A/N: I have nothing more to say other than this is meant to be ridiculous

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Creek couldn't deny a good performance when he saw one.

If the vocals were down, the dancing was on point, and the charisma was there, then there was no way that he couldn't award the song with a hearty round of applause.

Even if he wasn't too fond of the performers themselves.

More specifically, the blue-haired Troll who'd carried much of the song through.

It was no secret to anyone in Pop Village (and even the neighboring tribes) of the ugly history between him and Branch. Creek was not the kind to showcase his resentments - as his mantra of inner-peace and full-centeredness were still at the core of his personal beliefs - but it did not mean that there was still that green-eyed monster lingering within, its gaze fixated primarily on the pink Pop Queen of whom he was not on fair terms with either. The one who'd perused her romantic ventures with Branch instead of him.

So while Creek's applause for the show was actually rather genuine, the smile he'd plastered on his face was anything but. A good song was not going to be enough to change the way he felt about Branch. With narrowed eyes, he took a better look at the other performers on the stage with him – four other Trolls who, in a surprising turn of events, were actually the Troll's brothers. The conscious in his brain was fuming – as if one Branch wasn't enough... now, there were four others! Each one the same tealish-blue shade, with faces that made expressions that looked awfully similar to that of the youngest in their bunch. But, Creek suddenly thought with a sort of sneer, maybe this situation wasn't at a complete loss. If they were indeed his brothers, then surely they wouldn't know about the more recent happenings of Pop Village, given that they'd long left the town years before. Perhaps, he thought, he could leave a good enough impression on the four to potentially even befriend them, though not for the purpose of actually wanting to gain an acquaintance out of them. Using their friendship to get on Branch's nerves, on the other hand, had a much more satisfying sound to it.

So satisfying, he thought, that he wasted no time initiating the plan.

"Bravo, bravo, well done, mates! I do say, a wonderful performance indeed," Creek complimented once he was able to get through the mass of crowd that was surrounding the band. "A real showstopper indeed, spectacular job, Branch!"

Branch rolled his eyes and sighed. "Creek," he said formally, crossing his arms.

John Dory cocked his head. "This guy another one of your friends?" he asked.

Bruce, Clay and Floyd exchanged a look, like, Don't tell me you were in yet ANOTHER other boyband, too, little bro!

"I suppose you could say that," Creek replied, a smug little smile adorning his face.

Poppy crossed her arms and scoffed. "No you can't."

Creek glared at her, but then chuckled. "Oh, always with the jokes, aren't ya, princess?"

Viva sidled up next to Poppy, crossing her arms. "Hey, mister, my little sister is the queen. So show her some respect!"

"Sister," Creek repeated, pondering, eying the golden-curled Troll. "Right. So tell me, what does that make you then, hmm?"

Viva suddenly realized she didn't have an answer for that. On a technicality, she was the one originally intended to be Queen. But, in that case, did that make her a princess now? Or something else?

Creek took advantage of her confused silence and carried on. "As I was saying," he said, addressing BroZone, "I'll have you know that I was like a brother to Branch, looking out for him during those years in which he found himself gray and alone..."

"Hmph," Branch snorted. "Right, looked after me so well that you didn't think twice about letting me and the rest of Pop Village get eaten by Bergens!"

Clay's eyes widened. "Whoa, whoa, hold up, what was that now?"

"Branch, you and everybody else would've died with a clear conscience, yeah? I was the one who made that possible. I made sure that you had no regrets going into that pot. And that is indeed 'looking out' don't you think?"

"Uh... doesn't sound much like it to me," Bruce countered, narrowing his eyes at Creek.

"Ah, big boy, come on. I know you got more brain than brawn on you," he said, gesturing at Bruce's belly judgmentally. Then he moved to Floyd, still with that smug smile on his face. "Surely you understand. I must say, your fashion taste is on point. I always thought vests were overrated!"

"Umm..." Floyd said, unsure of whether to say thanks or not, and feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Ay, man, we all gotta flex the drip somehow," Clay grumbled defensively.

Creek raised a brow at him and huffed. "Right, says the Troll in a onesie."

Clay's jaw dropped. How dare he call his very professional sweater-romper a onesie!

"There really are no hard feelings, my friends," the mauve Troll stated confidently.

Friends? Bruce mouthed to Clay, who rolled his eyes. It had been only a minute or two of meeting this guy, and already they could tell there was something off between him and Branch. And defense-mode was just about to kick in.

"Why, folks could even consider me the 6th BroZone brother!" Creek pulled out an orange vest from curled greenish-blue hair and slipped it on, striking a pose. "Whaddya say, mates? Have room for one more member?"

"Ugh, are you kidding me?!" Poppy cried, unable to stop herself from blurting out. She'd had enough of this nonsense. Creek was being ridiculous!

"I didn't ask your opinion," he hissed at her, offering a smile at Branch and the brothers. "Come on, yeah? We'll make a band-acious team!"

"Bro-dacious," John Dory mumbled under his breath. He, Bruce, Clay, and Floyd exchanged a look. Then, a sly smile grew on each of the four Trolls' faces as they turned back to him.

"All right," Bruce said. "You can join us."

"WHAT?!" Poppy and Viva shouted at the same time. The sisters gawked at each other, unable to believe that Branch's brothers were really buying into this!

"But first," Clay added, "we need to do a little, um, how you say..."

"Initiation," Floyd finished.

Creek put up a hand. "Of course, I'd be happy to - whoaoah, hey!" The mauve Troll cut himself off midsentence when he suddenly felt himself being lifted up off the ground, four sets of arms grabbing him firmly as he protested to be let go. But maybe that wasn't such a good idea. As he'd wished, they let him go alright - right into the lazy river!

"ACK!" he exclaimed as the cold water splashed around him and he flailed his arms.

Branch, his brothers, Poppy, and Viva all laughed hysterically from the result.

"Haha! That's what you get for being a poser!" Clay shouted.

"Yeah! What he said!" Viva agreed.

"And a big phony!" Poppy chimed in.

"You stay away from our little bro, ya hear?" John Dory shouted to him.

"And us!" Bruce and Floyd said at the same time.

Branch was the only one who did not reply. He stood there, thrilled that the tables had been turned, and giving Creek a taste of his own medicine with the smug smile that had sprawled across his face.

"Um, Branch, who was that guy anyway?" Floyd queried.

"Right?" Viva scoffed. "What a hairball!" Suddenly she covered her mouth, blushing over the language she'd used.

Branch and Poppy exchanged a look, answering simultaneously with sighs.

"Oh, it's a long story..."