Pobble Prompt - April Fools!

"Psst, hey - do you want to prank Clay?"

Dragut's ears perked at the sound of the small voice, and he looked around suspiciously before his eyes alighted on the small figure nearby.

"Prank?"  He sniffed, nose pointing in the air.  "I'm above such childish things."

"C'mon!"  The figure coaxed him.  "Don't you think it'll be funny?  It's April fools, get with the festivities!"

The young guide crossed his arms, thinking about it for a moment.  In truth it wasn't like he was really doing anything right now... and he supposed he could use a laugh at someone else's expense, even if it was beneath him.  For the sake of the holiday.  Nothing else.

He sighed dramatically in feigned resignation.  "I suppose since its a holiday then... alright you've convinced me."

Without waiting for the figure's response he zipped up into the air and made his way towards the pobble conservatory where he knew for sure the other guide would be working.  Lo and behold, it wasn't a surprise to see Clay going to and fro, checking on things here and taking notes there and generally doing what Dragut supposed was maintenance and research and other things to do with the creatures that was largely beyond him.

He had a faint inkling that if he could find a supply closet he'd be able to get his hands on the perfect catalyst for a little trick, and after a handful of minutes drifting innocently around the conservatory, he hit the jackpot.

There was the supply room, its door mercifully unlocked, allowing the guide to slip in quickly and quietly.  His eyes quickly scanned the room, looking for something he could work with, before alighting on a little sack with the word POBBLENIP stamped onto it.  Careful hands gently teased the drawstring open and he took a sniff of the contents, wrinkling his nose at the smell.  Perfect.

He wouldn't need the whole bag where he was going, so Dragut took a couple of small handfuls of the stuff and exited the storage room, careful to leave everything just as he'd found it before.  Now for the victim!  He scanned the area, looking for Clay, noticing a little flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.  A pobble that had drifted nearby awoke with a pop, sleepily sniffling at the air as it yawned and peeked around.  Clearly the nip was legit.

Not wanting to draw attention before the time was right, Dragut zoomed off, enacting his plan with haste!  Clay wasn't near the storage room or in the research lab, but it wasn't long before the younger guide caught sight of him next to one of the pobble pools, crouched down by the edge and no doubt taking notes on something in the water.

It was the work of an instant as Dragut flew by, opening both hands to dispense the pobblenip into the curve of the other guide's crown before he took off again to find a vantage point.  Clay looked up as he flew off, and Dragut saw him lift a hand to touch the back of his neck, but the deed was already done.

A soft pop sounded from nearby, then another and another.  All around Clay the pobbles were waking, taking in the smell of a handful of pobblenip that they knew was nearby.  Their sleepy little faces soon changed to expressions of excitement at the prospect of a treat, and all of them began to speedily make their way towards Clay like ants to a drop of honey.

From his vantage point atop the conservatory roof, Dragut heard the other guide's startled scream all too clearly and snickered as he watched the excited critters chasing Clay across the ground below.  It was either run or be buried in pobbles, and Clay didn't have a choice until he could get all the pobblenip dusted out of the back of his crown!

Had it been terribly obvious who the culprit was?  Yes, but right now Dragut didn't care.  It was reward enough to see the spectacle below, even if it meant he might be in trouble later.  He cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out to Clay as the other guide zoomed past with the pobble procession close behind.

"April Fools!"  With a chuckle and a wave, Dragut took to the sky again, zipping away from the conservatory before any punishment on him could be carried out.