John Dory thought he was used to sleeping on the ground. He used to do it all the time when he was younger. It had been barely a minor inconvenience. Far from the worst thing he had to get used to when he started hiking the Neverglade Trail. In fact, when he was a little kid he used to find sleeping on the ground to be fun.
Kids got a thrill out of things that were new and weird. It was why whenever one of John Dory's brothers had a nightmare he wouldn't bring them to his bed to sleep, or join them in their bed. He would bundle them up in their blankets, make a quick pillow fort, and they'd sleep there. It was hard to be upset about a nightmare when you were playing in a fun fort.
But John Dory wasn't a little kid anymore. He hadn't had to sleep on the ground since he'd found Rhonda. He hadn't realized how long it had been until now. Last time he'd slept on the ground, it had been fine, if just a little uncomfortable. Nothing a little stretch couldn't fix. Now he woke up full of aches and pains everywhere, as though he'd strained his muscles.
Getting older was not fun. There should never be a time where he's more sore from sleeping than he was when he was younger and spent hours upon hours practicing a dance. It just wasn't fair.
John Dory stood up, using the diamond next to him as a support as he forced himself to his feet. He groaned and stretched his back, grimacing when he heard the way it popped. When he felt like he could move again he looked at the diamond bottle, feeling his heart break at the sight inside.
Floyd was curled up on the floor of the bottle, almost in a fetal position. His thumb was in his mouth. John Dory had forgotten that Floyd had sucked his thumb when they were younger. Floyd had used his pacifier much longer than Grandma thought he should. He'd just found it soothing to have something in his mouth, and the rest of them had been happy that as long as he was sucking on a pacifier, he wasn't crying.
After Branch hatched, Grandma had put her foot down. She'd made Floyd stop using the pacifier. She said that Branch needed it, and Floyd was too old for it anyway. John Dory had agreed, but he had still felt guilty when he saw Floyd sucking his thumb when he slept, craving that comfort that had been taken from him.
Floyd had eventually outgrown that behavior, but it was back now. John Dory just didn't know if Floyd had slid back into old habits during the past twenty years, or if this was just because it was the only form of physical comfort he had while he was trapped.
Floyd looked so small. Between the way he curled on himself, and the way he was sucking his thumb, he looked like he was about a third of his age. Floyd had always tried to act to mature for his age when they were kids. He took on the responsibility of being the mediator, which wasn't something that any little brother should ever have to do.
When John Dory had first left, he hadn't realized just how young all of his brothers were. He'd forced all of them to grow up far too soon, because it was all he had known and he didn't really have the chance to consider that there was another way. It was only as John Dory grew older did he realize how young they'd been.
Somehow, Floyd looked even younger now than he did in John Dory's memories. Was that because he had let Floyd's emotional maturity trick his mind into thinking that the kid was older than he'd been?/ Or was seeing Floyd look so small and vulnerable make him look younger? Maybe it was a combination of the two.
Whatever the case, it was heartbreaking. Floyd was supposed to have grown up after twenty years. Out of all of them, he was the one that John Dory was sure would be okay after all this time. He wasn't supposed to still need a big brother to take care of him.
But Floyd did need him, and John Dory wasn't just going to turn the other way because it was easiest. He wasn't a scared, overwhelmed teenager anymore. John Dory was stronger. He could take care of himself. He could take care of his brother, and he'd do good by him this time. He had to.
John Dory just stood there and watched Floyd sleep, feeling bittersweet about it. On the one hand, he was so happy to have his brother back, and twenty years hadn't made Floyd any less cute. On the other hand, his little brother was hurting, and even in his sleep he looked like he was scared of getting hurt. . What had those monsters done to him?
They were burning daylight, but John Dory couldn't bring himself to wake his brother. Let Floyd get all the sleep he needed. This was for his sake. Making him move faster than he was ready for would defeat the purpose.
Eventually, sometime during midmorning, Floyd started groaning and shifting as he started to wake up. He had always been slow to wake, but once his eyes were open he was free of all drowsiness. Not at all like Spruce and Clay, who shot out of bed quickly, but took about thirty minutes to wake up completely, and that was only with the help of coffee or hot chocolate.
John Dory wondered if they still woke up like that. He wondered what Branch was like when he first woke up in the morning. He'd still just been a baby when he had left, and it was hard to figure out that kind of thing from someone so young.
Floyd sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He got his feet under him, looking like he was going to stand up, and then he stopped and just sat back, rubbing his feet. John Dory just watched him in confusion. He would understand if Floyd felt sore after sleeping in that position on the hard ground, but he didn't look like he was stretching to ease his pain.
"What are you doing?" John Dory asked. Was it a new type of meditation that Floyd had picked up?
"Trying to get my legs to stop feeling like I just pulled them out of a bucket of ice." Floyd said. There was a hint of bitterness and fear in his voice, but mostly acceptance. This was something he had accepted as normal, but it was a new enough development that it still frightened him.
John Dory knelt to get a closer look. He had noticed the crystal look to Floyd's limbs, but they hadn't been his first concern. Now that he knew it was probably more than just a visual thing, he let himself worry about it.
"How bad is it?" John Dory asked quietly. He didn't know if he wanted to hear the answer.
"It comes and goes." Floyd said. "Sometimes it's really bad. Sometimes I don't even notice it. They're actually okay right now. They usually act up in the mornings. They're just stiff because I haven't moved them in so long. It'll be better soon."
So Floyd was used to this, but he shouldn't be. John Dory thought that his aches and pains were bad. They were annoying and inconvenient, but they had come naturally with age, and slowly. Floyd's issues were suddenly caused by trauma. He didn't deserve that.
"I hate that I can't do anything." John Dory grumbled. "I'm supposed to take care of you, but because of this diamond I can't even help you stretch." He had never felt so useless.
Floyd gave him a small smile. "I know it's hard to believe, but I can take care of myself. But having you here, just knowing I'm not alone, it really does help." John Dory wanted to believe him. He wanted to believe that he was good enough, and that he was doing something right. But how could he? John Dory by himself wasn't good enough for anybody. Nobody actually liked him, not even his brothers. How could his presence be helpful when he wasn't even being useful?
Floyd rubbed at his feet for a few minutes, and then he pulled his legs up to his chest, and stretched them out again. Eventually he was doing well enough that he could stand up.
"You ready to hit the road again?" John Dory asked.
"I'm ready for whatever if it means getting far away from there." Floyd said.
"That's the spirit." John Dory climbed onto Rhonda, who looked eager to go. He used his hair to lift the bottle up, just like yesterday. "If you need a break, just say the word." John Dory wished they could go faster, but he didn't think Floyd could handle hustle mode right now, and Rhonda needed to run carefully so as to not hurt him.
Whether John Dory liked it or not, this was going to have to be a slow and steady mission, and he tried hard to not feel like he was failing his brother because of it. There wasn't really much more he could do.
They rode for a few hours. Floyd didn't get motion sick again. In fact, he seemed to fall asleep fairly quickly, sprawled out on the bottom of the diamond, snoring as Rhonda ran along. John Dory let him sleep, though he was concerned about how exhausted Floyd was. Had he just not gotten very much sleep when he was held captive, and he was trying to catch up on it now, or was this a side-effect of getting his essence sucked out of him?
A part of John Dory wanted to turn around and teach those talent-stealing Rageons a lesson. Nobody messed with his brothers. But going back now would mean putting Floyd in danger again, and he couldn't do that. He had to be satisfied that he was saving Floyd. Maybe later he could come up with a plan of revenge and justice. Until then, getting Floyd out of the diamond was his number one priority.
John Dory wasn't happy about the circumstances, but he really was excited for the chance to see his brothers again. Spruce and Clay probably wouldn't be happy to see him, but surely they wouldn't let a twenty year grudge keep them from helping their little brother. Whatever issues they'd had with each other, Floyd had been innocent in all of it, and they all knew it.
There was no doubt in his mind that they would work together to achieve the Perfect Family Harmony. For Floyd's sake. However, there were about a thousand different doubts that dircled around unhelpful what-ifs. If John Dory had been the one to be caught by the superstars, would his brothers even think that he was worth the effort to save? Would Clay and Spruce be willing to temporarily put aside their differences with John Dory to break him out? Probably not, and that knowledge hurt.
He tried not to think about it. He would just get himself worked up over a situation that wasn't even relevant. Feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to get him anywhere. Floyd needed his full attention. When all was said and done and they went their separate ways again, then he could throw himself a pity party.
As Rhonda ran along John Dory could only hope that they were going in the right direction. He only had a vague idea where the pop village was. Apparently it had been pretty hidden until a short time ago. After the rock apocalypse and the peace between the different tribes of trolls, their territories were now more clear than ever. John Dory had been able to get simple enough directions and landmarks that should at least get him close.
They went for a few hours before John Dory pulled Rhonda to a stop. His girl had worked hard for days. She needed a break, and John Dory needed to stretch his legs, and get Floyd to do the same.
They were at the edge of a river. It was a pretty place. The sound of the gentle river was already calming John Dory's nerves. Being in nature always helped him to relax. He lowered the bottle onto the uneven ground, laying it on its side to keep it as level as he could. He didn't think he jostled the bottle too much, but Floyd woke up.
"Where are we?" He looked around, looking confused about their different surroundings.
"Somewhere safe." John Dory said. That was about all he knew. Floyd seemed content with the answer. "We can stay here for the rest of the day. Rhonda can rest up, I can find us something to eat, and we can have a fresh start tomorrow."
Floyd's face went through a flurry of emotions. Eagerness. Hope. Embarrassment. "How am I supposed to eat? If I can't get out of the diamond, we can't really get food in."
John Dory hadn't thought of that. It explained why Floyd was sleeping so much. Trolls could actually go a fair amount of time without eating if they had to by going into a type of hibernation state. It wasn't good for the long-term, but in an emergency it could work in a pinch. But this shouldn't be an emergency anymore. Floyd's body shouldn't have to shut down to preserve energy.
"Did they not feed you?" John Dory asked.
"A little." Floyd said, his tone of voice making it clear that it hadn't been nearly enough. "When they were sure I was sleeping they would unlock the diamond." Floyd gestured to the keyhole at the top of the bottle. John Dory hadn't noticed it before. "They'd drop food in, and then lock it again."
"Hang on." John Dory held up his hand. "If they did it when you were asleep, how do you know what they did."
"I mean, the food had to come from somewhere." Floyd shrugged. A smirk crept onto his face. "And I wasn't always as asleep as they thought I was."
John Dory laughed, tilting his head back. He'd forgotten how mischievous Floyd could be sometimes. Oh, how he'd missed him.
John Dory looked at the keyhole. Because of their small size it was actually fairly large. John Dory thought he could squeeze some seeds through there at the very least.
"I'll figure something out." John Dory said. "Sit tight. I'll be back soon." He set off to forage for some food, keeping an ear out as he did so. He didn't like leaving Floyd's side, but he had to trust that he'd be fine. The river was peaceful, and if something happened Rhonda would protect him.
After so many years of taking care of himself, John Dory considered himself a master at foraging. He only needed a few minutes to find enough food for himself. It took longer to find food for Floyd. John Dory could eat mushrooms and berries, but those were too big to get into the crystal, and too messy to try to force through. He needed seeds and nuts, and those were a little harder to find.
He was eventually able to find some, but it wasn't enough. Floyd needed more than a handful of seeds and some chopped nuts. He needed some real food. There had to be something out here he could use.
John Dory kept looking until he heard a shout of alarm and Rhonda's roar. Something was wrong. John Dory swore and dropped everything he'd gathered. He ran back to the river, moving faster than he could ever remember doing. He pushed past the trees and stumbled back to the clearing next to the river. He felt like his heart stopped when he didn't see the diamond in sight. Rhonda was leaning over the river, whining desperately and looking like she wanted to dive in. It didn't take long to figure out what had happened.
"Floyd!" John Dory ran to the water's edge, looking inside. He saw something glistening at the bottom of the river. He didn't hesitate. He dived into the water and swam to the bottom. The diamond was sitting on the river floor. John Dory felt a rush of relief when he saw the bottle hadn't flooded yet. Floyd wasn't actively drowning. At least, not yet.
Water was seeping through the keyhole. It wasn't a lot, but John Dory knew the bottle would fill quickly, and looking at Floyd's terrified face, he knew it too.
"John?" Floyd sounded so small and scared. It broke John Dory's heart. He wanted to reassure him that he'd be just fine, but John couldn't talk underwater. All he could do was to try to get Floyd out of the water.
John swam to the bottom of the river and tried to pull the diamond out. It didn't budge. He pushed against the bottle, and it still didn't move. By this point his chest was burning and he needed to surface and get some air. He swam up gasping for breath. Rhonda whined at him, obviously concerned.
"I'm going to need your help, girl." John Dory said. She was stronger than him. If she could push the bottle out of the sand it was sinking into at the bottom of the river, then maybe John Dory could grip it with his hair and pull it out. It was worth a try.
Rhonda dove into the water, pushing and nudging at the bottle. John Dory held onto a rock to keep himself from floating away, and he whipped his hair out, trying to get a grip on the bottle. The water just pushed at his hair, making him lose control of it. The current wasn't too strong, but it was enough that John couldn't grip anything with his hair.
Starting to get desperate now, John Dory went back up for some more air, and then went back down one more time to push at the diamond. Rhonda was able to nudge it enough that it got off the ground. John Dory could get under the bottle and he tried to push it back up to the surface while swimming, but it was too heavy for him. He wasn't strong enough, and though Rhonda was a big help, she wasn't coordinated enough to try anything else that John Dory could think of. They needed more help.
John Dory looked at Floyd. It had only been a few minutes and the water was covering his feet. Floyd couldn't have more than an hour, if that. There wasn't any time to waste. John Dory had one more idea, but he didn't want to do it. Just the thought of it made his heart sting. But what choice did he have.
John Dory put his hands against the diamond, looking desperately at Floyd. He would get him out of here, but John Dory couldn't communicate that to his brother. He just needed Floyd to trust him. He tried to get his eyes to communicate that, but the message didn't get through.
"John Dory?" Floyd's voice shook. He'd never sounded so upset and small. He put his hands against John Dory's, mirroring his position. "Don't leave. Please, don't leave me. I-I don't want to be alone when…when…" He looked at the water slowly rising. He looked so scared, but he was trying to be strong. He was so brave.
John Dory didn't want to let him down, but he couldn't do what he was asked. He couldn't just sit here for an hour, watching and waiting as his little brother slowly died in front of him. John Dory wasn't strong enough for that. He had to get Floyd out, and he needed help to do so.
John Dory needed to leave, even though Floyd had just begged for him to stay. This was for Floyd's own good, but he couldn't explain that. Floyd wouldn't know. For all he would know, John Dory would just vanish, disappearing again, running from a problem that was too big for him.
And though John Dory really didn't want to, his mind went to a horrible what-if. Letting Floyd drown wasn't an option, but what if John Dory wasn't fast enough? What if, despite his best efforts, he couldn't get back with help in time and Floyd died, alone and scared. His last thought would be the knowledge that his big brother had let him down, and the betrayal about being left behind again.
That couldn't happen. John Dory would save Floyd. He'd find help, and everything would be fine. Nothing else was an option.
John Dory narrowed his eyes in determination. He reluctantly pulled away from Floyd, trying to ignore the panicked look in his eyes. He gestured to Rhonda to surface. He started to swim up as well, sending an apologetic look to Floyd. He wished he hadn't, because Floyd looked so desperate and terrified.
"Wait, wait, John, don't leave!" Floyd cried. "Please, don't go. I-I'm sorry. Come back, please!"
John Dory shut his eyes tight and tried to ignore the pain in his chest. Floyd sounded genuinely apologetic, as though it was his fault. As though John Dory wouldn't be leaving him if only he'd been better.
That wasn't it at all, and it hurt that Floyd thought it was. It killed John Dory that he had to leave his brother's side, but it was necessary. He didn't have a choice.
When he got Floyd out he would hold him close, and he'd never let him go again. He would give him as many apologies as necessary. If Floyd didn't forgive him for leaving, that was fine. As long as he was alive to feel betrayed, John Dory could take it.
He climbed out of the water, brushing the tears away from his eyes. He didn't have time to feel guilty. Not yet. John Dory climbed into Rhonda, pushing the hustle button before he even sat down. He felt bad making her hustle when she'd been running for hours already, but he'd make it up to her when his brother was okay.
John Dory had practice traveling through the hustle dimension. It was dizzying and confusing, but Rhonda could jump in and out at a moment's notice. She worked best with specific directions and destinations, but John Dory knew that if he just told her to find the nearest troll, then she could do it.
The hustle dimension was a great place to relax. John Dory sometimes liked to travel this way just for the fun of it. The high it provided was better than any mushroom he'd been able to find. He couldn't afford to enjoy it today. John Dory just needed to focus and avoid the temptation of giving into the ecstasy. The more he gave in, the longer it took him to regain focus when he returned to reality. That was time he couldn't afford.
Time passed weirdly in the hustle dimension. Sometimes it felt like it passed in an instant, but then he came out and it was hours later. Sometimes he felt like he was there forever, and then when it stopped it was like no time had passed at all.
This particular trip felt short, but he was tense the whole time. When every second counted, even a minute was far too long. As soon as Rhonda jumped out of the hustle dimension John Dory ran out of her. He felt a little queasy, like he usually did when he moved around too much after coming out of the hustle dimension. But he couldn't afford to let his body settle. He had to push through. Floyd was counting on him.
John Dory put a hand against Rhonda to steady himself as he looked around. He saw two trolls standing there, a dull blue one standing in front of a pink one, his hand held out to her protectively. He'd probably given them quite a scare, with Rhonda just appearing right in front of them, but he couldn't bring himself to feel bad. He was just glad that he'd found other trolls.
"Please, you've gotta help me." John Dory stepped towards them, pushing past the vertigo. The blue troll, who looked familiar for reasons that John Dory couldn't think about right now, scowled and took a step back, looking ready for a fight. His companion ducked past him and stepped towards John Dory.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"It's my little brother." John Dory said. He looked behind him, even though the river was nowhere in sight. "He fell into the water, and I can't get him out on my own. Please, you gotta help me. If I don't get him out then he'll…he'll…" John Dory felt like he was going to be sick. His anxiety was not doing his nausea any favors.
The more cautious troll's eyes softened a little bit, though there was still a wall up. "There's no water nearby."
"No, it's a bit away." John Dory looked at Rhonda. Distance wasn't an issue when they could hustle. He felt bad for pushing Rhonda, but she knew it was urgent. She understood. She was the best girl he could ask for. "We need to hurry."
The blue troll looked shocked and a little horrified for a moment. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he was holding back. Finally he sighed and stepped towards John Dory, a determined but closed off look in his eyes. "I'll help you find your brother." Something in his voice was sad and restrained, like it wasn't quite what he meant, but John Dory wasn't in the mood to interpret it.
"I'll help too." The pink troll said. Her friend's eyes widened in alarm and he pulled her back. He said something to her in a hushed voice that John Dory couldn't understand. Her face fell and she almost looked like she was about to cry.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"I don't know." Her friend said, a little bit louder than before. "But just in case-"
"No, yeah, you're right." She took in a shaky breath and gave him a small smile. "I'll make sure there's a place in the village for our guest." She winced and gave John Dory an apologetic look. "Guests."
These two were acting weirdly, but John Dory wasn't going to bring it up. A lot of trolls were weird, and they were offering to help him. Beggars couldn't be choosers.
Let's go." He grabbed the dull colored troll's hand and pulled him into Rhonda. "Take us back, girl. Let's hustle." He just hoped they got there in time. Let Floyd hate him for leaving. Let him be mad and never want to talk to him again. Just don't let him be gone.