Mundane Monday.

[Avice Locke]

The week starts and the farmers market was bustling. The mess of curls was getting meals in for the week. She looked tired and her scowl never unfurled from her brow not as she sorted through produce and poultry.

This place took her back to a dark time. Fisher markets... open stalls but pushy sales pitches, meat on ice but it still smelled, and the noise... the crowd... the limited stock of liver. Sure not many people like liver but if it’s always out of stock then obviously they should have more supply!

That was something of a small vent while she realized as she screamed her near unrelenting anger at some poor butchers sixteen year old daughter. Working her first job way too damn early in the morning before school so she can save up for her first car or some future tuition. There was a bigger reason why Avice was upset today and it had been building for many weeks now. Something as mundane as out of stock liver to set her off like it did when it was a guess as to when her next meal or shower was prior to coming to this world. How comfortable she had gotten and how slow things were progressing. She couldn’t stand it. She was able to come and go through out a huge city... not outside of it. Apparently that was enough to give her cabin fever.

[Sage Sudeki]

Spike was stopping by a butcher for a rack of ribs and while he was waiting for that he wondered if maybe there were any shrimp for sale somewhere, though he finally caught sight of someone he knew! Not well, but he knew her name and that she had business with his father a few times.

"Hello."

He figured it might be safe to approach and greet, not knowing all that was going on.

[Avice Locke]

Avice turned rather sharply and halted for a moment. Her eyes went wide a moment before blinking at the realization her hand went over her eyes and her shoulders relaxed.

“Damn, be like lookin’ at a ghost...” she muttered under her breath and further more she knew the guy but couldn’t remember if they had been formally introduced. “Sorry chap, I think I know ya but I’ve forgotten what you be called?”

[Sage Sudeki]

He'd remain with a polite smile while she composed herself. He knew who he looked like. However, she seemed to get the picture rather quickly and his smile turned to a half smirk.

"You can call me Spike. If you don't mind me saying you look a little... Rough. Everything okay?"

[Avice Locke]

“Pissy.” She corrected. “This whole thing... since we were forced out... I’m not accepting it.”

She admitted rather easily. No one has yet to ask her of her thoughts on the matter.

[Sage Sudeki]

Folding his arms he understood her point of view. It was very normal, yet seemed more like a prison. Everyone was isolated as well with no leaders and no one to look to for guidance.

"It's not like we have many options right now. TSI has this place pretty much covered. I don't like how confident they are either when it comes to dealing with Qi users. Which means our advantage is kind of negligible to them."

He'd sigh.

"But, why do you not accept the new normal?"

[Avice Locke]

“Because there isn’t even a choice? Because our previous existence was ripped from our grasp, this can become the same if we can’t do anything about it. And as we are now we can’t...” she fumed looking away from spike and off into the horizon. “This place is void of the power we once had free access to... it’s like walking neck deep through the ocean with a ball and chain attached to both feet trying to reach shore before the tide comes in.”

[Sage Sudeki]

"If only we had a life line, huh?"

Spike understood the analogy, the draining feeling of using Qi here was difficult to deal with.

"We have a choice, it's just a dumb choice right now. We aren't organized. We need to elect our own leadership, play this diplomatically up front."

[Avice Locke]

“Why so we can use them to be sacrificed to feed the Qi hungry beast of a creature we faced on the next ride?” She sighed she knew he had a point but history repeating itself will not save them. “Maybe you are right but we need to do something more than even that. Knowledge of the power we possess, I don’t know how much you know, but I know I’m severely lacking the reason why my powers work. I’ve just understood they worked. I feel like I’m missing something... something someone... could have tried to tell me but I cannot remember or I didn’t listen.”

[Sage Sudeki]

Spike would listen and nod. He furrowed his brow for a few moments before responding. He didn't have a response for the sacrifice bit, and thinking about how his dad sacrificed himself as his final show of affection for Spike...

"I've had these abilities since I was eight years old... My dad brought it out of me as a training exercise when he found out his theories were correct. Since then I've been to classes and exercises and I guess... I forget that people don't know the things I do, and didn't have the opportunities to know how it works, or why..."

He'd unfold his arms and sigh.

"I don't have long today, but what do you want to know?"

[Avice Locke]

“I wasn’t asking for a lesson, merely offering advice on your new dragon leadership idea. Assuming you really are trying to follow in his footsteps aye? Which if you ask me they we’re about as leadership material as a fuckin’ egg but...” she’d leave the rest of the sentence unheard as she was certain he knew where she was going with it.

“Despite that... I suppose if I really wanted to take advantage of your offer to see if you really are as knowledgeable as you say... I’d like to know are we bound by our skin and the laws of our reality, limited by the abilities we are born with to serve as the role we play or can Qi mean the same to everyone should they tap into the universe of its power?” It was a loaded question but one that requires really a yes or no from her stand point. She hardly doubted her own abilities could tear through time and space but if she could find a way to access it regardless maybe she’d feel like she could have more hope in her efforts.

[Sage Sudeki]

Spike would nod, he knew she didn't actually mean to be taught things, but he wanted to. However, with her question he pondered the answer.

"The few classes I took in Ayatlan with the mages there, as well as theories I've seen put into practice. We are limited by the interpretation of what we can do. In Ayatlan there are standard spells created through manipulating the sixteen elements in basic ways. Lighting candles, levitating an object, drying yourself off. A lot of the flows of energy once you learn how to read them and the components or formula to get specific effects. However, your personal power, the expression of yourself with the understanding of what you want to do you can do almost anything with any power."

He'd fold his arms grinding his teeth a bit.

"Basically, if you learn how, you can manipulate your powers to do anything."

[Avice Locke]

“Oi, of course the mages...” she placed the palm of her hand against her face just above her left eye. “They learn their own Magic’s aside from their specific Qi, I can’t believe I forgot about that.” She had her answer but one more spurred. “Say we can mold it ourselves to do what we interpret, as you say, do you believe bashing in each other’s ‘eads is the most efficient way to discover ones limit and growth?

“My thoughts be that I’d like to find a better... faster way to a greater understanding. I’m no savior and sure as shit I won’t try to be but if anyone needs anything with your idea of a better organized group it’s knowledge like this we do need to come together and better understand what we can do incase we need to fight any other reality altering foe.” Her Greatland accent frequently came and went when she was getting used to being around the Territories of the America’s for so long.

Frankly this gave her some hope, her expression was visibly brightening. There was a chance and she wasn’t limited by her body or mind there was plenty of work she could do. The road might still be long but if she held on to this basic understanding then the doors to be opened were at least before her visible and waiting.

[Sage Sudeki]

"Thats what it is."

Spike would nod.

"No borders, no territories, this is our only city, these are our people, all that's left of our world. Our own confusion and separation makes us weak. With leadership, or even somewhere to turn to see hope and people trying. That is enough for now."

[Avice Locke]

She sat silent staring at him a moment. “I was almost trying to do this on my own, doing not but fret for the future and curse the monster that robbed me or what was mine. I’m not the only one, we’ve all been robbed of what’s ours by right, gave me no room to complain. I’m no leader.” She exhaled looking off in the crowd. “Not going to lie I’d be less inclined to listen to anyone trying to claim themselves to be a leader. But yes, people need guidance, I am no different despite how I carry myself.”

Her eyes focused back on the man before her. “You’ve got some kinda idea as to what you’ll be doing to remedy the lack of unification?”