AUTHOR'S NOTE: Trolls World Tour - Spoiler Alert

Rock On!

Chapter One: Girls Night Out

Poppy liked the idea of earrings. She watched herself in the mirror: two loop earrings in one ear and a single one in the other. She pinned one black extension in her bangs and grinned. She liked the general visual; she just hoped Barb would like it as well. Debbie was flying around her pod with her two big front teeth ready to grab Poppy's reply to Barb's invitation.

Satisfied with her look, she picked up a camera from her top drawer and took a selfie with two fingers raised. When the instant picture came out of the camera, she grinned and wrote on it "I'm in! Let's rock!" She sealed the envelope and let Debbie bite it up, before flying away to meet her master.

The sun was almost setting, so Poppy gathered her sleepover supplies and put them in her backpack. Toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, short doll, pillow, hairbrush etc etc... She checked everything, but something was missing... oh yes, she needed her earphones so, on the way, she could listen to the rock songs she was learning to harmonize well with Barb. She was so excited! It was her first foreign sleepover. She made a mental note to keep her mind open to fully understand the Rock culture.

It was finally dark outside and she was ready to sneak off before anyone *couch* Branch *couch* would notice her leaving. It was so... rebellious of her! It even sent the chills down her back. She would be back in the morning before they noticed her absence and it would be her dirty little secret.

"Poppy!" Her stomach flipped. Branch had just jumped inside her pod like he usually did, not asking for permission since they realized how much they loved their differences and made that great high five sealing their connection. "I just saw Debbie leaving...- What's the meaning of this?" He interrupted what he was going to say and immediately mended a question. Poppy blushed, trying to hide her earrings. She watched him. he crossed his arms in front of his chest and frowned. He had already realized what she was going to do.

"It's just a small party. I'll be back by morning." She said quickly, with a big reassuring smile. That didn't convince him. He didn't even blink as her.

"I can't believe you are going to sneak off again."

"C'mon, Branch," She tried to protest, but he interrupted her.

"You're our queen, we need to you to be responsible!" He continued. "Your safety is key to rebuild our village!"

"I'll be safe, I promise."

"I don't trust Rock Trolls." He finally said, knowing the truth would make Poppy mad, but he had to be sincere with her. She gave him a smile and stepped forward, involving him in a big warm hug he just melted into. She wouldn't ask him to put aside his years of survivalist instincts. He needed time to adjust to their new reality. "I'll go with you."

"No! Not this time." She stepped back, looking at him very seriously. He opened his mouth to protest and she raised a finger to stop him. "It's a girls' night out."

"Volcano Rock City is way too far to make it in one night."

"I won't be going that far." She grinned. "Barb is picking me up just outside Bergen Town with her Plane-Fish. We'll just hover around 'til morning". How come, suddenly, she felt like she had to explain it all to him? She felt her rebellious side fading a little.

After a long silence, Branch finally took a deep breath and nodded. Poppy jumped in commemoration and picked her backpack up.

"How do I look?" She asked him, stepping a foot at the door.

His heart filled with joy. Bathed in moonlight that outlined her pink form, the black hair, the leather pants with green and pink top. She was the perfect mix of Rock and Pop and she just looked stunningly beautiful.

"Perfect."

oooOOooooOOoooOoooOoooOOOOOoooooOooooOOooooOOooooOooooOOoooOOoooo

"Someone told me long ago
There's a calm before the storm
I know, it's been comin' for some time

When it's over, so they say
It will rain a sunny day
I know, shinin' down like water

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin' down on a sunny day?"

Poppy sang together with Barb and Carol. She laughed when she realized Barb had picked up 'softer' rock songs not to scare her off. Barb was really trying to be a good friend. She had also put on some different colors other than black, which made Poppy smile. They would totally be best friends soon.

"Do you want some nacho cheese?" Carol offered Poppy her spray, but she turned it down. She was hungry for some candy and, just like she had predicted, Rock Trolls weren't too familiar with sweets. It was a good thing she had prepared some to introduce them to the wonderful world of sugar.

"It tastes really good!" Barb said after biting a piece of strawberry covered in warm chocolate.

"And it's perfect to relief the day stress." Poppy pointed out. "Good for swallowing down some hormones at that time of the month as well."

"We're talking about girls stuff!" Barb looked bewildered. "We're so connected!" If there was a thing Poppy didn't miss, it was that Barb was desperate for a true friend. She felt sorry for the queen of rock. Indeed, she had been alone in the crowd. All rock trolls seemed to be in their own personal worlds, being united only when it came down to a huge rock concert.

"You know you can count on me to be a good friend whenever you need." Poppy offered. Carol hummed some song in approval.

"As queen..." Barb started, looking down at her oversized pajamas as she leaned back on her black pillow. "I thought nobody would understand the need to talk. Truly talk. You know what I mean?"

"I do." Poppy sat down beside her. "While I was still a small princess I realized most trolls would want to be my friend just to blab about how they were friends with me. So I decided I had to make them understand I was someone, not just an icon. Since I started showing them I am capable of laughing, being goofy, being sad, making mistakes and swallowing up my pride to fix them, I started getting some real good friends." Barb looked interested, so Poppy continued. "Somehow, showing them how I really am connected the whole village."

"How do you know you have a connection?" Carol asked, looking a little confused.

"Well... first it was these little coincidences, like perfect high five timing, or saying what someone was thinking out of the blue, but lately, I had a few proofs." Barb sat back up, never blinking. "... like... for example, last adventure we were trapped in this pan, and I felt really sad... I looked at myself and I was becoming grey... and then I realized, everybody had lost their colors as well."

"Whoa!"

"And... at our Rock Concert last week!" Poppy continued. "Have you noticed a wave of pop energy came out of my people and changed my clothes? If that's not connection I don't know what it is." Barb and Carol watched her, making Poppy feel a little uncomfortable. "I think the older queens take it a little lighter than we do... the whole friendship and royalty thing, I mean."

"Delta Dawn and Essence sure seemed to be okay with the ruling concept." Barb pointed out.

There was a knock on the door, before it opened up and Riff, the drummer, peaked inside. He looked a little timid and pushed his hat off his eye to see what the girls were doing - or if they were decent - before fully opening the door.

"Hey, Queen Barb, your dad is ready for bed." He announced.

"Be right there." Barb answered, before standing up and leaving the room.

"Ohh... how cute. She kisses her dad goodnight." Poppy squealed, holding her hands together under her chin.

"Well, Thrash is old..." Carol stood up as well. "... he could just die in his sleep anytime." Carol said, standing up as well and inviting Poppy to follow her after Barb. Poppy did find her comment a little too dark for her taste, but she understood it. It was time to keep an open mind.

Poppy stood by the door and watched across the room as Barb tucked her father in like he was a little kid. The Queen of Rock was sweet and gentle, so why would she put up that aggressive façade for her people? The King of Rock sighed happily when she turned off the lights and started singing something that sounded like a rock lullaby.

"Times have changed and times are strange

Here I come, but I ain't the same

Mama, I'm coming home

Times gone by, seems to be

You could have been a better friend to me

Mama, I'm coming home"

Carol tapped her foot behind Poppy, satisfied to show her what rock and roll was really about. It was more than just electric guitar and drums, it was more than just loud noise and screams. Rock and roll had changed the world more than once. The poetic lyrics could touch any heart in any era.

"You took me in and you drove me out

Yeah, you had me hypnotized, yeah

Lost and found and turned around

By the fire in your eyes

You made me cry, you told me lies

But I can't stand to say goodbye

Mama, I'm coming home"

Poppy felt a tear sliding down her face and she didn't try to dry it off. The love Barb showed her father was the key to the connection she was seeking with her people. Somehow, Poppy felt her own heart beat wildly, remembering her own dad was getting too old.

"I could be right, I could be wrong

It hurts so bad, it's been so long

Mama, I'm coming home

Selfish love, yeah, we're both alone

The ride before the fall, yeah

But I'm gonna take this heart of stone

I just got to have it all"

It was so good to still have a dad. She was blessed to have her dad with her. Unlike most trolls in Troll Village, her father and herself had been able to survive imprisonment, they were able to escape from the Bergens and actually rebuild their kingdom, when so many other trolls were eaten, so many children left with no parents, so many parents left with no children.

"I've seen your face a hundred times

Everyday we've been apart

I don't care about the sunshine, yeah

'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home

I'm coming home

You took me in and you drove me out

Yeah, you had me hypnotised, yeah

Lost and found and turned around

By the fire in your eyes"

King Thrash breathing started getting deeper as he relaxed. His eyes closed and Barb continued singing, but she stood up and tiptoed out of the room, finishing the song.

"I've seen your face a thousand times

Everyday we've been apart

And I don't care about the sunshine, yeah

'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home

I'm coming home

I'm coming home

I'm coming home"

Barb silently closed her father's room door and turned to smile at Poppy and Carol. Ready to continue their night of fun, Barb shushed them, turning off the corridor's light so everybody could get a decent sleep.

"I need to go to the bathroom before we get back." Poppy whispered.

"It's down the hall on your right." Barb said. "Carol, let's get some snacks in the meanwhile."

Poppy tiptoed down the hall, passing by many closed doors. She wondered of the whole rock city slept in small rooms like those, as if they were in an endless tour. She found the bathroom and turned on the light, getting inside.

She wondered if she had gotten the whole lyrics in her head so she could tell Branch how sweet Barb really was. She really didn't want him to worry about her anymore, he didn't need to be so overprotective. The water was cold and relaxing, it chilled her face after a few hot tears had involuntary escaped as she watched the father-daughter moment.

Poppy unlocked the door and stepped outside. She reached to the turn off the lights when something on the hall's wall got her attention. The bathroom light illuminated a few painting and photographs of old Trolls Rock Bands. They were dated and in order of sold-out concert tickets.

Smiling at herself, she carefully admired all the bands. Rock trolls had surely evolved with time. From sideburns, mullets, fancy costumes to finally the trash visual they were using now. A purple and green skin called her attention. A girl rock troll was sitting down by the drums, looking lovingly at the teal troll who held the electric guitar with a fascinating blue hair.

"Branch?" Poppy whispered to herself. Her heart started beating wildly. She grabbed the picture and took a very good look at it. It was dated thirty years ago. Poppy felt dizzy and sat down, still not believing her eyes.

Were they Branch's parents?

So, that's it. I've just watched the TWT and it got me some ideas. I hope you enjoy this story because I so need all the broppy I didn't get in the movie (I still can't believe they didn't kiss).