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yesimwriting · 6 months

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been obsessed with coryo after watching tbosas 😭 please write more of bestfriend!coryo <3

so so adorable 💋 i love u tehe

me gasping like in that tiktok sound: oh my goodness i love this question!!!

in all seriousness i have so many more thoughts on this dynamic omg

----

thinking about bestfriend!coryo who knows your parents love him, and, more importantly, he knows how to use that to his advantage.

it's no accident, he's put in meticulous effort in making sure that they not only approve of the friendship, but that he's their favorite friend of yours. when it comes to a family as prominent and wealthy as yours, parental approval goes a long way, especially with how regularly your parents leave town for business.

your father's admiration isn't an easy thing to win, but coriolanus is no stranger to uphill battles, and you're worth it. with the way that you look at him, how could you not be?

so he puts in the work: being the perfect student in classes taught by known friends of your father, wearing his best clothing and practicing old capitol etiquette his grandma'am was more than happy to review with him before family dinners that you invited him to, and making sure to keep proper distance between the two of you whenever your parents are around, no matter how difficult it is for him to remember to not hold your hand.

the hardest part is the fact that most of your father's intimidation comes from the fact that he's the exact kind of man coryo wants to be. powerful, respected, and in a position to never worry about finances or status. but he keeps at it, taking more care than usual to make sure that the signs of poverty are never visible in front of your parents.

even if that means purposefully leaving leftovers of the best food he's eaten in years on his plate so that no one will think he's starving. even if you give him a look that only he can feel the strangeness of because even though you've never spoken of his financial status, you can tell that he's not as well off as everyone thinks. that's the only thing about you that digs beneath his skin--you can always tell.

he's unsure if his efforts are working because of your father's constantly stoic disposition even though you assure him that that's your father when he's relaxed.

but then one day, he's over on your father's last night at home before returning to the districts to oversee some business, and your father asks to speak with him in private. you're instantly snapping your head up from your textbook, wanting to make sure that your father won't say anything embarrassing or rude.

he's scared off other friends in the past and even though it hurts, you never fight back too much because your father isn't an easy man to talk back to. but this is where you draw the line. you're not going to lose your coryo.

coryo feels something in his stomach knot, especially at that bewildered look behind your eye, but he's not about to be openly intimidated, so he assures you that he's fine. when you push, asking what topic could possibly involve just coryo and him and be that private, your father says that it's just business from man to man.

coryo has to force down a smile because he knows he'll be hearing no end of it from you as soon as the two of you are alone together. then he starts to think that this might be it. maybe your father has found out about his true financial status or dean highbottom has finally gotten to him and he's about to be banned from seeing you.

he forces down his anxiety and follows your father into the hall. your father's quick to the point, letting him know that he's leaving for another long stretch of time and that your mother's social and professional engagements mean that you'll be alone often. he closes the statement by asking coriolanus to look after you until he returns.

the realization that coriolanus has made it hits him at the same time as the relief and for a second all he can do is stare. then his senses return to him and he's swearing to your father that he'll take such good care of you, your father will have nothing to worry about. then your father's clasping his shoulder and offering him a gruff but oddly genuine thank you, son before telling him to get back to your room before you get paranoid.

it's an odd way to end the moment, but coryo's so busy trying to convince himself to not mentally plan out your wedding (because let's be honest, that's a level of trust from someone like your father might as well be a pre-engagement) that he doesn't think of it.

when he gets back to your room, you ask as casually as you can manage what your father wanted. after telling you that your father just wants to make sure that you're looked after while he's away, coryo expects you to be happy. but instead of reacting positively, you just sort of nod and mumble something polite before attempting to go back to studying.

something in his chest hardens. he's your best friend, who you spend as much time as socially acceptable with, and you two are being given the perfect excuse to be around each other more and you're not happy.

he immediately pushes and you reluctantly tell him that this has to mean that he's in with your father. another thing that coryo thinks you should be thrilled about. the more your father approves, the closer the two of you can be. he's accusing you of being sick of him, of trying to get rid of him, of no longer wanting to be best friends with him.

that has you scrambling to defend yourself. there's little you consider more important than your friendship with him. it's the only bond you fully trust.

so you tell him that your real concern is that your father never gets along with your friends that way, and that the only similar reference point you have is the way he talks to people like him.

you then tell him that the people in your father's social circle aren't like coryo. at the very least, not your coryo, who's never harsh with you and would rather spend parties sitting with you than sharing cruel opinions to impress other men.

all coriolanus hears is that you don't see him the way you see the actually important men. the hurt behind his eyes has you moving to stand and reaching for him. he lets you take his hand but doesn't react, so you explain it as transparently as possible. people that your father likes are mean, and you don't want to lose him to that.

there's something about the way you say it, all round eyes and genuine worry. it reminds him too much of tigris, of the newfound hint of tension in their relationship that's become more prevalent. she's constantly reminding him of what his father's success turned him into.

coryo's pulling you into a hug, whispering promises that you could never lose him. you're hugging him back tightly, hand smoothing circles against his back.

he realizes he means what he's saying. he can achieve the prominence he wants without alienating you. there's a way to be stern with the world and just coryo to you. and even if his edges become a little sharper, he'll keep that away from you and you'll understand.

you may criticize some of your father's views and actions, but you do love him. coryo sees it in the way that you constantly strive for his approval, he sees it in the way your face lights up when he's home. if you can love your father through your disagreements, you can love him as well. he'll make sure of it.

feeling better, he starts semi-playfully chiding you for even thinking that anything could take you away from him. that you should know better than to not see this as yet another thing he's doing for you, for your friendship.

you don't want to admit it, but you're feeling a little bad for reacting like that. after all, coryo was so excited to tell you and you know your father's capable of scaring people out of your life. at least this means that nothing's going to get in between the two of you.

coryo recognizes your slight pout and the apologetic line between your eyebrows. the two of you so rarely argue that even a hint of conflict has you willing to do anything to make things feel normal again.

so he lets himself play into his hurt. you're quick to pick up on it, holding onto him a little tighter. the two of you stay like that for awhile until you break the silence, saying that you're happy that he has an excuse to be around more.

eventually the two of you end up sitting on your bed, both of you silently agreeing that you've done enough homework. instead you focus on reassuring him, holding his hand between both of yours, pressing the occasional chaste kiss against his knuckles and resting your head against his shoulder until he has to go home.

after your father leaves, coryo takes his promise to look after you seriously. he's already in the habit of walking you home after school every day, but he start staying over after every day. the lack of authority figures around makes it a little easier to accept the after school snacks your maid always prepares and sometimes he even lets you send some home with him.

his grandma'am's over the moon when he starts accepting invitations to school social events that he honestly considers painful because he's escorting you. she's convinced that the two of you are getting married and with your family's status and the snow name, there's no door the two of you won't be able to unlock. even though you're still just friends, he rarely reminds her. it's for her own sake, he tells himself, it makes her happy.

the promise to your father also makes him bolder. he feels more assured, more justified in his disapproval of those that show a little too much interest in you.

you still don't notice the way his jaw tightens when some unaware guy gets too close, or think anything of the way that it almost always leads to him grabbing your hand.

he also stays over more, sometimes leaving for a few hours in the late afternoons so your maid doesn't think anything's going on. your family's estate is so large it's easy enough to get him in and out through a secondary exit.

the two of you fall into such a good routine that when your parents do get back, they start trusting coryo even more. your father asks if he can take you to certain social events that normally you wouldn't be allowed to attend and your strict weekday curfew becomes more of a suggestion when he's around.

#coriolanus snow x reader #coryo x reader #corolanus x reader #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #the ballad of songbirds and snakes x reader #this one is longer than i thought it'd be omg #bestfriend!coryo #the hunger games #the hunger games x reader

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thronealigned · 9 months

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no it's fine this mind flayer is totally my friend and 100% honest with me all the time it's ok it likes me everything's so normal

#bg3 spoilers #baldurs gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 #i love how raphael directly calls you out on this. 'if id have known you were so gullible i wouldve tricked you into selling your soul for #a bowl of beans when we first met'#and then just keeps insulting you more if you keep insisting emp's really your ally #oc: impulse #sure this'll go in their tag #everything about impulse's Thing with the emperor is so funny to me. and then deeply fucked up if you think about it long enough. and then #really funny again if you think about it even longer #one day i'll do their 2.0 playthrough so i can fully form all my thoughts. and get better screenshots and the ceremorphosis ending #i mean there's nothing stopping me from loading an impulse 1.0 save and going ceremorphosis from there but idk it'd feel wrong #impulse has more tadpoles in their brain than synapses by act 3 and it does really fundamentally change them as a person #tfw your chaotic neutral act-first-ask-questions-never no-impulse-control 17 CHA bestie becomes one of the most detached calculating people #you've ever met. all their old casual wit and humor is still there but they think before they speak now and that really shouldnt feel as #sinister as it does. they have this look in their eye and it feels like they view everyone around them as lesser beings #not because they view other people as subhuman or worse than they are but because they view themself as something *more*#if they have any raw unfiltered emotion left you haven't seen it in weeks. there's one person(?) who gets Unrestrained Feelings privileges #and it's the fucking illithid that lives in their mind and not any of their actual non-monster normal-ish-person friends. that human #connection is fading so fast now. when did they change so much? it happened so slowly in the moment but suddenly now they seem like they #were never the person you became friends with at all #and like impulse is a pretty selfish person from the start but they *did* genuinely like and care about the rest of the party. they were #friends. and by the end of act 3 that friendship should be the deepest and most meaningful it's ever been. but. it just isn't.#so on and so forth etc etc like that. All That Bullshit makes their relationship with lae'zel so interesting (and upsetting) too #they encourage her to side against vlaakith and then they never even try to free orpheus for her and her people's sake. they never even #think about it. they never consider it as an option. they just don't care. and then they EAT HIS BRAIN.#very possibly RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER.#and she's just left adrift. a rebel with no rebellion to lead and very little hope #i'm unwell.#ok i'm done this is a silly meme post. but god i have so many thoughts i have barely been keeping contained

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ask-the-totally-real-peppino · 1 year

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Wait why would you need to say sorry to Noisette?

Pep: "..."

Pep: "Reh ot deil I... I..."

(Flashback Begins)

Noisette: "Is someone out here? We are open!"

Noisette: "Omigosh, hi there!!! Come in, come in! There's no need to be shy!"

Noisette: "You're just in time for some fresh pie! Not that it was gonna go anywhere, since no one's come in today... But still! If that growl was you, you must be starving!!!"

Noisette: "Now you just sit right here! Don't move an inch! I'll be right back!"

Noisette: "Tada!!! I hope you like cherries! It's on the house!"

Pep: "...?"

Noisette: "Are you asking if it's for you? Of course, it is, silly! D'you see anyone else in here? Now, eat up! There's plenty more where that came from!"

Pep: *happy Pep noises*

Noisette: "Oh, I'm so glad you like it!"

Noisette: "Now, if you don't mind me asking, where did you come from? I haven't seen you around here!"

Pep: "..."

Pep: *uncomfortable gurgling*

Noisette: "Oh, do you not speak...?"

Noisette: "Well, that's okay! Do you know any sign? I'm pretty good at it!"

Pep: "...?"

Noisette: "Oh! I can show you some!"

Noisette: "I-I mean, if you'd like! If you wanna just have the pie and go, that's okay too, of course! Hah."

Pep: "..."

Pep: "...!"

Noisette: *happy squealing*

(Flashback End)

Pep: "Deneppah. Tsuj ti dna dekcinap I, eil ot naem t'ndid I..."

Pep: "Em. Gnieb yb gnihtyna niur ot tnaw t'ndid I, yppah dna dnik os tsuj saw ehs tub, reh llet ot gniog saw I..."

Pep: "'Lamron' eb ot retteb eb d'ti thguoht I."

#pizza tower #fake peppino #brick the rat #noisette #story post #translation: “I... I lied to her...”#“I didn't mean to lie I panicked and it just... Happened.”#“I was going to tell her but she was just so kind and happy I didn't want to ruin anything by being... Me.”#“I thought it'd be better to be 'normal'.”#also Noisette is signing 'sign'#very choppily but I am too tired to redo it for the fourth time jfdkjs #this isn't even the big post!#this one is just for context!!!#and cute Noisette and Pep moments hehe #and tail wags!!!#okay time for bed this took much longer than anticipated!!!

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m-says-hi · 17 days

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of course my first post on this blog is about to be something that is probably a little unhinged but

I saw the sampo picture from the topaz trailer. the one where he was getting his ass kicked and i noticed there was a... wanted poster? or something with words on it

and i remembered the hsr fandom wiki has a thing to help translate the hsr language so i checked there and found something interesting. This poster thing is written in penaconian script

I did my best to translate and got

SANGBO wu shi xain yin qin fei jian ji dao zhi xuan hui de bu xu an dui de

I was vaguely worried I was doing something wrong when I translated what should've been Sampo's name but instead came up with "sangbo" but as I went on it became clear that it wasn't english. Unsure how to translate it, I just pasted the whole thing (minus what I assume is his name) into the search bar and found a website that told me this

i tried entering the second part and find out the meaning but it didn't come up with anything. So if anyone else could figure it out...

But! I still find this really interesting. This trailer is from before penacony so I find it weird that this poster thing is written in that type of script. I would've expected it to be written in the universal script or the belobogian script

all three scripts are very very similar but by all the extra embellishments you can tell that this poster is specifically the penaconian one.

Another thing I find interesting is the idiom it translates to as interesting. Solicitous means someone who cares or shows interest, so it's basically saying someone who cares or shows interest in something without a clear reason is hiding evil intentions.

Sampo has known to show up randomly and help us out for seemingly no reason at all. I mean that's basically what he did for all of the belobog trailblazer quest. But it also feels like a weird statement for the ipc to make about sampo (I'm assuming the poster has to do with the ipc considering it involves topaz). I originally thought I'd translate this and find out more whatever loan he took out or debt he owed but found this instead.

Maybe the other half of it provides more context, but I can't seem to find a way to translate it, so that's all the thoughts i can give for now

#sampo koski #hsr sampo #honkai star rail #lore #theory #sampo lore #god this is longer than i thought it'd be #am i crazy for this?#a little bit #maybe

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thedemonscrawler · 2 months

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Three weeks, two days, and some odd hours ago, Eclipse's life had fallen apart. He'd been tricked, betrayed, and attacked-- and now he was trapped, at the complete mercy of the three people who he hated the most, and who hated him in return. It was like the universe was playing some big cosmic joke on him. --- Eclipse attempts to escape the Daycare. Sun tries something new to calm him down. Prequel to "Hold, Please".

What if. I actually SHARED the 10k+ oneshot 13k+ ficlet. What if I did that.

Anyway! 8D more tiny!Eclipse!

#fanfiction #the sun and moon show #tsams #tsams eclipse #tsams sun #this... ended up being a lot longer than I thought it'd be #i know folks really liked tiny!Sun but tbh i dont want to expand that one #just because i'd start stealing ideas from Charade's AU #and i dont wanna do that >u<

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d34d6eat · 8 months

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been thinking about a pining Kizaru. him trying to get closer to someone he has a huge crush on. he knows it's kinda weird that you're so much younger than him but he can't help it. he figures out your schedule so he can sort of trail behind you. Kizaru keeps his shades on so he feels inconspicuous when peeking around corners to catch a glimpse of you. he might even strike up a conversation after "accidentally overhearing" you talk to a friend about a new interest. he can't stop thinking about you!!! your smiling face creeps into his mind while he's sitting at his desk. Kizaru gets distracted and starts doodling his and your initials in a heart on official paper work.

after a few weeks of constantly thinking of you, he goes out on a limb and decides to ask you out to dinner. surprisingly you accept, and after work you eat with him. he is absolutely ecstatic when you ask to head to his place after eating. the two of you spend hours talking over expensive white wine. you give him your number and ask him to promise to call you in the morning. he agrees with no hesitation, brushing his hand against yours.

as you both get up to leave, you pull him down by his loose tie and give him a kiss. he is shocked but he reciprocates it, wrapping an arm around your waist. the admiral deepens the kiss, practically fucking your throat with his skillful tongue. you pull away from him with a whimper, smoothing your shirt. you thank him for the wonderful evening and tell him to meet up with you when he gets to work if he's able to. after your shy departure Kizaru wastes no time heading to his bedroom. he recites your name as if it were a prayer, palming himself under his pants. oh he just can't wait to get his hands on you tomorrow morning.

i wrote way more than i intended to but i felt the need to conclude it on a bit of a spicy note with a win for Kizaru~~~ 💛✨

#kizaru #kizaru x reader #kizaru is such a cute old man #he's been on my mind lately #i'm kinda obsessed right now actually #literal kizaru brain rot #kizaru is a dilf i don't make the rules #semi stalkerish don't look too much into it hehe #kizaru borsalino #this was longer than i thought it'd be lol

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goodmorningbluejay · 1 month

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Here's a thought for you.

You ever think that Stolas won't give Blitzo the Asmodean crystal in the next episode?

All of us, myself included mind you, have been hyping up The Full Moon episode as the one, The thing we've all been waiting for when the possibility of this not being the episode where Blitzo actually gets the crystal is very much a real possibility. Like we saw the sneak peak of Stolas waking up looking like he'd had a night with Blitzo, they still did that part of the deal meaning Stolas hadn't given Blitzo the crystal during that full moon.

We have all been so ready for this episode to be it. That this will be the episode where Blitzo will have to make the descion we've all been waiting for him to make, that this is the first time I'm actually taking a step back and realising...

Oh wait, it might not even happen.

#stolitz #helluva boss #stolas #blitzø #stolitz duet #blitzo x stolas #helluva stolas #helluva blitzo #helluva boss stolas #helluva boss blitz #full moon episode #full moon #This post ended up being waaaayyyy longer than I thought it'd be

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pyromaniac-cyndaquil · 1 month

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*taps mic* hey what if the pokémon in the dark future just don't age at all, since time stopped? not suggesting that's canon but I think it'd be a really interesting angle to explore things from. potentially, any pokemon living there would be functionally immortal if food and water were easy to come by, and if it wasn't for all the other pokemon who tend to lash out and get violent (like spiritomb) due to the state of the world.

Everyone living in the future wasn't born there, nobody can even have children any more, just as nobody can grow up or evolve. Despite them all having seen the sun back before this all started, they've been in this state for so long that they've forgotten anything about what that was like, or even that they saw it at all. It's all just one big, neverchanging blur that's always been the same, forever. They've always been this age. They've only ever seen the planet paralysed. Nothing's ever been different.

I think that'd probably add quite a bit to Grovyle, hero and Celebi's decision to go back and fix things, too. Disappearing would almost definitely be better than living forever in a miserable world that never changes with no end in sight, especially if they couldn't even remember their beginnings. At least then, other people get a chance.

(it would also mean there'd definitely be versions of all of them that still exist after fixing time, not that they'd have any way of knowing that. but it'd be fine for them to exist without any harm to the world at all)

#pokemon #pmd #pmd eos #grovyle #celebi #i think it'd probably also give dusknoir a very different outlook to them for more than just cowardice #if he's a ghost type he's probably expected to live a lot longer anyway if not forever y'know? maybe he remembers more or is less bothered #but ofc very VERY bothered by the idea of disappearing #been working on drafting a pmd au fic and been thinking about the dark future a lot.#probably won't use this for it but thought it was interesting enough to share

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karniss-bg3 · 6 months

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Hello again. ) I'm still thinking about the dancing drider. Let's imagine that during another walk through the shadows, Kar'niss found a group of dead people. One of them had a gramophone - the technology of big cities. And a bag of records. Kar'niss takes the find with him and one day, when no one bothers him, he figures out how it works. He listens to music and remembers that he was once trained to dance and did it well. Now he is trying to repeat those movements again… And someone who likes him is surreptitiously watching him. What happens then? I hope it is an interesting idea) Thank you.

[Link to AO3 Mirror]

Another day, another patrol through the Shadowlands. Kar’niss was alone this day and at times he preferred it as such, allowing him moments where he could converse with his Queen uninterrupted. Rarely did the voices answer back which allowed him to prattle on about everything and nothing as his leisure. The drider marched through the darkness with moon lantern in hand only coming to pause when he noticed something strange on the road ahead. He approached to investigate coming to discover a fallen convoy of travelers who were likely unprepared for the horrors of these cursed lands. Bodies were strewn over the road alongside an overturned cart, the beast who had been pulling it long gone.

The drider skittered over to closely examine the carnage, lifting his lantern to better shed light on the situation. The bodies were in various states of ruin, cut up and slashed either by knife or by claw. The damage was too great to discern either possibility but one thing Kar’niss knew for certain was that they were dead. He grabbed the corpse of a gnome male by the collar to hoist them up and sniff in their direction. His nose crinkled with disappointment able to tell that their blood had long gone cold and wasn’t suitable for feasting. He’d snort while he casually tossed the cadaver aside letting it land where it would. He was prepared to abandon the grizzly but common sight and continue on his way. That is until he caught sight of something glimmering in his peripheral. He’d crane his head to peer down at a pile of abandoned items strewn across the dead earth until he spied a partially open box.

He reached out to push the lid open the rest of the way revealing a bizarre device tucked away within. A wide, brass funnel protruded from the top of the object, wide and rounded at the mouth. It was attached to a rosewood box with intricate gold symbols woven into the wood grain on all sides. He assumed it to be in a language he did not know. A round turn table sat at it’s center with a peculiar metal arm hovering inches from its surface, a narrow needle fastened to the arms end. Tucked in a separate bag were a series of black discs, all with little holes bored into their centers.

“What is this, Majesty?” Kar’niss said.

The drider leaned over to peer into the dark funnel to see if something was hidden inside. Perhaps this was an oddly shaped home for a fey creature like the one trapped in his lantern? He’d lower the light source down and speak directly to the entity within, a pixie known as Dolly Thrice.

“Little nuisance, what do you know of this strange item?” Kar’niss lowered the lantern closer to it so the fey inside might shed some insight.

“So the reject wants answers? This box is not for you, it’s for dancers,” said the small voice within.

Kar’niss squinted at the reply. “Dancers? What cryptic non-sense. Speak plain!”

“I can show you if you set me free. If you deny my wish then you can blow me!”

Kar’niss reared his head back and grit his teeth, an audible growl bubbling from his throat. “We will figure it out ourselves! Majesty will guide us, yes...yes She knows what to do.”

“Ha! A drider with a brain? A notion that is beyond insane. Do not come crying to Dolly Thrice when Ketheric puts your head in a vice. Amused I will be by golly bearing witness to your folly.”

His upper lip curled into an unimpressed sneer. Tempted as he was to toss the moon lantern away he also knew this was a gift from his Queen, his everything. He believed the pixie was there to test his loyalty and test him she did.

Kar’niss collected the box and bag with the black discs juggling them in one arm while the other kept hold of the lantern to light the way. He returned to Moonrise tower, a few guards seen patrolling the outer perimeter.

“The spider freak has returned,” said one guard.

“Hard to even look at,” replied another.

Kar’niss ignored their chiding, they were the Absolute’s chosen after all. He was accustomed to the snide remarks and filthy looks but it didn’t matter. He was safe in the knowledge that his Queen saw something worthy in him, the opinions of others held no weight by comparison. Kar’niss climbed up the interior walls and squeezed through holes in the ceiling, spiriting himself away to one of the more secluded locations to play with his new toy. He squeezed himself into an abandoned room, the area covered in a thin layer of dust and the air thick with the smell of mothballs and age. He’d clear off a small table where he placed the device, setting his lantern aside.

“Hrm.” Kar’niss lowered himself to inspect the device and the discs that came with it. He picked up one of the records and examined it, peeking through the hole at it’s center. He’d then bite into it as if it were a thin sandwich, his expression immediately turning sour from the unfavorable taste. He’d stick his tongue out and shake his head with disgust before placing the disc down onto the table.

“Of course a mindless beast would think it’s edible. Are you sure your intelligence is credible?” Dolly Thrice chided from within her glass prison.

“Shut up!” Kar’niss snarled, his legs clicking at the ground in aggravation. He sucked in a shaken breath as his hand rubbed along the back of his neck, his pedipalps trembling against his torso. “We are smart, we can figure it out.”

While he was put off by the nosy pixie close by he was determined to unlock the secrets of the item one way or another. His gaze caught sight of the golden crank attached to the side of the box. He recognized similar mechanisms on music boxes or gate lifts. His clawed hands grabbed the handle and turned the arm slowly winding it up. When he released the arm he noticed it began to turn on it’s own and so did the circular table at the center of the box. He bit his lower lip as the cogs in his mind whirled with thought trying to put pieces together. He retrieved another record and turned it over in his hands, his eyes darting from the disc to the turn table taking note that both were roughly the same size. That and there was a protruding piece of metal at the center of the turn table that looked to fit the hole in the disc.

“Is this right, my Queen? Yes, we think it must be.”

He placed the record down onto the protruding nub which secured it in place. Sure enough it began to spin in place, powered by the mechanisms within. Kar’niss’ lips curled into a self-satisfied smile, his chest puffing out to signify pride in his discovery. The celebration was short lived, morphing into renewed confusion. What purpose did a spinning disc serve? He scratched his head and eyeballed every part of the gadget until he rediscovered the arm. It hovered above the record as if waiting to make contact, itching to be united. With some hesitation he applied pressure to the lever until the needle beneath made contact. At first all he could hear was strange popping sound coming from the brass cone on top which made his head tip curiously.

“I do not understand,” Kar’niss said.

Before the drider could check to make sure he did it right the loud boom of music erupted from the cone. The unexpected noise put Kar’niss in a panic, the drider quick to back away against a nearby wall and lift up his front legs into a defensive stance which exposed his underbelly, the back four remaining firmly planted on the ground. His heart pounded in his chest, his hand clinging to the hilt of his sword over his shoulder, all of his eyes wide and on alert. His reaction caused Dolly Thrice to howl with laughter within her cage, finding the entire thing ridiculous. The music continued to play a calming waltz melody, a tune that echoed throughout the room he was in. After his breathing grew steady he’d lower his front legs and frown, maintaining distance but curious all the same.

[Music]

“What sort of magic is this?” Kar’niss asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“The drider does not know? My, he really is slow,” Dolly Thrice chirped. “Four bards offended a wizard most cruel and he would not be made a fool. A choice he did give if the musicians wished to live. Be shrunk down and forever enslaved to the box or curse their loved ones with the deadly pox? To spare the ones they cherished so they promised to put on a show. In this wooden prison they must stay, performing for their master night and day!”

Kar’niss squinted when she offered the sorrowful explanation. He carefully approached the gramophone and looked it up and down, his gaze scrutinizing. “There are...people in here?” Kar’niss tapped the side of the device with a claw, expecting to hear cries for help or some other response by doing so. Of course nothing of the sort happened and it only increased his confusion further. He didn’t understand that the pixie was having fun at his expense.

Now that the initial shock had passed it gave Kar’niss a moment to focus on the song being played. While it wasn’t a melody he was accustomed to it did remind him of days gone by. He was often tasked to dance for the Matrons at feasts and other ceremonious events. The women admired him for his beauty and how well he moved, a man that had more grace than any would assume now. His body began to sway without him realizing it, those long legs swinging on their joints to carry his over-sized body this way and that. He didn’t understand why it mesmerized him so but the song did well to drown out the voices in his mind which were always vying for his attention. This was a rare moment of focus for him and it did well to relax the normally alert creature.

The music had filtered out into the hallway, catching the attention of Tav who was walking by. It was unusual to hear music in the tower, especially such a robust theme most were incapable of playing. They approached the door and gently turned the handle, pushing the door open a crack to peek inside. To their surprise they saw Kar’niss swaying to the beat, his eyes locked on the peculiar device where the sound came from. They watched while Kar’niss surrendered his body to the music, his movements growing more animated the higher his confidence climbed. Tav kept themselves hidden from view, unable to resist watching the rare performance.

Kar’niss lifted his arms above his head and curled his hips in time with the way of his body, his front two legs tapping the ground in time to the beat while the rest remained planted in place. His pedipalps lifted one at a time, curling outward one after the other as if they were walking on air. The bulky arachnid abdomen wiggled side to side, the muscles on his torso tensing beneath the chitin armor while putting them to use. His legs carried him into motion, stepping forward then back time and time again, even bold enough to turn his entire body in place. His arms swayed in an arc from his chest then back in. Tav smiled to themselves, feeling a sense of relief that perhaps Kar’niss wasn’t as lost as previously assumed. It gave them hope and encouraged them not to give up on him just yet. One would be forgiven for thinking Kar’niss was under the effect of a charm spell, lost in the rare moment of self-indulgent joy.

Such distractions would prove to be Kar’niss’ undoing. Lost as he was to the tune he didn’t pay mind to his surroundings, nor the many obstacles in his path. Upon spinning around for the second time one of his legs slipped into the open slot at the back of a wooden chair, catching him mid-step. Now tangled and in the process of circular momentum he didn’t have time to stop himself. His legs curled and staggered, the room turning upside down as the drider crashed onto his side, the chair splintering apart beneath the full bulk of his body. Kar’niss cried out from both fear and a bit of pain, the shards of wood cutting into him and his leg twisted in a way that was uncomfortable. Thankfully it did not break. Tav gasped at the sight and pushed into the room even though it revealed they had been spying on him.

“Kar’niss, are you alright?!” Tav rushed to his side and hurriedly yanked what wood pieces they could from beneath him.

Dolly Thrice squealed with laughter at the sight of the poor drider. “Eight legs better than two? Not when it comes to you!”

Tav shot the lantern a dirty glare. “It’s not funny, Dolly. Leave him be.”

Kar’niss hissed in pain and embarrassment, his legs kicking out in an effort to right himself. “Don’t touch us! Go away, GO AWAY!” Kar’niss roared as he pushed Tav off, barely managing to get himself upright.

Tav backed off and held up their hands in a defensive manner. “It’s alright, Kar’niss. I’m just trying to help you. It was an accident, that’s all.”

The drider limped toward a corner and clumsily climbed the wall, his back leg still sore but intact. He’d retreat to the dark spot and curl in on himself, not wanting to be seen by anyone. Tav frowned, glancing over their shoulder at the device just as the song came to an end. They approached and looked at it quietly, not wanting to leave Kar’niss alone even if he argued otherwise. Tav was ready to reach out and touch the equipment until the drider interjected from his corner.

“No! The bards are sleeping now,” he grumbled.

Tav’s brow lofted. “Bards?”

Kar’niss inched forward until his face was partially exposed by the dim light in the room. “The little nuisance told us of the bards inside the box.”

Tav squinted and exhaled a deep, exhausted breath. “Did she?” They wandered over and picked up the moon lantern, speaking directly to its host. “You shouldn’t tease Kar’niss like that, much less fill his head with non-sense.”

“Easy for the tall one to say. They don’t have to sit in this lantern all day."

“I know. But he is just as much a victim as you. Give me time, I’ll work it out.” Tav placed the torch back in its corner and turned to approach the humiliated drider glued to the wall. “Everything is alright. Please come down.”

Kar’niss shook his head and retreated back into his corner. “No.”

Tav hummed and planted their hands on their hips taking a moment to contemplate. They’d turn and began clearing a space in the room, pushing furniture aside and any other obstacles that likely didn’t favor spider legs. They clapped dust free from their hands once finished, returning to Kar’niss who kept a curious eye on things.

“There, plenty of space for you now.” Tav extended a hand in his direction, fingers outstretched. “If you come down I’ll even tell you what the device really is.”

He eyeballed the hand reaching for him, his hair dangling freely over his shoulder. After he thought the offer through he crept forward and clapped his hand into Tav’s own. The adventurer walked backward to lead Kar’niss down off the wall and back onto solid ground, smiling at him.

“What is it?” Kar’niss asked. Tav let go of his hand and returned to the location of the player. “It’s called a gramophone. It’s a relatively new invention and one only nobles can really afford at the minute. These discs are called records because they record sound or voices which the gramophone can play back. The song you were listening to is referred to as a waltz.”

“Wah-ults?” Kar’niss cocked his head to one side, the sound of the word on his tongue strange to him.

“Waltz, yes. It’s a kind of dance mostly popular in noble circles, although it is gaining traction across the classes. I can show you if you’d like,” Tav said.

The drider shook his head and shrank visibly. “N-No, we are too clumsy.”

“I don’t think you are, not at all. You were doing really well before you got into a fight with the chair. Now that there is space you should be fine. It’s a fairly simple dance to do.” Tav approached the gramophone and moved the needle back to the beginning of the record. They wound up the crank until it could budge no further, letting it go so the music kicked back in. They’d return to Kar’niss who was wound tighter than a spring, terrified of making another mistake especially in front of Tav. But they were not as worried, taking his hand into their own. “Now you place your hand on my hip, like this. One of my hands goes on your shoulder and the other takes your hand into mine.” Tav did exactly as instructed, stepping in closer so their hips rested between his pedipalps.

Kar’niss’ breath hitched in his throat with how close they were, closer than he was used to being with anyone who didn’t become a meal. His rounded abdomen trembled with nerves and his palms sweat, far more vulnerable than he cared to be. He trusted Tav more than he was willing to admit and he was interested in this dance they spoke of. The least he could do was give it a chance. Tav nodded and waited for the proper beat to step to the side, leading Kar’niss at first so he could get used to the rhythm.

“One, two, three. One, two, three,” Tav counted off.

Kar’niss followed along, stumbling at first as the movements were tricky with this body. Tav counting along with the steps did aid him in following, the pair dancing together from one side of the room to the next. They spun around together, the sound of Tav’s footsteps mingled with the steady clicking of Kar’niss’ pointed legs. He kept his body lowered enough to where Tav didn’t strain maintaining their hold, the pair soon finding a rhythm that worked for them both. The more he shook off his nerves the more he realized he was having fun, a concept foreign to him. He watched Tav who was smiling back at him, the duo gliding across the floor as if it were a ballroom and they were center stage. Kar’niss’ steps were wide but carefully taken while Tav kept their movements short and easy to follow. Once they were certain he had a grasp on the dance moves Tav leaned back, releasing his shoulder and maintaining the grasp on his hand, in order to spin around in place and return to their former position. Kar’niss’ eyes went wide with some surprise at how fluid the movement was, impressed.

Tav leaned in and rested their head against his shoulder, nestling their face against his neck. The drider felt a swelling in his chest, blood rushing to his face which caused a rosy hue to blossom over the normally pale surface. The hand planted on Tav’s waist opted to wander, his palm sliding around the small of their back so his arm could tug them in closer, securing them against his body. His pedipalps followed suit, fastening around the curve of their backside to hold tight. In that single moment of bliss the pair left Moonrise and the Shadow curse behind. No one else existed save for themselves, locked in a romantic embrace where they might savor the company of one another. This was their time, their moment, it belonged to no one else.

Like all good things this, too, was fated to end. The melody began to slow down, reaching its final notes to signify the finale. The duo slowed their movements to match and soon came to a stop, silence falling over the darkened room they stood in. Tav leaned back and looked into Kar’niss’ eyes, a gaze that was returned in kind by the drider. They reached up to caress the side of his face with their fingertips, feeling over the scars and the uneven surface of the chitin lining his jaw. Both felt the tension rising between them, the normally reclusive drider finding the courage to lean in closer to Tav, bridging the gap between their lips. Tav’s eyes fluttered shut, their trembled lips growing painfully close to touching.

“Dolly Dolly Dolly wishes they would stop. I cannot bear to watch this slop!” Dolly Thrice called out from her cage. “If unholy sins you want to commit at least first toss this pixie into a pit.”

Kar’niss jolted from the sudden lecture, jerking away from Tav with a frown etched on his face. Tav winced and side eyed the moon lantern. They knew Kar’niss valued the damn thing but frankly they were coming to terms with the idea of making it disappear, permanently.

“Thanks Dolly. You always know how to enhance a mood,” Tav sighed.

The drider wrinkled his nose and released Tav from his grip, his legs shifting beneath him with anxious energy. “It is alright, we have wasted too much time here. Majesty calls, we must fulfill Her bidding.” He stepped away from Tav and retrieved the annoying but useful lantern, skittering toward a hole in the ceiling so he might retreat to the top of the tower. Tav looked on and crossed their arms, disappointed that he was departing but they also knew better than to push their luck. “As you wish. Perhaps...we might do this again sometime.”

Kar’niss paused at the opening, taking a moment to glance over his shoulder at his companion. “Perhaps.” He pressed his lips together and tipped his chin up. “Thank you for teaching us this...wall-utz.” From there he squeezed his way through the opening and disappeared from sight.

Tav stood back, reaching out apply a glancing touch to the side of the gramophone. They smiled and leaned back against the table.

“You’re welcome, Kar’niss.”

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peanutworm · 2 months

Text

I was listening to Please Hold while playing minecraft and managed to get so sucked into the game that i didn't notice when it autoplayed to THREE OTHER VERSIONS of the song posted on youtube.

I cant believe i managed to Whats New Pussycat myself with Grains hold music.

#i cannot stress that I genuinely looked up from my skyblock world #and went 'wow this hold music is a lot Longer than i thought it'd be'#and found i was on a completely different channel from where i started #but STILL LISTENING TO PLEASE HOLD #peanutposts #hermitcraft #hermitcraft season 10 #please hold #grian

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razzle-zazzle · 3 months

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6561 Words; Between AU, TBT, JD's arrival

AO3 ver

“All right, Rhonda, we’re here.”

John Dory stepped away from the wheel as his armadillo-bus and main companion came to a stop at the edge of what he really hoped was the main settlement of the Pop Trolls. With a grunt, John Dory opened the door and hopped out, giving Rhonda’s side a small pat before heading towards where the pods were thickest.

It had taken him weeks to properly track this place down, and even longer to actually work up the courage to visit. If it wasn’t for Floyd’s letter, John Dory probably would have kept traveling for years, only ever thinking about Pop Village—or was it Trollstopia?—as a place on his map he could visit someday.

But now John Dory was here on a mission. He had a brother to save, and to do that, he’d need to track down all the rest of his brothers. Might as well start with the easiest—all he had from Spruce were unmarked postcards, he’d heard nothing from Clay at all, and Floyd was the brother in need of rescuing. Which left Bitty B, who up until a few months ago John Dory had been pretty sure was dead—but now wasn’t the time to think about that. John Dory had a baby brother to find.

As he made his way past pods and Trolls, tail nervously lashing behind him, John Dory took in the sights and sounds of a place that was all too familiar and all too alien all at once. It brought him back to his days in the tree, even though the community here was much more spread out. And it wasn’t just pods—John Dory could see all kinds of Trolls walking about, could see Country housing and Funk spaceships and even lights coming from within the larger bodies of water scattered about. And ooo, there were even Rock and Classical! Not exactly John Dory’s style, as a Pop Troll through and through, but it wasn’t as unsettling to see as John Dory had feared.

John Dory came to a stop before a large mushroom serving as a central pavilion, looking around. How in the world was he going to find Bitty B from here? He supposed he could ask around, use his natural charms to get the answers he needed, but… there were so many Trolls, all around, so much color and life and music going on that John Dory wanted to retreat back to the calm of Rhonda.

John Dory shook his head, dispelling his anxieties. What was he thinking? He had this in the bag! He used to be the leader of Brozone, of course he could handle a crowd.

With a laugh, John Dory launched himself up onto the mushroom, opening his mouth to start calling out for his brother—

“Oh, you’re new!” Pink filled his vision, darting in and out of his line of sight as an excited blur circled around and looked him over. “I’ve never seen you before, which is weird because I thought I knew everybody who lived here! Which means you must be new which means we haven’t gotten to know each other yet which means we get to get to know each other and become friends if you’re okay with that and oh my hair I forgot to ask your name!” None of the words were registering, coming out so fast that they all blurred together into an aural sludge that went right in one ear and out the other.

John Dory reflexively stepped back from the deluge of sheer energy coming off of what resolved itself to be a Troll, bright pink and bouncing excitedly. Her tail was whipping back and forth with a frenetic energy as she bounced in place, holding out her paw.

“I’m Poppy!” Poppy introduced herself. “And you are?” There was something so bright in her eyes, an energy that John Dory could only remember seeing in the happiest of Pop Trolls. Wow, he really had been on his own for a while, hadn’t he?

John Dory held out his paw to return the pawshake, but the moment he opened his mouth Poppy squealed again as recognition hit her, her eyes alight with vicious glee.

“Oh! My! HAIR! You’re from—you’re from BROZONE!” Poppy squealed again, clasping her paws together in excitement. “Oooo, but which one?” She pondered, leaning in to examine John Dory more closely. “No, don’t tell me! I wanna guess!” She hummed contemplatively, walking a slow circle around John Dory.

“You’re not the Heartthrob,” Poppy commented, the words hitting harder than John Dory was expecting. He could be a heartthrob! “The Fun Boy? No, you seem kinda uptight…”

“Weird thing to say about someone you just met,” John Dory commented, but Poppy continued to theorize.

“Definitely not the Sensitive One…” Poppy’s face lit up, “Oh, I know!” She cheered, certainty in her voice. “You’re John Dory!”

John Dory nodded. “The Leader—”

“The Old One!” Poppy finished, hopping up and down in place. Her paws were clasped together in excitement. “So what brings you to Trollstopia?”

John Dory’s tail was flat against the floor. Sure, he was in his forties, but barely! He wasn’t old! He still had so many decades left in him! He was in his prime!

“I’m here to find my brothers.” He said. “It’s…” Did he want to confide in Poppy about Floyd’s imprisonment? She certainly felt trustworthy, but this was more of a family issue.

“You brothers… the rest of Brozone?!” Poppy lit up, grabbing John Dory’s paw in her own to drag him from the mushroom pavilion. “Well, you’re asking the right Troll! I know everyone here!” She ran along, leaving John Dory little choice but to be dragged in her wake.

“Wait.” She came to an abrupt halt, “I don’t…” Her demeanor turned sheepish as she turned back to John Dory. “I don’t know anyone by the names of Spruce, Clay, Floyd, or Bitty B.” She admitted.

Well, that was a bust. John Dory shrugged. “‘S okay.” He nodded, stretching his arms up above his head. “I already know that Spruce isn’t here, and I know where Floyd is.” Something about Poppy’s words hit him, and he frowned. “You said Bitty B.” He pointed out. “But… would you happen to know a Troll who goes by Branch?” They had never used Bitty B’s full name in promotional material—he was just a baby, after all. It was safer that way.

“Branch…” Poppy’s face lit up with recognition. “I do!” She leapt up, “He never told me he had other brothers!” She gasped, “HE NEVER TOLD ME HE WAS IN BROZONE! Ohhh, I can’t believe this!” She ran in a tiny circle, tail waving wildly as she gestured with her paws.

“So you know where I can find him?” Oh, thank Troll. Now all John Dory needed was to find Bitty B’s pod, say hello to Grandma, and then they’d set out to find the rest. Easy.

Poppy nodded. “Yep!” She grabbed John Dory’s paw again. “It’s a few days’ travel by critterbug, though. Or just one day if I can get a caterbus…” Her tail flicked as she considered the options. John Dory swore he even heard her mutter about wormholes at one point.

“That’s… far.” John Dory frowned. He thought Bitty B would be living with the rest of the Pop Trolls, here in Trollstopia, not… wherever he was.

“I know the way, though.” Poppy assured him. “Just give me a little bit to get some things in order, and I can get you there!” Her tail curled behind her as she turned—

John Dory grabbed Poppy’s tail just below the hair. She froze, and he hurriedly let go. “No, wait, you said a few days by critterbug, right?” He laced his hands together and stretched his arms out in front of him, tail stretching behind him. “Rhonda could probably cover the same distance in an hour or two, tops.” Really, all he needed was the destination. He appreciated Poppy’s offer to come with, but, well—it was a family matter.

But Poppy kept following along as John Dory made his way back to his armadillo-bus. “Rhonda? Who’s that?”

John Dory picked up the pace. Poppy kept up easily.

“She must be really fast…” Poppy was theorizing, tapping her chin as she skipped along. “Oh! I bet she’s a bird, right? Birds can cover big distances fast!”

John Dory chuckled as he came to a stop. “Not quite.” He gestured to the armadillo-bus in question, patiently waiting in the underbrush. His most trusted companion, means of getting around, and beloved home: Rhonda.

Poppy squealed, bouncing over to Rhonda in excited delight. Her enthusiasm was infectious; John Dory couldn’t help the chuckle building in his throat as Rhonda greeted Poppy back with similar enthusiasm.

“Whoa!” John Dory called out, as Poppy made her way over to Rhonda’s door. “I appreciate the help, but you don’t need to come with.” It was a family matter, after all—

“Eh, I’ve been meaning to visit Branch again soon.” Poppy waved off. She paused. “But if you really don’t want me coming with—”

John Dory shrugged, and hopped up into Rhonda. “If you really want to.” He had the feeling he wouldn’t be able to stop Poppy, if she really put her mind to accompanying him. He’d only known her for half an hour at most, and she was already rocketing up his regard through her sheer energy and excitement. So John Dory shrugged, happy to have some company for once.

“Alright, Popster.” He sat down in the driver’s seat as Rhonda started to move, “Get me to Branch.”

+=+=+=+=+

Poppy’s enthusiasm, John Dory was finding, was infectious. Maybe it was the Pop Troll in him, maybe Poppy really did have so much energy that she couldn’t help spreading it everywhere—either way, John Dory couldn’t resist the amusement starting to dance in his chest as she took the wheel, going on and on about the adventures she had had with Branch. She had mostly focused on the Rockpocalypse, as that was where most of John Dory’s questions focused on—but even then she had a lot to say.

John Dory wondered how Poppy and Bitty B knew each other. They must be childhood friends, he figured, with how well they worked together in Poppy’s retelling. Maybe they were even closer—would John Dory find himself with a little sister in Poppy, someday? He sure hoped so—Poppy was a delight.

“So why’re you looking for Branch, anyway?” Poppy asked, as Rhonda made her way from the underbrush to a dirt path.

“Well, I’m looking for all my brothers,” John Dory began. “Because Floyd is in trouble.” He didn’t know if he should say more—he’d rather be telling all of this to Bitty B, if only so he wouldn’t have to tell the story more than needed.

“So you’re getting the band back together to rescue him?” Poppy asked, paw pressed to her face. “Aww, that’s so sweet! And exciting!” She smiled, big and bright. “I know I’m not really family, but if you need any help then you can count on me!”

John Dory chuckled. “Just helping me find Branch is more than enough.” He really wanted to show her the baby pictures—but Poppy was busy driving, directing Rhonda in following the trail as it shifted from dirt to cobbled stones. Rhonda jolted slightly at the terrain shift, but quickly adapted, following Poppy’s driving even as the surrounding forest thinned out to a yellowed field.

John Dory looked out the windshield, watching as the field gave way to an imposing metal fence, far too large to have been made by Trolls. There was something familiar about the looming structures, some distinct feeling of foreboding beginning to curdle in John Dory’s gut.

At once, recognition hit John Dory like a bucket of ice. “This is—this is Bergentown.” He nearly growled, his knuckles paling as he gripped the back of the seat. He leaned forwards to correct the course, or to demand to know what was going on—

“Yeah.” Poppy agreed, her voice firm and quiet. It was such a change from her sugary energy that John Dory hesitated, and she turned to him, expression gentle. “I guess I should have thought about how scary that’d be…” She shook her head. “But we made peace with the Bergens more than a year ago. And I promised I’d get you to Branch.” She urged Rhonda forwards, the armadillo-bus weaving around the streets under her direction. “I just need you to trust me for a little bit longer, okay?”

“I…” John Dory looked out the windshield, fighting down the urge to haul the young Troll from the driver’s seat and turn Rhonda around. He could see Bergens out and about on the streets, looking content—no, happy. That… John Dory’s intuition really didn’t like that. The last time he’d been here, it had been to find the tree withered and empty and the few Bergens he could spot looking absolutely miserable. It didn’t matter what Poppy said—if Bergens were walking around with uplifted spirits, then Trolls were clearly back on the menu.

But Poppy pulled Rhonda up to the central plaza with nary a care in the world, and none of the Bergens harassed or otherwise waylaid the armadillo-bus as she picked her way through the town. As Rhonda came to a halt in the grass, John Dory finally took in the state of what had been his home for the first twenty years of his life.

The cage was gone, and the tree looked even more colorful than John Dory remembered it. He could still see blackened bits on the trunk and branches, and some of the pods were as dull as last he’d seen them, but—

There were Trolls happily going about their business. As Poppy slipped out the side door, John Dory watched as the nearby Trolls noticed her, and started to rush over.

Slowly, goggles firmly over his eyes, John Dory exited Rhonda, keeping his back to her side as he shuffled as far away from the safety she represented as he dared. He could make out the conversation going on towards the base of the tree, and that was enough—if things got ugly, he could probably snag Poppy with his hair from here.

“Well, Branch did make his usual rounds this morning.” A green Troll with pink hair was saying, Poppy listening with rapt attention. “But he left a while ago.” They shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, I can’t tell you more than that.”

“Oh, no problems!” Poppy waved off. “Thanks for the help!” She bounced back over to John Dory and Rhonda, a pep in her step despite the fact that they were still in Bergentown. She slowed down as she came close, holding her paw to her face contemplatively.

“Hmmm, where would Branch be at this time of day? He’s got a pretty set schedule, but with his brother’s wedding coming up…” Her voice dissolved off into mutterings, but John Dory’s brain snagged on the words “brother” and “wedding” and everything after that failed to register.

“Wedding?” He grabbed Poppy by the shoulders. “Clay’s here, too?” He couldn’t possibly imagine Clay of all people getting married—but when he knew that Spruce was elsewhere and Floyd was being held captive, there was only one brother left.

Poppy’s face scrunched in confusion. “...Clay?” Her voice was void of any recognition, then she snapped her fingers. “Oh, right, you mean Brozone Clay!” She shook her head, already skipping off to Rhonda. “No, it’s not him—before you showed up, I didn’t even know that Branch had older brothers!”

John Dory followed Poppy back into Rhonda, his head spinning. “But you said brother?” He pushed his goggles back up, forehead creasing as he tried to work out what the hair Poppy meant.

“His younger brother, duh!” Poppy waved off, already directing Rhonda away from the tree. She said it so casually, like it wasn’t the most out-of-pocket statement John Dory had ever heard. And he was quickly approaching forty-three—he’d heard a lot of insane shit.

“Younger—” John Dory was right up next to the wheel, now, not even caring that Poppy was directing Rhonda down streets alongside Bergens like it was nothing. “Explain?” Mom and Dad were both out of the picture before Branch’s egg even hatched—how in the name of all that was Trolly would Branch ever have a younger brother? It made no sense.

“Well, Gristle and Branch are adoptive brothers,” Poppy clarified, “But that still counts! They pretty much grew up together, from what I know.” She brought Rhonda to a stop, completely oblivious to the fact that she had just brought John Dory’s world to a screeching halt. It hit John Dory like a sack of bricks, how long he had really been gone—Bitty B had found himself a family. Branch had found himself a family, and John Dory had no idea.

With a start, John Dory realized that Poppy had already exited Rhonda, the door flipping shut behind her and leaving him all alone. And while he certainly felt safe inside his dearest companion, John Dory didn’t fancy letting sweet young Poppy walk around Bergentown alone.

Yeah, that was it. That he was barrelling out of Rhonda to catch up with Poppy was purely over concerns about her safety, and not at all because he felt unsafe. Not at all.

Poppy had parked Rhonda near a nondescript… boutique? And had already slipped in through a Troll-sized cutout in the door proper. With a deep breath, John Dory pushed his goggles back down over his eyes, and followed.

Inside, he looked around—there! Poppy had made her way up onto a clothing rack, walking along a strip of metal wide enough for three Trolls. She was face to face with—John Dory stopped in his tracks, deciding to come up to the top of the rack through the clothes. He did not fancy being the subject of a Bergen’s attention! As he slowly made his way up, he caught the conversation Poppy was having with—with the Bergen—

Ohhhhh, John Dory did not like this, nor what it might imply about his baby brother.

“The wedding’s not for four more days.” The Bergen commented, as John Dory finally hauled himself up onto one of the clothing hangers. “Did Bridget need help with some last-minute planning?”

Okay, John Dory was officially lost. Just what had happened in the time he’d been gone? It had only been twelve years since he last came to Bergentown!

“Oh, no, nothing like that.” Poppy waved off. “I just wanted to visit Branch, that’s all.” Her tail flirted back and forth as she spoke, not an ounce of fear in her body despite how close she was to the Bergen’s massive teeth. John Dory only found himself growing more concerned about the safety of his people—was Poppy simply insane?

The Bergen chuckled, a low rumble that had John Dory discovering he could tense up even further. “I see.” She commented. “Well, I couldn’t say for sure where he is right now,” She held a massive claw up to her chin as she hummed contemplatively. “You know how he gets when he’s stressed; always finding more work to do and people to yell at.”

Poppy nodded, looking contemplative. “Well, thanks for the help anyway, Bernice.” She turned to where John Dory was balanced on a hanger, tail curled around the metal, but not before waving to the Bergen one last time. “See you at the wedding!”

The Bergen—Bernice? Bernice?—smiled, shaking her head. “Always nice to see you, Poppy!”

John Dory let Poppy take him by the paw and lead him out of the boutique and back to Rhonda. If his head was spinning before, it barely even felt attached now. Was this a fever dream? Oh, god, he must have taken a wrong turn on his way to Pop Village and crashed Rhonda, and all of this was just some weird coma dream his brain had come up with to torment him—

“Right!” Poppy was saying, as Rhonda got up and ready to move again. “We’ll check the castle next, I think—and if he’s not there, we start looking for King Gristle.” With that decided, she directed towards Rhonda towards the castle in question.

John Dory didn’t even have words with which to protest, at this point. With a resigned sigh, he watched as Poppy guided Rhonda up the steps of the castle. His nerves were shot, every fiber of his being frayed with anxiety, but there was no persuading Poppy to turn back. There was little he could do at this point but let Poppy lead him around, Rhonda coasting down the halls easily. John Dory’s thoughts turned inwards, following the same cycle of fear and self-loathing that he’d been avoiding for decades, and it kept coming back to one thought:

Just what had happened to Bitty B in his absence? Living in Bergentown? It had to—it had to have been something recent—Poppy had mentioned making peace with the Bergens, after all, and that must be when Bitty B took up residence in this wretched place, but—

But why? John Dory still wasn’t clear on how, exactly, peace could exist between Trolls and a species hellbent on eating them all. With the way the Bergens he had seen today carried themselves, there was no doubt in his mind that Trolls were on the menu—was it some kind of deal, some kind of willing sacrifice on the Trolls’ part in order to appease the Bergens? But that made no sense, who in their right minds would ever—

Rhonda came to a stop, and John Dory followed as Poppy disembarked. His goggles were still firmly over his eyes, and he had no intentions of removing them. So Bitty B had moved to Bergentown—overseeing the peace, maybe? Sacrificing himself in place of some other Troll?

John Dory shook his head as he followed Poppy in using his hair to launch himself up the wall. No, he refused to think about that. Poppy said Bitty B was okay, and John Dory had agreed to trust her. Maybe her definition of okay was different—

No. John Dory followed Poppy along what could only be described as a path along the wall, perfectly sized for Trolls to run along. He was not going to think about that. Floyd’s life was still on the line—John Dory could figure out what the hair was going on with Bergentown once he had all his brothers back.

Rhonda followed along as the pair made their way through the halls, seemingly unbothered by the occasional Bergen that passed through the halls. The Bergens in question all seemed to recognize Poppy, and she returned their greetings in kind.

Just as John Dory was sure he would implode—

“BRANCH!” Poppy took off along the pathway with a speed that made John Dory’s knees ache just watching, her tail whipping behind her as she bounded over to a Troll a short distance away. The Troll in question turned from the pair of half-sized Bergens he had been talking to, processed the pink blur that was barreling at him, and yelped as Poppy knocked him over with the force of her hug.

“Queen Poppy!” The Troll—Branch, John Dory realized, those blue eyes unmistakable—wheezed, prying himself from Poppy’s grasp. He hurriedly straightened his cape before bowing, silver crown glinting in the light. “I didn’t know you were visiting today.”

The Bergen with the gold crown and red cape smiled similarly. “Hey Poppy.”

Poppy turned to the Bergen and waved. “Hey Gristle! Good to see you!” She and the other Bergen launched into a much more energetic greeting, trading nicknames back and forth. But John Dory wasn’t paying attention to that anymore, pushing his goggles back up to fully drink in the sight of his baby brother. There he was, standing tall and proud, watching Poppy fondly…

A rush of pride crashed into John Dory’s chest. He rushed forwards, shoving his still-frayed nerves to the side. “BABY BRANCH!” His brother! His baby brother! Little Bitty B!

Branch yelped as John Dory scooped him up—or rather, as John Dory tried to scoop Branch up. “Ohhhhh you’ve grown—wow! Charlie horse!”

“Put me down!” Branch kicked and flailed until, gracelessly, the both of them tumbled to the floor. John Dory was slower to get up, joints creaking with the motion. Branch was already brushing off his cape and fussing with his crown, his face a mix between annoyance and something John Dory couldn’t decipher.

The crowned Bergen—Gristle, Poppy had called him—sidled over to look up towards Poppy. “Should I leave…?”

The other Bergen—Bridget? Was that what John Dory had heard her called? Why was he bothering to remember Bergen names—shook her head. “I wanna see where this goes, babe.”

“Who—” Branch backed away, face scrunching in what might have been recognition. “Oh. You.” Not the enthusiastic greeting John Dory imagined, but that didn’t stop him in the slightest.

“Branch, c’mon,” John Dory urged, “It’s me! John Dory! Your brother!” He stepped forwards, but Branch only narrowed his eyes and stepped back.

“Brother—” Gristle gasped, leaning forwards. Bridget had a hand over her mouth, eyes alight with curious excitement.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Branch sniffed, arms crossed. “I have a brother, and he’s right there.” He nodded his head towards Gristle, who nodded in satisfaction.

John Dory wanted to scream. The Bergen? The Bergen was Branch’s brother? Branch had—but—

“So you weren’t in Brozone?” Poppy asked, tail starting to droop.

“Of course he was!” John Dory interjected. Okay, so he’d been thrown for a solid loop, real funny. But he was on a mission, dammit! He turned his attention back onto Branch, “You were Bitty B!”

“Brozone?” Gristle asked, peering at Branch suspiciously.

Poppy gasped. “You don’t know about Brozone?” She bounced in place, flapping her paws. “Brozone was only the boyband, like, ever! Even now their music is super popular, and the band broke up before I was even born!” She turned her attention onto Branch, almost launching herself at him in her fervor. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that you were in BROZONE?!”

As Branch hurriedly tried to fend off Poppy’s excitement, Gristle and Bridget turned their attention onto Branch. “You were in a band?” Gristle asked, voice tinted with incredulity.

“I can kinda see it.” Bridget commented, squinting. “It would have been during your years in the Troll Tree, right? Before the Great Escape.” She leaned in a little further, brow drawn in contemplation. “You do kinda look like you’d be related to them.”

Everyone looked at Bridget in surprise. “What?” She shrugged. “I pay attention when Poppy and I share music and hot goss. She got ‘Baby Baby Girl’ stuck in my head for weeks.”

“I dunno,” Gristle interjected, turning his scrutiny to Branch. “Were you really in a band as a baby?”

“Barely.” Branch snorted. “It was only a few songs and one live show.” There was something bitter in his tone, some hidden accusation that flew over John Dory’s head entirely.

“So you were Bitty B!” Poppy confirmed, grabbing Branch by the shoulders. “Oh my Troll!! You can’t just—I can’t believe you never told me!”

“We’ve only known each other for a year…” Branch commented quietly. He turned to John Dory, back on the defensive. “Why are you even here? No, wait—” He pressed his paws to his temples with a groan. “You’re here because you need something, aren’t you?”

“I do need something.” John Dory nodded.

Branch groaned. “Of course you are.”

Unfazed, John Dory barreled on. “It’s about Floyd.” He continued, letting his words spill out. The letter, the trip into Mount Rageous, the state of their brother in that awful diamond prison—it all spilled out in a rush before John Dory was fully processing each word. The more he spoke, the less his nerves about being right next to a pair of Bergens ebbed away, until his mind was lost in the task set before him.

By the time he finished, Poppy’s expression was one of quiet horror, her paws over her mouth. Even Gristle and Bridget looked upset, and Branch—

Branch’s expression was unreadable, his paws clenching and unclenching rhythmically. There was something stormy in those blue eyes, some deep reminder of the years spent apart.

“And why do you need me?” Branch asked.

John Dory almost laughed. What a silly question! “If we’re gonna pull off the Perfect Family Harmony, we’ll need to get the whole band back together. And since Floyd is trapped in a diamond prison, the only way to save him is with the Perfect Family Harmony.” He frowned at Branch. “It’s not complicated, Bitty B.”

“Yeah!” Poppy added. “You’ll get to see your brothers again! Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Not a chance.”

John Dory stumbled back at Branch’s words. “What?” That… there must be something wrong with his ears. He must have misheard. There was no way that Bitty B would—

“You heard me.” Branch’s voice was eerily calm, almost detached.

A growl started to build in John Dory’s throat. “Bitty B—”

“Don’t call me that.” Branch snapped. He stepped forwards, “You leave me behind for more than two decades, without a single note, and then when you return you expect me to just act like nothing happened?” Branch’s voice rose in pitch with his incredulity, his paws gesturing wildly as he spoke. “I have a kingdom to help run, my brother’s wedding is in four days, and you want me to toss that all aside to go on an adventure for some Trolls I barely know?” He leaned forwards, teeth bared in a snarl. “Not. A. Chance.”

John Dory gasped, affronted. Yeah, okay, so he’d been gone a while. But he was back! And Floyd was in danger! What in the world was Branch thinking?

“He’s your brother!” Poppy protested, dragging Branch several paces down the path. “You of all people should get how important that is, Branch. I mean, if Cooper, the best little brother in the whole world—no offense, Gristle—”

“Some offense taken.” Gristle responded, though he was smiling.

“—was the one in danger, I would stop at nothing to help him. “ Poppy continued. “And I know you’d do the same for Gristle.”

“Poppy.” Branch held up a paw, putting a pause on her impassioned speech. “I see where you’re coming from. Really, I do. But…” He sighed, heavy and tired, dragging a paw down his face. “All of my brothers left when I was two. Not once, in the near twenty-three years that they’ve been gone, have I so much as received the slightest indication that they’re even alive.”

“But they’re here now…” Poppy started. “At least, John Dory is.”

Branch shook his head. “That’s not the point.” He said. “The point is that I don’t know them. They were in my life for the first two years and then they were gone.” He glanced past Poppy to where John Dory was trying not to watch too obviously, several paces away and close to the wall. “Twenty-three years, Poppy. Anyone can become a totally new person in less than half that.” He shrugged, turning his gaze away to a particularly interesting torch-holder across the hall. “I’m not risking my neck for a couple of strangers, Poppy. Not when there’s so much already on my plate.”

“But—” Poppy started, “They’re your brothers.”

“No, they’re not.” Branch’s voice rose as he spoke, and he breathed deeply, paws clenching and unclenching.

Poppy gasped. “That’s not how blood works, Branch!”

“Blood isn’t everything, Queen Poppy.” Branch murmured. He turned away fully, idly waving a paw as he spoke. “You and your… guest have full access to the castle, as usual. I have business to attend to in the Eastern Quarter.” And with that, he walked away, cape swinging slowly with each step.

John Dory stepped forwards, paws clenching into fists. “Branch—” He stopped, staring down at the bright pink paw thrown out in front of him.

“I’ll go talk to him.” Gristle sighed, turning to follow after Branch.

The two of them turned the corner, Gristle’s exasperated exclamation quickly fading as they went out of hearing range. John Dory watched the two of them go numbly, barely even aware of Poppy and Bridget talking to each other.

This was supposed to be so simple. Branch was supposed to be the easiest brother to find and pick up. Just go to Pop Village and find Bitty B. Simple. Easy. The perfect way to start the onerous task of bringing them all together for Floyd.

How had it gone so wrong?

+=+=+=+=+

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Branch picked up the pace, his shoulders hunching as he ignored Gristle’s question. Anger buzzed in his veins while new worries joined the constant flow of concerns in his mind, his paws clenching and unclenching as he walked towards the castle doors. Branch really did have business to attend to out in town; he hadn’t been lying about that. There was always something that needed to be done, as Prince of Bergentown.

“Hey!” And there was Branch’s big-little brother, matching pace with him easily. “I know you can hear me!”

Branch broke out into a run. Undignified? Yeah. Obvious? That too. But Branch didn’t care. He couldn’t let himself care—there were too many other things he needed to care and worry and think about, he didn’t have the time or energy for this—

“Are you…” Gristle panted, still keeping pace with Branch. “Are you just going to keep running? You’ll run out of castle, dude.”

Branch slowed down, if only so he could properly glare at his obnoxious big-little brother. “Shut up.” As far as retorts went, it wasn’t his best—but what else was he supposed to do? Pull a witty comment from his ass?

Gristle rolled his eyes. “Real clever.” The two of them came to a halt—there was no point in running around; Branch wasn’t going to shake Gristle. “But really, Branch, what’s going on with you?”

Branch crossed his arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He huffed, turning his head to the side.

Gristle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Berg give me patience…” He muttered. Why was dealing with Branch in a mood always worse than trimming claws?

“When Dad died,” Gristle started, “When his body was falling apart from illness…” He had to pause, here, the memory heavy on his shoulders. “He was suffering, right there in front of me, and I was helpless to do anything about it.” His hands trembled, gaze firmly locked on the floor.

“Your point being?” Branch refused to be swayed by a sob story. He was as much a Bergen as a Troll, after all.

“It sucks to lose someone.” Gristle growled. “You know that as well as I do.”

“It sucks to lose someone close to you.” Branch snarled back. “Grandma was everything to me. Your Father was everything to you. But my former brothers are nothing to me.”

“Okay.” Gristle shrugged. He fixed Branch with a steady gaze. “But when your older brother dies on Mount Rageous, slowly and painfully…” He waved his hand dismissively, “I’d say I hope it doesn’t haunt you, but we both know it will.”

Branch’s shoulders hunched, his paws clenching and unclenching.

At Branch’s lack of response, Gristle cleared his throat. He walked over to the corner of the hall and pulled one of the colored cords, ringing a bell. A moment later, one of the serving staff—Hilda—arrived, bowing in greeting. “Your Majesty. Your Highness.”

Gristle spoke, “Inform Groth and Bernice that they have the remaining days before the wedding off. Paid leave.” Hilda nodded once and rushed off with her orders.

“What?” Branch’s eyes widened as he realized what his brother’s play was. “You did not just—”

“Branch.” Gristle’s voice was imploring. “You actually have the chance to help. To save your family.” Gristle clenched his hand into a fist, gaze resolute. “I’m not letting you waste this.”

“You—” Branch swallowed. His paws clenched and unclenched, and he wrested his gaze away from his big-little brother. After a long, drawn out moment, he threw his head back and sighed.

“I hate you so much.”

Gristle waved it off. “Yeah, yeah, love you too. Now go save your brother!”

+=+=+=+=+

John Dory stared at the album cover in his hands. He had always been more of a doer than a thinker—sitting around doing nothing only ever let in the thoughts he didn’t want, the thoughts that crept up his brain and haunted him for decades.

He, Rhonda, Poppy, and Bridget had moved to one of the castle’s two drawing rooms, the plush couches and craft-covered coffee table oddly Troll-like in design. Rhonda was curled up in Bridget’s lap—she’d taken a shine to the Bergen, which John Dory refused to acknowledge. Him and Poppy were both sitting atop Rhonda’s carapace, Poppy and Bridget talking about the upcoming wedding in a rapid-fire deluge of words that John Dory wasn’t processing.

Every inch of John Dory wanted to burst into action, to track down Bitty B and make him understand what was at stake here. But he didn’t feel ready to wander the castle halls alone with Rhonda, for all that Bridget had become less and less of an immediate threat in his mind.

“Okay, fine.” Branch’s voice cut through the room, and John Dory looked up to see his brother padding across the floor towards them. He launched himself onto the table with his hair. “Let’s go save Floyd.”

Branch had swapped the fur-lined cape for one made of a tougher fabric—well, no, this one was more of a cloak, actually, covering his shoulders fully. There were two clasps, one at his neck and one slightly lower—only the belled upper clasp was closed. Under the cloak, Branch had swapped his shirt for a leaf vest that John Dory vaguely recognized. It was an ensemble that screamed travel, even with the embroidered gray swirls lining the hem of the cloak.

The crown was still the same, though—same silver ring of leaves encircling Branch’s head. John Dory wondered if Bitty B ever parted with it. How long he had it.

Poppy was already moving, already on the table by the time John Dory was even standing. “I knew you’d come around! Oh, you’ll have to tell me all about it when you get back—”

Branch held up a paw. “Why would I do that? You’re coming with.” He said it so simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. And maybe it was, to him.

“Fine by me.” John Dory stretched before sliding down Rhonda’s side to her open door. Poppy had grown on him like moss on a stone—having her and her energy along would be great.

Poppy squealed. “Oh my hair! Yes! Yes yes yes!” She grabbed Branch’s wrist, yanking him over to Rhonda with ease. “Brozone 2.0! Brozone Reunion! Brozone, Here We Bro Again! Brozone, Where’d They Bro? I don’t know, WE’RE GONNA FIND THEM!”

“Have fun!” Bridget called out as Rhonda sped out the room. “Don’t die!”

John Dory grinned as Rhonda made her way down the castle steps. Finally, time to get this show on the road!

#zaz writes #dreamworks trolls #john dory trolls #rhonda trolls #poppy trolls #branch trolls #gristle trolls #bridget trolls #bernice trolls #between au #wooooooo!!! more between au!!#WHY IS. WHY IS THIS MORE THAN 6K WORDS WHAT #been working on this bad boy on and off for the past week or so #had a bit of trouble with jd's characterization but i think i managed something passable #yeah sure in canon he was just fine walking around the wedding venue full of bergens #but i thought it'd be more interesting if the trauma of living in the troll tree while trollstice was still a thing for the first 20 years #of his life was like. still a thing for him.#and he's a survivalist who lived largely in isolation while the formal removal of trollstice was pretty recent so it's very plausible #that jd didn't hear about trollstice no longer being a thing #and then for branch... he has a point but also. branch. buddy. you put everything aside to go on an adventure in wt #true there wasn't an upcoming wedding in that movie but like. branch. none of these adventures take more than a few days you'll be FINE #the travel cloak branch wears makes its first appearance in world tour but i haven't written anything for that movie yet whoops #bridget's final line is a ref to a joke i make all the time in the discord server. it's not a funny joke to anyone but me tho

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