A/N: Me: *is half asleep next to Sly* Hi guys! Happy New Year! Anyways, it's almost midnight here and Sly is already asleep so I'll cut to the chase. I DO NOT own the Sly Cooper Series. I only own my OC Erica! Thank you all who commented! I like comments! As always a bucket of water has been set aside for the Flamers! *screams out* THIS IS ALSO NOT AN INCEST STORY! *covers her mouth as Sly stirs but relaxes when he doesn't wake* Sorry. Thought I would point that out. I'm going to sleep now so good night!

*Falls asleep*

III: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Turning Japanese-Part Two

~Rioichi's POV~
I sat on the top of one of the chairs in the hide out my heir and his friends had. Sly-san was helping Murray-san with adjustments with the weird devise called a Van. Bentley-san was researching anything and everything that would help with restaurant. As for the only woman in the group, Erica-chan was sitting by a fire pit, sewing up a hole that she found in my outfit.

The Female Coon was a strange one. She had yet to inform me of how she became involved in my heirs gang. She also had a strange aura about her. "Here you are Rioichi-sempi. All mended and ready for action." I smile and bowed taking the mended clothes. "Thank you Erica-chan." She smiled and inclined her head but then the smile faded. "Rioichi-sempi, do you know of a place we could talk without anyone interrupting? I think I should explain who I am and all that's happened to me." I thought for a minute before answering. "There is a small gazebo on the edge of the river outside the village." She nodded and asked me to lead the way.

After she informed Bentley-san we were going to, we both snuck out of the village and to the gazebo. Sitting down on the seat there, she sighed. "First things first. I'm going to show you what the Skunk that hired El Jefe to capture you did to me." She closed her eyes seeming to concentrate on something. Suddenly her tail disappeared, her fur turned to pale skin, her nose shrunk and her ears became smaller and disappeared on the side of her head behind her hair.

Opening her eyes, she blinked a bit before digging into her pocket and pulling out a pair of glasses and putting them on. Pushing them up her nose a bit, she winced as if in pain. "This is what I really look like. Le Paradox, who hired El Jefe to go after you, kidnapped me. I refused to help him, but the damage was done. He gave me the DNA of a Raccoon from this world that wasn't a Cooper. He made me half Coon in hopes of getting ahold of the Thievius Raccoonus. That was his whole reason for going to my home world and finding the match for the DNA."

I blinked. I was, for the first time, alarmed but showed no expression. She turned her head away from me her fists clenched in her lap. "I knew it. I shouldn't have told you. Though your face is blank, I can see your true feelings in your eyes." I gasped in shock that she could tell what I was really thinking. Then I realized she was crying. I grabbed her hands and wiped away her tears.

"Do not cry child. I am shocked that you would reveal this to me, and I do not doubt that you will tell the other ancestors you meet. I have never met a human before but there are Legends and Tales of humans even here. It is an honor to meet one." She stared at me wide eyed before giving a watery smile. "You have no idea what that means to me Cooper-Sempi."

After that she wiped her tears and told the rest of her story. I was proud how she honored the Cooper name though she is not one by blood, DNA or otherwise. She told me then of the heist that led to her being found by Sly. I growled when she mentioned what that Beowulf was suggesting to do to her at the party in the Museum but snickered when she told me how the Ninja Spire Jump was key to helping her retrieve her deceased friends jewels, and keep her tail fur from being singed.

Her face suddenly became serious. "There's one more thing I need to tell you about Cooper-Sempi." I shook my head. "You can call me Rioichi, Erica-chan." She smiled. "Sorry, I was taught to respect my Elders Sem- I mean Rioichi-san.' She bit her lip. 'Anyway, from what I know of Cooper history, almost every Cooper is killed by a creature known as Clockwerk. He is an Owl that was able to make his entire body into a machine, making him immortal in the way, just so he could wipe out the Cooper Clan permanently. Sly defeated him permanently in his time but that doesn't mean he's not here in the past." She looked down.

I sat next to her and lifted her chin with my hand. "What is it about this Clockwerk that I need to know?" I asked.

She looked at me sadly. "Just to look out for him. If he kills you before you make a family..." She ended it there but I could tell what she was going to finish with. 'Sly would disappear and the Cooper Clan will cease to exist.' I nodded and said in all seriousness. "I will take your advice. I will make sure to keep an eye out. On my word and Honor as a Ninja Master, I will not die before my time."

Suddenly, Bentley-san's voice came from our Binnocucoms and said, "Erica, it's time to get Rioichi his restaurant back! Both of you get into position!" She nods before standing and stretching. "Let's go!" When we met up with Sly-san on a roof near my Sushi Restaurant, I silently mourned at how deserted and empty it looked. Bentley-san called us again and we lifted our Binnocucoms to see Sly-san and Bentley-san as well as ourselves on the screens.

It's amazing the technology they had in the future!

"Okay Sly, Erica, it's time for Rioichi to reclaim his sushi restaurant. It looks like the front door is the only entrance. We need to get rid of that guard if we're going to get Rioichi inside. However, security is on high alert since we broke him out of jail and we can't risk raising an alarm I think this one is going to require some... misdirection."

Sly raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I bet if you wore that Samurai armor you stole, you'd be able to "relieve" that guard at the front door." he explained.

Sly nodded smirking and running a hand through the fur under his hat. "Right... plus I just look good in armor."

Erica rolled her eyes and groaned with Bentley. "Puh-lease..." Erica continued while Bentley placed his head in his hands, "Like I said: Cocky Cooper."

I chuckled before turning to look at the guards. El Jefe walked up to them and the guard saluted. The Tiger took the cigar out of his mouth and said, "No one gets in or out, understand?! I don't want any more problems!" With that said he walked off.

We looked over at Sly who nodded and put his armor on. However Erica contacted Bentley, Sly and I listening. "I just remembered, Bentley I need to finish that mission you asked me to do real quick. I guess I was just so nervous about telling Rioichi my past that I forgot."

Bentley nodded. "Then go ahead and finish it Erica. I'll let you off easy this time. Expect some punishment if it happens again." Her eyes widened as she nodded fearcely, then Bentley cut the connection between the three of us and him.

"Erica, what did you forget to do that could call for punishment from Bentley?" Sly asked.

"Something that will help us later. I gotta get going." She bowed to me before kissing Sly-san's cheek and running back towards the hideout. I looked over at my heir to see the fur on his cheeks had turned red. I chuckled and Sly shook his head and scowled at me. "Shut up. She knows I have someone waiting form me back in Paris." I raised an eyebrow at his disrespect. Seeing this, he winced and muttered an apology.

He jumped down to the ground before putting on his helmet. Marching up to the guards as they saluted him, he said, "Dismissed!" The two saluted him again before marching off while Sly-san stood in front of the gate. When he double checked to make sure no guards were nearby, he knocked three times on his shield. I jumped from my hiding spot and used Sly-san's shield as a springboard up to an open window above the door.

Waving in thanks I entered the building. Landing on the ground near the front door, I looked around quickly for guards. Seeing none, I pulled up the hood of my outfit before turning to the large welcome mat by the front door. I crossed my arms looking at it for a minute. It was brown with golden boarder. At the center was a picture of me in a golden ring, with golden sushi knifes crisscrossing on either side.

Nothing seemed out of place so I bent down, lifted the lower right hand corner of the rug and pulled out my Bamboo cane from the cane indention in the floor. With a twirl and flick of my wrist, one cane became two and I turned to the main floor of my restaurant. Pulling out the Binnocucom, I contacted Bentley. "Okay Rioichi, I guess I don't need to tell you about your own place. Quite ingenious of you to use your sushi knives as door keys, by the way."

"Bentley-san, I AM a ninja master." I replied.

The turtle scratched his head. "Right, uh... my bad. Anyway, my scan reveals your sushi knives are still here. The bad news is the guards definitely have them. There are also some security traps you've DEFINITELY never seen before."

"Bentley-san, though the bamboo forest is dense, water flows through it without effort."

"Umm, yeah. Just be careful not to alert the guards. Now get those knives and take your restaurant back!" He then ended the connection.

Looking around I could see no way to the first guard and door. 'I was unable to practice my techniques while in that cage. Let me recall the Leaping Dragon technique.' I climbed up a bamboo plant and Spire Jumped onto a lantern. I then focused my energy and directed it to a fan on the other side of room. Releasing the energy, I jumped and landed easily on the fan. Smirking, I focused again and leaped to the roof of the gazebo where I use some of my ninja skills to make sushi in front of guests.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~
~Meanwhile with Erica~
I was sewing as fast as I could to finish this outfit for what Bentley had planned for me and Murray later. "Aha! Finished!" I held it up, knowing it would fit the person I made it for perfectly, and smiled. "Bentley, I finished it!"

He turned his wheel chair towards me and smiled. "Great job Erica! That'll do perfectly!" I folded the outfit and placed it aside, before walking over to Bentley and watching Rioichi from the wireless camera Bentley asked me to put on him as I sewed his outfit up. We could see everything he could. It was awesome and a good way to warn him of any danger he might not see. Pressing my lips together I looked at Rioichi as he starts walking along the roof of that gazebo.

I pulled out my PSVita and began to play 'Thieves in Time'. Ironically I was playing as Rioichi doing the same mission. "Tell Rioichi that there should be a spotlight around the corner he has to sneak around." Bentley looked at me before glancing at my Vita before informing Rioichi. "And Rioichi my scan also indicates that the nearby guard has your knife."

I glanced at the computer to see Rioichi nod before I heard him say both in the game and from Bentley's computer, "First, I will reclaim my knives. Then I will show El Jefe this shop cannot be closed!"

I smiled as I gained Rioichi's Carving Knife in the game while said man claimed it in real life. I continued the game. "Bentley, inform Rioichi the hall leading to the next room will have lasers on the floor and the first of two guards will be right at the door."

I quickly followed the Rioichi in real life with the Rioichi in my game. Jumping up and Spire Jumping onto some pipes to a kitchen like part of the second room where fish bones hung on hooks and five pots lay on a non-burning stove. Landing behind the guard there, both Game-Rioichi and the Real Rioichi gained Rioichi's Fillet Knife. I knocked the guy dead in the game before opening the door to the hall.

"Alright Rioichi!' Bentley said. 'One more to go!" "Inform him there are more floor lasers in the hallway as well as moving lasers; three going from side to side from the ceiling and three going up and down from the wall on the left to the wall on the right. The only landings for his Leaping Dragon technique are fragile bonsai trees so tell him to jump fast."

Bentley relayed my message as I came to the final room in the game, the one with at least three guards and a bronze statue of him eating sushi in the middle of the room. As the Rioichi in real life pick pocketed all three guards, I avoided the guards in the game and went straight to the next hall where the lasers activated. "Bentley more floor lasers."

I pickpocketed Rioichi's Cleaver from the guard near the door to the final room as the one in real life also obtained his.

"Okay,' Bentley said. 'Now turn on your restaurant sign to send El Jefe a message." I watched as the real life version nodded and said, "One day, I will bring Greatness to this shop again!" I smiled as the both Game Rioichi and the Real Rioichi pulled the lever to start the furnace that started up the whole restaurant. I cheered, even going so far as to lift Bentley out of his chair and into my arms in a hug which he returned.

Returning to the hideout, I jumped up and hugged the Ninja Cooper congratulating him left and right! I suddenly remember that this was Feudal Japan and he might not be comfortable. I was about to pull away when he returned the hug. "Arigato, Erica-chan."

I smiled back before Bentley cleared his throat. "Rioichi, rest up for a while. Murray and I are going to get some fish for your restaurant." Murray and Bentley left. I looked over at Sly who was leaning back in a wooden chair his feet propped up on the table, hands behind his head. I reached into my bag, "Hey, Sly!" He looked at me as I tossed my PSVita to him which he caught at the cost of almost falling out of his chair.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged. "I said you could play a couple of missions as long as you didn't go past anything you've not done before." He grinned before immediately starting up a new game.

I looked over at Rioichi and decided to ask something. "Rioichi-san? May I ask you a question?" He nodded. "Hai, you may." "Both in this world and the one I come from, when you are mentioned or seen in stories there's always a shark with you. Who was he?"

He became saddened but he pulled off his hood and sat down. I plopped down at his feet looking up at him. "His name was Same which translated into English means shark. When I was a young man, I went on a fishing trip one day and caught a giant, ferocious great white shark. I was about to kill the shark but it pleaded for its life. That is when I noticed a mysterious mark on his chest. It looked a lot like the mark of the Cooper Clan. I spared his life and in return the shark, named Same, swore loyalty to me and served as my mount at war." A proud look came to his face. My eyes widened in awe. "Wow! You two must have been really close and powerful together." He smiled and nodded. "We were victorious together and were graciously rewarded by the Emperor."

But then his face saddened. "As years passed, Same grew too old to fight. He knew of my dreams to begin a sushi house, being the inventor of sushi and all I wanted to share it. He asked me to honorably sacrifice his life and use him to start my sushi restaurant." My eyes widened in shock and even Sly, who had been half listening, almost dropped out of his chair and dropped the PSVita in shock. "He WHAT?!" We both asked. "Exactly my reaction when he asked me. I refused at first, but he kept insisting. I finally agreed though I was very reluctant."

Tears were in his eyes and ours as well. "His funeral was bittersweet in the end; I wept hard for my friend, but I apparently also produced the finest, sweetest, most succulent great white shark sashimi. It was a big hit which led to me building my famous sushi house. This very shop also provides the perfect cover for my thieving exploits.' He smirked wiping the tears away. 'So in the end I owe him everything I have today."

I smiled at him and Sly did as well before returning to his game. I then asked Rioichi if he would help me perfect the Ninja Spire Jump which he agreed. A few hours later Bentley and Murray came back with tons and tons of fish. My jaw dropped at the amount of fish that was stored in the cooler in the Sushi restaurant when we snuck back in with the fish.

That night Bentley gave me a look that said it was time. I bit my lip and packed the outfit I had made earlier in my bag. Together with Rioichi and Murray we headed for the Geisha House, a place I was not comfortable with considering what I knew of Geisha Houses back in the other world.

Reaching the covered bridge near the Geisha House, Rioichi and I pulled out our Binnocucoms and contacted Bentley. "Okay guys, the plan's simple: El Jefe only comes out of the castle to talk to 'Madame Geisha'.' he said using the 'quote-unquote' sign with his hands. 'If we want to know what he tells her, we're going to need her costume. The good news is I discovered she's on vacation, and El Jefe doesn't know it yet. The bad news is it looks like the Geisha House is locked up tight. There's no way to get in from the street. If only you could get to the roof..."

I watched Rioichi smile as he glanced at a rope that led from where we were to the roof of the Geisha House. "Ah, for a ninja there is always a way..."

"Okay..." Bentley said.

"Talk to you inside, Bentley-san." He said smirking. I smiled and followed him as he crossed the rope but froze and stumbled halfway. He quickly caught me, placed me over his back and going over to the Geisha roof. Once there he made me sit down on the tiled roof. "Erica-san, are you alright? What happened?"

I didn't respond but pulled out my Binnocucom and looked towards a wall where a guard house stood. I took a quick picture before turning Rioichi around and pointed. He pulled out his Binnocucom and gasped. "Erica,' he said without the honorifics. 'Is that...?" I nodded. "Clockwerk."

The large Mechanical Bird seemed to once again sense my stare and turned its head to stare at me. It didn't even take a glance at the Ninja Cooper beside me. His shoulders shook again as if he was laughing before he spread his mechanical wings and flew off.

"Holy... I feel faint." I muttered. Rioichi held on to me and pulled me into his arms trying to calm me. "Is everything alright? Rioichi? Erica?" "We are fine Bentley-san. Erica-chan just had a bit of a scare." I heard Rioichi say. I was only staring ahead not seeing anything.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~
~With Sly in the Hideout with Bentley~
I watched through the camera still on Rioichi's clothes. Erica looked like she had more than 'a bit of a scare'. She was shaking like mad. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bentley glace at me before whispering, "Was it Clockwerk?" That word made me freeze, especially when I heard Rioichi answer with, "Hai. It was him. Erica-chan had warned me about him and has already taken a picture."

My mind whirled. I guess I should have known that Clockwerk would be alive if we went to the past. Erica warned Rioichi of him. I was a bit glad for that. I went back to watching the screen.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~
~Back with Erica~
"Perhaps you should return to the hideout Erica-chan." I stood and shook my head fearcely. "Sorry Rioichi-san but I'm not backing out of any mission unless I'm seriously injured." He eyed me for a bit before nodding his head. Finding an open latch and door we jumped down onto the stage of the Geisha house.

When we landed we contacted Bentley again. "Rioichi, it appears that Madame Geisha's outfit is locked inside that large container. Although you'll probably want to stay off the floor in here. No sense alerting the guards."

"Of course.' Rioichi replied. 'Does a cat alert the rats?"

"Uh, right. Ok, we can get in through the top, but judging from the lock mechanism, it appears to be opened remotely. I'm going to need you locate and activate the control devices. It looks like the doorway to the first wing is open. There's bound to be one in there. And a whole load of traps. So be careful."

Rioichi bowed his head. "Arigato, Bentley-san." Putting up his Binnocucom, he looked again at the kimono, shook his head and said, "I do not see how Murray-san will fit into that outfit. Perhaps he is very flexible." I snickered.

He nodded to me before going off while I went back stage to prepare. While Murray, Rioichi and Sly were thinking I was just there to work the music, Bentley and I had come up with a different plan. I pulled out the Kimono in traditional Susohiki style I had made earlier and wrapped it around my body, the left side over the right as traditional. It was blue with silver Cherry Blossoms, Sakuras', all over. A blue and silver obi, sash, tied in a large bow on my upper back. Finished with my outfit, I sat down at a vanity in the back and began to put on the makeup.

You see, Murray stealing Madame Geisha's Kimono was a distraction; I was to do the real work.

"Erica, you almost ready?" I stood having finished applying the makeup to my face (pure white makeup over my face and neck with red lipstick, black charcoal outlining my upper eye and traced over my eyebrows making them stand out, and red eye-shadow on the corners of my eyes with a light blush on my cheeks) before putting my hair in a traditional Japanese bun most Geisha Girls wear. "Hai, Bentley-sama. Is Sly watching? He probably heard us talking about Clockwerk."

"He's brooding."

"What for?" I raised an eyebrow while setting the music ready.

"I don't know, but I can tell he's mostly worried about you."

"It's really weird, Bentley. That monster should have been looking at Rioichi but he didn't even glance at him. He only looked at me, laughed then flew off." I said looking through some boxes.

"Hmm. We'll think about it later. Rioichi is at the terminal. Talk to you later."

"Ok. I have everything I need anyways. Talk to you later and keep the line open so I can hear the reactions of everyone." I said lifting a silver and blue fan and umbrella from a box. I was ready. Looking out from behind the curtain I watched as Rioichi reached the top of the case.

"Target acquired.' Murray said. 'Agent Hawk going in..." He then jumped down to eye level with Rioichi as the cable on attached to his belt held him suspended.

"Uh, Murray-san, please be careful! That cable looks rather delicate..." Rioichi said pointing at the cable with his cane.

Murray looked up at him and said, "Have no fear, The Murray is here!"

Two seconds later, the cable snapped. He was suspended in air for a moment before he fell breaking the case and attracting the attention of the Guards.

Before anyone could say or do anything, Bentley said to everyone. "Okay Erica, you're on. Hope you know what you're doing."

I nodded as stepped out onto the stage, soft music playing in the background. The guards turned their attention to the stage as I walked out with smoke covering the stage floor and the umbrella covering my face. One of the Guards yelled out, "You there! What's going on? Explain yourself!"

I slowly lifted the umbrella and placed the fan over my giggling, smiling mouth. The guards dropped their weapons and their jaws. Murray stood and dusted himself off holding Madame Geisha's outfit on his arm and he gasped when he turned around to see me. I heard him say through the earpiece in my ear, "Sly, Bentley, Rioichi are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

I closed the fan and the umbrella and held the umbrella in front of me with its tip pointed down. I blanked my face not wanting to show any emotion, bowed to the guards and said, "Konnichiwa. I am Madame Geisha's apprentice, Yukiko Fuyuko. Please allow me to sing and dance for you in her place."

I took a deep breath as the music began. It was soft and gentle like the song I was going to sing called 'Sakura'. As the guards drew closer to the stage, I saw Rioichi sit up from where he had crash landed on the floor near the stage. He shook his head and grabbed the edge of the stage. Pulling himself up, he blinked at me before standing up with his eyes wide looking at me. Being as I was in my human form, I began to dance a routine that I learned in my worlds Japan.

"~Sa-ku-ra Sa-ku-ra
Noyama mo sato mo
Mi-watasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka
Asahi ni niou
Sakura, Sakura,
Hana zakari~"

It was going very well. Flowers were being thrown up onto the stage as well as some coins. I turned and saw a guard staring at me. I pulled up my fan and blushed smiling shyly behind it. I danced over to him and brushed his cheek and tusk with my fan. He stiffened before drooping and slowly 'melting' to the floor where he stayed in a love struck daze.

I danced some more and noticed a line of guards directly in front of center stage. The one on my far left had a bag of coins which he kissed before tossing them at my feet. The one next to him had his elbows on the stage and his tongue hanging out. The third flexed his muscles at me and winked when he saw me blush behind my fan. The fourth had a rose in his hand. He held it up for me to see before placing the stem between his teeth like one of those Spanish Salsa Dancers. The Fifth guard had a hand over his heart while he shook his buddy, telling him how beautiful I was. The last person in the line, on the far right, was Rioichi.

He was watching me and through the earpiece I could hear him talking to Sly and Bentley. "Bentley-san, I do not approve much of this plan."

"Neither do I!" Sly said.

"Guys, she was the one who convinced me. She said and I quote: 'I don't want to scar Rioichi with the sight of Murray in a Kimono. No offence to Murray of course. I rather him not embarrasses his pride and honor by forcing him to dress as a woman.' Unquote."

Rioichi then said, "Whatever the case, Erica-chan is doing very well. I find myself enjoying her performance almost as much as the guards."

"Yeah guys!' Murray said. 'I'm backstage right now and even from here I can tell she's good!"

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Murray and mouthed to him with my fan covering my lips from the audience. "Arigato Murray-san."

I danced over to each guard twirling my umbrella behind me and brushing my fan over their cheeks seeming to stun them. Reaching Rioichi, I let my fan bush both his tail and cheek before blowing him a kiss, hiding the fact from the rest of the guards. He blushed while I danced back to center stage and finished the performance.

"~Sa-ku-ra Sa-ku-ra
Yayoi no sora wa
Mi-watasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka
Nioi zo izuru
Izaya Izaya
Mini yukan~"

The music started slowing down and I ended the song by going on my knees and hiding my entire body with my umbrella. There was an explosion of cheers and whistles as I finished and I could tell more flowers and coins were being tossed onto the stage. I peeked out from behind my umbrella when all went quiet to see the guards all staring into space. Rioichi stood in front of one and waved his hand right in front of his face but the guard didn't respond.

He smiled and jumped up onto the stage as I stood, folding my fan and umbrella closed. "Did you enjoy yourself, Cooper Rioichi-Sama?" I asked tilting my head a bit to the side.

He smiled. "Yes, I did. Arigato Erica-chan." We both walked backstage where Murray grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. "Thanks for thinking of my pride, Erica." I smiled. "You are very welcome Murray."

"Let's get back to the hideout.' The hippo then said. 'But I gotta warn you Erica, you're gonna get an earful from Sly." I gulped; somehow I knew I was going to get more than an Earful...

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~
~Time Skip~
"WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?!" I was right... It was more like headache-ful. "Sly, I've done the exact same thing back in my worlds Japan. The Geisha's were helpful and taught me everything so that I could catch the guy who's been kidnapping them." "THIS ISN'T THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY! GEISHA GIRLS THEN AND NOW ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!"

I looked over to the side, seeing Rioichi, Bentley and Murray looking at me with pity. "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, ERICA?" I turned back to the grey-furred Raccoon in front of me. "I was. Then I realized that there is something more terrifying then some Guards hitting on me." "And what's that?" He asked his voice lowering though you could tell by his clenched, trembling fists and his red face he was still mad. "One word: Clockwerk."

The room became almost deadly quiet. "Clockwerk..." Sly muttered. He took off his hat and ran his hand over the fur on top of his head. "Sly, both times I saw him he looked directly at me. He didn't even give Rioichi a glance, and he was standing right beside me!' I looked down. 'He terrifies my, Sly." I whispered.

I felt his arms go around me. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe. If I have to dismantle him again, I'll do it!" I looked up at his face. He was very handsome now that I had a closer look. Those eyes were just mesmerizing. They reminded me of Chocolate and he had a smell about him, the smell of dust after rain. I was so glad I still had that makeup on or he would see me blush. I watched from the corner of my eye as Bentley left to go outside while Rioichi took Murray to the kitchen. Then I remembered what he just said and pulled away from him a bit.

"But you had a Jetpack and Rockets then. And you were fighting over molten Lava that could melt even iron!' He opened his mouth to ask how I knew that when I said, ''Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus'. First Game in the series." He closed his mouth. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, keep forgetting I'm a Video Game Character in your world."

"Sly, I have to admit that I'm also scared for you." He raised an eyebrow. "Me? Why?" "Well, what if Clockwerk finds out you're from the future and that you destroyed him, Hate Chip and all! What if in the future when he kills your family he might remember you and kill you with them!" He smiled at me. "That won't happen Erica." "But what if?"

"It won't. I'll be careful, for your sake." He then kissed my forehead. Now I was REALLY glad for the makeup because the red I was turning put tomato's to shame.

Suddenly, Bentley said to me through the earpiece, "Erica, Come over to the Geisha House. I need you for something."

"Be right there Bentley!' I stepped from Sly's arms. 'Bentley needs me. I'll be back soon." He looked a bit disappointed... but why? "Alright. Just be careful and if El Jefe comes your way, don't confront him and hide." I nodded before heading to where Bentley was.

"I need you to distract El Jefe, grab the blueprints on his back and try to get him to reveal his plans."

I sighed but nodded, walking towards where the Tiger stood at the door. 'Sorry about breaking my promise, Sly.'

"Konnichiwa, Tiger-san." He turned to me and asked, "Who are you?" "I am Madame Geisha's apprentice, Yukiko Fuyuko. Madame has gone to the next village to get some rare fabrics for a new Kimono. May I be of some service to you while she is away?" He looked me up and down a bit before smiling... or smirking. I couldn't tell with that cigar in his lips.

"I do believe you can." He took my hand and kissed it. Seeing the blueprints on his back, I grabbed them and tossed them to Bentley. He gave me a 'thumbs up' and I returned it before looking at El Jefe again. He stood to the side and gave a bow, gesturing for me to enter the Geisha House first. I inclined my head and walked past him into the House, but felt him give my rear a little smack as we entered.

'Oh, boy! Sly will never let me out of his sight after this...'