Chapter 3

While Cortex was busy contemplating on how to achieve his goal on making Crunch and Crash help him take over the world, Crunch and Crash were busy catching some rays on the beach. The day couldn't have been more perfect. The sky was a crystal clear blue, the sand was a golden yellow, the same color as the sun, and the ocean was calm. The two male bandicoots sighed happily as the sun warmed their fur.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Did you see how far I sent Cortex flying when I hit him?" Crunch laughed to Crash as he continued basking in the sunlight.

Crash chuckled lightly, and then sighed in a worried manner. It WAS pretty funny, but how long would it be until Cortex reared his ugly head again?

Crunch could see Crash was worried about Cortex, so the giant bandicoot put a comforting arm around the short, orange bandicoot's neck.

"Don't worry, man!" Crunch exclaimed. "As long as I'm with you, nothing will happen to us!"

Oh how wrong Crunch was! This was because a few moments later, Tiny Tiger, Koala Kong, and Dingodile came back onto the beach, sighing rather reluctantly.

"Tiny don't wish to make bandicoots come to Cortex Castle" the giant Tasmanian tiger sighed, sadly. "But, Cortex has ordered Tiny to do so."

Dingodile nodded glumly. "Sorry, Crunch, mate, but if we don't take ya back, Cortex will force me to kill Coco."

A tear formed in the dingo-crocodile's eye.

"And the worst part of it is," Dingodile added, "is that even when you do come with us, sooner or later, Coco will be dead!"

Koala Kong growled furiously as he thought of Cortex's diabolical plan. He certainly didn't want to go through with it.

While Cortex's henchmen waited for Crunch and Crash to come up, Crunch spoke again, only a lot softer than usual.

"So, you don't want to make us work with you?"

Dingodile answered with a sob. "We have to, mate! And we can't even let Coco come with us! Cortex wants her obliterated!"

Tiny gave Dingodile a very pitying look as he growled under his breath.

Well now, things were pretty bad for Crunch and Crash. If they didn't go along with Cortex's henchmen, Coco would die sooner than Cortex anticipated, and if they did go, Coco would still die. It seemed as though Crunch and Crash had only one option. They sighed unhappily as they thought of their past life, being good and all. Crunch had to wipe a tear away from his eye as he faced Dingodile, Tiny and Koala Kong.

"Guys, we have no choice but to become slaves of Cortex," the giant bandicoot sighed, sadly. "It's our only option."

Still looking reluctant, Dingodile, Tiny and Koala Kong handcuffed Crunch and Crash and marched them back to Cortex Castle. When the reached the door, the knocked and a hologram of Cortex came down.

"What is it this time?" Cortex demanded. But then he saw Crunch and Crash in chains. He smirked with triumph.

"Excellent, Tiny, Kong and Dingodile. You have obeyed my orders," the mad scientist said. "As a reward, you may take the day off. And as for you two bandicoots," Cortex growled to Crunch and Crash, "I will see you in my office later."

Laughing maniacally, the hologram disappeared and Crunch and Crash were soon sucked into the castle. Tiny and Koala Kong sighed unhappily.

"I feel so bad for those two, even though we're supposed to be celebrating," the giant koala muttered.

Tiny nodded. "Tiny think Dingodile has it the worst, though," the giant Tasmanian tiger growled. "His love, Coco, will soon be dead, all thanks to Cortex's brainwashing plan!"

Hearing Tiny's remark, Dingodile burst into a flood of tears and ran off towards the Crash Hut so he could speak to Coco for the last time before she was obliterated. Koala Kong stared for a moment in shock and then glared at Tiny.

"Now look what you've done," the giant koala growled.

Tiny was now feeling horrible over what he had done.

"Tiny very sorry. Tiny just wasn't thinking," the giant Tasmanian tiger sighed.

"No surprise there," Koala Kong pointed out. Tiny scowled at the giant koala and then stormed off, fuming.

Meanwhile, Dingodile was running to the Crash Hut, sobbing his heart out. In a short time, Coco would be dead, all thanks to Cortex's fiendish plan. Then, Dingodile saw Coco coming out. Sobbing harder, Dingodile ran to Coco and hugged her. Even though Coco had not expected this, she was at first pleased to see the familiar scaly hands of her boyfriend, but when she saw that Dingodile had tears in his eyes, she was worried.

"What's the matter, Dingodile?" Coco asked. "I've never seen you so unhappy!"

"It's Cortex, sheila," Dingodile sobbed. "He's going to brainwash Crunch and Crash into killing you!"

Coco was horrified. Why would Cortex want to make her family turn on her like that?

"Dingodile, please tell me you're joking!" she squealed. Dingodile only sobbed harder, shaking his head.

"It's no joke, mate! And even if it was, it's not funny!" Dingodile wailed. "This is the worst plan Cortex has ever heard of!"

Coco just stood there, unsure of what to think as Dingodile kept crying. On the one hand, she never really felt like she had belonged with Crash and Crunch, but on the other hand, they were the only family she had. Finally, Coco spoke again in a soft, yet determined voice.

"Dingodile, it's time for us to work side by side and get Crunch and Crash out of Cortex's control."