You can't take my youth away
This soul of mine will never break
As long as I wake up today
You can't take my youth away
You can't take my youth away
This soul of mine will never break
As long as I wake up today
You can't take my youth away
Youth - Shawn Mendes, Khalid
Soon after acquiring the guitar, Hector, Miguel, Dante, and Todd were riding a trolley to where the competition was taking place. Hector tuned the guitar while Todd and Miguel leaned on the railing.
While Miguel and Hector were having a conversation, Todd just observed the bright and beautiful cityscape in an attempt to distract himself from the seizure he had earlier. He pulled out his phone and took several pictures and a quick selfie, although he didn't know if they would stay on his phone after they leave. He felt Miguel tap him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Todd do you play anything?" Miguel asked
"Well I play the drums and sing a little it's more of a hobby though. My mother thought I should have another hobby than just dirt biking, though to be fair she pays for my bike's fuel" Todd said with a chuckle "I tried to learn the guitar but I'm quite impatient but a friend did teach me one song"
Miguel's eyes lit up at that fact "Well can you play it now? Please?"
Todd thought about it for a moment "Tell you what when we get out of here I'll play you the song" Todd held out his hand "Deal?"
Miguel shook his hand "Deal!"
"Muchachos!" Hector suddenly spoke up "We have arrived! Welcome to Plaza de la Cruz!"
Todd and Miguel then saw a bright, bustling plaza, with a large statue of de la Cruz in the center. Todd quickly took another picture. The trolley then came to a halt and Todd, Hector and Dante hopped off. "Showtime, muchacho!" Hector said as he held out the guitar. Miguel then climbed over and grabbed the guitar.
Todd clapped his hands together "Let's Go!" he said as the group took off.
As they ran Todd and Miguel were in a state of awe. All around the plaza stalls were set up some of them selling de la Cruz merchandise. Alebrijes were also galavanting and adding to the atmosphere.
The group came to a stage where a heavily done-up female skeleton was about to address the crowd.
"Bienvenido a todos!" She announced with gusto "Who is ready for some musica?!"
The crowd cheered providing her with the answer
"Remember amigos, it is a battle of the bands, with the winner getting to perform for the legend himself: Ernesto de la Cruz at his fiesta tonight!" She then pointed to the same bright tower Frida showed them earlier.
Hector then spoke up "That's our ticket, Muchachos" he then guided them to the sign-up booth.
"Let the competition begin!" the hostess exclaimed as the crowd went wild.
Miguel, Todd, Hector, and Dante went backstage to wait for Miguel's time to shine. All around them, other contestants were practicing. All sorts of genres of music were there from heavy metal to classical. As they looked, Todd noticed a pair of drumsticks on the floor "Yo! Drumsticks!" He exclaimed as he picked them up and twirled them in his hands and clicking them together a few times.
"So Miguel what's your song going to be?" Hector asked
"Definitely 'Remember Me" Miguel responded quickly as he plucked the cords of the song
Hector's eyes almost fell back into his jaw at the response and quickly grabbed the guitar out of Miguel's hands "No! Not that one!"
"C'mon it's his most popular song!" Miguel retorted
Hector cringed as he looked around "it's too popular..."
"How popular are we talking?" Todd asked as he and Miguel caught Hector's gaze.
They then saw most of the other contestants had the same idea as they practiced the tune of the song in question. Todd cringed as most of them weren't that good.
Hector looked at Miguel with a smug 'I Told you so' face
"Uh... Got anything else?" Todd asked as he rubbed the back of his neck
Miguel thought hard for a moment "How about Poco Loco?"
Hector's eyes lit up "Now that's a song!"
"Well as long as it's different" Todd added
After a while, a stagehand approached the trio and checked his clipboard "De la Cruzito?" he asked
"This guy" Todd said as he patted Miguel's head
"You are on standby!" the stagehand then went to a band called Los Chachalacos and told them it was their turn. They went on stage, Todd and Miguel took a peek at their performance they were really good.
Todd leaned on a large crate while playing around with the drumsticks he found when he noticed Miguel pacing around nervously, guitar in hand.
"You okay mate?" Todd asked
(Mate is slang for "friend", it's used in New Zealand, Australia, and the British Isles for those of you who didn't know)
"Yeah are you always this nervous before a performance?" Hector added
"I don't know" Miguel answered as he sat down on a wooden crate, Todd placed his drumsticks into his boots and walked over to him. "I've never actually performed before" he admitted sheepishly
"What?!" Hector exclaimed so suddenly it caused Todd and Miguel to flinch "I Thought you said you were a musician?!"
"I am!" retorted a little too quickly "I mean I will be..."
Hector then lurched forward and hid his face in his hands
"...once I win" Miguel finished.
"That's your plan?!" Hector exclaimed with disbelief "No Miguel you Have to win! You and Todd's lives literally depend on you winning! and you've never done this before!" He took a seat on a crate across from Miguel
Both Todd and Miguel took some time to process that information "Oh hell, he's right" Todd whispered under his breath. Miguel had a look of panic running over his face.
Hector then reached for the guitar "Give me that, I'll go up there!"
Miguel pulled quickly pulled the guitar away "No! I have to do this!"
"What?! Why?!"
"Because I don't just want to get de la Cruz's blessing," Miguel explained "I want to prove that I'm worthy of it"
Todd honestly had great respect for his words, I mean he was literally willing to risk his life for a blessing.
"Oh, that's such a sweet statement..." Hector said, looking touched at Miguel's words, he then buried his head into his hands before continuing "...at such a Bad Time!"
Miguel flinched at his outburst. 'Another skeleton telling me about "bad times" except this time the skeleton is real' Todd thought to himself
Hector eventually calmed himself down "Okay, okay, okay, You want to perform? Then you have to perform!"
Todd and Miguel shared a confused glance at Hector's change in tone
"First you have to shake off those nerves" Hector then demonstrated, ending with his skull doing a flip.
Miguel handed the guitar to Todd before shaking his nerves off, though it looked like he just touched an electric fence. Todd bit down on his lip to avoid laughing.
"Good, good" Hector complemented "Now give me your best grito!"
"My best grito?" questioned Miguel
"What's that?" Todd asked
"Come on yell! Belt it out!" Hector then stood on the crate and let out a loud cheerful grito before falling back onto the crate "Ahh feels good, Okay now you!"
Miguel sat there for a moment, Todd pat his shoulder "Go on" he encouraged
Miguel tried...
...and it sounded like a dog with its collar on too tight.
Hector leaned back and cringed while Dante hid behind Todd's legs. Hector facepalmed "Oh, come on kid"
Todd tried to cover his mouth with his hand only to forget he was still wearing his helmet. He laughed ... hard
"I mean it's not funny, it's not funny I'm sorry!" Todd quickly apologized.
"De la Cruzito? your up" The stagehand suddenly called out
Hector guided Miguel to the side of the stage "Hey hey look at me chamaco!" Hector said as he looked into Miguel's eyes "You can do this!"
Todd patted Miguel on the shoulder "Come on Bro! We have your back no matter what!" He encouraged as Miguel was walked up on the stage.
"Damas y Caballeros we have one more act for the evening," The hostess said with passion "Please give a warm welcome to da la Cruzito!"
Todd pumped his fist into the air and cheered, while Hector gave him a thumbs up.
Miguel slowly walked to the middle of the stage and stared at the crowd before his very eyes, the limelight baring down on him like a bug under a microscope. Miguel took a step back.
Todd put his hands on the back of his helmet with an extreme look of worry under his helmet, Hector then turned to him and Dante "What's he doing? Why isn't he playing?!" He whisper-yelled.
"Stagefright?!" Todd answered through clenched teeth
"Bring back the singing dogs!" One impatient audience member shouted
Todd turned away, he quickly pulled the drumsticks from his boots and took one of the sleeves of his robe off.
"What were you doing?!" Hector asked
Todd put a small growl in his voice "Sir, finishing this fight" He said as he ran up onto the stage.
He performed a hand-less cartwheel and twirled around, flicking off his robe as he did so, he then struck a pose and let out a very impressive grito of his own. Some of the crowd returned the grito and clapped.
Todd turned to Miguel "Where's yours?"
Miguel still very surprised that Todd was on the stage with him, quickly regained focus, and let out his own grito, much better than his previous one.
With the crowd now warmed up, Todd raised his drumsticks in the air ...
*Click*
*Click*
*Click*
Miguel then began strumming the song, Todd after a short while of getting a feel for the song began to tap a beat on the wooden stage. Miguel then began to sing the song.
"What color is the sky?
Ay mi Amor, Ay mi Amor!
You tell me that it's red!
Ay mi Amor!, Ay mi Amor!
Where should I put my shoes?
Ay mi Amor!, Ay mi Amor!
You say put them on your head!
Ay mi Amor!, Ay mi Amor!"
The crowd was beginning to go wild, they absolutely love them! Miguel was absolutely loving it! Todd was also enjoying himself, he decided to perform some tricks to keep it fresh 'Thank goodness I took gymnastics!' he thought to himself.
"You make me Un Poco Loco, Un Poquito Loco
The way you keep me guessing
I'm nodding and I'm yes-ing
I'll count it as a blessing
That I'm only Un Poco Loco"
Todd and Miguel exchanged glances as if telling each other "We got this!" Hector watched from the side of the stage, very impressed at the two living boys performing their souls out. Dante then grabbed Hector by the leg and dragged him onto the stage.
"Hey! Look who it is!" Todd said as Pointed a drumstick at Hector. Hector stood there for a moment before he began tap dancing to the beat he decided to follow Todd's lead performed a few tricks of his own.
"Not bad for a dead guy!" Miguel commented
"You and your friend aren't bad yourselves, gordito!" Hector replied
Todd then propped Hector onto his shoulders "Ah, Don't hate us 'cause we're beautiful, Hector!" Todd said with a grin under his helmet. Before setting him back down.
Hector got creative with his dancing and detaching his limbs, skull coming off, each new trick causing the crowd to cheer even louder. Hector then began to sing with Miguel.
"The Loco that you make me,
it's just un poco crazy,
the sense that you're not making..."
"The liberties you're taking"
"Leaves my Cabeza shaking!
You are just un poco loco!"
Dante then let out a howl causing Miguel, Hector, and Todd to let out their own loud gritos followed quickly by the enthusiastic crowd
"Un Poquito Loco!"
Todd quickly propped Hector back on his shoulders and picked Miguel up in a bridal fashion and smiled at the crowd as the song drew to a close.
The crowd went absolutely wild! They Nailed It! Todd put Hector and Miguel down and put the drumsticks back in his boots, Miguel was in a state of shock were they all cheering for them?
Hector then put his hand on Miguel's shoulder "I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you" he then turned to Todd "I'm proud of you too, Casco!" Todd gave Hector a high five before turning to Miguel and bringing him into a quick hug.
"Hey, you see that?" Todd said as he gestured to the crowd still going absolutely crazy "That's all for you"
A three of them basked in the moment of glory.
Todd then noticed Miguel dragging Hector off the stage "What?!" Todd thought aloud "What's he doing?!" he immediately followed them. Before he got to them a kind person in the audience threw him back his robe, he nodded in appreciation and put it on.
"Guys what are you doing?!" He asked Miguel
"We have to get out of here now?!" Miguel said in a state of panic.
"Why?! We got this in the bag!"
The hostess then walked up to the microphone
"Damas y Caballeros, I have an announcement to make" the audience then went dead quiet "please be on the lookout for two living boys, answers to the names Miguel and Todd, earlier this evening Miguel and his friend ran away from his family they just want to send them back The Land of the Living"
Murmurs then ran throughout the crowd
"Wait!" Hector spoke up suddenly "I thought you said de la Cruz was your only family! the only one who could send you home!"
"W-Well I do have other family" Miguel stuttered "but-"
"You could've taken my picture back this whole time?!"
"They hate music!" Miguel tried to explain "I need a Musician's Blessing!"
"You lied to me!" Hector said sounding betrayed
"Your one to talk!" Miguel fired back
"And you!" Hector turned to Todd "You knew about this?!"
Todd sighed before giving a small nod
Hector turned back to Miguel "Look at me, Miguel! I'm being forgotten I don't even know if I'm going to last the night! I'm not going to miss my one chance of getting over that bridge all because you want to live out some stupid Musical fantasy!"
"It's not stupid!"
Hector grabbed Miguel and Todd by the wrists and began to drag them back to the stage "I'm taking you to your family"
Miguel tried to pull away "Let go of us!"
"You'll thank me later" Miguel was then able to pull away.
Todd took a deep breath and faced him "Miguel maybe he's right..."
"What?!" Miguel exclaimed in disbelief "You said you'd help me!?"
"Yeah, back when our lives weren't in danger!" Todd explained "Look at our situation Miguel! You could be stuck here forever! while I fade away into nothingness!"
"You're being selfish!"
"Says the one who dragged me here!"
Miguel was now fighting back tears as he pulled out Hector's picture "You two don't want to help me! You only care about yourselves!" He then threw the picture into the crowd
"No! no! no!" Hector said as he chased after it
Todd lunged after Miguel only to fall onto the floor clenching his heart that was now in pain, a side effect of the seizure no doubt.
"Stay away from me!" Miguel shouted as he ran away
"WHAT THE CRAP?! MIGUEL!" Todd shouted back at him
Hector was in the crowd still looking for his picture, anxiety increasing with every passing moment, he then fell on his hands and knees and sobbed softly. He then saw a gloved hand, he took it and saw Todd standing right before him.
Todd held up his picture and handed it back to him "We stick together" He said with seriousness in his voice
Hector pocketed the picture before giving Todd a quick hug "Thank you Casco" He said with gratitude before pulling away.
"Miguel went this way!" Todd said as he pointed to the direction Miguel ran "Come on! We have to move!"
Todd and Hector then took off, they need to find Miguel...
and Fast.
Woo! Another chapter is done and dusted! I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for reading!
This is Lego WarMachine Over and Out!