Luna hadn't seen this place in years, ages, almost centuries it felt like, golden eyes taking in the familiar sight of The Land of the Remembered. The confetti, the balloons, all the music swelled in her heart as the Souls continued on with their countless fiestas.  

But it was time to move on. The years apart had only made her worse, how could she have been so stupid? Maybe she was more in control than before, but that had never stopped her grief. It had never ended her pain or mended anything, it had only torn a gap between her and her beloved Mother and Father.  

What was the point fighting them anyways? It wouldn't bring him back, no matter how hard she screamed and fought.  

It was time to say sorry, and hopefully, that they'd accept her back into their lives. Luna prayed that La Muerte had missed her as badly as Luna did, that she'd take her in her arms again like when she was a tiny child.  

Not a moment to waste, powerful wings stretched to carry her into the illuminated sky, gliding straight for the twisted castle that was her Mother's home. Like always, Luna entered through her own room, landing on the small balcony to start scanning the halls for the Goddess.  

But no sign of her.

She wasn't in her study, not in the dining hall, nor her throne room. Not her bedroom, nowhere. Luna had searched the entire castle with no luck. Maybe, maybe she was there.  

Then she was off, slipping into a stream of silver light, curling with the winds all the way to The Land of the Forgotten.  

It was still as bleak as ever, the souls wasting away in tiredness. Ash littering the grounds, but the castle still lit up from the lava pits that oozed around it. Yet Luna loved it, faint memories of racing through the quiet halls. Fighting to gain silence to hide from her Father, but normally the vast walls echoed out where she was, and where she was heading to the winged God. It took years before Luna could properly sneak up on him.  

Those wonderful memories, oh how she missed them. How she missed him. Luna's smile turned into a grimace from her last memory of Xibalba. The pain in his face when she had turned on him, snapping in her face, all but really threatening him with her blade.  

By the Gods what had she done?

Pale feet raced in those halls again, slapping the stone with dulled noises from years of practice, wings tucked tightly so that she'd have nothing to inhibit her speed.  

Faster, faster, she had to get there now. Luna had to see him.  

Please let him be there.  

And he was. Luna skid to a stop, gazing up at the dark figure that stood in his place, fitting the scene of his own throne room like a piece in a puzzle. But, something was off. No,something wasn't right here. Why did he look like that?

Luna was tilting her head, double checking to make sure, but sure enough, he was slouching. His entire frame was drooped over, his head even lower she could hardly see it. Those wonderful wings of his were practically sweeping the floor, getting dust and ash all over them.  

Was it just her, or was his colors all gone as well? It was safe to say he certainly wasn't as vibrant as her Mother, but they seemed more dull, faded, as if he was merely a statue now rather than the prideful God that was once her Father.  

What was wrong with him?

Luna scampered up the steps, nothing, she slowed her pace down to gingerly step up to Xibalba. She was at his side, yet he still didn't move, and so quietly, ever slowly, she moved around to his front.  

Luna never knew what to expect when she returned home, when she would get to see her parents again after years and years of being apart. But this she could never have foreseen.  

Xibalba looked so tired. Tired like the aged mortal man that had nothing left in him, and like the man who had lived in his grief his whole life, wallowing in it, swallowed by it.  

Those eyes that used to hold her gaze, burning red with pride, were bleak, and pale and empty. His mouth was sagging, and his beard and mustache looked tangled and gnarled, like he hadn't bothered with them for weeks.  

It was frightening. Luna could never have imagined her Father could look so dead, could look so weak and fragile. In that moment though, the lifeless state he'd been in broke the tiniest bit when those skulls of his flickered up to see her. Luna needless to say, flinched, rather violently from the sudden movement, gaping at the figure of her Father while he slowly lifted his head.  

There it was again, that damn face that made her heart feel like needles were driving into it, a hand stuck in her chest to squeeze it in their fingers until it'd pop. That horrible, damnable face that was contorted in pain and sadness from finally seeing her again.  

His darling Little Luna.  

He couldn't remember the last time he saw her. No wait, he could, still clear in his mind, and her words echoing in his skull. It almost made him want to cry if it wasn't for the fact his tears had recently dried up.  

His own heart was so full of pain, he could only feel emptiness. All the grief that caused him to waste away no longer brought on the need to moan or cry. It was all just an awful, pitiful feeling of emptiness, just like this damnable Land where he fittingly belonged now.  

Again Luna found herself flinching, twitching away from him when the castle rang out from the snake staff clattering to the ground. His hands were inches from her face, fingers spread to grasp her into his embrace, but Xibalba had stopped himself. Hands curling slowly to draw away from her, had she really come here to see him?

Had she forgiven him after all this time? How could she even look at him? Those questions were put to ease when her own hands, still so very tiny in his own grasped his palms. They barely just fit them, but still her lovely little hands were engulfed by his, and they were still as fragile feeling as the day she was born.  

Xibalba couldn't stand it, and then she was in his arms, holding her tight, one hand cradling her head, fingers smoothing out her beautiful dark curls.  

How long had it been?

It was an extreme feat, but Luna held in her own tears, biting her lip and the talons of her wings curling up tight to hold in the miserable feeling until it passed. Her face pressed against the cold armor, a feeling she could never forget and had longed for, for ages.  

It was minutes before she could bring herself to let go, taking his hands again and breathing to gather herself.  

"Papa I am... I am so sorry.  I can't tell you how much I regret..that day. All the worry and grief I've caused you and Mama..."  

It made him cringe, listening to her apology, which he accepted with all his heart. Xibalba could never bring himself to hate Luna. Never. All he ever wanted was for her to come home.  But how could he tell her.  

"I was hoping, that maybe, you could accept me into coming back home?.."

She would never blame him for his answer, be it yes or no. Be it he would yell in her face, upset by the trouble she had caused, or broken into tears. No she'd never blame him for that.  

Yet she did blame him for his answer.  

"Mi Hija, of course. Of course, by the Gods I could never say no!"

Oh but he still looked so tired. Luna was fearful he'd collapse any moment, and despite the smile on his face, she could still see the pain engraved in It.  

Something was still wrong.  

"Your Mother and I.. have missed you so much, all this time. We've searched for you, everywhere, but I should've known it was futile. You've always won at 'Hide and Seek' "

It was a relief to them both, calming their hearts and breaking small smiles, until his had gone again.  

"We've waited everyday for you to return. Until now, we were certain, you never would. I was without any doubt you'd never forgive me for what I said, for what I've done."  

Again, Luna was heartbroken by the pain in his face, contorting it more and more every time he spoke. She could hear the breaks in his voice, where it seemed he might sob at any moment if he said the wrong word.  

"I only regret, that you hadn't until now, that time could've been on the better side for us both.."  

Luna on the other hand, was overjoyed. She couldn't believe it, but her happiness was put on hold by his expression.  

"It's, it's alright now though. Right? I'm home now, I've come home, and I can see you and Mama again and. Wait until we tell her!"

She was trying to smile, hopes to bring back the life in him and get him to do the same. But it only seemed to make him worse.  

Luna frowned and reached up to hold head face, trying once more.  

"It'll all be alright..from now on.  I'm not mad anymore. It was stupid what I did, you were right, but everything will be fine after this!"

He couldn't take it anymore, and his hands found her shoulders to brace her, but mostly himself. His chest had gone tight and words were being held back in his throat.  

"Luna.. You must know something. We can't tell your Mother you're home. We can't because.. She's dead. La Muerte's gone Mi Hija.."  

All reserves until that moment were gone, and Xibalba faltered on his last word. Teeth were digging into his lip, quivering at the breaking point of sobs while his fingers pressed into her flesh.  

And as he had feared, Luna was doing the same. It was in horror he watched his beloved daughter twist her face in pain, tears brimming her eyes, but most of all, the anger that lit them aflame.  

Dirty brown was creeping upon her skin, highlighting the golden markings that adorned her person and face. She was holding his arms, fingers shaking while those horrid, terrible wings were lifting themselves up again. Talons reaching out towards the ceiling, and curling to catch whatever was closest to it's grasp.  

"Where, is My Mother?"

His heart was pounding. Xibalba knew she wouldn't take well to this, but repeated himself.  

"She is dead, Luna."

"That's a lie! You liar!"

Luna shoved him off. She didn't want to touch him, didn't want to be near him. Those talons swiping out to grab him but of course missed.  

"What happened! Where is she! Tell me, what happened to Mama!"

She was absolutely enraged at first, before begging for the answer to her Mother. Luna felt hot tears falling over, shining on her face while she stared at her Father.  

Xibalba was beside himself, curled back in towards himself with each outburst from his daughter.  

"She's dead. El Chamuco killed her.."  

That was all he had to say, or really all he could before her rage cut him off again.  

"Why? Where were you when she died?! Why didn't you save her?!"  

Luna dipped under into his gaze again, accusing him, blaming him, begging him as to why her Mother was dead.  

Still crouched in his sight, Luna was shaking with sobs, inhaling sharply before straightening her posture. Xibalba had nothing to say, he knew it was his fault. His own wife had saved him instead, and he couldn't do a thing to change it, no matter how hard he wished he had been the one to feel that blade instead.  

The only thing giving him the will to raise his head, was listening to his Luna crying, standing there with her head in her hands, and wailing. It was like when she was little all over again. Searching for her Father to comfort when she was hurt.  

Xibalba couldn't tell if it was just an instinct that had engrained itself since long ago, or because he felt truly sorry for her when he reached out and pulled Luna into his arms once more.  

Whispering hushes and sweet words to her, he didn't dare let her go. Not again. Not ever again. Luna had wrapped her arms around him, holding her Father for dear life after the blow of pain in her heart. How could she blame him, it wasn't his fault, she should know that.  

She should know that.  

He'd never let anything happen to her without a fight. If it was anyone's fault, it was her own. Her own stupidity that had torn them apart and left her parents to fight by themselves instead of her being at their side.  

No.  

No it wasn't her fault.  

It wasn't her Father's fault.  

It was El Chamuco's fault.  

That damnable bastard that took her Mother. Blood was boiling, and her colors were fading, darkening, creeping around the skin like smoke that choked the land. It had been a while since she felt this way. This undying anger and desire to have someone Head on her blade.  

Oh really though.