"Right, before we can do anything about you getting back home. We first need to get you up to shape, if we're going to steal what we need, you're going to have to get up to par and train. Unfortunately I can't help you there so we will need to find you a trainer." Bentley explained pointing with a pointer at a arted picture of me training.

"I already know the perfect guy." I said, smiling broadly.

At that, Bentley deadpanned, "James, we need you to train. I don't think Murray is exactly the best choice we have at the moment."

I already knew the big guy at the moment wasn't exactly...confident...but I couldn't exactly just leave the big guy behind. Real life or not, it wouldn't feel right without him.

"Bentley, I know he may have some confidence...issues but I still think he would be the best choice. I mean he did make Bob into a complete weapon."

"Bob was also a Cavemammal and had prior experience, something you don't have."

"Come on, please just give him a chance?" I begged, I really wanted a training montage of my own like Bob's.

Silly and stupid, I know, but hey dreams are dreams and can become reality if you work hard enough.

At that, Bentley sighed, "I suppose we could give him a chance…"

"Thanks and have you found anything on Sly yet?"

"No, I haven't, frankly I think in this world he may not exist! Which brings me to our next issue…" -A click- "Other worlds! In your world, your human and there's a game on me, Murray, and Sly. Supposedly, that game is based on this universe which is very much impossible given how Sly seems to not even exist." He explained.

"So Sly doesn't exist?" I asked, kinda shocked and disappointed, I really wanted to meet my idol after all…

"Exactly, this however, doesn't mean that there is no way back!" -click- "If we can train you ,as mentioned earlier, we can make you into essentially a "this world's" him as it were. It's essential that we get you up to par with him. Otherwise you'll become baked raccoon bits." He said, pointing to a picture of a trapped mini me which had me give a gulp.

"My thoughts exactly, this is why we need to be absolutely sure you are set and ready to leap into the thieving landscape if you are to get home."

"Right, got it. Train, get up to Sly's level, and steal my way home!" I said with a nod.

"And since you have decided on Murray, I think it is time we go and meet up with him." He said, turning off the projector as I did a double take.

"Wait, you know where he is?"

"Well, I'm not the "brains" for nothing." He joked, referencing his role in the games which had me chuckle.

"Right so where do we meet him? Wrestling place, a track, a gym?"

"Well, er, not exactly…" Bentley replied, earning me a confused look as to where exactly Murray would be.

Don't get me wrong, I knew he kinda...you know, lacked confidence prior and during Sly 1 but it still couldn't have been that bad…

Suddenly I take back what I said, it was that bad or at the very least, semi-bad. The big guy definitely lacked confidence, though how much I couldn't tell yet. I mean, it was already telling based on the fact he was working in a pizzeria and even more so when at the slightest movement of a shadow, he jumped.

Bentley looked over at me with a look to which I said, "I did say he lacked a bit of confidence, please, just give him a chance?"

I gave a classic raccoon smile of begging to which he simply sighed giving myself an inner cheer at being able to convince the great Benster.

"Shall we, gizzard?" I teased him as he then facepalmed, "You and your raccoon logic...fine but we're going to need a cover story."

"We could just tell him the truth?" I offered to which Bentley freaked, "Are you nuts?!"

Lowering his voice to a whisper, he spoke, "James, we can't do that. Mammals finding out that you're from another world could be dangerous, more specifically the owl kind of dangerous!"

"Well, what do you suggest then?" I asked, scratching the side of my head.

Personally I found myself attracting the attention of Clockwerk to be very much unbelievable and unlikely to happen but Bentley is a genius for a reason. It would suit me better to listen and heed him than going around doing my own thing which could cause a boatload of trouble. Or as he put it, "Owl kind of dangerous".

"James, we already have the technical perfect cover story, Sly Cooper." He replied, fingers pushing up a pair of sliding down glasses.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It's either that or getting sent to an insane asylum for declaring yourself to be from another world where you're a human." He replied bluntly which quickly shut up any arguments.

"Right, got it, Sly Cooper, sad backstory, long line of thieves, etc." I replied, paw waving in a circular motion.

"Good then let's head inside and oh, sorry about any…nervousness I might show." He apologized, even in universe the turtle would never change.

We walked forward towards the restaurant's door, "You, the great Bentley, nervous? It's gonna be ok, just imagine it as getting the gang back together. Sly Cooper, Bentley, and Murray. The dream team reunited at last!"

Bentley snorted at that as we entered the restaurant. The place was a classic pizzeria, chairs, stools, tables, booths, and garlicky smell all. It reminded me of Chuck E. Cheese, you know, if it were actually good. At the counter, a tabby orange cat stood wiping the counter. Elsewhere, a waitress was cleaning off a finished counter. And in the middle of an aisle sat between booths and tables alike was a very much pre-Sly one Murray, doing his job as he swept the floors of food, dust, and such. Our target, training target, was definitely not as confident as he should be. Hopefully me and Bentley could change that. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for not messing with the fabric of the universe and that jazz but I can't just leave Murray like he was. It would be an insult to the big guy from the games, that and I would feel eternally guilty for never having done anything to help him.

"So, any ideas on how we can meet up with him?" I whispered to Bentley in curiosity.

"Well, I would suggest simply waiting for him to come to us. The easiest being him ordering for us which is most likely to happen given the two others who are at the moment busy. Just be sure to play it cool when talking to him." Bentley replied, whisperingly, with advice.

"Don't worry, I know how to be real sly." I snarked with a snicker as we made our way to a booth close to Murray.

Sitting down, it wasn't long before the big guy came around to order for us. Just as in the games, he was a big pink hippo with a light blue shirt and white shoes. Minis the whole goggles and scarf as well as the fact that he was wearing pants that is. He also looked very nervous and very finicky, poor guy.

"H-Hi! Welcome to Benito's Pizzarolli's, h-how can I help you?" He stuttered out, something that shocked me to my core.

Murray, The Murray, stuttering. Yeah no, screw the fabric of the universe, no way is The Murray going to be like this forever.

"Ah yes, I'll take the rollitollino, hold the tomatoes." The turtle made a shudder at the very word tomatoes.

"And I'll take the Benito Pizza Package. Say...you kinda look like the exercise type, you got any advice for a raccoon like me who's looking to bulk up?" I asked slyly ,snicker, while looking up at him in a curious gaze.

At that, Murray's nervousness seemingly melted away to be replaced by a contemplative look, "Well, I guess, you should start with upper body strength and then work on your leg strength by running laps or flutter kicks."

He then became a little flustered as he stuttered, "But t-that's just guess work!"

"For guess work, that's some pretty sound advice. Mind taking a seat and giving out some more advice. If you want, you could help me out long term, say as friends?" I offered.

"F-Friends?" He stuttered, looking a bit shocked.

"Friends." I replied to him with a firm nod.

And that, friends, is how a wonderful friendship between hippo, turtle, and raccoon began. Soon after that little exchange, we had sat down and talked and talked. We eventually set up where the three of us would meet up at the Eiffel Tower to train. Bentley would monitor my progress as I trained under Murray's guidance. Given the current cover story of me being Sly Cooper, Murray was not reluctant at all to help if it meant taking down the deadliest criminals alive to steal back my "family's" legacy. I guess in his mind, it was taking out two birds with one stone. For one, I'd be taking back what was stolen from me and two, I would be taking down the deadliest criminals alive and sending them to jail, it was a win-win.

While training, my cane and book were stashed back at Bentley's place as I kinda wasn't yet ready for as Bentley called it, "Cooper Practice". At least for the moment since at our current pace, I wouldn't be ready to take up the cane for a few months at the very least. Who would have thought that being a Cooper would be so time consuming?

Though thankfully, that time consuming physical training didn't take as long as we thought. A few mere months later and I was ready to become the raccoon I needed to be, though slightly shocking is what had happened to the book that had come with me…

"It's not blank?" I blinked repeatedly, trying to see if maybe I was dreaming.

The book was now about a carbon copy of the Thievius Raccoonus, many pages still missing mind you but the pages left detailed how to use the Cooper Cane, Thief Auras, Basic Thieving Techniques, How To Climb Pipes, etc.

To say I was shocked was an understatement, I was holding the Thievius Raccoonus. A book once blank and otherwise more useful as a journal than anything else, a book that Dad had left for me.

"I was just as shocked as you when this happened. The words and pictures appeared out of nowhere!" Bentley exclaimed, even showing video evidence to prove it.

"But how?" I asked, still ever shocked at the now Thievius Raccoonus.

"Well," -A hand went beneath the turtle's chin in thought- "It could be due to your presence in this world. Since there was no Sly and your filling that void, the world could be trying to compensate for your existence."

I grimaced at that, "Yeah, that doesn't sound very good."

"Possibly but so far you should have no problems with returning home."

I breathed out a sigh of relief before groaning, "Crap…! Carmelita! She's going to be such a pain!"

"Because she's Sly's lover or because she'll dog us from the start?"

"Both…!" I groaned, covering my face.

How could I have forgotten about Carmelita…?