So, like I said, to make things up from my lost time, I have to publish the remaining chapter right away.
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The next day, the Harmony Notes were rehearsing for the finals, and this should be their one shot to save their tribe from the Siren Trolls and break their spell.
"Check, one, two. Testing, testing..." Barb tested the microphone to check if it works. Aggie turned the volume up that connected that mic.
"Testing...!" Barb tested the mic one more time, but her voice through the speakers became louder.
The Harmony Notes covered their ears when the heard the microphone feedback. Aggie turned the volume down before their ears might explode.
"This does not make any sense. Does not anybody else think it is strange that we are the ones that made it to the finals?" Trollzart said suspiciously.
"Very strange, indeed," Serina answered as the Siren Trolls appears from the bushes with smirks on their faces.
The Harmony Notes and Aggie were dissatisfied to see them.
"What are you doing here? Don't you girls have to rehearse for the finals?" Barb growled.
"Oh, we don't need rehearse when we are already amazing," Kiri fiddled her fingers playfully.
"We won't let you to this to anyone!" Poppy shouted.
"We're not going to let you take our tribe for your power!" Trollex snarled.
But Serina laughed in respond, "Oh, please, Your Majesties, we never wanted your tribe. We actually want something more."
"What do you mean?" Branch asked.
"Oh, we'll never tell," Kiri replied, "In fact, when we get what we want, we're on the top, and you're..." Suddenly, a trap door opened below the Harmony Notes and Aggie as they fell down into it, "On the bottom."
The Harmony Notes and Aggie groaned in pain from the fall as they are able to look up at the opening trap door to see the Siren Trolls smiling evilly at them.
"I like your little toy!" Vivace showed a blue remote in her hand.
"Gary!" Branch cried for his favorite remote.
"Oh, it has a name. Well, I should keep it for a while. You can have it when we're done," Vivace giggled.
"See you never!" Serina waved as Vivace pushed a button to close the trap door. Serina then chuckled, "Told you we would give them a shove."
"We didn't shove them. I pushed the button, and the trap door open." Vivace corrected.
"Go back to sleep, Vivace," Kiri groaned.
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Later at night, the trolls gathered at the center of Pop Village to watch the Battle of the Bands finals. The Siren Trolls were at the backstage, waiting for something they need for their number.
Meanwhile, the Harmony Notes and Aggie were still trapped in the underground trap, trying to think of a way out. Delta dawn tried to kick the trap door open with her hind legs, but it was no use.
"Give it up, Delta. You've been trying at this for hours. It's not gonna open," Barb replied as Delta made a scowl look on the door.
But Poppy then replied sadly, "Maybe it doesn't even matter that we're trapped down here. I don't think our music would have worked anyway.
Branch them comforted her, "Of course they would have worked, Poppy. Assuming a certain band member should've cooperate what we're trying to play," he turned to Barb.
"Hey! If you wanna tell Poppy she's getting a little too caught up trying to be the leader of this band, you don't have to be all cryptic about it," Barb answered back.
"She was talking about you, Barb!" Essence gritted through her teeth.
"Me?! I'm just trying to make sure my band rocks as hard as it needs," the queen of Rock explained.
"Your band?! It's not just your band! WE started the band! WE play together! You're not the only band member here!" Quincy started to yell.
"We shouldn't be traypped in hair ifin' this undergroun' trayp wouldn't be so tightly sealed," Delta mocked about the trap.
"Hey, I made this trap for the safety of my home!" Branch talked back, "And my son is still out there, feeling helpless!"
"This isn't all about your STUPID remote, Branch!" Poppy insulted about her boyfriend's remote.
"GARY IS NOT STUPID!"
"It might've bee-yn yo-wr idea to stop thuh Siren Trolls by formin' a band, but it's not just yo-wr band, Barb!" Delta spoke to the Queen of Rock.
Barb then snapped, "I'm the one who writes all the songs for the competition!"
"Excuse me!" Trollzart scoffed, "I write songs! I even write the pieces! You just never let us play any of them!"
"Hey! Anybody here remember fun?! I'll give you a hint: It's the exact opposite of being in the Harmony Notes!" Trollex screamed, realizing none of them was having fun in the band.
"I wish I never asked any of you to be in my band!" Barb shouted.
"AY WEYSH AY'D NEVUURR AGREE TA BE IN IT!" Delta raised her voice with her hands on her hips.
"ME NEITHER!" Trollzart and Trollex added.
The Harmony Notes then started to argue, yelling and insulting each other about their roles in the band. Suddenly, green sparkly fog came out of the leaders while they argued. The fog started to float through the small space of the trap door.
Aggie saw how the leaders argue like cats and dogs, or even enemies. She may not see the fog, but she saw how her friends argued just like the other trolls that the Siren Trolls affected with their voice.
Outside, while watching the crowd waiting for their number, the Siren Trolls noticed the green sparkly of negativity scattered all over their feet. When their gem glowed brighter, they realized this is the negative energy they need, and they smiled. It's time for them to start the show.
The lights went on as this caught every troll's attention.
Siren Trolls: Ahh, ah-ah, ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ahh, ah-ah, ah, ah-ah
Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
As they started singing, they absorbed the sparkly green fog into their gems, every last bit of it, as their gems glowed.
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Back in the underground trap, Aggie could hear the Siren Trolls singing, meaning that they are absorbing the leaders' negative energy already. She stared in horror as she realized the Siren Trolls were after the leaders' negativity to use it to make their voices stronger, and take over all Troll Kingdom.
Aggie turned back to her friends, and yelled in panic, "Stop! You have to stop!" She ran between the leaders as they stopped and listened to her, "This is what they've been after all along! They're feeding off your negativity!"
"Hooaah could thay want our negativity?" Delta wondered.
"Because you guys are the direct descendants of the elders, the ones who created the 6 strings," Aggie explained, then groaned in guilt, "And... it must've been me too. You guys weren't affected by the Siren Trolls' spell because since I'm a Magic Musical Troll and I'm immune to brainwashing and stuff, because there was magic that protected you from the spell and I didn't know that. The magic must have been coming from my cape since it contains colors."
"But you said they want OUR negativity combine with your magic. How could we have got this far?" Trollzart questioned.
"Ever since the union of all trolls and you started this band, you've been letting little things get to you. I never said anything 'cause I didn't feel like it was my place. Not when I was so new to this whole 'Master of All Music' thing. I still have a lot to learn what it means to be a leader like you guys. But I do know that if you don't work out even the smallest problems right at the start, this isn't Harmony Notes without real harmony."
The leaders frowned in guilt when they realized they went too far of treating each other since they started the band. It's like the separation of 6 tribes all over again. It's like the World Tour and the unity of the trolls never happened. Even as leaders, they didn't solve their own problem right away, not even a small problem.
"I can't believe all this tension was happening right under our noses and we didn't realize it.," Poppy spoke, "We're supposed to be the one with all the answers because we're the leaders. We should've known this would happen. And all we've done since I we started this band is letting each other down."
Aggie placed her hand on Poppy's shoulder, "I don't think anyone is supposed to have all the answers, not even leaders. But you can count on your friends to help you find them."
Poppy only smiled at Aggie in respond. It's like the Magic Musical Troll already answered the problem.
"Speaking like a true leader," Barb playfully punched Aggie's shoulder, "I wish you could've said that before we got into this situation."
But Aggie's face dropped, "I wanted to, but... I don't think I have the right to tell you that "
This made the Harmony Notes look at her in shock.
"What do you mean?" Branch asked.
"I figured that you guys don't want me to be part of the band because... I'm so different," Aggie rubbed the back of her neck as she explained, "I don't have music, I don't have colors, like you guys."
Delta interrupted, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, who told ya that?"
Aggie just looked down, and didn't speak about who told her.
"Ugh! Those girls, huh?" Trollex guessed.
"They're just messing with your head, Aggie dear. We would never do that to you," Essence told in a calm motherly way.
"Yeah, we could've let you be part of the band if you should've told us," Barb added.
"Why didn't you tell us you feel left out?" Quincy inquired.
"You guys are the leaders. I thought you knew best to save your tribes," Aggie said with her arms behind her back, and rubbed her foot on the floor, "Plus, it's hard to speak up to someone who has higher rank than you... or me."
Essence nodded "Oh, we understand that. But you mustn't know that leaders and people who have higher ranks automatically know best."
"And you shouldn't be ashamed to speak up to us. We're friends," Poppy added.
"We are the ones to be ashamed, not you, Agatha," Trollzart said with a guilty voice as the rest of the trolls hung their heads down.
Aggie looked in confuse, "What do you mean?"
None of them wanted to speak up as they feel so ashamed.
Trollex sighed as he volunteered to confess, "I knew you would feel left out when we didn't make you part of the band, so I told the others, but..."
The Techno Troll couldn't explain further as Quincy continued the explanation, "We just don't want to pressure yourself to help us. Ever since we made you master, you've been taking your job too seriously, but you're too young to do such a thing. We know that being a Master of All Music is a full-time job, like a king or queen... or mayor and sheriff... or a conductor, but you just started to be one. You should be enjoying yourself as a young troll before you can take your responsibility seriously."
Aggie frowned, "I hadn't thought of it like that. I just want you to be proud of me that I enjoy and love all of your music... and I cherish them all."
"We are proud of you, no matter what you did for our music and who you are," Trollex smiled as he lifted Aggie's chin up, "We don't want you to show us so much respect. We're no strangers or dictators. If we are, we're still your friends. You should've treated us as normal trolls like the others."
"I know... but why didn't you tell me this was the real reason you didn't want me in the band?"
"We all figured ya had enough awn yo-wr mind," Delta ruffled her head.
"And we did not want you to think you are a burden to us, because you never were" Trollzart tapped her cheek lightly.
Aggie giggled, "Leaders or not, I know I can always count on all of you to take care of me while I'm away from my own home. And I never ask for more than that," Then she realized what she had said as she removed her cape, and looked down at it, "You know, ever since I moved away and met all of you, I thought finding my music in life and gaining my True Colors is my goal, but I realized I found something more and special than that. When you welcomed me and made me master, I finally realized that what I was looking for was right in front of me all along..., it's you guys. And while I'm at it, I forgot of thinking what would my music is going to be and my colors."
"So, you wouldn't mind you won't get your True Colors sooner?" Trollex asked.
"Absolutely! I don't care if I ever get True Colors as long as I get to hang out with my best friends," Aggie said before noticing Poppy and Branch's Hug Time bracelets bloomed and glowed, "Hug Time!" She exclaimed first as she gathered all of Harmony for a group hug.
"She's an expert!" Poppy laughed proudly.
Branch smiled at Aggie, "I think you already have. Come on! We need to get out of here!"
The Harmony Notes tried to push the trap door up to open, but they failed as they all collapsed back in the floor.
Suddenly, the trap door opened, and a Techno Beat Drop Button fish was seen before them.
"Beat!" the Techno Troll exclaimed happily to see his best friend as he and Beat hugged each other.
"Sorry I took so long. I had to find somebody who wasn't under the sirens' spell to help me get you out," Beat explained as she DJ Suki showed up at the edge of the trap door.
"Gary is in good hands. I found him just right next to the trap door," DJ Suki said, showing Branch's remote.
"Gary! You're alright!" Branch cried happily, until Delta gave him the look, "Parenthood, am I right?"
"DJ! You made it!" Poppy yelled happily to see one of her best friends.
"Why isn't she under their spell?" Trollex wondered.
"Never takes off her headphones." Beat replied.
"I also got some back-up. Come on up!" DJ threw the end of the rope for the leaders and Aggie to come up.
Trollex and Trollzart didn't need the rope as they flew out of the trap door. Trollex willingly carried Aggie out as the other leaders climbed out of the trap with the rope.
As they got up, they were surprised that not only DJ Suki weren't affected by the Siren Trolls' spell, but also there are Biggie with Mr. Dinkles on his arm, Guy Diamond, Tiny Diamond, Satin, Chenille, Smidge, Fuzzbert, Legsly, Cooper, Prince D, Hickory, in his cowboy suit, and Coral Blush.
"Mom! Dad!" the Funk twins rushed to their parents.
"Cooper! Darnell!" the King and Queen and Funk embraced their sons tightly.
"I'm so glad you're both safe!" Essence sobbed happily.
"Wait, how come you Young ones did not get affected?" Trollzart asked.
The Snack Pack, Prince D, Hickory and Coral pulled out gumdrops that were plugged into their ears.
"Gumdrops. Soundproof and delicious," Hickory smirked.
"Yeah," Biggie was about to eat his gumdrops, but Smidge stopped him.
"Don't eat them yet, big guy," she said as Biggie whimpered.
"No wonder Dickory yodeled alone on the stage yesterday," Aggie chuckled, remembering Hickory wasn't there with his brother.
"Come on, y'all! Tahm ta prove we've still done got the chance ta defeat those there Siren Trolls!" Delta exclaimed.
"And there's only one way to do it!" Poppy smiled
"We're getting the band back together?" Trollex guessed excitingly.
"We're getting OUR band back together!" The Rock Troll corrected.
"Yes!"
"Ooh, which song are we going to play?" the Classical Troll inquired.
"I don't think it matters what song we play, as long as we play it together as friends," the Queen of Funk suggested.
"I know just the song," Barb announced as the other trolls thought it's gonna be her songs again, but she placed a hand behind the conductor's back, "Trollzart's written a really great one."
Trollzart was so happy that the song he wrote for the first time will be use.
"But where can we play?" Branch questioned.
Aggie looked around, and spotted a tall hill, thinking it's tall enough to get every troll's attention, "I think I know where."
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Gary appeared in this chapter! Hooray. I don't know if my "hooray" is sarcastic or not, so I think putting Gary there would be fun to add Branch's role.
This scene is also from My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rock, but I add some lines that aren't related from the original reference.
The gumdrops idea is back!
I hope you guys like this chapter!