" Anyone else getting butterflies? You know. Getting anxious or is that just me?" Clay asked.

" No butterflies but, would the urge to fidget count?" Floyd called out from the driver's seat.

" Maybe I should take over driving if your hands are just gonna drift off to mess with something. " Bruce suggested.

Floyd nervously laughed as the realization sunk in that he should have kept that detail to himself. He was able to hold back on the fidgeting as he manned the wheel but, that didn't mean the urge didn't stop existing. His hands remained firm as he gently steered making sure. The map Hickory had given them was resting on the dashboard. The forest ahead of them was what you would expect a typical forest would look like. In fact Pop Village was somewhere along the way close by.

" I got self-control. Don't worry. " Floyd shrugged.

Bruce stood beside the driver's seat with an unconvinced expression pursuing his lips as he held two hands together. His fingers moved towards lips pressing against them until the wider troll dropped them back to his sides. Sighing he turned around shaking his head and walked towards the kitchen. Bruce knew better than to distract or argue with the driver.

In the kitchen Poppy was boiling water in a kettle on the stove while Viva was preparing sinfully sweet and creamy hot chocolate for two of them. Viva dropped in pieces of broken up milk chocolate bar, marshmallows, spoonful of coco powder, heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla extract. She grabbed some whole milk from the fridge and poured it up to a quarter out of the cup. By the time the kettle whistled Poppy carefully took it off the shove and poured the boiling water into each cup. The concatenation turned into a creamy,fluffy and thick brown liquid.

Bruce grabbed two bottles of water from the same fridge then approached Clay. The taller and skinner troll kept rubbing his skin aggressively until a purple bruise appeared on his blue skin. Recognizing the minor form of unconscious self-harm. Bruce's eyes widened feeling somewhat disturbed by the sudden habit. Clearing his throat so Clay would notice him, Bruce sat down beside him on the couch. Snapping out his thoughts Clay stopped bruising himself turning his head to Bruce.

" Water?" Bruce offered.

" Oh... Yes. Hmm thanks." Clay took one.

" Are you okay?" Bruce asked concerned.

Clay opened his water bottle. " I'm okayish. Definitely nervous. Why?"

Bruce placed his bottle of water down by his bare feet. His mind went through and sorted every possible way of phrasing he could use at the moment. He didn't know if the self bruising would be a one time thing or turn into an actual bad habit. Biting down his lower lip the older brother hummed unsure to himself.

" What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Clay asked.

"Nothing. I was just thinking. Do you normally... Rub... Your wrist like that?" Bruce asked.

Clay looked down noticing the bruise. His eyes widened surprised like he was seeing it for the first time. While he knew he was anxious, what he didn't know that he was leaving a mark on his own body. He hadn't even felt any pain. The mark was just simply there from excessive amounts of applied pressure. Gasping Clay turned his attention back to Bruce.

" No? No. I don't. I don't know why I even did that." Clay said growing uncomfortable.

" Are you nervous about seeing John Dory and Branch after believing they were dead for twenty years?" Bruce asked directly.

" Maybe..." Clay's ears flopped. " I- I don't know how I really feel. Everything seemed to point to them being gone like Grandma at the time. I thought that I maybe if I had git there sooner I could have... Save them like me and Viva saved the people with us. That we could have escaped together." Clay stared down at his hands.

Bruce brought his hand to Clay's shoulder squeezing it gently. His eyes filled with sorrow when listening to his brother's thought process. It was none other than the survivor's guilt. Guilt for not saving their brothers through his escape with Viva and the others. There were no obvious signs left behind that Branch or John Dory made an escape of their own. Of course anyone would assume death after some time of searching in the wrong places. That was understandable. Bruce would have done and thought the same if he was in that position.

" It's not your fault. Nobody had predicted anything that happened. You did everything you could and your hands were tied. John and Branch would have been happy to know that you came back if they knew and probably would have stayed longer but, they didn't cause they couldn't. That wasn't in your control." Bruce comforted.

" I wish hearing "it's not your fault" repeatedly worked but, it just doesn't." Clay sighed.

" Maybe it will one day. That one day could be very soon. Maybe seeing John and Branch again could change that. " Bruce squeezed again.

" Do you think Branch might still remembers us? " Clay asked facing Bruce.

" Knowing how John Dory? Oh boy. Branch probably will still have every single BroZone concert story of us engraved in his brain. " Bruce joked trying to lighten the mood.

The image of John Dory telling old stories of their band days to the always listening Branch flashed before Clay's mind. The pair looked exactly like how Clay remembered them. Branch probably would have learned to tune their older brother out if he didn't want to listen to the same old stories. A brief smile flashed on Clay's face as he tried to hold back a laugh. However a chuckle still escaped his lips earning a somewhat smug smile out of Bruce. Bruce's hand let go of his brother's shoulder then rested in his lap.

" Bet Branch told him to "Shut up" a couple times or mastered fake engaged listening. But, John was not wrong though. BroZone was fun. " Clay commented.

" Yeah. I remember. We could never stay hating. John didn't allow it. He did keep his word when he said he was changing things for the better. We probably would still hate him if that didn't happen." Bruce agreed.

" Ever think that we were too hard on him for being bossy?" Clay took a sip of water.

" Sometimes? Sure but, even John admitted that he was a jerk." Bruce shrugged.

" What do you think he will be like now?" Clay wondered.

" Probably the same old John Dory we remember." Bruce joked cracking a bigger smile.

Eventually night fell and their critter stopped at Pop Village for a rest. Poppy grinned ear to ear when she spotted her own village through the window. Viva beamed with excitement to see what had become of the other quarter of their village. Pop Village was still small but, thriving. Parties could be heard happening all over from a distance. Fireworks exploded in the night sky. Pods hang from the trees just like they used to in the old Troll Tree.

" C'mon! We should totally go out there. Dad is going to be thrilled to see you again! He just doesn't know it yet. Ooo! You gotta meet my friends. The Snack Pack too. You are going to love them! " Poppy squeaked.

" Then what are we waiting for? Clay? Honey, wanna come too and meet my Dad? " Viva chimed.

"Oh..." Clay nervously began to sweat. " Meet your Dad as your husband? Wow. Hmm. I guess it would be rude if I didn't come. " Clay gulped.

" Treat it like a bandaid. Rip it off." Bruce whispered.

Overjoyed Poppy grabbed both her sister's hand and her brother-in-law's hand then dragged them out the bus. The critter moved closer to a random tree on the outskirts beginning the sniff around happily. The door was left wide open as the three trolls made their way to the village entrance.

" Stay right there,Frank! I'm getting you a treat!" Poppy ordered gleefully at a distance.

Armadillo bus let out cheerful bark in the Pop Queen's direction. He laid down tucking his legs beneath him becoming a loaf. Now it was only Bruce and Floyd left in Frank. After getting out of the driver's seat Floyd wandered to the open door then sat at the last step. His sights were fixed in their old village. It had been twenty long years and yet the village looked the same. The only difference was the location. It was like their old home hadn't aged. Floyd awkwardly smiled resting his face into his palms holding his head up. His elbows rested on his knees.

" Pop Village looks the same. Do you think where Branch and John's village is that it will be like this? You know similar? After all they did come from this village." Floyd commented.

" Maybe but, maybe not. They could had changed into it's own thing. John did say a lot has changed. My best guess he meant the village and how him and Branch grew during the years without us." Bruce took a seat on the top step.

" I kinda missed our old village. Even though we only knew the village when it was caged, it was still home. " Floyd stated.

" Times were certainly different back then. " Bruce commented.

" Sure but, nothing beats the days Grandma Rosiepuff would make us waffles. How when Dad would sing he would switch up his voice just to make us laugh. Mom would garden and tell us stories about her flowers. Branch following us around the pod. John Dory coming up the most unserious song names. Grandpa chasing away the butterflies that would try to fly into the pod for mom's flowers. " Floyd remembered.

" You miss what our family used to be as a whole. I do too. Dad and Mom would have loved Brandy and our kids. Grandma loved her. Grandpa would too. He loved and welcomed everyone Grandma and Mom welcomed. " Bruce said.

" I guess I do. Things just felt easier back then." Floyd acknowledged.

Nodding his Bruce absorbed every word that left Floyd's mouth. It was true. Things did feel easier but, that was due to the fact they were allowed to be their age. To be kids. When their mom and dad got taken it changed everything. The family dynamic,their relationships and their lives. They had to grow up faster mentally to accommodate the changes. Those changes weren't always for the better.

" They were but, that doesn't make us any less of what we are. A family." Bruce said.

" You know for a heartthrob you definitely are better at comforting everyone here. I'm supposed to be the sensitive one." Floyd joked.

" Becoming a Dad did something to my brain. It changed the way I think. Rewired the way I act and handled these things. It's hard to teach a kid how to handle their feelings and comfort them if you don't adapt to being more understanding and empathetic. Even if it's something silly. It matters to them so it matters to me." Bruce said.

Inside Pop Village, Poppy stood in the main square where the current party was. She stood on the large center mushroom as trolls cheered for the return of their Queen. Poppy smiled searching for her friends in the crowd. She found DJ Suki, Smidge,Fuzzbert, Satin and Chenille in the front row. Cooper and Biggie in the fourth row. Milton Moss, Guy Diamond and Gia Grooves on the growing on the treed mushroom platforms. Even more friends than that but, not her father. Or at least not yet anyway.

" Welcome Home,Queen Poppy!"

" Poppy! We're over here!"

" We missed you!"

" The village hasn't been the same without you."

" Poppy! Poppy! Poppy!"

Poppy giggled. " I missed you all too and I have an announcement I have been waiting to share. My long lost sister, Princess Viva, was found and she's here with me. So is her husband. Please give a warm welcome to Queen Viva and King Clay of Putt Putt Village!" Poppy clapped stepping aside.

The whole village paused at first. Half of them didn't even know they had a long lost princess. Others who did know were surprised that she was even alive. They all thought something had happened to her which was true. That the Bergens might have taken her or that she died during the tunnel collapse. Yet here she was alive and well. However despite the confusion the mood was uplifted once more with celebratory clapping, cheering and verbal welcome wagon.

Viva grinned. " Thank you, Pop Village! It's good to be back!"

" Viva?" A soft male voice muttered from behind the royals.

Turning around with the welcome wagon still carrying on they saw it was the former king. King Peppy. Viva and Poppy's father. Clay's father in law. Peppy stared in disbelief as tears and glints of sorrow,shock, regret and joy reflected in his eyes. He has aged poorly. He already had a walking cane and his hair had an early appearance of grey hairs in his pink mane. He wasn't even in his one hundreds yet. He had gained more weight and his body was more fragile.

" Yes, Dad?" Viva smiled feeling tears leaking out of her eyes.

" Is that really you?" Peppy asked.

Clay stood back with Poppy watching this reunion from afar. Not a single word spoken. Even Poppy allowed them to have this moment. This long awaited moment. The former King slowly stepped forward as his eldest daughter came forward meeting him in the middle. He reached out for her face cupping her cheek. Viva leaned into it.

" Yes... " Viva hugged her father. " I missed you so much,Daddy..." She cried.

Peppy hugged shedding tears of his own. " I thought I lost you..."

The hug felt longer than it actually was. Neither wanted to pull away but, they did eventually while wiping away their tears. Peppy took a couple more minutes to stare lovingly in his daughter's eyes with a thankful smile. He moved some of her curly blonde hair out of her face.

" You're so beautiful. Just like your mother and your sister." Peppy said.

Viva nodded her head then stepped back. She went over to Clay then grasped his hand. Gently tugging him along she brought her husband to her father. The King looked at Clay like he was trying to figure out who was or rather why he looked so familiar. His memory has not been great at remembering faces and names at the same time.

" Daddy, you remember Clay, right? He was my best friend. We went to school together. He was a part of BroZone. " Viva said.

" Well now I have since you mentioned all that."

Viva grinned. " Good cause he's more than that. Dad, this is my husband and chosen King, Clay. We got married very recently courtroom style. We're going to have the wedding later. I want you to be there to walk me down." Viva revealed.

King Peppy paused. " Oh... Well hmm... Congratulations?"