Round 1: Little Toy Train [Lucky Stars // Foxglove]
Eight hooves echoed off twin brick walls that encased the world in a narrow corridor between buildings.
The figures walked, briskly – the one ahead swathed in a dark cloak to match the night skies; the former with a dark ponytail swaying as she kept pace.
All it took were three words for the two to stop walking.
“I saw you,” the young mare said, shakily, less of accusation and more of an affirmation for her own benefit.
The stallion in the cloak skidded to a stop over uneven blue cobblestones, drenching them in silence for the barest of moments, the low hum of the crowd on the main streets unable to penetrate this far down the alleyway.
The lights danced, shadows cast, their world a duotone kaleidoscope where streetlamps on either end were blocked out by passersby.
The stallion turned.
He looked, up and down, gave the mare his regard for the first serious time in their walk from the toy store to this location.
The stallion took his time to observe her, and in his stillness the mare could see a pale grey face poking out from behind his defenses. His colours were remarkably similar to hers, with coats of whites and manes of darks. She could feel him try to read her, as his eyes ran over her little suit shirt and dress tie.
But they pulled away. Perhaps he had given up. Perhaps he had found all he was looking for. Ultimately, though, it didn’t matter.
All that mattered was that she had seen him.
“Ya saw me, did ya?” the stallion said, thick and rough, as he raised his brow. “What of, then?”
“The toy.” She breathed in. “I saw you take it from the shop. You sneaked it under your cloak. You left without paying.”
The response warranted another look from the stallion, up and down, up and down.
“Brave lass,” he muttered, tilting his head to the side, speaking in short guttural bursts. “Earth mare chasin’ down a mean old unicorn stallion like meself.”
“No, listen.” She took a step back, just in case. “I wanted to talk. That’s all. But I will scream, if you give me reason to. I will scream, and others will come running.”
“A threat?”
“A scenario.” She breathed out, her chest quietly quivering to itself. “One that we need not approach if… if we don’t need to.”
“Mmm,” the stallion grunted, his head nodding up and down in some sort of understanding.
“W-what?” the mare spurted out.
“I’ll say again, lass. Brave.” The stallion flicked his head at her with indication. “A bit daft, maybe, but let me understand what ya want, yeah?”
“I want to talk. That’s all.”
“Right. And I got no interest in that, so say I choose t’ walk. And if I do this, then...?”
“Then I shall scream, and ponies will come in from either side. You will have no place to run, and you will be caught by the police.”
The stallion flicked his head to the side once more, while the mare stood firm, straight, upright.
“Mmm,” he grunted once more. “Right, for this, then.”
His cloak flew aside and a small wooden train flew out from behind the folds of cloth, enveloped in a small swathe of magic, moving carefully towards the point between him and her.
He stepped forward.
She stepped back.
The little toy train, polished and lacquered, of the finest craft, complete with a painted red steam tower and intricate detail on the doors and windows, came with a tiny little carved acorn that stood in as a driver of sorts.
Carried along in a cloud of dull grey, the toy was deposited unceremoniously on its side upon the dry cobblestone.
The stallion’s horn stopped glowing a moment after.
“Right. So. Fair’s fair,” the stallion said, coughing. “Ya caught me, eh. But I’d like to be on me way now, so if ya wanna scream go ahead and scream.”
The mare dropped her jaw, raising it again soon after, as if it would have betrayed the obvious confusion on her face.
“But… aren’t you worried about being caught?” she blurted out.
“Caught doing what?”
“Stea–”
“Lissen, lass. I’m jus’ an honest stallion makin’ my way. I saw a lady much like yerself steal a toy train from that store, an’ I followed her to this alley. That train right there.” the stallion nodded toward it. “You know, the one that dropped in th’ struggle when I tried to do my duty to apprehend a thief. Of course, the lady screamed, but it was only natural, innit?”
“But… that…”
“D’ya see? It’s yer word against mine, eh?”
“But they’ll never believe you,” the mare whispered, more shocked than anything else at the oddness of the situation.
“Well, if ya really think so, you ought ta get shoutin’ soon, aye?” The stallion shrugged. “But just like you, I don’t want the hassle. So, beggin’ yer pardon, but I think I’ll go now.”
“But don’t you… want this?” She looked at the train.
“Would be nice, yeah? But you got me at a bit of a… you know. Whatever this is.” The stallion waved his hoof back and forth between them. “So why don’t we both just call it even and be on our way? Now, you have yerself a good night, ey?”
He turned. Not a moment passed before he began walking to the other end of the alley. And once the corner was turned, he would be gone.
The mare stood, lower lip shaking as much as her breath was unsteady, her lungs ready to react to a decision that she had to make.
She watched as the figure walked, step by step, sure and steady in his gait, and reminded herself of how unsure her footing was in this predicament.
But her brow furrowed as she reminded herself of the reason she had even decided to embark on this foolhardy confrontation in the first place.
There was always a good way out.
She yelled.
But it wasn’t a call for help, nor a cause for alarm.
It was merely a raising of the voice, just so that he could hear.
“I-It’s for your daughter, isn’t it?” she called out, words unsteady, unsure.
His gait slowed.
“It’s a gift!” she continued. “Perhaps for a… a celebration, or as a reward? Maybe some occasion? M-must be for someone close. A son or daughter, then!”
The stallion stepped back quickly, closing the gap. This time, the mare did not move from her place, allowing her voice to fill the gaps in her courage.
“It’s a lovely gift, really. But these toys, they’re so outrageously priced, aren’t they? I mean… they do make for wonderful presents. I can’t really blame you for wanting one so badly. You must really love whomever it is… you’re…”
The rattling stopped when she realised that she was speaking mostly to the floor. She peeked up a little, catching glimpse of the stallion who was standing there as he was before, across from her, with the little toy train between. A bit further and she saw his expression that was caught between bemusement and pity.
“Ya done?” he asked, softly, not a trickle of anger or impatience felt in his tone.
“Yes. I’m sorry,” she replied.
“So, I’m now thinkin’ that you’re quite wrong up there.” The stallion tapped his temple.
“Maybe.”
“Why d’ya want to provoke me for, lady? Is that a good idea? Piss off a thief?”
“Yeah… that wouldn’t be a good idea, but I thought… I thought we could just have a–”
“ – a talk. Right,” the stallion finished.
“Ah… yes. And you’re right. It would probably be a bad idea to upset a criminal, but I didn’t think… that is to say… I don’t think you’re a thief.”
“Right. So you think the bloke you… caught… stealing… from a shop isn’t a thief.” The stallion rolled his hoof through the air.
“Yes. Well, no. Not when you put it that way! But… oh. Listen. Please. Just give me a few minutes. That’s all I ask. I know. It’s strange. It’s an odd request. But I just want to…” the mare held her hoof up to her head.
“Yeah?”
“I want to help.”
“With?”
“With the toy.”
The stallion stood and stared.
“With why you took it,” the mare clarified. “With… your situation.”
The stallion stared.
The crowd passed by on the outskirts, none the wiser.
“Ah… Um… Well. Let’s be civil. My name is Lucky Sta–”
“Didn’t ask.”
“Um… and you are?”
The stallion continued to stare, as it were his duty.
“R-right. Well. The reason why I decided to follow you was because I did notice something quite off, as it were.” Lucky tapped her hoof against the side of her head. “See, why does anyone steal?”
The stallion waited patiently.
“Well, there are many reasons, of course, but… but it’s… well, you have theft for necessity, right? Or for pure want, or curiosity, or boredom, or… whatever you have. But one thing’s quite the same, and it’s aways that the thief usually steals for him or herself.”
The stallion blinked, face devoid of any other reaction.
“But well. This… this toy. It’s for somepony else, isn’t it? You’re not stealing for your own benefit. At least, not directly. Surely this must be a gift, and that–”
“Wot, I can’t just like trains?” The stallion frowned, the first time he showed any sign of upset.
“Well… no, but…”
“And what if I was tryin’ t’ impress someone with a gift? What if I was stealin’ this to bribe someone? Means to an end, right? Still selfish, innit?”
“Well…” the mare started feeling a knot bunch up in her stomach.
“You said your name was ‘Lucky’, eh?” The stallion said with an ounce of frustration.
She nodded slightly.
“Yeah. You are.” The stallion breathed out with due heaviness.
“But…”
“No buts, ye daft quince!” he continued his voice raising ever louder. “If I was anyone else, d’ya know what might happen to ya? D’ya know how much pain ye’d be in? The sorts of things ponies get up to these days?”
Lucky Stars shifted her eyes down.
“And all because you say you want to ‘help’?”
“That’s not untrue!” Lucky shot in.
“Oh, really. Listen, lass, you don’t expect me to believe that, do ye? You got some angle, and trust me when I’m sayin’ that I’m only sticking around to make sure you ain’t gonna be some future pain up my ar–”
“It’s true!”
The stallion rolled his eyes, throwing his head back. “And in what universe do ye think we live in that ponies just help other ponies for th’ sake of it?”
“I do. Me.” Lucky growled, demanding her truth be heard.
The stallion stopped, his expression blank.
“And that’s all it took then, aye?” he asked. “For ye to start gallivanting after thieves despite the wholesome idiocy of it all?”
“I guess so.”
He sighed. He gave his best breath. He closed his eyes and shook his head.
“Listen,” he said. “I’m sure ye know what I’m gunna say, but I’m gunna say it anyhows. My problems are my own business. I don’t want help, I don’t need help, and you sure as anythin’ ain’t the one who can help me. There are a hundred thieves in this city, and I ain’t any different than the rest of ‘em. You don’t know my story. You don’t know nothin’, and I ain’t about to tell you none.”
“I’m not asking for your story.”
“Then what is all this about, lass? You’re tryin’ me, you know?”
“Well, I believe that I can help. All I’m asking is that you let me take a chance.”
“And where is this belief comin’ from?” The stallion gasped, exasperated.
“Well, as you said. If it were anyone else… who knows. But I’m alive and well. And all this… all that we did, you just wanted to end it. Never wanted to take advantage. You got angry that I might have been hurt. I don’t see this sort of thing if you weren’t any sort of good pony, mister.”
The stallions eyebrows dropped backward. “Listen…”
“And… look, I’m not saying I know your story. I’m not saying that you have to tell me now in this alley. I just want to have a chance to talk to you and learn. Maybe… maybe somehow convince you that there’s something that can be done.”
“Listen, now…”
“I don’t know you at all. But when I feel there’s someone who can be helped. I never sit and let them pass.”
“Look.” The stallion sighed again, a longer, more wistful one this time. “I’m sorry, lass. I just don’t live in that world. Thank ye, really, for tryin’, but you’d just be wastin’ time on me.”
He stared at the ground.
“I’m sorry,” he said, and turned.
He stopped for a while, but made to move.
A voice called from behind.
“Hey.”
The stallion turned back.
“You forgot this.” Lucky Stars was standing there, a little toy train sitting neatly in her upturned leg.
“What? Listen, lady, if you think charity–”
“No. You stole it, right? But you didn’t steal it from the toy shop. You stole it from me.”
The stallion shook his head. “What?”
“If all you care about is the theft, then steal it from me. I’ll go back and buy this. I’ll explain it to the shop owner. It was my error. I forgot to pay. I’m going to leave this train here in this alley no matter what, and I’m going to pay for it no matter what. So if you don’t steal it from me, it’ll just lay here until someone else comes and takes it.”
“Are you… absolutely off your rocker?”
“Maybe. But what does it matter to you? You’re just a thief.”
“And who in Equestria are you?”
“I’m just a teacher from the local high school.”
“Figures.” The stallion frowned.
“So, are you going to take it or not?” Lucky held the train forward.
For a while, the stallion stood there, staring at it as if it were a bright hot star.
Moments passed.
Lucky kept her stand.
Finally, with an utterance of an angry mutt, the stallion snatched the toy, returning it to the folds of his cloak.
He turned away instantly, beating a path to the edge of the alley.
And Lucky waited.
Halfway down, the stallion stopped, looking back.
“Hey. Lucky whatever from the local school, right?”
“Right!” she called back.
“Name’s Foxglove.”
And then he was gone.
Lucky smiled, a little, standing in the middle of the dark alley.
She was hopeful that she would see him again.
