A Twinsane Wedding
Chapter 13 Dramatic Tension On The Rise
Crunch wiped down the food covered dishes and thoroughly scrubbed them. After rinsing them off, the bandicoot picked up a clean glass. His own reflection gazed back at him. "Ah, there we go, nice and clean." The eldest of the Bandicoot siblings was getting the daily chores done. As for everyone else in the family; Crash was down by the sandy beach napping under a palm tree (no surprise there he hadn't moved in hours), Aku Aku was still in front of the fireplace meditating, and their pets/furry riding companions, were outside catching some rays of sunshine while playfully bouncing up and down.
All except a certain tiger that was.
Pura was running around in circles meowing loudly like there was no tomorrow. She wasn't going to take a chance by following Coco, and she was the only one that knew who Coco headed off with.
Polar and Baby T looked up from where they were playfully wrestling each other, and gave a worried look to her. If the tiger cub could speak, then she would call everyone to her by name. For now, she had to settle for loud meowing, hoping to draw the attention of their owners. The other two, ran back inside through a pet door built into the regular one on the house. The pet duo then made a beeline for Crunch.
He looked down when he felt the two pawing and clawing at his legs. He heard them whimper. "Hey you two, what's up?" Crunch asked, a look of worry presenting itself in his eyes as he started getting concerned for them. Baby T and Polar sprinted tword the front door and exited out the one they had used to get into the house moments ago. As the part cyborg bandicoot inched his way closer and closer to the door, he started to feel uneasy. 'Ive got a bad feeling about this...' Opening the door, Crunch followed them out. His eyes widened when he saw that his sister was nowhere in sight. "Coco?" He called. Nobody answered. "Coco?!" Crunch started to shake with fear, where could she have gone? He sprinted back inside to Aku Aku.
N Brio, who was now donning a pair of safety goggles (just in case something exploded), was hunched over his work bench, scraping a fine white powder into the beaker of liquid. "Ok, that parts done, those guys have no idea how delicate and complicated chemistry really is. New potions and serums weren't brewed and created within five minutes oh no, sometimes it takes weeks, or even months!" Picking up a small wooden stir stick, Brio stirred the two things together. The result was a fizzy reaction, just like what was written in the book. He was doing this right.
"Brio?" Uka Uka asked, floating into the room. He wanted the truth out of Cortex as soon as possible. The sooner the team had Brio's mixture, the sooner some anwsers would surely be revealed.
The chemist slammed his fist down onto the table and snapped. N Brio hated interruptions, "A potion takes time to create and to brew you guys! Same with learning how the process works! Do you think this kind of stuff appears in an instant?! Or with just a quick snap of your finger?! No it doesn't!" He shouted. Removing the goggles and whipping around quickly, the chemist came face to face with an angered witch doctor mask. His anger immediatly subsided and was replaced by a look of shock. "Oh, hello."
Uka Uka released a low growl. He could very well tell from that outburst that N Brio was still slightly tense. "Ok, for now, I'm going to ignore that little tantrum of yours. How's the serum coming along?"
"Oh, it's coming, if I just follow the step by step procedure from this handy dandy guide book, we should be good." Brio then carefully looked back over the procedure one step at a time, double checking to see if he missed anything. He didn't, the plan was coming together.
"Good. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear...Wait, did you say you were using a guide book?" Brio nodded, and Uka Uka nearly groaned in surprise. "Actually your truth serum is now going to be an alternative plan to extracting the truth out of Cortex, since a different method has now been thrown into the mix." Uka Uka was thinking about leaving Brio out of the team plan, but now he was having second thoughts.
"Really, so what's the subsitute in the plan? A threat? A bribe? Not that I would ever stoop to that level you understand." Those were the only two things that N Brio could think of. He was unaware of their 'secret weapon'. One that he had actually created. Years ago.
"Actually no, it's nether of those two things." The mask replied. "N Gin and N Tropy went to get it." Uka Uka gave an evil grin at Brio who raised an eyebrow.
'What in all the islands does he have in mind...'
Moulin Cortex
Sitting on the slope of the mountains, it was small and quaint. It was not exactly the hippest place on all the islands, but it was a club favored by multiple species of the female category. Mainly by the Nitro Squad when they needed a girl's night out (and on some nights they even performed there.) However, it did have its fair share of male customers, with some being employed there. The place was a hangout, a club, and was also the only one on the entire archipelo group of islands.
Nina looked down in awe, as her and Cortex slid down the rope latter of Cortex's airship and hopped off in front of the club. Cortex had decided to take his private dirigible here instead of trudging through the snow, and also so they didn't have to track all the way back to the lab when they were done. They could just fly straight to Madam Amberly's. "So this is where your mother works? Neat." Nina smiled as they approached the entrance and headed inside. Nina was excited to finally meet someone else in the Cortex family.
"Now where is she?" Cortex wondered.
A low growl was soon heard from a booth near the entrance, "Oi mate what are you doing here? And who are you looking for?" A deep Australian accent asked. Cortex gulped with fear, he knew that accent from a mile away. He whipped around only to come face to face with a dingo/crocodile hybrid, wielding a flamethrower that was pointed right between the scientists eyes.
"Meep!" Cortex squeaked, swallowing heavily as he started turning pale, while his knees turned to jelly. They threatened to buckle beneath him. Cortex knew that Dingodile still had a bone to pick after him and Crash had destroyed his house on their way down the mountain to N Gin's ship. "Dingodile, what's up? You work here?" He asked, a tremble in his voice.
"No I don't, Pinstripe and the Kamodo Brothers do however. A lot of us were hired by the owner here and offered a part time job. And if your curious, we haven't abandonded you...yet, but we just sometimes need a break from you and Uka Uka. Then we discovered this place. Moe and Joe are the cook and sous chief here, while Pinstripe's the part time security guard. Another part time job for him is he works in a suit store. That potoroo has more than just one occupation working under you. And you don't wanna come in between him and his gun that almost never leaves his hands. Not sure about everyone else though. And don't give me that 'what's up?' after what you did to my house Cortex!" Dingodile could easily incinerate his master right here and now. Grabbing him by the neck of his coat, he lifted Cortex off the ground. "You and Crash are both gonna get it! I outta fry you right now mate!"
"You let my uncle go right this instant!" Nina yelled. She didn't want to see him incinerated and killed. Nina would do anything to protect him.
"Stay out of this Nina! This doesn't concern you!" The hybrid snapped a finger and Pinstripe looked up from where he was sitting, having a drink of sparkling Wumpa Juice. Grabbing up his trusty tommy gun, the gangster waltzed over and aimed it right under the scientists chin.
"Yeah doctor, thanks to your failed creation, that bandicoot left scars and battle wounds on every member of the Cortex Commandos! We're currently staying here because our current place is still rubble. It's warm and there's food. Plus we don't have to hear you or Uka Uka's constant bickering back and forth. Also, if you think you're getting out of here in tact after we've all endured getting beat, fugettabout it." The potoroo responded as he cocked his weapon. "You've got another thing coming! And plus, since Crash isn't here, someone's gotta pay."
"Please! Have mercy on me you guys! I quit working under Uka Uka! Look Dingodile, I'm sorry about your house, but me and Crash got into a little tussle on our way down the slope to N Gin's battleship. That bandicoot used me as a human snowboard! I'm trying to change here! And Coco already wants to hurt me. I don't need you guys too." Cortex really wished Crash were here right now. Everything they went through together pretty much made them an unstoppable duo. He hated to admit it, but he enjoyed working on the side of good with Crash. He felt that for once in his life he was actually winning at something.
Nina raised her arms up, ready to save her uncle with her spring loaded hands, when a woman's voice suddenly cut through the air, stopping that action, "Wait a minute, did you say Cortex? I recognize that name." Both Nina and Neo, along with some other members of the Cortex Commandos turned their heads around from where they were sitting and looked up. A woman then came out of the back room with a serving tray and a bunch of drinks. She had the same black hair as both Cortex's that was pulled back into a long, neat ponytail.
Natalie Cortex, the owner and bartender of the establishment, who had worked out a deal with Tawna, the Nitro Squad, and some of her son's own minions.
Natalie's eyes widened when she saw Neo. Smirking, she put a hand on her hip and flipped her hair back after sitting her tray down. She finished serving the Nitro Squad, (who were currently taking a break from performing)before collecting the tip, which was a fair amount of Wumpa Coins that Ami handed her, before facing a familiar family member. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the disappointment of a son who fractured our family." He looked back at her and simply whimpered. Her brown eyes fixed a cold stare at Dingodile. "Put him down, right now!" She then cracked her knuckles and shook out her hands. "I'll take care of this."
Both minions growled and Dingodile roughly dropped (almost throwing) his master to the ground, "You got lucky your mommy's here to save you, but we won't forget this." The dingo hybrid and potoroo then retreated over to the bar area to have a snack and a drink.
Cortex got the feeling that all his minions were still peeved at him and Crash since their last encounter, and also there was the obvious reason that they were going to take their anger out on him. A little payback for getting beat by the brainless bandicoot in the past. He could also sense that his mother was more or less holding her own little grudge against him.
Coughing and hauling himself back to his feet, the scientist faced his mother. Her icy glare threatening to perice right through him, "Hello mother." Neo just gave a nervous wave as he pulled out a stool and sat down. 'I can already tell that this probably isn't going to be an easy visit.' He thought. 'But I'll do this for Nina.'
She wagged a finger at him, "Don't you 'hello mother' me mister." Neo was right, it was a grudge. "After what you did to our family, you've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here. And I thought I heard your voice earlier, but it was just for a breif second." Natalie then snapped her finger, "Moe! Joe! Two sparkling drinks over here pronto!"
"Whatever you sssay. Coming right up." Joe hissed as he wiped down the counter and noticed Cortex. "Dr. Cortex, what bringsss you here?" Moe, who was slicing up various fruits to put on the rims of their glasses, looked up from his work when he heard that name.
"I'm only here to see mother, and also trying not to get killed before I get out of here." The pair of Kamodo Dragons just hissed at the man, before sliding two drinks down the smooth surface of the countertop tword Natalie and her son.
Natalie grasped one, while Neo hesitantly took the other in hand. "So, why are you here?" She wondered as she looked him up and down from head to toe, taking in his current attire. "And why are dressed like a barber?"
That was the second time that Cortex had heard that comment, with Madem Amberly being the first. 'How do some people not get that I'm an evil scientist?' He rubbed his head in irritation before commenting, "I'm an evil scientist mother. And I brought someone with me who I think you'll like." He gestured his neice over. "This is my neice. Not sure if you would remember her though?"
Nina cleared her throat and stepped forward, "Hello there. I'm Nina." She greeted, before pulling up a stool and taking a seat next to the family.
Natalie carefully looked the girl up and down as she sipped her drink. "Hello. Hm now that you mention it Neo, I think I do recall one member of our family who had a kid. That was probably Nina. She does look like one of us Cortex's; same black hair, same eyes, but unfortunately not a clown. That gene apparently skipped two generations. Though you are quite adorable." She reached her hand out and ruffled her hair.
"Why thank you." Nina smiled as she bounced up and down. She was liking Cortex's mother already. Looking up Moe sat a glass of regular juice in front of her. Nodding, she took it in hand.
"Now as for you son..." Natalie then raised her hand and harshly slapped Neo across the face, knocking him and the drink he was holding straight down onto the ground. It sent Nina into a state of shock, that she almost choked on her beverage, as her uncles glass shattered and splintered into shards from the hard impact. Cortex thought he heard his bones cracking, as the wind was knocked right out of his body.
As they headed back to the N Teams shelter, Coco couldn't even begin to imagine what she could be getting (or rather walking) into. Coco remembered seeing Pura shaking as her owner headed off with their enemies. Twiddling her fingers nervously, she thought she might try to see what information she could get out of them right away, "So this ringing the truth out of Cortex? Is this tied to that little obsession you guys mentioned?"
"Yes, and it's not exactly a "little" obsession." Tropy spoke.
Coco looked over her shoulder at N Gin who was happily skipping along behind them. "The flashdrive you've got, is only part one." The cyborg informed, catching her up to speed.
The bandicoot girls green eyes widened in shock as she saw the "castle". "Woah, this where you guys live now? This the "temporary" shelter that Uka Uka spoke of?" Coco wondered as they headed inside.
Tropy sadly sighed as him and N Gin exchanged a look, "Yeah, your first older brother did quite a number on the teams former base of operation. Uka Uka is still mad about that but to the rest of us, it's not so bad. Since Dr. Cortex's lab assistants are still on the verge of reconstructing Cortex Castle back to its former glory, we had to fashion this ourselves. It was quite a long process for just a temporary living space. We're not cut out for manual labor, this is why villians have minions." The trio headed into the parlor. But didn't see anyone in site. "Uka Uka we're back!" The time master shouted.
"And we brought someone with us!" N Gin called. Coco could only imagine why she was here. How could she possibly help the N Team in getting a truth out of Cortex?
Brio's ears pricked up when he heard N Tropy's voice. "Where have they been?" He asked. "And who's here?"
"Oh, the alternative to your truth serum is actually something you created." That put a smile on N Brio's face as Uka Uka floated out of the room to meet the group. Brio set his experiment aside and trailed up the stairs behind him.
"Alright, now we're ready for Cortex when he returns." Tropy paused right after he said that. "That is if he's not back here already." Looking up, he saw his boss enter the room with the chemist bringing up the rear. "Cortex isn't back here yet, is he?" N Tropy questioned. The mask shook himself back and forth no before training his eyes on Coco. "Perfect."
"Coco, just the bandicoot we were hoping to come." Uka Uka replied.
She just about scoffed at that greeting. "Yeah, N Tropy and N Gin got me all caught up about what's happening. So how exactly do you need me to help you in carrying out this plan? And what's up with Cortex not hating Crash? Cause I still don't beleive that." The girl was shocked that she was asking such questions. And to their enemies no less. Just yesterday, Cortex wanted to jump Crash and kill him, and she wanted to retaliate by sluggng him in the face. Coco decided to just get this over with so she could get back to her brothers, who were probably getting worried about her. "N Gin said there was something here I had to see?"
Uka Uka nodded. Brio stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Hello Coco, I wasn't expecting to see you here. Yeah, about Dr. Cortex, the thing is, he's been acting a little weird. I had a theory about him and your brother after I saw him pull out a photo of him. And I was totally right." He started to dance again.
"Brio! This is serious, this is no time for your victory dance!" Uka Uka screamed.
Brio put a lid on his little celebration and started up the stairs along with everyone else. He then quickly spun around to face Coco. "You wanna know the truth? Follow us." Coco didn't know what she would see. Very carefully she followed behind the N Team. Taking a deep breath, she mentally tried to prepare herself for what she was about to discover.
They came to a stop in front of Cortex's door.
'What could Cortex have done that these guys have to show me?' The N Team and Uka Uka opened the door up and gestured for her to go first. After hesitating for a moment, the girls feet started moving her forward. "What am I looking for?"
Tropy pointed his tuning fork in the direction of the tarp. "Inside a cubby hole, hidden underneath that tarp above Cortex's bed. Be warned, you can not unsee this."
Coco aided the time masters warnings, but quickened her pace. Climbing up onto the bed to reach it, she started to extended her arm out, pausing briefly to look back at the N Team. Everyone nodded. The girl lashed her hand out, yanked the cloth off, and the shrine was revealed once more. Her eyes rapidly darted back and forth between everything in the small space. Coco wanted to faint at the sight of all the photos. "Crash?" With a frightened gasp, Coco fell backwards and scrabbled back tword the team, hitting her head on the foot of the bed as she did. Hopping off onto the floor, she stood there trembling. "What is this? It's like a horror show of my brother." Coco paused momentarily to try to get a clear view of the situation. "So he doesn't hate him?" Her rage started to bubble back up.
"I warned you." N Tropy said. "But you didn't beleive us."
"Beleive us now?" N Gin asked.
"I do." Coco then growled. "That... that." She was trying to contain her anger, but since Aku Aku wasn't here to tell her otherwise, Coco could let her outbursts fly.
"Say it. You know you want to." Uka Uka urged.
"That lying little, no good weasel!" She screamed.
"Feel better after saying that!?"
"Yeah I do. Alright you guys, you've got yourself a deal. I'll help you out." Extending their hands out, Coco and the N Team shook on it.
A deal had been made.
A/N
Howdy ya'll. Boy, this had to have been the craziest chapter I've ever written.
Really? Ya'll? This ain't a western the last time I checked. *coughs* Partner. You've got the genre set as both drama and romance.
*sighs* Right. XD So, Cortex's mother, she only had the one line in Slip Slide Icecapades, so I decided to expand on that. Gave her the name Natalie and a proper description as well. I just thought Natalie Cortex had a nice ring to it. :) What do you guys think of my second OC? Next to Dr. Jacobson that is.
Ahem. *clears throat* You didn't have to rewrite this whole chapter did you?
Nope.
FlautaRara: Thanks for telling me to be more careful in your last review. Your advice paid off this time. :)
Gucci Mane LaFlare: Really glad you're interested in this tale. I agree puns are more along the lines of N Trance. I'll try to avoid making any bad yolks. XD
I *facepalms and rolls eyes* No comment.
Anon where are you?
Karol2019: Yeah I'm not ready to give up on this story yet. So glad you love this little twisted tale. Ok, maybe not twisted but you get what I'm saying. ;)
Ok, until next time, keep smiling!
I don't even know why I'm still here commentating with you.
