Bat-Troll Rises

Viva's Past Trauma

Poppy and Viva were catching up in Viva's house.

Poppy and Viva: (giggling)

Poppy: So I was thinking about getting more into, like, reading short stories and essays instead of full novels.

Viva: Ooh, I love that for you.

Poppy: Yeah. But, um But just to circle back real quick. I still have a million questions about what happened.

Viva: I used to live at the Troll Tree. I was there when you were born. And you were so cute. Kinda like you are now, only teensier and weensier and— (gasps) Do you wanna make candy necklaces that we never finish because we eat all the candy?

Poppy: Obviously! But, Viva, I'm just gonna need you to focus here and tell me everything. Why am I only learning about you now? What happened?

Viva: (in robot voice) We got accidentally separated. (normal voice) And I've lived here ever since. The end. Wanna do candy toe rings next?

Poppy: Uh, accidentally separated?

Clay: Viva doesn't like to talk about it. It's too painful for her. But she's been here ever since the night of the great Bergen attack.

Poppy: Viva, are you talking about the night the Trolls escaped Bergen Town?

Viva: Oh, yeah. Yeah, I guess it was that night. (humming)

Clay: Not everyone made it out of that tree. Some of them got trapped by Bergens. They were this close to getting eaten until Viva and some of the other trolls fought them off.

Clay: But by then... the tunnels had collapsed, and they were cut off from the rest.

Peppy: I kept screaming, "No Troll left behind!" But when I went back in, the tunnels had collapsed. That's when I found Viva's hug time bracelet.

Clay: Viva found this old, abandoned Bergen golf course and transformed it into this Troll utopia. We formed this little sanctuary of survivors. I added fire exits. She added her heart and soul.

Viva: I've thought so many times about leaving, you know, to look for you and Dad, but it's not safe out there.

Peppy: I know I should've told Poppy, but my heart was broken. I felt like a failure. Not just as a king, but as a father. I feel so guilty. What do you think I should do?

Mr. Dinkles: I'm afraid that's our time for today.

Peppy: But I just revealed a major trauma.

Mr. Dinkles: (squeaks)

Poppy: Okay. Obviously this is a lot, and you should be able to open up about this on your own time. But we'll have plenty of time to work through this on the way to Mount Rageous.

Viva: Whoa! I am not going to Mount Rageous. And neither are you, silly. You're never gonna leave again.

Poppy: Wait, what was the What was that last thing?