Second Chance

Chapter 1: Guilt

**Originally Published: February 15, 2015 on FanFiction.net**

"Let me win?" a feminine voice shrieked in an anger of disbelief.

The young superhero lifted his head in terror and quickly began scanning the room, and was relieved when he recognized the green walls and tiger themed bed as his room.

"Manny, you're awake!" said an excited voice.

The confused middle school student turned his attention to the source of the loud noise and saw a girl with light blue hair wearing red goggles on top, a white tank top with a red skirt held up by suspenders, spiked bracelets on both her wrists, and grey combat boots. He immediately recognized her as his best friend, Frida Suarez.

"Frida... what happened?" Manny asked as he slowly sat up.

"Oh, um... when you told Cuervo how you were going to make it up to her for using her, you said something stupid and she beat the crud out of you." She explained

"Oh..." sighed Manny as he remembered how he had said he'd let her win the fight "Just how mad was she?" he queried as he slowly got out of bed, his body sore.

"Mad enough to pound you, blast you, and send you through three boats." Frida stated by throwing punches at the air.

"That's fair, the pain I'm feeling now is probably nothing compared to the pain I caused her..." he said depressingly as he looked at himself in the mirror on his dresser.

The young Rivera looked at his reflection with a look of disappointment and disgust reflecting in his eyes. He sighed again as he looked at what the appearance of someone who had committed a crime of pure unspeakable evil was. On his left eye was a scar from his first battle as his superhero persona, El Tigre. He wore an orange and yellow striped shirt covered by a black jacket with a small red star on the left part, blue jeans where his El Tigre belt laid on his waist, and brown shoes. Manny sighed once again as he looked at his black chocolate hair and then stared back at his brown eyes.

"Actually... nobody's seen Cuervo since that night." Frida said hesitantly.

"What, how long was I out?" he asked shocked.

"About a week..." she answered nervously, twiddling her thumbs.

"A week, the whole town has to be overrun with criminals by now!" panicked the young Rivera as he ran out of his room.

"Manny wait!" Frida called as she ran after her best friend.

When the punk rock girl entered the brown colored living room to find her friend next to a man wearing a grey button up coat with a blue tie, a grey hat, red gloves, brown glasses, and wore a red mask behind them, lying asleep on the red velvet couch.

"Dad what happened to you?" Manny asked with obvious worry in his voice, while examining the bruises on his father.

"While you were out, your dad has been the only one who has been able to try and stop the crime wave." Frida explained.

Before Manny could ask another question, a pair of arms pulled him into a hug and he felt the life being crushed out of him.

"Manny, I'm so glad you're awake!" exclaimed a happy elderly voice.

When the young Rivera could separate himself to catch his breath, he could see who was crushing him. It was an elderly man with white hair and a mustache with black eyes wearing yellow glasses, a golden sombrero, and all black clothing.

"It's good to see you too Grandpapi, but next time, could you let me breathe a little?"

"Oh sorry, sorry..." he quickly apologized as he released his grandson.

"So what have you been doing while dad's been out fighting crime?" the youngest asked his elder curiously.

"What do you think, I've been taking care of him every chance he gets to come back." He defended quickly.

"Those look like burn marks..." Manny said as he observed his wounded father.

"Si, when he comes back most of the injuries is from getting blasted over and over by the Flock of Fury." Grandpapi confirmed.

"This is my fault..." Manny said sadly.

"C'mon Manny, you can't blame yourself for this." Frida said putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"How is it not my fault? If I hadn't pretended to like Cuervo just to get information on her family's crimes, all of the Flock's anger wouldn't be directed at my dad!" he almost shouted.

"Manny... there's nothing you can do about it now, what's done is done. Now, I'm going to take Frida home while you go to bed and get ready for school tomorrow." The oldest Rivera man stated calmly.

After the not – so – secret identity of El Tigre watched his Grandpapi transform his Golden Sombrero of Chaos into a mini helicopter and carry his best friend through a window, he went back to his room and wondered what tomorrow would be like.