The True Meaning Behind Family

Chapter 1: Reunion

A blue-skinned troll with green hair and green ski goggles with pink lenses strapped onto his forehead with a brown leather jacket with a white and dark-brown spotted fur collar and green pants that went down to his knees sat in front of a small campfire he made. His name? John Dory. Behind him lay his best friend and companion, Rhonda. She was a large armadillo bus much bigger than him but their friendship was strong like family. Rhonda was lying down behind John as she took in the fire's heat just like her master. She nuzzled him and John chucked at the affection she was giving him.

"Heh, I love you too girlie. I wouldn't be here without you." She cooed sadly and the troll sighed. He scratched her chin and smiled before looking back at the fire. As he looked at the dancing flames, he could picture his four younger brothers as the flames. He missed them so much. John made a big mistake that night when he wanted his brothers to perform the Perfect Family Harmony. He should've just listened to his second youngest and let them just have fun. Instead, he forced them to be something he wanted them to be instead of them being who they wanted to be. He sighed and looked up at the stars, eyes full of sadness and sorrow. What he would do to give them a true apology to prove they meant the world to him.

"Oh, bros, I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I ruined everything." As he watched the flames, his ears twitched as he heard something approaching him from his right. Looking In that direction, he pulled out a machete from his hair. It turned out to be a troll walking out of the bushes. John immediately recognized him and put the machete back in his hair. "Spruce?" The second troll blinked. In surprise.

"John?" The two immediately embraced each other. The second troll, Spruce, looked similar to John. He had the same light blue skin but had long purple hair that flew back instead of standing up like normal Troll hair. He had also gained weight with a rounder body and face. He wore a black and white flower-patterned vest, surfer shorts, and a seashell necklace. Spruce held his older brother at arm's length. "Look at you! How have you been?" John chuckled.

"I've been good. Just out here in the woods with Rhonda." He gestured to the armadillo bus behind him. "But what about you? What are you doing out here?" Spruce shrugged.

"Eh, nothing much. I was trying to find our baby brother. It's been 20 years since we last saw him. Maybe more. I miss him. I treated him so poorly back then." John nodded.

"I feel you there, Spruce." The purple-haired troll held up a hand.

"Actually, no one's called me "Spruce" in years. I go by Bruce, now. I decided to put the whole boyband thing behind me, but I also just like the name too." John nodded.

"It's a nice name. I'm sure Branch would like it. By the way, have you heard from Clay or-" "John? Spruce?" The eldest brother was cut off by a voice not too far from them. The two brothers turned to see Floyd, the second youngest brother in their family, with the same skin tone, but with magenta hair and eyes, walk out of a few bushes. Floyd still held the same deep magenta hair, but he now had bangs framing his face and covering his left eye, with black pants with a belt buckle. His former white earring was replaced with a black one. He blinked before running up to hug his brothers. "Oh, man! I missed you guys so much!" John and Spruce, or Bruce now, returned the embrace. Bruce ruffled his brother's hair. Floyd swatted his hands away. Bruce chuckled.

"I go by Bruce now." Floyd blinked.

"Bruce? Huh, nice." The purple-haired brother playfully punched his shoulder.

"Look who's talking. You're the emo brother now. It is a good look though." The three brothers laughed. Before John could say anything, a new voice jumped in.

"Well, this is an interesting reunion." They turned to see Clay, the middle brother of the family. Clay wore a green jumper with a white diamond outline on it. His hair went from smooth yellow to wild light green. He walked up to his brothers. "Hey guys, how's it going? What are you doing out here?" John bit his lip.