Nightfall - Chapter 4
The morning sun rose slowly over the island, constantly pushing back the unruly night.
Aku Aku, guardian of the good spirits and protector of the free souls, had waited all night for his children to return home. Continuously observing the thick jungle that surrounded his and his children's house the wooden mask floated around, his uneasiness growing with every minute.
Crash and Coco had left the day before to go for a longer walk, but when they hadn' come back after sunset Aku had begun to worry; therefore he had sent out Crunch to follow the siblings' trail whereas he would wait at the bandicoot's hidden residence.
A soft noise coming from the jungle caught the mask's attention. Someone was working his way through the undergrowth, breaking branches and trampling bushes. Aku Aku turned towards the sound, praying with all his heart to see three bandicoots stepping out of the jungle ...
Crunch shoved one last branch aside and emitted a sigh of relief at the sight of the peaceful cottage. "Finally", he muttered and stepped out onto the clearing. Coco hesitantly followed, her eyes blinded by the sudden light. As soon as she had reached the clearing she fell to her knees, panting and trembling heavily, feeling nothing but complete and utter exhaustion.
"Where is Crash?"
Since Coco remained silent Aku Aku turned to Crunch. The giant bandicoot bit his lower lip, darted a worried glance at Coco and took the ancient mask aside.
"He's ... he's dead", Crunch stuttered, trying to give his voice a steady sound. "I found his corpse on a clearing in the middle of the forest", he continued with clenched teeth. "Cortex obviously shot him with his laser pistol. I tried resuscitation but I was way too late, there was nothing I could do. And then I found this", his hand disappeared in his trouser pocket and took out a pink flower, "and presumed that Coco was taken captive by the doctor. So I checked on Cortex' dungeons and eventually found the poor thing."
The mask and the bandicoot both turned their attention to the weeping girl.
"That bastard probably shot her brother right in front of her eyes", Crunch spat out, hate and disgust in his voice.
Aku Aku stared at Coco for a long time. Crunch had always regarded the bandicoot's guardian as a rather detached character, but now every inch of the floating mask expressed nothing except for pain and sadness. The usual cheerful and bright colours of his paintings turned pale, his feathers hung down and the light normally dancing in his eyes had disappeared.
"Thank you Crunch", Aku said, "for bringing Coco back." With that the mask floated over to Coco who still refused to stand up.
"Coco", he began, "I'm so sorry for letting this happen ... I ... I don't know what to say ..."
Coco shook her head, covering her face with her hands.
"I don't know what to do without him", she whispered before she burst into tears.
Crunch sat down by her side, embraced her tightly and caressed her back, knowing that as soon as Coco had calmed down he would have to go back into the jungle to take care of an unpleasant responsibility ...