There's a saying I once heard,"Love and Compassion are necessities, not Luxuries. Without them Humanity cannot survive." Just like many things I can't quite remember who said it or what point in time I heard it, but it's been implanted in my head ever since. That saying is always in the back of my mind, like some sort of clue.
Now I'm trapped in a future where Humans are no more and animals have become the dominant ones and now I'm on the run with a band of crooks, con artists, thieves? Whatever these three choose to go by.
But before I spill too much, let me start at the beginning.
I let out a groan as I picked at the pitch black shock collar around my neck. I've told these people erm...animals that the shock collar wasn't necessary. Apparently my words weren't enough to convince any of them. The itchy feeling didn't seem to leave no matter how much at prodded at the annoying thing. I ignored the sensation and decided to pay attention to the television they had set in my room.
A panther wearing a grey suit and tie appeared on the Tv, "Bonjuer everyone I'm Antoine Blanchet, and I'm bringing you daily news from across France. Let's start off with the topic everyone is talking about. Later on tonight a new exhibit at the Musée D'Orsay will be featuring a LIVE human. Thousands have lined up outside the museum and are waiting on it's debut. Speculators, Scientists, Tourists, and...Skinnies. That last one was literally a surprise to no one, but other than that. This is definitely a breakthrough for science that everyone wants to be apart of."
Maybe if I weren't chained up like some savage beast, I'd love the fact the red carpet was being rolled out for me. Nothing I can do though, my feelings and well being aren't be taken into account. The entrance doors of my cell slid open and a Lion with a hefty build along with two armed guards stepped inside. The Lion's name was Carmine Thornheart.
From what I've heard he's one of the richest individuals on this planet. And right now I'm his most prized possession that he can flaunt off to others. I'm also the reason he's reached such heights in popularity the entire month since I've been awoken.
"How's my little moneymaker doing this afternoon?", He asked kneeling, his amber colored eyes staring into my own.
"Screw you."
ThornHeart lifted prodded my throat with using the claw on his index finger in a threatening matter, "I could easily kill you and take your genetic code and make a clone if I wanted. So don't make me cross that line."
"I'd rather die than be your slave."
Thornheart chortled at my response and got back to his feet and began slowly pacing around me. "You know, today is a special day not just for me but for you as well. My father was one of the most respected scientist in the world and was a firm believer that there was an ancient race before ours. And you my friend are the key to unlocking history that is unknown to us. You'll be helping me accomplishing my father's dream of recovering what was once lost."
He's doing all of this for his dead father? Am I suddenly supposed to feel bad now? After he's kept me locked in here for an entire month, chained up in this room never seeing the light of day. Now that I think about it, I don't even know where he found me. The only memory I have is waking up here.
"I know you don't understand, but you're helping out our society a ton. And thanks to you my father's legacy will be continued.", He broadly claimed with pride. Two of his guards took hold of both my shoulders wrapping a muzzle around my mouth and cuffed my hands together. "Let's not keep our audience waiting any longer, shall we?"
I tried to protest before being shoved into a cage. A clotch was draped over the cage to the point where no one could see me and I couldn't see them. As badly as I wanted to get out of here, the odds were stacked against me in many ways. So I simply gave up and wished something would happen and I'd be finally free.
"Ugh...ngh...dammit my head.", I grasped my face between my palms. Rubbing my eyes I sat up right hearing a slight commotion outside my cage.
"Now Ladies and Gentlemen. What I present to you today is the remnant of ancient history. Humans were once thought to be extinct, but today all of that changes."
A bright light struck me as the cover was quickly lifted off my cage. Hundreds had surrounded my cage which was placed in a circular stage. The flashes of camera's and hundreds of voices made me feel so overwhelmingly trapped. There was nowhere I could hide that I wouldn't be greeted with the same feeling.
"Humans are a fascinating species. We still have so much to learn from him and he has so much to learn from us.", Thornheart stated. I curled up into a ball and shielded my eyes, trying to hide from all the unwanted attention.
About an hour or two later of garrulous speeches from Carmine and some even got the chance take pictures of themselves next to my cage. This was so embarassing, I couldn't move or speak and my muffled pleas for help reached couldn't be heard. Eventually people began to leave due to from what I'm assuming is the museum closing down.
Carmine adjusted his tie on last time before glancing back at me, "See you tomorrow."
He shut off the lights leaving me in the dark, the only light source being the moon shining in through the skylight. I got to my feet and yanked on the chains, but it proved to be a worthless attempt at trying to escape. I gripped onto the mask with my fingertips as best as I could and began shaking my head and yanked on it profusely until I finally managed to get the muzzle to lose it's hold on my face. I plopped onto the metallic floor below me panting in exhaustion, the chains clinking with every moment.
[Clank!]
"Who's there?", I said into the darkness. A shadow leapt infront of my cage from the darkness.
"Don't worry little buddy, just here to help.", an anthropomorphic raccoon stepped out into the light surrounding my cage. "Name's Sly Cooper by the way."
Like any raccoon would, Sly had gray fur with black stripes on his tail and a natural mask, as well as brown eyes, and His nose had a dark blue tinge to it. His ensemble consists of a black mask, blue elbow-sleeved shirt with a yellow collar, blue boots, blue gloves with yellow cuffs, and a blue cap. Around his waist is a belt with the buckle shaped in the form of the raccoon wearing a blue mask.
He dug into a leg pouch pulling out a shiny yellow key. He came closer and used said key to unlock the cage and the chains restraining me from moving.
"Why are you helping me?", I asked completely stunned.
"To keep a long story short, there's something valuable here that was stolen and I'm not leaving empty handed. Plus I couldn't bear to leave you here after seeing what they'd put you through. I can already tell you weren't happy in this cage.", Sly honestly answered.
"Thank you Sly, but how will we get out of here unnoticed?", I questioned. He scanned the room with looking for any answers to my question.
"Aha!", Sly quipped with a snap of his fingers.
Sly led me over to an exhibit with a Sarcophagus that was about my size. It took me a second to realize what he had planned. I helped Sly carefully bring it down from where it was orginally placed. We set it down on the ground and pushed the cover off revealing a dusty interior.
"Alright, Hop in! I'll have my friend Murray carry you out of here.", Sly stated. I hurriedly hopped inside while Sly placed the covering back on. "Me and my friends were supposed to rendezvous here so it won't take long."
"Wait no longer my friend! The Murray has arrived!", a bulky voice dramatically announced in a way a superhero would.
"Who we're you talking to?", A more nerdy voice asked. The raccoon looked at me anxiously and back at whoever who he'd been talking to.
"Nobody.", Sly responded dropping the cover back onto the sarcophagus, thankfully I could still hear what was going on outside of this dusty old thing. "I couldn't find the Clockwerk Wings, apparently someone's already taken them."
"Aw fudge, Guess I've got more research to do once we leave this place."
"None of you will be going anywhere!", A loud feminine voice with a spanish accent intervened.
"Murry could you carry that out for me?", Sly asked.
"No problemo Sly!"
I adjusted myself into a comfortable position as this "Murray" person lifted the sarcophagus. In this moment I'd wonder what I had gotten myself in. At least this beats being chained up in a cage on display like some mindless beast.
Carmine took a tip of Balkin 176 Vodka while he looked over some paperwork. Everything went according to plan today as expected. Unfortunately he'd have to spend the entire night filling out paperwork from hundreds of scientists from all over the world willing to their chance to study the Human further. Of course in order to do that he'd have to send copies of the Human's DNA.
He could already sense the tidal waves of cash coming down on him. He knew if his father were watching he'd be proud. The intercom to his office rang and he proceeded to answer the call.
"What is it?", Thornheart asked slightly annoyed.
"The Museum just called there's been a break in, Someone stole the Human."
"WHAT!!!", Thornheart shouted in disbelief. He went and grabbed his coat. They promised him that the place was secure and that break in's barely occured. "Tell them I'm on my way. I'm gonna give them a piece of my mind and I'm getting back that Human."