Chapter One- From Out of the Dark
The sea air is an intoxicating aroma. The gentle breezes gathered the scent to freshen the lush island with its raw freshness, silently assuring all inhabitants that they were situated on an island, with a lustrous ocean surrounding every side. Farther into the trees and underbrush of the jungle, a small hut stood against the hard weather the island itself endured, pleasantly shading its occupants from the shining rays of the sun. Coco, a young anthropoid bandicoot, clicked with a concentrating expression on the computer resting on her knees. She furrowed her brow, and her slight snout flared in impatience.
"Come on." She growled under her breath as she tapped a key.
Suddenly, a red object dangled in front of her face, and as quickly as it descended, snapped back up into the hand of its user. Coco snarled.
"Would you quit it?"
Crash Bandicoot was wearing a crooked grin as he continued to play with the yo-yo in his grip. He spun it around in what Coco grudgingly thought to be a pretty good move.
"Now why would I want to do that, when the result is so satisfying?"
Coco's ears folded against her head as she narrowed her eyes.
"I'm serious big brother, I'm not in the mood for your shenanigans right now."
Crash offered a look of mock regret. "Of course my dear sister, whatever you want."
Coco straightened her shoulders and prepared to type again, when the red toy again floated in front of her face. As it snapped up, Coco stuck her tongue in her cheek angrily. When the yo-yo came down again, Coco snatched it and hurled it across the clearing, ignoring Crash's surprised exclamation.
Yet just before the yo-yo hit the ground, it stopped suddenly, hovering a foot from the ground. Aku floated toward them from around the corner, his golden eyes slanted in disapproval. Crash smirked happily and scratched behind one ear.
"Hey. Little loud again, huh?"
Aku approached, using his telekinetic talent to toss the toy back to Crash, who caught it adoringly.
"Children, I must urge you to offer an attempt to get along. Your bickering seems to be getting worse as time goes by."
Coco offered a dismissive grunt.
"I'm sure we could get along, if that jerk wasn't such an annoying pain."
Crash shrugged, and began to yo-yo again. Aku sighed in exhaustion.
"Please try. Put in a little effort." He fixed Crash with a stare. "Both of you."
With a grin, Crash whirled the toy around into a sweeping arc before letting it snap back into his hand.
"I think what's happening here is a prime case of sibling rivalry." Crash turned toward his sister with sly eyes, and a wide smile. "She can't get over the obvious fact that her brother is a handsome devil, while she resembles a wild hog."
Aku shook his head as Coco leapt to her feet and the two bandicoot siblings tore over the clearing, Crash laughing the entire way.
--
Crash and Coco returned to the house, both of them dragging their feet and short of breath. Aku Aku was hovering by the door, and fixed them with a stern look.
"I hope you weren't hurt too badly Crash." Aku offered, exasperated.
Crash rubbed a lump on his head, and smiled faintly through a slight wince.
"Well all I can say is she's got a punch that would knock the bananas out of a gorilla."
Coco looked quite peevish with her hands tightly clenched to her sides. She was about to say something, but Crash's yo-yo swishing past her face caused her jaw to snap shut in a growl.
"I hate that thing…" She growled irritably between clenched teeth.
"You're jealous 'cause I've got some pretty awesome moves, I understand. It must be exhausting to be in company with such extravagance."
"Not as exhausting as being forced to endure your unyielding flapping lips."
Aku sagged in suspension, having just about enough of this nonsense. Not a day of peace had gone by since they had first met, and the thought of almost loosing Crash and vice versa had not seemed to affect their bickering bond. Aku opened his mouth to scold them once again, when he felt a sudden wave of dark energy pass over the land. It was as though everything had been doused with ice water, so cold that it was beginning to burn through the vegetation. Yet no external evidence preceded the frightening feeling. Crash must have sensed his uneasiness. He leaned over, the smile still present but the laughing warmth was replaced with discomfort.
"Hey, you alright Gramps?"
Coco wasn't as restrained as her brother, and she looked up at him with wide eyes.
"What's happened Aku? Why are you making that face?"
Aku was still attempting to sort everything out. The evil was gone. It seemed so strong it was almost tangible, reaching invisible black claws over every creature and flora that breathed life. Yet as suddenly as it appeared, it withdrew, leaving Aku dumbfounded in the thriving sunlight once more. Even though the feeling was gone, the threat was as clear as ever. Aku realized he had been staring, and noticed that both Crash and Coco were offering identical looks of concern. Aku inhaled deeply and shook off his suspicion for the time being.
"I…I just felt a slight lightheadedness, that is all. No need to worry."
Crash and Coco exchanged glances, and Aku knew instantly that they didn't believe his alibi. Fortunately, Crash could always be counted on to steer away from an awkward exchange. He left his doubt unsaid, and took a seat on a rock.
"Well don't faint or anything. It'd be hard to call a doctor considering the only witch doctor on the island is you."
Coco still had a very suspicious look on her face, and was quite blatantly letting him know without speaking a single word. As she settled back down to the ground, opening her lap top and stretching her fingers, Aku floated about as idly as he was able, so as not to cause any more worry. He needed to investigate this disturbance as quickly as possible, for he had sworn to protect this land and all this inhabitance. He had already failed once, when Cortex's infections and contaminations spread over the wildlife, and he wasn't willing to let anything else happen to the world he was charged to defend. Of course, since Cortex bathed the islands in his evil, Aku's senses had been thrown out of proportion, and even the most obvious darkness was slipping by him. Yet, disturbingly, the evil feeling was familiar. It did not ring of Cortex, but another evil presence, far in the past. Aku felt an icy panic tear through him as a terrible reflection found its way to him.
"I must go children, but I will not be long."
Crash waved in a casual gesture, pulling loose the knots that had twirled into his yo-yo string. Coco made no motion of farewell, but opened her mouth to speak. She hesitated, and seemed to change her statement at the last possible moment.
"Okay, see you later Aku."
--
Cortex collapsed to his knees, his eyes wide with horror and disbelief. The menacing mask that hovered before him was identical to the wandering spirit that plagued his dreams. During Cortex's restless nights, pondering on methods to dominate the world, he occasionally saw this phantom visage before him, offering subliminal messages and orders of execution. Cortex had forced his rational mind to ignore these visions, but it was by this creature's influence that he was able to create the Cortex Vortex. Whoever this menacing apparition was, he had an acute understanding of how to chain the freewill of living creatures. He was real, and Cortex bowed before him in knowledge that he may be destroyed for his failure.
"Great Uka Uka. I cannot apologize enough for my incompetence…"
"Indeed you cannot." The deep voice interrupted. "I believed the instructions I gave you were simple enough. I wanted the world enslaved, and I gave you the knowledge, the means, and the motivation to complete this task, and still you failed?"
The voice was rising in anger, and Cortex flinched.
"As punishment for your uselessness, I shall banish you from this world by way of death. Thank the island spirits I have decided to be merciful."
Cortex did not believe the sentence of death to be merciful, but he did not voice this. Instead, he clasped his hands together and stared up into the creature's horrible golden eyes. Cortex did not believe himself to be a groveling man, but he thought the best way to gain advantage and preserve his life was by doing exactly that.
"Before I meet my end, Great One, please allow me to tell you who foiled the plans you so carefully laid?"
Three seconds of silence passed, and Uka was pondering something. Cortex waited, unsure if the spirit would care or not. Finally, Uka spoke.
"Very well. Who is the creature who has humiliated your capability?"
Cortex felt the tinge of fear disintegrate, and a fresh wave of hatred submerged him. Cortex clenched his fists.
"An infernal bandicoot. It was a failed experiment, and he has been causing me trouble ever since."
Uka thundered a laugh. "Causing trouble, has he? Is that what you call detonating your island laboratory and blasting your space station into unrecognizable pieces? From my standpoint, Doctor, Crash Bandicoot has done far more than simply cause a trifling trouble."
Cortex must have been gaping, because Uka's laugh grew louder and then he continued.
"Yes, Cortex, I know about the bandicoot that destroyed the knowledge I gave to you. In fact, he is the protégé of my greatest enemy."
Uka seemed to be pondering something for a moment, but he was quick to come to a decision.
"I have considered the options of this new situation, and although you shall not be spared from your inevitable execution, I will give you a task to redeem yourself."
Cortex exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding, grateful at least that his life would be secure, for now. Cortex bowed his head.
"Thank you Great One. I am at your disposal."
--
Aku soured over the ocean at a rapid pace, leaving N. Sanity Island far behind him. He was surrounded by nothing but ocean, but in the distance, a small dot appeared on the horizon. Aku sped toward it, fear escalating as he did so. Aku reached out with his magic, attempting to sense any malice from the island, but it was difficult. There were shadows of deceit and plots of revenge, but the feelings were weak. Aku could guess what that entailed, but he refused to. He needed to see it with his own eyes. Finally, the landmass started to grow larger, until finally Aku reached the beach of the lonely island. He stopped suddenly, swaying slightly in the sea breeze, but otherwise making no movement. Scraps of smoldering metal and charred temple ruins were laying scattered about the ground. There was still smoke drifting up from the explosion, and the prison that once held the most evil creature nature could devise was destroyed. Aku bowed his head. Uku Uka had escaped. It was doubtless that the first misdeed Uka planned to commit would be against Aku Aku, and everything he cared about. With a regretful rise of anxiety, Aku raced back to the bandicoot siblings.