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Acid Beat was in a funny mood. That is to say, he was in the mood for a good prank. Everyphony's neighs and screeches of surprise and laughter sounded like a million fireworks to him. He loved it. Acid never pranked out of pure malice, he just enjoyed every reaction he could coax out of his...subjects. He slowly walked around, blinking into the bright sunlight. There.

A blue phony hopped around outside. Some sort of weird dance, Acid supposed. But it didn't matter, because that phony was deep in concentration and that made him the perfect target! Quickly, Acid ducked behind a nearby bush. He nosed open the sack slung across his back, gently nipping out an air horn.... one of his favorites.

one... two.... three... four Acid listened to the phony count over and over. Smack dab in the middle of the other phony's count, he bit down on the air-horn's bulb, hard. HOOONK It was loud and crude and even caused a few birds to fly away in startled surprise. Acid peeked his head out from behind the bush to see the other phony's reaction.

Acid giggled as the other phony fell forward in the most spectacular way. He sprang back up so Acid knew he wasn't really hurt. But, where most phonies would have screeched and then laughed, this one just got angrier. The blue phony's rigid voice sparked off blue and orange in his head, and as he spoke, the orange-tinted anger grew even more apparent.

Acid backed up a little in the face of Bebop's odd temper. Nophony had ever gotten angry before! "It was a joke! You were concentrating and ignoring everything else, so how could I resist a teensy little prank?" As he spoke, the air horn rolled from under the bush and Acid smirked and stepped on it, sounding the honk once more.

"It was just a joke.. Ease up a little," he muttered sullenly. Acid couldn't understand why this phony was being so unsporting! "It's called an air horn. It's just for making loud noises, like for when you're trying to scare someone." He shot a pointed look at the other phony.

"I don't get it. Everybody laughs at pranks, so why don't you? Hey! What're you doing with my horn?" His voice grew louder and little strident as he faced the blue phony in front of him. Acid was quite clearly missing the point, vaguely defensive and convinced he was in the right. To him, every prank was the same and every phony should laugh. He huffed. Maybe this phony was just different. Anyone else would've laughed... right?

Acid looked apprehensively at his air horn as the other phony's words danced around him. That air horn had been his first piece of true pranking paraphernalia, and he was quite fond of it. Bebop's voice cooled a little, reminding Acid of blue grey smoke in a jazz club. Suddenly., Bebop's words sank in.

Startled, his head jerked up, curly mane flying in all directions. "M-mean? I don't get it, how could a joke be mean?" Acid's voice was filled with a horrified curiosity. It had clearly never occurred to him that not all phonies would find his pranks fumy, That revelation, which was just beginning to blossom in his brain, was shocking. And very disheartening. Acid wasn't a mean colt, surely.

Acid's mouth dropped open a bit, and he flushed - going from vaguely defensive to ashamed. He definitely didn't want to kill anyphony! Was it so bad to want them to all laugh? Although, maybe he wasn't picking the right methods after all... Head hanging low, he nodded at Bebop. "Feel free.

One hoof pushed the air horn towards Bebop tentatively. He looked up at the blue phony in front of him, his own blue eyes sliding over to fix on a point past Bebop's shoulder. When he spoke next, his voice was tiny. "I-I'm sorry. I never meant to...." Air whuffled out in a noisy rush and he raised his eyes to look directly at Bebop. "I guess I'm just saying I'm sorry. My name is Acid Beat."

Acid hoofed Bebop in return, a relieved smile crossing his face. The dude could laugh, after all! He gently nudged the horn, trying carefully to keep it silent. A tiny, strangled toot popped out anyway, and he giggled. It sounded just like how pallid green looks, so limp and insignificant. He shuffled the air horn clumsily back into his bag.

"Heya, Bebop. Um... as an apology, if you want, I can try to help you with your.... um... Actually, I have no idea what you were doing." Acid ducked his head sheepishly. But whatever Bebop needed, he'd do. It would be the nice thing after all. And Acid could stand to be a little kinder to his fellow phonies.

Acid smiled back. Bebop was really a nice phony. There was no reason he should have forgiven Acid for what, Acid now realized, was a prank in exceedingly poor taste. The little green phony owed him one. One day he could pay back this kindness. With his hooves, he scuffed a few rocks away and plopped his butt down unceremoniously. Might as well watch Bebop strut his stuff.

He exhaled slowly and Bebop began to move. Acid supposed it was a dance. Although it was clearly in need of a little more practice, the potential shone through. It was a wobbly sort of grace. "Neat-o," Acid Beat whispered. This was a phony who knew where he was gonna go in life.