Ernesto walked with Maria up the large staircase. She carried the tiny alebrije in her arms His guards followed behind them just in case she would run again, Maria was a smart girl. She knew if she made any signs of struggle her promise with Ernesto would be broken, she kept her face unreadable. Besides Ernesto's hand on her shoulder was enough to keep her in place, they arrived to a set of large wooden door., They were slightly smaller than the entrance to the ofrenda room but they were still decorated with handmade carvings, they had angels on them, Maria almost laughed. Ernesto opened that doors and allowed Maria to walk in first, he closed the door behind him. Maria knew this must have been his bedroom, it was great, wide, and completely unnecessary; It had to be his bedroom. Ernesto turned Maria around as he looked down at her with a smile.

"I'll be back mijita, I just need to make sure all the guest leave" Maria felt her arms pulse pulsing, an unsettling warmth nestled in the pit of her stomach "will you be alright by yourself mija?"

Maria didn't respond but simply lifted the alebrije in her arms. Ernesto grinned as he leaned downwards and gave his little alebrije a scratch under his chin, The alebrije nuzzled in response.

"Ah, yes. You have your own little guard dog, it'll protect you" he lifted his hand from his alebrije to place it on Maria's chin, his hand cupped his face towards her. His thumb slightly traced her jaw line "My precious Maria.."

Maria slightly panicked as she felt him lean towards her face, so dangerously close. Her lips twitched and her heart ached uncomfortably warm. She quickly turned her head away.

"Papa.." she let out a strangled breath. Ernesto stopped suddenly and quickly readjusted his stance.

"Ahah, Yes Papa..well your Papa Erensto will be back soon, mijita" he moved the bangs from the front of her head and gave her a small kiss, his lips lingered onto the skin of her forehead. Maria tried not to wince at the strange feeling of his skull lips on her "Be a good girl, chiquita"

With one last smile he turned and left the room. When he turned to his guards they all stood in a line awaiting his next request, but they all seem to fidget slightly.

"Alright muchachos, let's go see if all the guest left, I do have a sunset spectacular to get to and I need to make sure that my little nieta and I are ready in time" He walked past them as he began to walk down the grand stairs. The guards look at eachother with concern

"Senor De La Cruz? Is it alright for la nina- um for la Senorita Maria to stay in your room unsupervised?" one of the guards spoke up. Without even looking back towards then Ernest swept his hand is the air unbothered but he kept looking straight in front of him with an unblinking stare.

"If she knows what's good for her she'll stay put, besides I did interrupt her rest. We can give her a few minutes alone" The guards shrugged their shoulders in confusion but they all followed De La Cruz without any further hesitation down the stairs.

Maria leaned into the double door of Ernesto's room as she made sure every last guards was out of earshot. Once all the steps faded away, she slowly turned the knob to open the door. Maria was surprised that the door wasn't actually lock, she could open it with ease, she almost laughed. How easy it would be to run out and escape this dreaded place, but she knew better. She quickly popped her head out of the door and looked around to make certain that there was no one around. It was completely vacant, she could hear a pin drop it was so quiet, Maria ducked back into the room.

Ernesto De La Cruz's Grand Master Bedroom, it lived up to the name. The walls were a polished white with large old movie posters starring Ernesto decorating them. Academy awards and golden records hung above his bed. Speaking of the bed, It was huge! Maria didn't know that they made beds this big, this was probably an extra extra extra king size. And yet there was still a lot of room to walk around. Maria noticed that there was another little bed for the little alebrije chihuahuas next to to the glass window outlooking the entire land of the dead. Currently only one tiny alebrije was with her, it layed comfortably in the massive bed, Maria glared at it.

"We are not cool!"she pointed to the tiny chihuahua, it yawned. Maria swiftly turned onto her heel. She hoped that this work, the plan was originally to jump along with Hector and have himself grab onto the chord, but things changed. Maria didn't know if it were for the better. She looked out towards the large window as she squinted her eyes out to the horizon, she could see slight shimmer of golden light peek out. Maria looked down towards her arms and she could see that she was indeed still all flesh with her bones still under her skin, she didn't know how Ernesto did it. If she was going to stay here forever she couldn't exactly his behind a painted mask for the rest of eternity. Maria took a deep sigh as dug into the clothing folds of her dress. She pulled out a spine bone, it was the central bone the one that connected the beginning of the spine and the rest of the hip bone.

"Please work…" she prayed quietly to herself. She looked over her shoulders towards the alebrije and saw it happily snooze itself away, she looked back towards the window with a bit more determination, she held the bone towards the window. It was a section of Hectors spine bone. Quickly before he climbed out f the cable to escape he gave her the connected bone of his spine and hip bone. He told her that it was central bone, he could call himself back to her if he was close enough. She held it out to see if anything would happen, she stood there for a few moments, than a couple more.

Nothing happened. Maria tried biting back tears that were threatening to fall out, she knew deep inside that this probably wouldn't work, but she let herself be betrayed by her own hope.

"He just using you" Ernesto poisonous words infested her mind, Maria squirmed as she tried to cast away those vile thoughts. 'No! Hector wouldn't do something so cruel! He' just just trying to get help!' she thought 'he wouldnt leave me, would he?'

'It's because you abandoned him, just like you abandoned your family, you are just as bad as your great great grandfather, you two are made for eachother' where was this voice coming from? It sounded like her but..'your both vile and disgusting, who would have feelings for their own great great grandfather? You know that deep inside you like the way he holds you! You're both terrible horrible people!' Maria held her head in pain, it felt like it was pounding. She wanted to scream it out but she bit onto her lip, she could feel the skin about to break. She quickly untied the decorative shawl on top of her skirt and tossed it aside, it felt like it was tightening slowly around her waist like Ernesto's arms, she tried to collect her thoughts. 'If only you weren't a selfish self entitled little brat' Maria leaned her hands into her face 'Maybe if you had gone home when Your Mama Imelda gave you her blessing you wouldn't be stuck here!' she sobbed 'maybe just maybe if you listened to you familys warnings you wouldn't have discovered that your great great grandfather was- That he was Such a MO-!'

She felt her arms pulse and her skin burned with the familiar beating pulse, and suddenly the pain was gone and with it the voice. Instead she felt nothing but a dull blankness, it wasn't a calming or soothing feeling. It was more like everything had just completely been sucked out of her. Her arms continued to pulse until they also calmed down slowly, leaving only a soft beat. Maria softly released her head as she rubbed her arms slightly, what was this? she tucked the strands of hair that had popped out of her hair bow back into place, Mama Imelda wasn't going to let some snot nosed kid hug her even if she were her great great grandchild, Maria slightly laughed at her own thought. The thought of seeing her Mama Imelda's tight frown again seemed so welcoming. Yes, she wasn't giving up but that still left the question in the air-'what now?'

She quickly perked her head up when she heard a soft knocking, she looked over to the alebrije and she saw it still snoozing off, whoever was at the door wasn't her Papa Ernesto, She sighed.

"Um sorry Senorita Maria are you in there?" came a soft voice from the other side of the doors. Maria quickly wiped off her tears with her shawl as she tried to regain her composure, she had to keep up the image.

"Yeah! Don't worry, who is it?" Maria responded cheerfully, Maria bite back as she realized that her voice sounded a bit too cheerful she quickly tucked Hectors bone under the mattress to hide for now.

"Oh I'm Lupe! One of the guards asked my to bring you a new set of clothes, i'm sorry if I interrupted your rest" Maria scrunched her face in confusion 'a change of clothes? What for?' Maria decided to not let the poor girl wait any longer as she got up and ran to the door to open it. Maria cautiously popped her head out and she saw a young esqueleta woman standing timidly outside, she did indeed have a change of clothes in her arms. Maria gave her smile and opened the door to let her in.

"Please come in!" Maria said as she raised her shoulder humbly to greet her. Lupe, as the esqueleta said she was called, nodded her head and walked in. Maria saw the young woman's eyes widen at the great room, she looked like she was lost in a daze.

"Oh my so this is Ernesto's La Cruz's personal quarters?" Lupe said in awe. Maria crossed her arms a bit irked, of course Lupe would be enamored with this. "I never thought it would be so.."

"Inessential" Maria said without speaking, she quickly realize what she said and unfolded her arms in reaction, straightening her back she looked at Lupe with an uncertain expression, she could feel the sweat form on her forehead begin to form. Lupe looked at Maria with a bit of a lost expression, she look back at the room slowly and Maria felt her shoulders untense as Lupe took her gaze off of her. With bit more of a critique eye she reexamined the large room, Maria saw as she took her time to adjust her words.

"Well..I was going to say" Lupe began "pretty big"

Maria blinked in surprise, Lupe gave her a small smile. Maria could feel herself copying it onto her own face

"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself" while trying to balance the items in her arms Lupe uncomfortably took out her hand to introduce herself to Maria "i'm one of the seamstress, My name is Lupe. It's an honor to meet you Maria De La Cruz"

Maria couldn't help but inwardly cringe at the sound of her own name, she hide it with a tight smiled.

"Don't worry i'm nothing special, it's a pleasure to meet you Lupe" she gave the girl a quick shake of hands, Lupe tried to lean in and give Maria a kiss on the check as per greeting but realized that the items in her arms would be an obstacle, Maria smiled at her antics "you said you had a change of clothes?"

"Oh yes!" Lupe said quickly she quickly unfolded the large garment bag that was in her arms. She set it on the bed and pulled out a pair of shoes out of the bottom.

"What's all this for?" maria asked a bit curious

"Oh well aren't you going to the sunrise spectacular with your Papa?" Lupe questioned

"Yeah, but I thought I would just be wearing the same clothes" Maria admitted, at this point she'd wear a potato sack if it meant it could tick Ernesto off just by a little, maybe a lot.

"Oh you are so humble, I shouldn't be surprised" Lupe said with a sad sigh.

"What do you mean"

"Well everyone knows, mija, nothing to be ashamed of" Lupe said nonchalantly

"Um no I guess i'm not ashamed" what did Lupe mean, Maria felt a bit of a panicked rush begin, did she know about the strange blessing?

"That's good to hear, you should never be ashamed that you family abandoned you, leaving you as an orphan" Lupe stated "in fact you should be proud, with your own strength you were able to find you papa Ernesto!"

"Orphan…?"

"Ah, i'm sorry I shouldn't say it like that so freely" Lupe apologize "i'm sorry if I offended you"

"Your..fine"

"Oh look at me making things awkward again uhmm" Lupe hummed to an imaginary tune, Maria stared down at her arms ignoring her slightly, she was lost in her thoughts again "I'm I mean i just want to say that you really inspire people like me"

"...Really?"

"Yes! To go out at fight for your own dream and getting to met you Papa Ernesto, even defying all of the laws binding you in the land of the dead to stay with him, it's truly a touching story. Why, Ernesto has been telling everyone about how proud he is of you, everyone has been wanting to speak with you but he knows his little girl is tired " she gave Maria a small pat. "That's why it's such an honor to actually meet you"

Maria nodded slowly to Lupe's claims, so this was what he was telling everyone? That she was orphaned with no one to go to so she came to the land of the dead to stay with him. Lupe gave her a smile as she went back to removing the dress from the bag. 'I guess he's not wrong' Maria thought, except she was the one who abandoned her family. Maria bit back an acid feeling rumbling from the back of her throat. Lupe Pulled out a fluffy red painted brush dress out of the bag.

"Here what do you think? You Papa Ernesto requested it himself! Isn't that sweet?" Maria looked up to the dress that Lupe held. It was beautiful, the skirt was layered with uneven pieces and the top matched the off set color, it looked like a rose.

"Isn't it pretty? It one of my favorite gowns i've worked on. It was hard to get the bottom to look like an opening rose but all the hard work paid off! Ernesto said he wanted his precious little girl in this glorious gown" Lupe said with hype in her voice, she didn't noticed how Maria's eyes glazed over "Ernesto, THE Ernesto de La Cruz calling one of my dresses 'glorious' to I think i'm going to faint all over again"

Lupe leaned her head into the crook of the dress as she look off into the distant with a sigh remembering the thought, she look back towards Maria with a smile but she quickly saw how the young girl was looking down towards her feet.

"Ah, Nina are you okay?" Lupe set the dress onto the bed and quickly made her way back to Maria as she placed her hand onto the young girls face, as she lifted her head up Lupe saw Maria's blank face staring back at her "Maria, whats wrong?"

Maria snapped out of her thoughts as she realized that the Lupe had pulled her literally out of her head, she shook her head as she gave a couple of blinks.

"Yes!" Maria said a little to loudly, lupe took a step back " ah! Sorry I meant yes, it's a very beautiful dress! You told me it was handmade by you?

"Yup!" Lupe nodded, Maria sighed at lest Lupe was easily distracted "I hand stitched the design, come feel it!"

Maria cautiously approached the dress that currently laid on the bed, it was a beautiful gown. Maria rested her hand on top of the fabric and felt the silver stitching that decorated the skirt, they were flower vines, all completely covering the dress. Maria's fingers softly traced the markings, her arms stung with an odd markingins were a soft hidden touch against the red fabric, but it made the gown glow.

"Do you like it?" Lupe asked with a bit of a bounce in her voice, Maria picked the dress softly of the bed and she felt the soft fabric hit her skin, like a cloud.

"It's absolutely gorgeous" Maria said with a kind smile "you worked so hard on it and put you heart into this gown, I can feel it. How can I not love it?"

Lupe jumped slightly with joy as she reacted to Maria's praise. She clapped her hands together. Lupe took the dress out of Maria's arms and untied the back of the gown that was attached by a lace string.

"Thank you so much Little Mari!" Lupe said as she worked, she set the gown back onto the bed "here you go! Once your done changing just call me back in and i'll help you tie it back on!"

Lupe gave Maria another quick pat on the head and cheerfully bounced out of the room. Maria looked done towards the dress, slowly she undressed. She folded her clothes and set them off to the side, she didn't want to cause Lupe more work than she needed. As Maria was putting on the clothing she looked up above the bed, on top of Ernesto's bed frame was another one of his movie posters. In fact it was his most iconic ones , he wasn't even in the poster, his name was at the bottom with the other stars. The poster had a silhouetted image of two dancers in a rose garden.

Once Maria finished dressing she called Lupe back into the room, the woman was a ball of giddiness.

"Oh look at you!" she said with as she brought her hand to her face, a smile shone through her palms "you look so beautiful!"

"Your not just saying that because i'm Ernesto's niece are you?" Maria asked with a playful smile

"Oh please! I don't think anyone in the land of the dead can, well how do you say, fill it right" Lupe said as she turned maria around to tie the lace on the back of the dress. She didn't see Maria's face burn from embarrassment from her comment. "your dark skin really compliments the color"

"Aha-um thank you" Maria chuckled, she looked back towards the poster, distracting herself slightly. As she felt lupe finish the back of her dress Maria mindlessly spoke "have you ever seen this movie?"

Lupe look up to where Maria was looking at, she shifted her head slightly to the side

"hmmm...I actually can't say I have" Lupe admitted "Your papa Ernesto did film over 60 movies, a diehard fan would know, believe me they will tell you in an instant"

"Oh I just...I remember watching it when i was little" Maria said. "I just think it's strange that its the only poster in his room without him covering half of it"

Maria said, she was right. Around the whole room that was covered with rewards of photo's and his movie posters, the one above his bed was a simple but large poster that didnt even credit him as the principle star.

"Hmm now that you mention it it is a bit odd" lupe said as one of her hand rested lightly onto her face "wait.. I do remember this movie!"

"Really!?" Maria perked

"Yes, this was a sweet movie, it made me and my mom cry when we went to watch it" Lupe said as she remembered

"Wh..what do you remember of it?" maria asked

"Well what i remember it's about..a love triangle"

"Yeah! I think it was with two childhood friends?"

"Yes, between two best friends, and a beautiful but sharp-tongued woman" Lupe said as she continued to think of anything from the movie "it was sad because..the best friend died"

Maria saw Lupe's facial expression change to solemn stare, this was unexpected.

"Is um everything okay, Lupe?" Maria asked

"Oh yeah! Sorry, I just...I passed away a few years after the movie came out and the murder scene in this movie kind of.." Lupe trailed off again " eheheh sorry i'm making things awkward again, i'm sorr-"

"Don't be sorry" Maria spoke out "Your were remembering how you passed away, you shouldn't apologizes for that"

Lupe turned towards her and smiled, she handed her the new pair of shoes. Maria wanted to sign out of exhaustion, but she kept her mouth shut and slipped out of her shoes. Maria saw the mark inscription inside of the shoes, it read 'Rivera'. Maria swallowed as she kept the acid from piling in her throat. As Maria put on her shoes she noticed that Lupe was still looking at the poster.

"Lupe" Maria called out, Lupe turned her head towards her "if you don't mind me asking, how did you pass away?"

Maria was about to apologize and take back her question 'I shouldn't be so forward with something like that' she wanted to smack herself.

"I...don't remember" Lupe said, Maria thought she had simply said that to change the subject but the more that Maria examined her posture she realized that Lupe actually didn't remember how she passed away "...it was so long ago"

Maria looked back towards the poster hanging on the wall, the day it released was the third of january 1923. The math didn't make sense to Maria

"You really shouldn't worry yourself, mija" Lupe returned to her bright smile "you probably already have a lot of thing in you mind already"

'More than you think' Maria thought with a small laugh. Maria tied the buckled on her shoes and got up from the bed she was sitting on.

"Do you like the shoes?" Lupe asked her.

"There..comfortable" Maria said, she looked down at the black heels, trying desperately not to let any thoughts show through her face.

"Well you can always trust on The Rivera shoes to make a very comfortable heel and still make is stylish!" Lupe said with high beat voice. Maria let out a involuntary shiver "Maira, are you getting cold?"

"No no i'm fine" mari said "I guess I just have to get comfortable to beautiful clothing like this"

"Oh please you flatter me, Maria" Lupe said as she held her embarrassed face again. Maria gave her a nodding smile, she saw her reflection in the glass window to the side of ernesto's room, She felt like a street kid trying to play dress up. "I think you just add to the gowns beauty!"

Maria turned towards Lupe who was now holding her previous clothes and shoes in her arms, she was giving Maria an approving nod.

"Well i'll let you rest a bit more, I don't know when you'll leave but one of the guards will certainly escort you" Lupe bowed her head, as she was about to leave Maria called out to her

"hey um Lupe?" Maria run up to her quickly, Lupe stopped in her tracks and looked down towards the young girl "can you um...can I ask you another question?"

"Oh of course! Mija anything you want" she turned to face her, maria slightly bit into her lip.

"Do..do you remeber you mother?" Maria was curious, did she pass away before her mother.

"My mother?" Lupe didn't have the perk in her voice anymore

"Yeah is she..are you ho do i put it-"

"Yes" Lupe answered her, Maria jumped slightly from the curt response

"-oh"

"Yes, I remember my mother" Lupe said as she flipped over the blouse in her arms to set it more comfortable in her arms, Maria noticed how she avoided eye contact.

"I'm sorry if I asked something out of line" Maria really wish she hadn't brought up the subject

"No your fine. My mother and I are just..not close anymore" Lupe said with a sad smile

"I-i'm sorry"

"It's not your fault, mija" Lupe gave her a small pat on the head, Maria slightly fidgeted her fingers.

"Do you still love her?" she asked again without thinking

"Of course I do, I love her more than anything in this world." Lupe said slightly gripping onto the clothes a bit tighter.

"Does she still love you?" Lupe took a moment to think, Maria thought that if she hadn't crossed a line before she did now.

"I guess in her own way, she's done a lot of things i'm not proud of but she loved and supported me while growing up. So I still love her and I know that she still loves me, Thats family for you" Lupe said more or less to herself " I wanted to prove myself to her, but I died before I could"

Maria felt as though she remembered those words but couldn't pinpoint them, instead she gave Lupe a smile.

"that's very strong of you, I'm positive that you mother is proud"

"Yes, I know your family..um well I know your Papa Ernesto will make sure your safe from now on. You really take after him, you're both so kind" Maria forced a smile to stay on her face, but she couldn't stop the slow tremble in her hands "Have a goodnight Thelma, rest well"

"You too Lupe"

As Lupe closed the doors Maria headed back towards the bed, she really was tired and the large bed look so welcoming. The soft fabric of the dress was still mobile enough for her to crawl onto the soft bed, the alebrije gave her a low growl. Maria snapped her head towards the small dog.

"Enough from you" she said bitterly. The dog quickly quilted down and resumed it's soft snoring. Maria could not concern herself with the dogs attitude change as softy laid her head onto the sinking pillow. She let out a soft exhausted yawn, her mind raced through the poster that hung over her, Lupe's sweet attitude, and the veins that decorated the dress and Ernesto's arms. They were both so familiar indesign, wait a minute.

"I never gave her my middle name" Mari quickly raised herself from the bed as she stared out in front of her in shock 'have a goodnight Thelma' that's what she said, how did she know her middle name?

A loud knock from from the entrance of the room. A voice called behind it

"Senorita De La Cruz? El Senor De La Cruz would like you to come down stairs"

Maria groaned into the pillow.