Chapter 1: My Return to Miracle City
[A clip of the OG show reveals the villains the Rivera family defeated. Afterwards, the family flies to the skies with Manny shouting]
Manny: Familia Forever!
[Screen turns into static. Then it turns dark. We then witness a broken window with curtains. Then a messy bed. Then a broken door with no handle. Door opens. Out comes a short, pale looking, sunglasses wearing figure carrying a tray consisting of a glass of water, pico de gallo w/nopales, two tamales, and a michelada.]
Manny: (groggy) Ugh! Morning already? I thought I had to forage my food again?
?: No sire. You are given a pre-prepared meal every day. Our gift for the hard work you did yesterday. In fact, we kinda found you in a dumpster for some reason.
Manny: (awkward) Oh, right. That was some party. I drank a lot of pulque!
?: Of course, sire.
Manny: (elated) Oh yeah! Got my medicine, British Vampiro!
British Vampiro: Yes sire! Fresh from the crop we grew it from.
[British Vampiro hands Manny a joint. Manny turns into his hero persona, El Tigre, and flicks his fingers to light the joint. He proceeds to smoke it.]
Manny: (inhales and exhales) Ahh! Fresh medicine. Just enough to get through the day. (Begins to eat) Thanks for the food, British Vampiro.
British Vampiro: Of course, sire! Also, it's midday, sire. Just to inform you of your error, sire. (closes door)
Manny: Shit, midday? (laughs w/tamale in mouth) My crazy, fucking life!
[Intro: El Tigre Oscuro]
[Outside. A series of abandoned, semi completed houses in the desert with the wind blowing a tumbleweed. A sign appears: Mansiones Milagros (Miracle Mansions). Then, a barbed fence appears with another sign: Keep out. An advertisement highlighting the area is blurred with spray painted words: Municipal Monstro (Monstrous Municipal) & Calle Porqueira Murio por NADA! (Messy Street died for NOTHING!)]
[Outside. Vampiros, with hats to differentiate from each other, are busy tending to the land. Some are farming (planting seeds, cultivating, weeding and harvesting), doing household chores (sweeping, mopping, washing dishes, composting, tile roofing), cooking meals, watching the perimeters, dance-training for battle, mining and smelting metals (aluminum, copper, silver, gold) and making them into useable items (pots, pans, spoons, forks, etc.) or bars for currency exchange, installing solar panels and wind turbines, and converting the cul-de-sac roads into a canal.]
Manny: (Amazed) Wow! I don't know what to say. Thanks, I guess!
Cowboy Vampiro: No need, sir. Just mosey along that road to begin your training.
Manny: You sure? I could help make a turbine? Or maybe dig the canal even further?
Samurai Vampiro: No thank you, sir! We have it covered.
Manny: I just don't want to be a burden! You all helped me so much, I feel I need to contribute!
[All Vampiros stop working and rush towards Manny Rivera. He looks at them, exasped. They look at him, with shock. One reacts by gaping their mouth.]
Manny: (awkwardly embarrassed) I'm…sorry?
Rasta Vampiro: There's no need to say sorry, child. We are just shocked that you advanced this far. Before, you were fidgeting and blubbering. You avoided your chores for fear of whiplash. Now here you are, requesting to dig the canal we desperately need to water these crops. I am proud of you, child.
Manny: (blushing) Aww! Thanks, Rasta. Now, I feel happy.
[All Vampiros then hug Manny and return to their work]
Manny: So, want me to dig the canal or train?
Rasta Vampiro: Whatever you think feels good? But you better think fast, we're having chicken and I can't have you miss a meal.
Manny: A'ight! Imma train. I need to exercise.
[Manny proceeds to the training area. There he encounters numerous Shaolin Vampiros. One proceed to hit Manny with a stick]
Manny: (alert) {Uh-oh! Shaolin Stick.}
[Manny dodges the Shaolin Stick. Manny proceeds to avoid getting hit while grinning. Blocks one with his left arm. Another with his right arm. One attacks him in his back and it porturdes with black spikes and they sprout bat wings that block the attack. Another attacks him on the front and Manny responds by vaping into mist while the attacker collides with the wall. Manny appears out of the mist, then pulls out his finger blades and slices the head of a wooden dummy. Afterwards, the Shaolin Vampiros bow down to congratulate on his progress. Manny then walks towards the exit when he hears a gunshot. Manny turns to mist and kicks the gunman in the face.]
Manny: Seriously? A flintlock? My ears, even with the suit, can hear any sound within a 40 yard distance. This is too easy. (discards the flintlock only to hear a gun cock. Turns to mist and grabs the gun out of a random Vampiro) A blunderbuss? Hmm! How primitive! (Suddenly a boom is heard and mist reveals Manny has exploded. Manny, unscathed, kicks the Vampiro that shot him and dismantles the weapon) A rocket launcher? (Sarcastic) How very creative! You really got me.
Rasta Vampiro: That's enough training! Nice, child! Little reminder, kick them on the side when oncoming enemies are at you. We aren't wearing headgear, my youth.
Manny: Oops! Hehe! Imma gonna see if the canal needs help.
Rasta Vampiro: Ok, my youth!
[Manny runs to the canal while running into several Vampiros]
Manny: Hi, Chinese Vampiros.
[Chinese Vampiros are tending the paddy fields]
Chinese Vampiros: Hello, wise master.
Manny: Hi, Jewish Vampiros.
Jewish Vampiros: Shalom, master.
Rabbi Vampiro: Challah, master! Fresh from the oven!
Manny: Can't. Got a canal to dig.
Rabbi Vampiro: I insist. You can't work on an empty stomach
Manny: Ok, rabbi. (gets 6 loaves of challah) Gee, I wonder if I can finish all this much bread.
Rabbi Vampiro: Actually, they're for the workers. But here's a chocolate one for you, young master.
Manny: Thanks Rabbi! (Continues running) {Wait a minute! I can fly!} (Wings come out his back and he begins to fly to the canal with the loaves on his back) Hi, Southern Vampiros. Hey, Jim-Bob! Sorry about earlier!
Southern Vampiros: Howdy, young man!
Jim-Bob: No worries, man! I can handle that kick in the head! Hey, Manny! Come down here!
[Manny flies down and lands near Jim-Bob with his wings holding the loaves.]
Manny: What's up, Jim-Bob!
Jim-Bob: Where are you heading?
Manny: The canal. We need water for the crops and, according to weather reports, there's not going to be rain for the next 3 weeks.
Jim-Bob: Hmm! Well, me and Ernest are about to pitch in too! Ma needs water for many of us Southern Vampiros and, before then, the only resource was the old water tower.
Manny: Oh yeah! The old water tower! Why did we send it to space again?
Jim-Bob: Weather reports, sir! That thing is more usable as a satellite than a water tower. Anywho, we're coming to dig that canal and get that water now! Along the way, I can distribute my biscuits to the workers.
Manny: Actually, Rabbi Vampiro kinda gave me these loaves of bread for the workers.
Jim-Bob: (disappointed) Aw! Dang it! How do they make it so fast!
Manny: Bread vault?
[Suddenly, Rabbi Vampiro appears]
Rabbi Vampiro: Close. Dough room! It's a crawl space filled with fresh, kneaded dough that we let rise for 24hrs, in precise temperatures, before we bake.
Jim-Bob: Shoot! With that type of engineering, my biscuits could've filled that house right there.
[Jim-Bob points to a dilapidated house, whose roof falls apart]
Manny: Anyway, the last one to the canal gets a siesta!
[Manny flies to the canal while the Jewish and Southern Vampiros run with pickaxes and shovels]
[Canal. A wide, open space filled with Vampiros, left and right, many of whom start digging, bricking, and a few surveying the project.]
Rasta Vampiro: Based on our statistics, the project is 72% complete.
Cowboy Vampiro: Shoot! We need to pick up the pace! The weather reports say there will be no rain for 3 weeks.
Rasta Vampiro: We are doing our best, man. But progress isn't cheap! Our perimeter boys tell us of onlookers coming to the site and one of those bumbaclots pouring cement on the "hole"! We wasted 2 weeks to destroy that cement. Now we're held back 4%.
Shaolin Vampiro: (calmly) You must have patience. The path of progress is wrought with thorns. We can't rely on angry fits alone to solve our problems.
Manny: Shaolin's right! We need to be patient and see if God themself can relive our situation.
Rasta Vampiro: My youth! Apologies for my behavior. You're here to help on the canal, child?
Manny: Sure am! I even got bread for the workers!
[Manny gives the challah to Rasta as soon as the bell rings, signaling shift change]
Cowboy Vampiro: OK! You know the drill! A.M. team, shift is over. P.M. team, your shift begins! Move out!
Manny: So, now that that team is done, how's our logistics team with the land surveying?
Ernest: So far, we have 4 problems in our way:
1. A layer of leftover cement that needs to be removed,
2. A massive diamond cave that our mining team is sent to remove those gemstones.
3. Garbage left behind by imbeciles. We got a team sent to clean the surroundings
4. We got 3 paths to take the canal: An ancient forest, a graveyard, or this area that connects to the Atlantic Ocean. Either one of these paths can either lead to success or more delays. What do you think, sir!
Manny: Well, I don't want to hurt nature and I can't disturb the dead. We'll take the third option! I mean, we can desalinate the water right?
Ernest: I think so!? Our R&D team finished that project months ago. Either way, we need to keep it a secret. Many folk aren't all-right with our project and some have halted progress with cement while others might want to exploit our only resource for something foolish.
Manny: I could just threaten them or punch them?
Ernest: No way sir! You were taught to fight enemies! These are ordinary folk. They haven't done anything bad other than harass us. But even so, we need to be peaceful to thy neighbor! What kind of message would you send if you punched and kicked an ordinary man? Or a family man?
Manny: (humbled) Yeah, you're right. Let's dig!
[Manny, Ernest, Jim-Bob, and the rest of the Vampiros proceed to dig mile after mile of canal whilst another group layers brick after brick for each mile of the canal. The team goes left then right and then straightforward. Midday turns to dusk, then to night, then midnight, and then dawn. We see the team, exhausted from the ordeal, taking a break. Manny, out of exhaustion, sleeps. He then woke up from a noise.]
Manny: (groggy) Huh? What happened?
Stranger 1: Hey! What you doing down there?
Manny: Wha?
Stranger 1: I say! What you doing down there!
Manny: Manual labor! What else, mutafuka!?
[Sunlight then shines down were Manny is and the civilian goes from concerned to frightened]
Stranger 1: Wait a minute? Are you? A Rivera?!
Manny: Yeah?! What about it!?
Stranger 1: (terrified) Ahh! A Rivera! Run for your lives !
Manny: Drunken asshole!
[Numerous villagers then rush towards the canal and proceed to pelt rocks down towards Manny]
Villager 1: Get out of our town!
Villager 2: Run away! You the devil!
Villager 3: He's worse than the devil! He's fuckin Judas!
Villager child: You the reason my teeth are missing!
Villager elder: You made us suffer under your negligence!
[Manny summons his wings to protect himself, which only infuriates the angry mob. They continue to pelt him until a team of Vampiros build a barbed fence to block the pelting mob]
Manny: Some people are just ungrateful! (shouts to the mob) I'M HELP YOU MORONS! CROPS ARE GOING TO DRY UP! HOW WILL ROCK PELTING SAVE YOU?
Villager 2: We don't need your stupid canal!
Villager 3: Yeah! Municipal President Rodriguez says he'll fix our pipes!
Villager elder: Your family have been nothing but a plague since your ancestors!
Villager 1: The only good one is Justice Jaguar and he died buffonishly!
[Children of the village climb the barbed fence, some fall from cuts, and continue throwing rocks at Manny]
Manny: (indignant) You kids need to be at school! Throwing rocks at a hard worker! What kind of message is that to your parents! To your teachers! To your siblings!
Child 1: We don't need school! I'm going to be a cop one day. And my first task on the job is to hang you and burn your corpse!
Child 2: Municipal Rodriguez says life was better before Riveras ever existed!
Child 3: I can't afford school! Your family stole our money and buried it somewhere!
[Manny proceeds to dig the canal and spots a kid pretending to point a gun to his face with a "bang" expression]
Child 4: (teasing) That's you if you refuse to listen, chamaco!
Manny: Hmmph! {They're just children, dude! They don't mean that! Just focus on your work}
[Manny and the Vampiros dig the canal path onwards to the Atlantic Ocean. Midday. They rest]
Manny: We did it! After years of progress, we finally dug our canal near our target. (sees Miracle City) Miracle City, my hometown. It's been ages!
[All the Vampiros jump in happiness.]
Rasta Vampiro: All we have to do now is build some pipes connecting to the sea and the water shall flow into our canal and the crops will flourish.
[Just before anyone can do anything, a series of police and SWAT vehicles surround the team]
MCPD officer: Freeze! You're under arrest!
Manny: (annoyed) Ugh! For what?!
MCPD officer: Illegal construction of a canal without a project permit.
Rasta Vampiro: Project permit?! Hogwash! If you ask me, that statue right there (points to a gold statue of M.P. Rodriguez) is an "illegal construction"! A wasteful use of resources for vanity instead of helping them poor folk!
MCPD officer: They're resisting! ARREST THEM!
[SWAT and cops charge at Manny and the Vampiros, while Manny turns into El Tigre to fight. He punches the cops while misting when gunfire happens, killing several officers in the mix. Meanwhile, various Vampiros shoot, club and kick SWAT officers with amazing results.]
SWAT officer: (wetting his pants) I did not expect that! (gets clubbed hard)
Officer 1: Keep your guard up! This menace is close!
[Manny mists back at one of the officers and touches his shoulders with his fingers]
Manny: Yo! What's up!
Officer 2: Take this! (Manny turns to mist and shoots an officer) Rodrigo, no! You menace!
Officer 1: You're the one who killed him, Jorge!
Jorge: Oh, jeez Umberto! I didn't know that…SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Manny: {geez, these morons can't shoot for squat}
[Ernest then appears next to Umberto's back while Jorge notices this]
Jorge: Take this, freak! (takes out his assault rifle, shoots, and kills Jorge)
Umberto: Jorge…you team killing…fucktard! (Manny grabs his arm) (begging) Please don't break my arm.
Manny: NO!
[Manny breaks Jorge's arm and cries in ABSOLUTE pain]
SWAT officer: (terrified for his life) EVERYBODY RETREAT!
[Suddenly, every officer flees in terror or shame, leaving behind a mess of dead bodies]
Manny: (surprised) Well, this was disappointing. They left behind their men. Fathers. Sons. Friends. Are the police that cold?
Rabbi Vampiro: The cost of war always outweighs the victory. Even brave heroes need to understand the costs. Let's pray,
[A small group of Vampiros and Manny use a patch of land and consecrate it a graveyard of the cops who died from the fight. Rabbi Vampiro and Priest Vampiro exchange words]
Rabbi Vampiro: Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. We are born and die to the ground.
Priest Vampiro: The Lord giveth and taketh away! Bless us, oh Lord. Amen!
Everybody: Amen!
[Afterwards, several civilians from the city arrive to see the damage and a few notice Manny, praying in his El Tigre garb. Manny looks back at them and instead of seeing hate, he sees them crying. One senior citizen approaches him]
Senior Civilian 1: Thank you for coming back to us. Surely, this is a gift from God!
Manny: I don't understand? What gift are you talking about!
Civilian 1: We wondered what happened to the Rivera family and the glory they brought with them? You see the Miracle City as we know it is gone! What's left is our culture and that's gonna be demolished for condos.
Manny: (indignant) WHAT!?
Civilian 2: Yes! Condos! Expensive, fancy condos nobody can afford. MP Rodriguez plans to level the entire city districts for what he calls revitalization projects. Gutierrez Place & Old Miracle City are areas he claims are dilapidated and crime ridden.
Civilian 3: Yes! And he also wants to destroy the Miracle City Trolley. He says it's old and antiquated. He claims that since nobody rides it, the trolley should be removed for a Interstate Super Highway, I145, that will attract tourism and bring revenue to the impoverished parts of the city.
Super Civilian 1: That's all small potatoes to what MP Rodriguez did to the city's healthcare policy. Under Legislation 9.66, I have to pay out of pocket for my medicine since my medical conditions, arthritis and diabetes, aren't covered by the bill and are, according to the bill, "my fault" to begin with. I have Type 1 diabetes, how is that my fault!
Manny: (fuming) That Mutafuka bastard! I'm only here to build a canal for the farming community and I hear this bullshit! (calmly) Vampiros, I'm afraid I can't build the pipes for the canal. I have to deal with our "Municipal President" over these Pinche laws!
Rasta Vampiro: Relax, child. I'm coming with you too. Miracle has changed over the past few years. You might get confused easily.
Manny: (scoffs) Please! I know this city like I know the fields back there. This will be easy.
[Unbeknownst to Manny, a truck was about to ram him when he sensed it]
Truck driver: (sarcastic) Watch the road, genius!
[Pissed, Manny flies to the truck and grabs it, scaring the driver]
Manny: HEY! EVER BEEN TO SPACE!
Truck Driver: (sheepishly) no.
[Manny hurls the truck towards the cosmos while the driver screams in pants shitting terror]
Manny: You should not hurt my feelings. That's just rude!
Rasta Vampiro: Funny, child. Very funny!
End of Chapter 1