Gerrard

She nodded as he spoke, understanding his words after he clarified them for her. "I see, your actions were transparent. Meaning that it was easy to see through them to see what you were actually trying to do. By this definition, it would seem that I have trouble seeing through glass, and I must apologize for being unaware of your intentions," she replied, accepting that it was obvious but she simply didn't understand for reasons unknown. It seemed that she always accepted blame for any misunderstanding, simply because she was wrong a lot, or just preferred to avoid conflict.

When he went on to explain the terms of the deal for them being partners, Asteria nodded in her usual manner, seeming to understand the rules as he spoke. "To earn the title of your Very Special Somepony, it means I must avoid mating and having relations with other ponies. Is there a contract of some sort for this deal, it would seem unwise to sign any agreement without a proper description of the agreement. In exchange for this agreement, I would receive additional time with you at no expense? The contract would be binding at all times, but I would only be able to collect my portion of the agreement while we both had free time? These terms seem hard to agree to. If I could not spend time with other ponies, I would need to spend more time with Sir Gerrard, my griffon friend. His species is exempt from the pony only clause of your agreement, correct? Perhaps I can place a value on signing the agreement if I can quantify the value of spending time with you, and contrasting it to the losses incurred when I agree to forsake relationships with other male ponies?" she theorized aloud, not getting the point very well when she tried to mathematically determine if the agreement was something that she could benefit from. It seemed to be stressed further when she interpreted his words as permission to have relationships with non-ponies, something the open-minded mare did not seem against at all. She did not seem against or for his terms, the odd unicorn needing to hear a proper proposal before locking herself into an agreement like the business mare she was.

"Marriages occur for the creation of offspring correct? I am unsure if I am willing to commit to the sacrifices required to have a child in the near future. Most of us are inherently selfish in some way, and I do not believe that I can afford the detriment to my personal goals that would occur if I were to create offspring. In addition to this, I would need to do additional research to make sure that our genetics were different enough to allow for a healthy child. I can not perform such an investigation on such short notice. It would be much easier to arrive at this conclusion if you were a member of a different order. While you are a different species, it is still possible that we both might share some deficient recessive genes," she explained to him in a bizarre manner, the mare seeming to suggest that she would prefer marrying the genetically different creature that was still compatible with her for the sake of any children. If it wasn't clear before, it was getting very obvious that this mare was strange and thought over ever possible situation, regardless of how unlikely they might be. Were the other patrons at the restaurant listening to their conversation, if so, things might start getting awkward for everyone involved.

Seems well written. I like the changes and am sending it off for final review.

She listened intently to the stallion, her ears perking up ever so faintly as he described himself as transparent. It was clear that she was confused again by his figure of speech, the mare being almost entirely literally minded. "Sir Saddlesore, you are not transparent at all. While your complexion may be reddening, I can not see through you," she commented simply as she leaned close to his face, changing her vantage point to verify her statement. "Perhaps I am simply misunderstanding the intent of your words?" she reasoned aloud, not wanting to call him a liar as she remained as agreeable as possible.

Asteria listened as he professed his love for her, the mare nodding in her usual manner that indicated she was listening to him. "I see, Sir Saddlesore. I appreciate your presence as well. In regards to being asked out by stallions often, your words may be described as hyperbole. While I have been asked out on dates in the past, it is not very often. I believe that many may be intimidated by my presence, or simply looking for different qualities in their mates," she theorized aloud, the mare thinking over her words. The courier paused to think over her statement, deciding that she didn't not exaggerate her past experiences with others. "I have not had a very special some person of my own. What exactly does that entail?" she asked in a confused manner, almost seeming to think of it as a possible business deal or something similar.

Asteria lightly cocked her head to the side, her scarlet mane shifting to the side as she watched his face redden yet again. She determined that it had to be related to nervousness in some way. While she was right, the unicorn did not realize that her 'promise' to remember was what caused his facial change. "Why does the face redden when one is nervous? Does it serve any constructive purpose, or is it something that has yet to be properly understood?" she commented in her usual non-assuming manner.

The black unicorn blinked her fiery eyes when he spoke, the courier failing to understand his common figure of speech. "I don't know how happy I have made you? Perhaps I am ignorant to how I make you feel, forgive me for being unaware of your feelings," she apologized, seeming to try to avoid conflict. The mare seemed to operate overly passive for reasons unknown. Something about her was strange, the exact cause though, a complete mystery.

She listened, the mare nodding as he explained that the likelihood of an ulterior motive was really low. "I see, forgive me for questioning the motives of our hosts. It was not my intent to alienate us from their efforts. I simply wished to understand why they would operate their business at a loss. You're clarification is enough for me, I will not delve deeper into their rationality. I am glad that my presence has helped both you and the restaurant. Is there any way I can repay your kindness?" she asked calmly, looking across to Saddlesore as she continued to politely eat her food.

"What are my thoughts on the salad?" Asteria replied in her unchanging voice as she thought over a way to express her thoughts on the food. The salad meets all expectations of the food it advertises itself as. It's consistency is acceptable and does not lack in any meaningful way. As for the dressing itself, from the taste of it, I speculate that it is low in fat while adding enough substance to merit its own existence. It is a very competent salad sir, and I appreciate this offering of goodwill. Thank you for allowing me to share this new experience with you, I will try to remember it for years to come," she commented simply for him, Asteria turning her attention back to Saddlesore as she focused her intense crimson eyes on the face of her date.

His date blinked a bit and cocked her head to the side as he messed up her name yet again. He had a tendency to do so, the mare supposing that he kept doing so because he was nervous for one reason or another. Without knowing how to fix his ailment, she came up with a solution to his awkwardness. "Sir Saddlesore, if you wish to call me Beautiful, you may do so. I will not be offended if you call me the wrong name. I have read that friends call one another by nicknames as a sign of affection. Would this be an acceptable compromise?" she asked, trying to limit his awkwardness while her proposal was something that would probably only make it worse. While she was not the vain type, it might have been interpreted as such by the other patrons in the restaurant.

When the free food was placed on the table, Asteria listened to her confused friend ask for an explanation. She heard out the waiter and waited for him to leave before making a statement regarding the food itself. "Thank you for the kind words sir, I am honored to receive your praise," she commented vaguely as he walked off, the black courier turning her attention back to him as she tried to understand the motives of the nice stallion who had just given them free food. "It is possible that he simply speaks the truth. Perhaps we are to give a tip to compensate for the free food? Or maybe it is a marketing strategy of some kind, relying on our presence or word of mouth to promote the company?" she speculated aloud, the unicorn mare clearly the type to think things through far too much.

"Perhaps we should oblige the restaurant and accept their offer of free food and start eating," she speculated, Asteria carefully levitating a fork with her magic as she carefully ate her food like one might expect from a Canterlot pony. She of course didn't do it to show off, but in all actuality ate in such a way as to show respect for the restaurant she was eating at. She carefully savored each portion of the food and turned to face her partner. "Do you find the food satisfactory?" she asked simply, never speaking with hyperbole as if it were something to be avoided at all costs.

Gerrard was glad that this mare wasn't the type who needed a great deal of personal space. Most mares either squeezed back just as tight, or simply squirmed free and stomped on his feet. The griffon was glad that there was another outcome, especially one that didn't end with a crushed foot or a grabby mare that wouldn't leave him to his own devices. He watched her scoop away the arrows, the architect scratching his head a bit in confusion at the spectacle. "Surely the arrows couldn't be worth the effort of carrying them around? Sentiment must play a role! Maybe she has a museum dedicated to all the arrows, with placards describing the exploits related to them," the griffon thought in silence, chuckling a bit at the absurdity of it all.

She replied in the manner he expected, the griffon seeming to understand the thought process of the seemingly unpredictable mare. The hearty griffon didn't as much as flinch at her playful jabs, the hybrid used to giving and receiving them as exchanged banter with friends and strangers alike. "Yeah, I suppose it was quick thinking. Just let me wear your pith hat if I need to block any arrows with my head," he joked, deciding to not jab her back in the side. He was pretty sure he had done it to a pegasus who was flying, the black creature remembering someone crashing into wall. He couldn't remember the details, and decided to shrug it off, smiling a bit as he decided against needlessly hovering. Sure he could manage, but his large wings made it tiring to hold a stable position in the air without moving around.

While he was not an expert in the supernatural by any means, Gerrard was an expert in water, and he had read of the infamous things it could do. "Well, you might wonder why someone would want water when they have ghosts. The answer is quite clear if you think about it. We managed to escape their clutches, unscathed as well! While their ghost things might be scary they are hardly dangerous enough to harm a large city, especially one with any amount of skilled unicorns. See, the problem with ghosts is that they lack substance, they lack speed, they lack determination! Water has all three with extra to spare," he cheered, clenching his talon and raising it for emphasis.

"Have you ever see rain on a stormy night? You can see the clear outline of it as it pelts the ground! It falls so fast that not even the fastest pegasus can evade it. As for determination, water always gets to the ground, no matter the path it has to take!" he exclaimed with a smile as a drop of water fell from one of his talons and fell to the ground for Pathfinder to see, assuming she managed to keep her attention on him. He heard a light rumbling and turned his attention back to the pony, just in time to see her pull a brick out. His eyes widened a bit as the object seemed to instantly die of old age before his eyes. He didn't know a lot about magic, but this seemed like serious stuff, the griffon starting to feel even more worried about their prospects. The griffon had never studied Unicornia, opting to avoid as many history classes as possible in college. He went to Canterlot to learn about water, not some silly pony tales! If his dear unicorn friend was here though, she would probably give him a lecture about learning from the past to avoid making mistakes in the future. He flapped his claws like a mouth as he seemed lost in thought, thinking about his robotic unicorn friend,before the voice of Pathfinder snapped him out of his stupor.

"Oh right, I will lead the way, stay by my side and I will protect you!" he cheered, extending one of his massive black wings and draped it over the shoulders of Pathfinder like a warm cloak of feathers. He took a few steps forward and saw something that seemed that seemed to defy reason. Amidst the decay and rubble of the secret passage, modern pipes seemed strewn about the area. He narrowed his eyes and looked the modern material over before gasping in horror. "Someone stole my personal piping! The audacity of it all! And probably using it to destroy Equestria and make me look bad!" he growled, showing Pathfinder one of the pipes that had his name engraved onto it in a fancy font. His loud voice made the room rumble slightly as the faint sounds of running water could be heard above the ceiling. Gerrard gasped and covered his beak, not wanting the already delicate walls above them to collapse before they could formulate a course of action.

She watched the confused waiter vanish off into the back of the story, the scarlet maned mare turning her full attention back to Saddlesore as he spoke to her. She nodded as he spoke, the mare not doing this as a way to show agreement, but as a way to show that she is paying attention. The concept of agreeing with someone was just a thing that might happen on occasion, the unicorn not feeling a need to match up goals and views with others. It was not out of a sense of superiority, but to the contrary, the courier feeling that no views or opinions had any more true merit than another.

"Your opinion on food is graded on a three tiered scale. It seems to make sense that food is graded on a multiple scaled system simply because there are many things about it that can affect you. My presence improves the third criteria for you, I am honored to help you in any way possible," she remarked, the odd mare staring across to him as she thought over his grading scale. It wasn't her place to question his own scale, the mare deciding on what her own was as she remained at his side. "You won't mind if I explain my own criteria I judge food by, will you? I first rate the sanitation of the food in an attempt to avoid to food poisoning. The second criteria, is the nutritional value of the food itself. The third criteria is the temperature change in my body that will be caused by the food itself, if any. The last meaningful criteria is the amount of time and effort required to consume the food itself," she explained in her usual robotic sounding manner.

Asteria paused, thinking back to her many years of schooling. The Librum Dextarius was mentioned in passing by many of the novels she had read, the unicorn never actually getting a chance to read a hard copy of the often cited book. It was referred to as essentially the guide of how to be a good person in the service of others, or at least that is what she had been told. The filly didn't seem to be lying about the contents of the book, granted all works of literature were up for some sort of interpretation. The courier paused, thinking over an appropriate response to her seemingly warped view of reality, the dark coated pony not wanting to come off in an offensive manner to the suspicious filly.

"Lady Fate, Knight-Errant of the Destrier Order, Greatest Champion of the realm, I believe that you may benefit from a broader interpretation of the guidebook. "While it likely states charitable deeds that should be performed, they are meant to be performed by the knight, not for the benefit of the knight. A knight lives to serve the realm, not be served by the realm. While the book might state that feeding the hungry is virtuous, I don't think it is something that is meant to be forced upon others, especially for your own benefit. You are the expert who has read the entire guidebook though, so I will refrain from questioning your familiarity with the book. Please find it in your heart to forgive me if I am wrong," she explained calmly, trying to be objective, even apologizing in the event that she was somehow wrong and the filly was correct.

Asteria waited for a response from the filly, but noticed she was too engrossed in enveloping all the ice cream she could get her hooves on. The older mare opened her maw to warn the filly about the brain-freezes that accompany fast eating of cold foods but she was too late, Fate already succumbing to one. "A 'cold-stimulus headache occurs when you cool the roof of your mouth too much in too short of a time. Slower consumption of the food or allowing your mouth to acclimate to the temperature change will minimize the swelling and contraction in your mouth that causes the pain," she explained in a rather scientific manner, the odd mare seeming to be well schooled in a variety of fields. It seemed to beg a question about the odd mare though, in what areas did she lack, the tall courier surely not a flawless pony!

The storekeeper watched the entire spectacle and giggled as Asteria tried to explain what a brain-freeze was to the filly. It seemed unlikely that Fate would have any idea what Asteria was talking, the black unicorn not one to assume others were dumb or less educated than her. It of course would be rude to do so and the unicorn didn't want to insult anyone if it wasn't necessary. "Well kids, it's been fun. I'm closing up shop about two hours ago! Make sure your daughter doesn't get into any trouble and tell her father I say hi," she joked while handing her the payment for food, winking playfully at the courier as she shooed them out of her shop and back into the cold Canterlot air. Asteria waved goodbye before the door was locked behind them, the older mare pausing as she thought over her next course of action.

Her keen eyes looked his form over, the odd stallion seeming more excited with each word she spoke. She thought over the inevitable conclusions to this string of events, the mare weighing the costs and benefits of each in her mind before deciding to move along with their date. The dark unicorn nodded as she listened, her gaze drifting over to the waiter as he approached their table.

"If you find the meal satisfactory, I will accept your judgement and order the same meal as you, grassloaf served with hay fries," she replied politely, wondering what sauce could elicit a feeling of love. It seemed that it was probably another figure of speech that was not meant to be taken literally, something she had a bad habit of doing. "I will love the food? I imagine that you use the word love as hyperbole to express how much you like the food. Am I to believe that it is the pinnacle in culinary creation? That is quite the statement to make. I imagine you are only referring to the taste, but how do you quantify such an abstract notion like taste?" she asked, in a seemingly serious manner. Was it possible that Asteria was not joking in the slightest, the mare viewing the world through some strange prism?

Asteria listened patiently, nodding while he explained himself. The mare had determined that she misunderstood him when she had interpreted his words in such a strange manner. When he explained that it was another way to say the same thing, she nodded again, seeming to indicate an understanding of his words.

"I understand. Please forgive my ignorance, I am not properly socialized in some areas as others might like. I will accept your offer of free food," the unicorn calmly added while she thought over what she would order. The black mare was unsure of the quality of the food on the menu.

"Sir Saddlesore, I will accept your expertise with this establishment. I will order the item you most highly suggest, she explained, the unicorn not the type to commit to any real preference. Her crimson eyes glanced over the green waiter and her blue friend while she patiently waited for further direction from her 'date'.

Asteria silently followed alongside her stallion friend, the odd mare scanning the city with her crimson eyes. She was very familiar with the layout for most towns in Equestria, the courier delivering items to every corner of the region. When they reached their destination though, her eyes did a more thorough examination of the establishment, the odd mare seemingly unfamiliar with the insides of the building. She clearly wasn't the type to eat out much, but she decided it was in her best interest to appease her former client.

When the waiter gave the pair a shocked expression, she could only speculate as to why, at least until he clarified a moment later. When introduced, the unicorn mare performed a subservient bow for the waiter, lowering her tall form carefully for him. "It is an honor to meet you sir," she replied in her usual formal, but completely static voice.

The eyes of the other patrons were locked on Asteria and her new friend, the made not entirely sure as to why. She thought that was unlikely that his rude mannerisms were so widely known. While this was the actual reason, Asteria also kept in mind that one or both of them may have violated an accepted norm of society without being aware of it.

Regardless, she did not have enough information to go off of and make a blind guess. She simply decided to accept his direction and look over the menu.

"It's on me?" she commented in a confused voice as she lightly cocked her head to the side. "Are you asking me to order food in an attempt to remove it from you? I believe I need further clarification for your comment," she replied in her standard voice. It was unclear if she was joking, the made seeming unable to understand the common figure of speech.

The black mare listened intently, nodding in understanding as he explained that it was his honor to have her around. There must have been some sort of other benefit to having her around that she could not quantify, the odd mare not sure of how to handle the odd situation. "Thank you sir, I appreciate the offer of an all expenses covered dinner. I will accept your terms and accompany you to dinner," she replied simply in her usual unchanging voice as she walked up beside the stallion. Her tall, graceful form contrasted well with his own, the mare seeming to show no visible pride in her form as she patiently waited for his direction.

"You may lead the way Sir Saddlesore, I am ready and able to follow your direction," she commented into his ear, the mare lowering her head slightly to speak to him. She paused when he bowed before her, the mare not often receiving such displays from others. Asteria returned the bow to the stallion and carefully trotted around his body and stood firmly at his side, the unflinching mare clearly ready to follow him.

Asteria lowered her lean leg just in time to for the stallion to ask her out on a date. She listened intently to him as he finally worked up the courage to express himself to her. Her fiery eyes studied his every movement as he professed his love for her, the unicorn finally deciding that he simply appreciated his presence, and was not fearful of her in any real way. The courier had no obligations for the night and had agreed to be in his company for an undisclosed period of time. She simply needed to articulate the terms of her response, the mare blinking as she thought of how to reply.

"I will agree to be your guest, but I must inform you that I do not carry formal wear while I am working unless it is a unique situation. Would my presence be detrimental without proper apparel? And thank you for the flattering words, I always welcome the opinions of others in regards to my appearance, thoughts and other idiosyncrasies. Do you wish to negotiate a payment agreement for the meal? Will a fifty percent share for each of us be satisfactory, or do you have other plans sir?" she explained patiently, deciding for one reason or another to not fret over the caloric values of the meal he was offering. She either was hungry, or was going to work off the calories later, the exact reason not clearly defined as she stood beside him.

"Thank you for your promise Sir Saddlesore, it means a lot to me that you would promise to respect my confidentiality," she replied, bowing her head subserviently before him, her well groomed scarlet mane sweeping around her face before returning to its normal position. "Yes, the deals are mutually beneficial, I provide them my services when other carriers may not, and in exchange, I am payed a gratuity for the danger involved," she added, explaining that her motives were not completely altruistic, at least at first. When asked about her books, the mare paused, blinking again as she thought over the proper way to summarize her reading.

"I read for self-improvement. I read about the cultures and social protocols of the different species of Equestria and beyond. I also read about general information and seek to become more familiar with a wider array of sources of knowledge that were not covered at my university," she explained, the mare seeming to not notice the slip of the tongue as he accidentally complimented her again. Unfortunately for Saddlesore, she simply liked to handle issues in small sections and only delayed remarking on his outburst. "Sir Saddlesore, my name is Asteria Stillheart. Perhaps I have failed in properly introducing myself. Or is my presence influencing your thinking process? I apologize if I am making you act in a manner that you are not comfortable with. Is there a way for me to help remedy your current condition?" she asked calmly, the mare standing up, her tall form briefly on display as she lifted a leg to his forehead to check his temperature. "Your head is unusually red, yet you don't seem to be ill. Perhaps you need a more qualified individual to diagnose your ailment?" she suggested in her usual serious manner, the black beauty apparently oblivious to just how infatuated he was with her.

Gerrard was going to release his literally close friend from his clutches when she squirmed free from him, the pegasus having a short fall to the ground. He turned around and spotted the mare back on her hooves, the 'great hero' glad everything turned out like it did in his head, minus the few ideas of what might have gone wrong of course. "Yeah, sometimes one must go with primal instinct. Be ready to face harm head on, literally in this case," he cheered, chuckling lightly as he made light of his reckless use of her hat. "We make quite the dynamic duo! Strength and Speed, and whatever you bring," he joked, giving her an instinctive bear hug, squeezing his pony friend tightly the moment she had recovered.

After a moment of squeezing, he released her to the ground, his eyes noticing a few scrapes on her smaller frame, the hybrid feeling a bit guilty, regardless of what his face might have shown. "Quite the cuts you have, lets rub some dirt on them and move along," he said in an inspired manner as he pulled out some gauze and touched up her dyed coat a bit. The taller griffon didn't have much problem spotting all her minor wounds, quickly turning the cloth red before discarding it to the ground for the next pair of hapless adventurers to find on their way through. "Sorry about being so rash. Next time, I'll make sure to take your share of the damage," he added in an honorable manner, the griffon winking one of his golden eyes playfully as he spoke to her.

When she cheered about the case, the griffon was stunned a bit, nearly having forgotten about why he was here in the first place. He was supposed to fix a pipe and figure out why water was going missing. The water had apparently been going into a giant reserve that had been used in an attempt to drown them. "If the villain had water to spare on us, imagine how much water they are storing somewhere else. This is a desert after all, they might really be able to flood a city or two already," Gerrard declared in his normal voice, the griffon starting to get genuinely concerned. "Regardless of what might happen, we must continue onward. The lives of hundreds, if not thousands rest on our talons... and hooves. Lead on friend!" he announced, pausing a bit to add her into the cheer, the griffon seeming willing to allow her to share the glory, like any good hero would.

Asteria patiently watched him leave and retrieve another glass of water for her. "Thank you again Sir Saddlesore," she replied, nodding for him as she grasped the drink in her crimson magic. She took a few careful drink, making sure to not make a mess with her drink, the Canterlot mare drinking very formally. The unicorn's black ears perked up very slightly when he asked about her personal life, the strange mare not the type to idly speak about herself. This didn't mean that she never did, especially when prompted to, the courier not the type to disappoint others. With a quick flick of her magic, Asteria carefully placed her drink on the table, returning her attention to the blue stallion as she thought over the most appropriate response to his request.

"I can tell you about myself, on the condition that you respect my desire for anonymity. Simply do not disclose my personal details to another person and I will agree to divulge a portion of my personal information. My name is Asteria Stillheart, and I am from Canterlot. I am the daughter of Stern Gavel, and Elegant Star, a judge and actress from Canterlot. I work as a courier, delivering and retrieving items in secret for my clients, an additional focus being placed on serving needy dragons and griffons. I appreciate truthful and honorable people, and I like reading about new things on my travels," she explained calmly, the odd mare revealing a bit about herself while not really giving any revealing information about herself. She seemed to follow directions, almost too well, Asteria needing more direction to squeeze out substantive replies.

The temperature seemed constant in the room to her, the odd mare finding his statement odd. Perhaps there was a change in temperature and she couldn't perceive it, the mare always keeping open the possibility that she was the odd one. Her previous experiences with him did seem to indicate that he tended towards outlandish and highly unlikely comments, Asteria keeping open the myriad of possibilities that could explain their odd conundrum. Regardless of what she thought though, a cool breeze blew into his home, the colder air improving her condition as it normalized her temperature. "Your efforts have normalized my body temperature adequately, thank you for your thoughtfulness," she complimented politely, the mare not understanding that he was simply being hot and bothered.

He asked her again if she wanted water, the mare deciding to agree to take water, both because she wanted some, and because he seemed interested in giving it to her. "I would appreciate additional water, assuming of course it is not bothersome to you," she replied, lightly shaking her scarlet tail as she looked across to him with her aloof crimson eyes. "Are you sure this is the only way I can repay your hospitality? Perhaps there is a way to concentrate my payment plan to you? If there is not, I will settle for spending time in your presence," Asteria added, showing no real preference on her still stoic expression.

"You wish to test my virtue by seeing if I will selflessly donate food to you? Doesn't that seem more in your interest, than the interest of virtue? Perhaps there is something here that I simply am unable to comprehend?" Asteria commented, the odd mare feeling that there was a chance that the knight was being selfish. Regardless of what it seemed like, the odd mare kept open the possibility that she was wrong, deciding to not outright call the filly a bully.

The white mare watched Fate eat her ice cream, the young filly stomping her hooves in delight as she enjoyed her unique cold treat. Miss Lemon giggled at the spectacle of her two guests, the filly eager to devour all the food she could get her hooves on, while Asteria was hesitant to eat anything at all. "Yeah, Asteria cares too much about her lady-like figure to eat any ice cream, she is a stick in the mud," the storekeeper explained, drawing the gaze of her courier friend.

"The nutritional content of ice cream does not merit the time investment required to shed the excess weight it would attribute to my body," Asteria explained, getting a giggle from her adult friend as the black mare essentially affirmed what the blonde mare had said. When Fate practically begged for her ice cream, Asteria turned her attention back to the young knight and presented the food to her. "You may have my food, but be aware that eating too much ice cream could be unhealthy if you do not get adequate exercise," she warned in her usual apathetic sounding voice, the mare never seeming to sound too enthralled as her voice was locked at a predetermined tone.

When asked what item he needed to sign for, Asteria paused, thinking over her introduction of the item. She thought the presentation was clear, but mulled over possible ways to improve the visible delivery of said item. She could have described what she was actually delivering, but that idea was relegated to the back of her mind when she determined that it would be unprofessional to look at her clients item without asking them, something she clearly could not do until reaching them of course. His quick change of approach signaled to her that he was probably not paying proper attention, the mare thinking of better ways to gain his attention before he simply decided to sign the ledger.

Her keen eyes watched him sign with his mouth, a technique that was always hard for her in practice, the mare not usually having the time to work on her non magic manipulation of items. Upon Saddlesore finishing his signature, the black mare carefully scooped up the parchment and secured it in one of her saddlebags. "Thank you, I appreciate your kindness Sir Saddlesore," she commented, her words quickly being followed up by mention of weather. Asteria wasn't the type to usually mention weather, and figured that an observation that went contrary to his own was likely to create conflict. Her black eyelids hid her fiery orbs as she thought over a response that would be both truthful and informative. "There was a minimal amount of humidity in the air and the cloud cover was generally sparse today," Asteria added, the odd courier not understanding the point of weather discussion as she basically put forth evidence to attempt to support his statement instead of taking it as a queue for discussion.

Saddlesore would quickly go on to mention that he didn't need payment for his generosity, and the odd unicorn paused, thinking over the most efficient way to reply to his statement. While his kindness deserved some sort of payment, demanding to pay one would have been rude and only served to anger him further. After going over his words closely, she determined that he wanted payment in the form of her presence. If he wanted her to stay in his house as compensation, she would be willing to do so, the mare knowing that unpaid debts were usually subject to interest. The only question left for her, was one about the duration of this 'payment.' She had no current obligations and could spare a few hours, or days even, but she had never dealt with such abstract exchanges of currency before and was not sure of the going rates. The current value of her time was low because she had nothing pressing to deal with, but she wasn't sure of what amount of time currency he wanted. Did he know the value of her time, the possible exchange rates that were never static? She would have to ask him, but to ask him how much of a price he was to put on her would have been rude, the odd unicorn not sure of how to approach the situation.

She decided to go with the least confrontational route, the stoic mare simply deciding to wait until he asked her to leave. Remembering to uphold his request to stay comfortable, Asteria shifted about on his couch to gain a more comfortable position, her long lean muscles moving like a well oiled machine while her scarlet mane and tail faintly shifted from her awkward movements.

The long black horn atop her head glowed red yet again as she deftly gripped her cup. The mare gave the water only the faintest of visual observations, not wanting to offend him before she politely took a sip of the cold liquid. It tasted within the normal parameters of water and she decided there was nothing negative to comment about the water. "Thank you Sir Saddlesore, the water is everything I could have predicted. It is satisfactory for the sating of my thirst," she responded politely in her usual manner, the black pony still using a peculiar set of words to speak. After speaking, she opted to finish the drink, the mare believing that placing down a cup that still had water in it could be interpreted as a disapproval of his water. A few seconds later, she had placed the empty drink on the table and returned her fiery eyes to her gracious host.

Asteria slid the ledger over to Saddlesore, neatly placing it in front of him with her magic. "Yes, could you do me the favour of signing for the item. I need evidence of your retrieval of the item before I can officially give it to you. The good word will be welcomed, I hope to provide additional contracting work for the postal service in the future," she explained, patiently, doing her best to seem gracious. For Asteria, dealing with others was always delicate business where she tried her best to avoid stepping on anyone's feet.

She felt that his hospitality and accommodating attitude needed some sort of mention, the mare blinking as she thought over the best way to order her words. Making an open ended comment seemed like the best idea to her, increasing the likelihood that he would be receptive to her offer. "Sir Saddlesore, is there any way I can help repay your generosity? I am open to a wide array of options to accommodate your selfless actions," she added stoically for him with a completely straight face while her athletic body rested comfortably on the couch for him.

Gerrard was starting to question the sanity of the odd pegasus. Most ponies would be at least a little scared, but Pathfinder seemed to revel and thrive on danger. She had the faintest of crazed glimmers in her eyes, but Gerrard figured that it was probably for the best. What truly frightened him was the fact that she agreed with his plan, something the novice adventurer was hoping she had a better plan for their escape. Gerrard silently gulped and decided to put on a fake sense of bravado, pumping his chest out proudly.

"Of course my dear mare. I will lead the charge! I will protect you from the traps to the best of my ability," he proudly remarked without being sure of what to do. He nodded in agreement with her plan, at least until she had seemingly called him 'big'.

Gerrard gawked at such a notion that he was above average in size. "Perhaps you lack a certain level of sophistication to understand the specimen before you. In Canterlot, I must swash buckle my way through a menagerie of mares who marvel in my magnificence and machismo. Perhaps you are simply too small," he playfully teased, the griffon possibly embellishing, if only a 'tiny' bit.

When she explained her plan, Gerrard resolved to be brave and daring, reckless even! He knelt down in a lion sprinting posture and tapped his talons on the stone floor. When she triggered the traps, his keen eyes watched spikes fly before he snatched up Pathfinder in his right talon and darted into danger, pegasus in tow.

"Fear not my fair feathered maiden. I will protect you with a portion of the safety allotted to my earlier run of the gauntlet to you," he explained, darting the the set off traps with ease. Upon reaching the other side, his talon set off a hidden arrow trap, spraying a hail of projectiles at him. With a bit of quick thinking, the griffon raised his pith hatted friend and used her head ware as a shield, deftly stopping all of the arrows in their tracks.

"How about them apples?" Gerrard confidently commented, hiding his shaking talons from view.

Asteria watched patiently as he returned, the stallion unable to control his mouth for reasons unknown to her. She wondered if her newly revealed form had frightened or surprised him. The mare watched him critically as he stammered nervously and apologized. She blinked her crimson eyes, her orbs vanishing behind her dark eyelids as she formulated a comment.

"You do not need to apologize, I am not offended. Regardless, I appreciate your sentiment," she explained patiently as he fled to get more water. She cocked her head to the side, ever so faintly as she tried to understand his seemingly irrational behavior. She returned her head to it's normal position when he returned and spoke to her about her work.

"Yes, you are correct about me not working directly for the postal service. I operate a private company that specializes in the discreet delivery and retrieval of sensitive and important documents," she explained in her in usual professional and rigid manner.

When the nervous stallion called her beautiful by accident, Asteria blinked, the only physical tell her controlled form ever seemed to have, while she thought over how to address his awkward confession of admiration. The mare was self trained to react quickly to a wide array of situations, and while she never prepared for one like this, Asteria decided to nod while accepting his compliment. "Thank you Sir Saddlesore, I am glad that my personal appearance is satisfactory for you. I believe that your form is satisfactory as well," the athletic mare awkwardly replied on her usual confident manner as her crimson eyes examined him. It was a bit unclear what her exact thoughts were behind her stoic visage, but then again, that was probably the point of her serious demeanor.

"I have no immediate pressing needs sir. Thank you for the attention though I appreciate your efforts," she politely added, deciding to address her own needs last. One thing about the made was peculiar though, for the entire duration of his accidental outburst, Asteria never blushed a single time. Was her coat simply too dark to see the blush through? Was she simply a robot that felt no emotions? Or was she just really good at hiding any potential shyness?

His amazement was quickly followed by a sense of anger that was quickly washed away with a sense of cheer. His emotions were very strange by normal standards, but that thought did not cross her mind. Accepting something as weird without explanation was like disrespecting the thought process of the eccentric stallion. She decided that it was probably best to explain herself in an attempt to temper his feelings.

"I am a contractor, hired by the postal service to retrieve your package when their employees cited unsafe working conditions for the package retrieval, she explained to him while he was probably getting water.

The mare decided to check if her actions were the source of his actions by becoming compliant. When asked to relax and get comfortable, she silently agreed to do so, not wanting to alienate him further. Her long black horn glowed red while her magic aura enveloped her cloak. The sound of buttons popping and fasteners loosening filled the air as she freed herself from her heavy cloak. Her saddle bags quickly followed and in what seemed like seconds, she had shed her restrictive equipment and revealed her true form.

Her tall body seemed to operate like an optimized machine, long lean muscle muscles fitted tightly be weather her black coat, that was accented with her cutie mark, a discreet silver package Her scarlet mane was shortly cut in a utilitarian manner that couldn't hide the seemingly perpetual expression of indifference on her stoic face. Even an untrained eye would be able to tell that she was a trained runner of some sort.

Asteria took a comfortable seat on his couch, the courier carefully folding her long legs as she settled down. With one swift swipe of her magic, she pulled a ledger out of her bags and sat it down on the table for him to sign when he returned. It chronicled the details of her delivery, from the ditsy pegasus, to the 'scary' dragon. It even had the official seal of Trottingham stamped on it for extra credibility.

The cloaked courier blinked as he grumbled to himself about the notoriously unreliable postal service. She decided that he deserved a more appropriate explanation, the unicorn shifting her tall form ever so faintly as she gathered her thoughts. "Your mail was delivered to a dragon by accident. He was sleeping and fortunately did not disturb your package. The carier spoke of a daring delivery to a dragon, and with a bit of research, it was determined that they had delivered your parcel to the wrong person,"she explained partially before being asked inside by the stallion. For one reason or another, the strange made avoided speaking the common word of pony and seemed to speak broadly in specific circumstances.

She paused for just a moment when asked, weighing the costs and benefits of accepting his offer. Asteria had no obligations for the rest of the week and had time to spare. While there was a chance that this could be an elaborate ploy to trap her, it seemed very unlikely, not to mention rude to deny his hospitality. "I will accept your terms for company. My journey has only been approximately 50 miles and I am only suffering from a minute case of dehydration. I can accept your request for tea as well, although I would prefer water, unless it would be too much of a bother. It would be a cheaper alternative for you, while being a healthier alternative for me," Asteria commented, in the same tone as before, her seeming strangely static, just like her stoic expression. She seemed to be the agreeable type, feeling the need to justify even the faintest signs of dissent.

After giving him her two cents, the seemingly aloof mare lowered her head in a subservient manner again. "Regardless, I will accept your terms and enter your residence. Your hospitality be be duly noted, thank you," she explained in her usual polite, if not submissive manner as she waited for him to show her around. While he did invite her in, she didn't want to aimlessly roam about his home and accidentally trespass into his personal areas.