Falling Ashes

Chapter 8

Velo went across the start/finish line, entering his second lap. Cortex and Pete did the same, after a quick pit stop.

"Then it is up to us to stop Velo," Cortex remembered telling everyone while they were in the pits.

Cortex had mostly caught up to Velo, now behind him again. Pete, being his co-pilot, was ready for anything to happen. Velo snarled as he brought out a missile and threw it at them. Cortex and Pete both screamed. Cortex quickly brought out his plasma blaster, shooting the missile with it as Pete took the wheel. Cortex aimed a few shots at Velo, none of them hitting.

Pete stated, "He's too fast, we need a boost!"

Cortex replied, "Yes, I know and I have an idea."

Pete questioned, "What is it?"

Cortex answered, "Aim your Discharge at the back of our cart."

Pete nodded as he sparked his cheeks, firing the Discharge at the back of the cart. The cart took off like a shot, accelerating a lot faster. The two of them even past Velo.

Velo hissed, "No!"

Cortex cheered as he took the hard right, getting by the asteroid. Pete cheered, all hyper but Velo was right behind them.

Pete stated, "He's gaining! We can't risk the pits!"

Suddenly, Velo got another missile and aimed it at their back tire. Cortex and Pete both yelped as the tire instantly went flat.

Cortex replied, "I fear we have no choice but I've got an idea. Use Spark on Velo or his cart. Slow him down!"

Pete nodded as he unbuckled himself yet again, standing on Cortex's spoiler. He sparked his cheeks as he launched Spark. Velo screamed as the Electric type move short circuit his cart, stopping him. Cortex pulled into the pits as Coco instantly fixed the tires and the flat. Velo struggled along, paralyzed. Cortex quickly pulled out of the pits, going into his final lap. Velo snapped out of being paralyzed as he snarled and went after the duo.

Crash stated in the radio, "Velo's not giving up, Cortex. He's right behind you. You have to do another Shock Wave."

Cortex replied, "No, I'm not risking Pete to do that again. Besides, I want us to do this. Just Pete and me. I'm following my gut."

Crash responded, "Yeah but not your brain!"

Cortex told him, "That's what got us into trouble in the first place. That brain of mine. If I hadn't expressed an interest in science to my dying evil grandfather...we would have never met... We would have never been..."

That's when Crash heard Pete yelling, "Cortex, look out!"

Cortex screamed as the radio and the camera feed went dead.

Crash blurted out, "Coco, what happened?! We lost them!"

Coco typed furiously on her laptop as she stated, "I don't know. Something happened. Something bad..."

John instantly got worried and replied, "Crash, we got to get out there! My brother needs me!"

Crash was hesitant. On the one hand, he wanted to get on the track to see what happened to Cortex and Pete. And on the other...

"Crash...? John...?"

Crash perked up, recognizing Pete's voice.

He asked, "Yeah, Pete, we're here. What happened? Where are you and Cortex?"

Pete answered, "We just got past the asteroid. Velo tried to choke Cortex!"

John blurted out, "What?! How'd he get that close?!"

Crash added, "And is Cortex okay?"

As static came in again, Crash's heart pounded in his chest. Was Cortex alright?

"Crash..."

That's when Crash let out a breath that he didn't know that he was holding. That was Cortex.

Crash replied, smiling, "Yeah, I'm here..."

Cortex responded, "Man, he got really close to my neck! If it wasn't for Pete, it would have been bad."

John stated, "That's a relief..."

Pete told him, "Yeah, you ain't kidding!"

Crash asked, "What place are you in? Coco lost the feed."

Cortex answered, "Barely in 1st."

John stated, "Come on, get away from him!"

Pete replied, "We're trying!"

And this was the truth. On the track, Velo was getting closer to the cart again. 'Not this time,' Cortex thought.

He ordered, "Pete, Thunderbolt!"

Pete nodded as he sparked his cheeks and fired Thunderbolt straight at Velo. Velo felt that, being forced back from them. Cortex managed to cross the finish line first with Velo right behind. Everyone in the pits celebrated as the track and the planet started to collapse.

N. Gin asked, "What's happening?"

Crunch answered, "I d - don't know."

John breathed, "Oh man..."

Crash questioned, "Coco?"

Coco was already on her laptop as she told the mask, "Working on it!"

Velo saw this and snarled.

...

-Flashback-

Velo was still sitting with the master of time and space, sitting at some tea of some sorts. Velo had just agreed to help Uka-Uka with the Crash Bandicoot problem.

He commented, "There is one problem." N. Tropy looked up as Velo added, "If Hyper Spaceway is at all used, it will be the end of Kobold."

N. Tropy seemed to have smiled as he stated, "Relax, friend. I will make sure that Kobold will not fall."

Velo only nodded, going back to his tea.

-End of Flashback-

...

Velo pulled into the pits as he got his scepter and ran towards his people. Everyone saw this and started to follow, puzzled. Velo got to his people, some of which were trying to escape the decaying planet. Velo waved his scepter, creating a rainbow energy and teleporting his subjects away from Kobold. Velo turned and saw Crash and his team behind him. Velo quickly waved his scepter again, this time it produced a strong red light.

Crash asked, covering his eyes, "What's happening?"

Coco answered, "I don't know!"

Crunch shouted, "Hold on!"

Cortex tried to hang on as much as he could, his eyes covered. After awhile, he blacked out.

...

Wishmaker1028: Well that's not good. Not good at all. What will happen to our heroes? There's only one way to find out. You stay tuned! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!