Chapter 27 (The Spirit of Justice)
In a cold dark night in the country of Mexico, in a open public community park that was being guarded by a senior old man security guard was doing his usual round. He was checking to see if anyone wasn't trespassing on closed gated park property, as the park itself was owned by the community and the people who lives in that area, wanted the park protected by anyone who had interest in ruining the parks beauty and it's cleanliness.
He checked every section of the park seeing their wasn't anyone there, and kelp right on walking from section to section until suddenly he stopped in the middle of the park and saw something odd and beyond his imagination. In front of him that was coming mighty close he started seeing a very dark misty fog, coming out of nowhere as the weather haven't say anything about fog tonight, neither did the news say about a dark fog. What sent shocking chills up down through the old man's body, was the fog started forming together and created a female human figure.
The figure morphed into a teenage girl that looked like any other normal Hispanic girl, except she had on what looked like red, green, and black tattoos on both her arms and both sides of her cheeks, while her hair was deep black and hanging down on her shoulders. She wore a pair of blue jeans with a plain black Latina dress shirt with a black skull with red designs on it. Her boots were pure black as coal, while her eyes and lipstick were the same color.
The old man have never seen the girl around the park before but that's besides the fact that, she wasn't suppose to be here and needed to handle this situation at once. He pulled out his stick and walked over to her as she watched him in amusement, with no worry what so ever.
"Little girl...you shouldn't be here. The park is close and you need to leave or face big consequences." He warned her and got a smirk in response.
"Oh we're not here to break in and play around old man, in fact we're here to ask you a question that's all." The girl said making the man confused.
"We?. It's only you I see...unless." The old man turned around to see five figures standing behind him, making the old timer jump back in shock. The five figures were shadow mist like guys who one of them had dread locks, while the other one had spiky hair, and the third one had a mohawk, as the fourth and fifth had the same short hair. All five were wearing the same pitch black outfit and shoes, as one of them busted all the lights out from each pole with one snap of his fingers, causing all the glass to shatter everywhere. "Oh I see what y.. y.. you mean young lady." said the old man who was too scared to have his back turn against them, and look back at the young Latina teen.
"Like I said before we're here to ask you a question." She told the man walking up to him, and put her hand on his shoulder.
When she did so she was lightly stealing away his life as the old man's face started showing a shade of blue and small veins, but stopped by taking her hand away from his shoulder. The old man turned around to see her while feeling the deep coldness inside of him. "W.. W.. What is it?!." He asked while the cold was messing with him, as she started asking the man the one question that she want answered. "Where is the super old cemetery that was here?." She demanded to know. The old man felt the cold, but mange to keep guard of his surroundings and see she was waiting for her question to be answered.
"T.. T.. The old Oak Cemetery was moved out of here and sended all the graves, right out of Mexico and put it in Santa Cecilia graveyard of Todayland, for the last five centuries." The old man told her, praying that she and her friends would leave him in peace.
"Oh it's been moved huh?." She raise her eyebrow and smirked. "Thanks, now go join your ancestors." With that she grabbed him by the neck and finished off on what she has done to the old man, as he dropped his stick trying to breathe but can't as life within him was going away quickly, by every second as she smirked evilly as she loved seeing mortals like this. It came to an end when she pushed the now dead old man to the ground, as his face was light blue with vines popping out while his eyes was blood shot red, showing everyone that he died by death itself. "Great kill Sartana. Haha, the old man didn't know what hit em." said the guy with the dread locks as place a hand on the dead body, and pulled right back due to the corpse being ice cold.
"Thanks for the wonderful comment Derrick. Now that we know the grave was moved out of this country, then let's head over to Santa Cecilia, Todayland boys." Sartana said evilly as she had one goal in mind, and that was the contract.
Meanwhile During the Daytime...
At the Cafe trying her hardest to get the two out of their room and stop moping around depressed, as if this was the end of the world itself with no hope in sight. Aunt Cass had tried everything for the past few weeks, to get both Hiro and Vanellope out of the house and get some fresh air and reconnect with the family, but the two siblings refused to reconsider the idea of doing so.
The two Hamada siblings haven't left their room every since they laid Tadashi to rest at the graveyard, and not even went out to hang out with their friends or even went out Bot Fighting like they use to do together. No, they stayed inside with the lights turned off, blinds being folded shut, and not having a single noise being herd in the room. Hiro was in his chair slouching down depressed, showing no signs of life in himself as he breathe in and out in sadness. Vanellope on the other hand was in her chair reading sadly in her comic books, not saying anything to Hiro nor to her Aunt Cass who just entered the room with two plates of food, suggesting they skipped lunch once again and planning on skipping dinner as well.
"Hey you two. I brought you guys your favorite lunch. Mini fried Calamaris with a side of shrimp fried rice, and yummy sweet candy yams." Aunt Cass announced setting their plates down on the desk, where Hiro was who smiled weakly at her.
"Thanks, Aunt Cass." Hiro said picking up a baby octopus from his plate and chew its head off.
"Yeah, thank you auntie." Vanellope told her getting her plate, and walk back to her chair to eat her lunch.
Aunt Cass smiled to see they were at least speaking to her, as she looked over and see the envelope in the small envelope shelf, and recognised what it was and brought the subject up to her nephew. "You know Hiro, the school had called a few times and said they're still waiting for you to register for classes after summer is over." She told him hoping this would maybe, make him get out of the house and go to the school and sign up for the classes. "Oh really Aunt Cass?. Well you can tell them to wait even longer, cause I'm not in the mood for applying for classes or even doing so on my computer." Hiro answered taking a bite of another octopus in his mouth.
Saddened to hear that from her nephew say that, Aunt Cass took a look at her niece knowing that she might jump back into her old self, when it involves around sugar of any kind of sweets. "Hey Vanellope, do you want to go help me make some few chocolate cupcakes and cookies, so I can sell them to the customers?. I'll let you have some and lick the spoon for bonus." Aunt Cass said mentally ready for a hyped Vanellope to come out. But even that couldn't break her depression nor broke out at least a weak smile. "No thank you Aunt Cass, I rather just eat some vegetables and fruits." Vanellope told her while flipping another page of her comic, and not having to look up at her Aunt Cass to answer.
This scared Cass to the heart, as she have never seen the two like this plus, and what frighten her the most was that Vanellope for once turned down sweets and suger, telling her situation was that bad. She made her way out of their room and into the shop area, and picked up her phone to speed dial for assistance and quickly while there's a still possible chance. The only bright side about her situation was that, at least Honey Lemon was out and reconnecting with her, the family, and her college friends. But on the inside she was just like Hiro and Vanellope, all depressed and mopey as she couldn't blame her for being this way.
Both her and Tadashi were true lovers to the very end as neither can't live without the other, and what makes it so heart broken was that the two haven't got the opportunity to become Mr. and Mrs Hamada. That right there made Aunt Cass hurt to the point she had cover her mouth, not wanting her sobbing be heard upstairs as her phone call was answered by her other niece.
"Hello?. Aunt Cass?." called Penny on the other line.
"Oh Penny!. Hi sweet heart, listen um, I need a huge favor from you." Aunt Cass said wiping the tears from her face.
"Shoot, fire away Aunt Cass." Penny told her, as she had nothing planned for the today.
"Penny, I need you and your cousins to come and cheer Hiro and Vanellope up. They need to get out of the house and reconnect, because this is unhealthy for them to be in there all mopey and depress." Aunt Cass explained to Penny.
Penny was planning on trying to get her boyfriend and Vanellope out of the house, and today will be tonight as she put the phone back into her ear. "No problem!. In fact you go tell them to wash up and get dressed, because me and Wilbur had reservations at the pizza joint for them when they ever wanted to come out, and hang out with us again." Penny told her hearing a cheerful aunt on the other line to her happiness on the reaction. Aunt Cass told her they will be there at eight o'clock sharp and hanged up, while Penny started spreading the word through text as she went over to her closet to find the perfect attire for the night.
Wilbur received the message and went to pulling out his favorite grey Marvel t-shirt, instead of his original thunderbolt shirt and went to getting his shoes to match it. At the Parr's house, Violet went through every shirt in the closet and found a pink t-shirt that had the ribbon on it. She quickly put it back as it reminded her of buying it to support her dead older cousin to fight cancer, and so she went pull out something else and found her solid blue shirt and matching pants. Meanwhile in the Rivera household, Miguel went up to his room and pulled out his biker outfit that his Aunt Sierra have given him for his birthday, as it came with a plain black cap making the outfit perfect. He then went to his shoe drawer and took out a pair of black boots that he made himself in the workshop, as it was pure hard but smooth black leather that fists comfortable in his feet.
While checking himself in the mirror, while thinking about his first date with Vanellope. He started having weird shock waves going through his body, as the feeling was shockingly none painful. Instead of pain it was like a warning shock tingle to Miguel, as if it was like how Spiderman felt when something dangerous was near. But the question for Miguel is what was danger, and what does it have to do with him?. He shook his head to ignore what he have felt and resumed getting ready, for the night of his first date and cheering up the siblings.
Meanwhile at the road entrance to Todayland, Sartana and her followers have made it to the spot where the old man have told her, before she cruelly murdered him. She smirked evilly as she was getting ready to go and search for the powerful contract, as the old didn't give more information on where exactly was the old cemetery was and thinking that the old man had told them a big lie, and believing that the graveyard could be anywhere in the section of Todayland. They walked down casually not needing to rush as they have the whole night to find it, as Sartana was known to have strong patients on getting something that she wants, even though it took her centuries to finally have the right moment to leave home and go get it without any problems, and that's what she thought.
"Looking for the old contract I see...daughter." said a voice behind them, making them turn and see who it was.
"Hello Father, or should I just say Xibalba." Sartana said hissing her old man's name.
Xibalba chuckled darkly as he walked up halfway with his snack like staff in his hand, and stopped a few inches away from his daughter and her so called friends. He already know why his child left the land of the Forgotten as he knew the day will come, when she one day would leave and go find and create her own wicked kingdom, but that's not going to happen on his watch.
"Sartana my child it would be very wise if you go back home willingly, and accept your inheritance that me and your mother have given you." Xibalba said with pure warning in his strong voice.
"Oh really daddy?. Then let me tell you something, both you and mom." Sartana felt rage growing inside of her as she was tired of her parents telling her what to do, and tell her that she can't do it as it was against God's obedience. "I am the future ruler of the Forgotten, while you are a thing of the past while mom is the soft and weak ruler of the Remembered. I am going to find that contract and have the unimaginable power of all those dead people, that got themselves killed in their own blood will be mine." Xibalba chuckled again seeing how his daughter was messing with things that's beyond her limits and comprehension, plus not having a single clue as to what she's saying in his own eyes and see that, his going to have to use force but this wasn't going to be on his hands.
"If you want to refuse and disrespect your own father, then very well Sartana as you wish my child." Xibalba told her having the young teen smiled in victory, but then she stopped smiling when she sees his finger lifted up as he wasn't finish talking. "But it looks like I have no choice but to send my Rider to come get you and your friends, and do what he does best...serving Justices for the innocents." Hearing say that name made Derrick laughed evily as if it was a funny joke, making Xibalba irritated for thinking his was being a fool but kelp his profession at bay. When stopped having his laugh out of his system, Derrick looked at the King of the Forgotten with no fear inside him since he and his friends have never been scared of anything or have the knowledge of fear itself.
"Oh please old man, your old creation?. I tell you what and speak for Sartana. Bring forth the Spirit of Justice, so we can put him in the retirement home and so will we do to you too gramps." said Derrick grinning showing his razor sharp teeth.
When being called old man and gramps, Xibalba lifted down his staff in anger causing the light from the lamp poles to lit up more brightly, causing the shadow creatures and Sartana toto shield their faces as they didn't like the light, due to being demons of the Forgotten as it was their only weakness. With that hopping, Xibalba vanished out from their sights leaving the lights on high, making Sartana to destroy them with a wave of her hand making them blew up, as the sound of light bulbs being popped. She felt rage burning up inside her as she really want to see and take on, her father's greatest creations that he told him when she's just a small child, and doubting to believe the Rider was known to be unstoppable and can't match the power it processes.
Meanwhile...
Hiro and Vanellope took a good wash up and put on fresh clean clothes on, after Aunt Cass told them that Penny had made reservations to their favorite pizza place, and since both Penny and Wilbur were buying then the two can't turn down the invite. The two Hamada siblings felt a little cheered up as a limousine drove up to the Cafe, as Penny had called for their service making It very special for the two when got in and saw their friends, except one person that was missing.
"Hey...where's Miguel?." question Vanellepe, wanting to see her lover.
"Oh you see Vanellope, Miguel is our last stop to pick up so, take a chill pill shorty." Wilbur told her grabbing a bottle of water from the ice chest.
"If I can speak for me and my sister, we wanted to say thanks guys. For doing this for us." Hiro said having his hand on Penney's hand, making the girl smile.
"This has been already planned out so, enjoy the free ride you two and get ready for one awesome night at Todayland's Pizza Vegas." Penny announced to her boyfriend, while Violet turned on the music making the ride more fun.
Back at the Shoe Shop, Miguel came down the steps with Dante along side him and he can't wait to join the fun. Miguel checked himself out one last time as combed his hair one more time, and then grabbed one of his cousins Axe cologne and went to spraying, to make Vanellope go nuts for him tonight. He grinned proudly at himself in the mirror as he walked out, and wait for the limo to come pick him up and join his buddies and girlfriend. He closed and locked the door to the workshop, as Dante wagged his tail waiting for his master get done locking both locks.
When putting his key back into his pocket after locking the place up, Miguel turned around and wait on the edge of the street and wait patiently. But then when he looked to his right he saw out of nowhere, a freshly built motorcycle was standing right there parked, up against the wall making the Hispanic boy confused as to why would someone leave their bike here.
"Where did you come from?." Miguel asked the motorcycle, while going over to it and check it out.
The motorcycle looked very expensive as this two wheeler was made for people, who are in a biker gang as the color was green as it had Mexico's flag symbol on both sides. Checking to see does it have the owners name on it, Miguel looked at the seat and saw the name engraved on it, as the owner of the bike was...him?!. Even more confused about the bike, Dante started growling at someone in front of them as Miguel look up at the stranger and immediately had a dark scowl on his face. "You." Miguel said pointing at the person, as it was Xibalba who had a plan smile on his face walking up to him, while shutting Dante up by summing a muzzle around his mouth, and had tied on tight.
"Hello Miguel, I hope you didn't have anything planned for the night?." Xibalba asked already knowing the answer.
"For your information Xibalba, I do have plans tonight. So why don't you walk like a tree and get out of here." Miguel said not caring how disrespectful he was against the ruler of the Forgotten. What came next was Miguel got on the bike to give it a spin by seating down and put his hands on the handle. "I don't think you have a choice Rider." Xibalba told him seriously. Suddenly on the bike, Miguel for some strange reason can't get up as if he was stuck seating down and can't move his hands off the handles. Xibalba walked in front of Miguel and leaned down having a face to face contact with the boy. "Let's not forget that I own you and whatever I say, you do." He begin.
"What the hell do you want asshole?." Miguel said keeping his temper balance.
"I need you to go and put an end to Sartana and her followers, and go find my old contract. Now go!."
Instantly the motorcycle turned on and started driving Miguel right after, Xibalba vanished as the young Latino was screaming his lungs out as the speed of the motorcycle was faster than any normal bike. Right at that moment the limousine pulled up to the house, as the door flew open and out came Vanellope looking for her boyfriend but he wasn't there making her think he might have took the bus or called Uber. And so she went back inside the limo and told the driver to go straight to city of Todayland, not knowing what was really going on with Miguel who was holding on to dear life.
"Stop, stop, stop, stooooop!!!!!." Miguel shouted at the bike but didn't get any response from his bike.
The bike kept on riding hard leaving tire flames behind as it went to jumping off the road, and hopped on the other on the bridge without slowing down for nothing. Miguel started feeling a burning sensation from not only his but also his entire body, including his own soul. He start seeing smoke coming from his eyes and mouth, making the poor boy scream in horror. He didn't have no clue as to where the motorcycle was taking him, as the two wheeler just kelp driving like it was possessed or have a soul of its own. With a few sharp turns and a few jumps off bridges, the bike drove itself to a auto repair shop and hit the breaks causing Miguel to fly out of his seat, and landed on the floor ignoring the pain from impact as it was the least of his agony.
"Ahhhhhhhh!. It burns, it burns, it burns!." Miguel shouted getting up off the floor, having his face covered with his hands.
He felt as if he was transforming into something against his own free will, as his face started to burn off showing his bone slowly but painfully. Miguel started chuckling as he start to feel the pain go away and started feeling something supernatural within himself as the transformation finished with blow of fire. When it happen after the big blow, Miguel had transformed into the Skull Rider as his head was completely boned with his hair still there as his whole head was on fire. His eyes were deep red fiery as his face was just like the symbol of Day of the Dead, since the Rider was the inspiration for it. Miguel looked over himself as his whole body was naturally on fire and wasn't burning him at all.
His attention on himself was cut by a laugh outside of the repair shop, as the laughter was from Sartana who was clapping at the performance of what she saw, and don't have a clue as to what she's truly messing with but she will tonight. Miguel automatically went into his Skull Rider alter ego, as he walked out of the shop with face of authority as Sartana stopped clapping and laughing.
"My, My, My so this is my father's old creation looks like?. Oh I've seen better." She said unimpressed.
The Rider stopped walking and pointed his finger and said in a command voice. "Go back to the Forgotten!." Not scared by the strong supernatural voice, Sartana put both arms out and dared the legend. "Why don't you make me Rider." She said seeing him didn't mind doing so, as he put his finger down. "You're going down sister." Rider told her as he was about to go do what was dared, but then suddenly out of nowhere a long black chain was wrapped around his neck and got pulled up, as the other end of the chain was tied up. The Rider was struggling to get loose but then he gave up and died as his flames went off, and hanged there twirling.
A shadow figure flew down as it was Derrick who grinned while chuckling, as the rest flew down beside Sartana with evil smirks on their faces. "Huh, not so bad that my father said about him. I knew that old legend was just a myth." Sartana said having her hands on her hips. Derrick looked at his work as the Rider was still dangling, making him chuckle as walked towards his group. "That's what I call Hang Man." He said laughing. When he said that, The Rider finished playing possum as he turned his flames back on and pull the chain from his neck, thus landing back down to the ground and stand right back up with the chains in his hands.
Sartana and her followers looked back in utter disbelief seeing that he playing dead the whole time, but Derrick wasn't going to let this called Spirit of Justice to make him look like a joke, and went charging at him in full speed. Instead of spearing him like he wanted to, The Rider jumped over him and swing the chain around his body and then pulled him down in slow motion. Derrick was about to jump to bite him but his mouth got the taste of The Riders fist, thus causing his face to dissolve and fester as Sartana looked on in fear for the very first time ever in her immortality.
The Rider pulled his chain back into his hands having his eyes set on serving justice, while Derrick was looking on in horror and fear as he was the one being scared. He scooted away from The Rider as he got closer to him, and went to begging for his life to be spared. "P.. P.. Please Rider, have mercy on me." Stopping in his tracks when hearing his plea, The Rider shook his head and said. "Sorry, but I don't give mercy to the Sinners nor the Demons." With that he swung the chain as it spiritually wrapped around Darrick's body and squeezed tight as the chains started to heat up when The Rider transferred his flames making the poor shadow demon holler out in pain.
"Sartana, help me!." He pleaded to his friend.
But to his unfortunate, Sartana and the followers ditched him after witnessing what they are dealing with, and disappeared like the wind making Derrick screamed in both rage and pain as he was burned up into a body of ash. When finishing the kill of his victim, The Rider grabbed hold of his chain and pulled out causing Derrick's ashed body to fall into dust, and let the wind blew it away from the spot. Satisfied of his kill he swung and wrapped the chain around his body and gave it a pull, so it can be on him tight. Walked to the streets knowing he had a lot of justice to serve, The Rider put his fingers in his mouth and whistle to call his motorcycle to come froth to where he was in which it did, as it droved in front of its owner making him smile.
"Good girl." He told his motorcycle as went over put his hands on it, and transformed into his supernatural bike.
The motorcycle started turning as the front had the face of a skeleton with firy flames inside, then the whole body stretched and change color from green to silver as the symbol turned into skulls. The wheels were completely on fire making the bike look very bad and worthy to be the Riders trusted ride. He got on and gripped the handles and hearing the engine purr good and strong, as The Rider punched right out flying like a speed demon itself.
"Time to take souls and dig holes!." He said putting real speed as his was going beyond the driving limit, passing through in a flash of light leaving trails of fire and heat behind him. Back at Pizza Vegas seating down at their reserved booth, Penny was on her phone texting Miguel to see where the heck he is as Vanellope eating her fourth slice of pizza wondering herself, as to why her boyfriend wasn't here cheering her up on her loss but he wasn't here. "Where's my other friend at Wilbur?." Hiro asked not in his normal mood but instead have his still depressed attitude. Wilbur put his slice down thinking on a perfect excuse to say to Hiro, but for once he can't lie this time in his life but luckily Violet stepped in after eating her slice. "Miguel is just out trying to find a good present for the both of you that's all, and he don't know when he'll get here due to waiting in line to get gifts scanned at the cash register." Not telling nor recall about Violet being an excellent liar than Wilbur, Hiro had no choice but to accept what his best friend told and resumed back to munching on another round of pizza.
"Miguel where the hell are you?!." thought Violet biting her chicken and olive pizza.
On the streets searching his main objective but can't be found, luckily for the people who were running from him. The Rider parked his breaks down after getting a tingling shock, letting him know that there was a victim in need of his service. In the dark alley corner a young woman was getting mugged by a guy in a black jacket, holding a gun in his hand and was demanding for her purse and jewelry. She tried to run but couldn't as the wall behind her stopped her attempts, as the Mugger got closer and getting ready to shoot her until the two heard a Banshee like scream, coming from behind them and turned around. The Rider got their full attention making the two shake down in fear, as he pointed to the young woman and motion her to leave.
With that hand motion understanding she pull hold on to her purse, and speed walked out of the alley and passed her hero. "Thank you so much." She told him and ran out of there. The Rider looked at her for a few seconds and then quickly had his head back to the Mugger who can't believe on what his seeing, and can't tell if he was drunk or was he on the pipe. The Rider took two steps and pointed at him in judgement and jury.
"You Sinner are guilty!. And the punishment will be the death penalty!." He told him putting his arm down, and went to walking towards the Mugger.
"Get your firy skeleton ass away from me!." The Mugger yelled shooting his bullets at him.
The bullets landed in The Riders arm, leg, shoulder, and even in his chest. But he didn't even felt the pain as kelp right on walking seeing that The Mugger, had ran out of ammo and grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him up to face him, as the guy was now shaking in fear and regret. "Your blood is stain with all the innocents that you hurt and killed over the years, let alone purposely forgetting your ancestors on the Day of the Dead and not even doing the tradition of keeping them alive." The Rider told him as he was scared to the point the man wet his pants, as he pulled in closer to see the eyes of the dead teen. "Look into my eyes and feel their pain and suffering!." With those words from The Rider, the Mugger looked and saw everything of what his done over the years. Killing people for fun, shooting the kids parents for their money, taking down and destroying his family's Ofrenda, and hearing his family weep in sorrow.
When this was happening to him, he started screaming in pain as the things that he have done was burning him on the inside, as his soul was completely on fire as this was karma coming back on him in the worst way imaginable. The screaming came to an end as Rider looked at the Mugger, and threw him to the side and left his empty shelled body to the ground as eyes were completely gone, and the only thing that was there was black holes. The Rider got back on to his Soulcycle and drove off and went on driving to where he wanted to go, as hours flew by as night time became morning, as the sun was shining behind him as he droved into the cemetery.
He drove around and made a stop as the sun had covered the whole sky, causing him to fall off his bike and went to transform once more as the process was painful. The motorcycle turned back to normal with no pain involved, while the Rider was screaming as his skeleton face started to grow back skin and eyes turning back to normal, while crawling up to a headstone until he reached it and finished transforming back. Back into Miguel. Miguel did one final holler as he looked at his hand and see they were back to normal, and lay his head down slightly as he saw where he crawled to as the headstone read in bold letters.
Tadashi Lee Hamada
A Great Brother, Nephew, Best Friend, and Fiance
2017-2038
"I'm so sorry Tadashi." Miguel said crying as this truly is his fault, that he died because of him making that evil deal.
He didn't bother to look over beside Tadashi's headstone, as he didn't want to see Momma CoCo's headstone at all at this moment. His crying came to an end when a shovel landed beside his head, making the young Latino look up to see a Hispanic man wearing a brown old western cowboys hat, as his button up shirt was white as he had a leather sleeveless brown jacket on to match his hat and brown pants and boots. His belt was black with a golden cowboy riding on a bull belt buckle. He had a black with a little white mustache, with a little bit on his small goatee. He was leaning on his shovel with a tired smile as if he was waiting for Miguel to come here, as he spit out his chewed tobacco form his mouth before saying anything.
"Good Morning Bone Boy." He said as Miguel fainted and passed out.
An hour in a half have passed since fainting, Miguel open his eyes slowly and see his surroundings where in a plain old none modern home, that was connected to the super old Santa Cecilia graveyard church. He then realized that he was laying in someone's bed and carefully got up, as felt sharp pain from where the bullets had hit him and slowly got up but sat down, as the pain was hurting him badly. "Ow." That's all Miguel could say touching the hole in his shoulder, and started sniffing something good coming close to him. "Ah you're up. That's good to know." said the man as he smiled at Miguel, and came in with a tray of breakfast for him to eat. He walked over and sat the tray down on the bed beside Miguel, and sat down on the soft chair and took his hat off showing his grey hairs.
"I.. I hope you like pancakes and sausages, with a glass cup of holy water on the side." He told Miguel seeing a warm smile on the kids face.
"Gracias, Senor..." Miguel wanted to know the man's name while picking up his cup of holy water.
"Jones. My name is Mr. Jones. The graveyard grounds keeper." Jones told him setting his hat down on the table beside him.
"Oh well gracias, Senor Jones." said Miguel taken a sip of his water.
Happy to see the kid in good health despite the bullet holes in different places. He watched Miguel eat the food that he cooked for him, as Miguel took his back to him. "Where's my bike?." He asked Mr. Jones, who smiled a little bit before answering the boys question. "It's in the shed outsides and yes. Yes it's back to normal." Confused on why the old man said it was back to normal, Jones explained to him seeing how confused Miguel was not wanting to make the boy feel uncomfortable around him or in his situation. He slowly got up and went to the table and grab the medical kit, and bring it over and sat down to open it and pull out the things he needed to patch Miguel up before he leaves.
"Last night you transformed into the Skull Rider. Am I right?." He looked back at Miguel who nodded as he slowly remember.
"And so when you become the Spirit of Justice for the first time, you start to feel extreme pain when doing so but that's only happens to you once." Mr. Jones explained to him after closing the kit and sat it to the side.
Then he got up with a roll of medical string and needle, with a few cotton balls, a pair tweezers, and a bottle of peroxide. Telling where this was going, Miguel sat the tray on the table and took its spot as Mr. Jones sat in Miguel's original spot to set the stuff down on the table, and went to work on the wounds while explaining about the power of the Skull Rider. "The Rider has the power beyond any Super can have as he or she can use any weapon at his or her disposol, and possessed it. Just like you did with your motorcycle." He told him carefully taking the bullet out from his shoulder and started soaking the cotton ball with peroxide, and went to cleaning up the blood and wound and started to take it off and sew up the hole. "Oh I see, well since we're talking about it. Can you explain to me as to what power that I used against that punk, who was trying to mug an innocent women by giving him the stare." said Miguel looking at the man as he reap the string off, and looked at him in a plain look as he knows what he was talking about all too well.
"The Execution Stare. The Riders number one weapon of all. It takes the wrong from the Sinner have done to the innocent, and use it against them causing their own soul to burn and kill them completely." Mr. Jones told Miguel before telling him to lift his leg to his lap, so he could do the same with the shoulder. "Execution Stare?. Far out crazy. What other kinda powers do I have?." Miguel asked having a lot of interest to the whole Superhero description benefits. Telling that the boy was sorta liking the idea of being the Legend itself, as he can't blame him since this is what he expected from any other kid who sold their soul for whatever purpose, in which he would ask Miguel later. "You'll have the power to access both the Land of Dead and Forgotten, and you can decide on weather you want to stay or exit out without the help of having one of your dead relatives, for their blessings to send you back home." After Mr. Jones finished talking for just a second, a phone was heard ringing from Miguel's pants pocket as he quickly took it out and saw the number and the persons face on whose calling him.
Too Scared to even press the answer button on his phone, Miguel just sat it down on the table as it kept on ringing and cut off. Letting go of the breath that Miguel was holding on relief, but quickly sucked back in as the same person recall his phone once again. "Oh I hope she won't cuss me out." said Miguel picking up his phone and answered with fear. "H...H... H... Hello?. W... W... W... Who is this?." He played it off butt that was the worst move that could every made.
"You know who the hell is calling you!. Where was your ass at last night Miguel?!." shouted a very tipped off Penny.
"Oh well you see uhhhhhh, I can't possibly tell you that Pen." Miguel said not wanting to explain his situation, knowing it's going to add wood to the fire.
"And why the hell not?!. I swear you're lucky that, I'm not over there where you are so put my foot up your ass amigo!." Penny said threateningly.
Miguel was down right scared as hell when it is rare for Penny to go kill, and destroy as he knew the only time she's at that state when she was the star of her former TV show. Not knowing what to do in this situation on either talk back to her or do the most best option. Miguel took the best option in which hanging up his phone, and could have sworn he heard her scream all the way from where he was, giving him the chills of fear. "She's not happy with you huh?." Mr. Jones asked while sewing the wound of his chest after just hearing lay out, from the little girls mouth. "There, all done kid. Next time when you're out fighting, please make sure you doge any hits." Miguel smiled softly and nodded in his response. Suddenly another question popped up in his head as it was about the teenage Latina, who he encounter last night as she was supernatural herself besides him.
"Tell me something old timer. After what just happened to me last night, why does Xibalba wanted me to stop a girl by the name of Sartana?." He asked his new amigo.
When mentioning her name he turned around with high concern with utter seriousness, as he know exactly who she was and can't believe that this is why the soul of the Rider was resurrected. He put the medical stuff back into the box and closed the lid and walked back to his chair, and sat down as Miguel can see that the girl he mention must be real bad news. "Sartana." Mr. Jones begin. "Sartana is one of the children of Xibalba and Muerte." He told him already seeing Miguel kinda confuse on the other person, that was mention as he never herd of the women in history class. "Sorry sir, but who is la Muerte?." Miguel asked the Grounds Keeper who chuckle on the question, but can't blame him but the school system itself for lack of history knowledge of Mexican History.
"La Muerte. She's the Ruler of the Remembered. She's a well known lovable, caring, and honest woman, that's if you don't push her buttons." Mr. Jones said as he put on his hat.
"What's her buttons that can't be pushed?." asked Miguel.
"Well first, don't place any bets with her if you're planning on playing fair and don't cheat. Second, she hates evil itself and do not tolerate bad behavior from anyone who lives in her world." He explained after getting up and heading out of his home, with Miguel close behind to get his new motorcycle from the shed.
After getting the bike out and getting ready to ride it back home and face the music, but then he saw it once more again from last year. He saw the pedal bridge right there in his own eyes as it was dead free of people, assuming that the bridge was only open for the public for Day of the Dead and welcoming new arrivals. He turned around to see the old man who was picpicking up his shovel while whistling, as he headed on to the cemetery to do his hourly job of the day. Miguel wanted to ask him on why Sartana is here but have to ask him some other time, but he doesn't have to. He turn back to the flowery bridge and then there standing right there, looking right at him as the women was never there before until now.
This women was a pure thing of beauty. Her skeleton tone was white suger candy as she had black licorice hair, with a pair of glowing multi colored eyes of the shades of gold and red. She had on a red dress that was decorated with cempasuchil, marigold flowers, with lit white candles at hem of her dress. And the most stand out of her attire was her extremely large wide brimmed sombrero bedecked with more lit candles, and more marigold telling him that this was her favorite flower. With it it had small skulls, with pink plumed, curly, and swirly feathers. And along with palm leaves. The final piece of the woman's attire was a circular gold locket around her neck, making it look it had a lot of value on it to Miguel's sight.
The woman had a sad blank face as if she was disappointed at someone or him, to Miguel's thought as she motioned him to come to her so she can have a word with him. Swallowing his spit in nervousness, he got off his bike and pushed with him as he she waited for him to enter the realm of the Dead.
"Oh this can not be good, if she's here to get and want to talk to me." Miguel thought going through the realm of the Remembered.
"Hello Miguel or should I say, hello Rider." She said giving him a weak smile.
"Nice to meet you too...La Muerte." said Miguel.