Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

Chapter 16: Time

"Father, are you sure about this?" Natalie asked. She and her father were standing in N. Tropy's laboratory, speaking about current affairs.

The Master of Time simply nodded in response. "You must understand that everything happens for a reason," he said. "N. Brio will die. He must."

"I just don't understand why that is so."

"He is a traitor, Natalie! He was once a good friend of mine, but now he must perish for his transgressions."

"Father, I--"

"Doctor Cortex gave you an order. I suggest you heed his commands. You will suffer the consequences otherwise."

Natalie wasn't quite sure what he meant, but she nodded nonetheless. She had numerous questions on her mind, but she knew that there was no time. After all, time was a luxury they couldn't afford.

***

A few more Crystals had been collected, all thanks to Crash Bandicoot himself. His friends all cheered for him, but the excitement was cut short when N. Tropy's face appeared on the monitor once again. Judging by his expression, he was far from pleased.

"You little vermin are way too stupid to understand what you're getting yourselves into!" he yelled. "This time, you've done it!"

"I've got this," Crash remarked once the Master of Time's face disappeared from view.

"Are you sure, big brother?" a concerned Coco asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've managed to collect every Crystal unscathed thus far, so--"

"I meant you - we - have never faced him before. What if he is a lot stronger than you think?"

"You should be fine," Stormy said. "That mortal wasn't so powerful the first time we battled him."

"Stormy, that was nearly twenty years ago," Raven pointed out. "Things have possibly changed now."

"You...have a good point."

"If you are all finished talking," Crash said, catching everyone off guard, "I would like to leave so I can show N. Tropy what for!"

"Good luck to you," said Aku Aku. "I have a feeling you will need it."

Crash nodded and proceeded through the portal. The first thing he noticed was the Master of Time himself working on a clock. Upon hearing a peculiar noise from behind him, he turned around but was only met with the marsupial's gaze.

"Now you're on my time, you little skunk!" N. Tropy growled. "Give me the Crystals!"

He slammed his tuning fork on the ground, thus creating a trio of platforms in front of Crash. N. Tropy proceeded to laugh numerous fireballs at the bandicoot, but Crash managed to dodge all of them. The Master of Time slammed his tuning fork again after a few minutes, and he fell on his knees from exhaustion. A path appeared in front of Crash that led straight to the evil scientist. The marsupial, once on the other side, spun into N. Tropy, causing the Master of Time to teleport to the side Crash had previously been on.

Only two rows appeared in front of Crash that time. N. Tropy launched a fireball from the top and bottom. Then he proceeded to fire rows of flames forward, to the left, and forward again. Slamming his tuning fork again, he caused her another path to appear. That only left him open for attack, and he teleported to the other side just as he had done previously.

N. Tropy's rage was increasing; that much was obvious. The Master of Time growled at the marsupial and, as he pointed his finger at Crash, began to shout all sorts of accusations and curses. He became crazy with his attacks now, for fireballs were being thrown in every direction. Crash almost was unable to dodge them - his jeans had nearly caught on fire - but he managed to remain unscathed through the endeavor.

"Blasted bandicoot!" N. Tropy yelled. "Why won't you stay still?!"

After a while, the scientist became too exhausted and left himself open for attack once more. Crash sprinted down the path that had appeared and spun into N. Tropy.

The Master of Time began to fade. As that occurred, he stated, "My time is up, but yours soon will be too."

It wasn't long after that the portal appeared before Crash. With yet another Crystal in his possession, he hopped through the portal, arriving back in the Warp Room immediately after. Before anyone could get a word in, a rather unexpected face appeared on the monitor.

"You insolent, insignificant moron!" the individual, who was none other than Natalie, snapped. "By defeating my father, you have put the entire world in danger!"

"Your father?" Coco wondered. "Wait a minute. Your father wouldn't happen to be N. Tropy, would it?!"

"Indeed it is. Look, you must understand that the Time Twister machine is very delicate. Without my father's constant care and control, who knows what it will do?!"

"Why should that matter?" Liz asked.

"Because, you imbecile, he is known as the Master of Time for a reason. Without him here to maintain the Time Twister and thus keeping time in balance, history may be rewritten."

"We won't let that happen," Crash assured. "We will make sure that the world is safe from any more evildoings."

"Shows what you know..."

Coco's eyes began to widen. "You were the one who kidnapped N. Brio, weren't you?!" she exclaimed.

"You are quite astute, bandicoot. He isn't dead, or at least not yet. If you want more answers, you will just have to come to Cortex Castle. But I must warn you - doing so will only lead to your inevitable demise."

After Natalie vanished, Crash turned to Aku Aku and said, "I thought the castle had been destroyed."

"It was recently rebuilt, it seems," Aku Aku said.

"I would have never guessed that N. Tropy was Natalie's father this entire time..." said Isabella.

"Surprised?" Raven sneered.

"Did you know the whole time?"

"Not exactly, but I had a feeling that was the case. Anyway, it's off to the next area with you."

***

Now that N. Tropy was gone, N. Trance hadn't the slightest clue. He shrugged. He supposed he would just continue to attempt to destroy those miserable rodents.

Natalie was an entirely different story. She didn't want to admit it, but with her father taken from her once again, she wasn't sure she would be able to live with herself. Why? Why did this have to happen? Was there some sort of curse cast upon her? Whatever the case, she was no longer content with her existence.