Part 4
The Quest for Peace
As days went on, both Luca and Miguel trained hard, they punched bags, jump roped, and tried out a variety of other training methods, in the meantime however, Ercole's plan was going as planned, unbeknownst to both boys, "Capo! it's all coming according to plan, soon I will be the most ruthless fixer in all of Italy!", Ercole said with a foul smile, "and best of all, I will finally kill that Piccoletto, ONCE AND FOR ALL!", "Well... you better, or else..." the Don said as he got out a knife from his desk, "Ahh, yes, y-yes Capo...".
Back with Luca, with the fight with Miguel being tomorrow, he is training with another student who is wearing glove mitts, "When you walk into that ring with that singing boy, you will show him what it's like to get punched! like the guy says, you're gonna eat lightning, and you're gonna crap thunder!", Mickey yelled. meanwhile Miguel is doing one arm push ups at his home, while his abuelo Franco encourages him "Show abuelo how much you mean to me!", near the window, Ercole is watching through, who gave an ugly, Grinch-like smile.
That night, Luca jogged all the way home, when he got there, he heard a phone ring, which Giulia answered, "Ciao..., oh, uh give me a second, Luca, it's for you!", she gave him the phone "Uh, who is this?" he asked "PICCOLETTO!, I'm gonna get my revenge on you!" said what sounded like Ercole, causing Luca to scream but to his surprise... "Hey, I'm just kidding, it's me, Alberto!", to his relief, it was his old pal Alberto, "Whew, you got me there...", "Ha, well anyways, I'm calling from Portorosso just to say... good luck on the fight, hope you make it out okay", Alberto said with a smile, "Aww, thank you, I may not win but I'll try my best..." replied Luca, Alberto then asked "So, how's it been going?", "Well, I got a new trainer after the old one got into some trouble, he's a lot more direct when it comes to training, for one, he made me chase a chicken and drink steak blood", "Wow... those are the most oddest training methods that even I can't make up, ah well, it's his way...", in the background, Massimo yelled "ALBERTO, you got a job to do...", "Oh, sorry kid, got some work to do, but I will listen to your fight on the radio, ciao..." after that he hung up the phone, "Well Luca, we got a big big day tomorrow, we better get some shuteye...".
Meanwhile at Miguel, after some grueling hours of training, the living boy decided to lay outside as a way of relaxing before the fight tomorrow, at the same time however, Miguel felt a little remorseful, feeling getting angry with Luca wasn't necessary, he was deeply starting to regret going after him... however just as he was starting to reflect... "SORPRESA!", Miguel was startled, it was the smug Ercole right out of nowhere, "So... how is it going friend, or should I say "Amigo"? Ha ha ha... uh...", "Jesucristo... don't do that again" Miguel said, "Forget that happened... comunque, so what do you predict you might do against this... Luca?" Ercole asked with a disgusted look "Well... I might try my best if I wanna win" Miguel said not being sure of himself, "Andiamo, forza, you gotta think better than "I'll try my best"" Ercole said in a mocking manner, "You gotta do GRANDE! and knock his lights out, when you've won, just don't look at your defeated opponent, cause uh... that's what a real fighter does!", "Well, Señor Visconti... I think I made a big mistake in doing all this-" Ercole interrupted Miguel... "CHE COSA?!", Miguel defended himself saying "Visconti... it's just tha-", "I do NOT, and I mean NOT tolerate those who show compassione! that's what a debole does... now show me your war yell ragazzo teschio!...", Miguel stood up and yelled "¡Soy un toro furioso!", "C'mon, louder than that!", "¡SOY UN TORO FURIOSO!", "Give it some piccantezza!", "¡SOY UN MALDITO TORO FURIOSO!" with all that rage he beats his chest like King Kong and yells out a loud feral roar, however Abuelo Franco came in and saw what was going on, "¿Qué demonios estás haciendo?" he said complete with shotgun, "Oh merda..." Ercole then makes a run for it.
As Ercole was running away, he went to the phone booth again and called the Don..., "Capo, *wheeze* il signore Corle-", "What is it Vespa Man?, how is the Messicano doing?" asked the Don, Ercole replied "Well, the thing is it seemed he has reservations for fighting the sea monster, that was not what I wanted...", "So that's how he's gonna play it... well we got a new deal for ya..., the messicano doesn't win, my best hitmen will do him away...", Ercole with a shocked expression "You mean-", "Kill him, and Luca will be blamed and he will be done away as well, or if Luca loses, then vice versa, that's all..., You will still however get a share in my empire, how about that?", Ericole, after having time to think, decided "Yes..., that will be a great Idea...", after which he hung the phone, Ercole soon had a smile that could only imply bloodlust, the deal was set, whoever wins or lose, both will be done away with...
DECEMBER 13, The Day of the fight.
Luca and Miguel continued to ignore each other pre-fight, during and after school, by then they had enough time to train some more before the big fight, Luca continued to throw jabs in the air, with Mickey giving encouragement, "Yeah, show the bum what you're made of..." Luca eventually tired out and breathed for a break, "Ah come here Luca My God, you're ready ain't ya? That Miguel won't know what hit him. You're gonna roll over him like a bulldozer, an Italian bulldozer. You know kid, I know how you feel about this fight that's comin' up. 'Cause I was young once, too. And I'll tell you somethin'. Well, if you wasn't here I probably wouldn't be alive today. The fact that you're here and doin' as well as you're doin' gives me-what do you call it-motivization? Huh? To stay alive, 'cause I think that people die sometimes when they don't wanna live no more.", the old man said, "Nature's smarter than people think, right?" asked Luca, "Exactly, Little by little we lose our friends, we lose everything. We keep losin' and losin' till we say you know, 'Oh what the hell am I livin' around here for? I got not reason to go on.' But with you kid, boy, I got a reason to go on. And I'm gonna stay alive and I will watch you make good..., and I'll never leave you until that happens. 'Cause when I leave you you'll not only know how to fight, you'll be able to take care of yourself outside the ring too, is that okay?", said Mickey, to which Luca replied "...It's okay", "Okay. Now I got a little gift for you..., if you don't want it, you can give it to that girl or that Alberto of yours, it doesn't matter...", "Ah, Mick non devi..." Luca said with a smile, it was a golden glove necklace, "See that? This is the favorite thing that I have on this Earth. And Rocky Marciano give me that... no relation of course with that Marciano Ferrari guy but anyways, You know what it was? His cufflink. Huh? And now I'm givin' it to you and it, it's gotta be like a, like an angel on your shoulder see? If you ever get hurt and you feel that you're goin' down this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear. It's gonna say, 'GET UP YOU SON OF A BITCH 'cause Mickey loves you'. Okay?", "grazie Mick...", they proceed to hug each other, "ti amo anch'io", "Go after him kid, go after him..." Mickey said before leaving the scene.
TO BE CONTINUED
Next chapter, fight time!