Author's note: Time to move on and see how this home hunting is going. So happy to have you all this far and my support for the victims of the hurricanes. really hope things work out for all of you! Also, one big hug for Maestro Vicente Fernández! Lo siento mucho. Let's go!

8. Tonalli

Manolo wasn't sure of what time it was. Midday? Lunchtime? He couldn't tell. Pepe was out of breath and so were his two brothers. Only Joaquin seemed to be able to keep going, despite the fact that they had lost track of how many houses had failed to meet their expectations. San Angel was a beautiful town, yes. No doubt about that, but when it wasn't Joaquin complaining about the luxury, it was Pepe saying that the bedroom was too small for the young couple. Manolo was normally the last one to say anything, as his mind kept on wondering between the home hunting and Zatz's thoughts about walking with these "strange people". The young matador was going crazy with such back and forths, but it was strangely funny to hear the confused wonderings of his brain about things like the army men and the "wailing of some coyote person".

Joaquin was the most enthusiastic about the topic. As Manolo and Maria's best man, he considered this hunt his 'sacred duty'. Apparently, he considered that there couldn't be a happy couple without a happy home. His best friend didn't disagree but thought that he was taking his duties too far. "A man's honor is sacred, never forget that" Zatz whispered in Manolo's ears. The matador agreed but wanted things to calm down a little. Maria was about to call them for lunch, after all.

"Let's see. So, we have a few candidates on our list. So far those are the good news. Bad ones are none of them are appropriate for more than three people. And that's big problem since I'm sure Maria will want lots of children" the soldier read his notes again.

"Is he loco, man? How does he know that? Maybe all she wants is a dog" grumbled Pepe and his brothers agreed.

"I would love to have a dog" admitted Pablo.

"You already have one and is mucho loco, bro" pointed out Pancho and their little brother shrugged with laughter.

"Actually, Joaquin is right. Maria told me herself" Manolo added and the mariachis had no choice but to accept it. "Still, there is no need for a big house, Joaquin. I keep telling you"

"And I heard you, bro, but I'm doing this for Maria not just for you. She's the General's daughter and therefore, needs a proper home" his best friend was not giving up.

"Also, you are forgetting that, even as a bullfighter, I don't have that much. I can afford anything bigger than my family's home" pointed out the bullfighter and the whole expedition stopped dead. "I said something bad, have I?"

"Uh, no. Not all! ¡Para nada! Just a minor setback. Nothing! Nada!" and obviously, Joaquin hadn't thought about that. Buying a home worth Maria could cost them a fortune they didn't have. Despite being a small town, San Angel's best homes were pretty expensive for commoners. The Sanchez family was famous, yes, but didn't earn enough to buy something big to match Maria's current home. "Pepe, help me out here" whispered Joaquin in desperation.

"With what? I've already spend our dimes for the day in those tequilas. Those two last houses smelt like a tiger's hide! Yuck!" said Pepe and his brothers gave him a puzzled look.

"Never mind" Joaquin sighed in resignation.

"Maybe we should leave this for later, chamacos. It's getting late and I have a killing headache" Manolo rubbed his temple.

"Yeah, it probably is for the best. I'll see to the matter on my own" the soldier agreed and they all walked back to General Posadas 'home. Maria was busy making sure that all the children of the orphanage were accounted for, when she saw them return. It became obvious that, whatever their secret mission was, it hadn't went well. "Hey, beautiful? How was the day?"

"Not bad. Pepe, Pablo, Pancho. Are you feeling better, Manolo?" she smiled and brought her husband to a bench.

"My head's on fire" young Sanchez was still under the weather.

"Here, let me" Maria brought him some water while the mariachi brothers played a corrillo.

"Gracias, mi amor" Manolo smiled and kissed her. They were quiet for a while before focusing on the happy children around them. "C-can I ask you something?"

"You already have but sure" the woman called Chuy to her side.

"Maria, do you think we can be good parents? I mean, I have no idea of how to be a father" the matador breathed. "I really, from the deepest bottom of my heart, want to have a child but what if I'm not meant to? I'm not Carlos not your papa"

"That's the point, Manolo. At least I think so. We both know what we don't want for our children" Maria smiled.

"Yeah, but what if, just hypothetically speaking, we didn't have a proper home? Or I'm too blando with them? Or too stern?"

"Manny, I don't care how big the house is. I don't care if we have just one child or five. What I want is for us to be together, to be a family" she was being the most reasonable of them all. "We have worked real hard for this"

"I know, it's just that… Now I have these visions from the past, you have to deal with the General and, well" Manolo looked at her. "Now that we're married, it all seems different from before. We're not kids anymore. Everything's more messed up"

"I know, but I just have one request, amor" Maria held his hand.

"Name it"

"That you always remember that I'm always here for you" his wife smiled and their foreheads touched. "We can overcome anything, Manolo, because we're together" the young couple smiled.

Zatz smiled from within. He could see his brave and loyal Maya once again in Maria's eyes. She would have never left him to face danger alone and that made him remember something, a small conversation they had shortly after running away from Mitclan. They had just had their first kiss in the cenote and were returning to join the others, when Maya stopped walking all of a sudden. She was still unsure of what to do from there.

"Whatever you say, they are going to be fine with it, Maya" smiled the prince.

"But what I'm not? I should have listened to you back in the temple. It was less risky but I had to do it my way because I'm Maya and I think I'm smart! But I'm not! It's because of my stupid plan and my stupid ideas that Pichu is dead. It's my fault. Mi culpa" she was about to cry again.

"Maya" he walked to her and held her tight. "Pichu's decision wasn't yours to take, you shouldn't take the blame. He was brave enough to make it and jump into the batalla. Make no mistake, chula. By thinking like this, you are making Pichu sound like a coward, and he wasn't. We are fighting another day, thanks to him" Zatz stated. "And the same goes for my father and Colmillo"

"I should have accepted your offer earlier" that comment made the boy smile with kindness.

"But you had a good reason not to and, besides, we weren't ready for Mitclan" they shared a glance. "It's hard for me to say this but we had become too desperate. We should have gathered more allies, friends like yours, for our cause. Papa taught me to never fight out of despair, and that's what happened back there. I don't blame you one bit"

"But we only made out thanks to Pichu and Colmillo… and Lady Micte"

"I know you don't like her, Maya, and why. I understand it but trust me. She's not as bad as you think"

"She told you to hunt me down and you're all right with that?" asked the princess.

"Back when I was a boy, I had no friends. No brothers or sisters. My father was my everything and he was always too busy keeping me away from Mitclan. He took my eye when I was a little chamaco. Lady Micte took me in somehow. She was always nice to me and knew that I had lost my mother. I knew she had lost someone dear too" Zatz looked away. "I know you think she hates you but if I'm sure something is that she's not like that. I haven't meet many mothers but I know this, their children are everything to them. Give her a chance, mi amor. Listen to her. Even if it just from afar. She did that for me" they went silent and he smiled. "No matter what you decide, Maya, I'm always by your side. Here for you throught thick and thin" they held hands and walked towards the bonfire.

Ok, so the home hunt didn't went well in its first go, but at least Zatz is happy to see that Manolo and Maria aren't so different from him and Maya.

The word "Tonalli" was the Aztec concept of the soul but it's different from the one we have (According to them, we have three in total and only the Tonalli is able to leave the body after we die. Sometimes even after sneezing or being dazed for a small time).

I was wondering about how was Maya open to talk to Lady Micte after the crash landing, when she clearly has no intention of doing so. Sudden change of mind or someone talked her into it?

More to come!