Chapter 23 - Dericks Comeback

After leaving the theme park, both Tani and Crunch thanked Dingodile "Thanks a lot Dingo! Those rides were awesome!" Crunch told him "Yeah! I can safely say... You weren’t even annoying this time!" Tani told Dingodile "You yanks are more than welcome! Come back anytime you want! And don’t forget to see the Freak show at 12:00am! It's gonna be wicked!" "Well... we'll see! We just have some important issues to deal with first" Crunch said, Dingodile was confused for a moment. Then he looked at Crunch, then Tani.

He smiled "Heh... Crunch, come here for a sec, just need to give you some tips" Crunch didn’t quite know what Dingodile was on about, he headed over to Dingodile "What is it now?" Crunch asked, "Come on mate... I know you want her..." Dingo replied. Crunch was a bit annoyed "Come on Dingo... Don't start this attitude up! We're just friends ok!?" "Just friends? Heh, that’s what they always say..." Crunch rolled his eyes "yeah what ever... We're going to go now... I'll see you around” Crunch said, he walked back over to Tani "What was he on about this time?" she asked, "Err nothing, really..." Crunch said, but he thought about what Dingodile had said "No wonder no girl wants to be with him, with an annoying attitude like that! I wonder if he'll ever learn..." Crunch thought.

The pair just walked down a long dark street, they were unsure of where they were but they were happy, as long as they were near one another "Man, this night has been strange ehh..." Crunch said, "Yeah man, you can say that again! But now... what can we do about the humans being anthros thing? There has to be something!" Tani asked her friend, "Man, to be honest... I don’t really know what else can be done... WAIT! Aku aku..." "What about him? Will he change them back?" "No... He told me something, he said there may be hope that lies with an old friend that I may encounter... and I think I know who might be able to help!" Crunch said. As the pair were talking and walking down the street... A familiar voice from a dark ally was heard...

"Heh, It looks like the false thylacine and burgundy guy are taking a peaceful little midnight stroll down the street ehh...!" he spoke, Tani stood still in her tracks, she knew who it was. Crunch turned around quickly... he knew it was who Tani thought it was, Derick had come back for revenge. Crunch snarled at the sight of Derick as he emerged from the darkness, "Derick... so you've decided to come into my range to be slaughtered instead of backing off..." Crunch said as he approached Derick with his head held low and back fur straightened.

Tani turned to see Derick, she was very nervous... she wanted to flee from his sight, "Hah. You're funny, but not quite. I'll beat you down with ease, you're puny compared to I" Derick told Crunch and smiled deviously "You're nothing but a pathetic weakling human on the inside, you're really going to regret being one of my enemies..." Crunch growled at Derick and snapped his jaws, Derick didn’t seem to be afraid though and just continued his annoying grin. Tani then stepped in front of Crunch "I... I think I should be fighting him" "Fight? I could make it easier on you if you settle with me in my apartment, you don’t know what you're missing out on..." Derick said, he raised an eyebrow. Tani was disgusted. She simply backed away before running a certain distance from both males, she climbed up some nearby stairs. The comment made Crunch even more furious "That’s it! Come and get it!" He roared, Crunch rushed towards Derick quickly and attempted to pin him down to the ground, Derick was surprised with his speed and was taken down in an instant...

Derick struggled to get Crunch off him, he held Crunch back by using his left had to push back Crunch's face, he then used his right hand to push against Crunch's chest to make sure he doesn't get bitten, instead... Crunch decided to punch Derick with his normal arm into his chest. Derick gasped for air... the force was so hard! he was surprised. Derick got so frightened that he quickly bent his legs back and kicked Crunch off him, Derick got up quickly before Crunch took him down again, Derick turned and watched as Crunch dashed towards him again with his clawed hand and teeth coming at him, Derick grabbed both of Crunch’s hands with his own, and tossed him backwards. Derick had a chance to attack from behind, Derick lashed out to Crunch, he had grasped both of his hands around his neck, trying his hardest to choke him... But Crunch didn’t seem to have a problem with it "That wont work on me, you idiot..." he said, Derick got frustrated and he just couldn’t hurt him this way, a human would be in trouble but not Crunch. His neck was far too thick and muscular. Crunch then got annoyed, turned and tossed him into the brick wall, Derick got back up again... "Why aren’t you trying to fight with that metal arm of yours?!" He yelled "It's because I don’t like to cheat, I could crush your skull with it if I had the chance, but it'll be much too easy" Crunch told him, Derick scowled. He was getting angrier, He ran up to Crunch and tried punching him, Crunch blocked the attacks one by one, and then kicked Derick right under the jaw, Derick was shocked, he almost feel on his back "You're so dead...!" he told him, Derick started to feel fear within himself. Crunch could sense it too... Tani watched the fight, she started to feel a sense of relief. She hoped Crunch would finish him off soon. Crunch walked over to Derick, Derick was afraid, he backed away slowly until he came to the brick wall... Derick fell on his backside. Crunch got closer "So, do you have any final words?", Derick didn't want to take notice nor reply. One of his hands quickly reached to his left pocket... Tani watched in shock "Crunch! Watch out!!!" But Tani’s warning was too late, Derick pulled out a small pepper spray can, he sprayed Crunch right into the eyes, Crunch growled loudly... and backed away quickly, the spray burned his face and stung badly. Tani was shocked! She didn’t know what to do!

Crunch was trying to rub his eyes but the pain only got worse... Derick quickly dashed up to Crunch and punched him in the face, Crunch growled in frustration as he fell side wards, he got back up quickly though... "Hah, you're not so tough now are you!?" Derick said and laughed, Crunch got frustrated and tried to slash Derick, he missed... Derick then kicked Crunch, he feel over. Crunch got up but Derick kicked him again... twice as hard. But Crunch got up again, Derick ran over to Crunch again but Crunch blocked Dericks punches this time, and Crunch then used his normal clawed hand and quickly slashed Derick... He didn’t know if he had hurt Derick or not but it was obvious, Derick got slashed right down his chest... it went straight through his shirt and fur... Derick got mad. As he watched blood start to appear, Derick was infuriated... "This cant be, you cant even see! You're not supposed to win!" Derick shouted, Derick then ran up to Crunch and kicked him his hardest into his face this time... Crunch fell back and hit the wall, Crunch was getting frustrated himself. This time he too started to bleed from a few cuts. But he felt useless that he couldn’t fight back to well... Derick was very frustrated still. Frustrated that he wasn't able to fight Crunch himself, without the use of weapons. He was so infuriated... that he pulled out a hand gun from is right pocket "I suppose I’m going to have to try and kill you the fast way... if this doesnt work, then screw this. I'll see you in hell" Derick spoke... Crunch couldnt see what he was doing and didn't quite know what he was doing neither, he wasn’t sure what to do about it though... "Oh no you wont f**ker!" Tani screamed as she was seen jumping from the stairs above, she pinned down Derick and the hand gun flung from his paws and landed furtherer away... Tani hit Derick in the head hard with her fists, she did it her hardest and Derick struggled to get Tani off him, Derick grabbed Tani by the shirt and threw her off to the ground, "Ok tough girl! You want to fight me, then come over here!"

Tani got back up off the ground after taking a hit from Derick… “You're one tough lady now ehh? But not tough enough to mess with me!” Derick shouted, Tani grew furious and hissed, Derick came towards Tani and she jumped over him and landed down on his head and gave him a nice kick and she did so, Derick feel to his knees and Tani bounced off Derick and flipped backwards, “You don’t know who you're dealing with you low life scum…” Tani growled, Derick was slightly impressed but humiliated also. He lashed out towards Tani again, but Tani was too fast, she flipped over him and landed behind him and before Derick could turn around…. WHAM.

Tani booted him in the back with a kick, no normal kick neither… her claws also left a nice slash mark on his back... Derick got hit so hard, that he smacked into the brick wall, Tani turned her back on him “You’re not even worth fighting, you have no instincts…” Tani told him. But Derick still didn’t understand her… he had no idea what they meant by ‘true anthro’. Derick was afraid... but he then looked beside himself and smiled evilly. Derick grabbed his gun that was left lying on the ground, he had the gun in his hand, “One false move babe, and you're dead!” He spoke, Tani just remembered… the gun. It was on the ground, a strong fell of stupidity entered her mind. She just stood still, “If you come with me into my apartment… I’ll let you go free…” Derick told her… Tani didn’t say anything.

Crunch heard his words also. He feared for her life and was angered with his comments, Crunch then felt a puddle of water next time him, he quickly got a handful of water, tried to wash his eyes at least… he opened his eyes, things were blurry for the moment but he saw the shape of Derick, him holding a gun at Tani’s back, rage then quickly grew in his mind, he got up quickly and charged for Derick, Derick didn’t have time to turn and it was too late for him to escape this attack, Crunch grasped Derick at the neck with his jaws up against the wall, Tani turned around quickly and saw it happen, She was rather overwhelmed to see Crunch attack him…

“Ahh... this… this can’t be happening!” Derick said and gasped, Crunch then crunched him harder… Derick yelled in pain, Crunch just growled in return. Not taking any pity on him while biting him, Derick tried to use his arms to grab Crunch but Crunch got his metal arm and grabbed one of Derick's hands… and slowly started to crush it, Derick cried again “No please! Getting bitten is worse enough! You said you wouldn’t use your... your metal arm!” Derick gasped, as he couldn’t breathe properly, Crunch growled louder, and he crunched Derick a bit more and blood was soon seen. Tani was very surprised… she was lost for words, she was happy though but she knew something was wrong about this revenge… but didn’t care much neither. She just wanted Derick to die, “Come on Crunch, just put him out of his misery...” Tani said, with a smirk.

Derick felt even more fear, Crunch released his jaws for a moment “Hmph… no, he should suffer more first” he replied, Derick was relieved that he let go of his neck for the moment… he tried to breathe, but then Crunch’s metal arm crushed his hand even more and the sound of breaking bones was heard, Derick yelled in pain even more… “Ahh! Please.. I beg of you! I’ll leave both of you guys alone! I’ll… I’ll leave this city! This country! THIS PLACE!!!” Derick yelled “You don’t deserve to live… you’ll torture more innocent girls, I don’t like bastards… I don’t like you, I could kill you with a bite but that’ll be to quick, I’d rather let you suffer!” Crunch yelled head on at him, Derick closed his eyes “what are you… and Tani, you two aren’t like other anthros… “Derick asked in pain “We are true evolved animals, or anthros which you humans named us… all the other anthros you see everyday are nothing but humans on the inside, we are true to form. We may do some human things but we have no human within us” Crunch told him, he finally let Dericks hand go, and kicked him down to the ground, Derick struggled to get back up.

“Hey Crunch, what are you doing?” Tani yelled at him “... why did you let me go, you said you were going to kill me?” Derick asked in shock “You're just wasting my time, me and Tani are going to save the world from itself, you're just a human on the inside so face it! You're next to nothing from my point of view. I don't see how your death would benefit with anything I care for” Crunch hissed and turned his back on him. Derick then suddenly remembered his life as a human, he knew something wasn’t right too... he now knew he isn’t supposed to be what he is. Tani then realized Crunch was right, there’s not much of a point to kill him, “You're right Crunch… there really is no point in killing him off... I guess I got a bit carried away, we must get back on track with more important issues… let’s get out of here…” "Yeah I know, lets go to N.Gins battleship now..." Both Tani and Crunch walked out of the dark street and headed back towards the way to the beach.

Chapter 24


Website and Outcast Bandicoot created by Tara Mckee.