JENNA: * Despite this, the silence remains unbroken all the way to the mages' city, with neither party speaking beyond the absolutely necessary -- which is infrequent at best. Upon breaching the city walls, however, Jo stops to give a long, tired stretch, gazing around in the noonday sun in search of a lead on a job. She scratches her cheek, uncertain about the possibilities as she waits for Shane to catch up.

JUSTIN: * Shane walks his bird slowly into the city behind Jo, pausing a couple meters from her and watching boredly. He gives the street in front of them a quick look, but can't seem to get very excited about anything at the moment. He just wants to rest. His peco trots up alongside Jo's, and he sits back in the saddle, waiting for her to decide what she wants to do.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't appear to notice him come alongside her, tilting her head this way and that as if lost in thought. Finally, she lowers her arms, and without glancing in Shane's direction, says, "Magic academy or market square, do you think?" She pauses, then continues thoughtfully. "The market square probably wouldn't have anything that paid very well ... but the magic academy might get ... strange."

JUSTIN: * Shane crosses his arms over his chest, and gives her a sideways look. He's not sure if she's asking him, or simply talking to herself... but he's willing to bet it's the latter. Still, he might as well put in his opinion while he has the chance. "We should probably take the Academy. At the least, it will add a little variety to our resume. That can't hurt."

JENNA: * Jo nods agreeably, glancing at him with a grin. "Who knows, at least it should be more interesting than a market job." She trots her peco over to him. "So, do you think we should catch a bath and a day's rest first? I don't really care." Whatever evil spirits were haunting her over the past week, she appears to have decided to dismiss them completely.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches an eyebrow at Jo, slowly and suspiciously. Her sudden change in behaviour seems a bit fishy, and he isn't convinced of its authenticity. "Um... I guess. Sure. Have we ever said no to a bath before?" He smiles a little, going along with it for now, whether it's an act or not.

JENNA: * Jo nods, content with this, then pushes farther into the city, humming with an air of relaxation she hasn't felt in several days. The knot in her stomach, having built up in the first few days of silence, is finally easing, and it's with reasonably good cheer she has their pecos stabled and requests their usual room arrangement. Though she does pause after this, glancing at Shane. "Unless you'd rather get two?"

JUSTIN: * Shane is quiet throughout the entire trip, though it isn't an oppressive silence. At her question, he shakes his head, rubbing at his temple. "No, it's not necessary. Just a waste of money."

JENNA: * Jo nods, then takes the key and ambles to the room, pleased to note there's a bathroom included. She slings her pack into a corner, kicking her boots off and flopping down on the bed nearest the door. Then she stretches with a long sigh. "You want to go first?" she asks, though she'd dearly like the privilege for herself.

JUSTIN: "No." Shane says quietly, shutting the door behind him and moving to his bed to sit, and then leaning over to untie his boots. "Go ahead." He frees his feet, giving them a slight rub before sitting back again and looking around the room absently.

JENNA: * Jo gives him a level stare, then rolls her eyes. "All right, but don't cry if I use up all the hot water." She hops to her feet again to vanish inside the bathroom, where she runs the water as hot as she can stand it and strips down to enjoy a nice, long soak. Her cares, already loosened, seem to completely dissolve on contact with the soap and water, and she ducks beneath the surface for a few moments before coming up with a long sigh and relaxing for a while.

JUSTIN: * Shane, trying to think of some way to unwind and hopefully discharge some of his excess sulkiness, eventually takes off his coat and digs a book out of his pack to settle in for a brief read while he waits. It works a little bit, at least giving him a distraction and letting his thoughts rest a bit.

JENNA: * When the water begins to cool, Jo leaves the bath, toweling off rapidly and giving her hair a shake. She stretches once before getting back into her clothes, then trots into the room and watches Shane curiously for a moment. "What are you reading?" she asks, tossing her towel over the back of a chair and ambling over to sit on her bed. "All yours, too."

JUSTIN: * Shane glances up at her, slight surprise evident on his face (he hadn't heard her come in), and he lowers his book. "It's a historical fiction... it follows a make-believe soldier through a real campaign that happened in a war over a hundred years ago." He looks almost embarrassed at her interest. People don't usually show interest in his reading habits. "I suppose I should get my bath out of the way." He sets the book down, sliding to his feet.

JENNA: "I see." She doesn't pursue the matter any farther, letting him tend to his washing. "I think I left some hot water. Guess you'll find out." She grins, then flops back on the bed, sticking her hands behind her head and staring vaguely at the ceiling. Some of her earlier tension returns, and she forces herself to relax, losing herself in thought as she attempts to come up with something that might drag her companion out of his sulk.

JUSTIN: * Shane wanders into the bathroom without a word, closing the door behind him. Once in privacy, he sighs softly and begins to strip out of his clothing, careful to avoid any puddles of splashed water covering the floor where Jo dried off when he tosses them down. He fills the bathtub, finding more than enough hot water for his purposes (not needing nearly the amount she does, anyway), and settles in to clean himself.

JENNA: * Jo rolls back and forth a couple of times, frowning irritably, then she flops out again, looking tired. Unable to come up with anything, she decides she might as well let him have his sulk, and, arms still spread to her sides, drifts into a light doze.

JUSTIN: * Shane finishes cleaning fairly quickly, but he does allow himself some time to relax in the warm water. The quiet comfort does him some good, and though he still feels somewhat somber when he's dried and redressing, it isn't the same sort of sulkiness he was displaying earlier. He makes his way back into the room, spotting Jo flopped out on her bed dozing, and he quietly heads for his bed.

JENNA: * Jo shifts slightly as he exits the bathroom, not coming fully awake until he's reached his bed. She rolls over, blinking blearily, and gives a yawn, rubbing her eyes. She doesn't speak immediately, settling for rolling over to watch him as she comes awake again.

JUSTIN: * Shane sits down on the edge of his bed, his shirt left untucked and unbuttoned at the top for comfort, and he's in the middle of rolling up his sleeves when he notices Jo's watching eyes. "Oh... I thought you were asleep?"

JENNA: "I was," she replies, continuing to watch him with an air of curiosity. "It's a little early to just go to sleep, though, you know?" She pauses, gaze drifting to the floor. "Nice bath?" she asks, at a loss for anything else to say.

JUSTIN: "It was fine..." Shane edges further onto his bed, idly scooping his book into his lap while he watches her. "Got me clean, anyway." He tilts his head a little, giving her a rather puzzled expression. "Did you want to talk about something, or...?"

JENNA: * Jo glances up at him and shakes her head -- an odd sensation, as she's lying sideways. "Just wondered...." She glances down, noting the book, and her expression becomes, for a moment, interested. She frowns, doubting she'll get a positive response, but she glances up at him anyway. "Hey, Shane?" she asks before she can think better of it. "Will you read to me?" She reddens almost immediately, wishing she could retract the question -- she isn't even sure why she asked it.

JUSTIN: * Shane stares at Jo for a moment, only disturbing the eye contact to blink a few times. "Read? To you?" He looks down at his book, then back to her, going red right along with her. "You... you really want me to?" He fidgets slightly, not sure if she's just teasing him and his silly hobby. "I-I could, if you... if you're sure."

JENNA: * Jo doesn't manage to meet his gaze, but she nods, face still red. "Sure. If.. I mean, you don't have to. Just if you want." She pulls herself upright, forcing her gaze up to his as she tucks her legs into a cross-legged position.

JUSTIN: "I'd be happy to..." Shane smiles crookedly, due in part to his attempts to hide it. "I didn't think you would be interested, though." He stares down at his book again, trying to figure out what brought her to ask. After a moment, he stands up, moving to sit himself on the edge of her bed next to her.

JENNA: * Jo shrugs, looking at him sideways as he sits down and pulling her legs underneath her. "Is it okay if you start from the beginning?" she asks him curiously. "I mean.. I guess you were pretty far in." She eyes the book with interest, leaning over slightly to peer at the cover.

JUSTIN: * Shane clutches at the book with a strange nervousness, staring at it for a moment before registering her request. "Oh, no, no I don't mind at all. Ah..." He fumbles with it for a second, apparently forgetting how to open it, then manages to get to the first page. "I've never read to anyone before. Not since I read that letter to you, anyway... Um, just go easy on me if I sound silly, okay?"

JENNA: * Jo nods, then shrugs, grinning at him. "I asked you to, so it's okay." She falls silent after that, watching him expectantly. It's hard to say whether anyone read to her as a child, with the anticipation she seems to be harboring. Or it could simply be that she finds reading to be an utterly mystical process.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns her a brief glance, finding her almost awed fascination to make him feel simultaneously proud and even more nervous. He clears his throat, though, turning his attention to the book, and places a hand on the page to mark where he's reading -- for her benefit, as he usually doesn't read with a marker. He starts off a little shaky, but as he gets into the story, he picks up confidence, acting out each character and dramaticising.

JENNA: * Jo's gaze remains fixed on the page as she attempts to puzzle out the connection between the words coming out of Shane's mouth and the symbols written there. Every once in a while she glances up at his face, but for the most part she watches the indecipherable words on the turning pages.

JUSTIN: * Shane becomes more and more comfortable as the story progresses, and he might have forgotten he had an audience at all, if she were to sit back out of his peripheral vision. As it stands, he doesn't forget his audience, and for that reason he manages to keep his pacing steady for her, mouth twitching with a faint smile now and then.

JENNA: * Jo inches closer as he continues reading, attempting to get a better view of the pages. She stays far enough away that they aren't actually making physical contact, out of politeness and habit, if nothing else. During a brief pause, she glances up at him again and tilts her head. "You thirsty?"

JUSTIN: * Shane looks up from the book, mildly surprised to hear her voice after she's been so long in silence. "Oh... I suppose I must be." He realizes this is a silly answer for such a simple question, and he blushes slightly. "I mean... yes, I guess I could use some water."

JENNA: * Jo nods, apprently satisfied with her guess, and gets to her feet to fetch some, disappearing into the bathroom and reappearing a few moments later with one of the canteens. She hands it to him, then settles on the bed again, retaining her nearer position in order to watch the pages. She isn't fatigued from staying still so long, though she is getting a little sleepy.

JUSTIN: "Thank you very much." Shane says honestly, accepting the canteen upon her return and taking a long sip of it. It's not until the cool liquid touches his thoat that he realizes it was beginning to get hoarse from the constant use. He sighs quietly, recapping the canteen and placing it beside him before refocusing on the book. "Now then, where were we..." He scans the page for a second, then points with a finger and smiles, continuing from where he left off.

JENNA: * Jo grins at him, then her gaze immediately goes back to the book, interested in the process probably more than the content. She is finding the story enjoyable, however, enough that she loses track of time. She finds herself swaying drowsily once or twice, but she keeps her focus stubbornly.

JUSTIN: * Shane hasn't been paying attention to the time at all, for his part. The only thing he cares about is reading until she tells him to stop. Until that point, he will dutifully continue to honor his agreement. Besides which, he rather enjoys reading to an audience -- or, at least this particular audience.

JENNA: * Jo has no intention of telling him to stop, but her body, worn out from travel and recent hostilities, seems to have ideas of its own. She puts up a good fight, but it isn't long before her head begins to droop, and she eventually dozes off, swaying to rest against Shane as she falls asleep.

JUSTIN: * Shane's reading continues smoothly and uninterrupted, yet comes to an anti-climactic, slurring finish when he feels Jo's weight quite suddenly upon him. He looks up with startled surprise, lowering the book and looking over to her with a shade of red growing in his cheeks. Any questions or protests he has for her dissipate, however, when he sees that she is asleep, and he lets out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. For some reason, his blush only deepens, and for a long minute or two after setting the book aside, he puzzles over the situation. Eventually he realizes he is going to have to physically move her himself, and he gingerly takes her by the shoulders, freezing up for the moment.

JENNA: * Jo is pretty much dead weight, and she shows no sign of waking as he shifts her, though she does squirm slightly in her sleep, attempting to get comfortable again. These efforts are accompanied by a familiar, drowsy murmur.

JUSTIN: * Shane is briefly tempted to wake her, and let her sort herself out. But clearly she is worn out, and it isn't as though he can't simply... touch her... and lay her down... He swallows, mouth and throat dry again, and continues to insist to himself that he's being foolish. He shakes himself from his momentary paralysis and gently moves her away from him, getting to his feet as he lowers her toward the center of her bed.

JENNA: * Thus moved, Jo settles comfortably, rolling over on her side and curling up a little, lost in a restful, dreamless sleep. She appears content in a way she has not been for the entire week of travel, though she is unfortunately unaware of it.

JUSTIN: * Shane watches her for a moment, perhaps for signs of waking, then snatches up book and canteen and retreats to the other side of the room. He takes a long drink of the water, toys with the idea of reading, but eventually decides he's too tired. He sets both items aside and further unbuttons his shirt, then turns off the oil lamp and slides into his bed to enjoy a restless sleep.

JENNA: * It's past morning when Jo sits up with a jolt, completely disoriented and wondering why she's lying in bed. Last she remembers, she was listening to Shane read. She rubs her eyes, glancing over at the other bed, and gives a low sigh when she sees Shane there. "I fell asleep?" she asks no one in particular, tone disappointed, then she flops back on the bed, sighing again.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't hear Jo's quiet complaint, but by chance, he happens to wake up not more than a couple minutes after. He rolls onto his back, letting out a tired groan as he struggles against his body (which would rather remain in bed) and attempts to sit up.

JENNA: * Jo glances sideways at his movement. "Morning," she says, turning her face back to the ceiling. "I don't really want to get up ... but we'd probably better get to the magic academy." She lets out another sigh, lifting her feet, then dropping them to the covers and yawning.

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his head a bit, looking very unhappy about being awake. "Good morning..." He replies belatedly, managing to throw the covers off and convince his legs to swing over the side of the bed. He sits with his feet against the floor for a minute or two, staring while he waits for the sleepy haze to lift.

JENNA: * Jo sits up again, yawning and stretching, then swings her own legs down, hopping to her feet. "How hungry are you? I was just going to get some jerky for breakfast." She tilts her head, watching him curiously before heading for her pack.

JUSTIN: "Jerky is fine." Shane says, for the sake of being agreeable. Of course a full breakfast would be better, but it's not like he's used to being spoiled or anything. He stands to his feet with a brief stretch, rubbing at his eyes and sniffing. After a moment, he stares down at himself and decides to hurriedly button up his shirt.

JENNA: "All right." She kneels next to her pack, retrieving the minimal meal, then ambles back over to Shane and offers him some. "It's not great, but it'll get use moving, right?" She pauses, frowning a little, then trots over to the bed to put her boots on. "Thanks.." she says after a moment. "For reading to me."

JUSTIN: * Shane sits back down for the moment, sniffing at the jerky noncommitally and watching her strap on her boots. "Hm? Oh." He smiles a bit, shrugging his shoulders and sliding his gaze across the floor. "You're welcome. It was no trouble at all."

JENNA: * Jo looks at him warily for a moment, feeling a pang of dismay. "Sorry I fell asleep.. I didn't want to." She finishes putting her boots on, getting to her feet again and taking a mouthful of jerky before walking back to her pack. "I wanted to know what happened next."

JUSTIN: * Shane shrugs his shoulders again, taking a nibble of his jerky and leaning over to snag his boots. "Don't worry about it, Jo. We can continue the story, right? The book isn't going anywhere, if I can help it." He half-grins, staring down at his boots as he puts them on.

JENNA: * Jo nods, looking pleased. "Good. I'll try to stop you before I nod off next time, though," she mutters. She scoops her pack off the floor, slinging it over her shoulders. "Ready to go? .. Not that we'll have a lot of competition, I guess." She grins weakly, hoping they can find a job within their capabilities. And one that isn't exceptionally weird.

JUSTIN: * Shane gets to his feet, grabbing the book and canteen from the nightstand and slipping them into his pack. "Ready as I'll ever be." He slips into his coat and slings the pack onto his shoulder, then walks over to stand beside her. "Shall we be off, then?"

JENNA: "Sure!" Jo tugs the door open and trots out, pausing as they reach the entrance to the inn. "Guess we can leave the pecos for a little while -- dunno what kind of job we're getting." She grins, ambling down the steps. "They'll be lazy again by the time we get back, I bet."

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles, trotting down the front steps to the street beside her. "They are predisposed to it, I would say. Resent every bit of exercise they get." He fastens the belt to his coat, tightening it up, and looks up and down the street. "Foggy morning, isn't it?"

JENNA: "Lots of water around," Jo says, scratching her head before setting off for the academy. "Shouldn't be too bad, though ... I hope." The streets are fairly still at this time of the morning, as if the city's inhabitants find it an ungodly hour to be awake. As they approach the academy, however, there's a bustle of students and teachers, and a few of the vendors are already open, selling food and supplies to the unprepared.

JUSTIN: * Shane follows along without word, inspecting the city as they go, and finding the quiet to be a welcome change. Upon nearing the academy, however, he straightens up, watching the crowd with some interest and trying to pinpoint which building is their destination. It's not terribly hard to discern, however, and he points up ahead to make sure. "The Academy?"

JENNA: * Jo nods, shaking her head at the students rushing to and fro. "I could never do that.. all that studying." She scratches her head. "It would be so boring." She shrugs, however, and ambles up to the gates, inquiring with one of the students as to where one goes to look for work. He gives them vague directions about the main offices, and Jo shrugs and ambles inside.

JUSTIN: * Shane grins at her statement, following after her until they are headed into the office building. "It's only boring if you aren't interested in it." He lifts his arms to lace his fingers behind his head, looking around the inside of the building once they're through the front doors. "A lot to learn from study and research. Though I've never quite grasped the concept of magic."

JENNA: * Jo looks around curiously, seeing plaques on the walls next to particular doors. She points at them, glancing at Shane. "Are any of them for the guy we're supposed to be looking for? Garibaldi or something?" She continues walking, peering along as she does so, in spite of the fact she can't read a thin.

JUSTIN: * Shane steps closer to the wall as they walk, to get a better look at each plaque as they pass. "Mm... here we go." He stops short next to one of the doors. He stands back a bit, allowing Jo room to approach. "I suppose he must be in. It's certainly busy enough outside."

JENNA: * Jo reaches out to rap on the door, tilting her head when a frazzled-sounding voice calls for them to enter. Pushing the door open, the interior of the office is revealed to be something of a mess, papers scattered and peculiar devices stacked here and there. The man behind the desk appears to be having a terrible day, and he looks at them with blank incomprehension. "Who in the name of all the gods are you? Not students? What do you want?"

JUSTIN: * Shane clears his throat quietly, glancing at Jo, then back to the man behind the desk. "We're here about a job...?" He scratches at his head, leaning back to double-check the plaque on the wall to make sure they have the right room.

JENNA: "Job?" The man looks momentarily lost, running his fingers through his already mussed hair. "I don't know about any jobs ... my wagon leaves in an hour, and my regulars told me they had a previous engagement -- I truly haven't the time." He returns to shuffling through his papers, and Jo seems at a loss for words, resting her forehead against her hand.

JUSTIN: * Shane stares blankly, his hand moving down to rest against his neck. "So your wagon needs an escort, then... but you have no jobs?" He twitches a slight grin, wondering how long this can go on.

JENNA: "I.. I beg your pardon?" the man says blankly, looking at them again in puzzlement. "Are you saying you're ..." Jo's brows lift, and she folds her arms, giving him a level stare. "We make our living guarding wagons," she says drily, and the man's expression at once becomes one of delight. "You -- are you saying you'll guard the wagon?"

JUSTIN: * Shane slips his other hand up, holding it out to lean against the doorframe. His other pulls around to scratch at his cheek, and he arches a brow at Garibaldi. "That depends on what you're paying."

JENNA: * Jo grins faintly, and the man looks momentarily alarmed. "Oh, I -- well, my normal rate for my carriers is two thousand for the trip there." He looks very anxious. "The school funds them, you see. I can't pay much more ..." He looks between the two of them, wringing his hands. "Will that be enough?"

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs at his chin in thought, turning his eyes to Jo and looking to be having trouble deciding. "What do you think? I mean, we've certainly made more..." He turns a quick glance at the poor wizard, clearly gaining some amusement in the situation. If he was being honest, two thousand is more than enough for a caravan trip in most cases.

JENNA: * Jo scratches her cheek, deciding she must be the good cop this time around. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't be too bad, depending on where we're doing ..." The man, increasingly anxious, draws back slightly. "Well, it's just our regular run to Juno, you see ..." Jo glances up at Shane, expression questioning -- more out of whether he has any desire to return to the city than whether the pay is sufficient.

JUSTIN: * The mention of Juno does make Shane turn quite suddenly, though the motion is understated. "Juno?" His vision goes distant for a moment, thinking. "Supplies for the Sages... of course." His voice is low, not mopey so much as conflicted. Finally, he gives a dismissive shrug of his shoulders, realizing that stepping foot in Juno again isn't necessarily going to ruin his life. "Fine. We'll take the job." He looks back to Jo, hoping it's okay with her, too.

JENNA: * Jo nods, smiling quickly in what she hopes is an encouraging way. Garibaldi, however, seems beyond thrilled by their acceptance, stumbling across the cluttered room to clasp his hands gratefully before him. "Ah -- thank you both -- thank you both so much! I was at wit's end -- oh. It leaves in an hour, I have to get ready ..." He turns away from them suddenly, attention wandering, until Jo clears her throat again. "Where will we be leaving from?" He turns back to them in surprise, blinking slowly. "Oh.. oh, of course. The stables on the school grounds, naturally -- we'll leave by the north gate, as always ..." With this, his attention is lost entirely.

JUSTIN: * Shane backs out of the room slowly, turning to park himself against the wall for the moment, and looks over to Jo with a hesitant smile. "I suppose we'd best go get the pecos ready." He moves a hand to rub at his neck, looking absent for a brief second. "Hm. Do we need any supplies before we leave?"

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head. "We're good for the trip to Juno.. have to resupply there, though." She turns and starts up the hall again, shifting her pack. "He's certainly different from any employer I've had before ..." She glances at Shane with a faint smile. "All wizards can't be like that."

JUSTIN: * Shane follows shortly, giving a brief glance over his shoulder before the office is out of view again. "If they all were like that, I don't see how anything would get done." He says quietly, shaking his head. "I just hope he's less scatter-brained when it comes time to pay us."

JENNA: * Jo grins, expression taking a slightly vicious edge. "I'll keep it straight for him, no need to worry about that." Then she stretches, sticking her hands behind her head. "Well, if I need to." She pauses as they step out of the building, looking at the students, some of whom are still milling about. A few appear to be studying, though, and one or two are practicing magic. Jo shakes her head, finding it all utterly peculiar, then starts for the gates.

JUSTIN: * Shane nearly bumps into her when she stops, arms folded behind his back and his eyes more intent on watching the students practice their art. He turns Jo a peculiar look of his own, then continues after her again after a brief pause. "I take it you don't have much interest in magic?" He asks with a slight grin as he comes up alongside her.

JENNA: "Nah. I only trust what I can hold in my hands, honestly ... but holding fire in my hands seems plain dangerous." She folds her arms, glancing over at the students one last time before they exit to the street. She frowns a little, turning toward the inn. "Hate to have it explode in my face, you know?"

JUSTIN: * Shane chuckles quietly, thinking he doesn't have to try too hard to imagine that, when she's come close to doing it before. "What, like when you accidently shot my gun and nearly blew my head off?" He smiles, almost shocked that he finds the memory amusing. His fingers curl around the handle of his gun, and he slips it out of the holster, spinning it lazily on his finger.

JENNA: * Jo glances at him sideways. "That was an accident! They --" She jerks a thumb over her shoulder. "-- are doing it on purpose." She huffs a sigh, dropping her arms once again. "Didn't do it again, did I?" She wrinkles her nose at him.

JUSTIN: * Shane slides the gun back into its resting place, and pats Jo lightly on the back. "That is why you practice, Jo. I'm sure you could do yourself some damage with your knives if you didn't practice with them, right?" He grins, giving an innocent shrug of his shoulders and slipping his arms behind him again.

JENNA: "Knives don't explode," Jo says pointedly, but she doesn't argue the subject further, glancing skyward. "I hope the weather stays clear ... transporting a soggy wizard can't be fun." She trots past the entrance to the inn, headed for the stables.

JUSTIN: * Shane stretches, hurrying to keep up with her. "Nevermind the wizard -- it isn't fun to be a soggy wagon guard." He glances up at the clouds briefly before ducking into the stables alongside her, ambling over to his bird and giving it a short, customary greeting.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't bother greeting her bird, which has its head stuck in its trough anyway, instead saddling it quickly. "True enough.. but it's not the rainy season anyway." She grins, forcing the bird's head out of its food (it objects noisily) and finishing her task, then leading it from its stall. "Hate to have another trip like the one to Alberta."

JUSTIN: * Shane's bird attempts to give him the dance around again, but being somewhat used to the routine by now, it doesn't slow down the process of saddling up. "I'm not sure the rain cares what season it is, when it comes to you and me." He leads his peco out, hopping into the saddle and sighing fitfully.

JENNA: "Well, we can hope." Jo grins at him, mounting up and trotting out of the stable. "Been a while since we've been back there, hasn't it?" Jo says suddenly, pausing at the door. "Sure you're okay with it?" Admittedly, they haven't been back to Morroc either, but that's largely because they'd likely be killed if they went.

JUSTIN: * Shane's peco trots out of the stable, coming to a quick halt beside her. "Hm? Oh..." He lifts a hand to rub at his forehead, tugging his cap back down again afterward. "I suppose I'll have to be. It's not such a big deal, right?" He leans forward in his saddle, practically resting against his peco's head. "All I did was lose my job. It's not like I was outcast."

JENNA: * Jo nods slowly, still watching him with some concern. "Just so long as you're all right." She reaches out to pat his shoulder lightly, then pushes her peco into a trot, making her way back to the stables on the magic academy campus.

JUSTIN: "Yeah... I'll be fine." Shane rubs his shoulder absently where she touched it, shaking his head a bit before sending his peco trotting along behind hers. He's not telling the truth completely. He's certainly a little anxious about going back to Juno again, but he certainly /wants/ to be all right.

JENNA: * The old man, it appears, has beaten them to the stables, but he seems to be having difficulty hitching up the pecos. It appears he's never done it before. Jo looks pained for a moment, swinging down from her peco. "We can do that.." she says, gently taking the gear away from the man and getting to work. The man thanks her profusely, but she doesn't answer him, hitching the pecos instead.

JUSTIN: * Shane steers his bird around the wagon, scoping it out and giving the inside a curious look before joining Jo at the head. "Well, we're certainly getting off on the right foot. I hope he at least knows how to /steer/ the wagon." He tries to fight back a grin, but it doesn't work too well. He slips down from his saddle for the moment, so he can help Jo get the birds hitched.

JENNA: "I certainly can!" the man says with a mixture of indignation and shame. "I haven't had to hitch it in quite a while is all." Jo casts Shane a sideways smile. "Of course," she says. "I'm sure you've had studies to attend to, anyway." She wrinkles her nose at Shane and straightens. "Well, we should be ready to go, hm?"

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his agreement, tightening one of the leather straps before he's satisfied with it. "As soon as our employer wants to be off." He leans back to give the wizard a look. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive, right?" He snags the reigns to his own peco, leading it away from the front of the wagon before climbing into the saddle again. He rolls his neck and shoulders, working the kinks out. Come to think of it, he could really use a massage. One more thing on the to-do list.

JENNA: * Garibaldi nods solemnly. "Truly, we must make haste.. the shipment has been delayed a week already." He clambers into the wagon, creaking a little, and clucks to the pecos, slapping the reins once and leading the way off campus again. Jo lifts her brows, swinging up onto her peco's back, then trots after the man, shaking her head slightly at Shane.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles with a little amusement, trotting along after the wagon and settling into his saddle to enjoy the ride. He begins to whistle quietly, hoping to clear his mind of less delightful clutter. With any luck, he'll completely forget all his anxiety before they reach Juno.

JENNA: * Happily, the man appears to have made this journey many times before, steering the wagon confidently through the city streets and out into the countryside. He seems to keep up a cheerful conversation with himself and with the birds, pausing once when Jo asks him what they're hauling. "Oh.. this and that. Chemicals and mixtures." He smiles cheerily. "And the odd piece of lab equipment I suppose." Jo nods, dropping back again. It hadn't really answered her question, but she supposed if the wagon was going to explode under extreme circumstances he would have told them earlier.

JUSTIN: * Shane, overhearing the brief exchange from his position on the other side of the wagon, is intrigued by what sorts of potent items might be in the mix. His imagination begins thinking up all sorts of interesting, fantastical concoctions that the Sages in Juno might create with their haul. He's never had much love for the people, but he's always been insatiably curious about what they do. "Do you happen to know any of the Sages in Juno personally, Mr. Garibaldi?"

JENNA: * The old wizard turns to him, blinking thoughtfully, then nods, smiling. "Oh, a fair few.. went to school with some of them. Don't know a lot of the younger ones ... uppity lot." Jo's mouth twitches, and she grins at Shane from behind the man's back. "I can only imagine," she remarks, glancing away into the surrounding countryside.

JUSTIN: * Shane leans back in his saddle, chasing Jo's look with a slightly indignant one of his own -- unfortunately, she looks away before she can see it. "I don't suppose you could ever put in a good word for me? They keep their libraries and laboratories locked up tighter than the city prison. I only want to read some books, is that too much to ask?"

JENNA: * The old man peers at him with puzzled interest. "You a scholar, boy? You don't look it ..." He scratches his chin, turning his face back to the road. "I suppose.. but they aren't likely to listen to me, either. The two schools aren't particularly friendly in that sense, you could say!" He gives a rattling chuckle, and Jo shakes her head.

JUSTIN: * Shane leans away a bit, looking somewhat disgruntled. "What do you mean I don't look it?" He snorts quietly, trying to look like he doesn't care (in spite of his immediate response). "I'm not, anyway. I just enjoy good books."

JENNA: * The old man looks at him again, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, if you say so.. most young folk seem to find the books we read terribly dry." He smiles, then turns back to the pecos again. Jo doesn't seem much interested in the conversation, snickering once at Shane's reaction before clearing her throat. "I'll scout ahead a bit," she volunteers, grinning at them both before trotting ahead.

JUSTIN: * Shane starts to protest -- he'd rather go ahead, personally -- but she's gone before he can get out anything more than a quiet moan of disagreement. He sighs, sinking into his saddle and looking about boredly. After a moment, he figures he might as well continue his conversation. "There's no such thing as a dry book." He sits up a bit straighter, perhaps a swelling of pride. "There's nothing boring about learning."

JENNA: * Garibaldi chuckles, peering at him. "I could disagree.. I've read books in my time I thought were very dull. But if learning is the goal, that can take the edge off." He looks ahead, smiling, to where Jo is disappearing in the distance. "I suppose it can't interest everyone, though."

JUSTIN: * Shane tilts his head to peer around the leading pecos, watching Jo trotting off. "Unfortunately." He sighs dramatically, moving a hand to scratch under his hat. "I don't get it... she seems fascinated by books, but she shows no initiative about learning." He stops short with a quiet choke, realizing he's just started gossiping.

JENNA: * The man chuckles. "Well, she looks even less a scholar than you, if it's any consolation. Not everyone is suited to the task." He smiles briefly, then yawns. "I can't imagine not being so, however, having done it for most of my life." He then peers skyward, as if judging the height of the sun, then he sighs. "Still a few hours yet."

JUSTIN: * Shane's face sours a little -- even though he's the one who brought it up, and is just as guilty of the crime. "She's a lot more intelligent than that. She just... lives in the moment, doesn't have time to worry about study." He places a hand on top of his hat, holding it onto his head and looking sullen for a moment while he thinks. How does a person maintain their credibility if they insult someone, then turn around and defend them a moment later? The sulleness soon passes, though, and he looks down at the worn wagon trail boredly.

JENNA: * Garibaldi peers at him, then chuckles. "I never said she wasn't intelligent. Just not scholarly. Nothing wrong with it." He scratches his head, frowning. "Well, as I said, I will try to speak to the scholars on your behalf, but I make no promises.. they're a crotchety bunch."

JUSTIN: "Well, thank you for that, anyway." Shane scratches at his cheek and turns his attention to the roadside and everything beyond it. "If they don't listen, I'm no worse off, anyway." He yawns silently and then begins to quietly whistle again, letting his peco drift off a couple meters from the wagon -- more or less severing the conversation.

JENNA: * Jo returns only a few minutes later with nothing much to report, and the wagon continues on in relative silence until the sun begins to set, at which point the old man begs a halt. Jo looks at him in surprise. "It's early yet, isn't it?" she asks warily, and he gives her a testy look. "I am an old man," he says. "Haven't got the stamina I used to have." Jo merely shrugs, waving off to a nearby clearing where they can stop for the night.

JUSTIN: * Shane pulls his peco over and waits for the wagon to park before climbing down and lashing the reigns to the back rail. He quietly wonders just how much stamina it takes to sit in a wagon, but he doesn't voice this burning question out loud. Instead, he immediately goes about clearing a circle for their fire, finding that the extra hour or so of daylight will at least make setting up camp a little easier.