Well my time off is done so it's back to work... and writing...

Maxmagnus20019: Thanks man.

Dragon Chyld: I'll try to make them a bit longer, but no guarantees.

I was fairly confident that my usual outfit would be enough for the dance, so I didn't think I had to worry. Fayt went up to see if he had any dress pants or good jeans. And Sophia...

Sophia, like most girls I know, values the male opinion on female clothing. Why, I don't know. My idea of fashion isn't to go around and flaunt it but rather comfort, use and durability over looks. My leather pants fit the durable bill, my shirt was cozy, my poncho was warm (For when we got to Elicoor) but also kept the sun's heat off my shoulders and my hat... hell I had the thing so long I don't feel right if it's not on my head.

The point is I dress for everything other than looking good. If I happen to look good in the process, it's a bonus.

Sophia dressed for looks first, everything else whenever. She dragged me to her room, and by dragged I mean by my arm, sat me down on the bed, darted behind one of those standing curtain things and proceeded to change in and out of clothing. It made me wonder... how MANY bags did she pack?

"Ummm... It's a bit... well... not much because... well..." James stuttered as Sophia adjusted her spandex shorts which barley covered her butt and a tube top.

"Yeah... I think it sends the wrong message..."

Yeah, that of 'how much?'

"That also sends the wrong message Sophia... it LOOKS like a wedding dress."

Sophia looked over her white gown, slit on one side, a flowery design over her bust. "Yeah, good point."

James simply gave a thumbs down as Sophia walked out in lime green tights and matching vest. "You look like you should have pixie wings."

"This isn't formal you know..."

"But it's so cute!"

Yeah, a tux with bloomers instead of pants does look cute on her... But still...

James gave another thumbs down.

I seriously began to wonder a few things about this girl. Did she bring all these clothes with her? Was she replicating them with the modern technologies or did she bring them all with her?

And if the latter... why did she have a ton and a half of odd clothes...

"Sophia... you cannot pull off the bad-ass biker chick look. Your too cute for it."

"Awww..."

Well, I can say this much, I can think of worse ways to spend an hour... or three.

"Sophia... You do not wear a strapless dress... with a bra that isn't."

"Oh yeah..."

Because then you might be a redneck...

Sophia is a cutie. Maybe a bit of a ditz, a little annoying at times and trying at others... but she IS cute.

After a few more selections she came to the only one I could agree on.

Sophia stepped out again and did a slight pose. "Well?"

Sandals. Unbuttoned jeans. Pink top.

What she wore at the hotel in the game.

"Now that works, but about the jeans..."

"Yes?"

She is cute...

"Is it unbuttoned to give Fayt easy access?"

However...

"Hey!"

WHAM!

...She also packs a mean right hook...

"... Owwie..." James said as he picked himself off the floor, rubbing his cheek.

I took my leave for my room after that. 'Took my leave' in this case meaning tucking my tail between my legs and getting the hell out of dodge!

Yes, I could beat her up... but she's too cute for that.

Besides, it didn't bruise or anything, and the pain was long gone.

To pass the time until the dance I listened to my MP3 Player. My music is an... odd ball collection. The music from the game Sonic Heroes, Give a Reason, Get Along Try Again, and Never Die from the Slayers series, Your Heart My Heart from Ah! My Goddess, the Magic Knight Rayearth opening theme, Love Panic of Ranma 1/2, Cruel Angel's Thesis of NGE, plus the Guitar and Choir remixes, several Final Fantasy themes, including 1000 Words, the Blitzball theme (Played when Sin hits the stadium while Tidus is playing and when fighting Braska's Final Aeon) and Real Emotion the Final Fantasy X-2 opening theme as well as battle themes from Final Fantasies 7 and 8. Throw in I Will Remember You, I Would Walk 500 Miles, the Jurassic Park Theme, the Red Alert 2 Opening Theme and We Didn't Start The Fire... it shows I have a varied taste in music.

After a few of my more relaxing tunes I disrobed, showered, redressed and left to find Fayt and Sophia.

Time to party!

Raising his hand James knocked twice on the Leingod's hotel room door. After a moment it opened to reveal Fayt, smiling a little in black dress pants and a light blue t-shirt. "Hey James, you ready."

"Yeah, once we pick up your 'date'." James joked stepping aside as Fayt exited the room. The blue haired boy gave his friend a slight shove.

"She's not my 'date' James. Come on." The two chuckled slightly and walked along to Sophia's room. Fayt knocked trice and after a moment the door opened...

And after all that time asking my opinion on her clothes... she goes and gets a new outfit.

Knee length blue skirt.

A button up pink blouse with the bottom buttons undone to show off her flat belly.

Pink sandals.

Not a bad look really.

"Hey, not too bad Sophie." James said as he adjusted his hat. "Ready to pah-tay?"

"Of course! Come on Fayt!"

"Hey! Hold on!" Fayt exclaimed as Sophia grabbed his hand dragging him to the transporter. "I can walk you know!"

"Wait up for me guys!" James shouted as he ran to catch them.

The party was in full swing when we got there. It reminded me of the dances my school would hold. Loud music, lots of dancing and drinks and snacks scattered here and there. I lost my companions shortly after arriving. I didn't see where they went, but my guess was the dance floor.

I wasn't too eager to start dancing; I wanted to absorb the atmosphere first. Feel out what the limits and bounds where in 772.

That and there were a LOT of cute girls around. Some looked single too.

With Armageddon due tomorrow... I needed to have a little fun, right?

Pouring himself a cup of some sort of punch James looked about and shook his head. He managed to shut out some of the noise as he sipped his drink. He started to drift towards the edge of the room as he felt a gentle bump on his back. Turning around he saw a cute blonde girl about a head shorter than him. "Sorry!" She half-shouted over the music.

"It's OK! I can think of worse people to run into!" James half-yelled back, smiling slightly and taping the front of his hat.

"Thanks!" The girl shouted again. "What's your name?"

"James!"

"I'm Crystal, nice to meet you! Want to dance?"

"Well..."

"Come on!"

"OK, OK!"

The girl, clad in a light blue sundress dragged him playfully to the centre of the room. James eyed the other dancers slightly before starting to dance with his new partner. Light touches were exchanged and both gyrated to the music's beat, feet moving to a tempo. At one point Crystal squatted down before sliding up near his body.

I was really starting to loosen up. Best of all, unlike the other dances I had gone too this one wasn't packed to the gills, maybe 50 or so people in a reasonably large area. I saw Fayt and Sophia dance, or try to in Fayt's case, and shook my head as the music came to a stop. Light clapping filled the area and I decided to be a little... chivalrous.

Smiling slightly as people clapped and chatted amongst themselves James bowed slightly taking Crystal's hand in his own and gently kissed her knuckle. The girl cooed slightly as James received a shove to his side.

Then I learned why chivalry... is dead.

"What do you think you're doing with her?" A 6 foot black haired man shouted, heard clearly over the room. James steadied himself and looked at the bigger man clad in jeans and what looked to be a football jacket.

In the words of Jeff Foxworthy... if a girl you are dating already has a boyfriend 'That is information you need!' And oh boy, is he right.

"Well. Off hand we were having a good time. You know, that's what people do at a dance, right?"

"Don't get smart with me you little punk! Do you know who I am?" The man bellowed, the people who were dancing making a loose circle around the two.

"No, but I can smell what you ate." James delivered with a straight face.

"Why you little... I am..."

"Garlic McCheeseburger?"

OK, so pissing the guy off probably wasn't the brightest thing to do. But damn did his face turn red!

"Why you little!" The large man said as he took a swing at James' face. Quickly James rolled forward and under the punching standing back up and facing the man again.

"Hey, hey, settle down! No reason to start swinging fists like a gorilla!" James said as he jumped back from another fist then sidestepped a tackle attempt. The man got back up and leaned down slightly like a football player ready to rush. "OK Bucky O'Hare, come at me again and I will put you down! So cut it out now!"

"No chance pipsqueak!" The man said as he ran at James again, charging in and swinging his fist in a huge haymaker which James ducked under, all but jumping upwards to catch his opponent's gut with his knee, forcing the air from his lungs. As the man wrapped his arms around his ribs James turned the man to face him with his arm cocked back and in one smooth movement slammed his fist into the man's face.

The man landed on the ground, dazed for a moment before getting to his feet. James slid into a defensive stance as the man took his jacket off showing a black tank top. Before anything else could happen officials ran in with weapons drawn.

"Ah crap..." James said.

Turned out I wasn't in any real trouble. Aside from Fayt and Sophia I had a whole room full of eyewitnesses on hand to tell the tale. The officials released me an hour later. The other guy was charged with attempted assault, causing a public disturbance... and resisting arrest. He tried to get at me after the officials stormed the room.

Let's just say he wasn't treated too kindly. As for the girl...

I don't know. I heard she left after the event.

Arriving back at the hotel James took the transporter up to the floor his room was on. Yawning slightly James walked towards his room, stretching a bit as he saw Fayt and Sophia sitting in the hallway, looking almost half asleep. "This your idea of camping out?"

Both sat up and looked at him before standing up as James walked over to them. "Are you all right?" Sophia asked.

"Yeah, I'm OK. Everything got sorted out. The hotel manager apologized, but I told him it wasn't the hotel that took a swing at me."

"That's true." Fayt said shaking his head. "You know, I don't think I could do that..."

"Do what?" James asked.

"Fight another person like that."

"Come on, you rumble in the sims all the time!"

"Maybe, but... That was real... and you didn't even look worried you might get hurt."

"Look Fayt, I've gotten into fights before. Not many, but a few. And I can say this: Worrying does nothing but make the problem seem bigger than it is. So I don't worry about getting hurt... and then I can do anything I have to do." James crossed his arms taking a moment to look at both of his friends. "I like fighting really, just not the hurting people part. But if I have no other choice then that's it, I'll fight as hard as I can and beat the other guy. Because sometimes... that's the only thing you can do."

"Maybe, but..."

"Come on Fayt. It's late. And I have had enough of sounding like an old wise man. Let's get some sleep, K?"

Shaking his head slightly Fayt smiled at the other young man. "Yeah your right... Come on Sophia, I think we both should go to bed."

"Good idea... I am getting sleepy..."

"Good night you two."

"Sweet dreams James."

"See you in the morning!"

I got ready for bad at just before 10:30. I stared at the ceiling until 11:30.

That day was... fun if you remove the guy who wanted to take my head off... Prick...

But tomorrow...

It would be Hell on Hyda. The invaders would come. We will be forced to flee.

Fayt...

Sophia...

I had gotten to know both of them. I could pal around with Fayt, roughhouse a little like he was my brother. And Sophia was like a little sister that bugged you to no end but you couldn't help but adore...

The Leingods...

The Rossetti Troupe...

Everyone on this Planet... the Helre...

Those who don't die will be affected for life. Forever.

Is this necessary? Is this needed? What can I really change?

What am I supposed to be? A sidekick? An observer? A hero? What?

Despite my advice to Fayt I couldn't help but worry... fear that I wouldn't be able to do anything, even with Auron's guidance.

I did fall asleep that night. And that night I dreamed of a woman. One I could hold in my arms and love. But at the time... I couldn't see her face... couldn't hear her voice... Just feel soft skin...

Who was she?

One more question in an ever-growing list of them...

Thanks to those who've stuck with me. Please C&C, it's always welcomed.