Later that night, everyone has settled in to the space carrier for the night to rest after the long journey to Gasmoxia. Crash and Coco are sitting up on the roof of the carrier watching the stars in the night sky, Isabella is busy preparing food for Ami, Crunch, N. Brio and Koala Kong, and Tawna, Megumi, Liz, Zam, Zem, Spyro and Cortex are enjoying their meals that Isabella had prepared for them.
Zem is enjoying a plate of Isabella's signature spaghetti, topped with oregano and mozzarella sauce, while everyone else enjoys some lasagna.
Even though Cortex didn't want to show it, since he has his heart set on killing the bandicoots, he is still deeply pleased and grateful that Isabella went out of her way to prepare him his favorite dish: buttered noodles, with butter on the side, and jello shaped like his childhood pet: a rock with googly eyes.
After Zem finishes up his meal, he licks his lips and happily exclaims, "Mm-mmm! That was delicious! You are one amazing cook, Isabella!"
"Hey, Italian food just so happens to be my specialty." Isabella happily tells him as she takes his plate. "After all, I am Italian, don't forget."
"I must say, this cuisine you served me is miles better than the filthy table scraps Oxide used to leave me and Zam." Zem tells her as Zam nods in agreement.
"Table scraps?" Spyro asks in surprise as everyone directs their attention to the pair. "Sounds like Oxide doesn't think too fondly of you guys."
"Yeah, Oxide pretty much treats me and Zam like crap day in and day out every chance that he gets." Zem tells them. "And all because I said I wasn't too fond of an outfit his ex-wife wore."
"What?" Megumi asks in shock and surprise. "That's awful."
"I know, right?" Zem continues. "So, I created this gross, idiotic façade to get back at him and annoy him for all the times he mistreated me and Zam. Hopefully, one day, he'll realize the error of his ways and start treating me and Zam with a bit of respect."
"Wow." Tawna mutters in shock. "Now all of a sudden, I feel bad for all the times I talked crap about the two of you."
As Isabella continues to prepare food for Ami, Crunch, Koala Kong and Brio, she turns to Liz and asks her, "Liz, would you mind bringing me some more paper towels? Accidentally put a little too much tomato sauce on Ami's spaghetti, and now it's all over the countertop and floor."
As Liz gets up to head out of the kitchen to get more paper towels from the storage compartment, she jokingly tells Isabella, "Well, looks like we don't need to worry about cleaning up the mess on the floor."
She then chuckles as Isabella looks down and sees Zam cleaning up the spilt tomato sauce on the floor, prompting a smirk from Isabella. Liz then continues, "But, seriously, I'll get you those paper towels, Issy." before leaving the kitchen to get them.
Liz then makes her way down to the observation deck, where Zam and Zem were kept while they were unconscious, which is directly across from the ship's observation deck, where Ami, Crunch and N. Brio are teaching Koala Kong how to talk properly. Seeing this, Liz peeks in to watch.
Crunch says to Koala Kong, "Now, repeat after me, Kong: Ba-na-na."
Nervous, but determined, Koala Kong mutters, "B... b-ba... ba-na... banana."
"Very good, Kong!" N. Brio says with delight at Kong's dedication on learning to speak. "You're getting the hang of it!"
"T-t-thank... y-you..." Koala Kong stutters before noticing Liz peeking in, prompting him to blush.
Seeing Koala Kong's attempts at learning how to speak properly, Liz lets out a giggle before returning to the storage compartment.
"You know, Kong, I'm glad you decided to come along when you were at our house the other night." Crunch tells him. "We could use some extra muscle for when we confront Velo eventually." He then chuckles and adds, "And looks who's saying that, too!"
"Though there's just one thing I still don't understand, Kong." Ami tells him, curious about the other night before they went into space. "Why were you at our house the other night?"
Nervous about providing an honest answer, Koala Kong stutters, "I... uh..."
"Remember, use your words." Ami reassures him. "Just say what's on your mind."
"W-well..." Koala Kong continues to stutter while trying to form words. "Y... you see... L-Liz..."
"Wait a minute." Ami says as her face lights up in surprise, along with Crunch and Brio's faces. "Are you... are you saying that you're in love with Liz?"
"Y-yes..." Koala Kong mutters as his face turns red from nervousness.
"Well, why didn't you say something to her yet?" Crunch asks.
Still nervous about what the others would think, Koala Kong continues to stutter, "C-C-Cortex... wouldn't... w-want me... t-to..."
"Ah, don't worry about Cortex." N. Brio reassures him. "He's never been good to you anyway, so you shouldn't have to keep putting up with the crap he throws at you."
This prompts a smile from Koala Kong, as it brings him one step closer to defecting from Cortex's side and expressing his feelings for Liz.
"I mean, this... this is pretty big, Kong." Ami says with amazement. "You need to tell Liz right away."
"Tell me what?" Liz asks as she approaches the group, getting Koala Kong's attention as his face lights up. Liz was in the storage compartment and had just found the paper towels for Isabella when she had overheard Ami's words from the observation deck.
"L-L-Liz...!" Koala Kong exclaims as he starts to sweat nervously. "W-w-what's... up...?"
"I just heard Ami say that you had something to tell me." Liz says to him as she sits down right next to him. "Is that true?"
"Uh... I..." Koala Kong stutters as his face blushes from nervousness. He then turns to Crunch, Ami and Brio, who motion him to keep going.
"I j-just w-wanted... to t-tell you..." Koala Kong continues to stutter as Liz looks on.
Nervous, Kong looks around the room, before noticing the starry sky outside the window of the observation deck, prompting him to tell Liz, "...how beautiful... the skies above Gasmoxia... are."
"Hmm... yeah, they sure are." Liz says, looking out the window of the observation deck, before starting back towards the kitchen. "Well, I best be heading back towards the kitchen. Issy and the others need my help preparing your food."
Knowing he missed out on confessing his true feelings to Liz again, Koala Kong moans in disappointment and sulks before Brio rests his hand on Kong's shoulder, telling him, "Well, you g-gave it your best shot anyway, Kong."
Likewise, Ami smiles and rests her hand on Kong's enormous fists, telling him, "Don't worry. You'll work up the courage to tell her. I know it."
As Tawna and Megumi clean up from their dinner while Isabella continues to cook, Spyro approaches them and asks, "Say, have any of you guys seen Crash or Coco around?"
"Sure, Spyro." Megumi tells him while gesturing towards the hatch leading up to the roof. "They're up on the roof."
"Great! Thanks, guys!" Spyro says as he climbs the ladder to the hatch, opens it and steps out onto the roof, where Crash and Coco notice him.
"Oh, hey, Spyro!" Coco calls out as Crash motions Spyro to come sit with them. "Care to join us?"
"You know I most certainly would!" Spyro happily says as he approaches Crash and Coco, sitting down next to them.
"So, did you enjoy your meal, Spyro?" Coco asks him.
"Oh, I sure did!" Spyro says as he pats his belly. "I'm stuffed! Who knew your mother figure was such an amazing cook?"
"Yep, she's one of the best cooks I've ever come to have known." Coco chuckles, before sighing contently and telling Spyro, "You know, Spyro, I'm glad you could come with us on this journey. I just feel bad you had to postpone your date with Elora to help us."
"Hey, she understands." Spyro reassures Coco. "She knows this is more important than our date. Besides, I promised her that once we're finished here, I'd head right over to Avalar and take her straight to Dragon Shores!"
Coco smiles and says to Spyro, "You know, I always wanted to visit this Avalar place. There must be a lot to explore there besides Dragon Shores."
"Oh, you bet there is!" Spyro tells her. "You could go frolicking in the Summer Forest, roll down the hills of the Autumn Plains, see what the professor's cooking up in the Winter Tundra, enjoy the soothing sounds of Fracture Hills and Idol Springs, take a swim at Sunny Beach or Aquaria Towers... you name it, the list goes on."
"Wow, all that sounds amazing!" Coco happily says. "Other than that Ripto menace you keep telling us about."
"Yeah, don't worry about Ripto." Spyro reassures Coco. "He may have survived his plummet into that lava pool when I beat him, but thankfully, he hasn't been around to bother us as of late."
"Okay..." Coco says with some worry. "I'm not sure whether I should be relived or worried."
"Ah, you don't need to worry." Spyro continues to reassure Coco. "The Dragon Elders and my friends have been doing a fine job of keeping him out of Avalar, along with Gnasty Gnorc and that big fat Sorceress."
"Well, sounds like you've got everything under control then!" Coco tells Spyro.
"Yep, I sure do, Coco." Spyro says as Crash wraps his arms around the two of them as they continue to glance at the starry sky above them. "I sure do."
Meanwhile, back at Wumpa Island, Pasadena and Yaya Panda have just finished up a visit with Hasty, who is still looking after Crash's house while he and the others are up in space.
As the two of them head out of Crash's house and start back towards Wumpa City, Hasty calls out to the pair, "See ya, guys! Thanks for coming over and keeping me company!"
"Bye, Hasty!" Pasadena calls out as she and Yaya wave at Hasty. "See ya soon!"
As Hasty starts back into the house, he sniffs the air before exclaiming, "Whoo! Smells like someone made a stinky. Hold on, babies! I'll change you!"
Hasty then closes the door behind him to tend to Baby Crash and Baby Coco. Pasadena chuckles as she and Yaya, with two pairs of sleeping bags she's carrying in a backpack, start walking down towards the beach, back to Wumpa City.
As the two of them walk along the beach in the 33°F weather, Yaya turns to Pasadena and tells her, "Man, what a fun night that was! Who knew Hasty had such good taste in movies?"
"Yeah, I'm actually surprised he picked out that chick flick Isabella and Liz starred in." Pasadena tells Yaya. "Never thought it was one of his favorite movies, and it's not just because Isabella's his girlfriend and all."
"Well, I mean, when the movie's called Love is Written in the Sky, you know someone who's an aviator is bound to love it, am I right?" Yaya says to Pasadena, only to not get a response from her.
"Pasadena? Buddy?" Yaya calls out, looking around before spotting Pasadena sitting on the beach, looking up at the night sky, right as the stars start to come out.
Approaching Pasadena, Yaya curiously asks, "Pasadena? You okay?"
Pasadena sighs and tells Yaya, "I really hope Crash is okay up there, fighting off that emperor and trying to save us all from being mutated."
"Wait a minute..." Yaya wonders aloud. "Pasadena, are you starting to develop feelings for Crash again? I thought you were in love with his buck-toothed look-alike."
"Oh, no, no. I still love that Crash look-alike, Yaya." Pasadena says as she removes her boots, gets up and walks along the edge of the water while continuing to converse with Yaya. "I just can't help but worry about Crash and his girlfriend Tawna, that's all. They're my friends, and I'd hate to see anything bad happen to the two of them, especially since they were almost killed by that mutant food while on their date."
"Yeah..." Yaya replies. "And on Valentine's Day, no less. Poor guys."
"And also, what if they don't succeed in helping us get a sponsorship to fund our races? What then?" Pasadena continues, worried about her future. "I mean, racing's practically in my blood. It's all I ever loved doing since I was a child."
"Yeah." Yaya says before letting out a chuckle and playfully joking, "I bet all those scooter rides at recess and after school must've gotten pretty intense with your competitive nature."
Pasadena chuckles at Yaya's joke and says to her, "You're quite the kidder there, Yaya."
Yaya chuckles and replies, "Yeah, I sure am, Pasadena—" before her face suddenly lights up as she gets an idea, letting out an excited shriek in the process, startling Pasadena and causing her to fall face first into the water, leaving her soaking wet.
As Pasadena gets up from the water, shakes herself off and removes her scarf, gloves and helmet to let all the excess water out, she turns to Yaya and asks, "Whoa! What's gotten into you, Yaya? Why all the sudden excitement?"
"I just came up with a GREAT idea on how we can raise money to fund the races!" Yaya shrieks in excitement.
"Oh, really?" Pasadena ponders as she undoes her two long ponytails and wrings the water out of her hair before feeling how wet her racing suit is. Knowing that she's not wearing anything underneath, she spots a rock large enough to cover her up and turns to Yaya, telling her, "Uh, would you mind turning around for a minute, Yaya?"
"Oh, yeah, sure." Yaya says as she turns her back to Pasadena.
"But, please, keep talking." Pasadena says as she goes behind the large rock to where Yaya can only see her head and shoulders. "I want to hear this idea of yours."
"Well, you said I'm quite the kidder, right?" Yaya asks Pasadena, who starts to take off her racing suit.
"Yeah, I did." Pasadena says as she removes her racing suit to wring all the water out, leaving her with nothing on in the process. (No nudity is shown for the entirety of this scene, as only her head, shoulders and back are shown.)
"Well, what if, and just hear me out on this, we did a comedy variety show and got all our friends to participate in it?" Yaya tells her. "People love comedy, and people love to donate to charitable causes, so it's the perfect marriage!"
"Really? That sounds interesting." Pasadena says as she lays her racing suit across the large rock to dry out. She then rests her arms on the rock and continues to converse with Yaya. "And who, pray tell, do you plan on getting to participate in this here show of yours? Uh, say would you mind bringing me the rest of my clothes to lay out?"
"Oh, yeah, sure thing." Yaya says as she gathers up Pasadena's scarf, helmet, boots and gloves. She then tosses them over to Pasadena from her side of the rock as she answers Pasadena's previous question. "Well, I got quite a few people on my mind actually. There's Dingodile, I hear he's got a great tap dancing act; the Komodo brothers, I hear they're great at juggling; Ripper Roo, Rilla Roo, that cute little penguin, Penta, and hey, maybe we can invite some of Spyro's friends to perform, like Shiela, Bentley, Sgt. Byrd, Agent 9, Bianca..."
"Whoa, whoa, slow down there, Yaya." Pasadena says as she lays out the rest of her clothes and puts her hair back up in her two signature ponytails. "Don't get too crazy with your wish list there."
Yaya then turns to Pasadena and finishes up her wish list with one more addition. "And you."
Upon hearing this, Pasadena directs her attention to Yaya and lets out a stunned, "What? You mean, you want me to be in your show?"
"Yeah!" Yaya tells her with sincerity. "That buck-toothed Crash look-alike tells me that you're an amazing singer."
With her now learning that Yaya wants Pasadena to be in her show, and the fact that she took the time to compliment her on her singing, Pasadena starts to get teary-eyed and joyfully tells Yaya, "Oh, Yaya... I am beyond flattered! I'll do it! You got yourself a singer for yer show!"
"Really?! You'll do it?!" Yaya exclaims before squealing with delight. "Hooray! I knew you would!"
"Look out, Yaya! The hug train is about to make its next stop!" Pasadena exclaims as she starts to step out from behind the large rock, before suddenly remembering that she's not wearing any clothes at all. Pasadena then checks to see if her clothes have dried, to which they have not.
Pasadena then chuckles and sheepishly tells Yaya, "Gee, Yaya, your excitement really got me soaked to the bone. It'll take hours for these here clothes of mine to dry."
"Oh..." Yaya says as she recalls what happened a few minutes ago, feeling bad for Pasadena. "Sorry about that, Pasadena."
"No, no, it's not yer fault, cutie." Pasadena tells her. "I'm the one to blame. I shouldn't have been standing so close to the water when you surprised me like that." She then shivers due to the cold weather outside. "And unless it warms up, I'll surely freeze my tail off!"
Upon hearing this, Yaya very quickly gets an idea on how she can help Pasadena. She very quickly creates a makeshift campsite, with a small campfire, their two sleeping bags, a clothesline so Pasadena can hang her wet clothes on and a radio, which Yaya has conveniently set to a country music station.
"Care to join me by the fire, Pasadena?" Yaya asks, inviting Pasadena to come over.
"Aww, Yaya! You shouldn't have!" Pasadena warmly exclaims. "But... how am I supposed to get over there without you seeing me in the nude here?"
"Don't worry, Passy. I've got it under control." Yaya says as she rummages through her backpack and pulls out an extra pair of her clothes. She then tosses the extra pair over to Pasadena from her side of the rock.
"Aww, thanks, Yaya." Pasadena warmly says.
"No problem, Pasadena." Yaya happily tells her. "Anything for my friend!"
As Yaya returns to the campsite, Pasadena warmly smiles at her as she puts on the extra pair of clothes Yaya gave her before gathering up her wet clothes. She then steps out from behind the large rock and proceeds to walk over to the campsite, where Yaya discovers that maybe she didn't quite think her plan over regarding the extra pair of clothes: they end up being too small and a bit too tight for Pasadena, as the pants end up becoming a pair of short shorts, and the dress ends up showing a bit too much skin for Pasadena.
Seeing this, Yaya winces and tells Pasadena, "Sorry about that, Pasadena. It was the only pair I had in my pack."
"Naw, it's okay, Yaya." Pasadena tells her as she hangs her wet clothes on the clothesline. "It's a bit small and a little tight, but it'll suffice for tonight."
"Tonight?" Yaya asks in confusion as Pasadena sits down beside her and curls up in her sleeping bag.
"You made the right call setting up this campsite." Pasadena tells her. "But it's gotten too dark, and too cold, to walk back home, so I thought we could camp out under the stars tonight."
"That sounds great!" Yaya exclaims as she climbs into her sleeping bag. "But, when are we going to tell Mr. Von Clutch about my idea?"
"Oh, we'll tell him the next time we're at his Motorworld." Pasadena tells Yaya before letting out a yawn. "He hasn't left the place since he started shooting that movie of his."
"Yeah..." Yaya tells Pasadena with some slight concern. "I just hope he's onboard with the idea..."
Seeing the concern in Yaya's eyes, Pasadena reassures Yaya, "Hey, everything's going to turn out alright. You'll see." She then starts to drift off to sleep as she tries to continue reassuring Yaya. "You'll... see..."
Seeing that Pasadena has completely zonked out and fallen asleep, Yaya curls up in her sleeping bag and drifts off to sleep.
Loyal readers: My deepest apologies for getting these two chapters out so late. Real life's been getting in the way lately. Hopefully, you'll see more chapters very soon.