This is a project I had long time ago going around my head, since Mexicans have such a goode relation with this entity the idea poded and I asked myself what would happen if Manny actually meets Death? Well here is the Why and the How. Hope you people enjoy it.
The Death I use in this story is from the books of Terry Pratchett, it only sepaks in CAPITAL LETTERS and despite it sticks to the rules is more pshycological and enthusiated with humans.
El Tigre Servant of Death.
"For the inhabitant of New York, Paris or London, death is a word never pronounced because it burns the lips. The mexican, instead, frequents, mock, fondel, sleep with her, honors her; it's one of his favorites toys and his more durable love. True is, that in his atitude there might be as much fear as the others; but he neither hides from her nor hide her; He contemplates her, face to face, with patiece, disdain or irony"
Octavio Paz
"Para el habitante de Nueva York, Paris o Londres, la muerte es palabra que jamás se pronuncia porque quema los labios. El mexicano, en cambio, la frecuenta, la burla, la acaricia, duerme con ella, la festeja, es uno de sus juguetes favoritos y su amor más permanente. Cierto, en su actitud hay quizá tanto miedo como en la de los otros; mas al menos no se esconde ni la esconde; la contempla cara a cara con paciencia, desdén o ironía."
Octavio Paz
Manny was on his knees, the body of Frida rested over them while he closed and opened his eyes, each time with more strenght and more time. Finally he got tired, his face was covered in tears, he couldn't stand it, his soul and spirit was completly broken.
"My god Frida you have to wake up, please, please." He begged, he couldn't stand this.
"Why it has to be you?" asked desesperatly.
"IT COULD HAS BEEN ANYONE, BUT TODAY IT WAS HER" said a voice from nowhere
"This isn't fair!" he crushed in more tears.
"LIFE IT ISN'T FAIR MY BOY, YOU LIVE, AND LEAVE WHEN YOUR TIME HAS COME"
"We were going to be so happy together" said hugging it with more strength
"IT'S HARD I KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT IT"
"Why Frida? Why?"
"OH SORRY, FOR A MOMENT I BELIVED YOU COULD HEAR ME. SILLY ME I DISTRACT SO EASLY"
A robed figure walked from the destroyed altar until it stand infront of Manny and Frida.
"STAND MISS FRIDA SUAREZ, YOUR TIME HAS COME" the figure lowered trying to touch Fridas body. A sudden green light and a slash made him get back.
"Who are you and what do you want with Frida?" asked Manny transformed in el Tigre.
The figure standed still in what seemed to be interest. "SO YOU CAN SEE ME?"
"What, are you suppose to be a gohst or something?"
"AND YOU CAN HEAR ME!, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE SURPRISE" then the figure made a breif reflection. "YEAH, YOU MAY BE USEFULL".
Manny was filling with anger, whoever this guy was, he was going to be kicked to the other life. The figure removed his hood with a pair of bony hands and Mannys face turned pale.
Two hours earlier.
Manny was getting ready for the gratest day in his life, her mother was checking his jacket; he weared a red, gold and black mariachi costume fully confectionate by his mother, the boots and the sombrero were the only thing missing.
"Come on mom, I think this suit doesen't need any more adjustments" said Manny trying feel comfortable.
"Now, now, mijo, you are a grown man, you can't keep complaining about things like this." said her pulling out some loose strings.
Manny blushed and tried to divert his mind, he has been so nervous that he didn't even noticed how fast all this happened. Now, with 26 years on his body he was going to marry his true love so everything needed to be perfect.
"Manuel Pablo Gutierrez O'Brien Equihua Rivera!" was the sound that made him jump, he turned around to see his father looking to him proudly. "Mijo, today you are to finally become a true man."
Both shared looks, Manny felt how proud was his father of him, he felt touched.
"Rodolfo, help me with this stuff! This doors are so too small for me!" screamed granpapi, his father came out and returned with the old man that, due to an accident, was now a brain inside a mechanical suit similar to his old Puma Loco mech-suit.
"Ah Manny, I'm so feliz to see you know, look at you. You have finally become an hombre" said hugging him. Somehow it wasn't such a problem for Puma to be like that, he could still see, hear, touch, smell and even taste and it was even happier and funnier than before (and somehow less evil).
Manny contemplated his father, mother and grandparent; he really felt lucky to have them all in this special moment of his life. Suddenly they were announced that the ceremony was ready to start.
"We have to go!?, men I still can't find the sombrero and boots." Said Manny desesperatly.
"Mijo" interrumped Rodolfo "You don't have to look for them, because we have them right here"
Manny was confused, his father took out of a bag the Bronz Boots of Truth and offered to him, and granpapi offered him the Golden Sombrero of Chaos. He didn't knew what to say, but he felt that he couldnt accept the offering.
"Son during all this years you have made us feel very proud, we don't regret a minute of being your family, because for us you have been the most marvelous thing that could had ever happened" White Pantera stopped and cleared a tear. "For the first time in the history of the Rivera's three generations are together, and you mark the end of a story and the begining of a new one in this family, please use this not as a simbol of power, but as the simbol of the beggining of your era in the Riveras."
Manny was deeplly touched, he hugged them three and then it put on the mystical object feeling his family soul breathing threw them.
"Don't get used to them boy, we want them back" said Puma Loco joking while he and White Pantera got out of the room. Manny waited a few seconds looking at him in the mirror.
"You look wonderfull Manny" said his mother grabbing his arm. "Shall we?"
Manny got out of the room, behind he left noething, all his memories, moments and traveled with him. His mother left him infront of the altar while he tried to keep cool, some minutes later the music anounced that the bried was comeing"
Frida entred, by her side his father. Manny couldn't stop looking at her, she looked so gorgeous in that dress, it was like an Angel. For his surprise, despite all the grate experciences both sheared, only the most resent once popped out: the wedding preparation, that meal, the secret night in where both experienced each other in the nmost deeps and beautifull ways, he felt this was a dream. Then cheif Suarez glanced at him and Manny came back to earth.
Cheif Suarez left his daughter alway looking at Manny, Manny remembered the conversation they had in pivate the same day they anounced their marriage.
"Look Rivera, I always have been against you r relationship with my daughter as friends, but you graualy demonstrate me that I was wrong." He took a breif moment before continuing, for Manny was the calm before the storm. "My daughter has always been happy by your side and this may be the best decision, she is old enought to know what is better for her and I think you are the right choice." Suddenly Cheif Suarez expression become creepier. "But If you ever dare to crush her heart, cheat on her, left her or even hurt her, I will crush you like a bag and let the dog eat your more delicate and private parts before leaving you in your worst nightmare."
Manny tried to forget that moment and to look at Frida, she looked soo pure and perfect in that dress, then he looked around and all his family was there, fellow heroes, friends and even some villians that had a good relation with him. All was so perfect, then both kneeled and the priest began the ceremony.
There was a lot of familiar faces beteween the guests:: Carlito and Carlita where there, Cactus Kid, Raul word gratest mustache, Warhorse (former Albino Burrito), Sartana of the Dead (married with Puma Loco after the accident) with some others. Manny didn't noticed but his father and grafather weren't in their places, they were at the back checking some last minute problems.
"So papi, those are all the villians that are in jail or out of the city?" asked Rodolfo walking around nervously-
"Yes Rodolfo, only Black Cuervo, Che Chapuza are missing."
"This is bad, Cuervo scaped with some dangerous equipment from Dr's Chipotles lair, I'm afraid she may be up to something" said worried.
"What about the Chapuza's grandson?"
"He has no zombie army to support him so unless he has decided to team up with cuervo, he is no menace."
Grampapi made a last scan to the area "Well Rodolfo, there is no bomb in a kilometer around and if something come we will know."
"Good then, lets go back to the ceremony" said Rodolfo hoping everything was perfect to the end.
A hundred kilometers away in a unknown Zocalo in the Mexican jungle, an hour after that conversation, lied the unanimated corpose of Che Chapuza. Down in a cave a bit above the water Zoe Aves was in her last moments.
"You... you monster" said her with her last gasps.
Near her a tall man extended his black bony hand and took something out of her.
"Lets the man you love suffer forever" he closed his hand and Zoe passed out. A hundred kilometers away a blast of energy casted above the skys of Miracle City.
"I do" ansewerd Frida.
"Then I declare you man and wife." said the preist smiling to both of them. "You may now kiss the bride."
Manny and Frida were going to kiss, suddenly she tripped off pushing Manny. The blast came in and destroyed the place.
Manny was crushed by the explosion, Frida was blasted over him, soon the smoke dissiped and Manny tried to wake up, the Golden Sombrero protected him.
"Frida are you ok?" asked Manny trying to make her stand. While passing his hand over her pack, he noticed that the dress was ripped off there.
"Frida?" he said but she didn't ansewered.
"FRIDA!" he screamed.
Manny was desesperate, Frida was dieing. She muttered his name, but it was hopless, she was going to die.
Manny didn't noticed, but everything started to move slower, then the robed creature appeared.
"MMM... THIS IS FUNNY, I DIDN'T RECIBED ANY ADVICE OF SOMEONE DIEING HERE" he gave a look around and noticed Manny. "HELLO, WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?"
The robed figure got near Manny and Frida, he ansewered Manny's questions, but soon he noticed that he couldn't see him.
"WHAT A SHAME." said while inclining over Frida's body. Time stopped completly.
The robed guy jumped back after Manny's attack and patiently listened to him.
"YOU CAN BE USEFULL TO ME" he said while removing the hood, to his left a big pale horse appeared, behind it a portl of shadows and darkness, at his right a sickle. The hood revealed an old skull, Manny turned pale and started to shake.
"Death?" Manny muttered.
"IN THE VERY BONES." Death ansewered.
To be continue...
What will happen next DUN! DUN! DUUUN!