True Colours

Chapter 15 - The Betrayal

Chef placed the cage down on one of the kitchen counters, with all the Trolls gazing up at her in fear while Biggie was a whimpering, blubbering mess.

"Sorry, but I can't have you leaving before tomorrow's dinner. A dinner to which you are all invited. And when I say all, I mean every Troll in Troll Village."

Popper was quick to speak out, "You'll never find them."

"Not where they're hiding." (Y/N) proudly added.

"You're right. I couldn't find them. But I could with someone they know. Someone they trust. Someone..." They watched as she zipped open her fanny pack and, to their surprise, she pulled out Creek. "...Like this guy."

"Creek! You're alive!"

They were all excited as Chef placed the little hippy on the counter and he bowed to them with a small smile on his face. However, the siblings gazed at him with suspicion.

"He's selling us out!" Branch declared while his sister shot her hair out to wrap around Creek's neck.

He began to choke and sputter, flailing about while the others gasped and yelled for her to stop.

"(Y/N)! Wait!" Popper stepped in, pushing the (S/C) Troll to the side as he, trying to be as calm as possible, said, "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. At least give him a chance."

"Thank you, Popper." Creek breathed out before turning to blankly stare at the group. "I'm selling you out."

It didn't take long before hair was once again wrapped around his neck, strangling him with no mercy. Only this time it was Popper doing the deed. The others were in complete shock, including Branch and (Y/N), but (Y/N) soon smiled at the scene, crossing her arms and allowing Popper to continue.

Though he soon pulled back, glaring hatefully at the purple Troll.

"You better explain yourself, Creek!"

"As I was about to accept my fate, I had, what I can only describe as a spiritual awakening."

...

He thought back on how he was already in Gristle's mouth, about to accept his fate when the spiritual awakening happened...

And by that, he means he clung onto Gristle's uvula and loudly screamed, "I don't wanna die!"

Gristle spat him out almost immediately and, while in the palm of the Bergen king's hand, Creek got down on his knees, amongst some half-eaten lettuce leaves, and began to beg for his life.

"Don't eat me. Eat someone else. Anyone else. Everyone else. But not me!"

"But the king wants to be happy now."

"Wait! Wait! There must be some other way. I'll do anything."

At his words, Chef's eyes lit up and she smiled down at him with a malicious look in her red eyes.

...

"No! Creek, please don't do this." Popper begged, staring at his friend with tears threatening to fall, hoping everything he was hearing simply wasn't true.

"Believe me, I wish there was some other me-not-getting-eaten way."

"But there isn't." Chef quickly chimed in.

"And now I have to live with this for the rest of my life. At least you get to die with a clear conscience. So, in a way, you could say I'm doing this for you."

He reached out to gently caress Popper's cheek, making the pink prince gaze at him in complete disgust. But, to his horror, it was only so Creek was close enough to pluck Popper's cowbell and stick out of his hair.