Aaannnd we are back for another chapter! This is when things get a little... hot and not in the way you may be thinking.
I want to thank (again) olirulz111 for pointing out some useful and important details regarding this story. It's this kind of review that helps me improve my writing skills (plot and grammar wise).
I can't think of anything else to write so onwards with the disclaimer!
I don't own Sly Cooper nor all the other characters from the franchise, they belong to Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. I just own the characters you won't recognize.
Enjoy!
Episode 1
Burn, baby, burn
"... A ninja?" Sly asked out loud in complete disbelief. "We almost rescued... a ninja?".
Excitement filled his eyes as a lopsided grin of amusement appeared on his face. Someone is clearly a fan of these legendary warriors. "I've always wanted to meet one since I was eight but I never imagined it was going to be this way. Too much sushi, I guess..." he commented with a teasing tone.
The white orbs staring at the raccoon had remained wide for some seconds, giving the impression that the 'ninja' had yet to process the true dimension of his delicate situation. Then they shifted in a way that resembled half-lidded eyes, the accusation having brought him from whatever thoughts which might had been running inside his mind.
How marvelous... The still-nameless thief sighed internally. Certainly, this had to be some sort of punishment, if you think about it: what are the chances of one crossing paths with the infamous Sly Cooper AND the dangerous Inspector Fox at the same time on the middle of a heist? And here he had hoped it was going to be a calm night... Oh well, no point in wondering now, he was already trapped, either he acknowledged it or not. So the most wise decision to make at the moment would be thinking of an exit strategy. It wasn't going to be a walk in the park, that was certain, mainly because everybody (common people or not) knew how unpredictable both the Interpol agent and the internationally wanted mammal could be.
However, there was something else about them which could be used to his advantage...
"My most sincerest apologies, Great Master Thief Cooper... " he paused to slightly bow his head. "... but I must inform you that I am no such thing as a ninja. I hope this is enough to justify my less than... graceful entrance.".
As the black-clad figure had predicted, the raccoon caught on his playful attitude making his smile grow even more. He was known for being a natural charmer and entertainer, there for, after years interacting with the serious and strict Inspector Fox, the faceless intruder believed the former wasn't used to (possible) competitors who played along with his musings or possessed a sense of humor at all.
An invisible smirk formed under his black cloth.
Step one completed.
"Whoa, hold on there... You don't need to be so formal, just call me Sly. But I must admit..." he started wondering with a hand on his chin and the other still holding the white cover, his cane having been secured on his back before the whole ordeal. "... the tittle sure has a nice ring to it... Anyway, that aside, we have to do something about the unequal positions in our acquaintanceship.".
"Unequal positions?" the stranger innocently asked, the orbs back to their full moon shape and head slightly tilted to the side, while trying to cope with his tired hands and the painful double-meaning behind his purposely chosen words.
Sly's short answer was filled with intrigue: "Well, yes.". He couldn't help it, though, this new acquaintance was a true odd ball. Usually there would be a reaction ranging from uninterest to pure rage from this kind of provocation. However, said odd ball, unlike a tough cookie he remembered, was unaffected by it. Almost as if he was trying to get something from him and not the other way around. Maybe he was the one being played.
The last thought brought a smirk of approval.
This should prove to be interesting... "For starters,..." the master thief continued. "... you already know who I am but I can't say the same about you. So, care to enlighten me, Mounsier No-such-thing-as-a-ninja?".
CLICK!
"Then, how about we begin with what he isn't, Cooper.".
And speaking of tough cookies...
The two criminals turned, for the first time, to the female fox, her shock pistol ready to fire at any second and her side of the white cover forgotten on the ground. A scowl was present on her lips and if you were feeling bold enough to stare at her narrowed eyes, you would notice the flash going across them from time to time.
She had recognized him.
"As you saw not long ago, this crook is no ninja and can hardly be considered a 'civilian'." Carmelita explained the latter fact with some frustration, feeling suddenly foolish for having even considered such a thing. "The authorities of Angola, Hong Kong and Brasil have been trying to hunt him down for the last three years after he robbed some of the most powerful and influential people of the world!" she proceeded as her gaze concentrated only on the culprit's white pseudo eyes.
"He is No One, the demon thief."
...
I got my script fixed so I'm not going to tell you anything.
THUD!
But I can inform you that that sound was the rest of the white cover hitting the ground.
"...No One? You're saying this guy here..." the blue-clad mammal emphasized by pointing both free arms towards his general direction. "... is the thief that, according to rumours, single-handedly fought and took out 100 alligator guards during a hei-".
"Actually, they were just 13 and I might have cheated a bit, so I understand your dou-".
"SILENCE, YOU TWO!".
"Yes, ma'am..." they replied at the same time the infuriated vixen, their full attention once more on her.
"Now, get your furry tails down there before I shoot your heads in the next ten seconds!" she extended the order with a vicious snarl. At least you could tell she flossed.
"Yes, ma'am..." Inspector Fox heard automatically while getting down in silence from her scaffolding, the criminals never leaving her or her pistol's sight. No One (finally there's a name to use) flicked the same previously used switch on the grappling gun's side, except this time on the opposite direction, this way allowing it to unwind its rope at a quick, yet stable, pace. When he got his feet on the floor, a small button was pressed and the hook released its grip on the museum's ceiling. While it was free falling, its attached rope was being collected to the device's inner deposit, producing a metallic noise once the hook hit the gun's muzzle.
The black figure closed and opened his hands a couple of times to regain some feeling in them before rolling his shoulders for the same purpose. Then he eyed the black weapon still on his possession with some sadness expressed through his white orbs, a heavy sigh going through the black cloth covering his mouth. "It's over...".
"What did you say?" Carmelita inquired in a more calm state as her ears perked to listen better to the whispering young man. The raccoon didn't have to try that much for, after skillfully descending his scaffolding and getting closer to other two by the woman's command, he was simply 4 feet from the fully clothed person on his right.
"I said..." No One began before placing the grappling hook gun on the floor in front of his boots. "... it's over. I've been caught while I was leaving from a theft, so it doesn't matter what I say or do, since I'm obviously guilty.". He raised his hands in the air in an act of surrender. "You've won fair and square, Inspector. Congratulations.".
To claim that these couple of words surprised the vixen would be the understatement of the century.
Her eyes were wide like saucers, the mouth ajar, and her eyebrows had raised to such an extent that they hid behind her bangs. Even her pistol had lowered a little. This result, of course, was planned by the deceiving thief who deduced that, since the Interpol agent was a woman, she wasn't always taken seriously by her peers or the criminals (except for the master thief, apparently) when it came to her job. The media didn't give much of a help, not with those questionable headlines they make about the vixen's achievements. Anyhow, it's a sad truth in our society which was just proven by how taken back she was.
Step two completed.
H-he was turning himself in? Just like that?... No, it couldn't be. Far too suspicious. It's a trap, she persisted in her mind. He was trying to distract her, catch her off guard. But it wouldn't work because, unfortunately for him, it took a lot more than this to do so. Years chasing the flirtiest thief she had ever been assigned to in her entire career taught her to expect the unexpected. To beat the enemy one must think like them and predict their next move before they execute it.
Carmelita returned to her previous stance with a renovated and determined look on her face.
"Nice try, it's a pity your confession didn't work though. I know you're up to something..." she stated as a confident grin grew with each word.
Sly, from his perspective, wasn't so sure. He was clearly confused about the new turn of events, mainly what was the other thief planning. No One had been longer in active thievery than he did (for how long exactly nobody knew) and the former's reputation only kept growing after what happened last year. Obviously, he wasn't going to throw everything away so easily. Then again, neither he nor the lawful woman could read the masked criminal from beyond his pseudo eyes, which concealed his true intentions... and the reason why he was at the museum in the first place.
Time to be a good boy and listen quietly, he concluded whilst he too raised his hands in defeat.
The gesture was only acknowledged by the Inspector who gave him a quick glance before turning to the abrupt sound coming from the floor.
It was the grappling gun sliding towards the fox's feet.
"There... You need proof besides my words, so I present you my baby girl. But, please, be gentle. She hasn't taken a nap yet." the black figure informed, his orbs expressing an abnormal concern.
Instead of granting reassurance like it was intended, Carmelita only grew more restless as her whole body tensed. Should she just pick it up? Would he come up with another surprise?... Nevertheless, there was no other option.
And so, with the shock pistol hardly moving, she lowered herself, grabbed the cursed object and attached it to her belt when she was standing once more. No One hadn't moved at all, not even a flinch or twitch was seen, his posture in full attention and, at the same time, almost eerily calm. The other one however...
"You've been awfully quiet, ringtail. If I didn't know you any better, I would say you've lost your tongue.".
The reaction was instantaneous.
"Oh, I truly appreciate your concern for my well-being, Inspector Fox, but I was just trying to be polite by not interrupting your conversation. Additionally, I've been pondering questions of my own regarding... him." the raccoon indicated with his head.
The vixen raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Sure, Cooper had the tendency to fool around when it came to their chases, however, if the situation involved anything of his interest, he wouldn't hesitate in taking the lead. Not to mention, whatever had signs of his gang's presence, it normally had connections to something or someone illegal and threatening to the public safety.
What called a thief, called a cop.
"What do you want to know?" she finally asked in a cautious tone.
"Let's start with what gave him away. I should had been the one recognizing him, since we share the same line of business, yet you beat me to it. How?".
"The alligators.".
Sly and Carmelita turned to the culprit of their doubts in a blink of an eye, completely unprepared to be clarified so openly by him of all people.
"It was them, wasn't it? Up until Hong Kong, I've done my best to not be seen, much less photographed, by anyone. That's why the authorities haven't caught me... until now." he paused to send a glance to the Inspector, which somehow wasn't hostile, simply sad. "But, as it goes with any plan, mine wasn't safe from the unpredictable and I was left with no alternative other than facing the security unit. They were too many, though, so I decided to scare them a teeny-tiny bit first." he ended with his index and thumb almost touching each other.
Anger made its triumphal return to the woman's face. "Just a bit? Those guards had to receive therapy for half a year because they thought a white-eyed demon was going to attack them during the night!" was her shout of indignation.
"Like I said, not safe from the unpredictable." No One shrugged showing no remorse which made the Interpol agent fume and boil even more.
"So you knew who he was by his.. 'eyes' alone?... Have you been shooting other criminals behind my back, Inspector?" the master thief joked.
"Don't be ridiculous." she hissed between gritted teeth towards both questions. "According to the report the Interpol received, some of the witnesses saw something else shinning in the dark just below the demon orbs. It was rectangular shaped and probably metallic... like a zipper's slider. All I had to do was connect the dots while you ladies were busy befriending each other.".
That pretty much says everything.
The blue-clad thief nodded, showing he understood the whole explanation. "I see... Then there's only one more thing I want to know." he announced before he turned to the figure on his right.
"What did you steal?".
No One flinched in a way that resembled a child being caught doing something naughty, tail flickering rapidly from side to side and the like. It was the sign, albeit subtle, that he was hoping this subject would go untouched. Rather bizarre for someone who would have to face it, sooner or later, since he had turned himself in moments ago. And yet that was enough to make the demon thief's 'mask' fall in front of their eyes.
Carmelita extended an open palm on his direction.
"Give it to me."
But the criminal hesitated.
"If you're trying to come up with one of those fancy excuses of yours, stop right now. My patience has a limit and this charade has gone far too long. Therefore..." she moved her gloved fingers expectantly. "... hand it over.".
Seconds passed and the tension in the air thickened constantly, reaching a level where a simple step or sudden move could ignite (as a lightened match in a gas chamber) an explosion.
A shock bolts kind of explosion.
"Fine..." No One sighed in resignation whilst his white orbs went back to their half-moon state. Fully ignoring the anxious eyes observing his every movement, he grabbed a side of his jacket with a hand and dug inside it with the other. It seemed the black figure had a lot of stuff in there, because he was clearly struggling to get the stolen object. Sly imagined a tongue sticking out from frustration, if he could see the young man's face, and the Interpol agent chastised herself for not having checked him for more potential weapons. "Here it is...".
It was a small cardboard box.
"I'm going to throw it, so you better catch it, okay?" the deceiver warned before he took action.
The Latin found nothing out of ordinary about the box once it landed on her palm. The package couldn't be bigger than a Rubik cube and was sealed with some duck tape. What was important enough for such a wanted thief to give himself the risk? Was this little thing what he was truly after? There was obvious reluctance from his part...
"What's in it?" she inquired with her piercing eyes.
"A jewel. A very ancient and expensive one at that. Can I see it to make sure it didn't bre-".
BLAST!
BANG!
"Don't you dare take another step!" the vixen threatened after she shot the ground not far from his boots, producing a hole in the white cover.
The bristled furry tail was all she needed as a reply.
"You, Cooper, get here and open this for me. If you try anything funny, the next victim won't be the floor.". Carmelita didn't like this kind of predicament, but she couldn't hold her gun and open the box at the same time. Besides, she had too little about No One's tricks, other than pretty words and torturing that is.
Sly gulped as a bead of sweat fell on his temple. This woman never bluffed, experience had proven him that to last a lifetime. "I wouldn't dream of it, Inspector Fox." he added a nervous chuckle before he moved to respect her command.
While the raccoon took the box and delicately removed its duck tape, the agent kept alternating her attention between the close robber and the more distant one, who had his arms raised for the second time. With the top tape free, he let the sticky piece fall to the floor and flipped the side flaps to reveal the package's content.
There was no jewel inside.
BOOM!
Just a smoke bomb.
Coughing was the first sound of life that emerged from the expanding grey cloud, who it belonged to it still wasn't visible. A minute or so flew by and the smoke started to clear at a quick rhythm. The female fox took advantage of it and fervently searched for the two criminals.
They were gone.
And so was the grappling hook gun.
Her shoulders shook in pure rage before she unleashed a mighty scream profaning the black-clad thief's name.
A mocking laugh echoed through out the museum's halls in response.
Mission accomplished.
Again.
"Hahaha... I can't believe that actually worked! Ha!".
As you may have already deduced, the person rejoicing in relief across the corridors (far away from the crime scene) was no other than No One. Now with his gun back and properly zipped jacket, he was looking for the particular air vent that would lead him to a safe exit. Understandably, there were some guards patrolling the part of the building where the vent was located, proving an obstacle to his goal.
"Not a problem. Compared to the nightmare I just had, this is a piece of cake." he whispered while peeking around a corner for any trouble.
"Do you always talk to yourself?".
With a mixture of shock and surprise, the fugitive twirled around in full alert to the voice's source, fists raised in a fighting stance and white orbs narrowed threateningly. Realization of who it was made his 'eyes' widen for a couple of seconds, only to have them return to their dangerous shape later on.
"Sly Cooper... How reckless of me to think I had lost you back there." he said in a strangely serious tone.
The master thief was standing with his cane leaning on his shoulder, a hand on his hip and a smug smile openly present from having startled the mysterious figure. He too hadn't expected the tiny box to, literally, blow up on his face, but after having breathed the smoke a couple of times and noticing it wasn't poisonous, he found it harmless enough to leave the vixen behind and follow the fleeing young man.
...
What he wanted from him exactly?
We might find out soon.
"Come on! Don't be so hard on yourself. Remember? No one is perfect." the mammal teased with his classic play on words.
However, unlike the previous times, No One didn't counter back with equal humor, the pun passing by completely ignored. He wasn't in the mood for jokes. "If you came after that jewel, forget it. It don't have it. And whatever it is that I do have with me, it won't interest you... nor will I let you get it." he informed him straightforwardly while his voice lowered similar to a warning.
"I'm not after any treasures... tonight." Sly finished whilst smirking to himself. Then, out of the blue, his demeanor turned uncharacteristically grave as his lips formed a thin line, the eyebrows furrowed and both hands fell to his sides (one of then still holding his weapon). "I'm looking for answers.".
Despite the small comfort he felt when there was no demand for what he carried, the black-dressed acquaintance felt distrust inflating in his gut, which he didn't bother to hide from the raccoon. "I already gave them, remember? I don't know why you want to turn this into '20 Questions' all of a sudden.".
"The Inspector was there and I don't want her involved. Besides, it's not that many, just one. After that, I won't bother you anymore. You have my word as a Cooper." he promised with a raised hand.
Oooooh, the Cooper line, that's right... No One thought about the memory. If the gossip in the Underworld was correct, those that belonged to the famous thieving family carried their name very carefully, for the original legacy dated many centuries back and they didn't want to be responsible for tainting their ancestors' heritage. Sly was the only known descendent and, so far, he had been able to restore their former glory, no shame in admitting it.
"Very well... " he began before lowering his fists and taking a more comfortable posture. "5 minutes.".
Satisfied, the blue-clad thief proceeded: "Tell me, and be honest, are you working for the Klaww Gang?".
No One's white orbs automatically grew to their full-moon shape.
Uh-Oh... Wrong question, kid! Wrong question!
"Klaww Gang... you think I work... for them?" came out rhetorically as he started to move towards the mammal. "Th-those extremely poor excuses of living creatures whose only purpose is to milk money from other people no matter what the cost? Even if it means exploiting addicts, destroying proprieties, wrecking families and... murdering innocents?!" he continued in a contained shout, revulsion and rage spilling from every word. At this point, his face had gotten truly close to the master thief's, so much their chests almost touched and the latter could see the former's goggles under the hood.
Sly had to suppress a shiver. That hatred plus the reflecting glass on the round goggles had brought pieces from his past that he would rather keep buried. He didn't doubt anymore, though, the feelings were too real to be feigned.
"Alright, I believe you. I'm sorry for even implying it." he stated firmly without ever breaking eye contact or moving at all.
"Damnrightyouare..." the black fugitive mumbled as he backed off from the other's personal space and crossed his arms. The pseudo 'eyes' still had to leave his form, thus the extended hand the raccoon offered, after a moment of silence, couldn't be dismissed.
"So, we cool?" he hoped in his playful self at the same time he offered a genuine smile.
Neither a smirk nor a smug grin.
A simple smile.
And it suited him. Darn...
Silently, No One uncrossed his arms, sighed profoundly and, only then, shook the thief's right hand. He was wiling to offer some trust to this unique young man, although still under his watchful 'eye'. Cooper was labeled as a robber with morality, no matter how contradictory it sounded, and until now the little he had heard about him has been correct. Let's just hope I won't regret this...
"Yeah, yeah... We cool.".
Noticing the older criminal's orbs shift into half-moons and his calmer voice tone, Sly's smile doubled in size, much to the other one's dismay. He opened his mouth to say something...
"...Sly? Sly, are you there?".
... but was rudely interrupted.
The grey creature broke the handshake and asked his pseudo ally to wait before he placed two fingers on his ear.
"I've got to give it to you, Bentley, your timing has yet to disappoint me.".
"Sly! By Leonardo's beard, what happened? Murray and I have been waiting for almost an hour and we can't even spot your tail!".
"Sorry about that, guys." he chuckled sheepishly. "Things just got a little more complicated since someone decided to fall between me and Carm-Imean, Inspector Fox." the master thief caught himself as his new acquaintance rolled his 'eyes' to the hidden reference.
"Hm...Who is it?" the turtle hesitated with wariness.
"You're not going to believe this, but I have No One right in front of me.".
"...Did you really just give me a near heart attack to tell a bad joke? Seriously, after all th-".
"No,no,no. This isn't a joke." the mammal assured his companion as the one he had tried to announce snorted in amusement. "It's the No One, you know, the guy that stole under that anaconda's nose back in Brasil?
"Oh... OH! OHMYEINSTEIN, Sly, are you okay?! He didn't do anything? Is he a threat?!".
Shaking his head good-naturally, the raccoon continued. "Yes, mom, I'm fine. No, he didn't. And yes, he could be but, for the time being, he isn't." he paused to look at the person in question, who had an orb smaller than the other resembling a cartoon character raising an eyebrow. "To prove me so, he even volunteered himself to guide me out of the museum.".
"WHAT?!" was the mutual answer of both the reptile and the demon thief, to which Sly had to cover his ears. "I never agreed to that! Did we make a deal in the first place? No, we didn't, Mister Cooper, because the only thing I remember is your promise of never bothering me again!" the hooded creature commented in indignation.
"But I don't know where the closest exit is! And before you say something like 'you should had studied the building plans',..." the mammal mimicked Bentley's voice. "..., in my defence, I did. What puzzles me is the fact that some walls have disappeared and others have been moved." reasoned the exasperated master thief.
"You can thank the workers and the robbery from last night for that.".
"See? You're perfect for the job! So, please, please, please, help me out..." he pleaded with his hands grabbing each other, a trembling lower lip and... oh no...
... big and round puppy eyes.
No One released a tired groan as his gloved hand went inside the hood to scratch his neck. What has he gotten himself into? It's true that he had decided to give the guy some credit but... so soon? How can this fool behave so casually with a stranger after having been tricked by him? He bet he would just follow him around, whether he helped him or not. And I thought I was confusing...
"I honestly can't tell who's crazier: the idiot that, for some reason, trusts me enough to take him out of here or the bigger idiot that's actually agreeing to do so.".
Lighting-up like a kid on Christmas Day proved to be one of the blue-clad thief's many talents.
"Personally, I would bet my money on the first one. And as for the reason you want to know, let's just say meeting someone that doesn't attack me on sight deserves a big plus on my book." he responded in his frisky attitude.
"... Point taken."
"Are you really sure about this, Sly? I don't like where this idea is going... and neither does Murray's belly... don't ask." the turtle returned to the communicator after hearing the entire exchange.
"Absolutely. You guys stay hidden from the police and try to not waste too much gas. I won't take long. Sitting Duck, out." Sly confirmed with all seriousness.
It was quiet for a couple of seconds before a sigh was heard due to the ear piece.
"Okay... Take care. Wizard, out.".
When the raccoon turned back to his guide, the latter was waiting with his arms crossed and his head was crooked to the side.
"Cute code name." No One teased.
"Why, thank you, that's very nice. Now..." the young man stopped to join his palms in a praying position. "... where to, sensei?" he finished while bowing his upper body.
The result was the black figure's 'eyes' turning into half-circles and he walking ahead (somewhat annoyed, mind you) around the corner towards their destination. The 'student' was never far.
"You're not going to let go the whole 'me being a ninja' thing, are you?".
"Not after you pulled that smoke bomb.".
The Ancient Greece wing.
Pottery, sculptures, currency, weaponry, paintings and other artifacts filled the many salons and corridors this segment of the museum possessed. The themes they expressed ranged from the humble mediterranean agriculture to the mighty domain of the Olympian gods. Each piece could tell us a story of its own, one that survived the thousands of years they have been in existence to reach the future generations and prevent the once great Greek Empire to be forgotten.
BAM!
So much for a History lesson...
"It's all clear, we can get out."
THUD!
THUD!
Two crouched figures in the shadows rose to their feet after having dropped from the then opened air vent. All I have to say is that they were a raccoon and somebody dressed from head to toe in black.
Sly whistled in a low note.
"I must say, my friend. You're stronger than what I thought. Seriously, look at this..." he stared at the vent's weakened lid. "... it's almost falling from its hinges and you even dented it a little.".
"That's because the ventilation system is very old and they have yet to replace the lids with new ones. It's not like I'm Superman or something." the dark fugitive explained unpassionately as he headed to the left, posture ready to spring at any surprise. "And I'm not your friend.".
The mammal found no trouble in catching up with him. "You've done your homework, good. No need to be a killjoy, though.".
"I may be a killjoy but at least I don't put my faith on people I barely know so easily." the other one criticized without turning to the master thief.
"I know that you're not a bad guy."
No One froze abruptly on his tracks at the statement.
"...You... you really think so?".
Surprise filled the grey creature, clearly taken back by the dejected voice.
"Well... yes, of course." he confirmed as he got in front of the strange young man. Only two thin white lines were visible from his orbs, for he was staring at the floor rather solemnly, and his ears were dropped in equal fashion. He wasn't pretending and Mr. Ringtail couldn't be more buffled at this development. "You don't think the same?".
Shoulders rose and fell as the demon thief took a deep breath through his nose.
"It's not that... I don't believe so, it's more lik-" he cut himself once he looked up and saw the emotions swimming on the raccoon's brown eyes. Was that...concern... for him? Good Lord, I have go get out of here... "Forget it, Cooper, it's not something for you to worry about." he continued after clearing his throat. Loudly. "Except, maybe, that spider web on your hat.".
"OhJeez!" Sly shrieked as he grabbed the accessory with his free hand and waved it in the air in hopes of cleaning it. "I hate it when that happens. Why didn't you warn me sooner?" he wondered as he put the webless hat back on his head.
A gasp of dramatic shock escaped the black figure before he walked around the accuser. "Are you implying that moi deliberately executed such a disgraceful act?".
"Yup."
"Oh! Heavens above, what has the world come to?" the improvising actor pledged to the ceiling (with a gloved hand on his forehead, essential for tragedies) at the same time he disappeared around the corner just some feet away.
After rolling his eyes to the evident attempt of changing subjects, the raccoon took the same course the other thief did while a betraying smile grew on his face. "I think you need to check your card deck, not-my-friend. You've already used that trick and it won't work twice. Anyway, are we far from the... " he trailed off the moment he turned the corner and saw what they were looking for right before him.
"The exit?" No One completed with a tail flicking in satisfaction, being up to now outside in a large balcony that happened to have a street just below. "Do not fret, princess, for you are officially free.".
Chuckling all the way, the mammal got quickly to the odd ball's side. "You weren't kidding when you said we were close.".
"Pffft, yeah right. I never fool around during my mission. Even if I am forced to do favors that may delay it since a certain someone doesn't keep their promises." the one labelled as a demon added with a sore expression.
"But how can I be a bother when I'm such a joy to be with?" the master thief defended smoothly once he put aside his curiosity over said 'mission'. "And I think you agree, otherwise why did you stop being so mean to me like you were half an hour ago?".
"Currently, I tolerate you. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Well... I guess for a beginning that's good enough. So I'll take it."
BUMP!
In agitation, both criminals span to the noise, which resembled one accidentally colliding with a vase.
It was Inspector Carmelita Fox.
"JUMP!"
BANG!
BLAST!
"Aaaargh!" was the blue-clad young man's grunt of agony after getting hit by a shock bolt when he was on the middle of a back flip. His body fell heavily on the balcony's floor and, due to the momentum from the effort of avoiding the blow, he skidded a bit on his back before halting completely, his hand still holding the beloved cane.
"SLY!" called the other young man who remained unscathed thanks to having front flipped to the side, opposite to the mammal's direction. He could only watch as the latter tried to get up using his elbows but the insufferable pain forced him to slump back unceremoniously on his left side. Though his new position made the two present people face his back, the injury was finally in full view for them to see.
An alarming looking burn occupying half of his right side.
No... please, God, not this... No One begged by slightly shaking his head in denial as time seemed to freeze at the speed the thoughts plagued his mind. Why? Whywhywhywhywhy is it always him? What had he done wrong? Was this a way to test him? To see if he was going to let the same happen like... in that one time?
His white orbs suddenly narrowed in mix of resolution and determination.
No, it wouldn't be like that one time.
"HEY, Miss Cop!".
Carmelita rotated her head to her right, the first movement since shooting the raccoon. Her eyes were wide in such a way they gave the impression they were getting off their sockets. Even their pupils had shrunk frightfully. The woman's hands twitched occasionally which loosed their grip on the crime weapon.
She was drowning in guilt.
"Do you feel better now? Did you really have to hurt him?" the angered thief inquired with a restless tail whilst moving towards the mammal cursing at another failed try at rising to his feet. "Look at him! Look at what you've done!" he indicated through his hand.
"But... but I never set it in this mode... I-I only stun... I-I..." the Interpol agent stammered, gaze on the pistol shaking on her hand. "...I don't understand..." she confessed truly confused. Inspector Fox would solely hurt a criminal in a hand-to-hand situation, if it so required, and the damage would never be permanent. She believed doing the contrary meant one lowering themselves to the crooks' level, thus her choice in only stunning them and using the other modes to destroy lifeless obstacles.
The Latin's sincerity was not ignored by the hooded figure.
"Maybe it's because you've gone blind. The world it's not as black and white as you think." he proposed when he stopped just a couple of feet from the curled grey creature. "Here, let me illuminate you.".
BANG!
A blinding white explosion erupted from the balcony after No One had thrown a flash bomb between him and the red woman. She practically howled the moment she felt her eyes stung, vision temporarily missing for the next couple of minutes. The demon thief wasn't affected thanks to his goggles and he wasn't going to allow such an opportunity go to waste once he reached his target. So, as fast as Sly's wound could handle, he put one of his arms around the covered neck and helped him stand up. With one of his own arms around the raccoon's shoulders for stability, they slowly walked to the balcony's near by stone railing and got on top of it. The poor guy simply kept hissing in pain.
"It's going to be okay, Sly. We're almost there." the rescuer assured as he released his right hand (the one which was holding the mammal's arm around his neck) to fish out his grappling hook gun. After properly securing the hook on the railing and tightening his grip on the young man, he asked the latter to hang on him, which he obeyed in a groggy state once he had his cane in his back. A jump and a flick of a switch later, the two were descending safely to the street's sidewalk. "Where's your meeting point?" the older thief asked when they felt the ground once more.
"Over... there." was his answer, along with a gloved finger pointing to an alley on the other side of the road and deep exhausted breaths.
"Alright, I assume it's not far, but we've got to get there fast so..." No One paused to put both of the injured's arms circulating his neck, turn his back to him and lower himself. "... you're going to need a ride.".
Understanding what he meant, the raccoon leaned chest-first on the black figure's back, always mindful of the pain, and let him grab his legs for a piggy-back ride.
"Please... don't tell me I'm... heavy.".
"I'm sorry but you are." the rescuer finished with a grunt as he got clumsily to his full height. "However, if it serves of any consolation, I can handle it... somehow.".
Crossing the street proved to be easy, for at that time of the night there were, fortunately, no cars. Once they were halfway to the alley, blaring sirens polluted the silent and peaceful night as numerous police cars chased a passing by blue van with flames painted on its front and the Sly Cooper symbol on its side.
Aren't they the very epitome of subtlety?
"Okay, we are at the alley, now what?" the hooded figure asked the grey mess looking over his shoulder.
"Go... right." he instructed weakly.
Fighting the sickening smell of burned flesh and the tiredness invading his legs, No One worked his way through the narrow cobbled paths thanks to Sly's guidance. Just when the carrier thought they were lost, they ended up in a dead end where the Cooper van was just arriving with its back doors opened.
A turtle was waiting in the vehicle's back.
"SLY! HolyArquimedes, what happened?" he exclaimed as the stranger approached him with his wounded friend. "You! Who are you and what did you do to him?" Bentley accused in pure hatred.
The demon thief paid him no mind, though, and rapidly climbed inside to gently lay down the other thief who was now struggling to remain conscious. "It's a long story but the short version is that he got shot by that vixen-".
"Carmelita shot Sly?!" the pink hippo shouted with shock as he looked at the group from the driver's seat. "But she never burns him!"
"Yeah, that's how she reacted too." the dark rescuer replied Murray, who only then did he notice. "So it's likely that her pistol was sabotaged or something along those lines." he continued as he started to get up since he believed the injured was safely settled.
The mammal grabbed one of his wrists.
"Wait, No One,... the police... they are too... many, let us... help you...".
"Help who?!" the reptilian momentarily paused his examination on the burn. "No One?! Have you gone mad, Sly? How can we take him to the hideout? We don't even know him!".
"... I trust... him...".
"And look what you got in return!"
The raccoon raised his head to his partner, hat almost falling off, cold sweat wetting his fur on some spots and his shirt missing a chuck. "Bentley... please...".
Said turtle put on a torn expression as his glasses drifted from a childhood friend to the other, both anxious for his decision. His hardened gaze then landed on the questioned hero of the day whose 'eyes' were two white full moons still amazed with the proposal the suffering young man had made. There's no alternative, Sly needs urgent treatment and the cops are coming back... it'll have to do...
"Fine! He can come with us." he sighed in defeat as he adjusted his glasses. "No One, close the doors and, Murray, step on it, let's get out of here!" the brainiac gave the orders firmly before the addressed people executed them without hesitation.
Banging of metallic doors, screeching of tires and blasting of nearing police sirens all played at the same time in an unusual symphony.
But none of them sounded louder than the far away screaming fox.
Gosh, the drama in this one killed me.
Just a warning: my updates can be rrrreeeaaalllyyy slow, like, months kind of slow, but it doesn't mean I have abandoned the story.
Quick question. Longer or shorter chapters? Shorter ones take less time for an update.
Review or message, if you please. Tell me your constructive opinion! Forgive me for any spelling/grammar mistake you may find.
See you next time!