El Tigre copyright Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua
The MASK copyright Dark Horse Comics/New Line Cinema
The MASK of Miracle City
Chapter 06: El Oso
[Mayan Arcade]
"DUDE, I SO ROCK AT THIS GAME!
ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF THE ARCADE, THAT IS ME! Shouted Frida At High Volume
Just then, a Security Guard Walked Up.
"Miss, If You Continue To Disturb Everyone With Your Shouting I Will Have No Choice But To Throw You Out the Door...again.
"i'm sorry, mister... Said Frida, Putting On The Sweetest Face She Could. (Quivering Lips And Puppy Dog Eyes)
The Guard, Fell For It.
"Just Don't Let It Happen Again.
The Guard Left.
Frida Then Snickered.
"Works Every Time...
It Was At That Moment That Frida Noticed Manny Staring Into Space.
"Uh. Manny...Why Aren't You Having Fun?
"I Don't Know, Frida...
I Guess I Just Wish I Could Spend More Time With Chris, That's All.
"Hey, You At Least TRIED To Get Him To Come With Us...
It's Not Like We're Ditching Him In The Park Like We Used To Do.
"Do You HAVE TO REMIND ME OF THAT!
"Sorry, I Forgot. Said Frida
Manny Sighed Sharply.
During The Beginning Of His Relationship With Chris, He Wasn't Sure Of Him.
There He Was, Some Strange AMERICAN Boy, Who Came Out Of No Where...WHo Was Suppose To Be HIS NEW BROTHER?
While His Father & Grandpapi Saw This As a Chance To Train a Future "Rivera", Manny Saw Things Differently.
He Saw Chris As An Intruder, Who Was Stealing His Family Away From Him...
Stealing His OWN MOTHER...BY LIVING IN HER HOUSE!
Manny Tried To Avoid Him, But This Only Led To Zoe Avez Becoming His Friend.
After That, Manny Started To become Jealous, But He Couldn't Understand Why.
Of Course, One Day...Manny Ditched Chris, But Zoe Wasn't There THIS TIME Chris Had a Run In With a Dangerous Street Gang, He Survived...But Was In The Hospital For Weeks.
His Mother Was Too Upset To Speak His Father & Grandpapi Weren't Angry, Just Disappointed In Him.
Frida Felt Guilty Like Him, Since It Was HER IDEA To Go To The Arcade Instead Of Spend Time WIth Chris.
Zoe Was Guilty Too, But She Blamed Manny & Frida More Than Herself (Ironicly, So Did Manny.)
When Chris Recovered, Manny Was Relieved.
He No Longer Saw Him As An Enemy, Anymore...But a Brother.
Manny Practicly Begged For His Forgivness...To This Day, He Still Can't Understand Why He FORGAVE HIM SO EASILY.
Chris Johnson Is a Gentle Soul.
It Takes ALOT To Get Him Angry AT Someone, And Even Then, He Isn't Violent.
He Forgives People Easily, And Is VERY UNDERSTANDING Of People...a True Rarity To This World.
Ever Since That Day, Manny Has TRIED To Be a Good Brother.
But, Ironicly...The One Time Manny Once To Be There For Chris...Chris Doesn't Need Him.
"At Least He's Got, Zoe.
"And, What Part Of THAT Is a Good Thing? Said Frida
Manny Chuckled At The Joke.
Then, Frida Started Getting Serious.
"Say, Manny...
Since Your Mom Is Performing AT The Coco Bongo Club, I Guess You'll Be There, Right?
"Yeah...So?
"Well...I REALLY, REALLY Want To Go.
But, Dad Is Working a Night Shift, Mom Is Busy With Case Reports And My Sisters OBVIOUSLY Won't Take Me.
"Why?
"I Glued They're Heads Together, Again.
And They REFUSE To Speak To Me For The Next Several Months...Or, At Least Until There Hair Grows Back.
Manny Couldn't Hide His Laughter.
"So, I Was Wondering...C-Could You Take Me?
"Me?...Take YOU To a Night Club?
"Uh-Huh.
"Like, Uhhh...DATE?
"YES, Well, NO, More Like a FRIEND-FRIEND Date...Not a "DATE" DATE
"Rightm Cause That Would Be TOO WEIRD.
"RI-GHT, Too Weird.
Yeah, That Would Be CRAZY!
They Both Laugh Then, Stop...Bluching Awkwardly.
"Sssso...Will You Take Me?
"Sure, What Are Friends For?
"Yeah, Sure...friends. Said Frida, Kicking Her Heels.
Just Then, The Radio Blared.
"ATTENTION, MIRACLE CITY!
EL OSO HAS JUST ESCAPED FROM PRISON AND IS ROBBING THE MIRACLE CITY BANK!
"Time To Go To Work.
El Tigre Spun His Belt Buckle And In a Flash Of Green, And Loud Tiger Roar, He Transformed Into EL TIGRE
"EL TIGRE!
Manny Grabbed Frida, Ran Out The Arcade And Claw Grappel Swung To the Bank.
Meanwhile, Chris Was On Top Of Buildings Setting Timed Camera's On Certain Points Where He Figured Oso Would Be.
He Was Doing This By Himself, Since Zoe Was So Mad At His Boss, She Flew Off To Her House.
Chris Also Had Confidence In The FOF Photo Assignment That Mr. Francisco Gave Him.
He'd Just Ask Zoe And Her Family To Pose For a PHOTO SHOOT For Him. (Sometimes Being Friends With a Supervillian Had It's Perks)
Sure Enough, He Saw El Oso Running Down The Street With Bags Full Of Cash.
"Showtime. Said Chris, Hiding From Afar With Some Binoculars.
Oso Ran Down The Street, Then EL Tigre Showed Up.
"OSO!, DROP THE CASH!
"OUTTA THE WAY, MANG!
El Tigre Launched His Grappel Claws And Slashed At The Moneybags, Ripping Them Apart.
As Money Blowed In The Air (Money That Frida Tried To Grab) Oso Glared At EL Tigre.
"HA!, What Do You Say To THAT?
Oso Punched EL Tigre Into a Wall.
"Is That All You...G-Got. Said El Tigre, In Slurred Speech
Oso Charged At Him.
Manny Launched a Grappel Punch At Him, But Oso Grabbed His Chains And Swung him Around.
"Oh, SNAP!
NOT !
EL Oso Swung El Tigre Around, Causing Him To Hit Random Objects
"FRIDAAAAAAAAAA...HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP...MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
"DON'T WORRY MANNY, I'VE GOT A PLAN!
Frida Grabbed a Rock And Threw It At Oso.
Nothing Happened.
"Well, That's All I Got.
"FRIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Chris, Who Was Watching The Whole Thing, Started To Worry.
"Oh, Dear...
I'd Better Do Something, Or I'll Have SEVERAL PIECES OF BROTHER, Instead Of Just ONE.
Chris Reached Into His Backpack And Took Out The Loki Mask He Put It On, And In a Green Flash & Crash Of Thunder, Transformed Into THE MASK.
Mask Quick Changed Into AN Elmer Fudd-Esque Hunter.
"Shhhhh...
Be Vewy, Vewy Qwiet...I'm Hunter BEARS!
It's BEAR SEASON, YA KNOW...(Elmer Fudd Laugh)
Mask Changed Back To Normal And Speeded Towards The Battle Field.
"Put The Kitty Down, Yogi Bear!
Oso Looked To To Mask.
"YOU!
Oso Released EL Tigre, Who Crashed Into a Lamp Post.
"Is...That All...You Got? SAid Manny, Before He Fainted
"MANNY!
Frida Ran To Manny.
Oso Ignored Her, He Was Busy With Mask.
"I Know You!
You Stole Money From a Back That I Was Gonna Steal First, Mang!
"HEY!, That Isn't MY FAULT!
I Can't Help It If Your SO SLOW And I'm SO SKILLED.
"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...
Oso Approached Mask.
MAsk Help a Sign That Read "STOP: In Bold Letters.
"HOLD IT!
"What!
"Catch.
Mask Tossed a Remote At Oso Oso Read The Caption On It: DO NOT PRESS THE BUTTON.
After Several Minutes, Oso Pressed The Button.
Nothing Happened.
"That's It!
I Don't See What Teh Big Deal I-
a Giant Safe Fall From Out Of No Where, And Right Onto Oso.
The Safe's Dial Clicks And Spins, The Door Opens, Revealing a Dazed Oso, With "$" Spinning Around His Head.
"El Oso Feeling Sleepy.
Oso Faints.
"Awww...El Oso Fall Down And Go BOOM!
HA! HA!, SOMBODY STOP ME!
Mask Spins In a Tornado And Speeds Off Into The City.
Manny Wakes Up.
"What Happened.
Frida Was a Little Worried.
"Uhhhh...El Oso Clobbered You.
Manny Looked At The KOed Oso.
"Then WHY Is He Out Cold.
"Mask Showed Up And Dropped a Safe On Him.
Now, Manny Was Mad.
"WHAT!
FIRST HE HUMILIATES ME AND MY FAMILY, AND NOW HE BEATS THE CROOK I WAS SUPPOSE TO BEAT!
"Well, He DID Save You Just Now.
"ONLY TO HUMILIATE ME MORE!
Ooooooh, I WILL GET EVEN WITH THE MASK, AND PROVE I AM BETTER THAN HE IS.
Manny Stands Up.
"THIS, I SWEAR!
Manny Then Get's Dizzy.
"Right After The World Stops Spinning.
"Manny...Are You Okay?
Manny Looks At Frida.
"Which One Of You Wants To Know?
Manny Falls To The Ground.
"O-Kay, I'd Better Take You Home.
Frida Picks Up Manny And Carries Him Off.