Sora opened his eyes again. "Ugh," he moaned as he sat up and rubbed his head. "What...what happened?"
"Oh, more people!" a skeleton wearing a blue suit with a matching hat exclaimed. He is also sitting on a skeleton horse. "Welcome, to the Land of the Remembered!"
"What are you doing here?" Manolo asked, helping up Sora.
"I don't even know where 'here' is. All I remember is fighting the guy who killed you and then he had a giant two headed snake and then..." Sora looked up at Manolo. His face is completely white while his eyes are black and hollow, the only hint of life in his yellow pupils.
"Gawrsh!" Goofy exclaimed, looking at his arms. He looked at Donald. "Gawrsh!" Donald quacked.
"Are you...a s-skeleton...?" Sora asked Manolo.
Manolo looked at his hands. "I think so?"
"Don't worry, you get used to this!" the captain said. "I've been like this for a while. In the Land of the Remembered, you can't take your physical body with you."
"The Land of the...Remembered?!" Sora cried. "Does that mean-"
"Yes," Donald said quickly. "Get it over with."
Sora looked at his hands and arms. "He's gonna freak out, Donald," Goofy warned.
"Give him a minute," the captain said. "This is a natural process."
Sora put his face, feeling no skin, instead, hearing small clicks. "I-I-I-I can't be d-d-dead! I...I still have things to do! I-I still have to help Riku and Kairi and...s-s-save Aqua from the R-R-Realm of Darkness! Everyone is d-depending on me! I-I-I-I can't be d-d-dead now!" Sora started breathing heavily.
"Hey, calm down," the captain said. "You don't have any lungs but you still can't do that."
Sora fell to the ground. Donald and Goofy walked towards Sora and held him. Goofy, Sora's back, and Donald, Sora's arm. Manolo crouched down to his level. "Hey, it's okay," Manolo said. Sora looked at Manolo. Manolo gave him a smile. "I've seen you. You're strong, Sora. Death can't stop you!" Manolo held up a hand. "Breathe," he said, raising his hand up as he inhaled, then pushing his hand down as he exhaled. Sora started copying him.
Sora breathed in and out about three times before he calmed down. "Better?" Manolo asked. Sora nodded. Goofy helped Sora up.
"You okay?" the captain asked.
"Yeah, I am now. Thanks," Sora replied.
"Okay," the captain started as he pulled out a clipboard. "What's your names?"
"Goofy. Goofy Goof," Goofy greeted. The captain flipped a few pages on his clipboard. "Ah, there you are, Goofy. You aren't from here. Tourists?"
"Yup!" Goofy replied.
"Donald Duck," Donald said, pointing at himself.
"Donald...Donald...Donald...ah, there you are," the captain muttered as he flipped a few pages forwards.
"Sora!" Sora said, smiling and pointing at himself.
"Sora...So...ra...there you are!" he said after flipping to another page. "I said it before but I'll say it again! Welcome to the Land of the Remembered!" He moved out of the way so they could take in the view. There are large buildings, bigger than a one person house, with floating bridges trailing through the city to create a pathway. There are banners all around, hanging off of buildings and onto new ones. There are strangely shaped buildings, one, Sora noticed, looked like a guitar, almost identical to Manolo's. There are no trees visible, although it makes sense as the captain stated they don't have lungs. Lastly, there are hot air balloons in the shape of skulls. Everything is colorful and nothing is remained dull. There is an abyss below with a green-ish colored haze rising from the bottom.
"What's down there?" Donald asked.
"Who knows?" the captain said, pulling in a second horse. "Some say the Land of the Forgotten is down there, others say there isn't even anything down there. It's very mysterious. I only have two horses available. Will you three be able to ride on one?"
"We can manage," Sora said.
The body of the horse is completely filled out with black, however you can still see the skeleton of the horse. The black body also has confetti decorated on the outside. The horse's eyes are also black with yellow pupils, just as well as the captain.
Sora hopped onto the horse first, after it bent down to pick him up. Goofy climbed on and Donald jumped onto Sora's shoulders. "Alright! Let's go!" the captain said, taking the lead. "Here, in the Land of the Remembered, we throw parties and have fun while-hold on!"
The horses came over the edge and ran straight down on the bridge. Manolo and Sora smiled and laughed as the others screamed the whole way down. "Anyway," the captain continued once the horses leveled out again, "we throw parties and have fun while we wait for our loved ones to show up. You know, I've been waiting for my honey boo to come here for years."
A beam of light dropped down and a skeleton of a woman appeared in the beam once it dissipated. "Hi, honey!" she called in a gravely voice, waving.
"Ah! But too soon! Too soon!" he cried, commanding the horse to speed up. He pulled in closer and she leaned in for a kiss, which he avoided.
The horses stopped at a square where multiple bridges came together. "And here we are!" the captain said. Sora's horse bent down. Sora and his party hopped off the horse and rose again.
"Do you know where I can find Maria?" Manolo asked.
"No, but I know where your mother is at," the captain said, watching Manolo dismount the horse. He pointed at a large float with the heart symbol that is on his suit. "She's right over there."
Manolo followed his gaze to the float. "Wow," he sighed.
"Get out there!" the captain said, pushing him over the side.
"Manolo! Wait up!" Sora called. He ran over to the side and jumped off. "Sora!" Goofy called, jumping after him.
"Goofy! Sora!" Donald cried, following them.
"They're all so young," the captain said, watching them catch onto a banner and riding it to the first nearby float. "Poor, kids." The captain rode off.
Sora, Donald and Goofy landed on the float after Manolo. Manolo looked up to see a tall man in a green suit, like Manolo's father, wearing a hat with feathers and the feet of a big cat. "It's Carmelo Sanchez!" Manolo said.
Carmelo landed next to Manolo and Sora. "A new Sanchez man!" Carmelo said, whacking Manolo on the back.
"What's up with that? Fighting bulls with no cape?" Manolo asked, smiling.
"Fighting bulls with capes are for cowards!"
"No cape?" Donald asked.
"You're a bull fighter too?" Sora asked.
"Si, little man!" Carmelo said.
"Ah, right! Carmelo, meet Sora, Donald and Goofy. They're new friends."
"Nice to meet you!" Carmelo said. "What are you doing here, Little Sanchez?"
"I'm looking for the love of my life," Manolo replied.
"Ah, young love!" Carmelo said thoughtfully.
"Do you know where I can find Maria Posada?"
"No but your mama might!"
"Mama..." Manolo said quietly, looking at the large float ahead of them.
"Why don't you go see her, Little Sanchez?" He jumped up and landed on a wooden board, which jolted upwards, causing Sora, Donald, Goofy and Manolo to fly into the air. A bird flew up and kissed Manolo. "Did you just get kissed by a bird?" Sora asked.
"I...think so?" Manolo replied, smiling. Sora began laughing. "Never thought I'd see that."
Manolo, Sora, Donald and Goofy landed on the floor, each falling apart from the fall, before being put back together. A man swung in on a rope. "Of course! The Great Jorge Sanchez!" Manolo exclaimed.
"I think Manolo is having fun," Donald whispered to Goofy.
"Manolo!" Jorge said, coming down from the rope. Jorge sports a white suit with red sleeves. He has white hair, mustache and beard and wears an eyepatch. He also has yellow pupils. His right arm is a sword followed by his left leg.
"What did you do?" Donald asked.
"I was famous for fighting bulls with one arm and one leg. Arms and legs are for cowards!"
"Three bulls?" Sora asked. "Wow!"
"How is your music going, boy?" Jorge asked.
"My music?" Manolo asked.
"Si. I once wanted to be an opera singer but you know..."
"Music is not fit a Sanchez bullfighter!" Manolo and Jorge said at the same time, swinging their left arms in unison.
"It's going great," Manolo said, laughing with Jorge.
"That's good to hear, my boy. These are your cousins, Adelita and Scardelita Sanchez." Jorge pointed to two identical females with large hats and red dresses. They each had an eye patch. "Hey," Adelita said.
"What's up?" Scardelita asked.
"We fought in the revolution," Adelita started
"And we won!" Scardelita finished. Carmelo crashed down next to Goofy. "Jorge!" Carmelo greeted.
"Carmelo," Jorge huffed.
"Keep going, Little Sanchez! You're almost there!" Carmelo pulled a rope towards Manolo, who grabbed on. Carmelo pushed the rope forward and did the same for Sora's party.
On the next float, there are three piñata bulls, all surrounding a man with a large mustache. Manolo laughed. "Of course! Luis 'El Super Macho' Sanchez!" he exclaimed.
The piñata bulls exploded in colorful confetti. "I was famous for fighting three bulls at once!" he called from the confetti. "One bull is for cowards!"
He walked out of the cloud of confetti. He is wearing a large hat. His suit is brown with white pants. His hair is also white and styled the same way as Manolo and his father's. His pupils are yellow. Sora wondered if his pupils are yellow too.
"Grandpa Luis!" Manolo greeted.
Luis walked up to Manolo and slapped him. "What are you doing here? And playing the guitar? You're just as crazy as Cousin Chucho!" A balloon deflated in the behind them. A Sanchez man stood, sad, a balloon animal in his hand. "Sorry, Chucho," Luis said, pulling Manolo closer. "What are you doing here so soon? My mama isn't even here yet!"
"I'm looking for the love of my life," Manolo replied.
"Carmen would be happy to meet her." Luis paused. "And you, mijo."
"I'm excited to meet her!" Manolo replied joyfully.
Luis and Manolo broke up and for the first time, Luis' gaze met Sora's. "Who's this now?"
"I'm Sora! This is Donald and Goofy!" Sora replied.
"They're my new friends."
"Pleasure to meet you! Luis Sanchez!"
"Your family is huge, Manolo!" Sora exclaimed.
"Are ya all bullfighters?" Goofy asked.
"It runs in the family," Jorge said, walking up behind Donald.
"This way to Carmen," Luis said, leading the party.
Manolo walked with a little hop in his step. From Manolo's story from earlier, it seems like he never knew his mother. It's no surprise he's excited.
Sora pulled out his Gummi Phone while they walked. He had to know if his pupils are yellow. All the others seem to share the same trait. He pulled open the camera and flipped the picture. He held it up so he could see himself in the screen.
Everything remained the same except for the bones of his skeleton near his neck and his face. His face is pure white with a set of black, hollowed eyes, and, sure enough, yellow pupils. Sora examined himself closely in the camera. "This sure is weird," he said aloud.
"You'll get used to it," Jorge said.
"Especially if you've been down here for a while like us!" Carmelo said.
"Here she is," Luis said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Go and say hi."
Sora, Donald and Goofy waited for little as Manolo climbed the stairs before the rest of his family began going up. The trio followed once they started walking upstairs. When Sora got to a point where he could see, Manolo was already hugging his mother. She broke the hug, a worried look on her face. "But what are you doing here? You're still so young!"
"I came here looking for Maria, the love of my life. You're going to love her, Mama," Manolo replied.
"She sounds lovely," Carmen said. Carmen has long, curly brown hair with a strip of white on the front side. She has a black dress decorated with flowers. Her pupils are also yellow. "I haven't seen anyone named Maria but La Muerte might know where she is."
"La Muerte?" Sora, Donald and Goofy asked in unison.
"La Muerte is the ruler of this land. She is the most kindest, gentlehearted person you can ever meet. She knows everyone who enters," Carmen replied.
"Where is she?" Manolo asked.
"Right up there," Carmen said. "That's her palace." She pointed to a large structure with pale yellow branches making the structure of the palace. On the top is the heart symbol, with large angelic wings.
The float stopped by a wall. The party walked off the float and onto the bridge. The bridge tiles are separated too much to get across but as the group got closer, the tiles floated together. "Woah," Sora said, admiring the colors and the sun rays that came through. Although there is no natural sun, the light beams in the room made the glass sparkle in multiple shades of red, yellow and pink. "This is one of the prettiest places I ever seen," Goofy said.
"It's colorful," Donald said.
"It's Day of the Dead so La Muerte throws a feast inside of her palace for those who want to participate," Carmen explained.
"Can we just come in here any time we want?" Sora asked.
"She does allow it, yes," Carmen said. "She treats us all like her children."
The bridge stopped in front of a door. The door is tall decorated with red down the center, leaving the borders white. "The door is usually open," Luis said.
Carmelo pushed the door open with Luis. Once the door was open, Sora was greeted to a long table full of all sorts of food. Fruits, vegetables, meat, and some sort of cinnamon stick he's never seen before. "You weren't kidding about the food!" Sora said.
On the other end of the table sits a heart shaped chair. "Go on," Carmen said. "Talk to her!"
Manolo walked ahead of the group and knelt down on one knee. "La Muerte! My Lady! I was hoping you could take us to Maria!" Manolo asked cheerfully.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," came a familiar voice from the chair. Inky black wings spread from the chair, then refolded. The chair turned around to reveal the black figure from before. His eyes traveled the table, then he lifted a finger, making a grape vine float over to him. "You..." Manolo muttered.
"What did you do to La Muerte?" Luis asked.
"She gave this place to me" the man said, pulling the grape vine out of his mouth, picked clean.
"She would never do that!" Luis cried.
"She lost the bet," the man returned, using his pointed fingers to clean a piece of grape from his teeth.
"Oh. She would do that," Luis said, shrugging.
"Bet?" Manolo asked.
"I bet that Maria would marry Joaquin. She bet that she would marry you. And since your dead," his wings unfolded again, "I win!"
"But, Maria. She's-" Manolo started.
"Still in San Angel," the man said, refolding his wings. "Since Joaquin is my chosen one, only he can remove the trance. Maria, she's..."
"Alive..." Manolo said, shocked. Sora covered his mouth. "You cheater!" Sora cried.
"I have to go back," Manolo said."
"Go back?" Luis asked. "That's impossible!"
"Don't you want to stay here? They have all you can eat churros!" Carmelo said, holding armfuls of those cinnamon sticks.
"Let me have one of those," Sora said, grabbing a churro from Carmelo. He put it in his mouth. "This is so good..." Sora said, shocked. He quickly shoved the rest in his mouth.
"But how?" Manolo asked.
"Take a guess, boy," the figure said, spinning the empty grape vine in the air.
"The snake..." Manolo said thoughtfully. "The snake! It only bit me twice! You cheated!" Manolo slammed his fists against the table.
"And then you killed us!" Sora exclaimed.
The man spread his wings out again. He climbed onto the table and moved closer to Manolo and Sora. "No one in any realm has talked to me that way."
"You will take me and my friends back to San Angel!" Manolo said, pointing at him.
"That can't be done," the man said, bending down to Manolo's level so that Manolo's finger lined up with the spot his nose is supposed to be. "You lost."
"You cheated!" Manolo yelled. "I will not leave until you give us back our lives!"
"Yeah!" Donald agreed. "You robbed us!"
Sora pulled out his Keyblade again. "Too bad," the man said. He raised his fingers and flicked Manolo right between the eyes. He flew backwards, crashing into Sora and taking Sora with him as they landed on Luis.
"I don't want to see you, your friends, or you family again." He snapped and they were teleported outside.
"Who was that guy?" Sora asked, his Keyblade disappearing.
"That, my boy, is Xibalba. He is the ruler of the Land of the Forgotten," Jorge explained. "Apparently, him and La Muerte had another wager and she lost because Manolo died."
"I have to go back," Manolo said.
"There is one way, but it's very dangerous. No one has ever come back." Jorge said.
"What is it?" Sora and Manolo asked at the same time.
"The Cave of Souls." Jorge sang in a deep baritone.
"Let's go then!" Sora said.
"It's really far," Carmen said.
"I don't care, I'm going!" Sora said.
"I like this kid," Luis said to Carmen, smiling. "I'll go with you."
"Luis, are you sure?" Carmen asked.
"Of course I'm sure, Carmen! You can't tell me otherwise!" He walked next to Sora. Donald and Goofy joined him. "I'm going too," Manolo said. "I have to go, Mama."
"I know," Carmen said. "That's why I'm coming with you."
"Carmen!" Luis said. "Why?"
"I can take care of myself, Luis! Plus, I'm going with my son!" Carmen stated.
"Gracias, Mama," Manolo said.