El Tigre copyright Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua
The MASK copyright Dark Horse Comics/New Line Cinema
The MASK of Miracle City
Chapter 12: Unlikely Alliance
Manny Rivera Was In His Room, Carefully Plotting And Planning The Many Ways For Him To Gain REVENGE On The Mask...
He Was Somewhere Along The Line Of Strapping Him To a Rocket And Sending Him To The Moon.
"Green Head MUST PAY!
Manny Paused Momentarily When He Saw a Framed Picture He Had Of Himself and Frida.
He Stared At The Photograph For Several Minutes, Which To Him...Felt Like Hours.
Frida Had Been His Best Friend Since They Were Kids...
And Lately, He's Been Seeing Her As MORE THAN JUST A FRIEND.
It Was Like ONE DAY, The Person He's Known All His Life Was SOMEONE NEW.
Ever Since That Day When He And His Family Temporarily Lost There Powers...That Day Frida KISSED HIM!
Well, He Never Saw Frida The Same Way Again.
Frida Claims It Wasn't Personal...She Was Just Caught In The Heat Of The Moment.
Manny Didn't Know If That Was True or Not, But He Knew One Thing...He Was Falling In Love With Her Now.
Everything About Her Was a Thing Of Beauty To Him.
Her Hair As Blue As The Sky, Her Skin As Golden As The Sun Her Dark Blue Eyes That Shined Like Gemstones, Even Her RUBY RED GOGGLES Looked Beautiful.
No Other Girl Mattered To Him Anymore, The Only One That Mattered In His Life...Was FRIDA SUAREZ.
But, Manny Wasn't Sure How He Could Tell Her.
How Could You Tell Your BEST FRIEND That Your In Love With Her?
The Worst Case Scenario WOuld She Would LAUGH AT HIM...Or Worse.
But, He Couldn't Risk Losing Her To Somebody Else Who Would NEVER LOVER HER AS MUCH AS HE COULD!
"frida...my, mi amore.
SLAM!
Manny Looked To See His Door Swing Open.
And Standing At The Door...Was ANITA & NIKITA SUAREZ!...Frida's Older, Twin Sisters.
"WHAT THE HE-
Anita Leaped For Manny And Quickly Restrained Him And Covered His Mouth.
"Nikita, Shut The Door And LOCK IT!
Nikita Did As She Was Told.
Anita Then Looked Into Manny's Eyes, Her Own Eyes very Sturn...Just Like Her Sister.
"Alright, Listen Rivera!
We're Not Gonna Hurt You...Unless Your Try To Run Away To Your Daddy And Grandpapi.
Now, I'm Going To Let You Go...And You BETTER NOT TRY ANYTHING or I'll REALLY GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO SCREAM ABOUT!
Nikita Cracked her Knuckles As To Prove That they WEREN'T KIDDING.
Manny Nodded Anita Let Manny Go.
"What Is GOING ON!
"As Much As It Pains Us To Say It: We Need Your Help.
"Help?
What Do You Mean?
"Several Hours Ago...Our Family Was Attacked.
Manny Froze In SHock.
"A-ATTACKED!
"Yes...By Doctor Chipotle Junior And Senior Siniestro. Said Anita
"Better Known As Diego & Sergio. Said Nikita
"Our House Is In Shambles, Mother And Father Are In The Hospital...
"And F-FRIDA? Said Manny, Fear In His Voice.
Anita & Nikita Looked Down.
"gone...
Manny Was Horror-Struck.
"G-GONE!
WHAT DO YOU MEAN GONE?
"Chipotle Jr. And Siniestro Kidnapped Her.
Manny Was Relieved Frida Was Alive But Devastated That She Was Captured.
"We Tried To Stop Them, But He Overpowered Us...
"We Also Tried To Save Her, But There Combined Forced Are TOO MUCH For Us.
Manny Looked Down.
"So, You Want Me To Rescue Her?
"Yes...
"And No.
Manny Was Confused.
"Huh?
"We Want Your To Save Her... Began Anita
"But, El Tigre Showing Up To Rescue Frida Is EXACTLY What They'll Expect. Said Nikita
"We Feel That a Rescue Attempt By El Tigre Is Part Of There Plan.
Manny Had To Agree With Them...
It Was No Secret That Chipotle Jr. And Siniestro Desired Frida, And HATED EL TIGRE.
Most Likely This Was EXACTLY What They Wanted Him To Do...Meaning a TRAP Was Waiting For Him.
"So, What Do You Want Me To Do?
"Save Our Sister...
"But, Do It In a Way They Wouldn't Expect.
Manny Was Confused.
"How?
"Get Help From Someone Who They Hate EVEN MORE THAT YOU.
"MORE THAN ME!
Who Could They Possibly Hate Even More That ME!
Nikita Hands Anita a PDA Anita Plays It, And Shows Manny a Video Playback Of Chipotle Jr. And Siniestro...Fight THE MASK.
"You...Have GOT...To Be Kidding.
"It's The ONLY WAY, Rivera.
Mask Has Beaten Those Two Before...And We Feel Fighting Them Together Won't Be Any Different.
"BUT, I HATE THE MASK!
"Hey, We're Not Exactly Fans Of "Green Head", Either!
But, Our Little Sister's Life Is At Stake...And Daddy Would Be DEVASTATED If Anything Happened To Her.
"And Something Tell's Us, YOU WOULD BE TO!
Manny Sighed Sharply.
He May Of Despised The Mask, But He Loved Frida More.
"Even If I Do Find Him...How Can I Convince Him To Help?
"Mask Seems To ENJOY Driving People Crazy.
He Might Jump At The Chance To Humiliate Chipotle Jr. And Siniestro.
"And, As To WHERE HE IS...He's Currently At TACO BELLE.
"Taco Belle?
"He REALLY Loves Tacos.
Manny Sighed.
"Alright, I Guess I Have No Choice.
Manny Spinned His Belt Buckle And In a Flash Of Green Light, And a Tiger Roar...Transformed.
"EL TIGRE!
Anita & Nikita Grabbed Manny By His Shirt.
"Save Our Sister, Rivera...
"Or, WE'LL POUND YOU INTO THE GROUND!
Manny Sweatdropped.
"Uhhhh...sure.
Manny Opened His Window And Grappel-Clawed Into The City.
Leaving Anita & Nikita Alone, Hoping For The Safe Return Of There Little Sister.
[Meanwhile, At Taco Belle]
Mask Was Busy Scarfing Down His 508th Taco, And Was Going For 1001.
"I Just LOVE TACOS!
Just Then, Mask Eyed Something From Afar...
It Was Spike, The Green Mohawk Kid From School Who Bullied Chris On a Caily Basis...
a Wide, Twisted Smiled Creeped On Tha Mask's Face.
"smokin...
Mask Threw Away His Half Eaten taco And Sprinted Towards The Punk.
Spike Was Busy Planning His Agenda For Tomorrow.
"Let's See...Give Mikey a Swirly, Rip Off Lenny's Lunch Money And, Uhhh...Oh, Yeah...Gotta Remember To Give That Loser CHRIS JOHNSON a Wedgie.
Mask Zips In Front Of Spike.
"What An Excellent Idea!
HEY!, WHy Don't We Practice...ON YOU!
Mask Grabs Spike's Underwear, Stretches It (Earning a Yowl From Spike)
And Wraps It Around a Lamp Post And Ties Spike To The Top Of It, Letting Him Hang There.
"WHY YOU STUPID #$%&%!
I'LL #$%&! GET YOU!
Mask Laughed At Spike's Misfortine.
"HA! HA! HA!
SOMEBODY STOP ME!
Just then, a Clawed Hand Grabbed Mask's Shoulder.
"Hold On There, Mask! Said El Tigre
"OOOOH!, KITTY WANT TO PLAY!
Mask Grabs El Tigre And Performs a Cartoony JUDO FLIP That Tossed Tigre Into a Wall.
Mask Quick-Changes Into a Martial Arts Master.
"So, You Think You Know KUNG-FU!
TIGER STYLE Good, But It's Can't Beat "KICK-YOUR-BUTT" STYLE!
Mask Enlarges His Boot And Kicks El Tigre Hard In The Rear, Flinging Him Across The Street.
Mask Speeds Forward To Where El Tigre Is Falling To, He Places a Large Pillow There.
"You Know, Sometimes It Bothers Me To Let My Opponents Get Hurt...BUT NOT THIS TIME!
Mask Removes The Pillow At the Last Minute, Allowing El Tigre To Hit The Floor With a WAM!
"HA! HA! HA!
Oh, This Is Just Too Easy.
El Tigre Grappel Punches Mask In The Jaw, Fling Him Away.
Mask Soon Recovers As El Tigre Glares At Him.
"Woooooo...Look At All The Pretty Stars.
El Tigre Grabs Mask By His Shirt And Stares Him In The Eyes.
"ALRIGHT, LOOK MASK!
Let's Get Clear On This: I DON'T LIKE YOU!, AND I'M PRETTY SURE YOU DON'T LIKE ME!
"Gee, Thanks For Being So Honest.
"PAY ATTENTION!
My Best Friend: Frida, Has Been Kidnapped By DR. CHIPOTLE JR. AND SENIOR SINIESTRO!
I WANT TO SAVE MY FRIEND, And If You Help Me...I Can PROMISE You a Chance To Fight Them.
Mask Escapes El Tigre's Grip And Fixes His Suit.
"Let Me Get This Straight...
We're Gonna TEAM-UP So YOU Can Rescue The Damsel In Distress And I Can FIGHT THE VILLAINS?
"Pretty Much.
Mask Thinks a Bit.
"well...Frida Is YOUR WOMAN, So I Guess Saving Her Is "YOUR BUSINESS".
ANd, I DO Enjoy Playing Games With "Tweedle-DUMB And Tweedle-DUMBER" ALOT!
Mask Thinks a Bit.
"OKAY, SURE!
WHY NOT?, WE'LL BE A DYNAMIC DUO YOU AND I!
EL TIGRE & THE MASK...or, THE MASK & EL TIGRE (Makes Better Licensing)
"So, It's Agreed...Partners? Says El Tigre, Reaching Out His Hand.
Mask Grins.
"Sure, Partners.
Mask Grabs El Tigre's Hand To Shake...Which Results In EL Tigre Being Electrocuted.
!
El Tigre Is Blasted Into a Wall.
Mask Holds Up a Sparking Joybuzzer.
"My Tigger, You REALLY KNOW HOW TO SHAKE!
El Tigre Glares At Him.
"Sorry, Tigre...Old Habits.
El Tigre Gets Up.
"Yeah...I Guess.
Mask Takes Out a Remote And Presses a Button.
In An Instant, The Maskmobile Races Towards Them.
"NEXT STOP: MESA CITY, SANTA MARIA, El DORADO THE EVIL TWITS STRONGHOLD And KOOK-AMUNGA!
El Tigre And The Mask Get In The Car And Speed For Dr. Chipotle Jr. And Senior Siniestro's Lair.