Well, this is number 6! I'm going to keep this short because I'm tired. Thanks to all those who've written to me so far and especially thanks to Tim, he's an inspiration. And Sher, what can I say?
Let me know what you think - shiningstar@oceanfree.net . I really love getting e-mail so please do so.
None of this real. It's the product of one sick and twisted author and one sick and twisted weirdo (That's Tim.) I do not presume to know the sexuality's of any of the celebrities mentioned or used in this fiction.
"I'm impressed Tom." Were Lance's first words when they got back from the studios.
"Thank you." I said, taking a bow.
"Here, take my hand. I'm sure JC told you about the connections that we have to each other. It'll mean that you won't have to spend time looking for us in the future.
"Oh, yeah, sure." I said, taking his hand. I felt the tingle of magic that I was now used to and that was it.
"All you have to do is think my name and you should be able to get me. You should do the same with the others as soon as they get back.
"Where are they?" Asked JC.
"They're down getting food in the restaurant." Replied Lance.
"J's idea?"
"You know it." Laughed Lance.
"How long have you before the concert?" I asked.
Lance checked his watch and then said. "Three and a half hours, then we're getting picked up. They're already starting to gather outside, but security can handle them for now."
"You could just teleport across to the stadium." I suggested.
"We can't do anything to make people think that there's something strange about the group, except for Curly. If we do that then we could really bring the vamps and black wizards down on us."
"But don't you already do that by fighting them?"
JC smiled grimily. "Most of them don't survive."
"Alright then..." I said.
"Food's here! Open the door!" Shouted Justin from outside the door.
"You should have just ordered room service." Said JC. "You're asking to be spotted going down to the restaurant."
"Didn't you know? I live for danger." Shot Justin back.
"We're meant to fight the powers of darkness! We don't have the training to deal with a horde of psycho girls! They're unstoppable!"
"Anyway, how did things go today Tom?" Asked Justin.
"That's right!" Said Chris. "I knew there was something that I wanted to ask you!"
"Fine." I said. "They decided that I'm fit to be trained in Magic, by you lot, but I have to be ready for more tests.
"That's great! But the tests are usually combat ones, so you're going to have to learn some fighting skills. What do you guys think?" Asked Justin.
"It makes sense, but there's a lot to combat magic. What do we teach him?" Said Joey.
"I say we start with some weather control, wind, lightening." Suggested Justin.
"You would!" Said JC. "I think we should teach him mental attacks."
"Listen to you!" Exclaimed Lance. "You've got to think about what he really needs. I think that we should start with some simple things. I agree that lightening is something useful, but it's not much good indoors, is it? I say that we start with some defensive skills. What about telekinesis Josh?"
"I don't know. It's not much good in fights unless you get really good at it. Controlling the wind is an easier way of doing the same thing, it's crude, but it works." Said JC. Justin gave JC a light punch for making fun of his speciality.
"If you're good enough at it it's almost as good as telekinesis. And I'll never have bad weather on my dates, will I?"
"But I've notice a tendency for me to have bad weather. That wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it J?" Asked Joey. "I think Lance is getting tired of it." Justin blushed and didn't say anything else.
"Ok then, Justin. Can you teach him to control wind?"
"I guess I could give it a try. Come on Tom, let's go to the roof."
"It's not a matter of wanting the air to move, or wishing it to move. You have to know that it's moving the way you want it to, then it will. It's the same as a lot in magic, it just takes a lot of confidence to know that it's working the way you want it to, then it will. If you start to imagine problems then they'll occur." Explained Justin.
I looked up at the perfect day that was in it. Not a cloud soured the sky and even on top of a 16 storey building there wasn't a breath of wind blowing. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate.
"Just imagine it in your head and then apply it to the real world." He coaxed. "It's really simple."
I opened one eye to look at him. "Maybe for you. But you've been doing this how long?"
He grinned. "Only a couple of years. Do you want me to come in there and show you how to do it?"
"Nah, I think I can manage." I didn't want to chance him seeing some of the thoughts that were racing around my head at the moment. Mainly about what he looked like naked. I tried to dismiss them and eventually my entire concentration was focused on believing that the wind was blowing. Finally, something clicked and I realised how to do it. I opened my eyes, raised my hand and pushed a swirl of air towards Justin.
He stepped backwards, trying to regain his balance and then shouted over the increasingly strong wind. "That's really good, but you've got to be able to actually push someone away." I simply grinned and tried harder, I closed my eyes to focus completely on what I was doing and felt a surge of power. When I reopened my eyes Justin was floating 5 foot of the edge of the roof and out of the wind. I slowed down the wind again and felt the rush of power leave me. Justin drifted back towards the roof and landed.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" He said.
"You can fly?" I asked.
"You didn't know that I could fly and you pushed me off the edge of a building?! Oh god that's funny. Seriously though, most of us can fly. Me because I can control the wind and can lift myself with it, Josh used Telekinesis, Joey morphs into what ever he wants to fly as, Chris usually copies someone else abilities for a while."
I interrupted. "I thought he stole magic?"
"But when someone gives it to him willingly they can both use it. And Lance usually gets a lift from either Josh or me, so don't go pushing him off any buildings! Still, that was impressive shit Tom. Want to try anything else?" Asked Justin.
"Yeah, but I think I've got it now, it's fairly simple once you cop on to how to do it." I said, thinking about what I wanted to try next. I wanted to feel that surge again, when it came I felt like I could do anything. Rain! I thought. Going back in my mind to place where I'd been when I figured out how to move the air I thought about clouds and rain instead. When I opened my eyes this time I saw clouds racing towards us from over the horizon. Justin was also looking at them with one eyebrow cocked.
"Don't get me wet, I just bought this jacket, and it's dry clean only." He asked.
"Do something about it yourself, you're the elemental mage here." I replied.
"True." He said and raising his hand he dispersed the clouds that had just started to dominate the skyline with ease. Concentrating further, I managed to form a cloud just behind Justin. I blinked and it started raining on his head.
Because he was so surprised he lost his grip on the weather and the cloud started to grow and expand. As it did it got darker, until it was completely black. The rain beat down quicker and Justin was running around like a headless chicken, trying to find somewhere to shelter. Finally he found the door that lead back downstairs and he raced down it.
I laughed out loud and with a thought stopped the rain. By the time that did gotten to the doorway the sun was shining warmly again and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I sauntered down the stairs.
"Are you responsible for this?" Said Lance in an accusatory tone, pointing at a Justin who was dripping water onto the carpet.
"Me?" I said, feigning surprise. "How could I have done that?"
"Hmmm." Said Lance, clearly not believing a word that I said.
"It just started pouring down, it caught us both by surprise."
"Then why aren't you wet?" Asked Joey.
"Because I had the good sense to run for cover, unlike some people around here."
"I told you that this jacket was dry-clean only. Now it's ruined!" Complained Justin.
"Justin, it's not my fault that you were caught by a little bit of rain. It does happen you know."
"Not like that." Said Lance.
"What about like this?" I asked while forming a little cloud above his head.
"I can see what you're doing Tom."
I waved my hand and the cloud undid itself. "I don't know what you're talking about." I said guiltily.
"Anyway." Said JC, saving me from Lance's stare. "The level of control that you're showing is impressive Tom, but then, that's what I've been saying since the start. I think it's time that we showed you something more important, something that will come very useful in the future. Time Control."
"What do you mean? Going into the past and stuff?" I guessed.
"No, it's been tried in no one can do it, if we could then we'd call it time travel. Time control is all about taking yourself outside time so that you can effectively speed up or slow down time. We use it a lot when we are under pressure for time; we can slow down time so that we've got more time do things in, to hold conversations. Do you get what I mean?"
"Yeah. Is it hard?"
"It depends what you mean." He answered. "When you're just starting you can only slow it down or speed it up a little bit, but as you get better at it you can bring time almost to a stop."
They tried to show me how do it for almost and hour and a half, never growing impatient, never sighing in exasperation, but when it came to the time for us to leave for their concert they had given up on me. JC said that it was probably because I wasn't advanced enough, and left it at that. We all pushed through the crowds and made our way out to the waiting limo.
"Hey Tom?"
"Yeah JC?"
"What about that sister of yours? Do you think that she'd want to see the show again?" My sister! Over the last couple of days I'd barely thought about my family because so much had happened.
"Of course she would! But I thought the concert's been sold out for months."
"I think I know someone who might be able to arrange something. You just get her and her crazy friend Amy to the backstage entrance for 7:30 and I'll arrange the rest."
I took out my phone and rang home.
"Hello stranger." Said Mum.
"Very funny. Listen, do think that Ashley and Amy would be up to a second dose of 'N Sync?"
"I think they could manage it."
"Can you get them to the backstage entrance for half seven?"
"I'll manage it. But I want to talk to you. I didn't like you leaving it so long before ringing." She chastised.
"Sure thing. I'll see you there." I said.
"Bye Honey."
"So they'll be there?" Asked Justin.
"I don't think they'd miss it for the world." I replied.
The concert went brilliantly that night. My sisters got a special mention from the group and I had a long conversation with my mother about what I was getting up to. I managed to stick to the truth most of the time. But without being able to mention the learning magic parts there were huge gaping holes in my story.
"Thank you guys." I said, later that night.
"For what?"
"For making my sister one of the happiest people on the planet, and for making me look like the coolest person on earth to her." They all laughed at that. Because of the early flight tomorrow morning to New York we all went to sleep early. This time Justin didn't join me in bed.
Like I said above, e-mail me! shiningstar@oceanfree.net
Tim