As their bubbles floated through a tube, the group looked around the spaceship to see a bustling metropolis with brightly colored buildings shaped like funky musical instruments. Neon lights shined everywhere as furry, long-necked Trolls traveled either by bubble or hovering record. Poppy noticed a group of them performing together, and two of them looked oddly familiar. One had blue hair and wore a gold crown and silver dress, and the Troll she sang with had multicolored hair, a turquoise beard and wore a gold cape and glasses. They must've been the rulers of the Funk Trolls.
The tube took the gang to a sleek observation room with a floor that looked like a lava lamp. Poppy and Flower's bubble popped as they were seated on a squishy beanbag. The guys' bubble popped too soon, however, causing Hickory to crash into his chair, and Branch bounced off his and landed flat on his back with his legs straight up in the air.
Now I know how Willow feels, he thought, and struggled to get up. Whenever this happened to Willow, she would just use her arms to spring herself upwards, a skill Branch didn't possess.
“Welcome to Vibe City," a voice greeted. “You are cordial guests of Prince Cooper."
Poppy and Branch noticed a Funk Troll standing in front of them. Apart from his hairstyle and golden earring, he looked just like...
“Cooper?!" Poppy exclaimed. “What are you doing here?"
“Actually, I'm over here!" Cooper replied as the other Troll laughed. They turned to find the real Cooper, with his green cap, on the other side of the room!
“Mommy, there's two Coupons!" Flower said in surprise.
Poppy did a double take, she couldn't believe her eyes. “What?!"
“Bacon-wrapped hot dogs!" Hickory shouted in shock.
“Okay, maybe all the jazz hasn't left my brain yet," Branch said, hitting the side of his head as the music poured out of his ears.
“It turns out I'm actually from Vibe City," Cooper revealed, “just like my twin brother!"
“I'm Prince D, what's poppin'?" Cooper's twin greeted as they bumped each other's shoulders.
“I got a twin brother!" Cooper happily whispered to his friends.
“How is this possible?" Poppy asked.
“Well, it's a very complicated story," Cooper began. “When we were both babies, my egg got snatched out of the nest. Mom and Dad looked everywhere, but they couldn't find me, so you guys raised me as one of your own. And then when I went out to go find other Trolls like me, my mom and dad finally found me! I guess it wasn't too complicated."
Prince D smiled. After all these years, his long-lost brother was finally home. The two Trolls Poppy saw singing together entered the room.
“Poppy," Cooper said, “I want you to meet the King and Queen of Funk!"
“King Quincy and Queen Essence," Prince D introduced for them.
“My mom and dad!" Cooper said excitedly as Queen Essence kissed his cheek. “Aw!"
“Wow, Cooper, you look just like your dad!" Poppy pointed out.
“Yeah, that must be why he's so good-looking," King Quincy said, giving Prince D a high five.
“Was that a dad joke?" Cooper gasped. “It was lame!"
Flower smiled as the royal family laughed together. Something about them reminded the princess of her and her parents.
“Whoa, so that means you're a Funk Troll?" Poppy asked.
“You don't have to be just one thing," Cooper explained. “I'm Pop and Funk."
“Or maybe you're Hip Hop, like me!" Prince D added. Poppy was confused, the only Hip Hop Troll she knew was Tiny Diamond. She pulled out the map to see if there was anything about Hip Hop Trolls. “Yeah, I think your map is a bit outdated."
“Oh, he's right," Branch pointed out. “Look at that, it still has Disco."
“Well, Your Majesties, we need your help to save all music from Queen Barb," Poppy proposed eagerly. “If we combine our music, she'll see that music unites all Trolls, and that we're all the same, and that she's one of us!"
Branch noticed the nervous expressions on the king and queen's faces, and had a feeling this wasn't going to go the way Poppy had hoped.
“Poppy, I mean no disrespect, but king to queen, anything but that," King Quincy pleaded.
Poppy was confused. “Why not?"
🖤☠️🖤🌺🖤☠️🖤🌺🖤☠️🖤🌺
King Quincy and Queen Essence agreed that after everything she did for their son, Poppy and her friends deserved to know the truth.
“Let's tell 'em how it was, Prince D," King Quincy told his son as the Royal Funk Family led them to Vibe City's Hall of Records, which held some of their greatest hits. There were shelves full of old-fashioned records, and at the center was a bubble that held a bass guitar strung with the purple Funk string.
“Sick," Prince D agreed. Any friend of his brother's was a friend of his. “Long ago, our world was without song or dance. Then the Trolls found the strings, and life was one big party."
“Oh, yeah," Poppy said as they looked at the Funk string. “I-I've heard the story before."
“Good stowy," Flower added.
“That is... until the Pop Trolls tried to steal our strings," Prince D revealed, much to the surprise of Poppy and her friends.
“Steal your strings?" Poppy repeated, confused. “That-That's not what it said in our scrapbooks."
“Scrapbooks? Those are cut out, glued, and glittered by the winners," Prince D said. “Let me tell you how it really went down."
To help Poppy understand, Prince D turned on a record player, pulled a record out of its case, put it in the player, and rapped to the music as Poppy looked at the artwork on the cover, which revealed everything.
We started off a team
Party 'til we fall asleep
Even on the street, when we disagreed
We did it on beat (did it on beat)
Respect the unique (right), anything less if it was weak
The music of the strings made life complete (facts)
'Til that one day that changed everything
The Pop Trolls started snatchin' up all of the strings (oh no)
Put the melodies on top of poppy lil' beats
They cut us out of the scene
And then forgot what it really means (not even publish us)
Shoulda seen between all of the scheming
It seems like the Trolls they stole from were meaningless
Walkin' around like they were the geniuses
But it's only samples, autotune and remixes (no, Lord)
I'm a vegan, I don't have no beef with them (no, Lord)
Gotta protect my kingdom
But the dream is to sing again (yes, yes)
Being friends, seamless blend
Harmony ain't hard when the keys within you win
As Poppy's eyes widened, Prince D took Flower's hand and she happily danced with the Funk Trolls as they sang together.
First, it was all love (at first, it was all love)
Hands up, superstar love (stars up)
That you can have it, you can have it all, love (and you can get it how you want)
But then you took it, took it all, love, all, love (they took it all)
Turn it up louder (turn the music up louder)
Sing along, get the crowd up (get the crowd up, come on)
But then you took it all, love (took it all, love)
Then forgot all about us (oh), but it's all love
I feel you
Sounds good in my ear when I hear it like that
I feel you
I say I look good to the mirror and it says it right back
I feel you
A little love wouldn't kill you
You really did me wrong, it was real cruel (it was real cruel)
Had a lot of love and I still do, 'cause I feel you
Poppy couldn't believe what she was hearing. All of these years of division, separation, and isolation... were caused by her ancestors!
Next morning, the elders were on it (man)
They saw the warning signs, couldn't ignore it (look)
Had to figure out how to save the way of life they had made
So they made a play
The Pop Trolls were comin' for it all
All for one and one for all
So the only way we saw, how we saw it
It was one thing left to be done (what?)
Each leader grabbed a single string and said, "Run!"
“And the Trolls never lived in harmony again," King Quincy concluded.
“We're sowwy," Flower said sadly.
“It's okay, kid," Prince D assured her. “You didn't do anything wrong."
“So the Trolls live in isolation because of what Pop did?" Poppy asked in disbelief.
Queen Essence nodded. “Pop tried to destroy our music."
“Just like Barb is trying to do," Branch said.
“I can make it right," Poppy insisted. “History's just gonna keep repeating itself until we make everyone realize that we're all the same!"
“But we're not all the same," King Quincy disagreed.
“It's why all our strings are different," Queen Essence explained. “Because they reflect our different music."
King Quincy nodded. “Denying our differences is denying the truth of who we are."
“I hadn't thought of it like that," Poppy admitted, taking this all in. Suddenly, they heard loud sirens go off as the Funk string was sealed up by the security system!
“Rock had arrived! It's on!" Prince D shouted in alarm.
“Prepare for battle!" King Quincy ordered.
With that, all of the Funk Trolls of Vibe City prepared their battle stations, grabbing their instruments. Prince D rode a hovercraft that let out electric beats as he scratched the records on it.
“Assemble the crew!" Queen Essence commanded, blowing a large horn.
While the rest of the Funk Trolls were preparing themselves for Barb's attack, Cooper led his friends to a giant electric keyboard. Flower, who had trouble keeping up, slipped and fell down.
“I gotcha, Flower!" Hickory shouted, running back to grab her and caught up with the others.
“I'm gonna make sure you get to safety!" Cooper assured them, playing music on the keyboard. The four Trolls found themselves caught in bubbles again, and floated away from Cooper.
“No, Cooper!" Poppy pleaded. “Let me help you!"
But Poppy's cries were pointless. They found themselves sent away from Vibe City as everything turned dark.
“Are you kidding me?!" Prince D groaned. Outside the spaceship, Riff had flown in on his motorbug and cut off the Funk Trolls' power supply with a mischievous giggle.
“Hard Rock cut the power!" Queen Essence announced.
“They're fighting dirty!" Prince D said in frustration. The Funk Trolls began panicking, not sure what to do.
Meanwhile, Poppy and Branch were shot out of the spaceship in one bubble, and Flower and Hickory in the other. The bubbles bounced off one another and flew off in different directions!
“Flower! Hickory!" Poppy shouted anxiously.
“Mommy! Daddy!" Flower cried.
“Don't worry!" Hickory assured them. “We'll find you guys!"
“Uh... Poppy?" Branch warned, looking in the other direction. Both Trolls noticed Barb's armada flying in on their Angler Buses, headed straight to Vibe City. The largest of them stuck out it's tongue as Barb and Ash stood on the tip of it.
“Rock on!" Barb shouted, not noticing the two Pop Trolls as one of the smaller buses knocked them away with its wings.
As they flew further away, Poppy and Branch could only watch as Vibe City was attacked by Barb's Rock Army...
Our differences aren't a bad thing, but you can't just ignore them either.
Next chapter gets a little emotional, I gotta warn ya (I think you already know what happens in one part of it).
Until next time. 🌈