Hey! Sorry for the slight delay between chapters…again. More evil news; this won't actually be the last chapter! In fact, there are TWO – THREE more planned chapters
FF.Net Readers: DIE!!!! *Throws random objects*
DarkR: Noooo!!! *Gets hit by a cat* AHHH!!! THE PAIN!!! IT BURNS!!!!
Ramirez: I'LL SAVE YOU!!! *Tosses bucket of catnip on DarkR*
Cat: *Sniff's catnip and goes twice as insane as before*
DarkR: Noooo!!!!
Ok I edited Chap.4 Because I realized I found a mistake about Mendosa. I learned what had happened to him in the game and I took that to heart. Anything I else I put about his death that may not have happened in the game will still stand. That is my own idea. And if it very creepily so happens that it's the same as the game, that's not my fault. :P. Also I've made it a bit longer because I have time to, so basically it's like your rereading this chapter for two reasons ;)
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~Dreamland ~
*In Ramirez's scarred psyche*
"Pain…Immense pain," The first thought that traveled through Ramirez opened his eyes, wincing as he got into a near standing position.
The Silvite swordsman realized immediately that he was not in that Soltis chamber anymore.
He appeared to be in a completely black room, with only three silver portals giving off faint light. Oddly, they seemed to be beckoning the Ramirez, calling him towards them. He approached the nearest one, and letting his curiosity get the better of him, raised a hand to touch it. As soon as his hand made contact, he felt his surroundings begin to shimmer, giving the air around him a dreamlike quality.
When it had finished, Ramirez realized that he was on the Silver Shrine again, at the old Arcadian simulator.
"But…this is impossible, the Silver Shrine was destroyed... or am I…dead…." Questions began to form as he wandered around growing more and more uncomfortable with each passing second.
As he neared the controls, he saw that he could not touch the; his hand seemed to slide right through each switch and coordinate. Disconcerted, he sat on the floor and began to think of what he could do.
Ramirez got the shock of his when he saw his few years' younger self; followed by a younger Fina. He wasn't surprised to see the pair setting the Arcadian simulator to the "Sailor's Island" Coordinates. It had been a favorite on many occasions.
The older Ramirez watched the couple as they sat on the tree, gazing at the stars in the deceivably unpolluted sky.
"Heh…what an idealistic fool I had been"
"Um…Fina?" Chibi Ramirez asked, jolting the elder one out of his trance. Suddenly, realization flashed through his mind as he remembered what had happened that evening (A/N: See chap. 2 for details).
Trying to find a way to avoid reliving this painful memory, the older Ramirez looked around for an exit, and discovered that the portal that he had used to enter this memory was still there. He approached it, and the room swam before his eyes again. When it had finished, he saw that he was in that black room again, now minus one portal.
Urging to find an answer to this madness, the jade-eyed swordsman approached the second portal and raised his hand to touch it. This time when the room stopped swimming he appeared to be on a ship, and by the looks of it, a Valuan Admiral flagship. When he saw his younger self again, this time in Valuan armor, he need no other reminder to remember this painful memory.
Seven years ago, when Ramirez had departed for Arcadia, his ship malfunctioned near Maw of Tartas and crash-landed in the mountains, knocking him out. When he awoke, he was in the medical ward of a Valuan ship, in sailor's clothes.
He later learned that he was on the flagship of the Admiral Mendosa. Impressed by The Silvite's skill with the sword, the Admiral decided to take him in under his wing.
Things were going great, Ramirez making friends and moving up among the Valuan ranks.
Until that fateful incident two years ago.
During the Valua-Nasr war, sustaining heavy fire, Admiral Mendosa and his fleet had been chased and shot down on various Ixa'Takan islands. Mendosa's flagship, The Aquila was shot down in Horteka and sustaining heavy damage to the engine, was stranded, his fleet crippled and useless to the war until they were able to repair their ships. Two weeks after settling into Horteka, Ramirez began to that Mendosa would mysteriously disappear each night, and would return in the wee hours of the morning
When these mysterious disappearances began to become more frequent, The Silvite swordsman began to feel slightly alarmed towards the Admirals behavior. Finally, very concerned, Ramirez decided that he would trail him.
That night when Ramirez heard the telltale sound of a presence leaving the inn, the jade-eyed swordsman opened his eyes and immediately rose from his bed and slipped into his Valuan uniform. He made sure to grab the Falcon's Blade, a gift from Doc when he had been promoted to Vice Captain.
He trailed Mendosa through the night, climbing ladder after ladder until finally they reached their destination, the Hortekan docks, where the Admiral boarded a ship and set off into the night. Perplexed, Ramirez followed suit, trailing Mendosa all the way to Moonstone Mountain.
When the Admiral had disappeared into the mountain, the jade-eyed swordsman silently docked and entered the mountain.
He got the shock of his life.
It was a huge mining operation, with Valuan equipment and soldiers all over the place. The worst part was that the Ixa'Takans were enslaved, working painfully as the Valuan patrols would flog them if they would hesitate. Ramirez, horrified by this, went to go see Admiral Mendosa for answers
"Admiral, what is the meaning of this?" The swordsman asked, clearly confused.
Mendosa just smiled and said "Why are you fretting over these pathetic people, there is money to be made."
"But…you always taught me that…" Ramirez trailed off.
"Ah, I see… I'm sorry this has to come to this." The admiral replied. "Guards!" two Valuan guards appeared to carry Ramirez out by force.
Ramirez bowed his head, and he began to shake in rage.
"You…" He said loathingly as he unsheathed his sword and charged forward.
The flash of the blade, the scream, and the blood would forever haunt Ramirez's mind
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DarkR:*Still with cat* IT BURNS!!!!!
Want to know if DarkR survived Ramirez's um… "Innovative" attack? Wait for chap. 5 ^_^