Fire. The fire.

She hated fire.

She had realized it; after all her hours of pleading, of begging; that her Mommy and Daddy-- they weren't coming back from Far Away... wherever Far Away was. She scrubbed her face with her dirty sleeve and looked around herself; sniffling-- the smell of dying embers and dried blood has filled the air, and nothing else exists in the girl's world.

Mommy and Daddy were-- were 'dead', that much she was sure of. So was everyone else... they had all gone to Far Away, and left her behind. Left her behind on her own, and didn't even say goodbye-- only echoing commands to /RUN/ remained in her mind.

She didn't want to leave Mommy and Daddy. She didn't want to go anywhere.

A faint sound reached her ears; horrified gasps and hesitant footsteps; she looks up to see, in the distance, the face and eyes of someone she had nearly forgotten in her terror, but someone she nearly screamed out in relief at their sight.

"Jowy-niichan...!!"

"Pilika!!" Jowy dove at Pilika and scooped her in his arms, pressing her close to him. "Pilika...thank god you're alive...thank god...what happened?"

"R... r... r-run. D... Daddy s-said... run... run..." She bit back another cry; she had to explain to Uncle Jowy what happened, and the fire, and the red-- "So... so.. Pilika ran... Pilika was so scared... scary...scary... it was all b-- burning... and I run... I run... all this red stuff... on the ground, on.. on everywhere... everywhere..." Tears streamed down her dirt-streaked face as she recalled the incident in full, before closing the space between she and her Uncle Jowy and wrapping her arms around him, seeking comfort.

"B... burning... hate it... hate it... scared, Pilika was scared... a-and, and then, and then... Mommy and Daddy... 'dead'... they not m-moving...on the ground... Pilika... Pilika....... cried... they went to F-Far Away, right...? Left Pilika behind... left her... behind... laughing... scary monster... scary white monster...laughing...."

She shook in the stunned boy's arms, whimpering madly now, babbling nonsensical, fear-borne things of which Jowy could only work out, "Monster", "White", "Laughing"... He whispered comforts to her, while glancing around at his surroundings yet again, disbelieving. This hadn't happened.... this couldn't have happened....'This couldn't have happened if I was there to protect her...' Jowy thought. He was nearly on the verge of tears. 'Pilika...I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you...or your family. I feel so helpless...'

She wasn't even attempting to speak, now, and fell silent for a minute, before faintly speaking up again. "He was in... in Pilika's dream....white monster..."

"It's all right...the white monster has gone..." Jowy whispered softly, stroking young Pilika's fine hair, keeping her close for emotional comfort.

"Wh... wh... what n-n-now? What do Pilika do n-now?" Pilika choked, "Mommy....Mommy... Daddy... in Far Away... didn't even g-give D-Daddy his...a.... a... amu... amu..."

With a sharp realization, Jowy remembered-- the wooden object still hung loosely from his neck; and carefully detatching himself from the children, he lifted it over his face. "....I got it, Pilika.... I got it... we can still give it to your Daddy... it's okay..."

She stared at him, wide eyes now brimming with confusion. "H-How? How? He's in... Away... Away...."

He looped it around her neck, during which she didn't move; only kept her eyes locked with his, whimperings stopped, although tears still fell down her deathly pale cheeks.

"You see, Pilika, if you wear your Daddy's amulet, he'll know you got it just for him, in.. in... Far Away Land. You see? Your Daddy and Mommy are happy, Pilika... they're okay... they're happy... so don't cry..."

A pause from the child; before, "I... Pilika.. Pilika don't wanna leave Mommy a, and D-Daddy..."

"You won't leave them, Pilika... they will always be with you... you might not be able to see you, but they're here... and they love you..." Jowy realized, suddenly, that he had to take Pilika with him-- he couldn't just leave her here. "Look... Uncle Jowy will take you somewhere safe, okay...? And I'll protect you... don't worry... You have to come with me..."

"But I'm scared, Jowy-niichan, I'm scared, I'm--"

She flung herself against him again, without warning, and he listened to her breathing, occasionally interrupted with a choking noise. He listened to her incoherent sobs as he held her comfortingly, letting the young girl ease a little of her pain in his shoulder. It was all he could do for now...let her cry...

"Pilika.... Pilika come with Jowy-niichan.... Mommy and Daddy....Mommy..."

He held her. "Yes, that's right. They'll always watch over you."

Pilika nodded ever so softly as she tried to convince herself Uncle Jowy was right. Her parents will always watch over her. Her sobs began to fade out. Her body went limp and she fell asleep where she will always be safe - in his arms. Jowy stood.

"Pilika...I'm sorry." he whispered. "I'll make things right again. I'll stop the White Monster. I promise."

In the coming distance, an all too familar voice chuckled.

"My, what a touching scene."

Jowy glared. "Marco..."

Marco raked his fingers through his fine hair. "'Tis a pity," he looked off to the side, "For a peasant town, I rather liked this place. Now, brother Jowy. You are coming with me. I suppose that little peasant girl is coming along too...It would be ungentlemanly of either of us to leave her abandoned." He snapped his fingers. Two Highland guards appeared and grabbed Jowy by each arm. Jowy struggled, shifting his weight to keep Pilika in balance.

"What are you doing?" Jowy demanded.

"We're going home to Kyaro, of course. Father will certainly be most eager to hear of your little rebellious escapades."