Chapter Text
Miguel could see them. The thirteen-year-old stared, his mouth slightly agape as a few translucent, glowing skeletons walked past him. He whirled to Señor Mès, eyes wide as he instinctively reached out to touch the man. His hand didn't go through the vendor, thank goodness, but that left Miguel standing there awkwardly as Señor Mès frowned at him.
"Aha, I'll see you tomorrow Señor." The boy laughed self-consciously as he rubbed the back of his neck and offered the surly looking man an apologetic smile. "Gracias for the churro!" Miguel called over his shoulder as he sped away, rushing back to his home, said churro practically crushed in his tight grip. After passing two alleyways, he spotted Dante stumbling over some trashcans, and he quickly crouched down next to his dog. "Here, boy." He feed the Xolo his now squashed snack, grinning widely. "Dante, I can see them!" He exclaimed in a loud whisper, both hands framing the Alebrije's face. "I can see the dead! This means I'll be able to see my family!" He cheered and was rewarded with several licks from his best friend. "Haha, c'mon, vámonos! Maybe we can catch them at the cemetery!"
Together, the boy and his dog raced down the cobblestoned streets of Santa Cecilia. As they moved, Miguel called out greetings and waved to both people and skeletons as they passed, chuckling at the confused and shocked looks he got in return. He dodged the spirits when he could, still remembering how unpleasant it had been to watch someone pass through him last year, and reached the cemetery in record time. He stumbled after Dante as they headed towards the bridge made up of marigold flower petals, but Miguel came to a sudden stop when he saw that the bridge wasn't there.
"What the–" He furrowed his brows, confusion only furthering as more ghosts suddenly appeared at the edge of the graveyard, mere steps away from where he was sure the bridge was supposed to be. With more caution, Miguel slowly approached the spot where the skeletons were materializing from, frowning heavily. All he saw was unplotted ground, and then the stone wall that encircled the graveyard. "Dante?" The thirteen-year-old muttered as he turned to look down at his dog. Dante barked twice before dashing forwards, where he then vanished before Miguel's very eyes. "Dante!?" He rushed forwards, nearly bumping into a lady skeleton as she appeared in front of him. "Whoa, s-sorry Señora." He stuttered before offering her an apologetic smile. The lady stared at him in surprise. "You haven't seen my dog, have you?"
The lady looked behind her, as if checking to make sure that Miguel was truly talking to her, before she offered a hesitant nod.
"Really? Great, where is he?" The lady's eye-sockets pitched forward together in confusion.
"Right there, rolling around on the bridge." She said as she pointed at a spot beyond the stone wall. "Can't you see him?"
"On the bridge?" Miguel repeated, staring at the location she'd pointed at. Squinting his eyes didn't help, nor did turning his head at an angle. He saw nothing. "Sorry, but I… I don't think I can see the bridge." He admitted after a moment, thinking hard. "I guess I can only see you guys when you've crossed over."
"Oh." The lady didn't seem to know what to make of that and Miguel offered her another, single-dimpled smile.
"Hehe, sorry to bother you. I hope you have a nice time visiting your familia." She smiled back at him.
"Gracias niño." He waved goodbye as she passed and turned back to the bridge.
"Dante!" He called, brown eyes searching for his pet as more skeletons passed him by. "Come on boy, I can't stay here much longer. I have to get home soon!" Miguel stood there for several more minutes, waiting for either Dante or his family, but he saw neither. He sighed and turned around, hurrying back home so that he wouldn't get scolded by his Abuelita for being late. His family had been sort of anxious all day, and with good reason.
It was Día de los Muertos, and it was on this very day last year that Miguel had had the biggest fight with his family ever. It was something he regretted now, and he knew his family did too, especially his Abuelita. They had both done and said mean things to each other. On that day, Miguel had revealed his love for music and his family had reacted in the way he'd always feared. His Abuelita had even destroyed the guitar he had salvaged from the trash years ago.
Now though, things were different. After his adventures in the Land of the Dead, he had come to learn that somethings were more important than music. And when he'd returned, Miguel had taught his family that music was not the curse they'd all believed it was. This Día de los Muertos would be the first time in four generations that the Rivera familia would play music for the festival! Miguel was going to reveal the song he'd been working on in private, Proud Corazón, which he'd written in honor of his deceased ancestors. The thought of his skeletal relatives made him whoop with excitement. He couldn't wait to see them again!
Miguel made it back home with a few minutes to spare. He paused outside the ofrenda, hoping to catch a glimpse of his familia, but nobody, either dead or living, was inside the small room. With a slightly disappointed sigh, he headed towards the kitchen. His Mamá was seated at the table, feeding his baby sister, Socorro.
"Hola Miguel." Mamá greeted once she caught sight of him.
"Hola Mamá." He stepped forwards to pat his sister on her head. "Hola Bebé Coco." His sister had been named after their great-grandmother, who'd sadly passed away a month before Bebé Coco had been born. His sister laughed, her brown eyes shining as she reached out to him. The only thing the deterred Miguel from picking her up was the mess of smashed carrots covering her hands and face.
"Have you seen your Abuelita?" He shook his head.
"No, not yet. Do you know where she is?"
"I think I saw her heading towards the workroom a few minutes ago." Mamá answered with a slight smile.
"Okay, I'll go check there now." He said before he leaned down to place a kiss on Bebé Coco's soft black hair. He walked, not ran, to the shop. He'd gotten yelled at enough times for running around indoors that the lesson stuck subconsciously. "Abuelita?" He called as he stepped inside the workshop. "Are you here?"
"Sí mijo. Back here!" He quickened his pace and took the corner that led to the backroom. "Ay, come, come! I have a regalo for you."
"A gift?" He questioned. Abuelita seemed to be shuffling some boxes around. There should only be shoeboxes and containers for extra materials, but Abuelita turned towards him carrying a brightly wrapped present with a white bow. He took it eagerly and tore through the flashy paper. Lifting the lid to the box, Miguel gasped at what was in inside.
"Sorpresa!" Abuelita shouted and he glanced at her, mouth agape.
"Abuelita, t-this is–"
"Your own charro suit! Now you'll look like a real músico when you play tonight!" Miguel reverently lifted the dark red jacket out of the box, his hands delicately tracing the white patterns sown into the soft fabric. Gold buttons lined the coat and decorated the handcuffs. Tucked in the fold of the jacket was a ribbon, a mariachi moño, which was a bright dazzling gold. He looked back up at his grandmother, tears forming in his eyes.
"Gracias, Abuelita, muchas gracias. I love it." Miguel said softly, trying hard not to cry. He caught Abuelita wiping away a few stray tears as she smiled at him.
"Bah, think nothing of it mijo. You deserve this." Miguel quickly pulled her into a hug and chuckled as she peppered his face with half a dozen kisses. "Now, go put that in your room. You can change into it later." With a beaming expression, Miguel rushed to his room, slowing down only after Abuelita yelled after him. His trek to his bedroom was a speedy hobble that looked somewhat like Papá Héctor's shambled gait.
Reaching his room, Miguel quickly closed his door behind him and laid his present on his bed. He carefully removed his suit, pausing to marvel over his jacket once again, before laying it as neatly as he could on his bedspread. He then took out his mariachi moño, delicately folding the fabric to avoid wrinkles. Next, he pulled out the white camisas, which he didn't dare unfold, and set the dress shirt down gently beside the other articles of clothing. Next came the pants, which matched his jacket, being colored a dark red and patterned in white etchings along the seams. A gold sash to go around his waist came next and he placed it next to his bow tie.
At the bottom of the box was pair of botines crafted from black leather and shone so well Miguel could practically see his reflection. He smiled, recognizing the boots as one of their own famous Rivera shoes, and wondered which one of his family members had made them. He noticed that there was no sombrero, but Miguel could hardly care about that when he had his own mariachi suit. He was tempted to put the outfit on now, but knew he needed to get ready for dinner first. Changing into a nice white buttoned shirt and black dress pants, he made his way out into the family courtyard to help with setting everything up.
Miguel kept an eye on the archway, the gate already flung open with a trail of marigold petals leading from the street, into their home, and up to the ofrenda. He saw several skeletons pass, but still there was no sign of his family or Dante. His Mamá came out when they nearly finished getting everything ready, holding Bebé Coco who was wearing a cute pink and white dress that Abuelita had sewn for her.
"Mamá, can I show Bebé Coco the ofrenda? I want to introduce her to our family."
"Of course, mijo." Mamá answered as she handed Coco to him with a proud smile. Tickling his baby sister, Miguel brought her up to the ofrenda, listing each of his family members and point them out to her. "And up at the top is Mamá Imelda, Papá Héctor, and Mamá Coco. We put their pictures up and pass down their stories so that they won't be forgotten." Miguel turned when he felt a hand land on his shoulder and saw Abuelita place a newer picture of Mamá Coco on the bottom shelf. Smiling sadly, he drew her into a hug.
The festivities began not long after that. Tamales, pan dulce, taquitos, and so much more were on platters on the banquet table. Lights and papel picados were strung up, each with different color's and designs. Lit candles were on every ledge, tucked into nooks and crannies, leaving almost no room for shadows in the courtyard. Carrying Bebé Coco, Miguel chatted with his family, smiling and laughing as the older generations shared stories of his deceased relatives.
It was almost an hour into the festivities, when the sun was setting, that Miguel spotted his spiritual ancestors enter the courtyard. It took everything the boy had not to race over to Papá Héctor when he spotted his great-great-grandfather holdings hands with Mamá Imelda and Mamá Coco. Instead, he nonchalantly made his way over to the apparitions of his relatives, his face breaking into a wide grin when he saw that he had been spotted.
"Miguel! Chamaco! Mijo!" Papá Héctor cheered loudly as he went to rush out and hug the boy, only to be stopped abruptly as Mamá Imelda grabbed the back of his vest.
"Idiota, he can't see us." She scolded her husband and Héctor gave a sheepish laugh while rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh, right."
"And who's this little one?" Mamá Coco asked as Miguel reached the group. He smiled at his great-grandmother, keeping his voice low.
"This is Bebé Coco, Mamá Coco." He answered happily, nearly laughing at the stunned looks on his familia's faces. At least this time Papá Héctor's eyeballs didn't drop into his mouth.
"Wait– What?!" Héctor yelled while Mamá Imelda simply gaped at him.
"Hehe, surprise?" The thirteen-year-old chuckled.
"You can see us?! How?" Miguel shrugged.
"I don't know. When the bells rang, I could suddenly see all the spirits. I can't see the bridge though, or anything beyond it." He admitted, frowning again at that thought before beaming once more. "I missed you all so much!"
"Ay, us to mijo." Tía Rosita said as she reached out to give him a one-armed hug. She let out a slight squeak when her arm went right through him and Miguel tried not to shudder at the strangeness of seeing her hand jutting through his side.
"We can't touch you." Mamá Imelda stated with a frown and the boy shook his head, smiling sadly.
"Doesn't look like it. But at least I get to see you, and talk to you! That's more than I could've hoped for!"
"Miguel!" His Papá called from the other end of the courtyard. "Come here mijo, your mother and I have something for you."
"Coming Papá!" He turned back to his skeletal relatives. "I gotta go, but I'll come back to talk to you guys later, okay?"
"Go on mijo." Papá Julio said from where he had an arm wrapped around Mamá Coco. "We're not going anywhere." With a wide smile, Miguel left to meet up with his parents, whispering to his baby sister as he moved.
"I know you couldn't see them, but that was our family. I'm sure they'll want to meet you later." Once he reached their parents, he handed Coco over to Mamá. "What did you want to give me, Papá?" His parents shared a fond look before his Papá pulled something out from under the clothed table. He gasped.
"What kind of mariachi would you be without a sombrero?" Papá teased as he held out a dark red hat with intricate white stitching around the brim.
"Oh, Papá." With a slightly shaky hand, Miguel took the sombrero, marveling over it's beauty before gazing up at his parents. "Gracias!"
"Go change mijo. Everyone can't wait to hear you play." Mamá hummed as she leaned forwards to place a kiss on his forehead. Heading towards the house, Miguel spared a wave to his deceased relatives before hurrying onto his room. He quickly changed, only to end up staring at his reflection for several minutes. He looked like a real musician! With an excited grin, Miguel put on his hat and raced off to the workshop to retrieve Papá Héctor's guitar from where it was now displayed. It was agreed by the family, after they'd revealed De La Cruz's lies to the world, that Papá Héctor's guitar should become a family heirloom. Miguel was sure his family wouldn't mind him borrowing it just for tonight though.
Racing back out into the courtyard, the boy paused at the doorway, just taking in the sight of his whole family being together. With a toothy smile he let out a loud grito, catching the hold yard's attention and even getting a grito in return from Papá Héctor. He strummed the first few notes of Proud Corazón, before taking a deep breath and began to sing.
"Say that I'm crazy or call me a fool." With a smile he walked past his parents, stopping by his spiritual family. "But last night it seemed that I dreamed about you." He gave them a slight bow before turning back to the rest of the courtyard. "When I opened my mouth, what came out was a song. And you knew every word and we all sang along! To a melody played on the strings of our souls. And a rhythm that rattled us down to the bone." He almost laughed when he spotted Dante making off with some food from the banquet table. "Our love for each other will live on forever, in every beat of my proud corazón. Our love for each other will live on forever, in every beat of my proud corazón."
With a belting shout he played faster, sang louder, and danced around his relatives. Miguel's smile widened even further when Papá Héctor stepped forwards, his hands seemingly going through his guitar only to pull back with a spiritual copy of his own. Together, they played, and it was everything Miguel could have hoped for.
"Ay mi familia, oiga mi gente! Canten a coro, let it be known! Our love for each other will live on forever, in every beat of my proud corazón! Ay mi familia, oiga mi gente! Canten a coro, let it be known! Our love for each other will live on forever, in every beat of my proud corazón!"