Chapter 6 - The Reunion
Barb placed down the mini DJ set table in front of her feet. She was surprised by its likeness to the original turntable back in Techno Reef. More familiar with the cyan and blue discs on each side of the table. It was the army of green buttons in the middle she wasn't used to. Trollex said that it was easy using them but good for him.
Not even by memory might save her from being sure of the right button to choose. Some of them might be the same. Some of them might suddenly change their function. And to her worry, they might not play the appropriate track she wanted. Trollex taught her how to use it before, but it was her first time for a live performance.
While this mini turntable was smaller and had fewer complicated buttons, it was still confusing to Barb. A few options made it easy to use, such as having it adjust the guitar's sound or using the looping option to make loops with the recorded tracks in it.
However, playing on this turntable was like playing with a malfunctioning keyboard…
Wait, no, reminded Barb herself. She gave herself a kick in the ankle. Late to realize that she was overthinking, she remembered that Trollex had just told her not to worry. OK, he didn't address what would happen upon a mistake, but in the end, he didn't need to.
What followed was a self-assured, determined scowl. The Rock Queen wasn't a perfectionist. Since when did she worry about not making her shows perfect? Rock Trolls shouldn't care how much of a mess they leave behind. As long as they encouraged the crowd and their burning souls to rage on in the night.
Smirking, Barb scoffed a little in self-depreciation. Acting that worrisome wasn't like her. Nothing could really stop her from rocking out hard. Reinforcing that was her immediately swinging her guitar close to her chest and her fingers pressing against the strings. It was second nature; she didn't mind the heaviness of the guitar or the firmness of its strings.
All those dining at 'Bruce and Sons and One Daughter' went quiet and turned their eyes to the Rock Queen on stage. At the same time, the lights dimmed until the place was nearly dark.
She used her left foot to press one of the buttons on the turntable softly.
[Sunburn - The Living Tombstone]
[0:00]
A minimal number of stage lights shone on the stage, fluidly moving upwards in the behavior of laser lights. Their warm colors coated Barb in the colors of a sunset, her body idly swaying around in movement of these waving lights. She was nearly tempted to jump around, but the glowing spotlights encouraged her to make a mysterious, slow introduction.
As she swayed her shoulders, she listened to the lighthearted synths playing from the mini turntable. A light and dreamy xylophone when taken out of the kindergarten. And in the background, she could hear the ticks of a bomb building up the song's tempo. And as a common feature of Techno, she could feel the instrumental's gradual build-up in tension ready for an explosive start.
Remembering the words of the first verse, she smiled wistfully to herself. The sudden clapping of hard drums didn't even shake her as she dove into singing out loud.
[0:07]
Immediately, Barb started playing her guitar, singing. Instead of her usual gritty riffs, she opted for groovy and bouncy riffs to match the soft orange and purple lights.
As one of the greatest songs she and Trollex created, Barb would be more than happy to admit that it had a good tune. Her left foot was already tapping to the catchy beat, harmlessly tapping the side of the turntable. To her, it felt strange performing a song that wasn't so boisterous, instead relaxing. But she knew that it would take a different turn to the rock songwriting in the next few seconds.
While Barb was first losing herself to the song's sound, the Vacay Islanders were lost in the story. Those words didn't match the song's instrumental setting the tone for a joy ride.
These next few lines she sang were out of desperation. A plea for the narrator's loved one to stay. Barb's raspy voice added a grave, aggrieved feeling to the words. Just hearing the delivery made the audience feel strangely related to the story.
It was a sudden feeling of loneliness when one departed.
[0:37]
Once she reached the pre-chorus, this was Barb's favorite part to play. She pressed two more buttons on the mini turntable, switching to a minimalistic percussion build-up. The funky guitar riffs were changed to a more deeper, rougher-sounding riff equivalent to a metal bass.
With every word spat out, the Vacay Islanders felt a dramatic chill. It wasn't only a chipper song to dance to. It was reaching out to the fear resting in the person. The more they listened, the more the vulnerable narration became clear to everyone.
Reaching a high note, her words sounded harsh and nearly in a snarl. Eyes closed, her fingers still strumming and her lips curled in a frustrated frown. It wasn't the bombastic anger the Rock Trolls always showed. It was an anger that couldn't be explained well, with a beautiful voice matching the fake paradise in her ironic storytelling.
[0:53]
The Rock Queen opened her eyes that were now cold and livid. She was already in better tune with the song. Dwelling over these words, she could feel fury building from within. The opportunity to snarl was still there but through the words, she used a more mocking, sarcastic tone towards who she was condemning.
Seeing such an expression sent excited chills through the Vacay Islanders. No, they weren't just excited. They were living for something like this. The sweet but angry harmony of this song pulled them closer to the enticing story. At the same time as feeling enchanted by the story, they clapped their hands to the dissonantly upbeat melody. The same way Trollex encouraged the crowd to dance along during his raves.
[0:59]
As the drums from the recorded track banged rapidly, Barb remained still and focused in her singing—not on the inner volcano building up but on the words of struggle she was telling the audience.
The last few words of this verse suddenly felt like a release for her. To spite the traitorous lover and to make up her mind in the situation.
[1:07]
While the loop station wouldn't be powerful enough to create a great drop, Barb quickly pressed many buttons to create one that would was loud and ferocious. Barb was onto doing a guitar solo alongside two new electronic layers from the turntable. It was a grand release of energy, melancholic but beautiful. It felt like a final fight in a video game that was impossible to beat.
For those new, even Barb herself, were surprised by how the electronic synths and the rock riffs created one electric hell of a time, matching the summer tune needed. The layers of synths were different in pitch and key yet worked greatly together like waves dancing on top of each other. Combined with those 8-bit melodies, the rock guitar acted like the bass support it would need for a colorful ride.
Everyone was cheering and clapping along and those remaining in the water waved their glasses around like they were flags. No needing to chant or follow any vocals. They lett Barb do her thing, watching her work on-stage. The vibrating beat invited them to swing their limbs around wildly, bathing in the action.
From the side, Trollex was smiling away. Being the co-creator of the song, he expected the beats of the song and didn't feel the need to dance along. Though, that was the alcohol talking, trying to expire in his body quickly. What Trollex needed was the view of Barb performing on her own and the music she was playing.
Trollex felt sore that he couldn't join in. He was still smiling at Barb as she let everything go, but it looked so fun. The Rock Queen was smirking again and buzzing in the song's angry energy. She was breathless, jumping up and down while playing the guitar. It was all she wanted to do in this addictive melody and it made her feel good.
Trollex chuckled with a longing and proud look. Barb always loved putting on a theatric attitude for her shows, even before she became queen. And she didn't focus on whether it looked good or not.
The only concerning thing was the lyrics. Trollex originally wrote them when unconsciously taking a page from Branch. Sad songs weren't always Barb's taste. Nor his taste as well, though music felt safe for Trollex to express himself. But despite neither of them knowing what troubling relationships would be like, Barb was giving a performance that matched the angst in the song.
For some reason, it looked like Barb was acting on stage passionately.
[1:37]
For Barb's entertainment, the flashy and happy instrumental was cut short and back to the main story of the song. All the lights remained on, but they didn't flash rapidly as before.
Her smirk remained as she sang along yet her fury returned to surface. There was a bit of amusement in her eyes, watchful of the wide eyes paying attention to the speech she was giving to the non-existent lover. And through her voice, she let them hear the growing condescendence in her spoken words.
[1:53]
Now filled with enough energy to fuel the hardcore self inside, she jumped upwards and slammed down the strings of her guitar. A wave of red energy emitted from it, traveling across the restaurants. All Vacay Islanders exclaimed a mutual 'wow' in awe of what they felt. The lightning bolts from those rock guitars were rumored to be dangerous, but they didn't feel that severe. If anything, it made them feel more likely to scream.
[1:53]
And the next words she sang told as much. What Barb wanted to criticize the hater for. The raspiness in her voice increased as if the past version of herself was returning. But her judgment used in the right way and in harsh reality.
Already invested in the song, one would tell that this was the bitter truth. And not everything would be just sweet and spicy. To the Vacay Islanders, such sourness should still be acknowledged, even if it was startling to handle.
[2:00]
Barb showed this much when she suddenly stopped moving around and sang the last line of the verse with a cold-stone glare.
But who could blame anyone since they were enjoying her show? Even in a subdued tone, the message was already sent to leave the audience to be gobsmacked.
Barb smiled. She felt gobsmacked when she sung those words. Good. The shock value in a rock song should be as brutal as possible.
[2:07]
Though, that seemed to falter a little when Barb saw a certain purple-haired Pop Troll.
To be fair, the Rock Queen had no idea whether this Spruce guy would look the same or change drastically. Branch and John Dory retained the hairstyle, but good lord, Spruce looked like he had a full makeover. Just seeing the new him got Barb forgetting to sing the next few lines.
He was chubbier than Branch or John Dory, but he retained his youthful looks. His hair was REALLY long, like touching his waist in this flicked-back style. He wore an outfit that wasn't as colorful as the Vacay Islanders, but considered fitting: an open black and white vest seemingly made of flowers, a necklace carrying a white medal of some sort and a pair of cotton white shorts.
Barb took a few seconds to realize how long Spruce was staring at her for. His mouth was open like a goldfish. Sne nearly forgot that he was a fan of her and the other tribes.
"Well, he's meeting his idol now," thought Barb with a bashful, strained grin.
[2:23]
Shaking her head, Barb continued to try looking cool. To her embarrassment, her brief shock made her voice shaky and struggling not to laugh.
Trollex raised an eyebrow, noticing Barb's voice sounding off. Then, he saw her eager eyes pointing directly at a certain someone at the crowd. When he looked, it was right on time when Spruce was beginning to smile in full fanboy joy. The wide grin and the puppy eyes nearly looked comical.
The Techno King only blinked a couple of times, high as a kite.
"Am I hallucinating?" he thought.
[2:38]
Both young royals nearly lost their interest in the song and more focused on Spruce responding to the second drop. The whole place went dark and the laser lights turned on, prompting the Vacay Islanders to jump around with a new chant of their own. It was difficult to see from the large bodies and the flashing lights, but they could see Spruce's smile as vibrant as it could be.
The song was delighting him and his twitchy body told them as such. Slowly soaking in the good times, the giddy Spruce first took some moving around. Just wave his hands around his body. Then, it changed to waving his hands in the air slowly. It was taking him a while to be in rhythm with this new song, this new combination of genres.
It was his childhood dream (or teenage dream) for a song to blend many genres together. Here, it was history. A nice blend of Pop, Rock and Techno that resonated well with Vacay Island.
Before long, he was jumping up and down as well. Then, he could hear himself cheering as well, yelling in joy. It felt alright to love this music. With every bang and every digital synth, they invited him to join the ride.
Able to multitask on the mini turntable and her guitar, Barb kept her eyes on the jumping Spruce. Even without vocals, this Pop Troll was letting it loose and enjoying his song for his pleasure. He was flexible enough to enjoy a new sound, just like how Barb embraced this new side of rock.
The Rock Queen grinned. She wouldn't forget this great moment. Only thing shameful was that the feeling happened too soon, but at least it was for the folks of Vacay Islanders who understood the song.
[3:07 to 3:37]
Upon seeing a familiar pink Pop Troll from outside, Barb decided to conclude the song by there. Short but it was enough and the Vacay Islanders were still waving their hands around. As she sung the last few words, she watched Spruce smiling, satisfied.
It was also when she saw John Dory coming right in, a little late to find his former brother.
"Spruce!" he called out. "Spruce, over here! Yo!"
A bit far away from the arriving John Dory, Spruce didn't pay attention. He already pulled out a mini note pad and wrote down what he needed to complete on his check list for today. Not to mention that the ending notes of Barb's performance seemed to drown out John's voice.
In the distance, Branch and Poppy were reaching up. So was Guy Diamond, carrying his precious Tiny Diamond.
[End of Song]
"Spruce, wait!" called out John Dory.
While Barb was already making her way off the stage, Trollex watched with careful observation at the front. Despite his mind feeling heavy, Trollex noticed the change on Spruce's face. From hopeful relaxation to shock. It also changed to slight disgust at the sound of his old name. As expected, the former Heartthrob shrugged it off with some indifference.
"Oh, no," he said without looking over his shoulder. "Listen, I know you recognize me from BroZone, and I'm happy to give you an autograph or whatever. But can you please be discreet about it?"
The purple-haired troll finally looked up from his node pad, close to the pickup bar. There, he saw King Trollex. Spruce immediately grinned brightly, waving in enthusiasm.
Trollex just grinned wearily with a wave of his own, more watchful of the barking John Dory from behind.
Eventually, the wiser Branch decided to call properly. "Spruce, it's us! It's your brothers."
With Barb close to the scene, everyone was right on time to watch Spruce gasping and spinning on his heel. The sight of John Dory seemed to paralyze him for a moment. Ten seconds of him not making a single move. But his face wasn't pale anymore when he saw the wincing Branch standing nearby.
Spruce's face lit up in brotherly warmth. "Bitty B?"
Immediately, he rushed towards his little brother in the speed of light. Just like what John Dory did, Spruce immediately picked Branch up and threw him high in the air. This time, no one was able to rescue Branch, leaving him terrified by how damn high he was when Spruce tossed him upwards.
His nose nearly touched the plant chandelier.
Poppy gave a look at Trollex who shrunk back.
John Dory's smile was a little strained. If anyone could try to find envy, it would be hard to spot any. But instead, he focused on Spruce's clear joy in seeing Branch again.
Eventually, Branch had enough. "Alright! No tossing! OK?! Too big to be tossed!"
Spruce eventually relented, but he couldn't stop adoring his younger brother. "The last time I saw you, you were in diapers! Are you doing alright now, man?"
Branch rolled his eyes, not liking the reminder of the diapers. "No, no, I'm fine. I'm fine…"
Taking it as a sign that the grown-up Branch was all good, Spruce took this as an opportunity to do a…
"Wet willy!"
Branch yelped at the cold, wet feeling suddenly in his left ear.
"Hey!" he barked. "Stop it! That'd disgusting. I am a grownup!"
Spruce was still gushing over him. "Oh, sorry. In that case, a wet William!"
And onto the right ear, thankfully, without the salivas. When he saw Branch flapping his hands at him, Spruce finally took a step back. It was just that Spruce could not say in a million words how marvelous it was to see Branch again. And after for so long about worrying for Branch's wellbeing when he wasn't there for him, even though…
His little brother was surely a healthy adult! And not a speck of his body was gray!
Branch was this close to snapping again, but he saw a sparkly look in Spruce's eyes. The same sparkle he used whenever he flirted to the ladies on stage. Prayers that Spruce wouldn't act like Branch was still a kid…
Though, Branch's mind went into automatic mode when he saw Trollex flopping onto the floor, face-first. Immediately, the Pop Troll ran forwards to aid the Techno King. Barb even ran forwards to help him up.
"Ah, so you're acquaintance with the Techno King?" asked Spruce.
Branch just ticked his tongue as he and Barb pulled Trollex up onto his tail fins. The latter staggered around before balancing a little in his floating. He wasn't in pain anymore or feeling dizzy, just feeling fatigued.
Trollex gave a weary smile to Spruce. "Actually, we're kinda brothers as well."
"Let's not do it in front of them, please," reminded Branch, sweating.
Fortunately, Spruce wasn't upset. "Eh, it's all good. I'm surprised that you connected with the other tribes. I mean, it wouldn't be easy. It even took me time to adapt to Vacay Island. Gotta say, I've been a fan of Techno and Rock for a long time. Rock just played on stage, you know?"
Branch and Poppy exchanged a look of surprise and they both turned to Barb. She just grinned and shrugged. She wanted to say a lot about her performance of 'Sunburn', but maybe later.
"Never expected any other Pop Troll out there to like our music," said Barb, cool as a cucumber. "Respect!"
"Queen Barb?" guessed Spruce. "King Trollex?"
Both leaders beamed and said in unison, "You got that right."
"Got all the Trolls back together!" said Poppy proudly.
Spruce curiously turned to her. "Ah! Queen Poppy, is that right?"
Poppy's response was her own fangirl squeal. "Oh, I'm such a huge fan of you! It's so cool to meet you! I'm Poppy, Mr. Heartthrob!"
Spruce couldn't help smirking a little. A part of him died a little, but it wasn't all that bad to be reminded of his former glory. It helped that he once believed that Queen Poppy was gonna become a good queen someday and it looked like so.
"And the rest of your friends?" asked Spruce welcomingly.
"Oh, this is Guy Diamond!" introduced Poppy. "And his son, Tiny Diamond."
"Nice to meet you!" squeaked Guy Diamond, bowing down a little.
"Hey, what's up!" A passing bowl of food shortened Tiny Diamond's attention span. "Killer nachos, you got here, by the way!"
"Wait, no!" said Guy, holding Tiny tightly. "Those are glass shards. We're not eating them again."
"But they look delicious!"
"I'm supposing that you're all here to perform here as well?" wondered Spruce. "I could use some quality time for Branch if he wants it."
"Wait a minute," said Branch belatedly. "Barb actually did something here? And…how come you knew the other tribes?"
Barb simply placed a finger over Branch's lips. The latter narrowed his eyes in curiosity.
"I don't go out much, but I like to keep an ear on things," explained Spruce, bouncing on his heels. "My kids are usually the ones to show me through their favorite newspapers and radio channels. I did a bit of a history lesson as well and I'm glad that the World Tour helped reuniting all the tribes."
"It was a mess," interjected John Dory, inserting himself into the conversation.
"Speak for yourself, big brother." Before anyone could have a moment to think, Spruce's giddiness added a new thing he wanted to share. "Oh! I nearly forgot! I don't know if he told you, Branch, but Floyd has this show at Mount Rageous! Since you're here, maybe we can go together to watch?"
Branch felt like cold water was splashing into his face.
Spruce knew about Floyd's visit there?
The gesture, while nice, felt uncanny due to how quick it was. They just met again after so many years. Though, Spruce sounded a little…desperate?
Branch repressed an anxious smile before he stepped back and let John Dory explain the situation.
"Look, Spruce," he said. "We're here because Floyd needs us. So, Spruce, do you-?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" interrupted Spruce, putting his hands up. "No one's called me SPRUCE in years. I go by BRUCE now."
John Dory's jaw went slack. "I'm sorry. Did you say 'Bruce'?"
"Yeah. I wanted to put the whole boy band thing behind me now that I'm a dad."
John Dory, Branch and Poppy were surprised by this. The latter immediately caught the nonchalant looks from the others. She looked back at Guy Diamond and he gave her a knowing smile. Barb just grinned like it was already an open secret. Trollex just remained silent since he already knew what Spruce had been up to.
It also confirmed that Spruce REALLY wanted to put his previous days behin. He didn't go into a bad funk, but he was more mellow when explaining it to everyone. Looking at him, Spruce-no, BRUCE presented himself in a comfortable, adjustable shape compared to the hard-rock hunk he was before.
Out of everyone, John Dory had the hardest time comprehending this information. "You're a father?"
"Oh yeah!" piped up Barb. "And his kids are little savages! They're the ones who encouraged me to do the thing!"
Bruce chuckled, grinning a little. "Oh, I should have seen it first! I missed out! Thanks for the show nonetheless!"
"Kids?" followed Poppy. "Wait, where are they?"
"The family is right here!" called Brandy from the bar. She had just finished cleaning another stack of dishes. Now, with that out of the way, she could see the rest of Bruce's brothers and potential allies. "My, my, my, you all look shorter than I expected."
"I was here like three minutes ago," lampshaded Guy Diamond.
As everybody went back to the top table again, Bruce approached his wife. Brandy smiled and lowered her head down, letting her hearty husband rest against her cheek.
"This is my wife and business partner, Brandy!" cooed Bruce. "Soulmate. My VERY tall soulmate! And super strong, I don't know where she gets all that strength from!"
He immediately opened his arms and hugged Brandy's face when he said that. The taller Vacay Islander purred a little and returned the hug. With their love clear and visible, Trollex, Barb and Guy Diamond could see how they make it work: a lovely match made for heaven.
If you look past the admiring puppy eyes, Poppy shared the same sentiment, her cheeks rosy. "Aww, so cute…"
Branch's eyebrows were raised in surprise. But he didn't mind it and Brandy didn't seem too bad. "Um, a pleasure to meet you, Brandy."
John Dory's mind was racked up with a lot of questions. First, Spruce changed his name to something else he couldn't recognize. Then, he married someone from here who didn't share the same body anatomy. When Bruce turned to him, the eldest brother looked at him like he lost his mind.
"And yes," deadpanned Bruce. "We make it work."
John took a while to answer, glancing at his brother and back at Brandy. "...how?"
Brandy made a sly, teasing smile. "We don't even really know how it works." This time, she dropped the cryptic facade and burst out laughing. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding. I'm-I'm not. I'm-I don't know."
Trollex crossed his arms, visibly uncomfortable. "We don't need to go into detail. You already have twenty kids hearing this."
"You mean twenty-one?" reminded John Dory flatly.
"Let Tiny understand the hardships of adultery," joked Barb. Her eyes bugged open. "...wait, that's not the right word!"
During this short argument, Branch looked at the confused John Dory. Not going to lie, Branch would say he had yet to understand all of this. Bruce's change of identity, his new family, everything he had on this island…Branch felt bitter. He only recognized it now.
He was nearly tempted to ask Bruce if having a life here was worth the cost, but one of Bruce's kids popped out coincidentally to spoil the opportunity.
"Daddy, Daddy!" chirped the child. "Can I have a cookie?"
The prepared Bruce pulled out a cookie for his kid, his eyes not moving away from the guests. "Becoming a dad was like a seismic shift in my brain."
"Daddy! Bruce Jr. bit me!"
"No biting."
"I don't see how any government stands a chance."
"You're not wrong, kid!"
"I'm stuck in this ketchup bottle!"
One would imagine Bruce cracking from the constant chatter, but he took it in stride as he pulled out his kid from the ketchup bottle. Not even a sweat dropped or a muscle hurt!
"OK! OK! Going to handle all of that soon!" he announced. Surprisingly, the tone he used was smooth, charming, relaxed. A hint from his previous boy band days. "Just give Daddy two seconds, OK? Anyway, as a dad, it gave me a lot of new responsibilities. Have I been overworking? Maybe. Do I like taking too much control over things like John? Sure. But it puts me in a new light since it's helping my children understand the future they want."
Branch's lips curled in skepticism. "How so?"
Bruce was hesitant at first. But as he looked into his brother's eyes, he felt comfortable sharing. "...by being a good role model. Good practice for looking after everyone. It's been fun looking out for the Vacay Islanders here. From running this restaurant, organizing for special parties, homeschooling some of our children…"
"Finding my sister a good date from that dating app I downloaded," added Brandy.
"Hey, that took a LOT of time. And oh, even negotiating with some bounty hunters staying here. A few Reggaeton Trolls did. Though thinking about it, I have been recently making deals with them to collect-"
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" chirped another kid out of nowhere. "Look! I have pink eye!"
The sight wasn't pretty. It was terrible and not a single adjective could describe it! That kid was too happy to show off his bloodshot, dirty eyes to the whole world, looking like they might drip real blood.
Everybody understandably screamed. "AAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"Oh, [BLEEP]!" shrieked Tiny Diamond.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Guy. "Watch your language!"
On the other hand, Bruce surprisingly remained calm. "Get the eyedrop from my bedroom. I think you weren't using it this week."
The kid with the pink eye hopped away, sparing everyone from sight.
"ANYWAY!" continued Bruce a little too loudly. "Do I know anything about children? Not really, at first. But being myself allowed me to run this family with fewer stitches. Do I need a book on being as socially adequate as Floyd? Probably!" His smile dropped. "Wait, what was that about? I think I had a point about…"
John Dory sighed, cutting in gently. "Sorry, bro. Going to have to cut to the chase. We're not exactly here to catch up. We're here because we need to hit the Perfect Family Harmony."
Immediately, Bruce's eyes widened in terror. He turned to Branch. The youngest brother only gave a deadpanned look that said, 'this is out of my hands'. Then, he looked at Barb and Trollex, the royals he looked forward to meeting. The Rock Queen grinned sheepishly and the Techno King bit his bottom lip, aware of his reaction.
Poppy even could see this. It was the same look Branch gave when John Dory suggested the Perfect Family Harmony.
"Oh, no, no, no!" insisted Bruce, taking a few steps back. "You're still going on about that? That's why you all came?!"
"Yeah," said Brandy softly. "It doesn't seem to work."
"You don't understand," pleaded John. "It's for Floyd. He's being held captive at Mount Rageous."
"Why not call the authorities? They got good law enforcement."
Branch sighed, resigned to the cause. "Spruce-sorry, I mean, Bruce. It has to be us. Floyd's being held captive in a diamond prison."
That appeared to get to Bruce. The second oldest brother went quiet for a few seconds. He saw Poppy and Trollex having the same worried looks. They were thinking the same: the Heartbeat Diamond, capable of draining the life out of anyone. And Floyd, on his desperate search, ended up in the cages of one. Bruce's face went pale again, worried sick. He might throw up.
It didn't take long for him to give John Dory a chance. "That makes sense. But how? We've never even come close to pulling it off. You do remember our last show, don't you?"
"If we practice, I know we'll be able to nail it!" declared John, clenching his fists. "We have to!"
Bruce muttered something under his breath. "Well…at my age? I really don't think it's even possible. It's…just by chance."
"Then why did we feel it before?"
"It was only strong back then." Bruce rubbed his forehead. The more he thought about it, the more it was sore. "L-Look, there has to be another way to pull it off. Not only because of all of us together again."
"But the others didn't bring their family along."
Guy and Tiny raised their hands.
"No, not you two. This is personal."
"You're even sure that's the only way?" asked Bruce.
"I'm sure of it!" said John Dory confidently.
"I don't know. Well, it would take some time, but I know a few people who could pull something like this off. We just have to wait until they-"
"See, guys?" grunted one of his kids. "I told you Dad wasn't in a band."
Bruce felt a flame inside suddenly lit up again. "...oh, I was in a band. I was in THE band! You ask your mother if I was in a band."
Brandy, who had been watching the entire conversation the whole time, knew where this would go. She knew that Bruce wouldn't believe that Perfect Family Harmony was possible. However, after hearing from his brothers, it sounded like they didn't have a choice of time. Bruce really needed to get back into a good thinking space to succeed.
But she wasn't going to make it overly serious as her husband would want it. "Oh, he was in THE band."
"Then prove it!" shouted another kid.
All the children started chanting again, hopping up and down on the table. Even Poppy and Barb joined in, jumping up and down with fists in the air.
This time, the peer pressure made Bruce sweat for once in years. His face turned to a deeper shade of blue, embarrassed and tempted.
When he turned to the others for help, Troll quickly reminded him of the reality.
"We don't have much time," said the Techno King softly.
Trollex's words weighed in a lot and Bruce finally caved in.
"Alright! Alright!" shouted Bruce. "I'll prove it right now!"
All of his children cheered, delighted for a second performance. John Dory whooped and pretended to slam his fist into the ground.
"Yeah!" he barked, over the moon. "That's what I'm talking about! Just follow me and you'll see, brother!"
Time seemed to grow slower for all. It wasn't only Bruce who was now facing the likely ordeal of John's upcoming perfectionism, but it was also the same for Branch, who was observing his brothers. Bruce didn't really like the thought of getting back into this stupid image of BroZone.
To be fair, it had been a while. But it was also painstaking back then, with John mostly taking creative control.
Branch remembered from his previous conversation with Poppy that Bruce always made sure that his brothers were comfortable with the songs they would perform together, always ensuring they were relaxed, even in the craziest times. Today, Bruce didn't seem to be fully back in that position since their breakup.
In a strange way, he could tell that Bruce was uneasy. A part of him felt sorry.
"...let them know that you're also here for them. Really here."
Prince D's words echoed in his ears. Considering this, Branch turned to Trollex. The Techno King wasn't that chatty because he was still recovering from the drinks. Trollex just glanced at him. His green eyes glowed brightly at Branch's unsaid decision. There was also fear as well.
But now wasn't the time to fear when the inevitable argument could come. Branch would have to keep his brothers on track until they were all together to make things right.
"Don't forget about older Branch now!" he announced, trying not to sigh. "Well, just to make sure that John doesn't accidentally hit Bruce in the groin like last time."
Bruce's cheeks puffed up in an effort to hold back a laughter. That actually made him feel a little better. Branch didn't need to, but he wouldn't be alone to deal with John.
Not paying attention to the joke, John leapt off the table.
"Everyone!" he said. "Follow me! DJ Trollex, I need you for the front!"
Trollex mumbled something before stretching his arms. He could feel the burning eyes from Barb, but she shouldn't be worried. At the moment, he didn't feel the need to collapse, both expectedly and unexpectedly.
As the Techno King floated off, Bruce came close to Branch and whispered in his ear.
"So, you need a new nickname? How about R&B?"
"No, just Branch," said Branch flatly. "JUST Branch. And that nickname is already taken by two Funk Trolls."
It took a while for them to start practice on stage. Once again, John Dory was fussing over a little on which song to pick. In the middle of the stage, he was going through different mixtapes for Trollex to play. Though, at that point, Trollex looked like he could fall asleep as John blurted out an incomprehensible ramble of different ideas for their performance.
At the edge of the stage, Bruce was stretching his legs in hope that they would work again. The former Heartthrob was becoming self-conscious about his body shape. In his head, people could tease him for gaining so much weight that he couldn't dance again. But aside from his usual surfing and soft exercises, it was a while since Bruce did any extreme choreographies.
And from the sidelines, Branch was waiting for all to start. On the outside, he was idly kicking his feet from side to side, warming up, emotionless. On the inside, anxiety was his only energy to fuel him up. Just seeing John bothering the quiet Trollex was giving him second thoughts and there was no way they would spend too much energy that should be for saving Floyd.
As they waited, Poppy kept eying on both Branch and Bruce. She had to admit that she was surprised of how Bruce was like today. And he didn't act like John Dory, even suggesting a new nickname for Branch!
That was…sweet.
Surprisingly, Bruce appeared nervous to get back in the act of BroZone.
Already told of his story, Barb decided to point this out to the Pop Queen.
"You don't think he's right about nailing this 'Perfect Family Harmony', Popsqueak?" asked Barb. "I'm…starting to think about it."
"Well, it's possible!" said Poppy optimistically. "Spruce…" She paused for a moment, scowling at the accidental misnaming. "Bruce looks really happy to see Branch again. And he seems nicer than the Old One. Maybe their bond is strong!"
"Though Bruce was really busy here," piped in Guy Diamond. "This new life did a seismic shift on him. Father to father, I can understand. But how could he actually reconnect quickly if he spent twenty years without meeting his family?"
"Well, John Dory was also away for a while but distance isn't said to be an inhibitor to the Perfect Family Harmony! It's the millennium, so it doesn't need to exactly start from scratch. And maybe it's not completely lost for them. No one exactly knows, but Bruce is right: it can be random."
She was soon to be correct about this. Because the practice was already on the way with Trollex finally picking an appropriate mixtape.
"OK! OK!" he said a bit too loudly, slamming the mixtape into his mini turntable. "This one! This one will have to do!"
John Dory was still having ideas. "Can you perhaps add some reverses? Wait, no. How about just beatboxing only? Ooh! How about we mix that one with Girl, Baby, Baby?!"
Even for the Techno King, this was becoming too much. He could see why Branch found John so overbearing. Additionally, Trollex could see that the puppy John was now acting like a wild party of a tornado, having so many ideas to yap about.
"No more requests!" he said, slamming his fist onto the play button of his turntable. "Just dance!"
"But-" protested John.
[BroZone's Back]
[0:00]
And immediately Trollex pressed another button to skip the instrumental intro. Right up to Bruce's part.
Fortunately, Bruce already memorized the lines of this song. How could he forget this one?
The spotlight immediately swept to where he was standing as he started rapping.
Against all his worries, he was in sync with the song. A quick twirl, a head spin to move his hair around and a quick wink to the crowd. Some of the women watching him squealed before fainting immediately. Not that loud as before, but it had an impact. Still got it. With a growing grin, Bruce twirled to John Dory and pointed to him. His turn.
John nearly came in a bit late, but managed to pick up the lines.
There was a moment of pause as Bruce thought over how John danced during his turn. Nearly the same steps that he took. It didn't put aside his resentment, but it made Bruce smiled at the sight of John emulating him. It was kinda cute watching John trying to catch up with no worries.
[0:10]
Familiar with the words, Bruce continued to sing and dance, his eyes watching John carefully. Aside from wanting to ensure John didn't go off the rails, he also watched how John tried to adapt back to this old choreography, even when only having three members.
Hearing the snappy clap percussions and the uplifting synths, not tainted by DJ King Trollex, made a good return for Bruce as the charming Heartthrob. The moves he made were like his true primal instincts, flexing his arms around without worry like he expected them to happen. No matter how he spun around or where he lifted his arm, Bruce could feel himself slowly getting back into the zone.
For someone who wanted to get the band back together, John was having a bit of trouble. As he sung, he appeared frustrated whenever he made the wrong move. Slide to the left, he slid to the right. Jump on every second, he accidentally jumped on the first beat. John was really trying hard to match Bruce's dance.
It was actually cute seeing John trying to retrieve his previous hop. It encouraged Bruce to keep dancing, not for amusement but because he wanted everyone to have fun without worry.
And so, he pretended not to notice John's mistake, hoping that sent a message clear to him.
Coming forwards, Branch kept kicking his legs around. He wasn't that happy at the moment, now seeing John in the groove. He gave one last glance to Trollex who was vibing to the song. The Techno King seemingly sensed the stare and turned to the Pop Troll.
He only gave a thumbs-up. The song was going smoothly so far!
Branch huffed a little, coming closer to his two brothers. Sure, John and Bruce were now mushy together, but it was only a matter of time.
That started to change a little when the two suddenly pulled Branch into the spotlight, forming a circle together. For a quick moment, John and Bruce briefly slid to the side with Branch in the middle as if it was his time to shine. The audience cheered loudly in response.
For a while, Branch was a deer in headlights. He wasn't a baby anymore. Not wanting to humiliate himself, he immediately joined John and Bruce in their bouncy dance. Copying the same moves, the same arm waves, the same kicks. It suddenly felt different. He didn't know how to describe it, but it felt weird recreating the old choreography as an adult.
As he continued dancing, his uptight frown was softening to one of curious wonder. He wasn't exactly comfortable, but he was self-conscious on his performance. Branch was nailing the moves yet he didn't feel like the kid of the band anymore. No one was expecting him to be that role again. Not even Bruce who changed a lot.
Branch didn't feel like 'Bitty B'. It felt like being himself today. It was nostalgia, but it was the kind that made him feel safe rather than worried about his appearance.
[0:24]
Trollex played a bit with the mixtape instrumental in the background, making a quick disc scratch before it transitioned to a more slick and elegant sound. It gave all three a moment to feel the moment. Seize the moment. Embrace the nostalgic moment. It was also a check on how they felt in their performance.
Branch kept looking back and forth at his two brothers, noticing how quick they were to return to their old roots.
Already lost in the melody, John was digging in the joy without overthinking.
Bruce was back in the role of keeping everyone on track, giving Branch an encouraging smile.
There was no need for perfection, no need for additional decorations. Just like the calm guitar playing in the background, they were already cool with what they had and it was enough.
[0:39]
Finally letting the sensation crash down on him, Branch took the front with his own voice. Loudly as ever, the falsetto of gold broke through his previous silence.
Using it right here felt like a new rediscovery. It felt like an adrenaline shot to everyone, including Branch, to use this voice for the throwback. For those who listened to BroZone before, it was magnificent. It was even worth praising it with John and Bruce more willing to let their youngest brother take the spotlight.
Poppy, in particular, was fangirling at the sight. Squealing away, she immediately lifted up her camera and took a good shot of the brothers making a pose to keep in her scrapbook. She should have brought along a recording camera, but watching them was enough for her to remember the very day when BroZone finally returned!
While handling the instrumental, the now-healthy Trollex smiled as he watched the three brothers take the stage, stealing the spotlight. Hearing their music up close and personal was a surprising delight. Why would John request changes when this song slapped so hard?
Barb watched in silence with a neutral look, slowly understanding the song. Before, she wasn't sure how their songs would go, given John's lack of creative ideas and the fact that Branch hated the 'good old days'. But now she got to listen, those songs didn't sound half bad.
In fact, they sounded different to the typical Pop tunes she knew. Maybe a bit like Kismet, but this melody had its own signature sound that was both cheerful and charming.
She could see why Poppy loved BroZone so much, helped by her boyfriend's presence.
An idea came to mind. She even saw Guy Diamond's mutual smirk. The two nodded before they picked up Poppy and threw her forward near the stage.
The Pop Queen was able to stick the landing, shocked. That grew into overjoy when all three brothers turned to her, reaching their hands to her to join them.
Poppy beamed. Branch grinned, a hidden charismatic side opening up.
And Poppy took his hand, exhilarated.
Without even needing to ask which role in the band she should take, Poppy blended in well with the rest of BroZone, as if she had seamlessly become a member in a night.
The rest of the performance was like a fever dream. No need to question or stop, just pure enjoyment of the melody. There were no flaws made nor any pointed out at all. Only the four-member band dancing along to the funky song.
[End of Song]
With the final note and the final pose, all the Vacay Islanders applauded for the amazing performance. Two shows in a night! And just like Barb's performance, it got them all on their feet, waving their hands wildly.
From the side, Brandy was whooping loudly, hopeful to catch her husband's reaction. The children surrounding her were louder than her, jumping around erratically. However, who could blame them for hearing their father sing his heart out? The panting Bruce saw them and gave a flirty wink. And Brandy exchanged the gesture with a giggle and a blown kiss.
From his side, Trollex roared in triumph. Not only for how well the warm-up turned out to be, but for the shared enjoyment in everyone. Swimming in excitement, he didn't mind giving a high five to the giddy John.
"Ah, yeah!" shouted John. "We still got it!"
Once again, Bruce could enjoy seeing his older brother having the time of his life. It felt simpler before he became a perfectionist when they had nothing to worry about except living in the moment.
"Oh, tell me that didn't feel good!" boasted Bruce.
"It did!" chirped John.
The feeling went the same for Branch, the aftermath leaving him feeling better. Even in near disbelief at how that little performance went! It didn't go wrong like last time!
"And I can't believe I remembered every word and every step!" he said.
Poppy laughed, shaking him by the shoulders. "Looks like your band days aren't behind you, love!"
Bruce was quick to reconsider joining the gang. He wanted to set some conditions for John Dory, but he was in a rush so he didn't have the time to think what he should make John swear by. Eventually, Bruce made John swear that he wouldn't get overboard when preparing for the Perfect Family Harmony.
With that settled, Brandy got everything ready for Bruce. Dropping down a small, bug-sized suitcase, she rested her chin against her palm as she watched her husband check if all the zips were locked and tight. Her position made her look like she was admiring him, which was the case. It was often nice to see Bruce always getting ready for an important quest.
Certain that he was ready, Bruce sighed in relief. He looked over his shoulder to see the others waiting on the table. However, there was one last thing he wanted to address.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked Brandy. "I know we have kind of a lot going on here, but do you think it would be crazy if I were to…"
"Uh, leave me here to manage the restaurant and all these kids so you can go on a musically charged rescue mission with your brothers?" joked Brandy.
The look on Bruce's face nearly made her crack.
"Yeah. That." He shook his head, serious. "Wait, you don't need to say that a second time. I would say-"
"But it'd be crazy if you didn't," said Brandy gently. "You'll never forgive yourself if you don't help your brother. He did a lot for you." When she didn't see the smile on Bruce's face, she decided to add a further tease to make his day. "AND you can cover when I go on my girls' yoga retreat next month. All month."
The understanding did work, given that Bruce's face lit up. His cyan skin glowed at the sound of handling the restaurant next month.
"Is that a challenge?" he said, pumped and daring.
Brandy hummed. "Not really, but let's throw that to the basket. Anyway, not only do you have your clothes in this bag, but also your old puffer vest. I found the one that you bought when we first started dating. Oh, and also some of Rose's bubblegum. They should help you soothe your soul."
At first, Bruce didn't believe her. But when he picked the luggage up, his eyes widened at how HEAVY it was. His days of being the Heartthrob saved him from collapsing from carrying something equivalent to a literal block of gold, but it was clear that his wife overpacked.
"Thanks!" he chirped. "You shouldn't have to do all of that. I would have done it myself."
Brandy chuckled, acting bashful. "OK then, honey. Aaaaaand you should leave now before you get pink eye."
When she pulled down her glasses, it was an ugly sight.
"Save yourself," she whispered with a teasing smile.
Everybody screamed again. "AAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Once again, Bruce wasn't fazed by the gross sight of Brandy sporting bloodshot, dirty eyes. Was he freaked out? No. Was he exasperated? Not even a slight bit. Was he scared? Indeed. In fact, he suddenly became gravely concerned for his wife. If one would look closely, his familial instincts kicking in got every muscle in his body to tense and swell up.
"...Brandy!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Where did you get that from?!"
"Well-"
"Change of plans for you," interrupted Bruce, narrowing his eyes. "I'll call Lenny to take over the restaurant while I'm gone. YOU go straight to the medical bay right now with the kids caught it."
"C'mon, it's not THAT bad," claimed Brandy happily. "Nobody's dying!"
Bruce rolled his eyes at this exaggerated claim. He immediately hopped onto Brandy's shoulder before climbing onto the side of her head.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Brandy, her laid-back attitude falling apart. "Not too close. You'll get it too!"
"You hold still," grunted Bruce, managing to sit on top of her head.
"It's fine!" insisted Brandy stubbornly. "They'll take care of themselves."
Everyone watching was surprised by Bruce's sudden willingness to get close. Barb, Trollex and Guy Diamond knew that Bruce had this strange immunity to pink eye since it hit last time. That said, he was really daring to come close to the infected eyes. As he pushed the sunglasses away, he inspected his wife's sore eyes.
There were red veins visible in the white sclera an d crust dusting her eyelashes. They didn't seem to be growing worse, but Bruce wasn't gonna let Brandy risk her eyesight.
Bruce's voice was harsh and authoritative. The concern on his face validated how upset he sounded. "When did you get it?"
"This morning." Brandy shook her head, waving her hands in protest. "Well, I-I'm OK, I didn't know it would be that bad. Sure, my eyes were sore, but I didn't need a minute or two to rest…"
When Brandy trailed off, not having another example to reinforce why she should be fine, Bruce sighed and gave a gentle kiss on her large forehead.
"You're just gonna worsen it," he said quietly but firmly. "I suggest you take a week of rest. My eyedrop is back in our room, so use that to lessen the swelling."
"You don't need to lecture me as well. I know what I'm doing."
"Sure," said Bruce, hanging upset down so that Brandy's eyes were directly pointed at him. "But I don't want you to get yourself hurt while I'm gone. And it's not funny. I'm not gonna laugh if you hurt yourself on purpose."
Brandy sighed, close to whining. "Alright! Alright, dear. And what if it's-?"
"Harmless?" finished Bruce.
"Oh, you know me…" cooed Brandy lovingly.
"Cause I know how you would act," followed Bruce with a short smile."Still, it's best that you give your eyes a rest. If I go and you do the work, then it's not fair for you. Just don't do anything bad, please…"
If Bruce weren't begging for his wife to not do anything stupid, then nobody would see it as so. Brandy, for her merit, was a little surprised by her husband's pleading. He was also getting a bit emotional since his eyes were becoming glossy, close to tearing up. With that, Brandy decided to drop the banter for once and take the pink eyes seriously.
Placing her sunglasses back over her eyes, Brandy smiled in hopes that she looked beautiful like this. "Aww, what did I do to deserve you?"
When she could see that Bruce was comfortable to hold close, she picked up Bruce gently in her hands and planted a kiss on his cheek. The smaller Pop Troll was starting to smile again, blushing. This told him that she would be looking out for her eyes while he was away. And to Brandy, it told her that he was more than willing to give her workaholic head a break.
"You worrywart," she quipped in a lovey-dovey voice.
"You nasty devil," complimented Bruce back, giving a kiss on Brandy's cheek.
From the side, Trollex and Barb exchanged gladdened grins with one another. They even glanced at Guy Diamond who was admiring the scene. For them, they didn't need to say any words. This sight was enough to tell them of the happiness Bruce was able to find on this island.
Per usual, Poppy was fawning at the beautiful moment. True love at its finest! As hearts spawned over her head, she took a look at Branch standing nearby. There was the soft, tender gaze again. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't scowling. Judging by the look in his eye, there was some deep, considerate thought. Poppy couldn't help giggling to herself. Maybe this would give hope to Branch about his family!
Tiny Diamond, still seeking love, tried learning from this moment. A husband encouraged his lady to stand down from work for once until she was healthy enough to run again. And earlier, the wife helped her husband prepare for their mission.
It was quite different to the headbutting, the long kissing or the inseparable hugs he knew from couples. To see Bruce voicing his concern for Brandy's health felt quite new. And it felt really…nice!
"Yo, Daddy!" asked Tiny, rubbing his father's chin. "Is this what true love looks like?"
Guy Diamond hummed in a high pitch. He would be lying if he said he did know what true love was, but the sweet moment between Bruce and Brandy was something he should teach his son.
"Why yes!" said Guy. "You guessed correctly."
Close to him, the envious John Dory was indifferent. "I was expecting more bickering from them."
"Bickering doesn't exactly define love," said Guy blissfully. "You just need them to understand one another. Poppy and Branch are a good example if looking to develop a blossoming relationship."
Well, that was one way to put it for Tiny Diamond. He nodded, surprised. "Ooh, yeah. I wish I had a wise wife like his! Keeping it mellow between us."
"Fine," said John Dory flatly. "It's cool. Wise guys always win."
"Man, you know that you would attract a lot of women if you came back to Pop Village with that hunky body."
That coming from a child's mouth was enough to rattle John Dory.
John was stupefied, stuttering. "Um…I-I'm not exactly a…p-people person?"
Thankfully, he didn't need to explain when Bruce finished giving Brandy clear instructions. The former Heartthrob hopped off and made his way to the rest of the Trolls waiting.
"Be safe too, dear!" called Brandy sweetly. "And get back Floyd!"
"YOU be safe," reminded Bruce. "Daddy's got this."
And to give Bruce one last headache, one of his kids peeked up from the table.
"Daddy! Daddy! Can I go surfing in the vol-?"
"No suicide missions or I'm selling your toys," said Bruce robotically.
AN: I think I put more effort into the 'Sunburn' musical number than the 'BroZone's Back' musical number. Sorry, guys…
For now on, I'll just call Spruce 'Bruce' to be consistent. Anyway, I'm glad that I'm able to bring him into the plot. While I wish I'd done more for his reactions towards Queen Barb and King Trollex here, it feels satisfying to explore his character. To make him stand out, I was consistent with what the Vacay Islanders knew about in the last chapter. I even made sure that his behavior around Branch was slightly different, hence him being a bit more respectful.
Just like in Chapter 3, we get a moment here where one of the film's jokes gets turned around to become a wholesome moment. I feel like Brandy's joke about going on yoga retreat and telling Bruce to flee from the pink eye destroys the purpose of them in a loving relationship and makes them look like burdens, even for the sake of comedy. So, I decided to expand on this and the love between Bruce and Brandy is more prominent here. Not only do I want them to be in a healthy relationship (as Tiny Diamond should learn) but I also want them to be equals in their restaurant work.
I'll admit, I only came up with the idea lately this month, but Floyd did alert Bruce about his whereabouts as well! Surprise! And you might notice some foreshadowing in the story, not like I'm gonna spoil it for you. :3
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.
Until next time, keep on rocking!