A/N: OMG OMG OMG

That's what you must probably be thinking because for the first time since August...

I'VE ACTUALLY POSTED A NEW CHAPTER IN THIS STORY.

*GASP*

Now that you're over your shock, please read and review this new chapter. ARIGATO.

Marnaya found Max sitting on the bed and was surprised to see the depression in his eyes. She walked over and sat down next to him.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Max?"

Max's face turned into a scowl. "My favorite bookbag was burnt in that damn fire."

"Watch your mouth."

"The HELL?! You're tellin' ME to watch MY mouth?!" Max exclaimed with disbelief. Marnaya had to internally laugh. That was so like Max.

"Yeah. Uncle Keni will KILL me if he hears about the bad habits I've taught you. Anyway...just get a new one." Marnaya replied.

"My dad gave me that one." Max muttered. "It was special to me."

Marnaya frowned slightly. "Well...how about we hurry with this mission so can hurry up and ask Uncle Keni for a new one, huh?"

Max gave a little smile. "Sure. I'm up for that."

They were startled when they heard someone knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Marnaya called.

"It's Natsuri."

"Ugh." Max mumbled as Marnaya crossed the room to open the door. "It's her."

"What are you? Jealous?" Marnaya replied.

Max's cheeks turned slightly red. "N-NO! Of course not...why would I be?"

The older girl just rolled her eyes as she opened the door. Natsuri walked in, nodding at Marnaya and then glanced at Max, who did nothing to conceal his disapproval toward his cousin.

"Hi, Marnaya. Hi...uhhh." Natsuri frowned.

"The name is Max. Max Warner." the boy announced grandly, and Marnaya had to bite down on her lip to keep from laughing.

"Oh. Well, hello Max. My name is Natsuri." Natsuri replied and then turned toward Marnaya.

"Are you available?"

"What?" Marnaya asked. "Uhhh...yeah. I...I guess so."

"Then come with me!" Natsuri cheered, grabbing the other girl by the wrist and dragging her behind her. Max jumped up to follow but the Nourasian princess held her palm toward him and said, "No. You're not allowed to come."

Max obviously wanted to say something, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, Marnaya flashed him a look, one he'd seen many times, one that said if you say anything stupid and mean, you will regret it.

"We'll be back later!" Natsuri called to Max as she left the room quickly with Marnaya.

"Natsuri..." Marnaya said. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see."

Marnaya sighed as she was led by the Nourasian girl down the streets in the village. She had no idea where Natsuri intended to take her, but she didn't have any other choice but to follow at this point. Marnaya still couldn't help but take in the sights as Natsuri flew her past them. It had been a long time since she'd been here. In fact, she barely remembered the trip at all.

"Well, here we are!" Natsuri said, stopping so suddenly that Marnaya almost rammed into her.

Marnaya looked around herself, realizing where they were.

"This is...your mother's module."

"Yes."

Marnaya grew a little uneasy; she had an idea as to where this was heading. "Why are we here?"

"Well..." Natsuri began. "I was hoping you'd...teach me how to pilot."

This headed exactly where she feared it would.

"Well, I..." Marnaya calmly replied. "I'm not a good instructor...um..."

"Please?" Natsuri asked as she pouted. "I want to surprise my parents. I asked Matsye, but he said he was too busy."

Marnaya had been down this road before with Max; trying to teach him how to fly a star racer was like trying to get a Crog through the eye of a needle. But Natsuri wasn't like Max...

"Okay then." Marnaya sighed, giving into the Nourasian girl who beamed with delight.

"Yay!" she exclaimed and ran into the cock pit. Marnaya quietly followed behind her, pondering.

'I hope she's not as panicky as Max.'

Max couldn't erase the frown on his face. The words Marnaya had said still echoed in his ears.

'What are you? Jealous?'

If he was at all honest, he was jealous. From as far back as he could remember, he and Marnaya had been partners and, in a way, the best of friends. He guessed he could've made friends on his home planet of Epsilon, but when he was younger, it seemed Marnaya had no one when she was on her home world. Sure, she had her dad and Kezi and Garan, but it wasn't the same as having a friend near your own age.

Marnaya had never showed a whole lot of interest in getting attached to people though. Even when she first met him. Besides Jordan, Kezi, Garan, his dad, and now himself, she didn't seem to need or want anyone else in the universe.

But now that she was making new friends, he couldn't help but feel a little abandoned just now.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

Max sat up quickly as he heard the voice following the knocks. He recognized Matsye's voice. Slowly, he rose up and approached the door.

The Nourasian prince waited for a few moments, and was about to leave until he heard the doorknob jiggle. He turned around to see Max looking at him.

"Hey, Matsye."

"Hello" Matsye greeted him. "Is Marnaya here?"

"She's out."

Max suppressed a chuckle when he saw disapproval color Matsye's face.

"Where?"

"I have no idea. Some Natsuri came and dragged her away."

"That's my sister." Matsye groaned. "And she's always getting into trouble."

"Marnaya, too." Max shook his head in mock disappointment. "She doesn't know when to butt out."

"I've seen that in action already." Matse sighed before asking, "Are you Marnaya's little brother?"

"Puh-lease." Max grinned widely. "She's wishes she was the sister of someone as cool as me. We're cousins, actually. Name's Max."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Matsye."

The boys remained quiet for for a moment before Max broke the silence.

"You know, Matsye..."

"Hm?"

"The two of us could team up and look for them!"

"Oh. Well. I suppose we could do that." Matsye smiled; he was liking this kid better by the minute.

"Alright...Let's do this!" Max exclaimed, surprised at how much he like Matsye. Maybe it wasn't entirely jealousy; he just couldn't explain it, but something about that Natsuri girl gave him a bad feeling.

Max shut the door behind him and followed Matsye to his steed, in search of the two girls.

A/N: Hello, readers! It's the author here. Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've had severe writer's block for a while but I am trying to finish this and my other OSR fanfic.

This will be a while. And I'm sorry for the slow updates. But once I get my mind back on track expect more! :D

To be honest, I can't remember if Max and the Nourasian siblings have been introduced to each other yet. If they have, just let me know.

Basically in this chapter, it's like a GDO (Girls/Guys Day Out). I guess to kind of build relationships between the girls and the guys. Max gets jelly!

Thanks to Refrigerator-Burn and TheScoundrelCookie for ideas on relationship development between Marnaya and Natsuri... and TheScoundrelCookie for being supportive on all my projects (BTW I hope you write more in your FF Alternative Desires. Anyway, back to Marnaya. :D