As the first rays of sunlight touched the land of Tlali the birds started chirping, the flowers blooming and their people started to get ready for another peaceful day. Even when the central village was already awake the unreachable jungle was quiet, only the sounds of animals waking up could be heard. 

A sun ray from behind the leaves is what finally made Mictlan open slightly her eyes. She stretched out her arm to the sky, feeling the sun rays touching her pale skin catching a leaf that fell from the tree she was sleeping under, she sat down and observed the leaf against the light. As she moved the leaf she noticed the tree where the jaguar was resting the night before, she just scoffed, stood up and started walking back to central village. 

Mictlan was coming out of the unreachable jungle and there was people already passing by. They just looked at her for a split of a second and looked away as they started murmuring “There she goes again bothering the good spirits” a woman trying to whisper said. “She would only anger them and end up dying” another man replied “But, she’s death, isn’t she? Can she even die?” another woman said as she stopped her weaving just to gossip with her neighbors. It didn’t matter that Mictlan was already 19 years old people still found things to gossip about her after all those years, for that reason she almost never took the central road of the village. There were too many people whispering about her, she always took the unused path behind the houses and shops to reach the back entrance of the Ahuehuete.

As she reached the back entrance which was just through the kitchen she checked before entering so no one noticed her, she peeked through the entrance. Luckily there were no doors in the main floor making it really easy to enter, as no one was in the kitchen she entered without pressure, and she grabbed a mango that was in one of the fruit baskets “Here you are!” it was the angry voice of a woman as she pinched Mictlan’s ear “Ow it hurts!” “Yeah well it also hurts when I go to your room and you’re not there” the woman said letting go of the girl’s ear. Mictlan rubbed her ear in pain and said “I just took a morning walk” “Don’t lie to me Mictlantecuhtli I know you well enough to know when you lie” the woman pointed at the girl, taking the mango away from her hand. 

That lady was one of the main workers in the chiefs’ house, she had been working with them even since before any of the children were born. “Your family is having breakfast and your father has been waiting for you to give an announcement, so go now” she continued. “Whatever it is I’m sure it doesn’t concern me” Mictlan stated as she took another mango and ran to the other entrance of the kitchen that leads to the dining room “but, thank you for worrying about me”. She left the room with a smile and the old lady just scoffed with a smile. 

Mictlan entered the dining room peeling her fruit, the family was all seated around the round table, and she took her seat besides her younger siblings Ronin and Curupira “You finally decided to show up uh?” Somé said with a sarcastic tone “Yeah well I guess by now it’s my trait, arriving late, you know?” Mictlan said as she was giving a piece of her fruit to Curu, which he accepted right away with a smile “You’re always like this…” “Enough please” Chu stopped Somé before she could start her usual complaining speech “Dad, you said you had something to tell us, now with Mictlan here you can tell us” she continued. Mictlan looked up looking at the father, they didn’t have a good relationship, a lot of things changed since the first time she came to that house. She just returned her eyes to Curu who touched her hand because he wanted another piece of the fruit “Yes, you’re right Chu, remember the Regions Lectures?” Quetzalcoatl started “Of course, the lectures that all the royal families of every region have to attend to learn from the host region” Somé said happily. “We’re not royal, in fact only two of the six regions have “royal” families, don’t flatter yourself” Mictlan said in a playful tone making Curu and Ronin laugh, she just rolled her eyes

 “I heard this year’s host is going to be the Liaoning region, I’m excited to see a true royal family again” Somé said as she was taunting Mictlan. The younger sister just shrugged, grabbing some of the leftover food that was still in the table. “You’re right Somé this year’s host is indeed the Liaoning regions” Jacob said “and like every year we’re making the entrance ceremony of blooming to bring good fortune to our friendship with all regions”. Curu and Mictlan were murmuring and laughing quietly as she was using the food to play, making Jacob sigh and signaling his husband to continue speaking.

“But unlike every other year, we’re all going to the ceremony” Quetzalcoatl said, the three girls that were putting attention looked puzzled “What do you mean dad? We all go” Chu said “Only the oldest ones go, you, Camaxtli and Somé, now everyone is going” he added as he was pointing to the other three, Ronin noticed that Curu and Mictlan weren’t putting attention, so she pinched her sisters’ arm “Ow” Mictlan said, she turned her head and realized the others were looking at them, but she remained calm and just said “yeah sure, sounds good” “What sounds good?” Jacob asked “what you said, of course” Mictlan and Curu looked at each other and nodded with confidence “So you’re fine coming with us to the blooming festival in Liaoning?” Chu said with a smile, kind of taunting her sister for not putting attention “What?” Mictlan backed up “You said —yeah sure— guess you weren’t putting attention” Somé said annoyed “I just got a bit confused, I don’t think you need me there” Mictlan answered. “All families are going, it is the 100th anniversary of the Regions Lecture” Jacob said “Yes, we have to celebrate that we left our differences aside and began to open our borders to people from other regions” Quetzalcoatl added. “Still a taboo to go live in other region and marry other race but sure” Mictlan started “besides its just one day of the festival, I don’t think we should spend that much on me going if I’m just staying one day” she just smiled knowing she made her case clear. 

“You’re not staying just one day” Jacob said “What?” Somé and Mictlan said in unison “Every year Chu and Somé go, since three years ago that Camaxtli decided to stop going” Quetzalcoatl said as she took Chu’s hand “this year Chu has more work here in Tlali, now that she decided to become chief after us, we can’t send Somé alone, Ronin and Curu are too young, so the only person left is you Mictlan” he continued looking straight at her. “Father, you know the reason I don’t leave Tlali” “Yes, we can’t have her bringing a calamity in other region ruining our friendship” Somé stated right after Mictlan finished talking. “You haven’t had any big incident other than the first day you arrived here” Quetzalcoatl answered “What about when Camaxtli left? Or all the other small incidents?” Somé continued “Enough!” Jacob elevated his tone, Quetzalcoatl held his hand and added. 

“As you said Somé those were small incidents and Camaxtli left already eight years ago, that’s a good enough time for me to realize Mictlan has control”. Mictlan just sighed and looked down as she was squeezing her fists under the table, Curu noticed and held her hand, she looked up to her brothers’ face with a little smile “You can do it” he whispered to her. “Fine” Mictlan finally said “but at any moment that I feel like returning, you will let me without saying anything” “Deal, but ONLY if you really try, don’t just stay one day and say you tried, give it at least a week” Quetzalcoatl tried to convince her “Deal” as Mictlan was saying this Somé just stood up and scoffed as she left the room, “I’ll go with her” Jacob said as he left behind his daughter.