Hi everyone! Sorry I couldn't finish this by Christmas. I will try to finish by 2018.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Sly Cooper series (which belongs to Sanzaru/Sony) or the Nutcracker. The only thing I really own at this point is student debt.
"Really" cried Bentley in exasperation "You gotta be kidding me" Murray added.
"Not you again" said Carmelita, bristling.
"Yes, it is me. But this time I have ze advantage." Le Paradox smirked. He was especially angry this time as not only had he been defeated by Sly from rewriting time but also Sly had stolen the nutcracker doll from his newest museum. He had planned on using the exhibit as an opportunity to pull a major heist on the people of Paris on Christmas day. It would have helped him recover a large portion of the fortune he had had to spend to bribe his way out of his smell-containing cell in prison.
His so-called "advantage" became clear as an army of rat soldiers (AN: still wearing the same uniforms they wore in the 4th game despite their current setting) surrounded the gang.
To everyone's surprise, Sly and Tennessee started to snicker.
"It makes sense" gasped Sly between bouts of laughter. "Yeah, who else would ya reckon is a perfect Rat King?" Added Tennessee as soon he recovered.
Bentley face-palmed. Carmelita rolled her eyes. Murray looked confused.
Le Paradox was livid. "You think zis is funny?" the villainous skunk snarled. "You just keep laughing as zis time, I have ze last laugh." And, pointing at Carmelita yelled "Seize ze fox."
At this, the Cooper gang began to defend themselves against their attackers. Sly at first had a harder time due to his stiffer joints but he soon regained his usual prowess, using his cane to hold off the oncoming waves of rat soldiers trying to grab Carmelita. Bentley, despite not having his wheelchair, had his crossbow for whatever reason and was launching sleeping bombs at all the rats. Murray had the least trouble as he still had his tremendous strength aside from Tennessee who used his Cooper pistol to "discourage" the rats with a well-placed bullet to the hand or feet, causing them to keep their distance. The vixen in question lacked her shock pistol and was somewhat hampered by her dress, but she was an excellent hand-to-hand fighter (as Sly could attest) and managed to ward off her attackers until a stink bomb thrown by Le Paradox himself blew the Cooper gang away from Carmelita. In desperation, Carmelita removed a shoe, the only thing she could really use as a weapon and hurled it at her attackers. Due to her not-so-great aim (which again, Sly can attest to) she missed the rats but somehow managed to hit Le Paradox, breaking his nose.
"Agh!" He yelled, just as the rats managed to grab Carmelita and drag her away. "Carmelita" shouted Sly, trying to get past the rats but before he could, Le Paradox leapt down, holding what looked like a regal scepter made of gold with a sky blue crystal on top. "You will pay for this, wench" he snarled passed his bloody nose. He pointed the scepter at her as the jewel began to glow. Snowflakes surrounded Carmelita and she disappeared just as Sly managed to get past the rats. "WHERE IS SHE?" Sly bellowed.
"Why she is right here." Cyrille smirked as dodged a blow from Sly's cane and gestured to the scepter. Inside the crystal, Sly could just make out Carmelita who was shaking her head and angrily muttering what looked like "Why do I always get kidnapped by this mofeta estupido*."
"Release her right now" said Sly, "unless you want a repeat of what happened on your blimp."
"Maybe I will, maybe I won't" said Le Paradox slyly.
"What's that supposed to mean" snapped Bentley.
"Fight me Cooper" said Cyrille, "I want revenge for what you did on zat blimp. If you win, which you won't, then she goes free. If not, zen she belongs to me." He finished leering.
"Fine" snapped Sly, who stepped forward, preparing to bring Le Paradox down (again).
"Sly, wait a minute" interjected Tennessee quickly. "What is it?" Sly asked.
"See that fancy stick that idiot has there?"
"Yeah, what about it."
"It belonged to my old buddy Drosselmeyer. Be careful not to break it or ya could lose Carmelita forever. Are we clear?" Tennessee explained.
"Crystal. It's time to stop the rat king."
*mofeta estupido= stupid skunk according to Google translate
What do you think so far? Stupid? Let me know if I should continue or if this is a horrible abomination I should just delete.
