They've been on the road for a few hours now, and it was clear they were lost. John was now the one behind the wheel, having taken over driving from Bruce a while back to give him a break. However, it seemed that somewhere along the line, they had taken a wrong turn.
"Maybe we should turn around and retrace our steps?" Clay offered, standing next to Viva and John at the front window and looking out at their surroundings.
"No, we can't afford to waste that time. Besides, we don't even know how long we've been going in the wrong direction…" Viva responded, peering out the window trying to find any familiar landmarks. She was struggling to recall the direct route to Bergen Town, as their escape from the Troll Tree years ago were now hazy and distant memories to her. "Ugh, I can't believe I got us lost!" She groaned, putting a hand over her eyes in frustration.
"You didn't get us lost, Viva-" Clay said in an attempt to comfort her, but was quickly interrupted.
"What do you call this, Clay?!" Viva exclaimed, pointing out the window and not meaning to raise her voice. After all, it wasn't Clay she was mad at.
When they should be seeing trees and greenery around them, they were instead driving along an old and unused road, surrounded by desolate stretches of terrain on either side of them. Occasional tumbleweeds drifted lazily across the ground, the only sign of movement in the barren landscape; a stark difference to the forestry environment they should be in.
"Viva, it's been years since you've been to Bergen Town. No one's blaming you. We'll get to Pop Village eventually," Clay said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Alright, we need a plan," John spoke up from the driver's seat. "We can't keep driving aimlessly like this. Viva, are you sure nothing looks familiar? Do you have some idea of where we might be?"
Viva shook her head in response to his question, feeling a pang of guilt for getting them lost and putting more distance between them and their siblings. "I'm sorry, John. It's all a bit fuzzy."
"Maybe…maybe we could try something different. Look for a landmark or a sign that might give us a clue as to where we are," Floyd offered, him and Bruce coming over to join the conversation.
"That's what I've been trying to do-" Viva began, before Bruce cut her off.
"Wait, what's that ahead?"
Following Bruce's gaze, the trolls' squinted their eyes, trying to see past the glare on the window from the sun's rays. But soon, they were able to make out a signpost sticking out of the ground. It was weathered and worn, but the words were still legible: 'Lonesome Flats-7 miles northwest.'
"Lonesome Flats?" Floyd whispered, the name sounding familiar but being unable to place an image with it.
Recognition sparked in John's mind at the name of the town. Lonesome Flats wasn't their intended destination, but he could now remember Branch and Poppy had been here during the Rock Apocalypse. He didn't know there would be signs leading to the town though, but quickly shrugged that thought aside, deeming it unimportant.
"We're not far from Lonesome Flats," Clay announced, relief washing over him that maybe they weren't as lost as they thought. "We may have taken a wrong turn, but at least we know where we are now."
"Wait, what's Lonesome Flats again?" Floyd asked, still trying to remember where he'd heard that before.
"Oh! That's where the Country Trolls live! Remember, Branch and Poppy went here," Viva said, connecting the town's name to the movie they watched.
John glanced at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, then, it looks like we have a new destination."
"Wait, what happened to going to Bergen Town?" Bruce asked. He really didn't want any more detours…he just wanted to see Branch already.
"If we head to Lonesome Flats first, we can get directions from there to Pop Village," John replied.
"Oh, alright," Bruce reluctantly agreed. "As long as we're not there for long."
"We'll be in and out before you know it," John said, stepping on the gas pedal for them to go faster as they now had a destination.
It didn't take long for the five trolls to arrive at the small, sandy, town; the buildings representing cacti and their surroundings painted in hues of orange, yellow, and red. This color palette perfectly complemented the Wild West theme and the desertic landscape that enveloped the town. In the far distance, the trolls could see the outlines of canyons, their rugged edges cutting into the azure, clear, sky.
Lonesome Flats stood in stark contrast to the colorful and vibrant landscapes of the other Troll kingdoms they had seen. Here, the colors were muted, the earth tones blending seamlessly with the dusty trails and desert floor.
Despite the seemingly desolate surroundings, John felt excitement bubble inside him. As he gazed at the distant canyons and the foreign environment, he found a rugged beauty to Lonesome Flats. For so long, John had lived alone deep in the woods, enjoying the hiking trails and the safety of the trees. But now, something about this place seemed to captivate him in ways he couldn't quite understand. The open environment here brought a sense of freedom to him, a feeling the cover of the forest couldn't exactly bring.
Deciding it would be best to park Rhonda outside of the town, so as not to alarm the Country Trolls, John Dory and the others stepped outside of the armadillo bus and into the dry, hot, air.
"Woah," Clay breathed out in awe, taking in his surroundings. He'd only briefly seen this place on-screen, but the sight still came as a slight shock to him.
Enjoying the heat and fresh air, John was brought out of his thoughts at Bruce's voice.
"Alright guys, let's not be here for too long. Let's focus on getting directions then heading straight to Pop Village. I really want to be there before dusk."
Right. They were here for directions, that was it. In and out. John briefly shook his head to clear his thoughts as he and the others walked down the road and into the town.
When they watched the movies, Lonesome Flats had seemed to carry a sad and lonely atmosphere, the Country Trolls focusing on their work to get through each day. But now, the place seemed to be buzzing with activity; the Country Trolls happily conversing and seeming to be enjoying their time rather than focusing on the downs of life. Country music drifted through the streets, and instead of the lyrics being sad as they were in the movies, they sounded happy and joyous. The music wasn't as upbeat and positive as the Pop Trolls of course, as it still represented their culture, but John could sense a change, which he figured must have been the doing of Poppy.
As John Dory and his siblings, along with Viva, strolled through the bustling streets of Lonesome Flats, they couldn't help but be captivated by the lively atmosphere. Country Trolls greeted them with friendly smiles and waves as they passed by, which somewhat confused John as he wondered why no one bothered to ask them why they were there or who they were. I mean, it was clear they weren't Country Trolls and weren't from around there.
"Well howdy there y'all!" a voice called from behind them.
Turning around, John saw a beautiful Country Troll approaching them; her skin a warm shade of peach with a healthy glow that suggests a life spent outdoors under the sun. She had a long mane of fiery red hair, which cascaded down her back in loose waves, with a small cowboy hat perched atop her head. Her tail, on the other hand, was a beautiful shade of teal; nearly mirroring the shade of John's hair. He recognized her as Delta Dawn, leader of the Country Trolls, and noticed that she carried herself with confidence, a warm twinkle in her eyes.
"Welcome to Lonesome Flats," she said, a friendly smile on her face. "I don't reckon I've seen your faces 'round these parts before. Did Queen Poppy send y'all here?"
The question took John off-guard. Why did she think Poppy had sent them?
"Uh, no, Poppy didn't send us. We're actually on our way to Pop Village, but we took a wrong turn somewhere along the way, and we ended up here instead," Bruce briefly explained.
Delta gave the trolls a confused look at these words. "Aren't you folks from Pop Village?"
"Not exactly," Floyd said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "We're actually from outside Troll Kingdom."
At this Delta widened her eyes in surprise. "Oh, well goodness me. Hmm, what'd y'all say to sittin' down for some lunch, if you got the time. I've never met trolls from outside the kingdom, so I'd love to hear more."
"We'd love to, but we're actually hoping to-" Bruce began before getting cut off by John.
"Lunch sounds great!"
"Good! Follow me. How does barbeque sound?" Delta asked, leading the trolls toward one of their restaurants.
"John, why'd you interrupt me?" Bruce asked, slightly hurt and annoyed at his older brother.
"Sorry, Bruce. I know that we're eager to get on the road, but it won't hurt if we eat something first," John replied, giving his brother an apologetic look. "Besides, we are guests here. It might be fun to get to know these trolls more."
"This wasn't the plan," Bruce said, crossing his arms in annoyance.
"Come on, Bruce. Lunch sounds good," Clay said, grabbing Viva's hand as they ran to catch up with Delta.
"Plus, I think John has his eyes set on a certain Country Troll," Floyd teased before running after Clay and Viva.
"Wha-!?" John stuttered, while Bruce laughed in amusement.
"Let's go," Bruce said, briefly putting his hand on John's shoulder before going to catch up with the others.
As they gathered around a table outside, a variety of food was quickly brought out for them, and any rush and hurry Bruce had in leaving was quickly gone as he dug into the food. He had to admit, the brief break from traveling was nice, and the food was amazing.
"Now, I don't think we've been properly introduced yet. My name's Delta Dawn, leader of the Country Trolls. And, you are…?"
"I'm John Dory, and these are my brothers Bruce, Clay, and Floyd," John said, gesturing at each of his brothers, who all nodded in greeting.
"And this is my girlfriend, Viva," Clay said, introducing her to Delta.
"Well, it's nice to meet y'all. So, you're from outside Troll Kingdom, is that right?" As they nodded in response to her question, she continued, "And you mentioned you're on your way to Pop Village? Now don't get me wrong, but when I first saw you folks, I thought you were Pop Trolls. Since the Rock Apocalypse, we've befriended the other troll tribes, so we'll have Pop, Funk, or Classical Trolls come visit every now and then. Sometimes the Rock and Techno Trolls will come visit, but the other tribes are closer. That's why I first thought Queen Poppy sent y'all. Oh, but maybe you haven't heard 'bout the Rock Apocalypse?"
"Oh, no, we've heard of it. That's actually why we're here," Viva said after swallowing a bite. "You see, I was born in the Troll Tree, but during our escape from Bergen Town, some of the trolls and I accidentally got separated from the others. We ended up finding a sanctuary where we've been living for the past twenty years or so, believing the others hadn't made it out. But recently, we heard about the Rock Apocalypse and found out the others were alive."
"The Troll Tree you say…" Delta Dawn said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I remember Queen Poppy mentioning something 'bout an escape from there. Does that mean you know Poppy?"
"I do. She's…actually my younger sister," Viva said, giving a small smile.
Delta's eyes once again widened in surprise. "Poppy has a sister?! Well bless my soul. I've never heard her mention anythin' 'bout having a sister before." She studied Viva for a moment, noticing the resemblance between her and Poppy. "Well, I'll be darned. You do bear a striking resemblance to her."
Viva smiled proudly at these words.
"But how come Poppy never told me 'bout you? That girl can't keep a secret for the life of her. Not to mention how much she just loves tellin' others 'bout those closest to her. I should know; once we became friends, she would go on and on 'bout her boyfriend Branch, her dad…."
The brothers smiled widely at the mention of Branch.
"Yes, well, Poppy was just a baby when we got separated. So, she probably doesn't remember me," Viva murmured softly, a tinge of sadness shadowing her smile at the reminder she was kept a secret from her own sister. She couldn't deny her feelings of hurt towards her father for hiding her existence from Poppy. Of course, she loved and missed her dad…a lot. But not telling Poppy, her sister, anything about her stung. While she knew why her dad never told Poppy, by watching the movies, it still pained her to know that when she would see Poppy in just a couple hours, her sister would have no idea who she was. No recognition of her whatsoever.
"Oh, I'm…I'm so sorry to hear that, darlin'," Delta Dawn said, putting a comforting hand over Viva's and exchanging a smile with her. "But, you have nothin' to worry 'bout. Poppy's a great troll, and I just know she'll be thrilled to see you again' and welcome you with open arms."
"Thanks, Delta," Viva said appreciatively.
Nodding in response, Delta then turned her attention to the brothers. "Now, how 'bout you four? You also from the Troll Tree?"
John exchanged a glance with his brothers before responding. "No, we're not. Though we're also Pop Trolls, we just weren't born or raised in the Troll Tree."
Delta nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So, where are you folks from then?"
"We're actually from a part of the forest not too far from the Troll Tree. We lived there for years, but eventually we ventured out on our own," Bruce replied, careful with his choice of words.
"You mentioned earlier that you traveled a ways to come here. How far we talkin'?" Delta asked.
"Well, for the past twenty years, I've lived in the Neverglades, Bruce lived at Vacay Island, Clay with Viva at a golf course they turned into their sanctuary, and Floyd at Mount Rageous," John summed up.
"Well, I've never even heard about those places before. Sounds like quite a journey," Delta said, the brothers nodding slowly at her words. "So what brings you four out here then?"
"Same reason as Viva, really. We're heading to Pop Village to reunite with a sibling of our own," Clay responded.
"You have another sibling?" Delta asked, surprised. "Well what's their name? I might know them if they live in Pop Village."
The brothers exchanged uneasy glances, a silent communication passing between them. Floyd cleared his throat, a flicker of sadness and guilt crossing his features. "His name is Branch. He's our youngest brother."
Delta's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. "Branch has brothers? Queen Poppy's boy? Are we talkin' 'bout the same Branch here?"
"Yep. That's our brother," Clay said softly.
"Well, I certainly wasn't expectin' this. First I find out Poppy has a long lost sister, and now Branch has four older brothers. But what I don't understand is why I've never heard of any of you before? I mean, family is important. Surely Branch would have talked about you if you really are his brothers."
John sighed, his gaze dropping to the table. "It's…complicated. Let's just say we weren't the big brothers Branch needed us to be."
Delta nodded in understanding, a sympathetic expression on her face. "I see. If you don't mind me askin', when was the last time you saw him?"
"It's been twenty years," Floyd softly said, almost in a whisper.
"Twenty years! Oh my, that's a long time. Why has it taken y'all so long to come see him again?"
"I guess, the simplest answer is we didn't know he was still alive until recently," John replied.
Delta hummed thoughtfully, trying to process all she was hearing and learning. "You heard 'bout him from the Rock Apocalypse, I assume?" she asked, the brothers nodding in response. "Well, you should know that your brother is very brave. Was willing to sacrifice himself for Poppy as a matter of fact. And from what I've heard from Poppy, that poor fella's gone through quite a bit throughout his life. But he's a strong troll. Grew up to be a good person."
As Delta spoke, John couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Memories of baby Branch ran through his head, and he sadly realized he didn't know his brother, even after watching the movies. He began to truly comprehend how much of his brother's life he had missed. The Branch he would meet in the coming hours would not be the Branch he'd once known.
He knew he'd never be able to make up for the time lost with Branch, but John hoped he could be in his brother's life now. If he would have him. John wished he could turn back time and undo his mistakes. He had pushed Branch away and sacrificed his baby brother's well-being for his own happiness. They all had. Time and time again, he had let him down, that knowledge hurting John deeply. And now, he feared it was too late to make things right.
He wondered if Branch ever thought about them. If he missed them as much as they missed him. John was nervous about their reunion because in the movies, Branch had hated him and didn't want anything to do with them. Heck, Branch had disowned them…claimed they weren't his brothers anymore. Would he say that this time, too? Would Branch even want him around after all this time? Or had he become nothing more than a distant memory, a ghost of a brother long forgotten?
He closed his eyes, trying to block out his doubts and fears that churned within him. Deep down, he knew that no amount of apologies could ever erase the years of absence or the pain he had caused. All he could do now was hope for forgiveness and be there for Branch from now on, trying to make amends in whatever small way he could.
"I bet you're excited to see him again," Delta said, her voice breaking John out of his thoughts and returning him to the present moment.
"We're actually…kinda nervous," Clay admitted, Bruce and Floyd nodding in agreement, showing John that his brothers shared his concerns.
"Oh, I'm sure there's nothin' to worry 'bout," Delta said, but before she could continue, they were approached by another troll with messy red/orange hair and light green skin.
"Well hey there Miss Delta. Who're these trolls?" he asked, offering the brothers and Viva a friendly smile as he stood by the table.
"Hey Hickory! These trolls are actually from out of town and are on their way to Pop Village," Delta said, turning her attention to Hickory.
"Wait a minute, you're Hickory, the yodeler," Viva pointed out, recognizing the newcomer as the troll who accompanied and befriended Poppy and Branch during the Rock Apocalypse.
"That's right. And, you are…?" Hickory asked, not at all confused as to how they knew him as he was used to new trolls recognizing him from his Bounty Hunter days.
"I'm Viva, and this is my boyfriend Clay and his brothers John Dory, Bruce, and Floyd," Viva said, introducing herself and the brothers.
"Pleasure to meet y'all," Hickory said, tipping his hat in greeting.
"And guess what, Hickory. These trolls here are related to Poppy and Branch," Delta Dawn said, giving Hickory a smile.
"Well butter my biscuits, is that so?" Hickory said, raising his brows in surprise as he studied the newcomers.
"Mhmm. Viva here is Poppy's older sister while the boys are Branch's older brothers," Delta continued, Viva and the brothers smiling bashfully at Hickory.
"Well, I can certainly see the resemblance…" Hickory slowly said, still in shock.
Now that he and the others were done with their meal, John decided it was probably time for them to get going. "Speaking of our siblings, we're hoping to reach Pop Village by tonight, so it'd probably be best for us to get on the road again."
"Oh, of course! Don't want to keep you waitin' any longer now," Delta said, standing up from the table along with Viva and the brothers.
"Thank you for the meal, Delta Dawn. It was really nice," Floyd thanked.
"Oh don't mention it. It was a pleasure gettin' to know you folks some."
"It certainly was," John said, giving Delta a smile.
"Would you mind giving us directions to Pop Village?" Bruce asked.
"Certainly! Since we made peace with the other troll tribes, Queen Poppy had the idea of making roads to each troll village, allowing trolls to visit each other more often. Luckily for y'all, the road connecting Lonesome Flats to Pop Village was recently finished, so you should get there in no time."
"Great!" Clay said enthusiastically, giving Viva an excited smile.
"If you head south, you'll soon find the road," Delta said, pointing in the direction where the road was located. "It should be easy to find, as there are some roadmarks set up."
"Thank you, Delta. We really appreciate your help and hospitality," Viva said.
"Your welcome, hon. Now, I don't want to hold you fellas up any longer. It was real nice meetin' y'all and I hope to see you around again' sometime soon," Delta said, her and Hickory waving goodbye to Viva and the brothers as they headed back to Rhonda.
The sun was high up in the air, marking it mid-day, and making it easy for them to follow the directions Delta had given them. As promised, they found the road in no time. With each passing mile, the desertic landscape gradually got replaced with trees and lush greenery, letting the trolls know it was only a matter of time before they arrived.
John felt himself growing nervous with each passing minute. What if Branch didn't want to see them? What if he rejected them once again? What will his reaction be like? How should they approach him? These questions swirled in his head, and he took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart and push away his doubts and fears.
Not even two hours had passed, and they had arrived. Parking Rhonda on the outskirts of the village, Viva and the brothers stepped outside. John heard Viva gasp in awe and he couldn't help but agree with her. Taking in his surroundings, John noticed that Pop Village was seamlessly integrated into its natural surroundings. The pods were nestled among towering trees, and everywhere he looked there was lush greenery, sparkling streams, and flowers of all colors dotting the landscape. Each pod had holes to act as windows and entrances, and each had a whimsical design, featuring vibrant colors and unconventional shapes. Each pod seemed to have its own personality, as they were adorned with swirls, flowers, and patterns, adding to the village's lively atmosphere.
As they walked through the village, John's heart pounded in his chest. The familiar sight of colorful buildings and cheerful trolls brought a bittersweet ache to his chest. This was where they belonged, where they should have been all along.
The air was alive with the sound of music and laughter, but John could hardly hear it over the roar of his own thoughts. How would they find Branch and Poppy in this sea of trolls? And what would they say when they finally faced them?
Glancing at his brothers, he saw their expressions mirrored his own in a mix of nervousness, anticipation, and awe. He saw Clay take Viva's hand in his and give her an assuring look, as she was beginning to slightly panic from nerves. John could understand her. After all, it's been years since she's seen her family and the rest of her tribe, not to mention she believed them to be dead until recently. Being here must be a lot for her.
John himself was feeling a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him as they walked through the vibrant village; excitement, nervousness, anticipation, and a tinge of sadness all mingled together. The familiarity of the place only served to intensify these feelings, reminding him of the life he once had and the family he had left behind.
Bruce walked beside him, his expression guarded yet hopeful. John could see his brother's anxiety, the weight of their past mistakes hanging heavily between them. Despite their shared desire to reconnect with Branch, there was also an unspoken fear of rejection and facing the consequences of their long absence.
Clay's grip on Viva's hand tightened slightly as they navigated through the town. John could see the mixture of emotions playing across his brother's face - joy at the prospect of seeing Branch again, but also a hint of anxiety about how the reunion would unfold.
As for Floyd, he wore a smile on his face as he soaked in the sights and sounds of Pop Village. But beneath his cheerful demeanor, there was also uncertainty and worry, as well as a deep well of emotion, a longing for the brother they had left and the hope of reconnecting with Branch again.
And Viva, despite her attempts to remain composed, couldn't hide the nervous flutter in her stomach. After years of believing her family was gone, forever, the prospect of finally seeing them again filled her with both excitement and slight unease.
As they walked further into the village, John couldn't help but wonder how Branch would react to their sudden appearance. Would he be overjoyed to see them, or would he resent them for their long absence? Lost in his thoughts, John was jolted back to reality by Bruce nudging his arm.
"John, listen," Bruce whispered, him and the others coming to a stop.
Confused, John listened to their surroundings. At first, all he could hear was the laughter and singing of the trolls around them, but soon he heard the sound of familiar voices drifting through the air; the familiarity only coming through watching the movies.
"I can't believe I was asked to be the maid of honor! Ah, this is so exciting! Oh, but there's so much to plan. Like, what should I wear? What should Bridget wear? Who should we invite?..."
"Poppy, relax. The wedding isn't until two months. You have plenty of time."
"Oh, yeah, you're right. Of course. But, still, ah! Me! Maid of honor!"
Branch and Poppy. There was no question as to who those voices belonged to. Their voices seemed distant, but he knew they were close enough to their siblings to hear them. His heart skipped a beat as he turned in the direction of the voices, his eyes scanning the crowd until he spotted them.
There they were, standing together in the center of the village, engaged in conversation. Poppy's vibrant pink hair and skin stood out like a beacon of light amidst the sea of trolls, and beside her stood Branch.
A surge of emotion washed over John as he locked his eyes on his youngest brother, his throat tightening with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Branch and Poppy hadn't seen them yet, but this was it - the moment they had been waiting for.
Author's Note: Alright, so I know there wasn't much on Delta Dawn and John Dory in this chapter, but that's because it was mostly foreshadowing their relationship. Besides, John's main focus is on Branch rn…Also, for those of you who didn't know, in chapter 5 there's an updated version of my 'Author's Notes.' I would check that out, because I corrected one of my mistakes…I know originally I thought the brothers weren't from the Troll Tree, but I was wrong (found that out a while ago actually…) I just didn't want to go through all my chapters and change everything. So for this fic, let's just pretend the brothers aren't from the troll tree, if you're okay with that. (Again, my whole thoughts on this is at the end of chapter 5) And just a heads up, there will be one more chapter after this before their reunion. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, but I really want to do a chapter on Branch before he sees his brothers again…You'll have their reunion in the next week or so (hopefully :)))
Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated! I want to know if there's any room for improvement (which there always is), if there are any changes I should make, if there's something you're hoping to see in future chapters, and if you're enjoying the story. Thank you for reading!