CBNS ch.10

As the events were steadily unfolding, almost all heroes were already on the second of the three archipelago's islands. The remaining trio were already on their way to Wumpa Island. But in order to do that, they needed a safe transportation; and sadly this time around, Gex's remote control couldn't help them since it could only provide them the basics for survival. So what was the plan? Simple, borrow a tribesmen boat without asking for it of course.

"Alright guys, we just need to take that boat and set off to that island with the big blimp on it" stated the human gecko while he was hidden within the plants along with his friends. "I'm sure we'll find that clock dude there".

"How do ya' know that?" asked Parappa.

"Maybe that creepy black castle where that blimp is attached on called his attention" replied Rayman sarcastically. Unknown to them, someone was watching them from behind.

"Come on guys! Don't you watch movies? Everybody knows that the scary place is always the villain's lair" said Gex anxious.

"Ya' have a point there G" answered the human dog defeated.

"Are you serious? Are we really gonna follow that overrated cliché?" asked the blond youth ironically. In that moment, his rabbit pet-inside Rayman's hood-sensed something and turned around; only to be face to face with a dark skinned boy with long black messy hair that covered his right red eye.

"Bwahhhhh!" yelled the rabbit, alerting everyone (including the tribesmen who were guarding the boat). When the natives went to look in the plants, there was no one there and believing it was just a random animal that got scared and ran the tribesmen decided not investigate further.

Inside a burrow, we see all three travelers along with the mysterious boy; hiding from the natives.

"Sigh! That was close" sighed Gex relieved, wiping a little of sweat from his forehead. However, Rayman was not relaxed at all. If that kid hadn't show up from behind, the tribesmen wouldn't have been alerted from the start. But the question was: why he helped them hiding?

The boy was probably the same age as Polar, Pura and Penta together. He was only wearing dark green shorts with brown leaves tied around his waist, and a pair of black sandals. Around his neck, he had a fang necklace and a pair of golden bracelets on his wrists.

"Good. Tribesmen not looking us" muttered the boy while guarding the entrance of the burrow.

"Who are you?" asked Rayman, calling the attention of the little youth. The boy turned around, and faced the three travelers who were looking at him suspiciously.

"You want tribesmen boat, Hog can help you" he answered. (Remember the boar that Crash was ought to ride in "Hog wild" and "Whole hog" from his first game? Hog ningen style by 123soleil and me)

"Huh?" inquired Parappa confused.

"What did he said?" asked Gex puzzled. However, the blond somehow understood what he said. But at the same time, he wanted to make sure that what he listened was correct.

"Let me rephrase it, you want to help us get that boat…and you're name is Hog, right?" asked Rayman unsure.

"Yes. But Hog will help you, only if you help Hog" retorted the boy.

"What a strange name this guy has" whispered the green haired man to the brown haired youth while scratching the back of his head.

"Then, what ya' want us to do?" asked the human dog to the human boar.

"Help Hog free boars! Boars are Hog's friends, but evil tribesmen want to eat them!" he exclaimed worried.

"So…you want us to free the boars they captured before they eat them, correct?" inquired the blond.

"Yes! You do that for Hog and Hog give you boat!" he replied anxiously. Rayman turned around to see his friends' faces which were not the ones of a person who wouldn't help someone in need.

"Alright Hog, we'll help you save the boars" nodded Rayman with a little smile.

Meanwhile, inside the dark temple, we see that our group of heroes was having big troubles while crossing it. Not because an enemy was making things hard for them like the anthropomorphic lizards that Spyro and Klonoa faced in the city ruins, but the same temple was.

"Woah!" yelled Coco after she stepped on a pitfall.

"Coco!" exclaimed Crash, who luckily grabbed her before she fell to the emptiness.

"Waaaahhhhh! I don't like this!" cried Polar comically while Croc was holding him with his mouth and clinging to the ceiling. What happen was that the human polar bear was almost crushed by two big stones pilars; fortunately the human crocodile snatched him and quickly cling in the ceiling.

"Oh crap!" exclaimed Pura, who almost got bitten by a blue cobra that popped out of nowhere.

"Iek!" mumbled Crash, avoiding comically the pointed spears that almost pierce him.

"Kyahhh! Giant Spiders!" cried Penta scared after seeing the big arachnid falling from the ceiling.

"Woahwoahwoah!" exclaimed Croc after he almost got toasted by a torch that wasn't unlit at all.

After facing all those troubles, the group arrived to safe area where they decide to rest a little bit.

"Hmmm…strange, I don't remember this place be so full of traps" said Aku Aku confused. Behind them, all the youths were looking at him angry, almost like if they want to kill him right now. Feeling the tense atmosphere, the witch doctor turned around and sweatdropped, once he saw the angry looks on his friends' faces.

"Ummm…D, don't worry! We're almost at the end of the temple" hesitate Aku Aku nervously.

"That's a relief. I was getting tired of this…" sighed Crash while walking when, accidentally, he stepped on a button on the floor which activated a trap floor.

"Plaaaaaaaaace!"

"Crash!" yelled Coco worried, but it was too late. Crash fell to the emptiness before someone could reach him. Luckily for him, he landed on a rock slide which took him deeper underground.

"Woahoahaoah! Hey! This is actually kinda fun! Wohoooo!" cried full of joy with both arms in the air. However, all his fun ended when he crashed into a thick rock wall at the end of the slide.

"I think I lost a life there" stated Crash dizzy before falling to the ground. While lying there, Crash could swear that a big shadow approached him.

"Well, well! What do we have here? An old face!" said the shadow with his gruff voice. "Hehehe, this time you'll pay for what happened in the lab" and that was the last thing the male bandicoot could hear before completely losing his consciousness.

In the upper floor, Coco and the others were waiting nervously for Aku Aku's return. He went into the hole were Crash fell minutes ago to see if the youth was alive. When the witch doctor returned, everyone approached him.

"Did you find him?!" asked his sister concerned.

"Sadly I didn't" he answered and everybody became sad.

"Oh no…Crash…" whispered Coco with teary eyes and Pura tried to comfort her.

"However, I did see a rock slide right exactly were Crash fell, so he's probably alive but many floors below".

"Th…then he's!" inquired the female bandicoot anxious.

"Most likely" nodded Aku Aku with a happy face.

"See Coco? I told you he'll be fine!" replied Croc smiling. "Crash is not the kind guy who would die so easily". She giggled and wiped her tears.

"Yeah…you're right" she answered with a little smile.
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Back with our three travelers, we see that their new friend, Hog, helped them to sneak in another tribesmen village that wasn't rule by Papu Papu. In it, we see a barnyard full of boars and two natives who were guarding the gates.

"Hey ya' folks!" exclaimed a certain voice calling the guards. When they turned around they saw the young rapper who danced in front of them. "Ya' like it?" he asked sarcastically after dancing. The tribesmen quickly went for him, but Parappa rapidly hide behind a house, followed by the natives.

"Surprise!" shouted Gex's voice behind the wooden building, and he knocked out the two natives by smashing their heads together. Apparently, the science man was also black belt in karate.

Seconds later, the group is right in front of the gates. However, there was another problem, a big metal lock keeping the gates together. Hog tried to open it, but for a kid like him it was difficult.

"Ghrgrh! Ghrhrgh! Rats! Hog can't open it" said the youth defeated.

"Let me try" replied Rayman and he put in front of the gates. Out of nowhere,from the sleeves of the blond's sweater, came his electric chain with the big metal mouth and took the lock with a single bite.

"Nice one R!" praised him Parappa.

"Woah! That's a quite handy ability little Ray" stated Gex in a teasing tone as he ruffled the blond's hair.

"Hehehe, thanks" answered Rayman with a smile. It was at that moment that the blond began to like Gex accompanying them. Sure, he was sometimes obnoxious and probably a little simple-minded when using TV programs references. But he was a good guy and really funny too. While the three were talking among themselves, Hog was already in the barnyard growling at the boars in a very anxious way.

"Is he like, the Tarzan of boars?" asked Gex confused. Again, Rayman thought this reference was out place.

"Ummm…guys…we should probably leave" hesitated Parappa worried. When the travelers turned around, they saw the whole native tribe in front of them; ready to attack them for trespassing and stealing their food.

"Hurry! Come here!" yelled Hog calling them, so they entered into the barnyard with the boars.

"Hog this is no time to play! We need to leave!" cried Rayman worried while Hog climbed a boar.

"Hog knows, climb a boar and follow Hog" he ordered to his friends. They were uncertain at first. But at the end, they did what Hog asked them to and climbed a boar.

"Hold tight!" exclaimed the boy and with a loud growl, all the boars began to run out of the barnyard. All tribesmen, in order to avoid being stomped, ran away scared; letting our heroes escape the village.

"Woahohoho! Sweet! I had never ridden a boar before!" exclaimed Parappa happy while Gex was using his cellphone. It appears that he just used it to take a photo of him riding a boar.

"And this will be my new background" he whispered with a smile while Rayman and Hog were leading the group.

"I have to admit it Hog, you really helped us there" replied the blond with a smile.

"Friends helped Hog, now Hog help friends back" he answered also smiling. After that boar ride through the jungle, Hog bid farewell to his animal friends and, as promised, he helped his friends get the tribesmen boat.

"Alright Hog, we're counting on you" said Gex to the boy while hiding in the same spot as before.

"Leave it to Hog" he replied and walked towards the tribesmen. It was quite easy and less violent than we they freed the boars in the village. The boy just talked to them in their language and told them to leave, which they did. Once they were far from the boats, the travelers left their hiding spot.

"What did ya' tell them?" asked Parappa.

"Hog told them there were troubles on near village and that they needed to go" he answered.

"I can't believe they fell for that" said Gex in a disappointing tone.

"Well, that will surely keep them busy. I think we should leave now that we have the chance" stated Rayman in a serious tone. Unknown to him, Hog hands became fists after he said that.

"Ya' right R" replied the human dog.

"Better now than never" stated the human lizard as he prepared to put the boat on the shore.

"Well Hog, thanks for the help" said Rayman, calling the attention of the absent minded boy.

"Oh! Yeah…Hog glad friends help" he answered with a sad tone that the blond noticed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No, no, Hog all right. Boars are free so Hog happy!" answered the boy with a fake smile. Rayman, on the other hand, knew he was lying and he decided to ask him something that will surely affect him.  

"Hog…you're alone in this island…am I right?" he asked and the boy's eyes widened. At this point, both Gex and Parappa started to hear their conversation. Hog hesitated at first, but quickly calm down.

"Yes…Hog is only survivor of tribe that disappeared time ago. Other tribesmen treat Hog as outcast, because Hog doesn't like eat animals of island. Hog came from vegan tribe" he explained while the others listen.

"After Hog's tribe no longer exist on island, Hog decided to live alone and befriend with animals, especially boars, they were Hog's tribe symbol. That's why Hog secretly prevents tribesmen from eating them. But now that tribesmen know Hog's been helping animals, they'll look for Hog and punish him" he said very sad. The others couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Hey Hog…" called him Rayman. "I know that I don't come from this world, but I'll make sure to find you a safe place to live".

"You…you'll do that for Hog?" he asked nervously.

"Of course!" exclaimed Gex smiling.

"We all help ya' H!" replied Parappa happy. After seeing how the travelers were that kind to him, Hog couldn't help but to cry and hugged tightly Rayman as if he didn't want to feel alone again.

"Thanks! Thanks! You're really Hog friends!" cried the boy full of joy.

Meanwhile, in the dark temple, our heroes have just arrived to the end of the temple. In front of them was an old elevator that will take them to the mines, where Crash could probably be. However, they didn't take in account that before getting to the elevator, they needed to pass a floor with fire torches, pointed lances and stone pillars all at the same time. Again, the youths shot angry looks to the flying mask that panicked.

"I swear that all this wasn't here before my slumber!" he exclaimed comically.

"Sigh, well this is great…now how are we going to cross it?" asked Coco while thinking thoroughly for a solution.

"I know" answered Croc while putting his backpack on the floor and after that; he started to do some warm up exercises.

"Don't tell me you're planning to do that risky circuit" she inquired ironically.

"Why not?" he questioned her with a surprised tone.

"It's dangerous Croc! You could get burned, hurt or crushed" replied Coco.

"I'm afraid she's right Croc, maybe we should find another route" suggested Aku Aku.

"And return all that way back? No way! We're getting trough this!" and with that Croc ventured into the trap field.

"No Croc! Wait!" yelled the female bandicoot worried as the human crocodile was avoiding barely all traps on his way.

"Come back!" yelled the little youths also concerned by their friend who was luckily enough to keep dodging everything.

The last trap were three pairs of stone pillars that move against the other without the proper order; in order to cross it, the person needed to calculate the right time to move so that it wouldn't be crushed by the second or third set of pillars. Croc made the necessary calculations and quickly moved, passing all three pairs of pillars.

"He did it!" exclaimed Polar surprised.

"Good work Croc!" cried Coco happy.

"Hehehe" laughed the human crocodile blushed.

"Croc, now listen to me!" yelled Aku Aku. "There should be a button near where you are, push it to turn off all traps".

"There's a button?!" asked Coco, Polar, Pura and Penta shocked.

"O-ok!" nodded the human crocodile and quickly looked for the button. "I think I found it!" he replied and pushed it. After he did that, all traps slowly began to either stop moving or turning the fire off. When all traps were definitely set off, the remaining members of the group easily crossed the floor and finally arrived to the elevator where Croc was waiting.

"A button to set off the traps, huh?" asked Coco sarcastically.

"It was just an assumption!" exclaimed Aku Aku comically.

"Guys, guys don't worry. Besides we passed the hard part, now we need to find Crash" replied Croc while sweatdropping.

"Heh, you're right" giggled Coco. "He's probably lost or looking for us really worried". However, his brother wasn't doing any of those things that she mentioned… Deep underground, we hear the voice of a nervous youth; constantly repeating a specific phrase.

"Come on! Wake up!" cried the boy worried. "You have to wake up before that guy returns!"

Groggily, the darkness began to disappear and right in front of someone's sight, we see Klonoa looking down at someone; that person was no other than Crash Bandicoot, who slowly recovered his consciousness.

"Wha…where…where am I?" he asked dizzy while holding his head and sitting on the ground. He looked around and saw that he was in a small rock cell with a shackle on his right ankle.

"You're ok? You have been sleeping for more than three hours" asked the human cat concerned.

"Where…where are we?" asked Crash confused and Klonoa looked away a little angry.

"Were on a mine and soon we'll be forced to dig for some valuable crystal" he replied.

"What? No way! We have to get out of here!" he exclaimed worried and tried to get to the prison bars, but he couldn't and fell to the floor because of the chain attached to his leg.

"So you finally woke up" said a sinister gruff voice, looking at him down from the cell entrance. When Crash looked up he saw another of Cortex henchmen, Koala Kong.

"Welcome to the mines Bandicoot, I'll make you work so hard that there will be nothing left of you hahahaha!" laughed evilly the human koala and Crash couldn't do anything but gulped worried.


Uh-oh now our bandicoot hero is in the hands of the villains! What will happen to him and Klonoa?! Will Coco and Croc arrived in time to help them? And will Rayman and the other travelers arrived to Cortex first? Join us next time to see all those answers XD
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