No ice in my whisky, buddy

A silvery anthro dragon rises from a table by the window and moves to sit at the bar, glass held easily in one clawhand. Once seated he smooths down his suit and summons the bartender, whispers something to him, and sips at his drink. Presently a glass of what the equine is drinking is placed on the bar before him as the dragon looks down the bar without appearing to be looking.

*The anthro stallion turns his half-empty glass on the bar, a little lost in thought, and finally glances out of the corner of his eye at the anthro dragon as he appears at the bar. As the bartender serves him the drink, the Friesian takes another sip and quietly snorts in a deep voice: "A good choice!", without looking directly at the dragon.

*"I have often thought so," says the dragon. His voice is quiet, cultivated, and his accent English, though there's a hint of something else in it. He lifts the glass between his two hands and rolls it a little before huffing the vapours lightly. He sips, and smiles. "Yes. Still good." The black eyes in the shiny snout turn their attention from the liquor to you for a moment. Back to the drink. "May I offer you another of this fine beverage?"

*For a brief moment, the black stallion's ears turn back before he turns his head to his new company at the bar. Even as his ears turn benevolently back in the dragon's direction, he asks in a slightly tired but friendly voice, "To what do I owe the honour?" - it had been a while since anyone addressed him here in this bar. *

*That note of fatigue isn't lost upon the dragon. Perhaps it's insufficient sleep, perhaps jet-lag, perhaps work-weariness, perhaps something else: whatever the cause, he recognises that sound. "You present the appearance of one who might be able to use a little company... a little friendship," says the dragon. His voice is soft and his eyes gentle, and his tail is almost still.*

*The black stallion looks at the dragon again thoughtfully for a moment before his facial expressions form into an equally friendly smile*
"Well... hard to make real friends here.... but it seems to me we both share the same fate tonight... so before each of us is alone, why not be 'lonely' together? We already seem to share a good taste in drinks. So the next round is on me..." *cheers to the dragon with a friendly smile*

*The dragon's long, thin lips curl upwards into a warm smile as you accept his company. You may notice that he does his best not to show his fangs by keeping his lips close together; still, it's difficult to hide the front fangs, which do show. Hopefully the gentleness of his expression takes away any sense of threat. "You are very kind, sir," he says, then rises from the stool further down the bar to move towards you. His scent is dragon, yes, and a probably expensive scale soap of cedar and faint floral. As he nears you he sets down his drink and offers his right hand. "I'm Seth... it's a pleasure to meet you."*

The stallion had already seen many fangs - so the dragon's did not frighten him. The whole demeanour of his counterpart seemed civilised and pleasant, which was not a matter of course at this time of day. "Steppenfire is my name... or simply Steppen for short.... Pleased to make your acquaintance, Seth," the Frisian replied as he shook his hand and turned to face him. With a glance at the stool next to him, he invited him to join him and even as he turned back to his drink, he asked in a low but friendly voice: "Are you from around here?"

Seth eases himself onto the stool next to Steppen's, unfastening his jacket as he settles so that it hangs tidily and comfortably. "Likewise, Steppenfire. I'm very pleased to meet you." As the stallion asks his question Seth sips at his drink, savours it for a few moments and then swallows. "I am, indeed, yes," he replies, "I've lived in this city for quite a while now. Seen its ups and its downs, its highs and its lows. Each period is interesting and has things to recommend it, and things not to recommend it. I find it... invigorating. So many places to explore, new things to find each week, and familiar haunts to revisit. And who knows what -- or who -- one might encounter anywhere?" There's a warm lustre to his eyes as he looks over at you: interested, curious, politely inviting. "May I presume that you are a visitor to the metropolis, then, Steppen?"

"I'm actually not from here..." the stallion replies, nodding.
"I visited here a few times in my childhood... You know: shopping trips, sightseeing tours, school trips... if you grew up in a rural area, the big city always had a special attraction... Everything seemed possible here. I think it was during this time that the desire grew in me to seek my fortune in a place like this." He finishes the last sentence with a short snort from his nostrils and a slight smile that is hard to make out, while his gaze is lost thoughtfully in the half-full glass, which he gently turns once or twice with his hoofed hands.
Steppen was not usually so talkative towards strangers... Maybe it was the friendly and pleasant nature of his counterpart, maybe the sheltered atmosphere of the small bar or maybe just the alcohol - in any case, it was good to make a little small talk and not just return to the silence of the flat after emptying the glass.
With a friendly expression on his face, Steppen turns back to Seth and says with honest curiosity: "Must have been a nice experienced to see such a place changing during all the years... to know corners where the tourist usually doesn't stray... but I guess it certainly wasn't easy, especially during childhood, hm?"

The dragon's eyes saccade lightly as he watches the stallion's expressions flicker on his face, most particularly during the silence when his thoughts are turned inward and his lips crooked upwards in that small smile. He doesn't interrupt but lets the silence hang, lightly and comfortably waiting for more. And when it comes, Seth smiles and listens to the question. After a sip of his drink, he replies. "It's a compliment, Steppenfire, to say that I grew up in the city. I suppose I did, in many ways, yet the fact remains that I, like you, am a transplant. I spent my earliest years in environs so far removed from this, out in a small country town. I came here to... Not just to seek my fortune, but to be in a place where my... preferences..." he adds a little stress to the word and looks into the stallion's eyes with just a touch more intensity "... were more accepted than they were at home."

Seth takes another sip of his glass, leaving it almost empty. "Still. Yes. It has changed a great deal since then. More people, more buildings, much more fast-paced and busy... yet in some ways that's not a bad thing. It brings more cultures, more ideas, more chances, more... everything, I suppose. Except more peace and quiet -- unless you can afford it." A wry grin lifts one corner of his lips. "And it was in that quest -- for more everything -- I came here tonight. It seems to be a place that the most interesting people find out." Steadily, gently, he looks Steppenfire in the eyes, and smiles.