Chapter Text
Floyd has been walking around for years. Hopping venue to venue, going from kingdom to kingdom, camp to camp. At first, all he was doing was just... Playing songs. Doing covers on his electric guitar. That's all he really did for the first few years. Afterwards all he would do is just feel guilty. Guilty for leaving Bitty B, his youngest brother, he trusted Floyd and he left because he was scared. Scared to face the world. Scared to take care of his one year old brother. He was scared to do it all alone. But he was done! He was done being scared, being afraid. Being the sensitive one. Well- sure he was still sensitive but he didn't want that to be his personality trait!
He wanted to finally be there for his brother. So after asking around and poorly tracking him down, he thinks he found him. Pop Troll village. It would also be great to see Grandma again. He took a deep breath. 'In and out. In and out. It'll be okay, it'll be okay!' he held his guitar strap firmly as he walked through the village. He winced at every sharp rock or stick or twig he stepped on before going to where everyone lead him. A massive rock! Wait. Wait- hold on.
'A massive rock?!'
That's all there was. A massive rock and a go away mat. He sighed. "Stupid-stupid-stupid Floyd! I should've known Branch wouldn't be here." He puts his hands to his face, his tail wrapping around his leg as he leaned against the rock near the mat. He took a deep breath. In and out. In and out. He knew it wasn't likely he was here, it was better to try.
He hummed along to the sound of the forest, the sounds of the empty woods and the crickets.
"Still don't know what I was waiting for..." he sang softly, head against the rock while he took his guitar from behind his back.
"And my time was running wild, a million dead-end streets...~" he plucked at the strings.
SCREEEEECH!!
The mat opened up, two greyish blue eyes peered up. "Poppy?! If you got your friends to sing at my door at night! I swear I'm going to-" he saw pink hair, and two eyes peering back at him. "Oh my god.", his eyes widen as he opens the trap door. Branch was gray. He was- gray..? "Floyd?!" He gulped and nodded twiddling his thumbs as he opened his mouth to speak. "The only and only." He awkwardly chuckled before being dragged into the bunker by a strong hand. He yelped before falling onto a platform underneath the trapdoor.
Branch was tired. He was gathering things around all day and was working VERY hard on his bunker. He just wanted to get it over with. He could only work at night since any other time of the day other trolls would try to talk to him or bother him, or fart glitter on him.. I mean what did a troll have to do to get a break around here?! He was putting his sticks away in a room, he'd use them tomorrow when he had more energy. After putting them away he stretched, and yawned. Grabbing a robe and combing a hand through his hair. "I'm so tired.." he cracked his back and was about to pull the lever on his bunkers elevator until-
"Still don't know what I was waiting for..."
"Poppy I swear to all of our ancestors!" He said to himself before sliding the thing open to see through the mat.
Now they're here.
Sitting in branches bunker and sipping on tea.
The silence was awkward. Neither knowing what to say. I mean what could you say to your brother that you abandoned? "Sorry for leaving you behind little bro. I was scared of having basic responsibilities!" well.. maybe the apologizing bit would actually be a good place to start. So Floyd took a massive sip of tea before looking besides him. "Uhm- Branch?"
Branch took a deep breath, his eyes closed shut before he opened them. Looking at Floyd. "You bleached your hair." The pink haired troll was taken back for a second. "Oh- right. Uhm. It was sort of a split second decision. I didn't think too hard on it? Just sort of did it—" before he could finish his sentence Branch was crying. It wasn't audible he was just staring off as tears fell from his eyes. "Branch..?" Floyd asked quietly, putting his hand on his shoulder.
"I-" he inhaled. Combing fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. It's just that- I've been alone for so long and seeing you here! I can't- Where were you?!" Floyd flinched back at that. "Alone?" Branch nodded. "I though—"
He couldn't even finish his sentence before he realized. Branch was alone he was alone only with Grandma. She was old, she had fight in her and she was a very energetic woman but she was old. Nothing could change that. It's been 17 years and grandma was already getting more tired, slower, less energetic than she used to be. Branch lost her. He lost the only person he had, he's been alone for god knows how long and Floyd was out playing the guitar and singing to different Trolls of all kinds because he was irresponsible. He left a baby alone for glitters sake!
His face dropped and he hugged branch, firmly. He remembered that he liked his hugs like that. "I'm— so sorry Branch. I'm so so so so SO sorry.. I should've never left for that stupid solo career, I should've stayed with you." Branch hugged back.
"Please don't leave me like that again"
Floyd nods. "I'd rather eat my own hair."
Branch laughed at that.
Branch took the next day introduce Floyd to everyone. (after Floyd begged to meet the others in the village) he was looking down at the ground and his feet as his tail anxiously moved behind him. "Everyone... This is my older brother Floyd." The entire Snack Pack cheerer, yelling and changing his name, "Floyd! Floyd! Floyd! Floyd!" Branch awkwardly laughed while staring down at the forest floor. Poppy beamed and went up to Branch. "Branch! How come you never told us about your brother?! Are there more family members we don't know about?! OHHH! IDEA! We should have a party! Because you and your brother are reunited!"
Branch chuckled trying to motion to Floyd that he wants to leave. "Hahaha— yeah Poppy. Thanks! But no, we're fine and Floyd actually has to play- guitar? Guitar yeah." Floyd laughed at that. Whispering in his ear. "C'mon Branch, it'd be nice to talk to people more, maybe I could make some new friends. Just tell me you don't like the party and I'll gladly let us leave." Branch huffed, he was about to say no, but the way Floyd looked at him? He couldn't.
"Fine. Fine! A party sure! But only a small one and that's it! No loud music, and no—"
"Tsktsktsktsktsk Branch, we're trolls! It's in our nature. I'm glad you're finally being more..." He purses his lips. "Positive? I think?" Branch scowls. The purple troll grins. "Let us party! Your brother seems nice enough!" "Or nicer than you-" Creek mumbles the last part under his breath. "What was that?" both Floyd and Branch asked in sync. "Nothing!" Creek smiled.
Poppy fist bumped the air. "Let's go! C'mon gang, if we want this party to be ready by at least sundown we have to start soon! What snacks do you like?! Is your hair natural? Ooh! What songs do you listen to! I have so many questions!"
Floyd awkwardly chuckled. He suddenly understands why branch lived alone for so long.
And that's how the first few days worked out for him and Branch. It's been almost 13 years since he first went to Branch and now? He was in a band! He figured out he was pop rock— his life had completely flipped and he was glad. After the truce with the Bergen's, the entire situation with Queen Barb, it felt tiring, constantly having intense horrible adventures where everyone almost dies, where Branch gets a mullet (that he decided to keep) and fill body tattoos. He was glad to just be chilling out with his friends.
"Hey, Pink Floyd?" He shakes his head looking over to Queen Barb. "Yeah?" She smiles, crooked teeth showing. " 'S nothing. You just seemed like you were out of it." He smiled fondly. After he figured out he was pop rock, Queen Barb gladly took him in introduced him to Riff, Iggy, and Val together they started their band Live Through The Radio. Barb wasn't really a part of the band but she did do vocals sometimes. They were all chilling out after a show, Floyds voice hurt after their cover of Hell Above, Riffs arms hurt and he was groaning and rolling around. Val was staring at the marks on her fingers from shredding, Iggy? Iggy was halfway through a weed cookie with their bass besides them.
"Maybe we should never play music again." Floyd rolled over groaning. Barb threw an empty soda can at his head in response. "Don't talk like that because you can't handle the voice of Vic Trollentes! You think my dad stopped after he ate that bat?!" Floyds jaw dropped "He what—" a random piece of paper flew in from their rooms window and slapped Floyds face. He peeled it off. "What is it? Creepy fanmail?" Iggy asked, adjusting their septum. "Nah- not again. I think it's a letter? Let me read it.."
"Dear Floyd, it's me JD. I'm being held by superstars Velvet and Veneer, I need you to get our family to help me. I'm trapped at Mount Rageous, HELP!
~John Dory~"
Floyd gasped throwing the letter to the ground and scrambling to grab his guitar, satchel and guitar amp. He had to get to Branches. Branch would know what to do. He'd know what to do, what to say, how to help John Dory! Sure he was a cruel horrible person, but he probably changed, and Floyd knew in his heart that John Dory would do this exact thing for him. Running to find their brothers to be able to save him. He kicked down the door and ran.
He wasn't that far away from it, but he was far enough that his legs burned from running so much. His leg begining to cramp, making him hop up and down, scrambling on the floor trying to run further. He has to tell Branch! He has to know! His legs felt like they were being torn apart and his arm hurt from holding up an amp half of his size. The adrenaline was the only thing that was keeping him from passing out on the ground. He was gasping for air but he didn't care. He didn't care.
His mind was racing. 'Mount Rageous?! Who the hell is, Velvet and Veneer??' after finally getting to his brothers bunker he was jumping up and down and slamming on the Go Away mat.
"BRANCH!!! BRANCH FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE OPEN UP!!" He screamed again, hitting the rock and the mat again.
He slid the door opened just as Floyd began screaming "What?! I thought you were hanging out with your band!" The older one shakes his head. "No! I got- I got this letter" he rummages around for it. He forgot the letter! "I forgot the letter! But— that's besides the point! I need your help it's John Dory! He's been kidnapped—" he grabbed at his white tank top gasping and hyperventilating. His legs hurt like hell and so did everything else on his body.
Branch squints. "What?!
𝙴𝚡𝚝𝚛𝚊
————
JD leans his head against the diamond prison and stares at what Velvet was writing. "That looks nothing like my hand writing." She groaned. "Shut up!" He played around with his goggles before looking back down at the little letter. "Still looks nothing like my handwriting."
Veneer was filing his hands in the corner. "How can you even see?! You're in diamond that's like.... 3 inches thick!"
"I can sense she's doing it wrong."
Velvet just screams. "Well you didn't sense that we were near you and now you're in a perfume bottle!"
"Someone's cranky..."
"SHUT UP!"