Birds of a Feather

[Bellosh]

The inside of Rufflefeather Tavern was not exactly the brightest-lit of places. Eternally filled with smoke and illuminated only by a few rusty chandeliers, the bar’s spartan furnishings lended it credibility as a hide-away of sorts for the ponies and griffons who worked at the yards. Aside from the pool table off to one side, an antique magic-powered jukebox by the door, and a dartboard over to the other side, the main attraction of Rufflefeather’s was obviously the bar counter and the densely-packed cluster of stools in front of it.

As Falco and Gerrard arrived while most of the other workers were on their shifts, the establishment was relatively empty except for a few customers and the bartender herself; Old Mare Rufflefeather, AKA Ruffy. Bigger and more built-up than the usual pegasus, Ruffy had been running her place for as long as Mr. Kestrelson could remember. “Yo Falco!” she briskly greeted; “What’s hanging... and who’s your new pal?"

[colour=#008000]“Ah, well...”[/colour] Falco started to answer while setting down his crossbow on the counter; [colour=#008000]“Want to introduce yourself, Gerry?”[/colour] The elder griffon prodded the plumber along with a jesting jab with his elbow.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard slowly walked his large body into the bar, the dark griffon blending in well with the shady surroundings, his silver head and yellow eyes the only things that were easy to make out of him. Gerrard watched examined the area while wearing the most firm of expressions on his face, the hybrid trying his best to seem serious. He did like the odd game of pool, and if darts were a legitimate weapon, he might be able to pass for a competent marksman. Of course, both were basically just games, ones he liked, but games nonetheless.

He saw that the bar was mostly empty, and thought it was probably for the best, not wanting to start a brawl with his antics. He spotted the bartender, the older mare vaguely reminding him of his unicorn friend, the griffon faintly smiling as he compared the two ponies in his mind, figuring that any similarities ended there, his mare friend coming off as rather robotic, something this stranger clearly was not. He listened as she casually welcomed Falco, clearly knowing him to some degree as she spoke with such familiarity.

Gerrard's eyes remained focused on the mare as Falco placed his crossbow on the counter, the black hybrid wanting to avoid any discussion of that tool while in the presence of anyone else. "Hello my lady, it is an honor to meet a friend of Sergeant Falco. I am Gerrard Grayfeather, may I humbly ask your name?" he asked in a sincere manner while he bowed before her, the griffon taking her left fore hoof in his talons as he politely kissed it. His actions were completely different from the ones he had displayed to griffon in their short time together. It was unclear if it was another joke from the 'plumber' or if he had decided to make less of a spectacle. Perhaps he was even just a womanizer of sorts, the Equestrian schooled griffon possibly having an interest in mares.

[Bellosh]

The bartender looked annoyed as Gerrard dared to kiss her hoof and pull a sweet-talk routine. “My name’s the same as the tavern sonny,” she bluntly responded, swiftly pulling her hoof away from the younger griffon’s talons; “And you should be glad my husband wasn’t here to see that little stunt of yours.”

[colour=#008000]“Aww, lay off on the poor guy Ruffy,”[/colour] Falco came to Gerry’s defense, strongly patting his back with a wing; [colour=#008000]“He’s just sufferin’ from a bit of heat stroke, that’s all.”[/colour] As Gerrard was already making a fine mess of things, Mr. Kestrelson wanted to keep his new pal from getting swiftly thrown out of the bar. At least, the shopkeeper would like to share a drink or two with the black hybrid before he flew back to Canterlot. [colour=#008000]“I’d like my usual beer if you don’t mind... and how about you Gerry? What’s your order going to be? You can buy any sort of fine drink here..... just as long as it ain't too fancy, heh heh!” [/colour]As any Beakbreak resident understood, nobody in their right mind would go to Rufflefeather Tavern ordering something as 'sophisticated' as wine.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard smirked a bit, figuring it was worth a try at least. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he thought whimsically as she pulled her hoof away. Today was apparently not the day he would find his special somepony, not that he was particularly worried about it on any specific day. "Well, can't blame a guy for trying to be polite," he chuckled to himself as the griffon released her foreleg from his clutches. "I am a mite heated, the sun has burned my feathers black," he added poking a pink tongue out playfully as he made silly evidence of his heat stroke.

The black hybrid wore a solemn expression on his face while Falco came over to support him with a pat on the back. "Thanks Falco, I appreciate all the support man," Gerrard added devilishly, deciding to give the elder griffon a strong bear hug, lifting the sergeant off the ground before releasing him. "Drink? Uhh, well how about you surprise me, I'm not much of a drinker. Whatever you think will suit my fancy, you seem to be an expert at drinking Falco," Gerrard replied to the question, lightly jabbing the elder griffon in the side with his elbow. Gerrard never really understood why people felt the need to order something sophisticated, the griffon being a bit more utilitarian than his Canterlot counterparts. While he lived there, and enjoyed a lot of the things Equestria had to offer, the concept of 'fanciness' was lost on him.

[Bellosh]

[colour=#008000]“WHOAAA!!!”[/colour] Falco hollered as his buddy Gerrard unexpectedly lifted him up for a few seconds. For someone who behaved like a buffoon most of the time, Gerry proved himself to be quite strong. The only question was now how much weight could the plumber lift up? Mr. Kestrelson thought that would be fun to bet on, knowing Gerry’s “exceptional” ability to generate laughter. After all , the younger hybrid had proved that it was fully possible to destroy a wooden table with only one bolt, didn't he?

As the bartender tossed Falco his mug of beer, the elder griffon decided on what drink Gerrard should try; [colour=#008000]“Since this is your first time ‘round these parts Gerry, I say you try the apple vodka. I had Ruffy here import a bunch of the stuff from some metalsmith family over in Stalliongrad.”[/colour] Taking a seat in a stool, the ex-sergeant drank one sip of his mug and added; [colour=#008000]“I promise you, it that it ain’t nothin’ like that phony-baloney cider you find all the time back east! So... what d’ya say, champ?”[/colour]

[Gerrard]

Gerrard chuckled lightly as he listened to Falco explain that they had some strong stuff out here in the desert. He knew his limits, but like any braggart, he loved to embellish and use hyperbole."Hey, I may have spent a great deal of my life working and learning in Canterlot, but that hasn't made me soft at all. I'll take your challenge and raise it to two glasses!" the younger griffon exclaimed proudly, clearly not knowing anything about the drink as he made such an extreme declaration. "I've been to Stalliongrad, and while it may be cold enough to freeze water instantly, I have a heart of burning fire," he explained proudly, the black hybrid reaching a talon into his bag, but resisting the urge to pull out a special tool to show off with.

"I like a juice drink as much as the next guy, give me your worst," he replied with a smile, wrapping a foreleg around the neck of his friend as he shared in celebratory hug, Gerrard waiting to be presented with the drinks. "To better times!" he cheered for his friend, starting to make a spectacle out of himself and his friend, and the drinks weren't even out yet for him.

[Bellosh]

Falco Kestrelson may enjoy making contests out of many things in life, but it shocked a good number of ponies to hear that drinking was not one of them. Therefore, the griffon raised an eyebrow when Gerrard declared he’d rise up to some phantom challenge and order two drinks. Shrugging Gerry’s boasting off, Falco expressed his indifference; [colour=#008000]“If that’s what you wanna’ do buddy, go right ahead. Just... heh heh, don’t overdo it like you do with everything else, ha ha ha!”[/colour]

As Gerry hugged the ex-sergeant in celebration, the bartender placed two cider mugs in front of the plumber. Releasing himself from the younger griffon’s hug, Falco shouted to Ruffy; [colour=#008000]“Oh yeah, you can place Gerry’s drinks on my tab today!”[/colour] Since Gerrard was Falco’s guest, it would be rude for Mr. Kestrelson to not pay for all the drinks.....

[Gerrard]

"You're a great guy Falco, nicest griffon I ever met, honest. Next time you're in Canterlot, I'll treat you to some fancy schmancy drinks" Gerrard replied to his friend, grabbing one large mug of the very potent beverage. Most ponies would drink it in smaller shots, but Gerrard didn't drink enough to understand the potency of apple vodka. The griffon carefully raised the beverage to his maw and carefully sampled the apple flavored drink. His eyes widened as he let out a light cough, surprised by the drink. "Wow, potent stuff, tastes great," he added with a laugh, the black hybrid eying the drink as he opened his beak wide.

"To better days!" he cheered, the griffon quickly chugging the drink, his keen eyes water a bit as he hacked and wheezed a bit. "There isn't much water in that drink, is there?" he stammered a barely coherent voice, the dark hybrid lowering his head. "You poisoned my drink, how dwarrrr youuuu monter," he slurred back, his words clearly labored as he started to lose his balance. His dark claws released his mug as he leaned over and grabbed onto Falco, Gerrard trying his best not to fall off the stool to the ground.

[Bellosh]

[colour=#008000]“Thanks for the offer Gerry,”[/colour] Falco rebuffed Gerrard’s offer; [colour=#008000]“But I don’t take all that kindly to Canterlot’s wine.”[/colour] As usual, the black griffon displayed very little common sense as he unwisely chugged down a large amount of the special brew. In only moments, the plumber felt too woozy to maintain his sense of balance. Mr. Kestrelson barely had enough time to hurriedly set his mug down before catching the stumbling hybrid.

Barely keeping his own balance thanks to the weight of Gerrard (not to mention his breath) bearing down upon him, Falco worriedly inquired; [colour=#008000]“Hey buddy, you doin’ alright? You need any help?”[/colour] By this point, the ex-sergeant started doubting the wisdom of letting Gerry anywhere near apple vodka.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard felt his mind slosh about in the least focused of ways imaginable. He found it hard to focus on anything, the younger griffon clearly not enjoying himself as much as he previously thought he would. "Yeah, I'm doing grrrrrreat," he replied in a slur, the black hybrid releasing his friend and placing a talon on the counter as he slowly regained his bearings. "So, do you have that antidote?" he grumbled lightly, laying his head on the counter as he tried his best to recover. "Give me the antidote please," he whimpered weakly, just wanting to forget the whole experience.

"Why do people enjoy this, this is the worst feeling ever," he grumbled, unwilling to look at his friend while he tried to focus his eyes. The attention grabbing griffon was starting to hope he would go unnoticed, swearing to himself that he had learned his lesson. But like any braggart, he probably didn't mean it, even to himself.

[Bellosh]

[colour=#008000]~Wow... I probably should have told Ruffy to use the shot glasses instead~[/colour]

Things did not look good for Gerrard at all. Apparently, the apple vodka was so strong for the younger griffon that he thought he’d been poisoned. [colour=#008000]“Sorry buddy,”[/colour] Falco matter-of-factly answered Gerry’s pleas for an antidote; [colour=#008000]“There’s no antidote for having too much to drink. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you though; just... just don’t do anything stupid.”[/colour]

Mr. Kestrelson was no longer in a laughing mood; in his inebriated condition, Gerry could easily do something foolish. Hoping he could at least help the plumber’s body adjust to his drink, Falco hollered to the bartender; [colour=#008000]“Hey Ruffy! Can you get some water for Gerry here?”[/colour]

“But Falco,” Rufflefeathers protested; “The water hasn’t been working right these past-“

[colour=#008000]“Didn’t you hear? The pipe’s all fixed-up now. See if you can get some water, pronto!”[/colour] That was all it took to get the pegasus bartender to head on over to the faucet, which could function once again tahnks to Gerrard's efforts earlier in the day. In the meantime, Falco maintained his strict vigilance over his buddy.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard let out an audible sigh as his new friend explained that there was no cure for his particular ailment. The architect was bummed out that he would have to deal with being 'poisoned' until the effects ran it's course. He told himself that he was a stout griffon, and carefully raised his head, deciding to be remotely in denial with the most firm claim he could muster. "This is nothing. I once was bit by a rattler, in 4 days he died from my sheer awesomeness. There is no antidote for me either," he explained in a surprisignly coherent manner, the younger griffon grabbing the counter for support as he made his bold claim.

When Falco mentioned water, it triggered something in the black hybrid, the inebriated griffon finding some of his pride that he promised to lock away. He raised one talon high into the air, trying to use Falco for support as he prepared to make quite the claim, even if it was true. "Yeah, I fixed your water pipes. Nobody even thanked me for my hard work. Did ja know that I was the only person in Canterlot who would take this job? Everyone else didn't want to walk for days to get out here. I'm a nice guy, coming out into the middle of nowhere to help a bunch of people I don't know. All those uppity Canterlot folk scoffed at you all, but I told them! They forced me out here, and I came, saving the day," his slurred out long-windedly, singing his own praises as he explained what happened as best he could muster. The griffon clearly wasn't using words carefully as he spoke, not that he could in his state. It was a bit unclear what the exact situation was, but most of what he said seemed true.

He lost his balance a bit and nearly fell off the stool, waving his free hand about to stay upright. He was lucky enough to get some assistance from his friend, Gerrard staying on the seat against all odds. "You're welcome!" he snorted in a slightly lost manner, not sure of what else to say while he tried to regain his bearings.

[Bellosh]

Falco Kestrelson wasn’t quite sure if Gerrard making his customary boasts was a good or a bad sign. While it showed that the poor hybrid was adjusting to his... “experience”, his current state enabled a hint of venom to seep into his bragging. Go figures, since he also claimed that a venomous rattlesnake died from his awesomeness. [colour=#008000]“You’re just glad nobody from Canterlot is here now,”[/colour] Falco jokingly scolded; [colour=#008000]“Or else you’d be out of a job right now.”[/colour]

[colour=#008000]~Speaking of Canterlot..... how's Gerry going to fly back there by tonight?~[/colour]

As Mr. Kestrelson continued to keep Gerry balanced, the bartender gave the pawn shop owner a glass of water. [colour=#008000]“Drink this,”[/colour] instructed the pawn show owner as he brought the glass to the black griffon’s beak; [colour=#008000]“It’s no magic cure or anything, but you won’t feel as awful as you are now.” [/colour]Falco had to chuckle at his current situation; normally, he'd be the reckless survivialist griffon who emerged from the wildness all beaten up and requiring medical attention. Now though..... things started to remind the ex-sergeant of his days back in the Aquellian military; back when he had responsibility over a platoon and its griffons. Even though he wasn't really in a hostile situation at this time, Falco did feel a little bit of nostalgia as he kept watch over Gerrard.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard listened to his friend scold him playfully, the disoriented griffon sighing audibly in response to his words. "Yeah, those mean ol' Canterlot ponies would fire me for letting my friend poison me. They really are heartless at times," he grumbled in the most awkward of manners, making it hard to determine how serious he was. Gerrard clearly didn't like feeling the way he did, but the youthful griffon was faring surprisingly well.

When the notion of flying back was mentioned to Gerrard, the black hybrid scoffed and swept away the idea with a talon, not seeming remotely worried as he rocked back and forth on the stool. "I get assigned jobs to complete, and I don't get paid by the hour. As long as I don't take a week to do something, they won't get mad or dock my salary. I have too many zero's on it for them to dock me anyway. Talking about 3 or 4, maybe 5 even. I forget..." he rambled off in a confused manner, slowly becoming incoherent again as he spoke off in no direction in particular.

Gerrard's nostrils tensed ever so faintly as he took a whiff of the water presented to him. It was almost as if he were a connoisseur of water, which seemed plausible for a person of his profession. The architect quickly gulped down the glass of water as it was presented to him, letting out a gasp that made it seem like he hadn't drank any water in weeks. "Ahh water of the highest quality. The work of a true expert, give this person a raise!" he exclaimed in a silly manner, making it unclear who should be praised. He had fixed the water, but she had served it to him. It seemed rather likely though that he was simply complimenting his own work though, the younger hybrid not seeming to lack of his pride, even in such a state.

He was normally in Falco's position, getting a good laugh at unfortunate souls who took more than their fare share of drinks. Unfortunately for him, Gerrard was the victim, and he couldn't get enough water to make himself feel better. "More water please, so thirsty. And send my regards to the chef and this gentle griffon, he has a firm claw that never lets me down... on the ground," he whimpered lightly, trying his best to not seem pathetic, as much as he seemed to be. It seemed to be another compliment of himself, but he was incoherent enough to leave parts of the compliments in doubt.

[Bellosh]

On second thought from Falco, Gerrard’s “improvement” wasn’t really much of one. The younger hybrid not only continued ragging on his bosses, but now he pretended to be a water critic. What was there to be rated about plain old water anyway? No matter where one gets it (at least anywhere in civilization), water always tasted the same; that is to say that it never had any taste to it.

Upon Gerry’s request, Rufflefeather went and fetched another glass of water for the unfortunate plumber. As the pegasus bartender brought the glass in front of Gerry, Mr. Kestrelson wondered how much longer he’d have to watch his partner; [colour=#008000]“You feelin’ any better yet, pal? We probably should see if we can get a move on before all the workers get off their shifts.”[/colour] Falco did not want to chance having Gerrard deal with the after-work crowd, the black griffon making a scene as it was.....

[Gerrard]

"I feel great. The world is moving in shlow moshun. You know what that means, right? It means I'm going so fast that you all seem slow!" he claimed in the most incorrect of manners, the griffon quickly quaffing a large mug of water. He quickly downed it as well before turning around to glance at the exit of the establishment. "But how can they thank me if I'm not here?" Gerrard replied in his usual slurred voice as he contemplated the need for him to leave. After a few moments of awkward silence, Gerrard hopped off his stool suddenly.

The dark hybrid landed on his feet, but stumbled a bit as he tried to keep his coordination. "I will spare you the indignity of me embarrassing you. I mean, it was my idea to come here for drinks, remember?" he claimed sarcastically in a slur as he stumbled in the general direction of the exit. He couldn't maintain a straight walk and had to catch his balance on a table before glancing back to Falco. "I'm sorry to be a trouble to you," he apologized, the intent of his words a bit hard to understand as his unfocused eyes searched for his older counterpart.

[Bellosh]

Falco Kestrelson knew sarcasm when he heard it, but Gerrard did have a good point nonetheless. Just what possessed the ex-sergeant to invite the plumber to Rufflefeather Tavern when he knew how much of a klutz Gerry was in the first place? Ah well; what’s done is done the griffon rationalized. At the moment though, Falco deemed it his obligation to lead the stumbling younger hybrid to someplace where he could rest off his drink.

Opening the door for his partner, Mr. Kestrelson grimaced as a blast of heat from outside blasted past the two griffons. [colour=#008000]“Come on Gerry,”[/colour] Falco instructed; [colour=#008000]“You can have a rest at my shop. I’m sure we’ll make it there, just follow me.”[/colour] The Gems & Trinkets Pawn Shop was only five minutes away from the tavern on foot, although the going would be somewhat slower thanks to the unwell Gerrard. At least the black hybrid had drunk plenty of water beforehand, minimizing the risk for heat stroke.

Of course, anything could happen during the “perilous” journey between the bar and the pawn shop.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard blinked a bit as Falco opened the door, the immense heat of the outside slapping him right in the face. The griffon took a moment to react, his stupor preventing him from acting normally as he slowly returned to a normal posture. "Are we on the sun?" he asked in a semi-serious manner, the dark hybrid stepping out into the light of the day. The architect glanced around lazily as he got outside, not sure of where he was supposed to go. After a short search, he couldn't spot a place labelled Falco's home, and he simply decided to follow after his friend.

"Alright, lead the way. Your secret base eludes me. Quite the feat I must admit," the black hybrid giving up almost immediately on his own search. "I'll rest at your shop, but I would rather not buy anything until I feel better," he added in the most controlled voice he could muster. And with that, the short perilous journey across town was started, Gerrard lucky enough to have four legs to keep him upright. He stumbled a bit, but was otherwise fine to continue. "So, tell me about your store, is it a nice place? Are you married? Is he or she nice?" the griffon starting to ask questions in an attempt to get his bearings better.

[Bellosh]

Taking the opportunity to fan himself with his orange hat, Falco Kestrelson kinda couldn’t help but agree with Gerrard. [colour=#008000]“This ain’t quite the sun Gerry,”[/colour] Falco chuckled; [colour=#008000]“Well..... not yet anyway. Gosh though, it sure is a scorcher out there, woweeeeee!”[/colour]

Now leading the way to his so-called “secret base”, the elder griffon humored Gerry’s inquisitiveness by answering his various questions; [colour=#008000]“If you must know, the Gems & Trinkets Pawn Shop is the best darn pawn shop this side of the border. We’ve got antiques, gizmos, gadgets, and just some plain ole’ weird stuff. You name it, we have it!”[/colour]

Chuckling for a moment, Falco proceeded to talk about his more personal life; [colour=#008000]“Nope, I’ve never been in any sort of, hahaha, “relationship”. A griffon like myself can’t afford to be tied down, you hear. I just wanna’ have fun doing the simple things in life without someone nagging me that I need to buy them romantic dinners or take out the trash. I had to put up with that from my ma for the first years of my life, and lemme’ tell ya’, I’m in NOOOOOOO rush to bring those days back, hahahaha!”[/colour]

[colour=#008000]“Now then, what did I do with my crossbow?”[/colour] Mr. Kestrelson of course had left his piece of property back at the tavern, but he was too focused on Gerry to remember precisely what he did with it.....

[Gerrard]

"Yeah, I'm wondering why you aren't sunburned out in this oven of a place? I've got built in protection!" he claimed in a clearly misinformed manner, the griffon's mind clearly not working correctly at all. Griffons were covered in a thick pelt and layer of feathers that hid their bodies from the sun, the closest thing to visible 'skin' on their bodies being their talons. Even those were well protected by what were best described as 'scales', the drunk Canterlot griffon clearly wrong, assuming that Falco had any understanding of Griffon anatomy of all.

Gerrard didn't linger on any thought for too long, his mind wandering too much to focus on anything as the pair trudged through the desert town towards their destination. "This is the best pawn shop on this side of the border? Wait, what side are we on again. The pony side, or the uhh, non-pony side?" he remarked in a strange manner, the griffon obviously disoriented, but pausing for a moment as he seemed to speak in a vaguely pony-centric manner. Regardless, the black griffon was doing a decent job of following alongside his friend, his four feet keeping him upright as he listened to Falco claim that he had the best shop around.

The architect knew a lot about gloating from personal experience, and wondered if it was also an attempt to compensate, something Gerrard 'rarely' did on occasion. "Ahh, relationships. I must admit, I have seen quite a few lovely mares in my days. I'm friends with quite the looker, I must admit! She is easy on the eyes and a nice person, she just doesn't seem to particularly love anything," he remarked, the griffon actually telling the truth, granted it probably seemed that he was trying to cover for the fact that the mare probably didn't like his personality. "Maybe I'll ask her out one day, it might be nice putting up with someone. Having someone to share my awesomeness with, it is only fair that they get to bask in my glory with me," the griffon explaining in his usual manner as he started gloating more, Gerrard slowly starting to return to normal. Gerrard didn't mention the crossbow as Falco spoke, the griffon trying his best to forget the incident.

[Bellosh]

“Ah ha ha ha ha!” Falco Kestrelson laughed as her overheard his partner mess up the details of griffon anatomy;[colour=#008000] “Only the eyerings around our eyes get burnt up. However that don’t stop guys like us from overheating out there; believe me, I’ve survived places WAY hotter than this old dump of a town. You, I’m afraid, have it much worse than I since your black feathers absorb a lot more heat than they reflect back. Don’t worry though; the town ain’t too far away now.”[/colour]

As the pair edged closer to Beakbreak City proper, Gerrard asked which side of the border they were on. [colour=#008000]“Pony side,”[/colour] Falco stated matter-of-factly, knowing his pal wasn’t quite able to recall facts in his current state of mind. Mr. Kestrelson couldn’t help but roll his eyes as Gerry started to yammer on about some sort of mare; Falco never kept it a secret that he thought relationships were pointless.

[colour=#008000]“Whoever this lady is Gerry,”[/colour] the elder griffon reluctantly advised; [colour=#008000]“You’re probably better off without her. You don’t need to have a, AHEM... “special somepony” so you can have someone appreciating who you are. Ha ha... that’s what buddies are for!” [/colour]To emphasize this last point, Falco patted Gerry’s back with a friendly-yet-sturdy talon.....

[Gerrard]

Gerrard followed alongside his friend, his head starting to clear up a bit as they neared their destination. His head started to throb lightly, his friendly stupor giving way to a normal headache as he came back to his senses."Man, don't ever let me do that again," he grumbled lightly, rubbing his head with a talon as he tried to clear his sore head. "Yeah, the badlands are a lot hotter than this valley," Gerrard added, referencing the griffon territory, some light evidence that he had returned to his senses. "I haven't been to the griffon lands in quite a while. And yeah, these feathers are better for hiding at night," the black griffon added, spreading his large wing span for everyone to see as he started vaguely gloating again.

"Hey, it's not like I'm gonna marry her. She is my pal, just like you. Asteria doesn't even get me drunk either. She was probably the first pony in Equestria who wanted to be friends with me, she even offered me work to help pay off my student debt. And to make things better too, she never asks for anything for free. A true friend I suppose," he explained, the younger griffon reluctantly letting Falco pat his back with a firm talon. "Remind me to come back here at night next time though, it is pretty hot here," he grumbled playfully as the city came clear into view for the pair.

[Bellosh]

Tsking was the only recourse Falco Kestreson had after he listened to Gerrard’s praises for his friend Asteria. [colour=#008000]“Ehh... If you say so pal,”[/colour] muttered the shrugging older griffon; [colour=#008000]“Just don’t come cryin’ to me if she shoots you down. If you do... well I guess you’ll have to owe ME a drink.”[/colour]

Entering the city proper, Falco took a swig from his frisk to quench his thirst. With the sun bearing down hard on the two griffons, Mr. Kestrelson wanted nothing more but to seek shade as soon as possible. Just because he braved withering heat in the past didn't make it any less unpleasant in the present. [colour=#008000]“Don’t worry buddy,”[/colour] the ex-sergeant reassured the black hybrid; [colour=#008000]“We don’t have too far to go before we make it. Just don’t give out on me now.....”[/colour]

[Gerrard]

The younger griffon couldn't help but raise his brow as Falco continuously shot down every mention of friendship with the opposing gender. Gerrard raised his brow a bit as he came to a sudden realization. He wasn't sure if it was true, but that never stopped him from guessing it in a playful manner. "Do you have something against ladies? I'm not here to judge you Falco, different people have different interests," Gerrard playfully asserted, jabbing him in the side with his elbow.

The griffon was basically back to his senses, the fierce sun cooking some sense back into his body. "When we get back to your place, you owe me a few glasses of water. I'm thirsty enough to drink a lake," he warned in a friendly manner as leaned on Falco for support

[Bellosh]

[colour=#008000]“Huh, wha?”[/colour] questioned a baffled Falco Kestrelson upon being jabbed by his partner; [colour=#008000]“I didn’t say anything about not liking ladies; some of my best buddies are of the female persuasion. I just don’t think I need to get myself wrapped up in stinkin’ relation-”[/colour] Only then did it dawn on the elder griffon what Gerrard actually implied. For several seconds, the only method Falco had of dignifying Gerry’s theory was through a fit of laughter. The black hybrid must have got the impression that the ex-sergeant played for the other team.

Once his chuckling died down, Falco was finally able to speak; [colour=#008000]“Sorry pal, but you’d be the last guy I’d ever want to consider as a... bwahahaha, “special somebody”. Nothin’ against you Gerry, but somehow I’d get the feeling that you’d bug me for glasses of water all the darn time.”[/colour] Upon further retrospection of their encounter before, a smirking Mr. Kestrelson realized that Gerrard may have peculiar “tastes” of his own; [colour=#008000]“Ya’ know, all this time time you keep yapping about mares, but you haven’t made a peep about... you know, griffonesses. You do date our own kind too, right?”[/colour] Falco’s mind painted an ugly-yet-amusing picture; if the younger griffon treated female griffons the same way she treated Mrs. Rufflefeather... oh boy.....

As he finally saw his pawn shop coming into his line of vision, Mr. Kestrelson heard Gerrard ask for water. [colour=#008000]“See pal?”[/colour] the shop owner jested; [colour=#008000]“I’d knew you’d ask for water. Ha ha ha; you’re a riot Gerry, you know that?”[/colour]