Nearly Had 'Im

Chapter: Poker Game

The Cortex Castle is home to the evil scientist known as Dr Neo Cortex and several of his underlings including the former world-renowned physicist Dr . Wherever there is villainy at play in the Wumpa Islands, chances are that they've originated from here.

Of course, a mad scientist can only do so much by themselves. This is where the use of henchmen comes into play and the ones he employs are known as the Cortex Commandos. Evolved mutated animals that are created through twisted science to serve his goals of world domination and lead the minion forces in their respective groups.

It was a dark and rainy night. Inside one of the towers is where these henchmen hang out whenever they're not out carrying out their creators' evil schemes and enjoy some activities together like a game of poker…

"...And then I said to him 'you're looking rather chilly today mate, let me fix that for ya'..." There was laughter all around the room as several of them were seated at the wooden table where they're playing poker on. Some louder than others.

"Get outta here, did really pull a flamethrower up to his mug or what?" Pinstripe looked at the cards in his hand while he was finished chuckling at Dingodile's story.

"I did but he told me that he'll decline the offer. Said that it'll be too hot for him."

"It wasss a very ccchilly morning that day…" Komodo Joe tosses a wumpa coin into the money pile in the middle of the table.

"Well, that's enough of that one for today. Who wants to tell their own stories here?" Dingodile said to all of them. This left the others scratching their heads, wondering what ones they wanna share with others.

"Hmm… Aside from my recent encounter with Crash this week, nothing else is coming to mind." Koala Kong scratched his head. Thanks to help from a speech coach, the muscle head henchman is able to manage his speech impairment and form proper sentences instead of slurring the words from the droopy corner of his lip.

"How ccclossse were you?" Joe enquires.

"Close enough that I nearly had him!" Clenching his fists. "Grr, so close…"

"You're kidding yourself there. It was me who nearly roasted him with my flamethrower!" Dingodile snorted.

"No, it was Tiny who nearly squashed little bandicoot with Tiny's hands!" Said the hulking henchman as he crushes a wumpa fruit that he was eating with his left hand to visualise his point. The purple juice of the fruit would trickle from between his fingers.

"Oh pleassse Tiny, you cccouldn't even cccatch a fly on the wall with a ssswatter." Joe rolled his serpent eyes at the orange bruiser along with his brother Komodo Moe. "It wasss usss who got ccclossse to defeating that meddlesssome pessst!"

Then broke out an argument among them on who was closest to nearly defeating Crash Bandicoot. A rather loud one at that.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ripper Roo sat back and watched his fellow mutants having a war of words with each other. Holding the cards with the toes on one of his feet, seeing that he has a really good hand here.

"SHUT UP!" Bellowed Pinstripe as he fired off a few rounds from his beloved Thompson SMG and that was enough to stop all the bickering. "Now that i've got your attention gentlemen, perhaps we could share our own stories on how each of us nearly got our little furry friend."

"But Tiny notices that we're furries as well."

"...Anyways, i'm sure that we all had instances where we were this close…" The wannabe brooklyn gangster did a hand gesture that looks like he's holding an invisible green grape in between his index and thumb for emphasis. "...Buuuut he manages to slip right out of our grasp and we end up losing to him once again. That makes sense to all of you, alright?"

Murmurs of agreement were heard which told the potoroo that they understand where he's getting at here. Thankfully, he wouldn't need to reiterate his point all over again for their sake and forced to dumb it down like the scientists would often have to do for the likes of Tiny when it comes to giving out complex instructions.

"Good. Now, who wants to go first?" He looks to the other players at the table with a prominent smirk on his lips. Who shall be the first to tell their tale?

Perhaps then, they'll learn who actually came the closest to taking care of their foe…

Author's Note: I based the part where they're playing poker off that concept art from Twinsanity where Dr Cortex barges in on their game after being freed from the ice cube.

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