Description: Recovering from his kidnapping, El Fuerte wakes up in the hospital, having been rescued by Brett and May Lee. Fortunately, he has a mysterious benefactor willing to cover the wrestler's medical expenses as he recovers. Unfortunately, some benefactors should always remain in the shadows...
Darkness.
El Fuerte is no stranger to the darkness, he had descended into the lair of the devil fully expecting to never be able to come out. When the darkness overtook him his only regret was that he lacked the strength to wrestle against it, all he wanted was the opportunity to get a good hit, to bloody the nose of the forces of darkness before he succumbed to the overwhelming evil. Just leave his mark to forever let them know that the spirit of Lucha Libre is not to be trifled with even on the way down.
Alas, he will have to go knowing only that he did his best and it may have been a fitting end to the wrestler albeit it was a bit short lived...in fact too short...no..NO! He's too young to die! It's too soon! He can't go down so quickly! NOT LIKE THIS!!
El Fuerte regrets everything. He regrets everything that he has ever done.
And it is with these mirthful thoughts of the great beyond that El Fuerte awakens with a gasp. He had slept through the whole ordeal, his kidnapping, the daring rescue by Brett and May Lee and the trip to the hospital bed where he now sits up, dressed only in his wrestling tights and mask, sweating.
"What happened...?"
Fortunately, El Fuerte is not strapped down.
The interior of the hospital room is that ill off-white, with the greenish tones on the wall. The beep of the EKG runs along, the machine is strapped to the chest of the wrestler, with an IV in his arm. A small plate of food was placed on a tray, which in turn, is on a small stand behind the bed. A little remote control of the last luxury, with the television hanging high overhead, playing the latest in.... C-Span. At least he isn't alone. Across from the hospital bed, there was a full-figured nurse, a head of blond hair bouncing merrily as she is bent over.
Firm bottom jutting out.
The nurse seems to be sifting through the shelves and drawers, hips swaying as she continues to rummage. The candy-striper is quiet silent, and unaware of the recovering El Fuerte... or simply ignoring him. Side to side, swing high, swing low. Perhaps she might know of how El Fuerte arrived there... if she was truly a nurse. After all, El Fuerte might not remember the adventures in the warehouse.
It might be a mafia plant.
One of the first signs that tell El Fuerte he is no longer in the grips of Duke is that he is in fact, not strapped down.
Had he still be prisoner of the Devil himself he is certain that his freedom would be forfeit and he wouldn't be in control of his bodily functions as he is now. The atmosphere is also a mite too pleasant, there's AC, a soft bed, a tray of food a TV for entertainment and a...comely nurse to tend to his every whim?
If he is not a free man right now, then Duke is the nicest gang lord ever.
The thought occurs to El Fuerte that he may be just dead and in paradise, but a quick sample of the food given to him proves this theory false. That and also the fact that he doesn't have four clones of R. Mika fawning over him at the moment. "Hmrg, hospital food is as bad as ever." The luchador mutters to himself as he touches his face to notice he still has his mask on. It's all good then, the universe is at peace. No matter what sort of horrendous atrocities transpired while he was down and out he knows that it couldn't have possibly been that bad if he still has his mask.
Still feeling a little dizzy due to ingesting enough anesthetic to knock out a horse and then some, El Fuerte fails to retrieve the remote control and grumbles some choice curses in Spanish as he fumbles to try and get it. "Excuse me Seņorita, could you pass me the remote?" The wrestler calls to the nurse who apparently hasn't noticed him waking up just yet. Might as well use the resources available to him, no?
Duke may be a cruel gang lord.
But he at least had class.
The nurse suddenly perks up, as El Fuerte calls hither for her attention. A wiggle to the left. A wiggle to the right. Putting down what looks like a jar of peanut butter and a massive syringe on the counter, the nurse pauses. Slowly, the nurse turns around silently, facing directly towards the wrestler.
Revealing a metal skull with burning green eyes.
The horrific visage looms nightmarishly at the bed-ridden man. Despite the voluptuous body of the nurse, the naked metal skull is concealed partially by the blond hair wig. The grim skull stares coldly at the lucha, before a grating, mechanical voice crackles from within the depths of the horrible nightmare skeleton.
"Ah! You are Awake!"
Such fortune is that you have
To be brought right here!
When I learned of you
Of how your friend did save you
My heart did rise high!
There was trouble though,
Your lack insurance to pay,
For emergency!
That is why that I!
Yoshimitsu, The Ninja,
Has come to your aid!"
The nurse grips the syringe with a gloved hand, the arm clicking with mechanical cracking of the joints. Lifting up the syringe and the jar, the nurse looks at the lucha with a lockjaw grin of a death mask. It seems that El Fuerte work up, and has a nightmarish skeleton nurse that speaks in haiku.
... Did El Fuerte get a room at Alchemilla General Hospital
When the supposedly pretty nurse turns around to reveal the face of a horrendous metallic skull grinning back at him.
El Fuerte is struck by a brief moment of sanity and does what any sensible person would do.
He starts screaming.
He starts screaming long and loud.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Gasp gasp.. wheeeeeze... "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Much of the gibberish that is said by Yoshimitsu is lost on El Fuerte, the wisdom of the robotic samurai ninja undead..person...thing...is drowned by sheer screaming. All that El Fuerte can see is the grinning face of a skull staring at him with a syringe full of peanut butter. Had it been a masked man with a machine gun claiming to be one Los Zetas, he would have understood and fought him off, had it been an actual demon with a knife, El Fuerte would have been scared, but he would have recognized danger and bolted out of there. But this...this...his mind cannot wrap around what is he seeing, a nurse with a skull face with a peanut butter shot. The absurdity and confusion is too much and when a person isn't sure what is going on anymore...
They panic.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Yes, El Fuerte is still screaming his lungs out, yet after a full minute of it he at least has decency of PRYING the IV cable right out of his arm getting ready to run. His first instincts are at the very least still those of fleeing for his life.
For now, the panic still has a firm grip on the luchador's body, who being an extremely superstitious sort points and continues screaming thinking that Yoshimitsu is perhaps an apparition that is commonly known in Hispanic Culture.
"LA LLORONA!!! ES LA LLORONA!!!"
Well, yes, that was the most appropriate reaction.
El Fuerte's panic seems to stagger the horrible monster, making it stumble back. As the panic button is slammed again and again, it would only be a few seconds before the screams would be heard, and a team would come to save him. They would arrest the horrible ninja, and El Fuerte would be saved, until he was alone again and the creature would appear to swallow his soul. A doctor suddenly bursts in, with a team of nurses. Garbed in a white coat, it bears a otolaryngologists mirror on his head. The team of nurses at his side all wear candy striper uniforms. It seems that El Fuerte was saved by the horrible nightmare nurse.
Except the entire team were wearing black hoods.
Dressed in all black under the uniforms, the team of kuroko scramble in the room. Dressed as the stage hands of Japanese theater, they were the ninja of the Manji Clan. Closing the door behind them, they block off the only exit... and cross their arms, looking at their leader, Yoshimitsu.
"My, what a baby!
I was just going to give
A light sedative!
"Do not be afraid!
I am a kind, good ninja
That will not harm you!
While I may seem
Like a horrible demon
I am human too!
Please, my dear ally,
Lay back down, and just relax
And I will explain!"
Yoshimitsu does, in fact, try to express his peace. Placing down the jar and the horrible syringe on the counter, the nightmarish but shapely ninja turns back around, hands on his hips, staring blankly back at El Fuerte, eyes continuing to glow. His team of ninja remain at post, utterly silent in their masks. But one thing was of note, between Yoshi and the kuroko.
They were all armed with personal katanas.
El Fuerte could not be pressing the panic button harder now even if he tried.
Call him a coward, call him a weakling, heck even call him a big baby. El Fuerte is not ashamed to admit that when faced with a Candy Striper monstrosity his first reaction is to scream for help. Fear is part of life and if you fear that means you live. And El Fuerte is sure as hell not dying right now.
At least, his reaction is not without consequence, the luchador is overjoyed to see people bursting through the door to help him, other nurses and doctors for that matter, yet his joy soon turns to even more fight and confusion when he sees them all wearing black hoods. Looks like they are all in cahoots with this monster that now assails him oh and look, they are all armed to the teeth too.
While he is very superstitious, El Fuerte is no coward. The sight of weapons mean that these group are expecting a fight and if they want to fight then that means they could be beat. Panic is a wonderful tool the human body uses to get the senses to kick start and El Fuerte soon realizes that the drowsiness of the drugs no longer has any hold over him due to all the endorphins released by his body.
Clenching his teeth despite being told to calm down, the luchador rolls out of his bed and cracks his neck, a fierce intensity clear in his eyes.
"You speak in riddles Llorona! But know that I El Fuerte will not be taken as replacement for your children! I am not a lost soul for you to trap."
When the whole world has gone mad and there is nothing else to rely on, El Fuerte falls back on the best thing he knows and adopts a familiar wrestling stance, seemingly ready to grapple with the best of them if the need calls for it.
"Speak your peace if you must Llorona! Then return to your doomed search for your offspring!"
Yoshimitsu just shakes his head.
Why did everyone assume the worst of Yoshimitsu. Lurching towards El Fuerte, the ninja yields a moment, trying to find the best way to approach. Eyes lights dimming, Yoshimitsu circles El Fuerte, watching the fighting stance warily... as he keeps his own sword in the sheath at his side. And the stilted, mechanical tone cuts through the air, rolling forth from the strange alien ninja.
"Fighting you right now?
Do not be so foolish, friend!
You are still too weak!
We must be confused,
I am not seeking children!
"Who is Llorona?!"
Yoshimitsu's head dislocates, unhinging as it rotates to turn towards the other ninja. The other ninjas begin to look amongst one another... and suddenly leave the room. There is the sound of murmuring and chattering. From the crack in the door, one of them draws out a smart phone. After further counsel, the team returns.... frog-marching a single Kuroko before them. The Kuroko nurse stands in place, blankly.
And suddenly, the ninja hurls off the black robes in a twirl.
As the robes are tossed about in a neatly folded heap, the faceless Kuroko is revealed to be a gorgeous young woman underneath. Wearing a pair of bloomers and a tightly bound chest, the woman blushes profusely as she starts to adjust the bandages. Tugging at the bindings around her chest, the other Kuroko's bring up hospital curtains, giving her a moment of modesty. The doctor, moving in front of the changing area, holds up a sign as Yoshimitsu takes a seat beside the hospital bed. Lifting his long, smooth leg up, he crosses his leg, as the Kuroko pulls out a sign. The top is in Kanji, while below it, an English translation.
*LLORONA*
*A ONE ACT PLAY*
*PRESENTED BY MANJI NINJA CLAN*
Yoshimitsu tilts his head, curious of the show.
Too weak!?
TOO WEAK!?
"Yo soy El Fuerte, ese!! That is total opposite of weak!" Undaunted, the fear that once gripped El Fuerte like a chilling claw taws out due to the spicy nature of Lucha Libre, not even horrors from beyond the grave or spirits are a match for the holy powers of wrestling, a fact well proved by the legendary Silver Mask, El Santo.
"You do not scare me Llorona! (Not since I was five, anyway) I shall Lucha you and I will forever be known as the man that pinned La Llorona--gaaah!" Despite his bravado, El Fuerte still cringes when Yoshimitsu's head spins 180 degrees to face his group of ninja doctors/nurses. As Yoshimitsu attempted to circle around the luchador to examine his stance, El Fuerte had trained his eyes on the horrifying nurse ninja ready to wrestle him down, but now it's El Luchador's turn to confuse his assailants by referring to them to his own myths and customs
In a spectacular clash of Japanese and Mexican culture, the two parties are left utterly lost and confused, deciding that is best to explain themselves through interpretive dance.
No more words come the Luchador as the crew of nurses and doctors begin their Kabuki play. Eyebrows furrowing gravely when one of the nurses undresses, El Fuerte realizes that these people seem to be just that, people.
Now that he is sure that they are not demonic spirits, he seems more willing to listen, or watch as it's the case now. The luchador sits on the edge of the hospital bed and puts the tray of food on his lap, munching away as he gets ready to watch the show.
"La Llorona totally had more acts that just one."
El Fuerte is the kind of person that talks while watching a play, go figure.
"SSSSSSSH"
The horrible hissing sound that erupts from the ninja slithers out in hoarse, grating tones. Uncrossing his legs slowly, Yoshi's leg goes straight up, as he swaps legs to cross. Waiting for the show, one of the Kuroko steps up, standing before the other hands as they keep moving. And finally, he speaks in a high-pitched, nasally voice.
CHORUS
"Maria was once a fair maiden,
A beautiful woman with many children.
She was alone in the world, a lost widow,
Lovely, but longing for a companion for her love!"
The sheet falls away, showing the woman dressed in the over-stylized costume of red and black lace dress. An overt senorita, the asian woman is overly made up, moving softly in place. Pantomiming tears, another one of the Kuroko, bearing a large bushy mustache over his black hood, approaches the woman. He pantomimes showering her with jewelry and affection.
"Maria soon met a handsome man.
Who she did love dearly.
But he had no love for her children,
The children that were not his.
Consumed by lust, Maria struck out so cruel,
Drowning her own children, to be with her man!
One by one she killed them.
Until they were all murdered.
The man, disgusted by her act,
Leaves her, and rejects her whole!
With the truth of the terrible act consuming her,
Maria soon kills herself, in grief."
The woman pantomimes blushing, before stepping aside. Dipping what seems to be babies in water, she does it about a half-a-dozen times. Sweeping her arms, she turns back to the mustached man.... who then scorns her. Dejected, the woman takes out her katana... and mimes cutting her own stomach.
"Dead, she arrives before Budda!
Budda, passing judgement on the woman,
Asks where her children are!
And yet, she does not know.
Budda then sends her to travel the world,
To find her dead children,
Cursed as a ghost,
To steal the living, thinking they are her children!"
Another Kuroko holds up a brass figurine of Budda, which the woman pantomimes begging. Soon, she recoils away, and begins to fall. Rising up again, she lurches around, groping for the other Kuroko... and then Yoshi, and then even El Fuerte himself. Finally she comes to the middle with the other stagehands... and they all begin to bow. And there, Yoshimitsu applauds rising up from his seat.
"Such stunning talent!
Yes, I understand Llorona!
My form is like her!
"Therefore, it is clear,
I must shed this nursing form,
To make you trust me!"
And Yoshimitsu begins to undress himself.
Getting shushed as it usually happens whenever he's watching a movie or a play, El Fuerte shrinks a bit and keeps his mouth occupied with the hospital food while paying attention to the performance.
The act is incredibly familiar to him, he has watched this story told many times in different versions. Even if they are Japanese actors talking in English, the sense of comfort that comes to him when surrounded by things from his homeland is evident. The seņorita dress, the large Mexican mustache the...mentions about Budda? Well, the actors couldn't get everything right he supposes and the Luchador does arch an eyebrow when the Japanese kuroko can't help but inject their own culture to a Mexican play. The message is clear though and if it gets both the Luchador and the Robitc Ninja Samurai to understand one another then it was well worth it.
El Fuerte leans back keeping a tight grip on his tray of food when 'La Llorona' reaches to grab him, still mistrusting of who these people are, but he is clearly not as apprehensive as he was before, at least he doesn't appear ready to Atomic Brainbust the first person that made a grab for him.
As the play ends, he too begins to clap, although still looking a bit perplexed at the theatrics. At this point the fear is long gone and is instead replaced by just being wary of these people. "An excellent performance." At least it is true that El Fuerte is very at ease amongst weird people.
But perhaps not this weird.
"Ey chico, there is a bathroom over there if you want to change." The luchador covers the side of his face and points to a door when Yoshimitsu stands up and begins to remover his Candy Striper nurse uniform.
Needless to say that it's slightly squicky.
Yoshimitsu begins to remove the clothing....
And then his skin.
All the skin.
Yoshimitsu seems to be removing the nurse disguise in full... which, it seems, includes the fake skin and tissue. Pulling off the body suit, Yoshimitsu leaves the mass in a crumpled heap on the ground before, a twisted mound of rubber flesh and dress. Like a butterfly, the full samurai garb is revealed... the metallic, horrible skeletal frame of the ninja. All male, of course. Maybe.
And that grinlock doesn't end.
The ninja stands tall, the eyes softened now. Chest out, the ninja gazes down. Without the crossdressing, he seemed less scary somehow. Maybe now that he was so inhuman, he did not give off that nightmarish vibe. In any case, he was weird. And eyes bright, he begins to speak to the modest.
"I paid for your care
So you can recover safely
I must help heroes
I was drawn to here
America, Metro City
Sensing great evil
Darkness looms so close
Killing those that stand for good
Spreading fear throughout!
Find the cruel demon
Slay it to protect the weak
For that is Budda."
Yoshimitsu gazes at the Lucha, eyes still crackles. The Kurokos, however, clean up the few props they used, and begin to set up the changing area again. The woman, however, slips into the bathroom instead. Or at least that what it seems. The just so happen to close.... and she is now missing.
Or maybe just in hiding?
Oh thank Goodness, Yoshimitsu is just peeling off his skin and not his clothing!
Yes, that is in fact much better.
Now that the robo samurai ninja is not giving the weird uncanny valley appearance, El Fuerte is able to look at him without going even more insane. Somehow, a robotic skeleton is something that the wrestler seems to be more comfortable with rather than a nurse with a skull face, maybe because it reminded him too much of La Llorona for him to function properly.
As he stops averting his gaze, the luchador sets his food tray aside and eyes the nightmarish visage before him. A human metallic skeleton grinning down at him with screeching voice as if gears were grinding together.
Well, he has seen stranger things before.
It is somewhat difficult to decipher the robot's riddles, but from what El Fuerte can understand with his weak grasp of English is that this guy seems to be a fellow warrior of justice. It's true that the wrestler is willing to take allies wherever he can, this is the man that even offered Mignon an alliance if only to have more people to throw at Duke. But for some reason he is not so certain about this Yoshimitsu's intentions...there's something not quite right with him and it's getting under the wrestler's skin.
"Really? Why?" It's the first thing that comes out of El Fuerte's mouth.
Before, El Fuerte would have jumped at the opportunity of getting assistance against the forces of darkness. But it seems that now, fighting against evil is finally getting to him. He looks tired and out of it..although those could very well be the drugs talking. "Much has changed since I slumbered..I can feel it. I don't even know how I got here." The lucha's tired eyes glance to the sides. "Brett and Bartitsu Mask aren't here, are they even still involved? I wouldn't blame them if they deserted me..all I've managed to do ever since I took this stupid crusade was just beat petty gang bangers and eat poisoned food." A sigh. Some leader of men he has turned out to be.
It seems that El Fuerte's boundless optimism is finally reaching its limits and with a sidelong glance to Yoshimitsu he asks of him. "What's your take on all this? Why bother trying to help me of all people? I haven't been particularly effective."
Of course he would trust his true form.
Exposed as Yoshimitsu once again, the mysterious ninja. Of course, the lack of uncanny may be why. Yoshimitsu looked the most natural when he seemed the most unnatural, most of the time. Of course, as El Fuerte drops into low spirits, it seems to greatly affect the ninja, his own hand pantomiming the shock of someone losing hope. And then, the jaw unhinges, as the ninja lets loose a peal of merry laughter.
"HA HA HA HA HA"
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA"
"HA HA HA HA HA"
Yoshimitsu ceases his laughter with a sudden, violent halt. Did I say merry? I meant monotone, halting laughter. The harsh mechanical laughter cuts like a knife, yet remains in heart, poetry.
"Why did I help you?
Because you needed the help!
And you were nearby.
For the good people
The reason to help another,
Never needs reason.
If you save people,
Then it is good to help you,
Help the others.
But a good ninja,
Does not see the undeserved
In his charity.
Perhaps you can think
Of a selfless hero that helps
Those who need the help.
Not just the people
Who think that they only deserve
Good will of heroes.
Yoshimitsu sweeps his hand before him, grimlock grin strong, as he suddenly drops back down to the ground. Legs propped up in a folded lotus position, he too brings his hands together in an intricate sign. Quietly, he holds there. Suddenly, the other Kuroko enter the same stance, dropping down in order to all into their intricate position. Head still fixed forward, the lyrical musings bring from the robot samurai ninja with two words of command.
"Join me!"
Help a man, because he needs help.
That is beautiful.
And as it so happens, it's exactly what El Fuerte needs to hear in his moment of despair. Isn't that what a Tecnico is all about? Not do something for their own selfish benefit, but merely because it is the right thing to do. Although Yoshi's voice is not at all pleasing to the ear or the brain due to the fact he's always speaking in poorly composed haikus, his words are like a revitalizing gust of fresh air for the despairing luchador.
It appears that there are still people in these world that value the simple truths of honor, justice and freedom. So what if these people happen to be robotic skeletons from hell? They still count.
And as quickly as the despair settles, it vanishes, a smile seen once again in the masked face of the wrestler.
"Okey." It doesn't take much to inspire El Fuerte, just a simple and just cause is enough to get him going. And now against all odds, he is once again seen making quite the strange allies with the ninja samurai robot zombie, who joins on the lotus flower position and sits right beside him.
He does have to look around and see what everyone else is doing though, kind of like one does when joining a different religion.
As El Fuerte joins the circle....
There is utter silence.
The circle is silent, holding the position is graceful serenity. A droning moan suddenly breaks from the head ninja. Deeping, dreaming buddhist chanting erupts from the manbot. Soon, the chanting spreads from person to person, around the ring. And over the chanting, Yoshimitsu breaks into song.
"A great evil has come to Metro City,
An evil beyond the taint that you hold.
A taint that runs with a corrupted spirit.
A taint shared by a demon in the shape of a man!
A murderer walks the streets,
Holding the spirit of this demon,
If you wish to fight for good,
Stray away from the darkness.
Do not fight the demon!
My time here is short,
With my men and I,
If you have recovered,
You must flee, and avoid the shadows.
I will seek out the demon,
Who has taken the form of a man,
I will seal the foul demon away,
And drive him back into the deepest darkness."
The chanting begins to wane, weakening more and more. Finally, the last of the circle fades from the chanting, bringing back the silence. Yoshimitsu suddenly draws his sword, holding it straight upwards. The sword seems to burn with an alien light, flaring up with a corrupting light. Eyes burning, Yoshimitsu holds it up, eyeing the blade... before finally saying one word, concluding the ritualistic chant.
"~NAMU~"
Log created on 14:11:54 08/12/2012 by Yoshimitsu, and last modified on 03:22:03 08/13/2012.