Chapter 2 I have really mixed feelings about time travel
"How did you get here?" I asked with bewilderment and a little fear in my voice as my mind flashes back to all instances of time travel in media and how in some of them it made things worse.
"The Time Twister how else would I be here?" Asked surprise Coco wondering why I would ask that.
"I was just seeing what year your from 1998 right?" I asked trying to pinpoint when Warped takes place.
"No the actual date is November 4, 1997 by the way why is it that you don't like time travel?" Asked Coco looking 100% curious as to why I don't like messing with time.
"How should I put this? It gives me a headache and it depends on what type of time travel is being used not to mention paradoxes." I replied trying to explain my reasoning as to why I don't like messing with time.
"Types of time travel? I thought that there was only one type what are the others?" Coco asked not understanding what I mean by types of time travel.
"Mainly there are 3 types of time travel 1 going back in time doesn't change anything it was meant to happen, 2 going back in time changes things, and 3 going back in time creates new universes and doesn't affect the events of history does that help?" I asked wanting her to understand my overall opinion on the subject.
"Oh now I get it by the way I think that the type of time travel we're dealing with right now is the first one fortunately." Coco replied with a chipper tone of voice.
"So how different are things compare to the canon that I remember?" I asked curious to how much my choices have affected the Crash timeline.
"Nice try but future you told me to be vague on what happens but I'll give you a hint some villains are instead our allies and that's all you're getting." Coco replied giving me a grin that makes me think that she is enjoying this a little to much.
"Let me guess future me didn't want my actions be influenced by future information did he?" I asked trying to see why future me didn't want me to know the future.
"Got it in one oh before I leave what ever you do don't give Cortex to many ideas please he is all ready to much to handle." Coco begged grasping both hands in a pleading gesture.
"Wait was this first visit a test or did you just wanted to give me that warning?" I asked curious as to why Coco chose to visit me 9 months before my adventure is supposed to begin.
"A little bit of both see you in September." Coco replied pulling out a remote with a big red button and pressed it causing a Warp Orb to appear without another word Coco jumps through disappearing leaving me with my thoughts.
"I really hope that I don't screw up the Crash Bandicoot timeline to much although she did say that I make it to at least Crash Warped so I might not need to worry to much." I think to myself as I go to lay on my bed to sleep with one last thought in my mind "Why me and why Crash?"
In the dream time
I find myself in a white void in my original body making me scared and curious as I walked through looking for any thing not white until I found a mask that looked like a combination of Aku Aku and Uka Uka asleep reminding me of my mother who sleeps a lot. After a little bit of thought I decided to wake it up "WAKEUP!" I said as loud as I can causing the unknown mask to awake.
"Huh what how long have I been asleep for?" Asked the mask in a voice that sounded familiar.
"I don't know what do you remember last?" I asked trying to see if I can tell him how long its been since he was last awake.
"My last memory was sealing away four of my kind after they caused an ice age again why we haven't killed them I have no idea and I'm rambling sorry." Said the mask making me a little nervous to answer his question.
"If that ice age you speak of was the last one then um you have been asleep for about 2.6 million years give or take hehe." I answered not sure how he was going to react to being asleep for that long.
"What is a year?" The mask asked throwing me off a bit until I realized that our concept of the year was not invented back then.
"A year is the amount of time it takes for our planet to complete one orbit around the Sun mister um what is your name?" I asked wondering what his name is and hoped he wouldn't be to upset about the news.
"Why didn't Aku Aku and Uka Uka wake me earlier? They should have woke me up a year after I went to the dream time." Replied the still unnamed mask making me ask this question.
"How do you know Aku Aku and Uka Uka and again what's your name?" I asked even more curious as to who the mask is.
"Oh sorry I'm just a little shocked that I was asleep that long I know them because I was their teacher of the mystical arts Koena." Koena replied making his voice boom with what I believe was a spell.
"Doesn't your name mean balance in Hawaiian?" I asked wondering why someone would name their kid balance.
"Yes it wasn't my birth name but the people of this world chose to call me that because of how I balanced dark and light magic." Koena replied emanating pride with every word.
"Define light magic and dark magic please?" I asked wanting to have a clear definition of light and dark magic.
"Light magic is magic typically used for helping other people by healing the mind, body or soul; practitioners of this type of magic tend to focus toward assisting others, purifying evil spirits, dispel curses, medical potions, respect all the rules about what is forbidden and not, and offensive magic though this comes with strict restrictions. Dark magic is magic that though the opposite of light magic is not necessarily evil magic, dark arts tend to focus on destruction, harming, cursing and otherwise complicating the lives of other people while advancing the user's state; users of dark magic often reject social convention and the status quo, which some suggest is in a search for spiritual freedom and as a part of this, they embrace magical techniques and practices that would traditionally be viewed as taboo and are generally willing to go farther than most would even consider if it serves their ends if they go to deep." Koena explained far more thoroughly then I thought he would.
"Can anyone learn magic?" I asked wanting to see if magic was in the cards for me so I could potentially reverse Ripper Roo's mental state and anyone Cortex brainwashed.
"Depends on what type of magic you want to learn Alchemy no, Spells no, Dark Arts no, Divination with enough practice yes, Potions yes, and Transfiguration no." Koena replied in a way that reminded me of a teacher I had in high school that when they needed to explain something quickly they would talk the exact same way which made me like him all the more.
"That explains why Brio can make potions with no knowledge of magic but I wonder why other magics like spells are not able to be used by everyone." I thought to myself and also about to voice it when Koena stops me with something that to me at least crosses a line that no one with morals should cross.
"Sorry to interrupt you but I kinda got impatient and read your mind I know privacy but it speeds things up a lot and to answer your question their are only a few beings that are born with a link to magic and lucky for you I think you're one of those few and now I'm going to dodge." Koena replied before moving away from a punch thrown by me in a fit of rage.
"Now now I know that people value their privacy but I find telepathy to be a better way of communication then talking I didn't mean any harm so please calm down." Koena replied while dodging my punches.
"Why the f*** did you not ask me before doing that? I have stuff in my head that I don't want other people to see d*** it!" I replied venting at the floating piece of Acacia Koa that I wanted to at least make a dent in.
"First of all language and second hows about as an apology I teach you magic and promise to read your mind only if I have your permission?" Koena asked in a hopeful tone that made him sound desperate.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're desperate for me to say yes?" I asked thrown out of my anger from being offered to be taught magic made my brain stop for a minute.
Seeing my anger gone Koena began explaining how magic works "Now the best place to begin is probably the beginning of magic 2.5 million years ago when some humans started making tools others prayed for a more reliable way to defend and provide for themselves when one day their prayers were answered in the form of a stone tablet written in a language lost to time that when read aloud them to have the power that we now a day call magic before you ask the tablet has also been lost to time and no one who has looked for it has ever found it but you can sure as naraka try." Said Koena before taking a deep breath and continuing.
"Magic was later feared and coveted by those without thus we went into hiding some when into medicine or science others like me, Aku Aku, Uka Uka, and many more protect the world like Devas controlling one aspect of existence each water, earth, fire, air, light, darkness, balance, creation, destruction, time space, gravity, dark matter, and phase along with dimensional barriers these elements are divided into four separate groups Ancients, Quantums, Elementals, and Guardians." Koena said this while getting a somewhat glazed look in his eyes but quickly snapped out of it and continued again.
"The Ancients are Hanaia Ana mask of creation, Lulu mask of destruction, and me Koena mask of balance; the Quantums are Lani Loli mask of phase, Akano mask of dark matter, Kupuna Wa mask of time, and Ika Ika mask of gravity; the Elementals sorry I sometimes get annoyed when I mention them anyway they are Rok Ko mask of earth, Wa Wa mask of water, Py Ro mask of fire, and Lo Lo mask of air; and finally the Guardians are Aku Aku mask of light and Uka Uka mask of darkness any questions before I continue?" Koena asked looking at me expectantly with his yellow glowing eyes.
"What do you mean by naraka and devas?" I asked not 100% sure by the meaning behind the words.
"Uh Naraka is where bad people go when they die and Devas are holy guardians; is Sanathana Dharma still practiced?" Koena asked looking a little scared for some reason.
"Sanathana Dharma? Oh you mean Hinduism it's the third largest religion on earth but I'm not a Hindu I'm Christian." I replied the religious information Cortex put into me coming to the forefront.
"What is a Christian?" Koena asked seamlessly swapping from being a teacher to a student in a blink of an eye.
"Oh boy that will require a history lesson are you up for that?" I asked wondering if I could do the topic justice.
"Yes I'm up for that I need to catch up on 2.6 million years worth of history anyway." Koena replied paying close attention to me.
"Well I guess I should start with the roots of Christianity Judaism started in the Middle East during the Bronze Age which started about 5296 years ago and ended about 3196 years ago according to said religion there's only one God and if you wanted to go to heaven you had to not eat pork and shellfish, not have tattoos, follow the 10 commandments, were Jewish, and things I can't remember; Christianity started 1896 years ago 100 years after a man named Jesus died on a cross two pieces of wood tied together anyway now all you have to do now is follow the 10 commandments and let Jesus in to your heart I wish it was easier to tell you all this." I replied feeling tired from talking.
"We could use telepathy to communicate better." Koena replied seeing my tired state.
"Ok but please stay away from my personal life everything else you can look at ok?" I replied wondering what he'll think of the world of 1996.
"Alright I'll won't look at your personal life now lets do this." Koena replied using his magic to look into my mind to see everything he has missed over his 2.6 million years nap ending up with a look of shock.
"You aren't originally from my universe but played and watched it in a videogame and you waked up as its protagonist interesting and the world has changed a lot since I have been gone but it's not at all surprising imagination connects all worlds nice to meet you W***** or do you prefer Alan." Koena replied with a curious look on his face.
"Both are fine and you don't seemed surprised that Uka Uka turned evil why is that?" I asked wondering why he wasn't even a little surprised.
"Uka Uka role is the mask of darkness thus he was exposed to dark magics that if focused on to much will cause corruption of the mind, body, and soul my guess is that after I left to rest Uka Uka buried himself in his studies and later got corrupted by something causing the battle between brothers and his sealing when I get out of here I going to have to talk to Aku Aku and see if he tried to purify him before he sealed him in a temple anyway should we continue?" Koena replied and asked waiting patiently for my answer.
"Yes and how would you purify Uka Uka exactly?" I replied and asked wondering why Aku Aku hadn't tried that before.
"Good now where was I oh elements right well the next subject is balance and purification the way we balance the energy of the world is when we seance imbalance in the energy of the universe we usually see which elements were out of balance then inform the appropriate mask and have him or her deal with the problem but now that the Elementals are sealed, Hanaia Ana, Lulu, and I have been asleep, and Uka Uka has been corrupted and sealed it seems that Aku Aku and the Quantums are what kept the universe from as you say 'going to hell in a handbasket' and I'm really happy it didn't and I'm rambling aren't I?" Koena replied looking sheepish.
"Yes I think you were you were talking about balance and purification." I replied wanting to get things back on track.
"Oh yes well I have already explained the balancing of energies as best I can for now so on to the next subject purification; purification can be done by mainly putting a corrupted item or soul in to sacred water and chanting this OM BENZA SATA SAMAYA MANU PALAYA BENZA SATA TEY NO PA TEETA DEEDO MEY BAWA SUTO KAYO MEY BAWA SUPO KAYO MEY BAWA A NU RATO MEY BAWA SARWA SIDDI MEY PRA YA TSA SARWA KARMA SU TSA MEY TSEE TAM SHRI YAM KURU HUNG HA HA HA HA HO BAGAWAN SARWA TATAGATA BENZA MA MEY MUN TSA BENZA BAWA MAHA SAMAYA SATA AH HUNG PEY this will purify anything and anyone 95% of the time any questions?" Koena asked making me reply with this.
"What do you mean by sacred water?" I asked wanting to know the difference between regular and sacred water.
"Sacred water is water and salt that are both purified and mixed together; to purify the water and salt all you have to do is use the chant on both and mix them together and you have sacred water." Koena replied with a smile making it sound simple.
"Will the chant work in English?" I asked wondering if the language was important to the process.
"No it will not I have tried it in other languages and it failed." Koena replied looking annoyed probably from the memory and not at me.
"Interesting I might look into that but can you teach me how to channel magical energy please?" I asked feeling ready to start using magic.
"Yes well lets see its been a while since I've taught someone to channel magical energy for the first time so I might be a little rusty so bare with me ok first we start with meditation in which I will guide you in how to feel for magical energies within and around yourself to use for a simple spell after which I'll see if you can handle more are you ok with that?" Koena replied in a tone that I think is more fatherly then that of a teacher.
"Ok but I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to meditation so please go easy on me." I replied feeling out of my element not knowing how to begin.
"That's ok in fact it'll make my job easier because I won't have to undo any bad teachings first sit in a comfortable position and before you ask no you don't have to have your legs crossed now close your eyes, breathe normally, and focus on your breathe and the way your body moves with each inhale and exhale." Koena replied in a calm tone trying to get me to relax.
I sit down with my legs straight closed my eyes and started breathing in my nose and out my mouth my body relaxing as I did so I then waited for Koena to provide further instructions.
"Good now take a moment to focus on each part of your body feel your arms at your side, your feet on the ground, and the way you're sitting on said ground then assess how you feel in each area." Instructed Koena happy I'm meditating properly.
Doing as instructed I focused on all the parts of my body first my arms then my feet and all the rest relaxing all the parts that were stiff causing Koena to smile.
"Good good now focus on your stomach and look for a warm feeling that you're not used to feeling that is the source of your magic when you find it try to move a little bit of it to one of your hands and think of a ball of light." Koena said with excitement in his voice happy that he might not have lost his edge.
I focused on my stomach and with some effort found the warm feeling that Koena described to me happy I found it I tried to move some of it to my hand thinking it might be easier than Koena thinks it is to find it to be even harder than he made it out to be to the point that I could only get a spark of light to appear in my hand.
"Stop that's a good start heck I didn't make my first ball of light until after 2 months of training rest now and try again later magic is like a muscle the more you use and train it the stronger it gets." Koena said making sure that I don't hurt myself or knock myself out.
"How... The... F***... Do... You... Even... Cast... Any... Spells... With... That... Much... STRAIN!" I yelled exhausted from trying to cast a simple spell and frustrated imagining how much energy it would take to do higher ranking spells.
Koena seeing where I was coming from and guessing what I was thinking replied with this "Like I said magic is like a muscle the more you use it and train it the more easier it'll be to use it'll just take time."
Taking what he said to concentration I asked this "How long did it take for you to get to your present strength when it comes to magic?" Koena after hearing this gains a look of contemplation before replying with this "Oh about 100 years give or take a few years why you ask?"
"100 years!? Why does it take so long to master magic?" I asked amazed at how long it takes to train to be a master of magic.
Koena contemplated how best to explain this before replying with this "Magic takes a longtime to build up heck it takes my reserves 1 year to get back to full and increasing how much magic you can use takes longer because you have to have a strong mind and body though meditation and calisthenics I'm sorry that I can't make it any quicker."
"So to make using magic easier for me I will have to become stronger and keep my mind calm?" I asked making sure I understood Koena completely.
"Yes why do you ask?" Koena asked wondering what I was up to.
"Is it possible to use a strength potion to speed up the process?" I asked feeling clever as a proverbial fox.
"Um... Yes but potion brewing is a dieing art good luck finding one." Koena replied thinking that finding one is impossible.
"I met one before coming here his name is Nitrous Brio and he is also attempting to make a strength potion how's my luck?" I replied sounding smug with every word.
"You must be blessed with extraordinary luck mind if I scan you for enchantments and or godly blessings/curses?" Koena asked looking at me with intrigue and a little worry.
"Sure why not lets hope there's nothing malicious on me." I replied hoping that nothing bad is on me and or my family.
"Me to." Koena replied before starting the scan looking for anything and everything that could be a blessing and or curse until finding something that shocked him completely.
"What is it?" I asked not liking the shocked expression on Koena's carved face.
"You are cursed with Loki's Enjoyment meaning you have luck that can go from really good to really bad on a dime and before you ask no I sadly can't remove it sorry." Koena replied with sincere sadness in his voice.
"Loki as in the Norse 'god' of mischief Loki?" I replied not liking the sound of this at all.
"The same and unlike his depictions in the mcu he goes for the kill a lot faster than you think." Koena replied looking like he's reliving a bad memory.
"Wait how do you know what the mcu is and did you really meet Loki?" I asked thrown off by the fact that he knows what the mcu is and Loki's real in this universe.
"I looked at all the entertainment of your world that you've seen and read and I got to say storytelling has gotten in some aspects better than I remember and to answer your other question yes I have and I hope he is still dead from our last fight and that all I have to say on the matter." Koena replied sounding resolute.
"Let's hope that I don't encounter him at all I wouldn't want him interested in me because of the curse and him being very good with magic if the Norse tales are true." I replied not wanting to humiliated or killed by him.
"Agreed do you want me to give you a blessing to counteract Loki's Enjoyment even if it only slightly you will have good luck a little more often." Koena replied eagerly wanting to help me and be a thorn in the side of Loki.
"What type of blessing are you going to give me uh what do I call you other then your name?" I asked a little nervous about the blessing and unsure what to call him other then Koena.
"Oh you can call me Obeah if you don't want to use my name as for the blessing what I have in mind is and you might laugh at me for saying this but it called May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor it will cause like the name implies make situations go more favorable for you but that doesn't mean nothing bad can happen to you it means that if something bad happens you get the opposite of the short end of the stick you understand what I'm saying?" Koena replied making sure I understood the blessing before he gave it to me.
"Yes Obeah I understand and the blessing won't hurt will it?" I asked hoping that I wouldn't have to go through the same amount of pain as I did underneath the Evolvo-Ray.
"Don't worry all you'll feel is a slight pinch nothing more and when I'm done you should feel better then ever." Koena replied making me feel better about the blessing.
"Alright let's do it." I replied bracing my self for the pain as I wait for Koena to give me the blessing.
As Koena does the blessing I feel a slight pain all over my body making me wince and after the pain is gone he asks me this "How do you feel?" to which I reply with "Strangely better like a weight has lightened from my shoulders." and meaning every word of it.
"Good to hear that means my blessing is working it magic pun intended now what were we talking about before I scanned you?" Koena asked trying to get things back on track.
"Using a potion to increase my strength to help me use more magic quicker then have you train my mind up." I replied helping Obeah Koena get back on topic.
"Oh right now to do that you have to be able to return to the waking world and to comeback here when ever you want and lucky for you this is something I can teach you all it takes is a spark of magic and chanting mere lie dreemataim khula three times and you're back here and all you have to do to exit is to chant mere lie duniya khulee three times now tell me this what are you going to do when you're free from Cortex?" Koena explained and asked curious about what I plan to do.
"Other then having a drink with Brio I don't know." I replied not knowing what I plan to do after stopping Cortex.
"Well from seeing what happened in the original timeline I have a few suggestions if you don't mind hearing them." Koena replied looking as though he had strong opinions on the subject.
"Sure I'll listen to any idea as long as it's not to ridiculous." I replied willing to hear what he thinks I should do.
"Befriend who you can, remove all the brainwashing that Cortex has done, find ways of making your/Crash's adventures easier, tell the ones you're close to who you are, train in magic, train to use a weapon, learn a fighting style, and if you choose to stay find someone to settle down with that is what I would do if I were in your shoes!" Koena replied making me feel very absent minded.
"Do you mind if I steal that whole list because they're all really great ideas?" I asked wondering why he feels so strongly about this.
"I don't mind at all and sorry about getting a little loud I just didn't like seeing what Cortex, N. Brio, N. Gin, and N. Tropy did in the original timeline ok I understand making an army but do they really need to put buzzsaws on turtles and plus the plan most likely was going to fail anyway because how big the world's armies are sorry I'm rambling aren't I?" Koena replied feeling sheepish all of a sudden.
"You were but I agree with you those turtles from Crash 2 were creepy and you're not alone in that opinion Brio thought it wouldn't work either for the same reason." I replied remembering things in the Crash franchise I didn't like.
"Now how do I strengthen my mind Obeah?" I asked wanting to be able to use magic as soon as possible.
"To strengthen your mind you have to meditate daily and keep in shape because in the same way your mind can effect your body your body can effect your mind." Koena replied getting ready to explain how to do so.
"Now to strengthen your mind you have to while meditating observe the present moment right now don't try quieting your mind or attempt to achieve a state of eternal calm what we're aiming for is to pay attention to the present moment without thought." Koena explained motioning for me to sit after compiling I closed my eyes and relaxed waiting for him to continue.
"Let your thoughts pass by and when you notice thoughts arise during meditation make a mental note of them then let them pass and focus on the breath be warned this will take time heck it took me a year or two to get real results so be patient." Koena finished closing his eyes beginning his own meditation sorting through recent events trying calm his own mind.
Doing as instructed I focused on my breath and let my thoughts wander making a note on them all letting them pass and brought my focus back to my breath relaxing more and more as time passes until I thought why not try using magic again dividing my focus to my breath and the warm energy of magic in my stomach willing it to my hands picturing a miniature sun in them hoping for something more than a spark I opened my eyes to find myself with a miniature sun in my hands and only feeling half the strain happy for my accomplishment I call to Koena for him to see it.
"Obeah you have got to see this I've done the light spell I did it!" I exclaimed excitedly not believing it took only a few hours of meditation.
Koena curious opened his eyes to see that I did in fact casted the spell shocked by this he asked this "How did you manage to improve in just a few hours it should've taken you at least a year to do this?"
"I just meditated while doing the spell did I do something wrong?" I asked wondering if I did something I shouldn't.
"No you didn't do anything wrong and on that note will you excuse me for a minute?" Koena replied before a tree appeared which he floated to and proceeded to hit his head against while saying this "Bevakooph bevakooph bevakooph bevakooph bevakooph bevakooph BEVAKOOPH!" before slumping to the ground groaning.
I for one was shocked that he never thought of meditating while using magic that I asked simply this "How long do you think it'll take me to master magic with this method?"
Recovering from his self punishment Koena turns around and replied in an annoyed tone "I say about 50 years or less." he then took a deep breath before saying this "I think that this is enough for today you better get out of here before Brio does something rash to wake you up good luck." with that said Koena went back meditating still amazed by my method of using magic.
"Good luck to you to Koena Obeah." I replied summoning a spark of magic while saying "Mere lie duniya khulee mere lie duniya khulee mere lie duniya khulee." Causing my vision to go black and the next thing I knew was me being waken up by Brio saying "Wakeup it's time for your mandatory training!" with no enthusiasm in his voice what so ever.
Writer's Note: Hello everyone hope you liked the chapter and the new character I made also I really do want you guys and gals to give me ideas and review so I know what to do going forward and also be patient thank you all and see you in the next chapter.