That night after Captain Mondragon visited Ramiro, he dismissed it as a mere figment of his imagination once again, and went to sleep as if nothing that happened. Even with all his tough exterior I could tell there was still a small speck of kindness in his heart.

("Mi amor, I think now's not the time for that…" Xibalba groaned.

La Muerte rolled her eyes, and continued with the story. "Anyway, soon the clock struck one, and I knew it was my cue…")

Ramiro shifted in bed when he felt a bit of heat radiating from the side of bed. He removed one of his layers of blankets, but it was still hot. He grumbled something under his breath and tried to hide himself underneath his pillows, but suddenly a bright light overcame the room, and even with his eyes closed it nearly blinded him.

"Ramiro Posada."

Immediately the man jumped to his feet out of bed, startled at the newcomer's voice, confused at the fact that it appeared to be feminine. When he opened his eyes, he found himself before a majestic figure before him. She was a beautiful woman with pale skin adorned with golden markings, long flowing and curly black hair that reached down her knees, wearing a long passionate red dress that pooled at the floor and a matching, ridiculously large hat, the both of which were adorned with candles and marigolds. She was beautiful in every way imaginable, she had a tiny waist and considerable hips, a well as round, beautiful breasts and a perfect face.

Ramiro had the feeling this entity was not human, there was no mortal that would ever be so beautiful and perfect, nor be as tall as this. She was considerably much taller than him, in fact, it seemed she was even taller than the canopy of his bed (though maybe it was because since he was very short, he often saw people as taller than they actually were. That time I had to shrink down a bit to fit inside his room.)

Ramiro stared at the goddess in front of him with a mixture of shock, bewilderment and lust. "Huh…"

"My name is La Muerte, I'm the ruler of the Land of the Remembered, and I have been asked by Captain Mondragon to come and see you."

"I-D-B…"

La Muerte noticed the look he was giving her, and crossed her arms over her breasts, frowning lightly. "Please, I ask you in the kindest way possible, do not look at me that way. I'll let you know that I am married, and my husband won't like the way you're looking at me."

(Xibalba muttered under his breath. "I wish I could have given that dwarf a piece of my mind."

"You would have probably killed him on the spot." Captain Mondragon snickered.

"That was not very polite!" Marigold snapped.

La Muerte coughed gently to call their attention. "Anyway, skipping that…)

When he finally snapped out of his daze, Ramiro looked up at La Muerte with crossed arms and attempted to sound like he was superior to her, though her stature and her godly glow were making it a hard task. "Well, at least you have some decency! I've known women like you who take advantage their good looks to go around whore around men to get benefits out of them!"

La Muerte was staring down at him with a mild frown. "Ramiro, you don't have to-"

"It's General Posada to you, mujer!"

It was taking her every bit of self-control not to give this man a good slap. "Listen, I'm here to-"

"I know why you came here! Mondragon said something about being visited by three spirits, but he never mentioned one of them being a woman! If he thinks I'm going to be ordered around by a mere woman like you you're completely wrong, if you have a husband I don't know where the heck he is that he doesn't whipe you into place! Go back to the kitchen to wherever you live!"

That did it. She tried to be patient but that was much. In a show of rage and indignation, La Muerte's candles flared out like volcanoes and she showered her ire on the mortal, making the General cower in fear and shock. "ESCUCHA BIEN, HIJO DE BURRO LEPROSO! I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY HUMILLIATIONS FROM YOU, I MAY BE A WOMAN BUT I AM NOT YOUR INFERIOR! YOU BETTER MIND YOUR MANNERS OR I'LL TELL MY HUSBAND AND HE WON'T DOUBT IN COMING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE FOR TALKING A WOMAN DOWN LIKE THAT!" She yelled in a thunderous voice.

(La Muerte shifted uncomfortably. She usually didn't like to snap like that at people, she always tried her best to swallow her anger and try to use kindness and reason with stubborn ones. Xibalba didn't think exactly the same, however.

"That's my Muertita!" he laughed. "Putting that imbécil back in place!"

"Mamá, you really yelled at him?" Marigold was snickering.

"I didn't have any other choice. He didn't want to listen, and I just wasn't going to let him disrespect me like that."

"You guys are lucky she hasn't been mad at you…" Zipacna muttered under his breath.

Alastor shuddered at the thought. "So, what happened after that?"

"Well, after I managed to calm down, the General was beyond scared…")

"Mercy!" Ramiro dropped to his knees, trembling at the goddess's wrath. "Don't hurt me! I beg you! I have a family!"

La Muerte's candles went back to normal and her anger died down, but she was still staring down at General Posada with cold fire. "I'm not the type to hurt people in any way, not even if they deserve if. So you only have family when it's convenient to you?"

"N-No, I-!"

"Don't worry. I know you don't really think like that." Soon her kind, sweet side was back, with still some lingers of that fire in her amber eyes. "You were not always like this. The reason that I'm here, Ramiro Posada, is to remind you of the way you used to be, and at what point in the past you took another path."

Ramiro panicked when he no longer felt the floor beneath him, and soon realized he was floating. Much to his shock (and horror), he realized he was getting higher, accompanied by the goddess, and he was further scared when they flew through the roof, finding themselves going higher and higher into the night sky. "Where are we going?!"

"To your past." Was all she said.

La Muerte waved her hand, and out of sudden, the moon went to hide behind the horizon, and the sun came out, but it was going backwards, and soon it augmented in speed. Below them, people went and came, old men became children, old houses rejuvenated, a few even disappeared, the town became smaller, until finally it stopped. They had gone about fifty years into the past, long before María, Manolo and Joaquín had been born, back when San Ángel was just a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. General Posada could not believe it.

As La Muerte floated down, dragging him along, he could take a better look at the surroundings, it was just as he remembered. He recognized some of the boys he used to play with, some of the old women who would often yell and chase them around the street with chanchlas after stepping on their flower, and he even saw the young torero Luis Sánchez with his wife talking with Pedro and Juanita Mondragon, both families showing their respective children Carlos and Joaquín to each other. The nostalgy overcame him, it was enough to have a few tears in his eyes.

Even La Muerte was smiling in remembrance, recalling how small San Ángel used to be, but recalled the reason of their visit. "Follow me."

Although hesitant, Ramiro followed the goddess, and was quick to notice that people passed by them without a glance, as if they were ignoring them, or if they were not even there. "How come these people have not seen us?"

"They can't. This is only a memory, the shadow of what San Ángel once was. We are only shades wandering through the sands of time, they will not be able to see nor hear us."

Soon they came upon one of the larger houses in the then-small town. Unlike most houses, this one was gray and had little decorations for Christmas. There was not even a garden, like most houses had at that time. Inside, there was a small boy of about six years old watching longingly out the window as the other boys played, while he was stuck inside studying.

Suddenly, the door opened gently, and a woman in her forties with short black hair came in with a small tray of food. General Posada stared at her dumbfounded; it had been so long ever since he saw this woman, and it was in pictures.

"M-Mother?"

"How are you doing, mijo?" the woman asked her youngest son, placing the tray next to his books.

"I'm bored, mama." He whined, dropping his pencil and crossing his arms. "I want to go play outside!"

"I know, but you know your father. He wants you to finish homework before you can go play."

"How come my sisters aren't doing any homework?"

"Well, mijo, they are… helping me with the chores." The woman explained, though there was a wave of sadness in her voice.

La Muerte noticed how the general was trying his best to suppress his tears. It had been so long. Just then, the door opened once more, but this time a man in a military uniform came in. He looked like an older version of his son (and almost a younger of the actual General Posada), with moustache and all. The woman immediately stood aside and cast her gaze downwards. The man looked down at the boy's work.

"Good. You're learning faster than the other kids." He said, before turning to his wife. "I thought I told you to teach our daughters how to be housewives! Diana's intended will be arriving in a few days, and I want her to be ready for her future husband!"

"I was just teaching them how to sweep, I only brought Ramiro his meal."

"Good. Now go."

"Yes, husband."

As soon as the woman left, Ramiro looked up at his father innocently. "What's a housewife, papa?"

"Ah, a housewife is a married woman, son. Remember this, when you marry a woman, she must always be at your back and call and obey your every command. The man of the house always has the last word, got it?"

Although reluctant, Ramiro nodded his head. "Yes, papa."

La Muerte shook her head in disappointment at the scene, but the General was actually praising his father's words. "Ha! A good lesson, indeed it was!"

She looked down at him. "So you always thought women were inferior?"

"Of course! They only exist to make men happy!"

"SO your mother was nothing more than a tool?"

"Yes-What?! No!"

"She is a woman."

"But she's…" the General bit his tongue. "She's…"

"And your sisters are nothing more than tools either?"

"No! They're not!" His elder sister had always been kind to him and self-taught herself to read, and his other sisters always played with him when he had no one to.

"See? You never thought women were mere tools for men to use, but your father repeated it so often that you ended up believing it yourself."

Ramiro didn't want to see anymore. "Whatever! Just take me back!"

La Muerte frowned lightly. "Oh, no, mister. We're not done yet." Another wave of her hand, and they went further forward in time. Things grew old, people died and were born, and buildings were built. Finally they stopped, at that time San Ángel was a little bigger than before, and the church was being built.

La Muerte led the general through town, again passing by as unseen shades, until they were at the fountain. Ramiro saw Carmen, now a beautiful young woman, being wooed by Carlos and Joaquín to no avail, though La Muerte could see in her eyes that she had a thing for Carlos. Then she saw a beautiful young woman on the fountain, she had much resemblance to María, but her hair was a darker brown, other than that she looked very much like her. For a second time, Ramiro almost felt tears of nostalgia running down his cheeks. "S-Sofía?"

"Who is she?" La Muerte asked. She actually knew, but she wanted him to say it.

"My… She is my…"

Just then, a young man a little older than her (though his white hair made him look older than he actually was) was approaching her with a small arrangement of flowers. He was beyond nervous, almost blushing as he approached the woman named Sofía, who looked up at him curiously when he walked closer.

"Hello." She said kindly.

He jumped, shivering. "H-Hello…" he tried in vain to regain his composure. "I am R-Ramiro…"

"Oh, I know you. You are the General's son."

"Sort of." He held out the buquet in embarrassment. "I brought you some flowers."

Sofía couldn't help but blush a bit as well. "Gracias…" she accepted the bouquet.

General Posada couldn't help but chuckle sadly in reminiscence, recalling how at that time he couldn't even talk properly in front of her. But soon time advanced yet again, this time about twenty years later, he couldn't really tell. This time he realized they were not in the street, they were inside a house. Soon he recognized his study, and he saw himself looking out the window. This scenery was vaguely familiar to him, until he realized where they were. "What are we doing here?" he asked with a tone or urgency.

"I said I'd show you everything." La Muerte said simply, staring at the shade of the younger General.

"You've shown me everything, can we go now-?" Ramiro tried to walk away, but La Muerte snapped her fingers and his legs froze in place.

("Why do I have the feeling this telenovela is reaching the sour point?" Zipacna shivered, reaching out for more popcorn, only to realize the bucket was empty.

Alastor and Marigold hadn't said anything.

"What? Aren't you going to make a nasty comment about our dear General?" Xibalba chuckled upon seeing their expressions.

"Uhh…" Marigold was speechless.

"I don't know anymore…" Alastor said.

La Muerte smiled sympathetically at her children. "It's much harder to judge someone when you know the whole story."

"He made mistakes, but who doesn't?" Joaquín Sir nodded. "He may have not been a good husband, or father, but he was a good friend to me."

"Why did the General want to leave?" Marigold asked curiously.

La Muerte's gaze turned into a sad expression. "Because in order to make him see his mistakes, I had to show him all of them. And he was about to see one of the greatest mistakes he ever made, one that made him the way he was…")

The door to the study burst open, and Sofía entered, not bothering to knock. Ramiro tried to look away, but his body was frozen.

"How many times I've told you to knock the-?!" the past General snapped turned to see his wife, only to find her with luggage. "What are you doing with that?"

Sofía had a look of both sadness and anger in her face. "I'm leaving with my daughter."

"What the-?!"

"I warned you that if you didn't accept her the way she was I would not bear it anymore!"

"And who gave you permission for this?!"

"I don't need your permission! Your not my owner, I'm not your slave, I have every right to make my own decisions!"

The General stomped his way to his wife menacingly (or at least he tried to, like I mentioned he wasn't every tall). "Not if have anything to say about the matter!"

"You're not going to stop me! I have had enough of you and your machismo!"

"I'm your husband! You have to obey me!"

"No, I don't!" Sofía was as defiant as ever, tearing her arms from her husband's grip. "You didn't even ask me about sending María away!"

"I don't have to ask your opinion! I'm doing what is more convenient for my daughter!"

"Oh, so now she is your daughter! Because as far as I know, you've never treated her as such! She was always a nuisance, an annoyance to you, all because she was a girl!"

"This wouldn't have happened if you had given me a son!"

"Oh, so this is all it's about?! Her gender?! Besides you'd be half to blame as well!"

"Do not pin the blame on me, mujer!"

"You know what?! Vete al demonio!" hot tears of anger-and hurt-were rolling down Sofía's cheeks. "I wish I had never married you! I'm leaving with my daughter whether you like it or not!"

Ramiro was frozen in shock as he watched his wife turn on her heels, dragging her luggage behind her, not looking back at him. But he said nothing. If that was how she wanted it, so be it. From now on he'd tell all townspeople of what she had done, and she'd be an outcast. She'd be cast out of society for daring to do what little women dared to do. She was already making her way to the train station; María would catch up to her later when she was done packing.

"Stop!"

La Muerte glanced at General Posada, and was genuinely surprised to see the tears were finally rolling down his cheeks, he was covering his eyes, trying to block the memories coming back to haunt him.

"Please, I beg you! I don't want to see anymore! I can't bear these memories!"

La Muerte saw in the depths of his being; despite everything, General Posada had truly loved his wife, and he always regretted driving her away. But she remained stoic and firm, shaking her head in disappointment. "But you created them yourself."

Those were her last words, before a bright flash blinded him.

La Muerte sighed sadly. "That was when I sent him back to his time. I didn't like to open old wounds, I don't like to, but he had to see his past mistakes in order to realize what he did wrong."

"What happened next?" Alastor inquired.

"When that old man awoke, he was back in his room." Xibalba stated, before looking around.

"What are you looking for, hermanito?" Zipacna inquired with his mouth full of popcorn.

"I'm waiting to see if you-know-who won't come out of nowhere to interrupt me or catch me by surprise."

"The Candlemaker? Isn't he busy on this time of the year?"

"Are you talking about the big fat man with a large white cloudy beard and annoyingly cheery attitude that glowed like a candle?" Joaquín Sir inquired

"Bingo!" Xibalba sighed in dismay.

"Oh, he actually arrived a while ago. He heard about half the story before he went to the bathroom. If I'm right, he should be back in-" the Captain couldn't finish as a flash of bright light made them cover their eyes, and seconds later the Candlemaker appeared in front of them with a look of relief, and toilet paper caught in his wax.

"Man, I shouldn't have eaten so many beans!" he huffed, wiping some sweat off his brow, and glancing at the scene. "What did I miss, guys?"

"We just got to your part." Xibalba replied. Frankly he was glad the Candlemaker didn't come to interrupt him out of sudden like he usually did.

"Oh, cool! I love storytelling!" the Candlemaker laughed, taking his place on the couch when all stared turned back to him. The Book of Life opened its pages in front of the children so they could take a better look at the events. "Well, when Muertita sent our dear old General back home, it was my time to pay him a little visit… And what a visit he had!"