"Are you sure it's okay with him being up there?" Aaron asked Rick, who were both keeping their distance from what the Slayer was doing momentarily.
Although it's true how Aaron has become worried about the Slayer roaming around the place, he somehow tries to find him trustworthy of being here a little bit. The Slayer kept himself in motion as he hastily climbed up the ladder, continuing his way to the top until he stood out straight above all.
Rick, Aaron, Michonne, and Tara were all outside the front gate, attempting to patiently wait until Daryl arrives to meet up with all four of them.
Rick's eyes filled with seriousness after his conversation earlier with Tara. When Tara told Rick that she had something to say to him, he was all ears. Something about her tone, her guilty face, and the anxious way her fingers fidgeted at her sides showed that she wasn't sharing her grandmother's secret Southern Peach Pie recipe. Since Tara thought about coming to see Rick, to inform him whatever it was that Tara knew. Rick felt that whatever Tara had to say, it would be best if she told everyone else, too.
Rick sighs in exasperation, "Look, Tara told me that she needs to talk to everyone about something important, and she wants Daryl to get in on this as well. I already talked to Daryl on the walkie-talkie, and I spoke about the big guy to him. He wasn't agreeable, but he's still coming for Tara's sake. All we got to do is watch out for any sign of Daryl coming. And I need you and Michonne to help out on keeping him away from the big guy."
"But right now, be careful with any shown actions from the big guy that would become hostile. Only that back in Jadis' community, he didn't even move an inch towards her or any other member in the junkyard." Michonne said, her face still inflamed with caution about the experience earlier today with the group's acquirement of firearms for Jadis to help fight against Negan.
"I can deal with that," Aaron mumbled under his breath before climbing up to join the Slayer.
Just as the Slayer saw Aaron abutted with him, he gave the man a quick nod, followed by a thumbs-up of appreciation. Aaron nodded back with a small smile, despite becoming a bit nervous around the Slayer when he's near him. The Slayer didn't have much interaction with this guy, but he would've known enough to determine that he wasn't a threat in general.
"Guys, we could just move the big dude someplace elsewhere, so Daryl doesn't have any shitfit?" Tara asked, suspicion deeply creasing her already crumpled face. "I could tell you guys now-"
"No," Rick stared blankly ahead of the front gate. "Daryl has to be here like everyone else is once you explain everything to us. We won't be taking the man along with us because Daryl might try to kill him. Plus, the big guy won't try to hurt Daryl like how he strangely did with Jadis and her group."
"But what if he does?" Tara asked, feeling a little stupid for questioning her leader's motives.
"..." Rick became silent at the moment before replying, "...then we'll have to try and take him down by force."
The Slayer's eyes became busy examining the distance on top of Alexandria's small tower, where the front gate comes right in the sight of the entrance to the street. Some old, rusty-looking cars remained nearby around in a pathway outside the community too. The Slayer's best guess was that the residency could trap the undead with those sharpened wooden spears inside each broken window.
With a sigh of boredom, the Slayer had his weapons stored away in the digital inventory as Aaron and the Slayer began to witness the wilderness itself. The Slayer was leaning forward to put his elbows on the grimy deck, staring off into space for no reason whatsoever. He shuffled his supportive weight, feeling familiar now with the size of the balcony deck.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Aaron asked, looking around the place from where the Slayer stood.
The Slayer nodded silently, feeling the charm behind nature's gaze as he forced his eyes back along the isolated roadway.
"Thank you again for helping us go up against Negan," Aaron's reassuring, albeit weary voice escaped him. "I sometimes wished things would go back to the way they were. You know, before meeting the Saviors or everything else, sinking into nothing but waste. But I guess there are some aspects still living in this ruined world. Family, friends, pets, maybe? Have you ever felt anything like that?"
The Slayer's eyes remained dark, still haunted with the memories he could hardly remember, just as they were. At this moment, He felt tired of remembering. Weary from holding onto this reminiscence and found that now, after looking into Aaron's tired, troubled face, that the Slayer had already made up his mind. Aaron could feel his fear and concern for him stir deep within his stomach, like an invisible parasite that clawed at him.
"You don't have to tell me anything at all. Besides, Rick told me that you're mute, and I don't want to upset you or anything for that matter. All I'm saying is that I thank you for being here." Aaron said, his voice coming out more casual and confident than he felt.
The man's words made the Slayer feel a tiny bit appreciated but still unconcerned for anybody's hostilities of him existing here in this Earth's dimension. Right now, everything was calm, peaceful, quiet, and lovely even.
The Slayer allowed himself to ponder on the situation with those Scavengers earlier today. Jadis acted like some cultist regarding broken words and contempt, reminding the Slayer so much of that deranged woman, Olivia Pierce.
Everyone previously became uncomfortable in the light of being so heavily outnumbered against that calculating woman and her tribe, except for the Slayer, Rick, and Gabriel. While he got told that Rick had grinned like a maniac, he had proved to be at times. But the Slayer only had come to dread and conquer that wicked light in their leader's face.
Rick looked like he was on somewhat of a warpath, and the Slayer could tell he had become tensed since he first talked to him about the Saviors. And now, Alexandria's so-called fearless leader had decided that finding Jadis and the Scavengers was a fantastic opportunity to their perspective.
The Slayer then frowns at the next thought he pondered. Because of the numbers and the fighting experience, it makes them perfect allies against Negan?
Jadis led Rick on top of a mountain of junk only to get pushed down into a pit. Rick had to struggle against a walker with a spiked metal helmet in her self-built gladiator's pit.
Or maybe she didn't bother if he lived or died?
Neither option had installed any confidence or trust in the Slayer for this woman and her intentions. He wanted to slap the shit out of Rick and drag the fucking idiot away by the scruff of his neck.
How could they trust anyone like that?!
The Slayer could guess this world's apocalypse was something for people to start over from, even before Jadis was someone else. The trashy lady will repent long before she deceives Rick. Jadis talked dull, lives in a crappy junkyard and appears like an idiot because of that ridiculous haircut.
Not to mention the way she touched the Slayer with everybody watching her do so. While the tramp could question anything she speaks her mind upon, she and her pawns still would have gotten screwed by the likes of the Slayer. He shook his head with annoyance, and hands clenched into meaty fists.
Another thing the Slayer could think about next was that cap-wearing chick, Rosita. He couldn't pinpoint why she's so angry all the time, but he was guessing that Negan must have put her into situations of grief and agony. Maybe because she was so traumatized by something that Negan had done, but the Slayer sees it as resilience.
No matter how much that man had ruined her, she didn't want to give any satisfaction. The Slayer was sure Rosita was recovering from this, coming back to her senses for revenge. Even though the woman always goes around and screams at the Slayer for being present, and it's not like he'd care about what she thinks of him remaining here for the time being.
Still, though, the Slayer didn't get why VEGA told him to stay and help these people. He had already wasted time wandering around everywhere, and there wasn't anything to think about at the moment. Before the Slayer could recall something else, his HUD immediately focused on a shadowy figure riding a motorcycle, remotely approaching Alexandria. The man looked like he had long, scraggly hair with curly dark facial hair. With those two elements put together, it was a sign of the crossbow-wielding, motorcycle-riding hunter himself.
Daryl Dixon.
"He's here," Aaron said down below where Rick stood.
Rick nodded, turning over to Michonne and Tara, who both made their way to slide the front gate wide open.
VEGA: {It appears to be another survivor entirely unaccustomed to our interaction. He is also carrying a crossbow. It's become hinted that this man is another one of Rick Grimes' allies. Let's try not to assault the man in case Rick Grimes stops us.}
The Slayer nodded VEGA back, though he was still reluctant in any case that if this man tries to attack. The Slayer would have no choice but to do so as well. There was nothing to gain by resisting, watching Daryl on the motorcycle halt right in front of the gate. The Slayer looked over and saw Rick waving up a hand, motioning him to come down. Looking back at Aaron, he stepped to the side and gestured the Slayer down the ladder.
The Slayer stepped past him, and for a few seconds, Rick's group wasn't aware of this until he quickly flung himself over the wooden ledge and then landed abruptly on his feet, where everybody stepped back in surprise. The Slayer stood back up before turning his head, his body whipping at unrivaled speed to face Daryl, who quickly got off his motorcycle, had a crossbow aimed directly at the Slayer.
"Daryl," Despite his minor surprise of the Slayer's actions only now, Rick stands in front of Daryl with hands out to reassure him. "It's fine! He's not here to hurt anybody."
"Then what the hell did he do that for?!" Daryl shouted, presenting a scowl.
"I don't know, okay?" Rick answered, glancing back over to the Slayer with a glare, "Don't do that again."
The Slayer gave Rick no answer, but he didn't move from where he stood either. Rick sighed and hoped that the Slayer would listen to him before he walked over to Daryl, Michonne, Tara, and Aaron, following him in a group huddle.
"What the hell is this, Rick?" Daryl questioned fiercely, glaring back at the Slayer and to Rick. "I thought you guys didn't accept others from outside of the communities?"
"Well, I told you that you wouldn't believe it when you see it," Rick answered, "But I'm telling you now that he's going to help us in this fight."
Daryl shook his head, silently disagreeing.
"You don't need to like it, Daryl," Michonne spoke next, glancing at Tara as well. "Let's all head back to Rick's house so Tara can tell us something that we don't know."
Tara looks at Rick, unsettled, "What about the big dude over there?"
Each of Rick's groups locked on intensely to where the Slayer stood. Daryl seemed unfriendly and menacing at first, but he did not scare the Slayer anyhow. All there was to him is glaring at the Slayer like he was expecting him to do something wrong here. However, Rick did his very best to keep him away from the Slayer, trying to make him consider that the Slayer was a force to be reckoned with seriously. But all there ever was to him became either scoffing or turning away.
The Slayer may not know what Daryl has been through, but he does know the feeling of hatred, cruelty, and no mercy. But at the same point, Rick knew that he didn't trust the Slayer either, not even the residents here, except for Father Gabriel and Carl. Moreover, Rick will keep an extra close watch on the Slayer, despite only telling that Tara is holding secrets from them, of all people. Just as that idea crisscrossed inside the Slayer's head, he heard Rick walk over to him.
Rick frowned and looked up at the Slayer out of the corner of his eye. "Big guy, I need you to stay put until I come to find you again. Is that clear?"
Again, the statement that meant to Rick became silent from the Slayer as his answer. With that, Rick turned and made his way towards the Grimes residence with everybody else following him, catching a glimpse of Daryl's hateful scowl at the Slayer before walking off. Watching as they left his sight, the Slayer couldn't help but let out a breath of boredom once again. Though, the Slayer still kept an idea of ignoring Rick's word to follow the accompanied survivors back where the man now lives in this medium-sized community.
VEGA: {Considering that there is nothing else to be done with, you might as well follow where Rick Grimes' residential house stays located. I will search for his group and their exact location in a moment.}
*BING*
VEGA: {In a quarter-mile around the block, turn right nearby the first street, and you will find each of their heat signatures.}
The Slayer spent most of the time he had walking up the road directly in front of him. His eyes commenced on observing several houses all around while he couldn't pinpoint the exact number at the moment. There was one white house facing the main gate, at his right, when the Slayer first entered beforehand, and a grouping of solar panels beyond that. There was also the pond earlier with a red brick walking path around it.
Everything here seemed so peaceful as if the Slayer had stepped into the past before everything went to complete anarchy.
The streets were clean, and there was no debris or dead bodies. The homes were in mint condition and looked as if they must've become built not long before the world was gone as it is. These weren't the houses the Slayer had gotten used to seeing, ones that had been looted or burned, more like those just outside the gate.
These were neat-looking homes.
They were picturesque.
It was almost too good to be true, and they just hoped that wasn't the case. As the Slayer wasted no time reaching through an intersection, he passed by other people who either stared silently or whispered to themselves about his hulking existence. It's as if they became opposed by what happened at the meeting with the Scavengers. Only as the Slayer ignored every single of them, it did not take long to reach Rick's house.
In Rick's home, Tara sat down with each of her group members at the dining table.
"They..." Tara paused for a moment before sighing, "They have guns. A lot of them. I saw it."
"What?" Daryl questioned, a bit irked.
"That group," Tara's gaze shone over to him. "Um, the women I met..." She sighed again, looking away from Daryl and back toward Rick. "...they have an armory. They have guns."
"Why didn't you tell us before now?" Rick urged, leaning forward in a more relaxed manner than Daryl was sending.
"Because I made a promise, Rick. They lost their husbands, fathers, and their sons to the Saviors for fighting back. They don't want to lose anything or anyone else. I made a choice then, but I'm making a new one now. I don't want any more of us to die, but we need guns to protect ourselves. Those women have guns. I can show you where they are, we can go there, and we can ask them to join us. Maybe we can all come together and fight together."
Back outside, the Slayer walked up the porch and to the door, knocking on it three times with his knuckles. Soon, the door opened up, revealing Barbara, an auburn-ponytailed woman who was a gardener, a mother of two children, and Judith's babysitter. She made a small gasp that left her stalk still, pale and sweating more than a little as she looked up at the Slayer. Complete with his fearsome green armor and wielding nothing but ferocious-looking fists that could crush a person's bones, it's no wonder to her why people here run at the mere sight of the Doom Slayer himself.
"I...um-"
Before the woman could begin to speak, the Slayer held a hand up as he began to scribble down on the notepad with a marker.
CAME TO SEE RICK
ABOUT TARA
After reading the Slayer's words on paper, Barbara gulped a bit nervously before speaking audibly, "U-Uh, Rick? There's somebody here to see you!"
Just as the Slayer saw Alexandria's leader exit out of the living room, he turned and glanced at the marine. His eyes widened, and a stern look appeared on his face.
"Barbara, I can take it from here," Rick insisted as he waved a hand, gesturing the woman to leave quickly.
Barbara moved aside, exiting herself into the other room, and leaving Rick and I alone out on the front porch. The former officer rubbed his forehead in exasperation of the Slayer's impatience by following him and his group.
"I thought I told you to wait by the front gate," Rick said impassively, masking his obscure contemplation before peering back over at the Slayer.
He stayed quiet as always, ignoring Rick's statement until the Slayer gestured his notepad to him abruptly. As Rick takes a look at what the Slayer wrote, the former officer knew that he had been waiting to hear any news about Tara's secret.
Rick cleared his throat before replying, "You were right from the start, big guy. Tara was hiding something, but she had her reasons. It's something that's going to help us get more guns."
After a moment, the Slayer switched out another paper from the notepad, scribbling his words down on marker.
WHY DID SHE DO IT
Rick looked up from the paper and said, "As I said, she had her reasons. Tara had already spoken about it with me. I want you to go to the church where the rest will get explained. Just follow the others who I'm going to get now. Tara will tell everyone about what she discovered."
With that said, Rick walked past the Slayer to spread the word to every other resident. The Slayer raised an eyebrow and watched the former officer go on the run someplace else. He blew a puff of air in exasperation, turning his eyes to discover four other survivors exiting out of Rick's house. Michonne came first, looking cautious of the Slayer as usual before walking away. Aaron was second, greeting the Slayer with a nervous nod, and followed Michonne. The last two were Tara and Daryl, both eyeing the Slayer suspiciously yet harmfully until they left.
After watching Rick's group leave, the Slayer was alone as he processed this whole act of Tara's. Without any second thought, the Slayer stepped down to the street and made his way over to where the church stood tall. There, the Slayer saw a small, white church before him. Not before long, the Slayer's eyes spotted a few people making their way into the church as well, still keeping their mistrusted expressions on him. The Slayer ignored them simple enough since he didn't care for any of their hostility or suspicion. The only thing the Slayer was focusing on was Tara and this secret of hers.
The Slayer casually walked over and then entered the chapel's interior. His eyes scoped the scenery and spotted various church pews on each side of the building. The Slayer then walked over and sat down near the front, feeling that Rick would prefer that. The residents were here and now, and they huddled to the other side of the church before sitting down, trying to keep their distance from the Slayer.
It may seem entirely unfair, but the Slayer didn't want to be ungrateful. After all, the Slayer was mysterious to them, and they wouldn't change that for anything else he does for them, to the very least. Daryl was here but only sat in the far back where nobody else could bother him and his quiet self. The Slayer could've sworn that he saw him scowling at him when he first entered the chapel. Then again, the Slayer wasn't intimidated by him or the lack of crowd on his side.
While the Slayer could see that Tara was here to show her presence, he knew that Rosita wasn't coming anytime around the church because of what happened earlier today. "I was sure she was going to Hilltop without telling Rick or the others, but why should I stop her? She despises everything about me alongside this zone filled with cold survivors."
"Hey there. You mind if I?" A voice picked up to the Slayer's ears.
His head scrolled over to see Carl sit down next to the Slayer with a cute-looking toddler in his hands. By the Slayer's guess, it must be Rick's daughter, Judith. She was bopping up and down in his arms, smiling brightly at the Slayer. He couldn't help but gaze at the baby in a tilting motion, gladly feeling acknowledged that these two kids weren't frightened by the Slayer. He nearly yearned to pet the fragile child but immediately declined without anybody noticing. Not because of the Slayer, but that they feared for both Judith and Carl.
"She's not a shy girl, but a tough girl she is," Carl said with a smile as he hugs her.
The Slayer's eyes gazed upon Judith, who buries her head into Carl's chest. Though the Slayer thought he almost notices Judith peek back at him with one of the most innocent smiles he had ever seen. It made the Slayer flinch in a mere second as if she was starting to make him let his guard down. For a while, something was beginning to ache in his chest after being in this peace at the moment.
"Judith, say hello," Carl said, watching Judith show a small smile but stay close to her brother.
While the Slayer watched the two siblings, he recalled back when he had somebody else to care about the most. The Slayer's head looked down to a tiny chain on his left hip, where he carried around Daisy's left hindfoot. A reminder of so much innocence lost, and not for luck. The Slayer shook his head away from that saddening thought and then wrote it down on his notepad for Carl to read.
WHY ARE YOU SITTING WITH ME
Carl looked up at the Slayer before smiling softly. "Why should I? Just because the people here don't trust you doesn't mean I'm the same. But I should keep my distance, too. Dad normally has good instincts about things like this. He was a Sheriff Deputy from his usually good judge of people's character."
The Slayer wrote again:
SHERIFF DEPUTY
Carl nodded, "Yeah, that's why a lot of people look at him as a leader. If my dad trusts you, then I will trust you as well."
The Slayer kept his gaze at the kid for any signs of dishonesty. Thankfully, there wasn't.
"I hope it stays that way, and I hope this war ends soon. I want Negan dead. I want all of them dead." said Carl, who slowly had a troubled expression. "I've seen what he has done. He has shaken this community to the core. Negan took innocent lives, kidnapped our people, took our supplies, belongings such as our beds, and now we sleep on the floors. My dad has had enough. He's putting his foot down and is ready to win this war against the Saviors. I'm very certain my dad will win."
With all said about Negan, the Slayer so going to shove his fist straight up his ass. In the group's eyes, the Saviors were oppressors that would kill and enslave other communities out of entertainment. These Saviors weren't as worse as the demons he faced before. But they sound like a bunch of assholes who need to get put in their place. And that place would be Hell. The Slayer frowned before lettering his words on paper again before Carl could read.
YOU DID NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS
YOU ARE ONLY A KID
Carl shakes his head. "There is no such as being a kid in this world. My childhood ended when the dead rose and took over the world."
As much the Slayer wanted to relate to him, he couldn't remember much of his childhood. But then again, the Slayer was never a kid.
The Slayer then wrote again, saying:
NEITHER WAS I
Carl looks at him with curiosity. "What do you mean?"'
The Slayer wrote one more time to say:
MUST BE STRONG
MUST PROTECT PEOPLE
LIFE MAY HAVE BEEN LONG AGO
BUT THINGS WILL MOVE ON
Carl stayed quiet after what the Slayer wrote to him, but what shocked him the most was how his words filtered by a toxic aura within. From what Carl knew, there was no doubt that he knew what the Slayer wanted to do while staring back at him.
The teen looked back at Judith before speaking, "I have to be strong for Judith and take care of her, and to be the big brother my sister deserves. Dad is a good father. He takes care of us and wants to protect us all. That's why we want to end Negan's leadership and replace it with peace because that's what we deserve. Although dad wants me to stay back, I still want to help him as much as I can now."
The Slayer nodded while staying quiet as usual. The kid here wants to fight on the frontlines, and the Slayer can respect his courage for doing so. The Slayer didn't want to ask the boy about his eyes because he didn't want to become nosey. But since now the Slayer started communicating with him, then perhaps he could ask him.
After writing down the next letters, the Slayer said:
YOUR EYE
DID THE SAVIORS DO THAT
Carl looked back at the Slayer before shaking his head. "Oh, no, no. My eye happened way before the Saviors came, but it doesn't matter anymore. It's happened, and now I learn to live with it."
Before anything else became spoken about, the conversation ended when Michonne came over and sat down next to Carl. Only this time, she was in between the Slayer from getting any closer to Carl or Judith.
"You alright?" Michonne asked as graciously as possible.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Carl answered with a nod.
"Judith?"
"She's good."
Michonne nods at Carl and looks away, noticing Rick going to the front with Tara. Once everyone has settled down, Rick clears his throat to get the people's attention.
"Listen up, everyone. Tara has recently discovered a way for us to get more guns. So, let's hear her out, and if you have questions, ask them afterward. Tara, you want to start?" Rick said, gazing over to Tara, who hesitates but takes a deep breath.
"Uh...um."
"Take your time. It's okay." Rick reassures Tara, who quickly nodded before explaining.
In summary, Tara explained how she and her friend, Heath, departed Alexandria to go on a long-term supply run. She and Heath got separated after an attack by walkers. And Tara ended up at the Oceanside, a community of all women who hid from the Saviors. She met up with this girl named Cyndie, who led Tara back to the all-woman society, where they are securing a large stockpile of firepower in a shed. It came to where Tara urged them to help fight the Saviors, but unfortunately, they refused. Back then, the Saviors killed all the males in the group, including every boy over ten years old.
"All of them?" Carl asked, with the Slayer feeling disgusted by all of this.
"Yes, every single one. The Saviors didn't kill the women because they see them as weak." Tara replied.
Everything went quiet for the Slayer while the people here murmured to themselves. Even his breath barely made a sound in this endless void of nothingness. The more harm the Slayer hears about what the Saviors have done, the more his knuckles tighten into a full-fledged grip. That feeling inside the Slayer was in need to shout, or maybe even attack something nearby.
Anything to let all of this rage out of his system.
But nothing seems to be coming out.
What more did the Saviors have to do now to piss the Slayer off? Right now, he was starting to hate these assholes even more by the minute.
"You said they're called Oceanside?" Aaron collected Tara's attention next. "So it must indicate they're by the water. Then we need to point out on a map their whereabouts, and we'll go to them. We'll plead our case and try to convince them to fight with us."
"If I was them, I sure as hell won't stay to hide. Hiding and not fighting is only going to show their children that what the Saviors did was okay, and can get away with anything they want." Michonne added before crossing her arms.
Tara shrugged. "They're scared. I can't blame them that they don't want to fight, but maybe we can negotiate with them. You know, persuade them to join, or maybe we can borrow their guns and fight for them."
"But what if they don't want to fight?" Carl wondered, "What if we go there to try and convince them, and they say no? What do we do?"
Rick chewed his bottom lip in thought, and the others fell silent, waiting for his answer.
"You say they have a lot of guns," he began, glancing back at Tara. "So, if they don't want to fight with us, then we'll ask them to let us borrow them. We'll bring the guns back after this battle is over. If they say no, well, then we'll take the guns anyway. We'll still bring the guns back afterward as a show of good faith."
"What if they use force on us to leave?" Francine asked.
"It's not negotiable," Rick answered.
The Slayer's face began to scowl viciously at Rick's response. Was Rick going to have to kill these women?
Tara frowns. "Rick, hang on-!"
"Tara, if they don't comply with us, then we'll do it the hard way. I'm sorry, but that's the plan."
"But they are going to be pissed with me. I swore I wasn't going to tell. Rick, please, they've gone through a lot of shit. We can't make it worse."
"You can't keep things hidden forever. Promises have to break sometimes. Aside from that, we need guns for...!"
Without hesitation, the Slayer instantly stood up from the church pew, which caused fewer people around him to become startled. His glaring eyes remain fixed on Rick, who was the first to notice the marine's unexpected reaction. Each foot of the Slayer sidestepped out of the church bench until he trudged over where Rick and Tara stood. Both of their expressions endured tensed faces, and all around him, the community murmured about what the Slayer's plans were.
While Michonne and Carl carefully watched as each footstep the Slayer bore echoed along the floor, Daryl sprung into action. He shot up from his seat, aiming his crossbow at the Slayer's head, "Don't you try anything, or I'll take you out."
Again, there was an awed silence. It seemed that Rick and his group were learning an awful lot about the Slayer right now. The Slayer turned over in front of the crossbow-wielding redneck, pulling his gauss cannon from out of nowhere to everybody's shock and surprise. It was a compelling and incredibly reliable weapon that can shoot iron flechettes at remarkably high velocities using a magnetized chamber. Daryl raised a frustrated eyebrow at the powerful-looking weapon in contrast to the crossbow he is using right now. As the Slayer was always ready to shoot off the man's head, yet Rick violently shoved the gauss cannon aside.
Almost completely shocked, Rick begins to scowl at the Slayer, "Put that thing away before I-HURK!"
Causing the Slayer's instincts to counteract Rick's obtrusion, he grabbed the Alexandria leader tightly by the throat as he gagged harshly. Everyone quickly got up from their seats with terrified gasps, whereas Daryl lunged first until the Slayer swung his leg to kick the man away, crashing against a wall with a slight crack. The Alexandrians' eyes peered over to the redneck who was presently writhing in pain, and then back over to where the Slayer had a fierce grip upon Rick's throat.
"DAD!" Carl shouted, frightfully putting Judith beside him, and got up from his seat.
"Let go of him now!" Michonne demanded, swiftly rushing over with her sword unsheathed.
Getting right back up, despite the pain, Daryl tangled around the Slayer's neck with spit flying from his mouth as he snarled at him, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
"EVERYONE STOP NOW!" Rick choked out an order while holding onto the Slayer's arm, heaving. "It's fine, I understand. Please, put me down."
Despite the tension that had just started, the sound of Judith's cries got the Slayer to yield, putting Rick down gently and elbowing Daryl's side to get away from his neck. The Slayer's eyes scrolled around at the sight of fear becoming presented to him. If Alexandria wasn't already concerned to watch an emerging physical fight, they were after witnessing the Slayer retaliate with a strike of his own onto Daryl earlier.
Whenever the Slayer turns his head, his gaze would meet with Daryl's. He glared fiercely at the Slayer, and he returned the expression as a favor. For the first time in a long time, Daryl was not intimidated by the likes of the Slayer. Instead, discomfort and fear had devolved into resentment and bitterness. The Slayer pulled out his notepad with a marker to scribble down and give it for Rick to read.
WE ARE NOT KILLING THE WOMEN
NOT YOU
OR ME
After reading the Slayer's scribbled paper, Rick took a deep breath and sighed while Michonne and Carl tend to him, making sure the Alexandria leader was all right. During this, Michonne shot a detestable stare while Carl looked at the Slayer with a firm yet alarmed expression. The same goes for everyone else in the church, except for Daryl, who stood ready to fight the Slayer again. Turning to inspect, the Slayer found Tara aiming her pistol at him. However, she hesitantly descends the weapon after hearing his message to everyone in the chapel.
Rick firmly frowned, "Listen, we won't kill the women unless if they start fighting back at us. None of us want that, not even me. You were going to choke me with these people watching, for Christ's sake! I know you've mentioned Tara's behavior earlier and not wanting to kill these women, but we don't know any other way."
Soon, Tara was becoming disturbed by the sudden revelation and points at the Slayer, "You're the reason Rick has been asking me about Oceanside!?"
The Slayer didn't give her any reply, not even a single movement either. From her surprised tone, he could tell that she said that sad-heartedly. Unconcerned, the Slayer rolled his eyes and returned his gaze to Rick, who answered Tara for him.
"After we got finished dealing with Jadis, the big guy here was saying to me how concerned he was of the way you've been acting. He had to tell me, though, well, express to me why he believes so."
Tara glanced at Rick after he explained back at the Scavenger meeting previously. She did not know what else to say to the Slayer about all this, except looking away awkwardly. As for the Slayer, he was still annoyed incredulously, keeping himself at bay from everyone else as he stood his ground.
"You didn't have to do that, big guy," Tara said with a delicate tone, crossing her arms attentively. "But thanks anyway."
Before anything else, the Slayer turned around to ignore Rick's group, walking himself to the exit and dared not to look back at them for the slightest. After the Slayer left the church in silence, Tara gazed at where he stood just before. Her arms slowly began to lower down, embedding a look that resembled admiration for what the Slayer did for her. Rick watched the Slayer leave while Tara concentrated on her words, evidently confused but still visibly distraught of the situation.
"He may seem a bit of a creep, but I guess he's not all that bad," Tara said in her thoughts, feeling unusually pleasant about the Slayer.
The residents from around the church were taken aback by the Slayer leaving the church, looking at one another dumbfounded. Daryl continued to glare daggers after the Slayer had left before storming off in the opposite direction.
"Look, Tara, we need the guns to win this war," Rick butted in to grab Tara out of her thoughts about me, tensing his muscles at the notion of how the Slayer was able to leave.
Tara looks back at Rick to reply, "Maybe I sneak in and try to convince them. Sure, they will get pissed with me, but at least I can try to explain. Probably better than going in and yanking the guns off them."
"You know that the women will try to kill you," Rick remarked as he crossed his arms in defiance.
Tara grabs out a pistol with a smile, "I won't go in empty-handed."
Rick sighed to himself, "I guess."
"Look, Rick, I'm going to try and be straight with them. No more messing around, even if I have to use my gun to get their attention. Maybe if we bring the big guy along to show them just how serious we are, they might consider joining." Tara explained, hoping to receive others' support of her decision.
Again, Rick sighed at this conundrum while Michonne shook her head disapprovingly.
"Tara, that man almost choked Rick for whatever point he was trying to make!" Michonne argued, placing her hand onto Rick's shoulder.
Tara glared at the black woman, "The big guy didn't want the women in Oceanside to die, okay?! That wasn't his fault. Daryl must've startled him."
Carl gently agrees, showing enough that his opinion matters, "Tara is right, Michonne. I'm sorry, but things were going too far. Both sides are at fault. It doesn't matter who did what first or the actions they took after that. What matters now is that we accept the responsibility of our actions we have caused and move on."
As Carl finished, everyone else's moods changed for the better. They reflected on Carl's words that would lead to a path of wisdom, knowing it to be true. Without so much as doing so, Michonne agreed silently with her adopted son.
Aaron looked at Rick with attention, "Well, what do we do about him then? We can't send him off, only to get found by Negan and the Saviors. And not just that, the big guy looked like he has a lot of experience when it comes to guns or fighting. Maybe we should give him a chance somehow."
"True, but we can't just go in there and scare Oceanside," Michonne added before crossing her arms. "It will put them right off. Do we want more enemies?"
While everyone else murmurs, Rick begins to think for a moment about what to do with having the Slayer remain at Alexandria for the time being. Or to let him accompany most of the survivors on this trip to Oceanside. But then, he finally comes to a decision.
"Alright, then." Rick soon walked around to explain his plan, silence filling the group for their leader. "The big guy will come with us to Oceanside and get the guns. I'll need some of you to volunteer while the rest will stay here and prepare for what's next. We'll do Tara's way first. But if it doesn't work, we do it my way. I won't lie to you. All of this isn't going to be easy. We'll lose people, but in the end, it'll all be worth it because we'll be free, back to building that future we all envisioned before Negan. All those in favor!"
Everyone else decided to raise their hands, with Michonne doing the same because she trusts Rick's word that he'll handle everything. She knew the Slayer was already on thin ice with Daryl the moment he arrived, even when the Slayer gripped her lover by the throat and lifted him off the ground. A lot of what the Slayer is could be helpful to the group, but at the same time, the man was keeping a great deal of detail to himself. She'll have to find out more when that time comes, whether or not the man she brought in is a peril to her family.
Rick nodded, saying finally, "I've never met a more courageous group of people than you. As long as you remember that courage, remember what we're capable of together. We'll win, and nobody will stop us." The group soon applauds Rick as he walks down the aisle, encouragingly patting his people on the arms.
A/N: [Alright, another chapter is done. Now that Daryl is here, we can finally see how things are simmering between him and the Slayer. Speaking of which, the Slayer isn't going to listen to Rick as much since he only does things his way. What will Alexandria do about this? We'll see how he does that when they get to Oceanside soon enough.]