[hr][hr][center][h1][i][b][color=firebrick]James[/color] & [color=dc143c]Thalia[/color][/b][/i][/h1]
[img]https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/avatars/6AE78329E91063505631975227392_pic-r-1396533712688c4afde8ecf.jpg.jpg?versionId=ZnGOSit0zozlhxpJk0w6QVx4cSozVRdq[/img] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b4/fc/02/b4fc025b04e4d7775b99388fb448ca3d--grimm-first-time.jpg[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b][color=firebrick]Location:[/color][/b] The Meet (Three-way intersection near the Hershall Norred Water Plant) [/center][hr][hr]

	Thalia wasn't sure, but the thought she heard the name of another of her people mentioned, this time by the shifty looking fellow back at the truck. Her brain didn't even want to consider those words at that moment. But there was Astrid, confirmed by the strange man in denim overalls and cowboy hat right in front of her. She knew this woman. Fought alongside her. Learned a lot about living out in the wild from her, among others from their settlement in Fairburn. She wasn't as close to Astrid as she was her battle sister; a tall, foulmouthed blacksmith whom Thalia hoped was not [i]just mentioned[/i] right in front of her. It would have made sense, though. Those two were closer than friends. She suspected closer than sisters. If Astrid was dead, there was an excellent possibility that her favorite sparring partner was gone, too. Thalia just couldn't bring herself to think, let alone speak her name right then. 

	At mention of the name, Bridgette, James seemed to instinctively know that it was damned well likely to trigger something more in the young woman in front of them. He dropped one hand behind himself and made a shooing motion, hoping that Ryan would take the hint about bringing up the names of more dead people this girl might know personally. This happening right now went well beyond bad luck or painful coincidence. It seemed like some sort of powerful, otherworldly force was having sport with this girl, torturing her in such a way that made James believe that she and Ash might have a lot in common. He had never mentioned having a little sister, but hell, with the coincidences he'd seen lately it wouldn't have surprised him any more. James stepped to the side a little and looked back at his people, then gave a surreptitious nod to the treeline and thumbs-up, blocked from the newcomers' view by his body. [color=firebrick]"I ain't gonna stop ya, girl. You do you."[/color] 

	Slowly at first, Thalia walked forward. She responded to Lola in a low voice, almost a whisper, [color=dc143c]"Yeah, Lolz. I got this."[/color] It felt a little strange stepping behind James's position, almost like intentionally walking behind enemy lines with the enemy staring right at her. She felt exposed. But she needed to do this for her trainer - give her the clean death of a warrior. Even though technically she was already dead, Astrid deserved to go out fighting. 

	She locked eyes with the two at the truck as she passed by, careful to keep a wide berth from all of them. Thalia wanted no chance of a slip or a miscommunication resulting in a firefight right then. If she suddenly felt the need to plug the entirety of them, she really wanted it to be a surprise. As she neared the corpse that used to be her friend, Thalia removed a folded entrenching tool from her belt with her left hand and retrieved a cutlass style machete from her back with her right. She gripped high up on the Etool, making sure her hand was covered by the wide, flat shovel blade. To her credit, it made for an interestingly effective improvised shield. She struck the flat of her machete against it, trying to draw the attention of the familiar Zed. 

	Finally, Thalia began to speak. [color=dc143c]"Lo there do I see my father. Lo there do I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers. Lo there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning."[/color] It wasn't her religion, really. Hers was a little darker. It wasn't her culture either, though she lived as one of them for a time. It was Astrid's belief, though. And it did seem to draw her attention, even in death. Though in fairness, it could be that she was now the nearest living body making noise.  

	Thalia moved in, taking a textbook sword-and-board stance with her hardware. She looked Astrid in what was left of her eyes and completed the prayer for her. [color=dc143c]"Lo, they do call me, they bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever."[/color] She slowed, allowing the Zed to close the last few paces toward her. When the first gnarled hand reached out to tear into her, Thalia bobbed low and caught its forearm with her Etool, throwing it out wide. Her other arm worked simultaneously, bringing the point of her curving blade beneath the jaw of the dead creature and up into its cranial cavity, not stopping until it struck bone on the inside of its skull. It was like turning off a switch. 

	Before the weight of Astrid's corpse tore her blade from her hands, Thalia snatched it downward and out of its decomposing mooring. It slumped to the ground face first in front of her. Thalia put her entrenching tool back onto her belt and knelt beside what was left of her friend. There were no more tears remaining to her. Everyone lost people. She lost hers a while ago and just didn't know it. Setting her machete on the ground next to her, she began the work of removing Astrid's shield from her back. As she worked, she spoke. Her voice was all business, colored by her New England origins. 

	[color=dc143c]"Ah right, James. It's James, right? Okay. Thank you very much fah telling me what I needed to know. I'm not going to ask why it is that everyone I know in this part auf the world came to your town and died. Shit happens. But I did heah the name Bridgette. I want you to tell me how. Just Band-Aid that shit. Then I want you to tell me who's responsible. And if you have anything stiff to drink, I'll be your best friend."[/color] she glanced back at Lola, quickly adding, [color=dc143c]"Second-best friend."[/color] She wrestled the strap from around the leather bodice, freeing it at last. She studied it for a couple of seconds and picked her blade back up, then looked back to James. [color=dc143c]"Ain't got all day, Chief. Reader's Digest."[/color] 

	James just sighed. [color=firebrick]"They volunteered to help some folk up the road a ways. Bring them back to our Doc. Ambushed, we guessin' by them same assholes from Peachtree City. Whole lotta dead people with 'em. Bree got herself bit a bunch, Astrid put a axe in her while her blood was still hot. She got bit too. Ol' girl left to die on her own terms, but I reckon you done did her a service."[/color] 

	[color=dc143c]"Okay."[/color] she replied, eerily calm. [color=dc143c]"Okay. I don't know about you, but I kind auf want to kill some people. Oh, not you guys. Now, how about that drink?"[/color]