//------------------------------// // Welcome To Canterlot County! // Story: Punch Out! Before The Ring // by RaritySimper44 //------------------------------// Mac stared out the window, he was on his way down to Canterlot, he didn't want to be coming down here. He hated her, for doing this to him. The plane soon landed, he and the other passengers got their things and got off. Mac had only brought the necessities, such as a few pairs of clothes, not that he had much else, to begin with. He wore one of the two outfits, jeans, and a t-shirt. The other was in his bag, he also had his toothbrush and toothpaste. When he got off he saw two Italian men standing in the middle of the airport holding big signs which read Macy. One wore green with an L on his forehead and the other in red with an M, both had bushy mustaches and were decent built men even if a bit on the short side, not to mention a bit chubby. He knew who was who, Mario and Luigi his mom told him, he had been shown a picture of them as well, the letters on their hats helped as well. They were calling out for Mac, using megaphones, even with those they were screaming at the top of their lungs. Everyone around them had a dirty look on their face and were staring at the two of them. Mac stood there watching them, letting everyone else pass him by like he wasn't there. He was scared to go any further, he seriously had to live with these idiots? It was too late though, they noticed him. "Macy!" They cried out in joyful unison and ran over to him, pushing people down and running them over. Screams of pain came from their victims as they made their way over to Mac. He took a step back, fear on his face, his first thought was to run the other way, back onto the plane. They grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug before he could though squeezing him so hard his face turned blue. "Hey, there Macy!" Mario said with a warm smile. "Oh, I haven't seen you since you were a toddler Macy!" Luigi said hugging him tighter. Mac tapped on Mario's elbow to get him to release. He would have said to let him go but he couldn’t breathe much less talk. "Oh sorry, Macy," Mario said, releasing him with a sheepish grin on his face. "Listen don’t be calling me Macy alright, it's Mac!” He stated firmly, blushing in embarrassment "Oh um, sorry Mac, we’ll be sure to stop calling you that. You remember us right?" "No, but I know who you both are, Mario and Luigi. Mom talked about you a little from time to time, especially near the end of our time together but…. I mean I didn’t expect you guys to be like… this!”  “Jeez kid you talk about her like she’s dead, calm down Mac, Mario said to him."  “Um, Mario…” Luigi hesitantly said  putting a hand to Mario’s shoulder and pointing behind him.  What are you-- oh crap security is coming. Come on guys, let's get out  before we get thrown out.” Mac followed his uncles out of the airport and came to a big red van with a giant M painted on it Mario unlocked and opened the doors to the back of the van, hop in. Mac got in and sat on one of the benches, tools of all types from wrenches to screw drivers and even a metal file. Not to mention over a half dozen drawers full of who knows what else.   "What exactly do you do for a living?" Mac asked, looking around curiously "We’re crime fighters, we fight clogged toilets and muskrats that get stuck in pipes!" Luigi said enthusiastically with a big smile. "We're plumbers, and you’d be surprised how many muskrats we’ve found clogging up pipes." Mario explained further.  “Um, okay?” They drove out of the airport and Luigi began pointing things out. Nothing perked Mac's interest not even when they passed a large high school. "And that Mac is your new school! You'll begin attending Monday of next week." They parked in the driveway of a decent looking home and got out. "And this is our lovely home!" They all got out and went to the front door Mario unlocked it and they all walked inside, it was so clean it shone.  "So, what do you think, Mac?" Luigi asked with anticipation. Mac covered his eyes with a hand "it's too frickin bright in here!" "Why thank you, I take pride in my handiwork blinding you Mac," Luigi said, pulling at the straps of his trousers, a look of pride on his face. Suddenly a large pitbull came running down the stairs and right at them, Mac took a step back at this nervously. “Oh no need to be afraid mac, I think you’ll find that Brutus is not such a brute.” The dog came right up to Mac and jumped up on him, licking his face. He was as big as Mac was on his hind legs. “Brutus get your butt down now!” Mario yelled, Brutus immediately got off him and looked at Mario pitifully then back to Mac wagging his tail begging for attention.  Mac smiled as he got down on one knee to pet him. “Brutus huh? Cute dog, how old is he?” "He’s two and a half, hey Luigi, it's your turn to make dinner, so do us all a favor and hop to it, will ya?” Mario said to Luigi in an expectant manner. Luigi stood up straight and saluted him. "Aye aye, sir!" He then ran off to get dinner started. Mac looked at Mario. "You guys are... really something.” "Yeah, we are, aren't we?" Mario said as he placed an arm around Mac’s shoulder, “come on kiddo, let's get you up to your room.” The two of them walked up the stairs, on the walls were pictures of family members that Mac had never met. Once they got to the second floor they went down the hall to the room at the end, Mario opened the door and walked in, Mac tossed his stuff onto the bed and looked to Mario, “thanks.” “Sure thing kid”, Mario pulled him into a hug, “your mama just wants the best for you Mac, you know that right?” Mac looked away, and shrugged, “yeah I know”. Mac looked to the ground silently, he felt a hand grip his shoulder firmly. And he pulled away, he turned to look at his uncle, “why are you telling me this old man?”  “Old man? I’m thirty-five! I ain’t old you stu-- Mario sighed and rubbed his face as he regained control of himself. “Look, I know that you aren’t happy with any of this, but it's for the best, alright? Try to… ya know…. Give my brother and me respect. Because you’re stuck with us until you graduate.” Mac sighed, you’re right. “I’m sorry I disrespected you, you are old though.” Mario’s face turned red with rage as he looked like he was about to lose it but quickly regained control. I’m not old Mac, I’m Thirty-five, Thirty-five is not old, kapeesh?”  “No, no I actually think it's pretty old Mario, no disrespect I’m just saying.” Mario rolled his eyes and sighed, “”whatever, I’ll let you unpack kid, I’ll come back up here and let you know when dinner is done,'' with that said Mario walked out of the room slamming the door behind him. Mac went through his things and unpacked, he poured it all out onto his bed and rummaged through his things. It wasn’t much, his second pair of clothes and his journal. He picked it up and started writing in it.  Dear journal,  I'm here in Canterlot. I have barely an hour and I hate it. My Uncles are nice I guess, but my heart is in Manehattan as soon as I graduate I'm straight back up to Manehatten. The only bright side is that Canterlot seems a lot more chill. I Mac looked up as he heard a scratching on the door, he got off his bed and opened the door to find Brutus outside the door wanting in. Mac smiled and opened the door more, "come on in Brutus." He happily trotted into the room and sniffed around. Mac sat down on his bed and Brutus hopped up onto the bed, Mac smiled and patted his head, “looks like I made my first friend in Canterlot county.”  “Hey Mac, dinners ready come down and eat,” Mario said, his head poked in through the door.  “I’m not hungry,'' Mac replied without looking up from petting Brutus. “You’re a teenage boy , how can you not be hungry?! Get your ass downstairs and eat and stop moping, you’re never getting anywhere in life with that attitude!” Besides, we need to go over the house rules anyway Mac.” Mac sighed as he got up, right. He followed him downstairs to the dining room. In the dining room, the table was set with a red tablecloth and three plates on the table. The plates were full of spaghetti and meatballs.  “You do like pasta, right Mac?” Luigi asked from the table where he sat.  “Oh come on Luigi he’s Italian of course he likes pasta!” Mario said abrasively, giving Mac a hearty pat on the back and knocking the air out of him in the process. Luigi rolled his eyes, “Mario not all Italians like pasta, that's a stereotype.” “Stereotype my ass! If you don’t like pasta you’re not a real Italian! Mac, you like pasta right?” Mac nodded, “yeah, Mom made it all the time.”  “See? A true Segale! He gave Mac's shoulder a friendly squeeze before going to the table. Mac followed and Mario pointed to a seat, “that’s your seat, Mac. “ Mac raised an eyebrow, “we seriously have assigned seating here? “ “Yes, We are very possessive and territorial in this house and like to make our boundaries clear, I’ll carve your name into it probably tonight or tomorrow night. Now come sit down so we can say grace.” Luigi said to him. “Do I have to do this?” “Yes, Mario said firmly, now sit down I’m starving and we do not eat in this house without first saying grace.” Mac rolled his eyes but sat down and bowed his head, he opened his eyes as Mario and Luigi grabbed his hands, he looked at them oddly.  “What?” Mario asked, more abrasive than he likely intended.  “Are you two a gay couple or something? Because I’m not into any of that stuff.” “Mac close your damn eyes and bow your head you moron!” Mario snapped at him. Mac did as he was told and Luigi said grace, "Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.” “Now let's eat!” Mario said loudly and started stuffing his face with food like a pig, he somehow chewed with his mouth closed though. “Mario come on we always go over this, table manners!” Luigi complained as he stared in disgust at Mario's voracious eating habits. Mario shrugged, “sthrry”, Mario said with his mouth full of food, his eyes lit up suddenly as he looked to Mac and pointed at him.  Mac looked around awkwardly a moment before getting annoyed, “man what are you pointing at me for?!”  Mario finally finished chewing his food and swallowed. He wiped his mouth and the rest of his face on a napkin, “sorry about that kiddo. I just remembered we need to talk about ground rules. “ “Oh good point Mario thanks for bringing it up.” “These aren’t stupid rules are they?” Mac asked annoyed. “Stupid? These rules? Hell no Mac, these rules are very good. You might not like them, but you’ll need to respect them, do you understand? “I understand what you are saying, yes.” “Good, so first rule, keep your GPA at a four-point zero." “Easy enough I guess, what else?” “Good answer, be home by nine if you’re out with friends.” “That'll be easy to follow, I’ve got no friends.” Love the attitude Mac, you’re gonna go places with that attitude kiddo. Mario said sarcastically. “I’m a true Segale.”  “Shut up.” Mario said annoyed "Anyway .... We take turns washing dishes, I'm doing them tonight tomorrow is Mario and you're after him." Luigi stated. “Oh also you’ll need to walk Brutus since you’re the youngest.” “I’m fine with that. I love that dog.” Mario wrapped an arm around Mac with a smile on his face, “I think you’re gonna do just fine with us Mac.” Mac shrugged him off as he continued eating.  “You’ll warm up to this town kid, I promise.” “Uh-huh.”