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It had taken her mother a whole two weeks before she allowed Kody back into the farmhouse. THe news of her joining the military hit her hard, enough to ban her own daughter from the house. It was only by gentle persuasion of her father that allowed her back into the home, but only for short bursts of time.

Kody had to get her stubbornness from somewhere.

She was out in the fields today, but she wasn't working. Instead she was idly grooming the family horse with a bristle brush. Gently she stroked his side, the horse idly eating at some hay she coaxed him outside with. It was a beautiful day, so why hide in the barn?

Turning around she noticed someone approaching their house. Now, Kody was used to visitors. They got quite a few on average, usually to talk to her parents about a cut of the crops. This particular visitor though was a surprise. She had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things, he was still in the sunlight which blotted her vision. Patting the horse a few times on his side, Kody left him behind to his hay as she leapt over the wall of the fenced enclosure. He would have seen her approaching, usual smile on her face. "Well isn't this a surprise?" She grinned, patting her hands on her sides to remove some of the dirt that came off the fence. "Don't normally see you here unless I'm the one bringing you." Aka: Dragging him more than likely.

"Here to see me or business today?"

Warning bells should have sounded off in her mind at his tone shift. But they didn't, instead she was happy to see her friend out at the farm, it was a rare treat! "Oh, Sure of course. Did you want this fine horse to wait in the pasture with the others?" She of course pointed towards the fenced area she had just leapt over. As if on cue, the family horse looked up and stared directly at the trio, still chewing on some feed.

Glass always half full in her mind, she reached out and pulled Elliot into a hug before quickly releasing him. "We can go on a walk?" That would be the best time to be alone really. He family had a nack for looking in the shaded spots for her when she was needed. Without being prompted to she grabbed the reins of the horse, patting the sides of its face briefly, before pulling it towards the gates. "Whats on your mind?"

Closing the door to the pasture she watched as the one horse joined the other. She turned around next, and being as Ells seemed distracted, she continued to guide him down a deserted pathway through the fields.

Unfortunately for Elliot thought, she was starting to take it just that way.

She was just about to open her mouth, replying to how awkward he was acting, when the true reason he was acting this way emerged. "Oh thank some lord, for a second there i thought you were confessin' love or something." She breathed out with a small laugh, shaking her head. While she did like Elliot, as it was she didnt like him like that.

"UHhhmmmm... After i passed the tests they rattled off a number. Being as im entry level its certainly not as much as i assume the more seasoned military gets." She rattled off the number next though, just so Elliot had an idea. "Why Ells? Curious?"

"Whos disappointed?" Even if HE knew, she needed to emphasize it anyways. Batting away his hand with her own, she huffed.

Her (feigned) annoyance didn't have a long shelf life, because all too soon it shifted entirely. Her eyes grew wide, her pupils dilating, as a look of horror appeared and replaced the other. "No, not the store." She whispered. She knew how much that store meant to him and his parents. Even though Elliot complained about it, it was their livelihood. It was how they survived to live another day. Before kody realized it, she had snaked her arms around her friend and held him close. Ells was more than likely hiding his sorrow inside and thinking practical thoughts. She had known him way too long to not know that somewhere inside, he was hurting. Her hug was a attempt to let him know if he needed to grieve, she would be there like a friend should be.

She also now understood what he was saying, why he was asking. "You're thinking about joining aren't you?" Normally, Kody would have been overjoyed for the news. She would have said how much they would train together, work together like friends should. But this... this felt like his hand was forced. "Not...saying you cant handle it, Ells, just that." She paused. How to say this without sounding like an a**... She glanced up at him for a second, before looking away. "You dont seem the type for the military."

Unsure what to do, or what to say for that matter, she instead listened to him silently while he spoke. When he slumped into her arms she held on tight, rubbing his back to attempt to comfort him even slightly. She really did not know what he was going through, so she couldn't relate. If her family lost the farm...

Patting his back lightly she only spoke up once she was sure he was finished. "No, Ells. I know you can do it. It might be hard and rough but, if you put your mind to it I'm sure you will succeed." It was no brainer who of the two was smarter. Ells read more than she did, a LOT more. She was small, quick, and strong... but Elliot was Tall, Fast, and Brainy.

Even if he was a little lazy...

"Besides, I'll be there to help you along!" Wether this was a good or a bad thing was left to be decided. She was certain he would help her too, thats what friends were for. "We will train you to be the best." To make his family proud. She understood the paycheck thing for her family too. She was tossing half of everything she made into the bank too. Only her eldest two brothers knew about it, and were on the account, in case her family got hit hard or something or another they would have a little to fall back on. She didn't dare tell her parents, they were far too stubborn...