"There now", Héctor let out a breath as he closed the door to the clerk's office. Not that he wasn't fully enjoying being back a functioning part of his family again; but he knew what the tense waiting would be like. Imelda would probably glare at the clerk for the whole time.

"And out here we can possibly see when your abuelos arrive and...save our poor amigo in there a few reprimands", he grinned.

Trent chuckled, "Is Miss Imelda really that...bad?".

Héctor hummed thoughtfully, "A man tries not to say things that will cost him his afterlife...", he glanced to the door, as if his wife could hear that, and then guided the boys along. "So...", he glanced between the two, "you have an official band did you say?".

The boys grinned. "Sort of", Miguel said.

"Well I got to hear Miguel play, a few times now, but I would love to indulge you two and see what this duo act is like!", Héctor said, jesting about Indulging. He was fully interested.

"We'd love to show you!", Miguel glanced to Trent, who nodded, "but...the guitar's back in the Land of the Living...". Trent's trumpet too.

"And in all the excitement I left it myself...", Héctor admitted, crossing his arms and thinking, before brightening, "But luckily I always have an answer!".

"What?", Miguel semi-challenged with a smile, one Trent picked up too as he watched the two relatives.

"Well, I'll let you know soon...when I find it...", Héctor glanced about, as if the answer was in the Department, and he sort of thought it might be.

"We...could improvise!", Trent suggested, glancing about as well, "all I need is...yes!", he wasn't sure what the paper towel roll he spotted had been, (part of a hand made offering?) but went to rush over upon spotting it, before pausing.

Héctor, catching on, laughed, "It's alright, you can't steal from the dead anymore...or nothing worse can happen". Smiling Trent went over to rest of the way across the lobby to get it; and improvising would probably make less of a disturbance to annoy the workers and Imelda. Miguel decided he'd figure out the guitar situation later, and sort of waited for if Trent had an answer to that too.

"He's a good kid", Miguel commented, as Trent was out of ear shot, glancing up to his great-great-grandfather, "I...I don't think he's like Ernesto at all". He had thought it for a half a second, when pondering being a duo, the dangers of such, and then shoved the thought aside.

"Of course he's not", Héctor immediately concurred, "anyone can tell that at first glance! He...he's charming, that thing with the flan", he grinned, and Miguel then did as well, realizing that along with Abuelita, all the relatives would have probably caught Trent handing Benny a new flan after he dropped his! "not at all Ernesto's brand, and different than what I've been told is my charm, but...it's a good kind. I fully approve this kid", he ended by telling Miguel.

Miguel grinned, but didn't say more as Trent was jogging back over. "Can you use this?", he asked, also holding out a stapler and clipboard. Miguel laughed, "You're talking to the person who literally cobbled a guitar together! of course I can!". He took the items, and then bent to his shoes for the laces, like Trent also thought he could maybe use.

"I taught him The World Es Mi Familia", Miguel said, before the odd of that hit him, given what they'd been saying... "Uh, we're working through the list".

Héctor nodded, encouraging the boys. Miguel, with a half guitar made, turned to Trent and the two stepped out a bit and began. Swapping off young vocals, with little accompanying sound but childish clatter, it still worked. Better maybe! Trent also had the showmanship to make it work, same as Miguel, and the two swapped spotlight perfectly.

It all should have brought hard memories of a Not Amigo, but it was a more genuine companionship at two months than his and Ernesto had been at years, Héctor could tell.

A crowd slowly formed, workers, travelers, and as the boys finished there was a round of still discrete, but sincere applause, including Héctor. He had to wait slightly for pats on the back (despite them being known to be living boys) to end and the semi-crowd disperse once told it was being dealt with, but then walked up with a laugh, "I knew you had it, Mijo, but your amigo has it too! Excelente!"

Trent beamed along with Miguel. "Thank you Sir", he panted slightly from their enthused hopping around.

Héctor scanned again, but knew the Perez couple wouldn't be here yet. "I should go see if they have a vending machine of something for you two", he went on, trying to find Waiting Activities. "Come on, Chamacos!", motioned them to follow.

***

Ernesto de la Cruz was desperate.

He was experiencing payback; worse than Héctor's experiences even. There was no offering this year, not even one tamale! He also couldn't even show his actual face at the check point. What mountain of offerings he had accumulated over the years had been confiscated when his mansion was taken from him. The mob of musicians (such a concept!) would have injured him if he'd tried seriously to cling to it. He didn't know who lived there now, and honestly didn't think he wanted to!

Ernesto could also not pull off disguise like Héctor had. Very Built Homeless Skeleton hadn't worked...and he wasn't even pretending! He was now one! Héctor had always just got dragged off, Ernesto learned to quickly make a dart for cover at the reaction his discovery caused...

He wasn't sure why he wanted so badly to go down to the Land of the Living, one of the drummers had taken pleasure describing the scene to him. Rotten fruit, trash and a poorly done sign!

Those were his offerings!

He was not fading yet, but knew he would soon be one of them! He already lived to far down on the ladder for his refined tastes.

Ernesto de la Cruz was desperate.

He paced the lobby of Department of Family Reunions, disguised but not blowing that, and so taking cover in the crowd. Any time a worker asked if he needed help, he did his best drunk growl and slunk off. He just needed to hide and think.

During this they came in. The Riveras. Ernesto gave a real growl and slunk off further, especially as he spotted...wait! That living nuisance; Héctor's boy, who ruined everything for him, but...who was the other...

The wheels already started. He didn't look local!

Ernesto kept up, far back, as they walked over to a desk, and listened. He heard hardly anything and a clerk came to help them soon off. The 'annoying drunkard' paced before the door, catching what he could of the discussion beyond. It was what he could guess anyway.

"Here, Sir, you can't...", a worker came to stop his snooping, and Ernesto moved off. He didn't have to wait long for something to happen. Héctor and the boys came out, and Ernesto got a better look at the other as he leaned on a pillar behind, just a bum thinking he could smoke here.

He listened to the drivel about a band...though maybe he could use that...he didn't know yet. The blonde kid went for a trash roll to play with. Not the smartest muchacho...that could work too.

Ernesto listened to the two annoying Riveras putting him down, and just hid his scowl behind a cigarette he wasn't actually smoking. Kid wished he was anything like him! Either of them!

A dumb musical show started, people congregating and cheering for...nothing! Nothing performed by two living boys! He'd never liked that song he stole anyway! Ernesto almost huffed and left them to their silly waste of time...but this could be his one chance, and Ernesto de la Cruz took his one chance to stay on top, in life and death.

After patting the two monos like they had done anything, the crowd dispersed, and Ernesto paid more attention to his shadow skulking. Héctor motioned the two boys off, and Ernesto peeked again. The new kid was behind both Riveras a bit, perfect!

"Psst! Nino!", he whispered. Please hear him...but not either Rivera...

The kid paused and turned. Just enough. Ernesto leapt and grabbed him, hand over his mouth to stifle any noise and pulled the kid to the shadows. He then glanced back. Miguel was too far ahead and Héctor hadn't noticed the other kid was gone yet. Ernesto moved their position before he did, not that hauling the flailing brat was easy!

He got them outside, though, unnoticed and behind the building. "Hey, easy kid, stop that! I was only helping you", he whispered before taking the risk of letting go, words flying to retain his hold. Hopefully. "You have no idea who you were traipsing about with".