Chapter Text
John Dory groaned as a soft rumble from Rhonda woke him. He sighed as he scratched his face, he'd need to shave later. He didn't really need to. It just helped him feel less defeated. He winced, ears twitching as Rhonda barked at something. "I'm up. I'm up."
And then he was down, hand missing the ladder as he rolled out of his bunk.
"I'm really up." He sighed as he pushed off the floor. John's brow furrowed, blinking in the darkness. A glance to the windows showed stars still out and bright. He tensed, on guard now. JD glanced back to the window. He was facing the rear window for sure. His steps didn't make a sound as he navigated to his small kitchen corner, grabbing a knife.
His ear twitched in confusion at the knock on the door. Surely, a burglar wouldn't knock, right? Or is that what they want you to think, so you drop your guard?
Rhonda purred once more. Not likely a threat then, or at least not an obvious one.
"Lights on." JD requested, walking back over to his bed and opening the hatch under it to put some shorts on. He tucked the knife in his hair, just in case. Once somewhat dressed, he finally headed for the door. "Yes?"
John blinked a few times, glancing the troll in front of him over a few times. He'd never seen a troll with so much hair. Nor sculpted chest hair... It looked very soft-
"Are you the loser trading board for bounty?"
John's stared dropped into an unnamed scowl, slamming the door. He stomped back towards the bunk, half tempted to ignore the second knock. Rhonda whined. He sighed, returning to the door and yanking it open. "What do you want?"
Chaz raised a brow, holding up one of JD's flyers. "The job?"
John raised a slow brow. "Did you Not? just call me a loser for it?"
Chaz shrugged. "Are meals included?"
"If you're fine with whatever I hunt."
"Hm... Loser, party of two?" Chaz grinned.
John Dory glanced the odd troll over once more, trying to figure him out. "Bounty hunting not paying well enough for a hotel?"
"I don't think you have room to judge."
John snorted at that, stepping aside and gesturing in.
Chaz happily boarded the vehicritter, glancing around. ".....Is there even a bed in this?"
JD rolled his eyes, gesturing to the ladder. "There's a loft. And breakfast... We can discuss the rest in the morning."
"And, what stops me from simply leaving before you get up?"
"You wouldn't be answering my sad listing if you had much better."
Chaz couldn't argue with that. Bounty Hunting had slowed recently. Some disturbance in the central woods had spooked several of the cities into shuttering their 'walls' so to speak.
JD took the silence as his answer, patting Rhonda's walls fondly. "Lights dim, girl. Bedtime in five, okay?"
The vehicritter rumbled in reply, the lights lowering to a gentle glow.
"Bathroom's down that hatch across from the ladder. Bunk's up there. Kitchenette's free to use for whatever you find in there if you're up before me." JD informed while he returned the knife to the kitchen.
Chaz snorted softly, glad to see this odd troll wasn't entirely senseless. "Aw, was that for me?~"
John glanced over, joking back. "Don't sound so hopeful. I'm going to move our location a bit, her barking might've alerted something bigger."
Chaz nodded, heading for the small bathroom. He'd dealt with worse. "Is there a shower??"
"Not inside. I have a curtain and spout outside Rhonda." JD assured, heading for the front seat.
"Rhonda?"
"Course! Gotta name a beauty like her."
"Can't say I've ever stayed in a-" Chaz hesitated. "House? With a name before." He washed his hands, making sure the hatch was secure before heading for the bunk.
"Well, that's a shame. Everyone should have the Rhonda Experience at least once."
Chaz snickered, curling up in the bed. It was surprisingly comfortable for the rather... modest. Living conditions. He was somewhere presumably safe and warm. The continuous gentle purr from the vehicritter was soothing in its own right. The travel's exhaustion stood no match against the triple threat.
John eventually parked Rhonda once more, satisfied they were once more hidden from anything large enough to try to eat the large critter. "Good girl." He whispered, aware of the soft snores of the other.
Rhonda purred in reply, turning the lights out fully. JD gave her dashboard a fond pet, before heading for his couch. "Night, girl."
JD laid down, resting a hand in his hair over an old photo. "Night, boys."
JD yawned, stretching the knots out of his every joint. His eyes snapped open, wide awake as the scent of eggs his his nose. A blur of pinkish red hair stood by the stove. JD's ears fell, hand reaching out before his sleep crusted eyes caught up to his wide awake mind. His hand fell into his lap. Right. The job listing. JD rubbed the sleep and hint of wetness from his eyes.
Chaz glanced out of the corner of his eye at the movement. The hand outstretched didn't seem to be threatening. The swift fall confirming he wasn't in danger. Chaz focused back on breakfast. "I didn't mean to kick you out of your only bed. You should've said something."
JD shook his head, getting up and stretching once more. "For the miracle I'm asking for, you deserve the VIP spot."
Chaz raised a curious brow. "Miracle? Not trying to off a royal, are you?"
"What?? No- It's not a hit, it's a search- Reunion."
"Ah." Chaz snorted. "You act like that's hard. I am one of the best, you know?"
"I'm... not even sure if they're alive or not."
"...Slightly more difficult, but. Even dead trolls leave a trace."
"They're Pop."
Chaz paused his cooking, moving the pan off the heat to turn and face the scruffy troll. "Now you have my attention."
"Food first." John snorted, heading to the chamber below the loft to grab and pull on a vest and goggles.
Chaz rolled his eyes, tho his stomach didn't disagree with the idea. "No one's heard from Pop in over-"
"Three decades, I know." John sighed. "Trust me. I know."
Chaz frowned at the heaviness of those words. He focused back on the food.
John went to his small fridge, grabbing juice for them both. "Berry okay?"
"What kind?"
".........Forest?"
Chaz isn't sure what he expected. "Sure.."
The pair ate in silence once food was ready, Chaz unsure how to begin the subject of the job now. The other troll tribes knew Pop had nearly been wiped out, some assumed they had been entirely. He never expected to come face to face with one bearing the weight of that tragedy. Sure, Pop wasn't the most popular of tribes, so many dismissed the notion of Pop's vanishing as a joke or something not to worry about. The theoretical discussion felt far heavier face to face with a survivor. It was easier to treat it lightly when it was some distant rumor. It was harder to face with the knowledge it was true.
With the knowledge there are survivors.
Chaz watched as John took their empty dishes to the sink to wash. He chewed his lip. "What exactly are you seeking help finding?..."
John Dory sighed, putting the dishes down to go sit on the couch, elbows on his knees and chin on his clasped hands. "My brothers. Any of them.."
"What makes you think they're... That-"
"Nothing.. I just. Hope.... I had four- ONE had to make it out. Surely.... Someone has to be out there..."
Chaz sighed, sitting next to him carefully. "...How long ago?"
JD glanced over, before staring ahead. "It's been about... twenty-seven years since I've seen any of them."
Chaz frowned. "Well, could be anywhere at that point. How'd you lose track of each other?"
JD frowned, fists clenching. 'If we aren’t perfect, we’re nothing.'
"I know it's difficult, but- If I have an idea if they were fleeing to get distance, or to just hide, it'll give a better starting point for the search."
'That is exactly what happens when we follow your lead.'
'I’m out. I’m done. I’m sorry. I’m gonna go hike the Neverglade Trail by myself. Brolone!'
"Are you alright?" Chaz frowned, leaning forward to look at his host's face. He frowned and waved a hand in front of the blank stare. "Goggles?"
'Fine! I'm out of here.'
Chaz tensed, unsure how to handle this. He should just leave while he can. This job was never going to turn up results, this troll needed help far beyond some bounty hunter. Still... something about just leaving after prying open what seemed to still be a fresh wound felt cruel. Especially after stealing the man's only bed for the night.
Chaz moved to kneel in front of the troll. "Can you hear me at all?"
Nothing had changed, but everything was wrong. Doors hung open wide, homes sat empty and barren. All of the colors seemed muted without the sounds of community and laughter and song. Some of the pods higher up in the tree were crushed, or missing entirely. The lower ones simply open and abandoned. The eerie silence felt like a weight crushing down on his every muscle. A home once full of the aroma of fluffleberry and cotton yarn now full only of dust. A noise nearby made him tense, not even daring to breathe. The colors around him brightened and swirled, a melody of their own soothing his senses. The pods shimmered, friendly faces humming along to the tune. He smiled, reaching out to a small, blue podhead. He couldn't feel the ground below his feet, but he couldn't be bothered to care. He cradled the blue egg close, singing softly to it. 'Cause we'll never be wrong together, Together'
John Dory blinked slowly, senses returning to him slowly. His ear twitched to hear a sigh of relief, glancing up. JD's face burnt as he jerked his hand back from the end of the troll's instrument. "Wha-"
Chaz placed the saxophone back into his own hair. "Apologies- You spaced out on me, I- Wasn't sure what else to do."
"...What?" John glanced around in confusion, trying to figure out what had been done. He was still on the couch. Nothing seemed off.
Chaz raised a brow at him. "And here I thought I had a reputation... My special brand of music has an... effect on grown trolls."
JD looked back to the troll in front of him, mind catching up with the thin line between reality and memory. "...You're- fine... That was... I got stuck in my own head. What were we talking about?.."
Chaz considered the troll in front of him for several moments before rejoining him on the couch once more. "I can't make this my only job. Especially since it might take awhile."
JD's ears drooped. He knew it was a longshot, it still hurt to get his hopes up-
"However." Chaz tried not to grin at how fast those ears sprang back up. "If I can save some change crashing here when I do have free time to work on it, I'll help you search."
"Deal." JD grinned, extending a hand. "John Dory."
"Chaz. Smooth Jazz troll." He shook JD's hand.
"Huh... I don't think I know that genre... Any way to play some without making me feel like I ate the wrong mushroom?"
Chaz chuckled. "I think I can manage that. After. A shower."
"You drive a hard bargain." JD laughed, getting up to grab the curtain for outside.
Chaz tried not to let his smile slip, watching the other in concern. He was gone to the world not a minute ago, and now he was acting like nothing was ever wrong. He wondered how he maintained such high spirits. Chaz stretched, he had plenty of time to figure it out. This job was going to be a long one.