It was a long hard fought battle but in the end, the heroes wounded up winning. Everyone was quite relieved but as they were about to clean up the mess, Uka-Uka had of course fled. Aku-Aku wasn't surprised that this happened as he told everyone that things would just get possibly worse. And it did. Uka-Uka had poisoned all of the heroes, giving them an incurable poison.

Cortex was the first one to get sick and everyone else followed shortly after. Aku-Aku couldn't believe that his brother had gone this far in ordinary to achieve his goal.

"Defiantly sounds familiar," Cortex said weakly, referring to his evil grandfather.

"At least we die with honor," N. Gin stated, just as weak.

"Tiny will miss being around friends," Tiny commented, looking horrible.

"We'll miss you too, big guy," Nina replied, taking Tiny's claw into her hand.

"How long do we have anyways," Gus asked.

"This poison is a slow acting one so about four days," Coco answered.

"Man, this sucks," Crunch stated.

"Yeah, no kidding," John added.

"How are you doing, Nance," Pete asked.

"Not that hot," Nacey answered, looking just as weak as everyone else.

"Uka-Uka shouldn't get away with this, Aku-Aku, you know that," Crash told the magical mask.

"I happen to agree," Aku-Aku replied, "He shall face my wrath."

"Granted but by the time you get him, we'll be gone," Pasadena pointed out.

"So get him for us," Von Clutch added.

Though Von Clutch was a robot, his oil had been switched out for poison, which was affecting his gears and parts. He had the same deadline as the heroes, maybe a bit longer. The magical mask seemed to have nodded and like Coco predicted, on the fourth day, all (if not most) of the heroes were dead and gone. Cortex, Crash, John, Pete, and Nina were still barely alive.

Aku-Aku had gone into battle, knowing by the time he got back to the base, the Crash Twin Sanity team would be lost forever. Though he won the fight against Uka-Uka, his prediction was correct. Every one of the heroes...was dead. The island mysteriously went quiet as Aku-Aku imprisoned his brother yet again, noting that his victory was a hollow one.

Although most of the villains were still alive, they didn't go after the magical mask after Uka-Uka was defeated. So, they each took over one of the islands. Aku-Aku didn't bother with them, it just didn't feel the same. Eventually, the magical mask started to trace Cortex's family tree and discovered a third sibling, Jasmine Cortex. Aku-Aku went to the states and found her in Chicago.

Much to his surprise, John and Pete's friends lived there as well. Aku-Aku silently watched over - not only them - but Jasmine's daughter, Darla, as well. It wasn't long before Aku-Aku saw more people that knew Cortex and Crash in some shape or form go to Chicago, as if they sensed the island guardian guiding them there.

Aku-Aku couldn't understand how they all sensed it but they did. One day, Darla was going to her art school and looked to the heavens above. Aku-Aku saw this as she smiled.

She whispered, "Thank you for watching over us, island spirit. But please, return home. The islands need you more. We'll follow when it is time."

Aku-Aku didn't know whether to be startled or dumbfounded. But he did as he was instructed and got a surprise. Time on the island mysteriously restarted. Not only that...but the world's time had also restarted.

The magical mask started to ask, "What is...?"

Before he could finish that question, he found himself enclosed in a box...like he was years before. And like years before, Crash had saved him.

Crash asked, "Hey, what is this...?"

Aku-Aku was even more confused then Crash was. For some reason, time had restarted and he didn't know why. 'Perhaps the ancients are trying to say that I can stop this from happening,' the magical mask thought. He floated up, awing Crash, which brought a smile to his face.

He answered, "Thank you for freeing me. My name is Aku-Aku and now my duty is to protect you. Call me thrice and shall granted you special powers."

Crash stated, "Cool... My name is Crash Bandicoot and I kind of need some help."

"Best tell me everything, it might help in the long run," the magical mask insisted.

Although he knew the story, he just wanted to hear it from Crash like he did the first time around. He didn't understand why this was happening and why everything restarted but he knew that he could stop it...as long as he helped the two important factors: Crash and Cortex.

Several Years Later...

"Dr. Cortex, what have you done?"

"Who are these evil upstarts?"

"I've ruined many lives - including my own. I can't be expected to remember them all."

"You really don't remember them, do you?"

"Please give us a chance to defeat them."

"We'll defeat them."

Aku-Aku looked at the two Pichu brothers, his brother, Cortex, and Crash. He had been allowing the timeline he knew before Cortex was revealed to be good move along at the same pace. He just made sure that he was let in on the secret. Uka-Uka looked at his younger brother, a bit pissed off.

"Earth to Aku-Aku," he yelled.

"What," the good magical mask asked.

"Tell them that this team up is temporary," Uka-Uka hissed.

Aku-Aku simply nodded as he stated, "This team up is temporary."

With that, the two of them left. Not surprising but he did get Crash worried. 'I have to let this play out too,' he thought, 'And then find away to stop my brother somehow.' It didn't take long for things to finish with the five heroes, who quickly defeated the Evil Twins. After John and Pete went back to Chicago, Crash had sighed sadly.

He commented, "I'm gonna miss them."

Aku-Aku promised, "They will be back one day. Have faith."

"I'll try," Crash replied, as he headed home.

Aku-Aku did not follow, sighing himself. It was not going to be easy saving Crash from certain death in the future...but he was sure as hell to stop it...

AK1028: And that, my friends, is where we end this story. Yes, I left it at a cliffhanger! I am SO evil like that! So, what do you think happened? Let me know! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!