This is just a side note.
This takes place after a fic I wasgoing to write called Master and Commander, the far side of Arcadia. BasicallyI was going to adapt one of my fav films into Arcadian format. The thing is though I can't write it for two reasons.

1. I can't find the actual script of the film anywhere on the net, and my laptop is completly messed up, so I can't just watch the film and take it directly from the subtitles (asI did when i wrote The Captain and I)

2. It would be too long to incorperate it into TotVNW

Anyway, so when i find the script, or when i can afford a new Laptop with a DVD player,I'll write it up as a seprate fic.

Sorry again

Anyway, here's my latest short story...

A MEETING WITH MARIA

Carlos sighed as he ran a hand through his hair as he slumped through the door of his office.

He had just got back from the Surprise, after a short stop at the Galapagos Islands for the Doctor's scientific sake. The chase after the Acheron had been treacherous, spanning through the Lands of Ice, Ixa'taka, and finally ending near those fabled islands in North Ocean.

A enhanced Mid Ocean Frigate. Not bad for a sixteen year old.

He slumped into his chair behind his desk , swivelling it round and looking out his window, over the town.

He realised it was getting much quieter then it had done before. There seemed to be less people then when he had left, but then again, there had seemed to be less people round here since Vigoro had left.

Carlos ran a tight ship. With Vigoro gone, Carlos had instituted new rules and regulations. He had given poor people jobs, he had insured his soldiers loyalty, he had created his own mini-empire of sorts, complete with armada. Of course the Empress was pleased, and Belleza had sent her congratulations.

Belleza.

With a sigh, Carlos turned back to his desk. Speaking of Belleza, he had a letter he need to write to her.

During his most recent voyage, he had learnt some interesting information concerning the demise of their fathers.

My Dearest Belleza, (he began)

I received your letter with curious intrigue. You've fallen for the Lord Admiral? Well, you don't set your standards very low do you?

Well, I'm deriving from the point.

My good friend Dr. Maturin gave me some information concerning the Battle of The Grand Line. I wasn't aware that he was actually the Doctor on board the Aquila until now. Apparently he…

He stopped short as he heard a scuffling sound.

He held his breath, trying to hear it again.

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room.

Then, he heard it again! It was coming…from under his desk!

Carlos tensed up gently, before suddenly ducking under the table.

He gasped in surprise.

Hiding under his desk was a girl, no older than ten, with long curly blond hair, and wide blue eyes.

She shied away from him in an instant, curling up into a ball and hiding her face.

Carlos blinked in surprise, before gently slipping down onto his knees in front of the girl.

"Hi," he said kindly, "I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl looked up at him, her face sacred as he offered her his hand.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"M…Maria," the girl said in barely a whisper.

"What are you doing in under there?"

"Hiding,"

"From who?"

"Papa."

Carlos raised an eyebrow, "Are you playing hide and seek?"

Maria shook her head.

"Then why are you hiding under my desk?"

"Because I'm afraid."

Carlos couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He offered her his hand again, "Why don't you come up hear so we can talk?"

Maria looked at his hand for a moment, before gently laying her tiny hand in his armoured one.

Being as gentle as he could Carlos slowly eased her out from under his desk, before gently settling her on her knee.

"Now who are you hiding from?"

"Papa,"

The Commander chuckled slightly and brushed a bit of black hair behind his ear, "We've established that but what do other people call him?"

Maria looked up at him shyly, before whispering in his ear:

"Mendosa,"

Carlos's eyes widened in shock, before gazing down at the child.

"Mendosa?"

The girl nodded

"Admiral Mendosa?"

Another nod.

Carlos swallowed slightly. He had read the reports on The Battle of The Grand Line. According to witnesses, The Aquila went down with all hands, save for three people, The ships Second Officer, Doctor, and the youngest child of the Captain, one Admiral Jefferson Mendosa.

"Do you know where he is now?" he asked calmly.

The girl tapped her head, "he haunts my dreams," she said quietly.

Carlos suddenly understood. A ghost from the past. He had read about this, but just to be sure…

"Are you sure it wasn't just a nightmare?"

The girl shook her head, "He comes every night. He says terrible things to me. He scares me. It's getting worse. Now whenever I close my eyes, I see his face, leering at me."

"Oh, Maria," he could see slight tears forming in her eyes, "Don't cry Maria. You're safe with me I promise,"

The girl looked up at him with teary blue eyes, almost cracking his heart in two.

While he was pondering this, he realised Maria was slowly dozing off, but trying hard to stay awake.

"Maybe you should rest?" he suggested.

She shook her head vigorously, "Papa will come if I do,"

Carlos frowned for a moment, before gently gathering up the girl in his arms and taking her to his adjacent bedroom, before lying her down on his bed.

"I'm going to put you into a dreamless sleep okay?" he murmured quietly as he gently took her shoes off and pulled the covers up to her chest.

She looked up at him curiously, "What does that mean?"

He chuckled, "it means that Papa won't be able to disturb you alright?"

Maria nodded gently, before closing her eyes, her breathing steadily become slower.

Carlos smiled slightly, before closing his eyes and kneeling at the side of his bed, his right hand hovering over Maria's forehead.

"By the power of the Blue moon," he murmured, "Grant this child the power to enter into a dreamless sleep, from which she shall not wake, until I call upon her again,"

As he said these words, a faint blue light seemed to flow from his hand into the girl, until in made her glow the same colour. Finally it faded, and Maria finally seemed at peace.

Carlos rose, before brushing a golden lock out of her face, and heading back to his office, only to find Stephen waiting for him in a panic.

"Carlos! Thank the moons I've found you," he gasped, "I've lost Maria!"

Carlos raised an eyebrow as the Doctor started to pace the room, "Maria?"

"MY DAUGHTER!" He cried, a hair with away from grabbing Carlos by the Collar, "I mean not my daughter per say," He took a couple of deep breaths as Carlos locked the door of his quarters and made his way to his desk, clearing it and pulling out a chart of Cape Victory and the surrounding area, "She's the girl I told you about, the one I rescued from the Aquila, Admiral Mendosa's daughter."

Carlos didn't look up from his map, "Oh Maria?" he said mildly, "It's alright Stephen she's asleep in my quarters."

"I'm worried Carlos I…What did you say?"

Carlos still didn't look up from plotting a course on his map.

"I said she's asleep in my quarters," he said in the same tone of voice as before, "I found her under my desk, she was afraid of something, we talked, and then I put her to bed."

Stephen's eyes narrowed slightly, before making his way to the doors of Carlos's quarters, only to find it locked.

"Is there a reason you've locked her in there?"

"I've put her into a dreamless sleep, and I don't want anyone to disturb her,"

"May I enquire as to why?"

Carlos continued to plot.

"Has Maria ever told you of a recurring nightmare she's been having?"

Stephen paused for a moment.

"Yes, about her father why?"

"I believe Admiral Mendosa is inside her,"

The young commander had said in such a calm and matter of fact way Stephen had to do a double take.

"Are you saying she's possessed by his…ghost? Oh come now Carlos you know ghosts don't exist!"

"Not his ghost Stephen, his essence."

Now the Doctor was confused.

Carlos still didn't look up from his chart as he explained.

"According to statements presented by yourself and Captain Silvairian, Ramirez killed Admiral Mendosa and his crew for high treason against the crown. I read somewhere that if a person's essence is restless, instead of passing on to wherever a person goes when he of she dies, they may take lodgings inside another's mind."

"But if that's the case, why did he take Maria? Why not Ramirez?"

"Ramirez was too full of hate and anger," Carlos mused, his eyes travelling along the dark line that swept across his map, "He had just been betrayed by a father like figure, his friends were dead for his treason. It would take a strong essence to make it through the waves of darkness that must have been radiating from him. Maria would have been the easiest target. She was small and innocent."

"Well what can we do?" Stephen began to pace frantically again, "How do we get him out?"

Carlos tapped the map in front of him, "I read somewhere that in order to remove a rogue essence from a body, we must acquire a Black Moonstone."

Stephen looked confused, "A Black what?"

"Moonstone, Doctor, Moonstone!" Carlos stood from his chair and stared out the window towards the Dark Rift, "A stone of the Black Moon."

"But the Black moon is just a legend!" Stephen scoffed, "It doesn't exist, it's just a fairy tale used to scare children."

"Perhaps," Carlos continued to stare out to the Dark Rift, "But if we want Maria to grow up happily we must seek a Black Moonstone out, otherwise, Admiral Mendosa will destroy her from the inside out."

"But where will we find a black Moonstone, if it even exists?"

Carlos's frown deepened, "Dr. Maturin." He said formally, "I want you to go down to the Dockyard, and have the Surprise ready to set sail within the hour. Make sure the hull is okay, It's going to be under a lot of stress where we're going."

"But Carlos we only just got back," Stephen banged his hands on the table between them, "And where exactly are we going?"

Carlos turned to face his friend, "First off, I am aware of that fact, but the sooner we do this the better. Secondly, we are going where no Valuan Officer has gone before. We're going off the edge of the map. We're going…into the Dark Rift."

This might be the last fic in a while, it all depends ifI pled with my mom to let me use her laptop, seeing it's the only computer in my house that lets me on the Internet(I usually update on my College Computers beforeI start the day). I will try and update next week but i can't promise anything PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!

Keep reviewing please!

Dearing