Laced & Leather Chaos

A Futile Last Stand

The two groups, one walking from Ernesto de la Cruz' house and the other towards, met about mid-way.

"Miguel!", again Imelda sounded both scolding and concerned. As both boys paused, Trent scanned the group and found his grandparents, to varying familiarity and vivid recollections, and had just taken this in when he was rushed upon and scooped up, by Daisy first.

"Oh Trent you're alright...", his grandmother breathed, as the Riveras similarly checked over Miguel, and before she released Trent to face his grandfather, who looked like he hardly knew what to think or say.

Antonio gently walked foward, heart he didn't have in his throat. Due to it being his fault and letting the ofrenda tradition die, the last time he'd seen his mijo was when a confused four year old rushed from the room with him on a sick bed and dying. Though he'd already heard his voice, he'd still caught some of the same youthfulness from eight years ago. Now he took in all of Trent's growth and the worry and relief of the moment in one and finally moved to hug his grandson, muttering some sort of apology.

The familiarity of the hug jogged more memories from four years old than anything else, and Trent gripped back, finding he had to swipe aside moisture as he did step back, "H-hey Abuelo...but...what for?", he asked after the apology.

Antonio knelt further to look his grandson in the eyes, "It's all my fault, Mijo, if I hadn't been so...afraid of being berated by my ancestors for...my rodeo path and...all of it, I would have passed the ofrenda tradition on to your mother, should have, and you would have known".

Rodeo! That had been what it was! Trent had tried to recall why his grandfather had left, but couldn't, again not asking his mother too often.

"Maybe...", he pondered, "but I also might have still done it", Trent grinned, just trying to reassure. Antonio laughed and he and Daisy hugged the boy again before they, and everyone but the boys who had already met him, took notice of the cowboy standing there silent and to the side, who took off his ten gallon hat.

"Kit Larson", he introduced himself, before replacing his hat, "I'm that pesky Larson's Farm and Tannery starter", he smiled.

Héctor had just been regarding the man with a small smile, and now laughed, "Yes, I told Trent...it was you!', he pointed, "I told him I knew a Larson, you're that cowboy I bumped into in Shantytown, who was surprisingly well preserved for the place, and was rambling on to us about...well anyway", he cut himself off.

Kit laughed, "Yep, I remember ya, glad to see your doing better there", he glanced over Héctor's whiter bones, in better condition also than when last he'd seen the skeleton.

"By rights, I shouldn't even still be here", the cowboy went on, "a complete relic who does not understand half of what even your generation was talking about when they came in", he nodded towards Antonio, Daisy and Victoria, "and everyone I actually knew gone, but...as Trent can no doubt tell ya, they still tell about that little farm I started when I came west, so...here I still am".

Two barks brought everyone's attention to how the sun was starting to lighten the dark of the night even more. "We need to act now!", Imelda said, reaching into her apron and handing Victoria one Cempasúchil petal, for her part.

Victoria walked over to Trent to explain, "So apparently you need more than just your family's blessing to go home, since it wasn't a family matter fully". She took in a breath and then smiled, "Trent Larson, I forgive you for stealing my pan dulce and there are no hard feelings" the petal emitted a brief glow before fading. Victoria handed it over to Antonio. The grin the blonde boy shot her for such a thing made her quirk a smile.

That grin faltered as Trent glanced to Antonio and even Daisy. He turned fully to them. "I-I'll tell mom all about ofrendas, I promise...so you can come visit" he said, "B-both of you...", he again didn't know if that was how it worked, but would try. Antonio smiled down and then back up, next brushing some of Trent's bangs out of his face as he tried to find words, "That...would be more than I feel I deserve, Mijo, and I don't regret the initial leaving, obviously, you...wouldn't be here, but...I might have brought the family home sooner", he settled on how to say what he was going for.

"But all I ask, in giving you my blessing, is that you just go chase your dreams, but be better than I was", Antonio settled on, and only paused a second in regret of the talk they were missing (that Ernesto had stolen from them! and the Riveras!) before moving the petal closer.

The Riveras has already sent Miguel home, Trent noticed, probably baring more stubbornness from either. Dante had jogged off and Wild Fire would probably follow him when...

Movement from the side, and a whimper, caused Trent to glance over. A net encompassed Wild Fire! And holding the net, Ernesto de la Cruz looked not pleased! His chihuahuas had helped lead him there but now stood back hesitantly from Kit Larson and the rest of the group. Whatever the cowboy had done, had effectively scared them.

"How many hostage situations are you going to make me give you, Niño?", Ernesto declared. Antonio moved in front of Trent, scowling at the singer, and Trent was impressed (but not really surprised) to see the Riveras still stood nearby, looking ready to help, despite their own boy being safe now.

Yet many in the group didn't look too worried, and even confused at this ploy. Héctor summed it as Trent stepped around from behind his grandfather looking worried. "Don't worry, he's an alebrije", he said, "they can't be hurt", well he didn't know that for sure...

Ernesto saw the bluff, and smirked, "You can't prove that, old friend", he challenged, he then smirked back to Trent, "and your no-good-boy's-amigo seems to care...".

Trent glanced to Wild Fire struggling to bite at the ropes that must have been extra strong, since he couldn't, and couldn't deny he did! He'd never found a dog for his own, surprisingly for a Texas farm kid, but Wild Fire was a pretty good one he was thinking.

Ignoring the pained look on the boy's face, or because of it, Héctor stepped around, "Alright this ends now...", he jabbed a finger in Ernesto's direction, as with a growl, Pepita stepped forward, "You need to...".

"Wait!", Trent held a hand out, surprised when Pepita actually paused.

"Trent...", his grandfather began.

"He's bluffing, and we've got it, your spirit guide will be fine", Héctor reassured.

"You on the other hand!", Daisy still lightly took his shoulders to turn him towards a store window and Trent took in his appearance in the growing light. He could already see a hint and clue to the skull markings he'd no doubt get when he did pass on officially. He lifted a hand to his face, and then saw something fly by in the glass reflection as Antonio had stepped forward, probably to send him home in his distraction.

The other movement hadn't been him, though, and Trent and his grandparents turned to watch a rope come down and around Ernesto, held by Kit!

Ernesto struggled, but it was of no use, the other skeleton had a tight hold, "Let me out of this you old...".

"Oh hush", the cowboy went on, "and stop all that! I've held onto bulls with one determination in their heads, you're nothing but a feather weight!". There were still stunned chuckles, as everyone still came to grips with what had happened and...it was over! Near enough.

The rope Ernesto had held had gone slack with his arms pinned and Wild Fire shrugged out of it and rushed over, giving a happy yip even to show he was alright as he leapt up and Trent caught him.

"Now?", Antonio asked, holding out the petal, and with a smile, though very regretful of what he was missing also, Trent took it. When he stumbled to the floor of the Rivera ofrenda yet again, he found it crowded with people, both the Riveras and his own family.

"Trent!", his mother hugged him up before he'd even recovered, "Oh, Miguel told us, some of...are you alright?", she summed the important part of the story she'd been struggling to comprehend. Trent laughed as he hugged her and his father back, "Yeah, fine". He noticed he'd let go of Wild Fire and the coyote had disappeared off, but that was little surprise.

"What took so long?", Miguel jogged over, and Trent gave a breathless laugh, "I'll tell ya later". Both boys smiled next, since it was over, and, Miguel realized, Trent would now get everything he might try to explain about how it all worked. Already did get most of it.