The Multi-Dimensional OC Bar

Schwarm silently sipped from his own mug, staring down at the table and generally trying to forget the question he'd been asked earlier.

The doctor sits in the awkward silence, trying to come up with something to talk about. Glancing around the tavern, he spots the shadowy figure in the corner booth and a shiver travels down his spine.
"Either of you know dark and creepy over in the corner?"

Schwarm glanced over. "... No." He said reluctantly. He didn't like to reveal information, but he decided that this wasn't particularly important.

"Who?" Graham said as he turned to where Leo was looking. He cocked his head at the sight of the figure, not seeming afraid, before he turned to back to the doctor. "No, I don't know him. I didn't even hear him come in." He then looked to Leo, then to Schwarm, then back to the figure. "Think any of us should go talk to him?" He inquired, basically asking, to him, if anyone else wanted to chat with the figure before he gave it a shot.

"If you want to disturb the terrifying pony wreathed in shadows, be my guest."

Graham paused for a moment, thinking about his next course of action, before shrugging, getting up, and going towards the shadowy figure.

"Hello!" He said, cheerily. "If you'll permit me asking; why are you sitting here by yourself? This is a good place to make friends, after all."

The dark figure is completely covered in a pitch black cloak, hood, and face mask. He turns his head to face the griffon as he speaks, two red eyes with cat like pupils glow from the dark face. His voice is a harsh whisper, "I sit in the dark because the light is not fond of my kind, and I sit alone because my kind is not fond of others."

"Well, the first answer makes sense, kind of, but I could argue that my kind isn't fond of others, either." Graham stated, matter of factly. "In fact, my kind would probably be content with killing you and taking all you've got. Yet here I am, not doing that." He said with a friendly smile.

Amusement shows in the shades eyes at his comments, "I would love to see you try~ And by my kind I did not mean my employment, some of the best in my trade are actually quite sociable, which helps in their endeavors."

"Ah. Confidence. Good, good. It's important to think you're good at what you do, or your abilities-in this case your fighting abilities." Graham said, in approval. "Oh, and I was partly refering to the gryphons. At least with the first part. Though, I suppose it depends on the gryphon, doesn't it?"

"Ha, that does sound like the average griffon. I can assure you I am one of the best at what I do, I am positive beyond a doubt that you could not even harm me, never mind kill me and take my possessions."

"Implying that I would want to." Graham said with a smile. "Though, I would watch that confidence of yours. After all, you know what they say; 'it takes the best to know that there's always someone better'" He then paused for a moment, mulling over his 'quote'. "... Well, they may not say that, but you get the idea."

"My confidence has nothing nothing to do with it, mortal. As things currently stand, unless you are some how magically inclined or are concealing a magical weapon, your weak physical form cannot touch me. However, in this bright environment, I am unable to harm your hindering flesh either."

Graham stood silent for a moment before cracking a bemused grin. "You're a fun one." He stated, nonchalantly. "You called me a mortal. That would make you above mortals, correct? How far above mortals, if so?" He asked, curiously.

"I do not age and cannot become ill or be poisoned, unfortunately that also means I cannot get drunk, sustenance is pointless to me, but it is still good to taste now and then, I am immune to physical harm and have control of the shadows, all of this at the insignificant cost of a portion of my soul and a susceptibility to light and magic. I was a thestral originally, but now I am a shade, I am what goes bump in the night. Metaphorically speaking of course, realistically, you would never know I was there."

"So.... In essence, you've made yourself into a shadow. How fun." Graham deadpanned. "I'm honestly not sure why you'd do that. It sounds to me like you can't enjoy basic pleasures anymore. Things like having a drink and getting drunk, chatting with friends, maybe even taking a walk in the sunlight.  I'm not sure it'd be worth it. Is it worth it to you?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

"I do miss getting drunk from time to time, but the immense power I now possess is far more intoxicating than any alcohol. I have never had any friends, only employers and targets, who were sometimes one in the same," an evil glint shows in his eyes at this, "I am capable of working with a group though, I have lived long enough to realize no matter one's abilities, some things simply cannot be done alone. I have always hated the light, even when I was mortal. As I stated I was originally a thestral, and thus already belonged to the beautiful night of dear Princess Luna. So yes, to me, it is very worth it."

Graham was silent for a moment, mulling over everything the 'shade' had said. "... I suppose since you never liked the sun, it's not that big of a loss. But never having friends? That sounds... Sad. Very sad." He gives the shade a dejected look, before it hardened into a deadpan one. "And it sounds like you've betrayed your 'employers'. I'd guess that they trusted you, at least enough to give you a target. I must admit, there is a hard part of me that has a distaste for those who betray others, in any shape or form; especially after today." Graham then gets a thoughtful look. "But the biggest thing I'm getting from you is that you're reveling in this 'immense power' you say you have. So... You decided to stay in the dark, and forsake friendships, along with certain pleasures... For power?"

"I am an assassin and a thief, my employers trust me as much as I trust them, which is very little. I get paid to kill somebody or steal from them, and then the victim or someone close to them hires me for revenge. None of my employers are very nice people, so excuse me if I have no problem with offing the same corrupt politician who just paid me to eliminate a greedy CEO. I have one or two employers whom I would never cross and who would never cross me, but a majority of them are one shot customers. I stopped reveling decades ago, I have long since lost the cocky attitude and fallen from the power high, but originally yes, I did it for the power, I did it to become the best at what I do. Oh, and I may be wrong, but the 'certain pleasures' you are referring too are easily bought~"

"Hmm... Well, as much of a point you make, it still doesn't feel right. But, I can understand your 'betrayal's', if nothing else. Oh, and I'd hardly say you lost the cocky attitude. But I digress. Also, wrong pleasures. I'm referring to more simple ones. Ones that involve friends, or sun, or... Well, not being an assassin, or a shadow-creature. I still can't fathom why you'd be so obsessed with being the best that you'd give up the ability to go into light, forsake friends, et cetera, though. It just doesn't seem like a good reason. I mean, I can understand wanting to be the best at what you do, but.... There should be a line, you know? A point that shouldn't be crossed. I feel like forsaking the things you have should be that point, that line."

"I have never had friends, so I did not forsake any by becoming what I am, and as I have stated, I have never loved the light, the darkness has always been for me. As for choosing this, I may not have had much choice. It was a conscious decision that I made, but my mortal self may have been dieing and becoming the shade was the only way to preserve myself, I honestly do not recall it was so long ago. Also I appear t have forgotten to mention a very important bit of information, I am retired, sort of. I am one of the good guys now, I am a member of the, ugh, Power Ponies." He says the name with much distaste.

"You still could've made friends. It's never too late. And anyone is capable, it just depends on them and if they want it. I suppose you didn't. Also, I suppose that wanting to preserve your own life is.... Understandable, but like I said; there's a line that probably shouldn't be crossed." Graham stated matter of factly.

"Also... 'Power ponies'?" He said, confusedly. "I've never heard of them. They sound like something straight out of an old comic book."

"Yes, the name is rather cliche, and in your universe they very well may be a comic book, but in mind they are real, and I am a member of them. I joined for the same reason I became a shade, self preservation. One of my employers failed to mention that the target had a bodyguard that could manipulate light. I nearly died and was forced to realize that while I am immortal, I am still far from invincible."

"Hmm...you know, it sounds like, to me, you don't do things that don't benefit you. Now I know I may not be the best authority on doing things for others, given my profession, but... Well, I'll put it like this. I did things for my crew when I was a captain of my ship. Things that hardly benefitted me, but certainly benefitted them. They, in turn, didn't maroon, or kill me, when they decided to take my ship. Now, I know I'm probably not as old as you, but I can offer this; maybe you should think about doing things for your... Companions. It might end up in your favor." Graham said with a knowing smile.

"Hmm, I am sure that if I live long enough, my life will turn into a romantic tale about a cold blooded assassin who is saved by the power of friendship who does good for the rest of his eternal life to atone for his horrendous crimes, but for now I believe I'll remain as the morally deficient, self preserving, dark and brooding loner."