It's in the eyes. Always the eyes.

Chapter Nine| Stories of Battle and Shared Origins

The crackling of the campfire filled the quiet evening as the group relaxed by its warmth. Crash, sprawled back lazily, poked his marshmallow into the flames, letting it slowly roast. Coco, as energetic as ever, couldn't sit still as she excitedly recounted another one of their past battles. Her words flowed quickly, and her enthusiasm filled the air as she launched into the story of Ripper Roo, the crazed, bomb-obsessed kangaroo who had been one of their first and most chaotic enemies.

"And then, out of nowhere, he starts bouncing all over the place, setting off TNT crates with that maniacal laugh of his!" Coco exclaimed, her hands gesturing wildly as she recreated the scene.

Aku-Aku hovered nearby, his wise and calm demeanor a perfect contrast to Coco's energy. His serene smile showed that he had heard these stories many times before but never tired of them.

Crash, ever the goofball, suddenly popped up from his seat, springing into the air with exaggerated bounces. His eyes bulged comically, and he contorted his face into a wild, wide-eyed expression that mimicked Ripper Roo's deranged look. Penny burst into laughter, watching Crash hop around the campfire, arms flailing as if dodging imaginary explosions.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad!" Coco chuckled, though her eyes gleamed with fondness for her brother's antics.

Penny's laughter faded into quiet fascination as she listened to Coco's storytelling. While Crash's performance was entertaining, what really gripped her was learning about the dangers they had faced—the insane enemies, the explosive encounters, and how they had always come through it all together.

She glanced down at her hands, absentmindedly tracing patterns in the sand. As the stories continued, the lingering feeling of being an outsider remained. These memories were vivid for them, but they were all new to her. Penny's unknown past tugged at her thoughts, a reminder that while she was part of the group now, there was so much she didn't share with them. But hearing how they'd faced their challenges gave her hope that maybe, in time, she'd find a place among their memories too.

Coco's eyes light up as she dives into the next story, animatedly recounting their battle with the Komodo Brothers, the infamous duo that gave them one of their toughest challenges. "Komodo Moe was all brute force," she explains, her hands gesturing wildly, "and Komodo Joe was like a snake—so fast, so sneaky!" Her voice rises with excitement as she describes the chaotic battle, emphasizing the brothers' deadly combination of Moe's overwhelming strength and Joe's swift, unpredictable movements.

As she speaks, Aku-Aku adds his own perspective, nodding thoughtfully. "It was through teamwork that we prevailed. Each of us had a role to play—Crash had to dodge their attacks, Coco kept her wits sharp, and I provided guidance." His voice is calm but filled with pride as he reflects on how they came together to defeat such formidable opponents. "We were only successful because we fought as one, relying on each other."

Crash, as usual, couldn't resist adding his own flair to the retelling. With an exaggerated grunt, he leaps to his feet and begins a clumsy reenactment of the fight. He spins around like Moe, flailing his arms wildly, before suddenly darting to the side like Joe, pretending to dodge invisible swords. His over-the-top performance sends Penny into a fit of giggles, and even Coco pauses her story to watch him with an amused grin.