The 'Greatest' Trick.... (Full)

This really was going to happen.

Things like this took very careful planning. They don’t all happen on the fly-- those were the ones that were good for a quick laugh. But that wasn’t what Hazel had in mind. No, not at all; in fact, this was practically a statement of war.

The only war that should ever happen.

A prank war.

As somebody who considered themselves an expert in practical japery, Hazel wasn’t about to have no fun at a school full of unsuspecting students and teachers. She had made most of the necessary preparations the previous night, and now only needed to set it up. Looking around to make sure there was nobody in sight, she dragged a large table into an empty hallway. She quickly returned to the closet that she had stored everything else in. Pulling out a tablecloth, she hurried back to the table and covered it. She had to get this prepared in time. Wouldn’t be too hard, but these things don’t assemble themselves. Returning again to the closet, she grabbed a sign and one of the boxes from inside. She set them up at the table, not revealing the sign yet. Closet again; three boxes at a time. She repeated this once more, then proceeded to set everything out. She pulled a checklist out of her hoodie pocket and looked it over.

[  ] Table
[  ] Tablecloth
[  ] Sign
[  ] BROWNIES
[  ] Brownies
[  ] Hazelnut Cookies
[  ] Cream Donuts
[  ] Chocolate bars

She looked at everything on the table. Perfect. She checked off everything on her list. She took everything out of their boxes and set them out; 10 pans, two of each ‘treat’. The pans were covered, so it wouldn’t be spoiled. She put up a series of smaller signs next to each with the names of each treat on them.

BROWNIES. The pans had the letters I and E cut out of brown paper in them. Simple yet effective.

Brownies. A little more complicated. She made real brownies, but used salt instead of sugar for these ones.

Hazelnut Cookies. She always had to include herself somehow, kind of a calling card. These ones were paper circles with “prank’d” written on them. The other side was signed with a large, ornate H. Oh Hazel, you dead giveaway.

Cream Donuts. She made these herself too. Instead of normal, delicious filling, they were filled with mayonnaise. ‘Delicious’ described these perfectly, air quotes and all.

Chocolate bars. Simply sticks and brown plastic. Couldn’t really go wrong there.

She smirked and giggled, her right fox ear tilting a little to the side. Perfect, Hazel thought to herself. Now all there is to do is hide and wait. She turned the sign around, revealing it to have ‘FREE TREATS’ written across it in big, easy-to-read letters. She quickly ran back to the closet and ducked inside, leaving the door open only enough to see out of. Now for an unsuspecting victim….

The school was peaceful today, more than usual from what Monika had heard before enrolling here. That made it perfect for her to make her rounds and discover more about the school in a bit of free-time before classes and fighting were sure to happen. This made her happy, especially since she wanted to meet some people to better understand the layout and manner in which such an establishment was to behave.

Unsurprisingly, everything here was quite different from her combat school before had and appeared to have a much more studious setting than the militaristic one that she'd long since grown accustomed to. It was a pleasant change of pace, but one which may threaten to weaken her training regimen should she allow it to make her complacent, and that simply would not do.

However, in her explorations of the halls of one of the countless buildings on campus, she found a table. Odd...

It was labeled and covered with all sorts of sweets and assorted chocolates. How lovely!

It would appear as though the campus also had a heightened sense of charity as opposed to her past experiences as well. It wouldn't do for her to eat from them though, right?

Monika very much wanted to maintain her athletic physique to the highest degree, and yet....

In all of her years, this was the first time that the only person preventing her from eating something unhealthy for the sake of enjoyment was herself, and not some old hound breathing down her neck. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try one, and cut loose for a mere moment.

The well-dressed woman approached the table and took a brief survey of all that was there, placing a white-gloved finger against her lip in thought, until she spied the donuts. Dictating them to be the least likely to make an intense mess of her garb if she was cautious, she grabbed once and appraised it carefully.

It looked good enough! So, she smiled and took a bite. It was delicious..... at first.....

But then.... she came to a horrific realization.

After waiting a couple of days, Athena found herself in Syne Academy once again, trying to learn as much as she could about the place.  The last time she was here, her experience was less than optimal, and she wasn't quite able to learn as much as she would've liked.  So Athena spent most of her time walking around aimlessly, taking note of anything that seemed important.  In her exploration into the unknown, she came across an incredibly suspicious table with questionable food on it.

She took one look at the set up and immediately knew something was up.  Nobody does nice things like this anymore, and even if they did, someone smart enough to figure out there was nothing wrong would've stolen all the food for themselves.  Everything about this screamed out that it was a trap.  But...  Athena couldn't help but feel tempted to see if this was real.  Of course, she might fall victim to a joke, but what if it really was some person's random act of kindness or something?  If she walked away, she'd miss out on something nice.  She watched as another student walked towards the table, pick up a donut, and take a bite.  Maybe this was real?  Hesitantly, Athena took a few steps to the table and looked over the table of treats, picking up one of her favorites.  A brownie.

She took one bite and had to resist the urge to spit the thing out.  Salt.  Lots of it.  It was a joke, of course.  Like she thought before, nobody was nice enough to leave out real desserts for people just because they wanted to be a good person today.  She was furious, but then a thought occurred to her.  A devilish grin spread across Athena's face, and she picked up the tray of salty brownies, finishing off the one she took a bite out of and picking up another brownie, powering through the horrible taste and letting whoever was watching know that their joke didn't work.  Not on her.  "Didn't think anyone was nice enough to make brownies for strangers to take anymore!  What about you?  Nice of 'em, huh?" Athena spoke through mouthfuls of salty brownies.

It was an extremely calm and peaceful day at Syne Academy. The skies were clear and a cool breeze was blowing over Bellmuse. This was the perfect kind of weather to spend outside. This was the thought Sakura had in her mind as she walked through one of the building which was located near the courtyard. This building provided Sakura with a shortcut to her favorite spot in Syne Academy. As Sakura was walking through the the building, she caught the sight of a sign which said "Free Treats" out in the middle of the hallway. After seeing this, Sakura began getting a deja vu feeling. This situation reminded her of her older sister, Rosalia.

"Oh, my. This looks like the world of my older sister, Rosalia." Sakura thought quietly to herself as she walked down the hall a bit further where she found two students sitting at the table which had obviously labelled treats on it. Sakura let out a smile after seeing this. This totally reminded Sakura of her older sister, Rosalia. To be exact, this was similar to what Rosalia would do to their eldest sister, Violet. Sakura couldn't help but laugh before approaching the two students who were at the table.

"Good Morning to you both. I hope that this morning fines you well." Sakura greeted the two students in a polite fashion.

Hazel smirked as an unsuspecting victim walked up to the table. The girl hesitated only for a few moments before taking one of the donuts. Another girl came up and picked up a brownie. They both took a bite out of their respective treats, and Hazel started to giggle as she looked at their faces. Oh, absolutely priceless. Then the second girl-- the one from that one class, Hazel thought-- actually picked up one of the pans and started eating more! Hazel spluttered as the girl spoke. “Didn't think anyone was nice enough to make brownies for strangers to take anymore! What about you? Nice of 'em, huh?" Hazel began to grin wider, her giggling beginning to turn to laughter, although Hazel tried to keep it in. It was hard, though; who wouldn’t find this funny? She curled up in her hiding place, muffling herself in her shirt, watching as yet another girl walked up. She couldn’t take much more of this; anything more would probably set her over the edge.

These were nothing like the donuts back in Atlas.

They were odd, but not altogether unpleasant. Monika made a sour face before she swallowing the bit that she had in her mouth. She made a quizzical look as she assessed the donut, giving it a soft squeeze and examining it from all angles. She looked at Athena for a moment and took her words into account.

She set the donut down on a napkin and grabbed a brownie taking a bite, and swallowing. Monika quickly began to have a coughing fit from the unexpected influx of salt in her system. She set the brownie down next to the donut on the napkin as she began slapping her chest to end the fit. "I..."

Her attempt at speech was cut short by a sudden additional cough leaving her suddenly punching herself in the chest with a resounding echo. "Ahem.. I do not mean to be offensive, but your Bellmusian cuisine is quite different from that in Atlas."

Monika suddenly smiled. "It seems like an acquired taste, so I assume I am just not used to it, but I read nothing of it before I arrived. It must be my mistake that it is so strong to me then."

She then looked down at the donut again before raising it up to take another bite, and decided that she would stick with the donut over the brownies for now since it was much more neutral in flavor. "It is quite nice still. I must appreciate the gesture, despite my unrefined palette."

She beamed as she looked around at the other two, and sampled yet another bite of the donut, leaving it just about 2/3 of the way eaten.

OOC: It was open to one more? So I think I'm still allowed in?


A soft humming came from Crux as she walked, the massive axe strapped to her back. The hands which were encased in massive gauntled resting in her belt. She was just on her way into the academy, heading towards the training room for some catching up. However, something caught her attention. A small gathering of people, a table with baked pastries and signs. She frowned and made her way over with a rather loud clunking. And judging from the look in her eyes. Or her mirthless expression, she didn't seem to be the type to enjoy pranks.

"Greetings," she stated to the gathering, pulling both her hands up. "I presume this is free? Or is there a fee I am required to pay?" There was no harm in having the small exchange. A fire dancing momentarily on her shoulders, before it died down again. She leaned forward to pick a brownie rather carefully, though by all means, it wasn't too easy with the colossal gauntlet. But she managed to, picking a piece off and throwing it in her mouth, chewing it before swallowing.

Her face didn't contort at all. "T'is pretty tasty," she complimented. Only being able to judge the texture. A sense of taste was something not really included in her sensors. Finishing the rest, she stepped back.

Athena couldn't help but laugh for just a moment as she watched another stranger come over and take a brownie, and the other one finally realizing that something was wrong with her donut.  The third girl, the pink haired one, didn't say much aside from a formal greeting, so Athena paid her no mind.  "Aw!  You guys are just precious aren't you?  No, there's nothing wrong with your palette, this is just a prank, you know?  We aren't mean to enjoy any of this."  There was definitely something up with the people around here.  One was way too polite, and the other two showed some appreciation for the food meant to disgust people.  Not to mention the fire on one of their shoulders.

"The rest of the food here actually tastes good.  Oh, and you, gauntlet girl.  You're not going to have to pay for anything.  I'm pretty sure we already did.  You have a strange taste though, if you don't mind me saying that.  These brownies are way, way too salty."  Athena wasn't sure what kind of answer she'd get from these two in response to what she said, but she should probably introduce herself first.  Who should she be today?  Decisions, decisions.  "Well, it's nice to meet you guys.  I'm Amanda."  Normally she'd try and stick with one name at a time, but she forgot the alias she used when she joined that one survival class a while ago, so Amanda was going to have to do.  She didn't extend her hand in greeting, she just sort of stood there, waiting for something to happen.

Soon after Sakura had arrived at the table, an extremely tall woman who had a extremely large axe slung over her shoulder arrived at the table very soon after she did. The tall woman that greeted the group before asking "I presume this is free? Or is there a fee I am required to pay?" at the group. Soon after this, Sakura watched as the girl took a bite out of the brownie. Soon after, the girl Sakura had seen at the Survival class introduced herself as Amanda after answering the other girl's question.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Amanda." Sakura replied politely with a smile as she took two brownies from the plate that Amanda was holding. Sakura had an idea. If this prank was set up like the ones her sister, Rosalia, was prone to using, Sakura suspected that the prankster would be nearby.

"If this prank was set up similarly to the one my big sister, Rosalia, uses, the prankster should be nearby here." Sakura thought quietly to herself as she began looking up and down the hallway for any places for the prankster to hide. It particular, Sakura paid special attention to any closets or places that a person could hide in.

Oh, this was comedy gold. Hazel could hardly contain herself as another girl walked up-- then both the first girl and the new girl thought it was normal food! That did it for Hazel. She snorted once, then exploded with laughter, falling out of the nearby closet she had been hiding in.
”Oh, geez! This is….” Hazel stopped, gasping for breath in between her words and near-manic laughter. ”This is just perfect! Oh, this is one of the best pranks I’ve done yet! The looks on your faces! Then-- then two of you--” at this, she gestured to the well-dressed one and the axe-wielding one-- ”think they’re normal food!” She curled up and continued to laugh her head off, unconcerned at what any of the now four girls were doing. Hazel had done fantastically on this prank, and the set of people that had come along were almost too perfect for this.

Monika ate the last bite of her donut daintily, only pausing her mastication when Athena spoke to her.

"Hmm?" Monika's speech was muffled, until she finished completely swallowing her food. "What is a 'prank'? Why would it make the food taste different, or worse?" Monika was very confused, as such charity in Atlas would usually be quite superficial in nature as is, but this seemed contrarily complex.

She gazed at the table for several long moments, scanning each bit of food individually as she tried to put the entire situation together. Yet so far, this was beginning to seem like a cruel bit of sadistic machination from the way people were describing it. Tempered food, faux charity, and what could surely be considered a health hazard hardly seemed like something to be so relaxed about as these people were.

Then Hazel fell from her closet, and revealed it all to be her scheme in reality. It was turning her on her head, that is until the phrase 'think they're normal food' was uttered. Suddenly, it all became very clear to Monika, what this whole thing was about.

Monika took a step toward Hazel, widening her stance as she drew her longsword from its scabbard and levied the entire thing to point at Hazel, until it was just inches from her face. "Poisonous fiend. How dare you bring harm to these innocent ladies? I demand you present them the remedy to your vile decoction lest I strike thee with furious justice!"

Athena was already going to laugh at the moron that just blew her cover, but the situation took a sharp turn due to Monika's reaction to the prank she and the others fell victim to. Being angry was one thing, but pulling out a weapon to deal with someone over a prank was way too far, and Athena definitely didn't like where this was going. But... This might just be a great way to get back at the person playing the prank on them, as long as nobody actually got hurt.

She raised a hand, and out of it, a green neon broadsword extended from her palm, and she grabbed onto the hilt. "Y-yes! Foul villain! Giveth her what she demands or she'll... smite you? She'll cut you in twain, yes, that's it! -eth!" Athena waved the sword about theatrically, mocking Monika's strange way of speaking and acting to try and get the others to go along with the joke. She had to make sure nobody else touched the light she was holding, though. These things burn. A lot.

Crux glanced at Athena, arching an eyebrow. "Salty, you say?" A bemused smirk played on Crux' lips. "I just hear a weakling complaining about a strong taste," she answered, the smirk turning to a grin. She honestly couldn't care whether it was one of those pranks, or anything. The texture intruiged her. And if she already paid for it.

What harm was there in taking a second?

"Ser Crux Harmaa," Crux answered, glancing at Amanda. It wasn't an exchange. The way she said it, it was a statement. "A pleasure to meet you too," she did add after with a curt, yet respectful nod. Picking another brownie from the stand. Biting down on it just as Hazel dropped from the closet. Captivated in laughter.

She arched an eyebrow, before glancing at Monika, then back at 'Amanda', before heaving a short sigh. Crumbling the brownie in her hand before shaking her head. "T'is funny to harm other people?" She questioned all of a sudden, glancing at the exchange between Monika and Hazel, before a smirk spread across her face. "I fail to see where this is derived from, but I'm glad to know t'is not just I getting in a good mood from the sound of spines snapping." The smirk turned a reminiscent smile. Feeding others detrimental food or snapping someone's spine. The difference was present, but it was after all, causing harm to one another.

After looking around for a bit, Sakura heard the loud sound of laughing. After turning around, Sakura found a young woman rolling on the floor laughing. After looking around a bit, Sakura saw that she had apparently fallen out of a closest. Taking this into account, it didn't take long for her to determine that this young woman was the prankster she had been looking for. After identifying the prankster, Sakura then started walking towards the young woman. However, Sakura stopped in her track as she saw one of the students whom she saw eating at the table earlier walk up to the young woman before drawing her sword and pointing it at the young woman.

Sakura then heard the student with the sword declared "Poisonous fiend. How dare you bring harm to these innocent ladies? I demand you present them the remedy to your vile decoction lest I strike thee with furious justice!". After seeing this, Sakura decided to intervene in the matter.

"Pardon me for my intrusion, Miss. Would you be kind enough to lower your sword for a bit? I would like to help clear up this misunderstanding." Sakura spoke politely as she walked up and got in between the young woman with the sword and the young woman who was on the floor laughing. As she did so, Sakura then gently rested her hand on the blade of the young woman's sword and gently pressed down as a sign to lower her weapon for the time being.

Hazel continued to laugh, albeit trying to take a breath, as she began to speak. ”I-- oh, geez!” She paused, still trying to take a breath. ”Calm down, lady, my little trick shouldn’t hurt anybody.” She slowly got onto her knees, finally able to hold down her laughter and inhale and exhale at an even pace. ”They’re for the most part harmless. If anything bad would’ve happened, I would’ve gone immediately to help them. However….” She paused and looked up, a mischievous twinkle in her light blue eyes. “Nothing bad happened, and some of you had perfect reactions!” She giggled, closing her eyes and smiling. After a moment, she got to her feet and faced them all. ”Well, introductions, I guess. Name’s Hazel. A bit of a prankster, if you didn’t notice.” She extended her hand calmly, smiling. ”No trick this time, just being a good, upstanding member of society.”

Monika held her sword straight and true, mostly ignoring the world around her until Sakura dared to place a hand on her sword. Monika wrenched the sword back and placed the handle near her shoulder, twisting to face Sakura, holding the blade toward her now, assuming a stance in preparation for some kind of attack, that is, until Hazel began to speak again.

Then, Monika shifted her body so that the blade was trained on Hazel, suspecting some kind of mental acuity concoction working on Sakura and confusing her. She listened and awaited the mention of the antidote until the very end. She visibly relaxed her muscles as she listened, and information became more clear, and yet she kept her blade in a defensive position for several moments as she questioned something that was said.

"A bit of a what? What in dusts name does that word mean?" Monika eventually relented, and lowered her sword and slid it into its scabbard, staring daggers at Hazel.

"Right.  I'm not calling you that, Crux."  Athena smirked defiantly at the more hostile of the strangers around her, letting it be known that she wasn't about to give in to anybody she just met.  "Also, are we not about to fight this brat?  Come on, you got my hopes up over here!"  She was joking of course, but part of her did want to see a fight between the students here, though she'd have to help the loser escape the situation.  She didn't actually want people to get hurt if they didn't deserve it, after all.

"Alright, I was hoping you wouldn't understand until it was too late, but pranks don't actually hurt anybody.  It's tricking someone, sure, but the best pranks get laughs from everyone involved.  That was the intent, right?"  Athena turned her face to the culprit, a smirk still on her face as she did, and she remained silent to hear someone else's reply.  It seems like the kid's about to get off the hook today, which is a bit more boring, but Athena's no monster, so she's content with this.  After waiting to hear what anybody else had to say, Athena spoke again.  "And also, are you talking like... in character?  Or do you normally talk like this?  Gotta admit, it does seem kind of fun.  Verily!"