Chapter 4: The Family Meets the Friends

"Elora? Elora! Come on, wake up please" Spyro said worriedly as he carried Elora away from Cortex's castle. She groaned from under him but didn't regain consciousness. Spyro continued to fly through the dark, guided only by dim moonlight and Sparx's golden glow. Unsure of where he was or where to go, Spyro contemplated what his next move should be.

"What the hell is going on?" Those three that attacked me, I've never seen anything like them before. Bipedal, like most of the creatures from Avalar, but at the same time very different. They must have brought me and Elora from Autumn Plains to wherever I am now. How they brought us here must have involved that strange bubble which formed around Ripto and I before we both appeared inside that strange man's… lair, the leader of that group I suppose. But him bringing me to wherever here is doesn't make any sense; I've never seen or heard of him before in my life, why would he abduct me? What was it he said to me before I fled: "Linked with the most pivotal moment in a forgotten history, and now here you are, in front of me." What did he mean by that?

Agh… I can't worry about it right now. I need to help Elora as quickly as possible for something is seriously wrong with her. She was barely breathing and couldn't regain consciousness. What did Ripto do to her? It's a guarantee that those three from the castle will pursue us, and even though I'm sure they are no match for me, Elora isn't in any condition to defend herself. So I need to put as much distance as I can from them and ensure that she is alright. But there's nothing here except water. And I can't go back to that island. As Spyro continued however, he could make out two more islands in the distance. Good, I can land there and rest, carrying Elora around is tiring me out quickly.

As he came closer to his destination, Spyro noticed that the island further away had a small column of smoke rising from the surface. Fire… which could mean that island is inhabited. It was very possible that whoever was there was in league with those who brought me to these strange islands, so I should most likely avoid them. However, I can't just fly around and do nothing. I need to learn where I, who those three are that abducted me, and how to get back to my home. And I will be more than capable of dealing with any dangers on that island and maybe even figure out a thing or two about my current situation. But again, my main priority should be to protect and revive Elora. Ugh, I don't know what to do! Elora isn't responding and her breathing is becoming shallower; I'm not even sure how to begin helping her. Spyro decided to gamble and investigate the fire; maybe his luck would improve enough to save Elora's life. He couldn't lose her.

"Crash, please come inside? It's getting late… you've been depressed for the past three days, and staring into the ocean isn't going to help you. Maybe we can talk about it. I'm worried about you, that's all."

"Eeyii m… ff-I- ne."

Coco came outside with a lantern and sat down next to her brother. "Crash, you've always been a terrible liar. Please, talk to me.

"K- an't"

"Well try. And if you won't - I'll have to start guessing - because I'm here for you big brother. And I only want to help." Coco placed her hand on Crash's shoulder, and Crash looked at her solemnly.

"Ee.. it's [coughs twice] nu- t i n."

Coco closed her eyes to conceal a sudden onset of tears and simultaneous grabbed her brothers hand. "It's, Tawna isn't it? [Sighs depressedly] I'm so sorry Crash. I don't know how you do it, carry on without her, even after... how she died. She meant so much to you, and now she's gone. You mean the world to me Crash, as equally so as Tawna meant to you. And If I ever lost you as you have lost her, then I wouldn't know what to do. I'm not sure I could live with the pain in my heart that you must bear every day. But be strong brother, because I need you to be. We have a long road together you and I, and it would mean the world to me if we could travel that road together."

"Th anks Ko co. I wee-ill."

"No, thank you, for everything you've done for me. I have something to show you after dinner." Coco stood up from the beachside and entered their house. Crash remained outside for a bit longer.

He absorbed what Coco said, knowing it to be true yet still felt glum, for it wasn't just Tawna death that was bothering him. She had passed two years ago and Crash had come to accept that (with Coco helping Crash move on). For months Crash was just happy to be alive and living with his sister. But now that Cortex was gone and Coco was safe, the realization that his family would die with him and his sister was just too unsettling. What purpose did Crash's life have if no one would remember it?

Crash finally got up and turned to face his small home. But he heard something in the distance. He pivoted his long prehensile ears in the direction he heard the noise coming from, then squinted in the dark as he tried to identify whatever it was that was making a flapping noise in the distance. Once Crash saw what was approaching his house, he was frightened.

Spyro landed on the beach, taking care to place Elora gently on the beach face up. Crash backpedaled quickly but tripped and fell down and landed on his back. He got up quickly in one maneuver and faced the mythical creature that had just appeared on in front of him. But what was that he was carrying?

"Look, I don't know if your friendly or not; I don't know how I got here or where here is exactly? But my friend here is hurt and I'm not sure if she is going to recover." Spyro looked at Elora again and was worried to see that she stopped breathing.

"Koko!" Crash screamed with his raspy voice. He then cautiously approached the purple Dragon and looked at whom he had placed on the beach.

"What is it Crash? Woah! What is that!?" Coco exclaimed as she froze in place."

"C- um! H ell p he rr." Crash said as best as he could as he pointed at the faun on the ground.

"What is going on! Help who?"

"Please. If you can help my friend, please do. She isn't breathing." Spyro urged Coco. He was putting his faith in complete strangers now. But he had no choice, he didn't know how to help Elora and she was dying fast."

Hearing the strange creature's plea for help, Coco snapped out of her fear and rushed to Crash and Spyro's side to observe Elora. She placed her index and middle finger on her throat and felt for a pulse, then placed her ear on her chest.

"She's alive but barely. Crash, grab her legs, I'll grab her shoulders. We need to bring her inside so I can see and better diagnose what her condition is."

Crash obeyed and together they lifted Elora and carried her into the house. Spyro and Sparx followed. "Place her on the table. You! Purple guy, clear the table."

Spyro used his front paws to wipe the table clear of silver wear and Crash and Coco placed Elora onto the table. "Crash, elevate her legs and make sure her head stays in place and her chin pointing to the ceiling. Continually check her pulse and make sure she is breathing. If not, give her CPR. I'm going to get my first aid kit and some water." Crash nodded and followed her sister's instructions. Spyro watched helplessly.

It was almost dawn when Coco approached Spyro with the news. "Elora's… stable. I'm not sure when she will regain consciousness? It appears as if she suffered a serious concussion and some contusions on her lower body. I also gave her some antibiotics and stitched a few lacerations. It's good thing you came when you did. She was very close to slipping into a coma and… well dying."

"Thank you, really. I don't know what I would have done without you. How can I ever repay you?" Spyro said sincerely. Crash re-entered the room drinking from a bottle of water and walked next to his sister.

"Well, maybe you can start by telling my brother and I who you are and how you got here. You said something about not knowing how you got here?"

"Well, my name is Spyro and this here is Sparx. We're both from the Dragon Realms."

Coco and Crash looked at each other in disbelief. "Wait, you're a Dragon!?"

"Yeah, why is that surprising? You've never seen one before?"

"Seen one? I didn't even think they existed."

"Well we do. Elora however is from a place called Avalar, which is where I was last before I was brought to these islands by some strange bubble. I ended up in a castle surrounded by three strange and hostile creatures. They didn't hurt Elora though, that was by a monster known as Ripto."

Coco and Crash looked at each other again, this time really worried. "Did one of the 'strange creatures' have an 'N' on their forehead?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he's the leader of the group that brought me here and shot at me. So you know that prick?"

"Eeye… th- aut he w- wuz…" Crash struggled to say before he was interrupted by his sister.

"Well apparently he isn't. And if he's alive, on the third island, and has a functioning Time Twister, then we're all in serious trouble.

"Time Twister?" Spyro said curiously. "That… Cortex person, he said that I was 'linked with the most pivotal moment in a forgotten history' before he attacked me. Does that mean that he, that somehow I…"

"Yes Spyro, Cortex can use that machine to open a portal to anyplace and anytime in space. So it's very possible that he brought both you and Elora forward in time to his castle on the third island."

"Well I have to get back to my time! Everyone there is counting on me to stop Malefor."

"Then it's agreed, when your friend Elora's healthy, we confront Cortex and get you back home Spyro. But in the meantime, you're a welcomed guest in our home. I mean, it's not every day you get to meet a Dragon. I just have to learn more about you. I mean look at his wings Crash, the anatomy of it. So majestic. Oh, can you breathe fire?"

"Hugh, does a Dragonfly glow in the dark?"

"Well, no, not that I know of." Coco responded, to which Spyro let out a small flame as not to burn down Coco's home.

"Incredible, I just have to know how your flame breath works."

"Koco." Crash interrupted her before Coco could start asking Spyro more questions. "It's lay- te. Sl eep."

"Of course. I'm sorry Spyro. It's just that, you're quite fascinating. Feel free to sleep in the living room and keep an eye on Elora in case she wakes up in the morning. Crash sleeps on the couch anyway so he'll join you, but be warned, he snores."

"Do n – ot."

"Sure you don't. Night brother." Crash and Coco kissed each other goodnight before Coco headed off to her room, but not before she waved at Spyro one last time.

"I hope you're alright Elora." Spyro said to himself as he entered the living room. Crash was behind him, taking off his shoes before walking towards the couch. "El- lor a. She ur fr i- end?" Crash asked as he sat on the couch. Spyro made his way close to the fireplace and laid down next to it with Sparx following him.

"Yeah. Elora and I go way back. It's funny, she and her friend the Professor brought me to Avalar unexpectedly when I was younger and they asked me to help them stop Ripto from taking over their home. And now here we are, abducted again except this time I traveled through time instead of to a new realm."

"Ri ip- to… he al- ive?"

"Is Ripto Alive? When we were brought to the future, I had hurt him really badly, but I had to flee with Elora from Cortex's castle before I had the chance to finish him off. That little bastard! He killed Elora's best friend and the Professor. If he's still alive, I'm going to char him to a crisp and make sure I kill him this time."

"Eye 'll he-lp. To de- fe nd El or-a an-d Koko from him."

"Thank you Crash. For everything you and your sister have done. I guess I really was lucky to find two people who hate that Cortex guy two islands away from where he currently is."

"I d- unt h- ate him… he cr- e- ate- ed me."

"Wait, he what?"

"L- ong… st- ory. N- i- ght." Crash pulled a blanket over himself and curled up on the couch.