Hahahahahahaheyyyyyy [X so like, we left off where Manny had to choose what he wanted to be. Soooooo let me answer this awesome question nowww!! [X
"It takes time to make the right decision, Manny. You just have to think about it." Frida said, trying to help. Manny sighed.
"I know, I know…it's just that, I've been taking a lot of time already. I still haven't decided!" Manny said.
"Is that the only thing you're worried about?" Frida asked.
"Well, not really. I was just thinking….what if I end up like the original El Tigre? Living alone, outside the land of the dead, going wacko? I don't want that, but I'm afraid that my indecision will drive me nuts." Manny answered.
"Manny, you're not going to end up like all the other dudes in your family. You're different." Frida calmed. Manny looked confused.
"How?" He asked. Frida placed her hands on Manny's shoulders.
"Well, first, the only way you're like the original El Tigre is that you have the same powers and all. You're different because first of all, you haven't decided. Which isn't really a difference, but still. Second, everyone else in your family has lost their wife after continuing your family time line. You won't lose me because…" Frida paused.
"Because I would be nothing without you." She finished. Manny smiled. She was right. Every other Rivera woman had run away the same reason Maria did. Either that or they were killed in battle or something. Manny was different than the others. Then he started to think about it. Did he want to be a villain, stealing from stores and getting stopped by heroes—mainly his dad? He thought about the pattern that he had noticed throughout the timeline. It had gone undecided, villain, hero, villain, hero, villain, hero, undecided. If he was a hero, it would mess up the pattern. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be messing it up. Or maybe….
He could be a little bit of both. He could be a hero, but still villainous at the same time. He wouldn't pillage or steal, more as use fighting techniques that no one else would use. It was all clear now.
"I'm…I'm a hero." Manny spoke. Frida smiled and scooted closer to Manny while they sat on the guest bed that Mr. Alicifi had supplied them and put her head on his shoulder.
"More than that, you're my hero." She said, just above a whisper. Manny smiled. He checked the time. 10:45.
"We should…" Manny yawned. "Probably get to sleep…" Manny yawned again. He lay down vertically on his bed, Frida going with him, and his eyes slowly started to drop.
Frida's eyes fluttered open. She checked the time. 9:26. she looked out the window to see that it was morning. Then she felt her arms touching something rather soft....she looked over to see that she had fallen asleep, arms wrapped around Manny's waist. Manny was laying on his back, flat, arms behind his head. She didn't want to wake him, so she just stayed there and patiently waited for him to wake up. He felt so warm that she hoped he didn't wake up for a long time. Her wish was shattered when she heard him yawning, and then felt him sit up.
"Morning." Manny greeted. Frida snapped out of her current state of thought.
"Morning." She said back. She dropped her arms to her side and went to the bathroom to change. Manny, respecting her privacy, changed in the room. After he was ready to go, he decided he should get in some breakfast and training.
"I'm going downstairs." Manny shouted to the bathroom door as he walked out of the room. Frida muffled back an "Okay." Manny opened the door and walked down the wooden chestnut stairs. Mr. Alicifi was at his workbench already, and when he heard Manny coming down the stairs he immediately turned around.
"Good morning, good morning! Would you like some breakfast? Of course you do, of course. There are some doughnuts and such on the table over there." Mr. Alicifi greeted. Manny took a seat at the table without a word and started to bite into a glazed chocolate doughnut. Mr. Alicifi's face fell with worry when he noticed Manny's lack of enthusiasm.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, turning to Manny. Manny sighed.
"Well, it's just that I'm worried. What if I can't control my powers? What if I can never go back home?" Manny complained. Mr. Alicifi shook his head, made a tis-tis sound, and sighed.
"Young boy, you worry too much. You were smart enough to see me, and I know everything about the belt you wear around your waist. Now finish that doughnut and we'll start training." Mr. Alicifi said. Manny smiled and continued eating. Frida came downstairs and sat next to Manny, chowing down on her own doughnut. (A/N: wow, was that an old-school phrase or WHAT?)
Not too long after, Manny and Mr. Alicifi were standing in the backyard of Mr. Alicifi's house. Since he lived in a little bit of a desert terrain, there wasn't much grass. There was more sand beneath their feet.
"Now, the first step to your training is to remember one important thing. You must control the power, not the other way around." Mr. Alicifi said. Frida, standing closer to the house, watched the events play out.
"Now, before you transform, get it in your head. You have the power, the power does not have you. Repeat that." Manny stared down at his belt buckle.
"I have the power, the power does not have me." Manny repeated. He placed his hands on the buckle and waited a moment before spinning it.
"El Tigre!" He roared. Frida noticed the green flame once again, larger this time, engulfing him in rage. A robot dressed to look like a bandito from Miracle City came rolling forwards as it emerged from a dark shed in the corner of the fenced yard. Manny felt El Tigre's anger start to take over him again.
"I control the power. It's my power." Manny repeated to himself. He kept the anger lingering inside him until it pushed to take over. Instead of letting it simply take over him, he forced it all out in a very large, very loud roar. Manny opened his eyes to see that the robot that was about to attack was destroyed. Then he heard a creaking sound behind him. He looked back to see that the shed Frida moved to was about to collapse, right on top of Frida. Manny gasped and raced over to her.
"Frida, watch out!" He shouted. While Frida looked back in horror to see the shed collapsing over head of her, Manny was racing over faster and faster. Once he got to her, it was too late to move, so he just pushed her out of his way. Frida flew a few feet forward, gaping in fear.
"Manny? Manny, are you ok?" Frida asked, throwing shattered pieces of shed off of Manny. When she came to the bottom of the pile, she saw Manny laying there, perfectly bruised and scraped.
"Oyy…yeah, don't sweat it, I'm fine." Manny waved off Frida's concern. Frida sighed with relief.
"Now then, how do you feel?" Mr. Alicifi asked. Manny looked confused.
"How do I feel? What, are you my therapist?" Manny commented. Frida nudged him and whispered "Don't be rude!" Manny sighed.
"Sorry, I mean, I feel…..actually, I don't feel angry anymore!" Manny replied. Mr. Alicifi nodded.
"Good, good. Now, let's move on to more physical matters of the training." Mr. Alicifi said, scribbling something down on a clipboard.
Later that day, Manny limped back to his and Frida's room. Frida followed behind him, concerned. Once they got into the room, Frida had Manny sit on his bed.
"Here, let me clean up all those scrapes." Frida said, pulling a first aid kit out of the nightstand drawer. Manny was aching too much to turn his belt buckle again, so he remained as El Tigre for the time being.
"Ok, since most of your scrapes are on your chest and your back, I'm going to need you to take your shirt off." Frida said. Manny nodded and removed his shirt, aching through every moment of it. Frida nodded.
"Ok, this might sting a little." She commented. She remembered what Mr. Alicifi had told her to do once she got alone time with Manny. He had told her that there is one thing more he had to control, and that was his tiger instincts. He had to learn to keep them under control in romantic situations, as well. She had to be the most seductive she could possibly be, and then tell him to control himself. And she'd make sure that he saw to it as to control himself. She started rubbing antiseptic on his scrapes and saw that he winced with pain. She scooped her fingers underneath his mask and slipped it off, revealing his scraped face.
"We're going to have to clean up your face, next." She explained. He nodded as she ran her fingers through his curls. She could feel him purring as she rubbed her fingers, covered in antiseptic, all over Manny's numerous scrapes.
"Ok, all done with the worst part. Now is for the band-aids." Frida explained. She pulled out the box of band-aids and started placing them over Manny's scrapes. Once she was done, she grabbed his shirt and mask, which were both filthy and covered in blood and dirt, and walked out of the room and to the laundry room, located next room over, which Mr. Alicifi had given them permission to use. She scrubbed out the stains and put it in the wash. When she walked back into the room, she noticed that Manny needed to relax. She remembered what she was told to do, so she took advantage of the situation and walked over to him seductively. She scratched under his chin with her index finger. She could feel Manny purring.
"I'm thinking you need to relax after a long day of traininggggg." Frida seduced, purring out the g in training. Manny smiled and felt something new take control of him. This new side to him wanted to take control of the situation, get things blown way out of proportion. The thing that scared him most was that he wanted to let things get past rated-R at the moment. Frida sat on Manny's lap and brushed her lips over his. She felt Manny's back come in contact with the bed, her own body falling with him. She giggled and continued kissing him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and started playing with his curls. Manny felt himself getting out of control. This was very unlike Frida to do. Manny didn't know what to think of this different side to Frida, but as his tiger instincts started to kick in, he felt himself liking it more and more.
"Ready for your next lesson?" Frida asked, seductively.
"And what would that be, mi amor?" Manny asked. Woah, woah, where did that come from? Manny asked himself over and over in his head.
"Don't let the power control you, Manny, especially in times like these." Frida explained in a more normal voice, climbing off of Manny and helping him up. He smiled. Now he gets it. Don't let that overwhelming feeling take over him.
"Got it. Just like the anger, I can't let this take over me." Manny responded.
"Good, good. Now, let's see if you can handle it." Frida commented before tackling him to the ground and kissing him again. She laughed and Manny felt his instincts start to take over him. He fought it off and let Frida break apart from him. She stood up and extended a hand for Manny. Standing up, Manny smiled.
"Thanks for the extra training." He said, collapsing on his bed. He was exhausted, and didn't want to move a single muscle anymore. Frida smiled to herself and crawled into her own bed. She sighed and reviewed the events that just occurred. She had just made out with Manny twice. She had to admit one thing. Even if she didn't have Manny's animal instincts, that sure did feel good. She smiled and let her eyelids fall closed.
Haha, so isn't it getting really good? I think so. I was chatting with thechilly while writing this up, and we discussed some pretty rad concepts. It helped me to write the chapter better. So, reviews?