Ok, my first attempt at a Mad Max fanfic. This is a short story takes place after Fury Road with Max and Furiosa each reflecting on their unexpected journey together. It's just a little something I had stuck in my head for a while.
The Road Less Traveled.
They were simply two people headed in different directions. He needed to be alone on the road and she needed her home. Max was in route to carry out another mission when he realized he needed to replenish on gasoline and water. His destination happens to put him on the path of the Citadel, a place he knows he can stock up on both. He feels both elation and fear upon returning there. It's not that he doesn't want to see or at least know that Furiosa is doing well because he does, it's just that she is also a reminder of a past life that he has yet to make peace with- a past life that tortures him still. That's why he left the Citadel. Max simply isn't ready to settle down into a new home.
It wasn't until now that he's thought about Furiosa and thinks back to when they first meet – holding her and the wives at gunpoint. She tried her best to kill him – something he didn't fault her for because he would have done the same. Max could clearly see they were good people trying to escape just as he was but he learned the hard way that in the wasteland, good people are just as dangerous as bad ones. When faced with desperation, morality is one of the first things that are thrown out the window. That's why he stole the War Rig and left them behind, leaving them with the same type chance he often has. And it would have been that way if not for the kill switch.
When they reached the canyon, Furiosa gave him the sequence to the Rig, a trustful decision born from desperation. When her deal with the bikers went south, Max was forced to make a choice. Now that he knew the War Rig sequence, he no longer needed Furiosa. He could take the Rig for himself but that would mean he'd have to kill her and the wives. Although he wouldn't have hesitated to shoot them if they attacked him, Max had no desire to hurt any of the women if he didn't have to. He really just wanted to get away from them. So he decided for the time being that he would help Furiosa, at least to get them where they wanted to go before parting ways.
But this "green place" was long dead when they arrived. Max is the only one who is not surprised. He's traveled through more of the wasteland then most, including Furiosa, and has never even heard of such a place. But watching Furiosa's break down was…perhaps the most dishearten thing Max has ever seen in a long time. Later that night, she welcomed him to join the group in their search to find a new home. Even though he declined her offer, he felt bad letting her down. He still wasn't ready to live with a group but also felt that she deserved to have a place to call home. She deserved to survive. One of the ghosts that haunt him seems to confirm this the next morning.
Although he at last had the freedom and solitude he craved, it wasn't enough this time. He would see to it that she and the wives will get their safe haven no matter the cost. It's ironic to think while Max doesn't want to stay with them; he's more than ready to die for them. The losses were heavy but in the end, they won. He felt comfortable leaving now that she was in a better place. He doesn't know how many days ago that was but now he is returning if only to take a needed detour to his next objective.
Xxxxxxxxx
It's only after she has completed all her duties for the day and retired to her quarters that her mind drifts to the man known as Max. Even if it's been thousands of days since Furiosa has seen him, how can she not think about him? A random encounter with a stranger has changed her life, leading to her running the Citadel which she never would have dreamed possible, even more so since such salvation came from a man. It's certainly not what she expected when they came face to face. Furiosa believed for sure he would return the wives to the not -so -Immortan Joe. She fought him with everything she had to keep that from happening, but in the end she was defeated. She failed in her quest and there was nothing she could do about it but wait for the approaching doom.
But instead of simply shooting Furiosa and turning in the wives for a reward, he just took the War Rig and left. He even shot Joe's prize wife without batting an eye. But Furiosa knew there was still a chance to reclaim the Rig because he didn't know about the kill switch. All she had to do was talk him into allowing them back on but that proved harder then she expected. Despite all the points she made to him, he showed zero concern about the oncoming Immortan Joe army or his interest in the wives. He was clearly a madman if he'd rather die fighting Joe then ride with them. It wasn't until she offered to help with that thing on his face that he – at gunpoint – let her and the wives back on. Unfortunately her plan B went down the drain when he confiscated all of her firearms.
The only weapon he didn't find was her hidden blade but it wasn't a plan at all. It was a last resort at best. Upon arriving at the canyon, Furiosa realized there was no easy why that she could get rid of the madman. The only option was to include him in her escape plan or all of them would die. But to her surprise, he followed her led and even handed her a shotgun. From that point it was a seamless transition from being enemies to allies working as one. But just as the battle going well, Splendid falls from the Rig. "She went under the wheels" he said. Furiosa knew he didn't say that just because he wanted to save his own skin. Something she learned about Max was that he's honest and upfront. He's a man of few words and mostly expresses himself through his actions.
There was no hidden meaning or ulterior motive. What you see is exactly what you get with him. Because of this she starts to feel at ease with his presence. An inexplicable bond forms between them that Furiosa has never felt with anyone, not even with any of the wives. That's because while she can relate to their pain and suffering and wanted nothing more than bring them to the green place, they couldn't truly relate to her. The wives had horrible things done to them but they never been forced make hard choices to survive. They never had to fight tooth and nail for food or water. They all have been oppressed but have never tasted desperation. It's only in Max that she sees a mirror – almost an exact reflection of herself.
The death of the green place is soul crushing, to come so far, to sacrifice so much for almost nothing. The best Furiosa and her long lost clan can come up with is to keep pressing on. She invites the mad man to come with but he refuses. She's not surprised but still feels sadden by his answer. She knows that she's chasing a dream but what was the alternative? But the next morning as they ride out, the mad man surprises her once again when he pulls up in front and stops the group then presents a new plan. She thought it was suicide but the others felt it could work. She didn't want to risk the freedom they fought so hard for only to lose it now but even freedom wasn't free.
But in the end he had been right. Max was right. Not only did she find redemption but also revenge at long last when she slain the Immortan Joe. Now she and the ex-wives live free, along with citizens of the Citadel. None of this would've been possible without his help. Though Furisoa didn't entirely understand why he chose to leave, she respected his decision. At the very least she owned him that much. Toast interrupts her thoughts by knocking on her door and notifying Furisoa of Max's return. Well speak of the devil. She walks out of her room with Toast and heads to the lift, feeling excited that she was going to see the madman once again.
Hope you enjoyed it so far, though I can't promise if they'll be a second part to this but who knows?