The Trolls had never seen a place like this before. At the heart of the island was a giant sandcastle, complete with a waterslide. The Pop Trolls followed Synth to a beach where some of the towering locals were playing volleyball with beach ball birds, others were relaxing in the water or in lawn chairs, and a nearby band was playing relaxing tropical rock music.
When you're on a holiday
You can't find the words to say
On an island in the sun
We'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine
I can't control my brain
At that moment, a pair of beach ball birds flew up to the Trolls and one of them plucked a fruity drink from a palm tree and handed it to Poppy.
She call me Mr Boombastic
Tell me fantastic
Touch me on me back
She say I'm Mr Ro... Ro...
“Okay, Synth," Willow said, ruining the moment. “What are you trying to pull?"
“Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willow?" Synth asked.
“I see a bunch of overgrown puppies and blow up birdies, but I don't see Spruce," she pointed out, quite annoyed. “I don't even see any other Trolls!"
During Willow's rant, Synth stared out at the horizon and saw a tuft of purple hair emerge from the tube of a wave.
Smooth...
With a cheeky smile, Synth looked back at Willow and said, “Sure?"
Willow rolled her eyes and turned around and suddenly, her wide eyes widened further as she and the rest of the group noticed a very handsome, middle-aged Pop Troll wearing white board shorts, a black and white flower vest, and a cowry shell necklace riding a wave on a surfboard. His big, purple hair was swept back to resemble a sail. The straw from Poppy's drink hung from her mouth as her jaw dropped at the sight of him.
Sailing
Takes me away
To where I've always heard it could be
“Pwetty..." Flower said, mesmerized by the Troll, as well as his singing voice. While he was certainly attractive, Poppy, just to be sure, took a peek at the cover of an issue of Trolls Beat magazine that featured a picture of Spruce, rubbing a hand against his muscular physique.
“Heartthrob?" she muttered before looking back at the surfer. He was a lot rounder than the Troll in the photo, but after one look in his shimmering sapphire eyes, Poppy knew it was Spruce.
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon, I will be free...
“Oh, yeah. I totally see it," Poppy said as the boys followed Spruce into a restaurant with a light-up sign that read “Bruce & Sons" and a smaller sign underneath that read “& One Daughter." Willow paused for a moment, however, and took out her tape recorder.
“Note to self: Apologize to Branch."
💚🩵💜🩵💛🩵🩷🩵💙🩵
“Cannonball!" a Vacaytioner shouted as he jumped into the restaurant's indoor pool, nearly stepping on the Trolls on his way there.
“Yo! Watch it, Kyle!" Synth laughed, not bothered at all. The place was full of people dining, swimming, and floating on pool rings while Spruce made his way through the crowd with a pen and notepad.
“Running drinks to the back, two top!" Spruce said to a server as he made his way down a sandy path. “Hey, Lenny! Seaweed floats are almost out!"
“Thanks, boss!" Lenny replied with a drink in his hand.
“Hey, yo, Spruce! Spruce, hey!" John Dory hollered, attempting to get his attention, only to have a menu thrown into his face. Willow pulled it away to get good look for herself.
“Specials are on the back! Don't order the clams, don't ask why!" Spruce replied, and continued on his way to the kitchen. “Fricassee squid and one jellyfish slider!"
“Spruce, wait!" Branch yelled as they continued after him.
“Is there anything vegan on this menu?!" Willow asked, more interested in getting lunch than meeting Spruce.
“Ooh! Try the meh-meh-meh-meh mango poppers!" Synth suggested with a shout, causing Spruce to stop in his tracks.
“I recognize those ‘meh-meh-mehs!'" he realized, his back still turned, as Synth ran up to him. “Synth, my man!"
“Yo! What up, Bruce?!" Synth exclaimed, giving him a fist bump. “You look amazing, yo!"
“Not stealing anymore hot sauce, are you?"
“Not a drop, sir!" Synth answered.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait, wait!" Willow interrupted, flying up to them. Spruce was a little confused, at first, seeing a Troll with wings. “Synth, did you just call him Bruce?"
Synth nodded. “What else would I be calling him?"
“We're looking for Spruce!" Willow reminded him, feeling frustrated. Synth just shrugged (in his defense, Spruce and Bruce did sound very similar).
“Oh, no. I knew this would happen one day," Spruce said to himself, and returned his attention to Willow. “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?"
“Oh, trust me, I'm not a fan," Willow assured him with a laugh. “By the way, your niece is in your hair."
“My what?" Spruce asked, but had his question quickly answered when Flower popped her head out from his hair and looked down at his face.
“Hewwo!"
“Oh! Hi!" Spruce said with a smile, carefully helping her down and into his arms. “Say, you look a lot like..."
“Spruce, it's us!" John Dory said. “It's your brothers!"
“Like one of them?" Willow asked as Synth took Flower away before Spruce turned around to face his bros, accidentally knocking Willow over with his big hair. “Ow."
“Whoa, ho, ho, ho!" Spruce chuckled, and ran straight past John Dory. “Bitty B?!"
“What?" John Dory muttered, feeling hurt as Spruce tossed Branch up and down, much to his chagrin.
“No tossing, okay?" Branch said angrily. “Too big to be tossed!"
“The last time I saw you, you were in diapers!"
“Diapers... Right," Branch grumbled.
“Wet willy!" Spruce shouted after licking his finger, sticking it in Branch's ear.
“Ack! Stop it! That's disgusting!" Branch groaned, pushing his brother away and wiping his ear. “I am a grown-up!"
“Oh, sorry," Spruce said, and held his finger up again. “A wet william."
“Uh, you're gonna lose that hand, bub," Willow warned, briefly using her telekinesis to hold Spruce back.
Spruce just chuckled at the teen as she let him go. “What did you say your name was again?"
“I didn't," she pointed out with clenched teeth.
“This is Willow," Synth introduced, gently putting Flower down. “We're the best of friends!"
“Not now, Synth."
“You has to meet Mommy!" Flower said, running up to the pink-haired queen.
“Hi, Spruce, I'm Poppy!" she greeted, feeling rather flustered. “Wow! It's like... It's so cool to meet you, or whatever..."
“I will never understand people attracted to the opposite sex," Willow muttered.
“Um, this is Tiny Diamond..." Poppy introduced, only to find him gone!
“Hey! What's up?" Tiny shouted, the group suddenly found him on a relaxing Vacaytioner's belly next to a giant bowl of nachos. “Killer nachos you got here, by the way! Yeah!"
“Alright!" the customer said as Tiny dove into the cheese.
“And you've met my daughter, Flower," Branch pointed out as Spruce picked her up and tickled her nose. “Yeah, that's right. I made her. With Poppy. About two years ago. So..."
“Branch, we get it," Willow said.
“I didn't think there'd be a smaller version of you," Spruce chuckled as Flower played with his shell necklace.
“And yet, here, she is," Branch groaned, still annoyed that his brothers still saw him as the baby of the family.
Even after he had a baby of his own.
Next chapter, we find out that Branch isn't the only father in the fam.
Speaking of which, if you hadn't already, check out my other fic, She Is The Sea, if you want more of Spruce/Bruce and his very tall soulmate. I love them almost as much as Broppy. Almost.
Until next time. 🌈