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[h3][color=4682b4][i][b]Ash Holloway[/b][/i][/color][/h3][i][b][color=4682b4]Location:[/color][/b][/i] Beach (L11)
[i][b][color=4682b4]Skills:[/color][/b][/i] N/A
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/Wnnd0Wm/Ash-FC-5.jpg[/img][/right]
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	A little confused; perhaps a little crestfallen at first, Ash began to understand the picture that Thana had been painting with her words and admissions. Any disappointment that he might have felt, be it but momentary and minuscule, was obliterated in short order as she explained herself. Giving it a hair's breadth of consideration, Thana really didn't need to explain anything aside from her decision not to join him and it would suffice completely. The additional information just served to provide an insightful yet unnecessary [i]why[/i]. That she was worn out and sore invoked a nod of understanding on Ash's part, along with a slightly drawn out, [color=4682b4]"Yeah..."[/color] This day was as much an end as it was a beginning; the end of things generally brings weariness upon the mind and body of those enduring it. From all that Ash had been told and witnessed personally, Thana had been through more than he had. 

	At the announcement that Thana was going home, Ash felt suddenly like he had inadvertently done something horribly misplaced. It was reinforced by the permission she gave him to swim, if he still felt like it. Seeing as the point was to spend some quality time with her, that put the desire to enter the water at a resounding minimum. Ash threw his shirt over his shoulder and picked up his boots from the sand next to him, eager to take a place by Thana's side. He too remained barefoot, giving it a moderate jog along the beach to catch up with her. When he did, Ash spoke one of the cheesier proclamations of his years, [color=4682b4]"Hey, I'm sorry. I'd rather swim in the blue of your eyes than the Gulf anyday, Thawna."[/color] Perhaps the layers of cheddar could be parted by someone astute enough to more accurately reveal his intentions, those being a desire to spend time with her and not divert himself with frivolity all by his lonesome. And a little embarrassment at the fact that he didn't pick up on her preference to relax rather than do something else active. 

	Thinking about it, Ash didn't mind that idea either. The day had been long for him, too. Longer than he had initially thought, but now the edges of weariness started to erode into his thoughts. And he didn't like the look of that limp on Thana, either. He was supposed to be her method of transportation, barring other methods, while she took it easy during her recovery. Thinking more to her needs, Ash suggested, [color=4682b4]"I'm right here if you want a shoulder to lean on,"[/color] he said, following it up with, [color=4682b4]"Hell, I'll carry you, if you like."[/color] It wasn't like he hadn't before, and he didn't mind a bit. [color=4682b4]"Let's go home. I'll give you a shoulder rub. Or a foot rub. Or wherever else you're feeling tense."[/color] He was being sincere, even supportive; that much was evident. 

	




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[h3][color=dc143c][i][b]Thalia Carmichael[/b][/i][/color][/h3][i][b][color=dc143c]Location:[/color][/b][/i] E7 (In front of Desalinization) -> L7 (General Housing adjacent)
[i][b][color=dc143c]Skills:[/color][/b][/i] N/A
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	The tiny hair of optimism that dared show itself in Thalia's features as she neared the One Way sign dried up, only to be replaced by a scowl of impatience and some measure of indignation. While she hadn't truly expected to catch the wild goose at the end of this chase, it might have been nice. Anything else might have been nice, too, other than a folded piece of paper to be dug out of the moorings of a traffic sign. [color=dc143c]"Dorah The Explorah bullshit,"[/color] she muttered, reaching up to snatch out what she now presumed to be the next clue. But after that, what? Another clue? And another? Maybe it'll end with a simple note with "HA HA" scrawled in crayon, wrapped around a steaming pile of dogshit for her trouble. Someone had to be laughing at her behind a window somewhere too, she was about 60% convinced. Were they suicidal, these hypothetical people? Were they not briefed about her the second she showed up? Before? Thalia could easily, and indeed had, slit throats after breakfast and sleep completely untroubled throughout the following evening. If this was some game at her expense by the powers-that-be here, she was not amused. 

	Yet, Thalia was compelled to continue. If nothing else, this was giving her an okay lay of the land. And an excuse to poke around, familiarizing herself with the ins and outs of this settlement with a perfect cover story. She might as well take advantage of it while she could. Thalia looked around her, taking in detail as best she could while holding the paper before her. She looked at whatever people might be about and which directions they were headed. Likewise, she took in possible routes of escape with armed assailants in mind, followed by unarmed, followed yet again by Zeds. Stick to habits that kept her alive [i]out there[/i]. And finally, options she might take if she didn't wish to be noticed. That last one especially. Her tabs checked off, Thalia gave herself permission to read the note:  

	[center][b][i]"You will know where to begin when you solve this riddle: What heavy seven letter word can you take two away from and be left with eight?"[/i][/b][/center]

	[color=dc143c]"Gahd fucking damnit,"[/color] she growled through clenched teeth, though it rose to a highly annoyed rasp of, [color=dc143c]"Are you [i]kidding me[/i]?"[/color] She tried to calm herself and just figure out the clue, move on to the next one, and get this done. The clue itself was pretty straightforward. It was a play on words, kind of. Or at least she thought. Eight had five letters, add two letters and that was seven, so it was a word that contained the letters E-I-G-H-T in order that contained two more letters which had association with something heavy. [i]Weighty[/i] came to mind first, [i]Weights[/i] came second. Third? Well, third, Thalia wanted to punch somebody really, really hard. It wasn't so much that she had anyone in mind, just that there was some aggression and frustration present in this clue-to-clue search, likely with something at the end of all this that would make her want to punch someone anyway, she figured, so this was just getting a jump on things to come. 

	Then a calmer, more Namaste-esque train of thought settled on her psyche, if only for a fraction of a second. Thalia was just tense. Too tense. Pent, even. This was like a level of Crash Bandicoot, where you knew that you weren't accomplishing anything but you just HAD to get to the end of the level anyway, regardless of whether or not the floating tiki was staring down at you. This had to be seen through to the bitter, screaming end, and damnit, Thalia was going to do it. So the one-winged Angel took in a deep breath, let it out, and stuffed the paper into a pocket. This was a clue she would sleep on, and not just go with her baser instincts. Bad day for it anyway. Thalia could have gone for a stiff drink and some sort of more personal attention, anyway. The thought went through her mind to come across the first person she didn't think was hideous and simply scream out, [color=dc143c][i]"Hey! Yeah, you! Give up the dick, [b]NOW[/b]!"[/i][/color], just to see how far she might get with that tactic. A sputtering laugh later at her foolishness and Thalia started back in the general direction of her and Joaquin's condo. She needed to speak with her brother anyway. 

	But just to keep up practice in the things that mattered, Thalia concentrated on moving unseen from her Point A to Point B. There was no sense getting too comfortable. That was how people got themselves killed. Maybe later she could find about weights or weighty things, or whatever the hell that clue was supposed to mean. She kept up her stealth until she was in sight of General Housing, looming before her in the night.