A/N: Well, this took a while to make. But what can I say? I proofread way too much.

Please enjoy the next chapter. I've written well beyond this point in the drafting (3 chapters ahead actually), so at least I've gotten that out of the way.

As always, please review.

~CJ

3. MEMORIZATION

What a day this was. I barely escaped the cops, and justice was...somewhat served. Call me a psycho, but those Clockwerk-worshipping freaks have done enough to earn it. And what can I say, I have a history with them. But it seems each new generation never learns…

Probably because of me killing the guys who got their lesson.

But as I sat there watching the news, I couldn't help but feel bad for that lady cop. It hurts to see such a beautiful face twisted by frustration and anger. She almost had me...but she didn't count on the Cooper clan's amazing abilities.

Her face reminded me of someone I encountered earlier. I escaped from some crazy, pistol-toting woman once back in my earlier days of Ringtail. I couldn't tell what she looked like though...it was dark and rainy. And a power outage swept through the city after some lightning. But it's whatever I guess.

I thought back to the time I wished I had Bentley and Murray. It was a stupid thought, really. After I started this new "career", that's when the Cooper gang disbanded. Bentley hacked into the police station and wiped all the cases we were involved in, forging new files for us that were absolutely perfect. That was our last heist as a team. Then we all went our separate ways.

Not a single person on the team was too keen on my idea. They were already questioning me after the whole revenge quest mumbo jumbo.

Staring at my smartphone, I saw the time on it. "4:57 PM". Just a 90 degree turn of the head and I got myself the best view of the setting sun. It was a beautiful sight...sunsets always were to me. Yet at the same time it brought up memories within my mind. It always lead me to think about it all from the beginning, how I came to be. So I figured I should tell of my history. But not in the Thievius Raccoonus. I stopped documenting in that thing long after I quitted thieving.

I even remember the last words I wrote in the book. Every single stroke of a pen to write that single, finishing sentences. "I always felt empty when I stole from others. It couldn't cure my satisfaction. The last thing I leave in this book afterwards are my new abilities which I'll develop. Why, you ask? Because I found a different path to justice."

Those final words set in stone who I would become. I recorded everything in a separate book, which I have no title for yet. Maybe I should choose "The Legend of Ringtail"?

Ah, but what am I saying? I'd change my family line from thieving to...this.

Darn! I'm getting off topic again! Focus Cooper!

Now where was I? Oh, yes. How it all began.

It all started with the murder of my father. I remember every single part of that event, something I wish I wasn't cursed with. There was loud banging and voices on the door. It was a cooperation force of major criminals from around the world, known as the Fiendish Five. All of them lead by the Cooper rival, Clockwerk. He hated us so much, he turned himself into a immortal machine, all kept alive by a chip storing such strong feelings.

My dad hid me and my mother first. My mother...she was an amazing woman. But there were times where she became an impulsive coward. She dashed out of the house in a silent mental breakdown, leaving me behind. I had to keep quiet for father, despite my wanting to call for her.

Then I witnessed it all from the ajar closet door. My father struck down, and our family book ripped, its pages stolen. I cried for my father once they were long gone. I can hear my younger self, weeping for my father to wake up from his sleep. I did not comprehend death at such a tender, young age. Against all the shakings and slaps, I bawled. He would not wake up.

I sat there by his side. Tear after tear, crying his name as if it would suddenly make him come back to live. The police found me there. It was then that I was kept at the station for a bit. They tried questioning me, but I wouldn't budge for nothing. I eventually told them, as long as they promised to find my mother.

They kept their deal true and I was reunited with her. I was happy again. I started school, and everything was great. At least from a child's perspective. The reality was I was the black sheep of the group. I always was the lonely kid who was exceptional at his work. I proved more times than not that I was gifted in so many ways.

Why was I lonely? Simple, the one thing everyone in school is afraid of: difference. My father died before me. When the word got out, I was tormented by the bullies. What made it all worse was one day when I came home to see my mother dead.

It was those same five bastards. How could I tell? The bullet holes in the walls. They were the same from before...the same as Muggshot's guns. And that horrid scratch mark on the wall...Clockwerk's own "calling card".

It wasn't long before I was orphaned and sent to the "Happy Camper Orphanage". What an ironic name for such a hell hole. The staff was mean, the kids were selfish and greedy, save for a few, and the janitor was scary. It was almost like he took pleasure in spooking us.

But it was at that place that I met my best friends Bentley and Murray. We used to pull heists to get cookies and other things. Those were fun times.

Yet at the same time, I got my first experience of the very thing I do now. Mind you, I didn't kill anyone. I mean, I didn't know how to kill anywho. I don't think I even had the mental capacity for it. But it didn't mean I couldn't be violent. I could whack people with my inherited Cooper cane, but I know of its deadly potential like I can nowadays, turning the top of it into a knife as I have.

Either way, it felt good. I remember this like it was yesterday.

There was this big ol' mean bully by the name of Daniel. He was this big-for-his-age cat who liked to push around others for fun. It was more of a coping mechanism for his insecurities, like all bullies, but he sure made it seem like it wasn't that way.

This damn kid pushed around Bentley while he was drawing things that would inspire his hacking programs. Danny thought it would be funny to take his paper, taunt him for not being able to reach it, and then put it in his mouth and spit it out. On top of that, he kicked Bentley physically. I even remember him throwing the rotten papers at him.

Murray wasn't the fighting powerhouse back then, but he sure had a loud mouth to tell me about it. I ran on over and found Bentley on the floor near that disgusting, wet paper ball.

Bentley told me. "Sly, Danny he...he…". He then started crying. Danny taunted him for being a baby.

"He's only 8 Daniel! Just like me and Murray. He's allowed to cry.", I defended my friend.

"Doesn't mean he's not a loser like you and fattie over there!", Danny continued his shenanigans. "Like you'll do anything anyways, pipsqueak.", he laughed as he turned and starting walking off.

"Stop it now, Daniel! You're just a stupid guy with stupid jokes! No one likes you because you're stupid!", it took some courage, but I spoke up just as he was about to go.

He turned with a face that screamed violence was around the corner. "What did you say Cooper?"

"You heard me! You're stupid and nobody likes you! You're just mean cause you suck!"

He stomped near me and stood tall. "You think you're funny?"

"Funnier than you and your dumb joke of a haircut."

All the kids would laugh, but they were too focused on my bravery.

"Well you know what Cooper? You may be funnier, but you're not tougher. Shut up or get beat up."

"I'm probably tougher than you."

"Oh, so smarty pants wants to take a shot then?"

I gulped. My 8 year-old mind couldn't believe I was doing this. "Then take it!", Danny swung and I was hit.

My jaw hurt immensely. I put my fingers near my teeth to massage them, and pulled out finding blood stained on my gloves. The anger was swelling up within me. Not only did this guy hurt my friends, but he messed up my teeth. Now I had to get braces. Or, that's how it was in my mind. Later on, I found it didn't affect my teeth at all. Good thing I drank my milk.

But at that moment, I grabbed my cane and turned, swinging the long stick at Danny, socking him right in the head. He got knocked down just as I had. And that's how the fight ended up for the most part. Him charging at me, while I either counter or come back from a hit. I made sure to whack him hard with that cane.

Of course the both of us got in trouble with the head lady there. But after that, he never bothered anyone again out of fear for getting his ass kicked again. I ended up gaining legendary status at the orphanage for quite a while. Even after moving out at 16 to be with my friends in what would be our old hideout, I still was talked about. In a way, I became a hero there.

Though I never engaged in that type of stuff again til much later, when my hunt for the Fiendish Five began. It all happened after a police station heist to find their file. Of course the motivation was initially for my family's book, but after finding out they were the ones behind my father's murder, I was enraged.

I only saw shadows of who they were. But at that moment, I knew their identities and where they lived.

Bentley seemed to notice it first before Murray, the latter being more vocal about it once he knew. I focused more on my revenge quest than gathering the Thievius Raccoonus pages. That was my second major taste of justice, and something that changed my mind forever, making me who I am today.

It felt surprisingly good to get back at them. To kill them. I shot Muggshot with his own gun. Killed Raleigh with his own machinery. I turned Mizz Ruby's voodoo against her. And all of it was satisfying. Especially watching Clockwerk burn to a crisp in that volcano. I made sure nothing was left of him, not even that chip.

The only one I spared was Panda King no thanks to peer pressure from Bentley. He knew what I was doing wasn't something we originally intended. He saw that change in me and promptly acted against for once. At least there was some usage to be had by sparing him. I learned his very own moveset he tried against me. That "Flame Fu" crap. I rarely use it though. It's only for emergencies due to its massive power. Power enough to obliterate anyone to ashes in one hit if used right. That very power led me to my second T.R. technique, and first "Ringtail" move for that notebook. I found a way to harness that power without the "flame" part of it. Therefore, I can knock em clean out for hours. It's useful for whenever I want to do something non lethal (a rare occurrence) .

But after it all was said and done, they wanted the old me again. But by the time they tried to convince to go back to my thieving ways, without hurting a soul, it was too late.

I was dead set on my decision to become the dark hero. Before we split, Bentley made me the tech of Ringtail I use now as a goodbye present. It was then that Sly Cooper the Thief had died, and in its ashes, Ringtail was born.

It was then I did small things from time to time. But when I made the major headlines was when I went after some inheritor trying to revive Muggshot's gambling empire. Like I would let someone recreate something from my past I intended to be destroyed forever. So I killed him too. I knew he was a scumbag when I encountered him. I could smell it from his alcoholic breath and his evil odorous aura he left. You couldn't convince me otherwise if you tried.

That very thing was taught by my parents. Learning to analyze people like that using senses, even with the unknown "sixth sense". It was how I could tell Bentley and Murray were good friends. It was my gut that led me to them.

And in recent events, my gut told me this cop chick wasn't scary behind that hot temper. If anything, it told me of her golden heart.

And it was also my gut that put me on this path. The feeling of being whole was what drived me.

If I could trust no one, my gut would be the one thing my in which my faith was absolute.

After this thought, I awoke from my trance. I looked at my phone again. 8:32 PM.

Who would've known that train of thought would take 4 hours to finally stop? I sigh again, looking out. Maybe I should go to bed early today. After that midnight attack, it really took a hit to my sleep schedule.

Plus, I have a big day tomorrow. For once, I won't be Ringtail. I'll be me. Sly Cooper.