Chapter 13: A bad friend

''Oh no… Cortex… what have you done?''

The young adult bandicoot quickly wrote down everything he found on his cell phone and quickly logged out of Cortex's network. He heard footsteps coming and quickly ran towards the door to leave.

''I must find Crash Bandicoot…''

Wumpa Island

The burgundy bandicoot and the brown bandicoot girl were keeping an eye on the island in case anything unusual happens. The orange bandicoot girl was working on the helmets that serve as protection against the Mind Control Ray, but she seemed to be putting pieces together really fast. The light brown bandicoot opened the front door of the house and went outside. He saw his orange friend working on her invention and realized that she looked confused. Being a helpful person, he went up to her to offer some help.

''Need some help with that?'' He chuckled and sat next to her on the grass. ''It looks like you're going to explode from the confusion.''

She looked to her right to see Chris there. ''It's okay. I'm not confused.''

''Are you sure?''

''Really sure.''

He chuckled and got up from the ground to leave. ''Alright then.''

''Wait'' The light brown bandicoot halted and smirked at her. She sighed and laughed a little. ''Can you get me a new battery for my laptop?''

''If you date me, I will.''

She chuckled and patted him on the head. ''Oh, Chris. You're so silly! Now off you go.''

''But I really want to…'' He frowns and gets up from the grass. ''Eh, I'll give you some time. Girls can play hard to get for a while.''

''Chris…''

''Yeah, I'll go get the battery thing…''

He walked over to Coco's house and started to open drawers in search of the battery while accidentally knocking stuff down in the process. He put everything back to avoid trouble and hoped that he didn't break anything.

''Where the heck does Coco keep those batteries? Is it down here?'' He looked under a table, but it was not there. He sighed and decided to forget about it, but something halted him from walking away. A family picture of Crash, Aku Aku, Coco and Crunch sitting on the table seemed to grab his attention and wanted to check it out. It showed Crash sleeping on the sand with Aku Aku floating near him, Pura building a sand castle and Crunch giving Coco a piggyback ride.

''Don't even see that. I look horrible on that picture.''

The light brown bandicoot quickly put the picture back and turned around to see Coco there. ''Oh, it's just you.''

She walked over to him and looked over his shoulder to see the picture. ''I see you found our family picture.''

''Family… something I had at one point in my life and never got to see it.''

''Chris, what does family mean?''

''That no one gets left behind.''

''Exactly. And that everyone will be there for each other no matter what.''

''But what if I don't have a family? What if it is all about my best friend, Heather and her brother?''

''You just have to find the perfect people to fill that empty space, Chris.''

The bandicoot felt as if her words echoed through his head. The thought of not knowing his parents or his family members bothered him and made him feel empty, but she was right. He did needed someone to fill that empty space, but on the meanwhile, all he had was his best friend.

''Oh, and one more thing… I got the battery. Let's go, you little goofball.''

''Cool! So, you're still going to date me?''

''Chris Bandicoot…''

''I know, I know.''

The sound of the front door opening could be heard by the two marsupials. It was Heather… and she sure didn't look like herself at that moment.

''Oh, hey! What's going on with you?'' The brown bandicoot girl lowered her head and sighed. She felt as if she couldn't talk or just didn't know how to say what she had to say. ''Uhhh… Heather?''

''Chris, Coco… I need to tell you something'' She said. ''Look, I feel like my brother is somewhere close to us right now.''

''What?'' Chris looked at her strange, thinking that she was being crazy. ''What are you talking about? We've been away from him for almost a year!''

''Yeah'' The orange bandicoot girl said. ''Get it together, Heather. Your brother is there in North America …far away from us. What makes you think he got here so easily?''

''You don't understand! I can just feel it! And I'm going to look for him!''

''Heather! What are you going to do? Walk around Wumpa Island or go to the other islands to look for him? Look, just sit down and calm down. Maybe it's not true.''

''It is! I have hope! And I am going to look for him! Chris, if you don't want to come with me because you think I'm insane, then don't! Silly of me for thinking that I ACTUALLY have a true friend who understands me but boy, I was wrong!''

The two marsupials watched her leave the house and decided to follow her. She entered Crash's house and immediately went upstairs. They could have sworn that they heard her slam the door of her room. Chris and Coco felt guilty for making her feel angry and they were already accepting the fact that this is the end of their friendship because of what she said earlier.

''Heather, wait!'' He yelled. ''Ugh… I'm so stupid! Why did I had to say that?!''

''I think I shouldn't have been that harsh on her'' She sighed. ''Just leave her alone for a while until her anger cools off.''

''True…''

They heard the front door open again and it was Crunch.

''Guys! We've got a problem!''

Coco and Chris looked at each other and wondered what was going on. They followed Crunch outside to receive a visit from a foe…

''Don't bring the butter to the table this time, bandicoots… because I already ate enough toast.''

''D-Dingodile?''

The dingo and crocodile crossover was equipped with his flamethrower and his gas tank on his back for fuel, ready to fry the three bandicoots…

''G'day mates!'' He said. ''It has been a while since we've seen each other, but I'm back!''

''Look, what do you want?'' Coco snarled. ''I think we've had enough trouble!''

''Nothing...'' Dingodile replied. ''Just let me have those crystals, yeah? Cortex is going to reward me with something if I burn all of you with my flamethrower.''

''What crystals? Crash is the one who has-'' Chris gets interrupted when Coco smacks him on the arm. ''Ow! Why do that?!''

''Don't let him know that Crash has them!''

''Crash? He has them? Well, thank you for the information, mates! I'm just gonna have to fry him too!''

The burgundy bandicoot cracked his knuckles. ''Bring it, sucka! I don't take my vitamins for nothing!''

''Now, now. Take it easy, mate. Just tell me where Crash is and I won't have to use this'' He lifted his flamethrower and aimed at them.

The light brown bandicoot let out a fake laugh. ''Yeah, THAT was a good one, Aussie boy. Nice accent by the way. Are you really Australian?''

''Yes I am! What else would I be?'' He replied. ''Of course, you Americans are dumber than I thought!''

''Heeeeey! Are you calling me dumb?'' Chris folded his arms. ''Relax. I was just going to ask if you Australian people hang out with kangaroos and such…''

''At least Australians are healthy'' Coco said jokingly and Chris stood there silent. ''Yeah, that's what I thought…''

''You know, Americans are pretty unhealthy with their fast food world, mate…'' The others looked at Chris and nodded in agreement.

''How strange, Dingodile. It's like we agreed on something for the first time…''

*crickets chirp* A moment of silence…

''So, uhhhh…'' The dingo and crocodile hybrid cleared his throat. ''Where was I? I forgot.''

''You were going to kill us'' The burgundy bandicoot said. ''Remember?''

''Oh, right…'' He replied. ''So, bandicoots… are you going to tell me or do I have to fry all of you?''

''No, Dingodile. Get lost!''

''Well, then… I really don't want to do this, but I'll have to.''

The brown bandicoot girl was up in her room, lying on the bed. She wasn't sleeping because she was actually unable to. She just stared at the roof and thought about her older brother. Why is it that all of a sudden she gets this feeling that he is here close to her? She doesn't know, but she is willing to go out and search for him even if her ''friend'' Chris didn't want to. Why is that she was so misunderstood by both Chris and Coco? All she wanted was them to help her, but they just told her that it was all in her mind. Maybe she shouldn't have yelled at Chris in the first place after he told her that she was crazy, but they shouldn't have been that harsh on her also. Sometimes she looked at Coco and felt jealousy towards her. She had a brother, and that was Crash… but she doesn't because she lost her own brother. She just wished that Crash were here… maybe he would understand her.

The bandicootess stopped thinking about things and decided to get up from the bed. She looked out her window to see the blue ocean, but instead, she saw Crunch, Coco and Chris battling Dingodile.

''Oh no! I've got to help them!'' She quickly went towards the bedroom door, but she halted when she reminded herself that they are the ones who made her feel terrible earlier. ''Wait… help them? No way! They didn't help me! What makes them think that I'm going there to help them after what happened?!''

Heather tried all her best to not cry and held back her tears. She decided to just shake it off and forgive them for what they said. After all, they probably didn't mean to say those things to her. ''I can't do this to them… they're my friends.''

''Is that all you got, fool?!'' The crocodile and dingo hybrid fired at him with his flamethrower and leaving Crunch's face full of black ashes. ''Oh, man!''

''Crunch!'' The orange bandicoot girl exclaimed. ''Are you alright?''

''Better than ever…'' He cleaned his face.

''GUYS!'' A mysterious voice was heard and it turned out to be Heather.

''Heather? You're not mad anymore?''

''No, I'm not'' She sighed. ''Listen, I'm sorry for being that harsh on you lately. Especially you, Chris. Sorry for calling you a bad friend.''

''Heather, you don't need to-''

Dingodile interrupted him. ''Well, what do we have here? The other one of The Lost Bandicoots? No worries! I'll just fry her along with the rest of you!''

The dingo and crocodile hybrid pointed his flamethrower at them and prepared to fire. They gulped of the nervousness and stood there motionless.

''Say your last words…'' He fired, but nothing happened. He tried again and smoke started to come out of it. ''Oh, biscuits! It's out of fuel!''

The bandicoots folded their arms and smirked at the dingo and crocodile crossover. He felt embarrassed and angry at the same time because it didn't go like he wanted to.

''Soooo… I suppose that you're going to fry us?'' Coco jokingly said.

''You think I'm done with you?!'' He replied. ''Wait till I-''

''Dingodile… one more thing…'' The brown bandicoot girl pointed to his flamethrower tank on his back. ''Your tank is going to explode.''

''Whaaaaa…?''

The tank on his back exploded, sending him flying on the air like a jetpack. It is not known where he will land, but the bandicoots hoped that he won't be bothering them for a while.

''Wow…. worst threat ever'' Chris chuckled. ''I hope that's the last we'll see of him.''

''True.''

The brown bandicoot girl lowered her head and sighed. ''Coco… Chris… I'm sorry.''

''Don't apologize. It was all my fault'' Chris replied. ''I'm a terrible friend after all…''

''No! I'm the bad friend for yelling at you like I did earlier…''

''Forget about that, Heather. The truth is that Chris and I acted like jerks. Now, let's put this all behind and let's search for your brother.''

The two marsupial friends looked at each other and smiled. Suddenly, a mysterious voice is heard coming from the trees…

''CORTEX? HELLOOOO!''

The bandicoots looked around the place to see who it was, but they didn't see anything.

''Did you hear that?'' Crunch panicked. ''I heard the enemy's name!''

''Uh-oh…''

The voice sounded as if it was getting closer to them. Whoever it was, he looked like he was lost.

''Are you there, Cortex?! Helloooo?!''

The sound of leaves rustling could be heard and they waited for the person to show himself. The trees started to move along with the bushes and the voice once again.

''Come out wherever you are, Cortex!''

The bandicoots were surprised when N. Gin unexpectedly showed up. He was accompanied by four ratnicians and he was holding a power crystal on his hand.

''N. Gin?'' The orange bandicoot girl said, confused. ''What are you doing here?''

''Wait… I'm in the bandicoots' place?!'' He said. ''Well, you can thank Mr. Yellow Skin here. He left me here on this island with these idiot rats who still can't find my family recipe for toast!''

''That's not very nice, boss'' One of the ratnicians complained, but N. Gin silenced him.

''That's good. Now, you might wanna hand over that crystal that you have in your hand.''

N. Gin screamed like a girl and backed away from him. ''Leave me alone, you fluffy orange bandicoot! Or else you will feel the wrath of my precious missile of… of DOOM! Ha ha!''

''Did he just call me fluffy?''

''Did he just call his missile 'precious'?'' Crunch facepalmed. ''Oh, dear…''

''Ratnicians! Attack!''

The four ratnicians went over to attack them, but the light brown bandicoot reached into his pocket to use his ray gun. He fired at them, causing them to get electrocuted and leaving them lying on the floor.

''Owww… my spine…'' One of the ratnicians grunted.

N. Gin stood there, gaping in shock. ''Well, that was easy!''

''It will happen to you if you don't hand over the crystal.''

''Give me an N! Give me an O! What does it say? NO!''

N. Gin screamed like a girl when Crunch grabbed him by the missile and lifted him up. ''Put me down! I'm too gorgeous!''

''Listen up, missile boy. You tell us what Cortex is doing now and give us that crystal, yeah?''

''Okay! Okay! Just don't ruin my missile! I just polished it!''

Crunch smirked and put him down.

''Alright, stupid! Let's just say that Cortex 'did his job' with N. Sanity Island and is soon going to finish everything up with this island.''

''Wait a minute… you're saying that the residents of N. Sanity Island are brainwashed?''

The bandicoots were speechless at this moment. They felt like they were too late because the damage is already done, but now, they had to focus on stopping this as soon as possible to return everyone back to normal.

''Oh, no... Crash!''

Whoa... how many days have passed since I updated? A week maybe? I don't know. It looks like that I will be a little bit slow with the chapters because of exams. School started on the 7th of August and I'm super busy... ugh... the laziness just makes it worse. I can't focus on writing a fanfic and think about ideas while studying for a test... it's a lot of work. Sorry for the delay, though. I will try to post chapter 14 as soon as I can.

Another reason for the delay was because I had to change a few things. This chapter was already written, but I didn't like how it turned out... so I changed it. That also took me some time. Also, e-cookie to whoever found the Lilo and Stitch quote in this chapter!

Cheers.

- Dream Instant