[IC] 🧚🏻‍♀️ The Walking Dead - Year 6 Part 1

[ONL]

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Alexander Polawski Location: Chapel (V) Skills: N/A

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Before the world had ended abruptly into an inferno of shit hitting the fan and just the worst of days turned up to 11, Alexander had gone to church on a regular basis. Regular, as in at least four times a year; Christmas, Easter, the anniversery of his father's death and once when Judith wanted to visit. More often than not he'd sit there more than those times, but he wasn't really attending. More than anything he was sitting in the back row, silently for himself as he tried to hear. Not the sermon up front, but a higher voice in the background. He never heard it, though sometimes he made himseld believe he'd felt it.

After the end of the world those visits had been reserved for only taking shelter in a church tower or something. It was only recently that he'd found the presence of God again, and still only in the sense of believing in his existance, yet without feeling Him. Attending the church services with Atticus had given him new vigour. Still, going to the Chapel made the barriers he'd constructed while out There come down, plank by blank, stone by stone.

Whether that was a good thing or not was yet to be seen.

Alexander stood in the opening of the Chapel for a good solid minute, hearing the voices of Bass and Freeman up from the second floor, but not hearing their actual words. Old habit of blocking out what other people said in church, people spoke of private matters there after all. He wasn't the older mother of an Italian New York family after all. He didn't notice Manny entering either, having stepped further into the Chapel as Freeman spoke to him from the second floor banister. A smile forced itself onto Alexander's face, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips. "Well I had planned on speaking with neither. The Lord is probably occupied with forgiving me for all my bullshit…and I usually speak with Atticus, but…"

Alexander sighed, falling into deep thought with his eyes staring empty before him, as if contemplating his recent words. Sighing again, Alexander looked up to Freeman once more and gave himself up. "But I suppose you'd like to hear my old musings. At least you answer. I'll come up, if you don't mind?" Alexander said up to Freeman, finding his way to the stairs and making his way up to the second floor. Traversing the stairs with the pegleg was harder than normal walking, but with a little effort and puffing, Alexander found his way upstars. "Good morning, Freeman. I see today's court martial has caused quite the chance in schedule in the Camp. Can't be an entertaining change of pace, can it? At least I don't think so…"

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Nigel Cooper Location: Quarantine (W) Skills: N/A

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The room had been more occupied than Nigel had expected to be honest, now that his recent introduction into the room had given his eyes ample time to actually search for who were present there. Beside Ash and Thalia, whom he had directed his greetings to, he now saw several other residents of CMB and some not-so-long citizens of that military society - Most importantly Wayne and the child sitting on his lap. Again Nigel looked upon the scene with the usually psychotic Wayne, not docile as a lamb while he was baby-sitting, feeling whoever had written this drama had strange plans for them all. Or perhaps he had been wrong about Wayne after all?

Nigel gave Wayne a brief wave, greeting his old 'friend' if he could be called that, before turning back to the others most relevant to his presence in Quarantine now. Ash and Thalia, and Volts and Medic. It was apparent that Ash had the same idea as Nigel, settling down for an activity in order to clear his thoughts before the exercise of the law later that day. "Good, I thought the same. We're all going to need a clear mind if we're to be questioned; Da mihi factum, dabo tibi ius." Nigel responded in what felt like a rehearsed line, the outcome far more theatric than the intention had been. Though this he meant, for he would do his best to present the facts and nothing more. From experience he had learned to keep his emotions out of important decisions, however difficult it had been.

Like how he'd refused to leave Robert dead on the road at first, at least until he was certain the man was truly gone to the afterlife. However pious and trusting the man had been, he had been a good man.

It was at this point Thalia had accepted his proposal for a duel, though she had raised a fair point; with what? Fists and pool cues? The unintended sight of her unbuttoning her shirt gave Nigel an akward moment of embarrasment…Nigel averted his eyes briefly, looking up at Volts as he offered them to use the gym. "Perhaps…perhaps next time then, Thalia." Nigel answered her, then looking over to Medic and his wish to spar. Nigel wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or…something else. But he wasn't about to turn town a chance for some good melee.

"Good…okay, that's fine by me. Where do you want to duel?" Nigel asked Medic, stretching his arms in anticepation of finally wielding a weapon again, be it metal or wooden. Thalia checked with Nigel one last time however, reaffirming her wish to duel. The name she called him wasn't half bad either, giving him a reason to smile at her. "Praetorian, eh? I can live with that, you Joyous Poem."

[Lady Absinthia]

☠ 𝚃𝚆𝙳: 𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝟻 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟺 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Location: Camp Mexico Beach Weather Forecast: Dawn at 5:53 A.M. - Dusk at 8:13 P.M. - High: 91F, Low: 80F - Winds SW at 4mph - Gusting to 14mph - Rain In The AM - Cloud Cover: 100% - Visibility: 9miles. Notes: Alright, this week has been up in the air and I have done this post on multiple days between other things. I am not sure how well it flows but I think I covered everything. If I missed something, misread or misremembered something just let me know and I will get it fixed. Again I think I covered everything but let's see. (Always find something after I hit the post reply button no matter how many times I read over it before hand.) Lunch will probably be glazed over in the next couple of posts so we can get to the afternoon. Will see how it plays out right. No rush, just putting half a plan on the table.

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Hospital (B): (Information for the scene will be located in Nikki's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Mess (C): (Information for the scene will be located in Thana's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Chapel (V): As Freedman waited for an answer from Alexander he spotted Manny coming into the Chapel. He gave the man a little wave but kept his attention over on Alexander for the time being. He was a bit surprised that people were showing up today. Normally when there was a court martial for a new person few wanted to talk. Bass had been the third in to see him today. He wondered how many more would show up. Bass was the first to show up not asking about the court martial and also the first person that hadn't come in with eh new group. Now two more where there. Granted he didn't know if they were there to talk to him or to God, either way, people seemed to have a lot to deal with even if it was within themselves.

Freeman smiled softly. "I'll listen, and answer, if I have the answers. And well he might be but I'm pretty sure he's got this whole system down so let's worry about it. Question is, have you forgiven yourself?" Freeman asked before Alexander started making his way up to the balcony. Looking over at Manny as he waited for Alexander made his way up he nodded to him. "If you want to talk, pretty sure he can listen if you want," he said motioning up. "Or I can, after Mr. Polawski. Oh, we have some water and glasses in the room over there if you get thirsty," he added quickly.

Once Alexander got up to him, Freeman reached out and shook his hand before motioning to the pew and taking a seat himself. "Yes it has. It's nothing out of the ordinary though. Not that Court Martials are common but we do have them from time to time," he said as he propped one elbow up on the back of the pew and the other on his knee as he crossed his legs. "And no, not exactly entertaining but I have been on both sides of a Court Martial here. Had to testify several times. Was the one being prosecuted once," Freeman let be known before shrugging. "Though I wouldn't count anyone out until the final gavel falls. You never know what will happen. Does the fact that Mr. Monroe is going through this bother you? And either way, why? From the files you two are not exactly acquainted other than your time in Quarantine."

Quarantine (W): Guy looked over at Ash and smiled with half a chuckle. Ash gave a rare smile, it wasn't something he remembered seeing a lot over the years. Sure Ash would smile from time to time when Alicia was alive but after her and Caesar died the man he called Boss went to a dark place, a really dark place and he wondered if he'd ever come out of it. He'd seen Ash and Thana together at Tatiana's and Jack reception but things went down with Triple B and they left. Then after what happened with James the next morning, he wasn't sure Ash would ever smile again. After Newnan fell he was pretty sure he'd never see Boss again. Yet here he was and he actually smiled, even if it was short. "Bos.. I mean Ash, you look.. better," Guy commented as he gathered up the cards and started shuffling.

Medic on the other hand wasn't as familiar with Ash as Guy was. He had come in late to the whole Newnan community with the rest of the Franklin people during the merge. He stuck around the Franklin area and kept to himself unless his services were needed. Having Froggy there back then and others getting Medical training, people like Astrid, he wasn't really needed. All of that meant that the smile Ash gave, while noticed, wasn't registering as anything more than rare to see from like it was rare from anyone to smile these days. Looking back at Guy he rolled his eyes a bit. "You just suck." Looking back over at Nigel he motioned towards the door. "Lobby," he said. The lobby was pretty much a good open area and it kept them out of the elements.

Volts looked between Thalia and Nigel and Medic. "Hell tag along man, all of you, we got room to spar in there if'n ya want. Could use some fresh meat." He gave a big toothy grin as he popped a toothpick between his upper and lower incisors. Tesla leaned against his pool que and chuckled a bit. "Don't even," Volts seemed to warn.

"Yeah, ya do need some practice," Tesla taunted before giving a cheerful laugh.

"That was a lucky fucking shot and you know it wanker!" Tesla held his arms out and took a bow. "Oh fuck you you slanty eyed bastard.

"Promise?"

"I will sock ya in your sleep." That caused Tesla to burst out laughing. Looking at Nigel and Thalia, Volt grumbled. "Little fucker is wirey," he muttered. "Come on, it's this way," he said as he headed for the door to the sounds of Tesla sitting down on the floor, leaning against his stick, and still laughing.

"And that little man is what ya call a bitch," Wayne said as he bounced little Jamie on his lap before swatting at the air. "Shut the fuck up you bucked toothed pansy."

Medic cocked a brow towards Wayne and then looked at Nigel. "Works for me, let's go," he said motioning towards Volts and then following along.

Guy just laughed and looked back to Ash. "Yeah, and it really ain't fer the reason you probably think. When they found me and Jo, well we were kind of losing it. This one kid, David, he's like five foot nothing and a hundred and nothing, ended up knocking my ass out with a sling shot to the back of my head. And now I'm stuck with it," he said pulling his cap off and rubbing the back of his head, he swore he could still feel the lump.

General Housing (X): Looking up from her book, there was a thin lipped smile and Chase shook her head. "Nah. Doesn't look like it. We look to be alright, pressure is holding and winds are level," she said as she sat there, her legs crossed under her there on the couch. It looked like she was about to say more but then stopped herself. Her facial expression reading as if she had held up a finger to continue but then lowered it. It wasn't that Chase wasn't a talker, she was, it was just usually about weather and she had a tendency to ramble on and on about it. Yet it looked like Amelia was in the middle of something and so she figured she was just wanting to make sure there wasn't something to worry about, outside of the dead on the other side of the walls.

Leaning forward a bit she tried to get a glimpse of what Amelia was doing. "So, what are you up to and where's that girlfriend of yours? Riley, that's her name right?" Chase asked. The three of them had lived together for over a week now and Chase hadn't really said more than a few words here and there in passing towards either of her two new roommates. With the Court Martial going on today and things being rather indoors and cooped up thanks to the weather there was no time like the present. Might as well ask.

Jail (AA): Cage nodded a bit but he put his pen down as Hunter started to speak. "Yeah you are, why we are going over this. It ain't a reward kid, just figured you could use a shot in the arm, it's gonna be a long day," he said as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Glancing down at the dog he smirked. "I'm sure she is but sadly we don't have someone that speaks dog so she can't be sworn in," he said with a shrug. Was the man cracking a joke or being serious. It was hard to tell. Things seemed to get a bit more on track and the kid had a legitimate question.

"You don't have to decide now but it need to be out there. You will be asked if you wish to testify on your behalf. If you do you will be able to give a little speech to why you should or should not stay, and pretty much anything else. Most do, but with you, kid you got a way of making things worse. On top of that, if you open yourself up to that you will submitting to be cross examined. And cross examinations here isn't against a lawyer. Anyone that asks you a question you will have to answer. So anyone from me, to Gunny, the General." He paused for a moment as he sat up more and leaned forward, lacing his fingers together as he rested them on the table. "Nikki, that Russian girl, will be open to put you on the spot. Anyone required to be there will be allowed to cross examine. It could get messy."

Sighing he lowered his head and shook it. "Think on it kid. You're free to choose but I suggest you make your choice before you leave the jail and stick to it. You reacting in the moment... Well isn't that what got you here?" he asked as he looked back up. "So think on it and try to figure it out. Now, when you're ready we can go over the official charges and concerns, that way you know exactly what you are going up again. Only what is submitted here is subject to testimony. Anything else can't, it would have to be filed later. No new incidents are allowed to be introduced after the time the charges are officially filed, which was five days ago."

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Thana Martin Location: Mess Hall (C) Skills: N/A

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While Thana was in the Walk-In getting things together for the lunches she was going to have to get together to take over to the Council, Morales was doing his own thing out in the kitchen itself. "Hey look you guys, you gotta stop giving her the evil eye. That shits going to come back on you," he warned, in a rather light hearted way.

"Yeah, talk to her daddy and rat on us," someone said but it wasn't clear who as they all had their backs turned and were working right then to get lunch together.

"No I ain't talking about that. She doesn't seem like the type to let anyone handle her business but her. I'm talking about Karma. That bitch drives a train and if you ain't right she will drive one right through ya," Morales said as he crossed his arms over his chest, them resting somewhat on his large potbelly.

"Oh please, that shit went right out the window when the dead started trying to eat out faces," a girl snapped as she spun back around.

"Fine, keep being a bitch to her and don't be surprised if she knocks your teeth down your throat. If she's anything like her dad or uncle I'm betting she's a fighter," Morales said as he stepped forward and grinned. That made the girl gulp a little and scurry off back to her work.

Thana closed her eyes and scratched her leg where the wounds were still healing up from having the bolts and rods pulled out the day she got back into CMB. God she wanted them to heal up and heal up quick, the pain was something she could deal with but the itching was starting to drive her nuts. Her face still itched from time to time but not like it had. The leg was still going a little bit more than she would have liked. Her face, that was tightness. She had to make sure not to open her mouth too far otherwise it pulled on the muscles and tendons that had been sewn back together. She just hoped in time that it would level out.

Pushing the cart around she bumped the door of the walk in with her rear end and stepped back as the door open. Pulling the cart with her. Lifting her head up she glanced around, it was a bit too quiet in there for her liking right then. Her brow rose as she glanced over to Morales. He just grinned at her before going and heading over to the oven. Thana's eyes scanned the room, something was off. She wasn't sure but she had the same feeling in her gut that she got when she was in a war zone, or outside of the walls and keeping an ear out for Walkers. Turning slowly she pushed the cart over and out of the way before she got to work on assembling and bagging up the lunches for the Council. The sooner she got done with those the sooner she could get out of the kitchen and away from whatever the hell this tension was that was thick enough to cut with a knife. It was quiet, too quiet in there.

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Nikola Warren Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/A

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Nikki sat there on the floor furiously trying to dry off as much as she could. In the process she managed to put a towel over her head, over her shoulders, over her lap, and had another that she was rubbing quickly over open spots. Her teeth were chattering as she looked over and spotted Lisa coming over. She tried to smile but she was really cold. The air moving around, even if only a little thanks to the air conditioning in the hospital made things much colder. She was half tempted to just go stand back in the rain. At least the rain was more like bath water than this. Next time, she was sure that next time she left her apartment in the rain she was just going to bag her clothing and put on a swim suit if it was between the months of February and November. It never really got cold cold down in Florida but it did get cooler.

"Heeeyy... yesss..... sssccccrrrruuuuubbbsss???" Nikki chattered out. Scrubs were readily available in the hospital as were dressing gown, Lisa would know the various places to get them. There was basic linen supply closest dotted through out the hospital on each floor for quick access when things got messy.

Hospitals down in the area had been raided heavy at the beginning but scrubs and gowns weren't exactly something people were going after. They hit there for drugs in the pharmacy, food in the cafeteria's, even gas in the basement from the back up generators. Linens were left behind or only taken a little at a time. For CMB they didn't leave those behind. Clean linens and clothing was a treat for a while, especially when they were originally washing their clothing in salt water from the gulf.

"Thought yoooouuu coullld uuuse a haannddd and was booorrreeddd," Nikki said standing up. The chattering was getting a little better as she used the towels as a layer of protection from the air conditioning. "How's iiiittt gooinng? she asked as she looked around. Things seemed pretty calm to her. She wondered what all was going on. Nikki was a watcher and liked to know what was up. She hoped there wasn't cleaning, she hated cleaning. Though it was better than nothing right now, she was trying to keep her own mind off the fact she had to be at the court martial. She would have gone to see it either way but she didn't like being put on the spot. And they were going to question her, about Hunter. She was still mad as hell at the guy but she wasn't sure she wanted him kicked out.

"Hoowww'ssss Luccccy?? Nikki asked, changing the subject both towards Lisa and in her own mind. Anyone that had been in town for a while would eventually know about little Lucy. People would take turns to come see her, play dolls or read to her, draw, or just talk. Because of this, there was a lot of supplies and toys set aside in the small one room day care center. Lucy wasn't the only child in town but right now she was the only one that was in the hospital and none of the other kids needed day care. They had figured that would start needing it with the Newnan's having a kid when they came in but apparently the kid had taken to the crazy man and for some reason the parents trusted him so they handled it. This left the day care center as empty as ever but full of things to do. It was like having a private play room for Lucy even if she couldn't get out of bed to use it. At least it was there for people to grab things so she could use them.

[rivaan]

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Amelia Payne Location:General Housing(X)(Condo 14B) Skills: N/A

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“Mmm, good.” Amelia smiled when she heard the weather news from Chase. She briefly looked at the other woman, wondering what she was about to say more, but it seemed she had decided to not continue. Well Amelia figured that it was probably fine. She didn’t mind chatting with Chase, though they hadn’t really spoken much so far. A few words here and a few words there weren’t much of a discussion really. Well if nothing else they got well enough along in the quiet. Still as roomies, Amelia figured that eventually they will hopefully be able to have proper conversations, even if it was simply about topics that Chase enjoys.

“Well, I’m… brainstorming a D&D character...” Amelia stated with a bit of a shy voice.” Figured I might as well get an enjoyable pastime and I used to play D&D back in highschool.” She sighed, looking at Chase, raising the unfinished character sheet.” The rest’s just notes on different game rules and lore that I’m planning to use.” She didn’t go into much further details. Not everybody enjoyed talking shop about D&D, so she figured just giving the basics of what she was doing should be enough. If the girl wanted to know more, she’d ask.

She nodded, a bright smile appearing on her face.” Yes, Riley, that’s her name. As for where she went, well after breakfast she said she’d go to Quarantine for a bit and probably spend some time there meeting with people. Asked if I wanted to join, but honestly in the rain not really. Preferred to spend the time here, in peace and quiet to work on my character.” Amelia explained. She enjoyed the peace and was pretty certain that likely quarantine at this weather wasn’t anything even remotely similar to the concept of peace and quiet.

“What about you, got any plans for the rest of the day?” Amelia asked, trying to make some small conversation. They had time to kill and she could scribble down D&D while they talked. It was one of those rare times that both of them were at home and in somewhat of a talking mood after all. Amelia wasn't sure if another similar chance would present itself soon.

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Lisa Mason Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/a

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“Indeed, let me grab some for you to put on. AC in here will get you if you continue to stay like that.” Lisa nodded and in a hurry made her way to the closest supply closet where Scrubs and the like were kept at. What a lucky thing there were more than enough to give the hospital a steady supply like this. After grabbing some, she walked back over to Nikki and handed them to her.” Here. Change into those quickly, before I got to also start searching for a blanket. Wonder if people will be asking why you were in scrubs later though.” She chuckled.

“Well there’s not exactly much to be done. I’ve got my task, but it’s nothing overly complicated, just to run the files and ensure people get their medications, I would love the company though. As for how it’s going...” She started and looked around and then back at the younger woman.” It’s been fine so far. Rain is nice to listen to, love it actually and that aside, it’s been pretty calm.” Lisa added with a shrug. Because pretty much all visits to medical were rescheduled because of the court martial, it’s been pretty empty and devoid of visitors after all.

Lisa’s face turned a bit sad as Nikki mentioned the young resident patient.” She’s… holding for the moment as far as I’m aware.” She stated, but her voice was grim.” Was just thinking that she’s probably been getting bored alone in the room. Planned to visit and spend some time with her later afternoon.” Lisa smiled and looked at the younger woman.” Was planning to reach out for some of the more artsy people in camp and get them to sketch up some pieces for her to color up, think you can help me with talking to people today so it can happen sooner? Maybe we can surprise Lucy with a new coloring book in a few days or so. Would likely lift up her mood.”

[Shoe Thief]

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Emanuel "Manny" Newman Location: F10, Chapel Skills: N/A

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Manny had found himself at a loss of words and thoughts after sitting in the church for a bit. He did find it was not as stressful as he remembered, but he found himself at a blank for how he should feel about this place. Part of him wondered if he should be glad things were not like they were years ago, or that this place wasn't run by those that had ruined his taste for religion. Maybe he should he be upset that it took so long for things to be as safe as they were now? That was an Ironic thought. The end of the world helped make it easier for those who had survived to get along in many ways that seemed like such a challenge not even 30 years ago. Though most of the worst groups had been removed long before then, there was still just that little bit left to remind him that they were never truly gone. But this place? For now it wasn't one of those places. That was a comforting thought in it's own regards.

Manny did turn his attention towards Freeman when he spoke to him. "Hm? Oh. Maybe. I..." He stopped himself. What does he say here? "Thank you. In a bit maybe. But thank you." It was nice to hear that Alexander was taking time to talk to someone. Manny's friend had been with him through several months of hardships, and then a war that took him across the world around the time Manny found himself stuck with his own issues at home. "Ill take you up on that water though." Manny stood up and made his way into the other room where the glasses were set up and grabbed himself a cup. Though he had enjoyed the morning, he'd be lying if he said the trial today didn't bug him. He thought about where he was at the boy's age, and how it was only a little younger that Manny had made the biggest choice in his life and left his old life behind him. How before that choice the likelihood he would be up for trail for the things he had done prior to it, the things he got away with.

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Hunter Monroe Location: Jail (AA) Cell B Skills:N/A

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It had been an interesting conversation so far, but Hunter still found himself tense for the day. "Thanks..." He spoke after Cage had clarified about the treat and coffee. He would continue to enjoy bits of it as the conversation went on. Hunter almost made a comment about being able to talk to dogs, but he figured this wasn't the best time for a joke, and held it for now. He thought about the cross examination. Some of the people knew just the right questions to ask to get some less then good truths out of him. Where he would be forced to lie, or refuse. Or worse, tell. He thought about the events that led him to this point. Getting called up for deployment mere days after finishing basic, rounding up refugees during the pull towards the refugee center, the things that went down there, leaving the refugee center, the last stand they attempted to make and the consequences of it, his attempts to settle all of that once it had settled. Then there were the more recent ones, Don and his.... assholes. June and Lucy, the only good things to come out of it. Dealing with the consequences of his actions while with Don...

He rubbed his shoulder and back a bit thinking about what might come up. "No it's... probably best not too." They stopped hurting a long time ago, but in the moment of thinking about them, they felt like they were starting to burn again. Those long, thin, slashes. The less of that stuff that came to light the better. "....are you telling me there's more? Or that... this is all.. unless more happens? Like... What charges are... here. Now. Today." He had a decent idea, but knowing specifically what the charges were would probably help him a lot. Even if he didn't plan on speaking much during the time, he figured knowing the specifics could help none the less.

[Sigil]

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Ash Holloway Location: Quarantine (W) Skills: N/A

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Strangely, for the first time in a long time, Ash wasn't putting a lot of his thought to what had come before. It would always mark him, as the rough and blighted past marked everyone who still lived, but this moment was reserved for the Ash's present and his hopes for the future. Perhaps it was healthier that way. What was done was done; he would worry about it another time. They were luckier than most. Ash looked across the table to Guy, giving him an almost studious going-over as the man gave a more personal greeting to him, be it flubbed just a bit by Guy's reflex to refer to him as "Boss". There was history between them that spanned far before Patient Zero started to eat Victim #1.

Guy was, once upon a time, an employee of the Holloway & Sons distillery, which explained why they spoke with an accent almost identical to Ash's. Time abroad had softened his a little, but Guy's was straight from the source in the mountains of Virginia. The proximity of the man speaking seemed to bring Ash's own drawl back to its original factory settings. Technically, Guy had worked for Ash's father, Lawson. Ash had returned to their home not very far after Atlanta fell and rallied the survivors into the Distillery complex as a fallback point, which held admirably under siege of the Dead until a couple of their number tried their luck with escaping, inadvertently letting the horde in. Guy survived and stuck with him as they turned from a temporary community into a nomadic caravan, and in time, as they made their way back down to Georgia. He was present when Ash relinquished command of his group to Lt. Colonel Leann McCormick, provided he stay on as Executive Officer as their groups merged. And Guy proved to be a valuable friend and ally while they established Newnan, on up to its fall. He was a hell of a sniper, right behind Alicia and James in skill with a long gun. Throughout all of this time, Guy called Ash "Boss" or "Bossman". Habits die hard.

Their history went back farther than even that, growing up in the same, very small town, where everyone knew each other and the school was a three room affair where several grades met simultaneously. Ash had known Guy since they were kids, but they never quite gave each other much attention until after the Outbreak. And here, after all of that, this man was sitting opposite Ash with a deck of cards, just over eight hundred miles from where they started. Some coincidences were truly surreal, making Ash pretty sure that there might be more to it than a random coming together of events. Still, Guy made an observation that he hadn't responded to yet, and he probably should. "Thanks. Feeling more personable lately." Ash shrugged, shaking his head a little. "Less of a dark place." It was true enough. He might even be in an even better place when he found his purpose to this community. But today, he was more than fine enough.

Ash did give a glance back to Medic following his quick and dirty appraisal of Guy's poker skills. He furrowed his brows a little as if to jokingly ask if that was necessary, then shrugged and said aloud, "Damn good seeing you, Medic." Be it that he hadn't known the guy as long as some, it was genuinely heartwarming seeing that someone else from Newnan made it out and to the relative safety of CMB. Ash returned his attention to the cards being shuffled, mentally taking note of what was shaping up with Volts and his forming adventuring party of the Rogue, Fighter, and Healer, along with the dialogue between he and their resident Artificer. Ash was about to make commentary to Guy about getting to their hand of cards when he likewise added to the overall exchange of information in the room. His acquisition of his nickname, specifically, which drew a short chuckle from Ash.

"So I've got to do something memorable or really stupid early on. Gotcha, Guy." He motioned at the cards, still in mid-shuffle. "Someone promised me a crap hand. Let's get to it." There might be plans to hobble over and see how little Jamie was doing, but plans for the immediate were cards and a little catching up with one of his oldest living friends.

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Thalia Carmichael Location: Quarantine (W) -> Following Volts Skills: N/A

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While the scattered conversations going on in Quarantine were certainly quite entertaining, Thalia was done with them the moment they started. Words spoken and who they were spoken by were filed neatly away in her brain, as best she could given the splash of new information coming toward her. Maybe one day soon she would be broken of the habit of constant threat assessment while within the walls of Camp Mexico Beach, but today was not that day. Thalia was not at her best still, and would not be for quite some time. So in the unlikely event of a sudden, impromptu, "weakest link dies" scenario, Thalia mentally mapped out the route she might take to the most logical point of egress, and even began to weigh the pros and cons of using various persons in her immediate vicinity as a human shield. It was a passing thought, as usual. Though it did put her brain to the question of (in a hostage situation), does one take the easiest to physically dominate, or the one who she could most likely frighten into compliance? And then, what might be the exit strategy there? Render said human shield unconscious and make a break for it? Decisions, decisions. And the big guy, Wayne - they had a little history, getting ballet lessons in together. Might he be an ally in this fictional fighting withdrawal from Quarantine? If not, from what Thalia had seen, he'd have to be targeted first. It seemed a shame; she rather liked the guy.

Of course, back in reality, Thalia was perfectly aware that the whole of them were harmlessly talking shit to one another and no one was interested in entering into a blood-spattered brouhaha, nor were the Zeds about to explode on the scene and make everyone's life hazardous. It was a mental game that she played to keep herself sharp, to not ease too far into the comforts of what passed for civilized life nowadays. Also back in reality, Volts mentioned that she could not only continue her epic, clue-following quest, but there was space, time, and more than one person available with whom she might exchange fisticuffs. Okay, the day was looking up after all. Crisis averted, whether fake or not, Thalia gave a quick nod and fell in line behind Volts, eager to get on with it.

[ONL]

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Alexander Polawski Location: Chapel (V) Skills: N/A

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Alexander's gaze lifted itself suddenly from observing the pool of rain water that accumulated around his shoes, looking down to the ground floor and seeing another person having entered the Chapel - Manny. He'd been so silent that Alexander's decision to speak with Freedman had blocked out his perception of his fellow Baby Boomer, now much to his shame. Looking down at Manny sitting at one of the benches, Alexander waved down at him and gave off a nervous chuckle. "Oh, Manny! Didn't hear you come in." It was a simple greeting to his friend, seeing just have much water dripped from him as well.

They were two old hounds soaking wet, and probably smelled like it too.

Ol' Mugsy had other questions to ponder hard on, however. He knew he'd been asked tough, inner questions if and when he decided to talk with Atticus, and now Freedman, but what he had been just asked was a hard answer to search his soul for. It was a damn good question, just one he had avoided answering for so many years. Had he forgiven himself? The hard, cold and black mass threw itself against his barrier, launching assault upon assault at his position he needed to defend at all costs. Failure was not an option.

Failure, for who?

Alexander took a deep, weighed breath at the question still lingering in the damp interiour of the Chapel, yet to answer Freedman as he was asked about the court martial. It was why he was there, wasn't it? Alexander lifted his head up to look at Freedman, hearing how he'd been on both sides of it before. Alexander commended him for that, for being open about his past. He did it with such ease, such graze and matter-of-fact. How?

"It does…the way it's been explained to me, it sounds like it. Being fair, I suppose, and I hope." Alexander feebly replied, folding his hands tightly and fighting the urge to look away from Freedman's caring eyes. Aeron had spoken about them fighting in a new war, one against the Dead. That much was true, just that Alexander never really had left the old war behind. "What? Oh, yes I…I think so. I don't know." Was that true? "No, never really spoke with the kid, only saw and heard him from a distance. Maybe I see myself in him, somehow. Can't say I did things right when I was his age…Never a court martial though."

With one last heave of his breath, Alexander straigthened himself up and looked emptily in front of him, holding back years upon years of assaults against his own defences, holding down the black dread deep inside of him. With barely a whisper, Alexander finally answered the first question Freedman had asked him.

"No…no I don't think I have. I don't think I ever can. Only the Lord can..."

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord." Alexander said to the dying man, slowly pointing his Colt at his head. "Forgive me Lord, but this one deserves it."

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Nigel Cooper Location: Quarantine (W) -> Following Volt Skills: N/A

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It as apparent that those having just been playing pool and poker had some history behind and between them, guessing from the tone of language they threw at each other. Verbal skirmishes, diplomatic insults and taunts charged at your enemy, all things considered it seemed light-hearted to Nigel. He himself was and never had been good at such oratory fistcuffs, save from the last incident with Thalia's cousin in the Mess Hall. Be it intentional or not, he'd made a friendly rival back then. If that relationship was going to develop into what he witnessed inside Quarantine, Nigel did not know truly if he found joy in it or not.

Okay, perhaps a little. A man of scrolls and swords, he still needed practice with the tounge.

Nigel turned to Volt after parts of the battle of mouths between him and Tesla, giving him a smile of appriciation as he and Medic were invited to join him and Thalia in the sparring. It was a pleasent surprise to be invited like that, like a Romanized Gaul being invited to visit a bathhouse. It marked another step into the process of integration, if not assimilation. "That would be great. I promise to earn my salt, so to speak. Lead the way." Nigel said back to Volt, beginning his march into what could become an arena, only to stop for a moment to take in Wayne being his normal self.

Some things didn't change then. Good, don't change too much, Wayne.

Following the small group of fighters, Nigel turned to Medic and Volt who in all fairness would lead their little battle. "So in what manner will we combat? Weapons or only fists?"

[Lady Absinthia]

☠ 𝚃𝚆𝙳: 𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝟻 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟺 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Location: Camp Mexico Beach Weather Forecast: Dawn at 5:53 A.M. - Dusk at 8:13 P.M. - High: 91F, Low: 80F - Winds SW at 4mph - Gusting to 14mph - Rain In The AM - Cloud Cover: 100% - Visibility: 9miles. Notes: Alright folks, playing it by ear. Lunch will get glossed over in a round or two. Any questions or ideas, let me know. We will be going into 'Fight' mode for the court martial at one point, that way people will have a chance to respond to each testimony as it comes in and as you are a part of it with certain characters. Will get into that more once we reac that point, just a heads up now.

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Hospital (B): (Information for the scene will be located in Nikki's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Mess (C): (Information for the scene will be located in Thana's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Chapel (V): Freedman nodded towards Manny. People usually came into the chapel to speak to Atticus, that or to just sit and have some time to themselves. It was a decent place to have some peace and quiet. To gets one thoughts together. Granted that was what the church was there for, a place of peace in a time where peace was one of the rarest of commodities. If Manny wanted to talk once he was done speaking with Alexander he was up for it, it was his job in the camp even though the way his life had been long before that would have never shown a clue this was where he would end up. Right now though, this was what he did and he had a patient as it were.

Leaning back a little more he turned his attention to Alexander while Manny went to get himself some water. He listened to what Alexander had to say, nodding slightly. He didn't take notes or even have paper along with him it seemed. The man gave attention like many perhaps wished others did. Most people when they were in a conversation sat there waiting to interject, to speak, to be heard, to get their opinion thrown in there. Freeman listened, fully taking in what Alexander was saying. Letting the man have his full say before even starting to speak and even then he seemed to want to speak as little as possible, instead wanting Alexander to keep talking. "God forgives, at least that is what I am told. Now, it is up to you. Why can't you forgive yourself Alexander?" He didn't ask what Alexander hadn't forgiven himself over, that would come if Alexander wished it.

Quarantine (W): Guy nodded. "Yeah, seems that way," he said as he pulled off his cap and scratched his head a little. "Cause of that Sparrow girl?" he asked. It wasn't exactly a secret around the camp that Thana had tore out of the camp as soon as she was able to look for someone. Guy had only caught bits and pieces here and there but he was quick enough to start to put it together. At least once he found out that the woman with the torn up face that had been brought in was Thana. He was there the day she arrived in Newnan. It had thrown him off, it was like seeing Zoie come back from the grave. It was creepy.

"You too," Medic said before heading out with the others.

Placing it cap back on his head Guy picked up the deck and started shuffling. "Alright, alright, I'm on it," he said with a crooked smile. Dealing out some cards he leaned back against the base of the couch and let his long legs stretch out to the side of the table. "So... things serious with you two?" he asked as he glanced over the top of his cards. "Or more like it was with 'Licia?" As soon as the words left his mouth he felt like it was a big mistake. Ash had gone to that dark place starting when Alicia and Caesar died. "Shit... sorry..."

General Housing (X): Chase leaned forward a little bit and glanced over the paper that Amelia held up. "Oh," she said before sitting back on the couch and crossing her legs beneath her. "Never got into it," she admitted. "But good for you, finding something to do with your time," she added as she picked her book back up. As Amelia filled her in with what Riley was up too she nodded. (Remember you are in control of Riley, so if she is in quarantine you need to be having her react to things happening there, and others in quarantine will need to react to her presence.)

"Don't blame you. Quarantine and a few other places get really crowded when it's raining," she said as she as she looked towards the window. Shrugging she held up her copy of Where The Red Fern grows. "Just getting in some reading time, something that isn't charts and readings for the weather," she said before lowering the book and flipping it back open. "Don't have to be at the court martial and not interested in it really. I'll find out the outcome when it's posted on the board later, or by word of mouth, nothing stays a secret in this town for long," she said as she found the page she had been on. "Only secrets are just things you weren't around to already here but it all eventually gets brought back up again, like a bad rerun."

Jail (AA): "No, this is it. That is unless you end up doing something else. And even if you did that would mean we would have to start the process all over again. They like to keep things separate. Deal with what has happened, get a ruling on that. If you ended up breaking any more rules then more charges would have to be filed," Caged explained. So basically as long as Hunter didn't do anything stupid between now and the court martial or after, if he was able to stay, he'd be alright.

Rubbing his face a bit, Cage went back to the files. "So what they have on you is this. Failure to show up to work on time, failure to pick up after the dog. Those aren't exactly huge charges. Well okay, late for work is AWOL. That isn't good at all. Drunken disorderly, not bad since you didn't break anything. The wasting of food isn't good but again, nothing huge. The one charge that worries me is the Insubordination and Conduct Unbecoming. Dude, that is the big one. That one ties into not so much your mental status but how the camp views your morals and ethics. Granted none of this is really good, one by itself I wouldn't think you would need to worry but all of these, back to back...."

Sighing Cage sat back and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at Hunter. "Kid, you have to make a choice before you step into that court room and it isn't about speaking. It's about trust. You are going to have to choose to trust us now or if you can't just say goodbye. I know that's a lot to ask when you're outside those walls for so long but seriously, if we wanted you dead you would be. Considering you haven't been shot you should consider yourself lucky."

Flipping over a couple of pages. "Got here you have brought up on more than one occasion about being threatened with a being shot. Dude, that's status quo this day and age. If you are going to take that personally, you're pretty much screwed. All we are doing is saying what everyone else is thinking. You can't tell me you haven't looked at someone you never met before and thought about killing them if they crossed you, or something along those lines. Frankly thinking it and not saying it is far worse. It's being honest and well." Pausing for a moment, he leaned up and rested his arms on the table. "If you like one person in this place, she hates people who hide things."

Gymnasium (K7): What had started out as a a quick rush over turned into more of a full fledged gang heading out to earn their colors so to speak. Volts leading the way with Thalia, Nigel, and Medic in tow. It was still raining and considering it was more than four blocks from Quarantine to the Gym, Volts opted to jog it. Not that it helped. Wet was wet today and there was really no getting around it. There were a few people out that had rain gear but they were all part of the safety and security part of the camp and they were on duty. It made sense that the little rain gear that the place went to them since they were stuck in it longer than anyone else and they didn't have a choice in the matter.

By the time Volts got to the Gym he was pretty soaked and cussing about it. Medic, just as soaked, wasn't anything. The lights were on inside the unmarked building. "No weapons without a trainer," Volts said before pulling the door open. Unlike the hospital or most other places right now, the A/C wasn't on in the gym. It was nearly as hot in the gym as it was outside. It was just drier. Inside it looked to be an old perhaps office that had been gutted and just left with the bare minimal. The floors had tight knit carpet, the walls were either just unpainted sheetrock or mirrors. There was gym equipment in there but only a little: bars free standing along the mirrors, benches, and weights. "We used to have tredmills but those things break down a lot, not worth it. Want to run go outside," Volts said as he pulled his shirt off. The man had lines of scars across his back like he had been regularly been beaten with a whip.

"There's a locker room back there, has some gym clothing in it, girls on the left," he said before strolling to the right where the mens locker room was. It was a bare basic locker room, one set of showers set up, one closed stall, urinals, a bench, a set of shelves with gym clothing in various sizes, a rod with hangs on it that stretched across the back of the room. The womans was pretty much the same, save for three stalls and no urinals.

Medic took to following Volts into the locker room, taking off his boots and setting them off to the side. Both men got to work stripping down, ringing out their clothing, hanging it up, and changing. "So, what's with the Sportacus name I keep hearing?" Volts asked. Medic cocked a brow and looked over at Nigel.

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Thana Martin Location: Mess Hall (C) Skills: N/A

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Things seemed to be tense in the kitchen of the Mess Hall, at least it felt that way to Thana. She wasn't sure and she didn't pay much attention to it. She had work to do. Morales was doing his thing and keeping distance from her. At least he was working, like the others. The kitchen was quiet and frankly she wasn't complaining about it. She liked it when things were quiet. It kept her on her toes and let her focus on the job at hand. Not that it took much focus to make sandwiches. She was glad it wasn't something more complicated. In all her years in the military and before that growing up, cooking had never been on the top of her list of things to learn. Sure she could do a few basic things but cooking for a whole town, out of her league. Making some sack lunches she could handle.

As she assembled each sandwich and such Thana found herself lost in her thoughts. Her thoughts mostly these days were filled with Ash, right then they weren't. She was thinking of the last time she had seen her sister. It was long before the outbreak. And it hadn't been pretty. She remembered cornering Zoie and giving her a piece of her mind. What got her was how cold Zoie had been about the whole situation. It had been years since the incident but this wasn't something someone got over overnight, if ever. It was something that even to this day, knowing her sister was dead, she still hadn't forgiven her for. She knew she probably never would. Pressing her hand to her lower stomach she signed before getting back to work. Zoie robbed her of so much, the woman didn't deserve to be forgiven. She had been told not forgiving someone only hurt yourself. To her that wasn't true. Some things couldn't be forgiven. Taking something that precious away from your own blood was one of them.

Shaking off the thoughts, Thana shoved a wax paper sandwich onto a tray and moved onto the next. She tried to get her thoughts elsewhere, the Court martial, Ash, the job at hand, it was hard. Her thoughts kept going back to Zoie and she wondered why now. She hadn't thought of Zoie in a long time. She barely did even when she arrived in Newnan and found out she had been part of that community. Glancing around she knew secrets never kept in small tightly knit places but this was one secret that hadn't gotten out yet. Her father knew, now. She had told Ash. Maybe one day it would come out but it didn't matter. Zoie was gone and the people there didn't know her. Well a few had known Zoie from what she knew, people that had been in Newnan but even not all of them had known Zoie. One day no one would know of her sister, then again, one day no one would know her.

Packing up the last of the lunches, Thana looked over at Morales. "I'm going to run these over to the Council, everything good here?"

"Yeah, we got this," he said with a nod. Thana nodded back and started to push the cart. Maybe she should have asked Ash over, then again, probably not a good idea to drag him around with her. What would people think?

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Nikola Warren Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/A

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Nikki nodded with a bit more of a shake than she wanted, not that it was voluntary. "Thhhaannkkss," she managed to get out before Lisa left to go grab her some scrubs. Sitting there she kept drying off as best as she could. Standing up as Lisa came back she took the scrubs. "Could saaayy I'm a mmmeeenntal paaatient..." Nikki said with a bit of a chuckling stutter. Not that she was being serious. Being truthful was probably one of the few traits that Nikki had that was purely good. Though being bluntly honest tended to get her into more trouble than it kept her out of. Maybe if she was better at lying she would have stayed out of more trouble than she got into.

Nikki, not really caring, started to change right there. Not that she really showed anything, she had a sports bra on under her shirt, so that was the first to get changed out and the dry scrub top put on. Then went the pants. Quick in and out and she was mostly dry. The under garments weren't really too wet thankfully and the dampness they had would dry fast enough now that her outer clothing wasn't soaked. Looking at Lisa she smirked as she laid out her clothing over a bench to start drying. "Well that peace and quiet went out the window the moment I showed up," she laughed. The chattering of her teeth was nearly stopped now, she was warming up quickly. Sure the air conditioner was still on but now it wasn't making her feel like a melting icicle.

Hearing about little Lucy she nodded. "Well let's knock out your stuff and then we can go hang out with her, well at least I can until I gotta get over for the court martial after lunch," she said as she rubbed the back of her neck. They wanted her to testify. This was going to be interesting because Nikki wasn't exactly someone known for keeping their cool and keeping their emotions in check. This could end up being a royal shit show once she was called up. Sighing she shook her head and went back to talking about Lucy. "Um, don't know anyone that really knows how to draw. Maybe one of the new comers?"

[Shoe Thief]

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Emanuel "Manny" Newman Location: F10, Chapel Skills: N/A

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Manny drank his water, unsure of how to handle the rest of his day. There was the trial later, but he couldn't think of his last real day off. He figured it must have been years ago, before the dead had started to walk. Thinking about it though, he realized he did remember it. Not too well, but the basics of it. It was a few days before his city started to actually get bad, back when he thought this whole thing was going to blow over, go back to normal, and that it was all blown out of proportion. He was complaining at the clerk due to the lack of ammo they were able to sell him due to everyone and their mother having the same idea, though for completely different reasons. Manny was stocking up for a local target shooting tournament while others were preparing for the end of the world. He found it funny, had he picked up any other hobby to keep in his old age he probably wouldn't have made it as far as he did. But that was over five years ago, and now target shooting casually blasting off shotgun shells wasn't an option for a day off.

He turned to face Alexander when he spoke up. "Didn't expect to be here today. Seems better then last time I went to a church. So good overall." Alexander was always a good sight. The two have gone through hell and high water together. The man had been apart of the team that had saved his life from Eden, and even though Manny likes to think he is a good shot with a shotgun, he still has little combat skill when it comes to guns and survival. He had little reason to think he could make it out on his own with his skill as a doctor and ability to look down the sight of a gun meant to use spread shot.

Manny had a moment to his own thoughts though, and figured now was as good a time as any to strike up a conversation with those nearby. Manny made his way up towards Freeman and Alexander and let them finish their conversation. Many of it seemed personal, and others seemed about the Trial itself. He wondered if Alexander saw himself in the boy. Manny remembered how a few of his friends had come back after they were deployed. Struggling, messed up, many shunned away from their friends and family. Made him wonder if that was something the boy had gone through as well, or at least having a similar reaction to it. Or maybe Alexander felt sympathetic towards the boy just because of his situation left him as scared and alone as maybe he felt coming back from war. "What will happen to him if he is found guilty, or needs to be... Punished?"

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Hunter Monroe Location: Jail (AA) Cell B Skills:N/A

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Hunter sat there listening to Cage with the bulk majority of his attention. The rest was glancing over to Izibell from time to time. As he focused on Cage he found himself nodding his head after every statement as if nodding helped him process the information like a computer hitting the save button on a document. He did seem relieved hearing that what was on the table, was all that was on the table for now. So for now, no more unexpected problems. "I did pick up after her. I forgot, I was reminded. I said thanks, and I did pick up after her after the reminder." He felt it better to bring it up here rather in the trail. He spoke in a more of a matter of fact tone, no frustration in his voice this time. Though he was annoyed that went down. As Cage listed off the rest of it though, Hunter wasn't liking his odds. "Morals and ethics huh. Fuck me..." Though Hunter had good moments in the past about what was right and wrong, he had less then pleasant moments too.

Cage moved into the trust topic, an area where Hunter was rather weak in under nearly every definition. Even brought up the comments about bring shot. He paused at that, listening to Cage's reasoning behind it. "Sound's like a double edged sword. Think most people get nowadays that it's implied. Sure, saying it makes intentions clear, feels honest, but some things are better left unsaid. Sure it wouldn't seem good if I decided to tell everyone if I don't get my dog back I'd be back in a few years to torch and destroy this place? I mean, yeah, I get the sentiment. But the armed guards imply the message rather directly no?" He stopped, realizing the example he used. "To... to clarify. I wouldn't. Just the first example that came to mind. But like... Do you see what I am trying to say about that? Like how everyone thinks it, everyone else knows everyone is thinking it. Saying it just makes you seem like more of a threat. Someone to worry about. And not in the "Don't mess with me" kind of way. Like the "Oh my god these people rule by the barrel of a fucking gun" kind of way. Some things are better left, unsaid."

He leaned back in his chair a bit contemplating the charges on the table before him. "Sure, I've spent some time here, and got a chance to see more of the place and people. But those words, those actions, are a first impression. First impressions last. You think after what I did here, no matter what I do from this point anyone will see me for anything other then some annoying shit who can't keep his mouth shut and keeps getting into trouble?" Hunter chuckled at that thought. How he had put himself in a situation where even if things did improve, this would be something he would be remembered for the rest of his days for. However long they lasted.

Izibell would look over to see her human leaning back in his chair clearly attempting to make room for the both of them. She sat up from her new spot on the floor, and would walk over to him as he spoke. She had little understanding of what he spoke but she understood enough words. She would accept his instinctive head rubs once she was in arms reach, and accept his invitation to sit up on his lap.

Hunter winced as the dog that weighed almost as much as himself stood her front paws on his lap very narrowly missing some more sensitive bits and shifted the entirety of her body weight on her front legs to crawl herself up. "Fuck shit ow...!" He was more surprised then anything, and annoyed that his fluffy dog had trouble understanding that a chair meant for a single person was not big enough for the both of them. The would be lap dog forced her situation to work despite the odds and would attempt to make herself comfortable as she could. she quickly recognized that this would not be as easy or as comfortable as she thought, but for her human, she was determined to lay on his lap while he sat. "Izibell. You're not a lap dog." He spoke with a smile, attempting to sound serious, but couldn't hold a face. "Ugh, fine. You win." Despite the discomfort the nearly 90lbs dog caused, she was still an emotional crutch for Hunter. "I figured that by now. But like I said..." He froze for a moment, thinking about how the last few years had gone. "Some things, are better left unsaid. Somethings are best left to die and never be spoken of again. Some things are best to only exist in memory." He paused again, looking down at the would be lap dog. He gave her a rub across her back as she struggled to stay on his lap. "But... if you think that opening myself up for questions is better... I'll... I'll do it." Despite Hunter's instinct to not trust those in a position of power over him, he was running out of options. And he was about to lose what he cared for most.

[rivaan]

Quarantine (W): Riley had arrived at Quarantine without much problems, if you didn’t count the rain at the very least. She actually hadn’t quite expected exactly how crowded the place could be all things considered. There were many people there, just spending the time with the bad weather outside. Reading, watching movies or apparently playing poker. She gave her greetings as she watched a group head off to somewhere. Among them Medic, Nigel the Centurion( apparently) and Thalia among others. It was nice to see Medic too. As for the poker table, she noted that Ash was there. She just shrugged at that, maybe she should join in.

She initially planned to go ask if she could join up with the Poker game, but some things were brought up that quickly made her divert her direction and head to check what they were playing on the tv.

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Amelia Payne Location:General Housing(X)(Condo 14B) Skills: N/A

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“Mhm.” Amelia made a sound of agreement when the other girl was positive about the fact she had found her hobby. Well for her it wasn’t really all that difficult, honestly a bunch of the other stuff that they could do around town as a hobby were difficult for her still somewhat shy and hard to socialize self. Though games with the aunties were weirdly alright she supposed. Always felt more comfortable in interactions with older people for some reason.” Used to do this before the … what are we even calling it nowdays anyway?” She was stumped suddenly. Apocalypse? Zday? Grand Carnival?!” Well used to do it in the past.” Amelia finally shrugged.

“Well I don’t really get to chose in participation.” She sighed, tossing a glance at Chase.” Dunno why all of us in the same quarantine group are forced to attend. I mean it’s not like we’ve all been or became friends with him or something. Honestly I’d rather avoid it, but… yeah can’t.” She mumbled, burrowing her nose into the notes again, looking up in a few moments later to, glance at the other girl once more.

“I suppose that’s to be expected in a community like this? I think? “Amelia half said half asked, not really certain about it herself. It was honestly just as Nikki had told her at the first day. The new arrivals would be the talk of the camp for a while, she understood that part. Still all in all, she wished, she could do as Chase and not attend the trial. She wasn’t really close or even in friendly term with the doggo boy. The only possible reason they could want to have them all there would be for possible questions about him during their stay in quarantine or prior she suspected, but she didn’t really have much to say if that was going to be the case!

“Ohh well… “ She started writing down again and stopped for a moment.” There’ve been similar cases in the past? I mean… should we expect him just banished or executed?” She asked a bit uncertainly.

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Lisa Mason Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/a

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Lisa snorted into laughter at the mental patient line.” You are welcome and can say for certain you will pull off a fine mental patient. We can probably say you got into the alcohol storage again are riding the buzz.” She smirked and stifled her laughter. Well barely stifled it, it was hard to do so, but hey at least Nikki being back to joking and talking better meant she was warming up.

“Girl, you are the embodiment of chaos and energy. I think it’s in your job description or something to liven up our day from it’s boring calm monotony and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Lisa smiled at Nikki and returned to her paperwork.” Pretty sure we can use your likeness as a mascot for a battery bunny. Think if it was back before the zombies, we could have made a killing with that idea.”

“Well if you want to help, can’t see why not to. Come on then.” She nodded. In her opinion Nikki wanted to help and in helping, she might learn a thing or two. Probably won’t decide to join Medical in the future, but hey who knows. Better let her experience a wide variety of things anyways.” Mmm…. Actually same here. Not my hobby, so I’m not sure who’s partaking in drawing and painting in the camp.” Lisa nodded in agreement.” Will ask around at noon during lunch. Maybe the newcomers can indeed help, but can’t be certain. Haven’t heard anything about any of them painting really, I think that Riley’s a former musician or maybe a singer not sure. Think Amelia mentioned it once. Will find somebody, it’s just a matter of asking around. Those people who are into board games might know some people who draw.”

[Sigil]

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Ash Holloway Location: Quarantine (W) Skills: N/A

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The idea that Ash was feeling better due to Thana, referred to as "that Sparrow girl", gave Ash a flash of irritation that bordered on anger. Thankfully, it passed as quickly as it flared, fast enough that he was fairly sure that it didn't color his features. Ash assured himself that Guy meant nothing by it, and in fact that was how she was known here. Sparrow. A nickname that came with her from a lot longer ago than the time he'd known her. Then again, the concept that Ash was suddenly and miraculously better because of an incredibly unlikely chance meeting with Thana and the fact that they had a connection that blossomed was presumptuous, if understandable. It was a turning point of sorts for Ash. Not so much the next day, that being the destruction of all that Ash had worked so hard for over the course of years and much spent in the way of blood, but the change had started. New perspective from the old, that sort of thing. A reason beyond just seeing the next day.

Yet the fact that such an innocuous comment set him on edge, even for a fraction of a second, caught Ash with reflective amusement. He was a little protective of Thana. Yes, Ash knew that she was fully capable of taking care of herself. She still brought out that instinct within him, apparently. It was interesting to note how he had changed in that way. Quietly, he wondered what else about him had changed since Newnan. Ash allowed a little smile to return to his face, along with a nod that telegraphed the answer to Guy's question. "Yes. It's serious," he said, a little more deadpan than intended. Bringing up Alicia and her father, Caesar, was not expected. He rolled with it, having come to an understanding of his feelings and, God willing, peace with it. There was no small amount of help from Tatiana with that point, even down to the furrow cut into Ash's face with her wedding ring the day they came into Quarantine. Trying to soften his voice with marginal results, Ash explained, "Alicia," enunciating her name with the inflection of her Mexican heritage, "was and always will be important to me. When she passed, it brought a lot of feelings up that I suppressed, about a lot of things (related and not) that I didn't understand for a long while." Ash leaned forward a little, keeping his expression neutral but open. "I still miss her sometimes. Input on tactics, neutralizing a target on the horizon, or any time I got too serious, I could count on her. If I had five soldiers like her I could probably take over the world, as it sits today. But you're right, it wasn't love." Clearing his throat, he continued, "What I have now is. And yeah, it makes all the difference."

It looked like he needed to get that out. Ash exhaled a big huff of air, seemingly dispelling whatever demons were clouding up his forebrain. More relaxed of demeanor and cheerier of voice, Ash remarked, "Sparrow Girl's the real deal, Guy. Had to be a damn Apocalypse to find her, though. Go figure." Noting that Riley gave a glance and a shrug to their table, Ash gave her a nod and nudged a chair with his foot, as to offer. Seeing her divert elsewhere, Ash gave a shrug of his own and returned to his cards. If she wanted to join later, he had no problem with it. They hadn't really spoken since coming to CMB; it would be nice to have a talk since settling into the community a little better.

Ash picked up what cards he was dealt and made a face of pessimistic consideration. "Hmm," he said curtly. Shaking it off, he looked to Guy and hoped to continue the conversation in another direction, "Speaking of the Gonzalez family, though; the new girl with the metal hand? That's old man Caesar's niece. Small world. So, how about you? Seeing anyone special?" Change narrative, drop mild bombshell, redirect. It was like being in AIT again, except he got to catch up with an old friend in the interim.

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Thalia Carmichael Location: Gymnasium (K7) Skills: N/A

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The gymnasium had the look of a hastily assembled spot, one birthed out of necessity and pragmatism rather than organic flowthrough. Thalia was just fine with that. Function over form was nothing to giggle at, especially in a world that lived and died by the hard and fast rules of basic survival - as with a finely crafted firearm, a chrome finish did absolutely nothing to help the hunk of iron push ammunition into the body of the person it was pointed at. Such was this place of physical betterment. In truth, Thalia was surprised as hell that she wasn't told that there was a gym in walking distance, given that she'd been working her ass off to maintain her physicality since arriving. A perfect example of this was, upon receiving her new prosthetic, Thalia immediately incorporated pushups into her workout routine. Partly this was to test out the range of flexibility and ease of use, but mostly it was to make her exercise regimen more complete. Pushing herself was part and parcel of being Thalia. now that there was gym at her disposal, well... she might be spending a lot more time here.

The suggestion that she should take up running instead of holding out for a treadmill was met with a note of derision, even if it wasn't expressed audibly. Thalia had been running as soon as she was free to do so, up one side of the settlement and back down the other, plus most points in between. This is what she did; it was who she was. Self reliance was always her thing. To her, a good part of that was keeping as fit as possible.

Thalia might have been the only person in the room that was thankful the air conditioning wasn't running. She still hadn't gotten used to it like most everyone else seemed to have. The added measure of being in clothes made heavier by precipitation would have made it even more uncomfortable for her. This was comparatively nice. Likewise was the news that there was a separate changing room for women. Being the only woman in their group, this meant that she'd have a little privacy while she changed into the gym clothes provided. Thalia wasn't really the shy type as it pertained to changing clothes. She'd seen people with even fewer shits to give than herself on the subject, but generally, her portion of thankfulness for having an changing room to herself was because of that last qualifier: herself. Solitude, not modesty, was the motivator.

On her way back, she gave a glance to Volt's back. That was a guy who had a story. Maybe one day when he felt like sharing, she might even know what that story was. Until then, Thalia didn't feel like it was any of her business, any more than her missing hand and forearm was his. She dismissed the thought and entered the room fully, intent on changing out and inspecting the weights, her primary reason for being here in the first place. It was a little tricky getting into and out of clothes with just the one fully functional hand. Luckily, she'd been getting a lot of practice in lately. Longer than she particularly liked, Thalia had changed and hung up her wet garments, then returned to the main area. If she managed to get into a scrapping session while she was there, great. But first, the Mestiza lady made her way over to the weights as initially intended and gave them a good look. Of course, it was going to be another clue/riddle/motivation for murder. But she had to see this through now. It was swiftly becoming personal.

[ONL]

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Alexander Polawski Location: Chapel (V) Skills: N/A

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Alexander continued to breath heavily, in and out with determined motions of his chest - A chest that carried a ton of weight, picked up over many years of living through the bullshit he'd been through. So much shit that it as enough for twice his lifetime, and yet he was still very much living his current one. Alexander breathed out one last time, not noticing Manny making his way up the stairs and joining their little confession. The black mass throwing itself against the barriers of sandbags, jungle logs and pre-fabricated bunkers he'd put up around his little HQ of mental stability, it had grown stronger over the past two weeks. On the other hands, perhaps his defences had been neglected, or simply worn out over time in safety.

Regardless, Alexander was growing tired of carrying the troubled past all alone. All the things he'd experienced; all the things he'd done himself.

"I don't…well maybe I do know how to tell you, Freedman. It is because…" Alexander fought to formulate the monsoon of thoughts and experiences crashing into eachother in his head. He stuttered, closing his mouth for a moment and biting down hard. The old Mugsy would have let it simply ebb out into nothing, before standing up and going to do some other shit. Beatrice would have supported his silence, while Thalia and Thana would have respected it. Sergeant Jackson would have demanded it, but Judith…No. She wouldn't.

"You probably know that Aeron…The General, I mean. We both fought in 'Nam back in our youths. I…I don't really know how to give it square to you, just that…" Alexander punched himself mentally, forcing back a trail of tears from escaping the iron shutters that were his eyes. He continued his confession. "I can't forgive myself because…because…"

Alexander was thrown back to a certain place at a certain time, or were it a culmination of many different scenes into one? Because to him it looked like Eden, the hellscape they had infiltrated and wrecked havoc at, except for the people they were fighting. They looked different, very different, enemies from a different time and place. Alexander was armed with the Coll 1911 .45 ACP, aiming it at what he thought was a Eden asswipe laying dying on the floor. It had to be, because if not, it as someone completely different, but who suffered the same fate. Pulling the trigger, the man was dead, calling out a name.

His name.

"Because what I did caused so much pain, so much suffering to the very children of God, and…What I had to do later, I don't regret. That is why I can't forgive myself. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."

Alexander failed to hold back a pair of years, flowing so gently down his cheeks as he said those words, not finally seeing and hearing Manny talk to the two of them. Feebly Alexander wiped those tears from his face and straightened himself, looking between Freedman and his very good friend.

"It was a war nobody with their right mind thought as just. Those who did had no idea what bullshit it was. Didn't even Court Martial me...hypocrits." Alexander said, and with that stood up and began to walk away. He had to be for himself for a while now.

"I see a red door, and I want it painted black. No colours anymore, I want them to turn black…"

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Nigel Cooper Location: Following Volt -> Gymnasium (K7) Skills: N/A

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Back to reality so to say, or back into the rain to be more specific. After having just come out of the pouring Gulf of Mexico-rain, it was back to jogging through and in-between the falling drops of warm rain Nigel had just escaped from. Nigel though to himself that he better just get used to it. After all, he was growing more and more fond of staying in CMB, especially now that he was making companionships with different members of the Floridian-Military civilization; Thana, Thalia, Joaquin and others. Now to prove his worth, with steel or fists.

Nigel was given his answer as they pulled up to the Gymnasium, nodding in understanding as he mentally attempted to bring forth his knowledge of the arts of martial fighting. Just their bodies, like Greek Pankration of the Olympics, of which Nigel had limited skills. He was a swordsman, not a brawler for Mars' sake! "No weapons, got it. I'll prepare myself mentally to face the iron fist of our local Amazon then."

The Gymnasium was as good as one could expect in the event of the world ending, so Nigel was in no position to complain about its state. Warm, but dry. They were going to sweat either way, so why bother? Nigel duly noted Volts' words and followed after him into the men's lockers, giving Thalia a look of "Let's get this fight done." It didn't take long for Nigel to follow suit after Volts and Medic, wringing off his clothes and revealing a worn but well-kept body of a warrior, some scars and muscle visible to those looking. Changing into the new clohes, he sighed audibly at what he should have expected.

Sportacus, the name he did not chose, yet was haunted by. Was this his curse?

"Well…It is a long story." Nigel would have preferred to not answer, but where would he go? That question would haunt him for as long as he ignored it, and at this rate it had clearly spread to the whole of the Camp. There was no escaping. "Two of the survivors I came in with, Wayne and Hank, decided it was a funny jest to call me after a cartoon character. I'd prefer Spartacus, a real historical figure, but I assume that galley is long gone now. I used to go by Hadrian, but…Oh it matters not."

[Lady Absinthia]

☠ 𝚃𝚆𝙳: 𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝟻 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟺 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Location: Camp Mexico Beach Weather Forecast: Dawn at 5:53 A.M. - Dusk at 8:13 P.M. - High: 91F, Low: 80F - Winds SW at 4mph - Gusting to 14mph - Rain In The AM - Cloud Cover: 100% - Visibility: 9miles. Notes: Keeping going as we are, make sure to double check what people are saying and doing as to not mix things up. Things are decently smooth so far. I will open up for people to start going to lunch next round. It'll just be an open thing. Characters aren't required to go to lunch if they don't want to. Figuring at least one or two won't want to eat before the Court Martial, nerves and such.

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Hospital (B): (Information for the scene will be located in Nikki's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Mess (C)/Education Center (M): (Information for the scene will be located in Thana's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Chapel (V): Dr. Freeman sat up some as Manny came up to the second floor and the balcony area where he and Alexander were seated and talking. He wanted to respond to the man, tell him somethings but they were rudely interrupted. As Alexander got up to leave, Dr. Freeman stood and nodded. He waited for Alexander to walk off before turning his attention to Manny. "I told you that I would speak to you when I was finished speaking with Mr. Polawski. You just interrupted a session. While not a scheduled one, still. It was beyond rude. You are to leave this chapel, immediately. Get the fuck out. And don't you dare bother Mr. Polawski on your way out," Freeman growled. There was something cold, visceral, and almost savage in the way he spoke. Murderous was an easy way to describe it.

Shaking his head, Freeman turned and walked off. His overshirt flared some as he turned and one could see the doctor was packing a side arm. Freeman wouldn't bother Alexander. The man had just spoken a lot, in front of someone he wasn't he hadn't even been asked if it was okay to interrupt. Walking over to his briefcase he picked it up and sat down on a pew much further down from where he had been. Taking out a piece of paper he closed the case and used it as a makeshift desk as he began to write. His eyes lifted up to watch Alexander for a moment before looking back down and continuing to write. He would wait until the man seemed like he was ready to talk some more to approach him but for now he was giving the man the space he needed and should have had from the beginning.

Quarantine (W): Wayne turned his head slightly as he noticed Riley. "Hey, hows the hair comin' in? That shit itching like a crotch rocket yet?" he asked with a grin as he bounced Jamie on his knee.

Guy knew the looks of Ash even if they were quick. He'd known the man for years. Since before Newnan. Guy figured at this point he had known Ash longer than anyone else alive. At least that was true for him. Guy didn't know anything about his own family or friends from before the world turned on its side. He sat there and listened. He nodded slightly. "Yeah, seems like it," he said as he dealt the cards. Stopping he looked over at Ash and gave a goofy grin. "Glad ya found someone Cap." He was sincere about it. He was glad for Ash. He'd seen the man go through a lot back in Newnan. Especially when he had to kick James out for murdering Dick.

At the slight change of topic from Thana to Alicia, well Alicia's family. "Really? I knew that motor mouth guy was related to Caesar, found out when he started talkin' one day. Well took me a while since everything he says seems to be like he's reading latin to me but wow," he said as he thought about the new girl. He could see it. She did have that look. His attention was brought back as he was asked about himself. He shook his head slightly. "Naw, ain't got no one. Well, at least not thinkin' anyone is interested in me but there's this one girl I think is right pretty but not sure how to tell her," he admitted as he blushed slightly.

General Housing (X): Chase shrugged a bit. "I call it the Fuckening," she said with a little chuckle. "But hey, cool you found something to do, a lot aren't sure what to do with time inside the walls, seen some go a bit ditzy," she admitted as she swirled her finger near her head. "Yeah, they probably want you there to see if you noticed anything or if he said anything to you, or even just to see if what you did see about him matches with others. It's pretty standard," she said as she rolled over onto the side and got comfortable on the couch, stretching out a bit.

Thinking on it she continued. "Yeah, we've had Court Martials before. I haven't checked in on what this one is really about. Ain't someone I know so mostly keep my nose out of it. We've had people here that seemed fine that were sent on their way, we've had others commit murder in the streets that are still here. Each case is different. I've only been to one, that was Freeman's and that was only cause I witnessed it. He's still here, close vote. Only one more for him staying than getting rid of him. The General accepted the vote count and two years later he's now our therapist. So guess it could go either way. Would put it more on how Hunter acts during everything than what he's done."

Jail (AA): Cage sat there and listened. The longer that Hunter spoke the more the man seemed to rub his face. "You haven't learned anything kid.... A week in jail and you still running your mouth like you actually know something when you don't. You never stop and wonder why things are the way they are," he said sharply. Standing up he motioned back towards the cell. "Think you just need to go sit and wait. Ain't nothing I can do for you at this point. You're the same kid that Nikki was upset about a week ago," Cage added as he gathered the papers up and started to sort them back into the right files.

"Go on, you and the dog back in the cell. Lunch will be brought after a while and then Roy will come and get you when it is time," he added as he shoved the papers back into the case he had brought them down in. Pulling out the keys to the jail cell he waited for Hunter to step back into the cell, he needed to lock him back in before he did anything else. As far as he was concerned there was nothing left for him to talk about with the kid. Kid was still on a high horse and he was done. "Kid, first impressions are like book covers. They don't mean shit. Every impression you've given since then it what mattered and that's what should scare you. Not because of what we would or wouldn't do to you. Because it reveals who you really are and are comfortable being."

Gymnasium (K7): As Thalia started searching over at the weights it seemed like she was coming up with nothing, that was until she lifted up one of the weights for the weight bench. Beneath it was a post it note that read: I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. What am I?

Volts got changed and looked at Nigel oddly. "Um, alright," he said not knowing just what the man was talking about. It was all Latin to him.

Medic on the other hand finally pipped up. "Hadrian, one of the Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire," he said as he finished changing.

"Well look at the big brain on you," Volts sniggered.

Medic shrugged. "I've read a book or two, outside of comics," he said eying Volts.

"Hey you better watch yourself, no one says anything bad about Black Panther," Volts warned with a toothy grin.

Medic rolled his eyes and looked back over at Nigel. "Personally I'd have picked Nerva," he said with a shrug as he sat down in the middle of the floor and started to stretch some as Volt shadow boxed to warm up.

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Thana Martin Location: Mess Hall (C) -> Education Center (M) Skills: N/A

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Heading towards the door, Thana was about to push it open when The Goat came over. "Here, use this," he said as he held out a rain coat. Thana was glad to get it. It was raining. Not that she minded getting wet but not having to was preferable. "And this," he added as he then handed her a tarp. Now that made even more sense. She was surprised that she hadn't thought about it. Granted her mind had been on Ash, and her sister. She wasn't used to her mind wandering, not like this, but now that she felt semi safe in a place her mind was starting to do just that.

"Thanks," she said as she took both the rain coat and the tarp. First she slipped on the rain coat. Once it was on and buttoned up she went to work on the tarp. She laid it over the cart and secured it. It would keep the food dry. Once everything was in order, Morales held opened the door for her and out she went.

Pushing the cart out into the rain, Thana was careful. It was slick outside, and hot, and wet. The cart wasn't the most stable in the world. It was good but all things considered she was glad that she was able to make it across the street and to the Education Center without the cart falling apart on her or tipping over. The last thing she wanted was her first day in charge of the mess hall to end up dumping the Councils lunch in the gutter. That wouldn't look good at all.

Getting inside was a little iffy as the place was closed off because of the Council meeting there, so there was no one to hold a door but she managed. Getting in she went about making sure that the food was okay as she took off the tarp. Setting it to the side she pulled off the rain coat. She didn't want to drip all the way through the building. As water kept hitting the ground even as she got out of the rain coat she huffed. Her hair.... Stepping away from the lunches Thana began to wring out her short strands before doing anything else.

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Nikola Warren Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/A

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"Just call me Crazy Jane," Nikki said as she crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "And hey, I ain't going anywhere near that place again. Cheers would shoot me. Seriously. I think she could pop me, and then brew me up into some stank wine," she added with a bit of a gulp as she rubbed her neck. There was a little smile that came to her face. "Hey, I can't help it I like to bounce off the walls. Thanks though, don't think I could change if I wanted to."

Finishing up with setting her clothing out to dry, Nikki wrapped her hair in one of the towels and then turned back to Lisa. "Well they got that memograph machine, if we could get someone to draw some things up for the kids we could get some coloring books for them. Think that would be cool. Or maybe we could add it to a list for runs? Art supply store. Don't imagine many would be raided. I mean seriously. Shit, where's a Michael's?" Nikki pondered as she motioned for Lisa to go ahead and lead the way.

The idea of finding an art supply store sounded good. They were always sending people out to raid places for basic supplies but the supplies, from what she could tell, were doing well these days. Maybe they could add in some art supplies. Things like for painting or coloring, or those little project kits. It would be something for the kids to do even if there weren't many kids in the place. Then she figured she wouldn't mind doing an art project or two even if she was not an artist. Would be something different. Different could be good. Not a big different, but a little. Pushing the thought out of her head she looked back over at Lisa and smiled. "A'right, what's first? I get to preform heart surgery?"

[Sigil]

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Ash Holloway Location: Quarantine (W) Skills: N/A

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"Thanks, Guy," responded Ash a little more quietly that he had been speaking earlier. Thoughts always seemed to bubble up to the surface at inconvenient times. More often than not, they weren't warm and happy ones. Ash was no stranger to these. Like everyone else who was still alive, hardship was a part of life. Talk of Alicia and Caesar got him thinking, if only in a fleeting manner, of things which once were in a place that didn't exist anymore. Pulling himself back to the present, Ash blinked twice and looked across the table as his friend and fellow Hillfolk Virginian looking back at him with a goofy smile still across his face. Live in the now. It was pretty much all that they had.

As Guy brought up the colorful man known here as "Shakespeare", Ash had to give him a nod. "Yeah. Surprised me, too. Then I saw him on sentry duty for the memorial. He's one of them alright. Picks and chooses when people see it. Makes me wonder how many more of them are out there, though." Alicia hand mentioned that her mother might still be out there somewhere and that her last known location was in Texas. It was an interesting thought. Ash turned his attention back down to the cards in his hands. Again he gave a look of pessimism and fished out a couple of cards from his hand. He looked like he might go back for a third one, as a man who might be weighing the probability of a full house against the greater odds of getting back a sackful of nada, but in the end just shook his head and slapped the original pull on the table. "Two, please."

He was really just buying time to continue their developing conversation until boredom on one of their parts or other business pulled them away. Reconnecting was important. To that point of interest, Guy had done him a favor in revealing a more recent development about himself that just begged for a followup. "That pretty girl you're talking about - anyone I know?" He raised a quizzical eyebrow. A betting man might be setting Guy up for distraction amid cardplay. Ash's motives were significantly more benign.

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Thalia Carmichael Location: Gymnasium (K7) Skills: N/A

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Of course it was another clue. Why the hell not? It wasn't like this whole, dumbassed mystery was going to suddenly reveal its innermost secrets somewhere from between a couple of bench plates, in front of these people. It was a really auspicious moment as she caught the corner of the message sticking out from between two heavy, iron plates, begging so hard to be snatched up that it deserved to be smacked with a rolled up newspaper. Thalia's lips moved as she read the paper, her voice rising to enunciate the words inscribed upon it. "I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. What am I?"

Thalia thought about her brother, Joaquin. He was always so impeccably coiffed and scaped, he must shave everyday. And owing to his only recently outed sexual proclivities, if such a thing can be referred to as a proclivity in the truest use of the word, he must have utilized a friendly female at one time or another to keep his secret safe. A "beard", as the term went. Ergo, this leads back to Shakespeare. But other factors made that less likely an explanation.

Perhaps a good knife or razor was the answer. A tool that does the actual shaving, rather than the one being shaved? But then, how the hell does a razor have a beard? Maybe it was a word describing part of the item, of which she had no knowledge because her training lay elsewhere. There was a guy in town who would know, or at least who she hoped would know. Shears. That was his trade.

Then it occurred to her. The Barber. This was the answer. Of course it was, and Thalia was a moron for having taken those other flights of deductive fancy. Internally annoyed at herself, she vowed to go find the guy and see what role he played in this ever-growing joke at her expense which she couldn't escape due to her own sense of curiosity. But first...

"Ahl right, let's get this ass beating over with. I suddenly gaht someplace to be." Whether it was her ass getting beaten or another's was up for debate. Thalia had lost a lot of herself that she aimed to get back. This was part of that aim. And a little humility might do her some good.

[rivaan]

Quarantine (W): “Hey, Wayne.” Riley greeted the man, noting he had Jamie. She gave the lil one a big smile and a playful wave, but it was obvious for the most part a kid’s attention would be drawn to their immediate entertainment which in this case was being bounced on Wayne’s knee.” It’s… mostly fine. Could be way worse, but I think the worst of the discomfort is through.” She shrugged a reply. The first few days after they got shaved in entering Quarantine were a nightmare, but by now it was more or less alright. Admittedly she didn’t want to get use to the sensation of having to shave her hair again.

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Amelia Payne Location:General Housing(X)(Condo 14B) Skills: N/A

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“Fuckening...” Amelia copied quietly with a hard thinking expression.” Yeah… sounds about right I suppose. Certainly better than some of the other things I’ve heard it be called or I’ve thought up.” She shrugged and then sighed.” Deathaton sounds good too though...” She added, thinking about it. Well not that it mattered any, they could call it Great Pancake Day and it still wouldn’t make a difference. If humanity retakes it’s dominant place in the future, they will likely give it a stupid name if anything and it’d be done and over with.

“Can’t blame those. I myself got a bit… on edge at first. Was too used to life outside safety walls so having free time to do hobbies took getting used to again.” Amelia smiled in a somewhat sad manner.” But yeah, figured if I’m to do something, I’d best do something I’m familiar to start with.” She added and D&D was about as familiar as she could go with. A make believe worlds, fantastical adventures and hopefully forgetting reality to immerse in the fantastical. Kind of ironic now that they had honest to god zombies shuffling about. Fantastical had settled in their real world and now they needed to escape from that too.

“Hmmm… I barely interacted with the guy… kinda made my point to keep away from him. His dog… ruffled me the wrong way.” She sighed. Sadly by the sound of it, there was no escape from court presence duty.” Ohh well, guess I can at least answer a few questions if they have any.” She really didn’t think she’d have much to say about Hunter that they couldn’t learn from any of the others, but hey. Rules were rules and she was going to comply. Amelia then listened very carefully Chase’s recounts on other court martial cases in the past.” Well… I suppose they won’t just execute him then. That’s good. Though not sure if he will act alright, guy seems to have the habit of ruffling people the wrong way when he opens his mouth… or that could be my reaction to him. Not sure.”

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Lisa Mason Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/a

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“Crazy Jane? You sure you don’t mean Merry Jane? You know from all the merriment?” She asked in the most deadpan expression she could muster at that very moment! She was going to make a pun out of it. “ Nah, she won’t shoot you, don’t worry.” Lisa reassured in calm kind voice.” She will just probably employ hard corporal punishments that she took from some prohibition era book somewhere more likely than not. So… beware of sticks and stones that break bones?”

“Well that’s… actually a good suggestion. I put in the request later today. Think they will approve it pretty quick, given the reason. We’ve got a number of kids running around and more things for them to do would be good thing to have. Idle hands and all that jazz...” Lisa agreed with Nikki. Yeah, getting some coloring books avaible in general numbers would be nice, not just for the unfortunate girl.

Lisa looked with curiously raised eyebrow at the girl asking if she get’s to do a Heart Surgery.” I’m sure we can get you to perform a Heart Surgery eventually! Sadly I must inform you that there are some very serious requirements to meet first. You better prepare for at least internship with SB. So what do you say, feeling up to being colleagues here? Hell maybe one day you will even get to be the boss around here!” She asked teasingly, checking the first name they needed to deliver medicine to." Think about it - Nikkilear Energy MD."

[Shoe Thief]

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Emanuel "Manny" Newman Location: F10, Chapel --> Apartment 1D Skills: N/A

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Manny had realized his mistake too late. Freeman rather aggressively pointed out to Manny how he had fucked up, and Manny found himself attempting to process the situation. "My bad, I'll leave." Despite Freeman's orders, He turned to face Alexander. His relationships with those closest to him were still more important then any orders. "My Apologies Alexander." He didn't know what else to say past that, so he just left without another word.

The walk back to his apartment was uneventful. He went out of his way to avoid people, and avoided eye contact for the most part. He spent some time fumbling the keys he had to get first into the apartment, then quickly moving to his room fumbled again. Once inside his room he locked it behind him cursing himself for not paying enough attention to the situation at hand. So much for the nice relaxing morning he had been dreaming of for years.

He found himself unsure of what he would do until the trial, maybe get some rest and clear his head a bit. Not sleep no, he wasn't tired. But a chance to lay down and clear his head a bit as he tried to figure things out again, that could work. He may even go out again before he was needed for the trial and see who else was out and about.

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Hunter Monroe Location: Jail (AA) Cell B Skills:N/A

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Hunter sat there in shock, watching the conversation at hand taking a complete 180 degree turn for the worse. It seemed the conversation had ended, and Cage was planning on leaving and Hunter with his dog were going back into lock up. "I'll take that as a no then... I..." He froze, not really sure what to say. He thought things were going well, he was at least starting to get some of the mentality of what was going on behind the scenes for the camp, and he thought he did a half decent job trying to explain what was going on in his mind. But it seemed he was wrong. "Okay then I guess. Thanks for the coffee and sweets." It was an honest thanks, but his mind was in the clouds as he tried to process what went wrong. For the first time since he was in lock up he thought things could still turn out okay, the end of the conversation implied otherwise.

Hunter tried to gently push Izibell off his lap, she was having none of it. "Izibell, down girl."
His tone was firm, but dogs generally only understood a few words, but understood tones well. She needed to understand this wasn't a playful moment but that they needed to be moving along. She would still take her time getting off his lap though, and would be just as resistant going back into the cell. Once inside he turned to face Cage. "See ya at the trial then." He sat on the bed rubbing Izibell's back, waiting for the cell to be locked up so he could wait alone until lunch arrived. He had low expectations for the trial overall, and it made him think of alternate options he would have to consider should things start going south. He thought of how that went in the last settlement, and he started rubbing the back of his shoulder.

[ONL]

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Alexander Polawski Location: Chapel (V) -> Standing outside of the Chapel Skills: N/A

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Alexander had stood up and walked away, simple as that. Away from Freedman and his confession which wasn't a confession, away from his friend and fellow Baby-boomer, away from the Chapel that which represented the only constant anchor in a troubled man's troubled life. At this point he didn't even think about it. His legs moved on their own accord, evacuating Specialist Polawski out of the shithole that was the jungle of Vietnam. He didn't think, nor speak a single word. He couldn't feel anything, refused to feel anything, until he felt the wet drops of water roll down from his grey hair and down his cheeks.

The rain. He stood out in the rain, helmet-less and without anyone to follow down a narrow dirt path. He was alone and safe, hard as it was to comprehend.

Come you Masters of War…

Alexander came to his senses, standing in the pouring rain and getting soaking wet. If Manny had passed him already or was close behind him, Alexander had no way of knowing. He'd simply blacked out, just like he'd done during Quarantine; like he'd done so many times before; like the first time it happened - May 20th, 1971. It had been a Thursday, the day before a Friday they would be over with their patrol. They had all been dead-tired and close to death so many fucking times. On edge, that's it. So that the blacking-out had returned, it troubled Alexander.

Ol' Mugsy stood for a solid minute, just trying to figure out…what? Alexander was looking for answers to a question he didn't know he'd asked. Had it been Freedman, or Manny? He…he did not know, and it scared the living shit out of him.

Alexander fell to his knees, one foot soaking wet to the core while the other was content being a peg-leg for an old veteran. Alexander, who had never slept as well as he did the last week and never felt more safe, was tired. Tired and scared. Scared of what he'd found in the basement of the Education Center, in the room Aeron had given him a key to. Tired of the relentless attack on his personal HQ and…and…Alexander could pull out his own hair, fingers grasping tightly at his own scalp as he tried to repel those manic thoughts. How much longer could he hold them back? When would he fail?

He'd already failed so many others.

Alexander struggled back onto his feet, steeled himself, and started walking back to his apartment. He needed to change.

And I hope that you die, and your death will come soon.
I'll follow your casket on a pale afternoon.
I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your death bed,
And I'll stand over you grave and make sure that you're dead.

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Nigel Cooper Location: Gymnasium (K7) Skills: N/A

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Nigel had gotten that kind of look many times before. The Look, capital L, when someone were either trying to decode the archaic lines which Nigel were performing of the stage that which was life, or actively thinking of him as a fool with too much time on his hands. Perhaps the Professor had been true, that buys never really grew up. Nigel was about to elaborate in clearer terms like the teacher he had been, when to his surprise Medic came to his aid in a most unusal way.

With knowledge.

"That…that is correct. It is not often I meet others I can talk about that subject." Nigel said back to Medic, throwing his support to the scholared man after Volt's snickering. Clearly in jest, Nigel would have rebuked the haughty words against those in wisdom and knowledge. The mouth-rivalry continued between the two of them, including references to cartoons Nigel had never heard, much less read himself. In the end Nigel added his own opinion on the subject. "Who says one can't master both the books and the battles? Fight during the day, read during the night, so to speak."

Nerva, the first of the Five Good Emperors. Having finished changing into proper training clothing, Nigel nodded in agreement to Medic's choice. "I can back you on that. Peaceful transitions of power is an underrated part of a functional society. I mean, 2000 was one precarious election year here in this state, and even that was mild in comparison. Don't know if I miss that or not." Nigel chatted along, stretching out like Medic in preparation for to coming session.

[Lady Absinthia]

☠ 𝚃𝚆𝙳: 𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝟻 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟺 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Location: Camp Mexico Beach Weather Forecast: Dawn at 5:53 A.M. - Dusk at 8:13 P.M. - High: 91F, Low: 80F - Winds SW at 4mph - Gusting to 14mph - Rain In The AM - Cloud Cover: 100% - Visibility: 9miles. Notes: Alright, lunch time begins this round and will last this round and next, perhaps a third round if needed. Now, characters do not have to go to lunch. They can skip if they want. If you want them to go to lunch, it is basic today. Fish is in most meals these days because of the haul last week. To grilled fish, rice, and some seasonal fruit. Nothing big. You can have your character get their meal and eat it in a single post if you wish. Nothing big is happening today in the Mess Hall. Many are actually opting not to get lunch today because of the weather. Those that are eating are making quick work of it so they can get in and out and back since sitting in the Mess Hall A.C. in wet clothing sucks. You do hear word that normally rainy days meals are handled differently but since there is a Court Martial today things are locked down more. Also, please everyone look at the Gym portion of the post - it is an explanation of how you can handle your own fights in the RP. If you have questions do ask. This is new but it is streamlined and should make future fights and use of skills in the Rp very simple and that way you can go about things with less Gm control and you yourselves having more control.

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Hospital (B): (Information for the scene will be located in Nikki's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Education Center (M): (Information for the scene will be located in Thana's post below to keep things streamlined and together.)

Chapel (V): Freeman eyed Manny. He had told the man not to say anything but the man didn't listen. It didn't upset him. The man did what was right even though he was told not to, it was a good sign to him. Sitting there he turned his head and looked back over to Alexander from where he sat as he wrote down in one of the files he had. Watching the man he shook his head and put his files away. Tucking them into his brief case and standing up. He walked down to the main floor of the chapel and followed at a distance, keeping an eye on Alexander as he left the building.

Pushing the door open he sighed before he opened his umbrella. It was one of the few self owned ones, it was his. Opening it he stepped out into the rain and held it over Alexander as he looked out at the ocean in front of them. "It wasn't long after I got here that I ended up doing something that I never thought I would recover from," he said in a distant voice. "Which was something for me. I was in prison before this, taking a life wasn't anything new to me. Triple life sentence only because the state didn't have the death penalty." That was something. Freeman kept such things to himself. It was in his file but that file was guarded like so many others. "Taking those lives back then didn't bother me. I was a void. So when I took a life here, within these walls... It wasn't the court martial that broke me. It was the fact that what I did bothered me and not that murder but the previous ones that crept back in."

Setting his briefcase down, he pulled up his long sleeves just slightly and jiggled his arm so that his wrist watch moved down to his hand. Long jagged scars remained. "This was before we had the jail. I'm why we have one now." Letting the sleeve drop he picked up his brief case once again. "One day, if you let yourself you will perhaps not forgive yourself for whatever it is you are struggling with but you'll learn to live with, not just survive it. Perhaps the thing you need to remember most is that before, if you died others may not have known or cared, now people will. I know at least a couple I have spoken with that would be lost without you. I'm not saying live for them, never liked that mentality. What I am saying though is perhaps knowing it matters to them can help you on a path to seeing what they see," he added as he held his hand out to Alexander. "Come on, let's get you back to your place and get you dry."

Quarantine (W): Guy nodded slightly to Ash. He knew that look. He had seen it more times than he could count over the years. It was a look he himself got from time to time. Maybe it was just part of where they were raised. Letting out a little chuckle he shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if the last person standing at the end of this shit show was one of them. Don't think there is a tougher family out there," he said speaking of Thalia and Joaquins family. He had known Alicia and Caesar for some time. He had already heard about Thalia with her hand cut off. And he had seen some shit go down with Joaquin. That was a family he would never screw with.

Dealing out two to Ash, he himself took three. As the conversation changed he glanced around and then looked back at Ash. "Don't know, not part of your group. She works in the hospital," he said with a little grin that made his dimples show. "Ain't said nothing to her but she's pretty and seems nice. Ain't really gotten close to anyone though. Kind of stand offish about it," he followed up with. He didn't like the idea of being alone but then again he didn't like the idea of getting close to someone and losing them. He'd seen what that did to others, specifically Ash who was sitting right in front of him. Looking at his cards he folded. "Fuck, got nothing," he said. Looking back at Ash he was happy his old boss had someone but if Alicia had broken him the way it had for so long, what would happen to the man if he lost Thana? He wondered if old Boss Man would be able to keep going. Sitting there he wasn't sure he wanted to put himself through something like that.

Wayne chuckled. "Hey, it'll fucking grow back, you're lucky. Mine ain't ever comin' in again, unles they got some rogain shit in that pharmacy of theirs," Wayne laughed as he rubbed his own head. The large bald spot wasn't as noticeable now that he had his hair cut closer to the scalp but it was clear the man had been starting to bald for a while. "Hey, hold the kid for me, I gotta take a piss," he added as he sat up and held out Jamie to her.

General Housing (X): Chase quirked a brow. "I like that, Deathaton, sounds like one of those Rube Goldberg traps Lisa would build to catch walkers," she laughed as she tucked her hair behind her ear to get her bangs out of her face. "Yeah, it's weird here to me. Don't get me wrong I like it but... I don't know, getting back to how life was before everything seems to be harder than it was to adjust to shit hitting the fan to begin with. Like going feral is easy but recovering takes longer," she added as she shrugged a bit. "I guess part of it is that I'm just worried one day it'll fall apart again and the adjustment will be for nothing." It was a dark thought but it was an honest one. Chase didn't like the thought of going back out there but then again something told her one day they would.

Stopping her flipping through her book she looked over at Amelia oddly. "The dog kept you back? Thought I was the only one that didn't like dogs. I mean I'm not scared of them I just don't like them. I'm a cat person," she said as she sat up a bit more. "Maybe that's why they stuck you and Riley here with me, knew I wasn't about to take a dog in. Probably a good thing, if they'd have stuck you with Nikki and Lisa lord knows what you would wake up licking your face. She once took in a raccoon because she said it was cute..."

Jail (AA): Cage nodded as he waited for Hunter to go back into his cell, once he had he locked the door and took a step back. "Listen kid, you've brought up to me more than once and in your file it's there a lot - this whole first impression thing about being told we'd kill you. You gotta let that go. First impressions are one thing but think about it this way. We've done nothing to hurt you since you arrived. We've take care of you and your dog. You on the other hand keep causing problems. So what is worse? A first impression that turns out to be wrong? Or a series of second, third, forth, and fifth impressions that cast a serious shadow over who you truly are? Think on it kid," he said as he picked up the files and headed for the stairs. "I'll be back with your lunch in a bit, just hang tight."

With that he left Hunter there to be alone with his dog while he locked the house up, turned over the keys to a secondary watch while he headed in the golf cart to go get Hunters meal. Cage wondered if the kid would actually eat it but even if he didn't Cage wanted to make sure it was available. For all he knew the kid just needed some down time alone with his dog, could be the last time he saw Izi if the court martial went bad. The way it worked was that if a ruling came in the negative, it was carried out immediately with no break, no goodbyes, nothing to allow people to react emotionally. It was cut, dry, and fast.

It took about twenty minutes before Cage came back from the Mess Hall with Hunters meal and a little 'doggy bag' for Izibel. Heading back into the jail area he placed the bag down on the floor between the bars. "For the dog," he said before sliding the tray through. "I'll be back in twenty, let me know then if you need anything to calm your nerves before the trial," he added before heading out again and letting Hunter have some more time with the pooch. He felt bad for the kid, he remembered being just as much of a jack ass when he was younger. Not that he was much better now but he'd managed to get it under control, then again he had time. Time was one thing that Hunter didn't have.

Gymnasium (K7): Volts looked over at Thalia and nodded. "A'right gurl. Yo, Medic, you and me. Let's do a round and let the two newbs pair up. Don't know what they can handle yet," he said with a toothy grin.

Medic shrugged as he stood up. "If she's half as good as her brother claims you are just worried she'll lay you out," Medic commented flatly. Looking over at Nigel Medic nodded. "Sat in Newnan reading a lot. Lot of books, picked up a few things," he said before looking back at Volts and they both moved to an open spot in the room so they wouldn't get hung up on the equipment.

(Alright, showing you how to use your dice and skills now. Thalia and Nigel will pair up. You two will need to collab this.)

• Step 1: Roll 1d100, lowest number goes first. Medic: 93, Volts: 89 - Volts goes first.
• Step 2: Winners Attack - Volts attack - roll 1d100 against a called skill (Hand 2 Hand, and the like) - below the target number you hit, above you miss. There is no roll for the other person to defend, it is that simple. If you connect, you type up your attack and how the other character is hit. You don't have plan what attack you are actually doing, just roll. Depending on what you roll you just figure out how well you hit or how bad you missed.
• Step 3A: Other persons reaction mentally and physically
• Step 3B: Next persons attack - Medic Attacks - he rolls against his skill . Below target, he hits. Above he fails.
• Step 4A: Person 1 reacts mentally and physically
• Step 4B: Person 1 attacks - roll against skill. Below target, hits. Above, fails.
• Step 5: Wash, rinse, repeat until you want to call it. Example with Volts and Medic below

Volts brought his hands up and grinned towards Medic, his fingers twitched slightly but then his foot came up suddenly and connected with Medics mid section sending him back against the ground.

Medic coughs as he rolls over. He hadn't expected that. Coming up, he tries to throw a punch but as he is still catching his breath from the kick he misses.

Volts likes this, he gets a chance to take advantage of the swing and a miss and upper cuts right into Medics rib cage.

Medic grunts and stumbles back, trying to back hand but ends up missing again. He didn't miss as badly this time but he knows he is still off balance from the last two hits Volts got in on him.

Spinning around, Volts sweeps Medics leg and sends him back onto the mat.

Medic flails, trying to catch Volts leg but misses again. "Not my fucking night."

"Ain't that the damn truth," Volt says with a grin before boot stomping Medic in the gut.

Medic coughs and comes up, curling up as he nearly looses his wind. Yet this time he finally gets the advantage, grabbing Volts boot and yanking before throwing Volts to the ground. "Or maybe it is."

Volts chuckles as he rolls over and kicks Medic in the ribs. "Sure about that?"

Medic throws his arm back and nails Volts right in the nose. "Yup," before scrambling to his feet and taking a few steps back. Holding up a finger, Medic calls the fight. "Okay, well maybe not but whoa, gotta catch my breath."

The fight is called, Medic stops. Volts chuckles as he holds his nose, it's bleeding. "I could use a medic."

"Fuck wad," Medic says with a chuckle.

(See, simple enough, it is quick and easy. You can make it as indpeth as you want but single lines in a collab are FINE! Have fun!)

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Thana Martin Location: Education Center (M) Skills: N/A

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As the drops of rain fell from her hair, Thana glanced around at that open foyer area of the Education Center. She hadn't spent a lot of time in here as of yet, in fact she had all but avoided it up until now. It wasn't that she was against education, it had just been her thoughts had been elsewhere. On getting better, on getting out of the town and back on the road. On finding Ash and Alexander and Thalia and Manny. Yes, she had blood in this camp, close blood ties, but thinking on it now she was closer to those five than she was what others called her family. Sure they were family, once again by blood but those five were her family today. Yes she loved her grandfather and uncle and father but she hadn't been through times with them like she had been with the others.

They were her family now. Thalia was like a sister, no better than the sister she had been born to. She trusted Thalia, nothing could have made her trust Zoie. Alexander and Manny, perhaps not father figures but maybe uncles? Strange uncles that showed up on Thanksgiving, ones most of the family avoided but that she would rather sit with at a wobbly card table than at the main. Then there was Ash. She wondered what they would have been if they had met before the outbreak. Would they have served together? How would that have worked? Would they even have been attracted to each other? She'd like to think so and hopefully there wouldn't have been some old flame coming up out of no where to try to derail things like Gavin had.

Letting out a short breath, Thana moved over to the cart and started pushing it down the hallway to where she had been told the council was meeting. Getting to the door she knocked and waited. Maddog answered and held the door open for his niece. "Ahh, yes, let us break for lunch, we could use it," The General said as he screwed the lid back onto the pen and pushed back in his seat. "How is the town fairing so far?" he asked Thana as he stepped over.

"Quiet," Thana said as he set the breaks on the cart so it wouldn't move.

"That's good," Cook said as she straightened some papers to clear off room on the table to eat.

"Not always..." Atticus said as he rubbed his chin. Thana quirked a brow, what did he mean by that?

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Nikola Warren Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/A

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While Lisa was trying to keep a straight face, Nikki failed and busted out laughing. "Hey, whatever fuckin' works!" Shaking her head she thumbed back towards the general direction of the distillery. "I think the only reason she didn't shoot me last time was because of the paper work, thank fucking god for everything in triplicate," Nikki laughed. She didn't really think Cheers would shoot her but she wouldn't put it past her either. Everyone had their limit. "Hey, when you suggest it, just use me as an example. 'Remember what Nikki did when she got bored? You really want that shit again?' - See, I'm a warning," Nikki added as she kept laughing. She didn't care if she was a warning, she kind of liked the idea.

The laughter stopped though as Lisa brought up Nikki actually working in the hospital. She hadn't ever thought of it before and she didn't know if Lisa was serious but it made her stop. Nikki had never been one that was queasy around blood and guts, even before the outbreak. And she was decently handy with a knife. She remembered when Thana came in, her face torn open. She didn't turn away, she wanted to see more. Then when she saw Thana again after it was stitched up she had to follow the woman around like her shadow. She couldn't look away from the stitching or the pins in her leg. Stopping she touched Lisa on the arm and looked more serious than she ever had. "Do you really think I could? I mean... like be a doctor one day?" Nikki wasn't the smartest person around, she was about average but she had quick instincts and saw things most people missed. maybe it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

[Sigil]

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Ash Holloway Location: Quarantine (W) Skills: N/A

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"Pair of fours," remarked Ash, showing his cards before dropping them face down on top of Guy's in the discard pile. "I asked for a crap hand, Guy. You did not disappoint." It was a apt summary of the game thusfar. Even though he technically won the exchange, it was a hollow victory at best. Stakes wouldn't have made it much better, either. But the technicalities of the situation did have him winning, so he felt it perfectly logical to begin gathering the cards up to deal. Two or three shuffles in, a thought trickled through Ash's brain as to the possible identity of Guy's mystery lady. Or more specifically, the only lady that he remembered working in Medical, though there had to be more than just one. "Hold on, it's not S.B., is it?" The look on Ash's face was dubious, even a little sarcastic, but the image of those two holding hands at a social event struck him as amusing.

"Look, I'm not an advice guy here, so grain of salt, huh?" He grew more serious, a little more like the version of Ash who came before the lighter, more relaxed one at present. "Don't be me. Talk to this lady. Life's too goddamn short, nothing holding you from a conversation. Is there?" It's not like concepts like "class divide" were still viable in any but the most abstract of philosophies. And Guy was a really stand-up, well, guy. Hard working, decent, loyal, and a fellow Esmont native. Those qualities alone should have gotten any number of women to turn their heads already. Ash shook his head, "Looking at the ratio here, I'd say something sooner rather than later."

Ash looked across the room to Wayne and little Jaime, his more serious expression cracking a bit. Maybe there was hope for the Human race after all. Then he got back to the cards. Another quick shuffle or two and he lay the deck in between the two of them, offering, "Cut?"

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Thalia & Nigel Location: Gymnasium (K7) Skills: Hard Martial Arts, Hand to Hand

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As soon as the open spot in the makeshift gymnasium was open, its last occupants having pummeled each other sufficiently to sate their need for sport, Thalia made her way over. She wasn't kidding that she had someplace to be. The exact location just wasn't known until moments ago. Still, lingering doubts of her own remained concerning her own ability to defend herself which might be acknowledged here and now. The loss of Thalia's forearm had wrecked more than her ability to open ketchup bottles. She had to relearn balance. Retrain feats of manual dexterity that were second nature beforehand. Her fighting style could no longer rely on her being the fastest and most accurate person in the room. But Thalia still had her stamina, which had seen her through many difficulties. So this was one hell of a litmus test for how she went forward.

The fight between Medic and Volt had been brief, but engaging. Nigel had payed close attention to it, trying to conjure up past knowledge in the art of hand-to-hand combat which he hadn't practiced for years. Fighting against raiding survivors and hungry animals had been one thing, but other survivors with actual expertice? No, compared to them, Nigel was rusty. So when he followed Thalia's lead into the spot and began the fight, he knew he'd have to be on the defence.

"You good?" Thalia asked of Nigel, raising her hands and adopting an almost textbook boxing stance.

"As ready as I can be. Arte et marte."

"Ahll right, let's do this."

As the fight commenced, Thalia wasted no time lunging forward. She was not tentative, nor cautious, persay, but it looked like she might have been at first. She threw a series of jabs intended to gauge responses, reaction time, overall technique in her opponent, but nothing landed accurately enough to be anything more than a warmup exercise. The first few punches from Thalia came with surprising speed, her lunging attacks almost catching Nigel off-guard. Good thing he was trained in defensive fighting, using his shield and sword to make the fight his own. He threw up his arms in a defensive pose, catching Thalia's blows. A hard hitter, but nothing he couldn't handle at the moment. Thalia half-stepped back, fearing a counter incoming, and smiled just a little from behind her fists like a mischievous child.

Nigel noted Thalia's step back, and went onto the pursute. He stepped forward with a couple of blows aimed at arms, intending to force her defensive stance to the side like a shield. His defensive posture made him too slow for those jabs however, like an Iberian skirmisher. Once again taking up a defensive position, Nigel beckoned Thalia to try once again. To his surprise, this was getting fun.

"So that's what you look like on the offensive." remarked Thalia, smirking. "Yeah, let's try that again."

"You know what they say; The best defence..."

Nigel's defensive approach had payed off, gaining the initative after his last jab at Thalia as he as in position to strike her again. His left hand swung with force at her defensive posture, pushing her arms away enough for his right hand to get a good punch at Thalia's ribcage.

"...is a good offense." Nigel quiped back, grinning. As long as fortune favoured him, this was going well.

"Nnn..." grunted Thalia, acknowledging the hit and involuntarily slipping into a more serious frame of mind. She dropped one hand to bring her elbow more in alignment with the opening that Nigel had opened around her ribs. It was all fun and games until a hit actually got through, and she had to hand it to her sparring partner, she was scored upon fairly. It reminded her of her own shortcomings as compared to the previous year, and galvanized her will to return the hit with a predatory instinct. A snarl on her face, Thalia pressed her attack. She moved inward, aiming to get inside of his reach where she could really put pressure on him. A flurry of short, quick blows exploded from her, designed to push him back and exploit openings where they formed. Nothing solid. Either this man had training that he hadn't spoken about, or he had the Devil's own luck. Still, she did not relent.

To be continued...

[rivaan]

Quarantine (W): “I know, that’s why I’m not complaining… too much.” Riley replied with a smile.” Besides a change of looks isn’t too bad every now and then. Besides you are rocking that look.” She grinned and then looked at Jamie. “Sure, give him here, just let me take a seat.” Riley replied as she sat down before accepting the kid, wanting to make sure she holds him as safely as possible.” Worry not, little guy, he will return in a little bit, so bear with me until then. I know, I’m not as fun as him, but I’m sure we can have fun till then.” She said, giving the kid a very slight tickle.

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Amelia Payne Location:General Housing(X)(Condo 14B) Skills: N/A

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“I’ve still to see one of those… and am now really interested in doing so, I got to admit.” Amelia replied when Chase mentioned Lisa’s fabled death contraptions. Because yes those were death contraptions, a bunch of overly complex logic driven elaborate traps designed to deliver final death to walkers and presumably also humans if they weren’t paying close enough attention to get caught into one.

“No, I understand you perfectly well actually.” She eventually replied and looked at the other woman.” I mean… I still tend to jump at the even weakest sense of tremor. Last place we were at was pretty well fortified I suppose, was going great… until the ground opened up and swallowed everything… so yeah, I understand that feeling of not wanting to get attached to the safety.” She sighed, just even mentioning what happened back then at Newnan, brought up to the surface memories she really didn’t want to recall that clearly.

“Blasted infernal hell hound more like...” Amelia mumbled, recalling the dog, especially after it was given a haircut as well. “ Yeah, bad experiences with dogs in the past. Very bad experiences.” She added, looking around, to confirm there weren’t any blasted hell hounds waiting to jump her.” That’s good then, I wouldn’t have minded a raccoon honestly, as long as it’s not a dog.” Amelia shuddered, she was just a tad irrational when it came to dogs.” I’m… afraid of dogs, very afraid of them, I admit.”

Suddenly Amelia realized what time it was and that lunch was about to begin.” Say you gonna go have lunch?” She asked, looking out the window.” I’m thinking of skipping honesty, don’t feel getting drenched just to grab something to eat right now. Not that hungry either if I’m honest.” Amelia sighed, this trial had affected her after all. Her dislike of attending it affected her mood and apparently her appetite.

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Lisa Mason Location: Hospital (B) Skills: N/a

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“Well… you can’t argue with the efficacy of paperwork as murder deterrent now. As you’ve said it’s proven extremely effective!” She smirked in return, making a joke out of mankind old nemesis, the PAPERWORK. A thing that Lisa herself was going to be struggling more with from now on, especially since her duties were increasing in importance and natural responsibility. She didn’t mind doing more, it meant she was doing a good job and being trusted more, which in turn would allow SB some more time for other stuff.

“Sure you are, our living warning what happens when we leave somebody to eat all the cookies before bed. Or in your case the bubblegum I suppose.” Lisa smiled, imagining Nikki with a pair of bunny ears. Energizer bunny, Nikki, that would be so fitting and adorable. She’s got the energetic shtick down pat and also the constant fast movement with her skateboard. It could work. They will have to arrange a security detail for Nikki in that case though as Lisa suspected the adorable factor would cause problems... like aunties and old ladies wanting to pinch her cheeks and stuff. That was even more hilarious an imagine actually.

“I don’t see why not.” Lisa replied to Nikki with sincere voice and smiling expression.” You aren’t stupid, got pretty decent head on your shoulders actually. You aren’t easily grossed out from blood and gore, got a decently steady hand also from what I’ve noticed.” She started to explain.” Maybe not in the pharmacy branch, but I can easily see you as a nurse around here or even a doctor with a more hands on approach down the line.” She finished and smiled at the girl again.” Why don’t you ask SB later after this whole court martial fiasco if you could try to intern for a little while? Get a general feel for the tasks at hand, experience it first hand and all that. It won’t hurt you any and a decent knowledge at first aid and medicine is always handy. There might be some additional lessons you will have to do, but hey being a doctor requires specialized knowledge, can’t evade the textbooks completely.” She finished with a half joking tone. Half joking because it was actually true, a nurse or a doctor need to know their stuff after all.

[Shoe Thief]

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Emanuel "Manny" Newman Location: Apartment 1D Skills: N/A

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Manny found himself in his room alone with his thoughts. He had had the chance to calm down, and was thankful for not lashing out. Years ago, even now at times, he found he had issues showing restraint in many cases. He wondered if apart of it was built of anger, or had something to do with how he used to let out Anger. How in his teenage years, and in his early twenties he would take his anger out physically on people who would cross his path. But there were other moments, little blips here and there of his slip ups of when he had started to lose his temper. Or worse, had lost it. He had snapped on the way to the funeral, but thankfully not to an extreme degree. Then there were those extreme moments, ones where he had enough and was willing to go rather far. The people that had wiped out his old settlement. The Edenites who had locked him in a cage. The men who jumped him while he was in medical school. The drunk who threatened his home.

Though there was justification in every case, he always wondered if he had gone too far. He looked at his reflection against the rain strewn window, and looking at his face he came to a bit of a realization. He was not the man he was all of those years ago. He had to learn a lot of lessons the hard way, and many still to learn. Sure, he could handle a medical unit rather well, but his temper still flared up from time to time. Socially, he had adjusted poorly to what most people had gotten used to nowadays. And even by many standards of the old world he was starting to struggle with, likely due to lack of social exposure beyond his small group of survivors. A mini tribe almost. Sure, he wasn't perfect at it, but he had his place then. He was getting the idea of how his people needed their attention, and when to give a break. But he had a lot to get used too again. Sure, he would have easier times adjusting then others, but he still had adjustment to do anyways. He continued to look at himself in the reflected window. He had fucked up, but he was ready to move on with the day and fix it up. When he had more time later, he would need to give Alexander a better apology. He stepped back into the main room of the apartment and straitened his collar, ready to take on the day yet again.

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Hunter Monroe Location: Jail (AA) Cell B Skills:N/A

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Hunter opened his fingers independently, and closed them all independently as he listened to Cage. His warden had explained a lot and Hunter was slow to process a lot of it. Worried he missed some as he spoke, he tried to pace his thoughts, but it seemed to do little to help. But he listened to Cage and thought about his situation. It was hard for Hunter despite the last two weeks to not compare this place to the shambled remains of the army in those last days, it was hard to not compare this place to how friendly Don and his crew was at first too. Things were rough, but they seemed so... Nice. Even when they weren't. When the National Guard tore itself apart, Lieutenant Anderson did his best to make a final difference. And the men who took his place wasted it. When Hunter felt alone and abandoned, he was taken in by a band of raiders who would later show their true colors to him. And later face all of their punishments. Though a lot of what Cage made sense, they had been good to him and Izibell. Even if rather strict and strange. But it was hard not to see every single suspicious thing as a red flag. Every off comment, every subtle armed guard, everyone he didn't know eyeing him, every threat, every friendly face.

Mostly. He turned his attention over to Izibell who had made herself comfortable ass end on his pillow. He wondered what it said about him when the person he trusted most was the dog who was currently using the place he put his head at night as an ass pillow. He let out a deep sigh. These people were far from perfect, and far from ideal of what he would call a utopia. But they had little reason to be seen as a threat. Despite it all, he was taken care of. And given time to adjust to things again, maybe he could leave on good terms and find a place he fits in better. Or maybe he'd learn to adjust? It was all a weird thought. He wasn't even sure what he thought an ideal settlement or home would be. He had seen countless settlements, but nothing of their lifestyles. Just... their empty husks. Outside of Don's crew, and the settlements he had gotten into conflict with, Hunter hadn't experienced much of any settlements outside what the ones that had fallen left behind. He wondered if that was something to add to his to do list, figure out what kind of home he actually wants. Would help if he remembered much of the list, but trying to memorize things by thinking it over and over had helped little.

Cage returned with the food, and Hunter did his best to hide the mixed feelings of stress and deep thought. He dropped off food for both himself, and Izibell. He took the moment to utter a simple "thank you" Before Cage left. He had about 20 minutes to decide what he might need before the trial. He found himself unsure. The most complicated thing he needed before he entered camp was decent lighting while attempting to read a first aid book to treat nearly ruined fingers, while passing out from the pain nearly every time he tried something. But after that? He found bullets were enough to solve his problems for the most part. Then he thought of how he must have looked coming in. How underweight he was wouldn't show through the layers he was wearing despite the heat, but he was armed to the teeth ready or any kind of fight. Over a hundred rounds of mixed ammunition, an M4 carbine that even though it needed some attention, did the job well enough. The visible grip of the sawed off shotgun for easy reach "Just in case". A sidearm to add to it, and a decent quality axe if somehow all that failed. But not one bit of food, no more spare water. Surviving off gutter scraps, little raw meat Izibell could sometimes bring, and the ever so rare looted food that wasn't picked clean. He was ready for any fight, but was losing none the less. He had no idea what he needed then, and he was worried he didn't now.