Burning. All around her, the village was burning. Humans and monsters screaming, running, only to be cut down by the Cabalos. Monsters in more ways than one, their claws and teeth stained red with the blood of innocents.

They had destroyed the village; couldn't they just leave? Why, why must they stay and slaughter those who survived the flames? Deep inside, she knew the answer. They enjoyed it. And no one enjoyed it more than the one who watched from above, his silver fur lit by the glow of the burning village.

Gray Wolf.

She didn't scream, or make a desperate attempt to defend herself as the Cabalos cornered her. She only hung her head sadly, closing her eyes.

"Pixie, I wish I could have found you."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Gray Wolf heard her. "Wait!" he cried, leaping down from his vantage point to land directly in front of her. "Pixie, did you say?"

She looked up and nodded slightly, wondering why they didn't just kill her and be done with it.

Gray Wolf smiled, baring row upon row of sharp, gleaming teeth. It was an expression that held no joy, only a savage anticipation of the slaughter that would come. "Perfect," he said. "You'll find Pixie, and lure her here, to Cantalice. Then those meddlesome traitors will finally be taken care of."

"What are you planning to do to Pixie?" she asked, not really wanting to hear the answer, but knowing that she had to.

"She betrayed Master Moo. Death is the only fate befitting a traitor." Gray Wolf began to pad off, his Cabalos at his heels. Then he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "And if you even think of trying to warn herremember, my Cabalos are watching."

Later

She stepped out of the trees and onto the road. After years of searching, she had finally found her. It was definitely Pixie, riding on the shoulder of a Big Blue.

Pixie would never forgive her for what she had done. Not after she had mistreated her so badly that Pixie had attacked her, then run away. She had known that before she even started the journey. But she had also known that she would never be able to live with herself if she didn't do this.

"Pixie," she called out.

"Huh?" Pixie turned. Who was this human? Then she recognized her, and her expression changed from one of puzzlement to pure hatred. Her former trainer. The one who had abused her and set off the chain of events that led her to Northtown, and, eventually, to Moo. Her appearance had changed considerably over the years, but Pixie hadn't forgotten her. People like that weren't easily forgotten.

"You," Pixie snarled. "I thought I had killed you." Left her for dead a few miles outside of town, to be precise.

"You nearly did," she said. There was no accusation or anger in her voice, only a simple statement of fact.

"Get lost, human," Pixie said. "Unless you want me to finish the job."

"I came to apologize, for what I did."

"Apologize? You have no clue what I went through because of you!" A lifetime of pain and suffering, until Moo came. Causing pain and suffering for Moo, until Genki came.

"That was years ago. I was just a stupid kid, who didn't know any better. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?! Well, sorry doesn't change the past, does it?!"

"Isn't there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Nothing could ever make up for what you've caused, human! Now get lost!" Why had she come here, anyway? Did she think an apology could right all the wrongs she had done?

"You're right." She glanced into the trees, then bowed her head. "I may not be able to change the past, but maybe I can change the future. At Cantalice, Gray Wolf's going to ambush you."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than a Cabalos leapt out of the trees. He pounced on her, his claws and teeth ripping savagely into her flesh.

Pixie leapt off Big Blue's shoulder. "LIGHTNING!"

The Cabalos lay on the ground, twitching as bolts of electricity crackled over his body. Big Blue turned and punched him, finishing him off.

She also lay in the dirt of the road, drowning in a pool of her own blood.

"You knew," Pixie said to her, her voice full of shock at the realization. "You knew that Cabalos was watching. Why warn us?"

"Nothingcan evermake up forwhat I've done" she said, her voice weak. Each breath was becoming increasingly more difficult. She knew, if she looked at herself, all she'd find was a crimson mess. Instead she kept her eyes on Pixie's face. "Butat leastI've tried"

"You foolish human" Pixie said, turning away. "You're forgiven."

"Youmeanthat?" she asked. Pixie nodded, still refusing to look at her. She had never thoughtPixie, of all peopleso she was forgiven at last. Her entire life her soul had been tortured with regret for what she had done, with the knowledge that Pixie could never forgive her. And yet, she had been forgiven. Now at least she could die in peace. She closed her eyes, and sank into eternal sleep.

"Master Pixie," Big Blue said. "She's dead."

"I know, Blue." Pixie brushed the hair away from her face, wiping the corner of her eye in the same motion. "Let's go."