Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 14:50:38 +0100 From: Tim <shiningstar@oceanfree.net> Subject: Powers That Be 7 Well well, so you've come back for more eh? Glad to hear it, because if you weren't then I don't really see much point to writing this! Well, I don't really know what to say at this point, I'm all out of Ideas. Thanks to Sher, she knows why, Tim, you know why, and Matt, for your continued support and the card! Loved it! To anyone else who has written to me - thank you so very much. It's not like I wouldn't write this if people didn't write to me, but it really motivates me to get the chapters out more quickly. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or criticism that you want to hurl my way then please do so. The address is shiningstar@oceanfree.net This story is what I like to call fiction. If you haven't gathered that from the fact that it's a story then the use of magic might have given it away. If *that* didn't work either then you really are going to have to rethink what you are doing with your life. I don't know any of the members of 'N Sync nor am I affiliated to / with them in any way. If you are too young then I don't really know... should you be reading this? ------------------------------------ After an early rise in the morning we had all been trooped on to the tour bus to begin the 8-hour journey into New York City for the final concert of the tour. We first took some time to help me form the mental connections with each of them that would come in handy in the future. "I don't think that we should teach you any combat magic on the bus, but there is something else that I've been meaning to show you. You've got to develop your magical senses." Said Lance. "Yeah, it's actually what we should have shown you how to do first, but I think this thing with Drayn and with what happened to Justin made us concentrate on showing you how to protect yourself. But you have to know when someone is casting a spell or something as well." Added JC. "So I'll be able to tell when someone is using magic?" I asked. "That's not all! For example, I can feel all the others around me at the moment, I know that they're there and they know that I'm here." "But they can just look at you and know that." I said wryly. "That's not the point!" Exclaimed Lance. "Jeez, can't you take a joke boy?" I laughed. For the next two hours they showed me how to sense magical usage and discharges in proximity to myself. I was told that, like everything, my range would increase over time and practise. During this time Chris was sitting in the corner with a rabbit that the coach had hit a while back. Chris had yelped when it had happened and had gotten the driver to stop the coach right there. He had gotten out and tenderly picked up the rabbit to bring it onto the tour bus. When I saw it I felt such pity because it was really close to dying. But, when I looked over later the animal was almost completely healed, it just had a lot of dried blood on its fur. I got up and went over to sit beside him at the table. "I didn't think that you were a healer." I said. "Hmmm?" Said Chris, all his attention on the animal. "Oh, I can only heal animals, not humans. So I'm not considered to be a healer." "Is it alright now?" I asked. "It'll be fine. All I have to figure out is how to get it back to where it came from. We've already come a couple of hundred miles." "A teleportation spell?" I suggested. "Yeah... but they can be tricky when the things alive and not yourself." He then called JC over. "Help me with this will you JC?" JC understood what Chris wanted to do and nodded. The rabbit shimmered briefly and then vanished, back to where it had come from. We spent a lot of time then just laughing, joking and playing games. They even tried to get me to sing. They finally convinced me to try, but only once and never again. I knew why, it was the same reason that I hadn't wanted to in the first place, because I couldn't. "I never got you back for that stunt you pulled last night Tom." Said Justin. "I don't know what you're talking about." I replied. "You know full well what I'm talking about. The little rain cloud thing?" "It's not my fault that your guard wasn't good enough to protect you against my meagre power." I joked. "You took me by surprise!" He said. "I thought that you were able to tell when spells were going on around you." "I guess... but that doesn't mean that you can go around playing practical jokes on me!" "It was only the once. You'll get over it." "No I won't! I really liked that jacket. And you tried to do the same thing to Lance later!" "But he knew that I was doing it." I responded. "He *is* a seer you know." "Excuses excuses." I laughed. ------------------------ "See something you like James?" Asked Joey, who was sitting beside Lance, who was staring at Tom and Justin and not hiding it very well. Lance blushed and looked towards Joey. "They just look so perfect together, don't you think?" "If I agree that they do then will you stop staring at them? They're going to see you any minute." "Sure thing honey. Agree?" Joey glanced over at the pair on the sofa who were deep in conversation. "Ok, I agree. Now pay some attention to me!" Lance grabbed Joey by the neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. A couple of minutes later Lance asked. "How's that?" ---------------------------- "Would you look at those two over there?" Said Justin. "I don't really think I want to!" I said. Justin laughed. "You're probably right. Still though, it'd be great to have what they have with someone, wouldn't it?" Justin sighed. "I guess." I said noncommittally. The concert that night was awesome, as expected and the party was even better! Towards the end, when most of the people had gone home, a drunk sounding Lance came up to me. "Hey Tom. I've got a friend of mine who'd like to get to know you better. You interested?" He said in a slurred voice. I looked around and there weren't really all that many people left. Only those who were really close to the group were still here. "I don't know Lance..." "Go on." He shouted, over the music. "They'll be really disappointed if you don't show up. Just one dance 'k?" I hesitated. But what the hell, one dance wasn't too bad. "Alright, where?" "The other room. It's quieter. You can talk." Said Lance, losing his balance at the same time. I grabbed his arm to prop him up. "Thanks man. Here comes Joey! Joey!" Joey looked over at us and grinned, seeing the state that his boyfriend was in. "He making an ass of himself Tom? Here, I'll take things from here." He said, grabbing Lance and putting his arm around him as a support. "Go on. Have fun." Slurred Lance. "Sure thing Lance." I said, then I turned to look for this other room that Lance was talking about. As soon as I turned my back Lance stood up straight, but kept Joey's arm around him. "Did he fall for it?" Asked Joey. "Hook, line and sinker." Replied Lance. "What do you say about going up to our room?" Joey just grinned again and led the way. Eventually I found the other room that Lance had been talking about. I went in and closed the door behind me. It was quiet. You couldn't even hear the thumping music from the hall I'd just left. Must be sound proofed. "Is that you Tom?" Asked Justin, startling me. "Yeah. What are you doing here?" I asked. He walked towards me. "JC said that he had this friend that he wanted me to dance with, that they'd be in here." "Lance said the same thing to me. Said that it'd be quieter." "Sure is quiet." Said Justin. "Is it just us in here?" I asked. "Yeah, I've been waiting for about 10 minutes for someone to show up, I was about to leave when you came in." Something seemed to click in Justin and the look of confusion on his face cleared up. "What?" I asked. "I think that we're meant to dance together." He said hesitantly. "Us?" I laughed. "Is this their idea of a joke?" "I don't know. Do you want to dance with me?" He asked, moving closer towards me. "Sure, but..." I drifted off, realising what I'd just said. "Well, then we really should thank them, shouldn't we?" Justin grabbed me, and, without the assistance of any music, we danced. -------------------------------------- I groaned. Heavy drinking did not agree with me. I opened my eyes and smiled, looking at whom was occupying the other side of the bed. "Wake up Justin." I whispered. He just grunted and turned the other way. Still smiling, I summoned a breeze that lifted the covers and they drifted to the ground. I admired the naked body that was before my eyes, but Justin did nothing but turn over again, this time treating me to an even better view. But it didn't dull the edge of my sadism, The breeze grew stronger and gradually he was pushed towards the edge of the bed. Just before he got to the edge, as I was reaching forward to give it the personal touch someone knocked on the door. I looked towards the door and the wind died down. "Who is it?" I called. "It's Josh. Is Justin in there? Because he's not in his room." I blushed. "He's in here. How do you wake him up? Because I'm having some trouble with that." "Try sunlight. It works against vampires and it can work for you too." "But I don't want to get out of bed." I said back. "I wonder why." Jeered JC. "Shut up. Anyway, it's your fault that he's in here." I said back. "I only set you two up to dance together, I didn't force you to have sex with him." I blushed again. Just as I was about to say something back, Justin muttered something under his breath and turned over again, rolling of the bed. He sat up looking dazed. "Hey Lover." He said, smiling at me. "Never mind then." Said JC, before walking off, his footsteps echoing down the corridor. "What was that about?" Asked Justin. "I was wondering how to get you up." I said. "You didn't have any trouble figuring that out last night." Said Justin. I groaned at the bad joke and then got up to take a shower. Eventually we both were washed and dressed so we made our way over to JC's room. We made our entrance to applause and wolf- whistles. Justin bowed and I blushed. "You're welcome." Said Lance and JC. "Yeah yeah." I said. "Anyway." Said JC. "Before I forget, the flights to Ireland have been confirmed, Lance." "Ireland?" I asked. "Why are we going there? Why didn't anyone tell me? I don't have my passport with me." "Relax. We're not going for another couple of days so you've got plenty of time to get ready. We're going because Ireland's an extremely powerful place for magic and it'll be good to have you train there for a while. It was Lance's suggestion so you can thank him." "They have a disproportionately high number of people born there with magical powers, and even some people born with only minor magical abilities, like being able to light candles. Magic is more powerful there and it's also where the Mage's council is located." Added Lance. "You've got two days to get back home and packed. And then we're off!" "It's not my month of Florida Sun, Sand and Surf though." Pouted Justin. "You'll get over it." Said JC dismissally. "Besides, we're only going to spend a couple of weeks there, then you can go and bask on the beaches." "And the weather's crap..." Continued Justin, not listening to what JC was saying. ----------------------------------- "You're going to Ireland?" Asked Mum. "Why?" I'd just gotten home so that I could pack for the couple of weeks that I'd be away for and to say good bye to my family. "Because the guys are going over for a holiday and they invited me to go with them." "But you've only known them for a couple of weeks and they're asking you to go with them to another country?" "Even if I was working with them I'd have to go with them to other countries, I don't see what's so different about this." "It's not work! That's what's different about it." She exclaimed, and then changed her tone. "Speaking of work, your boss called, said that you shouldn't bother thinking that you're getting your job back at the shop." I'd forgotten completely about it! My other job, yeah, I really should have done something about it. But it's not like I was ever going to need to work there again. "Oops." I said. "Damn right. But I told her that I didn't think that you'd feel threatened by that and then I hung up on her. I never did like that women." She paused. "But that's getting away from the subject. I don't know if I want you going on this trip. Your sister misses you and so do I." "Mum! I'm nineteen years old. I'm going to be moving out permanently soon, you're going to have to get used to my not being here." I saw a glint in her eye. "There's something else isn't there? Something that you don't want to tell me. Who is it?" "Mum... I don't really want to say anything. I promised to keep it a secret." "So there is someone!" She said triumphantly. "Is it one of those 'N Sync boys? Is that why you can't tell me?" "He's not a boy! You're making me feel dirty saying that." "So you've had sex with him?" "Mum!" "I just want to make sure that you're being careful, that's all. I don't want my boy to get sick. Well... if it's like that then I guess you're going to have to go, aren't you?" She stated. "*Just* tell me which one it is." I didn't miss out on the emphasis that she'd put on 'Just'. If I hadn't known better I would have guessed that she was a telepath herself, so I ignored her question and went to my room to pack. She followed into my bedroom. "How will I break the news to Ashley? That her idol is gay." She sighed. I turned to her. "You are *not* going to tell her that Justin's gay." I said. "I never mentioned the name Justin." She said, smiling sweetly. "You little..." "Yes?" She said. "I thought I'd taught you to finish your sentences. What were you going to say?" "Never mind." I muttered, turning back to my packing. Half an hour later and I was almost done. If only I could find my passport... "Mum! I'm home!" Yelled Ashley from the front door, just before she slammed it. "Yes dear, I'm sure the neighbourhood is glad to hear that." Reprimanded Mum lightly, before she said in a louder voice, for my benefit. "Hello Amy. Glad you could come over." I groaned. Ashley bounced into my bedroom to give me a hug. "Tom! How long are you staying for?" "I'm not. I'm getting picked up later and then I'm going to Ireland for a couple of weeks." "With 'N Sync?" She squealed. "Are they picking you up?" "No! Ashley! They're not. I'm getting a flight to JFK and I'm meeting them there. You're not going to see them so don't go telling Amy that!" "Telling me what?" Asked Amy. I groaned again and pushed them out into the hall so that they could continue their screaming out there while I looked for my damn passport. ----------------------------------- That's that. I hope you liked it. Please, please let me know what you think by e-mailing me. I love to get e-mail from people who haven't written to me before (I don't mind e-mail from people who have written before either :-) ) shiningstar@oceanfree.net Tim.