Chapter 21: Let The Cards…

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So, here we are at last. This will be a three-way fight. Sly Cooper belongs to Sucker Punch, and there will be a lot of the latter in this fight.

Alright, with that out of the way, let's see about this…

—

"I knew it was suspicious… Clever people tend to stay far clear of my casinos. So this is what's become of the illustrious Cooper lineage… Not even able to get in and out of a simple room without alerting the occupant."

"I guess my family is pretty infamous among thieves. Be fair, though. The alerting only happened when I was caught by the Inspector."

"Does it matter either way? You're both under arrest. Le Voleur knows his charges. Miss Fortune, you're coming with me for… Well, the list is very, very long. Let's start with rigging the slots in this casino and go from there."

"Can't have a thief taking my things, can't have a cop nosing in on them. Neither of you are leaving here alive."

"I think that's threatening a police officer. Another charge for the list, huh?"

"Playing nice won't save you from the jail cell, Voleur."

"Then I guess there's only one way left for us all to come to terms, huh?"

"Agreed."

"Vrai."

"Then it's settled."

There was deadly silence for just another moment, then the room exploded into violent action. Dodging a plasma bolt headed his way, List barely had time to register the other threat.

With a pained shout, the half-coon slammed into the wall, feeling his bones complain of the sheer pressure put on them. Winded, he fell to the floor, a death-grip on his cane as he struggled for air.

"Flat-heeled shoes. Damn, that hurt…" he managed, struggling back to his feet as he sized his opposition up once more. Now slowly hopping from one side to the other, the formerly calm rabbit had a murderous light in her eyes, and a… Glint on her shoes?

"Scratch that. Metal-heeled. That explains a lot… Guess you like stacking the deck."

"Luck has smiled on me, little Cooper, but I don't like getting soft. Cheating is always a good way to keep my wits about me."

Both casino boss and master thief dodged away as a pair of shock blasts flew through the room.

"Je ne apprécier pas être ignoré (I don't appreciate being ignored)."

"Rest assured I had no intentions of that."

This time, List was ready for the attack. Catching the kick with his cane, he batted away the rabbit before ducking under another shock blast as the battle resumed.

Bolts of electricity flew all over the room, Alayna cursing her poor accuracy as her targets bobbed and weaved through the barrage. Seeing her primary target get closer and closer, she dropped low, halting the barrage in order to duck another kick - one that would've taken her head straight off.

She then straightened up, her sturdy weapon slamming straight into the seedy gambler's chin. The impact sent the rabbit flying across the room, at which point the tigress pounced. Expecting to have to dodge the pistol, List was unprepared to find the weapon fall short, followed up by a vicious roundhouse that caught him in the side, sending him spinning towards the door.

Catching himself, he grinned. "Clever girl."

Another shock blast almost caught him, but he swung his cane at the last second, grinning even wider. The blast dissipated, but his cane began to glow, crackling with electricity.

"I told you my cane was special…" he remarked, wagging his finger at the surprised Inspector and casino owner. "It's got some… Weird properties. Conducts electricity, heat, mystic energy, all extremely well and with very little bleed. I haven't quite mastered the trick to setting it on fire yet, but… Well, I just need a spark for electricity."

"Neat trick. Won't save you." the proprietress growled, before leaping at him again. Stepping back, he brought his cane between them, waving it like a fencing blade. As he drove the rabbit back, he noted Alayna stepping in behind her, shock pistol high in the air.

A loud thud sounded out as the officer whacked the criminal once more, sending her crashing to the floor. Down she might have been, but only for a moment - rebounding off the floor, she caught the Inspector in the gut, narrowly avoiding a desperate swipe of the Cooper Cane as both women went flying into the air. Miss Fortune landed easily. The Inspector did not, crashing into the floor with a shout of pain.

"You know, I really don't appreciate it when people kick my arresting officer." List remarked, looking irritated now.

"You've been arrested?"

"No. Bless her heart, she tries, but I haven't gone behind bars yet."

"Ne soyez pas confortable."

Both criminal and thief froze for one, vital moment. A painful jolt sent them both hurtling through the door to the balcony, as they were nailed with a high-intensity shock blast. Striking her head on the wall, Miss Fortune skidded off to one side, clutching her head and groaning in pain. She was out of the fight for the moment.

List picked himself slowly up from the ground, still smarting from the shock, as the Inspector stepped through the crushed door. Now standing on the wide balcony above the game room, they were both acutely aware of the long drop awaiting anyone who went too far that way.

"You'll be in a cell by the end of the night. Don't worry, Voleur, I'll be sure to visit."

"Aw, you do care."

"Mettre une chaussette en elle (Put a sock in it)."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Inspector, but I'll have to decline your offer. Prison food just doesn't do it for me."

"Did I say you had a choice in the matter?"

His cane had lost its charge, but was more than tough enough to keep his head on his shoulders as the Inspector took another swing with her shock pistol. Batting her away, he stepped back, grinning again as he kept out of her reach.

"Another dance, Inspector? We really shouldn't make a habit of this."

"A dance? What are you on about, Voleur?"

"Think it through."

Contemplation, then realization flashed on her face as the Inspector kept up the attack, List nimbly avoiding her attacks when he could and parrying when he couldn't. Annoyance then replaced realization, but List merely smiled again.

"I know you don't believe me, but at least consider; we're on the same side here." he began, ducking under a particularly vicious strike.

"You may think of yourself as some kind of hero, Voleur, but you're nothing but a criminal!"

"Hero? Hardly. Heroes don't steal. I'm the dashing rogue who the hero of the story works with, mainly because the rogue doesn't want people to get hurt, and has skills necessary for the hero's success."

"Maybe a very self-aware criminal, but one with a massive ego."

"Admit it - if it weren't for my interference, things would've gone sour in Russia and England. Very sour."

"I'll give you Russia, but not England."

"I suppose that's fair. My point being - you may not approve of my methods, but you can't deny that the results are positive." List continued, catching her shock pistol with his cane to stop another attack.

"That's not your point. You're driving at something deeper. Spit it out, so I can crush your thieving heart."

List whistled, impressed. "Dramatic. I got chills. You're right, though. You already know we make a good team, despite our… Professional differences. We could work together, instead of having to do this dance every time we meet."

"I'm a good cop. I don't work with criminals."

The thief locked his cane again the officer's pistol, stopping their frantic movement for a moment. His expression turned deadly serious.

"The world isn't black and white, Alayna. There's the shades of gray to consider. Think what you will of me, but I'm not nearly as bad as the people you usually arrest."

"Your words are as empty as your soul. Mankind ill needs a savior such as you."

"…Did you just quote Castlevania at me?" List asked, eyes widening.

"Maybe. So?"

"…That is so hot."

"What?!"

"Uh, I mean - you're - I…!"

Both combatants stepped back, List suddenly looking flustered and nervous. He couldn't believe he had said that - how had that slipped out? Lost in thought for a moment, it was all the Inspector needed to take the advantage, and the raccoon found himself staring down the barrel of her shock pistol.

"Vous êtes en état d'arrestation (You are under arrest). Lâchez votre arme et descendre sur le terrain (Drop your weapon and get down on the ground)." the officer growled, her face hidden by the barrel.

"I swear, I didn't mean to - not that I think you're not - but, uh, I'd never-"

"NOW!"

"How cute. A lover's quarrel."

Two pairs of eyes widened as both cop and thief turned to the source of the noise - just in time to both be struck by the incoming rabbit. And I do mean 'incoming' - Miss Fortune had recovered from her injury, and launched herself not unlike a missile at the two of them, striking them both with an incredibly powerful torpedo kick.

List lost his grip on his cane, taking the brunt of the blow, and flew across the balcony. Only quick thinking saved him when he hit the railing, managing to find grip on the edge of the balcony as he flipped over it, injured though he was. His cane skidded away, close to the door he had been blown through earlier.

Alayna, meanwhile, was just able to bring her pistol up to cover herself. The gun was utterly destroyed by the kick, smashed beyond all repair, but Alayna was sent spinning away, collapsing near the wall in a daze.

Grinning at her handiwork, Miss Fortune approached the dangling raccoon, taking her time. She was still smarting from the blow to the head, but the situation was happy enough for her to ignore that.

"The great Cooper Clan, reduced to this? I'd have killed you sooner if I knew you were this easy to surprise."

"I'm not dead yet."

"Got anything better for your last words, rat?"

List opened his mouth, but was cut off by his own shout of pain as she stomped on one of his hands.

"It's tragic, really. Who'd have thought… A family that's been passing down thieving tactics and techniques since the time of the ancient pharaohs - undone by a fall!"

"Never was my favorite season. I've always been a sucker for winter, though."

"This time for real. Any last words before I send you to your doom?"

List opened his mouth again, then paused. "Last words… I didn't prepare a speech for death. Figured I'd have a little more time to than this."

"Fool. Say goodbye, then."

List closed his eyes tight, and waited for the end…

…But it never came. All he heard was a soft thud.

"I'm almost disappointed in you."

Opening his eyes, he looked up, then blinked.

—

Eyes open. She had to get ahold of herself.

First thing… Gah! Headache. Work through it.

In her hand… She could tell without even looking. It was crushed beyond all hopes of repair. That thing was a custom job, too. Ruined.

…Was that the cane? Something…

Memories rushed back to her. She almost cursed, but looked around silently, trying to go unnoticed.

There was the casino owner… And…

Hand.

Merde.

Attacking by hand was too risky - if she couldn't knock Miss Fortune out in the first blow, the rabbit would almost surely stomp on the thief's hand before succumbing to a second blow. She needed a weapon, but her shock pistol was busted…

Hm. That would work.

Pulling herself to her feet, she swiped the cane off the floor. Slowly approaching the gloating felon, she brought it over her head, then thought better of it. Bringing it down and around, she gently hooked the cane on the back of Miss Fortune's suit.

Swinging the cane up, she had time to marvel at its craftsmanship. Using it just felt… right. Like the cane itself was somehow helping her with this stealth thing. A moment later, she caught the rabbit with the cane, spinning gracefully to catch her while still in midair. The impact of being caught in the neck was enough to incapacitate the casino owner, and she let the arc of her spin carry the crook to the ground. She could barely hear the impact.

Looking down at the thief hanging on the edge of the balcony, she swung the cane up and over her side, resting it across her shoulders.

Alayna grinned. "I'm almost disappointed in you."

The look of pure shock on the thief's face made every single frustration of the job worth it.

"Wha…? That wasn't the classic Silent Annihilation technique - you improvised a silent takedown?!"

"Surprised? The cane is extremely useful, I'll admit."

Hooking the back of the thief's shirt, the Inspector easily lifted him back onto the balcony. Dropping onto the ground, he stretched, clearly glad to be alive.

"Now then…"

…And the cane was at his throat. Surprised, he looked over at the Inspector.

"You're still under arrest."

—

I'm just not up to the blurb right now. Think I caught something… There's been a stomach bug going around.

Still, what a cliffhanger. List's been disarmed, and his weapon is now in the hands of the good Inspector. Tune in next time for Chapter 22: …Fall Where They May, and let's see how this gets resolved.