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Stumbling upon treats was something of a rarity, one that Dark Water always took advantage of when she could. It was nice being able to return to her siblings with something to share, a nice surprise in their dour lives. The bake sale in question caused her to pause after nearly walking past it; she doubled back and examined the growing line. It was far from free but it wasn't expensive, that was for sure. Within a few paces, more information became readily apparent -- this wasn't just any old bake sale, it was a fundraiser specifically to raise donations. For what, Dark wondered, until the sound of some distant yipping met her ears.

Dogs.

The gloomy filly stepped into line behind a small pink unicorn who ordered a batch of assorted cookies. That seemed like the best idea, considering the different tastes of her and her siblings; who knew how much their mileage would vary. "The same for me," Dark Water requested when it was her turn.

After her own payment, Dark Water took the top of the baggy into her mouth and was prepared to leave then and there but decided it might be best to at least have a taste before forcing anything onto her brother and sister. The filly before her had a similar idea, and so Dark Water watched as she untied the ribbon and took the first bite.

Her reaction was less than enthusiastic. In fact, she looked downright disgusted.

Dark Water's expression immediately flattened. She set her own bag down and pulled away the ribbon. There was a dull hope that the other babben just got an unfortunate batch that was dashed as soon as she bit down. They were terrible.

As subtly as she could manage, Dark spit out what she had of the cookie and cringed. "What is this?" she asked aloud, to no one in particular except the false gods who deigned to curse these monstrosities of baked goods.

Such a response from one so brightly colored gave Dark Water something of a surprise but it was well masked by the lingering expression of displeasure from the aftertaste. Compared to this, she would have rather licked wet moss.

Another try from her neighbor and out came another unhappy declaration. She was quite the colorful one, to be sure, and not just in appearance. "These aren't worth the money it cost to bag them," Dark Water hissed as she glared towards the table and Helter Skelter behind it. The cookies were completely inedible and the only place they belonged was in the trash. "A refund," she suggested simply, with a glance back to Iron Chef.

Following silently, Dark Water plucked her bag up once again. When they reached the table, she threw it onto the table where its contents half-spilled. The dreary foal looked Helter Skelter dead in the eyes and set one hoof against the table edge.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" she said with words coated in malice.

Beside both of them, the undecided phony looked even more uncertain; their eyes darted back and forth between Helter Skelter's oblivious smile and the two glaring fillies.

Dark Water waited, either for some sort of understanding to reach Helter Skelter's clearly boggled brain or for the torrent of criticism to pour from the pink filly's mouth. As neither came, she grew more impatient and dipped her head under the scatterbrained phony's amiable stare.

She turned to look at Iron Chef, only to find the previous anger she wore on her sleeve to be stifled. Her eyes lingered on something, which Dark Water followed and found as well. The dogs. The sign. The purpose of this fundraiser.

It wasn't a joke, he was just honestly that poor of a cook -- but the intent was clear and the more Dark Water stared him down, the more she believed this wasn't just some elaborate prank. She straightened up and spoke where Iron Chef failed to. "Because," she started, her own eyes drifting to the innocent puppies behind the stall, "these are," Dark Water grit her teeth while fighting to look as impartial as possible, "delicious." That was, in point of fact, the exact opposite of what wanted to come out of her mouth. She wanted to speak of bile and rot, of how a mud pie would taste better, but the stares of these innocent fools who were just trying their best -- they reminded Dark Water of her brother.

It was a complete and total lie -- but a white one, the sort that brought smiles tot he blissfully unaware. That was a strange feeling for Dark Water, who turned to watch Iron Chef add on to this rouse as it grew more elaborate. How on Gaia did a demand for a refund turn into further donations? In spite of it all, Dark Water found herself doing the same with much reluctance.

"Yes..." she slid her own tip forward while eyeing the confused customer near them, "good luck to your cause."

With some hesitance, the dark filly gathered up the cookies that spilled from her bag and took it up again. Even the plastic tasted better.

As she turned, Dark Water paused to hear what her companion said. One ear twitched at such a beautiful revelation and her eyes scanned the treeline until she honed in on the one in question. Wasting food was not a habit Dark Water liked to participate in, but what sat in the bag could scarcely be called that unless one's definition was exceptionally loose.

"Good plan," she commented under her breath and lead the way. Without the weight of those disgusting baked discs, Dark Water felt a thousand times lighter; now there was just a matter of the leftover taste. "Let's hope they aren't serving salt water, too." A drink sounded like just the thing they needed to cleanse themselves of such garbage.