[hr][hr][center][h1][i][b][color=4682b4]Ash Holloway[/color][/b][/i][/h1][img]https://i.ibb.co/Wnnd0Wm/Ash-FC-5.jpg[/img][/center][hr][center][color=steelblue][b]Location:[/b][/color] L11 (Beach, Area in front of Stage)
[color=4682b4][b]Skills:[/b][/color] N/A [/center][hr][hr]

	As the songs continued to roll out and night fell upon the seaside beach party, Ash remained with Thana. Sure, the dancing that they did wasn't exactly in full harmony with most of the music being played, but Ash would have been extremely hard pressed to give a rat's hindparts about the opinions of the rest of the Camp. From a logical standpoint, this should have been the time that he made his rounds and was seen by the locals as much as possible, away from whatever duties he would be assigned so that they might get to know one another on a personal level, but again the whole "rat's hindparts" issue came into play. He was just fine where he was, and with the company he was keeping, period.

	Thana's suggestion about keeping close versus singing on stage caught him a little off-guard. [color=4682b4]"Oh, I think staying close is more humane to your family, rather than havin' me sing. I'm good with cadence, ah, and get me liquored up I think I can sing [i]"Paint it, Black"[/i], but I really can't."[/color] Ash smiled a little, now fully realizing that she was kidding (and damn grateful for it), [color=4682b4]"I'm pretty sure the Army would've revoked my commission, to be honest."[/color] And yes, as the first hints of grain alcohol settled into his corpuscles, his Old Dominion Virginian peeked out with a touch more color, like one might expect an old Confederate officer to sound like, with full enunciation. In more ways than one, it was a dying accent. 

	When she began to talk about the last party they attended, Ash's face straightened a little. It was the best night of his life, very likely; a day when he was reminded that it was okay to live for himself as well as others, but mostly because of [i]her[/i]. It was funny how life's unexpected changes could be so beneficial, so positive. Of course, change often heralds more change, related or not. It was also the last night that Newnan stood. Thana's voicing of that memory as well had an impact on Ash. For many, the destruction of Newnan happened almost a year and a half ago. That was a long time in this new world. For Ash, the days following it, and up until about a week ago, were all part of the mission that started the day that their home got swallowed up by the earth, and most of their people died. For Ash, this [i]just ended[/i]. And he was glad that it did.

	Ash felt Thana dance closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her a little bit more and kept dancing with her, bending his neck down so that he could kiss the side of her head through her soft, brown hair. She did have lovely hair. Even post-apocalypse - like it was a gift somehow. Her words resonated with him, and he understood that kind of worry, be it a tangible, rational danger or not. He didn't think that he would be strong enough to survive something like that again, either, whether it was surviving out in the open world for that long or just being without her. Still dancing, he declared, [color=4682b4]"Thawna..."[/color] before realizing that his accent just warbled her name for the first time ever. [color=4682b4]"...the hell was that..?"[/color] he mused, then got back on topic, [color=4682b4]"Tomorrow we're going to wake up next to each other, and the rest will just be a memory. We had our trials, survived, and found each other. Now we get to be together."[/color] Admittedly, her trials sounded rougher than his. Ash held her close, insomuch as he was able without putting discomfort to Thana, before relaxing the embrace. A little. Their dancing might have resembled a prolonged hug to a third party.   





[hr][hr][center][h1][b][i][color=dc143c]Thalia Carmichael[/color][/i][/b][/h1][img]https://i.ibb.co/5rQc2nm/x-Thalia.gif[/img][hr][b][color=crimson]Location:[/color][/b] L11 (Beach, Bar)
[b][color=dc143c]Skills:[/color][/b] N/A [hr][hr][/center]

	The bar seemed to be where the action was. In her experience, it tended to be. Why she decided to go over that way in the first place was a little baffling, until she remembered that she was trying to be a little sociable. And there was beer. If anything was going to get her to open up some, it would have to be alcohol. Thalia was not a big drinker. Not remotely as much as others in her family, anyway. And living outside of walls presented fewer times when it was smart to imbibe. This was a rare thing. Likewise was a rare thing that she felt a slight, self-conscience twinge about some notes of her sarcasm. Thalia was a naturally guarded individual, even a little insular. She wasn't necessarily rude nor cynical. Antisocial, sure. Which was probably why her reaction to attention from strangers was met by an encompassing smartassed comment. They were being polite, and trying to include her. It itched a little bit. As did the sudden awareness of the number of people in Camp Mexico Beach, made evident by the now greatly increased number of people standing on the beach. This was [i]not[/i] within her comfort zone. 

	Still, her situational awareness checklist kept ticking off, like the training she got once upon a time might have prompted. Hunter approaching, asking for booze. Probably the only person less socially comfortable than her for miles around. The barber comes up for a drink. Harmless enough, still not the type to piss off unless you want to cut your own hair indefinitely. He did a great job on her. Conversation between Hadrian and the bartender continues. Preacher has wine. That makes sense. Food being served. That and so many other details about what was going on and Thalia started to feel like she should find someplace to put her back to and just observe from a dark corner, preferably with a means of escape handy. Again she caught herself absently feeling for a knife that she didn't have anymore, before she caught herself. This was not what she came here for. She was not in the woods, these people were not potential threats. 

	Taking a steadying breath, Thalia leaned on the bar where she was standing and took an impressively long pull from her beer. Three, four, five, six gulps or so until she stopped. It was right about then that she realized that someone was saying something to her. Blonde girl with Hunter. [color=dc143c]"Naht the tiara type, girly girl,"[/color] she mused, though by that time Nikki was going to find her fun elsewhere. Quite the social butterfly. Well, once, long ago, Thalia was the established urbanite herself. Still a little antisocial, but it was better tempered by circumstances. She could hang out and talk to people, and goddamn it, she was going to. At first, Thalia leaned over in the direction of Lisa and Adelaide, after getting such a glowing if brief assessment from the local girl (even if Lisa didn't address her directly), flatly stating, [color=dc143c]"Thanks. You all seem nice. I don't do the "people thing" much. Get to know me and I'm a [i]real peach[/i]."[/color] It was said in such a way that made it difficult to tell if she was being serious. 

	Others came and went, including the two girls who were obviously a couple, down to matching hairstyles. Kind of. But they looked to have other plans involving a walk along the water. Quiet walks were nice. But suddenly, another thought went through Thalia's mind. Looking to Nigel, she gave a quick, [color=dc143c]"Hey!"[/color] to get his attention, followed by an observation, [color=dc143c]"You're a [i]Espada y Escudo[/i], um, 'Sword & Board' fighter, right?"[/color] and then a quick suggestion, [color=dc143c]"We should see about getting some sparring time in, yah?"[/color]