Chapter 50

Jay could have walked over to M'redith's and knocked on her door to see what she was up to but Jay guessed that she would need the sleep even if it was already almost noon. Jay's stomach rumbled and he decided getting something to eat was his main priority.

Shaking off his deep thoughts Jay walked the rest of the way to the dining hall in the misting rain without incident. Once inside he stood in line patiently as he looked past everyone to see what was for lunch. As he was taller than every single other person in the room it was quite easy.

Lunch was raspberry peach swirled smoothies and burritos with various fillings. Jay picked out a sausage egg and cheese burrito with black beans and red onions. He made a point of taking one without cilantro.

Some people could eat cilantro and enjoy its unique taste. Then there was everyone else who thought it tasted like bad soap. Jay was firmly in the tastes like soap category.

Picking up his tray Jay turned from the chow line and looked about the room. He couldn't make out M'redith or Aiden anywhere. He heard a woman's laughter off to his right and he tilted his head to make out who it was.

A red headed woman in a green dress was waving over at him, “Thinking deep thoughts again?”

Jay laughed and walked over to her table, “Mind if I sit?”

“Please do,” replied the man across from Carly. He was more round than muscled and wore brown robes. A belt at his waist held a small prayer book which was attached to the belt much the same way Jay's Mighty Book was attached to his. He had a thick head of black curly hair and a thick beard combed so that the chin was rather prominent.

“I'm Jay,” Jay said as he sat down and extended his right hand to shake.

The round man nodded but didn't smile. “Chenowith, but everyone calls me Chen.” he said as he shook Jay's hand.

Carly piped in, “Sure. No one calls you CHIN. Sure everyone calls you Chen.”

The round man blushed and his eyes narrowed. “Chen. Not. Chin.”

Jay waved his hands in front of him, “Sure. Chen it is.”

Carly smacked Chen on the chest, “Be nice. He doesn't know you.”

Chen took the smack calmly and shrugged. He returned to eating his burrito.

“So what happened to you Friday anyway? We were all wondering why you weren't in class.” Carly asked as she drank her smoothie a little bit at a time, pausing after each sip.

“Oh I had a dungeon run to go on. They take me out every weekend it feels like to do a run with some people and then take notes on how I did. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but it's also exhausting and I wonder sometimes if I should take a weekend off at some point.” Jay said unthinkingly as he took bites out of his burrito.

One burrito wasn't going to be enough, he thought to himself.

Jay hadn't been paying very much attention to his surroundings and was a little surprised to realize that Chenowith had stopped eating and was staring at him. “You're already running dungeons?”

“What do you mean take you out?” Carly asked at the same time as Chen spoke.

Jay looked surprised at their reaction, “Sure, why not?” he replied to Chen as he turned to Carly,

“I can't fight really so the group has to keep a close eye on me to keep me alive. So they take me out to a dungeon and I run it with them while doing my best to stay alive.”

Chenowith blinked, “How are you, a level 1 Adventurer, getting invited at all to fight in a dungeon?”

Jay was a bit offended initially but shook it off, “Well, I'm not level 1, first of all. Second, they're not inviting me to fight. They're inviting me to use my non-combat abilities. I'm utility focused, not combat focused.”

Carly made a hrm noise but instead of speaking took another sip of her smoothie. “So what exactly does that mean?”

Jay thought of something and stood up. “I'll be right back.”

He brought his tray back up front and picked out a second burrito. He also asked for three empty cups. He headed back to the table just as M'redith and Aiden walked in the entrance. Jay waved as he sat down and they waved back. Aiden looked curious about Jay's fellow diners seated at his table but M'redith's eyes narrowed and her face turned serious.

They were too far for a conversation so Jay decided to wait until they had gotten their food. He flagged them down again and they came over to sit with him.

As they sat down Jay made introductions, “This is my friend Aiden,” everyone said hello. “And this is my.. friend, M'redith.” he said only briefly stumbling over the word friend. He had almost said girlfriend but caught himself at the last moment.

Jay wanted to say girlfriend but had been trying to avoid starting up a relationship while in basic training for The Guild. As time went on however Jay felt like they were growing closer to boyfriend and girlfriend than just being just friends.

Jay then introduced Chen and Carly. M'redith's eyes narrowed again slightly as Carly was introduced and M'redith wound an arm around Jay's arm as she said hello to Carly.

Carly noticed the byplay and grinned finding it amusing.

Jay noticed nothing and was just happy M'redith was close.

Aiden noticed everything and grinned like a fool, “You guys are hilarious you know.”

It was M'redith's turn to blush as Carly's grin widened and Jay looked lost.

Chen tapped the table twice turning all eyes towards him. “Jay was just explaining to us how he runs dungeons every weekend,” he said in a voice that made it clear he thought Jay was full of crap.

“Oh, yeah, he does that.” Aiden replied offhandedly.

“He what?” Carly demanded.

“Goes on dungeon runs.” M'redith finished for Aiden.

“Wait. He's serious?” Chen asked M'redith before turning to Jay, “Seriously?”

This time Jay did look offended, “What, did you think I was lying to you?”

“Yes!” Chen said with exasperation. “I've seen you in class, you fight like a toddler sometimes!”

Jay sighed, “I'm never going to stop getting crap for my combat ability am I?”

Carly looked a little worried, “Oh, no. No, no, no. We didn't mean it like that!” Her eyes darted to Chenowith as if pleading for him to make things right.

Chen nodded his head, “I apologize. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just – confused? Confused. Over why a group would put all that effort in to take you along. That's all!”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

M'redith raised an eyebrow and said dryly, “Was that supposed to sound better?”

Jay put a hand on M'redith's arm to calm her and gave her a smile before turning it towards the rest of the group. “It's ok. I actually can show you the answer to your question if you'd like?”

M'redith calmed down when she realized Jay was about to show off. Jay motioned over to Carly. “Do you have something on you that is expensive? Something you'd consider a treasure?”

Carly shook her head, “I don't carry anything like that with me to lunch.”

Chen looked over at her then nodded, “I have something,” he said as he fished out a necklace from under his cloak he had been wearing. Taking it off he took off a ring that had been hanging from the necklace. He put the ring on the table and it landed with a thunk sound. It was heavier than it looked.

“Great!” Jay said with excitement as he handed Chen the three cups. “I'll turn around and you put the ring under one cup. I'll tell you what cup it's in when you're done. Deal?”

Chen grunted in agreement. Once Jay was turned around Chen grabbed the cups and moved them about the table before laying his closed fists on the table as well.

M'redith looked up at Jay with pride in her eyes. Carly looked on with curiosity.

Jay waved a hand over each cup before going back to the cups he'd already checked a few times. Then he looked at Chenowith and waved a hand over his closed fists. Finally Jay reached out and tapped Chen's left fist.

“Well you were supposed to use a cup but I suppose it doesn't really matter. It's in your left hand.” Jay said.

Chen nodded appreciatively and opened his fist to show the ring.

“That was really neat! How'd you do that? Can you do it again?” asked Carly, her words all squished together.

Jay laughed lightly and said yes. He turned around to give her a chance to hide the ring.

“Ok, ready!” Carly said.

Jay turned around and waved his hand over the cups. Just like last time, nothing. He waved his hand over Carly's hands. Nothing. Pursing his lips Jay moved on to each set of hands but found nothing. Finally Jay waved a hand around the table and finally found the ring tucked in to Carly's sleeve.

M'redith was glad to see that Jay made no attempt to reach up Carly's sleeve to retrieve the ring but instead merely pointed out its location.

Carly did leave Jay the opportunity to retrieve the ring but he wisely chose not to. Chen and Carly took turns hiding the ring a few more times before they stopped and Chen put it back on his necklace.

“Imagine you just fought a room of monsters. You're tired, wounded. You take whatever treasure the monsters leave behind but how sure are you that you found all the treasure in the room before you move on?” Jay asked Carly and Chen.

“I find treasure. I do other things too but I'm a walking treasure detector. Anyone can hit a monster, but only I can tell you where the monster hid his treasure.” Jay finished.

Chenowith had turned from teasing Jay to looking at him with a considering expression. Carly however had changed completely and appeared to have a new found respect for Jay that overshadowed any shortcomings he may have had in combat.

“That's not even the best part,” said M'redith as she spilled a bit of her smoothie down the front of Jay's shirt making him gasp out loud. The group all made surprised sounds as she did so. Pouring any beverage down the front of someone's shirt was a sure way to anger them so it was with no small amount of curiosity that Chen and Carly watched wide eyed to see how Jay would react.

Carly grabbed some napkins and went to press them against Jay's chest but M'redith caught her arm in one hand before she could do so, surprising Carly with her strength. “Wait,” she said. “Watch.”

Jay laughed and turned on his Tropical Island Aura. The spilled smoothie gradually faded in to tiny motes of light as the field slowly cleaned Jay's body and shirt. A bit over thirty seconds later he was clean and his shirt spotless.

Carly looked shocked. Chen grunted in appreciation. Carly reached over and dribbled a bit of her smoothie on to Jay's shirt sleeve. Again the stain quickly was scrubbed clean by the aura and she made an appreciative noise in the back of her throat as she watched it work.

“I can clean one other person as well as long as they're really close to me.” Jay said. The group reflexively turned to look at M'redith as she had been attached at Jay's hip since she had arrived. Her clothes were also spotless and her hair appeared to have been freshly washed.

“I'd kill for that during weapons practice.” Carly said to herself.

“I know, right?” remarked M'redith. The two girls bonded briefly over their hatred of the way sweat felt as it dried on their skin while wearing armor.

“Can you clean me?” Carly asked Jay with her head tilted to one side as she looked at him approvingly.

M'redith narrowed her eyes and Carly raised her hands in defense, “I'm not going to touch him, just sit near him, ok?”

Aiden chuckled but didn't make any wisecracks.

Carly got up and brought her chair over and sat to Jay's left. M'redith was already sitting to Jay's right. M'redith pulled away slightly so that Carly would be closest to Jay so that the aura would work on her. Jay turned on his aura and Carly let out a surprised squeak.

“You didn't tell me it tingled!” she said accusingly as she sat close to him but as she had promised not touching him. The thirty seconds passed gradually. At one point she blushed. “That tingle doesn't let up, does it?” she said a bit breathlessly.

Thirty seconds passed quickly and Jay turned off the aura. Carly leaned back in her seat with a grin plastered on her face. “That was heavenly. I'm completely clean! In thirty seconds!”

“But I can't fight.” Jay reminded her, “Let's not forget that.”

She laughed, “Right. You can't fight. After that show you just put on who cares? I'd want you in my group just to keep me clean all day.” She got up and brought her chair back to Chen's side and nodded over at M'redith, “Thank you.”

M'redith nodded in reply. Aiden rolled his eyes. Jay drank the rest of his smoothie.

Chenowith motioned over to Carly indicating that they should go soon.

“We were going to head in to the city this afternoon to hang out at a pool hall. Play some pool, relax. You guys want to come with?” Carly asked the group but did so while she looked directly at M'redith.

Jay, not noticing the byplay between the females, happily agreed, “That sounds like fun. What do you guys think?”

M'redith appeared satisfied that Carly was not after the man she had herself already laid a tentative claim to. She nodded and then leaned her head on Jay's arm.

Aiden shrugged, “Sure, why not? I need to warn you that I have never played before.”

Chen looked at Carly to see if she was sure about this but she stared back at him unflinchingly as if she absolutely knew what she was doing. Chen looked away and nodded.

Jay didn't ask what it cost and neither did his friends. They knew that Jay would gladly cover them financially when they went out without even being asked. Jay enjoyed taking care of his friends and they were always careful to thank him when he did.

By that point everyone had finished eating. Aiden grabbed everyone's trays and brought them up for everyone even though it took two trips. It surprised Chen and Carly a bit but they thanked him for his help.

Jay smiled at their surprise, “It's become something of a habit for one of us to bus the table while the other two chat. We take turns each meal.”

Aiden returned and the group all got up and filed out of the dining hall back out in to the now sunny world outside. The rain had stopped and the air had become muggy as the humidity rose sharply.

The group all made noises of discontent. “I hate feeling wet just from being outside.” Carly sighed.

Jay turned on his aura and was pleasantly surprised to find that it fought off the humidity rather well and left him feeling cool and dry along with his clothing. M'redith had one arm wrapped in his and smiled as he did so. She could feel the effects as well and sighed as it went to work drying off her skin and clothing.

Carly looked on with a jealous eye, “No fair! Why do you get to hog the aura!” she said playfully.

“Because I found him first.” M'redith said with a sly smile.

Jay laughed, “Among other reasons!”

Chenowith led the group to an awaiting carriage, not a cart.

Aiden raised an eye at the expense but Jay just shrugged and helped M'redith up in to the cabin, following behind her so he'd sit next to her. Aiden sat next to Jay and Chenowith and Carly sat across from them.

Chenowith leaned back to let the driver know they were set and they pulled out of the courtyard and in to the City proper.

It was just a game of pool, what could go wrong?