A/N: Hi, guys. In the previous chapter, Mac fell into a coma and the news quickly spread. All the boxers were shocked by it, and when Mr. Sandman arrived, they were very mad at him for what he did, threatening to get him fired from the WVBA and attacking him, but Doc stopped them. Will Mac survive his coma? And will he wake up? Let's find out!
Chapter 24: Welcome back, Champ!
Since Mac fell into a coma, his parents and Doc almost always went to the hospital to see him. Mom had recovered from the shock, but seeing her son like this was too much. It was unpleasant to talk only about him, but no one could think of anything else.
''I can't believe Mr. Sandman did such a cruel thing for a stupid title.'' Bear Hugger murmured. ''My squirrel friend is sad too.''
''Such dishonor is unacceptable.'' Piston Honda said. Everyone agreed with him, and believed that seeing him in the hospital room with tubes in his nose, machines attached to him and in danger of dying at any moment was just terribile.
(''Cutscene: Tense- Sonic Rush Adventure OST'')
A week later, they received bad news. ''We sutured his wounds, but the bullet is still in his knee and his vital signs suddenly dropped two hours ago.'' said a doctor.
''Please tell me he won't die...'' Dad murmured, increasingly scared of losing his eldest son after having already lost the other one.
''He is not dead, but he is in critical condition. The machines we attacked him will feed him and supply him with blood, but there is no guarantee that he will wake up. Also, by analyzing the wound on his left shoulder, we discovered something horrible: the knife damaged a nerve.''
Everyone gasped. ''What do you mean, the knife damaged a nerve?'' Mike Tyson asked.
When Mac was stabbed in the shoulder, the knife went so deep into his skin that a nerve was damaged. If the wounds are deep, some nerves could be damaged, and this could cause a partial or complete loss of feeling in the arm and hand. If a limb loses feeling, it's more difficult and uncomfortable for the person to move and use it, and if the loss of feeling is total, its motor skills will be lost(1).'' explained the doctor.
''So his left arm could be paralyzed? He could not be able to use it again?'' asked Super Macho Man.
''It's a hypothesis. We'll better check the wound for nerve damage and if he can move his arm, and we'll remove the bullet from his leg.''
''Oh, no! It's bad enough that he's dying, that's awful!'' Disco Kid shouted. He looked like he was in full panic. Donkey Kong sobbed softly.
''He's holding on at the moment. If he survives another five days, we believe he may wake up sooner or later.'' The doctor reassured. ''We are now initiating skin grafts to heal the wounds on his back and shoulder.''
(''Cutscene: Tense- Sonic Rush Adventure OST-s'')
(''A New World, Merged World- Final Fantasy V OST'')
According to a nurse's analysis, the nerve was only grazed by the knife and the damage is only mild, so the motor skills in Mac's arm won't drop, much to everyone's relief. Mac's parents, Doc, Donkey Kong and the other boxers wrote letters for him and placed them on the operating room dresser so he could read them, and people from all over the world sent messages of solidarity, including from President Reagan, who was horrified when he learned of the failed assassination attempt on the young champion, and was happy that those who were responsible had been brought to justice. ''Thank goodness that's nothing serious.'' Dad sighed.
''I agree. Seeing him like this is just awful.'' Mom agreed.
''If only we could do something for him...'' murmured Soda Popinski.
''On ne peut rien faire pour lui, seulement attender. (There's nothing for him to do, just wait.)'' Glass Joe said sadly.
''This is all bad, it just makes me sad inside.'' Bear Hugger replied.
''I hate being the voice of doom, but Joe is right. There isn't much we can do for Mac. If we could, we will, but the truth is we can't.'' Von Kaiser said, serious and sad at the same time.
''It's true. That's life.'' Aran Ryan said.
In the operating room, doctors continued to treat Mac's wounds. Three days later, they made three small incisions on the knee, which they inflated with saline solution.
''We need to see inside his leg. We need the arthroscope.'' said the doctor.
A nurse took the arthroscope and inserted it into one of the incisions, making the area inside the knee visible. ''It's as we suspected. The meniscus is torn.'' he said.
''Therefore, we take off the torn part and remove it along with the bullet.'' said another doctor.
The torn part of the meniscus was cut off and then removed with the bullet with the forceps, while the rest was smoothed, then the doctors closed all the incisions with a suture and adhesive strips and wrapped the knee in a bandage to protect it during the healing. The shallow cuts were then sutured, while regeneration in the shoulder and back areas still took time. The healthy donor areas chosen were the right shoulder and the left thigh, with an amount of skin adapted to cover the wounds. After that, the doctors allowed visitors to enter.
''Hold on tight, son.'' Dad murmured, squeezing Mac's left hand, with Mom beside him.
''Come on, Champ. You haven't given up against any heavyweight, so you have to hold on now too.'' Doc said, squeezing his other hand and trying not to cry.
''Wake up, Champion... do it for us.'' Bear Hugger whispered, as everyone stood sadly around the patient's body.
(''A New World, Merged World- Final Fantasy V OST'')
Another two weeks passed. It was now the second half of June, and Mac had been unconscious for a month. Doc and the others had visited Mac at the hospital two hours ago, at 8 AM, and had heard that his injuries are fully healed, so he would wake up very soon. They did not know, however, that someone would arrive.
(''Environmental Tension- Metroid Fusion OST'')
''Well, well. That weak boy is in a coma, isn't he?'' asked that someone.
Doc turned and recognized the guy. He was Mr. Sterling, Mac's former coach. ''Mr. Sterling? What are you doing here?'' he asked.
''I heard Mac is in a coma. I'm sure he must have harsly lost yet another match.'' replied Mr. Sterling.
''That's the WVBA Champion you're talking about!'' Disco Kid replied.
''Indeed! He defeated us all and kept the title!'' Von Kaiser said.
''How did that incompetent manage to get here?!'' snapped the former coach.
''Ask that to everyone!'' Aran Ryan replied, and Donkey Kong nodded.
Mr. Sterling saw the gorilla and was frightened, but hid it, still snapping. ''What's that gorilla freak doing here?!''
''He is our friend and we know him better than you know Mac.'' Bear Hugger replied.
The former coach never stopped yelling. ''Seriously, how is it possible that Mac, of all people, defeated Mr. Sandman and Mike Tyson?!''
Great Tiger was starting to lose his temper with all those screams. ''Would you stop it?! If you say these things because Mac became the WVBA Champion on April 1st, that's fine, because no one would have expected it regardless, but I will not allow you to say these things!'' he snapped. At the same time, someone was hiding in the nearby bushes.
''With me, that idiot didn't get one right!'' replied Mr. Sterling.
''It's official, this guy is a jerk.'' Mike Tyson said, and Super Macho Man chuckled.
''Who is this buffoon?'' Mr. Sterling referred to Doc.
The African-American was a little irritated. ''You don't know who you're talking about! Jerome ''Doc'' Louis, boxing champion thirty years ago and Little Mac's new coach!'' he replied.
''Obsolete. Even if you really trained Mac, he would still have remained a third-rate boxer.''
''If you say Mac was terrible, I have to disagree. He had a lot of potential within him, and I saw it in match recordings. When I trained him, he awakened dormant techniques within him and switched to a personal fighting style.'' the coach replied, but was then hit by a punch in the nose so hard that some blood came out of his nostrils, and everyone was horrified. Donkey Kong growled, dangerously close to raging.
(''Environmental Tension- Metroid Fusion OST'')
And it was Mr. Sterling who hit Doc on the nose, staring at him with a glare typical of someone who didn't want to be contradicted, and he replied rudely. ''No one asked you to talk, you filthy ni-''
(''Fire Emblem Theme- Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn OST'')
Mr. Sterling didn't have time to finish that a mysterious figure, certainly a male, came out of the bushes and lunged on him emitting a roar similar to that of a lion, knocking him to the ground and punching him repeatedly in the face. ''You bastard! Don't ever say these things about my coach ever again!'' he screamed, leaving everyone surprised. ''And now, I suggest you leave, or I'll break your head!'' The former coach ran away in fear.
Everyone present was shocked by what had happened, both by the appearance of that figure, and by the fact that Mr. Sterling was about to say the worst and most offensive insult to those with dark skin. The mysterious man turned and posed, making himself more visible, and everyone recognized him. That spiky black hair, that tank top, those shorts, they were recognizable.
''¡No lo puedo creer! (I can't believe it!)'' Don Flamenco shouted.
''Mac! Is it really you! You're alive!'' cried Doc, immediately running to hug him, followed by the others, who embraced the young man in a group hug.
Mac was taken by surprise, but returned the hug. ''Hey, guys! Everything okay?'' he asked.
''C'est bon, merci. (We're fine, thanks.)'' Glass Joe replied.
''Thank goodness you're OK. We were all worried about you.'' Super Macho Man said.
''Come here and give me a hug!'' said Bear Hugger. He lifted Mac off the ground and hugged him tightly to his chest.
Mac hesitated a little. He appreciated the hug, but it was too strong. ''Uh, Bear Hugger? Ow... you're breaking my ribs...'' he murmured.
''Oh, sorry, buddy. It's just that I'm so happy to see you got out of the hospital safe and sound.'' the Canadian said. He loosened the embrace a little, and only let go after twenty seconds. ''Welcome back.''
''Willkommen zurück, Meister! (Welcome back, Champ!)'' Von Kaiser, not holding back his happiness. He gave Mac a salute, which then became a strong handshake and a pat on the shoulder. Glass Joe smiled at the young American and hugged him.
''C'me here, Mac!'' Doc chuckled, giving Mac a noogie followed by a strong hug.
''No fair! Doc, let me go!'' Mac exclaimed, laughing madly as he felt his mentor's knuckle ruffle his hair.
''Yo, Mac, man, welcome back!'' Disco Kid said happily, and the two Americans hugged each other.
''Hey, Disco Kid. Hello!''
''I never thought I'd tell you, but I'm glad you're back!'' Aran Ryan said, ruffling Mac's hair even more than before.
Super Macho Man stood still with a smile and Mike Tyson nodded in response. Don Flamenco threw his arms around Mac's neck, catching him off guard, although the gesture was returned. Great Tiger and Piston Honda gave him a strong handshake followed by a brief hug. ''Okaerinasanai, Makku! (Welcome back, Mac!)'' the Japanese said.
Soda Popinski lifted his brotherly friend-rival off the ground, picked him up and smiled. ''Mac, Brother! You're alright!'' he exclaimed. He hugged him tightly, and his smile widened to see his arms around his neck and his head resting on his shoulder.
''Thanks, Popinski.'' Mac said, and Popinski gave him a thumbs up.
Bald Bull walked over to him, and not feeling ready for a hug, gave him a handshake and a smile instead. ''Little Mac, You are one of the few people I like. Along with Doc, of course. I know him really well. When I heard you fell into a coma, I really wanted to hit someone, but Doc told me you wouldn't like it. ''
''Well, thank you, Bald Bull.'' said the young man.
''Wenn du aufgewacth bist? (When did you wake up?)'' asked Von Kaiser.
''About twenty minutes ago. I felt a little groggy, but other than that, I'm fine. Mom and Dad were with me when I woke up. I've seen a lot of letters and messages for me.'' Mac replied. Donkey Kong blocked him with one arm and playfully ruffled his hair, making him giggle.
''We and your parents sent you letters hoping that you would wake up, and you did. People from all over the world have also sent messages of solidarity, including President Reagan. He thought that plot to kill you was a cowardly act, and he was very horrified when he found out the news.'' Disco Kid said.
''Looking at you, it is as if your injuries were never there.'' Bald Bull said.
''How long was I out?'' asked the young champion.
''You have been in a coma for a month. You had eight slashes in your body, a bullet in your right knee and a damaged meniscus.'' Aran Ryan replied.
Mac was shocked that he had spent thirty days in a coma. ''A whole month?!'' he exclaimed.
''Yes. We feared you might die from your injuries or blood loss, you lost a lot of it and lost consciousness during the transport. According to Doc, a family of bystanders saw everything and called the police, who arrested and returned the perpetrators to their cells. Welcome back, Brother.'' Soda Popinski replied.
''Thanks, Popinski. Doc, I missed you. I missed you all.'' Mac said.
''We missed you too. And thank you for defending my honor. That kook was about to say the most despicable insult ever.'' Doc said.
''Don't mention it. I heard my former coach say these things about you, I couldn't get away with it.'' replied the boy.
''Okaerinasanai, Makku! (Welcome back, Mac!)'' Piston Honda said.
''I'm glad you're okay, Mac. While you were in a coma, I asked the World Boxing Hall of Fame(2) to admit you, and some were a little perplexed.'' Mike Tyson said.
Mac was intrigued. ''Really? What is that? And how did it go?'' he asked.
''The WBHF is located in Riverside, California. Here, every year, great boxers from all over the world are registered. Normally, a boxer can only be admitted to the Hall of Fame if it's been at least five years since their retirement, but when I mentioned your exploits, they decided to make an exception.'' replied Mike.
The young man was excited just at the thought. ''Wow! When will it take place?''
''It will take place in two weeks, at the beginning of July. You will have to show up at 5 AM on Sunday 5th July.'' the former champion explained.
''5 AM?! How would I do it? I don't even know if my parents will let me be at this event at such an uncomfortable time!'' Mac exclaimed, shocked.
''Don't worry. In Washington, the time zone is three hours ahead of California and the flight will take nearly five hours. This means you could leave for the airport after dinner, around midnight. By the time you arrive in Riverside, it will be 2 AM, so you could get to the Hall of Fame by taxi.'' Tyson assured him.
''Alright, In the meantime, I think I'll travel the world. So many people will want to meet me, even the heads of governments.'' said the young boxer.
Doc chuckled. ''You know, the other boxers were really mad at Mr. Sandman. They were going to do something bad after he pushed us to the breaking point, but I stopped them. We threatened to get him fired if he didn't apologize and stop acting like a baby, and we got his answer yesterday. It was a little insecure, but it was always an apology.'' he said.
Mac had some doubts, but let everyone know how he felt about it. ''Forgiving him is not as easy as I have forgiven others, but I'm already starting to try.'' he replied. ''For the next two weeks, around the world!'' he then shouted, and everyone cheered.
''Welcome back, Champ!''
(''Fire Emblem Theme- Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn OST-s'')
''We'll have to be presentable for that, though.'' said Piston Honda.
Mac noticed it too, looking at Bald Bull. ''And you would need a new look, Bald Bull. No offense, but you look horrible.'' he told him.
Bald Bull touched his face and head with his hands, and as everyone watched him, he knew it was true. Apart from the fact that the top of his head looked as if he had a bulge due to a nasty bruise, his mustache was messy and uneven, especially on the sides, he had ugly sideburns and the little beard under it was messy, with a couple of small bald spots in between. ''Normally I would be offended and would gladly break the ribs of who's responsible, but if it's you, that's fine with me, I'm not offended.'' he agreed. Knowing the young man, he knew that he always had the best intentions.
''Then I'll take you to my hotel room. I'm not an expert on fashion or looks, but I'll do what I can.'' Mac proposed.
The Turk boxer nodded. ''I would really appreciate it'' he said.
''Hey, boy, we'll meet at the airport when this is over. See you later.'' said Doc.
''See you later, guys.'' Mac replied.
The hotel was close to the hospital, so it only took ten minutes to get there, but halfway, Mac found himself in front of a gang of journalists photographing him and harassing him with questions. Bald Bull covered his eyes because of the photo shots and began to get angry, looking at them with a glare. ''Listen, I don't have time for this. And don't do these things in front of him or he'll vent on you.'' Mac said, and that convinced them to leave for the time being.
With the absence of journalists, Bald Bull returned to a state of calmness. ''As you know, many of us thought it would be easy to defeat you at first, but you didn't just prove us wrong. You left a strong impression throughout the WVBA, and no one can deny your talent anymore. Now everyone likes you, including me. Apart from Mr. Sandman, of course.'' he said.
''It was fun to prove to you and the whole world that I was worth something. I've wanted to do it all my life, and in all of that, I haven't even come of age yet.'' said Mac, chuckling.
Bald Bull sighed. ''We couldn't talk about it before, but it was Doc who told us what that Mr. Sandman vermin did, and how he plotted you assassination. We were all upset, and many of us even cried, even Great Tiger, usually calm and calculating, and Piston Honda, stoic and difficult to upset.''
Mac felt sick to see Bald Bull with a look he could only describe as sad. ''I scared you all. I'm sorry.'' he said.
''It's not your fault, none of us expected it. The thing that saddened me the most was that we never got to go to the spa together.'' replied Bald Bull.
''You like going to the spa?'' asked Mac.
''Of course, a bath at the spa always relaxes me when I'm angry. I also like massages, preferably back massages, especially after a hard match. My wife always massages me when she notices I'm in a bad mood, and it has always worked. I would love to go with you to the spa, I think it will be even better than being alone.'' said Bald Bull.
''I promise I'll go with you to the spa. But let's fix your look first.'' the young man declared. They went to the bathroom, and Mac took an electric shaver, setting the blade to Bald Bull's preferred length, to 25 millimeters, but before they could start, the reporters came back again.
''Again?! Go away! Can't I have some privacy here?!'' Bald Bull snapped. It took a minute to drive them away, and seeing that the other boxer was red with rage, Little Mac got between him and the paparazzi, forcing them to leave.
''Seriously, I should carry a sign if they don't understand the sentence ''no paparazzi allowed''.'' Mac murmured, irritated. To be safe, he locked the door.
''You think that's bad? They sometimes take pictures of me while I'm in the bath. If there's anything worse than being disturbed at the spa, it's being disturbed when you're on the toilet.'' commented Bald Bull.
Both shook their heads, and Mac made it clear that although he wanted to prove himself to the world and redeem himself from how everyone had treated him in life, he didn't like being tormented by the press because of his fame. It made him uncomfortable, but he quickly shrugged it off. ''You know, I wonder why you ended up with this look.'' he said.
''My barber didn't know when to quit.(3)'' replied Bald Bull. ''The last time I went to the barber shop before getting my head shaved was four months ago in my native Turkey. I wanted to shorten my hair and fix my beard, but he got it all wrong for the umpteenth time, I remember that every time I went to the barber he always ruined everything. When he finished, my mustache was almost completely shaved, but with the sides of my head bald and the top of my head badly shaved, with holes in the nape of my neck and the few hair left on my head cut very unevenly. Finally, my beard was cut out awfully. After that, the other customers present teased me for how ugly and ridiculous I looked, and I was so angry at the humiliation that I beat the barber and thrashed his office. I'm not very proud of it, I had to pay a fine of one million Turkish lira for property damage and assault, since I had sent him to the hospital with two broken ribs.(4)''
Mac gave Bald Bull a look of sympathy, noting that he seemed guilty about his actions. Even though he had done something he shouldn't have done, he didn't deserve such humiliation. ''Let me tell you, your barber really sucked at his job. Judging by your look, it looks like he shaved you with a piece of glass.'' he commented.
Bald Bull let out a bitter laugh. ''You're right, I really should have relied on better barbers than this inept. I stopped trusted them since then and started shaving myself on my own, but it didn't end much better. I shaved my head completely after I got home, but I couldn't fix the rest, I never managed to cut my sideburns.'' he said.
''Why not?'' asked Mac.
''Because I'm not good at tasks that require precision, including the use of the razor. When I tried to cut the rest of my beard, I couldn't cut the sideburns too. I wanted to prove that I was better than my barber, but I wasn't much better than him.'' replied Bald Bull, looking down.
The young boxer put his hand on his shoulder, raising his arm to do so because of their difference in height. ''Don't think about it anymore, I'll help you. I'm not a barber, but I'll do as I can. Close your eyes and don't open them again until I'm done, I'll let you know when it's time.'' he said, taking a chair and placing it in front of the bathroom mirror.
''I'm ready. You can start.'' said Bald Bull, closing his eyes.
(''Racing Theme- Duck Life OST'')
Ready to begin the makeover operation, Mac took a pair of small scissors. Keeping his gaze half on Bald Bull and half on the mirror to make sure he was doing well or not, he began to cut some stitches on the sideburns and mustache that seemed longer to him. After at least two minutes of doing this, he was not sure if scissors were the best method, so he put them away, attached the razor to the current and turned it on to cut his mustache more evenly, and to do so, he made sure to pass the razor along each point to ensure that each hair is the same length.
Suddenly, Bald Bull let out a small groan of pain. Mac realized that he had accidentally raised his arm too sharply, and the razor blade had accidentally hit him under the nose. ''Sorry, I'll try to be more careful.'' he said.
When ninety seconds passed, Mac looked better in the mirror and felt satisfied with the second phase. For the third stage, cutting the sideburns, taking some hair removal foam and using the shaving brush to put it around Bald Bull's ears and on his cheeks, the spot where the sideburns were, and looking closer, he noticed that there was also some beard residue right under the ears, which made him think even more that he had to go to a better barber. Although he wasn't sure he could do much better, he hoped he could do something decent. ''If I make any mistakes, I'll just make things worse and Bald Bull will blame me for it. I don't know if I'll be able to make it.'' he thought, but as soon as that thought of uncertainty came to him, he shook his head. It wasn't like him, he had to do it, it was his idea. ''Come on, Mac, focus. You're the World Champion, and if you managed to beat Donkey Kong and Mike Tyson himself, you'll do a decent shave.''
Shaving the sideburns was easy, and Mac took less than a minute, but something was missing. Once the razor was off, he rinsed Bald Bull's face with water and some soap, removing the residue of shaving cream that was still attached to him. Finally he wiped his face with a towel and put aftershave on him.
(''Racing Theme- Duck Life OST-s'')
Ten minutes had passed, and Mac had finished, removing the cloth from Bald Bull's body. ''There! You can open your eyes. Take this too see if it's okay.'' he said, passing him a mirror and allowing him to get up.
Bald Bull looked at his face with the mirror and saw himself in the reflection.
''What do you think?'' asked Mac.
''This look... I... I...'' murmured Bald Bull. He was silent for a few seconds, worrying Mac that he had got it all wrong, but when the Turk turned around and raised his voice, he received the answer. ''I love it! Now I feel like a man! Thanks, kid!''
Seeing Bald Bull smile, Mac looked at him through the bathroom mirror and saw how he had done it. He had slightly shortened his mustache to make them of a consistent length, but he had left them thick. As for the sideburns, he had shaved them completely, and had also managed to remove the beard residues around his ears. Overall, his appearance definitely seemed more polished, and the young American was surprised that he had done everything so well. ''Wow. Sometimes I surprise myself when I do something, whether it's in boxing or this.'' he commented.
''I'll let my family know, they'll be happy with my new look.'' said Bald Bull.
''Maybe we can even surprise Doc and the others when we get to the airport.'' added Mac. He looked at his watch and saw that it was twenty to nine. ''You know what? A little relaxation could do you really good. Let's go to the spa!''
To this answer, Bald Bull nodded and raised his fist in the air.
As the two boxers went to the spa, Mac looked around every twenty seconds, worried about the presence of paparazzi to spoil the experience. Even though no one was there, it wasn't certain it would last long.
(''All-Star Rest Area- Super Smash Bros. Melee OST'')
When they arrived at their destination, Little Mac and Bald Bull took off their clothes, put on their swimming trunks and entered the water of a swimming pool. The hot water was pleasant and relaxing.
''Oh, yeah... Even if it's a little hot, there's nothing better than being in this water.'' Mac murmured, closing his eyes and letting himself go.
''You can say that again. After a tough match, being in the water at the spa is good for my bones.'' said Bald Bull. Suddenly, he began to scratch himself, as if he felt a sudden discomfort. He scratched his back first, then the discomfort spread to his chest and all over his body.
''Is something wrong?'' asked Mac.
''I have a big itch in my back.'' Bald Bull replied, moaning and turning over on his chest as he scratched. ''I'd appreciate some help.''
The younger boxer went closer to him and began rubbing his back with his hands. ''Considering your fiery temper, you deserve some relaxation.'' he said.
Feeling the back massage, Bald Bull sighed serenely. ''Ahhhh... Thanks, Mac, I needed it. I love relaxing in the hot water of the spa, and there's nothing better than back massages.''
Relaxation was necessary for everyone, especially those with a fiery character, and the two boxers remained silent, closing their eyes and enjoying the water while relaxing their muscles.
''I never asked you, but how can you be so calm in matches? How can you always be so confident despite the odds against you?'' asked Bald Bull.
''Maybe everyone asks me. I became a boxer partly in honor of my little brother, and you all know what happened to him, but also because I wanted to prove myself to the whole world because of my bad experiences in life. But when I lost the match to you for the Major Circuit title, I felt old wounds open up, and I thought Doc would leave me like my old trainer, Mr. Sterling, did.'' Mac replied.
''Doc told us all about it. I know him well, and you're lucky to have a coach with so much confidence in you.'' said Bald Bull.
''Yep. But if I have become what I am, it is also because of that defeat. It inspired me to train to defeat you, before that I was determined to prove myself, but I was not only inexperienced, I was also internally insecure due to my past experiences. My rematch with you was important, that's what made me the man I am today, and I admit, it's partly thanks to you that I became that young man who doesn't give up and pushes his limits.'' Mac replied.
The Turkish boxer suddenly opened his eyes in surprise. ''Huh? W-What?'' he stammered. ''I... I didn't expect you to say it. If you say so, it may be, but I don't know. Your humility is one of the things we like most about you.''
''Hey, it's nothing.'' Mac replied. ''Champions are people too.''
(''All-Star Rest Area- Super Smash Bros. Melee OST-s'')
Mac began to open his eyes, but immediately closed them because there was a sudden light, like the flash of a camera. ''Ah...! What the...?''
''What's the matter?'' asked Bald Bull.
It took some time for the two boxers to see clearly when they opened their eyes, but they jumped to see paparazzi, causing large splashes. After being almost blinded by the lights, Bald Bull was furious that the paparazzi had ruined the moment, and it didn't help that they were nagging them with questions.
Mac began to get nervous. He pushed Bald Bull to dip his head underwater before he could do anything drastic, stood in front of him and picked up a sign that read ''NO PAPARAZZI!'' ''There is something called stalking, which you do NOT do when someone is at the spa, or at the bathroom, or training in private, or taking a shower! Get out of the way, you parasites, or you will infuriate him again! Do you even know the concept of personal space?!'' he blurted out. To make matters worse, a group of five screaming girls threw themselves into the spa and began to fight over touching him or something else, and this made him red with embarrassment. Not only did being seen bare-chested embarrassed him a lot, but he was not good at handling girls, especially when at least two of that group jumped on him and grabbed him so hard that they almost suffocated him and the others pushed themselves, pulled their hair and bickered. ''I'm not breathing... I don't breathe... help...''
Disoriented, Bald Bull pulled his head out of the water. ''What is all this...?!'' He turned around, and to his shock, he was faced with a very messy situation. The paparazzi kept taking pictures, and the girls only made things worse by fighting like animals, which made him red with rage. ''GET OUT OF THE WAY, PARASITES! I CAN'T EVEN ENJOY SOME PEACE HERE?!'' he screamed. ''And as for you, girls, let him breathe, you look like filthy animals!''
One of the girls took offense and hit the older boxer in the head with her handbag, but both the girls and the paparazzi left.
''Oh, my goodness... It's the most embarrassing moment of my life...'' Mac murmured, coming out of the pool to get dressed, followed by Bald Bull.
'Hey, all OK, boy?'' asked Bald Bull, noting that it was all red.
''You were right when you told me about the dark side of the paparazzi. Before I faced Super Macho Man to defend the title, fangirls were following me right in front of him, and in the middle of my interview, I also had to send the paparazzi away because they were infuriating you, with everything happening right in front of him. There were times when those reporters spied on me and Doc over lunch, disturbed me during training, and once a reporter had recorded just as I was in the shower. That moment was so awkward that Doc had to call security. I'm not good with girls, let alone all these guys who sit on my neck like leeches, and even showing me half naked embarrasses me.'' Mac replied.
Bald Bull gave Mac a look mixed with sympathy and confusion. ''Oh, boy. That's for sure.'' he said. ''But what you mea, you get embarrassed to be half-naked?'' he then asked.
''I don't like to be seen without a tank top, I have a certain modesty.''
''Did something happen?''
''No, but when I beat Von Kaiser and Disco Kid, the audience booed me and threw tomatoes and fruit at me. I was all dirty and had to shower and wash my clothes, and in the case of my victory against Disco Kid, they even threw coconuts at my head. Of course, I wasn't yet the Mac everyone knows, since I wasn't established yet, but it was very frustrating for me, both because I had to shower and wash clothes again, and because I was humiliated in front of everyone. The referee, the other boxers and Doc were unhappy with this, and I remember Doc saying this to Hoy Quarlow on both occasions. At least the crowd stopped with all this when I defeated Don Flamenco and became the Minor Circuit Champion.''
''I don't have your patience for these things. But you're right, it's horrible, I could throw something at the audience if I were in your place.'' said Bald Bull.
''I'm sorry, Bald Bull.'' said Mac sadly. ''This was supposed to be a relaxing time together, and I dragged you into an awkward moment. I shouldn't have involved you in this.''
''That's not true.'' replied Bald Bull, putting his hand on his shoulder. ''Relaxing at the spa has always been my favorite activity, and while you were in a coma, I was sad because I never got the chance to enjoy it with you. We were all very upset when Doc explained what had happened to you.''
''While I would never do something like throw a dumbbell in the audience, I might consider asking for press silence.'' Mac said. ''The press can also be cruel, especially if you're not going through a period in sports.''
''This is true. The Turkish press questioned me when you defeated me, but I always ignored it and focused on improving my stamina and balance.'' said Bald Bull.
''If you think this is bad, it's worse. Super Macho Man faced problems with his fanbase after he lost to me, but he learned to handle all this better after I defeated him again. The fact is that after he lost to me, Piston Honda found himself faced with defamatory comments from the press and hate mail letters from his native Japan. He told me that honor has been the basis of Japanese society for several centuries, which is why people should not show stains on their honor, be involved in scandals and they constantly strive not to fail, even with their companies. I remember finding studies on Japan when I was still at school last year, and I found that Japanese society overworks the population, which is not only a very common cause in suicides, but also causes a deterioration in the living conditions of workers, who suffer heart attacks and strokes even before the age of thirty and die from it, cardiac arrest, stress and malnutrition due to negligence on the part of superiors, if not for suicides, with too many working hours, and Japanese conformity is so ingrained in society that if you do not go to one of the best universities if not the best, and if you don't find a job in the most prestigious companies, then you are called a disappointment, a failure, someone that can't do anything right Not to mention hyper-competitiveness in schools! There are no relationships between students, physical education is very out of focus if not completely absent, the levels of bullying are high and young people are under unbearable pressure from their parents, teachers and the society, and even if you manage to meet those criteria in school, you still have to go to the best university, find the most prestigious job and endure the intense and very long working hours, spending more than 40 hours a week, more than 8 hours a day working in conditions of enormous stress, of course they take their lives and social disorders such as karoshi and hikikomori occur! Piston Honda also told me that suicides are so problematic that some places in Japan have become infamous precisely because of the amount of people who commit suicide there, like the Aokigahara Forest, which people now nickname ''The Suicide Forest''!(5)'' added Mac.
Bald Bull began to feel uncomfortable. ''Let's see you try to live with this pressure on you. If I were in this situation, it would destroy my sanity in less than a week," he commented.
''I agree. I would have had a stroke in this situation. Piston Honda is collecting data on this, and after his rematch with me, he told me that he plans to be an activist to raise awareness of the dark side of society and the issue of suicide.'' He looked at his watch and saw that it was half past nine. ''We should go to the airport, Doc and the others are waiting for us.''
''Right. If you're wondering how you can explain all this to your parents, Doc has already talked to them. They were a little worried, since you were almost killed last month, but he reassured them that everything will be fine.'' said Bald Bull.
''Hey, while we're at it, we can surprise everyone with your new look.''
''Sounds interesting. I'm in.''
After these errands, the two boxers headed to the airport, and Mac couldn't wait to start his travels.
A/W: Mac has woken up from a coma and is fine! Now he has discovered that in two weeks he will be among the inductees into the World Boxing Hall of Fame! See you in the next chapter!
(1): If a nerve is damaged, limbs may lose sensation and become unusable.
(2): There are two boxing Halls of Fame: the WBHF, founded in 1980, and the IBHF, founded in 1990 in Canastota, a village in New York State.
(3): During breaks between rounds in the NES game, Bald Bull can say this.
(4): The currency of Turkey, the lira, has devalued drastically against the US dollar due to a terrible inflation that began in the seventies between 1966, in which 9 lira was equivalent to one dollar, and 2004, with the lowest point in 2001, in which its value fell so much that to equal a dollar you need over a million and a half lire, 1,650,000, to be exact, becoming the coin with the lowest value in the Guinness World Records. The value of the lira recovered in the following years, and today it has stabilized at 16 lira per euro and about 18 lira per dollar. Around 1988, the value of the Turkish lira was 1300 lira to one dollar, so 1000 US dollars equaled just over a million lire.
(5): This requires a more detailed discussion. The school system in Japan, as well as in South Korea, China, India, Singapore and Pakistan, places great emphasis on educating young people. However, the school environment in Japan and North Korea is extremely competitive, and failing to meet society's rigid expectations equals dishonor, which is a big deal in Japan and is often met with suicide via seppuku. Suicides are very frequent in both states, but another problem in Japan is karoshi, or deaths from too much work, often due to heart attacks, strokes and malnutrition due to excessive effort and stress or suicides as a result of overwork, and this is also the case for people below the age of 40. The first recorded case of karoshi is in 1969, but it became known among the public in the following years, and in 1987 the first statistics about it were published, and cases of karoshi also spread to China, Taiwan and South Korea. Since the '80s, there was the spreading of the phenomenon of the hikikomori, in which people close in on themselves and isolate themselves from everything and everyone for six months or more, and which is due not only to the pressure on young people to be perfect in the eyes of society, but also bullying, called ijime, which at school is partly caused by the extreme competitiveness among students under the pressures of society and tends to end with a student murdered by a classmate, but much more often in the victim committing suicide. Some places in Japan are infamous for the amount of suicides that happen here, such as the railways, with the Chūō Rapid Line most infamous for this, and the Aokigahara Forest, not far from Mount Fuji, known as "The Suicide Forest", with an average of at least 30 suicides per year in this forest. Japan, as well as other states in Southeast Asia and East Asia, was adversely affected by the Asian financial crisis of 1997, and one of the consequences of this economic crisis was the increase in the suicide rate by a third in Japan in one year, with over 30,000 suicides and the peak was in 2003 with over 34,000 suicides, of which 103 only in the Aokigahara Forest. Annual suicide numbers fell below 30,000 only fifteen years later, in 2012, and only in 2019 did they fall below 20,000 cases.
A/N: Mac woke up from coma and is fine! Now he has discovered that in two weeks he will be among those admitted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame! See you to the next chapter!
(1): If a nerve is damaged, limbs may lose their feeling and become unusable.
(2): There are two boxing Halls of Fame: the WBHF, founded in 1980, and the IBHF, founded in 1990 in Canastota, a village in the State of New York.