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English
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Published:
2025-02-06
Updated:
2025-02-10
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3,710
Chapters:
2/?
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137
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Back In The Day

Summary:

BroZone gets eaten by a plant that turns them into teenagers again and make it everyone elses problem.

Chapter 1: Camping Trip

Chapter Text

"Remind me again, why are we out here in the middle of nowhere???" Clay whined as he gripped the straps of his backpack, his feet dragging as he walked.

"Because nature is good for you AND it's a fun way to bond!" John Dory looked back at him, a toothy grin on his face.

Clay, Bruce, and Floyd all just groaned in response, rather than refuting the oldest. Branch just rolled his eyes as he walked next to JD.

"Come on, guys, I promise the place I found is worth the hike" Branch tried with a smile. Seeing the bright side of things wasn't ever his strength but he knew his brothers would love the waterfall he was taking them to.

"You could take us to a puddle and we would still love it!" JD said and Branch believe him.

Their little camping trip had been Branch's idea, but John Dory was far more excited than him. More than all of them actually.

"We can roast marshmellows! And sing songs! And tell ghost stories! And and-" JD rambled with a skip in his step and his tail waging.

"We're not twelve anymore, John, we're not gonna do any of those things" Clay cut off his oldest brother enthusiasm.

Bruce punched Clay in the arm, sending him stumbling to the side "Ouch!?"
"Stop it, man," Bruce said in a whisper "he's trying".

Clay avoided Bruce's eyes, looking at the ground, he mumbled a tiny "... I know"

"Sooooo~ Branch" Floyd began, trying to change the topic "How long until we reach this super secret and mysterious place you're taking us?"
Branch smiled at his direct older brother playful smirk "Not much longer" Branch saw how all of his brothers were looking at him expectant.

He decided to pity them

"It's just a little waterfall I found a few months ago, not a big deal, thought you guys would like it"

*********

The 'not a big deal' Branch took his brothers to ended up being probably the most beautiful place they had seen in all of pop territory. A sky tall fountain, a pond of crystal clear water and hundreds of tiny red buds. All of it surrounding the clearing where they were going to pitch their tiny tiny tent. It was even a little intimidating.

"I must say Branch this is way more impressive than just 'a little waterfall'" Clay spoke up, making air quotes at the end. Branch giggled at his brothers wide eyed expressios "I'm glad you guys like it"
A teal blur passed by Branch and Clay, they heard the splash of water and looked down the waterfall's edge.

"I LOVE IT" John Dory screamed from the pond. His teal hair was weighed down by the water soaking it. It made him look younger.

Clay snorted a laugh that he tried to cover immediately, but Bruce still saw it and send him a smug smirk

"This is amaaaaazing!" JD crowed, before dunking back into the water. He didn't come back up immediately so the four brothers left on the shore went closer to look for him. Suddenly, John Dory's head pop out the water and he quickly splashed all his brothers. Floyd left out a over dramatic gasp with a hand over his chest before jumping in the water himself to chase after JD, who laughed maniacally and swimmed away as fast as he could.

The rest of the brothers smiled at Floyd and John Dory's antics while still in the shore. "WHAT ARE YOU THREE WAITING FOR!? COME ON IN!" Floyd called them to join, Bruce laughted nervously "A-at my age? No no, I'm not- Haha no"

"I'M OLDER THAN YOU" JD screamed, Floyd giggling behind him.

While Bruce strugled to find a reply for that and Clay stayed firm by his side, Branch took off his vest and fold it carefully "What are you doing?" asked Clay "Going in" Branch answered simply
"YEAH, BRANCH!!" JD and Floyd whooped and cheered as Branch slowly swimmed to them.

Clay rolled his eyes and walked away accompanied by the boo-ing of his brothers and Bruce little "Wait-". He surprised them by turning around and running full speed into the pond

"CANNONBALL!!!"

Distracted by Clay's spontaneous sillyness, and the wave it came with, the brothers didn't noticed Bruce wasn't in the shore anymore. That was, until he came from underwater and pick the four of them up, two bros in each arm, with a playful roar. Floyd let out a squeal and Branch's giggles were unstoppables, Clay snorted a loud laugh and John Dory had the biggest smile he had ever seen.

Bruce smiled proud of himself for doing that.

*********

After spending most of the daylight swimming, the brothers finally decided to rise the camp (read: John Dory and Branch did all the work while the rest just stand by and watch).

They ate dinner around the campfire, drinking, sharing stories and laughing together. Suddenly, Branch, head laying on Clay's shoulder and half lidded eyes, said something

"I'm so happy with my life right now" his words slurred by the alcohol but not less clear "I'm just... so glad, so relieved, of how everything turned out, to have a family again... To have you guys"
His eyes closed and his brothers thought he fell asleep, but then...

"I love you, bros"

The four older brothers smiled warmly "and we love you too" said John Dory for all of them as Bruce pick up a now sleeping Branch to take him to the tent.

********

All the playing in the water tired them out so before the sun hide at sunset, they were all inside their shared tent and asleep.

********

The sounds of the woods were drowned by Bruce's snoring as the brothers slept peacefully...

John Dory's eyes blinked open as something bright shown right next to his head. He pushed himself up with a groan, thinking they must have forgotten the fire going and now it was getting too big.

Looking around he saw that the others were all sleeping deeply. He had to be quiet.

Standing up, he stretched his arms above his head. Groaning when his back popped loudly. Bending forward and placing his hands on his knees, he took a second to reorient himself before standing up straight and heading to the tent flap.

He cringed when it made a loud crinkle as it opened.

He quickly stepped outside, not looking back. John Dory didn't notice his brothers sterring behind him.

Turning to face where the fire pit was, he realized... The fire wasn't on.

That burning yellow light was coming from somewhere else.

Something else.

He looked up and froze at the light above him.

His pupils grow huge and his body went lax.

Unknown to John Dory, as he slowly walked out the tent and into the night, his brothers had woke up.

********

Floyd was the first to sit up, having an inexplicable feeling of dread. Looking around the dim tent he noted that the others were also waking up, he turned to speak to his oldest brother, stopping when he saw he wasn't there.

"JD?" Floyd called out loud, looking around again to make sure he didn't miss him somewhere else. "JD?!" He called again more uncertain, his voice raising with concern.

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked
"JD IS GONE!" Floyd cried out, already freaking out.

"WOAH woah! Floyd! Calm down" "Breath, bro, he probably just went to pee, breath"
Bruce and Clay tried to comfort him, but Floyd was far too distressed for John's safety to listen to them, he just shaked his head 'no'.

His dumnass, reckless, selfsacrife of a brother just dissapeared in the dead of the night in the middle of nowhere, he doesn't know where he could have gone, WHY he could have gone with all of them still asleep, he could be in danger, he could be hurt, he could be dea-
"The door's open" Branch said suddenly, cutting through Floyd's panic.

He turn around to where Branch was looking to see the tent flap was half lidded, John Dory's silhouette a few steps away from the security of the tent.
He was just... standing there. Back turned at them, facing some big yellow light.

Probably the campfire.

"JOHN!" He called, relieved tears in his eyes "John Dory!"
Floyd had just put a paw outside the tent, but before he could run to his brother he was grabbed by his tail and yanked back inside.

He let out a yelp in surprise as he was all but thrown into the floor, looking up into the terrified eyes of his only younger brother.
"What was that for?!" Floyd questioned in irritation.

"Can you calm down for just a second?!" Branch whisper yelled "If you don't want to die AGAIN Don't. Run. Into Unknown Danger!" he snapped at Floyd

"But JD-"

"Floyd" Bruce spoke softly, bringing the attention of his three remaining brothers to him "I know you are worried, I am worried too, but something weird is going on" his tone actually managed to appease Floyd's panic "So? What do we do?"

Floyd's voice was trembling when he spoke "We stick together" Bruce gave him a nod.

"All of us are going out to see what's exactly happening, okey?" He offered Floyd his hand and he took it as a silent yes.

Giving each other one last nod, they all stepped out of the tent together. Floyd was at the front next to Branch while Clay and Bruce were behind them.

Clay took a moment to look around, noticing the fire pit off to the side was put out. No smoke, no embers. No fire.

Oh no...

"Guys! Don't look up! It's a Manducare Infaaaa...." He was unable to finish his sentence as he turned towards his younger brothers and became transfixed on the lure above them.

Bruce was the only one who got to look down at time. He saw how the shoulders of all his little brothers slumped as they stared at the light.

Bruce panicked as Floyd and Branch walked to where John Dory was standing. He could hear Branch's voice, faint and desperate "nonononono". Floyd wasn't saying anything, all his worry and fear gone in a second as he dragged his feet lazily towards the light and away from Bruce.

He panicked even more when Clay started to follow.

He stood in front of Clay to stop him. And saw his face... Pupils blown wide, mouth agape and drool down his chin. "Clay?" Bruce whined in distress "Are you there?" He gripped his shoulders to get his attention but Clay wouldn't look at him. He only had eyes for the light.

"CLAY! Talk to me, bro!" He shaked him, hoping in his despair that would get a reaction, but Clay's head just wobbled limply with each shake. Bruce choked a sob "Clay..." He called in a whisper, tears in his eyes "I don't know what to do"

Finally FINALLY Clay looked at him. Bruce looked back at those dead, glazed over eyes and waited for answers...

"Join Us..."

Bruce's blood run cold.

"No" he mumbled.

A hand touched his shoulder, he was breathing hard "Join... Us" It was John's voice. Slurred, whispery, but it was him. "...Join Us" Floyd said it now. Bruce was shaking.
"no no no no no" Bruce repeated, hoping, praying, they would stop. He was scared.

But they continued.

Join Us Join Us
Join Us
Join Us
Join Us
Join Us
Join Us
Join Us

J o i n U s

Suddenly something- someone grabed him and force him to look. Branch. Bruce screams were cut short as he looked at the light.

Now he gets why they wanted him to join them so badly. The light was so... So beautiful. So pretty. And warm. Like the sun of Vacay Islan. Like the smile of Brandy. Or the laugh of his kids.

Like his grandma hugs.

It made him feel safe.

*********

The spell was broken when the red jaws of the gigantic carnivorous plant open before the brothers. They had only time to scream before being eaten in one bite by the Manducare Infante.

The plant that turned it's prey into a younger, smaller, version of themselves so it could digest them more easily.

John Dory took his machete out of his hair. He wouldn't let them die like this.

The brothers strugled for a minute, maybe two, someone cried, but in the end the fight left their bodies.

Just like the air, as they all fell unconscious...

With one last swing of his weapon before he was completly senseless, John Dory cut the throat of the plant. It chocked and throw up the five trolls as it slowly died.

They layed around the plant's corpse, Now much younger than they were before.

Chapter 2: Wakey Wakey

Chapter Text

Spruce woke up screaming.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

He looked around desperately searching for his little brothers, they were in danger,

He found one of them passed out by his side "Clay!" Spruce shook him to try wake him up, Clay whined in his sleep "JD leave me aloooone"

Spruce screamed into his brother's ear "CLAY" he snapped awake "W-what's going on?" His brother mumbled as Spruce hugged him.

"Ewwww we're covered in goo" Clay complained. He was right, they were full of green glittery goo, in his panic Spruce didn't notice.

There was a lot of things he didn't notice.

He pulled away from the hug and watched around. He didn't know this part of the Troll Tree. They were in a clearing surrounded by hundreds of tiny red buds, a fountain, a pond, a big carnivorous plant dead on the side and some camping gear. It almost didn't look like the tree at all. But that was impossible, they couldn't be-

Why did Clay look so tall?

"...Clay?" Spruce asked, Clay turned at him. He looked... Older. No tooth gap, taller, more freckles, his hair was messier and he had hearrings "Why do you look... Like that?" He gestured vaguely to his face

"Why do YOU look like THAT, moron?" Clay snapped, Spruce was taken aback by his little brother's aggressiveness "EXCUSE ME!?"
"Look yourself in the mirror, sissy! Why are you still wearing that stupid BroZone costume?"

"...What are you talking about?" Spruce was really confused "sissy???"
Clay ignored him "I tought you didn't want to be the heartthrob anymore"

...

What?

"I would literally NEVER ever say something like that!" Spruce cried, he loved being a part of BroZone, he loved the fame, the fans, the lights, the makeup, the clothes-

Why was Clay looking at him like that?

"Are you brain dead?" Clay asked, suddenly really concerned

Just when Spruce was about to say something, they heard a groan

"What the... Where am I?" A familiar voice whined

"Floyd?" Spruce and Clay said in sync

It sounded like Floyd, but it couldn't be. This Floyd was dressed in all black clothes, wearing all back make up, he looked like an oil spill "Where the fuck am I?" He also sounded mean, this couldn't be their sweet little baby rose Floyd.

"What the fuck?" Mean Floyd said as he looked at them, Spruce and Clay both freezed "who the fuck are you two?"
"Uh well- uh I'm Clay and he's-"
"You guys got fire?" Mean Floyd suddenly asked
"What?" Floyd was looking in his pockets now "Fire, I need a lighter"
"For what?" Spruce asked as Floyd finally found what he was looking for.

A cigarette.

Spruce and Clay were left speachless.

"Ughhh"

The three of them turn around at the sound. A grey troll was sitting up...

A gray troll that was wearing Floyd's vest.

"HEY, THAT ISN'T YOURS" Clay screamed at him, the grey troll stood up in a fighting pose, his eyes huge. Clay stood up as well "THAT is my brother's vest" he started walking towards the gray troll. Spruce was paralyzed by panic.

"No"

Clay stopped in his tracks and turned at Floyd. He was looking straight at the gray troll as he speak

"I gave that vest to Branch..." he said slowly, coldly, his pink eyes looking into the gray troll's blue ones "... when I left" the gray troll was shacking

"Branch?" Floyd asked, the three of them looking at the gray troll with huge eyes. Waiting for an answer.

He chocked a sob "Yes" his voice was oh so very small.

Floyd run towards Branch and tackle him in a hug. Both trolls stayed like that for a while, Branch crying silently.

The moment was interrupted by a sound. A whine. There was someone else with them

That someone was farther away from where they had woken up. The sound was coming from right next to the giant dead flower. Hidden behing the corpse a silhouette raised, very slowly, from the ground.

Branch jumped in front of them "Who's there!?"

It was a troll, it's head snapped to look at them, but before seeing his face they saw his weapon.

A sharp machete welcomed them. Behing it, the troll's face... It was...

"John Dory!?"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!! HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!? WHO ARE YOU!?"

It was John Dory, but he looked... Different. He had freckles, green clothes, a black eye and tons of bendages and scratches all over his body. He barely reached Spruce's shoulders.

"WOAH woah woah, caaalm dooown, little buddy!" Spruce tried talking slowly "no one here wants to hurt you, John" he knew immediately he had messed up

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!?" Little John Dory did NOT trust him at all.

It was silent for a few very awkward seconds before Branch spoke "... I think we are brothers."

John Dory snorted out a laugh, "No, we're not. My brothers are babies." Little JD looked gray Branch up and down before stepping away a little more, machete up to his eyes "I only have three brothers, and none of them are grey."

Branch flinched at that.

The grey troll breathed in and out, then explained, voice steady "I know you're scared, John, I am too, but you need to step away of that plant" little JD looked down at his covered in roots feet "I'm not sure if it's really dead" the plant flinched and John Dory screamed. He run straight to Branch's arms, he catched the smaller troll in a hug, he lifted him up and turn around, putting himself between his brothers and the plant.

*****

The four boys were peeking from behing the grey troll when the plant spat a green liquid in their faces.

They immediately felt the effects.

They all screamed and tried rubbing their eyes. It hurt, but it felt like it was hurting inside their heads. In their brains.

When they open their eyes again, they no longer saw familiar strangers, they just saw their brothers. The confusion was gone, it all made sense now. They had always been like this.

Branch, Floyd, Spruce, Clay and John Dory. They were brothers.

Everything was normal.

*****

The boys had started walking into the woods, trying to get back to the village. Branch, who they decided was now the leader, was in the front. John Dory was holding his hand, asking him every question imaginable about the forest flora and fauna. Branch answered every question with surprising patience.

"What kinda trees are in here?"

"Many types, such as pines, oaks, birches, and even trees that lose their leaves in autumn, such as poplar."

"What does a tree do during the day?"

"Photosynthesis"

"What's that?"

"They use the sun, air and water to create their food and release oxygen, which helps keep the air clean"

"What animals live around here?"

"A lot, deer, bears, birds, insects, snakes..."

"Shut the fuck up alreadyyy" Floyd groaned "It's been HOURS of just forest nonsense! I'm fucking TIRED of it!"

Spruce quickly hit him in the arm, causing Floyd to cry out. "Ah!"

"YOU need to shut up!" Clay retorted, "I was listening, dude!"

Floyd shoved Spruce in return, ignoring Clay, "Don't fucking touch me, BITCH!"

Spruce and Clay gasped in sync.

"I'm not a bitch!!" "He's not a bitch!!"

Floyd burst into laughter, falling to the ground and kicking his feet.

Flustered by the reaction, the two boys shouted, "SHUT IT!" in unison.

Suddenly, a teal blur ran up to the three boys, "Are we playing FIGHTING!?" John Dory screamed excitedly.

"N-no," Spruce spluttered, trying to calm him down, but Floyd cried "FUCK YEAH" over him and got John Dory excited.

"You three against me alone," he announced, wasting no time before charging towards them on all fours like a feral animal. Spruce and Clay shrieked, Floyd laughed, and they all tried to run away from him as fast as they could.

"GUYS!" Branch shouted, his voice interrupting the chase after a while.

The four boys stopped mid-fight to stare at Branch, who was standing next to a river.

Crossing his arms, Branch gave them all a look before speaking, "We need to cross this thing."

"EW NO, MY HAIR CAN'T GET WET!" Spruce responded immediately with a gasp, clutching his "pearls", horrified at the idea.

Branch just rolled his eyes in return as the other three stared at him incredulously.

"Can't we go around it!?" Spruce asked desperately.

"No," Branch answer simply with a deadpan look.

"Stop being a whore, Bruce," Branch scolded him, already halfway through the river.

"It's Spruce!!"

"Thank you, Clay!!"

Ignoring the other two, Floyd ran past them and jumped in the water "If I can do it, you can too!" he shout, black eyeliner running down his face.

Spruce shook his head no, terrified

"If he's not jumping, I'm not jumping" Clay said, not helping the situation.

Suddenly Spruce was in the air, John Dory having picked him up, "NO!" he screamed before being thrown in the water. When he came back up Clay went flying past him, John Dory had throw him too.

******

By the time night came, the five boys were packed into a makeshift tent. The sound of Spruce's snoring drowning out the sounds of the woods around them as most of them slept.

Branch stayed wide awake, John Dory's machete in hand, and watched over his brothers all night.