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Hail to the Kings by Jessica Pendragon

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"Thanks for doing this again Max," Edward said for the millionth time it seemed.

Max just smirked at his brother-in-law in response, as he watched Edward fight to keep the kitchen from exploding. The house was in disarray, as if the staff had gone on strike for a week, but Max knew better. His sister was sick all week, and he was here to save the day.

"I can't take another sick day off and I have no holidays left until next year. At least Patrick switched shifts with me so I could be here this afternoon," Edward continued as he tried to stuff papers into his briefcase while grabbing for the toast. "Mary Ann picked a wonderful time to get sick."

"As I said, it's no trouble. I don't mind spending a little time with my niece anyways," Max, repeated patiently. "Where is she, anyways?"

"Oh, Violet…Violet, get down here right now, or you're going to be late!"

A storm of small footsteps was the answer, and Max watched his eight-year-old niece rocket down the stairs with an excited smile spread across her freckle dotted face. She launched herself at him, shiny brown hair streaming in her wake, and crashed into his legs. With a chuckle, he reached down and lifted her up into his strong arms, eyeing her current attire. She wore caprice with sandals, and a funny pirate hat bobby pinned to her head.

"Uncle Max! Thank you for taking me!"

"Sure thing, Vi," he said and gently placed her back on the ground. "We'll be going now, g'day Eddy."

"Be good for Uncle Max, eh Love? Have fun!"

"Bye Pappa!" "

Are you excited Vi?"

"Oh, yes! She's my favorite singer of all time! Have you ever heard of her?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

She seemed offended at the news, and he smirked to himself at her injured pout. But it wasn't long before a smile overtook her face again, and she was bouncing off the leather seat. "She's so beautiful and kind- Oh, this is going to be the best day ever!"

"And you're not upset you're going with your stuffy uncle?"

"Well...I was sad when Mum got sick, but this was the only way I could go. Going is better than not going. And you're not so bad Uncle Max!"

"Well thank you." He smiled and she continued to ramble on happily. He didn't have much interest in the subject, and he dreaded the idea of spending hours amongst a throng of shouting girls and loud music. But there wasn't much Max wouldn't do for his family, and his sister needed him to be there for her. He was loyal to his family to the end, even if that meant giving up his Saturday plans to go to a pop concert with his underage niece. Not that he had much planned, anyways. They pulled up to the makeshift parking lot against the coast, and Max marveled at the spectacle of cars there. Violet squealed in excitement as they finally found their space and shot out of the car at lightning speed. He found himself being mercilessly dragged by the small girl and soon had something else to marvel at.... Just offshore, an imitation pirate ship rocked back and forth lazily on the calm waves. Sound equipment and lights hung from the mast and a flapping red flag with a golden heart brazened the top of the ship. The sails were two large television screens with white cartoon kittens grinning madly at the massive crowd, and the whole thing seemed absolutely ridiculous to him.

They found a good seat in the warm sand and Violet continued to chatter away, but it wasn't long before the sound of canon fire echoed over the waves, and even Max found himself jumping at the noise. Through the smoke, a lithe figure slowly appeared, and the crowd around him erupted into adolescent cries in anticipation.

"Hello Liverpool!" A distinctly foreign voice came pumping out of the speakers, and if possible, the crowd cheered louder. "I'm so excited to be here, and I couldn't think of any place better than here to kick off my Lost at Sea tour! I hope you enjoy yourselves tonight, because I know I will. So what do you say, let's get this party started with a bang!"

This time the canons exploded with fireworks and Max could feel the utter awe circle through the crowd. A quick melody soon began to waft over the waves, and the young pop star's face soon splashed onto the grand monitors. As she smiled at the crowd, all of a sudden, Max choked on the breath stuck at the back of his throat. He found himself rising with the rest of the throng, but his mind was in a thousand different places at once. The young entertainer wore a mock pirate outfit, with high black boots and a striped shirt with a red belt, but he was hardly focusing on that. He watched, mesmerized, as she flipped a multitude of golden tresses over her shoulder that was tied back by a large red bow.

As she started to sing, her voice entered more than his ears. It pierced his heart with its familiarity, and he fought to try and remember where he had heard it before. It was possible he had listened to her on the radio, but this felt different somehow, something deeper than mere recognition. They zoomed in on her gorgeous face, soon he found himself lost in a sea of sparkling blue, and this feeling of drowning was so familiar that it made him shiver.

"Uncle Max? Are you okay?"

"Oh, of course...What did you say this girl's name was again?"

"Minako Aino! Isn't she great?"

"Yeah," he nodded, and turned back to the swaying stage. "She is."

As the concert continued, Max's feelings continued to tumble like the endless surf. Abruptly the fast-paced pop music faded, and the atmosphere became quiet and somber. He watched as the bright lights faded to reveal the glowing sun falling behind the horizon. The crowd settled into a transfixed calm obediently, waiting with wide eyes at what was to come.

"Aw, this song is so sad," he heard Violet reflect beside him. He listened to the words for the first time that night, finding an earnest hope for love and meaning, a seemingly heavy topic considering the audience. But Max could feel the hidden longing behind the words, and as her eyes scanned the crowd, he could tell she was searching for something, for someone. The large monitor's amplified the quiet darkness in her eyes, and Max felt compelled to swim out and hide her away in his arms right there and then. He could rescue her from her lonely solitude lost at sea; be the pirate to steal the darkness from her shining eyes.

The song ended and her bright copyrighted smile returned, brandished like a protective sword. A happier song played and Max let himself return to his twisted thoughts. It was ridiculous, this idea of rescuing her. She was a popular singer, and supposedly actress, with thousands of admiring fans. She lived the high life and probably never went without. Why should he feel a need to protect a complete stranger?

With the encore finished, and her questionable silhouette vanishing beneath the stern, Max finally felt himself relax. The feelings of confusion faded as the day gave way to night, and he took Violet's hand to lead her back to the car. If she noted his accelerated pace she said nothing of the sort, for her mind was still wrapped around the pretty girl with a bow in her hair.

"Wasn't that great Uncle? She's so cool!"

On the ride home Violet quietly sang the somber melody, and he found himself miming helplessly, drifting back. The feeling had been so profound then, and he could feel its effect even lingering upon his niece’s lips. He pictured the teenager, who seemed too young to know of such lonely trials, hunched over a small desk, writing the lyrics in her native tongue. He saw a single tear splash from glistening eyes, messing up a carefully crafted ink character.

But Max shook his head, bore it all away, and felt a little shameful for thinking about someone so young in that manner. Besides, she was not family. Max was a loyal man, but he never really extended that devotion to someone not family. He often shunned people at work and other social gatherings, and couldn't imagine why this young girl would strike his heart so. She was simply some girl he had never seen before that night. He could only take care of his own, and there was nothing he could do for this foreign idol. Both of two very different worlds, and would likely never meet on this Earth. So he pushed whatever insane thoughts fluttering through his mind out with a low chuckle of disbelief, and swore to himself he would never think upon it again. "I hope you find what you're looking for, Aino Minako."


LOL -- this was a ridiculous idea, but it had to come out! It's total craziness, but oh wells. Max is obviously Kunzite, if you couldn't get that. I've been wondering what happened to the Shitennou before they were brainwashed a second time, and I can totally picture Minako doing something crazy like having a ship stage. And yeah, I know little to nothing about England...I just looked up a map and saw Liverpool was close to the sea sooo there ya go. ^_^ hehe I can have crazy ideas sometimes.

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