a/n: I wanted to do one chapter explaining Nira's and Michael's past, in case anyone was curious. So yeah...if any of you find it boring, I'm sorry. I will get to the racing part soon, I promise! This was just a chapter explaining their past and stuff. Please don't kill me. D:

Again, Michael the Bat belongs to jojoker boy.

Memories of the Past

Nira bought her and Michael some Wumpa Whip and sat at a nearby table facing either other.

"So... mind telling why you attacked Cortex? What's the story with you two?" Nira asked as she sat back in her seat to take a few sips of her drink.

"Why don't you tell me your story first? Why did you end up working for him? Is there something in it for you?" The bat almost growled the last part as he took a gulp of his drink as well. Nira blinked a few times and sat her cup on the table. "If this will make this process faster, then fine. I'll talk first."

She took a deep breath and began, "The guy you seen with the missile lodged in his head...that's my older brother. Dr. N. Gin. Cortex and I are the only two that are allowed to call him by his first name, Nolan."

"Brother?" Michael looked suspisious, "You two look nothing alike, nor are you two the same species."

"I'm getting to that." Nira snapped, then continued. "Before Nolan even started working for Cortex, we were both just ordinary humans. But one day, one of his rocket projects malfunctioned, causing a live missile to hit him and lodging itself into his skull. I was pretty young then, but I remember it."

"A...missile?" Michael asked.

"Yeah. About a year after the accident..." Nira stopped to take a sip of her drink. "Cortex hired him part time to work on a new project with him, constructed by Brio... The Evolvo Ray. He captured many kinds of animals and mutated them. Crash being one of them. Because my brother had no else to babysit me at the time, he often took me with him to Cortex's castle. I didn't mind, I wasn't old enough to understand what was going on. Only when Nolan clarified for me when I grew older what exactly happened, did I learn what I know now. Anyway, one day the Evolvo Ray malfunctioned, I happened to be playing near it, with a white kitten that Cortex brought in by mistake. And I guess you can figure out the rest. I'm a cat now." She paused again to collect her thoughts. "Then after Crash escaped, returned and destroyed Cortex's castle and the Evolvo Ray, my brother started working for him full time. He became his right hand man, interested in helping Cortex harness the power crystals for his newest creation, The Cortex Vortex. My brother and I happened to not be there when Cortex's castle was destroyed prior to that, which is why we're both still here."

She finished and sat there in silence for a few minutes, letting all what she said sink in for Michael. He just blinked and sat back in his chair, with his arms draped over the back of it. "Two questions."

"Okay, shoot." Nira took one last gulp of her Wumpa Whip before throwing the cup in the trash.

"How does someone live through a live missile being lodged in their brain for so long? And why, after all you went through, still work for and associate with them?" Michael asked, his ruby eyes narrowed.

"To answer your first question, Nolan constructed the missile to act as life support, which is why it's still live. If the missile is removed or destroyed, he dies." She pauses to let him think about it for a moment. Michael nods, wanting her to continue.

"The second question..." Nira had an angry look in her eyes, which was masking the sadness, "Is because N. Gin is all I have left... Both of our parents are dead, as well as our grandparents on our mom's and dad's side. I'm not sure about any aunts or uncles... But I'm never going to leave his side. Sure, he might be a bit...crazy, but I can look past that. After our parents died, he struggled everyday to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. Only when he started working for Cortex, did our lives start getting better." As she finished, she crossed her arms and left it at that.

Michael sighed. "I can understand that...not leaving your brother. But I'm surprised your not mad at Cortex for what he did. Because of him, you're not human anymore."

Nira narrowed her eyes, "It was an ACCIDENT. He didn't do it on purpose, he even felt bad about it afterwards."

"Ha! Like I believe that! That madman only cares about himself and no one else. I don't even know how you came to like him after all he's put you through." Michael retorted.

"What do you mean 'how I came to like him?'" Nira growled.

Michael smirked. "I saw the way you looked at him after I scratched his arm. You looked like you wanted to beat the snot out of someone. That someone being me. (a/n: Seriously trying not to swear...or I'll have to up the rating. ._.)

Nira sat there in silence, anger written plain on her face. Although he was right about the 'liking him' part, he was acting like he knew what he was talking about.

"Here's my story. Cortex took everything from me! He captured me, after shooting down my family, and mutated me. I never seen them again. My family and friends are gone! When I escaped his castle, I found refuge here. The old geezer, Von Clutch felt bad for me and adopted me. Even so, I hate it here. I even hate those Bandicoots."

Nira's expression softened and her ears drooped a little. She was about to respond, but her wrist communicator started beeping. It was an incoming call from...Cortex. Ugh, she mentally groaned.

"Yes, what is it?" She said after she hit the green button to accept the call.

"Where are you?" Cortex voice came through.

"I was just getting something to drink... Where are you?" She asked.

"At the hotel. Since we're stuck here, we have no choice but to stay in one...ugh." Cortex groaned, sickened by the thought of being forced to stay in a hotel for a week. (a/n: I'm just going to pretend Von Clutch has a hotel in his theme park, okay? ._.)

"Riiiight..." Nira looked over at Michael, who looked so ticked off that he could destroy her communication device with just his looks alone.

"I'll be there in a few." She said as she quickly ended the call.

"So..." Michael growled.

"I... have to go." She looked away.

"I noticed." He retorted, as he got up from the chair and spread his wings, preparing for flight.

"Wait..." Nira pulled something from her pocket. Michael eyed it. It looked like the thing she had on her wrist that she was speaking to Cortex through. He looked at her in confusion.

Nira sighed, "Think of it as like a cell phone. It's just my spare, in case this one I'm using breaks. My com number only is programmed into it. All you have to do is press the green button, and it will call me."

Michael nodded and took it from her hand, placing it around his wrist.

"In case you ever want to talk...give me a call." She turned to walk away, but stopped as her back faced him. "I'm sorry about what happened to your family...if that means anything to you." Nira said, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

He nodded, "It does. Thanks." He turned from her and took off into the sky. Nira turned her head to notice he was heading towards Mystery Island.