Video Game Journeys: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

by CrashGuy41

Search for the Crystals

Twilight looked around the warp room in amazement. She had never seen anything like it before.

"This place is so amazing!" she beamed.

Just then, the two of them heard a noise as the lights dimmed. As soon as they did, a surveillance robot, a round metallic robot with a long camera lens, projected a hologram of Cortex's face right above them. Twilight gulped. She didn't know what he would say ever since she bailed on him to aid in Coco's escape from his castle.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Crash Bandicoot and my former assistant, Twilight Sparkle. Welcome," Cortex greeted. "I apologize for the crude means used to bring the both of you here, but I'd rather expect a written invitation would've been turned down. I need your help."

"And just exactly do you mean by 'help'?"

"Well, surrounding you are a series of five doors. Through each door lies a well-hidden crystal. The crystals are a bright purple color and have rhombus sword-shape. Bring me those crystals. Oh, and Twilight, you are to monitor Crash's progress at all times. When he gets five crystals in this warp room, you are to take that glass elevator up the next floor and wait for him there."

"Yes, sir."

"That is all I will say for now. We will speak again."

And with that, the hologram disappeared, leaving Crash confused as to what just happened. Twilight sighed heavily.

"Well, Crash, it doesn't look like we have much of a choice."

She walked over to a monitor and got two communicators to wear in the ear. She put one of them in her right ear and the other in Crash's.

"There. We'll use that to keep in touch with each other as you locate the crystals Cortex wants you to find. And don't worry. I'll be here in the warp room monitoring all of your progress to make sure you don't run into too much trouble."

Crash then spoke in his usual gibberish, causing Twilight to facepalm.

"Crash, I can barely understand a single word you're saying. Talk slower."

He did as he was told. Despite still being in gibberish, she could understand a few of the words he was saying.

"You think something's up? Well, I do, too. But we can't worry about that now. Go into Turtle Woods and retrieve the crystal from that area."

Crash stepped inside the swirling vortex and instantly warped to Turtle Woods.

---

Meanwhile, back on N. Sanity island, Fluttershy and Pinkie had gone back with Coco to her house to pick up a spare battery. Waiting for them at the house was Aku Aku and Rarity. Rarity didn't stay that long in the jungle, due to the humidity frizzing up her hair.

"Back so soon, Coco?" Aku Aku asked.

"I came to pick up a new battery for my laptop. Have any of you seen Crash stop by?" Coco said.

"I thought he was with you, darling," Rarity responded.

"Last I remember, both him and Twilight were going to stop by here to pick up a battery," Fluttershy explained.

Coco immediately replaced the battery into the back underside of her laptop as they spoke.

"Well, if that is indeed the case, we should've seen them around ten minutes ago."

"So, what you're saying is that you haven't seen them at all?"

"That is precisely what I mean, Fluttershy."

"Maybe they got lost?"

"I doubt it. Not with Twilight by Crash's side."

"Or maybe, somehow, when they were on their way here, they got suddenly teleported into a location that's completely inaccessible by any normal means necessary!" Pinkie guessed.

Rarity facepalmed. Of all the things Pinkie could've said, that was undoubtedly the most ridiculous thing she ever heard. Coco booted up her laptop and instantly found Twilight in front of a monitor as Crash came through a portal.

"Look! There they are!" Coco exclaimed.

"See? I told you!"

"Yes, Pinkie. We hear you," Fluttershy said, rolling her eyes.

Crash reached into his back pocket and pulled out a crystal.

"Mother of mercy! What is THAT?!" Rarity gasped.

"That is a crystal! If Crash has found one, then that means that someone is forcing him to gather them for reasons that we don't know about," Aku Aku explained.

The crystal went right into the slot on the pillar to the left of portal once Crash tossed it into the air. As soon as that happened, he also managed to spit a clear gem out of his mouth.

"UGH! THAT IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!"

"That's my big brother, for you," Coco said.

The gem went into the slot below the crystal. To celebrate his first victory, Crash did a little dance. Just then, static started to fill the screen.

"Hey! What's with the static?" Pinkie asked as Coco banged her laptop monitor.

"Something's interfering with the signal!"

---

Back in the warp room, the lights suddenly dimmed and loud clanging noise was heard, startling both Crash and Twilight. They looked up and saw a hologram of Cortex appear before them.

"Well done, Crash! And you, too, Twilight. I knew I could rely on you," Cortex congratulated. "Now listen carefully: These holograms are hard to maintain. During the course of my intellectual pursuits, I have stumbled across a force that threatens to destroy the world."

As he spoke, however, he was unaware that his audio was leaking over into Coco's laptop back on N. Sanity Island.

---

Fluttershy gasped in horror. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-Is he being serious?" she stammered.

"Shhh!" Coco hushed.

She didn't want Cortex to know that they were eavesdropping on his conversation with Crash.

---

Back in the warp room, Cortex continued talking with Crash about his discoveries.

"The crystals are the only means of containing it. The fate of the world is at stake. It is imperative, therefore, that you bring them to me."

Twilight narrowed her eyes as Cortex spoke. She couldn't be for certain if he was telling the truth or not. Regardless, she knew that they had to go along with it if they wanted to find out more. As his hologram disappeared, a hologram of Coco suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Are you there, Crash? Crash? Crash? Are you there, Crash? Are you there, Crash?" Coco asked before the signal was cut off.

"That was weird," Twilight said, scratching her head.

---

Back on N. Sanity Island, Coco's laptop had static emitting on the monitor. She had just lost the signal to connect with Crash and Twilight.

"Darn it! I thought I could get a message to him in time!" she growled.

"Something isn't right. Why would Cortex enlist Crash to help him gather crystals? There has to be another reason than the one he just gave," Aku Aku said.

"I think you're right. If only I could get a better signal to warn him about trusting Cortex."

Just then, they heard another voice coming over the laptop. It was N. Brio.

---

Back in the warp room, Crash had just gotten the blue gem from Turtle Woods. It wasn't easy, as he had to not break a signal crate in the area. Not a single one. He was lucky to get it on his first try. After getting the gem, a hologram of N. Brio suddenly appeared and spoke to him.

"Ssssssssssssssssooooooooooo, you are helping Cortex gather the crystals? Yet, you have acquired a gem! Hehehehe... Interesting. Hehehehehe! Nya! Hahaha! Well, Crash, Twilight, know this: As long as you are allied with C-C-C-C-C-C-C-Cortex, you are my sworn enemy and I will anything in my power to s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-stop you! HAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Twilight cringed as he spoke. The laughter was really starting to creep her out.

"If the fate of the world is truly your concern, you must g-g-g-g-g-g-g-gather the gems, not the c-c-c-c-c-c-crystals! Let me tell you this: I know that you stole one of the gems from the castle, Twilight. But you best hold on to it. It is one of the gems that you need to g-g-g-g-g-g-g-gather. And if you obtain all 39 gems, I can use them to f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-focus a laser! HAHAHAHAHA! YES! A laser beam that will destroy Cortex and a space station that he has created! Until then, I must use my f-f-f-f-forces to stop you f-f-f-from gathering crystals! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"

Author's Note:

In the original game, N. Brio says that Crash needs to gather 42 gems, not 39. The reason why he says 39 here, is because Twilight is currently in possession of the purple colored gem. But why only 39 and not 41? The answer: I've taken out the red gem from the original game.

Don't worry, though, the red gem is still in the story. You just won't see it until sometime during Warped.

Comments

[zachary12]

nice work