So here's the second story I've been promising you guys. If you haven't read the first story Rockin' With the Ninja, I suggest you do. Some things might make more sense if you do.

Chapter 1

In Miracle City, Mexico

The sun was shinning on Miracle City, best known for it's terrible villains, but today was quiet. The birds were chirping, the people were smiling and happy, and the whole city seemed to be in perfect order.

But not everything is ever as it looks. An annoyed Black Cuervo was flying through the air, heading toward a certain mystical skeleton's lair. Her face was red from anger and she only had one thing in mind.

She had just been at the park, throwing rocks at pigeons when she saw none other than Manny Rivera stolling along by himself. She had been harboring a crush on the young man since they plotted to ruin the stupid Suarez girl's birthday party.

Naturally, she decided to go talk to him. Not as Black Cuervo, though, but as Zoe Aves, her secret identity. She casually walked up to him, but just before she could tap him on the shoulder, the Suarez girl showed up with two ice cream cones and spoiled everything!

Fed up with her lack of attention from the boy she liked due to Frida Suarez, she sped off, turned into Black Cuervo, and flew off into the sky. She went home and sulked for a while, but she was still upset. She wanted Manny, but she couldn't get him. Not as long as Frida was hanging around. She needed to get rid of the girl if she wanted Manny.

She decided that if she wanted to come up with the perfect plan, she would need help. Not just any help, but help from the baddest villain in town; Santana of the Dead. It would be easy as pie for the skeletal woman to destroy Frida Suarez and leave Manny to Black Cuervo.

She crashed through the roof and landed on a pile of gold coins. As she suspected, Santana was sitting on her throne, her mystic guitar sitting on her lap, stunned to silence by the young girl's sudden arrival. Several of her skeleton minions were lounging around playing cards and whatever else they do.

Santana's expression quickly changed from shock to anger. She looked around at her minions and yelled, "Get that girl before she makes off with my treasure!"

The minions followed their master's orders and jumped up. They charged at Black Cuervo, but she was pressed a button on her gauntlet and a giant laser cannon popped up on her wrist. It fired up and vaporized at least half of the skeletons racing toward her.

"Save it," she yelled, causing the minions to stop and Santana to give her a suspicious look. "I'm not here for you're gold. I'm here to make a deal with you." Santana's skull twisted into a confused expression, but she didn't stop the girl from going on. "I want a Frida Suarez out of the way, so I can have Manny Rivera all to myself."

Santana head fell back as she barked with laughter. Black Cuervo let her frown show at the ancient woman's unexpected reaction.

"Why would I help you," Santana asked, suddenly serious.

Black Cuervo smirked and said, "The destruction of El Tigre."

Santana looked at the girl quizzically. "If El Tigre is gone how will you have Manny Rivera?"

The girl's smirk only grew into a Cheshire grin. "I didn't say I wanted El Tigre, only Riverea."

Santana smiled evilly and held out her boney hand. "It's a deal."

Black Cuervo gladly took the hand and, holding back a shiver from the creepy feeling, shook it once before they started discussing the plan.

Somewhere in Arizona

"Are you kidding me, Kin," Laney Penn, the bassist, yelled angrily at cowering Kin Kujira, the keyboardist. She was pointing toward an old, worn down bus that was supposed to act as a mode of transportation.

"I'm sorry, but the plane tickets got messed up so they could only get us this far before we had to find another way to get there," he explained frantically. He pointed at the bus and continued, "This is the best they could get us for our size a group, on a short notice, and cheap."

Laney was just about to hit the boy when a hand grabbed her wrist, stopping her in mid-swing. She looked to see that the hand belonged to none other than Corey Riffin, her blue-haired boyfriend for the past seven months and guitarist/ lead singer of the band.

"Lanes, calm down," he said reasuringly, smiling at her sweetly. "It's not his fault the airlines couldn't get us anything better. Besides, we can still get there and we get to see the scenery." Corey stood back an motioned to the landscape, covered in nothing but cactus and yuca.

Laney stared at said 'scenery' for a moment before giggling and putting down her hand. "I guess you're right, Core." She turned to Kin and said, "Sorry, Kin, I'm just a little worried about us getting there safely."

A large teen with black spikey hair and carrying drum-sticks stepped up. He was Kon Kujira, the feternal twin of Kin and drummer for Grojband. "Why are you worried," he asked innocently. "It's not like anything as bad as what happened in Norrisville will ever happen again."

Laney looked up at her large friend and explained. "I'm not worried about that. I've been hearing a lot on the news about the drug lords and stuff down here and it just scares me a little bit. Plus, by bus we have to go through Miracle City."

Kin jumped in, "Oh, I know that place! It's supposed to be the crime capital of the world."

Laney nodded and said, "Exactly. I'm scared that something might happen to us either on the way there or even on the way back. I really want to enjoy our vacation in Acapulco, but with this stupid bus," she pointed at object of her despise, "we might not even get there alive!"

Corey grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Lanes," he said soothingly and she looked up into his eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to us. We're going to get to Acapulco just fine and we'll make it back home just fine."

Laney searched his eyes for any deceit, but after finding none, she gave him a small smile and said, "Alright."

He leaned in gave her a quick peck on the lips, which she returned, and went to grab a few bags. He listened to Kin and Kon's "gross" and "ew"s with a hint of amusement as he grabbed his dufflebag and headed onto the bus with it.

He found a seat and shoved the bag on the overhead rack. His friends followed and he went to the front to talk to the busdriver.

"You kids all done talking," the busdriver asked grumpily. He was a man in his forties with a receding hairline and a five-o-clock shadow.

Corey figured he wasn't a guy you would want to mess with so he said, "Yes, sir," and walked back to his seat quickly. Laney had occupied the seat right next to his and she watched him sit back down.

The bus was pretty much abandoned other that Grojband and a few random civilians who were heading into Mexico, as well. Corey felt awkward around these unknown people and couldn't help but think about what Laney said.

That plus this was the first trip the band had been on without any adult supervision. Corey's parents had been to busy with business and the Kujiras were visiting a relative in the States. And Laney's parents were in the process of a divorce and a nasty one at that.

Only days after coming home from Norrisville, Corey had found out the truth. The puzzle pieces fell into place and he understood why she had mentioned missing Christmas with everyone's families, but not her own. Her parents were so busy with the divorce and tossing her back and forth between the two of them they didn't really plan a family Christmas with her. And when it came time for the trip to Mexico, they were so busy fighting over which one should go, Laney just lied and said the Kujira's were going with them again.

Corey knew what it was like to have busy parents, hell, his were either on a business trip or at the office all the time, but he couldn't imagine his parents being so busy with hating each other and fighting over their child they didn't even have time for said child.

The band had raised money for the trip by performing as many paying gigs as they could and the groupies helped by selling Grojband merchandise after shows. They all saved up as much allowance as possible and they finally had enough to buy plane tickets and make reservations at a hotel in Acapulco by the sea. It was all perfect, until the airline screwed up the tickets and landed them in Arizona, with the only means of transportation to Acapulco was this rusty old bus.

Corey leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, trying to ignore all the people around him. He felt Laney's head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her waist. He heard her breathing steady and he knew she was asleep. He followed her lead and let sleep take him over.

Alright there's chapter 1 and like I said if anything had you confused, read my first story: Rockin' With the Ninja. Also, if you don't like the Manny x Frida pairing, I suggest you not read this, because I'm gonna use it 'cause I love it.