Crash, Crash, Crash," began Neo "the Father" Cortex. "You are my greatest creation. Evolved to perfection. Your girlfriend -," The Father looked over to Tawna, who sat by two Lab Assistants. She shook her head, but the Father knew, after all, why else would she have come to witness him under the Cortex Vortex. She claimed to prefer Pinstripe, and while Cortex knew that she spent her nights, occasionally, with the Potteroo, it was not where her heart was. "- is not yours anymore. Perhaps you can win her back. Perhaps." Crash looked intently, as if memorizing every word. The bandicoot did not talk in English, Welsh or Irish, for some strange reason, in French, gibberish or bandicoot. "The Evolvo Ray was perfected and your birth proved it, I am your father Crash. You have the amazing tornado ability that none other gained, not Pinstripe, not Tawna, not Coco, not Tiny and not Kong. You can fight to harmony, broken lab assistants prove this. I hope the Cortex Vortex works, for your sake."
Electricity jammed through Crash's circuits, frying some of them. To Cortex, the experiment ended in a success, with Crash's mind successfully being persuaded to the "dark side", but he did not know the truth. He did not know that Aku Aku had escaped his confinement, he did not know that the experiment had actually failed.
"Now Crash, your first assignment will be to find the robotic masks, Aku Aku and Uka Uka so we can destroy the first and free the latter. These masks, as I have hypothesized are not the result of a Soviet Science experiment in their entirety, I believe, that they are actually clones of the native gods, made out of the DNA of the latter," The Father paused and looked at Crash who listened intently. "There are eight cybernetic masks, seven malignant, one benign. We are looking for the one benign one so we can destroy him. You and I bear a unique talent, we can hack into it as to put bear it on your face for immunity. If we can find the secret behind this mask, then we can most likely find a way to initiate the old native ritual to find the true mask and find true power. You will lead my Cortex Commandos." The Father looked over to Brio and declared, "This bandicoot will be my general!"
"Bon, je vais le faire, or shall I say, I understand," Crash replied in English! He did not truly understand if what Cortex was doing was for the good, but he would try and follow the orders. "I have an idea, the current from here will send me to Island, won't it?... good exercise."
"GOD, you're so annoying!" joked Neo. That was how it seemed, at first, but then he clutched Crash by the fur and kicked him out of the window, yes the current would carry him there. This bandicoot was smarter than the rest, Crash understood that the swim to the boat would strengthen the muscles that the Vortex fused.
Cortex Castle Dungeons
Little did the Father know that in the dungeons of Cortex Castle, which spanned a length of over twice the area of the castle and was below sea level, was Aku Aku. The mask had the intention of looking for Coco Bandicoot, who was completing the Gauntlet. She had failed the Cortex Vortex but had everyday begged the Father to let her join the Commandos. Pinstripe had told her that if she completed the Gauntlet and escaped the dungeon, she could join. Front flip jumping past a mound of fire, Coco nearly fell back when she saw the mask in front of her. It fled and Coco chased him, jumping past TNT crates she grabbed him and tackled him to the ground. TNT crates were deadly, touching them once with even a tiny fiber would prompt a fast three count and a small fire filled explosion.
She, like other Cortex Commando recruits could easily outrace the bomb, Aku Aku wriggled out of her hands and went forth. Coco jumped and squarely landed on a TNT crate, doing a backflip she got off it and to a metal bar. Spinning with her legs she escaped the explosion and once again caught Aku. 'She's the one. She can destroy the Father and his evil legacy,' thought Aku Aku. His colourful feathers began to glow brightly, becoming golden. His face was wooden, but slightly resembled that of an ape. Ancient carvings powered him with the strength of the Totem Gods channeling threw him. "I am no enemy of yours, believe me," Aku said flatly. He grimaced a little in pain when she squeezed him.
"Talk," she said, cutely but firmly. Aku could tell that in her evolved age she was no more than eight years old. First the Father had evolved her and then imprisoned her, was it all just a scheme to corrupt such an innocent thing.
"The Father and his legacy is trying to destroy what you are, do not attack me," pleaded Aku. "I have a story to tell you, your response afterwards will tell me which side you belong to."
"The Father, Neo Cortex, comes from a place called Bulgaria, his family immigrated to the United States shortly afterward," began Aku. "He began to hate the world after several tumultuous experiments. What he wishes to do is get your brother, Crash Bandicoot, to destroy me so that nobody opposes him. He used the Vortex on Crash, I ensured it failed but nobody else knows that. He wants to kill everything he does not like, do you not understand, he wants to use you to destroy the world. It truly is a beautiful place, one of everything a young girl like you should see. Let go of me and I'll take you to Island, where hopefully you will understand."
Intrigued, Coco let go.