I'm officially back! Okay, to be honest, I never left because I have been commenting and lurking around here ever since I finished CB: Good Meets Evil. This IS NOT the sequel of Good Meets Evil that I promised.It's a totally different story, and it will be short... maybe 8 chapters or 6. It could be more than that depending on how many things I come up with. The reason why I am writing a new story while planning my story's sequel is because I am really motivated to write right now, and I thought, why not make a fanfic about Crunch's creation or something like that? And so I did because Crunch is my favorite character in the series.

I bet you're asking yourselves what do I have in mind for CB: GME's sequel. Well, all I can say is that there is going to be a lot of time traveling... Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Echoes of the past

Think about yourself, roaming around a place full of beaches and sands, minding your own business. Your mind is in blank, not focused on any thought at the moment because you're too distracted by your surroundings and the sound of waves splashing. And when you less expect it, that one memory that hasn't come to your mind in such a long, long time invades your thoughts. Soon, you are lost in a flashback, recalling every single detail and when you want to escape it, you find yourself not being able to stop remembering.

Have you ever wished to stop remembering a memory that makes your mind spin every time you think of it? It is not that simple. At least for someone, it is FAR from being simple...

That tall, burgundy bandicoot you see walking around the beach isn't just any bandicoot. That bandicoot has a story behind him. A long story that began years ago when he came to be and found a family to live with.

Crunch hasn't been the 'do nothing and be lazy' type of person, for the size of his body shows that he is an avid weightlifter, interested in being healthy and in shape. He spends half of his time doing these workouts that left Crash and Coco thinking if it was possible for someone to have so much strength. When he is around them and Aku Aku, you could say he is a person with good manners. He does not tolerate misbehavior nor bad mannerism, and that's why you see him constantly complaining about Crash being too lazy and not cleaning up his messes such as his own room. Still, the kind-hearted bandicoot is thankful because if it wasn't for him, Coco, and Aku Aku, he wouldn't be where he is today. He wouldn't even be walking around this island full of beaches, animals, and forests. Where would he be instead? Let's just say that he would be somewhere else, under the control of a certain evil scientist. Despite having these traits, he has a ''soft side'' of his own, being someone that breaks down in tears if he has to and has these times where he feels weak, in need of someone to help when feeling as if he were drowning in a pool of sorrow.

''Crash, open the door!'' He gently knocked on his home's front door, but there was no answer. Crunch wondered if Crash wasn't home, but it was impossible because when he goes out, he always tells him and Aku Aku. ''On with it, fool! I told you to leave the door unlocked for me!''

He sighed heavily when he looked through the glass window and found Crash sleeping on the couch. Looks like he was going to be locked out of the house for a while, and Coco couldn't do anything because she has her own house now. Crunch remembered when she told him that she had to do it because of Crash's ''destructive nature'' or something like that. It sounded silly to him.

The burgundy bandicoot accepted the fact that he was going to be locked out for a while and sat on the green grass for a couple of minutes. After that, he lay on the ground, drifting off to sleep moments later and finding himself in a totally different world inside his mind. In a world full of events that took place years ago...

''Lift your head and look at me.''

The voice echoed through his ears, but the worst part was that he didn't recognize it.

The burgundy bandicoot lying on that cold metal table couldn't see well for a moment. Though his vision was blurry, he could tell that he was in a dimly lit room and the person standing before him was someone that he has never seen in his life. The better question was: how did he get here? Why is he here? All he remembers is being brought here inside a cage and getting zapped by a strange machine which left his entire body burning of the pain he was feeling. Now, he was here for no reason, but he was indeed scared. How would it feel like being taken from your own home and brought into a random scientist's lab?

''I'm your master, and you will listen to me, bandicoot. Look up!''

The bandicoot's vision was clear and could see everything else. Of course, how could his own vision lie to him? He really was in a place very far away from his home. This is real and so is the scientist with an 'N' on his forehead standing before him. However, why is it that all of a sudden that guy is forcing him to obey him and do whatever he says? Trying to find some answers, he sat up on the table and stared him down.

''Wh-who are you? Why am I... here?''

Before the scientist could reply, more people entered the room. One of them was this weird animal which consisted of a crossover of a dingo and a crocodile. At least that's what the burgundy bandicoot thought. Another one of them was a potoroo holding a weapon, a big and tall tasmanian tiger and a man with a missile on his head. More people inside that room didn't help, for he was even more scared. Scared at what might be coming to him later on.

''So, this is the new guy, huh?'' The potoroo chuckled. ''Really? Don't waste your breath on him, Cortex. I don't expect anything from him.''

''Silence, Pinstripe! This is just the beginning'' The scientist replied, thus silencing him. He turned his attention to his latest creation lying on that metal table. ''To answer your question, I'm Dr. Neo Cortex, your leader and your master.''

''C-Cortex...'' The burgundy bandicoot paused. ''My master?''

''Yes'' He responded. ''Now, it's your turn.''

''I-I...'' He was totally speechless. What was he supposed to say to him? He didn't even know his own name after all.

''I see that you don't have a name for yourself. Why don't we choose one, eh? I'll give you the opportunity to think about one.''

He wasn't thinking about names at this moment. That's the last thing he needed to think of as the only thing he wanted was an answer to all of his questions. Judging by the potoroo's comments about him, things aren't going to be good from now for him.

''Nothing? I'll give you a hand'' Cortex started to think as he walked back and forth. ''Let's call you Crunch. Crunch Bandicoot.''

''Yes. Crunch...'' The burgundy bandicoot looked at him and nodded. He actually liked that name and thought that it was the perfect one for him. Once again, he asked him the same question. ''Where am I, Neo? Why did you do this to me?''

''Do you even have recollection of what you just got through?'' Crunch shook his head yes. He wasn't that naive, but he just wanted a few questions answered. ''I brought you to my castle located in these islands. Trust me, you aren't that far away from home. You were brought from the jungles of these islands. You will know the reason why you're here later. I won't tell you for now.''

Crunch slowly got up from the table and felt his feet touch the ground as he stood up from there. Cortex's henchmen backed away from him to give him some space, but Cortex remained close to him. ''I have to go now.''

''Take it easy'' He gently pushed him, making him sit down on the table again. ''You just got evolved, Crunch. As your creator, I have to make sure you get used to your new body before even trying something like that.''

The burgundy bandicoot didn't listen to him. That guy thought he could just bring him here, turn him into an anthropomorphic bandicoot and give him orders as if he were his boss. That's a no-no for him. He stood up once again, and Cortex just let him do his thing because he accepted the fact that making him sit there is an order that he will never follow. He and his henchmen backed away a little, giving him space once again. When he walked a few steps, he saw a mirror in front of him, revealing his physical attributes. He was a tall bandicoot with a body that could easily crush someone just by touching them. To say the least, he was surprised at how he looked, but there was only one thing that could explain this: genetic alteration. That's all he could think of to explain all of this.

''Everything happens for a reason'' Cortex said as he stood beside Crunch, and his own reflection could be seen in the mirror as well. Dingodile, Pinstripe, N. Gin and Tiny were still there, listening to every word they said to each other. ''I will tell you soon.''

Crunch couldn't control his temper anymore. He was getting angrier and angrier with Cortex by the fact that he still couldn't hear any answers. Who was he to take him away from his home and bring him here for no reason? He looked at Cortex and growled softly at him. He grabbed him by his neck and lifted him up as he struggled to get out of his strong grip, but he couldn't. Cortex had no doubt that he just created a bandicoot with super strength.

''I want to know the truth now!'' He snarled. ''If you don't want me to do something worse than this, then speak!''

The dingo and crocodile hybrid quickly went over to help Cortex by grabbing his flamethrower and hitting Crunch with it on his back. The burgundy bandicoot groaned and fell forwards, letting Cortex go. He sat up on the ground and looked at him and his henchmen with fear. At this point, he almost regretted doing that because it just made the problem ten times worse.

''I told you this was a bad one, Cortex'' Pinstripe said. ''He won't last that long here.''

''Enough, Pinstripe! I know what I'm doing'' Cortex looked at Crunch. ''I see you're not the obedient kind, huh? I guess we'll have to fix that. Gentlemen! Tell Brio to prepare the Cortex Vortex! I have some work to do.''

Crunch felt his heart race of the nervousness. He either stayed inside that castle to suffer or found a way to get out of here as soon as possible. The second option sounded better for him, so he got up and made a run for it. He thought escaping was that easy, but the truth was that the entrance of the room he was in was guarded by Cortex's lab assistants, which stopped him from getting out of there. Crunch panicked, and although he could have fought them off so easily, he was prevented from doing so when he felt something sting his body, thus making him drop to the floor. Turns out that one of Cortex's henchmen shot him with a tranquilizer gun, making him feel dizzy after a while as his vision was becoming blurry. He was just seconds away from passing out, and he saw Cortex kneeling on the ground close to his face, looking at him.

''Wake up!'' He said. ''Crunch, wake up!''

''Wake up!''

He opened his eyes and quickly sat up on the ground, feeling like he just returned to the real world. He was relieved after finding out that this movie inside his head was not real and seeing his guardian mask there floating before him.

''Don't be scared. It's just me, Aku Aku'' He said, noticing that he woke up all scared. ''I'm guessing you had a bad dream, right?''

''Sort of'' Crunch replied as he got up from the ground. ''Yes, I did. At least it's over.''

''Why don't you come inside?''

The burgundy bandicoot nodded and followed him inside, still thinking about that dream. Why did he dream that? He doesn't know, but he just ignored it and kept on with his life. It's not the first time he dreams something like this, but there is no doubt that his own mind is telling him that he cannot evade reality. A reality that tells him that he has a story of his own.