Max was born an only child into a wealthy family who owned Holloway Oil Reserves. Though a rural town on the northern continent away from mainstay civilization, he never wanted for anything. As a child, he knew that his family had money. Birthday parties were always extravagant and he almost always got what he asked for. When he was about eight years old, he began to realize that many of his neighbors were not as well off. Despite his family being generous with their wealth and helping create a fine town for everyone, Max was reminded harshly of his difference in position when he went to someone else’s birthday party. He left in a huff, a dismally small goodie-bag in hand. When he arrived home, he threw the cheap toys against a wall and the bag erupted in a shower of colorful candies and trinkets.

His mother and father heard the ruckus and on seeing the mess, asked what happened. He whined about the dull party, the shoddy magician, the cake didn’t come with two flavors, and of course the lack of a real take home gift. “We gave Materia away at my party! And Nibelheim chocolates!” Max hit the height of his tantrum.

His father stopped him from continuing with a stern look while his mother shook her head silently. “Maximilion..” his father started. “Money has made your life easy.. But I fear that it’s also spoiled you. We’ve made our fortune on these oil rich lands and we do what we can to share our money with those around us so that we all may benefit. We could not have made it this far without the good people of this town, and for that, we show them gratitude. And this was their gratitude that you decided to throw away so readily because it didn’t fit your standards..”

Max was suddenly ashamed that he had thrown the meager bag and made a mess. He walked over to pick up the candy and began placing it back into the bag. “I’m sorry.” he spoke very softly, wiping away dried tears. “I will.. Be better!” He bowed deeply before his parents and tried not to cry any further. He had disgraced his parents with his poor attitude about their neighbors. He knew he had to be better than that.

He took up practicing with his father’s nunchaku in the gardens. The mistakes he made were reminders that the world is not perfect and people everywhere suffer. He must strive to see the beauty in all things. The way a mother holds her child, the shimmer of trout that swim in the stream, the flowing fields of flowers, the energy all around him. And he worked to redistribute the beauty he saw around him to enrich the lives of others. He was kind, he was generous, a most of all he was gracious.

Material objects could keep their hold on him no longer. Max hungered for experiences to enrich his own life. And he knew that in order to attain this reality, he needed to challenge himself. He left Holloway and trekked to Midgar where he submitted an application to join the Turks. With the Turks, he felt he would be challenged and as an added bonus, he would be able to travel the world and partake in countless experiences. Veld reviewed his application. It was strange for someone to apply rather than be recruited. But his interview scores were high and Max was allowed to join the force along with his new partner Tonya.