Anything Can Happen {Héctor}

[Coco Rivera]

"Mamá, if you need me to go out for the Oregano, I'd be happy to!", Coco offered as she also helped prepare breakfast for the family. Though she was enjoying her time back with her family, she also knew (assumed) it was something she would have for years yet, and without the pesky diminishing of her capabilities and memories with it! Imelda had apologized to Coco herself for all the years of being hard on her due to a misunderstanding, and Coco was eager to prove she knew it hadn't been her mother's fault either and show full love and acceptance by helping her all she could.

The story she'd been told of how she lost her Papá still stung her metaphoric heart though! Tío Ernesto! A man she'd trusted as much as her Papá and familial uncles, her parent's Best Man at their wedding, had...how could he have?! Mamá and Papá had anger at him covered, and honestly, it wasn't that Coco wasn't angry, she was a whole host of emotions, but mostly sad. It made sense why she and Mama were given no help or answers over the years, though.

Yet, Coco put thought of her ex-Tío-Ernesto behind her, and headed out for the Oregano. As she walked along the streets of the Land of the Dead, she gave a twirl for good measure, enjoying both being able to move more freely and being allowed to dance all she wanted now!

She'd lightly closed her eyes as she did such, and when she opened them again she gave a small gasp. Well that was not the shop that had been across the street before... Not that it was a bad looking shop. It was red, and round, and sort of appealing, in its own way. Coco walked up a bit closer, intrigued. "Huh?", she smiled, "Well wait until I tell everyone...", she was only talking to herself, but as she turned, as if to look back towards the Rivera shoe-shop in the Land of the Dead, she got another surprise. It was gone!

"W-what...", it was only now that Coco noticed she could actually feel the sun on her cheek like she had back when alive. And...everyone walking by was alive too! How? She spun again, but not dancing this time. "Mamá? Papá? Julio?", of course everyone was back at the shop, but if they had conveniently been there it would have helped at least not feel the lost feeling that was coming over her.

She backed up a bit, oh what was she going to do?!

Wait...it hit her all of a sudden. She was not in the Land of the Dead anymore, and it wasn't Dia de los Muertos...that had just ended...she...she was stuck on the other side of the barrier after just getting everyone back! After finally getting to see her father again! And worse this was not Santa Cecilia, she was somehow far away from even her living family!

"Oh no, no, no, no...", Coco liked to believe she had a much better resolve against conflict and problems than to cry, but...it was all too much, and she would have started if she could form tears. She still sunk onto a bench shaking her head. What was she going to do! She covered her face like she might start crying, soon feeling a light tap.

Glancing up, she found an adorable black haired, but paler skinned boy, waving at her. Then he spoke English (she understood English as well as she did Spanish), "Hi...do you know the other skeleton?".

Coco wasn't sure she understood. "lo--I--I'm sorry?". Though she hadn't answered, it seemed enough for the boy and he took off through the crowd. "Oh no, wait, Niño, please!, Coco called after him. She just had this feeling he was her one chance at help. He was soon gone though, and Coco sighed.

<<I don't know, if you wanna used random kid to help Héctor find her>>

[Deleted]

"Coco" was frequently tossed at Héctor Rivera no matter where he went. It was something that made him confused when he first heard it, then miss her terribly, before the optimistic father was just proud that somehow, his daughter was famous enough to be remembered for a lifetime. Most times they'd remember his name, sometimes they'd just relate him to just "Coco" for some reason. Either way, the famous musician complied with the autographs and the photos (he actually did love to take photos). But mostly everyone of course had to ask him to perform Remember Me. As usual, the answer was easily changed with a better offer of performing any of his other songs or responded with a no before he'd find a way to avoid it, just like he avoided all the people that were angry with him for not giving back their borrowed items unless he absolutely had to face them. 

It was all fine until Héctor heard the "Remember Me" song sung by the mariachi band in the Mexico pavilion.. but it was NOT sung the way it was meant to be sung: Rubato and tenderly. No. He knew this version ALL too well in the 96 years that he had been in the land of the dead hearing it! It was too upbeat and loud. This was Ernesto's version! His expression turned deadpan. His hands firmly clenched by his side as he mashed his teeth together. "What?! No! What are they doing?! Why are they playing that?!" Héctor couldn't keep his commentaries to himself as he observed the performance from the side. As much as he HATED that song Héctor knew better than to stop them. He just let them play, just like the million other versions of Ernesto's performance that they would do in the land of the dead. Only the other times he didn't say anything to them because he didn't know that Ernesto was the one that murdered him. Oh, but he didn't hide his face either. His expression was deadpan and unhappy. No, he waited. He waited until they were finally done, then he confronted them backstage with an annoyed expression on his countenance as he pointed at them accusingly. "Ey, amigo! A ver.. who's idea was it to play it like that? That is not how you sing it and you should know the reason!" He did NOT need to say the reason why. They knew all about him and his family enough to have their ofrenda in this place, but another thing was to play Ernesto's version of a song on top of it! He didn't care how famous it was! Even if they didn't know..well, he didn't feel like he needed to explain the reason either! He didn't care to talk about Ernesto ever. He was better off forgotten.   

Wait until Imelda hears about this! Fortunately for the staff, his family was helping her out with fulfilling a lot of shoe making requests. The pouty skeletal ancestor stomped away and left the Mexico Pavilion. He wanted to be as far away from this place as possible. At least for the next few minutes before he'd get over it, the same way he usually got over his frustrations so quickly. Better yet, he'll just get lunch for his hard working family from somewhere else! Then he was marching straight home!

"Oh! Hey! Hey! Héctor!" 

"Who wants to know?"  Héctor muttered dryly with a deadpan expression. The way he gruffly sounded, it sounded as if it depended on whether the person asked to play "Remember Me" or not. As far as he was concerned, he was done with being asked to play "Remember Me," especially after hearing that terrible mariachi performance. He would be pouting and sulking with his arms crossed if he wasn't walking away from the Mexico Pavilion right now. 

"Oh, um, I saw Coco!" 

"Yes, yes, I know, kid.." The cynical skeleton waved it off knowingly with a small, sad smile. Did anyone realize how much it hurt him every time someone said that to him? That they had seen Coco? The first few - okay, maybe several - times, the desperate father was so hopeful. He truly thought these people actually saw Coco here in the parks. It always made him burst with excitement and enthusiasm as he'd get all of his family excited enough to go looking for Coco in the parks.. before he'd find that she was no where to be found, and one of his family members would later make him realize that the kids or the parents ..they weren't talking about Coco actually in the parks. At first, Héctor thought it was cruel prank at his expense.. getting him all excited for no reason. It was not far off from something Gustavo would do after making fun of his death the way he did. It was only later when he realized that they made it sound like they were talking about some film, maybe a documentary about her or maybe they've seen her picture in some merchandise. Either way, after close to a year in the parks, it was safe to say that Héctor had naturally come to associate that phrase to mean anything but Coco actually being in the parks. "You want a photo?" Héctor tilted an eyesocket down at the boy when he stopped walking and stood next to him with a humble, friendly smile. He wasn't quick to suggest an autograph simply because he didnt care to be famous like that anyways, but he did like photos. Either way, he was willing to comply. He had a soft spot for kids. 

The skeletal musician's brown eyes widened upon hearing that the boy clarified that he just saw Coco! Here in the parks! "..You- you saw Co-Coco?!" Héctor's jaw instantly fell to the ground, then his eyes rolled in the back of his eye sockets and dropped down to his hands that caught them before they fell onto the ground. He couldn't believe what he heard. Oh, but did everything in his bones want to believe it. After he picked up his jaw bone and slammed it back in place, adjusting his eyes back in their sockets, he held up a skeletal hand as if his cynicism was desperately trying to grasp this situation fully. He had been given so many false hopes before. "No, wait.. wait, wait.. wait..wait..You saw.. Coco?! My.. daughter?" Héctor said the last part softly, as if he had dreamed for so long that this could happen.  Unfortunately, not even his cynicism could stop him from being optimistic all over again. "..Here?! Just now?!" The boy's reassurances and confirmations instantly sent his soul on fire, as if in place of his heart beating rapidly. His skeletal hands went to his mouth as if he were trying to stop himself from yelling excitedly. His ribbed cage was lifting up and down as if he were breathing so fast. "AHHHYIIIIIHAHAY! YESSS!" No, Héctor could never stop himself from yelling out a grito. Instantly, Héctor bent over and invaded the poor kid's boundaries and grabbed the boy's shirt to pull his face close to his with an enthusiastic and desperate grin. He was practically picking up his feet in a restless form of excitement. "Show me where she is, muchacho! C'mon!" Héctor waved at him to hurry along and show him, whistling for him to hurry up as he ran, not caring in the least about the tiny limp in his bandaged leg. A bright smile spread across his skeletal countenance at the thought of seeing his beautiful daughter again! Angry? He was angry? It was like he was never angry in the first place! 

(This thread will be moved to Epcot Japan. Sage had been notified.


(Note: The mariachi performance of Ernesto's version is sadly a real thing in Disney world xD) 

[Coco Rivera]

Even utterly confused, and semi-scared, Coco couldn't help herself from waving at cute kids (and she found all kids cute), even ones that were not her grandkids and great-grand. In even the short time she'd been here, she'd already collected up a grouping of three around her.

They liked her dress, and such.

"Aww, well aren't you just the sweetest", she cupped each cheek like she would Miguel or any of the kids. "Yes, my familia made both", she indicated to the shawl and her dress. She was still thankful she got to keep both in the Land of the Dead.

"But...I am a tiny bit confused about something, how can you all see me?". Maybe it was foolish to expect children to know, but Coco also gave them more credit than most adults. Kids just knew stuff a lot of the time. These three just glanced between each-other and shrugged though, perhaps not getting why she asked.

"Miss! Miss Coco!".

She glanced over to see the boy she had first run into rushing up. Standing, forgetting about what he'd said about where he was going, and some other skeleton to know her, Coco's first thought was that he was in trouble himself! "Niño...what's wrong, are you alright?", bending Coco put a motherly hand on either shoulder. The poor thing looked out of breath. "Here, sit over here, I'll find you some water...".

The boy shook his head, but still let her lead him to the bench, pointing and saying that no, he'd found him!

Coco looked more confused, found who? She glanced back down the path he'd come.

[Deleted]

"Hey! Wait for me, muchacho!" Héctor called out to the boy who went running ahead of him. He tried to run as fast as he could, given his slight limp in the leg of his bandaged broken bones. Lucky for him, he was used to Miguel and that correcaminos (Dash) already, but even more than that was the thought of seeing his daughter again that compelled to be run even faster than when he was running away from the authorities! They passed by one country, two, but now the time they reached the end of Germany, the poor kid was slowing down exhausted. "Just a little bit further..!" Héctor naturally didn't get exhausted, but he hoped that the boy wouldn't give up just yet!  

Then he saw her, straight ahead; the one that he would stop at nothing to have her in his arms once again. Oh, she was still so far away, but Héctor could spot his daughter from his height above the heads of the people anywhere wearing her pretty trenzitas and her flowery dress. "Coco! COCO! " The tall paternal skeleton exclaimed with such a surge of emotion, waving his long bony arms in hopes that she would see him, "Co-ohf!" Suddenly, a small child bumped into him and all of his bones instantly fell apart. No! Not now! Not when he was so close to seeing her again!

Instantly, he pulled himself together, but the child apologizing to him caused him to look down with a small, reassuring smile. "Ey, it's okay, kid!" Héctor frowned apologetically when another kid wanted to come near to him to ask for his autograph, "Ah, no.. Sorry! I promise to do it later, kid, I got to see my daugh..ter..!" Once he glanced in front of him, however, she was suddenly gone. The skeletal father's bright smile instantly turned frantic! He gripped onto the sides of his straw hat, his large brown eyes scanning the area searchingly for his daughter. "No, no, no..! No puede ser! Where did she go?! She was just there! Right in front of me..!" Where did she go?! She was no longer straight ahead anymore, and the boy was gone. His cynical thoughts made him wonder: Was he really going loco just now?! Could he have imagined all of this?! Imelda did say he was crazy, especially for what he did on the last Día de Muertos when he got Mateo involved and tried to communicate with Coco, but..! 

"...Coco!!" Héctor looked like a parent that just lost his daughter as meandered through the crowd, his wide brown eyes scanning around passed the crowd of people. He refused to give up! Not when he was so close! Not when he just saw her further away with his own eyes! He didn't care if he was sounding crazy to everyone that gave him looks for asking about Coco! "Coco!" Héctor finally reached the area where he had last seen Coco last and just as he whirled around to look for any sign of her, he instantly stopped in his step when he saw her there with the boy! "Oh! Coco!" Héctor sighed in relief with a bright smile. Okay good, he wasn't completely loco. In an instant, the tall skeleton immediately gave her a big hug, before gently cupping her skeletal cheeks to give her a ton of besitos on her adorable painted face that shared the same designs as his.

The skeletal musician blinked in surprise to find everyone taking pictures, causing him to smile a little bit sheepishly before he attending to his daughter again, ignoring the cameras. "Ah, I know it has only been a year, but that is still so long without you, mija!" Héctor was adapting to the fact that his daughter was already an adult and was pretty good about giving her space for Julio and her own family; however, he hoped Coco would understand that he had only just gotten used to being with her for a year before he had to live another year with her gone while he was stuck in this place. Speaking of which, the skeletal ancestor looked around to see if his son-in-law, Julio, was around or any of Coco's daughters, but she seemed to be alone. It made him frown a little bit to find that his daughter was all alone, even if she could take care of herself and had. "When did you get here, cariño?" Héctor asked of his daughter gently, tilting his eyesockets curiously to find out if anyone was helping his daughter out aside from the kid. 

[Coco Rivera]

Water from a nearby fountain, in a little cup even, wasn't too hard to find for the boy. "There now...", Coco brushed a hand through his hair, since the child seemed comfortable enough with her for her to do such, as she watched for signs of if he was calming and cooling down same as she would for any of her grand-kids and great-grand.

While seeing to such, she thought she heard something, but when she glanced, she didn't immediately spot out what it might be. Until, almost of a sudden, her father came rushing into view! Coco looked surprised, but could hardly even get out her own stunned inquiry before he rushed up, hugging her and covering her face in besitos like she always giggled at as a child, and even now!

She might have said she let herself forget about that (she let herself almost forget about a lot!) but from the first moment her Papá did such after their reunion, she remembered and recalled! She giggled as well to those that seemed inclined to snap pictures. Well skeletons visible in the Land of the Living, who wouldn't?

"Ah, I know it has only been a year, but that is still so long without you, mija!"

Coco looked puzzled, "A year...?". The last part of that was still confusing to her. She'd been with him again a year, yes, or almost, by her timing.

"When did you get here, cariño?"

"Just...just now", she replied, "Though I don't have any idea how, there were no petals, and...where is here?". Papá seemed to know so much about it already. "And how did you get here, Papá? I left you and Mamá back at the house...I...I thought and...oh no, it's not happening again is it?". Coco's hands pressed to her temples a bit in worry, more scared than the average person or skeleton would be at the thought she might be having memory problems again; and the Land of the Dead was supposed to have fixed all that!

[Deleted]

Oh, it had been only a year since he'd last heard Coco's giggles, but he never got tired of it, especially when he couldn't tell how long it would be since he would hear it again. He had been with Coco for almost a year after finally reuniting with her after 96 years, and then he was without her again for another year. He missed Coco so much.  

"Just...just now"

Héctor's eyes widened and his smile faded apologetically. "Ohh, sorry for that, mija..I.." He just realized how confusing that all may have sounded. He didn't know that she had just gotten here. He thought maybe someone might have explained everything beforehand. 

 "And how did you get here, Papá? I left you and Mamá back at the house...I...I thought and...oh no, it's not happening again is it?".

The fatherly skeleton listened as his daughter questioned where this place was. He parted his mouth to answer, but Coco questioned how he got here and recounted her last memory of them at the house. The skeletal musician immediately knew where this was going, causing him to hold an expression of concern that immediately wanted to protect her from going to those thoughts. "No, Coco, I didn't mean to-" The fatherly skeleton attempted to interject, his eye sockets tilted upwards with a guilty frown when she continued, listening helplessly as Coco worried and even questioned herself as to whether she was forgetting again.  Ay. That hit Héctor to the core, not in an offensive way, but just because that was also an ongoing fear for him as well for so many years, the fear that she'd forget him completely, that he'd be sent to the Final Death without seeing her again. That meant that Héctor understood Coco's fear that it was a very real fear to have. No, he was mentally kicking himself for causing her to even question that! He couldn't believe he was messing this up for his daughter! He needed to fix this quickly! "No, no, not like that, mi vida.." He reassured soothingly as he caressed her beautiful face in his arms. He was so gentle towards his daughter, so unlike the boys that he was tough towards. After all, Coco was his weakness, his girl, he couldn't even bare to see her cry even when she was little, which was why he pleaded her not to cry as part of their secret song. "You didn't forget.." He confirmed for her with a small smile and kissed her forehead with a small peck for good measure. 

Héctor gently let his daughter go from the embrace, trying to remember to give her the space as an adult, though he still rubbed his arm absentmindedly with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, mija, I got so excited to see you again, I - I probably should have asked you first.." He admitted sheepishly, feeling terrible that he caused that confusion to happen. It was starting to realize how much his words could cause misunderstandings like this; it was no wonder Imelda misunderstood him, too. "Camina conmigo (Walk with me), Coco, and I'll explain everything you want to know," The paternal skeleton offered with a warm smile, holding out his skeletal hand to hold his daughter's hand in his. Already knowledgeable in the "rules" of the land of the dead, more than anyone else given that he was dead the longest out of all the Riveras, Héctor was willing to share his knowledge about what he was able to understand about this place. 

"This place, they call it Walt Disney World..and all I can say is that it is a miracle that brought us here into the world of the living, where they can even see us.." The tall, ancestral skeleton softly began his explanation to Coco as he walked alongside of her. For his own sanity, Héctor chalked it up to their religion as far as this miraculous event that has given them a second chance to spend time with the living in this world. He mildly turned his head to glimpse at the "countries" before returning most of his attention to his daughter with a bright smile, as if shocked and pleasantly happy that she was really with him! "Here, the time moves differently, mija. It was a year ago that I was here, the last time I felt you in my arms, but it was only seconds for you back in our world..it's like how it looks in the land of the dead, you know? One moment you're walking alongside the ancient pyramids and the next, you're dealing with fancy scanners and their blinky thingys." The land of the living was full of things from all eras of time, accommodating to all people who died from different time periods. It was pretty fun to walk through one area that seemed ancient, and then walking to another part of town that was far more modern! 

[Coco Rivera]

Papá's words were a bit confusing, to be sure, but Coco was both gracious and forgiving, and didn't know how she would explain what he no doubt had to explain any better. Plus she spread some of her own emotional hardships, making her father listen as she doubted herself, and just worked through it all.

"No, no, not like that, mi vida.."

Coco blinked over to him again as Papá apologize, hugging her again and kissing her forehead for good measure.

"I'm sorry, mija, I got so excited to see you again, I - I probably should have asked you first.."

She smiled, both a bit reassured by his words, and just to his further apology, this time for perhaps crowding into her space. Grandmother and Great-Grandmother though she was, after all those years without her Papá, she was not going to rush to stop his affectionate Besitos and hugs now, she even hugged him back lightly once more. "It's alright, Papá", was all she said, but there was unspoken in it. He had so many hugs and kisses to catch up on! And Coco didn't think this in anything like a judgmental way. Just fact, and joy to now be getting to catch up on them.

"Camina conmigo, Coco, and I'll explain everything you want to know,"

Coco nodded, taking his hand and yet glancing back, "Let me just make sure that dear Niño...oh he's gone", Coco broke off and realized, the kid having evidently made a quick get away after his good deed. Coco smiled to herself and as she faced forward again, speaking half to herself, and half to her father, "I never did believe the other old women about town when we'd meet up and they'd say the kids of today were selfish, it's not what I see in the boys or Rosa, or even that sweet boy, but I'm sorry, you were saying, Papá?", she listened to his explanation once more.

Coco fully took the the Miracle explanation herself.

"Here, the time moves differently, mija. It was a year ago that I was here, the last time I felt you in my arms, but it was only seconds for you back in our world..it's like how it looks in the land of the dead, you know? One moment you're walking alongside the ancient pyramids and the next, you're dealing with fancy scanners and their blinky thingys."

"So...the others won't notice I'm gone", Coco attempted to catch up to the logic, "Oh...I won't say good, but...I didn't know if Julio could take it either, getting me back and then losing me again, and of course Victoria...", her uncles and fully accepted in sister.

She giggled again at Papá's explanation of this world and "blinky-things". Him and Mamá and their nicknames for technology, though even Coco was a bit lost fully on computers, but she had taken to trying to understand Abel and Rosa's early eager explanations far more openly than Elena, who seemed to just shrug them off also. "It really is like a living version of all that", she agreed, "and...everyone's not scared with us just walking around?", if the kid was any indication they were adaptable.

"Who else is here?", she semi-hesitantly asked, partly because she was curious, but also she hoped Papá hadn't been alone...

[Deleted]

At the mention of the boy, the famous musician raised his eye sockets as if he thought of the very same thing and whirled around to look for him with excitement in his skeletal countenance, just to thank him for reuniting them.. but it was sadly like Coco said, he was gone! The skeletal father smiled softly upon hearing his daughter mention about the kids of today. Coco was so maternal. He liked that about her. Come to think of it, she always was, even when she was little. Suddenly, he snapped out of his thoughts when he realized he should probably respond. "No, I..I agree with you, mija.." That was perhaps biased given that the desperate father was always on Coco's side automatically, but..he had met quite a few kids around here and they seemed good natured, though again, it was possibly because he understood them. The skeletal father smiled endearingly when Coco took his hand and began to walk alongside of him.     

"So...the others won't notice I'm gone"

Héctor frowned a little upon hearing those words at first. He didn't want to agree and say that no one would notice Coco gone because how could he say that about his daughter? He could say that about himself, but Coco? He could never think to agree with that statement! Coco was so important that anyone would notice when she's gone! He knew that she didn't mean it that way though. "I miss them, too.." He responded to her concerns about worrying the others back home in the land of the dead, especially his son-in-law, his brothers in law, Rosita, and his granddaughter, Victoria. "How were they doing when you last saw them?" He asked inquisitively, just wanting to hear what they were up to. For her, it was as if he was still there with them only minutes ago, but for him it had been almost a year since he had seen them.

"It really is like a living version of all that"

The skeleton musician nodded with a smile. "Yes, but..now we're in America, mija.."  He let that soak in for a few moments before placing a hand on his forehead. "It's crazy, you know? The magic here is weirdly specific to this place!" Héctor lifted an eyebrow with a small shrug, still weirded out by how random that was. He decided to hold off on the downsides of this place about being stuck here until he was sure his daughter had a good grasp on the situation so far. 

"..and...everyone's not scared with us just walking around?"

"Well.. there's always that one guy, you know?" Héctor shifted his eyes off to the side. Technically? He was that one guy that was afraid of seeing a living person in the land of the dead, but he wasn't about to get into that. The tall skeleton shrugged, deciding to further explain how it was that people seemed to know them. "Eh, they all know us somehow..everything about us.." He blinked, glancing down at his daughter upon realizing that all of the people and all of the merchandise always trailed back to her and her name. "Especially you, Coco! You're like a famous celebrity here! Your name is even on a lot of merchandise..I even got a shirt of Miguelito with your name literally on it!" Usually, he never used to give merchandise that they would sell in front of the plaza a second glance but.. Coco was like the star of the show! He was happy to hear that his daughter had some recognition. She'd never be at risk of being forgotten. "Soon people are gonna come from all over to ask for your autograph, ask you a bunch of questions, then they're gonna ask you to take pictures..oh, you should see them, Coco! They even hold out their small tiki tiki thingys like mirrors in front of their faces and go like this, mira: "Selfie!" In an instant, he pulled out a small mirror from his pocket and held it out in front of them, grinning at his reflection next to Coco's, and would have nearly tossed the mirror off to the side except he remembered where he was and decided to fold it back into his pocket. "..Here, they call it "Selfie," but I think it's the same thing as saying "Whiskey" (The Spanish equivalent of "say cheese!" for pictures. No lie.) for pictures or.. whatever.." Héctor shrugged, not really caring what 'selfie' meant either way. These people were so lucky to have these pictures saved on those things, carrying them where ever they go. Where was that when he needed it long ago?  

"Who else is here?"

Suddenly, Héctor became excited! He instantly whirled to the side and placed his hands on each of Coco's shoulders. "Ohh! Haha! Coco! You got to see the rest of the family here! Imelda is here with me, and Miguelito and Rosa are here too!" He grinned eagerly, though he was actually calm while he continued to walk with Coco, hand in hand. "I'm taking you back to the hotel to meet them!" Coco brought him so much peace, and really brought him down to earth like Imelda was able to for the most part. Overall, the fatherly skeleton just felt suddenly pieced together.  

"Come on. Let me show you more about this place while we get there! This area of Walt Disney World is called Epcot..and it has like all these tiny versions of the countries. So you go in there and they have all the food and the drinks from the actual countries! This one is Japon!" He glimpsed over at Coco, knowing that she knew enough about whatever went on with Japan throughout the years. With the exception of Japan declaring war on Germany showing up in the newspapers while he was alive, Héctor knew very little about Japan. "I only know because I was there! The real one! Yes, yes, I know how loco that sounds, but there are a bunch of  these secret portal thingys that take you to different parks around the world!" He looked at Coco with a sheepish smile, slightly worried if she might think he was crazy. Nevermind how scared he was of never coming back home when he was at Japan. That part of him being scared wasn't important to say. He was trying to sound impressive to Coco. "..ey, but you like ceviche, no? You know that they make food like that called sushi? At first it was like eh, not enough flavor, you know? But then I learned about wasabi to make it really spicy!" 

"Next is the America one, which is..a little bit ironic, no?" The tall skeleton raised an eye-socket at it while they stood in front of it. He didn't understand why it was needed if everyone was already in America, but whatever. He shrugged. "Eh, how bout we just take the botecito (boat), Coco.. it'll take us across the water, right to the small Mexico world that they got here. As soon as we meet up with the rest of the family, we can tour around the little worlds together as a family!" If he had Coco's mindset, which he did at the time that he got there, he didn't have a mind for thinking of tours, which was why he postponed Jake's. He just wanted to be with his family. Perhaps later on, they can all be together while they visit all the little worlds. That would make this even better!

(Note: Anything that makes a tick tack sound like hitting the buttons on a game controller or texting on a cell phone, or any sound that is annoying in general is called a tiki tiki in the Hispanic culture. I can't explain why. It just is. See: www.buzzfeed.com/jennylorenzo/what-does-tiki-tiki-mean )

[Coco Rivera]

Rather than answer her question, about if the others would notice she was gone, Papá skipped to perhaps the bigger issue and what she was saying. That they would both miss them. He'd already had time to apparently.

"How were they doing when you last saw them?"

The question did strike as odd, and Coco half expecting him to know, before reminding herself of what he had said. "Fine. Good. Just...as you and Mamá left everything, I suppose", she found for an answer, still getting used to it all, and before taking in the rest of what Papá had to relate!

"Yes, but..now we're in America, mija.."

America!

So she'd been right, she was currently very far away...but then Coco had known that.

"Oh, well...I always did wonder what it looked like", seemed a lacking answer, but was all Coco could find as she glanced around again; and it was true. From her early childhood, and the saved letters she could even pour over later in secret, Papá and Tío Ernesto had never made it to America in their tours Papá wrote home to her and Mamá about, but she'd always imagined that they would and wondered how they would describe it.

With a bit of a pang on her worse days of letting doubt in later on, though she never believed Papá had left them like Mamá did.

"Well.. there's always that one guy, you know?"

Coco giggled, and no, Miguel hadn't told her directly how Papá had freaked out on him when they met, though he had tried to tell her some of his adventures back before, her being one of the few to probably believe them the farthest.

"Eh, they all know us somehow..everything about us..Especially you, Coco! You're like a famous celebrity here! Your name is even on a lot of merchandise..I even got a shirt of Miguelito with your name literally on it!"

Coco looked puzzled. "They do? But...why?", she laughed. It made sense for Papá perhaps, being recognized as a famous musician, but, even as his family she didn't expect people to recall her specifically. Miguelito maybe, as the kid to have gone to the Land of the Dead and back.

"Soon people are gonna come from all over to ask for your autograph, ask you a bunch of questions, then they're gonna ask you to take pictures..oh, you should see them, Coco! They even hold out their small tiki tiki thingys like mirrors in front of their faces and go like this, mira: "Selfie!"

Coco had to laugh, partly because she knew at least a bit more on modern culture than her father did. Ok a lot given even the not distant from him history, which she'd been trying to catch him up on before, though mentioning things like the Depression hitting Mexico and even another war, without him there to help her and Mama through it was tricky.

Still, she could recall, just before and a bit after, coming out of her haze, her great-grandkids using the word. "No, Papá, it doesn't mean the same, the kids use it...as a term for a picture of themselves. Well, not our kids", she giggled. Abel, Rosa and Miguel were not the selfish kind, but the word still just circulated around.

Speaking of them...

"Miguelito and Rosa! Oh the dears, I hated that I had to leave them so soon, everyone really". But to get time with both of them again! Of course she shouldn't feel good about that, that meant they were stuck too! That much was apparently from what Papá had shared. Coco smiled as Papá said they were heading back to the hotel, but also he was showing more of the place, which was great too!

She listened to the rest of Papá's explanation, but couldn't help agreeing with his last suggestion.

"Eh, how bout we just take the botesito, Coco.. it'll take us across the water, right to the small Mexico world that they got here. As soon as we meet up with the rest of the family, we can tour around the little worlds together as a family!"

"I'd like that!", Coco agree happily.

[Deleted]

"Fine. Good. Just...as you and Mamá left everything, I suppose",

Papá Héctor listened with a smile of relief when his daughter reassured that it was like they said: everything would be as it was just before they left. It truly was as if time would stop. Of course, he had been here for a year enough to know of it, but it was still reassuring to hear that the rest of the family wouldn't know they were gone. If that were to happen to him, he'd go crazy trying to search for them everywhere. Coco and Imelda would know.

"Oh, well...I always did wonder what it looked like",

A breath caught at his throat and Héctor suddenly stiffened, shifting his eyes over at her incredulously. She...Remembered that? It was so long ago, but Coco remembered that he commented those things to her when he was only an aspiring musician. She remembered hearing him tell her all of his hopes and dreams about one day taking her to all the places he hoped to play at, including America: All they needed was to make a big hit at the capital, and they were sure to be famous, he'd say. Though he never did end up making it to that last performance. No, of course Coco remembered all of that. It was one of the perks of being dead: Remembering everything.

At this point, Héctor would have been cynical to say that Mexico was better for different reasons, but..for some reason, he couldn't be cynical around Coco. It was almost like the way Miguel used to idolize Ernesto. He couldn't do that to the kid by spoiling his idol too much, and he couldn't do that to Coco, who always wondered what it looked like. "Haha! You should see what they did with México!" Ah, he couldn't help but be a little cynical in poking fun at what the Americans thought, just like he couldn't help but make fun of Ernesto around Miguel back then.

"They do? But...why?"

The knowledgeable Héctor would say at this point that no one knows and chalk it up to that. Except he did have a thought behind why it was specifically Coco that the world cherished. It was always in the back of his mind. "Maybe it's because you saved all my letters, my music..my.. photo.." He stopped and turned to look at her, gently stroking her cheek with a skeletal hand with a grateful smile. It was because of her saving everything that everyone knew the truth about his music, though what he especially cared about was that everyone in his family even cared to know his name. "They saved me...and that makes you.. my hero, Coco.." The idea of a hero only occurred to him after hanging out with the Parrs, especially Dash, who taught him all about the superhero stuff, "And the rest of the world.. they should know that you are one," He concluded with a smile, thinking that the rest of the world recognizing that she was a hero was way more important than him being recognized as famous. He didn't care about that anymore anyway. "I should write a corrido about it.." The Mexican songwriter commented about writing a song about it after cupping his bearded chin pensively with his other hand, though it was more to himself. He just made music for himself or his family now.

A beautiful melody plays each time I can hold your hand in mine,
A song in my heart, from an enchanted time..

The skeletal composer snapped out of his inspired thoughts upon hearing Coco speak once more. He smiled brightly down at Coco at he listened attentively.

"No, Papá, it doesn't mean the same, the kids use it...as a term for a picture of themselves. Well, not our kids",

The skeletal composer mused thoughtfully upon hearing Coco explain selfie, "..You think it's short for selfish?" The street-wise Héctor was all about nicknames and slang, and he had to admit that the term "selfie" being short for selfish made sense. Not a lot of slang did, but this one did!

"Miguelito and Rosa! Oh the dears, I hated that I had to leave them so soon, everyone really."

Sadly, Héctor knew this feeling too well, given that he left his own family too soon at the age of 21. Yet he shook those thoughts away quickly and all the tall skeleton could do was smile sympathetically down at his daughter with a gentle squeeze of her hand in his, just focusing on her being present here with him. "Getting to spend time with the living family has been a blessing, mija. I know that they'll be happy to see you, and everything would be as if you never left!" He reassured with a smile, knowing that the transition for Coco and the family would be so easy compared to him. Thankfully, Héctor already passed through the awkward getting-to-know-you phase with the living family here, though he still found himself wanting to impress them all the time, especially Rosa.

Noting a flash of those thin camera thingys that a person had, the skeletal musician thought back on the taking of photos. Well, Rosa and Miguel never did do those things, but he still bothered Rosa and Miguel with taking selfies with him. This patriarch was all about photos, for obvious reasons. One day he'll have to get a camera for himself and take a million photos! Especially now with Coco! "Wait, wait, wait...Coco! I just got the greatest idea!" The skeletal ancestor perked up, almost sounding like Enrique at this moment. "Yes! We just got to borrow one of those selfie phones and take a bunch of selfies together!" The former schemer grinned his gold-tooth smile at her, thinking that this was a great idea! A million photos everywhere to make up for all the years he could have taken her picture had they had the money back then, and had he been alive at the time, of course. Yes, this would be his next plan! Tame, compared to the crazy stunts of ideas that he used to have, but he was with Coco now so he wasn't nearly as desperate anymore.

Héctor smiled down at his daughter when she approved of going to the boat across to the Mexico pavilion. Though he didn't care for being a tour guide in the land of the dead, knowing all the ins and outs of the place, he did care about showing Coco the world, which was something he wanted to do when she was a little girl. Of course, he cared more about coming home to be with her, but now that they were here where they could see glimpses of the world, he just wanted to do all of that with Coco.

"Hey Coco, did you hear the music playing while we were walking?" The Mexican musician asked her while they walking to the boat, wondering if she caught that instrumental music playing in the background by bushes and such. "It comes from a stereo thingy that they have hidden all over the parks.." He was only starting to understand the whole stereo business that emerged in the land of the dead. “What do you think about the music? They play that instrumental music so perfectly, no?" He mused as he leaned against the railing of the boat upon entering after Coco. "You know what's missing? It's missing like eh..what do you call it? Humanity, you know?"  Although Héctor was used to sitting on the railings of boats and trolleys, he decided against it only because he was with Coco and he usually tried to be on his best behavior. So, the tall skeleton just leaned against the railing instead. "There's nothing like finding someone in the streets, hearing them play in the street corners.." That was how he and Ernesto started out, after all.  "And I just so happen to know all the live shows playing here! As soon as we meet up with the family, I'll show you all the places where they perform  the live music!" The skeletal musician tugged at his suspenders with his thumbs as he grinned at Coco, excited to involve her in as many of his plans as possible, much like he did in giving her a tour of the land of the dead when she finally arrived.   

[Coco Rivera]

Coco noticed how her words made Papá stiffen. No doubt he didn't expect her to recall that detail from his letters; but she had. She gave a small smile herself, but he didn't comment on it, moving on to commenting on what they had done with the Mexico section, and unbeknownst to her being gentle so as to guard her supposed ideas of what America was like.

At any rate, she would find out soon enough being here in the parks even, she was sure.

"Maybe it's because you saved all my letters, my music..my.. photo.."

Coco was all set to dismiss that, for the most part, as a reason for her being recalled so well; news wouldn't have traveled that far from their little town anyway, but Papá seemed to believe it, and she couldn't contradict him like that either. "Maybe", she admitted, before Papá went on.

"They saved me...and that makes you.. my hero, Coco.."

Coco never expected to be anyone's hero, least of all Papá, who she spent all those years thinking on in much the same larger than life way the memories of a four year old would cause. Of course she understood, and felt, the confusion of his being gone, and the worry of Mamá's accusations when older, but she never let them fully take hold. She just smiled, touched and modestly now to Papá's compliment.

"And the rest of the world.. they should know that you are one, I should write a corrido about it.."

"A corrido?", Coco laughed, not unkindly, just, at the thought of her being in such a ballad, for they were more than 'just songs', "Oh Papá, now surely that's going too far?", but he was already thinking of one, she could tell, by the look on his face. She shook her head.

Coco tried to be a bit more fair than to suppose the term Selfie came from Selfish, though she knew many grandmothers agreed, "I don't know", she admitted, a bit noncommittally. Focusing on the thought of seeing Miguel and Rosa again was far superior to pondering over that, anyway. Coco smiled as Papá said it would be like she had never left! And she was happy for him to also get to know them, or know them further, since Miguel had apparently already had his own little adventure.

"Wait, wait, wait...Coco! I just got the greatest idea! Yes! We just got to borrow one of those selfie phones and take a bunch of selfies together!"

She had already become used to Papá's scheming, with her time in the Land of the Dead, and Mamá had also tried to explain it further, but still he could surprise her at times. Coco just smiled fondly again, almost like she were the parent, "Papá, there's plenty of places around here where they will take our picture...but sure, we'll try out your idea too", she just couldn't say no to him.

"You know what's missing? It's missing like eh..what do you call it? Humanity, you know?"

Coco knew exactly what Papá meant, and had often heard people say that the recorded music, especially digital, didn't play the same way as live and even records had and did. While taking in the sights of the boat, Coco nodded, "I've often heard people say that", and she trusted that Papá would know on such things.

"And I just so happen to know all the live shows playing here! As soon as we meet up with the family, I'll show you all the places where they perform the live music!"

Coco smiled, "I'd like that! Just like you never got to...", she caught herself, and reached over to take his hand, "Sorry...but you get to now", she smiled again, hoping to banish any bad thoughts she might have brought on.

[Deleted]

No, no, a corrido would have to be more like the story of how Coco became the hero! Not the emotion! The skeletal songwriter was trying to come up with the lyrics in his mind, but hearing Coco's laugh again and her adorable smile just made him focus on her being actually there with him and all he could think about the emotions that he felt with Coco actually HERE. With him! "Ey, mija..C'mon..Nothing is too far when it comes to you, Coco. You know, for you? I'll do anything that it takes!" He wasn't just saying that. The desperate father wanted so much to make up for everything when it came to Coco and being pleased with him. If only Coco knew just how desperately he tried to get her back, given his previous scheme here during the Dia de Muertos. He decided not to tell her though. He was already worried about Coco possibly finding out about all the things he tried to do to cross that bridge in the Land of the Dead, given the rumors that danced around among the authorities. He was famous with all the authorities for a reason, after all, and this was actually separate from the reason Imelda was.  

"Papá, there's plenty of places around here where they will take our picture...but sure, we'll try out your idea too"

"Yes! You're right, mija! We got plenty of opportunities to do that!" Héctor grinned in delight about Coco agreeing to take a photo with him, waving it off casually that they had plenty of time. "Maybe.. we can do one when we land in Mexico, eh?" He added with a sheepish smile, completely contrasting what he had just said earlier about having plenty of time. Héctor just had a thing about photos, that he was sure Coco would understand for obvious reasons, and especially because he never knew when the last time would be the last time when it came to these things - kind of like how it was to fade into the Final Death in the Land of the Dead. 

"I'd like that! Just like you never got to...Sorry...but you get to now"

Coco's words brought on the memory he had of promising his little girl that he was going to take her to all the live concerts all around the world, once he'd be famous. Given how much he hated being on tour, he had almost forgotten that he had said that to her. Coco, of course, wouldn't have forgotten. It was one of the last things he told her before he disappeared, and one of the many promises he couldn't keep. "I know..I'm sorry for that, mija..." The skeletal father tilted his eye sockets with sadness in his eyes as a frown curved down his skeletal face, which only faltered as he slowly drew a small, thoughtful smile upon seeing her skeletal hand in his. "Hey.. I promise to make up for it, Coco! Every day we'll do something together with music, eh? What do you think, mija?" He promised his daughter with a smile, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. That was a promise that he could actually guarantee now!

As soon as the ferry boat docked onto the shore, Héctor guided Coco off the boat in a gentlemanly manner before guiding her towards the Mexico Showcase pavilion. "This place is called Mexico Showcase, here in Epcot! One of the many parks of Walt Disney World. C'mon, Coco! Let's go see if the family is still here shopping!" The tall skeleton was easily able to spot his family at the distance from his height, thankfully. "Hey!! Imelda!! Oye!! Rosa Linda!!" He waved to them and whistled, practically hopping on one skeletal leg. "You'll never guess who I found! Coco! I found Coco! Mira! My Coco is really here!" He pointed to Coco with both hands and then gave Coco another beloved squeeze, almost as if he still couldn't believe she was here in the parks with him!

[Coco Rivera]

Just because a small smile was the only outward reaction she gave to what Papá said did not mean that Coco didn't take in his words. Even if she knew this now, and Papá had proved himself a dozen times over, the words were so comforting to hear and after so many years of wondering why he'd left, and what had happened to him.

Papá suggested getting their picture taken when the landed, and even if Coco hadn't know the reason, she would have agreed! "Oh yes, Papá, we should!", she hugged his arm once more.

Also to their doing something with music every day!

"I'd like that very much! You could show me some more of how official dances go maybe? I...well I had to guess back before". she sighed with a small smile, but was careful to not sound like she was criticizing her mother.

They landed, and Papá went forward to tell Mamá and Rosa of her arrival! Coco just beamed, and once she spotted both of them!

[Rosa Rivera]

As she followed Mamá Imelda around, Rosa kept her small smile to herself. Her great-great-grandmother said she was just ensuring everything was in order and proper, culturally, she said. Said she had to check up on these Americans and their interpretations, but Rosa wasn't fooled.

Mamá Imelda was seeing if that offensive ofrenda was at the very least, and if still up, displayed the way she had decreed. With Papá Héctor included! Not displayed would have been better, but Mamá Imelda also seemed to understand that that fight wasn't really worth it.

Though she would never admit to such, or that she had in any way backed down!

"Hey!! Imelda!! Oye!! Rosa Linda!!"

Rosa turned at the sound of Papá Héctor's voice, and her eyes went wide as he went on and she even spotted the person in the crowd!

"You'll never guess who I found! Coco! I found Coco! Mira! My Coco is really here!"

"Mamá Coco...?" she breathed, unable to believe what she was seeing, but then...Mamá Imelda and Papá Héctor were here...

"Mamá Coco!", her cry changed to a happy call and she rushed over, dodging through the crowd before barreling into her great-grandmother, able to walk, and here. Rosa squeezed her tight.

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda had got one of the Cast Members to come with her to see that her wishes were still being put into effect and carried out. Not that she'd really thought that once she had to put her boot down they would go behind her back and put that ripped picture back on the Ofrenda, but it never hurt to check; And a small part of her had held out hope that they had even just taken the whole Ofrenda down completely, but of course they hadn't!

Oh well, as long as there wasn't a constant reminder of...how she'd once been bitter.

Not that Imelda let on this was a large part of her reasoning for her ire with the Cast Members, though some of her family could probably guess that it was.

Imelda heard Héctor's call as well, and turned, looking just as stunned as Rosa and following her great-great-grandaughter over. "Coco...", she breathed, unable to believe her eyes either. She let Rosa go first in hugging Coco, though she also could hardly have caught up to her great-great-granddaughter even if she tried, she rushed over so fast! Yet once Rosa stepped back finally, Imelda stepped up to pull her daughter into a tight hug herself. "Oh Mija...", she acknowledged both the good and the bad of her being here, same as she had when Coco had first passed.