"…."
"….a"
"C…."
"….ke….p…"
"Clar…me…ake up"
"Clara! Wake up!"
"You've rested long enough! WAKE. UP!"
I open my eyes slowly…what happened? Last thing I remember was being shot by Cortex and…am I dead? Am I in the afterlife…do evolved bandicoots even have an afterlife?
"Hey!" I heard a voice.
I snap my eyes open and I realized a few things were wrong…first my body was chained in an X formation to a table and the next…that was N. Brio standing in front me!
"Brio!? Oh no no no! Not you! Where's Cortex!? I don't want to be experimented again! LET ME OUT!" I screamed
"Be silent Clara! I have a lot to explain so—" Brio starts.
"LET ME OUT! I DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN! RELEASE ME RIGHT-!" I scream.
A gag got inserted in my mouth as I let out "MMMPH!" sounds.
"I don't have time for the screaming Clara Bandicoot and I do need your help and time is something we don't have much of" Brio tells me.
I feel confused…Brio needs my help? Well he can't have it!
"You are wondering why Cortex is not here, it's because he assumes you're dead and you would be if I didn't save you" Brio explains.
…what?
"Yes, I saw your battle with Cortex and it seems that killing Cortex is off the table well…as long as that Master Crystal is around him." Brio tells me.
Brio saved me? Was that the yellow light him? And Master Crystal? Is that what that crystal was called.
"I see you are confused, allow me to explain. The Master Crystal as the name implies, is the Master of the power crystals, the "Slave" crystals you might call them. 25 in total and once all of them are collected ultimate power can be achieved…to be honest I don't know why we didn't think of Crystals the first time around or maybe those dogs up there just didn't think of them yet" Brio explains.
Dogs? What?
"The Master Crystal is the most powerful out of all them, just having the thing grants you a mass amount of power, you saw that when you got it's power for a bit, however the Master Crystal has one "Weakness" if you will as you would have found out at your failed attempt at killing Cortex." Brio continues.
I remember…the crystal stopped me from killing Cortex and nearly got me killed.
"The Master Crystal is also a destiny crystal, which means if people have world-affecting destinies, the Master Crystal will protect that person, which involves giving them power or flat out stopping the person who tries to use it to kill that person" Brio tells me.
"Mmph! Mmph Mmph!" I try to say through the gag.
"And now Cortex is manipulating Crash Bandicoot into thinking he's saving the world by collecting and giving Cortex the slave crystals, which is a lie, Cortex is trying to power up a planetary version of the Cortex Vortex to enslave everyone but he needs the Master Crystal and the 25 slaves crystals. I have tried to stop Crash's efforts and told him to get the Gems but it seems he's convinced Cortex is the right man to listen to, ha!" Brio explains Cortex's plan to me.
Crash is helping Cortex!? No! He wouldn't knowingly do it! At least…I don't think so…but Cortex is too evil to pass off as good…Crash surely can't be that dumb…can he?
"And that's where you come in, Clara Bandicoot. I have few allies to help me and almost all of them have been defeated by Crash Bandicoot…if I had much more I would have let you die but I have no choice in the matter and I will have revenge on Cortex!" Brio tells me I am needed and swears revenge on Cortex.
"Mmph Mmph! Mmmmmppph!" I try to speak through again.
"I need you to get rid of that Bandicoot, he has about 18 of 25 crystals, if he gets all 25, it's over. And well, I'm desperate enough to get a member of CMD to help me" Brio tells me.
Brio removes my gag as I start breathing a bit more.
"How do I know you aren't lying?" I ask Brio
"I'm not and you'll have to trust that and unlike Cortex, world domination is not really my thing…besides, it's either this or Cortex brainwashes the world into being his slaves or worse, Uka Uka gets released" Brio answers
"Uka Uka?" I ask who that person is.
"You know Aku Aku? It's his evil twin brother locked away…Cortex made a deal with Uka Uka, he gives Cortex as much evil mojo as he can to fuel his experiments in exchange for his release, neither Cortex nor I want his release, Cortex never was going to uphold his part of the bargin" Brio explains.
"Alright…but how do I know YOU aren't gonna kill me the second I complete this task?" I ask Brio
"Unlike Cortex, I uphold my agreements! And since you believe I am lying about all of this, here's a sweetener for the deal!" Brio angrily replies.
I watch as a TV screen is brought down and an image of the CMD Base was brought up and my eyes widen! Oh no! Brio knows about the base!
"I know where your base is, Cortex doesn't, if you don't assist me and assuming Cortex fails, I'll blow it all up, including your masked lover" Brio told me.
"YOU LEAVE NOMAD ALONE!" I scream at him!
"Up to you, I personally don't care what happens to it, they are not really my enemies, Cortex is. So I need your answer Clara Bandicoot, will you help me or not?" Brio asks.
I think this over…Brio can blow up the CMD base whenever he feels like it…Nomad is definitely alive in there after the battle…I can feel it…what's more…Cortex is protected by this Master Crystal…if he's to go down I have to get it away from him and stop Crash Bandicoot from getting those 25 "Slave" crystals but he's already got 18 of them…I have no choice in the matter…I can't let Nomad die…nor the Earth be enslaved by Cortex…I hope they understand my actions but I have to side with Brio for now…
"Fine…I'll help you…because I have no other choice" I agree to be on Brio's side.
I watch as Brio presses a button the chains holding me let me go as I fall to the floor. I go to Brio who pushes another button and I feel an electrical shock.
"AHHHHH!" I scream in pain.
"That collar around your neck is to make sure you don't run away while you're doing your task, I don't trust you to not try even with the threats I have made" Brio told me.
"I…already agreed…" I say as I get up.
"Come on, we need to get you out there to intercept Crash Bandicoot, and unfortunately I couldn't save your weapons and that outfit is in bad shape…so, I've had to make some new ones, follow me" Brio beckons me to follow him.
I look down at my clothes…they were torn everywhere…I even saw the bandage over where I got shot…I realize I was missing my bow and my swords…I even felt my collar…great now I feel like a caged animal again…
I follow Brio to a room that looked like a locker room and I found a tank top, some pants, some shoes, a bow with a quiver full of arrows and two swords. The weapons looked similar to the ones I had before but there was clearly a Brio touch to it.
"Get changed quickly and meet me outside this room, then we shall stop Crash Bandicoot from getting the crystals" Brio tells me.
I watch as Brio leaves and then I enter the changing room to get into my new clothes, they fitted quite well…I guess he measured me while I was knocked out…I tested the Bow's strings and did a few twirls with the swords…they feel alright.
I put all my gear on and rejoin Brio outside the room who was waiting impatiently for me to come back.
"Finally, come on, we have a scientist to stop" Brio gives me an annoyed look.
"Nice outfit Clara, oh thanks I got it from you, Well I thought it'd look nice…" I muttered under my breath
"I heard that" Brio says.
"Well…wait…where did you get these clothes?" I ask.
"Had others get it, can't exactly walk into a clothing store with a price on my head" Brio answers.
I suppose that's fair enough…I see what looks like a teleporter room…wow this looks advanced.
"So uh, what do I do?" I ask Brio.
"You just stand on that platform, once I have a fix on Crash Bandicoot's location, I will warp you to him and you will do whatever is necessary to stop him" Brio explains
"Okay" I nod.
I walk onto the platform ready for a teleportation…I've heard about Crash Bandicoot so much that it's gonna be weird to fight him…he did stop Cortex after all and is why I was freed but he is getting dangerously manipulated. It's gonna be weird to try and stop the person who I owe my freedom to in the first place from Cortex's castle. Nomad did help me keep that when he rescued me from those assistants…come to think of it…I get rescued a lot…
"R-Right we have have a l-l-lock on C-C-Crash's position" Brio told me.
"You alright? What's with the stuttering?" I ask Brio
"D-Damn medication is w-w-wearing off…" Brio said.
You know I was wondering why Brio wasn't stuttering like whenever I saw him in Cortex's Castle, that doesn't matter….
"R-Right, teleporting n-now!" Brio says
I see a flash of light before I feel myself yanked into somewhere…
…
Level 20, Bee-Having…
SMACK!
OW! Landed on my face….damn Brio…I shake myself a bit and get up…I look like I'm in a place with a bit of snow and some red ground around in places…and I can see some electric fences and even some plants spitting some explosive green stuff. Where on Earth is this? And on that matter…where is Crash?
"C-C-Clara, can you hear m-me?" I hear Brio's voice.
"Brio!? Where are you?" I ask as I look around for him.
"I put a c-communicator in your collar, teleporter was a b-bit off, he s-should be ahead" Brio tells me.
"Thanks Brio, guess I'll go find him" I say.
I run ahead, dodging plants that shot bombs of some kind and even flying over electric fences and even dodging some bees…what on earth kind of place is this to keep a Crystal? Where is Crash? He has to be somewhere around here and…wait…is that him? Hey it's Aku Aku too! I fly fast and land in front of them.
"Wait!" I say as I land in front of them.
Crash made some noises…I have no idea what they were meant to be…
"Clara Bandicoot? It has been a while since you have left the Wumpa Islands" Aku Aku says.
"Hi Aku Aku…it's um…good to see you again" I greeted Aku Aku
Crash makes more noises. Aku Aku seemed to understand them and says:
"That's Clara, a bandicoot from Cortex's castle that escaped during your fight and misunderstanding with Cortex" Aku Aku explains
"(What's she doing here?)" Aku Aku translated.
"Crash um…I owe my freedom to you, if it weren't for what you done I'd have never gotten out but right now…you're making a terrible mistake" I tell Crash.
"Mistake?" Aku Aku gives me a questioning look.
"Cortex is manipulating you, he doesn't want the crystals to save the world, he wants to enslave them with it. Don't you see? Cortex hasn't changed at all" I explain it to them.
"(Cortex has changed, the world is in danger)"
"Because of him, not because of some planet-destroying event…those crystals are not going to be used for good which is why you must stop collecting them and get the Gems instead" I urge Crash to listen.
Both Aku Aku and Crash look at each other and then glared at me.
"That is exactly what Dr. Brio said and his minions attacked us" Aku Aku said.
"I'm with him…but please understand, I don't want this to be a fight but I can't let you get the remaining Crystals, they are far too dangerous and I've seen what the Master Crystal does, you can't trust Cortex with them" I tell them.
Crash suddenly had a frown and had a pose that was ready to fight.
"I am sorry Clara Bandicoot, but Cortex has changed and we must get the crystals" Aku Aku gave a regretful look.
I got my bow out and aimed.
"I'm sorry Crash…you're a hero to me and so many others…but if stopping my misguided savior saves the world than…please understand I must do this and…I am really grateful for you, Crash" I say regretfully.
Crash ran at me and did a slide and a spin as I jumped and avoided it and shot an arrow which he dodged and got closer making the bow hard to shoot at him, he was very fast and unpredictable on his feet. I got my Dual swords out and went for a strike which Aku Aku took a hit for Crash but he stayed in shape.
SMACK!
I found myself being spun by Crash along the ground as I rolled onto my back…argh! Note to self: do not get spun by Crash. I got to my feet and start to really feel that damage as Crash gets closer, as he goes to spin me, I jumped over him and quickly strike the final blow of what would have been into in his back if a purple-pink glow wasn't locking me into place.
"No…no no no no! Not again!" I panic.
This just like the Master Crystal thing but how is this happening now? I'm nowhere near the thing! I can't move and I can't do anything! Oh this is not good! Crash looks confused and so does Aku Aku.
"Strange…I feel crystal energy locking her into place but the normal crystals cannot do that" Aku Aku notes.
Crash pokes around me a bit to confirm I'm locked into place then gives a smirk before spinning and launching me so fast into a tree I barely registered anything happening before I was on the ground on my back…damn it…why does this crystal work against me? Can't stay conscious…no…
…
With Crash and Aku Aku…
Crash reached the unconscious Clara who was on her back with her eyes closed. Crash was going to give her another spin when Aku Aku stopped him.
"No Crash! I sense a good spirit with her, and we do have Crystals to collect, leave her be" Aku Aku advises Crash.
Crash makes noises that indicate he understands and decides to not spin Clara and instead leaves her alone as she is and goes to find the level's Crystal. However, Crash and Aku Aku didn't know that once they left, Brio had teleported Clara out of there back to base to figure out where to from here. Within the next 30 minutes, Crash had collected the Crystal and the gems there and left the area…