The finale is finally here, with Milo performing his solo song to the crowd. I want to thank Cody the Pikachu for all his support, and we're finally at the end. Let's not waste any time on trivialities, and let's jump right into it.

Nintendo owns Super Smash Bros. I own Milo Sullivan, his parents, his friends, and all other OC's in this story.

The four orphans soaked in all the applause sent their way, staying on the stage waving at the cheering crowd. Even Mario, the host of the show, waited a little longer before stepping on to announce the final act. "We did it, you guys," Haley exclaimed, pumping her fists in victory.

Finally, the Kerry brothers and Haley left the stage, leaving Milo by his lonesome. The youngest former orphan stayed put at the microphone to the far right, all the while Mario took one of the middle mikes. "We're onto our last performance now. What a night it's been, right?" he announced, initiating another chorus of cheers, "And this final song is just as special, because it's the song Milo wanted to do for his solo performance. Tell us about it, Milo!"

Milo cleared his throat and leaned back into the mike. He could see his parents in the crowd, so proud of his achievements. Brendan and Ashley were the ones to give him this new life, allowing him a clean slate to rebuild his world. He also glanced at the side of the stage, where one of the Smashers performing this song with him was his own cousin. Yoshi gave him so much support and advice along the way, and Milo could not imagine doing this without Yoshi. With the sounds of moving equipment behind him, Milo took a deep breath and began.

"My song is inspired by a conversation I had with Yoshi, during a time when I was being bullied and hazed at my school," Milo explained, scanning into the crowd, "I was having a really rough time, and I even shut out my own parents from my problems. But Yoshi made sure I didn't make the wrong choice. I wouldn't be here in such a good shape had it not been for his support."

Milo nodded at Yoshi, who smiled back in return. "Yoshi told me that I have to stay positive and not let any bad feelings get to me. The most important thing is to remember that every single move I make will help build the world that I will ultimately live in. If I stay positive, then my world will be positive. But if I go negative, then my world will become negative. That line alone kept me going even when nothing went my way," he described.

Milo paused for a second, letting the squeaking behind him dissipate first. A piano that used to be placed in the corner of the room was now wheeled to the centre, with the microphone between Milo and Mario moved back slightly to accommodate it. From the corner of his eye, Milo could also see Ness help the stagehands move his drum set to the left, making sure the young psychic was still visible to the crowd. The final preparations were almost finished, which would leave the stage completely to Milo and his friends.

Going back to the message, Milo applied it to his song. "I found a song that has the exact same message as what Yoshi told me, and I want to share that with you tonight," he stated, "And of course, it only makes sense to have the Smashers I'm best friends with perform with me. So please welcome onto the stage Yoshi, Link, and Fox McCloud!"

The crowd roared in approval as the three Smashers marched onto the stage. Yoshi leaned over to give Milo a big hug, the smile of his face even wider than before. After the young dinosaur released his cousin, he went to the microphone stand to the far left. Fox then followed, patting Milo on the back while making sure his guitar was still strapped to his body. Link was the final member, squeezing Milo's shoulder before taking his position at the piano. Milo was more than thrilled when Link and Fox, also two former orphans, agreed to perform with him. To share the stage with them and Yoshi was something Milo would never forget.

"But I want to point out that there is one more special presenter that will perform with my group. I'm leaving him as a surprise, but he will show up near the end of the song," Milo added, winking at the crowd. Some audience members like Cassandra glanced around in confusion, not sure who the guest appearance was by. Nodding at his group once more, Milo announced, "I want to give you the final song of the night, called 'In a World like This'."

Silence descended upon the crowd, who waited anxiously for the song to start. With his boot slightly tapping the floor, Fox set the rhythm of the song before strumming on his guitar. The initial riffs set the tone for the song, and the Cornerian pilot sang out the first lines.

You got me wide open, wide open,
Now I'm yours.
You found me heartbroken, heartbroken,
On the floor.

The piano keys soon followed, mixing in with the drums from Ness. Even though he rarely showed it in public, many Smashers knew that Link was actually a talent pianist. With his fingers dancing gracefully across the keys, the Hylian hero took over for the next lines.

Became my salvation, salvation,
Through the war, yeah.
You got me wide open, wide open,
Now I'm sure.

Milo couldn't help by smile at the lyrics, thinking how appropriately these words had described him. He was heartbroken by so many things throughout his life, from being sent into an orphanage, to having lived in the sewers, and even this hazing incident with the varsity soccer team. Yet it was through this experience that he was saved by the very people who gave him a chance in the first place. Milo's parents, Yoshi, and the other Smashers got Milo through some pretty tough battles, never giving up on him and refusing to let him be corrupted by negativity. Even when he was wide open and vulnerable, Milo's loved ones protected him from the storm. It inspired him to do more positive things for people, letting those less fortunate have better lives. With that in mind, Milo and the three Smashers launched into the chorus together.

In a world like this, where some back down,
I, I know we're going to make it.
In a world like this, where love comes around,
I, I know we got to take it.

In a world like this, where people fall apart,
In a time like this, where nothing comes from the heart.
In a world like this, I've got you.

The chorus resonated with Yoshi's message to Milo, telling him that even though things around him were negative, Milo had to stay positive. Even when things were falling apart and Milo was bombarded with fake messages of popularity and social status, Milo should keep his head on straight and do more to inspire and encourage others. Milo felt he did follow what Yoshi had suggested, doing whatever he could to stop the bullying while still proceeding with this concert. That's why when Yoshi started the second verse, Milo could only grin in return.

And now I'm freefalling, freefalling,
In your eyes.
You got me still calling, still calling,
No surprise.

Once Yoshi was done his lines, Milo leaned into his microphone and provided his. When Milo first saw this song's lyrics, he specifically insisted that he and Yoshi did these lines back-to-back. Through Milo's freefall, there was someone who taught him to get back control of his life and continued showing love and compassion. By doing this, Milo felt it was the best way to showcase the support from Yoshi, support that all current orphans could use from a loved one.

I never knew I could love until the,
End of time, yeah.
And now I'm freefalling, freefalling,
By your side.

Basking in the company of the three Smashers, Milo felt like he was walking on air. Even though he could have backed down and succumbed to the peer pressure, he ultimately made it through. He accepted all the love and support given to him and extended his own compassion to others. With the chorus starting a second time, Milo dove into it headfirst.

In a world like this, where some back down,
I, I know we're going to make it.
In a world like this, where love comes around,
I, I know we got to take it.

In a world like this, where people fall apart,
In a time like this, where nothing comes from the heart.
In a world like this, I've got you.

Then, to unveil his surprise, Milo gestured to the side of the stage in a flourish. It was the special guest that Milo kept secret all night, and now that mystery person would have a chance to share the stage with Milo. "Everyone, my friend Sean," Milo announced. The entire student body present was surprised when the clumsy ball boy trotted onto the stage, his arms spread open and his grin absolutely glittering. Even Cassandra was amazed, pumping her fists excitedly and pointing at her little brother. Milo stepped aside, letting Sean take Milo's mike for his lines.

You got me wide open, wide open, yeah,
And now I'm freefalling, freefalling…

Despite singing only two lines, Sean felt like he was champion of the world. He slapped Milo's hand hard, pumping his fists and jumping up and down in victory. Milo couldn't be happier for Sean, who was also a victim of the bullying at school. The only reason no jocks picked on Sean was because his sister was student body president, which ostracized Sean by forever placing him in Cassandra's shadow. Sean, like Milo, didn't want to rock the boat, so he never spoke up against the bullying and hazing. But once Milo realized he had to change, he also convinced Sean to change. Through this experience, Milo was glad to have made a friend in Sean, and Milo was adamant that Sean got some performing time when Sean volunteered for the concert. With the final chorus approaching, Milo and Sean stepped up to their shared mike once more. This time, they wrapped an arm around each other's shoulders and belted out the lines.

In a world like this, where some back down,
I, I know we're going to make it.
In a world like this, where love comes around,
I, I know we got to take it.

In a world like this, where people fall apart,
In a time like this, where nothing comes from the heart.
In a world like this, I've got you.

The lyrics and music ended at the same time, replaced by thunderous applause and continuous cheers. Milo and Sean approached the centre of the stage, where Link stepped away from his piano and Fox removed his guitar from his body. With Yoshi coming in from the opposite side, the five of them formed a horizontal line and bowed to the audience together. It was truly a team effort, and now they got to soak in the appreciation.

As Milo got off the stage, he made a beeline for his parents. Brendan and Ashley had smiles stretching the entire width of their faces, pulling Milo into a tight embrace when the boy trotted up to them. Not a word was said among the three, but it was evident that the two large dinosaurs were very proud of Milo. Yoshi, Link, and Fox soon followed, each one giving Milo a pat on the back. Milo came a long way since he was that street kid living in the sewers and running dangerous missions for the deluded leader. Now, with his determination and support from friends and family, Milo had the power to change the world. With such wonderful people surrounding him, there wasn't anything that they couldn't do together.

The final song is "In a World Like This" by the Backstreet Boys, which fits Milo's theme really well. It was a lot of fun visiting Milo and the Smashers again, and I hope my efforts managed to get you thinking about the issues of bullying, hazing, and cyberbullying. Even though the events here are fictional, plenty of real-life bullying and hazing events have affected people worldwide, and too many victims have chosen not to speak up in fear of being further targeted. Everyone has a role to play to stop these events, and I hope this story got you thinking about these.

As for future projects, I do have a few in mind, but right now I think I'll take a short break. I wish everyone a safe and happy holidays, and I hope to see you around in the new year!