Chapter 5 – Time Stands Still
A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry this one took a while, but I was busy with my midterm exams.
Heads up, angst and feels ahead.
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Over the next few days something changed.
Coco had at first paid it not mind, thinking she was just imagining it, but as more times passed she realized it wasn't the case. Her brother was avoiding her. He spent a lot of time in his room or outside the house. All their conversation end on an awkward note and he sometimes leave the room when she enter.
Coco tried not to show it, but it hurt her to see him distancing himself from her like this. She thought they were making progress, thought they were moving past their rough start, but now everything was falling back to the way it used to be!
But why? Did she do something wrong? Had she been too pushy when trying to help him remember? She wanted to know, but she didn't know how to approach him about this.
That morning she was sitting on the couch, eyes on the pages of a book she wasn't really reading. Her gaze would wander off to her brother who was lying near the fireplace in boredom, facing away from her. The girl felt her heart clutch, but tried to shake it off and continue reading.
Aku-Aku suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. "Children, I'm glad you're both here!"
"What is it?" Coco asked, closing her book while Crash rolled over to look at him.
"Since the last few days have been quite stressful for us, I thought the three of us could go to the forest. A little exploring might be exactly what you need," He explained, though there was something weird about the way he said the last part.
"Well, I don't see why not. What about you Crash?" She asked her brother.
"But the hunters….." Crash said nervously.
"Oh don't worry, Crash. I already talked to the villagers and they said they are deeply sorry for attacking you the other day. They didn't know it was you back then," Aku-Aku stated.
Crash seemed to think about this for a moment before sighing and nodding.
The three then left the house and headed into the forest. Coco glanced at her brother who watching a ladybug flying around curiously, but when he caught her gaze his ears fell and looked away from her. Coco sighed and looked up ahead at Aku-Aku who was humming quietly to himself.
"So, where are we going exactly?"
"We'll head to the east side of the forest and then stop near the lake." Aku-Aku said, but there was an almost mischievous glint in his eyes, making her slightly suspicious.
After walking for a while, the mask flew past some bushes while the two bandicoots had to walk right through them. Their eyes widened in surprise when they saw a large crate placed in the middle of the clearing.
Aku-Aku flew over next to it, smiling at him. "Come over here!"
The two exchanged glances before making their way to the crate. "Where did this come from?" Coco asked.
Aku-Aku ignore her question. "Come on, open it." He said, grinning.
Crash and Coco did as they were told and pushed open the crate, gasping in surprise at what was inside it. It was filled with supplies. Canned food, kitchen utensils, blankets and much more.
"Aku-Aku, w-where did you find this?" She asked in delight. There was no way he found this in the middle of the forest.
"I found it on the south beach last night. My best guess is that it fell from a ship that passed somewhere near the islands." He said and looked away sheepishly. "And since you children looked pretty down lately I…I thought about surprising you and…"
Both Crash and Coco laughed. "Thanks, Aku-Aku!" Coco muttered and the mask felt warmth fill him.
Crash snatched a can of fruit from within the box. He opened it and immediately began stuffing his mouth.
"Crash!" Coco scolded, but she was smiling.
Crash then looked over to Aku-Aku. "Thanks, Mr. Mask Guy!"
Aku-Aku laughed. "It's nothing, Crash. I…" He blinked and looked down at Crash in shock. "Wait, what did you just call me?"
Crash titled his head to the side, confused by his reaction. "Mr. Mask Guy?"
Aku-Aku stared at him. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that Crash was calling him by the nickname he gave him without realizing it. A feeling of longing and nostalgia hit the mask.
He never realized just how much he missed going around with Crash like they used to, exploring the island and having put up with his reckless stunts and teasing. He missed that a lot and was glad to be able to do it again.
"But how are we going to get this all the way back?" Coco asked suddenly.
"Don't worry, I'll teleport it back to your house and then I'll come back for you. Wait here," Aku-Aku then flew over the crate and disappeared with it in a flash of light.
Coco then looked over to her brother who was still eating from the can, fruit juice dripping from his fingers and some it even getting on his fur. She rolled her eyes.
"Crash, now your fur is going to become sticky. Go find somewhere to wash up," she muttered.
Crash shrugged and walked away. He could see the lake up ahead and quickly ran over towards it. He bent down and dipped his hand into the water. He then took off his gloves and began cleaning up his fur from the juice stains.
Suddenly, Crash noticed something on the back of his right hand. He turned it over and stared at the dark strange N symbol imprinted on it.
Something about that letter made his breathing speed up. Something about that letter being on his hand made his body shake, but why? Why?
Crash suddenly cried out when he felt a jolt at the back of his head. Images flashes in front of his eyes and voices filled his head.
"Ah I see you're awake."
"I am your creator, Dr. Cortex."
"Crash….Crash Bandicoot. I think it suits him."
Crash clutched his he head and whimpered as the sharp pain didn't cease.
"No, just leave me alone,"
"What are you waiting for, Crash? Finish him off!"
"I created you for the sole reason to fight and you couldn't even do that, you idiot!"
"You'll be the perfect evil commander you were always supposed to be."
"Crash, run!"
Crash could hear distressed cries over him, but he couldn't hear what was being said.
"All you want is to hurt and destroy."
"See Crash? He can't even defend himself. I told you back in my office that it doesn't matter on whose side you are. People will always see you as a means to an end and make you fight for them because that's all you really are."
"You're going to learn your place one way or another, mutant."
"Don't say I didn't warn you, mate. You should have stopped when you had the chance."
He cracked his watery eyes open to see his vision was flickering and his surroundings changing. He was no longer on the island, but back in the lab, strapped on a table. The glowing machine looming ominously over him. He struggled and cried out as he was lifted into it. A bright pink light exploded in his vision and the memory of horrible, burning pain coursing through his body struck him.
He was then on the ground. Broken and twisted pieces of metal were scattered everywhere. He glanced down at his hands and saw something was wrong with them.
His hands and the rest of his body was completely black and burning with pink and white fire.
Everything hurts….
Crash screwed his eyes shut and his shoulders shook as the assault on his mind and the pain continued for what felt like hours until everything finally stopped and he was left panting on his knees.
He remembered now.
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Aku-Aku appeared again in the clearing ready to take the two mutants back home, but he found neither of them.
"Children?" He called out and was startled by a distressed cry near the lake. Without a second thought, he flew as fast he could there.
When he got there, he found Coco with Crash who was on his knees, shaking and whimpering.
"Coco, what happened?" He asked worriedly.
"I don't know! He was fine just a minute ago and then I found him like this." She answered, voice laced with panic.
Aku-Aku grimaced. Why was this happening now? Everything he had been going so well!
Just then, Crash stopped trembling and panted shakily. "Crash, are you okay?" she asked, rubbing his back comfortingly. Crash murmured something that she couldn't quite make out.
"What happened, Crash?" Aku-Aku as he floated over to him. Crash suddenly flinched at his voice and Aku-Aku was taken back by the scowl he gave him.
"Stay away!" Crash snapped, surprising them both.
"C-Crash, what are you doing? He's our friend," Coco stammered, startled by his behavior.
"Crash, it's me. Aku-Aku!" the mask muttered, fearing that the bandicoot's amnesia was much worse than they thought and he just forgotten who he was.
"You used me!" Crash yelled at him accusingly.
"What?" Aku-Aku muttered in confusion. It took the mask a moment to realize what he was referring to and his eyes widened, recognizing the angry look the mutant was giving him.
"Crash, what do you mean?" Coco asked him.
"No, listen. I-"
"You believed Cortex." Crash continued. "You believed I will turn evil!"
"No, I-I didn't!" Aku-Aku stammered. "I may had some doubts back then, but I never really believed what he said!"
"And your promise?" Crash asked with a raised brow. Aku-Aku stiffened.
"And when all of this is over, I…I'll leave you alone and I won't come back….I promise."
That's what he said before they left to the castle. Coco was saved and yet he was still here. He winced under the bandicoot's glare. "I was going to leave, but then when I found out that you lost your memories I couldn't leave you two alone. I had to stay and help!"
"You didn't tell me everything!" Crash countered.
"G-Guys, please calm down," Coco said, looking between them worriedly.
"I thought you'll be better off not remembering everything bad that happened here!" Aku-Aku argued back.
Crash shook his head and glared at him. "No, you just didn't want me to know about what you did!" he snapped. Not only did the mask use him and never kept his promise, but he also kept secrets from him just like….just like…..
Crash gritted his teeth and screwed his eyes shut angrily before shouting. "You're just like them!"
"Crash!" Coco gasped.
It took Aku-Aku a moment to realize who he was talking about and when did, he felt instantly crushed. Crash was comparing him to Cortex and the other mutants…..
It stung. And he couldn't even deny any of what he was saying. It's true. A part of him was happy to be with Crash again, to be able spend more time with him and his sister….he…he just…
"I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE YOU AGAIN!" Aku-Aku finally blurted out and silence fell around them. His lips quivered as the two bandicoot blinked at him in surprise, taken aback.
"Y-you're the only friend I had in a long time." Aku-Aku murmured quietly, memories of his brother before his betrayal flashing in his mind. "I've been protecting these islands for centuries by myself. Being their guardian is all I ever known, but when Cortex came here everything fell apart. Everyone expected me to just make all their problems magically disappear and I tried, I really tried, but nothing I ever did managed to drive them away. I was too weak to stop them. For the longest time I thought that there was no hope for us…and…and I was just delaying the inevitable."
He looked up at Crash and smiled weakly. "Then you came, Crash, and you changed everything. Despite the way I treated you at first, you offered to help me out even when I told you not to. You never judged me when I told I wasn't the same powerful I used to be. You….you made me feel as if I hadn't let everyone down." He said, voice wavering. "Yes, I fell for Cortex's lies and it was wrong of me. I admit it. I was just so angry and bitter at mutants for what they did to the island that I let what he said get to me,"
"When you came back to us a few days ago, I couldn't bring myself to tell you the truth because I knew you would be mad at me again and I'd have to leave, but….I wasn't ready to go back to being alone again…I wasn't ready to say goodbye."
He knew he should stop talking, knew nothing he said could ever make up for what he had done, but he couldn't stop himself. It was coming out, all of it.
"Right now everyone on the islands keeps praising and thanking me for driving away Cortex, but I don't deserve any of their gratitude! It's you who saved the islands, Crash. It's you who made everything alright again. I couldn't protect you or anybody. I failed as a guardian!"
He looked up at the two mutants who seemed confused and lost on what to do. Crash now looked more concerned than angry at him.
"I'm sorry, children….I'm so sorry," Aku-Aku murmured brokenly, guilt and shame filling his voice before flying away, leaving the two bandicoots alone in the clearing.
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Crash lay silently on his bed, facing the wall and staring at nothing in particular. He didn't know what time was it nor did he care. Ever since Aku-Aku left them yesterday, he locked himself in his room and hadn't left it.
Just then, the door creaked and light poured into the dark room. "Crash?" his sister's concerned voice reached his ears and he felt a little guilty for making her worry about him, but he remained in the same position, unmoving.
He heard the sound of gentle footsteps approaching and felt an additional weight on his bed. "Are you alright?" She asked carefully.
Crash said nothing and just grunted in response.
Sighing, she moved over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Crash, please tell me what's wrong."
Crash lay there for a moment quietly before he pulled himself up and sat next her on the bedside, staring down at the floor dejectedly.
"You're still upset about what happened yesterday, aren't you." she asked and he finally nodded. The two of them sat together in silence for a moment before she finally broke it.
"So….do you remember everything now?"
"Not everything," Crash answered with a shrug. "Still a little fuzzy."
"Oh," Coco bit lip, not knowing how to approach this. "Crash, do you…. hate Aku-Aku?" she asked hesitantly.
"He betrayed me," Crash said without looking up at her, completely avoiding her question. He didn't know what to think about him anymore. He had been so angry at him back then, but now he can no longer summon that same anger….even if he tried.
The fight they had near the lake and the mask's final words kept replying in his face all day. He could only feel a dull ache in his chest now.
Coco sighed again and ran a hand through her hair. "I know you're upset with him and yes, what he did was wrong. I won't deny that, but he sounded really sorry, Crash."
Crash huffed and looked away from her.
Coco frowned and looked down at her feet, lost on what to do or say. When she had thought about the time her brother would regain his memories, this was not what she had in mind. She thought they will be happy and safe now that Cortex is gone. Not… this!
"Crash….do you really think Cortex and Aku-Aku are the same?" She asked and he averted his gaze from her. "Listen, Aku-Aku may have hurt you, but he didn't mean to and he's sorry about it. Cortex however hurt us so many times before and he isn't sorry about any of what he did to us. Aku-Aku cares about you and you know that."
"I'm not telling to forgive him because that's up to you to decide, but I think you should find him and talk to him."
Crash blinked at her words and stared at his lap for a while, feeling completely torn.
Despite everything he had done, Crash could recall, at a distant corner of his mind, hazy memories of him and the mask together. The time when Aku-Aku comforted him after his fight with the Venus flytrap, when he saved him from the tribesmen, when he helped him out when was hurt after destroying the factory and when he refused to leave him behind in the collapsing castle. His sister was right. They weren't the same, not at all.
"Okay," He finally glanced at her and nodded with a small smile. Coco smiled widely back and placed her arm around him and pulled closer to her.
"So, how are we going to find him? He could be anywhere on the islands," She asked when they were leaving the house.
Crash rubbed his chin and closed his eyes, a brief glimpse of a fortress deep in the jungle flashing in his mind. He grinned and turned to her.
"Follow me!"
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A/N: It was honestly bound to happen. When Crash got most of his memories back, he also remembered the falling out he had with Aku-Aku. Since they hadn't made up before going to the castle, Crash felt even more hurt and betrayed by him. Still wasn't easy for me to write though. :(
Anyway, the next chapter will probably be the last one. Thanks for reading and please review!