Max and his friend, Buster, were currently walking back to Max's family's house from the part-time shelf stocking jobs they had.
Max had been trying his best to get a job where he was making more than seven dollars an hour for the twenty-hour a week job he currently had.
"What if I became like...an underwear model or something?" Max said curiously "Or maybe, I could model chew bones!" He continued, practically drooling at the thought, Buster shook his head.
"I don't think you could pull off underwear, man" He said, Buster was Max's best friend, and had been since the sixth grade. He was a golden retriever with just a little bit of white fur mixed in "And are there even bone models?" He asked
"There could be" Max replied happily "And I neeeedddd to be one!" He continued
"Sure ya do" Buster said as he and Max approached Max's driveway leading up to his very small and old yellow house.
The two dogs walked up the driveway together and to the front door that Max's sister, Toffee, had once again forgotten to lock on her way in.
Max knew that that annoyed their mother, so he wasn't going to say anything about it.
"Mom, I'm home!" Max called as he and Buster walked into the somewhat cramped house.
Max's mom, Dizzy, a hound, just like him, with mostly brown fur, but had a little bit of black and white mixed in, walked into the room.
"Hey, sweetheart, how was your day?" She asked Max
"It was good, momma" Max replied as he walked up to his mom and kissed her cheek, she let out a little laugh before noticing Buster
"Hello, Buster" She said in her usual kind hearted tone
"Hey, Mrs- *Loud car horn outside* " Buster greeted
"How have you been?" Dizzy asked
"I've been good, what about you?" Buster said curiously
"I've been hanging in there" Dizzy replied before letting out a little laugh
"That's good to hear" Buster said, Dizzy nodded
"You're welcome to stay for dinner if you'd like, I managed to scrounge up just enough money to get the stuff I need for spaghetti" She said
"I'd love to, thank you" Buster said
"Anytime, dear" Dizzy said "Max, go tell your sister her momma needs her in the kitchen" she continued, Max nodded
"Yes, mom" Max said before he and Buster headed down the hallway to Toffee's bedroom, Max knocked on her door before slightly opening it just enough to peek inside "Toffee, Mom needs you in the kitchen" he said, Toffee, who was lying on her bed reading a magazine looked at him.
"Ok, Max" she said before closing the magazine and climbing off of her bed.
Max and Buster headed two doors down to Max's bedroom, there wasn't much to it. A dresser with an old tv on it and a bed was pretty much the room.
They walked in the room and sat down on the bed, Max picked up the newspaper he had been scanning for jobs, earlier in the day, and started looking through it again.
Buster sat and looked around Max's pretty bare room...
"So, is your cable still out?" He asked, Max looked up
"Yeah, sometimes I turn the tv on and sit and watch the static" He replied "It's kinda fun imagining all of the little staticky pixels living normal lives like real people" he continued as he glanced at the tv, Buster didn't understand how Max would get enjoyment out of that, but knew he was easily entertained so he didn't question it.
"Sounds...fun" Buster said "So have you spotted any jobs that look interesting?" He asked
"What about a taste tester?" Max said curiously
"What do we have to taste?" Buster asked
"Motor oil" Max replied, Buster shook his head
"What, why would we- you know what...I'm not going to ask" He said "What else?" He asked
"Umm...clowns for a kids birthday parties!" Max exclaimed "That sounds fun!" He continued
"What's the pay?" Buster asked
"Fifty dollars each for each party we do" Max replied, Buster shook his head
"Pass, what else?" He asked
"The only other thing listed is workers for an...Escort Agency" Max replied "What's an escort?" He asked
"Uh...something we're not doing" Buster replied "So that's it?" He asked, Max nodded " *Sigh*, looks like these stocking jobs are going to have to do for now" he said
"I guess" Max said before setting the paper aside "I just wish...something would hit me...like...like...a sign of some kind" He continued
"Yeah, me too, Max" Buster said
As they sat there talking, there was a knock on Max's bedroom door.
"Come in" Max called, Toffee opened the door and peaked her head in
"Mom wanted me to tell you that we have to run to the store, we'll be back soon" Toffee said, Max nodded
"Ok" He said, Toffee nodded before closing the door back
"Dude, I still don't understand how you have such a good relationship with your sister" Buster started "I mean, I haven't talked to mine in three months" he continued
"That's not good" Max said "Family is the most important thing in the world" he continued
"Dude, that is so cliché" Buster said
"Not really" Max started "I mean- *Phone Rings* " he was saying before the loud rings of the phone interrupted him "I'm gonna go answer that" he said, Busted nodded
"Alright" He said, Max jumped up and made his way out to the living room where the phone was.
"Hello?" He said curiously as he answered it
"Yes, hello, is Dizzy there? This is her doctor" The person replied
"No, she went to out" Max replied "I'm her son, can I take a message?" He asked
"This is really important" The doctor replied
"I'll make sure I let her know what it is" Max replied
"Ok, her tests came back...and we found a trace of cancer in her breasts" The doctor replied, when they did, Max almost dropped the phone
"W-what?" He said in shock
"She needs to come see us right away, let her know we have set up an appointment for her, for tomorrow at two-fifteen" The doctor said, Max was too shocked to even say anything "We are so sorry" they continued, Max slowly moved the phone away from his ear and sat it back down before leaning up against the wall, still trying to process what he had just found out.
"Hey, who is-" Buster was saying as he walked in the room, before stopping "-What's wrong?" He asked when he saw the shocked look on Max's face
"It was my moms doctor..." Max started, before he could continue the front door opened and Toffee and Dizzy walked back in carrying a couple grocery bags
"Max we're- oh, you're already out here" Dizzy said in her usual happy tone "What's wrong?" She asked when she saw the look on Max's face
"Momma, your doctor called" Max started
"Oh, what did they say?" Dizzy asked
"T-they...said you have breast cancer" Max replied, Toffee dropped the bags she had and covered her mouth as a few tears quickly escaped her eyes.
Buster went wide eyed himself.
Dizzy looked down sadly...
"Well, that's not good" Dizzy said
"The doctor wants to see you at two-fifteen, tomorrow" Max said, Dizzy gave a single nod
"Mom, what did they say to you at the doctors when you went last week?" Toffee asked "Did you know you could possibly have-" she continued before stopping
"The doctor said it was a possibility" Dizzy replied
"Why didn't you tell us?" Toffee asked
"It was a possibility, I didn't want you two worrying and it not be anything" Dizzy replied
"Mom, you have breast cancer..." Toffee started as she chocked back tears "T-that's something to worry about" she continued
"I know it is, honey" Dizzy said before hugging her crying daughter, Max continued to stand there in silence as she did
"I am so sorry, Mrs. *Loud semi passes by the house* " Buster said, still in disbelief, himself.
"Thank you, Buster" Dizzy said
"M-momma *sniffles* do you think you're going to be ok?" Toffee asked, Dizzy looked down at her daughter, knowing that she might not be. But she couldn't tell her daughter that.
"I'm going to be fine, sweetheart" She said "I promise, everything will be ok" she continued, Toffee just nodded as she continued to hug her mom.
Buster looked over at Max who had a mixture of a shocked and a sad look on his face, he walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder.
"So, how about we get our minds off of this for now, and I'll go and get dinner started" Dizzy said as she leaned down and picked up the dropped grocery bags, she was trying so hard not to cry at that moment. She knew she had to be strong for her kids "How about you come help me, honey" she said to Toffee, Toffee nodded before the two dogs headed off into the kitchen.
After the two females left the room, a single tear finally escaped Max's eye.
"Hey, she'll be ok, dude" Buster said, Max finally looked at him
"Yeah, my mom is a strong dog" Max said confidently as he choked back some more tears, Buster nodded.
The rest of the night went on somewhat like it usually does, except the mood was a little more somber than usual.
Dizzy kept trying her best to lighten the situation for her kids, but it wasn't working.
Max's usual funny yet dimwitted attitude was just...gone.
Even Dizzy's spaghetti, which everyone loved, couldn't brighten up the mood any.
Eventually, night came. Buster decided to stay the night over at Max's to just kinda be there for him.
They went to bed, Max was still understandably worried about his mom.
And Dizzy was worried about how she was going to pay for treatment, she knew that her family couldn't afford it. She lay in bed, sighed, and finally let some tears run down her cheek at the thought of her children losing their mother like this.
The next day, Max's alarm went off like it usually does, to wake him up for work. He climbed out of bed, woke Buster up, climbed in the shower, got dressed, ate, breakfast...so, his usual routine.
On Buster and his way out the door though, they saw an envelope taped to it. Max grabbed the envelope and looked at it before opening it.
"What does it say?" Buster asked
"It's an eviction notice" Max replied, Buster went wide eyed
"You know what that means, right?" Buster asked
"It means, they're kicking us out..." Max replied before rushing back into the house "Mom!" He yelled as he rushed into the kitchen to find his mom and sister eating breakfast.
"What's wrong?" Dizzy asked when she saw the panicked look on her sons face, Max quickly handed the letter to his mother.
"It was stuck to the front door!" Max exclaimed, Dizzy read over the letter before closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head.
"Mom, what is it?" Toffee asked, Dizzy didn't say anything, Toffee reached over and grabbed the letter out of her hands before reading it "Why-" Was all Toffee said before stopping, crumpling the letter and throwing it across the kitchen "Why are they doing this to us?!" She yelled as more tears started rushing down her cheeks, Dizzy shook her head before once again hugging her crying daughter.
Max stood by the table looking down towards the floor, not knowing what to say. Buster was standing in the doorway watching, feeling as bad as he could for Max and his family.
Dizzy looked up at her son, who was still standing by the table before taking one of his paws.
"It'll be ok, honey" She said "Go off to work, we'll get all of this figured out" she continued, Max slowly nodded, Dizzy gave him the best smile she could "Good" she finished.
Max turned and started walking back towards the doorway when he stopped and turned back towards his mom.
"I love you, momma" Max said, she smiled at him
"I love you too, Maxy" She said, Max gave her a small smile of his own before he and Buster once again headed out of the house.
Most of the walk to the store they worked at was silent, until Buster finally decided to say something.
"I'm sorry about everything, Max" he said "You guys'll get through all of this, I know it" he continued as he patted Max on the shoulder, Max turned to him and nodded.
"We're going to be like those people, that everyone talks about" Max started "Having a million things go wrong, but they get passed all of it and become famous!" He continued, Buster let out a little chuckle and nod.
"That's the spirit" He said just as they arrived to work "Well, you ready to stock shelves the next few hours?" He asked, Max nodded.
"Yep" He replied as he and Buster headed inside.
After they clocked in, they both immediately got to work stocking the shelves with all the new merchandise they had revived.
They were both working for almost an hour when the manager walked out...
"Hey, Max, I need to see you in my office" He said, Max nodded before setting the last pack of toilet paper on the shelf and heading towards the managers office.
Buster had caught glimpse of it and was really hoping that he was going to get a promotion or something, because he knew Max was one hard worker.
Once Max got to the office he walked in and the manger, who had been waiting by the door, shut it behind him.
"You needed to see me, sir?" Max asked, the manager nodded as he made his way back over to his desk.
"I did" He said "Now Max, you know sometimes business get low on funds and they don't have enough funds to keep paying all of their employees so they have to let some go" he continued, Max nodded "Max, you are a hard worker and I appreciate that, but the company is very low on funds right now...so we're going to have to let you go" he finished
"L-let me go?" Max said curiously
"Yes, I'm very sorry" The manager said
"B-but sir, I'm always on time, I do my work, I-" Max started before being interrupted
"I know you do, that's why it pains me to have to do this" The manager said "But I'm sure you can easily get a job elsewhere, any of these businesses would be incredibly lucky to have you as an employee" he continued
"B-but I need this job" Max said "My moms sick, and they're going to kick us out of our house!" He continued "I have to pay bills, please don't do this!" He pleaded
"I am sorry" The manager said "You will revive your final paycheck in the mail" he continued, Max looked at him before looking down and shaking his head "I hope everything works out for you and your family" he finished, Max looked up at him before standing up and walking out of the office.
Once he got outside the door he stopped and leaned against it, as he continued to try and hold back tears.
"Hey, Max, what happened?" He heard a voice ask, he looked up and saw Buster walking up.
"I-I just got fired" Max replied, surprising Buster
"What! Why?" Buster asked
"They don't have money to pay me" Max replied
"What do you mean?" Buster asked
"They manager said the company is poor and they can't pay all of their employees so they had to let me go" Max said, Buster shook his head.
"Max, bro, I'm so sorry" Buster said, Max nodded before walking passed him with his head down "Max, I'll be by when I get off" he continued
"Ok" Max replied sadly as he walked towards the exit, still looking at the floor.
As he walked outside, to the now grayish sky, and the heavy wind blowing. He walked down the sidewalk alone.
No job, no income, soon to be no place for his family to live, and maybe...no mom.
The tears that Max had been fighting to keep in for the last day were finally starting to escape, as they rolled down his cheeks.
He was trying so hard to help his family, but it just wasn't working. That was the moment he started feeling like he let both his mother and his sister down.
As he continued to walk with tears streaming down his face, a loud burst of thunder was heard and rain started pouring from the sky.
As the rain fell, it drenched the already miserable dog.
Max didn't seem to let it bother him too much, as he continued to walk the same pace he was before. The soaked clothes and drenched fur didn't seem to hold him back any.
He continued to walk until a piece of paper flew and stuck itself to his face, Max grabbed the paper and was getting ready to throw it into a nearby trash can, when he decided to read it.
(Total Drama Fazbear!
Do you want to be a millionaire?! Sign up now for a chance to join twenty three other competitors in heated competition for the opportunity to walk away with a one million dollar grand prize!
Film a one minute audition video telling us why we should pick you for competition and submit it to TotalDramaFazbear*dot*com!
*Must be between the ages of 18 and 22 to participate* )
Max stood there staring at the advertisement before smiling a huge smile and taking off running full speed back to his house.
When he got there, he burst through the door soaked clothes and all and rushed into his room to find his family's old camera.
Once he found it in the back of one of his dresser drawers, he sat it up on his dresser, changed into some dry clothes, and pressed play.
"Hi, I'm Max, and I want to compete in Total Drama Fazbear-"
And there's chapter one of the Total Drama spinoff series!
Yep, I know this strays far away from how Total Drama Fazbear/Showdown is, but everyone needs their own unique and somewhat possible backstory. And this is Max's, undoubtedly one of the most popular charters in the series.
And I would just like to mention that both Toffee and Dizzy are the actual names of Max's actual mom and sister, and again, Dizzy isn't really sick.
So, I don't know how well this series is going to do, but I'm going to try my hardest to make each chapter just as entertaining as the one before.
The chapters will possibly come out every Friday, in Total Drama Showdowns previous three o'clock time slot, but the chapters won't be anywhere near as long as Showdowns chapters were.
Also, just published another TDA/TDS inspired poll on my profile! Check it out and vote for which SEVEN competitors you were least impressed with this season! Because hey, you never know if it might play into something?
