Of Magic and Nature (Interactive Story)

[Piefan]

Author's Note;;
Because I can. This will basically work the same way as any other interactive story - I post one part, readers choose what happens next. Go ahead and post right now, if you'd like. Anyone can; regardless of how stupid your ideas may seem, or how deep I am in it.

Among the other humans, you are no different. In fact, you're close to being remarkable in how average you are. You are of average height, with pure black hair - the norm here - almond shaped eyes, and tan skin. Naturally, you have a tendency to get overlooked. You are still not certain whether that annoys you or relieves you.

Regardless, this is your chance to change! To, if you wish, become important!

This you think as you stare at the form in front of you, musing that perhaps you need not monologue every time you do something. Still, you find your thoughts running wild - you are about to make an important decision that will affect the whole of your life... though your future is not planned beyond the years after this, where you will attend high school.

Wizards and druids are rivals where you live, due to their extremely different cultures. The former are mystical, mysterious, and intellectual, while the latter are down-to-earth, straightforward, and tough. While wizards draw upon the essence of the universe, druids use the energy of living things. Wizards are more versatile, but druids have the most raw power. (Not to mention a possibly cool animal companion.)

At the age of thirteen, everyone will be sent a letter and be told to choose out of the two paths. You are to do that right now. Your family, unlike many others, do not care which one you choose, and you had never had any friends to influence you. Your choice is completely yours.

Which do you choose?

[retroaqua]

Druid sounds nice. The person could have a pet wolf... just saying! ( I mean, who wouldn't want a wolf or a leopard??? Thats already tamed, of course. )

[Cloudflame]

He could tylry and make a compromise and rebel against everything so he ends up a wolfy wizard or a diminuitive druid

[TheFabulousHorse]

druid with a pet horse or llama XD
Oooorrr a.. I dunno, something else.

[Piefan]

Author's note;;
Druid's the majority, yay. I was kind of expecting all of you to go "I SHALL BE A REBEL!" and choose both/neither, but I guess we're sticking to one. I wonder how the government would have reacted to a rebel anyway...

Inventory
$10

Being a druid, you decide, would be most fitting for you. You have, after all, always liked animals. Not that they especially liked you back, but now you get to solve that problem too! As you write it down, your mother - a beautiful wizard - appears outside your room. "Have you decided yet which you're choosing?"

When you answer in the affirmative, she nods, smiling. "Good, then. I'll get you to the school. Here's your allowance." She hands you some coins.

Obtained $10!

Before you have an opportunity to react, a swirling light surrounds you, and when it fades, you find yourself outside the druid school. Glad that nobody has noticed you, you walk slowly towards it, for you feel lightheaded. You have brought nothing with you, save for the form you just filled in, but the school will provide anything, and you can go back home during the weekends to get anything you need regardless.

You stumble your way to the office, where you pass the form to the receptionist before heading to the field opposite the library - she had told you that students were gathering there. This does not surprise you, really. Where else would the people of a school for nature magicians assemble?

It does, however, surprise you to find that half of the school is just a long, divided field with a ceiling. You really should have read the brochure you were given. Still, you manage to find your destination, and when you do, you sit at the back of the group. A man is standing in front of you, and you watch him, instantly assuming he is a teacher. You seem to be correct.

He makes a brief speech before leading all of you to another section of the field, where multiple animals roam freely. "Choose one," he declares, his voice deep and smooth, "and do so wisely. We don't want you to become enemies with your new companion." He pauses for a few moments, which is enough for a hawk to fly towards you and claw at you on the head. You glare at it, hoping your new druidic powers will help you chase it away.

It doesn't move. Typical.

You wave a hand at it, focusing on the teacher. "Of course, it would be hard for us to actually be hated by animals... You have not been given your powers yet, but entering this school instantly causes oneself to be loved by them. Unless that oneself is a wizard." He shrugs casually, breaking his precious demeanour of formality. "Now hurry up and choose something already."

In a flash, the hawk flies into the sky, circling high above you. Choosing to ignore it, you look around. Many of the animals have already been chosen, but a few have not: a horse, a wolf, and a large pigeon. They all have their benefits, you suppose: a horse would make a good mount, a wolf a combatant, and a pigeon a messenger. You could also choose the hawk, but seriously? It's a disobedient thing with few benefits, and most of those are covered by the pigeon.

Which do you choose?

[retroaqua]

As I said, WOLF!

Wolves are misunderstood and loners. They might make a good pair

[TheFabulousHorse]

Horse <33
Feel free to use one of my tiny trotters if you want a picture XD

[LurkingLeafy]

LE HAWK! @w@

[Piefan]

Author's note;;
... A tie. The second decision turned up a tie. Anyway, I used random.org and horse was the first. The others will definitely be turning up, though. Probably as the companions to some other people. (And yes, "Earth Beat" is indeed the results of a random generator. Come on, what were you expecting?) I got kinda lazy with description and modelled her after an Arabian horse. Let's all assume that's what she is, at least until proven otherwise.

Inventory
$10

While you ponder, the horse trots up to you and nickers softly. Is that a sign of affection? Aggression? Happiness? You have no idea, honestly. Still, upon further thought, you decide that animals would probably not walk up to someone just to express their disdain. Affection it is, then! Or neutrality... Still, an equine would be practical anyway.

Just then, the teacher walks up to you. "Chosen yet?" Barely a millisecond passes before he says, "Yes, good, we're running twenty minutes behind schedule. Now for the powers thing..." He closes his eyes and mutters something under his breath. Wondering what he's talking about, you stand there, waiting.

Just then, a throbbing pain intrudes upon your head, rendering you unable to even come up with a simile to describe it. Vision blurry, you glance up at the man, trying to hide your discomfort. It would be... probably bad to spontaneously have a headache on the first day of school. He doesn't react, except to nod. "You're fine," he assures you, and the ache fades. "You'll find some stuff in your dorm to help with the horse. By the way, druidic powers will involve hearing the voices of every animal in close proximity until you control it."

You would answer, but right now... you're rather distracted. The cacophony of several voices pierces through your mind, discordant and confusing. They seem to be the thoughts of animals - flies, insects, everything else. One rises above them, though, with a simple statement: "I am Earth Beat."

"That's a stupid name," you whisper. The feminine voice snorts in reply. "Who the heck are you anyway?"

"The horse you just got as your companion. Now, I think it may do you good to ignore the voices in your head; the earthworm below me should grow rather vulgar in a moment. And then it may die painfully." You do as told, trying your best to block out the thoughts. It isn't an easy task, though, and to help yourself, you try to focus on other things.

Earth Beat, for instance.

She is, in comparison to most other horses you have seen before, short, with an arched neck and shiny, light grey fur. Her build is slender, but it does not seem weak, nor malnourished. Her mane is no different from any other you have seen - ivory, thick, and long. She raises a hoof to stomp on the ground, and you swear you hear something scream.

"Now hurry up. You'll need to choose your subjects." She nudges you with her nose. "What did you plan on taking?"

You pause to think over the question. What would you want to learn here? You file through a mental list of everything you know they teach here: Air Manipulation, Animal Charming, Plant Caretaking, Water Manipulation, and so on, along with the usual maths and such, albeit with much less emphasis placed upon them.

What three-four do you choose?
(You may make up another one not listed as long as it's related to nature. This will basically work like this: each user makes a brief list, or just chooses one, and I combine those, eliminating those unneeded.)

[Violetmew]

plant manipulation, animal charming and water manipulation is good.