JUSTIN: * With cash in hand, Shane wastes no time getting back into the fresh air, once again snagging Jo and happily dragging her along. "So laps around the city, then? Oh my--" One of the pecos is missing from the railing, merrily digging through flower boxes hanging from the windows of a nearby store. Thankfully, it doesn't appear the shop is open. "I think I know a fabulous way to spend ten thousand zeny."

JENNA: "Just so long as we buy them from a different place than we got these two," Jo remarks, noting that her bird, at least, has not managed to work its reins loose. Not, however, for lack of trying. She thumps its beak smartly, and it squawks, ruffling its feathers in (apparent) injured innocence. "Maybe not laps," she says, suddenly answering his earlier question. "Was there a cheap in near where you used to live?"

JUSTIN: "There is." Shane gives her bird a dirty look, innocent though it might think it is. He has no doubt both pecos would be long gone by now had hers managed to loosen its reigns as well. "I think we may have stayed there before, a while back. Even with a decent memory, a lot of our travel is a blur now." He sighs and trots off across the street to fetch his trespassing bird, which dodges his first couple attempts and then saunters on back toward Jo and its companion as if it'd planned to do so all along. Shane isn't far behind it, and he finally manages to snag the reigns, giving it a sharp smack with the leather. "Bet you think you're clever."

JENNA: "As long as it wasn't one of the ones that's likely to recognize us," Jo snorts faintly, turning toward Shane's old neighborhood and tugging the bird along with her. It ruffles its feathers but seems content enough that she isn't getting into the saddle again. Which means they /probably/ aren't going very far. It does, however, lean forward enough to take a beaky bite of her hair, nudging her head until she pops it on the beak again.

JUSTIN: * Shane's bird seems content to keep an air of aloof superiority for the trip, ocassionally turning its head to preen itself while its owner does the work of navigation. "Oh, I'm sure just about everyone recognizes us by now. But at least I didn't threaten the manager at this inn. To my knowledge, anyway." He smirks slightly, remembering the scene they made during their previous stop. One of many scenes they've caused during their time together, he notes. "Visit any city enough times, and I think they'll /all/ learn to despise us."

JENNA: "At least I have friends in Prontera," Jo remarks, "and at least one of them is dense enough not to notice you keep threatening to beat him up." She snorts. "At least we haven't seen any guards this time." Her bird decides to go into a fit of prancing as they round the corner into Shane's neighborhood, and she has to pause to settle it down, scowling.

JUSTIN: "Another benefit to using the teleporter, aside from expediency." Shane gives a light stretch, and turns his peco a warning glare, almost daring it to try something itself. It ignores him, but thankfully doesn't seem interested in making a scene of its own. "Telepads don't have as much security, since you need one of these--" He produces his citizen's card from one of his pockets, and gives it a light wave, "or a passport to make the things work. Though forgeries do crop up now and then." He turns Jo a rather pointed look.

JENNA: "I just snuck out with one of the merchant shipments, as I recall," Jo shrugs and starts walking again, eyes drifting boredly along the houses. She glances back at Shane curiously. "What to they do with houses once the owner's dead?" she asks. "Sell them again?"

JUSTIN: * Shane shrugs his shoulders, then puts a hand to his cheek to scratch. "That depends on the person's will. If the house isn't left to anyone, then it goes on the market again, with the money going to the city. Any left over possessions are auctioned off as well." He tucks his card away and glances over at Jo. "Why do you ask?"

JENNA: * Jo shrugs. "I just wondered ... since that old man's family probably won't want it, and all the stuff in it was still yours." She arches a brow. "Doesn't seem right somehow." She shrugs, however, and moves on, though her gaze does flit along the houses with interest, absently seeking out Shane's.

JUSTIN: * Shane frowns slightly, worried that was what she was probably referring to. He shrugs, trying to look dismissive, though his voice is a good deal more tired when he speaks again. "I sold all my things with the house. Didn't have a lot of choices at the time. They were his, now they're nobody's..." He certainly doesn't sound content with the way that works out, but he'd rather not think about it at all. "There's the inn." He picks up his pace, pulling out ahead, and aims for the small stable around back.

JENNA: * Jo sighs, following him, and decides it's best she drops the subject, falling silent as they hand the birds off to the stableboy and gather their gear to head back to the inn. "I guess a rest stop before the home stretch isn't so bad," she attempts valiantly, though her mind is half occupied with other matters.

JUSTIN: "Not at all. As long as we're in town, right?" Shane opens the door for her, motioning for her to go on in ahead of him. "Still want to stretch your legs before hitting the hay? I suppose it is still a bit early." He tugs some money from his belt pouch as he approaches the front counter, paying for their best room. As long as they're staying the night, it might as well be comfortable, with their own bathroom and a bigger bed.

JENNA: * Jo thinks about that for a moment, then shakes her head. "We're already here ... I'll just catch a bath." She pauses, waiting for him to get the room key and start up the stairs before she follows. She gives some thought to offering him a backrub to get him to sleep faster, but then reconsiders, as lately those kinds of activities tend to go wildly astray. "I guess I'm more tired than I thought," she adds.

JUSTIN: * Shane tuts quietly, but he can hardly complain. Getting straight to relaxing is fine by him. "I think I'll let you have that one to yourself this time. I might settle in with a book, though I've read the ones I have at least a dozen times over..." He traces his fingers along the wall as he walks, finally reaching their room at the end of the hall and unlocking the door to step inside. A single, large bed, a small bathroom off to the side. Table, desk, some chairs. It's small and cozy, but not nearly as confined as the cheaper rooms. "I really should pay a visit to Book Street before we leave."

JENNA: * Jo grins at him. "Won't argue with you," she says, slinging her pack to the floor and stretching. "Bath's probably not quite big enough for that, anyway." She tugs a change of clothes out of the pack and starts for the bathroom. "Might get some food, if you're hungry. I'll try not to be too long."

JUSTIN: * Shane drops his pack by the bed and sits down, bending to work at his boot laces. "Food would probably do me some good, and make me a bit drowsy. Guess there won't be any excitement tonight." He looks over at Jo's retreating form with and innocent grin. "Don't fall asleep in the tub, Jocasta."

JENNA: "/Highly/ unlikely," Jo retorts, beginning to pull her shirt off even before she kicks the door shut behind her. If he manages to fall asleep before she's out, however, so much the better. She grins faintly and finishes undressing, plans finally solidified. She runs the water hot and fills the tub as much as she dares, settling in for a long soak.

JUSTIN: * Shane kicks his boots to the wall and quickly heads out of the room, locking the door behind him to make sure nobody decides to go snooping. As for his intentions, he heads downstairs to order some food, waiting around for it before he carries the tray back up to the room and sets it on the end of the bed. "Food is ready whenever you are, Jo," he calls to her, not concerned whether she actually hears him or not. While he waits, he digs out one of his books and settles onto the bed for some light reading.

JENNA: * Jo sinks beneath the water for a moment with a sigh, supposing she's probably wasted enough time bathing. And she is hungry. She still takes her time getting out, toweling off thoroughly before she gets dressed and tossing her still-damp hair as she ambles out of the bathroom. "You could have started without me," she remarks, tossing her towel aside and joining him on the bed.

JUSTIN: * Shane lays his book out flat on his chest, folding his hands over it as he turns his attention to Jo. "I could have, but I didn't." He smiles, then stretches, snapping the book closed and placing it on the nightstand. "You know I don't like to start without you. Old habits die hard, you know."

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head resignedly, tugging the tray closer and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "Well, let's eat .. I'm hungry enough." However hungry she is, though, she doesn't eat at her usual, ravenous pace, instead looking thoughtful as she snags a piece of bread and chews it over. "When do you want to buy new birds?" she asks curiously. "If you were actually interested in it."

JUSTIN: * Shane flops over beside the tray of food and begins to pick at a few things himself, gnawing quietly at a bit of meat for a moment before he answers her. "Whenever it's convenient, I suppose. I wonder if we should sell the ones we have now, or just let them stay on our property. Seems almost a shame to inflict them on someone else." He smiles briefly, hesitant to admit being slightly attached to the beasts. He'd just prefer not to ride them. "Here and Prontera are the best choices for a good pair of pecos, either way."

JENNA: "Might as well buy them here." Jo shrugs, pausing the conversation long enough to deal with a large hunk of meat. "We can probably just let those two eat grass for the rest of their days. Or pluck them and eat them." That seems almost more practical than selling them. She falls silent again to eat, as that may just be the hunger talking.

JUSTIN: * Shane snorts, fingering a piece of meat and holding it up to inspect. "I think we already concluded that those two would taste absolutely foul." He pops the piece into his mouth and gives it a thorough chewing before he swallows, washing it down with some water. "Though, they could always prove us wrong in death." He grins absently, not having any particular desire to find out what peco tastes like.

JENNA: "Only if we end up destitute and starving." Jo finally pushes the food away, feeling the first, familiar wave of pre-job jitters. "Enough for me," she says, scooting off the bed long enough to rid herself of her trousers, as has become her custom when sleeping in an actual bed. That done, she tugs what of the cover she can out and starts to scoot under them, nudging Shane as she goes.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches a brow skeptically, turning to watch her over his shoulder. "Enough for you? I've seen infants eat more than that. And you usually eat enough for two people your size." He moves at her prodding, intentional or not, and slips off the bed to move the tray away to the nearby table. "Are you feeling all right?"

JENNA: * Jo nestles down with a snort. "I'm fine. Just tired." She pokes her head out above the covers and wrinkles her nose at him. "I don't eat /that/ much," she grumps, then ducks underneath again. Admittedly, this is as much to hide her embarrassment at acting suspiciously as it is to pretend she's angry. Another wave of jitters hits, and she sighs.

JUSTIN: * Shane bites down a few more pieces of food, but with Jo's non-existant appetite he finds his own somewhat lacking as well. He lets out a grumpy-sounding sigh and turns back to the bed, unbuttoning his shirt as he walks over to sit on the edge, beside Jo. "You do, too, and then some. You're sure you're just tired?" Wiggling out of his pants, he drops both bits of clothing to the floor and crawls under the blankets, prodding her in the side once he's settled.

JENNA: * Jo grumbles and nuzzles closer to him to avoid the prodding, tucking her arm around him and rubbing her fingers at his back. "I promise, I'm just tired ..." she says, voice muffled as she rests her head against his shoulder. "I'll make up for it by eating twice as much in the morning, will that make you happy?"

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles, feeling almost sheepish for his worrying. "I just don't want you to be sick, that's all." He slips his arm over her and cozies up, nestling his face into her hair. "But I'll take your word for it, if you insist." He lets out a quiet yawn and lets his eyes close, feeling the effects of the short, but eventful day in full force now. Despite being early, he's perfectly willing to go right to sleep.

JENNA: * It's been quite a while since the last time Jo has needed to feign sleep, but she manages it well enough, relaxing against Shane. She tries not to relax too much, however, or she really will sleep -- which is something she doesn't need at all. Instead, she occupies her mind with methods for pulling off what she plans to do while Shane sleeps.

JUSTIN: * Shane, completely unaware of any plotting and scheming going on behind his back (or in front of his face), is fairly content in his cozy position. He hasn't slept in a bed for at least a month, if not longer, and even though it's not his own, it's comfort quickly lulls him into a light sleep. Before too long his breathing has evened out into the tell-tale rhythm of someone peacefully unconscious, and his hold on Jo's body loosens every so slightly.

JENNA: * Jo waits a few minutes even after this signal before she shifts ever so slightly toward the edge of the bed. It's a somewhat painstaking process, but she's eventually free, and she hurries to put trousers and boots on before snagging some of her little-used tools out of her pack and slipping out the door. Though she hasn't any idea where the belongings Shane left at his house might be, she's hoping there will be some indication left behind at the building, and it's there she goes first, walking swiftly through the streets.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't wake at Jo's departure, stirring only slightly when her warmth disappears from his side. Her pillow makes a passable substitute for the time being, though he feels subconsciously cheated by the clearly inferior replacement. After several minutes of shifting and almost waking, he finally slips back into deeper sleep, as yet none the wiser.

JENNA: * Luckily for Jo, there's a billboard posted next to the house, and while the text is meaningless to her, it does display a fairly large map, and after some quick orienting, she sets off in that direction, breaking into a trot. As she nears the warehouse, however, she takes more care, waiting in the shadows and considering how she's going to get inside. Skirting around the building, she finds a smaller door tucked away near the corner, and it doesn't take much work with the lock to get inside. From there, she closes the door and waits for any sound of habitation before starting her search.

JUSTIN: * The inside of the small warehouse is dominated by rows shelves, the majority of which are empty, save for a large cluster objects in the far corner. There is a nearby office, and the light is on, but no movement is discernable through the window. Back at the inn, however, Shane has woken up with a strong urge to answer the call of nature. Too groggy to notice that his sleeping companion is actually a pillow and the woman it should be is gone, he stumbles through the dark and into the bathroom to relieve himself.

JENNA: * Jo skirts around the pale light and makes her way to the only objects in the warehouse, surprised when a great many of them aren't books. The books themselves aren't too hard to find, however, and she manages to put off being pleased with herself long enough to pull several of them down and tuck them in a makeshift pack constructed largely of her cloak. When she has as many as she can safely carry -- and can conveniently hide in the saddlebags -- she ties the lot to her back and heads to the door she came in by, taking care to lock it again on her way out.

JUSTIN: * Once Jo is outside the building again and has begun to make her escape, the reason for the silence in the office becomes immediately apparent: it's occupant was outside getting some fresh air, and is just now making his way back to the side entrance from around the corner of the building. "What -- you there! Y-you can't be here, this is government property! Didn't you read the sign?" The voice is surprisingly familiar.

JENNA: * The familiarity is not lost on Jo, and her eyes roll almost instantaneously heavenward. "You just have all the bad luck, don't you?" she remarks very softly, buying herself a little time by scooting farther into the shadows. "My apologies," she says lightly. "I'll just be going, then." She hopes he won't make her knock his head against the wall. It would be inconvenient.

JUSTIN: * The man hesitates for a second, apparently trying to decide if he wants to persue this particular individual. The familiarity isn't lost on him, either. "Wait... wait!" He jogs after her, squinting to see her in the shadows and hoping it really isn't who he thinks it is. "I'm going to have to write you up for trespassing. What are you doing here in the middle of the night, anyway? That's awfully suspicious, miss."

JENNA: * Jo stops long enough for him to catch up, shrugging very slightly. "I was out for a walk ... got lost. That's all. Sorry to inconvenience you." At least with him in arm's reach, he can be dealt with if he decides not to take her excuses at face value. Which he probably won't.

JUSTIN: * Jordan stops for another second of hesitation, his voice catching in his throat when he positively identifies the woman. Swallowing down the lump, he steps toward her again and holds up a hand in a halting manner. "If you were lost, miss, you wouldn't be in the back alley of the warehouse district. I'm going to need to... to..." He clears his throat, and points to the bundle on her back. "S-search your things."

JENNA: * Jo lifts a hand to her forehead, sighing, and a somewhat resigned expression crosses her face. "I was afraid you might say that." Without changing expression at all, she lunges forward to catch his arm, using momentum to make up for her small size, and twists it around behind him, pressing him against the wall of the warehouse. "Listen, I really don't want to do this," she mutters. "A dead guard is /never/ convenient."

JUSTIN: * Jordan squawks rather loudly, almost wailing when he's thrust up against the hard stone wall, hidden by shadow from even the minimal light of the moon. For a split second, he wonders if this is the end. "D-don't hurt me! I'm only doing my job!" He squeezes his eyes tightly shut and sucks in his breath, holding it as the blood pounds in his ears, the warmth of her body pressing into his back.

JENNA: "Well, that's the problem, isn't it?" Jo says sourly. "I can kill you, or I can bash your head against the wall 'til you pass out, or you can pretend you never saw me." She shrugs, tightening her grip on his arm and twisting it a little harder as she pushes him even more firmly up against the wall. "At this point, I suppose it's more up to me than you, but I'll let you have a say."

JUSTIN: * In spite of himself, Jordan's eyes snap open as the space between them gets even tighter, and he gasps quite sharply at the sensation. His voice is significantly higher when he answers her again, squirming uselessly between her and the wall. "Wha... w-where's your boyfriend? Is he here? Is he going to know?!" This seems slightly more important at the moment, since he doesn't want to be set free only to be murdered by someone else later.

JENNA: * Jo arches an eyebrow, finding this question to be something of a non-sequitur, at least until it clicks that he does, in fact, have even more reason to be afraid of Shane than her. "He's asleep at the inn," she remarks, trying to keep amusement out of her tone. "And no, he doesn't have to know." She leaves the "as long as you cooperate" politely unspoken.

JUSTIN: * Jordan swallows loudly, concentrating for the briefest moment on the not unpleasant feel of her chest in his back, and knowing that's about as close as he'll ever get. It's unfortunate it had to be during a threat on his life. "I... I can keep quiet. I won't tell!" He squirms again, trying to turn around, but the way she's holding his arm it hurts to move. "L-let me go, please? I didn't mean any harm -- I was just doing my job, l-like I said... I'll just go on my way."

JENNA: * Jo feels a very brief moment of guilt, then pushes away and releases him. "Just so long as we understand each other," she says drily, then turns and walks quickly away, vanishing around the corner without bothering to check on what he's doing. Once safely in the shadows again, she picks up her pace, tracing a somewhat roundabout path back toward the inn. Just in case.

JUSTIN: * The young man just about collapses to the ground once she's gone, forehead beaded with sweat, and it doesn't take long for him to decide he needs another break. Back at the inn, Jo's absence has finally been realized as a slightly less sleepy Shane emerges from the bathroom and moves to crawl back into bed. What should be Jo's body is surprisingly cool, now that it's been several minutes without Shane's bodyheat to warm it, and he sits up abruptly to yank the covers down. "What..."

JENNA: * In addition to her extended route back, Jo stops by the stables long enough to tend to the saddlebags -- or at least hiding things in them. She puts her cloak and gear away in them as well, patting her bird absently as she heads back into the inn. She's tired enough she almost forgets to be quiet about it, slipping the door open with great care before she steps inside.

JUSTIN: * Shane is -- whether she was expecting it or not -- standing right there as she walks in, and he arches an eyebrow over one eye, arms already crossed over his bare chest. "Have a pleasant midnight stroll, Jocasta?" His eyes narrow slightly in suspicion, having a feeling her unusual behavior earlier in the evening is somehow related to whatever she's been up to all night.

JENNA: * Jo arches a brow, trying not to freeze in surprise when she sees him awake, and she turns casually to close the door. "I couldn't sleep, that's all.. just wanted to take a walk." She ambles back toward the bed, shedding her boots lazily. "Sorry if I woke you -- I didn't mean to."

JUSTIN: "You didn't, that's the problem." Shane turns the door a dirty look before stepping back to the bed to stand over her. "First you can't eat because you're too tired, and now you couldn't sleep why?" He suddenly moves an arm from his chest to press his hand against her neck, then her forehead. "You /are/ sick, aren't you? Look at you, you're warm, you're perspiring... You look disheveled. Why did you have to lie to me about it?"

JENNA: * Jo's expression goes momentarily blank, as she considers it perfectly reasonable that she'd be warm and perspiring after running over half the city. She absently tugs the drawstring on her trousers, shinnying out of them as she thinks quickly. "I .. er. I didn't want to bother you," she manages after a moment, hoping she looks appropriately apologetic. "It was just supposed to be a quick walk." She closes the gap between them, resting her head against his chest and tucking her arms around him. "I didn't want to wake you up just for that."

JUSTIN: * Shane grunts quietly and closes his arms around her middle, settling his chin into her hair. "Well, if you're not feeling well, you should really be resting up. You won't get a chance to take it easy again until we're home." He smooches the top of her head loudly and gives her butt a swat, just hard enough to lightly sting. "Now get in bed, or I'll make you visit the doctor when we're back in Hugel." Looking a great deal more tired than he did a minute ago, he drops onto the bed and rolls onto his back, draping an arm across his eyes.

JENNA: * Jo gives a faint sigh, following him to curl up under the blankets, tucking her pillow under her head. "I'll be fine," she says wearily, feeling both irritated and guilty at his worry. "I don't stay sick long." In fact, she'll be more than fully recovered by tomorrow, not that he'll necessarily believe her. "At least home isn't far off," she mutters, curling up.

JUSTIN: "Mm." Shane moves his arm from his face, instead guiding it to wrap around her. "If you're feeling better tomorrow, we can go at our usual pace. But if you start to feel sick again, we'll slow it down." He tugs the blanket back up over them and wiggles into a more comfortable position, sleep tugging insistantly at him again. "No more midnight walks, though..." He murmurs, then goes quiet.

JENNA: "Right ..." Jo gives him an almost grumpy look, but she nestles against him anyway, sighing, and lets sleep drop over her at last. Though she isn't sick, she is tired, and she doubts sleeping in a bit come morning would hurt her in the least. At least thiking she's sick is better than some of the things he could have assumed.

JUSTIN: * Shane falls asleep without much of a struggle, and the night goes by without incident from him, at least. As should be expected, he doesn't wake up with the sunrise, turning away from the growing light of the window as the morning drags on without him.

JENNA: * Jo stirs several hours late by her standards, but she still wakes before Shane, tensing suddenly, then relaxing when her mind catches up with her body. She glances out the window with a sigh, then leans over to nuzzle Shane gently. "Hey. It's time to get up. Come on." She trails a hand lazily down his ribs, grinning. "Don't make me tickle you."

JUSTIN: * Shane squirms a little, moving away from her hand as much as his position will allow. "I'm still tired..." He mumbles, stubbornly keeping his eyes closed. After a few seconds he rolls over, flopping himself on top of her and murmuring nonsense into her neck. "Go back to sleep..."

JENNA: * In spite of his body weight pinning her to the bed, Jo's arms are still free, for the most part, to prod, poke, and tickle as she wishes. "You can sleep as much as you want once we're home," she chides him, though the prodding does eventually become something more like stroking the longer she's at it. "We've got things to do today, remember?" She squirms slightly, attempting to provoke him to move.

JUSTIN: * Shane eventually pushes himself up onto his forearms, after much wiggling and squirming at her constant provocation, and looks down at her with much exagerrated disappointment. "We always have things to do when I'm trying to sleep." He rolls away from her with a distinct sigh, and sits up to swing his legs off the bed with a large stretch. "What do we have to do today?"

JENNA: "You're always trying to sleep when there are things to do," Jo retorts, sliding off the bed and pulling on her trousers with a grin. "Well, we've got birds to purchase, then we're getting back on the road, aren't we?" She sits down again to pull on her boots. "Vacation doesn't start 'til we're home."

JUSTIN: "Of course, of course." Shane stands slowly, stretching again before he makes any attempt to gather his clothes. He flops back onto the bed to wiggle his way into his pants, then sits up to pull on his shirt and button up. "Won't the pecos be surprised to have some company for the trip home." He smiles slimly, wondering how that will go over with the stubborn pair of birds. "And even more surprised that they don't have to carry us anymore."

JENNA: "Surprised and thrilled .. unless they decide to be insulted." She gets to her feet again and ambles over to her pack, closing it and slinging it onto her back. "But as long as they don't start any fights, I guess they can be as insulted as they want." She pauses by the door to wait for him, grinning as she considers their potential wrath.

JUSTIN: * Shane moves himself from the bed again and walks over to grab his boots from where they rest against the wall, then drops into a nearby chair to pull them on and lace them up. "If they try to start anything, we can always resaddle them. That will undoubtedly shut them up right quick." He yawns expressively, snagging his book from the nightstand and dropping it into his pack. Once his coat is on, along with his belt and equipment, he slings the pack over his shoulder and walks out into the hall and waits for Jo in turn.

JENNA: "True enough." Jo follows him out and starts down the stairs, deciding to retrieve the birds before they go shopping. After a few inquiries, they make their way to one of the more prestigious sellers in town, assured that he's not the same person they bought the original pair from. There's the usual haggling, which Jo leaves to Shane, and they must repeatedly assure the seller that they are not planning to trade the birds in. Bored, Jo settles for leaning against the nearest wall and watching people walk by.

JUSTIN: * It doesn't take too much longer for Shane to get everything worked out, and he gets the birds he personally selected cleaned up and saddled before leading them around to where Jo is waiting. "They haven't tried to take a bite out of me yet, that's a good first sign." He looks up at the one closed to him, and it cocks its head to stare back.

JENNA: "They also haven't ridden with us long," Jo remarks, stroking the nearest on the beak and frowning slightly. "Though I guess we won't be pushing them as hard as the other two anyway." The other two in question are ruffling their feathers and squawking ominously at the arrival of the strangers. "But I guess it's time to break them in."

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles a bit, and straightens his new peco's saddle before gingerly climbing into place. It shuffles a bit with the new weight, but otherwise doesn't make any threatening moves. His old peco gives him an odd look and fluffs its feathers out, turning away to pretend it could care less. "If they're as good as our previous pair were advertised to be, then they should feel right at home on the road."

JENNA: * Jo nods, swinging into the saddle of her new bird with about as much care as she gives the old one. It doesn't seem to mind, though the other bird gives an outraged squawk. "Let's get on out of here, then," she says drily. In spite of the deal she cut with the young guard, she's feeling more than a little antsy at staying in the city longer than they have to.

JUSTIN: "Home it is, then." Shane snags the reigns of their old pair and ties them to the strap of one of the saddle bags, then starts his bird off at a casual trot. "At least we had a fairly uneventful visit, hm? No run-ins with the guards, no inn managers threatening us, nobody slamming the shutters closed as we walk down the street."

JENNA: * Jo's shoulders almost jerk at this, but she forces a laugh. "Yeah.. I was getting tired of all that, you know?" She grins drily, shaking her head and pushing the peco into a slightly quicker trot in an attempt to avoid any possibility of running into any other guards. They don't, much to her relief, and the trip down from the teleporter is as smooth as it usually is, before they set off toward home.

JUSTIN: * The trip back to Hugel goes by fairly smooth as well, aside from having to deal with four pecos instead of two, and constant nagging from Shane about the nature and state of Jo's sickness. By the time they reach the area near Hugel, he's finally been convinced that she's in perfect health, though the peco problem is nothing that is going to be fixed until they reach their house. "I wonder if our little sheep's missed us at all," he wonders out loud, as they pass by the village's border and make for the path that leads to their property.

JENNA: "I wonder if it remembers us," Jo says, looking ahead on the path toward the house. "Though I guess we did take long enough getting back." As they approach the stables, she swings down, leading both birds toward their stalls. "I guess I'll have to tend to it before I take a bath," she says with a mock sigh. "That's what I'm really looking forward to."

JUSTIN: * Shane swings down from his saddle to lead the remaining two birds to their own stalls. Luckily, he had a half dozen stalls built into the stable, regardless of whether or not they'd ever be used. "When aren't you looking forward to a bath?" He smirks, taking his hat down from his head to fan at her a bit. "Though I admit, our bath is better than most..." A slight grin appears, and he quickly starts toward the house, eager to dress down and relax.

JENNA: * Jo grins in response, hauling down her gear and tossing the saddlebags near the door, where she can retrieve them later -- maybe while Shane is in said bath. She catches up with him before too long, catching him by the arm and wrinkling her nose. "I called it first," she says teasingly. "You'll have to wait your turn."

JUSTIN: "Oh, is that how it works?" Shane leans over to nip at her ear gently. "Well, if you say so..." He bends to sneak an arm behind her knees, and with the other at her back, he scoops her up into his arms and continues walking as if nothing happened. "But it's an awfully big bath, and you're such a small woman..."

JENNA: * Jo grins at him, reaching her arms around his neck. "I suppose it is ... and I'd hate to get lost after being gone so long." A change in plans, perhaps, but not an unpleasant one. She nuzzles Shane's neck lightly and settles against him, glancing toward the door. "Want me to get that for you?" she asks lightly.

JUSTIN: * Shane tilts his head to peek around Jo's hair at the approaching door, and after considering a means of shifting her weight in order to handle it himself, he realizes that's a rather silly waste of energy. "That would be just fine, dear," he says cheerily, and dips her a bit to put her in better reach of the doorknob. "I think I could get used to this arrangement... get to hold you all the time, and still have a pair of hands when I need them."

JENNA: "Mm.. but where would that leave me?" Jo grins faintly, reaching out to snag the handle. She misses once, then tries again and catches it, managing to push it open on the second go. "It might make some other things we do a little difficult .." She snickers. "Imagine if we got hired for another job.. though I'd almost like to see his face if we showed up like this."

JUSTIN: * Shane turns sideways to fit his human package through the doorway and steps into the house, closing the door with his foot behind them. "If he's smart, he won't bother to ask." He smiles, heading immediately for the bedroom, and the attached bathroom. "But I suppose you're right," he says with a light sigh, dropping her gently onto the bed. Then he grins. "Sometimes, our hobbies call for two sets of hands."

JENNA: * Jo laughs, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and leaning back to kick her boots off. "Very true," she says agreeably, dropping one boot to the floor and then the other. She then hops to her feet, reaching up to loosen her tunic's laces and start for the bathroom. "It would be hard to get properly washed with only one set of hands available."

JUSTIN: "I don't know, we seemed to manage before we started sharing bath time." Shane strips his boots, coat, and starts on his shirt before he begins to follow her. "Of course, two sets of hands make it entirely more entertaining..." He smiles innocently as he sheds his top and drops it on the bedroom floor, then snags the bathroom door and closes it quietly behind them.

JENNA: * It's some time later when both of them are clean, out of the bath, and dressed, Jo stretching lazily as she ambles toward the kitchen, tunic only loosely laced. "You up to making dinner..? I am pretty hungry after today." She glances over her shoulder, letting her arms drop and arching a brow. "Of course, I /guess/ I'm willing to negotiate."

JUSTIN: * Shane isn't too far behind her, half-heartedly working at the buttons of his shirt as he ambles down the hallway. "Do you even have to ask? After a month on the road, you'd have to /drag/ me out of the kitchen." He grins broadly, picking up his pace and practically hopping along until he catches up. Giving her a squeeze before passing by her into the kitchen, he stretches his arms and flexes his fingers, looking around and scrutinizing the various appliances. "Now the real question is, /what/ shall I cook?"

JENNA: "Anything you feel up to cooking," Jo says comfortably, hovering lazily by the table and watching him. "If we have any beef, that would be good." She grins, sliding into a chair and resting her head on her arms. "I don't get to have that much when we travel." She tilts her head toward him, expression inquisitive.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs his hands together lightly and moves to inspect their supply, all preserved before their departure. "Well, I think you might just be in luck. How does a pair of steaks sound to you?" He doesn't wait, already knowing she'll agree to it, and carries the meat over to the counter to prepare. He goes about getting everything he needs, from utensils and seasonings, to deciding what to serve as side dishes.

JENNA: * Jo straightens, grin broadening, and watches him for a few minutes before getting to her feet. "I'm going to go check on the sheep," she remarks, pushing the chair in. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She starts for the door without waiting for a response, doubting he'll mind and figuring he has his hands busy anyway.

JUSTIN: * Shane offers an absent mumble of acknowledgement, more concerned about deciding which cuts of meat to use than what Jo intends to do while she's waiting for dinner to be done. He continues about his business, getting the stove prepped and food cleaned and distributed amongst pots and pans, humming quietly while he works.

JENNA: * Jo does go out to tend to the sheep -- who is ecstatic to see her, for reasons she can't really fathom -- but she has a second objective. She retrieves the saddlebags and ambles back toward the house, taking her time. Once inside, she sidesteps the kitchen and goes to the library instead, where she proceeds to rapidly unload her stolen cargo, putting it on the most visible shelf in no particular order. Once finished, she tosses the saddlebags aside in the hall and returns to the kitchen, sliding back into her chair.