daybreakacademy | The sound of your voice, cuts through the noise, It's all that I hear, that I need the most

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The sound of your voice, cuts through the noise, It's all that I hear, that I need the most

Who: Héctor and you
What: Héctor and his daughter return
When: After the day of the dead, month of November
Where: The Inn of Atropos, Soliel, Daybreak Academy
Warning: N/A

A - Crossing the Bridge

He would have liked to simply stay in Mexico. It was hard to shake the fear that if he left, he'd never see it again. But, with the sun rising and others needing to return, travelling along with the others seemed the best choice. And besides, Coco was with him. That was more home than anything in the world.

His room at Daybreak Academy is gone by now, but he's alright with that. He and his girl are saying in the Inn of Atropos, courtesy of Maverick's mother and her not even protesting the fact that he's dead in the day. It's something Coco has to bear with and they've got a lot to talk about, but in those night hours she's awake with him and he couldn't be happier.

He's got a lot to sort out on his own-- apparently, the veil finally dissolved sometime while he was away. This means resisting as an existing member of society, for better and worse, and negotiating his undead status is something that he and everyone he talks to is having to navigate. Still, soon enough, he'll be home. He and Coco will both be home.

He doesn't hide his room address. At least not from friends. They're all informed on where to find him, if they wish to seek him out, and he can be occasionally found in the lobby as well. He's in a good mood, eager to chat.

B - Pestering the Celebrities

"No. Ha, no. No, thank you, no."

Héctor backs out onto the street with a sheepish grin. His hands are raised. Apparently, his newfound fans have found him.

Fame, he finds, doesn't suit him, but fame is what he's found himself with nevertheless after his performance with Coco on Día De Muertos. Some are new fans, some are old De La Cruz fans come around to him, and some are more curious about his undead status than anything else. He hasn't yet managed to change back to his living self, though his energy is gradually returning. He hopes, if it comes back fully, he'll be able to slip into his skin and return to some level of anonymity back home.

Of course, that doesn't mean he isn't willing to play for people. He can be found, later, playing at a fountain in the center of Soliel, where he once heard a girl named Maya Matlin play, not far from the gazebo where he played with Peter Parker. He experienced some terrible things in this town, but there were many wonders too.

C - Dept. of Reunions

He couldn't stay from the school forever. Besides needing to wrap a few things up; telling the higher faculty that he was sorry, but, he just couldn't help them cure blight any longer and then further resigning from a job that forgot he existed anyway. It occurs to him that, with everyone remembering him again, and his own new necromancer status, he might again be able to resurrect himself if they can find a way to rid his body of the poisons. But... that's something he'll table for now. It's something to talk over with his family.

Right now, he wants to focus on his friends, the people who saved him and others about.

"Hey," He says, hovering in the doorway with a grin. "Hope you didn't think you could avoid seeing me forever."

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Ah, de nada. Here...

[He reaches about for... a pouch tied with rope around hip bones in place of a belt. Not many belts small enough and the pockets would have made things too heavy. Oh well. He draws a phone from it, flips it open, finds his own number and passes it over.

With that done, he hitches his guitar closer and plucks a quick melody from the strings.]

You just message me and I'll be right there. After sunset, of course, I don't do daytime.

[It's weird... He tells himself not to stare at skeleton workarounds, but he's never been very good at listening to advice, especially his own. Adding Héctor's number and giving him his own is a good distraction.]

Why is your phone so old... [It flips open and everything. What a grandpa phone. How do these even work? Anyway -- ] Oh, yeah... Because of your Blight?

[Weird how it always had some sort of interaction with the cycle into night... It's not like it's a problem. Even if he's not going through those werewolf blues, he's a teen boy and keeps teen boy hours. Nighttime is the best time for petty crimes and goofing off.]

[He snorts.]

Because I don't work at the school anymore to get free screen phone things and I'm settling for something I know better.

[Twelve years ago is not that grandpa!! ...to him.]

Sí, that's right. I don't burn up or anything, gracias a Dios, but every kind of blight has a price. I find it hard to be awake in the day.

[That's unbelievably grandpa. That's way back from a time when Carl wasn't an asshole to him. That's way back from a time before Héctor left to go on tour!! That's so long ago.

Cliff eases a little more again, judging from what's been said that one of Coco's talking points about him hadn't been about how he was a cool werewolf. Hopefully... He was distressed enough about how much he'd shown he was different during the rescue mission, even without knowing how flippant Sherlock had been about saying he had a canine nose.]

Coco said something like that. You stayed awake for her Quinceañera, even though it was really hard.

[Good dad stuff... It's still bizarre to hear about, even if he'd known for a while now that Héctor was one of the better ones.]

Okay, so you'll teach me, then Coco and I can hang the next day.

[Just gonna casually skip class, you know how it is. The Girl is better than education and responsibility.]

That's way better than the boring alternative of watching her old man snore all day.

Ah. Yes. Something like that.

[There's a clear note of regret in his voice, and upon his face.]

I would much rather she wasn't around for that. It's something my family's got to get used to but... well, it's not the best that she's stuck in the hotel with that.

[He shakes himself a little and draws a smile back.]

But she mentioned the Quinceañera, did she? Ah, I'm so glad I got to see that. One of the best days of my life. Well. You know what mean. It was tricky to stay up, and, ay, I paid for it, but it was worth it. Every second. I hope there are still photos somewhere...

[Uh, okay. Not keen on finding out what that means. Definitely just gonna have fun with Coco with no other thoughts or concerns.]

Yeah. She told me a few different stories... I don't know if she meant to make it so someone else could remember it happened or if she was just telling me things, but it's not like it hurt to try. I wanted to be able to remind her, if she started to forget, too. Didn't see any pictures or anything, though. I didn't ask.

[Perfect, they can both go on thinking of only good things, like Coco. Cliff speaks his language.]

From what I've found so far, a lot of files and things that did exist on me were thrown out. I wouldn't be surprised if pictures were lost. But, mi amor, she's been busy with family stuff back home. Maybe too busy to get rid of those photos. I have to admit, that's what I'm hoping for.

Thank you, again, for listening to her. I thanked you already for helping her, but you've also helped me out a lot too.

Uh. Sure...

["You're welcome" is too weird, and these Riveras didn't like to accept his "it wasn't a big deal" type deflections that made him comfortable.

and...ehhhhhmm...]

I, uh, have...some file of yours. Nothing personal. [But, you know. A file that maybe hadn't been where it was meant to be, so possibly shrugged off as thrown out. That sort of thing.] I can give it back when you stop by, if you want.

But yeah, even on the internet, it was hard to find shit, and you can't get anything completely off there.

[He huffs.]

Ah, that guy probably hired somebody. And then all those hunters who wanted to make sure I didn't exist before the veil went down. Figures I finally get them off my tail and the veil goes away anyway.

[The cheer returns.] But hey! It all worked out in the end! If you've got a file, then I might even be able to use it for something! Who knows!

[oh -- ]

So there were hunters that would've done it! I thought they killed you for a while, because you kept going in public not looking like a regular human, then they covered it up.

[He did a smart, sort of! Being fair, there was no way he could have predicted the actual right answer, nor could he pinpoint what that even was, now. Memory magic sucks.]

[He snorts.]

Oh, yeah. Those guys. I mean, for some of them they're just jerks, you know? And to be fair, like, ninety percent of undead really are kind of awful attacking people sorts and you wouldn't want to ask question to a zombie on whether it was still decent, but still.

And then those other guys who are so concerned about the dumb veil. I could've been home years ago if not for those guys. But oh no! Have to protect the safety of the world and yadda... well, look at that! Seems fine to me! Seems even better though it would be! And a good thing too because I am way too tired these days to pull off turning fleshy again.

[Don't mind him, just ranting away...]

But, ah, no. They didn't kill me. Some tried in the early days but, you know, hard to kill a dead guy. And then around here I had some who were so insistent on keeping the veil they put a tracking rune on me, but I think the magic's broken on it now. I don't think any of those guys are going to get away with that kind of thing anymore.

[His eyes slide off Héctor again while he speaks, privately agreeing on the whole zombies are dangerous thing, and going the extra mile and applying it to all the blighted species. Werewolves weren't exactly known for snuggles, no matter how soft Coco had said he was. Shit, is his face getting warm...? Definitely not the time to think about that, even if Héctor is distracted by griping about things. Things that deserved to be griped about, it sounds like. And things were better now...

It makes him oddly miserable, like his choice to keep what he is a secret shouldn't be taken seriously. Everything was fine, and his personal feelings on it shouldn't matter. Besides, his mom was fine with it, and he liked the benefits... It's dumb to want to hide it. It's too scary to not want to.]

Must suck for them, not having an easy excuse to be assholes anymore. [Guys like that... They sure loved finding ways to justify things. Yeah.

That's something natural, though, and there's something more concerning that was said.] You're tired? But you aren't, like...sick. Right?

Ha! Serves them right.

[He is definitely not at all biased about this.

He loses all steam regardless when that question comes. He grimaces.]

That... was what we told Coco. And a lot of people. But, no. I'm not sick.

What I am is... a very, very rare kind of undead. We don't eat people and we're not raised up by any sort of magic like a lich would be. There's a magic in the outlands that find some of us who die out there and we... essentially raise up ourselves. What it means is we've got a limited amount of energy to go off of. We can make it last longer through, basically, will. Whatever we were driven to rise up for. Mine was... connections. My family. I was being forgotten, so, you see...

[Even being as delicate as he trying to be, he doesn't know how to simply say that he was losing hope. Not to a kid he barely knows.]

I'm still working on recovering that. On top of some other draining things. And time. I've used up time.

But it's nothing to worry about. It's handled, and my family is aware of it. Even Coco now.

[He nods minutely, though he doesn't entirely understand. He's mostly just glad that it isn't something that would be making Coco lose him all over again anytime soon.

What else he understands is...how alone just the thought of it feels, losing all connections you had and losing will right along with it. Willful as he was, he doesn't think he could have continued to be if he hadn't been clinging to the relationships that still reciprocated and made sense.]

So you are going to get better. You won't be...leaving.

I have time. I am not immortal and I will not last forever. But I have time and whatever we decide to do with it, all my family, we will make sure that it is enough.

[Whether that means magical tricks or... just making the most of the moment.]

And, ideally, I will get better enough to be more than bones again. It'll probably help me avoid the paparazzi when they all recognize me as a skeleton.

Besides, my wife has sworn she won't kiss me again until I change back. Frankly unfair if you ask me.

[Good. That's more than acceptable to Cliff, whose posture loosens up again. No more curled semi-protectively in on himself, just some lazy teen. He doesn't have to be mad, now.]

Definitely unfair, holding kisses hostage like that. Doesn't she know you had enough of those? Then again...maybe it's good your wife isn't the kind to immediately think a skeleton is hot, time to make out.

[He snorts and laughs outright.]

I suppose that is a way I could look at it... but I still want that beso. Right here.

[He taps a finger bones to the colorful markings on his cheekbone.]

I'll get it one day. That kiss hostage will be free.

[Man, adults are embarrassing, but it's still sweet. Love is nice, family is nice.]

Not even one there, huh? Freaky teeth makes sense, but Riveras are a necromancer family and she can't even handle a little cheekbone?

Finally, someone gets it! That's what I've been saying!

[Sort of.]

Not that they raised any skeletons before but I think the family reputation is going to be officially blown out the window with me either way.

[He shrugs and shakes his head in false, exasperated disappointment. Get with the program, Imelda. Come on.]

Eh, we all know it was ruined for some already when she took in someone normal like us. You're just trying to fit their brand better, now.

Ha! That's what I'll say if I'm ever stuck at another mage gathering. I'm revolutionizing the family. Expanding out necromancy repertoire. Oh, I thought I'd never want to go to one those things again but imagining the looks one the pure mages faces when I tell them some nadie like me pulled off a resurrection!

[Though he's hardly a nobody anymore. Still. His head shakes.]

But then, I guess normal is relative in this world now.

Edited 2020-11-04 15:13 (UTC)

[hell yeah, hell yeah, fuck those guys

Cliff looks up with a hum of acknowledgement, glancing at the moon a second before scanning the stars. Like this, his eyes catch and reflect the light, two bright lenses instead of his usual amber.]

Yeah, I guess. [But still... He'd like to be normal, and not just within the new, wider context of the world. Being like everyone he lived with and grew up alongside of... Fitting in. Not feeling like he had to hide, or hold himself back. It'd be nice.] I'll get used to it soon. Certainly had a lifetime of weird shit packed into just the last few months.

[He notices it, that light. He smiles. He doesn't point it out, looking up as well.]

Ay. You will, I'm sure. Especially when you find the most wonderful people packed in with all that weird stuff too.

Pff. Already did.

[wait. aaaaaa, why. even if it's true, he shouldn't say it! Time to busy himself with that torn hole in his knee again.]

Ugh, jeez. All your sappy reunion feelings are infecting me.

[Definitely Héctor's fault!!]

[Héctor breaks into a wide and wicked grin. A knowing one.

He laughs.]

And I won't apologize for it! You're stuck with them! Until you infect someone else like one of those old dumb horror movie things.

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