La Zafira y El Dragon Verde Intro
Introduction
La Zafira Misteriosa sits, eyes closed, in the locker room below the great Arena México in Mexico City. The roar of the crowd above brings her back to reality.
“Where is this “Man of Stone”? Eh?” spits Milorad “Meelow” Bujakisc, Zafira’s assigned manager from the LLM, “he’s s’posed to be here already, no?” His thick, Eastern European accent sounds funny to Zafira’s ears.
“You two go on in fifteen minutes. And those orphans are counting on you!” Milo reminds her. The slated charity match between Los Hermanos del Pecado (The Siblings of Sin) and Zafira and her new partner may be a non-belt match but there was no denying that there was a lot at stake.
But where is the Man of Stone??
"Be of good cheer, Meelow," La Zafira Misteriosa says in her fluent but curiously unique dialect of Spanish. "I know him to be a man of good character. I am sure he will be here."
After hearing a light knock on the door, Meelow opens it to find a short young man in a green pre-match robe, green mask, and green tights stretching down to his knee high green boots. Over one shoulder is a wooden box about the size of an old hatbox. "My apologies, Senorita Zafira, Senor Meelow. I waited outside your door for a while to ensure the lady was proper." His voice is soft and respectful and accented with a non-Mexican but natively fluent speech. Definately not the aristocratic lilt sometimes heard in the ballrooms of the mansions but the happy bounce found in the workers as they wash dishes and clean floors.
Meelow and Zafira both note the obvious; El Dragon Verde is paying more attention to them than to himself. While Zafira knows she would tower over him should she stand, he's as strong as she is and puts in as much time practicing and working out as she does. Underneath the robe is a low body fat tighetned cord of muscles.
Smiling at her, El Dragon Verde adds, "And I must confess to being proud to have such a partner in my first match! Mi abuela will kil me if I don't get your autograph afterwards, Lady Zafira."
"And the new name is 'El Dragon Verde'. There is another 'El Hombre di Piedra' registered with the LLM so we had to do a quick change of name and costume. My apologies for not letting you know sooner. Senor Garcia suggested I bring you this." He says, setting down the box. Opening it up, there are metal bands and chains. "Their thought was to have El Dragon Verde chained up and someone holding the chain ends. We've been working on this for a few days; if I don't start pumping up my muscles until the match starts I can pop the weak loops that go around my biceps and chest." Looking to Zafira, he adds. "Of course, Senorita, it would be up to you, as the senior Tecnico."
La Zafira is obviously charmed by Jose's politeness and humility. Remaining seated (a "trick" she learned long ago to help shorter men "save face," particularly on first meetings), she considers El Dragon's "chains" idea, and chuckles softly. "It is almost a shame you are not a rudo, senor - the chains seem more suited for the villainous!"
"And yet... I could see how... hmm, yes, how a ferocious man might still be a man of honor and character, just having difficulty restraining himself when faced with the forces of evil, no?"
"Senorita, your are of course correct. It does seem at first to be a Rudo gimmick." El Dragon Verde bows. "There is one message I was hoping to protray to the common man. Though we all feel restricted by our environments in one way or another we still, as honorable people, have not only the ability to break free but to flex our strengths while serving and honoring others."
La Zafira smiles, and says "I like it."
It is easy to see the honesty in what El Dragon Verde says. "I will follow your lead, Senorita. What is the plan for the match?"
She smiles, and says "Paraphrasing the Duke of Wellington, 'Why, to beat the rudos!'"
"But in all seriousness, play to our strengths, then look for openings and improvise if that doesn't work out. But if it is correct, my knowledge of your background, you need no lessons from a girl when it comes to battlefield tactics, no?"
"Listen," Meelow interrupts, while chomping down on an unlit cigar, "don't get cocky. La Rata and El Lagarto ain't no push-overs, eh?"
Meelow turns to La Zafira and points a pudgy finger in her direction. "Don't get distracted. Let's not forget what happened against that she-wolf, La Infierno de la Reina!!"
With that said, Meelow turns and waddles out of the locker room, making his way towards the staircase upwards. With the locker room door open, La Zafira and El Dragon Verde hear the roar of the crowd above amplified one-hundred fold.
"I learned early on that there is always something more to learn, Senorita." El Dragon Verde says, smiling. "And there are lots of people who are willing to teach me. I look forward to this match not for the victory that we will seek but the chance to improve my skills and bring hope to the orphans."
"Senor Meelow, who would you like to get to hold the other ends of the chains? I can slip them on easily enough." Saying so, he starts to put them on over his biceps and chest. The metal latches have a simple breakaway mechanism and a loop where the chain is attached.
El Dragon's eyes gleam with the excitement the crowd spurs on. "They cheer for Mexico, Senorita. And for themselves! I think that is the way it should be." Continuing to exit, following whomever is leading, he smiles and starts to breath in a controlled, disciplined manner. "We will win, Senorita! And we will learn."
Meelow walks La Zafira and El Dragon to the entrance to the Arena. "Give 'em hell," he growls.
A stage hand takes El Dragon's chains and steps onto the walkway that leads down to the squared-circle.
The air is filled with hisses and boos, as the crowd watches the Rudos, Los Hermanos del Pecado, step over the turn-buckle. This infamous brother-sister team is notorious for their mutual hatred of the crowd and their "do-anything" attitude when they step into the ring.
El Lagarto (The Horned Lizard) is massive. Easily triple the size of his pip-squeek sister, the obese Rudo decked out in flourescent green leotard with a reptilian mask. His costume is covered in green spikes. One wonders how much he had to bribe the refs to get that outfit declared legal.
La Rata couldn't be more different from her brother. Thin, borderline skeletal, it is no mystery who ate the fat and who ate the lean in the Pecado household. Where her brother is strong and obtuse, however, La Rata has a reputation for dirty tricks and painful jabs.
As the crowd's jeers calm down they turn to the doors and see La Zafira and El Dragon enter the arena....
When she hears her name, La Zafira strides out to the cheers of the crowd. She has a big, broad, friendly smile on her face as she waves to the audience... and it's not at all feigned. La Zafira always gets the same huge charge out of entering the ring that she did the very first time.
As usual, dozens of male admirers were holding out small (and a few not so small) presents, knowing that she always chose one in particular to accept. Looking over the crowd, she spots a teenager, probably about 15 or so, holding a small bouquet of wildflowers that (unlike many of the more beautiful and elaborate bouquets) he had obviously picked and arranged himself. He was gawky in the way of many boys his age, but evidently sincere. She accepts his offering, then bends down to give him a kiss. As always, a perfectly chaste kiss on the cheek, but one that leaves a conspicuous mark from her vibrant pink lipstick (applied, as always, with an extra-thick coat for just this purpose). Thanking the boy, she remarks "Oh, but I fear that I am now but one of the many girlfriends such a handsome and gallant young man as yourself must have!" (This is her "Tecnico Pop" power as well.)
Carrying her bouquet down the aisle, she continues to wave and smile to the cheering crowd. After climbing into the ring, she removes her sparkling "sapphire" studded cape with an elegant flourish, after which her demeanor changes slightly, and she goes from refined young senorita to focused warrior, ready to do battle with the rudos.
As La Zafira moves down through the crowd El Dragon cheers as loud as anyone and holds back to let her have center "stage" during her entry. When it is his time, El Dragon moves forward with grace and confidence. Starting to pump his first and forearms at first he gets the crowd to chanting "Mex-i-co...Mex-i-co", and he chants with them. As he moves to a group of beautiful ladies on his left side he raises his left arm and starts flexing his bicep with the chant..."Mex-i-co". Letting the ladies feel his corded muscles and freakishly large bicep he flexes one more time and breaks the band. As the chains fall heavily to the concrete floor he says loudly to the ladies "You inspire me!" Moving to the other side he does the same thing with a group of beautiful ladies on the right. The louder the chant "Mex-i-co", the larger his biceps get until they cannot go louder and the band breaks and he again praises the ladies.
With one last bond on him El Dragon Verde half leaps,half climbs the ropes and stands on the top. Timing his arms pumping with the crowd..."Mex-i-co" he spurs them on like a conductor at the crescendo of the piece. As the crowd reaches its most fervent he again flexes his entire chest and the rippling cords break the bonds that held him. Reaching both hands high he yells "Mexico...Mexico...Mexico" and maximies his 100% Pure Machismo not as an attack, but to motivate the crowd.
As the cheering tumbles over itself El Dragon climbs down, bows and points to La Zafira and urges the crowd on one more time. Then, as if he is totally alone, El Dragon Verde turns to the turnbuckle, goes to one knee, and says a quiet prayer for the safety of all four Luchadores, the enjoyment of the crowd, and the glory of Jesu Cristo.
Crossing himself and standing. El Dragon Verde smiles. He looks at la Zafira with a twinkle of anticipation in his eyes and his unconscious movements preparing for battle. Looking at the larger of the twins, he just smiles and whispers "yes..."
