Hugo kicked his feet over the bench. The band marched their way past him, the nearest person in the rear stopping and moving closer to the excited child.

"Hugo? What are you doing here?"

"I'm learning! I wanna go to music school, 'member?"

He sighed. "Hugo, you know your Mama isn't going to like this."

"Mama doesn't need to know!" He smiled. "Plus, Papa can convince her. Just watch."

He ran his hand through Hugo's short hair. "You know I'll be in the same troop as your Papi, right?"

Hugo nodded and pulled Even's hand out of his now ruined hair. "Si. You and Papa will do great! We're sure to win with you and Papa fighting for us!"

Even's smile saddened. "But what if we don't? We can still lose, Hugo."

Hugo shoved him playfully. "Don't say that! You'll come back home safe and sound!" He held out his pinky to Even. "Promise me, okay?"

Even hesitated, but accepted it with his own. "Si. I promise."

"Your father was killed, along with Even Rivera."

That killed Hugo. He denied the truth and decided to hide in his bedroom instead. He didn't answer the door for anyone until his mother threatened to beat the door down. He let her in and flopped back onto his bed.

"Hugo, honey..." She only spoke Spanish, it sometimes being hard to understand her with her thick accent. She seated herself on the bed next to him. "I know it can be hard with you only being ten, but you'll get used to it, okay?"

Hugo remained silent, turning over in his sheets. He just wanted people to leave him alone. Was that too much to ask? She placed a kiss on his head and exited the room.

The next two years were rough, with only his one-year-old sister getting all the attention and Hugo be forced to study for the same school his dad and grandfather and great-grandfather went to. It was a male family tradition, but Hugo didn't want to go to some boring math school. He wanted to learn to make music! Music was his life, and he had felt more drawn to it ever since his dad died. Nani, his younger sister, and Robbie and Donnie were the "babies" of the house; with the twins actually being baby-aged, at least. Robbie and Donnie had been adopted.

Hugo had tried to get rid of Nani more times than he could count while she was still only one. His mother's lecturing voice had taken the best of him, and he just stopped talking to his family altogether. He was only staying in his room, studying just like his mother wanted.

But that's not what he wanted.

That night after returning from school, he pulled out his suitcase. He was done, and was going to leave this terrible lifestyle behind him. It would've worked, anyways, if he hadn't been caught.

"Hugo Luz Sanchez! What do you think you're doing?!" His mother grabbed him by the ear and pulled him inside.

She lectured him for about an hour before sending him to bed, on which he rushed out the door.

"Hugo!" She stopped in the doorway, and slipped off her sandal. "Get back here!"

She tossed it at him as he ducked behind a corner. Breathing heavily, he resumed running, off towards the desert. That was the only way to the next town.

He shouldn't have done it barefoot though.

Just when he thought he'd seen the lights of the next town, he passed out. The night was cold and unforgiving. He awoke to somebody pulling him out of the sand by the wrist.

"Hey there, kid. You lost? You shouldn't be out in the desert like this alone, should you?"

Hugo rubbed his eyes. The person who had saved him looked similar to his best friend, Even Rivera. His blond curls bounced with the wind, his peach skin covered in spots of sand.

"I'm Michel." He helped Hugo into his car. "Nice to meet you. You from around here?"

Hugo shook his head. "How's the car...?"

"Riding on the sand? It's a special type of veichal that can, duh!" He flicked Hugo's forehead playfully.

Michel had been talking to Hugo during the drive, which led to Hugo's interest in music.

"Oh, I love music too! I actually live in a city that never sleeps, and the music is as lively as their people!"

"That sounds fun! Take me!"

Michel drove over to a city that had colorful beacons shining all around a big dome-shaped building in the far center of the town.

"Wow!"

"Welcome to Shroom City!" He parked his car, called a Boot Car type A, and helped Hugo out. "Follow me."

He led Hugo to a nicely-sized home and entered the building. Hugo sat down on one of the blankets spread out on the floor and waited for Michel to return.

Michel had only been wearing a yellow sleeve-less jacket, a pair of white, puffy pants, and brown boots that went no higher than his ankles. He put a hat on upon his return, it looking similar to a mushroom cap with yellow spots. His hair was still visible.

"I've never seen anything like you before," he explained. "I'm a Toad. You?"

Hugo blinked. "Human?"

"Oh, like Queen Toadstool. I heard they were going to have a daughter."

"I don't know who that is..."

"You'll learn. Say, why don't I give you some clothes more fitting for this city? You'll look better that way, trust me on that. What do you say?"

"I think I'm going to like it here."