Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 15:30:21 -0000
From: Tim <shiningstar@oceanfree.net>
Subject: Powers That Be 2

	Well, this is chapter two. All thanks and praise is going to be
heaped onto Tim this time. He's helped me work through a lot of the ideas
that I've had problems with here. So, thanks Tim!

	If you have anything that you want to say to me then e-mail me -
shiningstar@oceanfree.net . I welcome all comments and suggestions!

	YOu can also get me on AIM - shiningstartim. But I live in Ireland
so I don't think that I'd get to talk to you very often.

	I've got another story on the go as the same time as this one.
Check it out - Shining Star.

	This story is not true. Nothing that happens in it is based on real /
actual events. If you think that they might be then I've got a label for you!
Just because I say that some of the people in this story are of one sexuality
or an other does not mean that they are! If you're too young to read this then
don't read it

---------------------------

	"Hey Ashley." I whispered into my sister's ear. She muttered
and turned over in her sleep, the sleep that had been induced by Lance.
"Ashley!" I shouted. Scaring her awake.

	"Tom." She groaned. "It's a Saturday, why can't I go back to
sleep?" Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and took in her surroundings.
"Where are we?"

	"Well. you fainted when Nsync came into the room, right?"

	"I missed seeing Nsync? Amy's gonna kill me!"

	"She fainted as well so I think you're ok. Anyway, since you
didn't see the guys backstage they said we could come back to the hotel
with them and stay the night." I waited for the onslaught.

	"*We* are in Nsync's hotel! Ohmygod! Amy's gonna kill me!
She's gonna go insane! Where are they? Is this Justin's room?" I
grabbed her and held her down until she calmed down.

	"No! This room is on the same floor as their rooms. That's all!
Amy's not going to kill you, but I think you just woke her up. Justin and
the others are downstairs having their breakfast, so if you want to join
them then you had better get yourself and Amy ready in 10 minutes and
meet me in the hall. Ok?" She nodded shakily. I didn't want to be in the
room when Amy found out where they had stayed the night. Just across
the hall from JC! Wow. Too late though. The shriek could be heard from
3 doors down.

	After our conversation in the dressing rooms last night I had
agreed to become the 'protegé' of the guys. I would quickly learn how to
control the power that they said that I had, I was assured, but they also
said that the learning itself would never end. I was taking a year out
from college anyway. And if I hadn't learnt all that I could learn from
them by then, we would have to see.

	6 minutes later the girls were standing impatiently outside their
door. I lead them to the elevator that would take us down to where the
five were having their breakfast. I knew that they were waiting for us to
come down before they started. Neither of them said a single word the
entire way down, they were so nervous. Maybe it was because they
thought that they might 'faint' again and ruin their second chance to see
Nsync.

	Breakfast went well. I suspected that Lance might have had
something to do with that. I was sure that I had seen a faint green glow
radiate from his eyes just after the girls sat down. All I know is that they
were suddenly a lot less jittery and were more controlled.

	Mum came to pick them up at two, but before then they had
managed to secure both a collection of autographs and souvenirs and
also a place in each one of the boy's hearts.

	"Right." Said Justin, who was taking charge. "Now that they're
out of the way we can get down to some *real* business!" He paused for
dramatic effect and then continued. "The first thing that I think you need
to know is how to see your magic, you know. That thing that I did last
night." I had seen plenty of displays of their various powers since Justin
had seemed to burst into flames last night. But I still recalled it quiet
clearly because of the shock value that it had had.

	"Yeah." Said JC. "Not only is it the first step but it'll give us a
clearer idea of how strong a mage you are."

	"Sounds good." I said, because I felt that I should say
something. "What do I do?"

	"Well, it's been a while, but I think the important thing is focus.
Hang on a sec." JC closed his eyes and held out a hand. There was a
rush of air and a book was lying in his hand. Well, lying above it. He
opened the book, and, reading faster then I thought humanly possible,
found what he was looking for. He put the book down on a table. "Yes.
Focus. Do you practise meditation at all? No? Damn. Any ideas guys?"

	"I'll show him." Said Lance, stepping into the conversation.
"Take my hands Tom, and concentrate on my eyes." I took the offered
hands and looked into his eyes, concentrating on the green irises that
intoxicated millions of people across the globe. Another breath and I
was seeing through his eyes, staring at myself. I jumped back and lost
the connection.

	"Relax. Let's try it again." We did so and this time I didn't
break the connection. "Ok." Said Lance, his voice seeming to come from
all around me and inside me at the same time. "Close your eyes. Follow
where I lead." I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and was amazed by
what I saw. It was like a star, burning brightly, but I could look at it. It
looked a bit odd. After I got over the initial shock I turned and saw
Lance grinning at me.

"Welcome to your power centre!" I heard him say, though I'm
not sure how, there didn't seem to be any air. I looked closer at what I
saw in front of me. On closer inspection I saw what was strange about it.
The ball of fire (as it was represented) was in fact black with streaks of
white running through it. But it was emanating light!

"Any magic that you use draws on the power contained here.
Usually it doesn't drain you, but some of the more powerful spells will
leave you feeling tired and it is possible to run out temporarily. But your
power will always replenish itself. You see those streaks of white?
That's your essence, your soul. What makes you you. It feeds from your
magic and vice-versa. All you have to do now is focus on bringing it to
the surface. Just imagine yourself doing it and you will. Concentrate!"
With that Lance disappeared, leaving me alone in my power centre.

	After several minutes concentrating on the task that had been
set to me I began to feel a tingle, which turned to a ripple. I reopened my
eyes to see tendrils of fire shooting out from the ball that was my magic.
Then I *really* opened my eyes, looked down at my hand and saw the
same sort of effect that I had seen on Justin, only this time it was black
with sparks of white glittering through it. I blinked, and when I looked
again the fire was gone.

	"Good! I thought that it would take you longer!" Said a
surprised JC. "It took me three days just to figure that out!"

	"But you didn't have my help, remember?" Joked Lance.

	"I don't think that you had as great a role as you think Lance,
you saw what that was!" Said Justin.

	"True." Agreed Lance.

	"What are you talking about?" I asked.

	"The colour of your power is very important. It tells a lot about
how powerful you are. Guys?" Said Justin. The others nodded and
concentrating, they brought their own power out onto the surface.
Lance's was a deep green, JC's was yellow, Joey's was a light blue,
Chris flamed up in purple and Justin went the same red that I had seen
last night. Smiling, I took a deep breath and thinking about what I had
done just moments before, tried to repeat it. Within a couple of seconds
the black fire rolled along the surface of my body again, rippling and
flaring. I stopped concentrating and the power faded away slowly this
time instead of blinking out. The others also stopped showing off and we
all sat down again.

	"That's really good Tom, doing it again so quickly. I don't
think that I know anyone who was able to do it again so quickly the
second time round." Said JC admiringly.

	"Anyway, what were you saying about the colour showing a lot
about the power that you have?" I asked.

	"Well, I said last night that were different levels and types of
power. Most people with magic can do basic things, like show their
power, or throw fireballs, but at the same time most people also have
specialities. Things that they are good at, but within that again they can
be weak or strong. We all have strong powers, that's why we're
together." Answered JC.

	"Wait! You're saying that you're together as a group because
of your magical powers? Not because of your singing?" JC laughed.

	"I suppose you could take it like that, but if you want to look at
it another way, if we couldn't sing, then we wouldn't have lasted as long
as we have. Would we?"

	"I guess not." I said.

	"Anyway. where was I?" He asked.

	"You were telling him about the specialities." Supplied Justin.

	"Ok. Now then, for example, I'm a telepath mainly but I
surprise people sometimes, my power also allows me telekinesis and
other things that branch off that. Lance is a seer. He can see things that
are hidden to most others, he's got X-ray eyes and is the one who
spotted your magic, also he's a healer, if you've ever got a bad hangover
then he's the man to talk to. Justin is an elemental mage. He can control
the elements completely, including water, fire and earth. As for Joey,
well I just think that he's here for the free food. seriously though, he's a
shapeshifter and also has some 'seeing' power." JC gave Lance a funny
look. And Chris, well, none of us really know what Chris does. I don't
think he knows himself sometimes. What are you Chris?" Chris grinned.

	"I can talk to animals." He said

	"And trees, and rocks, and puddles." Whispered Justin into my
ear. But that's 'cos he's mad."

	"I heard that J!" Chris shouted. "But that's not all I do.
Sometimes I can 'steal' power for a while, but it depends on the
circumstances."

	"As for you." Interrupted JC. "You could probably learn to do
any number of these. That's what the colour shows about your power."
The others gaped. JC just laughed. "You lot should be studying your lore
more. It clearly states exactly what I just said."

	"Yes teacher." Said Justin, mimicking a school child.

	"That's better! And make sure that you do your homework
tonight." Mocked JC, waggling a finger a Justin. "I don't want to have to
ring your father again!"

	"Anyway. now that we've got the first part down, what'll we
teach Tom next?" Asked Lance.

	"A fireball is always a good place to start!" Said Justin who I
guess was all for fire because of his ability to control it fully.

	"Why not." Said Lance. "You can have the honours Justin,
since you're so eager for him to know how to throw one!"

	"Fine!" Said Justin, sticking his tongue out at Lance. "You just
watch me. I'll be a great teacher! Come on Tom, we don't need these
people." I bemusedly followed him to a corner of the room where he
tried to show me what to do.

	"All you have to do is think it into existence! It's just basic
magic!" Said an exasperated Justin.

	"You forget. I don't know any magic at all."

	"So? You did the other thing no problem! It's the same as
that!"

	"Really? But that was easy."

	"Exactly! Ok." Justin took a deep breath, trying to let out some
of the tension that he was feeling. "Close your eyes. Try to see your
power centre again. All you have to do is focus. That's all."

	"Right right." I said, and then closed my eyes. After a couple of
minutes concentrating I saw it, my power centre. "I see it! Now what do
I do?"

	Justin's voice returned as if from far away. "The same thing
that you did for the other thing. Just think about it. *Know* that it's
going to happen and it will!"

	After another couple of minutes concentrating on my power
centre a ball of magic separated from it and it came speeding towards me
to land in my outstretched hand.

	"Good! You have it. Now, open your eyes!" I did as Justin said
and, for an instant saw a ball of flame resting in my hand before it
disappeared. "Great! You had it! Now, try again." When I tried again I
got it much more easily. I had barely started thinking about it when
Justin shouted that I had done it. I opened my eyes and saw it resting
there.

	"Throw it at me!" He said. I looked at him incredulously. "I'll
be ok." And to prove his point he threw up what looked like a force
field. I lobbed it gently at him at his shielding protected him, though I
did hear him grunt in effort as it made it's impact. I heard the others
cheer at us.

	"Justin is *actually* more then a pretty face! Who would have
thought it?" Exclaimed Lance. Justin grinned.

	"That's just *asking* for it Albino boy!" and Justin threw a
fireball of his own at Lance who threw up his own shielding. I backed
into a corner to wait this one out because I didn't think that I had
*nearly* enough power under control to take them on. I closed my eyes
and was almost instantly looking at my power centre. Shields, I thought.
I imagined them surrounding me a saw with a previously unknown
clarity what I had to do. I smiled and did what was necessary. The outer
shell of the power centre burst outwards, expanding as it did. I opened
my eyes and gently threw a fireball at JC to get his attention. He must
have thought that I was one of the others because next thing I knew, he
had spun around and used his telekinetic ability to push me into the wall.
The surprise shattered the concentration that was holding my shielding
in place and I hit the wall with a thud. Justin rushed over to me.

	"Oh shit!" wailed Justin. "I don't think he's breathing." JC
gently pushed Justin aside and placed his hands on my chest. He went
into a deep trance, all the time muttering a spell underneath his breath.
After a couple of moments of this I took a deep breath and opened my
eyes to see 5 very worried faces in my field of vision.

	"Guys." I said, as if greeting them for the first time.

	"Are you ok?" Asked JC.

	"I've got a *really* bad headache. But aside from that. I'll be
fine." Unbeknownst to me JC quickly eradicated the ache that was
starting to thud within my skull, and then everything was all right.

	"Sorry for doing that Tom. But I thought. hell, I don't know
what I was thinking. I was just responding y'know?" JC said.

	"I'm ok JC.  Don't worry about a thing." I reassured him.

	"Was it my imagination or were you using shields a minute ago
Tom?" Asked Justin.

	"Yeah, I was. Didn't do me much good though, did they?"

	"That's not the point! You figured out how to create them
yourself? That's really some power you've got there." Said Lance
admirably. "It's only taken you a day to learn all that. It took me at least
a week of hard work."

	"Guys. Just a thought here, but if Tom's gonna be coming on
tour with us what's he going to do?" Asked Justin.

	"Well Justin, we were thinking of teaching him how to use his
power, remember?" Teased JC.

	"You know what I mean! He's got to have to have some kind of
job. Otherwise people are gonna talk." Replied Justin.

	"The boy's got a point." Said Chris. "What *are* we going to
do with Tom?"

	"We could have him join the security team." Suggested Joey.

	Chris disagreed. "Nah. No offence, but those guys are huge.
Nobody would believe that. How about a PA?"

	"Yeah! That way he could be on the tour bus with us and
everything!" Said Justin.

	"What's a PA?" I asked.

	"Personal Assistant. You'd basically be around to help us when
we need it." Answered Justin. "What do ya think?"

	"Sounds ok, I guess. When do I start?" I asked. Big mistake.

	"Well, I could do with a drink. Would you go down to the
lobby for me?" Requested JC.

	Chris joined in. "That receptionist is pretty hot. Get me her
number would you?"

	"I don't like my hair like this. Could you get my gel and do it
again?" Asked Lance.

	"Well, I'm about to have a shower. Could you hand me a towel
when I get out?" Said Justin, and then realised his mistake. Screams of
laughter tore from the guys as they delighted in what he said. He went
bright red and fled from the room.

-------------------

	Once again, Let me know what you think! shiningstar@oceanfree.net

						Tim