Chapter Text
There was a full house that night.
We’re talking a really, really full house.
Not only were the residents of Pop Village sitting amongst the Vacay Islander crowd, awaiting the performance, but so were the residents of Putt Putt Village, Volcano Rock City, Lonesome Flats, Vibe City, Techno Reef, and Symphonyville, not to mention a handful of Bergens from Bergen Town - including the King and Queen themselves, Gristle and Bridget. Even with all their differences though - Rock, Country, Funk, Techno, and Classical - the audience had one thing in common: they were all just as equally excited to see the show!
Because watching what was sure to be the world’s most famous boyband (or, at least one of them, if drawn the comparison of Kismet), was a privilege and an honor!
The members of BroZone knew this as well, and that’s why they were taking their time and really preparing for the coming event.
Backstage, the seven trolls were all getting ready. To one side there was the band’s new leader, Branch, going through a list of songs, while his girlfriend Poppy helped as she massaged the tension out of his shoulders.
Branch tapped a pencil to his chin. “So, Poppy…”
Poppy perked to attention. “Hmm?”
He showed her the paper. “How about we start with We All Wanna Want Love And Stuff , and then close with BroZone’s Back ?”
Poppy opened her mouth to answer, but Branch changed his mind about the suggestion and quickly interrupted.
“No, no, no, wait, that wouldn’t sound right, I think. How about we close with We All Wanna Want Love And Stuff , and open with BroZone’s Back ?” But then he changed his mind again . “NO! Nope, actually, how about - “
Poppy rolled her eyes fondly, stooped down to briefly kiss him, and then spoke. “I think either or sounds great.”
Branch grinned. “Alright then. Open with We All Wanna Want Love And Stuff and close with BroZone’s Back it is!” He scribbled it down.
To another side was Bruce and Clay. Two of Bruce’s children - Cove and Rainy - were there too… arguing as to the dances they were showcasing.
“You’ve got it all wrong! ” Cove was shouting to his brother. “You’re supposed to twist your hips first, wave your arms next, and then do a spin, see?” He demonstrated exactly that.
Rainy shook his head. “I’m not trying to do your dance. I’m trying to do this one.” He, too, demonstrated, nearly doing the same exact dance, except spinning first and then twisting his hips last.
Cove wasn’t happy about it, though. “Ugh! Dad! Tell him he’s doing it wrong!” he grumbled.
“No, Dad, tell him that he’s doing it wrong!” Rainy counteracted. Both of the tall children confronted Bruce, who put his hands up and waved them in a calming motion.
“Whoa, whoa, now, kids, I’m gonna tell you this: Both of those dances are supercool. And maybe, if you practice them enough and get good at doin’ ‘em, maybe you could even use ‘em when you dance in your own band one day!”
This made both their eyes light up. “Really?” they said at the same time.
“Really, really,” Bruce confirmed with a wink. “Now, go along and find your mother. Show’s about to start!”
The boys obeyed, hurrying off.
“Wow!” Cove was saying as he went. “A real band! That would be awesome!... But I’m not gonna invite you to be in it!” he teased his brother with a poke to his side.
Rainy stuck his tongue out at him. “Yeah, well, neither am I!”
Bruce put his hands on his hips. “Boooys, ” he called.
“Sorry, Dad!” they called back.
The purple-haired troll shook his head with a fond smile on his face, and turned to find Clay chuckling at the whole ordeal.
Bruce shrugged. “Kids, what can I say? Boys’ll be boys. I know we were.” He nudged Clay, remembering their own rambunctious childhood.
Clay nodded his head. “Yeah. Gotta say, though, you handle ‘em pretty well. If that was me, I woulda been scared they’d pounce on me or something!”
Bruce laughed. “Oh, trust me, they have. Thrown out my back a few times in the process, too. But what can I say? You pick up a thing or two when you’re a father of thirteen. Ah… the joys of parenthood, am I right?”
“Wouldn’t know,” Clay replied. “I’m not a dad, bro. I don’t got any kids.”
“Not now, ” Bruce said slyly, “but you will. Won’tcha?” He gestured out towards the stage curtain, where Clay followed the direction and saw Viva standing there, having drawn the curtain back slightly and peering out at the gathered crowd.
He blushed. “Dude, I’ve only dated Viva for six months.”
“And I dated Brandy for four,” Bruce said, raising an eyebrow at Clay. “Your point?”
Clay sighed. “Look, Bruce, it’s a nice thought. Really. But… is she really ready for that? Am I really ready for that?”
Bruce understood where he was coming from. “I get it, dude. Brandy and I thought the same thing when we started thinking of a family. But look at us now! Parents of - “
“Thirteen,” Clay finished for him with a grin.
Bruce grinned back. “Exactly!” Then he patted Clay on the back and lowered his voice. “And who knows - maybe you’ll be able to say the same thing one day.”
Clay blushed even more. “Bruce!”
His brother laughed, and Clay glanced back over at his girlfriend. He squinted his eyes. Something about her demeanor was off. Her stance was not as firm on the ground, knees bent, and he could swear he saw a tremble in them. Plus, she was twirling the curled end of her golden hair in her index finger - a surefire indicator that she, for whatever reason, was nervous.
And there was an unspoken rule that boyfriends followed when their girlfriends got nervous.
Clay looked at Bruce. “You mind giving me a sec?”
“By all means,” Bruce replied, stepping away.
Clay nodded a thanks and then headed over to join Viva’s side.
Indeed, just as he’d suspected, Viva was nervous.
Her mind was on overdrive, looking out at the gathered spectators and gulping.
Oh hair, oh HAIR.
There were so, so… MANY of them!
Usually, crowds didn’t put the Putt Putting Queen on edge. Being royalty, she had had plenty of shares in which she’d had to address her people or make speeches. This situation shouldn’t have been too different and, in truth, really wasn’t. But at the same time, it sure as heck was.
Her inward fretting was cut short though, when she heard a comforting voice next to her.
“Hey, girl… you doing okay?”
Viva turned, pleased to see her boyfriend, concern shining in his blue eyes. “Hi, Clay,” she said softly. “I’m… a little more okay, now that you’re here…”
He put an arm around her and took her hand with the other. “So what is it that’s troubling you?”
She extended her free hand out at the curtain. “All of… them! ”
“But, Viva, we’ve performed for all of them before,” Clay said, reasoning, “and if I remember correctly, the Rock, Country, Funk, Techno, and Classical Trolls all really loved us.”
“I know,” Viva said, rubbing her arm. “But they were all separate. We went to each of their homes. Now their schedules all matched so that they could all come here at the same time and now they’re… they’re all together! Right there! ” Viva began to pant a little, like she was going to start hyperventilating. “What if they decide they don’t actually like us?” She gulped. “I-I feel like I’m gonna barf. ”
Clay made himself look baffled. “Not like us? Not like you? C’mon, girl, lots of folks like you. I mean… I like you. A LOT. ”
Viva smiled a little when Clay gave her a quick smooch on the cheek. “I know…” she said, but didn’t sound fully convinced.
“Look, them not liking you, that’s as wild as… as me wearing my Funderdrawers again!” Clay exclaimed.
This time, Viva ended up giggling, the image of Clay wearing the sparkly underwear a bit too funny. “Oh wow… that would be pretty silly.”
“Yeah, it would, wouldn’t it?” he chuckled in agreement.
A broad grin broke across her face, and she tugged Clay by the collar of his cardigan to give him a proper kiss. “Thanks. I think I’m ready now.”
“Any time, girl.”
He was about to lean in to kiss her again, lips puckered, when he heard his older brother’s voice.
“Oh-ho-HO! That’s what I call reeeeaaal cute, bro! REEEAAL cute!”
Clay had to prevent himself from rolling his eyes. Right away, he knew this wasn’t Bruce. It was his other older brother, the oldest of their bros John Dory, who, for the longest time, had been the leader of the band. His blue eyes glittered while he watched the couple, rubbing his hands like he was waiting for them to finish closing the gap.
But Clay wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. Thankfully, before he could open his mouth and shoo him off, Floyd, their younger brother, came up by the green-haired troll’s side, and in his gentle manner brought things to light for JD.
“John,” he said softly, “leave them be. They’re trying to have a little, um, privacy. ”
“Yeah, dude,” Bruce agreed, coming up to join them and giving John Dory a look. “Get your own girl and see how you like it when someone with a big, square head interrupts!”
John Dory gasped. “Hey, my head isn’t square!” he said (though it was a moot point, as his very squarish haircut proved). “And besides, having a girl might be fine and all for you guys, but have you know I’m perfectly fine WITHOUT one! Single Pringle for life, baby, WHOO! Ain’t that right, Floyd?” He swung his arm around Floyd for support.
But instead of agreeing, Floyd blushed. “Um, well, John, actually… the thing is…”
“Hey man,” John Dory said, trying to sound serious, “I know you might be a little bit insecure about bein’ a bachelor, but trust me, once ya get past it, you’re gonna find it’s the BEST thing that ever happened to ya!”
“Other than having a girlfriend,” a voice added on to the eldest troll’s point.
The five of them turned to see Branch strolling up to join them, hand-in-hand with Poppy, both beaming and shooting giddy little lovestruck glances at one another.
John Dory’s smirk grew, but he compliantly huddled in with him and the others when Branch gathered them all together in a close circle.
“Now, let’s remember,” he said, “we don’t have to be perfect to be in harmony…”
“... We just have to be together ,” Poppy finished.
It was the same little pep talk each time they were about to go on, but, it was the same each time because it worked . It got the trolls feeling confident, pumped, and ready to get their action on!
Branch stuck his hand out in the middle of their circle, palmside down. “Bro-Time on three,” he said.
The others placed their hands on top - Floyd on Branch’s, John Dory’s on Floyd’s, Bruce’s on John Dory’s, Clay’s on Bruce’s, Viva’s on Clay’s, and Poppy’s on Viva’s.
Branch counted. “One… two… three…!”
Then, all together, the seven shouted “ BRO-TIME!!” as they excitedly threw their hands up in the air. Each of them got into position onstage as they anticipated the curtain about to draw up.
On the other side, Viva could hear the crowd chanting “Bro-Zone! Bro-Zone! BRO-ZONE!” and she could also hear Crimp, the papery-like critter originally from Mount Rageous - who now served as the righthand to King Gristle and Queen Bridget - grab the mike and begin to announce them.
“Ladies and gentleman, you know em’, you love ‘em - give it up for the Trolls Kingdom’s very own… BROZONE!”
The crowd went wild with applause.
Viva hurriedly turned to Clay, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “For good luck?” she explained afterwards.
Clay grinned, and leaned in to deposit his own sweet kiss. “You’re gonna do great out there. And if you start to feel nervous, well… just picture everybody in their undies.”
Viva giggled. “Or their Fundies , in your case.”
His eyes widened and he placed a finger over his lips. “Shhh!”
The giggles between them ceased when the curtain lifted and they were met with the sight of the throngs of trolls, Bergens, and Islanders alike who were enthusiastically making noise for their entry.
And what an entry it was!
The seven of them, all so elegantly posed, drank in the praise and then fell into step for their first song. Worries and strife dissipated from Viva as she let her body get into the rhythm of dancing that she so loved, swinging her hips and gliding her feet, popping and locking and grooving ‘til she felt like she was floating on air. Dancing was much like the techniques of battle that the Putt Putters had so valiantly trained for every day of their lives, when they’d been preparing for a Bergen attack should it ever come (which, was not necessary anymore, thanks to the alliance between Trolls and Bergens). You just had to know when to step, when not to, and how to do it with style. That’s why it was not a wonder why she and Clay were the best of the best when it came to the dancers of their band. This of course was not to snuff the moves of Branch, Poppy, John Dory, Bruce, and Floyd. But even the five of them were well aware of the talent that the Putt Putt couple had and, when much of the portions in their choreography required pure dance, they left that to them.
And Clay and Viva took the task on swimmingly.
The pair were truly a sight to see, prancing and jumping and spinning and flipping and twirling about with such grace . It made the spectators scream with joy, and inspired the band to sing louder and more fervently than before.
The show almost felt like it ended too soon for Viva's liking. By the time they'd wrapped up the final notes of BroZone’s Back , Viva still had plenty of energy in her that was waiting to burst free.
It was just so that the audience disagreed with the show ending early, too.
They all stood on their feet, clapping and hollering. "ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!"
"Encore?" Branch echoed, glancing at his band members. "Well, whattya say? You guys up for one?"
There was no disagreement coming from them.
"Encore? Hair YEAH!" John Dory whooped, making his rounds to high-five Bruce, Floyd, and Poppy.
“See that, V?” Clay asked, “I todja they’d love us!” But when he turned to face her, expecting the same beaming smile he wore to be on her face, too, he was confused when he saw her face twisted in a sort of strange expression, pale and almost sickly.
He paused. “Viva? What’s wro - “
“BLLLLEEEEECCCHHH!”
Before he could finish his sentence, before she’d realized what she’d done, and before Poppy, Branch, and the others had finished celebrating, the golden-haired queen of the Putt Putters had totally and completely hurled… all over Clay’s green-stitched cardigan!
The audience’s cheers all broke off with gasps and exclamations of utter surprise. Clay and Viva’s siblings all stared at the two in shock, jaws dropped and eyes the size of dinner plates while Viva stood and Clay stood there in silence, the former sort of hunched over and the latter with his attire all covered in the rainbow-colored glittery muck.
Out of all them, John Dory was the first to find his voice.
“Yikes,” he muttered with a distasteful cringe. “Is there a doctor in the house?”