"Yellowberri, why are you uploading a large fanfiction when you should be working on Twist of Fate?"

Because, I have been working on this particular fic for almost two years now. It has been slow coming, and I've worked on it only when the mood struck me. It was born out of my need to read a good Coco watching the movie fic, but not finding one. I debated on whether or not I should upload this for a long time, but finally decided to bit the bullet. Who knows, maybe someone else will get some enjoyment out of it, and not just me. That being said, I originally wrote this with my real name since I was writing it just for me. I scanned this whole thing three times, and I think I changed all references of my name to my screen name. It's a one shot so I don't have to worry about updating. Also it annoys the heck out of me when a reaction fic quite right before a part I was really looking forward to. (Tries and fails to ignore the irony of that statement.)

This fic has also been a bit of a writing challenge for me. I write the most comfortably from one perspective, but it's not wise to do the one perspective thing when a large group of people is reacting to a movie. I tried to include everyone, but I think I ignored some people. So, apologies in advance if that bugs you. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the hard work of almost two years of my life!

I don't own Coco, but I do own myself.

Imelda's head swam as she tried to adjust to the sudden, and unexpected teleportation from her home in the land of the dead to a dim room with lots of chairs. The rest of her dead family appeared to be just as disoriented as her. Her brothers swapped heads, a common practice they did to mess with people, so that they would be back on their proper bodies. She pushed back the urge to roll her eyes, as she focused on trying to figure out where she and her family suddenly appeared.

"What just happened?" Victoria asked, as she studied the room with the same critical eye Imelda did.

"I don't know, but this room has no exits." Imelda said, looking for any kind of escape for her family. There were no doors, windows, or even any air vents. Despite this small fact. The room seemed to have a cool breeze flowing through it.

"Maybe there's a secret exit-"

"-and we just have to trigger it." Her brothers suggested, as they started patting the walls to look for just that.

"Maybe if we can find the source of the breeze, we can find the exit." Rosita suggested, and started trying to locate the source.

"How did we even get here?" Julio asked, ducking his head into his ribcage.

Before Imelda could throw in her two cents, a bright flash similar to the one that brought them there caught their attention, and their living relatives stood before them with dazed expressions of their own. This only served to confuse Imelda even more. Whatever brought them there wanted the whole family, not just the dead.

"What just happened?" Rosa asked, unknowingly echoing Tia Victoria's question.

"That is exactly what I want to- DIOS MIO!" Elena all but screamed when she looked at the dead family. This caused all of the other living Riveras to look their way, and they collectively gasped in shock.

"They can see us?" Victoria asked with just as much surprise as the living expressed mere seconds ago.

"V-Victoria?" Elena asked almost hopefully when her long dead sister spoke.

"Papa Julio?" Berto asked now that one of the dead had been recognized as family.

"Tia Rosita?" Rosa asked, spotting her namesake.

"Oscar?" Enrique asked, looking at Filipe.

"No."

"Guess again!" The twins looked more than delighted to have someone stumped about who was who.

"Can you two be serious for once? We have a crisis on our hands!" Imelda snapped, the situation beyond stumping her.

"Mama Imelda?" Miguel asked breathlessly. Though there seemed to be a twinge of fear instead of a twinge of awe.

"Mama?" Coco piped up from her wheelchair. Imelda stopped her panic, and ran to her sweet, elderly daughter. She knew from the recent Dia de Muertos that her mind was failing her.

"Yes. I am here, mija." She soothed gently.

"Is Papa home yet?" She asked, and Imelda smothered that familiar flare of rage at the man who had abandoned them to play for the world. For her poor, ailing daughter, she would be calm.

"No, no, my sweet Coco. But you have your family here with you." She gestured for Victoria to come over.

"See? Your daughter is here. Victoria." She said, and Victoria placed a hand on her mother's

Coco looked blankly at Victoria before asking, "Who are you?"

"It's me, Mama. Victoria? Your hija?" Victoria asked in a desperate tone.

Elena patted Victoria's shoulder in comfort. She knew the pain of seeing her own mother not recognizing her, and poor Victoria wasn't used to being on the receiving end.

Julio tentatively walked up to his wife, and asked, "Coco, mi amor, do you remember me? It's me, Julio."

Coco turned to him and said, "Hola, Miguel. How was school?"

Julio drooped noticeably, and gave his poor wife a loving kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay, Coco. I know you're trying your best." He whispered. Things grew uncomfortably quiet after that, before Gloria cleared her throat.

"So, not to break the moment or anything, but why did you summon us here?" She asked and the other living relatives mumbled their agreement.

"We didn't bring you here. We were summoned here ourselves a minute before you showed up." Imelda explained, and the murmuring grew louder and more confused.

"But if you didn't then who did?" Abel asked.

"I believe I can answer that question." An unfamiliar voice spoke up from the front of the room. All Riveras jumped, and turned to see a relatively short young woman with glasses.

"And just who are you, and what do you want with my family?" Imelda asked, getting her boot ready. She noticed Elena doing the same from the corner of her eye.

"Ah, ah! We can't have threats of violence, now can we?" She asked and suddenly with a flash that was becoming irritatingly familiar, every Rivera became shoeless. This of course did not bode well with the shoe-making family. The only ones that seemed even remotely okay with it were the young twins, Benny and Manny, who started running around feeling the freedom of having no shoes.

"Just who do you think you are?!"

"Give us back our shoes!"

"If anyone gets so much as a sore foot because of this, so help me…"

"Mama! This feels weird!"

"Silence"! The unknown woman roared impossibly loud, causing the Riveras to quiet down instantly.

"Give us back our shoes, now!" Imelda demanded sharply.

"I will, but only after the movie." She said calmly, clearly not intimidated by the Rivera matriarch.

"Movie? You brought us here to watch a movie?" Miguel asked.

"No, we are not watching a movie! Movies mean music, and we do not allow music in this family!" Imelda said in a tone that left no argument.

"Mama Imelda is right! No music!" Elena eagerly agreed with her abuela, neither noticing Miguel deflate.

"Fine then, you don't have to watch the movie. But you aren't leaving until all of you see the movie in its entirety." The mystery woman said and leaned back in mid-air. The way she so lazily went from standing to floating unnerved the Riveras.

"Imelda-"

"-maybe for the sake of our family-"

"-we should reconsider-"

"-the music ban just long enough-"

"-to watch the movie." Oscar and Filipe bravely suggested.

"No! It's like you said, there is a secret doorway to get us out of here. Once we do that, we can figure it out from there." She said addressing the whole family.

"But that's-"

"-just it! We've looked-"

"-all over this place and can't-"

"-find any hints of a secret exit!"

"That's nonsense! Where would the breeze be coming from if that were the case?"

"Actually, I helped them look, and it's like the breeze is a constant circle looping around the room. It comes from nowhere, and it goes nowhere!" Rosita said with a slight panic in her voice.

"No, there has to be a way!" She said, unrelentingly. She then knelt down, and started looking for a secret trap door.

"Mama Imelda, if it were just us, I'd agree, but our living family is stuck here too. And, unlike us, they can starve to death." Victoria whispered the last bit to not panic the living, and Imelda paused in her search.

As much as she hated to admit it, Victoria had a point. The living could only last for so long in this room before they started to slowly die. If there was one thing she didn't want to do, it was hurt her family. Unlike a certain musician who- Imelda stopped that train of thought. Now was not the time to dwell on him. She got to her feet, turned to the floating woman, and glared at her.

Just answer me this, bruja, why are you doing this?" The woman looked at her intensely for a long moment, and Imelda felt unnerved by it.

"Because this family has been suffering for too long. The movie is a series of events that will take place next Dia de Muertos, and it will bring some long hidden truths to light. Only when the whole family is aware of this will the healing process truly begin." She stated simply, and honestly. There was no malice or deceit anywhere in her eyes, and Imelda reluctantly nodded.

"Fine. Then the music ban shall be temporarily lifted until the movie's conclusion. If it is to help this family, I will give my consent." She said, and the family muttered to themselves about everything that just happened. Elena, while shocked that her iron wall of an abuela relented, accepted her judgement. Mama Imelda knew what was best for this family after all.

"Alright, I just need to bring the last missing person here, and then we can get started." She said and a transparent wall surrounded a seat in the very back.

"No! I agreed to this movie, but I will not agree to that musico joining us!" Imelda said harshly, glaring her fiercest glare at the woman.

"Too bad, he's joining us regardless." She said evenly, not even flinching at Imelda.

"No he's not! He had his chance a long time ago, and made his choice! He chose the world over us! He is not a part of this-"

"Hector Rivera is still a part of this family whether you like it or not, and he WILL be joining us!" The woman yelled, and was suddenly towering over everyone, making even the strong willed Elena and Imelda reel back in fear. After a moment of stunned and fearful silence, only broken by Benny and Manny's crying, she shrunk down to her normal size.

"You don't have to like it, but he will be joining us. I'm even kind enough to put him in that walled-off seat over there. You won't be able to hear him, nor will he be able to hear any of you. But he will be able to hear the movie and myself, so the option to ignore him is there." She said calmer, and the family muttered their disapproval.

After a few seconds of glaring at the witch, a bright flash appeared inside the walls, and a disheveled Hector appeared in a literal heap. He slowly pulled himself together, and took in his surroundings and froze when his eyes met Imelda's fiery gaze. He smiled nervously and said something, but none of the Riveras heard him.

"They can't hear you, nor can you hear them." The woman said kindly as she literally glided over to him. He looked startled and asked something no one but her could hear.

"My name is Yellowberri. It is very nice to meet you, Hector." She said in a far too gentle voice. Imelda glared harder at the witch with Elena right beside her doing the same thing. She was brisk and jaded with them, but was treating Hector, who didn't deserve a hint of kindness for what he did, like a lost child. Hector said something else.

"I know everyone here. And I need to catch you up. We are all going to watch a movie of what will happen next Dia de Muertos, and no one here can leave until we finish." She said, and Hector looked baffled before saying something else.

"They are your family, and believe it or not, it's for the benefit of everyone here." Hector looked at everyone and flinched when he noticed most of them were glaring at him. He sagged, and said something. Yellowberri kneeled in front of him.

"Hector, look at me." He peeked at her from under his frayed hat. "What happened was not your fault. Okay? They will realize this soon enough. Now buck up. We have a movie to watch." She got up, and sat next to Hector who looked startled that she was willing to take such a stance in front of Imelda of all people. Everyone stayed standing, just looking at him, except the young twins who were being held in place by their mother.

"The sooner you get to your seats the sooner the movie will start, and subsequently, the sooner you can go home." Yellowberri said after a minute, and everyone slowly moved to a seat. Some were glaring at Hector until they sat down and turned to the front.

Elena remained standing, just glaring at him. Slowly she walked up to her mother, and started pushing her to the very front, well away from Hector. Hector, who realized who Coco was, touched the wall and looked at her with such warmness that only Yellowberri saw. She reached through the wall and gently patted his shoulder. The giant screen up front lit up, and the movie started.

EXT. MARIGOLD PATH - DUSK

A path of marigold petals leads up to an altar lovingly arranged in a humble cemetery. An old woman lights a candle as the smoke of burning copal wood dances lyrically upward… The smoke lifts up toward lines of papel picado - cut paper banners - that sway gently in the breeze.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Sometimes I think I'm cursed… 'cause of something that happened before I was even born.

Everyone glanced at Miguel questioningly. Why was he the one narrating? And why did he think he was cursed?

"Miguel? Cursed? What are you talking about?" Enrique asked, concerned.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." Miguel all but groaned. He didn't like where this was going.

A story begins to play out on the papel picado.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

See, a long time ago there was this family.

The images on the papel picado come to life to illustrate a father, a mother, and a little girl. The family is happy.

Hector looks at the image of times long past longingly.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

The papá, he was a musician.

The papá plays guitar while the mother dances with her daughter.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

He and his family would sing, and dance, and count their blessings… But he also had a dream... to play for the world. And one day he left with his guitar... and never returned.

The man walks down a road, guitar slung on his back.

Both Elena and Imelda turned to glare at Hector, who wilted under their gaze. Yellowberri reached in to comfort him once more.

In another vignette his daughter stands in the doorway, watching her papá leave. Two feet step up next to her. It is her mamá, hardened. She shuts the door.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

And the mamá...? She didn't have time to cry over that walkaway musician!

Hector winced, and Elena turned to glare again. As if she was saying, 'what did you expect?'

After banishing all music from her life...

The woman gets rid of all of her husband's instruments and records.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

She found a way to provide for her daughter… She rolled up her sleeves and she learned to make shoes.

Unknown to everyone except Yellowberri, Hector glanced at the real Imelda with an adoring expression.

"That's my Imelda." He said wistfully, and clearly love-struck. Yellowberri shook her head. How could Imelda think he had eyes for anything or anyone other than her?

She could have made candy!

Amongst the papel picado, a stick swings at a strung up pi?ata which bursts with candy...

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Or fireworks!

Fireworks go off in the background...

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Or sparkly underwear for wrestlers!

Sparkly underwear and a luchador mask hang on a line amongst other linens...

MIGUEL (V.O.)

But no... she chose shoes...

"Of course! Shoes are sensible! Everyone needs them!' Imelda said firmly.

"You have something against a solid business that provides for your family?" Elena asked, almost offended.

"No! It's just, candy and fireworks are more fun." Miguel offered weakly.

"Mama, it's okay. Remember when Berto and I went through the same phase? Shoes are boring to a child." Enrique came to his son's defense.

"He's right. He'll grow out of it as he gets older." Berto agreed, backing up his brother.

"He'd better. Shoes have done more for this family than that man ever did!" Elena said, pointing an accusing finger at Hector who jerked back at the sudden attention.

"Hey! Lay off! He's been through enough as it is!" Yellowberri said standing up for him. Hector looked at her with both awe and shock. He wasn't the only one as all the Riveras looked at her like she was crazy.

"He's been through enough?! What about his family?! He left us for music! I had to build a business from the ground up providing for our daughter while he-"

"WE KNOW, IMELDA! Good GOD do we know! But have you ever stopped to think that maybe you weren't the only one hurt?! That maybe he didn't come home because he couldn't?! That maybe he was hurting just as much as you were being separated from you and Coco for every day he was gone?! Have you?!"

"He shouldn't have left in the first place!" Both Imelda and Elena yelled stubbornly.

"And he's paid for that mistake everyday since he left!" Yellowberri yelled back, making them all pause. Elena and Imelda, the most stubborn, stuck to their guns by glaring, but most of the other Riveras studied the sorry looking skeleton with thoughtful expressions. Maybe there was more to the story than they all thought.

Yellowberri sighed and said, "Look, arguing will get us nowhere. Let's just go back to watching this movie, and I promise every question and complaint will have an answer." Everyone reluctantly sat back down, and turned back to the screen.

On the papel picado, the little girl becomes a young woman.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Then she taught her daughter to make shoes. And later, she taught her son-in-law.

She introduces a suitor to the family business.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Then her grandkids got roped in. As her family grew, so did the business.

In the next vignette, a bunch of goofy grandchildren join in the shoemaking. The shoe shop is full of family!

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Music had torn her family apart, but shoes held them all together.

Imelda nodded to herself satisfied. Just because Hector was a deadbeat didn't mean her family had to go without. She promptly ignored Yellowberri's words trying to wriggle their way into her mind. He had his chance, and he blew it! That was that!

You see, that woman was my great-great grandmother, Mamá Imelda.

TILT DOWN from the papel picado to the

OFRENDA ROOM - DAY

where a photo sits at the top of a beautiful altar. The photo features MAM? IMELDA - serious, formidable. She holds a baby on her lap. Her husband stands beside her, but his face has been torn away.

Hector winced. He knew his leaving and never coming back had hurt Imelda, but it didn't lessen the sting of seeing his face torn out of the family photo. If anything, it hurt more.

Miguel glanced back at his estranged great-great grandfather, and looked at him curiously. He always heard the story from Mama Imelda's side, he wondered what it looked like from his side.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

She died WAY before I was born. But my family still tells her story every year on Día de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead… And her little girl?

Fade from the face of the little girl to present day MAM? COCO (97), a living raisin, convalescing in a wicker wheelchair.

Both Hector and Imelda gazed at Coco with so much love. No matter how much time passed, she was still their baby girl.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

She's my great grandmother, Mamá Coco.

A boy (12) walks into frame and kisses her on the cheek. This is our narrator, MIGUEL.

Hector looked at the boy, and saw a lot of himself in him. Both physically and personality wise. He wondered if they could've been thick as thieves if things were different.

MIGUEL

Holá, Mamá Coco.

MAM? COCO

How are you, Julio?

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Actually, my name is Miguel. Mamá Coco has trouble remembering things... But it's good to talk to her anyway. So I tell her pretty much everything.

Hector knew Coco was forgetting him considering how close he was to the Final Death, but it was a shock to realize she was forgetting things in general. It made him feel grateful that his memories had lasted so long already. But it still hurt a lot to see his mijita so lost and confused. If he could, he'd take it all for her in a heartbeat.

QUICK CUTS of Miguel with Mamá Coco:

EXT. COURTYARD

MIGUEL

I used to run like this...

Miguel pumps his arms with his hands in fists. Then he switches to flat palms.

MIGUEL

But now I run like this which is way faster!

CUT TO:

INT. MAM? COCO'S ROOM

Miguel, in a luchador mask, climbs onto the bed, arms raised.

MIGUEL

And the winner is... Luchadora Coco!

Miguel leaps off the bed onto a pile of pillows that bursts, sending feathers onto Mamá Coco who wears a mask of her own.

CUT TO:

EXT. DINING AREA

Miguel leans toward Mamá Coco at the dinner table.

MIGUEL

I have a dimple on this side, but not on this side. Dimple. No dimple. Dimple. No dimple-

Everyone chuckled at the lighthearted, yet meaningful relationship between Miguel and Coco. Even though it was clear she didn't know what was going on, she was glad to hear his excited banter.

ABUELITA

Miguel! Eat your food.

Miguel's ABUELITA (70s) runs the table like a ship captain. She gives Mamá Coco a kiss on the head.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

My Abuelita? She's Mamá Coco's daughter.

Hector was appreciative of the impromptu introduction. Even if he never had a chance to get to know them personally, he could at least get to know them through Miguel's eyes. That was better than what he had, which was nothing.

Abuelita piles extra tamales on Miguel's plate.

ABUELITA

Aw, you're a twig, mijo. Have some more.

MIGUEL

No, gracias.

ABUELITA

I asked if you would like more tamales.

MIGUEL

S-sí?

ABUELITA

That's what I THOUGHT you said.

"You and Enrique are so thin! You really need to eat more!" Elena said, turning to her son and grandson.

The two shared a look. It wasn't their fault they were so skinny.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Abuelita runs our house just like Mamá Imelda did.

CUT TO:

INT. OFRENDA ROOM - DAY

Abuelita adjusts the photo of her beloved Mamá Imelda. Then she perks her ear at a hooting sound.

INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel idly blows into a glass soda bottle. Abuelita takes the bottle away.

ABUELITA

No music!

INT. MAM? COCO'S ROOM - DAY

Miguel listens as a truck drives by the window, blaring radio tunes. Abuelita angrily slams the window shut.

ABUELITA

No music!

EXT. STREET - EVENING

A trio of gentlemen serenade each other as they stroll by the family compound.

MUSICIANS

(singing) AUNQUE LA VIDA-

Abuelita bursts out of the gate and chases them away.

ABUELITA

NO MUSIC!

Terrified, the musicians stumble as they run away.

"You're doing a good job in my absence, Mija. I'm proud of you." Imelda said, smiling approvingly at Elena who looked like she was gifted the world. She idolized her abuelita, and was honored to hear these words from her.

MIGUEL (V.O)

I think we're the only family in México who hates music...

INT. RIVERA WORKSHOP - DAY

We see the Rivera family tinkering in the shoe shop, no music to be heard. Miguel jogs past them.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

And my family's fine with that...

He grabs his shine box, and heads out of the shoe shop.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

But me?

MAM?

Be back by lunch, mijo!

MIGUEL

Love you, Mamá!

Once outside, Miguel makes his way through the small town of

SANTA CECILIA - MORNING

MIGUEL (V.O.)

I am NOT like the rest of my family...

"Miguel! Just what are you trying to say?" Elena asked, and the rest of his family turned to him. Miguel sank in his seat. This is what he was afraid of. He tried so hard to hide his music obsession from them, and now the movie was exposing him.

"Answer your abuelita, Miguel." Luisa said, giving him a look. Miguel slumped in defeat. The movie was going to expose him anyway, he might as well come clean.

"Fine. I don't hate music." Miguel forced out.

"After all the harm music did to this family?! No! There is a reason we have the music ban!" Elena insisted forcefully. Miguel said nothing, and hoped that he looked sorry enough for them to drop the conversation.

"Aw, Miguel!" Elena walked up to him, and crushed him in a hug. "I'm harsh because I care. I don't want you falling into obscurity like him!" Elena hissed the last word, glaring at Hector who only looked to the floor in sadness.

Hector couldn't hear what they were talking about, but he had a feeling it had something to do with music. If that were the case, Miguel was more like him than he knew. He just hoped the young chamaco realized what was really important before it was too late.

Elena released the hug, causing Miguel to gasp for air. She patted his cheek lovingly before going back to her seat.

He passes a woman sweeping a stoop.

WOMAN

Hola, Miguel!

MIGUEL

Hola!

He passes a band of musicians playing a tune. Miguel joins with some air guitar and the further down the street he goes, the more instruments and sounds layer in.

It took everything in both Elena and Imelda to suppress the urge to reach for their shoes that were no longer there, and shout "no music!" Elena also resisted the urge to confront Miguel again. The poor boy was just misguided. She would help him see reason when they got home.

The bells of the church chime in harmony, a radio blares a cumbia rhythm. Running past a food stand, Miguel grabs a roll of pan dulce and tosses the vendor a coin.

MIGUEL

Muchas gracias!

STREET VENDOR

De nada, Miguel!

As Miguel passes all these scenes, the music synthesizes and he can't help but tap out rhythms along a table of alebrijes. The fantastical wooden animal sculptures each play a different tone like a marimba. Miguel finishes with a SMACK on a trash can, out of which a pops up a scrappy hairless Xolo dog. The dog, DANTE, barks and jumps up to lick Miguel, who laughs.

MIGUEL

Hey, hey! Dante!

"Miguel, how many times have I told you to stay away from that street dog?" Elena asked tiredly.

"Sorry abuelita." Miguel apologized in a monotone voice. Now they knew about Dante? Just how many secrets was this movie gonna expose. He thought about his Ernesto shrine and unfinished guitar, and swallowed hard. He really hoped the movie didn't expose that too.

Miguel holds the pan dulce over Dante's head.

MIGUEL

Sit. Down. Roll over. Shake. Fist bump.

Dante obeys to the best of his ability.

MIGUEL

Good boy, Dante!

Miguel tosses the pan dulce to his furless friend who topples back into the trash can.

"Great job, Miguel. Now he'll never leave you alone." Rosa said in her 'you're gonna get in trouble' face. Miguel just frowned at her.

CUT TO:

MARIACHI PLAZA - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel rounds the corner toward the town square. Vendors sell sugar skulls and marigolds, and musicians fill the square with music.

"Aye! Miguel! What have we told you about the plaza?!" Gloria asked.

"Okay, so I like music, have a dog, and I go to the plaza! Is there anything else you want to get on me for?" Miguel snapped. Honestly, they couldn't go 30 seconds without them getting onto him for something!

"Miguel has a point. You all have been scolding him a bit much." Yellowberri said from the back.

"Because he keeps breaking the rules! The rules are there for a reason, Miguel!" Elena piped up again.

"We are going to have a long talk when we get back home." Enrique said, and Miguel deflated. Why did his family have to be so strict?

Hector looked at the poor boy who seemed to be getting scolded a lot. He felt bad for the kid, and then felt a wave of guilt. The only reason he had to hide from his family was because Hector left. His mistake was hurting his family years later.

MIGUEL (V.O)

I know I'm not supposed to love music - but it's not my fault! It's his: Ernesto de la Cruz...

Miguel approaches a statue of a handsome mariachi at the heart of the plaza.

MIGUEL (V.O)

...The greatest musician of all time.

Hector scoffed. The only reason Ernesto was so popular was because he used Hector's songs without even giving him credit. He even turned Hector away when he tried to confront him in the afterlife. Some amigo!

A tour group and their TOUR GUIDE are gathered around the base of the statue.

TOUR GUIDE

And right here, in this very plaza, the young Ernesto de la Cruz took his first steps toward becoming the most beloved singer in Mexican history!

Imelda rolled her eyes. Ernesto had charisma, that's for sure, but he never would have gotten anywhere without Hector's songs! And that's why it hurt so much to hear songs anymore. To know that Hector just gave him the songs for his family without even a second thought.

CUT TO:

CLIPS of de la Cruz in his hay day: playing as a young man in the plaza, serenading bystanders in a train car...

MIGUEL (V.O.)

He started out a total nobody from Santa Cecilia, like me. But when he played music, he made people fall in love with him.

MORE CLIPS from de la Cruz's films. He leaps from a tree branch onto a galloping horse. He plays his signature skull guitar with flourish and flair.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

He starred in movies. He had the coolest guitar... He could fly!

That was another thing that irked Imelda: Hector gave Ernesto his guitar. That was a gift Imelda gave him, and he just gave it away! She fervently tried to ignore the words Yellowberri had said earlier. What other explanation made sense?

A CLIP features de la Cruz dressed as a hovering priest, held up by strings, in front of a cycling sky flat.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

And he wrote the best songs! But my all-time favorite? It's-

A CLIP of de la Cruz performing in a fancy nightclub.

DE LA CRUZ

(singing)

REMEMBER ME

THOUGH I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE

REMEMBER ME

DON'T LET IT MAKE YOU CRY

FOR EVEN IF I'M FAR AWAY

I HOLD YOU IN MY HEART

I SING A SECRET SONG TO YOU

EACH NIGHT WE ARE APART

Imelda turned to glare at Hector. Of all the songs that he heartlessly gave Ernesto, this one was the worst. It was a song for Coco, and he didn't even care!

She gave pause when she realized that he wasn't even looking at her, but at the screen. His face was contorted into such rage that she actually leaned back a little. Of all the reactions, she didn't expect this. It was becoming harder to ignore the possibility that maybe something more than him leaving his family for music had happened.

She turned to look at Coco who had fallen asleep. Even if she was awake she doubted she'd recognize the song. Ernesto had changed the tone so much.

Hector, on the other hand, was barely holding it together. This was Ernesto's greatest sin! The song was a lullaby for his sweet daughter, and he completely bastardized it! Absolutely unforgivable!

REMEMBER ME

THOUGH I HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR

REMEMBER ME

EACH TIME YOU HEAR A SAD GUITAR

KNOW THAT I'M WITH YOU THE ONLY WAY

THAT I CAN BE...

MIGUEL (V.O.)

He lived the kind of life you dream about... Until 1942...

As the audience swoons over de la Cruz, an absent-minded stagehand leans on a lever. Ropes and pulleys go flying.

DE LA CRUZ

UNTIL YOU'RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN

REMEMBER ME!

De la Cruz is subsequently crushed by a giant bell.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

When he was crushed by a giant bell.

Everybody winced at this. Whether you liked the guy or not, that was a nasty way to go.

CUT TO:

MARIACHI PLAZA - DAY

Miguel gazes up at the statue of de la Cruz in awe.

MIGUEL (V.O)

I wanna be just like him.

"You wanna be crushed by a bell?" Abel asked.

"No! That's not what I mean." Miguel answered.

"Then what did you mean?" Elena asked. The family turned their attention to him yet again.

"Nothing!" Miguel answered too quickly.

"Wait! Don't tell me you actually want to be a musician!" Imelda got up from her seat. Miguel didn't say anything.

"Aye! You do! Have you learned nothing from this family!" Imelda shouted.

"This is exactly why you shouldn't go into the plaza!" Berto rounded on him.

"Do you want to end up like that man! Look at just how miserable he is! Do you want that to be you?!" Elena said pointing to the sorry looking skeleton who looked like he was growing used to being pointed at. Miguel glared. He was sick and tired of being put down for trying to enjoy something that made him happy!

"Maybe I do!" He shouted, and his family gasped.

"M-Mijo?! Just what are you-" Luisa started.

"What kind of family is this?! I have to sneak around and hide just to enjoy something that makes me happy! Aren't you supposed to love and support me? Isn't that what families are supposed to do?" Miguel angrily wiped away some tears.

"Music tore this family apart! Music hurt your Mama Imelda and Mama Coco! And you want to be a part of something so destructive?!" Elena argued back.

"So what? Yeah, Hector never came back, but should we really blame music for that? By banning it, you're robbing us of the choice of picking music or letting it go!" Miguel knew he probably shouldn't argue, but he had enough of this.

"Of course we should blame music! He chose music over us! That's all the reason we need to keep music out of this family!" Imelda said angrily.

"Then I don't want to be in this family!" Miguel shouted and ran over to Hector, and sat next to him. Hector had no idea what was going on, but he was completely startled by the fact that someone from Imelda's family willingly sat next to him.

The family looked at Miguel both shocked and stunned. Elena slowly shifted her gaze from Miguel to Hector. Her face twisted into a fierce rage that made Hector very nervous. Out of habit she reached for her shoe only to be reminded that they were taken away. She let out a cry of pure anger and ran at Hector who flinched. When she got about five feet away from him she was suddenly teleported to the front of the room in a bright flash.

Everyone jumped in surprise, and Elena paused to take in the fact that she was now far away from her target. She only hesitated for a second before she ran for him again. When she reached the five foot mark she was teleported again. This time she didn't stop, and kept running. This happened about three more times before she stopped to catch her breath.

"Are you quite done?" Yellowberri asked from her seat, looking rather bored.

"Just what do you think you are doing, bruja?" Imelda demanded sharply.

"I think I am keeping needless violence to a minimum." She said and Imelda grew angrier.

"Let us at him! Despite him being kept far away, his influence has poisoned this family, and I refuse to let that go unpunished!" Imelda said icily.

"No. His influence had nothing to do with Miguel's outburst. You and your cruel ban, however, had everything to do with it." She said, calm as ever.

"The ban is helping this family! How dare you call it cruel!" Elena said after catching her breath, and shrugging off Franco's comforting hand.

"Oh really? The ban is helping? Then why is the poor boy in tears? If the ban is helping, he should've never had the urge to hide who he is from the family. But because of the ban, he is instead hiding things, living in fear of being caught and having his own family reject him. Do you know how heavy a burden that is? Especially for a kid?" Yellowberri asked, an annoyed tone seeping into her voice. Elena paused as if she was trying to find the right words to say. Her gaze shifted over to Miguel who was wiping his tears with his sleeve.

"Mama, maybe we should all calm down, and talk about this later." Enrique softly suggested. She gave Miguel one last glance, and nodded. They still had a movie to finish if they wanted to get home. And they could discuss it then. Reluctantly, everyone sat back down ready to get this movie over with.

Hector still wasn't sure what had happened, but he gave the kid next to him a sympathetic glance. Miguel gave a weak smile of thanks before turning back to the screen.

CUT TO:

EXT. CEMETERY - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel weaves up to de la Cruz's mausoleum and peeks in the window. He catches a glimpse of de la Cruz's signature skull guitar.

MIGUEL (V.O.)

Sometimes, I look at de la Cruz and I get this feeling... like we're connected somehow. Like, if HE could play music, maybe someday I could too...

Everyone was still too emotionally raw to properly react to that line, except for Hector. So the kid wanted to play, and his family had a huge fight over it? And he thought he couldn't feel guiltier!

EXT. MARIACHI PLAZA - DAY

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

...If it wasn't for my family.

The Riveras winced at this. Maybe Yellowberri had a nugget of truth in her words. Not that Elena or Imelda would admit it.

PLAZA MARIACHI

(playful)

Ay, ay, ay, muchacho.

MIGUEL

Huh?

PLAZA MARIACHI

I asked for a shoe shine, not your life story.

Miguel comes out of his reverie and looks up at the PLAZA MARIACHI whose shoes he is shining.

MIGUEL

Oh, yeah, sorry.

He goes back to scrubbing the man's shoe. As Miguel shines, the mariachi plucks his guitar idly.

MIGUEL

I just can't really talk about any of this at home so…

The Riveras winced again. Maybe they really were too hard on little Miguel. They could set aside their prejudice long enough to get through the movie. It wasn't like scolding him every 20 seconds was helping anyone.

PLAZA MARIACHI

Look, if I were you I'd march right up to my family and say, "Hey! I'm a musician. Deal with it!"

MIGUEL

I could never say that...

PLAZA MARIACHI

You ARE a musician, no?

MIGUEL

I don't know. I mean... I only really play for myself-

PLAZA MARIACHI

Did de la Cruz become the world's best musician by hiding his sweet, sweet skills? No! He walked out onto that plaza and he played out loud!

Hector rolled his eyes. As much as it bothered him, he learned to take Ernesto fans with a grain of salt. After all, he had more important things to focus on. He looked at Coco longingly.

The mariachi gets an idea. He points to the gazebo where organizers are setting up for a show. They unfurl a canvas poster which reads "TALENT SHOW."

PLAZA MARIACHI (CONT'D)

Ah, mira, mira! They're setting up for tonight. The music competition for Día de Muertos. You wanna be like your hero? You should sign up!

MIGUEL

Uh-uh, my family would freak!

PLAZA MARIACHI

Look, if you're too scared, then, well... have fun making shoes.

Miguel considers this.

PLAZA MARIACHI (CONT'D)

C'mon. What did de la Cruz always say?

MIGUEL

...Seize your moment?

The mariachi appraises Miguel, then offers his guitar.

PLAZA MARIACHI

Show me what you got, muchacho. I'll be your first audience.

Both Imelda and Elena instinctively reached for shoes that, once again, were no longer there. If mariachis were letting Miguel play, it was no wonder he became corrupted.

Miguel's brows rise, surprised. He reaches to take the instrument, regarding it as if holding a holy relic. Miguel spreads his fingers across the strings anticipating his chord and...

ABUELITA (O.S.)

MIGUEL!

Startled, Miguel impulsively throws the guitar back onto the mariachi's lap. He turns to see Abuelita marching toward him. Miguel's T?O BERTO (40s) and PRIMA ROSA (16), follow with supplies from the market.

MIGUEL

Abuelita!

ABUELITA

What are you doing here?

MIGUEL

Um...uh...

Miguel quickly packs away his shine rag and polishes. Abuelita barrels up to the mariachi. She hits his hat with her shoe and waves him away.

ABUELITA

You leave my grandson alone!

PLAZA MARIACHI

Do?a, please - I was just getting a shine!

ABUELITA

I know your tricks, mariachi! (to Miguel) What did he say to you?

MIGUEL

He was just showing me his guitar...

Gasps from the family.

T?O BERTO

Shame on you!

Abuelita lords over the mariachi, shoe aimed directly between his eyes.

ABUELITA

My grandson is a sweet little angelito querido cielito - he wants no part of your music, mariachi! You keep away from him!

"I don't think you can claim that anymore, abuelita." Rosa said quietly, hoping Miguel wouldn't hear.

Elena sighed before asking, "What are we going to do with that boy?"

The mariachi scrambles away, snatching his hat off the ground before he goes. Abuelita hugs Miguel protectively to her bosom.

ABUELITA

Ay, pobrecito! Estás bien, mijo?

She peppers him with kisses then releases him from the embrace. He gasps for air.

ABUELITA

(distressed) You know better than to be here in this place! You will come home. Now.

Abuelita turns toward home. Miguel sighs and gathers his shine box. Then, seeing a flyer for the plaza "TALENT SHOW", he can't help but pocket it. He follows Abuelita.

EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel catches up to his family.

T?O BERTO

How many times have we told you - that plaza is crawling with mariachis!

MIGUEL

Yes, Tío Berto.

Dante ambles up to Miguel, sniffing and whining for a treat.

MIGUEL

No, no, no!

Abuelita shoos him away.

ABUELITA

Go away, you! Go!

Dante darts off, scared.

MIGUEL

It's just Dante...

Abuelita throws her shoe at the dog.

ABUELITA

Never name a street dog. They'll follow you forever. Now, go get my shoe.

There were a few chuckles at this. After the argument they needed something to lift their spirits.

CUT TO:

INT. RIVERA WORKSHOP

The Rivera workshop is abuzz with family making shoes. WHOMP! Miguel is plopped onto a stool, ready for a lecture.

ABUELITA

I found your son in Mariachi Plaza!

PAP?

(disappointed) Miguel...

MAMA

You know how Abuelita feels about the plaza.

MIGUEL

I was just shining shoes!

T?O BERTO

A musician's shoes!

Gasps from the family. PRIMO ABEL (19) is so shocked he loses his grip on the shoe he is polishing, which zips away from the polisher and lodges itself in the roof.

More laughter. If they had a peso for every time someone had done that...

MIGUEL

But the plaza's where all the foot traffic is.

PAP?

If Abuelita says no more plaza, then no more plaza.

MIGUEL

(blurting)

But what about tonight?

PAP? FRANCO

What's tonight?

MIGUEL

Well they're having this talent show-

Abuelita perks her ear, suspicious. Miguel squirms, deciding whether to go on.

MIGUEL

And I thought I might...

Mamá looks at Miguel, curious.

MAM?

...Sign up?

MIGUEL

Well, maybe?

PRIMA ROSA

(laughing) You have to have talent to be in a talent show.

PRIMO ABEL

What are YOU going to do, shine shoes?

The shoe from the ceiling falls back down on Abel's head.

This time some of them were gut laughing. It really wasn't that funny, but stress relief was stress relief.

ABUELITA

It's Día de los Muertos - no one's going anywhere. Tonight is about family.

She deposits a pile of marigolds in Miguel's arms.

ABUELITA

Ofrenda room. Vámonos.

CUT TO:

INT. OFRENDA ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel follows his Abuelita to the family ofrenda, holding the pile of flowers as she arranges them on the altar.

ABUELITA

Don't give me that look. Día de los Muertos is the one night of the year our ancestors can come visit us. We've put their photos on the ofrenda so their spirits can cross over. That is very important! If we don't put them up, they can't come!

Hector knew this fact all too well. Every year since he died he has tried to cross that darn flower bridge with no success. He usually came up with creative plots that often served to amuse the bridge security more than it did to further his goal. This year was going to be his very last chance, he felt it in his bones. He glanced over to a still snoozing Coco, and smiled gratefully. Even if he never got across he at least could see her now, and that was better than nothing.

We made all this food - set out the things they loved in life, mijo. All this work to bring the family together. I don't want you sneaking off to who-knows-where.

She looks up to find Miguel sneaking away.

ABUELITA (CONT'D)

Where are you going?

MIGUEL

I thought we were done...

ABUELITA

Ay, Dios mío... Being part of this family means being HERE for this family... I don't want to see you end up like-

Abuelita looks up to the photo of the faceless musician.

MIGUEL

Like Mamá Coco's papá?

ABUELITA

Never mention that man! He's better off forgotten.

Hector felt the wind leave his nonexistent lungs. He couldn't blame the living for saying something so incredibly harsh, but that didn't make the comment hurt any less. Living in Shantytown, he had witnessed the Final Death many times, and it never got any easier. Especially knowing that his own Final Death was looming over the horizon. He'd never get a proper reunion with his beloved daughter, and the rest of his family would be happy with his passing!

"Whoa, now! Breathe Hector, you're starting to panic!" Yellowberri reached in and took hold of the hyperventilating skeleton. She rubbed soothing circles on his back as he tried to get his breathing under control.

"Is he okay?" Miguel asked, looking at the estranged family member in concern. The rest of the Rivera clan watched the spectacle with varying emotions. Some, the younger ones in particular, shared Miguel's concern. They were the ones who took Yellowberri's words to heart. They only knew one side of the story, and Hector's side never got a chance to be heard. Most of the living adults looked on in confusion. Sure that comment may have been harsh, but they simply expected his reaction to be the same as all of his other reactions, defeated and sad, not on the verge of a panic attack. Most of the dead tried not to look directly at Hector, they knew about the Final Death, and knew by his very appearance that he was close to it. While they believed that he was in the wrong for leaving and never coming back, they admitted that the Final Death was too harsh a punishment. Not that they would ever voice their opinion. Elena and Imelda glared at the ragged skeleton, but their glare didn't have the bite it had earlier. Especially Imelda's, since she knew what being forgotten entailed.

"He will be once he calms down. Don't worry, this is a typical reaction of someone who hails from Shantytown." Yellowberri said, and started to whisper words of encouragement to Hector.

"Shantytown?" Abel asked, trying and failing to ignore the sharp looks from Imelda and Elena.

"The dwelling place of the nearly forgotten. The Land of the Dead tends to look down upon those who are left off of ofrendas, so they build shacks and such out of pieces of scrap wood in the slums. They are the ones who have the consequence of being forgotten hanging over their heads all the time, and comments like that," Yellowberri pointed to Elena on the paused screen, "tend to send them into a panic."

"There's a consequence of being forgotten?" Enrique asked with a hint of concealed sympathy. His question was met with solemn nods from Yellowberri and most of his dead relatives. The living were taken aback by this.

"What is the consequence?" Rosa squeaked out, almost afraid of the answer.

Yellowberri gave a tired sigh and looked at the living for a second, "You'll find out later on in the movie."

Hector finally got his breathing under control and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He looked around to see that everyone was looking at him weirdly. He turned to Yellowberri, who stopped giving his back comforting rubs and had instead placed a hand on his shoulder. He was so focused on calming down that he didn't hear a word Yellowberri said.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" He asked, and Yellowberri gave him a sad smile.

"Don't worry about it. Are you going to be okay?" she inquired softly.

"Y-yeah. I'll be fine." he nodded, and Yellowberri gave his shoulder a squeeze before turning back to the front. Everyone else took that as their cue to do the same and the movie unpaused.

MIGUEL

But you're the one who-

ABUELITA

Ta, ta, ta-tch!

MIGUEL

I was just-

ABUELITA

Tch-tch!

MIGUEL

But-

ABUELITA

Tch!

MIGUEL

I-

ABUELITA

Tch-tch!

MAM? COCO

Papá?

They look to find Mamá Coco agitated.

MAM? COCO (CONT'D)

Papá is home...?

ABUELITA

Mamá, cálmese, cálmese.

MAM? COCO

Papá is coming home?

Everyone's heart clenched at the familiar sight of Coco asking about her father's whereabouts. Hector looked close to tears that his poor daughter was so distraught. Imelda and Elena couldn't help but glare at Hector once more. They hoped he felt like the scum of the earth for doing that to poor Coco.

Miguel looked at Hector and saw regret and guilt plastered all over his face. Looking at Hector now didn't match the image his abuelita painted about him. Abuelita made him sound like a heartless jerk who took pride in the fact that he cut off ties to his poor wife and daughter to follow some stupid fatnasy, but Hector looked like anything but that. Hector was starting to look like an unfortunate victim of circumstance in Miguel's eyes.

ABUELITA

No Mamá. It's okay, I'm here.

Mamá Coco looks up at Abuelita.

MAM? COCO

Who are you?

Sadness rises in Abuelita; she swallows it down.

ABUELITA

Rest, Mamá.

Abuelita returns to the ofrenda.

ABUELITA (CONT'D)

I'm hard on you because I care, Miguel. Miguel... Miguel?

She looks around the room. Miguel is nowhere to be found. Abuelita steps up to the ofrenda.

ABUELITA (CONT'D)

(sigh) What are we going to do with that boy...?

She looks to the photo of Mamá Imelda. Abuelita's eyes brighten with an idea.

ABUELITA (CONT'D)

You're right. That's just what he needs!

CUT TO:

EXT. SIDE STREET

Tío Berto unloads rolls of leather from a truckbed. Nearby, Dante sleeps under the shade of a tree. He startles awake by a faint TWANGING. The dog scrambles up to the roof. He reaches a shoe sign advertising the Rivera Family business and lifts it up.

Miguel felt his stomach crash into the floor. This was what he was afraid of. All of his other secrets were blasted out on the screen, and he hoped and prayed that at least his hidden shrine and guitar would be safe. He was not looking forward to that fight that will no doubt ensue.

He and Hector were so focused on the screen that they didn't realize the transparent wall around Hector extended to surround Miguel as well.

INT. ROOFTOP HIDEOUT

Dante pokes his head in. Miguel turns and gasps.

MIGUEL

Oh, it's you. Get in here, c'mon, Dante. Hurry up.

Dante wriggles into the hideout. Miguel is huddled over something. The dog peeks around his shoulder.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

You're gonna get me in trouble, boy. Someone could hear me!

Miguel reveals a makeshift guitar, cobbled together from a beat up old soundboard and random other items. He takes a china marker and sketches a nose on what appears to be his own version of a skull guitar head.

Miguel curled up and put his face in his arms waiting for the onslaught of yelling and whatnot that would no doubt ensue. He waited and waited, but was only met with silence.

"When did you get in here, Chamaco?" Miguel heard an unfamiliar voice ask, and looked up. He saw he was in the same bubble as Hector, and looked toward his family. They were yelling at Yellowberri, but he couldn't hear a word they were saying. He didn't have to hear what they were saying to know what they were going on about, though.

"I don't know." Miguel asked and looked at Hector. He gave a sympathetic smile which Miguel returned. Hector's smile soon dropped, and he looked to the ground.

"I'm so sorry you're having to go through all of this. If I hadn't been stupid, and just listened to Imelda when she told me not to leave, you wouldn't be hurting right now." He said, and Miguel heard in his voice just how utterly genuine his apology was. He was mad at Hector a few times in his life, but he found that anger had quickly dwindled over the course of their unusual encounter. Now that he apologized, Miguel couldn't scrap up any anger at all.

"Why? So you can yell at him some more? You've already done that!" Yellowberri's voice startled Miguel. She was talking to the rest of his family. He ignored everything else she said in favor of focusing on Hector.

"Why did you leave, anyways? No offense, but you don't strike me as the type of person to pursue fame and fortune at the cost of your family." Miguel asked. Hector looked at him in surprise.

"You're asking me?!" He asked in a tone that spoke levels about how much Miguel's question had touched him.

"Well, no offense to Mama Imelda, but her side of the story is clearly biased, and I want to hear from you on why you left." Miguel said, and leaned forward in anticipation. Hector's eyes welled up, and he smiled a bittersweet smile. Someone from Imelda's family was finally willing to hear him out!

"I grew up in an orphanage. A very poor orphanage at that. My clothes and shoes never fit right and were always falling apart. I could barely afford to feed myself with the bits of change I could scrounge up from playing in the plaza. Imelda, on the other hand, came from a wealthy family. Born to the richest people in town, she had many suitors to choose from. But much to her parents' grief, she chose me, the penniless musician, over everyone else. Her family cut her off after we got married, and then we had Coco not long after. I was no good at any job that I was hired for. Usually I was fired the day I was hired, but I excelled at music. The money I made playing in the plaza was barely enough to get by, and the guilt from that ate me up inside. Imelda gave up fancy dresses, silk sheets, and warm water for me, and I couldn't believe it. I wanted to provide those same luxuries for both her and Coco. Then Ernesto-"

"Wait! Ernesto? As in Ernesto de la Cruz? You mean to tell me you knew the Ernesto?!" Miguel asked skeptically.

"We grew up in the same orphanage! We were brothers in all but blood!" Hector said and Miguel raised an eyebrow.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask Imelda. Ernesto was actually Coco's godfather." Hector gestured out to the still arguing family. Miguel considered this.

"Hey, Yellowberri?" He asked the woman.

"The movie has barely started and- hold on. Yes, Miguel?" Yellowberri turned to the boy, making the rest of the Riveras grow silent. They were too busy trying to get Yellowberri to release their Miguel so they could talk some sense into him, that they didn't realize the two in the bubble were having a conversation of their own. Imelda and Elena glared daggers at Hector who was too busy looking from Miguel to Yellowberri and back to notice. For his sake, he had better not be corrupting poor misguided Miguel further.

"Can you ask Mama Imelda if Hector really knew Ernesto?" Miguel asked, glancing at Hector with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure. Imelda," Yellowberri turned to the matriarch, making her look at the witch. "Miguel wants to know if Hector and Ernesto knew each other in life." Imelda was taken aback by the seemingly random question, but shook it off.

"Yes. They were brothers in all, but blood." She answered, and the living relatives gasped and talked among themselves in surprise. Yellowberri nodded, and turned back to Miguel who noticed his family's reaction to Imelda's answer.

"Imelda says, 'they were brothers in all but blood.'" Yellowberri said and Miguel's jaw dropped. He looked at Hector with newfound respect. His great-great grandfather was best friends with his idol. Hector smiled coyly at him.

"You'll catch flies with that, Chamaco." he teased, and Miguel huffed in amusement at the bad joke.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe it! You really did know de la Cruz! Did you play together? What was his favorite candy? How did he get that awesome guitar? Did you play pranks on anyone? How come Mama Imelda never told us about him? Why did-"

"Easy! Easy! One question at a time, Chamaco!" Hector said, trying to calm down the excited boy.

"I'm sorry. It's just, you knew my idol!" Miguel exclaimed with his eyes shimmering in unspoken awe and wonderment.

"Let me finish my story first." Hector said with an amused grin. Miguel leaned forward with renewed interest.

"Like I was saying, Ernesto suggested to me that we go on tour. There was more money to be made outside of Santa Cecilia. Imelda disagreed, and we had a fight about it. Finally she relented, and I left to make my family more money than they could imagine." Hector said, his eyes glazed over in memories from long ago.

"So you left to provide for our family. But why did you never come home?" Miguel asked, and Hector sighed deeply.

"I have never considered myself a lucky person. Except for Imelda and Coco, they were the best things that ever happened to me. But I had run into a strong bout of bad luck a few months into my tour. You see, I was incredibly homesick, and had bought train tickets to Santa Cecilia. On my way to the train, however, I was struck down with a severe case of food poisoning. I collapsed on the street. When I woke up, I was dead. I never got to come home." Hector said in a pained tone.

"You never came back because you died?" Miguel asked somberly. Hector nodded, his eyes once again glazed over from memories.

"But wait. You said you were touring with de la Cruz, right? He would've gone back to tell Mama Imelda what happened, right?" Miguel questioned, trying to fill in the holes in Hector's story.

Hector snorted. "I thought so too, but Imelda never heard the news. And when I tried to ask Ernesto when he arrived in the Land of the Dead, he had security escort me away. I tried several times to see my old friend, but I was sent away each time. I don't know what I did to make him not want to see his amigo, and I never got an answer." Both Hector and Miguel grew silent after that. They were lost in their own thoughts.

While they had their conversation the other Riveras were having their own.

"So Hector and this de la Cruz guy, who is really famous, knew each other growing up?" Berto asked, trying to wrap his head around this new development.

"Yes. He was the one that put fantasies of fame in Hector's head." Imelda spat angrily, and almost everyone jerked back at the venom in her voice. They were used to hearing it aimed at Hector, but not someone else.

"Is that why you never told us about him?" Victoria bravely asked her abuela.

"Yes. In fact, those songs that made him famous were written by Hector. And the white guitar was Hector's as well!" Imelda hissed out. It was clear that she was still very much sore about this topic.

"But, if they were Hector's, then how come he's unknown? From what I could tell before joining this family and its music ban, de la Cruz never credited Hector for anything." Luisa asked. Something about all of this didn't add up.

"Isn't it obvious?! He gave them to Ernesto, and ran off with some young senorita! The songs he wrote for his family and the guitar I gave him meant nothing to him!" Imelda yelled, unaware of tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. All of the living family, even Elena, were taken aback that the iron wall that was their Mama Imelda was showing signs of hurt.

"Mama Imelda?" Enrique began tentatively. "With all due respect, have you considered the possibility that maybe something else happened?"

"Ernesto would have told me if anything bad happened to Hector, and the two had a history of having each other's backs. Everyone in town was gossiping about it, wondering what this mysterious senorita was like to drag Hector away from home and fame!" Imelda growled, and everyone else grew silent. She had a point. If the two were as close as she said they were, then that was the most logical explanation by far. But the younger Riveras, and some of the adults, weren't convinced. Something about that story smelled, but they couldn't put their finger on what.

"Ahem." Yellowberri caught everyone's attention. "If you want to get home in a timely manner, we should get back to watching the movie." Everyone numbly went back to their seats. They had time to think about what really happened later.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I wish someone wanted to hear me...

Miguel tunes the guitar.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Other than you...

Dante gives Miguel a big sloppy lick. Miguel gives a grossed-out chuckle. He lifts his guitar and strums.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Perfecto!

"You made that?" Hector asked, sounding impressed.

"Yup." Miguel smiled proudly.

"That is muy bueno, Chamaco! You have a talent!" Hector praised and Miguel swelled with pride. Making the guitar was a lot of hard work, and it made him happy that his great-great grandfather approved.

He crawls to the far side of the attic where he's built his own ofrenda to Ernesto de la Cruz. Posters, candles, and songbooks are arranged with care. Miguel lights the candles with reverence, illuminating an album cover of de la Cru holding his skull guitar. Miguel compares the head of his guitar to the album cover. Then he imitates de la Cruz's pose and smile. He switches on a beat up old TV and pushes a tape into the VCR, "Best of de la Cruz" scrawled on the spine. A montage of the greatest moments from de la Cruz's films plays out.

A clip from "A QUIEN YO AMO:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

I have to sing. I have to play. The music, it's - it's not just in me. It is me.

Miguel strums his guitar as de la Cruz imparts his wisdom. More clips run in the background as Miguel plays:

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

When life gets me down, I play my guitar.

In a clip from "A QUIEN YO AMO:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

The rest of the world may follow the rules, but I must follow my heart!

De la Cruz kisses a woman passionately. Miguel cringes.

Another clip from "A QUIEN YO AMO:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

You know that feeling? Like there's a song in the air and it's playing just for you...

As Miguel watches de la Cruz play guitar in the video, he repeats the melody on his own guitar.

"That's how you learned how to play? Forget 'talent'! The very heavens themselves gifted you with music!" Hector praised, and Miguel's smile brightened.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

(singing)

A FEELING SO CLOSE

YOU COULD REACH OUT AND TOUCH IT

I NEVER KNEW I COULD

WANT SOMETHING SO MUCH

BUT IT'S TRUE...

As a good-natured priest in "NUESTRA IGLESIA:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

You must have faith, sister.

NUN (FILM CLIP)

Oh but Padre, he will never listen.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

He will listen... to MUSIC!

(singing)

ONLY A SONG

ONLY A SONG

HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE A HEART...

Miguel loses himself in the music.

The Riveras gaped at Miguel's sheer talent. No wonder he wanted to play! If they had talent like that, they'd want to share it with others as well!

Elena was battling with herself. She knew that her family was hurt irreparably by music, but the expression of happiness and peace on Miguel's face was one she had never seen before. She decided to watch the rest of the movie before she made a final verdict on music.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

Never underestimate the power of music...

Miguel's tune intertwines with the melodies on the TV set. The clip jumps forward:

LOLA (FILM CLIP)

But my father, he will never give his permission.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

I am done asking permission. When you see your moment you mustn't let it pass you by, you must seize it!

The tape ends with an interview clip.

INTERVIEWER (FILM CLIP)

Se?or de la Cruz, what did it take for you to seize your moment?

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

I had to have faith in my dream. No one was going to hand it to me. It was up to me to reach for that dream, grab it tight, and make it come true.

MIGUEL

...and make it come true.

The tape ends. The words sink into Miguel. He reaches for the flyer for the plaza "TALENT SHOW."

MIGUEL

No more hiding, Dante. I gotta seize my moment!

Dante wags his tail, panting happily.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I'm gonna play in Mariachi Plaza if it kills me!

"Very poor choice of words, Miguel." Hector goaned, and Miguel chuckled.

Unknown to them the rest of the Riveras shared Hector's sentiment.

CUT TO:

EXT. RIVERA COMPOUND - SUNSET

Children run by with sparklers as Abuelita opens the doors to the family compound.

ABUELITA

Día de los Muertos has begun!

In the courtyard, two TODDLER COUSINS haphazardly scatter marigold petals from their baskets.

There were a few laughs at the children's antics

MAM?

No, no, no, no, no.

Mamá corrects them, creating a path from the ofrenda room to the front gate.

MAM? (CONT'D)

We have to make a clear path. The petals guide our ancestors home. We don't want their spirits to get lost. We want them to come, and enjoy all the food and drinks on the ofrenda, sí?

As Mamá teaches, Miguel and Dante sneak across the roof and drop to the sidewalk outside the compound, Miguel clutching his guitar. Suddenly Tío Berto and Papá round the corner carrying a small table from storage.

PAP?

Mamá, where should we put this table?

Miguel and Dante back up to avoid the adults, only to find Abuelita sweeping the sidewalk behind them! Miguel and Dante jump into the back into the Rivera courtyard before she sees them.

ABUELITA

In the courtyard, mijos.

PAP?

You want it down by the kitchen?

ABUELITA

Sí. Next to the other one.

INT. OFRENDA ROOM

Miguel backs out of the courtyard and into the family ofrenda room. Nearly cornered, he ushers Dante past a sleeping Mamá Coco. He stashes the dog and the guitar under the ofrenda table.

MIGUEL

Get under, get under!

ABUELITA (O.S.)

Miguel!

Miguel straightens up to notice the doorway of the ofrenda room darkened by three figures.

MIGUEL

Nothing!

His Abuelita and parents stare straight at him. A pit grows in his stomach; he's been caught.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Mamá - Papá, I-

Papá lifts his finger to silence his son.

PAP?

Miguel… Your Abuelita had the most wonderful idea! We've all decided - it's time you joined us in the workshop!

Several facepalms could be heard in the theater. How could they miss the obvious sign that Miguel was hiding something from them?

Miguel groaned at the thought of having to make shoes for the rest of his life.

Abuelita hands Papá a leather apron, which he hangs over Miguel's shoulders.

MIGUEL

What?!

PAP?

No more shining shoes - you will be making them! Every day after school!

Abuelita shuffles toward Miguel squealing. She squeezes his cheeks, full of pride.

ABUELITA

Our Migueli-ti-ti-ti-to carrying on the family tradition! And on Día de los Muertos! Your ancestors will be so proud!

She gestures to the shoes adorning the ofrenda.

ABUELITA (CONT'D)

You'll craft huaraches just like your Tía Victoria.

PAP?

And wingtips, like your Papá Julio-

Miguel crosses away from the ofrenda.

MIGUEL

But what if I'm no good at making shoes?

PAP?

Ah, Miguel... You have your family here to guide you… You are a Rivera. And a Rivera is...?

MIGUEL

...A shoemaker. Through and through.

The Riveras couldn't help but compare Miguel's disposition to the one he had when he was playing his guitar. Some were wincing at how miserable he looked. Others were hoping shoes would grow on him, and he could forget about all things music.

Papá swells.

PAP?

That's my boy! (calling out) Berto, break out the good stuff, I wanna make a toast!

Papá heads out of the room, Mamá follows. Last is Abuelita, who smothers Miguel with tons of kisses as she leaves. With the family gone, Miguel deflates. Suddenly, a noise comes from the ofrenda. Miguel turns to find Dante on the bottom tier, licking a plate of mole to his heart's content. Miguel is horrified!

MIGUEL

Dante! No, Dante, stop!

"Aye! This is why I told you to not take in street dogs!" Elena chastised Miguel before she remembered that he was in a bubble with that man, and most likely didn't hear her. She grumbled in her seat.

Miguel pulls the dog away from the ofrenda, but the table shakes. The frame with Mamá Imelda's photo sways back and forth, then topples to the ground with a sickening crack.

Everyone gasped simultaneously. That photo was the only one they had of their Mama Imelda. If something happened to it she would never be able to cross over again.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

No, no, no, no, no! No...

Miguel picks up the old photo of Mamá Imelda, which unfolds to reveal another portion, hidden all these years; the man with no face is revealed to be holding a familiar skull-headed guitar.

The sighs of relief at the photo being okay was met by astonished silence. Mama Imelda was right. The guitar really was Hector's.

Miguel turned to Hector and asked, "Okay, who did the guitar really belong to?"

"It was mine. Imelda gave it to me at our wedding. I always thought she let Ernesto have it after I died, but that was back when I thought he told her what happened. Now I think he kept it as a token of remembrance." Hector answered.

MIGUEL

De la Cruz's guitar...?

MAM? COCO

Papá?

Miguel turns, startled. Mamá Coco points a crooked finger at the picture in his hand.

MAM? COCO (CONT'D)

Papá?

Miguel's eyes go wide as the connection dawns on him. Could it possibly be true?

MIGUEL

Mamá Coco, is your papá... Ernesto de la Cruz?

"NO HE'S NOT!" Imelda shouted with a look of pure disgust on her face. Oscar and Filipe tried and failed to stifle their laughter. She turned to glare at them.

"Sorry Imelda, but-"

"-you can't blame the boy for-"

"-thinking that. He doesn't-"

"-know about Hector." They said a shared smile of amusement.

Imelda glowered at them. They of all people knew she would sooner dive off a cliff than to be involved with Ernesto romantically. Her expression only made them laugh harder. They knew they were the only ones she would tolerate this kind of teasing from.

MAM? COCO

Papá! Papá!

CUT TO:

INT. ROOFTOP HIDEOUT

Miguel goes to his secret ofrenda, to the record album of Ernesto de la Cruz. He compares the guitar in the family photo with the guitar on the sleeve. An exact match!

MIGUEL

Ha, ha!

EXT. ROOFTOP

Miguel runs to the edge of the roof, overlooking the courtyard, photo in one hand, guitar in the other.

MIGUEL

Papá! Papá!

His parents stop, looking up at Miguel.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

It's him! I know who my great-great grandfather was!

MAM?

Miguel! Get down from there!

MIGUEL

Mamá Coco's father was Ernesto de la Cruz!

Imelda growled a few words under her breath as her brothers laughed.

PAP?

What are you talking about?

Miguel whips off his shoemaker's apron, striking a pose with the guitar.

MIGUEL

I'm gonna be a musician!

CUT TO:

EXT. COURTYARD - EARLY EVENING

Miguel's guitar is cast at his feet, along with his de la Cruz albums. The whole family encircles the boy.

Miguel sighed. He managed to escape an argument with his relatives for now, but it looked like he'd have to endure a tongue lashing from his family on screen.

ABUELITA

What is all this? You keep secrets from your own family?

T?O BERTO

It's all that time he spends in the plaza...

T?A GLORIA

...Fills his head with crazy fantasies!

MIGUEL

It's not a fantasy!

Miguel hands Papá the photo and points to the skull guitar.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

That man was Ernesto de la Cruz! The greatest musician of all time!

"Dios mio! Am I going to have to deal with this for most of the movie?!" Imelda asked no one in particular.

"Yes." Yellowberri answered, and received a glare for her efforts.

PAP?

We've never known anything about this man. But whoever he was, he still abandoned his family. This is no future for my son.

MIGUEL

But Papá, you said my family would guide me! Well de la Cruz IS my family! I'm supposed to play music!

ABUELITA

Never! That man's music was a curse! I will not allow it!

Hector hung his head. He wished more than anything to go back in time and fix his mistakes. He felt a comforting hand from Miguel, and smiled at the boy in thanks. Miguel returned the smile.

MIGUEL

If you would just let-

MAM?

(warning) Miguel-

PAP?

You will listen to your family. No more music.

MIGUEL

Just listen to me play-

PAP?

End of argument.

Miguel lifts his guitar to play when Abuelita snatches the instrument away. She points to the man in the photo.

ABUELITA

You want to end up like that man? Forgotten? Left off your family's ofrenda?!

MIGUEL

I don't care if I'm on some stupid ofrenda!

"Oh, Chamaco, no. You don't know what you just said." Hector told him while shaking his head.

"I'm tired of being forced to choose between something I love and my family!" Miguel shouted angrily.

"I love music too, Chamaco. But I would gladly never touch an instrument again if it meant that I had a place in the family again." Hector said sadly, and looked at his wife and daughter with such a heartbroken expression that Miguel couldn't bring himself to argue with him.

Gasps from the family. Abuelita's brow hardens. She lifts the guitar in the air.

MIGUEL

No!

PAP?

Mamá...

Abuelita smashes it to bits!

Miguel gapes at the screen. His guitar that he spent months putting together just gone within seconds. He felt his eyes sting with tears.

"You okay, Miguel?" Hector asked gently.

"This is what I mean! It's either my passion or my family! I hate it!" Miguel cried and curled into a ball, burying his face in his arms. Hector gently placed a hand of comfort on Miguel, who didn't even acknowledge it.

ABUELITA

There. No guitar, no music. (softening) Come. You'll feel better after you eat with your family.

She reaches out to comfort Miguel, but he is hurt beyond repair.

MIGUEL

I don't wanna be in this family!

The Riveras all bowed their heads sadly. They already heard Miguel shout that very same sentence once before, and it hurt knowing that they pushed him to that point. Elena, in particular, looked guilty. She looked towards Miguel to see him being comforted by that man of all people. She chased him to that point. She thought about Miguel when he was playing that accursed guitar, and how he looked so serene. Maybe the ban really should be reconsidered.

He snatches the photo from Papá and bolts out of the hacienda.

PAP?

Miguel! MIGUEL!

EXT. SIDE STREET

Miguel bursts out of the compound, desperate to get away. Dante, nose buried in a trash bag, hears Miguel and chases after him. Miguel runs past a poster for the plaza "TALENT SHOW."

EXT. MARIACHI PLAZA - EVENING

Miguel approaches a STAGE MANAGER in the gazebo.

MIGUEL

I wanna play in the plaza. Like de la Cruz! Can I still sign-up?

STAGE MANAGER

You got an instrument?

MIGUEL

No... But if I can borrow a guitar-

STAGE MANAGER

Musicians gotta bring their own instruments… (walking away) You find a guitar, kid, I'll put you on the list.

Miguel looks distraught.

MOMENTS LATER:

Miguel approaches any musician he can find.

MIGUEL

Excuse me, can I borrow your guitar?

MUSICIAN #1

Sorry, muchacho.

CUT TO:

MIGUEL

You guys have a spare guitar?

MUSICIAN #2

No.

CUT TO:

MIGUEL

I need a guitar, just for a little bit-

MUSICIAN #3

Get outta here, kid!

"What a jerk!" Rosa said. Many nodded in agreement.

Disheartened, Miguel walks away. He finds himself facing the statue of de la Cruz.

MIGUEL

Great-great grandfather... What am I supposed to do?

No answer. Miguel's gaze falls on a plaque at the base of the statue that reads "Seize Your Moment!" Miguel looks at the photo in his hand. He moves his thumb to reveal the skull head guitar. Then, a firework illuminates the skull head guitar that the statue holds. Miguel gets an idea.

EXT. CEMETERY - MOMENTS LATER

A sea of candles and flowers, families gathered at graves. Miguel sneaks through the cemetery unnoticed, slipping from one shadow to the next. Dante suddenly catches up to Miguel. He barks excitedly.

MIGUEL

No, no, no, no, no, Dante stop! Cállate! Shhh!

Miguel swipes a chicken leg off a neighboring grave, and chucks it. Dante bounds after the food.

EXT. DE LA CRUZ'S MAUSOLEUM

Miguel slinks around the side of the tomb. He looks in one of the windows. Inside, the famous guitar hangs above the crypt.

"You aren't going to steal from the dead on the Day of the Dead, are you?" Hector asked worriedly.

"I need a guitar, and a guitar is just sitting there not being used!" Miguel said, defending himself.

"For your sake, Chamaco, I hope nothing happens." Hector said grimly.

"What do you mean?" Miguel's curiosity peaked.

"That is a really easy way to get yourself cursed." Hector warned, and Miguel felt a chill go down his spine.

"Curse? What kind of curse?" Miguel started to feel worry for his future self.

"I'm not sure, but they are never good." Hector looked at Miguel, reflecting his worry.

The other Riveras were hoping Miguel wouldn't do what they thought he was going to do, but they had a sinking feeling that he would anyway. Enrique and Luisa looked at their son in concern. Hector looked like he was talking some sense into him, and they hoped he could reach Miguel in a way they could not.

Fireworks pop; bursts of light glint off the instrument. It seems to beckon him. He tries the window but it's locked. More fireworks shoot into the sky.

MIGUEL

I'm sorry...

Timing to the explosions, Miguel throws his shoulder into the rusted-shut window pane and forces it open with a scraping KRRRR-LANK! He slinks inside the tomb.

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S MAUSOLEUM

Miguel drops down to the mausoleum floor. The noise from outside is muffled. He climbs onto the crypt, slightly moving the lid. He stifles a gasp. He crawls over the marble sarcophagus and comes face-to-face with the famed guitar. Miguel wipes away a layer of dust, revealing the rich painted wood beneath. He looks up to the portrait of de la Cruz.

"This feels very wrong." Rosa piped up.

"Especially since we know that he isn't really our great great grandpa." Abel agreed.

"Miguel, for your sake, I hope you turn around and leave." Imelda said, voice full of concern.

MIGUEL

Se?or de la Cruz? Please don't be mad. I'm Miguel, your great-great grandson... I need to borrow this.

Heart in his throat, Miguel lifts the guitar off its mount. Unbeknownst to him, some marigold petals in the mausoleum begin to sparkle.

The Riveras all tensed at the glow. They had no idea what that meant, but if Miguel was stealing from the dead, it couldn't be good. Miguel tried not to think about what Hector said about curses.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Our family thinks music is a curse. None of them understand, but I know you would have. You would've told me to follow my heart. To seize my moment!

He backs up, in full view of the painting.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

So if it's all right with you, I'm gonna play in the plaza, just like you did!

Confidence building, he strums it once. The air around him vibrates - radiating like a shock wave. The petals on the ground whirl and surge with light for just a moment.

"Okay, I have to know. What's with the glowing?" Gloria asked.

"That will be revealed if you just wait a few minutes. Honestly, y'all are so impatient." Yellowberri sighed.

Miguel is visibly taken aback. What just happened? Suddenly, a flashlight shines in the window of the mausoleum.

VOICES (O.S.)

The guitar! It's gone! Somebody stole de la Cruz's guitar! The window's broken, look.

Miguel hears keys jangling and the door unlocking. A GROUNDSKEEPER enters with a flashlight.

GROUNDSKEEPER

Alright, who's in there?

Startled, Miguel puts down the guitar.

MIGUEL

I... I'm sorry! It's not what it looks like! De la Cruz is my...

The groundskeeper walks straight through Miguel! He doesn't even see him!

All the Riveras, both inside and outside the barrier, all started to question loudly about what they just witnessed. Yellowberri just let them freak out for a few minutes. The commotion was enough to wake up Coco, who looked around at everyone in a daze.

"CALM DOWN!" Yellowberri shouted after it went on for too long.

"Calm down? Our Miguel has been turned into a ghost, and you want us to calm down?" Elena shouted back.

"No he's not. At least, not yet. This is the future we're looking at. We're here to fix it, remember?" Yellowberri reminded them, and they all relaxed slightly at the reminder. They were still very tense that something like this could very much happen, however.

"That's what you meant by a curse?" Miguel asked Hector.

"Si. Though, I didn't know it would be this." Hector gestured to the screen.

"What exactly happened?" Berto asked, not knowing about the curse that Hector mentioned.

Yellowberri sighed heavily and said, "To repeat myself from earlier, wait a few minutes and you will find out. I'm not going to spoil you on anything."

"Is there even an answer for this?" Luisa asked.

"Gee! If only there was something like a movie that all of you could watch that would explain everything." Yellowberri sarcastically gestured to the paused screen, and everyone reluctantly took the not so subtle hint.

GROUNDSKEEPER

There's nobody here!

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT

A panicked Miguel runs out, trying to figure out what's going on! But the people in the cemetery walk through him too. Suddenly he hears a familiar voice.

MAM?

Miguel!

Miguel turns to see Papá and Mamá still searching for him.

MIGUEL

Mamá!

PAP?

Miguel! Come home!

He reaches for his parents, but goes straight through them.

Enrique and Luisa hugged each other tightly. It scared them to know that something so weird and unknown could separate them from their child. They both glanced back at Miguel, who looked just as unsettled as they did, just to make sure they could still see him.

PAP?

Where are you, Miguel?!

Frantic, Miguel trips and falls into an open grave. A nearby woman gasps and peeks over the ledge of the grave.

WOMAN

Dios mío! Little boy, are you okay?

She reaches into the grave.

WOMAN (CONT'D)

Here, let me help you.

Miguel takes her hand and she pulls him out.

MIGUEL

Thanks, I-

They see each other face to face. The woman is a skeleton!

The Riveras gasped in shock as a group. If they already couldn't react to both the living and the dead, they were certain that they would be screaming right now.

Miguel screams! She does too! Miguel backs away. He turns to see another skeleton. He falls backwards and scoots away frantically. He bumps into another skeleton whose head falls off and lands in Miguel's hands.

SKELETON HEAD

Do you mind?

MIGUEL

Ahhh!

SKELETON HEAD

Ahhh!

MIGUEL

AHHH!

Miguel tosses the head away from him and turns to see the whole cemetery is teeming with skeletons! And they can all see him! He races off and hides behind a grave. After a moment, he peeks over the headstone to watch the skeletons engaging with their living families. One couple dances. Another man reaches for offerings on his grave, which solidify in his hands when he takes them. A couple of skeletons coo over a toddler.

SKELETON ABUELA

Look how big she's getting!

"Wow! Is this what it looks like on your end?" Abel couldn't help but ask his dead relative.

"Yes. It's always jarring your first Dia de Muertos as a dead person." Victoria responded thinking of her first year as a skeleton. She was so thankful to have her family to help her.

Suddenly Dante surprises Miguel and licks him on the cheek. Miguel screams.

MIGUEL

Dante?! You can see me? W-wait! What's going on?!

"Animals can see the dead too?" Gloria asked, mystified.

"Only Alebrijes and Xolo dogs. They have mystical properties that let them traverse between worlds." Yellowberri explained.

"How come you'll answer some questions, but not others?" Carmen asked.

"Some things the movie will explain, and others it will only briefly touch." Yellowberri answered simply.

Dante barks, points, and bounds through the crowd.

MIGUEL

Dante! Dante!

Miguel gives chase until - BAM! He runs smack into a mustached skeleton and falls to the ground. The skeleton's bones break apart and scatter. The head pops up.

MIGUEL

I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

PAP? JULIO

Miguel?!

"Oh thank God he's run into family." Imelda said with a wave of relief. She didn't have to worry about him running around, fighting this alone. The rest of the Riveras shared her sentiment.

Miguel tries to gather the scattered bones.

T?A ROSITA

Miguel?

T?A VICTORIA

Miguel?

The bones magically pull away from Miguel.

PAP? JULIO

You're here! HERE here!

PAP? JULIO reconstitutes himself.

PAP? JULIO (CONT'D)

And you can see us?!

T?A ROSITA charges through Papá Julio, sending his bones scattering again. She grabs Miguel, hugging him tight.

T?A ROSITA

Our Migueli-ti-ti-ti-ti-to!

Miguel, smothered by Rosita's ample ribcage, struggles for air.

"So that's where you get your bear hugs from!" Rosa exclaimed to Elena as if she just found out the secrets of the universe.

MIGUEL

(muffled) Remind me how I know you?

T?A ROSITA

We're your family, mijo!

Tía Rosita's ofrenda photo flashes in Miguel's memory.

MIGUEL

Tía... Rosita?

T?A ROSITA

Sí!

He looks at Papá Julio, whose head is still turned the wrong way. T?A VICTORIA straightens it.

MIGUEL

Papá Julio?

PAP? JULIO

Hola.

MIGUEL

Tía Victoria?

Tía Victoria pokes Miguel's cheek, skeptical.

T?A VICTORIA

He doesn't seem entirely dead.

A living person ambles through Miguel's non-corporeal form.

T?A ROSITA

He's not quite alive either...

PAP? JULIO

We need Mamá Imelda. She'll know how to fix this!

"Do you know how to fix this?" Enrique asked, fearful of his son's fate.

"We'd go to the bureaucratic offices, and see what's going on. They'd most likely know what happened to Miguel." Imelda said, thinking of what actions she'd take.

"What happens if they don't know?" Luisa asked, equally as fearful as her husband.

"Then we will find out for ourselves." Imelda said in a tone that left no room for argument.

Unknown to any of them, Miguel and Hector were having a similar conversation.

"What if Mama Imelda doesn't know how to help me?" Miguel asked worriedly.

"I can think of no one better to help you. She's strong willed and determined. If anyone could find a way to break your curse, it's her." Hector said in a mostly reassuring tone. There was a love-struck twinge in there that hinted at his undying love for her.

Suddenly twin skeleton gents run, huffing, toward the family.

T?O FELIPE

(huffing) Oye!

T?O OSCAR

(winded) It's Mamá Imelda-

T?O FELIPE

(huffing) -She couldn't cross over!

The others gasp.

The Riveras gasped with their on screen counterparts, just as surprised at the news.

"That's right! Miguel still has Mama Imelda's photo!" Berto slapped his forehead as he remembered.

"Ay, what a mess this is turning out to be." Imelda pinched her nose bone in exasperation.

T?O OSCAR

She's stuck-

T?O FELIPE

-On the other side!

Miguel sees pictures of his Tío Oscar and Tío Felipe flash in his memory.

MIGUEL

Tío Oscar? Tío Felipe?

T?O OSCAR

Oh, hey Miguel.

Tía Victoria turns her gaze on Miguel.

T?A VICTORIA

I have a feeling this has something to do with you.

"Gee! He only stole her photo, tried to steal a guitar, and somehow got himself sent to the realm of the dead." Rosa said sarcastically.

T?A ROSITA

But if Mamá Imelda can't come to us...

PAP? JULIO

...Then we are going to her! Vámonos!

Papá Julio grabs Miguel by the arm and the family rushes through the cemetery, trailed by Dante.

EXT. CEMETERY - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel and his family weave through the graves, rounding a corner. His gaze falls upon a glowing MARIGOLD BRIDGE arching before them.

"What is that?" Gloria asked, voice full of wonder.

"The bridge between worlds. It only appears on Dia de los Muertos." Imelda explained.

MIGUEL

Whoa...

The bridge extends into the mist. A stream of skeletons amble across for the holiday. The family passes through an invisible barrier onto the bridge. Their bodies change from ghostly to solid. Miguel hesitates at the threshold.

PAP? JULIO

Come on, Miguel. It's ok.

Miguel follows after the family, the petals glowing under his feet. Dante takes off.

MIGUEL

Dante! Dante! Dante, wait up!

Miguel runs after Dante, finally catching up to the dog as he rolls in the petals at the crest of the bridge. He sneezes some petals into Miguel's face.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

You gotta stay with me, boy. We don't know... where...

Out of the mist, the sparkling cityscape of the Land of the Dead emerges. It's breathtaking. His family sidles up.

The living relatives all murmured in awe and amazement at the sight. The Land of the Dead looked pretty lively, and colorful. Not that they had an idea of what it looked like before.

"It's beautiful." Luisa gasped.

"When am I going to die? I wanna see it in person!" Abel exclaimed suddenly.

"You could just steal a guitar from a mausoleum like Miguel." Rosa suggested.

"Dios Mio children! No dying, and no stealing!" Elena scolded her grandchildren.

"I have to agree. I better not see either of you on the other side for many more decades at the very least." Imelda agreed.

MIGUEL

This isn't a dream, then. You're all really out there...

T?A VICTORIA

You thought we weren't?

MIGUEL

Well I don't know, I thought it might've been one of those made up things that adults tell kids… like... vitamins.

T?A VICTORIA

Miguel, vitamins are a real thing.

MIGUEL

Well, now I'm thinking maybe they could be...

Miguel's comment made a good chunk of the Riveras snort in amusement.

As skeletons pass in the other direction, Miguel receives some strange looks. A little skeleton girl gasps, pointing at him.

SKELETON MOTHER

Mija, it's not nice to stare at- (seeing Miguel) Ay! Santa Maria!

"I guess being alive in the Land of the Dead would cause that sort of reaction." Enrique commented, and several nodded in agreement.

The woman goes wide-eyed, her head turning backwards to gawk at Miguel as she walks in the opposite direction. Miguel puts up his hood. The Riveras continue on toward an arrivals area on the far side of the bridge. Miguel sees fantastical creatures crawling, flying, making nests in the nearby architecture.

MIGUEL

Are those...? Alebrijes! But those are-

T?O OSCAR

REAL alebrijes. Spirit creatures...

"The wooden figurines don't do them justice." Berto said.

"Now I really can't wait to die." Abel breathed, only to have his family shoot him sharp looks. "But not for a long time." He hastily added much to their relief.

T?A ROSITA

They guide souls on their journey...

T?O FELIPE

Watch your step, they make caquitas everywhere.

"Okay, that makes it somewhat less appealing." Abel admitted, causing some amused chuckling amongst their group.

They get to the far edge of the Marigold Bridge.

EXT. MARIGOLD GRAND CENTRAL STATION

CANNED LOOP (V.O.)

Welcome back to the Land of the Dead. Please have all offerings ready for re-entry. We hope you enjoyed your holiday!

A sign reads RE-ENTRY.

"Wow they have a system and everything." Carmen mused.

"Alright, I guess I can wait to die, if I'm just going to have to do paperwork." Abel whined.

"Truely, a great sacrifice it is to not die." Rosa said sarcastically.

ARRIVALS AGENT

Welcome back! Anything to declare?

TRAVELER

Some churros... from my family.

"I'm amazed that there's already a re-entry line this early in the evening." Luisa said, genuine surprise in her voice. If she only had one night a year to see her family, she'd milk it for all she's got.

"Some people have family scattered in different towns, so they only briefly get to see each part of their family." Rosita explained.

ARRIVALS AGENT

How wonderful! Next!

CANNED LOOP (V.O.)

...If you are experiencing travel issues, agents at the Department of Family Reunions are available to assist you.

Miguel and family get into the line for RE-ENTRY, along with other skeletons returning from the Land of the Living. Nearby, skeletons exit the Land of the Dead through a gate marked DEPARTURES. Miguel watches.

DEPARTURES AGENT

Next family, please!

An ELDERLY COUPLE steps in front of a camera-mounted monitor. The monitor scans their faces and returns an image of their photos on an altar in the Land of the Living.

DEPARTURES AGENT (CONT'D)

Oh, your photos are on your son's ofrenda. Have a great visit!

ELDERLY COUPLE

Gracias.

"That's really cool! The Land of the Dead has some really neat contraptions." Abel said, sounding like he wanted to die again.

"Mijo! Stop it already! You aren't going to die before me." Berto said firmly.

The couple unites with the rest of their family. They all step onto the bridge, which begins to glow as they gain footing.

CANNED LOOP (V.O.)

...And remember to return before sunrise. Enjoy your visit!

"What happens if you don't return before sunrise?" Franco asked.

"We don't really know. We're really good about making it back before the horizon starts to grow lighter." Victoria answered with a shrug.

DEPARTURES AGENT

Next!

A skeleton man, a smile full of braces, steps up to the monitor.

DEPARTURES AGENT (CONT'D)

Your photo's on your dentist's ofrenda. Enjoy your visit!

JUAN ORTODONCIA

Grashiash!

DEPARTURES AGENT

Next!

H?CTOR (early 20s), a ragged fellow, steps up to the monitor, disguised as Frida Kahlo.

"Is that supposed to be you?" Miguel asked with a laugh.

"Si. This is my attempt to cross the bridge for this year. At least I can see if it'll work so I know whether to do it or not." Hector said, promptly ignoring the fact that he was being laughed at.

The rest of the Riveras all gave weird looks. Just what was he trying to do?

H?CTOR

Yes, it is I. Frida Kahlo. Shall we skip the scanner? I'm on so many ofrendas, it'll just overwhelm your blinky thingie...

Imelda smacked her face with her hand. Dios Mio, what an idiot! Like a disguise could fool a person, let alone a devil box. The others all chuckled at how weird of an introduction this was to Hector. Really! What was with that voice?!

The monitor scans him, but an "X" appears, accompanied by a negative buzzing sound.

DEPARTURES AGENT

Well shoot. Looks like no one put up your photo, Frida…

"Looks like it doesn't work." Miguel teased Hector, and the skeleton sighed. He guessed it was plan B for this year's attempt.

Héctor peels off his unibrow and throws off his frock.

H?CTOR

Okay, when I said I was Frida… just now? That... that was a lie. And I apologize for doing that.

DEPARTURES AGENT

No photo on an ofrenda, no crossing the bridge.

H?CTOR

You know what, I'm just gonna zip right over, you won't even know I'm gone.

Héctor bolts for the bridge. A security guards blocks the gate. Héctor splits in two and slides past the guard, half going over, half under.

H?CTOR

Ha HA!

Héctor reaches the bridge at a sprint, but the magic doesn't engage; he sinks right into the petals.

H?CTOR

Almost there, just a little further...!

The guards saunter to the bridge and casually pull Héctor back toward the Land of the Dead.

OFFICER

Upsy-daisy...

H?CTOR

Fine, okay. Fine, who cares… Dumb flower bridge!

The Riveras turned to look at Hector with varying emotions. Imelda and Elena looked at him like he was the dumbest person to ever exist. The children were amused by his antics, and some of the adults looked at him with slight pity. It was clear that he was desperate to get across, but no photo means no crossing.

Hector shrugged at them, only slightly embarrassed at how badly his plan failed. At least they didn't get to see the trainwreck that was the alebrije attempt. He shuddered at the memory

Miguel watches as the guards haul him out. Tía Rosita looks up in time to see his back.

T?A ROSITA

I don't know what I'd do if no one put up my photo.

"I wonder how many times we've seen him in passing without knowing it was him." Rosita mused out loud, only to be met with shrugs.

ARRIVALS AGENT (O.S.)

Next!

T?A ROSITA

Oh! Come mijo, it's our turn.

The arrivals line moves forward. The Dead Riveras crowd around the gate. The arrivals agent leans out from his window.

ARRIVALS AGENT

Welcome back, amigos! Anything to declare?

PAP? JULIO

As a matter of fact, yes.

The family pushes Miguel to the front, very much alive.

MIGUEL

Hola.

The arrivals agent's jaw literally drops.

"Does that happen often?" Gloria asked.

"More than I'd like." Imelda said thinking of all the times people had to be ridiculous about things.

CUT TO:

INT. MARIGOLD GRAND CENTRAL STATION

Miguel and his family are escorted by a security guard across an arching second floor walkway.

VOICE OVER P.A.

Paging Marta Gonzales-Ramos. Marta Gonzales-Ramos, please report to Level 7.

Dante happily trots alongside. Miguel looks up to see gondolas traveling by.

MIGUEL

Whoa...

Skeletons stare at Miguel as he walks by. Suddenly Miguel notices Tío Oscar staring at his face in deep contemplation.

T?O OSCAR

I miss my nose...

"I really do." Oscar said, touching his nasal bone almost forlorn. Imelda rolled her eyes at her brother being ridiculous.

At the end of the walkway are doors emblazoned with "DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY REUNIONS." The family passes through.

INT. DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY REUNIONS

Inside, they find case workers helping travelers work out holiday snafus.

DISTRESSED TRAVELER

C'mon! Help us out amigo... We gotta get to a dozen ofrendas tonight...

CUT TO:

MIFFED WIFE

We are NOT visiting your ex-wife's family for Día de Muertos!

CUT TO:

In a far corner, one traveler in particular is raising hell.

MAM? IMELDA

I demand to speak to the person in charge!

A beleaguered CASE WORKER cringes as Mamá Imelda tears into her.

CASE WORKER

I'm sorry, se?ora, it says here no one put up your photo-

Mamá Imelda coldly eyes the Macintosh 128k on the woman's desk.

MAM? IMELDA

My family always - ALWAYS - puts my photo on the ofrenda! That devil box tells you nothing but lies!

"That's my Imelda." Hector said with a goofy smile.

"You still love her, don't you." Miguel said.

"She's the love of my life." Hector sighed. Not that she felt the same. She hates his guts now, and she had every right to. If only he could go back and stop himself from ever leaving.

In a swift movement, Mamá Imelda removes her shoe and smacks the computer.

PAP? JULIO

Mamá Imelda?

She turns her shoe on Papá Julio, who leans back and yelps. Mamá Imelda softens.

MAM? IMELDA

Oh, mi familia! They wouldn't let me cross the bridge! Tell this woman and her devil box that my photo is on the ofrenda.

PAP? JULIO

Well, we never made it to the ofrenda...

MAM? IMELDA

What?!

PAP? JULIO

We ran into... um...

Mamá Imelda's eyes fall on Miguel. Miguel looks at Mamá Imelda. Her photo flashes before him.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel?

MIGUEL

Mamá Imelda...

MAM? IMELDA

What is going on?

Just then, a door opens and a CLERK pokes his head out.

CLERK

You the Rivera family?

"Okay, it's kinda creepy how he was ready for you so suddenly." Rosa commented.

The computer short circuits.

CUT TO:

INT. CLERK'S OFFICE

CLERK

Well, you're cursed.

The family gasps.

The Riveras gasp with the ones on screen. A curse? That was what befell their little Miguel?

MIGUEL

What?!

The clerk searches through a huge stack of papers.

CLERK

Día de los Muertos is a night to GIVE to the dead. You STOLE from the dead.

MIGUEL

But I wasn't stealing the guitar!

MAM? IMELDA

Guitar...?

"Oh boy. He's in for it now." Abel said.

MIGUEL

It was my great-great grandfather's, he would have wanted me to have it-

"I would gladly give it to you, Chammaco, but I doubt your family would let you keep it." Hector said, and Miguel smiled at his effort.

MAM? IMELDA

Ah-ah-ah! We do not speak of that… (disgust) ...musician! He is DEAD to this family!

Hector tried to hide the sting of hurt, but Miguel patted his arm in sympathy anyways. Some of the living looked back to see if he'd have a panic attack like before.

MIGUEL

Uh, you're all dead.

Dante balances his paws at the edge of the clerk's desk and tries to reach a plate of food.

CLERK

ACHOO! I am sorry, whose alebrije is that?

Miguel steps up, trying to pull Dante away from the treats.

MIGUEL

That's just Dante.

"Like that mutt could ever be a majestic alebrije." Elena mumbled to herself.

T?A ROSITA

He sure doesn't look like an alebrije.

Tía Rosita gestures to the fantastical creatures fluttering on the other side of the window.

T?O OSCAR

He just looks like a plain old dog...

T?O FELIPE

...Or a sausage someone dropped in a barbershop.

"See?" Elena gestured to the screen for emphasis.

CLERK

Whatever he is, I am - ACHOO! - terribly allergic.

MIGUEL

But Dante doesn't have any hair.

CLERK

And I don't have a nose, and yet here we are - ACHOO!

MAM? IMELDA

But none of this explains why I couldn't cross over.

Miguel realizes something. He sheepishly pulls out the folded photo.

MIGUEL

Oh...

He unfolds the photo.

MAM? IMELDA

You took my photo off the ofrenda?!

MIGUEL

It was an accident!

Mamá Imelda turns to the clerk, fire in her eyes.

MAM? IMELDA

How do we send him back?!

CLERK

Well, since it's a family matter… (flipping pages) The way to undo a family curse is to get your family's blessing.

MIGUEL

That's it?

"Oh, thank goodness the solution is so easy!" Imelda said, relieved.

CLERK

Get your family's blessing, and everything SHOULD go back to normal. But you gotta do it by sunrise!

MIGUEL

What happens at sunrise?

PAP? JULIO

Híjole! Your hand!

Miguel looks at his hand. The tip of one of his fingers has started to turn skeletal.

The room once again burst into chaos at the sight of Miguel slowly turning into a skeleton. Yellowberri sighed in frustration as the loud family once again burst out into a screaming frenzy. She looked over at Coco who was just staring at the screen in confusion. She shook her head, and then whistled loudly which made them grow silent once more.

"I get that this is something you don't want to happen to someone you love, but we are going to be here forever if you guys freak out every time something happens to Miguel." Yellowberri said almost tiredly.

"My son is slowly becoming a resident of the land of the dead! How do you expect any of us to be calm?!" Enrique pointed an accusing finger at her.

"Because he isn't? Look, your son is over here, still 100% alive. These are things that will take place only IF we let them. That is why we are here to stop it. Remember?" she said, jerking a thumb at the present Miguel who was just watching everyone with big eyes. He was also clutching his finger, as if he was afraid that it would turn skeletal like the one on screen. Hector put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he relaxed some. They had only been trapped together for roughly 30 minutes, but they were becoming fast friends.

The other Riveras noticed this, and had mixed reactions. Imelda and Elena were, of course, glaring at the ragged skeleton. But the others had varying expressions of curiosity, suspicion, and in the case of Enrique and Luisa, gratitude. They couldn't be there for Miguel thanks to the barrier and their own strictness, but Hector could. They just hoped he didn't steer their boy wrong.

"Now are we going to watch this or what?" Yellowberri prompted, and the Riveras went back to their seats, albeit begrudgingly.

He turns pale. He starts to faint when Papá Julio picks him up and gently slaps him awake.

PAP? JULIO

Whoa, Miguel. Can't have you fainting on us.

CLERK

But not to worry! Your family's here, you can get your blessing right now.

The clerk searches the ground near Tía Rosita.

CLERK

Cempasúchil, cempasúchil. Aha! Perdón, se?ora.

Tía Rosita titters. The clerk plucks a marigold petal from the hem of her dress. He hands the petal to Mamá Imelda.

CLERK

(to Imelda) Now, you look at the living and say his name.

Imelda turns to Miguel.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel.

CLERK

Nailed it. Now say: I give you my blessing.

MAM? IMELDA

I give you my blessing.

The marigold petal glows in her fingers.

"What is it with marigold petals and glowing?" Abel asked, turning to Yellowberri.

"They have mystical properties that are exceedingly strong during Dia de los Muertos." she explained.

Miguel brightens. But Mamá Imelda is not finished.

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

I give you my blessing to go home...

The glow of the marigold petal surges.

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

To put my photo back on the ofrenda...

Each added condition makes the petal glow brighter. Imelda delivers it like a scolding, but Miguel nods.

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

And to never play music again!

The petal surges one last time.

MIGUEL

What? She can't do that!

"What? She can't do that!" Miguel said in tandem with his on screen self.

"Sorry, Miguel. But she can." Yellowberri said apologetically.

Imelda smirked to herself. This had to be the way to get Miguel to stop playing music. He wouldn't risk his own life for some stupid fantasy.

CLERK

Well technically she can add any conditions she wants.

Miguel stares her down. Imelda is firm in her resolve.

MIGUEL

Fine.

Imelda nodded to herself. The movie had to be almost over. Miguel would listen to her, and no more music would disgrace the Riveras.

Elena wasn't as sure as before. She had seen how happy Miguel was in that scene earlier. Would he really give up something like that so easily? And what would Mama Imelda do if he didn't? Surely she would do the right thing, and send him back without the condition if he refused to listen to her. She knew what was best after all. Right?

CLERK

(to Imelda) Then you hand the petal to Miguel.

Imelda extends the petal to Miguel, who reaches for it. He grabs the petal. WHOOOOSH! He's consumed by a whirlwind of petals and disappears.

DE LA CRUZ'S MAUSOLEUM - NIGHT

He reappears in a whirlwind of petals. It seems like he's solid. He runs to the window and looks out.

MIGUEL

No skeletons!

"Thank goodness that's over with." Imelda said to herself.

"There's still more movie to go through, you know. I wouldn't be celebrating so soon." Yellowberri's voice chimed in from the back. Making everyone look at Miguel with dread. Would their child really become a permanent resident of the land of the dead?

Miguel laughs, relieved. Then, a mischievous smile on his face, he turns and eyes de la Cruz's guitar. Miguel quickly grabs the guitar.

MIGUEL

Mariachi Plaza, here I come-

He takes two steps toward the door, then WHOOOOSH!

CLERK'S OFFICE - SAME TIME

Miguel appears back in the clerk's office in another flash of the marigold whirlwind, without the guitar.

The sound of multiple facepalms rang throughout the room. Yellowberri gave an "I told you so" smirk to the disgruntled family.

"You'd really risk your own life for music like that?" Hector asked, and Miguel raised a brow at him.

"This coming from a guy who died on a music tour?" he argued, and Hector gave him a dead-pan expression.

"Learn from my mistakes, muchacho. I paid for them everyday since I left Santa Cecilia. I really don't want the same fate to befall you." Hector said, sadness tinting his words. Miguel didn't say anything as he turned back to the screen. He had a point, but it was unfair for Mama Imelda to force him to choose like that.

The family turns, shocked to see him back so soon. Miguel realizes his hands are still in guitar-holding position.

MAM? IMELDA

Two seconds and you already break your promise!

MIGUEL

This isn't fair, it's my life! You already had yours!

Miguel grabs another petal, he marches over to Papá Julio.

MIGUEL

Papá Julio, I ask for your blessing.

Papá Julio shakes his head and pulls his hat down.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Tía Rosita? Oscar? Felipe? Tía Victoria?

They all shake their heads.

MAM? IMELDA

Don't make this hard, mijo. You go home my way, or no way.

"Mama Imelda!" a chorus of three voices rang out at the declaration. Luisa, Enrique, and Elena all gaped at the Rivera matriarch who looked at all of them questioningly. Everyone else looked on in awkward curiosity.

"You would really risk Miguel's life over the music ban?" Enrique asked, in an aghast tone.

"Of course not! He would understand soon enough that it would be best to forget all musical fantasies and go home with my conditions. He's just a child who needs guidance after all." Imelda answered.

"Right, so send him back home to us, and we will straighten it out." Luisa challenged.

"This way, he would have to obey the music ban, and follow the path that would benefit both him and his family the best." Imelda explained.

"Oh, because he obeyed so well the first time." Enrique gestured to the paused screen.

"Mama, you look like you want to say something." Berto interrupted before the argument could spiral further.

Sure enough, Elena stood between the two arguing sides, wringing her apron as she appeared to be mulling something over in her mind. She chewed on her lip as she glanced at Imelda with an inquisitive expression with only the barest traces of betrayal and hurt tinting her eyes.

"Mi amor? Are you okay?" Franco asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She stiffened, and looked at her son and daughter in law. Elena took a deep breath and looked at everyone with a steady gaze.

"I agree with Mama Imelda. It may seem harsh, but she wouldn't let Miguel die over a ban." she said, with only the slightest hint of an unsure tone in her voice.

"But Mama. Do you really think Miguel would just accept her conditions? He already ran away from his family once. What's to stop him from doing it again?" Enrique beseeched Elena.

"She has yet to steer us wrong. She won't let Miguel suffer." she said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself as much as everyone else.

Meanwhile in the bubble, Miguel and Hector were having a conversation.

"I get why you're upset, but please, chamaco, don't throw your life away. Your family loves you so much. Take it from someone who's been hated for almost a century, you shouldn't take that for granted." Hector said, trying to convince Miguel what was really important.

"But family should support you, no matter what. It's so unfair for her to force me to choose!" Miguel countered.

"She just wants what's best for you. I really hurt her when I left, and she doesn't want anyone else to feel that pain. Everything she's done has been out of love for her family." Hector said, placing a hand on Miguel's shoulder.

"But what about you? You're a part of the family too! Yellowberri said so herself before bringing you here. She's almost erased you from our history!" Miguel pointed out, and Hector was at a loss of words for a moment. Someone was willing to take his side? When was the last time that had happened before today? He really felt like he was dreaming before reality brought him back down.

"My story is different. I brought my punishment upon myself. I was the one who left. I was the one who hurt her. Everything I've been through since then is my own fault. She had every right to do what she did." Hector said in a defeated tone.

"But you tried to come home! You just died before you could!" Miguel argued. Yellowberri interrupted before Hector could respond.

"I hate to break things up, but we will be here forever if we don't get back to the movie." Yellowberri gestured to the paused screen. Everyone begrudgingly went back to their seats

MIGUEL

You really hate music that much?

MAM? IMELDA

I will not let you go down the same path he did.

Miguel gets an idea. He pulls the photo out and turns from the group.

MIGUEL

The same path he did.

He gazes at the man with no face.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

(to himself) He's family…

"You see? He's not going to listen to you because he has an alternative. AND to top it off, he's going to chase after the wrong guy! You should have just sent him back to us with no conditions!" Enrique said angrily. His glare pierced Imelda.

"Enrique, I know you and Luisa are mad, but please don't interrupt too much. Remember, Miguel is still alive." Yellowberri reminded the angry parents.

T?A VICTORIA

Listen to your Mamá Imelda.

T?O OSCAR

She's just looking out for you.

T?A ROSITA

Be reasonable.

Miguel starts back toward the door.

MIGUEL

Con permiso, I... need to visit the restroom. Be right back!

Miguel sees himself out. The family waits for a beat.

CLERK

Uh, should we tell him there are no restrooms in the Land of the Dead?

"You guys don't need to use the restroom?" Rosa asked.

"Nope! One of the perks of being dead." Victoria said with a smile.

INT. STAIRCASE - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel hustles down a staircase with Dante. Once on the ground floor, they huddle beneath the staircase. He looks to the upper floor. The Dead Riveras are there. Tío Oscar asks a PATROLWOMAN about a boy of Miguel's height. The patrolwoman picks up her walkie-talkie. Miguel scopes the ground floor and spies a revolving door exit.

MIGUEL

Vámonos.

Miguel puts up his hood, tightening it to a tiny eye hole, and heads out. Dante pads after him.

PATROLWOMAN

We got a family looking for a LIVING BOY.

MIGUEL

If I wanna be a musician, I need a MUSICIAN'S blessing. We gotta find my great-great grandpa.

Enrique and Luisa once again glared at Imelda, but didn't say anything to keep the movie going.

Elena didn't know what to think. Mama Imelda's strictness pushed Miguel away not once, but twice. Now they might lose Miguel forever. She thought Mama Imelda wouldn't steer them wrong, but her grandson may die because he refused to follow the rules he was so sick and tired of.

Imelda felt a weight in her chest. She just saw one of her family willingly run away for music, AGAIN! And some of her living family appeared to blame her for chasing him away instead of just letting him back home. She had to admit, she may have been a little too harsh with the condition, but she just wanted Miguel to stay away from something that had hurt them all so badly. Was that so wrong?

The exit gets closer when Miguel is stopped by a PATROLMAN.

PATROLMAN

Hold it, muchacho.

Miguel's hoodie loosens to reveal his living face.

PATROLMAN

Ahh!

The patrolman frantically grabs for his walkie-talkie.

PATROLMAN

I've found that living boy!

A large family passes between Miguel and the officer, chatty, arms full of offerings.

PATROLMAN

Uh whoa, excuse me, excuse me folks! Excuse me-

Once the family clears, Miguel is nowhere to be seen.

"I've always hated how easy it was to lose him in a crowd." Abel frowned.

"Oh, you just wish you had that same ability." Rosa countered. Abel neither confirmed or denied her statement.

CUT TO:

INT. NEARBY CORRIDOR

Miguel and Dante hide from the patrolman. But Dante wanders off to inspect a side room.

MIGUEL

No, no - Dante!

INT. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Miguel catches up to Dante. He overhears an exchange in a nearby cubicle.

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

...disturbing the peace, fleeing an officer, falsifying a unibrow...

H?CTOR

That's illegal?

For the first time since they got there Coco perked up. She knew that voice!

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

VERY illegal. You need to clean up your act, amigo.

H?CTOR

Amigo? (verklempt) Oh, that's so nice, to hear you say that, because… (misty) I've just had a really hard Día de Muertos, and I could really use an amigo right now.

"Papa! Papa!" Coco suddenly burst out, startling the people around her. She pointed at the skeleton on screen that was so clearly her father. After all this time, she finally reunited with him… in a manner of speaking at least.

"Papa is home! Papa!" she bounced as best as her old body would allow. But she couldn't help it! Her papa was back! Her family tried to settle her down, but she kept pointing, bouncing, and shouting that her papa was home.

"You know, there is a way to calm her down." Yellowberri said, gesturing to Hector, who was standing with both hands on the barrier. He was looking at Coco with so much longing that it actually startled some of the Riveras. After all, they were only told about how heartless he was to leave behind his family. But his warm eyes betrayed the tender heart inside.

"No! He had his chance!" Imelda glared at the ragged skeleton. It didn't have the same effect as before, especially with her elderly daughter excitedly shouting for her papa in the background. The family, for the most part, internally disagreed. But they weren't quite ready to voice their opposition against her stance, especially since it was her daughter.

"Fine." Yellowberri rolled her eyes, and with a flash of light Coco was snoozing once more.

"What did you do to her?!" Imelda and Elena demanded at the same time.

"Relax. She's only asleep, and will remain that way until you allow her to see her papa." Yellowberri said with a glare of her own. The next several minutes were spent with the Riveras unsuccessfully trying to wake Coco and threatening Yellowberri with the harshest punishment if she didn't wake her up soon.

"Nope! The only thing keeping her asleep is Imelda's stubbornness." Yellowberri said.

"She's just asleep, right? Not hurt or sick?" Hector asked in a very concerned voice while looking at his daughter.

"Yes. It's the only other way to keep her from yelling 'Papa' everytime you're on screen." Yellowberri explained, and Hector breathed a sigh of relief.

"You drag us here, demand we watch a movie, steal our shoes, and even bring him along with us. These are all things I can deal with, but I will not stand for you harming my family!" Imelda said, looking ready to pounce.

"She's not hurt. Like I said, if you would just listen, she is asleep. Not hurt! Asleep!" Yellowberri stressed.

"Let's all take a deep breath, okay? Fighting isn't getting us anywhere." Julio tried to resolve the situation, but was only met with glares.

"He does have a point. I'm not letting you leave until the whole movie is viewed by you guys. Arguing is only prolonging your stay here." Yellowberri said. After several minutes of a silent stand-off, everyone begrudgingly went back to their seats.

Héctor leans gratefully toward the officer, overwhelmed with mock emotion.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

And amigos, they help their amigos. Listen, you get me across that bridge tonight and I'll make it worth your while.

Héctor spies a de la Cruz poster at the officer's workstation.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Oh, you like de la Cruz? He and I go way back! I can get you front row seats to his Sunrise Spectacular Show!

Miguel perks at the mention of de la Cruz.

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

Uh-

H?CTOR

I'll - I'll get you backstage, you can meet him! You just gotta let me cross that bridge!

Imelda rolled her eyes. Too little too late! He should've been this enthusiastic about going home when he was still alive.

The corrections officer pulls away.

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

I should lock you up for the rest of the holiday… But my shift's almost up, and I wanna visit my living family... so I'm letting you off with a warning.

H?CTOR

Can I at least get my costume back?

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

Uh, no.

In a huff, Héctor marches out of the room.

H?CTOR

Some amigo...

Miguel follows him.

INT. HALLWAY

MIGUEL

Hey. Hey! You really know de la Cruz?

"At least he's with a family member, right?" Rosa joked, but was met with a glare from Imelda at the insinuation of Hector being family. Yellowberri glared at Imelda for the insinuation that Hector was not family.

H?CTOR

Who wants to- (noticing Miguel) Ah! You're alive!

MIGUEL

Shhh!

CUT INTO:

INT. PHONEBOOTH

Miguel pulls Héctor into a phone booth to avoid suspicion.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Yeah I'm alive. And if I wanna get back to the Land of the Living, I need de la Cruz's blessing.

H?CTOR

That's weirdly specific.

MIGUEL

He's my great-great-grandfather.

"Aaaand now the real great-great-grandfather will join on a wild goose chase to find the fake great-great-grandfather." Abel said sarcastically.

"Dios Mio! Why would anyone think I had a thing for that macho idiot!" Imelda groaned into her hands.

"You brought that upon yourself by having everyone forget about Hector." Yellowberri called from the back, only making Imelda groan louder.

H?CTOR

He's your wha-whaat...?

Hector's eyes drop into his mouth. He pops them back up with a punch to his jaw. Miguel is a little grossed out. Héctor turns to conference with himself.

"Okay, I'm kinda looking forward to being a skeleton again if it means I can do things like that." Abel said, making his family roll their eyes at him looking forward to death again.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait… (gasp) Wait, no, wait, wait, wait. Wait. wait, wait, wait, wait, wait? Yes! You're going back to the Land of the Living?!

"Hey, Victoria had that same mannerism when she was a kid." Julio pointed out.

"Now I understand why Mama Imelda hated it when I did that." Victoria said, looking at Imelda who was trying not to let her sheepishness show.

MIGUEL

D'ya know what, maybe this isn't such a g-

Héctor snaps his fingers rapidly, pistons firing.

H?CTOR

No, ni?o, ni?o, ni?o, I can help you! You can help me. We can help each other! But most importantly, you can help ME.

Imelda turned to glare at her estranged husband for his selfishness, and the guy only shrugged with a sheepish smile in response.

Miguel suddenly spies his family hurrying down a staircase. Mamá Imelda spots Miguel.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel!

MIGUEL

AH!

Héctor extends his hand.

H?CTOR

I'm Héctor.

MIGUEL

That's nice!

Miguel grabs Héctor by the wrist and drags him to the exit, away from his family.

EXT. MARIGOLD GRAND CENTRAL STATION

Miguel and Dante burst out the door and rush down the stairs. Héctor's arm snaps to get Miguel's attention. Miguel realizes it's no longer attached to Héctor's body. The arm signals backwards to Héctor who is ten paces behind.

H?CTOR

Espérame chamaco!

"Yeesh! Skeletons sure do fall apart easily." Berto commented.

"Only if they're on the verge of being forgotten. The ones who are remembered well have a harder time falling apart." Yellowberri explained.

Miguel throws the arm back to Héctor and they disappear into a dense crowd. Moments later, the Dead Riveras burst from the revolving doors. Mamá Imelda scours the crowd for Miguel. He's nowhere to be found.

MAM? IMELDA

Ay, he is going to get himself killed... I need my spirit guide, Pepita.

Mamá Imelda looks to the night sky, puts two fingers to her mouth, and lets out a piercing whistle. FWOOOMP! A giant winged jaguar lands in front of Mamá Imelda. She turns to the family.

"Hard to believe Imelda's small cat could become such an enormously frightening creature." Hector said, remembering the times she let Pepita loose on him. He learned pretty quickly that she didn't want to speak to him, let alone see him.

"Does that mean Dante can become an alebrije?" Miguel asked, excitedly thinking about what his alebrije appearance would look like.

"Nothing's impossible, Miguel" Hector answered.

MAM? IMELDA

Who has that petal Miguel touched?

PAP? JULIO

Here!

Papá Julio steps forward with a marigold petal. He creeps forward, jittery, holding it out for Pepita.

PAP? JULIO

Nice alebrije...

Pepita sniffs the petal's scent. Suddenly Pepita's head darts, narrowing in on the scent. She takes to the air.

EXT. UNDERPASS TUNNEL - NIGHT

Miguel sits on a wooden crate. Héctor uses his thumb to smudge black and white shoe polish on the boy's face.

H?CTOR

Hey, hey, hold still. Look up. Look up. A ver, a ver… look up. Up, UP!... Ta-da!

Héctor opens a small mirror. Miguel's face is painted to look like a skeleton.

"He's pretty talented to pull that off with only shoe polish." Gloria said, impressed.

Imelda dug her fingers into her dress. It was hard enough to see him on screen, but hearing the others make comments about him was much harder. She decided to focus her efforts into glaring a hole through the screen since she couldn't smack him with her absent shoe.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Dead as a doorknob. So listen, Miguel: this place runs on memories. When you're well-remembered, people put up your photo and you get to cross the bridge and visit the living on Día de Muertos. Unless you're me.

MIGUEL

You don't get to cross over.

H?CTOR

No one's ever put up my picture… But you can change that!

He unfolds an old picture. In it is a young, living Héctor.

Imelda inhaled sharply as a twinge of pain went through her non-existent heart. There was a reason she ripped him out of the photo, and that was because it hurt so much to see his face. It was bad enough when it showed him poised properly, but it was far worse when it was his goofy smile. The smile she fell in love with. She tightened her grip on her dress as she fought the urge to bang on the invisible wall until it collapsed so she could shove his hat down his throat.

MIGUEL

This is you?

H?CTOR

Muy guapo, eh?

"Imelda are-"

"-you alright?" her brothers asked.

"I'm fine!" she said through clenched teeth. She thought being accused of marrying Ernesto was bad enough, but it was way worse to see him on screen. She was able to ignore it pretty well at first since he was acting like such a scoundrel. But seeing him like this, acting like the Hector she remembered, it hurt.

The Riveras, not knowing what to do, decided to turn back to the screen. Hopefully the scene would change soon.

MIGUEL

So you get me to my great-great grandpa, then I put up your photo when I get home?

H?CTOR

Such a smart boy! Yes! Great idea, yes! One hiccup: de la Cruz is a tough guy to get to. And I need to cross that bridge soon. Like TONIGHT. (upbeat) So, you got any other family here, you know? Someone a bit more… accessible?

MIGUEL

Mmm, nope.

"And of course he has to make things harder." Rosa said sarcastically.

H?CTOR

Don't yank my chain, chamaco. You gotta have SOME other family.

MIGUEL

ONLY de la Cruz. If you can't help me, I'll find him myself.

Miguel marches out of the alley, whistling for Dante to follow.

H?CTOR

Okay, okay, kid, fine - fine! I'll get you to your great-great grandpa...!

CUT TO:

EXT. BUSTLING STREET

They make their way through a pedestrian path.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

...It's not gonna be easy, you know? He's a busy man. What are you doing?

Miguel slink-walks next to Héctor goofily.

MIGUEL

I'm walking like a skeleton. Blending in.

H?CTOR

No, skeletons don't walk like that.

MIGUEL

It's how you walk.

H?CTOR

No, I don't.

Miguel keeps walking funny.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Stop it!

"Why is he walking so funny?" Rosa asked.

"One: he's nearly forgotten so his bones aren't sticking together like they should. Two: some of his bones are actually broken. If you look closely you can see that some of them are being held together with duct tape." Yellowberri explained.

"Oh." she responded, not really knowing what else to say. The dead Riveras looked particularly uncomfortable with the state Hector was in. It was never easy seeing someone so close to the final death.

Miguel notices a billboard advertising "ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ'S SUNRISE SPECTACULAR!;" "Remember Me" blares from attached speakers.

MIGUEL

Whoa..."Ernesto de la Cruz's Sunrise Spectacular...!" Qué padre!

H?CTOR

Blech. Every year, your great-great grandpa puts on that dumb show to mark the end of Día de Muertos.

MIGUEL

And you can get us in!

H?CTOR

Ahhhh-

MIGUEL

Hey, you said you had front row tickets!

H?CTOR

That... that was a lie. I apologize for that.

"He didn't even send his old friend tickets?" Miguel asked sadly.

"He turned me away every chance he got. I would be surprised if he did." Hector answered bitterly.

Miguel gives Héctor a withering look.

H?CTOR

Cool off, chamaco, come on... I'll get you to him.

MIGUEL

How?

H?CTOR

'Cause I happen to know where he's rehearsing!

CUT TO:

EXT. WAREHOUSE, BENEATH WINDOWS

Héctor uses his suspenders to slingshot his arm to a third floor window. The hand taps on it.

"You have to admit, that's gotta be handy." Abel said, once again admiring what the Land of the Dead had to offer.

"Yes, but most dead people don't do that." Rosita cringed.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because they treat their body parts with respect." Victoria answered.

INT. COSTUME ROOM

CECILIA, a costumer, turns from a costume to look at the window. Héctor's hand waves. She rolls her eyes and goes to open the window.

CECILIA

You better have my dress, Héctor!

H?CTOR

Hola, Ceci!

EXT. BENEATH WINDOW

She lowers a ladder so Héctor, Miguel and Dante can climb up. Héctor grabs his arm and reattaches it.

INT. COSTUME ROOM

They all crawl in through the window.

MIGUEL

Hola.

H?CTOR

Ceci, I lost the dress-

CECILIA

Ya lo sabía! I gotta dress forty dancers by sunrise and thanks to you, I'm one Frida short of an opening number!

H?CTOR

Ceci - I know, Ceci. I know, I know. Ceci - Ceci... Ceci. Ceci...

As Héctor tries to talk her down, Dante wanders away from the costume area.

MIGUEL

Dante... Dante!

Miguel chases after him.

INT. REHEARSAL AREA

MIGUEL

We shouldn't be in here...

Miguel follows Dante through a giant warehouse, divided into different artists workspaces. He passes papier-m?ché sculptures, giant paper cut out banners, a skeleton posing nude for a painter…

This got a chuckle out of some of the adults.

Dante sniffs around. Suddenly an ALEBRIJE MONKEY jumps out at Dante. The monkey starts riding Dante, tormenting him. Miguel hustles after him.

MIGUEL

No, no, Dante! Ven acá!

The monkey jumps up onto the shoulder of FRIDA KAHLO, the REAL Frida Kahlo, who stands in front of a rehearsal stage. Miguel reins Dante in just as Frida turns to find them.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gloria screams, much to the annoyance of those around her.

"Be grateful you can't hear her." Yellowberri said to Hector and Miguel while covering her ears.

"What's gotten into you!" Elena yelled, trying to get the hearing back in her ears.

"Frida! The real Frida Kahlo! I would do anything to have her autograph!" Gloria bounced as she enthused about her favorite artist.

"Why didn't you scream when Hector dressed as her earlier?" Berto asked his sister.

"Pssht! That was so obviously a fake, that I didn't even need to address it. But, the one on screen right now is the real deal!" she said in a tone not unlike an excited schoolgirl.

"I know you're excited, but please calm down. We have a movie to get through." Berto placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to quiet.

"Sorry. I will try to reign in my enthusiasm." Gloria said, clearing her throat and settling into her seat once again.

FRIDA

You! How did you get in here?

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gloria screamed again. Everyone turned to her, more annoyed this time. She noticed, and stopped her cheering.

"Aha… sorry." she apologized, and everyone turned back to the movie.

MIGUEL

I just followed my-

Frida's eyes go wide when she sees Dante. She kneels and takes his head in her hands.

FRIDA

Oh, the mighty Xolo dog...! Guider of wandering spirits...! And whose spirit have you guided to me?

"We have to take Dante in after this." Gloria announced.

"And why on earth should we take in that street dog?" Elena asked, more than exasperated with her daughter at this point.

"Because Frida approved of him!" she said like it was the most obvious thing. Her statement was met with many eye rolls and head shakes.

Frida takes a closer look at Miguel.

MIGUEL

I don't think he's a spirit guide.

FRIDA

Ah-ah-ah. The alebrijes of this world can take many forms... They are as mysterious as they are powerful...

The patterns on Frida's monkey swirl and he opens his mouth to breath a blue fire. He fumbles at the end with a chesty cough. Then they look to Dante, who is chewing his own leg. Suddenly, Frida turns back to Miguel.

FRIDA (CONT'D)

Or maybe he's just a dog. Come! I need your eyes!

Frida guides him to view the rehearsal space.

FRIDA

You are the audience. Darkness. And from the darkness… A giant PAPAYA!

Lights come up on a giant papaya prop.

FRIDA

Dancers emerge from the papaya and the dancers are all me!

"This is the best day of my life! I get to see her genius in action!" Gloria announced bubbly. Berto placed a hand on her, trying to remind her that she should stay calm.

Leotarded, unibrowed dancers crawl around the sides of the mesh papaya. Behind the papaya is an even larger half- finished mesh structure.

FRIDA (CONT'D)

And they go to drink from the milk of their mother who is a cactus, but who is also me. And her milk is not milk but tears. (to Miguel) Is it too obvious?

MIGUEL

I think it's just the right amount of obvious? It could use some music... Oh! What if you did, like, doonk-doonk-doonk-doonk...

Frida, inspired, cues some musicians who start playing the tune.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Oh! And then it could go dittle-ittle-dittle-ittle-dittle-ittle-dittle-ittle - WHAAA!

The violins follow; a trombone punctuates.

FRIDA

And... what if everything was on fire? Yes! Fire everywhere!

"That settles it! I'm going to her studio when I die! You better bring me there Hector!" Gloria turned and pointed at him, who only looked on in confusion and concern at the manic look in her eye.

"Should I be worried about her, Chamaco?" he asked nervously.

"Nah, Tia Gloria is just a big Frida fan." Miguel said.

The dancers gasp and look at each other, now concerned.

FRIDA

Inspired! (leaning in) You... you have the spirit of an artist!

"Oh, I'm so jealous! Miguel got complimented by THE Frida Kahlo!" Gloria bemoaned.

"Gloria, if you don't stop with this Frida thing then you will be taking Miguel's place as the shoe shiner for then next month." Elena said, finally having enough of the ridiculousness. Gloria mimed zipping her lip then gave a thumbs up.

Miguel brightens. Frida turns back to the rehearsal.

FRIDA

The dancers exit, the music fades, the lights go out! And Ernesto de la Cruz rises to the stage!

A silhouette rises from a trap door. Miguel leans forward. A spotlight shines on the silhouette revealing it to be a mannequin.

"And he's not even there!" Rosa facepalmed. Talk about time wasted.

MIGUEL

Huh?

FRIDA

He does a couple of songs, the sun rises, everyone cheers-

Miguel hustles up to Frida.

MIGUEL

Excuse me, where's the real de la Cruz?

FRIDA

Ernesto doesn't do rehearsals. He's too busy hosting that fancy party at the top of his tower.

"I should've known. He never liked rehearsing when we performed for the plaza." Hector smacked his face, mimicking his great-great-granddaughter.

She gestures out a large window to a GRAND ESTATE lit up in the distance, atop a steep hill. Suddenly Héctor rounds the corner, out of breath.

H?CTOR

Chamaco! You can't run off on me like that! C'mon, stop pestering the celebrities...

Héctor pulls Miguel away, but Miguel won't be wrangled.

MIGUEL

You said my great-great grandpa would be here! He's halfway across town, throwing some big party.

H?CTOR

That bum! Who doesn't show up to his own rehearsal?

MIGUEL

If you're such good friends, how come he didn't invite you?

H?CTOR

He's YOUR great-great grandpa. How come he didn't invite YOU?

Héctor walks away from Miguel toward the musicians.

H?CTOR

Hey Gustavo! You know anything about this party?

"Ay. Not this guy." Hector moaned into his hands.

"What's wrong with him?" Miguel asked.

"You'll see." he nodded his head towards the screen.

GUSTAVO

It's the hot ticket. But if you're not on the guest list you're never getting in, Chorizo...

MUSICIANS

Hey, it's Chorizo! / Choricito!

H?CTOR

Ha ha, very funny guys. Very funny.

MIGUEL

Chorizo?

GUSTAVO

(to Miguel, re: Héctor) Oh, this guy's famous! Go on, go on, ask him how he died!

Imelda felt herself bristling despite herself. Why should dhe care if Hector was being made fun of for how he died? Still, she couldn't help but have the urge to smack that smug violinist with her best boots.

Miguel looks to Héctor, eyebrow cocked.

H?CTOR

I don't want to talk about it.

GUSTAVO

He choked on some CHORIZO!

"Is it normal for people to make fun of others for how they died?" Luisa asked.

"No. These guys are just jerks." Rosita said, almost disgusted. Imelda was subconsciously burning their features into her memory for when she got out of there. Then she shook her head to snap out of her trance. Hector abandoned her and Coco. Why should she go and smack around his bullies?

The musicians laugh. Miguel tries to stifle a giggle.

H?CTOR

I didn't choke, okay - I got food poisoning, which is a big difference!

More laughter.

H?CTOR

(to Miguel) This is why I don't like musicians... bunch of self-important jerks!

The whole Rivera clan was taken aback by his statement. The musician who left for music hated musicians? Imelda was immediately suspicious. But there would be no reason for Hector to lie in this scenario. He had no idea that Miguel was a family member. He thought he belonged to Ernesto. So why the sudden attitude change?

"His attitude change wasn't sudden, which is something you would've known if you gave him a chance to talk in the last 96 years." Yellowberri spoke from the back as if she was reading her mind.

The Riveras muttered to themselves. Hector hated musicians just like Imelda. Maybe he had a change of heart over the years? But it clearly only happened after he died, otherwise he would've come home. Right? Nobody knew what to think of him anymore. Imelda especially looked at her estranged husband with an unreadable expression.

MIGUEL

Hey, I'm a musician.

H?CTOR

You are?

GUSTAVO

Well, if you really want to get to Ernesto, there IS that music competition at the Plaza de la Cruz. Winner gets to play at his party...

Miguel's wheels start turning.

H?CTOR

No, no, no, chamaco, you are loco if you think-

Miguel looks to his hands, progressed in their skeletal transformation.

Everyone tensed at seeing how much more of Miguel's skeleton was visible.

MIGUEL

I need to get my great-great grandfather's blessing.

Miguel looks up to Héctor.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

You know where I can get a guitar?

Héctor sighs.

H?CTOR

I know a guy...

CUT TO:

EXT. UNDERPASS TUNNEL - NIGHT

Pepita sweeps across the sky, landing in a darkened corner. She casts a shadow on the wall, then lurches into the light. She sniffs out the spot where Héctor painted Miguel's face, finding a canister of shoe polish. She lets out a low growl. The Dead Riveras follow after her.

MAM? IMELDA

Have you found him, Pepita? Have you found our boy?

Pepita breathes on the ground, revealing a footprint. It glows for a moment. The family leans in to inspect.

"Can all alebrijes do that?" Berto asked.

"No. Pepita is a special alebrije." Imelda said with a small smile.

T?A ROSITA

A footprint!

PAP? JULIO

It's a Rivera boot!

T?O OSCAR

Size seven...

T?O FELIPE

...and a half.

T?A VICTORIA

Pronated.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel.

Pepita leans forward, breathes again, and the glow spreads to reveal a trail of footprints.

The Riveras all relaxed minutely. Hopefully they'd be closing in on him soon, and Miguel could go home.

CUT TO:

EXT. NARROW STAIRWAY

Miguel follows Héctor down a steep stairway. Miguel looks to his bony knuckles, concern on his face.

The small relaxation left them as soon as it came. His hands were all skeleton now!

H?CTOR

Why the heck would you wanna be a musician?

MIGUEL

My great-great grandpa was a musician.

H?CTOR

...Who spent his life performing like a monkey for complete strangers. Blech, no, no thank you, guácala, no…

Imelda frowned. Once again, Hector had no reason to lie. So what he was saying was his honest opinion. She shook herself. Too little too late. He should've come to that realization when he was still alive.

Elena gazed from the screen to the ragged skeleton and back. She was always told about the worst of that man. That he cared more about music than his family. Yet, there he was, talking badly about the musician lifestyle he left for. Having this in mind, maybe it was a good thing Miguel was stuck with him. He refused to listen to his family, maybe he'd listen to the former musician. One could only hope.

Enrique and Luisa released a breath they didn't know they were holding. Hector's views on music were the same as their own. Any idea of him convincing Miguel to chase after music flew out the window. Maybe, just maybe, Miguel would take what he had to say to heart.

Oscar and Felipe shared a surprised glance. They knew Hector in life. He lived and breathed music. He broke their sister's heart over it. Yet, there he was, talking badly about it. They looked back at him, trying to figure him out.

While the Riveras were musing over this fresh perspective, Miguel had a question for his great great grandfather.

"I'm confused. Why are you against playing when you are a musician?" Miguel asked Hector.

"I haven't touched an instrument in over a decade, Chamaco." Hector said, sounding rather tired.

"Really?" Miguel asked with wide eyes. Hector nodded.

"But you're already kicked out of the family. Why not enjoy something you love?" Miguel honestly didn't understand.

"Because it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I left for music, and Imelda has hated me for it ever since. Ernesto stole my songs, and completely changed them." Hector spoke in a tense tone.

"Wait, Ernesto wrote all his own songs!" Miguel said loudly.

"Nope. Just like how the guitar was mine, the songs belonged to me too." Hector said with a rueful smile. Miguel felt something in the pit of his stomach at those words. Something he couldn't identify, but felt wrong all the same.

"You died, and he stole your guitar and songs. On top of that he never told Mama Imelda, and turned you away every time you tried to see him." Miguel summarized, feeling that same uncomfortable feeling in his gut grow as he thought about everything surrounding Hector. There was a picture being painted, but a key element was missing. Something that would make everything make sense. He didn't know what that element was, but his gut told him that he wouldn't like the answer.

"Yeah, that's my situation in a nutshell." Hector said with an eye roll, oblivious to Miguel's small crisis.

Everyone eventually got it together enough to pay attention once more, and the movie started back up.

MIGUEL

Whadda you know?

As Miguel descends the staircase, de la Cruz's distant glowing tower is obscured by old forgotten buildings.

MIGUEL

So, how far is this guitar anyway?

H?CTOR

We're almost there...

Héctor jumps from the stairway and crashes on the ground below. But his bones reassemble immediately.

All the dead Riveras winced at Hector's carelessness of his own body. Abel, on the other hand, admired Hector's ability to reassemble himself so well. He couldn't wait until he was a skeleton. His parents, as if sensing his thoughts, gave him a disapproving stare.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Keep up, chamaco, come on!

Héctor leads Miguel through a stone archway.

EXT. SHANTY TOWN

Graffiti on the archway depicts skeletal angels with wings the color of marigolds. Inside the archway, a group of ratty skeletons huddle around a burning trashcan and laugh raucously. They are gray and dusty, not unlike Héctor, but there's a camaraderie about them.

"SHANTYTOWN?! HE TOOK MIGUEL TO SHANTYTOWN!" Imelda roared, and turned to Hector with her fiercest glare.

"Shantytown is nowhere near as bad as you think it is." Yellowberri stood in front of Hector with her arms crossed.

"I know all about the rumors surrounding that place! Thugs and thieves are abundant there, and he brought Miguel to that wretched place!" Imelda stormed up to Yellowberri, clearly on the warpath.

"Wrong. Shantytown is a place for the almost forgotten, not a place for criminals." Yellowberri was never once phased by Imelda, even in the face of her wrath.

"They are desperate! And desperate people do awful things!" she argued.

"Well, you're not wrong. Desperate people can and have done terrible things. But neither Hector nor the denizens of Shantytown would hurt Miguel." Yellowberri said with the utmost confidence.

"How do you know?" Elena asked, eyes narrowed at the woman with strange powers.

"Hector may be desperate to cross the bridge, but he could never live with himself if something happened to a living child on his watch. And the people in Shantytown have good hearts. They would never let a living boy perish if they could help it." she explained, and the Riveras mulled over her word.

"Look, you'll figure it out for yourselves if we just continue to watch the movie." Yellowberri pointed at the screen. After several seconds of glaring, Imelda finally turned to her seat. Everyone else followed suit.

RATTY GROUP

COUSIN H?CTOR!

H?CTOR

Eh! These guys!

RATTY MEMBER

H?CTOR!

H?CTOR

Hey Tío! Qué onda!

MIGUEL

These people are all your family?

H?CTOR

Eh, in a way... We're all the ones with no photos or ofrendas, no family to go home to. Nearly forgotten, you know? So, we all call each other cousin, or tío, or whatever.

Whatever complaint Elena had about Shantytown died at Hector's words. Family was a big deal to her, and hearing these people adopting each other when no one else would take them in warmed a piece of her heart.

They approach three old ladies playing cards around a wooden crate. One, T?A CHELO looks up.

T?A CHELO

Héctor!

H?CTOR

Tía Chelo! He-hey!

Héctor hands them a bottle.

OLD TIAS

Muchas gracias!

H?CTOR

Hey, hey! Save some for me! Is Chicharrón around?

T?A CHELO

In the bungalow. I don't know if he's in the mood for visitors...

H?CTOR

Who doesn't like a visit from Cousin Héctor?

INT. SHANTY BUNGALOW TENT

Héctor holds the curtain open. Miguel and Dante walk in. The tent is cramped, dark, and quiet. Piles are organized everywhere: stacks of old dishes, a drawer full of pocket watches, magazines, records. This place belongs to a collector of things. Miguel almost knocks one stack over. Héctor spies a hammock piled with old junk, a dusty hat on top. He lifts the hat and finds the grumpy face of CHICHARR?N.

The Riveras felt a twinge in their hearts. This was how the nearly forgotten lived their afterlives? They couldn't imagine calling such a place home.

H?CTOR

Buenas noches, Chicharrón!

CHICHARR?N

I don't want to see your stupid face, Héctor.

H?CTOR

C'mon, it's Día de Muertos! I brought you a little offering!

CHICHARR?N

Get out of here...

H?CTOR

I would, Cheech, but the thing is... me and my friend, Miguel, we really need to borrow your guitar.

CHICHARR?N

My guitar?!

H?CTOR

Yes?

CHICHARR?N

My prized, beloved guitar...?

H?CTOR

I promise we'll bring it right back.

Chicharrón sits up, incensed.

CHICHARR?N

Like the time you promised to bring back my van?

H?CTOR

Uh...

CHICHARR?N

Or my mini-fridge?

H?CTOR

Ah, you see -

CHICHARR?N

Or my good napkins? My lasso? My femur?!

"Why did he borrow someone's femur?" Rosa asked. Everyone in the room was confused as well. Why would anyone want someone else's femur, and why would he let Hector take a part of his body like that?

"Short answer? It was part of yet another failed plan to cross the bridge. Long answer? You'd have to ask him for that." Yellowberri gestured to a sheepish looking Hector who was explaining himself to Miguel who clearly asked the same question.

"But we can't talk to him." Carmen pointed out.

"I'll let you speak to him later if you want." Yellowberri shrugged.

The Riveras all watched as Miguel burst out into laughter as Hector shrank into himself, clearly embarrassed. Now they were really curious.

"Can't you just tell us?" Gloria asked eagerly.

"I can't do the story justice." Yellowberri shrugged. The Riveras muttered to themselves as Miguel finally calmed down from his laughing fit. They all turned back to the screen, more curious than ever on what he could've done with another person's femur.

H?CTOR

No, no, not like those times.

CHICHARR?N

Where's my femur?! You-

Chicharrón raises his finger to give a tongue lashing. But then he weakens and collapses in his hammock, a golden flicker flashing through his bones. Héctor rushes forward.

"What was that?" Luisa asked, slightly concerned for the man on screen.

"Remember earlier when we discussed the consequence of being forgotten? You're about to find out what that entails." Yellowberri said in a somber tone. The living Riveras tensed, and the dead ones suddenly found it hard to look at the screen.

"Oh, Cheech, no." Hector said sadly. He was going to lose his amigo this year. He felt the weakness in his own bones, and knew that he would follow his friend not long after.

H?CTOR

Whoa, whoa - you okay, amigo?

CHICHARR?N

I'm fading, Héctor. I can feel it. (looking to guitar) I couldn't even play that thing if I wanted to. You play me something.

Héctor looks surprised.

Imelda tensed. It was already really hard to hold it together. She didn't think she could handle hearing him sing.

H?CTOR

You know I don't play anymore, Cheech. The guitar's for the kid-

She relaxed slightly. If Hector held strong, she would be more than okay with it.

CHICHARR?N

You want it, you got to earn it...

Héctor sighs, then reaches over Chicharrón and takes the instrument.

No! She tensed again.

H?CTOR

Only for you, amigo. Any requests?

Héctor begins tuning the guitar.

CHICHARR?N

You know my favorite, Héctor.

Imelda realized that a bubble surrounded her head, much like the wall surrounding Hector and Miguel, except she realized that she couldn't hear the movie. She turned to look at Yellowberri in confusion. For the first time since they got there, Yellowberri gazed at her in sympathy. She gave a nod of gratitude, and turned back to the screen.

Héctor begins a lovely, lilting tune. Chicharrón smiles. Miguel's eyes go wide at Héctor's skill.

H?CTOR

(singing)

WELL EVERYONE KNOWS JUANITA,

HER EYES EACH A DIFFERENT COLOR.

HER TEETH STICK OUT,

AND HER CHIN GOES IN,

AND HER...

Héctor eyes Miguel.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

...KNUCKLES THEY DRAG ON THE FLOOR.

CHICHARR?N

Those aren't the words!

H?CTOR

There are children present.

Elena relaxed when she saw this. Fool musician or not, he at least understood the art of censoring for the little ones. Luisa and Carmen, who recognized the song, removed their hands from covering Benny and Manny's ears. Glad for Hector's long dormant father instincts.

(continuing)

HER HAIR IS LIKE A BRIAR,

SHE STANDS IN A BOW-LEGGED STANCE.

AND IF I WEREN'T SO UGLY,

SHE'D POSSIBLY GIVE ME A CHANCE!

Héctor finishes with a soft flourish. Chicharrón is tickled, joyful. For a moment he's present and bright.

Imelda's bubble disappeared once the last notes faded. She breathed a sigh of relief, glad she didn't have to endure something so painful.

CHICHARR?N

Brings back memories. Gracias...

His eyes close. He looks at peace. Héctor looks sad. Suddenly, the edges of Chicharrón's bones begin to glow. A soft, beautiful light. Then... he dissolves into dust.

All the living Riveras gasp, and the dead ones look away from the screen. This was the consequence of being forgotten? No wonder Hector had that panic attack earlier. Elena suddenly felt guilty for suggesting that anyone deserved to be forgotten.

"Adiós, mi amigo." Hector whispered, bowing his head.

Miguel is stunned, concerned. Héctor picks up his shot glass, lifts it in honor, and drinks. He places it rim down next to Chicharrón's glass, which is still full.

MIGUEL

Wait... what happened?

H?CTOR

He's been forgotten. When there's no one left in the living world who remembers you, you disappear from this world. We call it the "Final Death."

MIGUEL

Where did he go?

H?CTOR

No one knows.

Miguel has a thought.

MIGUEL

But I've met him... I could remember him, when I go back…

"Yeah! And he's not forgotten yet. We can remember him too!" Gloria suggested.

H?CTOR

No, it doesn't work like that, chamaco. Our memories... they have to be passed down by those who knew us in life - in the stories they tell about us. But there's no one left alive to pass down Cheech's stories...

"Oh…" Gloria said sadly.

Miguel is deep in thought. Héctor puts his hand on Miguel's back, suddenly cheerful.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Hey, it happens to everyone eventually.

"How many times has he seen the final death if he can shake it off so easily?" Rosa asked, saddened that anyone would have to endure that more than once.

"Again, you should have that for him." Yellowberri gestured to the present Hector who was already shaking off his grief.

He gives Miguel the guitar.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

C'mon "de la Cruzcito." You've got a contest to win.

Héctor throws open the curtain and exits. Miguel looks back at the glasses, then turns and follows.

"Why does that feel like foreshadowing?" Rosa asked. The only answer she got was a knowing look for Yellowberri.

EXT. LAND OF THE DEAD

Héctor and Miguel hang off the back of a moving trolley. Miguel holds Héctor's photo in his hands, scanning it, while Héctor fiddles on the guitar idly.

MIGUEL

You told me you hated musicians, you never said you were one.

H?CTOR

How do you think I knew your great-great grandpa? We used to play music together. Taught him everything he knows.

Héctor plays a fancy riff, but botches the last note.

MIGUEL

No manches! You played with Ernesto de la Cruz, the greatest musician of all time?

H?CTOR

Ha-ha, you're funny! Greatest eyebrows of all time maybe but his music, eh, not so much.

MIGUEL

You don't know what you're talking about...

The trolley arrives at the stop for the PLAZA DE LA CRUZ. There's a giant statue of Ernesto de la Cruz in the center. Miguel pockets Héctor's photo.

"Ug! There's more than one statue of that musician?" Elena asked exasperated.

"Unfortunately." Imelda answered, sounding just as enthused at her granddaughter.

H?CTOR

Welcome to the Plaza de la Cruz! Showtime, chamaco!

Héctor hands the guitar to Miguel.

QUICK CUTS: Energetic plaza shots. Lights and colors, beautiful dresses, violins, pyrotechnic bullfight, dancing. A t-shirt vendor is selling "de la Cruz" shirts.

VENDOR

Llévelo! T-shirts! Bobble-heads!

A stage is set up in the plaza.

EXT. ON STAGE

An EMCEE greets her audience.

EMCEE

Bienvenidos a todos! Who's ready for some música?

The audience whoops.

EMCEE (CONT'D)

It's a battle of the bands, amigos! The winner gets to play for the maestro himself, Ernesto de la Cruz, at his fiesta tonight!

The audience cheers. Héctor elbows Miguel as they head backstage.

H?CTOR

That's our ticket, muchacho.

EMCEE

Let the competition begin!

QUICK MONTAGE: Acts perform on stage - a tuba/violin act, a saxophone player, a hard-core metal band, a kid who plays marimba on the back of a giant iguana alebrije, a DJ with a laptop and keyboard setup, a dog orchestra, nuns playing accordions…

"Well, at least the competition is pretty bad." Berto said hopefully.

"But de la Cruz won't be able to send Miguel home, and Hector and Miguel don't know they're family." Luisa explained.

"Maybe we will catch up and explain the situation. Then Miguel can go home." Julio suggested hopefully.

EXT. BACKSTAGE

Miguel and Héctor stand amongst other contestants.

H?CTOR

So what's the plan? What are you gonna play?

MIGUEL

Definitely "Remember Me."

Miguel plucks out the beginnings of de la Cruz's most famous song. Héctor clamps his hand over the fretboard.

H?CTOR

No, not that one. No.

"You said that pretty fast. Is "Remember Me" special?" Miguel asked.

"It was meant to be a lullaby for Coco. Ernesto completely ruined it." Hector huffed.

MIGUEL

C'mon, it's his most popular song!

H?CTOR

Ehck, it's too popular.

Elsewhere backstage, they notice multiple other acts rehearsing their versions.

SKELETON MUSICIAN

(singing)

REMEMBER ME,

THOUGH I HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR,

REMEMBER ME...

OPERA SINGERS

(singing)

REMEMBER ME!

DON'T LET IT MAKE YOU CRY!

One man plays water glasses to the famous tune. Héctor looks at Miguel as if to ask, "Need I say more?"

MIGUEL

Um... what about "Poco Loco?"

H?CTOR

Epa! Now that's a song!

"Was "Poco Loco" meant for anyone?" Miguel couldn't help but ask.

"Imelda." Hector said, looking at his wife with such sadness and longing.

STAGEHAND

De la Cruzcito? You're on standby! (to another band) Los Chachalacos, you're up next!

ON STAGE

An impressive banda group steps onto stage.

CROWD

LOS CHACHALACOS!

They burst into a mighty introduction and the audience goes wild. They're very good.

"Okay, nevermind about that competition thing." Berto said, realizing Miguel would have to be really good to beat them

BACKSTAGE

Miguel peeks at the frenzied audience from backstage. He looks sick and begins to pace, fidgety.

H?CTOR

You always this nervous before a performance?

MIGUEL

I don't know - I've never performed before.

H?CTOR

What?! You said you were a musician!

MIGUEL

I am! I mean I will be. Once I win.

H?CTOR

That's your plan?! No, no, no, no, no, you have to win, Miguel. Your life LITERALLY depends on you winning! AND YOU'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE?!

Héctor reaches for the guitar.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

I'll go up there-

Miguel recoils, keeping hold of the instrument.

MIGUEL

No! I need to do this.

"Aye! What is it with this boy and making things more difficult than they need to be?" Imelda asked, pinching her nose bone.

H?CTOR

Why?

MIGUEL

If I can't go out there and play one song... how can I call myself a musician?

H?CTOR

What does that matter?!

MIGUEL

'Cuz I don't just want to get de la Cruz's blessing. I need to prove that... that I'm worthy of it.

H?CTOR

Oh. Oh, that's such a sweet sentiment... at SUCH a bad time!

Héctor looks in Miguel's eyes. The kid is sincere. Despite himself, Héctor softens.

H?CTOR

Okay... okay, okay, okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay you wanna perform? Then you've got to PERFORM!

Miguel perks, surprised that Héctor wants to help.

"Really? He's doing things Miguel's way? It would be best if the experienced musician went up there!" Gloria said, gesturing to the Hector on screen.

"And yet, look how receptive Miguel is to someone actually listening to him for once." Yellowberri said, and the family winced. Their refusal to listen made Miguel run away twice already. Three times, if you count him running to sit by Hector earlier.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

First you have to loosen up. Shake off those nerves! Sáquenlo sáquenlo, sáquenlo!

Héctor does a loose-bone skeletal shimmy and Miguel copies.

H?CTOR (CONT'D)

Now gimme your best grito!

MIGUEL

My best grito?

H?CTOR

Come on, yell! Belt it out! OOOOOOH HE-HE-HEY! Ha! Ah, feels good! Okay... now you.

MIGUEL

(uncertain)

Ah - ah - ayyyyy yaaaaayyyyay…

"Yeah, he's gonna blow it." Rosa said, wincing at the terrible sound Miguel was making.

Dante whimpers.

H?CTOR

Oh, c'mon kid...

On stage, Los Chachalacos wrap up to raucous applause.

STAGEHAND

De la Cruzcito, you're on now!

H?CTOR

Miguel, look at me.

STAGEHAND

Come on, let's go!

H?CTOR

Hey! Hey, look at me. You can do this. Grab their attention and don't let it go!

"Thank you, for letting me do this." Miguel said, pointing to the screen. Finally, a family member who would listen! If only the him on screen knew that Hector was his great great grandfather.

"Of course, Chamaco!" Hector ruffled the kid's hair, makinging him laugh.

EMCEE (O.S.)

We have one more act, amigos!

MIGUEL

Héctor...

H?CTOR

Make 'em listen, chamaco! You got this!

EMCEE (O.S.)

Damas y caballeros! De la Cruzcito!

The crowd applauds as Miguel is led on stage.

H?CTOR

Arre papá! Hey!

Héctor's face contorts with a mix of encouragement and dread.

"That's one way to give encouragement." Abel said, not knowing what to make of Hector's expression.

ON STAGE

Miguel slowly takes the stage, guitar in hand. He's blinded by the lights and squints out at the audience. He's frozen stiff.

OFF STAGE

H?CTOR

(to Dante) What's he doing? Why isn't he playing?

ON STAGE

Panic is painted across Miguel's face.

AUDIENCE MEMBER (O.S.)

Bring back the singing dogs!

"Who said that? I'll bash them with my chancla when I get to the Land of the Dead!" Elena suddenly shouted.

"Mama? I thought you didn't want Miguel to perform?" Enrique asked in a surprised tone. The rest of the Riveras looked on just as shocked.

"That doesn't mean I'll tolerate any hecklers." Elena shook her fist at the screen.

The crowd begins to murmur impatiently. Miguel looks to Héctor in the wing. Héctor makes eye contact with Miguel and does the "loosen up" bone shimmy.

On stage Miguel shakes off his nerves. Deep exhale and...

MIGUEL

HAAAAAAAI-YAAAAAAAAAAAI-YAAAAAAAAI!

The sound is full-throated and resonant. People in the audience whistle and whoop. Some return the grito, some applaud lightly. His brows go up and he begins his guitar intro.

"He's doing it! He's actually doing it!" Luisa cheered, despite herself. Miguel looked on in excitement for his future self.

MIGUEL

(singing)

WHAT COLOR IS THE SKY?

AY MI AMOR, AY MI AMOR

YOU TELL ME THAT IT'S RED

AY MI AMOR, AY MI AMOR

WHERE SHOULD I PUT MY SHOES?

AY MI AMOR, AY MI AMOR

YOU SAY PUT THEM ON YOUR HEAD

AY MI AMOR, AY MI AMOR

"He's a pretty good singer." Enrique muttered to himself.

"You are aware that the music ban is going to be reinstated once the movie is over, right?" Imelda asked, having heard him.

"I figured, but you can't deny that he has talent." Enrique said, gesturing to the screen. Imelda couldn't deny that fact.

As the audience warms up, so does Miguel. Héctor perks up, he's got this!

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

YOU MAKE ME UN POCO LOCO

UN POQUI-TI-TI-TO LOCO

THE WAY YOU KEEP ME GUESSING

I'M NODDING AND I'M YES-ING

I'LL COUNT IT AS A BLESSING

THAT I'M ONLY UN POCO LOCO...

INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE. Dante grabs Héctor by the leg and drags him onto the stage with Miguel.

H?CTOR

No, no, no, no...

Once in the spotlight, Héctor warms up and busts out some percussive footwork to Miguel's guitar.

Imelda tensed. She missed out on Hector's singing earlier. Would she be spared again? A bubble surrounding her head answered her question, but she looked back in confusion when she realized she could still hear the movie.

MIGUEL

Not bad for a dead guy!

H?CTOR

You're not so bad yourself, gordito! Eso!

Imelda relaxed when Hector's mouth moved without sound. It was only Hector she couldn't hear.

CUT TO:

EDGE OF AUDIENCE

A ripple of glowing footprints leads Pepita and the Dead Riveras to the edge of the audience.

MAM? IMELDA

He's close. Find him.

The Dead Riveras fan out through the audience.

"See, we'll catch up to them, and explain everything." Julio said, happy that his earlier assumption had been right.

ON STAGE

Héctor gets more creative with his dancing, head coming off, limbs spinning around. The audience hoots!

H?CTOR

(singing)

THE LOCO THAT YOU MAKE ME

IT IS JUST UN POCO CRAZY

THE SENSE THAT YOU'RE NOT MAKING…

MIGUEL

(singing)

THE LIBERTIES YOU'RE TAKING…

HECTOR and MIGUEL

(singing)

LEAVES MY CABEZA SHAKING

YOU ARE JUST UN POCO LOCO

The audience starts clapping in time with the song. Dante lets out a howl. The Riveras continue their search in the audience.

T?O FELIPE/T?O OSCAR

We're looking for a living kid… about 12?

CUT TO:

T?A ROSITA

Have you seen a living boy?

"Look on stage, for crying out loud!" Berto shouted in a futile attempt to get his on screen family to see his nephew.

ON STAGE

HECTOR and MIGUEL

(singing)

UN POQUI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TO LOCO!

The audience erupts into applause! Miguel smiles, soaking in the moment. He feels like a real musician.

The bubble around Imelda's head disappeared. She found herself wishing for it back since she wouldn't have to listen to him speak for the rest of the movie with it on.

H?CTOR

Hey, you did good! I'm proud of you! Eso!

"You are?!" Miguel asked Hector, a hopeful gleam in his eye.

"Did you not see the same performance I just saw? You were amazing!" Hector enthused, and Miguel felt like he was on top of the world.

Miguel swells and looks back out the crowd when he suddenly spots Oscar and Felipe talking to a stranger. He looks over and there is Tía Rosita talking to someone else! Miguel looks to stage right, where he sees Papá Julio talking to the Emcee!

"Someone look on stage!" Enrique followed his brother's example of shouting at the screen.

AUDIENCE

Otra! Otra! Otra!

Panicking, Miguel pulls Héctor off stage. Héctor tries to pull back.

OFF STAGE

H?CTOR

Hey, where are you going?

MIGUEL

We gotta get outta here.

H?CTOR

What, are you crazy? We're about to win this thing!

ON STAGE

The Emcee takes the microphone.

EMCEE

Damas y caballeros, I have an emergency announcement. Please be on the lookout for a living boy, answers to the name of Miguel. Earlier tonight he ran away from his family. They just want to send him back to the Land of the Living...

Murmurs of concern rumble through the audience.

OFF STAGE

EMCEE (O.S.)

...If anyone has information, please contact the authorities.

"And the truth finally makes itself known." Victoria said.

"So Hector brings him to us then we take him home." Julio said, okay with being half right.

H?CTOR

Wait, wait, wait! You said de la Cruz was your ONLY family. The ONLY person who could send you home.

MIGUEL

I do have other family, but-

H?CTOR

You could have taken my photo back this whole time?!

"Is that really his only concern?" Elena asked with an irritated growl.

"Give the guy a break. He's on the cusp of being forgotten." Yellowberri reminded everyone of the precarious position Hector was in. No one said anything as they remembered Cheech being forgotten.

MIGUEL

-But they hate music! I need a musician's blessing!

H?CTOR

You lied to me!

MIGUEL

Oh, you're one to talk!

H?CTOR

Look at me. I'm being forgotten, Miguel. I don't even know if I'm gonna last the night!

The Riveras winced and looked down at that statement. Yeah, he left Mama Imelda and broke her heart, but he didn't deserve the final death.

I'm not gonna miss my one chance to cross that bridge 'cause you want to live out some stupid musical fantasy!

The Riveras all looked up after he said that. He didn't hide his distaste for music, but hearing those words come from his mouth was still rather shocking. Imelda especially didn't know what to think.

Miguel flinched when the Hector on screen shouted those words. A hand on his shoulder made him turn to the Hector next to him.

"I'm sorry about that, Miguel. The me up there is desperate to see Coco before my time is up. I don't mean to take it out on you." he said apologetically.

"I understand. I did lie to you, after all." Miguel said.

"But, you should know that music isn't worth your life." Hector reminded him.

"Yeah, too bad the me up there doesn't know you're my great great grandfather, huh?" Miguel said with a small smile.

"Yup. I would've sent you home right away."

"No music ban?"

"No music ban." Hector agreed.

MIGUEL

It's not stupid.

Héctor grabs Miguel's arm and pulls him toward the stage.

H?CTOR

I'm taking you to your family.

MIGUEL

Let go of me!

H?CTOR

You'll thank me later-

Miguel yanks his arms away.

"Come on Miguel, stop being so stubborn!" Imelda groaned. She was met with her brothers looking at her with a weird expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she snapped at them.

"Nothing!" they shouted simultaneously.

MIGUEL

You don't wanna help me, you only care about yourself! Keep your dumb photo!

He pulls Héctor's photo out of his pocket and throws it at him. Héctor tries to grab it but it catches a breeze and drifts into the crowd.

H?CTOR

No - no, no, no! No...

MIGUEL

Stay away from me!

"Sorry, Papa Hector." Miguel apologized for his on screen behavior.

"Papa Hector?" Hector asked, choking up at that title. He hasn't been called "Papa" in a very long time.

"Well, yeah. You are family after all." Miguel said, as if it was obvious. Hector couldn't hold himself back from hugging the kid tightly to his chest as tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Thank you, Chamaco. You have no idea what that means to me." he whimpered. Miguel hugged him back.

As Héctor scrambles to catch his photo, Miguel runs away. Héctor looks up but Miguel is gone.

H?CTOR

Hey, chamaco! Where did you go?! Chamaco! I'm sorry! Come back!

"So much for your theory, Papa." Victoria said, making the small man shrug.

"That boy!" Elena facepalmed. Not even surprised by her grandson anymore.

EXT. PEDESTRIAN THOROUGHFARE

Miguel hustles to get away from Héctor. Dante bounds after him, but looks back and whimpers. He barks to get Miguel's attention.

MIGUEL

Dante, cállate!

But Dante is insistent. He tugs at Miguel's pants, pulling him back to Héctor.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

No, Dante! Stop it! He can't help me!

Dante grabs onto his hoodie sleeve. Miguel tries to shake him off, but his hoodie slips off, revealing the arms of a living boy. Dante redoubles his efforts.

"I think Dante knows that Hector is his real family." Rosa said.

"Pah! He's just a dumb street dog." Elena waved off her granddaughter.

"But think about it! Dante was the one that led Miguel to Papa Julio and the others when he first got cursed. Then he led him to Hector when he ran away from Mama Imelda. Now he's trying desperately to get Miguel to go back." Rosa explained, and the family heavily considered her words.

"Well, Yellowberri? Is she right?" Carmen asked.

"Spoilers." was her only answer, much to their frustration.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Dante, stop! Stop it! Leave me alone! You're not a spirit guide, you're just a dumb dog! Now get out of here!

Miguel was suddenly grateful that Dante was not present with them. It was bad enough seeing his hurt expression on screen.

Miguel yanks his hoodie away from Dante, who shrinks back, rebuffed. The scuffle has drawn the eyes of the crowd. Startled skeletons see Miguel's arms. He hurries to get his hoodie back on.

CROWD MEMBERS

It's him! / It's that living boy! / I heard about him. / Look! / He's alive! / The boy's alive.

Miguel runs and jumps down some scaffolding. In the distance, he sees de la Cruz's tower. After only a few paces, Pepita lands in front of Miguel, cutting off his path! He skids to a stop.

MIGUEL

AAHH!

Then, peeking over the jaguar's head is an even more terrifying sight: Mamá Imelda riding atop.

MAM? IMELDA

This nonsense ends now, Miguel! I am giving you my blessing and you are going home!

MIGUEL

I don't want your blessing!

Miguel scrambles upright and bounds for a narrow alley staircase.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel! Stop!

"Please go back to Mama Imelda, Miguel!" Enrique begged his son. He hated just how much of his arm had become skeletal when the hoodie was pulled partially off.

Not able to get through on her spirit guide, Imelda is forced to pursue Miguel on foot.

EXT. NARROW STAIRCASE

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

Come back! Miguel!

He wriggles through an iron gate.

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

I am trying to save your life!

She is stopped by the gate.

MIGUEL

You're ruining my life!

MAM? IMELDA

What?

MIGUEL

Music's the only thing that makes me happy. And you, you wanna take that away! You'll never understand.

Imelda felt that familiar hurt in her chest cavity. She did understand. She understood more than he knew.

Miguel heads away from her up the stairs.

MAM? IMELDA

(singing)

Y AUNQUE LA VIDA ME CUESTE,

LLORONA... NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE…

Every Rivera dropped their jaw at what they just heard. Mama Imelda sang. Mama Imelda sang! That was something none of them thought they would ever hear. It was well beyond their comprehension.

Hector sighed, as he let his wife's voice wash over him. It brought him back to a much happier time.

Miguel stops in his tracks. When Imelda finishes, he turns back, confused.

MIGUEL

I thought you hated music.

MAM? IMELDA

Oh, I loved it. (reminiscing) I remember that feeling, when my husband would play, and I would sing and nothing else mattered. But when we had Coco, suddenly… there was something in my life that mattered more than music. I wanted to put down roots. He wanted to play for the world.

Mamá Imelda pauses for a moment, lost in a memory.

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

We each made a sacrifice to get what we wanted. Now you must make a choice.

MIGUEL

But I don't wanna... pick sides! Why can't you be on MY side? That's what family's supposed to do - support you. But you never will.

Every last Rivera felt a twist of guilt at Miguel's words. He had a point. Family should support family. And their lack of support for Miguel ultimately chased him away, and into the arms of someone who could help if they only knew they were related. And then him trying to get Miguel to his family only chased him away yet again. This time it was by himself, and no one could shake off the uneasy feeling of something bad happening soon.

Miguel wipes the corner of his eye, frustrated. Imelda is shocked to see him so hurt, but Miguel turns away before she can answer and ascends the narrow staircase toward de la Cruz's tower.

EXT. BOTTOM OF THE TOWER

Miguel arrives at the foot of the hill to de la Cruz's tower. Vehicles from all eras (limousines, motor cars, carriages) drop off finely dressed guests who line up to get aboard a funicular that scales the tower to the mansion. A couple at the front of the line show a fancy invitation to a SECURITY GUARD, who then lets them onto the funicular.

Hector rolled his eyes. Of course Ernesto would live somewhere so extravagant! Imelda narrowed her eyes at the tower. She didn't have a single kind word to say about Ernesto de la Cruz, and seeing his home only made her prickle with disgust.

SECURITY GUARD

Have a good time.

GUEST

Oh, how exciting!

EL SANTO, the silver-masked luchador, produces a fancy invitation to the security guard.

SECURITY GUARD

Oh! El Santo! (giddy) I'm a big fan.

The security guard sheepishly holds up a camera.

SECURITY GUARD

You mind if I-

El Santo nods. The security guard removes his head and hands it to the luchador for a selfie. His body proceeds to take the photo.

"Celebrity worship lasts even after death. Who knew?" Rosa said. Enrique glanced at Gloria and hoped that they could keep her from stalking Frida once she passed on.

SECURITY GUARD

Gracias, se?or!

The security guard puts his head back on and El Santo heads past the velvet rope. Miguel is revealed waiting in line behind him.

SECURITY GUARD

Invitation?

MIGUEL

It's okay. I'm Ernesto's great-great grandson!

Miguel strikes de la Cruz's signature pose with his guitar.

"Good job, primo. That will definitely convince them." Abel said sarcastically, making his sister snort in amusement.

CUT TO:

Miguel is tossed out of the line.

Imelda and Elena growled. No one manhandled their family and got away with it! That security guard would be seeing the business end of their Rivera shoes if they had anything to say about it.

Just then he sees Los Chachalacos unloading their instruments from their van. He runs up to them.

MIGUEL

Disculpen, se?ores...

BAND LEADER

Hey guys, it's Poco Loco!

BAND MEMBER #2

You were on fire tonight!

MIGUEL

You too! Hey, musician to musician, I need a favor...

CUT TO:

The Band Leader hands an invitation to the security guard.

SECURITY GUARD

Ooo, the competition winners! Congratulations chicos!

Los Chachalacos file onto the funicular, the sousaphone player angling his instrument away from the security guard. After they get onto the funicular, he turns to reveal a pair of legs hanging out of the bell of the sousaphone. With a deep "TOOT!" Miguel spills out onto the floor of the funicular.

MIGUEL

Thanks guys!

"It's so unfair how he can just disappear from view like that!" Abel whined.

"Your jealousy is showing, mijo." Berto chuckled. Abel never had a chance of sneaking away as easily as Miguel did.

The funicular ascends.

EXT. DE LA CRUZ'S MANSION

The doors of the funicular open to reveal de la Cruz's lavish mansion. Los Chachalacos all file out.

MIGUEL

Whoa...

BAND LEADER

Enjoy the party, little músico!

MIGUEL

Gracias!

Miguel heads off toward the mansion. On the stairs leading up, the party is bustling - performers, servers and guests dressed to the nines. A fire breather lets out flames that transform into a flurry of butterflies.

"Not gonna lie, that party looks fun!" Carmen said, causing her neighboring family members to nod in agreement.

GUEST

Look, it's Ernesto!

Miguel catches a glimpse of de la Cruz heading deeper into the party. Miguel pursues.

MIGUEL

De la Cruz...

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S MANSION

Miguel heads into the foyer but loses de la Cruz in the crowd.

MIGUEL

Se?or de la Cruz!

Miguel elbows his way through the room.

"So unfair!" Abel growled, only to have his father and sister pat him in sympathy.

MIGUEL

Pardon me, Se?or de la Cruz! Se?or de la-

He finds himself in a huge hall with hundreds of guests, the heart of the party. Film clips play all around the room from de la Cruz's movies.

"Aye! And I thought he couldn't be anymore self absorbed!" Imelda and Hector said at the same time in the exact same tone.

"Whoa, talk about stereo." Yellowberri mumbled to herself.

"What did you say?" Rosita asked.

"Nothing." Yellowberri shook her head.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

When you see your moment, you mustn't let it pass you by. You must seize it.

Miguel takes it all in. Synchronized swimmers make formations in a sparkling indoor pool. A DJ lays a decades-spanning mash-up soundtrack. A clip of de la Cruz riding his noble steed plays behind Miguel.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

We're almost there, Dante.

"Well now we know where Miguel got the name 'Dante' from." Victoria said.

Miguel jumps to see above the crowd.

MIGUEL

Se?or de la Cruz! Se?or de la-

Miguel is unable to get his great-great grandfather's attention.

"There are limits to his squirminess after all!" Abel shouted in victory.

"Sit down, mijo." Elena said, rolling her eyes.

Meanwhile, a clip behind Miguel features de la Cruz as a good-natured priest:

NUN (FILM CLIP)

But what can we do? It is hopeless...

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

You must have faith, sister.

NUN (FILM CLIP)

Oh but Padre, he will never listen.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

He will listen... to MUSIC!

The passionate words embolden Miguel. He climbs a pillar

"Why does he insist on doing things the dangerous way?!" Luisa bemoaned. Her son was going to give her gray hairs prematurely! Enrique wraped a comforting arm around her, sharing her sentiments entirely.

to the landing of a grand staircase, he stands above the crowd. Miguel takes a breath and throws out a grito as loud as he can. It echoes through the space, and party guests turn. The DJ fades the music. Garnering some attention, Miguel plays his guitar. More guests turn. As a hush falls on the crowd, the sound of Miguel's guitar becomes singular.

MIGUEL

(singing)

SE?ORAS Y SE?ORES

BUENAS TARDES, BUENAS NOCHES

BUENAS TARDES, BUENAS NOCHES

SE?ORITAS Y SE?ORES

TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT

BRINGS ME JOY! ?QU? ALEGR?A!

FOR THIS MUSIC IS MY LANGUAGE

AND THE WORLD ES MI FAMILIA

Miguel continues to play and sing as he nervously walks forward; the crowd parting, he moves closer to DLC.

MIGUEL

FOR THIS MUSIC IS MY LANGUAGE

AND THE WORLD ES MI FAMILIA

He passes a movie screen where a clip features de la Cruz singing the same song in one of his films, the songs overlapping for a brief moment.

MIGUEL & DE LA CRUZ

FOR THIS MUSIC IS MY LANGUAGE

AND THE WORLD ES MI FAMILIA

Miguel's soul pours into the strings as he approaches his hero-

MIGUEL

FOR THIS MUSIC IS MY LANG-

SPLASH! Miguel tumbles into the indoor pool.

"Aaaand the moment is ruined by Miguel's clumsiness." Abel observed.

"Like you're the one to talk, Mr. Imbed-every-shoe-I-can-into-the-ceiling!" Rosa teased.

The party-goers gasp, but it's Ernesto who rolls up his sleeves, and, in true movie hero fashion, jumps into the pool and lifts a coughing Miguel to the edge.

DE LA CRUZ

Are you all right, ni?o?

Miguel looks up, mortified. His painted face begins to run, revealing him to be a living boy. De la Cruz's eyes go wide. The crowd gasps and murmurs.

DE LA CRUZ

It's you... you, you are that boy, the one who came from the Land of the Living.

MIGUEL

You... know about me?

DE LA CRUZ

You are all anyone has been talking about! Why have you come here?

MIGUEL

I'm Miguel. Your great-great grandson.

More murmuring from the crowd. De la Cruz is shocked.

DE LA CRUZ

I... have a great-great grandson?

MIGUEL

I need your blessing. So I can go back home and be a musician, just like you. The rest of our family, they wouldn't listen. But I... I hoped you would?

DE LA CRUZ

My boy, with a talent like yours, how could I not listen?

Miguel hugs de la Cruz who sweeps Miguel up onto his shoulders, showing him off to the room.

DE LA CRUZ

I HAVE A GREAT-GREAT GRANDSON!

"The fact that he thinks it's possible that he fathered children and never knew it is beyond disgusting." Imelda groused. De la Cruz had always been a womanizer, so it wouldn't surprise her if he was behind Hector's corruption in the first place. Convincing him to go on tour away from his wife and daughter, then introducing him to the bordellos for a "good ol' time"! She had half a mind to hunt him down to beat him senseless with her shoes!

Miguel, on the other hand, tried to enjoy the scene of him meeting his idol, but that lingering unease from earlier never went away. Why did Ernesto never tell his family what happened to Hector? Why did he take the songs and claim he wrote them? Why did he take the guitar? He really didn't want to suspect anything bad of him, but he couldn't shake the feeling.

The crowd roars.

CUT TO:

EXT. BOTTOM OF THE TOWER

CROWD

Look, it's Frida!

"WHERE?!" came an excited shout from Gloria.

The silhouette of Frida Kahlo steps up to the security guard.

H?CTOR

Yes, it is I. Frida Kahlo.

"Aw, it's just Hector." she whined.

"Oh thank GOD! At least someone will be there!" Imelda said, not caring if that someone was, in fact, Hector. She didn't trust de la Cruz any further than she could throw him.

Miguel felt himself subconsciously relax. He couldn't push away the growing unease of knowing his future self would be alone with Ernesto.

The security guard lets her in immediately. No need to check the list.

SECURITY GUARD

It is an honor, se?ora!

H?CTOR

Gracias…

Hector steps onto the funicular, readjusting his unibrow to maintain his diguise.

CUT TO:

EXT. DE LA CRUZ'S MANSION

Quick cuts over instrumental version of "Remember Me:" De la Cruz barges into several conversations, proudly introducing Miguel. He seems almost giddy. They wedge themselves into a group laughing in the garden (which includes Jorge Negrete & Pedro Infante):

DE LA CRUZ

Hey Negrete! Infante! Have you met my great-great-grandson?

CUT TO:

De la Cruz and Miguel ride up on horseback while guests play polo:

DE LA CRUZ

My great-great grandson!

CUT TO:

In the parlor:

DE LA CRUZ

He's alive! And a musician to boot!

"So he finds out he has a cursed family member, and his first instinct isn't to help him but to show him off?!" Imelda growled through clenched teeth. If Miguel wound up stuck by the end of the movie, she would feed him to Pepita! At least Hector tried to get him home so she couldn't blame him, even if he was a bit too concerned about getting his own agenda done as well.

CUT TO:

Miguel chats away with de la Cruz and guests.

MIGUEL

Dimple. No dimple. Dimple. No dimple.

De la Cruz laughs, delighted.

DE LA CRUZ

No dimple!

CUT TO:

A film clip is projected in the main hall. ON SCREEN: Don Hidalgo turns raising two glasses. Miguel acts along with the clip.

The scene continued as normal, but without audio. Everyone turned to Yellowberri in confusion, all of them silently asking why there was suddenly no sound.

"That clip Miguel was acting out reveals a hidden secret you all aren't quite ready for. It needs to wait for the final revelation." she explained.

Miguel felt the blood drain out of his face. That scene… was that the missing element? The drink was poisoned! Did that mean…

"H-hey, Papa Hector?" Miguel stuttered out.

"Whoa, Miguel, are you okay? You look pale." Hector placed a hand on his forehead, trying to see if the boy had a fever.

"Did you and Ernesto share a toast before you died?" Miguel asked, ignoring Hector's doting. He paused, and looked into Miguel's eyes in shock.

"I don't know how you knew to ask that, but yes we did." Hector's answer made Miguel's stomach drop. It couldn't be…

"W-w-what did he t-toast to?" Miguel asked despite his growing fear that his idol could be…

"Our friendship. He said he would move heaven and earth for his amigo." Hector explained, and Miguel felt like he was going to throw up. Those were the exact words Don Hidalgo said before giving the poisoned drink to Ernesto in the movie! Suddenly everything made sense! Why he never told Mama Imelda that Hector died! Why he stole the guitar and songs! And even why he never saw Hector in the afterlife! It was because he murdered Hector to make himself famous!

"Miguel, are you- OOMPH!" Hector was literally pushed back into his seat as Miguel flung himself at him and gripped him in a tight hug. It was then that he noticed the boy was crying. Not really sure why Miguel was behaving this way, but refusing to let a child cry into his arms, he hugged the boy back and whispered comforts into his ear.

"Is Miguel okay?"

"What did that fool say to him?!"

"He's not getting sick, is he?"

"Calm down, everyone! Please!" Yellowberri shouted over the concerned questions of the other Riveras. Once they got quiet, they looked at her to continue.

"Miguel has that scene memorized so he figured out the revelation after asking Hector some questions to confirm a few things. Now he's… coping." she explained, and everyone looked at the musical duo in shock. Miguel hated crying in front of anyone, so the revelation had to be truly shocking to have him weep so openly in front of his entire family like that. They all watched in silence as Miguel slowly gained control of his emotions once more. He leaned away from Hector enough to wipe his face, but not far enough to leave the hug.

"Miguel, sweetie, I know you're upset at the shocking truth of what really drove a wedge in your family, but I have to ask you not to tell Hector just yet. He isn't quite ready to hear it." Yellowberri said gently, reaching in to place a calming hand on his shoulder. Miguel looked like he wanted to protest, but nodded in agreement anyways.

"What do you mean 'really drove a wedge' in our family? Hector leaving and never coming back is what drove that wedge you're talking about!" Imelda asked, stubborn as ever.

Yellowberri sighed tiredly, and looked at Imelda with the most long-suffering expression she had ever seen on anyone. "You'll find out with the rest of the family when the truth is revealed, but the only way to do that is to watch the movie." she gestured to the screen.

Everyone slowly sat back down, and turned to the screen. Everyone except Imelda. She looked at the two musicians in the family with an unreadable expression. Whatever Miguel found out, it made him cling to Hector like a chigger. Even now, he was curled up next to Hector, practically in the man's lap, and didn't look like he would move anytime soon. She vaguely wondered if she even wanted to know what Miguel figured out before she tore her gaze from them, and turned back to the screen.

DE LA CRUZ

You know, I did all my own stunts.

Everyone jumped when the audio suddenly returned. And of course the line that the sound returned on was Ernesto bragging about himself. Imelda was tempted to spit at the screen.

CUT TO:

A small crowd sways, arms around shoulders, as Miguel and Ernesto lead them in a chorus of "Remember Me."

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S OFRENDA ROOM

De la Cruz gestures to the massive piles of gifts from his fans: bread, fruits, flowers, instruments, etc. All piled up to the ceiling.

DE LA CRUZ

All of this came from my amazing fans in the Land of the Living! They leave me more offerings than I know what to do with!

Miguel takes in the room, it's almost too much to absorb. Something seems to be on the boy's mind.

DE LA CRUZ

Hey, what's wrong? Is it too much? You look overwhelmed...

MIGUEL

No - it's all great.

DE LA CRUZ

But...?

MIGUEL

It's just - I've been looking up to you my whole life. You're the guy who actually did it! But… Did you ever regret it? Choosing music over... everything else.

De la Cruz kneels down and looks into Miguel's eyes.

DE LA CRUZ

It was hard. Saying goodbye to my hometown. Heading off on my own...

MIGUEL

Leaving your family?

DE LA CRUZ

Sí. But I could not have done it differently. One cannot deny who one is meant to be. And you, my great-great grandson, are meant to be a musician!

Miguel tensed and growled "Not my Papa" under his breath. Hector just patted his arm in an attempt to comfort the young Chamaco. Whatever he figured out shook him to his core, and made him glare at the man he claimed to be his idol with so much hatred that Hector was taken absolutely aback.

Miguel smiles, chest swelling. He feels validated for the first time in his life.

DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)

You and I, we are artists, Miguel! We cannot belong to one family. The world is our family!

Miguel continued to growl things as he clung tighter and tighter to Hector. He was really worried. He hoped whatever this "revelation" was would happen soon. He didn't think his weak bones could handle Miguel's grip getting any tighter.

De la Cruz gestures to the sparkling city beyond his hilltop estate. Fireworks go off on the veranda.

DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)

Ooo, the fireworks have begun!

CUT TO:

EXT. VERANDA

The party guests move outside to watch the light show.

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S MANSION

The hall has emptied, the lights are turned down. Bursts of color from outside flash across the walls. The only light coming from inside the hall are de la Cruz's film clips that continue to play on the walls. De la Cruz and Miguel descend the staircase into the empty hall.

DE LA CRUZ

Soon, the party will move across town for my "Sunrise Spectacular!" Miguel, you must come to the show! You will be my guest of honor!

Miguel's eyes light up.

MIGUEL

You mean it?!

DE LA CRUZ

Of course, my boy!

Miguel's chest swells. Then deflates. He lifts his shirt, revealing the skeletal transition partway up his torso.

Several Riveras cried out when they saw how far Miguel's skeletonization had gone. They needed to get him home, and de la Cruz couldn't do that! On top of that, the closest family member didn't know they were related! Enrique and Luisa subconsciously held each other tightly. They hoped beyond hope that Hector learned the truth, and got him home soon!

MIGUEL

I can't... I have to get home before sunrise.

DE LA CRUZ

Oh, I really do need to get you home.

De la Cruz plucks a marigold petal from a vase.

"Wait, how does he know how to bless Miguel?" Carmen asked.

"Miguel told him offscreen." Yellowberri explained.

DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)

It has been an honor. I am sorry to see you go, Miguel. I hope you die very soon. You know what I mean. Miguel. I give you my bles-

H?CTOR (O.S.)

We had a deal, chamaco!

Everyone in the room let out a breath they had been holding subconsciously. Hector was there! No one could explain why, but having Miguel alone with Ernesto made them tense.

They are startled.

DE LA CRUZ

Who are you? What is the meaning of this?

From the shadows, Héctor, dressed as Frida, steps into the light.

DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)

Oh, Frida! I thought you couldn't make it.

"Aye! These people are idiots to keep falling for that poor disguise!" Gloria shouted.

Héctor takes off the wig and throws his outfit off.

H?CTOR

You said you'd take back my photo. You promised, Miguel.

Miguel turns, backing into de la Cruz's arms. De la Cruz rises to his feet, hands defensively on Miguel's shoulders.

Miguel was so tense he felt like a rock under Hector's touch. He had to admit, he felt uneasy about having him and Ernesto so close, but Miguel looked like he wanted the celebrity to burn. He wasn't the only one as both Elena and Imelda reached for their missing shoes. They did not like de la Cruz touching their little Miguel!

DE LA CRUZ

(to Miguel)

You know this, uh... man?

MIGUEL

I just met him tonight. He told me he knew you-

As Héctor steps forward with the photo, de la Cruz slowly recognizes him.

DE LA CRUZ

Hé- Héctor?

H?CTOR

Please Miguel, put my photo up.

Héctor pushes the photo into Miguel's hands. De la Cruz intercepts it.

No one could explain why, except for Miguel and Yellowberri, but everyone tensed when Ernesto grabbed the photo.

He looks from the picture to the gray, faded skeleton who kneels before him. Héctor looks weak.

DE LA CRUZ

My friend... you're being forgotten...

H?CTOR

And whose fault is that?

DE LA CRUZ

Héctor, please-

H?CTOR

Those were MY songs you took. MY songs that made YOU famous.

MIGUEL

W-What?

H?CTOR

If I'm being forgotten, it's because you never told anyone that I wrote them-

Everyone in the room already knew this fact, so there was no real reaction other than some solemn nods.

MIGUEL

That's crazy, de la Cruz wrote all his own songs.

H?CTOR

(to de la Cruz)

You wanna tell him, or should I?

DE LA CRUZ

Héctor, I never meant to take credit. We made a great team but - you died and I - I only sang your songs because I wanted to keep a part of you alive.

"Wait! WHAT?!" Imelda shouted as she stood up suddenly.

"Mama Imelda?" Elena asked, as the whole Rivera clan stared at her.

"He knew Hector died? AND HE DIDN'T TELL US?!" Imelda once again reached for her shoes, but growled when she touched her bare feet. She ran to the screen and started pounding her fist on it. Hector had died! He had died and Ernesto knew! How long had Hector been dead for? If she ever saw that hijo de puta again, she'd grind his bones into dust!

It took her several minutes to calm down, but she eventually did. She turned and saw that her family was looking at her with wide eyes. It was a shock to them too, that what she said earlier was contradicted. She swore that Ernesto would've told her if something happened to Hector, but he just confirmed on screen that he didn't. She looked at Hector, Miguel still clinging to him, and she saw an apology dancing in his eyes. She knew that if the barrier wasn't there, he'd be right at her side giving her apologies left and right that she had to find out this way.

She took a deep breath, adjusted herself, and proudly marched back to her seat. Her family was starting to suspect that maybe foul play was afoot in Hector's disappearance. What kind of amigo never told his family what became of him? Once everyone had properly processed what happened the movie started back up again.

H?CTOR

Oh, how generous.

MIGUEL

You really did play together...

H?CTOR

Look, I don't want to fight about it. I just want you to make it right. Miguel can put my photo up-

DE LA CRUZ

Héctor...

H?CTOR

-And I can cross over the bridge. I can see my girl.

Imelda felt a twist in her chest cavity. Hector was so close to the final death, she could see it in his yellowed bones and strange limp. If he didn't see Coco that Dia de Muertos, she knew he would never see her again. She shook off those unpleasant thoughts, and focused on her newfound rage towards de la Cruz. He hid Hector's death from her, and he would feel her wrath once they got back home!

De la Cruz looks at the photo, deliberating.

H?CTOR

Ernesto... Remember the night I left?

DE LA CRUZ

That was a long time ago.

H?CTOR

We drank together and you told me you would move heaven and earth for your amigo. Well, I'm asking you to now.

Hector felt Miguel's grip tighten once again at the words "heaven and earth", and wondered why they had such an impact on him. Something in his nonexistent gut told him that he would find out soon.

MIGUEL

Heaven and earth? Like in the movie?

H?CTOR

What?

MIGUEL

That's Don Hidalgo's toast... in the de la Cruz movie, "El Camino A Casa."

H?CTOR

I'm talking about my real life, Miguel.

MIGUEL

No, it's in there. Look.

Miguel looks around and points to the movie clip projected across the room.

FILM CLIP:

DON HIDALGO (FILM CLIP)

Never were truer words spoken. This calls for A TOAST! To our friendship! I would move Heaven and Earth for you, mi amigo.

Hector's eyes widened at the familiar words. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

MIGUEL

But in the movie, Don Hidalgo poisons the drink...

WHAT?!

DON HIDALGO (FILM CLIP)

Salud!

In the clip Don Hidalgo and de la Cruz drink. De la Cruz spits his drink.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

Poison!

No...

Héctor's gears are turning too.

H?CTOR

That night, Ernesto. The night I left...

FLASHBACK:

INT. MEXICO CITY HOTEL ROOM

Héctor throws a songbook in a suitcase, shuts it. He grabs his guitar case like he means to leave.

H?CTOR (V.O.)

We'd been performing on the road for months. I got homesick - and I packed up my songs...

YOUNG DE LA CRUZ

You wanna give up now? When we're this close to reaching our dream?

YOUNG H?CTOR

This was your dream. You'll manage.

YOUNG DE LA CRUZ

I can't do this without your songs, Héctor-

De la Cruz grabs young Héctor's suitcase, but Héctor pulls away.

YOUNG H?CTOR

I'm going home, Ernesto. Hate me if you want, but my mind is made up.

De la Cruz looks angry. For a moment his face darkens. But he composes himself.

Everyone felt a chill at Ernesto's expression. Everyone was paying too much attention to the screen, that no one realized the wall separating Hector from his family had vanished.

YOUNG DE LA CRUZ

Oh, I could never hate you. If you must go, then I'm... I'm sending you off with a toast!

De la Cruz pours a couple of drinks. He gives one to Héctor.

YOUNG DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)

To our friendship. I would move Heaven and Earth for you, mi amigo. Salud!

They both drink.

EXT. EMPTY STREET

H?CTOR (V.O.)

You walked me to the train station.

They walk down an empty street at night, Héctor with suitcase and guitar case in tow. Héctor stumbles, de la Cruz steadies him, takes his guitar case.

H?CTOR (V.O.)

But I felt a pain in my stomach. I thought it must have been something I ate...

YOUNG DE LA CRUZ

Perhaps it was that chorizo my friend...

H?CTOR (V.O.)

Or something I... drank.

A few more steps and Héctor collapses in the street. FADE TO BLACK.

H?CTOR (V.O.)

I woke up dead.

BACK TO:

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S MANSION

H?CTOR

You... POISONED me.

"He… POISONED me." Hector said in tandem with his on screen self.

DE LA CRUZ

You're confusing movies with reality, Héctor.

H?CTOR

All this time I thought it was just bad luck.

FLASHBACK:

EXT. EMPTY STREET

Héctor's suitcase is opened. A hand reaches in to take the songbook.

H?CTOR

I never thought that you might have... that you...

BACK TO:

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S MANSION

Héctor clenches his jaw.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Hector screamed as he ran to the front of the room, somehow having slipped out of Miguel's grip.

"HOW COULD YOU?! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM ME! YOU RAT! I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK HOME! I JUST wanted to go home!" Hector pounded on the screen much like Imelda had earlier before he slumped to the ground in broken defeat.

"I just wanted to go home!" Hector put his face in his hands as he sobbed over his stolen life.

Miguel left his spot in the back, and went to comfort Hector, much like he was comforted when he put the pieces together himself. The rest of the Riveras just stared at the broken man, not really sure what to think of him anymore. For generations they thought the worst of him, and it turned out that it was all based on assumptions and lies. He had tried to go home, and he was murdered for it. Murdered by his best friend who cared more about his ambition than he did his friend.

Imelda, in particular, was taking all of this rather hard. She just watched her husband murdered on screen. She watched as he collapsed on the street, only to wake up in the Land of the Dead. All those years, she imagined him off with some young senorita, having the time of his life now that he was away from his responsibilities as husband and father. Then Ernesto would show up, and they'd all laugh about the poor miserable wife and daughter back in Santa Cecilia who were still waiting for him to return.

In her pain, she had forgotten that her husband was the type of man who would never willingly abandon them. He sent back money, and letters so often that it almost felt like he was still there. And oh how he gushed about them, and how he missed them, and how he wanted to come home but Ernesto kept pushing for a longer tour… only to have the letters and money suddenly stop. She should've known. She should've known! Those damned gossipers could go jump off a cliff! She knew Hector's character, and she should've trusted him! And now, thanks to her efforts, he was on the verge of his Final Death. She took in his tattered clothes, his cracked and yellowed bones, the duct tape holding some bones in place… He was like this because of her, and soon he would fade away like Cheecharon. And all he wanted was to come home and see them again.

They may not be home, but they were here now. All of them. She denied him the chance of meeting them all for almost a century, but she could fix that now.

"Papa!" Coco suddenly shouted, now awake and reaching out to the still crying Hector.

"Coco." Hector whispered as he looked up a mixture of tender love, overwhelming longing, and the still lingering hurt and betrayal from Ernesto.

"Papa! You're home!" Coco shouted, and Hector didn't waste a second. He flung himself at his daughter and wrapped her in the tightest hug his weakened bones could muster.

"Oh Coco! My Coco! How I missed you, my darling daughter! There wasn't a day that went by where I didn't think of you! I love you so much!" Hector babbled into Coco's ear, his whole frame screamed of relief as the two long lost family members held each other, tears pouring down both of their faces.

"Papa! I missed you! You were gone for so long!" Coco said. While her eyes were still dazed with memory loss, they shone with a happiness none of them had seen in a long time.

"Oh, I tried to come home, Coco! I tried so many times! Thank you for remembering me long enough to let me see you again! I should've never left for that stupid tour! I love you!" Hector and Coco continued to hug and talk over each other for several minutes. No one dared to stop the happy reunion, that is until a flash of light caught their attention. Yellowberri glided toward them, holding a very familiar white guitar.

"I believe, Hector Rivera, you owe your daughter a song." she said, holding the guitar out to the ragged man. He glanced at Imelda with a twinge of worry on his face.

"Don't try to weasel your way out of it, Hector. She's waited a long time to hear it." Imelda said, and everyone stared at her in shock. Allowing songs long enough to watch a movie was one thing, but to let her estranged husband sing a song in front of her was another.

"Our song, Papa?" Coco asked, looking at the guitar. It was decided right then. No one was going to deny Coco her song. Hector smiled warmly before squeezing his daughter one last time, and let her go to grab the guitar. He checked the tune, it was perfect.

He started with a soft, gentle chord, and led into the first verses of "Remember Me". Unlike the Ernesto version, this one was sung tenderly, and with so much love that many of the Riveras found themselves tearing up. Coco joined in beats behind her Papa, and that's when something amazing happened. As they sang, Coco's eyes became clearer. She never gazed away from Hector, who also refused to look away from her, but everyone could tell that her mind was returning to her with each passing note. Soon the last few notes rang in the air, and Coco smiled so warmly at her Papa as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I don't understand how, but I'm so glad to see you in front of me, Papa." she said, voice choked up with emotion.

"Coco." Hector said, placing the guitar aside to hug his daughter again. This hug was more gentle, and less desperate, but still filled with as much love as the first hug. It took quite a few minutes before the two separated.

"I love you so much, my Coco. I never should've left you and your Mama behind." he said, wiping away her tears.

"If it helps, I never once doubted you. I knew that if you didn't come home, it was because you couldn't." she said, fully taking in that her Papa, while a talking skeleton, looked far too young.

"It's true. When we got married, she explained to me the kind of man you were. And from what she told me, you weren't the kind of man to leave his family for long." Julio admitted, stepping forward, holding his hat in his hands.

"She tried to tell me as such when I was still alive, but I wouldn't hear of it. I was too hurt, and angry over you leaving that I-"

"It's my fault Imelda. Not yours." Hector interrupted Imelda. He knew her well enough to know that she was going to blame herself, when it wasn't her fault. "I was the one who left. I was the one who hurt you. I never once blamed you for my mistake. And, I'm so sorry that I did hurt you. You deserved better than me." He said sincerely, and something in Imelda's expression softened at finally getting an apology.

"It's not your fault either, Hector. You never would've left Santa Cecilia on your own volition. It took Ernesto months of wearing you down before you finally agreed, and then he murdered you when you tried to go home. The fault lies with him. Not you, who was manipulated and murdered by him, and not you, who was in so much pain that you acted out in the only way you could." Yellowberri said, reminding them of who the real villain was.

"Ernesto did what?" Coco asked. Her old voice, while soft, held every last bit of surprise and anger that she could contain in her body, which was shockingly a lot. All the Riveras looked at the elderly girl with wide eyes. Never once had any of them heard that tone come from her. They didn't even know she could make that tone.

Yellowberri then explained everything they had all just seen on the screen, and Coco, to her credit, took everything in thoughtful silence. Once she was done explaining, Coco closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I thought it was fishy how he became famous with your guitar and songs, only to have no mention of you anywhere." Coco said, opening her eyes to look at her Papa. "Once I get to the Land of the Dead, I'm going to make the biggest, heaviest shoe possible just so I can squash him like a bug with it." she said with fire in her eyes. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Coco was related to Imelda.

"I think that's a safe bet for all of us once we each pass on." Elena said with a smile.

"A new Rivera tradition! Welcome the newly dead-"

"-and help them build a giant shoe to-"

"-smack Ernesto de la Cruz with!" Oscar and Filipe joked. Though, knowing the Riveras, they would probably wind up doing just that anyways. Coco laughed at her Tios' suggestion, and sobered up.

"Now that we have that settled, can someone explain to me why we are in a theater with both the living and the dead, while watching a movie about my Papa, Miguel, and Ernesto?" Coco asked, pointing to the paused screen. That's when they launched into a much longer explanation about how they got there, and why. They explained everything that happened in the movie thus far, along with their reactions. Once they got to the part where she woke up, they stopped. She absorbed all the information in silence for several minutes. Finally, she turned to Yellowberri, who was floating not too far from them.

"Thank you. If you didn't interfere, I never would've seen my Papa before I died." she said with gratitude.

"You are very welcome, Coco." she said with a warm smile.

"So, we can't leave until we finish the movie right?" she asked.

"That's right." Elena said, shooting an annoyed look at Yellowberri.

"Well then, let's finish so Mama can go beat up Ernesto." Coco said, causing everyone to smile.

Everyone, except Miguel and Hector, moved back to the seats they had been sitting in. Miguel wanted to keep sitting with Hector, wherever he went, and Hector wanted to sit by his daughter. But he didn't know if Imelda would allow it. Coco made up their minds for them by grabbing his hand. She smiled at her Papa, and Hector smiled right back. He sat next to her, and put an arm around her. He never wanted to let go again. Miguel smiled at the sight before sitting on the other side of Papa Hector.

Then he bounds at de la Cruz, tackling him to the ground.

Everyone was jarred back into the serious moment. They had forgotten just where exactly they were in the movie.

H?CTOR

How could you?!

MIGUEL

Héctor!

DE LA CRUZ

Security! Security!

Miguel watches as Héctor and Ernesto scuffle on the floor.

H?CTOR

You took everything away from me!

Security guards rush in to pull Héctor off Ernesto. Héctor struggles, but it's no use.

H?CTOR

You rat!

DE LA CRUZ

Have him taken care of. He's not well.

The guards drag Héctor through a wide doorway.

H?CTOR

I just wanted to go back home! No, no, NO!

Coco grabbed a hold of Hector's free hand, and squeezed tightly. She didn't want to think about what nastly thing was going to happen to her Papa now.

The doors slam shut and cut off his shouts. Miguel is left alone with de la Cruz.

Everybody tensed up, wondering just what exactly that hijo de puta was going to do with their Miguel.

DE LA CRUZ

I apologize. Where were we?

MIGUEL

You were going to give me your blessing...

DE LA CRUZ

Yes. Uh... sí.

De la Cruz pulls up a marigold petal, but hesitates.

DE LA CRUZ

Miguel, my reputation, it is very important to me. I would hate to have you think...

MIGUEL

That you murdered Héctor... for his songs?

DE LA CRUZ

You don't think that. Do you?

"Yes, because you are a murdering cabron!" Elena shouted, wishing desperately she had a shoe to throw at the screen.

MIGUEL

I - no! Everyone knows you're the... the good guy.

Doubt enters Miguel's mind. De la Cruz darkens, he places the photo of Héctor in his coat pocket, gears turning in his mind.

MIGUEL

Papá Ernesto? My blessing?

De la Cruz crumples the marigold petal.

DE LA CRUZ

Security!

This was met with several shouts of anger from the Riveras. Much cussing, threatening, and dark promises went around. Yellowberri smiled. Finally, their anger was aimed at the right person.

De la Cruz's guards appear in the doorway.

DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)

Take care of Miguel. He'll be extending his stay.

The guards grab Miguel by the shoulder.

MIGUEL

What?! But I'm your family!

DE LA CRUZ

And Héctor was my best friend.

More yelling and cursing at the smug audacity coming from the murderer.

Miguel goes pale.

DE LA CRUZ

Success doesn't come for free, Miguel. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to... seize your moment. I know you understand.

Miguel is dragged away.

MIGUEL

No, NO!

EXT. DE LA CRUZ'S TOWER

The guards drag Miguel out the back of de la Cruz's mansion.

MIGUEL

Let go!

They throw him into a cenote, an inescapable sinkhole behind the estate.

This time their cussing and yelling was intermingled with fear for Miguel. Said boy blinked and found himself squished between his parents who were both hugging him and yelling at the screen.

INT. CENOTE

MIGUEL

NO! AHHHHHH!

He falls four stories and splashes into the pool at the bottom of the hole. He breaks the surface and swims to a stone island in the center.

Everyone finally calmed down when they realized that Miguel was not hurt. They still didn't like that he was trapped, but at least there was no immediate danger.

MIGUEL

Help! Can anyone hear me? I wanna go home!

Miguel collapses on the stone island. His soaked hoodie sags off his shoulders. The skeletal transition is almost complete. A moment of silence. He is alone. Suddenly, Miguel hears a noise. Footsteps. Héctor emerges from the darkness, looking beat up. Héctor stumbles.

"Oh thank god he isn't alone!" Elena shouted. She never once thought she'd be happy to have Hector around a family member, but that was better than leaving him alone.

MIGUEL

Héctor?

H?CTOR

Kid?

MIGUEL

Oh, Héctor!

They run to each other. Héctor embraces Miguel. But Miguel is overcome with shame.

MIGUEL

You were right. I should have gone back to my family-

Héctor tries to calm him but Miguel is shaking.

H?CTOR

Hey - hey, hey...

MIGUEL

They told me not to be like de la Cruz, but I didn't listen-

H?CTOR

Hey, it's okay...

MIGUEL

I told them I didn't care if they remembered me. I didn't care if I was on their stupid ofrenda.

Héctor holds Miguel to his chest. Miguel is tense.

H?CTOR

Hey, chamaco, it's okay. It's okay.

MIGUEL

I told them I didn't care.

Miguel's parents held him tighter than before. Miguel didn't mind. He was happy to have the reminder that he wasn't slowly dying in a cenote in the land of the dead.

Suddenly, a golden flicker flutters through Héctor's bones, and he falls to his knees.

Shouts of surprise and fear came from all around, causing Hector to jump. He expected Coco and Miguel to be worried, but the whole family shouted in concern for his well being. He felt himself getting choked up at the sentiment, and smiled.

"Hector, you just had a Final Death attack on screen, so why are you smiling?!" Imelda shouted, sounding angry that he was smiling at a sign of his imminent demise.

"Because everyone here is worried about me. I thought I'd never see this family care about me again." Hector said with a watery smile as Coco patted his hand in a comforting manner.

This caused everyone to grow silent, as they glanced at the floor in guilt. Just that morning, they thought it'd be best if he was never remembered again. Now that they knew what kind of guy he really was, did they realize what this family almost lost. Even Elena, who was still angry that he left in the first place, couldn't bring herself to wish that fate on Hector.

H?CTOR

Hhuuh!

MIGUEL

Héctor! Héctor-

H?CTOR

She's... forgetting me.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I don't want to forget you." Coco apologized sadly.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Hector said firmly. "The fact that you remembered me at all is a miracle, and I am so grateful of that."

"I love you, Papa."

"I love you too, Coco."

Miguel looks at Héctor with concern.

MIGUEL

Who?

H?CTOR

My daughter...

MIGUEL

She's the reason you wanted to cross the bridge...

H?CTOR

I just wanted to see her again… I never should have left Santa Cecilia. I wish I could apologize. I wish I could tell her that her papá was trying to come home. That he loved her so much. My Coco…

"FINALLY!" Abel shouted, causing everyone to turn and look at him.

"Come on, you have to admit the whole 'dancing around the fact that we're family' thing was getting old!" he protested.

"Here, here!" Yellowberri shouted in agreement.

A chill runs through Miguel.

MIGUEL

Coco?

Miguel reaches into his hoodie and pulls out the photo of Imelda, Coco, and the faceless musician. Miguel shows the photo to Héctor. Héctor is confused; it's like he's seen a ghost.

H?CTOR

Where... where did you get this?

MIGUEL

That's my Mamá Coco. That's my Mamá Imelda. Is that... you?

Gears turn in both of their heads.

H?CTOR

We're...

H?CTOR and MIGUEL

...family?

Héctor is as shocked as Miguel. He looks at his great-great grandson. He looks to the photo, touches the image of baby Coco, and he becomes saddened.

H?CTOR

I always hoped I'd see her again. That she'd miss me... maybe put up my photo. But it never happened.

"I wanted to, but Mama Imelda and Elena would've thrown away your picture and letters. I refused to lose the scraps of you I had." Coco explained, and everyone turned to her in shock.

"Y-you have my picture?" Hector asked, his voice more hopeful than it had been in decades.

"Si. Mama tried to throw away the part of the photo she tore off, but I rescued it. It's tucked away in a booklet of your letters in my drawer back home." she explained, and Hector hugged his wonderful daughter tightly once more. He was so touched that he couldn't say a word.

You know the worst part? Even if I never got to see Coco in the living world... I thought at least one day I'd see her here. Give her the biggest hug…

"You're already giving me the biggest hug." Coco laughed, and Hector continued to cry tears of joy. What did he do to deserve such an amazing little girl?

But she's the last person who remembers me. The moment she's gone from the living world...

MIGUEL

You disappear... from this one. You'll never get to see her...

H?CTOR

...Ever again.

"It's hard to feel the emotion of this scene when those two are just a few feet away." Berto said, pointing to the still hugging duo. Many Riveras nodded and smiled at the touching moment.

Héctor is quiet for a moment.

H?CTOR

You know, I wrote her a song once. We used to sing it every night at the same time, no matter how far apart we were. What I wouldn't give to sing it to her... one last time.

Héctor sings softly, plaintively.

DISSOLVE TO:

FLASHBACK:

INT. YOUNG COCO'S BEDROOM - DAY

H?CTOR

(singing)

REMEMBER ME

THOUGH I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE

REMEMBER ME

DON'T LET IT MAKE YOU CRY

FOR EVEN IF I'M FAR AWAY

I HOLD YOU IN MY HEART

I SING A SECRET SONG TO YOU

EACH NIGHT WE ARE APART

REMEMBER ME

YOUNG COCO

(giggling) Papá!

H?CTOR

(singing)

THOUGH I HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR

REMEMBER ME

EACH TIME YOU HEAR A SAD GUITAR

Father and daughter sing the song together.

H?CTOR and YOUNG COCO

(singing)

KNOW THAT I'M WITH YOU

THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN BE

UNTIL YOU'RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN

REMEMBER ME

FADE TO:

INT. CENOTE

The echo of Héctor's song fades to silence.

There was not one dry eye in the whole theater. They got to see such a special moment in time for their Mama Coco and Papa Hector. There was no doubt in any of their minds that Hector deserved to be back in the family. Even the stern Imelda and Elena relented on that. Coco needed her Papa back in her life.

MIGUEL

He stole your guitar... He stole your songs… You should be the one the world remembers, not de la Cruz!

"Si! If anyone deserves the Final Death, it's him!" Elena spat with venom.

H?CTOR

I didn't write "Remember Me" for the world... I wrote it for Coco. I'm a pretty sorry excuse for a great-great grandpa.

"Not true! You did everything you could with what little you had to keep Miguel safe all night." Imelda said, surprising her family yet again.

"What? I can say nice things about him if I want to!" Imelda snapped, and everyone quickly looked back at the screen. Hector smiled. Maybe there was hope for them getting back together? But he wouldn't push his luck. He already got more than what he deserved with Coco.

MIGUEL

Are you kidding? A minute ago I thought I was related to a murderer. You're a total upgrade!

Héctor doesn't smile. Miguel kneels close.

MIGUEL

My whole life, there's been something that made me different… and I never knew where it came from. But now I know. It comes from you. I'm proud we're family!

Miguel looks up defiantly at the hole in the cenote.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I'm proud to be his family! TRRRRRAI-HAY-HAY-HAY-HAAAY!

Héctor perks up.

H?CTOR

TRRRRRRAAAAAI-HAAAI-HAAAAAY! I'm proud to be HIS family!

They trade off their gritos until the cenote echoes with the sound. Soon though, the echoes fade. They're still stuck. Suddenly they hear a distant howling.

DANTE (O.S)

Rooo-rooo-roooooooo!

Miguel and Héctor look up.

MIGUEL

Dante?

DANTE (O.S.)

(louder) Roooooo-roo-roo-rooo!

Up at the top of the cenote, Dante pokes his head in the opening.

MIGUEL

Dante! It's Dante!

A cheer shouted throughout the theater at the sight of the crazy dog.

Dante pants and wags his tail happily. Behind him Pepita peeks down through the hole and gives a powerful roar. Pepita's call shakes the cavern.

Even more cheers at the sight of an alebrije that can get them out of the cenote.

She lowers her head to reveal Mamá Imelda riding atop her.

Cheers and gritos filled the air when they saw the Rivera Matriarch. They would get out of there, and Miguel could go home!

Miguel and Mamá Imelda laugh with joy. Until her gaze falls upon Héctor.

H?CTOR

Imelda!

MAM? IMELDA

(icy) Héctor.

"Oh boy. That Imelda still doesn't know the truth." Abel stated the obvious.

H?CTOR

You look good...

EXT. CENOTE - MOMENTS LATER

Pepita flies out of the cenote; Imelda, Héctor, Miguel, and Dante ride on her back. She ascends above the clouds.

"At least she let him out of the cenote as well." Rosa said with a smile.

EXT. NIGHT SKY

Miguel, wind in his hair, hugs Dante fiercely.

MIGUEL

Dante, you knew he was my Papá Héctor the whole time! You ARE a real spirit guide! (doggy-praise) Who's a good spirit guide? You are!

Dante smiles at Miguel dumbly. Suddenly, before Miguel's eyes, neon patterns spread outward from the dog's paws. Dante begins to freak out.

"Did we just see what I think we saw?" Elena asked, not believing that the dumb street dog turned into an alebrije.

MIGUEL

Whoa...

A pair of little wings sprout on the dog's back.

"I think we did." Victoria said to her sister with a knowing smile.

"Dios mio." Elena mumbled.

He spreads them. He jumps up to fly... and plummets beneath the clouds!

MIGUEL

Dante!

But then he's back up, flapping goofily and barking his head off, a full-blown spirit guide!

"I can't believe that mangy mutt became an alebrije." Elena was beside herself.

"Well, not yet, but we should keep him around. You know, for protection." Miguel said, causing his abuelita to facepalm.

EXT. SMALL PLAZA

Pepita flies in, landing in a small plaza where the other Riveras wait.

PAP? JULIO

Look, there they are!

The Dead Riveras come rushing up.

FAMILY

Miguel! / Miguelito! / Ay, gracias a Dios! / It's Miguel! / He's all right! / Oh thank goodness! / Gracias, Dios mío!

They dismount from Pepita. Héctor falls off first but gets up and raises his arm to help Imelda. She gives him a withering stare and dismounts without his help. Miguel pets Dante and Pepita gives Miguel a big lick. Imelda rounds Pepita's shoulder and folds Miguel into a tight hug.

MAM? IMELDA

Mijo, I was so worried! Thank goodness we found you in time!

Imelda's eyes fall on Héctor, who holds his hat in his hands sheepishly.

MAM? IMELDA

And you! How many times must I turn you away?

H?CTOR

Imelda-

MAM? IMELDA

I want nothing to do with you. Not in life, not in death! I spent decades protecting my family from your mistakes. He spends five minutes with you and I have to fish him out of a sinkhole!

"Actually it was five minutes with Ernesto that left him in a sinkhole." Rosa sassed the on screen Imelda. The present one glared lightly at her.

Miguel steps between Imelda and Héctor.

MIGUEL

I wasn't in there `cause of Héctor. He was in there `cause of me. He was just trying to get me home... I didn't wanna listen, but he was right... nothing is more important than family.

Mamá Imelda looks at Héctor, shocked to hear the sentiment.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I'm ready to accept your blessing... and your conditions. But first, I need to find de la Cruz. To get Héctor's photo.

MAM? IMELDA

What?

MIGUEL

So he can see Coco again. Héctor should be on our ofrenda. He's part of our family-

MAM? IMELDA

He left this family!

MIGUEL

He tried to go home to you and Coco... but de la Cruz murdered him!

Startled, she looks to Héctor for confirmation.

H?CTOR

It's true, Imelda.

Imelda wrestles with her emotions.

MAM? IMELDA

And so what if it's true? You leave me alone with a child to raise and I'm just supposed to forgive you?

"How come the Imelda on screen is more stubborn than the one here in the theater?" Gloria asked.

"Because this Imelda has had time to let the idea sink in that something else other than what she perceived to happen took place. This Imelda also had to deal with Hector's presence for a few hours, and saw with her own two eyes, Hector's last moments alive and what the final death entails. She even saw Enresto admit to everything with a smile, that alone probably had her shift the object of her hatred from Hector to Ernesto. The Imelda on screen only had a few seconds to process the truth." Yellowberri explained.

Imelda huffed and rolled her eyes at the (accurate) explanation.

H?CTOR

Imelda, I-

Héctor's body suddenly shimmers, leaving him winded. Imelda gasps.

People shouted in concern, once again making Hector smile. His family cared for him again!

MIGUEL

Héctor?

H?CTOR

I'm running out of time. It's Coco...

MAM? IMELDA

She's forgetting you...

MIGUEL

You don't have to forgive him... But we shouldn't forget him.

MAM? IMELDA

(to Héctor) I wanted to forget you. I wanted Coco to forget you too, but-

H?CTOR

This is my fault, not yours. I'm sorry, Imelda.

Mamá Imelda, holding in her emotions, turns to Miguel.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel, if we help you get his photo... you will return home? No more music?

MIGUEL

Family comes first.

Mamá Imelda considers. She turns to Héctor.

MAM? IMELDA

I - I can't forgive you.

Hector wondered if that rang true for his Imelda. He turned to her to see her face stuck in an unreadable expression.

But I will help you.

Miguel smiles.

MAM? IMELDA

(to Miguel) So how do we get to de la Cruz?

Miguel furrows his brow.

MIGUEL

I might know a way…

"FRIDA KAHLO! I'm calling it now! It has to do with Frida Kahlo!" Gloria cheered.

"Girl! Where is your inside voice?" Yellowberri said, trying to get her ears to stop ringing.

EXT. SUNRISE SPECTACULAR AMPHITHEATER - BEFORE DAWN

Crowds are congregated at de la Cruz's Sunrise Spectacular which takes place in an open air amphitheater. They hurry to their seats as the lights begin to dim.

ON STAGE

Frida's performance piece begins. Dramatic symphonic music plays as a giant papaya appears to ignite on stage. The "seeds" in the body of the papaya unfurl to reveal that they are dancers, each dressed like Frida Kahlo, right down to the painted on unibrow. The dancers roll out of the "flaming" papaya and gyrate their bodies nonsensically. A giant cactus that resembles Frida is illuminated, and all the dancers slink to it. In the midst of this, eight familiar looking dancers (the Dead Riveras and Miguel) inch their way out of the spotlights and to the wings of the stage.

STAGE WING

FRIDA

Good luck, muchacho.

Everyone turned to Gloria, surprised that she didn't scream anything, only to see a bubble around her head. Her mouth moved frantically as she jumped around, but they couldn't hear her. They then turned to Yellowberri who shrugged.

"What? I was tired of having my eardrums explode anytime something having to do with Frida popped up on screen." she said, and the family turned back to the screen. They had no problems with this arrangement as long as the bubble was removed before they left.

MIGUEL

Gracias Frida!

INT. BACKSTAGE CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER

The Dead Riveras congregate in a hidden backstage corridor, shedding their Frida outfits. Miguel rips off his unibrow.

MIGUEL

Ow!

Dante has snuck in under Tío Oscar's skirt. Héctor sees that Imelda is tangled up in her outfit.

H?CTOR

Here, let me help you with-

MAM? IMELDA

Don't touch me.

The family joins together in a huddle.

MIGUEL

Everyone clear on the plan?

T?A VICTORIA

Find Héctor's photo.

PAP? JULIO

Give it to Miguel.

MAM? IMELDA

Send Miguel home.

H?CTOR

Got your petals?

Each family member raises a marigold petal. Imelda leads the way out of the corridor.

MAM? IMELDA

Now, we just have to find de la Cruz-

Right around the corner is de la Cruz who turns with a smile.

DE LA CRUZ

Yes?

MAM? IMELDA

Ah!

The family stops in their tracks, still hidden from de la Cruz's view. It's just him and Imelda. His smile drops.

DE LA CRUZ

Don't I know you?

Imelda pulls off her shoe and slaps de la Cruz across the face with it.

The theater let out a near deafening cheer at the sight of Mama Imelda socking a good one on Ernesto.

"Hit him again! Hit him again!" Elena encouraged loudly.

MAM? IMELDA

That's for murdering the love of my life!

"Love of your life?" Hector asked, hopefully. Everyone turned to look at her. Imelda suddenly felt uncomfortable. True, she felt a deep affection for him still, despite the years of supposed betrayal, but she didn't know if she wanted Hector to know that just yet.

"I-I don't know. I'm still processing things." she finally let out. Hector drooped noticeably, but nodded in understanding.

DE LA CRUZ

(disoriented) Who the?

Héctor leaps out from around the corner.

H?CTOR

She's talking about me! (to Imelda) I'm the love of your life?

MAM? IMELDA

I don't know! I'm still angry at you.

DE LA CRUZ

Héctor?! How did you-

Imelda slaps de la Cruz again.

Cheers and gritos rang out once more! Elena shouted for more smacking! De la Cruz deserved all the smackings in the world!

MAM? IMELDA

And that's for trying to murder my grandson!

DE LA CRUZ

Grandson?

Now Miguel leaps out of the corridor.

MIGUEL

She's talking about me!

De la Cruz sees the three of them and puts the pieces together.

DE LA CRUZ

You! Wait, you're related to Héctor?

Miguel sees the photo in de la Cruz's pocket.

MIGUEL

The photo!

The rest of the Riveras emerge from the corridor. Outnumbered, de la Cruz turns and runs.

"COWARD!" Elena spat at the retreating musician.

MAM? IMELDA

After him!

INT. BELOW STAGE

De la Cruz knocks over a group of giant sugar skull dancers. He emerges at a full sprint to where his rising platform is set up.

DE LA CRUZ

Security! Ayúdenme!

The Riveras flood out after him. Héctor jogs next to Imelda.

H?CTOR

You said "love of your life..."

MAM? IMELDA

I don't know WHAT I said!

MIGUEL

That's what I heard…

Hector glanced at Imelda with his hopeful eyes once more. Imelda attempted to huff in annoyance, but it sounded more like amusement, and a smile crept onto her face despite herself. Great. That would only encourage Hector! And he was encouraged! He beamed like he was gifted the moon. Idiot.

A brawl ensues between the family and the guards. De la Cruz runs to a stage door.

STAGEHAND

Places, se?or, you're on in 30 seconds!

De la Cruz shoves the stagehand out of the way. As security guards try to wrangle the Riveras, Imelda reaches de la Cruz and gets her hands on Héctor's photo. De la Cruz scuffles with her to get it back, when Miguel tackles de la Cruz to the ground. De la Cruz loses his grip; Imelda tumbles backward, photo in hand.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel! I have it!

The Riveras cheered again. Yellowberri smiled. This family was certainly an excitable bunch.

Miguel turns toward Imelda but is chased by guards. Suddenly, Imelda rises into the air. She is on de la Cruz's rising platform! She is lifted through the ceiling and up to the stage. De la Cruz hurries up the stairs after her. Miguel is detained by a security guard when Dante flies in and knocks the guard's head clean off.

Elena laughed and said, "Okay, okay. Dante can be a part of the family."

"Figures the decapitation would win you over." Victoria smiled.

"It also helps that it's the same guard who manhandled Muigel at the base of de la Cruz's mansion." Elena said in smug satisfaction.

Miguel, Héctor, Tía Victoria, and Tía Rosita hurry up the stairs after de la Cruz.

MIGUEL

Hurry, come on!

Papá Julio, Tío Oscar, and Tío Felipe block the guards from following the others.

ON STAGE

ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

Ladies and gentlemen... the one, the only... ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ!

The platform rises onto the stage and the spotlight falls on Imelda. Neon letters blast brightly behind her, spelling "ERNESTO!" The audience bursts into applause!

CROWD MEMBER

Nesto!

"These blind fools! Mama Imelda tooks nothing like that murdering pig!" Elena spat. Gloria talked in her bubble. It was assumed she was saying something along the lines of "Of course they're blind! They can't see past an awful Frida disguise!"

Imelda appears onscreen for all to see.

STAGE WING RIGHT

De la Cruz rushes up a staircase and arrives in the wings. He gets the attention of his guards and points to Imelda.

DE LA CRUZ

Get her off the stage!

His guards hustle onto the stage, scaling the set to get to her.

STAGE WING LEFT

Miguel, Héctor, Victoria, and Rosita emerge to see Imelda spotlit above them.

ON STAGE

De la Cruz's guards begin to approach Imelda. She is frozen, unable to move.

MIGUEL (O.S.)

Sing!

Mamá Imelda looks down and sees Miguel in the wing.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

SING!

Imelda, seeing that the guards are approaching, closes her eyes, grasps the mic, and follows Miguel's instructions.

MAM? IMELDA

(singing)

AY DE M?, LLORONA

LLORONA DE AZUL CELESTE…

For the second time that night, every Rivera dropped their jaw as Mama Imelda sang.

"Mama always had the most beautiful singing voice." Coco said, smiling in remembrance of her early childhood.

"That she did." Hector agreed, giving Imelda the googly eyes and goofy smile she knew and loved. She tried to look sternly at him, but she knew it didn't come across the way she wanted. Especially since Hector perked up at her reaction.

STAGE WING LEFT

Héctor's mouth gapes open. Tía Victoria and Tía Rosita go wide-eyed. Miguel sets Héctor up with a guitar, then adjusts a mic stand in front of him. Héctor plays the guitar, its sound amplified through the stage speakers.

"For the first time in almost a century-"

"-they are making music together again." Oscar and Filipe teased their sister. She tried to look offended, but much like last time, she knew the emotion didn't carry through.

ON STAGE

MAM? IMELDA

AY DE M?, LLORONA

LLORONA DE AZUL CELESTE...

The guards reach the edge of her spotlight but stop short, not wanting to interrupt the performance. Imelda takes the spotlight with her as she descends the on stage staircase. As she comes down, she makes eye contact with her husband in the wing. He smiles as he accompanies her. Imelda's eyes glint, touched to see him supporting her.

"I think you still have a shot with her, Papa." Coco said, looking up at him with a mischievous smile.

"Don't encourage him, mija." Imelda said, a little too harshly.

"Don't worry, her strong defense-"

"-means that you are very close to-"

"-hitting the nail on the head!" Oscar and Filipe whispered loudly.

"That's it! You two are on shoe polishing duty when we get back!" Imelda snapped at her brothers, much to their amusement.

"Worth it!" they exclaimed together. Imelda rolled her eyes. Figures, the moment she lowers her guard around Hector is the moment her family starts to be ridiculous again! And the scary part, was that she didn't mind at all.

MAM? IMELDA

Y AUNQUE LA VIDA ME CUESTE, LLORONA,

NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE.

NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE!

As Héctor accompanies Imelda, she becomes more confident. The audience begins to clap. De la Cruz grunts in frustration. Soon, the stage conductor joins with more instrumentation, which kicks into high gear.

MAM? IMELDA

ME SUB? AL PINO M?S ALTO, LLORONA,

A VER SI TE DIVISABA.

She doubles down on her performance, taking the spotlight with her as she moves to put distance between her and the guards. Imelda continues to vamp, trying to navigate away from the guards and toward her family. One guard blocks her way, but she grabs him and forces him to dance. Scared of the spotlight, he runs away.

"You still got it, mi amor!" Hector exclaimed, watching Imelda's performance.

"Oh, hush you!" she said in a tone that suggested that she was rather happy at the moment. A smile threatened to tug at her lips.

MAM? IMELDA

COMO EL PINO ERA TIERNO, LLORONA

AL VERME LLORAR, LLORABA.

AY DE M?, LLORONA, LLORONA,

LLORONA DE AZUL CELESTE...

She heads to leave the stage when she is stopped by a hand on her wrist. A voice joins her in harmony, the spotlight widens to reveal Ernesto de la Cruz singing too. The crowd goes wild.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" Hector shouted while standing up. He forgot for a moment that he was watching a movie, and not real life. The Riveras all looked at him in shock. There was more hatred in his voice at that moment than there was when he discovered the truth about his death.

"Go get him, Abuelito! Make him regret everything he's done to this family!" Elena shouted, just as into the movie as Hector. The two glaring at the screen didn't register what she had just yelled. Elena better off forgotten Rivera just called Hector "Abuelito". An hour ago she couldn't say a nice thing about him if she wanted to. Coco smiled at her daughter. There was now no question in her mind about the safety of her Papa's photo. Elena already accepted him. He would be okay.

DE LA CRUZ/MAM? IMELDA

AY DE M?, LLORONA, LLORONA

LLORONA DE AZUL CELESTE...

He dances Imelda around the stage, all the while trying to get to Héctor's photo.

DE LA CRUZ/MAM? IMELDA

Y AUNQUE LA VIDA ME CUESTE, LLORONA,

NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE.

DE LA CRUZ

Y AUNQUE LA VIDA ME CUESTE, LLORONA,

NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE.

NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE!

MAM? IMELDA

Let go of me!

DE LA CRUZ

NO DEJAR? DE QUERERTE!

...AY, AY, AY!

At the finale of the song, Imelda stomps her heel into de la Cruz's foot on his high note, causing him to let her go. She runs off stage with the photo.

The Riveras all cheered and shouted at the scene.

"Mama Imelda three: Murdering Carbon zero!" Elena said, more than satisfied at Ernesto getting hurt.

BACKSTAGE

Imelda arrives off stage and, somewhat high on adrenaline, she embraces Héctor.

MAM? IMELDA

I forgot what that felt like.

Héctor is taken by surprise. Imelda, realizing the impropriety, pulls away from him awkwardly.

H?CTOR

You... still got it.

They smile at each other, softening.

The Hector and Imelda in the theater were giving each other the same look. Everyone knew in that moment that Mama Imelda had forgiven Hector, both onscreen and in person.

"Just kiss already!" Oscar and Filipe shouted, ruining the moment.

"A whole year! Polishing duty for a whole year! The both of you!" Imelda growled at her more-amused-than-they-had-any-right-to-be brothers.

Miguel, off to the side, clears his throat.

MIGUEL

Ahem.

MAM? IMELDA

Oh!

Imelda, now reminded, gives Miguel the photo. She pulls out her petal.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel, I give you my blessing.

The petal glows.

MAM? IMELDA (CONT'D)

To go home... to put up our photos… And to never...

Miguel looks slightly saddened, anticipating the condition.

MIGUEL

Never play music again...

Imelda smiles.

MAM? IMELDA

To never... forget how much your family loves you.

The petal surges. Miguel brightens, touched.

Miguel smiles at Mama Imelda, who smiled back. How could she take music away from him at this point?

H?CTOR

You're going home.

DE LA CRUZ

You're not going anywhere!

Suddenly Miguel is yanked away from his great-great grandparents by de la Cruz. De la Cruz has grabbed Miguel by the scruff of his hoodie.

The Riveras were once again cursing and shouting! Couldn't that pig headed murdered stop trying to hurt their family?

Imelda lunges at de la Cruz, but he pushes her to the floor.

H?CTOR

Imelda-

De la Cruz drags Miguel away as his family encroaches.

DE LA CRUZ

Stay back! Stay back. All of you!

De la Cruz drags Miguel further and further back on the stage.

DE LA CRUZ

Stay back! Not one more step.

Dante growls and tries to grab Miguel.

MIGUEL

Dante!

De la Cruz pulls Miguel away, closer to the ledge of the building. Héctor struggles but continues pursuing de la Cruz.

H?CTOR

(winded)

Ernesto, stop! Leave the boy alone!

Héctor stumbles, shimmering like before. He falls to the ground.

"No!" Imelda shouted, hand reaching out to the screen. Why did the Final Death have to intrude now of all times?

DE LA CRUZ

I've worked too hard, Héctor… Too hard to let him destroy everything...

In the stage wings, Tía Rosita commandeers one of the cameras and points it toward de la Cruz. Tía Victoria sidles up to a control board and pushes a volume dial up.

H?CTOR

He's a living child, Ernesto!

DE LA CRUZ

He's a threat!

CUT TO:

STADIUM

The image of de la Cruz holding Miguel hostage is projected on the stadium screens, the audience falls to a hush as they watch.

"Good job you two! Now everyone will see how awful that murderer really is!" Elena said, satisfied with her sister and Tia. Ernesto's precious reputation that he cherished so much was about to be ruined forever. If only it could be that easy after they got out of there. Yellowberri smirked, sensing Elena's train of thought.

BACK TO:

BACKSTAGE

Miguel struggles against de la Cruz.

DE LA CRUZ

You think I'd let him go back to the land of the living with your photo? To keep your memory alive? No.

MIGUEL

You're a coward!

"Yeah!" Rosa shouted.

"Tell him, Primo!" Abel encouraged.

DE LA CRUZ

I am Ernesto de la Cruz, the greatest musician of all time!

MIGUEL

Héctor's the real musician, you're just the guy who murdered him and stole his songs!

CUT TO:

STADIUM

The crowd is gobsmacked by what they are hearing.

CROWD

Murder?

"Ha! How's that for a reputation you insufferable buffoon!" Elena was really wanting Ernesto to burn. Not that she was the only one wishing for that.

BACK TO:

BACKSTAGE

DE LA CRUZ

I am the one who is willing to do what it takes to seize my moment… (darkening) Whatever it takes.

Suddenly, de la Cruz throws Miguel off of the structure.

The room, for what felt like the hundredth time, erupted into panic and anger. One thing was for certain, Ernesto was really in for it now.

MIGUEL

AHHH!

H?CTOR

NO!

The family runs to the ledge, horrified.

T?O OSCAR/T?O FELIPE

Miguel!

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel!

CUT TO:

STADIUM

The audience gasps. Some shrieks.

BACK TO:

BACKSTAGE

De la Cruz crosses from the ledge, past Héctor, who remains collapsed on the floor, breathless.

DE LA CRUZ

Apologies old friend, but the show must go on…

"If I ever get my hands on him-"

"There is no shoe big enough to do what I want to do to him!"

"-have Pepita eat him and then-"

"Burn everything he loves and then himself!"

"-make his stupid alebrijes watch as I-"

The family continued to talk and shout over each other as they all said what they wanted done to the man who tore their family apart, and threatened to do so again! It took no less than twenty minutes for everyone to get it out of their system.

CUT TO:

Miguel is in free fall, the photo still in his hand.

Enrique and Luisa were hugging Miguel once again. They needed the assurance that he was there with them, and not falling to his death.

As the wind whips against his face, he hears a faint howling. Dante slices downward through the air, catches Miguel's shirt in his teeth, and opens his wings.

All the Riveras winced as they realized Miguel was nearly all skeleton at that point.

He and Miguel jerk upward, but the photo falls from Miguel's hands and is gone from sight.

"No!" Miguel shouted as he watched Papa Hector's photo get lost in the fall.

"Miguel, you're falling to your death, and all you care about is the photo?" Rosa asked incredulously.

"I have Papa's photo back home, remember?" Coco reminded Miguel, and the boy calmed down some. It was still frightening to see him falling to his possible death.

Miguel and Dante twist in the air, Dante trying to slow their decent but the two of them are too heavy. Miguel's shirt rips and Dante loses him. Miguel plummets toward the base of the tower. Suddenly Pepita flies in and scoops up Miguel.

Cheers erupted as their precious Miguel was saved at the last moment. Enrique and Luisa laughed and cried while holding their son. How many times in the last few hours had they been stressed out about losing him? He was never leaving his room once they got home! Miguel breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have to see himself splatter all over the pavement.

Dante follows close behind. Miguel looks over the side of Pepita down towards the water. The photo is lost.

Everyone forced the sinking feeling away by remembering that Coco had a photo in her drawer.

BACK TO:

BACKSTAGE

De la Cruz steps up to the curtain, slicks back his hair, and emerges to his audience.

ON STAGE

De la Cruz is found by a spotlight.

DE LA CRUZ

Ha ha!

He is met with boos. He looks confused.

Every last person in the theater looked on with a vindictive smirk. That murderer was finally going to get his comeuppance.

CROWD

Boo! Murderer!

DE LA CRUZ

Please, please, mi familia...

AUDIENCE MEMBER

Get off the stage!

More booing. De la Cruz tries to kick up the orchestra.

DE LA CRUZ

Orchestra! A-one-A-two-A-one-

The conductor snaps his baton. More booing.

DE LA CRUZ

(singing)

REMEMBER ME, THOUGH I HAVE TO- Hey!-

The crowd pelts de la Cruz with fruit and offerings.

"Ha! Hit him again!" no one had to be told who shouted that.

CROWD MEMBER

Look!

Crowd members point up to the screen. Pepita rises above the ledge with Miguel on her back. Miguel slides off her wing and runs to his family.

CROWD MEMBER

He's alright!

The crowd cheers. There are sighs of relief. De la Cruz, seeing this play out on screen, realizes his backstage treachery has been projected to the whole world. He watches horrified as the image of Pepita grows larger and larger on the screen as she prowls past the camera. De la Cruz begins to back up just as Pepita emerges through the curtain, eyes locked on him.

DE LA CRUZ

Nice kitty...

Suddenly Pepita head-butts de la Cruz and lifts him into the sky, flinging the singer in the air like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn.

Everyone cheered Pepita on as she took revenge on Ernesto for them.

DE LA CRUZ

AAAHHHH! Put me down! No, please! I beg of you, stop! Stop! NO!

She swings him around to gain momentum, then throws him over the audience.

DE LA CRUZ

NO! AAAHHH!

He flies out of the stadium, hitting a giant church bell in the distance.

The cheering reached its crescendo. Talk about just desserts!

"What are Pepita's favorite treats? I'm leaving her a bunch of them on the ofrenda this year!" Elena asked Imelda.

"Tuna. She loves tuna." Imelda smirked.

The stadium erupts in cheers. In the midst of the cheering, an unsuspecting crowd member returns from concessions.

CROWD MEMBER

What did I miss?

BACK TO:

BACK STAGE

Miguel is surrounded by family, safe. He hugs Dante.

MIGUEL

Good boy, Dante.

Imelda runs to Miguel and embraces him.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel!

Behind them, Héctor struggles to get to his feet but stumbles with a flicker. Miguel runs to support him.

The mood in the room suddenly shifts. Photo or not, Hector was being forgotten too quickly. There would be no way for him to make it to Coco before he was forgotten.

MIGUEL

Héctor! The photo, I lost it...

H?CTOR

It's okay, mijo. It's-

Suddenly Héctor suffers his most violent flickering yet. He collapses. Miguel kneels by him.

"No." Imelda whispers. She couldn't lose Hector! Not after finally learning the truth.

Everyone in the room looked on in sadness as they saw their now beloved Papa Hector in the throws of the Final Death.

MIGUEL

Héctor! Héctor?!

Héctor can barely move his limbs.

H?CTOR

Coco...

MIGUEL

No! We can still find the photo...

Mamá Imelda looks to the horizon, the first rays of sunlight peeking over.

MAM? IMELDA

Miguel, it's almost sunrise!

The family all became even more tense. They were about to lose Papa Hector, they couldn't lose Miguel too!

MIGUEL

No, no, no, I can't leave you. I promised I'd put your photo up. I promised you'd see Coco!

Héctor looks at Miguel. The skeletal transformation is creeping in on the edges of Miguel's face. He's almost full skeleton now.

Luisa and Enrique tighten their hold on the Miguel in the theater, as if they could protect him through their embrace.

H?CTOR

We're both out of time, mijo.

The shimmering of Héctor's bones advances.

MIGUEL

No, no... she can't forget you!

H?CTOR

I just wanted her to know that I loved her.

Most of the Riveras start to tear up at the sight. Hector really had been through enough like Yellowberri stated at the beginning of their movie adventure.

Héctor musters the strength to grab the marigold petal.

MIGUEL

Héctor-

H?CTOR

You have our blessing, Miguel.

MAM? IMELDA

No conditions.

A salty part of Enrique thought 'Like it should've been in the first place'. But he also acknowledged that none of them would've known about the truth of Papa Hector's disappearance if she gave the "no conditions" blessing.

The petal glows. Héctor struggles to lift the petal to Miguel. Mamá Imelda takes his hand in hers.

MIGUEL

No, Papá Héctor, please!

Imelda and Héctor move their joined hands toward Miguel's chest.

MIGUEL

No...

Héctor's eyelids begin to close.

H?CTOR

Go home...

MIGUEL

I promise I won't let Coco forget you! Aaahh!-

WHOOOOSH! A whirlwind of marigold petals, and everything goes white.

FADE IN:

INT. DE LA CRUZ'S MAUSOLEUM - SUNRISE

Miguel finds himself back in de la Cruz's tomb.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. At least one of them would be spared that Die de los Muertos.

Dazed, he looks through the windows; day has broken. On the floor is the skull guitar. Miguel grabs it. He exits the tomb and takes off out of the cemetery.

EXT. PLAZA

Miguel races through the plaza, past the statue of de la Cruz. Miguel races through the streets towards home. He blows right past his Tío Berto snoring and Primo Abel sleeping on a bench.

T?O BERTO

(jolting awake) There he is!

Abel falls off the bench. Papá comes from around a corner as Miguel is running.

PAP?

Miguel!? Stop!

EXT. RIVERA COMPOUND

Miguel rounds the corner and follows the trail of marigolds through the front gate. He runs for Mamá Coco's bedroom. Just as he makes it to the doorway, Abuelita steps up and blocks him.

ABUELITA

Where have you been?!

MIGUEL

Ah! I need to see Mamá Coco, please-

Abuelita spies the guitar in Miguel's hand.

ABUELITA

What are you doing with that? Give it to me!

Miguel pushes past Abuelita, and slams the door shut.

ABUELITA

Miguel! Stop! Miguel! Miguel! Miguel! MIGUEL!

INT. MAM? COCO'S ROOM

Miguel locks the door and goes up to Mamá Coco. She stares into space, eyes completely vacant.

MIGUEL

Mamá Coco? Can you hear me? It's Miguel.

Miguel looks into her eyes.

Everyone in the theater looks on depressed at the vacant look in her eyes. They knew the loss of her mind meant the loss of Papa Hector… forever…

Coco was very unnerved that her poor family had seen her like this for so long. She wished that she could keep her mind from slipping, not just for her Papa's sake.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I saw your papá. Remember? Papá? Please - if you forget him, he'll be gone... forever!

She doesn't respond. Miguel's father bangs on the door.

PAP? (O.S.)

Miguel, open this door!

Miguel shows her the guitar.

MIGUEL

Here - this was his guitar, right? He used to play it to you? See, there he is.

Still nothing. Her eyes are glazed.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Papá, remember? Papá?

Everyone's heart shatters at his futile attempts to get Coco to remember her Papa. There was nothing he could do.

Mamá Coco stares forward, as if Miguel isn't even there.

PAP? (O.S.)

Miguel!

MIGUEL

Mamá Coco, please, don't forget him.

With a rattle of keys, the door flies open. The family pours in.

ABUELITA

What are you doing to that poor woman?

Abuelita brushes Miguel aside to comfort her mother.

ABUELITA

It's okay, Mamita, it's okay.

PAP?

What's gotten into you?

Miguel looks down, defeated. Tears drip off his nose. Papá's anger gives way to relief. He embraces his son.

PAP?

I thought I'd lost you, Miguel...

MIGUEL

I'm sorry, Papá.

Mamá steps forward.

MAM?

We're all together now, that's what matters.

MIGUEL

Not all of us…

"Papa. I'm sorry!" Coco couldn't take it anymore. She lost her Papa all because she couldn't remember anymore.

"Shhhhhhh. It's okay, Mija. I told you before, you have nothing to apologize for." Hector soothed. Suddenly, he felt a small pair of arms wrap around him. He turned to see Miguel.

"I'm sorry too, Papa Hector!" he cried, tears pouring down his face. Before he could protest more arms wrapped around him.

"We're sorry too, Papa Hector!" Abel spoke for both him and his sister. One by one the Riveras joined the group hug apologizing in the part they played in erasing his memory. The last to join was Imelda.

"I'm so sorry, Hector! I'm the one that started all this! You'll be forgotten because of me!" she cried.

Hector was too overwhelmed to say anything. For decades all he ever wanted was to be part of this family again, and he finally got it at the risk of his own Final Death. He tried to open his mouth and say something, but all that came out was a sob. For the first time in almost a hundred years, he felt he was a real Rivera again.

Yellowberri watched on in silence as she let the rather large family have their moment. After about five minutes of this mess, she finally cleared her throat.

"You know, the movie isn't over yet. And Coco's memory was brought back through a song… a song Miguel knows how to play." Yellowberri hinted at them. She normally had a "no spoilers" policy, but what the heck. They looked like they needed it. The Riveras excitedly turned to the screen, apparently opting to sit in a pile instead of their seats.

Abuelita returns from consoling Mamá Coco.

ABUELITA

It's okay, mamita. Miguel, you apologize to your Mamá Coco!

Miguel looks at Mamá Coco and approaches her.

MIGUEL

Mamá Coco...

His toe accidentally taps against Héctor's skull guitar, a soft hollow ringing resonates.

ABUELITA

Well? Apologize.

He comes to a realization.

MIGUEL

Mamá Coco? Your papá - he wanted you to have this.

He picks up the guitar. Abuelita steps forward to intervene but Papá places a hand on her shoulder.

PAP?

Mamá, wait-

Miguel starts to sing "Remember Me" the way Héctor sang it… softly, from the heart.

MIGUEL

(singing)

REMEMBER ME

THOUGH I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE

REMEMBER ME

DON'T LET IT MAKE YOU CRY

Yellowberri smiled as the whole Rivera clan sang along with the movie. Now that they heard it twice, they knew how it was done.

Hector was over the moon. He was surrounded by his family, and they were singing his song properly! If he didn't know better, he could've sworn he reached the Final Death and was now in heaven, or wherever the Final Death took you.

MAM?

Look...

The glimmer in the Mamá Coco's eyes grows brighter with every note. Memories flood in, filling the vacancy of her expression with life. Her cheeks soften and plump. Her lips arc into a smile.

MIGUEL

FOR EVEN IF I'M FAR AWAY,

I HOLD YOU IN MY HEART

I SING A SECRET SONG TO YOU

EACH NIGHT WE ARE APART

REMEMBER ME

THOUGH I HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR

Miguel sings gently, with love. Mamá Coco's brows slope up, delighted. The song seems to bring her back to life. Abuelita can't speak. None of them can. Brimming, Mamá Coco joins Miguel in song - her voice scratchy with age, his clear with youth.

MAMA COCO and MIGUEL

REMEMBER ME

EACH TIME YOU HEAR A SAD

GUITAR

KNOW THAT I'M WITH YOU

THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN BE

UNTIL YOU'RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN

REMEMBER ME.

Tears stream down Abuelita's face; she's witnessing a miracle. Mamá Coco looks to her daughter, and is troubled by her tears.

MAM? COCO

Elena? What's wrong, mija?

ABUELITA

Nothing Mamá. Nothing at all.

Mamá Coco turns to Miguel.

MAM? COCO

My papá used to sing me that song.

"SHE REMEMBERED!" Abel's declaration was met with everyone celebrating! Hector was remembered! The Final Death wouldn't claim him yet!

Imelda pushed her way through the crowd that was her family, and wrapped her arms around a surprised Hector. She then proceeded to kiss him right on the mouth. The sight shocked everyone into silence, but Imelda's focus on them, but rather the love of her life. She had missed him terribly for the last 96 years, and she was finally willing to admit that. She forced herself to pull away, and giggled at his expression. It was a mixture of surprise, confusion, loving and longing. Only her Hector could pull off an array of emotions like that.

"I-Imelda? What-" she placed a finger over his lips.

"I think we let Ernesto steal enough years together from us, don't you think," she leaned in to where his ear used to be and whispered, "mi esposo?"

Hector couldn't believe his luck. Her husband! She called him her husband! The last time she was willing to call him that was before he died, a whole lifetime ago! He looked down and saw the same fire normally reserved for her fury tempered down to a passionate love. A love meant for him! She still loved him! He couldn't help it! He belted out a loud grito! This was the happiest he'd been in a long, long, long time! This signaled everyone else to start cheering as the couple kissed once more.

The excitement eventually died down. Everyone sat in a group on the floor, with the exception of Coco being in her wheelchair, and in the very center of the group was Hector and Imelda. They were draped over each other like lovestruck teenagers, and nobody could pull them away.

MIGUEL

He loved you, Mamá Coco. Your papá loved you so much.

A smile spreads across Mamá Coco's face. She's waited a long time to hear those words. She turns to her nightstand, hand shaking. She opens a drawer and pulls out a notebook.

MAM? COCO

I kept... his letters... poems he wrote me... and...

Mamá Coco leafs through the book to reveal a torn scrap of paper. She hands it to Miguel. It's the missing face from the photo - Héctor's face. Miguel pieces the picture back together, finally seeing Héctor as he was in life, a young, handsome man.

Everyone breathed a deep sigh of relief. The picture was whole again, and everything was right in the world.

Mamá Coco smiles. She finds the words slowly, but she speaks with fondness and love.

MAM? COCO

Papá was a musician. When I was a little girl, he and Mamá would sing such beautiful songs...

The family gathers close to listen.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CEMETERY - MORNING

TITLE CARD: ONE YEAR LATER

The cemetery is once again filled with families cleaning off head stones and laying flowers.

EXT. DE LA CRUZ'S MAUSOLEUM

Not as many offerings this year, not as many fans. No mariachi band. Someone has hung a sign "FORGET YOU" on the bust of de la Cruz.

"Ha! Take that! Nobody messes with the Riveras and gets away with it!" Elena shouted, everyone chiming in with their own shouts of encouragement.

TOUR GUIDE (O.S.)

And right over here, one of Santa Cecilia's greatest treasures...

EXT. RIVERA WORKSHOP

The tour guide stands in front of the Rivera shoe shop. Tourists crowd in, taking pictures of the skull guitar and framed letters Héctor wrote to Coco.

TOUR GUIDE (CONT'D)

The home of the esteemed songwriter Héctor Rivera! The letters Héctor wrote home for his daughter Coco contain the lyrics for all of your favorite songs, not just "Remember Me".

"Well, this was a side effect I wasn't expecting." Hector said surprised, but not unpleased.

"You are the true songwriter, you should get the remembrance that comes with it." Imelda said sternly.

"I would've been happy if my memories stayed in the family." Hector argued.

"You deserve it, mi amor." Imelda kissed Hector both to shut him up and because she really missed kissing him.

EXT. COURTYARD

We travel through the courtyard catching glimpses of holiday preparation. Prima Rosa and primo Abel hang papel picado. Papá and Mamá work on tamales. Tío Berto sweeps the cobblestones as the little cousins play.

MIGUEL (O.S.)

And that man is your Papá Julio...

INT. OFRENDA ROOM

Miguel holds his baby sister SOCORRO (10 months) in his arms and points out all of the family members.

"Look! Our baby girl looks just like you!" Enrique said to Luisa, excitedly pointed to the baby on screen.

Luisa rubbed her stomach lovingly. Soon, she would be joining them in the outside world, and her bladder would be saved from being kicked all day.

"Aw, I remember when you were that small, Gloria." Elena waited for a response, but got none.

"Gloria, don't ignore your-" Elena cut herself off when she saw Gloria give her the most dead-panned expression (that she now knew came from Hector) she had seen on a living person. The bubble that had silenced her earlier was still around her head.

"Oh, I forgot I did that. Sorry." Yellowberri half heartedly apologized as the bubble vanished.

"It's about time!" she groused.

"Well don't blow our eardrums out every time someone so much as thinks about Frida Kahlo." Yellowberri sassed at her. She received a glare for her efforts.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

...And there's Tía Rosita... and your Tía Victoria... and those two are Oscar and Felipe. These aren't just old pictures - they're our family - and they're counting on us to remember them.

Abuelita approaches and smiles to see her grandson passing on the tradition. Then she places a picture frame on the ofrenda, a photo of Mamá Coco.

The jovial mood was replaced with a somber one. They would be losing their Mama Coco sometime in the next year, and there would be no alebrijes or songs to save her like Miguel and Hector were saved.

"Look on the bright side, for the first time in 96 years, I'll be able to live with both my Mama and Papa." Coco said, an accepting smile on her face. This caused the mood to pick up some. If anyone deserved to have both her parents back, it was Coco.

She looks to Miguel who puts his arm around her. Next to Mamá Coco's picture sits the photo of Mamá Imelda and Héctor, taped back together. Restored.

CROSS FADE TO:

EXT. MARIGOLD GRAND CENTRAL STATION

Héctor waits in the departures line nervously.

"Look! Your bones are whiter, and your face markings have color again!" Miguel excitedly pointed out.

"I look remembered!" Hector said, fighting back tears for the millionth time since he and Coco hugged. Imelda smiled warmly. It took a long time, but their family was whole again. She was now really glad she had agreed to watch the movie.

MIGUEL (O.S.)

(singing)

SAY THAT I'M CRAZY

OR CALL ME A FOOL

"I don't recognize this song." Miguel said, hearing his own voice singing.

"That's because you wrote it, Miguel." Yellowberri answered, and everyone looked at the boy who had his eyes so wide they looked like they were going to roll out of his sockets.

"Really?" he asked breathlessly, and Yellowberri nodded.

"Like I said earlier, Chamaco, you have a talent gifted by the heavens themselves!" Hector ruffled Miguel's hair. Miguel looked up at him with the widest smile. He really looked up to his Papa Hector, and it meant alot to hear him say that.

DEPARTURES AGENT

Next!

Héctor steps up to the monitor. The agent recognizes him. Héctor chuckles nervously.

"Ah, my old enemy, the blinky thingy!" Hector said as dramatically as he could.

"I think you mean devil box." Abel corrected, thinking of Mama Imelda smashing that computer in the customs office.

"No, computers are devil boxes, and scanners are blinky thingies! Keep up, will you?" Rosa joked. This got a chuckle from many of the Riveras.

"Regardless of what it's called," Imelda said bringing the ridiculousness down a few notches, "Hector has a photo again so he'll be able to cross."

The monitor scans him. DING!

"See!" she gestured to the screen.

DEPARTURES AGENT

Enjoy your visit, Héctor!

"She looks like she's been waiting to say that for a long time." Carmen observed.

"She probably has. I remember seeing her at the gate for at least the last decade and a half. And… I'm not exactly unknown at the departure gate." Hector said, a sheepish smile donning his features.

"That reminds me, why did you need Cheech's femur?" Berto asked, causing Miguel to burst into a laughing fit as Hector tried to hide himself in his hat.

"Hey, yeah! It's not fair for you to only tell Miguel that story!" Luisa said, letting her rarely shown mischievous side make an appearance.

"Hey, look! Literally anything else!" Hector pointed towards the screen on a desperate attempt to change the subject. They let it slide. The living knew Miguel would tell them once they got home, and the dead would get the story out of him one way or another.

MIGUEL (O.S.)

(singing)

BUT LAST NIGHT IT SEEMED

THAT I DREAMED ABOUT YOU

Héctor's chest swells.

EXT. FOOT OF THE BRIDGE

Héctor exits from the Marigold Grand Central Station. Mamá Imelda waits on the cobblestones to greet him. They kiss.

"His limp is gone too!" Gloria pointed out once they got a good glance at his walk cycle.

Then he hears a familiar voice.

MAM? COCO

Papá!

Héctor turns to see his daughter approaching. He opens his arms to give Coco the biggest hug.

H?CTOR

Coco!

"I'm going to hug you everyday once you cross over." Hector promised, grabbing his daughter's hand.

"I look forward to it." she smiled, and squeezed his hand.

MIGUEL (O.S.)

(singing)

WHEN I OPENED MY MOUTH

WHAT CAME OUT WAS A SONG

AND YOU KNEW EVERY WORD

AND WE ALL SANG ALONG

Every moment together is a miracle and he holds Coco like he knows it. Soon Coco, Héctor, and Imelda join hands. The petals of the bridge glow as they step forward.

"I have shoes!" Hector suddenly cried out. He looked so touched that everyone was afraid he'd start crying again.

"Of course! Every Rivera deserves a good pair of shoes!" Imelda said warmly, and Hector hugged her tightly in gratitude.

The family crosses together.

MIGUEL (O.S.)

(singing)

TO A MELODY PLAYED

ON THE STRINGS OF OUR SOULS

AND A RHYTHM THAT RATTLED US

DOWN TO THE BONE

OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

WILL LIVE ON FOREVER

IN EVERY BEAT

OF MY PROUD CORAZ?N

Dante and Pepita fly through the night sky in the Land of the Dead. They alight on the marigold path and bound across into the Land of the Living.

EXT. STREETS OF SANTA CECILIA

Dante's shadow is cast against a wall. When he rounds the corner, he is just a normal xolo dog, no wings or vibrant colors. Pepita's shadow looms large, but as she rounds the corner it shrinks to reveal that she is a little alley cat in the Land of the Living.

"That can't be Pepita! She's so tiny!" Elena exclaimed.

"It is. That's Pepita's mortal form, the one she had before she became my alebrije." Imelda said.

EXT. RIVERA COURTYARD

They enter the Rivera compound. Abuelita greets Dante and tosses him a sweet treat.

"Fight it all you want, mi amor, but you're a big softie at heart." Franco said with a teasing smile. She smacked him with his own hat to show how much she appreciated that statement.

In the courtyard, the family is gathered as Miguel plays his guitar and sings. Dante hops up to give him a lick on the cheek.

MIGUEL

(singing)

OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

WILL LIVE ON FOREVER

IN EVERY BEAT

OF MY PROUD CORAZ?N

Amongst the living Riveras are the spirits of their loved ones, Tía Rosita, Tía Victoria, Papá Julio, Tío Oscar and Tío Felipe, all present and enjoying the reunion.

MIGUEL

(singing)

AY MI FAMILIA!

OIGA MI GENTE!

CANTEN A CORO!

LET IT BE KNOWN…

OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

WILL LIVE ON FOREVER

IN EVERY BEAT

OF MY PROUD CORAZ?N

Abel and Rosa accompany Miguel with instruments of their own.

"We get to learn instruments too?!" Rosa asked excitedly.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day." Abel said as he watched his future self play the accordion.

Papá cradles Miguel's new baby sister as Mamá leans on his shoulder. Abuelita listens proudly to her grandchildren while the spirit of Mamá Coco stands beside, arm around her shoulder.

MIGUEL

(singing)

AY MI FAMILIA!

OIGA ME GENTE!

CANTEN A CORO!

LET IT BE KNOWN...

OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

WILL LIVE ON FOREVER

IN EVERY BEAT

OF MY PROUD CORAZ?N

The courtyard is full of Riveras, living and dead. Héctor and Imelda stand arm in arm, listening to Miguel play. As Miguel sings, the whole family, living and dead, all sing, play and enjoy the music. The whole family, brought together by a song.

The screen faded to black as the movie ended. Everyone started to talk amongst themselves as they wrapped their heads around everything they saw. Yellowberri let them talk amongst themselves for a while before she whistled and caught their attention.

"I know I promised you all that you'd go home after the movie, but I have two surprises for you first." she announced, and everyone glanced at one another curiously.

"I have been keeping Hector's remembered state in a stasis, basically he's in the same condition he was when he arrived no matter how many people remembered him. I will now remove that stasis." as she said this a white flash overcame Hector. When it faded his bones were pearly white, his facial markings were bright and clear, and the gap in his ribs was gone. He looked at his own body in surprise, and removed the duct tape that had been previously holding his bones in place. All of his wounds were healed. He felt more stable when touched, and there was an energy coursing through him that he hadn't felt since he first died (if ever!) It was as if the last 96 years had been a breeze instead of the harshness he faced on a daily basis. He shouldn't be this well off if it was just his family that remembered him. This was almost a celebrity level of being remembered.

"How-"

"-are you this well remembered? Well, I may have had something to do with that." Yellowberri said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"What did you do?" Imelda asked with a smile threatening to overtake her serious demeanor.

"I may have been projecting everything that has happened in this theater all over Mexico and the Land of the Dead." she admitted, and everyone froze at her words. She couldn't be serious. Everyone in Mexico and the Land of the Dead had seen everything? That meant that Ernesto was exposed for the murdering fraud that he was, and Hector was finally vindicated. But it also meant that all those people also saw their family drama unfold. No one quite knew how to handle that.

"Don't worry, you're not being projected now. That stopped once the movie ended." she explained.

"Why did you stop it there?" Enrique asked.

"To prevent legal ramifications against you for my second surprise, which also doubles as my peace offering for having you projected all over Mexico and the Land of the Dead without your knowledge." Yellowberri smirked almost evilly as a white flash appeared behind them.

They all turned to see one Ernesto de la Cruz, looking somewhere between pissed off and startled. A second flash returned everyone's shoes to them. It only took a few moments before several of the family members pounced on the murdering bastard. His screams and pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as the Riveras had their vengeance.

Yellowberri looked on in morbid satisfaction. She had no qualms since they couldn't kill him, and Ernest was so well remembered that his bones would heal at a rapid rate. Was it overkill? Maybe. But what good was being an author if you couldn't abuse that power once in a while?