Branch was sitting in his bunker adding the finishing touches onto the 'Trolladelic' tape, when a knock came to his door, "Poppy if that's you, No, I don't have any tape" he answered. "Branch, it's Peppy...can I talk to you?" Peppy called...or supposedly it was. "Uh, yeah sure thing" Branch said as he went to open up the door. Branch peeked his head out from his door "What do ya need your majest-", "GRAB HIM!" Suddenly, Branch was lifted up and into the trees by two rock trolls. "HAHA! WE GOT HIM!" One cried.
"W-what's going on?" Branch cried, only to be met with a dagger to his face, "Don't worry, Baron, you're in our care now!" Riff said, pulling the dagger away. Branch blinked at the name, "H-how did you...no-ones called me that in years", "Oh trust me...we know" From the shadows of the trees came the figure of Thrash, he held a small red bandanna in his hand, "Recognize this?" Thrash asked. Branch stared at the bandanna, "Yeah? That's my old bandanna from when I was- Wait! HOW DO YOU HAVE MY BANDANNA?! AND WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?" He screamed.
Thrash helped Branch up and put a hand on his shoulder, "Branch" he started, "You're a rock troll!", "WHAT!? NO I'M NOT! I'M A POP TROLL! ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE!" Branch yelled, Thrash put a hand up. "Look, you're a mix between the both, your Mother was a Pop troll and your Father was my childhood friend, a Rock troll named Robbie. Point is, you are one of us, maybe not a full rock troll but you still are one."
Branch groaned, "So what? You want me to join you?"
"Maybe" Thrash said, beginning to circle Branch, "I mean, have you seen how your leader treats you? She's awfully hotheaded"
"That's just the stress getting to her"
"And how mad she was when you offered to play alongside a different troll"
"Well I mean-"
"Also, her big, over the top ideas! I mean does she even think before she blurts them out?"
"No...b-but that doesn't mean-"
"Face it Branch, she's not just a horrible leader...she's a horrible friend, especially to you" Thrash said, leaning back against the tree trunk, "But...come with us? We can give you things you would never get here, appreciation for your ideas, a whole collection of traps, and brownies", "YUUUMMM!!" Riff said in Branch's ear. "Branch, you are basically everything that defines a Rock troll" Thrash said before he began to pluck at his strings gently.
That's the price you pay
Leave behind your heartache, cast away
Just another product of today
Rather be the hunter than the prey
And you're standing on the edge, face-up
Cause you're a Natural
A beating heart of stone
You gotta be so cold
To make it in this world
Yeah, you're a natural
Living your life cutthroat
You gotta be so cold
Yeah, you're a natural
Thrash then hoisted himself upwards, the rest of the Rock trolls doing the same. "I know you're a very hard troll to persuade but...I'll let you think it over, come talk to me if you ever get your head on right." With that, he and the Rock trolls disappeared into the trees, leaving Branch all by himself.
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Meanwhile, the Leaders had discussed their songs with their tribes and had begun practicing their bits, eventually heading into a rehearsal for the performance. However, they hadn't made it far at all because the Classical trolls were having trouble sorting out their routine.
"No, no, no!" Trollzart said, "I've said how many times, Brass doesn't come in until the strings play their bit, and Pennywhistle, what have I said about playing together? How can you expect to beat Thrash with a tune alone?" He said. Pennywhistle sighed and gave a small huff, turning away from the stage, she silently fluttered off. As she did, she saw Chaz behind the stage, playing his Saxophone. "Heya Chaz" Pennywhistle greeted, Chaz looked up from his saxophone and gave a swift nod, "Wazzup Fairy girl?" he said.
Pennywhistle floated down beside Chaz and sighed dreamily as he continued playing, "You know, you are so lucky to be able to play whatever you want" she said, "I wish I could do that, Trollzart doesn't let me", "Well that's just how you are, we're different, your tribe follow the lines on the paper and I glide between them" Chaz said as he took a breath from his playing.
Pennywhistle groaned, "I know, and I hate it"
Chaz frowned, "I think you're quite lucky to be honest"
"Me? Lucky? H-how am I lucky?"
"Cause you get to play alongside others, you have friends to play with...I'm all alone"
Pennywhistle gasped and covered her mouth, guess she wasn't the one who had the short end of the deal. "Gosh Chaz...I'm sorry, I didn't know that..." she said, Chaz sighed, "Eh, it's alright, I've learned to get used to it...still it would nice to get to play in the orchestra at some point...speaking of, you should probably get back there before everyone notices your gone", "Oh yeah! Well...nice talking to you, see you later!" Pennywhistle called as she flew back to the stage.
As she flew back, however, she saw that no-one was on stage. "Huh? Where did everybody go?" she asked, "Oh, Trollzart got fed up and said for them to take a break" Delta explained, Pennywhistle blinked, "Fed up? He never gets fed up, must be all the stress getting to him" she said. "PENNYWHISTLE!" Trollzart yelled, spotting the little troll, Pennywhistle gulped and slowly made her way towards him. "Um...yes sir?" she quietly spoke, "I...want to apologize for snapping at you earlier, I know you still have a lot to learn and...I guess the stress just got to me, we're one of the last troll tribes who hasn't lost their strings...we have to protect it at all costs and...it's...it's all just..." Trollzart tried to explain before hyperventilating, "Woah, Woah, Woah, Trollzart breathe!" Delta said, trying to calm him down.
"I'm...I'm trying!" Trollzart said, this time he really was panicking, poor Pennywhistle only watched as her leader began to stress more and more, "Penny, sweetheart, um...go...go practice with the other trolls please?" Delta asked, Pennywhistle nodded and flew off. Delta put her hand on Trollzarts back, "Hey, come on now, you're gonna be fine, we promise we ain't gonna let anything happen to you or your string" she said, then she had an idea. "Hey, howz about we practice the blast?" Delta asked.
This caught the attention of the other leaders, all making their way over, "Are you...are you sure?" Trollzart asked, "It...seems a little too early", "Well we don't need to do anything big, just a small piece and give all these folk here a show!" Delta spoke up. "Hey, that doesn't sound half bad" Essence said, Quincy nodded in agreement, "YEAH! LET'S MAKE SOME NOISE!" Trollex yelled.
Trollzart looked down at his baton and nodded, "Alright, let's do it then!" he said, he swung his Baton around, conducting the group. Quincy started off with a bass note, then Trollex came in an octave higher, then Trollzart, then Essence, and then Delta. From them came bright lights of their tribes signature colors, they floated in the air and formed a ball of white light that glowed brighter as they sung. Just then, Barb walked by playing a little tune on her guitar, she caught a glimpse at the blast being formed and stared in awe at it, "WOAH! SICK!" she yelled, interrupting the other leaders from their song. As they stopped singing, the ball of light faded away.
"Whoops! Sorry" Barb said, rubbing the back of her neck, "But that was pretty cool what you were doing!", "Well thank you...hey why don't you sing with us?" Delta asked, the other leaders talking in agreement, Barb blinked, "Oh...I don't know...I mean I-", "Come on!" Delta said, "You never know unless you try!" Barb looked at the other leaders and back at Delta, she gave a small smile and nodded, "Okay then, I'll give it a go...LET'S SING!" she yelled.
Trollzart waved his baton about and Quincy started off once again, the others gradually coming in.
(Delta)
There's something in the air tonight.
It's taking over and hitting just right.
And oh, oh, oh. Don't it feel good?
(Barb)
Yeah, we're singing this simple song.
and if we do it right they'll all sing along.
And oh, oh, oh. Don't it feel good?
(Essence)
Any time life is getting me down,
Just a little tune can turn it all around.
You know I wouldn't change a single thing if I could,
(ALL)
Yeah if I could
(Essence)
And don't it feel good?
Oh, don't it feel good? Yeah.
As they sung, their lights began to shine and form once again. The group soon began to dance around the village. Meanwhile, Thrash and his trolls sat hidden in the treetops, "Remember, grab that string off of Trollzart the minute he flies up here!" he ordered, "Got it dad" Riff saluted.
(Trollzart)
You know everybody's got the groove,
when you see the crowds all start to move.
Oh, oh, oh, and don't it feel good?
(ALL)
Don't it feel good? Don't it feel good?
(Trollex)
Yeaaaah.
Hey, now we're gonna drop the beat,
and the harmony's sounding so sweet.
Oh, oh, oh. Don't it feel good?
(ALL)
Don't it feel good? Don't it feel good?
(Barb)
Any time life is getting you down,
Hum a little tune and turn it all around.
You'll end up smiling I know that would.
(ALL)
You know you would
(Quincy)
Hey, don't it feel good?
All the trolls had soon begun to party with their leaders, all smiling and laughing. Barb laughed as she danced with Delta, "This is great!" she said, "Yeah it is!" Delta replied. Trollzart soon floated up near the trees to dance, Riff gently reached his hand out from the leaves and quietly snatched the string from out of Trollzarts hair. Suddenly, he heard a familiar laugh, he looked down and gasped at the sight of Barb dancing with the other trolls, "Barb?" he yelled, he covered his mouth quickly at his outburst. Trollzart turned around and saw Riff behind him, with the string in hand, "HEY!" Trollzart yelled, catching the attention of all the other trolls, Riff disappeared into the trees and ran off. "GET BACK HERE!" Trollzart yelled, Trollex swam up to the top of the waterfall and saw Riff running off with the other rock trolls, "THE ROCK TROLLS!!" he screamed, "THEY GOT THE CLASSICAL STRING!!", "GET THEM!!" Delta yelled, the leaders all running up the cliff and following the Rock trolls, Barb sat back and watched as they all ran off, unsure of what to do, but she could feel the ice-cold glares of the other trolls piercing into her, "Oh geez" she murmured to herself.
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"DAD! BARB IS WITH THEM!"
"WHAT!?" Thrash yelled as Riff handed him the string, "That treacherous little rat!" he murmured to himself. Suddenly the sound of running soon reached them, "THRASH!" Delta yelled, the other trolls soon catching up. Thrash gave a wicked smile as he grabbed his guitar, "Well, Well, Well, if it isn't my old friends..." he began, Quincy whipped his hair out again and growled, "Give it back Thrash, give the string back and all the other ones as well!", "Psh, Quincy you mustn't expect me to be that daft, as if I'm gonna do that" Thrash evilly chuckled.
"What do you even want with them anyways?" Trollex asked, Thrash groaned, he threw his guitar aside and took off his hood. "Because...no one let me share my music, you all neglected me...so if I can't hare my music...then nobody can" Thrash explained. All the leaders looked at him in shock, "Look...Thrash if this is all that it's about then we're sorry, but you don't need to be going this far" Delta said, "Why don't we just...forget about this and start over?", "...That actually sounds quite nice" Thrash said.
Delta blinked, "Really?"
"No!"
Thrash let out a riff on his guitar and blasted all the leaders back, "THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT REVENGE FOR ME! IT'S ABOUT REVENGE. FOR. HER!!" he screamed, Essence slowly got up from the blast, "Her?...what do you mean?" she asked as Quincy helped her up. Thrash just rolled his eyes, he clicked his fingers and demanded the Rock trolls to move out, they all ran away into the forest, leaving the other trolls behind.
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"I can't believe he got away," Delta said as the trolls walked back to the village, "What did he mean by her?", "Maybe he was talking about Barb?" Quincy said, just then Trollex gasped, "No...he's talking about Melody." The group all looked at Trollex with wide eyes, "M-Melody?" Essence asked, "He's still on about that?" Quincy added, "That must be it, there really isn't any other explanation," Trollex said, "Oh dear" Trollzart said, holding his head.
Delta pat his back, "Don't worry Trollzart, we'll fix all of this" she said, but brought her hand to her chest when she saw him hold his stomach in pain. "No..n-no it's not that it's...argh! I feel so...so weak" Trollzart groaned, "Oh no...he's going grey!" Delta yelled, "We gotta get back to the village now!", "Hurry up! Let's go!" Trollex said as he swam ahead, the other leaders following close behind.