The day had finally arrived.
In Bergen Town, the citizens were hustling and bustling all around to get ready for the monumental occasion. Flags were propped up, balloons were being inflated, tables were set up, streamers were strung up, and pews were laid in a row. The Bergens did most of the heavy lifting, but the Country Trolls were no slouches in that particular department either. The rest of the Troll Tribes focused on the drawing, the dressing, the painting, and the wrapping of certain gifts, presents, and decorations galore; given their connections to the Bergens, the Pop Trolls rather unsurprisingly received the largest amount of jobs, but the other five tribes insisted on sharing said jobs to make things much more easier for them.
In any case, the wedding preparations were finished much more faster.
As she went about her job as one of the appointed bouncers (Adora and Catra were covering the other side of Bergen Town), Sunset loaded her Glock 21 before sliding the pistol into a leg holster hidden beneath her high-neck dress. The dress in question was of a magenta color sprinkled with sparkles and a golden pointed hemline; it came with a matching suit jacket, a golden tiara with studded red rubies, and her black leather boots.
Only a few feet from her was Raya, who was lending a helping hand or two before spotting a few Trolls who were having trouble lifting a few objects up and onto another pile. Sunset watched in awe as the Dragon Troll lifted said few objects up with one hand, floated up, and slid them on top one another to create a makeshift pillar. She then nodded at them in acknowledgement as they thanked her and continued onward before leaning against a conveniently positioned refreshment table. Grabbing a cup of fruit punch for herself, Raya appropriately refreshed up before taking out her SIG-Sauer P226 Super Capacity Tactical and performing a press check.
"You gotta show me how to do that," Sunset chuckled in admiration.
"How to do what?" Raya looked up to find the Rock/Country Troll making her way over to her.
"You know what," Sunset leaned against the table beside her, "That."
"Lifting up heavy objects with one hand? Or just being strong in general?" Raya raised an eyebrow before pouring another cup of fruit punch and handing it to her, "Sunset, you've been in the Space Between for the same amount of time as me and the others. If anything, you should be stronger than me."
"But you do it with such...form and finesse," Sunset explained before she took a sip, "From what I've heard, you're this badass warrior born and raised in a universe of badass warriors; you're even a princess. And me? I'm just an ordinary human teenager who was thrown into a world full of anthropomorphic ponies, one of which happens to be my alternate counterpart and a villainous unicorn to boot. I'm not exactly the best at magic."
"At least you have magic," Raya smiled as she refilled her cup, "For me, that's a plus in your book."
"Thanks," Sunset returned the smile as she refilled her cup as well.
"I'd say play to your strengths," Raya continued and suggested, "What you are good at should be expanded upon, and what you are bad at should be improved further. Find out more about your counterpart and discover what pros and cons she has."
Sunset nodded and smiled, "Maybe I will. Thanks, Raya."
"Anytime, Sunset," Raya smiled and nodded back, "Now come on. Adora and Catra will probably chew out for lollygagging on the job."
"For what? Resting for a few minutes?" Sunset got defensive as she threw her and Raya's empty cups, "They have no right. Besides, they'll be probably be too busy getting all lovey-dovey with each other. And on that topic―"
"If you're going to bring up something that involves Mirabel in any shape and form," Raya shot her a death glare, "I strongly advise you from doing so."
As they continued their patrolling, Sunset smirked as she continued her verbal sparring with Raya. At that moment, a portal of blue energy opened up and out walked Mei and her three "Besties". Mei herself was dressed in a red gown with a gold tiara with red diamonds resting atop her head, which slightly shook as she laughed as her three friends examined their new Troll forms with fascination and wonder.
"I still can't believe you're a princess, Mei," Miriam said as she expressed her disbelief.
"Well, "princess" is a loose term," Mei attempted to explain and downplay, "Everybody keeps using it to describe me as the ruler of our dimension, so I just rolled with it."
"Still a princess in our eyes, kid," Sunset chuckled as she and Raya made her way over.
"Sunset! Raya!" Mei exclaimed excitedly as she ran over to them, hugging the latter first before the former first. From a few feet away, Miriam, Priya, and Abby stood there starstruck at the two Trolls their leader greeted with utmost respect.
"Hey, Mei-Mei," Raya smiled before kneeling down to her little sister's level, "How was the trip?"
"A little better than I thought it would be," Mei admitted, "And I brought three of my friends with my mother's permission!"
"Did you actually ask your mother?" Sunset smirked as Raya shot her a light warning look.
"She did!" Miriam spoke up in defense of her friend as she rushed over, "She did ask Mrs. Lee! We were...witnesses."
"Alright then," Sunset raised her hands up in surrender.
Raya shook her head as she shook hands with Miriam, "Sorry about my friend. She's like that a lot. It's nice to meet you."
"Same here," Miriam nodded as she introduced herself and the other two, "I'm Miriam, and these are our two friends, Priya and Abby. I don't know if Mei has told you about us, so..."
"It's nice to meet you, Priya and Abby," Raya greeted the two girls and nodded, "And yes, Mei has told me a lot about you. Has she told you a lot about me, however?"
"Only the important parts," Mei laughed awkwardly, "But they quickly lost focus when I told them about...You-Know-Who..."
"How could we not?!" Abby suddenly screamed, frightening her, Miriam, and Sunset, "We're so glad that our best friend has a boyfriend! And we would've been okay if that boyfriend was a girlfriend instead!"
"Abby," Priya narrowed her eyes at her friend, "Reel it in, girl. Save your tears and cheers for when we actually meet him."
"Speaking of which," Miriam glanced around, "Where is he now? When do we actually get to meet him?"
"I actually don't know," Mei admitted, "He may be arriving a little late grabbing presents for the happy couple."
"I may exaggerated that part..."
Mei, Miriam, Priya, Abby, Raya, and Sunset looked up to find Alberto himself...blocked from their line of sight by a tower of presents for the happy couple. The former immediately went to her boyfriend's aid and helped set down the gifts.
"Exaggerated? Alberto, you could've just called me—!"
Whatever anger and concern Mei may have mustered to confront Alberto quickly went out the window the moment she laid eyes on him. He was dressed up in a dark blue tuxedo with matching pants (it was a miracle that it did not blend in with his blue skin), a purple long-sleeve button-up collared shirt, and a pink bowtie. Such a simple get-up, such a beautiful specimen...in the eyes of her, anyway.
"I mean..." Mei bashfully smiled as she turned away to hide a blush, "It's good to see you."
"Same here, Mei," Alberto smirked as he leaned in a suave manner against the boxes...which toppled over and sent him falling down along with them. Barely managing to hold back a giggle fit, Mei helped him up and kissed him on the cheek, rendering a blushing mess.
"Ooohhh!" Miriam, Priya, and Abby swooned for their happy couple, Sunset rolling her eyes and Raya shaking her head.
Outside of Bergen Town, a portal of blue energy was conjured and emerged from it a group of 17 people...plus one jaguar, one toucan, and one capybara. Now fully transformed into Latin Trolls, the Familia Madrigal (plus Alejandra, Juancho, Cecilia, Mariano, and Mariano's grandmother) looked in awe and wonder with a little bit of caution as they took in their new forms.
"Do I look okay, Félix?" Pepa fretted.
"Yes, mi querida," Félix nodded as he smiled wide, "You look beautiful as always."
As Pepa returned the smile, Camilo rolled his eyes before walking over to his mother and assuaging her fears, "You look fine, mamá."
Suddenly, Camilo's nose twitched at the pleasant aroma of...
Tomato sauce and cheese...?
"What is that smell?" A now entranced Camilo felt his mouth drool, which Dolores winced at and prompted her to wipe it with a hankerchief.
"They call it pizza," Mirabel replied, "They take the dough that make breads and flatten it into a disk before spreading tomato sauce and sprinkling mozzarella cheese on top in that order."
Camilo and the three children oohed and ahhed in enchantment.
"Come on!" Mirabel beckoned them along, "I'll show you all the way."
With the eager Camilo, Alejandra, Juancho, and Cecilia in the front, the group followed Mirabel to the entrance of Bergen Town. Upon entering, with the exception of Alma, Antonio, and the four hungry individuals mentioned, the majority was floored by the presence of the town's inhabitants. Needless to say, their appearances were quite...frightening.
Compared to them and the other creatures known as Trolls they were working alongside with, the Bergens were giants that fittingly towered above them. Their skin complexion was either dull green, dull blue, or dull purple; their clothes often shared dissimilar tones, however. The scleras of their eyes were colored either white, light red, light blue, or light green, while their irises were prominently red; a few assortment of blues and greens were present here and there. Their fingers and toes had nails of the same color as their skin; on that topic, they had three fingers and a single thumb on each hand and four toes on each foot. Their bodies were often covered with moles, their faces had blemishes akin to warts, and their alarmingly large sharpened teeth were usually maligned or rarely broken.
Despite their scary appearance, the creatures known as Bergens seemed surprisingly friendly and affable enough to keep cordial relations with the Trolls, who in turn regarded them with the utmost respect. The group's uncertain fear and caution was something Mirabel noticed the more she watched them and momentarily stopped in her tracks to address the issue.
"Don't worry, mi familia," Mirabel smiled in reassurance, "I know the Bergens may seem scary and intimidating on the outside, but they're warm and cuddly on the inside."
"Why, thank you, Miss Mirabel!" A purple Bergen with green eyes, a white afro, and a yellow robe with star earrings approached the group and knelt down to Mirabel's level, "I appreciate you putting in a good word for us with your folks."
"I feel like it's an obligation, Miss Maxine," Mirabel smiled with a shrug, "I figured I should say something in case the vibes become off."
Antonio, Alejandra, Juancho, and Cecilia gasped in wonder and laughed in excitement as they rushed forward past Mirabel and towards Miss Maxine, who similarly gushed at the sight of four children regarding her with fascination.
"Aw, now aren't you all such cutie patooties!" Miss Maxine gently patted their heads with a finger, prompting them to giggle with delight.
"Miss Maxine, this is my little cousin Antonio," Mirabel introduced her cousin and the other three children, "And these are his friends Alejandra, Juancho, and Cecilia. They, along with my family, are attending as special guests at the royal wedding."
"Ah!" Miss Maxine nodded in understanding before remembering an important detail, "Oh! I figured I forgot something! I think one of Queen Poppy's friends is having an...existential crisis or something like that?"
"Uh-oh," Mirabel winced before turning her attention to her tour group, "Sorry, mi familia, but I have to deal with this slight emergency."
"Do what you must, Mirabel," Alma nodded with a smile, "Help your friend."
"But I can't let you continue on with the tour without a guide," Mirabel rubbed her chin in contemplation before another portal of blue energy opened up a few feet from where the group stood.
Out walked a young Rock Troll with muddy red skin, black shoulder-length hair with blue reflections that was tied up in a bun, bright bluebell eyes, light pink lips, and light freckles on both cheeks and the nose of her bridges. She wore a white dress with delicate lace detailing that was decorated with a lace overlap and pink sugar skulls on the neckline with cap sleeves; the midi-length skirt was also embroidered with lace and small and medium sized flowers at the front. The shoes she wore with the dress were white pumps with a low heel, while her accessories were a white circular shaped bag with a pink sugar skull and beaded straping in addition to a pair of red-and-black earrings that vaguely resembled the elytra of a ladybug.
The attention of Antonio, Alejandra, Juancho, and Cecilia was now stolen by the pretty lady in the white dress.
"Wow..." Cecilia gasped, "You look so beautiful!"
"Oh, thank you," Marinette blushed at the compliment before scanning herself from head to toe, "Is it a little much?"
"Of course not, Marinette," Mirabel shook her head and waved her hand, "You look amazing as always. A given, considering you're the resident designer with a passion for fashion."
"I pretty sure that description fits you too," Marinette smiled in confusion.
"Ehh, I'm more than willing to share the spotlight with you, my bestie," Mirabel flashed a thumbs up at the young fashion designer, who laughed as she rolled her eyes before pulling the older Troll in for a hug.
"It's good seeing you again, Mira."
"The feeling's mutual, Mari."
As the rest of the group regarded the scene unfolding before them with heartfelt warmth, Marinette noticed them as well. Specifically, her focus was pinpointed to one particular member of the family.
"Oh, Camilo! Hi!"
"Oh, no..." Mirabel's eyes suddenly widened as she called out through gritted teeth, "Mari, that's not—!"
Marinette did not give Mirabel the chance to finish whatever she was about to say. She was already dashing toward Camilo, whom she pulled in for a tight hug. This understandably caught the rest of his family off guard; specifically, his parents shot a questioning look at Mirabel, who smiled nervously and awkwardly all the same as her eyes darted back and forth between them and her twin cousin. Camilo himself could not care less as this pretty girl who apparently knew him was currently coddling him.
"I was just thinking about you!" Marinette smiled as she admitted bashfully.
"Um...you were—?"
Before anyone could blink, Marinette planted a big kiss on Camilo's lips, shocking and surprising everyone within their range. Antonio, Alejandra, Juancho, Cecilia, and even Miss Maxine exchanged giggles amongst each other as Mirabel facepalmed in disappointment with herself. As Marinette pulled away, Camilo was left a blushing and stammering mess, but he nevertheless listened as she incessantly rambled on.
"So...I made you a special tuxedo for you to wear during the wedding. I did my best to pay homage to your roots while also making sure it was tailored to actually fit you. Then there was the issue with the body armor. I was debating on letting Queen Poppy perform a non-compliant protection spell, but that's the thing: it's a non-compliant protection spell. So—"
"I think both are good."
Suddenly, another Camilo appeared from the same portal, donning a black suit jacket above his signature beige button down collared shirt, a gold yellow waistcoat, black dress trousers with matching dress shoes that had a beige rim. Adjusting his cufflinks, he nonchalantly nodded and noted to his girlfriend.
"Guess a little more protection couldn't hurt—"
Then, one glimpse of his girlfriend hugging who appeared to be a second Camilo Madrigal basically took whatever he was planning to say next and tossed out the window with little care. He should have been mad...but he was not. Instead, he smirked, shook his head, and turned to face his twin cousin.
"Weren't you forgetting something?"
"I was going to tell her," Mirabel chuckled nervously, Marinette's eyes widening in shock while in the background, "But it was a lost cause."
"Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh...!" Marinette's eyes then darted back and forth between the two variants of her boyfriend before apologizing to them both, "I am so sorry, Camilo! I did not know!"
"I mean," The first Camilo chuckled, "I'm not mad, but I should be."
"She kissed you, huh?" The second Camilo turned his attention to his alternate counterpart, who nodded bashfully as Marinette blushed and hid behind her hands. He chuckled in amusement as well as he rolled his eyes and made his way over. Taking Marinette by the hand, he spun her away and into his arms.
"Well," Camilo smiled more sincerely, "I'm proud of the fact that you still love me no matter which me it is."
Marinette smiled back and softly pecked him on the cheek, "I love you too."
Once more, Antonio, Alejandra, Juancho, Cecilia, and Miss Maxine all awwed and expressed their pleasure at the heartwarming sight. This time, they were joined by the rest of the family, particularly Pepa and Félix. Even the alternate Camilo admired that he (in another universe) found a girlfriend he could love and care for.
Mirabel smiled as she shook her head, "Hey, lovebirds! I need you to focus! I need you to lead the rest of the group on a tour guide through Bergen Town while I tend to my friend! Actually...which specific friend needed my help again, Miss Maxine?"
"Oh, well..." Miss Maxine rubbed her chin briefly before snapping her fingers, "She had magenta skin, a dark purple nose with matching eyes, and lavender hair with bright pink highlights tied up into a ponytail held by a golden scrunchy."
"Melody..." Mirabel nodded before climbing aboard one of her hands, "Alright then. Take me to her."
As Miss Maxine nodded and turned heel to carry Mirabel away, the Latin Troll turned heel to face her family one more time, "Just listen to what Marinette and the other Camilo say and I'll meet up with you guys later! Be safe!"
Mirabel and Miss Maxine made their way to Melody just as the Familia Madrigal were led away by Marinette and the alternate Camilo, both groups passing by another blue portal opening up.
Mr. Wolf, Sofia, and Esteban arrived at Bergen Town next, observing the festivities from the ground. Mr. Wolf wore a royal blue suit ensemble: a dark blue blazer fastened over a plain white dress shirt, dark blue dress pants, black dress shoes, a black leather belt, and cobalt-blue bowtie. Sofia wore a lavender princess gown that faded into lilac near the bottom and came with a crystal, amethyst, and pearl-inlaid tiara. Esteban wore a wine red blazer over a blue dress shirt, a yellow dress vest, blue and yellow neckerchiefs, white dress pants, and black boots.
Sofia immediately went to the aid of both the Trolls and the Bergens, with Esteban watching over her with both caution and pride. Noticing this, Mr. Wolf chuckled and patted his shoulder.
"You shouldn't need to worry about Sofia," Mr. Wolf said, "I think she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."
"I know she is," Esteban sighed, "And she's not who I am worried about."
Mr. Wolf raised a single eyebrow, but Princess Peach exited through the portal before he could question him further. Donning her signature pink princess gown, she assisted Sofia as Mr. Wolf and Esteban took it as their cue to follow suit. As they did so, the Familia Madrigal ventured in the heart of the town, the four members of the Interdimensional Friends Squad unwittingly following them as they went.
Eventually, a trio of large leather-clad creatures with wings, a single tuft of hair, and zipper-like teeth quite literally burst onto the scene, landing a few feet in front of the group, who understandably backed away in alarm. The mouth of the one closest to the group unzipped open and a female Rock Troll with a red mohawk stepped out. Despite being supposedly dressed up for the occasion, her attire was still considered...rather racy and rambunctious in the eyes of the foreign Trolls. She wore a white leather jacket with spiked wrist cuffs and colorful badges ranging from a cupcake to a Sheriff star, a black collared crop top with a black knee-length skirt cut out at the front of her right leg to reveal tight yet sensible black leather shorts, a white bowtie, golden necklaces, and her signature black fishnet leggings customized with thick black cuffs at the ankles.
"The Queen has arrived!" Barb exclaimed, many of the Trolls and Bergens regarding her with indifference.
"Queen Barb!" Marinette, on the other hand, gasped in surprise and charged forward to give her a hug.
"Hey, kid," Barb returned the hug and ruffled her hair, "How's Priscilla holding up?"
"Oh, she's seen better days," Marinette admited with a shrug as she pulled away, "But she's showing signs of improvement."
"Unlike Fishboy here," Barb gestured with her thumb at a Techno Troll currently upchucking his lunch in a nearby trash bin. Said Techno Troll was currently dressed in a black suit jacket, a neon purple button-up collared shirt with a black vest decorated in blue and purple pixels, a pair of silver chain bracelets with light blue bubble charms, and a silver holographic crown resting on his head. When he was done, a Pop Troll with a pink wishstone dressed in a light blue sleeveless dress with sparkles smiled sympathetically as she patted him on the back.
"You can't really blame him, Barb," DJ chastised her friend lightly, "It was your Angler-Bus, after all."
"Never again..." Trollex groaned in disgust and disorientation, "will I take your offer...to board an Angler-Bus...for anything and everything."
"For anything and everything?" Barb raised an eyebrow in suspicion, "Everything...everywhere...all at once?"
"All of it...always...all over the place," Trollex nodded as he rested his head on his arms while DJ continued patting his back, the rest of the Familia Madrigal exchanged worried glances with Marinette, the alternate Camilo, the amused Barb, and each other.
At the same time on the other side of Bergen Town, Mirabel thanked Miss Maxine and sent her on her way as she made her way inside the castle. Taking deep breaths, she teleported up the stairs before bolting towards the room Melody was in.
"Melody? Miss Maxine said you were having an existential crisis, so I thought I should—"
Once again, the Latin Troll was not given a chance to finish whatever sentence her head was conjuring up due to the instance of a close friend caught in an unexpected or inexplainable situation. This time, that close friend was Melody Song, a Pop Rock Troll whom Mirabel was not particularly close to, but was most definitely a sweetheart based on Poppy's words about her. Kindhearted, collected, and well-meaning were among the terms used to describe her...but rarely manic, scatterbrained, and absolutely passionate.
This was apparently one of those rare times, it would seem.
Far from her usual outfit that combined and distilled the famous elements of her two primary musical genres, Melody was currently dressed in an entirely different outfit that was completely...insane, for lack of a better term. Leaning towards more Pop than Rock and Pop Rock, she was wearing a sparkly, rainbow-glittered T-shirt; long pants with bubble decoy designs that made it look like actual bubbles were covering her legs; bright yellow boots; a pink, blue, red, and orange boa made entirely of colorful cotton balls; glitterly silver gloves; bright green swirly party glasses; and a hairstyle that could be only described as swooped up in a circular bun with a bright neon scrunchie that repeatedly glowed different colors.
In the distance, by the town square, they saw Melody working on what looked like a scrapbook, but she had on an entirely different outfit that was completely insane! She was wearing a sparkly, rainbow-glitterd T-shirt, long pants that had bubble decoy designs on them that made it look like she had actual bubbles covering her pants, bright yellow boots on her feet, a pink, blue, red, and orange boa made entirely of colorful cotton balls, glittery silver gloves on her hands, bright green swirly glasses over her eyes that you'd wear for parties, and her hair was swooped up in a circular bun with a bright neon scrunchy that glowed different colors repeatedly. Laid out a few feet from her was a pair of scrapbooks laced with lace and garnished with glitter, while laid near her actual feet were a glue gun and a container of sparkles.
Sparing a glance at the first four items in the room, Mirabel then spared another at the fifth item, who shot her a guilty and apologetic smile draped with nervousness. Returning a calm yet confused smile at Melody, she shook her head.
"Do I...want to know?"
"I don't think so," Melody nervously chuckled, "But I'm willing to explain."
"Please do."
"It's..." Melody shrugged, "It's kinda hard to."
"Kinda?"
"It's...rather familial."
"Is Val giving you a hard time?"
"No! I mean, it's not that. It's just that..."
Melody sat down with a sigh as Mirabel carefully maneuvered her way to her, taking a seat beside her on the bed.
"Queen Poppy has been allowing her new friends to invite their family members, close friends, and other loved ones," Melody explained, "And with the exception of my mother and older cousin...I'm practically an only child. I don't have a sibling to call my own, older and younger than me. I don't know if I'm getting...what was the term again? Empty nest syndrome? I'm not a parent, but still..."
"So Miss Maxine was right," Mirabel smiled despite the seriousness of the situation, "That is an existential crisis."
"Don't get me wrong," Melody clarified further, "I love Val as an older sister. But...her energy can be a little much for me."
"I get it," Mirabel chuckled, "Taken from my experience of being a part of a large family, my siblings can radiate a different kind of energy every time I interact with them. But over the years, I learned how to grow from and adapt to it. Being a part of a family isn't always easy; in fact, it's fricking complicated. But...sometimes, it may be worth it."
Giving the older Troll's words a thought, Melody nodded and smiled before hugging Mirabel's side.
"Maybe," Melody murmured, "Thank you, Mirabel."
"Anytime, kid," Mirabel returned the hug before scanning her up and down, "But...are you sure that's what you want to wear at the wedding?"
Melody glanced up and down at herself before smiling awkwardly.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Bergen Town stood the former Troll Tree, still littered with empty pods and vacant homes. One specific pod was white with gold accents with a single green-and-blue vine helping it remain. With the exception of a few furniture, it remained in a standstill the day its occupants left. Inside was a Pop Troll by the name of Branch, who was dressed in a sparkly green suit jacket with a white long-sleeved button-up collared shirt, matching leafy vest, dress pants, and a blue bowtie. Dressed up for a special occasion, he felt like he was not dressed up enough to mask his nervousness and uncertainty regarding said special occasion. It was somewhat ironic considering he himself was not the one getting married, but rather the King and Queen of Bergen Town.
Groove about to take flight / 'Cause the night is young
And the music's on / And we got love on sight
Sky was the limit
Now the stars / Where we livin'
It's the vibe / When we're in it
It'll blow your mind
It's so perfect, perfect, perfect
A hundred percent
Allowing the record to echo around the pod, Branch continuously switched his attention between the record cover and the record itself. So caught up in his reminiscing was Branch that he failed to notice the door opening and Poppy hopping inside. Her dress made to impress consisted of a rainbow-colored top with the lines presented vertically that formed a small V-shaped neckline, a skirt that was made out of rose pink cotton candy clouds which trailed in the back, a green and blue (both of a tealish shade) woven cloth headband with colorful pom-poms, and pink leg warmers with red stripes. Noticing her boyfriend's saddened look and stance, the Pop Queen did her best to maintain a more calm and cheerful demeanor. Watching the story's events unfold before her eyes did little wonders for her, and she felt the urge to tell him upfront that the subject that was causing him pain was causing her pain as well.
Shaking her head and placing it aside for now, Poppy placed on a smile and cleared her throat, "Branch?"
"What?" His ears perking up, Branch looked up and turned to face Poppy, flashing his best smile as well while lifting the record off the player, "Oh. Hey."
"Are you all right?" Poppy tilted her head in concern, "You're smiling and crying at the same time. It kinda looks like it's hurting your face."
Branch nodded in admittance, "It does hurt my face. I guess I'm just missing my, um…grandma."
He took the record and slid it back in its cover before showing it to Poppy, "I was just listening to some of her old records."
"BroZone?" Poppy gasped in excitement and quickly but carefully snatched the record from him, "No way! I love BroZone!"
"Really?" Branch's pitch went momentarily high in response before clearing his throat, "I mean, really?"
"I didn't know you liked them too."
"I don't. I'm actually...hatelistening. It's a new thing. My grandma had very questionable taste."
Branch gestured around the pod as Poppy listened attentively, albeit in mild confusion, "I mean, just look at how she decorated this place. I'm sorry, but there are some things that shouldn't be macraméd. Am I right?"
"Um..." Poppy eventually frowned as her eyes darted around, "It kinda seems like there's something you're not telling me."
"What?" Branch shook his head, "Pfft. Don't be silly. No."
"Hey," Poppy gently took his hands with hers, "I need you to be real with me. It seems like more than a macramé issue."
She and Branch exchanged mild chuckles before she smiled at him.
"If you're having feelings, you can talk about them with me."
"Okay," Branch sighed, "You're right."
Poppy shot Branch an expectant look to allow him express his true feelings, even if she had to admit it was not exactly the most appropriate of times. She began to wonder if this was the best decision for him as well. She had knowledge of the forthcoming events, and he did not know that she knew as of now. How was she supposed to tell him that?
In contrast, Branch was having trouble explaining his troubles to Poppy. Although a part of him did respect her wanting to listen and let him confide in her, he just felt so...unsure on what exactly to say. The assuring look on his girlfriend's face did not help his matters.
How was he going to tell Poppy that he used to be in BroZone, the once hot boy band on the block?
How was he going to tell Poppy that the members of BroZone were his former brothers?
How was he going to tell Poppy that said former brothers, on that fateful night, never saw one another again after essentially disbanding the group?
. . .
. . .
. . .
Well, he needed to give himself more time to plan it out.
"Oh, hey! Look at the time!" Branch pointed his nonexistent watch, "We're gonna be late to the royal wedding! Let's go get married!"
"Branch?" Poppy's eyes widened in surprise as she briefly pulled Branch back.
"What?" Branch blinked before his own eyes widened in surprise, remembering the words that came out of his own mouth, "I mean, let's get Bridget and Gristle married."
"Yeah…" Poppy chuckled nervously, "Oh, because it would be weird if we got married."
"Yeah," Branch agreed awkwardly, "So weird. Duh."
"Wow. The weirdest. Ha. It's, like, weird that we're still talking about how weird it was. It's, like...15 seconds later."
"Yeah. Blech."
"Blech. Duh."
As Poppy and Branch exchanged strained grins with each other, the former honked her own nose as a sign of goodwill toward the latter, who smiled back as they hopped out of the pod and hitched a ride aboard two Glowflies.
("Let's Get Married" — Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Anderson .Paak, Kenan Thompson, Kunal Nayyar, Icona Pop, Ron Funches, Gwen Stefani, Rachel Bloom, Lauren Mayhew, Zooey Deschanel, Kyla Carter, Anthony Ramos, Abby Ryder Fortson, Vladimir Caamaño, Anita Kalathara, Megan Hilty, J.P. Karliak, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jeanine Mason, Kelly Clarkson, Sam Rockwell, Ashly Burch, Karan Soni, Quvenzhané Wallis, Xolo Maridueña, Kat Graham, Jamie Dornan, J Balvin, James Corden, Red Velvet, Ester Dean, Gustavo Dudamel, Stephanie Beatriz, Kelly Marie Tran, Shameik Moore, Lana Condor, Sabrina Carpenter, Charlene Yi, Russell Brand, Cristina Vee, Rhenzy Feliz, Jack Dylan Grazer, Ariel Winter, Rosalie Chiang, Aimee Carrero, AJ Michalka, Christian Lanz, Tara Strong, Chloë Grace Moretz, Vincent Tong, Rebecca Shoichet, Tru Valentino, Diamond White, Amanda Leighton, Skylar Astin, Dove Cameron, Tom Holland, Chloe Bennet, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, Erin Moriarty, Olivia Holt, Aubrey Joseph, Jenna Ortega, Anya Taylor-Joy, Berenice Amador, Jamila Hache, Betsy Sodaro, Jonah Platt, Sainty Nielsen, Larissa Gallagher, Eric Lopez, Judy Alice Lee, Jennifer Sun Bell, Victoria Grace, Declan Churchill Carter, Kevin Michael Richardson, Walt Dohrn, John Leguizamo, Idina Menzel, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Sofia Carson, Tyler Posey, Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Britt McKillip, Camila Cabello & Nicole Kidman)
The loving couple flew down to the town as they flew past the inhabitants, who were placing the final touches on the decorations. As they did so, more and more guests were arriving by the boatload. Hickory, Dickory, Chaz, Tresillo, Marimba, Tambora, Diogo, Sun Lien, Dulce, Lucas, Creek, Rhythm & Blues, Callie, Harper, Archer, Bliss Marina, Amethyst, and Viva...everyone was invited!
[Chorus: Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake]
Aboard their Glowflies, Poppy and Branch often switched their positions with a single hop, dancing and singing along in celebratory mode. They watched as Cooper, Prince D, and their parents helped set up the food on its namesake table. Cooper was wearing a silver tie and a matching top hat decorated in colorful buttons, while Prince D was wearing a silver bow tie, and matching silver sunglasses over his eyes. King Quincy was wearing a dark blue tuxedo jacket with a light blue tie, his fanciest rings on his toes, and a gold feathery boa in place of his regular gold cape. Queen Essence was sporting a silver dress with a small hem cut at her knees, a lilac fur scarf around her neck, and three various tones of gold necklaces around her neck, and her hair was in a French braid, sprinkled with a light touch of glitter.
Keep it comin', love
Keep it comin', love
Don't stop it, I won't stop it, no
We don't stop it, girl, don't stop
As they flew on, they passed by Queen Barb and King Trollex, the latter being nudged by the former through the appearance of DJ Suki and her niece CJ with her friends Keith and Priscilla. The both of them were dressed in a light blue dress with sparkles and matching bracelets, but DJ's had a high-neck design compared to CJ's.
Keep it comin', love (We are a family)
Keep it comin', love
Don't stop it, I won't stop it, no (All my brothers and my sisters with me)
We don't stop it, girl, don't stop
His heart racing and his face heating, Trollex immediately swam over and took his girlfriend by the hand.
[Verse 1: Anthony Ramos]
Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
DJ promptly laughed in delight as her boyfriend spun her around. Shaking her head, Barb turned to the kids and ushered them along, Priscilla being carried on her shoulders as they went.
[Verse 1: Gwen Stefani]
And we fly just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
As the six of them went, they passed by Miles on a newly-equipped hoverboard carrying Ruby bridal-style.
[Verse 1: Shameik Moore & Cast]
All of the people (We are family)
About us, they say
"Can they be that close?" Miles and Ruby gently butted their heads together as they flew away, passing by the alternate Camilo as she twirled Marinette as well...much to the confused delight of his alternate family and the slight jealousy of his alternate variant.
[Verse 1: Rhenzy Feliz & Cast]
Just let me state for the record (We are family)
"We're giving love in a family dose!" Camilo and Marinette sang in unison as they danced off. The alternate Camilo and the rest of his family exchanged now just confused looks amongst each other, wondering if singing and dancing in a big, loud, and elaborate musical sequence was par for the course in this universe.
Then again...
The alternate Camilo shrugged and led his family along as they followed them, barely missing the overinflated Bergen balloon by a few feet as it crashed into a certain spot in the castle.
(Push it real good)
That certain spot was King Gristle Jr.'s room, the young king lying naked (sans his underwear, obviously) on top of an open pizza box on the floor while his face was scribbled on with marker drawings.
Get it, get it
Meanwhile, two small lollipops were stuck on him: a red one on his right cheek and a green one on his chest. It complemented the empty fried chicken bucket on his head and magenta feathery boa draped around his neck.
Ooh, baby, baby! Baby, baby!
As one could imagine, the young King was recovering slowly but surely from a crazy bachelor party.
"Oh boy, that was a crazy bachelor party," King Gristle groaned in pain as Cooper, Prince D, Lownote Jones, and Peppy flew in on Glowflies to help him up. The latter was dressed in a silver tuxedo jacket, a black bowtie around his neck, gold rings on his toes, and light blue glittery glasses with shade-like lenses that he could open and shut with a small tug of a rope.
Get up on by!
Lending each other a helping hand, they grabbed King Gristle and helped him off the floor...while inadvertently saving a nauseous Cloud Guy in the process. The sentient cloud was wearing glowing neon green glasses with open lens and matching glowing bracelets as he uttered tiredly.
"Ugh, Cloud Guy don't feel so good..."
Propping King Gristle up so he could face the mirror, the four Trolls began the preparations for his big day.
"Brush it!" Lownote Jones wielded an electric toothbrush and helped the King brush his teeth.
"Wax it!" Cloud Guy then smeared purple glittery wax on his upper lip before quickly tearing it off, prompting him to spit out toothpaste in pain.
"Shave it!" Cooper and Prince D flew down with gold razors, which they used to shave his knees in one swipe.
"Pu-push it real good!" King Peppy even waxed one of his eyebrows completely off before it grew back surprisingly quickly.
Finally, all four Trolls helped Gristle slip "easily" into a light blue T-shirt with a white collar and dark blue bowtie pattern before draping the royal cape on his shoulders. The King felt very handsome and dashing, but he also felt something was missing. Deciding to add the finishing touch, he tore the midriff of his shirt away and exposed his belly...in proper fashion, of course.
"Perfect fit, your Majesty," Prince D bowed his head in acknowledgment.
"Yo, looking sick, King G!" Cooper beamed with admiration.
"You could say that again," Cloud Guy gagged before he vomited out a rainbow of glitter.
Meanwhile, inside Queen Bridget's room, the purple Bergen herself hopped out of her bed, ready to get dressed up for her big day and her husband-to-be. Helping her along the way were her best friends: Poppy, Satin & Chenille, Val Thundershock, Holly Darlin', and Viva!
[Verse 2: Zooey Deschanel]
I do my hair toss
Check my nails
Poppy hopped into Bridget's hand and snapped her fingers...
[Anna Kendrick]
Baby, how you feelin'?
...while Satin & Chenille hopped onto her shoulders, swaying side to side.
[Icona Pop]
Feelin' good as—
Bridget mimicked the action of tossing her hair before flashing her sharpened fingernails.
[Zooey Deschanel]
I do my hair toss
Check my tails
Viva smiled warmly and leaned against her cheek, crossing her arms and nodding her head...
[Camila Cabello]
Baby, how you feelin'?
...while Val and Holly danced side to side.
[Lauren Mayhew & Megan Hilty]
Feelin' good as—
Bridget slid over to the mirror and excitedly gazed at the picture of King Gristle lodged in-between the frame. All the hard work she had done and the help she had with her friends had paid off, allowing her to achieve her dream of dating and marrying King Gristle.
She was gonna become a wife!
His wife!
[Zooey Deschanel]
Hello! It's me he's lookin' for!
"Yeah, he is!" Poppy and Viva cheered her on, the latter despite not knowing her or herfiancé enough.
I can see it in his eyes...
She was gonna become a wife!
His wife!
It felt like all her dreams were coming true, and she had her best friend Poppy and her Troll friends to thank for this.
"And if he don't love you anymore..." Holly suddenly sang.
"Just walk your fine ass out the door!" Val sang along with her.
This understandably earned her a series of shocked or surprised looks from all parties involved, Poppy and Satin donning amused smirks while Chenille and Viva giggled mirthfully. Bridget, however, looked absolutely mortified, leading her best friend to clarify the joke.
"They were just joking, Bridget," Poppy waved, "It's their version of good luck! Right, girls?"
"Oh, yeah!" Val smirked, "Sure..."
"Absolutely!" Holly flashed a thumbs up.
"Alright!" Poppy clamped her hands together, "Now let's get this dress right!"
With their new powers, Satin and Chenille leaped forward and spun around Bridget, whom they created an outfit around instantly. It was a simple white dress with puffs and colorful bows. Viva and Holly seemed enamored with it, but Poppy and Val narrowed their eyes with a more critiquing look. The dress was good, but not good enough.
"Uh, no," Poppy shook her head.
"Yeah, that's a hard pass," Val bit her bottom lip.
The next dress was of a similar design, down to the colorful bows. However, some of those bows were much more bigger than the last ones used, and her hair was stylized in the feminine beehive.
Poppy believed it looked a little better, but something was still missing, prompting to shake her head.
"Uh-uh, nope. Next!"
"Really, guys?" Val crossed her arms, "More bows?"
"We're trying!" Chenille stomped her foot indignantly, leading Satin to pat her shoulder in sympathy.
"At least they complement the hairstyle nicely," Holly offered her opinion, "But I don't know..."
At that, Mirabel and Melody entered the room. Mirabel was dressed in a pleated black gown with the drapery billowed behind her; her accessories included a diamond ring with matching earrings. Melody was dressed in black as well, but given certain areas of lighting, it would appear almost a dark blue color. It was a two-piece style gown with a high-low tulle skirt with a long train and a lace bodice with long-sleeves. Her only accessories were a pair of golden heels.
"Hey, girls!" Mirabel greeted, "How's the—whoa. What happened to you, Queen Bridget?"
"We're trying to figure out what I'm going to wear for the wedding," Bridget smiled bashfully.
Mirabel scanned her from head to toe and chuckled lightly, "We can see that..."
"Like my sister said," Satin smiled awkwardly as Chenille groaned, "We're trying..."
"I think the dress looks okay," Melody shrugged, causing Val to roll her eyes.
"Of course, you would think that, little cuz. You're too nice like that."
"I'm being serious, Val," Melody smirked and took into account what her older cousin was donning, "Compared to what you have on right now, it is a masterpiece."
Her eyes widening in shock at her younger cousin, Val was visibly offended.
"Melody, I am visibly offended!" Val playfully narrowed her eyes at her, Satin & Chenille taking it as their cue to continue with their creating, "Especially you helped me make this dress after all the other ones weren't up to my liking!"
She was currently wearing a dark red short-sleeved gown (the sleeves were ripped in a way that would make them appear more rugged...but of course), the skirt of which greatly resembled a spider's web and the hemline being actual spider silk. Beneath the skirt, she wore black fishnet stockings on her legs; a pair of dark grey, glittery combat boots; and purple fingerless gloves. Her signature pigtails were kept, but instead of her usual black scrunchies with the reddish-pink skull clips being used, a pair of gold scrunchies were in their place.
By contrast, Holly took a more elegant approach to her outfit. She opted on a white-and-purple dress with a violet hem cut to her knees, a silver choker with a matching pair of bracelets on each wrist, and an amethyst headband with a silver horseshoe as its emblem on her head. Speaking of which, while her large light blue hair was usually styled up into a beehive with a ponytail with two purple stripped ties, it was swept down this time, with wavy bangs dropping and reaching her shoulders.
"Yeah..." Melody's smirk grew wider, "And you thought all the other ones weren't up to Gust's liking, either..."
Val bit her tongue and she tried (and failed miserably) to fight back a bright bubblegum punch as Satin, Chenille, Holly, and Viva giggled in amusement. Exchanging glances with Mirabel, Poppy rolled her eyes and shook her head as she approached her best friend.
"Mirabel, you're a fashionista, right?" Poppy asked, "What's your opinion on Bridget's dress?"
"Simple yet elegant," Mirabel said after a few moments, "Stylish yet functional. Prim and proper. Robust and precise. Big and bold. Big and loud. Hmm..."
Rushing over to the window, Mirabel spotted King Gristle and took in the sight of his wedding outfit of choice. Turning back to Bridget, the white dress was again expanded upon. This time, rainbow frosting was painted in the center (in a rainbow shape, obviously) while colorful streamers and heart stickers were decorated around it; the bows were moved up and tied around her hair this time.
Before she could comment on the dress, however, Mirabel's focus was shifted away from it to a sight behind Bridget. Ambling slowly but surely towards the town square was a royal guard walking down the hallway, carrying a bunch of gold, red, and pink balloons.
(Ooh-ooh)
Gasping in realization, Mirabel turned to face Poppy and pointed her attention towards the balloons.
(Ooh-ooh)
Gasping in realization, Poppy exchanged smiles with Mirabel, who flashed a thumbs up.
"What?" Val, Holly, and Melody exchanged confused looks, "Whatcha thinking of, Popsqueak?"
"That's my little sister and her girlfriend being amazing as usual," Viva beamed with pride.
"Satin!" Poppy called out for one twin.
"Chenille!" Mirabel called out for the other twin.
"Fashion emergency!" The two friends exclaimed.
Gasping in realization, the two twins exchanged knowing smiles as they grabbed a piece of fabric before going to work.
"Fashion!" Satin declared.
"Emergency!" Chenille replied.
Meanwhile, as the guests were taking seats outside, the Pop Trolls' other resident fashionista was helping the many others who were unlucky to receive a last-minute invitation. Mei's friends and the Familia Madrigal were among the group who required the assistance of Nova Swift, who rubbed her chin as her former intern turned partner Laroux Laroux rapidly drew sketches of the clients in the suits, tuxedos, dresses, and gowns they envisioned. Ultimately, they color-coded everyone in attendance and had Meadow Spriggs and Arabesque adorn their formal attire with flowers, jewelry, and other fancy accessories.
Watching the resident florist grow flowers seemed to impress Isabela, who saw it fit to lend a helping hand and conjure up plants of her own, many a waiting guest grabbing it in delight to complement their courtly garb. Meadow herself, when she noticed this, smiled with pride, admiration...and a little bit of jealousy, though she tried to hide it a little better.
"Sorry about that," Isabela smiled bashfully as she apologized, "I saw you growing all those flowers and plants, and I just couldn't help myself."
"Oh, nonsense," Meadow waved her concerns away regardless, "I should be thanking you actually. I am just one Troll doing much of this by myself...uh, no offense to you three."
"None taken," Nova Swift smiled and waved as she tended to her baby cousin Vega.
"No worries," Arabesque flashed a thumbs up.
"Whatever," Laroux Laroux rolled her eyes, her tone suggesting otherwise.
"I suggest helping a fellow Troll out," Meadow replied, "Most of these other guests don't like to be kept waiting a little longer."
"Yes, ma'am!" Isabela nodded and continued her conjuring.
As Meadow looked on with a proud smile, it turned bittersweet the moment she laid eyes on Guy Diamond fretting over his son Tiny. Two months had passed since the Battle at Folk Rock, and the same amount of time had passed since she had broken it off with the Glitter Troll. Sure, the break-up was absolutely amicable, but that fact alone did nothing to ease the pain, especially when one considers that she was still the Partier's Apprentice. This meant that a lot of parties were to be planned. Together.
Well, at least she had an apprentice in the making to call her own.
A few feet away, Miles and Ruby were dancing their hearts out alongside Marinette and Camilo. Hopping off his hoverboard, the Hip-Hop Troll pulled the Techno Troll close as they spun around...
[Shameik Moore]
I know you like your space and distance
Yeah, you don't take admissions
They told you not to date musicians
Yeah, but can't make you listen
Stick to the ones who let you make
All the decisions and look the other way (all the)
And you already know what your mother'll say (all the)
And you already know I'm a number away
...while barely missing the Rock Troll clutching the Latin Troll as he spun her around.
[Rhenzy Feliz]
I was 'bout to give you all of me on all the weekends
And all I wanted was apologies and all of your bed, uh
Over my heels and fallin' on my head
But all of my feels were already dead
And if I could rewind it for you
If you could remind me of
What I felt before I fell for your idea of love out here
Miles and Camilo twirled their respective partners on their tip-toes and gazed lovingly in their eyes.
[Shameik Moore]
Love is when you try to place it out your mind
But you can't turn the radio down
And you can't think of anyone else
Miles gently bumped his head against Ruby's...
[Rhenzy Feliz]
And love is when you try to make it out alive
But you can't turn the radio down
And you can't think of anyone else
...just as Marinette gently bumped hers against Camilo's.
[Ashly Burch]
'Cause every romance shakes and it bends
Don't give a damn
Miles, Ruby, Marinette, and Camilo looked up from their lovey-dovey dance of romance to find Meadow Spriggs growing flowers and plants at a rapid-fire pace.
When the night's here, I don't do tears
Baby, no chance
All the while, she expertly maneuvered her way through by her form of dancing, a sense of heartbreak and melancholy leading the way.
I could dance, I could dance, I could dance...
The four teenagers were both concerned and impressed.
Watch me dance, dance the night away
My heart could be burnin', but you won't see it on my face
Meadow Spriggs grew flowers and flowers along with plants and plants as she danced the night away...
Watch me dance, dance the night away (uh-huh)
I'll still keep the party runnin', not one hair out of place
...while those some flowers and plants seemingly sang along with her.
When my heart breaks (they never see it, never see it)
When my world shakes (I feel alive, I feel alive)
I don't play it safe (ooh)
Don't you know about me? (Uh-huh)
I could dance, I could dance, I could dance
"Dance the night!" Meadow finished as the instrumental segued into the first notes of a traditional wedding march while she turned her gaze over to Guy Diamond, who was placing the finishing touches on his outfit for his role as the flower boy.
"Look at you, Tiny Diamond," Guy Diamond smiled with pride, "You make the cutest little flower boy!"
The outfit in question was a green onesie with a red-and-yellow flower (complete with leaves) so he could resemble an actual flower. Needless to say, Tiny was not amused.
"Come on, Daddy!" Tiny rolled his eyes and stomped his feet indignantly, "I'm not a baby anymore!"
As if to prove his foot, Tiny quite literally shook off the flower costume and donned a single black bowtie and his signature black glasses as he proclaimed, "I'm the cutest little flower MAN!"
Guy could only tilt his head incredulously, "But, Tiny, you're only a few months old."
Huffing and imitating a fanfare, Tiny began to freestyle and express his agitation:
[Kenan Thompson]
Everybody treats me like I'm just a little baby (Yeah, yeah)
But I'm walkin' and I'm talkin' on the daily (Sheesh)
I roll the dice, drinkin' coffee, gettin' wild
Daddy, I'm a man now, I'm not a little child
"Come on, guys, it's time!" Poppy interrupted their family feud to beckon them along for the final stages of the wedding preparations. Technically, the wedding was already set; all that was needed to do was to hype up the crowd and bring forth the bride and the groom.
"Ooh, balloons!" Tiny oogled the objects in wonder as he and his father joined the rest of the guests.
[Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Anthony Ramos, Rachel Bloom, Icona Pop, Anderson .Paak, Ron Funches, Kunal Nayyar, Kenan Thompson, Zooey Deschanel, Camila Cabello & Cast]
We are family
(Anna Kendrick: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Poppy and Branch led the guests to the center of Bergen Town while the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors ushered their respective people into their own miniature pews.
[Stephanie Beatriz]
I got all my sisters with me (Anderson .Paak: Come on now, come on now)
Mirabel sang happily while she hugged her sisters close, Isabela and Luisa returning the hug gratefully as they joined their family in their section.
We are family (Anderson .Paak: Uh, uh)
Viva and Skye hopped around and jumped around, urging everyone to sing along while color-coded Trolls were tossed high into the air by the Bergens as they created various hearts in the sky.
[Camila Cabello & McKenna Grace]
Get up, everybody and sing
(Anderson .Paak: Get up, get up, get up, get up)
The Bergens themselves gathered to their seats while a select few wielded pink umbrellas, which they opened up and flew more Trolls up while King Gristle awaited the arrival of his beloved bride-to-be.
We are family
(Anderson .Paak: Yeah, yeah)
And lo and behold, Queen Bridget was floating towards the altar in a greatly graceful fashion. Although majorly obscured by the sun shining bright like a diamond in the rough sky, many of the guests could see she was dressed in a myriad white balloon dress (complete with a homemade crown). This sight alone made them gaze on with awe, amazement, wonder in their eyes.
[Rosalie Chiang]
I got all my sisters with me
(Kelly Clarkson: Sing it to me, sing it to me!)
(Zooey Deschanel & Icona Pop: Feelin' good as hell!)
Mei sang along happily as she dragged her friends (and Alberto) along as Raya rolled her eyes as she joined them, Sisu and Namaari joining them from behind.
We are family
As Bridget flew closer to the ground and landed closer to the altar, the Bergens swayed to the beat while wielding their umbrellas in a way that blocked her from Gristle's view. At this point, most (if not all) of the guests were already seated, anticipating the arrival of the Bergen Queen as much as the Bergen King was.
Get up everybody and sing
Finally, the moment Bridget landed on the ground was the moment the Bergens lifted their umbrellas in an organized fashion, unveiling the new Queen to their old King as she capped off the song.
[Zooey Deschanel]
Sing it to me, sing it to me, sing it to me!
All the guests (Troll and Bergen alike) applauded the Bergen Queen as she made her presence known. Poppy, DJ, Mirabel, Sofia, Ruby, Marinette, and Skye were among those who clapped and whistled in enthusiasm for Bridget, while Branch, Trollex, Hickory, Prince D, Tresillo, and Riff were among those who cheered and whooped in eagerness for Gristle. Even those who were not familiar with either party allowed their excitement to be shown along with those who were close acquaintances with the two royals.
However, King Gristle was just simply the happiest out of everyone involved, and not just simply because he was the one getting married. It was also because he was getting married to the most beautiful Bergen he had ever met. The moment he had met Bridget was the moment his life had taken a turn, and it was for the better. It was the first time in his life thus far that he began to care about someone else other than himself, working to make major improvements going forward and live up to his title rather than simply act it. Meeting Bridget was the best thing that ever happened to him...and he would not have it either way.
Meeting his look of awe, Bridget seemed to agree with him, judging by the returning smile and blush.
"Hot dang," Holly chuckled in admiration, "Poppy's done outdone herself!"
"Mm-hm," Rhythm nodded, "That is one smoking dress."
"Uhh..." Satin and Chenille exchanged incredulous looks before Poppy stepped in.
"Well, technically, it was Satin & Chenille―with a little help with my best friend Mirabel―who helped construct this masterpiece of a smoking dress. So, all credit should go to them."
The crowd cheered for the three girls, Satin and Chenille blushing and waving as Mirabel smiled and nodded, somehow managing to keep her composure until...
"WOO-HOO!"
Closing her eyes and gritting her teeth, Mirabel cringed as her mother and father cheered possibly the loudest.
"That's my daughter!" Julieta and Agustín's cheers were something along the lines of that particular sentence, the Latin Troll chuckling nervously and reluctantly acknowledging them before turning to an amused Melody.
"Like I said, kid," Mirabel remarked, "Being a part of a family isn't always easy."
"It's fricking complicated," Melody nodded in understanding, much to the shock of Barb, Val, Demo, and pretty much the Rock Tribe as a whole.
Rolling her eyes, Poppy beckoned Viva and Melody along as they proceeded to hop on Bridget's shoulder.
"Poppy!"
"Oh, Bridget..." Poppy clamped her hands together, "You look so beautiful!"
"I should know," Bridget smiled and nodded, "I have you three to thank for helping me."
In the background, Satin & Chenille rolled their eyes while Mirabel smirked and shook her head.
"Thank you so much for being my maid of honor, Poppy," Bridget continued, "I couldn't have done this without you...or my bridesmaids."
"Oh, of course, Bridget," Poppy smiled back.
"I love you like a sister," Viva nodded before adding, "Probably."
"Yeah, probably in my case," Melody replied, "I exactly don't know you well to consider you as a sister, but it's getting close in my opinion. I don't have a sister as far as I know, so I wouldn't know. I do have an older cousin named Val—you probably might know her—who I love and adore as a sister. But she is not my sister. But that is fine. Completely, utterly, and totally fine. It's something I'm coming to terms with. Slowly but surely. Because as an old wives' tale states: slowly but surely wins the race—"
"Uh, Melody, was it?"
"Mmm?"
"Can we maybe..." Bridget smiled in sympathy, "...unpack the sister thing after the vows?"
Realizing what she had done, Melody blankly blinked as everyone in attendance looked on in concern for the Pop Rock Troll. Specifically, Val and Petra exchanged worried expressions, the large extent of their overprotective nature quickly taking its toll on them all. When she was growing up, she was not allowed to venture outside Volcano Rock City or even interact with the vast majority of her fellow Rock Trolls, a supposed instruction made by her mother that was severely misinterpreted by her older cousin, who was fearful about the cousin she never knew meeting a similar fate as her then recently deceased father. From that moment, Val promised that no harm would come to Melody at any and all costs.
Meanwhile, giving her present knowledge of future events, Poppy was worried for an entirely different reason.
"Aah!" Melody exclaimed and nodded, "Yeah! No! Of course! You go get him, girl."
"Before I do," Viva flashed a thumbs up.
"Before we do," Poppy smiled as she produced a pin to incite a chain reaction that popped the balloon dress and spewed glitter everywhere. Said glitter was blown all over more than a few surprised faces from Troll and Bergen alike.
Not even the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors were spared from the onslaught. Prince D chuckled as some landed on Chenille's cheeks while Chenille giggled as a ball collided with his face; his family inevitably joined in with the amusement. Beat hid behind Trollex, whose hair was now sparkly than usual.
The body of Trollex-2, on the other hand, was covered from head to toe as Aggie, Victoria, and even Emma stifled laughter. Trollex-2's girlfriend undoubtedly got the least of the glitter bomb; miraculously, it even covered her entire Techno-inspired dress, making her sparkle as the prettiest of diamonds or sapphires. It was a sight that got Trollex-2's heart racing, him believing that she shone brighter than any star in the sky.
Synth was perhaps luckier than them combined, having blocked the tidal wave with his hands. Sofia, Mei, Ruby, Antonio, Alejandra, Juancho, Cecilia, CJ, Keith, Priscilla, Tiny, Amp, Clampers, and Camilo all oohed and ahhed in wonder. Val and Petra quickly tried to wipe it off while Barb...well, Queen Barb's annoyance was at an all-time high, but her anger was at an all-time low. Frowning at the glitter coating her right arm, that little brain of hers got an idea.
A crazy, stupid, brilliant idea.
Licking her lips, Barb licked the glitter...before instantly regretting her decision to do so and spitting out some of the glitter.
Why wasn't the damn glitter sweet like it was last time?
Now it tastes like...pencil shavings—!
Looking up from her spitballing, Barb turned to her left to find an unamused Trollex glaring at her. Smiling in a rare bashful manner, the Rock Queen produced a white rag and handed it to the Techno King.
"Er...sorry about that," Barb apologized sheepishly.
"I just washed this vest last night too," Trollex muttered as he nonetheless took the rag and wiped himself up, DJ patting him on the back.
So caught in this madness Trollex was that he, Barb, and the rest of the special guests narrowly missed the wedding dress donned by Bridget, which was met with oohs and ahhs of amazement. It was a pearl white sleeveless top, a silvery-white pair of dress pants, a matching white belt with a golden buckle, a pearl-white wedding veil that flowed from the top of her crown, and a glamourous pair of roller skates that transformed into customized high heels after she skated forward to the stairs. Because high heels were notoriously difficult to run or even walk in, she had to take slow steps up to the altar. Finally face to face with Gristle, she flirtatiously offered a hand to him, which he took eagerly.
"Hey, Bridget!" An audience member shouted at the Queen, "You still have to run for it!"
The audience member in question—a female Bergen with a large sun hat with matching sunglasses—was easily noticed by Gristle, who let out a sarcastic chortle and dry statement: "Very funny, Aunt Smeen, I'm "so glad" you could make it."
Miss Maxine rolled her eyes before commencing the ceremony, "Dearly beloved...we are gathered here today to celebrate the sweet, sweet love of Bridget—Hey, girl—and Mr. Yummy-Tummy himself, King Gristle. Now, falling in love is easy; we've all done it. I've done it a hundred times, thousands even...if you count the two semesters I spent abroad."
"Ugh," Val groaned before muttering under her breath, "Why do weddings always have these love abroad stories...?"
"Well, she's right about one thing," Trollex-2 commented, "Falling in love is easy."
"Especially when you've met the perfect Troll," Aggie added as she kissed her boyfriend's cheek. Trollex-2 blushed, smiled, and took his girlfriend's hand in response.
"Like hell it's easy!" Barb rolled her eyes as she stated a little too loudly, "Love is always going to be complicated! Especially when it's young love!"
"Exactly, Queen Barb," Miss Maxine smiled and acknowledged, "Young love can be quick. And when it's quick, it can be quite painful. Dangerous, even."
A few audience members conceded with her.
"However...these two brave young souls stood together through and through. Through thick and through thin. In sickness and in health. The perserving love between Queen Bridget and King Gristle is a testament to Queen Poppy's statement: True happiness is possible. That is why we are here to celebrate and honor not just the both of them, but the eternal happiness found and inspired from the beginning. Inspired the town to keep moving forward to a brighter future!"
The crowd cheered and some even chanted "KISS!" at the top of their lungs.
"Alright, alright," Miss Maxine placated the audience, "What a spectacular agreement indeed. We shall proceed if there is nobody here who objects to the marriage of Queen Bridget and King Gristle. With that said, I now pronounce you husband and—"
"STOP THE WEDDING!"