[IC] The Narrow Path

[Skinner35]

"Well. Thank you. I do hope that you wont turn me away if I do come back. What do I owe you?" He says, absolutley mesmerized by his new arm, he could definitely gain a few advantages by having a blacksmith like him, not that Jen isn't good enough... But...

[Gardevoiran]

"On the house. I owe Stride quite a lot, so this is a way to pay him back." Grodlar begins to set the rest of his stall up as he fans you off. "Well, off ye go! I got business to run, and your shotgun arm ain't helpin' draw that business over! Har-har!" Grodlar laughs as he finishes setting up his booth, rare supplies from all over being found there. Shrunken heads, ancient tomes, complicated swords, you name it. There's even a box of rare metals in the corner. Might be worth it to bring Jen here later so she can assess the metals properly.

[Skinner35]

"Alright my friend. Good day." He said happily as he walked back to the Bone Residence. He as he neared the door, he had an idea...
He looked around, and picked up a small, round rock. He would need it for later.

[Gardevoiran]

When you pick up the rock, you notice Eve out on her own rock as Jen peers out of her tent. As soon as Jen sees you, though, she closes the tent up hastily as if she doesn't want to speak to you. Might want to patch things up with her soon.

Eve is in very revealing clothes, though. Whether she's just being normal or sunbathing, you have no idea.

[Skinner35]

He sees the two, and thinks of who he needed to talk to first. After contemplation, he decided to patch the wound with Jen. He walked to the tent, sitting outside of it, and speaks up, just enough for Jen to hear it. "Jen? Mind if we talk for a minute?"

[Gardevoiran]

Jen sticks her head out of the tent, staring at you before she crawls on out and sits beside you. For the first time, you see her in a dress for once. Granted, it's nothing special, but it's definitely something new. "..." She stays silent, putting her knees up to her chin with a saddened expression on her face.

[Skinner35]

"I'll take that as a burdened yes..." He says, softly, trying not to create unneeded tension. "I uh... I wanted to mend any wounds in our friendship. I am sorry for what I have done. I destroyed your reputation and lifestyle. I do apologize." He says, trying to be a 'kind' person.

[Gardevoiran]

"... i-it was not your fault..." Jen says softly as she looks away from you. "I-I went through the rest of my things... my squire had left a message. She told that the order had been suspecting this kind of activity, but never had a chance to follow up. They finally interrogated her, and... now we are here."

"The Light has never led me astray. I was a fool to believe you were the cause of this all. I was a fool to think Sinclair was... well... even a villain," Jen looks up at the sun as if it wasn't there. "He went into my tent when you were gone. He spoke and told me of his situation. The Order excommunicated him hundreds of years ago for necromancy, and it was in a good heart. He loved the Order, and I was blinded by the facade the Order puts unto all paladins to see he was a good man."

Jen pauses as she looks forward. "Tobias. When I told you before that I would protect you on this quest, whether you like it or not, I was not lying. I am not doing it for you, though. I am doing it to return to my Order so I can shove this mission directly into their tight rears!" Jen sounds enthusiastic about that last bit. "Is that what you want? To show those stuck-up paladins that there are other ways of doing things?"

[Skinner35]

He, in all honesty, was stunned by all of her words. "Jen. I never knew that you went though this change." He says while looking back at her. "As far as the journey, I am fully for it. I even said it while we were at the Order's HQ. They are wrong in their ways, and I am completely okay with showing them that they are wrong." He says, smiling. "Anything to get you your deserved position, I am completely okay with."

[Gardevoiran]

Jen smiles at you for the first time in a while before she yawns out loud. "I... I did not sleep..." She says as she crawls back into the tent. She doesn't say goodbye, but you feel as if it was an implied farewell.

The only other person outside is Eve, who started watching you as soon as Jen's voice raised. Though she's a good bit away, you can barely hear her voice as she speaks from behind the rock she was laying on.

^{"Um... is everything okay?"}

[Skinner35]

"Okay Jen. When you wake, there is a blacksmith that you will want to meet." He said as he stood up, then heard Eve. He walked to her rock and sat beside her. "Yes, everything is okay. We were just talking about the journey." He said with a smile.

[Gardevoiran]

"Is everything okay between you and her? I don't mean to be rude, but you guys have a rocky relationship." Eve rolls off the rock and into your lap as she looks up at you with a small smile on her face. "Also... who's that Westley guy?"

[Skinner35]

He continues to smile as she sits on him. "Well, after Jen and I met, we were traveling, and came upon Maggie and her father. After we rested there for a while, we were attacked by Westley. Then I was taken to the Paladins headquarters by Jen. We went on a mission, which is where we met." He said, looking to Eve. "Then, Westley came back, and explained that he was paid to attack us, and he now is against the guy who paid him, so he is seeking revenge."

[Gardevoiran]

"Wait, you're just going to trust the guy who was hired to kill you that fast?" Eve asked with a skeptical look on her face. Come to think of it, it was a bit of an odd situatio- wha?

You look down at your (and Eve's) feet when you notice a small green snake, made of plant matter and other various materials, staring at you. It's not hostile, rather it has a stick in it's mouth. It looks like it wants to play.

[Skinner35]

"It's more of a situational trust. There's a saying that goes, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'" Once he said that, he noticed the snake. "Well hello." He said, taking the stick and launching it.

[Gardevoiran]

You see the stick go far, and before the snake even has a chance to react, you feel a strong force push off you as Eve runs to go get the stick. She returns about four seconds after, holding the stick in her hand as it burns in the daylight. The snake curls up against you as Eve speaks. "What was my time?!"

[Skinner35]

As he recovers from the force, he looks at her. "Amazing. How the hell did you do that?"

[Gardevoiran]

"Do what?" Eve asks as the snake begins to coil around you arm, its head poking up at you and it's tongue sticking out quickly before retreating inside.

[Skinner35]

"You got the stick in like four seconds." He said as he noticed the snake. "Well okay. Hello." He said as he turned around. "BROCK IS THE SNAKE YOURS?"

[Gardevoiran]

_{"HIM? NAH, HE'S YOURS."}

You see Brock's head poke out the window before it retreats inside. Looks like you have your own snake now. He's kinda cute, too.

Eve blushes as she awkwardly looks to the spot where the stick landed. "Slower? Dang it. Really thought I could beat my personal best."