Falling Ashes

Chapter 6

Resolved in seeing her little girl yet again, Nacey started to head for where her mother spent her days. In a retirement home. After going on a 'skiing' vacation after their father died, Stacy Cortex was checked in. Despite her protests to Jasmine (who had to fly out from Chicago where she lived with her husband Anthony and daughter Darla), she had insisted that she saw Neo with an evolved bandicoot and two Pichu brothers. Nacey was the only one that believed her mother but sadly, she was not her mother's power of attorney. Jasmine was.

"You can't do this," Nacey remembered saying.

"I have no other choice," Jasmine replied, "She has lost her mind and is seeing things."

'I knew I should've told her,' Nacey thought, regretting her past decisions. She finally arrived at the retirement home, going into the room of her mother. Stacy was there, looking quite unwell.

"Mom," Nacey said, in a soft voice.

Stacy had gray hair and wrinkles but she opened her brown eyes anyways. There, she saw Nacey. Her youngest daughter had grown quite a lot since the days of her youth. Granted, she had made a lot of mistakes like her siblings but that didn't mean that she wasn't trying to make up for them.

Stacy greeted, "Nacey. Glad you came. You hadn't changed."

Nacey forced a smile as she pointed out, "Mom, I've always been the same."

Stacy stated, "Even with that old outfit."

Nacey looked down at herself, seeing her pink shirt, purple jeans, white shoes, pink hat, and a pink scarf. She looked over on the table and saw a picture of Jasmine, Anthony, and Darla. Jasmine still had her brown-blackish hair (although she did have some gray in her hair), brown eyes, wearing a yellow dress and yellow shoes. Anthony had brown hair, green eyes, wearing a blue suit, and blue shoes. Darla (who was about Nina's current age) had short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing pink three piece suit, and purple shoes.

She replied, "Sometimes the past is better than the present."

Stacy smiled at this as she responded, "You are still the wise one."

Nacey looked at her mom in disbelief as she started to tear up and confessed, "I was never the wise one, mom. Jasmine was always the wise one, being the oldest."

Stacy sat up a bit in her hospital bed as she stated, "My dear, Jasmine is nowhere near as wise either."

Nacey replied, "But that doesn't mean I'm wise. I've done so much to hurt my family..."

Stacy frowned and responded, "We have all done things to hurt our families. Neo decided to pursue your grandfather's silly dream to take over the world. Now that didn't happen, someone named Phoenix took over."

Nacey pointed out, "For only a short time."

Stacy ignored that, "Still, we all make mistakes. That's why the old saying says: we're only human."

Nacey managed a smile and stated, "You always know how to make me feel better, mom." She paused and asked, "Didn't you say that 'skiing' vacation was on some mountain on an island west coast of Australia?"

Stacy perked up at that and answered, "Yes but why?"

Nacey stated, "Because it is real. That's where I left Nina 16 years ago. And I think it's time she met me."

As she kissed her mother on the cheek, happier than she felt in years, she left the retirement home. She knew what she had to do. It was time to face the past. And that meant one thing...returning to N. Sanity Isle.

...

Back in outer space, John and Pete had tagged team on the racing track against Geary and won. The two brothers were dancing happily as Crash, Cortex, and Nina were watching and laughing.

Nina asked, sarcastically, "Think they are happy?"

Crash answered, smiling, "Oh yeah."

"Crash?"

Crash spun around and saw Coco, N. Gin, and Crunch.

He gushed, "Sis!"

With that, he ran over and hugged her tight. Coco laughed as she returned it, more than happy to see her brother. Cortex sighed a bit, remembering his own sister, as N. Gin approached him rather nervously. Cortex was a bit surprised. What was he doing?

N. Gin commented, "Uh...Neo... We heard what happened with Krunk."

Cortex asked, "You did? How?"

N. Gin answered, "Nash told me when I raced him."

Cortex coldly stated, "Well, glad to know it caught your attention."

N. Gin looked sad as he replied, "I know, I deserved that... We all do after the way we've been treating you. But from our perspective, it didn't look good. I hope you can forgive us."

Cortex smiled now and responded, "I can forgive you all, Nicholas, so long as you all forgive me."

N. Gin was the one to smile now. That's what he admired about Neo. He had a big heart. As Geary was cleaning all around them, they all heard Velo's voice.

"GEARY! You. Have. Failed. Me. Again!"

Geary stammered, "My lord, I am so sorry..."

Cortex whispered, "That sounds familiar..."

Velo heard this as he went over to Cortex, holding his scepter in his hand. Cortex, at this point, looked nervous but saw that everyone was standing at the ready to fight. 'Have they really all changed their minds about me,' he thought, still in a little bit of doubt.

Velo stated, "If you have something to say, say it on the track."

Cortex breathed, "Wait what?"

Velo replied, "Yes. I choose YOU as my racing competition."

Cortex blurted out, "No!"

Crash put his hand on Cortex's shoulder and stated, "You have to."

Cortex stated, scared, "I can't."

Crash replied, "You must. It's not in my hands this time around. It's in yours."

Cortex looked at his best friend and those around him who all smiled at him. Feeling better than he did in years, he nodded as he turned to Velo.

He responded, "I accept your challenge. I, Dr. Neo Periwinkle Cortex, shall be the one to race you, Emperor Velo the 27th."

As the crowd erupted into a large uproar and applause for the race of the century; Cortex looked at Crash and thought, 'I hope you know what you are doing.'

...

Wishmaker1028: Well, this story might be a bit shorter than 'Uprising Phoenix' but that doesn't mean the madness will end here... Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!