Sunlight poured through the room, slowly waking up Mac.
"Ugh." He groaned, trying to stir. "Why is it so hot in here?" He was already sweating a little. Looking up at the ceiling, he saw that the fan was still.
"I coulda sworn I had that thing on last night." He grumbled. "Oh well. Might as well get out of bed."
Going downstairs, he saw that Mama Louis was already up. "Mornin' baby." Granny Louis said to him, flipping an egg. "Hope you got you some good rest. I got your breakfast." It was a salad and a fruit smoothie.
After Mac said his breakfast prayer, he dug in. "Thanks, Granny Louis."
"Once you're done eating go upstairs and get changed." She instructed. "Do your stretches and whatever you need to do. I let you sleep in, so now it's time to get down to business."
A loud motor was running outside. Mac turned his head. "Is that Doc?"
"Yeah, just Jerome cutting the grass. I figured he could use some exercise too."
A loud pop went off in the air, coming from outside.
"SHIT!" Doc's booming was easily heard in the kitchen. "OLD, RUN-DOWN PIECE OF CRAP!" He came back inside a sweaty, heaving mess. "Mama I'm sorry but that lawnmower is broke the engine is shot. I'm going to buy a new one. Why you ain't tell me that thing was like that? I been trying to fix it all morning! Thing keep dying on me!"
"Boy," Granny Louis cut off the stove and faced Doc "I know I ain't just hear you curse outside my home. And in public too? I bet the whole neighborhood heard you. Come here!"
She dragged him over to the sink and started washing his mouth out with a soap bar. "Don't. You. Ever. Let. Me. Catch. You. Saying. That. Again!" She yanked the soap out of his mouth. "I haven't even cut that lawn myself in months. I ain't even know it was broke." Granna Louis said. "I been paying the kids around the neighborhood to cut it. Pushing that thing around started to hurt my knees. Would take me the whole day to take care of that lawn."
"Mama, you should have told me that! Have you gone to see a doctor about what's wrong with you?"
"Ain't nothing wrong me 'cept I'm old." She dismissed it. "I ain't gone see no doctor just so they can get me on pills. That's how they get you, ya know." She said to Mac. "They tell ya you need it to make you feel better, and bam! You seeing them every month like a smackhead. You never know what they put in them pills. Stay off of 'em as long as ya can." She turned back to Doc. "I still can't believe you shouted them dirty words for the whole world to hear. You know what?" She stuffed the soap bar back in his mouth and washed it his mouth again.
Mac took this time to excuse himself and go change.
Pauline looked over at Mario. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to. I can do this myself."
Raindrops fell down upon the Biturbo, parked in front of the courthouse. It was time to meet the Wario Bros. for mediation before Mario's trial. If Pauline could get the Wario Brothers to not only drop the charges but get them to write a letter to the judge on Mario's behalf. This was already going to be a hassle. This would be the first time Mario had seen the Wario brothers since he tried to murder them in the middle of the street. This was a huge risk. If Mario flipped out, he was looking at a decade in prison, at a minimum.
"It's okay Pauline. I want to be here." His voice was steely as if he had practiced this. "I'm good. I promise."
She looked at him. His blank expression wasn't good, but it might be good enough to get through this. "Alright. Once the rain clears up a little bit we can go inside. We have some time."
"Sounds like a plan."
For some time, neither of them spoke. The pitter-patter of rain keeping the car from total silence.
"You know," Mario cut into the quiet. "I was in my cell, and I was thinking: I didn't put it together until I was at the police station, but Wario and Waluigi weren't cutting into our profits at all. They weren't making the kind of money you need to keep your head above water. I think they entire plumbing business was just a front to sling rocks around from the very start. At the very least, they were selling coke to keep the business afloat. And it just pisses me off, you know? The facts were staring me right in the face, and because of that my brother got shot, and now he's paralyzed."
Oh no. Pauline thought. "Mario, it's not your fault what-"
"My brother is sitting in a hospital bed today because I actually gave Wario and his brother a fair shake. I knew something was wrong, and I left it alone. The only mistake I made was that for even one second, I believed that they weren't the lowest degenerate pieces of backwater street shit to ever disgrace the face of the fucking Earth."
"I'm keeping you outside if you keep saying shit like this," Pauline said.
"I'm fine. I just had to get it out of my system."
She grabbed his arm. "Mario I need to know that you are okay enough to go in there. I am not going to allow you to make a mistake that will cost you to the rest of your life. I will leave you in this damn car if you can't convince me you can get through this in a civil manner."
"I can't look after my brother if I'm in prison." He said. "I can suck it up for a day. Let's ju- let's just get this over with, alright?" He snapped.
"If you, at any moment, need to leave, you can. I won't hold it against you." She said. "I'm here for you Mario. I always have been."
"You got the briefcase ready? We're only gonna have one shot at this." Mario said.
Pauline held up a small briefcase. "Ready to go. Let's do this."
"Umm... Granny Louis?" Mac looked around.
"Yes baby?"
"Why did you take me out into the middle of nowhere?"
"This is where you gonna get your run on!" Mama Louis said. The two were standing on a dirt road.
"Are you being for real right now?!" Mac asked. "I've never ran on a road before."
"Well consider this your opportunity to learn." She beamed.
"But there are snakes and spiders and whatever else out here!" He protested. " And what about when cars come?! Can't I just run around your block a couple of times?"
"Oh, you didn't know? Grass and dirt is better on the knees than concrete and asphalt. Besides, ain't no snake gonna mess with something as big as you. if cars come, I trust you got the common sense to get out of the way."
"Keep running until you get tired, then run back." She handed him a bottle of water. "Here you go boy."
"Oh no Granny Louis." Mac waved it away. "I prefer to not have anything on me."
"Trust me boy, you ain't just gone want this, you just ain't gone need it. Matter of fact, take two." She handed him another bottle of water.
"If you say so." Mac stuffed them into his pockets.
"Now, I gotta go back to the house and get something. But I'll promise I'll be back soon. Just stay running, alright baby? See you in a bit."
Mac watched, dumbfounded, as Granny Louis got in her car and drove off.
"Is she seriously leaving me here, all by myself?" He couldn't believe it. "She'll be mad at me if I don't run. I better do something."
He looked down the dirt road. It looked safe enough. He started walking down it, just to make sure.
Soon, a walk turned into a jog, and Mac was making his way down the dirt track. The water bottles jostled in his pocket. I feel good. He thought. I feel good. I feel good. I feel good. I feel-
He stumbled to a stop, hands at his face. It. Was. So. Hot. Salty drops of sweat had leaked into his eye. "Agh!" The stinging in his eyes felt horrible. He didn't realize he was sweating so much. He thought about kept going with his eyes closed, but that didn't seem like a good idea given his situation. I'll just go back to where I started and wait for Granny Louis.
"BZZZZT!"
He looked around. "Is someone there?"
"BZZZZT!" "BZZZZT!" "BZZZZT!"
No one was there to be found, but Mac looked down and saw a fat mosquito on his arm.
"Ew. Piss off." Mac slapped his arm, squashing the bug.
"BZZZZT!" Another one jabbed its proboscis into the back of Mac's neck.
"Gah!" He slapped at it but missed.
"BZZZZT!" "BZZZZT!" "BZZZZT!" "BZZZZT!" "BZZZZT!" He kept swinging his arms but the more he tried to beat them back, the more the little bloodsuckers just kept coming! He felt a couple of pricks on his leg and shoulders.
"Shit!" He broke off into a run. I hate mosquitoes. With the buzzing ringing in his ears, Mac ran so far he lost track. Eventually, he stopped as he came to a sigh along the road. "Farmers Marker: 2 miles. Wait, I didn't see that when we drove up here." He turned around, frustrated. "Damn, I went the wrong way. Now to get to the starting point I'm gonna have to run all the way back, and through those mosquitoes again. Great."
As he reached his starting point, Mac found himself panting like a dog. Why was he feeling so tired so fast? It felt like there was an invisible weight slowly pressing down on him. At least Granny Louis was back. Opening up a bottle of water, Mac ravenously gulped down as much water as he could. Mac considered washing his eyes out with the other bottle of water, but that seemed like a waste with how hot it was.
"Sun draining ya ain't it?" Granny Louis asked. "Come on, get yaself another bottle a water. Wipe that face of yours, keep the sweat out of your eyes."
"That's the sun doing that to me?"
"Yep. Doc told me you was in good shape. Now I'm 'bout to find out for myself."
"Not bad." Granny Louis said. "Doc made you a tough little something, that's for sure."
"Take you an hour break, then we'll work on your training."
Granna Louis brought a stick with a bucket tied to each end. Then she retrieved a sack. "This is a carrying pole. And I've filled the buckets with water. Here, let me get this around ya neck."
"You are going to try to reach me with this. You're not allowed to let any water spill out. You understand me?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And while you're doing that? Granny Louis reached down into the back. "I'm gon' be throwing rocks at you."
"Rocks?" Mac repeated. "As in, ROCKS rocks?"
"Yessiree." Granny Louis said. "Now let me tell ya boy: these rocks gone hurt if they hit you."
"But, but, but why?" Mac asked. "Why am I doing this?"
"This gone teach you how to be aware of yo surroundings. Gonna learn how to predict where the next punch coming from. Learn body control. Maximize the time and space you got between punches. And most of all, you gonna learn how to walk into the enemy fire. You gone learn today boy, or else you ain't eatin'. Do it like that."
"Are you serious?" Mac was exasperated. What the hell have I gotten myself into?
"Serious as suicide. Now go on and back up there so we can get started."
Picking up the jugs, Mac walked back slowly, trying to brace himself.
"Ready?" Granny Louis asked.
"...Just go." Mac said.
Granny threw the first stone. Mac flinched as he saw it come in his direction, sloshing the water around in the bucket. Tracking the stone with his eyes, he saw it sail about two yards over his head.
"You alright baby?" Mama Louis picked up another stone.
"Yes." Mac decided to walk forward. He seemed safe for the moment. The buckets of water barely held him down. This didn't seem so bad, almost-
Another stone and it zipped a few feet passed his left shoulder.
"Woah!" He jumped back a few feet. Water rocked out his left bucket, splashing to the ground.
"Now that just ain't gonna do, Mac." Granny dropped her stone and went to her car. She came back with a jug of water. "You gotta learn how to multitask." She said as she filled Mac's bucket back up. "Move and watch the rocks coming at you at the same time. Remeber, you ain't eating until you reach me. with them buckets full."
Putting the jug down, Granny returned to her pile of rocks. "Alright Mac, here we go!" She threw another stone at him. It flew off to the side of him, relatively far from his body. Mac decided to take a few more steps forward. The water in the buckets shook around with each step but remained contained.
As he got closer to her, Granny Louis slowly aimed closer to Mac. That's right. Keep coming.
She threw another stone, this time past Mac's hip. A bit too close this time. He slipped and lost his footing for a second. The water bounced in the buckets, a few drops spewing out.
I'll let it slide for now. "Keep coming boy! You're halfway there! Come on! Finish strong!"
Mac staggered forward, his legs shaking a little.
Granny went slower with her stones. Mac was still going forward, albeit with trepidation.
She threw a stone, and it zipped right past Mac's cheek.
Mac froze in place, looking back it at as it hit the ground.
"Turn your head back around! Almost there boy!"
Mac shook his head and took another small step. He was only a couple of yards away now.
"Last one!" Mama Louis hurled a stone at the side of Mac's head. Mac weaved it, a cup of water falling out of the bucket.
"Alright child, that's enough. Set them buckets down easy now." She said.
Mac nodded, placing the buckets down, gasping for air. "That...was...intense..." His knees buckled.
"I'll let you off the hook today, but I'm expecting a whole lot more tomorrow." She handed him another bottle of water. "Come on now, let's get back to the house."
Wario Segale flicked his toothpick away. "Soooooo, took you two long enough."
"Let's go over this. You go to the District Attorney and get the charges dropped for Mario's Attempted Manslaughter charge, and we'll pay you a settlement. I trust your lawyer is here?"
"We don't need no fucking lawyer," Wario said. "We know what we need to do. We know the law."
"Wa! We want all of your quarterly assets!" Waluigi banged his fist on the table. "And all of your waterfront properties! Wa!"
Mario and Pauline looked at each other. "Uhhhh, what?" Pauline said.
"You'll have to forgive my brother," Wario slid his hand in front of Waluigi. "Ever since you brutally, savagely, tried to murder me and my innocent brother, he hasn't been speaking right. Now, we want to be properly compensated for the physical and emotional damage put upon us by Mario. Now, if we feel that you are apologetic enough, we can talk to the judge about reducing your sentence, but we need to be extremely convinced that you are sincere. Capisce?" Wario rubbed his fingers.
"Of course." Pauline put the briefcase on the table and opened it, showing off stacks of $100 bills filling the briefcase, as well as several legal documents. "Which is why I'm offering you a settlement of $10,000. Cash. Right now."
Waluigi's grabby hands reached out of the briefcase. "Wa! Yes, yes. Of course..."
"No!" Wario smacked his brother's hands away. "We are not folding for crumbs." Wario harshly whispered. "Like I said before we got here, let me do the talking."
Wario turned back to Mario and Pauline. "We feel as though $10,000 is grossly under compensating for what we have been through. Can we start at around... $100,000?"
Pauline didn't even blink. "$10,000. Take it or leave it."
"No. We know what we are owed, and you are not going to stiff us." Wario stood firm.
"Then we're done here." Paulin took the briefcase.
"Wait, we are?" Wario said as Pauline stood up
"Wait, we are?" Waluigi said as Pauline walked away.
"Wait, we are?!" Mario jumped out of his chair. "Hold on hold on hold on. I thought you said we would get a deal done!"
"Mario, you're going to prison anyway. This whole settlement will, at best, knock off around 5 years off your sentence. You're a first time offender and you'll probably get good behavior and get out early. I can't spend too much on the settlement, or word will get out and it'll ruin the business." Pauline grabbed the door handle.
Mario slammed his hand against the door, keeping it closed. "That's not what we talked about! How could you fucking lie to me?!"
"They maybe you should have thought about that before you-"
Wario mind became a buzz and he was trying to process what was happening around him. First my brother is being a fucking retard, and now these two idiots aren't even on the same damn page. He clenched his teeth. No. No I will NOT let these motherfuckers screw me out of my money!
"HEY!" He barked out. "IF YOU DON'T GIVE ME MY MONEY, I WILL SUE YOU!"
Mario and Pauline froze, looking at Wario.
Wario gave a yellow toothy grin. "There. Now that I have your attention-"
Pauline broke into a fit of laughter. She staggered before collapsing to the ground, still in hearty mirth. "Ahahahahaha!" She wiped a tear from her eye. "Even if you could sue me and my world-class legal defense team, you don't even have a case against me. "I wasn't involved in what Mario did to you."
" Then well sure Mario's parents and drain that shithole pizza place dry," Wario growled.
"You cant sue Mario's parents," Pauline said quickly. "Mario is an adult."
"Then I'll just sue Mario then! How about that?!" Wario snapped.
"Alright, you can. You are within your constitutional rights and you would definitely win that lawsuit."Pauline said. "However, since Mario is going to prison and Luigi's paralyzed, good luck getting the money. Not to mention the lawyers that'll be up your ass trying to get paid."
"Wa! Woah woah woah woah woah!" Waluigi said. "Come back! We can negotiate." He gave a nervous laugh, never taking his eyes off of the briefcase.
"Can we at least get this done fast?" Mario said. "I want to be inside the apartment before all the Crips are on the streets hunting again."
Waluigi's eyes lit up. "Wa! Wait. What did you just say?!"
"Yeah I was listening in, when they brought Dee in for questioning, he said something like 'just wait for them to for the drop next time they make an order.'"
Waluigi turned to Wario. "Wa! You hearing this too?!"
"Yeah I'm hearing it." Wario looked at him annoyed. "And its-"
"Honestly if they didn't get my brother shot, I'd almost feel bad. They just waiting, looking for whoever got Taff killed. The dealers who asked for the crack and never showed up should probably skip town for a week or so. Hope they got some cash on them." Mario shrugged.
"Wa! If you could just give us five minutes alone." Waluigi pushed Wario out of the room. Mario and Pauline proceeded to hear shouting in the next room over. And just as it died down, a yelp.
Waluigi rushed back through the door, slammed it shut and locked it, just as Wario crashed into the other side.
"Wa! We accept!" Waluigi said. "Tell me what I gotta do!"
"YOU SON OF A WHORE!" Wario shouted, banging his fists on the door. "YOU LET ME IN RIGHT NOW!"
"Not bad Mario," Pauline whispered. "I'm surprised you kept your cool so easily. Honestly, I wasn't expecting your good cop bad cop idea to work."
"Well, it wasn't gonna work if I didn't commit to the part." He flashed a brief smile. These idiots were too easy.
"Earn that food, boy."
"Not bad for your first day Mac."
"I feel exhausted. I'm going to bed."
"Remember Mac, when you wake up, you start training. I won't disturb ya rest but every waking moment is gonna be about getting yaself in fighting shape."
"Alright. Good night Granny. Good night Doc."
Mac went upstairs to his room.
"I'm trying to shake that fear out of him by throwing rocks at him. I don't know if it's gonna work." Mama Louis said. "I took it easy on him today, gone have to be harder on him over time."
"You did what?" Doc asked. "Mama, you can't be throwing no rocks! You could seriously hurt that boy!"
"Don't you chastise me like I'm some child, Jerome. I know what I'm doing!" She snapped.
"Please don't break his jaw, Mama," Doc said, getting himself some more beef stew. "He needs to be in one piece for his fight."
"Ehh, he can take it. Mac tougher than he looks. Really surprised me. I clocked him one time on the head real good, he ain't even go down You fight with him yet?"
"No I ain't spar with him. He needed to get comfortable first."
"Well once I'm done with him he gone be comfortable, so I suggest you start running around the block and get yourself ready. Because I'mma record it on one of them camera and whooooooeeee I'm gone laugh if you get knocked out by that boy."
"I'll be fine," Doc said. "Just make sure Mac ready for his fight."
"Ain't scared is you?"
"Not at all." Doc rolled his eyes as he went to sit in front of the TV."
"It ain't right to lie, ya know!" Mama Louis quipped.
Pauline and Mario walked back into Pauline's apartment. "So the Wario Brothers are taken care of." Pauline said. "Court date is a couple of days after Mac's fight." She hung up her coat. "You think things are gonna work out?"
"I don't know. I hope so." Mario picked up the phone. "I should talk to Luigi, I haven't called him in a few hours..." For a few seconds, he considered it before ultimately putting the phone back down on the hook. "Nah, let him rest."
"It's not your fault for what happened to him."
"Wouldn't have been shot if he had been working with Dad," Mario replied.
"Hey, correlation does not mean causation," Pauline said. "You said it yourself, the Wario Brothers set him up."
"Doesn't make me feel any better." He muttered.
"By the way, why did you want me to only offer them 10K?" She asked. "I mean I had 50 grand on deck."
Mario turned away, trying to hide a little smile. "Nothing. Just wanted to save you money."
"You just wanted to fuck them over," Pauline chuckled. "Good move. Only an idiot would take only 10K from a Ladee."