New Grounds

Scott Davis made his way to the large barren expanse just south of the city on the Lost Ground. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath as he focused his energy into his right arm. The process consumed a few rocks, and he had soon formed Valor, his black and gold Alter. He looked down and drove his fist into the earth, carving out a crater. Once he was able to move in it, he found veins of minerals and precious stones. He took as many as he could hold, then began making his way back to the city.

Once in the city, he went to the junkyard. The junkyard acted like a pawnshop, in a way, and Scott often took his stuff there to get money to buy food. His friend, Vincent Margrave, was working the junkyard desk.
"Hey, Vincent. I got some new stuff for you."
He smiled and placed the stuff into the bin.
"How are things going around here?" he asked as his Alter went away.

The day had been going slow for Vincent. No one had any cars to be picked up and junked, none of the trucks he called Raze Cars came by with ruined building materials, it was just slow. So, as he sat behind the desk, looking a few papers over, he was more than happy to hear the door open and the sound of his friend Scott as he walked in.

"Hey there Scott, things are slow again. Looks like you've been busy again, what all have yo got for me this time?" he asks, standing up and moving to the bin to look everything over. "Looks like a pretty good haul this time, how do you get your hands on this stuff anyway?"

Vincent was sure Scott was also an alter, but he had never bothered to ask, and because he didn't leave the yard except for supplies or on business, he had never seen him using his Alter. As he spoke, he began sorting out all the minerals and stones and such and began placing them on one side of a set of blanacing scales he kept on the desk. Everytime he got a number he wrote it down and placed the materials in a box and set them aside. By the end of it all he'd have a sum total and would go in the back to get the cash.

Scott nodded.
"Yeah, things have been slow all over the Lost Ground. Ever since that invasion by HOLY a month ago, things have been quiet. Something tells me they're going to strike soon, though."
He sat down in a chair.
"Well, I got some minerals, some gold, silver, and other precious stones."

He laughed as Vincent asked how he got his hands on the stuff.
"Simple, really. I use my Alter to dig into the earth, and then just mine them from there."
He let out a breath and summoned it, consuming a couple small pieces of wood to make it form before holding it up.
"This little baby is called Valor. It's how I make my living now."

He placed it in his lap, looking serious.
"It's been a long time since the Lost Ground was formed, but I still feel like every day here is like a day on an alien planet. We're cordoned off, treated like animals, especially by those HOLY bastards. What did we ever do to deserve such treatment?"
His moment of musing ended, and he smiled again.
"Anyway, since it's such a slow day, do you wanna grab some lunch? I'm buying."

Pausing in his work, Vincent turned to watch as Valor was formed and Scott took a seat. He couldn't help but wonder what the odds were that the both of them had a somewhat defensive type of Alter, but that they could discuss later on. Right now he had to run back and grab the money he owed his friend for the loot he had managed to mine.

"You better be buying," Vincent says, laying a stack of bills on the table before Scott, smirking a little, "You raked in over three hundred this time, a little more actually, but like I said, business is slow and I don't have enough to pay you for all of it right now... After that attack by HOLY I was doing pretty good, getting calls to head out and pick up the remains of cars and buildings, but now that well's dried up again. Maybe next week I can give you the rest. Give me a minute to get changed and I'll be happy for some lunch, be right back."

Normally, he wouldn't walk away and leave someone alone in his shop, but he had known Scott since they were kids, and he was sure nothing would go missing after he left. Besides, all he needed was the time to change into some clean clothes, which, once he got into his back room, took only a couple of minutes. Stepping back out he wore black shoes and lants, a crimson shirt, and a black open shirt over that.

"Alright, ready. Want me to drive?" he asks, waling back into the main room.

Scott smiled broadly when he saw the money. Even though it was not the full amount, it was still the best pay day he'd had yet. He nodded a she detailed the business boom he had taken after the HOLY attack, and pocketed the money.
"Sure, just pay me when you can."
As Vincent went back to change, Scott let his Alter dissipate. He was not self-conscious about it, but many people saw an active Alter as a sign of trouble or even as a challenge, so to avoid trouble, he had to conceal his ability.

Scott nodded.
"Yeah, sure. What do you feel like having?"
He walked out to the service truck and took a seat in the passenger side.

"How about the Dragon? I kinda feel like having a drink as well." Vincent says as he climbs into the truck and slips the key into place. He turns it once and it sputteres, but on the second time it purrs to life and he laughs a little. "My dad bought this when he was a kid, and it was brand new then," he explains, "and I'm about the only place to get a car looked over in a hundred miles...sad huh?"

Shaking his head he puts it in reverse and backs out, then drive and they start down the road into town. The Dragon is a local bar, more of a tavern like they used to have back during the time of knights and stuff really. People go there to drink, listen to music and bands, play cards, tell stories, everything really. And the old guy who owns it will even rent out the extra room upstairs to someone every now and then. They also serve just about every kind of food you could want because, well, let's face it, this place used to be California.

Scott nodded.
"Sure, man. I could go for a beer."
When they arrived, he chose a table and placed an order of one burger, two tacos, an order of fries, and a Bud Light. He could afford so much because the prices were not exorbitant like they were on the mainland. While the food was being cooked, he looked at his friend.

"Like I said before, I'm not sure when HOLY will strike again. I just...feel it in my bones that it will be soon. They've had time to map out the Lost Ground, and they know how powerful I am. Next time they come...they'll be coming for me."