(Belated Mother's Day! )

"Ooh, I'm SO hungry..." Sparkle moaned as she and the rest of the Blaze Family drove through the city.

"Don't worry-- I'll cook dinner when we get home," Phoenix assured. "What would you like?"

"Hmm... ooh! Ooh!" Sparkle licked her lips. "I'm craving for some spaghetti and meatballs!"

"Me too!" AJ agreed.

"Then that's what we'll have!" Phoenix grinned.

"Maybe you can help Mom cook, Crusher," Blaze suggested.

"M-Me?" Crusher was caught off-guard by the attention. "Well... I don't know..."

"Go on, Crusher," AJ encouraged. "Your meatballs are delicious!"

"Blaze tells me that they're quite good," Phoenix agreed. "What do you say?"

"U-Um... well, if... if you don't mind me helping..." Crusher gave a smile.

"Great! Let's get home."

The family zoomed off to head home. Crusher gulped but followed after them. He managed to catch up to Blaze.

"Blaze, I... I don't know if I should help with cooking..."

"Why not?" Blaze asked. "Don't you wanna spend time with Mom?"

"No... that's not it," Crusher shook his head. "It's just... what if I get in the way or make the same mess as last time-- you know, with the giant meatball and stuff,"

"You won't", Blaze assured him. "I promise."

"I ...okay," Crusher sighed and nodded.

X

"So, Crusher, you can start with the meatballs while I work on the spaghetti noodles," Phoenix instructed as she took out the stiff noodles from the fridge.

"Oh... sure."

Crusher began to work on the meatballs. Once he managed to roll some of the meat into balls, he placed one in a plate and grabbed the salt and pepper. He sprinkled some on the meatball, but as he reached over at his pouch, he stiffened before sighing. Phoenix glanced over at him as she cooked the noodles.

"What is it, honey?"

"I... I forgot that I ran out of growth spice," Crusher hissed.

"That's no problem," Phoenix smiled. "I'm sure Blaze can run to get you some more."

"I... I guess," Crusher turned away from the plate. "Man, I barely started, and I'm already messing up..."

"Oh, honey, it's alright," Phoenix drove over to him comfortingly. "You didn't mess up anything,"

"I didn't...?" Crusher glanced up at her unsurely.

"It was a mistake," Phoenix assured him. "We all make mistakes. Mistakes is a part of cooking, and a part of life,"

"I... I guess," Crusher gave a small smile.

"Alright," Phoenix beamed. "while Blaze gets the growth the spice, how about we get started on the toast? Spaghetti tastes delicious with toast,"

"Pretty true, actually... heh..."

"Great!" Phoenix led him to the toaster. "I'll get the bread, and you get the plate for the toast,"

"Okay."

Crusher drove over to get a plate while Phoenix grabbed the bread. She took out two pieces of bread and placed it in the toaster. Crusher watched in amazement as the toaster clicked a few minutes later.

"Woah..."

"Is it your first time seeing the toaster pop?" Phoenix joked.

"Actually... it is." Crusher nodded.

"Really?" Phoenix's eyes widened. "Not even when you and Pickle cook?"

"Grammy taught me a different way to toast bread... without a toaster," Crusher explained as he placed the toast on the plate.

"And Pickle doesn't cook with a toaster either?" Phoenix asked, placing more bread into the toaster.

"Nope," Crusher shook his head. "He uses the pan to toast bread,"

"Hmm... well, those are both really effective."

"Yeah, they are," Crusher agreed, watching the toast pop again before placing it on the plate. "I think it's... an Asian thing,"

"Well, I wouldn't mind if you showed me how to that," Phoenix said. "Maybe we should try it now!"

"Really? Okay!"

Crusher grabbed the pan and placed it on the stove. He turned on the gas and let the pan heat up before getting the oil. He placed oil inside the pan and set the oil aside. He turned off the toaster then waited for the oil to heat up with the pan. He raised his tire to check when his tire got too close to the hot pan.

"Yeow!!" he hissed. "I always do that..."

"Oh dear!" Phoenix immediately grabbed some ice from the fridge to place it on his tire. "Hold still..."

"Ugh, I'm such a klutz..." Crusher shook his head.

"Don't think that way-- I got burned cooking all the time." Phoenix told him.

"Really...?" Crusher glanced up at her in surprise before sighing. "Mama... she... she always told me that burning myself while cooking was stupid... and that I should be ashamed..."

"Well, Krisha is the foolish one," Phoenix chuckled. "If you don't burn yourself at least once while cooking then you aren't cooking at all,"

"Heh heh... I guess I never thought of it that way." Crusher gave a small smile.

Phoenix giggled and patted his head. "Rest you tire for a moment, and I'll place the bread in the pan, okay?"

"Okay," Crusher nodded. "Thanks."

Phoenix smiled and turned to place down the bread on the pan before looking over to check on the spaghetti noodles. Crusher glanced down at his injured tire as a new feeling dawned upon him.

Phoenix... she was acting more motherly than his so-called mother had ever done. It felt... weird. Weird, but good, yet it was so foreign to him that he didn't know how to respond to it.

Was this how having a mother felt like?

His thoughts were interrupted, however, when his nose caught something burning on the stove.

"Is something burning?"

"Oh no, the toast!" Phoenix cried as she drove over to the pan. "Oh dear!"

"Here's the spatula!" Crusher grabbed the spatula and handed it to the other. "You can use it to pick up the bread!"

"Alright!" Phoenix carefully scooped up the bread with the spatula and turned it over. "Phew! Thank goodness it didn't burn all the way,"

Crusher sighed in relief. "Yeah, thank goodness it didn't, but maybe I should have paid better attention to it..."

"I should have too," Phoenix said.

"Mom, Crusher, I've got the growth spice-- hey, was something burning?" Blaze came into the kitchen, glancing around at the smoke.

"Some toast just stayed for too long," Phoenix brushed off. "But, we're glad you're back."

"Yeah," Crusher nodded. "I can finally do my meatballs!"

Blaze smiled and handed the growth spice to the dark blue truck. Crusher took it and turned to the meatballs. He sprinkled a bit of growth spice, and the meatball suddenly enlargened.

"Amazing!" Phoenix exclaimed.

"Now those are some yummy meatballs!" Blaze licked his lips.

"You two go sit down. I'll get dinner set up." Phoenix instructed.

"Alright, Mom," Blaze nodded and turned to drive out.

Crusher watched his brother take his leave before he approached the woman. He looked like he wanted to say something but shook it off and turned to drive out.

Maybe... not now.

Maybe later.

X

"YUMMY MEATBALLS!" Sparkle squealed as she bit into the meatball.

"Told ya they were good," AJ smirked.

"And this toast is just as delicious!" Flame munched on the toast. "And it's so fried! New method for toast, Phoenix?"

"It was actually Crusher who suggested it." Phoenix said.

"And it's really yummy!" Sparkle giggled, stuffing her mouth with some toast.

"Er, thanks," Crusher sheepishly rubbed his neck. "It's... It's nothing really,"

"It's not nothing-- it's amazing!" Blaze exclaimed.

"Really?" Crusher smiled. "Thanks,"

"And after this, who wants desert?!" Phoenix exclaimed, taking out a tray of ice cream cups.

"Me please!" Sparkle cheered.

"Ooh! Ice cream!" Crusher's eyes lit up. "I LOVE ice cream!"

"Well, who doesn't?!" Flame laughed as cup was placed down on each of them.

"Thanks, Mom!" Blaze beamed.

Phoenix giggled. "You're welcome."

Crusher glanced at their interaction as he hesitated. He wanted to say it. Say the honorific SO badly.

Maybe... now wasn't the time.

Not yet.

X

"Oh, Crusher, thank you for washing the dishes," Phoenix beamed at the dark blue truck as she cleaned up the stove.

"Hey, no problem," Crusher said. "I got really used to it as a kid, so I do it every day."

"You're such a sweet child," Phoenix patted his head with a smile.

"Thanks... Mom," Crusher hesitantly said, a small smile stretching across his face.

Phoenix was caught off-guard by the honorific. "Wh-What did you just say...?"

"M-Mom...?" Crusher suddenly felt guilty and self conscious about what he said. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to upset you..."

He was interrupted, however, when the white truck took him into her tires. Phoenix held him close and smiled down at him.

"It's okay... I don't mind it."

"R-Really...?" Crusher's eyes began to tear. "C-Can I call you Mom...?"

"Of course..." Phoenix kissed his forehead. "my precious child,"

Crusher smiled tearfully before he returned the hug.

Maybe he could get used to this family thing.