Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

Chapter 7: Overly Aggressive

Crash found himself in the Colosseum in Rome, just as Tiny had said. He looked up to see the large mutant, who appeared to be chained between two poles. None other than Doctor Cortex was seated behind Tiny, and as Crash took a look around, he noticed that all of the spectators consisted of Lab Assistants.

Upon noticing the marsupial, Tiny let out a loud roar before freeing himself from the chains. He reached to the side and grabbed a trident before leaping down and attempting to stab Crash. After a while, the weapon became stuck in the ground as he tried to pry it out. Crash saw that as an opportunity, and he spun into the mutant, causing Tiny to roar again and jump onto the platform he had previously been standing on.

Too easy, Crash thought as he smirked.

He was caught off guard when numerous lions began to charge toward him. Crash gulped, as he believed he was finally done for. However, simply spinning them out of the way was enough to get them to retreat.

Yet again, Tiny jumped down and proceeded to attempt to attack Crash with his trident. The bandicoot rolled his eyes and yawned. This battle was proving to be a bore. Perhaps "Tiny" referred to the size of the mutant's brain.

After being spun again, Tiny summoned more lions, albeit a lot more than previously. One managed to pounce on Crash and knock the poor marsupial down. It snarled in his face, licking its lips as saliva landed on the bandicoot. Crash felt as though he would vomit. The lion's breath was, needless to say, not pleasant in the slightest.

"Yes!" Cortex cheered. "Tear his face off!"

"Crash, no!"

That voice! Could it be...?

Sure enough, Aku Aku teleported into the Colosseum before everyone's eyes. He managed to push the lion away, and he helped Crash get back on his feet afterward. The marsupial had just enough energy left to spin the lion away.

"You..." Cortex seethed as he glared at the mask.

"This supposed to be one-on-one battle!" Tiny wailed.

"And it shall remain that way. Be gone with you!"

"Never!" Aku Aku retorted. "Crash needs my assistance, even more so than I had first realized. I will not let him perish, especially by someone the likes of you."

Cortex's right eye began to twitch as he seethed in anger some more, but he eventually calmed himself down. "Tiny...dispose of these two imbeciles."

Tiny grinned at that and jumped back down, but he used the same attack as before. Crash was starting to notice a pattern. After five times, the trident would become stuck and Tiny would summon more lions. Crash prayed this would be the final time as he spun into the large mutant. Tiny fell to the ground, unconscious. The crowd began to boo, while Cortex growled in frustration. This was not the way the battle was supposed to end!

No matter, he thought. I have more in store for that bandicoot.

The portal appeared, and Crash and Aku Aku disappeared through it. They saw Coco typing away at the computer as usual, but she took a step back when Cortex and Uka Uka's faces appeared on the monitor.

"Tiny was a good fellow," Cortex stated. "He hated everyone and everything...but a good heart nonetheless. Please be more reasonable with my minions next time."

After the two faces vanished, Coco turned to her brother. "I thought you were a goner back there," she told him.

"Wait, you mean you saw everything that happened?" Crash asked.

"Of course. I can keep an eye on you through this monitor if I want. It's a good thing Aku Aku arrived when he did, or else you'd be toast!"

"Yeah, that was a close one. Thanks, Aku Aku."

"No problem, child," said the mask.

***

Natalie was in N. Tropy's room, still searching for clues as to what his true intentions could be. Just as she was about to give up and let Cortex know she couldn't find anything, she spotted a folded slip of paper that lay on the dresser. She picked it up and unfolded it before reading its contents.

Placing a hand over her mouth, she said, "Father...what have you done?"