*Chapter 11: Ice and Fire*


Coco is pacing around the warp room, waiting for Natalie to come out of the portal from the pyramid times, but she didn't appear. Brio looked on the screen to see that Natalie was nowhere to be found in the timeline. He figured that the lab assistants must've taken her to Cortex and his minions, but they won't hurt her. Cortex will never try to hurt Natalie. Heck, he won't even kill her.

"Everyone, remain calm." Aku Aku spoke. "Natalie will be fine. She's twice as smart and she is a fighter. She chose to let Coco and Penta to escape with the gems and crystal."

"I hope she'll be okay." Coco said. "I wish I could just go back there and help her."

"I assure you, Coco, Natalie is alright. I just know it." Aku Aku said. "And Crash, there's a crystal in the ice age. So, you must go out there and retrieve it. I will join you." Penta ran up to Crash and Aku Aku.

"Can I join? Being in the ice is my thing after all." He said.

"After seeing you return safely with Coco, I suppose you can come." Aku Aku said. "But remember to stay close to us." Brio activated the machine. Before Crash could get in the portal, he turned back to see Isabella petting Polar who is resting his head on her lap. The bandicoot smiled at the sight of them. Polar looks so relaxed with Isabella, and he let out a yawn before closing his eyes.

"Crash?" Penta called. Crash turned back to him and Aku Aku who are waiting for him by the blue sphere. "You coming or not?" The bandicoot walked up to his friends and jump in the portal. Aku Aku and Penta jump in the portal to follow the male bandicoot.


Natalie took a sip of tea while watching Dingodile getting his flamethrower all loaded up for his trip to the ice age. Boyd and N. Gin are talking to the hybrid minion about getting that crystal from there, and if Crash or Coco are there, Dingodile will toast them. Natalie knew that Crash will defeat Dingodile and take the crystal from the ice age.

"Time to heat things up in the ice age." Dingodile said, heading over to the portal.

"Don't let us down, mate!" Boyd told him. The hybrid left the lair. Natalie then watched N. Gin work on his robot. Another fighting machine if Dingodile fails. Before she could speak to the cyborg, Liz walked in with Ami.

"Lady Cortex, Uka Uka wishes to see you." Ami said. Natalie sighed a bit. She got up and walked over to the bandicoots to get to the room where the true mastermind is waiting.
She walked inside the room and see the Uka Uka floating, watching her approach him. Liz and Ami bowed before the mask and left them alone.

"Natalie Cortex. The one that got away." Uka Uka spoke in a calm, yet threatening voice. Natalie held her chin up, sneering a little at him. She couldn't show fear towards the evil ancient mask.

"Seems like Neo was working for you all along." Natalie said. "He must've been so desperate to find evil assistants." Uka Uka let out a roar, making her fall back in shock.

"I AM NO ASSISTANT, YOU HUMAN! I am the mastermind of all evil! I am the one who goes into someone's nightmares and have them work for the Mighty Uka Uka!" The mask growled.

"Okay, I get it! Geez, keep your temper!" Natalie says by dusting off her jeans. "But, I do have one question. Why would you want to conquer the world in the first place? You were trapped in that temple for eons."

"Didn't my feeble brother tell you?" Uka Uka asked. "He's the one who locked me away! He took everything away from me when we were mortal! I am the strongest in our own tribe, and I am the one who hunts, and I should be the one who will be the new chief!" Natalie stared at him in silent, listening to his words. What was he talking about? New chief of his tribe? Uka Uka spoke again. "This world needs a new leader, and it will be filled with darkness and chaos! Everyone will bow to me!"

"...You're insane." Natalie said by shaking her head. "No wonder your brother had to deal with your madness. But listen to this, Uka Uka. We will win and the world will be at peace! You will fail, Neo will fail, everyone you hire will fail!"

"We'll see about that, Mrs. Cortex!"


Penta held a crystal in his flippers he found from the caves. He walked out in the snow to look for Crash and Aku Aku. They are nowhere to be found. But, the penguin sees footprints on the snow. He followed them around the cave and see the walls of ice. Penta called out for his friends if they are in the entrance. No respond. The penguin walked inside and there is Dingodile aiming his flamethrower at him. Penta froze at his spot, holding the crystal close.

"Hello, mate. Lost?" Dingodile asked with a chuckle.

"Uh, no." Penta replied, shaking a little. "Just...passing through."

"Really? Seems like you're looking for that bandicoot. And I see that you have that crystal I've been looking for." Dingodile said. "Here's the deal. If you give me the crystal, I won't toast ya. If not, you will be toast!" Penta winced a little. Then, Crash appeared with Aku Aku to see Dingodile messing with the innocent ally. Crash made a snowball and throw it at Dingodile to stop him. The hybrid yelped a bit, and turned around. Penta saw his chance to run away with the crystal.

"Hide, Penta. Crash and I got this hybrid." Aku Aku told the penguin. Penta saluted and hid behind one of the ices. Crash cracked his knuckles, smirking at Dingodile who snarled at him.

"Bring out the butter, I'm gonna make toast!" Dingodile said, firing up his flamethrower. He shoots the ceiling and the ice crystals shoot down around him, preventing Crash from attacking him. The bandicoot took a deep breath, getting ready for a fight that looks very difficult.

"You can do it, Crash. You got this." Aku Aku said. Crash smiled at him and turn to his opponent. Dingodile shot fireballs in the air aiming towards the bandicoot. Crash run ahead of the fireballs that land in the snow, hearing the hissing sound. After succeeding of avoiding the fireballs, Dingodile charged his weapon and fired, breaking the ice crystals. That caught Crash by surprise, he almost ran into the fire and see the open to get to the hybrid. Crash ran through and spin attack him and stood on his back. But, he hears the alarm coming from the flamethrower. Crash bolted away from Dingodile who tries to get up, but with the weapon on him makes it difficult.
The flamethrower set off, causing Dingodile to flip in the air. More ice crystals fall from the ceiling, came down around him like before. Dingodile shook the ashes from his head and see Crash keeping his distance.

"You think you won? Well, think again, you hairball!" Dingodile said as he shot fireballs in the air, aiming at the running bandicoot, changing directions. Crash kept his distance from the fireballs. Aku Aku continues to encourage Crash to keep running away to tell him to run in a different direction when the fireballs come down. Again, Dingodile aimed his flamethrower and fired away, breaking the ice crystals. Crash runs away from the second fire and see an opening. He ran in and spin attack Dingodile's face, knocking him down. The flamethrower sets the alarm off again, causing Crash to run away. Dingodile sees the pressure of his weapon. Because of the first explosion, the pressure will go high and his weapon will be destroyed. The flamethrower sets off, and Dingodile flips in the air.
Penta watches Crash running away from more fireballs from hiding behind the ice, and Aku Aku watches him with encouragement. Suddenly, two pairs of hands grabbed him. One hand covered his beak from screaming and cry out for help. Penta uses his eyes to see N. Trance using his claw to take away the crystal from his flippers. Someone dropped the penguin, and N. Trance looked down at him with a sneer.

"Scream, we will turn you into an icicle." He threatened. Penta looked up to see him and Boyd looking down at him. Their portal opens up and they jump inside. Penta whimpered a little and ran in the battle, trying to get Aku Aku's attention, but the mask is too busy to see Crash finishing off Dingodile. Crash climbed on Dingodile's back, smiling in triumphant.

"You thrashed me, mate. No worries..." Dingodile says, panting a little from the flamethrower's explosions. "But, you'll soon be up against much worse..." The hybrid caught Penta by Aku Aku with no crystal. He let out a dark chuckle. "Seems like my friends got the crystal from ya."

"Huh?" Crash gasped and turn back to Penta.

"They grabbed me, and I couldn't call for help." The penguin exclaimed. "I'm sorry."

"Now we have two crystals! We're catching up with ya!" Dingodile taunted. Crash growled and kicked his jaw. He went over to Aku Aku and Penta. The portal appeared above them. The three heroes jumped inside, leaving Dingodile behind in the ice age.