Chapter 4: Big Ben Strikes

*Bells chime, meaning it's time*

It's night on the Island, already. In the midst of all the time-related weirdness happening, Crash Bandicoot hears a woman's scream coming from a higher point in the jungle.

"AAAIIIEEEEEE! HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

Crash: "Someone's in trouble!"

He gets up from laying down on the dew-ridden grass & rushes to investigate. With everybody else focusing of other things, he knew he was going to be on his own.

"HELP ME, PLEEEASE!"

Crash: "I'm coming! Keep it down, critters are trying to sleep!"

He arrives to the jungle just in the neck of time. He looks around, but doesn't see anybody in trouble.

Crash: "Hello? Did someone call for help? HELLO?!"

The woman is nowhere to be seen. Not by a tree or in the trees, in the bushes or plants, or even in the dark, foggy distance. The bandicoot scratches his hairy head in confusion.

Crash: "Okay, could this "sudden" night get any more creepier?"

"MMHMMHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Crash: "WOAH! That laugh. That horrible, Russian-sounding laugh! Wait- RUSSIAN?!"

Crash steps back- big mistake. He steps into a rope-trap that wraps tightly around his left foot & pulls him upside down.

Crash: "Déjà vu much? *sigh*, where's Jade when you need her?"

Now there's nothing but upside-down jungle scenery from Crash's view.

Crash: "A trap set for me can only mean one thing..."

N. Trap: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

(Netra Trapeze, better known as Dr. N. Trap, specializes in making unique traps for animals & mutants.)

Crash: "Dr. N. Trap! How'd you get outta prison? Whatever, don't care- GEMME DOWN FROM HERE!"

N. Trap: "But the fun is just starting, my beloved marsupial! I'd like you to meet a familiar face..."

N. Trap shows Crash a silhouette coming from behind a tree. I guess it's "time" to reveal that it's none other than...

Crash: "Dr. N. Tropy? I thought you were history!"

(Nefearious Tropy, better known as Dr. N. Tropy, controls time with his staff.)

N. Tropy: "Well, think again, you pesky-orange rodent! The master of time is back, & better than ever! & have I got plans for you!"

Crash: "Lemme guess, does it involve me traveling through the past & future collecting Crystals to stop you?"

N. Tropy: "More like, erasing you from time once & for all!"

Crash: "Well I- oh. Yep, that's pretty much bad news. Oh! The blood! It's rushing to mah dome!"

Uka Uka magically appears before everyone with a maniacal laugh, excited for this new scheme.

Uka: "& you can bet that after you're permanently out the picture, this worthless planet will finally be brought to it's knees!"

N. Trap: "A world without heroes. Sounds... wonderful."

Crash: "Well, you already know I'm not letting that happen, right Tropy ol' buddy?"

N. Tropy: "Oh really? Who's got the staff? HUH? WHO'S GOT-"

Crash: "YOU DO, DUH! But not for long..."

He struggles to get free from the rope, but he can only get out by taking his left shoe off. I pity the poor fools who have to deal with that stench. So Crash descends to the ground & prepares to grab N. Tropy's staff, but not before N. Trap tries to stop him.

N. Trap: "Back off, bandicoot!"

N. Trap swipe kicks Crash onto his back. She then attempts to stomp on him with her high-heel boots, but Crash quickly puts his shoe-less left foot up to her face to stop her.

N. Trap: "Ewww! Smells like feet & wet dog!"

Crash: "Yeah, the feet part's a no-brainer."

*WHAM*

N. Trap: "OOHF!"

She gets knocked into a mud-puddle face-first that's the perfect size for her head. Crash then immediately jumps up & rushes to N. Tropy, who retreats.

Uka: "Really, Trapeze?"

N. Trap: "You see what it's like in his shoes! Literally!"

Uka: "I'm good."

Crash dashes after Tropy along a river, who runs to the edge of a cliff near the waterfall.

N. Tropy: "Blast!"

He turns around to see Crash coming for him, followed by mud-faced N. Trap. (In slow-motion)

Crash: "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

N. Trap: "AAARRRGHH!"

N. Tropy: "Why are they in slow-motion?"

N. Tropy looks to see that his thumb is on the slow-motion button on his staff.

N. Tropy: "Oh." *turns off*

As everything goes back to normal-speed, Crash is closing in on N. Tropy fast. N. Tropy quickly regrets his decision & tries to change back to slow-motion.

Crash: "AAAAAHHHH!"

But Crash already tackles him over the cliff, with N. Trap literally on his tail. Uka Uka demands to see some villainy.

Uka: "KILL HIM ALREADY!"

Crash: "WOOOOOAAAAH!"

The three descend closer & closer to the water far below them. Crash & N. Tropy fight over possession of the time-staff, but as they continue, the staff starts to cause a reaction. Before everyone smacks dab into the water, the staff causes them to disappear. Now, Crash, , & N. Trap are traveling through a never-ending time vortex, fighting for the staff.

N. Tropy: "Give up, Crash Bandicoot! I have more experience with this thing than you have with being with a girl like that young tigress!"

Crash: "LEAVE MY GIRLFRIEND OUTTA THIS, YA BLUE-FACED CREEP!"

N. Trap: "Girlfriend? *pretend vomits*"

Crash: "That's probably how every man, even Cortex feels about you!"

N. Tropy: "Now is that any way to talk to my fiancée?"

Crash: "EXCUSE M-"

*DING*

He's hit across the head with the end of the staff, but he comes back to knuckle-sandwich N. Tropy in the face. He bumps into N. Trap & the two of them disappear from the vortex.

N. Tropy & N. Trap: "NNNNOOOOO!"

The bandicoot is alone, still traveling through time not knowing where he's going. He's just curious & scared at the same time for now.

Crash: "Please bring me back home, please bring me back home, please bring back home..."

Nothing but brightness flashes as Crash reaches the end of the portal.

(End of Ch. 4)