Submission (#3476) Approved

Amber always was a serious guy of that type who hates jokes. Not that he became angry every time someone plays around, but he would always become grumpy and grouty. Being quite calm and reserved, you’d never see him yelling or being frightened to death. It seemed like he is so unflappable that nothing can distract him from being good-old-boring-Amber. The Fools Day was just a normal day for him yet full of weird jokes and silly stuff.
It wasn’t the thing Oreo and Minus liked about him. These little fellas were waiting for the day to make up jokes. It didn’t really matter whether the strangers or friends or even themselves were the main targets since it was simply just much fun for both of them. Using glue to make the other one to stick to the chair or anything else, making a silly jumpscare wearing a weird costume or putting funny notes on other back was classics, but it wasn’t enough this year.

“What shall we do this time?” asked Oreo, lying on the fresh spring grass.
“This time it must be something great, not the trifles we did the last time,” replied Minus following the butterfly. “Do you have any ideas, pal?”
“Na-ah… But perhaps we could trick the old Amber this time? As far as I remember, he wasn’t even surprised by the stuff we did last year.”
“What was it, by the way?”
“I think we tried to fill his garden with frogs, but by the time he actually came there all of the frogs had sneaked away… It was such a shame.”
“Oh, Oreo, that was because of your frog! I told you it was a bad idea. This time I feel like having a great plan so far! Listen carefully…”

Nobody could see them, but it should have been a great plan for sure since both little terraliens were very excited. Big plans usually take no rush, but they couldn’t wait and rushed toward the place Amber lived. Yeah, the very boring garden with accurate and clean flowerbeds, summer house and hammock between two apple trees, the garden you expect to see in a Grandpa’s countryside. Too boring to leave untouched.
It was their chance of luck! Amber wasn’t even absent, but… something was strange about him. He was lying on the grass, not even with a book or whatever he read, just lying on his back without even a barely noticeable movement.

“Is he sleeping?” Oreo seemed to be quite puzzled.
“Why should old Amber sleep outside his old-fashioned hammock, huh? It’s weird, let’s check!”
The two terraliens tried their best to be as quite and sneaky as possible. Walking on their tiptoes, they crossed the lawn and slowly approached Amber. It seemed really strange since there was not a bit of a reaction.
“Is he alright?”
Oreo found some courage to touch Amber’s shoulder when…
“LET GO, LET GO, we were just making sure you’re fine!” it was Minus who was furiously spinning in futile attempts to get out of Amber’s iron grip. While he was moving rapidly and violently as if he was fighting a real predator, Oreo seemed to be frightened to death. Even the little frog in his sensor tried to curl into a ball and cover their eyes with the small gentleman hat they wore on their head, so scared they both were. Amber didn’t even think of letting these two scoundrels go.

However, nothing bad happened since the very next second the scary grip turned into a strong but gentle hug. Oreo and Minus still seemed to try to jump out of Amber’s hands, but he was much stronger than both of them.
“Why!? It’s not funny at all, we were frightened to death you bastard!”
“Oh really? Than I think my plan worked out brilliantly.”
It was a minute of silence. Oreo and Minus were absolutely confused. What plan was he talking about?
“You make these silly tricks every year and really enjoy it for some reason. I couldn’t find the answer to what the reasons really are, so I decided to try to fool you myself to understand.”
“And what!? Is it much clearer now!?” Minus was furious.
“Yup,” Amber’s tone sounded please when he hugged the two little fellas even stronger. “In the end, it was actually much fun. I guess now I understand why you keep on trying this every year.”