TROLLS-- While Foundations Crumble (A Clay Fanfiction)

Chosen

OMIGOSH I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK ME THIS LONG TO WRITE THIS!! I almost forgot lol

After about two months of babysitting I finally found another job at a bakery. I managed to go from staying on Cliff's lame couch to renting a pod. And the best part about it?

I was only 5 minutes away from Viva and Poppy's pod. 

Life seemed to zoom by and I quickly couldn't imagine my life continuing without the amazing Saturdays that I babysat the girls. We went through a lot.

Like, a lot.

When I was teaching Viva how to ride a bike, she took Poppy on the back of it and lost control of it and may have sped down the hill at top speed almost killing both of them. I managed to stop the bike just in time though. When Poppy snuck away while Viva and I were in a deep conversation and ate a whole dozen of velvet cupcakes in a box while she had a nasty sore throat and cold (she actually seemed to get better instead of worse). And then that time they both sat on their "pet cacti" instead of their sofa chairs and got prickles in their-- well, you know. (it was hard making that phone call to King Peppy)

But I wouldn't have swapped any of our time in the world for anything.

But, after two years, Viva came to my pod randomly after school, Poppy in her hair, looking kind of depressed.

I had never seen her eyes look so sad since I've known her. Her beautiful sparkling usually full of energy magenta eyes were not meant to look like that.

I've grown so close to Viva, I can almost predict her every move. But I can also name almost every cute blonde unbrushed curl on her head, the natural marks on her hands and the ones that she made herself from digging in the dirt or climbing a tree. Her different smiles and how they tip up, how her teasing smirk may go up a bit higher on the left side of her face than her gentle sweet one. And the way her voice sounded when she was happy, how it always went a pitch highest when she was giddy or embarrassed, her little giggle when she was pleased about something, how well it sounded when she sang and talked naturally, and also the way she--

"Clay!!" Poppy squealed, reaching out for me.

I walked up to them and took her up in my arms. After setting Poppy on my hip I squinted nervously at Viva. "Viva, you're quiet. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." It was too short of an answer. Something was definitely wrong. She was keeping her head down and even her eyes looked sad.

I walked backwards to the couch and she silently followed me, putting a hand on her arm. She sat down next to me and took a deep breath.

"Are you sure nothing's bothering you?" I asked again. 

Viva was quiet for another ten seconds. I decided to let her take her time to answer.

I wasn't prepared for the response.

Viva suddenly grabbed my vest and began to sob into it as if her whole world was ending. They began so loud and heavy and I sat there, paralyzed, wondering what to do.

I've never seen Viva cry before. And to see her cry so heavily all the sudden like that. My heart felt like it was going to break.

"Viva!! Viva, what is it?! What's wrong?!" I thankfully finally got my voice again and wrapped my arms around both her and Poppy. 

Viva nestled her nose into my chest and her sobs became more silent, but just as violent as ever. The only signs that she was crying still was the crazy shaking of her shoulders and the occasional cry out and sniffs in-between sobs.

And the snot and tears that were making my vest very germ-y. 

"Viva?" Poppy looked crestfallen as well, as if she was about to cry.

"Viva," I whispered, caressing her back. "Please...can you tell me what's wrong?"

"Clay, it- it's Trollstice! Next week!" she managed to get out.

"Trolls-" I stopped. Every year that "holiday" seems to be worse than the last. Last year the Chef took a little boy's grandma unexpectedly, coming out of nowhere! The boy was never found again and King Peppy had demanded justice that year. Of course, the bergens had only laughed. 

I was afraid of what may turn up this year.

"The Chef has already announced-" Viva took another sniff, "- that's she's-- she's going to take Poppy, Clay!!" She broke down again into my vest.

The news was like a slap to the face. Poppy? The one who had survived so many crazy adventures with us, the one who always brought a smile to my face, no matter how cranky I was that day, and sometimes she could bring an annoyed frown onto my face just as easily, but it's all out of love.

Her time couldn't be over now, could it? Just cause one mean bergen said it was?

We both sat there, me dazed, Viva trying to calm down. She wrapped Poppy closer to her and kissed her hair.

Poppy gave a bubbly giggle and grabbed my hand.

She's taking Poppy.

"No."

Viva bolted up and stared at me through her reddened eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said no." I was totally bumfuzzled with the strictness and determinedness in my voice, but I knew that whatever was about to come out of my mouth was going to be true.

"No to what?"

"Poppy's not going to die, Viva. That won't happen. I refuse." 

"Clay, you can't just refuse-" Viva began.

I pressed a finger to her mouth, startling her. "Yes. I can." I could already feel a battle plan spinning around through my brain, ready to set things straight again. I began to feel a bit excited honestly. "We can't give up on Poppy just because a bully said we should. She's going to live. I don't know how, but she's going to."

Well, by this time, I did know how. Half of my plan was already buzzing though my head. I knew what I was going to do. And I was going to get to action.

Now.

I stood up. "Viva, we're going to see your dad."

"Why?" She stood up as well, taking Poppy again.

"Because he'll need to help us. We'll need the whole village for this one. And a ton of shovels. Viva," I turned to her with a triumphant look, "we're digging tunnels this week."

And I was going to do everything in my power to keep the princesses alive. 

Everything and anything.

This was a crazy short one that I should've done weeks ago, but I got really stuck. I hope y'all enjoy it still tho! ❤️