A DIFFERENT WORLD
[The room seemed brimming with noise, only the noise of the rebels as they sat patiently around the planning table. Danni and Crash soon rejoin them as they walk into the conference room, their souls prepared.]
Paddock: (To them both) It’s about time you two got here. (Sees Crash) What’s wrong with you? Didn’t have enough sleep?
Crash: (Tired) You know I’m too bothered to talk about that right now. (He and Danni sit together by Paddock and the others.)
Paddock: (Whispers to them both) I hope you’re prepared, cause Cody is plannin’ what could be a very dangerous scheme.
Danni: (Nods seriously) Believe me mate, I am ready as I eva’ will be.
Crash: (Droops quietly) I’m not quite sure I am.
Danni: (Turns to him) What are ya sayin’ Crash? Of course you are… Why…why would ya say that?
Crash: (Stops) Nothing… just nothing Danni…
Danni: (Whispers) I know you’re upset about Coco. But believe me if she’s as smart as we know she is, she’s coping just fine. We’ll get ‘er back Crash like I said, and we’ll do this for ‘er too.
Crash: (Sighs) I hope you’re right Danni. I can’t… bear to think of her… alone… (Danni smiles warmly, and places her hand underneath the table, onto Crash’s, squeezing it gently in reassurance)
Rebel#1: Cody’s coming!
[Cody comes through the doorway; a quaint grey duffel bag is swung broadly across his shoulders. He flops it onto the table upon his quick entrance, his face serious yet hopeful.]
Cody: I’ve gathered as much weapons as we need from the inventory. Believe me… We’re gonna need them all.
Danni: What exactly is the plan Cody? (Cody nods and pulls from the bag, a plan-of-strategy sheet. Then places it lightly over the table.)
Cody: Tha plan is in hope to work but on the outthought quite tricky. We’re gonna ‘afta plan this with good timin’ an’ decision.
Crash: Like a plan of what? (Cody grabs the hard heavy sheet. It is dotted and darted in bullets of routine moves, over a familiar map of Cortex’s headquarters and castle. He places it over a large clipboard on the other side of the room for all to see) This is the routine we need to execute in tha campaign. We are ta plan a surrounding attack.
Danni: A surroundin’ attack?
Paddock: But that’s dangerous! Cody, can’t you remember that that sort of attack didn’t work from what happened last time? (Cody rubs the back of his neck tensely. Paddock was right. This exact strategy was what may have led his Danni’s death in the first place. But with no other options to stopping Cortex’s ever growing power. The plans seemed limited, the risks greater.)
Cody: (Shakes his head) It’s tha only otha’ way we can attack. The General’s troops and Cortex’s minions’ numbers are far greater than us. We need to split up and surround those teams on tha outside.
(The others look towards each other with great concern)
Rebel#1: But… the operation is too risky, Cody.
Rebel#2: (Fearful) If Cortex’s minions were to oppose? Or if we were caught half way through…
Cody: (Interrupts) That doesn’t need thinking about. It’s the only chance we can take, our only chance mates. Think about it, while we are talking a fellow group mate is being held captive or worse. If we can surround Cortex’s castle, and distract their attention whilst we head for the real mission, we may just have a chance.
Paddock: A distraction? Like what? (Cody smiles and looks to all of them)
Cody: We’ll need to create a diversion. It’s the only way we can distract tha General if he is interrogating Coco. We’d need at least two or three volunteers. (The rebels mummer with reluctance, there is a long silence.)
Rebel#3: So what are you going to do?
Cody: (Thoughtfully) Well I propose I go… but I’m asking for volunteers to help me distract tha general. (His eyes glimpse across the room to his comrades, looking for hopeful optimistic faces ready to help him in this challenge. Instead each one of them was stirring in their seats uncomfortably unwilling and uncertain of such a scheme.) Anyone? Will anyone at all respond?
Paddock: We jus’ don’t know if this is a good idea Cody.
Cody: (Impatient) Anyone?? (His pleading deep eyes again spark Danni’s sorry feelings for him as she looks up at him, her heart willing to help him and his lost belief. She stands up alone, and alerting everyone. Especially Crash beside her, as she slips her hand gently away from his.)
Danni: I’ll go with you.
Paddock: You?
Crash: Huh?
Cody: (Surprised) Danni? No…Ya can’t go with me, it’ll be too dangerous.
Danni: (Smiles) But ya said it has to be done no matter what huh mate?
Cody: Ye…Yes but…but not with you. I don’t want you getting’ hur…
Danni: (interrupts) Well I volunteer ta help ya no matter what Cody. (Nods) Remember we’re a team aren’t we? Besides Coco’s my friend, I’d feel useless if I couldn’t try to help ‘er.
Cody: But Danni…
Crash: (Stands up) And you got me too Cody. I’m definitely gonna join in if it’s to help my sis. (Cody pauses for a short moment. His eyes look directly into Danni’s. They look willing and eager to help him, and looking past to his protection to keep her safe from danger. His heart had to admit too - this seemed too much like his own Danni. Not so long ago.)
Cody: (Sighs) All right. (To Paddock) Paddock, round up everyone else and go. I have my team.
Paddock: Huh? Are you sure Cody? But… What about you all?
Cody: (Smiles) Trust me mate, we’ll be fine. It’s you lot that need ta be careful seeing as you’ll be doing most of the effort. Take tha map with ya too. I can help show Danni an’ Crash the way around tha castle alone.
Paddock: (Unsure) Are you certain about this Cody? I mean what if things were to go wrong?
Cody: An’ they won’t count on it mate. In fact, take Albright with you too, just to make safe. Now go mates there isn’t much time. (Paddock feels reluctant to say any further to his leader. Instead he just gives a slight sigh and instructs the other rebels to leave.)
Paddock: Very well. (He ushers everyone else out leaving him the last, and alone to face Cody again for the last time.) And, uh… Cody?
Cody: What?
Paddock: (Smiles) Good luck. (He gives a firm salute, then goes to exit)
Cody: Yeah… Good luck, mates… (He gives a low sigh and rubs the back of his neck nervously.)
Danni: Cody?
Cody: Huh? What?
Danni: (Smiles and gently places her hand on his shoulder) You’ll do fine mate, we’ll make it through.
Cody: I’m more worried about you Danni, I’m just feeling déjà vu right now.
Crash: Déjà vu?
Cody: This scene looks so familiar. We all had a brief meeting before heading to the battlefield. (To Danni ) Which led up to your… uh, my Danni’s death. (Shuns away) I’m just so afraid that… I just… don’t want ta see you get hurt again Danni.
Danni: An’ it won’t happen mate, I can assure ya that. I’ll be okay.
Cody: But that’s exactly what my Danni said, right before she… (Looks up) I just hope this plan was the right choice I eva’ made.
Danni: An’ I’m sure it was Cody an’ you seem so certain about it. There’s no need ta be afraid, cause we can get through this togetha’. (Looks at Crash) All of us!
Cody: I hope you’re right Danni. I hope you’re right.
Danni: (With a warm smile) You said before that fate brought us together again for a reason mate. An’ this was probably why. Together again we can muster enough courage if it’s to bring back Coco and degrade the Cortex empire. (Cody lightens with a small smile following Danni’s speech. Her bravery entering a light into his heart; seemed to strengthen his soul, as he looks into her reassuring eyes.)
Crash: (Worried) I just hope Coco’s okay too. We can’t be too late, can we?
Cody: (With newfound courage) No, we’re not too late Crash. An’ Danni’s right… We will rescue Coco, and defend rightfully for our freedom that we cried for so long ago. (Looks to Danni ) If we work togetha’. An’ I swear I will help tha others be free… even if I die in the attempt.
(Danni’s eyes widen to Cody’s last word, so strong and meaningful. Yet looking at his eyes she could see them, glistening deeply with emotional moistness and with the burning desire of his heart.)
[Back at the Cortex stronghold…]
[Coco’s eyes open weakly to the dull light cascading into her dreary prison. Her head was still heavy and thumping from the jolts that zipped through her body rapidly from before. Her heart sickens as she notices herself hanging weakly still strapped firmly in the electric armchair. Probably still waiting to take more punishment from that callous General, although now he wasn’t in the room anymore, only herself. Alone. With a feeble cough she tries her best to let out slight cry. Her voice is dragged and taunted from her dry throat, enough to only let her moan out a pathetic whimper.]
Coco: (Tearfully) C… Crash… D… Danni… Wh… Where are… you?
(Her laid back ears pick up the sounds of some slight voices coming from just outside her chamber door. With as much strength as she can muster, she leans forward to get a closer hearing. Only being able to depict one voice out as the General, discussing about her welfare and of what to probably do with her next, his voice seemed however in respect to whom he was speaking to. No harsh tones, but in a way polite. But the other voice, she couldn’t tell… It seemed too familiar and pompous, but low and dragging with a growl of a clear importance. She tries her best to listen carefully although in her weak state she couldn’t be so sure. Gen. Crash stood in a nearby control room before a videophone. The conference screen provided the only light in the dark room.)
Voice: (coming from the view screen.) And how much information have you been trying to get out of this girl General?
Gen. Crash: I’m afraid not enough sir… (Chuckles) …although I’ve been using quite a few things to jog her memory, but still, I only know that she is bonded to that fake ‘me’.
Voice: (Disgruntled) Most disappointing General, I expect a lot out from you, and you can’t even force any answers out of one girl?
Gen. Crash: Well to tell you the truth sir, the girl has a lot of spirit. Maybe… You can change that? (Gives a slight chuckle)
Voice: Although I am busy with placing control sites in the new conquered areas, I think I will come by. Perhaps the troops will work more efficiently having their master monitoring them personally.
Gen. Crash: Oh I know that will get them in line for sure. But there has been one problem…
Voice: And what would that be?
(The General choked on his words, admitting this particular failure to the face on the screen could mean serious punishment. But being a loyal servant of his empire Gen. Crash had to confess.)
Gen. Crash: The rebels, they have… stolen some vital information from our computers.
Voice: (angry but quietly) What!? You should have stopped them!
Gen. Crash: (irritated but not showing it) I would have sir, but… I have no excuse for my failure. I will not fail you again!!! I will make sure that the resistance will not get in our way anymore!
Voice: If only you alone could stop the rebels. Right now our only opposition is the resistance. They seem to be in our way at every turn. They are nothing but an annoyance. Those rebels must be stopped at any cost! They have already caused enough problems here in base central that it threatens to blunder our entire mission. I want security doubled around all the sectors they have been spotted at recently.
Gen. Crash: Yes master.
Voice: And general…
Gen. Crash: Yes?
Voice: Prepare the troops for my arrival.
Gen. Crash: Yes Master Cortex.
(Coco shivered in her shackles with the last words spoken. She prayed that the dialogue she had heard was a figment of her weary mind, but deep inside she knew praying wouldn’t help her… now that Cortex was on his way.)
[Outside…]
[The tower was desolate and cold, standing there still, emotionless, piercing the sky, dark and ominous. The rebels stood around it from a safe distance, fleeting though as they all knew that they would be inside the fearful monument within mere minutes. Cody, Danni and Crash stood side by side at the commencement of the rebel squadron. They all felt tense standing silently, knowing that the huge battle to end all battles was lying in wait just inside the injurious walls. Cody, without a sound, flagged his hand giving the signal to the troops; the time had come. No more lingering, no more wishing and dreaming, now was the time for reality, now was the time to throw away any imaginary sequences they had been concocting in their minds in exchange for the harsh truths that awaited them. The battalion rushed and raged in towards the barbed wire fences and the motion detecting lasers, each step they took was another message telling them there was never going to be a chance to abort this mission now that it had started. This was a kamikaze mission, victory now or never. The final blow, the last attempt to topple the Cortex Empire, it was standing right before them and was now exploding into a fiery yellow cataclysm of rifles firing and shrapnel flying. Cody held fast to Danni’s hand. No retreat, it was time to face the nightmares that had dragged him to the very depths of a virtual living hell. He would know by the end of this battle whether he could crawl out of this bottomless pit or lose his grip and be swallowed whole. He looked up at Crash and Danni and wondered what thoughts were going through their minds, then cleared his own. Clarity was his ally nothing would endanger him or his comrades more now then to let his fears alter his judgement. With a straight, emotionless tone he let the second part of his plan animate.]
Cody: (to Crash and Danni ) Let’s go.
[Amongst the fire engrossed combat around them the trio gave no second look as they trudged across the field to the entrance of the tower, unguarded now due to the guards and sentinels being thoroughly occupied fighting the hordes of rebels battling them without restraint, without care of their very lives. The only thing they now cared about was the desire that brought them to this fate in the first place, freedom. Their Danni’s dying words was now the thought on every rebels’ mind. Living with freedom or no living at all, the unanimous decision made by all of them without thought or words but with the natural need and collective instinct to reach for. Quiet, ghostly, dark, a thesaurus worth of words that could describe the interior of Cortex Tower was still not enough to illustrate the impressions the surroundings put in the small infiltrating groups mind. Speechless, nondescript, emotionless; Cody tried to quell the chills running through his memory brought to the surface by this place. Crash looked around for the direction of the prison cells in which his sister was being held.]
Crash: Where is it again?
Cody: I think it’s ova’ this way.
Danni: There sure isn’t a lot of guards in this area. They must all be fightin’ the rebels.
Cody: That’s the idea, mates. With the sentinels occupied we’ll have a clean path to get ta Coco.
Crash: That’s good. The sooner we get to Coco the better.
Danni: What about the general?
Cody: He’ll be guarding the cells no doubt. Don’t worry he won’t have much back up, although it will take the three of us to handle him.
Crash: (sarcastic) Oh that puts me at ease.
Cody: (pointing) The prison is right up here. (They stop outside a sealed double doorway.) Crash - see if you can get in.
Crash: Ok. (He places his hand on a nearby console. It beeps and the doors slide open. Crash sticks his head in cautiously to look around.) Nobody’s guarding in here.
Cody: Good, then get in and out quick. Me an’ Danni’ll stay out `ere and keep a lookout.
Crash: OK. (He ducks into the room. It was empty, abandoned, but Crash still looked around every few seconds just to assure himself that the coast was absolutely clear. But not even seeing what he dreaded wasn’t enough to subside his fears. He could sense something wasn’t right about all this, something about this being too easy, too quick, too quiet. He just wanted to get Coco and get out as soon as possible. Meanwhile Cody and Danni remained outside.)
Danni: I hope this goes as planned.
Cody: It has to. It’s high time we showed Cortex that we mean business, that we are no longa` gonna be pushed around. And what betta` way to show him then ta overthrow his empire in one fail swoop.
Danni: Sounds like ya mean hell.
Cody: Oh I do mean it. There’s been enough suffering `round `ere. It’s time Cortex got what’s coming to him. Today is the day my prayers come true. (He pulls a shiny object out of his pocket.)
Danni: (Seeing the object) What’s that?
Cody: Oh this? (He holds it up for her to see. Danni’s eyes froze in shock; she knew that shiny, golden object well from her world. The locket in Cody’s hand was the exact same one Danni had once owned. The one she had lost when she lost her Cody for the second time.)
Danni: I used ta have a necklace like that one.
Cody: I’m not surprised. This one was a gift from my Danni. It was an engagement present; she had it for a long time before she gave it to me. She said she found it…
Danni: …in an old den, the one her parents lived in before poachers killed them. Before she met you.
Cody: Yeah, that’s what she said.
Danni: Guess our worlds aren’t too different after all.
Cody: Looks like it. Say, what happened to your locket?
Danni: You could say I gave it to my Cody. Ya see, awhile back he… almost came back to me. It was a fluke in one a Cortex’s operations I think; I don’t really know all the details of how it came around. But he did come back once, for a short while. I wanted to hold onto those few days forever but it was all fleeting. Cortex captured me and to save my life he sacrificed himself. (Sniffles back a tear) He was made back into a minion and I lost what could have been my only chance to get him back for good. But during all the confusion he ended up with the locket I don’t know what he did with it. He coulda thrown it out, tossed it off a cliff, melted it fa scrap I, just don’t know.
Cody: Ya don’t think he kept it?
Danni: What would he? Afta he was made a minion he didn’t remember me. He would have no reason.
Cody: I see. (He looks up at her with a reassuring smile. They connect with a glance. It seems even between opposite worlds they share a bond in their individual suffering. They smile at each other.)
[Meanwhile, Crash has made his way to the inner sector of the prison. There was still no one in his way, not even in his sight. The only thing ahead of him were the cramped cells, one of which his sister would be in. He peered into each cell seeing the haggard, melancholy faces of prisoners, they all were depressing and hateful towards Crash, but none of these faces belonged to his sister.]
Crash: Coco! Are you here? (no answer) Coco!!!! (still nothing) She’s not here?
(Cody and Danni continue standing out side waiting.)
Danni: Where’s Crash? What could be taking him so long?
Cody: It’s still quiet. He can’t be in a fight with anyone. He should have found Coco by now.
Danni: Maybe we should go in after him. I’m getting worried about him.
(A shadow appears before them, the shock of its’ sudden appearance is only matched by the horror of it’s origin.)
Gen. Crash: You two should start worrying about yourselves.
Cody: General! I knew you’d be around here!
Gen. Crash: Ah, as I did you. (Smiles) Guards get them! (A giant swarm of mechanical troops surround the duo, with no sign of any escape.)
[The guards at every angle every side provided an extreme need for worry. Danni and Cody stood frozen close together as Gen. Crash laughed at their misfortune.]
Gen. Crash: I knew you two fools would be coming to rescue your comrade. It was simple for me to turn your mission into a trap.
Cody: (growls) You won’t have us for long. (He pulls out his gun)
Gen. Crash: Don’t you think I would be ready if you tried to escape? (he snaps his fingers, A robot begins to fire at Cody and Danni. One blast hits Cody’s arm causing him to drop his gun.)
Danni: Cody! Ar’ you ok?
Cody: (Gripping his wounded arm) I’m ok, just a burn.
Gen. Crash: Guards, capture them!
(The robots grab the duo.)
Danni: Grrr! Let go!
Cody: What da ya want with us?
Gen. Crash: You see, like you two I want to put an end to this war. And when I destroy you there will be no more war. Only Cortex’s unhindered rule!
Cody: Yer a mad man!
Gen. Crash: You will not care about my doctrines once I’m though with you. (To Robots) You know where to take them.
(As the robots begin to haul the two rebel leaders away, Crash rushed through the prison doors.)
Crash: Not so fast! You can’t do that to my friends!
Gen. Crash: Well, if it isn’t my double. How nice it is to see you again.
Crash: Too bad I can’t say the same. Why don’t you let my friends go before I decide to take your treatment of them personally!
Gen. Crash: You want to talk about something that affects you personally? How about your sister Coco?
Crash: Coco? What have you done with her?! Where is she?
Gen. Crash: She’s all right for now. She’s with my master.
(All gasp)
Cody: Cortex is HERE?
Gen. Crash: Yes, and he’s excited about seeing you all. (To robots) Take them away!
(The robots drag Danni and Cody down the hall and into the darkness.)
Danni: Crash!
Cody: Let go of us!
Danni: Help us!
Crash: Danni! Cody!
(Crash tries to run after his friends, but he’s stopped by his double.)
Gen. Crash: Not so fast there. We can’t have you running around now can we?
Crash: Where are you taking them?
Gen. Crash: That’s none of your business. (He lifts his gun to Crash’s head.) Now to deal with you!
Crash: What are you planning to do with me?
Gen. Crash: Kill you of course, there can’t be two Crashes out there now can there?
Crash: You can’t kill me that easily you know. I put up a pretty good fight.
Gen. Crash: (scoffs) And what kind of fight could you possibly give?
Crash: This kind. (He kicks Gen. Crash is the shin and punches him in the chest.)
Gen. Crash: (coughs) Pretty good. (Straightens self) But it’s not good enough. (He performs a skilled roundhouse kick to Crash’s head.)
Crash: Ugh! (Falls to the ground and looks up at his attacker.)
Gen. Crash: It hurts me to smash such a pretty face. But what must be must be. (He kneels over crash) You know who also had a pretty face? Your sister!
Crash: Coco?
Gen. Crash: Yeah she was a real looker. And a fighter too, it took me turning the pain chair to 60 percent to get her to talk.
Crash: What?
Gen. Crash: She told me everything after that though.
Crash: No, she wouldn’t.
Gen. Crash: She really is loyal to you though. She resisted telling me about you being from another dimension for the longest time. But I was still able to get her to talk. She must really care about you. (Places his gun next to Crash’s head.)
Crash: That’s something you wouldn’t know about. Real love. Coco doesn’t exist in this world. You wouldn’t know what it’s like to be loved by someone like Coco and I do for each other. If she did exist you’d be very different, you’d have a heart, you’d care about others beside yourself…
Gen. Crash: Shut up.
Crash: You wouldn’t be working for Cortex. You’d be fighting against him…
Gen. Crash: (his finger tightening on the trigger) Shut Up.
Crash: You’d be just like me…
Gen. Crash: (Shouting Angrily) SHUT UP!
BANG!!!!
(The gun when off. Silence. A light stream of smoke drifted from the barrel. General Crash lifted his weapon from beside Crash’s ear. The poor Bandicoot’s ear was ringing painfully, but not as painful as his rapidly beating heart, jolted from the shot. He looked up at the general who sneered at him with angry eyes.)
Gen. Crash: Don’t you talk about me like that.
Crash: (Awe struck) Are… are you… afraid of me?
Gen. Crash: I was like you once - cocky, foolish, immature and most of all lacking direction. But after I was put into the Vortex I was enlightened. I have direction, and that’s to work for Cortex and help him rule the world. And you, you’re what could have been, a weakling, a misguided rat from the wilderness.
Crash: (Getting up) That’s not true. I have my path in life - to be a hero, to help others and to stop tyrants like Cortex from ever coming to power.
Gen. Crash: Hero? Bah!
Crash: That’s right, a hero, loved and admired by all.
Gen. Crash: I have no need for love.
Crash: What about Tawna?
Gen. Crash: That floozy? She’s nothing but a fan girl. She’s a pleasure toy for me.
Crash: That’s disgusting. You don’t care about her at all?
Gen. Crash: Caring is a sign of weakness. I don’t care about my minions. I order them.
Crash: Everyone hates you.
Gen. Crash: Everyone respects me.
Crash: Only because they fear you.
Gen. Crash: I am a leader.
Crash: You’re a slave. You do everything Cortex tells you. Didn’t you ever think that once he gets all the power he wants he’ll just dispose you? You’re the same to him as the robots, walking trash.
Gen. Crash: (aiming his gun) You are the trash. (Crash readies himself to fight) I’d take care this time. This one won’t be a warning shot.
(The two Crashes faced off. The general steadied his hand, and Crash readied his stance. Before he could fire, Gen. Crash was knocked to the ground by his spinning doppelganger.)
Crash: Take that!
Gen. Crash: What sort of an attack was THAT?
Crash: (Confused) You don’t spin?
Gen. Crash: I wouldn’t waste my time with an attack that was so sloppy.
Crash: You don’t know how do you? Or you used to, but you‘ve used that gun so long you’ve forgotten how.
Gen. Crash: This is trivial - I’ll put an end to you right now.
(The two began to fight again - fists flying and gun blazing. Although they were each masters of much different attack forms, they were evenly matched in body and skill. Finally Crash found the upper hand, flipping over the general, grabbing him by the arms and pinning him to the ground.)
Crash: Now tell me you freak, where are my friends, and where is my sister?
Gen. Crash: They’re in my master’s chambers. But you won’t live long enough to find them. (He whips his arm out from Crash’s grasp, grabs his gun and forces the end of the barrel to Crash’s forehead. In the darkness a shot rang out, a bang, a clang, and one of two Crashes were silenced.)
[Danni continued to struggle in the iron grasp of the robots that held her. Her struggles in vain they lead her and Cody through a dim corridor, up a cramped elevator, and passed a high-level security barrier. The final destination, chilling and mysterious, was a tall thick steel door. Behind it was unknown to Danni but Cody stared strait at it sternly, fixated, he knew behind the steel was the core of his hatred, the distilled evil, the concentration of fear and malice that had possessed himself and the entire rebel squadron over the past four years. The doors slowly opened, like the gates of hell itself. The clanking, squeaking, ear piercing sound sent chills and shocked the sights. Inside the chamber there was nothingness, quiet. What ever they were meant to see, what Cody was expected was not there, at least not yet. The waiting, Cody knew, would be the beginning of a long torture session. The robots towed them into the open room, brought them to a wall, and chained them to it. After the prisoners were securely fastened to the stone masonry, the robots neatly lined up on the opposite wall, they waited, motionless, for what ever was coming.]
Danni: (yanking on the chain) Dern th’ luck. (Looks around) Where are we anyway?
Cody: The worst place in the entire world ta be.
Danni: What da ya mean?
Cody: I’m sure you’d rather not know.
Danni: (Looks over at the robots) What are they doing?
Cody: They’re waitin’.
Danni: Fa what?
Cody: Cortex. (Danni’s face leaps to shock) He’s coming. This is his personal quarters.
Danni: Cortex? Coming here? Oh no!
Cody: He’s making us wait for now, he could even be watching us, seeing us squirm before he actually makes his big entrance.
Danni: Well I hope he gets here soon. Evil world dictator or not, I hate waiting around fa anyone.
Cody: At least yer calm about all this. Looks like we’ll hafta wait for the troops ta handle their mission and hope it all works out.
Danni: I’m sure we’ll find a way outta this. I’ve been in worse jams then this. (There is a sound, like a slight moan.) What was that? (Cody and Danni scan the room carefully. The source of the sound is a small shadow heaped in the corner of the room. Like them, the huddled figure is chained to the wall. It slowly looks up at them with weary green eyes.)
Cody: Who is that? Who’s thar?
(Danni looks over the figure. Its frail frame, its voice, and its green eyes were all familiar)
Danni: Coco?
Coco: Danni? Is that you?
Danni: Yes.
Coco: Danni! Oh thank god it’s you! (The lost friends, now reunited, overcome with joy, hug each other with whatever slack their chains would allow.)
Danni: Are you all right love?
Coco: They tortured me. It was HORRIBLE! (Cries) Oh for cryin’ out loud it was horrible!
Danni: It’s ok. I’m here now. I ain’t gonna let them hurt you anymore.
Coco: (hugging harder) Thank goodness you’re here. I was just about ready to die.
Danni: Don’t say that! What happened to my gutsy little Coco?
(Coco look up at Danni with tear streaked eyes. She buried her face in Danni’s chest and began to weep loudly.)
Coco: I… I can’t stand up to those monsters.
Danni: (holding Coco tightly) It’ll be all right. We’ve been through worse right? This isn’t the time to lose ar’ courage.
Coco: I don’t know what to do. I was weak, I told him everything. I tried to hold back but I… I just couldn’t take it anymore. I’m sorry.
Danni: Don’t be sorry. It wasn’t your fault. This doesn’t mean you should give up hope.
(Coco sniffled; she looked away from Danni unsure of how to respond. She was scared, emotionally scarred, not the cheery brave girl she once was.)
Coco: What hope’s left? You two were captured weren’t you?
Danni: Well yes but…
Cody: The otha’s ar’ still out there. Still fighting. They’re not gonna give up, an’ neither should we.
Coco: (smiles) You’re right. I can’t give up now. If I did then I’d really be a traitor.
Danni: That a girl!
Coco: What about Crash? Where is he?
Danni: I… don’t know. But I’m sure wherever he is he’s thinking about us.
Coco: I’m sure he is. And we can’t give up while the others are still fighting.
Danni: That sounds like the Coco I know. (The girls smile at each other knowing that whatever was to come their way now they would face together. But what was coming would be more then they alone could handle. The lights in the large room suddenly snap on. Coco shrinks back into Danni’s arms shivering.)
Coco: Oh no!
Danni: What is it Coco?
Cody: It’s Cortex.
Danni: What?
Coco: (quivering) Not Cortex… a monster.
Danni: What do you mean?
(A door at the other end of the room slammed open and a thunderous step hit the floor. Then another followed, heavy and booming, a continuous succession of thuds came closer but the originator of the sound still could not be seen as the lights although on, were very dim in the back of the room. Only the quick flicker of the fluorescent bulb would give a subtle hint as to what approached them. Danni could see it was quite large, as it almost was the size of the room itself. The oncoming form let out a deep threatening growl.)
Cody: He’s here.
Danni: Huh?
(The disembodied voice of the dreaded doctor of this parallel world spoke. It seemed though to be coming from the approaching behemoth.)
Cortex: What a pleasure, Cody Dingo the leader of the rebel forces here in my humble abode. And I can’t dismiss his two lovely comrades. I finally have you right where I want you.
(The trio stood firm as Cortex revealed himself to them. Stepping out into the illumination he displayed the reason the rebels had failed to stop him, why his minions faithfully obeyed him, and why Coco feared him so.)
Danni: (staring upward in awe and fear) My… gosh…
(The behemoth stood before them as Cortex himself. Enormous, green skinned, more animal then human if you could ever call Cortex human to begin with. The evil grin was the only thing that Danni could identify that this truly was Cortex, that and the “N” tattooed on his forehead. Still an egotist but now his body matched that ego in size. The girls cowered in his shadow, as Cody looked his enemy in the face.)
Danni: He… he’s huge! How…?
Cody: I guess you didn’t know. In this world… Cortex used the evolve-o-ray on himself.
[Back in the real world: The moonlit sky was dimming, the stars were slowly fading away, somewhere in the east the sun was peeking. The morning sun was not the only thing rising in the sky - something else was ascending. It was strange looking aircraft, piloted by an even odder helmsman. Jacko pulled up on the joystick of his makeshift helicopter, made from the spare parts of the broken assistant droids. A funky looking machine run on the leftover power the androids had been using before they were smashed by the dangerous fall from the castle window. Jacko piloted the craft as skilfully as he would any airborne ship. It was his nature to be among the clouds, flying swiftly back towards the roof of the castle, back to where the Time Twister was. If he could get it up and running again he could be able to bring his friends back, and he’d be able to forgive himself for letting them become trapped to begin with. The randomly pieced together aircraft hovered above the flat, stone, roof as Jacko formulated his landing strategy.]
Jacko: (to himself) Now where can I land this thing? Not much of a runway. (Suddenly the makeshift engine sputtered and the blades of the helicopter froze in mid air.) Uh-oh.
(The chopper quickly plummeted towards the castle, in a flash the craft and Jacko crashed into the roof. The kangaroo stood up shakily and limped to the control panel.)
Jacko: All right, not much `arm done. So how do I get my mates back? (He looked the Time Twister over, it’s many lights, buttons, switches, and knobs lead to mass confusion.) Hooo boy. This ain’t gonna be like flyin’ a plane.
[Back in the new dimension…]
[The mammoth Cortex lurched over the innocent trio, his treacherous grin trimmed with fiendish fangs. Cody did not waver as Danni and Coco did. His eyes frozen on Cortex, filled with hate, familiar with pain that this beast brought him his entire life.]
Cortex: So you’ve decided to take your rebels into the lion’s den - a noble choice of suicide if I must say.
Cody: This isn’t suicide, we’re gonna put an end ta you tyranny!
Cortex: Easier said then done, my minions can’t be stopped by a rag tag team of vagabonds.
Cody: We won’t give up as easily as you think.
Cortex: Yes I know, persistent insects. But this will all end one I remove you from the picture.
Danni: What are you planning you freak?
Cortex: Wouldn’t you like to know? (Pulls a communicator out of his pocket and speaks into it.) N. Gin, is the vortex ready?
N. Gin: (over the communicator) Yes master Cortex, all is ready for our guests.
Danni: What? No, you wouldn’t…
Cortex: You know I would my dear, but not you right now. I want the rebels to see their leader fall first.
[Cortex looked at Cody with lusty malice, a twisted smile that Danni was very familiar with - that look in the mutant doctors eyes, the cat before pouncing on its prey. She had seen this moment unfold before her twice already, she was not about to let happen a third time.]
Danni: (Pulling on her chains) NO! You can’t!!! I Won’t Let You!!!!!!!!
(She pulled harder and harder on her chains, wishing desperately she could pull them strait out of the wall. Praying she could stop the nightmare from happening again.)
Cortex: You aren’t in a position to fight my plans. I’ll keep you two in the prison until I’m done with your leader.
Danni: I’ll kill your robots before they lay a hand on me. Then you’ll be next.
Cortex: I see I’ll need an escort to keep you in check. (Takes out his communicator.) General Crash, I need you to come to my chambers. (No response) General Crash, report. (Getting angry) General! Respond!
(The doors to the chamber suddenly flung open. A dark clad figure entered holding a communicator. It was none other then the general himself.)
Gen. Crash: I’m right here.
Cortex: Good General, what took you so long to respond?
Gen. Crash: Sorry master but there was a little problem I need to take care off.
Danni: Oh no. Crash.
Coco: (fearfully) What happened to my brother?
Gen. Crash: I got rid of that impostor. (Takes out his gun proudly) You won’t be hearing from him again.
Danni: No! (Her heart sank. Everything was collapsing around her. Cody was about to be taken from her and now to hear this terrible news, Her Crash was gone now too. Everything she cared about was fading away, dropping away one by one. Her curse had pursued her even to this alternate dimension.)
Cortex: General, I want you to take these prisoners back to the brig. Make sure they don’t get too unruly for the robots to handle.
Gen. Crash: With pleasure sir. But… What about him?
Cortex: I have … special plans for him.
Danni: No… not again… why?
Cortex: Guards! (The robots reanimate and report to their master.) Take him to the vortex.
Danni: It’s exactly the same…
(The robots acknowledge their order and begin the restrain Cody.)
Cody: Let go’a me ya hunks a tin! (The robots hold Cody by the arms and begin to take him away. He struggles only to have one of the bots shock him with a painful tazer. The thrush of electricity knocked him out cold leaving him easy cargo for the guards to transport.)
Danni: …There’s nothing I can do…
Coco: Let him go! You can’t do this to him.
(Gen. Crash watched silently as the guards dragged Cody out of the room, Coco yelled in protest but her chains made them in vain, Cortex smiled pleasurably, but Danni lowered her head. To witness this again, the pain was unbearable, and her soul was crushed.)
Danni: Oh Cody… I failed you again.
Coco: You’ll never get away with this Cortex!
Gen. Crash: Keep quiet you. You should consider yourself lucky.
(Lucky? Danni would never consider herself lucky ever again. No she had lost Cody in two worlds, all hope of ever being happy where gone forever. To add to her suffering Crash was now dead, she had lost two loves within minutes. Her pain was immense, and her lament, a lonesome, forlorn crying howl that rang through them chambers and shocked through even General Crash’s soul.)
[Back in the real world…]
[The giant console of the time twister was quite intimidating for Jacko, as he tried to figure how to use it to retrieve his friends.]
Jacko: Let’s see now, first things first. I gotta turn this baby back on.
(He hops over to the giant plug and hefts it back into the socket. The time machine hummed softly, its lights stared to glow, slowly yet surely the Twister was beginning to work again. Jacko leaped in delight, as he was now closer to getting Crash, Danni, and Coco back. But somewhere else in the castle someone would not be pleased. N. Tropy was awake, working a spare component to one of his time machines. Suddenly like a sixth sense, he could feel it. Like a watchful mother could sense her child was in danger, he too felt his creation was being tampered with.)
Tropy: (Getting up from his work) Someone is meddling with the Time Twister.
[Back in the new dimension…]
[Footsteps walked along cold tile floor, drowned sprits hung low heads, and darkness engulfed all. Gen. Crash escorted Coco and Danni down the hallway with the aid of two robot guards. Coco stared at him with deep seeded hate; she would never forgive this horrid bandicoot for what he had done. Ruining thousands of lives around the world, torturing her to the brink insanity, and killing her brother, that was the most unforgivable of all. Danni did not lift her eyes from the floor; her heart was too heavy with grief to do anything but walk to her doom. She did not fear what was ahead, no. She welcomed it. She wanted to die now; she had failed her Cody again in this strange parallel world. It seemed fate wanted it this way. Where ever she went it seemed tragedy followed. The trek down the hall was silent, that silence pushed into Coco until she could no longer stand it.]
Coco: How could you do it? Are you that heartless that you would kill your own kind? (Gen. Crash doesn’t answer her.) I see - you don’t care. There’s nothing you care about is there? (Still no answer) It’s mutual then, I don’t give a rat’s butt for you either. You may look like my brother, but you’ll never come close to the bandicoot that he was.
Gen. Crash: You’d be surprised.
Coco: I highly doubt that. My brother had a heart, and he had morals. He wouldn’t kill anybody even if they didn’t have his face. [Pause] You are a fiend. I will always hate you. You may kill me, or turn me into one of Cortex’s slaves but remember that I will never forgive the likes of you. What you have done will forever be on your head. When the rebels destroy this place I hope they hang you from the tallest tree and I want to be the one who ties the noose.
Gen. Crash: Your rebel friends aren’t here now are they. You’ll need something else to save you.
Coco: Well however I get out of this place, the first thing I’m going to do is get my revenge on you. You’re going to feel all the torment you’ve given to others. I’ll be sure of that.
(Gen. Crash glared at Coco sternly. He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and heaved her against the wall. Pushing her hard against the frigid bastion he looked her directly in the eyes, there was a fierce seriousness in his and something else, something that Coco never saw there before.)
Gen. Crash: Listen up girly I’m only going to say this once, keep your mouth shut. You don’t want yourself to get into any more trouble do you?
Coco: Uh! Let go!
(The general held Coco tighter. He leaned closer to her and delicately brought his lips to her ear.)
Gen. Crash: (Softly whispering) Don’t worry Coco, I’m going to get you and Danni out of here.
Coco: Huh?
Gen. Crash: Just play along for now. It’s the only way you’ll be safe until we find the rebels.
Coco: What?
(The general placed his finger to her lips, then to his own, to show her again to stay quiet. Then he lowered his sunglasses and showed her his eyes. She was right, there was something different in them. They were soft, warm, and gentle. Coco knew then at that moment that this was not the general Crash. This… was her brother.)
[Back in the real world…]
Cortex: What is the meaning of this Tropy? Was it so important that you had to wake me up at the crack of dawn?
[Cortex was fuming, of course anyone woken up as early as he would feel the same. Tropy stood before his fellow doctor, concealing his annoyance.]
Tropy: I’ve already told you. Someone is using my Time Twister.
Cortex: How can you tell?
Tropy: I know.
Cortex: Fine then, if it will make you happy so we can get back to sleep I’ll take my minions to check it out.
(The minions, who happen to be standing behind Cortex at the time grown and grumble about being woken up in the midst of the night for such a seemingly trivial task.)
Dingodile: Dern it, why did we hafta get up too? It’s five in the blinkin’ mornin’.
Tiny: Tiny was having good dream of bunnies.
Cortex: Quit whining, we can make this quick. It’s probably nothing.
Tropy: I wouldn’t be too sure about that.
[Meanwhile back on the roof, Jacko was pushing buttons blindly, trying desperately to recreate the process that brought about the porthole responsible for abducting his friends.]
Jacko: Come on, One a these controls hasta bring me mates back. (The Time Twister hums and buzzes as warp orbs open and close on the transport pads. None of the anomalies Jacko caused however was the one that could bring back his friends.) Aw, shoot! Nothin’s workin’! (An idea pops to his mind) Wait a minute, the lightning! That’s what started this whole mess. (Looks up into the sky, not a cloud can be seen) Dern, clear sky, usually I’d be happy to see that but not now. There has to be a way ta simulate lightning. But… How?
(Suddenly his oversize kangaroo ears picked up a foreboding sound coming from the entranceway to the roof.)
Komodoe Joe: You ssstepped on my tail!
Tiny: Tiny Sorry.
Jacko: Oh no! They found me out. (He looks around for something to block the doors with. Seeing a crowbar by the console he grabs it and slips it through the handles of the double-door entrance. Blocking it. Giving him a little more time to plan.)
Koala Kong: (trying the doors) Hey it’s stuck. (Begins bashing against it.)
Tiny: Let Tiny help. (Rams into the door.)
Tropy: Hurry it up, it’s that kangaroo. He’s the one who is misusing my machine. Stop him!
(Tiny and Koala Kong continue ramming into the door. Jacko could hear the banging from the other side. He saw the metal doorway bulging with every blow; he knew that his time was short.)
Jacko: Struth na what? I need ta stall em some how. (He sees some loose machinery lying by a wall. Reacting fast he pushed the heavy metal up against the doors.) That should hold em fer a short time. Let’s hope it’ll be long enough.
Tiny: Door hard to break.
Dingodile: Come on! Ya not tryin’ `ard enough. Put some backbone inta it.
Joe: (slapping Moe in the back of the head.) Help them.
Moe: Ok. (Joins Tiny and Koala Kong ramming into the door. The added resistance was holding… for now.)
Cortex: Keep trying you weaklings.
(They continue but it’s not helping much.)
Joe: Thisss will take forever.
Dingodile: Ahhh, I’ll go get me flamethrowa’.
[Back in the new dimension…]
[The trek down the hallway was much brighter now. Coco felt save in the presents of her brother even if he was clad in the garments of his evil counterpart. She took quick glances up at him to make sure she hadn’t been deceived. But the simple look in his eyes told her she was right. Her Crash had come to save her. She wanted to talk to him, to ask him what his plan was. But she knew she couldn’t, it would blow his cover and ruin whatever plans he had of rescue. A little ways down the hall signs of the rebel’s battle were evident. Broken robots and stray pieces of scrap metal, even the occasional slaughtered rebel or commando. The hurried pace of footsteps approached, from a conjoining hall came the alternate world’s Pinstripe, Koala Kong, and Komodo bros. along with a few robot guards.]
Pinstripe: (Seeing Crash) General, there you are. The rebels have infiltrated the inner sector.
Crash: They have? How… interesting. Have you goons done anything to stop them?
Koala Kong: We tried fighting them sir but there were too many.
Joe: And they had explosivessssss. They blew up mosssst of our back up robotssss.
Crash: And you call yourselves commandos. Cortex will be very displeased with you.
Moe: You won’t tell him will you?
Crash: Depends on how all this ends. Right now I have to take these prisoners back to their cells.
Joe: Then will you help us out?
Crash: I’ll… help out. Where are the rebels now?
Pinstripe: All ovah thuh place. But mainly in thuh second floor.
Crash: I see. Well then… I’ll meet you there.
Minions: Yes sir. (They salute.) Hail Cortex.
Crash: Yes… Hail Cortex. (He does the salute back. The minions stare at Crash at first bewildered and confused, but then angry and vengeful.)
Pinstripe: (Cocking gun) It’s the Impostor! Get him!!!!
Crash: Wha!!!!???
Coco: Uh-oh!
Danni: (lifting her head) Huh?
Crash: They found us out! Run!!!!
(Crash grabbed Coco and Danni and, by ploughing through the robots that had tried to cut them off, made an escape.)
Pinstripe: Don’t let um get away!
(The minions and robots give chase, firing their weapons.)
Danni: Crash? Is that really you?
Crash: Yeah, it’s me. Sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner but I needed this cover to get you guys back safely.
Danni: What about Cody?
Crash: (A laser beam whizzes past his head) No time for that now! Let’s get out of here!
[Running breathlessly through the metal hallways being chased by laser gun wielding commandos was not part of Crash's plan, but it looked like the best laid plans all ways go awry. He would need to improvise something and quickly.]
Crash: I still don't understand how they figured out that I wasn't the general.
Coco: It was your salute that gave you away.
Crash: Huh?
Coco: You used the wrong arm.
Crash: What? Man, are they picky.
(Another laser beam grazes by.)
Coco: No time to comment about them being finicky, we have to get away from them.
Danni: I think we can `ide this way.
(She directed her friends' attention to a two-way detour coming up in the hall. They sprinted down the right hallway and ducked behind some machinery to witness their pursuers take the left corridor.)
Crash: Phew, I'm glad we lost them.
Coco: Me too!
Danni: Crash, what I don't understand is how did you get away from the general?
Crash: Well he had me in a pretty bad spot, he almost did me in, but at the last minute I spun him and knocked him into the wall. He passed right out. So I stole his clothes and dragged him to a nearby utility closet and locked him in.
Coco: Lucky you, we almost thought you were a goner.
Crash: Me too! I'm glad I found you guys when I did. I was worried I’d be too late.
Danni: I'm just glad to see you alive, Crash. I wasn't sure I'd see you eva` again. I mean, the real you. I'd be happier though, if Cody were ok too.
Crash: Don't worry Danni, I'll make sure he gets out of this ok. I'm not going to let Cortex get him in this world too.
Danni: I hope so mate.
Crash: (places his hand on her shoulder) Don't worry, I still have a plan. But we'll need to find the other rebels first.
Danni: They're round `ere somewhere. An' we'll find um.
Crash: Great. (They get ready to go on their way.) Just one question…
Coco: What's that bro?
Crash: How the heck did Cortex get so darn HUGE!?
[Back in the real world…]
[Time was running out for Jacko. Every blow the minion heavyweights gave to the door was another second closer he became to getting captured.]
Jacko: Dern, what am I gonna do? I hafta get me mates back, but how can I bring about that porthole thingy? (Another bang is heard from the other side of the doors.) Struth, they're almost through. Who am I kiddin'? I'll neva' figure this machine in time. (In a fit of frustration and anger the red kangaroo gives a swift hard kick to the main console. Suddenly the controls begin to spark and crackle with electricity. Obviously shorting out. The shortage spread throughout the machine and to the warp pad. The warp bubble that was there began to fluctuate and flicker. Then it imploded changing into a yellow hole suspended in mid air. The porthole, he made it. Now all he had to do now was wait for his friends to come through. But time was drastically running out.)
Jacko: Alright it worked! (He waits as the pounding continues.) Whar' are ya mates? Them baddies ar' gonna be `ere any minute.
[Back in the new dimension…]
[The rebel squad was caught in the middle of heavy commando cross fire. Using all the weapons in their artillery they had managed to ward off most of the attacks. A well-placed grenade had cleared a temporary safety zone for them and they only had a short time to make up a new strategy.]
Paddock: Now what? We're almost out of ammo.
Wimbly: We're gonna hafta wait for Cody and the others to find us.
Paddock: But it's been too long already. They would have found us by now.
Wimbly: I'm sure they're all right. Cody had a good plan. They'll find us. This will work.
Paddock: I wish I could be as optimistic as you Wimbly.
[The guards on the second floor were knocked over by a flying force. A wooden stick that careened past censors and clanged every robotic head until a path was cleared.]
Rebel: What was that?
Danni: We're here!
Wimbly: It's them!
Coco: We found them!
Paddock: Danni, Coco, you made it!
Crash: And in the nick of time too!
(The rebels gasp at the sight of Crash in the general's uniform. Believing him to be the general himself they aim their weapons at him.)
Paddock: Hold it right there general.
Crash: Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm not the general. I'm only wearing his clothes.
Danni: He's telling the truth.
Paddock: How can we be sure?
Crash: W... well I...
Wimbly: We can't trust you unless you have proof that you're our Crash.
Crash: I'm not too sure if I know how I can.
Coco: I know a way. There's one thing my brother knows that nobody else does besides me. Crash, what's your deepest secret?
Crash: Aw Coco? Do I have to?
Coco: It's the only way.
Crash: But Coco, not in front of the rebels!
Coco: Crash.
Crash: Oh all right. (Mumbles something.)
Coco: I can't hear you.
Crash: Ok I sometimes wet the bed!
(Silence. Then a stifled chuckle, then many followed by thunderous laughter. All coming from the rebels.)
Paddock: That's proof enough for me. There's no way General Crash would ever admit to that.
Crash: There. I proved myself. Now will you listen to me?
Wimbly: (Trying to cover his laughter) Ok. Ok.
Rebels: Hey, where's Cody?
Danni: (hanging her head) Cortex took him in.
Rebels: What? Oh no!
Paddock: We have to rescue him.
Rebel 2: How?
Crash: Guys, don't worry. I have a plan.
[Such a dark room, but even without seeing the décor Cody knew exactly where he was. It was almost like he could read Cortex’s mind. He knew the doctor’s plans for him; he sneered at the thought of what succumbing to that plan would do to him. N. Gin was tapping away madly at a control panel in the corner of the room. The sentinels dragged Cody toward the opposite corner where a large machine was sitting ominously, flashing with lights and buzzing with electric tones. Cortex followed them in smiling with that dreadful grin that gave all the rebels nightmares for countless sleepless nights.]
Cortex: It seems you know why you’re here.
Cody: You know I won’t go willingly.
Cortex: We’ll see about that.
(Cortex snaps his fingers and the robots begin to forcefully pull Cody to the machine. They quickly restrain his limbs and strap them into the chair below the contraption. Although he seemed calm and composed, inside Cody was frightened to the edge of the breaking point. But he had just enough strength to hide that from Cortex. He would not give his enemy the gift of his fear.)
N. Gin: I’ve finished the modifications you requested master.
Cortex: Good. Soon the leader of the rebels will be my slave.
[Danni, Coco, Wimbly and Paddock had separated from the group. The rest of the rebels were fighting their battles as this foursome trekked to the lower levels of the tower.]
Paddock: Do you think Crash’s plan is going to work?
Danni: As long as we do our part. You remember what he told us to do right?
Wimbly: You bet. I just hope he can get to Cody in time.
Coco: I trust my brother. He’s never let us down in the past. He’ll get to Cody in time, don’t you worry about it.
Paddock: I hope you’re right. For all our sakes…
Danni: (to herself) Me too.
Wimbly: Here we are. (He directs them toward a caged control booth.)
Coco: This is it?
Wimbly: Yup! This is the electrical control centre of the entire tower.
Danni: Here, such a small thing?
Paddock: Yeah, you would never think to look for it here. Which is what Cortex wants.
Wimbly: Should we do it now?
Paddock: No. Not until the time Crash told us.
[Crash stood outside the door of the lab. He took a deep breath, straightened the borrowed general’s jacket, and tried his best to put the perfect evil sneer on his face. Another moment to gain composure, then he entered the room. A thick haze of evil was there - he couldn’t breathe easy knowing that Cortex was now watching him.]
Cortex: I see you took care of the prisoners General.
Crash: Yes sir. Are there any other tasks for me?
Cortex: There is the rebel problem, although I doubt it will be a problem once I am finished with this dingo. (Crash held his emotions upon seeing Cody strapped down in the vortex chair. He knew he had to get Cody out of this mess. The question was how in the little time his plan would allow him.)
Cody: (struggling in the straps) If I go down I will make sure you pay.
Cortex: And how would you do that? Once you are my slave you will be as loyal to me as the general here.
Cody: You and your general can go to hell.
Cortex: Then you can go with us. Gin, fire up the vortex.
N. Gin: Yes Doctor Cortex. (He pulls a lever causing the machine to start it up. Cody growled and gritted his teeth, Crash bit his lower lip, and Cortex grinned with divine pleasure.)
[Paddock glanced at his watch eagerly.]
Paddock: Now!
(Wimbly pulled a large set of wire cutters out of his bag and presumed to snip the thick gray cable suspended from the wall to a small circuit unit. A loud drone ran through the enclosure as one by one every light and machine though out the tower shut down. Including the vortex.)
Cortex: N. Gin, what happened to the power?!
N. Gin: I don’t know. All the power seems to have been severed from the main source. The back-up power generators are activating but the power isn’t on in the higher levels just yet.
Cortex: Then get the power up here! NOW!
N. Gin: Yes sir.
(Black as ebony, the shadow engulfed chamber was tense with Cortex’s impatience. Cody reclined slightly in his bonds thanking the lord for this wonderful stoke of luck. In the cover of darkness Crash allowed himself a sigh of relief, his plan had worked, now all he had left to do was free Cody and escape before the auxiliary power kicked in, or before Cortex saw them. As Cortex was franticly yelling at N. Gin, Crash made his way over to Cody.)
Cody: (seeing Crash) Grrr, you and Cortex can’t take me. I will continue to fight no matter what. You’ll have to kill me before I become a slave like you. And if I die I want the pleasure of killing you first.
Crash: (whispers) Will you hold still so I can get you out of here?
Cody: (shocked) What?
Crash: Danni’s real worried about you, come on, let’s get out of here before chrome dome sees us.
(Crash had just released the arm bonds restraining Cody when suddenly something large and powerful slammed him forcefully against the wall.)
Cortex: (pinning Crash to the wall with his giant fist) So you thought you could impersonate the general without me noticing. I know you’re that rebel impostor that’s been running around. (He holds Crash tighter causing him to choke.) I’m going to finish you off right now so you doing cause any more interference.
[The sound of Crash’s suspiration, struggling to draw breath against the crushing hand forcing pressure on his trachea. Cody knew he must do something or lose his ally. With his hands freed he quickly struggled to loosen the bonds from his legs.]
Cody: I’m coming Crash!
(Cody breaks free of the bonds and rushes over to his friend’s aid. Only to be grabbed by the metal claw of N. Gin.)
N. Gin: You’re not helping anyone.
Cody: I told you, I ain’t goin’ down without a fight.
(The dingo rebel leader grabbed Gin’s mechanical arm firmly and with a heave of strength flipped the cyborg over his head and into the vortex console, smashing most of the controls. With Gin out of the way Cody went to his next priority, saving his friend.)
Cortex: (Too focused on Crash to notice Cody) One less rebel to spoil my plans.
Cody: You mess with one of us, you’re going to deal with the rest of us sooner or later.
(Cody takes a running leap and kicks Cortex square in the head. The doctor sneered and turned slowly towards his attacker. He released Crash, letting the bandicoot’s limp body hit the floor, and made firm fists against Cody. The rebel stood, unafraid even though he knew Cortex could easily crush him.)
Cortex: You are a headstrong fool dingo. You may have gotten free but if you still refuse to join me as my minion I will destroy you.
Cody: Bring on what you will. I won’t go down without a fight.
Cortex: Then a fight is what you shall get. (He heaves his mighty fists at the relatively small dingo. Cody leaps out of the way nimbly and delivers a kick to the doctor’s chest. With a fierce roar Cortex swiped again and again at his fleeing advisory. Cody was sure not to get caught or else the results would be dire, but Cortex’s might was more then his own and on one last leap the giant monster doctor was able to grab Cody by the tail. With a painful, paralysing yank Cody fell limp and dangled from Cortex’s closed fist.)
Cody: (in dreadful pain) Unnnahh!
Cortex: (With false sympathy.) Oh, did I hurt you? (Suddenly the lights in the room dimly light up.) Looks like the backup power is operational. If you want to change your mind about escaping, now’s your last chance.
Cody: (shaking off his shock) Never.
Cortex: Fine then. If you would rather die than join me then so be it. (He placed the weak Cody in his fist and began squeezing tightly ready to crush all his bones. The only to thing that stopped Cortex from doing so in that moment was the sound of a gun cocking behind him.)
Crash: (aiming the general’s gun at Cortex) Stop right there. I’m not going to let you hurt him.
Cortex: I thought I drained the breath from you.
Crash: Well goes to show you should never assume your enemy is dead until you check their pulse. Didn’t you ever watch James Bond movies?
Cortex: I don’t know what you’re talking about but I will make sure I kill you this time.
Crash: Stay back. I’ll use this!
(Cortex reaches for Crash who immediately pulls the trigger and ends up shooting out a ceiling light. Cortex smiles and continues to try grabbing Crash who runs away and continues firing. And still not hitting anywhere near Cortex, the chase appeared to be on the doctor’s side. Finally one of Crash’s shots landed a hit to Cortex’s arm causing him to roar in pain and drop Cody. The dingo landed on his feet and ran to Crash.)
Cortex: You’ll pay for your resistance.
Crash: Uhhh… will you take a check?
Cody: Let’s get out of `ere!
(The two ran towards the door only to be cut off by a giant leap by Cortex to block their way.)
Cortex: (smiling and approaching them) Nowhere to run.
Cody: Then we’ll fight.
Cortex: You don’t stand a chance against my superior strength.
Cody: We can try. (He takes a fighting stance as Cortex lunges at the duo. Quickly the Bandicoot and Dingo rush out of the way and give the lurching beast a few good punches and kicks. But no attack was strong enough to faze him.)
Crash: We need something stronger.
Cody: We just need ta keep going. He’s bound ta run outta strength soona’ or later.
Crash: It’s the later that I’m worried about. (Cortex charges at them again, and smashes into a wall knocking brick and mortar away from the steel. Still not slowing the behemoth down. Crash pulled the general’s gun from its holster and began firing rapidly. Once again Crash’s use of the gun was lower than par and he missed every shot.)
Cortex: (Laughs) Is that the best you can do?
Crash: (Stops shooting) Aw the heck with it. (He tosses the gun aside) I’m doing this my way! (He charges at the massive Cortex and sends himself into a full spin. Contact was made and the large brute was knocked across the room into the vortex.)
Cody: Nice move mate.
Cortex: (getting up) That little stoke of luck won’t get you any further.
Cody: We’ll see how far we can get. (To Crash) Ready mate?
Crash: As I’ll ever be.
[The comrades charged and both kicked Cortex square in the face knocking over backwards back into the vortex. A piece of the machine, a think metal rod broken in the fall, flung up into the air and came speeding down, impaling the vortex console. The console sparked and turned on lending its energy to the mechanism to which it was attached. Cortex struggled again to get up burning with rage. His mutant ears picked up the sound of the winding vortex charging up. He looked up to witness the rays of the vortex coming right at him. Any attempt to react was too little far too late. The rays hit Cortex in a grand blast. He roared and howled a frightful sound warping and twisting in frequency. The light immobilized Crash and Cody who had no choice but to shield their eyes until the power surge had ended. As the light faded so did Cortex’s wailing. Crash gasped as he witnessed what now laced the chair in the stead of the monster scientist. A puddle of green goo splattered over the machine, dripping over the metal and down to the stone floor.]
Crash: Oh gross. What happened?
Cody: The vortex and evolve-o-ray are intertwined within the same machinery. Cortex was planning to devolve me to reduce my resistance to the vortex’s effects. The power surge must have overloaded something and devolved him to a primordial sludge. Nothing’s left of him but a mindless slop.
Crash: (disgusted) Ewwww. Can we go now?
Cody: There’s one thing we need to do.
[Meanwhile…]
Coco: Do you think Crash’s plan worked?
Paddock: We won’t know until we meet up with him again.
[The rebels where making their way to the main hall, still in their rampage against their oppressors. The robot sentinels had all been shut down thanks to the power outage from before. The battle was ensuing on as before, bloody and violent. Suddenly the loudspeakers came on from the direct link from Cortex’s lair to the rest of the tower. The voice of Crash rang through every hall, to every ear in the vicinity.]
Crash: Attention everyone! I have the confirmed news that Doctor Cortex is dead. His reign is over.
[The commandos and Cortex slaves all looked about is a daze of shock. Their master gone they stood aimless, in shock or disbelief, but still not doing anything. The rebels however were elated, their mission was a success, their war was over.]
[The rebels all gathered outside of the tower among them where the newly freed slaves and humans all were celebrating for Cortex, their enemy, was destroyed, never to return again. The commandos were too stunned to do anything about any of it. In the mists of celebration Crash and Cody made their exit and joined the crowd. Danni stood before them, a smile on her face and wonder in her eyes. Like a child receiving a wonderful long wanted gift.]
Danni: Crash, Cody! (She runs over and gives them both big hugs.) I was so worried.
Cody: We’re all right Danni. We got each other outta that mess.
Coco: (rushing over to Crash) Crash, you’re ok.
Crash: Of course I am. When have you ever seen me fail?
Coco: If you’re talking about cleaning your room, plenty of times.
Crash: Hey what do you mean by that?
Coco: Aw give me a hug you big lug. (They hug)
Cody: (looking up at the Tower) I can’t believe it’s over and that you helped us do it.
Crash: Eh, it weren’t nothing. I was glad to help.
Cody: Never did I ever dream that I’d be conquering over Cortex with the help of Crash Bandicoot.
Crash: Well you know I’m not the Crash you’ve come to fear.
Cody: (holds Danni’s hand) It’s like a dream comes true. Now we can live without tyranny, without the iron gaze of Cortex watching over us.
Paddock: All the years of fighting, finally it’s all over, and we won.
Wimbly: We couldn’t have done it without teamwork. (Turns to Crash, Coco and Danni ) Or your help!
Crash: (blushing a little) Aw shucks.
[The closure was made, and the journey has ended. Now was the beginning of a time of peace and reconstruction. A new era to be made by those who fought to ensure a free future.]
Cody: Everything looks so much brighter now. Everything’s so perfect. (He looked deep into Danni’s eyes. A loving glow exchanged between the two souls, nothing could disturb this moment, except the ringing of Paddock’s cell phone.)
Paddock: Paddock here. Harvel is that you? You did WHAT?
Cody: Paddock what’s happened?
Paddock: I think we need to see this for ourselves.
[The rebel base was joyous celebrating the defeat of their mortal enemy. But another cause of joy for Harvel was the bright shining porthole made by his latest invention. Cody, Paddock, Wimbly, Crash, Danni, and Coco stared at it in awe.]
Crash: This is it?
Harvel: Yup, my inter-dimensional frequency magnetron was able to attract the portal that brought you here. Now you can use it to get back home.
Crash: Wow, all this time, I almost forgot that we were in another dimension.
Coco: Well what are we waiting for? Let’s get home.
Crash: Is it safe?
Harvel: It’s as safe as the one that brought you to our world. I suggest you use it now. I don’t know how long this thing will stay stable, or open for that matter.
Coco: Then we shouldn’t wait a second longer. Come one everybody. We’re homeward bound!
(Coco ran excitedly to the yellow void and jumped in, her next stop was home, her home. Crash stepped up the entrance of the porthole.)
Crash: One small step for man… (Looks back at Danni ) Are you coming Danni?
[She hasn’t moved from her spot. She only stands there, back turned from the porthole, facing Cody. Conflict in her soul.]
Danni: I don’t know. It’s so hard… to say goodbye one more time.
Cody: Danni, I know this must be hard for you. If you really want to you could stay here with me. But that’s your choice.
Danni: You know I’d love to, but I can’t, this isn’t my world. But how could I leave you?
Cody: You still have your Cody in your world. He needs you.
Danni: How do I know if he’ll eva’ come back?
Cody: You have a better chance then me ever getting my Danni back. You should use that chance. You’ll never know unless you let yourself see.
Danni: I guess ya right. I just hafta tough it out. What about you?
Cody: I’ll manage. Heck I’ve lived through a war. I think I could learn to live with my loss. Maybe this whole thing was to help me get over losing my Danni, to show me that she’s gone but also to give me a chance to say goodbye.
Danni: That’s the hardest part. Saying goodbye, knowing when to say it.
Cody: You’ll know when. I got a feeling it won’t be for a long time. You should go.
Danni: All right. I’m ready now.
Crash: (coming over) Danni, are you coming or not?
Danni: (hugs her bandicoot friend) I’m coming Crash.
Crash: Oh good, cause Harvel says it’ll only be open for a few more minutes before to power runs out.
Danni: OK. (She goes over to the porthole.)
Cody: I guess this means goodbye for good then?
Crash: Yup. We’d better be leaving.
Cody: Too bad. I woulda preferred ta keep you and send the other Crash to the parallel universe.
Crash: I think you could handle him now that he and his minions don’t have Cortex to warp their minds.
Cody: I guess that’s true. Crash?
Crash: What?
Cody: You care about Danni don’t you?
Crash: Of course!
Cody: Then take care of her. I don’t want you ta end up losen’ her like I did.
Crash: Don’t worry about that. I’ll make sure of it.
(Crash then heads over to the porthole at Danni’s side. They hold hands, and without looking back they left the dream of what if behind.)
[Back in the real world…]
[Jacko watched the door bulge and crack with every blow Cortex’s minions gave. Suddenly a bright flash of light emanated from the warp pad. Coco shot through the anomaly and landed with a thud on the ground.]
Coco: Ow! I’m glad I don’t have to get used to that.
Jacko: Coco? Is that really you?
Coco: Jacko? Oh I’m so glad to see you!!! (They embrace. Jacko’s emotions were strong, but not as strong as the grip he had around Coco.)
Jacko: Oh I thought ya’d neva make it back!
Coco: Jack you’re hurting me.
Jacko: Oops sorry mate. (lets got of her) Whar’s Crash and Danni?
Coco: I don’t know. I thought they were right behind me.
(Suddenly the porthole flashed again and out tumbled the aforementioned Dingo and Bandicoot.)
Jacko: Crash! Danni!
Crash: Jacko! We made it!
Coco: Yay! We’re home!
Jacko: I’m so glad ta see yer all ok.
Crash: You’re a sight for sore eyes too buddy.
(The friend’s blissful reunion was cut short by the incessant pounding of Cortex’s attempts to get to the roof.)
Coco: What’s that?
Jacko: It’s Cortex, blimey he’s bound ta get out here any minute.
(Meanwhile, Cortex and his minions were still trying to get though.)
Komodo Joe: Come on we’ve been at thisss for a whole hour. Are you three through yet?
Tiny: Tiny trying hard.
Cortex: Well hurry it up!
Dingodile: (Returning with his flame-thrower.) Stand back mates. I gotta way through this blocker.
Crash: How are we going to get out of here?
Jacko: Well we can’t get out that way, and I don’t think going the way I got up here will work anymore.
(Abruptly, a strange sound began to fill the air.)
Coco: What’s that?
Crash: I don’t know.
(The droning sound became louder and more like the grating squeal of grinding gears. It was coming from the time twister. The porthole suddenly imploded as the machine rattled and sparked and burst into flames.)
Jacko: Uh-oh. That ain’t good.
Coco: It’s overloading! It’s going to explode!
(The doors to the roof blasted down in a flaming blast.)
Dingodile: Now that’s knockin’ down a door.
Koala Kong: We would have gotten it sooner or later.
Pinstripe: Sure, and maybe by then pigs woulda learn’t how tah fly.
Crash: Oh great, like things couldn’t get any worse.
Cortex: The bandicoots! They’re back! Get them!
(Crash wasn’t ready for a fight now. He was more concerned about getting off the roof before the time twister exploded.)
Crash: (Running past Cortex and the minions) Sorry doc, no time for a reunion now.
Coco: (Following Crash) See ya some other time.
Jacko: (Bounding after his friends) Some time much later.
(Danni ran after her friends but in her haste knocked into Dingodile shocking them both to the floor.)
Dingodile: (grumbling) Dern clutsy gallah. Why don’t ya watch where ya going.
(Danni scrambled to get up. Dingodile was not in one of his better moods and she didn’t want to deal with him now. Not so soon after leaving that different Cody behind. But then she saw something on the ground; it was small and shining on a thin chain. Dingodile spotted it too and with a frustrated sigh grabbed it and shoved it into his pocket, complaining under his breath about how the item was always falling out. As he placed the gold trinket back into concealment, Danni realized what it was. Her necklace. The very one she had given to her Cody when she last lost him to Cortex. A smile came to her face, and tears came to her eyes.)
Danni: You kept it.
Dingodile: Huh?
Danni: You kept it! (She flung her arms around his neck and gave him a tight squeeze. Then she held his snout and gave him a big kiss right on his scaly lips.) You still care.
(She giggled to herself and with one last glance she left Dingodile kneeled on the floor, befuddled, and a bit uneasy.)
Dingodile: Gah! (Wipes his mouth) What’s her story?
Cortex: Don’t just stand there! Get them!
Joe: Uh, bossss?
Cortex: What now?
(Joe points at the Time Twister, now smoking and fizzing uncontrollably.)
Tropy: I knew they were messing around with it.
(Not a word more could be said, the twister then exploded. After the blast Cortex and His minions stared blankly into the rubble and mess left behind.)
Cortex: Grrr, Those blasted Bandicoots. Look at this mess. Do you know how long it’s going to take to clean this all up?
Tropy: Exactly ten years, two months, three weeks, five days, eleven hours, two minutes, and seventeen seconds.
Cortex: I hate you.
[A jubilee was the word best used to describe how Crash, Coco, Jacko, and Danni were rejoicing their wonderful luck. Cortex castle wouldn’t be meddling with time travel for a very long time.]
Crash: Man this is an adventure that’s going right into the books.
Jacko: I’d love ta here about it mates. Sorry I had ya waitin’ so long though, those goons had me running around all night.
Crash: All night? But we were stuck in that alternate universe for nearly three whole days.
Jacko: No way, you blokes were only gone fer the one night.
Coco: I guess the time twister was misaligned when you restarted it. That’s the only way I can think of why the portal disappeared for so long.
Jacko: Well it sounds like you guys had quite the escapade. (looks at Crash) And it looks like ya got some nice looking duds from it too.
Crash: Nice looking? You do not know what this uniform even stands for. I can’t wait to take it off. (Pauses and pulls at the seat of the pants) Plus I’m getting a huge wedgie. How’d my double even wear these?
Coco: Well I’m sure the general wasn’t the type who ate four sticky buns every morning.
Crash: What’s that supposed to mean?
Coco: I’m just saying he probably was more fit then you.
Crash: Hey I’m fit. It’s just that leather just rides up on me.
Coco: Sure it does.
(Coco giggled. Crash just smiled, he wasn’t upset by her teasing, he was just glad she was all right. He almost lost her in this adventure. It was quite and ordeal but he was glad they got out of it alive. Crash noticed Danni standing behind them, staring at Cortex castle silently.)
Crash: Danni? Are you still thinking about him? Look I’m sorry if…
Danni: No.
Crash: Huh?
Danni: I don’t miss that Cody. I still have my own.
Crash: What do you mean?
Danni: I learned something from all this. Nothing’s what is seems. I used ta think I musta been the unluckiest person in the world, but after seeing all that coulda happened in our lives from a few little changes, I see that I’m one of the lucky ones. All the worst things that could have gone wrong in my life, didn’t and all the bad things that did happen, there were good things that happed too. I just neva’ noticed them until now. My Cody will come back. He doesn’t know it now but he still cares about me. And one day he will remember that.
Crash: I guess I see what you mean. I never thought about how lucky I was that the Cortex Vortex didn’t work on me until I saw what could have happened if it did.
Danni: Guess we both gotta count ar’ blessings eh mate?
Crash: Yeah.
Coco: (calling) Come on Crash, I want to get home and see Pura!
Crash: Ok sis!
[The friends parted ways, knowing well that they would meet tomorrow and possibly have another adventure. They all kept in mind the importance of their lives and how lucky they were. After seeing what could have been in the alternate universe they would enter the next day with a higher feeling for the reason they were there, to keep the peace, to maintain freedom. And for Danni, who in one split second, in a glimpse of a lost piece of jewellery protected in the hands of a friend turned enemy, see left with hope, that her friend would return, some day, for good.]
THE END
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