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Force Of Naturia: Chapter Three - Inner ConflictJan 13 '10 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Arly has a decision to make, but is it really as big of a question as she thinks?
Medical Condition. The words just kept going around in my head on the ride home the next day. Was it possible? Every time I thought about what happened the other night, it did seem pretty strange, as if it could have been something I just dreamt up due to some strange kind of fever or whatever. Then again, it also seemed pretty damn vivid, and the doctors could find nothing physically wrong with me. Even so, my parents insisted I take a few days off from school and work to rest and make sure I was completely over whatever it was. As soon as I got upstairs to my room, I grabbed my backpack. If I was ever going to get answer one way or the other, it was supposedly in here. Which is why I was shocked to find what I did. The headset. Just like Freznul said it would be. So this is all real then. At first, I couldn’t do anything. I just sat on the bed and looked at it. There didn’t appear to be anything unusual about it, just a typical piece of equipment, like a hands-free headset for a cellphone or something like that. But as I looked it over, something caught my eye. A small logo. The letter N, decorated with flames, superimposed on a blue orb, with twigs and leaves surrounding it. Fire. Water. Earth. Three of the elements my new powers were supposed to represent. It all felt like so much to take in. Then again, I had another option, didn’t I? Why should I be the one to shoulder this burden? If The Zews and The Quires are involved in some kind of intergalactic war, let them duke it out. The Zews could come to Earth anytime they wanted and stop all this. They’re an alien race, I’m one girl. Could you blame me for wanting nothing to do with it? That was when I flashbacked to something Dad told me when I was younger. “Arly, there’s two types of people in this world. The first are the ones who watch it go by. They cruise through life, and let the world throw whatever it wants at them. Often, they’re dissatisfied with the way things have turned out, but do they do anything about it? Do they bollocks. They wallow. On the surface, they can appear content with their lot, and a lot of them are. But contentness doesn’t necessarily mean happiness. And I’ll tell you what else a lot of these people are. Forgotten. They live, they die, they’re gone. Sure, they might build a few important relationships, and some people will mourn their death, but future generations will not come along and see where these people made their mark. “The second type of person makes a difference. They too, can be dissatisfied with what they’ve been given, but the difference is what they choose to do about it. And for most of the people on this planet, simply choosing to do something is a true accomplishment. These people get out into the world and find a way to express themselves, to be loved, to be honoured, to be remembered. Maybe they see something wrong with the world and want to change it. “That’s me. That’s why I do what I do. I see crime and corruption every day of my life, and I won’t stand for it. On a daily basis, I see people who need punished, and people who need protected, and as God is my witness, I swear to you Arly, I will do everything in my power to meet both of those ends. “Your mother also wants to make a change in this world, but in a very different way. FutureNow is her dream come true. It’s what she’s worked towards her whole life, and it’s made her one of New Zealand’s most powerful, and more importantly, most respected businesswomen. “Bottom line Arly, you will one day find a way to make your difference in this world. Take it. When you see a way to help this world, you have an obligation to do it. And I know you will. Because you’re a Flynn, and a Davison. Your genes are full of ambition, and a sense of justice. I look forward to the day when the name of Arly Flynn is known for all the right reasons.” When you see a way to help this world, you have an obligation to do it. Thanks Dad, you’ve made my choice so obvious. I put the headset on, and that’s when things got strange. The first change was my appearance. My clothes started to twist, shrink, grow, and merge together. I also somehow gained a helmet, which the headset attached itself to, and a visor came down, concealing my eyes, and I’m guessing, true identity. When I looked in the mirror, I could see that I was now Naturia. My costume was mainly something between white and silver, with stripes of earth greens and browns running down the sides, and the flaming N logo on my chest. Next, I felt power surging through my veins. My hands became comfortably hot, but at a temperature that would give anyone else third degree burns. Mentally, I felt a sudden calmness, and serenity with everything around me. I was acutely aware of everything happening on the willow tree outside my window - every leaf, branch, bird. And I knew I had an enormous amount of control. Not over the birds, I simply knew without looking that they were there, and what branches they were on, but the tree, and the wind, those I could control. “How does it feel?” I snapped to attention. “Freznul?” “In your headset. I did tell you it would allow us to communicate. If you need to talk to me during battle, people will merely see you talking into the microphone. But there’s something else I must now tell you. The headset itself is actually the source of your powers. Putting it on will transform you into Naturia, removing the helmet will revert you to Arly.” “But doesn’t that mean that anyone who puts the headset on will transform, the way I just did? And if the powers are controlled by the headset, why did I end up in hospital the other night? I thought that was because of the power surging through me, and my body’s inability to handle it.” “I infused you with the powers of Naturia, and you are correct. It was a lot for your body to suddenly take on, so you collapsed and went into a deep sleep while your body adjusted to the transformation. It was regrettable, but unavoidable.” “Whoa, hang on a second - are you saying you knew what you did to me would put me in hospital? Why didn’t you tell me that at the time?” “If I had, would you have agreed to take on the powers and the task that comes with them?” I didn’t have an answer for that one. “Now for the first part of your question. The powers of Naturia will only work in certain humans. Those who are pure of heart. We found you, and saw that you were the only one who was compatible. This is your destiny. If we had simply given you the headset, and someone else had gotten hold of it, do you have any idea what would have happened had they tried to wear it? It would have destroyed them. Because of my actions, the powers are now yours alone. They have now manifested into the headset so it controls them. Consider it your Naturia on / off switch. Anyone else who tries wearing the headset will feel no effect whatsoever. “That said, you must not let it fall into the wrong hands. The Quires have the ability to shapeshift into the dominant species of the planet they inhabit. Anyone you come into contact with could be a Quire, and if one of them should wear the headset, it would most certainly have an effect. The powers would manifest themselves differently in a Quire, and they would become even more destructive.” “So if they can look like anyone, how will I recognise them?” “They have a mark. One thing they simply cannot change, no matter what they look like. It looks like a small red sword in a circle, with the blade overlapping the circle’s edge. Like a tattoo, and you’ll see it on the back of their hands. Now, young heroine, there is one very important thing you must do before you can take on The Quires. You must understand exactly how your powers work, and to do that, you will need to experiment with them. I will leave you to it now, but should you ever wish to contact me, press the button on the side of the headset. Good luck. You have the full support of The Zews.” Yeah, sure, I thought, removing the helmet and transforming back into Arly. If I really had their full support, why didn’t some of them come down and help me? A knock at the door certainly brought me back down to Earth. “Arly? Your mum said it was ok for me to come up. How are you feeling?” “Abby, hi. I’m fine. The olds are just fussing. I’d go back to school tomorrow if they’d let me.” “I wish they would. Your self-confidence always rubs off on me. I feel like I’ve got a chance with Edward when you’re around. Without you there, I can barely talk to him.” “I don’t know why you bother, it’s not like he talks to you. Doesn’t talk to anyone, from what I’ve seen.” “I know! He’s so mysterious and cool. It’s like he’s risen above everyone else.” “Yeah, risen above and knows it. Listen to me Abby, he may seem like he possesses some kind of maturity no-one else does, but the fact is he doesn’t talk to anyone because he doesn’t see them as worthy. Your little crush on him doesn’t make you any different in his eyes. Hell, half the girls in the school have that crush. And yet he treats you like you’re not worthy to wipe the crap off his shoe. What does that tell you?” “He only acts like that in public. In private, I bet I could get him to open up.” “Edward Whitlock? Open up? Abby, what needs to open up is your eyes. Have you ever even seen him in private?” “No, but as soon as I do, I’ll see the real Edward, I know I will. You’re wrong about him Arly, I’m sure of it.” “We weren’t wrong when he tried to steal software from Mum’s store.” “Let that go, it was a couple of years ago now, and what are saying, people can’t change?” “People can Abby, but he won’t. I’ve got your best interests at heart here girlfriend. I honestly believe that if you somehow manage to get close to him, he’ll hurt you, and I don’t want to see that happen.” “You worry too much. I’ll be fine. Anyway, after what I saw the other night, I tend to side with your parents. You need to get some rest. I’ll come by and see you tomorrow.” I sighed. There goes the biggest flake and the biggest gossip in town. There’s no way I can tell her my secret. Then again, she’s also my best friend. There’s no way I can keep it from her.  |
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