Crash Bandicoot eyed the Christmas package before him with a wide, goofy grin.
Wrapped up in shiny green paper and tied with red ribbon, the orange marsupial knew this gift was for him - and he knew precisely what he was inside of it. What else would it be other than the same thing he received year after year after year at this time of the year.
It was all the bandicoot ever wanted for Christmas.
A nice big, juicy, tasty Wumpa Fruit.
Eager to enjoy the gift he had been waiting to receive for a long time, Crash laughed into his signature spin attack. He smashed open the wooden crate that was covered by the wrapping paper and gift ribbon. Having freed his present from its packaging, he picked it up in his gloved hand, opening his smiling mouth wide to bite into it and engulfed in its scrumptious goodness.
Crack!
"Whoa!"
Crash froze as agony suddenly swept through his mouth. His teeth wobbled, having failed to bite into his gift, before falling from his mouth.
What he had received for Christmas and just tried to eat without success - wasn't a Wumpa Fruit at all.
Crash's jaw hung open, revealing the gaps made by the teeth he's lost, as he stared in disbelief at what was in his hand.
This clearly wasn't his gift. It wasn't tasty at all. In fact, it wasn't even edible.
Instead of a large delicious Wumpa Fruit, the Bandicoot was holding a shiny, sparkling gem.
"What the heck is this?" Spyro exclaimed. "Why have I been given this thing for Christmas?"
A frown crossed the little dragon's purple face as he directed it to the huge golden fruit in front of him. He was bewildered to have just unwrapped it from a package that had been labelled to him. He had been expecting to receive a gem for Christmas - to go with the thousands of others he'd collected which made up his treasure.
Having never seen such a strange-looking fruit before, Spyro sniffed at it. He decided to find out if he liked it by sinking his small fangs into its skin - before spluttering in disgust at its strong taste which didn't agree with him.
"This is clearly not my gift!" Spyro exclaimed. "I have no use for this! There's only one thing to do with it."
Spyro inhaled deeply - before blasting out his fiery breath. Enormous golden flames erupted from the little reptile's mouth to scorch the fruit before him. Its golden colour was quickly changed to black before it melted away into a thick gloopy puddle.
What had once been a nice Wumpa Fruit that would make a good present for Crash Bandicoot - had been completely torched away by Spyro the Dragon.