John Dory's Quick And Concise Guide On How To Live
Author's Note: This is it gang. The end. Hoooo, man, idk if I'm ready for this to be over, but here we go. Enjoy!
"What are we doing here again?"
John Dory stood with Branch on the outskirts of a large clearing in Pop Village, watching as trolls bustled past. He had been chilling comfortably inside his pod, but for some reason, his little brother had insisted they make their way out here.
"Getting some fresh air," Branch replied, taking a deep breath as if to prove his point. "And Poppy said I had to get out of the bunker."
John Dory nodded. That made sense. His youngest brother had a tendency to get obsessed with certain projects down in his bunker, and sometimes it would be a few days before John Dory would see him again.
"Right, right," he mused, pausing for a moment. "So… what am I doing here then?"
"Because if I had to watch you pace around your pod for much longer, I was going to smack you or tie you to a chair," Branch replied, shooting John Dory a scathing look.
John Dory scoffed, hunching up further inside his jacket. Ok, so maybe he was a bit on edge, but he had good reason to be. Today, he'd be going back to therapy for the first time since, well, since everything happened. Branch had managed to convince him that it might be helpful in sorting through all the thoughts still swirling around in his head. And maybe, just maybe, he might be the tiniest bit nervous about stepping foot in that cramped office again. But he wasn't sure how walking around Pop Village was going to help with any of that.
He felt safe in Rhonda, and his pod was starting to feel like home more and more everyday. But going out into Pop Village still felt… strange. He still felt like an outsider, and of course the paleness to his skin didn't help his case, despite the fact that it was much brighter now than it was a few weeks ago.
"We could have just hung out outside my pod," he grumbled, watching as trolls flitted past him.
Branch crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. "You need to get out, John. Staying in your pod and stewing isn't going to help anything, trust me."
He did. However, as John Dory stood in the busy marketplace, he didn't exactly feel convinced, hands curled into tight fists. "Well why don't we just go foraging then?" he asked with forced enthusiasm, spinning around on his heels. "I could probably use some more troll berries…"
Branch slapped a hand on his shoulder, spinning him back around. John Dory groaned, rubbing at his face. He wasn't getting out of this one.
"C'mon," Branch said, leading him down into the chaos. "You want to get your mind off things? This is the perfect place to do it. I mean, it's always crazy here. Explore a bit, try something new! Like uh…" His eyes traced across the many stands before gesturing to one randomly. "Cotton candy cupcakes!"
"Uh, what?" John Dory lightly chuckled, confused. They walked over to the stand, greeted by a small, purple troll.
"Hi! Want a free sample? They're freshly baked!" she said excitedly, holding out a plate towards them. John Dory squinted his eyes, looking at the strange treat.
"Baked?" he asked, tilting his head. "This is just cotton candy shaped like a cupcake."
The troll shook her head vehemently. "No no, they're cotton candy cupcakes. They have to be baked," she insisted.
"I'm… not following," John Dory replied, to which the small troll just held one out to him.
"Here, try it!"
He took it, hesitating for a moment before finally taking a bite. His eyes widened in surprise. It was definitely cotton candy, but it tasted like a freshly baked cupcake, down to the warmth flooding his mouth. "Wha… how?" he asked, bewildered, shooting a look over at Branch. Branch just shrugged like 'You're asking me?'
John Dory shook his head, holding the treat out to his brother. "Nope, no no no, that's too weird for me. You take it."
"What? I'm not eating that," Branch replied, pushing it back towards him.
"You were just preaching about trying new things!" John Dory protested, trying once again to hand it off.
"First off, you bit it, so no," Branch huffed. "And second, I don't eat things that are against nature."
"Ohhh I see," John Dory replied, drawing out the words as he set a hand on his hip. "Scared huh? That's understandable. Look at it, it's terrifying." He shoved it right up under his brother's nose.
"Stop! That's disgusting," Branch complained, pushing his hand away. But John Dory thought he could see the slightest hint of amusement in his brother's narrowed eyes. "Just get rid of it."
"Fine, fine," John Dory hummed with a grin. No matter what age he was, teasing his little brothers would never grow old.
He turned to try and find a place to dispose of this crime against nature, when suddenly, he found himself face to face with a silver glitter troll, a mere few inches away from brushing his green nose against his. John Dory let out a yelp, jumping back and bringing up his hands defensively, the cotton candy cupcake tossed away to who knows where.
"Hello!" The glitter troll said loudly, grabbing his hand and giving it a firm handshake. His fingers left a glittery residue on John Dory's skin. "I'm Guy Diamond! Glitter troll, entertainer, actor, single father." At this, he parted his silvery hair, revealing a small, familiar trolling lounging inside.
"Hah, McManface?!" John Dory laughed, his nerves easing a bit. He held out his hands, the tiny trolling hopping into them with a smile.
"Ey, what's up, Goggles?" he said, giving him a wink. "This is my Daddy! We're going to help you get your sparkle back!"
"Sh sh sh, Tiny, please," Guy Diamond shushed him, grabbing Tiny by the hair and setting him back on his shoulder. "Daddy's networking." At this, Guy pulled a stack of neatly scrapbooked paper from his hair, shoving it into John Dory's hands. "This is my resume, my business card, and my headshots." He grabbed one of the large, blown up photos of himself, clicking his tongue in approval before tucking it back into John Dory's hands. "You'll find everything you need in there. Awards, autobiography, letters of recommendation, zodiac sign, you name it! You need a friend? Guy's your guy!"
"Uhhh…" John Dory droned, dumbstruck.
"I should also mention I'm the eight year running 'Friendliest and Sparkliest Glitter Troll of the Year' holder," Guy said proudly, smoothing out his hair and puffing up his chest.
"Isn't that an award you made up?" Branch piped up by JD's side. He could practically hear the eye roll in his brother's voice.
"Details, Branch, are not important," Guy retorted, a literal bright smile on his face. He held up his hands, framing John Dory within them. "Anyways, I'm working on a new screenplay, and after Tiny's talk of your adventures, I think you'd be the perfect muse! You must meet up with me sometime to discuss it! We could do fantastical things together, you and I!"
"Uh, maybe, I…" John Dory started, but was quickly interrupted as blue hair wrapped around Guy's torso, the glitter troll's eyes widening as he was lifted into the air.
"Ok ok, my turn, go go go!" A gravelly voice shouted, and JD looked down to see a familiar yellow troll, her eyes narrowed. She practically flung Guy away from them, the glitter troll letting out an auto-tuned yelp as he landed in some bushes. Smidge, at least he thought that was her name, smiled up at him sweetly, pushing back a few strands of hair that had fallen into her face. "Hi, I'm Smidge, we met before," she said with a chuckle, hands on her tiny hips.
"Hey…" John Dory replied, a nervous smile on his face.
Smidge beamed up at him before stretching out her hair again, rustling through the bushes. Finally, she pulled out a light purple troll with orange hair, who did not look at all put off by being lifted into the air and set by Smidge's side.
"And this is my boyfriend, Milton," she said excitedly, grinning up at him lovingly. "He's a critternarian."
The purple troll, Milton, smiled softly, his eyes sparkling. "I heard you have an Armadillo Bus," he said, clasping his hands together. "They're very rare, and very loyal. I'd love to come meet her sometime! We could swap critter stories! I'm sure you've seen many in your travels."
"I can bring the appetizers and some treats!" Smidge added, a wild look in her eyes as she bragged. "I have, like, the biggest candy stash ever!"
John Dory smiled tightly back at her as he nodded, shooting a look over at Branch, who looked just about as confused as he did. "Uh, B? I can't tell if this is just me being antisocial, but… is this normal?" he hissed towards his brother.
"Uh…" Branch mused, rubbing the back of his neck.
John Dory's eyes widened as he felt two strong hands grip his shoulders, spinning him around, and suddenly, he found himself face to face with the former leader of the trolls, King Peppy.
He stiffened, feeling locked under the older troll's intense gaze. He'd never spoken with the king before, not even back at the Troll Tree. Heck, not even after living here in Pop Village for what, weeks now? What was he supposed to say to him?! All his mind could think of was HOLYCRAPHOLYCRAPHOLYCRAP...
King Peppy looked him up and down, humming thoughtfully. Then, his face stretched into a grin. "Yes, wonderful! You're exactly the type of troll I was looking for!" He said excitedly, gently patting JD's shoulder.
"I'm… what?" John Dory replied, completely confused.
"For my annual stag hunt of course!" The former King explained, letting out a laugh. "You've got the eyes for tracking, I can tell! And if your skills are anything like your brother's, I think you'll make a great addition to our team." King Peppy smiled at him kindly. "You will join us, won't you?"
John Dory stood frozen, looking at the hand resting on his shoulder. His touch was… soft. Welcoming. He felt himself nod, hoping his tenseness wasn't completely obvious as he looked back at King Peppy.
"Yes, sir," He agreed, swallowing down his nerves as he smiled. "I'll uh, do my best."
"That's the spirit!" King Peppy exclaimed, clapping him on the back. John Dory couldn't help but chuckle at the older troll's enthusiasm, feeling the tension ease just a little bit. "This will be a hunt to remember!"
Branch looked over at him, a smile playing across his lips. 'Sir?' he mouthed, to which John Dory rolled his eyes.
Suddenly, a pink troll came racing across the clearing, looking stressed. Poppy.
"Oh, we're in trouble," Smidge said from off to the side, pushing Milton as she raced away. "Everyone bail!" King Peppy and Guy Diamond took off after her, hiding behind a bush a few feet away.
Poppy skittered to a halt next to John Dory, glaring over at her friends as she panted. "Guys, what are you doing?" she said in exasperation, the small group of trolls ducking down behind the bush. "I meant later, not all at once!"
"Aaaand that explains a lot," Branch said with his arms crossed over his chest, giving his girlfriend a knowing look.
"I'm so sorry, John Dory!" Poppy said quickly, turning towards him with an apologetic smile. "I told them you were in the market for some friends, and my friends love making new friends, but they apparently know nothing about subtlety," she babbled, bumping her fists together nervously. "They were just such a good support system after Branch's colors came back, and I thought they could help you too, but I didn't mean to overwhelm you, I just want you to feel comfortable here, because Pop Village is your home, and I–"
"Heh, woah, easy Poppy seed, it's ok." John Dory laughed, trying to comfort the clearly distraught, sweet troll. "Thank you, that was… really nice of you." He looked towards the group of trolls, watching him from a distance. They waved at him, grinning excitedly, and surprisingly, he found himself waving back, a smile growing on his face. Friends, huh?
He cleared his throat, setting his hands on his hips. "I mean, they seem alright. It probably wouldn't hurt to try and make some friends. Besides, it'd be rude to deny them of all this 'John Dory' charm." He brought his eyes back up to Poppy mischievously. "You said they helped B, right? So maybe they can help me… Branch out?"
Poppy giggled at this, shooting an amused look over at Branch, who let out a groan. "Ugh, that was terrible. Don't ever do that again," the younger troll grumbled, trying his hardest to look unamused.
"C'mon, you love my puns. He loves them, right Poppy?" John Dory asked, Poppy winking at him with a matching look of mischief.
"Absolutely. Raves about them," she replied, to which Branch just scoffed.
Suddenly, the bracelets on Poppy and Branch's wrists dinged, the little flowers lighting up. Poppy grinned, turning towards JD and wrapping him in a hug, which John Dory gratefully returned. After a few seconds, they both turned to Branch, smiling knowingly.
"Don't you even–" Branch started, but was cut off as Poppy and John Dory grabbed his wrists, pulling him into the hug. John Dory couldn't help but laugh at his brother's begrudging acceptance, the younger troll letting out an annoyed huff.
But after a moment, Branch seemed to give in a bit, wrapping his arms around JD and Poppy as well, his body relaxing into their touch as he let out a soft sigh. And suddenly, this hug meant a lot, lot more.
John Dory wouldn't have minded standing there for a bit longer, but Branch quickly pulled away, clearing his throat. "Anyways, we should probably go. Don't want to be late to your appointment."
"You've got this, JD!" Poppy cheered, holding his hands tight.
"Loving the enthusiasm, Poppy," John Dory chuckled, despite the nerves starting to crawl back into his chest. "We'll see how this goes."
Branch waved for JD to follow him, turning to walk away as he called over his shoulder. "Let's go, D. I'm not dragging you to the doorstep again."
John Dory's ears twitched, eyes widening. Did he just… He felt his heart swell, warmth spreading through his chest. "Did you just call me D?" he asked with a grin, causing Branch to freeze.
"What? No," Branch replied with a nervous laugh.
"You totally did," Poppy chimed in smugly, to which Branch glared at her in betrayal.
"Awww, Bitty B…!" John Dory cooed, drawing out the words.
"It was a slip of the tongue!" Branch insisted, his face flushing a deep blue.
"I love you too," John Dory replied, holding his arms out for another hug.
Branch rolled his eyes, spinning around on his heels. "You guys are exhausting," he grumbled, but John Dory could hear a hint of affection in his voice. "C'mon, let's go."
John Dory shot a grateful look over towards Poppy, who waved back at him. Then, he walked after his brother, heading off towards the therapy pod with a new bounce in his step.
He sat in that book-filled therapy office once again, eyes flicking back and forth nervously. The good mood he'd managed to have in Pop Village was slowly being replaced with anxious anticipation.
He really didn't know what to think about being back here. On one hand, he hated this idea. Therapy was what seemed to really set him off last time, causing this whole downward spiral. But, on the other hand… he felt better now than he had in a long time. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his chest. It wasn't gone yet, sure, but it was lighter. If this hadn't happened, maybe he'd still be walking around feeling like he was carrying the world on his shoulders. So after some stubborn insistence from Branch, he'd caved. Because maybe, despite his hesitance, this really was a good thing. He would at least try.
However, this didn't stop him from feeling like his skin was crawling, and he nearly jumped out of his seat when the door opened, the familiar figure of Dr. Reed walked in.
The older troll smiled reassuringly at him, making his way over to his seat. As he got settled, John Dory forced himself to take a slow breath, trying some of the deep breathing techniques Bruce had been showing him.
"Hello, John Dory," Dr. Reed said finally, folding his hands on his lap. "It's nice to see you again. I'm glad you decided to come back."
John Dory nodded tightly, doing his best to try and relax his racing heart. "Yep, heh heh, here I am," he replied, gripping tightly to his pants to keep his hands from fidgeting.
Dr. Reed looked at him empathetically. "It's ok to be nervous," he said assuringly, face turning serious. "I don't know much about what happened after our last visit, but I do know it was hard on you. And I'm sorry if what I said was too blunt or if I overstepped my bounds."
"No no, Doc, it's ok, I…" John Dory trailed off, thinking. "I think maybe I needed it? An outside perspective, y'know?" He brought his hands to his lap, rubbing at his glove slightly as he continued. "When you're on your own as long as I was, it gets kind of easy to get stuck inside your own head." He let out a soft chuckle, knocking a fist against the side of his head. "And when you've got a skull as thick as mine is, then you're really in trouble."
He let out a sigh, looking off to the side. "So I think, maybe, I needed that. I mean, it sucked, really sucked but…" He smiled softly, the realization flickering to life in his brain. "But things are better now. I'm doing better. Everything's still kind of a mess, but… it's not hopeless, y'know?" He closed his eyes. "I'm trying to be better. But I'm also deciding that it's ok to allow myself to struggle along the way."
He looked up to see Dr. Reed smiling at him, eyes shimmering with pride. John Dory took this as a good sign, feeling his shoulders relax a bit. "Whoo, and man, it's been a struggle," he continued, shaking his head. "Who knew all this thinking and feeling stuff would be so hard?"
Dr. Reed laughed at this. "I know. It's much harder than it looks," he agreed. He grabbed a pen and paper from his hair, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You want to tell me about it?"
John Dory took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and relaxing back further into the seat. Then after a few moments, he opened his eyes, nodding firmly. "Ok."
Maybe he did need therapy. Just a little bit.
John Dory was dreaming again.
He knew he was dreaming this time. There was no set up, no memories to lull him into a sense of normalcy. He just opened his eyes, and he was alone, nothing but darkness stretching out around him.
And a mirror. Of course there was a mirror. It loomed over him, stark and intimidating against the pressing dark.
John Dory's eyes traced it up and down before falling onto a lone figure, reflecting back at him. It wasn't his reflection, no. At least, not as he was. The figure in the reflection was much, much younger, his skin dull, hair dark. He sat with his back facing John Dory, legs curled into his chest. John Dory could see him trembling slightly.
He took a step back, hesitant. His mirror dreams never seemed to turn out well for him, and his mirror self had a tendency to cause him to shatter into a million pieces. But after a few moments of silence, he let his guard down a bit. His reflection didn't seem angry at him this time. He looked… broken.
John Dory pursed his lips, taking a few wary steps closer to the mirror. Then he just… stood there. Waiting for something to happen. After a few seconds, the younger version of himself began to speak, his voice small and breaking slightly.
Do you hate me? he asked, the familiar tone echoing across the dark. He pushed his too-big goggles up on his face, wiping his eyes. It's ok if you do. I understand. John Dory watched as he grabbed at his hair, his gray knuckles turning white as they squeezed, letting out a sad laugh. I'd hate me too.
John Dory waited to feel any sort of anger towards this reflection of himself, who'd been torturing his dreams for so long, but surprisingly, it never came. He wasn't angry. Far from it. Instead, his heart began to ache, a deep sadness flooding through his chest as he looked down at the small troll. He looked so tired…
"You were so young," he whispered without even really meaning to, his hands tightening into fists.
I don't feel young, his reflection replied, curling up further, his arms wrapping protectively around his legs.
"You were just a kid," John Dory continued, taking a few steps closer. "A kid who had to grow up way too fast."
His younger self sniffled, ears drooping down. Why couldn't I just be fine? he asked, voice cracking. If I had just been better, none of this would have happened.
John Dory was quiet for a moment, reaching down to massage his gloved hand. "Because you were hurt," he murmured, closing his eyes. "And when you get hurt, it scars."
It doesn't matter, his reflection hissed. I ruined everything.
John Dory could feel guilt rising in his chest, but he took a deep breath, forcing himself to keep talking. "You did the best you could…"
IT WASN'T ENOUGH! The pained shout ripped from the smaller troll's chest, his hands hitting against the ground in anger. A quiet sob escaped his lips, but he quickly slapped a shaking hand over his mouth, silencing it.
John Dory stood helplessly, watching his reflection struggle to breathe. He didn't know what to do. But then suddenly, an idea popped into his head, his jaw tightening.
He slowly reached forward, out towards the mirror, touching his fingertips to it. It was shockingly cold, the smooth glass sending a shiver up his spine. But he bit his cheek, forcing himself to press his hands up against the glass, and after a moment, he felt it give a little bit, jagged cracks shooting out from where he was pushing and snaking across the surface.
His younger self jumped at the sound, whipping around to face John Dory. His eyes widened in panic as the realization of what JD was doing seemed to dawn on him, quickly leaping to his feet.
What are you doing?! he asked, horrified.
John Dory didn't reply, instead pushing a bit harder. More cracks stretched out across the mirror like ice. He wasn't sure why exactly he was doing this, but it felt… right.
Stop! You're breaking it! his reflection cried, taking a terrified step back.
"I think… it needs to be broken," John Dory replied through gritted teeth, pressing harder against the freezing glass.
Suddenly, the mirror seemed to reach its breaking point. John Dory gave it one final push, and the glass completely shattered, falling onto the floor around him. John Dory watched as the jagged shards seemed to almost melt away, disappearing into the darkness below, and he brought his eyes back up to the splintered shell of the mirror.
His reflection was still there. Well, maybe he wasn't his reflection anymore. The smaller troll stared down at the remains of the mirror in alarm, his hands twitching. Without hesitation, John Dory stepped forward, reaching through the broken frame. His younger self just stared at the outstretched hand, as if it were going to bite him.
"Please," John Dory said insistently, jaw tight. "Let me help."
The small troll looked up at him warily, and for a moment, John Dory thought he'd refuse. But then, he stepped forward, grabbing John Dory's hand in his own. John Dory reached further inside the frame, careful as he helped pull his younger self past the still jagged edges.
Once he was safe on the other side, the other him pulled back again, eyes wide and cautious as his body shook with tension. He looked like he was waiting for John Dory to scream at him. John Dory almost felt the same way.
However, after a moment, he felt himself begin to move, arms stretching out slightly. He looked into the smaller troll's eyes, pleading. He had to make this right.
His younger self looked him up and down uneasily, but then, his face seemed to fall, sucking in a sharp breath. He took a shaky step forward, and then another, until he practically fell into John Dory's arms, JD wrapping them around him protectively. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to say anything. This was enough.
The small troll gripped the back of his coat, a choking sob escaping his lips. John Dory just held him closer, cupping his hand against his head as the sobs grew deeper, ripping themselves from his chest.
I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! his younger self bawled, burying his face in John Dory's coat. I didn't mean for any of this to happen!
"Sh, sh, it's ok, buddy, I know, it's ok," John Dory whispered back, reminded of how he used to comfort his brothers all those years ago. He gently combed his fingers through his younger self's hair, pulling the too-big goggles from his head and tossing them aside. "I've got you, you're ok."
They both fell to their knees, John Dory holding his sobbing self as he felt tears start to streak down his own cheeks as well. He watched as slowly, the small gray troll in his arms started to brighten, colors beginning to leach out from his skin, chasing away the gray. He smiled softly, voice breaking as he hugged himself tight.
"You're ok. We're going to be ok."
John Dory woke up crying.
He sat up, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. As he did, he couldn't help but notice that his skin looked much brighter than it had before. Not as bright as it used to be, but brighter than it'd been for a while now. He smiled softly, cupping his hands to his chest as he looked out his window. The faintest bit of light was starting to chase away the dark blue of night. It was almost poetic, in a way, but John Dory was no poet.
However, as he looked out at the horizon, he felt something he hadn't felt for a while now. Hope.
He pushed himself up from his bed, letting out a groan as he stretched, before climbing down from his loft into the living space below in his pod. He flicked on a few of the lights, heading over to the kitchen counter, which was covered in several pages of new hand drawn songs and a guitar Branch had let him borrow. He'd started getting back into the habit of writing music again, just as a little hobby. The songs weren't for a band, or for anyone really. Just himself. He liked it a lot better that way, and not having to worry about spelling the lyrics right was a huge plus.
However, as he stared at the scattered sheets of music, his brain began to churn. He felt himself reach into his jacket pocket, pulling out a few pictures and the weathered list he'd kept in there for so long. His routine. He scanned it up and down with a frown, walking over to sit at the counter.
At his therapy appointment, Dr. Reed had still recommended he find a routine to follow. A new routine. John Dory looked down at the fragile paper, humming thoughtfully as he grabbed a pencil from his side.
He looked at the first step, Find Shelter, before gazing around the pod he and Branch had built. His home. He then turned his attention to the pictures he pulled out, laying spread across the dark wood. His eyes landed on the cheerful scene of that first night he'd spent in his pod, of him and his brothers taking their first picture together with his new camera. And suddenly, he knew what he had to do. He turned back down to the list, and with a quick swipe, crossed off the step, and in its place he wrote something new. Make a Home.
His eyes drifted to the second step, Build a Fire, and his mind immediately turned to Bruce and their fireside talks. His time spent relaxing with his brother, talking about the past, and rekindling a bond he worried he'd lost forever. He glanced over at the picture of him and Bruce in their matching floral shirts, smiling, and without a second thought, he crossed off and replaced this step too. Try to Relax/Talk About the Hard Things.
The third step, Collect Food and Clean Water, caused John Dory to chuckle. He immediately turned his gaze towards the picture of him and Clay at the carnival, eyes sparkling with amusement as he looked at the smiles on him and his brother's faces as they laughed, not a care in the world. Just having mindless fun like that was something John Dory hadn't even known he'd been missing. He quickly drew a line through the step, not caring how it looked as he scribbled down something different. Learn to Have Fun Again.
His smile turned a bit sad as he read the fourth step, Apply First Aid. His hand began to ache slightly, as if it knew he was thinking about it. He flexed it gently in his new glove as he looked at the picture Bruce had taken of him and Floyd, sleeping in the early morning light. He could almost hear Floyd's comforting voice, echoing in his head. So he changed this one too, writing down exactly what his brother had told him to do. Take Care of Yourself.
Finally, John Dory looked at the last step, Signal for Help. This one he didn't feel like he had to change. Instead, he just drew a small arrow in front, adding a few extra words. Don't be Afraid to Signal for Help.
John Dory took a step back, rubbing his chin as he admired his work and new routine.
1. Make a Home
2. Try to Relax/Talk About the Hard Things
3. Learn to Have Fun Again
4. Take Care of Yourself
5. Don't be Afraid to Signal for Help
He felt a smile stretch across his face, nodding in approval. He had to admit, he liked this routine a lot better. But there was one last thing he had to change.
He flipped the page over, looking at the title, his name scrawled in his father's handwriting.
John Dory's Quick and Concise Guide on How To Survive
He hesitated for a moment, but then he reached down, slowly crossing off the last word, replacing it with a much better one.
John Dory's Quick and Concise Guide on How To Live
John Dory grinned, satisfied. Maybe it was silly, writing all this down, but it couldn't hurt. He gathered up the pictures, wrapping them up inside his new routine, and tucked them all safely into his jacket pocket. Just in case he ever needed to remind himself. He then spun around on his heels, heading outside, humming to himself as he strode towards Rhonda.
There was something very important he had to do.
He pet the large critter, cooing to her softly as she nuzzled into his side. He then led her towards a hill, just on the outskirts of Pop Village. He popped inside for a moment, starting some tea and setting up a few blankets and pillows outside, and by the time he returned with the two steaming mugs in his hands, Branch was already there, waiting for him.
John Dory sat down next to his youngest brother, handing him a mug of tea, and together, they both breathed in the warm scent, each letting out a contented sigh. They then turned their gaze out towards the horizon, where the colors were just beginning to turn warm.
"I missed this."
John Dory turned back to Branch for a moment, his brother smiling as the growing light reflected in his eyes. John Dory couldn't help but feel a smile stretch across his face as well.
"Yeah," he said, turning his gaze back towards the sky. "Me too."
Suddenly, both their ears flicked up at the sound of footsteps approaching. John Dory looked over to see Bruce, Clay, and Floyd, walking up the hill. He gave Branch a surprised look, to which Branch just shook his head with a shrug. "I didn't tell them."
John Dory turned to greet his brothers, still surprised to see them up at this early hour, but happy they were here. "Hey! Aren't you guys supposed to be sleeping?" he asked teasingly.
"It's not my fault!" Floyd said quickly, a sheepish smile on his face. "They caught me as I was sneaking out of the bunker to join you guys and forced me to tell them." He shuddered slightly. "Bruce was going to give me a wet willy."
"So this is where you two disappear to every morning?" Bruce asked, grinning as he scanned the horizon. He then turned his gaze to John Dory, eyes sparkling. "That's sweet."
"Nooooo…" John Dory complained, slapping a hand over his face. "My image, my carefully cultivated, rugged bad boy image…"
"Yeah, I don't think you ever had that image in the first place." Clay laughed, shaking his head. "Anyways, we thought we'd join you. I like sunrises too, y'know. I used to watch the sunrise every morning over the Putt Putt course when I was doing my daily maintenance patrol."
"And I see it every morning when I surf," Bruce added, hands on his hips.
John Dory grinned, before looking down at the mug in his hands. "I didn't make nearly enough tea." He laughed, climbing to his feet.
"I'll help," Bruce chirped, walking over to Rhonda's side. "Floyd, Clay, come grab some blankets too. This sunrise ain't going to watch itself!"
John Dory looked over at Branch, who smiled back at him, rolling his eyes in amusement.
Soon enough, they'd all settled onto the blankets Floyd and Clay had spread out, leaning back against Rhonda as she purred softly. John Dory had his arm wrapped around Branch, who surprisingly seemed just fine with it, actually leaning into John Dory's touch. Bruce was on his other side, arms splayed out over both John Dory's and Clay's shoulders. Floyd sat next to Branch, holding his mug in one hand and softly blowing on his tea while his other was wrapped around Branch's hand.
They talked amongst themselves for a few minutes, bantering back and forth, but slowly, it became quiet, their eyes locking on the distant, growing light. Together, they watched as the sun started to peak over the horizon, bathing the world in color. John Dory felt a sense of relief flood through him, and he let out a deep, contented sigh.
He truly loved sunrises, and they seemed so much brighter with his brothers by his side.
He still had a long way to go, he knew that. He wasn't better yet, but he was trying, and there was no rush. For now, he could just enjoy this moment. He had all the time in the world.
His brothers were happy. He could see it on their shining faces as the pink and orange light danced across their eyes, and that made him smile. They deserved to be happy. And maybe, just maybe… he deserved to be happy too.
He turned his gaze back out towards the sun, reveling in both the warmth from its rays, and the warmth from his brothers as he closed his eyes for just a moment. He wasn't scared. He wasn't alone. He didn't need to be perfect. He didn't need to be anything other than who he was.
He knew what he needed now. He needed this.
And for the first time in his life, John Dory was going to try something he'd never thought of trying before.
He was going to live.
Author's Note: Ugh, first off, I just want to say, thank you thank you THANK YOU for all your kind thoughts and support for this story, and my other story as well! I'm so glad I got the chance to share it with you all, and truly, the support has been absolutely overwhelming, so thank you! I'm sad to see this series come to an end, but hey, it had to happen, right?
I wanted this story to end with a few things left unsaid and not tie everything up with a bow. Because healing isn't about "fixing yourself" as John Dory seemed to think. It's hard, and it's messy, and things don't just get "fixed." You have to work at it for a long time, and it was important to me that that came across so... yeah! The ending may not be perfect, but I think if we learned anything from these stories, that's ok.
Ok, and LASTLY, I just wanted to thank you all again for your support. Writing this story really was fun, even if I got a little too perfectionistic/stressed about it towards the end. I'm so glad you all enjoyed it as much as I did! Anyways, signing off for the last time on this story! BYE!