JUSTIN: * Shane trots along after her, shaking his head and grinning at her wave -- as though he might possibly decide to take a different route. "They certainly keep these fountains buried, don't they?" He quips, ambling after her into the plaza and looking around to see if her glorious fountains are yet in view.

JENNA: "It's the only way I remember how to get here," Jo replies. "It's been a long time." The fountains themselves lie a level or two below, streams of water arcing over still pools to feed waterfalls that stream into less placid waters. The plaza itself seems to be a giant fountain of many parts, water streaming down its walls, over and through ornate stone carvings to feed itself in an endless cycle. The moonlight glints on every surface, reflected in the still pools and shattered in the lively ones, broken across the moving waterfalls. Jo ambles over to the railing near the stairs, leaning against it for a moment to watch. "Yeah.. it's been a while."

JUSTIN: * Shane takes a long time to make it to where she's leaning, his eyes fixed on the scene below him. As is his nature, he tries to take in everything at once, gaze darting from stone fixture to stone fixture, tracking the coarse of countless streams and waterfalls. "Okay... so it's certainly more than I was expecting." He says quietly when he finally reaches Jo, sliding his hat down off his head and resting against the railing beside her. "I might even say it's... inspiring." He smiles.

JENNA: * Jo blinks, glancing over at him sheepishly. "I.. really forgot what it was like. I just remember I really liked it." She looks back down for a moment, then pushes away from the railing. Her appreciation of the place, she feels, has probably changed drastically since the last time she was here. "C'mon.. let's go have a closer look."

JUSTIN: * Shane finally breaks his gaze from the fountains to follow her. "But you remember the entire route here? I thought I was good with directions, but honestly." He smiles genuinely, only half teasing her about it. It's actually fairly impressive. He follows all the way down to the bottom landing, of the large plaza, where the sound of the fountains is even louder, but no less soothing.

JENNA: * Jo follows him, folding her hands behind her back, and grins again. "I came here a lot. My friends and I called it our fortress, or something like that." She reaches a hand out to play across the water, shrugging. "Of course, most of what we did back then was splash each other and make a lot of noise." She glances up at him, sheepishness returning to her expression.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns toward her, folding his arms behind his back and giving her a long, curious look. "I certainly hope you don't plan to relive those memories tonight." He raises his brows, grinning. "Loud, I can do. But it would /never/ splash a lady. It's just not gentlemanly!" He walks over to the edge of one of the fountains, dipping a hand into the shimmering liquid and swirling it around. "Ah... it is nice and cool, though, isn't it?"

JENNA: * Jo grins at him. "Tempting, but I'll pass. It's been a busy couple of days." She ambles past him toward one of the central fixtures of the plaza, an ornate, multi-tiered fountain that rises nearly to the level of the streets above. "We used to get in water fights with the noble brats, at least until their parents carted them off ... kids are all the same, I guess." She glances back at him, then points toward the top of the fountain in front of her. "And one time, someone dared me to climb it."

JUSTIN: * Shane looks over from his current point of interest, moving his hand from the water and walking to join Jo at the large, central fountain. His head tilts back to look all the way to the very top, and he stares at it for a moment. "Hmm. And did you?" He turns his eyes back to her, tucking his arms around his chest.

JENNA: "I was almost to the top when the guard came," she answers, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Wasn't long after that I went to Prontera, really." She scratches her cheek, then ambles off again to look at one of the carved walls with water streaming down its face.

JUSTIN: * Shane shakes his head slowly, giving the fountain another look before following after her. "With stunts like that, it's a wonder you lived to make it into your teens." He smirks, keeping his arms tucked about him as he steps up beside her. "But I suppose I've no room to complain. You weren't my problem back then."

JENNA: * Jo grins, sticking her hand through the water to touch the carvings underneath. "I certainly wasn't. Never been to Juno before that one time." She pauses, then, on a whim, sticks her hand into the mouth of a stone lion decorating the wall. She looks thoughtful, fishing around and nearly getting slopped with water as she leans to close. "Guess it's not -- oh, hey!" She withdraws her hand, holding a small stone, polished clean by all the time rattling in the lion's mouth. This she tosses to Shane. "Still there."

JUSTIN: * Shane watches her with slight concern, watching the water slosh against the sleeves of her shirt, and some flecks of water reach as far as her collar and her pants. "What--" His eyes widen a the unexpected toss, and he quickly moves his hands to snatch the object out of the air. He relaxes, breathing out a quiet sigh, and inspects the token in his hand. "A stone?" He looks up at her curiously, expecting there must be more to the story.

JENNA: "It used to be bigger," she explains, reaching out her hand to take it back. "I think I had a bet with someone about how long it would take for it to wear away to nothing. Guess it needs a few more years." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "I don't think that was one of my friends, though." She smiles, though her expression holds an air of puzzlement. "I wonder why I'm remembering all this."

JUSTIN: * Shane stretches a bit, turning to sit down on the wall of the pool. "Why wouldn't you? Seems to me that you have an excellent memory." He pulls his coat from his shoulder, folding it in his lap, and sets his pack on the stone under his feet. He looks up at her, smiling slightly. "Certainly remembering isn't a bad thing, right?'

JENNA: "I guess not." She looks thoughtful for a moment, then turns back to the lion's head, leaning forward to wedge the stone well back inside the carving's mouth. She waits a moment to make sure it's secure, then pulls back, giving her hand a slight shake and seating herself near Shane on the wall. "I just hadn't thought about it for a long time." She smiles briefly.

JUSTIN: * Shane glances back at the lion's head, smiling at the sight of it. "Well... it's a fascinating place, I can't blame your memory for getting a jolt." He turns his eyes to her, dipping a hand into the water idly. "Suppose you'll come back in a few years and check on your stone?"

JENNA: "If I remember to, sure. It's a nice place." She looks at him with a grin. "You wouldn't mind coming back sometime, right? Just not for a job ..." She looks skyward for a moment, then gives a long stretch, chuckling. "I don't think I could make nice through another one like that last ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane lifts his hand out of the water, shaking it out a bit before setting it on his coat. "Of course I wouldn't mind!" He grins at her, moving his other hand to rub at his neck. "After all, you came back to Juno with me." He winks, smile turning more somber, and he looks up at the sky to watch the few wisps of cloud drift in front of the moon.

JENNA: * Jo looks startled for a moment before embarrassment creeps into her expression, and her gaze drifts to the stone road beneath their feet. "Seemed like the right thing to do," she says, managing a faint shrug. "Couldn't very well let you go back on your own, anyway." She glances at him sideways, grinning.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns back to her, belatedly, and gives an equally delayed shrug of his own. "And I certainly wouldn't have felt right leaving you stranded." He pauses for a moment, in thought, then half-grins. "Though I suppose you didn't need my help, either way." He rubs his hands together slowly, stretching his arms down between his legs for a moment before settling against his knees. "We're a travelling duo, now. Wouldn't feel the same without you."

JENNA: * Jo nods in agreement, though her gaze makes its way back to the ground, a smile playing around her lips. "Yeah.. that's true. Hadn't traveled with a partner in a long time. I'd forgotten." She looks up, though her gaze remains fixed ahead at some point distant. "It's good."

JUSTIN: * Shane stares off ahead of himself, as well, watching constant movement of waterfalls and fountains. "I can't say I've ever really known the difference, since I don't travel... but I know I like having someone to talk to, that's something I haven't had in a long time." He runs a hand through his hair, feeling slightly odd about this conversation in particular, however.

JENNA: * Jo shifts, pulling one leg up on the wall with a rising sense of unease. "I.. I guess I never really liked being alone, either. I just .. got used to it, after a while." She rubs her temple for a moment, remembering the last time she did travel with someone -- and that was Fray. The sense of unease redoubles, and she shifts, glancing sideways at Shane.

JUSTIN: * Shane notices the movement of the woman next to him, and he looks over, glancing quickly up and down to see what she's suddenly uncomfortable about. Then he blushes, looking instantly embarrassed. "Well, uh... I guess there's no point digging into that, is there?" He clears his throat casually, refolding his hands in his lap and staring off to the side.

JENNA: * Jo laughs quickly, reaching one hand back to scratch the back of her head. "Yeah.." Then she lets her leg drop back to the ground, glancing skyward again. "I guess it's getting late.. we should probably hit the road before too long." She turns to him with a wan smile. "I promise I'll let you buy some clothes in Geffen."

JUSTIN: * Shane beams, hopping lightly to his feet and slipping into his coat. "Then by all means, what are we waiting for?" He grabs his pack and offers her a hand up -- though he is fairly certain she doesn't need or want it. He rubs the back of his head, glancing away at the fountains and feining ignorance. "Hope the birds don't mind the midnight wakeup."

JENNA: * Uncharacteristically, Jo takes the hand up, grinning faintly at the prospect of waking a pair of grouchy pecos. "They'd had it easy lately -- no room to complain." She releases his hand belatedly, then stretches, starting for the stairs. "Guess we go back the hard way. I don't know the main streets from here."

JUSTIN: * Shane chuckles quietly, both at her comments concerning the pecos, and at the situation. "I'd suggest a race to see who could get back to the inn first, if I tried to find my way by the main road. But... getting lost would be a great waste of time." He slips his pack onto his back and tightens his coat's belt, jogging to catch up to her.

JENNA: * Jo grins at him, but she doesn't say anything, instead concentrating on finding her way back to the inn. Once there, she makes straight for the stables, walking over to her bird with a loud cluck as she goes for her saddle. The bird looks extremely disgruntled, squawking and ruffling its feathers at her as she works.

JUSTIN: * Shane's peco remains surprisingly quiet, though it makes up for it by constantly attempting to sidestep his attempts to get the saddle on its back. "Would you kindly hold still?" He mutters at it with some irritation, then nearly gets knocked over by a headbutt in response. The bird stares at him with an almost impsh gleam in its eye, and it causes Shane no shortage of disbelief. "You have got to be the rudest bird I've ever had to ride."

JENNA: "Need some help?" Jo leads her bird, still disgruntled, out of its stall, grinning at Shane's efforts. "No wonder they were willing to let him go at a bargain price.. ornery bastard, isn't he?" Her own bird utters an aggravated squawk, ruffling its feathers again as if this will somehow remove the saddle from its back.

JUSTIN: * Shane shakes his head, blowing a few stray strands of hair from his face. "Oh no, this is between him and me." He stands straight again, giving the bird a hard stare. The bird, however, simply turns around and walks over to investigate its companion, churring quietly. While it's distracted, Shane manages to get the saddle on the critter's back, strapping it in place and getting the harness and saddlebags in place. "So first you don't want me to touch you, and now you're too good to even look at me. We'll see if you get any special treatment from now on." He huffs, grabbing the reigns and leading the peco out of the pen and starting for the stable's exit.

JENNA: * Jo grins, following, as the two pecos converse amongst themselves -- likely about being woken up at this ungodly hour. Once outside, she pulls hers away and mounts up, patting its head absently. "Relax, bird. We'll be taking it easy this trip." This does not seem to console the peco, which remains ruffled and utters another, indignant squawk.

JUSTIN: * Shane is half worried that his beast won't let him mount up, but it seems to accept the inevitable -- it is trained, after all, regardless of its impoliteness -- and he's in the saddle soon enough. As if taking a cue from Jo's ride, it begins to give some quietly resentful chatter, but Shane ignores its complaints. "I'm sure they'll give up the fight once they've got the sleep worked out of them. Honestly, we need to make a rule not to spoil them anymore."

JENNA: "I don't know many places that will take the birds out for a run while their masters are away, though," Jo remarks, turning her mount toward the town's south exit and setting off. "Unless you want to be on caravan jobs all the time ..." She tosses a grin back over her shoulder.

JUSTIN: * Shane sighs melodramatically, turning his peco and keeping pace with Jo. "When you put it like that." He sniffs, reaching down to ruffle his peco's feathers, causing it to dip its head out of his reach, then turn him a confused glance. "I guess ownership is fifty-fifty as far as their concerned, then. You'd think they were the king's own or something, the way they make demands."

JENNA: "I doubt the king would stand for his pecos to act like this," Jo remarks, nudging the peco to keep its pace when it shows signs of slowing. "Attitudes aside, they've served fairly well. Doubt we could have gotten a better deal." She grins, and the bird squawks irritably.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles, settling into his saddle a bit more comfortably and keeping his peco motivated with the occassional press of his heels. "They haven't run off. They haven't bucked us out of the saddle. I think I can tolerate some rudeness if it means good service." He brings his peco up alongside hers, glancing up at the sky. "How far to Geffen?"

JENNA: "Depends on how fast we try to get there," Jo replies, eyebrows lifting. "How badly do you want new clothes?" She doesn't wait for an answer before continuing, however. "It's about the same distance as Prontera, but there's some water in the way. The rivers are all bridged, but it limits our route a little bit." She smiles briefly. "It's a strange city."

JUSTIN: "Coming from Juno, and you coming from Morroc... I think we can both handle strange." Shane smiles, retightening his grip on the reigns. "I don't know, though. New clothes are awfully appealing... but I wouldn't want to wear you all out." He sighs in playful resignation. "I guess we take this trip easy, then."

JENNA: "You're ever so gracious," Jo murmurs, amused, pushing the bird out of the gates. They steal into the night without much sound, making good time as trot south and west to warmer climes. Taking it easy, it's quite a while before they reach Geffen, though the trip has been far from difficult with abundant water and game. As they walk into the city, with its dominant, cone-shaped tower, Jo chuckles, looking around. Scholars and wizards of every stripe litter the streets, debating, practicing and some even teaching. Though several buildings are dedicated to the magical arts, the practice seems to inundate the city.

JUSTIN: * Shane looks around with great curiousity, leaning forward in his saddle for a better look. He whistles quietly in surprise, glancing from point of interest to point of interest. "It's like the Juno Sage's Quarter, but stretched over the entire city... Won't we stand out like sore thumbs." He smiles, not particularly worried about this. "What do you think, Jo? A mage's robe? Maybe one of those pointy hats? Hm, but I would hate to part with my current one..."

JENNA: "What, and give people the wrong idea?" She snorts faintly, imagining him in that kind of getup, then snorts again. "I'm sure there are places that sell regular clothes," she says drily. "Though they probably don't have much call for them ..." She pauses, mentally checking over their supplies. "We'd probably better resupply, too."

JUSTIN: * Shane grins stupidly, considering the idea seriously for a moment, but shaking it out of his head the next. "You're right, of course." He rests his hands on his legs, glancing around again, his curiousity thrumming like an engine in him, eager to get on the move. "So, what first? Shack up the birds, or bring them along for the ride?"

JENNA: * Jo glances at him, arching an eyebrow. "If you can be trusted to buy your own clothes, I might go resupply while you're doing that ... we can take the birds along. Might as well get some work out of them." She looks around, attempting to remember where the shops are in this peculiar city.

JUSTIN: * Shane nods approvingly, just itching to get going. "I promise, I learned my lesson about proper market behaviour." He smiles sweetly at her. "Besides, I know a little about this magic stuff -- I'm from Juno, remember? Nobody'll pull a fast one on me." That said, there aren't any shops open to the common public in Juno, so the temptation to get his hands on something flashy is rather strong.

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head, almost laughing, but she restrains herself. "All right, let's get moving." She turns her bird and starts along the outer wall, seeming to remember the bulk of the shops being outside the heart of the city. She's correct, and it isn't long before they run across a tailor who appears to have clothing more ordinary than most of what's being worn on the streets. "Looks like this is your best bet," she remarks.

JUSTIN: * Shane grins broadly, sliding out of his saddle and taking the peco by the reigns. "I guess we'll meet up back at the front gate, then, before deciding what to do. How long?" He strokes his bird's neck idly, and it seems to be okay with it this time. "I promise, I can be brief if I need to be."

JENNA: * Jo glances skyward, nodding briefly. "Give it a couple hours. I'll probably have to run a few places." She glances down at him and grins. "Try not to buy anything too weird, all right?" Then she nudges her peco moving again, casting about for a shop that might sell travel rations. She has her doubts she's going to find anyplace with standard goods.

JUSTIN: * Shane shrugs his shoulders lightly, turning back to his peco and looking it in the eye. "Looks like it's just you and me for a spell, bird. You okay with that?" He gets a blank stare in response, and he simply shakes his head, leading the animal toward the tailor's shop. He ties it to a bench out front, and steps into the cozy building to begin his search.

JENNA: * As expected, finding even regular jerky in Geffen is a trying task, and it's an hour before Jo's made it down half her mental list. Food, repair supplies, first aid supplies and other essentials, however, slowly fill her packs and saddlebags. She's momentarily tempted by a couple of charms that would prove handy in adverse weather, but she decides if she told Shane not to buy anything weird, she won't either.

JUSTIN: * It takes Shane the better part of the hour to pick out a few new sets of clothes for himself, managing to keep things simple and modest. With great willpower, he ignores all attempts by the tailor to get him interested in the more ornate and ridiculous outfits, and before long he's back on the street and considering his options. He begins wandering down the line of shops, looking but not touching, and trying hard to ignore every word directed his way. However, it isn't long before he happens upon one small shop with a list of goods he simply can't ignore, and so inside he goes.

JENNA: * Jo's shopping jaunt is winding down by the end of another hour, though she stops at a fruit stand to snag a couple of apples to share before heading for the gate. Her peco, feeling overburdened with the weight of her purchases, complains noisily as they go, causing the gate guards to glance at her warily as she swings down and pops it on the beak. "Cool it," she says, looking for a place to sit and settling on a nearby bench. "Take a chance to rest instead of complaining. We'll be moving again soon enough."

JUSTIN: * Shane enters this shop with a fairly accurate idea of what it is he's looking for -- something Jo had mentioned a long time ago -- and is able to ignore everything else because of this. After explaining the item to the merchant, and finding they have none on hand immediately, he is quite dismayed. Some pleading and haggling, however, and he manages to work out a deal to get one prepared on the spot, for a higher fee. This process makes up the bulk of the time he ends up spending in the shop, eating most of the last hour he has before needing to meet up with Jo again. One brief demonstration later (to prove that it will work), and he merrily slings this new gift over his shoulder and heads out to his peco, mounting up and trotting lazily back to the gate.

JENNA: * Jo, in the meantime, is exchanging wary glances with the guards, who seem to be paying her an inordinate amount of attention. She's about to look for another place to wait, unsure whether they're suspicious of her or her chatter with the peco, when she sees Shane approaching and relaxes, waving. "Took your time, did you?" she calls.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs the back of his neck, looking somewhat guilty and embarrassed. "I got held up in a shop, that's all -- I mean, it wasn't my fault, I had to wait for an item." He moves a hand to his mouth, clearing his throat which feels suddenly dry. He slides down off his peco and leads it over to socialize with its friend while he converses with his, slipping onto the bench beside Jo. There's a slight blush to his cheeks as he takes not one, but two packs down off his back, one of which looks brand new and empty. He sets his down on the floor, and holds the new one up for Jo to see. "What do you think? Lots of pockets, adjustable straps, and a quick-release lock on the top flap..."

JENNA: * Jo looks at the pack for a moment, puzzled, then takes it from him and looks it over, noting on her own that it's an excellent pack. She turns her gaze to Shane, arching an eyebrow. "It's nice .. but why? I mean, mine's holding up pretty well, so ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane looks suddenly giddy, squirming in his spot and trying not to smile too stupidly. "Well, from what I hear, you can drop it in the lava in Nogg Road, and it won't be any worse for wear..."

JENNA: * Jo blinks, then her gaze jerks back to the pack in surprise. "It's -- but those are /expensive!/" Her gaze whips back to Shane, wide-eyed, and she clutches the pack to her, as if she's not quite sure it's real. "But -- I mean --" She looks down at it again, red starting in her cheeks.

JUSTIN: * Shane scratches the back of his head, blushing deeper at her rather expressive reaction. "I-it wasn't a problem, Jo, I had the extra money from Juno..." He rubs his hands together, looking away from her and down at the street with a severe case of red cheeks. "I remember you saying you wanted one, and I figure... I mean, you've been doing this travel thing a lot longer than me, so you deserve it. ...you know?"

JENNA: "Oh." Her cheeks heat further, and she finds herself smiling foolishly for a moment, though she quashes it the instant she catches herself at it. She hugs the pack to her again, glancing at Shane sideways almost shyly. "Thanks," she says, trying to think of something further but unable to come up with anything.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs his face a bit, jaw going sore from the constant grin that's struggling to stay on his lips. "You're welcome, Jo." He stands to his feet then, grabbing his own pack and sliding it onto his back almost reluctantly. "I guess we'd best move on, then. Did you get everything you need, or did you want some more shopping time?" He glances quickly at her.

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head, rising quickly after him, gaze fixed on the ground. "I got everything. We can redistribute the packs whenever we stop." She glances at him sideways again, apparently wary of looking right at him. "I thought we'd make for Prontera.. it doesn't look like there's any caravan activity going on around here." Though, truthfully, she forgot to look.

JUSTIN: * Shane nods briskly, attempting to mask the awkwardness by looking busy inspecting the packs on his peco. "That sounds fine. We always find good jobs in Prontera." He secures his equipment and mounts up, walking the bird in a small circle before glancing down at her again with a wary smile. "You'll have to give me a more thorough tour of Geffen someday."

JENNA: * Jo nods quickly, hopping onto her peco's back and hooking her new pack securely near her. She'll have to tend to that once they make camp. "It's an interesting place, at least.. but I'm pretty sure you noticed that." She grins faintly, steering her peco toward the gates.

JUSTIN: "Very little I don't notice, miss." Shane tips his hat at her with a slight grin, admittedly amazed that he isn't still referring to her as 'miss' or 'madam' at every turn. It hasn't been /that/ long, has it? He shrugs his shoulders lightly, nudging his peco forward and following after her quietly.