Collect Food And Clean Water: Reprise
John Dory brushed his teeth slowly, trying to keep his eyes focused on the water flowing down his sink and not the dullness clinging to his skin.
It felt like his colors were all over the place recently. Branch had said they were going to fluctuate, and they had been. A lot. Sometimes, he'd wake up, and his colors would be significantly brighter. But then the next day, they'd be dull again. Sometimes, they would even shift during the day, seemingly for no reason. Despite JD's concerns, Branch had assured him that this was completely normal, and not to focus too much on it.
"Take it day by day," Branch had said reassuringly. "Healing takes time, and it's not going to be perfect. It's going to be up and down, and that's ok."
It was ok, but that didn't mean it wasn't entirely frustrating. And it was hard not to focus on something that was so much a part of him.
John Dory blinked slowly, his eyes unfocused. Today, he woke up more gray than he'd been yesterday. He was really trying not to fixate on it, but it was proving to be annoyingly difficult. Specifically because he didn't know why. He didn't feel any different… Sure, he had stayed in Rhonda last night because he was feeling kind of… off, but c'mon, staying in Rhonda was supposed to be a comfort, not make him feel worse. And he didn't feel worse. At least, he didn't think he did. All of this was so confusing, and he hated that he felt like he had no control over any of it.
He gripped the sides of the sink as irritation crawled across his skin. I just don't understand why this is so hard, he thought, closing his eyes for a moment.
He really had been doing better, he knew that. He'd been hanging out with Branch quite a bit, as well as Queen Poppy. And surprisingly, Viva as well. Both Clay and Viva had decided to stay for a while, and the overly enthusiastic lost princess of Pop had been going completely out of her way to hang out with John Dory. Every few days, Viva would come energetically bursting into his pod, babbling about this and that while she made them both tea. And John Dory quickly discovered he really enjoyed her visits. They actually had a lot in common. Apparently, she wasn't allowed around caffeine either.
But there were other things too. Like how Viva was still pretty terrified of Bergens, despite her friendship with Poppy's Bergen friend, Bridget. John Dory had to agree with her on that one. It was hard not to remember everything they'd gone through because of them. They talked about the crushing weight of feeling responsible for so much at such a young age, and the feeling of losing the people closest to you, along with the feeling of having those people back and the fear associated with it. It was kind of nice, having someone to talk to who just… understood. They had a lot of the same scars too. Quite literally; both their bodies were covered with them.
However, John Dory would dare to say he and Viva had actually become pretty good friends. So, it wasn't that surprising when she kicked open his door without warning, letting the bright morning sun flood in as she let out a loud "JOHN DORY!" John Dory still jumped though as he was pulled out of his swirling thoughts, his hair poofing out in a startled bristle. He didn't have his jacket or his goggles on yet; he was practically naked!
"Ah! Viva!" he yelped, his voice an octave higher than usual as he uselessly covered up his chest. "What are you doing?!"
"C'mon! You have to come outside, right now!" she replied excitedly, a practical whirlwind of energy as she raced towards him, grabbing his hands. "Omg, it's so fantastamazing, you're going to flip! Come on, move move move, go go go!" She began shoving him towards the door.
"Hold on, can I grab my jacket first?!" he asked, clumsily pulling on his goggles.
Viva responded by yanking his jacket off the hook it was hung on, shoving it into his chest. "Yes, now go!"
John Dory stumbled out of Rhonda, nearly blinded by the morning light. He blinked, giving his eyes a second to adjust as he pulled on his jacket. As his vision slowly came back, he realized he was standing right in front of Clay, Branch and Poppy talking a few feet away.
He stared at Clay for a moment, feeling his heart start to race. Clay nervously looked at his feet, his ears drooping as he anxiously fiddled with his hands.
John Dory wanted to say something. Anything, even just a 'hello,' but he found his jaw clenched tight, the words dying in his throat. This is what it'd been like for the past few weeks. He and Clay hung out together sometimes, but only when other trolls were present. And they never really… talked to each other. It wasn't that John Dory didn't want to talk to his little brother, but it felt like Clay was purposely going out of his way not to talk to him. And John Dory didn't want to push it. After everything that's happened, he wouldn't be surprised if Clay was still pissed at him. It wasn't like he didn't deserve it.
Viva broke the awkward silence by practically leaping onto Clay, nearly knocking the skinny troll over. "Clay! Tell him what you did!"
Clay steadied himself, straightening up a bit as he cleared his throat. "Yes, well, um, as you know, Viva and I have been living at the Golf Course for a while now, and because of the looming fear of Bergen attacks and such, we didn't really… get out much."
He bumped his fists anxiously together. "Sooo we thought it might be a good idea to get out and explore a bit. I mean, we didn't even know the Pop Trolls still existed, let alone other types of trolls, so uh, in the hopes of educating ourselves–"
"Ah, you're taking too long!" Viva burst out, reaching into Clay's hair despite his protest, and pulled out a handful of small, rectangular pieces of paper, leaping back onto the ground. "Clay got us all tickets to a carnival at Lonesome Flats! Eeeee, isn't it awesome?!"
"A carnival?" John Dory asked, slightly confused.
Poppy walked over, her feet dancing up and down with excitement. "Yes! They have one every few months, and they're AMAZING! There's games and rides and a huge rodeo; it's so much fun!"
"We're not going for 'fun'," Clay interrupted, using his hands to put up air quotes. "We're going to study the culture of the Country Western Trolls." He seemed to lose some of his confidence, ears drooping down again. "But you know, I thought maybe you guys might have fun if you tagged along." He shuffled his feet nervously, looking uncomfortable.
Branch appeared at John Dory's side, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've gone a few times with Poppy, and they actually are pretty entertaining." He shrugged, giving John Dory a stern look out of the corner of his eyes. "I think it's a great idea."
That was his youngest brother's way of saying: 'You're coming with us even if I have to drag you by the hair.'
"I agree," John Dory replied with a nervous laugh, looking back towards Clay. He didn't miss the way his brother's face seemed to brighten, just a little bit. "Just gimme a second, and we can take Rhonda."
"And Bruce and Floyd will meet us there," Branch added, smiling.
Viva lifted Poppy into the air, swirling her laughing sister around excitedly. "I am so hyped up right now!" she hollered. "This is going to be so much fun!"
"Yeah…" John Dory chuckled, reveling at the sweet scene. But then his eyes drifted over to Clay, who was now standing stiffly off to the side, his ears twitching apprehensively as he stared at the ground. John Dory swallowed down the guilt in his throat, looking down at his feet as well. "Fun…"
It didn't take long to get to Lonesome Flats, Poppy and Viva singing miscellaneous pop songs the entire trip. Even Clay and Branch got in on the action, harmonizing with their girlfriends as the landscape whisked past. John Dory smiled at this, but didn't join in. He still didn't really feel like singing yet.
John Dory had been through Lonesome Flats a few times, when he'd very occasionally left the Neverglade Trail to resupply, but it looked completely different now. It was impossible to miss the large carnival set up outside the small village; practically dwarfing the entirety of Lonesome Flats. There were large, intricate rides towering over small tents and stands, and multicolored lights flashing in the growing dusk. Laughter and screams of both joy and fear echoed across the plains as Country Western Trolls and other trolls alike flitted around the scene. And there were A LOT of trolls.
John Dory parked Rhonda a ways away, meeting up with Bruce and Floyd, who'd flown here via hot air balloon. They all greeted each other joyously, with hugs and playful jabs thrown every which way. They then all slowly made their way towards the entrance, handing over their tickets, and stepping into the chaotic scene.
John Dory's entire body felt tight as he scanned around the multitude of trolls bustling about. He resisted the urge to rub at his ears, which were flicking irritably at the loud chatter swirling around him. If he thought Pop Village was bad, this was way worse. He tried his best to appear chill, despite the way his body seemed to be on high alert. C'mon man, it's just trolls, relax…
John Dory nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt something brush against the side of his arm. He looked down to see Branch's hand resting gently on his arm as a way of comfort. He drew his attention up towards his younger brother, who also appeared tense, his eyes surveying the large crowd. John Dory felt his anxious energy ease, just a little. It was such a small gesture, but the message was clear: You're not alone.
John Dory took a deep breath, setting his jaw tight as he gently patted Branch's back reassuringly. I'm here.
Suddenly, Floyd appeared by his side, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at one of the tallest rides. "We are so riding that," he whispered, a huge grin stretching across his face.
"Hah, who's 'we'?" John Dory replied with a laugh, planting his hands on his hips. "You can ride that thing. I am not going anywhere near it. John Dory does his own stunts, thank you very much."
"Fine, we are riding it then," Floyd continued, grabbing Branch's hand.
"Wait, what?!" Branch yelped, staring at his brother in shock.
"Yes yes yes, let's go!" Poppy shouted, grabbing Branch's other hand and pulling him along, Viva and Clay walking after them.
John Dory watched them go, laughing at the look on Branch's face. However, now that he was gone, JD could feel that apprehension start crawling across his skin again. His skin that was still frustratingly dull. As he looked at the colorful trolls around him, he couldn't help but feel out of place. Gosh, why couldn't he have been brighter today? At least then he wouldn't feel like the entirety of Lonesome Flats was looking at him, seeing him in all his gray glory. He felt his ears droop slightly, his eyes flickering around nervously as he hunched his shoulders.
Suddenly, he felt someone grab said shoulders, pushing them down firmly. He turned to the side to see Bruce, who was smirking at him. "What have I told you about those shoulders, man?" he asked, causing John Dory to roll his eyes. "Relax, remember?"
"I know, I know," John Dory sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just feel like I stick out like a sore thumb," he mumbled quietly.
Understanding flashed across Bruce's eyes, and he drooped an arm over JD's shoulders. "John, trust me, nobody cares what you look like right now. They're too busy having fun, which is what you should be doing."
"Yeah, yeah," John Dory huffed, although grateful for his brother's reassurance. "I'll try to make an effort, alright?"
Bruce nodded approvingly. "Good," he replied, looking up towards the tall ride. "Because we're next on that thing."
"We're what?!"
Carnival rides were not John Dory's cup of tea, and clearly, they weren't Bruce's either. They both collapsed on a nearby table immediately afterwards, their legs like jelly as they panted, heads spinning.
"I am too old for that crap," John Dory gasped heavily, glaring over at Bruce.
"Yep," Bruce agreed, looking entirely humbled. "Too frickin' old."
"C'mon, it wasn't that bad, was it?" Floyd asked innocently, but there was nothing innocent about the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"John, make Floyd shut up before I wipe that smirk off his face," Bruce moaned, massaging his forehead. "Kid thinks he knows everything."
Floyd laughed at this, turning back towards the ride. "Looks like Branch and Clay are having fun too."
John Dory peeked over to see Clay lecturing the tired Country Troll working the ride. His guess was that it was something about safety violations. Branch was right by his side, nodding along to what Clay was saying as he scanned the ride up and down. Eventually, Poppy and Viva dragged them away, Poppy forcing Branch to put the level he'd pulled out back in his hair.
"Ok, so apparently rides are off-limits now," Viva said with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest in a pout.
"Hey, that thing had several safety violations!" Clay insisted, flipping through his notepad. "And I don't want to become a lawsuit today."
Yep, safety violations. He'd called it.
"Ugh, Clayyyy…" Vive groaned, rolling her eyes. But just then, her entire demeanor seemed to brighten, her eyes locking on the rows of game filled tents. "Let's go play a game then!"
"Ah! Branch, look!" Poppy exclaimed, grabbing Branch's hand and pulling him towards a balloon dart game. "You'll be so good at this one!"
Branch let himself be led off towards the games, Bruce and Floyd following behind them, leaving John Dory with Viva and Clay, who apparently hadn't heard Viva's request and was writing almost feverishly in his notebook.
"Clay, c'mon, let's go have some fun!" Viva coaxed, grabbing Clay's arm.
"Viv's, I told you, I'm not here for fun," Clay replied, a slight edge to his voice as he looked up. "Besides, I–" he stopped suddenly, eyes locked on one of the tents. John Dory followed his gaze towards what looked like a small mini golf set up, a single stretch of green with one flagged hole. Clay tucked his notebook back up in his hair, slowly walking towards the tent, and after exchanging a look, Viva and John Dory followed after him.
They stopped a few feet away, Clay's eyes analytically scanning the tent up and down. Finally, John Dory saw him settle on one of the smaller prizes, a keychain with a golf ball and a small bear on it, wearing a green sweater vest. It looked like a tiny bear version of Clay. John Dory chuckled, about to point this out when Viva beat him to the punch.
"Clay, that bear looks just like you!" she squealed, shaking his shoulders.
Clay blinked a few times, looking conflicted. "Yeah, but…"
"How much for a game?" Viva interrupted, drawing the attention of the grizzled Country Western Troll behind the counter.
"Coin per ball," he replied gruffly, looking disinterested. "All you have to do is hit the thing into that hole there. Some newfangled game called 'galf' I guess."
"Golf," Clay corrected him, ears twitching in irritation, but John Dory could see his eyes lighting up with excitement. Clay cleared his throat, setting a coin on the counter. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to bring home a memento or two." The Country Troll stood up, grabbing a golf ball from a bucket on the counter and tossing it onto the small green, handing Clay an old mini-golf club.
"You've got this, Clay!" Viva cheered, hopping up and down on her feet.
"Please, this is nothing," Clay replied confidently. He looked the green up and down, then swung easily, not even watching the ball as it rolled. Which would have been really cool… if it had gone in the hole. Instead, the ball stopped a few inches away, Clay peeking over at it and nearly doing a double take.
"What?" he exclaimed with surprise, and John Dory had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. Viva, however, couldn't help but laugh out loud, Clay giving her a withering look.
"I'm sorry, Clay, just… the look on your face!" She laughed, wiping tears from her eyes.
"That was a fluke!" Clay retorted, his ears and face flushing a deep blue. He spun around, slapping another coin on the counter. "Give me another one!"
The Country Troll rolled his eyes, but tossed another ball onto the green. Clay seemed to focus more this time, lining up his shot with narrowed eyes, before swinging again. This time, the ball rolled much too far, skirting around the edge of the hole and hitting the back of the green.
"What the…" Clay said, shaking his head. "That's… that's not right, that's not right at all!" He scanned the green up and down before turning his gaze towards the bucket of golf balls. He reached down, grabbing two of them and holding them gingerly in his hands.
"Hey, you can't have those–" the Country Troll began to protest, but was immediately cut off as Clay gasped dramatically.
"These aren't regulated!" he exclaimed angrily, whipping around towards the Country Troll. "Both of these are completely different weights. It's rigged!"
"Hey kid, I don't make the rules," the Country Troll said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Clay seemed to stiffen at this, his face flushing even more. "Don't call me that," he hissed, hands clenched into fists.
"Clay, relax, ok? We can just play something else," Viva said quickly, setting a hand on Clay's now shaking shoulders. She glared over at the Country Troll. "Besides, who wants to play a rigged golf game? Ours are way better."
Clay looked down at Viva, his gaze softening a bit. He shot one last look over at the keychain before letting his shoulders fall, his ears drooping. "Yeah, you're right. Let's just… do something else."
They both started to walk away, Viva excitedly leading him off towards some skee-ball game. John Dory, however, felt his eyes draw back to that keychain. He came to a decision, leaning on the counter and plastering on his best 'John Dory' grin.
"Hey so, 'galf,' amiright–" he said coyly before purposely letting his arm slide to the side, knocking the bucket of golf balls onto the ground. "Oh gosh, sorry man! My arm slipped!" he lied easily, trying to look apologetic.
The Country Western Troll sighed, leaning down. "It's alright. It's only the sixth time that's happened today."
John Dory wasn't listening though. Instead, he continued to lean on the counter, reaching out a bit of his hair and snagging the small keychain. He quickly drew it back into his hair, standing up straighter and slapping his hands together. "Welp, sorry 'bout that, old timer. Have fun with… this, I guess." And with that, he followed after Clay and Viva, a new bounce to his step.
Viva was currently destroying Clay in a game of skee-ball, the two trolls laughing as they purposely tried to mess each other up. It was absolutely adorable. John Dory couldn't help but feel a smile stretch across his face. He was so happy for them, for both of them.
John Dory pulled the small keychain from his hair, his mood suddenly turning sour. He wanted to give it to Clay, but his brother looked like he was having such a good time. He didn't want to ruin that for him, considering how weird things were between them right now. He looked back up at Clay, who was watching his girlfriend lovingly as Viva raced over to Poppy and Branch, showing off the prize she'd won.
Maybe I should just give it to Viva? he thought, starting to walk over to his brother. No no, that's dumb, don't be stupid, just give it to him, it's not that hard. You got it for him, so just do it. Ugh, how do I do this?
John Dory paused for a moment, hesitating. But before he could drum up the confidence to say anything, Clay noticed him, startling a bit as he turned toward John Dory, eyes wide. And John Dory immediately lost any kind of resolve he might have had.
"Uh, here," John Dory said quickly, tossing the keychain into his brother's hands. Clay fumbled for a moment before catching it, staring down at it in shock.
"Wha… How did you…" Clay stuttered, looking back up, confusion flashing across his face.
"I uh…" John Dory's voice trailed off, unsure of what to say. So instead, he just spun around on his heels, waving over his shoulder as he walked away. "It's just more your style," he said finally, cringing at his own behavior. He let his hand fall down, slowly massaging his face.
Good one, John Dory, real nice. That was stupid, that was really, really stupid, he thought, gritting his teeth. But at least Clay got the keychain.
He peeked over his shoulder slightly to see Clay staring down at the small prize, face troubled as he held it gently in his hands. It was hard to ignore the guilt settling in his gut, but he was pulled out of his thoughts by Poppy, who was waving him over excitedly.
"Hey, the rodeo's going to start soon! C'mon!"
They piled into some large stands, surrounding a wide, open area. It was a bit tight, but he had Branch and Bruce on either side of him, so it wasn't like he was pressed up against strangers. But nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel tense as he scanned across the large, roaring crowd, his ears twitching as they cheered loudly.
"Here, take these." John Dory looked over to see Branch holding out some earplugs. "Trust me, you'll need them."
"Uh, ok…" John Dory replied hesitantly. "Why?"
Floyd leaned forward, a knowing look on his face. "I finally figured out what 'hyperacusis' means," he said, pointing towards his ears. John Dory remembered that word from their doctor's visit a few weeks ago, but he still had no idea what it meant. But he just shrugged, putting in the ear plugs anyways. He could see Branch doing the same.
Everything became slightly muted, which John Dory wasn't sure he liked. He relied on his ears for a lot. But he had to admit, somehow, he felt so much better. He felt his tension ease a bit at the quiet, and he hadn't realized how much his ears had been twitching till now. He let out a sigh of relief before turning his gaze back out towards the rodeo, excitement blossoming to life in his chest.
Poppy had been right on; it was AMAZING. There were several competitions, Country Western Trolls competing against each other in different events, each more complex than the last. John Dory couldn't help but let his voice join his brothers as they cheered on certain competitors, the stands shaking as trolls pounded their feet against them. And by the time it was over, John Dory was left breathless, feeling as if he were walking on air. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had that much fun.
They stumbled out of the stands, gathering just inside the lit up arena as they chatted excitedly, carnival lights pulsing in the background.
"Did you see the way that guy lassoed those critters with his mustache?!" Bruce laughed, eyes sparkling with amusement. "I don't think I've ever seen a troll do that before, and I don't know if I ever want to see that again."
"Are you sure you're not just jealous?" Clay chimed in with a cheeky grin.
"Pft, please, I could grow a mustache if I wanted," Bruce replied with a smile before gesturing at his face. "But why would I ever want to draw attention away from all this?"
They laughed, the sound making John Dory's heart leap with joy. He was just about to comment on the barrel races they'd seen when he felt something snake around his chest. He looked down, startled, to see unfamiliar red hair wrapped around him. He didn't even have time to yelp before it tightened, and he was yanked backwards through the air.
He crashed into the ground with a thud, dust and hay flying up around him as he tried to get his bearings. But before he could, he felt two strong hands grab either side of his shoulders, lifting him off the ground easily.
"Oh my stars, I am so sorry!" A voice exclaimed as he was set unsteadily on his feet, hands beginning to brush dust off him. "I saw that spotted jacket of yours and thought a critter had escaped, and I just reacted on instinct!"
John Dory blinked, still slightly shaken. "No no, it's fine, I'm… uh…" John Dory started, but his voice immediately died in his throat as the person talking to him finally came into focus.
In front of him stood a beautiful Country Troll; her skin a warm shade of peach with a healthy glow that suggested 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 normal hair color before he went gray.
She gazed at him worriedly, her thick, red hair falling loosely around her orange, freckled face as her hands remained firmly on his shoulders. John Dory felt his face grow hot, his hands curling into nervous fists. She was… wow.
"Are you alright?" she asked in a thick country accent, her voice soft as she looked him over.
John Dory was frozen, his eyes locked on the way her deep red hair seemed to meld flawlessly into the orange on her skin. The colors were so familiar, like a comfort. They almost looked like a…
"You… look like a sunrise."
As soon as the breathy words left his lips, he nearly smacked himself. Please tell me I did not just say that… he thought, his ears practically burning.
The Country Western Troll gave him a weird look before letting out a laugh, snorting a bit as she did. John Dory could see the dimples peeking out from her cheeks.
"Well, ain't you the little charmer," she said, smiling as she composed herself. "What'd you say your name was?"
Speak normally this time, you idiot! he thought, clearing his throat nervously. "John, ehem, it's John. John Dory," he replied, reaching out a hand. She looked down in amusement before shaking it firmly.
"Nice to meet ya," she replied, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Sorry for lassoing you."
"No worries, um… heh." John Dory laughed nervously. The Country Troll reached forward, and it took just about every bone in JD's body not to immediately flinch away, but she just plucked a small piece of hay from his hair, letting it fall to the ground.
"Well, John Dory, my name is Delta Dawn," she said smoothly, and JD couldn't help but notice the way she carried herself with confidence, a warm twinkle in her eyes. "And I'll expect to see you at our rodeo next month." She let out a sigh. "Couldn't compete tonight 'cuz I was babysittin'." She reached up, revealing a small, slumbering trolling in her hair before letting it fall back. "But next time, I'll be the one taking home the trophy." She smirked up at John Dory coyly. "And you best be in those stands cheerin' me on!"
John Dory felt himself nod, almost instinctively. "Y-yes ma'am, I'll uh… I'll be there," he stammered out, Delta's face breaking into a grin.
"Good." She spun around, walking past the rest of John Dory's party, stopping for a moment next to Poppy and tilting her hat respectfully. "Queen Poppy," she said, before sauntering off into the night, the carnival lights playing in her hair like fire.
John Dory watched her go, dumbstruck. It wasn't until his eyes caught on his brothers' smug faces that he finally snapped out of it. "I don't want to hear a word out of any of you," he said quickly, putting on his best older brother voice as he pointed at them.
It was Bruce who broke into laughter first, practically leaning over on his knees as his brothers started laughing along with him. "You shook her hand?!" he gasped, wiping his eyes.
"What did I just say!?" John Dory exclaimed in exasperation, his face flushing even more. He could see Floyd trying and failing not to laugh, giggling as he leaned on Branch, who also had an amused smile on his face. Viva and Poppy's eyes were practically sparkling as they looked at him, matching grins on their faces. "Ugh, can we just get something to eat?"
"Yes ma'am," Floyd replied in a terrible impression of John Dory's voice, causing them all to break out into laughter once again as John Dory let out an exasperated groan.
"I guess we'll be going to another rodeo," Branch said, a smug smile on his face. "Glad you liked it."
"Yeah yeah," John Dory huffed, rolling his eyes. But he felt his heart warm a bit, a smile growing on his face. She was beautiful…
They eventually settled on a picnic table nearby, sharing different types of deep fried, sugary goodness as they chatted loudly amongst themselves. All in all, despite the gray still clinging to his skin, John Dory had to admit he was actually having fun. He thought about commending Clay for his good idea, his eyes drifting towards the edge of the table where his wild-haired younger brother sat.
Clay was unusually quiet, his face curled into a grimace as he stared down at the small keychain in his hands. John Dory felt his ears droop down, guilt once again churning to life in his gut. Maybe giving Clay that keychain was a bad idea after all. He hated seeing his usually cheerful and lively little brother so upset and knowing he was the cause. He turned away, looking down at his hands and adopting a grimace similar to Clay's.
Suddenly, he felt someone tap his shoulder, looking up to see Viva sitting next to him, her face uncharacteristically serious. "You need to go talk to him," she said, nodding towards Clay's dismal figure.
John Dory felt his shoulders hunch, his stomach flipping. "Look, Viva, I don't think he wants to talk to me, alright?" he mumbled, jaw tight.
"He does," she replied firmly, her gaze intense. "You both are just really, really terrible at it." She looked between the two of them, lips tight. But then, it was like a lightbulb lit up above her head, a grin stretching across her face. "Here, I'll help!" she said excitedly, John Dory barely able to voice his protest before she hopped over to Clay.
"Clayyyy," she pleaded, clamping her hands on Clay's skinny shoulders and practically making him jump out of his skin. "Can you go get me some more cotton candy pretty please?"
Clay regained his composure, clearing his throat as he tucked the keychain back into his hair. "Oh, yeah sure." He climbed to his feet, scanning around at the colorful food stands before chuckling nervously. "Uh, where is it again?"
"John Dory can show you!" Viva replied, stepping over and practically lifting John Dory from the table. "You know where it is, right John?"
"Wha– I–" JD sputtered before Viva shot him a glare, his mouth clamping shut. "Heh heh, right. I can show you." Viva nodded in approval, setting him down and giving him a not so sneaky thumbs up. He grinned tightly, shooting a glance over at Clay, who now looked even more nervous than he did before. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the guilt in his stomach grown heavier as he spun around. "Here, it's this way." He didn't look back, but he could hear Clay fall into step behind him.
"Bring me a fizzy drink too!" He heard Viva call after them. "The more sugar the better!"
They walked in silence towards the food tents, the tension so thick you could cut it. However, John Dory quickly realized that Clay seemed more out of it than he'd originally thought. His brother was practically walking in a trance, stumbling over his feet and nearly knocking into several trolls. He was mumbling under his breath, something that sounded like… numbers? Finally, when Clay was seconds from walking straight into a pole, John Dory decided he needed to intervene. Whether Clay was mad at him or not, his brother was clearly not ok, and he was going to get hurt.
He grabbed Clay's shoulders just in time, pulling him away from the pole, his brother startling at his touch. "Ok, Clay, what are you–" John Dory started, struggling to find the words. He took a deep breath, then looked up at his brother, Clay's expression almost fearful as he stared back at him. "Are you… ok?" he asked slowly, forcing himself to keep eye contact. "You seem really out of it, and I'm… I'm worried."
"I don't think you're stupid!"
John Dory jumped as Clay blurted out those words, reeling back a bit. Clay was breathing heavily, eyes wide as he stared at JD. "I… What?" John Dory replied, confused.
"When I was yelling at you, after the lake, I called you stupid," Clay stammered, his hands curled into fists. "And you're not, you're not stupid. I mean you are, about some things, but not that, you were just scared, and I just–" JD could tell he was almost starting to hyperventilate. "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean any of it!"
"Woah woah, Clay, breathe," John Dory said quickly, anxiously scanning around the area. His eyes locked on a small bench, away from the bright lights and other trolls, and he led Clay over there, forcing his brother to sit down with him. "Breathe Clay, it's ok."
"It's not ok!" Clay hissed, his eyes flashing with anger and guilt. "You weren't ok, and I couldn't look past my own childish anger to see that! I thought you just weren't taking me seriously again, treating me like some little kid. I didn't realize, I– I didn't understand…" He let out a frustrated growl, fidgeting with his armbands. "If I had just kept my stupid mouth shut, none of this would have happened!"
"Clay, what are you talking about?" John Dory asked worriedly, still confused.
"It all just happened so fast," Clay replied, his voice growing shaky. "I said all that stupid stuff, and then you left, and then you…" He clenched his teeth together, letting out a small hiss as he buried his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry."
Realization suddenly slapped John Dory across the face, his eyes widening. Clay wasn't upset with him. He wasn't mad at him or anything. He was blaming himself for what happened. John Dory sucked in a breath, dread flooding through him like ice.
"Woah, hold on Clay, this is not your fault," he said quickly, resisting the urge to reach out and grab his brother's trembling hands.
"Well I sure didn't help anything!" Clay shouted, angry tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Clay, it wasn't your fault, ok? It was me, it was all me." John Dory felt his body beginning to shake, the guilt so heavy in his gut he felt nauseous. Images of Clay's terrified face staring up at him from under the water flashed through his head. "You had every right to be angry with me, for a lot of things but… Gosh Clay, I almost killed you!"
"You saved me!" Clay shot back, looking desperately at John Dory. "It wasn't your fault, it was an accident!"
"I-I should have known better, I…" John Dory trailed off, squeezing his eyes shut.
"How would you have known?!" Clay exclaimed, holding his hands out dramatically. "How could you have possibly known? We never talk to each other!" His hands fell back limply to his side, jaw tight as he looked away. "I just… We've changed a lot since we were kids, and I feel like we barely know anything about each other anymore. We never… talk." He curled in on himself a bit, ears drooping.
John Dory's ears drooped down as well, and he turned his gaze towards the ground. Clay had a point. When they were kids, they were so close. But slowly, he and Clay had started to drift apart. There was this rift between them, one that only seemed to get bigger. And now, it felt as if he were staring across some wide expanse, his brother out of reach on the other side. John Dory looked down at his hands. They'd changed a lot since then. He had changed a lot. So maybe… he needed to change things up a little bit more. He reached out slowly, grabbing his brother's shaking hand.
"I'm allergic to coconuts."
Clay perked up at this, looking confused. "What?" he asked, voice still trembling slightly.
"I found one, when I was traveling near the sea," John Dory continued hesitantly. "And I cracked it open, cause y'know, food, but when I ate it, I broke out into these nasty hives. I was itching for days."
Clay looked at him, ears flicked up in interest. John Dory took that as a good sign and kept going.
"I could also probably look at any type of berry in the woods and tell you if it's poisonous or not," he said with a chuckle, tapping his head. "That was one of the first things I memorized from my survival book."
Clay seemed to relax a bit, his shoulders dipping down as his ears ceased its anxious flicking.
"Also, I hate birds." John Dory shrugged comedically, a small laugh bursting from Clay's lips.
"What? Why?" Clay chuckled, eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Nasty things, with their beady eyes and beaks," John Dory said, shaking his head. "I've been picked up by a bird many times in my life, but they haven't got me yet!" Clay laughed again at this, John Dory's face breaking into a grin.
"Y'know I… I still kind of hate the dark," Clay admitted, wiping the remaining tears from his eyes. "The golf course is pretty much always lit up with something so, I guess I never really got used to how completely pitch black it can get."
"That's understandable," John Dory nodded, a shiver crawling up his spine. "I'm not a big fan of the dark either."
Clay seemed to think for a moment, rubbing his chin. "I'm uh, also kind of terrible at directions."
"That one doesn't count," John Dory scoffed. "You're just stating the obvious now; everyone already knows that."
"Hey!" Clay retorted, but he was grinning as well.
John Dory was glad he could turn his brother's mood back around, but he still felt his ears droop a bit. "Look, Clay…" he started, struggling to keep his resolve. "What happened to me… It wasn't your fault, alright?"
Clay's face fell a bit, but he nodded, eyes intense. "And what happened at the lake wasn't your fault either," he replied firmly. John Dory could still feel guilt churning in his stomach, but he took a deep breath, deciding to listen to his brother. Clay sighed as well, clutching his hands together. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," he continued, before a small smile grew on his face. "Y'know, before… everything happened, I was actually kind of… having fun." He rubbed the back of his neck, turning to look at John Dory. "Thank you for that."
John Dory smiled, his heart swelling warmly. "I had fun too," he replied, wrapping an arm around Clay's shoulders and giving him a tight squeeze. And just like that, the rift felt just a little bit smaller. It wasn't fixed by any means, but it was a start.
After a moment, JD stood up, stretching as he let out a loud groan. "Anyways, should we go get the cotton candy? Viva's probably sugar crashing by now."
Clay laughed at this, standing up as well. "That's true. She practically runs on the stuff. Oh!" He perked up, reaching into his hair and pulling out the small keychain. "Also, thank you for this," he said sheepishly, a nervous smile on his face. "I know it's just some stupid keychain but… it means a lot. So thanks." He shook his head, attempting to regain his composure. "How'd you even get it anyways? The stupid game was rigged."
"Stole it," John Dory replied easily, spinning around on his heels and heading towards the food tents.
"Wait, you what?!" Clay exclaimed, falling in to step behind him.
"What?" John Dory asked slyly, looking sideways over at his brother. "If the game wasn't rigged, you would have made the shot and earned the prize. And besides, there's a lot you don't know about me."
Clay's eyes sparkled with delight, his face breaking into a mischievous grin. "Alright then, tell me everything."
They got the cotton candy and soda for Viva, swapping stories back and forth as they made their way back towards the rest of their party, and John Dory couldn't help but feel world's lighter. He was laughing along with Clay as they approached the table, only stopping when he heard the distinct *click* of a camera. His camera.
He turned to see Viva, holding the developing photo in her hand, a huge grin on her face. John Dory quickly reached up in his hair to confirm. Yep, it was gone.
"How did you even…?" he started, but was immediately cut off as Viva ran over, proudly displaying her photo.
"Look at you two! You're so cute."
John Dory could see him and Clay smiling, eyes sparkling with the colorful lights from the carnival as they walked through the multicolored tents. You could barely tell he was gray from all the colors flashing across his skin, and the fact that he could make his brother smile like that meant the world to him.
"Alright, alright, I'll admit, it's a good one," he said with a huff, grabbing his camera back. He tucked the photo into his jacket before smiling up at Viva. "Thank you." They both knew he was thanking her for more than just the photo.
Viva then perked up, grabbing the soda from Clay and downing half of it in one go. "Ugh, that's better!" she squealed, jumping up and down a couple times to release some energy. "So, what were you guys laughing about anyways?"
"We were just… telling stories I guess," Clay chuckled, handing over the bag of cotton candy as well.
"Swapping fun facts," John Dory added with a grin. "Brotherly bonding and all that."
Viva's smile grew wider, and John Dory could tell she just had another brilliant idea. She spun around, grabbing her sister excitedly. "Poppy! We should play 'Two Truths, One Lie'!"
Poppy gasped at this, grabbing Viva back. "You're a genius! YES! Let's do it!"
They spent the rest of the night gathered around the table, their laughter echoing across the carnival as his brother's eagerly joined in the game. They learned that Bruce never actually had his first kiss until Brandy, that Floyd had spent a few years in a hard rock band, and that Branch was practically a bass guitar prodigy. It was incredibly fun, and by the time they had to say their goodbyes, everyone's cheeks were sore from smiling so much.
John Dory drove Rhonda back to Pop Village, listening as Poppy and Viva sang softly along to the radio, Clay and Branch sleepily harmonizing along. Clay had actually come up to sit by him, resting his tired head on John Dory's leg as he mumbled along to the words of the song, and after a while, John Dory let his voice join him, the music flowing easily from his lips.
He knew he wasn't supposed to be focusing on it, but he couldn't help but notice that he was a little brighter now.
Author's Note: First of all, thank you for humoring my headcanons. I like to think that both JD and Branch have auditory sensitivity (just me projecting y'know) and JD's got hyperacusis on top of it from the big old explosion. Also, I 100% ship John Dory with Delta Dawn! There won't be any further mention of her in this fic, but I really wanted to include a scene with them!