Chapter 4: The Invitation
What felt like hours upon hours on the boat came to a close. Tawna has made her way onto the shores of Cortex Island. The castle was burnt down from the events that happened prior to her escape with Crash. Strangely enough, the Cortex Power factory has been rebuilt from the ground up; much more vibrant than it was before.
Flashing lights, colorful shines, and a blinking neon sign that what used to be "Cortex Power" is now renamed to "Pinstripe's Pad". Surely, this must be the place the gangster potoroo invited Tawna over for. "Well... it looks like I've made it to my destination." She proudly exclaimed, stepping on over to the front entrance.
Before she could enter the newly-established hangout, a slender potoroo mafia member named Slim stops her in her tracks. "What's 'yer name, missy? Ya got an invitation from 'da boss man or somethin'?" Another potoroo who is much more obese than the other named Fat followed suit. "Dat's right. Pinstripe won't know who ya are until we got confirmation from 'em."
"Oh, um... my name's Tawna. He invited me over to visit this new hangout spot. You got a problem with that, boys?" Realizing what the blonde-haired bandicoot just said, Fat and Slim looked at each other out of shock and then turned their heads back to Tawna. "Well, why didn't ya say so? Come on in, toots." Slim assured as he opened up the velvet rope that is blocking her from entering the pad.
Tawna scoffed a bit and walked inside all lady-like, but not before turning her head back and giving a suggestive wink and pointer finger at the potoroo guards, causing them both to blush real hard. Fat reassured himself: "I 'taught it was 'dat Italian blonde in blue." Slim got enraged and slapped Fat for his stupidity and lack of intellect. "You IDIOT! 'Dat was Isabella, ya dope!" The obese potoroo cried out tears from the pain of his partner's palm. "S-Sorry, Slim... I should'a known 'betta."
-
As Tawna makes her way through the refurnished factory, several changes have been made that not even Crash would know about. The toxic slime streams are now filled with purple goo, the run-down walls are painted crimson with black stripes, and the steel floor was covered up with pink fluffy carpets.
Surely, Pinstripe knows about what Tawna had in mind, and she was amazed at the decor that he had set up. Surely, this can't be a trap to lure her into, right? Not all of that matters, as she made it to the front door to Pinstripe's office. "Here goes nothing." she said to herself, as the door automatically opens the moment she got closer to the entrance.
It turns out that the entire office room was entirely different than what Tawna had in mind... there was a steaming hot tub, gooey bubbles forming from behind the wall windows, a bar full of wine bottles, a wooden table that had a box of chocolates on top of it, and a flatscreen television on the top of the door. Perhaps he was not luring her into a trap after all...
"My goodness... pinch me. I must be dreaming." she squeed in joy, enticed by the romantic environment around her. And what appeared to be Pinstripe is looking away lounging on his office chair. "I... I got your invitation. You wanted to see me, Mister Pinstripe?" It didn't feel like he listened to Tawna's response, but then he gave a small chuckle and swindled on his chair, turning around to reveal himself in his snazzy new outfit.
Pinstripe was wearing a stylish white tuxedo, black jeans and oxford shoes and to top it all off, he was wearing a red flower boutonnière around his left side. "Well, well. If it ain't the hot dame herself. I'd like to welcome ya to my personal pad. Have a seat; drinks are on me, Tawna." Sure enough, she made herself comfy on the heart-shaped couch while waiting for her gentleman to arrive with the drinks.
Few seconds have passed, and Pinstripe came back with a bottle of wine that he choose what he feels Tawna might like and two cocktail glasses. He sat right next to the blonde-haired beauty and poured the wine into each glass, revealing a raspberry red flavor. "So, toots. Ya come here often?"
"Not really, I mean, I just got here. Didn't we first met when you opened up the jail cell for me in order to escape on my own?" Tawna took a sip out of her glass of wine while discussing their first ever meeting together. "Naw, I didn't forget. In fact, I only let ya out because you only persuaded me to. But we're all good now, dame." Pinstripe replied back, letting out a small chuckle as Tawna giggled along with him.
"You know what, maybe you're not a bad guy as I thought you would be. Sure, you may be the leader of a mafia gang and all, but you are quite a charmer. I couldn't say no to your sparkly eyes and smooth, silky hair." Tawna explained to Pinstripe that she was completely wrong about his initial behavior. He is in fact quite charming that no lady could ever resist his good looks.
"Well I'm glad ya understand my feelings, toots. You are pretty capable of handling 'tings on 'yer own as well. I could sure use a second hand in combat whenever my precious Tommy gun runs 'outta ammo." Pinstripe knows what's best for Tawna, and seeing her escape by her own without anyone escorting her is a pretty plausible feat. She is no damsel in distress, that's for sure. Could it be that Pinstripe and Tawna are really made for each other, and not between her and Crash?
After finishing up their drinks, Pinstripe placed his glass on the table and picked up a piece of chocolate to entice his darling Tawna with. "Open wide, sweetheart. Here comes the bean shooter!" He placed the chocolate right into Tawna's mouth, letting go of it and allowing her to munch on the piece of savory goodness. Afterwards, she swallowed the chocolate and was amazed by its delicious taste.
"Oooh... that tastes so good." Tawna felt like bliss, placing her hands on her cheeks out of pleasure. "Good, 'cuz 'dere's more where 'dat came from!" Pinstripe insists his guest to finish up the remaining chocolate pieces which Tawna couldn't refuse to do so. He was quite a gentleman to her. Sure enough, the entire heart-shaped box was eventually emptied out. Tawna sure loves chocolate, that's for sure.
"I appreciate it, Pinny... you know how much I enjoyed eating chocolate. But you know... I could really use some more quality time with you." Of course, the handsome potoroo knew what she was talking about it. "Oh, yeah... whaddya say we soak ourselves over at the hot tub, Tawna?"
How did he know that Tawna wanted to get onto the hot tub? Was it a lucky guess? Or was he secretly spying on her? It can't be the latter option... he's not a creep and all that. "Now you're talking my language, Pinstripe." Tawna took off her hot pink shirt with the Crash mug plastered onto the chest, as well as her brown belt, blue denim shorts and red sneakers. Pinstripe did the same for his formal outfit and got ready to spend some time in the hot tub.
-
Hours pass on by, and Tawna and Pinstripe are having a great time soaking up in the tub while jet streams flowed inside to prevent too much heat. She cuddled the shirtless potoroo while rubbing his body hair. "Your skin is so soft and fuzzy... I could just cuddle you all day." Pinstripe noticed Tawna laying next to him and patted her backside, blushing at the sight of his darling toots rubbing his chest.
"Aww, you ain't so bad 'yerself. Your hair is just as beautiful. Your wavy golden locks really give off 'dat sense of beauty, ya get me?" Pinstripe cuddled Tawna; who is wearing pink bra and underwear, letting her lay down further on top of his body. "Oh, Pinstripe... this is the best place I've ever been to in my entire life. You owe me big time."
It seems as though she is slowly but surely erasing Crash from her memories, but then it just struck to her. She almost forgot about the one who really rescued her from becoming general of the Cortex Commandos. "Oh no... I forgot about Crash! I can't leave him behind heartbroken! What if he can't survive on his own?" Tawna shifted her eyes from thinking about her former partner but could not resist Pinstripe's soft chest.
"Listen, Pinstripe... this is nice and all, but I've got to get back home." She asked the potoroo if she could leave early in fear of losing Crash. "Aw, already? But I'm havin' a splendid time with ya. Well, if yas insist. Put your clothes back on and we'll hang out some other time, kapeesh?"
"Don't worry, Pinny. I will be back before you know it." Without any hestitation, Tawna gets herself out of the hot tub and put back her clothes on, exiting the office and running off to the front entrance of the factory. "She sure is a feisty woman. Maybe we'll see each other again one day..."
-
Quickly sprinting across the carpeted floor, Tawna made her way back to the entrance; passing by Slim and Fat. "Sorry, boys!" she exclaimed to the potoroo guards. "No prob! Come on back anytime!" Fat replied back, with Slim gaving a dead eye glare. "Yer dead to me, bucko."
Tawna made it back to the boat that was left ashore on the beach of the island. She panted from all that running she did and looked at the boat. "Oh... there's no way I'll be able to make it back to N. Sanity Island before sunrise! I need a miracle... a glimmer of hope." Fat and Slim overheard Tawna's pleas and rushed on over to her aid.
"Listen, dollface-" Tawna stared at Slim for calling her a nickname she cannot handle, but he rephrases himself afterwards. "I-I mean Tawna. We can help ya get back to yer place. Ain't 'dat right, Fattie?" Fat looked at Slim and responded willingly. "Dat's right, Slim! Don'tcha worry, chick. We prepared 'da vessel made to travel 'cross da sea much faster!"
Behind the two potoroo bodyguards was a speedboat, originally designed for Pinstripe to escape the island in case the castle ever got set on fire. But he had other plans and instructed his goons to protect his factory from the flaming fortress, and thus the boat was unaccounted for.
"Oh! That is just what I needed the most. I greatly appreciate it, boys." She gave each of them a kiss on their foreheads, before hopping onto the speedboat and starting its engines, driving off onto the moonlit skies of the Wumpa Island archipelago.
Both Fat and Slim waved their goodbyes and hoping for Tawna to come back some other time. Fat kept waving goodbye as Slim stared at him again. "Ya can stop waving now. I should'a known you were an imbecile. Looks like I'll need a new partner after 'dis."
-
Revving the engines and speeding across the ocean floor, Tawna was determined to get back to N. Sanity Island and explain what happened to her after leaving the house on her own. The sun had already started rising up as she makes it back on the shores of N. Sanity Beach, parking the speedboat and hopping off of it to get back to her house.
When she finally makes it back home... it was too late. Crash had already gotten a hold of Tawna's note that she wrote before heading off out of the house. It read: "Dearest Crash, you saved me bravely, but I have fallen in love with another. Pinstripe Potoroo made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Take care, Tawna."
She looked out from behind a palm tree, knowing that Crash was heartbroken from reading her note. He drooped his ears in sorrow and sighed deeply. Aku Aku was also reading her note with him, and wanted to cheer Crash up after having read it himself. Tawna had to step up and tell Crash the truth about what happened last night.
"Hey... Crash? It's me, Tawna." The moment he heard her voice, his ears sprung back up and noticed his tall bandicoot girlfriend next to a palm tree. He got excited and went up to hug her upon reuniting with each other. "I've missed you too, Crash... but... I need to talk to you about something."
"Now, why are you saying that? You haven't done anything bad while you were gone, have you?" Aku Aku questions Tawna's motives despite being a living spirit encased inside a feather-headed tiki mask. She reaffirmed him about the events that occurred earlier. "We'll talk about this when we get inside. Crash, it's time that I have to tell you about the truth on where I have been to."