Crash sat up after a moment of waiting for the world to stop spinning, unsure of where they were but glad to be out of the dinosaur infested time zone. He rubbed his eyes, still sore from the fumes of Dingodile's flamethrower, and got to his feet. Crash realized he was sitting on some rough pavement, which was a far more advanced surface than any he had yet seen from their travels. He started walking toward a stone barricade, and as he peeked into the distance he felt his jaw drop in awe. The sparkling city before him was glittering with brilliantly constructed buildings and structures that seemed to scrape the sky. Crash scratched the back of his head and whistled.
"Wow, now that's pretty snazzy."
Just as he was admiring the amazing scene before him, he heard a small voice from behind him.
"Crash!"
Crash turned and saw Coco rushing toward him with a bundle held tightly under one arm. She was dressed differently, wearing long white pants with multiple stitching over the seams and a similar sleeveless shirt. Her blond hair was tied back in twin pigtails that bordered her face.
"Hey Coco, what's up with the wardrobe?"
Coco didn't speak until she reached him, huffing slightly from her hurried walk.
"You couldn't expect me to walk around in an ashy kimono in this dimension, do you? It's bad enough that I'm half bandicoot and, truth be told, I'm not really fond of people staring."
Crash opened his mouth to say something witty, but grunted instead as Coco threw the bundle at him.
"We'll be more inconspicuous this way, now put these on."
Coco turned on her heel and marched away. Crash didn't bother to ask where she was going. The tiger was nowhere in sight, so Coco had probably thought it wise to hide the big cat, which Crash concurred with. Nobody, even people from the future, wanted a dangerous feline roaming the streets. The slacks Coco provided were in the same style as her own, but these were dark navy and were embroidered with white stitching down the seams. She got him a jacket too, and for a moment he just stared at it grudgingly. He didn't like shirts or anything that covered his narrow and handsome physique, it made him feel stifled. Yet if these people weren't used to seeing half-evolved marsupials wondering around, then he supposed the jacket would be a good bet. He slipped into it, but left it unzipped, testing it out. It was white, lined with the same dark blue on his pants. All in all, the outfit was pretty sharp. Crash raked his hand through his long red hair as Coco returned. She cocked her head to the side as she studied him in his new look. Crash grinned.
"Too much handsome in one place, eh?"
The calculating look remained on Coco's face. "No, I'm just waiting to see how long it'll take you until you figure out your fly's undone."
Crash turned away in embarrassment as he zipped up his pants. Coco appeared at his side.
"You know, you wear jeans all the time. Haven't you picked up the habit yet?"
"I don't move around very much, so I don't have the need usually."
Coco sighed, and started walking with Crash striding up beside her. She seemed to know where she was going, but Crash decided to ask anyway.
"We've got to start looking for the platinum relic." Coco clarified, and only now did Crash realize she was holding the golden relic. "We're pretty lucky that people don't really notice anthropoids, not much anyway."
"Have you seen any others besides us?"
"No."
Crash kept his uncertainty to himself. In a city full of humans, who wouldn't be surprised to see a pair of half bandicoots taking a stroll down the boulevard? Crash and Coco wandered through the futuristic streets, with not so much as an eyebrow raised at their passing. Crash was thankful for that. Just as the bandicoot pair rounded a corner, they stopped in their tracks. The next street was completely filled with people, and above them all a few massive televisions hovered, flashing different images and echoing loud sound. Crash started forward, and he felt Coco grab his arm reflexively.
"Welcome to the 60th annual Jordon City motorcycle race. We have many contestants from last year's race who are raring to go, so be warned that the competition will be high. Remember that this year the winner shall receive the greatest prize ever offered at a Jordon Race."
Crash coughed.
"Well, with all this hubbub it's going to be pretty hard to find that relic."
"Uh, I don't think so."
Crash glanced at his sister. "Why not?"
Coco pointed toward the monitor, and as Crash took a look at the screen he let out a long groan. The platinum relic shone across the screen, decorated with confetti and extravagant symbols that illustrated this was the prize for first place. Suddenly, Crash found himself smiling.
"Hey, this is going to be a piece of cake."
Coco gave him a narrow look. "Really, you think so?"
"Sure. It's so simple; it's just waiting for us to win it. We don't have to get chased by dragons or dinosaurs, and we don't have to swim to the bottom of the ocean."
"Well, that part I did so-"
"This is so much easier!" Crash was quite giddy. He just loved it when the path was laid out for him.
Coco wasn't so convinced. "Crash, that guy on the screen said they'll be a ton of old contestants from last year, who obviously know the race and are good drivers. You've never driven a motorcycle before."
Crash closed his eyes and grinned. "Aww come on. How hard can it be?"
--
"This is really hard."
Crash was laying in a mangled mess on the ground, his bike motionless on its side a few meters away. Coco remained perched on the guard rail inspecting her hand.
"Told you so."
The race was supposed to take place at noon that very day, and Crash's knack for motorcycle racing was not coming as quickly as he thought it would. Yet he remained optimistic. Crash got back to his feet and lifted the bike in an upright position. It was a beautiful machine to say the least, with reflective 7-spoke billet wheels and chrome exhaust ports that shone brightly in the sun. Red and yellow flames clawed up the front of the vehicle, and as Crash kept his hands wrapped around the handlebars he grinned warmly.
Damn gorgeous.
Just as Crash was about to swing his leg over to try again, Coco appeared next to him.
"Crash, we've gotta go or we're going to miss the start of the race."
Crash waved his hand dismissively. "Sure sure, when I'm good and ready."
Coco roughly pinned a number on the back of his jacket, and even less gently tossed Crash's racing helmet at him. She was glaring again.
"Now Crash."
Coco sure was scary when she was frustrated. Crash offered a pleasant smile.
"Alright then. Hop on."
Coco's big green eyes widened. "Are you kidding? I'm not riding with you, I've seen how many times you wiped out."
"I was just getting used to the handling is all; I'm well into my beginner's luck I think."
Coco remained hesitant, but Crash latched an arm around hers and pulled her astride. He revved up the engine and felt the power of the vehicle vibrate through his legs. This was gonna be fun. He stepped on the gas and zoomed off toward the start of the race, with Coco grudgingly holding on for dear life.
When Crash and Coco arrived at the beginning of the Jordan City race, all the contestants were already geared up with their bikes at the starting line. There were just a few adjustments that needed to be seen to before the race actually started. Crash skidded to a stop, taking in the competition with a cool eye. Coco hopped off the bike and looked as though she was about to collapse.
"Don't do that again." Coco growled through chattering teeth.
Crash laughed. "Don't have that need for speed, eh?"
Coco unproductively smoothed back her ruffled hair, and sighed as she looked over the track. Crash noticed just a vague look of hesitation on her face.
"What's up?" Crash's tone was light, but only to conceal his concern.
She swallowed deeply before speaking.
"I took a look at the course while you were…I guess you'd call that practicing…and it looks pretty dangerous." Coco turned so she was looking right at him, her green eyes very serious. "Promise you'll be careful, okay?"
Crash was stunned for a moment, but soon enough his lighthearted expression returned and he ruffled his little sister's hair.
"Sure Sis, don't sweat it. Now make sure you cheer for me, since you'll probably be the only one who will."
Coco looked like she wanted to knock his hand away as usual, but she refrained from it. With a quick half smile she turned and strode off toward the spectators benches. Crash looked on after her until she disappeared in a concealed spot where she wouldn't be noticed. His smile dimmed but was still present as he inhaled deeply, folded his ears and placed the mandatory race helmet over his head. He was lucky the jaw guard was so lengthy, or he wouldn't have been able to fit his long snout into it. He started his engine and gracefully weaved his bike to the start of the race. Banners flittered through the air, adding a differentiated colour to the cool grays and shimmering silver of the city backdrop. Sounds and voices were erupting from every angle, and Crash was thankful for the padding in his helmet that blocked most of the drabble out. He needed to concentrate on this race.
From out of the corner of his eye, Crash could see another bike slow to a stop beside him. Tentatively, Crash tilted his head to get a better look. Now that Crash was at a better angle, he could see that these guys were a group, maybe some kind of biker gang or something. Crash smiled slowly. Most of them had their helmets on already, but the guy on the biggest motorcycle had yet to apply his. He was a young human man, with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. From the way he passed his narrow gaze over the track and contestants, this fella seemed pretty cocky.
"Hey Shorty, do you think you're big enough to ride without the training wheels?"
Crash felt a smirk coming on, and he took the bait.
"Is that silly smack talk directed at me?"
The pony-tail guy laughed. "Damn right. What gives you the right to enter a race like this?"
Crash pretended to think for a moment. "Well, I've got a bike and a number, so I'm good to go."
"Do you think you can beat me or my boys?"
"No, do you think I can beat you?" Crash was still grinning.
The pony-tail guy looked confused. "No."
Crash brightened. "Right then, we're both in agreement, so let's just wait and see how this pan's out. What say?" The pony-tail guy didn't answer, so Crash continued. "Just for the record you guys are pretty intimidating with your big gang and trash talk, so keep it up, its working." Crash felt himself laugh at his own wittiness.
The pony-tail guy and his buds exchanged flabbergasted looks. Just as the leader of the group was about to retort, a horn trumpeted over the crowd, slowly silencing them. The huge screens blinked on, and a very happy announcer appeared.
"MAKE YOUR WAY TO YOUR SEATS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN; THE RACE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! CONTESTANTS, PLEASE LINE YOURSELVES UP ON THE STARTING LINE."
Crash kicked his engine into gear, and moved forward with the other racers. He could sense rather than see that the ponytail guy was moving closer, probably in attempt to get the last word. Yet all Crash could hear at the moment was the booming voice of the announcer on the monitors.
"A REMINDER TO ALL RACERS, THE RACE CONSISTS OF ONE LAP ONLY, AND THE FIRST DRIVER TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE IS THE WINNER! AND REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE RACING FOR…JORDON CITY'S GREATEST TREASURE." The screen flashed to an image of the platinum relic. "FIRST PLACE WILL RECEIVE THIS PLATINUM TALISMAN, WHICH IS PROCEEVED TO BE A REMARKABLE POWERSOURSE. NOW WE ARE READY TO BEGIN, LET US FIRST RECOGNIZE OUR RACERS."
Crash was getting tired of this whole spiel, and his insides were continuing to vibrate from the announcer's loud voice. However he leaned on the handlebars and absently started flicking his headlight on and off to keep himself occupied. Cheers rose for each name the announcer called out, but from what Crash could deduct they were not real names at all. They must just be titles of some kind. Crash wasn't very interested until he saw his own image up on the monitor, with a name ringing out to accompany it.
"AND A FIRST TIME RACER, LAZY-COOT!"
As the audience applauded, Crash felt himself get hot. His shaking smile was absolutely venomous.
"Coco…"
Then the ponytail man appeared on the monitor.
"AND OUR WINNER FROM LAST YEAR, BLADE-OF-EXECUTION AND HIS GANG!"
A loud jeer rumbled from the crowd, but the guy Crash decided to refer to as Blade had the same conceited smile on his face. After the drivers had been introduced, the announcer appeared on the screen again.
"THE 60TH ANNUAL JORDON RACE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. REMEMBER THE TRACK IS treacherous, STRETCHING OVER THE DEMOLISHED FRAGMENT OF THE CITY YET TO BE REBUILT, BE CAREFUL AND DRIVE FAIRLY."
"They say that, but out there on the track, anything goes." Crash turned a fraction to angle a look at Blade, whose smile was infuriating as he slipped his helmet over his head. "Believe me."
Crash returned the smirk. "I'll keep that in mind."
"DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES!"
Crash's motor was all ready running, but he revved it up for a nice effect. When the entire area was rumbling with the vibrating sounds of running motors, the announcer disappeared and the number three replaced him. Crash snapped down his visor, and locked his hands around the bars of his bike, his shoulders feeling tense with anticipation. As the screen blinked the number two, Crash looked over at Blade. He was riding the tremor of his motorcycle, and all Crash could see when he looked at him was the mirrored surface of his sleek purple visor. Somehow over the roaring of engines, Crash could make out Blade's final statement.
"Better watch your back."
Crash cocked his head innocently. "If this plays out like you think it will, you'll need to watch your back." Crash smiled. "It's only a matter of logic."
Blade looked confused, but Crash didn't have time to perplex him any longer. The screen passed through one and the image of a green flag waved itself over the monitor. Crash grinned tightly. Green means go. Crash stepped on the gas, and felt his wheels squeal against the asphalt. A billow of smoke later and he was shooting over the track, other contestants picking up speed inches away from him. Crash focused on keeping his steering straight until the group spread out a little, and that would give him some room to maneuver. When Crash found his own space, handling his bike became a little easier. He was getting pretty cocky as he wove through other racers, until he rounded the corner. He felt his jaw drop as he figured that when the announcer warned about the roads being treacherous, he sure wasn't kidding. This side of the city, the side he was plunging through now, was an industrial wasteland. It looked as though it had exploded multiple times, leaving the ground littered with debris and each building had at least one large chunk taken out of it. It was a mess, but Crash didn't slow down as he left the smooth road behind him and began to cross the rocky road ahead. His body vibrated as the wheels strove for traction over the dislodged asphalt, leaving behind a dusty trail through the rubble. Crash noticed absently that there were monitors hovering over the stretch of road, the advanced technology looking out of place in the city of ruins.
"AND AS THEY NEAR THE FIRST MARKER, IN FIRST PLACE WE HAVE IRON-CLUB, IN SECOND PLACE RAVAGE-HAWK, IN THIRD PLACE BLADE-OF-EXECUTION AND IN FORTH PLACE LAZY-COOT!"
Crash laughed. He was in forth place! That was pretty good considering only a half hour ago he couldn't find the ignition. Yet that meant there were three dozen racers behind him wanting to get past, not to mention that Blade's gang was in the rear. With enemies at the front and from behind, Crash felt right at home. With a grin Crash leaned forward and gave his bike an extra burst of speed, roaring over the road.
As he scanned the track ahead, he could see that there was a sharp bend that would be pretty difficult to get around. Difficult but not impossible. Crash sped closer to a building, and pulled up easily alongside Blade. By the way his helmet tilted, the other driver noticed him, and Crash expected he was going to try something fishy. Be that as it may, Crash didn't have time to get around this guy. It would be hard enough trying to make the turn. Crash leaned into the turn, bringing his thigh close to the rushing road. As Crash continued on his forty-five degree turn, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise in instant warning. Crash turned and noticed too late what his adversary was planning.
Blade slid in front of Crash, bringing the back of his bike and slamming it into Crash's front wheel. Crash was propelled out of the turn, and immediately lost control. While he spun over the road, kicking up dust with his squeaking wheels, he could hear the announcer bellow over the track.
"OH! AND BLADE-OF-EXECUTION TAKES OUT LAZY-COOT ON TURN ONE. THIS KID IS GOING TO HAVE TO PICK IT UP IF HE WANTS TO CHALLENGE LAST YEARS WINNER; HE'S A TOUGH ONE TO BEAT!"
Crash gritted his teeth as he turned into the spin, and rode it out until he felt himself slam against the barricade. He let out a loud "oof!" and immediately pressed the gas again, catching his control and speeding into the crowd of drivers. When Crash got up to his original speed, he squinted to get a good look ahead. Blade the ponytail guy was directly ahead, cruising into second place. A flicker of a smile uplifted Crash's lips.
So that's the way it's gonna be, huh? Well two can play at this game.