Rock On!: A Parb Story

Chapter 9: The Lessons

Poppy's POV

No sooner did Barb mention for me did I come flying through the doors, sliding right in front of everybody, trying to look as Rock as possible.

"Hey guys," I said, making a Rock pose, "rock on!"

Everyone's jaws were wide open. They were totally in shock.

"Well," I said, getting up, "I'm here. So what do you think?"

Carol went first.

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say why the heck is she here?"

I explained my predicament to the others, and told them I wanted to learn some Rock stuff so I wouldn't stick out.

"So, that's why you're here in Hard Rock gear, with the guitar, and the look?" Riff asked, trying to stay on track.

"Yep," I said, reassuringly, "plus you guys know me, so it'll be fine."

They all looked at each other, then at me, then lastly, at Barb.

"Sure," they all said in unison.

"Yes!" Barb said, fist-pumping.

"Alright," I said, readying my guitar, "so where do we start?"

"Where all Trolls start," Barb said, readying her custom pick, "with the music."

After we set up the speakers and plugged in the guitars, we started looking through songs. We thought for starters, we go with something slow enough to learn but quick enough do it wouldn't drag.

"Let's see," Barb said, rifling through old music sheets, "too quick, too complex, too typical."

I tried looking through some of the boxes, some of the stuff here seemed pretty difficult to master; this was gonna take a while. Then I spotted a strange sheet with crossbones on the cover. I took it out and dusted it off; it was labeled We're Not Gonna Take It. Might as well give something a shot.

"How about this one?" I asked, holding it up.

Barb came over and examined it. A look of glee came across her face.

"Yes, this is perfect," she said, moving to the record player and hooking it up, "just what we need right now."

We got set up and ready to rock. Me and Barb were on guitars, Carol was on the Key-tar, Sid Fret was on sounds, and Riff was drumming for us, as always.

"You ready?" Barb asked me as she was tuning her guitar.

"I hope so," I said, nervous, "I just don't wanna mess it up by mistake, or worse."

"Can I give you some advice?" She told me, reassuringly.

"Sure."

"For trying to keep up with the feel of Rock, if you have any negative emotions deep down inside you, channel that all into the music. Works every time."

"Huh, thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"Anytime," she said, getting ready, "now let's rock!"

Riff started drumming to the beat, and Barb started singing.

"We're not gonna take it! No we ain't gonna take it! We're not gonna take it anymore!"

She started playing her guitar, and I followed suite, trying to match the rhythm.

"We've got the right to choose it! There ain't no way we'll lose it! This is our life, this is our song!"

"We'll fight the powers that be just! Don't pick our destiny 'cause you don't know us, you don't belong!"

Something about those lyrics made me think about me being dethroned, about the feeling. In truth, it was burning up in me, waiting to be released, and the song only furthered that feeling.

"We're not gonna take it! No, we ain't gonna take it! We're not gonna take it, anymore!"

Then as I took the next verse, I took all that rage and fury I felt from the betrayal, and let it out.

"Oh, you're so condescending! Your gall is never ending! We don't want nothing! Not a thing from you!"

"Your life is trite and jaded, boring and confiscated! If that's your best, your best won't do!"

As Barb joined back in, we started jamming together again.

"Woah-oh-oh! Woah-oh-oh! We're right! We're free! We'll fight! You'll see!"

I was almost like I was a totally different person then. Gone was the old Pop Poppy, here was the new and improved Hard Rock Punky.

"We're not gonna take it! No, we ain't gonna take it! We're not gonna take it anymore!"

"We're not gonna take it! No, we ain't gonna take it! We're not gonna take it anymore! No way!"

With that "no way," my guitar sent a bolt of bright red Rock energy through the roof of the stage, leaving a massive crater in it. Everyone looked in shock at me, and as I looked down at me and my guitar, one thought came to mind: That...was...awesome!