AN: I'm baaaaaaaaaack~!
I'm…sorry for the long, long wait. Well, I had more focus on publishing the first half of my Bad Guys story, but I stopped for a while. I wanted to focus more on my university work alongside some personal issues.
If anyone asks, no, I don't have withdrawal symptoms.
However, I am making my return after finishing my last university assessments! It'll take a while and I don't feel like this chapter is as polished as before. But this is a promise of what will come!
Now, sit back and enjoy!
Chapter 5 - The Boozer
The grand angel descended from above; Trollex delicately twirled slowly through the thick green bushes. In his slow, majestic dive, he noticed the changes to the land compared to before. The pool noodle forest remained the same, but the sandy ground looked shinier rather than composed of multiple sand grains and bits. It was like someone made this area with plastic.
Interestingly, the plastic parts of the ground formed a small pathway providing a clear way through the wild forest. No wonder why the resort's front entrance would be found here. One that would allow newcomers to walk through the forest with ease.
Though, this didn't explain why John Dory thought it would be best to cut through the thick forest, even though no one was complaining.
Deciding to think about this later, Trollex found Barb and Guy Diamond, the two still lying in the same positions. Guy Diamond was flat on his chest and face while Barb rested on his back, her arms smacked against the ground rather than Guy's soft body. It turned out that the plastic pathway beneath them wasn't soft enough to make for a comfortable landing.
Barb's wide-open arms were limp and appeared to be bending in slight angles that weren't usually in her autonomy. Meanwhile, Guy was nearly as flat as a pancake and his buggy eyes looked like they could pop out of their sockets.
Trollex winced, grabbing Barb's wrist to pull her up. "Oof. Are you two alright?"
At first, Barb barely responded. Once she saw his green eyes, she tried forming a reassuring grin. That grin strained in pain when she twitched one of her shoulders. It felt like her shoulder was dislocated. Just a little.
"Y-Yeah," she stuttered, rolling her shoulders in hopes of ridding the soreness. "I'm fine! I'm fine."
It was clear that Barb was trying to maintain her tough persona despite her arms aching. In her mind, it shouldn't be that bad. Rock Trolls should heal faster than the other Troll tribes. And she couldn't worry about it. She and Trollex immediately helped pick the groaning Guy Diamond up. To her fear, HE might be the one with broken bones.
"My bad for the inconvenience, Diamond," said Barb with a sheepish look. "You need any medicine?"
Guy Diamond first rubbed his back. He winced when he pushed it back to the correct shape. But when it did, his eyes widened and his body felt a strange serenity.
He looked alright now. To him, he was surprised that Barb wasn't that heavy. Nothing could compete with that one time when he held Smidge while she carried a large dumbbell for exercising. His body should be fine, right?
In a quick spasm of testing, Guy immediately did a few dance moves. Once confirmed that his body was still functioning, he sighed in relief with a smile.
"This body is fine!" he chirped, swaying his hips from side to side. "Not a speck of glitter out of place!"
Barb briefly tasted some of the glitter on her lips. She didn't have the heart to say otherwise.
"You're sure, I'm not sure how you-" She paused, immediately switching to another sensible sentence. "I mean, you took a heavy hit when I, um, landed on top of you."
Guy shook his head, refreshed. "Nah, you're quite light as a stone."
"I think I'm a bit at fault as well," cooed Trollex, scratching his head. "Sorry, Barbara, I didn't think twice…"
"Anyway," said Barb absentmindedly, rubbing her left shoulder. "This is the front entrance of the Vacay Island hotspot, right?"
Their likely destination of interest before them gave them the first impressions they needed: another giant building. One where they would need to be careful around giants since it wasn't built for small creatures like them. And unlike Bergan Town, they had no idea whether any Troll was safe here.
On the bright side, the entire building looked like it was taken from a page of a storybook. At the same time, it was structured to look like a sand castle one would make at the beach with the right buckets and spades, a comforting image that told of no tricks up ahead.
The sunset sky gave the castle a brilliant pink glow that highlighted its walls' calming design, composed of sand-like plastic materials in beautiful pink, brown and white swirls. One would be forgiven if they mistook it as a cake. The castle's lighting and looks weren't too vivid but vibrant enough to be eye-catching for the artist. Sticking close to the resort's castle theme, it also included a long bridge ramp leading to its main doors.
Fitting to Vacay Island's theme, pots of green plants lined up the outside walls and colorful lanterns were strung together on the outside and inside of the bridge. An immediate sign of its friendly summer theme, paradise for the whole family.
Right above the main doors was a large neon sign in curly writing that appeared similar to Spruce's postcard earlier. It simply read 'Welcome to Vacay Island', a humble greeting for everyone looking for a holiday.
Barb couldn't help nodding, impressed. "Looks cosy."
Trollex grinned at the pleasing sight of the resort. "Like the tropical appearance."
On the other hand, Guy Diamond wasn't smiling. Don't get him wrong, he would love to go to a place like this. But dragged into the third adventure, heading to a place of likely giants they never met before?
"I don't mean to act like Branch, but maybe let's go back to the others," said Guy, crossing his arms. "Or unless you know how to sneak through? Being stealthy while naked?"
Trollex just shrugged, feeling a little too confident about entering this foreign building. "Eh, I don't think the island's folks are dangerous. If Spruce lived here for at least a year without getting attacked, we're in the clear. The others should be fine with who they bump into."
"And if anything…" reminded Barb, pulling out her guitar.
This was dismissed by Trollex slowly pushing the guitar back into her jacket, earning a disappointed pout from Barb. Guy Diamond raised a curious eyebrow at such a battle-ready approach, but he shrugged in reassurance that Barb could be the Branch in this group for now.
Simply walking up the bridge, the small trip into the resort was mainly uneventful. But once inside…
"Hello there!" a voice called from the giant reception table. "Do you have a booking or are you just visiting?"
All three shared yelps when they saw the unfamiliar figure, likely a Vacay Islander for a better term. Tall, fuzzy from her wool-like skin and eyes half-closed. A laid-back puppet. She had a welcoming smile as well, not bothered by these new strangers. Additionally, holding up her curly hair was a visor cap with the logo printed on it.
Barb's hands were clenched in ready fists. Guy Diamond just froze, silently gulping in worry.
On the other hand, Trollex decided to take the lead by talking and bowing. "We're just visiting here for a while. But thank you."
This prompted Barb to take the opportunity to ask. "Hey, dude, do you know anyone called 'Spruce' here?"
"There's about ten people with the same name," said the receptionist flatly.
"No, no, I mean, like a Pop Troll who goes by 'Spruce'. Light turquoise skin, purple hair, white pants?"
The receptionist thought for a while, tilting her head. Her head nearly touched the table due to how low she flexed it to the side. Her neckbone must be REALLY flexible. It was odd watching someone able to flop their head like this. If there were any confirmation that the Vacay Islanders were puppets, this would be it.
Eventually, the receptionist shrugged. "Sorry, little ones! Don't know if there's anyone like that. Though, I believe there's one Pop Troll resident who fits the appearance criteria. I'll be calling him to come over."
"We'll just look around on our own," said Trollex. "We don't have much time here. But let him know that we're looking for him."
After thanking the calm receptionist, the trio turned around to see the entire resort interior for themselves. An indoor marketplace for everyone staying here or just visiting for a holiday. And it was magnificent! Just like outside, there were multiple colorful lanterns hanging from different places and plant pots resting on the sides.
Above, there was a large plant chandelier attached to the ceiling, seemingly made from balloons, pool noodles, and birthday ribbons. A single pink flower rested in the middle, helping to illuminate the place. One would think of it as a vast class project, structured beautifully to replicate the same plants seen outside.
Small shops lined the walls, with windows displaying what they promised. Not one shop was like another, carrying different decorations and looks. Whether selling special clothing and equipment to brave the sunlight, serving fine dining of the island's cuisine or providing quiet spaces for those wanting a break from the excitement, not one place was empty or crowded.
Much like the receptionist, the residents and civilians of the island shared the same wooly and puppet appearance. They all shared a bright smile and half-lidded eyes in tranquility. These Vacay Islanders could be a mix of the Pop Trolls and Funk Trolls for their mellow and colorful nature. Could be due to their relaxed, bouncy walks. Could be due to their smooth and casual chatter with one another. Could be due to their calm yet exciting conversations and sharing of their discoveries.
Of course, many were excited and just having fun. This included the hyperactive children, some wearing special floaties, running around the place before heading to the nearby hallways. They must be searching for the beach and cool water.
There was no tension, no hurry, no fuss. It was a vacay for everyone.
Barb, while still a person who would never settle down, found herself liking the calming sensation of Vacay Island. Away from the blues from the mainland, away from the adventures if her body couldn't take it. And while there were many people, it was also what Barb appreciated. They all were relatively peaceful here. It was harmonious.
The young Rock Queen smiled in wonder. "Not gonna lie," she thought. "This place rocks. Carol would want to stay here for sure!"
Trollex's childlike nature was at its best. THIS was the place he would have thought those living on land would stay. He let his eyes be wide and adorable, absorbing everything he could see here. He was sure anyone would want to stay here. He also liked the crowning theme for this resort; it felt like coming home. A sunny, oceanic home.
Even Guy Diamond was impressed. Once sheltered by the familiar of his home, now loving the pleasing marketplace that seemed to encourage a song to him. At least, that was how he felt. He didn't know, but it told him not to fear. It was really meant for a good vacation. Open to anyone. He could sense the friendly nature here.
To be sure, he asked one more time. "It's cool to walk around these people? No traps, no deceit, no putting us on a silver platter in a cage?"
"Nope," affirmed Trollex.
"I don't see why not," said Barb.
Guy Diamond sighed in relief…
…and the first thing he did was rush over to a meditation club facility, kicking the door with incredible strength. As a person with a unique sense of personal space, he didn't recognize the focused and still poses of those partaking in this yoga session.
"HELLO, EVERYONE!" yelled Guy with the loudness of a football voiceover and the hopping energy of a rabid bunny. "HAVE YOU-WAH!!"
Before anyone noticed, Guy was grabbed by the white hair and dragged out.
A deadpanned Trollex gave the grinning Guy Diamond a long stare, his dark blue hand grasping a strand of the sparkly white hair. The nearby Barb watched on in concern and bemusement, thinking of Trollex's grip like throttling someone. If it was meant to be that way, it didn't seem to be working on the innocent-looking Pop Troll.
"Now, don't be a literal party pooper like THAT," informed Trollex.
"But I thought they were friendly," pointed out Guy.
"Well, save that when visiting Spruce," said Barb matter-of-factly. "Don't create a scene."
Guy Diamond sighed, relenting. "OK. Then what's the game plan?"
"We are already far from the others," said Barb. "I say we split up and look around. Ask around. We might find Spruce or just get a hint of where he is currently."
This was simple enough to follow. For Guy Diamond, it was surprising to hear Barb taking a calm approach. That being said, it was a fair idea.
"Sounds like a plan!" he said.
"Do you think the Vacay Islanders know about him?" asked Trollex. "That lady from the front seems familiar with one who looks like Spruce. We don't know if we're just gonna run into someone who only looks like him."
"That's what we're going to find out!" said Barb, flexing her hands. "The faster we search around, the quicker we find the muscle in the gym!"
"I'm going back to that yoga place!" offered Guy Diamond.
"I'll hit the bar," said Trollex. "Common place for gossip."
"I'll be the one to search the marketplace," said Barb. "Someone has to look out the entire interior."
Barb could be seen as channelling her inner Poppy. Nobody could exactly match Poppy's happy-go-lucky nature. However, on a mission to find Spruce right on time for good reason, Barb was already bouncing from floor to floor and shop to shop.
From popping out of pots, wearing a cheeky smile and raising her voice for a dynamic surprise.
Well, not all three at the same time, though.
Keeping in mind Guy Diamond's near-destructive start, Barb ensured that her greetings to the people of Vacay Island didn't cause a heart attack. She kept her enthusiasm at a minimum but with the same energy as entering the stage. And to Barb's surprise, none of the Vacay Islanders were thunder-shocked by her entrances.
They were mostly chill with seeing a vampire-like Troll from nowhere with a similar attitude to past Rock Trolls who visited. But when she asked, none of them were familiar with a Pop Troll named Spruce.
Eventually, Barb found herself hitting the jackpot when she reached one of the Vacay Islanders. This one had pink skin, purple hair tied up in a low ponytail and currently snacking on a large box of popcorn.
Running along the balcony railing, the Rock Queen made her voice loud and clear. "Oh! Oh! Hey! Fellow-WAH!"
The pink Vacay Islander was so into her snack that she didn't notice that she just plucked Barb immediately. The Rock Queen flew upwards, spun around…
…and at the moment she saw the open mouth, her first instinct was to flail her arms around, thinking of trying to fly.
The rapid movements of her arms were enough to move her body and land onto the closed eyes of the Vacay Islander instead.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" shouted Barb belatedly. "Don't swallow me, dude!"
The pink Vacay Islander opened her eyes, not bothered by the random Troll sitting on them. Just like the rest of the Vacay Islanders, she took this with no big deal. Gently, she picked Barb up and placed her onto the balcony line.
"Oh, man!" the Vacay Islander said in a husky tone. "Oh, sorry, man. Didn't see you there!"
The Vacay Islander's voice was considerably deep and even flat. Too flat. She sounded drained despite her eyes being wide and vibrant. Whether under the effect of something or just close to dozing off, she appeared lazier than the other Vacay Islanders.
Regardless, Barb wasn't bothered by the slurry voice, dusting her jacket to remove any fingerprint crumbs. "It's fine. It's fine…"
The pink Vacay Islander suddenly gasped. "Wait, you're Queen Barb, isn't that right?"
Barb couldn't soothe her ego at the sound of this. "The one and only Queen of the Hard Rock Trolls."
To her surprise, the Vacay Islander squealed in high pitch and started clapping like an excited seal at the zoo. "Cool! Been a huge fan of yours since your songs hit the charts. Will you perform tonight at 'Bruce and Sons and One Daughter'?"
"I don't have a gig here," said Barb simply.
"Oh well. I'm Rose. I'm one of the South Beach lifeguards."
The pink Vacay Islander, Rose, offered Barb a finger to handshake with. Before Barb could, she felt herself pushed back because Rose forgot how giant her finger was for the tiny Troll.
"Full name's Barbara!" greeted Barb nonchalantly. "I'm just here looking for the Heartthrob of BroZone, Spruce. Pop Troll, light turquoise skin, purple hair-"
"Oh, you mean Bruce?" asked Rose casually.
"Wait, Bruce?" repeated Barb, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep! Bruce!"
"That's a name that rhymes, not alike."
"No, seriously, man," explained Rose calmly. "I remember that Bruce talks about his old BroZone days with the kids. Little dude has many crazy stories about where he got all that money from."
Old days of BroZone with the kids? Wait, but 'Bruce' wasn't part of BroZone, right? Barb narrowed her eyes in physical frustration and strained thinking. Though 'Spruce' and 'Bruce' DID rhyme and have the same ring…could these 'two people' be the same? Was Spruce's real name actually 'Bruce'? It wouldn't be uncommon to have famous musicians use stage names rather than real ones.
Barb felt stunted. "I feel like Poppy forgot a certain page in her fanbook."
"Nah, you're all good, little dude!" forgave Rose. "He just gets into a funk whenever someone calls him by his old name 'Spruce'. Now, he's a family man running his own restaurant here on Vacay Island." The smile immediately changed to an uncharacteristically serious frown. "Just don't ask him for even a single collaboration. He might tell tales about BroZone, but he doesn't like flaunting his previous image that often."
If Branch's reaction to John Dory wasn't enough, hearing about Bruce's longing yet bitter recall of his early days was a sign of the bitter fallout between the five brothers. Barb wasn't sure if they had the same sentiment since Branch did point out that all his brothers left him on that fateful day. But to think that it left Spruce with a bitter taste…
Wasn't Spruce also responsible for producing BroZone's hits? John Dory had a lot of creative control, but his brothers were involved and rightfully should. Recalling the less impressive titles, it sounded like Spruce couldn't handle John's overbearing ideas.
The thought of what John was exactly like sent a shudder through Barb. "Ah, crisp. John, you're not even doing 'The Leader' the right way."
But would it even be John's fault for steering Spruce away?
Shaking her head, she continued to ask the patient Bubblegum. "Anything else about Spruce-I mean, Bruce?"
"Oh!" piped up Rose. "There's this one time when Brandy got a pink eye and she had to wrestle with Bruce to keep working at their restaurant! Really! Funny that Bruce picked up a good fight, considering Brandy's size. I wonder if that's how he won Brandy over. And funny that Bruce was immune to the pink eye last season, considering we didn't have the treatment available in the gift shop…"
"No, no, no," said Barb. "I mean, where is he? Where is this Bruce? It's urgent."
Rose had a thoughtful look, her eyebrows furrowed. "Well, he could be anywhere."
"Specifically?"
"He is either at the beach doing afternoon surfing or serving at his restaurant, 'Bruce and Sons and One Daughter'."
Then that was their ticket. This should be where they could find Spruce. The others might already know, but hopefully, they got the same information.
Grateful, she smiled at the pink Vacay Islander. "I see then. Thanks for telling me, fellow rock 'n rocker! I have a date with the former boy toy to employ!" Barb was about to turn on her heel when something came to mind. "Oh! And one last thing, Rose. Why did he decide to live here?
Rose beamed. "Hmm, well, Bruce adores his family. Even if the kids are little whipplesnits, he and his wife are a powerhouse together and they don't mind the long hours." A soft smile crossed over her face. "I'm quite surprised they balanced their work and vacay lives. They belong together. I wish for such a relationship like that, ah…"
One would wonder how close Rose was to Spruce and Brandy, but either way, her observations were proof of the happiness Spruce found here. Barb was starting to see that. There was no one on Vacay Island trying to bother one another. Even if, there was no big deal from it. Not only was it paradise, but it became a warm home for all.
And it was the right spot for Spruce. Even the most charming would like to settle down for a fulfilling family life.
Barb might not know what raising a family would be like, but she could see the potential of such love a youngblood would desire. "Alright then. These Pop Trolls are full of surprises."
"Just be careful of his kids, little dude!" joked Rose.
Barb just guffawed. "Please, I've handled many children who tore off chandeliers more fragile than the one here! Today, I had to handle an independent baby nearly running off, and he nearly went sidetracked when finding man-stuff. What could go wrong-?"
The Rock Queen cut herself off when she felt like needing to run.
But from what?
She only understood it better when she looked behind.
A group of children now flocking around Rose's legs. Three of them were already standing on the balcony railing. They were Vacay Islanders, only twice the height of Barb
To her confusion, these children had Troll-like ears and hair sticking upwards like a Pop Troll…
Were they Spruce's kids?
"OOOH!" all three children squealed.
The forces of their voices and stench nearly pushed Barb down. But being the resilient Rock Queen, she tried acting cool.
"Erm, is your father Bruce by any chance?" she asked, wearing a forced smile.
"Oh my gosh!" squeaked one of the kids in a goofy, unladylike voice. "It's a fricking vampire!"
"Let's get rid of the vampire!" cheered another.
Before she could do anything else, Barb's small, plush-like body was snatched by the fuzzy, warm hands of children who might carry the genetics of rambunctious Pop Trolls. Her eyes went wide, and pupils shrank in absolute horror, her senses overloading from the extremely hot and tight squeeze of the kids.
When they started moving, Barb immediately yelled and shook around, hapless.
"Wait! WAIT! WAIT!" she begged. "I HAVE A REAL VAMPIRE BAT BACK HOME! I'LL SHOW YOU, KIDS! PUT ME DOWN!"
Her pleas went unnoticed by the rowdy pack of ten children, their premature minds believing that they needed to exterminate this 'vampire' in their hands. Barb couldn't do anything; the fingers of her kidnappers wrapped her arms and legs, her mouth covered by the warm and fat meat of the hands.
She should be durable, but the problem was how many bruises she could take from these kids she never met before.
Rose was also surprised but, sadly, too dumbfounded to react immediately.
The kids were already off, carrying the screaming Barb.
Without Rose's immediate help, Barb was left with only her eyes searching for support. The children were now bouncing down the stairs, passing by a window that presented a lively bar…and a familiar-looking neon Techno Troll inside.
An oblivious Trollex was already in a chat with a group of bounty hunters: Trolls dressed in green and black outfits based on the Saint Patrick holiday. All of them were having a bloody good time with many empty beer jugs surrounding them.
Trollex, in particular, was laughing too hard that he was crying.
"I could not even start to tell you how much it HURTS when you have a bunch of fans helping you to crowd surf!" he shouted, delirious.
"TROLLEX!" shouted Barb desperately. "Thank god, I can use some help here!"
Little did she know that Trollex might have drunk too much and his senses were overloaded with chemicals uncontrollably. He waved his hand over for another drink and the bartender slammed down a sizeable beehive-shaped cup on the table. Drunk on friendship with the Saint Patrick Trolls, he casually grabbed the long barrel straw and slurped.
The Techno King couldn't attend to the chaos outside, much to Barb's utter dismay.
"HEY! TROLLEX!" screamed Barb. "TROLLEX! TROLLEX, YOU GLITCH! TROLLEX!"
But Trollex couldn't hear the screaming, his mind rich and distracted. He was so lucky to achieve inner peace.
Barb was unlucky to be in the hands of Spruce's children, taking her to the unknown.
"TROLLEX!"
Before anyone could decide, the children with Barb in their hands had already reached the bottom and ran down a narrow hallway.
Guy Diamond just came out from the meditation club. Thankfully, none of the people meditating mind his earlier interruption. They were patient with him and surprisingly knew Spruce personally. The information he got was similar to what Barb was told, but it was enough for him to understand Spruce's stay and eventual residence here.
Guy Diamond wasn't always nervous when meeting new people, but that seemed to change ever since the last two adventures: being captured by the Bergan Chef and Queen Barb wreaking havoc on Pop Village this year. At least this road trip was life-threatening in any way. Maybe the Snack Pack was wrong to assume that Poppy's and Branch's next adventure would risk their lives.
Until they reach Mount Rageous, that is.
Wouldn't Branch want everyone to be prepared for such an adventure?
Guy Diamond didn't know what to make out of those new worries, but the good thing was that he didn't feel like he was in danger. He smiled to himself. Additionally, everyone else must have found something valuable out of this.
"Craaaaazy~!" he sang to himself in autotune. "How come we didn't know Spruce made Vacay Island the number one spot for vacations? Why didn't we know about this island? If he did change his name permanently, how come that did not reach us in time…?"
He trailed off when he spotted the weary-looking Trollex floating out from the bar, looking…off.
Trollex wasn't hovering in a smooth, straight line, floating up and down as if his sense of direction was impaired. Aside from his ears, there was no tremble in his body, though his still body only jolted by a brief hiccup. His green eyes had trouble staying open and his eyelids always shifted slowly. It was like staring at the face of a glitching robot.
In addition, random parts of Trollex's body were flicking, not consistent with one another, whether it would be glowing brightly or dimly. This never really happened before. Unless it was stress, thought Guy Diamond. But it couldn't be possible since Trollex didn't appear anxious.
"Whoa!" exclaimed the glittery Pop Troll. "There you are, Trollex! Are you feeling alright?"
Once he got close, Trollex's blissful smile was more visible to the eye. Too blissful.
"Oh, my right feels so ready now," chuckled the Techno King quietly. "Anyone can take the left…"
Guy Diamond didn't really find that funny. "Are you drunk?"
"No, I'm not drunk," slurred Trollex, shaking his head. His voice was AWFULLY dry and drained. "I'm broke."
"You are definitely drunk," said Guy without a second thought.
Trollex laughed again, rubbing his face. "Sorry, Guy! There was this nice group of yodeling goats in green who offered me a hint for a price. A king has to make deals to get closer."
It was hard to tell whether Trollex was joking or being silly. At least Trollex was still standing. And the Techno King seemed to acknowledge the concerned look on Guy Diamond's face.
"I swear I've done this many times before," reassured Trollex, waving a floppy hand around. "It's fine! I'll just concentrate on the growing heat in my tail fins."
Guy had no idea whether to trust Trollex on this, but for now, he would take his word. "And what did you find?"
Trollex lifted up a finger but raised it down. He couldn't straight. His mind was hazy and dizzy. The world kept going in and out from his vision sight. Even when drunk, Trollex knew that he didn't exactly process everything he was told. He tried raising his finger again, only feeling like it was gonna encourage him to sleep.
Trollex sighed, tiredly. "Say, how about you tell me first what you found out, mate?"
And so, while neither saw Spruce lurking around, the two decided to walk away from the marketplace and through an hallway. Away from the welcoming marketplace, they encountered what felt like the more intimate and quiet places of the resort. This might be what any residents and visitors would see whenever travelling through the resort easily.
Aside from the plant pots and the colorful lanterns hanging from the ceiling, this hallway included paintings on the walls. All of them showcasing different Vacay Islanders having fun. Interestingly, full-body armor stands lined up the walls, holding armor belonging to silver knights. It was like an army of knights waiting for further commands.
Half of them were holding swords, but there were also crossbows in their hands. Wait, why was one of those armor stands holding up a simple dinner spoon-?
The two didn't focus on their surroundings with Trollex listening attentively to Guy Diamond's side of the story.
"Yep," said Guy Diamond, wiggling his fingers together. "Spruce or…well, Bruce…" The glitter Pop Troll paused for a while. It felt weird calling the former popstar by a different name. "...for now…is similar to Branch. Both don't like their BroZone days. Both have a special contempt towards John Dory for some reason. I wonder why they dislike him out of all the brothers."
"Well, I think-" started Trollex.
"Maybe he ordered a marble statue of himself carried by his brothers. Like a god!"
Trollex thought about it. John Dory standing on top of his brothers, glaring at him. While wearing a white robe and leaf crown like a Greek God.
"That's…one way of putting it," he mumbled.
"You know," said Guy Diamond, rubbing his chin. "I didn't expect Spruce to be married with one of the Vacay Islanders. How could they make that work?"
Trollex raised his eyebrow, a little surprised. But then, it didn't feel like a bad thing to him.
"Well, there's such thing as half-donkey and half-dragon hybrids," he said matter-of-factly.
"And how do they survive by that mu…?" Guy Diamond cut himself off. It felt offensive.
Trollex didn't seem to be in the mood to scold him. If anything, he just went back to his sarcastic self. "Um, magic?"
Actually, that made sense to Guy Diamond. "True. Thinking about it, I can't wait to meet his kids. OK, I got off-topic, but it's kinda nice knowing that Spruce found a family outside our tribe." At that thought, the glitter troll held his hands together sweetly with sparkly eyes. "And that lady is so lucky to have a guy like him…"
It was true! Anyone who was a heartthrob could steal the hearts of many. Sure, Spruce was considered the most attractive hunk of the band, but he was known for his patient and slick style and voice. A lot of ladies couldn't resist a wink from him or one of his sauve catchphrases.
Whatever brought him and Brandy together must be more than Spruce's flirty personality.
Trollex noticed the adoration in Guy's eyes. "Anyone can fall in love, Diamond. It's the beauty of it. Oh, like a bundle of rainbow to snuggle in..."
His face heated up, and he immediately patted himself slightly on the cheek to focus. As his mind started swirling in the moments of romance, he remembered something from his earlier conversation at the bar. In fact, it was an important one to share.
"You know, something funny, man," he slurred, narrowing his eyes. "At the bar, those green lucky charms I talked to, they said Bruce was sending letters to someone. Someone they said he was close to. What was the name again? Void? Voyd? Lloyd?"
"Who?" asked Guy.
"I'm pretty sure it sounds something like Voyd."
"Lorde?" suggested Guy Diamond, a little sarcastic.
Trollex paused for a moment. "…sure. W-Well, whoever it was, they said that Bruce wanted the green leprechauns to send his letters to that guy, but Bruce is quite busy on Vacay Island. But who could he be contacting?"
Guy Diamond was about to answer until he saw a flash of turquoise. It came from the end of this hallway, actually part of a T junction. He opened his mouth, only to recognize the dark blue hair.
It was just Branch catching up to his group, travelling through the hallway they were in. This search might be longer than they could expect.
Trollex blinked a few times, weary. "Wait, where's Barb again?"
A loud raspy yell from somewhere that sounded EXACTLY like Barb. It sounded like she was…swearing?
The duo immediately ran faster through the hall, trying to find the source of the sound. Once they reached the end, they could clearly hear her yelling at someone. It came from the right, leading to the outside. Once out of the hallways, they found themselves needing to hop onto the ceiling railing to get a better view.
They were seeing the sunny beach just near the resort. Multiple Vacay Islanders were already outside, relaxing under the never-setting sun in the sky. A few of them were already in the blue bead ocean, surfing away.
Guy Diamond looked down and saw Barb being waved around by the half-Troll children. Apparently, they were trying to fry her under the 'sun'.
"Why isn't this working?" asked one of the kids, waving Barb up and down like a broken toy.
"Maybe it's immune to sunlight!" said another.
"We need garlic!"
In their playtime dealing with a vampire, they failed to notice that the sun of Vacay Island wasn't the real sun at all, let alone one that could provide warm heat. Once the kid finished shaking the Rock Queen, Barb took the moment to breathe, stars circling her head. She wondered whether being under the artificial sun would be enough to make her queasy.
The only thing that was killing her was the deadly grip of her kidnapper. And that boy was lucky he was just a child or Barb would break his wrist.
"Oh!" cooed Guy Diamond loudly. "Hi, Barb!"
Barb grunted, gnashing her teeth. "Help me, you two!"
"We got this!" reassured Trollex with a dopy thumbs up. "Sit tight!"
Immediately, the Techno King rushed back inside. Guy Diamond didn't have an idea of what he was doing.
Until Trollex returned, carrying the smallest harpoon gun he could find.
Well, the smallest he could get from the nearby knight armor stands. This one looked like it was meant to be for small children despite Trollex easily holding the large weapon. With only one hand. His dreams of fantasy battles were not lost for the prideful king.
"Wait, wait, wait!" shrieked Guy Diamond. "Murder is not the solution!"
"Chillax," slurred Trollex giddily, pulling out his trusty trident. "I'm just gonna scare the kids. Think of it like shooing birds."
Shooing birds that way would only result in one or two birds dropping dead, but he better work fast. The children below already decided sunlight wasn't enough to kill the 'vampire' in their hands. They changed ideas and ran towards the massive entrance to 'Bruce and Sons and One Daughter'. With them moving, there was no time to wait and one lousy shot could accidentally kill Barb.
Despite being under the influence of drinks not his size, Trollex's sight was still functioning and clear. He made sure that the trident was sitting nicely in the gun's barrel, pointed it at his targets and looked through the aiming scope. His eyes were on the children, aiming to shoot just on the ground near their feet.
Just one good shot and they would scurry, leaving Barb alone.
Trollex grinned widely that it nearly looked maniacal. "I got you now…"
Unfortunately, despite pushing through the limitations, there was still one factor that failed to make the perfect shot.
Instead of shooting directly at the designated target, the trident instead fired in an arc.
Far above anyone relaxing on the beach.
The shiny projectile flew towards the ocean at the ridiculous speed of a rocket and into the hip of one Vacay Islander surfing on a high wave. It was best not to say the rest except that they heard the surfer dude emitting a Wilhelm scream and crashing into the heavy wave, his surfboard flipping around uselessly.
And that was the only ammo Trollex had.
All three Trolls were silent.
The dumbfounded Trollex took a while to process this. "Oh."
Barb's bloodshot eyes darted from where the trident landed and where the children were taking her. An inside pool they were gonna hop into at Bruce's restaurant. Her face turned a deep shade of tomato red as she directed her glare at the watchful men from the balcony.
"Hey!" she shouted angrily. "TROLLEX, YOU MOTHERF-!"
SPLASH!
Guy Diamond bit his lip sheepishly, now that Barb was submerged underwater with a bunch of kids. Despite feeling hammered, Trollex felt embarrassed and placed a hand over his face.
Deciding that it was best to just chase after the kids, both Trollex and Guy Diamond entered the restaurant 'Bruce and Sons and One Daughter'. Just seeing how crowded it was nearly made them lose hope of finding Barb in the large pools of people, all shaped as continuous rivers. This place seemed to be a popular place on Vacay Island.
There was a similar plant chandelier attached to the ceiling like the one they saw in the indoor marketplace, except it was bigger. More colorful lanterns hung from the green vines alongside extra electrical spotlights, providing brighter illumination for all to see. On the right side was a small restaurant reception bar where the food was served and at the back of the room was a large white clam stage.
If they could hear Barb screaming, then they would have heard immediately. The chatter was louder here than at the indoor marketplace. Their laughter echoed through the room. All of these Vacay Islanders rested in the same spots in the cool and refreshing pools, clinking cups together and throwing finger foods into their mouths.
Unfortunately, all that noise was starting to get to Trollex. And before he knew it, his head started to feel heavier. In fact, his forehead was burning like somebody pressed a hot horseshoe against his head.
No longer acting irregularly, he focused on the headache and rubbed his head.
Guy Diamond stopped upon seeing the Techno King like this. "You're good, man?"
"I'm f-fine, dude," grumbled Trollex, suddenly sounding frustrated. "Just an after-effect. It's nothing bad! I drank only a little!"
By the looks of it, the Techno King was clearly lying.
"Wait, don't you need your trident?" asked Guy hastily.
"Finding Barb is now our first priority," hissed Trollex, already darting forward. "L-Let's just search for it after-"
Trollex only stopped when a couple of water beads hit his face. It came from the surfer he accidentally shot down. The Techno King took a few moments to register who it was until he looked up.
There was an intense stare from the surfer for a few seconds.
"Nice shot!" he said cheerfully rather than being angry. "Didn't expect a small trident to make the catch of the day!"
Trollex felt like throwing up.
Thankfully, the Vacay Islander didn't have any qualms and even placed his prized trident back into his hands. The rest of what the surfer said became muffles to him and by the time Trollex could focus, the surfer had already dove back into the river pool.
"What a nice man!" cooed Guy Diamond from behind.
With that stress ripped away, Trollex instantly didn't feel sick anymore.
That relief was cut off by a loud guitar riff. He whipped around, right in time to see a huge red lightning bolt blasting through the wall. It came from the restaurant bar. Fortunately, it only left a small hole in the dry plastic wall.
And there, at the restaurant bar, was Barb and the children who kidnapped her, now playing with her guitar.
The Rock Queen stared with a terrified look in her eyes at the hole made above her. The children finally released her after their kind mother calmly told them that she wasn't a vampire. Unfortunately, these half-Troll children seemed resistant to any sign of slowing down. Looks like she didn't even need to threaten them with her guitar.
She looked down to see the children laughing their heads off, their mother too busy inspecting the dirty dishes and cups. The kid holding her electric guitar was about to make another shred, only for Barb to launch herself onto her shoulder.
"Hey!" snarled Barb, snatching the guitar back. "If you're gonna break something, then you're gonna have to make sure that it represents a true disgrace."
"How about my therapist?" asked one of the kids.
"That's someONE, not someTHING."
"But all therapists encourage repression…"
"Barbara!" squeaked Trollex's voice.
Barb sighed in relief when she saw Trollex hovering on the bar table alongside Guy Diamond effortlessly climbing onto it. The Rock Queen immediately jumped back onto the table, happy to see her companions.
"Thank lord that you are finally here," said Barb. "I have something to share."
"Same here," muttered Trollex, rubbing his sore forehead. "I'm sorry for the terrible shot."
The Rock Queen took a moment to notice that something didn't seem to be right with Trollex. His ears were twitching without control and he was unable to stop holding onto his forehead. She looked at Guy Diamond and he mouthed the word 'drunk' to her.
"How much did you exactly drink?" asked Barb, putting her hands on her hips.
"I clearly did not drink a full beehive barrel," muttered Trollex, clearly having a hangover.
"I saw you did."
"Yeah, you're right. I did."
A fresh new headache flared up in Trollex's forehead. While trying to get used to it, it was bothering him a lot. Like an everlasting fire, it was unavoidable. With a weak, sardonic smirk, he scratched his forehead quite roughly.
Immediately, Barb came forward. But Trollex opened his eyes and he didn't seem to be in serious pain.
"You're completely wasted," uttered Barb in a mixture of bemusement and disappointment.
"Not the first time," reminded Trollex as a light tease.
"If you can't keep your eyes open without closing them every two seconds, then I suggest putting your butt to rest. Now."
"I'm not tired!" insisted Trollex.
"C'mon, man," scolded Barb, nudging his elbow. "You did tell me to take care of my strong body. The alcohol in your body won't go away that easily."
Three seconds of radio silence and the previous message came clear to Trollex. He clicked his tongue in a nod to those words. To be fair, he wasn't acting that seriously when under the influence. But it nearly got Barb hurt and nearly put her at risk, even if his shot worked at all.
Besides, Barb wasn't really angry at him. Sure, she was mad he didn't pay attention when Bruce's kids first swooped her up. But since the children let her go, she was willing to let that slide. In Trollex's eyes, this would be one of the few times she was justified in her criticism.
While he still floated, Trollex slowly nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"Alright, I'll…take a rest," he said, smiling giddily. "Is there a seat I can take?"
Barb looked over his shoulder, seeing the crowded pools. "Not quite. Any suggestions, Diamond Seahorse?"
Guy Diamond shrugged, not seeing a comfortable spot to lie down on unless Trollex didn't mind this wooden table.
"Say, where are the others?" asked Barb. "I'm pretty sure Popsqueak and Boy Toy would race through this castle much faster than we do."
"That's what I'm thinking as well," said Guy, tapping his foot. "I'm thinking of going off to look for them and my son."
"Well, Poppy is a good guardian, but fair enough! Maybe they are not far."
"Yep."
"And I saw a shop selling man-stuff, so you better catch Tiny before he buys anything."
If there was any color on Guy Diamond's face, it would turn paler.
As they talked, the woman handling the dishes finally turned around to address them. A kind-looking yellow and orange Vacay Islander with red braided hair tied into a large bun, yellow eyes, orange eye-shadows, wore pink hoop earrings, a dark pink apron, and rose-tinted sunglasses. Despite being a worker here, she didn't seem to bother wearing a sophisticated uniform for the job.
To say that she was surprised to see more guests was an understatement.
"Oh, who is this right here?" asked the woman.
Barb opened her mouth to explain, only for the Vacay Islander to answer correctly.
"Wait, I know you," said the Vacay Islander, slightly pulling down her glasses for a better view. "You're King Trollex, aren't you?"
Feeling a bit prideful, Trollex puffed his chest a little with a smirk.
"Who's ask-OW!" he yelped, his brain burning.
"There, there," said Barb softly, gently patting his shoulder.
The Vacay Islander immediately pulled out a glass of water and dropped it tenderly next to the duo. One that Trollex would need with a straw in handy.
"I'm Brandy," said the friendly woman. "I'm the co-owner of 'Bruce and Sons and One Daughter'. Nice to meet you!"
So this was the lucky woman Spruce fell in love with! And she appeared lovely. Like the rest of the Vacay Islanders, she appeared quite relaxed. It was hard to tell from her sunglasses-covered eyes, but she was soft-spoken and welcoming.
If this was the sort of partner Spruce was into, then he found one who might be thoughtful and caring.
Brandy spotted the grinning Guy Diamond. "And you are?"
"Name's Guy Diamond!" chirped the glitter Pop Troll, busting a quick move. "I'm actually here for my friend Queen Poppy. She is here as well."
"I can tell," said Brandy, nodding. "I got a call earlier of your arrival. I know you are looking for my husband. Must have been important news."
One kid peeked their eyes over the table, curious. "Mummy, are they actually kings and queens?"
"Yep!" declared Barb proudly, slamming her fist into her chest. "In case you didn't notice."
"My husband is a fan of you two and the other leaders of the Troll Tribes," said Brandy casually.
Trollex leaned forward in interest. "He is?"
"Well, he has been following your music for quite a while," explained Brandy, tilting her head as if in deep thought. "He doesn't get out of the island much but likes to keep in check. Especially when he wasn't there to see his tribe migrating. Sometimes, he talked about wanting to incorporate the genres you represent for his old band's music."
"You mean the band he came up with?" piped up one of her children.
"Oh, he was in THE band once," said Brandy with a knowing smirk.
This came across as shocking to the three Trolls.
The retired Spruce loving the music from other tribes?
It could be through his knowledge from the papers and radios, but how did he find out about the other tribes?
And how did he come to love their music despite being mostly acquainted with pop music?
Maybe it was from his driving passion for finding new sounds to improve BroZone's music. As a former leading producer, Spruce did find new ideas fitting for his brothers. It seemed like Spruce, despite isolating himself from any Troll civilization, took an interest in what the world promised.
He must be quite flexible and have a larger range of interests.
Guy Diamond was the first to vocalize everyone's thoughts. "Huh, I thought he was sick of BroZone and thus retired from the whole musical scene…"
"True, but you can't take the BroZone out of him," reminded Brandy gently.
"And what about you?"
"At first, I didn't really get it. We have different ideas for music. However, I come across to like your songs, Queen Barb and King Trollex. Mostly the lyrics." Brandy chuckled lightly, fond memories of analyzing the words they sung. "They're crazy, weird and dark, everything you would deny."
This came across as stunning and unusual.
Trollex felt confused. That wasn't usually his style of music or at least how he thought it would be.
The growing, self-aware Barb was surprised by such a comment. Was she flattered? Offended? She didn't know. She never actually thought of her music as THAT dark. Brandy was just being honest and maybe cryptic, though the Vacay Islander didn't appear that mysterious. Additionally, Barb did find other genres weird before understanding them.
This could be a good thing. Rock Music was about being honest, not being shallow.
As Barb nodded in wordless agreement, Brandy suggested, "I'll say. Play a diddy or two and my husband will come running here earlier than before. He never wants to miss a new exclusive performance."
"You're not asking that to get an exclusive performance yourself, are you?" teased Barb.
"Who's saying only me?"
Barb didn't need to look behind to see the others in the room. "Touche."
Trollex grinned at the thought of performing at the beach. But the single thought of doing so evoked his headache. Again. This time, with a painful headache, he took Barb's advice, sat down and immediately pinched the straw. Slowly, he took a long sip of water from the cup, thirsty.
Laughing in slight exhaustion, Trollex shook his head. "I don't think…I can perform now…"
Barb looked at Guy Diamond, though the Pop Troll took the cue to leave. But before he could hop off the table, he looked back at Barb. The Rock Queen only shrugged and gave the thumbs-up. Feeling good to know, Guy nodded before jumping away in search of his son.
With Guy Diamond busy and Trollex needing to recover, Barb felt…well, quite lonely. If performing alone, she didn't know how to go through it. She usually played with her band and singing with Trollex felt good. Nowadays, ever since the World Tour, she didn't want to outmatch another whenever she would and could make her guitar go wild.
If she wanted to go solo for one time, then she would need at least a good spark of motivation.
"I think I might sit down as well," she said politely, crossing her arms. "I mean, I would be happy to do one, but I want a full band."
Another of Brandy's kids whined in disappointment. "Aw, but aren't you the Queen of Rock like Dad told us? He said that you could break mountains!"
Trollex noticed Barb cringing at that statement. His tired look turned into one of concern. But before he could ask, the Rock Queen decided to roll her eyes, a facade of indifference. She then pretended to consider with a curl of her lips.
"Unless you ask me to," she tempted playfully.
"Then prove it!" shouted another kid.
As if on cue, many children leapt onto the table, chanting the same two words.
"Prove it! Prove it! Prove it! Prove it! Prove it!"
Even Brandy decided to follow along, curious how the legendary Hard Rock Queen would perform on this dreamy island. Barb remained unconvinced, smiling peacefully.
CRACK!
That came to an end when one of her children stomped so hard that it caused a crack in the table. Everyone except Barb gasped.
The Rock Queen just laughed it off and leapt onto her feet. "Alright, you little savages! Just give me a moment and Auntie Barb will make a face-melting performance!"
"You were waiting for them to make another dent," summed up Trollex.
Barb looked embarrassed. "Kinda. Oh, there's something I need to ask from you."
While the children behind them cheered loudly, she leaned forward to whisper in Trollex's ear. For the first few seconds, Trollex was easygoing with her request. But for the second half, his eyebrows were raised in surprise.
"Wait, what?" he asked, incredulous. "You…seriously want to do this?"
"Well, I have to play something that won't send Branch into a panic and…" Barb's quiet voice turned soft when she stared at the playful Vacay Islanders relaxing in this restaurant. "...honestly, I'm flattered by this place. I can't believe I'm saying this but I don't want to ruin the vibe for them. I can't use the same sound for this place."
"What about the whole 'needing a larger, diverse audience'?" pointed out Trollex. "And we don't know who the governments of Vacay Island are."
Barb sighed through her teeth. Of course, she would be contradicting her earlier points. However, she was quick to come up with a way to sustain their secret.
"…they won't even know until we start together," she promised. "That song we made. It's something that would honor this island. I'll rethink how we will promote our project."
Trollex scratched his head again, thinking about the matter. Despite feeling sore and his mind not in a good place, he could recognize that Barb decided to drop the critical approach to their music. Shame that they were unable to perform until Trollex could flex his fingers properly. But in a way, it could be Barb's way of adapting to and honoring the summer theme of this place.
Besides, the Techno King really wanted some of their premade music to be known by many, regardless of how many listeners they could get.
"I can't promise that I won't explain to Poppy," he teased cheekily.
Barb shrugged, forcing a knowing look. Trollex could have it in the end. With his approval, he pulled out his mini DJ set table from the hammerspace.
"You do realize that you're gonna have to play THIS on your own, right?" asked Trollex.
"It should be fine," said Barb, grabbing the mini DJ set unquestionably. "I know what I'm gonna sing and which keys to hit. Just need to dial back the growl when singing your verses…"
"Doesn't matter if it's awesome or not," cut in Trollex, suddenly serious. "Even if it is not hardcore, the melodic vibes from the song matter a lot. Not because they sound good, but because they sound good to AND for you. And we wrote that song from the heart. Remember?"
Barb nodded like it was obvious. "Yes, dude."
"Don't 'yes, dude' me," hissed Trollex, pulling Barb's head close to his. "I don't want you to pressure yourself. I want you to go up there and have fun! Promise you won't break down. Alright?"
Their eyes touched, squeaking upon contact. Trollex's wide, intense eyes met against Barb's understanding eyes. At this point, both of them were trying not to laugh at this kind of physical interaction again.
Barb thought of pointing out to Trollex that she would never break down. However, she could see Trollex's explanation.
Since this was her first time performing on her own in a different genre, he wanted to encourage her to have a good time and not feel ashamed. He didn't need to inform her, but it was a nice reminder. The Techno King always held great passion and love for his tribe through his music. He was always experimental in the different synths and loops he could produce to match the waves of thrill.
If Barb wanted to pull this song off, she would need to speak from the heart of the song's combined genres and elements. Cheesy as it sounds, she knew this song wasn't just meant to be spoken harshly.
Finally, Barb opened her mouth in a childlike smile, closing her eyes as she did so. "Deal!"
"Alright, barb wire!" said Trollex, shaking her shoulders. "Now, go make the pools vibrate!"
AN: Phew! It took a while to complete this chapter! Unfortunately, I have to end it right there, so the musical number Barb will be doing and the proper introduction of Spruce will be in the next chapter. But I've made my promise to explore more about Spruce and his family. Even if by the mouths of Vacay Islanders, it builds up what we should know about him in the present.
While also a small scene, it allows me to explore Brandy a little rather than making her a one-shot character. I find her both soft-spoken and mysterious, as well as playful with her husband. This adds to her character fittingly.
For the chapter as a whole, I decided to expand on the resort. While not plentiful, I ensured there is rich detail of the Vacay Islanders and the home they live in. That's why I included an indoor marketplace to show they have it all for tourists. It's a good thing that they're chill or they might lose it from Guy Diamond, knowing his offenses before…
The drunk Trollex missing the shot to scare off Spruce's children references Ready or Not (2019) and The Amazing Digital Circus.
Special thanks to I. M. Rally, for providing the joke of the statue with John Dory standing on top of his brothers!
Thank you for reading this chapter! If you enjoy this story, be sure to follow or favorite to get updates. If there is any feedback or constructive criticism you want to share, I would very much appreciate.
The next few chapters are going to be REALLY good…