Chapter One: Into the Seas of Sand

Hot.

Very hot.

That was all his thoughts could muster. It was too hot.

Sly Cooper felt his face burning. He winced and brought up his hand to shield his face. The sun was strong wherever he was. His back was pressed against the warm sand and sweat pelted down his face.

He groaned as he struggled to get up. With the combination of his dizzying mind and the scorching sun, he found the simplest task of standing up to be a struggle. He picked up his cane and used it to keep his balance. Sweat drenched his body and he took off his cap to wipe away the sweat that was forming all over his head. He quietly wished he was born a creature that was meant for this kind of torture.

Sly scanned his surroundings. Apart from the broken pieces of the ship that accompanied him through the time warp, all he saw was sand and an Anubis sphinx, followed by a few pyramids. It didn't take a genius to figure out where he was considering how pristine and intact the ancient buildings were.

He was in ancient Egypt.

Sly glanced down at the broken parts of the ship. He kicked a piece that was near his feet and watched it roll down the sand. More than half the ship was missing from looking at the wreckage. Sly had hoped that the ship would have survived the impact.

A sudden feeling of isolation grew within Sly. The realization of being lost in an ancient era with no way back, froze his body and mind.

This was it. He was truly lost. He had no friends, no one he knew that could help him or even understand his plight. Sly stared into the sand, ignoring the intense heat on his body.

He was lost.

Sly took off his cap once more and wiped away the sweat. He put his hat back on and started walking towards the Anubis sphinx. First things first, he needed to know where exactly he was. If he was in ancient Egypt, surely he would be able to find his ancestor, Slytunkhamen or his sons.

Sly discovered a small joy in meeting the ancestor that created the Thievius Racoonus; the book that detailed all the legendary feats of the Cooper generation throughout the years. Out of all his ancestors, Sly wanted to meet Slytunkhamen the most. After all, he was the one who started the Cooper legacy. At least, in writing.

Sly came into the view of the entrance to the city. The markets were bustling with people. A few saw Sly and eyed him with curiosity. Sly looked down at the clothes he was wearing. He was still wearing his blue turtleneck with a yellow scarf. Sly knew his modern day clothes would get him into trouble sooner or later. And he would rather avoid trouble when he wasn't dying from the heat with a parched throat.

Sly quickly made his way around the busiest parts of the city. With his superior climbing and sneaking skills, he was able to grab a random linen cloth from a distracted seller. He also "borrowed" golden cuffs that was easy pickings with the seller snoring away in the chair. He wasn't much for keeping up his appearances but, he didn't want to show up in front of his most admired ancestor looking like a chump.

Sly climbed on top of an isolated roof. He took off his worn out and sweat drenched shirt, scarf, and gloves. He welcomed the winds on his back that cooled him down almost immediately. Sly put on his linen skirt and placed the golden cuffs on his arms. He took off his hat and stared at it for the longest time. He quickly chased away the feelings of homesickness that was creeping up on him. Sly folded his clothes and put the cap on top of it. He then placed his shoes on top, securing the weight so that nothing would fly away. He kept his mask on and climbed down back into the market. He would come pick his clothes up later.

With his cane close to him, he mixed in with the crowd. Sly was astounded with how lively the place was. He had imagined Egypt as a quiet and calming place; but it was loud, busy, and full of opportunities. In every direction, there were multiples of stores selling beautiful jewelry made of gold, turquoise, and other gems. There were stands with people selling exotic goods from around the world. People sat behind their stalls with a wide and colorful variety of supplies such as flax, fruits, and vegetables. Sly watched in awe as a person argued with the seller over a piece of pottery. He watched another as a man completed a purchase over an ox.

Overwhelmed with everything that was going on, Sly didn't notice a child running towards him. The small cat knocked into Sly, quickly got up and continued to run. A second didn't even pass when Sly realized his cane was gone.

"Hey, wait!"

Sly ran after the child who made off with his cane. The child was fast, skillfully moving between and underneath the crowd.

"Stop!" Sly shouted. He pushed his way out of the crowd and saw the child run into an alley.

With nothing in his way, Sly's quick feet was able to catch up to the cat. The cat, realizing that Sly was nearing him, created obstacles by knocking down whatever was closest to him. Pottery, baskets of supplies, and plants all fell victim to the cat. However, thanks to Sly's agile mind, it didn't slow him down. He jumped over the mess and grabbed the cat from destroying another property.

"Hands off!" the cat screeched, swiping its small claws at Sly. "This is mine!"

"You know well that it's not, kid." Sly said smirking. "Now, I'd like to have it back, please."

The cat growled but handed Sly the cane back roughly. "Let go of me now."

"As you wish," Sly said as he put the cat back down to the ground.

The cat huffed and quickly ran away. Sly shook his head and chuckled. He couldn't believe he let a tiny cat like him snatch his most prized possession. He tossed his cane to his other hand and caught it. "If I lose you, then that's when it's hopeless," Sly said to his cane.

Sly turned back and collided against something soft and furry. He was staring into a furry chest. He slowly looked up to see a tall and broad cat growling down at him.

The little cat he saw appeared behind the large cat and sneered at him. "That's him, brother! He stole my cane!"

The cat grabbed Sly's body and pulled him off the ground. He was easily twice the size of Murray.

"So you're the one that stole from my brother," the large cat growled, flashing his sharp teeth.

"Isn't he a little bit young to have a cane-"

The cat interrupted him with another growl. His face was inches away from Sly. He mentally gagged at the smell of fish from the cat's breath.

"Hand over the cane and I promise you that your death will be quick," the cat hissed.

Sly smirked. He was amused at how cocky the cat was. This cat was nothing to what he faced in the present. Villains like Muggshot would have sent this cat scurrying away in fear.

Before Sly could fire another smart remark, as he so loved pushing people's buttons, the cat suddenly tripped and crashed backwards, knocking out from the impact. Sly was released from the cat's grasp and landed on his feet. A hooded figure appeared out of nowhere behind the cat. The smaller cat tried to run but the figure grabbed him, dropped him in a pottery, and closed the top.

Sly stood dumbfounded as the figure turned his back on Sly and scaled the walls quickly. Sly snapped back to reality and climbed after the figure.

"Wait!" he shouted.

Sly recognized the technique. It got him out of trouble and provided a quick relief from his enemies. It was the Shadow Power technique, the first technique ever recorded in the Thievius Racoonus.

The figure quickly ran through the roofs with Sly following close by.

Sly knew who he was chasing and his heart thumped at the anticipation.

"I know who you are!" Sly shouted, causing the figure to stop in his tracks.

The figure turned around and stared at Sly. Sly noticed that he had no cane with him, which was odd. Instead of a cane, the man had a short twin daggers. The cloak covered the man's identity but Sly already knew who he was as soon as he saw the Shadow Power technique.

"Your name is Slytunkhamen," Sly said.

The man stared at Sly. He unsheathed his daggers and twirled it in his fingers.

"Who are you?" he asked in a low voice.

Sly glanced at the daggers before returning to Slytunkhamen's gaze. "I'm also a Cooper."

In a flash, Slytunkhamen lunged at Sly, aiming his daggers at him. Sly quickly moved out of the way and put some distance between him and his ancestor.

"Stop! I'm telling the truth!" he shouted.

Slytunkhamen rose from his stance. He glared at Sly and pointed his dagger at him.

"I am sick and tired of you fiends using my family's name to get on my good side," the man hissed. "I will never teach you the Shadow Power technique, nor will I ever allow you to lie into my family line. If you wish to live another day, leave and never bother me."

Sly stood up straight and gave Slytunkhamen a cocky smirk. "I don't need to learn how to use that technique."

Slytunkhamen stared at him and started walking around him.

"Do you?" Slytunkhamen chuckled. "Well, I'll admit you are the first to boast that."

He twirled his daggers again before pointing one of them at Sly. "I am going to attack you. Use the technique to hide from my sight. If you fail...well then," Slytunkhamen glided his daggers together, creating a cacophony sound. "Let's just say it's one less impostor to worry about."

In a blink of an eye, Slytunkhamen lunged at Sly once more, before Sly quickly disappeared from Slytunkhamen's sight.

Slytunkhamen's eyes widened and quickly landed in his feet, spinning around as he looked around for Sly who was nowhere in sight.

"It cannot be!" he whispered.

Suddenly, his legs were in the air and he landed on his back roughly with a grunt. Sly appeared in front of him, with his cane pointed at Slytunkhamen. The ancestor stared at Sly with a shocked expression. Sly smirked before moving his cane away and offered his free hand to Slytunkhamen. Slytunkhamen took his hand and stood up, continuously staring at Sly with a bewildered face.

"If you keep staring, I'll blush," Sly said smirking. It felt good to put his ancestor in his place.

Slytunkhamen put his daggers back in its place, without breaking his stare at Sly. "How can this be? I have never taught another the secret technique..."

"Well," Sly said scratching his head. "It's a long story but, I'm from the future."

Slytunkhamen stared at him.

"...The what?"

Dizziness entered her mind when she cracked one eye open.

Carmelita woke up and found herself in a lavish room. She struggled to figure out where she was by looking around. She saw wooden furniture around the room with a large table on the middle with a pot of tea on top. There were painted scrolls of cranes and Japanese characters hanging on the beige walls. Carmelita's attention was set on the colorful array of fans that was neatly stacked on a drawer. Small bottles of perfume and makeup rested with a small hand mirror next to the fans. The ceiling was high and there was a large circular window behind her, covered with a divider. She could faintly see cherry blossom trees through it and it gave her a strange sense of peace in midst of her mysterious setting. However, that peace was interrupted when she realized what she was wearing.

She was wearing multiple layers of what looked like kimono(s) of extraordinary yet harmonious designs of flowers, trees, and clouds. Carmelita's head felt heavy and cradled it with her hand, only to feel something completely foreign about her hair. She dragged herself and her layers of kimono and snatched the hand mirror; only to gawk at her horrifying new look.

Her once thick, curly hair was straightened and tied in a neat ponytail that was adorned with small and expensive looking flower ornaments. She grabbed the flower ornaments and pulled it out of her hair in a frenzy manner. She then pulled off the many layers of her kimono until she was down to her last one. It was a purple kimono adorned with lavender petals. She darted around the room, looking for her clothes or the bastard who dared to dress her in such a way. She cursed under her breath when she found nothing to release her red hot fury.

Surprisingly, her shock pistol was still with her, resting on the spot she woke up. Carmelita wondered what was going on. Staring at the shock pistol, her memories returned to her in a rush.

She was with Bentley and Murray. They were discussing the whereabouts of Sly. Bentley had finally found a clue regarding his whereabouts. Unfortunately, it was Penelope who found it-meaning, they had to meet up with her.

Carmelita refused to see her without the intention to arrest her and bring her to justice. She was infuriated with Penelope, much like the rest of the gang. Penelope was the sole reason why Sly was stuck in the past.

However, because Penelope was the only person with a lead, they had no choice. Bentley had told Carmelita that she didn't have to accompany them if she didn't want to. Carmelita knew Penelope still had her sights on recruiting Bentley to her dreams.

It wasn't that she couldn't trust Murray to keep Bentley safe; Carmelita just wanted to be there to let Penelope know that she had not only Murray to deal with if something were to happen to Bentley, but also Carmelita and her shock pistol.

They met up in an abandoned, dusty field. Carmelita wanted to bring some of her co-workers to tag Penelope after their meeting was over but, Bentley begged her not to in case Penelope has valuable information she purposely kept to herself as a precaution. She was a cunning minx and Carmelita trusted Bentley's insight.

The meeting was swift. Penelope appeared concealed behind a large sunhat and coat. She only acknowledged Bentley and handed him a manila envelope.

"Everything I want you to know is there," she spoke.

Bentley raised his eyebrow at her and Carmelita scowled. They already knew what Penelope was trying to do. She would release little bit of information so that Bentley would have no choice but to maintain contact with her.

"I'll see you later, Bentley."

With that, a large van arrived and stopped in front of Penelope. Carmelita's excellent vision spotted a few more vans in the distance. It was clear she has help. But who was helping her was unknown. Her heart pounced when Penelope stopped walking and turned back towards her. Their eyes matched and Penelope was smiling.

Then it happened in a second.

As soon as Bentley opened the envelope, the machine inside vibrated, emitting an electric shock into the sky. A large hole opened up in the sky within seconds. Carmelita knew exactly what the hole was. She had seen it swallow up Sly months ago.

Suddenly, she felt her body floating. She gasped in shock as the hole seemed to target her and her only. Murray grabbed her hand and held Bentley in his other arm before he started to float away.

"What's happening?!" she shouted, shielding her eyes from the dust storm the hole created.

"Hold on you guys!" Murray yelled.

Murray held onto the both of them and pulled them to the ground, his massive strength going against the powerful suction of the time hole.

Bentley cast the envelope and looked at the device he immediately recognized. It was the portable time machine that was deemed too unstable and was dismantled. Or to his true memory, had asked Penelope to dismantle it. He turned to see Penelope smiling. Red with anger, his chair unleashed his bombs at her, only to get sucked up into the hole.

"Penelope!" Bentley shouted in anger.

The hole seemed to get bigger and started sucking things in stronger. The ground underneath them started to crack and crumble as Carmelita and Murray stared around their surroundings to find shelter. There was a reason why Penelope wanted to meet them in a deserted, empty area. They had no shelter.

Distracted by the situation, Bentley found himself being dragged towards Penelope. He gasped when her van opened up with a giant magnet attached inside. It started pulling Bentley towards her. Murray quickly grabbed Bentley as Carmelita tried to shoot towards the magnet. But it was futile as they were directly under the gaping hole while Penelope was a good distance away from the zone. All of her shock pistol shots were swallowed up.

The ground crumbled before them. Carmelita was the first to go. Murray attempted to grab her and barely grabbed her leg as she was sucked up. Then he was lifted up. The suction proved to be more powerful than the magnet and Bentley was slowly dragged upwards into the hole. Penelope to raised her magnet's power quickly and Bentley's wheelchair was pulled in her direction.

Not wanting to let Penelope win, Carmelita shouted Bentley to abandon his wheelchair. Bentley didn't waste a second and managed to grab onto Murray's hand after ejecting from his wheelchair.

The angry screams of Penelope were the last thing she heard before the darkness swallowed them.

Carmelita snapped back to reality when she realized that Bentley and Murray was nowhere to be found. She was worried for them, although she would never admit it. Carmelita's ears picked up a faint scuffling of feet that was approaching her room. She readied her shock pistol to kill settings and crouched down, aiming at the door. Whoever put her in this mess will pay dearly.

A silhouette of a woman appeared and bowed before her. A figure of a man appeared shortly behind her and stood in front of the door.

"Ma'am, Master Rioichi is here to see you," the woman spoke.

Carmelita was silent. This woman was talking to her as if she knew who Rioichi was. Carmelita narrowed her eyes and straightened her position. She still had no clue what she was doing in this place. Why did someone dress her and put her in this room?

Carmelita scowled. It was possible this Rioichi was some pervert that found her unconscious after the time trip. He was probably the one that put her in these clothes. She gritted her teeth.

"Send him in."