So, we all know the story.

It's an infamous tale of woe, told to little trollings who misbehave-

"What? No, it's not."

"Uncle JD, shush! I'm telling a story!!"

Like I was saying... We all know the story.

Years and years ago, long before we were born, there was a famous boy band made up of five bros. You know them, I know them, everyone knows them. And we love them.

They were known by the name BroZone!

We also know that they broke up. A concert gone wrong had caused the band, and the bros, to split. Never to be seen together for another 20 years.

But what if it was more than that? Was it really just a little fight that caused a family to break apart?

"Sadly enough, yeah-"

"Daaaad!"

"Sorry, sorry."

Ahem ._.

Let's dig a little deeper, shall we? And find out the true reason why the most famous band in troll-kind history went out...

with a bang.

~~~

Years and years ago, back when the Pop trolls were still captives of the bergens, the amazing band known as BroZone were preparing for their final concert. Not that they knew it would be their last. No, no. As far as the brothers knew, this was just going to be a regular concert... Ok, maybe it would be a little more than 'regular'.

The band had gotten a special request from King Peppy, who wanted them to perform for the frightened trolls. He wanted the bros to use their musical talent to distract the trolls from the Trollstice that had just passed. Fear and anxiety buzzed louder than usual in the normally upbeat Troll Tree, and Peppy feared for the fate of his trolls.

He also needed as much noise as possible to cover up the noise that would be made while he and his fuzzlings built the escape tunnel. Last Trollstice had been King Peppy's last straw. After the bergens took his wife, King Peppy knew it was time to finally take action, and run from the monsters who kept them hostage. He didn't think anything could go wrong. Trolls sang all year round and the bergens had never come into the cage. Not unless it was Trollstice.

"You boys are doing a great service," King Peppy told the bros, who were huddled together backstage. "Thank you."

John Dory, the oldest of the brothers, grinned at the King. He stood like a hero, his hands on his hips. "Anything to help the trolls, King Peppy. You can count on us! We'll make sure that tonight's concert goes perfectly!"

He had let the honour of the specially requested concert go to his square-shaped head.

"Just make sure the trolls are happy. If they're enjoying the performance, they won't have time to be scared."

"We'll try our hardest, King Peppy," Floyd, the pink-haired brother, reassured the king.

Peppy nodded once before turning his back to the bros. "Good luck, boys."

After Peppy's cape swished out of sight, John Dory fist-bumped the air and spun around to face his brothers. He cheered.

"Yes! Guys! We've just been given one of the highest honours in troll history!"

Spruce sighed. "All we're doing is a standard concert, John Dory. It's nothing special."

His brother stared at him in disbelief. "Spruce! We've been asked by THE KING to perform for the trolls. To lift their spirits after one of the worst Trollstices we've ever had. How is that 'nothing special'? We're making boy band history!" 

"Yeah, yeah and that's great and all," Clay interrupted, holding the run sheet for tonight's performance in his hand and glaring at it. "But, is it really necessary for me to throw things at the trolls? BroZone plushies? Water? My funderdrawers?? But the only pair I have is the one I'm wearing."

"That's exactly the point, Clay. Our job is to distract the trolls tonight, and what will do a better job than having some lucky fan win the Fun Boy's underwear?" asked John Dory.

"I can think of heaps-"

"But you will stick to the script, little bro!" John Dory smiled, ignoring his brother's protest. "Now, get to work on those dance moves, brother! Our fans need to be blown away by our skills tonight!"

The turquoise-haired troll didn't wait to see if Clay would follow his command and instead turned to Spruce.

"Alright, Spruce, we need those abs to be poppin'! Give me 5,000 crunches before the show! I want to be able to fry an egg on that grill by the time we hit the stage."

Spruce grumbled, muttering about how he'd rather use his strength to give his brother a nice and hard punch to the face. 

While his brothers fought, Baby Branch stood at the vine curtain - the one that hung like a door between the stage and the room behind it. He stared out at the crowd, which was cheering for him and his brothers.

"BroZone! BroZone! BroZone! We love you, BroZone!!"

Anxiety swirled in the littlest brother's little belly. He felt like he was going to be sick, and it was going to come out from both ends.

But at least if he was listening to the crowd's excitement, he wouldn't be able to hear his brothers squabble. They always did this nowadays, when they had to perform. But Branch figured, that if he joined his brothers they wouldn't worry as much, and they wouldn't fight. He was wrong.

Behind him, John Dory was bossing around the other members of BroZone, unaware of Branch's pre-show freakout. Floyd noticed though, and he watched his baby brother over John Dory's shoulder, ignoring the older sibling's instructions on what he needed to prep for the show.

Something about tears, and emotionally connecting to the fans. Floyd couldn't care less about what John Dory thought he needed to be. Floyd knew that he was trying, but he wouldn't let his brother boss him around.

"John Dory," Floyd stopped his brother's rambling, "you need to calm down. Stressing out and trying to force the concert to be perfect will only ruin it. We just need to go out there and have fun, as a family. There's nothing the trolls would appreciate more than that."

His brother just groaned, rolling his eyes. "Of course, you would say that, Floyd. You big softie. That's why you're the sensitive one. Tonight needs to be perfect! King Peppy is counting on us! We need to be ready."

John Dory looked over his shoulder to where Branch was. He was held back from going over to him by Floyd's hand on his arm.

"Don't even think about it, John Dory," Floyd warned his brother. "Branch is already nervous enough without you breathing down his neck."

He walked around John Dory, going to Branch's side and tuning out his older brother's shouts. He knelt behind his baby brother and gave his shoulder a tap.

"Hey there, Baby Branch. You doing ok?"

The little trolling twiddled his fingers. His eyes darted around, trying to look anywhere but into his brother's eyes. "I feel like I'm gonna barf, and pass out, and-"

"Go your pants all at once?"

Baby Branch only nodded back, embarrassed by his feelings. Floyd frowned at the realisation and tilted his brother's face up so their eyes would meet. He swiped at the tears that lined Branch's eyelids.

"You're going to be great out there, Baby Branch. Just try not to think about all of those trolls. Just pretend that you're practising with us like you always do. When it's just us, in Grandma's pod, and we're singing and dancing together. As a family. You think you can do that for me, Baby Branch?"

His reply was quiet, Floyd almost missed it. "But what if I mess everything up?"

Floyd's ears drooped. He pulled his brother into his lap and ran his finger through the little trolling's hair, a move that he learned from his grandma.

"You won't."

And before he could say anything else, John Dory cut in. He strolled over, the rest of his brothers in tow, and plucked Branch from Floyd's lap, setting him down on his feet. The bros traded uncertain looks, which finally got their eldest brother's attention.

"Let's get our game faces on, guys." John Dory stuck his hand out, grinning wide at his brothers. "To making boy band history, and putting on the best show the Troll Tree has ever seen! We're going to be perfect, because we're a family."

He shook his hand, inviting his brothers to join in. The words floated around in the dense air, drowning out the sound of the crowd. They each took a deep breath and stacked their hands on top of John Dory's. His genuine smile eased their tension... slightly.

"Ready?" Clay asked, his voice wavering.

Spruce huffed, giving his bro a firm nod. "Born ready."

"Let's do this." encouraged Floyd.

"Let's bro!" John Dory cheered.

"3... 2... 1..."

"Bro time!"

~~~

"BroZone! BroZone! BroZone!"

Out in the crowd, Princess Viva squeezed through the buzzing trolls, trying to find a good spot to watch the concert from.

"Excuse me, little princess and even littler princess, coming through~" She sang, ducking under trolls' arms.

A baby Poppy, only a few months old at this stage, popped her head out from her hiding place in her sister's hair. She cheered along with the crowd. "BroZone! BroZone! BroZone!"

Being the age she was, Princess Poppy had no idea about why this concert was happening. She didn't know what Trollstice was, or even that there was fear to be distracted from in the first place. All that little Poppy had to worry about was whether or not she was going to be able to see her favourite band.

"They're about to start, Poppy!" Viva squealed. "Can you see the stage from here?"

Music began to play from the hidden speakers.

"Ladies and gentletrolls! Here they are!!"

"Look, Viva!" Poppy squeaked, pointing excitedly at where the spotlights were spinning over the stage.

Spruce dropped from... somewhere high above the trolls and caught himself on a bar set up conveniently on the stage. He spun himself on it, gymnastics-style, and flipped coolly onto the stage.

"The Heartthrob!!😘"

"The Fun Boy!!😜"

Clay leapt out of his brother's hair, making a silly face at the roaring crowd. He threw his arms out and with them a range of BroZone plushies.

Poppy caught the Clay plushie. She proudly showed it to Viva, who was holding a Bitty B one. 

"The Sensitive One!!😢"

Floyd flicked imaginary tears from his eyes, which his fans tried to catch in their mouths. He waved emotionally to the audience before striking a romantic pose.

"The Leader!!😎"

The squarest of all trolls took over the stage, strutting with the swagger he did not have while wholeheartedly welcoming the cheer from his fans.

"Old!" Poppy screamed.

"Oh! Poppy, look!" Viva pointed to the baby carriage that was rolling across the stage.

"And... The Baby!🥺"

Baby Branch popped out of the stroller, and kicked it away while making a cute face to the crowd.

Poppy's squeal made the surrounding trolls cover their ears. "Bitty B!"

"Give it up for, BROZONE!"

💙Dirty pop💙
Baby Branch began the song.

💛(Yo, Bitty B)💛
Clay threw his brother into the air, to make him laugh.

💜Sick and tired of hearin' all these people talk about💜
Spruce sang with his smooth voice.

💜"What's the deal with this pop life💜

💜And when is it gonna fade out?"💜

🩷The thing you got to realize what we're doin' is not a trend🩷
Floyd sang, perfectly performing Clay's choreography.

🩷We got the gift of melody🩷

🩷We're gonna bring it 'til the end, c'mon now🩷

🎵It doesn't matter🎵
The bros harmonised.

💛'Bout the car I drive or what I wear around my neck💛
Clay sang, flexing his not-yet-existent drip.

🎵All that matters🎵

💙Is that you recognize that it's just about respect💙
Bitty B sang, winking at the crowd.

🎵It doesn't matter🎵

💚'Bout the clothes I wear, and where I go, and why💚
John Dory sang.

🎵All that matters🎵

🎵Is that you get hyped and we'll do it to you every time🎵

💜Come on, now💜
Spruce's voice made several audience members faint.

🎵Do you ever wonder why🎵
The brothers sang together, dancing in sync.

🎵This music gets you high?🎵

🎵It takes you on a ride🎵

🎵Feel it when your body starts to rock🎵

🎵Baby, you can't stop🎵

🎵And the music's all you got🎵

🎵This must be🎵

🎵Pop🎵

💛Dirty pop💛
Clay soloed.

💛B-baby, baby, you can't stop💛

💛I know you like this dirty pop💛

🎵(This must be)🎵

Clay ripped off his funderdrawers (somehow) and threw them in a random direction. A crazed fan caught them and happily showed them off to his friends before sniffing it intensely. He fainted from its strong smell.

💚Now, why you wanna try to classify💚

💚The type of thing that we do?💚

💜'Cause we're just fine doin' what we like💜

💜Can we say the same for you?💜
Spruce blew a kiss to the fans closest to the stage.

🩷Tired of feelin' all around me animosity🩷

🩷Just worry about yours 'cause I'ma get mine🩷

🩷Now, people, can't you see?🩷

🎵It doesn't matter🎵

💙'Bout the car I drive or the ice around my neck💙
Baby Branch took centre stage, soloing.

🎵All that matters🎵
While his brothers provided harmonizing backup vocals.

💙Is that you recognize that it's just about respect, oh💙

🎵It doesn't matter🎵

💙'Bout the clothes I wear, and where I go, and why💙

🎵All that matters🎵

💙Is that you get hyped and we'll do it to you every time💙

He spotted baby Poppy deep within the crowd and bowed elegantly. Poppy tugged excitedly at Viva's hair, which made her older sister take her out to hold her in her arms instead. 

💙C'mon💙

🎵Do you ever wonder why🎵
The bros' singing got louder.

💛(Why)💛
Clay echoed his brothers' singing.

🎵This music gets you high?🎵
And louder.

💛(Gets you high)💛

🎵It takes you on a ride🎵

🎵Feel it when your body starts to rock🎵

💛(When your body starts to rock)💛

The ground began to shake.

🎵Baby, you can't stop🎵

No one thought anything of it.

💛(You can't stop)💛

No one even noticed the shadow that loomed over the stage.

🎵And the music's all you got 🎵

The brothers formed a pyramid, unaware of the danger everyone was now in.

💛(Baby, c'mon)💛

Viva couldn't see over the other trolls, but she knew something was wrong. She clutched Poppy closer to her chest and squeezed through the crowd once more. Why was the ground shaking?

🎵This must be🎵

💙Ooh💙

One final thump. A warning stomp from the bergen that towered over the population of trolls. She needed them to know she was there because it was no fun taking trolls when they weren't running from her in fear.

Baby Branch was the first to see her. He gasped, going pale, his voice getting stuck in his throat.

John Dory was the next to notice, and he recoiled in shock. He knocked the whole pyramid off balance and sent him and his brothers tumbling off stage. They rolled, getting tangled in the vine curtain and bouncing backstage. All except, Branch, who was left alone on the stage. His tearful blue eyes met the hungry red of the Bergen Chef.

"Gotcha."

"BERGEN!" Princess Viva screamed.

And the trolls freaked. Out. They ran in all different directions. Some leapt into the branches of the Troll Tree. Some tried to camouflage in the shrubbery. Some just ran in circles.

Chef watched them squirm. She sneered at how fearful the trolls were. She waited until most of them had hidden to take her pick at the slowest ones.

She reached for Bitty B.

"No!"

Princess Viva dove for the baby, knocking him out of the way. They both tumbled off the stage and into a small crack at the base of the Troll Tree.

"M-My brothers!" Branch whimpered.

"I-It's ok," Viva's voice shook. "They're going to be ok."

She didn't see Chef's hand coming towards her. Poppy did.

"Viva!"

No one had time to process what was happening. Poppy was shoved into Branch's trembling arms. Viva was encased in Chef's warty hand. There was screaming.

So much screaming.

"Poppy!"

"Viva! Vivaaaa!!!"

Branch had to cover the princess's mouth with his hand. He bit his lip to keep his own screams from escaping.

The world went dark for a single moment.

And then everything came crashing down.

There was only silence and dust.

It wasn't until trolls started coming out from their hiding spots that noise returned to the world. Murmurs and whispers rang in Baby Branch's ears. His poor heart was pounding. It shook in time with little Poppy's sobs.

"Branch!" Floyd came running out from backstage.

He scooped both babies into his arms and held them as tight as he possibly could. They trembled in his embrace and shattered his heart.

John Dory was still tangled in the vines when he emerged from backstage. Clay and Spruce could only stare at the destruction in horror.

The lights that illuminated the stage had been ripped from the branches and laid strewn along the grass. The mushroom platforms that some fans had used to see the concert better with were now hanging off the trunk of the tree with only a thread to keep them from falling. The trolls were traumatized. And it wasn't even Trollstice.

"What happened?!" A booming voice asked. "I saw the bergen! Is everyone alright?! Where are my daughters??"

King Peppy appeared. He scanned the crowd of trolls. Floyd went up to the king, showing him that one of his daughters was safe. The other...

"Dada!" Poppy cried, reaching for her father.

"I-I'm sorry, King Peppy." Branch found his voice, barely. "B-but Princess Viva... There was nothing... I'm sorry, King Peppy."

"BroZone's concert attracted the bergen!" A troll yelled.

"It took the princess!"

"This is all their fault!"

"No, no, guys, please! We didn't mean to do this!" John Dory begged, he had to scream to be heard above the protests.

Clay had his face buried into Spruce's chest, his hands covered his ears. It was all just too much. Branch did the same thing with Floyd. Spruce ushered his brothers away from the mob, leaving his attention-loving brother alone to deal with the mess.

~~~

"What a disaster!" John Dory raged when he came back to Rosiepuff's pod. "Our reputation is ruined!"

The brothers stared daggers at him. Their turmoil was so obvious it took the air out of the room.

"Is that all you can think about, John Dory??" Clay screamed, marching up to his brother and shoving a finger into his chest. "Trolls were taken! They're going to be eaten!!"

"Princess Viva was taken!" Spruce added. "Imagine if it was one of us!"

Branch, who was still shaking in Floyd's arms, muttered quietly, "Princess Poppy must be so scared."

"That's it! I quit!" Spruce announced, ripping apart his puffy vest and throwing it at John Dory's feet. "We can't risk that happening again."

John Dory finally spoke up, panicked. "No, no! It's ok! We-We'll just be more careful next time!"

Panicked for the wrong reason.

"No. I quit too!" Clay said.

"So do I," Floyd admitted.

"Guys, you can't just quit. We're family! You can't walk out on family."

"Family wouldn't make us risk our lives, and the lives of the other trolls for fame, John Dory!" Clay argued.

He pushed past John Dory and stormed out of the pod. Spruce followed close behind. Just as Grandma Rosiepuff came running in.

"W-Wait... Boys, where are you going? Clay, Spruce, it isn't safe out there! Come back!"

"I'm out too," John Dory grumbled.

He ignored his grandma's frantic pleas and shoved off her hand as she tried to hold him back. Her trembling knees gave out, and she fell to the floor, tears streaking down her face, watching her grandsons leave her.

All but two.

"I'm sorry, Grandma." Baby Branch squeaked. "I ruined everything."

Rosiepuff reached for her youngest grandson and held him tight in her embrace. She ran her fingers through his hair.

"No, no, Angel. This is not your fault."

"I-If I had just been louder. If I had warned the trolls..."

"There was nothing you could have done, My Angel. This isn't your fault."

Floyd wrapped his arms around his grandma. Squeezing once. He had to go too.

"Please, Floyd. Don't leave us too."

He wiped at his tears and then at his baby brother's. He took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I have to go, Branch. I have to follow my heart and it's telling me that it's just not safe here. But, I'll be back. I promise. I just need to find somewhere safe for us."

Branch sniffled. "But, what will I do?"

Floyd pulled a leaf vest out of his hair, running his fingers over the material.

"You, my brave, brave brother." He wrapped the leaf vest around Branch. "You will stay here, with Grandma, and keep her safe until I get back. Can you do that for me, Baby Branch?"

Branch nodded. He leapt into his brother's arms for a final hug. And when he was set on the floor, he screwed his eyes shut. He tried to block out the whispers between Floyd and their Grandma. 

"Please, don't go Floyd."

"I have to, Grandma. I'm sorry."

And Baby Branch didn't see his brothers again for twenty years.

~~~

Branch didn't sing again for months. For almost a year, actually. The night of BroZone's Final Concert left him with a crippling fear: singing attracted bergens. It wasn't until his grandma begged to hear his voice, that he decided to break out his golden falsetto.

His grandma reassured him that he wasn't loud enough to attract bergens. She told him that she missed hearing him sing. That he couldn't let fear stop him from doing what he loved. And that maybe if he sang, it would feel like his brothers were right there with him... like they were meant to be.

💙And I need you now tonight💙
Branch sang into a rose that his Rosiepuff had found him.

She was hanging the laundry. The leaf vest hung up on the line amongst the other clothes.

💙And I need you more than ever💙
He was shocked by how much lighter he felt.

💙And if you only hold me tight💙

💙We'll be holding on forever💙

Whatever stress Branch had held for the past few months vanished as he sang and danced for his grandma.

And for the second time in his short life, Branch didn't notice the bergen coming up behind him.

But Rosiepuff did.

💙And we'll only be making it righhhttt~💙

He didn't hear his grandma trying to warn him.

💙Cause we'll never be wrong...💙

Until it was too late.

Rosiepuff knocked her grandson out of harm's way... and put herself in the line of fire. Chef's hand wrapped around Branch's grandma, taking away the last of his family and leaving him alone.

"Branch!" Rosiepuff shrieked.

Branch, who had safely landed on the ground, could only watch as his grandma was snatched from his life. He reached out to her anyway, knowing fully well that once again, there was nothing he could do. 

"Grandma!!"

With every step the bergen took, the ground shook. Branch shook. He curled into a small heap on the grass, and he cried. What was he supposed to do now?

When he lifted his head after what felt like years, he noticed two things. One, his hands had turned grey. He had turned grey. Two, Floyd's leaf vest had fallen at some point during the commotion and now lay draped across the ground in front of him.

Branch wrapped himself in the vest, snuggling into it. "I'm sorry, Floyd. I didn't keep Grandma safe."

He had failed to do the one thing that his brother had asked of him. He would never come back now.

"Branch?"

The trolling sniffled, wiping his nose in an attempt to look more presentable. "King Peppy."

"I saw the bergen. Are you ok? What happened?"

The king needed no answer, connecting the puzzle pieces fairly quickly. He offered the small troll an apology and a hug. Branch accepted both.

Poppy peeked her head out from her father's hair. She cooed, reaching for Branch. She wanted to comfort him too.

Trollstice was tomorrow. The bergens would be back. There was no way King Peppy was going to let any of his remaining trolls live in fear of them or their loved ones being taken. 

No more.

"Get ready, Branch. Tonight, we escape."

~~~

In The Present Day

"And the rest of the story is the same! Sort of."

Princess Jolly snapped the scrapbook shut, pleased by the mix of reactions in front of her.

"That's it??" Queen Poppy exclaimed, throwing her arms around wildly.

"I'm going to need a copy of that scrapbook for my book club," Clay wiped at a stray tear on his cheek.

Floyd smiled gently at his niece. "I am so glad that is just a story. You wrote that so well though, Jolly. I'm impressed."

"Thank you, Uncle Floyd."

"You're glad?? Why did you give me all of that trauma??" Branch questioned his daughter.

Jolly grinned. "All I did was add a bit of spice to your already existing trauma, Dad."

"Never read that story to my kids, Jolly." Spruce warned. "They may be half-muppets and much older than you but I'm the one who's going to have to get them to stop crying because they had nightmares. Have any of you swam in actual tears? It is not a fun experience."

"Can I see that scrapbook, Jolly?" John Dory grinned innocently. "My dearest niece whom I love so much."

"You're not feeding my book to Rhonda, Uncle JD. I worked hard on this." She clutched the scrapbook close to her chest.

"Wait..." A small voice squeaked. Viva, who was curled comfortably under Clay's arm, stuck her hand up in the air like she was asking a question at a meeting. "So, I get eaten?"

Jolly's face fell. She rushed to her aunt's side and tucked herself into Viva's side.

"No. No. No. No. No! Aunt Viva, I would never do that to you. Not even in a fictional world."

"So, what happens?" Poppy asked.

~~~

"Hello?"

Small, frightened, and alone. Princess Viva had fought her hardest to escape from Chef's grasp. She had spent months hiding from the bergens, only travelling at night to make it across Bergen Town and back to her home.

Or where home used to be.

The place she had returned to didn't feel like home. There wasn't a single light on anywhere. No colour. No noise. And no trolls.

"Hello?! Is anyone here??"

Princess Viva had nothing on her. Nothing useful. Only her sister's headband around her body, like a sash; and the band-aid on her knee.

"Princess Viva?"

Her head whipped around, her eyes locked on the place the sound had come from. From the top of the Troll Tree, there was a tuft of yellow hair and a familiar blue face.

~Many Years Later~

"Poppy, it's me, Viva! I'm your sister!"