Crash Bandicoot was taking a nap as usual, dreaming about Wumpa Fruit. Coco Bandicoot was on her laptop as always, browsing through the internet when she encountered information about Gensokyo. "Hmmm...Hmmmm..." She read through the article and then gasped. "Crash! Crash! Look!" Crash payed no attention to her and he was still asleep. "Come on, Crash! Wake up! I found some important information!" Coco shaked her older brother to wake him up. Crash woke up and looked up at the younger bandicoot and rubbed his eyes. "Crash! Take a look!" Coco showed Crash a beautiful landscape with the sun rising. "Isn't this beautiful? Apparently, that place is called Gensokyo..." The younger bandicoot was amazed at how beautiful Gensokyo looked. Crash saw something in the picture that caught his eye and pointed at it.
"Hmmm? What is it, Crash?" Coco looked towards where Crash was pointing and saw a shrine. "Oh. Apparently, that is the Hakurei Shrine..." She smiled. "This place seems wonderful for a vacation!" Suddenly, Aku Aku rushed to find Crash and Coco. "Crash! Coco!" Aku Aku called out, he had a worried expression on his face. Crash heard Aku Aku and signaled that Aku Aku was calling them. Coco looked up at Crash and nodded, closing down her laptop and going with Crash to find Aku Aku. The mask saw the two bandicoots and floated up to them. "Crash, Coco, I have just received a letter from Gensokyo. You best read it. I fear Cortex is up to no good again." Crash nodded and saw the letter sitting on a pile of wood. He grabbed it and read the letter.
"...Whoever receives this message...We need your help...Gensokyo has been cursed by a greater evil we have never seen before. This world is in danger and if the border goes out...No...it's too awful! I can't say it! Those Youkai...They would go insane!...
I should tell you what happened, shouldn't i?
Well, a Scientist from the Outside World had somehow crossed the border to Gensokyo. That Gap Hag must have been responsible for it! It could only be...
An Incident.
The Incident is approaching and we can't do anything but hope for a hero. I tried to fight those guys off but they proved that they were stronger than me. Even the Ordinary Magician couldn't get them. Please save us, great hero. We beg of you.
-R.H"
Coco looked over Crash's shoulder and read the letter. "Aha! Cortex IS up to no good again! Whoever this R.H is, they need our help! We need to get to Gensokyo to help the youkai and R.H!" Aku Aku nodded. "I will go with you. You'll need some extra help." Aku Aku then teleported Crash, Coco and himself to Gensokyo. Aku Aku groaned in pain. "Ughh...I may be using...too much power..." He fainted and blacked out.
"Hey...Hey...Wake up! Come on!"
Aku Aku suddenly woke up and found himself at the foot of a shrine. "Is this...the Hakurei Shrine...?" He looked around. "Uhh..No. This is the Moriya Shrine." A girl with green hair looked down at Aku Aku. "Hey, are you okay?" The girl offered her hand to help Aku Aku up. "Yes, I'm fine..I-i can just float up myself, thank you.." Aku Aku tried to float back up but for some reason, he could not. "Wh-what? How can this be...?" The girl looked confused and decided to help Aku Aku up. "It's nice to hear that you're okay. My name is Sanae Kochiya. I must say that is a very nice kimono you're wearing!" Sanae smiled. Aku Aku looked confused. "Kimono?" He looked down and saw he was wearing a blue kimono with red flowers. "What? B-but i...Wait a minute..." Aku Aku slid down one of his Kimono sleeves and saw that he had hands. "Whaaaaaat?! Wha-what happened to me?!" Aku Aku had been transformed into a youkai! Sanae looked at Aku Aku, confused. "Hmmm? Why are you shocked that you have hands? Who are you anyway...?" Aku Aku was shocked that he became a youkai. "I-i'm Aku Aku...I actually used to be a mask." Sanae smiled, "Really? Kokoro would have LOVED you! She loves masks! She is a menriki after all!" Aku Aku looked around, he couldn't find Crash or Coco around. "I have to find them...I'll talk to you later, Sanae!" Aku Aku ran off to find Crash and Coco, hoping they weren't in danger.