Day in the Life of Trottingham.

[Shadestride Scythe]

(Any specific thing you'd like me to do around Trottingham that might be recomended? Or just freelance?)
===

Early morning~ And a half. A bad time to wake up, but when its on top of an uncomfortably thin matress in some low class inn on the badside of town... it not something you neccasarily argue with. It's reasonable.

With an unhappy groan, he sat up, sprawled on his back all neck even, no matter what he did, it was all but content sleep. The Unicorn scratched the back of his head, his hoof acting like a set of nails, despite not actually having any. His eyes scathed with crust from a rough night. He turned over onto his side, "Ooohhh~", he coughed, and rolled off the small bed, to his hooves, "I shouldve just paid the extra ten at the tavern...", he grumbled, shaking himself off.

When it was all set in stone that his bad night's rest was over, his horn began to shimmy and glow, a soft frown on his face. A bad case of morning sickness; snatching up his journal, and book from beneath the bed, floating them at his side, "Egghhh~", he swallowed, his mouth dry, parched. He began to shake, and crack his back where sores had come out, "Y'ow!", he grit his teeth, shutting his eyes... a bit overdramatic.

He sweep his head aside, his horn levitating his things from the floor he'd spread around, gathering them up, and dropping them into a saddlebag. Shade let out soft sigh, and then smiled, flipping open his rather thin book... a book of magic, though it was more like a journal than a novel. Softly reading quick glimpses of words, and phrases--a tad lazy-- to kick off his morning, moving to the door of his rental.

And then their was the hat which sat ontop of a small dresser near the door. Slowly it rose up, and rested on his head, covering his horny, and matting down his mane, letting hand down agaisnt his ears, and almost over his eyes. His ocean blue eyes blinked ruggedly, before he turned the knob with his hoof, and moved to the stares.

The place was mild in appearence, nothing special, in fact it was a little under budget. The floors were the color of the trees it came from, dark brown, and glazed over. The stairs were a little bland, nothing special. He almost bumped his head on the cieling at the bottom step.

Shadestride was his name, and a finder of bad places to spend the night was his game; leading him to some of the most uncomortable inns he'd ever spent the night in. It was not terrible, or abusive on him... but it was definately no fivestar resort, and casino. Anypony would agree with that surely.

As he made his way passed the front desk, he dropped naught but two bits in a small dish. The bell hung over the door clinkering, and ringing as he left, tipping his hat to the lovely mare working the front desk, "Might obliged for your hospitality."

At least he was polite about it.

Lower Trottingham by the docks smelled exactly as one would think; a fishery--despite ponies being herbivorous. The smell of the bay wafted it's smell up the streets in the lower districts. Not that it was bad, it wasn't perfume, or anything beauitful, and aluring... It just smelled like any harbor or port.

He turned up the road, putting on his smile, and clearing his throat, nodding off to those who passed by, gave him smiled, and those who didn't but looked at him anyway. Not many ponies wore a hate like his.

He appeared casual, but a casual that caught the eye if you really looked at him enough. Shade himself was looking to get done one specific thing, to make some coin, and find some kind of adventure... a task he found worthy of his abilities. But he had to focus on the basic task at hand... making money. Unlike most, Shade did not have a regular job, it wasn't like him. Sure he could pull some kind of manual labor, he ws born on a farm. Maybe a delivery, or two... anything for bits.

He looked over his shoulder to the lower harbor, even at street level he could see the fabulous sailing ships in port, or out on the water. Finding it rather amusing to imagine one day he'd have his own insignia on some of those sails. Even if for now he hadn't the slightest clue where to begin with such a dream.

All he had to work with was his small magic book, floaitng it at his side, idly flipping through the pages to his last bookmark again, though letting his mind trail off. Many times did he go through a magical book, but this one he'd gotten recently... and yet it seemed to run dry quite quickly.

He tipped his hat, idling around to find the local market place.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

Crash, that is what happened when an unfortunate neurotic little Osprey-panther griffon slammed into the idly drifting unicorn. Completely oblivious, the griffon hadn’t looked where he was quickly going and ended up slamming into the thing in front of him. Though he was small by griffon standard, he was still able to strike a pony hard enough to stumble their hooves, made all the more by the straight up blind siding the unicorn. Once he shook off the daze and quickly realizing what he had done, hastily apologized.

“Oh geez, oh my! Sorry, sorry, sorry!” The griffon rattled off, “Please, please forgive me. I wasn’t looking. Did I break anything? Oh geez.” He bowed profusely, dusting off the pony’s fur with a talon. “Gosh, oh gosh, is there anything I can do? Name it, please.” He begged. What stood out from the otherwise unremarkable griffon was the ruffled purple sash across his chest with a single crest adorned upon it. A badge of office, issued by the Griffon kingdom denoting service in the royal court. An ambassadors badge to be exact.

[Shadestride Scythe]

Well it certainly was a wake-up call by anypony's standards. Shade practically smudged across the air in a blur on impact, sending him barreling along to a quick halt.

When the griffon righted himself, so did the Unicorn, though he took a little longer to pull himself together. Shadestride softly shook his head, slipping his mane around, and with a light groan, he stood up, "If anything was broken...", he bubbled out, "It wasn't anything on me...", he stilled, and then groaned, standing.

He hadnt really taken the time to admire what had decided to headlong into him, judging by the frantic rambling it wasn't anything to reply hostile towards. He let his eyes lower a bit with some sort of irritation, "It's fine... Really, I'm alright.", he looked over to... a Griffon. The badge at first didn't catch much attention, but after digging through idle though... it became a little more clear whom he was talking to.

But rather; His irritation wasn't with the Griffon himself, it had more to do with his hat which he levitated off the ground. The Puritan-looking article was mushed down at first, but that was fixable, done so with a tug of magic... it was the drenched unclean water it had ruined in, soaking a full third of it.

"No damage done.", he rung it out, squeezing the aura on the damp portions, letting it dribble down before setting it over his horn, "Er I'm sorry, I'm being rude.", he cleared his throat, changing his tone... retrieving his book as well, floating it to his saddlebag, and slipping it inside, "Er... you? are?", he swallowed, and took a step back as if to avoid another collision.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

“Oh, um yes. Good, no harm no foul. I should have really been looking. So very flustered lately.” The griffon stated the very obvious, even as he spoke to the pony, he appeared twitchy and excitable. He would sporadically run his beak through his white chest feather, pruning them in quick jittery motions between sentences – as if completely oblivious to the action. “You heard what happened at Royal Rocks? Oh! So, sorry.” Again apologizing, “I am Ambassador Shoal – well more like liaison.” As he explained who he was, his eyes kept drifting to look beyond the pony to the harbor. With each glance, his fidgetiness grew exponentially.

Since the attack on Royal Rocks, griffons from the outlying territories have been on a constant vigil for attack. Even those in pony territories were under threat from retaliation for the perceived notion that the attack on Ponyville and Canterlot was being perpetuated by King Whitefeather. Royal officials were hastily being called back to the capital due to these budding threats.

“You sure everything is alright?” He asked pointing to the soggy, rung-out hat in the pony’s possession. “Let me get you a new one, if I may.”

[Shadestride Scythe]

"Not sure about any issues up at the Royal~...", he replied, his eyes closed by now. He didn't neccasarily mind the Griffon's jumpiness, but as he explained he learned a little better as to why he WAS, "I generally keep my head down about any wars nowadays.", he sort of lied, and sort of told the truth.

In truth he didn't actually hear the latest about Royal Rocks other than a number of shrude, and minor rumors about some sort of issue that happened not too long ago. He knew the Griffons were a little on the up-set; but that was understandable regardless~ Afterall, conflicts were springing up all over the place.

And then his hat, which he adjusted upon the mention, "Uhm... no no It's fine, really... this one's kind of irreplaceable.", he cleared his throat. He opened his eyes, and flipped a low smile... he wouldn't fuss about being run-into... but he wouldn't just let an offer down. He always had justification to some form of purchasing, "I do like Spell Books though~", he brought up with an idle muse.

He looked off to the side, reading the signs, searching for some kind of potions shop, or Magic Crafts Store~ Something that would be of use.

"I'm not picky about what kind of book... just so long as it can be put to use.", he cleared his throat, and with a trivial sense, "Liaison?"

[Stygg Whitefeather]

“Book, book, book-” The griffon thought out loud. Just the thing came to him, the pony wanted a book and unicorn ponies were keen for magic. He had just the ticket for him, an old gift from the Hippocampi who parted with it without realizing that Griffons were magic handicapped. Not that he had complained, but the sting of disappointment was thoroughly felt by the young ambassador.

“Oh! For the Hippocampi – who better than a griffon with affinity for water for the job. Was practically begged to take it. Really only one who wanted it too…”He sheepishly trailed off. “But yes, I have just the thing. Something I’ve just been using as a desk weight. You could have it!” He exclaimed. He was beginning to feel like he was making a friend, he was downright dismal with making friends with those who weren’t water bound. Made for rather dull and flustered stays away from the water. “If you may, my ship is leaving from the harbor. My things are already onboard, if you accompany me, we can get it.”

[Shadestride Scythe]

Exemplary... perhaps not entirely within his taste, but at least it would replace the tattery pages he'd been entrapped with reading as of late. He'd never actually seen a book written by the water beings~ But he always wondered what their water magic was capable of.

He cleared his throat, something Shade did often before he spoke, and stood straight, "You travel in luxury?... How could I resist.", he smiled in response, he didn't have a thick accent at all, but you could scratch the surface given his smooth behavior he was a rural colt out in the big cities. Not that he wasn't used to large places... again he even appeared out of place.

Shadestride never passed up the offer on a book, and he wouldn't begin now... coupled with the fact he had a thing for sailing ships... an odd interest that wasn't really his cutie mark. He was just fascinated with all sorts of traveling vessels... large ones specifically. The shape, the magnitude of their presence, and the sheer thought of standing on one in motion was pleasent to him. Not that he expected to leave Trottingham... he just couldn't help but daydream.

"Lead the way, Ambassador Shoal.", he tipped his hat with a slick smile. He liked to appear charming in his own way... and besides: why not make a friend? He always needed a favor or two, "So... how long have you had the title Ambassador?", Shade just added out of the blue, to strike an idle conversation.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

Shoal nodded, holding back an excited clap. “Perfect! This way, dock 2. The Golden Ursa, a fine vessel. Or so least the captain assures me it is.” He explained. He never was much one to vet information to the fullest, so trusting and naïve. A product, perchance, that he appeared was barely older than a chick fresh from the nest. Not your typical ambassador material. “Of course we dignitaries travel in luxury. The royal coffers spare no expense! Kind of a perk of the job.”

As they continued back down the hill towards the harbor, the masts of the tall ships growing like an approaching forest of polished and painted wood, wrapped in white and crossed by great vines of hemp. “Oh, um suppose just over two years now. Right after the Kingdom established formal ties with the Hippocampi in the Bay of Lachance. I was near there, knew the hippocampi better than the rest of my people – I also don’t mind getting my feathers and fur wet. It’s not the most glamorous or exotic of the posts, not like Canterlot or Neighroby, but I wouldn’t trade it for all the fish in the sea.”

After the short jaunt to the docks, they arrive at the gangway to the Golden Ursa, a tri-masted vessel of black, gold and white. It’s pony crew busy on deck prepping her for sail. Shoal looked to the closest pony to the two of them on dock, a grizzled beige earth stallion with an orange bandanna and loose fitting shirt. “Excuse me, gentlepony, are my things aboard?”

The pony looked up from his work setting line, spitting into the bay as he looked over the griffon and unicorn. “’Ya, w’o a’ ye’?” He asked in a gritty brogue accent. “An ‘s not ‘gent’epony. Seco’d Mate Sa’t C'ust.”

“Salt Crust? Um… charming name, how you come about that?” Shoal inquired. The pony replied silent, scratching the fur his neck with his hoof, shaving off thick and gritty flakes of salt and heaven knows what else. “I see. I’m ambassador Shoal and this is my friend… my frie- Oh forgive me, I never did catch your name now did I?” Worriedly glancing back to Shadestride. He continued on, “I need to grab something from my things, are they onboard?”

The sailor pony stared at him slacked jaw, as if processing the request in his sun baked brain. “A’e, some’s. Res’ ‘s over t’ar.” Pointing to a steamer-trunk and various assortment of bags and belongings.

“Perfect! My books haven’t been moved yet. It should be here – follow!” The griffon scampered over to his things and begun rummaging through the trunks and bags. The griffon had a wide assortment of odds and ends, many of them nothing more than baubles and curiosities from the sea. Much of it foreign and strange to any land pony. The hippocampi did not trade much with the outside world and as such, things of these nature were rare and few. He soon came across what he was looking for, a book made of some strange material. It was glossy and felt cold and soft to the touch. Bound in some sort of sea plant not unlike kelp. It’s pages, though not of the traditional sense, were hard and stone-like, with their words etched in and dyed. He turned and offered it to the Unicorn. “Here, not sure if you speak hippocampi or *unintelligible word followed by a sharp click* in their native tongue. I’ve seen them do some wondrous things with their water magic, maybe you can learn some of it.”

Admin: Shadestride acquires Book of Hippocampi Magic. Requires a thread of study in Canterlot or with magic expert to learn and read.

[Shadestride Scythe]

It was a delectible journey, taking his all across the port Shade arrived in a few weeks ago... fascinating as it was another time over. The ship was truly a marvel to behold, such fine form, and sentinel-esque appearence.

"So you do you do your job well?", he asked amidst their strides. And indeed the young adult Unicorn was a bit alerted when he found it difficult to understand 'Salt Crust'... how could he not? He was never used to much sailing despite how much he enjoyed the thought of it... by now no more than three times had he ever stepped aboard a deep-sea sailing vessal- and even then it was very foreign to him.

He swiftly took a halt whence he was asked his being. His magic beneath his hat glowed, tilting it up to show his eyes and expression a bit better, "Shadestride Scythe... But you can call me Shade for short.", he nodded softly, winking a bit, and tilting his hat back down, "Don't come from around here myself.", he admitted as Shoal had begun to fish around through his belongings, "Place is rather new to me... was hoping to find work... magical work.", he chuckled, but that was a fairly obvious intention.

He didn't seem that uninterested with stories about the Hippocampi either~ While it was a mysterious kind of pony, yet also known, and unified enough to be considered an ally of diplomacy to the griffons was... an amazing quality to be heard of.

He would have been inquired to ask more of them, if not for the book Shoal so kindly handed him.

At first he seemed hesitant to take it, but he was far from refusing it. He conjured up a levitation spell, slowly removing it from the griffon's claws, and opening the front pages, "Fascinating.", he began... mostly to the craftsmanship of the book itself... he unfortunately was unable to read it obviously. He did not speak the language at all. It was made clear learning whatver magic the book possessed would not be an easy task, "I've never seen anything like it.", he added... but wasn't that the statement of the day for such an artifact.

Shade would also admire any other items the ambassador might have possessed, "You travel there often then?"

[Stygg Whitefeather]

“I’m grateful someone will be able to get some use out of it, just seemed depressing to have it sit on a shelf. A good home is just what it needs.” Said Shoal as he returned to his things, putting back all that he ruffled. “Shade it is! So Shade where you from originally?” He asked as he poured through his things, tossing books and trinkets back into the steamer trunk and slamming cases and bags closed. Everything that was meticulously placed originally now was crammed together slapdash to the point Shoal was body slamming against the steamer trunk. A few feathers jostled from his neck and head, catching the sea wind and carried over the dock and out onto the bay. “There!” One last shove with his talons and the steamer trunk latched shut.

Shoal stagger back, fixing his feathers and sash. “Magic work?” He panted, “With the conflicts ramping up-“ He meticulously avoided the word ‘war’ like a true politician. “Should be plenty of opportunity if you don’t mind getting your cla- uh, hooves dirty. Heck, sure even King Whitefeather could find work for a unicorn now. Though I’m sure you rather be with your own kind, what with our two nations having a diplomatic breakdown.” Referring to the attack in Ponyville and the Leviathan’s presence for which ponies were pinning on the griffons. Whitefeather’s lack of action was further exasperating an already volatile situation.

He glanced to the unicorn engrossed in the strange tome, “Be careful with it, mind you.” He prodded the spine with his talon. “May accidentally end up summoning Y’la’l, the Hippocampi master of the seas. A monstrous sea worm with a thousand teeth would make for a bad day.” He said as serious and deadpan as the griffon could muster, fighting back a smile. He didn’t last long, “Aah, I kid. Nothing like that in there - I assume.”

A group of deck-hooves descended upon the two, pushing past them as they grabbed the griffon’s things. “Be careful!” He chirped up, “Those are delicate. Salt Crust, tell them to be careful please!” He pleaded to gruff, unintelligible pony.

“’a ‘e Crusty.” The pony replied. Shoal appeared thoroughly disgusted. “A’e! Ye sca’gy n-“ The pony's words dribbled into the unintelligible but the crew seemed to know what he said, acknowledging in a series of shouts and grunts.

Giving up on getting all his things aboard intact, Shoal responded with a nod to Shade. “Yes, most of my time is spent with the various sea-pony tribes. Was here visiting the local one a few nautical miles off-shore when I received the summons to return to the capitol.” He explained, “These are crazy time, trying to garner up as much support as possible. Know where our allegiances lie. Even if hippocampi are more awkward than a shellbacked turtle out of the water, it’s good to have allies wherever they may be.”

((Just realized I'd been spelling his name wrong the entire time))

[Shadestride Scythe]

Shadestride leaned himself back to a tall standing position, trying his best not to slouch, his magic tilted his hat again, something he had to do often. He slipped the book delicately into his only saddlebag, "I promise I'll take good care og it, Ambassador.". At one point the hat was far too big for him... made when he was just a little foal.

"I don't believe I concern myself to the traditional senses of supporting my own race... where theres work to be done I can do; Allow me to do it.", he smiled, and nodded. He himself would have been far more at ease had the sailors managed to be a little more gentle with Shoel's equipment, for even he flinched, or winced when it got a little too close for comfort.

But he spoke true, he never really desired to play on one side of the fence, so long as it did not get him into serious conflicts. The last thing he wanted was a warrant for his beheading.

No, the Unicorn in the black farmer's hat just let the harbor breeze sift through his mane... it was a nice feeling, and standing on the deck of a well pampered, and polished ship made it all the sweeter. He did consider taking up Shoel's offer regarding the Griffon King... Whitefeather. Now that was somepony he was familiar with. Or familiar in the sense it was a recognizable name. Considering it WAS a King on numerous respects. He was captured with the idea of following along with Shoel, "And you believe he'd have some form of work that suits my field of specialty?"

"Pardon my curiosity... but how do you manage to stay under the water for so long at a time... you dont exactly have the makings of a fish~", Shade cocked his brow with a little bit of tease. Strange to here of a griffon of the AIR visiting the ponies of the sea. Sure swimming was fine... but they were an underwater species.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

Shoal turned his ear to Shade, surprised by his distantly xenophobic ideology. Unusual for a pony, least as far as the griffon knew about land ponies. “Really? Surprised to hear it – as far as griffons consider, you ponies prefer to stick with your own kind in times of crisis. Except for a few; you know there are a couple pony heroes in our history. Never heard a pony admit it, but if it was not for them, we’d likely be enemies instead of allies-“ Quivering his talon, suggesting its shaky and fragile.

A loud crash erupted just above the them as one of Shoal’s chests crashes onto the deck. The sharp, jarring sound rattles Shoal, bristling his fur and feathers. His frustratingly twitching eyes glance towards the sound. Salt Crust stared dimwitted down at the fallen chest, scratching his flaky mane as he ponders what to do next.

“Please be careful!” Shoal squawked up. This crew was incorrigible and he was only thankful the sail to the mainland wouldn't take more than a day. The sight of a griffon airship crew would be blessed relief.

“’or’y!” Salt Crust replied back. He milled about around the fallen baggage, then lifted it back up and dragged it out of sight.

Shoal sighed, defeated. He dreaded to find what would be broken by the time he arrived back at the capitol. “Sorry, you were saying about Whitefeather? I can’t be for certain but the rumor is – and you didn’t hear this from me, but the one who staged the attack on Royal Rocks was a griffon, but not any griffon… a griffon that used magic.” He paused for dramatic effect. It might not sound like a big deal for a pony, but there weren’t any griffons who could use magic – aside from cloud ‘magic’ like a Pegasus. “I imagine he’s desperate for anyone who could combat magic with magic.” Shoal suggested matter-of-factly. “You could always go and inquire. Only take two days to get to Royal Rocks from here – one ship ride to the mainland and an airship to the capitol. You don’t have problems with heights right?”

The pony’s next question completely blindsided Shoal – no one had ever asked that, not even the Royal Court. It took him by complete surprise. “Well, odd how no one has ever asked that before. It’s really simple though! First the hippocampi generally keep to the shallow waters around reefs, where it’s warmer and safer or the kelp beds near the shelf. Their structures also extend above the tide level – most of the time. So sometimes I don’t even have to get wet. For other times, I have this neat little device –“ He begins to mime its shape and use as he explains. “It goes over my beak here and when I breathe in through my nostrils it sucks water in, filters it like gills to produce breathable air. Combines griffon design and hippocampi magic to work, amazing little thing, I’d show you but it’s packed… and probably broken now… Oh, and for longer stays under the water, I use a diving bell. Not the most comfortable thing but it’s better than trying to sleep in the water.”

[Shadestride Scythe]

Scythe merely shrugged himself idly, staring aside out to the shallow harbor waters, "I take it allies is a rough terminology?", he asked with a lightly amused chuff. He didn't pay too much attention to international affairs, but some things you just couldn't avoid being heard.

Shade winced harshly at the sound of all the equipment crashing down, shutting one of his eyes tightly, "Not the most gentle of ponies...", he grumbled. Their rather blunt, and brutish behavior... coupled with a sense of mild idiocy seemed to aggitate him. But how could you not when you've dropped several dozen pounds worth in valuebles and artifacts.

His horn glowed beneath his hat, tilting it a little more back, giving his eyes more room to see... before his irritation grew a little bit much. The harbor was a bad place to wear such a hat... muggy, and salty feeling in the air. It floated off, and onto his back, "I believe so long as ya have a library with texts on pony magic I might not of seen before?~ I would be content to help you.", he chuckled, "I pride myself on magic, ya can tell...", he raised his horn, "Aye my friends, allow me~"

It wasn't really that great a task to take on the work of the sailors. But anything for breakables~ He so vibrantly flared up black purple aura, casting it around one of the larger luggage, and hoisted it off the ground.

In that short period of time he looked over his shoulder, "Well if you come across it, mind showing it to me?... It sounds fascinating.". Strange~ Something that could help somepony breathe underwater that was not a Hippocampi? He'd never SEEN such a device... only dreamt, or heard of them. And not even specifically a waterbreathing mask... Just wack-job ideas closely related to it.

He didn't have much of a question for Salt Crust, but he looked at the Griffon, "Any idea where ya might want it?", leveling out the trunk so not to break anything else.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

“Oh, well different ideas and goals. Bound to butt heads specially when tensions are high.” Shoal mentioned, nervously choosing his words. In the colonies it was different, here trade and the interconnection of griffons and ponies was essential for survival so the tensions were at a minimum. “Just the way it works.”

Another crash from on deck, another likely broken object. “Sailors…” He retorted. Again, he couldn’t expect the most gentle of ponies to work on such ships – they were as hard as the life they lived. Couldn’t expect the lion to take mercy on the lamb, nor could you expect a sailor to take mercy on anything breakable. Shade’s
intervention on the griffon’s behalf was a welcomed sight, a ship full of earth-ponies needed such a unicorn, least to spare his poor luggage any more mistreatment. “Oh yes, come. You didn’t have too, but my cabin is on the first deck just down the stairs. Come.” The griffon lead the way, dodging the working sailor ponies, ducking and weaving past lines and crates moving about on deck.

“Our libraries are different, I imagine, than the Canterlot library. We don’t keep many books on magic, it’s not really our forte.” Shoal explained, leading Shade down into the ship. “A lot of history and learning, especially on craftsmanship and engineering but not much on magic.” He thought for a moment, “Well there are some on dragon magic and a few sections on books that have been acquired over the years which may hold some interest for a unicorn. Truth be told, I’m just not really sure what’s in there of that nature.”

They arrive at the cabin and as Shoal opens the door, it reveals a hap-hazard of bags and trunks tossed in. His beak hung agape, wings lazy and downtrodden. “Aaah… wha…” He slowly entered, looked around and rubbed the budding headache brew in his brain away. “Well, least I don’t think I lost anything. Just set the set the stuff down wherever.”He begun to try and organize his things, putting them away so in the event of a minor swell he wouldn’t be crushed under all its weight. “So how long are you staying in Trottingham for or are you truly interested in seeing what work King Whitefeather may have you?”

[Shadestride Scythe]

"Well... if it is castable, then I would look into such magic.", he replied, supposing a "war-talk" wasn't on the Griffon's mind. He could feel a little bit of discomfort, as well as within himself. Down the hall, keeping the heavy, locked up luggage from toppling out of the air... not too difficult a task, but he was cautious with it none-the-less.

Leaving the crowded, active deck of the ship was a pleasent change of scenery, as though Umekile for a long period of his young life had indeed worked on farmlands... he did not know a single thing about working a ship effectively. Nor did he choose to tolerate the ponies, and rabble that adorned the vessel like a hive of pollin-coated worker-bees.

"So what reason is it, that you return to the Royal Rocks, Ambassador Shoal?" Shade inquired, the handle on the door behind them glowing, and shutting, steadily leading the box of expensive items to the final door, "Because of the internal affairs?", as he recalled... Shoal did mention issues within the Griffon kingdom itself, and something regarding the use of magic--which happened to be the most alluring reason.

He entered the room with a solemn gaze, his brows raising... what a mess this was. Things stacked almsot endlessly to the cieling indeed. He looked aside, and slowly set the trunk down, resting it on the hardwood.

The final question was predictable, as far as any politician may have asked him that... at least any politician who paid close attention to those they spoke to. Shade watched him attempt a reorganization of all things stored in these quarters, "I would be~... honored.", he stood firmly, "It is something I would mind little.", bowing his head, he lifted his hat from his back once more, and softly rested it on his head for as professional an appearence as he could make.

"And...", Shade began, "Perhaps unpacking all these things for a one day trip would be~... just a little tedius?"