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There it was… calling to him, taunting him mercilessly; a plush toy in the shape of a paint pallet with ridiculous googly eyes that stared into the depths of Rogue Gallery’s soul. The plush was squished between multiple other, far more normal, toys and the glass cage that was the crane game. The colt would be able to touch it if it wasn’t for the glass prison the plush was in. Rogue Gallery had already wasted his bits trying to get the toy, but it was positioned just so that it was nearly impossible for the claw of the game machine to catch it. No other toy would do, he just had to have this one.

The machine and the young bab were outside in an area of the park that was riddled with various games designed to take bits and rarely pay out; typical carnival type games. It was a bit later in the evening and the park’s crowds had died down with the sun setting. With Rogue’s desire for the plush burning inside him, his mind was settled. There just had to be a way to ‘free’ the plush from it’s mechanical prison. He tried to jiggle it loose with unicorn magic, but it would not budge. He tried to rock the machine, but it was firmly planted to the ground.

Rogue let out a sigh then glanced around. No one seemed to be watching… maybe he could just break into the machine. The colt jammed his hoof into the prize slot, but his legs were too short for it to even make a difference. He walked around, examining the machine until he found the panel that employees used to fill the machine. Perfect.

Trying to be sneaky, Rogue tried to turn the screws on the panel loose using his horn.

Rogue was so focused on his task that he didn't notice the sounds or figure of the yellow mare coming up towards him. He diligently continued on his fiendish take to get the prize palette plush.

A screw came loose and clunked to the ground, followed by another and another until the all 4 were out. The unicorn was able to slide the panel out from the back of machine. The whole was just large enough that he was able to squeeze himself through. Half his body disappearing into the pile of plushes, trying to swim up. Just a hind leg poked out.

What was that? Rogue could of swore he heard something of a vaguely threatening adult tone. Curious, the bab's body disappeared farther into the abyss of the machine. It was long before his horn, ears and eyes could be seen poking out between the plushies. His yellow eyes blinked catching the blue eyes of the adult. The bab's heart sank a little bit as he realized he was caught, but perhaps he could play it off dumb.

Pulling himself up, the magenta bab popped his head fully out of the pit of animals, as he leaned in close to the glass and the adult's face on the other side. "Wot? I couldn't hear you .. routine maintenance and you know how that goes." Rogue smiled cheekily.

It had been worth a try. "Ah, I guess you caught me fair and square." Rogue shrugged and laughed it off. "I just wanted to know what it would feel like to be swimming in a pile of plushes?" As Rogue lied some more, he pretended to do the backstroke as he fell back into the plush. His goal of the paint palette plush was so close, surely he could sneak it out whenever he managed to get out. As his swimming strokes nudged him closer to the goal.

"You sure you won't want to try this too?"

Rogue knew he could be smooth when he wanted to, but he wasn't expecting such a reaction from the adult. His eyes widened at her admission of her hobbies. This mare was clearly crazy and he was not expecting such a rapid gleeful expression at the idea of swimming in plushies. He just imagined the yellow mare diving head first into a giant pool of stuffed bears, cats, and dogs. The mental image was almost too ridiculous... yet so was this situation, as he himself was smooshed between various animal shapes. The magenta colt let out a loud laugh. "You really do that?"

"That's too awesome." It took several moments for him to stifle the giggles, Rogue rolled about chortling until he let out a long drawn out breathy heeee sound, wiping eyes against his foreleg. "I'm in the machine... to get that paint palette, " Rogue pointed towards the artistic inanimate object plush. "... and because it's fun."

"I can keep a secret for sure," Rogue winked at the older mare.

"Oh you have one too? 3 tries seems about right I guess to win the crane gam....wait a minute, "Rogue paused mid sentence as the words actually dawned on him. "So you made these!? No way. I didn't know the these were hoof made items. I thought they just came from some factory somewhere not straight from the park."

Rogue gave a devilish grin at the idea of a trade, "What kind of deal did you want to make?"

Rogue took his sweet time considering his options. Stay in the machine or have this mare make him his own paint palette plush. There was a certain pleasure in already having achieved the break-in, but he felt oddly more pleased that his antics and quips made the mare laugh enough that she was willing to strike a deal instead of turning him in. It was also difficult to say no to his own custom made plush. Decision made, the colt wiggled his way out of the machine in no time and flashed his hooves. "Nothing to see here, right? So we have deal!"

Rogue used his magic to pull a pen and paper sticky note out from his saddle bag. With a quick magical scribble, he wrote down his address and handed it over to the yellow mare. "Any time you're able to deliver on this deal."

Their transaction over, lightning fast, Rogue screwed the back of the panel back onto the machine, but when he turned around the yellow mare was gone and disappeared into the night. Rogue was left amused and a little confused on what just happened.