Pregame

Chapter 1: Pregame

A little red colt sat at a grand dining table across from his mother. The table was set with a dinner that could feed an army of ponies for a year, but there were no others around to share in the feast. His mother was saying something, but he couldn’t hear her. The other side of the table was so far away. He strained his ears, standing up in his chair to try to hear what she was saying, but the table seemed to stretch, and a heavy bank of smog settled over the edge. Soon, he couldn’t even see her anymore, and he was lost in the thick folds of smoke that roiled around him. He called out desperately for somepony to come and guide him out of the encroaching darkness, but no one heard. He didn’t know any of the household servant’s names, his mother didn’t seem to care, and his friends... His friends were made of cotton stuffing and imagination. He heard something rustle behind him, harsh in the otherwise silent gloom, and he screamed, running as fast as he could away from the unseen terror that stalked him. The chair tipped over, something caught hold of his chest and...

Leaf’s eyes snapped open, the covers twisted into a rope wrapped around his small frame. “Dammit Leaf! Do you know how expensive these sheets are?” A mare’s voice said. Leaf looked down at the twisted mess of his nighttime panic, and tears started to gather in the corners of his eyes. Gentle Touch, his mother, put a protective hoof on his mane.

“Now, now, Leaf. Every foal has bad dreams now and then. It’s natural.” she told him, brushing his mane softly with a hoof. Leaf inspected his room again, like every other time he’d had this nightmare. Red walls with gold frill, expensive looking chairs and carpets with the same crimson-yellow the bed had, a chest of finely crafted, expensive toys he had never touched. He sighed, hearing water running from a faucet and splashing hard into a foal-sized basin. Leaf grabbed his shampoo and his firetruck and went to clean himself.

It was a daunting task, cleaning a truck with such intricate parts with only the clumsy hooves of a foal, but it was a task he’d gotten quite deft at over the few months of him coming to live with his mother. He’d never been let out of the house after that, and he’d always watch the fillies and colts on the street play around with a ball until they got shooed away by the house’s guards. Leaf sighed again, rolling the firetruck along the narrow edge of the basin. A white hoof snatched it away.

“You know you’re not supposed to play with this in the tub, Leaf! You might hurt yourself!” Gentle Touch scolded. Leaf held out his hooves, staring silently at the truck moving away from him. He finished washing and was immediately greeted by three servant mares who wrapped him up in towels and dried him off. He’d gotten used to it, but it still didn’t bother him any less.

When the servants had found him suitably dry, he looked around for his truck, spotting nothing but giggling mares and his mother. She had the firetruck wrapped in a saddlebag. Leaf frowned. She smelled of the fine wine she had en-masse in the cellar. He couldn’t picture her without a bottle of one.

“Oh there you are darling!” Touch said, giving an exaggerated kiss on his forehead, which he hastily brushed off. She ignored this. “It’s time for lunch. Are you all clean?” she asked.

One of the servant mares piped up, “Yes, ma’am. Cleaner than Celestia, ma’am.”

“It’s your favorite, Leaf! Creamed Chipped Hay with toast!” one of the more friendly mares said. She was nice to him, but she was conniving, always reporting everything he did to his mother. Leaf nodded slowly, giving a glare from beneath his mane to her as she turned away.

He didn’t even bother to try pulling out a chair. Wherever he went, there were ponies to cater to him. He slouched into the chair, pulling out a book titled ‘Space Mares’. One of the servants casually snatched it away. He liked this one, however. Hay Bale, who was three times the size of the colt, would read to him and explain anything Leaf asked him about. No dancing around the subject, no tact, just cold, blunt facts. Leaf slouched lower.

“Sit up straight, dear.” The white mare sitting far across from him chided. “Wipe your mouth, sloppiness will not be tolerated in this house, young buck!”

Leaf wiped his mouth with the fur of his hoof. Gentle Touch recoiled at the display. “How dare you! Go to your room, mister! We’re going to have a serious talk about your behavior as of late!” she punctuated late by throwing her hoof into the air.

He looked at the table around her, taking three bottles of Chateau-de-Creme into count. Leaf sat there, angry. He picked up one of the silver forks and stabbed it into the table. Gentle Touch sat mouth agape. She reddened under her fur, instantly appearing in front of Leaf. He raised his hooves to block the smack. Her breath smelled of grape and alcohol. He rolled off the chair and to the left, tripping on some of the finery.

“I hate you! Leave me alone!” Leaf cried, dashing out of the room. The servants tended to his mother, not even bothering to check him for bruises. Charging up the stairs, he stumbled over some more of the red finery that adorned the floors. He lashed out against the carpet, as if it were the shadows in his dream. Screaming fury brought to an end by the sound of hooves charging up the stairs. He bolted for his door and locked it, only getting a moment’s respite as he slid down to the base of the door before slamming startled him back up.

“Get out here! Get out here right now! Leaf! Leaf! Get out here right this instant young buck!” mother’s voice screamed through the thin wooden bulwark separating him from fear and punishing hooves. He’d been through this quite a few times. Today was her birthday, and she drank herself into stupidity and rage. All of the finest wines in the house, and she didn’t even bother to use a cup. The red colt curled into a ball against the door, nestling his head into his forehooves. A hard blow to the door tilted him to the left, and he plopped on the floor.

For what seemed like a few seconds to the little colt managed to spread itself into hours. His sleep penetrated by the sound of a heavy thump on the floor outside his room. Leaf opened the door, seeing his mother snoring. He started to creep over her, but he paused, going back into his room.

He fell into his bed, anticipating the morning. He smashed his hooves into the bed with a grunt, his eyes watering despite himself. It was going to be a long night.

------

He was in his mother’s room, and she was lying on the bed beneath a glass dome. He began walking cautiously forward, and his hoof struck something- an empty bottle of his mother’s favorite wine. Looking up, he saw that the bottles were everywhere, stacked in great heaps in every corner. Filled with dread, he approached his mother’s still form, and was greeted with the sight of her totally submerged in alcohol inside of the glass tank. He gasped, horrified, and started pounding on the glass with both hooves, trying to free Gentle Touch before she drowned. The glass cracked, and the sour smell of wine came pouring out. The lid of the case came loose, and Leaf heaved it off. He was about to reach in to pull his mother out, when her eyes snapped open, and she screamed soundlessly under the wine. She lashed out with a hoof, grasping Leaf by the back of his neck and hauled him into the case. He struggled, but she held him in, and he was helpless as she dragged him down with her, deeper into the abyss of liquor...

Leaf awoke slowly. His head was stuck in a pillow case. No mother to greet him, no servants to appease him. He got out of bed and tip-hoofed slowly into the hallway. He could hear crying and screaming. He could see silver and gold platters and crystal cups flying into the hallway, servants running into the room with leather-bound Zebra tomes and fancy cuisine.

He rolled his eyes and stepped into the washroom. A metal basin again greeted him with foamy water. He put a hoof in to test it, and it was colder than the moon. Leaf looked around for some soap and shampoo. He found the latter, and quickly plunged into the tub. The freezing liquid took his breath away, and he poured way too much shampoo on his mane. He dunked his head and scrubbed. Quickly, because he heard his mother and her entourage stampeding towards him. He managed to get half the shampoo out before his mother reared up and grabbed him with her hooves. “Leaf! Don’t do that! You could drown!” she cried. Leaf flailed a little bit before taking a dour expression.

He turned his head towards her, glaring. “I wish I would!” he screeched, suddenly flailing hard. She dropped him into the tub, stumbling back. Her eyes watered.

“Even my own son hates me!” she screamed, falling into a heap on the floor. A couple of servant colts started patting her and rubbing her. Hay Bale pulled the soaking red colt out of the bathtub with his teeth, walking out calmly. They went to his room, Bale softly closing the door.

“Leaf. Did ya really mean that?” he asked. Leaf crossed his forelegs and huffed.

“Yes.” He replied.

He rubbed his chin, then walked out of the room.

------

Leaf sat at the end opposite of his mother at the dining table. He sat straight, ate properly, wiped his mouth with the fancy napkins. His mother smiled, a sad grin that gave empty promises of peace and love. Leaf didn’t look at her once. She smiled harder. Leaf presented an empty plate to a servant mare, who took it gleefully. Two other servant mares helped him climb down from the chair, patting his head and nudging him for his compliance. Leaf slowly trotted up the stairs, shuffling his hooves. He happened to notice a red metal truck with a ladder in his mother’s room. His ears perked slightly, but his expression did not deviate from sullen. He let the door close with a soft click, plopping on the bed.

“Leaf?” came a voice and a knock. “Leaf, I just want to talk.” Her voice was cracking. Leaf shuffled out of bed, and made his way to the door. Gentle Touch perked up at the sound of her son’s hooves. A telltale click of a lock and the shuffling away made her tear up. “Please Leaf. Please open the door.” There came another soft knock. “Please?” her voice caught, nearly a sob. Leaf allowed himself to remain oblivious to her begging.

A few hours had passed, Leaf bolted awake. His plan would come into fruition tonight. He opened the door as softly as he could, careful not to nudge her. He beamed when he saw she was fast asleep on the carpet.

Quickly but quietly, he ripped half the sheet off his bed, tying it to a stick and stuffing his pillow in it. After that, he crept over his mother and shuffled down the stairs. Sneaking was hard when you had hooves, but the carpets softened the sound quite a bit. On his way down he stopped by his mother’s room. Three passed out servant bucks lay on her bed, smelling of the same perfume she wore and of the same wine she threw against his door. He shook his head vehemently. It wasn’t his door. This wasn’t his house, she wasn’t his mother. No real mother could ever act like that. He grabbed the firetruck by it’s ladder and snuck out.

He made his way to the pantry, ignoring what he didn’t know he could eat or not. He grabbed packets of powdered food, cans of fruit and pastas, and some fancy water bottles with the fizzy water. He crept out of the pantry, stopping dead as he saw a servant mare walking towards him.

“Oh shoot. Did I leave the door open again?” she said to herself. She reached a hoof to the door and pressed it closed. It bumped his hoof, and it swung slightly back open. The mare’s head was turned, and Leaf could make out screaming and crying from upstairs. The mare sighed and galloped up to his mother, once again active and angry. He knew he couldn’t wait this out much longer.

He charged for the door. His mother charged down the stairs. He got lucky, she charged just a bit too fast and slipped on her own livery. He heard a crack. Screaming. Leaf turned his head to look back one last time. His mother reached a hoof out and screamed something.

He didn’t hear it. He slammed the door.

All that greeted him was a cold tundra. Freezing, bitter cold that spread quickly over Coltago and all of it’s residents. The cold, white powder reached to Leaf’s knees. He shivered and ran. He ran as far away from the accursed house as his little hooves could take him.

------

After an hour, Leaf sat down next to a dumpster in an alleyway near the center of the city. Dangerous looking ponies had already robbed him of all but his favorite toy, which had a large, hoof-shaped ‘U’ in it after one of the ones dressed up as a chess piece stomped it and took most of the food.

He heard a rustling next to his dumpster, and knees knocking against one another, Leaf dived into the rotten waste that was discarded by the ponies who lived there. It was warm, warmer than his house for some reason. He peeked out of the dumpster, seeing nothing. Then, a glowing orange light engulfed the lid of his hiding place, forcing it open no matter how hard Leaf pulled. A pony with dark orange fur, an ash-white mane, and a cutie mark obscured by a black bishop symbol now looked down on him. The only part of his head visible was the top, and so the orange mare took it to be a strange looking piece of garbage. Then it moved, and she was immediately on guard. Only one of his eyes was visible, and it was wide with terror. The mare relaxed, rolling her eyes and lifting the colt out of the trash by his mane with her magic.

“What’re you doing in there?” she asked suspiciously. “Where are your parents?” Leaf couldn’t answer, his face a sullen red contrast to her dusky orange coat. Her gaze softened a little, and she rubbed his mane. “Now why don’t you be a good little foal and run home?” she said, dropping Leaf on his flanks. Leaf shook his head. She raised an eyebrow.

“Why the moon not?” she asked. Leaf didn’t answer. She growled to herself, Leaf curled into a fetal position.

“Why?!” she yelled, raising a hoof. For a moment, she was white and red, and Leaf spasmed into a tighter ball for a second. Her glare softened even more, her anger losing it’s edge.

“Where’s your family?” she asked softly. Leaf shook his head. She paused for a minute, thinking.

“C’mon.” she said simply, grabbing Leaf in a warm sphere of magic. “I’ve got someone who might want to meet you.”

Leaf nodded.

“Name’s Burnt Umber, or just Umber if you decide to be friendly. Call me ‘Umbie’ and you’re dead.” she explained.

Leaf nodded.

“Can you talk?” she asked.

Leaf nodded.

“Then why don’t you?” the mare pressed.

Leaf shook his head.

She sighed. Leaf felt her increase her speed to a trot, angling for a broken-down apartment building with very few windows left. At least nothing could be worse than living with his mother, he reasoned.

------

A pegasus foal sat secluded from the freezing wastes of the city by four drab walls, almost the same shade of grey as his coat. A much-dented red firetruck passed between his hooves, slowly rolling back and forth. He heard a voice and a bang from the cheap plastic-metal door swinging closed. It could only be his sister, or their landlord, coming to collect the rent. Nopony else ever came through that door.

The foal crawled into a fortress he had made of the sparse furnishings in the apartment, which mostly consisted of a pair of splinter-ridden chairs and the thin mattress he shared with his sister. This was how he spend most of his days, huddled under the fort like it was a prison.

A warm voice rang out from the narrow hallway. “Stee-eel! I brought you something! It’s a surprise!” Umber called out, hoping to goad her little brother out of his self-imposed confinement. It worked, a bit. He poked his head around the corner, eyes glazed with disinterest. He saw his sister, someone who gave his life light. His protector, his mentor, and his only friend, even though she had to work most of the day to keep the two of them housed and fed. Then he turned a little to the left. A red colt with a lighter grey mane than his, with the same dead eyes. Leaf looked up almost at the same time, and the look of astonishment was mirrored in both their faces. In an instant, their eyes lit up, showing real life for the first time in what must have been years. It had been too long since either of them had a real friend close to their own age.

A colt to play with, they both thought. Giving no regard to either of them having any social contact outside their matriarch figures, they charged towards each other, inspecting manes, pulling ears, tails, and whatever else they found interesting. Leaf’s mouth held a firetruck that mirrored Steel’s. Both smiled wider than they ever had before.

“You two have fun! I’ll be back in a little bit, I have to go collect my pay.” Umber said.

The colts ignored her, jumping around and screeching and laughing. Ramming the firetrucks into one another and making explosion noises.

“I’m Leaf.” Leaf said simply. Steel jumped into the air and landed on his back hooves. He pumped a hoof to his chest. “I’m Steel Grey, defender of Coltago!” he boasted. Leaf laughed. He climbed up on the rail less gracefully than Steel and announced;

“I’m Tobacco Leaf, the destroyer of Coltago! Raaar!” he beamed, puffing out his chest. “Whoa, whoa-!” he panicked as the chest puffing put him off his already delicate balance, falling towards the floor. A grey bolt swooped him up.

“You’re going to jail, Tobacco Leaf!” Steel’s raspy little voice announced.

“Nu-uh! I have a secret weapon!” Leaf’s clear, effeminate voice countered.

Leaf dropped down, grabbing a firetruck. Whether it was his or Steel’s, he didn’t care. He was having pure fun for the first time in his life.

“Pew! Pew! Pew!” Leaf sounded. Steel did a mock death, putting his hoof over his heart and falling backwards. “I win!” Leaf cheered.

“Nuh-uh!” Steel shouted back, a firetruck held in his hooves in the same manner.

“Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!” Steel sounded. Leaf ducked behind the couch for cover. “You’ll never win, Tobacco Leaf! Surrender now!” he playfully announced.

“Never! I have a secret lair!” Leaf countered, “and you’ll never find me!”

Steel paused for a second. “Hey! I know the perfect place for your lair!” he hopped and bounced. Leaf stood up, putting the firetruck in his armpit. “Where?” Leaf asked, bouncing and hopping.

“There’s this place Umber told me never to go to! It’s called the Cornerstone Mall! It’s perfect for a secret evil lair!” Steel said. Leaf looked puzzled.

“What’s a mall? Where is it?” he asked.

Steel perked his wings. “Follow me!”

The pegasus colt lead his companion through a twisting maze of back alleys, abandoned apartment complexes, and empty streets, through blistering winds and soft snow, until they both stood at the entrance to a massive, ugly concrete building. The structure had been condemned due to poor design and cheap materials. Gang violence during the recent years had also contributed to the doomed outlet, making its mark via graffiti, broken windows, and heaps of trash in every corner.

“If you’re not s’posed to go, how come you can find your way here so good?” Leaf asked. Steel shrugged.

“I come here all the time.” he said, patting a hoof on Leaf. “‘sides, I never see why I can’t come here.” he finished as he opened the door.

“Welcome to Cornerstone Mall!” Steel announced grandly. A gray inner courtyard with hundreds of neon signs and curtains to hide their lights. Steel curtains quarantining sections of the mall, hiding what to two poor foals was treasure and wealth. Leaf followed him down the stairs and through the littered hallways, avoiding scattered rubble and trash. Parts of shattered glass from looted stores, even a few scattered bullet casings, which Leaf made a point of picking up.

“It’s really fun her-” Steel started, then he jumped on top of Leaf and hid behind a box. He kept a hoof on Leaf’s mouth.

“Ssssh...” Steel hissed quietly. Leaf nodded. Steel slowly craned his head out to the edge of the box.

“So you got my pay?” a gruff voice asked.

“Yeah, yeah. Like always. I swear you say that just to be corny.” a gruff female voice responded.

Steel couldn’t see them very well. He couldn’t let bad guys like this get away, and so he felt the need to get a good look at them. He reached his hoof slowly over...

*Clang!*

A discarded Red Buffalo can rolled away from the two colt’s hiding place. Leaf hissed in alarm, and Steel held his breath.

“What was that?” one pony asked. “Did you hear that?”

“It came from over there!” one said, pointing a hoof in the vicinity of the young ponies.

Steel gulped. “Leaf...” He whispered nervously, “I think they have guns. Real guns.”

A particularly large yellow stallion detached from the group, holding a metal tube in his mouth. Just a few more steps, and they would be discovered...

Steel reacted first, jumping through a half curtained window. He reached a panicked hoof to Leaf, but recoiled as the yellow stallion shouted, “It’s a colt! A red colt!” he laughed. The stallion poked Leaf with the barrel of the Thompshoof.

“What’re you doing here, ya little shit?” he asked, blowing putrid cigarette smoke on him.

Leaf shook his head. The buck smacked him with a hoof. “Are ya stupid or somethin’? I asked you a question!” he bellowed. The cigarette fell out of his mouth. Leaf yelped as the burning end caught him on the neck, his eyes misting with tears.

A mare with steel tipped wings smacked the buck. “Big stallion you are. Picking on a colt.” She chastised. She brushed his mane with a tender, dirty hoof. “You alright? Red Harvest hurt ya bad?” she asked in a voice straining to sound motherly. Leaf curled tighter; she still sounded like she wanted to murder him.

“See? He’s scared. He’s not a fucking spy, Harvest.” she yelled. The yellow pony shrugged and looked to Leaf, making a line over his throat with a hoof. The mare looked over to her compatriots, nudging her towards Leaf. “Get him some food, Luna Dammit!” she said.

Leaf felt hooves around his neck. He was pulled into the store by Steel, who kept a hoof firmly in his mouth. He started sneaking away, Leaf following closely behind him. A buck shoved the curtain aside.

“There’s two of them!” he shouted. Leaf and Steel dropped their pathetic stealth attempts and ran as hard as they could. Steel shouted something, Leaf couldn’t hear. The pounding of blood in his ears drowned all other sounds out. The stallion who he’d heard called Red Harvest crashed through a door in front of him, catching him with a hoof to the side of the head.

“Thought you could get away, didn’t you, ya little pinprick?” He snarled, raising a hoof to strike him again. Steel charged in, yelling incoherently, but the much larger stallion batted him away almost casually. “Get away, twerp! I’ll fix you later.” Steel hit the wall with a thud, and collapsed in a heap on the floor. He didn’t get up.

Red Harvest pulled out a nasty looking razor, his eyes glinting wickedly. “Right now I’ve gotta make sure you won’t be tellin’ on our hideout... Or talkin’ much at all, for that matter.” He leered at Leaf, chuckling evilly. “Boss ain’t here to keep me from havin’ fun this time, either. Now open wide, foal. Don’t want me to cut too deep, do ya?”

The stallion had a new cigarette stuck between his teeth. Leaf flailed out with a hoof, kicking up a shard of glass. Desperate, he jabbed at the larger pony with the meagre weapon, catching Red Harvest in the eye by sheer dumb luck.

“RAAAAGH! MY EYE! YOU’LL PAY FOR THAT YOU LITTLE SHIT!”

A shadow fell over the stallion. he didn’t notice, too intent on forcing a terrified Leaf to expose his neck.

*CRACK!*

Red Harvest gave a deep sigh, his remaining good eye rolling back in his head as he toppled to the side. A black stallion with a green mane stood over his prone form, holding a pipe wrench in his teeth.

Leaf stared, wide-eyed at his savior. The stallion’s cutie mark looked like it had been burned off, and replaced with a branded letter ‘A’.

“Wh... Who are you?” asked the colt, still shaken.

The pony had to spit out his weapon before he answered. “No names. You call me Ace of Clubs. You alright kid?”

Leaf nodded slowly, standing up on wobbly hooves.

Ace looked him over, finally nodding, satisfied the colt hadn’t been seriously injured. “That was some quick thinking there, with the glass. You got a fast mind.”

Ace eyed him critically. “A bit scrawny, but put some meat on your bones, and you could make a fighter. Let me tell you what, kid,” The black stallion reached down and hefted the pipe wrench over his shoulder, walking out of the building. “You make it through today alive, you’ll be eligible to join the Cards. If you’re interested, look for The Cornerstone. It’s a drugstore on the corner of Tumbledown Avenue and Brook Street, ‘bout three blocks from here. Tell ‘em I sent you and they’ll let you in.”

Leaf nodded again, watching in awe as the stallion disappeared around the corner. When he was gone, Leaf ran to where Steel Grey lay, shaking him. “Steel! Steel, wake up!”

The other colt groaned and stood shakily, balancing himself with his wings. “Wha...? Leaf? Where...”

Leaf shushed him, motioning towards Red Harvest, who was also starting to come to. “We need to get outta here!” he hissed urgently.

Steel, seeming to grasp the situation, nodded, and they both started tip-hoofing out of the building, then ran the entire way back to the apartment through the freezing weather.

------

Game set.

END - To be continued.

Next Chapter- Opening Move

Choosing Sides

Chapter 2: Choosing Sides

Years later...

“No! Hell bucking no!”

Leaf winced at the harsh tone of his friend’s words.

“There is no way you’re going! This has got to be the stupidest thing you’ve ever said!” Steel Grey huffed, glaring at the taller earth pony. The scruffy beard he’d been growing for the past month made him look almost comical. “Those guys are seriously screwed up, Leaf. I’m not going to let you go off and talk to them, much less join the crazy bastards.”

Leaf stomped a hoof in frustration, wondering if he could force his way out past the pegasus. He doubted it. It had been several years since they had first met, and Steel had only gotten bigger. He was massive for a pegasus buck, and Leaf had never won in a wrestling match against him. Or really any physical contest, as he was woefully scrawny by comparison, despite his height advantage.

“Come on, Steel, don’t be like this. I can take care of myself. Besides,” He added testily, “You’re not my boss. I have every right to go out and do what I want. Understand?”

Steel only gave him another glare. “All I understand is that you seem to be hell-bent on joining up with a bunch of freaks dressed like they’re from bucking Wonderland.” He growled. “Dammit Leaf, I keep telling you that just because some random stallion wants you to join up...”

“Random stallion who saved my life,” Leaf interjected.

“Whatever. The guys are trouble. Read the papers lately? That fire on Buckingham and Glaze? That was them. The Cards.” He stomped, glaring hard at the earth pony. “You really want to be in a gang like that? I keep telling you, they’re bucked up!”

Leaf snorted. “Look, It’s abundantly clear where we’re going right now. I know you’ve noticed how little Umber’s been bringing in. Celestia knows what she does to get the bits, but its not enough anymore.” He looked to the side, frowning. “Look, all I’m saying is; We have to do something to help her out. Joining a gang is the only way either of us is going to rise any higher than the average Joe, so why not join the one that I’ve been personally invited to?”

Steel facehoofed. “Princesses above, I cant believe you’re seriously considering this!”

“What’s the matter with it? What is so wrong about trying to survive in this world? What’s your problem with the Cards?” Leaf demanded.

Steel took a deep breath and looked at Leaf. “Okay. Fine. The real reason I don’t want you in the Cards is because... Well... I’m considering becoming a Piece.” This wasn’t the reason at all, but Steel wasn’t about to tell Leaf that his sister, the mare Leaf had a raging crush on, was already a member of the Chess, the rival gang to the Cards. Especially not when there was a risk that his friend would be joining up with the other side of the gang war. He couldn’t risk her cover like that.

Leaf stared him for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Well damn! You hypocritical bucker! Here I was, thinking you were all caring about my skin, when you were really just trying to save your own hide from having to go up against me!” He grinned, nudging Steel with a hoof.

Steel cracked a smile, despite himself. “Like hell. I’d tear through anything your weak-flank Card gang could throw at me. I’m just making sure you don’t end up on the business end of my hooves.”

Leaf snorted derisively, then chuckled. “Come on jackass, lets go see what the street has for us today. I just need a Bacolti and a Tiara Royal cap to finish my alcoholic bottle cap collection.”

Steel nodded, and the two made their way outside,the quarrel resolved for the moment. The city streets were slick with ice, which was common weather in Coltago. The cold season started months early, and ended months late. As they walked out of the door, the landlord glowered at them from behind his desk.

“Where’s muh money you two? Dat whorse ova sister you got owes me big now. What, she not keepin’ up wiv her ‘customers’?” The grotesquely overweight pony snickered lewdly when he said the last word. “Mebbe I oughta take muh payment in... altern-at-ive methods, if ya get muh meanin’.”

A rich, husky voice rang out from behind the obese pony. “Oh certainly, Dank. We can go out back right now, in fact.” The landlord, Dank Spots, turned towards the source of the new voice, and Burnt Umber stepped into the room. “Of course, you’ll have to discuss it with Buck Wild, and if I recall, he doesn’t exactly like you,” she purred. “My boyfriend is a little... protective.”

Dank Spot blanched, wisely deciding to keep his muzzle shut.

The ruddy orange mare chuckled, dropping a bag of bits on the desk in front of him. “Or you can just take plain money, like everypony else, you fat shitlord.” She turned to the two colts, flinging them a smaller money bag. “Good news boys; Got a pay raise today. I want you two to take those bits and buy some of that Zap Apple jam they’re selling down at the market, then use whatever’s left over to get something for yourselves.” She winked broadly at Leaf. “Got it?”

Leaf reddened and mumbled something, unable to meet her eyes. Steel came to the rescue, thanking his sister profusely and congratulating her on the pay raise as he shoved his friend out of the building.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Steel rounded on his friend, hissing. “Seriously, could you make it any easier for her? Celestia, you are stupid.”

“What are you talking about?” Leaf sputtered. “Make what easier?”

Steel whacked him with a hoof. “She’s toying with you! My sister thinks its funny that you’re crushing on her hard enough to break a walnut shell, and messing with your head is prime entertainment. Every time you get a boner, she gets a laugh. Get it?”

Leaf glared at him, his expression sullen.

Steel facehoofed. “Okay, you know what? Forget it. Lets just go to the market and get some of that Zap-Apple jelly Umber wanted. Just try not to buy her any flowers while we’re there.”

They came to the market soon after, but the stall that was selling the specialty jelly was out of stock. But before they left in dejection, Leaf spotted a second stall near the back of the market, run by a seedy pink mare with a cutie mark of a drinking straw and a white line. She had two jars of the rainbow-striped gel sitting in front of her, and several smaller containers of a thick brown sludge behind them. “How about over there?” asked Leaf.

Steel shrugged. “Probably just rainbow-dyed toothpaste. Worth a shot though, I guess.” They trotted over to the broken-down stall, and the mare smiled sweetly at them, talking with a fake southern accent.

“Well ain’t you two jus’ tha suhweetest thangs?” She simpered. “How are y’all today? C’n ah get’cha anythin’?”

Leaf looked at the jars. “Is this real Zap-Apple jam?” he asked. He prodded one with a hoof, nearly knocking it over save for some quick hoof-work by Steel.

The pink mare tittered. “Whah of course it’s real, shuga! What a thang ta say! Straight offa Sweet Apple Acres! Now, normally Ah’d charge about twenty bits apiece for these here jars o’ goodness. but...” She fluttered her eyelashes at the two colts. “Yew two are jus’ so downright adorable ah think ah c’n make an exception. How’s about fifteen bits fer the lot, and I’ll throw in a nice little surprise fer ya too?”

Steel shrugged and passed the mare the bits. It was only about half of what his sister had given him, so even if the jam wasn’t real zap-apples, it might still be worth it. The mare smiled, wordlessly pushing three jars towards them as she pocketed the money.

Leaf picked up two jars of the alleged zap-apple jam, and Steel studied the third critically. It was filled with a brown sludge that shimmered faintly, rainbows playing off the surface like it was coated in oil. “Um, thanks?” He said uncertainly. “What... what is it?”

The mare leaned in close, putting a hoof over her mouth. “It’s called Flinch. Makes ya faster.” she giggled, tapping the side of her snout with a hoof. “Comes from a pair o’ colts ah know, Flim n’ Flam. If’n ya pick the zap-apples before they ripen, this is what ya get. Ah promise y’all are gonna enjoy it.”

Leaf smiled nervously and started tugging his friend away from the stall. “Uh-huh. I’m sure we will. Thanks a whole lot, miss. We’ll just uh... be going now. Bye!”

As soon as they were out of sight, Leaf shuddered. “Ick. She gave me the creeps. Toss that crap quick, before it comes to life or something.” He checked the jars of jam in his saddlebags. “Well, at least the jelly seems legit.” He licked his lips, already imagining the taste of the delicacy. “Mmm... Zap-apples. This shit is going to be delicious.”

Steel ignored him, unscrewing the jar of brown fluid and sniffing the lid cautiously. Before Leaf could stop him, he had taken a mouthful of the Flinch, his expression thoughtful.

“Steel, what the hell are you doing!?” Leaf asked, incredulous. “That stuff could be mud and piss for all you know!”

The pegasus shrugged. “Hey, you said yourself the jelly was the real deal, so whats the harm in trying this stuff?” He made a face. “Tastes like cat piss, though. And I don’t feel anything happening. Ugh. Maybe you were right.”

“Of course I’m right! Throw it away, it’s probably rotted or something.” Leaf said, grabbing the jar.

Steel looked like he was about to respond when he froze, his eyes dilating and his short mane standing on end. “Oh my Celestia. This... is... awesome...” He snapped to attention as Leaf went to throw the jar at a wall. Steel struck out with a hoof, snatching the jar out of the air. “Don’t! It works! It works!” He cradled the jar in his hooves, grinning manically.

“Luna on the moon, Leaf, you have got to try this. It’s like lightning in my brain. And in my hooves. Everywhere.” He shivered, static electricity crackling in his coat.

Leaf looked askance at his friend, unsure what to think. “No thanks... You look ridiculous with your mane like that,” he said. “Are you sure that stuff is safe?”

Steel nodded vigorously. “Yeah, yeah, it’s gotta be safe if it’s as good as this.” He giggled, then yelped as electricity sparked off his tail. “Uh... yeah, it’s fine. Watch, I’ll try some more.” He greedily lapped up another tongueful, but Leaf yanked the jar away from him.

“Okay, this stuff is making you act weird. I think you’ve had en-”

“GIVE THAT BACK!” Steel interrupted, snarling. He grabbed for the jar, but Leaf twisted, and his hooves caught the earth pony on the side of the head instead. Leaf fell, his head cracking against the pavement, as Steel caught the jar of Flinch inches from the ground.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Leaf yelled. “Throw it away!” He watched Steel bury his muzzle in the jar, not listening. “Fine!” He said, his vision clouding with tears. “Be an ass! I’ll be joining the Cards, if you need me!”

Steel didn’t even notice as his friend ran off at a gallop.

------

Leaf walked into the store nervously, glancing at the flashing neon sign: The Cornerstone; Tobacco etc.

He walked to the counter, where a bored-looking unicorn was flipping through a magazine (Playcolt- Wingboner Wonderbolts exclusive!). The stallion didn’t even look up when he said, “You don’t look anywhere near legal age, kid. Get lost.”

Leaf shook his head. “I don’t... I don’t want to buy anything. I’m here to join.”

Now the unicorn did look up, raising an eyebrow at the colt. “Join? The Cards? Damn kid, you know what you’re getting into? Gang war is dangerous. Why don’t you go home to mommy, so I can forget you said that? Wouldn’t be cool to have a foal get shot up by a Pawn ‘cause I let him join.”

The colt in question stomped angrily. “Ace said I could join if I came here. Where is he?”

The clerk’s eyes snapped open. “Ace? Which Ace?”

“Clubs, I think he said. He was black, and his cutie mark was burned off. He had an ‘A’ on his flank, instead.”

“Santa Sangre?! Santa Sangre, the Ace of Clubs, sent you? Shit, kid, why didn’t you say so? Come around back, we’ll talk.” As they walked, the unicorn kept talking. “Damn. Ace of Clubs. You must’ve impressed him somehow, and that ain’t usually easy. I dunno, maybe he just wants a gopher. Or target practice.”

The red colt gulped nervously. Target practice? Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all. As he was led down a grimy hall that had been painted white at some point, Leaf reflected that perhaps joining a gang was more dangerous than he had thought, and wondered if he was really cut out for it.

Leaf’s train of thought was interrupted when the unicorn stopped him abruptly and shoved him through a door. “Here you go. Recruitment office. Just tell Rough House what you told me.”

Leaf found himself in what looked like a crowded pool hall. Ponies drank, smoked, and fought on and around the half-decomposed billiards tables, and the feeble air conditioning did little to alleviate the heat of so many bodies packed so tightly. There was a thick haze of smoke hung on the ceiling, and a pegasus had taken up residence there, occasionally letting a fresh blast of smog escape his muzzle. It was this pegasus who the clerk addressed. “Oy! Roughy! Get your flank outta the tar cloud, we got a new recruit!”

The pegasus, who turned out to be a powder blue mare with an unruly red mane, craned her neck out of the smoke cloud and peered at Leaf. “Bit short, ain’t he? What is he, from Shetland? I hear everypony there’s a midget.” She snorted, chuckling at her own joke as she dropped to the floor, landing heavily on her hooves. “Naw, but really, what you bringin’ me a foal for? You know I like older stallions.” She wheezed, laughing again.

Leaf stepped forward, his heart in his throat. Or maybe that was just the smoke choking him. Either way, his voice sounded small and unimpressive when he spoke. “Um... My name is Tobacco Leaf. I want to join your gang. And... Ace of Clubs sent me.”

Rough House nearly choked when he said the name. “An Ace?” She sputtered. “Nuh-uh, no way. Foal, if you’re lyin’ you better admit straight up, right now. Otherwise, there’ll be hell to pay.”

Leaf stomped, growing more sure of himself. “I’m not lying! A pony with an A on his flank told me to come here and say Ace of Clubs sent me! So am I in, or not? Just tell me!”

The two older ponies looked at one another. Then Rough House shrugged. “Ah, what the hell. If he’s lyin’, its himself he screws over. And if he ain’t... well, we could always use another asset. An’ if an Ace says the kid’s in, who am I to say different?”

The mare dug in a satchel at her side, flinging Leaf a deck of cards. “There. Those are special marked. If you want to get into a Card place, flash any one o’ those cards, and they’ll let’cha in. An’ here...” She carefully placed a pin in the shape of a club in his hoof. “That’s your Suit, since Clubs was the one who wanted ya. I’ll see what I can do to set up a meetin’ with one o’ the higher-ups on the matter, but that’ll take time. Your brand’ll come later too.” The mare shook her head ruefully. “Hope you know what yer gettin’ into, kid. I’d Hate so see you in the obituaries this week.”

------

Hours later, Leaf stumbled into the apartment, his head buzzing pleasantly with the effects of several drinks he couldn’t remember the names of. Rough House had hoisted him into the air, and shouted something about celebrating the induction of the youngest Card ever, and they had pressed every kind of congratulation on him. For the hundredth time, he checked his saddlebag to make sure the deck of cards was still there, and glanced at his mane to make sure the pin was in place. It was incredible, he thought, that he had gotten into what might be the most powerful gang in the whole city. He would have to tell Steel. His expression would be priceless.

As he walked into the modest living room, leaning heavily on the wall, he saw Burnt Umber sitting by the ratty couch, which Steel was lying on. The pegasus had numerous cuts and bruises on his stocky frame, and half of one ear was missing. The worst injuries, though, were his wings, which looked like they had been pulled out of their sockets and now hung like rags from his back. Umber was trying to coax them back into position, while Steel gritted his teeth and bit back screams of pain.

Leaf began to back out of the room as quickly as he could, but Steel’s eyes snapped open and locked with his. They were wild and bloodshot, and both had dark bruises forming around them. “Where’ve you been?” Asked the grey colt from between clenched teeth. Umber looked up and saw Leaf, her tear-stained face relaxing into a relieved expression.

“Oh thank Celestia, Leaf... I wanted to get a doctor, but I couldn’t leave him alone. Would you keep him company? I need to hurry, before the hospital closes.”

Leaf nodded slowly, still shell-shocked at seeing the state his friend was in.

“Thank you, Leaf. You’re an angel.” The unicorn mare brushed past him, planting a kiss on his cheek as she galloped for the door.

The earth pony almost didn’t notice. He went to stand by Steel’s side, horrified at the amount of blood staining the already filthy couch.

“I know... I really look like shit,” Steel said with grim humor. “Probably a good thing you weren’t there when those bastards hit me.” He winced, twinging as his body gave him a painful reminder that it was in dire need of medical treatment. “Where... Where were you, anyway? I assumed you’d just come back here...”

Leaf stayed silent, but his gaze drifted to the pin entwined in his mane. Steel followed his gaze, his expression shifting rapidly from curiosity, to confusion, to dark anger.

“Leaf... What... the fuck... is that?”

The red colt bit his lip, stammering. “I... I just... I decided...”

“Decided what?!” Steel snarled, eyes blazing. “Just decided you’d go see your little Card buddies while I was out of my mind on that Zap-apple drug? Decided you’d tell ‘em where I was? Decided you’d get on their good side by letting them kick the everlasting shit out of me? Is that what you decided?! Those Cards could have killed me, you son of a bitch! They fuckin’ would have killed me, if my sister hadn’t shown up!”

Leaf stared at his friend, confused. He hadn’t said anything about Steel to the Cards. “I didn’t know...”

Again, he was interrupted. “Oh, you didn’t know! That makes everything better! You didn’t know that the most depraved gang of ponies in Coltago was willing to beat me to death over a jar of Flinch! Okay, apology fucking accepted! We can be best friends again, even though you’ve already joined the assholes who did this to me!”

Leaf was crying now, and he could see, to his surprise, that Steel was too. “Steel, I... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...” He shook his head, trying to clear it of the alcohol still in his undeveloped system. “I didn’t want this to happen! I just wanted to make a place for myself in the world, am I allowed to do that?” He began raising his voice, despite himself. “Am I not allowed to try to keep myself out of the gutter? Do I need your permission now, is that it? When the hell did you become my mother?!”

Steel turned his face away, shaking. “Get out.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I feel sick just looking at you. I thought we were friends, but apparently I was wrong. Get out.”

“Steel, you can’t just...”

“Get out! Get out, you disgusting fuckup! I never want you to come anywhere near me, my house, and I DEFINITELY don’t want you sniffing around my sister EVER AGAIN! Now GET! OUT!”

Leaf tensed, feeling as if his friend had just sucker-punched him in the gut. “Fine.” He backed towards the door, glaring at the pegasus. “I’ll leave. Not like I haven’t done it before. I’ll probably be better off anyway...” His voice broke, and he shut his mouth before he could start crying outright. On his way out, he slammed the door behind him, and Steel winced as his dislocated wings twinged.

------

Tobacco Leaf shivered in the night air. He was curled on a bench in the park, glaring at the ground through a film of tears. He was so confused... Just that morning, he and Steel had been laughing about the gang argument. Now that he’d actually brought that into reality, he’d lost the only ponies he’d ever truly felt close to. He thumped his head against the metal bench. Why did he keep running away? First his mother, and now this. “Maybe I’m just not supposed to have a family,” He mourned.

“Wouldn’t be so sure about that, kid.”

Leaf jumped at the sudden voice, looking around frantically to see where it had come from. As he watched, Rough House stepped into the light of a street lamp. She walked over to his bench and knelt by him.

“You always got the Cards, kid. We take care of our own. Now I dunno what went down with you an’ your fam, but if you need a place ta crash, there’s a spare bunk in tha back room of the Cornerstone.”

The colt looked up at her in amazement, wiping his eyes. “You really mean that?” He snuffled.

“O’ course. Why don’tcha come on with auntie House, and we’ll get you somethin’ ta eat? You can tell me all ‘bout it down at the ‘Stone.”

Leaf leaped off the bench, wrapping the older mare in a hug. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” He almost bawled.

The mare nodded, smiling awkwardly. “Yeah, uh, not that I really know how to take care of a colt... Don’t think any of us really do, in fact. You might hafta get used to some o’ the rougher guys, since they can be a little... loud. An’ they use words you prob’ly ain’t even heard b’fore.”

She kept talking to him as she walked him down towards the drugstore that was to be his new home. He felt a measure of happiness return in the knowledge that he’d have a group of ponies who would take care of him. Maybe life as a Card would work out after all.

------

Long after they were gone, Burnt Umber trotted past the spot where Rough House had found the colt, calling out, “Leaf! Leaf! Tobacco Leaf! Where are you? Leaf, please come home! Answer me...!” The mare looked like she was about to collapse from exhaustion. She passed through the light of the street lamp, heading in the opposite direction the two ponies had taken.

Then she, too, was gone.

------

End turn, Next player.

END - To be continued.

Next Chapter - Let the Games Begin
















Hope you enjoyed our story so far. We’ll update as soon as we can, our schedules permitting.
Thanks for reading!

- Tangus.

A lot of time went into this, but we’re always willing to put more in if it means bettering the story. Time permitting, we’ll be doing everything we can to make this better. Enjoy the read, and thanks!

- Silvertongue