T.J.: Hey everyone! It's me T.J.!
Sovia: And me, Sovia!
T.J.: We're filling in for MegaTJ.
Sovia: He's sick. But, that won't keep him from updating our story!
T.J.: So, until he recovers, we'll be handling the story and author's notes.
Sovia: We will NOT, however, hold on, I made a list. We won't be telling the story in our perspectives. We won't be signing autographs. We won't answer dumb fan questions. We WILL answer fan questions that make sense. We WILL respond to how pretty I am.
T.J.: Sovia, these readers have come for a story.
Sovia: So let's give them one!
Sonia: All right!
T.J.: Wait! MegaTJ has told me to tell you that there are very sad parts in this chapter, expect tears. Now, enjoy our story.
Chapter 25: Sonia's Tests and an Unexpected Visitor
"What do you mean", T.J. asked, looking at the self-proclaimed Dream Chronicler before him. He was in the middle of a field, in the middle of the night. Snow blanketed the ground. The full-moon above him brought howls from afar.
"Transformed T.J., you're getting closer to your destiny, but your progress isn't moving fast enough", the Chronicler replied, sadly. The brown haired maiden turned around, intertwined her hands and put them in front of her face, as if she were praying.
"How do I speed it up", he queried, desperate for answers.
"I...have come up with a few solutions...but...", she answered, unsure if she should tell him.
"But", T.J. echoed.
"These solutions may expand your power past your current capacity to fast, they could...", she struggled.
"What, tell me", he nearly commanded.
"Kill you", she finished, sadly.
"That's a small price we may have to pay", T.J. said, completely uncaring about himself.
Draw the Line by Cascada
"HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT, THIS IS YOUR LIFE, AND IF YOU GO, THEN THE UNIVERSE GOES", the Chronicler screamed, with tears in her eyes. She was even trembling. The girl couldn't stand his "I don't matter" attitude sometimes. T.J. couldn't see that he had to live for everyone's survival. He jumps at every moment to throw himself in front of the swinging scythe of death, to protect the life of another, whether friend or foe. That was his fatal weakness.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sonia", T.J. apologized, looking down. He reached for her arm, but she pulled away, sobbing.
"No, go away", she rejected. After T.J. tried again, she ran, faster than she had ever run in her life, when she was alive, and faster than she had ever run in the World of the Wandering*. She was out of sight, before T.J. could react.
After he recovered from the shock, T.J. started looking for her. If this is the field back home, then I know where she is, he thought. He walked in the direction she had fled, and continued straight. Just as he thought, he found Sonia perched on the edge of a cliff, sniveling, while looking out over an ocean.
He silently moved to her side. She didn't even notice. Her crying was deep, and hard. T.J. looked at the moon's gigantic reflection on the glassy surface of the water*.
He sighed, making Sonia jump.
"Didn't I-I tell you to-", she sniveled, wiping tears away.
"I know, but I need to know something, Sonia", T.J. interjected.
"What", she responded, still spilling tears.
"Why did you run away", he asked, his hands behind his back.
"B-B-Because I love you", she stammered.
"Uh-huh", T.J. replied.
"Ever since my death, you've developed the fear of losing your friends, throwing your self in front every attack that comes their way. I want you to be happy, instead, you're paranoid, afraid of the worst. That night should have made you smarter, T.J., it should have taught you that some things just were meant to happen. You refuse to see that, my wishes were for you to protect your friends, but I wanted you to stay safe too. Getting yourself killed over something that would have been minor wouldn't have helped anyone", she explained to the ground.
T.J. didn't know whether to get angry, or to agree with her. She had a point, he was too blind with the fear of losing his friends, that he hadn't seen what he was doing.
"Please, promise me, if I show you the solutions to our problems, that you won't push yourself too hard. You don't need to die, not just for me, but for Sovia* and the rest of your friends", she requested, looking at him now.
"I...I promise*", he promised, sincerely.
End
Meanwhile in the real world...
12:00*
A lone figure was wandering through the Smash Carrier. Her body was see-through. She wasn't your typical ghost. She didn't possess eerie white skin, with a pointed tail. She was almost perfectly normal, with two, two feet arms, etc. She glowed, with a silvery-white aura that gave off a slight chill, despite her warm expression. Her long, blue hair silently swayed behind her. Her dark solid blue kimono moved with her steps, perfectly in rhythm. The poltergeist remained silent, for she did not want to disturb the sleeping warriors on board.
Little did the ghost know, that there was still a person awake. The white haired teenager was walking toward her on an adjoining hallway. Sovia did not notice the drop in temperature as she neared the visitor, she was too busy with the objects in her hands. A T.J. plushie*, which was hand crafted by herself, and a Sovia plushie*, also made by her. She was putting the finishing touches on the Sovia plushie. Only when she saw the eerie glow did she look up. It was coming from the farside of the adjacent hallway in front of her. Sovia creeped closer and closer until the source came into view. She gasped. Her eyes wide with fright and shock, she was petrified*.
The ghost looked at her for a moment, her oak brown eyes studying her. After the ghost had looked at her, she looked down at what Sovia was holding, and smiled warmly. The ghost continued on, as if she had not even seen Sovia. Deciding that her mysterious guest was a friend, Sovia followed her. The ghost's pace was slow, and silent. Sovia followed the ghost, staying seven feet behind. Every few moments or so, the ghost would look back at Sovia and flash that warm smile.
Sovia's first thought was that it was Sonia, but remembered that T.J. had said Sonia looked just like her. Gathering her courage Sovia made her way past the wandering guest to get a good look at her face. The ghost stood over her by about six inches. She continued looking ahead as Sovia walked backwards in front of her. Just who is this, she thought. First, Sovia studied the spirit's eyes. She recognized something in them she couldn't place at the moment. The phantom's bangs hovered above her eyes. Sovia went back to her eyes, that's when she stopped walking, she recognized those eyes. Only when the ghost walked through her, did she recover from shock. Those eyes, they look just like...but how...only...could this spirit be..., she stuttered within herself. She didn't even notice how cold the phantom's touch was.
She turned to face the glowing figure again. She wasn't heading to T.J.'s room. Instead of turning the corner, the ghost pressed a button to call the elevator. When the elevator arrived, the ghost entered, turned around and gestured for Sovia to follow. Sovia was left in her spot, twenty feet from the elevator. She nodded her head and ran there, slowing down to a walk when she arrived at her stop. The doors closed behind her. The phantom lifted a hand and pushed 198*. The button glowed, and immediately, the elevator moved. Since they were on the sixtieth floor the elevator moved with a very quick speed.
"Where are we going", Sovia asked quietly. Her guest just looked at her, not saying a word.
They both returned their gaze to the elevator's floor display, which was rapidly changing. The elevator soon rocked, indicating it was slowing to a stop. The doors opened and they both stepped out. Taking the lead, the spirit continued straight, down the hall, with Sovia tailing behind. After a few minutes, the ghost stopped. Sovia didn't notice until she walked right through her. Sovia shivered at the sudden cold. She looked around. They appeared to be at the Terminal Junction*, or where the Terminal Junction should have been. Sovia looked at the door the glowing figure was facing. With a moment's hesitation, the spirit entered the room. Why would she hesitate, what could be in there, Sovia thought, keeping her surroundings quiet. She followed close behind. She gasped when she saw, T.J. in a hammock, soundly asleep. Looking up, she saw the darkness of space, through a skylight*. The ghost was standing over T.J. She ran her cold, illuminized hand over his face.
It's been too long, Trenton, look how much you've grown. You look just like I thought you would, you're starting to look just like him. My, my, it's hard to believe you were once knee high, clinging to my legs as everyone walked by. I still remember that one day, when you first met Sonia. You thought you were in the presence of an angel, you even picked daisies to give her, she thought, with closed eyes. She opened them moments later, she took the time to tuck T.J. in, and remove the bandana from his head. She turned around to face Sovia.
"You must be Sovia, Sonia has told me everything she knows about you", the ghost said. Her voice was delicate, but firm. Sovia just nodded, stunned.
"Your love for Trenton is greater than mine, I hope you will cherish every moment with him, as I had done", she went on. Again, Sovia nodded. The ghost walked up to her and kneeled down. She put her hand on Sovia's shoulder.
"I have a message I want you to relay to Trenton, when you feel the time is right", the ghost explained, her voice somewhat echoing.
"Y-Yes", Sovia stammered, "w...what is it?"
"Power is not an item to have, but a bless placed upon whomever is responsible to wield it, wisdom is a power unlike any other, giving the user ability to unlock mysteries, courage is a sacred emotion, shared by many, but used by few, courage is the ultimate strength, for without it, power and wisdom are nothing but the essence of souls", the ghost passed on. Sovia couldn't speak. The ghost stood back up, and faced T.J. again. Sovia walked with her. They were both by T.J.'s hammock's side.
"Take care...my son", the ghost whispered.
"You're...", Sovia gasped, spinning around. The spirit was no longer there, she had gone.
Back in the Dream...
"Arrrgh", T.J. yelped, as fire stung him badly. He was fighting Sonia, with nothing but his bare hands. She had all of his powers and more*.
"Remember, T.J., this test* is made to help you achieve a greater endurance, now, CHARGE ME", she shouted. He ran at her, with his arms out in front. The fire burned, but it didn't leave a mark on him. All he had to do was touch Sonia, and his suffering would stop. The heat of the fire increased, and T.J. was finding it hard to handle, but if he showed any kind of struggle, Sonia would stop the test, and he would have to try again some other time. He kept walking forward, with his arms now outstretched, he didn't stop until he felt the soft skin of Sonia's wrists. The fire stopped instantly.
"Well done, T.J., you've past test one", Sonia congratulated.
"Let's start test two", he stated.
"Sorry, T.J., but, it's morning", she replied, before fading from view.
T.J.'s eyes slowly opened, greeting the new day. He felt something in his arms, when he saw what it was he smiled.
Sovia, he thought.
T.J.: Wow, what an emotional chapter.
Sovia: I'll say, I'm still wiping away tears.
T.J.: MegaTJ says, he loves you all, and that there is another poll on his profile, he says it is probably the most important one he will post.
Sovia: Ooh, I wonder what it's about.
T.J.: Anyway, remember to review.
Sovia: And remember, we will answer any questions you have about us. Please address which of us you want to ask the question to.
Sonia: Bye everyone!
T.J.: Not just yet, we almost forgot something!
Sovia: Facts: 12
T.J.: 1. Sonia created this world to replicate parts of her and T.J.'s world.
Sonia: 2. The water here is always calm, without tides to move it.
Sovia: 3. When T.J. makes a promise, he keeps them, period.
Sonia: 4. After T.J. met Sovia, Sonia has looked over her, because she feels responsible for her.
T.J.: 5. Everyone on the Carrier is always in bed by ten, so that they would get the a good night's sleep. Unless, of course, you can't make it to bed, or can't sleep.
T.J.: 6. Tootie had given Sovia this idea and she decided to make her own T.J. plushie.
Sovia: 7. Sovia didn't want T.J. to feel left out, so she made him one of her.
Sovia: 8. Sovia doesn't believe in ghosts, but this one had scared the socks off of her.
Sonia: 9. The Carrier has a total amount of 200 decks.
Sonia: 10. The skylight extended two floors up, giving T.J. plenty of room.
T.J.: 11. Sonia could do anything she wanted in the World of the Wandering, taking T.J.'s weapons and powers are only minor things.
T.J.: 12. Sonia's solutions were twenty incredibly hard tests, each testing a different one of T.J.'s abilities.