El Tigre copyright Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua
The MASK copyright Dark Horse Comics/New Line Cinema
The MASK of Miracle City
Chapter 11: Frida's Love
Mask Sped Over To Where Zoe First Left Chris.
Of Course It Was Completly Destroyed Due To Lady Gobbler's Missle.
"Hmmmm...This Could Get Tricky In Maintaining The Secret Identity.
Just Then, He Heard The Rockets Of Black Cuervo's Jetpack.
"Woops, Time For a CHANGE OF FACE.
Mask Grasps The Back Of His Head And Pulls The Green Mask Off, Reverting Back To Chris.
Chris Quickly Stuff's The Now Wooden Mask In his Backpack.
Chris Then Runs Out In The Open And Lays Down On The Ground, Pretending To Be Knocked Out.
While This Was Happening, Zoe Was Racing Towards Chris.
"Chris Is Alright, CHRIS IS ALRIGHT! Shrieked Zoe
Zoe Then Arrived At the Scene To See Chris Laying On The Ground, "Knocked Out"
"CHRIS!
Zoe Changes Back Into her Civilian Clothes And Runs Over To Him.
She Kneels down And Holds His Head, Shaking Him a Little.
"Chris?
CHRIS, WAKE UP!
Chris "Wakes Up"
"Uhh, What?
"Chris, Are You Okay?
"Depends...
Do You Think Nearly Getting Blown Up By a Live Missle Counts As ALRIGHT?
Zoe Hugs Chris Tightly.
"The NEXT TIME You Tell Me To Stay Somewhere "Safe" And I Listen To You...
I Want You To Slap Me In The Face...REALLY, REALLY HARD!
"sorry.
Chris Shrugs His Shoulders.
"S'allright.
Zoe Helps Chris Up, Then Changes Back Into Her Black Cuervo Suit.
Voltura And Gobbler Soon Arrive.
"Chris, Are You Okay? Asked Voltura
Chris Glared At Her.
"Do You HAVE TO ASK ME THAT!
"Sorry, Standard Question...
Chris Crossed His Arms.
"Okay, Seriously...
Just Who Was It That Fired That Missle!
"Siniestro. Said Gobbler Quite Quickly.
"Please, I Just Saw The Mask Spin By From Your Location.
Knowing Him, He Probibly Beat Siniestro And Stole His Loot So, ONE OF YOU Must Have Shot At Him...So, WHO WAS IT?
Gobbler Was Silent.
Voltura And Cuervo However, Pointed At Gobbler.
"traitors. Grumbled The Turkey Lady
"Why Am I Not Surprised YOUR THE ONE CAUSING ALL THE TROUBLE?
"Quea?
Chris Slapped His Face.
"Do You Need a Lift Home, Chris?
"No Thanks, I Can Find My Own Way.
"Okay, See You Later.
Voltura Flew Off, Followed By Gobbler.
Cuervo Hugged Chris, Then Joined Her Family.
As Soon As They Were Gone, Chris Took Out The Mask And Put It On.
"Time To Get These Pictures Developed And Get Them To The Newspaper Office...BUT FIRST!
Mask Spins Around For a Minute.
He Is Now Holding a Knife And Fork And Wearing a Bib With a Picture Of a Taco On It.
"NEXT STOP: TACO BELLE!
It's "All-You-Can-Eat-If-Your-Credit-Cards-Aren't-Maxed-Out" Night!
Mask Spins Around In a Green Tornado And Heads For Taco Belle.
[Meanwhile, At The Suarez House]
"KIDS!, DINNER!
Anita, Nikita And Frida Raced For The Dinner Table As Carmela Suarez Prepared There Food.
"This Is Really- Began Anita
"Good Food, Mom. Finished Nikita
Thanks, Sweethearts.
Frida Fiddled With It.
"Is This Eatable?
"Frida, My Casseroll Is Good For You.
"Why Can't I Have Churros?
"Churros Is a DESSERT!
Frida Stared At Her Soupy Dish That Bubbled.
"I DO Have Life Insurence, Don't I?
"EAT YOUR FOOD, FRIDA! Said Anita
"OR WE'LL POUND YOU! Said Nikita
At That Moment, Chief Emiliano Suarez Marched In.
"Hello, Sweety...How Was Your Day?
Emiliano Answered With An Angry Growl.
"That Bad, Huh?
The Police Chief Clentched His Fists.
"Blast That El Stupido Mask...
"Oh, Don't Worry Honey...You'll Catch Him.
"WHEN, CARMELA, WHEN!
He's The Only One Who's Defied Me, And Has Gotten Away With It!
The Only Outlaw Who Has NO FEAR OF ME!, He Practicly HUMILIATES ME ON A DAILY BASIS!
"You Mean...(Giggle) The Wedgies?
Emiliano Tugs On His Overly Stretched Underwear.
"He's Got Me Going Through EIGHT PAIR A WEEK!, UNDERWEAR ISN'T CHEAP!
Frida Laughs Out Loud.
Her Sisters Glare At Her.
"It Ain't Funny-
"Frida!
"I Sure Think It Is.
Carmela Sighed.
"Well, Aside From All The Troublmaking...Mask Has Been a Benifit To Miracle City.
Emiliano Eyed His Wife.
"Carmela, Don't Tell Me You ACTUALLY SUPPORT THIS LOON!
"Now, Emil...You Have To Admit.
Crime Has Been At a Much Steadier Level Since He Showed Up.
I Don't Support His Mephods, But His Heart IS In The Right Place.
"I Kinda Like Him, Too. Said Frida
Emiliano Remained Stern.
"Well, I Won't Quit Until He Is UNMASKED ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Anita & Nikita Nod There Heads In Agreement.
Frida Crossed Her Arms.
"Whatever...
Carmela Then Spoke Up.
"Frida, Sweetie.
I Managed To Pick Out The Prettiest Dress For You To Wear AT The Coco Bongo This Friday...I'm Sure It'll Impress That Boy You Like.
"MOM!
Anita And Nikita Snickered At This.
Emiliano Just Sneared, It Was No Secret That He DISLIKED Manny.
Frida Soon Left The Table.
"Where Are You Going, Mija?
"I've Suddenly Lost My Appetite.
Frida Leaves for Her Room.
Frida's Sisters Whisper To Each Other.
"She Is So-
"Weird.
Later, In Frida's Room.
Frida Flopped On her Bed And Gazed At the Cealing.
She And Manny Had Been Best Friends Since Pre-K And Had ALWAYS Been Together Since The Day They Met...
And Yet, Frida Had Begun To Develop "Feelings" For Her Best Friend.
Strange Feelings That Was Confusing Her Greatly...
These Feelings Both Terrified Her, And Excited Her...All At The Same Time.
As Much As She Didn't Want To Admit It...She Was Developing a CRUSH On Manny.
And This Very Crush Was Getting STRONGER By The Day...
So Much So...That Frida Was Sure She Was Doing The Unthinkable: FALLING IN LOVE WITh HER BEST FRIEND.
This Scared Her, That This LOVE Would Damage There Friendship...
Things Wouldn't Be The Same Between Them Anymore, And Frida DIDN'T LIKE CHANGE!
She Liked Things As They WEre, Just The Two Of Them...Friends Just Having Fun.
Once They Became a Couple, EVERYTHING WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM THEN ON...
ANd Yet, a Part Of Her Didn't Care...
After All, When It Comes To Love And Romance It's Better To Fall For Someone You've KNOWN AND TRUSTED All Your Life, Then a COMPLETE STRANGER.
Frida Knew Manny Would NEVER HURT HER...Unlike Most Guys Who Most Likely WOULD.
The More Frida Thought Of The POSITIVES Of Her Love For Manny, The More The NEGATIVES Didn't Matter.
The Only Problem Was Telling Manny...How Do You Tell Your BEST FRIEND That Your IN LOVE WITH HIM?
Frida Suddenly Understood All Those SAPPY LOVE SONGS She'd Catch her Sisters Listening To...
The Three Magic Words: "I LOVE YOU", It Can Change Your Life Forever...
And Yet, Though There SO EASY TO SAY...Actually Telling It To Someone You Love Is SO HARD TO DO.
Frida Has TRIED To Tell Manny Numerous Times...But EVERYTIME, She's PANICED...And CHICKENED OUT.
Frida Also KNEW That If She Didn't Make Her Move Soon...Then SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD And She Would Spend THE REST OF HER LIFE REGRETTING IT.
Frida Has Been Having Dreams Latley...Dreams That Hekp Her With Her Courage.
She Dreams Of Being Manny's Wife, And Raising Beautiful Children With Him...
Being The Bride Of EL TIGRE, She WOuld Be Home With The Chilren...Awaining His Safe Return.
This Vision Of The Future Is TOO GOOD For Her To Let it Slip Away From her.
Frida Had To Tell Manny...And The COCO BONGO Seemed Like The Perfect Time.
Frida Rested Her head On Her Pillow And Drifted To Sleep, Dreaming Of Manny.
"i love you, manny...always.
Meanwhile, From Far Off Two Shadowy Figures Spied On Frida WIth Malicious Intentions.
One Was a Cyborg, Commanding a Guacalmole Monster The Other, Was Mecha Cowboy...Armed With a Robotic Horse.
"Tonight, Frida WILL BE OURS! Said The Cyborg
"And EL TIGRE Shall PERISH! Said The Cowboy
The Two Teens Snickered Evily As They Charged There Weapons At The Suarez House.