Gerrard

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.

Speaking of Shipping, Marshmallow found her man? ooo. Thunderlane is a pretty cool stallion, yes I am biased.

Outside of a few shots of minor fan service, the complete disregard of prior continuity with Spitfire ruined this episode for me. She used to be level headed and reasonable, now she is just a number driven idiot? You could expect rainbow or even lightning to learn something about teamwork. But the fact that SPITFIRE, the LEADER, of the wonderbolts didn't know this, is completely baffling and insulting to anyone with common sense. I really left this episode feeling dumb, and not in the good kind of way. I love Spitfire and Rainbow, but gosh, Spitfire just comes off as some irresponsible as a leader. If I was Rainbow, I would have said no, I shouldn't have to tell you this, and just left. Bad episode, sorry.

I give the episode a 2.5/5, and MLP episodes usually get a free score boost just for being MLP

Asteria's strange eyes watched the white unicorn as he seemed to flinch repeatedly in a paranoid manner. Her keen mind speculated over reasons why that might be, a simple aversion to strangers, a dark secret, an irrational fear of germs, some of the possibilities that crossed her mind. She mulled them over, but did not act on her thoughts, the mare saying nothing about his reactions while she waited for him to describe himself. The mare was vaguely familiar with changelings, but made no clear move that would demonstrate that she detected his true form. She was either unaware, or undisturbed by his presence, the odd mare not exactly showing even the faintest signs of fear regardless.

She listened patiently to him as he introduced himself to her, mimicking her own bow as he tried his best to seem polite. Her eyes examined the gesture, her expression remaining completely stoic as she refrained from commenting on his posture. "You live in Ponyville? I have heard many stories of prolific events happening at that city, the only major event that ever seemed to have happened here was a changeling invasion. The creatures invaded our nation's capital in an attempt to harness the love that is held between many of it's citizens," she explained calmly to him, showing no fear of the creatures, although the mare herself didn't particularly excited either, almost as if she were a changeling herself.

"You work in the Everfree Forest? I did not know that anyone worked in such a place. I thought that most feared or avoided such a dangerous place. May I ask where you work in the forest, I have traveled through the portion near Ponyville many times as I used it to mask my movements. I apologize if my words seem to disagree, it is possible that I may have simply never noticed or traveled near your work site," the unicorn calmly remarked, almost seeming skeptical, her unchanging voice making it unclear if she actually didn't believe him. She seemed agreeable enough, allowing him to explain why she might have never seen him, even if his story was a lie, the mare didn't assert it was in any way, the odd pony seeming infinitely agreeable in words.

After asking him questions about his origin, the mare was greeted with a flurry of questions. The sudden wave of information caused her to pause for a moment. She stood silently at the bar as he ordered his drink, Asteria thinking over an appropriate response for every one of them, and a way to present the information in a manner that would be least insulting to him. "Calories are just the energy that is inside of food. Foods with more calories have higher energy. If one eats too many, the excess is stored as fat. If one doesn't eat enough, their body consumes muscle and fat to survive until additional food arrives," she explained calmly to him, almost as if he were a novice to the subject, going in more detail than what a casual observer might know. While his questions seemed dumb and obvious, the mare did not show any sign of irritation, her patience seeming limitless as she spoke.

When asked about her profession, the mare glanced around the bar, her crimson eyes looking for something that was hard to tell. In actuality though, she was simply checking to see if anyone was eavesdropping on their conversation. Asteria spotted nobody that she couldn't trust, the mare deciding to answer the personal question. "I will tell you my profession, but you must not tell anyone else. I am a courier who works for the misunderstood of Equestria. I deliver and retrieve items of extreme importance or value and do it discretely. I use my unicorn magic to help mask my movements and protect my cargo. I can alter the form of my goods and make them invisible, I can teleport to safety, or use my magic in other ways to keep my cargo safe," she explained in her usual dreary voice, the mare seeming to never take pride in anything she said or did.

The mare listened patiently as he spoke to her, expression unchanging as he told her to rise. Asteria carefully rose to a normal posture, and looked across to him. Her eyes attempted to examine him closer as she followed him into his contemporary home. "Yes, Stillheart. May I ask for a name or title to call you sir, I don't wish to disrespect you in any way," she explained calmly to him, not wanting to insult him as her eyes slowly drift to look at the inside of his house. They looked over every detail of his home, almost seeming to scan his every belonging has her mind cataloged everything of importance in the residence. Her stoic expression remains completely static as she finishes her examination, her thoughts masked behind her calm face as he gestures for her to sit down.

"Thank you for the seat," Asteria replied simply as she took a seat in his home. "I will graciously accept your offer for tea, assuming of course that it isn't troubling," she replied politely, the mare always seeming to go out of her way to avoid insulting the sensibilities of the young master. "I graciously accept your hospitality, and hope that my presence is not bothersome. I was asked by an orphan about strategies for dealing with bullies, and she declared that my help and reasoning was insufficient. I explained that bullies are simply looking to divert the negative attention away from themselves onto another while they compensate for a personal failing of their own. When I explained that their words are meritless, the orphan disagreed and left my presence as she returned to her current residence," she explained in an objective manner, the unicorn doing her best to not claim that either side was correct in the matter.

"Alright Asteria, thanks for the meeting, I'll make sure to relay the information to my associates. Thanks for the drinks," a deep voice called out before the mare could react to his statement. A large black pelted griffon stepped out from the shadows of the bar, his keen yellow eyes looking the mare over as he finished speaking to her. Everything about the hybrid was black with an exception for his silver head feathers and intense yellow eyes, his whole expression a bit insidious as he lightly jabbed the cloaked mare in the side with his talon as he prepared to leave the bar. The strange mare didn't even flinch, simply blinking after the playful hit, seeming to accept it for one reason or another. She silently stood there, almost as if she were brooding over something as she patiently stood at the counter of the bar, her short cut scarlet mane resting on her head as she took in the dark environment. The pub itself was lightly lit, creating a dark environment for it's shadowy patrons. Numerous tables littered the half empty building as they hoped against hope for a brave patron to sit down and order a drink.

The griffon made his way to the door, taking a passing glance at the unicorn who seemed to spoke in the direction of his work associate. The griffon raised his brow critically, almost as if he could see through the disguise of the changeling with his keen griffon eyes. "Watch out man, the lady is quite the strange character. She doesn't bite, but she strikes fear into the very hearts of those around her," he explained in the most serious of tones as he warned the white unicorn of his dangerous friend. He paused for a moment, grinning widely before jabbing the stranger in the side with a balled up talon in a rough, but friendly manner as he walked out of the bar, leaving Nexar with the strange black mare.

The entire time that the spectacle had been happening, her intense crimson eyes had been locked on the strange griffon and the white unicorn, almost seeming to look through him. "Hello Sir, I am Asteria Stillheart, honored to meet you," the tall unicorn mare commented, doing a subservient bow before him as she thought over the answer to his question. "That is an interesting question sir, what beverage could I recommend to you? Well that would depend if you want my personal favored drink, or the most popular drink of the established societal norm. I personally drink water because the beverages served here have extensive caloric values that are in no way proportional to their nutritional value. If you are asking what the standard popular drink is, Apple Cider is seen by a plurality as the most popular drink at a plurality of pubs," the odd unicorn explained in the most objective of manners, explaining her personal opinion thoroughly while also offering another opinion for the established societal norm.

When she finished answering his question, the mare finished examining him, her stoic face remaining completely the same as she seemed to finish speaking. "May I ask you for your name stranger?" she asked calmly, her voice using an eerily similar tone as she spoke, her intentions exceedingly hard to detect. It was hard to determine what was going through her mind, the mare holding her exp<b></b>ression well as she spoke with him. The unicorn looked a bit imposing with her somewhat harsh glare, but her words seemed nice enough. Was it just an act, or was the strange unicorn really just nice behind her mask of seriousness?

"Haha, clever," the black griffon retorted as he felt the heavy load on his back slowly lighten to the point that he could start climbing out of his self imposed garbage prison. He quickly freed himself from the trap and stretched his body out, no worse for wear. He was proud of his dark coat, the griffon not letting the oil remark anger him as he looked to the normal coloured griffon. Gerrard shook himself off, the black hybrid raising his brow when Falco freaked out over his current statement.

The sergeant had heard him wrong, and Gerrard smirked, deciding to use it as light ammunition against him. "Your hearing must be going in old age my friend. I said Asteria only drinks water. I am up for drinking any beverage, within reason of course," he explained with a smirked. It was true that the irrigation expert may have drank more than his fair share of water at times, but he knew how to have a good time on occasion. "I've only been dealing with the water business for six years perhaps," he added, the griffon longing for a bit of water after being out in the heat for so long.

The heap of metal shook ever so slightly as Gerrard hopped off the pile and onto the ground, his keen eyes looking over to Falco as he stretched out his tired body, the beaked creature letting out a clearly audible yawn. "Sure I could use a drink, know any griffon friendly bars around here?" he added with a smirk as he pulled a small canteen out of his bag, the accident prone griffon taking a small drink of what little water he had left. "I'm ready to go when you are," he added with a smile, wondering what the strangely named town had to offer him.

Gerrard smiled and patted Colton on the head with a black talon, glad to see he wasn't angry at him for the sudden show of friendship. When she asked for work though, the griffon paused his brow twitching in what seemed like a furious manner. "You want to work for me? The pony who destroyed herself and the ghost town I was working in? What makes you qualified to work for me? Do you have credentials? You can't even fly, you just have a horn!" he growled in her face, the hybrid suddenly seeming enraged as he leaned in close to her.

"Why... I outa! Give you a chance I suppose. You seem like a talented mare. I suppose I'll give you a shot" he replied angrily, his voice shifting suddenly to a cheerful tone as he smiled for her. "Of course you can help. You can help lay out some piping while our friend carries it along. I'll fasten it all together and we can get it all fixed in a jiffy" he explained with a smile, wrapping a foreleg around her neck as he leaned on her. "Well, I was planning on spending all day with my B.F.F, but I suppose I can spare some bits to have you help expedite the process. You can levitate pipes, right?" he asked in coy manner, the griffon playfully flicking her horn as he looked across to the pegasus and his sparrow.

Gerrard looked over to the small sparrow, the black hybrid examining Colton's cheerful friend as he thought the project over. "Okay, so the plan is to extend the established piping system of this abandoned town out a few miles to a local coal mine. They apparently need water transported there for one reason or another, so let's get going to the edge of town. We gotta spot the exposed waterline that feeds into here," he explained eagerly, pointing a sharp talon into the air as he signaled for them to head off towards their destination.

Gerrard let the eager pegasus take his torch and peer into the darkness. The large griffon loomed over her shoulder, peering down into the cellar, his eyes able to verify her statement that it was oddly wet. He mused over it a moment, listening to her approximate diagnosis. When she mentioned the mold, he blinked in disbelief, the hybrid climbing down into the murky water of the cellar beneath them. It was indeed a perfect environment for mold, and yet none existed for one reason. The griffon visually verified this, the wood in the cellar somehow impervious to the elements in the most odd of manners.

When she mentioned eating it though, his concentration was shattered, the dark hybrid letting out a deep laugh, finding the idea of eating mold completely disgusting. "I find vegetables pretty hard to eat at times, when they are moldy though, they go in the trash, sorry," he explained with a laugh, shivering as he thought of fur on his plant food. "I guess almost anything is appealing when you are hungry enough though," he mused, tapping his sharp black beak as he tried to figure out if she were joking about the mold. When offered a glass of cider though, the griffon agreed, taking the drink in his glass, drinking it expectantly. It strangely wasn't spoiled, the griffon enjoying it before getting interrupted to ask what iron would taste like. "Good stuff, oh, metal? That a completely different beast all together," he replied, commenting about the cider before explaining that iron was just strange.

She mused about the metal a bit, Gerrard raising his brow, wondering what it would taste like. He had never stopped to guess and paused ever so slightly, his quick mind quickly devising a formula as he smirked for her. The would be adventurer smiled and lightly jabbed her in the side, the griffon deciding to impart some theorizing onto her. "Ahh, metal doesn't taste very well, imagine eating ten year old expired sugar-free jawbreakers. You would WISH they taste like that," he explained with a laugh, rubbing his belly while he acted like his beak was being broken on hard metal. He found her infinitely amusing, the black hybrid forgetting what he was thinking about when she made him laugh.

"Ahh, Asteria can't be my special somegriffon. She is a pony after all, that doesn't mean I like her any less my friend. Special somepony perhaps? I don't know if she would consider me, or anyone like that. She is a stoic icy mare with a black coat and a fiery crimson gaze. She helps me and others who might otherwise not get assistance. The mare is completely fearless. If she didn't donate so much to help others, I would declare her emotionless too. That's okay though, we all deal with the world differently," the hybrid explaining with a smile, clearly having positive feelings for his old friend. It was unclear to what extent he really felt about her, but it was at least clear that they got along well at least, perhaps another soul who bought on to his stories.

It took the griffon a minute of searching in his mind before the reality set in. A sense of dread loomed over the griffon as a disturbing theory entered his mind. He snatched Pathfinder in his talons and pulled her and the barrel back behind the counter. "Shhhh, we might be in trouble," he explained in an unusually serious voice. "Mold warding and purification spells are used by talented unicorns in the field of water. I think this might all be the work of a rogue irrigation architect who is using his skills in the industry for evil. Perhaps he is a disgraced master looking for revenge or something. Who knows what terrible magic they might be capable of," he explained in a worried manner, knowing from personal experience that a few of his unicorn colleagues were masters of magic arts. "The villain might be, or hiring a unicorn to help them perform their scheme," he added solemnly, the joker not seeming as jovial as usual.

While he pondered on the issue, the griffon tapped his beak while he looked over to the tan pegasus. Behind him, just out of the hybrid's field of vision, a ghostly figure slowly floated through the wall, his seemingly ethereal arms reaching out to grab at the black hybrid. Gerrard was completely unaware, unable to hear, smell, or see the ghost as it reached out to grab at him. "Gerrard," the apparition moaned to the griffon in a voice similar to the pegasus. The griffon raised his brow, a bit confused by the cryptic mentioning of his name. "What pathfinder? Speak up a bit, I can't hear you?" he asked in an oblivious voice, the pair apparently spotted before he could hide their presence.

There was awkward silence that soon followed the avalanche, not a sound being heard from Gerrard as he lay beneath a heavy pile of metal refuse. The griffon could feel metal rods poking him in the back as he thought about how to escape, the situation being unnecessarily bothersome. He decided to wait for a minute to collect his thoughts and possibly get his friend a bit worried, the black hybrid checking the range of movement on his wrists, glad his sturdy frame didn't give out on him.

He grinned a bit, deciding to burst free as he thought about his escape. The architect took a deep breath and pooled his strength, struggling, in vain, to break himself free from his self imposed prison. "Perhaps I could use a bit of assistance Falco, it seems that an entire plane has crashed down upon me. I just need another pair of claws to uh... help me get proper leverage and use my strength, ya, something like that," he explained in an awkward voice, trying to convince himself that it wasn't a big deal.

"Yeah, a drink will be nice once I get out, yeah. I hope I don't have any oil stains on my... black coat," he replied, laughing a bit as he tried to change the subject of their conversation back towards drinking instead of his own mishap.

"I don't go out drinking much, whenever I go on business meetings with my friend, she always orders water anyway. Strange, I know," he added, waiting for some help to get out.

The griffon was the type who loved to chat about himself, but he felt that everyone needed and wanted to know how awesome he was. As true or untrue as it truly was another issue altogether for him, the griffon flexing his black talons for her as he decided to make a point. "When I first came to Canterlot, ponies there loved to scoff at me. You are probably aware of how the uppity noble ponies looked down on 'lower class' citizens, now just imagine how they treated someone who wasn't even a pony at all. They came up with insults I could never have even imagined, and they seemed to wholeheartedly mean every one of them," the griffon explained to her, his expression a smile as he seemed to reminisce over his past a bit. It almost seemed as if he liked being insulted by the ponies for one reason or another.

"People like to harass and antagonize others simply because they are different. I know from experience that it can be hard going from an area where you seem 'normal' and going to an area where you don't fit in at all. I also know that although some people can be mean, there are always ways to get them in line," he explained with a chuckle, flashing his sharp talons in a playful manner. "Apparently it wasn't fun to harass a griffon as soon as I showed them how sharp my claws were. Now I never clawed one, but still, bullies can be such a pain in flank," he added with a delighted sigh as he looked over to her.

He paused for a moment, the griffon managing, even if only for a brief moment, to realize that he wasn't alone in the world. He glanced over to Destiny, making sure he was properly seated before deciding to ask her a question. "I know you didn't live in the badlands for terribly long, but I imagine it was a bit strange for a unicorn to be living so close to the griffon capital. Did the griffons mess with you a lot when you were there, only messed with you a little bit myself," he asked, playfully winking as he made a nudging motion with his forelegs. This brought up another question to him, the black hybrid needing to ask it to sate his own curiosity. "Did other ponies have any issues with you living in the badlands? I know I got heckled by some griffons for making a living by 'watering' ponies," he explained with a bit of an annoyed frown, making quotation symbols in the air with his dextrous claws.

Gerrard paused and pulled out a gleaming crescent wrench from the the backpack that was fastened around his neck. The tool was clearly of an extremely high level of craftsmanship and material, the object a keen eyed person could probably identify. He deftly spun the object in his talons and looked back at Destiny, deciding to make a final rebuttal to her playful assertion that he thrived on breaking systems. "Unicorns are the only types of ponies who can safely use all of my tools, and yet I am the only qualified person who can also fly. I'm practically the only person in Equestria who could possibly do my job in a timely manner. And even if pipes never broke, like all things in the world, you gotta keep paying for maintenance, even when a toll road is completely paid off. But enough about me, what brings you out here? Are you assigned here, or does REA let you pick your location," the griffon smirking a bit as he spoke, knowing such fancy roads would always charge a fee for something.

Gerrard could tell that Falco was being sarcastic, but Gerrard wasn't being entirely serious himself. The black hybrid could tell that he was the brunt of the joke, his attempts at saving face clearly not working when Falco. "I'll do you one better. "It would only be fitting if I signed the very artifact that I achieved such greatness with. Perhaps I could carve my name into it, give it some real longevity and value," he retorted with the falsest of grins imaginable. Gerrard flashed a sharp black talon for Falco to see, the dark hybrid making an elaborate signing motion, griffons having more elaborate signatures than most ponies.

The black griffon took a careful seat on a pile of junk as he watched Falco set up his own shot. His keen eyes watched Falco's posture, his feet staggered in a stout manner to absorb the recoil. His shoulders seemed locked as well to hold his arms steady. While Gerrard had perceptive eyes, he had no idea what the sharpshooter was spotting with his scope, the dark hybrid watching Falco pull the trigger in one fluid motion, his claws holding the weapon steady as he fired a straight shot at the cans, piercing one cleanly. The dark hybrid was too busy examining Falco to notice the actual hit, Gerrard seeing the splash of orange liquid getting shot out the can on the periphery of his vision.

"You keep six cans of orange liquid out her to shoot with your crossbow? You should be drinking it, not wasting it. I know I would if I had some cans with me. But regardless, it seemed like an admirable shot. One bolt for one target seems like a passable ratio," he explained, poking a bit of fun at his friend for the shot, even though it was great. He was impressed that anyone could shoot a crossbow with such accuracy, not that the proud pipe worker would ever admit it. "I would love a drink, it is rather hot. But you left all these cans out in the heat didn't you? Hot juice drinks are among the worst things in the world, and trust me, I know poor displays," Gerrard explained with a wink, poking a bit of fun at himself as he leaned back and clapped his talons together in a short manner.

While Gerrard leaned back for his clapping, his hind legs accidentally pushed back on the ground, the dark hybrid accidentally disrupting the s**** pile he was sitting on, causing an avalanche of metal sheets and bolts to cascade upon him. Before he could react, the Canterlot native lost his balance and fell backwards, getting buried in a pile of metal junk that looked extremely heavy. "Unhand me!" he growled, struggling to break free before part of the pile slipped free and made a large clunking noise near where his head was.

Gerrard chuckled lightly as she mentioned he looked familiar while being a bit cold. "Hey, I don't remember a lot about the badlands, but I don't remember it being very cold," he retorted with a chuckle as she cleaned up the mess he made on her floor. "Sorry about the floor, I don't usually encounter snow," he added in an apologetic manner to her, rubbing his smooth beak with a talon as he stood beside the warm fire.

He always marveled in the use of magic, granted he was a griffon who had talons that worked very well at manipulating objects. His keen eyes watched as her magic deftly carried the china to him, a trail of hot steam exiting the liquid as the container floated in front of him. "Oh, tea, it isn't often that I am presented with such a lovely gesture. I can't remember the last time anyone poured me a cup of tea, thank you," he added with a smile, his long black tail wagging lightly as he carefully picked up the china with his keen talons, the griffon holding his cup in a claw as he carefully took a sip of the incredibly hot liquid. He shivered from the immediate warmth, enjoying himself as he slowly regained his normal body temperature.

He listened as she theorized how the network could have fallen into disrepair, the griffon nodding in agreement as she spoke. Her reasoning seemed sound to him, complacency being a big problem for ponies in Equestria. But to be fair of course, he understood why, the nation nearly a utopia aside from a few bullies and world domineering monsters. When she asserted that he would be out of a job if it wasn't for lackadaisical ponies though, Gerrard couldn't help but raise his brow in obvious disagreement. "Now now Destiny, if I was some sort of outside plumber who fixed the mistakes of others, that might be true. But I went to The Royal University of Canterlot and earned a degree in irrigation architecture and engineering. I'm not some plumber, I design and layout the very pipes that supply the water for this country," he explained with an angry huff, the griffon sensitive about having his abilities diminished, even if it was only a playful joke.

Gerrard stood before her in the most awkward of manners now, the griffon knowing he might have let his temper get the best of him, if only for a moment. He took a quick sip of his drink, forgetting to cool it as the liquid rushed over his tongue, the hybrid coughing up some of the tea into the fire as he burned his tongue. "Ahhh so hot," he whimpered in a defeated voice as he looked away in an embarrassed manner. When she mentioned her architecture again, he looked it over, agreeing that it was very personalized. "Yeah, I didn't take you for much of the rugged castle type. Interesting style though, and I must admit I love being able to shed a white coat of snow with a warm fire. It would be a shame to hide my smooth black frame from the public," he explained with a joking laugh, flexing his forelegs a bit before deciding to explain his experience. "Well, as I said, I helped design the heater used here. I have a degree in design after all. I had to learn about all the various climates and the different practices required to supply them with water. We expected ponies to check up on it for monthly maintenance, materials of course not having infinite durability after all. Perhaps you can see to it that the mayor doesn't forget his managerial town duties," he explained, crossing his arms as he sat on his haunches again, the griffon patiently tapping a sharp black claw on his own arm as he waited for her response.

The faintest of rustling in a nearby tree caught the attention of the mare, her crimson gaze drifting over to one of the nearby park trees as she stopped in place. Her honed senses couldn't detect anything further and she turned her gaze back forward while noting the sound for future reference in the back of her mind. Before she could take a step forward though, her progress was impeded by a young white filly with similarly shaded red eyes. She opened her mouth to speak to the child but was interrupted as the filly apologized and introduced herself.

Asteria paused for a moment, thinking over the request before piecing together an adequate response in her mind. "I should be the one apologizing, as an adult I am held responsible for my actions and I had my attention pulled away for a moment," she explained calmly for the filly, her voice showing no sign of anger, the unicorn seeming like the patient type of pony. "I am Asteria Stillheart, honored to meet you Lady Sunrise," she politely added for the young filly, the tall mare doing a curtsy for the smaller pony, as she lightly manipulated her own thick cloak. She still wasn't entirely sure about tutoring the young filly she had never met before, but soon decided it would be an interesting experience to add to her collection of memories, ponies never seeming to ask her for tutoring for one reason or another.

"I will agree to tutor you on one condition Lady Sunrise. You must agree to avoid talking to strangers. While most people are nice, it only takes one bad person to hurt you. If you must talk with a stranger, make sure to do it in a public area, preferably one with guards or some sort of protection service. I am still technically a stranger and we should heed my advice and go speak in a more secure area, perhaps near the guards at the park fountain," she explained in an almost protective manner, the mare seeming willing to help on the condition that Dawn tries to stay safe. Asteria lead her new young friend to an area near the fountain and looked back over to the filly as she lightly shuffled her sore legs.

"Before I can tutor you in magic I need to know the extent of your abilities, and you perspective on magic. Can you show or tell me what sort of magic you are familiar with. And can you also tell me what you know about magic and what it is for?" Asteria asked in a professional manner, asking her two basic questions that were designed to be more about how she viewed the world than anything. She reiterated them a bit a second time, clarifying them further in the event that Dawn didn't fully understand what she was speaking about.

Asteria was a strange unicorn to say the least, the mare almost completely unwilling to judge anyone, at least without a lot of evidence. She made no immediate judgement of him when he questioned her abilities, used to being judged on a regular basis. She instead opted to say nothing, her immediate opinions of no concern to the task at hand regardless. "I apologize for using the wrong title doctor. My intention was not to discredit you, but yes I am she. Most of the citizens of the griffon kingdom travel by air and their infrastructure reflects that. The roads between their towns are normally only used to transport heavy goods between cities. If there were criminals in my path, it is likely they were looking for a flying courier to harass, the terrain of the country more rugged than what most ground based ponies would like to endure. In regards to your associate Doctor Gears, I followed all accepted griffon traditions in an attempt to not offend her," she explained calmly to him, the strange unicorn rationalizing why the unicorn felt that her trip wasn't very dangerous.

The black mare listened patiently as he mentioned that he owed her payment for services rendered. "Yes, as stated in our contract, and I am not claiming unsafe work conditions and will forgo the twenty percent hazard fee at my own discretion. In regards to additional arrangements, I am still under contract to you until payment is delivered. I am willing to discuss additional arrangements for the time being, I have no other obligations until next week. Feel free to make an offer of some sort Doctor, I am always willing to entertain an offer that I can consider reasonable," she explained calmly to him, the odd mare choosing not to say that her job was dangerous just to garner more money. Asteria seemed willing to work for him again, the unicorn staring across to him with her usually stoic expression. The mare seemed to be perpetually stuck with the same tone and expression, the doctor probably lucky that it wasn't a particularly aggressive one.

The mare slowly returned to a normal posture and placed the herbs onto the table with her leg. "These are the herbs requested, but I have not performed a visual inspection of them out of respect to their condition. The contract stated that they were not to be overly exposed to outside elements, air and magic included. Please feel free to verify the current delivery before we discuss an additional one though. I would prefer to adapt my next deliver to the recommendations of you, the client," Asteria explained in a strangely objective manner. The unicorn was almost seeming to ask him to find something wrong with her work, the mare searching for advice to improve with. She seemed to have confidence in her abilities, but was not arrogant enough to find herself without faults. She was an odd unicorn to say the least.

Gerrard smirked as she mentioned that most of the college ponies in Canterlot were totally jerks. He agreed to some degree, but also knew that there were always a few exceptions to the rule. "Oh, you misunderstand me Lady Unicorn. The ponies in Canterlot are totally uppity jerks, I was just saying that I'm a griffon," he explained with a devilish grin, throwing his contemporaries under the bus as he avoided calling himself one as well. "My office is actually at the University, so I am not able to avoid them," he explained in a solemn voice, the black hybrid lowering his head in a fake defeated manner before looking up at her with expectant eyes. He didn't think it was so bad, but then again, he had learned of many ways to adapt to their barbed words.

At the mention of Luna, the griffon raised his brow, wondering if she was being completely honest. He didn't see a reason for her to lie, but almost nobody got to visit the princesses. "You visit Princess Luna? You must be quite the sculptor to get visits with her, I was under the assumption that the royals didn't accept many visitors," he explained, stroking his black beak as he thought the whole situation over, shrugging a bit. It wasn't his place to decide the truth and he just rolled with it, nodding as she spoke.

Ponies used to love to harass him when he first came to Canterlot, but Gerrard quickly learned to adapt. "The ponies of Canterlot that it was odd that I had talons instead of hooves and sought to remind me of it on a daily basis. I countered by saying that griffons love to eat meat, and most of them learned to leave me alone. Apparently my beak is rather sharp," he explained with a grin, tracing a talon across his black maw.

Gerrard blinked a bit while on his back and climbed up to his feet, the griffon dusting himself with a talon as he rested on his hind paws. He searched his thoughts for a moment as he decided on the words to hype his performance. "Imagine if I had actually bothered to brace for the recoil. Or had formal training, or experience. But I probably can cancel that out with some sheer talent and a killer instinct!" Gerrard explained with a hearty laugh, always seeming rather proud of his talents, even when he probably made a mistake.

He handed the crossbow over to Falco, his eyes drifting over to the wreckage only a few yards away. "Just tell them that I only give autographs to my friends, feel free to ask me for one if you feel inspired," he added with a smile, the black griffon being sneaky about calling the sergeant his friend. He wandered over to the closest pile of junk, still relatively close to his friend as he began the tedious process of scavenging through piles of iron and steel. "How good of a shot are you?" he asked with traces of interest in his voice. He secretly wanted to see the expert work his craft, his keen eyes wanting to skim a few tricks from his friend, Gerrard not wanting to admit he wasn't as skilled as he claimed.

The crimson eyed mare looked over the appearance of the martial artist, her eyes recognizing his robes before she knelt down on one knee, lowering her head to him in a subservient manner. "I have come to you for assistance in the teaching of a young orphan. I have been told that my methods are inadequate and I seek additional advice to help me better prepare the youth for the rigors of life. May I implore you for assistance Master. I am Aseria Stillheart, courier of Canterlot humbly asking for your guidance," the tall unicorn replied in the most modest of manners. She was not familiar enough with the arts to determine his rank by his garb and decided to treat him as a master regardless.

Her long black horn glowed a dark red as her magic envelops the cowl and lowers it to reveal her stoic face to him. While it is dark outside, it is easy to see from the light of his home that she is a mare with a coat of darkest night. Her head is accented with a short cut scarlet mane that is kept out of her vision in the most utilitarian of manners. The mare patiently kept her head down in a submissive manner as she awaited a response from him, clearly having no desire to rush the patient stallion.

The strange unicorn trotted out of the forest at a leisurely pace. Asteria thought the pegasus was a rather unique individual, but she decided to reserve and serious judgements of him for a later date. After a short walk, she was gone as soon as she had appeared.

(sorry, not really much I can do with this sort of RP. Thanks for posting regardless, we can call this over)