Chapter Two- A Timely Arrangement

Coco's eyes scanned her computer screen, and she considered how she was going to progress from this point. Although she had been able to connect to the Web, she was still having trouble managing her ramshackle computer. As she concentrated, she felt a tiny scratching on her cheek. She narrowed her eyes without turning.

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

Crash lay on his back, absently poking Coco in the face with a branch.

"Not really."

Coco took the branch in her fist, and quite nimbly snapped it in half. Crash sounded dejected.

"You're not very nice."

Just as Crash reached for another stick, Aku Aku came shooting from out of the trees. Coco offered a side-glance.

"Hey, did you find what you were looking for?"

Aku appeared quite distraught, and so Coco closed her laptop and her face pinched in confusion. Crash noticed it too.

"What's up?"

Aku Aku glided toward the house as if in a trance, and Crash and Coco exchanged puzzled looks. Finally, Aku spoke.

"Crash, Coco, there is something we need to discuss. Come in the house for a moment. I will explain."

Coco looked at Crash and scratched behind one ear.

"What's going on?"

Crash's eyes were still focused on the door, and he offered an easy shrug as he followed the old mask inside.

--

Crash took a seat pleasantly on the floor, stretching a small knot in his back. He hoped Aku wouldn't take too long to explain what got him so stirred up, since Crash felt about due for another nap. He instantly felt guilty about this, since Aku looked tremendously distressed, but was not guilty enough to wipe the impatient look off his face.

"A great evil has escaped." Aku began carefully. "Many eons ago, a creature of immeasurable malice was trapped within a temple prison to keep the world safe from his treachery. I have only just discovered that he has somehow escaped this imprisonment, and is now at large somewhere in this realm."

Crash let out a long breath. "Oh, does that mean…the vacation's over?"

Crash flinched as Coco swatted him in the arm.

"How can you be so selfish? If there's an evil loose out in the world, of course we have to stop it. Don't be stupid."

Crash rubbed his arm. "Hey, I've already rescued the world from certain doom. Twice, actually."

"How was rescuing your girlfriend saving the world?"

"I blew up Cortex's lab! (…with little recognition, I might add…)"

"And technically neither of those times counted, because you never wanted to save the world in the first place."

"Well, that doesn't make a difference. The world got saved didn't it?"

Crash suddenly felt his body lift from the ground, and with a surprised face he noticed Coco was suspended in mid air as well. The two of them closed their mouths and turned toward Aku. His gaze held more anger than Crash had ever seen them hold before, and he felt a shiver dance up his spine.

"If you are quite through with this unhelpful banter, I suggest we formulate a plan."

Crash bit back a retort, and nodded obediently. Aku set the two of them down again, and this time, they both sat there silently.

"Uka Uka is an evil spirit, and now that he is free, he will be creating a plot to destroy all life on this planet."

Crash didn't feel comfortable when he wasn't yapping, so he rectified it. "Why do you think this evil guy wants to destroy life as we know it right when he gets out? Isn't that a little…melodramatic?"

"Uka Uka has been locked away for ages, and the first thing he will want is revenge on his captor."

"Who is…?" Coco inquired.

Aku narrowed his gaze slightly at the question, and then shook off the expression.

"That identity is not important for the moment. I simply wanted to warn you as of now, since I still have to deduct what Uka Uka is planning to do. Once I have that knowledge, we must act. Prepare yourselves."

With that final exclamation, Aku had exited the house, leaving Crash and Coco to stare blankly after him. After a period of silence, Crash released a massive yawn.

"Prepare ourselves, huh? Well, I guess that gives me time for one last nap before the action starts."

--

Cortex busied himself with the preparations. Uka had heard of his recent botched attempt to gain a powerful energy source, and had not been too pleased about it. Cortex felt the embarrassment of defeat fill him like a revolting substance, and let it pass. The crystal shards had dealt their energy, and they needed time on the surface now to recharge their power. That gradual procedure would take centuries, maybe longer, and so those sources were of no use to Cortex. Fortunately, Uka had a plan. Cortex was unsure of what this plan was as of now, but when he heard the rustle of movement behind him he was confident he was about to find out. Uka appeared into the asteroid shelter with a residue of hissing mist, and this time he was not alone. Materializing in a similar manner was another life form, bipedal, and as he became clearer Cortex could deduct that it was a man. Uka glided toward Cortex, an unreadable but nonetheless angry look in his eyes.

"Cortex, I introduce to you, Dr. Nefarious Tropy, a master of time travel and studier of past dimensions."

Dr. Tropy inclined his head, his beady eyes shifting toward Cortex as he did so.

"A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Cortex. I have heard of your trivial experimentations from the surface, and I must say, I applaud your use of such limited recourses. You haven't by chance evolved any more rats lately, have you? I would hate for this mission to be a failure."

Cortex gritted his teeth hard. "Unfortunately, there is a half-evolved rodent still at large on the planet's surface. However I am confident it will not get into our way."

"You will let me decide that Cortex." Uka growled.

"Still at large?" Tropy mused, delighted. "I hadn't for a moment thought you had failed to destroy this experiment, after all the research it decimated."

Cortex stepped forward with a murderous gleam in his eyes, ready to spark a confrontation. Uka let out a deep rumble, and Cortex stopped in his tracks.

"If we are to harness a power to enslave this world, I cannot have the two of you bickering. You are free to hate one another, but if I see it interfering with your work their will be consequences."

Cortex felt a cold chill at the last phrase in Uka's statement, and sat back on his heels in submission.

"If I may ask, Great Uka Uka, why does this plan require the involvement of a time specialist?"

Uka grinned, evil and crooked. "An expected question from someone of your ineptitude Cortex. Because the power source we need is buried safely in the past."

--

True to his words, Crash had fallen asleep a final time before Aku returned, and Coco was left on her own. She tapped her chin with her finger. Now why would Aku be so concerned about this? This evil guy must be far worse than the scientist Crash had defeated, or else he wouldn't be so high strung. Whatever the reason, Coco had never seen him like this, and resolved to do what she could to rectify the apparent problem. First things first, she needed to get her useless brother up.

"Crash!" Coco snapped as she shoved Crash with her foot.

Crash rolled over with snore and scratched his head clumsily, but otherwise not making any transition into consciousness. Coco sighed in exasperation. How this good-for-nothing laze-about bandicoot ever managed to save the world she would never know.

"Crash, a monkey snatched your yo-yo."

With impossible speed, Crash was on his feet with a look to kill on his face. He leapt past Coco, but she remained unresponsive even as her blond hair sailed at his passing.

"Where'd the little bastard go?" Crash snarled, shoulders raised in defense and a brutish snarl on his face.

Coco flipped her hair over one shoulder, and then tossed the yo-yo toward her brother. "Now that you're awake, I think we need to discuss what's going on here."

Crash watched the yo-yo roll toward him, and waited until it stopped before reaching for it. "What for?"

Coco snapped her laptop shut and whirled on Crash. "Aku said there's an evil entity that threatens to destroy the world."

"That's a little overdramatic." Crash interrupted quietly as he began to yo-yo.

"And," Coco continued with an impatient tone. "Though you may not like to admit it, dear brother, but if the world is taken over, that will affect you as well."

Crash yawned. "Why don't you guys take my advice, and worry about that when we come to it."

Coco slammed her back against the trunk of a tree, and let her eyes flutter shut. "You're exasperating."

Just as Coco began to take a few calming breaths, Aku seemed to appear out of nowhere, eyes alight with apprehensive vexation. Coco propped herself up.

"Any news on the alleged threat?" She asked.

"Why don't you talk normally?" Crash asked as he flopped down beside her.

Coco stiffened, but didn't lash out at her brother just then. Aku looked horribly concerned.

"I regret to inform that my suspicions were correct. Uka Uka is indeed creating a plan to destroy the freewill of this world. He will strike swiftly and soundly, therefore we must act with all haste. Crash, would you be willing to offer your assistance?"

Coco saw Crash wrinkle his nose beside her. "I guess. I suppose if we get this over with quickly, I'll be in a better position to get back to my regular routine."

"Sleeping and eating, how productive." Coco groaned, and then turned to Aku before Crash could formulate a reply. "And why are you asking Crash? Aren't you forgetting someone?"

Aku gazed at her with regret, and then shook his feathered head back and forth slowly. "This mission is far too dangerous for you Coco."

Coco was up in an instant, feeling the rage boil within her like magma. Her eyes felt hot as she glared, and Aku leaned back in surprise, obviously frightened by her expression.

"Listen, I don't care what anyone says about it, but I'm offering my help too. I'm small, sure, but Crash isn't exactly a powerhouse himself. He's an idiot, I'm not. He could scare the stripes off a zebra with his ugly face-"

"Easy!"

"Regardless, I am the most qualified person to assist. If I get in trouble, I'll get out of it myself."

Coco exhaled slowly, temper spent. Aku was still studying her with astonished eyes, but Crash looked less then alarmed at her outburst.

"Might as well let her come along old fella, she'll be a consistently irritating poke if you leave her behind."

Coco kept her gaze locked on Aku, feeling completely insulted. Wasn't she the one who broke through Cortex's defenses to save her brother? She was also the one who had contacted Brio and made a deal to destroy the space station and rescue Crash in one stroke. Yes, she was young, but she was not useless, and didn't approve to be perceived as such. Aku relented.

"Of course Coco, I apologize. I would never question your bravery and effectiveness, I just don't want anything to happen to you."

Coco felt her shoulders sag as the weight of Aku's words fell on her. He spoke with such a fatherly regret, that she lowered her head, instantly ashamed of her overreaction. Crash, of course, could always be counted on.

"Well thanks, that sure makes me feel special."

Since Crash's tone was light, Aku ignored his statement.

"Crash, Coco, Uka has already joined forces with Dr. Cortex. He apparently survived the explosion, and now is back for revenge."

Crash groaned. "What's with all this revenge business? To me it seems like a brutal waste of time and energy."

Coco thought hard about this. "How could Cortex have survived that blast?"

Crash smiled slyly. "You'll learn quick Sis that mad scientists are harder to squash than cockroaches."

"Uka has discovered an ancient mode of profound energy, and he is at this moment utilizing his resources to collect it."

Coco wrinkled her nose. "More powerful then crystals? Then why wouldn't Cortex use these in the first place."

"He couldn't. He did not have the method."

"The method…?"

Aku looked at both the bandicoot children gravely. "They are located in the past, through the rift of time."

Coco gasped and Crash grinned. "Back in time eh? Now I've never done that before."

"This is no joke Crash. If Uka Uka and Dr. Cortex get their hands on these power sources, there will be no stopping them."

Coco recovered from her disbelief quickly. "So how are we expected to travel back in time? That should be impossible."

"Like Uka Uka, I too have the power to cross dimensions. It will be difficult transporting the two of you, but I am confident in my ability."

Coco glanced at Crash, and noted that he appeared a little nervous at this prospect. She was as well. Time travel was a fun concept in fiction, but Coco's logical mind told her there was no possibility of it taking place in reality. Yet Aku seemed very certain.

"We need to get too the ancient temple before we attempt a crossing. The lingering magic there will assist us in this quest."

--

As Crash glanced around the ruined temple, he realized that he had never been in this part of the jungle before. Well, that didn't really mean much. Even though N. Sanity Island was not half the size of its sister across the sea, Crash couldn't find the time to explore in his leisurely schedule. Despite the obvious observation that it was midday, the sun's rays seemed reluctant to shine here. Crash scratched just under his chin as he considered why. Coco had picked up Aku's most hasty pace, and whipped around to glare at him.

"Would you hurry up?"

All Crash wanted to do at this point was collapse in a heap and take a nap. The trek to the temple had already been far too exerting. Crash yawned.

"Yeah, yeah. Get off my case."

The temple looked as though it had been empty of any civilization for a few centuries. Stone pillars half-heartedly reached around its parameter, guarding what looked to be nothing. Vines and tangled vegetation grew around and over the fallen statues and columns, and snaked up partial stone walls. It was quite majestic, to say the least. Aku was headed for a decorated dais that was positioned conveniently inside a chamber that appeared to be completely emerged within the jungle foliage. Some leafy drapes covered the opening, but Aku sailed through the door without hesitation. Coco stopped for just a moment before following, and Crash followed suit, irritatingly brushing the leaves out of his path. Now inside the ancient chamber, the dimness was substantial for a door to the sun being so close. As Crash's eyes adjusted, however, he noticed that the chamber was providing its own light, and seemed to be banishing the natural rays of the outside world. Crash whistled low.

"Uka Uka and Cortex are after three powerful talismans, relics to the ancient tribes that were said to bring unlimited power. They embody the three statutes of existence. Passion, Chaos and Serenity, embodied by the ancient metals of gold, sapphire and platinum, respectively. They are concealed within this world, yet in different sections of time. We must travel to these different dimensions of time and recover the relics before Cortex."

After Aku's statement, Crash squinted to make out some odd crevices on the wall. As his eyes continued to adjust to the darkness, he could just distinguish three odd looking symbols. They appeared to be crosses, and yet there was a circular swirl that adorned their tips. Crash wrinkled his forehead.

"That's it then? We just have to time travel back and pick up these creepy things?" Crash shrugged. "That doesn't seem too hard."

Crash could feel Coco's glare bore into him. "Only you could make this impossible time traveling venture sound simple."

Crash turned toward his sister and grinned. "I have a positive outlook is all. You should follow my good example."

Coco sighed heavily and took a breath to offer a retort, but Aku had stuck his limit with their bantering.

"If you both are ready to travel across space and time, I want you to step up on this dais. The choice is a grave one, for it shall be dangerous. However, this choice to save the world is yours this time Crash, choose carefully."

Crash was silent for a moment, as if considering. Coco tapped him lightly with her elbow, and he took a large breath. His exhale was an exasperated sigh, but he swung up onto the stone platform a moment later.

"I don't get why you bother asking my opinion." Crash narrowed his eyes at the mask. "What good's taking pleasant naps if there's no world to sleep in?"

Coco scrambled onto the platform after Crash. "The reason you're helping is to make sure you've got nothing to interrupt your endless sleeping? Now that's admirable."

"No sarcasm please, we are at a pinnacle point right now." Crash advised his sister with a concealed grin.

Aku Aku nodded solemnly, and turned his back on the bandicoot siblings. He started muttering a strange dialect that Crash couldn't understand. He spoke faster and faster, but the volume of his voice remained consistently low. Lights started to dance within the cannels of the stonework, sending shimmering gold, silver and bright white beams curling around the pair. Crash felt an odd mix of weightlessness and sluggish immobility, feeling his shoulders slump with the weight of this mysterious power. The lights danced around Crash and Coco, and the former clenched his jaw as the light began to obscure his vision. The cave was disappearing. With a shiver raking unmercifully up his spine, Crash opened his hand at his side. An instant later Coco reached for his arm, and Crash clasped his hand with hers.

I hate portals. Crash thought glumly.

Now the shafts of light were whirling around them so fast that Crash began blinking to cope with the dizzy sensation. Crash could hear a soft whisper in his head as the light blinded him completely.

Good luck Crash…good luck Coco

Crash closed his eyes and felt Coco's grip tighten as the two of them were thrust into the chaotic streams of the past.