*Chapter 9: Do I Miss You?*


Crash and Aku Aku are in the middle of the jungle and found a spot to camp out. Aku Aku told the bandicoot that the place should be good to rest and tells him to gather some wood for the fire. Crash gathered the leaves to make himself a bed, and gather the wood for the campfire. Aku Aku uses his magic mojo to have fire appear. Crash sat down on the rock, holding his hands out towards the fire to feel the warmth. Crash looks up at the sky to see stars appearing in a purple sky. He frowned a bit. Aku Aku noticed his expression.

"Are you alright, Crash? Are you hungry again?" He asked. Crash shook his head at him. "Oh. You're thinking about your sister, aren't you? I'm sure she is fine. We will get her out of that castle tomorrow. After that is done, you two will live happily on Wumpa Island." Crash half smiled at the mask. Aku Aku is a very good friend to him so far. He never leaves his side and helps him out on the first island. Crash let out a yawn and scratched his left ear. "You need some rest. I will watch over you and hear for anything." Aku Aku told the sleepy bandicoot. Crash rests his back on the soft leaves, looking up at the night sky again. He places his hands over his stomach and closes his eyes. Aku Aku watches the young bandicoot sleep in silent.


Brio was working on his potions in his lab, muttering and stuttering to himself. He hears the door open. He turned around to see Coco standing there in silence. She looks calm and concerned. Brio blinked a few times at her.

"Coco? Wh-what are you doing here?" He asked. "You shouldn't be here. Dr. Cortex will be a-a-angry if he finds out that you are not in your room." Coco closes the door behind her and walked up to the nervous man.

"I have questions, Brio. It's about Cortex." She said. "You seem to know him a lot more than anybody else." She sat on the chair. "Why is Cortex like this? Why does he mutate animals to be his army and want to take over the world?" Brio sat across from her and cleared his throat.

"Neo Cortex was...picked on by everybody since he was a child. I was there with him at the Evil Academy. Everyone, including the teachers, ridiculed him when he announces that he will be an evil scientist one day and turn animals into his mutant army. The children, the teachers laughed at him." Brio said. "One time Cortex was in his dorm and uses the machine, his very first Evolvo-Ray, on his parrots. After he experimented it, his birds are gone. Disappeared."

"What do you think happened to them?" Coco asked. Brio shook his head.

"No one knows. When Cortex told me about it, he doesn't seem...emotional about it, but curious." He said. "After we graduated the academy, we left our home to move out here in one of the islands and build a castle and a lab. But, we are not the only ones."

"There's a girl?" Coco asked. "I mean, I saw a picture of her down at the hall and...I thought she was with you guys then." Brio stood up and walked over to the window to look up at the night sky. "Who is she?" Coco asked.

"Her name...was Natalie Cortex." Brio said.

"'Was'?" Coco wondered. "What happened to her? And I never imagine that Cortex was married."

"She...was gone." Brio replied. "We believe that she's been out in one of the islands somewhere to study the animals. We tried looking for her, but...there is no sign of her anywhere. It's been years since we last saw her, and...she is presumed dead. Dr. Cortex was depression by the loss of his wife, but it didn't slow him down. He continues with his legacy. He will do it to prove those who make fun of him, and to his deceased wife." Coco looks at the scientist in silent. She doesn't know what to say or think. She couldn't help but to feel sorry for Cortex. He's been through a lot. And Brio was his only friend to support him through and through.

"I'm sorry, Brio. I bet Natalie was a nice woman." Coco said. "Was she?" Brio turned back to her.

"Very." He said. Coco came to him.

"Brio, you know you don't have to do this. I know my brother is out there somewhere, and I need to get out there and look for him." She said. "You look like you are afraid of Cortex after he hears that Crash is still alive." Brio shooks his head at her.

"I wish I could help you, but I can't." He said. "Oh, if only Natalie were here..." He whispered, cupping his hands together. "She would talk him out of this madness."

"Brio..." Coco started, but stopped when the door burst open. The scientist minions barged in and Coco backed away from them. Brio watched, helplessly. Coco made a look at the scientists and kicked one of them in the area where it hurts the most. The minion howled in pain and fell on his knees. Coco clenched her fists, looking at the others. "I'm not afraid of any of you! So bring it on!" She said. She hears laughter behind the scientists. They moved out of the way to reveal Pinstripe with his tommy gun.

"Look who's getting more tougher." He said, standing in front of the female bandicoot. Coco glared at Pinstripe. "I gotta give ya some credit for giving one of the creeps a good kick there." Pinstripe said, looking down at the minion who is on the ground in agony. "Heh, we could use more chicks like you." He said.

"I'm not going to be your ring leader." Coco said. "I will get out of here to look for my brother!" Pinstripe laughed at her. The minions grabbed Coco by the arms, making her struggle. "That bandicoot must be stupid to be out there alive, and he will starve out there. If he cares about you, then why isn't he here now, eh? He ain't gonna come back for you, or you won't be getting out of here to look for him." Pinstripe told her.

"You're wrong." Coco said, gritting her teeth. "I heard what happened. Cortex said that he's alive and he will come around soon. Crash won't abandon me."

"We'll see about that, sweetheart." Pinstripe said, turning away from her. "Alright boys, take her away. She will be ready for tomorrow. She will be our general." The minions escort Coco out of Brio's lab. The bandicoot struggles with the scientists as Pinstripe follows them out. Brio let out a sigh. He feels guilty about this.

XX

Coco was thrown in her room and the door shuts and the sound of the lock was heard outside. Coco grunted in anger and pace around the room. She stopped when she spotted something on the floor. She bent down to pick up the item. It's a photo of her and Crash they took days before Crash escaped. They are both close together, smiling at the camera. Coco smiled a bit when a memory came to her.
It was when Crash found a camera from one of the rooms of the castle and showed it to her, asking what it does. Coco shows him how to use it to take photos. And Crash wanted to take a picture of him and Coco together by holding the camera out and shoot a photo.
Coco puts the picture in her front pocket of her overalls. She went over to her window, looking up at the moon. She let out a sigh.

"I miss you, big brother. We'll be together soon. We'll get away from this place." She said. After all, tomorrow is another day. But Cortex will turn Coco into an evil general that day as soon as the Vortex is fixed. Time is running low.


Crash was walking through the dry grassy fields, hearing voices in thin air. He looked around, but no one was around the fields. What caught his attention was there is Coco sitting on the ground. Crash happily ran over to his sister, but froze when he realizes that Coco is holding her side. He looked over to see her overalls have red stains. Blood. Coco is hurt! Crash touched Coco's shoulder, making her turn to him, and there is a scratch mark on her face. Crash gasped at the sight. What happened to her? Coco backed away from him, pushing him away.

"Get away!" She said, still holding her bleeding wound on her side. Crash is confused. He reached for her, but he found something on his fingers. Nails. Long, sharp nails with blood stains. Crash shook a little. "Go away! Leave me alone!" Coco screamed. Crash shook his head at her, telling her he didn't do this to her. He would never hurt her or anyone. But Coco won't listen. She backed away from him, crying. Crash then hears Cortex's laughter around them.

"Kill her, Crash!" Cortex demanded. Crash held his head, shaking it. He doesn't want to listen. His heart is beating faster, and his head is pounding. "Destroy everything that is in your way!" Cortex yelled. Crash cried out. And everything turned black.


"Crash! Crash! Crash, you must wake up, child!" A voice said. Crash opened his eyes and see Aku Aku hovering over him with worry. Crash sat up, looking down at his hands in frantic. No sharp nails, no blood. Nothing. Crash wiped the sweat off of his forehead, sighing a little. The nightmare was terrifying. Worse than the last one he had before. Aku Aku looks at him. "You were making sounds in your sleep and I sense you had a nightmare." He said. Crash nodded at him. "You alright, Crash?" The mask asked, making sure the bandicoot is not too traumatized by this nightmare. Crash nodded at him again. He can hear the birds singing in the blue sky. Another day has come. Crash stretched his body, letting out a yawn. His mouth is dry. He needed some water in him.
He and Aku Aku found a pond with tiny fish swimming around. Crash cupped his hands together to gather some water and drank it. Then he washes his face to get the sweat off of his face after the bad dream. He shook his head, groaning a bit. He looks down at his reflection in the water. He ran his hand through his brown hair.

"Are you ready, Crash? This island awaits." Aku Aku asked. Crash got up and walked over to the ancient mask, nodding at him. Aku Aku looks up at the temple on the cliffs, and there is an entry. Crash knew that he must go in there in order to make it across the island. The bandicoot ran through the jungle as Aku Aku follows him to guide him to get to the temple.