Chapter 8: Long Live
"Don't go easy on me Seifer, don't hold back." She growled.
"Oh I won't, cutie." He smirked and she rolled her eyes at this.
"Whatever, jerk!" She huffed and they started to fight. It was just like when Max fought Seifer for the first time, but the blonde haired jerk was much stronger than before.
He swung his weapon at her and she stepped back a few steps. Her eyes widened and filled his tears as she felt that pain in her ankle again. Roxas furrowed his eyebrows at this; what was wrong with her?
"Maximum, Maximum, Maximum!" Girls started cheering and she shook her head.
'No, I'm not going to give up!" She composed herself and started fighting again. All the cheers she got, from the girls, her friends and Roxas made her stronger. Seifer was crouching on his knee catching her breath and she groaned with pain. She placed her hand onto her ankle and tears fell down her cheeks.
'Her ankle, it still hurts!' Roxas gasped. Roughly, she wiped her tears away and ran towards Seifer. Then there was a thud; Seifer was defeated.
The armour shop's owner took Max's arm and raised it. "The winner and finalist, Maximum!" She smiled at the audience and waved. Her friends were cheering for her and Roxas smiled at her, sadly. He knew that she lied, because he didn't want to worry about her. Just as Max went down the steps, her ankle hurt her so much that she fell onto the ground.
The judges, armour shop's owner, Hayner, Olette, Pence and Roxas rushed to her. Max held onto her ankle and the tears kept on falling down her cheeks as she groaned with pain. "Maximum, are you okay?" Olette asked and Roxas kneeled to the ground.
"Max, your ankle, it's still hurting isn't it?" He asked.
"What's happening?" The main judge asked.
"I fell yesterday and injured my ankle." Two of the medics helped her up. "Am I going to be able to participate in the final?" She asked.
"They'll check your ankle and confirm it; the medical room is just around the corner." The said. Roxas hugged her, wrapping his arms around her and she hugged him back.
"I'm sorry I lied, I didn't want to worry you." He shook his head.
"That doesn't matter now." He whispered and she pecked his lips.
"Good luck." She smiled at him and the two medics helped her walk off.
'I love you Roxy...' She thought.
'I love you Maxie...'
"Setzeeeeeer!" Girls sang and both Roxas and the champion got onto the stage.
"Alright you two, play fair now." The judge said and left. Setzer and Roxas face each other and the silver haired young man smirked.
"Hey Rucksack, how 'bout we make a deal?" The blonde haired boy glared at him.
"If you lose and I win, I'll give you money and fame. But you'll only have to give up one thing. One thing that is precious to you. I want her all to myself; Maximum..." Her name echoed into Roxas mind.
"You'll have girls whose beauty matches hers begging for you, I'll make that happen. I want Max, I want her all to myself, and I want everything of her...especially that beautiful body of hers..." His anger and temper reached his limit and Roxas roared.
"NO WAY IN HELL!" His weapon was a few inches away from his face.
"Fine, you'll have to be learn the hard way. Whatever you think is right, you're wrong and that is a big mistake!" Roxas started fighting him. People cheered for Roxas and others cheered for Setzer. But what the blonde haired boy wanted was to hear Max cheering for him. Her face made him fight even more.
~
"Does it hurt?" The medic asked as he pressed down on it.
"No, it doesn't."
"Hmmm..." The other medic took off the pack of ice on her ankle.
"I think that you can still participate, but be careful." The man said and she smiled at him with a nod.
"I will."
"Are you able to walk?" A woman asked and she nodded with a grin.
"Yes." She got onto the ground and carefully started walking. She walked to where the Struggle was going on and met up with Hayner, Pence and Olette.
"Hey guys." She said.
"Max how is your ankle?" Pence asked.
"It's okay, I'm able to participate, but I have to be very careful." She answered and she turned to the fight. "So, who's winning?" She asked.
"Unfortunately, Setzer is." Olette mumbled.
"Come on Roxas, you can win it!" Max cheered and Roxas turned his head to her. She smiled at him and blew him a kiss. "Focus!" The blonde haired boy turned around and just about blocked Setzer's Struggle Sword. Now, Max and his friends were his strength as he fought his opponent.
Finally the fight finished and the judge raised Roxas' arm in the air. "The winner and finalist, Roxas!" The crowd went wild and the redhead grinned with tears in her eyes. Olette, Hayner, Pence and Max ran to Roxas.
"Congrats Roxas!" Olette said.
"You did it!" Pence smiled.
"You made the finals, now you're facing..." Hayner said and they finally realised what was going to happen.
"So the finals are going to be the underdog hero Roxas against the inspirational Maximum." They all started cheering but Max and Roxas stared at each other. They didn't know what to say to each other. The red haired girl walked up to him and tried to smile.
"Just, don't go easy on me 'cuz you love me and my ankle's okay now. Okay?" She held his hands and he smiled at her. Their friends left the stage.
"Just please don't kill me, Maxie." He mumbled and she giggled at this.
"I might have to think about that." She winked at him with a smirk and they took the struggle swords.
"Okay, ready?" They both nodded. "Let's STRUGGLE!" The judge yelled and the crowd went wild. Roxas swung his Struggle Sword at her and she blocked it. She swung her weapon at him and his weapon released from hers.
They started fighting and so half the girls cheered for Max and the other half sang for Roxas; his fan girls. This made the red haired teen a tad bit annoyed as she pushed Roxas with her Struggle Sword. He composed himself and ran in with the blue weapon. She just about blocked the attack and stared (glared) into those sapphire blue eyes. She was panting and grinded her teeth together. He pushed her away and he stepped back.
She felt that sharp stabbing pain in her ankle again and gripped onto the weapon but didn't show that she was in pain. He swung his Struggle Sword and it made a hard impact with her shoulder. She fell to her knees and gripped onto her shoulder. It felt burned and ached. What made it worse was that it was her right shoulder.
She looked at him with a smile as the tears fell down her cheeks. Suddenly, everyone started yelling Roxas name.
"ROXAS, ROXAS, ROXAS, ROXAS!" Olette, Hayner and Pence ran up to the said golden haired boy.
"You did it!" Olette smiled.
"That was awesome!" Pence gave him the thumbs up. She walked up to him and smiled at him.
"The person, who won, deserved it. Congratulations Roxy." She giggled and Roxas stared at her dreamily.
"Uh earth to Roxas." Hayner poked him and the judge came. He gave Roxas a belt, and the blonde haired boy showed it around. People cheered his name and girls nearly fainted very much to her annoyance.
"And we even want to present this to Max, the first female to participate in the Struggle. Even if you didn't win, you are an inspiration to other girls. You will never be forgotten!" The judge gave her a bracelet with six charms, a Struggle Bat, the four crystals which were on the Struggle Trophy (blue, green, yellow and red) and a star on it. Instantly, the red haired teen wore it. She looked up at the judge with a smile.
"Thank you so much." The judge rustled her hair and she laughed at this.
"~Roxas~" A group of girl swooned, giggled and sang.
"Just who do they think they are?" Max muttered murderously and Olette sweat dropped at this.
"Fan girls." She answered and she showed them the fist. Just as the girl was about to lose her temper, start swearing and kill the living crap out of them, a pair of arms made their way around her neck. Roxas pulled her closer to him and spun her around.
His lips were on hers and kissed her. The kiss was passion, enticing and hot. When she heard the 'fan girls' cry she smirked and kissed back. Shortly she pulled away and carried on. She shook her fist at them with the biggest and most devious smirk on her face.
"Yeah, he loves me. So back off, or else I won't hesitate to participate in a Struggle with all of you and kick your asses!" Hayner, Olette and Pence sweat dropped and laughed nervously at this. But Roxas face palmed and shook his head; Oh brother...
~
Clock Tower...
Pence, Hayner, Olette, Maximum, and Roxas sat on the Clock Tower staring into the distance. The red haired teen had a bandage around her purple-blue bruised shoulder.
The golden haired boy grinned as he admired his well-deserved trophy. He took the yellow crystal off and threw it to Olette and did the same with the others. He placed his trophy next to him. But when he took the blue crystal off, he placed it in her hand. She looked up at him and shook her head.
"I can't take it Roxas." She placed the crystal back into his hand and closed it. He gave her a confused look and she smiled.
"All that I want, I have." She placed her hand onto his cheek and pecked his lips. Roxas went as red as a tomato at this and gulped.
"Thanks a ton Roxas!" Pence exclaimed.
"One more treasure for us to share." Hayner said.
"I've got a present too...for all of us!" Olette placed her crystal in her pocket and took out five sea salt ice creams.
"Wow!" Roxas stood up and then all of a sudden, he leaned forward. "Woah!" Maximum's emerald green eyes widened and she gulped. She too stood up and just as she was about to hold Roxas' hand from falling he fell. The red haired girl tripped and was falling. Roxas and Max started screaming.
~
Destiny Islands...
"Kairi wait up!" Selphie shouted. An auburn 15-year old girl was walking up a slope. She wore a white shirt, blue checkered skirt, navy knee high socks and brown shoes. The said girl turned around, she had crystal indigo-blue eyes and she smiled at her brown haired and green eyed friend.
They turned around and started walking side by side. Kairi looked down with a frown; today marked a year anniversary of Mai's death and it wasn't really the same without her.
"Hey do you feel like going to the island?" Selphie snapped her out of daze and Kairi looked at her. "Tidus and Wakka are all wrapped up in their ballgame and they won't go with me."
"Not today, sorry." The auburn haired teen apologised.
"Aw, why not?" Selphie asked.
"Do you remember those boys and that girl who used to hang out with us?"
"Riku and Mai?"
"Yeah." Kairi tried to smile and sound positive.
"I wonder whatever happened to Riku, but I sure miss him. Mai as well, the islands aren't the same without her. I hope she's okay." Kairi sighed deeply with tears in her eyes.
"Riku's far away, I know we'll see him again..." Kairi smiled as she stared into the distance.
"How 'bout Mai, Kairi?" The brown haired girl asked and her friend's smile dropped.
"I don't know...how to tell you." She mumbled. "And the other boy?" Kairi asked.
"What other boy?"
"The one who was with Riku, me and Mai all the time. We played together on that island. He even had a obvious crush on Mai. His voice always used to be there, but now it's gone. I can't think of his face or his name. I feel awful about it. So I told myself, I'm not going to the island until I remember everything about him."
"Are you sure you didn't make him up?" Selphie asked.
"Namine?" A voice asked in the auburn haired girl's head and Kairi placed her hand onto her forehead.
~
"Naminé? What's happening to me?" Roxas asked.
"Who are you? And that's not my name. I'm Kairi."
"Kairi, I know you. You're that girl he used to hang out with."
"Who?" Kairi asked. "Please a name!"
"I'm Roxas." Roxas answered.
"Okay, Roxas, but can you tell me HIS name?"
"You don't remember my name? Thanks a lot Kairi!" Another lovely and charming voice said. "Okay! I guess I can give you a hint. Starts with an 'S'!"
Kairi opened her eyes and Selphie helped her stand up. "Are you okay?" The blue eyed teen nodded at this with a smile.
"You go ahead, I'm going home." Kairi said and Selphie waved at her whilst taking a shortcut.
The auburn haired teen started walking until someone stopped her.
"Kairi dear." A woman's voice said as she stood in front of her door. The girl turned to the middle aged woman with brown hair and purple eyes.
"Yes, Ms Kagome."
"Are you in a rush to go home?" Kairi shook her head at this. "I'd like to talk to you about something. Don't worry you're not in trouble." The teenager entered the house and sat near the dinner table. Kagome and her husband Ryotakashi sat next to each other on the other side of the table.
"We want to know..." Kimiko took a deep breath and the blue haired and eyed man held her hand. "If Riku is okay and where is he?" Kairi smiled at them reassuringly.
"Riku's far away, but he's completely fine, I know he is." Riku's mother sighed with relief.
"What about Mai?" They asked and Kairi's tears fell down her cheeks. She felt like she was being strangled. Sora's mother and father's smile dropped.
"Kairi." Ryotakashi mumbled.
"Mai is..." She closed her eyes and opened finally blurted it all out. "I'm sorry to say this, but she's no longer with us." Suddenly a silence followed. Kagome's purple eyes were wide as she stared at the table. A tear fell down Ryotakashi's face. The brunette woman covered her face with her palms and shook her head.
"No... Mai...she...was so... loving...so...young!" She sobbed and then started to cry. Ryotakashi placed his hands onto his wife's shoulders as he silently cried. The blue haired man looked up at Kairi and smiled.
"Thank you Kairi, you can leave now." Kyo said and the said girl stood up. She ran out the door and looked up.
'Mai... if only you were still alive...'
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