A Dragon out of Time, A Crash and Spyro Story

Chapter 14: A Painful Decision

 I spent eight years making it Cortex. I put my blood, sweat and tears into re-creating it. Your masterpiece, your life's work. You saved my life all those years ago, and now it finally has purpose. Are... are you pleased master?

˂Yes my son. Now, to fulfil my final wish. Turn on the Time Twister Machine.˃ Uka-Uka allotted himself a private laugh.

˂Crash, it's time we talked.˃

That was Aku-Aku's voice. It had been ages since Crash had last heard it. Crash and Spyro were currently perched at the top of Sunset Vista, the stone monument erected by a long forgotten civilization. It was dawn, and Crash and Spyro were celebrating their observed birthdays together. The urgency in Aku-Aku's voice suggested this peaceful moment would end shortly.

"Ugh, Crash? Are you hearing something in your head? Because I think I am" Spyro asked confusedly.

Sparx landed in-between Crash and Spyro, causing both of them to look at the glowing dragonfly in curiosity.

"What is that?" Spyro said as he stared at the glowing insect.

"Cum on Sp-i—ro," [we need to head back to the house, something urgent has come up.]

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the voice in my head, would it?"

[It might.]

Crash got onto his hoverboard Coco had made for his birthday today and instructed it to levitate. He and Spyro took off and headed back to the first island. The dragonfly that landed next to them earlier was following them, and flew very close to Spyro as all three of them headed east.

"Man what is this thing, and why is it following me?" Spyro asked Crash.

"Eyem no-t shurre. Neah- ver se- n anee-ting l-eye-k it be—for." Crash struggled to say as they both were flying home.

"It does seem pretty harmless. But still, why is it following me?"

˂It's because he has come a long way to meet you.˃

"Ugh" Spyro complained, "It's that voice again. It's seriously giving me a headache. Are you hearing this Crash?"

˂Aku-Aku,˃ Crash thought, ˂Could you take it easy on physic conversation, please. Spyro isn't use to the intrusion yet.˃

˂He'll have to get used to it, Crash. It's the only way he will be able to understand the Dragonfly next to him.˃

"Wait, 'Dragon... fly'? And did I just hear you in my head, Crash?"

"Ya- es." [Let's get home Spyro, I'm sure my sister has also been contacted by Aku-Aku. This must be important.]

"Aku-Aku? Who is that?"

"An o- ld fr ee- end."

Spyro and Crash landed on the beach in front of their home and opened the front door, to see Coco standing in the living room with Aku-Aku in her hand.

"Here Crash, you know this thing freaks me out."

[So he has "spoken" to you as well.]

"As a woman of science, the prospect of a Spirit inhabiting an artifact is scary enough. And yes, he 'talked' to me. It sounds important."

˂Very Important. All of you have a very important decision to make.˃

Spyro made his way to his favorite spot on the couch and sat down, only to have Sparx land on the arm rest next to him.

"Okay, ugh... Aku-Aku. Would you mind telling me what's going on, and who this Dragonfly is?"

˂Hello Spyro,˃ a new voice echoed inside everyone's mind. ˂My name is Sparx, and I've waited a very long time to meet you.˃

˂It is true, Spyro˃ Aku-Aku told him ˂He is your guardian, Spyro. And he was meant to born on the same day as you a hundred thousand years ago, but when you were unexpectedly brought so far into the future, he patiently waited so long to meet you, for it is his destiny. To be your protector and guide.˃

"My... protector? But, he's so small?"

˂If the need is sufficient, he can heal you from mortal injury and prevent you from dying at his own life's expense. In essence, Sparx acts as your extra life.˃

"Wow, really..."

˂A scarify I am willing to make if needed, Spyro. It's because I believe in you and your purpose. To save all of Dragon-kind from an evil which unfortunately consumed them so many melena ago.˃

˂For the past eight years, Sparx and I have been having a debate, which we couldn't come to a conclusion on, because it involve your and Crash. So we leave the decision to you to, because untimely it is your own choices to make.˃

"And what is that, Aku-Aku?" Coco asked concernedly.

˂If you had the opportunity to go back Spyro, to go back in time, would you?˃ Sparx asked his best friend.

"What... how?"

"Yeah, how?" Coco asked. "Spyro was brought here to the future via Cortex's and Dr. Tropy's Time Twisting Machine, which was destroyed eight years ago."

˂Yes, yes it was. And in the process Dr. Cortex himself was killed. But my twin brother, Uka-Uka was not. And for the past eight years, he has found and is using a new slave to do his bidding: N-Gin.˃

"Who is that?" Coco and Spyro asked in unison.

˂A vengeful, lost soul I'm afraid. Before you and Crash were created, Coco, Cortex hand found the young boy on the brink of death and saved his life. He cured him of the malignant cancer destroying his body, probably because Cortex had sympathy for the orphaned kid who had as harsh of an upbringing as Cortex himself had as a child.˃

"No. That can't be true. Cortex has no sympathy. He is pure evil."

˂The Cortex you knew Coco was the product of Uka-Uka's evil influence, Coco. Uka-Uka sensed the need for Cortex to do something grand with his intelligence, his disconnect and hatred from the society that forced him to be a vagabond in his youth and used that anger to control him. That's what my brother does. He finds the fault in men and extorts it. And now he is using his control over N-Gin to force him to build another Time Twisting Machine. N-Gin's hatred towards Crash for killing the only person he's ever loved in his life allowed Uka-Uka to have complete control over him. And any day now, N-Gin will be successful in creating a new Time Twisting Machine. You must stop him, all of you. If N-Gin is successful in traveling back in time, he will take Uka-Uka straight to the Sorceress. For you see, Uka-Uka plans on controlling her as he is with N-Gin and did with Cortex. For she is the strongest mage in all of existence; if Uka-Uka succeeds, all life on the planet, not just the Dragons, will die.˃

˂And if you succeed in stopping Uka-Uka, Spyro and Crash,˃ Sparx continued, ˂you will have the ability to return home Spyro, if you choose. To stop the extinction of the Dragon race. To defeat the Sorceress like you were destined to before you were brought here by Crash.˃

Crash looked to at the floor, ashamed. He was used to not participating in conversations, and right now he didn't feel like it but accidently did through the psychic link.

˂My fault˃ Crash thought to himself. ˂I knew the effects of Time traveling were dangerous and unpredictable. But I caused every Dragon to die.˃

"Now wait just a minute!" Spyro said furiously, "You can't just blame Crash for this! He saved my life. I was stolen by thieves while I was still in my egg and Crash rescued me from them and by extension the Sorceress. If it wasn't for him, I would have been killed anyway."

˂Very true, Spyro˃ Aku-Aku responded calmly. ˂And I am not blaming Crash for anything. He made a bold and courage's decision a hundred thousand years ago. I am simply informing all of you of the ramifications of said decision. You see, before Sparx's father was killed, he gave his son the memories of every Dragonfly that was still alive before they all were killed by the Sorceress. After Spyro was stolen from Artisans by thieves, a Dragon named Ignites was tasked with following them and rescuing you Spyro. Crash appeared and brought you to the future before Ignites could save you from you're captors. You would have lived Spyro. Although it was never Crash's intention, his decision to bring you to the present and remove you from your time stream eventually lead to the downfall of the Dragons, the Dragonflies, and all the species of Avalar.˃

Crash at this point had both his hands on his head and was breathing irregularly. Coco noticed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Eyem --- I... so sar- rery!" Crash said somewhat raspy.

"Crash, none of this is your fault." Coco said comfortingly.

˂Crash, What I have to tell you is tragic indeed. I again will remind you I don't think the decision you made was a wrong, but nevertheless it prevented Spyro from defending his kind from the Sorceress. However, Fate as presented you with an opportunity to change things. With N-Gin's Time Twisting Machine, you have the opportunity to undo the choice you made or stick with it.˃

˂I... Spyro, you... you have to go back˃ Crash then though for everyone to hear.

"Crash... are you sure?" Spyro asked worriedly.

"You know what that would mean, right Crash?" Coco said besides her brother. "You'll be saying goodbye to Spyro forever."

˂I'm afraid it's worse than that, Coco˃ Sparks informed everyone through Aku-Aku.

˂If Spyro were to be sent back, this current future would not exist. Dragons would never go extinct and be replaced by man as the dominate species on the planet. Crash, Coco, you would never exist. Humanity itself might never exist. All of history up to Spyro's disappearance would be altered.˃

˂It's a tough choice˃ Sparx continued. ˂Neither Aku-Aku or I think there is a right answer. Is it right to send Spyro back in time, only to wipe out the existence of another sentient species? Was it Fate that Spyro was removed from his time, to allow Dragons to die out and be replaced?˃

˂In any case, you must stop N-Gin and Uka-Uka. Afterwards, you can make your choice. Sparx and I will support either one you make.˃

"I... I don't know. How can I or Crash make a decision like that?" Spyro demanded.

"Yuoo... shuld go. Sp-i-ro." Crash said solemnly.

"How can you just say that, Crash?" Coco asked somewhat angrily. "If he goes back to the past, you might cease to exist! I might cease to exist! What happened to the Dragons is tragic, but we shouldn't rewrite history with machines that can bend time. That is too risky and not our right to do."

[We used it to gather Crystals, Coco, which is what caused this mess in the first place. Spyro has the opportunity to correct my mistake of eradicating an entire species.]

"And kill off the rest of humanity!? Are you even listening to yourself? How can you be okay with that?" Coco said even more angrily.

"I... I think I choose to stay, Aku-Aku." Spyro said somewhat unsure. "Coco's right. It's... it's too risky."

"No, Sp-i-ro!" Crash said as he stood up from his seat before he used Aku-Aku to tell Spyro not to leave with his own thoughts. ˂You have to go back. This isn't where you belong. Coco and I aren't your family; you belong with your kind. To grow up with other Dragons and become the hero you were meant to be.˃

˂But Crash... this is my family. Here with you.˃

˂No! I'm not your father! I'm not your brother! I'm not your friend! I'm just a murder! In trying to save the world I murdered your entire species. You, you can't love me! Not after what I've done.˃

"Crash, none of that is true." Coco said trying to reassure her brother.

˂Yes it is!˃ Crash thought as he turned around to face his sister, with tears of anguish as he hated himself for what he's done. Crash than sat on the floor, covering his eyes.

Spyro walked towards Crash after a couple of seconds and sat next to him.

"You're wrong Crash. I am your son, brother, and friend. No matter what you think or how it happened. And whether I choose to return to my time or not, those things will still be true."

Crash looked up from the floor and faced Spyro, tears still dripping from his eyes. Spyro then hugged him, and after a few seconds, Crash wrapped his arms around Spyro as well.