Chapter Text
Four months had passed since the fight against the Arkeyan Conquertron. Life had been peaceful yet exciting. Crash and Coco had been enrolled in Skylander Academy and so far, it was going great. Most of the fellow cadets were intrigued at students from another dimension and wanted to know about their home. The bandicoots did enjoy meeting and getting to know more Skylanders in training. Wrecking Ball and Hot Dog were among their favorites with how friendly they were. Dino-Rang, Chop Chop, and Double Trouble were also fun to talk to.
Since cadets had abilities based on one of the ten elements, the two picked the ones that were closest to what they knew. Crash chose Life with Earth for a minor while Coco chose Tech with Water as her minor. This introduced them to some older, more experienced heroes with Terrafin and Slam Bam. They were their teachers for some classes telling them about the history of Dimension 11 and how to harness their powers. A real mix of academics and athletics. The Glumshanks clones were put to good use. Some helping out at the academy and others finding jobs throughout the Skylands.
Aside from school, the two would spend time with their friends on exploring the Skylands and learning aether together. Spending time with Spyro and Cynder were their favorites as they could fly the siblings around and really show them a good time. It was through them that they also learned about holidays from Christmas to Mardi Gras. Crash always enjoyed learning all about the world and it was even better hearing it from a friend.
Right now, he and Coco were sleeping over with the core Skylander team. They had watched their first movie ever and now they were engaged in re-telling the fight at the Time Twister outside. Pop Fizz played the part of Cortex, Cynder played Uka-Uka, and Spyro was Aku-Aku.
"As the masks fought each other, Cortex fired his laser gun at me and dropped mines all over" Crash told those watching. That was the signal for Pop to throw pillows posing as mines. The dragons used their fire and electric breaths to copy the beam war. "When his shield was down, I spun him off and knocked him down a hole."
Pop mimicked being spun into a hole. "Then what?" Eruptor watched the act.
"Uka-Uka would bring Cortex up to continue fighting" Crash pointed to Cynder to let her know what to do. She picked Pop up to place him on the tree branch as the fake fight continued. "It continued for two more rounds until the villains tried to get under my skin. Saying that no matter what me and Coco did, we were helping the side of evil. Cortex then fired a shot at Aku-Aku."
That was the cue to throw a harmless potion at Spyro. "Agh! I'm stunned! Can't...move!" he dramatically fainted to the amusement of his friends.
"Seeing my father figure about to be blasted, I tapped into my aether powers to fight back against the bad guys. Cortex was slammed into the core below making it collapse." Crash made a spinning motion to Pop to signal what to do. He fell off the branch and acted like he was getting sucked away.
"With not much time, I grabbed Aku, N. Gin, and my sister and managed to open a portal back home" Crash mimicked opening one by spreading his arms apart. "It was close but we escaped. Gin disappeared but he could be working on a way to bring the others back. Until then, we don't have to worry about going on a big adventure for some time."
Aku-Aku then came out to see everyone clapping at the end of the performance. "Alright everyone. It's getting late. My children need their sleep."
"What?" Spyro groaned. "It's only 10!"
"Trust me" Coco patted his shoulder. "We need all the sleep we can get. My brother still hasn't caught up on the hours lost no thanks to the castle training three years ago."
Everyone headed inside to the top floor where they would be sleeping. As they lied down, Stealth Elf turned to the mask. "Crash said you're a very powerful mask. With how you protect him and Coco on your adventures and the power you wield. I don't think any of us have seen someone like that."
"Yeah! You must be the most powerful mask ever!" Pop Fizz added.
Aku-Aku chuckled, "I'm flattered but that isn't true. Every mask has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Not to mention some aren't as kind-hearted as I am. But...if I had to guess, the most powerful masks would have to be the Quantum Masks."
Hearing new masks made Crash and Coco perk up. "What? Who are they? What can they do?" the former got excited.
"Settle down" Aku floated slightly above the ground. "With everything that's happened, it's time you learned about the oldest masks in existence."
Crash leaned against Spyro's bed while Coco sat next to him. Cynder curled up on her right while Elphaba and Eruptor sat together. Jet-Vac stayed standing while Pop Fizz lied on the floor. Spyro whispered to Crash about going stargazing later making him snicker and give a maybe sign. With everyone settled, Aku-Aku told the story.
"Long ago, there were four masks who helped protect time and space. No one knows where they came from or how they came to be. But these three brothers and their sister have kept the balance between dimensions for thousands of years. They each hold one of these four powers: phasing, dark matter, time, and gravity. Together, these masks guard all of time and space while helping people with similar abilities.
Whenever there is a threat to the multiverse, the Quantum Masks will appear to mend the damage. I might not know every deed they did but one I clearly remember is them helping a king of inter-dimensional beings create a great clock at the center of my universe. Give or take fifty feet. It restored temporal normality after one too many paradoxes tore apart the time stream. The time mask was the one in charge, helping the king create and watch over the facility."
"Who was this King?" Coco asked.
"I don't remember well but I believe he was called a Zoni" Aku-Aku guessed. "Anyway, the most recent stories I recall are when the Quantum Masks arrived at a dimension that lost its gravity causing the people to fly into orbit. They found a young woman gripping on a balcony, waving a wand to try and restore gravity. The gravity mask managed to fix everything and afterwards, he and his siblings learned how the woman was queen of her kingdom and had powers relating to time and space. She didn't know how to control her spells and her old book of ancestors with their experiences was destroyed. This wasn't the first incident with quantum powers as she also accidentally created a time loop that lasted five years. Seeing she needed guidance, the masks agreed to help her master her magic to help her kingdom."
The next few minutes were Aku-Aku telling about the Quantum Masks helping the queen (later named Skywynne) deal with petty, ungrateful subjects. Through it all, the masks were by her side, giving guidance and support to control her powers and gain confidence. This helped her become assertive, allowing her to finally get her subjects to work hard and rise above their sins. Things went well until a prince was born and a group of magical beings would tell the queen to give birth to a daughter, believing only women were competent enough to run a kingdom. As the story went on, the heroes listened despite being tired. Masks having dimensional abilities? This they had to hear.
Eventually, Aku-Aku talked about the granddaughter of Skywynne and how the Quantum Masks worked with her to find a way to save her people and her monster husband's people from an evil that wanted to destroy both kingdoms. "With the whole kingdom against them, the masks led...Eclipsa...I believe she was called, and her love to a hidden castle where people who want peace could live safely. Along with keeping the royal family safe, they worked with Jushtin to create an infinite train that would help people face their flaws and trauma to become better people. The train could travel to any dimension to help anyone. While on the train, the Quantum Masks received a message that the royals were in danger so they returned to Dimension 47 to help. But once they left the train, they were never heard from again."
Aku sighed, "It's been over 300 years since someone last saw them. Most believe the Quantum Masks are a myth now. But I know better. I got to see them once 500 years ago and I haven't forgotten their names. Lani-Loli, Akano, Kupuna-Wa, and Ika-Ika. Some say there was a fifth Quantum Mask that could control rifts but that...is a myth. No one knows what became of them. But if the dimensions ever fall into danger, they may appear again."
The sound of snoring made him look to see that everyone except Coco was asleep. He rolled his eyes lightly. It wasn't the first time Crash fell asleep during a story. And he did seem to remember some details afterwards.
"Wow. But what happened to the royal family?" Coco asked.
"I don't know" Aku floated to her. "The story is based on my experiences and what I heard from other masks. Even the latter can be taken with a pinch of salt. I was confused on why the Quantum Masks didn't appear in that dimension book since they were likely the first beings who have these powers. I just wanted to let you and your brother know about how dimensional travel and abilities got started."
She nodded as sleep crawled up to her. "Well it was a nice story. I'll tell the others what they missed in the morning. Good night."
"Good night."
With everyone asleep, Aku-Aku flew to the window to look at the stars. There were just as many as on N. Sanity Beach. He couldn't help but ponder though. What did happen to the Quantum Masks? They would have really helped out on getting to Skylands or helping Crash find a way back to his realm when he first arrived there.
He shook his head. There was nothing to be worried about anyway. His world was safe. Everything was fine.
***
Cortex gazed down his target. "C1. At long last, I the great Neo Cortex have you right where I want you."
He raised his weapon high, "Now the final blow!" He swung his weapons and it hit...a rubber doll of Crash with button eyes. It was hit again and again until Cortex knocked it over.
"Hush you load!" Tropy glared at him before turning back to Uka-Uka. He had been screaming nonstop, using what power he had to try and get back home.
"Face it N. Tropy" Cortex pointed his stick at him. "It's going to fail. Again!" Not far from the three was a rock with twenty-two tally marks on it. The number of years spent trapped.
"At least Uka-Uka and I attempt to free us from this prison" Tropy shot back. "I won't sit idly by and listen to your inane ramblings for another decade!!"
He then leaned close, "And the way you chew..."
Cortex scowled at him back when both heard the dark mask grunting and growling louder and louder. Something then began to form. A blue set of wires grew bigger as energy formed around it. With one final scream, a rift that looked like broken glass was opened wide. Uka-Uka then passed out, falling to the ground.
"Is he...dead?" Cortex poked him with his stick. He didn't know what to do. Sure he was terrifying and could easily fry him when not careful but...there was a reason why the scientist continued to serve him.
"Leave him" Tropy scoffed at the wooden board. "He's outlived his usefulness. Besides with what we just found, I believe world domination can be expanded into something more...inter-dimensional."
That made Cortex conflicted. He had been trounced three times and was now being dragged into another plan doomed to fail. After what he witnessed, his former generals could face anything. But he didn't want to be stuck in a time prison anymore so with a reluctant sigh, he followed.
As Uka-Uka was left behind, Tropy let out a cackle. Plans forming on getting the last laugh on the creatures who dared to defy his might.