Chapter 28 (Return to the Remembered)
Following the Ruler of Remembered to wherever she's guiding him to, Miguel had two things on his mind. One, he can't believe his back to the realm of the dead from last year with the guys, and two, was he doesn't want to visit his dead family members since he automatically knew that what his done to not only to himself, but also to someone whose here with them.
Miguel looked around and see that the platform was completely empty as their were no security guards nor any employee at the Check in and out station. "You're probably wondering why there's anyone at the station...am I correct?." La Muerte asked slightly looking at Miguel, with a smile on her face as she was completely calm. "Y.. Yeah, um, I was going to ask you that ma'am. Where are they?." Miguel asked having his confidence mojo back in, after going through the check out counter and continue their way, to wherever she's taking him. "For starters, the bridge that we just walked on were only design to let my beloved dead citizens to cross over from this realm to the living world, on Day of the Dead only. When you die Miguel, well you don't have that problem since you're immortal like myself but anyways. When you die you're not going to coming to this realm by walking to the bridge, you'll just be automatically be at the New Arrival office waiting for your turn to get you settle in, and call your dead relatives to come pick you up and so on." La Muerte explained the best way she can, as this was her thing and she done a great job at it for centuries.
"Sweet. And I have a second question ma'am. Where are you taking me?." asked Miguel
"Where going to my home. It's one of the biggest mansions in this realm, but I'm not into fancy things." La Muerte said while still guiding Miguel to her home.
Her place wasn't that far away from where Miguel have thought, as her place was just a few feet away behind from the Help Service building. While heading their way, the people who showing respect to the Ruler of the Remembered by saying good morning or comment her beauty and say anything nice to her. Miguel on the other hand they responded to him with fear, as if he was going to do something bad t them but that's their way of respecting him. "Don't worry they will get over it on the shock of fear I mean. You have a lot reputation in this realm as one, you are the first living child to enter the realm of the Remembered and second, you're the new Skull Rider as well." La Muerte explained once more, and see they reached the gates to her home and let Miguel go in first and told him to park his motorcycle up against the fence, and just followed her all the way to her house as it looked way better than Ernesto's place.
"Oh and I almost forgot to mention to tell you." She said looking at him and already see fear in his eyes, of complete worry.
"Oh please tell me it's not what I think you're going to tell me?." Miguel asked hoping that he was dead wrong, but luck wasn't on his side this time.
Putting on her serious face and attitude as she already knows the answer, and said in honesty as she knows he had this one coming to him. "Unfortunately for you Miguel, I'm not the only person that's going to fuss the hell out of you. But also as well as your whole family too." said LA Muerte walking up the steps to her place, and took out her key from her hair and unlocked the door. "Uhhhhh you know what ma'am?. Ummmm, I'm just going to come back later and maybe." La Muerte grabbed Miguel by the ear and pulled him inside, not wanting to hear his made up excuse and ignoring his owing as she was no fool to play with. Closing the door shut with her free hand she let go of Miguel's ear, as he rubbing it and looked at her upset but can't blame her for what she did to him and just might as well face the music, and get ready to get fussed at by not only from Momma Imelda but also the whole entire family. They walked through the long hallway as the walls were painted red with Day of the Dead symbols on it, as the two entered the room after LA Muerte pushed the big doors wide open and show her dining room. Her dinning room was loaded up with so much food and gifts form the citizens, to the point it can feed starving people overseas. Her table was longest table that Miguel has ever seen making his Aunt Franny and Uncle Cornelius dining room table look like a joke, compared to what his seeing in front of him but that's the least of his surprise.
At the dining table that was covered with delicious variety of foods, seating down waiting for main guest before eating the meal that was layed out in front of them. Miguel saw Momma Imelda, Poppa Hector, Grandpa Julio, The Twins, Aunt Tia, Aunt Victoria, and Momma CoCo. Beside them was his other family members that was also there, as he recognized the familiar resemblance that looked almost like his Uncle Bob and Aunt Helen, as two dead Supers had a few strains of grey hairs wearing their old back in the day suits as the guy wore all black with a reaped bicep muscle logo in the middle, while the female had pink with hot red mix with a signature MS as her symbol. On the Forrester side their was only one man who had a brown beard and hair, wearing some kakai jeans with a short sleeve white polo shirt with leather shoes indicating that the pair that he had on was hand crafted by one of the Riveras. On the Robinson side their was only person that Miguel have seen this women before but that's was when he and the boys time traveled back to where Lewis was dropped off at the all boys orphanage. And finally on the Hamada side, Miguel saw a woman with her brown hair tied up in a bun wearing a loose silk navy blue jogging pants with a matching shirt that read in pure bold words The Elastic Dynamites Evolution in pure red.
The man beside her was in his mid forties having a short haircut wearing glasses, and had on his black jeans with a black shirt that Japanese language written on it in white, and Miguel read it and it said Peace and Harmony. The final member who was the new edition to the dead family was. "T.. T.. Tadashi?." Miguel asked his dead cousin. Tadashi got up from his seat and walked over to Miguel as was just the same when he last saw him, only except that he was like the others. Just pure skeleton with no skin, nose, or ears. Only except his eye balls and that's all that his got. "Hey little Miguel." He said pulling him to a hug as Miguel accepted the hug, and gave a good bear hug to Tadashi.
When letting go from the hugging, Miguel was glad that Tadashi was taken it rather well but don't let the looks for you.
"You know Tadashi, I thought for a second that you and the rest of family would be angry at me for getting you down here, and me selling my soul to Xibalba." Miguel said chuckling nervously.
Tadashi put his skeleton hand on Miguel's shoulder with a little grip, and smiled at him too well for Miguel to know what's going to happen next.
"Oh we're not angry Miguel. We're freaking pissed off!." He said in anger while pulling a now scared official young Super to him, and went to banging his head with his fist.
"What the hell were you thinking knuckle head?!. Why would sold your soul to that snake in the grass?!." He demanded to know but not giving him the chance to speak, as Momma Imelda pulled Miguel from Tadashi's fury.
"Tadashi stop hitting your baby cousin in the head." Momma Imelda said with authority in her voice.
Then Miguel spoke being able to speak without getting hit in the head. "Oh thank you Momma Imelda." He told her with a smile of relief. Momma Imelda turned around to see Miguel with a scold look and said while unloosing her boot. "Because he needs a boot upside his melon!." She said having her boot taking off and started hitting the poor boy in the head, making Miguel yell out in pain. This was going on at least five minutes or more as Muerte was counting, as she sat down in her costume made comfortable soft cushion chair as she lifted up a cutting knife and the sharpen stick and went to sharping up the knife to carve the big honey roasted turkey in front her. "Okay Imelda he had enough of the beating to head." She told her before finishing sharpening the knife.
Obeying the command of the Immortal Ruler of the Remembered. Momma Imelda stopped hitting her great, great grandson with her boot and put it back on and huffed away from Miguel in angry while Hector came over to comfort his grandson. "Does your head hurt like a pinata amigo?." He asked with a smile as he knows his aggressive his wife can get, when pushing the wrong buttons or anything else that give her reason to go crazy. Rubbing his sore head as he knew that he deserved every hit of it for doing a deal like that, he let his Poppa Hector guide him to the his seat where can join them for brunch. While getting the fair share of the freshly hot meal, La Muerte started explaining on what her husband had been planned out and why he chose Miguel.
"My husband Xibalba chose Miguel because he did something that no one had dared to do, and that's stealing something off someone's Ofrenda. Thus causing him to have great interest in you and a little bit with the others, but his main focus was just you." Muerte said pulling herself a turkey leg and started chewing.
"That, and Abuelita should have told you and the other kids that Xibalba enjoys messing and hurting mortals for his own amusement." said Momma CoCo who was drinking some red wine and let her husband Julio pour another round.
"That is correct my child. Xibalba can't be trusted at all and you Miguel had to accept his deal." said Momma Imelda before biting her salad.
Then Tadashi who set his cup down and said in a bit of upset in his voice. "Miguel, I knew that I wasn't going to make it when I had cancer. I was mentally prepared to die and had no fear of it because that's life." He explained to Miguel while chewing some potato salad, as he continued listening to his cousin. "I knew when I was cancer free, I had my suspicions that you had something to do with that when ever you keep avoiding me. Plus, you keep finding any lame excuse to get away from me." Tadashi surprised Miguel when he grabbed a whole bottle of alcoholic wine and thenthen pulled the croquet, and started jug down the liquor. Cindy who was Tadashi, Hiro, and Vanellope's mom quickly grabbed the bottle from him and sat down beside her and away from his reach.
"Drinking won't solve anything Tadashi." She told him with a stern attitude.
"Well it worked great when me and Poppa Hector was doing it down at the bar, when I arrived here on my first two days." Tadashi argue before smacking his lips for wanting a taste of alcohol.
Momma Imelda scolded her husband as she remembered that day when Hector brought Tadashi home dead drunk, and it was a long night to kill the booze out of his empty system. "I'm still mad at you for getting our grandchild drunk Hector." She told him while grabbing herself another slab of smoked grilled steak. Hector rubbed the back of his head as he didn't mean to get him drunk, but what can you do when you're at the bar that had great alcohol?. "Imelda, I'm sorry for letting him get drunk." Hector said before biting his seasoned corn. Coming back to the main matter at hand, La Muerte went on saying about why her daughter was in the living World along with her followers, and searching for one thing in which she doesn't know yet. "What do you mean you don't know what Sartana is looking for?!." asked Miguel wanting to know how can a immoral being like Muerte doesn't know what her daughter was up to, but only know what her life goal was. And that goal was creating her very own land of the Forgotten, in which was using the living World as a new location for her new kingdom.
"My daughter had no fear in her lifetime up until she encountered you. The Rider. Hispanics Legendary original Super." La Muerte said finishing the food and reloaded her plate.
"So she never had fear in her immortality until she met me huh?. Well I see what I can do since, I'm the one that got Tadashi here in the first place. Plus, I'm the Skull Rider." Miguel said finishing his meal and after getting to know the other dead relatives.
After Muerte told Miguel to keep his curse a secret from the rest of his living family and keep them in the dark. She told him it would be best that way and keep them form harms way, as she told him that her daughter will do whatever it takes to get what she wanted even if she had to kidnap or hurt anyone's love one. Gaining the information about his target that Xibalba had giving. Miguel needed to leave and do some research about his curse and figure out how to handle, and control it since last night he wasn't running things when he transform into the Spirit of Justice. When done saying goodbye, Miguel headed out of the house and go grab his new motorcycle and his way back out while being accompanied by Hector.
"You're taking it awfully well Miguel. You're not at least a bit scared?." Hector asked looking back at Miguel.
"No, not anymore I don't. Because now I'm going have to accept my consequence and fight my way through the drama." Miguel told him while passing a few people.
"Well if it means anything to do amigo, don't worry about your Momma Imelda and the others. They're going to look at it as kinda of a good thing when this whole thing blows over." Hector smiled to see his positive talk put a smile on his grandsons face, and hope he was right on the last part.
"You promise about that Poppa Hector?." Miguel asked still holding his smile with an eyebrow raise.
Hector put his hand out and cross his heart. "I cross my heart and hope to die, Er...you know what I mean." He said as he already dead and can't get any deader than he already is.
"I get what you mean Poppa Hector." said Miguel ending with a chuckle.
When reaching back to the Check In and Out station and said their goodbyes for now, with a hug and wave to one another as Hector watched his Super great, great grandson solider off to the flower bridge until he was gone from sight. Arriving back to the living World with little bit of understanding as to what's going on, Miguel pushed his motorcycle out of the graveyard grounds and reached the road out of the place, and then getting ready to hop on and drive out until he saw the grounds keeper. He looked at Mr. Jones who was halfway away from him as the man was leaning on his shovel, and looking down at someone's grave. Miguel thought it must be a love one that he lost a long time ago but judging on his face as it was plain and none sad, Miguel thought it wouldn't hurt to come over to where he was and say goodbye as well.
Mr. Jones noticed his young friend was coming to say goodbye but he knew that it won't going to last, after getting the chance to see the persons headstone before leaving. Miguel made his way when he spoke. "Had fun speeding time with La Muerte?." Mr. Jones asked before taking his eyes away from the headstone to look at the boy. "Uh it was not bad, all things considered...hey how did you know that hanged out with Ruler of the Remembered?." said Miguel as he thought that Mr. Jones told him that only The Rider had access to the Remembered and the Forgotten. He smirked before answering as Miguel wanted to know. "It was a lucky guess. Besides, you seeing her is a guarantee since you're the one and only supernatural Super an all." He told him still looking at the headstone. Wondering whose grave that got the old man so respectful for. Miguel happened to look and read what it says and can't believe his eyes as he read the headstone in utter shock of surprise.
The Headstone read nice and bold with fresh code of black paint.
Harper Jones McCoy
1874-?
"W.. W.. What year did Mr. McCoy died?." asked Miguel in curiousness.
"No body knows what year did he died. No one from the Wild West Era didn't keep track of death dates that much." Mr. Jones explained to the young boy.
"Is this the same McCoy that became the very first Skull Rider?." asked Miguel the second time.
Mr. Jones nodded as a yes and went to telling the origin story of Harper McCoy. "This man and his wife and child lived in the town of lost Souls. In the beginning the town was like a big family that never went wrong nor have any drama." At the moment of saying that, Miguel looked at the old timer and see he had deep emotion about it but don't know why he was feeling too sad. "An then the towns folks became greedy with money and started sinning every sin that's in the Holy Bible itself. The only people that prevented from joining the temptation of evil was McCoy and his family." Jones said taking his hat off to show respect for the lost soul people of the town and didn't continue the story, when Miguel finished the last parts of the story. "Then one day, Xibalba come to McCoy and gave the power to end the wicked of his town and lost his family in the process." He said but got shake of a no from the grounds keeper as if he said the story was incorrect. "No not exactly. Let me tell you the real version of the story kid." Jones told him before taking his small bottle and went to drinking the cold water, to clear his throat up so he can speak nice and clear for Miguel to hear.
"You see amigo, Xibalba came to him when McCoy was at his lowest. He was desperate to be a hero for his town and wanted his sweet little girl to live in a clean none evil world. And so he shook hands with the wicked and in return he set his home on fire, along with tgethe wife and child." Mr. Jones said feeling depressed to retell the story of the original Skull Rider.
"He was force to watch. Didn't he?." asked Miguel felling awfully bad for hearing a true painful legend story.
"No, he came home after doing a nights work of justice and saw his sweet home in flames, where Xibalba was standing in front of the burning house with a wicked chuckle. But the laugh was on him when McCoy refused to give him the contract and ran away from him, and never been seen or heard from." Mr. Jones said finishing up the story while setting his hat back on his head, and pulled back from the sight seeing of the headstone and resumed back to work. Miguel had enough with the pain of having this curse after truly learning the real story of Harper McCoy and needed to go somewhere, before heading back home and deal with the fuss after he gets there. When leaving the grave and headed back to his motorcycle, Mr. Jones stopped him for just a brief second as Miguel stopped to leave. "Tell me something kid. Why did you do it?. Why did you made that deal with Xibalba?." He asked. Before answering the man he sat down on the motorcycle and getting ready to drive off and answered in the most saddest voice he had in his life. "Because I thought that, I was going to save someone's life. But unfortunately I did the complete opposite." Miguel told him and droved off without even saying goodbye to Mr. Jones as he droved out of the cemetery and headed out to find some guidelines to his curse, since La Muerte didn't tell him why he wasn't in control when he first transformed into the Spirit of Justice.
Meanwhile at the Parr's House...
"He didn't show up last night?." said a shocked Helen.
Helen was in the kitchen making some salad for lunch while listening and talking to her daughter Violet, who was snitching hard about Miguel's absence from last night and went on saying how both Hiro and Vanellope were disappointed about him not showing up.
"Yeah!. Me and Penny had been trying to reach him through both text and call, all the night long until the restaurant got closed up." Violet continue telling her mom while chopping up vegetables, and put them in the big salad bowl.
"You know something sweetie?. Your Aunt Luisa had called me this morning and asked me if I have seen Miguel today, and unfortunately I told her that I haven't seen him." Helen said taking the minute to bite off a piece of celery before chopping and throwing the rest into the bowl.
Helen wasn't known to be picking favorites in the family but on the down low she had a favorite. That one favorite person that she picked out form the rest of her niece and nephews, was none other than her little Miguel as she remembered the first time she met Miguel and the rest when Franny and Cornelius put together the first ever family reunion. She loved that day since that was two days before her and Bob brought the house with the money that Rick Dicker have given them to use, since they had to relocate for the twentieth time due to Bob accidently exposing his superpowers by stopping a run away Monster Truck that had broken brakes and he had to hold it off, before it clashes to the bank. Helen also remembered that they spent their last few bucks that they saved before on driving from Saint Louis, Missouri back to their hometown in which was Todayland when Momma Abuelita who Helen had called her about their situation. As she told them that there was a house that was the same price amount, that they had and paid the house in full and moved right on in with no problem.
"All things considered Violet, I think Miguel has something on his mind or maybe something must have happened." Helen said believing her theory.
"Yeah, I doubt that mom and besides what could happen to Miguel of all nights?" Violet asked taking a bite of the last carrot in the bag.
Helen got up to go into the fridge an take out two tomatoes and washed them in the sink, and went back to her seat to begin chopping and continuing with the conversation. "Well last year, you and the others got missing all night and then next day you kids showed up like you guys just saw dead people." Helen explained her evidence to Violet who she until this day don't know what happened to the kids, on the week before Day of the Dead. Violet and the others wanted to tell their family about the crazy one night adventure of being in the Land of the Remembered and saw their dead relatives, but however the group figure that they might be smoking weed or just went crazy that night and so they just kelp it a secret.
"Okay mom you have a point there. But still it is not about us it's about Miguel, who didn't even bother to show up to comfort Hiro or Vanellope. But when I see him I'm going to kick him where the sun won't shine, before Penny gets the chance of doing the honor." Violet informed her after done chopping vegetables.
Not wanting to see that brutal conflict on her favorite nephew and had a good thought on the solution. Helen took it upon herself to go to the Riveras house and have a nice chat with Miguel before Luisa nor his father Enrique can get a hold of him, right after putting the big salad in the fridge and inform Vi to hold on to putting her foot up his behind. Over the years an since childhood, Helen had always had the mind set on being the big sister of Franny, Cass, Luisa, Cindy, and Sierra. That, and being the oldest amongst them all and so it was only natural to think that way. She always the one protecting them weather they were being bullied or they went to their former Arcade Center to hang out in, and especially when they becamed young adults she made sure that one of them wasn't hurt doing Superhero work.
Franny and the others know she always looked out for them no matter how old their were, as Momma CoCo told them before that family always sticks together like super glue. And so when telling Violet to go tell Dash, her father, and bring Jack Jack out from his crib to come eat lunch, before walking out of the house and get into her car and drove down to Santa Cecilia by taking the short cut route like she always use when going to visit or drop by to help out at the Shoe Shop.
Todayland's Public Library...
Miguel parked his motorcycle in the very first parking space in the parking lot before entering the library, with determination to find some answers to his curse and see if there's any way to have some control over his superpowers.
He checked in the very back of the massive library where the Supernatural section was located and begin his search on finding it, by book shelves to book shelves while carefully reading each book shelf by shelf. Later on in about an hour or two, he found the right book that he was searching for and pull out the old brown leather book. "Wow this book is so dusty." said Miguel blowing off the heavy amount of dust of the book cover.
"The Supernatural History of Mexican stories. Okay then let's see what does the book says about The Rider." He talked to himself before heading to a near by table and get started searching in the Table of Contents, and went to flipping a good amount of pages. After reaching the fortieth chapter of the book as the pages were written in black and had pictures of the supernatural tale in detail of image. Sitting comfortably in the wooden chair in a ready to read position, Miguel begin reading the tale of the legend spirit.
"The Legendary Super of Mexico is more than meets the eye. The Riders spirit is the source of his power,strength,and physical appearance.
The name of the immortal spirit that belongs to The Rider is still currently unknown, but the story of the spirit was a normal ordinary spirit that assumed to have no identity of being in the living World, but instead had an identity in the afterlife.
The spirit itself was known to be a believer of none violence and none punishing. That is until one day the soul became a victim by falling for Xibalba's tricks as he dragged the spirit into his realm, and forced to see and feel the misery of the forgotten people who were purposely been forgotten about over the years.
Hearing the saddest cry's of the forgotten people both inspired and motivate the spirit, as it changed its belief into believing in justice."
Miguel looked at the image of the page that showed the spirit as a golden soul and then showed next part of the section, in which was the soul being in the cold dark realm of the Forgotten and transformed into gold to fire of rage. Already got interested in the origin story of the spirit, Miguel put his finder to his mouth and gave a quick lick and went to flipping another page to read more both to see what happens next and see if it will tell him on how to control the power of Justice.
"When having the mind set on serving justice to all the wrong and sinned of people. The soul declared itself to be the Judge,Jury,and Executioner and rolled up into one, and transferred itself into its host that made the deal with Xibalba and had the right minded goal of using the true purpose of power.
Thus, bring forth the Spirit of Justice. Throughout time and without number,The Rider brought forth justice to the innocent both living and none living and punished the sinners or the wicked, and only took a one only day off on duty. And that was The Day of The Dead, in which the spirit of The Rider powers will be unavailable until the end of the natural holiday at sun rise.
The Rider can pass on the mantle of the responsibility to a new Rider if the current Rider decided to officially retire, and joined former Supers family on the other side in which it is known as The Land of the Remembered. However, if current Rider didn't pass the torch upon the new Rider. Then the new Rider will have to wait until the current Rider decides to go join the dead and let the new take over.
If the new Rider is brand new then he or she must took the oath of the spirit, in order to have full complete control of its powers and transformation."
"Finally I found it!." Miguel shouted getting a loud Shhhh from the librarian who was returning books back into its proper shelf, making the young Latino grinned nervously for his little outburst.
When seeing her pass by out of his sight he went back into the book and went taking his phone out, to take a quick snap of the oath before closing the book back and putting it back into the shelf. Miguel was sure of himself that he was determined to have complete control of his powers but can't understand about the pass the torch thing, as it was true then why was Harper McCoy aka the first and original Rider was buried in the Santa Cecilia Graveyard instead of being around due to being immoral.
Rivera Shoe Shop/Home...
Two hours after finding out that Miguel wasn't there working on making new pairs of shoes, sandals, or boots. Helen stayed and helped out her family with the work as she loved making shoes when she, Luisa, and the girls were kids. She was known to be the top shoe maker in the shoe shop and let alone being the best shoe shiner of all shoe shiners in the family, that would put Miguel's years of experience to shame.
Currently now she's at the work table sewing up a newly pair of women dress shoes, while listening and watching the News on the flat screen TV that was hanged up on the wall as the News was reporting the big news in news history.
"Last night it have appears that the victim was a common thug that was trying to rob a young woman, but was stopped by a Super. Who you may ask?. Well rumors have been rising saying that this wasn't no ordinary Super as the mugger was announced dead hours ago after the Super did the kill, and someone would say his soul was brutally burned based on the smell of his insides." announced by a male anchor man as his partner standing beside him as she had her turn about the story.
"The Autopsy report says that the inside of the muggers body was pitched black burned, based on his deep black eyes as people say especially the senior citizen Hispanics says that this was done by the old legend Super named The Skull Rider." The female anchor women said as she was shock to read the report on the paper.
The News continued on by listening to the only witness that saw the legend itself and gave the right description, that was told in Mexican folktale story and said that he saved her and wanted to say thank you to The Rider. Next, it showed Todayland's Police Department Chief on the podium and said that he and all cops on each district of Todayland will search, hunt down, and arrest The Rider for two things. One, was murdering a mugger even though that he tried to rob a defenseless women. And two, was that The Rider had broken the law of the Banned Supers Act as it was still illegal for Supers to go play hero and using the community as their playground. What came next was when the Chief mention Lucius, herself and her family in their superhero names that they are the least of their top priorities on arresting, as the Chief said that every police department in Todayland will be focusing on one Super and that is The Skull Rider.
Not wanting to hear anymore from the News. Momma Abuelita pick up the remote and changed the channel. "Good luck trying to arrest the Spirit of Justice, Chief Keef." She said chuckling in amusement before resuming back to making sandals. Both Helen and Luisa laughed in agreement as they been told about the legendary Super for years when they were kids, and both know how bad of a Super he truly is if your his victim or try and get in his way of serving justice. "Yes, The Rider is not just a random Super that you can capture and arrest so easy." said Luisa making a true fact while handing her husband some leather, as he needed to make a pair of boots for customer that ordered on the phone. "You got that right Luisa. No one can stop nor go toe to toe with The Skull Rider, and live to tell about it to the kids." said Helen after finishing up the dress shoes and sat them down in the shoe box and closed the lid, and sat it down on the shoe rack.
When discussing the talk about how fearsome The Rider was, Rosa came down stairs after putting Miguel's baby sister to bed and can't help but to put her doubt on the subject about the legend when hearing how great he is from her grandmother and aunts. "He can't be that possibly good. The Police will drive him down and arrest him like any other crook or Super of that matter." She said while heading to her work spot and went to checking the supply inventory with the clipboard in hand. Momma Abuelita shook her head with a chuckle as she saw once again another doubter, when it comes down to The Skull Rider subject. She couldn't blame her for thinking that way because like the old saying goes, in her own mother had taught her before and that saying was seeing is believing.
"Oh Rosa my dear child." Momma Abuelita began. "The Skull Rider is an unstoppable force to be mess with, such as trying to take him down by numbers game or even try running him over with a eighteen wheeler." Luisa sat her tools down before turning her chair around to see her niece so she can give her some facts. "And as for the police?. They won't last long on the road when speeding off with the Spirit of Justice, as The Rider can simply take you off the road if you try to out ride The Rider." She informed Rosa who had her eyebrow raise in confusion. The idea of The Rider taking people out off the road if you get in his way or try to out ride him, confused the young Latina as she have never heard of a Super that would literally do such a thing like that in order to serve justice against criminals.
"So basically The Rider has a real bad case of road rage." Rosa said right after checking off the list on the clipborclipboard, after seeing that one section of supplies were full and went to checking the other items.
"Sweetie he invented Road Rage." Helen told her and noticed a fast figure went up the steps like a thief in the night.
"Yeah right Aunt Helen, I'll see it before I believe it." Rosa answered back with a chuckle and had her full attention on the supply inventory.
Upstairs with quick quite run reaching to his room and getting inside of the room without being noticed. Miguel sat his phone down and went to taking off his shoes and socks, and plopped down on his bed as a lot of things have been going through his head as of late. First, he learned the spirit origin of The Skull Rider, and second he saw the news about him when he snuck inside of the workshop to get to his room, and see that his a true wanted Super for executing that Mugger for trying to rob and hurt the incident women. That, and they also accused him for killing a senior citizen security guard in Mexico and Miguel knows that it happened the night after he transform into The Rider and assumed that Sartana was behind this no doubt. Flipping himself over to face the ceiling and wondered if he should tell his family on what happened or just do what La Muerte have told him to do, in which keeping them in the dark for their own safety. But deep down Miguel knows that the truth won't be hidden from them for long especially from Vanellope. "Vanellepe." Miguel said feeling the blame for causing her and Hiro's brothers death, and scared to say if he could tell her about the situation and be forgiven. The thought of being blamed for something that was meant to help them just made the poor boy feel ashamed, and just didn't have the heart to tell them that it was Xibalba that destroyed their family.
"First thing first. I need to take the oath and then I'll hunt Sartana down." Miguel said out loud as he thought he was by himself.
When lifting himself up from his bed he saw that he wasn't alone in his room, and was now had a fear in his body and shock in his eyes. Standing there with her arms crossed while having a suspicious look on her. Helen was standing in the doorway and heard the last words that Miguel said about taking the oath, and hunting down Sartana in which Helen knows for sure that she heard that name before but can't put her finger on it. Before even saying a word she smiled also nicely to her nephew who wasn't liking where this was going, when she walk in and closed the door behind her so their conversation can be completely private and wished that he had said it in his head instead of blubbering it out in the blue. What came next was Helen having a seat on the bed with Miguel, while Miguel automatically knew what she's trying to do and that was going to sweet talk him into spilling out information to her, but was on his guard as he scooted over from her reach. That idea went downhill fast when Helen stretched and wrapped her arm around him and pulled him back close to her, as Miguel forgot that her superpowers was stretching as had no choice but to play the whole thing out with his aunt until she leaves.
"So tell me Miguel why haven't you showed up at the pizza place last night?. Both Penny and Violet were going to come together and beat the daylight savings time out of you for that." said Helen who was seeing that her nephew had a good excuse, but know that his not going to tell her truthfully.
"Uh do you want the short story or long version?." asked Miguel
"The long version Miguel. I have a lot of time to burn." She told him while brushing his hair as it was a bit nappy.
Taking a deep breath while having a quick thought up lie and exhale beige talking. "Well see Aunt Helen. Dante was missing and I am the only one responsible to get him, and so I kinda forgot to text Penny on my whereabouts and so uh, that's how I didn't show up at Pizza Vegas." Miguel said knowing without a doubt that this lie was golden as a golden goose egg. Helen just looked at Miguel with a blank expression on her face as she wasn't buying for a long shot, and Miguel dropped his smile when seeing that his made up story wasn't going to get accepted by her aunt. "Ah little boy who are on Earth are you trying to fool?. Did you know that back in the day when I was your age, I was the Queen of lying and till this very day I'm currently am?." Helen asked him while taking her shoes and socks off so she could seat on Miguel's bed, in a mediation position and get comfortable so that way she can get right into business on the truth that Miguel was hiding from her.
"Ohhhh boy, this is going to be a headache when trying to keep the reason from you Aunty Helen." Miguel told her rubbing his head in soreness.
Helen changed her expression and morphed a smile as she haven't heard Miguel call her that for years, and this women Super loved that sweet special name. "Aunty Helen...you haven't called me aunty since you were just five years old." Helen recall as she loved it as Miguel remembered and chuckled. "Oh yeah, I haven't called you Aunty Helen in years!. Why is that?." said Miguel wrapping his arms around his aunt as she returned the hug. Yes sir, their relationship was close when they first met at the family reunion and Helen loved every minute of it when she met her niece and nephews. Miguel wanted to so bad to tell her that he was The Rider but he had to keep the tip that was given to him and just hope Aunt Helen just let it go for day and come back to it next time.
"I tell you what sweetie pie. I'm going to go home and take care of something's, and when you're ready to come confess. Come find me okay?." said Helen as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Miguel kissed her aunt back with a kiss on her cheek and let her go form the hugging, so she could put her socks and shoes on and get up out of his bed and headed out to leave but then turn back to see him. "Okay?." Helen asked one last time. "Okay...Aunty Helen." Miguel answered with a wink and chuckle. When getting that out of the way she walked out from sight. Sighing in pure relief of getting out of this one, he suddenly felt another shock supernatural vibe once again as he felt it like a sting. Knowing exactly what this means as this was just like Spiderman when his spider senses were tingling when danger is near, and tell that he was experiencing the same way as Peter Parker. His vibe was telling him that Sartana was on the run again while looking through the window and see the sun was setting down, and felt the Spirit of Justice coming out again and had no choice but to put the oath on hold and go do his thing.
Sneaking out of his room and went down the steps an out to grab his motorcycle, and leave his home so that way there won't be any witnesses. When getting his bike from the shed and pushing it out of his home and getting ready to leave out until. "Miguel!?." Turning around and saw his cousin in her butt mood as Rosa was steamed hot and marched right at him in anger. "Why the hell didn't you go to Pizza Vegas like you should last night?." She demanded while tapping her foot. Rolling his eyes and assuming that either Penny or Violet must have told her and didn't have the time or patience to deal with Rosa. Ignoring to answer her question, Miguel continued pushing his motorcycle out of the gate and Rosa follow close behind still raising hell with him. "Vanellope is family and your girlfriend!. Why the hell you didn't show up to comfort her and Hiro!?. Your lazy guitar playing ass had nothing to do last night damn it!." Rosa said going off the wall with her first cousin.
"Rosa!. Please shut the hell up before I'll make you shut up!." Miguel exploded at her cousin and felt the energy within himself to go Rider.
Needing to leave before turning he got on to his bike but was pulled off by Rosa as she wasn't going to take it from Miguel. "First off you're not going to tell me to shut the hell up. Second your ass ain't going nowhere!." She yelled as she was surprise that no one was around to see it. "R... R... Rosa, I don't have time for this." Miguel warn her after feeling the spirit getting ready to burst out. "No!. I'm not going to let you hurt my best friend/ cousin anymore. You're going to to tell me what happened or else!." With that she pushed Miguel and got pushed back in return and this time, it wasn't Miguel's own strength that did the aggressive push.
Burst out in a flame of fire. Miguel transformed back into The Rider as he had eyes set on his now shock and feared cousin, as she couldn't believe what her eyes and glasses was showing her. Seeing the legend itself as the Spirit of Justice was her cousin and now witnessing actual supernatural. Miguel looked down at Rosa in his Rider form and pointed down on her. "You!. Innocent but you're pissing me off. So shhhhhhhhhh!." When shushing her to keep her mouth shut, Rosa nodded in understanding as she looked on as Miguel snapped his fingers and supernaturally transformed his motorcycle back into the Soulcycle. Then when doing so he hopped on and busted out of there and drive down with extreme speed and gone from sight.
Rosa manage to get up still having the shock of fear on her face and can't say anything, and just can't take the information in her brain and collapsed down to the ground in a faint as this was beyond too much to handle.