Chapter 2: The New You
Manny woke up the next morning and looking out the window again saw the sign of Mirrorcle City. "So much for it all being a weird dream." As he got dressed and he reached for his El Tigre belt his hand trembled and almost grabbed one with an M inscribed on it instead. "That's weird."
Manny found his family waiting for him with breakfast ready. "Rodolfo, I hope you're not planning on committing crimes while I'm lecturing at Mirrorcle City University today." Jorge said sipping his coffee.
"Of course, not father. I even have a job interview at the city art gallery today." Rodolfo said sipping his own.
"The same art gallery that has the Golden Rose of Victoria on display?" Jorge asked pointing to an article in the paper.
"Does it? I had no idea. I should take the opportunity to appreciate this fine work art." Rodolfo said getting up. Manny laughed a little on the inside looking this role reversal. "Manny, would you like to join me after school to take in the art? Maybe you could be inspired to make another great drawing."
"Sorry Dad, Frida and I already had plans for after school." Manny said hoping they would ask what they were.
"Good, Manny. I like Frida." His granpapi said. "She's the only person your age I know who is curious about my scientific research."
A short time later Manny was walking to school. "I still can't get over what Granpapi said. Could Frida really be that much of a nerd here?" Manny then looked around the clean streets and green trees of Mirrorcle City. "Wow, it really says something about your town when the weird mirror version of is the nicer of the two."
In the Suarez household Frida took her time getting dressed. "Why doesn't the other me have anything cool to wear?"
"Frida if you don't want to be late then I'll give you a ride to school." Emiliano said.
"Sure dad." Frida was about to run downstairs when Anita and Nikkita called her. "Hey dork! Aren't you forgetting…" Anita began,
"…you can't read your nerd books without your glasses?" Nikkita finished put them on top of her little sister's head.
"Hehe, woops silly me. Can't go to school without my reading glasses." Frida said.
Frida was about to get on her dad's motorcycle that had bull horns mounted on the handlebars when Carmela called out. "Frida, you almost left your violin behind."
She handed her daughter her violin case, Frida was grateful she at least didn't have to touch the thing. "Where is my head this morning?" As she and her dad rode off, they passed over a bridge. "It'd be so easy to lose this thing and say it was an accident." Frida thought but as she was about to let it fly loose, she gripped it tighter instead. Like it was her most cherished possession. "It would be a jerk thing to break something that means a lot to the other me."
At the Flock of Freedom's HQ While Zoe ate some pancakes Madam Plume made, Condora in a business suit spoke on the phone. "I don't care how much money we could lose! I won't have Aves Enterprises linked to an operation that dumps toxic chemicals and destroys a coral reef! Shut it down or your gone!" She then hung up.
"Wow, you were kind of harsh on him Mami." Zoe was a little impressed.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that sweetheart. But as you know, if we are to uphold the honor of the Aves name then we must practice virtue in both our heroic and civilian identities."
"Speaking of which I'm off to the bake sale for the senior center." Pachita said carrying a tray of brownies. "Zoe, are you going to finish those cookies I made?"
"I'm going to share them with my friends at school." Zoe said while thinking. "It should work as bribe if Frida is too stupid and stubborn to help me."
"Alright Mija, I'm off to work." Carmelita said Kissing Zoe's forehead. "Unless an emergency takes place, I'll pick you up at the animal shelter."
Zoe read from her diary that she volunteers there on Fridays, a thought that made her feel like she was going to hack up a hair ball. "I can't wait to see all those cute puppies and kitties again!" Then as White Cisne she was flying to just short of Leon Middle School her jet stream was pink and sparkled. "The sooner I find those two, the sooner I get out of this saccharine nightmare!"
Zoe landed and changed back into her civilian form passing by a store with T.V.s in the window. "And in other news yesterday White Cisne rescued over a dozen orphans from a burning building. She really is our city's sweetest guardian angel."
Before she could change and blast the T.V. she came up to the cross walk where and old man was having trouble crossing. "Let me help you sir." She didn't realize what she was doing until she was at the other side of the street and had a warm fuzzy feeling. "This is loco! Trying to keep this cover, I'm starting to do nice things without thinking!
Zoe turned the corner and heard a motorcycle and Manny's voice. "Frida is that you?"
"Yes, it's me." Frida said embarrassed by her look. Zoe ducked behind a bush and had a much-needed laugh.
"Is that a violin case your holding?" Manny asked.
"Yes!" Frida cried.
Zoe still snickering thought. "Okay my day just got a hundred times better. But there's no way around that if they really are going to believe I'm me then I have to reveal my identity."
Zoe came close and heard Frida whisper. "Manny check out the mirror Zoe Aves! She's…pink!" As the two held back their own laughs Zoe held back her rage.
"There they are! The pride of Leon Middle!" They heard Vice Principal Chakal say. His suit was white with a blue shirt and he had a big smile which worried Manny and Frida the most.
"Uh, are you talking about us?" Manny asked.
"Of course, Rivera!" You won that art contest, Ms. Suarez grades alone has brought up the school's grade point average, and sweet Ms. Aves' volunteer work has done much for our public image. So, I want to present you three with these passes to have a private lunch in the teachers' lounge."
"Uh, thanks." Frida said taking the pass.
"The ultimate mystery of the school, what's in the teachers' lounge." Manny said awed.
"This is the perfect opportunity to talk to them alone." Zoe thought.
"You three are certainly good examples for the rest of the student body." Chakal walked away and that was when the three of them saw that most of their classmates looked a lot tougher and meaner than they remembered and all three gulped at the same time.
"Look at the three little suck ups!" one kid said.
"I expected this from the nerd and the goody-goody, but I had higher hopes Manny."
"Well, all their social lives are in the toilet now." Manny and the others felt this was going to be a long day.
First was math class. "Now this is a kind of problem you'll encounter in high school but what we'll learn today will be the foundation for how to solve…yes Ms. Suarez?" the teacher asked after Frida raised her hand.
"The answer is 34." Frida said.
"That's…correct!" the teacher said.
Frida shook her head. "Wait how did I know that?" Frida whispered.
"Way to make us all look dumb Suarez! Can't you just go to college already?" one of her classmates asked.
In the hallway Manny some kids talking. "Look here, the Flock of Freedom was asked to pose for a special edition comic book cover?"
"That's cool and all but I'm more of a manga girl myself. Hey Rivera, you draw. What would White Cisne look like in kawaii style?"
Looking at the comic book cover Manny got out a pencil and paper and began drawing only thinking. "So, that what Black Cuervo and the rest of the flock look like here."
"Oh, I can't believe it! She looks even cuter!" the girl said. Manny looked at the drawing he just made and couldn't believe how good it looked.
In gym class they were playing dodgeball and Frida and Zoe were on the same team. Several balls were flying toward Frida and Zoe gleefully awaited her rival's pummeling. But at the last second, she felt different and jumped in front of the rubber onslaught. "I got you Bestie!" she said right before taking several balls to the face.
"Bestie?" Frida asked. Zoe was just as confused before she blacked out.
Lunch finally rolled around. "So, Manny do you think we should start our search with the flock's hide out or try to find some bird-based thing she'd try to steal?" Frida asked.
Zoe barged into the lounge kicking the door closed and dropped her tray on the table. "Don't bother. I, Zoe Aves am Black Cuervo or as this awful place calls me…White Cisne."
Manny was a little confused. "I mean, just knowing about Black Cuervo proves you're you but we also saw you dropped by Black Cuervo back in Miracle City."
"A clever trick done with the help of my grandmami" Zoe smirked. "Now I need your help to get back home. I am willing to give these as a peace offering."
Frida started eating the cookies. "Oh yeah, Manny told me we can't go back unless all three of us cross together. Hey these are great cookies."
Zoe growled. "Fine! Take them! Let's just ditch school now and get back to the museum and that mirror! If my grandmother's imposter tries to shove one more baked good in my face, I am going to lose it!"
"So, you already figured out how to activate the mirror?" Manny asked.
"No." Zoe face palmed.
"Well, you'd be surprised the things our library has books on."
On the way to the library Frida asked. "So, why did you call me bestie?"
Zoe stuck her nose up. "I didn't want to, but I've been feeling weird all day and I think it had something to do with what I learned reading my counterpart's diary. Our doubles seem to have been best friends since kindergarten."
"Just one more reason for us to get back home as quickly as possible." Frida said.
"Oh, that diary also told me this other me like the other you like I do Manny. She wrote that she's impressed that he stands by his principles and won't be a hero or villain." Zoe flirted.
Manny saw his mom Maria was still the school librarian but as he should have expected something was off, she was staring off into space and at first, she didn't notice them come in. "Oh, Manny. Is there something you need?"
"Hey Mom. Uh do you have a book on ancient magical mirrors?" Manny asked.
"Maybe…I thought this job was supposed to be easy but…hey Frida could help me again dear? I can't find that cheat sheet you made for me about which books go where and they got all mixed up. Now I can't find anything."
"Sure, no problem." Frida said lowering her reading glasses and quicker than any of them would think she had the books back in order. "I found the book we were looking for 'Ancient Magic Mirrors and Their Use.' Oh, Maria I found that reference note I wrote. I think you were using it as a bookmark."
"Frida, you did something way smart again." Many whispered.
"Thank you, Frida you saved my job again. I can always count on you. Unlike that two timing Rodolfo." Maria grumbled. "I think I'll take another nap."
"Great on top of everything else my mom is lazy." Manny complained flipping through the book as they walked through the halls.
"Yeah, seems like having your parents weird you out is just the standard here." Frida said.
"Well, well, look who decided to cross our turf." The three turned to see the nerdy kids who played Master Force back home were a gang of punks here.
"We don't have time for this!" Zoe whispered.
"Listen guys, we don't need any trouble." Frida said.
"Then you should have remembered we told you to stay out of Masher Force territory! No dorks allowed!" Marni the girl of the group yelled as other students gathered around.
"Then why are you three here?" Zoe snapped which got some wows for the other kids.
"Let's see how Princess Sparkle Butt likes the whamo wedgie." The taller of the two boys said reaching for Zoe only for her to punch him in the stomach.
"That's the last straw! Vendetta!" The next thing the alternate world bullies knew was a flurry of pink punches and kicks.
"Ms. Aves!" Vice Principal Chakal gasped.
"Uh oh."
"She was just defending us!" Manny pleaded.
"That's not what we saw." One of the kids in the crowd said. "I didn't know she had it in her."
"Zoe Aves, it pains me to say this but…detention, go!" Chakal began to cry.
As Zoe was led away Frida said. "Well at least we got time to go over that book?"
Hours later Zoe walked out of school hearing a beautiful melody in the air and saw Manny and Frida waiting for her as Frida was playing her violin. "That's actually one of the most beautiful things I ever heard."
"It's Bach's Air on G String." Frida said. "We got bored waiting and I just started playing." Frida stopped playing. "I hate that I know what this piece is and that I am so good with it!" She put the violin back in its case.
"The good news is that even if it didn't have the exact mirror that took us here according to that book any magic mirror is activate in the presence of a mystical object of power, like my belt or your watch." Manny explained.
"Good because I…I think this place is making me sick. My stomach aches, my shoulders feel heavy, and I can't stop thinking of those kids I hurt, how Condora and Madam Plume will be sad and disappointed. I can't stop from…from…crying. Manny what is this?" Zoe sobbed.
"Uh I think you feel guilty."
"What?!" That seemed to flip a switch in Zoe. "Guilt has no place in a villain!" She then began to punch her own chest. "Cut it out! Cut it out!"
"Manny, we've been acting weird all day with no control. What's happening to us?" Frida panicked.
"I don't know unless…" Manny gasped. "It's this city! All the things we've been doing, my drawing and the sick feeling I get when my hands are near my belt, Frida your being smart and how good you are with the violin, Zoe you just being nice and feeling guilty for doing something bad, they're all things we've heard the other us do! I think the longer we stay here the more like our counterparts we become! I'm turning into an artist that doesn't want superpowers!"
"I'm turning into a violin playing geek!" Frida screamed. "And Zoe is turning, turning…good."
"Noooooooooooo!" Zoe turned on her watch and was in her super suit. "I will not spend one second longer here and become some…sappy do-gooder!" She grabbed her partners and flew off toward the museum.
Frida looked at White Cisne's jet pack and laughed. "Dude, you look a fairy that's farting sparkles."
"I could still drop you!" Zoe yelled.
When they got to the museum the front was taped off by the police who looked like members of the Mustache Mafia. The trio overheard one cop talking to another. "What I don't get is why would someone steal a giant rock when a priceless jewel was right across from it."
"It's gone?!" Zoe screamed.
"Did Jango come back?" Manny wondered.
"But that was in our world." Frida said. "Wouldn't he be a good guy here?"
"If not him then who?" Zoe snapped. "If we don't find that mirror we could stuck here and all of us will become someone we're not!"
"Well, I know it's not my dad since he tried to steal the generator last night and today, he was planning a heist in the gallery at the other side of town." Manny then had an idea. "But if things are reversed then someone who is a hero in our world must have stolen it. So, we have to track down the villains in the city, beat them and look through their loot."
"No! I am not going to be crime fighter!" Zoe complained.
"Dude it's either be a superhero for one day or the rest of your life." Frida argued.
"I hate that you're talking sense." Zoe then turned to Manny. "Two heroes are faster than one."
"Right." Manny's hands shook again reaching for his belt. "Come on, I'm…" He spun his belt and roared, the only difference in his costume was his scarf was blue. "El Tigre!"
"Good my suit still has a built police scanner. Back home we use it to warn us if the cops are coming but we are going to use it hear about crimes in progress and see if they have the mirror in their loot."
"That's probably why the Flock of Freedom use them too."
Taking flight again the trio flew from battle to battle seeing more reversals.
"Don't you heroes ever chill?" Asked Ice Queen the villainous version of Flama Dama as she fired a freezing ray from her hands.
White Cisne melted it with her laser while El Tirge knocked the icy villain out. "Thank ya'll for the hand partners." Said Sheriff Superior, Senor Siniestro's heroic counterpart.
Frida popped out of a big pile of money. "No mirror in here."
Next, they faced the mirror of Seventh Samurai. "You children think that you can defeat the Savage Shogun?" El Tigre wrapped his chain claw to tie his legs while White Cisne did a flying punch knocking him out while she flew into his truck of stolen goods.
"Is it there?" El Tigre asked.
"No!" White Cisne yelled.
Next White Cisne lead the Blue Bull gang around in circles, Frida's family and the other members were shooting at her while in the bar that was the gang's hang out Frida and El Tigre searched. "She's got them distracted; do you see it here Manny? I don't want to explain this to my parents." Frida asked.
"Money, jewels, Luxe Phones, but no mirror." El Tigre moaned.
It went like this for hours until they were scraping the bottom of the villain barrel. "White Cinse, feel the wrath of Doctor Buttermen and my butter gun." His gun began to squirt butter. Frida standing behind him pulled out the hose connecting the gun to the tank on his back, butter spilling out Frida tripped Butterman, and he slide into some trash cans.
"The guy's boring even as a super villain." Frida said.
"Let's check his lab." White Cisne sighed. As they went inside, she spoke with El Tigre. "If I weren't so frustrated with all the dead ends, I'd actually be having fun fighting crime and I don't know if it's because of who I'm turning into or if it's just that I'm doing it with you Manny."
"I can say from experience that fighting crime is just as fun as committing it. That's part of the reason why I have a hard time deciding between good and evil."
"Nothing in his safe but butter-based formulas." Frida said.
"Did you hack it with your new super smarts?"
"No, just went with the most boring combination I could think of."
"Should have known he didn't have it." Zoe grumbled. We're running out of time! What villains are left?" Her White Cisne watch flashed and played a familiar tune. Turning on the communicator she saw a familiar hologram. "Mom?"
"Cisne! We were answering a request to aid in an investigation. But before we could get the details the Legion of Force Squad attacked city hall!" Condora said. "Your grandmother and I are holding them off, but we need you!"
"We'll be right there!" El Tigra said.
"Who was that?"
"Uh, a new hero I've met." Cisne explained. "We're on our way."
Zoe flew them quickly to city hall; the Legion's members were pushing back against the Flock and the police; news vans were already recording the action. El Tigre had a plan. "Frida, Cisne can drop you off at their blimp. See if they stole the mirror."
"Roger that." Frida said slipping inside.
The pair landed between the Legion of Force Squad and the rest of the Flock of Freedom. "Cisne, you're just in time!" Condora said while firing a laser at the villains.
"If we are going to have him fight by our side, we shouldn't know this young man's name?" Madam Plume asked dodging a steel girder fired at her.
"Call me El Tigre!" Manny said.
"Wait, would that mean he's…Rodolfo's son?" Condora asked under her breath.
The blue skinned, sharp toothed double of Silver Sombero laughed. "Never heard of you! The rookie thinks he can face the Legion of Force Squad? I, Shark Sombero will use your claws as toothpicks!"
"Terror of the earth, Afrodusa!" Cosmic Cleopatra's counterpart's glasses had lens shaped in the eyes of a snake, her psychic cobras refused to stay down in her large hair, while her skin was green scales.
"The urban blight, Big Steel!" The evil version of the Industrialist wore a black business suit with a red tie. Big Steel began firing girders.
White Cisne and El Tigre spilt up dodging the attack. Afrodusa unleashed her snakes toward Cisne while Big Steel focused on El Tigre. "Never did like snakes." Cisne said shooting back.
El Tigre dodged and slashed girders, but he felt something was wrong. "I'm sweating and shaking but it's not normal. Is this something to do with the other me?"
"Mother! Cisne! Tri-Talon Takedown!" Condora yelled. The three flew in formation at high speed, Zoe was glad that this move of theirs was the same. Madam Plume hit Afrodusa with her cane knocking her down, a forked tongue hanging out. Condora gave Big Steel a right cross knocking him on his back.
White Cisne readied a double punch, but Shark Sombero side stepped her. "Sweet little White Cisne, Mirrorcle City's most loved hero." Shark Sombero mocked. "Time to show them how weak you are." He flung his sombero which sprouted out shark teeth.
"I'm not weak!" Zoe yelled as she dodged the attack, but it cut threw a billboard and was going to fall on some police officers! Zoe dived lasers blazing at her opponent.
"No!" Both Condora and Madam Plume yelled.
"I got you!" El Tigre said using his grapple claw to zip under the board and pull the cops to safety.
"There he is." Jango of the Dead said in a nearby alley. "Now Banditos attack El Tigre while the others are distracted!" The gang of skeletons leapt out of the ground and attacked.
"W,w,wait shouldn't you be good guys or something?" El Tige asked. He wanted to fight back but for some reason his body wouldn't move! "I've taken down hundreds of these things before, this should be easy but…I'm terrified!" Manny thought.
"What are Sartana's men doing here?" Big Steel asked.
"Whatever, this gives us a chance to get away." Afrodusa said. But above them their blimp was deflating, Frida jumping out with a parachute.
"Cisne! Help El Tigre!" Frida yelled.
Cisne plowed through the banditos. "You okay Manny?" she whispered helping him up.
"I…I think so…" El Tigre said.
Seeing Madam Plume knock out Big Steel and Condora subdue Afrodusa, Jagon growled. "Way too outnumbered now." He slipped into the shadows.
"Frida the blimp, if you took it down then…"
Frida shook he head. "I'm sorry guys. They didn't have it either."
Shark Sombero laughed again as he fought the two elder members of the flock. "What? Is White Cisne too worried about her new boyfriend to fight?"
"The two of us are more than a match for you now that your partners are down!" Condora said.
"Hahahahaha! I'm strong enough to beat you both on my own but her? She's just a sweet innocent little girl playing at being a hero! We've studied her, while she great at rescuing she just isn't a fighter! She's lucky to have been born int a family of heroes because she'll never have the strength or the guts to make it as a villain!"
Hearing that White Cisne had reached her boiling point. "VVVVVVVV."
"Zoe! Calm down!" El Tigre pleaded.
"Don't go for his bait!" Frida warned.
But all her disgust at what this world was changing into, the frustration of being what she didn't want to be all day and no success in finding the only way out of this world, culminated into her anger and one word. "VENDETTA!" White Cisne rocketed toward the mocking villain knocking some of his shark like teeth out. She then began to punch and punch and punch!"
"Mija! Stand down!" Madam Plume ordered her granddaughter shocked at what she was seeing.
But Zoe kept punching. "I give up! Stop please!" Shark Sombero begged but the beat down continued as girl screamed with rage.
"That is enough Young Lady!" Condora grabbed her daughter's wrist and pulled her off, shocked at seeing the anger in eyes. "I said that's enough!"
Zoe snapped out of it, looking around she saw the shocked expressions of all but El Tigre Frida. "White Cisne? What happened?" one reporter asked.
"Unbelievable! Mirrorcle City's sweetest hero just brutally beat an opponent who surrendered!" another said.
"We are going home!" Condora ordered as the Flock of Freedom took off. El Tigre and Frida slipped away as the media shouted asking questions.
"This is bad, everyone in town is going to see that. What do you think her mom is going to do?" Frida asked.
Manny gulped. "I don't know but I think that isn't our only problem. Frida, when those skeleton Banditos attacked, I was terrified! I fight them all the time but… since we started looking for the mirror this feeling dread has been growing with each fight! You know how this world is changing us?"
"Yeah, Zoe's turning good and if we don't get home soon, I'll be a geek!"
"I think, what happened is the same thing. Zoe's diary said I wouldn't be a hero or a villain because of some principle but I think she's wrong about that. Maybe the other me doesn't want to admit it to himself but…Frida I think this world is turning me into coward!"
"Oh no! If that happens it'll be twice as hard to locate the way home! Manny what if we begin to forget about our lives back home? And what about Zoe? Her mom looked kinda mad and those reporters are going to drag White Cisne's name through the mud! She's going to be in so much trouble!"
"Are you worried because we need her to go home or because you're her best friend in this world?"
"I don't know, both maybe? Manny, we're running out time!"
Manny thought for minute. "I might have an idea on how we can find the mirror, but it's a risk. If my Granpapi is a genius hero in this world and my dad has connections to the criminal underworld they may be the only ones who can help us now."
"You want to tell them the truth, don't you? I guess we're that desperate."
"So, let's go to my house. And Frida, I'm worried for Zoe too."
When they got back to their HQ Zoe knew what was coming. "Zoe Diana Aves! What was all that?!" Carmelita asked as they all changed back.
"I'm sorry. I guess what he said just got to me." Zoe said hoping to end this quickly.
However, Carmelita was not having it. "Mother, I need to talk to Zoe alone."
"I…I'll do some cleaning." Pachita walked out knowing she had to let her daughter handle her grandchild.
"What is going on with you today, Zoe?" Carmelita asked.
"I told you, I just lost my temper! All I did was give a bad guy what was coming to him anyway. What's the big deal?" Zoe argued.
"This goes far beyond that!" Carmelita pointed to one of the monitors that showed Shark Sombero's beating. "Or did you really think your school wouldn't call me at the office and tell me you got detention for starting a fight?"
"They were going to pick on Frida and Manny!" Zoe argued.
"But you threw the first and most of the punches! I know I taught you not to use your training on civilians! I thought alright she made a mistake in the heat of the moment looking out for her friend and I didn't think much of it when the animal shelter called later asking me why you didn't show up. You must have been late getting there because of detention. But then I get words of thanks over the Hero Network for you and a new young hero, who I am now certain is Manny Rivera. I thought you said he decided not to use his powers."
"Manny changed his mind and I thought I could show him how fun it is to be a hero." Zoe lied trying dig herself out of trouble. "I know you and Grandmami don't like his family…"
"We wouldn't judge him because of what his father or grandfather did to us. Yes, our families have a complicated history and sometimes I wonder if both are under a curse. But don't think you can change the subject young lady. Those heroes also were wondering why you and your friends were going through the villain's loot."
"Mom you're making a big deal out of nothing!"
"What happened in that fight wasn't nothing!"
"I already told you…" Zoe was really getting annoyed
"I'm not talking about that beating! I'm talking about what happened before!" Carmelita was on the verge of tears.
"What?"
Carmelita knelt to Zoe's eye level. "When you dodged Shark Sombero's first attack you went after him even though that billboard was going to crush those officers! Thankfully the Rivera boy was there. Zoe, you know our most important rule. When we have choice to either let a criminal escape or leave non powered people in danger, we always choose to save lives! What is going on with you today? It's like after you left for school you've become a completely different person!"
"That's what I'm trying to avoid!" Zoe thought. "Nothing is going on!"
"Don't lie to your mother Mija." Pachita said coming back into the room.
"I'm not lying." Zoe said. "I'm just trying to stay me!"
"Then why was this in your room?" Zoe's Grandmother pulled out the Emerald Eagle and placed it on the table, a sad look on her face. "I found it in your stuffed animals while I was cleaning."
Zoe mentally kicked herself. "Idiot! Why didn't I just put in my backpack when I left?"
"That museum theft from last night…" Carmelita was shocked. "We didn't have time to find out what was stolen…Zoe why? This goes against everything our family stands for! Why? None of this is like you at all!"
Zoe had enough. "What makes either of you so sure you know what I'm like?! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being what everyone expects of me! I'm sick of being this perfect little princess hero! And most of all I'm sick of the two of you! I hate you!"
Silence hung in the air for a minute then Pachita clutched her chest. "My heart!" In that moment Zoe began to regret her outburst she didn't see other versions of her mother and grandmother, she saw her family and they were hurting. Luckily for Pachita, her cane much like Puma Loco's sombero, had all kind of devices built into it, including a defibrillator.
Carmelita stood up angry tears in her eyes. "I, I didn't mean to…" Zoe tried to say.
"I don't know if it's someone influencing you, a phase, or something else. But criminal behavior will not be tolerated in this family! You are grounded for a month!"
"What?!"
"The only reason I'm not turning you in is because you're my daughter." Carmelita picked up the Emerald. "I'm returning this first thing in the morning. Then for then the next month it's just here and school! No having friends over, no T.V., no video games, and…" she then snatched Zoe's watch off her wrist. "…No White Cisne!"
"But you can't…" Zoe tried to argue.
"Your mother is right Zoe." Her grandmother said. "Until you can prove you treat the title with the honor and respect it deserves, we cannot let you be White Cisne. This is for your own good."
"Zoe, please go to your room." Carmelita asked. Zoe turned and ran into her room feeling both angry and guilty.
When Manny and Frida got to his house Rodolfo was whistling a tune while twirling the golden rose that he stole. "Manny, Frida, look what I got. The cops didn't stand a chance of catching me. I wish you could have seen me in action son."
"He was too busy being a hero today." Jorge said with a proud smile.
"What?! But you were at the university all day! How could he…on his own." Rodolfo asked looking hurt.
"He wasn't. I guess with your crimes today you didn't see the news. My student shared it with me. He's been crimefighting with White Cisne."
Rodolfo then smiled. "Oh, impressing the ladies with your powers, like any Rivera man good or evil." He then got a tear in his eye. "My Manny is growing up."
"It's not quite what either of you think." Manny said nervously. "I don't know how either of you are going to react but here goes, I'm not your Manny and this isn't the Frida you know. Last night we were pulled into a mirror in the museum, and we need your help to find it and go home."
"Wait, you two are from the other world? The Magic Mirror of Malaysia was in this city the whole time?" Jorge asked.
"You know about it? You believe us?" Frida asked.
"It's something every adult knows. Only sharing it with our children when they are fully grown and not something we like to think about." Rodolfo said.
Jorge sighed. "We do know long ago the Magic Mirror connected the two worlds turning this one into a reflection of your own. The people from your world are free to choose who they become, while here we are unable to be anything but the opposite our other selves. The most common difference is whether someone is good or evil. The Mirror was sealed and hidden long ago to keep the two sides from interacting with each other."
"I, we had no idea. I had a hard time choosing, both good and evil have their fun sides, the original El Tigre was driven loco by not being able to choose. But I never thought about if the choice was ever taken out of my hands. If you can't choose who you can be then you must hate us." Manny said.
"No, no Manny. We know that on your side most don't know our world exists. It's the Mirror and whoever made it imposed this on us for whatever reason that are to blame."
"What I want to know is where is my son?" Rodolfo asked.
"We did see ourselves when we…they must be in Miracle City!"
"That is to be expected." Jorge said. "The mirror switches counterparts. Have you been acting deferent from how you behave back home?"
Manny answered first. "Yeah! I never really drew before and…I don't know if you two knew this but when fighting I've been getting scared when I fight. I think that's how your Manny feels."
"And I've been getting smarter and instead of rock and roll I've been drawn to the violin!" Frida said.
Jorge nodded. "Just as my research said." The old texts said that before the mirror was sealed those that traveled between the worlds become like their counterparts over time. You say you've been here since last night? That means there is not much time. If both versions of you don't return by night fall tomorrow, then the changes become permanent, and you'll be trapped here forever! Both version of you would be unable to change or decide on another path for the rest of your lives!"
"Both versions of my son not having a choice on their futures!?" Wild Pantera snarled. "I will not stand for that! I maybe evil and I know whatever my son would decide wouldn't really be his choice but neither of them having a say in their lives?! Never, this I swear! I'm going to shake down some my black-market contacts, I make them tell me who stole that basted mirror." His Bronze Boots of Brutality sparked with green lightning as he slammed the door leaving to look for answers.
"In the meantime, I will try to devise a way to contact my counterpart. Unless both versions of everyone who traveled through the mirror cross at the same time it will not work. Does he have a mech suit like my Golden Sombero of Order?" Jorge asked.
"Yes, the Golden Sombero of Chaos." Manny said.
"Figures. I should have something ready by morning."
"Wait, it wasn't just me and Frida, Zoe needs to be with us to get home too!"
"Zoe? As in Aves, White Cisne is from your world too? I know an opposite of her has to exist, but I can't imagine her evil."
"She really hates that this place is turning her good." Frida said. "I guess that means your Zoe is turning evil. Normally I can't stand our Zoe but…I think she might be more scared than either Manny or me that she's losing herself."
Zoe's room was now a mess, she tore the stuffing out of all but one bunny of her stuffed animals. "How dare those fakes…! I only did what they… my mom and Gandmami…taught me. I, just want to be me! I don't want to be…I can't…be the Zoe they know!" Zoe said in a mix of angry and sad tears staring at the floor.
She heard a knock at the door. "Zoe, sweetheart." It was Carmelita. "I know you're upset, but you know your Grandmami and I only doing this because we love you, right? You didn't come out for dinner, so I brought you a plate."
"Go away! I want to be alone! I can't…I can't… I'm sorry." Zoe cried. Her stomach was swirling with so much anger and guilt she honestly didn't think she could keep any food down. She was pretty sure she was getting an ulcer.
"I'll…leave it by the door if you change your mind." Carmelita said defeated as she walked away.
"Why am I feeling so guilty?" Zoe sobbed. "Stupid other world. Why should I care that I…hurt them, that I disappointed them? Why does it hurt so much?"
"Because you know you did a lot of bad things." Zoe heard her own voice say. She looked up from the floor. "Stealing, lying, hurting, you did so much evil, you can't stand yourself!" Her bedroom mirror was talking to her!
"No! You're not real! Just all this guilt from the other Zoe! A hallucination from the stress of being stuck in this crazy world!"
"What's wrong Zoe? Don't want to admit you're growing a conscience? Afraid you'll see that you should just disappear and be White Cisne forever? Because you know they deserve better than you!"
"No!"
"You made Mami and Grandmami cry, you've been mean to Frida for years for something she and Manny doesn't even remember! Has revenge against the Rivera's or anyone made your family any happier? No! It just made all of you and those around you miserable!"
"Stop!" Zoe grabbed the pencil holder on her desk and cracked the mirror.
But the broken reflection continued to speak. "The Zoe you're becoming is the real Zoe. The one everyone loves, the one everyone deserves! Let go of that fake Black Cuervo, she's only made things bad for everyone! Be who you really are!"
Zoe looked at the intact bunny and held it close. "Mr. Hoppy!" She then crawled into bed and cocooned herself in the covers. "Which is the real me? Who am I? Please someone…help me!" Zoe cried herself to sleep.
Carmelita sipped some decaf as Pachita sat next to her. "I know I have to stay firm, or she won't learn mom. But it hurts so much."
"I know." Pachita said. "It's never easy, punishing you child. Zoe is so sweet; I still can't believe she stole that." She pointed to the emerald on the table.
"I just can't figure it out, why did she change so suddenly? There's no sign of mind control, her watch's systems indicate she's not a copy, the only thing I can think of is something I'd rather not think about."
"The other world."
"I can't stand the thought that the only reason I am good, that I am a hero, is that there is another me who is villain! Someone who should never be a mother! Raising her…her daughter to be evil. What if that other Zoe, what if she's breaking free and deciding to become good. I should be happy a child would turn away from a life crime, but if her soul is to be saved my daughter's must condemned? It's not fair! It's not justice!"
"There's no proof that this isn't just some bad decisions of Zoe's. She's thirteen, she's growing up, trying to figure out who she is."
"I just can't shake the feeling there is more going on than what we're seeing…"
Back in Miracle City the Flock of Fury was supposed to be doing another heist but Voltura and Lady Gobbler instead found themselves flying to the Rivera's house as Black Cuervo was attacking it. "Black Cuervo! What are doing?! We don't go after the Rivera's without a plan! What has gotten into you day?" Voltura asked her daughter.
Manny was hiding behind the other world versions of his family who couldn't figure out why he was so scared and not becoming El Tigre. Zoe turned toward her family pointing her lasers at them with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry! I don't want to do this but, but…" She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, they were glowing red. "I must obey the will of Sartana of the Dead." Black Cuervo fired, her family so shocked them almost didn't dodge in time.
In both worlds two versions of one woman asked herself the same question. "What has happened to my baby girl?"
Next chapter: The Fate of Two Worlds.
