanna stay...
It then cut to the twins driving in a red sports car convertible, driving fast and drifting furiously before the shot of them atop a tiger who wore a diamond-studded collar. The field was mostly empty save for a series of scattered busts donning black sunglasses and golden necklaces.
You gotta work hard (Uh-huh)
To make it look it easy (So easy)
The mouth of another tiger with burning bright yellow eyes opened and unrolled a red carpet, its tongue acting as a catwalk for the duo.
You gotta live fast (Fast)
To keep makin' that money (Ooh)
Taking the metaphor quite literally, Velvet and Veneer donned sexy cat costumes while adapting their foxy feline movements, the former in particular getting down on all fours and acting on the prowl like a predator to its prey.
Its Troll prey.
If you want to be as famous as me
Again, the sultry scene thankfully did not last as it cut to a chart consisting of the top-five in Mount Rageous number-one hits.
You gotta work...
Beating out the likes of Sage Boyz, Jaye Bee...
Gotta work...
...Phat Sammy, and Rollie Roy...
Gotta work...!
...were the overnight superstars Velvet and Veneer.
"Watch me work," Velvet pointed at the viewers before taking a seat on one of the papasans and addressing them and Kid Ritz with an almost genuine smile, "So, what do you wanna know, Ritzy? I'm an open book."
"Wide-open," Veneer shot wide open into the shot before taking a seat on his own papasan with a smile of his own, "We're gaping novels, even."
"Okay, well..." Kid Ritz smiled back and leaned in, "Who are some of your biggest influences?"
"Honestly," Veneer replied first, gesturing to his sister, "Vel's always been my inspiration."
Velvet herself looked touched as she went next, "My biggest inspiration? Mmm... I'd have to go with also me...and our parents. It's a little embarrassing to admit, but our parents were nobodies when we first started out. And now because of them, we were allowed to be somebodies. We owe our success to them."
She pointedly ignored her brother's slightly offended frown as Kid Ritz declared to the viewers, "Well, one thing's for sure: after two months on the scene, the superstar duo will receive the prestigious Lifer Award! That's celebrating a lifetime of achievements! Be sure to catch their performance next weekend at the Rage Dome!"
The scene briefly cut to a video of Velvet and Veneer smiling, waving, greeting, and posing for a crowd of cheering fans in front of a large, purple, octahedral, and jewel-like building.
"Just one last question," Kid Ritz asked, "How do you guys stay the biggest superstars Mount Rageous has ever known? What's your secret?"
That last question in particular—coupled with Kid Ritz leaning in to listen closely—made Veneer "a little" anxious with the laugh to match.
"S-Secret?" Veneer nervously chuckled and hugged his knees while breathing rapidly, "Ha, ha! We don't have a secret! Who said we have a secret?"
Velvet glanced between the interviewer and her younger brother, who she grabbed a hold of and held him close, rubbing his back to calm her down, "What my calm, casual-sounding brother means is...it's simple, really. It just takes lots of hard work and loads of natural talent."
Despite his facial expressions and body language implying otherwise, Veneer did attempt to fall back in relaxation and ease up a little. It did not help, but it did fool Kid Ritz, who addressed the viewers one more time.
"Ah, such an inspiration for many young, aspiring, and up-and-coming musical stars who strive to be as fantastic as you two are now. Well, there you have it, folks! That was Velvet and Veneer, the superstar Siamese twins that took Mount Rageous by storm! Again, literally and figuratively! And that was their spicy-hot new single "Watch Me Work." Catch them next weekend at the Rage Dome where they'll be receiving the Lifer Award! This is Kid Ritz telling you to put on the spritz and your Sunday kicks before the ballroom blitz!"
As the party continued around them, the group remained silent even as the video ended. They were...stunned silent, to say the least. Mostly in embarrassment for the brother-and-sister duo, but partially in fear for them as well. Despite their dramatic and hammy personalities on display thus far, the fact that they were able to kidnap Floyd in two months or so without the knowledge of anyone (the Troll Tribes or otherwise) made them dangerous. How dangerous was the question, though.
"That definitely wasn't suspicious at all..." Mirabel quipped, attempting to alleviate the mood.
"Teenagers..." Julieta murmured as Agustín held her hand for comfort, "They're only teenagers..."
"Why would they do this?" Antonio asked as Alejandra, Cecilia, and Juancho exchanged fearful looks.
"Fame, fortune, and power," John Dory replied with a cold undertone as Branch hung his head, afraid of the events that would transpire if this Velvet and Veneer continued abusing Floyd and draining him of his talent.
"We need to find Spruce and Clay," Branch finally said, "Then we're going to save Floyd."
"We can leave tomorrow morning," Poppy held his head, "We have until next weekend to arrive at Mount Rageous, and we know where one of your brothers are already."
"She's right," Peppy nodded as he turned to his eldest daughter, "Viva, where exactly have you and the survivors been taking refuge at?"
"There was this mini-golf course owned by the Bergens before they abandoned it," Viva explained, "We redubbed it "Hole N' Fun"...just as we redubbed ourselves—"
"The Putt-Putt Trolls?" Poppy smiled at her, causing Viva to gasp and smile back.
"Yeah, the Putt-Putt Trolls! How did you know?"
"Just a hunch," Poppy shrugged, "In any case, we need a plan."
"Right behind you, Poppy," Branch smiled with determination now.
"And also help," Mirabel interjected, "Specifically you, Poppy, seeing as you're going with Branch and John Dory, yes?"
"I am," Poppy smiled before playfully narrowing her eyes at her best friend, "Why? You wanna tag along, too?"
"I mean..." Mirabel initially smiled guiltily, "I kinda wanna explore the Troll Kingdom outside the Space Between. And also...you're my first best friend outside my familia. When I first met you, I was a scared and helpless Latin Troll trapped in an unfamiliar place for over a year. You were my one hope getting back home, and you took me with you without hesitation. And then I made new friends and helped you fight against the Party Crashers, the Chanty Trolls, and the Siren Trolls...all in the span of a single month..."
Poppy felt touched by Mirabel's explanation and allowed her to finish it, "I... I feel like I owe you, Poppy. If you go and something happens to you, I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't at least try to help you in any way."
"Aren't I older than you?" Poppy raised a single eyebrow, which caused Mirabel to become flustered and cross her arms in response.
"Well, yes, but it's the thought that counts!"
Regardless, Poppy rolled her eyes and used her hair to pull Mirabel in for a hug, "Thank you, Mirabel. You're the best best friend a fellow Troll could ask for."
"I know I am," Mirabel smiled in victory as she returned the hug.
"Quite charming, your friend is."
Everybody turned to find a tall and beautiful young adult Latin Troll making her way towards the group, turning heads, widening eyes, and painting the cheeks of the noticing Trolls (both male and female) red and pink. She had blue-grey eyes; rakuda brown skin; thick, wavy, hip-length maroon-red hair; thick black eyebrows; red lipstick; and a slender hourglass figure. She wore a sleeveless red dress sprinkled with glitter and a leg slit on her left side, a golden choker, and black opera gloves with matching heels; her hair was tied into a high bun with a single bang covering her right eye.
"Carmen!" Poppy briefly pulled away from the hug to address her friend excitedly, "You showed up!"
"I had to," Carmen shrugged with a smile, "Your mother sent me to lend you some aid for the mission. That, and she also had pick up a bunch of Branch's old friends."
"Old friends?" Branch tilted his head in confusion as Viva and John Dory exchanged similar looks.
Everybody glanced behind Carmen as a quintet of Pop Trolls approached the group, all of whom had pointy ears and denim tuxedos. The first had orange skin with matching eyes, purple hair with light white streaks worn in a ponytail, and a pink nose; his additional accessories included silver square earrings and a pair of black goggles with orange lenses that rested atop his head. The second had purple skin with glitter freckles, matching eyes, red hair, a lilac nose, a barely visible stubble, and diamond earrings. The last two were Glitter Trolls; the first had munsell blue skin, blue eyes, semi-light blue hair, and a lime green nose, while the second had yellow skin, green eyes, a lime green nose, and rainbow colored hair.
"Guys, are we sure this is the place?" Boom glanced in uncertainty as the very large amount of guests mingling with each other.
"Well, it does match the postcard," Trickee shrugged as he pulled out the postcard, "Wish You Were Here?"
One glance was all Hype needed to nod in agreement, "Branch is the only one I know who talks like that."
"Oh, here we go now!" Ablaze spotted their old friend and band member, "Is all old Bitty B I've spotted from a quarter mile away?"
"Guys!" Branch chuckled in surprise as he approached the quintet and hugged Trickee first, "You're here?"
"You know us," Trickee laughed back, "We can't miss a good wedding, man."
"Wait, is that...?" Both Gwens exchanged shocked looks as Mei, Miriam, Priya, and Abby gasped in excitement.
"Poppy!" Branch called out for his girlfriend, whom he gently pulled over to introduce to his group of friends, "This is my group of old friends, my other boy band Kismet. This is Ablaze, Hype, Boom, and Trickee. Guys, this is my girlfriend, Poppy."
"Girlfriend?" Ablaze gasped before whooping in glee, "WOO! That's my boy! Put her there, Poppy!"
Poppy shook his hand, containing her excitement of meeting Kismet in the flesh, "It's nice to meet you and the rest of the group. You guys...are a lot more different in person."
"Yeah!" Mei breathed out with laughter, "Perhaps you could say they're...in sync?"
The members of Kismet laughed along with Mei's group at her little inside joke...before Boom remained and eventually frowned in confusion.
"I don't get it," Boom admitted.
"Oh! There you four are!"
Everybody turned to find Bella Brightly rushing towards Kismet with a clipboard in one hand and a microphone in the other, skidding to a stop and catching her breath, "You four...are just in time! We need...to get you...ready for...the send-off performance! Before the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon?"
"Okay, then," Hype nodded, "Lead the way, ma'am."
As Branch walked off to join them, John Dory placed a hand on his shoulder to briefly stop him with a questioning look.
"Your other boy band?"
"What?" Branch shrugged defensively, "You didn't think BroZone was the only band I've ever been in, did you?"
With that, Branch gently shifted his brother's hand off his shoulder and shot him an apologetic smile before joining Kismet, John Dory looking on in jealousy while Poppy and Viva patted him on the shoulders.
A single whistle caught the crowd's attention.
That one whistle turned into two.
Those two whistles turned into three.
Those three whistles turned into four.
Those four whistles turned into five.
On a nearby podium attached to the makeshift stage were DJ, CJ, King Trollex, and Techno Beat Drop Button manning a turntable booth as they played the instrumentals. At center stage stood Branch, still dressed to impress in his scaly green glitter tuxedo.
[Verse 1: Justin Timberlake]
It's some kind of love, it's some kind of fire
I'm already up but you lift me higher
You know I'm not wrong, you know I'm not lyin'
We do it better, yeah, we do it better, yeah
Hype walked out from behind, taking his left side.
[Pre-Chorus: J.C. Chasez]
I don't mind if the world spins faster
The music's louder, the waves get stronger
One by one, the rest of Kismet popped out from behind Branch and sang along with him, two members each on both sides and leaving him as the center of the band.
[Pre-Chorus: All]
I don't mind if the world spins faster
Faster, faster
With the five members in sync with each other, the beat dropped as they danced in a similar manner, causing the crowd to cheer for the band.
[Chorus: All]
Just let me take you to a better place
I'm gonna make you kiss the sky tonight
Yeah, if you let me show the way
Because Kismet gave distinct 4*Town vibes, Mei, Miriam, Priya, Abby, and Tyler(?!) were among those who cheered the loudest.
Ignoring their shock, Hype briefly took center stage...
[J.C. Chasez]
I'm so excited...
...and was quickly followed by Ablaze.
[Joey Fatone]
To see you excited!
The two of them then joined their fellow band members as they continued the chorus together.
[Chorus: All]
I'll take you to a better place, yoo-hoo-ooh
And, baby, you can love me on the way
We're flyin' up to outer space
I'm so excited to see you excited, yeah
The song briefly stopped as the beat continued, prompting the crowd to cheer once again. They jumped up and down in excitement, Viva and Holly being two of the most prominent and loudest alongside Mei's friend group...and Guy Diamond. Exchanging amused glances with Mirabel, Poppy shook her head as she clapped in apprasial for her boyfriend.
The Familia Madrigal, meanwhile, were left absolutely astonished. While it was true that the community of Encanto was driven by music, their influences were rooted in the likes of vallenato, cumbia, and bambuco with a dash of salsa, tango, and bachata. This type of music...was nothing like they had heard before. There was a hummable hook, an upbeat melody, and a catchy rhythm that makes you want to snap your fingers, tap your toes, and wiggle your waist.
"I don't know how to do...dance properly to this type of music," An amazed Camilo-1 began to subconsciously sway to the beat.
"There is no proper way to dance to this type of music!"
Camilo and the rest of the family turned to find a Pop Troll dancing to the beat as well, but with a lot energy and exuberance. She had green eyes, light skin with freckles, and curly ginger/auburn hair that was swept down over her shoulder. She wore a green dress, dark magenta slip-on sneakers, stud earrings, a rainbow friendship bracelet on the left arm, and a green slap bracelet on the right.
He was so mesmerized by her appearance and dancing style that he almost forgot to speak properly.
"There...there isn't?"
"Nope! Sometimes you have to find your way to dance!" Miriam smiled with a shrug before adding over the crowd, "I can show you if you'd like!"
"You can?"
"Sure! Why not?"
As if on cue, a single spotlight shone upon them as Miriam smiled again and outstretched a hand for Camilo to take, which he took rather gingerly and allowed her to lead him to the dance floor. Behind him, Félix and Pepa (but especially Pepa) gasped in delight for their son, silently cheering him on as much as the rest of the family and Miriam's besties were.
[Post-Chorus: Justin Timberlake]
Yeah, ooh (Yeah, yeah)
Miriam went first, dancing with that same energy and exuberance to set an example for Camilo.
[Verse 2: Justin Timberlake]
You like the bass down low, I wanna lose control
I wanna dance all night, you like it nice and slow
Camilo did his best to mimick her movements, but he looked he was flailing about due to his unfamiliarity with them. Still, it impressed Miriam enough for her to release an amused giggle and gently guide him through it all.
[Verse 2: J.C. Chasez]
Don't want it any other way, tell all your friends you're gonna stay
When we're together, you know that we do it better
Meanwhile, Mei had pulled Alberto in as well for a couple's double dance alongside Camilo and Miriam. Miles and Ruby got a similar idea, pulling each other close while twirling one another.
Meanwhile, Branch took the lead briefly...
[Pre-Chorus: Justin Timberlake]
I don't mind if the world spins faster
The music's louder, the waves are gettin' stronger
...and shared it with Hype...
[Pre-Chorus: J.C. Chasez]
I don't mind if the world spins faster
Faster, faster, faster...!
...before the both of them lead the rest of Kismet and the audience into another choreographed dance number.
[Chorus: All]
Just let me take you to a better place
I'm gonna make you kiss the sky tonight
Yeah, if you let me show the way (Show the way)
Boom briefly took the lead this time...
[Lance Bass]
I'm so excited...
...while passing it to Trickee...
[Chris Kirkpatrick]
To see you excited!
...and circled back around to Branch.
[Chorus: All]
I'll take you to a better place, yo-hoo-ooh
And, baby, you can love me on the way
We're flyin' up to outer space
I'm so excited to see you excited, yeah
As the crowd jumped up, down, and all around to the beat, Branch led his four Kismet members into the bridge.
[Bridge: Justin Timberlake (& All)]
I like to see you lose control
(Ain't nobody better, we do it better)
Spotting Poppy in the front of the crowd, he smiled lovingly at her as she begin to glow...literally.
I know a place, say that you'll go with me
(Ain't nobody better, we do it better)
Noticing this as well, the Pop Queen smiled back as she waved her hands and created a light show full of shooting stars and flying fireworks.
Branch's smile only grew as he led the members into the chorus one more time.
[Chorus: All]
Just let me take you to a better place!
I'm gonna make you kiss the sky tonight!
Mirabel, Mei, Satin & Chenille, and the rest of Poppy's group of interdimensional friend group glowed along with Branch and the rest of Kismet.
Yeah, if you let me show the way (Show the way...!)
I'm so excited to see you excited!
...along with Branch and the rest of Kismet.
I'll take you to a better place, yo-hoo-ooh!
And, baby, you can love me on the way!
All together, they glowed a series of flashing colors as the chorus reached its climax...
We're flyin' up to outer space
I'm so excited to see you excited, yeah!
...and released a powerful shockwave as those five whistles served as the song's outro.
The crowd cheered, the audience applauded, and the very group of different Trolls clapped and whistled in praise for the five member boy band that was Kismet, all of whom smiled, waved, greeted, and posed for them. Branch and Poppy locked eyes again, the former silently thanking the latter for the improvised light show. She in turn made a heart symbol and flirtatiously batted her eyes at him, making him blush in his spot. Ablaze laughed heartily over the audience, resting an arm over his shoulders and ruffling his hair in enthusiasm for his foster brother.
Watching this from afar, John Dory felt not just a twinge of jealousy within him, but a hint of pride as well. On one hand, it was clear that Baby Branch had formed a close, tight-knit bond with this...Kismet boy band, and the other four members in turn regarded him as not just a valued member of the group, but an adoptive brother as well, thus prompting the former emotion. On the other hand, Baby Branch...had grown up. He had completely grown up. He had become a man, an independent Troll, and a better person at that...perhaps more than himself, thus prompting the latter emotion.
Grandma Rosiepuff would be so proud of him...wherever she was.