Without You, There's No Need

Chapter 3

As Cortex and Nacey walked to the house, Cortex kept staring at the poke ball that held Salamence. He felt confused but he felt right holding the red and white ball. Why oh why did it feel so right?

"Neo," Nacey asked softly, bringing her brother back to reality.

Cortex looked at her as he breathed, "What's happening Nance? I feel so confused. So lost..."

Nacey gave him a soft smile and stated, "I feel the same way you do about this whole thing. When I found Gardevoir, she told me using telepathy that you were in trouble." She paused as she whispered, "Just what is happening..."

"I wish I knew," Cortex confessed.

Nacey put her hand on her brother's shoulder and replied, "We will get through this together."

Cortex gave her a small smile as he responded, "Thanks Nance, I can always count on you."

But as they walked, Cortex couldn't help but wonder why he thought there was someone else he could count on...

...

The two Cortex siblings arrived at Cortex's house. The house was intact still but Cortex had a bad feeling. He tried to open the door but the door creaked open from the touch of his hand. Cortex instantly paled as he saw that his house was a disaster area.

Nacey saw this too as she breathed, "Oh my God."

Cortex was completely in shock. What happened? Where was his family? If something happened to them because of the whole Phoenix thing (that he had no idea that he had a hand in), someone was going to pay.

"Cynthia! Kenai! Chloe!" He shouted, worried.

Cynthia came out of the closet with her kids. Cortex breathed a sigh of relief as the twins ran towards him, like they did when they were little.

"Dad!" The twins said, in unison, hugging their father.

Cortex returned the hugs as Cynthia came over and hugged her husband. Nacey smiled at the sweet sight as she saw a Keystone in Cynthia's bracelet. Nacey gasped in worry as she dialed her daughter's phone number. She walked off for a moment so she could hear better.

Cortex asked, "Are you all okay?"

Cynthia answered, "Yes. The whole thing was on TV. Everyone in London and possibly England knows your Phoenix!"

"Crap," he swore underneath his breath. "There goes the chance the kids had of living normal life."

Kenai heard this and confessed, "Truth dad, Chloe and I always felt out of place here."

Chloe added, "Yeah, we always felt like we should have been somewhere else."

Cynthia nodded in agreement as Cortex looked surprised.

He breathed, "You too?"

Nacey came back over with her cell phone in hand and stated, "Nina and Darla are okay. Nicholas wants to talk to you, though."

Cortex took the phone as he asked, "Yes Nicholas?"

Nicholas answered, "I'm just glad you are okay, Neo."

Cortex stated, "I'm fine thanks. Just shaken up."

Nicholas replied, "With good reason. The news is spreading rather quickly."

Cortex groaned in annoyance, "Of course it is..."

Nacey felt bad for her baby brother as Cynthia sighed sadly. Kenai and Chloe exchanged worried looks.

Nicholas stated, "For what it is worth, I will stick by you til the very end, Neo."

Cortex - for once - smiled as he replied, "Thank you, Nicholas."

The smell returned to Cortex as he instantly dropped the phone. Luckily, Nacey caught it.

Kenai asked, looking at his father, "Dad?"

...

-Flashback-

Cortex was sitting on the tower ledge of his castle, letting the wind slightly go through his non existent hair. It was on nights like this he really missed home of London, England. He missed his older sisters: Jasmine and Nacey. Jasmine was the oldest Cortex sibling, technically. There was a fourth Cortex sibling named Edgar but he died when he was four years old during a fire. Cortex sighed, it had been a long time since he had been home, ever since he granted the Academy of Evil.

"Cortex," a voice asked.

Cortex turned and saw the same creature he saw multiple times in his dreams and visions standing there. He was a south Australian Bandicoot but he was obviously mutated as he stood like a human. He wore brown fingerless gloves, blue jeans, brown and white sneakers. But one trait stood out to him like a sore thumb. While most people would think it was the black nose, it was really the emerald eyes that the creature had.

"Hey," Cortex answered, sounding a bit sad as he blanked on the creatures name. But oh did he look familiar...

"Are you okay," the south Australian Bandicoot questioned, sitting with him.

"Sorta," Cortex replied, truthfully.

"What's the matter," the creature asked.

"Just homesick, thinking of my family back home," Cortex answered.

"Oh."

"Yeah, it's been a long time since I've been home," Cortex stated.

"Isn't this your home too?"

"I guess so," Cortex answered, with a honest shrug.

"Then you are home and with family," the creature stated, smiling.

"I am," Cortex responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm family," the south Australian bandicoot replied, still smiling.

-End of Flashback-

...

"Crash..." Cortex whispered, not low enough not to get noticed by Chloe.

Chloe questioned, "Crash?"

Cortex slowly realized that he actually said the creatures' name. The evolved bandicoot looked very familiar to him. Cortex's eyes went wide a few seconds later. That creature was Crash's Bandicoot...and Crash somehow knew who Cortex was. But how did he... How was it all possible? While Cortex didn't have the answer, he did know one thing.

"Oh my God," he breathed. "I knew Crash Bandicoot!"

"What?!" Everyone blurted out in surprise.

"But how," Kenai breathed.

Cortex was choking on tears as if there was something there about Crash that he wanted to say that he couldn't for some strange reason... There was something there that he just couldn't access for some odd reason...

He finally admitted, "I...can't...remember..."

...

Wishmaker1028: Well there is your twist of events! Can our heroes figure out this mystery and stop Uka-Uka? Time will tell! Anyways, please read and review! And always think outside of the box!