Max stared blankly at the page in front of him, he re adjusted himself in his seat, tapped his pen then finally sighed and gave up. He got up and wandered out of his room and into his dads shop.

"Hey Maxie, what's up?" his dad looked up from some paper work.

Max shrugged, "not a lot"

"done your homework yet?"

"most of it" Said Max sounding bored.

His dad smiled at him, "well mate why don't you go out this afternoon?"

"There's nothing to do" complained Max.

"why don't you visit your friends? You haven't seen Tyson in ages"

Once again Max shrugged, "I dunno, he hasn't come to school either."

"Then off you go and take him some homework to do"

"Yeah maybe" Max slinked off to his room.

He found all the work he'd been collecting for Tyson but had been too chicken to actually deliver. While trying to pull his backpack down from the top of his wardrobe a box of photos fell down on his head.

"This isn't my day" groaned Max as he started cleaning them up. But as he did so he remembered why he'd packed them away. They were all so sad. The ones of when his mum# and dad were together, ones of him with his friends in the USA that he had to leave behind and worst of all was the ones of his team. He couldn't stand to look at the pictures with everyone smiling, laughing, winning. Max found himself crying. He hated Rei! Rei had left them all alone with no chance of ever coming back. He missed Tyson and Kai and Kenny. How could Rei do this? He hated Tyson too. Tyson had just abandoned him, when he needed his friends the most. Max knew Tyson was upset about Rei's death but so was he! He was still here and all alone! In his anger Max sat down and pulled out some paper and started to write Tyson a letter.

Hey Tyson, I know you're upset about Rei and everything but get over it. We're all upset about it. We all miss him. But ya know what, I'm still here! You're best friend is still here! So just do whatever you want. Max.

He put the letter in his bag. He hated Kai too. Kai had been at the funeral but didn't say a word, he didn't even cry! Kai didn't have a civil word to say to any of his team mates, just when they needed his advice and strength the most he leaves them! Proof that all he ever wanted was victory, not friendship. And finally Kenny. Kenny went to school and acted as if everything was fine but it wasn't! It wasn't fine! Their friend was dead, Tyson wasn't there, they didn't train everything was screwed up! He looked down at the photos and suddenly threw the box across his room. It made a loud thud.

"Maxie, everything ok in there mate?"

Max took a deep breath to steady his voice, "yeah fine dad, I just dropped something"

"alright, I'm getting pizza for lunch, want some?"

"Nah I'm going out" replied Max shoving something into his back pack and making for the door.

"Ok, be home by dinner got it?"

"yeah, yeah"

Once outside Max just walked in the general direction of Tyson's mums house. He stomped as he walked, he let out all of his frustration on the ground. Besides it was all the grounds fault somehow too. He held onto that feeling of anger and every time he felt it slipping away he reminded himself of the loneliness that once again consumed his day.

"If they weren't gonna stick around they should have just left me be in the first place" he growled to himself, "that way I wouldn't feel so bad now!"

Finally he arrived at Tyson's new abode. He pulled out the letter and homework and shoved it in the letter box but he was spotted.

"Max? oh it is you" Tyson's mother smiled maternally at him.

"Hello Ma'am" muttered Max.

"have you seen Ty?" she asked. Max just shook his head. "Oh" she sighed, "hows everything with you?" she really meant 'how are you dealing with Reis death?'. That's what everyone meant when they asked him how he was. He hated all that stupid pretence.

"fine" he growled, "can you give this to Tyson?"

Tyson's mother looked a bit taken back, "uh sure thing sweetie, you might be able to catch him at his grandfathers"

"good bye" Max turned and walked out.

"ah do drop by again" she attempted to be cheerful.

Max almost ran, he wanted to get away because he could feel the tears prickling his eyes. When he stopped running he was at the graveyard. He walked in and found Rei's tombstone. He sat down and leaned against it and wept. It'd been weeks since it had happened but the thought of it all still made him cry. In his heart he knew he always would. When Rei died he took everything with him. The times that had once been the best were just painful reminders that everything was lost. Everythign he had gained since coming to this country. Every single good time had been with Rei and the others.

"Did they mean nothing to you Rei? Were they just something to fill your time? Did you hate us that much that you wanted us to suffer like this? Well ya know what? I hate you Rei" he yelled at the stone, "I always will! Until the day I die and if we meet in another life I'll still hate you!"

AN: as far as I know they never actually say where he lives so I've just made it this way. Correct me if I'm wrong.

#I am Autralian so spell mum well with a 'u'. I know the show is American but ya know what I don't care. Aussies spelling is just as legitimate as American so if you have a problem with it go to hell. Hmmm…better stop before I start ranting on how everyone looks down on Aussies…..

ok so I know the likely hood of him being buried in Ty and Maxs home town are slim. In your minds your thinking 'um why isn't he buried in China where he was born and his family lives?' my answer? They accepted that Rei was happiest there besides it would have been a lot of work to get his body taken to China and his family believe now the soul is gone the body is nothing. Have a probleme? Let me know!

Max is dealing with this completely different to Tyson. He's shifting all his sadness and guilt into anger at everyone. Lets not be too harsh on him, it's just his way of dealing. I'm sure with time he might get over it. Or maybe not?

Better say: This is dedicated to Lamanth as she is the one whos lovely review convinced me to continue this. Also to my sister who is in the background at the moment driving me insane! Heh heh!