Gerrard

"Oh how you goad so well. You assert that magic is a force without equal, and when I refute your statement, you claim that I am mad. How... quaint," he replied to her in a slightly amused voice. She was the one who initially asserted that one force was better than the other, yet he was the angry one. Regardless, he was going to drop the whole argument, the griffon unwilling to debate the whole situation further. He was here to meet an old friend, but that had clearly been forgotten in the heat of an argument. "So, how do you like the city? I imagine it takes a specific personality to enjoy this particular climate? I have to admit that Canterlot is a bit more mild than the badlands. It is nice if you prefer less extreme weather," he commented, trying to change the topic. He wanted to reminisce a bit about their youth, but she apparently didn't remember much about it, him in particular. Gerrard guessed it made sense though, a unicorn would be a lot more memorable in the griffon centric badlands.

Gerrard listened to his friend scold him playfully, the disoriented griffon sighing audibly in response to his words. "Yeah, those mean ol' Canterlot ponies would fire me for letting my friend poison me. They really are heartless at times," he grumbled in the most awkward of manners, making it hard to determine how serious he was. Gerrard clearly didn't like feeling the way he did, but the youthful griffon was faring surprisingly well. When the notion of flying back was mentioned to Gerrard, the black hybrid scoffed and swept away the idea with a talon, not seeming remotely worried as he rocked back and forth on the stool. "I get assigned jobs to complete, and I don't get paid by the hour. As long as I don't take a week to do something, they won't get mad or dock my salary. I have too many zero's on it for them to dock me anyway. Talking about 3 or 4, maybe 5 even. I forget..." he rambled off in a confused manner, slowly becoming incoherent again as he spoke off in no direction in particular. Gerrard's nostrils tensed ever so faintly as he took a whiff of the water presented to him. It was almost as if he were a connoisseur of water, which seemed plausible for a person of his profession. The architect quickly gulped down the glass of water as it was presented to him, letting out a gasp that made it seem like he hadn't drank any water in weeks. "Ahh water of the highest quality. The work of a true expert, give this person a raise!" he exclaimed in a silly manner, making it unclear who should be praised. He had fixed the water, but she had served it to him. It seemed rather likely though that he was simply complimenting his own work though, the younger hybrid not seeming to lack of his pride, even in such a state. He was normally in Falco's position, getting a good laugh at unfortunate souls who took more than their fare share of drinks. Unfortunately for him, Gerrard was the victim, and he couldn't get enough water to make himself feel better. "More water please, so thirsty. And send my regards to the chef and this gentle griffon, he has a firm claw that never lets me down... on the ground," he whimpered lightly, trying his best to not seem pathetic, as much as he seemed to be. It seemed to be another compliment of himself, but he was incoherent enough to leave parts of the compliments in doubt.

A thin layer of white covered the otherwise green plains of the mid point between Fillydelphia and the strangely infamous city of Ponyville. The sun tried in vain to peer through the haze of snow clouds that littered the sky, slowly releasing their frigid water upon the the vast landscape. Most of the reasonable residents of Equestria were tucked away in their homes, enjoying the warmth of a fire as they waited for the sun to finally dispatch the snow that lay siege to their homes. There of course were always exceptions to almost every rule, one in particular trudging through the snow at a pace that could only be described as focused. The light crunching of snow filled the air as a tall figure clad in a similarly dark cloak made their way towards the colourful cottage. A closer inspection of the stranger would reveal it to be a unicorn with a coat of darkest black, her form silhouetted against the white of the snowy terrain. Crimson eyes peered out from beneath her cowl, intensely searching the landscape before locking onto the cottage in the distance. With a quick trot, she soon found herself upon the the quirky toy shop, her hoof steps surprisingly quiet for such a tall mare who was trudging through frigid snow. With the residence clearly before the unicorn, her keen eyes quickly examined the house again, seeming to find something about it satisfactory. A dark red glow enveloped her long black horn, before her magic deftly lowered her cowl to reveal the most stoic of faces to the elements. Her expression seemed to be that of complete apathy, taking no pride or offense in being stuck out in the freezing cold in what could only be described as the middle of nowhere. She carefully raised an equally dark hoof from the ground and roughly knocked on the door to their home as she seemed to seek the attention of the residents. Her tall frame shifted ever so faintly as she patiently waited for a response from the toy makers. A keen eye would be able to spot the faint outlines of two large saddle bags that were tightly strapped to her frame, their exact contents unknown, well hidden from attention beneath her cloak almost as if she didn't want them to be noticed by prying eyes.

I would like to request a picture of my OC Asteria wearing a white dress of some sort. She is very dark and clearly not the emotional type. She comes off as very somber, emotionless even. While not evil, she comes off that way to the casual viewer. She is known for having a perpetually stoic expression like the ones in your artwork =3

Gerrard let out an audible sigh as his new friend explained that there was no cure for his particular ailment. The architect was bummed out that he would have to deal with being 'poisoned' until the effects ran it's course. He told himself that he was a stout griffon, and carefully raised his head, deciding to be remotely in denial with the most firm claim he could muster. "This is nothing. I once was bit by a rattler, in 4 days he died from my sheer awesomeness. There is no antidote for me either," he explained in a surprisignly coherent manner, the younger griffon grabbing the counter for support as he made his bold claim. When Falco mentioned water, it triggered something in the black hybrid, the inebriated griffon finding some of his pride that he promised to lock away. He raised one talon high into the air, trying to use Falco for support as he prepared to make quite the claim, even if it was true. "Yeah, I fixed your water pipes. Nobody even thanked me for my hard work. Did ja know that I was the only person in Canterlot who would take this job? Everyone else didn't want to walk for days to get out here. I'm a nice guy, coming out into the middle of nowhere to help a bunch of people I don't know. All those uppity Canterlot folk scoffed at you all, but I told them! They forced me out here, and I came, saving the day," his slurred out long-windedly, singing his own praises as he explained what happened as best he could muster. The griffon clearly wasn't using words carefully as he spoke, not that he could in his state. It was a bit unclear what the exact situation was, but most of what he said seemed true. He lost his balance a bit and nearly fell off the stool, waving his free hand about to stay upright. He was lucky enough to get some assistance from his friend, Gerrard staying on the seat against all odds. "You're welcome!" he snorted in a slightly lost manner, not sure of what else to say while he tried to regain his bearings.

Gerrard listened to the pair patiently, wanting to hear a bit about them. He always was all about himself, despite his meager attempts to the contrary. He decided to hear them out, trying to find something in common with them while trying to keep morale high for the small group of adventurers. When Telki asked the time old question, Gerrard grinned devilishly knowing it was time to strike back, even if it was just a bit playful. "Now now dear, we will be there when we get there, and not a minute sooner," he announced, Gerrard announced in a fatherly voice as he poked a talon into the sky in a lecturing manner. The black griffon chuckled lightly and thought about her coy magic comments. "I have a friend like you Telki, she always seems aloof and never really explains herself fully. She is honest though and just appreciates privacy and all the benefits it gives. You aren't planning on springing anything on us fliers, right Telki?" he added with a grin, leaning on Colton as he playfully feigned fear of a nonexistent plot to sabotage them. As he was joking around, the griffon closely watched the movements of the fickle sparrow. He made no immediate mention of his actions, at least not until he leaned on his pegasus friend. "Sparks, you ever had egg whites? You would probably like them, lots of little birds can't help but gobble them down. And before you claim cannibalism, eggs were never alive, and taste amazing. I came from an egg after all, and in all actuality, most pony baking involves eggs anyway. Think about that," Gerrard mentioned to the little bird, offering him food that he thought the small creature might like. "Man, if traveling was my hobby, I would have all the fun in the world. I have to traverse Equestria fixing pipes, but it isn't all in fun and games, I normally have to deal with with bad weather, people and wildlife. I should try a bit of scr-ap booking, maybe have something nostalgic to go and look back on when I get home sick," he explained with a bit of a sigh, reminiscing a bit over his past, the exact sections of it unknown to his unknown pony friends. "In regards to my personal interests though, I never really thought about it," he added in a strangely calm manner, the jovial and expressive griffon at a bit of a loss for words as he stroked his long black beak. "I like, meeting interesting people and going to sporting events. Did you know that there are sporting events in Equestria that don't involve the wonderbolts? Amazing I know," he added vaguely in a coy manner, the griffon wondering if either of the ponies knew them as well as he did.

Gerrard was really starting to dislike the mapmaker who sold him this map in Canterlot. They could have said something more than just ghost town, a term used for abandoned cities, and the griffon felt duped. "Oh, when I find that map maker, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind, and talon," the griffon grumbled to nobody in particular as he tried to catch his breath. He was going to demand hazard pay for this, assuming of course they both got out of the ghost town with all their limbs intact. He noticed the sand storm brewing as well, the small army of ghosts threatening to storm through the flying sand and collapse atop the pair. The pipe expert thought over the situation, trying his best to come up with an escape plan or even an explanation of what was going on. He often wondered if it was bad luck, that trapped him in these situations, or if he was simply the victim of the aloof hooves of his coworkers. Regardless, the griffon did think over her comment about ghosts not needing water, something he could agree with, having read a few fiction novels on the subject. "If they don't need the water, perhaps their Master needs it. Maybe there is a necromancer here, a practitioner of the dark arts! Using the water to fuel their army of minions, perhaps living ones as well as undead!" Gerrard theorized, having no real idea what was going on. Before he could add any more speculation to what was going on, the ground gave out from beneath him, the griffon clamoring to keep his heavier body from falling into the pit. "Gah, what a terrible day," he grumbled, not nearly as thrilled for adventure as his pegasus counterpart. When Pathfinder darted down into the darkness, he reluctantly followed her, wanting to escape the proverbial cloud of ghosts that seemed to be descending upon them. Gerrard followed after her quick movements, his keen eyes narrowing as he tried to track her in the decreased light of the underground.

Gerrard felt his mind slosh about in the least focused of ways imaginable. He found it hard to focus on anything, the younger griffon clearly not enjoying himself as much as he previously thought he would. "Yeah, I'm doing grrrrrreat," he replied in a slur, the black hybrid releasing his friend and placing a talon on the counter as he slowly regained his bearings. "So, do you have that antidote?" he grumbled lightly, laying his head on the counter as he tried his best to recover. "Give me the antidote please," he whimpered weakly, just wanting to forget the whole experience. "Why do people enjoy this, this is the worst feeling ever," he grumbled, unwilling to look at his friend while he tried to focus his eyes. The attention grabbing griffon was starting to hope he would go unnoticed, swearing to himself that he had learned his lesson. But like any braggart, he probably didn't mean it, even to himself.

"You're a great guy Falco, nicest griffon I ever met, honest. Next time you're in Canterlot, I'll treat you to some fancy schmancy drinks" Gerrard replied to his friend, grabbing one large mug of the very potent beverage. Most ponies would drink it in smaller shots, but Gerrard didn't drink enough to understand the potency of apple vodka. The griffon carefully raised the beverage to his maw and carefully sampled the apple flavored drink. His eyes widened as he let out a light cough, surprised by the drink. "Wow, potent stuff, tastes great," he added with a laugh, the black hybrid eying the drink as he opened his beak wide. "To better days!" he cheered, the griffon quickly chugging the drink, his keen eyes water a bit as he hacked and wheezed a bit. "There isn't much water in that drink, is there?" he stammered a barely coherent voice, the dark hybrid lowering his head. "You poisoned my drink, how dwarrrr youuuu monter," he slurred back, his words clearly labored as he started to lose his balance. His dark claws released his mug as he leaned over and grabbed onto Falco, Gerrard trying his best not to fall off the stool to the ground.

Gerrard chuckled lightly as he listened to Falco explain that they had some strong stuff out here in the desert. He knew his limits, but like any braggart, he loved to embellish and use hyperbole."Hey, I may have spent a great deal of my life working and learning in Canterlot, but that hasn't made me soft at all. I'll take your challenge and raise it to two glasses!" the younger griffon exclaimed proudly, clearly not knowing anything about the drink as he made such an extreme declaration. "I've been to Stalliongrad, and while it may be cold enough to freeze water instantly, I have a heart of burning fire," he explained proudly, the black hybrid reaching a talon into his bag, but resisting the urge to pull out a special tool to show off with. "I like a juice drink as much as the next guy, give me your worst," he replied with a smile, wrapping a foreleg around the neck of his friend as he shared in celebratory hug, Gerrard waiting to be presented with the drinks. "To better times!" he cheered for his friend, starting to make a spectacle out of himself and his friend, and the drinks weren't even out yet for him.

Asteria listened as Dawn tried to explain that she didn't understand her words. Her statement was a bit extreme, most spells only having a few limited uses. But there was one spell that had a nearly infinite amount of uses. "Dawn, while knowing more spells is not bad in any way, seeking more spells to learn when you lack a complete understanding of your current ones is a path of study I would not recommend. The most basic of all spells is telekinesis, the ability to manipulate objects with our mind. While it is the easiest spell to learn, it is one of the hardest to truly master. Even if a unicorn only has access to this spell, they can manipulate their environment greatly," she explained, her long black horn glowing a dark red as she levitated a pair of scissors from her bag. "While I may not have the claws to use these, if I use my telekinesis in a deft manner, I can operate these as if I did," Asteria explained as she lowered them to the ground. The glowing red scissors carefully opened and trimmed a small strip of grass that was over grown near the cobble stone that the fountain rested upon. "There are always ways to improve your magical abilities, because most spells do not have finite limits. The only limitations are what your skill and strength will allow. As a rule of thumb, unless you are a great master of magic, never try to exert more magical force than your body would physically be able to handle, doing so can greatly increase your chance of injury. With practice, you can make even telekinesis a powerful spell," she explained calmly for the filly, her horn glowing a darker shade of red as she pulled out a wide assortment of tools from her saddle bags, the mare able to freely manipulate them all with her will. "While there is no particular trick to teaching you how to learn magic better, I can say that your proficiency is only limited by your desire to practice. Your range of spells that you can use might be limited to serve your special talent, but there are always more efficient ways to use your magic. Any unicorn can pick up an item by grasping it with magic, but a trained unicorn can pick one up by using the absolute minimum magic to support the weight of the object. By doing so, they limit the stress on their body and allow them to manipulate more items than they might otherwise be able to control," Asteria added while she slipped the tools back into her magic in unison, seeming to find their proper positions without bothering to look. She shifted her attention back to Dawn, not exactly saying twenty ways a spell could be used, but showing her that a spell could be used for many different things. "May I ask what specific magic you know, and to what degree you can use it? Perhaps I can explain a few unique ways to apply it?" Asteria added patiently as she subconsciously shifted her tired legs. She was rather tired from such a long trip, but her stoic expression made it almost impossible to tell, the black mare seeming focused on her smaller white counterpart.

Gerrard smirked a bit, figuring it was worth a try at least. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he thought whimsically as she pulled her hoof away. Today was apparently not the day he would find his special somepony, not that he was particularly worried about it on any specific day. "Well, can't blame a guy for trying to be polite," he chuckled to himself as the griffon released her foreleg from his clutches. "I am a mite heated, the sun has burned my feathers black," he added poking a pink tongue out playfully as he made silly evidence of his heat stroke. The black hybrid wore a solemn expression on his face while Falco came over to support him with a pat on the back. "Thanks Falco, I appreciate all the support man," Gerrard added devilishly, deciding to give the elder griffon a strong bear hug, lifting the sergeant off the ground before releasing him. "Drink? Uhh, well how about you surprise me, I'm not much of a drinker. Whatever you think will suit my fancy, you seem to be an expert at drinking Falco," Gerrard replied to the question, lightly jabbing the elder griffon in the side with his elbow. Gerrard never really understood why people felt the need to order something sophisticated, the griffon being a bit more utilitarian than his Canterlot counterparts. While he lived there, and enjoyed a lot of the things Equestria had to offer, the concept of 'fanciness' was lost on him.

Asteria listened patiently to the young unicorn's description of magic. Her face remained as stoic as ever as she tried to describe that magic was a force that was hard to describe in a scientific manner. Most of her words seemed to be a text book definition of the force, the black mare very familiar with the words. "That is a very appropriate definition of magic, but I must stress that just because the source is hard to define, does not mean it should not be studied further. Unicorns use their horns in a manner to channel their physical energy and convert it into magic, the magic being used to create a wide variety of affects that depend on the individual," she explained in a more focused manner to the young filly. The older unicorn's expression remained static as she pooled her thoughts together for a more detailed response. Asteria preferred to be objective about everything, the odd mare deciding that almost nothing was particularly right or wrong, simply a different perspective on the same idea. "There are many ways to use magic, and even a unicorn with limited magic potential can use it to manipulate the world in a satisfactory manner with enough training and creative thinking. May I ask for a description of your own abilities, as you see them? Many unicorns simply categorize their abilities by the spells they use, but sometimes it is more appropriate to view your abilities for their practical application. While knowing twenty spells may be nice, if they are all niche and situational, their practical application could be marginal at best. A talented pony may know many spells, but a trained pony can use a spell in many ways," she explained in a more specific manner, the mare not giving any specifics for the filly to think of. Asteria intended for the filly to show her a spell, and with some guidance, show the young pony a new perspective on using such magic. From her experience, while young ponies were creative, they tended to see things in a specific prism of good and evil, or right and wrong.

Gerrard listened as the mare made assertions that magic was completely better than the tools his species liked to use. He raised his brow, finding such an unneeded assertion particularly perplexing. Had he said something to bother her, the griffon normally respected unicorn magic, but he didn't need anyone talking down to him or his talents. "There is a tool for every situation Destiny, and with proper training, anyone can learn how to use them. The same can not be said of magic, most ponies have magic that is limited to their special talent, and that is the extent of their magic power. You seem to forget that you yourself are not a disembodied mind, and in fact, your flesh is far less durable than any mithril wrench," he explained, watching her levitate his lightweight tool, the mare seeming intent to show him how pathetic his tools were as it started to glow. He noticed the lines, his keen eyes watching them as she tried to assert that a simple use of force on a certain portion of his tool could destroy it. "And it seems that you are intent on proving the superiority of tools over magic. While you could destroy this wrench by applying many tons of force on a particular portion of it, the same could not be said of a unicorn," he explained with a sigh, the magician so caught up in her vast magical abilities that she seemed to forget about herself. "No, you see, any amount of force with a tool on a unicorn would indeed injure them greatly. In fact, only a tiny fraction of the force required to destroy my wrench would be needed to destroy your soft unicorn body," he explained with a sigh, gently tapping the crescent wrench on his talon. Her assertions were quite bothersome and demeaning, the griffon trying his best not to let it bother him. Regardless, this was the most arrogant unicorn he had ever met, but the griffon maintained his composure knowing that many had done the same for him when he boasted. "The nice thing about tools, is that there is a tool for every situation, and everyone can use them. If you want to shoot something, there is of course a crossbow. If you want to mend metal together, I can hand ten blow torches over to ten griffons and with a few minutes of explanation, they can all be fixing pipes. And if I want to tighten or loosen a bolt, I have my wrench, which also doubles as the worlds toughest club," he added with a smirk, slipping it back into his bag before she decided to try and knot it into a bow. "Tools are a creation of the mind, just like magic, and while they may not be as dextrous, they are continually evolving. They can be given to everyone, and have no real limitation. You don't need to learn an advanced magic spell and exert yourself to take a step into an airship and fly across the county. And while they are breakable, the source of both is as well. And as a wise princess once said, no magic lasts forever," he replied with a stern tone in his voice, the black hybrid shaking his now warm body as he basked a bit near the fire. He could hold his own in a discussion, and was trying his best to avoid letting it become heated, even as his pride started to taint his opinion.

Gerrard slowly walked his large body into the bar, the dark griffon blending in well with the shady surroundings, his silver head and yellow eyes the only things that were easy to make out of him. Gerrard watched examined the area while wearing the most firm of expressions on his face, the hybrid trying his best to seem serious. He did like the odd game of pool, and if darts were a legitimate weapon, he might be able to pass for a competent marksman. Of course, both were basically just games, ones he liked, but games nonetheless. He saw that the bar was mostly empty, and thought it was probably for the best, not wanting to start a brawl with his antics. He spotted the bartender, the older mare vaguely reminding him of his unicorn friend, the griffon faintly smiling as he compared the two ponies in his mind, figuring that any similarities ended there, his mare friend coming off as rather robotic, something this stranger clearly was not. He listened as she casually welcomed Falco, clearly knowing him to some degree as she spoke with such familiarity. Gerrard's eyes remained focused on the mare as Falco placed his crossbow on the counter, the black hybrid wanting to avoid any discussion of that tool while in the presence of anyone else. "Hello my lady, it is an honor to meet a friend of Sergeant Falco. I am Gerrard Grayfeather, may I humbly ask your name?" he asked in a sincere manner while he bowed before her, the griffon taking her left fore hoof in his talons as he politely kissed it. His actions were completely different from the ones he had displayed to griffon in their short time together. It was unclear if it was another joke from the 'plumber' or if he had decided to make less of a spectacle. Perhaps he was even just a womanizer of sorts, the Equestrian schooled griffon possibly having an interest in mares.

Gerrard was pleased to see that his two employees were dealing with his playful jabs in a reasonable manner. He learned from experience that some people didn't take kindly to any sort of joking, but like any proud griffon, he thrived on conflict. Regardless, he internally decided to limit such actions as he waved for his two new pony friends to follow him on his trip to the edge of town. The black griffon looked over the ghost town as he began his slow tour of the town. "So Colton, what do you do for your own personal amusement when I'm not around to entertain you? Any interesting tricks or hobbies you know? Every pegasus I've ever met has dreamed of being a Wonderbolt, are you any different?" he asked his friend with his usual cheeky grin, the griffon honestly curious, regardless of how belittling it might seem. "And of course, we can't forget about Lady Telki. Know any cool spells? I have a friend, who requests to remain nameless, and she knows all kinds of tricky spells to confuse people. Or might I venture a guess that you have an awesome talent that isn't magic related at all? That would be very interesting," he added devilishly as they made their way towards the slowly growing pipeline in the distance. Gerrard would never openly admit it, but unicorn magic had always fascinated him and he was always trying to determine the extent of power each individual unicorn had.

Asteria listened as Nexar explained why changelings could never leave peacefully with ponies, her black ears perked up as she listened attentively to his explanation and reasoning. "Sir Nexar, it is unwise to speak in absolutes. There tend to be exceptions that exist when such broad statements are made. While it is very possible that the vast majority see Equestria as nothing more than food, it is possible, until all are examined, that there are some who may be so predatory. "Perhaps it would be appropriate if peaceful ones, lived in our presence? If you cause no harm to anyone, why would we feel the need to banish you?" she replied thoughtfully to him, the mare not seeming at all out to get him as she spoke in her normal strange manner. "Entering a city is not tantamount to trespassing. If you enter a home with the intent to harm, that is trespassing. There are of course many explanations and nuances to the law, but from what I have heard, you have committed no crime. You are free to live your life as you wish sir. If you require my assistance as a courier, or even as an associate, feel free to contact me at my office here in Canterlot. Farewell Sir Nexar, may our paths cross again in the future," she added patiently to him. The mare was interested in learning more about him and his species, but felt that it would be rude to study him further. Regardless, if he was telling the truth, it was quite the interesting bit of knowledge for her to have.

The griffon heard what sounded like Pathfinder groaning at him, the dark hybrid raising his brow in a confused manner. "You can throw your voice Pathfinder? Neat trick," he replied in a suprised manner, trying to keep his voice low. Gerrard looked to both of his sides for anyone that might have spotted their intrusion into the abandoned bar. He didn't spot anyone, the griffon completely unaware of the ghost behind him. The black hybrid's search was interrupted when Pathfinder declared Ghost, the griffon chuckling a bit. "I might not be the master adventurer, but there is no such thing as ghosts," he explained with a laugh, his keen eyes spotting pathfinder pointing a hoof behind him. The griffon decided to humor her, turning around, only to see a spectral creature behind him, his heart stopping for just a moment. Gerrard was so surprised that he didn't know what to do, the hybrid back up so fast that he tripped and fell back over the counter they were hiding behind. He thought ghosts were just some old pony's tail, a rumor made up to scare little foals. But here they were, a small squad of ghosts doing their best to intimidate the pair, and it was working, at least enough to scare the big 'legendary' griffon. He had heard her dart out of the room, the griffon hoping she hadn't seen him make too much of a fool out of himself. They hybrid noticed she was standing just outside the bar and followed after her, the hybrid weaving between tables before making his way outside. The griffon was greeted by a large amount of ghosts, his face drooping in disbelief, not sure if what he was seeing was actually real. He hoped that it was just some bad cider, but he was pretty sure that it wasn't, the ghosts slowly closing in on him. When she asked if he was was ready to beat up some ghosts, the griffon raised his brow, not sure of what to say. Ghosts were simply that, body-less creatures that harassed the living for reasons unknown. Could he even hurt them, they weren't alive after all. Still, it inspired him to try, the hybrid growling as decided to break their perimeter. Gerrard charged one on the outside monsters, lunging towards one, slashing into it with a black talon, only to have his claw go through the ghost. The speed of his attack caused the griffon to lose his balance, the adventurer falling on his face as he realized that he had no way to hurt such creatures. He hadn't even noticed that one tripped her up, the griffon too distracted by his own problems. The ghost was completely unharmed, turning around to see his attacker as he gestured for half of his allies to pursue the fire-breather. The detective griffon didn't even bother dusting himself off, instead looking around for an escape path. "We gotta get out of here pathfinder, we need magic to beat ghosts," he explained in a concerned manner, the hybrid darting as fast as his paws could carry him towards the edge of town as he picked up the downed pegasus with one talon, putting Pathfinder on her hooves as he gestured for her to follow him around the corner of a building at the edge of town. He just needed a minute to think things over, his mind racing over all the different explanations of what just happened. "What do these ghosts need water for? It doesn't make any sense. Something is wrong here," he panted in a tired manner, trying to figure out what was going on. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it had to have something to do with the job he was assigned to at this actual "GHOST" town.

Asteria could sense that he almost was attempting to explain that she should be mad at him for one reason or another. "As much as one may like to reason to the contrary, we are all animals in one way or another. It is only natural for animals to prey on other beings. Ponies prey on plants for food, where as Changelings prey on ponies for love. A hunter must act in the most efficient manner possible to best ensure their own survival. It would only be wrong if there was another efficient manner to survive, do you know of one that would also work?" she replied calmly, staring down what clearly was a changeling in her midst. "I am not able to tell if you will meet a zebra in the future, but if you continue working in an area with close proximity to one, it is highly likely that you will cross paths with one. Just as changelings may scare ponies, the creatures of the forest can be dealt with appropriately if you maintain your composure," she explained to him in regards of his words, the mare vaguely mentioning that she knew how to deal with members of his species. Did she know of some sort of weakness, or had she called for help without him noticing? Was she even concerned about her own safety, everything about the strange mare was so hard to make a clear judgement on. When he seemed excited about her helping a dragon, the mare didn't seem very impressed, not that she ever seemed to anyway. "All sentient creatures in Equestria have the right to live their lives, but they must also realize that the law of the land dictates the moral compass of the majority of the people living here. While you are able to deny the laws of the land, you must be willing to accept responsibility for your actions," she explained to him, almost as if Asteria was accusing him of some dastardly deed. "If you wish to live a normal life, feel free to do so. I have no right to stop your drink of cider, unless you have committed a crime. Would I be correct in assuming that you have committed no crime?" her intent becoming more clear as she explained that she had no intent of calling any guards to arrest him. "Being born is not a crime. What you do with your life may be a crime sir, or it may not. You must also realize that everyone sees the world in a different light. While you may be factually innocent, some may assert that you are guilty by association. It may be in your best interest to maintain your disguise in public, others in Canterlot having a rational fear of your species," she added slowly, absolving him of any crimes he felt he may have committed, while explaining that others might not be as understanding as her.

Gerrard flew after his friend, the dark hybrid always liking to fly at a leisurely pace, a habit from his cross country travels. He slowly followed after his friend, the architect flapping his large wings as he landed on the ground. He looked the modest wooden building over with his keen eyes as Falco suggested that he lead the way inside. "I'll make sure to keep a low profile, can't have everyone know that the most important person in Equestria is here with you. How do I look?" he commented quickly the griffon extending his large black wings before curling them up around his body as if they were a cloak. Only the portion of his head above his beak was visible, the hybrid looking like quite the villain as he almost threatened to enter the bar in such an absurd manner. His smirk returned to a 'normal' expression as his wing returned to a more natural position, the griffon deciding to play off his entrance in the most casual of ways he could imagine. "Alright, I'll lead the charge," he playfully retorted, walking up to the building and pushing the doors open as he lead his friend into the establishment. Gerrard promised himself not to make a spectacle, but he remembered that he just fixed the water in this town. The people of Breakbeak city must be told of the deeds of their savior. The black hybrid mulled over his options, waiting for the perfect time to make his announcement.

Asteria listened patiently to the strange unicorn, the black mare used to seeing herself as different from the established norm. The chat took a strange turn when he tried to explain the actions of the changelings that everyone seemed to hate. The odd mare was the type who felt that anger and fear were unnecessary notions because all actions could be rationalized. "I believe that it is only natural for changelings to prey on beings that carry the energy source that they need to survive. Most people do not fault predators in the wild for hunting to survive, why would I be mad at someone for attempting to survive?" she remarked in the strangest of manners, almost as if she were a changeling herself. She seemed open minded, almost to the extreme where she didn't feel insulted to be preyed upon. "Regardless Sir Nexar, you should speak more confidently if you wish for others to believe your words. I could detect hesitation in your words, and some will take that hesitation as grounds to declare you a liar. I am not sure if that was your intention, but you did not seem to believe your own words," she explained in a curious manner, the mare speaking assuredly, having no clear lack of confidence in her words. When he spoke of his job as a logger in the Everfree Forest though, his face lit up and the changeling spoke in a confident manner, taking pride in his work. It seemed as if he wholeheartedly believed that he was speaking the truth and Asteria decided that it was extremely unlikely that he was lying to her. "I apologize if my words came off in a manner that asserted you lied about your occupation. I have not been through the forest in the past week, so it was likely that I never had the opportunity to meet you. When he spoke of the the creatures and resources of the forest itself, Asteria nodded in agreement with him. "I have met a zebra in the forest who cultivates the herbs therein to create all manners of potions. The forest is rich with natural resources, but you must be willing to accept your position as prey when you enter such a location. But yes, I humbly will accept your offer of shelter in the future if I meet you near your home.," she commented patiently to him as her eyes watched him drink the cider with extreme fervor. "Sir Nexar, you should pace yourself on the drinks or your stomach may start to hurt from filling it up with too much liquid," she explained calmly, her face remaining stoic as the seemingly crazed unicorn drank as much cider as he could imagine. Asteria listened as he went on about her magic, the changeling seeming rather envious as he spoke to her about her job and abilities. He spoke in the most peculiar of ways though, the first unicorn she had ever met to refer to their magic so strangely. "I deliver items that are deemed to important to risk with a normal courier. My clients are normally creatures that others are too afraid of to work with on a regular basis, dragons and griffons in particular. I will agree to work for anyone, of any species, as long as my deliver will not cause unnecessary harm to other sentient creatures in Equestria. I am obligated by agreements to not disclose my most sensitive items, but I have had to return a dragon's item that was stolen and put into a museum," she explained calmly, the mare answering his other questions first before pressing him about his odd choice of words. "You speak of unicorn magic in a manner that suggests you are not a member of that species. From my experience, unicorns simply refer to their abilities as magic. Are you a member of another species that has a different type of magic? Perhaps a zebra, dragon, or changeling perhaps? Maybe another creature I am not familiar with. Perhaps I am jumping to conclusions, but it seems as if you are not being entirely truthful with me. That is your right to hide things and I will accept that as your choice, but relationships that are founded on lies are usually not strong enough to last a long time," she explained calmly to the changeling in her usual voice, her expression as calm and stoic as ever as her long black horn glowed a dark red. While her colours were far from the norm of her species, her magic looked very normal for a unicorn, the magic aura raising her hood up as the two stood at the bar, nobody else around to spot whatever they might decide to do.

That kinda works for me. My new job gave me mandatory overtime tonight and I couldn't say no as a newbie.

(I think this thread is over for now. I am not sure how I feel about shipping, especially at such a fast rate with a person he knows so little about. Mane RP threads are supposed to be higher quality as well, and we have been doing 1 and 2 liners posts)

Gerrard did one final check of his body for major cuts or bruises, his eyes unable to spot any while he listened to Falco speak. The dark hybrid chuckled lightly when the elder mentioned that there was still some hope left for clumsy griffon. "Yeah, perhaps I can be saved," the architect cheered playfully as he gathered himself. He didn't often get to drink at all the places he visited, the strictly business approach of his unicorn friend rubbing off on him somewhat as he spent a fair amount of time helping her. "Rufflefeather Tavern? What a strange name for a tavern. I feel morally obligated to make a ruffling joke, but I will do my best to ignore that instinct," he added, winking in manner that suggested he hadn't completely decided against making such a terrible joke. He thought for a moment about who actually worked in this town, it was a long walk for anyone with wings. It might be a pain for a pegasus to unscrew and deconstruct ships without talons or magic. Then he thought about griffons, a lot of it being their technology anyway, but it would be a bit strange seeing fifty griffons in a pony town named after breaking beaks. He shrugged lightly, completely forgetting the atmosphere comment as he took off after his sergeant friend. Gerrard wasn't exactly the type to want trouble, aside from scaring a few ponies for a bit of fun. That of course didn't mean he avoided trouble well though, the black griffon seeming to get more than his own fair share. He thought it was only fair that everyone else got to share a bit in his greatness. Sharing was a virtue, and it would be greedy of him to keep all of his self awarded awesomeness all to himself, wouldn't it? At least he thought so, the griffon perhaps a bit disillusioned.