A/N: Hey, guys! In the previous chapter, after waking up from his coma, Mac took the other boxers with him to travel the world and now they are back with two days left to the event in the Hall of Fame. Let's begin.
Chapter 26: Hall of Fame and future
After returning home, Little Mac spent all Saturday and most of Sunday resting so that he will be fresh and ready for the event at the World Boxing Hall of Fame, and since his parents already knew, he didn't have to tell them that. After dinner, they left the house at 10 PM, and Mac, alone in the house, began to prepare some clothes for the occasion: a light blue shirt, dark blue jeans, a yellow tie and the Champion's belt. An hour later, he left for the airport and took the midnight plane to Los Angeles, arriving there at 2:30 AM, and decided to call a taxi to get to Riverside, east of here. Normally, it takes about an hour and a quarter to get there, but tonight there was a lot of traffic, delaying the arrival by half an hour, and when he arrived in front of the WBHF, it was 4:15. Being in a traffic jam is very annoying and problematic, especially during rush hours when people come home from work, and in big cities like Los Angeles, it's even worse. The young man gave the taxi driver the money and looked at the night sky, which was now turning dark blue rather than black: in about two hours, dawn will come and the sun will be visible on the horizon. While waiting, he sat down on a nearby bench, and around five o'clock, the sky became clearer and the civil dawn had begun, with objects being distinguishable(1).
(''Simon Belmont's Theme- Castlevania Chronicles OST'')
The young man opened the front door, hearing an audience cheering him and seeing the place, full of memorabilia and posters of the boxers who had been admitted to the Hall of Fame. A man led him into the main hall, where the others were waiting for him: besides his parents, there were also Doc Louis, Glass Joe, Mike Tyson, Bear Hugger, Piston Honda, Super Macho Man, Donkey Kong and the other boxers, all dressed for the occasion except for Donkey Kong, dressed in his usual tie, and because of their size, Bear Hugger and King Hippo wore baggy clothes. ''Hey, Mac! You're here!'' Doc exclaimed, and all the boxers went to hug him.
''Anata wa ontoni sore o yatta! (You really did it!)'' exclaimed Piston Honda, and the two, after bowing, shook hands tightly.
''You don't know how happy we are to see you, mate!'' Disco Kid shouted.
''Hey there, Brother!'' exclaimed Soda Popinski
''Good to see you, Champ!'' said Super Macho Man.
''You know, buddy, when King Hippo and I got home, we noticed that we have lost a few pounds since we went with you in these these weeks.'' Bear Hugger said.
''Oh. That's good, I suppose. Too much weight kills you.'' Mac said, and the Canadian laughed heartily.
''I don't even know how you got into the Hall of Fame, it's too early.'' Dad said.
''It was my idea.'' Mike Tyson explained. ''He officially made history, and I thought he deserved a place in the Hall of Fame: the fact that he became WVBA Champion, successfully defended the title against everyone and even defeated me, meant a historic milestone especially for a seventeen year old teenager. As a world champion in boxing myself, I know this better than anyone. They agreed with me and my proposal was accepted.''
Mac was happy that Mike managed to convince the staff to admit him. ''Thanks, Mike. I really appreciate.'' he said.
Suddenly, Mac saw Mr. Sandman and bit his tongue to avoid being rude. The other boxers and Doc were giving him a dirty look, as if to tell him not to screw it up. The former boxer sighed heavily and turned to the young champion. ''Mac, listen to me well. Your coach and the other boxers threatened to get me fired if I didn't apologize to you, so I'm doing it for them too. I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry for attacking you and almost breaking your nose. I'm sorry for hiring those guys against you. Because of me, you almost got killed, but I didn't want to kill you.'' he said.
''They said you hired them, and they wanted to kill me. If you said you didn't want to kill me, it depends on what you mean by ''taking out''. Mac replied. ''Those guys killed my brother Mark a year ago, and I ended up in the hospital after being shot in the leg and repeatedly stabbed.''
''Super Macho Man was right that this is not how i was supposed to behave. He was unhappy, yes, but from what he told me, he, Bald Bull, and Soda Popinski hadn't destroyed an entire house. He also told me that he and Aran Ryan had changed for the better because of your influence, and everyone respects you for that. I don't even know why it all happened, but it happened, and I want to apologize.'' continued Mr. Sandman, with his head down in shame. ''I've heard that you and the other boxers have traveled the world over these weeks, and I don't blame you for leaving me behind. I don't know if you will be able to forgive me.''
The boy was a little perplexed, but he answered. ''Listen carefully. Aran Ryan played dirty when he first faced me, resulting in a defeat via disqualification, and I lost consciousness from injuries from the match, but I was willing to forgive him if he never used those dirty tricks again, and when he faced me for the title, so it was. Super Macho Man had also attacked me, grabbing me by the neck, but on that occasion, he wanted to attack the referee, and to protect him, I was almost strangled to death. It took the help of Bald Bull, Disco Kid and Bear Hugger to force him to let go, but due to lack of oxygen, I fainted for half an hour. If Super Macho Man hadn't let me go, he could have snapped my neck like a twig, killing me instantly, and if I hadn't meddled, he might have killed the referee too. When I defeated him for the second time, I told him that fame and victories are not everything, and I forgave him. Bald Bull had warned me about the downside of being famous- being hounded and constantly bothered by fans and paparazzi- he hated it when it happened. And Von Kaiser was always insecure and fearful due to a trauma from his past, but I had inspired him to overcome his fears, and as a result, not only was he promoted to the Major Circuit due to his improved performance, but when he got me faced in the match for the title, he also gave me some difficulty.'' he explained. ''I was a little unsure about forgiving you, but I was determined to try. If I forgave Aran Ryan and Super Macho Man for their actions, then I forgive you too.''
Mr. Sandman was shocked. How could he forgive him after as a result of his plot to get the title back, he nearly got him killed and sent him into a month-long coma? ''After what I did to you? How can you forgive me like this?''
''One must never feel a grudge or take justice for oneself, especially for minor things like this, it's toxic. I know because when those thugs killed my brother last year, I just wanted them to be brought to justice, and it happened.'' Mac replied. The two gave each other a handshake, while a voice from the speaker. announced the name of another boxer admitted to WBHF, and it was Mac's. ''Little Mac, on stage.'' he said.
Everyone went to the front room, where there was a huge audience, and Mac took the stage with his parents. ''I think they want me to give a speech. If you hear me say your name, you can get up and join me.'' he said to the boxers, who nodded.
(''Simon Belmont's Theme- Castlevania Chronicles OST-s'')
''A historic event for boxing. Little Mac, how do you feel about it after the feats you've done?'' asked a staff member.
(''We're All In This Together (Graduation Mix) - High School Musical 3 OST'')
Mac took the microphone and began his speech. ''It's a long story, so let's start from the beginning. I, Little Mac, am seventeen and born in 1970. At birth, I was smaller than normal, but other than that, I was normal. However, as I grew up, it was clear that I was very short compared to other children my age, to the point where I was called ''dwarf'', the insult I hate most. Due to my height, all my classmates towered over me, and I was constantly being bullied both psychologically and physically. My parents were caring and went out of their way to help me, but it wasn't enough, and I had very few friends who didn't make much difference. Bullies often persecuted me, as if my very existence was a mistake of nature, and my little brother, Mark, paid the price.'' The audience gasped, feeling sorry for him.
''Mark, who was four years younger than me, seemed to know what I intended to do in the future when I myself did not know it, which is a sports career in boxing, and last year, at sixteen, I also thought so. My little brother defended my honor from those bullies, often being injured by baseball bats and hospitalized. Last year, in April, the worst happened, however: they wanted information about me, and he refused, thus being savagely beaten. Hearing him scream, I woke my parents right away, and Dad called the police. Mark was then killed in front of me, at just twelve years of age, without us being able to do anything to stop those thugs, who were arrested. This was the breaking point, as at his funeral five days later, I couldn't look at his coffin without crying on my father's shoulder, and two months later, I gave up completing my studies after sharing my testimony in court and I decided to become a boxer in his honor. So, after I turned seventeen, I trained and joined the World Video Boxing Association, but everything went wrong again.''
The audience and everyone in attendance felt bad for Mac. ''All the boxers, even one in particular, Glass Joe, were taller and heavier than me, and my former coach, Mr. Sterling, was short-tempered and had extreme expectations, but because of a lack of experience, I lost five matches in a row, the last one being against a Japanese expert: Piston Honda.'' Glass Joe and Piston Honda stood up and joined him, while the young American went on. ''I had done my best, but with a too aggressive fighting style that Mr. Sterling wanted and my inexperience, I couldn't do much. However, when I failed to meet his expectations or lost, he harshly insulted me, and on that occasion, when I said something in response, he slapped me and abandoned me. So, I spent three weeks training in the morning and in the afternoon looking for another coach, but as I was too young and inexperienced, I never received a chance, being rejected 200 times. When Mom made me lunch, we heard noises and Mr. Sterling was arguing with my dad about my WVBA membership. Even though my parents tried to defend me, he screamed in front of us that I was not worthy to be a boxer, that I was a nobody and that I should just retire and surrender. In shock, I ran to the nearby river, where I felt like I wanted to throw my boxing gloves. I was disgusted with myself, I had enough of always being treated like a laughingstock and scum, and I was so sick of my sad, mediocre life that I even thought about suicide.''
This sentence left everyone shocked and horrified. Mac continued. ''But then something happened that changed my life. I met the one who supported me throughout my career, a former heavyweight boxing champion in the 1950s, and my new coach. Jerome ''Doc'' Louis!''
Doc got up and immediately went on stage, then took the microphone and continued the boy's speech. ''Mac had completely lost hope after years of struggling to stay strong, but I had seen potential in him, and I accepted to become his coach. In the Major Circuit Title match, he was defeated, which made him very sad, as he thought about what had happened when he still had Mr. Sterling as his coach, and thought he had let me down and that I would abandon him as his former coach did, but I wasn't willing to do it. He told me his story and I made him understand that I would not abandon him, not like this. In the course of our pre-match training, he had awakened dormant techniques within him, including the Star Punch, which I used to use myself years ago.'' he said, then handed the microphone back to Mac, who continued.
''With Doc, who had always believed in me, I defeated all my opponents, including many heavyweights, and even an adult gorilla and world boxing champion. Glass Joe, Von Kaiser, Disco Kid, Don Flamenco, Great Tiger, King Hippo, Bald Bull, Aran Ryan, Bear Hugger, Soda Popinski, Super Macho Man, Donkey Kong, Mike Tyson and now even Mr. Sandman all have great respect for me, as I have influenced them a lot. If you're wondering how I did these feats, the key words are these: unshakable determination, a willingness to never give up, and a perfect mix of strength, skill and speed.'' Mac had tears in his eyes now, but he finished the speech. ''However, I only got here because I had someone who had always believed in me and who had always encouraged me, and for that, I want to thank my coach. Doc, I would never have done it without you, with your chocolate jokes, you often made me laugh, even if they were corny, and you were always by my side when I needed you, so thank you so much.'' To everyone's cheers, he put the microphone in its position and hugged Doc tightly. The coach, although surprised, returned the hug, also crying.
''Give me a pack of handkerchiefs!'' Don Flamenco whimpered, too moved to avoid crying.
(''We're All In This Together (Graduation Mix) - High School Musical 3 OST-s'')
''This is the story of a boy who has been through a lot, and we're going to celebrate the event with a song: Survivor's Eye of The Tiger!'' said the staff, and Mac was briefly covered in a curtain, while everyone, especially Great Tiger, they were excited.
(''Eye Of The Tiger- Survivor'')
There was the recognizable sound of electric guitars and drums in a full rock-style, and occasionally, during the song, tiger-like roars where udible in the background. The curtain pulled back, revealing Mac, who with the microphone in hand, began to sing, starting from one verse, followed by a slightly different second one, the bridge, and then the chorus, with a voice as powerful as his fists.
''Risin' up, back on the street''
''Did my time took my chances''
''Went the distance''
''Now I'm back to my feet''
''Just a man, and his will to survive''
So many times, it happens too fast''
''You trade your passion for glory''
''Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past''
''You must fight just to keep them alive''
''It's the Eye of the Tiger, it's the thrill of the fight''
''Risin' up to the challenge of our rival''
''And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night''
''And he's watching us with the Eye of the Tiger''
The song continued with a short instrumental intermission followed by the third verse and then again by the chorus.
''Face to face, out in the heat''
''Hangin' though, stayin' hungry''
''They stack the odds till we take to the street''
''For we kill with the skill to survive''
''It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight''
''Risin' up to the challenge of our rival''
''And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night'
''And he's watching us with the Eye of the Tiger''
The song was now halfway through, and after an interval of ten seconds, it continued with a second bridge, and a third time with the chorus.
''Risin' up, straight to the top''
''Had the guts, got the glory''
''Went the distance, now i'm not gonna stop''
''Just a man, and his will to survive''
''It's the Eye of the Tiger, it's the thrill of the fight''
''Risin' up to the challenge of our rival''
''And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night'
''And he's watching us with the Eye of the Tiger''
By now, the song was almost over, only the end was left, followed by a final instrumental part, in which Mac put the microphone back in position.
''The Eye of the Tiger''
''The Eye of the Tiger''
''The Eye of the Tiger''
''The Eye of the Tiger''
(''Eye Of The Tiger- Survivor-s'')
Mac struck a pose and the song ended, amid the loud screams and cheers of the audience, and the screams of Doc, Great Tiger, Bear Hugger and Soda Popinski were the loudest of all. Together with the other boxers, they then began to dance to the rhythm of the song Celebration, by Kool & The Gang, and then everyone posed for a photo. Mac was on Donkey Kong's back, and next to him were Doc, Bear Hugger, and Soda Popinski, with the others close behind him. When the young champion went outside, he saw the sky, which was purple, then orange and gold. It was 6:00 AM, and dawn had come. ''Look!'' he said.
''L'aube est si beau! (Dawn is so beautiful!)'' Glass Joe exclaimed.
''Earth never ceases to amaze.'' Bald Bull said.
''Dawn is beautiful, really. Too bad it's very difficult to wake up early enough to see it.'' Mac said.
(''On Top of The World- Imagine Dragons'')
Half an hour later, everyone headed to the airport to go to New York and saw that the sun had appeared in the horizon and the sky was turning blue: the morning of a new day had begun. With the time zone and travel time, everyone had to have lunch there, and got off the plane, it was 2:30 PM. Arriving at the Twin Towers, in Manhattan, where the financial district is located, Mac climbed on Donkey Kong's back, who climbed up a building, then got off and jumped forward, clinging to the roof of another building, and then another one, and near the towers he felt a peculiar wind. ''Guys, look!'' he shouted. He glimpsed what appeared to be a legless spirit floating in the air. ''Mark? Is that really you?'' he asked, amazed.
''Yes, Mac. It's me. I always knew you were going to be a boxer, and I can't believe you've come this far already. I'm so proud to be your brother.'' Mark said.
''Mark... gosh, if you weren't dead, I'd hug you, but since you're dead, I'd go right through you.'' murmured the older brother.
''I never really left you. I am still inside you, and I will continue to look above you from the sky. Keep fighting as you always have up to now.'' said the younger brother.
''He's Mark, isn't he?'' asked Von Kaiser.
''Yes, I am. I'm sure my big brother told you about me.'' replied the young boy.
''He did. And his story was really sad. It's horrible that you died like that, your life had just begun.'' Doc said.
''Your brother influenced us a lot, you know. I, who am from the Soviet Union, have acquired a strong respect for Mac, reciprocated, and we often call ourselves ''brothers from another country.'' Cool, huh?'' Soda Popinski then said.
Mark chuckled. ''Wow. Mac seems to have made a lot of friends since he became a boxer, including Mike Tyson himself and an full-grown gorilla! The Cold War isn't over yet, but this rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union sometimes goes to the head.'' he said.
''Not to everyone, but to many, yes.'' Super Macho Man replied.
''Mark didn't really leave us then.'' said Dad.
''Mom, Dad, of course I'm still there! Not physically, but I'm still there, watching everything from the sky.'' Mark replied.
After everyone celebrated Mac again, throwing him repeatedly into the air, Donkey Kong got him on his back and climbed the North Tower, the one with a long antenna on top, and the boy was now so high, that everyone in the Big Apple they looked as small as ants. ''What a day.'' he murmured, with the wind caressing his hair and starting to flow all over everyone, as Mark's spirit reached him on top of the Twin Towers, laughing with him.
Time passed. In late 1987, the NES game about Little Mac's exploits was released, which was a great success, and later, a statue of him was built in the Bronx. In it, Mac, wearing the champion's belt, had one hand on his hip and the other with a thumbs-up, and a determined grin. Mac and the other boxers hadn't changed much, but when Donkey Kong came to visit him a few years later, the passage of time was evident. In fact, he met his nephew Diddy, who has grown up and is almost a teenager. He now also has a girlfriend, Dixie Kong, whose blonde hair, wrapped in a ponytail, allowed her to hit enemies or glide.
Donkey Kong joined the first Super Smash Bros. tournament in 1999, and in 2001, in November, the next one would begin. Unfortunately, two months earlier, there was the terrible 9/11 attack: four planes were hijacked by terrorists from Al Quaida, an Islamist terrorist movement born in Afghanistan and headed by Osama Bin Laden. The first two planes crashed into both Twin Towers, destroying them and causing severe damage or even destroying some surrounding buildings, the third severely damaged part of the Pentagon, in Virginia, and the fourth crashed to the ground in Pennsylvania. The attacks of that horrific day caused nearly 3,000 deaths, over 6,000 injured and the loss of the World Trade Center in New York, which in subsequent years attempted to rebuild the buildings for the new plant and fix those that could be repaired, including a church.(2) In early 2008, Donkey Kong caught up with Mac and brought him an invitation with the Super Smash Bros. tournament symbol, a sphere divided by a horizontal line and a thicker vertical one, and found that he would become an Assist Trophy in the third tournament, Brawl, so that when someone picked up a particular trophy, he could be summoned to his/her aid. In 2011, to the delight of the Americans, Bin Laden was found and killed, and in late 2014, Mac was able to take part in the fourth Super Smash Bros. tournament, and this time he was promoted to a fighter(3). He has now made other new friends, but also a couple of bad guys who teased him, but he ignored them. Now, the 17-year-old was wondering what the future holds for him, his boxing career was just the beginning.
(''On Top of The World- Imagine Dragons-s'')
A/N: OK, guys! This is the story of Little Mac, a young boxer who despite expectations, relapses, and everything he has been through in his life, never gave up, and this fanfic is over! Thank you for the over 2.000 views and see you next time!
(1): Dawn is divided into three phases based on how much the sun is below the horizon before its rise: astronomical, nautical and civil dawn. In the first one, the sky is no longer completely dark and the stars, starting with the less bright ones, begin to disappear, in the second one, it's bright enough to distinguish the horizon from the sea and in the third one, the light emitted by the sun's rays is enough to distinguish objects. Dawn culminates with the aurora, when the sky takes on a purple, orange and yellow hue and the sun is about to appear, and ends when the sun, now visible in the horizon, rises, and it is since then that the sky takes on the typical blue color of daytime. The night sky begins to clear at around 4 AM and begins to transition at dawn at around 5 AM.
(2): After the destruction of the Twin Towers, the World Trade Center was rebuilt from scratch, starting with the Seven World Trade Center, construction of which began in 2002 and ended in 2006. Construction of the main building, the One World Trade Center, began in 2006 and ended in 2014, and almost all the buildings have been completed, except for a few, the most important the Two World Trade Center, which will be inaugurated on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, and the Five World Trade Center, whose project it started in 2011 but will end towards the end of this year.
(3): In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Little Mac is an Assist Trophy, while in later games, he is a playable character.