The Key Ingredient (Open)

[Gene Sarda]

"I've heard of that territory before. I've never visited, but I've read about it in books and such. And.. I'm not a transfer. Mooooore along the lines of.... Well... I just decided that Aedria didn't have enough to offer me at the moment. There wasn't anyone who could teach me anything more about what I was looking for. Well, nothing I hadn't already taught myself or learned from my father." Gene noted the way Avalon spoke about her homeland. The way she almost admired the land and people. 

"Cabal is.. different. It doesn't feel like home, but I suppose after a while I could learn to adjust. Everything in Aedria is very formal and elegant, clean lines and grandstand colors. Well, in Aaru that is. Ardhan, however, is very peaceful and family centered. Nothing bad really happens there often, and it's mostly farmers, miners and hunters working there. Which is great... except if something bad DOES happen, everyone knows about it in about two seconds," Gene chuckled that last part, reminiscing about her history and mistakes. Avalon definitely didn't need to know about that bit of history. Even Gene wished to forget. 

Stepping back to the tree, Gene placed her hand on the trunk again and silently told the tree that they were free to return to how they were. And the tree did that very thing, slowly and gracefully. 

[Avalon Salabim]

Avalon at Gene'sexplanation, the motion fluid and elegant as she chuckled.

"I agree. Cabal is very different from back home. Louder and more lively; the people here are more diverse." For better or worse. "Back home, things are quieter, and there's a base understanding everyone has about themselves and their abilities." One of hte perks she was grateful to have for herself.

"I'm sure you'll find a place here for yourself, as well." The way Gene spoke about the subject of home discouraged any sort of prying on Avalon's part. It was already causing her discomfort. There was no need to add to it.

[Gene Sarda]

Nodding in agreement, Gene took a calming breath. Avalon didn’t seem like she was going to press about Aedria, fantastic.

“I believe Cabal will eventually feel like home, I just need to establish some history and make ties and connections. As well as find a place to get settled in, something more permanent than a hotel or inn. I feel like as soon as I get a teacher, things will fall into place. Then I believe Cabal will begin feeling like home.”

Glancing at Avalon with thoughtful eyes, Gene hesitated before asking, “forgive me if this is too personal of a question, but does Cabal feel like home for you? Or do you still long for where your history is?”

[Avalon Salabim]

Avalon nodded at the explanation. Gene seemed to know what she needed, just needed to get the building blocks to get where she wanted to be.

"Ayatlan will always be home for me," she admitted. "I've just recently arrived, myself, but I can say from experience that many of the people here are willing to talk with you and consider you an ally, even if there are others who may not.

"Though from what I understand, people usually start in a team? Or pick one of the two options. This is a military base as well as academy, after all. Many of those here are residents living in their assigned dorms, though there are others who do have a home of their own outside it, I'm sure.  I've chosen one of the dorms, myself.  For now."

[Gene Sarda]

"I see, I see. It's very sweet that you honor your home so much, I'm sure they miss you a great deal. I do miss my home lots, though if there was anywhere else I was to live... I do like this place. I agree, they seem very welcoming and trusting. I'm looking forward to making connections with the people here." Gene smiled, and looked around where they were. Casually observing those chatting at a bench or walking to class.

"I have to say, I do not fully understand the system with the academy. I am just fearful that there will not be a teacher for me and I will not have access to the dorms.... Even so, I'm sure an opportunity will work itself out!" Gene's optimism was mostly a cover. She was terrified of not belonging in a land where supposedly everyone belongs. That would be humiliating... 

[Avalon Salabim]

Poor thing. Avalon wondered what sort of experiences Gene had had to come with such an expectation of the academy, where qi users were expected. It was almost the opposite of her own experience.

"I'm sure there are plenty of instructors or senior members who could point you in the right direction. Whatever you find, this is a place for people like us, so I do not think it will be difficult to find someone else skilled with plant use. From what I know, it's one way the world has managed to keep a food supply in some areas." A place destroyed twenty years ago still struggled with even that. She assumed Gene wanted to do better to help her own home once her training was done.