The lights of Paris glimmered like shimmering gems against black velvet. The crisp night wind blew through the winding streets. All was calm until a high-pitched screech and an infuriated yell tore through the night. Two figures upon the rooftop watched as the vixen known as Carmelita Fox chased after a large white haired toad. Obscenities were thrown along with anything else in hand's reach. Her eyes were glazed with bloodlust as the toad continued to dodge her attacks.
"Wow" The first figure whispered. "And I thought that she hated me."
The second snorted. "Sly. Any woman would despise that pervert. That doesn't mean she still doesn't like you."
Sly sighed. "I can't believe Sensei would spy on her again."
"I can. He was serious about writing that book you know." Naruto snickered at Sly's crimson face. "That's why I warned her ahead of time."
"You didn't" Sly grinned as Naruto nodded. "How did you get close to her without being blown up to smithereens?"
"Easy. She likes me better than you." Naruto fell into a daze recalling that memory.
(Flashback)
"Whose there!" Carmelita growled cocking her shock pistol.
"It's me." Naruto stated jumping down beside her.
Slightly the cop relaxed. "Naruto what are you doing here?"
Naruto glanced around. Deciding they were well enough alone he turned to face Carmelita.
"An informant needs to inform their partner every now and then."
"Your not my partner." She snorted lowering her gun. "Although I wish you were. Are you sure you still don't want to be a cop? I could arrange it."
"You know why I have to refuse" Naruto chuckled.
"Those who breaks the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. I know, I know." Carmelita sighed. "Any news on the Uchiha?"
"No." Naruto shook his head. "Its as if he disappeared from the face of the earth. But I have a feeling he will show his face soon."
Carmelita nodded. "Anything else?"
"Yes." Naruto scanned his surroundings once more before continuing. "There is another person who has appeared. Another person from my homeland."
The inspector's eyes narrowed. "Are they dangerous?"
Naruto shook his head. "He is not homicidal. But there may be complaints flooding Interpol due to his actions." At Carmelita's curious gaze Naruto continued. "Just keep an eye out for an old toad with long white hair and red tattoos running down his cheeks. I give you permission to beat him to a bloody pulp if he annoys you." At Carmelita's shocked look he continued. "By the time you meet him I guarantee that he deserves much worse."
"Barkley would have my head if I ever caused physical harm to a criminal for a petty reason."
"Your officers under you would thank you though. If you do manage to arrest him I'll be by to pay his bail. Although you might not recognize me. Just keep an eye out for an old toad with white hair and red tattoos running down his cheeks."
(Flashback ends)
Naruto was forcefully retrieved from his reminiscing when Sly smacked him across the back of the head. Pointing down below Sly and Naruto watched as the other female officers of Interpol caught up to their sensei and pounded him into the ground.
"I may not like his habits." Naruto stated turning back towards Sly. "But you can't say he doesn't have guts. Spying on Interpol's showers like that."
"You would think he have learned after the first a hundred and fifty times though." Sly sighed.
"The man is a pervert. He will never give up. You know he is still trying to get us to teach that invisibility technique of ours."
"Over my dead body" Sly growled.
"The thought of Sensei giggling and spying when you and Carmelita finally get together is kind of sickening." Naruto said turning green as he watched Sly splutter turning crimson once more. The two turned back towards the street as their sensei screamed once more.
"Lets get out of here before the women spot us and think we're with him." The two nodded and quickly disappeared into the night.
"Tadaima!" Naruto shouted as he entered the safe house dragging his sensei.
"So what disguise did you use to bail the pervert this time?" Sly questioned as he leafed through the newspaper.
"I'm not a pervert. I'm a super pervert!" The toad cried only to be whacked across the head by Naruto.
"An old hag who is unfortunately related to this idiot." The fox sighed as he collapsed into a chair.
"You won't be calling me an idiot when you discovered what I found."
"More material?" Bentley asked from behind his computer.
"No."
"Food?" Murray questioned as he steered his little race car.
"…No." Jiraiya answered glancing at his pink student. "I found out some new information about Clockwerk." At this declaration everything tensed in the safe house. Noticing he had everyone's undivided attention he continued. "The Clockwerk parts were salvaged from the Russian Volcano. They are now on display at the Cairo Museum in Egypt."
"How do you know this?" Bentley asked, not even glancing at his computer.
"A few cops at Interpol are keeping an eye on it. It's all suppose to be kept under wraps, that is until the museum releases the information to the public."
"Are the heads of Interpol idiots? Don't they realize the danger they are putting people in? What happens if Clockwerk revives?"
"While serving my jail time, I overheard that vixen of yours arguing the same thing." Jirayia grinned at the raccoon's blush. "Despite that fact they are still displaying the Clockwerk parts. The museum has just decided to hire extra security."
"You know what we got to do." Sly said glancing towards his comrades.
"Seek and destroy" grinned Murray as he dropped the game control.
With a nod Sly continued. "Bentley, pull some favors we're going to Cairo."
"You think your ready?" Jirayia enquired.
"Ero-sennin you have practically drilled all the information you know about the shinobi arts into our skulls." Naruto complained. "We got this."
"I didn't drill in everything." The toad snorted but relented. "I'll stay here at the safe house gathering more information from Interpol. I think its time for the Cooper Gang to make its return."
"Woo hoo!" Murray shouted pumping his fist. "I'll start the van!"
Four shadows dashed across the rooftops of Cairo before two splitted off going their separate ways. A lock fell as the skylight swung open. Two shadows stealthily jumped through the window into the museum below.
"Look at all this stuff." The first smirked.
"Ignore it Naruto. Were here for the Clockwerk parts nothing else."
"I know. I know."
"Breaker Alpha Foxtrot this is the Wizard. Do you read me Sitting Duck and Easy Target?" Bentley called out over the binocucomm.
"I hear you loud and clear Lizard."
"No Sly, I'm the Wizard and your Sitting Duck."
"Whatever you say Blizzard." Naruto answered.
"No I'm- ah forget it. You're not taking this seriously."
"Of course we're not. Not with names like that!" Naruto scoffed.
"Bentley I get that this is your first time on the field in an actual heist. It is my first one in two years. But we really don't need all this code. So in plain talk, what is your status?" Sly questioned.
"I'm down in the basement. If you two can get up to that elevator and pull the lever near it then I can hack the system and shut down most of the security."
"We're on our way." Sly said before jumping on top of the skeleton whale.
"This is too easy." Naruto muttered.
"Don't jinx us Naruto." Sly admonished.
Raising an eyebrow Naruto jumped down towards the elevator, Sly following closely behind.
"Okay I spliced the wires, ouch!" Bentley's voice echoed over the binocucomm before the elevator started to move. "Lets get this done." Bentley waddled over to the computer while the two watched the security go down through the wrought iron doors. "The spotlights are offline." Bentley muttered as twelve visible spotlights turned off. "There goes the laser security system." He smiled as hundred of tiny moving red lasers disappeared. "And there is the security gate." He sighed as the wrought iron gate pulled back into the ceiling. "Presto, all clear."
"That was really good, for your first job." Sly commented.
"Oh this job is far from over. I'll stay here and provide computer support while you meet up with Murray at the rendezvous point. And watch out for the guards. There's hundreds of them patrolling around"
"Hundreds?" Naruto scoffed. "Don't worry Bent. We wont be seen." With a nod from their turtle friend the two crept down the hall.
"Bentley wasn't kidding when he said there were hundreds of guards. This pace is crawling with them." Naruto whispered as they avoided the seventeenth patrol.
"Don't worry, we'll won't have to worry about them soon." Sly said as he led them to the balconies.
"Ah, the Railroad Walk and Railroad Slide. How I love you." Naruto dramatically sighed as he ran across the rope.
"I always liked the scenic route," Sly whispered as the two passed over roughly twenty guards in the large gardens below towards the rendezvous point.
"Murray must have gotten lost along the way." Bentley sighed as the made it to their destination. "Try pressing on ahead without him."
The two entered the room only to hear a loud cry above them. "THUNDER FLOP!"
Rolling out of the way the two barely missed Murray falling through the skylight and demolishing the very spot they were standing in mere moments ago.
"Greeting citizen. I hope I did not harm you during my meteoritic entrance."
"No Murray. I kept at a safe distance." Sly said over Naruto's sarcastic murmur of "safe."
"Good, good. The Thunder Flop knows neither friend nor foe, only destruction."
"Tell me about it" Naruto groused.
"Can you channel some of that raw destruction at those security gates?"
Sly asked.
"Sure. Those gates are nothing compared to The Murray." With that declaration Murray lifted the security gates, creating a passage.
"Murray is sure lucky to have so little chakra. He can control is so easily and use it to add to his strength." Naruto grumbled.
"Another barrier stands before you. Fear not. I shall bend it like the truth." Murray declared before hulking a large statue at the gate demolishing it.
"Like the truth?" Naruto snipped.
"Don't listen to him Murray, he's just jealous that he has too much chakra and the lack of control to augment his strength."
"Stupid fur ball." Naruto muttered.
"Anyways your really in the zone today Murray. Solid work."
Assured by Sly Murray continued. "My hulking frame is to large for that puny rope. Unlock the doors from the inside and I'll help you carry out the parts to the van." Nodding the two sprinted across the rope.
"Another security door? Really?" Sly sighed.
"Don't worry brother, I got this." Naruto smirked holding up the rasengan before smashing it into the gate. Sly grinned as the two dashed further into the museum.
" I don't get it Sly the parts should be here? This is all wrong. Lets get out of here." Bentley cried out.
The sarcophagi opened up revealing two cops. "Freeze Cooper!"
"And Uzumaki." The purple tigress added.
"And Uzumaki." Carmelita grudgingly added.
"You just had to jinx it didn't you." Sly said turning to his sheepish partner.
"I have caught you red handed." Carmelita growled.
"Shouldn't it be red pawed since we're animals? Naruto questioned Sly but he ignored his brother to answer the foxy cop.
"What do you mean caught red handed? I haven't stolen anything, yet."
"It might not have been him Carmelita." The purple tigress answered. "This does have all the markings of the Klaww gang."
"The Klaww gang?" Sly questioned while Naruto tiled his head in confusion.
"Constable Neyla." Carmelita sighed. "I brought you on this stake out as a favor to the Contessa. I don't need your help."
"Oh I think you might, just look at the facts." Neyla argued.
"Facts! I just caught Sly Cooper red handed!" Carmelita shouted turning to her partner. Both Sly and Naruto steadily started to sneak through a side door.
"I'm just saying that there are other criminals in the world besides-"
"Sly Cooper! After him!" Carmelita shouted as she spotted the duo break into a run.
"Shake a leg Murray!" Sly shouted as they dashed through the hallway dodging electric bolts.
"I really hate that gun of hers." Naruto growled narrowly ducking out of the way.
"This wasn't a part of the plan!" Bentley whined as he joined with the others.
"Yeah well this is where things get fun." Sly quipped.
""I didn't know that you were into BDSM Sly." Naruto grinned as a blush bloomed on Sly's face only to growl in annoyance as Carmelita renewed her efforts on capturing them.
"This is getting a little hot. You go warm up the van while I keep Carmelita busy." Sly commanded.
"Sure you will." Naruto snickered only to get whacked in the back of the head.
"Go" Sly, growled dodging another electrical shot. Sobering Naruto followed Bentley and Murray. "Pick me up at the rendezvous." Sly shouted before jumping out the window with Carmelita close behind.
Sly dashed across the rope as cars swerved below and sirens blared. Carmelita was close behind firing away.
"Hold still!" She shouted in frustration.
Not likely he thought as he watched the van escape the cop cars down below him. Jumping from the rooftop onto the van Sly listened as Carmelita cried out in anger. "Ah Carmelita is beautiful, especially when she is angry." Sly sighed.
"What I worry about is what Constable Neyla said." Bentley murmured.
"You mean that slip?" Sly questioned. "Or intentional clue."
A serious look spread across Naruto's face. "Clue, I think. The way she said it was too casual. Almost forced if you know what I mean."
"Another trap?" Murray questioned.
"Perhaps, but I'm not sure."
"There is not much we can do about that. We just have to inform the old pervert what's happening now." Sly sighed.
"I've already contacted him. I'm just waiting for a reply." A small plume of smoke appeared within the van. "Speak of the devil." Naruto smiled as the toad passed the message.
"Naruto, Master Jiraiya says that this slip of the Constable's sound a little fishy, keep your guard up. He looked into the Constable's background for you. According to his contacts Constable Neyla grew up as a poor child in New Delhi and scammed her way into an exclusive British University."
"Seriously?" was Sly's incredulous tone.
"Yes. While there, she used her strong powers of persuasion to create a homework ring of other students to do her work for her. When the ring was broken and she was discovered, the authorities were so impressed with her skills that they offered her a job at Interpol."
"I think I'm starting to like this cop." Sly grinned.
"I don't know Sly, it just sits wrong with me. Its always hard to trust people who have no issues with manipulating others, especially those who do this by trying to gain your trust." Naruto said. "I have too much experience with that." Sly just nodded continuing to listen to the toad.
"Interpol believed that she could get inside the head of the criminal element."
"A cop being a spy, that is even more dangerous." Naruto murmured. "What if she decided to become a criminal herself, or worse pass information on to other criminals?"
"Isn't that what she did with us though?" Sly asked.
"Yes" Naruto's eyes narrowed. "But what reason does she have for it? What does she get out of it?" Sly rolled his eyes thinking that he was being paranoid but still stored that revelation away for later.
"Anything else?"
"Master Jiraiya discovered that the first member of the Klaww Gang is a nightclub owner named Dimitri. He lives on the west side of Paris. Master Jiraiya wished he could help you more except that the council has called him back. Konoha in in need of their Spy Master." Naruto nodded as the toad disappeared.
"Bentley, any information on this Dimitri?" Sly questioned.
"Besides what Sensei said, yes." The gang gathered around Bentley as he relayed the information. "He was once a passionate art student who worked hard to make his own visionary style. Unfortunately the art world was not ready for his kinetic aesthetic. So he gave them what they wanted by forging old art works. It seems that the nightclub he owns is quite popular luring in sheik, young, patrons with thumbing music, colorful lightshows and a hint of danger. Dimitri is also holding onto the Clockwork tail feathers."
"What does he want tail feathers for?" questioned Naruto.
"I don't know. But I do know that he won't have them for long." Sly smirked. "Murray." Sly turned towards the hippo. "We're heading for Paris."