A/N: Hey, guys! Welcome to this Crash Bandicoot one-shot! I'm a huge fan of the series, owning almost all of the games that have come out so far (apart from the two remastered), and this fanfic is a tribute to Mel Winkler, Aku Aku's voice actor from Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped to Crash Twinsanity. He died in his sleep last week at the age of 78. Let's begin.

(''Main Theme- Crash Bandicoot OST'')

It's a normal day on Wumpa Island, an island part of the Wumpa Islands, an archipelago south-east of Australia. Here lived a family of genetically modified bandicoots. Crash, an Eastern barred bandicoot, was created by an evil scientist, Dr. Cortex, to conquer the world with an army of super animals, the Cortex Commandos. However, ignoring the warnings of his assistant, Nitrus Brio, Cortex discovered that Crash had rebelled against him, and had his fiancée, Tawna, captured.(1) On that occasion, Crash met his mentor, the wooden mask Aku Aku, protector spirit of the Wumpa Islands, who agreed to help him. Crash loves peace but also likes to go on adventures, he is generally kind, sensitive and relaxed and likes sleeping. He likes fighting, but usually it's trouble that finds him, and not the other way around, but sometimes he has some bad habits, like burping, and he's also quite impulsive. Coco, Crash's younger sister, tends to use her brother to run errands, but she cares about him, and Crash is very protective of her, becoming very angry if anyone dares to threaten or harm her. They also have their own pups: Polar and Pura. Polar is a polar bear cub that acts like a dog, whom Crash takes care of, while Coco is the owner of Pura, a tiger cub that acts like a cat. Crash and Coco have another brother, Crunch, a tall, muscular bandicoot with a metallic right hand, initially created by Cortex to defeat Crash, but was freed from mind control and became part of their family.(2) Since then, despite being technically younger than Crash and Coco, he has been acting like an older brother to them. Unlike Coco, who is more tolerant of Crash's bad habits and sometimes amused by them, Crunch hates them, as he always wants to set a good example.

The bandicoots were on the beach. ''What a beautiful day today.'' said Coco, who was checking Cortex's plans on her laptop. Pura was playing with Polar.

''Yes, Coco. Nice day.'' said Crunch, intent on lifting weights as usual. ''Right, Crash? Crash? Answer me!'' Crash didn't answer, asleep as usual.

Aku Aku chuckled. ''Crash is like this, Crunch. You'll have to get used to it.'' he said.

(''Main Theme- Crash Bandicoot OST-s'')

I have a bad feeling about this. said Coco, seeing something suspicious, and Crash woke up. Shortly thereafter, an evil laugh was heard.

(''Dingodile Theme- Crash Bandicoot: Warped OST'')

Everyone looked up and saw another mask, Uka Uka, Aku Aku's evil younger twin brother, and a mecha where there were Cortex, his current right arm N. Gin, who has a missile stuck in the brain at following an accident, following which he had to turn into a cyborg to survive, at the cost of his sanity, and Nina, Cortex's niece.

''Does this always have to happen?'' murmured Crunch.

''We are back, and we will conquer the world!'' shouted Cortex, boasting as always.

''Bow down, mortals!'' said Nina.

''YOU WILL NOT BEAT US!'' Uka Uka screamed in his threatening voice.

''Don't even think about it, Uka Uka.'' Aku Aku replied.

''OPEN FIRE!'' yelled N. Gin, firing several missiles. Everyone dodged the shots as the mecha chased them into the jungle, while Aku Aku collided with Uka Uka and Polar and Pura returned home.

Crash started firing missiles with his bazooka, hitting the mecha a few times, which slammed its huge punch to the ground, but no one was hit. The three bandicoots then ran to the arm and hit the cockpit together with a powerful punch from Crunch and a flying kick from Crash and Coco, who then repeatedly hit the robot with a spinning kick.

''Damn cockroaches! Stand still!'' cried the cyborg, while the clash between Aku Aku and Uka Uka was even.

''They just don't give up at all!'' exclaimed Nina.

''Crash is really a nuisance, he and the other bandicoots! Destroy them!'' yelled Cortex. The mecha fired more missiles, but they were dodged once again.

Coco felt Crash grab her by the arm. ''What is it, big brother? Do you have an idea?'' she asked, while her brother whispered something in her ear. ''Great thinking, Crash!'' she exclaimed. She knew that Crash, while sometimes doing stupid things, is very cunning, often outsmarting enemies like N. Tropy and Tiny the thylacine.

''Did Crash say something?'' asked Crunch.

''Yes, Crash said that we can use Aku Aku to empower you, Crunch.'' replied Coco.

''Sounds like a good idea.'' said Aku Aku.

''Playtime's over! IT'S TIME TO DIE!'' Uka Uka roared, firing a powerful beam from his eyes. Crash noticed this in advance and pushed his siblings away, getting hit in their place. He was thrown away against a stone wall and making boulders fall on him, leaving the others very concerned.

''NOOOOO!'' screamed Crunch.

''CRASH!'' cried Coco.

''Oh, no.'' murmured Aku Aku. The mask always acted as a father figure towards the three bandicoots and always worried about them.

''Hahahaha! It's over for Crash Bandicoot!'' Cortex laughed.

(''Dingodile Theme- Crash Bandicoot: Warped OST-s'')

(''Unused Track 5- Crash Of the Titans OST'')

Aku Aku and the bandicoots were starting to move the boulders to check how Crash was doing.

''He's still breathing.'' said Coco, and Crash got up, scorched and bruised.

''What?! Is he still standing after that shot?!'' exclaimed Nina.

''It doesn't matter! I have a lot of atomic torpedoes in store for the bandicoots!'' yelled N. Gin.

With a scream of anger, Crunch threw himself on the mecha, threw it on the ground and started hitting it with lots of punches. ''Not my brother, you rascals!'' he snarled.

''If you mess with Crash, you will mess with all of us!'' exclaimed Aku Aku.

''We will defeat you, you dolts!'' cried Coco.

Crash jumped on Crunch's back and placed Aku Aku's mask on his face(3), and the three bandicoots, now empowered, began to attack with nonstop kicks and punches. Crunch also turned his mechanical hand into a laser cannon.(4)

''Argh! Now I know how it is make them angry.'' said Nina.

''DIE, YOU RODENTS!'' Uka Uka roared, shooting another beam from his eyes, but Crash grabbed Aku Aku and used him to repel the beam of the evil mask against himself and the mecha, destroying it.

(''Unused Track 5- Crash Of the Titans OST-s'')

''Damn it!'' shouted Nina.

''Next time I'll kill your brothers, Crash!'' yelled Uka Uka.

''You monster! You have neither heart nor soul, Uka Uka!'' shouted Aku Aku. Crash hated when someone threatened his family, and that was one of the things that infuriated him. He brought out his bazooka, intimidating the bad guys.

''You're trying to kill us, aren't you?'' asked N. Gin, a little frightened, as the bandicoot was about to pull the trigger.

Shortly thereafter, Crash and Coco noticed something about Cortex's clothes and everyone burst out laughing.

''What's so funny?!'' snapped the evil scientist. As soon as he looked down, he saw a stain on his lab coat. He had just wet his pants!

''You are so ridiculous!'' exclaimed Coco between laughs.

"We'll meet again, Crash Bandicoot!" Cortex yelled, running away with the others, humiliated.

''Cowardly coward!'' roared Crunch. He noticed, however, that Crash could no longer stand and fell into his arms, unconscious. ''Crash! What's wrong, little brother?'' he asked, concerned.

Aku Aku controlled him with his magic. ''He collapsed from the fatigue and injuries of this fight. Let's go home, we can get him back on track.'' he replied, and everyone went home.

At home, the bandicoots immediately saw Polar and Pura, who began to whimper when they saw Crash passed out in Crunch's arms.

''Don't worry, he'll be fine.'' Coco reassured them, stroking them.

Crunch gently placed Crash on the bed in his room. ''Aku Aku, will he be alright?'' he asked.

''I can get him back on track with magic, but this will weaken me a lot. I have already used my powers against Cortex, and I don't know if it will be enough.

''We'll have to check it out.'' Coco replied.

''Okay.'' replied the mask, again using his magical powers.

(''Hometown of Ur- Final Fantasy 3 DS OST'')

Crash's wounds disappeared, and the older bandicoot woke up. Polar and Pura jumped into his lap and the latter licked his muzzle.

''Crash! You're awake!'' said Crunch.

(''We sure showed him, huh?'') asked Crash. He spoke in a quite weird language, but his family, friends and Aku Aku could understand what he was saying.

Aku Aku laughed. ''Definitely! When the boulders fell on you, Crunch was really mad. Not to mention the face that Cortex made when we made fun of him because he had wet his pants when you threatened him with the bazooka, it was just priceless!''

''We were really worried, Crash. For a moment I was afraid you were going to die crushed.'' said Crunch, and he and Coco hugged their brother.

''You're okay, are you?'' Coco asked, and Crash nodded.

Suddenly, Aku Aku began to glow, and his yellow eyes were darker.

''Aku Aku! What's going on?'' asked Coco.

''I have to get some rest, my children. I've used too much of my magical power.'' Aku Aku replied.

''Are you sure? Will you be okay?'' asked Crunch.

Crash was worried about seeing his father figure like that, thinking that something bad would happen to him.

''Crash, everything will be fine. Don't worry about me. When I wake up tomorrow, I will feel better.'' The mask reassured him. His eyes went out and the colors of the wood and his colored feathers darkened, indicating that he was inactive.

(''One thing is certain: no one messes with the bandicoots!'') exclaimed Crash.

''Well said, big brother! Let's go play with Polar and Pura!'' replied Coco.

On hearing these words, Polar and Pura were quite excited. The three bandicoots went out to play with them. Aku Aku needed to rest, but it didn't matter at the moment. As long as Cortex and his gangs don't come back, everything will be fine.

(''Hometown of Ur- Final Fantasy 3 DS OST-s'')

A/N: Well, guys. I hope you enjoyed this tribute to Mel Winkler. Keep following me and see you at the next story! Bye!

(1): This is the storyline of the first game in the series. Furthermore, this also explains why Crash is immune to mind control.

(2): Reference to the events of Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex.

(3): In Crash: Mind over Mutant, Crunch appears as a boss along with N. Brio. As with the mutants, he's briefly usable by ''jacking him'', that is, stunning him and taking control of him using Aku Aku.

(4): As seen in Crash 2: N-Tranced, Crunch can turn his mechanical hand into a laser cannon.