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John Dory does not get depressed, he promised himself a long time ago that he had no right to feel sad or miserable, his brothers did not have the opportunity to live their lives, maybe only Floyd, but he doubts that his brother wants to see him, but Bruce, Clay; Branch.
They had no chance to live, so John Dory promised to live for them.
Although it is not a satisfying life, he lost his reasons for living; He was supposed to protect them and keep them safe, keep Branch safe.
And failure, like the failed older brother that he is.
He destroyed his family, because of his delusions of perfection, he wanted them to be perfect so that everyone would be safe, but he destroyed his siblings.
Abandoned them…
He abandon Branch…
And it's been 20 years now, Branch would be 23 or 24 years old now, he can't help but think about what his little brother would be like now he would be a man, he has spent entire nights thinking about what his little brother would be like now, also about Bruce and Clay, but above all Branch.
Now he is camping in a forest in who knows what place on the map, and all because he saw a big fireworks display, and he knows his people, he knows the Pop Trolls, if they do something they do it big, and maybe they are not there , maybe if they are dead.
But he needs to know, he needs to hear it from King Peppy, or whoever is the leader now of that group of overly cheerful idiots, he needs to know if they died quickly and painlessly.
He looked at Rhonda fast asleep, his only company for the last 15 years.
He lost track of the party, so he decided to camp out, although he would rather not be here, the thought of meeting those trolls makes him sick.
So he stayed, he would look for them in the morning, he just prays that he doesn't end up hurting someone, even though he knows some deserve it.
He puts out the fire, and he enters his tent, determined to spend the night with his machete in hand.
Something was lurking in his camp, at some point he fell asleep and when he was already in a horrible nightmare, something broke a branch, so there were 2 options, that the animal went away on its own and did not notice that John was awake , or the animal was entirely hostile and John could take out his anger and frustration on it before finding the Pop Trolls village; He squeezed the handle of his machete tightly and with total stealth moved inside the store, opened it and looked outside.
She certainly didn't expect a troll wandering around Rhonda, he looked cautious and hurt, he had a pointed branch pointed at Rhonda who was still fast asleep and oblivious to the threat; John Dory felt bad for the guy, he must have gone through hell to look like this, and he was surprised that he was still standing, he could see blood seeping from the bandage on his abdomen, he was also limping and from the little he could see of his face he also had a large laceration on his cheek, and his gaze was somewhat lost, fighting for clarity, a possible concussion as well, John now felt sorry for the poor soul.
He silently left the store and checked the other troll, he looked younger than John Dory, but easy to dominate due to his injuries and condition, he squinted his eyes to see better, he had a leaf vest, a very familiar leaf vest.
It was Floyd's vest...
But this troll was not Floyd; He would recognize his brother, and he knows that he is in that stupid city of giants of Mount Rageous, and Floyd would never leave that vest, at least not for someone he trusted, and whom Floyd trusted the most in the whole world.
‘Bitty B?’ John dropped the machete in shock.
The troll in question jumped in surprise and turned quickly, which made him lose his balance and lower the spear to regain some balance. The spear remained partially buried in the ground. The troll staggered and his hand, which had released the spear, surrounded his torso. on the blood-stained bandage.
But that face, John Dory knows that face, yes it may be dark and they are both at a great distance, but John can recognize his brothers, and that is his baby, that is Baby Branch.
'John Dory?' Branch looked confused, he could feel her eyes on him, but he couldn't quite make out her expression.
'Oh my Trolly' quickly approached Branch and held him, Branch tried to move away and point the spear at him, but it didn't come out of the ground and when John's arms were around Branch he lost strength, he only managed to let out a small whimper. in pain 'oh dear, *FWEET* RHONDA WAKE UP!' John pulled Branch away from Rhonda when she started to move.
Branch moved erratically in John's arms Dory trying to get free and move away from both of them, gasping in pain when John squeezed him to stop him from moving.
'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but you'll be okay, Bitty, I promise.' John whispered reassuringly, stroking Branch's head, 'Rhonda Lights!' Branch tensed as the lights almost blinded him.
John groaned a little at the sudden light, but he ignored it and looked at Branch, he tensed and felt the air being expelled from his lungs, now he could see Branch, he felt his heart clench; His brother was gray.
Branch, his baby brother was gray...
'Branch?' John couldn't believe what he saw, his brother, who was a ray of sunshine in life, was now gray, who had passed
'Let go of me John' Branch tried to move away from John, this time without as much energy, John didn't squeeze him harder, John's tail moved with concern and anxiety.
'It's not happening, Bitty' as he could, he put his arm behind Branch's knees and lifted him bridal style. Branch tried to complain, but the movement of trying to fight with John seemed to make him dizzy because his head ended up colliding with his older brother's shoulder. Hiding his face from the bright light emitted by Rhonda 'shh shh, it's okay Baby Branch I'll take away your pain I promise', he walked quickly to Rhonda's side and opened the door and moved towards her bed, and carefully placed Branch On it, Branch tried to sit up but John pushed him back, Branch gasped in pain when John Dory pressed on his shoulder.
John didn't want to think about the implications of that, so he ran around bringing the first aid kit, towels and water to clean up the blood, carrying everything back to the bed to tend to Branch, Branch seemed to have given up at some point. Trying to get up, he was panting and complaining holding his side, he realized that the adrenaline had completely left his body, and now he felt all the pain.
John didn't speak, he just took care of checking the worst wound, he had to remove the bandage from the abdomen, he almost vomited himself, the wound was grotesque and irregular, John didn't know if they were teeth or claws, but he bet it was something similar to both, would need suture.
'What the hell are you doing?' John muttered, starting to prepare to disinfect the wound, he was going to hurt Branch, he didn't want him to feel pain, but he needed him to be awake, he couldn't let him sleep until he treated the concussion.
'Those fools had a party' he gasped 'a stupid loud party… that attracted a really fucking big animal… I had to go and get it away from the village, since I'm the only sane one who cares about such things' Branch looked frustrated, John was boiling with anger, he knows that the Pop Trolls have other priorities, but would he ignore the danger like that? That was taking him away, and his brother drinks, he paid the price, for what? Protect them? At least he would know. Do you appreciate it?
He had to disinfect the wound, Branch screamed at first, then bit his tongue, John was afraid he would make it bleed and then choke on his own blood, he had to suture the wound, which was even more silent screams and sobs than Branch. seemed to try to hide; then he had to remove Floyd's vest, or maybe now Branch's, the fact that he wasn't ruined by blood surprised John, he checked his shoulder, dislocated, almost completely out of place; That required a loud cry of pain from Branch, at this point John could see the tears running down his brother's face, he felt bad for causing her that pain.
When he finished bandaging Branch's shoulder and healing the laceration on Branch's cheek, John felt like he could sleep for an entire year. Branch, after taking some pills that John Dory forced him to take for the pain, fell into a deep sleep. ; John sat next to him on the bed stroking his hair, he still didn't believe that his little brother was in front of him, that he was alive.
But he is gray; is unhappy...
John doesn't know what to think, it was his fault, right? For leaving, because he abandoned him, and what about his body? Branch is covered in scars, he looks a little malnourished too, and small, light too, when I carry him he doesn't. He weighed almost nothing, and half of the blood he cleaned was not his, he said he scared away a large animal, but that amount of blood seemed more like he had actually killed it.
Since his baby knows how to kill something, he shouldn't know that, he shouldn't have scars, he shouldn't be so thin.
He should have baby fat on his cheeks, have a big smile, he shouldn't know how to hold a spear, or know what the hell a spear is.
He should be innocent...
He shouldn't be gray...
He lay down next to Branch and hugged him, like when his little baby had nightmares and asked him to protect him from the monsters under his crib; Branch curled up next to him, possibly from being too high on medication; but just for a moment, John Dory would think that they were at Grandma's house again and that his little brother just had a nightmare.
Tomorrow, you will get an answer…
And maybe some heads will roll…
Because he is an older brother, and what he sees is that his brother's baby was not protected...