Ultimate Muscle – The New Generation
Mantaro lay in the hospital bed much weakened from his constant battle with the DMP. The thirty years of near constant battles had taken its toll and even though it was rumoured that he alone had put away more superhuman criminals than his Father and his Uncle combined it was little help to Mantaro and Roxanne.
Mantaro attempted to raise himself from the bed once more but collapsed back onto it breathing heavily.
"Mantaro you have to rest if you want any hope of a recovery," insisted Roxanne.
"The match," groaned Mantaro weakly, "I have to fight."
One of the doctors came in and gently led Roxanne out of the door.
"Even if he does manage to pull off another Muscle family last minute recovery," started the Doctor solemly, "If he fights in that match it will most certainly kill him."
"I couldn't convince him not to fight if I tried," replied Roxanne sobbing, "His only hope is that his partner…" Roxanne broke off into more tears. She knew this match would mean that the last free fragment of the DmP would be defeated but she didn't want it at the cost of Mantaro.
"His partner what Mum?" asked a voice from down the corridor as the heir to the Muscle throne walked down. Belinda Muscle named after her Grandmother was the only child that had been born to Roxanne and Mantaro but had proven her heritage in the ring almost as well as her father by this age.
"You have to win the match alone," replied the Doctor.
"I can't," replied Belinda shocked, "It's a mixed doubles match, I'm not strong enough to manage it on my own."
"Your father is in no fit state to fight," replied the Doctor insistently.
"Then I'll fight instead."
What had looked to be a shadow separated itself revealing the familiar figure of Kevin Mask. Age hadn't done as badly to Kevin Mask preferring to stay in the shadows and watch from the sidelines he had not participated in half as many matches as Mantaro.
"No," replied Roxanne shaking her head, "Mantaro would never forgive me."
"Can you do it?" asked Belinda.
Roxanne looked at Belinda in amazement as Kevin nodded and the pair sprinted off downs the corridor.
There was a crash from Mantaro's private room, Roxanne and the doctor rushed in to check on Mantaro and found him lying on the floor having managed to get himself out of bed he had found that his legs couldn't support his own weight. Roxanne and the doctor managed to get him back into bed.
"The match," groaned the legendary wrestler.
"Shh," shushed Roxanne, "Kevin Mask has taken your place."
Mantaro closed his eyes. When he opened them he stared straight ahead.
"Sit me up," he requested, "And bring a tv in here."
At the arena the match had begun badly, Belinda or "Princess Muscle" as she was know to the fans was been badly beaten in the centre of the ring. By some miracle she made her way to the corner and managed to tag Kevin Mask in. Her opponent didn't let up though and continued to beat her until Kevin pulled him off.
"Superhuman wrestling regulations say that in a mixed double if one partner is seriously injured but tags out then the match is stopped whilst the medics take them from the ring," hissed Kevin Mask.
"And," replied their opponent.
"If you fail to follow the regulations then you aren't a superhuman wrestler," replied Kevin, "Your just a thug and you've heard how I treat thugs."
Belinda refused medical help and managed to pull herself into the corner using the ropes to hold herself up. Kevin Mask urged her to leave but she simply shook her head and indicated that Kevin should continue the match.
Belinda played no further part in the match itself, merely stood in the corner supported by the ropes determined to see the match through to the end. As the bell sounded for the end of the match after Kevin knocked out the second member of the tag team she almost gratefully fell into the arms of the waiting paramedics on the floor.
In the hospital room Mantaro closed his eyes with a smile on his face. The doctor moved over to him then gently lay him down and pulled the bedcovers over his face before leading the sobbing Roxanne from the room.