It was Saturday as Manny, Frida and Zoe were hanging out at the Mayan Arcade, playing a four player adevnture game, each controlling a character. the fingers hitting the buttons as they wiggled their joysticks, Frida looking at Manny "So, how was dinner with your mother?"
"Terrible" Manny rebutted, not wanting to think about it but he knew Frida too much to know she would not leave it alone. He agreed to go over the events of the dinner, the previous night.
Everything started off well. The Rivera family sat at the table, handing in their menus and getting their drinks. Manny took a sip of his soda while his parents were talking, Rodolfo asking Maria about how things had been on the road. The two talking as they waited for their food.
Once the food had arrived Manny picked up his burrito, dabbing some hot sauce on it before taking a bite of it. the taste of spices and meats on his tongue. There was reason this was his favorite restaurant. Jorge dipped one of his nachos into the mixture of sour cream and guacamole, bringing it to his mouth. the mixture hitting the spot.
"Manny, how has school been?" Maria asked, starting the conversation as Manny shrugged, saying it was all right and that nothing was worth mentioning as his grades were good... well good by his standard.
"So, Mom, working on any new material" Manny asked, wanting to switch topics away from his school life as they talked about her album which was being produced and should be released in the coming months. "I'll send you a copy"
"Boo, this story is boring, switch to the part where things get good" Frida instructed as Manny sighed glossing over the rest of the family conversation.
"Okay, I'll get to the point where things turned sour" Manny replied, still fumbling the joystick as he noticed his characters health was low. "Zoe, heal me"
"Well, to another Family dinner" Rodolfo called out, sipping the drink in his hand as an explosion was heard from the front of the restaurant was heard as Manny groaned looking at the cause. The explosion was caused by the supervillain Dr. Ch-something Sr. as he walked in, escorted by two guacamole monsters.
"Behold the brain of the smartest supervillain in Miracle City, Doctor Chipotle Sr. now stand in amazement of my new hot sauce gun" The cyborg villain replied holding up what appeared to be a super soaker, pumping his gun up, spraying a stream of hot sauce, hitting one if the customers in the face as he winced, covering his eyes.
"Now, hand over your wallets... and keep the money in them this time, anyone who refuses, gets a shot of sauce right to the eyes" Chipotle threatened as Rodolfo sighed, adjusting his tie before ripping off his suit, and putting on his mask.
"WHITE PANTERA!" he called out, jumping on the table and running towards Chipotle, the villain being met with the sole of his bronze boot. White Pantera kicked Chipotle so hard he flew out of the restaurant, landing in the prison.
cheers from inside the restaurant were heard as Manny complimented his dad on how quick his dispatched the villain, Maria on the other hand simply crossed her arms, letting out a sigh. Rodolfo looked at her, asking what the problem was.
"Rodolfo, I thought you RETIRED from crime fighting" Maria responded, her fingers tapping on her arm as Rodolfo blushed, saying he was 'mostly' retired. He then defended saying he wasn't seeking out villainy, it showed up and interrupted the dinner. Would she have preferred he not fought Chipotle as Maria sighed.
"I've been thinking, Miracle City, it's a spicy cesspool of crime and villainy. That not me talking, it's the city motto; that's a fact" Maria explained as Rodolfo looked at Maria, asking what she meant.
"What I'm saying is MAYBE, it's not the best place to raise a child, plus Manny needs his mother's guidance in his life" Maria explained as Rodolfo bit his knuckle, catching on to what she was saying.
"Maria, what you're saying, sleep on it. think it over" Rodolfo suggested, adding they were shaken up and should talk about THIS tomorrow. Maria sighed nodding
Back at the Arcade Manny finished telling his story, asking the two girls if they knew what this meant "Yes" Frida responded before giving it a second thought. "No... what?".
Manny sighed, clearly nervous, looking at the two, reminding them his mother said Miracle City was 'not the place to raise a child' and he 'needed his mother's guidance' and told them that she wanted to talk to him when he got back, spelling it out.
"My Mom wants me to go with her... on the road" Manny revealed as both the girls freaked out. finding this unacceptable. Frida just got her dad to let her hang out with him again and Zoe just got her friendship with Manny back. he sighed fumbling with his belt, rubbing his thumb along the shiny metal.
"Just explain to her that Miracle City needs you, you and you dad are the only heroes in Miracle City" Frida suggested as Manny sighed, telling her that was a horrible idea.
"She doesn't even know I'm El Tigre, I got my belt after the last time she visited, if she finds out I've been doing superhero stuff, she could freak out. keep in mind, despite how much she loves my father, she left him because he wouldn't hang up his mask and boots.
Manny reassured them that his mom finding out he was El Tigre was off the table, trying to brainstorm a way to make a case to his mother to get him to let him stay, Zoe simply punching the wall with enough force the drywall cracked.
"I... I have to go" Zoe said holding her hand, and walking off "We'll talk later"
Manny watched Zoe leave as he looked at Frida, trying to figure out what to do as Frida snapped her finger saying the answer was simple, they just had to convince Maria that Miracle City was a safe place to live.
"And that's pretty much the plan" Manny explained to his father and grandfather. Rodolfo tugged the collar of his shirt, asking how they would convince Maria that Miracle City was safe when he had spent years trying to clean the city of crime.
Jorge chimed in, saying it was impossible, too many villains and not enough heroes, cleaning up Miracle City was out of question.
"We don't have to 'clean up' Miracle City, we just have to make Mom THINK Miracle City isn't as bad as it really is" Manny explained, making his case and getting the family on board. they went over a plan before deciding on a course of action. Manny would show Maria aound the City with Rodolfo and Jorge scouting ahead to make sure each area was crime-free.
"As much as it pains me physically to do good, if it means keeping my grandson" Jorge decided as the planned out their route around the city.
Zoe had to let off some steam, flying around the outside if the city, drawing out her wrist blaster, firing at the desert, making a huge crater. "Aaahh".
she fired again, shooting a cluster of cactuses, the ground exploding in a pulp-filled mess of green plant and juice, as she blasted into the side of a cliff, the rock exploding. Zoe kept firing until her blaster was out of energy and only the clicks were heard. she flew from the sky, punching the ground with her gloves, if not for her enhancements she might have broken her hands.
after throwing her tantrum she laid on her back, resting on the desert ground, despite how furious this development made her, her body was too tired to move, she just laid on her back. Manny could not just leave, he couldn't, not when they were finally getting close.
"I see you have been busy" a voice said as Zoe turned seeing her mother, hovering there in the air, wearing her Voltura attire as she landed right beside Zoe. Carmelita asked why Zoe was throwing a tantrum and rearranging the landscape as Zoe tried to speak but the lack of breath as and her red eyes simply made Carmelita scoop Zoe up in her arms, hugging her.
"Zoe, what happened. did that Rivera boy have something to do with this?" Carmelita asked as Zoe tried to catch her breath and managed to calm herself down, saying it wasn't Manny exactly.
"He's leaving, Manny's mother... came back as she... doesn't want Manny living... in Miracle City so she's going to... take him on the road with her" Zoe tried to speak but it barely came out with how frantic she was. Carmelita simply hugged Zoe, comforting her in this time of need.
"Wait did you just say Maria Rivera is back in Miracle City?" Carmelita asked trying her hardest not to go into rage mode. If there was ONE person Carmelita hated more than Rodolfo it was Maria, always blaming her for making moves on 'her man' in high school and when he proposed to Maria instead of her, really got under her skin but her taking Rodolfo's kid away and denying Zoe to enact on their rivalry with the Rivera family that was the final nail in the coffin.
Carmelita looked at Zoe, suggested she go home and take a shower and then a nap. Zoe sighed taking her mother's advice, bolting off and leaving a trail a purple behind her. Carmelita simply looked at the destruction, partially impressed.
Eventually Maria returned to the Rivera house and Manny managed to convince her to spend the day with him, just some one-on-one time. Maria seemed to agree, saying that she had something she wanted to tell him. Manny made sure Maria never got the chance to bring it up, whether he was changing the subject are distracting them.
"See Mom, this stand has the best Churros in Miracle City" Manny praised at the stand vendor smiled, asking Manny where his friend with the blue hair was as she was his best customer as they kept talking.
"Maria, Maria is that you?" a voice asked as they turned. Maria hugging the source of the voice, Manny surprised. Mom, you and Miss Aves, know each other?" Manny replied confused as he looked at his art teacher, backing away from his mother.
"Oh Manny, Me and your mother used to be really close in our schooldays, I'm the School's art teacher, it's good to see you; how has your Mirarchi career been?" They kept talking as if they were old friends as on a building above Jorge was looking into binoculars.
"Mijo, you won't believe this" Puma Loco spoke into the Walkie Talkie
(Maria is basically Carmelita's 'Frida'. she blames her for taking Rodolfo away from her (then simply just leaving) but where Zoe openly hated Frida Carmelita plays the 'best friend' card and stabs her in the back. it was mentioned by the creators that eventually Maria and Carmelita would become work buddies while the Flock uses this get info on the Riveras. that serves as the background for their relationship)