Crunch awoke listening to the rain pattering on his roof sometime after Fatale had wandered outside. He heard a soft female voice talking to Aku-Aku and got up to find out who it was, but by the time he had gotten to the door Fatale was alone outside and staring at the frame of the house that Crunch was building. He quickly walked outside and picked her up hero style and began to carry her inside stating that she shouldn't be in the rain. Fatale's reply to that was an obstinate look. He paid no attention to that and continued to carry her inside. Once inside he handed her a blanket and told her to go dry her clothing out. She had no choice but to obey and came out with the blanket wrapped all funnily about herself.. Crunch chuckled to himself as he showed her how to wrap the blanket and sent her to wrap it about herself better. She returned wrapped better and sat until her clothes dried before putting them back on and sitting near the window looking out at the rain swishing her tail back and forth.

Crunch began to walk across the room, but stopped and stared back at Fatale, who still sat at the window.

"How come you don't speak?"

"I don't wish to…" Crunch stared wide-eyed at Fatale.

"Y-y-your name then?" Crunch was surprised at the voice that had come from the grey furred creature within his house.

"Fatale…" Crunch's shock had now caught up to him and he could not speak. This was the soft voice he had heard talking to Aku-Aku. Beautiful. Just beautiful. He stared until Fatale waved a hand before his face. He looked down at the smaller creature. Her reddish eyes were trained upon his face, her eyes showing her confusion. Crunch turned a way quickly before he embarrassed himself further than he already had.

"We should be getting back to sleep…"

"But Crunch… it's morning…" Crunch blinked, his orange fur, getting a slight red tint. Fatale cracked a smile and stood on her toes to try and kiss his cheek, but she wasn't tall enough, so she dropped back down and hugged his middle. Crunch smiled and put his right hand on her head, fingers behind and in front of her ear.

Crunch was building once more. Fatale was sitting on the beach again, her black hair blowing slightly in the wind that was racing around the beach. Her ears were trained to the sounds of Crunch building the house behind her. She had avoided watching him, because Coco seemed to hate it when she did so. A board slid across another then thumped into the grass as Crunch picked it up. Then the hammering of nails being driven into it to secure it to the frame. Fatale found herself staring at a rather large crab. It sidled across the sand in front of her and she didn't notice that Crunch had stopped building and was walking over toward her. Her attention was so fixed upon the sidling creature, that, when Crunch scooped her up she almost squealed. He quickly carted her out of sight, which made Coco jealous.

'I can't believe her! Working her charms on Crunch!' Coco thought angrily. 'He's a bandicoot! Not a common... DOG!' her fists clenched tightly in the seething anger she possessed. Crash put a hand on his sister's shoulder and she glared at him.

He blinked, looking very sincere.

She then burst out with, "I can't believe that mangy dog! She's stealing Cruch's heart!"

Crash looked at Coco a moment before saying in his own way that Crunch's heart is his to do what he wishes with. this got a glare from Coco and so did Crunch's house when Fatale's happy squeal rang out.

Inside Crunch's house, Crunch had offered her a piece of wumpa fruit. She happily took it and gobbled it down and hugged Crunch tightly. Crunch grinned and hugged Fatale back. Fatale snuggled up against him as his arms closed around her. Her reddish colored eyes closed as well. Crunch cracked a big smile. A very happy one for once. He liked the feel of the small creature that was snuggled against his chest.

Meanwhile; With Dingodile...

The bushes rustled just outside of Crash's house on N. Sanity beach.

'Should I go to her?' Dingodile thought. 'Will she know who I am?' Dingodile stepped out of the bushes and caught sight of Crunch holding something against him. He stared at the black hair that was falling over Crunch's arm, before realizing it was Fatale. He began to growl and drool heavily. He looked up and saw it was getting dark. Perfect. In a matter of minutes Crunch would walk outside and that's when he'd have him. How dare he play on the emotions of the naive wolf! He saw Crunch rub the girls ears. He roared in anger at the sight of the two, but he wasn't the only one watching the pair. Coco was as well. She wanted the she-wolf out of the way, so that she could have Crunch for herself. She looked at the large ugly snout that was poking from the bushes. It seemed to her that the creature in the bushes wanted the two broken up as well! Now was as good a time as any to put her plan into play. Coco strode to the bushes bravely.

"Hey," she whispered, "why are you here?"

Dingodile looked at Coco before replying "I'm here for Fatale."

"Fatale?" Dingodile's only reply was pointing a hideous claw towards Crunch's house. Coco grinned, "Well then. You can help me, because I want the bandicoot with her." The snout moved up and down slowly, nodding.

"You get the male away from her so I may talk with Fatale once more." when Crunch came outside, Coco threw herself upon him and tried to kiss upon him. He pushed her off and into the large hideous creature behind her. The hideous creature set Coco down and proceeded to speak to her "That wasn't what I had in mind Coco..." Crunch blinked and began to walk inside, before Dingodile grabbed him and hauled him back. Cruch tried to get away, but the two ended up pounding upon each other. Crunch pounding Dingodile in the oversided snout and Dingodile slashing Crunch with his claws. after a few moments they broke away from each other and attacked again.

"I want Fatale!" Dingodile yelled angrily, punching Crunch in the face.

"You cannot if she chooses to stay!" Crunch cried, returning the punch to the face. They punched and attacked each other for quite a while before Fatale came out of the house and Coco leaped upon her back screaming. Fatale said nothing and let the she-coot beat on her until Crunch kicked Dingodile off of himself and threw him off the beach. That was when Fatale grabbed Coco and tossed her into the lab. Fatale then stalked off towards the water of the ocean. Crunch followed her, but stopped when she flopped onto the sand. he sat down not too far away from her just in case high tide came in before she got up. He leaned back and stared at the sky for a while, before he felt someone crawl in his lap and curl up. he looked down to who crawled in his lap. It was none other than Fatale, who was tired. Her hair had fallen over her face except for the slender muzzle that protruded from beneath her hair.


KE: sorry bout the long wait, but i had amjor writer's block on this one. well here's another chappy RG!

Dingo: why are you calling me hideous?

Krazie: at least your not dead yet. i suppose Cortex changed his mind and made you hideous instead. didn't you look in the mirror?

Dingo: growls damnit.

Cortex: ambles in what's up?

Dingo: pounces Cortex and whacks him in the back of the head YOU MADE ME HIDEOUS! NOW I'LL NEVER BE HAPPY!

Krazie: well folks there ya have it. Dingodile is beating up Cortex now. use your imagination and see how badly Cortex gets whooped. later people. gives the peace sign and walks out of the room. just as she shuts the door she puts a sign on the knob that says "stay tuned for the next chapter of "Cortex's New Experiment"!"