ShS – Hee, I got a review (from Philoworm) shortly after submitting chappie 6, so I felt inspired to write this. Heh, aren't you lucky to get 2 chappies in such short a time.
Kura – Enough chit chat, on with the fic!
Alexander – Hey, has anyone else noticed that ShS either uses Alex or Alexander for me, not sticking to one?!
ShS – Quiet minion, or you shall suffer the wrath of MAH INFLATABLE HAMMER OF DOOOOOOOOM!
Max – eep.

"Hey there bro, hope I'm not interrupting!" Zidane strolled into the room, followed by Alex and Trent who was leaning on Alex. It turns out that Trent gets sick from airships, as the party found out shortly after take-off. Alex(ander :P) had used his white magic to lessen the nausea, but couldn't affect the dizziness, so Trent had to be virtually carried.
"Trent! Are you okay? What happened?" Kura swept to her friends side and attaching herself to his arm. Trent looked down at her and managed a grin.
"Your dad's driving sucks," he replied, "don't ever ask him to drive an airship again." Zidane laughed.
"Hahaha, but you gotta admit, it was pretty good for a test run wasn't it?" He grinned at the dumbfounded Alex and Trent, and stretched his arms behind his head. "Well, I thought it was at least…"
"Father, you mean to say that that ship had never been flown before?" Alex asked with forced calmness. Zidane nodded, as both his children shook their heads at their father's recklessness. Kuja quietly laughed, bringing the rooms focus upon him.
"Dear Zidane, 'tis that attitude which nearly killed you, eighteen years ago (AN, that makes Alex and Kura 16, btw)," He said, covering his mouth with a delicate hand. Zidane scratched the back of his head.
"Heh, but we survived that, didn't we?" he grinned.
"Aye, that we did."
"It's been a while, Kuja."
"Yes, I do apologise for needing your help once more," Kuja inclined his head, "but I really do need to stay in contact with the outside world, for Max's sake in particular." His voice adopted a worried tone. Zidane nodded.
"Ah yes your son," he simply said. "Where is young Max?"

Max flung open his door, and slammed it behind him. "Damn it, wasting my time like that!" he growled and he stalked to his bed and flung himself on it. He grabbed his book he had been reading before Kura had dragged him away so that they could start work on 'Kuja and Max's Great Introduction!', named so by Kura. He opened once more to the photo of the lady with black hair.
"Kyra…" he whispered under his breath. His memories rose to the surface, ugly and dark, threatening to engulf him. He let himself be drawn into them, into the memories of days gone by...

"Hey, you have silver hair! That's cool," he heard a voice say from behind him. He whirled around to see a lady with long black hair, in plain breeches and shirt, with calf high boots. She was tall, around his height, and he was as tall as his father, and her eyes met his on the same level.
"…Yes," he replied.
"Hee, don't talk much do you?" she giggled, "or am I just talking too much for you?" Max blinked, rather astonished by her. He was travelling the forests near Treno, and was trying to stay out of human sight. The few he did see avoided him, calling him monster and throwing things after him. But this one, was not running away.
"Who are you, that you are not afraid of me?" he asked, confused as to her disposition.
"I'm Kyra," she smiled, "and why would I be afraid of you? Planning on killing me?" she laughed, throwing her hair back. Max smiled, and felt at peace, for the first time since he'd come here.
"My name is Max."

They had to part that day, but Max promised to come back. He never did go into Treno that day, which was his original intention, but returned home n high spirits. She was from a small village, Cheran, that was near Treno. Of his past, he said that he was from the Forgotten Continent, and had been raised by his father, mother having died in childbirth. Several times, they met, walking through the forest, and eventually moving into Treno. Max felt happier and happier in her presence, and the sight of her face lighting up when they met filled him with joy. He told Kuja of the lady who didn't fear him, and of how he …loved her, and his father smiled.
"I am sorry that these people called you monster, for that would be the result of my actions in the past. Even so, you should be careful with this lady, for she may be hurt for your involvement with her." The Max of the past scoffed at this.
"I shall fight them off! No one shall harm Kyra, for I shall protect her!"

The smoke stung his eyes, and turned the sky dark with its clouds. He ran into the village of Cheran, calling for Kyra. She had given him directions to her village and asked that he visit her there. He reached the village square, and saw Kyra bound to a stake there flames burning the large piles of wood at her feet. Her head lolled to one side, and she wasn't moving at all. Max stopped. No sound reached his ears, nor sight, but that of his Kyra … dying… because of him. His father words echoed in his head, "she may be hurt for your involvement with her…" The villagers now noted his presence.
"And hold! The silver demon himself comes for his damned princess, bride of demons!" they roared, surging towards him. There was no doubt that these people had known of Kuja, and mistaken Max for his father. Upon finding out that Kyra knew the boy well, they reacted violently, rejecting Kyra and taking drastic measures to hopefully drive the 'silver demon' away. He made no move to defend himself, and the crystal tears fell from his eyes at the sight of his Kyra. He held out a trembling hand to her, as the villagers drew closer. Finally, he saw them, and anger flared in his chest. He raised his hand above his head and cried, "BLIZZAGA!" Ice shot from his palm, past the villagers, and hit the flames near Kyra. The flames fizzled out quickly, then the ice turned to the buildings. Everything soon became coated in this slippery, magical, never melting ice. Forever winter. Max pushed through the stunned crowds, to his beloved. Releasing her from her bonds, he fled the village with her in his arms. He mounted his Golden Chocobo (Chipper), and fled to the Desert Palace. Once there, he ran to Kuja, begging his father to help. Kuja shook his head, saddened beyond words at his sons grief.
"I'm so truly sorry my Max, but not even I have the ability to bring life back." For Kyra had died during the flight, the smoke had already done its work in her lungs. Max's tears fell on her upturned, porcelain face, as he wept his heart out.

He remained in his room for several days, with the body of Kyra, refusing food, drink and condolences from his father. When at last he emerged, he was paler that paper, and his eyes were swollen from weeping. He could barely stand he was so weak. It wasn't until later that Kuja noticed. A room adjoined to Max's that hadn't been there before. Upon entering, he saw the giant crystalline structure. All colours of the rainbow and some not, played across its surface, and the face of Kyra. Max had spelling this tomb for her, so that neither decay nor predator could ever ravage her.

ShS- Hee, I would've finished this earlier, but I kept switching over to watch Naruto. Very small attention span :-D. And this is by far the saddest piece I've every written. (plus I submitted this one chapter 3 times, first 'cause the italics were gone, second 'cause I noted a few things wrong with what Max was saying, and third, because of the italics again... GRRRR!)
Kura – Indeed.
Trent – But Naruto is pretty cool.
ShS – (nods) Yes. But this is the quickest update since I started writing this fic. And the longest chappie (even if it is just important background for Max's behaviour). Hmmm, Naruto inspiration!
Alex –But there are no Ninja here...
Ninja appears and does that move where Naruto turns into that girl with all the floaty clouds around her
Everyone – O.o;
Ninja – Read and Review, and I'll move the clouds (wink)
Everyone – THIS IS T RATED!