Fiesta Village
“There it is!” Shouted Westwood. “Fiesta village.”
“Thank god.” Said Coast. “I am so tired of being cooped up on this train.”
We hopped off the locomotive on the outskirts of the town.
“I hungry.” Said Bigfoot.
A squawk came from my backpack Then Dodo poked its head out. I laughed because I had totally forgotten that Dodo was in there.
“Dodo hungry too.” Said Bigfoot.
“We should get some food once we get into town.” Replied Coast.
As we headed towards the town we could hear festive music playing. Violins, a harp, horns and guitar. Singing too.
“Another festival?” Montezuma supposed. “But that’s why it’s called fiesta village.”
As we entered the town there were hundreds of people dressed up. Men dressed as Mariachi and women in festive dresses. All dancing. The dresses the women wore were very colorful and flashy flowing beautifully as they moved spinning and dancing with the men.
“Let’s dance!” Westwood laughed throwing his hat to the ground then grabbing an unwilling Coast by the hand trying to make her dance too.
“I love this dance!” He added.
The rest of the townspeople threw down their hats and began to dance the hat dance just like Westwood. They were much better at it then he and Coast. Eventually Coast was too embarrassed to continue and escaped to the rest of us.
“Suit yourself.” Said Westwood grabbing the nearest female and dancing with her instead.
Soon enough Westwood grew winded, grabbed his hat and we continued through the crowd following Montezuma as he searched asking people questions.
I was worried the people in fiesta village would be afraid of Bigfoot, but surprisingly enough, people would come up to him and say hello.
“You’ve been here before?” Westwood asked.
“Yes.” Replied Bigfoot. “Me and Chief come here many times. Chief do trade.”
“Thought we were best buds?” Westwood scoffed. “How come you never invited me?”
“You live too far.” Bigfoot replied.
I found it funny how people weren’t afraid of Bigfoot here. The Myth surrounding “Bigfoot” in my world was so much different. A Mythological creature hiding in the woods that could never be found. Yet here in Fiesta village many people knew about Bigfoot and had seen him. They had even grown to love him.
Montezuma decided that it would be faster if we spit up and searched for an operator named Diego. He didn’t say much about Diego, just that he would be able to help us. Coast and Bigfoot went with Montezuma while Westwood and I searched together.
During our search Westwood and I we saw a man selling different toys behind a booth. At one point the man stepped behind his small booth which was painted with scenery so that when he brought out two marionette puppets he could tell a story. The man flopped the two string puppets over the booth. The string puppets looked funny and floppy for a moment until the man pulled on their strings bringing the scene to life. Children rushed to the man’s booth to watch. The children had blocked our view.... I was no longer able to see the puppet show.
Suddenly a team of horsemen came rushing into the town headed straight for us. They were all were Mexican, but were dressed more like cowboys. The festive music stopped and the crowd quickly parted giving the riders a pathway.
“Uh oh” Said Westwood. “Someone better run.”
“Who are they.” I asked.
“Well, they ain’t good I’ll tell you that... maybe pistoleros”.
“What’s a pistolero?”
“It means gun fighter.” He replied.
“What do they want?”
“...Depends.”
“On what???” I asked.
“Who they’re after.” He replied.
The pistoleros rode right past us. The leader of their group swinging a rope lasso, he then tossed his lasso into the crowd and pulled out a man whom was trying to hide amongst the people.... It was Bobby Banes! one of the bandits I had met in Calico!
The group dragged Bobby off and Westwood and I rushed after them.
When we caught up to this group they were next to a large dead tree where they were pulling a rope tight around Bobby’s neck… They were going to hang him!
Westwood fired a shot up in the air. The gang of pistoleros turned their attention to us, each pointing a pistol at Westwood.
“That one there is mine!” Shouted Westwood. “Wanted for crimes in Calico! let him loose!”
“And what if I don’t?” Shouted the leader pointing a revolver at me!
“Why are you pointing a gun at me???” I asked. “I have no part of this!”
“Sorry desconocido... He’s got a revolver and you don’t.” Replied the Pistolero.
“Well I’m an operator and I’ll use the power of my bands if I need to!”
“Go ahead!” The Pistolero laughed. “If you think you can use those bands before I can put a bullet between your eyes!
I was a little worried now, I didn’t know if I’d be able to call on any of my bands before the man could shoot.... I was still learning to use them. Still, I looked at my boomerang glove with unsure intentions of using it.
“Usted muy rapido?” The pistolero asked.
“Don’t.” Warned Westwood grabbing my hand stopping me.
The men began to pull on the rope noose around Bobby’s neck. He now stood tip toed trying to keep his feet on the ground and his face began to turn blue.
“What did he say?” I asked.
“He’s taunting you... asking how fast you are.” Said Westwood.
“What do you want from him!??” I shouted.
“A reward.” Replied the Pistolero.
“A reward?” I asked.
The Pistolero pulled out a piece of paper tossing it to Westwood and I.... there was a picture of two Bandits. (Billy, and Bobby Banes. Wanted for robbing the stage coach. Dead or alive. $300 cash reward each.)
“Senor Bobby Banes...” Declared the Pistolero. “...Worth three hundred dollars dead or alive.”
“Tell you what.” Said Westwood. “I’ll pay you for him alive.”
The Pistolero signaled his men with the wave of his hand.
“Uno momento camaradas!” He said commanding them to stop.
His men stopped pulling the rope and Bobby’s feet were once again able to touch the ground. Bobby began to cough and breathe.
“Do you think you have that kind of money?” The leader asked.
“I do.” Westwood replied.
“Then what will you pay me for his hermano?” He asked.
“You have Billy Banes also?”
At that the Pistolero signaled his men once again and another one of his comrades brought forth a horse with a large sack hunched over its saddle. From the looks of it there was a body inside.
“Is he alive?" Westwood asked.
“That’s a good question." Replied the Pistolero whom then kicked the large sack on one end. The sack slid off of the saddle then slammed in the dirt and began to wheeze. The Pistolero’s comrade then brought out a knife cutting the sack open. Inside was Billy Banes trying his best to breathe after the wind had been knocked out of him.
“How much will you pay for Senor Billy Banes?”
“Says here he’s also worth three hundred.” Westwood replied pointing the wanted poster at the Pistolero. “Six hundred for the both of them.”
“You’ll pay me a thousand dollars for them alive.” Demanded the Pistolero.
“I will not!” Westwood snapped. “This one’s half dead already! I’ll pay you eight! You won’t get that much anywhere else.”
“I could kill you Sheriff.” The leader shouted. “I could take your money and turn them in.
I’d make double the money that way. What would stop me from doing that?”
“Consequences.” Westwood sneered.
“Consequences?” Laughed the leader. “What kind of Consequences?”
“Do you know who Montezuma is?” Westwood asked.
The Pistolero’s smile slowly began to fade away from his face.
“What about him?” He asked.
“I’m guessing you know how powerful he is?” Westwood inquired.
The Pistolero didn’t answer. Instead he just stared at Westwood with a disgusted scowl.
“I’d like to introduce you to Michael.” Said Westwood whom pointed to me. “This here’s Montezuma’s younger brother.... What do you think Montezuma would do to you if you disappointed his little brother?”
“Lies....” Replied the Pistolero. “Everyone knows that Montezuma and the grey witch Edina are the last of the Zumas. He has no brothers... I don’t even think you have enough money to pay for one of them. There’s no use in dealing with this man. Camaradas... hang him!”
The Pistolero’s comrades were about to hang Bobby once again when suddenly a voice from the crowd emerged.
“He’ll pay you six!” Said the voice.
We watched as the crowd began to part, soon enough it was revealed that the voice had belonged to Montezuma whom emerged and joined us at our side.
“This is between me and the Sheriff!” Demanded the Leader of the Pistoleros. “I have no business with you Senor Montezuma.”
“Then why are you pointing a gun at my brother?” Montezuma replied.
At that the Pistolero lowered his gun and away from me. A feeling of relief finally passed over me.
“Also...Why are you trying to swindle my friend?” Montezuma added patting Westwood on the back.
The leader of the Pistoleros attitude quickly changed. The power struggle was over and landed in Montezuma’s favor.
“I am sorry Senor; I did not know you were amigos.” Declared the leader. “Sheriff... fair is fair. You can have them for six hundred.”
Westwood agreed and pulled out a small sack of coins, he handed a few over and the Pistolero counted it before signaling his men to hand over Billy and Bobby Banes. They took the noose off of Bobby Banes’ neck while walking him our way. He was still bound by his hands. The two brothers were once again reunited. They didn’t say much, but we could tell they had just avoided a very close call and were extremely relieved.
“Nice doing business with you.” Westwood added.
“I wish I could say the same.” Replied the Pistolero before he and his men rode off and out of town.
Westwood began to untie Billy and Bobby Banes.
“Okay, you two are free to go.” Westwood Declared.
“Why would you do that?” Asked Billy
“Yeah?” Added Bobby “You’re just going to let us go? …not likely.”
“You two are wanted in Calico, but Calico is no longer there.”
“What do you mean it’s not there?” Bobby shrieked.
“Everyone’s been taken away by Nefarious.” Westwood answered. “A town needs people to exist, and since there is nobody there, your crimes don’t exist for the moment.”
“Thank you.” Billy replied.
“You can thank me by staying out of trouble.” Westwood Snapped.
“You’re Deputy? Was he taken too?” Asked Billy.
“Yeah, Tommy was taken too.” Replied Westwood.
Billy and Bobby Banes looked at each other for a moment. It was strange, they looked sort of sad, as if they felt really bad about that.
“We are sorry for your loss.” Replied Bobby.
“Yes, truly sorry.” Added Billy.
Their voices sounded so sincere, it was as if they actually cared what had happened to Deputy Tommy. They almost looked like they wanted to cry.
“We’re gonna get him back.” Westwood added. “We are going on a journey to bring everyone back, and once we do your crimes in Calico will be valid again.... and then I’ll have you two hanging from a noose of my own!... Now get out of here before I change my mind!” Billy and Bobby Banes booked it. They headed into the rest of the crowd and disappeared.
“Why would you just let them go?” I asked.
“You remember my Deputy?”
“I do...” I replied. “...Tommy.”
“Those two.” Said Westwood. “Those are his brothers.”
“They are???” I replied.
“Yeah, and I’m almost positive Tommy’s the reason they keep getting out of jail. I don’t blame him; I wouldn’t want to see my brothers at the end of a rope either. Billy and Bobby never killed nobody. They’re just robbers and some of the time they don’t even have bullets in their guns.”
“You’re the sheriff.” Montezuma replied. “Why would you let your Deputy get away with that?”
“I like Tommy, he’s a good deputy for the most part.... but we all have something that we keep hidden inside. A weakness. His brothers are his, I think he believes the two can change someday.... but I don’t think so, they keep getting into trouble and Poor Tommy is.... or was always covering for them. I hope those two learn their lesson this time.”
Westwood told us that if we were ever to get Tommy back we shouldn’t tell him that we know he’s one of the Banes brothers, that it would only hurt his pride. The three of us agreed not to speak of it again.
We traveled back and caught up with the rest of our group. They too were watching the puppet show alongside a crowd of children, the same show I had been watching earlier.
“Look Montezuma!” Cheered Bigfoot. “That you!”
One of the marionette puppets looked like Montezuma.
“That’s enough.” Montezuma replied modestly. “No time for games, we need to find Diego.”
“Who exactly is this Diego?” I asked.
“An operator like us and the safe keeper of the final stone. He has a very special band, one that’s going to help us train you to be a better operator.”
We left the puppet show. Bigfoot kept on about how much the string puppet looked like Montezuma.
Montezuma stopped one of the people and politely asked if he knew where the operator by the name of Diego was and if he was in town. The man smiled pointing at a restaurant not too far away. “He’s doing a show today in his new restaurant.” Said the man before disappearing back into the crowd.
We came to the restaurant. Above the entrance was a large wooden sign that read. (The house of Diego.) There was another sign just next to the door that read (Today’s show: The Bear Prince!) but that sign was different, the wooden words were placed in a peg board so they could be changed at a later time, perhaps to accommodate a different show. One by one we entered the restaurant.
Inside they were preparing for dinner theater. The theater was packed with dinner tables all being waited on by lovely women dressed in festive dresses and hair styles. There was still enough room at one table towards the back. We snagged it before anyone else could. One of the festively dressed waitresses came to take our order in Spanish....Westwood and Montezuma knew how to speak Spanish better than the rest of us so they helped us make our order.
Westwood payed for our meals, Montezuma wanted to pay but Westwood would have no part of that.
We had tacos, fried beans and brown rice. The tacos were very tasty. Bigfoot grabbed pieces of food feeding Dodo.
While dinning everyone talked amongst themselves.
Coast didn’t eat much. I asked her why. She just shrugged saying. “I wonder if Surfside is hungry too?”
“We’ll get him back.” I assured her.
... but I wasn’t sure. I had no idea if we could actually get anyone back that had been taken by the dark storm, yet still I tried my best to be positive. I didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was.
“Thanks.” She replied with a slight smile. I could tell she was just as unsure as I, but she too was trying her best to be as optimistic as possible.
“Your wife?” She asked scooting her chair closer to me. “What is her name?”
“Her name is Michelle.”
“What do you remember about her?” She asked.
“Everything.” I replied. “She’s waiting for me in my world.
“Then why are you still here? …Don’t you miss her?”
“I do, very much. But I can’t go home yet.”
“Why not?”
“I need Boysenberry and all the berries from Mr. Knott’s farm are gone now.”
“I’m sorry.” Coast frowned.
“It’s okay.” I replied. “I’ll find my way to back to her. I know I will.”
“Well, when you do make it back home.” She smiled straightening the Engineers hat on my head. “…You had better clean up before you get there!”
I looked at my clothes. She was right, my overalls were dirty now. I was a mess, hadn’t had a decent wash since I used the Riptide band in calico.
Coast adjusted her dress.
“I must look horrible.” She added. “I don’t want Surf to see me like this. I’m gonna freshen up before we get him back.”
I could tell that Coast really loved Surfside. She probably always had, but I couldn’t tell before, I hadn’t seen them show much affection towards each other on the boardwalk when we had first met.
“When I last saw him he told me he loved me" Said Coast. “I think I always knew he loved me, but neither of us wanted to be the first to admit it. When I see him again I’m going to tell him I love him too.”
“You should.” I replied. “You two look good together.”
“Thank you." Coast replied. “When you get back home, you should tell your wife that you love her too. Tell her every day.”
“I plan to.” I replied.
“Show start now.” Bigfoot interrupted.
A young man hushed the Dinner tables, He hopped atop a stage. He was wearing a Mariachi outfit but unlike all the others he did not wear his hat. It was like he wanted to be different from the rest of people in town. His hat was unlike all the other hats in town, it had a gold trim. The hat rested on his back held by a string swung around his neck. Behind him there was a red curtain where the show would be taking place.
“That’s him.” Montezuma whispered to me. “That’s Diego.”
We watched as Diego introduced the show. Then opened the curtain. There were many props used to tell the story and a few actors. The story was called “The Bear Prince.” It was about a young woman who fell in love with a prince. That an evil witch had put a curse on the prince and that every day he would turn into a bear and at night a prince. The young woman tried to break the curse without permission from the prince, and when she did he began to disappear telling her that the evil witch was taking him to a mysterious castle.
The young woman traveled years looking for the castle trying to find her prince. finally stumbling upon the house of the moon, but the moon did not know where the castle was. From there she traveled to the house of the sun. The sun knew where the castle was but couldn’t take her there fearing he would burn her. Eventually it was the suns friend, the wind, that carried her to the castle where she battled the witch to win back her prince.
It was a very beautiful story fueled by love and redemption, I had never seen a fairy tale like it. They used large props in the show that were crafted beautifully. A large round moon with a face on it, a sun too, and many many others that helped tell the story so well. I know that as I tell you about this show it seems so vague. It’s so hard to explain this show and how good it actually was and how immersed in the story I became. I guess it’s just one of those things that you have to see for yourself.
Once the show was over everyone cheered and the actors bowed. The audience began to leave their tables heading outside where the fiesta continued. Soon the dinner theater was empty and all that was left was us.
Diego positioned things on stage really quick then hopped down from the stage to greet us.
“Montezuma!” Diego Cheered. “It’s been years. I was worried you had died by now.”
“Not yet.” Montezuma laughed.
“It’s good to see you again.”
“And I you.”
Montezuma then introduced the rest of us one by one.
“Come, come let’s have a drink with our new friends.” Diego insisted.
“We don’t have very much time.” Montezuma Declined.
“You know.” Replied Westwood. “I don’t think one drink would hurt.”
“Yeah.” Bigfoot added. “I thirsty too.”
“Fine.” Said Montezuma, giving in. “Just one drink.”
The six of us sat at our table as an actress that was on stage earlier now brought us some drinks. I could tell she was one of the actresses because she still had smudged makeup from the different characters she had played on stage. Coast told her that the show was great as she set our drinks on the table. The actress smiled replying “Gracias.”
“So.” Diego began. “What brings all of you to fiesta village?”
“You know why we are here.” Montezuma replied.
Diego slowly leaned forward towards Montezuma.
“Have you found the rest of the seals?” He asked.
“I have.” Montezuma replied
Montezuma revealed the six fused seals with a missing stone in the center. The stones glow was very faint now.
“It is time for the final seal to be combined.” Montezuma added.
“The company you keep?” Diego warned. “Do you trust them?”
“I do.” Replied Montezuma. “They are only here to help.”
At that Diego closed the doors at the main entrance of the dinner theater and locked them so that no one else could enter.
“It’s been over ten years since you trusted me with the stone.” Said Diego. “The thought of giving it up brings me both relief and fear.”
Diego Climbed back up on his stage and from behind the curtain he pulled on a rope. Slowly the large sun prop began to lower down to the center of the stage. He pulled the seventh stone from the eye of the sun then hopped back down the stage handing the stone to Montezuma.
Montezuma placed the stone in the last opening of the plate. The stone fused with the others and now the plate shined bright once again. The seal finally completed.
“This should give us more time.” Said Montezuma. “Now we need one more thing from you.”
“What’s that?” Diego asked.
“We need your Gallery Band.”
“Oh poor Montezuma." Diego remarked sarcastically. “you know I cannot train you anymore, you have learned all that you can.”
“It’s not for me!” Montezuma growled then pointing his thumb at Coast and I. “It’s for these two.”
“You two can operate?” Diego asked.
“A little.” Coast shyly replied.
“And you?” He again asked looking at me with a look of doubt stapled to his face.
“A little.” I replied. With a flash I made my boomerang appear in my glove.
“Amazing.” Diego replied, his doubtful expression now torn away. “You can operate the Boomerang glove! Never met an operator that powerful!”
“He’s a Zuma.” Said Montezuma. “My brother.”
“Another Zuma?!!! You and I have been friends for a very long time Monte. Why did you not tell me you had a hermano?”
“I had to protect him.” Montezuma replied. “From Nefarious and the grey Witch.”
“I see...” Replied Diego. “If the grey Witch were to find out about him that would be very bad.”
“Nefarious might wake soon.” Replied Montezuma. “The seals light grows dim only days after they have been fused, we don’t have much time.”
“Nefarious is becoming too powerful.” I added. “He has taken the whole town of Calico.”
“We have to bring them back.” Westwood added.
“Well why don’t you go straight to him now?” Diego asked.
“He’s become so strong.” Replied Montezuma. “I doubt we have enough time to get to him as it is. We all need to be ready just in case.”
“So you think by teaching these two how to use the operators items it will help you against Nefarious?”
“Yes.” Montezuma replied. “We must seal him away for many years to come, and we don’t have much time to train.... will you help us?”
“Of course I will mi amigo. Said Diego. “I will do all that I can, but you know that it takes a long time to become a skilled operator, time that you don’t have.”
“I know, but we at least need to try.”
“Then there is no time to waste.” Declared Diego. “Let’s train now.”
After leaving the “House of Diego” We traveled to the outskirts of town. He claimed that operator’s bands should never be used in populated areas saying that they would destroy everything. I knew what he meant because of what happened in Calico when Bigfoot, Westwood and I battled the Catawampus. I used the Riptide band back in Calico that sent a giant wave almost washing away the entire town. Better to be away from fiesta village as to not harm innocent bystanders.
We arrived in the middle of the dessert. Bigfoot took my backpack pulling out Dodo and sat the bird next to him on what was left of an old tipped over wagon. Westwood sat beside pulling off his boots making himself comfortable.
Diego told us a little about his operator band. That it could do many things, but mostly we would use it for practice. Coast was excited telling me she had trained a little with Surfside before.
“Who wants to go first?” Diego asked.
“I will.” I decided.
Coast knew a little already and I needed as much practice as possible.
“Bring out your weapon.” He said.
So I brought out my boomerang.
“Gallery!” Diego shouted and a band on his arm flashed white light. Out from it came another boomerang almost identical to mine.
“Hey that looks just like mine!” I said.
“My band will replicate any operators item… as long as I am close enough in range.”
His boomerang grew large, almost as big as mine. He threw the large boomerang at me and I franticly used mine to block the attack. Diego’s boomerang returned to him, I stood there amazed.
“Well what are you waiting for?” Diego asked with a smirk.
At that I threw my boomerang back at him and his blocked the attack. We continued to battle. He used his boomerang as a target in the sky while I continued to attack at it with mine. The boomerang came back to him and he charged at me with it. I blocked his attacks and counterattacked. We threw our boomerangs at the same time and they began to battle in the air all by themselves clashing into each other and chasing one another both growing even larger. Eventually Diego’s boomerang crashed tumbling in the dirt defeated. My boomerang came back to me and I caught it.
“Do you want to know why your boomerang won?” Diego asked.
“Why?” I replied.
“It was stronger than mine. Yours’s was the true boomerang, mine was only a reflection of yours.”
I put my boomerang away and Diego’s disappeared also.
“Your turn Senorita.” Said Diego turning to Coast. “Draw your weapon.”
“Right!” Coast accepted. “Corkscrew!” She shouted and a beautifully twisted spear appeared in her hands. “Are you sure your up for this?” She asked
“Please.” Diego Laughed. “You can use every band that you have.”
“Okay.” She laughed. “Supreme SCREAM!” She shouted and a flash of white light came from her neck band. Her scream was loud. I had never heard anything so loud before, my eardrums felt like they were going to burst. I felt bad for Diego because Coast was screaming directly at him but apparently the scream didn’t faze him. His gallery band was protecting him somehow.
The scream was so powerful that it was able to move things. It kicked up clouds of dirt and ripped whole cactus out of the ground from their roots. It pushed Diego back, him sliding through the dirt even though he had planted his feet in the ground trying his best to hold his position. Bigfoot and Westwood were trying their best to cover their ears as they watched from a distance, Dodo ran amuck. Montezuma was smart, he took refuge behind Coast as to not be in the path of her attack. Soon the scream was over.
“Very good Senorita… let’s see what else you have!” He shouted charging at her with a mirror image of her corkscrew spear. The two clashed, him taking initiative dominating while Coast counter attacked. They sparred rapidly both un-intending to do harm to one another.
A crack and slash and Coast had cut Diego’s spear in half. She pointed the blade of her long spear directly at his neck.
Westwood clapped as he watched Coast win the duel.
“Boy, we better not mess with her.” Westwood Laughed.
“Yes yes...” Bigfoot replied. “...Coast mean.”
“Very good Senorita.” Diego laughed. “Do you