Shout out to Chakenmo: Glad you liked it.

To everyone else: Give some R&R, ideas, and the whatnot. I can only get better with your help.

A day left to Hyda and here I was, holographic sword in my hands, held at my side, pointing behind me wondering if this is going to work or listen to the Yoda wannabe say 'And that is why you fail'. Auron was off to the side, arms crossed as he nodded. At the time I was wondering if I could find a genie... Go home, a few million richer...

"Good. Now, remember those meditations we did." James nodded, slightly, eyes closed. "Good. Now find your inner energy. Grasp it, accept it. It's yours. Use it as you use an arm, a leg... Feel it!"

I fell into a self-induced trance, seeking that power Auron mentioned. I searched, but I didn't know where I was looking. My body? My soul? New York?

Regardless I searched, maybe mentally or spiritually... I couldn't describe it if I could. It was like pushing through an ocean, looking for a pirate's treasure... And for awhile I though it was fruitless... Just as I was about to give up I felt it, a small spark of... something. I... reached for it... I grabbed it... then I felt it.

Power. Untapped. Unused. And now unleashed. I grasped it, let it fill my body and soul, flood my veins...

"Harness it... focus it... somewhere in your mind you know what needs to be done... DO IT!"

Did he speak to my body, within my mind or into my soul? Regardless I opened my eyes, focused my energies around my, making the air itself move. It spun faster... faster... It's hard to describe it...

Auron nodded as the air itself spun around his pupil, spinning until it formed a small hurricane, James' eyes opening as he focused on a nonexistent opponent that stood before him. With a wordless battle cry James spun himself on the spot, approaching the foe in his mind with each step, sword held out before him. On the third spun he swung his sword upwards, sending the whirling mass of air away from him. As it went away from him he took his hat off, blue sparkles surrounding it in a pale glow. Almost on a whim he threw it like a Frisbee at the Tornado. Upon impact the mini-hurricane was filled turned into a blizzard, snow being thrown from it to cascade to the false ground of the holodeck.

Auron walked to his pupil who fell to his knees as his hat returned to him, landing in front of him. Auron held his hand out as James replaced his hat.

"What did I tell you? Possible."

"... OK, NOW I believe you..." James said as he took Auron's hand pulling himself up, breathing heavier than usual. "Man that takes something out of ya..."

"It's a powerful move. And it's your first time using your Ki, internal energies, to attack. I have little more to teach you for now, and what's left is best thought by experience. Come on, let's go get some food."

"Good idea..."

I think I ate more than a herd of elephants that day. It wasn't until the following day that I wondered about the snow that was left on the ground.

Hmm...

Ah, I guess I shouldn't worry. What harm can a little snow do?

"Finally, those two are done!"

"Really! Alright, let's WHOA!"

"You OK? What with all the snow?"

"Dunno. Why's the 'deck on anyway?"

"Umm... it's not."

"HUH?"

With the acts of training and eating done I took a walk around the ship, stopping on the port side. The ship was in gravitic warp, stars going by like trees on a road. Watching them was kind of relaxing really, like watching goldfish swim around in a bowl. I sat in one of the nearby seats, just watching the universe itself go by.

With training over I had the time to think. What would I do when I meet Fayt and Sophia? Or the Leingods?

Cliff and Mirage?

Nel?

Maria?

Roger?

Adray?

Albel?

Course I knew sharp objects were in the future with Albel... I'll get back to him later...

Much later...

I also needed to be careful. I had to remember I knew what was going to happen. And now I was a part of the game. Interfere the right way I might change it for the better.

I don't want to think about how I might make it worse.

The Helre? Totalled.

Aquaelie? Totalled.

Dion and Ameena? Dead.

Hyda? Razed.

Earth? Razed.

Aldian? Blown to pieces.

But maybe I could change that. But HOW? The Helre had to be destroyed so Fayt could go to Vanguard. The Aquaelie needed to be sacrificed so the party could make it to the planet Styx. It's the universe picking on these guys. It's... it's...

Destiny...

Could I change destiny itself? Change the fate of a universe?

How did I get into this? What effect do the Fayth think I can have? What will Auron do once we reach Hyda? How long until the Vendeeni reach Hyda? Will I make it to Vanguard in one piece? Elicoor? How do I keep people in about 30th century Earth from finding out I'm from 21st century Earth? What kind of a back story can I use until the action gets thick enough that no one will ask me about things like 'where are you from'?

Will I ever see home again?

Too many questions... so little time...

Will I ever find answers? Why me?

I never made it back to the room Auron and myself shared. I just watched as stars zoomed by at immeasurable speeds. Maybe I slept in the chair, I forget. But I know this...

Somewhere out in this huge universe were the answers I looked for.