Me: I'm back!

Kira: She is too hard to kill. I've tried various poisons, note to self: must try foxglove; hitting her over the head with a very heavy frying pan…

Me: I'm well loved, aren't I?

Tigger: I will save you!

Me: Uh-Oh…Um, Tigger? What are you doing here?

Tigger: I escaped from laras daughter! The chains were really hard to loosen…

Me: Do I have to call the FSPCM (Fanfic Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Muses) again? Why was laras daughter chaining you up?

Tigger: To stop me, from stopping her attacking my shrine with a sledgehammer.

Me: What was it a shrine of?

laras daughter: (appears) You do not want to know. Tigger, you're coming back.

Tigger: But…

laras daughter: Now!

Me: Well, while he's here he can do a disclaimer.

Tigger: Of course. Mez10000 doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, or the Mission Impossible theme tune, which she forgot to mention last time. She does own my – (gets gagged by laras daughter, put in a sack and dragged away)

laras daughter: Trust me, you didn't want to know.

Me: See you around! And readers, please excuse the craziness. (If you read laras daughter's reviews, you'll see what this was all about.)

For the rest of the day, I hardly spoke. I couldn't mention Zelos' betrayal in front of Kratos.

I should have been expecting it, but I hadn't realised it would happen so soon. The boys could see that I was sad about something and at first they were worried, but after me refusing to talk, they gave up.

I hardly realised that a message had come through for Kratos to go to Mithos' castle area, until Kratos asked whether I was coming or not.

I declined, mentioning that I had my own ways of finding out what would be said. Stephen left with Kratos, in a dog's form. He was some kind of cross-breed, but looked like a whippet.

I then made my way through the ventilation system to spy on Yggdrasil's meeting room. I was slightly slow so I didn't hear the beginning of the meeting.

"Kratos, why is that vermin in Derris-Kharlan?"

"Dogs are very good at reducing stress in humans. I've been feeling more stressed lately, so I got a dog. I trust you remember the last time I got stressed?"

"Yes, well, you're responsible for it. Anyway, I called you here to ask you a favour."

"Yes, my lord?" Only someone with very acute hearing could hear the slightest waver in his voice. I prayed that Yggdrasil, with his angel hearing could not.

"I wish you to keep an eye on the Chosen's group. I have information that they are heading towards Sybak, where they plan to halt the Angelus Project that is being grown on a member of their party."

Kratos winced at the words 'Angelus Project', overcome with memories of Anna.

"I am terribly sorry, Kratos. Did I hurt you?" His tone was mocking.

Kratos looked like he was about to do something he'd regret for a moment, but eventually turned and left the room.

I was about to make my way through the ventilation system once again, when I heard Yggdrasil's voice.

"Pronyma? I want you to keep an eye on him. It may be that he's leaking information to the Chosen."

'It's begun, Cyclone. Soon, Lloyd will save this world…although, not without some mistakes.' I sighed.

I met up with Kratos and Stephen in the combat training room.

"I assume you heard all that?" Kratos said.

"Yep. Oh, you should know that Pronyma's keeping tabs on you, by the way." I revealed.

Suddenly, Kratos' face looked somewhat near to his age. A tired look came into his eye. He changed back into his normal, emotionless self as suddenly as the look had come. He simply started walking.

"Doesn't waste words, does he?" Stephen said.

"Think what you will." He retorted. "And I'm not deaf either."

"Um, where are we going?" I asked.

"Where do you wish to go?"

"Just a thought, but Nia and I need to be stronger if we ever want to confront Naois and live." Stephen pointed out.

"And your point is?"

"I'll need to ask the Sylph to borrow the full power of the wind and Stephen will need to ask Gnome."

"Fine. Balacruft Mausoleum it is."

We managed to get there quickly, via teleporting. I did ask if we could fly and stretch my wings a bit, but I didn't get an answer.

We also managed to get through the temple quickly. Stephen mucked around in the main room, standing in between the two spiky traps until they were just about to close, then jumping out of the way.

We finally got to the seal room. I stepped forward.

"I, Nia Jones, call upon the Summon Spirits of Wind, the Sylph. I humbly ask for power over the winds, like that which I once had."

The three pixie-like figures appeared in a sparkling green light. Sephie, the one with four wings, spoke first.

"You come seeking a pact?"

"Yes and no. I am not a summoner, but an element user. I call upon the mana around me to directly control the air, instead of using my own to summon you, so you may control the air."

"I see. There has been one other like you, but not for a very long time." Sephie revealed.

"What? I never knew that there was ever anyone, apart from us…"

Yutis giggled. "I remember her! She used to play with us!"

"As fascinating as all this is, it isn't helping me gain power."

"Sorry. Anyway, could you excuse us for a moment?" One of the Sylph asked. I find it so hard to tell them apart. All three disappeared.

I waited patiently for the Sylph to return. I thought about how much I had wanted to use my powers over the wind and had been unable to. Back at home, I was used to using the wind to levitate in my normal human body, instead of flying as a bird. I used the wind to freak people out, mainly my schoolteachers, by creating a voice that only that person could hear, to slowly convince them that they were insane…the list went on.

The Sylph returned.

"We have thought about it and we have decided that you seem trustworthy. However, we have been wrong before, as I'm sure your friend Kratos can tell you."

"Don't blame yourselves. I, too, thought Mithos was incapable of such irrational thoughts." Kratos told them.

"Still, we insist on a trial, a test of your worth."

"I see no problem with that." I smiled anticipating a challenge.

"As wind can be a tricky element to command at the best of times, this shall not be a test of physical strength, but of mental ability."

"What do I need to do?" I asked.

"Answer our questions, of which there shall be three. All you need to do is answer them truthfully and to the best of your ability."

"Why do I feel like I have heard this before? Like at exam time?" I asked thin air.

"Ready, your first question is: if the sun is shining on the north side of a building, and the wind blows from the east, which side does the rooster lay his egg on?"

"That is the oldest one in the book! First, it's a rooster, it can't lay eggs. Secondly, if it was a chicken, then she would lay her egg on the warmest side, which would be the north side."

"Well done. Next: as you fly, as a bird, what three things must you keep in mind?"

"Angle, speed and balance." The answer shot, as if it were a bullet from a gun.

"The third and final question: Why do you seek the power of the wind?"

I thought for a while. This question had no clear-cut answer. I said exactly what I thought.

"A mixture of reasons really. First, I simply miss being in control, it makes me feel weak, vulnerable and dependant when I cannot use the wind. Second, to protect myself and others, from Naois. And third, if I ever want to get back home, I'll need both elements in balance. If I don't go back home when the time calls…I don't want to think about the consequences."

The Sylph thought about my final answer. "Well, we have decided that although you have some faults, you admitted them openly, and you're concerned about the state of your own world and ours. We bestow upon you power over the winds, and wish that you use them wisely."

"Thank you."

The Sylph disappeared.

"That was it?" Asked Stephen.

I smiled at Stephen. "You know what this means don't you? For a short while, I'm more powerful than you. So, you'd better be nice to me!"

"I could still beat you in a friendly fight." Stephen confidently announced.

"You think? Let's have a contest…first person to lay the flat of their weapon across the opponents back wins."

"Okay." He agreed.

"I shall start the match. Draw your weapons, and begin." Kratos said, with the air of a teacher announcing the start of a test.

I smiled. I summoned a wall of fire around me, protecting me while I worked a piece of wind manipulation. I thought of a bubble around Stephen, the walls of the bubble being powerful winds blowing into the bubble, preventing Stephen from moving. I removed the wall of fire to see Stephen struggling in the bubble.

He stopped struggling, relaxed and remembered that he could teleport out of the bubble. As he teleported I called back the winds from the bubble. Experience of Stephen's fighting style taught me to thrust my hand back at the same time. When Stephen reappeared behind me, he found my arm in his chest. He shuddered, and teleported off my arm.

I was alert, making sure I knew exactly where he was, the second he arrived there. He appeared a couple of metres to my right. I rushed him and lightly hit his back with my hand.

"I win." I said triumphantly.

"Well, what other result did you expect?" Kratos asked.

"Wait, you're saying I didn't have a chance?" Stephen's question was ignored.

"I suppose now you want to go to the earth temple?" Kratos asked.

The way Kratos was speaking sounded a little like Marvin, the paranoid android. I frowned. I'd hoped that Kratos would have started to let some emotions through by this stage…

"If we're going, then let's go already!" Stephen shouted.

As we started walking out, a dreadful thought hit me. What if Lloyd and the rest of the group were making the pact with Gnome or had already made the pact? Maybe they'd need to ask Sheena's permission, giving the group a perfect chance to question us. For the sake of this world, I couldn't let that happen.

I thought I'd never finish that in time! But I have a very important announcement to make. I think you'll need the rotten tomatoes…

With the Easter holidays approaching, I needed to finish this chapter quickly, as for the whole two weeks I will not have access to a computer. Therefore, I will not be able to write any more chapters until I come back home…(dodges rotten tomatoes) I realise that you are upset, and I promise to think of lots of good ideas…(dodges more rotten fruit)…Bye! (runs off)