#coco utena au

[pencopanko]

Bienvenidos, nuestros duelistas

[wild-moss-art]

oooh might you consider adding the circus AU Coco to your inprnt? and while I'm at it also the Utena one with Hapi and Coco?! (not me planning my next purchase of moss art before the first one has even shipped)

omg yes thank you so much for your interest <3 both have been added!

Circustance

Utena

[stardustpinkart]

An Utena Au for Coco. Taking some loose material from the show. Hector is basically a sex slave, trading hands amongst people, belonging to Ernesto. When Imelda sees how cruely he is treated, she challenges Ernesto and wins. Not realising she would get Hector as a prize. As it goes on she realises just how messed up he is, and wanst to help him. Think for himself, realise he has a value on himself.

Magic is involved, but theres no power to change the world, Dios, castle in the sky or duelers field. Or the Rose Seal Rings. I imagine it a magic world similiar to the land of the dead mixed with some european buildinds, but the same bright colours.

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Commission Guide

[carbootsoul]

erika+ephriam+lyon for ask game 👀? and a witch hat character of your choosing if you like as well :3v

omg clint you're spoiling me :) also this is mostly unrelated but i was listening to kat flint today and a) her music is so good thank u for introducing it to me years ago and b) VERY witch hat atelier vibes which was fun. im putting my answers under a cut bc i am sooo verbose about characters

eirika: a song that reminds me of them: this is just the first that came to mind but oh what a world by rufus wainwright! oh what a world my parents gave me / always traveling but not in love. the rly interesting mix of idealism and pragmatism that she embodies- both being in awe of and in love with the world and the people in it but also not hesitating to accept that they are in a war and the tragedies that come with it what they smell like: i think for most of the game she smells like sweat and dirt an otp: eirika and l'arachel is actually the best ship in the whole entire world they're sooo funny. they keep meeting and every time eirika is like ???? and l'arachel is just falling head over heels in love a notp: eirika and lyon romance honestly very textually relevant in the game and adds to the story and whatever but they're both so absolutely homosexual that i can't conceptualize it favorite platonic/familial relationships: eirika and ephraim 🥺🥺 but also eirika and seth he's such a good big brother figure!! but also eirika and colm and eirika and tana and eirika and lyon. it's like.. rag tag army as family.. a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: there are like two posts about her on tumblr dot com but her fire emblem heroes characterization makes me insane shut up about your brother shut up about your brother the position they sleep in: on her side one leg curled to her chest

ephraim a song that reminds me of them: omg lies by marina abt his relationship with lyon. you're too proud to say that you made a mistake / you're a coward till the end i really wish we had been able to see more of ephraims reaction to the true story of what happened with lyon, since he obviously forgives him but also seems to be angry about it and that's such a good dynamic. also oc can't let you go / i just want it to be perfect / to believe it's all been worth the fight. they make me... ugh what they smell like: he has also been living in tents for months so he probably also smells like horses and sweat an otp: ephraim and lyon do get to me... 🥺 also he and innes as a like teenage fling is hilarious to me they're so funny to each other i can't believe they don't have supports a notp: if i ever see another incest joke i'm killing someone favorite platonic/familial relationships: he and his sister are so good!! they're so siblings! a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: again i have never rly interacted with the fe fandom but something from canon i disagree with is the assignment of the sun to him and the moon to his sister he is so obviously the lunar twin im furious abt this the position they sleep in: absolutely sprawled out. he takes up as much space as is given to him

lyon a song that reminds me of them: ache with me by against me just happened to be playing rn but it's very him. do you share the same sense of defeat / have you realized all the things you'll never be / ideals turn to resentment, open minds close up with cynicism / i've got no judgement for you / come on and ache with me. what they smell like: roses but in a fucked up revolutionary girl utena way like the roses symbolize something sinister an otp: lyon and ephraim.. admittedly lyon is kind of carrying why this ship is compelling with his tragic backstory but ephraim is such a boy so he's important too a notp: see eirika :/ favorite platonic/familial relationships: he and eirika and ephraim as a unit are so important to me they are so [unintelligible] a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: i haven't rly seen this much but i guess any tendency to soft-boy him bc of his character design like this guy sucks a lot and he has a lot of flaws that almost ended the world :/ the position they sleep in: hugging a pillow

and for the wha character.. agott bc she's so girl :) a song that reminds me of them: pretty little things by the crane wives! but trust is now something i make people earn / so i'm not inclined to just give it away / to a pair of blue eyes with some nice things to say what they smell like: grass in the best way possible! an otp: she and coco are SO !! im in love with them. sasunaru dynamic but better in every way. all the panels of coco hugging or complimenting agott and agott blushing furiously are the new wonders of the world. shipping kids in media always feels a little weird but i think they're a rly cute like first crush dynamic a notp: i dont think she's been shipped with anyone else lol favorite platonic/familial relationships: agott and olruggio are rly interesting to me! i've probably just drawn lines between them because they're both grumpy but i could definitely see agott becoming for coco what olruggio is for qifrey and i love when children are friends with their adult narrative foil it's about helping the younger generation overcome the things that they couldn't! it's also about olruggio being able to connect with agott because they're both grumpy :) a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: not a headcanon bc again the fandom is tiny but so much of her tag is ppl being mean to her about what she did in the second (?) volume like yeah that was mean but she's like 12! 12 year olds do fucked up stuff all the time they're still learning what interpersonal relationships are the position they sleep in: on her stomach clutching her pillow a crossover au i’d love to see them in: anything that would allow her to say swear words my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn: the like single panel where tetia is getting mad at her about not liking wearing costumes and it shows her dressed as a prince! she looks so good

djskflj i feel like i wrote a novel about each of them and tbh i do not know if u will make any sense out of it but thank u for sending this it was super fun to think about them for a while!!!

[lightsaroundyourvanity]

hearticho replied to your post: crosshares revolutionary girl utena au send tweet

Who’s Utena, who’s Anthy, and most importantly who’s Nanami

coco is utena, velvet is anthy, nanami crosses time and space to be nanami!!

[wickedweeklywonders]

Anime to watch (series, shorts, film)

Princess Utena

-CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO -future diary

-junjou romantica -uni monogatori -steins gate - Mizugumo Monmon - Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess - The Night of Taneyamagahara -looking for home - Hoshi o Katta Hi - Koro no Daisanpo -ghost in the shell -Berserk -barakamon -animal crossing movie -princess utena -5 cm per second -garden of words -show by rock -pocco rosso -whisper of the heart -only yesterday -pom pokko -tales of earth sea -my neighbors the yamadas -ocean waves -on your mark -the red turtle -mei and kittenbus -boy and the beast -kyoukai no kanata -melancholy of haruhi -kaiba -pingpong - Crayon Shinchan -Mind Game -garden of sinners -eden of the east -aku no hana - American Pop - The Case of Hana & Alice -cool world -haikyuu -ano hana -mob psycho 100 -vivid red operation -galaxy express - Heroic Legend of Arslan -Psychic Wars -Ghost in the Shell -Dallos -Highlander Search for Vengeance -Kaiba -Samurai Horror Tales -Hakaba Kitaro -Azazel You’re Being Summoned -Sky Crawlers -Shadow Skill -rwby -yuki yuna is a hero -tokyo godfathers -ultra maniac -panda and the magic serpent -mahou no princess minky momo -nausica valley of the wind -lupin -mobile suit gundam -tekkonkinkreet -patlabor -neo tokyo -5 cm per second -megazone 23 -memories (shorts) -blood the last vampire -macross plus -roujin Z -jin roh - CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO -metropolis -professor layton and the eternal diva -urusei yatsura beautiful dreamer -highlander -princess kaguya -whisper of the heart -millenium acctress -hunter x hunter -b project -days -pretear -sugar sugar rune -princess tutu -creamy mami -fate/kalied -nurse witch komugi chan -shugo charaflip flappers -magical girl raising project -petite princess yucie -tokyo mew mew -tweeny witches -ojamajo deremi -precure -rozen maiden -magical knight rayearth -pretty cure -magical girl lyrical nanoha -day break illusion -kamekaze kaito jeanne - Fushigiboshi no Futagohime - Himitsu no Akko-chan -last naruto movie -.hack -0091 -accel world -angel beats -anohana -arria the secret ammo -bakuman -black lagoon -blood c -blue drop -b toom -canaan -a certain magical index -clannad -colorful -the count montichristo -cromartie high school -darkside blue -haruhi suzumiya -dusk maiden of amnesia -eden east -elfen lied -flowers of evil -from the new world -future diary -garzeys wing -ga rei zero -glasslip -golden time -good luck girl -guilty crown -gun buster -gun x sword -monster -mushishi -patema inverted -pet shop of horrors -Kamisama Minarai Himitsu no Coco-tama -yuri on ice -samurai champloo -yu yu hakusho -gundam seed -12 kingdomgs -ergo proxy -hanayamata -selecotr infected -wixoss -show by rock -subete ga f ni naru -occult nine -space patrol luluco -little witch academia -nagi no asukara -shirobako -danshi koukousei no nichijou -to aru majutsu no index -hyouka -yuru yuri -denki gai no honya san -boku no hero academia -netoge no yome wa onnanoko ja nai to omotta -mawaru penguin drum -mob psycho 100 -ojamajo doremi -anohana -beyond the boundary -kaiba -kara no kyoukai -ppy -urusei yatsura -szs -natsume yuujinchou -shinsekai yori -shoujo kakumei utena -tonari no kaibutsu no lion -danganronpa -osomatsu san -akatsuki no yona -shaman king -yuri kuma arashi -perfect blue -hyoka -kinos journey -fantastic children -arakawa under the bridge -erased -another -bouibu -hunter x hunter -prince of stride -kuromukuro -pmmm! -yowamushi pedal -peach girl -library wars -blood + -earl and fairy -saiunkoku monogatari -escaflowne -gundam wing -tweeny witches -ping pong -kemonozume -michiko to hatchin -paranoia agent -kaiba -wandering son -sweet blue flowers -soul eater -tiger and bunny -rwby -millenium acctress -tokyo godfathers -nasu summer in andalusia -redline -when marnie was there -the wind rises -only yesterday -pom poko -my nieghbors the yamadas -tales from earth sea -i can hear the sea -whisper of the heart -roujin Z -memories -rintaro -jin roh -blood the last vampire -dead leaves -the place promised in our early days -appleseed ex machina -vexhille -summer days with coo -colorful -welcome to the space show -wonderful days sky blue -tekkon kinkreet -hotarubi no mori e -royal space force wings -cencoroll -final fantasy -big wind up - Gangsta -Claymore -Tiger & Bunny -Ergo Proxy -Black Lagoon -Ghost in Shell -cromartie -au haru ride -guilty crown -higashi no eden -blood + -kimi no todoke -usagi drop -kemono no souja erin -clamp school detectives -only yesterday -patlabor -kekkaishi -seihou buyou outlaw star -seikai no monshou -escaflowne -city hunter -tiger and bunny -planetes -

-Trigun -Baccano! -Hellsing -Yu Yu Hakusho - Arakawa Under the Bridge -mushishi -kinos journey - Detroit Metal City -gundam wing -battery -sora wa miageru shoujo no hitomini utsuru sekai -kikoushi enma -inukami -AMAGI brilliant park -beyond the boundary -coffee samurai - -kowarekake no orgel - Ojamajo Doremi -rolling girls -sekai sefuku -inou battle wa nichijou kei -witch craft works -hagure yuusha no aesthetica -hamatora -coppelion -code breaker -kurokami -mekakucity actors -c the money of possibility and control -date a live -black cat -chrome shelled regious -sengoku basara -mushibugyou -koutetsujou no kabeneri -tokyo ravens -charlotte -persona 4 -yasokura quartet -the book of bantorra -speed grapher -kekkaishi -mandaiji tachi ga isekai -get backers -concret revulutio -bungo stray dogs -zetai karen children -senjou no valkyria -ga rei zero -god eater -soul eater -claymore -k project -towards the terra -toaru kagaku no rail gun -mob psycho -darker than black -kekkai sensen -the exorcist -tales from the crypt -aldnoah zero -aoki hagane no apreggio -ginga kikoutai -btoom -kyoukaisenjou no horizon -no. 6 -sidonia no kishi -soukyuu no fafner -guilty crown -certain magical index -gungrave -kidou senkan nadesico -rahxephon -last exile -birdy decode -higashi no eden -bukyou outlaw star -sekai no monshou -texnolyze -towards the terra -trigun -ghost in the shell -code geass -senkan yamato 2199 -diebuster - Katekyo Hitman Reborn -rwby -beelzebub -gundam 00 -kinos journey -oh my goddess -angelic layer -princess tut -samurai champloo -maid sama -samurai 7 -fushigi yugi -sound of the sky -kaleido star -charlotte -kami nomi zo shiru sekai -.Clannad -Monogatari Series -ef: A Tale of Memories -Little Busters -Kamisama Hajimemashita -Kokoro Connect -Inu x Boku SS -Tasogare Otome x Amnesia -city hunter - Super Dimension Century Orguss -golden boy - Memories (1995 film) - Blood: The Last Vampire - Escaflowne - Angelic Layer - Witch Hunter Robin - Scrapped Princess - Kurau Phantom Memory - Mars Daybreak - Jyu-Oh-Sei - Ghost Slayers Ayashi - Nijū Mensō no Musume - Michiko & Hatchin - Gosick - Towa no Quon - Blood Blockade Battlefront - Noragami -flame of recca -belzabub -strike the blood -earl fairy -detroit metal city -yona of the dawn -dfrag -otaku no video -bubblegum crisis -expelled from paradise -lord vanadis -demon prince enma -when they cry -lupin -ino boku -brothers conflict -maid sama -world god only knows -lovely complex -btoom -devil survivor -dan machi -overlord -no game no life -kono suburashii -grimgar -log horizon -b gata h kei -dragon crisis -dakara boku waourin -nourin -serei tsukai no blade dance -kyoukai no rinne -nobonaga the fool -kimi no iru machi -sakura trick -trinity seven -mayo chiki -freezing -mahouka kou kou no retousei -date a live -strike the blood -hitsugi no chaika -robotics notes -inari, konkon, koi iroha -nijiro days -equarion evol -oda nobuna no yabou -nou come -love stage -mikakunin de shinkou -accel world -boku wa tomadachi -baka to test -shakugan no shana -grisaia no kijitsu -charlotte -kyoukai no kanata -tonari no koubutstu kun -otoome youkai zakuro -sakite no ii ya -sankarea -bokura wa minna kawaisou -hanasaku iroha -macross delta -relife -toaru hikuushi e no koiuta -soredemo sekai wa utsukushii -tasogare otome amnesia -akatsuki no yona -gosick -working -baby steps -ao haru ride -kuragehimi -chuunibyou demo koi ga shitai -yahari ore no seishun love comedy -kami nomi shiru sekai -hyouka -anohana -angel beats -golden time -rakoudai kishi no cavalry -plastic memories -orange -chihayafuru -kimi to boku -ore monogatari -ano natsu de matteru -sakarasou no pet na kanojo -kamisama kiss -kokoro connect -white album 2 -akagami no shirayuki hime -chouyaku hyakuninisshu -bakuman -little busters -nodame catabile finale -sakamichi no apollon -monogatori -nagi no asukara -katanagatori -uchuu senkan yamato 2199 -shigatsu wa kimi no uso -kimi ni todoke -steins gate -yojouhan shinwa taikei -kamisama no inai nichiyoubi -overlord -nanatsu no taizai -jirui wa suitai shimashita -noragami -no game no life -shingeki no bahamut -mushishi -sidonia no kishi -hai to gensou no grimgar -tokyo magnitude 8.0 -rainbow -gyakkou burai kaui -gundam 0083 -a certain scientific railguns -gundam ???? -magic kyun renaissance -drifters -kuuchuu buranko -jinrui wa suitai shimashita -sidonia no kishi -hanasaku iroha -hyouga mono -gungrave -eikoku koi monogatari emma -saraiya goyou -giant killing -aoi bungaku -phantom -black lagoon -jormungand -lupin iii -mononoke -one outs -planetes -kingdom -kiseijuu -uchuu kyoudai -ping pong -baccano -hellsing ultimate -gyakkyou burai kaiji -rainbow -monster -mushishi -mahou romantic -kampfer -digi charat -magical play -patlabor -gourmet girl -royal space force -ellcia -ef a tale of melodies -corpse party live action movie -love stage -love chyunbyou and other delusions -natsuyuki rondevou -gachaman crowds -kokoro connect -demon of the fleeting blossom -psychic squad -quazy in a foreign labrynth -world god only knows -glass mask -hanamonogatori -shirobaka -d frag -date a live -mekaku city actors -strike the blood -ao haru ride -tokyo ravens -trinity seven -aldnoah zero -mahouka koukou no rettousei -nagi no asukara -black bullet -pyscho pass -amagi brilliant park -golden time -shingeki no bahamut -akatshuki no yona -kuroko no basket -magi -sinbad -shigatsu wa kimi no uso -nanatsu no taizai -black jack -is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon -blue spring ride -kamigami asobi -shuffle -kiss him not me -amanchu -battery -handa kun -fukigen na mononokean -cheer danshi -sweetness and lightning -relife -this art club has a problem -honobono log -sakamoto desu ga -gochuumon wa usagi desu ka -tears to tiara -utawerererumono itsuwari no kamen -jormangand -hatraku maou sama -katanagatari -oshiri tantei -infinite ryvius -mezz dsa -blazeblue -comic party - tenchi muyo gxp - UCHOUTEN Kazoku - Seikaisuru Kado - ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu - Honobono Log -baccano - Amaama to Inazuma - Akagame no Shirayuki-hime - Koutetsujou No Kabaner - Oshiete! Galko-chan - Koe no Katachi - Kobayashi-san Chi No Maid Dragon - Kamigami No Asobi - Demi-chan Wa Kataritai - Arslan Senki - Fukumenkei Noise - Ballroom E Youkoso - Kakegurui - Tsurezure Children - Katsugeki/Touken Ranbu - Kotoura-san - Tsubaki Chou Lonely Plane - Horimiya - Hirunaka no Ryuusei -dragon maids -danmachi -kiznaiver -toaru kagaku no railgun -absolute duo -drifters -hai to gensou no grimgar -youjo senki -monster -kyoukai no kanata -full metal panic -euphonium -hyouka -gosick -akagami no shirayuki hime -hero academia -concrete revolutio -zetsuen no tempest -kekkai sensen -tonari no kaibutsu kun -dfrag -bokura wa minna kawaisou -oregairu -kuragehime -mawaru penguindrum -ookami to koushinryou -natsume yuujinchou -3 gatsu no lion -mekaku city actors -denpa onna to seishun op -arakawa under the bridge -sayonara zetsubou sensei -a tale of memories -monogatari -

[pencopanko]

Destino absoluto: apocalipsis

[pencopanko]

Revolutionary Girl Utena-inspired Coco AU... but it's focused on Rosa Rivera

In 2017, the second eldest son of a family of shoemakers embarked on a journey to Escuela de la Cruz to discover his family's true roots after discovering that his great-great grandfather had been Héctor Rivera; a songwriter and fellow musician who used to travel with Ernesto de la Cruz before his untimely disappearance in 1921. An event which triggered a 100-year long music ban, and the establishment of a new school "dedicated to his name".

It had been four years, and nobody had neither seen nor heard from Miguel Rivera since.

Not wanting history to repeat itself, the head matriarch of the family along with her sons and their wives gave their blessings to their children, Rosa Rivera and Abel Rivera to go to Escuela de la Cruz and bring Miguel home. At first, the youngsters were reluctant but after a prophetic dream that Rosa had of her ancestors, Miguel's whereabouts, and an enchanted academy in the heart of México City the two of them finally complied.

Little did they know that the time and space continuum worked in a different way in Escuela de la Cruz. Everyone who entered the school grounds stopped aging, the dead were able to communicate with their descendants directly... and no living thing could ever leave. In order to be able to leave the school, students would have to face a series of duels with the final showdown being a duel with the headmaster: Ernesto de la Cruz himself. And nobody had succeeded past the headmaster's great-great grandson, Marco de la Cruz.

Including Miguel Rivera, who had been stuck in his 12-year-old body all this time... and the ghost of Héctor Rivera. The only ghost who could not leave the school premises.

After a series of misadventures and armed with weapons from their ancestors (a pair of boots and an enchanted rapier/rifle thing from Mamá Imelda & Tía Victoria, a pair of golden gauntlets from Tía Rosita & Papá Julio, and a guitar from Papá Héctor; all of which had been modified and enchanted by Tíos Óscar & Felipe), Rosa, Abel, and Miguel had found themselves in the middle of a century-long feud of music, family, shoes, and betrayal. Rosa even had found herself in an odd romantic tug-of-war with the cocky yet well-meaning(?) Marco.

And so as the next-next matriarch of her family, Rosa would have to learn to fully embrace who she is and lead her family to... a "revolution"? Whatever that is.

[pencopanko]

La Revolución de la Familia Rivera (A Revolutionary Girl Utena-inspired Coco AU)

Summary: Future matriarch Rosa Rivera and her brother Abel are tasked to find their missing musician cousin Miguel and bring him home before music fully corrupts him. But it's easier said than done when it turns out that: 1. Miguel has not aged in four years; 2. Nobody can leave Escuela de la Cruz; and 3. They have found themselves at the center of a family mystery that has lasted for one hundred years. Fortunately, they have their ancestors to guide them, including Mamá Imelda herself! And that one lanky ghost named Héctor who always follows Miguel around.

Stuck in what seems to be some sort of pocket dimension, Rosa and her cousins must defeat a number of duelists in order to solve their family mystery, including de la Cruz's snarky great-great-grandson, Marco. Gifted with Blessings (enchanted weapons) from their ancestors, hopefully they can all break the curse... and trigger a... "Revolution"? Whatever that may be. (Cross-posted from AO3)

PRÓLOGO

Long ago, in a town called Santa Cecilia, lived a family of three. The papá was a musician who dreamed of playing for the world, while the mamá was an aspiring shoemaker who loved music just as much as her husband. They had a small daughter together, and the three of them would sing, dance, and count their blessings.

One day, the papá left home with his guitar. And never returned.

Outraged and heartbroken by his disappearance, the mamá banned music from her family. Nobody was allowed to play music, listen to music, or even hum a single note. She also forbade her family members from even uttering the name of her husband. She considered him dead, and she put up their family photo on their family’s ofrenda with his head torn off. Nobody was to remember him. Ever.

The mamá did not have time to cry, however. She rolled up her sleeves and focused on her shoemaking business, turning it into a family affair. She taught her brothers, then her daughter, then her son-in-law, and then her grandchildren. The business grew and grew, and they became known for making the best shoes in town.

Music had torn the family apart, but shoes put them all together.

That is the legacy of Imelda Rivera. Mother, grandmother, shoemaker.

Music shall never enter our family again, she had decided. But was that really such a good idea?

---

30 de diciembre, 1942. Ciudad de México.

It was a night to remember.

After the 21st anniversary of the establishment of Escuela de la Cruz (or De La Cruz Academy, if you are not a native Hispanic), the most famous musician in Mexican history and the namesake of the school himself, Ernesto de la Cruz performed his biggest hits for his beloved students and fans alike. He opened with “El Mundo es mi Familia”, made the crowd clap and sing along with his upbeat songs like "Un poco loco", stunned the audience and even the stage crew with his ballads, and ending with arguably his biggest hit: “Requérdame”.

As Ernesto went up the escalator all the way to the top of the stage just below the bell, everything was going well. The fireworks were shot at the correct time, the dancers were on beat, Ernesto was singing with his powerful vocals, and the crowd was pleased. The skull guitar was shining and reflecting the lights. Just before he was about to belt out his final note, Ernesto handed over the guitar to a stage crew, as rehearsed.

Unbeknownst to most, except for a small number of people behind the stage, one of the staff was leaning on a lever that controlled the bell. Perhaps it was a slip of the body, or perhaps he was leaning too much on the lever, but it all happened so quickly that some were convinced it was almost as if the musician was somehow cursed.

30 de diciembre, 1942. Ciudad de México.

Ernesto de la Cruz was crushed by a giant bell. There was silence followed by screams of terror and panic. The screaming only got worse when suddenly the concert hall turned dark before anyone could do anything. People were bumping against each other and against furniture, tripping over cables, and the students were rushed out of the arena back to the Academy.

After a staff member was able to turn the lights back on, somehow things took a sharp turn to the mysterious. There was indeed debris atop the escalator where the bell was dropped, but there was no bell. And the oddest thing of all: Ernesto de la Cruz’s dead body was nowhere to be found. Yes, there was blood, but other than that and some tattered fabric, he was nowhere to be seen. The skull guitar had also disappeared.

30 de diciembre, 1942. Ciudad de México.

It was a night to remember. For better or for worse.

---

1 de noviembre, 2017. Santa Cecilia.

Not so long ago, there was a young boy. He came from a family of shoemakers who hated music. For as long as he could remember, music was banned from entering the family. Not a whistle, not a tune, not a pluck of a guitar, not a finger tap, not even a hum. His grandmother would even yell at passerby’s who sang outside of their home.

And yet, out of everyone in his family, he was the one who fell in love with the forbidden art. He knew that his family loved him and that he loved them in return, but he too knew that he was different from the rest of them. His love for music was strong enough to the point of creation. He would record himself secretly playing music up in the hidden attic. He would write songs that he would hide in-between his books and other personal belongings in his room and in the attic as well. He even managed to created his own functioning guitar from a broken one he found amongst a pile of trash. All of this he kept a secret, except from his great-grandmother.

And up there in the same attic was also where he kept his stash of Ernesto de la Cruz memorabilia. De La Cruz was his idol, his mentor, his hero. If the boy were a rat in Paris, De La Cruz would be the imaginary chef guiding him everywhere he went. It was through his music and films that the young boy would come to love music himself. Ernesto de la Cruz came from Santa Cecilia, just like he did. He played in the plaza when he was young, just like how the boy wished he could do. He wished to do what his idol did: to seize his moment and play for the world.

Then, on a fateful Día de Los Muertos, the Day of The Dead, he found an opening. Up on top of his family ofrenda was a photo of his great-great grandmother, her daughter (the boy’s great-grandmother as a child), and an unknown man whose head was ripped off of the photo. The family only knew him as their great-great-grandfather, El Músico. The Musician. The man who left his family for music. A Xolo dog whom the boy liked to play with accidentally made the photo fall from the ofrenda, revealing a folded over portion of the photo.

It was De La Cruz’s guitar. A pristine white guitar, as if made out of marble, with a skull headstock and markings at the bottom of its body. There was no other guitar like it! He couldn’t believe it! Ernesto de la Cruz was his great-great-grandfather! With this revelation, he announced to his family that he would become a musician. Alas, his dream was rejected and his guitar was destroyed.

Heartbroken, with only his loyal Xolo at his side and the family photo in his clutch, he ran into the night.

---

1 de noviembre, 2021. Santa Cecilia.

Four years has passed since. Miguel Rivera has yet to come home.

[stardustpinkart]