*Chapter 3: Plant Food*
They appeared in the warp room. Penta and the cub look around in confusion. Aku Aku sighed and face them with a stern look on his wooden face. Crash crosses his arms in silent at Penta.
"You can't come with us on the journey. It'll be too dangerous for you." Aku Aku told the little penguin.
"What? But, we found the crystal together!" Penta said. "And we found this!" He held up a red gem. And it began to turn to dust and fades away from his flippers. "Huh? Where did it go? And where's the crystal?" Then, the machine in the room started to whirl around and a hologram appeared before them. Crash gasped when he recognize the face. Nitrus Brio.
"Sooooo...you are helping Cortex gather crystals. Yet you have acquired a gem. Interesting!" He said laughing a bit. Crash scratched his head, wondering why he's here instead of Cortex. Aku Aku looked up at the hologram.
"Yes, we are gathering the crystals and we did obtain the gem." He said. "Are you also aware of some force that will threaten the world?" Brio laughed again. The polar bear cub cock his head to the side at the weird laughing Brio made. "Yes, but do you really believe it?" Brio asked. Crash slowly nodded. "Well, Crash, know THIS: As long as you are allied with C-C-Cortex, you are my sworn enemy and I will do anything in my power to-to-to stop you. If the fate of the world is truly your concern, you must g-g-g-gather the gems, not the c-c-c-crystals. If you obtain all 42 gems I can use them to f-f-f-focus a laser, a laser beam that will destroy Cortex and the space station he has created." Crash turned to Aku Aku, shrugging at him, not sure what to do.
"Why do you want to do that to Cortex? You two work together as I recall last time." Aku Aku spoke.
"Let's say that I change sides for reasons. But, you must believe me! Cortex hasn't changed." Brio said. "So, Crash, if you continue to listen to the mad man like Cortex, I will send some allies of mine to stop you! But thank you for receiving a gem. Think about it, bandicoot!" The hologram disappeared.
"Now that was odd. Brio is on his own." Aku Aku said. "I don't understand. Brio didn't explain why we couldn't trust Cortex. The world is counting on us." Crash started to pace around the warp room, thinking to himself. What should he do? Will he trust Brio or just trust Cortex to save the planet? Two scientists don't work together anymore, but why? Crash wanted to find out, but he's focused to look for another crystal.
"Can we collect both crystals and gems, Aku Aku?" Penta asked.
"We could if we have to, but I do want to know why that Brio wants to destroy Cortex's space station he mentioned." Aku Aku replied, pacing around. "If only we could contact Dr. Cortex and ask him about Brio."
"Again, who is he?" Penta asked.
"He's an evil scientist, well, used to be I suppose. He's the one who mutates animals of Australia, and he created Crash." Aku Aku replied. Penta turned back to Crash who began to pick his left ear. "He was created to be a general, but turns out that Crash's brain is immune to mind control. Such as evil."
"But...does he ever talk?" Penta whispered, making sure Crash didn't hear him.
"He doesn't talk. He can if he could try." Aku Aku replied. Crash walked over to the third warp hole and pointed at it by turning to his friends and a baby polar bear. Speaking of the cub, he came towards Crash and rub his head against his leg. The bandicoot smiled and pet his soft fur. "It looks like you got a pet." Aku Aku spoke with a soft smile. Crash grinned at him, then back at the cub. "But, you must name him, Crash. Do you have ideas for a name?" Aku Aku said. Crash nodded. He pointed at the cub. Penta and the mask didn't seem to follow. Crash uses a wall to write invisible words. Aku Aku watched very carefully to see what Crash is doing. "Oh! I see." Aku Aku said.
"What? What's he getting at?" Penta asked.
"You want to name him, Polar?" Aku Aku asked Crash. The bandicoot nodded with a smile. "Okay. Polar it is." Aku Aku said. The cub, Polar, let out a bark. The third warp room has leaves and water below. Aku Aku turned to Penta and Polar. "If you want to join, Penta, stay close. And if you wish to collect the gems just in case, please do. Crash and I will gather the crystals." He said. Penta nodded, saluting to him. Crash jumped in the warp hole, Aku Aku and Penta followed him as Polar remain behind.
The three appeared in a river with temple stones around. But that is not the only thing. There are man eating plants. Crash remembered them from last time and he didn't like them at all. But these plants are purple instead of red this time. Maybe this is on a different island? Penta looked around the jungle in awe. But the sight seeing had to wait, he walked along with Crash and Aku Aku. Crash stays on the temple path as the clear river flows beneath him. He walked up the steps of the little waterfall and see plants all over and a huge gap of the river. Crash touches the water. It's cold, but so refreshing. He took a drink from the river and smiled at the fresh taste of the water.
"How do we get across?" Penta asked. "I'd go swim, but...I can't swim." Crash and Aku Aku turned to him in shock, but they can't ask him about it now. Crash noticed a jet board sitting there. It was designed in flames. And Crash liked it. He got Penta to climb on his back. The penguin climbed on his back and grip on his shoulders firmly. "Go steady, okay?" Penta said, looking down at the river. Crash started the jet board and ahead forward. Aku Aku followed, looking out for those hungry plants. Crash avoids the nitro crates and whirlpools. One of the plants tried to get them, but Crash quickly avoids them with a jet board.
"See any gems, Penta?" Aku Aku asked. The penguin looked around. All he saw is a river, man eating plants, nitro crates, and another path ahead. No gem or crystal.
"No. We have to keep going." Penta said. Suddenly, a sai flew in and hits the jet board, causing it to break down. Crash and Penta fell in the river. Aku Aku watched in horror and see where the weapon came from. A female dingo. She disappeared behind the bushes. Crash popped out of the water, coughing a bit and Penta popped out and panicked. "Crash, help!" He cried out as the river carries him away. Crash swam towards him and grab his scarf to pull him. He held Penta close to his chest and tried to swim towards Aku Aku, but the river is too strong.
"Crash, reach for the vine by the temple there! I'll find us something!" The mask instructed and flew off. Crash grabbed the vine and place Penta on the stone before climbing up. Penta coughed out the water and notice something down in the river. Something shiny. But there's two.
"Crash, I think I see something down there." He said, pointing down. Crash looked down and see two shiny object. What could they be? Could they be crystals or gems? Crash took a deep breath and dove in the water without thinking twice. Penta watched and waited. After 10 seconds, Crash came out and swam over to grab the vine and hand Penta two gems. One is clear, and the other is yellow. Penta held onto them.
"Crash! Penta!" Aku Aku called. A vine reaches down for Crash to grab. Then it pulls him and Penta up to the path. Aku Aku floats above the stones. "Are you two alright?" He asked. Crash nodded. Penta shows the mask the gems. "You found two gems. Good. And I spotted the crystal ahead. We must retrieve it before the dingo does."
"Dingo?" Penta asked. "She's here too?"
"Yes. I believe she has black hair and scars on her face." Aku Aku said.
"That's her! She's the one I saw before you guys arrive!" Penta said. "How did she get here?"
"We'll worry about that later, Penta. We must get the crystal." Crash ran down the path, spin attack the plants out of his way and spot a crystal floating above. He grinned and grab it. Then, the crystal turns to dust and fades away in the air. Penta and Aku Aku caught up with the bandicoot and the gold dust appears around them and they disappeared from the river.
In the warp room, Crash, Aku Aku, and Penta appeared. The two gems turn to dust and fades away from Penta's flippers. Polar came up to them and have a blue gem in his mouth, wagging his tiny tail at Crash. Aku Aku raises a brow at the cub. Where did he find that blue gem? Crash took it from Polar's mouth and stare at it. Penta walked up to the polar bear.
"Where'd you find it, boy?" He asked. Polar barked and turn his head to the first warp hole where Crash went first before. The blue gem disappears, and the machine shows a hologram of Cortex. Penta and Polar look up at the scientist.
"Three crystals, not bad. I see you are getting the hang of it. I need to conserve power." Cortex said. Then he notices Penta and Polar. "Who are your friends, Crash?"
"Dr. Cortex, when we came back with a second crystal and found the gem, Brio spoke to us. He is suggesting that we must collect the gems for him instead of collecting crystals for you." Aku Aku said. "Sounds like he isn't working for you anymore." Cortex sighed sadly.
"There's been a change between after what happened. I did have a talk with him when I discovered about the force threatening the planet, but...he never listens to me. He's changed a lot. So, he is our enemy." He said. Crash crossed his arms, thinking back of what Brio said to him. Collect the gems to destroy Cortex's space station. Maybe Brio is the enemy after all? His thoughts are broken when Cortex spoke. "I will communicate with you again after you retrieve the fifth crystal." His hologram is gone.
"I'm confused right now." Penta spoke, scratching his head. Polar barked in agreement. Suddenly, a hologram appeared once again. They all look up and see Coco's face. Crash is surprised to see her. How did she find him?
"Crash? Crash, is that you? I've been looking all over for you." She said. Her hologram is static. "Oh, Aku Aku. So you've found him. Where are you guys?"
"Coco, how did you get in contact with us?" Aku Aku asked.
"I don't have much time, but I hacked into Cortex's computer and found a way to find you guys." Coco said. "Crash, whatever you do, don't-" Then, her hologram is cut off. Silence.
"...Okay then..." Penta spoke in confusion.
"We have two rooms left to go." Aku Aku said. Penta looked up at Aku Aku.
"I've got an idea! How about Polar and I look for the gems while you guys look for the crystals? That way things will go much faster to save the planet." Penta said. Crash smiled at him. That sounds like a great idea. Aku Aku took a minute to think it over. It sounds risky. He still doesn't know whether to trust Brio to collect gems since Cortex said he is an enemy.
"I don't know about that, Penta. You heard Cortex. Brio is our enemy. He did mention that if we continue to collect crystals, he will do anything to stop us." Aku Aku said with doubt.
"What if Cortex needs the gems?" Penta wondered.
"He never said anything about collecting gems. All he needs are the crystals." Aku Aku replied. Crash walked over to the fourth warp hole, surrounded by pipes. Aku Aku told Penta and Polar to stay in the warp room while he and Crash go search for the fourth crystal. They go in the warp hole. Polar sat down while Penta looks at each of the warp holes. He turned to Polar.
"Hey, Polar. You seem to know how to search for treasure. What do you say we go look for those gems? You'll never know when we need 'em, right?" Penta said, walking towards the snowy warp hole that leads him and Polar back to their home. "Let's go to my place first. I need to bring some things along the journey." He said and jump in the warp hole. Polar followed him through.