[HOE2022] Instant Pranks (Made for Your Convenience)

All was quiet. 

This was to be expected, of course. After all, it’s why Fizz chose this very spot to call his own. The dwellings of those who once lived here were now reclaimed by the restless tide, save for the clever ones who thought to build higher than the waves might reach. Even they left eventually, leaving these homes to be claimed by the many, MANY seabirds and whatever fool decided that yes, they did want to live in a tower dubiously suspended over the ocean. 

However, Fizz loved the thrill of it. That, or he was too oblivious and/or stubborn to care. Regardless, he had picked the spot because it was quiet; or rather, it was “quiet” in a way that the endless crashing of the waves drowned out any other noise and melted away before it reached his conscious mind. 

However, today was quiet. Too quiet.

Fizz was fixed to his window, desperately searching for whatever was amiss. The tide had not gone still. The seabirds had not stopped their little routines. What could be up then? His train of thought stopped when he felt the emptiness in his stomach. Maybe the only problem he had was forgetting to eat breakfast. 

Still, something felt off as he walked into the kitchenette. He’d usually go down and catch something, but his nerves dissuaded him from leaving. He pulled out a cup of instant noodles from the cabinets and filled the electric kettle sitting on the counter, turning it on with a satisfying click. 

…Watching water boil will sure make you hungry. It was probably for the best to look for something else that could occupy his attention. Maybe something was off about the furniture? Had someone appeared at the shore earlier? Maybe a storm was co— What was that?

A *thunk* rang out from the kitchenette. Fizz whipped around towards the sound, only to find nothing had changed. Nothing, except for his instant noodles getting knocked over. He walked back over to them and situated the cup back upright. Hey, if the cup had to fall over at some point, thankfully it wasn’t full. He had barely crossed the threshold of the kitchen tile before another noise rang out. This time, it was a loud clattering. It almost sounded like the time a seagull got stuck in the cabinets… oh how he hoped it wasn’t a seagull again. Not again. Not after last time. 

He paused for a moment, figuring that a seagull would take every opportunity to fill open air with some sort of horrendous noise. Thankfully, the silence resumed, and Fizz made his way out of the kitchenette. …Or at least he tried to, as another loud clattering filled the air, this time with the distinct *ding* of clashing ceramic. Did something get in his cookie jar? 

Suddenly, he froze. A sinking feeling weighed heavily in his stomach. It felt like someone was there.

He looked up toward the ceiling and froze. He thought for sure he saw a jagged, shaky silhouette of something dart out of sight. He finally built up the courage to look back dow— OH WHAT IS THAT

Inside his kettle, where the water once was, was now a huge block of orange gelatin. He barely had time to process the sight of it when he was startled by a loud cackling behind him. A very familiar loud cackling. 

“Madcap? How long have you been in my house? How did you even GET here?”

Madcap had perched on top of the fridge like a gargoyle. The silly little jester ignored Fizz, instead continuing with his pre-schemed shenanigans. 

“Look! The two of you match now!”

“That doesn’t answer any of my questions!”

“Pfft, so what? You should thank me, anyway. After all, that blob probably has more nutritional value than whatever you were planning on eating. See ya!”

Madcap leaped from the fridge, to the counter, and out of Fizz’s window with a splash. Fizz dashed to the window to see if Madcap was okay after whatever daring dive that was. As soon as he saw the Scribblie floating carefree towards the shore, he realized just how he’d been played. There went his lunch plans. 

He walked back behind the counter, thinking of a solution to clear the orange glob from his kettle. Instead, his attention returned to the cookie jar. The lid looked visibly disturbed. He carefully pulled it open, waiting for some prank item to spring out at him. Nothing jumped out, which just might be worse. Fizz cautiously looked inside the jar and saw …oh, you’re kidding.

There was a huge divot in the middle of the jar, as if someone grabbed a fistful of cookies and ran. Getting pranked is one thing. But grand theft cookie? That’s a new low, even for Madcap.