Mad Max: Road to Salvation

Episode 13: Stranger things

[JP922: That's a bit harsh and no, an associate if you will.]

[Guest 1: Kind of.]

[Review dude: I guess you could say Max is going soft and decided to show restraint, and only time will tell if something will come of that one night stand.]

[Clearwingyuta: Thank you.]

[6 finger: maybe eventually down the road.]

[Guest 2: Afraid not, no crafty lizard, but rather a sneaky kitty cat.]

[Guest 3: He will and we shall get there but it's long road between here and there.]

[EnriksD8: Well thanks, and yeah it was a dick move on Qrow's part, and there's something special planned for that particular event.]

[Guest 4: you'll see.]

"Call Ozpin." Max answered Qrow's question.

"So, you're in then?" Qrow leaned over towards Max with an eyebrow raised.

"I want to discuss this, and if I agree, we do it my way." Max said after he took another drink.

"Alright, I'll let him know. But first I need your real name buddy, if we're going to work together that's how it has to be." Qrow gave Max an ultimatum and leaned back in on the bar again.

"No, that's not the deal." Max refused.

"Not this time pal, need your name. Otherwise this isn't going to work out for either of us." Qrow stood his ground on the matter.

"Fine, … it's Max, my name is Max Rockatansky." Max sighed and with much reluctance allowed Qrow to know his true full name. The road warrior took another long drink from his glass and slammed it down on the counter.

"It's about damn time, nice to meet ya Maxxy." Qrow extended his hand to Max for a hand shake.

"This does not mean we're friends, and don't call me that." Max said in annoyance and glared at Qrow, refusing to shake his hand.

"Sheesh, I know you've had a raw deal but all I'm trying to do here is have a friendly conversation." Qrow backed off and threw an annoyed look at Max.

"Get me in contact with Ozpin, then the real discussion begins. Otherwise our business here is done Qrow." Max stood up from the bar stool and made for the door.

"If it's not too much to ask, could you make my life easier and just stick around Ashford until then, ok?" Qrow cracked his neck griped.

"Fine, come on Mari, back to the vehicles." Max grunted to his lovely fox faunas compatriot.

"Alright Maxxy boy." Mari chuckled as she got up from her seat and followed Max out the door that they came in through earlier.

"Don't call me that, ever again." Max growled as he opened the door and walked outsider to the street.

"Whatever you say killer."

"Grr." Max growled in annoyance as the two of them returned to the vehicles. The two of them walked along casually with the road warrior receiving a few stares and signs of recognition along the way. Then when they reached the alleyway, the same pair of unwelcome eyes observed them again, Max felt his sixth sense flare up and fired his guns the unwanted observer. Max heard a yelp of pain come from the direction of his shots. A familiar and un-friendly cat faunas fell from the perch where she had been observing her targets. Blake recovered and use her shadow clones to avoid Max's charge. She tried to get behind him to take him down.

Max saw that coming and backhanded her, knocking her away. She landed in a roll and ran at Max again, taking to the air. Max ducked and fired his guns sending her flying straight up and stunning her. She fell down towards Max, he reacted quickly while she was stunned, grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her against a brick wall. She kicked him in the face hard, causing him be blinded briefly and let her go. She swung gambol shroud at him only for it to be grabbed and yanked violently pulling her with it. Max threw a haymaker as she flew towards him, slamming her to the ground and leaving a Blake shaped depression in the ground.

Blake shook it off and rolled away as Max's fist collided with the ground. She kicked his feet out from under him and grabbed gambol shroud to try stabbing him. Max barely avoided getting stuck by the sword and gut punched his attacker, winding her severely. Max jumped to his feet and swung his good leg at Blake's side. Max was proving to her he is definitely an expert in doling out serious amounts of unrelenting pain. He held her by the throat, choking her slightly he tightened his grip ever so slowly. Blake tried to talk but it was so hard to breathe and she felt a bit frightened from looking a death walker straight in the eyes.

"You…" Max trailed off as he narrowed his eyes at Blake, almost as if he was staring straight into her soul.

"Hrk, *Cough* let *Gasp* Me *choke* go." Blake tried to speak as Max's grip tightened around her wind pipe.

"Well, well, the little kitten who hangs out with that horn headed asshole. Tsk, tsk, I thought you were smarter than that kitty cat." Mari shook her head at the teenager.

"You know her?" Max turned his slightly in Mari's direction.

"Only through the grapevine from Krel. This naughty little kitty is Blake Belladonna, the daughter of the white fang's old boss Ghira. But that was back when they were about being peaceful though, now it's khan. She's got a real death-wish if she wants to pick a fight with tough S.O.B.s like us. So, little kitty, spin us the yarn of why you're here, or else." Mari sad to max and then glared at the young cat faunas.

"Or else what?" Blake choked out in spite.

"He gets mad. Right Max?" Mari looked to max who twisted his face in anger.

"You just said my name in front of the enemy!" Max shouted at Mari without taking his eyes off of Blake.

"Ooh, whoops. Sorry Max." Mari said with a sweat drop on her face. The road warrior sighed and rolled his eyes, loosening his grip on Blake's throat to let her talk.

"Why are you working with this human against your own kind? And you, why do you have a faunas child with you?! Did you kidnap her?!" Blake shouted at max before he nearly crushed her windpipe in anger.

"Hold on big guy, don't kill her. We still need her to talk first." Mari stayed max's hand. "Good Max. as for you kitten, we are the ones asking the questions here, so either shut up or spill it already." Mari said casually with her arms crossed over her chest in a sultry manner.

"How can you let him treat me like this?!" Blake shouted indignantly.

"No, no, we ask, not you. But if you must know, you came after us. So, as far as this case goes, it's self-defense. Plus, you're a terrorist punk who thinks murdering innocents is what causes the change you want. Especially that horn head you work with who felt that torturing my bear friend was fun." Mari lectured the insolent child on how the world works from her point of view.

"This is self-defense to you?!" Blake was in shock as she looked Mari in her eyes.

"I suppose this is really dealing with a pest, a pest who has to be taught a serious lesson. Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop young lady? Besides, I hate the white fang with good reason, so whatever romanticizing they have done with you, is a lie." Mari schooled Blake. That stirred some thoughts within Blake's mind.

"I'm just a pest to you?!" Blake shouted in unwelcome surprise.

"To me yes, him… well you're a threat, and he's got a little adopted daughter to look after. How do you think a parent deals with a potential threat to their child young one, him especially? Violently of course, I know I'd do the same to protect my family." Mari shrugged as she explained the ways of protective grown-ups to the cat girl. Blake was done with this and started thinking of a way out of her predicament. She looked at the angry man holding her, and under her mask she bore a look of fear. She knew she couldn't bite his hand due to the spiked leather glove. Finally, Blake accepted and decided to play along until a way out came along.

"If you answer my questions, I'll answer yours." Blake conceded.

"Not an-" Mari started to say until Max cut her off.

"Fine." Max said firmly.

"The little girl I saw before, who is she to you?" Blake asked Max

"… I… she…" Max was at loss for words. This stuttering left Blake with slightly different impression of him, perhaps he really is just a protective parent.

"She's his everything. Now it's your turn punk." Mari answered for him.

"*sigh* I came here to learn more about you and now I have." Blake replied and Max loosened his grip letting her fall to the floor.

"Never come after me or anywhere near us again, or I will beat you to within an inch of your pathetic excuse for a would be short and wasted life. Mari come on we have to go." Max said coldly to Blake and then ordered to his foxy female associate. Blake summoned some nerve and glared at the man who walked through the shadow of the valley of death. She had to know, nothing would dissuade her from the answers of whether or not he was just another bigot or decent person.

"You got it boss man." Mari said as she followed Max.

"Wait, is it true? Do you really think the world of that girl? Can you even tell me her name?" Blake used her summoned courage to ask the road warrior, who briefly stopped in his tracks to answer her.

"Her name is Anya, and I do." Max said before continuing his walk with Mari back to the convoy. Blake rose up from the ground and dusted herself off. She ran up the wall to the rooftops to make her way back to her fellow white fang members. It was clear she did not want to piss that man off, otherwise he'd do much worse than kill her, that would come last. She reasoned to herself that no one should, otherwise they'll end up roadkill. If he could take her down that fast, then how would Adam fare any better against him? It didn't make sense to her, how could humans be the enemy if he, a human, would work with so closely with a faunas, and so furiously protect a little faunas girl like he said he was doing. She pondered the matter in her head as she ran across the rooftops. If the little faunas girl she saw truly meant that much to him, then evidence was starting to mount to the contrary of what she believed. He could have killed her, and it wouldn't have bothered him at all. She could tell and perhaps it was coming time for her to start asking questions of her brothers and sisters of the white fang.

Back with Max and Mari, the road warrior was not happy with Mari giving away sensitive information to the enemy so carelessly. The foxy fox apologized up and down to her angry associate over and over. They returned to the cars and Max took some much-needed rest in the interceptor. He had a lot of things on his mind and needed to clear his head. He couldn't go anywhere so sleep was the best option. Bruz was working on the car while Max dozed and Anya played with Dinki-di. Then she met with Daniel who after timidly saying hi joined in the fun with her. They were just being kids, with Amy and Mari watching over them like two mother hens. Krel was busy working with his gun hammer so he wanted to be left alone for a little while too. It seemed like they were all getting busy being one big happy family.

Max began to dream to himself, in this dream he saw memories of better times. His days as a cop, his wife and infant son, all before it was taken from him by the psychotic bikers on whom he wreaked his vengeance. Max felt it, that familiar warm feeling when Anya appeared in his dream singing her little songs to him. but then his pleasant dream began to darken, he then saw the dreamscape change to one of darkness and misery. A female figure of pure evil made its presence known in his mind.

"It will be destroyed and I shall be the one to destroy the light." The dark figure chuckled sinisterly.

"No, I won't ever let that happen! Hear me daemon, I as long as I'm still breathing, it will never happen again! Not you, not the white fang, no one will take it away from me! Do you hear me?!" Max shouted as he grabbed his guns and fired at his enemy. The dark queen's eyes glowed red in ire as she turned to face the furious mortal.

"Who might you be mortal?" She said with venom in her voice, every syllable laced with poison.

"Your worst nightmare…" Max trailed off as a ghostly white aura began to surround him and his soul manifested with a burst of righteous and unrestrained fury.

"Do you really think you stand a chance mortal? This farce is hardly even an annoyance." Salem scoffed and narrowed her eyes, that was when Max awoke from his dream several hours after he had gone to sleep. He looked around vigorously and breathed a sigh of relief. Max saw Mari acting out a story of hers to entertain the others with the help of Bruz. The hyena faunas, was clearly not enjoying it that much, Max could tell. Anya, Daniel, and Krel were enjoying it rather well. He got up and went over to Amy who was sitting on the opposite side of the fire. Am noticed the road warrior sit down next to her and scooted up next to him to talk.

"You know...Max was it? That's your name, from what Mari told me right?" Amy tried to strike a conversation with him, but didn't say a word as he just stared. "I just want to say, thank you for saving us."

"I don't need your thanks. I did what I had to." Max said stoically as he turned his head and watched the play acting in front of him.

"Well, what you did, Mari and I appreciate it." Amy said warmly, Max said nothing as he continued watching the show Mari put on while faking beating up Bruz who was not happy about the situation.

"You know... I can feel sadness from you and so much rage." Amy gave her impression of him. Max scoffed, having heard that all before. "But I can feel there's some goodness in you, deep down, and slowly it's fighting its way to the surface."

"What makes you say that." Max raised an eyebrow.

"From the videos I've seen, the first time you made yourself known, you were cold, brutal, and heartless. No emotions on your face. But as I see, you seemed to be, well, almost at peace. Or at least have found something to ground you." Amy said as she looked to max, whose gaze was on Anya, as she was laughing at Mari "faked" tiger suplexing Bruz. Max didn't say anything at first, the thought that Anya being his ground in reality was something that seemed to be stuck with him. He could feel now that madness and hatred of the wasteland he once called home slowly fading away.

"You really think so?" Max said after a short span of silence. Amy smiled, and to max it seemed to be one of pure happiness.

"I like to think so. You could have left us to die with our white fang pursuers, but instead you came and saved us. That gives you a plus in my book Max." Amy said to Max with a calm and warming smile.

"So, what's the deal with...you do realize that..." Max decided to be more personable for once.

"What, that I'm married to a Faunus? Yes, I can see the obvious. And well aware of the dangers from both Human and Faunus alike who view us. Losing my home just recently being an example, and my father not being really happy about it. But my mother likes her so that's a plus." Amy answered Max's question with slight annoyance before just going back to being her calm self. Max nodded his head in silence. "But I don't care, as long as I have her, and Daniel, I am happy."

"So how did you two meet each other?" Max asked her with slight curiosity.

"I was coming home from working at a local clinic, I was passing by a bar when one of the more drunk patrons inside was thrown out. I tried to get a look at his head as he took a nasty fall when he... well let's say he tried to take advantage of me, and I couldn't really do anything as he was more well-built than me. But then one of the other patrons inside heard my cries for help and came out. And the next thing I know the guy had a boot connected to the side of his head as Mari kicked him in the face and he went flying down the ally. After I tended to his head wound and gave him a couple of pain relievers he was well on his way...in a hurry. After that I asked Mari if there was anything I could do for her and what she told me was..." Amy explained the ordeal and then trailed off into a flashback.

"Mind if I can...crash at your place? I just go evicted from my apartment and it will just only be for the night! I'll be on my way as soon as the sun rises and I'll be out of your hair." Mari asked her soon to be wife.

"I was, skeptical at first, but I couldn't have refused, so I let her stay the night. After that she was true on her word and left the next day, but I ended up seeing her again when she came in to the clinic after tussling with a whole Den of Beowolves and a Nevermore. She was so flustered when we met again, and tried to play off the fact that she was this total bad ass, all as I was applying some bandages to her arm. After that we became friends, and then we dated for two years. And then she proposed to me under the broken moonlight, it was so romantic and she was so adorable as she tried, and almost failed, to pull the ring box out. After that we got hitched and have happily been married for almost 4 years." Amy told max the whole story of her life.

"And Daniel?" Max asked.

"A happy accident I had prior to meeting Mari. To be honest I had bad luck with relationships prior to her, one year I went through 6 boyfriends and 3 girlfriends. None working out. And then I met this guy, it was during after a break up for the 9th time and I was getting hammered. This guy, charming and handsome, stubble beard, was also a huntsman. Last thing I remember was a very passionate night... but then he left before I woke up...and that's how Daniel came into my life. And I regret nothing as he was the second-best thing to happen to me. I don't know what I would do without the two of them." Amy answered Max's question.

Max is in deep thought as he is reminded of his own family that he lost, and how happy he was back then till that day. "Then keep them close, guard them with everything you have. Or you may end up like me."

Amy looked to Max with a sad expression as she put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't immediately shrug it off. "Trust me Mari would do everything in her power to prevent something from happening to us, and I the same. But also, we have you and Krel to look after us, and I have a feeling you would do everything in your power to prevent harm to not just your own family but us as well." Max nodded, and looked back as Mari wrapped up her story, Bruz stretching his back with several obvious pops heard. The look on Anya's face as she was smiling whit Dinki-di next to her. He couldn't help but do something he hadn't done in years. He cracked a small warm smile of hope.

-END CHAPTER-